Chapter 161: The Formless Sword Cave of Le

Red smoke rolled and dispersed.

The thick, fishy stench of blood ran rampant everywhere, churning and swelling, foul beyond bearing.

Looking up.

Only half the sky could be seen, reflected by that crimson light into a vivid, fresh red, as if dripping blood, strikingly conspicuous, making one's heart palpitate at the sight.

"..."

Under Ai Xiao Jian's vigilant, glaring stare.

Only below the hill ridge could be seen.

From Tangting Sima Tangting Sima Lingzhen's mouth and nose, a few wisps of bloody light first drifted out faintly; then, slowly, the surging bloody light gradually increased, dense as silk threads.

Amid a slick, kneading sound, it assembled into a ghastly blood shadow.

That blood shadow stood a full ten feet tall, wearing not a single thread, its face a flat, smooth expanse of brilliance, lacking eyes, ears, mouth, or nose.

Its entire form was ethereal and flickering, like a dazzling mass of crimson light.

Both void and solid, both illusion and truth—

As if at any moment, with a mere gust of wind, it would be blown away and vanish.

Yet its aura was terrifyingly horrifying, fierce and violent, like a vast sea of blood churning and rolling, threatening to drag the present world down into endless sinking!

Not to mention the surviving Daoists of the Xuanzhen Sect on Returning Moon Peak.

Even Ai Xiao Jian.

At this moment, his mind and spirit trembled.

Overawed for an instant by that fierce demon's momentum, he involuntarily stepped back several paces, nearly unable to muster the thought of drawing his sword.

"Damn it!"

He shouted in anger; beams of light an inch long burst from his eyes, and only then did he abruptly halt, instantly slashing away the fear in his heart and forcing himself to endure.

And that single shout stirred the blood demon transformed from Let Fa Fashan Ji, who slowly turned his neck, directing his face toward this place.

At this moment.

After Let Fa Fashan Ji had emerged, Tangting Sima Tangting Sima Lingzhen's corpse had already turned completely to ash, leaving not a trace of form behind.

Only then did Let Fa Fashan Ji slowly raise a hand to wipe across his face; within that originally flat countenance, flesh and skin gradually sank and bulged, beginning to form facial features.

"This fellow has swallowed all of Tangting Sima Tangting Sima Lingzhen's magic power and essential blood; it seems he has become even stronger? Father's gift truly is a weapon of slaughter!"

Chen Ying first praised aloud, then turned to look at Ai Xiao Jian, whose face was deathly pale, and said:

"Forget it; regarding those 'talents' I mentioned earlier, just consider them my idle words. The conduct of your disciples is truly wretched; not one of them possesses even a shred of courage."

Ai Xiao Jian remained silent, saying nothing.

On distant Returning Moon Peak.

At this time, the scene was already one of wails shaking the heavens, tears and snot flowing together.

The aura radiated by Let Fa Fashan Ji was towering and ghastly, as if ready at any moment to leap up and devour people, terrifying to the extreme!

Nearly half of the Xuanzhen Sect's Daoists were oppressed until their minds and spirits went astray, their wisdom turned chaotic; they could only crouch on the ground, wailing and howling, unable to move their bodies even a little.

As for those with resilient minds.

Even if they wished to pilot talismanic artifacts to flee, they could by no means break through this heaven and earth, long since sealed shut; it was all futile effort.

"Tangting Sima Tangting Sima Lingzhen, that fool, actually wanted to use a sealing technique to imprison Let Fa Fashan Ji; who would have thought he would instead bring such calamity upon your sect members."

Chen Ying shook his head with a smile and said:

"However, even if they had escaped, they could not have avoided eventual death; they would merely have prolonged their agony for a short while."

"The great terror existing between life and death is indeed shocking to behold."

Ai Xiao Jian looked complexly upon this scene of living beings filled with panic and dread before him:

"It seems that today, the Xuanzhen Sect can truly be considered extinguished..."

"Why such hypocritical posturing, Brother Ai? When you founded your Daoist lineage at Little Ganshan years ago, the small sects in this vicinity were slaughtered by you until heads rolled; back then, why was no such compassion seen in you?"

