The wind rustled the trees, and the fall of a single leaf heralded the autumn of the world. The tension that had permeated the air unnoticed by ordinary people vanished in an instant, erasing all traces of conflict. However, the history of the Joyful Bodhisattva lineage was significantly shortened, and they became mortal enemies with the orthodox tradition of the Joyful Buddha.
Great supernatural beings of creation, regardless of their identities or stances, sighed inwardly. At times like these, they keenly felt the bitterness of the sea of suffering.
Unaware of the greater machinations, Tan Ping, Xia Xiu, and others had joined the Great Zhou faction and were assigned to the vanguard. They formed a part of the battle formation, jointly attacking Yanling Island, the gateway to the Three Xiao Islands.
Lightning spears and towering waves surged around them, the water rising violently until it reached the island’s highest peak. If not for the cascading flames scorching the deep blue and evaporating the mist, the area would have already turned into a watery wasteland, a submerged spectacle.
Woo-woo!
The sound of horns signaled retreat. The grand formation, assembled from numerous overseas immortals and Exterior experts, withdrew without success, unable to breach Yanling Island’s formidable array of restrictions.
“This ‘Profound Fire Prison Sea’ truly lives up to its reputation, capable of repelling so many immortals and deities,” Xia Xiu remarked, breathing in the vital energy to recover her strength, reflecting on the recent ordeal.
Yanling Island’s “Profound Fire Prison Sea” was renowned as one of the top-tier formations at the Dharmakaya level. Though she had heard of it before, witnessing it firsthand surpassed all expectations.
Her words drew nods of agreement from her companions.
Free from the troubles of being embroiled in the struggles of the other shore, Tan Ping remained composed. He chuckled and said, “A formation that’s still light-years away from the Legendary level dares to call itself a top-tier Dharmakaya formation? Wait till you encounter the ‘Nine-Curved Yellow River Formation’—your eyes will pop out of your sockets!”
“This assault on Yanling Island is merely a training exercise for newcomers like us, to hone our coordination and prepare for future battles. The organized power of humanity, united in formation, is worlds apart from scattered, individual efforts.”
“Just look—has our nominal commander, Sun Wu of the Jade Void Palace, even shown his face or lifted a finger so far?”
Another companion, Yan Jingang, nodded vigorously. “Brother Tan speaks the truth!”
Scratching his head, he continued, “But I still don’t understand. His Majesty is the current Human Emperor, wielding an other shore-level supreme treasure. He could easily crush the Three Xiao Islands and dismantle the Nine-Curved Yellow River Formation with a casual strike. Why go through all this trouble?”
The combination of the Nine-Curved Yellow River Formation and the Primordial Golden Dipper struck fear into all below the other shore. But with the Human Emperor’s Sword fully awakened and possessing other shore-level power, what did Gao Lan have to fear?
Tan Ping’s lips twitched as if he wanted to say more but held back. Finally, he smiled and said, “The game of the other shore uses the myriad realms as a chessboard and the fates of all living beings as pieces. A single move affects the whole. Until the situation is clear, if His Majesty acts rashly, it could trigger unforeseen consequences. The world is vast—he isn’t the only one with an other shore-level treasure, nor is the Jade Void Palace the only power to reckon with. Steady progress, testing the waters, and advancing step by step—that’s the true path to victory.”
He didn’t elaborate further, knowing his companions wouldn’t fully grasp the true meaning of the sea of suffering or the dread of “without reaching the other shore, all is but a fleeting illusion.”
Not every great supernatural being of creation could face death with equanimity or utter the words, “The hardest thing through the ages is but death.” Like a shared nightmare, some forget it instantly, while others remain unsettled for a long time. And that’s not even considering other influences—inner demons, external demons, and celestial demons have existed since time immemorial!
Xia Xiu and the others listened with only a vague understanding. They grasped the main idea: the current Human Emperor had to consider other other shore-level treasures and figures, hence the need to probe the enemy’s defenses and the stances of various factions through gradual assaults. If they found themselves at a disadvantage, there would still be room to maneuver, minimizing losses.
