Chapter 555: Beyond mankind, there are still greater ones; the Slay‑Immortal is within reach

In the blink of an eye, Fengxi discovered that perhaps he didn't need to act himself; some people would be even more eager than him, gazing at Mount Buzhou with shifty eyes, wanting to break this spine of Honghuang, which is also breaking the spine of the myriad beings.

Years have passed, time flows; Mount Buzhou has long borne too many people's hopes, day after day, year after year, it is the eternal solace in the hearts of the myriad beings, an immense intangible spiritual filling.

Everyone has long been accustomed to its existence.

If one day it were to be broken, the myriad beings would fall into confusion, not knowing what to do.

——My so thick, so long, so hard Mount Buzhou?

——How did it break off halfway?

——No way! If this heaven‑supporting thing is broken, won't the sky collapse?

A truly terrifying consequence.

As of today, is the heaven‑supporting function of Mount Buzhou really still that important?

Or rather, must such a support structure exist to guarantee the stability of the Honghuang universe, with no other renovation plan?

No.

Objectively speaking, without Mount Buzhou, Honghuang could still survive, at most a dilapidated house that could barely be lived in for a while, without immediate catastrophic results—even if there were, Honghuang never lacks top‑level cultivators who could redraw the map and reshape the cosmos.

However, there is an unexpected interfering factor that becomes the greatest obstacle… that is the human dao, the aggregation of the myriad beings!

An ordinary living being is insignificant.

But when hundreds of millions, billions, even immeasurable numbers of myriad beings gather into the human dao, endowed with the endorsement of the ultimate dao fruit "Honghuang," that latent consciousness, that "belief" consensus power, even the Dao Ancestor has to give way!

When the myriad beings believe that Mount Buzhou will break and the consequences will be dire, through the power of belief making falsehood true, it becomes a terrifyingly extreme wish‑power that makes the gods' heads swell and their minds collapse.

Fengxi drew a deep breath.

Someone is eyeing Mount Buzhou, plotting a terror incident—this is good news for him, and also bad news.

The good news is that Fengxi need not worry about public anger turning on him, for there will be true heroes who step forward to shoulder the blame and dare to bear endless infamy.

The bad news is that he thus becomes passive—if Mount Buzhou breaks under his own arrangement, the human dao can at least brace itself psychologically; but if it is broken by others…… the trouble will be greater.

"Looking at it this way, my progress here is actually lagging behind." Fengxi pondered, "I need to speed up and grasp the situation."

"Otherwise, we'll fall into their rhythm… after all, the timing they choose will surely be most advantageous to them, having reached the checkpoint of sealing the board and Absolute Kill, to launch a full‑scale assault on Pangu, achieve sole supremacy, and sweep ashore in one go!"

"Let Honghuang suffer great loss, let the human dao weep without tears… sigh, even August Emperor Majesty has opened a bad precedent."

Fuxi appeared and proclaimed—if one is strong enough, no one can sanction him.

Thus, the later ambitious ones learn the bad things well and neglect the good.

Who knows how many are emulating August Emperor, clenching their fists and readying themselves to stir up big trouble.

"Time waits for no one!"

Fengxi feels a mix of complaint and helplessness… Honghuang constantly produces outstanding talents; the outstanding talent of the previous era—August Emperor—exists as such a great example, and his flamboyant tactics remain, putting immense pressure on Fengxi.

"I must find a way to simultaneously drag back the Dragon Ancestor and the Dao Ancestor… if possible, best to set them against each other, tripping each other up!"

"Hmm…"

"Why not use Mount Buzhou here as a pretext? Seems quite fitting."

"Forge the traces of Hongjun and the Dragon Ancestor's methods, then anonymously report them to each other?"

"When the Dragon Ancestor secretly plots mischief, I stealthily forge his methodological traces and leak them to Hongjun, creating tension for him."

"Likewise for the Dao Ancestor side, letting the Dragon Ancestor, by accident or coincidence, 'discover' Hongjun's mischievous actions."

