Chapter 786: Old Rivals

Under normal circumstances, Cui Qinghe wouldn’t have displayed the slightest hint of panic. Although the Demon Saint Spear at the Earth Immortal level was fearsome, it wasn’t an insurmountable force. Otherwise, long ago when the human immortal G’erdoga wielded the Heaven’s Execution Axe at the Earth Immortal level, he would have swept across the world unopposed. Why then would he have been halted by Chonghe Daoist and Master Lu with merely two swords, failing to invade the southern lands? With just a single sword in hand, even if Cui Qinghe couldn’t block the Demon Saint Spear, he could at least evade it.

However, he had just been swept down by the Five-Color Divine Light, and when shaking off its effects, there was a brief moment of dizziness originating deep within his Yuan Shen. If there was a level difference between him and the Peacock Demon King, or if the opponent had reached the legendary level while he lacked the corresponding technique, he would have been knocked unconscious outright.

Therefore, by the time Cui Qinghe steadied himself, the Demon Saint Spear was already thrusting toward him. The grain-sized, colorless flame emitted no intense heat, yet it exuded a terrifying, all-consuming sense of incineration.

Cui Qinghe focused his mind, and the purple aura surrounding his Dharma body suddenly expanded, enveloping him in waves of violet radiance. It was as if a celestial deity had descended—majestic and divine.

The violet radiance surged skyward like a coiling dragon. Composed of countless purple solar flames, it ignited both the air and the primordial energy ocean, forming a dazzling sphere of violet light that isolated the demon saint’s staff.

The Fengchi Heijin spear struck. The rice-grain-sized colorless flame did not explode or expand, but silently ignited the “Purple Sun Flame,” burning fire with fire, swallowing fire with fire, as if it were the ancestor of all flames, surpassing the purple radiance.

In the blink of an eye, the demonic saint’s spear pierced through the dazzling purple sphere of light, thrusting straight at Cui Qinghe’s dharma body. The flame, initially the size of a grain of rice, expanded slightly to about the thickness of a finger, flickering gently as it burned through the void.

However, Cui Qinghe had already seized a moment to catch his breath. Sword in hand, he employed the “Zhi Ge Sword Technique”—a method capable of halting any “battle” yet not skilled in offense. It precisely sealed all variations of the demon saint’s spear, intercepting its deadly tip.

With a bang, the colorless flame erupted, spreading rapidly along the force attached to the “Zhi Ge Sword,” as if it were about to become an unstoppable wildfire. Cui Qinghe hadn’t anticipated that the flame would be so terrifying—it could burn everything except the divine weapon itself. Left with no choice, he had to forcibly sever his connection with the “Zhi Ge Sword,” swinging it fiercely to fling the flame away.

The flame descended below, landing precisely upon a tranquil lake. The crystal-clear water burst into flames instantly, spreading rapidly in all directions, transforming the land within a thousand-mile radius into a barren wasteland devoid of any signs of life. At that very moment, a gentle sigh imbued with profound compassion resonated through the air. The faint silhouette of Lanke Temple emerged, and a colossal right hand adorned with a glistening luster of colored glaze stretched forth, forming a sacred mudra that radiated brilliant Buddha light. With a graceful motion, it curled a finger and snapped three times, ultimately extinguishing the flames and averting the impending catastrophe.

After tossing aside the colorless flame, Cui Qinghe was about to use the Myriad Phases Formation to dodge and regroup when suddenly he saw another crimson light sweep down.

His vision went black again—he had been swept down once more by Taoli’s Five-Color Divine Light!

Yunhe Zhenren, who had set up the formation with the Hunyuan Yi Qi Shangqing Divine Talisman, was well aware of the battle between Taoli and Cui Qinghe. Seeing the demon saint awakening to the Earth Immortal level and the nearly invincible Five-Color Divine Light, he planned to adjust the formation, concentrating the killing intent of the Wanxiang Formation on Taoli to rescue Cui Qinghe. However, the Blood Sea Rakshasa would not give him that opportunity. She gathered her blood sea, transforming into a transparent blood shadow, and wielding the “Huaxue Divine Blade,” she charged forward, piercing through countless vines and corrosive black water without sustaining any damage.

