'As expected of the master, to single-handedly fight both the Nie and Chao clan heads!' the cultivator with the surname Du thought to himself.
Although those two were not as famous as True Lord Heavenly Wolf, their strength was by no means inferior.
Their main reason for staying low-profile was their fear of the Greedy Wolf Sect, so they dared not attract too much attention.
'Perhaps following him is a good choice. His strength, potential, and strategy are all top-tier. I am afraid the Nie and Chao clan heads could never dream that the master hasn't even unleashed half of his true strength.
However, his demonic cultivation trump cards are likely reserved for his identity as the White-Browed Old Demon, so I suppose he won't expose them easily.'
With no worries weighing him down, Xu Chuan fully unleashed the Sword of the Azure Dragon, fiercely battling the two men.
At times, he would partially activate it, then use the Heavy Profound Seal to suppress them.
Since his divine sense secret method served as a deterrent, Xu Chuan could not use it lightly. After an hour, he began swallowing Jade Void Pills to restore his mana.
There was no helping it; in terms of mana capacity, he was ultimately inferior to someone at Golden Core Perfection.
"I want to see just how many pills you can swallow!" the Nie clan head stated coldly.
Meanwhile.
Before the mountain gate of the Heavenly Azure Sect, the fires of war blazed fiercely, and battle cries shook the heavens.
The Greedy Wolf Prefecture had truly turned out in full force this time, with sixty to seventy percent of their main cultivators gathered here.
Looking out, the densely packed streaks of light from soaring cultivators blotted out the sun like dark clouds. Countless dharma tools and divine abilities formed a violent torrent, madly crashing into the Heavenly Azure Sect's Sect-Protecting Grand Formation that had been passed down for thousands of years.
The light screen swayed violently, and deafening explosions rang out endlessly. Every single moment, cultivators from both sides perished before the formation, their blood staining the rivers and mountains.
High in the sky, the battle was even more thrilling and soul-stirring.
Xi Daoyun's Daoist robes were stained with blood, and his aura was chaotic, yet he remained standing tall in the void.
His gaze was dead-locked onto Qi Tianxiong in front of him, his voice carrying a trace of hoarseness and absolute resolve. "Qi Tianxiong! Is your Greedy Wolf Prefecture truly determined to carry out this extermination? Will you not rest until one of us is dead?"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Below, it was a tragic and bloody slaughter between the sect disciples and the enemies assaulting the formation.
On the periphery, the explosive roars of countless demonic cultivators continuously bombarding the grand array echoed out.
In the Nascent Soul battlefield, Qi Tianxiong and Demon Lord Tianluo flanked him from left and right, their auras firmly locking onto Xi Daoyun.
Hearing this, Qi Tianxiong let out a savage laugh. "Old Monster Xi, things have already reached this point, so what is the use of spouting such nonsense? The destiny of your Heavenly Azure Sect has reached its end!"
Before his words even finished echoing, Demon Lord Tianluo flicked his finger. An incredibly condensed, pitch-black demonic energy silently pierced through the void, heading straight for Xi Daoyun's dantian.
Xi Daoyun forcefully gathered his mana and swept his horsetail whisk, transforming millions of silver threads into a barrier to block the strike.
"Boom!"
Although the demonic finger strike was blocked, its overbearing demonic force pierced through into his body. Xi Daoyun's figure shook violently once more as he suddenly spat out another mouthful of blood, his face turning pale as golden paper.
He had already consumed a tremendous amount of energy earlier by luring the enemy and fleeing. Now, fighting two experts of the same realm entirely on his own, he was truly unable to support the collapsing situation alone.
Xi Daoyun understood crystal clear in his heart that if he did not flee right now, he would likely forfeit his life right here.
But the thousands of years of foundation of the Heavenly Azure Sect, the millennial heritage of the Xi Family—was he really going to hand it all over just like that?
It was a truly difficult choice to make in his heart.
Seeing the battle below locked in a stalemate and the casualties among his disciples gradually increasing, Qi Tianxiong frowned and said in a low voice, "Brother Tianluo, we've put on enough of a show.
If we drag this out any longer, the losses for my Greedy Wolf Sect disciples will be a bit too heavy."
Demon Lord Tianluo, who had seemed to handle everything with ease thus far, heard this and curved his lips into a cruel smile. He rolled his neck, his joints letting out a series of bone-chilling cracks.
