Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 667 Grand Formation
The vast emptiness was desolate, and flashes of silver lightning suddenly appeared.

Xu Xuan left Nandu and headed northwest, intending to return to Chiyun. He happened to be passing through the Qinjiang area and could see Zhongyue in the distance.

The myriad layers of Earth element shimmered with brilliance, and the reflection of Mount Tai in the void stretched across this place like a majestic pass or a mighty city, a great dam, emanating a terrifying and overwhelming pressure. Above it, divine light was abundant and irresistible, piercing through the heavens.

A massive display of incense and golden energy surged in from all directions, like rivers flowing into the sea or precious gold melting and flowing, and was ultimately gathered by a five-colored temple in the radiance of the Earth element.

Xu Xuantong kept a certain distance from this, not wanting to cause any more trouble.

With a slight thought, he seemed to sense something. Through the celestial talisman within his inner vision, he could almost touch the most fundamental essence of this world, thus cutting off the torrent of incense and golden energy.

This is precisely the power and authority of the Thunder Palace described in the Daoist Canon.

When celestial generals and soldiers descend to the mortal realm, they are often able to command ghosts and gods, and defeat immortals and demons. They are always in positions of authority to punish on behalf of Heaven. Besides the nature of the local thunder, there is also the wondrous power of the celestial register.

However, since the primordial energy is no longer manifest and the Thunder Palace has perished, its authority has been greatly diminished. Although its status remains intact, it is no longer possible for it to suppress the various paths and inspect the world as it once did.

Just like now, he could easily cut off the incense offerings, causing great damage to the divine way of this place. However, it would be difficult to truly banish that sacred mountain to the mortal world, so that it would no longer display its divine power. That was beyond his current ability to do at the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm.

"The Central Peak has been established and bears the weight of the nation; it is not something that you, a mere cultivator of the Purple Palace level, can shake."

Suddenly, a light, airy male voice drifted from within the inner realm, carrying a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm. It was none other than Tian Tuo.

"Having received the Heavenly Decree is like having a military command token, greatly elevating one's status. Unfortunately, the Primordial Qi is not manifest, and the Thunder Palace is destroyed, so it is like being a general without soldiers, and one can only personally go to the battlefield to fight."

He had a keen eye and had long ago seen through the mystery of this thing. If it fell into the hands of a great cultivator, it might have many wonderful uses, but for a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, the power it could display was still limited, far inferior to that of a true cultivator from the ancient Thunder Palace.

"Why did you hide in Nandu before?"

Xu Xuan transformed into a streak of silver lightning, instantly bypassing the magnificent divine mountain and heading towards the direction of the crimson clouds.

“Yuanluo is flourishing, illuminating the world. Nandu is the pivot of Li Huo, not a place where one can act recklessly.”

Tian Tuo's tone was low and gloomy, carrying a chilling aura.

“Since you entered the capital and received the Li Zhao, your every move has been exposed to Tian Chi. He also had the intention of observing you, and only after you left the capital did he turn his attention to you.”

"There is also this Heavenly Register. In ancient times, it was said that 'those who receive the register have no shame before Heaven and Earth.' Once they receive it, their life and destiny are often revealed to prove themselves, and at that moment, it is easy for others to see through their true nature."

The old demon let out a cold laugh, which was quite grating.

"Why do you think His Majesty had that red bird lead you? It's naturally to help you relax. When you receive your ordination, he can use the Yuanluo Starlight to see your background."

Xu Xuan's heart sank suddenly; he had never thought of this.

"This person is extremely suspicious and calculating; he may be a powerful ruler, but he is not a wise king."

Tian Chi is a mean and ungrateful person, and has no signs of being a benevolent ruler. This can be seen from his attitude towards the Shangxiao and Qinghua families, which has chilled the hearts of many in the Zifu. Now, he is showing extreme suspicion and distrust, which makes Xu Xuan find it even more difficult to deal with.

"If it were someone else, they would have actually figured it out."

Without the Immortal Stele to suppress it, aside from anything else, his inner world would inevitably be exposed under the interaction of the Heavenly Talisman and the illumination of the Primordial Luo, and the existence of Tian Tuo would be impossible to conceal.