The Blood Shadow at its peak was this monstrous—unless countered or vastly outmatched in power, there was no way to stop it.

Yunhe Zhenren pondered briefly, then pointed his finger. The formation above brightened, revealing a brilliant sun entirely composed of Solar True Fire, illuminating the surroundings in gold. Then, the sun fell, tracing a beautiful arc, aiming at the Blood Sea Rakshasa, radiating utmost yang, righteousness, and intensity.

The Blood Sea Rakshasa halted, swung her thin blood blade, silently striking the sun. Instantly, the sun turned red, as if stained by blood, rapidly disintegrating into droplets of blood water. The thin blood blade merely lost its outer blood mist, while the blade itself remained unscathed, revealing its excellent essence.

After landing a successful strike, the Blood Sea Rakshasa expanded her blood sea. Around Yunhe, an ocean of primordial qi emerged, but it was entirely crimson, blooming with countless blood lotuses. With each slash from the Blood Sea Rakshasa, they blossomed, releasing a sweet yet foul, bloody fragrance. Ordinary people who inhaled it would instantly dissolve into pools of blood. This forced Zhenren Yunhe to prioritize defense, as his cultivation was still recent, and he had yet to fully master various Daoist techniques.

Amidst crackling lightning and soaring golden crows, he engaged in an evenly matched battle with the Blood Sea Rakshasa while simultaneously dividing his focus to suppress the influence of the Kuiniu Demon King and Baihu Demon King through the formation. Consequently, he could scarcely lift a hand in retaliation.

Suddenly, the Myriad Phenomena Formation surged, its light condensing into a brilliant star-line that pierced through the high-altitude gales, the geomagnetic polar zone, and shot straight into the azure void, connecting to a drifting, not particularly large planet.

The rocky planet trembled, suddenly falling along the stellar trajectory, pulled by its gravitational force, accelerating faster and faster, soon entering the polar region of the primordial magnetic field.

It rubbed against the high-altitude gales, burning fiercely, trailing a dreamlike tail of flame, directly targeting the “Peacock Demon King” Taoli!

On the other side, Kongwen sensed the awakening of the Demon Saint’s staff. Though affected by chaotic lightning and golden winds, unaware of the exact situation, he understood the peril Cui Qinghe was in. Thus, he cast out his relic, transforming it into a golden-bodied Arhat resembling a Bodhisattva. His smile was serene, exuding compassion and enlightenment, brimming with infinite meaning and wisdom. Raising a finger, he performed a flower-picking gesture, sweeping it toward the Kuiniu Demon King. Instantly, the purple lightning and green thunder filling the sky dissipated, as if they had comprehended the Dharma, realizing the emptiness of all phenomena, compelling the Kuiniu Demon King to prioritize his own defense.

This was the relic of Yuankong, the sixth patriarch of Shaolin, who had attained the “Kasyapa Dharma Body.” Although he had only achieved the Arhat fruit, his golden body was far more robust than that of ordinary Arhats. Even as a manifestation of the relic, it surpassed the combat power of a typical quasi-Dharma body.

After Yuankong intercepted the Bull Demon King, Kongwen’s right hand transformed into a golden Arhat, expanding into a colossal palm radiating the essence of Vajra. With a single strike, he shattered the golden gale, scattering the condensed golden spears and swords in all directions.

The Great Strength Vajra Palm, the Prajna Palm, the Mount Sumeru Palm, the Ananda Finger, the Unconditioned Calamity Finger—Kongwen effortlessly wielded an array of Shaolin’s supreme techniques. Some were overwhelmingly powerful, others concealed Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed, detonating upon impact. Some specialized in shattering hardness, while others stemmed from the Formless, rendering them elusive to grasp. He suppressed the White Tiger Demon King, a master of Ten Thousand Swords Returning to the Source and the manipulation of Metal-elemental energy, driving him into a desperate defensive struggle, as if battered by an unrelenting tempest.

