Three Great Demon Kings besieged Dragon Tiger Mountain, seeking to hinder the Celestial Master's path to enlightenment.
At that moment, even the Second Generation Celestial Master alone couldn't match the three Great Demon Kings, and seeing the Ancestor Celestial Master unable to divert his attention elsewhere, during this time of great peril, a sword light cleaved through from millions of miles away.
The divine sword spanned across the sky, instantly summoning countless sword energies, which then fused into one, sweeping across Heaven and Earth with an utterly devastating aura, slashing down from the firmament, capable of shattering space and bisecting the three Great Demon Kings at the waist.
Of course, the three Great Demon Kings were not willing to show weakness, as they unleashed their divine skills with a wave of their hands, with powerful collisions unfolding again and again in the air, the divine skills of the three Great Demon Kings, connected as one, displayed even greater power when combined.
And as the sword energy swept across, even the mere basic cleaving and piercing were blades of supreme slaughter with earth-shattering might.
As the figure drew closer, the sword energy intensified, slicing through space and whirling the currents in all directions.
...
Boom, boom, boom!
The man who had drawn the sword finally arrived and the instant his figure became visible, the rumbling sounds of thunderbolts resonated, with a vast expanse of thunderbolts surging towards the three Great Demon Kings, like overflowing and uncontrollable river waters.
"Senior Brother!" Joy appeared on the Second Generation Celestial Master's face, and the worries in his heart completely dissipated.
The newcomer was none other than a disciple of the Ancestor Celestial Master and the Senior Brother of the Second Generation Celestial Master, Bai Qicang, who went missing for countless years and had not long ago returned.
When Bai Qicang made his return, although the Ancestor Celestial Master strictly ordered the Second Generation Celestial Master not to contact him, for the safety of his father's enlightenment, the Second Generation Celestial Master had no choice but to defy his father's will, deciding to send cultivators from Dragon Tiger Mountain to search for Bai Qicang and inform him of the Ancestor Celestial Master's enlightenment, inviting him to return for protection.
Initially believing it unlikely for the other party to return after such a long time and presuming the effort might be in vain, unexpectedly, at this crucial moment, Bai Qicang finally returned.
De parasieten verlaten het lichaam! Doe het voor het slapen gaanOpen
"Junior Brother, protect our master. Leave these three evil demons to me," said Bai Qicang in a calm voice that exuded confidence.
To battle three Supreme Strong Demon Kings with the strength of just one person, although it seemed unbelievable, coming from Bai Qicang's mouth, it felt as if it were only natural, leaving no room for disagreement in one's mind.
Although the Second Generation Celestial Master had no idea where his Senior Brother's confidence came from, with him having just returned and in front of so many people, he naturally could not object, but instead silently watched the battlefield, ready to act at any moment.
"You demons dare to leave the Demon Domain, brazenly enter the human race's domain, and even infiltrate the ancestral court of Dragon Tiger Mountain's Taoist School – you shall be punished!" Bai Qicang declared with an authoritative look, his Taoist robe fluttering fiercely.
His divine sword was still hidden away, and with hands raised to the sky, thunderbolts converged. It was as if they heard his command, bombarding towards the three Great Demon Kings.
"The Five Thunder Righteous Law of Dragon Tiger Mountain, who would have thought that, aside from the Ancestor Celestial Master, someone else could cultivate this divine skill to the Great Completion Realm, and even carve out a unique path of their own," Pei Xuanjing spoke as he watched Bai Qicang employ the Thunder Method through the projection.
Pei Xuanjing was, of course, aware of Bai Qicang's existence, although his knowledge was merely that—awareness. After all, according to the information he had received, this favored disciple of the Ancestor Celestial Master had fallen out with him over an incident, and many years had passed without them meeting. Pei Xuanjing had little interest in such private secrets of others.
Pei Xuanjing was, in fact, more curious about the Thunder Method deployed by the other party, which was the Great Completion of Dragon Tiger Mountain's Five Thunder Righteous Law, and unlike the Ancestor Celestial Master, he had walked his own path, creating his version of the Five Thunder Righteous Law.
