A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 154 The Five Colors of the Mysterious Gate

After Master Tianfang finished speaking, the opposite peak fell silent.

The six people stood there quietly, their twelve eyes revealing an incredibly strange gaze. They seemed to want to get angry, yet also felt it was absurd, both amusing and unable to laugh freely.

Their hempen clothes and snow-white hair fluttered in the wind, yet they remained as still as the strange rocks around them, covered in ice and snow. The only sound on the entire peak was the raging wind and snow.

It wasn't until Master Tianfang crossed the precipice and the flowing, scattered crimson flames invaded this snowy area that the sixth of the six monsters suddenly burst into tears.

This cry was truly a bolt from the blue, earth-shattering. The sound of it startled the surrounding snow, causing it to swirl up like a wave of mist that crashed into the flickering fireworks.

The sixth brother sat down on the ground, rubbed his eyes with both hands, and cried in a very unpleasant way.

The number one monster shouted sternly, "Why are you crying?"

"Brother, I regret it."

The Sixth Old Monster cried out, "You know, we've lived in seclusion for so many years, thinking we were detached from worldly affairs, untouched by vulgarity, and enjoying our own pleasures. We were living like immortals!"

"Now I realize we're not gods at all, we're practically beggars!!"

The second old monster was the tallest, and his voice boomed like thunder: "What nonsense are you spouting? How do you distinguish between a god and a beggar?"

The Sixth Old Monster sat on the ground, raised his hand and pointed at the Heavenly Immortal: "Immortals, after all, have a reputation that has been passed down. They are either respected or feared. The older they live, the deeper their fame becomes. Even if they are hidden in obscure old books and unknown to the public, they can still be used as a way for later generations to show off their obscure knowledge. They are more unique than those famous immortals."

"And us... look at him, look at him! We're not even dead yet, and this young man treats us like we're dead. How can he be called a god? He's just a beggar."

"Oh dear, I'm so sad, so very sad!"

The sixth old monster beat his chest and stamped his feet. As he spoke, he reached into the thick snow, groped around haphazardly, and squeezed clumps of snowflakes until they were as hard as stones. He then stuffed them into his mouth, crunching and cracking them with a loud chewing sound.

His cheeks bulged as he chewed on the ice and snow, and he raised his eyes, tears already frozen into icy marks beneath them, his gaze fixed intently on the Heavenly Immortal.

The more you look, the louder you chew; the louder you chew, the more intensely you look.

"Sixth Brother, stand up!"

The second old monster clenched his fist and slammed it onto the ground.

The summit was originally covered in snow. If an average person stood here, they would sink in up to their knees. If someone bent over and punched hard, they would easily sink up to their shoulders.

The second old monster's punch only left a fist imprint two or three inches deep, but strangely, it had an unstoppable force that reverberated through the loose snow.

The summit is covered with countless strange rocks, some as small as a person and others as large as a carriage. They are all deeply embedded under the snow and ice layers and connected to the soil and rocks on the mountaintop. Even the smaller ones are deeply rooted and cannot be moved without the force of tens of thousands of kilograms.

But after the second old monster threw this punch, more than a dozen ancient rocks of various sizes around them were shaken off the snow and bounced into the air, about a foot off the ground.

The Sixth Old Monster's body shot up several feet high with a whoosh.

The third monster's voice was strange and grating. He laughed out loud, and with a single grab, an invisible force, sweeping across the vast distance and swirling with wind and snow, seized the sixth monster, shouting, "Sixth, have you ever seen a weeping and wailing deity? It's too shameful!"

"They look down on us, but you look down on yourself too? Go and expose their boasting in one fell swoop, then we'll join forces and beat them to tears."

The Fourth Old Monster tore open his shirt, exposing his chest to the wind, and laughed, "I heard that the Wuwei Divine Sword of Laojun Mountain can turn qi into ink, and the five colors of the ink are colorful. It's perfect for painting. When the time comes, let him respectfully draw a picture for us and record what happened today. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

The Fifth Old Monster said in a sinister tone, "When drawing this little Taoist priest, be sure to draw him with a red nose, a face full of pockmarks, and two missing front teeth. Six old immortals should be depicted drinking wine, raising their cups to invite the moon, lying in the wind and snow, and using white deer as pillows!"

The Sixth Old Monster, suspended in mid-air, shouted, "Well said! Shall I go first?"

The others exchanged glances and said in unison, "Go!!!"

The Third Old Monster swung his right hand forcefully, as if throwing a meteor from afar, slamming the Sixth Old Monster's body towards Tianfang Zhenren.

