The disciples of the Immortal Sect trapped in the Taishi Chongyuan Sword Formation were already in disarray due to the relentless sword energy, let alone Wan Ji and Gao Cang.
The sword flow fell like a waterfall, endless and ceaseless, cutting through the turbulent demonic energy.
Their faces were ashen, completely unaware of where the Taishi inheritor was hiding.
Originally, the “Yinming Myriad Forms Diagram” was intended to be used on the Immortal Sect disciples before them, to refine them into one of the Yinming Myriad Demons.
However, it was now being taken out for self-protection.
The “Yinming Myriad Forms Diagram” is a method of demon division.
The Immortal Sect disciples who were slain by Demon Sect cultivators in the past were all sealed within it, becoming fierce and evil entities, bearing no resemblance to their past selves.
They transformed into various forms and immediately charged towards the sword flow upon emerging.
“Who set up this formation?” Yan Shouxia was alarmed.
Shen Liaozhi, with a solemn face, summoned a protective talisman, and the descending light barely shielded their group.
His gaze passed over the formation and landed on the demonic cultivator’s “Yinming Myriad Forms Diagram.” Now, the demons refined by the demonic cultivators had become sacrifices for the formation.
But if this continued, once the sword formation dissipated, they would be devoured by the “Yinming Myriad Forms Diagram.”
“I don’t know.” Shen Liaozhi shook his head and added, “Those demons are under more pressure than we are.
Let’s take this chance to break through!” The goal of the Palace of Supreme Mystery disciples was Li Jingyu, but Li Jingyu had yet to reveal herself, hiding somewhere, which made him extremely uneasy.
Outside the prison.
After witnessing the evolution of the formation, Ji Yutang instinctively flew forward, but Tu Danzhu grabbed her wrist.
Tu Danzhu turned to Ji Yutang with a serious expression and said, “That’s a Tai Shang killing formation.
It’s easy to enter but hard to leave.”
“What should we do then?” Ji Yutang frowned, her mind racing, a flash of insight flickering through her mind like a fleeting spark, impossible to grasp.
Tu Danzhu took a deep breath and instructed Ji Yutang, “Daoist Friend Ji, you go rescue the people first.”
Ji Yutang asked, “What about you?” Tu Danzhu smiled and said, “Since they came for me, I can’t abandon them at this time.”
Ji Yutang wanted to say more, but Tu Danzhu pushed her, giving her no chance to react, and flew towards the formation first.
If Ji Yutang chased after her at this moment, the “people” would be left unattended, and no one knew if they would survive the battle.
Taking a deep breath, Ji Yutang followed the path in her memory to find the hidden small realm gate, but upon arrival, she saw a familiar figure reflected in her eyes—it was Li Jingyu.
“Are you here to stop me?” Ji Yutang wasn’t surprised by Li Jingyu’s appearance.
She sneered and questioned.
Li Jingyu raised an eyebrow and said, “Why would I stop you?” She casually opened the small realm, smiling faintly, “Your understanding of the Tai Shang Dao has reached a new level, even the formation is easily comprehended.”
“What?” Ji Yutang was stunned, and after a moment, realization dawned on her.
She glared at Li Jingyu, “You didn’t teach me the method to break the formation?”
Li Jingyu blinked and hesitated, “It’s another kind of breaking the formation, isn’t it? When the Taishi Chongyuan Sword Formation overwhelms the Demon Sect’s formation, doesn’t that mean the formation is already broken?”
“But Senior Sister Yan and the others are still in the formation!” Ji Yutang blurted out.
Li Jingyu nodded, “Yes.” She then smiled brightly, “But what does that have to do with me?” She would indeed deal with the Tianhai Demon Sect cultivators, but the Immortal Sect cultivators were not her friends.
“You, you—” Ji Yutang pointed at Li Jingyu, angrily saying, “Heartless!”
Li Jingyu’s eyes darkened at her words.
As Ji Yutang was about to enter the small realm, she reached out and grabbed forward, and a misty cloud enveloped the area, blocking out the sky.
Moments later, a small round ball fell into her palm.
After Li Jingyu grabbed the ball, the small realm gate suddenly disappeared, and no trace of any other dimension could be sensed ahead.
Ji Yutang frowned, watching Li Jingyu.
