Journey to the West: Starting with the True Lord of the Pure Land

Liu Yizi made hand seals with his fingertips and muttered incantations.

With each finger strike, the stream in the valley seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, splitting into strands of crystalline water essence that intertwined in the air, transforming into endless streams of pale blue sword-shaped water light.

These water swords slowly swirled and swam around key points in the valley, their energy interconnected, forming a [Flowing Light Water Sword Array] that covered an area of ​​hundreds of feet in radius.

This formation is derived from the protective formation of the Xuan Guang Sword Pavilion. It was passed down by a Golden Core ancestor of the Sword Pavilion who was proficient in formations. Its main purpose is to trap and harass the enemy.

Liu Yizi cast his final spell into the formation, and the sword array shimmered and quietly disappeared, merging with the surrounding water vapor, seemingly as if everything were normal.

Liu Yizi stroked his long beard, nodded slightly, and spoke to the group of inner disciples behind him in a gentle yet proud voice:

"I have been immersed in the art of array formations for over a hundred years. By setting up this array and utilizing the water veins in the valley, its power should be increased by 30%. Dealing with ordinary early Foundation Establishment cultivators will be a piece of cake."

Now that the Pavilion Master is about to break through his cultivation barrier, this Spirit Orchid can serve as a gift for him to form his Golden Core, and is a superior grade for tempering his natal sword embryo. It must not be lost under any circumstances!

The disciples of the Sword Pavilion responded in agreement.

Liu Yizi's worries lessened somewhat, and he began to explain the intricacies of the formation to his disciples, speaking eloquently and quite self-satisfied.

Liu Yizi was unaware that this was before his Flowing Light Water Sword Formation was fully formed.

Deeper into the clouds, three dark array flags, concealed by the mist and water, have silently embedded themselves into three nodes on the outer perimeter of Thousand Needle Valley.

The banner was buried without any great brilliance. The dark gold lightning patterns flickered almost imperceptibly for a moment, subtly drawing upon the earth's yin lightning energy, which combined with the clouds in the sky to form an invisible restriction.

This restriction, though not outwardly visible, is like an invisible giant net, quietly enveloping the entire Thousand Needle Valley and completely isolating the internal and external energies.

The Lesser Heavenly Cloud Thunder-Forbidden Banner has already been laid out, awaiting only its activation.

Unaware of what was happening, Liu Yizi in the valley continued to explain the essence of the formation to his disciples, his voice carried faintly on the wind, exuding an air of confident wisdom.

Chen Jiao stood quietly on a cloud-shrouded peak outside the valley, his gaze calm, devoid of sorrow or joy.

The struggle for the Great Dao is a matter of life and death, as it has always been.

……

For three days, the light within the valley flowed continuously, while the mountain wind outside remained unchanged.

Occasionally, the roars of demonic beasts would drift from the distant mountains, or the auras of a few low-level rogue cultivators would sweep by, but none of them knew that beneath the calm surface lay hidden killing intent.

The third day, at dusk.

As the sun sets, its last rays blew like blood.

The valley fell into an unusual silence, even the sound of the babbling brook seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force.

In the center of the depression, the three-leaf sword heart orchid moved without wind. Its three narrow and straight leaves trembled slightly, and a cold glint suddenly appeared at the tip, flickering uncertainly, and even emitted a faint clanging sound like the soft hum of a sword blade.

The surrounding spiritual energy suddenly stirred, converging towards it like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, forming a pale golden vortex visible to the naked eye!

Within the vortex, an incomparably sharp sword intent spread out, piercing the skin with a painful sting.

"The time has come! Disciples, each perform your duties and operate the great formation with all your might!"

Liu Yizi suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with a burning light, and shouted sharply.

The disciples of the Sword Pavilion also looked solemn, each forming sword incantations and pouring their own magical power into the formation without reservation.

The Flowing Light Water Sword Formation shone brightly, with water and sword shadows intertwining like a curtain, tightly sealing the increasingly violent sword intent and spiritual pressure within the formation, trying its best to conceal the extraordinary phenomenon of this spiritual object of heaven and earth.

However, how could the signs of the Three-Leaf Sword Heart Orchid's maturity be completely concealed by a mere Foundation Building Formation?

Just as the golden energy in the valley reached its peak, and the three leaves were about to completely transform into golden jade.

"call out!"

A sharp, piercing sound suddenly came from the sky.

It moved with incredible speed, carrying a violent, demonic wind, and hurtled straight towards Thousand Needle Valley!

It was a black-feathered eagle demon with wings as black as iron and eyes as red as blood, and its aura had clearly reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Clearly, it was a demon king from the nearby mountains, startled by this strange phenomenon of sword intent. With a flap of its wings, it arrived in an instant, intending to seize the spiritual treasure!

"How dare you, you beast!"