The Sixth Old Monster was in a hurry. Just as he was about to crash into Tianfang Zhenren, he suddenly changed his posture, gliding upwards, raising his right sword finger high, and spinning around.

The hundreds of wisps of cold air from the surrounding rocks and snow were drawn by his power, rising from all directions and converging on his figure, forming a rising vortex.

And at the center of the vortex of cold air is that increasingly gleaming point at the tip of the sword.

In the vast white expanse of heaven and earth, it was as if an ice-blue star had appeared, dazzling and rising slowly.

Then, it suddenly plummeted.

The punch that the second old monster threw earlier, although it was thrown in anger, actually only used 30% of his strength. It was the first move in a battle between experts, a way of testing the waters.

Now, the Sixth Old Monster is unleashing his full power in this move.

"The Heavenly Flow, the Frozen Sky Sword Falls!!!"

The flames around Master Tianfang had withered away. He looked up at the sword, his arms outstretched, his wide sleeves hanging down like two large flags.

His Taoist robe was made of soft, snow-white fabric, embroidered with many golden patterns. It was a magnificent gold and white cloak, except for a purple silk belt around his waist. A flawless purplish-red gemstone was inlaid in the center of the belt, with a white jade pendant hanging down on the left and a blue Tai Chi jade pendant hanging down on the right.

This is an imperial robe bestowed upon the head of Laojun Mountain, symbolizing the mountain's honor over the past century.

However, these precious garments, representing the exquisite craftsmanship of the royal family, appeared ten times weaker and a hundred times more illusory compared to that icy blue sword aura and starlight, far from matching the purity and magnificence of that sword light.

It's hard to imagine that the sword came from the hand of an unkempt old man in a hemp robe, and it's also hard to imagine how shocking and beautiful the scene must have been after the sword fell.

The sword struck Master Tianfang in the forehead.

Ding--

The moment the sword tip burst forth with light, the world was bathed in a dazzling icy blue, as if everyone around had lost the ability to distinguish other colors for a brief moment, and all they could see was the icy blue sky and earth.

After stepping onto the precipice at the summit, Master Tianfang had already walked nearly ten zhang forward.

At this moment, with a single sword strike, the area extending from behind Master Tianfang to the edge of the cliff sank deep into the ground.

With a thunderous roar, the surface snow was completely compacted, resembling white jade.

In the center of this area, a second compression depression occurred, creating a three-foot-wide trench that appeared within this "jade-like" texture.

Then, a narrow ditch, about a foot wide, was pressed down in the middle of the long ditch.

In the middle of the narrow gully, another sword mark, three inches wide, extends to the edge of the cliff.

Finally, in the middle of the sword mark, there was a dark crack.

Such a scene was only caused by a fraction of the remaining power of the Ice Sky Sword, while the majority of the power was applied to Tianfang Zhenren, impacting him from his forehead down his entire body, attempting to destroy this seven-foot-tall flesh and blood body.

The sixth old monster remained in mid-air, maintaining his sword-pointing posture, but an incredulous look appeared in his eyes, bringing great astonishment.

As the other five old monsters also reached a stalemate at this point, their expressions changed to varying degrees.

The Heavenly Master truly did not parry or dodge, nor did he deflect the force; he simply endured the attack.

The Taoist priest still had the same straight nose and indifferent eyes, seemingly a god of ice and snow who was indifferent to life and death. Because he did not live on his own, he was immortal and therefore unharmed.

He took a step forward.

The Sixth Old Monster felt as if every part of his body, his limbs and bones, inside and out, had been struck by a tremendous force.

Each part of the body shifted backward and upward by the same distance in an instant, so the whole person maintained the original posture and was shot backward at an angle.

The fourth and fifth monsters leaped high at the same time and caught the sixth monster.

The moment their hands touched the Sixth Old Monster's body, they confirmed that the force that caused him to bounce back was entirely the recoil from his own attack, without any trace of anyone else's power.

This seems to mean that Master Tianfang did not use any methods such as borrowing someone's strength to fight back, because if he did, his own true energy would definitely be mixed in.

The cliffs are high enough that the waves cannot crash against them, and they will naturally break apart and recede.

But how is that possible? To achieve this level, how much would one's internal strength foundation need to surpass that of the Sixth Old Monster?

The six old monsters of Secret Demon Cliff are over five hundred years old combined. When they became famous in the martial arts world, Master Tianfang had not even been born yet.

However, these six people became famous early and retired early as well.

In their forties, they came together to live in seclusion in the snowy mountains of Tianshan. They planted flowers in the snow and brewed wine in the ice. They carved countless snow caves and ice grottoes from the mountainside to the summit, creating a paradise in the midst of desolation.

