Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 666 Correcting Devotion
In the Fifth Palace.

Endless illusory light surged and changed, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The five elements transformed, and all kinds of energy were generated. Meanwhile, the two celestial talismans became increasingly mysterious, echoing the heavens and earth and descending with authority.

Xu Xuan stood quietly amidst this strange phenomenon, looking at the three spiritual artifacts before him. As the Heavenly Talisman and the Black Law sensed something, the long-dormant [Three Calamities World-Walking Secret Decree] finally broke through.

This spell can unleash calamities, damage boundaries, destroy mountains and temples, and suppress ancient energies. It was originally used by the Thunder Palace to suppress and annihilate a lineage.
Just as gods govern the mountains and rivers of a land, Buddhist monks preside over the Pure Land, and immortals open up secret realms, once they encounter calamities, they often end up being rejected by heaven and earth, their realms are destroyed, and they ultimately die and their cultivation dissipates.

In ancient times, the Thunder Palace often used this method to obliterate a person. Even after the Thunder Palace's figures leave, this world will still not tolerate the punished, and calamities will always befall them.

Furthermore, if one cultivates this path to its fullest potential, a region that has suffered a calamity will inevitably become a place that rejects and defies the morality of the Thunder Palace, meaning it will be brought under the control of the Thunder Palace.

If used against the Pure Land of Buddhism, it could even completely destroy it, turning it into ashes. Moreover, the formations of the immortal path are not easy to accept, and the world around them often begins to reject the formations.

'Calamities are used to punish cultivators, while calamities are used to cleanse the world. It's likely that the ancient Thunder Palace used these three calamities to destroy countless celestial realms.'

Xu Xuan pondered for a moment and then made a guess.

Neither She Lei, Ding Huo, nor even Yuan Mu alone possess this power. Only when they are unified by the power of the Thunder Palace can they have this mystery. Perhaps this is because many great lineages in ancient times were destroyed by the simultaneous calamities.

Xu Xuan's gaze was deep and serious as he silently recited the summary of the "Secret Instructions on the Three Calamities in the World".

The She (社) is responsible for inflicting heavenly calamities and punishing sins, which is called "Zhehui" (谪毁). The Ding (丁) is responsible for the loss of lifespan and the burning of life force, which is called "Tianshuai" (天衰). The Yuan (元) is responsible for the dissipation of spirit and energy, the collapse of body and the separation of soul, which is called "Fuyan" (伏偃).

That celestial talisman was now completely in harmony with the Black Law, and the calamity descended, condensing on the artifact. The most significant change was in the [Great Netherworld Lamp].

As the ancient bronze lamp gradually came to completion, various wondrous engravings began to appear on it, depicting a scene where the sun and moon no longer shone and the candle dragon slept in eternal slumber.

Dark red flames of calamity began to surge around him, emanating an aura that burned away lifespan. This was quite familiar to Xu Xuan, as it was very similar to the burning he had suffered from the [Heavenly Decline Yin Candle] in the past.

The eerie flames on the ancient lamp gradually intensified, pulsating according to Xu Xuan's will, as if controlled by his own arm.

She Lei has the power to control all calamities. It commands according to its position and status. Apart from Ding Huo and Yuan Feng, most things that can be considered calamities are driven by She Lei.

He has now initially met the conditions for cultivating the [Three Calamities Manifestation Secret Instructions], but this spell can truly be considered an entry-level technique, as it allows one to reach the level of [borrowing heaven and earth to cause calamities].

Cultivators from other lineages can also forcibly refine calamity-causing objects to fight enemies, but they absolutely lack the power and wonder of the She Lei lineage.

Ultimately, the process by which a She Lei cultivator casts a spell involves commanding heaven and earth to create the technique, but the subject of the spell is the entire world, not just one person.

The celestial talisman hung high, and silver lightning scattered. Under the binding of the black laws, it completely merged into Xu Xuan's life, sinking into his inner world, making his own life increasingly heavy, and even his rank continued to grow!
In just a moment, his perception of the thunder god increased dramatically, even giving him the feeling that he was about to surpass the Purple Mansion realm. However, the effect of the celestial talisman came to an abrupt halt, barely elevating his rank to the top of the Purple Mansion level, almost comparable to a Great True Person.

