Chapter 1070: Two Great Huashen

When the Heaven-Earth Xuanji Instrument rotated to its maximum extent, a clear, water-like spiritual light rose from the ground. It resembled a long spear piercing the sky, directly plunging into the golden sphere at the center of the Xuanji Instrument.

Following this, an earth-shattering hum resonated through the clouds, and all cultivators in Dongling Immortal City felt the spiritual veins beneath their feet vibrating. With Chen Mobai's expertise as a fifth-tier formation master, he saw an invisible grand formation, centered on the Heaven-Earth Xuanji Instrument, expand rapidly. It not only enveloped Dongling Mountain but also extended its influence to spiritual veins, mountains, and rivers over a much wider area, affecting the very spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This was the Daoist Sect's Heaven-Earth Xuanji Formation; as long as its supreme treasure was present, it could harness the local spiritual veins to evolve and establish a formation anywhere. At this moment, Chen Mobai even felt that the formation he had set up in his own courtyard was affected, as all spiritual vein energy had been brought under the control of the Heaven-Earth Xuanji Instrument.

After the formation was activated, the golden sphere at the center of the Xuanji Instrument began to emit dazzling light. The outer rings, with their varied colors and infinite permutations, started to spin even more rapidly. Beams of light shot out from the Xuanji Instrument, forming an invisible, vast net in the sky that spread towards Shituo Ridge, tens of thousands of miles away. Spiritual light flickered in Chen Mobai's eyes as he continuously verified this legendary formation of the Eastern Continent's Sacred Land, using his own immortal sect's formation expertise.

The power of the Heaven-Earth Xuanji Formation depended on the person wielding the magical artifact. True Monarch Wuchen, as a Deification cultivator, could ordinarily only unleash peak fifth-tier power. However, if a Void Refining cultivator were to act, it could reach the sixth tier. Nevertheless, against Shituo Ridge, fifth-tier power was already sufficient. Under Chen Mobai's gaze, the light net radiating from the Xuanji Instrument became even more brilliant. In his Earth Spirit resonance state, he also sensed the earth at this moment surging with intense energy, as the grand formation sealed towards Shituo Ridge.

As the light beams continuously strengthened, the entire fifth-tier spiritual vein of Dongling Mountain began to tremble violently. Chen Mobai sensed its instinctive resistance, as the Heaven-Earth Xuanji Formation, apart from True Monarch Wuchen's initial activation, was otherwise constantly drawing upon the power of this spiritual vein to remotely cast the seal. However, long ago, the Daoist Sect had already embedded corresponding formation plates and flags throughout the Dongling Mountain spiritual vein, elevating it to the fifth tier precisely for this day, making resistance impossible. Soon, Chen Mobai perceived that the spiritual vein, which had originally been elevated to the fifth tier, had its grade fall under the Xuanji Instrument's almost black-hole-like absorption, returning to the fourth tier.

At this point, the Heaven-Earth Xuanji Formation's work seemed complete. Even from a great distance, Chen Mobai heard a colossal, earth-shattering bang, as if the entire Barren Wasteland had trembled and vibrated at that instant. This was not an illusion. Alongside the trembling of heaven and earth, a mighty roar transformed into terrifying sound waves, traveling from the distant reaches towards Dongling Mountain. Chen Mobai sensed a blazing hot current rushing towards them at an extreme speed. Clearly, it was the fifth-tier Golden Flame Suan Ni.

Just as he was wondering how True Monarch Wuchen would deal with it, two powerful auras emanated from within Dongling Immortal City. One, riding a medicinal pill, had a lean face and a refined, immortal aura, and was indeed True Monarch Wuchen, whom Chen Mobai had met before. The other had a square face, large ears, broad shoulders, and long arms. On his wrists were a gold and a silver ring. His hair was tied up and crowned, and he wore a silver robe and cloud boots, his gaze filled with majesty. Although Chen Mobai had never seen him, there were only two Deification cultivators on the righteous path in the Eastern Continent. This must be Grand Monarch Dakong of the Grand Void Ethereal Palace. He was completely different from the old man who sold him the Four Grand Void Scrolls at the Big Dipper Assembly last time. Who exactly was that old man? Could he be a traitor from the Grand Void Ethereal Palace? Or perhaps... Chen Mobai recalled the secret rumors Yuan Zhen and Zhang Pankong had mentioned earlier, and a bold, unbelievable conjecture suddenly flashed through his mind. He dared not ponder it further.

At this moment, the Golden Flame Suan Ni, which had been menacingly charging towards Dongling Mountain, riding a blazing sea of fire, suddenly halted. It then immediately turned around and returned to its lair. It had clearly detected the auras of the two righteous Deification cultivators and did not wish to fight two against one.

"Brother Dakong and I will go pursue and slay the beast. The remaining trivial matters of pioneering the wilderness are entrusted to you all." True Monarch Wuchen's faint voice clearly reached the ears of every cultivator in Dongling Immortal City. As soon as his voice fell, the silver ring on Grand Monarch Dakong's right hand shimmered, enveloping both of them, and they instantly vanished from their spot. Chen Mobai could sense that this was the Void Dunjia technique, and an extremely profound level, capable of teleporting others.