Chen Ying sneered slightly.

Then he reached into his sleeve, drew out a large, luminous clam shell, guided it with a thought, and immediately scattered layers of crystalline light, like heavy curtains, shielding both of their bodies.

After he performed this action, Ai Xiao Jian suddenly spoke:

"Actually, regarding the genius you mentioned, there is indeed one person."

"Oh?"

Chen Ying glanced sideways.

"Xu Zhi; three months after passing his sixteenth birthday, he had already cultivated the sword art 'One Kill Every Ten Steps.'

However, at that age, if he followed the orthodox path, he would ultimately never be admitted into the Middle Yi Sword Sect; furthermore, since Xiao Xiao Shixiong Wang Shu was then at the height of his power within the Yu Yuchen Sect, I was even less inclined to expend effort managing any Daoist lineage, so I did not place much importance on him either..."

Ai Xiao Jian gave a bitter smile:

"My master and Xiao Xiao Shixiong Wang Shu often said I possess minor cunning but no great wisdom, looking ahead without considering what follows, my nature unrestrained and wild, not the talent for accomplishing great deeds...

Now it seems their words were indeed accurate; today's bitter fruit stems from one wrong step leading to every subsequent step being wrong; truly, I have brought this upon myself."

Chen Ying did not listen much to his self-repentance, saying only:

"Speaking thus, this person does indeed seem somewhat interesting; but where is Xu Zhi now? Could it be that he was accidentally killed by the backlash just now?"

"He is within the Earth Abyss."

Ai Xiao Jian shook his head.

Chen Ying laughed once, then immediately lost interest:

"The Earth Abyss? You are truly too fond of jokes, Brother Ai. Even that good younger brother of my father is still trapped within the Earth Abyss, unresolved; as for a mere Xu Zhi, do you expect me to expend effort venturing into the Earth Abyss to bring him back?"

At this point in the conversation.

Chen Ying also suddenly felt his thoughts grow complicated.

Chen Master Yuanji had, after all, requested the Kuoxu Treasure Ship from Master Master Kongkong and now held it in his hands.

With the might of the Kuoxu Treasure Ship added to Chen Master Yuanji's great magic power...

It was likely that within just these next day or two, he would be able to match Xu Dutian.

"I only hope they can conceal matters well enough; if they attract Father's attention at that time, things will become troublesome. If the situation becomes untenable, even if I must sacrifice my own kin for the greater good, I only hope my eldest brother will not blame me too severely."

His gaze darkened as he silently pondered within his heart.

Just as everyone harbored their own secret thoughts,

Fa Fashan Ji remained utterly motionless.

The features on his face gradually manifested and solidified, while the bleak, deathly stillness occasionally leaking from those blurred pupils made observers' spirits waver, rendering them unable to meet his gaze even for an instant.

Ai Xiao Jian gripped the Silver-Eye Sword tightly, the hairs on his entire body standing on end, his brow twitching violently.

After defeating Hou Wen and Tangting Sima Tangting Sima Lingzhen, Fa Fashan Ji's aura seemed to have ascended yet another level.

A vague suspicion stirred within his mind.

The moment Fa Fashan Ji's features fully formed would be the moment when a thousand bled out and the slaughter began!

This suspicion filled his heart with complex emotions, his eyes flickering uncertainly between light and shadow.

Suddenly.

Just as Ai Xiao Jian was secretly on guard,

a trembling beam of bright yellow escape light shot upward, yet seemingly fearing Chen Ying's presence, it struggled to halt not far from Ai Xiao Jian.

Within the escape light,

stood none other than the figure of Master Gu Jun.

"Sect Master."

The old man let out a long sigh and prostrated himself.

"Burdening you with an innocent death... Gu Jun, I truly feel unworthy of this title..."

Ai Xiao Jian sighed.

"When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer. Although we expected this deep in our hearts, hearing the Sect Master's words, it seems none of us will survive?"

Upon hearing this, Master Gu Jun gave a bitter smile.

Initially, when Hou Wen and Tangting Sima Tangting Sima Lingzhen arrived for Baishan and Ai Xiao Jian personally welcomed them,

those within the Xuanzhen Sect who knew the truth had thought that the Dao lineage's sect examination had finally arrived.

