Chapter 1286: Transmitting the Law to Fight the Saint Emperor

"Lord Tianzun has returned."

At the instant they heard these words, Lu Xichan and the formation masters present froze for a moment. Then, an inevitable and intense fear surged into their hearts, and they lowered their heads. Their bodies even trembled uncontrollably. This was the formidable oppressive power of the Immortal Tianzun, who had dominated Xuanhuang for thousands of years and single-handedly created the Myriad Immortal Alliance.

As Transmitted Law Bearer Ren uttered these words, the Holy Emperor talismans affixed to the colossal Law Transmission statues in the various states of the Myriad Immortal Alliance began to flutter as if stirred by an unseen wind. They flapped continuously, appearing as though they could be blown away at any moment. The statues, suppressed by the talismans, also seemed to come alive, vibrating subtly. The Holy Emperor talismans emitted a purplish-golden starlight, while the Law Transmission statues glowed with a white light. These two forces constantly clashed. Across the Xuanhuang Realm, the skies shifted and the winds changed. The Holy Emperor, too, seemed to sense something, subtly glancing up at the sky even as he continued his discourse. However, the profound principles of the Great Dao he was expounding did not cease. His speaking pace, though, involuntarily quickened slightly.

Amidst these strange phenomena in the Xuanhuang Realm, some Immortal Alliance cultivators had already guessed what was happening. Their faces turned pale, and cold sweat beaded on their foreheads. They could no longer focus on the Holy Emperor's sermon, their entire bodies trembling uncontrollably from fear. Other cultivators, however, had shimmering eyes, intently listening to the Holy Emperor's teachings. At the same time, they inwardly prayed that the Transmitted Law Bearer would return a little later.

"Ancient and modern shifts, the principles of the Great Dao.""The method of law transmission, not tolerated by Xuanhuang.""I have now attained the Dao, and I shall attempt to change it..."

Finally, the Holy Emperor's sermon reached its conclusion. The Holy Emperor's gaze shifted entirely from the multitudes below to the figure in the starry sky beyond the Xuanhuang Realm. He nodded slightly, then vanished abruptly into the horizon.

Bereft of the Holy Emperor's protection, various strange phenomena suddenly descended upon the Xuanhuang Realm. Dark clouds billowed, forming out of nowhere. They continuously spread, slowly obscuring the bright moon that symbolized the Great Qi Holy Dynasty. On the ground, birds and beasts that had ventured out to listen to the Holy Emperor's sermon fled in terror, scrambling back to their nests for shelter. Even the flowers and plants were battered and torn by the increasingly violent winds. Bolts of lightning rent the dark clouds. Then, torrential rain lashed down upon the ground. Wind, rain, and thunder combined, instantly transforming the entire Xuanhuang Realm into a scene of apocalypse. Though the Transmitted Law Bearer's true form had not yet arrived, all beings across the world were already trembling in its shadow.

The Immortal Alliance cultivators, whose hearts had wavered after listening to the Holy Emperor's sermon, instantly felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over their heads, snapping them out of their misguided fervor."What was I thinking! That's the Transmitted Law Tianzun! The Tianzun who single-handedly suppressed the Xuanhuang Realm for thousands of years! How could I possibly imagine that the Holy... no, that *these bandits* would win?""The Holy Emperor... The Holy Emperor is strong, but he's absolutely no match for the Transmitted Law Tianzun. Damn it, I need to quickly forget this new law.""Tianzun above, please forgive my temporary delusion...""With the Transmitted Law Tianzun acting, everything will be alright!"The Myriad Immortal Alliance cultivators, overawed by the Transmitted Law's might, trembled with fear.

Meanwhile, the soldiers of the Holy Dynasty, due to the immense natural disparity in realms, also experienced a moment of terror. But soon, their eyes regained their resolve. Some remembered the words the Holy Emperor had spoken to them before this expedition. So, someone shouted towards the sky, "The Holy Dynasty will win! The Holy Emperor will win!" Initially, these were just scattered shouts. But quickly, they spread like wildfire. No one explicitly commanded them; all the Holy Dynasty soldiers, as if connected by a shared mind, shouted in unison. Their voices grew louder and louder, transforming from shouts to roars, and then from roars to deafening cries. The sound of the Qi soldiers, like rolling waves, swept across the entire Xuanhuang Realm with a force that could topple mountains and overturn seas. As if responding to their call, the bright moon in the sky erupted with a purplish-golden light. It emerged once more from the boundless dark clouds. The tumultuous winds and rains of Xuanhuang, amidst this earth-shaking roar, began to gradually subside.

