Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 352 Entering Heavenly Pool
The sea.

Inside the palace, the purple sun hung in the sky, the cold moon sank into the marsh, and the yang thunder and yin lightning slowly rotated, separated by a line of ink.

Xu Xuan opened his eyes. He had achieved the initial success of the [Thunder Grip Formation]. He channeled the Qi of his five internal organs into his palm, condensing the thunder on the left and lightning on the right into a single point, which landed in his palm, and the chaotic Qi spread out.

He flicked his hand to conceal the lightning, the lightning subsided, his skin glowed, and his aura returned to normal.

This technique combines internal cultivation, meditation, and summoning, and is the essence of thunder magic. To achieve perfection, all five thunders must arrive together, and yin and yang must be in harmony.

It is only in its initial stage of formation, yet it already possesses wondrous properties. The external manifestation of the thunder formation can seal off the void and command wind and thunder, while the internal formation can be used to contemplate the hundred gods and command thunder generals.

Unlike the heavenly soldiers and generals that appeared before, the troops commanded by the [Thunder Bureau] are real figures who actually existed in the Thunder Palace in the past, and their spells, supernatural powers, and weapons are exactly the same as when they were alive.

At this moment, he activated the Thunder Bureau, opened his mouth and shouted, spitting out a cloud of thunder, from which a thunder general jumped out to await orders.

With a dignified appearance, wearing purple-gold armor, holding a Heavenly Net Umbrella, and wielding a Thunderfire Longsword, he was none other than the Thunderfire Envoy I had seen in the cave years ago, named [Deng Zhishu], belonging to the Dou Shu Academy.

This thunder god is a true Vajra of vow power; standing within the thunder formation, he can also borrow Xu Xuan's killing power.

If scattered, it can be restored in an instant by gathering lightning. Its magic, supernatural powers and weapons are secrets passed down from the Thunder Palace. It is an ancient celestial being who is proficient in all kinds of magic and is not limited to one.

Now, every time Xu Xuan achieves a new divine power, he can establish a new "celestial post" within the Thunder Bureau, using the Purple Mansion Thunder as its foundation to command celestial generals and mobilize the Thunder Department's troops.

The Yin and Yang positions in the Thunder Formation are still not perfect, and the consumption is quite large. Fortunately, the Thunderfall Marsh is known for its abundant magical power, and with the two Purple Mansion Thunderbolts solidifying its foundation, it can still bear the burden.

The most crucial element of this spell is the positions of Yin and Yang and the Five Thunders. Only when all these positions are perfected can the divine power of the Thunder Generals be truly manifested.

'With the [Sun Crystal Seed] and the [Lunar Origin Soul] present, Yin and Yang would be aligned, and the Five Thunders would gather with almost no consumption. One could freely command troops, becoming a thunder army in themselves—who in the world could stand against them?'

He was burning with enthusiasm; he had had this idea for years, and now it was finally taking shape.

The Thunder Department troops manifested by the [Tianpeng Demon-Slaying Diagram] and [Shangxiao Thunder Clouds] are merely in form, but the Thunder Control Bureau can make up for the deficiency and truly seize power from the Thunder Palace.

This spell can be cultivated up to the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm. Once perfected, the presence of a person is subject to the authority of the Thunder Palace, with five Thunder Generals commanding troops and unleashing numerous Thunder Department formations and secret techniques.

However, the consumption is astonishing. What kind of spiritual object is the [Sun Crystal Seed]? Even the Great Asura of India cherishes it greatly, let alone the [Taiyin Origin Soul] of the same level, which also requires five different Purple Mansion Thunderbolts. Even a direct descendant of a Golden Core cultivator would find it difficult to gather them all.

This technique also requires cultivation; one must at least understand the Five Thunders. He was proficient in Zhen and She, and also knew a bit about Divine Thunder, but he was not knowledgeable about the Dao of Ling and Xiao.

'I'm afraid we'll need to contact Shangxiao and Donghan to fill this gap.'

Xu Xuan's mind stirred slightly. The [Thunder Grip Formation] was a great technique of the Thunder Palace, of extraordinary significance. If perfected, it would greatly benefit one's path in cultivation.

He then suppressed his unusual phenomena, his expression hardening as he turned his gaze to the palace gate, and said in a deep voice:
"Come in."

A woman in a colorful dress, with a graceful figure, was already waiting outside the hall. It was Xia Yin. She bowed and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, we have ascertained the origins of Da Nan En Temple. The Vajra of Nan Fa attained enlightenment through the power of vows and occupied a former site of Qing He Palace in Mingze, establishing Da Nan En Temple on the edge of Tianchi Lake."

"This person is extremely greedy. He was once a disciple of the Hanging Temple of Dali, but was expelled for breaking the precepts. He has no other background. The only thing worth mentioning is that he is a close friend of the True Man Kongming of the Yaochen Sect."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan felt a glimmer of purple light emanating from his Xuan Yin Qi, which was quite dazzling. However, he was already thinking about what had happened at the Han family, and both of these paths had sent people to him.