"Since Brother Qi has spoken, then... I will do as you ask."
As soon as his voice faded, a monstrous demonic pressure that was ten times more terrifying than before violently erupted from Demon Lord Tianluo's body!
Demonic qi soared to the heavens, stirring the winds and clouds. The spiritual qi within a radius of over a dozen miles instantly became violent and chaotic. The sky abruptly darkened, as if the apocalypse had arrived.
Bearing the brunt of it, Xi Daoyun's expression drastically changed. He exclaimed in horror, "You... You were actually hiding your strength all this time?!"
Demon Lord Tianluo did not answer. His body steadily grew taller within the demonic qi, and three eerie divine ability runes lit up simultaneously around him, circulating endlessly.
In the next moment, a Dharma Idol Phantom over three hundred meters tall, with a blurred face but an overwhelming pressure, condensed and materialized behind him with three heads and six arms!
The Dharma Idol swung its six arms, drawing in the surrounding spiritual qi like a tidal wave converging madly.
Then, the six arms smashed ruthlessly against the shimmering light of the Sect-Protecting Grand Formation.
"Crack—!"
A crisp, clear sound of shattering could be heard!
The light screen of the Tier 4 Low-Grade grand array that had protected the Heavenly Azure Sect for thousands of years unexpectedly split open, forming a massive fissure that spanned from east to west!
The Dharma Idol Phantom did not pause at all, and a second wave of attacks followed immediately.
The cracks rapidly spread like a spiderweb. The entire grand array's spiritual light swiftly dimmed, emitting waves of mournful wails.
"Break for me!"
Following Demon Lord Tianluo's savage bellow, the Dharma Idol Phantom's six arms clasped together, transforming into a colossal demonic fist capable of splitting heaven and earth apart, and crashed down fiercely!
"Rumble—!!!"
Amidst the earth-shattering explosion, the Sect-Protecting Grand Formation could hold on no longer and violently exploded!
Countless formation runes wailed as they were annihilated, and the protective light screen turned into a sky full of dancing fireflies, dissipating completely.
"Kill—!!!"
As soon as the grand array broke, the Greedy Wolf Prefecture cultivators who had been unable to hold back any longer howled like starving wolves catching the scent of blood. They let out heaven-shaking roars and transformed into vicious streaks of light, madly flooding into the Heavenly Azure Sect's mountain gate!
Conversely, on the Heavenly Azure Sect's side, whether it was their own disciples or the cultivators from the three subordinate sects of Qingmu, Jiaocang, and Qingcang, all of them were entirely drained of color.
They stared blankly with dull eyes at the shattered mountain gate and the enemies rushing in like a tidal wave.
"The... The Heavenly Azure Sect... is finished..."
A disciple muttered absentmindedly, completely unaware as the dharma tool in his hands fell to the ground with a clatter.
Seeing that towering Dharma Idol Phantom with its overwhelming demonic might, Xi Daoyun knew the situation was beyond salvage. Without another ounce of hesitation, he wildly circulated the remaining mana in his body, intending to turn into a streak of light and flee the area.
"Trying to leave now? It's too late!"
Demon Lord Tianluo's icy sneer rang out. An even heavier pressure descended suddenly like an invisible shackle, forcefully interrupting Xi Daoyun's forming escape light!
At the same time, the Dharma Idol Phantom with three heads and six arms brought down a colossal, muscle-knotted arm wrapped in pitch-black demonic runes, crashing down like a heaven-supporting pillar!
Xi Daoyun's eyes went so wide the corners might tear. He forcefully gathered his final bit of mana, and his lifebound flying sword transformed into an astonishing streak of light over thirty meters long to meet it.
"A mantis trying to stop a chariot!"
The demonic arm clashed with the sword light. That wave of sword aura unexpectedly shattered inch by inch like glass, instantly slapped away into a shower of spiritual dust.
The demonic arm continued unabated, brutally striking the protective light screen of Xi Daoyun's magic treasure.
"Pfft! Pfft!"
Both the light screen of Xi Daoyun's high-grade defensive magic treasure and his own mana barrier were easily shattered.
His entire body was hit as if by a meteorite. Blood sprayed wildly as countless bones in his body snapped. Like a shooting star plummeting from the high sky, he violently smashed into the rocks below, forming a massive crater.
Amidst the swirling dust and smoke, his aura had withered to the extreme, leaving him at death's door.
