hotmtlnovel Chapter 11 The Battle Concludes
Chapter 11 The Battle Concludes
The Taoist robe swished lightly and a good half of the Blood-robed People turned into flying ash. He leapt up to the Nine Heavens, his eyes flickering with Heavenly Thunder. He gently spoke to Prince Huai's Mansion not far away, "Come and fight!"
The gentle words gradually grew louder until at last they seemed like sounds from heaven, resounding across the sky.
"Very well, this is Liu Peiran, this is the opponent I acknowledge. If you wish to fight, come and fight!" Accompanying the voice was Xue Wuyi, the mastermind from behind the scenes.
Liu Peiran radiated boundless light, appearing like a colossal sun suspended in the sky. Meanwhile, Xue Wuyi controlled a surging River of Blood on the ground.
The world seemed to split in two, one side was a sky ablaze with dazzling white light, and the other was a great earth with roaring seas of blood.
This was a duel between top experts in the Cultivation Realm, a Primordial Spirit True Man in the Great Chen was considered the pinnacle of existence, a person capable of founding a Sect.
But now, two cultivators who had reached the stage of Primordial Spirit were fighting, a rare spectacle for those still in the middle of their cultivation.
At this moment, Lu Yu had no interest in observing this great battle. For him, the priority was how to survive under the hands of these Blood-robed People.
By now, he had exhausted all his means; a huge Dharma Protector Spirit guarded by his side, and the Flying Sword in his arms had transformed into a beam of deathly light, ceaselessly reaping lives.
At this point, Lu Yu could no longer afford to worry about the repercussions of using the Flying Sword, his only thought was to survive.
Sword Qi surged, and the Blood-robed People fell like wheat under the scythe, yet seemingly endless waves of them madly pressed forward as one batch fell, another would crazily rush up.
Lu Yu was hacking until he felt numb inside, his heart void of any thoughts but the mechanical swinging of his sword.
Meanwhile, the grand battle in the sky continued. Liu Peiran, transformed into his Primordial Spirit, appeared like a Divine Spirit, summoning powerful spells effortlessly; Fire Dragons soared and Heavenly Thunder descended.
But the Sea of Blood of Xue Wuyi seemed like an endless abyss. No matter how many spells entered, they merely stirred up waves of blood and failed to harm him in the slightest.
Xue Wuyi merged with the River of Blood to form a towering dragon that surged towards Liu Peiran.
Liu Peiran, in turn, transformed into a towering Giant cloaked in flame, his eyes containing thunder.
The giant battled the dragon, and though the river of blood continuously tainted his body, the flames made it impossible to harm Liu Peiran's Primordial Spirit. Instead, it crisped with a sizzling sound.
The two were at a stalemate, but as time passed, the Giant's vitality gradually weakened. Liu Peiran's Primordial Spirit, drawn from an unsustainable source, began to falter as its strength waned.
At the same time, Lu Yu also reached a critical moment of life and death. The once massive Dharma Protector Spirit now appeared ethereal, as if it would vanish in a few moments, and Lu Yu's face was deathly pale. He had drained too much of his Life Force and could hardly hold on.
"Is this where it ends for me?" Lu Yu questioned himself, looking at the increasingly blurry and shaky scene before him, he knew he had reached his limit. Yet there was a deep unwillingness in his heart; he had ultimately failed to protect the He siblings.
"My junior brother, Taoist Tiantong, has sacrificed himself in his path; I'm afraid the situation in Wan City is quite dire!" Indeed, they had already surmised several possible scenarios when they received the secret communication but still harbored hope that things might take a turn.
Hearing the State Preceptor's words, the Monarch of Great Chen stood silently, the wind sweeping across the platform enveloping both men in solemnity.
"Hahaha, it seems everyone thinks I am old and frail!" The King suddenly burst into laughter, but his eyes held not a trace of mirth, only a deep severity.
"I entrust everything to you, State Preceptor!" he said, bowing deeply to Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi.
Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi sighed softly, "It appears His Majesty's resolve is firm. Well, I shall sacrifice this life to divine Heaven's Secret for Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will keep his promise, and after this, let the Zhengyi Sect and the Great Chen settle their karmic debt."
"My word is my bond; I will not break my promise!"
Reassured by the Monarch's promise, Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi then instructed his men to prepare the necessary items.
Shortly after, several black banners, depicting the sun, moon, and city, were erected at the Observatory, and an altar with the Jade Seal of Great Chen was set up in the middle.
Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi walked around the altar, casting spells, and even without wind, the black banners slowly stirred the atmosphere, a profound and mysterious aura emitting from the altar.
Suddenly, a whirlwind arose, breaking the flagpoles and disarraying the altar. Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi stopped walking, spewing a mouthful of fresh blood.
The True Man staggered a few steps, then slowly seated himself on the platform, facing the eagerly awaiting Monarch of Great Chen, he said, "I am honored to fulfill my duty. I have divined a sliver of Heaven's Secret, which I hope will satisfy Your Majesty."
He then shared all he had learned, speaking until his breaths became weaker and finally ceased.
A young Taoist dressed in a robe approached from afar and said to the monarch, "My teacher's uncle has ascended. Honoring his last wish, I will take his body back to the Zhengyi Sect. From today, our sect will close its doors for thirty years, and I hope Your Majesty will understand."
"Taoist Tianyi has exhausted his wisdom for Great Chen, and I will certainly honor his last wish," the monarch replied.
Hearing this, the Taoist lifted the body of Qingyun, bowed deeply, and transformed into a rainbow light, shooting straight toward the sect's gates, leaving the Monarch of Great Chen alone at the altar, the emperor standing at the railing looking out over the vast lands, his eyes filled with a deadly intent.
The next day, everyone in Great Chen knew—Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi, a divine figure in the hearts of ordinary people, had ascended. The nation mourned, and the Emperor's Order of Recruitment was also spread throughout the land, making people curious about who would become the next State Preceptor of Great Chen after Primordial Spirit True Man Tianyi.
At that time, in places unavailable to ordinary people, the cultivation realm was abuzz with various pieces of news.
"Tianyi has passed, signaling the impending fall of Great Chen. This is the time for us cultivators to descend from the mountains to aid and reshape the nation."
"The Zhengyi Sect has backed Great Chen to great advantage for two hundred years producing outstanding disciples. It stands as the foremost Taoist sect in the cultivation realm; however, now it has withdrawn from the competition for the dragon, allowing other sects a chance to shine."
Many cultivation sects sent their disciples and followers into the world to find the Hidden Dragon, ready to support their chosen candidate to vie for control of the realm, thus sharing in that person's fortune and destiny as cultivation nourishment.
Some practitioners of unorthodox paths also seized this opportunity to practice evil techniques and refine treasures, and for a time, the previously tranquil Great Chen cultivation realm became tumultuous, because with the great calamity impending, these cultivators found it hard to maintain peace of mind or clarity of heart, naturally giving rise to numerous tribulations.