Roughly three hundred li from the Imperial Capital, Qing Xuan stood suspended in the clouds, observing the direction of the Imperial Capital with keen interest.
Though his physical body remained there, no one could detect the sweeping divine sense that permeated the area.
“Strange, truly strange! Zong Shou’s cultivation should already have reached the Divine Realm. Yet how can this Six Gods Blade Control Art be so overwhelmingly potent? For a cultivator in the Saint Realm to have no power to resist seems an exaggeration.”
Tai Huang stroked his long beard, pondering, “This Six Gods Blade Control Art bears a resemblance to a flying blade technique I’ve encountered before. It is rumored to originate from a secret schematic scroll from another domain. I once sent people searching for it, but to no avail; the item has fallen into the hands of an outsider. Logically, it shouldn't be this formidable. By my estimation, this flying blade art requires a specific type of blade artifact to unleash its full power—”
Unable to resolve the lingering thought, Tai Huang simply set aside the subtle notion and turned to smile, asking, “Could it be, Senior Brother, that you suspect Li Biexue’s many unusual actions are related to this?”
“It is not suspicion, but certainty! We just don’t know the source—is it an elixir? An artifact? Or perhaps some innate spiritual treasure? It’s hard to confirm.”
Qing Xuan shook his head, his expression shifting slightly, “It seems we must employ the Yin Vein Spirit Slaughtering Array.”
“The Yin Vein Death Flame Thunder and the Spirit Slaughtering Divine Light. With an Ultimate Realm master presiding, as long as Xiu Guan doesn't intervene, Li Biexue is practically invincible. To think we haven't seen this number one killing array of the Demonic Path in millennia.”
Tai Huang also showed a flicker of emotion. No grand array in the world could surpass the threshold of the Ultimate Realm unless it was inherently of that tier itself.
The Seven Swords of the Common People could contend with the Ultimate Realm because when the seven swords were united (He Bi), they elevated the weapon tier to that of a Divine Weapon.
And the reason the Sword Sect’s Heavenly Annihilation Earthly Extinction Floating Spirit Sword Array could suppress the sect’s destiny was because its primary sword, the 'Floating Spirit,' was itself a rare Divine Weapon! Like the Ultimate Realm, its weapon spirit was intrinsically linked to the Great Dao, making it immortal.
The Demonic Path’s full formation, the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Yin Vein Spirit Slaughtering Array, was similarly anchored by a Divine Treasure.
With Li Biexue commanding it, it would be extremely difficult for a typical Ultimate Realm master to shake it.
“If that’s the case, if those few individuals do not make a move, Zong Shou is certain to die?”
“It won’t be that easy. If my conjecture is correct, Zong Shou must possess some means of preserving his life. Or perhaps that Spirit Refining Sword has already advanced—that is also possible. Still, it is truly peculiar!”
Qing Xuan curiously scanned the surroundings, his gaze thickening with doubt, “My divine sense sweeps across this region for ten thousand li, yet I only detect the presences of Wei Xu and Yuan Jing. As for Xiu Guan, he is above our cultivation level and naturally possesses means of concealment. But why are Long Ying and Lin Xuanshuang also missing? Do they truly dare to confront the Twelve Guardian Bronze Statues and this Nine Heavens Ten Earths Yin Vein Spirit Slaughtering Demonic Array with only two Ultimate Realm Sacred Venerables, a Common People Sword Array, and a Xiu Guan who hasn't even appeared?”
Tai Huang also found it strange, yet he couldn't articulate why. At this moment, they could only wait and observe the unfolding situation.
“However, Zhu Xi is currently stationed at the Confucian Temple. It seems he is genuinely prepared to intervene in this battle. The Nine Heavens Ten Earths Yin Vein Spirit Slaughtering Demonic Array requires drawing upon the vital essence and blood of the twenty-three million residents within the Imperial Capital. Twenty-three million people’s lifespan of one year can sustain the great array for three hours. There has been no attempt to stop it thus far, which suggests this Confucian Sacred Venerable has truly made up his mind, prepared to ally with the demonic path itself to slay the demon residing in his heart.”
His words were laced with sighing, yet held a note of mockery.
Not far behind them, Qing Ming, looking grave, bowed respectfully to the two.