Transmitted Law Bearer Ren listened to the distant sounds and scoffed, "Just a death throe."

As if in response to his words, teleportation gates appeared one after another in the central four states of the Immortal Alliance. Huge formations of flying boats continuously flew out from them, quickly filling the skies above the four states. At the prow of each flying boat stood a Transmitted Law Bearer. The Transmitted Law Bearers gazed up at the sky, bowing slightly towards the Transmitted Law Tianzun outside the starry expanse. Lu Xichan secretly observed the scene, secretly astonished. "These must be the cultivator forces from the various Transmitted Law Bearers' personal pocket dimensions. Since Lord Tianzun has appeared, they naturally won't hide behind the scenes any longer."

"From the aura emanating from those flying boats, there are many Dao Integration cultivators among them."

"The hidden strength of the Immortal Alliance is even greater than I imagined..."

As Lu Xichan pondered, a voice full of mockery suddenly came from the sky. "You've deployed the Disintegration Disc and nineteen Heavenly Profound Secondary Bodies, and after all this time, you still haven't even broken a simple confinement formation."

"Your Formation Strategy Hall is truly getting worse with each generation. If Lu Xia knew, he'd probably be so angry he'd come back to life."

Lu Xichan heard her master's name and the ridicule directed at her, and a surge of anger welled up within her. However, she recognized that the speaker was Dou, one of the Transmitted Law Bearers. So, despite her anger, she dared not show a single trace of it, merely lowering her head and saying, "This subordinate is incompetent."

"Never mind, have your people step aside." With Transmitted Law Bearer Dou's lazy remark, a team of young disciples gracefully floated down from the flying boat above. They first bowed slightly to the Mirror Keeper, who was guarding the Disintegration Disc. After receiving the formation data analyzed by the Disintegration Disc so far, they began to break the formation.

There were thirty-six of these young disciples. Their faces were utterly devoid of expression. Even their eyes showed not the slightest flicker of emotion. One of them extended his hand into the light beam of the Bright Moon Star Sea Great Formation. Instantly, his body began to dematerialize. From his hand to his entire being, he gradually became one with the formation's starlight. Just as the young Daoist disciple, who was testing the formation with his body, was about to be completely engulfed by the formation's starlight, his figure suddenly vanished, transforming into a streak of light that flew to another disciple. This second disciple similarly touched the light, then tested the formation with his body. This process repeated. Until the last, the thirty-sixth disciple, just before his body could turn into starlight, his body shook, releasing all thirty of his previous companions. He himself then returned to his normal form.

The thirty-six young Daoist disciples whispered among themselves. Then, as if reaching a consensus, they all nodded in unison. They split into two groups: one began to work on breaking the formation, while the other repeated the process of testing the formation with their bodies.

The Immortal Alliance formation masters observing from the side almost immediately sensed the extraordinary nature of these young Daoist disciples. At their current rate of deciphering, the Bright Moon Star Sea Great Formation would certainly be breached with a small opening in less than half a day. As the Chief of the Formation Strategy Hall, Lu Xichan's inner shock far surpassed that of others. Watching the thirty-six formation-breaking disciples, four words echoed in her mind: "Formation Spirit Sacred Body." This was an extremely unique physique, as if the body itself were composed of natural formations. It granted not only an innate sensitivity and affinity for various formations but also the ability to merge with formations, greatly enhancing their strength. Just as artifact spirits are to magical artifacts, they could transform into formation spirits, causing formations to sublimate and evolve.

The Formation Spirit Sacred Body was a rare sight, appearing perhaps once in a century. Lu Xichan's master, Lu Xia, had wished to find a cultivator with this physique during his lifetime, hoping they would inherit his legacy. Unfortunately, he never succeeded before his death, and in the end, had no choice but to pass all his lifelong knowledge to Lu Xichan. She never imagined that today, over thirty such individuals would appear at once!