Some were filled with dread, some with confusion, and others with wild joy.

But very soon,

in merely the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,

all these complex emotions were replaced by a new, overwhelming terror.

They saw a strange man suddenly appear, reach out his hand, and slam down a sky-filling palm of magic power with a thunderous crash!

Simultaneously, a blood shadow brimming with murderous qi shot forth from his left eye!

Afterwards,

it was as if an earth dragon had turned over.

Mountains exploded, and great waterfalls changed their course!

Countless Xuanzhen Sect disciples in quiet cultivation were instantly killed by the aftershocks, their bodies destroyed and souls extinguished.

Those lucky enough to survive heard only a deafening roar in their ears, leaving them dizzy and disoriented, unable to hear anything else beyond that.

It was only with great difficulty that all sounds and movements finally subsided.

Of the two Yu Yuchen Sect disciples, Hou Wen and Tangting Sima Tangting Sima Lingzhen, one was dead and the other had fled.

Within their line of sight,

corpses lay scattered across the hills, the dead beyond counting.

Halls had collapsed, and roof tiles flew everywhere...

Master Gu Jun slowly reined in the sorrow in his heart, gave a miserable laugh, and said:

"Sect Master, I never had the slightest intention of conspiring with Yan Yan Feichen against you; having served in this Xuanzhen Sect for so many years, surely even if I have no merit to my name, I have at least endured hardship?"

Ai Xiao Jian could not respond, remaining silent.

"It seems there is no room for negotiation left. To be honest, this old man really does not wish to die yet..."

Master Gu Jun fell silent for a long while before speaking again:

"Since it is so, Sect Master, with death at my doorstep, I have one request; I wonder if you might grant it?"

"Speak."

Ai Xiao Jian said.

【113】 "In these past years, ever since my only son was beaten to death, Xu Zhi has been dispirited and neglected his cultivation. I know my dog of a son's death was truly his own fault and not Xu Zhi's doing, yet ultimately I could not help but take my anger out on him.

"In these years, ever since my only son beat him, Xu Zhi has been dispirited and neglected his cultivation. I know my dog of a son's death was truly his own fault and not Xu Zhi's doing, yet in the end, I could not help but take my anger out on him.

Whenever I saw him,

my heart would be filled with immense disgust, wishing nothing more than to send him to his death."

Master Gu Jun raised his head and spoke slowly:

"As the saying goes, 'When a man is about to die, his words are kind.' I heard he was deceived by the Yan family into the Earth Abyss? If Xu Zhi has somehow luckily survived until now, could the Sect Master retrieve him from the Earth Abyss and save his life?"

The Earth Abyss...

Ai Xiao Jian's lips trembled slightly.

It seemed as though he wanted to say something.

But in the end, no sound emerged.

Wait a few more days.

Chen Ying's main body, far away at the Huzhao Sect, will then, together with several elders of the Huzhao Sect, drive the Yuan Ci Jin Jin Guang Sphere to vibrate the earth membrane and draw up the Turbid Tide.

Unless protected by those possessing great divine abilities and great magic power.

Otherwise, all living beings will be reduced entirely to ash.

Under such circumstances.

Even if Xu Zhi in that Earth Abyss has fortunately not yet died, he will hardly escape this calamity...

"I understand."

He remarked noncommittally.

"Finally, I have repaid Xu Zhi once; this old one can now rest easy." Master Gu Jun smiled.

At this moment.

Let Fa Fashan Ji's facial features finally fully formed.

He slowly glanced around in all four directions, a hoarse, mournful laugh issuing from deep within his throat; he waved his hand, and this body exploded with a boom!

In an instant.

One saw several thousand blood shadows shoot forth.

Except for Chen Ying and Ai Xiao Jian, they pounced on anyone they saw, filling the entire sky!

With just one entanglement and wrap, life was extinguished, their entire essence blood ruthlessly sucked dry.

Crack!

Yan Yan Feichen, whose face had been gloomy all along, after smashing several dozen blood shadows, suddenly felt pain at his neck; then his head separated from his body, and he fell miserably from mid-air.

