Chapter 1666: Rainbow Bridge Soars

When Qing Teng appeared before Mo Xingdao, his choice to reach out destined him to become everyone's target.

All those present were late-Nascent Soul cultivators, and even their rushed attacks were formidable.

Where Mo Xingdao stood, blinding, iridescent light erupted in an instant, as if various pigments mixed in a barrel had shattered and scattered in the void, forming an extremely chaotic yet subtly ordered tableau. The intensity of the scene completely obscured Mo Xingdao's figure. Anyone else present, facing an encirclement of this magnitude, would have felt their scalp prickle with dread.

Having personally witnessed Grandmaster Huaiyin's predicament, Su Zinan knew Mo Xingdao had fallen into a trap, and a demonic woman was lurking in the shadows, poised to deliver a fatal blow. Wasn't this precisely the situation Su Zinan had long awaited?

The Three Corpse God-Slaying Banner was missing a primary soul. If he could just imprison one more late-Nascent Soul cultivator, the three souls would be complete, and the demonic artifact would reach its full potential, a matter of immense importance to him. In comparison, the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant's importance paled.

Since entering the Boundless Immortal Gate, he had foregone immediate entry into the Immortal Palace to pursue Old Man Yanshan, and later sought to unite with Old Demon Fan and others to encircle Qin Sang. Everything served this singular objective. To him, the opportunities presented by the Immortal Palace and Emperor's Decree Mountain were merely the best catalysts for chaos, creating opportunities for his own schemes.

Thus, upon witnessing Mo Xingdao's predicament, he unhesitatingly chose to kick him while he was down, rather than warning him or engaging the Kun Dao. Had Grandmaster Huaiyin not been a body cultivator, making him unsuitable for the demonic banner, Su Zinan would have acted the same way then. Qin Sang was his target, and so was Mo Xingdao. Even True Master Zilei and Old Demon Fan were not exempt; if the opportunity arose, he would strike without hesitation.

In earlier years, Su Zinan had used Old Demon Lu's Nascent Divinity cultivation insights as bait to entice Mo Xingdao to journey with him, traveling far to the Northern Wilds, then south to the Central Plains, out to the Eastern Sea, and finally into the Southern Barbarian lands. During this period, he had received Mo Xingdao's assistance, achieving various objectives. If he could capture other prey with Mo Xingdao's help, it would certainly be gratifying. If not, he could at least probe Mo Xingdao's true capabilities.

As of today, Su Zinan felt he had thoroughly investigated Mo Xingdao's background, and by skillfully manipulating events, he had caused Mo Xingdao to reveal many of his concealed abilities. Su Zinan, of course, knew that Mo Xingdao undoubtedly held life-saving trump cards. But what did that matter?

Consider Mo Xingdao's current adversaries: two True Masters of the Daoist sect, wielding profound arcane divine abilities; the Poison King, whose poison techniques were unmatched; and the Fire Demon, whose focus seemed to be on the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant, not particularly targeting Mo Xingdao. However, these three alone were sufficient to leave Mo Xingdao under attack from both front and back, in an utterly dire situation. The demonic woman had meticulously designed this trap for Mo Xingdao; she certainly wouldn't miss such an opportunity. Her ability to manipulate Emperor's Decree Mountain's divine restrictions made her, in fact, more dangerous than a true grand cultivator. Trapped in such a predicament, which was almost a death sentence, all his trump cards would surely be forced out.

Su Zinan had to act, otherwise the demonic woman would seize his prey. If he could capture Mo Xingdao's Nascent Soul, completing the three souls, he would be able to act as he pleased, provided no Divinity Transformation cultivator emerged.

Unexpectedly, when Mo Xingdao finally revealed his trump cards, they far exceeded anyone's imagination, astonishing everyone present. A late-Nascent Soul puppet!

At this moment, the battle's unfolding flashed through everyone's minds. True Master Zilei's lightning seal, the surging torrent from True Master Hegao's palm, and the Poison King's miasma-laden toxic sand — all three attacks, each possessing astonishing power, struck a light shield almost simultaneously.