After the two Deification True Monarchs departed, Dongling Immortal City fell into silence. Although they knew the Daoist Sect would act soon, such a sudden move was still somewhat unexpected. In Chen Mobai's estimation, the plan should have been for the armies of the three Sacred Lands to slowly advance towards Shituo Ridge, with the demon king army under the Golden Flame Suan Ni being gradually slain and captured by their righteous cultivators, ultimately leading to a decisive victory as the two Deification True Monarchs led the charge into Shituo Ridge. Yet now, from the very beginning, it was a direct clash of the highest-tier powers. He wondered when Grand Monarch Dakong had arrived, as there had been no sign whatsoever. This was Chen Mobai's only doubt, but considering Grand Monarch Dakong was a Deification cultivator from the Grand Void Ethereal Palace, he might not have used a teleportation array but instead teleported himself.

"Sect Master Chen, please come to Qianyuan Tower for a discussion." At that moment, a communication talisman from Shen Xi flew before Chen Mobai, delivering this message. For the righteous path of the Eastern Continent, the greatest threat in the Barren Wasteland was the Golden Flame Suan Ni. Now that two Deification True Monarchs had set out to pursue it, and with Shituo Ridge's spiritual vein already remotely sealed by the Heaven-Earth Xuanji Formation, it would likely not be long before they heard the good news of True Monarch Wuchen returning to the Eastern Land to refine the Transcendent Saint True Spirit Pill.

As Chen Mobai replied, he also beckoned to Yin Qingmei and the other two women in the courtyard. "Qingmei, come with me to witness things. Xuan'er, take my verbal message to Brother Mo at Golden Star Valley and inform him of what has happened here. Zhiling, stay here." During the last discussion at Qianyuan Tower, Chen Mobai noticed that Earth Virtue Star Polarity and others had brought Nascent Soul cultivators from their sects. Since Yin Qingmei was here, it was a good opportunity for her to meet the Sacred Lands and great sects of the Eastern Continent. After all, once cultivation reached the Nascent Soul level, progress would be very slow if one merely practiced in isolation. As a leading figure among the younger generation of the Five Elements Sect, it was time for Yin Qingmei to stand on her own. Upon hearing this, the three women immediately acknowledged the order. Watching Yin Qingmei leave with Chen Mobai, Luo Yixuan's face was filled with envy, but she knew that was the realm of Nascent Soul cultivators.

"I thought that once I reached the Nascent Soul stage, I had already ascended to the peak of the mountain. Only today, upon witnessing this, did I realize I am still climbing." When they were alone, Yin Qingmei shared her thoughts on witnessing a Deification cultivator's actions. The Heaven-Earth Xuanji Instrument still hung high in the sky. Faced with such a magnificent formation, she felt as small as a speck of dust. "Cultivate diligently, and in the future, you can achieve it too," Chen Mobai, of course, responded primarily with encouragement. Yin Qingmei also nodded. With the Deification Immortal Scripture, the rare heavenly treasure Jade Phoenix Tree, and Chen Mobai's guidance, she at least had hope of reaching Deification. "Today you witnessed the Daoist Sect's profound heritage; it is indeed powerful. But you must also remember that any heritage is accumulated and left behind by generations of people. In the future, the Five Elements Sect's heritage will not be weaker than that of the Sacred Lands, perhaps even stronger." Chen Mobai advised Yin Qingmei to maintain a sense of awe, but also not to lack the spirit of courageous advancement and daring to innovate.

As they spoke, the two had already arrived at Qianyuan Tower. "Sect Master Chen..." Upon entering, they found Zhang Pankong, Xuande, and others already present. All rose to greet Chen Mobai, who then took the opportunity to introduce Yin Qingmei. Out of respect for him, these saintly disciples and saintesses from the Sacred Lands were all very polite and exchanged names. After Chen Mobai took his seat, he bowed to the three sect masters, Shen Xi, at the head table, and they returned his courtesy. After a while, Earth Virtue, Star Polarity, Fiery Cloud, and other Nascent Soul cultivators who had been pioneering outside also arrived at Dongling Immortal City. Unlike Chen Mobai's unhurried pace, they had spared no effort and exhausted every means for the Transcendent Saint True Spirit Pill. However, True Monarch Wuchen's act of wielding the Heaven-Earth Xuanji Instrument to remotely seal Shituo Ridge's spiritual vein caused a massive disturbance, which they all sensed. Therefore, they had already arrived ahead of time, even before the Daoist Sect's communication talismans were sent out, allowing them to reach so quickly.

