Chapter 1411: Treading Iron Shoes in Vain

After Chen Mobai ascended to the Spirit Void Immortal Realm, the Tianhe Realm, which had already been rife with undercurrents, plunged into turmoil. This was especially true for Dongzhou.

Previously, with Chen Mobai, the foremost figure in the Tianhe Realm, suppressing all, no malicious entities dared to show their faces. Now, with the 'pillar of support' gone, a significant number of unrestrained Fifth-Order auras began appearing, at least in the vicinity of the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect. Some were cultivators at the God Transformation stage, some were from the Demonic Path, and others were True Spirits. The accumulated karma and grievances against the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect, built up over eons, finally reached their peak. They were on the verge of erupting, threatening to topple the pagoda that had stood atop Tongtian Peak for tens of thousands of years.

“I never imagined,” Su Wen exclaimed, “that I would actually live to see this day. Indeed, there are benefits to living long.” Su Wen, accompanied by Tu Ming, stood on a mountaintop opposite Tongtian Peak. Gazing at the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect, ethereal and protected by a grand formation, and sensing the power of reincarnation unseen by ordinary cultivators, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

“Why isn’t Tian Ling here?” Tu Ming had been summoned by Su Wen for this occasion, but upon arriving, he noticed one collaborator was missing.

“He doesn’t have much grievance with the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect. His primary reason for cooperating with us was to deal with the Five Elements Sect. Now that the Azure Emperor of Donghuang has ascended, he certainly won’t miss this opportunity to exact his revenge first.” Su Wen’s tone was filled with anticipation as he spoke. After all, he had suffered a great loss when Chen Mobai and Spirit Venerable intercepted him over the Profound Sea, even losing his Asura Plate. This incident forced Su Wen, who had originally planned to make his move, to continue his dormancy. He had already considered that if he truly couldn't wait for an opportunity, he would leave the Tianhe Realm before the great changes in the world. However, fate had been kind to him. Not only did he manage to snatch Ao Yuxia’s Immortal Pill before his departure, but he also lived to see Chen Mobai ascend. Yet, because the Five Elements Sect still had Spirit Venerable, Su Wen dared not act rashly. He decided to let True Monarch Tian Ling probe first, while he himself came to the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect to observe.

“Oh, a master,” Su Wen suddenly exclaimed in surprise, turning his head towards another mountaintop. After consuming the Immortal Pill, he had advanced his Heart Demon Great Method to the Void Refinement stage. Anyone he called a 'master' would be at least at the same level. Tu Ming followed Su Wen’s gaze. A flash of yellow light appeared, and a strange, humanoid figure instantly arrived before them.

“How may I address fellow Daoist?” Su Wen asked with a slight smile, cupping his hands in greeting. Anyone who would come to Tongtian Peak at this time, and was clearly not human, must certainly harbor a grudge against the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect. Since he also planned to act against the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect, cooperation was clearly an option.

“I once had a title: Demon Venerable,” the figure replied. The moment their spiritual energies intertwined, Demon Venerable understood Su Wen’s cultivation level. Surprised to find such a master within the Demonic Path, he also conceived the same idea as Su Wen.

“So it’s fellow Daoist Demon Venerable. I am Su Wen, Lord of the Central Demonic Path.” After introducing himself, Su Wen gestured to Tu Ming beside him and stated his identity.

“Ming Venerable of the Tongyou Demonic Sect? Wasn’t he supposed to have died at Yuan Qingque’s hands long ago?” Demon Venerable frowned slightly. After all, Yuan Qingque had slain Ming Venerable and other God Transformation cultivators of Dongzhou’s Demonic Path before releasing his former self from the Heaven-Penetrating Dao Refining Pagoda and riding it through the Nine Heavenly Tribulations.

“Our Demonic Path possesses many life-saving secret arts,” Tu Ming replied curtly, as he was now somewhat concerned for his own safety, given that both individuals before him were at the Void Refinement stage.

