Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 426 Departure: The Causes of the Past, the Effects of Today (4000)

Even with his arrogance, Zhang Yuanzhu, wielding the renowned sword of the Sword Sect, took precautions before leaving the secret realm.

With a raised arm, the divine sword slashed out in reverse.

There was no magnificent sword energy, no dazzling sword light, only a simple, ordinary slash.

Like a child chopping something crudely and ridiculously, yet it instantly terrified the being hidden in the void, and...
fury!
The sword cracked open, splintering like ceramic, and slashed towards him.

A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, and finally the unknown entity revealed itself and took a half step back.

His green robe fluttered, his face was thin, and his eyes, peering through his longsword, coldly stared at the crimson shadow.

Zhang Yuanzhu gazed ahead indifferently, his eyes deep, and he murmured to himself:
'Move!'

In an instant, the divine sword in his hand appeared before the old man in the green robe's chest.

It exploded with a bang before his astonished eyes.

Rumble!
A blinding light rose up, engulfing everything.

Space was torn apart layer by layer, and fragments streaked across the void like shooting stars. Magnificent fireworks rose, causing all living beings to fall into despair.

At the same moment, lines spread out from beneath Zhang Yuanzhu's feet, and the cyan array plate that was always active in Fa Yan's arms floated out, flowing with runes, covering the three people and the dog.

In an instant, ripples spread through the void, and their figures blurred rapidly as they were about to depart.

Suddenly, a roar erupted from the center of the explosion, overwhelming the sound of the void.

"Zhang Yuanzhu, you deserve to die!"

An invisible and colorless sword light, reversing the radiance, swept across.

The roar, the flames, the shockwave, and the fragments of the sword seemed to vanish as the sword light passed over them, severing the cyan array plate.

Upon witnessing this scene, Fa Yan and Fa Ding's expressions changed slightly, and the Great Yellow Demon's body trembled instinctively.

Zhang Yuanzhu smiled helplessly; he had ultimately miscalculated.

A top-tier magic weapon self-destructed, yet it couldn't completely stop the Sword Sect's Golden Core cultivator, allowing the opponent to unleash a sword strike.

Since that's the case, then let's correct our mistakes ourselves.

The blurry figure began to become clear, taking a step out of the formation and blocking the way for all living beings.

In the blink of an eye.

Ninety-one divine rings rose up together, hovering above and below, making them appear as if they were divine beings descending to earth.

Golden light flowed around him, radiating an aura of immortality and indestructibility.

A layer of starry veil draped over her body, fluttering in the wind, mysterious and serene.

A jade bracelet hangs in the air from her palm, casting rays of jade light that protect her.

At the same moment, the [Special trait] of substitution, deep within the soul, bursts forth with all its might.

Everything was done in an instant.

Fa Yan and Fa Ding only realized what was happening at this moment, looking at the back of the figure blocking the front of the formation.

"Brother Dao, go! You can't stop me!"

"Run for your life! That's a Golden Core True Monarch!"

"Woof woof~, Dao Master."

Fayan spoke in a low voice, his eyes radiating a Buddhist light, filled with anxiety and unease.

The crystal-clear Buddha heart, stained by the mortal world, can never be washed away.

There was no response, only a fair hand that crossed the radiance and lightly tapped the array plate, causing the runes to flow faster. The figures of the two women and the dog became increasingly blurry until they disappeared.

At that moment, an invisible sword light swept across.

The jade radiance scattered by the jade bracelet, the ninety-one divine rings, the golden glow, and the serene starry veil all seemed to vanish as if they did not exist, and were all bypassed, piercing into the space between the eyebrows.

Dang~
A jade talisman appeared from between his brows, blocking the sword light.

At this moment, Zhang Yuanzhu also came to his senses, his face solemn, and he understood the meaning of the sword.

This is the sword of spiritual awareness, and also the sword of the mind.

The secret treasure obtained from Du Qing saved the young man from being killed outright.

