Chapter 1075: Killing the Golden Flame Suanni

"I know a thing or two about formations; perhaps I can offer some help," Chen Mobai said modestly.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xi hesitated slightly. True Monarch Yiyuan was renowned in the Heavenly River Realm for his artifact refining skills, but his mastery of formations was merely adequate. In the Way of Formations, the Dao De Sect was paramount in the Eastern Continent. After all, with the Sky-Earth Xuanji Instrument, a supreme treasure, in hand, Dao De Sect disciples used it as a benchmark for studying and cultivating formations. Those with talent almost always achieved significant results.

However, Chen Mobai's Little South Mountain Shop, in addition to magical artifacts, also offered various high-quality talismans and formations. In the Eastern Continent, he was widely recognized as an excellent formation master.

"Young friend, let's go to Dragon Abyss Cave first and take a look," said True Monarch Dakong. Regardless of Chen Mobai's formation skill level, his Second Nascent Soul was, without a doubt, a God Transformation-level combat force. With the three God Transformation cultivators of the Eastern Continent joining forces, they might be able to break that natural formation and slay the Jin Yan Suanni.

"Then we'll trouble Sect Master Chen to make the trip," Shen Xi quickly added. No matter what, Chen Mobai's assistance would be beneficial for their Dao De Sect.

Just then, Xuande and Qi Jiansu, who had gone to prepare, returned with a group of attendants, bringing up the finest cuisine from Qianyuan Tower. Chen Mobai intended to merely pick at the food and taste it, but True Monarch Dakong had already risen.

As the Palace Master of Biluo and Sect Master Shen Xi prepared to respectfully see off the two God Transformation cultivators, two streaks of light, one green and one silver, flew in from outside and landed in their palms. Chen Mobai recognized them as communication talismans, but for the sect masters of two great holy lands to receive them simultaneously, something significant must have happened.

As he thought this, the Palace Master of Biluo and Shen Xi's expressions changed drastically. The former even directly handed her communication talisman to True Monarch Dakong.

"Those demonic scoundrels, how audacious!" True Monarch Dakong's face turned crimson after reading it, and he angrily crushed the communication talisman in his hand.

"Demonic cultivators have appeared throughout Eastern Li. Our sect's occupied Jade Spirit Lake has been retaken by the Spirit-Expelling Demonic Sect, and the Nine Heavens Demonic-Slaying Sect's Yellow Springs Mountain has also been breached..." Shen Xi walked over to Chen Mobai and, as she spoke, handed him the green communication talisman in her hand.

"The Demonic Path still dares to show its face?" Chen Mobai was slightly startled upon hearing this. Before Yuan Qingque ascended, she had slain all the God Transformation cultivators of the Demonic Path. Now, the Dao De Sect alone had the power to suppress the Eastern Li Demonic Path.

The reason the Demonic Path could still survive was primarily due to the vastness of Eastern Li. After the righteous cultivators seized the most important fifth-tier spirit veins, they became preoccupied with taking over and developing Eastern Li's mineral veins and other resources, having no time for a needle-in-a-haystack search. Because of their customs, demonic cultivators preferred to seize from others, so most of Eastern Li's mineral veins, apart from spirit stone mines, were well-preserved.

After the major sects of the Eastern Land took over Eastern Li, they felt resources were everywhere and dispatched various personnel to develop them. Among these, the four great holy lands naturally led the way. Even Xiao Yuli, who had been expelled from the Five Emperors Mountain by Tu De, received a fourth-tier spirit vein and a vast, uninhabited expanse of fertile spiritual land.

After more than forty years of development, the most vibrant spirit veins in Eastern Li had largely been successfully managed and developed by the major sects of the Eastern Continent. They had not only cultivated various spirit grains but also exotic flowers and herbs, and precious medicinal materials. Just when they were about to reap the harvest, enter a virtuous cycle, and earn substantial spirit stones, the hidden demonic cultivators unexpectedly emerged.

"On the Demonic Path's side, there's a mysterious Flying Yaksha, likely cultivated by the Corpse Transformation Demonic Sect," Shen Xi said with a grim expression. Chen Mobai had, by this time, also finished reading the Dao De Sect's communication talisman.

