Forge your destiny into a sword, slash your soul and ascend to immortality

Chapter 257 The Defeat of the Threads: The Old Path
Within this Great Abyss, the number of universes possessing the ability of a Devourer is extremely small.

A powerful realm capable of devouring nine [Producers] within it and forging the [Tomb of Time] is extremely rare.

Among them, the [Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe] is undoubtedly one of the most famous and representative.

Normally speaking, the strength of this [Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe] must be far superior to that of other realms.

Otherwise, how could he have swallowed up nine realms and condensed the [Tomb of Time]?
Even the powerful cultivators from the [Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe] thought so.

Until this time, Situ Yizhong, Leiming, and Zhutian completely revealed their true nature and stopped pretending!
When Xuanyuanzi and Chunyangzi joined forces, their swords combined to create a perfect synergy.

After further activating the "heroic" secret technique of [Pure Yang Heaven] to burn its fortune.

From a purely combat power perspective, almost no one can withstand them.

Within the Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe, there are powerful lineages of Dao Ancestors.

Even the top lineage of swordsmanship has been passed down through the [Eternal Life Sword Palace].

However, it was precisely these three who disrupted the entire [Time Graveyard], completely breaching all defenses and causing extremely negative consequences.

In the end, the people of the [Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe] used the most important trump card of the realm, activating the nine [Nine Dragon Cauldrons] to set up a great formation in an attempt to completely suppress the three great sword cultivators.

Unfortunately, the magic array was broken by the well-prepared Situ Yizhong with a single, powerful sword strike, and even one of the Nine Dragon Cauldrons was taken away.

Once you successfully ascend to the [Old Days] realm, you will be completely free from the limitations of life and death.

The three great sword cultivators began to display terrifying combat power far exceeding their normal [Old Days] level!
These sword cultivators, even those who have reached the [Ancient] level, have the ability to challenge opponents of higher levels. I really don't know how they cultivated to that level!

The outcome of this great battle completely overturned the understanding of people in the [Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe].

They could never have imagined that their side, as the dominant force in the region, would be utterly defeated by just three people.

This was entirely because the Nine Dragon Cauldron underestimated the combat power of the three sword cultivators.

There is a huge misunderstanding among people about the strength of the [Dao Yuan Divine Shuttle Universe]!
Despite having devoured nine Producer Universes, the Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe has maintained its peak strength to an unbelievable degree.

However, very few people remember that the Dao Yuan Divine Shuttle, though a Devourer, destroyed and devoured many realms.

However, the five top-level realms that are gathered within it were not obtained through devouring, but were actually brought together by the Dao Ancestors themselves.

The so-called "Ten Ancestors of Daoyuan" is a unique organization of ten people centered around "Daoyuan" who are determined to forge a completely different path to advancement.

The two [Devourers] have taken completely different paths and have never clashed directly until this time!
The Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe has lost one of its most precious treasures and has also lost a great deal of face.

All of this must be retaliated against severely!

Right now, the entire [Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe] has been mobilized!

Many powerful figures hidden within top-tier lineages were successively recruited.

For all the major repairers within the Nine Dragon Cauldrons, the most important task at present is to reclaim the Nine Dragon Cauldrons as soon as possible!
In other words, the broken bronze cauldron that Jing Qian obtained from Situ Yizhong was actually a collection of extremely heavy karmic entanglements.

Of course, the three of them, including Situ Yizhong, were all risking their lives and didn't care about anything else.

Jing Qian was not afraid at all!

Within the [Sumeru] dimension, boundless spatial power was erupting in an attempt to suppress the lively [Nine Dragon Cauldron Four].

This was the second [Divine Machine] that Jing Qian had personally witnessed. Feeling the immense power within it, he drew his sword without hesitation.

This sword strike was the terrifying sword energy he had accumulated along his journey, originally intended to let [Tethered Silk] taste its own saltiness.

Right now, he poured it all into the [Nine Dragon Cauldron].

Within the [Sumeru] dimension, space is compressed to its limit and then expands to nothingness. Countless layers of spatial folds, like billions of prisms, refract violent energy turbulence.

