Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 849: Chapter 527: Retreat

“Screech!!!”

The Holy Sword broke into the realm, Phoenix Blood wept across the sky, and the hanging feather wings shattered, revealing the White Jade Immortal City in its full array—its ultimate state.

“Nine Rituals Heavenly Sword!”

Staggered by the heavy strike and returning to his senses in shock and fury, the broken illusory Phoenix Shadow condensed once more, its wings brandished like blades ferociously slashing down.

Phoenix Slash!

How could Zhen Yuanzi have entered the Heavenly Secret Realm alone, without carrying the Nine Rituals Heavenly Sword?

Without the Nine Rituals Heavenly Venerate, where would True Immortal combat strength come from?

Wasn’t entering the Heavenly Secret Realm like this, confronting the joint offensive of demons, akin to seeking his own death?

Besides, within the Wandao School, aside from Zhen Yuanzi who harbored an astonishing secret, was there a second person capable of wielding the Nine Rituals Heavenly Sword and unleashing the power of Nine Tribulations, the strength of a True Immortal?

Doubts upon doubts, yet difficult to resolve.

But at such a critical juncture, the Phoenix Master had no time for further thought.

Whether it was Zhen Yuanzi or Li Liuxian, who cared if they were bluffing or if it was real? In the end, strength would speak for itself.

A single Holy Sword, even if it embodied Heavenly Mechanics Methods and matched True Immortals in combat power, was of no concern to him, for he had battled True Immortals before.

As the leader of the Phoenix Clan, wielding an Immortal Treasure, even among Nine Tribulations True Immortals, he was a supreme figure. How could he fear a Void Immortal who relied on external strength and had not achieved the true fruit of Nine Tribulations?

Thus, the Phoenix Master’s response was resolute. With a single slash like a knife from the Phoenix Heavens’ wings, he sought to return the favor to his opponent.

But unexpectedly…

“Boom!!!”

As the Holy Sword was raised, heaven and earth trembled. The Nine Rituals Tri-Element Law reestablished Heavenly Dao’s order, wind, fire, water, and earth dissipated, leaving only burgeoning Sword Qi, forming a majestic torrent. With Xuanyuan rising, it struck at the wings of Phoenix Heaven.

“Bang!!!”

A resounding crash was heard. The elusive Phoenix Shadow shattered once again, Golden Blood raining down, adding to the desolation of the world.

“Li! Liuxian!”

Amidst the blood rain, a roar filled with gritted teeth yet helplessness echoed; the shattered Phoenix Shadow moved once more. The Phoenix Heavens’ wings crossed and slashed, Breaking the Realm and vanishing into the Void.

“This…”

“Phoenix Master!?”

“Run!!!”

Even though it seemed to take a long time, everything happened in the blink of an eye. From the Holy Sword breaking the realm to the Phoenix Master’s forced retreat, the rapid shift in situation was so swift that not just ordinary people, but even Demon Gods and Demon Venerates failed to react until the Phoenix Shadow broke through the realm, when they finally snapped back to reality and began to flee.

But by the time they attempted to retreat, it was already too late. The rift opened by Phoenix Slash quickly closed under the desperate gazes of the Demon Gods and Demon Venerates, and a scornful force from heaven and earth converged from all directions, as though mountains bore down on them. Even the venerables of the Tribulation Realm felt the pressure, their actions significantly slowed.

World exclusion, heaven and earth suppression!

As a Lower Realm, the Twilight Heavenly Dao had laws. Once a Mahayana cultivator broke through, they had to Break the Void and Ascend, unable to linger for long, or they would face the expulsion of the world’s laws and Heavenly Dao’s order.

If even native cultivators were treated as such, outsiders, needless to mention, such as these Demon Gods and Demon Venerates, could only send their avatars and not descend in their True Bodies. Otherwise, they would face the exclusion of Twilight Heavenly Dao, attracting calamitous thunder upon them.

It was only later when the Phoenix Master took action, using the Phoenix Slash to break the world’s laws and disrupt the Twilight Heavenly Dao’s order, that the situation began to change.

But how formidable is a world? Even though the Phoenix Master was a Nine Tribulations True Immortal and the Phoenix Slash a ninth-order Immortal Treasure, and even though the Phoenix Clan’s mastery over the Dao of the Void was unparalleled, it was still impossible to fully shatter a realm; they could only cause temporary disorder.

How long is temporary?

No one knew.

But after the Nine Rituals Heavenly Sword entered the realm, the situation quickly turned on its head.

Xuanyuan’s Holy Path, the Nine Rituals Tri-Element, commanding heaven and earth and the hearts of people—its understanding and control over heaven and earth need not be mentioned.

With the intervention of the Nine Rituals Heavenly Sword, the world laws and Heavenly Dao order that the Phoenix Slash ruptured were swiftly restored. Paired with a counterattack from the Holy Sword, the combined strength of heaven and earth, and the unity of human hearts severely injured the Phoenix Slash, forcing it to flee.

Strength-wise, the Phoenix Master was indeed a supreme True Immortal, second to neither the Demon Emperor and Demon Lord nor the Great Sun Mahavairocana. The Phoenix Slash in his hand was one of the world’s rare ninth-order Immortal Treasures, overpowering the Nine Rituals Heavenly Sword in every aspect.

Nonetheless, the advantage of timing and geographical position meant nothing against an opponent who could harness the power of One Realm, incorporating Twilight Heavenly Dao into Nine Rites Xuanyuan, against whom even the powerful Phoenix Master was no match.

If he couldn’t best them, then fleeing was the only option. The Phoenix Master decisively withdrew. With Phoenix Slash Breaking the Void, even though Nine Rites Xuanyuan stirred the Twilight Heavenly Dao, it was unable to stop him.

But…

What about the others after you left?

Do you think everyone is like you, proficient in the Dao of the Void, holding a Treasure in their possession?

“Ahh!!!”

The Nine Rituals Tri-Element, commanding heaven and earth, the Holy Path suppressing all laws, the Demon Fiends of the Calamity Realm seemed stripped of their Three Flowers and Five Qi. With their Cultivation all but gone and their achievements lost, they fell one after another, plunging into the earth.

Only some Great Demons of the fifth and sixth calamities persisted desperately, casting Secret Techniques and raising Treasures, seeking to Break the Void and find a way out.

But with Xuanyuan’s Sacred Method commanding heaven and earth, the world’s space was like a barrier. Without the Phoenix Slash, a treasure of the Void, how could they carve out a path to survival?

In the end, a single strike from the Holy Sword settled the dust, and the countless Demon Fiends were executed with it, concluding the battle of Twilight.

At the same time…

Within the Chaotic Void, two Great Suns stood side by side.

One blazed with fiery flames, while the other radiated golden brilliance, both embodying the majesty of the Great Suns, confronting each other in the Chaotic Void.

From within the blazing fire, a figure appeared, the likeness of the Golden Crow: “Great Sun Mahavairocana, do you really wish to challenge me?”

“Amitabha!”

With the chant of the Buddha’s name, within the dazzling sun’s radiance, a Buddha sat calmly upon a lotus pedestal: “Your Majesty, as the leader of the Demon Race, ought to empathize with your subjects. Why then provoke warfare so recklessly and create slaughter that now reduces all beings to misery, including yourself?”