Primordial Era: Taibai, the Poison Master of Yaochi, drives a Sage insane!

The Xiqi army was stationed in the wilderness west of Chaoge City. Hundreds of thousands of armored soldiers were in neat formation, but a heavy sense of depression weighed on everyone's hearts.

Above the army, the sky was vast and boundless, with layers of chaotic auspicious clouds spreading out. Four sages, whose Daoist auras traversed the heavens, stood silently facing each other. The four sages, Taiqing Laozi, Yuqing Yuanshi, Jieyin Daoren, and Zhunti Daoren, stood side by side, their gazes piercing through the clouds, their eyes fixed on the Jiang-character Emperor's banner fluttering atop Chaoge City in the east.

The four saints were surrounded by auspicious clouds that did not dissipate, and their faces were extremely solemn, without the slightest trace of their usual calm and composure when preaching.

Under their gaze, the Nine Cauldrons suppressed the fortune within Chaoge City, the Xuanyuan Sword hung in the main hall, and Jiang Wenhuan sat on the throne of the Human Emperor, with human merits flowing into his body continuously. The grand trend of the Heavenly Court's Jade Pool and the Golden Turtle Island's Tongtian dual support had already taken shape.

Yuanshi was the first to break the silence, unable to contain his inner turmoil. His voice carried a hint of cold, hard pressure.

"As you all have witnessed, our Chan Sect has been planning for hundreds of years, expending countless efforts to lay the groundwork for the Western Zhou's conquest of Shang. We fought our way through the Jue Long Ridge, losing twelve Golden Immortals and Taiyi Zhenren. We finally reached the gates of Chaoge, only to have Dongbo Hou Jiang Wenhuan take the lead and enter the capital to ascend to the throne of the Human Emperor."

With the Xuanhuang Pagoda of Heaven and Earth above his head and the Taiji Yin-Yang Qi flowing slowly around him, Lao Tzu sighed softly as he took over the conversation, his tone carrying a hint of long-term consideration.

"This matter is not about the gain or loss of a single city or region, but a struggle for the rightful ownership of the human race's orthodox lineage. The human race carries the most profound human destiny in the world. Whoever takes control of the human race can use the incense offerings of the people and the merits of the nine provinces to strengthen their own foundation of the Great Dao. This destiny must not fall into the hands of the Marquis of Dongbo, who is supported by Yaochi and Tongtian."

The Guide Daoist sat cross-legged on the twelve-tiered lotus platform of merit, golden Buddhist light filling half of the void, his compassionate face concealing deep calculations.

"If Jiang Wenhuan is allowed to firmly sit on the throne of the Human Emperor, the Jade Pool Heavenly Court will use the human path to expand its power, and the Tongtian Jie Sect will rely on the human race's fortune to nourish all immortals. With their fortunes intertwined, their foundations for the Great Dao will grow stronger day by day. In the future, the prehistoric world will be completely tilted, and both of you fellow Daoists, as well as this humble Daoist from the Western Pure Land, will be slowly squeezed out and have no chance to rise again."

Beside him, the Daoist Zhunti held the Seven Treasures Tree, its trunk swaying gently with thousands of blue lotuses, echoing what Jieyin had said.

"The Great Dao that Tongtian cultivates is the Great Dao of the Lifeline. This Dao relies most on the survival of all people and the reproduction of the human race. As long as he holds the rightful place in the human race, the millions of people will be the inexhaustible source of life. Once Tongtian uses the human race's fortune to perfect the Great Dao of the Lifeline, then all of our Great Daos will have no chance to emerge."

Upon hearing this, Yuanshi's eyes turned cold, and auspicious clouds of jade purity surged around him, revealing a hidden killing intent.

"Therefore, there is no compromise at the moment. We must not allow Dongbo Hou to firmly occupy the rightful place of the human race. Only if the four of us saints work together, personally break through the defenses of Chaoge, scatter the human merits on Jiang Wenhuan's body, abolish his title of Human Emperor, and take back the rightful place of the human race to Ji Fa of Xiqi."

Lao Tzu nodded slightly, agreeing with the decision.

"There is no other sure way. Now that the Great Tribulation has come to this point, there is no need to adhere to the old rule that sages should not get involved in the mortal world. With the combined efforts of the four sages and the supreme power of the Primordial Sage, it is enough to break through all the protective restrictions of Chaoge and sever the connection between Jiang Wenhuan and the human world."

Jieyin and Zhunti exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement. The four saints then decided on a unified plan to launch a strong attack on Chaoge, deny Jiang Wenhuan's status as the human emperor, and support Ji Fa in regaining the rightful throne.