Suddenly, the storm ceased abruptly. Kongwen’s attack vanished instantly. Baihu Demon King felt uneasy, instinctively blocking, causing a dissonance.

Then, he witnessed Kongwen’s golden Arhat form pinch its thumb and middle finger together, forming the flower-picking mudra. In an instant, his mind became utterly vacant, as though comprehending all Zen truths, awakening to the illusory nature of worldly affairs. Overwhelmed with profound joy, his lips curled into an involuntary smile.

The Buddha plucked a flower, and Kasyapa smiled—this was the “Flower Sermon,” the supreme transmission of the Tathagata!

When perfected, if one fails to awaken, a single palm strike would be unavoidable. But if enlightenment is attained, one instantly becomes a Buddha, leaving no adversaries—truly the supreme martial art of the Buddhist tradition.

Kongwen had devoted over a century to mastering the Dragon-Subduing Fist, the Flower-Picking Finger, and this Tathagata Palm. After grasping the fundamental principles of the palm technique and enduring years of rigorous training, he finally achieved mastery of this skill!

The half-awakened Baihu Demon King suddenly sensed danger rising in his heart, regaining full consciousness. But Kongwen had already transformed his finger into a palm, mere inches away from striking its head.

A tiger’s roar echoed urgently. Layer upon layer of Metal Elemental Power surged forth, converging above the Demon King’s head into a thick Geng Metal shield. It was all he could do.

Bang! The Geng Metal shattered. The White Tiger Demon King’s head bore the mark of five fingers, blood spurting out as he staggered, dazed and bleeding, severely wounded. Had it not been for the demon king’s formidable physique, that single palm strike would have claimed half his life.

As Kongwen was about to dodge past Baihu Demon King to aid Cui Qinghe, Kuiniu Demon King’s hammer, entwined with a purple thunder dragon, struck, blocking his path.

When Yunhe summoned the falling meteor, the suppression on the two Demon Kings was somewhat alleviated. “Yuan Kong” was merely an illusion formed by a sacred relic, with limited intelligence. The Kuiniu Demon King deceived him, creating an opening to swiftly rush to the aid of the Baihu Demon King.

With its help, Baihu Demon King finally stabilized.

Kongwen was unable to break free. His Zen-like mind grew slightly unsettled, and his strength waned a little. He swiftly steadied his thoughts, regaining tranquility, and strove to find an opportunity to offer assistance.

…

Taoli’s expression was arrogant. With another flick, he shook out Cui Qinghe, then thrust his spear again.

The fusion of the Five-Colored Divine Light and the Demon Saint’s Staff was terrifying to the extreme. One sweep, one strike—Cui Qinghe was trapped in an inescapable cycle. He exhausted all his techniques, unleashing the full power of the Purple Sun Divine Art and the Supreme Blade Swordplay, yet he remained utterly overwhelmed. Even when he tried to flee into the void, he was swept back. After several futile attempts, he found himself in a dire and hopeless predicament.

Meanwhile, Taoli relentlessly swept through with his Five-Colored Divine Light, effortlessly deflecting the barely conjured formation attacks of Yunhe Zhenren—lightning, yellow sand, flames, and poisonous water—to little avail. It appeared he would soon strike down Cui Qinghe.

At this moment, Cui Qinghe realized that any further delay would mean no chance of escape. Clenching his teeth, the purple sun behind his head suddenly expanded, radiating brilliant light and colorful clouds, instantly severing all connections.

When Taoli locked onto him once more, within the hazy formation, he saw a purple sun nearly a hundred zhang in diameter. Its surface blazed with raging flames, ceaselessly generating terrifying heat and light. It was as heavy as a mountain, warping the surrounding void. Taoli felt an overwhelming suction force, as if being irresistibly pulled toward it.

