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

Poetry:

A gray mist, dark purple and flowing, a malevolent aura, bone-corroding, and demonic whispers.

The five spirits unite to open a path to life, and sword energy soars into the sky, breaking through obstacles.

After leaving the Echo Valley rift, Su Qingxuan and his group of five used their concealment techniques to silently flee towards the Southeast Mist Abyss.

The deeper one goes into the misty abyss, the more bizarre the surrounding scenery becomes.

The gray fog was so thick that it couldn't be dispersed.

Interspersed among them were wisps of dark purple light, darting about like venomous snakes.

A sense of oppressive unease permeated the air.

The laws of space are also more disordered, with gravity sometimes reversed.

Occasionally, a silent void rift would flash by.

It requires extreme caution to avoid.

In addition, there were all sorts of indescribable murmurs constantly ringing in my ears.

It was a mixture of crying and laughing, as if countless living beings were groaning in despair.

If the five of them had not been enlightened at this moment, and had not been protected by the spiritual light of the Three Treasures and the Five Elements Returning to One, they would have been tempted by the illusion and fallen into eternal damnation.

"The illusionary power and negative emotions here are intertwined and have become materialized, making their corrosive power far greater than that of the surrounding areas."

At this moment, Lin Wanqing held the Spring and Autumn Annals Pen, the tip of which exuded righteous energy, transforming into a faint golden halo that enveloped the five people.

Keep out those pervasive, obscene ramblings and negative emotions.

"Ordinary celestial cultivators, without powerful protective treasures, would probably not last more than an hour here."

Xiao Lingxi used her divine sense to probe her surroundings, her brows furrowing slightly:

"Hidden within the fog are numerous natural illusion arrays and spatial traps, and even more... the presence of life."

Neither human nor demon, but rather like strange, monstrous creatures born from the turbid air of this place combined with illusionary power.

Before she could finish speaking, the thick fog ahead suddenly churned violently, and several dark figures pounced out like lightning.

The monster resembled a giant lizard, but had no physical form; its entire body was formed from viscous black mist and dark purple illusory light.

It spews out gray gas that can erode the soul.

With each swing of its claws, it could manipulate space, creating subtle ripples, clearly demonstrating a certain spatial talent.

"It's a 'Nightmare Lizard'! It devours the souls of living beings; watch out for its breath and claw attacks!"

Xiao Lingyue chanted the mantra in a low voice: "Om Mani Padme Hum".

The Buddha's voice was like a lion's roar, the sound waves rippled outwards, and circles of gentle yet resilient golden light spread outwards.

The gray mist, upon touching the Buddhist chant, immediately emitted a hissing sound and melted away like snow being poured into boiling water.

Chi Ying snorted coldly: "Playing tricks!"

With a flick of the Demon-Slaying Spear, the military aura solidified into a tangible substance.

Transforming into a roaring crimson dragon, it charged first into the horde of demons.

Gunfire streaked across the battlefield, each strike carrying the sharp power to tear through space.

The first few Nightmare Lizards were crushed to pieces.

The black mist dissipated, but it did not completely disappear; instead, it showed signs of re-condensing not far away.

"This thing is a product of the laws of this place, and a condensation of negative emotions accumulated over the years. It is difficult to destroy without thoroughly purifying its core demonic thoughts."

Su Qingxuan saw it clearly and raised his hand to summon the Mountain and River Seal.

The Mountain and River Seal spun and rose into the air.

At this moment, the four ancient Taoist characters "山河永镇" (meaning "Mountains and Rivers Forever Guardian") appeared on the bottom of the seal.

A golden light shone brightly, and an incomparably profound and world-shaking aura descended with a thunderous roar.

The churning black mist and the demonic thoughts attempting to reunite were instantly sluggish and stiffened under this suppressive force, as if they were being pressed down by an invisible mountain.

Seeing this, Lin Wanqing raised her Spring and Autumn Brush and made a few strokes in the air, her brush moving like dragons and snakes. One by one, golden runes shining with righteous energy leaped into the air.

It is the "Righteous Qi Cleansing Demon Talisman" secretly transmitted in the "Spring and Autumn Annals".

The runes fell and imprinted themselves on the remains of the demons that had been suppressed by the Mountain and River Seal, instantly igniting pure white flames that completely incinerated the demonic thoughts within them.

Xiao Lingxi also activated the Purple Cloud Furnace, which spewed out the Three Ones True Fire.

It transformed into a vast net of fire, working in conjunction with Lin Wanqing's runes to indiscriminately purify the area.

Xiao Lingyue kept chanting the "Six-Syllable Mantra".