Lu Xichan then looked up at the sky again, at the figures standing on the densely packed floating flying boats. A slight chill ran through her heart. "Just how many secrets do these Transmitted Law Bearers hide?"

After learning about the progress of the formation-breaking, a hint of murderous intent flashed in Transmitted Law Bearer Ren's eyes. The Myriad Immortal Alliance had been so disgraced this time, Lord Tianzun's punishment was surely inevitable. Since that was the case, he would unleash his fury upon these troublemakers before receiving his own penalty. With a wave of his hand, the black-robed cultivators who had been channeling their techniques but were forced to halt due to the Holy Emperor's sermon, resumed their actions. Several more cultivators, clad in green Daoist robes and wielding whisks and talismans, quietly descended from the flying boats above. As they waved their whisks and talismans, they molded the accumulated power within glowing orbs into terrifying, grim-faced, divine-like beings filled with an aura of slaughter. When these energy deities descended, the power emanating from them instilled genuine fear even in Lu Xichan, a Dao Integration cultivator. The Myriad Immortal Alliance's counterattack was poised to strike.

Outside the Bright Moon Star Sea Great Formation, the Holy Dynasty soldiers had also prepared for close-quarters combat with the Myriad Immortal Alliance. The battlefield commander-in-chief, Sun Erlang, was systematically issuing orders through the Holy Emperor's Grand Star Network.

"Cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, hold your ground and do not act rashly. Continue to oversee the construction progress of the Suppression Great Formation. Remember, completing the formation on time will be a great achievement!""For cultivators at or above the Nascent Soul stage, I am making the following deployment adjustments."

The brighter stars in the star sea scattered and reorganized under Sun Erlang's command."Do not engage the Myriad Immortal Alliance in a head-on confrontation. Stretch the battle lines to every part of the Myriad Immortal Alliance.""We do not need to invade the Myriad Immortal Alliance headquarters; what we need is to await the Holy Emperor's victorious return from the star sea!"

Sun Erlang declared with great determination. The Great Qi soldiers responded with a thunderous roar. After ensuring everyone's morale was roused, Sun Erlang observed the situation within the Bright Moon Star Sea Great Formation and made final adjustments to the troop assignments. At the same time, with a part of his mind still free, he connected to the silently standing Dark Gold Holy Retribution Puppet.

"Finally, I can stretch my muscles."

Beneath Sun Erlang's calm gaze, an intensely burning battle intent surged.

Three hours later.

The Bright Moon Star Sea Great Formation, which had firmly sealed off the four central states of the Immortal Alliance for seven full days, was finally torn open with a small breach. An instant later, powerful attacks, imbued with the Immortal Alliance cultivators' rage, surged forth from this opening. Techniques that had condensed into physical forms, manifested deities with eyes wide in fury, and countless rays of magical artifacts... They shone brilliantly together, erupting outwards. A terrifying amount of energy, enough to utterly flatten several states of the Immortal Alliance, eagerly sought its targets.

However, what awaited the Myriad Immortal Alliance's long-accumulated counterattack was merely an ordinary black gate. As the black gate opened, all the furious offensive methods were completely swallowed. It was as if an abyssal beast had opened its gaping maw. Not even the slightest energy ripple was left for the Myriad Immortal Alliance. After consuming all the accumulated explosive energy, the black gate silently dissipated, just as it had appeared. It left behind only the somewhat bewildered members of the Myriad Immortal Alliance.

"The Sea of Shadowed Depths?" Transmitted Law Bearer Ren's expression subtly changed; he had sensed a familiar aura from this gate. And just as he had anticipated, these "massive" energies swallowed into the Sea of Shadowed Depths merely formed another accumulating cloud deep within it. Beyond that, not a single ripple was created. "It seems the recent anomalies in the Sea of Shadowed Depths were also related to these scoundrels."

With old and new grievances combined, Transmitted Law Bearer Ren's heart was filled with extreme rage. The thirty-six young Daoist disciples continued breaking the formation, aiming to completely tear open the Bright Moon Star Sea Great Formation. Cultivators under the other Transmitted Law Bearers also poured out from the formation's breach, intending to sweep through and eliminate the bandits in the various states.

However, Transmitted Law Bearer Ren's plan met with a setback in the very first state. The entire state was empty. It seemed the bandits had completely withdrawn, and even the Heavenly City itself had been swept clean. No one was left behind.

