Chapter 418

Deep in the valley, mist swirled hazily.

In the valley, the many young disciples who had entered this trial valley were already in peril.

A strange purple mist pervaded the valley.

The mist released, causing many disciples to unknowingly become frenzied, murderous intent blazing in their hearts, the seven emotions and six desires sprouting from their depths— the good grew more good, the evil more evil.

All kinds of evil thoughts began to be released.

And almost at the same time.

Zhang Jian and Bai Liying stepped forward into it, while at this moment on the valley's outskirts, the disciples of Huafeng Sect suddenly seemed to have their movements frozen, their eyes dazed.

This was the temporal stasis of the 《Nine Revolutions Ruyi Time Wheel Sutra》.

Since the clue had already been locked onto, Zhang Jian directly took action.

This layer of invisible light flowed and turned, like a deep current penetrating the trial valley, simultaneously causing many young men and women engaged in mutual slaughter to halt their killing.

Bai Liying followed beside Zhang Jian, her gaze falling upon the valley, where she saw many girls already with torn clothes, a flash of intense chill in their eyes.

"Yin Ice Soul!"

She condensed hand seals in her palm, an invisible cold radiance flowing from her surroundings, like a current flowing out into the valley, attempting to awaken the fervent desires in the eyes of these youths.

Yet what surprised Bai Liying was that after her Yin Ice Soul divine light technique flowed past, the desires in the eyes of these youths remained unchanged.

"Your Majesty, how could this be?"

Gazing at this scene, Bai Liying's jade countenance also showed some astonishment.

Divine light flowed in Zhang Jian's eyes as he smiled and said.

"Princess, your understanding of this dharma is ultimately still shallow; if these disciples were merely bewitched by some ordinary technique, they would certainly be awakened by your Yin Ice Soul divine light, but they are not— they are under the influence of external demonic qi, having absorbed demonic qi into their bodies; unless you can purify the demonic qi within them, you cannot dispel their evil thoughts!"

"To counter such external demonic qi, you must use a technique to awaken their original hearts— you must employ the Qinglian Purify Soul Mantra!"

As Zhang Jian raised his hand, countless azure lights seemed to flow and take shape.

With a wave of his hand, countless purple qi in the depths of the void were at this moment scattered by the sacred, pure, and harmonious heavenly sound; strands of azure divine radiance fell like lightning upon each youth.

Visible to the naked eye, it was as if countless azure lotuses condensed in the depths of their Niwan palaces.

Deep within the azure lotuses, a vast luminous power surged into the depths of their souls, and strands of terrifying purple mist flew out from within.

Countless purple mists at this moment seemed startled, transforming into a purple torrent rushing toward the valley's depths, converging at a certain point.

The two figures flowed like light, instantly following after.

Yet they saw countless purple mists surging into the mountain wall like the sea returning to its abyss.

Yet they saw on this mountain wall a grand and profound stone grotto, within which stood solemn and dignified statues of deities.

Like external Buddhas, each statue solemn and majestic, either seated cross-legged upon lotus thrones with three heads and eight arms,

or stepping upon lotus thrones, surrounded by countless flames coiling around their bodies, their expressions fierce and mighty,

or with long arms forming seals before their chests, eyes filled with compassion.

There were altogether dozens of such Buddha statues.

"It is actually an ancient Buddhist temple?"

Gazing upon the dozens of solemn Buddha statues in the stone grotto, Bai Liying's expression showed astonishment.

This exceeded her expectations.

She knew that even in the two realms region, the Buddhist lineage was a minority, heavily suppressed, and only a few temples like Ling Shan Temple and Chao Yin Temple could stand firm due to their special foundations.

"Since ancient times, demonic heads have always liked to assume the names of gods and Buddhas!"

Zhang Jian laughed: "Using another's name to do evil deeds always brings a strange sense of excitement!"

"Demon head, you say that is so?"

His eyes, smiling, gazed upon the ancient temple above; at this moment, the central statue opened its eyes.