"Five Qi towards the primordial, unstained by a single speck, with the power to purge and cleanse, known as the unblemished. The liver corresponds to the Eastern soul of wood; the lungs to the Western essence of metal; the heart to the Southern deity of fire; the kidneys to the Northern essence of water; the spleen to the central palace of earth. Hence the sage sees not with the eyes yet the soul resides in the liver, hears not with the ears yet the essence stays in the kidneys, tastes not with the tongue yet the spirit dwells in the heart, smells not with the nose yet the soul lives in the lungs, and the limbs move not yet the intent rests in the spleen. Hence it is called the gathering of the Five Thunders," Wu Shijiu explained as he described the Five Thunder Righteous Law, his gaze upon Pei Xuanjing seemed to bear a hint of inquiry, "I heard that the Five Thunder Righteous Law of Dragon Tiger Mountain is not simply a supreme divine skill of unparalleled striking power, but also a supreme skill with many wonderful utilities."
Wu Shijiu was likewise curious about these rumors. He knew that Pei Xuanjing had once traversed the Sky Wasteland Domain disguised as an avatar, mingling with many forces. Even though he had never witnessed any of the top core skills, given Pei Xuanjing's Realm and discernment, a mere touch would reveal at least a rough outline.
"Indeed!" Pei Xuanjing nodded, "This Five Thunder Righteous Law of Dragon Tiger Mountain is different from the Thunder Method of the Shenxiao Sect. In addition to being a divine power, it is also a supreme skill for harmonizing one's Five Elements to reach the perfect state of the Five Qi towards the primordial. Moreover, these five thunders can also temper one's body."
It could be said that although Pei Xuanjing's Thunder Method from Shenxiao was powerful and he possessed the Innate Divine Thunder from when the Longevity World was formed, when it truly came down to it, his mastery of the Thunder Path was slightly lacking compared to others.
"However, to face three Supreme Strong of the Demon Race alone seems a bit self-aggrandizing, doesn't it?" Zhu Houji frowned.
He did not deny the strength of Bai Qicang's earlier display; being able to hold his ground in a one against three fight was sufficient proof of the other's fearsomeness.
But there is a clear distinction between simply holding one's ground and actually suppressing the enemy. Bai Qicang seemed self-aggrandizing to think he could suppress the three Great Demon Kings by himself, without the need for the Second Generation Celestial Master to take action.
If Bai Qicang possessed such strength, he would likely already be eligible for ascension to a True Immortal; why then had he not sought seclusion for the ascension?
"Hehe, whether he has it or not, we'll see soon enough," Pei Xuanjing smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying Zhu Houji's comment.
This place was too far from the Domain of Dragon Tiger Mountain, and Pei Xuanjing, who was merely using the Taixu Mirror to watch the other's moves, wasn't too clear about Bai Qicang's true level of power, nor did he know whether Bai Qicang could achieve this feat.
However, if placed in the same situation, Pei Xuanjing felt that even without stepping into the Immortal Path himself, with no reservations and fighting desperately, he was confident in suppressing the three Great Demon Kings, so he did not oppose Bai Qicang's bold declaration.
Before focusing on Bai Qicang's actions, Pei Xuanjing's gaze swept across Wang Boan, who had been silent the entire time, and he thought to himself: Not to speak of whether others could do it, but if this Wang Boan were to ascend to the Strongest Realm and consolidate for a time, he probably would possess such potential.
Thunder Gods filled the sky with their roars, shaking the heavens. In just a moment, the void transformed into a sea of thunderbolts.
Bai Qicang, embodying the wielder of thunderbolts, shone with Talisman that glittered around him. A sea of thunder enveloped the eight directions, laying down the Five Thunder Array.
...
The three Great Demons wore serious expressions, as their magical divine weapons manifested, permeated by demonic aura, they kept the heavenly thunder at bay. The weapons in their hands emitted a terrifying presence, sweeping through the void and shattering the sea of thunder with a thunderous crash.
Unconcerned about his Thunder Method being obstructed, Bai Qicang's eyes did not flicker in the slightest. His divine sword appeared in his hand, its Sword Qi slashing through the void, carrying the immense force of thunderbolts. It swept through the winds and clouds; galaxies collapsed, and stars shimmered. At this moment, Bai Qicang was valiant and unstoppable.
"With mortal flesh, he is enough to battle immortals!" Up on Shenxiao Mountain, Pei Xuanjing, who was watching the battle, revealed a faint smile and praised while fiddling with the Sanbao Jade Ruyi in his hand.
