Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 256: Chapter 175: Inviting the Gods_1

Translator: 549690339

In the void of nothingness, amidst the chaos, the deity with disheveled hair and bare feet, wielding supreme might, brandished a sword and slashed down.

Instantly…

“Bang!!!”

“Ahh!!!”

A blast resonated, followed by a scream, both erupting one after the other.

The young man screamed, tumbling down from the skies, his crown shattered, white hair disheveled, and blood gushing out from the orifices of his ears and eyes, soaking and staining his silver-white hair crimson. The mingling of the two colors was truly a shocking sight.

“Brother!!”

Even though Jing Yue was mentally prepared, he still startled at the sight and hurriedly went forward to support the young man’s body.

“Huff! Huff! Huff!”

The young man sat on the ground, gasping for breath, his white hair in disarray, blood streaming from his eyes and various openings, while atop his forehead, that device-like, metallic Heavenly Mechanism Jewel Pupil was fissured, a scar running from top to bottom, nearly penetrating into the flesh and bones of his brow. Although no fresh blood flowed out, it was even more terrifying.

Jing Yue supported him, took out a pre-prepared Bright Moon Pill, and fed it into his mouth.

The young man took the medicine, struggled to sit up, and activated his mana, channeling it throughout his body.

After a moment, the spirit light faded, and his breathing gradually stabilized.

The young man slowly opened his eyes, only to see a strand of his hair turn brittle and fall off, scattering like ash onto his own robe.

“This…!!”

Jing Yue’s gaze sharpened with shock and terror.

Seeing this, the young man also gave a bitter smile and reached up to his forehead to hide that split Heavenly Mechanism Jewel Pupil.

“This person is indeed a great being, merging with heaven and earth, with the might of Immortal Gods, possessing the authority of the Dao. This time, not only did I lose over a hundred and fifty years of lifespan, but I also sacrificed my Heavenly Mechanism Jewel Pupil—what a misfortune!”

Upon hearing this, Jing Yue showed no surprise, as there had been a precedent. He simply asked, “What should we do next then?”

“What to do?”

The young man let out a bitter laugh, “I’m badly injured and can’t keep going. I can only hold fast to the Tianshu Great Formation and report this incident back to the main sect to see what Uncle Bei Chen will decide.”

Jing Yue looked at him and said nothing further, “It’s all up to you, brother!”

He didn’t know whether his brother Yunji, a Perfect Nascent Soul with quite a reputation in the main sect, was truly severely injured and unable to continue, or was doing it on purpose, using the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism as a ruse to avoid facing that person’s Heavenly Sword, or perhaps both reasons applied?

But it was all the same to him, as he too didn’t want to risk another encounter with the power of that Heavenly Sword.

Staying on guard of the formation and awaiting reinforcements was the best option.

Even though the Sect Master was good to them, in the Immortal Path, self-interest prevails. He had already risked his life once and had no reason to stake the last half of it.

Meanwhile, in the Green Jade Sect’s Spirit Vein Cave Mansion, Xu Yang sat on the couch, still remaining unfazed.

He was aware someone had used the Technique of Heavenly Mechanism to probe his origins; he even expected this.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have cast “Concealment Art!” in advance.

When learning the art, first understand how to hide. Do not let demonic and evil skills corrupt one’s being!

The Taoism Concealment Art is a great divine power that includes “Concealment Art,” “Change Body Art,” “Retain Soul Art,” “Split Spirit Art,” “Invoke Deity Art,” “Disaster Elimination Art,” “Tribulation-evasion Art,” and many more profound techniques.

Previously, Xu Yang used this art to transform his flesh body into an image of the “True Martial” deity to deter demons and evils from all directions.

This “demons and evils from all directions” is a general term, not limited to demonic beings. Any force that harms him or targets him is categorized as such, and they would face the deterrence or even be slain by True Martial.

This was an application of the Concealment Art’s “Change Body Art” and “Invoke Deity Art.”

Even though there are no Immortal Gods in this realm, as stated before, “Immortal Gods are the sovereigns of the Tao!”

Immortal Gods command the Tao, and the Tao itself is the Immortal Gods.

Invoke Deity Art, in essence, draws upon the force of the Dao represented by Immortal Gods, rather than calling upon Immortal Gods themselves.

Therefore, even if the True Martial Emperor doesn’t exist in this world, it doesn’t prevent Xu Yang from invoking “True Martial.”