As if a supremely majestic 'Holy Buddha' had manifested in the world.

In an instant, a pair of vast and towering divine lights flowed forth.

"Bold mortal, dare to defile gods and Buddhas— your crime deserves the eighteen levels of hell!"

A cold voice flowed from within, like ten thousand zhang of purple qi descending from heaven, transforming into a mighty thunderous roar sweeping toward the direction where Zhang Jian stood.

Zhang Jian gazed upon the ten thousand zhang of purple qi sweeping down from above and smiled faintly.

"Your ten thousand zhang of purple qi is somewhat false; let me show you what true purple qi coming from the east is!"

As Zhang Jian waved his hand, a layer of vast supreme and noble aura flowed from his surroundings, like a flood instantly submerging this valley.

Under the Imperial Purple Light, myriad laws are sealed.

The surrounding heaven and earth seemed to instantly become a region of flowing purple qi; the void suddenly surged forth seven intensely blazing crimson dragon shadows, and immediately afterward, a vast and boundless crimson inferno erupted from the mouths of the seven dragons, suddenly engulfing the entire stone grotto and its Buddha statues.

That crimson inferno was purely and utterly heavenly divine flame.

Under the assault of the divine flame from the seven crimson pulse fire dragons, the demon hidden within the Buddha statue could no longer endure; strange demonic qi twisted within the statue, and an invisible black shadow emitted a piercing, shrill scream.

"Damned scoundrel, I have no grudge against you, yet you ruined my affairs—I will not let you go!"

A sharp whistling sound came from within; even Bai Liying, nearby, felt her soul as if pierced by needles, but instantly that invisible shriek was burned to nothing by the flames.

"Not letting me go? Well, I won't let you go either!"

Zhang Jian's expression remained calm; simultaneously he noticed that as the demonic qi collapsed, a trace of purple light was revealed; he waved his hand and drew that purple light to him, and when it landed in his hand it transformed into a purple 'brick'.

That was indeed just a purple 'brick'.

This 'brick' was precisely the true form of that invisible demon just moments ago.

At this moment Bai Liying's gaze also noticed this purple 'brick'; she felt a hint of shock in her eyes, noticing that the 'brick' emitted a thick layer of evil intent around it, as if it could easily stir the evil thoughts deep within her soul.

"Your Majesty, what is this?"

Zhang Jian glanced at it; in his palm, starlight appeared, sealing it.

This is the extraterrestrial marvelous object Heaven Demon Stone, also the true form of that demonic primordial spirit expert just now; this villain relied on this object here to absorb the evil thoughts of living beings, thereby evading the patrols of other immortal sect cultivators!

Zhang Jian smiled faintly at Bai Li Ying at this moment.

"Come on, let's go capture his true form. Since he holds the extraterrestrial treasure, the Heavenly Demon Stone, he must have made a deal with the Outer Realm Demon Gods. He is likely the chief culprit behind opening the Outer Realm Demon Gate this time!"

With a wave of his hand, Zhang Jian summoned a divine light that wrapped Bai Li Ying, and his figure turned into a flowing light, vanishing from the spot.

At the same time, an invisible azure light flashed instantly, centered on this mountain valley, sweeping across the entire Guangyuan Mountain region.

The Azure Lotus Purifying Soul Divine Light circulated, and at this moment, countless cultivators within the Guangyuan Mountain region suddenly felt a blue lotus bloom in their hearts; the invisible demonic thoughts staining their bodies were purified in an instant, and their original nature returned in a flash.

Recalling his past actions now, it felt like a dream of millet.

……

The outskirts of Xin Guan City.

Beyond the city lay fertile plains stretching a thousand li, fields a thousand qing; in mid-autumn, this place was still a scorching expanse under a blazing sun, drought gripping the land.

Yet the Qingxu Daoist Temple on the hillside was thriving with incense.

A steady stream of people came to pray and worship.

