I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 704 The Four-Phase Sword of Calamity Suppression

The Heavenly Demon Sword Master and Qingxu Daoist's defenses collapsed simultaneously, and they could only watch helplessly as Gu Yuanqing's power surged into the array of their own sword formations like a tidal wave.

This overwhelming power rendered their control over the Sword Domain utterly futile.

Especially Qingxu Daoist, who was not far from refining the core array artifact of the Demon Sealing Array, but Gu Yuanqing's power quickly covered the area he was originally refining, erasing all his soul imprints, and all his efforts were in vain.

They burned their divine soul essence, reaching an unprecedented level of power, but it was still just a waste of their vital energy.

The cultivators of the Chaotic Heaven were filled with boundless energy, and the Qingping Dao Palace was also brimming with spiritual energy. However, in the constant clashes and attrition, their minds and energy seemed to be beginning to deplete.

The pressure they faced was immense; they were constantly giving it their all.

With the power of the Heavenly Demon Sword Domain and the Sealing Demon Sword Domain suppressed, the power of the person in the painting was also insufficient to support the situation alone.

The seal within the painting still exists. His power level is indeed higher than Gu Yuanqing's, but the power that can be transmitted through the seal is too little to support a confrontation with Gu Yuanqing.

Moreover, after the power of the Heavenly Demon Sword Master and Qingxu Daoist was completely suppressed, the fluctuations in the entire Zhou Tian Star Array became smaller, and the stability of the array also reduced the power that could be transmitted from the Immortal Painting.

Seeing that all was lost, the figure in the painting began to withdraw his power and stopped fighting Gu Yuanqing. Strands of demonic energy intertwined and transformed into his figure as he retreated.

He stared at Gu Yuanqing, his eyes filled with a sinister yet playful glint, as if he were eyeing his prey.

Gu Yuanqing snorted softly, manipulating the power of the Demon-Subduing Sword Domain with his mind to attack. The sword energy clashed and shredded his figure into dust. But in the blink of an eye, the dark energy transformed back into human form and finally disappeared into the Dao Palace.

Gu Yuanqing did not make another move. The power level of the person in the painting was higher than his, and his power was trapped in the Zhou Tian Star Array. Without complete control of the array, it would be difficult for him to kill him with his methods.

Without the restraint of the person in the painting, the Heavenly Demon Sword Master and Qingxu Daoist were even more unable to resist.

After struggling for less than a quarter of an hour in the sword domain under their control, all their power was eventually expelled. Their power retreated into their respective swords, and they stood in the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array, surrounded by Gu Yuanqing's power, which sealed off their connection with the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array.

Inside the Taoist Palace.

The three men looked ashen-faced.

"It seems we've completely failed!" Qingxu Daoist's hair was disheveled, and he no longer had the dignified and otherworldly appearance he once had.

“If my skills are inferior, I have nothing to say.” Chi Jinyu clutched his chest and coughed incessantly. For a cultivator like him, when injuries manifest in his body and cannot be suppressed, it means he has suffered extremely serious Dao injuries.

The battle within the Star Array was even more dangerous than a face-to-face duel. Burning one's source of power and ultimately leading to defeat means there is no chance of recovery.

The Heavenly Demon Sword Master remained silent, his eyes filled with resentment.

He turned to look at the painting of the immortal. The painting had been restored to its original state, with the figure in it peacefully looking at the book in his hand. He tried to probe it with his divine sense, but it was blocked outside the painting, as if the painting had become an ordinary scroll.

Qingxu Daoist said, "There's no need to try. He just wants to use us to escape later. As long as we fail, we have no value to him!"

The Heavenly Demon Sword Master lowered his head, his eyes flickering, and suddenly said, "It's not entirely hopeless. Although we may not be able to defeat that guy surnamed Gu, there is still a glimmer of hope."

"What method?" Chi Jinyu asked, leaning against a pillar.

The Heavenly Demon Sword Master said, "The three of us were originally one!"

Upon hearing these words, both Qingxu Daoist and Chi Jinyu's expressions changed!
When he used the wonderful method in the lower volume of the Heavenly Dao Scripture to sever his clones and memories, the connection between them was actually severed, and he was not much different from a single person.

If they hadn't survived the Chaotic Tribulation, they probably wouldn't have even remembered the existence of the Heavenly Demon Sword Master.

Over the years, they have become independent individuals, with different memories, thoughts, and wills.

If the three are combined, will I still exist?

After a moment of silence, Qingxu Daoist said, "Even if the three of us agree, you should know that without the first volume of the Heavenly Dao Scripture, it is impossible to achieve the state of primordial unity. In that case, there would be no difference from the current situation."