As for why he chose to invoke the True Martial Emperor and not another Immortal God…

It’s about adapting to the local conditions.

Among Xu Yang’s Taoism, his most adept is the Thunder Series.

If he invoked the Nine Heavens’ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable, the power would undeniably surpass other deities.

But invoking the Thunder Ancestor was not the best choice for him.

Because he is not only a Daoist Celestial Master but also a practitioner of Earth Deities’ Dao with the Earth Ghost Divine Seal. He is the Island Master of Fish and Dragon Island, Monarch of the Dongting Lake.

As Island Master, Lake Monarch, an undoubted water deity, the most powerful element in this Spirit Land is the water entity.

If he invoked the deity in charge of water, drawing upon the “Water Dao,” with the help of the Earth Ghost Divine Seal, the effectiveness of the Concealment Art and the power of the Invoke Deity Skill would greatly increase, far surpassing the invocation of a thunder deity.

Therefore, he did not call upon the Thunder Ancestor, whom he had always worshipped, but instead summoned the True Martial Emperor.

The True Martial Emperor, the Exorcising Demon Heavenly Venerable, is a well-known martial deity also known as the Black Emperor Black Tortoise, who presides over space, water, and earth.

By drawing upon this deity, and with the support of the Earth Ghost Divine Seal, leveraging the advantages of Fish and Dragon Island and the Dongting’s Spirit Land, Xu Yang’s incarnation as the True Martial Emperor may not Blend False with True, but still possesses a portion of the divine might.

Divinity is the Tao itself!

The divine might is the authority of heaven and earth, not only possessing tremendous power but also representing a lofty status.

Thus, the True Martial incarnation can shock all directions and slay any demon or evil spirit that crosses the line or transgresses against him.

That Tianshu Sect person, oblivious to the truth, dared to use the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism to probe him and hit a brick wall.

The Technique of Heavenly Mechanism is exceedingly profound, differing from conventional fighting; it’s not just a comparison of cultivation level but also a test of status and authority, involving understanding, comprehension, and application of the Dao of Heaven and Earth.

Could that Tianshu Sect person, with his level of Skill of Heavenly Mechanism, see through his True Martial state induced by the Dao? It would be as difficult as a three-year-old facing a global mathematical problem.

Let alone him, even Xu Yang, using the Admiring Eye of Heaven, could not see through his True Martial state.

Luckily, the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism was mysterious, and the backlash wasn’t that violent; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been as simple as losing just a bit of his lifespan.

Peering into the Heavenly Mechanism confirmed that the Tianshu Sect reinforcements had arrived.

Xu Yang certainly would not sit idly by and await his doom; he had long since activated the Admiring Eye of Heaven to survey the internal situation of the Tianshu Sect.

However… Tianshu Formation, protected by the Array of the Big Dipper!

The Tianshu Sect’s mountain gate is the only fourth-tier Spirit Land in the Void Spirit Realm.

With this as a foundation, the Tianshu Sect set up a Mountain Gate Array ranking at the fourth tier, boasting extraordinary might.

Moreover, the Tianshu Array Path, a branch of the Big Dipper Array Path, had extremely stringent defenses, covering all bases.

If the Green Jade Sect’s Mountain Gate Array was like a sieve, full of holes, allowing free entry and exit, then the Tianshu Sect’s Mountain Gate Array was like an iron sphere, a sphere without a single crack, not even for a fly to sneak through.

The Admiring Eye of Heaven couldn’t see into it!

Thus, Xu Yang wasn’t clear about the strength of the opposition either.

“Forget it, start with the small fry before seeking out the big trouble.”

Though unclear of the enemy’s situation, Xu Yang did not hesitate much and soon decided on his next move.

Elsewhere…

“Is it done yet? I can’t take it anymore!”

Xiao Miao felt he was on the verge of madness.

A fully grown man, he had actually been stuffed into a Spirit Beast Bag!

The Spirit Beast Bag was not some Cave Heaven Blessed Land; it contained only a narrow space where spirit beasts couldn’t move about, confined to eating, drinking, and sleeping—no different from being in prison.

Given this, one could imagine what the environment inside was like.

If it had been only him, that would be one thing, but how could the Green Jade Sect possibly provide a Spirit Beast Bag for each of its many disciples?

Moreover, because he was playing the role of a menial disciple, he had the “honor” of squeezing into a Spirit Beast Bag with several burly and husky menial disciples.