Kongming Zhenren was only at the early stage of the Purple Mansion realm, and Nanfa had advanced through the power of his vows. Neither of them had anything to boast about. They hid at the edge of the Heavenly Pool, which was perfect for sacrificing to the flag.

"Southern France has occupied my old Mingze Palace and is a Buddhist sect. We can take action against them first. What are the movements of the core families of Tianchi now?"

Upon hearing this, Xia Yin immediately replied:
"Your Majesty, we have probed several people who have gone out and have received news that Shirendao and Youjingxia are currently engaged in a battle of magic, vying for spiritual treasures, and have no time to attend to the outside world."

"Has Hua Gu made a move?"

Purple lightning flashed in Xu Xuan's eyes. This Holy Spirit was the most powerful cultivator in Tianchi, possessing the four supernatural powers of the Gen Earth Dao. His true form was a [Buzhou Huaying].

"I wonder why this person hasn't moved yet," Xia Yin replied softly, her gaze hesitant. "My lord, there is something else I need to tell you."

"Just say it."

Xu Xuan's tone softened slightly.

Xia Yin's true form is a mirage, and she has the blood of the Southern Sea Dragon flowing through her veins. She is the backbone of the remaining clans, and she has handled most of the affairs of the Southern Sea over the years without any mishaps.

“The other day, Shen Jingdao sent someone to find me. His words were full of hints that he wanted to join forces with the king to plot against Tianchi.”

As Xia Yin spoke, she knelt on the ground and said, "This [Illusory Face] True Person has a connection with my clan, which is why he sent someone to find me. I have absolutely no intention of colluding with him privately."

"Illusion?"

Xu Xuan found the name somewhat unfamiliar.

The Mirage Path belongs to the Immortal Path. This Illusionary Face Immortal is a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator from the Rainbow Cloud Path. His whereabouts are mysterious, and no one has ever seen his true face. This time, however, he took the initiative to come looking for him.

"Make a note of this matter first, and I will decide on a decision after I go to Da Nan En Temple and get the results."

He slowly rose from his seat, breaking through the void, and said, "I'm going to see that Vajra of the Southern Dharma. You pass down the order to have the troops wait outside. It won't be long."

"Yes."

Xia Yin looked excited and raised her head again, only to find that the hall was empty, with only the purple lightning dissipating.
-
Tianchi (Heavenly Lake).

The waterfall cascades down from the sky, forming a vast curtain of water that obscures the inner scene. Occasionally, a ray of sunlight bursts out from the curtain, carrying water vapor that transforms into a shower of inky black rain.

At the edge of the water curtain, temples stand in rows, auspicious clouds fill the sky, rainbow light embraces the golden statues, and monks come and go, discussing scriptures and expounding the Dharma.

Above the main hall hangs a golden plaque inscribed with "Da Nan Fa Temple". Below it, shrimp soldiers and crab generals mingle with monks in yellow robes. Hundreds of believers, a mix of humans and demons, are chanting sutras and reciting Buddhist scriptures, all in a peaceful atmosphere.

Inside the hall, shimmering light flowed through the glazed tiles. A majestic golden statue sat in the lotus position, draped in a robe of water and fire, holding a purple-gold alms bowl. A continuous stream of vows flowed from the Pure Land outside, settling into the bowl. The golden statue lowered its eyes in a compassionate gesture, occasionally moving, opening its eyes, laughing heartily, revealing a white porcelain Buddha tooth, swallowing the vows, uttering a few words of praise, while radiant light trembled incessantly around it.

Suddenly, a series of drumbeats came from the void, the seawater churned, the island collapsed, the believers staggered and cried out in agony, and the torrent of primal force from the outside world stopped for a moment.

The golden statue suddenly opened its eyes, its compassionate expression vanishing in exchange for a deep and wrathful look. It roared out a voice as if rolling thunder had swept across the temple, causing gold dust to peel off and prayer flags to fall to the ground.

"Nanfa Vajra, a tsunami has inexplicably risen in the Changkong Sea, disrupting our temple's formation."

A monk in a yellow robe rushed in from outside the temple, his expression panicked, only to see the golden statue suddenly lower its head and rebuke:
"Fool, this is Tianchi, a place of stable spiritual energy, unchanging through the ages. Where would there be any landslides or tsunamis? There must be some thieves causing trouble."

Nanfa Vajra snorted coldly, his golden body contracted, and he transformed into the form of an ordinary person—a fat monk with a large head and ears, his body covered in layers of white flesh, as greasy as fat.

He rose and rode auspicious clouds, soaring straight to the clouds. Green water and red fire swirled on his robe, stabilizing the waves below. Then, golden light shone brightly in his eyes, illuminating all directions.

"Who dares to offend my Great Nan'en Temple?"

There was no one around, only the booming sound of drums coming from the void, which made him somewhat uneasy. At this moment, the water curtain at the edge of the Heavenly Pool broke open, and heavy dark clouds surged in, like mountains collapsing, covering the temple and making the sky dark for a moment.

"A minor trick!"

Nanfa shouted, lifting the purple-gold alms bowl into the air. Its radiant light surged, parting the dark clouds and revealing a small fragment hidden within.