"Let them know that each side's key to Pangu rests on Mount Buzhou, and that they aim to achieve utterly different goals, making it a fire‑and‑water clash of the Great Dao!"

"Thus, tension arises instantly, and hatred toward each other spikes to the max."

"Perhaps each of them will also think of 'turning the tables,' secretly scheming against the other, stealing the beam to replace the pillar, as a scapegoat for themselves?!"

Although it is for immense profit, thereby breaking Mount Buzhou.

But if one could succeed and gain both fame and honor, leaving a spotless name for eternity, who wouldn't like that?

Many villains, in fact exploiting and oppressing, yet on the surface love to pose as great philanthropists… the subtlety is worth pondering.

"This wave… this wave is honestly joining the group to fight the undead war, standing on the first tier."

"Those who try every means to strike at the root, break out of the battle to annihilate the world, stand on the second tier."

"Those who scheme to have others bear the world‑ending black pot for them, stand on the third tier."

"And as the behind‑the‑scenes chess player that I am, I stand on the fourth tier!"

Fengxi calculated on his fingers and was very satisfied.

The fourth tier… will do.

Of course, he also knows this is not the limit.

There are people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens.

The fifth tier, and even the fierce figures of the atmospheric layer, are not nonexistent.

Obviously, the human dao, which looks simple‑minded, is the big boss of the fifth tier.

After all, if the human dao were not decisive and not cunning, how could it have supported someone like Fengxi?

And if the human dao stands on the fifth tier, then August Emperor, this Pangu, stands in the atmospheric layer.

Fengxi has come this far thanks to the Supreme Emperor Pangu's own push!

An atmospheric layer and a fifth tier, working in tacit concert, push out a fourth‑tier player to trap and kill everyone… this is practically a dream scenario!

However, no matter how dreamy, real‑world logic must still be obeyed.

In the age of great calamity, even a clever chess player is not invincible; one must watch out for explosively powerful pieces that strike straight at the face and beat the player to death.

Before Donghua's death, how he beat the Dragon Ancestor, Fengxi still remembers it vividly.

"Being a chess player isn't easy either… I must master the killing move that seals the coffin and settles the verdict."

"Ensure that at the critical moment I can appear out of nowhere, turn the tide, block the world‑enders, become his dao tribulation, so he cannot achieve Pangu."

"This requires peak combat power!"

So... we still have to trouble the Numinous Treasure Celestial Venerable.

Fengxi pondered the marvelous use of a tool person, his face amiable, and regarding the matter of Yuanshi Tianzun's substitute joining, he and the Numinous Treasure Celestial Venerable had a very pleasant discussion.

The official player steps down, and the substitute teammate goes up?

Okay! No problem!

As a friend, I'll give you face: Yuanshi Tianzun joins our Five Fortunes Dao Lords' "Reincarnation Pit-Nüwa Alliance"; his treatment won't be reduced in the slightest, and after the fact we'll split the spoils—the buy‑back price will be whatever it should be!

"The Four Sovereigns and Five Elders—at that time the Daoist side can choose for themselves, and I'll offer a discount or two on my end."

Fengxi laid it out plainly: "Just in this regard, the personal care for you might be lacking too much."

"I don't care." The Numinous Treasure Celestial Venerable shook his head. "My elder brother's path needs the grand trend most—high position and great power are what he likes, being able to flexibly interpret, overturn black and white, and grasp the situation."

"As for me, I don't care about this, I don't mind any position in the Heavenly Court."

"Hahaha... that's not how you should put it." Fengxi laughed loudly. "You might not care about individual high posts... but with your approach of casting a wide net and recruiting many disciples, so many of your students and grand‑students finish their training—who knows, someone might just have the idea to go to the Heavenly Court for a visit and pick up a background."

"In the Heavenly Court, we could quietly set up a few positions as spokespeople… so we don't bully others, and also avoid being bullied ourselves."