The situation was more serious than he had imagined. The Flying Yaksha's first attack was at Yellow Springs Mountain. The four Nascent Soul cultivators, twelve Core Formation cultivators, and hundreds of disciples of the Nine Heavens Demonic-Slaying Sect stationed there all perished. Precisely because everyone there had died, the other righteous sects in Eastern Li received no news. Fortunately, at the main headquarters of the Nine Heavens Demonic-Slaying Sect, a disciple noticed the shattering of the soul tablets of the four Nascent Souls and requested cultivators from the Dao De Sect and other holy lands in Eastern Li to investigate the situation.

The Nascent Soul cultivators of the two sects guarding Eastern Li were greatly surprised upon receiving the news. However, before they could investigate, they found that demonic cultivators were already surging forward. The Dao De Sect had bad luck. They encountered the mysterious Flying Yaksha leading the charge. Although they had a teleportation array, only two Nascent Souls managed to escape. The Tai Xu Misty Palace also suffered significant losses. Apart from high-level cultivators who escaped using void secret arts, all cultivators below Core Formation were wiped out. Moreover, decades of painstaking effort invested in Eastern Li had entirely fallen into the hands of the Demonic Path.

Chen Mobai now understood why True Monarch Dakong was so furious. This was like Zhuo Ming laboring for decades to help him restore the Wu Eastern Land, only for it to be suddenly seized by the wild sea demon race.

"The Flying Yaksha is equivalent to a God Transformation cultivator. If it obtains a large amount of essence blood, it might even advance further..." The Palace Master of Biluo looked worried. Over the past few decades, major sects of the Eastern Land had migrated many people to govern Eastern Li. Now, three generations had propagated, making them the perfect blood food for the Demonic Path.

"You two prepare the army. The young friend and I will go to Dragon Abyss Cave first. If it comes to it, we'll just have to set up a seal to trap the Jin Yan Suanni there and let it live a bit longer." True Monarch Dakong instructed Shen Xi and the Palace Master of Biluo. While reclamation was important, the Eastern Li Demonic Path was a far greater menace. Comparing the two, they would likely have to temporarily abandon the Jin Yan Suanni.

Chen Mobai nodded, agreeing with True Monarch Dakong's judgment. The silver ring on True Monarch Dakong's wrist shimmered. Chen Mobai felt a surge of void energy toward him. With a thought, he did not resist, allowing the silver light to envelop him. In an instant, he and True Monarch Dakong vanished from Qianyuan Tower.

"Xuande, you are familiar with Eastern Li. Go to Monster Suppressing Immortal City first to take charge and prevent the Eastern Li demonic army from crossing the border into the Eastern Land." With the two God Transformation cultivators gone, Shen Xi immediately began giving orders. Xuande, who was nearby, had accumulated enough contributions during the righteous-demonic war to potentially obtain a Sage-Reaching True Spirit Pill.

"Yes, Sect Master!" Xuande did not hesitate. He nodded in acknowledgment, then turned and left. After selecting seven Nascent Soul cultivators from the Dao De Sect, he used the teleportation array set up by the Tai Xu Misty Palace to return to the Eastern Land first, then transferred to the Monster Suppressing Immortal City on the border. Seeing this, the Palace Master of Biluo also summoned Zhang Pankong, instructing him to represent the Tai Xu Misty Palace at the Eastern Land border.

While the two great holy lands mobilized their forces, preparing to confront the aggressive Demonic Path, Chen Mobai was already being taken by True Monarch Dakong, continuously teleporting through the void. In a few breaths, they had traversed tens of thousands of miles. Finally, they arrived above a massive sinkhole deep within a barren ruin.

"This is where the Jin Yan Suanni is hiding. It used to be the lair of an earth-attribute true spirit. I saw dragon-scale-shaped markings on the pit walls, which is why I named it Dragon Abyss Cave." As True Monarch Dakong spoke, he descended first into the enormous, bottomless sinkhole. Seeing this, Chen Mobai activated his Grand Unity Five Smoke Gauze and followed him in.

Wafts of eerie, yin winds blew from the cave, carrying a chilling sensation that made even Chen Mobai feel uncomfortable. "The Jin Yan Suanni is a fire-attribute true spirit, why would it choose this place as its lair?" Chen Mobai asked, somewhat perplexed. True Monarch Dakong shook his head.

