The Three Teachings Converge into One: The Path of the Mortal and the Saintly is the Same

Poetry:

Soaring ten thousand miles to the Jade Capital, braving fierce winds and thunderous fires on a rugged path.

The Ruins of Return are so close yet they captivate the soul; do not say that the Heavenly Realm is always peaceful.

Meanwhile, Su Qingxuan, accompanied by four fairies, followed Kong Shen on a cloud, leaving Wenru Heaven and flying eastward.

The thirty-three heavens of the celestial realm are not simply stacked one on top of the other, but are distributed according to profound spatial laws, with invisible barriers separating each heaven.

The group traversed twenty-five heavens, and with each new heaven they passed, the surrounding scenery changed.

There was a fierce wind from the heavens, biting and piercing to the bone;

There was a raging storm of thunder and fire, burning mountains and boiling seas;

There is that eternal layer of ice and snow, a vast expanse of silver;

There, the vegetation is lush and vibrant.

The vastness and magnificence of the celestial realm, encompassing all things, left Su Qingxuan and the four fairies in awe.

During the flight, Kong Shen recounted the details of the Illusionary Demon Sea Trial.

"This Illusory Demon Sea is located deep within the 'Broken Boundary Mountain' on the edge of the Ruins of Return."

Kong Shen's expression was solemn as he pointed eastward, towards the faintly visible chaotic sky.

"Guixu is the rift between the three realms, said to be the place where Pangu separated heaven and earth."

The incomplete separation of the pure and turbid energies.

There, spacetime is chaotic, the laws are incomplete, and yin and yang are reversed.

It is the most bizarre and dangerous place in the Three Realms.

"And this Illusory Demon Sea is not a real sea, but a strange realm formed by the mixture of shattered spacetime, chaotic laws, and the thoughts of all living beings."

There is no real water in the sea, only 'illusory mist' that permeates it.

That illusory mist can reflect people's hearts, turning the desires, fears, and obsessions deep within into illusions that are difficult to distinguish from reality.

Even more terrifying, lurking within the illusory mist are the remnants of demonic creatures and bizarre beings that perished during the ancient demonic calamity, devouring the souls of cultivators—making them impossible to guard against.

Lin Wanqing asked softly, "Elder Kong, if it's so dangerous, why hold a trial and send disciples from various sects in the Heavenly Realm?"

Kong Shen sighed, "This is a last resort."

Although the Illusionary Demon Sea is dangerous, it is also a place of opportunity. Because it is close to the Ruins of Return, fragments of time and space often drift out from the depths of the Ruins of Return.

Among those fragments, there may be legacies and treasures left behind by ancient powerful beings, or primordial spiritual objects conceived at the beginning of the world.

There may also be jade slips or stone tablets containing records of lost Taoist practices.

Furthermore, the Illusionary Demon Sea may also contain fragments of the Heavenly Dao, allowing cultivators to comprehend the laws of the Heavenly Dao.

Throughout history, many great masters have achieved enlightenment and broken through their bottlenecks within the Illusionary Demon Sea.

He looked at Su Qingxuan: "More importantly,

The Illusionary Demon Sea is where we explore the Ruins of Return and approach the seal of the Demon Lord.

The only relatively "safe" passage.

The Celestial Venerable hopes that through this trial, you will become familiar with the environment of the Ruins of Return, preparing you for a future in-depth exploration of the Main Seal.

Su Qingxuan nodded: "Qingxuan understands. Danger and opportunity coexist; this is the nature of the path of cultivation."

Kong Shen added, "The trial will last for three months."

Within three months, you must survive in the Illusionary Demon Sea and collect as many 'Illusionary Sea Crystals' as possible.

It is a crystallization of a specialty of the Illusionary Demon Sea, containing pure spiritual power that can aid in cultivation and also serves as proof of trial ranking.

Ultimately, the quantity and quality of the collected Phantom Sea Crystals will be used to determine the outcome.

The ranking is determined by a comprehensive assessment of the intelligence gathered and its value.

The top ten will receive generous rewards from the ancestral temples of the three religions.

They will also have the opportunity to enter the secret realms of the three religions for cultivation.

Xiao Lingxi's eyes lit up: "Illusionary Sea Crystal? Sounds like a good thing. Elder Kong, are those crystals easy to find?"

Kong Shen shook his head: "It's no easy task. Illusionary Sea Crystals are born in places where the illusionary mist is thick, and are often guarded by powerful illusions or demons."