The chanting of Buddhist hymns continuously protects the minds of all, while the resounding chants help to dispel demonic influences.

The five worked together seamlessly, each displaying their extraordinary abilities.

In just a short while, the group of attacking Nightmare Lizards was wiped out, leaving not a trace of demonic energy behind.

Su Qingxuan reached out and beckoned to the spot where the several completely purified Nightmare Lizards had vanished.

Several fist-sized, deep purple crystals, with what appeared to be nebula-like inclusions inside, were captured.

"This is the higher quality 'Purple Marrow Illusionary Sea Crystal'."

Su Qingxuan sensed the pure and immense spiritual power within the crystal, as well as a strange fluctuation that seemed to allow him to glimpse fragments of the laws of heaven.

"It is indeed much stronger than the ordinary Illusionary Sea Crystals on the outside."

It is of great benefit to our understanding of the laws of Heaven and the tempering of our souls.

He distributed the crystals to the four women, and after a short rest, they continued on their way.

The further you go into the heart of the Misty Abyss, the more powerful and bizarre the monsters you encounter become.

There is a "Dream Weaver Spider" that can weave dreams and lure people into their trance.

There is a ghost-like being called "Soul-Eating Shadow" that specializes in attacking the weaknesses of the soul.

There is also the "Rock Golem," which is enormous, incredibly strong, and has thick skin.

These monsters often travel in groups.

They either ambush and launch surprise attacks or launch direct assaults, and they are fearless in the face of death.

This caused considerable trouble for the five people.

However, it was precisely in this continuous, high-intensity battle and in dealing with various unpredictable attacks that...

The tacit understanding between the five reached an unprecedented level.

Su Qingxuan orchestrated the operation from the center, using the power of the Three Treasures to suppress the entire scene.

Sometimes he would use the Gentleman's Sword to unleash chaotic sword energy to launch surprise attacks on powerful enemies.

Lin Wanqing then used the Spring and Autumn Annals pen to write the evolutionary runes.

It can trap enemies, bless, or purify; its uses are endless.

Xiao Lingxi's True Water and Elixir Fire, and Xiao Lingyue's Buddhist Light and Sound.

One side attacks, the other defends; they complement each other perfectly.

The red tassel will always be the sharpest spearhead.

The vanguard strikes, breaking through enemy lines and slaying generals.

The power of the Three Treasures is perfectly combined with the Five Elements Formation, achieving seamless integration of offense and defense.

They can often find a glimmer of hope in seemingly perilous situations and win the battle.

Their harvest was also quite substantial.

They not only obtained dozens of extremely high-quality Purple Marrow Illusionary Sea Crystals.

They even found a small pool of "Ten Thousand Years of Azure Stone Milk" in a natural grotto protected by a powerful illusion array.

This milk is formed from the spiritual energy of the celestial and terrestrial veins, and the special laws of the Illusionary Demon Sea, after tens of thousands of years of sedimentation.

A single drop can clear the mind and brighten the eyes, and stabilize the spirit.

It has remarkable effects on resisting illusions and repairing hidden injuries to the soul.

Each of the five people took a few drops and immediately felt refreshed.

The fatigue from days of fierce fighting vanished, and his divine sense became even more acute.

"Young master, there seems to be intense fluctuations in spiritual energy, and... the sound of fighting, about a hundred miles ahead?"

As they were walking, Xiao Lingyue suddenly stopped and listened intently.

With her enlightened mind, her "divine hearing" improved further.

They are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in energy and emotions.

Su Qingxuan focused his mind and sensed it.

Sure enough, they sensed the booming sounds of colliding magical forces coming from ahead.

And faint shouts and screams, interspersed with a trace of sword energy fluctuations.

"Another sword cultivator? And his sword intent is upright and righteous, not demonic or heretical."

Su Qingxuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let's go take a look, but be on guard."

The five concealed their presence and quietly approached.

We passed through a thick wall of fog, so thick that we could barely see our own hands.

The view before me suddenly opened up.

This is a relatively open valley, where a fierce battle is currently taking place.

One side consisted of more than ten cultivators, who, judging from their attire and aura, belonged to the same sect.

But at this moment, they formed a somewhat hastily arranged defensive formation.

Everyone was injured and looked terrified.

They are being besieged by an enemy force several times their size.

The attackers were dressed in a mixed style.

However, his actions were ruthless, and his magical artifacts were sinister, clearly indicating that he was an evil cultivator.

Interspersed among them were several figures shrouded in black robes, whose auras were quite similar to those of the Seven Kill Pavilion assassins who had been previously wiped out.