It was rumored that the Qingxu Heavenly Venerable enshrined in the Qingxu Temple was extraordinarily efficacious, granting every request.

Moreover, the divine powers of the temple's priest, Xian Yun Daoist, were renowned far and wide.

At this moment, inside the Qingxu Daoist Temple.

The temple priest, Xian Yun Daoist, however, had a face ashen with iron; he opened his eyes at this moment, and a intense sensation of tearing surged from the depths of his primordial spirit.

Enduring this heavy pain, Xian Yun Daoist hurried into the main hall and immediately began burning incense and bowing in worship.

Inside the magnificent and solemn treasure hall.

Threads of incense smoke shot straight to the heavens; divine light flowed across the magnificent golden statue, and streaks of spiritual light appeared upon it.

Light flowed across the golden statue, and vaguely, a vast divine consciousness descended along with it.

Magnificent momentum, vast and mighty.

Divine might like an abyss, like a prison.

Seeing this divine shadow descend, Xian Yun Daoist's face became solemn; he performed a slight bow according to ancient rites, then spoke in a deep voice.

"Heavenly Venerable, we have been exposed. Just now, the extraterrestrial godstone incarnation you bestowed was discovered by someone, and my own godstone incarnation lost contact not long afterward!"

Deep within the divine light, at this moment a magnificent divine shadow surrounded by flowing divine light emitted a vast fluctuation of divine consciousness.

"Oh, is it someone from the Tongshan Dao lineage?"

Xian Yun Daoist's face showed pain, he lowered his brows and drooped his head.

"I am not sure, but my own golden primordial spirit incarnation could not withstand even a few breaths; I fear the one who comes is no ordinary person!"

The magnificent divine shadow's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise.

After a moment, his expression shifted; he slightly bent his fingers to calculate, then after a moment, his expression turned solemn as he spoke.

"You have indeed been exposed. Leave with me now— that person is not someone you can resist!"

"Heavenly Venerable, what about the Outer Realm Demon Gate here? For the sake of that Outer Realm Demon Gate, we have spent many treasures and poured in great effort— to abandon it now would be too regrettable!"

Xian Yun Daoist's eyes held a faint demonic light, and he still felt some reluctance in his heart.

The magnificent divine shadow let out a faint, indifferent laugh.

"Treasures are gone— we will continue searching. The Outer Realm Demon Gate is gone— we can rebuild it. Do not rush; this place may not work, but we still have a chance!"

As his words fell, his hand had already prepared the technique; a intense divine light enveloped Xian Yun Daoist, tore through the void, and vanished instantly from the spot.

And almost at the same moment, a strange blue-red light burst from the depths of the void, piercing the high heavens.

"Can you escape?"

From the depths of the void came an icy voice, accompanied by an intense, unparalleled chill; this chill surged like a flood, following the aura of that fleeing escape through the void.

Like a falcon striking the high sky.

In the depths of the void, the divine light in flight, upon seeing this scene, could not help but change expression.

His void translocation technique was renowned across heaven and earth, famed for its extreme speed.

Yet the opponent was actually faster than him.

That icy blue divine light seemed to tear through the void, crossing a thousand li in an instant.

"Bold!"

In the icy voice, the magnificent, ethereal divine light within the divine shadow seemed to condense into form; his body seemed to be surrounded by countless deities paying homage, myriad streams of azure profound qi coiling around him; he raised his hand and pointed, and it seemed as if countless torrents were born in the depths of the void— this torrent like the collapse of the heavenly firmament, the universe and heaven and earth bound by it.

The two divine lights collided, and in the depths of the void they became entangled, impossible to separate.

The Yin-Yang Rainbow Light— Zhang Jian, driving the Yin-Yang Rainbow Light Great Law at extreme speed, saw his own first-rank immortal technique, the Freezing Elements Great Law, instantly frozen and annihilated by that magnificent celestial firmament divine light; he felt a hint of astonishment in his eyes.

"It is actually a second-rank deity!"

