Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 268 Visualization, Liquidation

Looking back at this enormous statue, I felt a sense of insignificance.

However, the place was empty; there seemed to be nothing else besides himself and it.

Song Yan remained silent, unsure of his own location.

"..."

Raising his hands and looking down, he found that his body was now just a black outline.

Their faces and clothing were completely hidden in the darkness.

He turned his gaze back to the enormous statue.

The mask on it looks very simple at first glance, with a blank center and a ring of patterns around it.

But if you look closely, you can see that the circle of patterns is engraved with ten different ancient designs.

One of them looked very similar to the Kui dragon on the mask he was wearing.

However, the place was empty and silent except for himself.

After sensing the mask for a moment, Song Yan removed it with a thought.

They returned to their cave dwelling on Dragon Pool Mountain.

He took off the mask and put it back into his Qiankun bag.

It's unclear what this thing does yet, but it doesn't seem simple. We'll investigate it further later.

However, after learning about the legend of the Nuo god, Song Yan gained some other insights.

"The method of visualization..."

Why didn't I think of that before?

Yes, it's normal to sometimes be limited in your thinking and not be able to think of anything.

With a flick of his finger, he retrieved the golden page of the chess manual from his storage bag.

Is this so-called Five Stars Pulse Grasping Diagram a visualization diagram of the Five Stars Pulse Grasping Technique?
The principles in the world of cultivation are truly similar in meaning, different paths leading to the same goal.

The Five Star Pulse-Catching Technique, a secret method for tempering divine sense, has been Song Yan's reliance on his divine sense to far surpass that of his peers ever since he obtained it from the Yin-Yang Pearl.

However, as early as when Song Yan's cultivation reached the late stage of Qi Refining, the effect of practicing this technique had already become minimal.

After the foundation is established, the effect is even less significant. Although the resilience of the divine sense can still be honed, its strength has reached a bottleneck.

No matter how hard he tried to activate the magic technique and expand the boundaries of his sea of ​​consciousness, it was as if there was an invisible barrier that was indestructible and made it difficult to make any progress.

Looking at the crisscrossing black and white patterns scattered across the golden pages in his hand, Song Yan had a sudden realization.

The cultivation of spiritual consciousness should perhaps not be limited to the mechanical operation of techniques.

The guidance of intention, and the communion between the mind and nature, are what are more important.

This may explain why those ancient people who had no knowledge of cultivation methods possessed such powerful divine sense.

A wisp of spiritual energy lifted the golden pages, and Song Yan took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

Then, the Five Star Pulse-Grasping Technique was slowly activated.

Thoughts, like invisible mercury, swirl and condense in the sea of ​​consciousness with a mysterious trajectory under his guidance.

The divine sense remained unchanged, showing no signs of growth.

Song Yan knew that forcing the issue would be futile.

His mind began to sink into the chess score in front of him.

Try to place yourself in the game of chess.

At first, what I saw was still that cold pattern, black was black, white was white, the lines were hard and distinct.

But Song Yan was not discouraged. Visualization is very different from ordinary cultivation techniques and requires a process.

Calm your mind and patiently maintain this state of immersion, allowing the incantation to run and your mental visualization to proceed simultaneously.

Time passed silently, and even Song Yan didn't know how much time had passed—perhaps several hours, or perhaps just a fleeting moment.

Changes occur suddenly.

The chess notation on the golden pages remained unchanged, but in Song Yan's mental world, the edges of that neat chessboard began to blur and melt away.

The black and white chess pieces no longer exist in isolation, but begin to exude a profound and expansive aura.

Song Yan was startled and became even more focused on it.

The edges of the chessboard extend infinitely, gradually disappearing, crisscrossing and transforming into the outline of majestic, undulating mountains.

The chess pieces on the chessboard have long since disappeared, transforming into plains, mountains, valleys, and lakes.

"The mountain in the very center looks like an empty room mountain."

Huh?
Did Xiaohe say something like that too...?

Song Yan's mind was stirred by this thought.

Suddenly, a chess piece fell onto the mountain.

It shattered with a bang, turning into white mist, which then coalesced into a simple thatched hut.

Little Lonely Mountain, Big Lonely Mountain...

Everything felt incredibly familiar to Song Yan.

Then, everything spread outwards from this empty mountain as the origin.

The black and white chess pieces on the board are cold and hard.
But now it floats up, shining brightly.

The white stones shone brightly, and the sun and moon shone brightly, casting a warm glow.

The black dots were deep and distant, the night sky was low, and the stars in the dots were as bright as thousands of stars in the night sky.

Sunrise and sunset, spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Mountains and rivers, vast lakes and marshes, heaven and earth and all things.

At this moment, the resilient spine of the mountains, the surging of the rivers and seas, the tiny yet tenacious tremors as the grass and trees sprout from the soil, and the boundless power of the subterranean fire hidden deep within the rocks...