Fortunately, the Immortal Stele is of extremely high status, far exceeding that of magic treasures, and is at least a celestial artifact. As the saying goes, divine objects conceal themselves and are not subject to cause and effect, so even a Golden Core cultivator would find it difficult to see anything unusual.

Back then, the Golden Core cultivator in the Underworld examined Xu Xuanzai thoroughly, but still couldn't find any clues. This was precisely because of the position of the Immortal Stele.

The so-called position means that those who cultivate above can look down upon those who cultivate below, but those who cultivate below cannot look up to those who cultivate above. If the Purple Mansion is not protected by the Golden Core level, it is as if it is unprotected in the eyes of all the lords. Every move and thought will be clearly seen.

Xu Xuan was well aware of his current situation. He had repeatedly used the Immortal Stele to evade being spied on, and it seemed that nothing was amiss, but that was the biggest anomaly.

Back when he slew demons at Wuxiang Temple in Qingzhou and escaped being possessed, he was questioned by Zhuoxie. Zhuoxie's words were full of hints, as if he was testing whether Xu Xuan had a powerful backer.

If even a group of Purple Mansion cultivators could detect him, how much more so a Golden Core cultivator? He has probably become an anomaly in the eyes of all the True Monarchs, but these adults still need a Thunderclap cultivator, which is why they have not yet made a move.

"There's no golden elixir behind me. There's only a half-dead old demon."

He sighed, but his words were heard by Tian Tuo in the inner world, and the old demon began to shout, seemingly extremely dissatisfied.

Upon arriving at Wunan, this place is very close to the four prefectures of Chuzhou, the former territory of Chu. The Yuliu Mountains of Wunan Prefecture stretch for thousands of miles, naturally forming a barrier that divides the Yongchu region.

Xu Xuan paused, standing in the void, gazing towards the southern land of Jingchu, where he seemed to see the warm, jade-like light changing in the void.

"The counties of Chuzhou are the land of Jinlang Gate."

He still had some impression of the Golden Lang Sect. This sect cultivated the Xin Metal element and was originally considered inferior to the Void Spirit Palace. However, since the Void Spirit Palace was destroyed, this sect has benefited greatly and its strength has increased significantly.

The only remaining True Person in the Void Spirit Palace, [Yu Hua], even joined this path, thus completely merging the Void Spirit lineage into it.

However, the metal element in Kunwei Heaven transformed into a demon and happened to devour a mid-stage Purple Mansion Real Person named [Yu Kong]. Now, this sect has completely submitted to Xiang Fuchen, and the one in charge is [Yu Tai] Real Person, who was severely injured by Xu Xuanlong.

In the past, Xu Xuan was not clear about the entanglements of these great lineages, but now he is gradually becoming suspicious.

"The Black Fiend Sect is now located in the Li Palace. I wonder if there are any leaders left. As for the two lineages under that Gengwu Immortal, it seems that their fates are not good."

This path also belongs to the Four Paths of the North Star and is ranked at the Tai Shi level. It not only cultivates evil energy, but also seems to have made great achievements in the metal virtue. However, there seem to be internal disagreements.

In the past, the Fengyan Kingdom perished, Shu conquered the south, and Zhao unified the north. The two sides fought and killed each other for countless generations, but the fate of the imperial descendants on both sides was not dignified.

The Qi clan, as passed down by that Heavenly Evil Emperor, can no longer even cultivate the fundamental Daoist evil energy. Qi Changsheng, on the other hand, cultivates blessed energy, which is far removed from evil energy.

As for the lineage of that True Lord Qingyu, it seems that only the Void Spirit remains, which can still be considered as the Black Fiend lineage. However, the Li Palace has always watched this lineage perish, which is worth pondering.

"There should still be some powerful figures in the Black Fiend Sect. The Fiend Qi position should be vacant now, but it is still strong. There are probably other Golden Core cultivators there."

At this moment, Tian Tuo was also observing the jade light in the south, seemingly with some感慨 (feelings/reflections).