Zhang Jian's eyes flickered subtly; he noticed it was a incense deity, its surrounding divine light unusually intense, emitting a magnificent aura unique to the Dao of Gods, a profound and enduring artistic conception.

Yet Zhang Jian had never before seen a deity with such vast divine power.

The incense divine power condensed into incense golden light, carrying a intense aura of great Dao principles, as if born from the gestation of heaven and earth, possessing the power to imprison and refine the celestial firmament.

"It should not be a second-rank deity of the State and Ancestral Gods Dao; it is more likely a wild god, a barbaric god born from the border between the two realms. Judging by its divine light and aura, it is not a star god's body, but rather a heavenly god's body— truly strange!"

Secretly thinking this, the more so, the more Zhang Jian felt a surge of intense fighting spirit rise in his heart.

No matter what today, he must find a way to detain the opponent.

With a thought, the Yin-Yang Divine Fire Treasure Wheel flowed from behind him, deep within the Yin-Yang Divine Light; an icy blue talismanic structure diagram instantly formed in the void, transforming into a magnificent torrent that swept horizontally across the void.

At this moment, snow flew like violent storms between heaven and earth, the chill like a waterfall turning into meteors rushing toward the 'Qingxu Heavenly Venerable'.

This was the second-rank immortal technique, Yin-Yang Ice Soul Divine Light.

Empowered by a second-rank immortal treasure, this second-rank immortal technique was like a great ice disaster enveloping the void and heavenly firmament, freezing heaven and earth.

And at the same time, the 'Qingxu Heavenly Venerable's' first-rank immortal technique, 'Heavenly Origin Strike,' condensed into form; at this moment, the countless incense faith powers behind him, as vast as having no limit, collapsed and transformed into a intense golden light that surged toward the void.

The golden and blue forces intertwined, like opposing torrents colliding.

A flash triggered a heaven-shaking, earth-moving collision.

But in an instant, the Clear Void Heavenly Sovereign let out a muffled groan, and deep between his brows, threads of cold frost appeared, while a flicker of shock passed through his eyes; his form transformed into an invisible stream of light, fleeing at high speed through the void storm.

At the same time, he noticed within the countless ice-blue flames intertwining behind Zhang Jian's back, clearly a second-tier or higher immortal treasure.

Even as a second-grade deity, equivalent to a true immortal in form, facing such a ruthless wielder of a second-tier immortal treasure, he could only retreat from the sharp edge.

At this moment, seeing the opponent flee, a hint of coldness flashed in Zhang Jian's eyes as his surrounding second-tier immortal law, the Taiyin Rainbow Light Great Law, erupted—like an ice-blue divine light cleaving the heavens, actually approaching at extreme speed.

The speed of his second-tier immortal law, the Taiyin Rainbow Light Great Law, clearly surpassed that of the second-grade deity's method of tearing through the void.

At this rate, he would not need long to catch up to the opponent.

At this moment, Zhang Jian's thoughts turned, and simultaneously, a strange cold light flared again in his hand, immortal light flowing.

The Taiyin Ice Soul Bow appeared in his hand, preparing to deliver a fierce strike to the opponent.

With the power of the third-tier immortal treasure, the Taiyin Ice Soul Bow, he believed that a single strike would cause this second-grade deity to fall.

But just then, Zhang Jian's expression shifted—he saw, in the depths of the void, countless ripples twist in an instant, a vast divine light emerging from nowhere, within which lightning flashed, and a tremendous destructive aura filled the void.

Seeing this, Zhang Jian's expression changed, and in an instant, he activated another second-tier immortal law within his body.

Taiyin Holy Lotus.

Countless ice-blue rays of light emanated from his entire body; at this moment, he seemed to transform into an unyielding Taiyin bright moon, while simultaneously, the countless terrifying blood-red lightning bolts erupted like the apocalypse, violent lightning sweeping across hundreds of thousands of li of void, reducing everything in the void to dust.

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