"They ran?" Transmitted Law Bearer Ren was somewhat unsettled and suspicious.

Just as the Myriad Immortal Alliance cultivators drew their swords, looking around in bewilderment, flashes of light ignited from every corner of the state. They launched a rapid assault towards them. The silver lights seemed to have received a special blessing; their speed was several times faster than when they had previously fled. They arrived in an instant.

"Hmm? This is...""Sky-Patrolling Arrows?!"

Some Transmitted Law Bearers, however, recognized the approaching objects. Their expressions drastically changed. The next moment...

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A continuous series of violent explosions echoed across the sky.

At this very moment, outside the Xuanhuang Realm, within the Pitch-Black Star Sea. The figure rapidly returning to the Xuanhuang Realm also experienced a nearly identical attack. However, what was detonated in the star sea was not mere Sky-Patrolling Arrows. Instead, it was the residual power of True Immortals, scattered throughout the star sea. Holy Emperor Li Ping was not an inflexible person who insisted on a dignified, head-on confrontation with the Transmitted Law Bearer. All he desired was victory. Leveraging the "great winds" currently sweeping through the star sea, Li Ping used the star sea's recovery power to relocate the lingering True Immortal energies, changing their original positions. He then concealed them with formations, creating a trap in a certain sense. The Transmitted Law Bearer had traveled this path home countless times. It was intimately familiar to him. Yet, unexpectedly, this time he encountered an attack. Like winds rising and waves surging, the figure, under the influence of various residual True Immortal energies, flickered, becoming illusory and distorted. He appeared somewhat discomfited.

The Holy Emperor gazed from afar at the opponent, whose form was identical to the towering stone statues erected throughout Xuanhuang. It unequivocally revealed the opponent's identity. Tall crown, long beard. The Transmitted Law Tianzun. Yet, even under attack, the expression on this figure's face remained unchanged, just like the stone statues on the ground. However, the Holy Emperor did not wait for his opponent to recover from the sneak attack. Behind him, the ethereal image of the Holy Dynasty, accompanied by swirling starlight, instantly materialized.

"Heaven's will is with me...""The Ultimate Dao is with me...""The future is with me!"

The accumulated destiny that the Holy Dynasty had gathered for a long time instantly bestowed itself upon him. The devout prayers of countless Great Qi citizens, soldiers, and remnants of the You clan pierced through space and time, echoing around the Holy Emperor like profound celestial music. Within the Pitch-Black Star Sea, a fierce gale began to swirl around the Holy Emperor. Darkness receded, and starlight gradually brightened. At this moment, the Holy Emperor seemed to become the very center of the entire Pitch-Black Star Sea. Infinite star domains, endless void, countless stars—all revolved around the Holy Emperor at this instant.

In the Xuanhuang Realm, all living beings felt a profound connection at this moment. They instinctively looked up at the sky, beyond the somber heavens. Brilliant silver swirling starlight illuminated the world as if it were night. And at the center of the layers of swirling stars, the majestic and solemn figure of the Holy Emperor could clearly be seen. His starlit holy robe danced with the galaxy. It glittered and shone incessantly!

"Dao Extinction...""Dao Genesis!"

The Holy Emperor's figure, accompanied by a calm yet immense Daoist resonance, vanished into the swirling starlight. A dazzling silver glow instantly unfurled. Like the Milky Way descending from the nine heavens, it surged down directly upon the tall-crowned old man, who had not yet stabilized his footing!

Finally, a ripple of emotion appeared on the Transmitted Law Bearer's eternally unchanging face. Within that boundless starlight, he seemed to witness the ancient immortal cultivation world, this star sea's immensely prosperous age of cultivation. Then, he saw the subtle emergence of disharmonious and strange sights in the star sea as prosperity began to wane. It was as if he witnessed terrifying calamities silently descending upon the star sea as the immortal path collapsed. One prosperous immortal cultivation world after another was annihilated in these disasters. The Transmitted Law Bearer's gaze flickered; before his eyes, the brilliant star sea was growing dim. Starlight permeated his eyes, his body, and his soul. The Transmitted Law Bearer's tall crown and attire began to decay. His beard and hair started to fall out. His figure, once upright and majestic, became hunched. The residual True Immortal energies, not yet fully shed, still clung to him. The Transmitted Law Tianzun appeared to be in a precarious state.