Countless pulses, some powerful and some subtle, converged into a torrent, washing over his consciousness.

A part of him seems to have merged into this tangible universe.

The myriad phenomena and endless pulses of the world became an extension of his own will.

The operation of the Five Stars Pulse-Grasping Technique seemed to sense the change in the mind and spontaneously generated an unprecedented force of attraction.

Some kind of aura was surging towards him from the depths of his being.

"call--"

The aura was warm and calming, and an unprecedented sense of relaxation filled Song Yan's consciousness.

A long breath escaped his lips.

I do not know how long it has been.

The trajectories of the stars gradually faded away, the outlines of mountains and rivers slowly disappeared, and the aura of the sun and moon's rotation returned to tranquility.

With a slight thought, he slowly stopped the operation of the Five Star Pulse-Grasping Technique.

The mind slowly withdraws from that state of contemplation.

open one's eyes.

His eyes were clear and deep, sparkling with wisdom and containing divine brilliance.

Song Yan quietly looked inward at himself, sensing the changes in his consciousness.

"really……"

A surge of joy welled up inside me.

The strength of his divine sense was showing signs of increasing.

Today was just an experiment; if one practices visualization daily, one's spiritual awareness can advance even further.

Since obtaining the Yin-Yang Pearl, the strength of his divine sense has always been the foundation of Song Yan's cultivation.

Whether it's a sword formation that requires manipulating multiple flying swords or sword intent, both require extremely strong divine sense as support.

The benefits of having a strong spiritual sense are numerous.

His gaze returned to the ancient, golden page in front of him.

The chess score floated silently in the air, its crisscrossing lines and black and white pieces as cold and hard as ever.

But Song Yan's gaze towards it was completely different now.

He put it into his Qiankun bag, stood up, and walked to the window.

Outside, the scenery of Longtan Mountain after a fresh rain is breathtaking, with lush vegetation and drifting clouds.

After standing still for a long time, my mind gradually emptied, and the fatigue from cultivation slowly disappeared.

At this moment, his mind became extremely sharp.

The vague idea in my mind gradually became clearer and more uncontrollable.

"While steady and methodical cultivation is certainly reassuring, this may be the best opportunity right now."

"It only requires taking a small risk."

Song Yan's eyes flashed with an unprecedented sharpness. ...

The Hu family of Longtan Mountain, in contrast to the Yang family, is located on the southeastern slope of the Longtan Mountain range.

Now that the Yang clan has been wiped out, only this one family remains of the two major clans on Longtan Mountain.

The structure of the Hu clan's territory is very similar to that of the Yan clan in Beiya Mountain. The circular town at the foot of the mountain is where clansmen without spiritual roots live.

There were approximately 10,000 people, more than half of whom were members of the Hu family.

Just past midnight, most mortals had already turned off their lights and gone to sleep, with only a few houses still lit up.

The town was peaceful, and the mortals were oblivious to the conflicts taking place in the cultivation world.

Occasionally, children will stay up at night and look out the window.

But they saw many people in loose robes walking briskly up the mountain from all directions, passing through the town.

A dozen streaks of light flashed across the sky, flying straight up the mountain.

At the foot of the mountain stands the Hu Clan Ancestral Hall.

All the cultivators of the Hu clan have gathered here.

The atmosphere was cold and somber.

Hu Haotian was kneeling before the ancestral tablets, his eyes vacant and lifeless.

After their ostentatious exposure, the demonic cultivators simply drifted away.

Anyone could see that it was just a test or a cover-up.

It is true that the Yang family was destroyed, but so what?

The Hu family was abandoned here.

He lost his bet.

First, a Golden Core cultivator arrived to oversee the operation, simultaneously cleaning up the battlefield and verifying clues about the movements of the demonic cultivators, leaving no stone unturned.

He, Hu, could only stay here quietly and await being dealt with.

Outside the protective array of the Hu Clan Ancestral Hall, several streaks of light dissipated.

They were arranged around the top of the formation.

These were the Foundation Establishment cultivators left behind by the six major sects, as well as the Foundation Establishment cultivators from other small families within the Dragon Pool Mountains.

Needless to say, the six major sects were there to settle scores with the Hu family for their collusion with demonic cultivators.

For other small families in Longtan Mountain, this is a once-in-a-century opportunity.

The demonic cultivators wreaked havoc, the Yang family was destroyed, and the Hu family is about to be purged.

The weather on Dragon Pool Mountain is about to change tonight.

Song Yan was one of the dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators. He sat in the northeast direction, closing his eyes to rest.

Strangely, Song Yan had no sword case on his back and no Qiankun bag on his person.

Travel light and keep things simple.

