Chapter 192: The Ritual of Paying a Visit

"Senior Uncle Zhunti really does go to great lengths." Zhou Yi stared at the faint seven‑treasure wondrous tree seal at the core of the artifact and couldn't help but smile wryly.

The Western Saint actually concealed saintly power when bestowing the treasure; this manner fits his "guiding the destined" style.

Amid Buddhist chants and the glow of Buddha light, the battlefield layout quietly shifted. Zhou Yi's fingertip array flickered uncertainly; as the Sea of Blood roiled, Ming He Ancestor recondensed his law form. The life‑and‑death contest among the three sides truly began now.

Ming He's eyes flashed with brilliance as he bellowed, "Exquisite! A comrade of the Western Sect actually hides such a killing move—come quickly and help me slay this person!"

Seeing Zhou Yi display his divine power, the Sea of Blood's ruler had originally thought this attempt would be futile.

Unexpectedly, a Jieyin disciple under Senior Uncle Zhunti suddenly presented a nine‑grade golden lotus bathed in ten‑thousand‑fold Buddha light and an empowered divine staff; the fully awakened might of the two Preheavenly Spiritual Treasures made the entire sky tremble, even Chaos Great Luo was moved.

"With such strong support, what worry that the great undertaking fails!" Ming He's body roiled with infernal fire, and twelve‑grade blood lotus bloomed beneath his feet.

Compared with the demon master who fled the battlefield in the past, the decisive resolve now shown by the two Western Saints' inheritors stirred his heart even more.

Amid the central pressure of three saint‑level forces, Zhou Yi stood like a green pine, his fingertip cycles of law condensing into a six‑colored halo: "Do you truly think I am completely unprepared?"

Before his words finished, myriad rays of sunrise appeared on the eastern horizon, and the dragon qi of the earth veins transformed into a thousand golden chains piercing the void.

Zhenyuanzi Great Immortal arrived, holding the Earth Scripture and treading on clouds, a red gourd behind him inhaling and exhaling Chaos. The ancestor of the present Earth Immortals boomed like a great bell: "The Sea of Blood's old debt remains unpaid; today is the perfect chance to settle it with the Great Peng Bird's evil obstruction."

The Mountain‑River State Map unfolded in response, and a barrier built from the Nine Heavens' ether enveloped the battlefield.

Fude's demon‑refining pot at his waist buzzed and trembled; though his past‑life memories had not awakened, the Preheavenly Spiritual Treasure autonomously locked onto the demon master's qi. Ming He's complexion turned iron‑blue as he stared at the suddenly reversed battle, and Abi Yuantu's twin swords in his hand emitted a resentful clang.

"Earth‑vein Dragon Formation? You actually carry the Five Village View Mountain‑Guarding Array with you." The Jieyin disciple's golden lotus Buddha light suddenly dimmed; the empowered divine staff and the Earth Scripture's Wu‑earth essence clashed violently, and star fragments continuously fell in the void.

Behind Zhou Yi, the Six Realms of Reincarnation wheels thundered and turned, each wheel reflecting a different spatiotemporal scene: "Since Brother Wanhuo's fall, Brother Zhenyuan's three‑thousand‑year arduous cultivation forged this ultimate array; today I invite you all to appraise it."

As he spoke, six‑colored divine light pierced the Sea of Blood's barrier, striking directly at Ming He's life gate.

The turbid waves of the You Ming Blood Sea surged into the void, and Zhenyuanzi's broad sleeves fluttered as he stepped through the air.

Mile, holding a human‑seed bag, showed a flash of anger within the Buddha light: "Comrade, do you truly intend to wade into this murky water?"

The Earth Scripture's phantom swirled in Zhenyuanzi's palm, and the earth veins beneath his feet thundered: "Brother Wanhuo's karma must be settled."

Before his words ended, the twelve‑grade infernal fire red lotus blossomed deep within the Sea of Blood, and Ming He sect leader stepped onto the Lotus Platform, breaking the waves as he emerged.

"The thousand‑year old debt is clearly remembered." Ming He Blood God Son's avatars multiplied, and Abi Yuantu's twin swords rang. Zhenyuanzi's sleeve briefly revealed the universe, and Wu‑earth qi condensed into a mountain‑shaped phantom: "Today I'll use this Netherworld earth vein to discuss life and death with you!"

The Medicine Master's crystal goblet suddenly emitted seven‑treasure fine light, but it was cut off by the mysterious yellow qi in Zhou Yi's sleeve.

The two Western Saints' direct disciples locked eyes, and saw Zhou Yi's five fingers form claws reaching into the void; from the demon master's palace depths came the Great Peng Bird's fierce screech: "How dare you, brat!"

"You two comrades, look here; this is the true master." Zhou Yi captured a blue‑feather illusion clone between his fingers, and as he turned, his nine‑fold mysterious cultivation had already set the cosmic cycle turning.