And the core of the besieged cultivators.

A young swordsman in a green robe fought fiercely.

His swordsmanship was exquisite, his sword aura was awe-inspiring, and he carried an indomitable and righteous spirit.

He was clearly following the same path as Chu Yunfan of the Qingyun Sword Sect.

He held a blue ancient sword in his hand, its light shimmering.

Each swing of the sword produced a clear, resonant sword sound, forcing back the evil cultivators who rushed forward.

However, his face was pale and his breathing was uneven, clearly indicating that he was at his last gasp.

He had several deep wounds on his body, the bone visible, and his robes were stained red with blood.

Beside him were two or three fellow cultivators who were desperately protecting him, but they were also in grave danger.

"It's Chu Lingxiao from the Azure Sword Sect!"

Lin Wanqing gasped softly, recognizing the swordsman.

Both the Azure Nether Sword Sect and the Azure Cloud Sword Sect belong to the righteous sword sects.

In the celestial realm, they are of the same lineage and share the same teacher.

Due to historical reasons, they were divided into two sects, but both originated from the Qingyun Continent.

The Azure Sword Sect has no prior enmity with the Three Ones Palace.

Furthermore, there was a subtle tendency to support Trinity Palace on previous issues concerning conservatives.

Chu Lingxiao is also one of the best young talents in the Qingming Sword Sect, and is known for his chivalry.

Seeing this, Su Qingxuan was somewhat speechless!

"This is just old wine in new bottles, exactly the same thing!"

"The conservatives are still following this approach."

This scheme is not only aimed at us, but also at other righteous disciples who might be in our way or close to the Sanyi Palace.

Su Qingxuan thought of the sword cultivator Chu Yunfan from before, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He saw that among the attackers were several evil cultivators who were setting up some kind of array on the outside that isolated auras and distorted space.

Clearly, they intended to trap and kill these righteous disciples here without leaving a trace.

"Young master, should we save him or not?" Chi Ying gripped his spear tightly, his fighting spirit rising.

Su Qingxuan did not answer immediately. His gaze swept across the battlefield, and he sensed the surrounding environment.

The terrain here is relatively enclosed, and the fog has been somewhat dispersed by some force, but the deeper parts remain shrouded in mist.

Among those evil cultivators, at least three possessed the aura of the mid-stage Golden Immortal, similar to the Seven Kill Pavilion assassins from before.

The rest are mostly in the middle to late stages of the Celestial Immortal realm.

Of the Qingming Sword Sect members who were besieged, only Chu Lingxiao still had considerable fighting power; the others were barely holding on.

Su Qingxuan carefully transmitted his voice to the four women:

"Benevolence arises from righteousness, while harm arises from self-interest!"

"save!"

Su Qingxuan made a decisive decision.

"Chu Lingxiao is renowned for his chivalry, and the Qingming Sword Sect is a friend, not an enemy."

To help those in need is the duty of a spiritual practitioner, not something motivated by self-interest.

Moreover, the more the conservatives try to eliminate dissidents, the less we should let them succeed.

"This place is a gathering place for evil cultivators; it's the perfect opportunity to clip their wings!"

"Gentlemen, let us advance in accordance with the Five Elements and break through the enemy with the force of thunder."

After rescuing Chu Lingxiao and the others, do not linger in battle; finish the fight quickly!

"Yes, sir!" the four women replied in unison.

The next moment, the five people stopped concealing themselves.

The Five Elements merged into one, radiating brilliant light, transforming into a dazzling five-colored stream of light, like a meteor from outer space, crashing fiercely into the battlefield!

Su Qingxuan took the lead.

The Mountain and River Seal hangs high above, its thick golden light cascading down like a waterfall.

In an instant, it enveloped several evil cultivators who were attacking Chu Lingxiao's flank.

Those evil cultivators felt a sudden heaviness around them, as if they were carrying mountains on their backs, and their movements immediately slowed down several times over.

Before they could react, Chi Ying's spear light pierced through them like a poisonous dragon, its tip radiating battle aura, instantly penetrating their chests.

Lin Wanqing used the Spring and Autumn Annals style to interpret the story.

Several enormous "定" (ding) characters form golden chains, crisscrossing each other.

This temporarily trapped several evil cultivators on the left who were attempting to form an array.

Xiao Lingxi's Purple Cloud Furnace spewed out raging Trinity True Fire, transforming into a wall of fire that blocked the reinforcement route of the evil cultivators on the right.

Xiao Lingyue's chanting of mantras emitted a Buddhist light that was as gentle as a spring breeze and nourishing as spring rain.

