20demayo Chapter 1976: Dharma, Heaven and Earth
Chapter 1976: Dharma, Heaven and Earth
Chapter 1976: Dharma, Heaven and Earth
Xuan Yu Realm, above the Southern Region.
The rift in the boundary wall, forcibly torn open by Cang Huaying, stretched across the sky like a hideous scar. Dense demonic energy, like ink, continuously poured out from the rift, polluting this world.
Before the crack, two figures exuding overwhelming demonic power stood majestically.
Upon hearing Cang Huaying's words, the Demon Lord's eyes, which had been somewhat gloomy due to his injuries and anger, lit up slightly, like ghostly flames igniting in the netherworld.
"The Blazing Sun Immortal Dynasty, the Heavenly Gate?" The Destroyer repeated in a low voice, a cold and piercing smile gradually appearing on his lips.
"I was worried that the escape of these ants from the Xuan Yu Realm would cause great damage to the origin of this realm. Even if we completely refine them, the Heavenly Origin Dao Foundation we condense will probably be flawed and difficult to perfect."
"Now look what's happened! They've actually delivered themselves to our doorstep. If we can hunt down some of them and extract the remaining essence from the Xuan Yu Realm, it might be able to make up for this loss!"
"Hahaha, that's right, exactly!"
Upon hearing this, Cang Huaying burst into laughter, the sound of which shook the surrounding space violently.
"Destruction. Once you have initially refined this world and returned to the original continent, you will have a mysterious connection with these ants from the Xuan Yu Realm within a radius of tens of millions of miles."
"At that time, you can use the pretext of conquest to drag out these remnants of the Xuan Yu Realm one by one, crush them, and extract their essence!"
at the same time.
The primordial continent, the territory of the Flaming Sun Immortal Dynasty, the far west.
A majestic pass, lying like an ancient behemoth between a vast, boundless sea of blood and a dark mountain range, is bathed in a strange light that blends intense bloodlust with pure yang energy.
This is Tianhai Pass, one of the important border passes of the Yanyang Immortal Dynasty to resist the forces of demonic cultivators.
Within the pass, on the edge of the inland side, lies a vast platform, constructed from some kind of dark gold metal.
The platform is engraved with countless intricate runes that emanate spatial fluctuations.
This is a reception platform specifically designed to receive beings fleeing from lower planes.
On this day, countless runes on the guiding platform suddenly lit up one after another without warning, emitting a faint buzzing sound.
In the next instant, an enormous pillar of light, incredibly thick and composed entirely of milky white light, seemed to have appeared out of thin air from beyond the heavens, tearing through the clouds above Tianhai Pass and striking precisely the center of the reception platform.
"Boom!"
The entire receiving platform, along with the ground beneath it, trembled.
All the runes on the stage burst forth with dazzling light at this moment, and the immense spatial power surged and undulated on the stage like a tidal wave.
Beside the reception platform, inside a simple stone hall.
A middle-aged man dressed in the dark red official robes of the Yanyang Immortal Dynasty, whose aura was as unfathomable as an abyss, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze pierced through the stone wall and landed directly on the towering pillar of light.
He was none other than Gu Lixin, the guide from Tianhai Pass.
"Beings that fled from a lower plane? That's quite a large number."
Gu Lixin raised an eyebrow slightly. According to the information from the reception platform, this group of beings came from a dilapidated fifteenth-order plane that was about to be destroyed by demonic cultivators.
He was rescued by a passing 16th-level cultivator and brought here via a makeshift teleportation array.
Such lower-level planes, almost entirely overrun by demonic cultivators, are not uncommon in Tianhaiguan.
Gu Lixin moved swiftly, and in the next instant, he appeared high above the reception platform.
"boom!"
A colossal, illusory image of a Dharma body, reaching to the heavens and seemingly merging with the entire Tianhai Pass mountain range, suddenly appeared behind him.
The Dharma image was blurry, yet it exuded a majestic aura like the blazing sun, as well as a fierce and deadly aura that had been through countless battles and slain countless demons.
This oppressive force, like a tangible mountain, crashed down upon the densely packed, illusory beings on the receiving platform below.
Almost the instant the oppressive force descended, all the beings of the Xuan Yu Realm below the fifteenth rank on the reception platform felt their souls tremble violently.