Inside the Heavenly Azure Sect, the fires of war burned everywhere.
Before the Daoist Canon Pavilion, countless Greedy Wolf Prefecture cultivators battered against the final restriction with bloodshot eyes, slaughtering the defending disciples in a chaotic melee. Talismans, magic treasure fragments, and severed limbs flew through the air.
Outside the medicine garden, the situation was just as incredibly tragic.
As for the Heavenly Azure Sect's treasury, its hidden location meant that no one had discovered it yet.
White-haired elders roared furiously as they detonated their Golden Cores, dragging several enemies down with them in a blaze of glory that shone like the final glow of sunset.
Terrified young disciples threw away their dharma tools and fled frantically toward the outside of the mountain, only to be cut down by demonic cultivators striking from behind.
There were also spineless cowards whose faces turned ashen as they knelt and kowtowed, begging for mercy with snot and tears streaming down their faces, only to be met with merciless butchery.
The myriad facets of human nature were laid bare in this moment.
Demon Lord Tianluo dispelled his heaven-shaking Dharma Idol Phantom, and the surging demonic qi around him calmed slightly.
Although this technique was immensely powerful, it also consumed a tremendous amount of energy, causing his aura to fluctuate a bit at this moment.
He looked at Qi Tianxiong and spoke up, "Brother Qi, how about you deliver this final blow and send Daoist Friend Xi on his way?"
Qi Tianxiong swept his gaze over the dying Xi Daoyun in the deep crater. Seeming to feel that victory was fully in his grasp, he had lost interest and waved his hand. "This bastard's Nascent Soul should be of great use to Brother Tianluo. I will leave him for you to deal with."
"If that is the case, then many thanks to Brother Qi for yielding."
Demon Lord Tianluo grinned, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes. He raised his palm, preparing to forcibly extract Xi Daoyun's Nascent Soul alive!
Right at this moment—
The sound of something tearing through the sky suddenly echoed from the horizon. An unconcealed, majestic aura approached from afar, actually causing the two Nascent Soul stage experts, Qi Tianxiong and Demon Lord Tianluo, to look over simultaneously.
They saw an antique-looking magic skiff with an imposing aura sailing over at an unhurried pace, hovering directly above the Heavenly Azure Sect.
At the bow of the magic skiff, an old man with red hair and scarlet robes stood with his hands behind his back. His indifferent gaze overlooked the purgatory-like state of the sect below, and he spoke in a completely flat tone,
"A Nascent Soul is about to fall, a sect is being toppled... Heh, the territory of the Heavenly Azure Prefecture is quite lively today."
Qi Tianxiong furrowed his brows tightly. He felt a faint, looming sense of threat from this person and shouted in a deep voice, "Who are you, sir? Could it be you wish to interfere in the conflict between my Greedy Wolf Prefecture and the Heavenly Azure Prefecture?"
That red-robed old man was none other than Yan Longzi.
Hearing this, he merely cast a mild glance at Qi Tianxiong. "I am Yan Longzi. I am merely passing through this place by chance.
The conflict between your two factions has nothing to do with me.
However..."
He paused briefly and smiled faintly. "Someone else is looking for the person beside you."
Before his words faded, an old man with completely white hair and a white beard stepped across the void, arriving at the front of the skiff.
When Qi Tianxiong's gaze met this person's face, he initially froze before his expression changed wildly. He involuntarily cried out in shock, "Zhang... Zhang Fan?! You... Why are you here?!"
"Daoist Friend Qi, after not seeing each other for several hundred years, you have grown even more capable. Not only are you colluding with an ancient true demon, but you even helped him grow to the Nascent Soul stage."
Qi Tianxiong was so terrified that all the color drained from his face, fully reigniting the lingering trauma he had associated with Zhang Fan.
"So you are Zhang Fan? To think you could actually make Brother Qi this nervous?" Demon Lord Tianluo said with a calm expression.
"A Dharma Idol Phantom requires at least three perfected divine abilities to condense. You must be at least a Soul Formation Stage expert of the true demon clan, right?"
"Brother Qi, I have already been extremely low-profile. You cannot blame me for being discovered."
Qi Tianxiong's face was ashen, and he was even trembling slightly with nerves.
Zhang Fan then looked back at Qi Tianxiong. "Let this farce end here. Go back whence you came, otherwise, the next time, it will be my Profound Moon Sect descending upon your Greedy Wolf Sect's mountain gate."