Furthermore, crystals themselves emit magical energy; if one is not careful,

The crystal seeker was misled by the illusion and suffered damage to his soul.

Furthermore, throughout the trials, people have fought and killed each other in the struggle for the Illusionary Sea Crystal.

Many, however, have had their resolve crumble due to illusions.

He paused, then solemnly instructed: "You five must remember three things:

First, uphold the Daoist principles.

The illusions of the Illusionary Sea are masters of psychological manipulation, amplifying your deepest fears and desires a hundredfold.

Especially the five of you... your bonds are deep.

The illusion is likely to start with your relationship.

They create illusions of misunderstanding and betrayal to sow discord among you.

Remember! No matter what you see or hear,

One must always use one's own conscience as a mirror and not blindly trust others.

Secondly, do not be greedy for credit.

The Illusionary Demon Sea is vast and boundless; three months may seem like a long time, but in reality, it passes in the blink of an eye.

If one blindly pursues the quantity of Illusionary Sea Crystals and ventures into dangerous territory, one riskes being trapped in a desperate situation. One should proceed according to one's capabilities and advance steadily.

Thirdly, be wary of people's hearts.

Kong Shen's voice lowered, his eyes revealing caution and worry.

"The participants in this trial are mainly disciples of the three religions, with the remainder being disciples from various forces in the Heavenly Realm, totaling no less than a thousand."

With so many people, things become more complicated. I'm certain that there are some people arranged by the conservatives among them.

Especially Yu Xiaozi, Fa Yan, and Meng Xingjian, they suffered a great loss at the Dharma assembly and will definitely not let it go.

Fighting is forbidden in the Illusionary Demon Sea, the only rule is "no intentional killing," but if someone dies "accidentally," who can say for sure?

You must be careful, stay vigilant, and don't easily trust others. And especially, don't be alone.

The five men looked solemn and said in unison, "We will remember Elder Kong's instructions."

As they were speaking, the scene ahead suddenly changed.

The once clear sky was suddenly shrouded in an endless, dark gray mist. The mist remained still, as if it had existed there since time immemorial.

At the edge of the fog, distorted spatial ripples are faintly visible, forming a huge black hole. Light that enters it is swallowed up and no reflection is seen.

Before the fog, a majestic mountain peak floated.

The mountain was entirely black, as if it had been scorched by flames, barren of all vegetation, with only jagged rocks. The summit had been leveled, transforming into a hundred-mile-long plateau.

Hundreds of figures had already gathered on the platform.

They were divided into dozens of camps, clearly distinct from one another.

"We've arrived at Broken Boundary Mountain, the entrance to the Illusionary Demon Sea."

Kong Shen descended from the clouds, and the group landed on the edge of the platform.

As soon as I landed, I felt countless eyes on me.

There was curiosity, scrutiny, apprehension, and undisguised hostility.

Su Qingxuan remained expressionless, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.

Silently keep the major powers in mind.

At the center of the platform, the leaders of the three ancestral temples had already arrived.

The Confucian school was personally visited by Yan Wen;

The Taoist sect is a disciple of the Grand Master Xuandu, known as "Mingxu Zhenren";

The Buddhist monk was a disciple of Upati, known as "Lu Zhi Luohan".

Apart from Yan Sheng, both of them possessed late-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal cultivation and extraordinary bearing.

He is currently resting with his eyes closed, waiting for the trial to begin.

Surrounding the ancestral temples of the three religions are the leaders of various major forces in the celestial realm.

The "Hundred Flower Fairy" under the Queen Mother of the West in Yaochi, dressed in colorful clothes, surrounded by the fragrance of flowers;

Sirius, the Star Lord under the command of Emperor Gouchen, wields black armor and a long sword, his murderous aura soaring to the heavens.

The two generals under Zhenwu the Great are the Tortoise and the Snake, one steady and the other agile.

In addition, there are representatives from factions such as Dan Ding Sect, Prajna Academy, and Juxian Academy, as well as many small and medium-sized forces.

Su Qingxuan paid special attention to the north corner of the platform.

Yu Xiaozi, Fa Yan, and Meng Xingjian gathered together.

He was followed by dozens of disciples. These disciples had a composed aura and a restrained glint in their eyes, clearly all of them were among the best of their generation.

Yu Xiaozi was speaking in hushed tones with an old man in black robes.