It was as if an invisible hammer had slammed into the depths of their consciousness, causing the Yuan energy circulating around their bodies to become extremely sluggish, as if they were stuck in a quagmire.
Many of those with weaker cultivation levels turned pale and nearly knelt down.
Those fifteenth-tier Dominator Realm experts felt the pain even more intensely.
They were not only trembling with fear, but also felt that their entire vision and perception were filled with the towering, illusory image of the Dharma in the sky.
No longer could he perceive any other existence around him. An instinctive sense of awe and fear of a higher existence rose uncontrollably from the depths of his heart.
Even a being at the 15th level of the Celestial Profound Realm, who was at the limit of his cultivation, felt a pressure he had never experienced before. This was due to the enormous difference in their cultivation levels.
In the crowd, Chen Fei lowered his head slightly, avoiding eye contact with the powerful figure.
The Boundary-Breaking Jade Marrow possesses the power to conceal information. In the memories of all beings in the Xuan Yu Realm at this moment, including Venerable Tian Xuan, the reason they were able to come here was because a mysterious, passing-by 16th-tier powerhouse intervened to save them, rather than Chen Fei using the Source Point.
The key information about Chen Fei and the Martial Arts Arena of All Heavens and Myriad Realms has been quietly blurred and covered up.
This method is truly unpredictable and beyond human comprehension!
At this moment, Chen Fei did not sense the gaze of the powerful figure in mid-air, who clearly regarded him as an ordinary mid-stage fifteenth-level cultivator.
High in the sky, Gu Lixin looked down at the somewhat disheveled figures below, his eyes indifferent and without any ripples.
He had seen far too many of these "refugees" from the lower realms.
Gu Lixin spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet like thunder, clearly penetrating the depths of the souls of every living being in the Xuan Yu Realm, carrying an undeniable majesty:
"I am Gu Lixin, the guide from Tianhai Pass."
"Now, everyone, please walk through the welcoming gate in front of you one by one!"
As Gu Lixin finished speaking, a massive light gate, thousands of feet tall and constructed from countless flowing runes, suddenly appeared on the south side of the reception platform.
Inside the door, light and shadow shifted, emanating a mysterious aura.
"After you enter the gate, you will be given identity tokens. All the rules and information about the Celestial Dynasty and the Heavenly Gate are contained in these tokens!"
"Act swiftly, without fail!"
"Thank you for your guidance, Your Excellency!"
Below the stage, Venerable Tianxuan, suppressing the discomfort in his soul, took the lead in bowing respectfully to Gu Lixin high in the sky.
Shi Ruifeng, Lin Xunhong, and several other former top-ranked experts bowed deeply, knowing that any disrespect at this moment could lead to their annihilation.
After bowing, Venerable Tianxuan took a deep breath and transformed into a streak of light, flying towards the gate of reception. Shi Ruifeng, Lin Xunhong, and others followed closely behind.
The moment the figure of the Heavenly Mystic Venerable passed through that enormous gate of light...
"Buzz!"
The gate shone brightly, and countless fine Dao patterns, imbued with the unique aura of the Yan Yang Immortal Dynasty's laws, seemed to come alive, rapidly coiling around it and disappearing in a flash.
At the same time, a palm-sized jade tablet, warm and smooth, with the words "Yan Yang" engraved on the front and the "Tian Hai" pattern on the back, condensed from the light gate and flew into the hand of Venerable Tianxuan.
The jade tablet felt slightly warm to the touch, and subtly connected to his soul. Venerable Tianxuan could sense an invisible bond and connection that had been established. From this moment on, he officially became a member of the Heavenly Gate of the Flaming Sun Immortal Dynasty.
With Venerable Tianxuan and others taking the lead, the other beings on the reception platform also suppressed their unease and hesitation, transforming into streaks of light and flying towards the reception gate in an orderly manner.
In an instant, all that could be seen was a sky full of shimmering light.
Each figure passing through the portal of light would trigger a burst of runes and receive a unique identity jade token.
Although the process involved a large number of people, thanks to the efficient operation of the Reception Gate, it only took about an hour for all the beings of the Xuan Yu Realm to complete the process of joining the Yan Yang Immortal Dynasty.
Looking at the jade tablet in his hand, Chen Fei immersed his consciousness into it, and immediately, a large amount of information flooded into his mind like a tide.