Li Jingyu smiled back and brought up an unrelated topic, “The Ran Family and the Three Supreme Palaces want you to marry Ran Guzhu, right?”
Ji Yutang retorted angrily, “What does that have to do with you?”
Li Jingyu smirked and said leisurely, “If you don’t want to answer, that’s fine.” She tucked the round ball into her sleeve and made to leave.
Ji Yutang wouldn’t let her go so easily.
She rushed forward and grabbed Li Jingyu’s shoulder, but only managed to catch a piece of fabric.
With her force, the fabric slipped down, revealing a smooth, white shoulder.
Li Jingyu turned her head, slowly tidying her collar, and said with a teasing smile, “I didn’t expect you to be so eager.”
Ji Yutang refused to acknowledge the implication.
An apology stuck in her throat, and she looked at Li Jingyu with a mix of shame and anger, saying sternly, “You can’t leave!”
“Why?” Li Jingyu asked, puzzled, “It seems there’s nothing to discuss between us.”
Ji Yutang: “…” After a moment, she pursed her lips and said, “Give me the people.”
Li Jingyu raised an eyebrow, “And what will you exchange for them?” She turned to gaze at Ji Yutang, smiling, “Yourself?”
“I have nothing to do with the Ran Family, and I won’t marry her.” Ji Yutang gritted her teeth.
With the people in Li Jingyu’s hands, she couldn’t leave, but the Taishi Chongyuan Sword Formation seemed related to her as well.
She couldn’t waste time with Li Jingyu here.
After answering Li Jingyu’s question, Ji Yutang added, “Give me the people, and after I rescue Senior Sister Yan and the others, I’ll come find you.”
“Is that so…” Li Jingyu pretended to ponder, then replied, “Swear an oath, or I won’t believe you.”
She still had the nerve to call others untrustworthy? Ji Yutang was furious, reluctantly swearing an oath.
Once Li Jingyu handed over the round ball containing the people, Ji Yutang didn’t spare her a glance and left as a streak of light.
Li Jingyu watched her retreating figure and sighed.
Although she had learned the method to set up the sword formation, making her the master of the formation, could she know how to control it? Perhaps she would know, after all, the “Daode Heavenly Book” is the fundamental scripture of Tai Shang.
When Ji Yutang arrived, both the Immortal and Demon factions were in a dire state.
Although they had protective artifacts, the sword light was relentless and formless, making it unavoidable to be cut a few times.
In this “all beings are equal” offensive, Ji Yutang, who entered the formation unscathed and wasn’t targeted by the sword light, stood out.
“Isn’t that Ji Yue’s captive? Where’s Ji Yue? Could something have happened to Ji Yue?” Wan Ji asked suspiciously.
Gao Cang hadn’t noticed Ji Yutang earlier, thinking Ji Yue had a beautiful mortal in his hands.
When he saw clearly, he suddenly realized and gritted his teeth at Wan Ji, “That’s an Immortal Sect cultivator, not a mortal!”
“Sister Ji, you—” Yan Shouxia looked at Ji Yutang with a hint of joy in her eyes.
A thought crossed her mind, but before she could speak, Shen Liaozhi spoke first.
“Daoist Friend Ji, did you set up this Taishi Chongyuan Ninefold Sword Formation? How do you know the Taishi formation?”
Otherwise, why wouldn’t the sword formation attack her?
“I saw it in the Dao book.” Ji Yutang couldn’t say it was taught by Li Jingyu.
A trace of guilt flashed in her eyes.
She nodded and added before Shen Liaozhi and the others could speak, “But I can sense the movement and stillness within the formation, yet I don’t know how to control it.”
“No matter.” Shen Liaozhi’s eyes shone brightly.
His gaze passed over Ji Yutang and landed on the demonic cultivators opposite.
He continued, “The Taishi Chongyuan Sword Formation is rooted in the Nine Abyssal Waters, a change of movement and stillness.
Daoist Friend Ji, you just need to point out the changes, and we can avoid the sword light like flowing water.”
Ji Yutang nodded, seeing no better option.
After all, she couldn’t go back to find Li Jingyu.
Her divine sense merged with the sword formation, almost becoming one with it.
Under her guidance, the sword flow facing the Immortal Sect cultivators rapidly decreased, making it easy to handle.