The Ziyang Divine Art was passed down from ancient times, acquired by the ancestors of the Cui family through a miraculous encounter. Legend has it that when cultivated to the legendary realm, one could transform into a true purple sun, shining as brilliantly as the sun in the heavens!

At this critical moment of life and death, disregarding all consequences, Cui Qinghe activated his Dharma Body, unleashing his ultimate strike in a desperate attempt to counterattack and seize a sliver of hope for survival.

Majestically, the purple sun descended like a colossal fist, smashing toward Taoli. Unable to evade its gravitational pull, Taoli could only thrust his Demon Saint Gun with full force, driving it straight through the sun.

At that moment, a hundred-zhang-sized fireball pierced through the formation, also targeting Taoli. It contained explosive power capable of destroying an entire region.

The falling meteor, the myriad signs of impending danger, and the elements of metal, earth, and fire were all present.

Taoli let out a cold snort. The yellow, white, and red lights within his Five-Colored Divine Light surged simultaneously, sweeping away the blazing meteor. The tip of his Demon Saint Spear transformed into a fiery phoenix, thrusting straight toward the sun.

Bang!

The spear tip pierced the sun. The colorless fire phoenix coiled back, completely engulfing the purple sun in a fierce blaze. Taoli was flung backward, his Five-Colored Divine Light trembling violently behind him as it hurled the massive flames downward.

Blood trickled from his mouth, clearly injured. Feathers burned and fell from his body. The struck purple sun continued its attack, still rushing toward him.

Shaking his spear, he flung away the purple sun, severely injuring Cui Qinghe’s Dharma body. Just as he was about to seize the opportunity to escape to the other side of the formation, a crimson radiance suddenly flashed before his eyes.

His vision went black again. When he saw the world again, the Fengchi Heijin spear had already pierced his body.

Whoosh! Cui Qinghe’s Dharma body was completely ignited, his aura rapidly dissipating.

The Five-Colored Divine Light, combined with the Demon Saint Spear at the Earth Immortal level, could slaughter most Human Immortals. Without the assistance of the formation, Cui Qinghe would have perished long ago!

With his last ounce of strength, Cui Qinghe activated the Zhige Sword, hurling it into the sky. The Zhige Sword let out a mournful cry, not circling, but instead turning northward toward Pingjin.

Taoli wasn’t in good shape either. Wounded by the meteor and scorched by Cui Qinghe’s purple flames, he had exhausted his last ounce of strength to finish him off. Now, he could only watch helplessly as the divine weapon flew away.

As the purple sun was engulfed by the crimson radiance, Kongwen realized the gravity of the situation. Without hesitation or any thought of luck, he suddenly remembered Yuankong’s relics, his face revealing profound compassion and unwavering resolve.

In Changle City, Gao Lan, seated on the throne, his face hidden in shadows, his eyes flashed like lightning as he looked southward. Beside him, the Human Emperor Sword rose on its own, glowing without being prompted.

“The old enemy has arrived. Why hasn’t it awakened yet? It’s time!” Gao Lan slowly stood, his expression stern, as he lowly shouted.

The Human Emperor Sword was originally forged to combat the demonic tribes and the Demon Saints. Now that the avatar of the Demon Saint, the Demon Saint Gun, had appeared, the Human Emperor Sword naturally reacted!

The sun, moon, stars, constellations, mountains, rivers, written characters, and herbs all emerged, illuminating the dark palace like daylight. Gao Lan wore a bright yellow robe, a flat-topped crown on his head, his beauty unparalleled, exuding majesty. In one hand, he took the Human Emperor Sword; in the other, he held the imperial seal of the Northern Zhou Emperor.

His eyes were emotionless as he gazed southward, murmuring softly:

“It’s been nearly ten thousand years since the Human Emperor Sword last appeared. It seems everyone has forgotten what ‘Kingly Way’ it possesses when combined with the Emperor’s Seal…”