"Most of the key fellow Daoists have arrived. Then, allow me to say a few words..." Shen Xi glanced at the cultivators present, nodded involuntarily, and began to speak of True Monarch Wuchen's arrangements. "With the two True Monarchs taking action and Shituo Ridge's spiritual vein sealed, the Golden Flame Suan Ni, lacking geographical advantage, is certainly no match. However, besides the spiritual vein, Shituo Ridge also contains powerful fire-poisonous miasma. Fellow Daoist Hongyun's help will be needed for that." He continued, "The current concern is that the Golden Flame Suan Ni, seeing the unfavorable situation, might abandon Shituo Ridge and flee into the depths of the Barren Wasteland. However, with Grand Monarch Dakong present, it can certainly be intercepted." Shen Xi added, "Besides the Golden Flame Suan Ni, the greatest threat, there are many fourth-tier demon beasts in the Barren Wasteland, especially the Golden Flame Suan Ni's three descendants, all powerful beings possessing its true spirit bloodline..."

Shen Xi began to arrange the matters of opening up Shituo Ridge. Besides the Five Veins of Heaven's Burning, many other major sects from the Eastern Land also had their main forces conscripted into the armies of the three Sacred Lands. Midway through his speech, a man and a woman, both Nascent Soul cultivators, were led in. "We are a step late. Please forgive us, three Sect Masters." The male cultivator had a handsome face and formidable cultivation, remarkably also at the Nascent Soul Perfection stage. The female cultivator wore a colorful long dress, with a slender figure and fair, glowing skin. Her face was beautiful, yet it carried an aura of coldness that kept people at a distance. "You two have arrived at just the right time. Please take your seats," Shen Xi smiled slightly and pointed to the third meditation cushion near Chen Mobai. At this moment, the Nascent Soul cultivators present who recognized the two rose to greet them, and Chen Mobai thus learned of their origins. The male cultivator was Elder Han Xingzi of the Shattered Jade Palace, and the female cultivator was Venerable Luoying of the Snow Mountain Sect.

Chen Mobai noticed that when these two appeared, Hongyun's face on the opposite side darkened. Although the two great Sacred Lands, Burning Heaven Pure Land and Ice Heaven Snow Land, had already disintegrated, the Five Veins of Heaven's Burning and the Three Veins of Ice Heaven still remembered their past blood feuds. However, under the gaze of the three sect masters at the head table, Hongyun and Han Xingzi restrained themselves, avoiding eye contact with each other. Chen Mobai recalled his Azure Radiance Ice Heart Rope in his domain, a fifth-tier magical artifact from Ice Heaven Snow Land that could sense the Three Yin Dao Fruits. He wondered if Han Xingzi and Venerable Luoying had refined any Dao Fruits. However, it would certainly be inappropriate to suddenly pull out a fifth-tier magical artifact in public. He decided to find another opportunity to probe later.

As he thought this, Han Xingzi had already walked over. He nodded slightly at Venerable Xingji in front of him, but when his gaze fell upon Chen Mobai, who was in the first seat, he frowned. "This is Sect Master Chen Guixian of the Five Elements Sect," Xingji introduced with a smile. Upon hearing this, Han Xingzi's expression cleared, and he then greeted Chen Mobai very politely. This left Chen Mobai somewhat disappointed. He had already prepared himself to subdue Han Xingzi with a single sword strike and demonstrate his strength. However, his reputation in the Eastern Land was simply too great. Even someone like Han Xingzi, who had emerged from a century of seclusion, had heard from his disciples about a successor of True Monarch Yiyuan in the Eastern Wasteland, a person of supreme talent and formidable strength, who had suppressed the Yiyuan Dao Palace to the point of silence. After exchanging nods, Han Xingzi led Venerable Luoying to their seats.

**Year 42 of the Xuantian Era.**The three Sacred Lands of the Eastern Continent led their armies out of the Dongling Mountain Range. Advancing along three routes—Li, Zhen, and Dui positions—their forces were unstoppable, slaying countless demon beasts. Within a mere month, they pushed forward eight thousand li. However, at eight thousand li, they encountered a seven-hundred-li-long great river. The river contained numerous demon kings and a fearsome flood dragon. While Nascent Soul experts could fly across, the main army could not pass. Treasure ships below the fourth tier, if loaded with people, would quickly be capsized by the attacks of the numerous aquatic demon beasts. The three Sacred Lands brought out twenty-three fourth-tier treasure ships, carrying elite cultivators who first crossed the great river and proceeded towards Shituo Ridge. However, with the army divided, the Sacred Land forces crossing the river began to struggle. They were even almost scattered by the demon beast army of Shituo Ridge, which was guarding the opposite bank.

At the critical moment, the sect masters of the three Sacred Lands demonstrated their respective powers. Wielding fifth-tier magical artifacts, they intercepted and slew several of the most powerful demon kings, becoming the most solid barrier before the Sacred Land armies. After three months of persistence, Zhang Pankong led the Grand Void Ethereal Palace personnel in setting up dozens of teleportation arrays, transporting the cultivator army from the opposite bank over. After the armies converged, the demon beast forces could no longer resist and retreated steadily. Even so, the three Sacred Lands still spent a full two years to finally reach the foot of Shituo Ridge. Here, fierce flames burned everywhere, and poisonous smoke permeated the air. Even ordinary Qi Refining cultivators would feel their blood boil and spiritual power burn after merely inhaling it.