The demonic cultivators couldn’t miss the change.
They identified Ji Yutang as the true inheritor of Taishi and shifted their target to kill her in the formation! But with Yan Shouxia and the Immortal Sect disciples protecting Ji Yutang, and Ji Yutang herself being extraordinary, she easily deflected the demonic cultivators’ attacks.
“Wan Ji, did you call us here to die?” The demonic cultivators gritted their teeth, regretting their decision.
If they hadn’t answered Wan Ji’s call, they would still be enjoying themselves in their caves.
After cursing for a while, another demonic cultivator angrily said, “Is this all the ‘Yinming Myriad Forms Diagram’ can do? Wan Ji, hurry up and act!”
The “Yinming Myriad Forms Diagram” had more power, but with Wan Ji’s Golden Core stage cultivation, he couldn’t suppress the treasure if he unlocked another layer of its restrictions.
He was in a bind, and under the urging of his peers, he removed the last restriction, “Myriad Forms Return to One.” The so-called “Yinming Myriad Forms” is an extremely yin and evil thing.
After returning to one, it no longer manifested as terrifying twisted illusions but as a “demonic shadow” summoned from the yin realm by the “myriad forms.” As the “demonic shadow” slowly appeared, the world seemed shrouded in darkness, becoming gloomy and dim.
The sunlight was obscured by gray haze, and the only light was the “nether moon” held by the demonic shadow.
This demonic shadow had no consciousness of its own.
It would devour everything, returning the world to the yin realm.
Both Immortal Sect and Demon Sect cultivators were within its attack range, and curses filled the air.
The formation had added a new variable, but Ji Yutang and her group’s goal remained unchanged.
The demonic shadow was indeed terrifying, but the demonic cultivators who released it were even more dangerous.
As the sword light spun, the long-standing balance was finally broken.
The thick scent of blood spread through the sword formation, and sharp screams pierced the sky.
With the fall of the first demonic cultivator, the defeat became more apparent.
Ji Yutang and her group swiftly dealt with the demonic cultivators, finally setting their sights on the demonic shadow contending with the sword energy.
By now, everyone was exhausted, but it wasn’t time to relax.
Shen Liaozhi smiled and said, “Now is the time for my Palace of Supreme Mystery to shine!” The Palace of Supreme Mystery specializes in thunder techniques, aimed at sealing demons and subduing evil.
They had strong methods to deal with such demonic shadows, though the demonic shadow exceeded their cultivation level.
Fortunately, the Taishi Chongyuan Sword Formation served as a restraint.
An hour later.
The demonic shadow gradually faded, and the “nether moon” it held was pale, almost dissipating into a mass of extreme yin energy.
Shen Liaozhi and his group were pale, at their limits.
Fortunately, the power of the Taishi Chongyuan Sword Formation had been mostly exhausted, leaving no threat.
“Fellow Daoists—” Shen Liaozhi hoarsely turned to Yan Shouxia and the others, about to speak, when a brilliant stream of water descended from the sky.
It wasn’t the Nine Abyssal Waters, but its aura was very similar.
Shen Liaozhi’s words were cut off, and he stared in shock at the figure manifesting in the formation, his eyelids twitching violently.
The “Primordial Abyssal Divine Water” swept up the demonic shadow about to dissipate, completely containing it, and the “Yinming Myriad Forms Diagram” fell into Li Jingyu’s hands.
However, its power was exhausted, and it would take an unknown amount of time and the refining of many demonic souls to restore it.
Slowly putting away the scroll, Li Jingyu looked down at Shen Liaozhi and his group with a faint smile, “Thanks to you all for subduing the demons for me.”
Shen Liaozhi’s forehead veins throbbed, furious, “You, you—” When the Immortal and Demon factions were fighting fiercely, Li Jingyu refused to show herself.
He had thought she had left, but she hadn’t cared about the lives of those demonic cultivators at all! If she treated her fellow cultivators like this, what about the Immortal Sect cultivators? He looked at Li Jingyu warily, forming a hand seal, but before he could release a thunderbolt, a clear light flashed, and she had already acted first!
“Be careful!” Ji Yutang’s expression changed, intercepting Li Jingyu’s attack.