Without the slightest hesitation, the eleven-story glazed pagoda in his mind trembled simultaneously, its radiance flowing, exuding an aura that suppressed the eight directions and six realms.

clang clang ~
The invisible sword light crashed into the jade talisman, wearing down one rune after another.

I don't know how much time has passed, whether it was a moment or eternity.

Click~
Cracks appeared on the jade talisman, then shattered with a crash, turning into starlight that scattered and disappeared.

The last glimmer of sword light probed into the space between his brows.

In his mind, that wisp of sword light rapidly expanded, transforming in the blink of an eye into a towering sword pillar that cleaved down towards the glazed pagoda.

The pagoda stands in the center, rising abruptly from the ground to meet the sword pillar.

Extremely explosive!

A sword light and a crystal pagoda clashed together in an instant, traversing space.

Rumble~ Crack~
Amidst the deafening roar, cracks appeared one after another on the glazed pagoda.

Inside the pagoda, a small golden figure sat cross-legged, his hands forming ancient hand seals.

Five-finger transformation.

boom!
The pagoda trembled, then suddenly leaped forward, striking the sword light horizontally.

Click~
The sword pillar retreated.

Meanwhile, the cracks in the pagoda were widening, and the luster of the glazed tiles was dimming.

"continue!"

The golden figure had a cold expression, and the hand seals in its palms changed.

The pagoda sped forward, trailing a long tail of flame and shards of glass, before crashing into something again.

Rumble~
The sword energy dissipated, and the eleven-story glazed pagoda shattered, scattering and falling in all directions.

For a moment, only a small golden figure stood in the sky, looking down at the ruins and wreckage.

cough~
Zhang Yuanzhu coughed softly, blood spreading and flowing from his six orifices, and cracks appeared on his body, but his eyes were fixed on the center of the self-destruction.

He took a step back, stepped into the teleportation array behind him, the array patterns flowed, and he disappeared instantly.

bang~
The array plate shattered, and all its patterns were erased.

After an unknown amount of time, the roar subsided, and the flames and shockwaves dissipated.

An old man, dressed in a blue Taoist robe, with blackened hair and face, stood in the void, holding a broken sword.

The gaunt old man stared ahead with a cold and stern gaze.

"Demon, do you dare to stop me?"

A woman with silver hair and a gray robe blocked the way. Her eyebrows were slightly curved, and she chuckled like a fox.

"Cuckoo~"

The silver-haired woman glanced at the old man. His arm was severed, and his body beneath his Taoist robe was covered in sword marks, the deepest of which almost severed his body.

You should know that a Golden Core True Monarch could heal from ordinary injuries with a single thought, but now he is left with such scars.

"You're badly injured!"

The woman's voice was soft and her tone was enigmatic.

At this moment, the old man from the Sword Sect seemed to realize something as well, his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing an extremely sharp edge.

"You monster, you wish to be an enemy of the Sword Sect."

The silver-haired woman remained silent, a faint smile on her face, as she gracefully stepped forward.

Layers of frost appeared, spreading and freezing time and space.

"Sword Sect, three hundred years of sword energy piercing my heart, I remember it day and night, what does it matter whether we are enemies or not."

"Hey, what a tough bastard."

The old man laughed loudly, took a step, and went to meet them head-on, carrying the broken sword.

In the depths of the flowing riverbed, amidst a secluded forest, ancient trees reach for the sky, and wild beasts roar.

Two beautiful figures and a yellow dog stood on the withered branches and fallen leaves, waiting anxiously.

Click~
The sky was torn apart, revealing a narrow crack.

A crimson shadow fell from the sky.

Woof~
Big Yellow growled and leaped up, dragging Red Shadow along with him.

It landed on the ground, feeling the sticky residue on its fur, its beastly eyes filled with worry:
"Dao Lord, Dao Lord!"

At that moment, Fayan and Fading strode over and walked toward the dog demon.

Woof~
A roar.

Big Yellow warily watched the two women approaching side by side, its beastly mouth opening to reveal its sharp teeth.

