I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 856 The Clone Reappears, Breaking the Formation and Slaying the Enemy

Gu Yuanqing sat down to the side, his gaze involuntarily turning again to the frozen Li Youhe and the others, finally settling on the illusory female figure, and asked, "Is this the Boundless Ghost Mother?"

Hades glanced at her and nodded slightly, saying, "It is her. Your realm's Netherworld Sect should have a contract with the Netherworld God. The mark between her eyebrows is the Ghost Mother's Mark. If she has incurred karmic debts in her previous life, she will fall into the Netherworld and become its servant when her lifespan ends."

Gu Yuanqing glanced at the Underworld King, paused slightly, and said, "May I ask, sir, what is her cultivation level?"

Hades laughed and said, "True Lord of the Underworld, if we judge by the standards of immortality, you should be considered a true immortal."

Gu Yuanqing's heart tightened slightly.

Is he just a true immortal?
When a cultivator survives the Heavenly Tribulation and ascends to the Immortal Realm, they become a True Immortal. The difference of just one realm is so vast!
Hades seemed to see through his thoughts and laughed, "The Netherworld Mother is a master among the True Immortals. She has mastered the laws of the Netherworld and condensed the Dao Fruit of Ghosts and Gods. She is only one step away from being reborn from the depths of death and giving birth to the innate pure Yang Dao mechanism. Therefore, she is even stronger than an ordinary True Lord of the Underworld."

……

While Gu Yuanqing chatted idly with the King of the Underworld, a turbulent storm was brewing in the Spirit Realm.

For righteous sects, Gu Yuanqing's existence is crucial to the overall situation of both the righteous and evil paths, and therefore cannot be lost.

When the Zhengyi Sect attacked the Youming Sect, Sect Master Zhang Qingyue was also nearby to oversee the operation. Upon receiving a message from an elder, he immediately used a secret method to notify his avatar in the spirit world.

He was originally an elder of the Yujie Alliance, and had the ability to use the Xuanqiong Wanxiang Mirror to notify others.

Ceasefire within the Heavenly Wall.

Numerous figures of powerful cultivators appeared on the giant stone statue, and Li Miaoxuan was among them.

"Sect Leader Zhang, why have you summoned everyone in such an urgent manner?" Venerable Lingbao asked in a deep voice.

The Myriad Manifestations Mirror summons others in different ways depending on the level of urgency, and the method Zhang Qingyue used just now was the most urgent.

Zhang Qingyue said with a solemn expression, "The Netherworld Sect's territory is filled with yin energy. If I'm not mistaken, it's because Li Youhe used the Nine Nether Lamp!"

“Nine Nether Lamp? Could it be…” Venerable Lingbao’s expression changed slightly.

Zhang Qingyue said, "That's right. I suspect that Brother Gu from Qingping Dao Palace has fallen into a trap and been dragged into the Netherworld! Although Brother Gu is a Void Immortal, if he falls into the Netherworld, his Void Immortal power will definitely be suppressed. The Netherworld Sect has a contract with the Netherworld Ghost Mother. If they summon the Underworld Marshal or even borrow the Ghost Mother's power, I'm afraid..."

Upon hearing this, Li Miaoxuan's expression changed slightly.

Venerable Lingbao turned to Li Miaoxuan and asked, "Fairy Li, do you have a way to contact Brother Gu?"

"Let me try!"

As soon as Li Miaoxuan finished speaking, everyone suddenly looked up at the sky, where signal lights were shining above several boundary cities.

"Something's wrong! There's a problem with the Boundary City! Heavenly Demons are pouring out from the spatial rift!" Ji Shan exclaimed.

Xiao Lingyue of Yunmeng Holy Land closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and snorted coldly, saying, "These evil people are truly incorrigible, and all their hidden intentions have been exposed. They used the Demon-Attracting Incense, which caused the Heavenly Demons to riot and break into the spatial rifts, causing problems with the Boundary City's formation."

Zhang Qingyue said, "That makes sense. It seems that Fellow Daoist Gu has indeed fallen into the Netherworld. The evil sect's actions are to restrain the power of our righteous sects and prevent rescue."

Everyone had come here with only a portion of their minds, and naturally they had received the news.

This is not surprising. The righteous and evil sects have lived in peace for tens of thousands of years, and there are hidden agents among them that are difficult to investigate.

Moreover, all these methods were left behind by evil sects long ago.

That's what we're doing today.

Because they knew that Gu Yuanqing would make his move sooner or later, and a great battle between good and evil was inevitable.

When Gu Yuanqing made his move against Jiuli Mountain, they knew the time had come.