Chi Jinyu sneered, "In the previous battle, that Gu guy fought against three of us at once, engaging in combat within the sword domain we controlled, while simultaneously refining the array artifacts within the Demon Subduing Sword Domain. He was multitasking, and we were no match for him. Even if we combined our strength, what difference would it make? Could we possibly overcome the Chaos Undying?"

The Heavenly Demon Sword Master said, "As long as there is a sliver of opportunity, it is worth fighting for. Otherwise, am I supposed to just wait here to die? Or do you have a better plan?"

"It's nothing more than death. Anyway, I've lived long enough, and I've seen through it all," Chi Jinyu said calmly, leaning against a pillar in the main hall.

The Heavenly Demon Sword Master stood up and said coldly, "You want to die, but I don't. Both of you have taken away most of your souls and power. When you actually encounter an enemy, you will be of no use at all. Especially you, Chi Jinyu, now you say that you're not afraid of death. You think you've seen through life and death. I think you're just a coward who runs away when things get tough!"

Chi Jinyu's eyes flashed coldly: "Heavenly Demon, watch your words."

The Heavenly Demon Sword Master said, "What? You're not good at dealing with outsiders, but you're very arrogant towards me? Chi Jinyu, let me tell you, I won't fall for your act. If you hadn't achieved the Chaos Realm, I could take on ten of you with your cowardly appearance."

Chi Jinyu sat up straight, his aura becoming sharp, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes.

Their eyes met, and a tense atmosphere seemed to fill the air, as if a conflict could erupt at any moment.

Master Qingxu said in a low voice, "Alright, all of you shut up."

The two snorted coldly and fell silent.

The Taoist Qingxu then said, "I have a method that may allow one person to escape."

As he spoke, he took out an ancient bronze lamp from the lining of his Taoist robe. The lamp had a crystal lotus base, a condensed white flame as its wick, and a blood-red gauze lantern.

"The Three Tribulations Crossing Lamp?" The Heavenly Demon Sword Master's pupils shrank.

The Taoist Qingxu said, "It's better than all three of them being buried here."

……

Gu Yuanqing sat cross-legged atop the Dao Palace, looking up at the sky.

This is the core of the Zhou Tian constellation, and the hub of the Qingping Dao Palace and the celestial array.

His aura continuously flowed into the great formation through the Demon-Subduing Sword, leaving his divine soul imprint on the foundation artifacts of the four great sword formations.

Although the other three formations are still difficult to control, they can monitor the changes within the formation at all times and restrict others from using the power of the formation.

The three swords, Heavenly Demon, Sealed Demon, and Demon-Slaying Sword, stubbornly remain within the illusory images of the three sword domains.

Gu Yuanqing was temporarily unable to do anything about this. These three sword shadows were all the most refined sword power, and one had to cultivate the corresponding sword path to touch them, otherwise the power conflict would attract the backlash of the true Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array.

Even Gu Yuanqing was unwilling to confront this great formation within Qingping Cave Heaven, as this was a completely different matter from the previous confrontation.

"It seems these people are determined to stay within the Dao Palace!"

Gu Yuanqing smiled, not in a hurry.

As he gradually gained a better understanding of the Zhou Tian Star Array, he became aware of the current situation. His retreat into the Dao Palace did not mean he had no way to resolve the issue.

"It's just a matter of practicing a few more sword techniques; it doesn't seem to take much time!"

This was nothing to Gu Yuanqing, as his cultivation was not based on a single path or a few major paths, so it was something he was quite familiar with.

Three clones emerged, descended from Lijian Peak, and then departed on a beam of light.

Gu Yuanqing already controlled the Sword Domain Formation, and by relying on the attraction and connection between the formations, he could know the location of the Sword Domain Trial.

The three clones each fell into the three sword domain formations, using them to comprehend three different sword paths.

At this time, Gu Yuanqing actually had a considerable understanding of the other three sword styles.

He once entered the past of the Heavenly Sword Elder and merged with the sword will he left behind. Although he ultimately witnessed the cultivation path of the old man as an observer due to his awakening of self-awareness, he was ultimately left to his own devices.

However, all the cultivation methods of the Demon-Sealing Sword Path, the Demon-Slaying Sword Path, and the Heavenly Demon Sword Path are within his heart.

Furthermore, since the Demon Subduing Sword Dao is the foremost of the four swords, it actually contains several other sword techniques. In the exchange just now, they refined several sword formations and saw clearly the workings of the sword formations. It was as if they had tried it out and gained a deeper understanding of these sword techniques.

Moreover, having reached his level of cultivation, he can actually master all kinds of sword techniques at will; it's just a matter of the depth of his cultivation.

These three trial sword domains are the best places for cultivation!