It quietly enveloped the wounded Chu Lingxiao and his fellow disciples.

The gentle yet resilient Buddhist power quickly stabilized their injuries and dispelled the evil energy that had invaded their bodies.

This sudden influx of new forces, and their immediate and coordinated attack, was so swift and effective.

This immediately reversed the situation on the battlefield.

Caught off guard, the evil cultivators were thrown into chaos.

The three evil cultivators, all at the mid-stage of the Golden Immortal realm, were both shocked and furious.

One of them shouted angrily, "Who are you, daring to meddle in the affairs of the Yin Sha Sect!"

The other person stared intently at the Mountain and River Seal above Su Qingxuan's head and the magical treasures in the hands of the four women.

A flicker of greed and suspicion flashed in his eyes:

"It's Su Qingxuan! They really came! Set up the Blood Fiend Soul Refining Array to trap them!"

However, Su Qingxuan would not give them the chance to set up their formation at their leisure. In a flash, he appeared in front of Chu Lingxiao.

The Gentleman's Sword's chaotic sword energy pierced the sun like a rainbow.

He directly struck a late-stage Celestial Immortal evil cultivator who had rushed close, sending him flying backward and spraying blood across the sky.

"Brother Chu, can you still hold on?" Su Qingxuan asked in a deep voice.

At the same time, he struck out with his backhand, infusing it with powerful chaotic magic, transforming it into a giant palm that knocked away several sinister magical artifacts that came from the side.

Chu Lingxiao had already given up hope, but then he saw strong reinforcements arrive from the sky, and his spirits immediately lifted.

He forced one of his opponents back with a swing of his sword, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and gritted his teeth, saying:

"I'm not dead yet! Thank you for your help, Palace Master Su!"

"Be careful! The elders of the Yin Sha Sect are skilled in combined attacks and using corrupted magical artifacts!"

"It's alright." Su Qingxuan's tone was calm, yet it carried a reassuring confidence.

With a thought, he connected with the souls of the four goddesses.

In an instant, the five people's auras became one, and the spiritual light of the Three Treasures and the power of the Five Elements Formation erupted.

"A new beginning, the Three Treasures suppress demons!"

The Mountain and River Seal, the Spring and Autumn Annals, and the Bodhi Spirit Wood all shone brightly at the same time.

The three colors of spiritual light intertwined, transforming into a huge three-colored light wheel that slowly rotated.

Within the halo, the mountains and rivers of the nation faintly appear, the writings of sages flow, and the chanting of Buddha echoes.

A powerful, majestic, and all-encompassing aura of Taoism enveloped the entire valley.

The so-called Blood Fiend Soul Refining Array had just begun to glow with a scarlet light.

Pressed down by the three-colored light wheel, it immediately let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain, and the array patterns shattered inch by inch.

All the evil cultivators, including the three leaders who were at the mid-stage Golden Immortal level, were under the pressure of this Daoist aura.

They were all shaken to their core, their magical power was sluggish, and their evil skills were severely suppressed.

"Impossible! What kind of magic weapon is this? What kind of formation is this?"

An elder of the Yin Sha Sect cried out in alarm, his eyes filled with fear.

His answer was a spear flashing like lightning, its red tassel gleaming in the wind.

Lin Wanqing's rune rain contained the righteous energy of the Three Kingdoms.

Xiao Lingxi's Trinity True Fire, which incinerates all things,

And Xiao Lingyue's Buddhist chanting that struck straight to the soul.

Su Qingxuan stepped forward, sword in hand, his chaotic sword energy surging and domineering...

Each sword strike possesses a weight and sharpness akin to the creation of the world.

Having lost the support of the formation, and being severely restrained by the power of the Three Treasures.

The evil cultivators suffered a crushing defeat.

Seeing that things were not going well, the three leaders tried to escape.

However, Su Qingxuan used the Mountain and River Seal to freeze the void, and then the Five Elements Return to Formation surrounded them.

In the end, the five of them joined forces and unleashed a devastating attack, killing the Golden Immortal!

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, all the evil cultivators were killed.

Only the heavy smell of blood and the gradually dissipating evil aura remained in the valley.

Chu Lingxiao and the few surviving Qingming Sword Sect disciples were dumbfounded.

They fought desperately for a long time, suffering heavy casualties, but were on the verge of death.

These five people who suddenly appeared swept away the powerful enemy with such overwhelming force.

Their perfect teamwork, the wonder of their magical weapons, and their overwhelming strength far exceeded their expectations.

"Many thanks to Palace Master Su and all the fairies for saving my life!"