“Excellent, all of us hold grudges against the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect,” Demon Venerable said. “When do you plan to make your move?” Demon Venerable was greatly pleased to see Su Wen and Tu Ming. His arduous efforts to unseal the Earth-element True Locust, sacrificing his nominal ancestor to send Chen Mobai to the Spirit Void Immortal Realm, had not been in vain. If Chen Mobai were still here, these demonic masters would never dare to set foot in Dongzhou.

“Tongtian Peak is protected by a grand formation. To penetrate the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect, we first need to deal with it. Does fellow Daoist have any good strategy?” Although Su Wen already had a plan in mind, he was willing to hear Demon Venerable’s alternative, in case it proved superior.

“My current body is imbued with the bloodline of the Earth-element True Locust,” Demon Venerable explained without concealment. “I can unleash a natural divine ability, 'Mountain Collapse and Earth Shatter', to cause the crust of the thousand-mile mountain range, centered around Tongtian Peak, to collapse, severing the spiritual veins and shattering the spiritual core. This way, the grand formation will naturally cease to function.” Su Wen’s eyes lit up immediately upon hearing this. While their Demonic Path secret arts were renowned for their sinister and unpredictable nature, their destructive power truly paled in comparison to the innate divine abilities inherited within these True Spirit bloodlines. His and Tu Ming’s plan was to guide the Nine Nether Yellow Springs to pollute Tongtian Peak’s spiritual veins, similar to the method of a Pulse-Breaking Orb. Comparatively, Demon Venerable’s direct and simple approach was more effective. Furthermore, mere destruction without pollution would result in less karmic backlash.

“Please, fellow Daoist, make your move,” Su Wen urged immediately, his gaze fixed on Tongtian Peak, hidden within the ethereal clouds. “Once the grand formation is gone, we can advance unimpeded and overthrow the Heaven-Penetrating Dao Refining Pagoda.”

“The Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect is, after all, an ancient sacred land with extraordinary heritage,” Demon Venerable cautioned. “We two might be forced to unleash our Void Refinement power and be compelled to leave.” Demon Venerable had reservations. While leaving or staying made no difference to him as long as he got his revenge, his fear was leaving before the revenge was exacted.

“Fellow Daoist, rest assured,” Su Wen said with a smile, revealing his contingency plan. “Tu Ming can open the Netherworld at any time. The light of ascension cannot penetrate it, so we can escape into it and hide.” Although the Netherworld was a place of incomplete Grand Dao within the Three Realms, it was, after all, the first world opened by the Water Mother and crucial for replacing the cycle of life and death, thus even immortal realm rules couldn’t interfere.

“Is that so…” Demon Venerable, upon hearing this, hesitated. As a True Spirit with vast vitality, he worried that entering the Netherworld might preclude any further advancement.

“Fellow Daoist, worry not,” Su Wen assured him. “Once the world undergoes its great transformation and the Tianhe Realm can accommodate Void Refinement cultivators, we can return.” Su Wen’s words, however, did not fully reassure Demon Venerable. Demonic cultivators were notoriously untrustworthy; there was a chance he might be refined after entering the Netherworld.

“Let’s swear an oath to each other,” Demon Venerable proposed straightforwardly. Su Wen pondered for a moment, weighing whether Demon Venerable was worth swearing an oath to. After careful consideration, he found it worthwhile and nodded, raising his hand. Although Tu Ming’s cultivation was slightly weaker, he was not overlooked by Demon Venerable and was also made to swear the oath.

“The Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect has tens of thousands of years of heritage. The three of us alone might not achieve full success. Why not invite some other fellow Daoists?” Demon Venerable pointed to the other Fifth-Order auras in the surroundings. Although these auras were concealed, they could be detected by his bloodline power as long as they were on the ground.

“Fellow Daoist, rest assured,” Su Wen replied with a smile. “Once we break through the grand formation and penetrate Tongtian Peak, everyone lurking in the shadows will naturally follow.” Su Wen’s primary target this time wasn't the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect, but rather the Life-Death Plate. However, there was only one item, and everyone else was a competitor. Therefore, once the grand formation was breached and the tens of thousands of years of karmic entanglements of the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect were ignited, it would be a test of individual abilities.