The old man had a sinister face, and his cuffs were embroidered with a blood-red skull symbol.

Su Qingxuan recognized it; it was the symbol of the "Blood Fiend Sect."

He was a notorious evil cultivator in the Heavenly Realm, specializing in the Blood Refining Demon Art, and was despised by the righteous path.

"The Blood Fiend Sect has also arrived?" Su Qingxuan frowned slightly.

Kong Shen said in a low voice: "Although the Illusionary Demon Sea Trial is presided over by the three religions,

However, it did not prohibit other sects from participating.

Furthermore, the heretical forces are deeply entrenched in the Celestial Realm, with numerous followers. Even though they are despised by the orthodox sects, they are still a force to be reckoned with, and their lineage is quite ancient.

Moreover, the Illusionary Demon Sea is a lawless zone, where unorthodox techniques can be surprisingly effective against illusory demons in certain ways. They are uniquely favored and hold a significant advantage in the Illusionary Demon Sea.

However... it's probably not a good thing that Yu Xiaozhi is involved with the Blood Fiend Sect.

You need to be especially careful.

The old man in black robes, whose Daoist name was "Blood Bone True Man," possessed the cultivation of a late-stage Golden Immortal. He practiced the "Blood Bone Demonic Art," which allowed him to transform into blood mist and condense bone weapons—a technique that was both bizarre and ruthless.

As they were talking, Yu Xiaozi seemed to sense something and turned to look.

Their eyes met.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and a sneer curled at the corner of his mouth. He then looked away and continued talking to Blood Bone Master.

Xiao Lingxi whispered, "Young Master, they are definitely plotting against us."

Chi Ying gripped his spear tightly: "Those who dare to act recklessly will be wiped out one by one!"

Su Qingxuan shook his head slightly: "We must not underestimate our enemy."

In the Sea of ​​Illusions, open attacks are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against; we must be doubly careful.

Just then, on the central platform, Yan Wenqing's clear voice resounded throughout the entire arena: "The time has come. The Trial of the Illusionary Demon Sea begins."

About to start.

As usual, let me reiterate.

His gaze swept over the more than a thousand cultivators below the stage, and his voice turned stern:

"The trial lasts for three months, and the rankings are determined by the quantity and quality of the collected 'Phantom Sea Crystals' and the value of the intelligence gathered."

Fighting is forbidden during the trial, but intentionally causing death is strictly prohibited. Anyone who violates this rule will be punished by all three religions!

"The Sea of ​​Illusions is fraught with danger, teeming with illusions and lurking with demons. Those who enter bear the consequences of their own actions."

A special reminder: all trial cultivators must be below the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. If any cultivator from any sect is found to have infiltrated the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm, the three ancestral temples will unite to exterminate them.

We will get to the bottom of this.

That's all I have to say. If anyone wishes to withdraw now, it's not too late.

The entire room fell silent; no one left.

Those who have come here are all elites from various factions, with firm resolve, and would never back down in the face of battle.

There wouldn't actually be any powerful immortals out there who would dare to take advantage of the chaos.

After all, offending the ancestral temples of the three religions is not a worthwhile deal.

Yan Wen nodded: "In that case, the trial shall begin."

Please enter the Illusionary Demon Sea in turn.

Three months from now, regardless of the outcome, we must return to this place.

Those who fail to return by the deadline will have all their achievements invalidated and will be considered to have failed the exam!

He raised his hand and waved it, and the dark mist at the edge of the platform suddenly churned violently.

A crack hundreds of feet high appeared.

Within the crack, gray mist billowed, and bizarre, fantastical scenes could be vaguely seen flashing by—

There are shattered palaces, upside-down mountains and rivers, wailing ghosts, and dazzling aurora borealis.

An aura of chaos, eeriness, and allure.

It was seeping out from the cracks, a sight that sent chills down my spine.

"Go!" Master Mingxu commanded.

Immediately, some cultivators could not contain themselves and transformed into streams of light, throwing themselves into the crack.

However, they were all quite cautious and traveled in groups of three or five.

Within moments, hundreds of cultivators had entered.

On Yu Xiaozi's side, dozens of disciples, led by Yu Xiaozi, also flew into the crevice.

Before leaving, Yu Xiaozi gave Su Qingxuan a deep look, his eyes like those of a venomous snake, cold and sticky.