Moreover, given the cultivation path in the Spirit Realm, those at the Yin-Yang Realm can create clones. The true bodies of these evil cultivators had already found an excuse to leave, leaving only their clones behind, who are completely unafraid of death.

The Spirit Lord said in a deep voice, "Everyone, then I will not say any more. I will take the liberty of giving the order. Those who need to assist the Boundary City shall proceed according to the original plan. As for the Netherworld Sect, Fellow Daoist Li, your Zhengyi Sect shall immediately construct the guiding array so that we may cross the boundary."

If things go as expected, this isn't just a matter for the Netherworld Sect; other evil sects must have also come to their aid. However, the Nine Nether Lamp couldn't connect this realm to the Netherworld, most likely because it used the Myriad Banners Profound Netherworld Array. Once we destroy the array's core, we can pull this space back to the mortal realm. We must hurry!

The group of righteous cultivators responded in agreement, exchanged a few more words, and then disappeared.

Li Miaoxuan activated the command token within the Lingxu Sect's headquarters.

Gu Yuanqing himself used the Heavenly Fishing Technique to pull it back.

Upon seeing Gu Yuanqing, she hurriedly asked, "Has something happened?"

Gu Yuanqing asked in surprise, "How did you know?"

Li Miaoxuan said, "The news from the Zhengyi Sect says that a space next to the Youming Sect's base has been pulled into the Netherworld, and there are also evil forces causing trouble in the outer battlefield."

Gu Yuanqing nodded slightly: "There was indeed a problem, but it seems to be nothing serious!"

Li Miaoxuan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "In my haste, I almost forgot that you can bring your clone back at any time. However, you must be careful. The Underworld is different from the Spirit World and the Nine Realms Divine Continent. The highest level of cultivation in these realms is only at the Void Immortal level, which is not a concern. But in the Underworld, there are beings who surpass the Void Immortal level. And the Netherworld Sect has a contract with the Ghost Mother of the Boundless Realm, so they may be able to draw upon the power of the Ghost Mother."

"I'll be careful." Gu Yuanqing smiled and didn't say anything more. Li Miaoxuan was just an immortal being, and even with all sorts of treasures, she might not be able to help.

Li Miaoxuan suddenly stared at Gu Yuanqing and said, "What are you hiding from me?"

"Don't worry, nothing serious will happen," Gu Yuanqing said.

Li Miaoxuan frowned slightly, then nodded and said, "Alright, I won't ask any more questions. There must be a reason why you won't tell me. Right now, the righteous sects are using a grand formation to rush to the Netherworld Sect. As long as the formation is broken, your clone can return to the Spirit Realm. By the way, is there anything else you need me to do?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "Actually, there's no need for that much trouble. Another clone of mine is on its way there, and it won't take long. However, please thank them for me."

After a few casual words, Gu Yuanqing escorted Li Miaoxuan back.

He stood with his hands behind his back in the mountains, gazing into the distance.

"Is it him? It should be."

He murmured something softly.

Although the Heavenly Fishing Technique cannot anchor a position and has a weak connection with the clone, he could still vaguely sense a familiar aura.

In the underworld, he only knew one Hades.

However, the reason he didn't tell Li Miaoxuan about this was because he had a vague feeling that it wasn't appropriate to reveal his meeting with Hades, as doing so might lead to unpredictable changes.

The fact that Pluto's several descents seem to be coincidental, conducted as a transaction, and unwilling to have any karmic consequences reveals a certain pattern.

……

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Zhengyi Sect's Reception Array was activated.

Immediately, a powerful cultivator from the Chaos Realm tore through space and arrived. By the time Li Miaoxuan brought back the message, they had already taken action.

Lingzun of Lingbao Holy Land, Jishan of Xuantian Pavilion, Xiao Lingyue of Yunmeng Holy Land, Xuanji Tianjun of Tiandao Palace, and Zen Master Wuhui of Tianchan Sect were all prominently listed, joining forces with Li Qingyue of Zhengyi Sect to directly enter the territory of Youming Sect.

But before they could get close...

"Hehehe... Fellow Daoists, why are you in such a hurry?" A charming and seductive laugh rang out from all directions.

At the same time, countless yin and evil energies rose into the sky from the void ahead, and runes appeared everywhere, quickly intertwining and transforming into a giant formation that covered tens of thousands of miles in the blink of an eye!

Then more fog rose up, enveloping the tens of thousands of miles in mist.

At the same time, several figures appeared and disappeared in the mist, each occupying their respective positions.