'This item is incomplete; it's still lacking something.'

The so-called rank refers to a cultivator's weight in relation to heaven and earth. Its improvement involves a combination of factors such as cultivation level, magical power, destiny, and even realm. This celestial talisman is equivalent to adding a weight to a cultivator, greatly increasing the rank of the person who receives the talisman.

The ultimate effect of this talisman should be to use an extremely high rank, and then use that rank to leverage the Dao Fruit of Heaven and Earth, thereby obtaining Dao power far exceeding one's own realm.

However, now that he has received this talisman, it can only increase his rank and command heaven and earth, but the blessing of the Dao Fruit of the Earth and Thunder has not been bestowed.

'This is probably due to the primordial energy not being manifest. However, the so-called Way of the Divine Ruler should have evolved from this method.'

The surrounding light shifted and lightning crackled, while the celestial talisman within his body floated and ebbed within his inner vision, echoing numerous mystical phenomena of thunder and lightning, ultimately seemingly connecting to a certain place.

Following the lightning, a patch of broken and ruined ancient ruins appeared.

Mount Ling collapsed, palaces were destroyed, and countless hideous cracks appeared on the earth. Black and white lightning spread like a spider web across every place, and brilliance soared into the sky, with calamities raging.

Xu Xuan was dazzled by what he saw. In one of the ruins stood a solitary silver stele inscribed with the words "Northern Thunder"!
At this moment, something that had been dormant in his inner vision for a long time began to tremble. It was a drop of turbid tear, surrounded by thunder, as black as ink, reflecting the scene of countless living beings crying in sorrow.

[Tears of sorrow for all people!]
It was the very thing that Mingying had used on him back then, a rare item in the world that could restrain the earth's thunder. In fact, this drop of turbid thunder itself was also an earth's thunder item, with extremely strange properties.

This object has not caused any trouble in normal times, as it is suppressed by the status of the Immortal Stele. However, if Xu Xuan wants to obtain gold in the future, he must deal with this object properly.

This drop of turbid lightning, suspended in the inner landscape, landed precisely in the strange phenomenon manifested by the celestial register, from which gradually a figure dressed in a dark robe with patterns was reflected, only his back visible, facing the celestial stele.

This man was tall and imposing, with an air of authority, as if the decree of the God of Thunder had descended upon the world. He carried a dark black magic sword on his back, as if countless calamities of destruction were concentrated on the blade. On his waist, he had a green wooden ruler and a small silver and gold bell hanging on his left and right sides, respectively.

“To correct is to examine; to be devout is to be respectful. To respectfully follow the supreme law, to be consistent and unalterable.”

The sound suddenly rang out, startling the thunder.

"As the world progresses, the laws should change. I was wrong."

Silver-white and deep black lightning crisscrossed, piercing the heavens and earth, pressing down on the figure, but were all swept away by the figure with a wave of his hand.

"To correct is to change; to be devout is to replace. Therefore, it is possible to change old laws and replace fixed rules—"

A dense burst of silver lightning suddenly erupted, and the strange phenomenon manifested on the celestial talisman gradually dissipated, leaving only countless laws condensing, changing from silver to black, and alternating on their own, faintly echoing the [Tears of Sorrow for All Beings].

Within this single tear, words gradually materialized, condensing into scriptures, causing Xu Xuan's mind to tremble and prompting him to carefully comprehend its profound mysteries.

It was none other than the supernatural cultivation method of the "Punishment of Divine Repentance"!
The first half of this passage describes how to respect the law, unite oneself with heaven and earth, and use oneself as an agent of divine punishment. As long as evil deeds are not eliminated and life is not scattered, one will always maintain the most peak state.

Once this supernatural power is used, one will remain in peak condition until death.

However, the price is extremely high. First, one must completely obey the laws of the Thunder Palace and not disobey them, otherwise the wonder of the supernatural power will be greatly diminished. Second, this effect also comes at a price. Once too much is overdrawn, one's own essence and life will be burned, and there is a risk of death.

It can be said that this supernatural power is specifically designed for risking one's life and cannot be used lightly. Once it is unleashed, one must enforce the laws of thunder to suppress evil deeds and demonstrate the way of the Thunder Palace.