Three blossoms atop Mile's head quivered, and he suddenly realized the Sea of Blood's murderous aura was being restrained by some force.

Zhenyuanzi and Ming He fought to the Sea of Blood's core, where earth‑vein dragon qi collided with infernal fire red lotus, spawning a Chaos vortex.

From beyond Dali Heaven came a Saint's low sigh; the Sea of Blood's waves suddenly stilled, and the demon master's true form was fixed by the Mountain‑River State Map deep within the Return Ruins.

"It's time to settle the karma." Zhou Yi's head bore a phantom of a Chaos bell, and his feet stepped into the celestial star‑array positions.

The Medicine Master's pot poured out the three‑light divine water, but upon contacting the mysterious yellow primal qi, it turned into a rain of stars across the sky.

The two celestial elders of the Western Heaven exchanged glances, unable to hide their despondent hue; Mile's broad sleeves fell as he solemnly said, "In this debate we gladly concede defeat; we shall immediately return to Mount Sumeru."

"Do you truly think the Three Realms are your courtyard? Come when you wish to debate, leave when you wish to retreat?" Zhou Yi, hands behind his back, stood amid the sea of clouds, his robes rustling, his brows radiating a sharp wind like the nine‑heavenly gale.

The Medicine Master's crystal goblet swirled with spirit liquid, and in a cold voice he asked, "Brother Dao, what do you intend? Do you still wish to forcibly retain the Saint's disciple?" The golden‑body law form suddenly surged, and the twelve‑ring tin staff sent ripples through the void.

Zhou Yi's fingertip brushed the mysterious yellow gourd at his waist, and he laughed, "You two, don't panic; leaving some karmic marks before you go isn't too late."

Before his words ended, the Eight‑Extremities and Six‑Directions suddenly solidified, and Chaos breath burst from his fist's edge.

As heaven and earth shifted hue, two golden arcs collided thunderously with waves of mysterious yellow qi.

The six pure bamboo roots transformed into a three‑thousand‑realm Bodhi world; the empowered divine staff stirred the phantom of the Eight‑Treasure merit pool, yet Zhou Yi's law form stood like an ancient divine mountain, unmoving.

Golden‑body fragments mingled with crystal light rain, scattering across the sky; the secret art of Mount Sumeru was brutally forced back to its original form.

"How… how is this possible?" Mile stared at the spreading crack in the seven‑treasure kasaya in his hand, his color draining. The Medicine Master's white hair on his forehead flickered, and a chill rose from deep within his spirit platform; the Chaos entity before them grew three‑fold in power each time it shattered and reformed.

At the seventh golden‑body disintegration, the two sacred artifacts had dimmed to ordinary iron. Zhou Yi stepped on the Dao‑patterned long river, grasping the void mid‑air; the two elders suddenly felt their limbs and bones restrained by an invisible great force, and within an instant their faces received three‑thousand‑six‑hundred mixed‑origin palm seals.

As the clouds cleared and the mist dispersed, the two Buddhist great masters' ceremonial crowns were askew, their ornaments scattered, and a green‑purple aura swirled over their faces like a living thing.

Zhou Yi, however, slapped his palms and laughed, "Such a sight returning to Mount Sumeru counts as a uniquely special audience‑gift."

Suddenly nine‑colored mysterious light rose from his palm, and the true mantra of "soldier" transformed into chains that wrapped the two sacred artifacts. "Is the Nine Secrets' profound connection not illusory?"

In Zhou Yi's eyes, the Milky Way reversed; as the empowered divine staff quivered violently, it emitted a dragon's roar, and each pure bamboo leaf turned into a sigil drifting toward the mysterious yellow gourd.

Mile hurriedly pressed the Great Lotus seal but felt the qi stagnate; seeing his sect's supreme treasure gradually devoured by Chaos qi, he finally sighed, "Only today do I understand what it means to seize the power of heaven and earth's creation…"

Before his words ended, the two sacred artifacts turned into flowing light and vanished into the void, leaving only wisps of sandalwood incense lingering over the battlefield.

The two elders beneath the two Western Saints now had faces as pale as gold paper, with fine cold sweat seeping from their brows.

The Saint's personally bestowed demon‑subduing artifact trembled violently in the hand, its crystal‑lustered empowered staff and the emerald‑gleaming pure bamboo branches struggling as if living beings.

The Medicine Master's fingertip Buddha light turned into chains, and behind Mile, the swastika characters condensed into a golden net, yet both could not quell the artifacts' agitation.

"How can this be!" the Medicine Master's throat tightened, his once‑calm voice now trembling.

He could clearly sense within the fate‑linked artifact a strange Dao rhythm creeping like vines, eroding the Saint's seal.