And before the corpse even hit the ground.

It was already devoured by blood shadows dense as mosquitoes and flies, leaving not even a trace of ash behind...

Master Gu Jun let out a great cry as several blood shadows pierced straight through his chest; his life force vanished in an instant.

Looking around.

One heard only wails shaking the heavens and miserable cries unceasing.

And after several dozen breaths.

After slaughtering every last one of the several thousand people of the Xuanzhen Sect.

The several thousand blood shadows merely merged and collided once; the locking-heaven-and-earth technique previously set up by Tangting Sima Tangting Sima Lingzhen shattered with a "Boom—" into fragments.

Immediately after.

Bloody light spread rapidly across the ground.

Before long, it converged into a vast river of blood, rushing off in all directions, staining everything without limit!

Several days later.

Earth Abyss.

Xuanguang Cave Record Domain.

Watching Xu Zhi, who had broken out of his cocoon with an indifferent and ice-cold expression, the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi felt joy in his heart and could not help but burst into loud laughter.

"It should be exactly so! It ought to be exactly so! Only like this do you show a bit of the style of your Fuchan Laozu Sect ancestor, Xu Xu Yuanhua!

That only son of Master Gu Jun, that thing called Gu Xu, was clearly jealous of your heavenly talent; he deliberately lured you into the Rhinoceros Demon Cave to die, yet he himself was so stupid that he carelessly got sat to death by another rhinoceros demon!

You relied on your sword to fight your way out of the demon tide, enduring injuries just to retrieve his remains; having acted thus, does Master Gu Jun still have the face to blame you? To slander your reputation? That old dog truly knows not gratitude!"

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi patted Xu Zhi's shoulder and sighed:

"You kid, having gone back and forth tens of thousands of times within your heart landscape, acting like a coward tens of thousands of times, have finally figured it out, suddenly rising to behead Gu Xi with one sword—good! Very good!

But in my view.

It is still insufficient; not only Gu Xi, but that one called Master Gu Jun..."

"Enough, Fuchan Laozu..."

Xu Zhi, who had remained silent since emerging from the heart landscape, suddenly spoke:

"The past is gone; why bring him up again?"

"Your heart is still too compassionate; you regarded Master Gu Jun as a parental figure, yet when he grew weary of you, he never treated you as a disciple."

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi muttered, then disregarding the silent Xu Zhi, began chattering to himself again:

"Since your heart obstacle is now removed, next I shall transmit to you the superior classics of the Wusheng Sword Sect to recast your Dao foundation!

This Qi-cultivating method you practice is crude and shabby; even if I took a piss on the ground and scratched a few lines, it would be more profound than this!

Although the Foundation Establishment method of my Wusheng Sword Sect cannot compare to that kid's 'Tai Shi Yuan Zhen,' it is still a superior Dao scripture within the universe, lofty and exquisite!

Oh, and there is the 'Formless Boundary Sword Cave'; after so many years, someone from the Xu family should finally enter and walk through it..."

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi slapped his forehead and exclaimed excitedly:

"This is a fine treasure that your Xu family ancestor, through the fervor of twelve lifetimes, brought out from the 'Gate of All Wonders'; even Crown Prince Changming once praised it, deeming it absolutely marvelous!"

"May I ask, Fuchan Laozu, what is the 'Formless Boundary Sword Cave'?"

Xu Zhi raised his eyes and asked.

"Speaking of this, it carries a tremendous background; to mention the 'Formless Boundary Sword Cave,' one must first speak of the 'Gate of All Wonders'..."

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi shook his head and swayed his body.

The gloomy, awe-inspiring demeanor of a senior expert he had displayed earlier was now completely gone; he spoke only with self-satisfaction...

And no one knew how much time had passed.

After Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi finished speaking.

Xu Zhi's eyes flickered with light, and for a moment he seemed lost in thought.

"Enough! Enough! With my aid, it is only a matter of time before your cultivation makes great strides; of course, producing offspring remains indispensable!

Rest a few more days, then I will take you to the Three Reals Heaven to seek out the Moon Nunnery's Matriarch; you shall stay in the Three Reals Heaven and bear many children, broadly extending the lineage of the Red Dragon Xu clan!"