Around him, Wu Shijiu and a few others were shocked to hear Pei Xuanjing's high appraisal of Bai Qicang. They had just witnessed Pei Xuanjing slay several Demon Kings with a single sword strike, a display of terrifying power that could only be showcased by an Immortal Daoist Strongman.
But at this moment, Bai Qicang alone was facing the three Great Demons. Although he had the upper hand, he was not completely overwhelming them, let alone as effortlessly dominant as Pei Xuanjing had been moments before.
Hence, they wondered what merits Bai Qicang possessed to receive such high regard from Pei Xuanjing.
"Do not underestimate the disciple of Ancestor Celestial Master. He is truly a direct disciple of a Heavenly Master, and his cultivation has reached inscrutable depths after a thousand-year consolidation, which is by no means an empty talk. In fact, he is now no different from me before I ascended," Pei Xuanjing explained. "Even in my view, he already has the qualifications to become a Dao-Certifying True Immortal and to condense the Taoist Fruit. It's just that he did not choose to ascend during this convergence of Heaven and Earth."
Pei Xuanjing believed that Bai Qicang's thousands of years of accumulation had already made him an incredibly powerful existence, no less profound in his accumulation of power than Pei Xuanjing, who had enhanced his own power through multiple uses of the Life Simulator.
However, although Bai Qicang had the qualifications to become an immortal, he did not choose to do so this time. Pei Xuanjing believed there was an eight or nine out of ten chance that he had received a message and was preparing to return to protect the Dao of his Ancestor Celestial Master.
"Missing this opportunity to become an immortal, with the strength he has shown, when the age of True Immortals oppresses the world, trying to become an immortal again will likely meet with greater resistance," Pei Xuanjing mused, his eyes flashing with unpredictable light.
Deze 2 groenten zullen je buikvet 's nachts doden!Open
Pei Xuanjing acknowledged Bai Qicang's choice, but the path to ascension might face greater obstacles ahead, especially after displaying such terrifying talent and power.
As many supreme strong ones ascend to immortality, the ensuing age will be dominated by True Immortals guiding the overall situation, and even supreme beings like Bai Qicang will no longer lead the era.
Facing such a talented and powerful individual as Bai Qicang, the Demon Race will certainly not sit idly by if he wishes to ascend to immortality in the future, and the human race's True Immortals will surely intervene to prevent it.
Pei Xuanjing felt that if the human and Demon Races continued their stalemate, the next time Bai Qicang attempted to ascend to immortality would inevitably be a catalyst that sparks a clash between the True Immortals of both races, leading to an all-out war.
Boom!
Just as Pei Xuanjing's thoughts began to drift, a location within the Taixu Mirror caught his attention.
"What a pity," Pei Xuanjing lamented as he watched the scene projected by the Taixu Mirror.
A Supreme Strong had fallen, or to put it another way, a Dao-certifying True Immortal, a Supreme Strong who had already delved into the realm of the Immortal Dao, had perished.
The Invincible Demon Lord Wu Fa, a giant among the Independent Practitioners of the Demonic Way, was born into the Demonic Way. He had always been a loner, walking between Heaven and Earth with his overpowering strength, making countless enemies, yet no one could withstand him.
But Heaven and Earth changed. After the merging of the two realms, Supreme Strongs could no longer dominate, and the True Immortals, soon to emerge, gained dominion over Heaven and Earth. The Invincible Demon Lord Wu Fa knew that if he did not break through, he would inevitably face retribution from his past foes once True Immortals appeared.
Therefore, under these circumstances, the Invincible Demon Lord Wu Fa also chose to attempt a breakthrough in his Dao certification. As long as he succeeded in becoming a True Immortal, he would be able to continue to roam freely between Heaven and Earth. After all, by that time, as a True Immortal, the other factions would not be keen to provoke him.
The Invincible Demon Lord Wu Fa had no allies; after all, with his way of doing things, he never needed friends. To avoid danger during the merging of the realms, when everyone began certifying their Dao, he did not rush to act but chose to wait for the right moment.
As various powerful beings successively attracted the attention of the Demon Race, the Invincible Demon Lord Wu Fa finally made his move to certify his Dao. Unfortunately, his Divine Abilities were no match for fate. He could overcome the tribulations of Heaven and Earth, but the Obstruction Tribulation was too difficult to cross.
Facing the combined assault of two Supreme Strongs from the Demon Race, even though he desperately vanquished his opponents, his own transformation was interrupted as a result, his divine body dissolved, and his Divine Soul began to dissipate.