A figure slowly emerged from the dark clouds. With each step, a thunderous sound resounded, twelve times in a row, shaking the Southern Dharma Golden Body and dimming its radiance.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the Vajra of Da Nan En Temple narrowed his eyes and recognized his identity. With jade branches and dragon horns, Xuan Yin reverse scales, and a body full of thunderous divine power, who else could it be but the Dragon King of the Dark Sea?
"So it's the Dragon King of the Dark Sea. What brings you to my Great Nan'en Temple?"

Nanfa's voice was strong and had a hint of questioning, but the dragon remained silent, lightly touching the reverse scale on its neck with its finger, from which a faint purple sword light burst forth.

"This place is no longer under the jurisdiction of the Netherworld. Dragon King, you should leave as soon as possible to avoid making a mistake."

He spoke again, his white flesh trembling like ripples on water. He saw the dragon's hand stop moving and press on the reverse scale, and then he spoke.

“My Dragon Court’s water palace has fallen into your temple, and I have come today to ask Vajra to return it.”

Xu Xuan's voice was calm, even carrying a hint of a smile, but Nan Fa's gaze darkened, understanding the other party's intentions, and he simply rebuked:

"Qinghe Palace has already become part of my Pure Land, how can I give it to you? You, Mingze, withdrew and didn't want it, are you saying I can't take it?"

"Mu Youdu, have you thought this through? Shang Guang is gone. I am a disciple of the Hanging Temple. Do you dare to do this?"

Before he could finish speaking, the other party had already revealed his weakness, drawing a spirit sword wreathed in purple lightning, and laughed heartily:

“If you are unwilling to give it, then I will take it myself.”

With a single swing of his sword, purple lightning surged forth and shot through the sky.

Nanfa dared not be careless at this moment. Green water and red fire rolled on his robe and gathered into the purple-gold alms bowl in his hand. With the help of the power of vows, it pressed down in an instant.

Xu Xuan turned his sword around without making any other move. His sword intent was vigorous, which made the golden body of Nanfa dim. With a sweep of his sword, he cut through water and fire. The golden body of the opponent exploded like a bubble, and the sky was filled with brilliant light.

The entire pure land was ripped open, and the shimmering light of crystal collapsed and scattered all over the ground.

Upon seeing this scene, the monks below fled in panic, showing no intention of resisting. Their first action was to grab the spiritual objects around them, which prompted Nanfa to shout curses.

Xu Xuan sheathed his sword, and a bolt of lightning rose from his palm. Yin and Yang harmonized, and chaotic energy spread out, striking the opponent's broken golden body and completely destroying it.

The man from the south cried out in anguish, but did not beg for mercy; he only howled fiercely:

"I am a disciple of the Hanging Temple, how dare you—"

A dragon claw, covered in black scales, reached out and pressed down on the head of the broken golden body of Nanfa. With a little force, it crushed it to pieces and extracted the soul surrounded by a radiant light.

The cultivation of nature focuses on the path of the soul and consciousness. The so-called golden body is achieved with the help of external objects and is far inferior to the physical body of immortal cultivators. At this moment, Nanfa's soul was captured, which was truly a matter of life and death.

"How did you, with your paper-thin golden body, manage to become the master of Tianchi?"

Xu Xuan was somewhat surprised. This Southern Vajra was really no match for him. With the help of the Pure Land, he could barely touch the edge of a supernatural power. How could he possibly withstand the sword intent?

A sound like shattering ice came from the distant void. A gray mist rose, and a gray-robed Taoist priest slowly stepped out. His face was gaunt, and he held a star chart in his hand. He kept a great distance, not daring to enter the thunder formation.

"Brother Kongming, please help me! I will definitely report this to the Hanging Temple and remember your kindness!"

The soul of Nanfa began to roar, but Kongming remained motionless, his eyes filled with apprehension, his physical form appearing both real and ethereal, as if it were formed from layers of collapsing void.

"Fellow Daoist Mingdu, Nanfa Jingang was once a disciple of the Xuankong Temple. Are you really going to show him no mercy?"

"The Hanging Temple?" Xu Xuan nodded, slightly reducing the magical power in his hand. "I have naturally heard of it as the first pure land in the southern part of Dali. It is presided over by eminent monks of the Bodhisattva level and is a legacy left by enlightened beings."

Kong Ming's expression softened at this moment, assuming that the other party was wary of his identity. Just as he was about to talk, he saw lightning erupt from the dragon's hand, and Nanfa's soul was immediately obliterated by the lightning, accompanied by a series of wails.

“However, have you forgotten something?” Xu Xuan’s voice grew cold as he looked at Kong Ming. “I now represent the Great Mingze Dragon Court, the legitimate successor of Tianchi.”

Dark clouds rolled up, and purple lightning streaked across the sky. Hidden within were enormous, dark dragon bodies churning, stirring the wind and clouds, and accompanied by thunderous sounds like heavenly drums.

Master Kongming stared intently at the dragon-born figure before him, his astrolabe poised to strike, when he heard the other man speak calmly and slowly:

"I have come here today to collect a debt from you."

(End of this chapter)