“Good,” Demon Venerable agreed. Hearing this, Demon Venerable no longer had any doubts. Moreover, his hatred for the Nine Heavens Demon Extermination Sect had long been uncontrollable.

“Should we wait for Tian Ling?” Tu Ming suddenly asked. Su Wen replied, “Let’s just notify him, but there’s no need to wait. Fellow Daoist Demon Venerable’s time is precious, after all. Besides, once the cycle of reincarnation is reformed, no matter where the Six Paths Sub-Plates are, they will converge under the rules of the Grand Dao. The later it gets, the stronger this force will become, to the point where even a True Immortal Dao Lord cannot stop it.” Anyone possessing a Six Paths Sub-Plate had the potential to refine or even control the Life-Death Plate. Thus, for Su Wen, True Monarch Tian Ling was also a rival. However, considering their past cooperation, Su Wen still had Tu Ming send a communication talisman. Soon, a talisman glowed in Tu Ming’s hand, transforming into an illusory Kui Beast that galloped through thunderclouds, speeding towards Donghuang.

In the Desolate Ruins, True Monarch Tian Ling’s expression was cold. The news that the Five Elements Sect was protected by a super grand formation had already been known by numerous sacred lands when Chen Mobai clashed with the Water Mother Palace on the Hanging Dao Platform. Therefore, even True Monarch Tian Ling dared not easily step onto the Five Elements Sect’s territory. However, Chen Mobai’s ascension was the best, once-in-a-millennium opportunity for revenge. So, True Monarch Tian Ling seized this chance, staying for a long time, searching for weaknesses in the grand formation to find a way to infiltrate and slaughter the high-ranking cultivators of the Five Elements Sect.

A streak of escape light appeared on the horizon, materializing into a tall, thin cultivator wearing a feathered crown. The moment he landed, he handed a jade slip to True Monarch Tian Ling: “Ancestor, this is the latest intelligence we’ve gathered.” If Chen Mobai were here, he would recognize this tall, thin cultivator as Mu Youyi, the long-missing Grand Elder of the Beast Taming Sect. When the Daoist Sect was developing its territory, Chen Mobai displayed his God Transformation power by slaying the Myriad Spirits Sect’s Dao Child and a Tanuki-strength beast. This terrified Mu Youyi, who fled with the core cultivators of the Beast Taming Sect into the Desolate Ruins. Later, once the commotion died down, he secretly went to Zhongzhou to complain to True Monarch Tian Ling. But by then, Chen Mobai’s power was already formidable. Even with the assistance of the Kui Beast, True Monarch Tian Ling wasn’t confident of victory. It wasn't until Su Wen came knocking, offering the method to use the Beast Plate and help the Kui Beast’s bloodline transform and ascend to the Sixth Order, that he dared to seek revenge. But to his surprise, even the Sixth-Order Kui Beast was defeated and fled in a direct confrontation, only to be pursued and killed by Chen Mobai within the Nine Heavenly Tribulations. Since then, True Monarch Tian Ling had become even more cautious, at one point even believing that this revenge would be impossible in this lifetime. If it weren't for his lingering covetousness for the Life-Death Plate, True Monarch Tian Ling would have already been planning his own ascension. But before he could achieve his breakthrough, he received news of Chen Mobai’s ascension. Upon learning this, True Monarch Tian Ling, without hesitation, brought Mu Youyi to Dongzhou. He instructed Mu Youyi to command the Beast Taming Sect’s disciples to infiltrate Donghuang, gather intelligence on the Five Elements Sect, and find weak points in their grand formation to break in and seize an opportunity for a major strike.

“Very good,” True Monarch Tian Ling said, a cold sneer playing on his lips after reading the jade slip.

“Ancestor, when shall we make our move?” Mu Youyi asked, excited. Over the years, True Monarch Tian Ling had imparted to him the God Transformation secret art of the Myriad Spirits Sect, and with the Beast Plate, he had refined his natal spirit beast, giving him hope for a Nascent Soul transformation. Furthermore, True Monarch Tian Ling had promised him a Tian Ling Pill as a reward if they inflicted significant damage upon the Five Elements Sect this time. He was, therefore, the most enthusiastic.