Jing Qian's strength and combat power are at their peak when he is inside [Xume].

With a single strike of his sword, all the spatial forces around him came to serve him.

The power of the sword light is significantly enhanced compared to that in the present world.

Beneath the surging sword light, the lively and roaring [Nine Dragon Cauldron Four] was struggling violently.

It exudes a heavy aura that suppresses all ages, and the dragon patterns on the cauldron seem to come alive, with scales and claws flying, and the magical energy it spews out has a profound aura of the Great Abyss.

Each [Divine Machine] is formed by being imbued with power at the level of [Totem] or [Great Ruins].

The nine [Nine Dragon Cauldrons] were created by highly skilled cultivators within their respective realms. Through unique and wondrous methods, they connected with the waters of the [Great Abyss] and cleansed themselves over many years, thus achieving [Divine Mechanism].

How could Jing Qian's sword strike possibly compare to the constant erosion of the Great Abyss's waters?
Therefore, his all-out sword light didn't even scratch the oily skin of the [Nine Dragon Cauldron]!
On the contrary, this precious cauldron even began to frantically attack the spatial cage formed by the [Sumeru] dimension.

Each impact caused the entire dimensional space to tremble violently, and Jing Qian's will to maintain the space was also being hammered.

"What a treasure! No wonder it's a powerful artifact capable of forging the [Tomb of Time]!"

Jing Qian's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Instead of fear, he was filled with a frenzied excitement, as if he were seeing a prey.

He could clearly sense the immense, overwhelming power contained within the cauldron, a power almost like the very origin of the universe.

This power is violent, domineering, and full of the meaning of forceful suppression. It is completely different from his own swordsmanship, which is sharp enough to cut through illusions and penetrate all laws, but it has also reached a certain extreme.

Only an opponent like this deserves Jingqian's full effort!

"cut!"

There were no fancy moves, only a condensed and substantial sword light that pierced through all spatial dimensions of the [Sumeru] dimension!

Wherever the sword light passed, the space itself groaned under the unbearable weight, forcibly cleaved and annihilated, revealing the chaotic undertones beneath.

The sword intent was so strong that it even briefly suppressed the dragon roar of the Nine Dragon Cauldron, forcibly suppressing the terrifying power emanating from the cauldron!
The sword light struck the body of the [Nine Dragon Cauldrons, Fourth] solidly and without any embellishment!

However, nothing lasts forever. After Jing Qian's all-out attack, his sword light inevitably weakened.

The anticipated clash of metal and the collapse of mountains did not occur.

That terrifying sword strike, powerful enough to cleave stars and shatter laws, vanished the moment it struck the cauldron, as if it had disappeared into the sea!
The Nine Dragon Cauldron remains as a whole, unaffected by its essence.

When Jing Qian first clashed with the Nine Dragon Cauldron, he already knew that he could not yet break through the cauldron's body.

This divine cauldron excels at defense; it is a [Divine Machine] with maxed-out defensive attributes.

Even with the advantage of the [Jing Sword], he could never grasp the opponent's consciousness and could not find a way in.

Suddenly, a thick, mysterious light rose from the Nine Dragon Cauldron.

The mysterious light enveloped Jing Qian's sword light, stirring up violent ripples.

The ripples spread outwards, frantically dispersing, deflecting, and dissolving the violent sword light energy!
The Nine Dragon Cauldron, which had been thrashing about, seemed to have given up on escaping.

It just stopped there, completely still.

Although its form remained still, the cauldron trembled slightly, emitting a deep and resonant hum, like a great bell ringing out, its sound shaking the universe.

The clanging of the cauldron revealed a mockery of Jing Qian.

[Nine Dragon Cauldrons, Part Four] This is a call for the other [Nine Dragon Cauldrons]!
If it were in the present world at this moment, the other eight cauldrons could easily locate its position, track it down, and rescue it.

Jing Qian shook his head, chuckled, and abandoned any thought of competing with the Nine Dragon Cauldron.