Basic information about the Yan Yang Immortal Dynasty, an introduction to surrounding hostile forces, and, most importantly, the merit system.
"Guarding Tianhai Pass grants one basic merit point annually. Conquering demonic cultivators: slaying a level 15 early-stage demonic cultivator grants one merit point; slaying a level 15 mid-stage demonic cultivator grants three points; slaying a level 15 late-stage demonic cultivator grants six points; slaying a level 15 peak demonic cultivator grants nine points…"
Kuang Lingyun's voice carried a hint of shock; obtaining merit was extremely difficult.
Le Boyang finished examining the jade tablet, a complex expression on his face. He said in a low voice, "The jade tablet also records a Yuan Power inheritance called 'Blazing Sun Refining Yuan Technique,' as well as a physical body inheritance. I've taken a quick look, and many of its ingenious aspects far surpass our Illusionary Transformation Sect's signature technique!"
When the words "Illusion Gate" were mentioned, Le Boyang's voice involuntarily lowered, and a trace of undisguised loneliness flashed in his eyes.
From this day forward, the Illusion Gate of the Xuan Yu Realm has become history.
These people are nothing more than cultivators who are attached to the Yan Yang Immortal Dynasty.
Upon hearing this, the powerful figures from other sects nearby also fell silent.
It's hard to leave one's homeland, and it's hard to leave one's sect; only those who have experienced it firsthand can truly understand this feeling.
High in the air, Gu Lixin looked down at the crowd who had already registered, his face still expressionless.
His gaze lingered briefly on several top-tier level 15 experts, including Venerable Tianxuan and Shi Ruifeng, but only for a moment.
For him, the fifteenth-tier limit was nothing more than a slightly stronger soldier. Without reaching the sixteenth-tier Tai Cang Realm, freedom would be hard to come by.
"Now……"
Gu Lixin's voice rang out again, cold and unquestionable: "Everyone, enter the camp immediately."
"Three days from now, there will be a border patrol and mopping-up operation, which all those at the fourteenth rank and above will be required to participate in."
"This is an opportunity for you to familiarize yourselves with the battle at Tianhai Pass, and you must not refuse it for any reason!"
After saying this last sentence, Gu Lixin didn't even glance down again. The towering, illusory image of his Dharma form behind him suddenly vanished, disappearing from the spot like a phantom along with his true form.
There were no formalities, no welcomes, only stark commands and rules.
Because here, there is no need for any so-called courtesy.
Those who disagree? Those who violate the regulations? There is only one outcome: execution!
This is the ironclad rule of the border!
As Gu Lixin left, the terrifying pressure that had enveloped everyone finally dissipated. Many people couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief, feeling much lighter, but the heaviness in their hearts remained unchanged.
Without daring to delay, everyone transformed into streaks of light and flew towards an area far from the reception platform, following the directions indicated in the jade tablet.
In a short while, a huge camp, covering a vast area, surrounded by tall metal walls, and with countless barracks neatly arranged inside, appeared before everyone's eyes.
Above the camp, faint fluctuations of laws emanated, and a solemn, rigorous, and even oppressive atmosphere swept over.
Looking at this new home where they would spend the next ten thousand years, all the beings of the Xuan Yu Realm couldn't help but feel a complex and indescribable emotion welling up in their hearts.
There is confusion about the unknown, fear of future battles, and a sense of desolation at losing freedom and being unable to control one's own destiny.
Ten thousand years, how long it is!
However, there is a way to break free from the constraints of this camp.
If one day one's cultivation level breaks through to the sixteenth level, one will automatically obtain the status of a warrior general.
At that time, although they will still need to serve Tianhai Pass, they will no longer need to be confined to this camp for many years. They will be able to freely enter and exit the major cities inside Tianhai Pass and enjoy higher authority and resource allocation.
If one wants to completely leave Tianhai Pass after breaking through to the sixteenth level of the Tai Cang Realm and gain the right to travel freely within the entire territory of the Yan Yang Immortal Dynasty, the most direct way is to kill a powerful demonic cultivator of the same level.
For powerful figures like Venerable Tianxuan, Shi Ruifeng, and Lin Xunhong, who are already at the threshold of the fifteenth level, breaking through to the sixteenth level is not an unattainable goal.