As the two descended, the surrounding light grew dimmer. Although this didn't pose a significant obstacle for them, Chen Mobai still summoned his Second Nascent Soul and had it wield the Hao Tian Mirror artifact to illuminate their surroundings. "What a treasure!" True Monarch Dakong immediately recognized that the Hao Tian Mirror was brimming with spirituality and was, moreover, Chen Mobai's natal artifact. As Chen Mobai advanced to God Transformation in the future, the Hao Tian Mirror would certainly become a fifth-tier artifact.

Soon, the two reached the bottom of the cave. It was a spacious area. On the eastern side of the cave wall were three round cave entrances, from which dense, chilling spiritual energy seeped out, like three gaping mouths waiting for them to enter. The rock walls extending from those three cave entrances were covered with various scale-like patterns. Chen Mobai quickly discerned that these formed a powerful formation, preventing even divine sense from probing into the entrances.

"You've arrived!" A familiar voice sounded behind Chen Mobai. He turned and saw True Monarch Wuchen seated on a stone platform carved out of the rock wall. He showed no surprise at seeing True Monarch Dakong bring Chen Mobai. This was because earlier, before the body of the Li Li, True Monarch Dakong had sent two communication talismans, one of which was for True Monarch Wuchen.

As True Monarch Wuchen looked at the Second Nascent Soul wielding the Hao Tian Mirror, he nodded gently and said, "Excellent, excellent. Senior Brother Xuantian was not mistaken about you. After us old fellows, the righteous path will need young pillars like you."

"Junior Brother, something has happened in Eastern Li..." True Monarch Dakong quickly and simply recounted the Demonic Path's counterattack in Eastern Li. When True Monarch Wuchen heard about the Flying Yaksha, his brows furrowed slightly, and he sighed. "A time of many troubles," he murmured. He had not forgotten that Revered Ming still had a hidden avatar. After the Flying Yaksha, the Demonic Path might gain another God Transformation cultivator.

"Senior Brother, what are your thoughts?" True Monarch Wuchen asked True Monarch Dakong, who then explained his idea: the Demonic Path was the greater threat, and if the Jin Yan Suanni couldn't be killed quickly, they would have to temporarily abandon it.

"What does Sect Master Chen think?" True Monarch Wuchen asked Chen Mobai. The latter looked at the dragon-scale markings around the rock walls, then walked around. Before the leftmost cave entrance, he couldn't help but nod and ask, "The Jin Yan Suanni is in here, isn't it?" True Monarch Wuchen looked at True Monarch Dakong, who immediately shook his head, indicating he hadn't said anything. "Indeed," Wu Chen confirmed.

Upon hearing True Monarch Wuchen's confirmation, Chen Mobai activated his Heavenly Reaching Land Spirit realm to perceive the formation of Dragon Abyss Cave. "Both True Monarchs are also fifth-tier formation masters. You must have tried quite a bit here. Could you tell me what you've found?" Although Chen Mobai had already largely discerned the key to this formation with his Land Spirit perception, he still respectfully inquired of the two God Transformation True Monarchs.

"My fifth-tier formation mastery is superficial; I can only set up super teleportation arrays..." True Monarch Dakong immediately shook his head. While his formation skill level was second only to Wuchen in the Eastern Continent, he knew his own limits.

"This is what I've gained from my two years of probing..." True Monarch Wuchen nodded. With a flick of his finger in the air, he drew the lines and diagrams of the spiritual meridian nexus operation that he had explored using the Sky-Earth Xuanji Instrument.

"True Monarch, please use the Xuanji Instrument to examine this point..." Chen Mobai's eyes lit up when he saw the diagram in the air. Comparing it to what he had perceived with his Land Spirit ability, he pointed to one of the spiritual meridian circulation nodes. True Monarch Wuchen took out the Xuanji Instrument, a supreme treasure, and demonstrated its use in front of Chen Mobai, making that node clearer from its previously blurry state.

Soon, Chen Mobai and True Monarch Wuchen began discussing. True Monarch Dakong could understand at first, but quickly fell behind. "This young man's mastery of formations is actually this high? How old is he? How did he learn?" True Monarch Dakong watched Chen Mobai meticulously depict the full layout of the Dragon-Scale Formation within the cave, feeling inwardly astonished.