“Waiting for someone,” True Monarch Tian Ling replied. As True Monarch Tian Ling spoke, a vast True Spirit aura spread from the desolate wilds behind him. These were demonic beasts he had refined and controlled with the Beast Plate to confront the Five Elements Sect. As the foremost beast tamer in the Tianhe Realm, he had even used the Beast Plate to contract a dormant Fifth-Order True Spirit, and nurtured two peak Fourth-Order beasts into Fifth-Order ones. As for Fourth-Order demonic beasts, their numbers were so vast that every Core Formation Elder of the Beast Taming Sect could have one. These Desolate Ruins demonic beasts, in turn, controlled even greater numbers of beasts. If they could break through the Five Elements Sect’s grand formation, they could easily drench Donghuang in blood. However, if the battle devolved into a protracted stalemate, the Five Elements Sect, with its grand formation as a stronghold, could still withstand the onslaught of the Desolate Ruins demonic beasts controlled by True Monarch Tian Ling. Thus, True Monarch Tian Ling was waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.

Soon, a streak of scarlet blood-light appeared on the horizon, materializing into the figure of a female cultivator who descended.

“Are you Senior True Monarch Tian Ling?” the female cultivator asked, surveying the assembled group and addressing the gray-haired old man at the center.

“Indeed. You must be Su Wen’s Heart Demon Incarnation, then. How have things progressed?” True Monarch Tian Ling nodded and inquired. Su Wen had set foot on Dongzhou with True Monarch Tian Ling. In Chen Mobai’s absence, his Heart Demon Great Method quickly detected Du Mengyun, a 'fish that slipped through the net'. Though unsure how she had survived within the Five Elements Sect’s territory, Su Wen, still scarred by past incidents, didn't wish to use his Heart Demon Great Method to possess her body again. So, he informed True Monarch Tian Ling about Du Mengyun, hoping the latter could make use of her. Through the Beast Taming Sect’s people, it was discovered that Su Wen’s Heart Demon Incarnation was the current acting head of the Sun family’s second wife, and her daughter possessed a Heavenly Spirit Root, had become a disciple of the Yellow Dragon Grotto, and was the youngest direct disciple of True Monarch Danxia. Upon learning this, True Monarch Tian Ling considered her a useful pawn. He coerced Du Mengyun into opening the grand formation of Yaoguang Immortal City, allowing him and his controlled demonic beast army to enter. If she dared to disobey, he threatened to expose her cultivation of demonic arts. This would implicate both her husband and her daughter, who had a promising future. As expected, Du Mengyun yielded and came to meet True Monarch Tian Ling.

“Senior, rest assured,” Du Mengyun said with a relieved smile after confirming True Monarch Tian Ling’s identity. “The grand formation at Yaoguang Immortal City has been opened. Currently, the Five Elements Sect’s army, led by Old Ancestor Kuzhu, is en route on a Fifth-Order treasure ship to encircle and annihilate you.”

“Wretch! Do you think that by siding with the Five Elements Sect, our righteous path will accept you? Ignorance!” Upon hearing Du Mengyun’s words, True Monarch Tian Ling flew into a rage. He raised his withered right hand, and boundless spiritual energy converged, forming a gigantic beast claw that swept through the air, descending upon Du Mengyun.

“Old Ancestor Chen, save me!” Du Mengyun cried out, immediately kneeling.

“Old Ancestor Chen? Chen Guixian? But hadn't he ascended?” A series of questions flashed through True Monarch Tian Ling’s mind upon hearing Du Mengyun’s plea.

“I searched high and low for you to no avail,” a light chuckle resonated. “If you hadn’t come to your own demise, I truly wouldn’t have known where to find you.” At that moment, accompanied by a dazzling golden sword-light, a familiar figure appeared in an instant, slicing open the massive beast claw and standing before Du Mengyun. It was indeed Chen Mobai.