In other words, once this supernatural power is activated, one must suppress and kill the sinners under the Thunder Palace's laws in a very short time, and the amount and karma must be commensurate with the power consumed by the supernatural power.

'No wonder Yuan Jia killed those two ghost whales after his duel with me.'

Xu Xuan's heart stirred slightly, recalling the grand aspirations of Buddhist monks, all of which involved first making a vow and then obtaining proof. The 【Purification Punishment】 also shared a similarity, requiring an oath to the laws of the Thunder Palace, which was the only way to obtain this terrifying and wondrous power.

Unless there is some means that can isolate heaven and earth, this supernatural power can be restrained. And the difficulty of isolating heaven and earth is more than a hundred times that of suppressing the void! Only a few high-level cultivators from specific lineages can do it, and it is only possible with the help of spiritual artifacts and formations.

However, this scripture seems to have added a lot of content at the end, and its style is very different from the previous one. It tells about how to replace the Thunder Law and abolish the old law. The Taoist methods discussed are extremely scattered and incomplete, and seem to be the conjectures and arguments of later generations.

Xu Xuan's mind gradually calmed down. He was no longer excited about acquiring the technique, but instead began to think about the figure in front of the Heavenly Stele.

"I'm afraid it's that Master Deng. He wants to change the laws of the society. How could a mere Purple Mansion cultivator do that?" He already had some guesses. Perhaps Master Deng was not a staunch enforcer of the Thunder Palace's laws, but rather someone with a desire for change, seeking the Dao in this way.

The thunder that startled Xu Xuan in the main hall interrupted his thoughts, allowing him to gradually calm down.

At this moment, Nan Wang, who was standing to the side, had also completed his ordination. His aura suddenly changed, his status increased greatly, and every move he made seemed to be able to influence the power of heaven and earth.

The illusory light within the Fifth Palace shifted, sending Xu Xuan and Nan Wang out.

Xingyou was waiting outside. When she saw the two of them come out of seclusion, she immediately activated the crimson divine feather in her hand. The light of the fire intensified, and she lifted the three of them out of the seclusion, gradually leaving this illusory array.

"Congratulations to you two on receiving the Heavenly Register. You will be able to cultivate and attain the final supernatural power in the future, which will bring you many benefits."

The Dan Bird's tone was filled with envy. Although the Primordial Qi was no longer visible and the mystery of the Heavenly Talisman had greatly diminished, many immortals still craved this item. It was because when cultivating the last supernatural power, one needed to sense the Great Luo. The higher one's own rank, the easier the cultivation would be.

Xu Xuan didn't mention what he had seen, but changed the subject and looked at the other person:

"Does His Majesty have any further decrees?"

What he wanted to ask was about the Northern Expedition. Since Tian Chi had arranged for Xing You to handle this matter, there should be other instructions.

"The Northern Expedition is scheduled for six years from now. Immortal Xu, you should prepare early. The Thunder and Fire Divisions will definitely be involved in this operation."

Xingyou spoke in a solemn tone, but looked at Nanwang beside her.

"The Imperial Family has ordered two fronts to be formed. One front will advance from the west towards Qinghu, supported by the King of Lanshan; the other front will be launched from the east towards Yanyun, led by the King of Lishan. The Great Master of Beiyin will be stationed at the Qinghu front. Could it be that Fellow Daoist Nanwang has not received this news?"

Nan Wang's expression suddenly changed, looking extremely unpleasant, and he only uttered a single word.

"When I return to the mountain, I will ask my elders."

Xingyou nodded slightly, then bid farewell and left the place in an instant, seemingly unwilling to say more, leaving Xu Xuan and Nan Wang alone in the clouds above the capital.

The surrounding area was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, but Nan Wang's expression was not good. The dark blue light around him shifted and condensed into various demonic shapes.

Upon seeing this, Xu Xuan looked at the other party and simply said:

"After crossing Qinghu Lake, I wonder where in Liaodong we are?"