Snapped!
A blood-stained hand landed and stroked the dog's head.

"I'm here!" The voice was soft, but it soothed all the unease in the hearts of the two people and the dog.

Zhang Yuanzhu pressed one hand on Dahuang's back, using the leverage to stand up, facing the two women directly, his voice gentle:

"I'm fine, there's no need to worry too much."

"This place is not safe and we need to leave immediately."

Fa Yan nodded.

She took a step forward and stood in front of the young man, her jade-like hand reaching out to touch the wounds and bloodstains, her face solemn.

The injuries were too severe; the tendons, bones, skin, and internal organs all appeared to be under pressure, with various cracks.

Such injuries would have killed an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator long ago, but the young man's strong will sustained him.

Moreover, there will definitely be injuries more serious than physical wounds.

After all, that sword strike severed the soul!
After a brief probe, the woman took out a precious medicinal herb from her bosom and handed it over.

"This healing elixir, obtained from the Dao Stele in the secret realm, should be of considerable help to your injuries, fellow Daoist."

At this moment, Zhang Yuanzhu did not stand on ceremony.

He needed to recover quickly from his injuries to deal with the situation ahead, so he took the apple-shaped medicine and swallowed it in one gulp.

Then, he took out a storage bag from his bosom and threw it to Fayan.

"The teleportation array, the Xuan Kong Platform, and the Golden Core talisman for concealing qi (given by Ruan Qing) are all here. I'll leave the rest to you, fellow Daoist."

"The most dangerous time has passed, so Brother Dao can rest assured and recover from your injuries."

Fa Yan took the storage bag, hung it around his waist, and looked solemn.

After a few words, the two reached an agreement.

Immediately, Zhang Yuanzhu sat cross-legged on the back of the rhubarb tree and began to refine the precious medicine with all his might.

The precious medicine melted instantly upon entering the mouth, and streams of gentle energy flowed throughout the body.

Teared muscles heal, fractured bones mend, and cracks in the internal organs gradually dissipate under the nourishment of energy.

At the same time, the young man's eyes shone with a blue light, and a rich vitality filled every part of his body, accelerating the repair process.

Two days and two nights have passed!

The physical injuries have been completely healed.

Only then did he begin to observe his surroundings.

The sky was clear and the sun was rising in the east. A ray of morning light broke through the dawn and fell on the three people and the dog.

The great river flows beneath me, its waves sparkling.

I don't know where I am, but the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.

"Brother Dao, you're awake."

A soft whisper sounded from the side.

Fa Yan gazed at the crimson figure sitting upright on the dog's back, her red lips parting slightly:

"How are your injuries? Are they improving?"

"The physical body is fine, but the spiritual consciousness is damaged, and it will take a few more days."

The young man gently stroked the yellow dog's fur:

Where are we?

"We have reached the edge of the Riverbed of the River of Passing Away. Once we cross this great river, we will step into the southern part of the plain and leave Qingyangzhai behind."

Fayan put his hands together in prayer and responded.

Then, with a hint of curiosity on her pretty face, she asked:
"Over the past two days and two nights, there has been no pursuit or killing by Qingyangzhai or the righteous path. What exactly did you do that day, fellow Daoist?"

She and her senior sister witnessed the sky collapsing, but they didn't know how it happened or where it occurred.

Zhang Yuanzhu's double pupils narrowed slightly, as if he had thought of something pleasant. A smile played on his lips as he uttered each word clearly:
"I used the fragments of the Daoist Master to blow up Qingyangzhai!"

boom!
A thunderclap resounded from the Dharma Words and the Dharma Heart Field, causing people to stop in their tracks and gaze at the crimson shadow sitting on the back of the dog demon.

A moment later, Fa Yan was the first to regain his senses, recalling how the young man had startled the Du family's broken artifact in Qingmu Mountain, and muttered to himself:
"It is not a fragment of the Dao Lord, but a fragment of the Dao Venerable."