"Ah!!! I refuse to be reconciled! I have roamed Heaven and Earth for tens of thousands of years, my Dao certification was within reach today; alas, I have come so close, yet I cannot accept this!" the Invincible Demon Lord Wu Fa roared towards the sky, his expression filled with desolation and unwillingness, his eyes brimming with murderous intent and fury. But the reality now was such that he had lost the potential for Dao certification, he, whose Taoist Fruit was damaged, faced only dissolution.
"I refuse to resign myself to this. If I cannot achieve Dao certification in this lifetime, then I will in the next. The Demonic Way will not perish, nor shall I. When I step into the cycle of reincarnation and return in another lifetime, I shall certify my Dao again," Wu Fa's eyes flashed with madness, and he made a resolute decision in his heart.
Reincarnation!
The dissolution of his current life was already a certainty, and no one could save him. Moreover, even if he survived, his cultivation would likely go down the drain. For Wu Fa, who had made enemies of the entire world, perhaps death was indeed the best choice.
At this critical juncture, he prepared for a final desperate struggle, deciding to enter the Nine Netherworld and the land of reincarnation. Perhaps there he would have a chance at another life.
Boom!
With all his remaining strength, burning his essence, Qi, and spirit for one last effort, Wu Fa plunged into the depths of the earth, countless miles down, where an eerie and strange aura emanated. Wu Fa stepped in without a sliver of hesitation. From that moment on, his presence vanished from between Heaven and Earth, as if he had never existed.
"To become a Dao-certifying True Immortal is to be born, or else to die; for most Supreme Strongs, it is so! The Nine Netherworld, reincarnation, do they truly exist?" Pei Xuanjing mused, watching the choice made by Wu Fa, a complex expression surfacing in his eyes.
Dao-Certifying True Immortal, perfecting authority with the Dao of Spirit Immortals, and obtaining the position akin to that of the Emperor of the South Pole Eternal Life—this path for Pei Xuanjing had, in fact, already been pondered countless times. His process of Dao certification this time went as expected, flowing naturally without a single issue.
Even to say that with Pei Xuanjing's preparations and foundation, even if he were to fail in certifying the Dao, at most he would be injured and would not truly lose his life and thus fade away.
However, for the other supreme strong, it was not the same; they have no chance to start over, no possibility for trial and error. If they were to fail in certifying the Dao, obstructed by others, preventing the True Immortal Dao Fruit from evolving, the result would be like that of the Invincible Demon Lord. Even if they managed to kill their opponent, it would still be powerless to reverse their fate, only able to make a final desperate effort.
But does reincarnation truly exist in this world?
Pei Xuanjing, who held a page from the Netherworld's Book and had learned from the Will of the Heaven and Earth in his own domain, the Longevity World, that he could be resurrected after death, still dare not affirm the existence of reincarnation.
...
After death, even if resurrected, or through what's called reincarnation, is it still the same self as now?
Nobody knows.
Nobody can be sure of the existence of past lives and present ones.
Initially, Pei Xuanjing thought he had transmigrated to the Great Ming World. However, the longer he cultivated, and the deeper his understanding of Heaven and Earth became, the more Pei Xuanjing questioned the so-called cycle of reincarnation. He was not even certain whether he truly transmigrated, if it was all but a grand dream, or perhaps a perk not yet activated in a life simulator, enabling him to vicariously experience another existence.
Therefore, even when the Invincible Demon Lord, in his final moments, delved deep into the earth, breaking into the Nine Nether Land, Pei Xuanjing could not be certain whether the other had actually entered the cycle of reincarnation. Or suppose one day a person very similar to the Invincible Demon Lord returns; is it still the same Invincible Demon Lord as today?
Reincarnation is too remote, too profound and immeasurable. Even Pei Xuanjing, who has now stepped into the realm of Immortal Dao, is unable to probe it.
Regardless, Pei Xuanjing etched the name of the Invincible Demon Lord in his heart, not only because he was the first cultivator Pei had seen who failed to break through to True Immortal and fell, but also because of the opponent's desperate attempt to plunge into the Nine Nether in a bid for reincarnation.
Gewoon een lepeltje voor het slapengaan. - 7 kg in 7 dagenOpen
This was the first cultivator Pei Xuanjing encountered who'd failed in certifying the Dao and fallen, but he was clear that this was definitely not the last. With the ongoing merger of these two realms and the ascension of Heaven and Earth, a golden age of cultivation would arrive, bringing breakthroughs in cultivation and more cultivators to fall in the process.