Despite his injuries, Chu Lingxiao led his fellow disciples in a solemn bow to Su Qingxuan and his group of five.

His tone was full of gratitude and admiration.

"If you hadn't arrived in time, we would have been killed today."

Su Qingxuan raised his hand in a gesture of support: "Brother Chu, there's no need for such formalities. We both belong to the righteous path and should work together to eliminate evil spirits!"

This place is not safe to stay. They are ambushing you here, and they will surely have other plans.

Your injuries are quite serious; it would be best to leave the Illusionary Demon Sea as soon as possible.

Chu Lingxiao shook his head with a wry smile: "I'm afraid... we've already been targeted, and it won't be easy for us to leave."

We previously discovered a hidden cave, which seems to be related to a powerful being who perished here in ancient times.

The entrance to the cave is protected by extremely strong restrictions.

We intended to explore, but somehow our word got out, attracting these evil cultivators to ambush and kill us.

They seem to be either going to kill us to silence us, or they're going to force us to go to that cave.

Su Qingxuan exchanged a glance with the four women.

A cave dwelling associated with ancient powerful beings?

This may be another reason why the conservatives set up an ambush here.

"Where is the cave dwelling?" Xiao Lingxi asked.

Chu Lingxiao pointed in a direction deeper into the misty abyss:

"About three hundred miles from here, there is a cliff shrouded in natural illusion arrays and spatial turbulence, and the entrance to the cave is located below the cliff."

We discovered it by chance, having triggered a spatial rift.

But something seems off there.

As we approached, we faintly sensed an extremely unsettling evil aura, originating from the same source as the demonic energy of this Illusionary Demon Sea, yet far more refined and ancient.

An anomaly in the Guixu Seal? Su Qingxuan's heart stirred.

When he resonated with the Three Treasures earlier, could the source of that evil aura he sensed be nearby?

"Brother Chu, are you still able to move? If you trust me, why don't you take us to investigate?"

Since you are still recovering from your injuries and we are already thinking of you, you might as well follow behind us so that we can look after you.

"We'll make further plans after we've thoroughly investigated the connection between that cave and the evil aura."

Su Qingxuan suggested.

He vaguely felt that the cave might be related to the Guixu Seal, or even to the deep-seated schemes of the conservative faction.

Chu Lingxiao hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement:

"Brother Su's kindness is beyond repayment, and I am willing to lead the way. However, that place is indeed dangerous, so please be careful."

The members of the Azure Sword Sect took a short break to regulate their breathing and then took medicine to treat their injuries.

Immediately, Su Qingxuan and his group of five, guided by Chu Lingxiao, quietly made their way to the cave on the cliff.

As they went deeper, the surrounding fog became increasingly dark, gradually turning pitch black.

The dark purple light that had been swimming around turned dark red, like congealed blood.

That chilling, malevolent aura became increasingly clear.

It was as if some ancient, ferocious creature was slowly awakening in the depths of darkness.

What Su Qingxuan didn't know was that it wasn't long after they left that battle valley.

A blurry black figure, hidden in the distance and almost blending into the mist, quietly crushed a communication jade talisman.

Somewhere in the misty abyss, on a hidden altar that had been temporarily set up.

Ling Yunzi looked at the shattered jade talisman in his hand, and the image that returned to him—

Su Qingxuan and his four companions swiftly annihilated the evil cultivators, rescued Chu Lingxiao, and headed towards the cliff.

Instead of anger, a cold and smug smile appeared on his face.

"They've taken the bait..."

Su Qingxuan, Su Qingxuan, no matter how talented you are, and with the Three Treasures protecting you, this time I will still make you perish under the Demon Lord's resentment!

Master Fayan, Fellow Daoist Meng, you may now activate the 'Nine Netherworld Demon-Summoning Array'.

"We must lure them, along with that brat from the Azure Sword Sect, into a deadly trap!"

Fa Yan and Meng Xingjian exchanged a glance, both seeing the ruthlessness and determination in each other's eyes.

Behind them, dozens of sinister-looking cultivators simultaneously cast spells.

He poured immense magical power into the altar beneath his feet.

The intricate magical patterns carved on the altar lit up one by one, emitting a faint black light.

An invisible wave began to spread silently.

Under the dark light, Yu Xiaozi stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with venom and ruthlessness.

It subtly resonated with the evil aura emanating from the depths of the misty abyss...

It is:

The battle of Qingming, aided by a swift and brutal attack, has ended; a secluded cave hides a treacherous scheme.

Where the jade talisman shattered, dark clouds gathered; the Nine Netherworld Demon Array locked the returning boat.