Then, he raised his hand and waved it, causing the space in front of him to fold and twist into a slingshot-like shape, which he used as a projectile to launch the space around the Nine Dragon Cauldron directly into the air.

Jing Qian buried the Nine Dragon Cauldron in the Great Sea Prison, letting it endure the torment of the self-destruction of the past.

He was using the intense magical fluctuations of the Great Ocean Prison to conceal the aura of the Fourth of the Nine Dragon Cauldrons.

For him, this was the safest approach.

Jing Qian is temporarily unable to subdue this [Nine Dragon Cauldron] and cannot incorporate it into his own system.

However, this divine cauldron is not entirely useless.

As long as it is within the [Sumeru] dimension, it can indirectly enhance the essence of the [Sumeru] dimension and increase the power boost to Jing Qian.

More importantly, this divine cauldron is an excellent whetstone for sharpening swords!
Fighting this divine cauldron allows Jing Qian to better sense the power of the [Divine Mechanism], hone the sharpness of the [Heart Sword], and improve the quality of his magic power, which naturally brings many benefits.

For Jing Qian, the Nine Dragon Cauldron was a completely unexpected gain. He would need to spend some time figuring out its functions until he could fully digest it.

At this moment, placing the treasure cauldron here with Jing Qian would prevent it from fulfilling its intended function as a [Divine Mechanism].

However, for the people of the [Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe], it is the most powerful treasure.

A major battle between the two sides is inevitable!

Jing Qian is already looking forward to it!

After setting up the Nine Dragon Cauldron, he vanished into the Sumeru dimension in a flash.

When he reappeared, he was back in the mortal world, on the battlefield between Daoyuan and Qiansi.

To his surprise, the entire battlefield had been completely quelled, and the aftershocks of the war had quietly disappeared without a trace.

Only in the distance, the Dao Yuan Divine Shuttle is slowly absorbing the magnificent scenery of the Mountain and River Map.

He sensed something again, and his figure flashed, arriving in an airspace in the southeast of the battlefield.

Here, two more battlefields were engulfed in fierce fighting.

Upon closer inspection, the battlefield on the left is where [Lei Ming] is fighting alone against [Ren Chong] and [Zhu Yun].

On the right side of the battlefield, [Zhu Tian] is blasting [Yuan Yang].

These are two former Pure Yang masters instructing three juniors from the Time Sequence.

As soon as Jing Qian appeared, a sword light quietly appeared in the hand of [Zhu Tian], encircling him.

All that could be heard was the voice transmission of [Zhu Tian]:
"Chixiao, is it?"

"I have long heard of your many achievements; you are a man of great ability."

"Let me see what you're capable of!"

Despite having the lowest cultivation level among all participants, Jing Qian showed no signs of stage fright. The fighting spirit that had subsided in front of the Nine Dragon Cauldron surged back up.

Such an opportunity could not be missed. With a flash of inspiration, Jing Jian joined the battle.

As soon as Jing Qian entered the sword light of [Zhu Tian], he felt an immense pressure coming at him.

Even though it was just a clash of sword lights, he felt like a toad being targeted by a poisonous snake.

An extremely terrifying killing intent was fixed on him, as if it had already decided his fate.

He unleashed his full magical power, unleashing the [Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation], enveloping himself within it.

As he tried to expand the area of ​​the sword formation and open up more battlefield depth for himself.

The sword light of 【Zhu Tian】 was like a mighty force of heaven, firmly suppressing the 【Zhu Xian Sword Formation】 within a ten-mile radius around him.

The two sides are simply not on the same level!
Jing Qian had never felt such irresistible pressure in his battles against the two "Old Ones" [Da Hai Nan] and [Zhu Sun Nan].

The opportunity was too good to pass up, and he didn't hold back. With a flash, he entered the [Sumeru] dimension again.

Immediately afterwards, [Jing Jian] unleashed its full power and slashed towards [Zhu Tian]'s soul consciousness.

[Zhu Tian] is only at the [Old Days] level of cultivation, and has not yet truly achieved [Transcendence].