"Invincible Demon Lord, once an unrivaled figure on the Demonic Way, even many top forces could not touch him, yet now he has fallen during the Obstruction Tribulation," Wu Shijiu said with a complex expression, filled with emotion.
The Immortal Dao is hard to obtain. If even the top supreme strong find it so difficult, then on the day of his own breakthrough, might he too fade away in disappointment? Wu Shijiu couldn't help but think this in his heart.
Just as they witnessed the fall of the Invincible Demon Lord, the Heaven and Earth suddenly trembled, and signs of another Supreme Strong falling emerged, occurring in the realm of the Demon Domain.
"Demon Domain, it seems that many of the strongest of the human race have made their contributions," Zhu Houji speculated aloud.
Both the human race and the Demon Race had been trying to prevent each other's powerhouses from ascending to True Immortality. Whenever the strongest individuals of the human race were in the process of ascending, the strongest Demon Kings would appear to obstruct them. Similarly, the strongest of the human race would also obstruct the Demon Race's strongest beings during their ascension.
In Zhu Houji's view, since the Demon Race had sent so many of their strongest Demon Kings to obstruct the human race, their internal defenses were naturally vulnerable. At this moment, it was likely that the human race's strongest had successfully taken action.
Pei Xuanjing said nothing, merely causing the Taixu Mirror in his hand to burst forth with light once more, projecting the events unfolding in the Demon Domain.
Time was rewound to not long ago. After Lion Emperor dispatched many of the strongest to the human race, he was aware of the vulnerability in the Demon Race's strength. Thus, he gathered together those powerhouses who were preparing for breakthroughs. They weren't particularly far from each other, and were protected collectively by many strong individuals united together.
This, in fact, was one of the advantages of the Demon Race. Although it was not easy for the Demon Race to pursue cultivation, once they embarked on the path, most of them had lifespans far longer than those of the human race—especially those with divine beast bloodlines and members of the Exotic Demon Race. Their lifespans were nearly more than double that of the human race, which meant, if they did not fall midway, they would have ample time to build their foundational strength.
Therefore, the number of the strongest individuals in the Demon Race was actually slightly higher than that of the human race. However, because the human race was adept in refining magical weapons and formation techniques, and with the help of their many inherited top-tier Divine weapon treasures, the human race still managed to hold a slight advantage.
But this time, the Demon Race's advantage became apparent. Despite inner strife and discord among the various clans within the Demon Race, similar to the human race, they could still unite under the suppression of the Lion Emperor in many aspects.
For example, with this promotion to True Immortality, the Demon Race could dispatch so many of the strongest Demon Kings to take action. If it were the human race, their defenses would undoubtedly be vulnerable; however, Lion Emperor could have many of the strongest gathered together, and then be collectively protected by them.
While this approach solved some problems, it also brought some others. For instance, when many of the strongest of the human race entered the Demon Domain, they didn't need to divide forces or worry about ambushes. They arrived together outside the Demon Court, jointly taking action against many of the strongest of the Demon Race and preventing them—including the Demon Emperor—from attaining the Dao.
With the Demon Emperor and others unable to take action, the strongest of the human race, even at the cost of two of their strongest falling, likewise caused one of the strongest of the Demon Race to fail in their Dao certification and fall amid the tribulation.
Above the skies of the Demon Domain, the clash of the strongest shook Heaven and Earth, caused stars to sway, and shattered space. Various divine powers and skills were unleashed as if they were free of charge.
At this moment, neither the human race's strongest nor the Demon Race's strongest held back. They all understood that any mercy shown today would sow the seeds of future calamity for their respective races.
Particularly after the failure of one of the Demon Race's strongest to achieve the Dao, the human race's strongest were greatly encouraged, and the strongest of the Demon Race were enraged to the heavens, fighting desperately against each other.
However, just at that moment, a booming voice resounded from the heavens: "Lion Emperor, you sent people to obstruct my attainment of Dao. It's only right to return what one receives. Today, I shall cut you down with a single sword strike as the fruit of my Dao!"
A sword light that could destroy everything suddenly appeared, slicing towards the Lion Emperor, who was in the midst of transformation atop the Demon Court. Countless powerhouses were shaken, clueless as to the origin of this sword strike.