Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 772 Orthodox and Unorthodox Cultivators

This is the true path of spiritual cultivation.

In the hands of an enlightened person, magical power is never a simple accumulation of energy, but rather an understanding and practice of the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

If cultivating the Tao is merely a matter of numerical waves, then what is the point of thousands of years of meditation and enlightenment?
True spiritual practice is the carefree state of "being friends with heaven and earth and roaming with all things"; it is the enlightenment of "introspecting one's own nature and having clear energy channels"; it is the transcendence of "breaking through delusion and attaining enlightenment, and seeing the true nature"; it is the mystery of "using talismans and alchemy to follow the laws of heaven and earth"; and it is the freedom of "being carefree beyond worldly affairs and playing in the human world".

In comparison, the Yin-Yang Dharma King's clumsy imitation of the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra is as laughable as a child's scribbles.

It only saw the power of the Bodhisattva's image, but did not understand the true meaning of "great compassion" behind the scriptures.

This superficial reversal is nothing more than turning the compassionate vessel for saving the world into a weapon that harms people, losing both the true meaning of Buddhism and the foundation of spiritual practice.

The ultimate goal of spiritual practice and seeking enlightenment is to understand one's true nature, not to compete and fight.

"boom--"

A strange hum resounded between heaven and earth; the greatest sound is silent, the greatest form is formless. At the moment starlight collided with the Dharma realm, a dazzling torrent of light and shadow burst forth.

The Dao of Life and Death Gap attached to the Yin-Yang Dharma Realm is indeed profound and far-reaching, but under the ever-changing erosion of the Big Dipper Star Power, the defense began to crumble layer by layer.

The starlight contains the most profound Taoist view of life and death—life is a constant cycle of birth and death.

Life is as fleeting as morning dew, but death is not the end. As Zhuangzi said, "Life is a temporary sojourn, death is a return." Life and death are merely two aspects of an eternal cycle, like the alternation of day and night, and the turning of the seasons.

Under the influence of this level of influence, the very foundation of the Dharma Realm began to crumble.

The mysteries of life and death that the Dharma King regarded as the foundation of his existence appear so shallow in the face of the true Dao.

"Click——"

With a crisp cracking sound, the seven starlight beams suddenly solidified, transforming into a dazzling chain of stars that completely pierced through the outer defenses of the Dharma Realm.

The colossal city, spanning five hundred miles, trembled violently amidst the roar, the chains continuing their relentless advance deeper into the city.

Starlight flowed through the streets and alleys like a living thing, leaving its mark wherever it passed:
The bluestone pavement turned into flowing stardust, the dark city walls shimmered with silver light, and the gloomy palaces were draped in starlight.

The entire Yin-Yang realm is being assimilated by starlight, gradually transforming from a gloomy ghost city into a dazzling starry secret realm.

The Dharma King was horrified to discover that the foundation he had painstakingly built over thousands of years was being redefined by a higher level of spiritual attainment.

Starlight shimmered at Bai Suzhen's fingertips, yet a hint of surprise stirred within her—

The Yin-Yang Dharma King's strength was far inferior to what she had expected.

She originally thought that a demon who could span the Yin and Yang realms and possess a 500-mile-long Dharma realm should at least have some real skills.

Unexpectedly, after he had only used 70% of the power of the Big Dipper Formation, his opponent was already struggling to defend himself.

"I was overthinking it..." she sighed softly, the starlight at her fingertips shining even brighter.

After all, it was Xu Xuan who emphasized this point and used a lot of resources to deal with the demons, so it's normal to respond with a higher level of preparedness.

In reality, the orthodox sect's prodigies were tactically misled by Xu's past experiences.

In the path of cultivation, both talent and lineage are indispensable.

Although the Yin-Yang Dharma King has lived for thousands of years, he has always been trapped in the superficial realm between life and death.

Like a frog at the bottom of a well, thinking it has seen the whole sky, but in reality it has not even touched the edge of the road.

Bai Suzhen cultivated under the tutelage of the Old Mother of Lishan when she was young. The Old Mother taught her not only magic, but also the profound principles of heaven and earth.

The move "Big Dipper's Death" is the culmination of countless days and nights of contemplation on the movement of stars; the move "Milky Way's Fall" embodies a profound understanding of the cycles of nature.

This Dharma King, who has lived for thousands of years, only knows how to superficially reverse Buddhist scriptures, forcibly turning the Dharma of compassion into a technique of killing.

Such methods are like a child swinging a sledgehammer in the face of true orthodox Taoist teachings—they have the form but not the spirit.

"In the end, she's just a rogue cultivator from the mountains..." She shook her head slightly, the final incantation forming at her fingertips. Starlight, like an inverted Milky Way, completely engulfed the entire Dharma Realm.

At this moment, the difference between orthodox and unorthodox methods is fully revealed.

The Yin-Yang Dharma King suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, his face contorted horribly.

He never expected that before he had even made a move, his opponent had already seen through his true intentions.

“In the underworld, that bald monk Ruoxu is blocking our way, and in the mortal world, we are ambushed like this…” The Dharma King gritted his teeth and trembled all over. “Truly, there is no way to ascend to heaven and no way to descend to the underworld!”

"Heavens above! What deity have I offended that would want to harm me like this?!"

He had completely lost the boss-like demeanor he had when he performed in the city; instead, he resembled a resentful little devil on the street.

In the face of life and death, there was no time to think; a frantic struggle began.

The entire five-hundred-mile-long megacity writhed violently, its walls twisting and deforming. Countless swords, spears, and halberds burst forth from the bricks and stones, slashing towards the seven star chains. Furthermore, countless strands of life-or-death power were unleashed, instantly causing the Dharma realm to resound with the deafening clang of metal against metal.