Initially, when Chen Mobai said he knew a little about formations, True Monarch Dakong thought he truly meant "a little." After all, a person's energy is limited. With Chen Mobai's almost unparalleled mastery in artifact refining in the Eastern Continent, his skills in talismans and formations would surely be somewhat weaker. According to True Monarch Dakong's speculation, being able to master a set of fifth-tier formations, like himself, would already be his limit. But now, watching Chen Mobai and True Monarch Wuchen discuss, with the latter even gradually agreeing more often, he knew that this young man's formation mastery was far superior to his own.

"That should be it," Chen Mobai said. At this point, Chen Mobai had finished explaining his method for breaking the Dragon-Scale Formation, and True Monarch Wuchen nodded repeatedly. This was a solution they had discussed together as two formation masters. Although True Monarch Wuchen's cultivation was higher and he possessed the Xuanji Instrument, he wasn't as adept as Chen Mobai with his Land Spirit ability and extensive experience. In his entire life, True Monarch Wuchen had set up only a few hundred formations. After advancing to God Transformation, he focused solely on studying the Sky-Earth Xuanji Formation.

Chen Mobai, however, was different. The Sky-Veil Earth-Net Grand Formation on Dragon God Star was a combination of thousands of formations. His vast knowledge of formations truly impressed even True Monarch Wuchen. "I didn't expect that the Yiyuan Dao Lineage would possess such a formidable formation legacy," True Monarch Wuchen remarked, watching Chen Mobai pull out various materials from his storage bag and begin refining various formation plates and flags on the spot.

"Not at all. In terms of formation realm, I'm still not as good as True Monarch," Chen Mobai replied modestly. Chen Mobai remained very humble toward the God Transformation cultivator. During their conversation, he learned that if True Monarch Wuchen expended his natal essence, he could use the Sky-Earth Xuanji Instrument to activate a sixth-tier formation, making him a sixth-tier formation master. However, no one had ever pushed True Monarch Wuchen to that extent over the years, so he remained a fifth-tier formation master.

With the two of them working together, one hundred and twenty-eight formation flags and thirteen formation plates were quickly refined.

"Young friend Chen, please stay here and guard this teleportation array." As True Monarch Dakong spoke, he inscribed a special teleportation array onto the stone platform carved out of the rock wall by True Monarch Wuchen. As long as they could break the Dragon-Scale Formation and face the injured Jin Yan Suanni, he and True Monarch Wuchen could easily slay it. Moreover, if all three of them went in together, and there was some unforeseen danger inside, the righteous path forces could be completely annihilated. Therefore, True Monarch Dakong intended for Chen Mobai to stay outside and guard their retreat. With this teleportation array's positioning, even if they encountered danger deep within Dragon Abyss Cave, he could use the Void Escape Art to bring True Monarch Wuchen out.

"Sect Master Chen, rest assured. If we successfully slay the Jin Yan Suanni this time, you will certainly receive one Sage-Reaching True Spirit Pill," True Monarch Wuchen said, fearing Chen Mobai might misunderstand, and made the promise.

"Then I'll just take it easy outside. I'll leave the hard work of demon-slaying to the two True Monarchs," Chen Mobai replied. Chen Mobai likely understood the two True Monarchs' intentions. For this batch of Sage-Reaching True Spirit Pills, they had probably already determined the recipient of each one. Giving him one pill was within their expectations, but two would probably exceed their budget. In that case, it would be difficult to explain to the Nine Heavens Demonic-Slaying Sect. Since Chen Mobai was contributing to the formation, this merit could warrant one pill. But if he also contributed to slaying the Jin Yan Suanni, one pill would feel a bit too little.

"Senior Brother Dakong, I'll go in first." True Monarch Wuchen placed the formation flags and plates into his storage bag and stepped into the cave entrance where the Jin Yan Suanni was hiding. True Monarch Dakong immediately followed. Before long, Chen Mobai, using his Land Spirit realm, sensed that a strange power had infiltrated one of the spiritual meridian nodes.

