togophonebook Chapter 73 Sweeping Through the Purple Mansion
Chapter 73 Sweeping Through the Purple Mansion
Now, Xuan Yao obtained the remaining memories of True Man Chi Li and immediately discerned the true nature of several strongholds in Zi Fu Continent east of Huo Ze.
He did not linger in the center of the fire swamp. He summoned Lingxiao and the old Xuanshui dragon, and once again rode the wind and thunder, speeding straight eastward.
It should be known that the vast and boundless eastern part of the prehistoric world was originally a place where countless independent cultivators and small clans cultivated and multiplied in seclusion. However, since the Eastern King Duke was appointed as the head of the male immortals and established the Immortal Court in the East Sea, the forces of Zifu Continent have spread like locusts, setting up strongholds everywhere.
Nominally, they patrol and maintain order in the immortal realm, but in reality, their actions are mostly short-sighted, exploitative, and destructive practices that enslave weaker groups.
Before leaving, Xuan Yao had already made up his mind.
Although the supreme innate spiritual treasure, the Treasure-Falling Coin, is incredibly mysterious and specializes in falling into other people's magical treasures, each activation of it involves profound karmic connections between heaven and earth, and also slightly diminishes one's own fortune.
If he hadn't encountered a formidable enemy like True Man Chi Li, whose cultivation level far surpassed his own and who possessed a supreme innate treasure, he would never have used such a trump card so easily.
As for the ordinary Golden Immortals in these strongholds, with his current mid-stage Golden Immortal power, combined with the Xuan Sha Golden Whip, Flying Golden Sword and Zhou Tian Sha Banner, he would be able to destroy them completely.
Before long, the group arrived at their first outpost.
This place is hidden deep within a cluster of red sand dunes.
Xuan Yao descended from the clouds and looked around. He saw several huge black iron stakes driven deep into the ground between the red sand and stones, causing the spiritual energy of the fire veins within tens of thousands of miles around to tremble violently. Even in the void, there was a faint surge of scorching fire poison.
The strongest person in that stronghold was only a Purple Mansion cultivator at the early stage of Golden Immortal.
The man sat cross-legged beside the communication array, leisurely inhaling and exhaling the essence of the fire vein that he had forcibly extracted. Around him stood a dozen or so disciples at the Xuanxian and Tianxian realms, each with an arrogant demeanor and showing no sign of vigilance.
Xuan Yao was unwilling to waste words, and even less willing to give the other party the opportunity to send a message for help.
He was hidden in the void, and with a gentle flick of his finger, he guided the others.
The Flying Gold Sword immediately transformed into a streak of platinum light, swift as lightning, and in an instant slashed into the center of the stronghold, shattering the communication array into pieces.
The moment the array platform was destroyed, the early-stage Golden Immortal cultivator was utterly terrified.
Just as he was about to stand up, Xuan Yao's Xuan Sha Golden Whip slammed down from the sky.
The black-gold whip, carrying the force of countless bolts of lightning, crashed down.
With the first lash, the Golden Immortal's protective immortal light and physical body shattered like thin porcelain.
With the second lash, his escaped primordial spirit was torn into countless fragments.
With the third lash, the wronged souls and karmic forces entangled in the fragments of the primordial spirit were all transformed into black smoke and dissipated under the heavy blow of this superior-grade innate spiritual treasure.
This offensive was swift and decisive.
A Golden Immortal cultivator in the early stage didn't even get a clear look at Xuan Yao's face before his body and soul were completely destroyed.
Lingxiao also made his move at that moment.
She patted her waist, and the newly bestowed Crimson Flame Flying Knife instantly transformed into a blinding line of blood.
She already possessed the bloodline of the Great Roc, granting her astonishing speed. Now, combined with the swiftness of her flying knives, she was like a bolt of lightning. Outside the stronghold, several Xuanxian cultivators who attempted to escape on clouds had not even flown a hundred miles before the crimson flying knives grazed their throats, their bodies instantly shattering.
The old dragon of the Xuan River let out a sinister laugh and revealed its ten-thousand-foot-tall dragon body.
It opened its mouth wide and activated the yellow sand fan. In an instant, a fierce wind arose across the thousand-mile-long red sand dunes, and yellow sand filled the sky.
The raging sandstorm not only shredded everything remaining in the stronghold, but also completely disrupted the remaining magical energy fluctuations in the area.
After taking down the first stronghold, Xuan Yao did not linger and headed straight for the second one.
This second stronghold was hidden deep within a long-arid and decaying sacred mountain.
The cultivators of Zifu Continent here are even worse off, forcibly driving thousands of creatures from several weaker races to mine a divine material called Purple Copper Refined Gold day and night deep within the Ling Mountain mines using Xuan Guang Chains.
Upon seeing this, a cold glint flashed in Xuan Yao's eyes.
He did not launch a direct attack immediately, but instead used his magic to forcibly tear a gap in the outer array of the stronghold.
Then, he circulated his pure and virtuous energy, which transformed into a ray of warm golden light, secretly guiding those untainted beings at the bottom of society, causing them to flee in panic along the gap and scatter into the vast wilderness.
Once all the weak creatures had retreated, Xuan Yao had no more scruples.
With a wave of his hand, the thirty-six Zhou Tian Sha Banners crashed down, sealing off the entire desolate spiritual mountain completely.