"Zhang Fan, didn't you say your Profound Moon Sect would not interfere in the conflicts between the various prefectures?"
"I did say that, but colluding with ancient true demons is not covered under that rule. If I truly allowed you to develop like this, perhaps a few centuries from now, the spears of your Greedy Wolf Sect would be pointing right at my Profound Moon Sect?"
While they were speaking, Xi Daoyun seized a momentary respite. He forcefully gathered his very last drops of mana, transforming into a weak streak of light and fleeing into the distant horizon without looking back.
Neither Qi Tianxiong nor Tianluo bothered to stop him.
At this moment, their true opponent was already the ancestor of the Profound Moon Sect, Zhang Fan.
Xi Daoyun found True Lord Green Wood, who had also suffered severe injuries and was in poor condition.
"Ancestor, what should we do now?"
"We will retreat and defend the Xi Family land. Since Zhang Fan has appeared, it won't be long before the Greedy Wolf Prefecture is forced to withdraw."
"Is Ancestor of Profound Moon truly that strong? The overwhelming might Tianluo displayed earlier felt entirely comparable to the methods of a grand cultivator."
"You haven't witnessed it yourself, so naturally you wouldn't understand. How do you think the Profound Moon Sect secured its ruling position over our Northwest Region?"
Xi Daoyun said solemnly, "Just follow my orders. No matter how devastating the losses the Heavenly Azure Sect has suffered, it can be rebuilt later, and our foundation can be accumulated anew."
"Understood, Ancestor!"
True Lord Green Wood clasped his fists. He immediately sent out transmission signals, ordering the surviving Xi family descendants to retreat to the Xi Family land.
The Xi Family land also possessed a Tier 3 High-Grade grand array, which could hold out for some time.
"Brother Qi, if you and I join forces, we can even rival a grand cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage."
Qi Tianxiong gritted his teeth and replied, "Alright!"
Both of them unleashed their divine abilities and magic treasures simultaneously. With monstrous demonic flames, they lunged straight at Zhang Fan!
However, Zhang Fan merely shook his head slightly. Facing their combined assault, he advanced instead of retreating and casually flicked his sleeve robe.
"Break."
A highly condensed streak of crimson spiritual light shot out from his sleeve, striking first despite being launched later. It easily tore through the sky-blotting demonic qi and smashed into Qi Tianxiong's protective demonic aura with unparalleled precision!
"Pfft—!"
Qi Tianxiong felt as if struck by lightning, violently coughing up blood. A charred hole had actually been pierced through his chest. His aura instantly dissipated, and his entire body was sent flying backward like a broken sack, crashing heavily onto the ground!
In a single exchange, Qi Tianxiong was severely injured!
'He is absolutely no ordinary grand cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage!'
Demon Lord Tianluo was appalled, realizing that unless his cultivation also reached the late-stage Nascent Soul realm, he was utterly unmatched against this man.
He let out a wild roar, sparing no cost to once again summon the three-headed, six-armed Dharma Idol Phantom.
With a demonic might that shook the heavens and earth, the six arms embraced, condensing all his mana to form a pitch-black demonic sun. He intended to fight with everything he had just to secure a chance to escape.
"Stubborn and foolish."
Zhang Fan's tone remained flat. He clenched his right hand in the void, and a long staff abruptly appeared in his palm.
The entire body of the staff was a dark golden hue, with a crimson dragon pattern coiled around it. The dragon head proudly reared up at the tip of the staff, its mouth slightly open as if spitting out raging flames. The spiritual pressure it radiated caused the surrounding space to twist and warp.
This was exactly his famous spirit treasure, the Scarlet Flame Coiling Dragon Staff!
Without adopting any particular stance, he simply swung the staff forward.
The crimson dragon on the staff seemingly came to life, letting out an earth-shattering roar.
A red-gold dragon-shaped staff aura spanning across heaven and earth tore through the sky, fiercely slamming into the massive Dharma Idol Phantom with overwhelming force!
"Boom—!!!"
There was no stalemate, no struggle.
Under that red-gold dragon-shaped aura, the once unparalleled Dharma Idol Phantom proved as fragile as glass, letting out a mournful wail.
It shattered inch by inch, violently exploding into a sky full of dissipating demonic qi!
With the Dharma Idol broken, Demon Lord Tianluo suffered severe backlash. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his aura instantly withered to the absolute extreme.