In the early years when the Glacier Sect still existed, these six old monsters, restless and eager for more, would occasionally go to the Glacier Sect to tease its disciples, and had several major fights with the Glacier Elder.

After the old man of the Ice Age passed away, the Ice Age Sect scattered and dispersed. In the Tianshan Snow Ridge area, there were almost no martial arts practitioners worthy of their attention, so the six elders truly lived a life of peace and tranquility.

Even though I regularly go to the town at the foot of the mountain to buy things, there's really no need to use martial arts.

However, after decades of such peaceful life, their skills did not decline with the aging of their bodies; on the contrary, they became even more refined and perfect. The natural wind and snow that never melted and the harsh climate were their best opponents and their best friends.

It can be said that when they were in this icy paradise, each of the six of them could rival a master.

Even if such a force consists of only six people, it certainly has every reason to be proud.

If any young person were to gain the favor of these six and become their successor, then when that successor travels the world in the future, beneath their seemingly lonely exterior, they would actually be able to bring forth a powerful backer that no one in the borderlands or the various sects of the Tang Dynasty would dare to underestimate, and perhaps they could even create a legend.

However, these six people, who were capable of creating legends, encountered people and events that were even more mysterious and extraordinary than they were.

"I told you, you can use any moves you want, even if you all come at me at once."

Master Tianfang gave a reminder, his arms drooping slightly, palms facing upwards, fingers naturally curled, and he continued forward.

"Five-Color Seal!"

The third old monster suddenly spoke up, "Every divine weapon has a unique supernatural power. The Wuwei Divine Sword can turn qi into ink, which is known throughout the world. But what exactly is the supernatural power of the Five-Colored Seal? Few people know. Perhaps it is this astonishing endurance."

The old monsters nearby, initially surprised, immediately felt a sense of agreement upon hearing this.

It should be noted that during their previous duels, although Master Tianfang defeated the fourth brother by transmitting his voice and the eldest brother by boiling the stream, his performance was only slightly better than his opponents.

Especially when boiling that section of the stream, the eldest brother practiced the icy cold true qi, temporarily abandoning its icy cold properties and relying purely on internal energy to heat it, which naturally couldn't compare to the opponent's fiery palm technique.

"So, while he may appear arrogant and ignorant, he's actually using his strengths to compete with us. If we try and then back down out of shame, we'll have fallen right into his trap... What a cunning scheme!"

While the Third Old Monster was saying these words, he kept a close eye on Tianfang Zhenren, but he couldn't see any change in Tianfang Zhenren's expression. On the contrary, he had already gotten several feet closer to Yunjian Stone.

As soon as the Third Old Monster finished speaking, he suddenly flashed in front of Tianfang Zhenren, pointed his finger like a sword, and stabbed at Tianfang Zhenren's right eye.

I refuse to believe it. No matter how wondrous the Five-Colored Seal's supernatural powers are, can it make the eyes strong enough to withstand a blow from a grandmaster?

This finger strike was as fast as a shooting star, the energy at the fingertip piercing through the air without making a sound. When it reached just three inches from Tianfang Zhenren's eyes, a snowflake that had no time to dodge was instantly destroyed by the finger.

But after the snowflakes disappeared, the third monster's attack suddenly faltered.

"How is this possible—!!"

The third old monster exerted all his strength, and the visible radiance of his power flowed towards his sword finger, pushing it forward little by little.

Master Tianfang's gaze seemed to shift slightly, both eyes fixed on the sword-finger strike, his steps unwavering.

The third monster shuddered and slid backward on the snow.

He was filled with shock and anger, and with a loud shout, he exerted force in his fingers again, channeling his energy throughout his body. A wave of snow rippled out from under his feet, but it was to no avail.

For every step Tianfang Zhenren took, he slid back one step.

The other old monsters were shocked, almost wondering if they were dreaming. The fourth and fifth brothers, in particular, were aroused and wanted to see if the third brother's finger could poke the other's eye.

"Tianfang, watch out!!"

The two of them were upright and honest, and even in their current situation, they did not forget to speak up and remind each other. Then, without prior arrangement, they jumped behind the third brother and each struck out with their palms, pouring their inner strength into him.

The third brother radiated light, and when the icy blue light gathered towards his fingertips, it was so intense that his two joined fingers appeared to be composed entirely of dense light.

Whether it was an illusion caused by the intense light or not, the third brother seemed to see the Taoist priest, whose lips curl slightly, appearing as calm as a still well.

Take a more determined step forward.

The distance between the eyeballs and the sword finger shortened, and the closer they got, the more the icy blue light reflected in the eyes seemed to produce a hint of expectant smile.