At this moment, she couldn't imagine how devastating the losses would be for Qingyangzhai, which had directly taken the Daoist's remnant artifact, but she knew it.
The plains of Shichuan are about to change!

“Brother Dao, if it is a fragment of Dao Venerable, how did you manage to come back alive? Such a powerful artifact would definitely seal off space and time and crush everything.”

Her red lips were tightly pursed; she was born into a Buddhist family, which is also the righteous path.

It's unimaginable what kind of changes the world will face after Qingyangzhai is severely damaged.

All of this was accomplished with a promise made within the Ming Emperor's palace and a single escort mission.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanzhu raised his hand from the fur, placed it flat on his knee, and slowly spoke under the gaze of two pairs of eyes:
"I had already left before the fragments of the Daoist Master exploded, and of course, most importantly..."

A hint of mockery and ridicule flashed across the young man's face:

"Formation!"

"Array?"

The two women murmured, their eyes filled with confusion.

"I have followed the path of formations pioneered by a discarded disciple of Qingyangzhai, and have come this far."

"The array forms the heavens, the array forms the earth, the array forms the lives of all beings, opening a path through this deadly predicament."

Qin Li, a friend from over a decade ago, was once sacrificed by the Taoist tradition.

Now, his array formation philosophy has become his weapon to attack Qingyangzhai.

The two women remained silent. From the young man's expression, they could tell that the fate of that abandoned son would not be good.

"Every sip and every bite has its own destiny!"

Fa Yan sighed softly, said nothing more, and continued forward.

For a moment, the group fell silent, each lost in thought about the future after the dramatic changes.

Zhang Yuanzhu slowly closed his eyes and began to continue repairing his injuries.

He focused all his attention on his mind.

Fragments of glass, scattered brilliance, countless pits—everywhere you look is ruin and desolation.

The golden figure hovered in mid-air, scanning its surroundings with a helpless expression.

The damage to his spiritual consciousness is quite severe!

The collapse of the eleven-story glazed pagoda caused severe damage to the physical body from the backlash alone, not to mention the spiritual consciousness itself.

Fortunately, the "Pagoda Suppressing Divine Technique" obtained from the Peach Blossom Village Gathering was already quite remarkable, and it could still be used to recast the glazed pagoda.

Moreover, since the foundation remains intact, it will not cause irreversible damage.

"Without destruction, there can be no construction. Rebuilding from the ruins, the principles of birth and death, and the way of Yin and Yang, are also a kind of creation for me."

The golden figure sat cross-legged in the sky, its body expanding until it transformed into a young man in a red robe.

Zhang Yuanzhu raised one arm, his five fingers spread.

Suddenly, press down!
Boom! Snap!

Crush!

Smash it!!
Still smashed to pieces!!!

The shards of glass in his mind, the collapsed tower, and the drifting spiritual consciousness all turned into dust.

"let's start."

A peaceful whisper drifted down as the "Pagoda Suppressing God Technique" was fully activated.

The powder drifted and gathered beneath the crimson figure, intertwining and transforming into a pagoda-like phantom.

As time goes by, more and more spiritual consciousness accumulates.

After an incense stick has burned, the first layer of the pagoda lightly leaps up and fully emerges.

Zhang Yuanzhu raised his arms, his palms forming hand seals as his spiritual sense continued to gather.

Two incense sticks later, the glazed pagoda split into two layers.

Half an hour later, the glazed pagoda transformed into three stories.

Time flies, and only five days have passed.

A ten-story pagoda stood in the center of his mind, its shimmering light radiating an aura that seemed to overwhelm the entire world.

Compared to before, it has gained a spirituality and vitality, as if it is no longer just a tool.

Zhang Yuanzhu sat cross-legged at the top of the tower, looking down, a smile playing on his lips:

"Just one more floor!"

The raised hands suddenly clasped together, fingers interlocked.

hum~
The pagoda trembled slightly, and a layer of illusory image emerged, becoming real.

In less than seven breaths, the eleven-story glazed pagoda was restored!
(End of this chapter)