'Even if we fought at the exact same cultivation realm, unless I also possessed a spirit treasure, I would absolutely not be his match!'
Anyone capable of reaching such a realm in a domain suppressed by heaven and earth was an absolute monster.
If this had been the ancient era, this man's achievements would undoubtedly be dazzling, far beyond what Tianluo could compare to even at his peak in the Soul Formation Stage!
Unprecedented fear finally revealed itself in Demon Lord Tianluo's eyes. Without daring to linger in battle for a second longer, his figure transformed into a gloomy demonic light, preparing to flee.
"Trying to leave now? It's too late."
Zhang Fan's voice didn't waver in the slightest. He raised his left hand, and a streak of golden light shot out. It suddenly unfurled in mid-air, turning into a massive golden net that blotted out the sun!
Runes circulated across the net, naturally radiating Daoist charm, emitting an unparalleled supreme power capable of sealing heaven and locking down the earth.
This was yet another spirit treasure—the Skynet!
Beneath the enveloping golden net, space itself seemed to freeze.
No matter how Demon Lord Tianluo dashed left and right, or whatever escape techniques he employed, he felt as if plunged into a deep quagmire, utterly unable to break free.
The golden net swiftly retracted, firmly binding him. His furious roars and frantic struggles were all entirely in vain.
With a sweeping motion of his sleeve robe, Zhang Fan pulled the imprisoned Demon Lord Tianluo inside. In an instant, heaven and earth were cleared of the oppressive demonic presence.
Seeing Tianluo suppressed with a mere flip of the hand, the heavily injured Qi Tianxiong knew their greatest reliance was gone. His face turned ashen. Realizing the battle was lost, he let out a long sigh and issued a hoarse order filled with endless reluctance, "Retreat... the entire army, retreat!"
The surviving Greedy Wolf Prefecture cultivators hurriedly summoned their escape lights, dragging their wounded comrades along. They retreated miserably like an ebbing tide, entirely stripped of the arrogance they possessed upon arrival.
Zhang Fan stood in the void, looking down at the shattered rivers and mountains of the Heavenly Azure Sect. He remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.
Immediately after, he turned around and stepped onto the magic skiff that had been hovering nearby.
The magic skiff changed direction, transforming into a streak of light, and sped directly toward Cloudstream Town.
Yan Longzi clasped his fists and said, "I have long heard of Daoist Friend Profound Moon's mighty reputation back in the south. Seeing it for myself today, it truly lives up to the rumors."
"Daoist Friend Yan Longzi overpraises me. If that Tianluo hadn't only recently condensed a true demon Nascent Soul, it would have been quite difficult for me to capture him so easily."
"However, now that the Greedy Wolf Prefecture has retreated, you were clearly used as a free hired thug by someone." Yan Longzi then suddenly shouted, "You wretched girl, hurry up and apologize!
Did you really think your petty schemes could fool us?"
Xu Deling walked out of the cabin, smiling faintly. "Second Honored Master, what are you talking about? Your disciple doesn't understand."
"I merely recommended a suitable disciple to Senior Profound Moon, allowing him to come and examine the candidate. Our Cloudstream Town just so happens to be near the Heavenly Azure Mountain Range.
Passing by this time, we merely coincidentally encountered the Greedy Wolf Sect attacking the Heavenly Azure Sect.
Could it be, Second Honored Master, that you think your disciple can divine the heavens and precisely predict when a massive battle would erupt at the Heavenly Azure Sect?"
"Indeed, Martial Uncle Yan Longzi, this must be a coincidence. Junior Sister Feng Ling has been with us these past few years."
True Lord Fierce Sun also stepped out to defend Xu Deling.
Yan Longzi became slightly confused as well, asking suspiciously, "Was it really not you, girl?"
"It wasn't me!"
'But it was my grandfather!'
Xu Deling silently added the sentence in her heart.
Outside Cloudstream Town.
It was still Xu Chuan battling it out with the two clan heads of the Nie and Chao clans.
At this moment, Xu Chuan had already consumed three high-grade Jade Void Pills to recover his mana, while the two clan heads, Nie and Chao, had less than half their mana remaining.
The Nie clan head sent a mental transmission, "The Cloudstream Xu Clan is truly a tough bone to chew. The other early and mid-stage Golden Core cultivators are afraid of Xu Chuan's divine sense secret method, so they dare not join the battle easily.