Nan Wang regained his senses slightly and let out a soft sigh:
"The Liao region is divided into five capital routes: Shangjing, Shengjing, Zhongjing, Yuanjing, and Huangjing. Crossing Qinghu, the road ahead leads to Baihe, a necessary passage to the Yuanjing route. It is the territory controlled by the Demonic Land of Desire and Pleasure, and the declining Confucian precepts still exist there."

"The Great Li Northern Expedition has only one purpose: to invade Liaodu in Shengjing Dao. It would not normally engage in direct combat with other Daoist sects that have Golden Core cultivators in charge, but there are a few exceptions."

There was a chill in his tone, and he slowly said:

"The first is the Delightful Demon Land, and the second is the Past Life Dharma Path. Both of these groups seek to go south and harvest the common people. Meanwhile, the population of Dali is thriving, far exceeding that of the harsh and cold Liao land."

"In other words, there will be a fierce battle."

Xu Xuan now understood what the other party meant. Although it was said that the two countries were at war, neither Xiao Liao nor Li Song had the ability to drive the Golden Elixir lineage to serve their own foundation.

Among the immortal sects in the Li Kingdom, only the Tai Zhen family truly put in the effort, while in Liao, it was Le Yu and Wang Sheng.

Other Golden Elixir lineages, while sending people to the arena, mostly keep to themselves and rarely take lives; they mostly just settle scores and give way to each other.

"The land of Yan and Yun in the east should correspond to the path of rebirth?"

Xu Xuan spoke, his tone solemn.

"Indeed, the Great Lotus Wish Temple, the path to rebirth in the Pure Land, is located here."

Nan Wang sighed, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Leaving aside what happened over there for now, since we are sending our elders to deal with this [Dusheng], it must be because we are dealing with him. This demon is at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm in the Daoist Wenyou. If he is left unattended, he may be able to easily enter the formation and silently steal the soul from the Purple Mansion."

At this moment, Xu Xuan remembered something else. It seemed that the Demonic Land of Delight had made some arrangements for him. At least, Zhi Xi had used many methods in her battle with him, and even manifested a phenomenon of the Golden Core level.

"Besides saving sentient beings, there are also the barren lands and the wind-borne dangers. If they were to attack, how should we deal with them?"

These two great cultivators have caused the Immortal Path of Li Kingdom a lot of trouble. Even the Immortal Zhuo Xie of Shangxiao perished in the battle. Now, it is unknown who will deal with them.

Is it still that ancient monk? That seems unlikely. There has been no news of that high monk since, and the Suspended Realm is closed off. It seems that the appearance of that ancient monk has caused such a great karmic impact that he should be unable to take action again in the short term.

"I've heard from my elders that Feng Yan was seriously injured and shouldn't be able to cause trouble, but this treacherous land..."

Nan Wang's expression was somewhat strange, and he whispered:

“There will naturally be someone to deal with him, but it is uncertain at the moment. Moreover, this person may not be on the western front. It is more likely that he has gone to the Yan-Yun region, and Taizhen will deal with him.”

“We should still be careful of the people in the Demon Land. Apart from Dusheng, there should be other high-level cultivators there. At least in the Water Transformation path, there must be great cultivators in the Demon Land.”

His words were extremely decisive, which made Xu Xuan even more suspicious.

Although the transformation into water is divided into two, it is only a change in internal properties, not a loss or deficiency. On the contrary, this path now has two Golden Core cultivators appearing in the world, and its wonderful applications in combat are numerous.

Xu Xuan and Nan Wang continued their conversation for a while before parting ways and disappearing into the void, preparing for their northern expedition.

In the vast emptiness, Xu Xuan flew away.

'Within six years, one should be able to gain a basic grasp of the Three Calamities Technique, and the rank granted by this Heavenly Register will also be attainable.'

At this moment, he remembered another secret technique, namely the [Taiyi Moon Comet Secret Technique]. The essence of this technique lies in the position and contemplation of the spirit and form.

Theoretically speaking, now that he has received the Heavenly Decree, his rank is already close to that of a Great True Person, making the cultivation of this technique a natural progression.

"As long as I master the Three Calamities and Lunar Strike spells to a basic level, and don't encounter a peak Purple Mansion cultivator, it will be enough for me to dominate the battlefield."

(End of this chapter)