“Since Zong Shou ventured into a place of certain death, his destiny is already severed! If you two Ancestral Masters make a move today, this demon will certainly not escape the Imperial Capital.”
Tai Huang smiled upon hearing this but remained silent, offering no endorsement or refutation. Kun Ming was the third Ultimate Realm Sacred Venerable of the Daoist School, and he died saving hundreds of thousands of Daoist disciples. Therefore, Tai Huang was extremely accommodating and fond of Kun Ming’s beloved daughter.
Knowing Qing Ming harbored deep, deadly enmity toward Zong Shou, he chose not to reprimand him even if Qing Ming had misspoken in the present moment.
Qing Xuan also shook his head slightly, “Let us observe this matter first! If a real opportunity arises, I will not stand idly by.”
In his perception, without other variables, Zong Shou would undoubtedly perish even if he remained a spectator today.
However, it was precisely these unpredictable ‘variables’ that caused apprehension.
Zong Shou would not suddenly go mad, and the Common People Dao was certainly not comprised of fools. Or perhaps Xiu Guan had genuinely returned, or possessed some means to counteract the Twelve Guardian Bronze Statues—that was unknown.
Therefore, before fully grasping the situation, he would not act rashly.
※※※※
Upon entering the Fenghua Palace, Zong Shou noticed that the sky, previously filled with incessant rain, had shifted from a somber gloom to a bloody crimson.
Below the ground, he could already sense countless Yin energies flowing and pulsating.
Indeed, it was the Yin Vein Spirit Slaughter.
Zong Shou paid it no mind and continued forward. At this moment, Yin Yu and Li Biexue must have gathered all the Yin magnetic veins within ten thousand li into the Imperial Palace, along with the vital blood essence of the twenty-three million people in the city.
But what of it? As for Yin Yu, the sovereign of the Great Shang and master of the Imperial Capital, Zong Shou no longer cared to offer judgment.
Inside the Fenghua Palace now, every palace gate was sealed. The restrictions of the palace protection formation were omnipresent.
Spiritual energy surged to its zenith, combining with the terrain and layout of the palace structures to maintain a state of peak power.
Zong Shou was too lazy to break the restrictions one by one; he chose forceful demolition instead.
He invoked the Exalted Profound Law-Holding Wings to empower the Three Thousand Star Fall divine ability. The Star Dao Seeds scattered, permeating the thousand zhang radius around him.
All formation laws that came into contact with them were forcibly shattered before they could even activate.
The structures were also affected; the violently exploding spiritual energy caused them to rupture and vanish, leaving nothing intact. Wherever Zong Shou passed, the grand halls and magnificent buildings were reduced to rubble and broken tiles.
It was only about twenty thousand zhang into the Fenghua Palace that Zong Shou finally slowed his pace.
He saw the surroundings turn a deep crimson in all directions. Countless strange, blood-colored spiritual lights converged towards him.
These lights caused the operation of Zong Shou’s several hundred Star Dao Seeds to momentarily stutter, meeting slight obstruction.
It wasn't just the Three Thousand Star Fall ability; the one hundred and ninety Dragon Tooth Dao Annihilation Extinction Swords suffered similarly.
The former was better off, but the latter was worse. For the sword artifacts with lower ranks and less inherent spirituality, Zong Shou could no longer control them with ease.
“Is this the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Spirit Slaughtering Divine Light?”
The term 'Spirit Slaughter,' as the name suggested, naturally referred to the extermination of spirituality. It could annihilate the spirituality of everything in the world.
This domain contained millions of races, billions of beasts, and the spirits of all manner of artifacts.
It was a direct counter to his Three Thousand Star Fall and the Ten Absolute Dao Annihilation Extinction Sword Array.
The former was a manifestation of his inner mental void, further bolstered by the Exalted Profound Law-Holding Wings, making it harder to obscure. The Dragon Tooth swords, however, lacked this capability.
The divine sense Zong Shou had hidden within the sword bodies was worn down significantly in that instant.
Naturally, this was also because these two divine abilities had not yet reached their full potential. The Three Enclosures and Four Palaces of the Three Thousand Star Fall were incomplete, and the ten primary swords of the Ten Absolute Dao Annihilation Extinction Sword Array were not yet finalized.
Otherwise, they would not be so easily neutralized.