On the left is a figure dressed in light, flowing robes, barefoot and teetering in mid-air; this is none other than the Celestial Maiden of Wonderful Sound from the Blissful Sect.

She smiled charmingly, but her eyes held a chilling murderous intent.

On the right is a figure clad in a black robe, whose aura is as deep and mysterious as an ancient well; he is the Silent Heavenly Lord of the Primordial Palace.

Further away, a hunched and gaunt old man was the Xuanji Ancestor, a great cultivator of the Wuji Sect known as the Undying Chaos Master!

And an old man in a blood-red robe, who was the Supreme Elder of the Blood God Sect, Xue Mingzi, and also a great cultivator of the Chaotic Undying Sect.

In addition, there is Lu Jiuming of the Taiyin Palace;
Five powerful figures from the evil path appeared together, and the Five Absolute Spirit-Locking Array they had set up in advance blocked the six righteous people!
"Spiritual Venerable, Sect Master Li, and everyone else..." the Heavenly Maiden of Wonderful Sound said with a smile, "The Netherworld Sect is settling its private grudges, why do you all have to interfere and disrupt this good deed?"

"Get out of the way!" Ji Shan shouted coldly, the array plate hovering above his head, ready to be activated at any moment.

"Ahem, the formation is complete. It would be best if you all remained calm. We have no intention of fighting to the death with you. We only ask... ahem... please wait here for a moment," said Ancestor Xuanji weakly.

Lu Jiuming of the Taiyin Palace said in a sinister tone, "It is best that you all refrain from making any moves. The foundation of this formation is connected to the lifeblood and souls of tens of millions of mortal beings in the three states and seventy-two counties below. If the formation breaks, the earth's veins will be reversed, and all living beings will perish. Surely you... cannot bear to witness such a catastrophe?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the six righteous individuals all changed drastically!

A sweep of divine sense revealed that the massive array was in operation, connected to the dragon veins of the earth below, and its foundation was located in many great cities of various kingdoms.

The entire formation surrounded the Myriad Banners Profound Netherworld Formation in the center, making it impossible to enter without breaking the formation.

This evil act is using the lives of tens of millions of innocent people as a hostage, setting up a shackle that makes it difficult for them to exert their full power!
"How despicable!" Xiao Lingyue's face was gloomy, and his aura stirred the power of heaven and earth, causing wind and clouds to rise suddenly and dark clouds to gather.

"Amitabha Buddha." Zen Master Wuhui murmured the Buddha's name, his eyes flashing with compassion and anger.

The Spirit Lord's face was ashen, his eyes flashing with cold light: "With billions of living beings as hostages, are you not afraid of the karmic consequences of Heaven and being consumed by the flames of karma?!"

"Cause and effect? ​​Karmic fire?" Xue Mingzi sneered, "The path to enlightenment is inherently a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood! Moreover, we originally wanted to coexist peacefully with the righteous sects, but some people are unwilling. If we can stop you today and destroy that Gu Yuanqing, what is a small price to pay!"

The Spirit Lord looked at the Heavenly Lord of Annihilation and said coldly, "Heavenly Lord of Annihilation, why do you still want to interfere?"

The Silent Heavenly Lord said indifferently, "I am unwilling to fight with you all, but we are all in this together. For the sake of the sect, I have no choice but to do this."

Ji Shan's eyes flashed with the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams pattern, and his hands kept forming hand seals as he calculated the formation. After a moment, he transmitted his voice and said, "We can't wait any longer. Every minute we wait, Fellow Daoist Gu will have one less chance of survival. The Five Absolute Spirit Locking Formation is not without flaws. Fellow Daoists, make your move, and I will use the Heavenly Observation Technique to find a way to break the formation!"

The Spirit Lord glanced at Ji Shan and nodded slightly.

The major cultivators of the righteous path also made their move at the same time.

The Spirit Lord raised his hand and unleashed a highly refined innate magic-breaking spiritual light towards the Heavenly Maiden of Wonderful Sound.
Xiao Lingyue flicked his finger, and the clouds around him transformed into thousands of chains, rushing into the mist and binding and strangling them.

Xuanji Tianjun raised his hand and threw out a compass. The compass flew out, emitting light, and fixed the changes in a section of the array base.
Zen Master Wuhui's palm is as firm as a mountain, containing the power to suppress demons;
Li Qingyue activated the secret thunder technique of the Zhengyi Sect, and the majestic power of the heavens crashed down!
The five heretics showed no weakness, relying on the great formation to display their unique abilities.

The celestial maiden of melodious music swayed her jade ring, her seductive music disturbing people's minds and causing illusions to arise.