Outside the camp, the billions of beings from the Xuan Yu Realm who had just completed their reception and received their identity jade tokens had not yet had time to carefully examine this unfamiliar new environment when, guided by the invisible array power within the camp, they began a great divergence.
Each streak of light, according to its cultivation level, flew towards a different area within the camp.
Seventy-six streams of light, each with the most magnificent aura and as dazzling as stars, flew straight toward the northernmost part of the camp, a relatively isolated area that faintly emitted a sense of isolation.
That area is the encampment of fifteenth-level cultivators.
The thousands of slightly weaker beams of light then split off to the west side of the camp, where the barracks were more densely packed and where fourteenth-level cultivators gathered.
The even larger number of hundreds of thousands of streams of light, like streams flowing into a river, surged towards the largest area on the east side of the camp, where the barracks were arranged in a neat and uniform manner.
That place will be the dwelling place for cultivators of the thirteenth rank.
As for the even larger number of billions of beings whose cultivation levels are below the thirteenth rank, they face a crucial choice.
According to the information on the jade tablet, they can choose to manifest directly within the camp and accept the camp's unified management and arrangements.
Alternatively, they could continue living within the dimensional cavern of a fourteenth or fifteenth-tier powerhouse to whom they originally depended.
Both options have their advantages and disadvantages.
Choosing to appear at the camp means facing the strict military regulations of Tianhai Pass directly. Normally, they can only move around within the camp. Moreover, in special circumstances, even these low-level cultivators may be forcibly conscripted and sent to the bloody battlefield.
At that time, given their meager cultivation levels, the possibility of their deaths and the dissipation of their cultivation is extremely high.
Choosing to remain in the plane of the powerful means that for the next ten thousand years, one will almost exclusively live within that powerful being's plane's celestial realm. Once one leaves the plane, it is automatically considered as choosing to accept the camp's jurisdiction.
The biggest drawback of staying within the plane is that everyone prospers or suffers together.
If the powerful being they rely on unfortunately perishes in the battles of the outside world, then their dimensional world will also collapse.
At that time, all living beings within that plane will be annihilated without exception.
If we only consider the word "safety", it seems that choosing to stay in the camp is relatively less risky?
The need to mobilize beings below the thirteenth rank to the battlefield is extremely rare in border regions like Tianhai Pass, where high-ranking combat forces are the mainstay.
They might not encounter such an event even once in ten thousand years. Most of the time, they can live and cultivate in the relatively safe rear of the camp.
Choosing to attach oneself to a powerful person means constantly worrying about their safety.
In the bloody battles of Tianhai Pass, even a cultivator at the fifteenth level wouldn't dare say they could live for ten thousand years. If the one they depended on died in battle, the entire army would be wiped out.
Of course, choosing a campsite is not a guarantee of success.
The extreme scenario that "what if" occurs would also be catastrophic. Moreover, the competition and exploitation within the camp would likely be extremely cruel for lower-level cultivators.
This is destined to be a difficult choice with no perfect answer.
In the north of the camp, Chen Fei appeared, his gaze sweeping over the terms regarding the placement of low-level creatures on the jade tablet in his hand, his eyes calm.
The creatures within the Guixu Realm will remain within the realm.
The strongest beings in the Guixu Realm today are only around the tenth level of cultivation, making them the lowest level beings in the Tianhai Pass.
If they were to appear at the camp now, given their meager strength and the rigid, dog-eat-dog environment of the border, all that awaited them would likely be endless exploitation.
Pushing open the seemingly ordinary yet incredibly heavy metal door of the barracks, a smell mixed with a faint metallic odor and a musty smell wafted out.
The barracks were not large, only about three zhang in length and width, and the furnishings were extremely simple.
A stone bed, cold and hard, made of an unknown dark gray stone.
On the bed was a somewhat worn-out futon, from which faint fluctuations of vital energy emanated, seemingly having a slight calming and concentration-enhancing effect, but that was all.
Beside the bed, there was a stone table of the same material, paired with a stone chair, the tabletop empty.
Apart from that, there was not a single extra item to be found in the entire barracks.
There was no decoration, not even a window; the four walls were cold metal surfaces, engraved with some basic reinforcement and isolation runes.