He nodded, then lit up the corresponding point on the aerial formation diagram. One by one, spiritual meridian nodes lit up. Soon, the mysterious power that had enveloped the cave entrance began to dissipate, and Chen Mobai's divine sense could probe inside without hindrance. At the same time, the yin-cold spiritual energy flowing out from the cave entrance became even denser. Chen Mobai found it somewhat familiar and soon thought of Innate Turbid Yin Qi. "Could this place lead to the Underworld?" he wondered. With that thought, Chen Mobai resisted the urge to take out his Evil Ghost Disk. He took out a few spirit-sealing tubes and collected the yin-cold spiritual energy here, planning to compare it later.

"Boom!" Soon after, a violent tremor reverberated from deep within the cave. On the surrounding rock walls, weathered stones began to detach and fall towards Chen Mobai. He unfolded his Grand Unity Five Smoke Gauze artifact, transforming it into the Grand Unity Luo Tian Formation, which pulverized the falling stones.

As True Monarch Wuchen broke the Dragon-Scale Formation, Chen Mobai could now unhinderedly sense three powerful qi auras inside. One of these was like a crystal of flame, incredibly explosive and scorching, yet lacking sufficient vital energy. Clearly, this was the injured Jin Yan Suanni. In contrast, True Monarch Dakong and True Monarch Wuchen were moving with ease, gradually wearing down the Jin Yan Suanni's essence.

However, it was still a battle between God Transformation cultivators. As time passed, Chen Mobai noticed deep fissures appearing in the surrounding rock walls, and the underground cave showed signs of collapsing. Seeing this, Chen Mobai acted to support the cracking rock walls, while simultaneously having his Second Nascent Soul sit by the teleportation array left by True Monarch Dakong. To prevent any potential mishaps, Chen Mobai also began to activate the Grand Unity Luo Tian Formation to its maximum power. He then began to use this formation to take control of the spiritual meridian here.

In addition to the spiritual meridian, he also took out spirit stones. Soon, the Grand Unity Luo Tian Formation's light grew brighter and brighter, gradually integrating with its surroundings and even beginning to replace the Dragon-Scale Formation. At this moment, the formation flags and plates that True Monarch Wuchen had previously embedded throughout the spiritual meridian were also sensed by Chen Mobai. Under his Land Spirit realm, they began to integrate with the Grand Unity Luo Tian Formation. Around Chen Mobai, spiritual energy began to circulate faster. Deep within the cave, formation eyes lit up one by one. True Monarch Wuchen felt that the yin-cold spiritual energy that had been impeding them was slowly dissipating, now conversely helping them to neutralize the Jin Yan Suanni's natal true flame.

"His formation realm, I fear, is beyond fifth-tier!" Upon realizing this, True Monarch Wuchen was inwardly shocked. At this moment, the Jin Yan Suanni also knew its death was imminent. Crimson light emanated from its fireball-like eyes, and with an immense roar, it spat out a golden pearl as dazzling as the sun.

"This beast is fighting to the death!" Seeing this, True Monarch Wuchen's gaze became slightly tense. If a fifth-tier inner core self-destructed at such close range, he too would be severely wounded.

"Hahahaha, I've been waiting for this moment!" True Monarch Dakong burst into laughter. The golden ring on his left hand suddenly flew out, circling towards the inner core spat out by the Jin Yan Suanni. The golden ring spun, seemingly transforming into a black vortex that connected to some mysterious place, swallowing the incredibly powerful inner core.

Shetuo Ridge!

The cultivators of the Burning Heaven Five Meridians sat in their respective positions according to the formation, injecting spiritual energy into the Pure World Pot under Hongyun's guidance. When they began their operation against the Jin Yan Suanni, Hongyun had already received notification from True Monarch Dakong. He hadn't asked for specific details, merely keeping the Pure World Pot constantly active as instructed by the God Transformation cultivator. They had maintained this state for half a day, and many cultivators of the Burning Heaven Five Meridians were already starting to slacken. Even Hongyun himself felt inwardly doubtful. But at that very moment, his expression suddenly changed.

Hongyun, along with many Nascent Soul cultivators of the Burning Heaven Five Meridians, felt an indescribably vast true force suddenly appear within the Pure World Pot. They could sense that it was a crystallization of infinite true fire. Moreover, its rank and power far surpassed everyone present. "Pfft!" Core Formation cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage could not withstand the shockwave of this power, heavily spitting out large mouthfuls of blood. Other Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation cultivators either bled from their seven orifices, turned pale, or simply fainted. Only Hongyun and the other Nascent Soul cultivators gritted their teeth and persevered. They knew that if they failed to contain and suppress this power with the Pure World Pot, not only would they jeopardize the holy land's critical mission, but the backlash would also severely injure their vitality.