Kong Shen said to Su Qingxuan, "You should go too. Remember, safety first. I will be here waiting for your return in three months."

Su Qingxuan bowed and said, "Take care, Senior Brother."

He turned to look at the four women, and they all nodded, their eyes full of trust and determination.

The five people rode on the clouds and transformed into five streams of light, which plunged into the gray mist crack.

Upon entering, the surrounding scenery seemed to spin around you.

The rules of heaven and earth are different from those of the outside world; space and time are disordered, and reality cannot be distinguished.

The gray mist seemed to have a life of its own, enveloping everything from all directions, penetrating the protective aura, and drilling straight into the body and the sea of ​​consciousness.

Su Qingxuan hurriedly circulated the mental cultivation method of the "Spring and Autumn Annals," and the golden elixir in his dantian began to rotate.

It emitted a clear light, blocking the gray mist from entering.

The four women each used their own methods.

Lin Wanqing uses "WenHua Cloud" for protection.

Xiao Lingxi had a jade gourd wrapped around his body.

Xiao Lingyue was enveloped in Buddhist light on her "Eight Treasures Lotus Platform".

The Crimson Tassel "Mysterious Heaven Battle Cloud Boots" forced the gray mist apart with their battle aura.

However, the gray fog is all-pervasive, and even when blocked from the outside, its chaotic and eerie aura still affects the mind.

Su Qingxuan felt his mind filled with a jumble of thoughts, and memories of his past came flooding back—

He studied diligently in his youth, traveled the world, fought in the imperial court, conquered the Western Regions, and ascended to the heavens...

Images flashed before my eyes, so real they seemed almost tangible.

Even more so, those hidden emotions and fears deep within one's heart are stirring restlessly.

He bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain clearing his mind, and he shouted:

"Cultivate your resolve on the path, and do not be misled by illusions!"

The four women each used their own methods to calm their minds.

Lin Wanqing's Spring and Autumn Annals records the noble spirit of the Three Ones.

Xiao Lingxi took a "Phenomenon-Breaking Pill".

Xiao Lingyue silently recited the Great Brahma Mantra.

The Crimson-Tasseled Four Symbols Demon-Slaying Spear displays three-colored spear light.

After a while, the dizziness and hallucination gradually subsided.

The five of them looked closely and found themselves in a bizarre and fantastical world.

The sky was dark red, without sun or moon, only distorted bands of light fluttering like colorful ribbons.

The earth was shattered, with countless fragments of land of varying sizes suspended in the air.

Some are upside down, some are tilted, and some are slowly rotating.

Between the land and the sky lies a bottomless abyss of void.

Occasionally, a strange black shadow would flit by.

In the distance, the gray fog stretched like a sea, its waves rising and falling. Strange shadows appeared and disappeared within the fog, emitting eerie whispers, cries, and maniacal laughter.

The air was filled with chaotic fluctuations of laws.

Sometimes gravity reverses, requiring one to use internal energy to stabilize their body;

Sometimes space folds, and a single step could take you to a place a hundred feet away;

Sometimes time flows at an abnormal speed, sometimes as fast as lightning, sometimes as slow as a snail.

"Is this... the Sea of ​​Illusions?"

Xiao Lingxi's eyes widened, both shocked and wary.

Su Qingxuan unfolded the jade slip given to him by Kong Shen and probed it with his divine sense.

The map of the Illusionary Demon Sea recorded in the jade slip roughly matches the scenery of this place.

However, there are many differences in the details—

Obviously, the terrain of the Phantom Sea is constantly changing, and old maps can only be used as a reference.

"We should now be located on the outer edge of the Illusionary Demon Sea—the 'Shattered Wasteland'."

Su Qingxuan determined the location based on the records on the jade slip.

"This place is relatively safe, with a thinner mist, making it the starting area for most trial participants."

But that's not our goal; we need to go deeper.

Phantom Sea Crystals are mostly found in areas with dense Phantom Mist.

He pointed southeast: "According to the map, a thousand miles to the southeast, there is a 'Bewitching Mist Forest' with a moderate concentration of illusionary mist. It should produce illusionary crystals, and the danger is relatively controllable, making it suitable for our initial exploration."

The five immediately rode the clouds and flew southeast.

The further in you fly, the more bizarre and fantastical it becomes.

On some fragments of land, strange flowers that emit a ghostly blue light grow, and the center of the flower seems to have eyes that move around.