"Cough, cough...""What a formidable move, Dao Extinction, Dao Genesis."

Amidst the howling winds of the star sea, the Transmitted Law Tianzun finally spoke. His voice, unlike the benevolent preaching tone remembered by the beings of the Xuanhuang Realm, was weak and listless, like that of a dying mortal, seemingly due to the severe blow he had received. The Holy Emperor did not respond. His figure had not even reappeared. The impact and erosion of the starlight river were nearing their end. But the Holy Emperor's attack was not over. What had just happened to the Transmitted Law Bearer was merely Dao Extinction. And next...

Came Dao Genesis!

Jet-black hair sprouted from the Transmitted Law Bearer's head, growing rapidly as it met the wind. Dull thuds, like explosions, resonated from various parts of his body. Tumors and bone protrusions could occasionally be seen. Thump! Thump! Thump! Intense heartbeats accompanied the revitalizing winds of the star sea. With each beat, a chunk of flesh would suddenly burst from the Transmitted Law Bearer's body. As the new Dao was born, the old laws were to be annihilated. The Transmitted Law Bearer, an ancient being not tolerated by the star sea's revival, was undergoing an incredibly powerful Dao Devourance. His heartbeat quickened, and his already bent and incomplete body was further ravaged. Even the bones beneath his flesh ceased to exist. He drifted precariously like a broken puzzle piece amidst violent explosions. His newly grown long hair circled in the star sea, then returned to its original position. It tightly constricted his neck. Tighter and tighter it constricted, like a sharp sword vowing to sever his head. His heartbeat reached its limit, and the Transmitted Law Bearer's chest abruptly burst open. There was no blood mist, only pure, absolute void. Not even energy remained; it was a state of complete Dao Annihilation! The void of Dao Annihilation began to spread from the hole in his chest outwards. His already shattered body seemed on the verge of being completely consumed by nothingness. The winds of the star sea grew even more ferocious. They seemed to be celebrating this victory.

However...

Just as the void of Dao Annihilation was about to consume the Transmitted Law Bearer's head, the Transmitted Law Tianzun, this supremely powerful being of mysterious origin who had dominated the Xuanhuang Realm for several eras, suddenly had pinpricks of starlight ignite in his eyes. Though the lower half of his head had been consumed, a voice still echoed in the star sea. It was precisely the same words the Holy Emperor had shouted:

"Dao Extinction..."

As the Transmitted Law Bearer spoke, the star sea seemed to fall into silence and darkness once more. The whipping winds slowly subsided. The wildly growing hair gradually fell away. The void that had been consuming the Transmitted Law Bearer was also stopped by some force, ceasing its spread. In but an instant, all the destructive phenomena on the Transmitted Law Bearer's body had vanished. It was as if an invisible barrier existed around him, blocking all forces attempting to approach. The wind still whispered, and the starlight was brilliant. Yet, it could not harm him in the slightest. Even though only half of his head remained.

"Dao Genesis."

The Transmitted Law Bearer spoke again, very calmly. Black hair reappeared, and his physical body was born and evolved from the void. His tall crown and attire were restored to their original state in the blink of an eye. In just a moment, the Transmitted Law Tianzun, who had been severely wounded and on the verge of falling, was miraculously restored to his former self! What a terrifying sight this was!

"What a pity, just barely missed it." The Holy Emperor's sigh suddenly echoed.

A streak of starlight swirled, and Li Ping's figure reappeared. He stared at the Transmitted Law Tianzun, the regret in his eyes having long vanished, replaced by boundless battle intent and unwavering conviction. The Transmitted Law Bearer did not immediately retaliate. Instead, he observed this attacker who had tried to kill him without a word. As if he had seen something incredibly interesting, the Transmitted Law Bearer paused for a moment.

Then he said, "When did another Peerless Grand Supreme Realm cultivator appear in this star field?"

His tone held a mix of surprise and emotion.

"Grand Supreme..." The Holy Emperor savored these two words. Then he shook his head slightly. "It's merely the current limit of this star sea."