The Lord of Annihilation unleashed bolts of Annihilation Thunder, annihilating all things;
Lu Jiuming's figure appeared and disappeared, and the Taiyin Cold Fiend froze the space;

Xue Mingzi then transformed into a sea of ​​blood, tainting the spiritual light and devouring magical power.

In an instant, the sky transformed into a fierce battlefield.

The light was dazzling, the roar was deafening, space shattered and then mended, and the laws of nature were thrown into chaos.

Among the five heretical individuals, Lu Jiuming, Miaoyin Tiannv, and Jimie Tianjun had all suffered damage to their cultivation and had not recovered much over the decades.

Ancestor Xuanji was nearing the end of his lifespan and his strength was waning. Xue Mingzi was in a similar situation. However, thanks to the Five Absolute Spirit Locking Array that they had set up in advance, as well as the restraint on the lives of the creatures below, they actually managed to hold back the six great cultivators of the righteous path, making it difficult for them to advance an inch.

Both sides know that the key to victory right now is time!

The evil path aims to stall for time until Gu Yuanqing falls; the righteous path seeks to break through as quickly as possible, destroy the great formation, and rescue Gu Yuanqing.

About an incense stick's time later, Ji Shan suddenly shouted, "Seven thousand miles to the northeast, there is a ley line node. This is the weakest point connecting the formation with the life force of the creatures below, and it is also the only way for the formation to function! Breaking this point can disrupt the entire formation for three breaths!"

Lingbao Tianzun responded to the call and moved.

With a flick of his left hand, an ancient bronze lamp was lit, its clear light spreading like waves. Wherever it passed, the chaotic and disturbing evil energy and malevolent light in the Five Absolute Spirit Locking Array paused, its operation suddenly slowing down by half a point.

Almost simultaneously, he made a grasping motion with his right hand, and a short halberd, entirely made of crimson gold and engraved with countless demon-subduing talismans, appeared out of thin air.

The Demon-Slaying Halberd!
With a single gesture, the short halberd transformed into a golden beam that tore through the sky, shooting directly towards the direction Ji Shan pointed!
The Heavenly Maiden of Wonderful Sounds' expression changed slightly, and she hurriedly activated the Bewitching Sound Ring in her hand.

The jade ring spun rapidly and flew out, its melodious sounds condensing into layers of invisible sound barriers that blocked the sharp golden light.

Ji Shan shouted again: "Three thousand miles to the southeast, at the location of the earth's veins' inauspicious clash, strike it with the force of thunder, and it can shake the foundation of the formation, causing it to stagnate for five breaths!"

Li Qingyue of the Zhengyi Sect threw out a jade ruler that was entirely purple and glowing with electric snakes coiled around it.

The jade ruler slipped from his hand, transforming into a bolt of purple lightning that tore through the sky, striking the inauspicious location indicated by Ji Shan.

"Cough cough... My old bones can't take this much... Profound Yin Limitless, Earth Vein Shift!" Ancestor Xuanji coughed weakly as he made hand seals.

……

Both the righteous and the evil factions employed their own methods. Although Ji Shan was able to see through the flaws in the formation, and the Spirit Venerable's strength was also superior to that of the evil cultivators present, due to various concerns, they could not exert their full strength. Breaking the formation would not be something that could be done in a short time.

Time passed little by little.

Although the Celestial Maiden of Wonderful Sound was struggling to cope, she said with a charming smile, "Fellow Daoists, please exert a little more force; I can still bear it."

The righteous cultivators turned a deaf ear.

Just then, a cultivator in blue robes strolled over from afar, each step covering a thousand miles.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the edge of the battlefield, and with another step, they entered the Five Absolute Spirit Locking Array.

Yin Jiuming's pupils constricted as he saw the figure suddenly appear in front of him, and he cried out in terror, "Gu Yuanqing?"

Upon hearing the sound, everyone turned to look.

He took another step and was already beside Yin Jiuming, then struck down with a palm.

"The Undying Chaos Sect is indeed difficult to kill. It's a pity you shouldn't have left the sect." Gu Yuanqing said calmly.

Yin Jiuming tried to escape, but found that the surrounding space was frozen, like walking in a swamp. He had no room to dodge the palm strike. He manipulated the power of the array to lock onto Gu Yuanqing, but it seemed that the array had no effect at all.

A towering, illusory mountain appeared, forcefully blocking the power of the spirit-locking technique. He had no choice but to activate his magical artifact, the Taiyin Palace, which flew out and enveloped him...

(End of this chapter)