"As for the divisions within the Black Fiend, I have heard some secrets. It seems that [Geng Wu] was not a direct descendant of the Black Fiend, but later obtained the Great Dao and became the main lineage, using the virtue of metal to suppress the evil energy."

"The 'Sha' (煞) are those who destroy countries and massacre cities, causing chaos throughout the world. This is evidenced by Geng metal, Bing fire, and blood qi, which are also the foundation of the Black Sha lineage. Geng Wu's support of Tian E to become emperor was probably the beginning of the split from the main lineage. After Geng Wu left and the Great Zhao was destroyed, no one in the Black Sha lineage offered any help; they just watched the Qi family suffer."

Xu Xuan, however, had other thoughts, and a few secret guesses arose in his mind.

"Regardless, that was a celestial dynasty supported by immortals, and the foundation it left behind was extraordinary. Not to mention immortal artifacts, even other methods were beyond what a Golden Core cultivator could handle. And yet, the ancient Shu was able to pacify Zhao."

At this moment, he felt that he was very close to the truth. Perhaps there was also a Nascent Soul cultivator behind the ancient Shu Kingdom, so that Shu and Zhao could be considered equal.

If so, today's Earth element must still retain some characteristics to correspond to this period of ancient history.

Xu Xuan withdrew his thoughts and slowly turned his gaze back to the void above the Chu region. The matter between Shu and Zhao involved many things, and it was difficult to deduce the whole picture based on this information alone.

Continuing their journey, they soon arrived at the southern part of the Jade Stream Mountains. There, they saw dark clouds churning, and the dim light of the Ren Water gathered, transforming into a pure black moon that shone down upon a demon cave with its entrance tightly locked. Supernatural power: [Unbearable Mustard Seed].

This Ren water supernatural power has the ability to sink, trap, obscure, and isolate; the resulting strange phenomenon is the Weak Water Obscuring the Moon.

The White Green Cave has been closed for many years, constantly shrouded in this supernatural power, isolating it from the outside world.

The southern part of Yuliu still belongs to this demon cave, where many demons reside, but the northern part of Yuliu has been completely incorporated into the gate, serving as a path to Jiangyang and other places.

Xu Xuan sensed it slightly and found that the green snake was not moving. He headed towards the direction of the red clouds, but as soon as he entered the county, he felt the heavenly laws vibrate. As if sensing something, there seemed to be a deep and noble aura that resonated with the purple clouds.

He instantly realized that a guest had arrived. With a thought, he stepped out of the void and arrived at Luo Qing's location.

At this moment, there was no sign of the Gui water supernatural power in the mountains, but a flash of Bing fire light appeared, revealing a young man in a dark black robe with red clouds. He had a calm expression, an extraordinary demeanor, and a wild, almost primitive aura between his brows.

Upon hearing that it was his master returning, Liu Xiao's expression softened slightly:

"Master, it is Guan Quan, a True Man from Louguan Dao, who has come to discuss the matter of the great formation."

A glint flashed in Xu Xuan's eyes. The sect's sphere of influence had increased several times over, and the previous Binghuo Formation was no longer sufficient to protect the core area.

Are you the only one in the mountains?

He asked a question, but Wen Si'an was nowhere to be seen.

"It seems something has happened in Shu. My aunt went to check on the disciples and left the day before yesterday."

Xu Xuan's brows furrowed slightly. His round trip to Nandu, plus the ordination ceremony, must have taken several days. He hadn't expected so many changes to occur in the sect in such a short time.

"She is of Wen blood, so it is perfectly legitimate for her to go and deal with this."

His mind shifted, and he sensed the power of the purple qi divine ability located in Tianji, which seemed to be in the clouds.

"I'll go talk to Senior Guan Quan about how to set up the formation first."

Xu Xuan told Liu Xiaowen to wait outside while he himself was struck by lightning.

Then they saw a tall and imposing immortal above the rolling thunderclouds, dressed in purple robes, with a flowing beard, exuding the aura of a true immortal. Who else could it be but the immortal Guan Quan?
"Fellow Daoist Xu, it has been a long time since we last met. Your Daoist sect is flourishing, perhaps even surpassing my Louguan sect."