After the four sages finished their discussion, before they could set off, a beam of immortal light shot straight into the void from within the Xiqi army formation below. Guang Chengzi, standing on a cloud of light, knelt on one knee beneath the auspicious clouds of the four sages, his expression anxious, and bowed to ask questions.

"Esteemed Sages, Master, things have come to this. Marquis Dongbo has already entered Chaoge and ascended to the throne of the Human Emperor. Our Xiqi army is stationed in the west of the city, caught in a dilemma. We beseech your guidance on what to do now?"

Yuanshi looked down at Guangchengzi, his voice resounding throughout the entire sky of Xiqi, decisive and clear, allowing no room for argument.

"Without hesitation, immediately issue an order to the entire army and proclaim to the whole world that we absolutely do not recognize Jiang Wenhuan as the human emperor. This man seized Chaoge by taking advantage of the power of the Jie Sect and the Heavenly Court, and his ascension to the throne is illegitimate. He also stole the Nine Cauldrons and the Xuanyuan Sword from the human race, so he is not legitimate. We, the four sages, will immediately join forces to personally attack and break through the capital of Chaoge, dispel the false human emperor's fortune, and support Ji Fa to enter the court and rule the nine provinces."

Guang Chengzi felt a weight lifted from his heart. He immediately bowed and accepted the order, then turned and rode a cloud back to the main camp. He immediately issued orders to the entire army and dispatched countless messenger officials to the territories of the surrounding lords to declare that Xiqi did not recognize Jiang Wenhuan's position as emperor and that the entire army should immediately prepare to continue its eastward advance in preparation for a strong attack on Chaoge.

Within the Xiqi camp, orders were relayed layer by layer, hundreds of thousands of armored soldiers adjusted their formations, and all kinds of immortal weapons and magical treasures shone brightly, ready to cooperate with the Four Saints' offensive to attack the walls of Chaoge.

Just as the four sages unleashed their full power, preparing to depart together for Chaoge, a boundless azure light suddenly rose in the eastern sky. The unique Daoist aura of the Jie Sect from Jin'ao Island swept across the entire world, and a sage's pressure, no less powerful than the combined might of the four sages, loomed over the void in front of Chaoge's main gate.

The Tongtian Sect Leader, dressed in a green robe and holding the Qingping Sword, stood in the center of the sea of ​​clouds, his cold gaze fixed on the void where the Four Sages were located to the west. He was surrounded by billions of immortal lights from the Jie Sect, and his faint voice echoed in every corner of the world.

"Four fellow Daoists, you intend to forcibly crush Chaoge with the might of a sage and seize the destiny of humanity. Have you even asked the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords in my possession?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Tongtian said no more. With a flick of his hand, an ancient, yellowish array diagram flew out from his sleeve, spreading across the vast void. Four innate supreme treasure swords followed closely behind, guarding the four directions: east, west, south, and north.

The Zhuxian Sword hangs in the due east, its light tearing through space and time, and the chaotic killing aura soars straight to the heavens.

The Immortal Slayer Sword stands due south, its sword light entwined with endless karmic fire, annihilating all Dao foundations and divine souls;

The Immortal Sword guards the due west, its sword domain locking the void, rendering anyone who enters the formation unable to move;

The Immortal-Slaying Sword is located due north, its sword intent dissolving merit and shattering auspicious clouds.

Boom!

The four swords of Zhuxian landed and returned to their positions, and the Zhuxian Formation was fully unfolded. The first killing formation in the primordial world, the Zhuxian Sword Formation, was thus fully formed, firmly blocking the main gate of Chaoge and completely sealing off the road for the four sages to the capital, leaving not even the slightest gap.

The moment the array was deployed, the entire world changed color. The sun and moon lost their light, and the stars disappeared. In the mortal city of Chaoge, a fierce wind howled, and the beams and pillars of houses trembled incessantly. The million-strong army on the east and west sides of the city felt a chill in their hearts, and their immortal energy became uncontrollable and chaotic. The weaker cultivators collapsed to the ground, without even the strength to look up at the array.

The interior of the great formation is a chaotic and murderous microcosm, where time and space are distorted and reversed. The past, present, and future are all cut and severed by the sword energy. If an ordinary Great Luo Golden Immortal were to accidentally step into the edge of the formation, his physical body and primordial spirit would be cut and dissipated by billions of tiny sword shadows in an instant, and even the remnant soul of reincarnation would not be left behind.