The Numinous Treasure Celestial Venerable heard this and was left speechless.

After being speechless, he then said solemnly, "It's my mistake… I don't know if Your Majesty still has any room for remedy."

"Well then…"

Fengxi gave a light smile, shifted the topic, and said, "Do you still remember the deal we discussed back then?"

"I have something reserved with you."

Under the shimmering curtain of flowing fortune water, Fengxi gazed at the Numinous Treasure Celestial Venerable and launched the final, most formal negotiation, demanding a great lethal weapon that had been booked ages ago.

The celestial venerable instantly realized, "I understand now!"

"August Emperor Majesty, please look——"

The Numinous Treasure Celestial Venerable simply and decisively waved one hand, and a battle diagram rose high, four killing swords standing side by side, their killing intent severing myriad ages!

A killing formation sprang forth into the void, its peerless killing intent surging, resonating with the aura of the Wu Clan's boundless calamity; its malevolent power knows no bounds, oppressing this hidden realm of heaven and earth, which all wail in lament!

A poem attests to this——

Not copper, not iron, not steel—once hidden beneath Mount Sumeru;

No need to reverse yin and yang in forging—how could it lack water and fire tempering the edge?

It slays immortals, kills them, makes them vanish—red light erupts everywhere immortals are trapped;

It extinguishes immortals with endless wondrous transformations, staining the robes of even Great Luo gods with blood!

The Slaughter‑Immortal Sword Formation!

"This is the sword formation we agreed upon earlier; I've long had it ready for Your Majesty." The Numinous Treasure Celestial Venerable's face was solemn, "And rest assured, I can handle all the aftermath properly."

"At Kunlun Mountain, I will keep up the facade that it still exists and suppresses the destiny; as long as we don't engage anyone directly, it won't be easily exposed."

"Until Your Majesty uses it, it will burst forth with the most brilliant radiance!"

The Numinous Treasure Celestial Venerable's service was thoroughly in place; all preparations were made very properly.

The forged counterfeit is ready, letting the genuine article fall silently into Fengxi's hands; we will do our utmost to keep outsiders from noticing the truth, so that one day we can strike someone unawares!

Fengxi was very satisfied and gave a hearty praise, "Excellent!"

Having said that, he reached out and summoned the scroll; it flew into his hand, which he examined closely.

Fengxi had long heard of this Slaughter‑Immortal Sword Formation; the rumors had him practically bursting out of his cocoon.

This is an existence of a miracle whose fame echoes through the Myriad Heavens and eternity!

To say one isn't curious about such a thing would absolutely be a lie.

Now, having gotten close enough to touch the real thing, Fengxi—even though he has seen many great scenes—still feels his heart stir slightly, his eyes brimming with curiosity.

In the myriad legends, the Myriad Heavens Sword Formation is ranked alongside the Zhou Tian Star‑Dou Grand Formation and the All‑Heaven God‑Slaughter Grand Formation as a peerless killing formation.

What's more frightening is that, besides its reputation, its substance is hardly inferior either.

——At the very first moment of true contact, Fengxi grasped its essence, was moved and delighted; his ailment… pah, it's a human‑world affliction, and now there is hope!

"So that's how it is……"

"The basis of this Slaughter‑Immortal Sword Formation is actually like this?"

"No wonder…… no wonder!"

"No wonder, in all the various accounts, it is always mentioned on par with Zhou Tian and All Heaven!"

This is a terrifying matter.

Just think—what kinds of demons and monsters fill the Zhou Tian Star‑Dou Grand Formation and the All‑Heaven God‑Slaughter Grand Formation?

The Zhou Tian Star‑Dou Grand Formation drives the whole starry sky, aided by the Zhou Tian star deities, with the Heavenly Court's Two Eastern Emperors guarding the main formation, arranging the fates of countless beings.

The All‑Heaven God‑Slaughter Grand Formation is simply Nüwa, using the Way of Creation, playing a fantastical "drop‑blood rebirth" with the true blood left by Pangu!