There are dilapidated palace ruins floating in the void, with faint sounds of string and wind instruments emanating from them;

A gray mist condensed into a giant human face, which opened its mouth to suck in a passing creature;

In another place, time flowed extremely fast, and a patch of weeds went through dozens of cycles of withering and flourishing before everyone's eyes.

After flying for about a thousand miles, the gray fog ahead gradually thickened.

Suddenly, sounds of fighting and screams came from the fog.

The five slowed their pace, concealed their presence, and quietly approached.

On a floating landmass, three cultivators were fighting a group of monsters formed from gray mist.

The monsters resembled humans, but had no faces, only a huge mouth, long and thin limbs, and moved in a strange manner, making a "hoho" sound.

"It's 'Mist Spirit'!" Su Qingxuan whispered.

According to the jade slip, the Mist Demon is one of the most common demonic creatures in the Illusionary Demon Sea. It is formed by the combination of illusionary mist and the remnants of living beings. It has no intelligence and only knows how to attack living beings. It prefers to feed on souls.

A single Mist Demon is only equivalent to a late-stage Earth Immortal, but they often appear in groups and can use the illusionary mist to conceal their forms, making them difficult to defend against.

The three cultivators, two men and one woman, were dressed identically.

He should be a disciple of a small or medium-sized sect.

Their cultivation levels were all at the early stage of Celestial Immortal, and they were already struggling to defend themselves against the siege of hundreds of Mist Demons.

A male cultivator was accidentally scratched on the arm by the claws of a mist demon. No blood flowed from the wound, but wisps of gray smoke rose from it.

The male cultivator's eyes immediately became unfocused and his movements slowed down, clearly indicating that his soul had been damaged.

"Senior brother!" another male cultivator exclaimed, trying to rush forward to help, but was entangled by several mist demons.

The female cultivator gritted her teeth, made a hand seal, and summoned a bronze mirror, its light shining on the mist demon.

The mist spirit, illuminated by the mirror's light, froze, its gray mist churning but failing to dissipate. The female cultivator's face turned pale, clearly indicating her magic power was failing.

Su Qingxuan hesitated for a moment, then said to the four women, "Save them."

As fellow cultivators, to stand by and watch someone die is against one's conscience.

Moreover, being new to the Illusionary Demon Sea, their understanding of this place is still limited.

Rescuing people might also yield some information.

Chi Ying, who could no longer contain himself, brandished his spear upon hearing this: "Young master, please wait a moment, Chi Ying will be right back!"

She moved like lightning, her Demon-Slaying Spear gleaming with three-colored light as she plunged into the battle.

Where the gun passed, the mist and spirits scattered.

These mist spirits, though strange, are not very powerful.

Under the Demon-Slaying Spear, wielded by a late-stage Crimson-Tassel Celestial Immortal and empowered by the true meanings of the Three Teachings...

As fragile as paper.

In just a few breaths, all of the hundred-plus mist spirits dissipated.

It turned back into pure gray mist.

The three cultivators, having escaped death, were both surprised and delighted, and hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects.

"Thank you so much, fairy, for saving my life!"

Chi Ying sheathed his spear and returned the greeting, saying, "It was nothing."

"Which sect are you from? What brings you here?"

The female cultivator respectfully replied, "The three of us are disciples of the Qingfeng Temple."

Upon first entering the Illusionary Demon Sea, I intended to collect some Illusionary Sea Crystals on the outskirts, but I accidentally wandered into this place and was ambushed by the Mist Demons.

"If it weren't for the fairy's rescue, I might have met with certain death."

As she spoke, she looked at Su Qingxuan and the other three who were approaching.

Seeing Su Qingxuan's extraordinary demeanor, and the other three fairies' unique charm, and with their cultivation levels unfathomable, they felt even greater awe.

Su Qingxuan said gently, "The Illusionary Demon Sea is dangerous. Your cultivation is still too shallow, so it is not advisable for you to go too deep. You can operate on the outer perimeter and proceed slowly."

The female cultivator smiled wryly: "Senior, you are unaware of this."

The Phantom Sea Crystals in the outer areas had long been looted by the early entrants.

We searched for a long time without finding anything, so we flew deeper into the area. We had just arrived here when, unexpectedly, we encountered…

Su Qingxuan and the four women exchanged glances, all seeing the seriousness in each other's eyes.

It seems that the competition in this trial is fierce, and the surrounding resources are almost exhausted.