The void within the formation was filled with countless sword shadows, each carrying the innate killing principles left behind by Pangu after the creation of the world. The sword net was layered upon layered, airtight, and any spiritual energy, Daoist aura, or power of merit that approached would be instantly torn apart and dissolved by the sword energy. Human merit, Buddhist light, Jade Purity Mystic Light, and Taiqing Yin-Yang Qi were all completely suppressed, and no protective Daoist aura could survive for long within the formation.

Standing atop the central Bagua platform of the Tongtian Formation, with the Qingping Sword held horizontally before him, he poured all his Primordial Saintly Dao Power into the four swords and the formation diagram, causing the formation's power to surge by another three percent.

A deafening roar that seemed to tear the heavens and earth resounded continuously within the formation. Chaotic baleful energy surged forth from the bottom of the formation, merging with the sharpness of the four swords from all directions to form a destructive barrier that stretched for thousands of miles, completely severing the passage between the Four Saints of Xiqi and Chaoge.

The four sages, Laozi, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti, who were far away in the western void of the city, saw the fully deployed Zhuxian Sword Formation and their expressions changed simultaneously. The attack plan they had just discussed came to an abrupt halt, and a sense of solemnity arose in their hearts.

Yuanshi frowned deeply, and the auspicious clouds around him unconsciously contracted slightly. He spoke in a deep voice.

"Tongtian actually unleashed the Four Swords of Zhuxian and completely set up the Zhuxian Formation. This formation is the number one killing formation in the prehistoric world. With the Four Swords of Primordial Treasures and the formation diagram, if a single saint steps into the formation, his Dao foundation will be worn down by the formation sooner or later. Only when the four saints gather together and work together can there be a chance to break the formation."

Zhunti scoffed, "Since that's the case, we four sages may just break the formation!"

"The path to survival depends on the fate of the human race. Tongtian will never allow us to destroy Jiang Wenhuan's lineage of the Human Emperor. This time, he has set up the Immortal Slaughtering Formation with the determination to defend the gates of Chaoge to the death. If we do not break through this killing formation, we will never be able to set foot in Chaoge, and Ji Fa will never be able to reclaim the rightful succession of the human race."

The four sages stood silently above Xiqi, gazing at the boundless killing intent of the Zhuxian Sword Formation thousands of miles away. At the center of the formation, the towering figure stood as steady as Mount Tai, and the four innate divine swords shone with boundless spiritual light. The entire world was shrouded in a dense aura of slaughter.

Below, in the Xiqi camp, Guang Chengzi and his fellow Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect looked at the sword domain that blotted out the sky in the distance, and everyone felt fear in their hearts.

Even the four Primordial Saints looked solemn, which shows how terrifying this formation is. If the four saints joined forces, they would find it difficult to break the formation quickly. The plan of Xiqi to attack Shang and seize the rightful throne of the Human Emperor would only become more and more unlikely.

On the city wall of Chaoge, Tian Shou stood high up and looked out at the boundless Zhuxian Formation spread out in front of the gate. He turned to look at Jiang Wenhuan, who sat on the throne of the Human Emperor beside him, and reported softly.

"My lord, the Sage Tongtian has set up the Immortal Slaughtering Sword Formation to block the path of the Four Sages of Xiqi. In the short term, the Xiqi army will not be able to break through the formation and invade the capital. Our Eastern Lu Allied Army can now safely defend Chaoge and stabilize the human destiny of the Nine Provinces."

Jiang Wenhuan looked toward the void where the four saints had lingered in the distance west of the city.

"With the Heavenly Sage's Immortal Slaughtering Formation guarding the gate, it will be difficult for the Xiqi group to easily set foot in the capital again. Immediately issue orders to the civil and military officials in the city to appease the people, continue to reorganize the court, and appease the lords who come to pay tribute from all directions. There is no need to worry about the war in the west."

Outside Chaoge City, the roaring sounds within the Zhuxian Formation were incessant. The four swords trembled continuously, and thousands of sword energies crisscrossed, blocking the entire path ahead.

Above the void of Xiqi, the four sages Laozi, Yuanshi, Jieyin, and Zhunti exchanged glances, having already made their final decision. Only by working together and stepping into the Immortal Slaughtering Formation to confront Tongtian head-on could they have a chance to break through the obstacles, attack Chaoge, erase Jiang Wenhuan's title of Emperor, and reverse the fate of the human race.

Meanwhile, Li Taibai found Jiufeng. Jiufeng was originally on the western front, but since the Four Sages had arrived, she did not stop them but instead followed them to Chaoge.

The decisive battle begins in Chaoge.