Brother Chao, what do you think we should do now?"
After pondering for a moment, the Chao clan head said, "Although the sword array's might is formidable, I imagine controlling it severely drains his divine sense. Let's keep him tangled up for another thirty minutes.
If that still doesn't work, we'll head to the Heavenly Azure Sect.
The main prize is still over there!"
"We'll do as Brother Chao says."
However, after a mere fifteen minutes.
A clear voice resembling rolling thunder suddenly echoed from the distant horizon, distinctly transmitting into the ears of every cultivator on the battlefield:
"The Greedy Wolf Sect has already suffered defeat. You forces of the Greedy Wolf Prefecture, why are you still not hastily retreating?!"
"What?! The Greedy Wolf Sect lost?!"
As soon as these words came out, whether it was the defending forces of Cloudstream Town or the cultivators of the Greedy Wolf Prefecture, everyone was fiercely taken aback, their faces filled with utter disbelief.
In the eyes of the vast majority of people, the annihilation of the Heavenly Azure Sect was already a foregone conclusion.
To them, this statement was no different from a ludicrous fantasy.
"Preposterous nonsense!"
A Golden Core demonic cultivator from the Greedy Wolf Prefecture immediately rebuked it sharply. "The Greedy Wolf Sect has two Nascent Soul ancestors holding down the fort—Sect Master Qi and Demon Lord Tianluo. How could they possibly lose?
Even if the Heavenly Azure Sect's Nascent Soul grand elder and the Mo clan ancestor joined forces, there is absolutely no way they could stop them!"
"Exactly! The enemy must be bluffing to disturb our morale. Who would believe such ridiculous nonsense!"
The voices of doubt and reprimand had only just surfaced.
A moment later.
They saw the clouds in the horizon churning as an antique-looking magic skiff with an imposing aura sailed over unhurriedly, hovering right above the battlefield.
"There are Nascent Soul experts on that magic skiff!"
Yan Longzi possessed a straightforward personality and did not restrain his pressure.
When a Golden Core demonic cultivator sensed his aura, a cold sweat instantly ran down his back, and he cried out in alarm.
The two clan heads, Nie and Chao, felt their hearts fiercely shudder, their complexions changing drastically.
Forcefully suppressing the terror in their hearts, the two men exchanged a glance, both seeing the utter horror in each other's eyes.
Not daring to be negligent, they braced themselves and rode their escape lights, flying over near the front of the magic skiff. They bowed with incomparable respect.
The Nie clan head asked, "May I ask which senior has graced us with their presence? This junior is the head of the Nie clan, here to pay my respects."
"This is the Nascent Soul grand elder of our Heavenly Foundry Sect, Yan Longzi. The other is Ancestor of Profound Moon."
The hearts of the two men shook wildly.
If the Ancestor of Profound Moon had arrived, then the Greedy Wolf Sect truly had no choice but to flee in defeat.
"Greetings to Senior Yan Longzi, greetings to Ancestor of Profound Moon!" the Nie and Chao clan heads clasped their fists and shouted in unison.
Seeing no response.
The Nie clan head said, "This junior still has matters to attend to, so we shall take our leave."
After speaking, he and the Chao clan head immediately mounted their escape lights and left. The rest of the Golden Core and Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators departed hastily as well, none daring to stay a moment longer.
"We won?!"
"Cloudstream Town was defended!"
Countless people cheered loudly, completely immersed in the joy of having survived a disaster.
Xu Chuan, Perfected Person Fire Cloud, Ye Fan, and Xu Deyue flew up onto the magic skiff.
"Greetings to Senior Yan Longzi, greetings to Senior Profound Moon," Xu Chuan was the first to speak, followed closely by the respectful greetings of Xu Deyue and the others.
"Why don't the two of you come down to my Xu Residence for a chat?"
"Xu Chuan, I traveled a great distance to get here. Do not disappoint me."
"Naturally, I would not dare. The item has been prepared for a long time, just waiting for Senior Yan Longzi to collect it."
Next, Xu Chuan turned to Zhang Fan and said, "Senior Profound Moon, we meet again. My son has also been eagerly waiting for your guidance."
"It has only been a short while, yet your strength has progressed to such a degree," Zhang Fan gently stroked his beard and smiled. "I indeed did not misjudge you."