That… experience…

Xiao Miao clenched his teeth tightly, struggling to ignore the several thick hairy legs pressing on him, and spoke to Elder Zhen in his mind: “Is it done yet? Aren’t you the Grandmaster of Array Path, the Return to Void True Monarch, the number one Loose Cultivator in the Northern Domain? How come you can’t even break through a Golden Core’s spell?”

“You know nothing, Golden Core… Is he an ordinary Golden Core? This old ghost’s background is perhaps even more significant than mine. He might as well be the reincarnated cultivation body of that dead Void Spirit Monarch. Are his tricks that easy to break?”

In his mind, Elder Zhen cursed irritably yet seemed excited: “Look at this spell, the mantra embedded within the mana, the spell entwined with the curse, compressing like a Thousand Mountains. Truly difficult to unravel and separate. I have roamed the Northern Domain for so long and have never seen such a spell before. Give me some more time, and I shall find a way to break it.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Miao also felt helpless: “Hurry up, will you?”

“Alright, alright…”

Before his words were finished, the world seemed to spin, and he was dumped out of the Spirit Beast Bag.

“Whew!”

Once out of the Spirit Beast Bag, fresh air entered his nostrils, and the hairy legs fell to the side. Although he still felt the press of the Thousand Mountains spell upon him, Xiao Miao felt reborn and couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

Then, an even thicker, larger, and hairier leg appeared before him.

“I told you to be gentle. Be gentle—do you understand human speech? These are the Master’s long-term workers. What will you do if you damage them? Who’s going to plow the Master’s land, sow his fields, mine his ores? You’re all acting so recklessly…”

Laoliu scolded the group of underlings while pointing fingers, his posture mirroring that of an overbearing landlord’s lackey.

Watching his two thick hairy legs, Xiao Miao silently lay on the ground.

“What are you playing dead for?”

Unexpectedly, Laoliu turned around: “Get up, go register. Always sneaking around and being lazy, no wonder you’re a menial disciple, showing no ambition whatsoever.”

Xiao Miao fell silent for a moment, then picked himself up and walked towards the long queue ahead.

The line ahead was long, but it was unusually quiet. Everyone was silent, with occasional sounds coming from the front…

“How can a disciple of the Green Jade Sect tolerate such humiliation!”

“Alive, I am a person of the Green Jade Sect; dead, I’ll be a ghost of the Green Jade Sect!”

“Have the courage to lift the spell and have a fair fight with me!”

“Bang!”

“These bodies are of good quality. Send them to the Spirit Medicine Garden to be used as fertilizer.”

“This Hundred Ghosts Banner is filled. Bring ten new ones over here.”

“Who else wants to become a ghost? Get in line over here, don’t waste time.”

After a series of chilling sounds, a brightly dressed young girl stepped on the void overhead, looked down at everyone, and said.

“The Green Jade Sect’s lack of virtue is evident, and they’re destined to die. You remnants should have been buried with them, but because our master is kind-hearted and compassionate, your lives were spared. If you do not cherish this, then you might as well all go together.”

Having said that, she left with a flick of her sleeve, without paying the slightest heed to everyone’s reactions.

On the other side, Laoliu, holding a large stick, attracted everyone’s attention with his sly grin: “You heard her; if you don’t want to die, come register. Our Master is kind-hearted, a Moral Cultivator second to none under the heavens. As long as you behave and don’t cheat and slack off, I guarantee you can redeem yourselves and even earn a sum of Spirit Stones. One day, you will take pride in farming and planting for our Master.”

Watching the good cop and bad cop act on stage, Xiao Miao kept a silent face, but inwardly, he wondered: “What exactly does he want, getting people to farm for him? Isn’t he afraid of the Three Sects’ reinforcements coming to kill him?”

“How would I know?”

Elder Zhen, hearing this, was also helpless: “Right now, they are stronger than us. This man controls the mountain and an array is sealing the exterior. Even if I help you break this spell, you can’t escape; better endure for the time being. Oh, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have meddled in these muddy waters. Now I’ve lost both my wife and my soldiers!”

While they talked, suddenly, a Thunder Cloud rose from a cave dwelling on Green Jade Mountain and headed outside the mountain.

“This…”

Looking at the figure on the cloud, Xiao Miao couldn’t hide his surprise: “Where is he going now?”

“What does it matter where he’s going!”

Elder Zhen, however, was nonchalant: “We can’t run away right now anyway. Let’s just deal with the situation at hand, and we can discuss everything else later.”

“Right… Alright then!”