She tossed the round ball containing the people to Yan Shouxia behind her, then summoned the Falling Moon Bow, engaging in a mid-air battle with Li Jingyu.
Their figures moved further away until they completely disappeared from view.
In the distance, Li Jingyu was the first to stop.
She crossed her arms, smiling at Ji Yutang, who held the Falling Moon Bow, and said in a melodious voice, “Are you so afraid of being seen with me?”
Ji Yutang put away her weapon, snorted coldly, and said, “Is walking with a demonic cultivator something to boast about? Why did you keep me here? Speak quickly!”
Li Jingyu sighed, feigning sadness, “Why are you so impatient? It’s really heartbreaking.” After a pause, she continued, “Did I keep you? Wasn’t it you who wanted to be with me?”
Ji Yutang pursed her lips, lowering her head to avoid looking at Li Jingyu’s distracting face.
“Forget it.” Li Jingyu spoke softly, “Even if you’re impatient with me, I still have to think of you.
After using the Daoist Heavenly Words technique, your energy is exhausted, like a lamb to the slaughter.
Do you want to change this situation?”
Ji Yutang looked up at her words, staring at Li Jingyu without speaking, unwilling to reveal any of her thoughts.
“You want to cultivate ‘Two Elephants in Harmony’ and are looking for the Twin Birth Pool, right?” Li Jingyu continued.
Ji Yutang’s expression changed abruptly, angered, “Did you spy on my consciousness?”
Li Jingyu raised an eyebrow.
Since she was present in the Mind Palace, she could sense some things, and combined with reading the Daoist texts, she could guess quite a bit.
Seeing Ji Yutang’s sharp expression, she smiled, “You don’t need to guard against me.
I won’t harm you, at most, I’ll use you.”
Ji Yutang was almost amused by her words.
She sneered, “Should I be grateful to you?”
Li Jingyu’s eyes shifted, smiling, “If you want to, you can.”
Ji Yutang silently cursed Li Jingyu’s shamelessness in her heart.
She took a deep breath, dissatisfied, “Why me? What do you want to do?”
Li Jingyu spoke, her tone filled with helplessness and longing, “After leaving the Southern Border and traveling the world, you were the first person I met, Xiao Tang.
I just hope you can travel with me.”
Ji Yutang’s heart trembled, almost believing Li Jingyu’s words, but she quickly reaffirmed her own beliefs, staring at Li Jingyu with a harsh tone, “For the Heart of the Great Dao, right.” And the dragon horn, she silently added in her heart.
Li Jingyu gazed at Ji Yutang, her eyes full of acceptance, “If you think so, then let it be.”
Ji Yutang: “…” Her tone made it seem like she was being unreasonable!
Li Jingyu changed the subject, “I know where the Twin Birth Pool is.”
To cultivate the “Two Elephants in Harmony” technique, the “Twin Birth Pool” is essential.
This news indeed tempted Ji Yutang, but she didn’t think Li Jingyu would tell her for free.
Staring directly at Li Jingyu, she asked, “What do you want me to do? Dual cultivation?”
Li Jingyu frowned slightly, then smiled, her eyes like autumn water, exuding natural charm.
Ji Yutang looked at her expression, swallowed, and couldn’t help but take a step back.
Li Jingyu approached, lifting a strand of Ji Yutang’s hair and twirling it around her finger, “So you want to dual cultivate with me?”
The warm breath brushed her cheek like a feather, leaving Ji Yutang with no escape.
Her eyes shimmered like rippling water, a blush appearing on her ears.
She rescued her hair from Li Jingyu’s hand, frowning, “The paths of the Immortal and Demon are different.
I won’t fall into the demonic path.
Between us, there will come a day when we sever all ties.”
Li Jingyu chuckled softly and said, “If you have the guts, you can cut it off right now.” She squinted her eyes, the seductive charm on her body completely withdrawn, leaving only a bit of coldness, a bit of wickedness, and a bit of madness.
“Indecisiveness is not a good habit.”
Hearing Li Jingyu’s mocking words, Ji Yutang’s breath suddenly hitched, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, chilling her from head to toe.
She always tried to sketch Li Jingyu’s image based on the faint impressions in her memory, but what she conjured up was far from the “real” Li Jingyu.
She didn’t know how to handle her relationship with Li Jingyu, or perhaps she didn’t want to handle it at all.