Just as they finished resting and prepared to execute the 756th variation of the human formation, Yanling Island suddenly erupted. Volcanoes spewed forth, lava flowed like crimson water, and dark smoke billowed, spreading across the surroundings like thick ink, exuding an aura of corruption and evil.
“Not good!” Tan Ping’s expression darkened. “The apocalypse deepens—that volcano has directly connected to the Nine Nethers, spewing demonic flames and miasma. The Profound Fire Prison Sea is likely transforming into the ‘Filthy Fire Black Prison.’ Even a slight touch will pierce the flesh and corrupt the soul. Extremely dangerous.”
“What do we do?” Xia Xiu knew Tan Ping was well-informed and never exaggerated.
Tan Ping replied, “The transformation from Profound Fire Prison Sea to Filthy Fire Black Prison takes time. Right now, it’s at its most vulnerable. If we can find a treasure of extreme yang or extreme yin, we can attempt to break the formation directly. Once that’s done, sealing the volcano will end this.”
He scanned the surroundings, his thoughts turning to a treasure from the Water Ancestor’s collection: the “Ten Absolute Ice Soul Water.”
Should he seize this opportunity to make a name for himself and earn merit?
Suddenly, his heart chilled as he sensed an overwhelming, primordial aura. Along with Xia Xiu and the others, he turned eastward, where a towering, pale-gold giant rose, its acupoints opening to reveal countless dark and profound universes.
“‘Invincible Iron Fist’ Sun Wu… the Eight-Nine Arcane Art…” Tan Ping narrowed his eyes.
Before he could say more, the pale-gold giant took a single step and charged straight into the Profound Fire Prison Sea. Flames surged, engulfing him instantly.
The fire roared and sizzled, but the golden hue grew purer and brighter. Sun Wu laughed heartily, enduring the flames, filth, and divine powers as he forced his way to the volcano’s base. With a clenched fist, he struck down.
Boom!
The volcano collapsed, its eruption halted, its demonic essence buried under layers of rubble.
Witnessing this, Yan Jingang couldn’t help but mutter, “This is the Eight-Nine Arcane Art. Compared to this, even the Spark Great Method seems mediocre…”
“Truly worthy of the Jade Void lineage…” Xia Xiu sighed in awe. Without any extreme yang or yin treasure, he had achieved this with sheer physical might!
Sun Wu withdrew from Yanling Island and began issuing orders, commanding the immortals and Exterior experts under him to form formations and seal the volcano connected to the Nine Nethers with layers of restrictions.
Just then, he noticed a thick mist rising over the sea near the Three Xiao Islands. The azure waters turned turbid yellow, as if filled with suspended silt, instantly shrouding the boundless expanse.
“The Nine-Curved Yellow River Formation…” Sun Wu frowned.
Why deploy it so soon?
They had only just begun attacking the outer, weaker islands!
As his teacher would jokingly say: This isn’t the right script!
Had the Three Xiao Goddesses received some guarantee, making them so bold?
Should the Great Zhou respond in kind or retreat for now? Choosing the former would rapidly escalate tensions, possibly leading to direct intervention by the great figures. And at this moment, many of those figures’ stances remained ambiguous—predicting who would gain the upper hand was impossible!
Suddenly, a brilliant light flared in the sky, dyeing the clouds crimson and transforming them into a sea of fire. A voice, both pure and alluring, descended:
“Qingqiu, by decree of the Demon Empress, comes to aid the Human Emperor!”
Qingqiu? Tan Ping’s pupils contracted. Before his reincarnation, Qingqiu had been the Demon Saint’s successor, favored by the Demon Empress and virtually her proxy. Her arrival pushed the already tense situation to the brink.
What was the Demon Empress planning?
Deep in the Nine Nethers, the Demonic Buddha narrowed his eyes and mused, “The Demon Empress is resolute indeed… Does she truly not care for the feelings of the Demon Saints?”
“Or is she seeking to hasten the conflict, before Amitabha and the Old Mother of No Birth make further progress in their quest for emptiness?”
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