To obtain enough Illusionary Sea Crystals, one must venture into dangerous territory.

After a moment's thought, he took out three "Three-in-One Heart-Cleansing Pills" refined by Xiao Lingxi.

He handed the pill to the three men, saying, "This pill can calm your mind and spirit, and resist the influence of illusions. Take it and leave this place immediately to find another place."

The three were moved to tears, bowed repeatedly in gratitude, took the elixir, and hurriedly departed on a cloud.

After the three had walked away, Xiao Lingxi sighed, "It seems that the Illusionary Sea Crystal is not easy to find."

"Young master, shall we go directly to the Bewitching Mist Forest?"

Su Qingxuan nodded: "Only in this way."

However, we must be more careful. While individual Mist Spirits are weak, their presence here indicates that the concentration of the illusory mist is increasing, suggesting the possibility of even more dangerous monsters.

The five continued onward, becoming increasingly cautious.

Sure enough, the further southeast they went, the thicker the fog became, and visibility dropped to less than 100 meters.

More and more strange sounds came from the fog, sometimes like a woman crying, sometimes like children laughing, and sometimes like the low growl of a beast. They all came from all directions, making it difficult to determine their location.

Suddenly, faint lights appeared in the fog ahead, twinkling like stars.

"It's the Illusionary Sea Crystal!" Xiao Lingxi exclaimed in a low voice, her eyes sharp.

Everyone stared intently, and saw that ten feet away,

Dozens of crystals are scattered on a sloping piece of land.

The crystals varied in size, some as large as a fist and others as small as a thumb. They were completely transparent, with colorful halos flowing inside, radiating pure spiritual energy.

The gray mist around the crystal was exceptionally thick, almost condensed into a liquid state.

"Be careful, there must be guardians around the Illusionary Sea Crystal," Su Qingxuan warned.

He extended his divine sense and carefully investigated.

Sure enough, three mist spirits lurked in the shadows of that land.

But these three mist spirits were different from those seen before; they were larger, and the gray mist was more solid.

His facial features were vaguely visible, and his aura was comparable to that of a mid-stage Golden Immortal.

Even more worrying is the land beneath the crystal,

It seemed to be hiding something, emanating a chilling aura.

"Three mid-stage Golden Immortal Mist Spirits, and a late-stage Golden Immortal 'Earth Devouring Insect' is hidden underground."

Su Qingxuan made his judgment. The jade slip described the Earth Devouring Worm as another common demonic creature in the Illusionary Demon Sea. It resembles a giant earthworm, can burrow underground, has sharp mouthparts, feeds exclusively on the flesh and blood of living beings, and has extremely high resistance to physical attacks.

"How do we fight?" Chi Ying asked eagerly.

Su Qingxuan pondered for a moment and then devised a tactical plan:

"Wanqing, use the Spring and Autumn Annals to write the Three Ones Righteous Qi to seal the underground and prevent the Earth Devouring Insects from escaping."

Lingxi, you attacked with the true fire of the three religions, and the Mist Demon feared the fire.

Lingyue, with the aid of the Great Compassion Light of the Three Teachings, purify the gray fog and weaken the fog demon.

Chi Ying, you and I will act according to the circumstances.

Remember, act quickly and decisively; don't prolong the conflict.

The four women nodded and took their places.

Lin Wanqing took out the Spring and Autumn Annals Brush and wrote the character "镇" (zhen, meaning town/suppress) in mid-air.

As the character "镇" (town) fell and imprinted itself on the land, that piece of land instantly shimmered with tricolor light.

A sharp hissing sound came from underground, indicating that the insect-eating worms were temporarily trapped.

Xiao Lingxi summoned the Purple Cloud Furnace. The lid opened, and the true fire of the three religions surged out, transforming into three fire snakes that rushed towards the three mist demons.

The misty demons shrieked, and the gray fog churned, trying to extinguish the flames, but the true fire of the three religions is especially effective against evil spirits; how could it be easily defeated?

As the flames touched her, the gray mist on the Mist Demon's body quickly melted away.

Xiao Lingyue clasped her hands together and chanted a divine incantation.

A great radiance of Buddha light shone from behind his head, the three rays of Buddha light illuminating the entire void. Wherever it shone, the gray mist quickly dissipated like ice and snow meeting the sun. The mist demon, enveloped in the Buddha light, moved sluggishly, its malevolent aura greatly diminished.