Liu Yizi was both shocked and furious. He shouted and commanded his sword. A dazzling and magnificent water sword shot into the sky from the formation, heading towards the eagle demon.

Almost at the same time, the earth rumbled to the west of Thousand Needle Valley.

A massive, thick-skinned, tusked wild boar demon smashed through countless trees, spewing foul stench as it charged toward the depression!

The Sword Pavilion disciples were thrown into disarray. They had never seen anything like this before; at most, they had only killed minor demons.

Liu Yizi's face was ashen. He dared not relax and activated the great formation with all his might, splitting it into a hundred water swords to attack the two demons. He cursed angrily, "Damn beasts!"

Above the valley, amidst the clouds, Chen Jiao's gaze remained calm. The appearance of the eagle demon and the pig demon was not unexpected.

All things in heaven and earth have their own destiny and fate.

He observed the situation calmly, like the most patient hunter, waiting for the perfect moment.

Liu Yizi's temples were damp with sweat, and his internal magical power poured out like a flood, maintaining the operation of the Flowing Light Water Sword Formation.

Under the relentless attack of the two Foundation Establishment demon cultivators, the array's light barrier swayed violently, showing signs of weakening.

The eight disciples behind him looked even more panicked, their sword techniques scattered, and they could only hold their ground, having no power to fight back.

Liu Yizi, his hair disheveled, said loudly:

"Fellow Daoists, my Xuan Guang Sword Pavilion is determined to obtain this item!"

I have studied formations for a long time, and holding off the two of you for a day or two is no problem! Once reinforcements from your sect arrive, it will be the time when both of you are annihilated!

Don't make a mistake. Retreat quickly now, and we'll forgive and forget!

The Three-Leaf Sword Heart Orchid burst forth with golden light, its sword intent soaring to the heavens, its exotic fragrance permeating the air, causing the two demons outside the formation to become even more agitated.

Liu Yizi cursed inwardly, thinking, "They are indeed two stubborn and incorrigible demons who don't know their own mortality when they see a spiritual object."

Suddenly, strange phenomena occurred.

The originally thin clouds suddenly gathered, transforming into a huge vortex of dark thunderclouds that slowly rotated and enveloped the surrounding area.

An invisible yet powerful sealing force suddenly descended, like the sky collapsing, instantly locking down the entire Thousand Needle Valley.

The next instant, three enormous, dark purple lightning bolts crashed down from the clouds without warning, forming a triangle and striking the three leyline nodes on the outer edge of Thousand Needle Valley with pinpoint accuracy.

Where the lightning bolt struck, there was no earth-shattering explosion, but it disappeared into the earth, transforming into intricate and mysterious dark golden lightning patterns that instantly spread out.

Minor Heavenly Cloud Thunder Banquet, activate!

The eagle demon and the pig demon, who were originally violently charging at the Flowing Light Water Sword Formation, suddenly crashed into a patch of purple-black thunder clouds.

They were immediately forced back by the formation, their eyes filled with shock and confusion, and they could no longer sense the alluring aura of the spiritual plants in the valley.

Inside the formation, Liu Yizi and his disciples were terrified. They felt a sudden heaviness around them, as if they were sinking into quagmire. Their magical power suddenly became sluggish, and their connection with the spiritual energy of the outside world was severed.

"What happened?"

"Uncle Liu, it seems we're trapped."

"Master! The sword formation... the sword formation has malfunctioned!"

The disciples were bewildered and panicked.

Although Liu Yizi was trapped in the formation, he felt somewhat at ease.

Having immersed himself in the art of array formations for 120 years, he considered himself to have exceptional knowledge. Although he was surprised by the sudden appearance of this array, he was not afraid.

"Who is this expert who has set up this formation? Do they intend to make an enemy of my Xuan Guang Sword Pavilion?"

He shouted loudly, trying to intimidate those hiding in the shadows in the name of his sect, while his divine sense surged out like a tide.

They wanted to investigate the structure of this strange, suddenly appearing formation, find its core, and use it to turn the tables.

However, the moment his divine sense touched the cloud and thunder barrier, it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, instantly shattered and swallowed by a deep and violent terrifying aura.

Liu Yizi's expression changed slightly. He was unwilling and tried to activate the remaining water element in the valley to connect with the earth veins, but he found that the spiritual energy of this place had already been completely locked up by the cloud and thunder formation.

All his efforts were like an ant trying to shake a tree—futile and in vain.

At that moment, a bone-chilling cold instantly shot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and Liu Yizi's face turned deathly pale, devoid of any color.

He gasped in shock, his voice trembling with disbelief:

"Who is this master... with such skill in array formations?"

The grade of the array flags is secondary; the key lies in the terrifying level of expertise of the person who set up the array.

Compared to this senior, the Flowing Light Water Sword Formation he set up was simply child's play!