However, Jing Qian's [Jing Sword] has already acquired the [Transcendent] status after absorbing ten [Elements of Intent].

When he uses the method of "intention" to open up a mental battlefield, even "Slaying Heaven" cannot completely defend against it.

Jing Qian successfully entered the sea of ​​consciousness of [Zhu Tian]!

His avatar descended into the depths of [Zhu Tian]'s heart, and he felt he was now invincible!
So he took the initiative to speak to [Zhu Tian] and said: "Ancestor, is my Mind Sword acceptable?"

Deep within the consciousness of 【诛天】, unlike the two 【牵丝旧日】, there is not so much chaotic mess.

There is already a tranquil lake in my heart, and the avatar of [Zhu Tian] standing on its surface.

Upon hearing Jing Qian's words, [Zhu Tian] opened his eyes, smiled slightly, and said:
"Chixiao, your method has a touch of the [Heart Saint] style!"

"It bears a striking resemblance to the Linglong Sword Sect, which I helped destroy back then."

"Attack with all your might, and let me see if you can destroy my Dao heart!"

Having said that, the calm lake of [Zhu Tian] suddenly erupted, and an extremely terrifying divine statue emerged from the lake.

This statue was ten thousand feet tall, surrounded by boundless calamity energy, which transformed into a demonic dragon devouring the energy!

He wielded a massive sword, which he swung heavily, attacking Jing Qian.

This is the true divine soul incarnation of [Zhu Tian]!

As the top-tier [Chunyangzi], he possesses boundless inner dangers, far surpassing those like [Qiansi Banan].

Jing Qian's [Jing Sword] is so powerful that it can roam freely within the mind of [Eight Difficulties of Pulling Silk].

But when they arrived at [Zhu Tian], they encountered indescribable and terrifying resistance!
He transformed into a sword-wielding figure and engaged in a full-scale battle with the giant demon that [Zhu Tian] had transformed into.

This is a clash of minds, a battle of consciousness!

The two sides fought fiercely until the sky darkened and the world collapsed, but no victor emerged.

Jing Qian's [Heart Sword] is clearly of a higher rank, yet the power of his [Heaven-Slaying] consciousness is like an endless sea, continuously erupting without ever weakening.

In the end, they managed to exhaust Jing Qian completely and forcefully expel him from their sea of ​​consciousness.

In the present world, [Zhu Tian] opened his slightly closed eyes, and a [Pure Yang True Eye] between his brows flashed with divine light.

Then, he said to Jing Qian, who had just appeared and was slightly dazed:
"Chixiao, do you still have the strength to strike down [Thunder] one more time!"

Having said that, he expanded his sword light, enveloping Ren Chong and Zhu Yun as well, and fought against the three Chunyangzi alone.

Meanwhile, [Thunder] flashed in front of Jing Qian and waited.

Jing Qian was puzzled, but he did not refuse.

He took a few deep breaths, then unleashed the full power of the [Jing Sword], slashing towards [Thunder].

Then, he entered the depths of [Thunder]'s consciousness.

Unlike the [Zhu Tian], this place is the Killing Thunder Prison, where endless lightning flows.

All of Lei Ming's thoughts transformed into this world-destroying thunder.

Jing Qian continued to push his own consciousness to its limit, transforming his inner light into a slash, which became entangled with the endless thunder.

Of course he can't win!
The mental thunder imagery formed by [Thunder] is even stronger than the great demon [Heaven-Slaying] in terms of power alone.

After a fierce battle of wits with the two seniors, Chunyangzi, Jing Qian was also given a severe lesson.

[In the past] Great powers are by no means ordinary!
He cannot be too arrogant just because he destroyed the spirit of the Great Ocean Calamity.

Truly powerful fighters must also possess a sufficiently strong consciousness and mind.

This was not someone he could easily kill with a single flash of his [Jing Sword].

Of course, Jing Qian shouldn't underestimate himself!

His [Jing Sword] power is already extremely, extremely overpowered!
Otherwise, how could his mere [Heaven-Mending] cultivation level have caught the eye of [Thunder] and the other two, who would have taken such a serious sparring match with him?