Two early-stage Golden Immortal cultivators are stationed here.
Seeing the great formation fall, the two were about to ride their escape light, summoning the decree of the Purple Mansion Continent Immortal Court, and shouted loudly:
"We are appointed patrol officers by the Celestial Court. How dare you commit such acts of violence here! Do you intend to make an enemy of the entire Purple Mansion Continent?!"
Xuan Yao stood atop the clouds, his face cold, his voice booming like a great bell:
"If you, the true ruler of Zifu Continent, are acting on behalf of Heaven, you should protect all living beings, not use the name of the Celestial Court to commit such acts of robbery and plunder."
"Your encounter with me today is a sign that your fate has run its course."
After saying that, Xuan Yao stopped wasting words with the two dying men.
The Xuan Sha Golden Whip transformed into a black dragon spanning a thousand feet. With a single lash, it pulverized the protective aura of the two Golden Immortals, along with the main hall behind them, into dust that filled the sky.
When destroying a stronghold, Xuan Yao never resorted to such ruthless tactics as plucking feathers from a passing goose.
He deliberately had Lingxiao use that crimson flying knife to tear huge cracks in the battlefield ruins and the remains of Purple Mansion cultivators, resembling the claws of a great demon bird, ferocious and vicious.
Meanwhile, the old dragon of the Xuanshui River activated the Yellow Sand Treasure Fan, stirring up a sandstorm that filled the sky.
The sandstorm was mixed with crude demonic energy and water evil, completely obscuring the originally pure traces of the Xuanmen battle under a chaotic demonic atmosphere.
Xuan Yao even deliberately didn't take all the low-grade spirit ores and common spirit herbs mined from those strongholds.
He only selected the high-grade divine materials bearing the special mark of Zifu Continent, as well as key items such as communication talismans and tracking array plates.
The remaining low-level resources were scattered everywhere by his magic, creating the illusion of a sudden attack by the demon army, who killed and looted before fleeing in panic.
After destroying three strongholds in succession, Xuan Yao descended from the clouds in mid-air and waved to signal Ling Xiao and the old dragon to stop.
The old dragon flicked its tongue, its eyes flashing with ferocity, clearly getting into the killing frenzy.
It leaned closer and asked in a low voice:
"Sir, there are two more strongholds to the east. Why don't we take them out at the same time? That way we won't leave any loose ends behind."
Xuan Yao turned his head and gave it a cold look.
With just one glance, the old dragon trembled all over and quickly withdrew its head.
"Anything in excess is as bad as too little."
Xuan Yao said calmly:
"If dozens of strongholds are destroyed in succession, the Taiyi and even Daluo masters who have been dormant in Zifu Continent for many years will surely be alarmed. At that time, they will spare no expense to forcibly deduce the secrets of heaven, which will inevitably lead to unforeseen changes."
"Now that these three strongholds have been destroyed, coupled with the death of True Man Chi Li, it is enough for Zi Fu Continent to turn its attention to the increasingly powerful scattered demon tribes in the east."
"The two sides are already at odds, and once suspicion arises, it will be difficult to quell the conflict. Our best course of action is to withdraw at the right time."
Having said that, Xuan Yao said no more.
With a flick of his sleeve, he swept up an eagle and a dragon, transforming them into a gentle breeze that silently returned to the very core of the Fiery Abyss.
Upon returning to the ancestral tree, they found that the place had been well-managed by Ancestor Yanheng.
The 300,000 Yan Yuan clansmen had finished packing their belongings and were all lined up neatly on the shallows, waiting for their turn.
The original towering Water and Fire Ancestral Tree, under Yan Yuanzi's soothing touch, had its roots completely gathered.
The enormous tree trunk, which was thousands of feet tall, has now condensed into a delicate spiritual wood about ten feet tall, with red and blue light flowing around it. It is being held in Yan Yuanzi's arms, and the life force of the wood and fire in the red copper fire gourd is used to lock the energy.
"Master, your disciple has successfully completed the task of straightening out the roots of the ancestral tree."
The little guy ran up to Xuan Yao and reported back with a serious expression.
"Okay, well done."
Xuan Yao's face lit up with joy, and he reached out to pat his eldest disciple's head.
Then, he turned around, looked at the dark mass of Yan Yuan clansmen in front of him, and didn't linger any longer.
He suddenly raised his right hand, and thirty-six black and gold Zhou Tian Sha Banners shot out from his sleeves, nailing themselves firmly into the void around the Great Swamp.
"The grand formation shifts, shifting the very fabric of the universe!"
Xuan Yao let out a low shout, and the vast magical power of a mid-stage Golden Immortal poured out of his body without reservation.
Thirty-six large banners fluttered in the wind, and countless black and gold pillars of light reached the heavens and the earth, transforming into an enormous protective barrier that enveloped the 300,000 Yan Yuan clansmen along with the ten-zhang-tall primordial ancestral tree.
A flash of light caused the void to tremble slightly.
When the black and gold light dissipated, the once bustling center of the Flaming Abyss was now deserted.
Only ruins and claw marks remain, a testament to the tragic events that once unfolded here.
With the immense resources of their clan, Xuan Yao and his entourage embarked on their long journey back north to Xikunlun.