Su Zinan recognized it. To be precise, it wasn't a mere light shield but a delicate veil woven from countless threads of light. This was a deeply hidden defensive magic treasure of Mo Xingdao's, first exposed when he forcibly entered the Boundless Hall. He had ordered the Underworld Moon Guard to investigate discreetly, and they finally discovered the treasure's name: the Primordial Heart Barrier. It could automatically protect its master and had belonged to a Northern Wilds demon who had fallen from Buddhism into evil two thousand years ago. This discovery allowed them to trace Mo Xingdao's true origins.

Although powerful, this treasure was still insufficient to withstand such an intense onslaught. Just as the Primordial Heart Barrier shattered, the Kun Dao suddenly appeared. The woman's timing was impeccable; the Poison King and others had inadvertently become her accomplices. With a delicate hand gesture, a stream of white essence descended from the sky, forming a cascading waterfall amidst the hazy wind-devil. This power converged in her hands, precisely activating the barrier's energy. Her five fingers formed a claw, like a Sky Dragon's mighty talons, creating an earth-shattering momentum that tore through all obstacles. The Kun Dao's almond eyes widened, revealing a mix of desire and excitement.

The next moment, a grey-black light shield rose again. The Kun Dao's five fingers slammed down, and combined with the residual power of the lightning seal, the flowing jade smoke, and the toxic sand, this light shield was instantly shattered once more. Just then, strange fluctuations appeared in the void on either side of Mo Xingdao, and two demonic figures dashed out, rushing into the shattering light shield with the Kun Dao to seize the prey. It was at this moment that the sound of clashing metal echoed.

The anomaly subsided. Everyone then saw a tall, burly, dark-skinned monstrous figure take Mo Xingdao's place, or more accurately, stand in front of him, blocking the attacks. The dark-skinned monstrous figure stood three zhang tall, with a massive build. Its entire body was forged from spiritual gold and profound iron, its skin exuding a heavy luster, like a legendary Golden Armored Divine Warrior, exceptionally mighty. The luster on its surface was identical to the light shield seen earlier. With its arms crossed over its chest, it not only blocked the Kun Dao's sneak attack but also took the full force of Old Demon Wu Soul's demonic blade and Old Man Yanshan Soul's One-Yuan Heavy Water. For a moment, one side of the dark-skinned monstrous figure's body surged with demonic energy, while the other half was covered in thick profound ice.

*Thump! Thump! Thump!*

Though the dark-skinned monstrous figure's body was as hard as steel, it still bore several terrifying wounds. Had it been a cultivator, the outcome would have been catastrophic. But it was a puppet. Although its body became somewhat stiff, as long as its core remained intact, no amount of wounds would cause it to disintegrate. It stumbled backward, absorbing the force, thereby revealing Mo Xingdao's location; he had been hiding behind it, completely unscathed. The demonic woman's sneak attack failed once more, leaving her even more frustrated than Su Zinan, nearly making her spit blood. This individual was even more vexing than the Grand Monk; she had at least managed to injure the Grand Monk before, but now she hadn't even touched Mo Xingdao, with all her attacks landing squarely on the puppet.

*Crack!*

Heavenly lightning struck directly. Simultaneously, strange sounds reverberated through her mind. The demonic woman startled awake, realizing it was aimed at her again. She knew her precarious situation well; another failure would make things even more difficult. These individuals were all very interested in her, and she might well draw a joint attack, just like before. Unlike the Five Elements Divine Restriction, she was limited here and absolutely could not afford to be overconfident. Before the heavenly lightning could descend, the Kun Dao's figure rapidly blurred, on the verge of disappearing.

In the distance, Qin Sang frowned. He had again used the Soul-Snatching Incantation in conjunction with the Lightning Control Art. His opponent was prepared, and as expected, the Soul-Snatching Incantation's power was greatly diminished, but he hadn't anticipated it having no effect on the Kun Dao whatsoever. This woman's strength appeared to be far greater than anticipated.

In a flash, Qin Sang showed no intention of giving up. The simultaneous roar of swords and thunder shook the surroundings. Sword energy transformed into a rainbow, tearing through the air to the battlefield, where a sword array instantly manifested. Instantly, the sky and earth darkened, and countless sword threads enveloped the Kun Dao. Unexpectedly, the Kun Dao was even more decisive than before. After delivering a single strike, she showed no lingering hesitation, having already connected with the barrier before the sword array could fully form.