After the battle between the light and the thunder, Jing Qian's mind returned to the real world, and he felt that he had been completely drained!

The battle against the two great sword cultivators was far more intense than the previous [Eight Tribulations of Pulling Silk].

His abilities, however, were highly recognized by the two seniors!

Then [Thunder] spoke:
"Chixiao, your [Heart King] technique is quite good, but your cultivation level is still a bit lacking, otherwise you could use it."

"You should cultivate quickly and advance to the [Time Sequence] rank as soon as possible."

"Once you successfully advance, we'll take you to the [Sea of ​​All Beings' Minds], where a great opportunity awaits us!"

Upon hearing this, Jing Qian's heart stirred, and he immediately nodded in agreement.

At this moment, [Zhu Tian] spoke again:
“You few have strong foundations and your combat strength is already established, so you haven’t disgraced my Pure Yang Heaven.”

"I only hope that among those who achieve transcendence in this cycle of reincarnation, there will be a disciple of my Pure Yang sect."

"You two continue your cultivation; some pursuers are closing in on us."

"We'll leave now to avoid causing any more trouble for you!"

But then [Thunder] chimed in:
"This time, the Dao Yuan Divine Shuttle destroyed the Mountain and River Map. With our intervention, we also eliminated six of the Eight Difficulties of Pulling Silk, leaving only the Difficulties of Needle and Scissors and the Difficulty of Gourd to escape."

"The resurgence of our [Daoyuan Divine Shuttle] is now a foregone conclusion."

"However, over the years, whether it is me [Chunyang], or that [Xuanyuan], or [Shenxiao], etc., we have left behind quite a lot of karma in the void."

"Normally, no one should be happy to see the rise of the [Dao Yuan Divine Shuttle]."

"Someone will inevitably try to sabotage us and plot against us."

"You still need to be careful, lest you be ambushed."

"However, this is also a good thing!"

"With these people taking the initiative to come to us, my [Daoyuan Divine Shuttle] is able to work together to fight against external threats."

"We, the disciples of Chunyang, are fearless in the face of challenges, and grow stronger with each battle."

"In the previous 100,000 years, when the realm was in decline, without enough war to fuel it, the sects did not develop smoothly."

"If the realms rise again this time, the first to benefit will be our [Pure Yang], [Xuan Yuan], and [Shen Xiao] families."

"You should seize this opportunity to determine your future path!"

"Those who can walk the [Clock of Time] and directly ascend to [Transcendence] should hurry up and hone their combat strength."

"If we are to follow the old path, perhaps we should plan ahead and identify opportunities for promotion!"

As soon as [Zhu Tian] finished speaking, [Zhu Yun] interjected:

“Master, I have decided to first become the [Ancient One], but I do not know what you mean by the opportunity for advancement.”

"This content has never been included in the sect's heritage."

However, [Zhu Tian] did not hide anything and continued:
"The sect's lineage was passed down by the [Pure Yang] Patriarch, who was the victor of the [Clock of Time], so naturally he wouldn't care about the path of the loser."

"Lei Ming and I lacked the talent to compete with Dao Yuan's Shen He, so we were forced to take this old path."

"The [Time] and the [Old Days] are different paths to the same destination of [Transcendence], both relying on the power of the [Time Clock]."

"Although you possess the [Time Order], you have never resided within the [Time Order Clock], nor have you personally experienced its core power."

"The power of this [Clock of Time] is sufficient to support a cultivator in fully comprehending the Great Dao of Time and integrating the past and the future."

"However, the power of this [Clock of Time] also has its limit; it cannot be overdrawn indefinitely."

"In each cycle, the [Chronicle of Time] can evolve up to 360 [Time] powers, which can help 360 cultivators advance to the first rank."

"Then, the Clock of Time reversed, driving all the Time Orders to fight to the death."

Ultimately, it will force out a supreme being of our time who has gathered all the power of [Time Sequence].