Guan Quansheng smiled, though it was just a polite remark, there was also a hint of genuine alarm in his voice. Now, this sect had three Purple Mansion experts in charge, which was on par with the number of True Persons in Louguan.

However, this sect has only been around for a short time, less than a hundred years. Although its lineage and traditions have some commendable aspects, it is ultimately a sect that has been in decline for a long time.

The emergence of a Purple Mansion Sword Immortal was already remarkable, but now two more with supernatural powers have appeared in succession, which is quite astonishing.

"Senior is too kind. Louguan is a true lineage of immortals, far beyond my reach."

Xu Xuan invited this Purple Qi True Man into the hall.

He sensed it slightly and felt that Guan Quan's supernatural abilities were already extremely perfect, and he was probably just waiting to achieve the next supernatural ability.

These words from the other party stirred something within Xu Xuan. The success rate of achieving the Purple Mansion realm in his sect was indeed astonishingly high, almost rivaling that of the Golden Core Immortal Sect.

'By following the profound principles, we can preserve our lives.'

He silently recalled what Nan Wang had said earlier. Perhaps this so-called seal script was not a secret to the Great Dao lineage. And as more and more strange phenomena appeared in the sect, would any of the masters guess about it?

Although the seal script could be concealed and thus evade detection, this possibility still made Xu Xuan somewhat uneasy.

It should be understood that often, those in positions of power do not need evidence to act; mere suspicion is enough to nip any potential threat in the bud with swift and decisive action.

'If I perish while seeking the Dao, and the sect loses its protection, you gentlemen will surely turn my body upside down, and I fear that those with anything unusual will not escape.'

Xu Xuan's eyes flickered, but his expression remained normal. He then looked at Guan Quan and smiled:

"Senior's cultivation is at its peak; he is probably close to mastering the next supernatural power."

"It's not that easy."

Guan Quan shook his head slightly. Around him, there seemed to be various strange phenomena, such as purple aura coming from the east, precious flowers soaring to the heavens, and phoenixes gathering, which carried the aura of an extremely noble immortal.

"The fourth supernatural power already requires a certain level of cultivation and is not something that can be easily mastered. It is normal to be stuck here for decades, not to mention that the Purple Qi is not very prosperous now."

Xu Xuan vaguely sensed the underlying meaning in the other party's words. It was not particularly prosperous, but it was not exactly weak either. Just as Tian Tuo had predicted in the past, there should still be a certain position in the Purple Qi path.

"I am here today for the purpose of setting up an array. Your Daoist Master Wen once entered the Earth's core and discussed this matter. I also know a bit about arrays and can help with it."

Guan Quan's gaze shifted slightly, but his tone was somewhat strange.

"Is that Master Wen a descendant of the Fu Xuan bloodline?"

"Exactly."

Xu Xuan made no attempt to conceal it; with Wen Si'an's breakthrough to supernatural powers, this matter could no longer be kept secret.

However, he suddenly remembered something: Wen Si'an's Daoist name had not yet been decided, and the other party had not mentioned it, seemingly not caring much about it.

'Once she returns, we can discuss this matter properly.'

A slight movement of purple energy rippled beside Guan Quan, and he said:

"Fu Xuan's blood is indeed of the same clan as that demon Feng Yan, so we must be careful."

"Thank you for the reminder, senior."

Xu Xuan also kept thinking about this matter. Feng Yan should already know something about the situation in his sect. He wondered what Feng Yan thought of the Fu Xuan bloodline.

"Regarding this grand formation, our Louguan sect does have a ready-made grand formation. It is of the nature of pure Qi and is beneficial to all paths. We can make use of it."

Guan Quan's words revealed the profound foundation of Louguan, which was incomparable to the current Da Chi. The value of this Purple Mansion level array plate alone was definitely no less than that of a top-tier spiritual artifact.

“Perfect timing. The [Qingyi Xuanji] you took back then can serve as the array's core.”

His tone suddenly became somewhat strange, his brows furrowed slightly, and he said only:

"Fellow Daoist Xu, where is that spiritual vein in your sect?"

(End of this chapter)