Qin Sang's expression subtly darkened. Not planning to achieve everything in one blow, he immediately changed his strategy. The sword array suddenly contracted, and the sword intent gathered into a single beam. The spiritual sword, hidden within, pierced towards the Kun Dao's chest. He possessed the Fire Jade Centipede, so he wasn't afraid of losing track of the Kun Dao, but the opportunity to drain her resources was not to be missed. The Kun Dao was indeed formidable; her reaction was swift. Her largely etherealized body forcefully twisted away, just as a majestic shout rang in her ears.

"Who dares!"

The voice belonged to True Master Zilei. This was not a sound-based killing technique that attacked the soul, like the Soul-Snatching Incantation, yet it caused a strong warning to rise in the Kun Dao's heart. Amidst this sudden change, Su Zinan's plan failed, leaving his mind shaken. Mo Xingdao could only look out for himself, while True Master Hegao was astonished by the Kun Dao's uncanny appearance. The Poison King, having fewer entanglements with other parties, reacted faster. Seeing that the immortal fruit was an illusion and the Kun Dao had appeared, he redirected his toxic sand, but it was already clearly too late. Only True Master Zilei remained unaffected by the external distractions.

"Kill!"

The shout was like thunder, and like sword energy tearing through the void. The void around the Kun Dao instantly shattered. To the onlookers, the void shattered like a dropped mirror. In reality, however, those cracks were streams of lightning, weaving into a net in the void, appearing as if they were slicing the void itself. These lightning bolts were sharper than true heavenly thunder. Judging by their fierce intent, they were clearly streams of sword energy.

Lightning as skin, sword intent as bone! True Master Zilei wielded no sword, yet every flick of his finger became one. This was the Eight Views Scripture's true inheritance, the "Six Killing Rhythms" – a thunder art and a sword technique, a supreme true method. The Eight Views sect had only obtained partial remnants of this text, from which they merely comprehended a single technique, yet even this allowed them to stand proudly above all others in the art of offense. Wielded by True Master Zilei, its power was unmatched.

Two grand cultivators, two top-tier sword arts, all aimed directly at the Kun Dao. Immediately, sword intent surged skyward around the Kun Dao.

*Sizzle!*

A series of ripping sounds followed, a mixture of tearing air and sword energy slicing through the Kun Dao's skin and flesh. A spray of blood bloomed in the void. The Kun Dao vanished. The sword intent rapidly dissipated. The Golden Sinking Sword hung suspended in the void, its tip trembling. True Master Zilei closed his five fingers, and lightning, like rivers flowing into the sea, converged in his palm, held but not released. The two of them tacitly reined in their sword intent to avoid unnecessary conflict. Within that small space, two types of sword intent mingled. Fortunately, they shared the Kun Dao as a common target; otherwise, they would have directly clashed, unable to coexist.

Qin Sang lowered his gaze. He and True Master Zilei had unintentionally coordinated their attacks, but still failed, only injuring the Kun Dao without managing to capture her. However, Qin Sang found this result acceptable. On one hand, he had already tested the Kun Dao's limits and confirmed that her abilities on the mountain were indeed vastly different from when she was within the Five Elements Divine Restriction. On the other hand, if they had truly managed to capture the Kun Dao, it was uncertain into whose hands she would fall. Even if she wasn't monopolized by the Dao Sect, all parties would have to share the benefits.

*Swish!*

The Golden Sinking Sword shot back. Qin Sang was about to retreat and pursue the Kun Dao when he heard Mo Xingdao let out a long howl, sneering repeatedly, "Someone warned me before that allying with Fellow Daoist Su was like seeking fur from a tiger—to beware of Fellow Daoist Su extracting my soul and spirit to refine into a demonic banner. I thought it was mere alarmism!"

Just now, the Kun Dao had been focused solely on escape, and Su Zinan had pressed his attack with several more blows, hoping to take down Mo Xingdao in one fell swoop. The pretense had been shattered, leaving no room for reconciliation. Unfortunately, though the puppet had suffered continuous heavy damage, its core remained unscathed, and its strength was intact. Together with Mo Xingdao, they possessed the combined combat power of two grand cultivators. Allied with the demonic souls, he might be able to defeat Mo Xingdao, but that was the extent of his capabilities.