All the Qi Refining stage cultivators who participated in the liquidation had arrived here and surrounded the Hu Clan Ancestral Hall.

"Hu Haotian".

The voice came from above, and Hu Haotian was startled.

I never imagined this day would come so soon.

The leader floating in the sky was a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator from Mount Suspended Sword.

"The Hu family colluded with the evil forces, wreaked havoc in Longtan, and caused immense suffering to the people."

“The evidence is irrefutable, and the crime is unforgivable. We have been ordered by our superior to cleanse the sect.”

His gaze was lowered, his eyes devoid of pity: "Do you... have anything to say in your defense?"

"Ah……"

Hu Haotian gave a weak laugh.

A defense?

At this point, there's no room for further explanation.

No matter how much he says, it's nothing more than his dying words.

"There is no such thing as sin, only the victor is king and the loser is villain!"

Hu Haotian, breathing rapidly, his body hunched, and his voice hoarse, looked up at the group of Foundation Establishment cultivators above.

His gaze swept over several of them, his teeth clenched.

"Chen family, Liu family, He family... As long as my Hu family is on Longtan Mountain, have we ever mistreated any of you three families!"

Of the three Foundation Establishment cultivators he mentioned, some remained silent, some frowned slightly, and some chuckled coldly.

Yet not a single person showed any sign of shame.

Hu Haotian made a very good point.

The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit.

But the Hu family is now known as "Kou".

“The cultivators of the Xuan Yuan Sect take whatever they want without giving us a single benefit. My Hu family also needs to make a living!”

"What exactly did we do wrong?!"

The Foundation Establishment cultivator from Suspended Sword Mountain remained expressionless, while the one from Xuan Yuan Sect frowned slightly.

"They never thought of working together, forming alliances, or conspiring against each other. They only wanted to please the Xuan Yuan Sect. The Yang family deserves to die!"

Hu Haotian's weathered old face instantly contorted into a ferocious expression, and his voice became hoarse.

Seeing the indifferent expressions of the cultivators in the sky, as if the lives of the Hu family and others were nothing more than turtles in a jar.

With a sudden flick of his sleeve, his disheveled and furious appearance transformed him from a clan leader into someone who looked like a madman.

"The Hu family is unyielding and will never bend!"

These poignant words actually stirred a death wish in all the Hu clan cultivators within the ancestral hall.

The atmosphere of despair, which had been one of waiting to be executed, suddenly transformed into a spirit of unyielding courage in the face of death.

However, the cultivator from Suspended Sword Mountain did not change his expression at all, and simply said in a soft voice: "Everyone, let's make our move."

"The Hu family of Longtan Mountain was wiped out, not even their chickens and dogs were spared."

As soon as he finished speaking, countless magical artifacts and spells shone like stars, radiating brilliance in the night.

The magical artifacts darted about, tracing arcs, and simultaneously attacked the protective shield of the Hu Clan Ancestral Hall.

That feeling of tragic grandeur only lasted for a moment.

Faced with such a massive attack, the fear of death loomed large.

Countless beams of light rained down outside the protective formation, creating ripples of spiritual light.

The magic array trembled slightly, but with the support of the spiritual power of the Hu family members within, it managed to withstand the attack.

Before the Hu family disciples could even rejoice, they saw the Xuan Yuan Sect cultivator in the sky casually point his finger.

The spiritual power belonging to the Foundation Establishment Realm surged forth without reservation.

A golden folding fan was tossed into the air, its golden light dazzling and its power unmatched.

It then transformed into a sharp rainbow, slashing towards the protective shield.

Besides him, the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Chen, He, and Liu families also made their moves one after another.

Three different Foundation Establishment Realm attacking auras came at once.

Seeing the Foundation Establishment cultivators take action, the Qi Refining cultivators became even more enthusiastic.

The other Foundation Establishment cultivators were also unwilling to waste time and began to attack together.

"Disciples of the Hu family, heed my command!"

Hu Haotian was also at the Foundation Establishment stage. While he and the other two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Hu family worked together to maintain the formation, he shouted loudly.

"Right now, we have reached a critical moment of life and death for the Hu family, which has lasted for thousands of years. We have nowhere left to retreat."

"Let's fight to the death!"

When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact.

Everyone knows this principle, and at this moment, there is indeed no way out.

Provoked once again, the Hu family members activated their magical artifacts and talismans, preparing for a desperate fight.

However, outside this formation, there was a fierce attack from more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The formation was not a high-level protective formation.

A moment later, the golden folding fan pierced a hole in the light barrier outside the magic circle.

The hole was very small.

However, the remaining parts of the magic circle quickly collapsed without resistance, just like ice and snow under the scorching sun.

Only now did the Hu family disciples inside the protective formation truly feel the suffocating spiritual pressure of the dozen or so Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators in the sky!
(End of this chapter)