"If it's not the limit of *this* star sea,""Then what 'Grand Supreme' are we speaking of?"

The Transmitted Law Tianzun did not retort. Instead, he looked back towards the distant center of the star sea and said, "Does Fellow Daoist know the saying, 'When the water rises, the boat floats higher'?"

"My Grand Supreme, compared to your Grand Supreme...""There is still a difference."

The Transmitted Law Bearer's words were understated. There was no boastfulness in his tone, merely the calm detachment of stating a fact. The Holy Emperor listened to the Transmitted Law Bearer's words, deep in thought. He naturally understood what the Transmitted Law Bearer meant. The reason the Transmitted Law Tianzun currently displayed his present combat strength was that the star sea's capacity limit ended here. However, the power the Transmitted Law Tianzun could truly wield was beyond this limit. But currently, due to the existence of this upper limit, it could not be fully manifested. As the star sea's limit was opened, his strength would grow increasingly stronger. And while the Holy Emperor had also reached the star sea's limit, he had done so by relying on the Holy Dynasty's destiny, the star sea's favor, and many other factors. Once the star sea's limit was unlocked, he would still need a period of cultivation to catch up. This was the gap between the Transmitted Law Bearer and him.

"After all, he is the Transmitted Law Tianzun who has survived for an unknown number of ages." The Holy Emperor felt little surprise in his heart. Nor did he feel any fear. Even though his ultimate move had been blocked, and even though there was a disparity in their strength. However...

The Holy Emperor's attack had only just begun.

Holy Emperor Li Ping reached out his hand, sensing the stirring winds of the star sea. This time, it was not the winds of the star sea's revival. Instead, it was the gradually rising winds of chaos, brought forth by the clash with the residual True Immortal energies! The Transmitted Law Tianzun also noticed Li Ping's action.

"That move, Dao Extinction, Dao Genesis, which Fellow Daoist just performed, was indeed extraordinary.""It resonated deeply with me and provided significant insight.""I also have a technique; I invite Fellow Daoist to appraise it."

This time, the Transmitted Law Tianzun struck first."This technique is called...""Object in Hand."

The moment the words "Object in Hand" echoed in the Holy Emperor's ears, an unease surged within Li Ping. Immediately, the scene before his eyes rapidly transformed. His body instantly shrank to an infinite degree. The surrounding landscape rapidly expanded. The tall-crowned old man, originally several sizes smaller than his own body (which stood three zhang and three chi tall), rapidly swelled. By the time the Holy Emperor realized the change was occurring, the Transmitted Law Tianzun had already become as colossal as the vast stone statues erected on the Xuanhuang surface.

It wasn't merely a change in size. The Holy Emperor even felt his connection to the Holy Dynasty, to the Xuanhuang Realm, and even to the entire star sea, constantly diminishing as he shrank. A faint premonition arose in the Holy Emperor's heart: if this continued, the connection might be severed completely, and he himself would be forever lost in this miniaturized scene. As his thoughts raced, the Transmitted Law Tianzun's offensive had already followed one after another. In just the time it took to think, the full form of the Transmitted Law Bearer was no longer visible. Only the Transmitted Law Bearer's palm, like a towering mountain, like the earth and sky itself, pressed down from above. The surrounding space was locked, and the Holy Emperor had nowhere to escape. Looking up, even the lines on the Transmitted Law Bearer's palm had become like towering, continuous mountain ranges. Facing the colossal palm of the Transmitted Law Bearer that was about to descend, there was not a trace of fear in the Holy Emperor's eyes.

"The Xuanhuang Realm...""How can it be merely an object in your hand?"

A cold light flashed in the Holy Emperor's eyes."Let me show you the true power of Xuanhuang.""Body transformed into...""Xuanhuang Heaven!"

His body was completely enveloped beneath the Transmitted Law Bearer's colossal palm. And then...

An infinite Xuanhuang light erupted from beneath the colossal palm.

At this moment, the beings in the Xuanhuang Realm suddenly felt the ground beneath their feet tremble violently. The dark clouds in the sky were dispersed by this shaking. Many keen-eyed cultivators even noticed that it was as if some lines were missing from between heaven and earth. With a creaking roar, it was as if the pillars of heaven had fractured. The sky of the Xuanhuang Realm seemed to fall slightly downwards.