"Ye Fan, you handle the aftermath along with Huang Tianhu, Wu Zhusan, and Wu Zhuqi."
"Yes, Honored Master."
Ye Fan bowed before flying toward the cultivators of Cloudstream Town.
Xu Deling stepped forward and held Xu Deyue's hands. "Deyue, you've finally formed your core too."
Xu Deyue nodded slightly.
"I haven't given you a congratulatory gift yet. You must be lacking magic treasures. In a little while, as compensation, your big sister will forge you a mid-grade flying sword and a mid-grade defensive magic treasure."
"Thank you, Sister Ling."
Inside the main hall of the Xu Residence.
Everyone had gathered.
Zhang Fan looked at Xu Mingxian and remarked, "Not bad at all. Born with exceptional natural talent, handsome and extraordinary. Quite the stark contrast to your father."
"Senior overpraises me!"
"That five elements formation outside Cloudstream Town earlier—you derived and created it yourself, didn't you? Its core should be based on this Tier 3 Mid-Grade five elements grand array protecting your Xu Residence."
Xu Mingxian's eyes brightened. "Senior truly has eyes like torches. Nothing can be hidden from you."
"Aside from the five elements grand array, there was also a composite formation displaying traces of cloud mist and illusory arrays. But realistically, there must be more to it."
"This formation is called the Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array. It integrates a cloud mist array, an illusory array, a slaughter array, and a trapping array all into one. My attainments in formations are still limited, so I can currently only push its derivation to the Tier 3 Low-Grade level."
"What?! Four types of formations combined into one?!" Yan Longzi exclaimed. "Are formations that easy to merge together?"
"Naturally, they are not," Zhang Fan chuckled softly. "To create such a high-level composite formation, one would require at least the attainments of a Tier 4 array master, or otherwise possess an extreme talent in the path of formation derivation."
Pausing briefly, he stroked his beard and asked, "Your father intends for you to take me as your master. Are you willing?"
"This junior is willing."
"You agreed just like that? Won't you test me first?"
"Senior's previous divine sense restrictions were absolutely exquisite, which already completely won me over. To this day, I am still studying your notes on formations, treating them as my greatest treasure."
"Hahaha!"
"Seeing your cold and aloof appearance, I didn't expect you to be so good at flattery!"
"Then when I leave, will you depart with me, or head to the Profound Moon Sect after some time?"
Xu Mingxian fell silent. However, Xu Chuan sent him a mental transmission, "Go. Cloudstream Town will be safe and secure for the next decade or so. You need to quickly learn about ultra-long-distance teleportation arrays and targeted teleportation arrays.
That way, traveling back and forth will become much more convenient."
"I understand, Father," he replied via mental transmission.
Immediately after, Xu Mingxian bowed to Zhang Fan and stated respectfully, "Your disciple is willing to leave with Honored Master."
Zhang Fan nodded in satisfaction.
Soon after, using the excuse of asking Zhang Fan for guidance on formations, Xu Mingxian led Zhang Fan out of the hall.
Xu Chuan brought out a sealed red sandalwood wooden casket and handed it over to Yan Longzi.
Yan Longzi took the wooden casket. A spiritual light flashed at his fingertips as he gently opened the lid.
In an instant, a scorching, ancient aura mixed with a faint draconic pressure spread throughout the area.
A fist-sized, exceptionally peculiar fruit lay quietly inside the casket. It was as blood-red as crimson, with faint dragon-scale patterns lining its surface.
A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes as he struggled to conceal his joy.
"It really is a six-thousand-year-old Dragon Blood Fruit! This item is exceptionally beneficial to me, so I shall gladly accept it. As for the item your Xu clan requested..."
His gaze turned toward Xu Deling beside him, and he smiled. "It's already in little Deling's hands."
Having obtained this spirit fruit, Yan Longzi was anxious to refine it. Unwilling to linger any longer, he and True Lord Fierce Sun immediately turned into two crimson streaks of light, shooting straight toward the Heavenly Plume Sect in preparation for secluded cultivation.
That night.
The moonlight was cold and clear, and the stars dotted the sky like scattered ink.
Xu Chuan arrived alone at the courtyard where Zhang Fan was temporarily residing.
The two sat across from each other beneath the moonlight, with two cups of clear wine placed on the stone table between them.
Xu Chuan poured the spirit wine into the jade cups, raised his glass, and smiled, "'When we meet again, we shall share a drink.' Senior, please!"