What merit or ability does the Slaughter‑Immortal Sword Formation have to compete on the same stage as those?

It is precisely because of——the killing calamity!

When heaven unleashes killing intent, stars shift and constellations change;

When earth unleashes killing intent, dragons and snakes stir the land;

When humanity unleashes killing intent, heaven and earth are turned upside down!

The three killing intents of heaven, earth, and humanity actually correspond to the three great killing formations.

The heavenly killing formation is the Zhou Tian Star‑Dou Grand Formation, which masters the stars and shifts their lodgings; the earthly killing formation is the All‑Heaven God‑Slaughter Grand Formation, in which the Wu Clan venerates dragons and snakes as equals; the human killing formation is the Slaughter‑Immortal Sword Formation, which overturns heaven and earth and makes all beings equal.

The Slaughter‑Immortal Sword Formation's everyday power is not extraordinarily outrageous.

But once it enters the killing calamity, it becomes ferociously unimaginable.

Simply because it matches the theme of the killing calamity, it was once a heavyweight of the Demonic Sect, etched as a major foundation of the Demonic Path——the evil of the human heart, great destruction, great carnage!

Under the great calamity, all beings are equal, eternal life ends—thus it is called Slaughter‑Immortal!

The stronger the Killing Tribulation, the heavier the Slaughter, the might of the Slay-Immortal Sword Formation will also rise with the water, as the boat rises with the water, until the final shot becomes unstoppable, enough to match the Pangu true form condensed in the All-Heaven Gods and Demons Great Formation.

Because, at its most glorious and peak moment, it already bears the aspect of Human Dao's slaughter and destruction, equivalent to Human Dao lowering half of its body to fight in its stead—how could it not be strong?

Great Tribulation, slaughter—this is indeed one of the most distinct attributes of Human Dao.

Because, if one is unfeeling and unaware, lacking clear self-awareness and a clear pursuit of one's own existence, neither rejoicing in things nor grieving for oneself, how could one, for the sake of survival, erupt with the strongest subjective initiative, thereby creating history and incidentally accumulating boundless karma?

Day by day, month by month, once it exceeds the safety threshold, karma intertwines, contradictions accumulate to the peak, and finally a vast Killing Tribulation arises.

The Slay-Immortal Sword Formation was born, bearing the mandate of the Killing Tribulation!

The previous wielder of this sword formation was Luo Hou, the Demon Ancestor.

The gods once had high hopes for him, wishing Luo Hou could shoulder sufficient responsibility, step forward, and become the world's greatest destructive tribulation, ending eras one after another, and incidentally bear a little bit of petty infamy.

Unfortunately.

Luo Hou, the Demon Ancestor, is clearly no good kid; he refuses to be a garbage collector, wants to rebel, defy heaven, do a great deed—kill officials and rebel.

Thus, the Primordial Divine Sacred Great Camp was enraged, and under the gods' strong demand of shock and anger, Luo Hou was cast into the darkest abyssal prison, never to see the light of day.

Time drifts on, the years turn.

The current wielder of the sword formation is Lingbao, the Heavenly Venerable.

However.

The sword formation had barely warmed in his hand before he handed it over to Fengxi, giving this Human Dao its final dawn and hope!

Interestingly.

Fengxi, who wields the Slay-Immortal Sword Formation, actually has to do essentially the same thing as Luo Hou, the Demon Ancestor, did back then.

Sweep the universe clean, overwhelm all the gods!

Kill officials, rebel!

Perhaps the only difference lies in their starting point… Luo Hou acts for himself, while Fengxi acts for all living beings.

So, one is called rebellion, and loses the Dao, gaining little aid.

One is called changing fate, and gains the Dao, gaining many allies.

Worldly affairs are strange, nothing more than this.

PS: The author is busy with Qingming chores; updates these few days may not be normal, sorry.

(End of chapter)