"A person who has gathered 360 [Time Sequences] is equivalent to having the [Time Sequence Clock] all to himself, and can be a god of the day, also known as the [Sun God].

"Upon reaching this level, one only needs to travel to the Great Abyss to refine oneself with its power, and one can successfully advance to the position of Transcendence and become a god or ancestor."

"However, in the past cycles, those who have reached the final stage of the [Time Sequence] struggle have all been exceptionally talented individuals."

"It is normal for the last few people to be evenly matched and unable to continue integrating the [time sequence].

"Even more so are those who are cunning and deceitful, hiding in the [Tomb of Time], evading the pursuit of the [Chronicle of Time], pursuing their own survival, but delaying the path of others."

"Fortunately, as long as one occupies more than sixty [Time Sequence], although it is not perfect, it is enough to use the power of [Spiritual Energy] to bear the power of [Great Abyss] and thus be able to advance to [Transcendence].

"Therefore, in the struggle over the [Time Sequence], those who can accumulate more than sixty [Time Sequences] can be regarded as the seeds of [Transcendence]."

"Of course, the true strength of one who has obtained sixty [Time Sequences] is significantly different from that of a [Sun God] who has perfected three hundred and sixty [Time Sequences].

"Even after advancing to the [Transcendence] level, this gap in strength is extremely difficult to bridge. It is necessary to rely on the power of other [Divine Machines] to equalize the combat strength."

"But if there are those who have failed to achieve the [Sun God], feel that they have not reached perfection, and are unwilling to advance in this way."

"Or perhaps they are the losers in the struggle for [Time Sequence], like me and [Thunder], who, though unable to advance, are able to preserve their lives."

"Then you can seek the path of the past in the new cycle of reincarnation."

"The so-called 'Old Way' is actually quite simple."

"Simply find survivors and disillusioned individuals like each other, cultivators who possess the [Old Time Order], continue killing, accumulate the power of the [Old Time Order], until one day, when you have collected 360 [Time Order], you will achieve perfection, gain the recognition of the [Time Order Clock], become a [Transcendence] seed, and continue to attempt advancement."

"Compared to the Sun God, we, the Old Ones, have experienced more battles and our opponents are all Old One cultivators who have survived several generations, and our combat strength is much greater."

"Therefore, those who can attain enlightenment will naturally become even more powerful!"

"However, the competition on this [old] path is even fiercer, and the road ahead is even narrower."

"That [Clock of Time] is only for us [Old] cultivators, the twenty-four of us who have been promoted."

"Therefore, those who have perfected the old order of time are also called the solar terms, which correspond to the sun god."

"As of now, twelve cultivators have attained enlightenment through the [Solar Terms] system, starting from [Spring Begins] and ending with [Great Heat]."

"The remaining twelve spots for enlightenment will be contested by the [Old Ones] from all realms."

"The competition here is undoubtedly even fiercer!"

"Moreover, Situ Yizhong of the Xuanyuan Sword Sect has gathered the Old Time Order before us in the struggle with the Nine Dragon Cauldron Universe. It won't be long before he can seize the Autumn Equinox."

"Your chance to attain enlightenment will be reduced by one more time."

"And I and [Thunder] have severed four of the eight difficulties of the Entangled Threads, and the number of [Old Time Order] that we still owe is not much."

"It's possible that the days of 'End of Heat' and 'White Dew' will be ours to claim."

"At that time, there will only be nine opportunities left for advancement in the [Old Days], which will naturally become increasingly difficult."

"I observe that both Ren Chong and Chi Xiao possess great fortune."

"Perhaps in some cycle of reincarnation, one might be able to glimpse the position of the [Sun God]."

"However, fortunes change, and for some reason, this cycle has produced quite a few powerful individuals."

"Whether it is the [Goddess of the Netherworld] or the [White Lord] of the [Xuanyuan Sword Sect], they both possess great fortune."

"In other realms, they are naturally no less impressive."

"Perhaps you will all become rivals on the path of the [Old Days]!"

(This chapter counts as today's update.)
(End of this chapter)