"To think Daoist Friend Xu still remembers."
Hearing this, Zhang Fan put on no airs. He picked up his cup and clinked it against Xu Chuan's.
The two of them downed the wine in one gulp.
"To enter the same secret realm separated by a thousand years is true fate. Senior, this junior toasts to you once more."
Refilling their cups, they drank again.
Next, Xu Chuan spoke again. "For the generous treatment Senior bestowed upon me in the past, and for taking my son as your disciple today, we must toast again!"
Zhang Fan chuckled softly and shook his head, though he did not refuse.
After finishing his drink, he asked, "Speak. Why have you come looking for me?"
Xu Chuan maintained an extremely respectful posture. "Since Senior hails from the same place as me, you should be able to guess what this junior wishes to know."
Zhang Fan's gaze seemed to pierce through the void as he spoke slowly, "The implications of that place are immense. Are you absolutely certain you want to know?"
"Truthfully, this junior can guess a fair bit. However, only by fully understanding its origins can I devise better ways to deal with it."
"So be it. There is no harm in telling you," Zhang Fan said. "Actually, our place of origin is the final battlefield of the ancient war."
"The Ancient Battlefield? Isn't it the Land of Imprisonment?" Xu Chuan was stunned.
"That is a narrative spread by the demon race."
"If it is the Ancient Battlefield, shouldn't there be countless opportunities there? I spent many years in that place but never heard of any grand opportunities."
"The true battlefield lies within another dimension, one that can only be opened through a massive blood sacrifice. As time evolved, it eventually resulted in a grand clash between the two domains once every five hundred years."
"The Ancient Battlefield opens once every five hundred years?"
Zhang Fan stroked his beard and nodded.
"Then what of the so-called 'Blood Food Feast' that the Hundred Thousand Mountains demon race holds once every thousand years?"
"The demon race possesses considerable strength, so they naturally must be given some benefits as well. The human race of our two domains can enter once every five hundred years, but the demon race may only enter once every millennium."
"Because of their lifespan."
"Daoist Friend Xu is truly intelligent. I hadn't even spoken, yet you had already figured it out."
"Since it is the final battlefield of the ancient era, it must be filled with various fortunes and opportunities. The human race, demon race, and true demon clan all likely left behind inheritances inside.
How could the demon race not want a piece of that pie?
However, the humans of the two domains wouldn't want the demon race to obtain too large of an opportunity, so there definitely had to be restrictions placed on them. The only limiting factor this junior could think of was lifespan."
Zhang Fan nodded once again.
"But why must it be opened through a blood sacrifice? Is there no other way?"
"Perhaps there is, but it definitely cannot be done from the outside. Rumor has it that the battlefield was created by the combined efforts of many Great Vehicle stage cultivators of the ancient Southern Heaven Region. Even if there truly is a way to open it otherwise, it must surely be found within the battlefield dimension itself.
Furthermore..."
Zhang Fan paused, letting out a soft sigh. "This method has been used for thousands of years. Even if there were another way, the demon race probably wouldn't easily agree to let all the humans trapped there leave!"
"Ultimately, strength is all that matters. If there is a new method to open the Ancient Battlefield, and someone wields the power to suppress the Hundred Thousand Mountains to the point where they dare not speak out of turn, then this matter should be achievable."
"True, but whether it is the former or the latter, both are incredibly difficult. In the shadows of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, there are also peak Tier 4 experts of the demon race."
"Are they even stronger than you, Senior?"
"Some of the demon race's bloodline experts, upon stepping into Tier 4 and awakening their innate divine ability, possess a strength absolutely comparable to the prodigies of the human race. Innate divine abilities can grow stronger alongside the purity of their bloodline, and can even reach a level comparable to a Dharma Idol Phantom."
As he spoke, Zhang Fan explained the concept of a Dharma Idol Phantom.
Only then did Xu Chuan realize that divine abilities could be combined to form a Dharma Idol.
It was no wonder—he didn't yet possess any inheritance that led straight to the Soul Formation Stage.
He estimated that he would need to break through to the Nascent Soul stage before the "Five Elements Creation Scripture" would manifest the subsequent cultivation methods required to reach the Soul Formation Stage.
"Senior, aside from inheritances and opportunities, what else lies within the Ancient Battlefield?"
"Why must it absolutely be opened?"
"Does it involve the providence of the two domains?"