As soon as Gu Yuanqing made a move, the Heavenly Demon Sword Master and the others immediately noticed.

Although the three of them had lost control of the Four Great Sword Formations, as long as the three great swords were still in the core of the formation, they could vaguely sense these changes.

“If nothing unexpected happens, then the man surnamed Gu has begun to comprehend the other three great sword arts!” said Daoist Qingxu.

“He entered the painting and most likely received the complete inheritance. His cultivation is extremely high, and I'm afraid it won't be long before he achieves something. At that time, we might really be in danger!” Chi Jinyu said.

"The Demon-Subduing Sword Dao is the foremost of the four swords, encompassing the other three. This was evident in our exchange just now. His comprehension of the other sword paths will likely be faster than we anticipated. When the four swords are combined, it will become the true Zhou Tian Zhen Jie Four Phases Sword. At that time, there will be no need for the Demon-Sealing Sword, the Heavenly Demon Sword, etc. He can open the Dao Palace simply by using his own sword intent!"

At this point, the Heavenly Demon Sword Master paused before saying in a deep voice, "So, make a decision: will you rely on my method to fight it out, or will you use the Pure Void method?"

“The second option is that if we all want to leave together, then neither of us can leave,” Chi Jinyu said.

The Heavenly Demon Sword Master then asked, "Then who will leave?"

The three of them locked eyes.

In the end, both Qingxu and Chi Jinyu's gazes fell on the Heavenly Demon Sword Master.

"Me?" The Heavenly Demon Sword Master was taken aback, somewhat surprised.

Chi Jinyu said indifferently, "Although your cultivation is the lowest, and I also disapprove of your behavior, I burned my source and damaged my foundation, so there is no possibility of advancing any further."

Qingxu Daoist said, "You cultivate the Heavenly Demon Sword Dao, so you have a way to restore your original source, but neither of us does. Moreover, your cultivation is the weakest, so you might not be able to light the lamp! However, if you really go out, you should avoid doing anything that would harm the natural order. Don't you feel like you're becoming more and more like him?"

……

Gu Yuanqing was unaware of what was happening inside the hall. Apart from his clone cultivating in the Sword Domain, he still kept his attention focused on the Zhou Tian Star Array.

In fact, the more he saw, the more obsessed he became.

Whenever I see a change that has never been seen before, a faint joy arises in my heart.

This grand formation was all-encompassing; he seemed to see all the principles of formations he knew before.

At this moment, Gu Yuanqing understood even more the preciousness of the game he played with the old man in the painting. It was as if a key to unlocking the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Grand Array had been silently handed to Gu Yuanqing during their exchange.

At this moment, Gu Yuanqing seemed to have almost forgotten that there were still enemies in the main hall.

Suddenly, a voice came from inside the palace.

"Lord Gu, I know you are still outside. May we have a talk?" The voice of the Heavenly Demon Sword Master rang out.

Gu Yuanqing was startled awake. He glanced down indifferently and said, "What do you want to talk about? If you want to beg for mercy, open the palace gates, seal your cultivation, and I will consider sparing your lives."

Chi Jinyu said in a deep voice, "Does Master Gu really want to fight to the death?"

Gu Yuanqing said, "It's quite possible that the fish will die. As for whether the net will break, we might as well give it a try!"

Qingxu Daoist said, "It was indeed wrong of us to attack you, but it is better to resolve enmity than to create it. You might as well consider it. After this is over, the three of us will definitely pay you a visit to apologize."

"Think it over carefully before you speak, I'm not in a hurry anyway," Gu Yuanqing said calmly.

Silence fell over the main hall.

"Let's make our move. We can't wait any longer. Otherwise, once he has mastered the sword path and refined the Heavenly Demon Sword Domain, even if he escapes the Dao Palace, you may not have a chance to escape. So let me go first. You two, I'll be leaving now!" Qingxu Daoist laughed loudly. As soon as he finished speaking, he threw out the ancient bronze lamp in his hand and then pointed a finger at his brow.

His cultivation and physical body transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the lamp base.

The ancient lamp seemed to come alive suddenly, its crystal base radiating a chilling aura.

Chi Jinyu stared at the Heavenly Demon Sword Master and said, "Actually, it's not that I hate you, but seeing you is like seeing myself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he formed a hand seal, and the dancing flame within the ancient bronze lamp instantly engulfed him in fire. His entire body began to melt away, while the flame of the ancient lamp rapidly intensified, spreading a scorching heat.

When the Heavenly Demon Sword Master saw this scene, he felt a sudden pain in his heart, just like when he saw himself kill his own family members with his own hands. He thought he only had hatred in his heart for these two people, because why should he bear all this alone for them and have to be hated by them?

But then it was discovered that this was not the case!
(End of this chapter)