However, as Chen Fei's divine sense carefully swept across the entire barracks, his gaze flickered slightly and landed on the core of the runes on the wall. There, a rather ingenious concealment and warning formation was hidden.
This formation is of a very high grade. Once activated, it can issue an alarm in time when an external force forcibly intrudes.
This is probably the only facility in this simple barracks that can be considered "thoughtful," and it is also the only respect shown to the fifteenth-level combatants here.
Despite the extremely basic and harsh environment, Chen Fei showed no sign of dissatisfaction or surprise.
He calmly walked to the stone bed, reached out and touched the cold surface; it was hard and had no warmth at all.
Instead, a faint smile curved at the corners of Chen Fei's lips.
Chen Fei didn't care about the environment at all. Having cultivated to his level, he had long since transcended dependence on external enjoyment.
True enjoyment lies in enhancing one's own power and comprehending the rules of the Great Dao. If one truly needs comfort, there are blessed lands within his Guixu Realm.
Arriving at Tianhai Pass and at this camp, there are only two main purposes.
First, do everything possible to survive every battle.
Second, do everything in your power to break through to the sixteenth level and gain true freedom.
Right now, the most pressing matter is the first battle in three days. That will be the first time these newcomers will truly face the demonic cultivators of the Primordial Continent and experience firsthand the cruelty of the Tianhai Pass battlefield.
You must be fully prepared.
After a while.
In front of the barracks in the north of the camp, in a better location and slightly larger area, a group of figures appeared, namely more than seventy fifteenth-level cultivators from the Xuan Yu Realm.
The camp has a rule that no one may leave the camp area without permission at any time.
However, there are no strict restrictions on movement between different areas within the camp. After all, some tactical coordination and information exchange require communication between them.
At this moment, Venerable Tianxuan used his own dimensional power to temporarily create a space in the barracks large enough to accommodate everyone.
When faced with unknown dangers, sticking together for warmth and sharing resources is the most basic survival wisdom.
Chen Fei's figure also quietly appeared in the crowd. His gaze calmly swept over every face present. These people were once the pinnacle of the Xuan Yu Realm, but now they have all become new recruits in this Tianhai Pass camp.
Within the dimensional space, Venerable Tianxuan stood before the crowd. His face still bore the pallor of unhealed serious injuries, but his eyes remained calm and sharp.
Venerable Tianxuan's gaze slowly swept over every powerful figure present, and he spoke in a low and solemn voice:
"Fellow Daoists, in three days, we will face our first battle upon arriving at Tianhai Pass."
"We are newcomers and are still unfamiliar with the rules of heaven and earth and the characteristics of the primordial energy here. The cultivation techniques we have are also newly acquired and far from being mastered."
More importantly, we know almost nothing about the enemies we are about to face—the demonic cultivators of the primordial continent—their methods, strength, and fighting styles.
The words of Venerable Tianxuan struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer, making the already heavy atmosphere even more oppressive.
"Therefore, in the battle three days from now, I hope that you will all be cautious and prioritize preserving your own lives. Do not be greedy for merit or act rashly, and do not easily separate from others."
At this point, Venerable Tianxuan gave a helpless, bitter smile and said frankly:
"To be honest, I am now severely injured and have lost only one-tenth of my strength. I will probably have a hard time even protecting myself, let alone protecting others. You will all have to rely on yourselves."
The words of Venerable Tianxuan were extremely frank, and also extremely cruel. If even the strongest among them, Venerable Tianxuan, could not protect himself, how could the others possibly survive on that unknown battlefield?
Just as the people of Xuanyu Realm were anxiously discussing the war three days later, in a border town called Black Fiend City, which was located within the territory of Xuanying Palace, which faced Tianhai Pass from afar.
"Buzz!"
In the city center, a teleportation array that had been emitting a dense demonic aura suddenly lit up with a blinding dark light. Two figures, one in front of the other, stepped out from the light; they were Cang Huaying and Po Mie Zun.
The current Destroyer is completely different from the severely injured and weak figure he was in the Xuan Yu Realm.
His body was filled with demonic energy, churning like a dragon. His aura had not only fully recovered to its peak state, but was even slightly stronger than when he fought the Heavenly Profound Venerable.
It was as if some kind of power was constantly growing and expanding within me.
(End of this chapter)