Li Jingyu crossed her arms and circled around Ji Yutang, letting out a hum, “What I’m asking you to do isn’t really difficult for you, is it? You never wanted to do it in the first place, right?” Ji Yutang calmed down and said in a flat voice, “What is it?” Li Jingyu wiggled her finger and said, “First, don’t join the Three Supreme Palaces.”
Ji Yutang nodded, “I can do that.”
Li Jingyu smirked and continued, “Second, don’t marry Ran Guzhu.”
Ji Yutang replied, “That’s a given.”
Li Jingyu said, “Third is—” Ji Yutang suddenly interrupted her, frowning, “Why are there so many? Are you going to keep listing them endlessly?” Li Jingyu said, “The third is the last one, don’t dual cultivate with anyone else.
Can you do that?” Ji Yutang’s face flushed red, her calm demeanor once again disrupted by Li Jingyu.
Of course, she could do it, but what did it have to do with Li Jingyu? Li Jingyu could tell what she was thinking just by looking at her expression and didn’t linger on the topic.
She simply said, “The Twin Birth Pool is in an ancient senior’s estate, come with me.”
Li Jingyu and Ji Yutang set off to find the Twin Birth Pool, disappearing without a trace.
Shen Liaozhi and his group assumed she was entangled with Li Jingyu, fighting until a winner was decided.
However, even after they had settled the people from Zhenluo Hall, Ji Yutang still hadn’t returned, leaving everyone with a vague sense of unease.
They didn’t return directly to the sect but searched around Zhenluo Hall for nearly ten days until the number of Demon Sect cultivators began to increase, forcing them to retreat.
The “Battle of Zhenluo Hall” was the first large-scale confrontation between the Immortal and Demon paths before the great calamity, ending in a disastrous defeat for the Demon Sect.
Not only did they lose a magical artifact, but even Ji Yue went missing! Now, ordinary Demon Sect disciples wouldn’t be cared for, but Ji Yue was different.
She was the Demon Sect’s chosen “demon seed,” the future Demon Ancestor would be born from her body, so how could the Demon Sect not search for her? Upon hearing this, most Immortal Sect cultivators felt delighted, but the Three Supreme Palaces and Spring and Autumn Heaven Palace were extremely tense and serious.
The reason being, Ji Yutang had also disappeared with her.
They had inquired at the Ji Family and knew Ji Yutang was still alive, but her exact whereabouts were unclear.
Several sect cultivators conducted divinations, barely reaching a conclusion that she was with the Demon Sect’s Ji Yue.
“To temporarily cease hostilities with the Demon Sect and search for Fellow Daoist Li and Junior Sister Ji together?” In Bailu Academy, Yan Shouxia and Shen Zao weren’t as anxious as they appeared.
They had interacted with Li Jingyu and vaguely guessed the relationship between her and Ji Yutang.
Falling into the hands of Demon Sect disciples might not end well, but with these two together… the situation might be different from what everyone imagined.
Yet, even so, when they received the message from the palace master, they couldn’t help but be shocked.
“The Demon Sect is searching for Ji Yue because she’s the demon seed, but isn’t the Immortal Sect’s concern for Junior Sister Ji a bit too…”
“Too concerned, clearly with ulterior motives.” Shen Zao picked up where Yan Shouxia left off, sneering coldly.
Yan Shouxia actually agreed with Shen Zao’s opinion, but hearing her mock the “Immortal Sect” like this, her brows furrowed tightly.
Gazing at Shen Zao, who was lounging on the couch without a care, she said gently, “Your resentment is growing.”
Shen Zao sat up, casually brushing off the wine stains on her clothes, and sneered, “What, are you afraid I’ll turn into a demon?” Yan Shouxia sighed helplessly, “Can you speak properly?” Shen Zao glanced at Yan Shouxia and snorted, “Am I not?” After a pause, she provocatively said, “What if I do turn into a demon? Will you kill me for the greater good?” Yan Shouxia looked steadily at Shen Zao and said, “I won’t let you turn into a demon.”
Shen Zao seemed not to hear Yan Shouxia’s words, as she continued to drink from her wine gourd, the rich aroma of wine filling the room.
“Even Pure Lotus Zen fell into demonic ways, so what about us?”