The Dharma King currently holds two major advantages: firstly, the vast scale of the five-hundred-mile Dharma Realm, and secondly, the unpredictable power of the Gate of Life and Death.

Bai Suzhen, on the other hand, has the advantage of prior intelligence and overwhelming cultivation through orthodox practice.

This was supposed to be a protracted tug-of-war, and it wouldn't be surprising if it lasted for months.

But the Yin-Yang Dharma King grew increasingly fearful—he had already encountered two ridiculously strong opponents in a short period of time, and what if a third one appeared…

"Enough!" He gritted his teeth, a fierce glint in his eyes. "A drastic measure is better than total annihilation!"

He immediately channeled all his magical power, causing the entire giant city to tremble violently and desperately plummet towards the yin-yang gap below. The city walls sparked blindingly as they scraped against the void, and the cracking of bricks and stones produced a teeth-grinding sound.

"Want to go?"

Bai Suzhen snorted coldly, her slender hands suddenly gripping the seven star chains. Instantly, snow-white scales appeared on her arms, her pupils transformed into sharp vertical pupils, and her demonic power surged like a tide.

At this moment, he no longer concealed his true demonic form, revealing the full power of his millennia of cultivation.

"Leave it here!"

With a shout, she tensed her arm muscles and single-handedly pulled the falling giant city back up.

Her slender figure stood in stark contrast to the five-hundred-mile-long city, yet she unleashed astonishing power.

This is the true essence of cultivation—magical power. Magical power not only has profound Taoist methods, but also the power to subdue dragons and tigers!

If that shameful Xu Bailian were to see this, she would surely panic. If she were to be punched by those slender arms, there would definitely be splattered all over the ground.

The Yin-Yang Dharma King had already sensed this power beforehand and was utterly horrified when the city was firmly locked in place.

As the starlight chains tightened, the entire Dharma Realm began to groan in unbearable pain.

One step wrong, step by step wrong.

If we could take a desperate gamble and charge towards the human settlement, we might be able to capitalize on their fear of harming us and find a way to turn things around.

Even if they manage to hold out for several dozen days, they might still have a chance to survive given the prevailing trend of the Tao declining and the demons rising.

Only by running away could he truly fall into a desperate situation.

The regret in my heart has already brewed a bitter cup.

Strange, why am I so unwise?

The Yin-Yang Dharma King wailed inwardly, while simultaneously sensing a slight discord.

But things have come to this point, and even if the sunk costs are huge, we have to save our lives.

As the saying goes, "Where there's life, there's hope."

When the Black Mountain Demon was thrown out of the Sixth Great Prison, he was in a terrible state. Now, he has found his inheritance in the outer sea and made a triumphant return.

They've made quite a splash.

Why can't I, the Yin-Yang Dharma King, do it!
Having mentally prepared itself, it roared:
"I will not let you get away with this!!!"

"Crack! Click!"

Seven loud bangs followed, and the city walls at seven key points in the Dharma Realm collapsed.

The Yin-Yang Dharma King reluctantly abandoned these seven foundations, like a gecko shedding its tail to survive. The city's main structure, now without support, finally broke free from its constraints.

Looking at the city, which was less than a hundred miles away, he felt like crying but had no tears left.

Only now do I truly understand what it means to have my heart ripped out—the Yin-Yang Dharma Realm is his true form, he is the soul of the entire five-hundred-mile-long giant city.

Now that he has severed seven of his foundations, it's as if a mortal has had seven arms forcibly cut off. His cultivation level has plummeted by more than half, even falling to the third realm, from a dignified overlord of the underworld to the level of an ordinary ghost king.

"puff--"

He spat out another mouthful of black blood, and the Dharma King, his face contorted with rage, unleashed his last bit of power.

The ruins of the city tumbled in the space between Yin and Yang, forcefully breaking free from the shackles of the star chains.

In his final moments before fleeing, he gritted his teeth and violently threw Xiaoqing and the others out of the Dharma Realm.

At this point, they finally realized that these outsiders must have been the ones who led the white-clad villains to this ambush.

It's infuriating that I, who have traversed the realms of Yin and Yang for thousands of years, have suffered such a great loss in this matter.

He glared at everyone's faces through gritted teeth.

and many more!

What happened to the monk's body?

In that split second, a sharp clanging sound of chains rang out!
"Crash-"

Several crimson chains, as red as blood, appeared out of thin air and coiled around the Dharma King's broken body like venomous snakes.

What terrified him most was that the other end of the chain was held by the monk who should have been "dead long ago"—Xu Xuan!
"You...you're not dead?!" The Dharma King was utterly horrified, his voice trembling.

Xu Xuan smiled and tugged at the chains, showing no trace of his death: "Surprised? Unexpected?"

While the Mysterious Light of Life and Death is indeed powerful, the Ksitigarbha Sutra pasted on my chest is also genuine.

It was personally given by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva; it is the best of the best.

Afterwards, with the help of Xiaoqing's visualization method, he continuously used the White Lotus Descent Sutra to direct Qilicha to constantly guide the other party's mindset. The combination of these methods was equivalent to giving the Dharma King a mind-degrading aura.

So don't be fooled by Xu Xuan's limited screen time; he's been doing a lot behind the scenes.

Now that the outcome is decided, he is to collect his spoils.

Considering that there were too many eyes watching this place, he used the chains of karmic fire to bind the Yin-Yang Dharma King and plunge them together into the chaotic gap between Yin and Yang.

The two figures flickered between reality and illusion, and in the blink of an eye, they were swallowed up by the surging gray mist and completely disappeared from everyone's sight.

Xiaoqing was a little worried, but not much.

Qilicha didn't care about such things at all.

Bai Suzhen... Why do we never see Xu Xuan use his ultimate skill to kill powerful enemies?
(End of this chapter)