The third brother felt a sudden panic. His two fingers could barely withstand the intense power. Overwhelmed by the pain, he didn't have time to think and immediately turned his fingers into a palm, striking Tianfang Zhenren in the chest.

boom!!!

The combined power of the three old monsters finally caused him to sway slightly.

The surrounding snow and ice exploded into columns of air, and the nearby jagged rocks were shattered and ejected.

At the center of the peak, a huge rock as large as a house had its surface snow blown away by the air currents, revealing a texture as black as jade underneath.

The boulder is covered with deep, time-worn ravines, and a faint chill flows through it, dripping into a pit on one side.

That is the Cloud Mirror Stone, and the pit is where the Cloud Floss Cold Soul resides.

Tianfang Zhenren looked up at the giant rock, a clear breathing sound coming from his mouth and nose. His shoulders shrugged slightly as he pushed forward, taking a larger and more forceful step than before.

Despite the cracks in the ice beneath their feet, the three old monsters could not stop their retreat.

The second brother shouted and flew over the three of them, smashing a punch into the head of Master Tianfang, shattering his hair ornament.

With the combined efforts of the four of them, they were able to vaguely sense the upper limit of Tianfang Zhenren's foundation.

The third brother, who was directly in front of him, saw that faint smile again, which seemed like an illusion.

The Heavenly Immortal's hair danced wildly, his feet sank into the ground, then with a jolt of his left foot, he pulled himself out and continued forward.

The second old monster landed on the third old monster's shoulders, his back bent like a bow, his left hand pressing down on his right forearm, continuously delivering his punching force.

The First Old Monster originally didn't want to launch a group attack, but seeing this scene, he couldn't help but have an idea.

"Just how skilled is this person?"

He had only this one thought in his mind, and before he could think of anything else, when he came to his senses, he found himself behind Master Tianfang, having already unleashed that palm strike.

The heavens flow to their utmost, and the heavens govern all things!

The combined power of everyone who attacked was controlled by this palm strike. The icy blue light emanated from their bodies, like a dozen or so ice phoenixes fluttering away, absorbing the cold air from the snowy peaks of the Tianshan Mountains, and then returning to their bodies.

With everyone exerting their strength together, even a massive five-toothed warship that roamed the river would be crushed and destroyed, leaving behind a jumble of debris and unrecognizable remains, sandwiched between them.

But at that moment, the limit they felt they had reached, like melting snow, shed its disguise and revealed its true form.

The First Old Monster looked at the Taoist's face as it turned towards him.

The five colors of light—black, white, red, cyan, and yellow—flowed and swirled in the eyes of the Celestial Immortal, forming a color that was difficult to distinguish yet did not appear chaotic or dazzling.

It felt deep and far-reaching, vast and intense.

For some reason, the old monsters who were watching Tianfang Zhenren at this moment all felt a soaring Dao energy that seemed to want to break free and fly away without stopping.

"What powerful palm strike!!"

As the praise fell, the five old monsters felt a profound sense of powerlessness amidst their shock.

Suddenly, the Sixth Old Monster let out a loud wail.

"How embarrassing! How incredibly embarrassing!!"

He tore his hair into a mess, smashed his head against a nearby boulder, and ran away.

Master Tianfang turned around and used his chest to push away the obstacles in front of him, then walked step by step to the Cloud Mirror Stone and took away the Cloud Floss Cold Soul.

"Until we meet again, everyone."

He carried the ethereal, cold spirit of the clouds, and in an instant, he disappeared into the wind and snow, descending the mountain peak.

"The betting is very interesting. I'll come back and finish the next two rounds with you."

Only a few elderly people, draped in burlap, remained, gazing at each other in silence for a long time in the snow.

The third brother asked, "Big brother, what are you looking at?"

Everyone followed the gaze of the First Old Monster and looked up together.

The snowfall subsided slightly, the sky turned azure, white clouds drifted by, and there was nothing else in sight.

"I……"

The air is made of bronze, hollow like a wheel, with gods and beasts carved on it, in all shapes and sizes, drifting across the sky and entering and exiting the clouds—it is said to be the gateway to shatter the void.

The First Old Monster took a deep breath of cold air, and what he exhaled was already scorching white mist. "When he took our attack, I saw the Heavenly Gate."

………………

Before noon, a Taoist priest in a golden and white robe, with disheveled hair, crossed the river and walked to the outside of Xiushuo City.

His fleeting figure, which had been moving forward, froze and paused. He turned his head to look at the city, somewhat puzzled.

"Master?"

(End of this chapter)