Hearing Mo Xingdao's words, Su Zinan's face twitched as if recalling something. His gaze suddenly turned cold and sinister. "That hussy isn't dead!"

Only Moon Consort and Old Wu knew about the Three Corpse God-Slaying Banner. And even they didn't know the full truth. Old Wu only knew that the demonic banner could, at most, capture demonic souls at the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage. After all, being able to control three grand cultivators of the same rank with just one demonic banner was simply too shocking and outlandish. One must know that before Old Demon Lu's improvements, the original demonic banner could only control mid-Nascent Soul cultivators. Its owner at the time was besieged and killed by Buddhist, Daoist, and demonic factions. Of course, it was also because that person lacked a Divinity Transformation foster father. Yet his Three Corpse God-Slaying Banner was even more potent. This banner offended heavenly harmony; those it controlled were trapped between life and death, enduring endless pain and torment. Once exposed, even Old Wu would have to guard against him. Grand cultivators throughout the cultivation world would feel personally threatened, and an anti-Su alliance would quickly form. Even if his foster father's prestige remained, he would be forced to retreat to Luye, daring not to move about freely. Old Wu had died by his hand. Moon Consort, however, had died outside. He had only seen her spiritual imprint vanish, and combined with Old Wu's feedback, he hadn't delved deeper into the matter. If Mo Xingdao's words were true, it could only have been Moon Consort who warned him. Although Su Zinan hadn't revealed the true secrets to Moon Consort, he treated her as a mere plaything, so he hadn't been overly cautious. With the demonic banner nearing completion and feeling complacent, he had inevitably let slip a few extra words during intimate moments. Later, Old Wu suddenly disappeared. Although Su Zinan had blamed the Fire Demon, Moon Consort had been a witness to the battle in the Snowfield. If she had been truly intent on investigating him, she should have been able to deduce the truth. That hussy, who knows what methods she used, broke free from the control of the Underworld Moon Seal and even managed to trick him!

Mo Xingdao merely sneered in response. He had long known that Su Zinan harbored ill intentions, yet he still traveled with him, confident that he could swallow the bait and still escape unscathed. For ordinary matters, he would do his best, not allowing Su Zinan to perceive any hint of his true intentions. But for something like pursuing the Fire Demon, he would only make a token effort, holding back his true strength. In matters of men and women, Su Zinan had always been in control; Moon Consort and other women were merely canaries he had kept. Unexpectedly, he had been fiercely pecked back, and his anger immediately flared. The demonic souls had been exposed before the Daoist True Masters, but the demonic banner itself remained concealed in his sleeve. Had Mo Xingdao not exposed it, he might have been able to offer some excuses, but now that was impossible.

As expected. True Master Hegao recovered from a series of astonishing surprises, immediately turning to Su Zinan with a grim tone. "Impudent wretch! Old Demon Lu is no longer in this realm, yet you dare to be so brazen!"

Su Zinan recalled his demonic souls and scoffed dismissively, "Given your actions today, what right do you have to reprimand me?"

True Master Hegao choked. The Eight Views sect had indulged the remnants of the Boundless Immortal Gate in opening the ancient abode, an act that could by no means be considered honorable. In the future, they would be relentlessly pursued by various forces. If a Divinity Transformation cultivator presided over them, it would be fine, but otherwise, they would be too preoccupied with their own troubles to concern themselves with Su Zinan. He couldn't help but turn to look at his Sect Master senior brother, realizing that this situation would be truly difficult to manage.

True Master Zilei, however, remained silent, seemingly sensing something. Everyone merely assumed he was searching for the Kun Dao's whereabouts. A moment later, a stream of light suddenly flew from the top of True Master Zilei's head. Within this light, a palace lantern slowly rose, gently rotating, revealing its eight facets. Upon seeing this lantern, Su Zinan's sneer vanished, and Mo Xingdao instantly appeared on the puppet's shoulder, both showing clear signs of caution.

The Poison King gasped softly, "The Eight Views Palace Lantern!"

Suddenly, the lantern light blazed intensely, rainbow light illuminating the entire realm. A rainbow bridge instantly spanned the air, pointing directly to a specific spot on Emperor's Decree Mountain's peak. Wherever the rainbow bridge extended, the wind-devil subsided, and the array restrictions solidified. True Master Zilei stepped onto the rainbow bridge, appearing like an immortal.