"Watch out!" Lin Wanqing exclaimed.

The ground suddenly cracked open, and a dark red giant worm, as thick as a water bucket and more than ten feet long, burst out of the soil.

The insect had no eyes, only a ring-shaped mouthpart filled with sharp teeth, making it ferocious and terrifying.

It had been suppressed by the word "suppress," and now it was bathed in the light of Buddha. It howled in pain, but its ferocity was unleashed, and it opened its mouth to swallow Lin Wanqing, who was closest to it.

"You beast, how dare you!" Chi Ying shouted, her spear like a dragon, thrusting straight at the mouthparts of the earth-devouring insect.

The three energies of the spear tip condensed, transforming into a spiraling force that penetrated the insect's mouth.

The earthworm, in pain, twisted its body and swung its thick tail, which swept across, creating a gust of wind.

Su Qingxuan flashed to the insect's side, drawing his Gentleman's Sword.

The sword emitted a chaotic light and slashed down.

This sword strike embodies the true meaning of the unity of the three religions; it appears ordinary, yet its sharpness is unparalleled.

As the sword flashed, the Earth Devouring Insect's tough outer skin tore like paper, leaving a deep wound from which dark green blood spurted.

The earthworm screamed in agony, writhing wildly, trying to burrow back into the ground.

But at this moment, the character "镇" written by Lin Wanqing merged with Xiao Lingyue's great compassionate Buddha light, making the land as hard as iron. When it crashed into it, it only caused the earth to shake, but it could not escape.

Xiao Lingxi split into two fire snakes, one to entangle the earth-devouring insect, and the other to pounce on the three mist demons.

Under the scorching heat of the three religions' true fire, the mist demon howled and collapsed, and the earth-devouring insect was also burned until it was charred on the outside and tender on the inside, sizzling and gradually becoming still.

Three Mist Demons and one Earth Devouring Insect were all annihilated!

The surrounding gray mist gradually thinned, revealing the dozens of Illusionary Sea Crystals.

The five people stepped forward, and Su Qingxuan carefully examined the crystal with his divine sense to confirm that it was genuine.

Fang carefully placed the Illusionary Sea Crystal into the ancestral brocade box (now he realized that this box was a spatial treasure).

There are a total of 32 pieces, five of which are the size of eggs and of excellent quality.

"A resounding victory in the first battle," Xiao Lingxi said happily.

Su Qingxuan, however, looked solemn as he gazed at the corpse of the Earth Devouring Insect:

Something's not right...

Earthworms typically lurk deep within the earth, are adept at ambushing, and rarely attack proactively.

Wanqing had just suppressed and sealed it away, yet it attacked on its own initiative, and its ferocity and rage far exceeded any records. And those three mist spirits... seem to be being controlled.

Before he finished speaking, the surrounding gray fog suddenly churned violently, rolling like boiling water.

A dense rustling sound came from the fog, as if countless things were crawling.

Immediately afterwards, countless scarlet lights lit up from all directions—

Those were pairs of eyes.

"It's a swarm of earth-devouring insects! And mist spirits too!" Xiao Lingxi exclaimed.

From within the gray fog emerged countless earth-eating insects, some as thick as an arm.

The larger one is twice as thick as the previous one, and there are no fewer than a hundred of them!

The sky was filled with fog, which gathered like clouds and was countless in number, probably numbering in the thousands!

These monsters had bloodshot eyes, filled with rage and slaughter, unlike the previous, muddled monsters.

Even more bizarrely, all the monsters moved in an orderly fashion, subtly forming a formation that surrounded the five people.

"We've been tricked!" Su Qingxuan realized instantly.

"Those three Mist Spirits and Earth Devouring Insects were bait, deliberately revealing themselves to lure us into attacking. The real killing blow is this swarm of insects and the tide of Spirits!"

Someone is controlling these monsters!

Holding a crimson spear horizontally, his killing intent soaring to the heavens: "Who is it? Show yourself!"

From the depths of the gray fog came a chilling laugh: "Su Qingxuan, didn't expect this, did you?"

We meet again so soon.

What kind of desperate situation will the young master and the four women face?

To be continued!

It is:

The crystalline light lures the enemy, revealing its frosty edge; the swarm of phantom insects grows even more ferocious.

Who plotted against me with a smile that concealed a dagger? The clouds parted, and blood blossomed red across the broken boundary.