After speaking with great joy and excitement.

Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi, after a moment's hesitation, licked his lips, scratched his head, and spoke again:

"Forget it; since your heart-obstacle is already broken and you are truly one of the Xu family... the pact made between Xu Xu Yuanhua and me back then should now be enacted by you."

"What?"

Xu Zhi asked.

"I am not merely your Dao-protector, tasked with ensuring your Dao-practice proceeds without hindrance; within my capabilities, I must also grant your three conditions and cannot refuse..."

Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi clapped his hands helplessly:

"Speak these three conditions only after you have thought them through clearly; I, Fuchan Fuchan Laozu, am Keshitangtang an immortal treasure, not some random cat or dog! If the conditions you demand are too trivial, rolling on the ground in regret later will be of no use!"

"..."

Xu Zhi's face finally showed emotion, his heart pounding violently within his chest.

After a long period of deliberation.

He clenched his ten fingers tightly and cautiously spoke:

"My parents—"

"When people die, it is like a lamp extinguished; I do not have the power to reverse time and bring them back to life, and as for reincarnation of the primordial spirit..."

Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi shook his head and spoke sincerely:

"Fuchan Fuchan Laozu advises you: even if you found them, would they truly still be your parents? Of course, if you remain obstinate, once your cultivation reaches great depths in the future, you can handle it yourself; such a minor matter is hardly worth wasting one of your conditions."

Xu Zhi was momentarily stunned.

After a long while.

He slowly nodded and said:

"I understand... I will handle such matters personally in the future."

He lowered his head to gaze at the long sword in his hand and fell silent for a long time.

Suddenly, a slight smile curved the corners of his mouth as if recalling something, and he spoke:

"Fuchan Fuchan Laozu, then let us change to another."

"You already have another idea? Young people have quite many schemes; speak and let me hear it."

"Since the 'Formless Lie Sword Cave' is a secret realm where one can jointly comprehend the Dao, then, I wish to gift the quota for entry and exit to one person."

He said.

And the moment these words left his mouth.

Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi's expression changed drastically at once!

He shot to his feet with a swish, his face gloomy, fierce light surging in his eyes:

"Presumptuous! Do you know what you are saying?!"

"I wish to gift the quota for entry and exit to the 'Formless Lie Sword Cave' to one person."

Xu Zhi repeated slowly.

"Boom—"

Immediately, a colossal roar erupted, as if the heavens were collapsing and the earth splitting apart!

The suns and stars throughout the domain of the Xue Xuan Jin Guang Cave Record shook violently.

The endless stretching flames exploded and scattered chaotically, as if about to burst apart on their own into stardust and fine powder!

Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi stared at Xu Zhi with fierce light radiating from his eyes, a violent aura gradually manifesting on his person, as if in the next instant he would reach out and slap him into a pool of rotten flesh!

Yet seeing that Xu Zhi merely bowed to beg forgiveness, the expression in his eyes remaining unchanged from start to finish.

Gradually.

Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi finally slowly retracted that ferocious momentum; his cheek twitched, and he helplessly turned his head away.

"Ah!"

He let out another unwilling shout that shook the starry river into ceaseless swaying, before turning to curse loudly at Xu Zhi:

【227】 "You brat! Brat! You damned brat who knows not death! Do you not care that the cub is selling the grandfather's fields?!

"You brat! Brat! You reckless, damned brat! Don't you care that your cub is selling off your father's fields?!"

Speak! Damn it! Damn it!

With a wretched thing like you appearing, that old fellow Xu Xu Yuanhua has finally dug his own grave!

To which heaven-slaughtered Wang Ba cub, to which short-lived ghost, do you intend to gift the quota for the 'Formless Lie Sword Cave'?!"

"It is for a very close friend of mine..."

Xu Zhi paused, then smiled and said:

"His name is Chen Heng."

"Chen Heng!"

At this very moment.

Outside the Danfangdadian of the Golden Drum Cave.

Suddenly came an impatient call.

"Come out quickly; Chen Yuanshu Chen Yuanshu Zhenjun wishes to see you!"