"Great Elder, I can't hold on much longer!" Ancestor Baiwu, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, signaled to Hongyun. "Sect Master Ni, please ask the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Icy Heaven Three Meridians to come and help!" Hongyun no longer dared to monopolize the credit at this point and immediately called for aid from Ni Yuanzhong, who was protecting nearby. Han Xingzi, who had been waiting, looked overjoyed. He took out the supreme treasure of the Jade-Shattering Palace and began to help suppress the Innate Fiery Yang True Fire erupting from the mouth of the Pure World Pot.

Inside the cave, the Jin Yan Suanni roared in fury. It discovered that its inner core had lost connection and became extremely anxious. At this moment, it only regretted not self-detonating its inner core inside its body directly. That way, the human God Transformation cultivators wouldn't have gained anything.

"Excellent, excellent! The Burning Heaven Five Meridians' Pure World Pot is indeed useful!" True Monarch Wuchen, witnessing this, was also overjoyed. True Monarch Dakong's golden ring could open a portal to anywhere, "fishing" from various places. Before this reclamation effort, it had already been connected to the opening of the Pure World Pot. This was specifically to counter the Jin Yan Suanni's inner core self-detonation. However, they weren't certain if the Pure World Pot could fully swallow the inner core of a fifth-tier true spirit. But for them, at most, it would just be the loss of an inner core. If the Pure World Pot couldn't absorb it, then it would be the Burning Heaven Five Meridians that perished. As long as the Jin Yan Suanni spat out its inner core, True Monarch Dakong could transfer it away. Their only concern was that the Jin Yan Suanni might be too unyielding and, to prevent its corpse and essence blood from falling into the Dao De Sect's hands for alchemy, might detonate its inner core inside its body. To prevent this, both of them had left some leeway during the encirclement, making the Jin Yan Suanni believe it might have a chance to escape by self-detonating its inner core.

"Bind!" After the golden ring transferred the fifth-tier inner core into the Pure World Pot, True Monarch Dakong no longer had any concerns. He smiled and activated his silver ring, looping it around the Jin Yan Suanni's neck, causing it to stumble and crash into the cave wall as it tried to flee deeper into the cavern. With a thunderous roar, the cave began to collapse. But True Monarch Wuchen, holding the Xuanji Instrument, rotated it, and all the rocks, as if time had flowed backward, returned to their original positions, leaving only the Jin Yan Suanni embedded in the stone wall.

"How should we kill it?" After True Monarch Dakong sealed all the Jin Yan Suanni's essence within its body with the silver ring, he asked True Monarch Wuchen beside him.

"Draining its blood while it's alive will yield better results for refining the Sage-Reaching True Spirit Pill," True Monarch Wuchen said expressionlessly.

"Good. From which part?" True Monarch Dakong nodded. As he asked, silver light flickered in his eyes, and he formed a sword-finger with his right hand, already activating the secret Tai Xu True Sword Art.

"I surrender! I'm willing to become your humble servant, True Monarch. Please spare my life..." Bound by the silver ring, the Jin Yan Suanni saw the Tai Xu True Sword descending upon its head. Its resolve finally broke, and it pleaded for mercy.

"When you killed my Dao De Sect disciples, you probably didn't foresee this day, did you?" True Monarch Wuchen approached the Jin Yan Suanni, pointed to its heart, and asked calmly. The reason for this reclamation effort was that, in the past, Dao De Sect disciples were gathering herbs in the barren ruins when they encountered and were killed by the Jin Yan Suanni.

"True Monarch, I was wrong! I am a true spirit, with a long lifespan. I can sign a life-and-death blood pact with you, guarding your sect... I can be useful to you..." The Jin Yan Suanni continued to beg for mercy, but its fate had been sealed the day it mockingly devoured the Dao De Sect disciples who also pleaded for their lives.

The Tai Xu True Sword pierced in. The Jin Yan Suanni felt its essence blood draining away. It struggled, but under the silver ring's restraint, it was futile. A short while later, Chen Mobai, from outside, sensed that the fiery aura deep within the cave had completely dissipated.