Chapter 1748: Establishing the Prison

The Human World

Qin Sang had stood up at some point, gazing at the altar beneath the female Daoist priestess, his eyes shining with unusual brilliance. This altar seemed to possess the ability to stabilize spiritual energy. The priestess's aura clearly indicated a cultivation level of Mid-Core Formation, and there were no signs of internal energy disturbance within her body. With his discerning eye, he could naturally tell that the key likely lay in the altar beneath the priestess and the 'Spirit Proclamation Seal' slowly rotating within it.

Although the Spirit Proclamation Seal was small, no one could ignore it, even on a battlefield teeming with demonic soldiers. It was clear that this seal was not a solid object; most of its body, including the knob, was indistinct. One could vaguely discern its shape, yet it radiated dazzling spiritual light. It seemed to be adorned with cloud-script thunder patterns, phoenix-script dragon characters, but its divine essence remained hidden from plain sight. Only the four characters "Proclaim to All Spirits" at the bottom were exceptionally clear, surrounded by intricate and mysterious runic patterns. The priestess was bathed in shimmering golden light, as if clad in golden armor. A strange ripple emanated from her, conveying infinite majesty that made one dare not look directly at her. Moreover, the altar's function was not limited to this!

At this moment, a dense fog hung over the river. Mortals couldn't see the confrontation in the sky, and their hearts were filled with panic. Knowing that mortals suffer when immortals clash, they abandoned their homes and livelihoods, fleeing in disarray. Bailongdu (White Dragon Ferry) quickly became almost deserted. Qin Sang also went with the flow, heading out of Bailongdu with the old man and the young boy, but his Celestial Eye Butterfly kept watch on the battlefield.

He clearly saw that the two squads of water snake soldiers had emerged from the altar in formation after the priestess issued a spell command. Just like the three squads of wolf soldiers hidden in the marsh, Qin Sang had only detected the priestess alone on the isolated peak earlier, with no sign of the two squads of water snake soldiers. Before the wolf soldiers appeared, an altar had also flashed and disappeared within the black smoke. This indicated that altars also possessed the ability to nurture and store soldiers.

This method reminded Qin Sang of the beast-taming sects in the Storm Realm, such as the Beast Spirit Sect in Beichen Realm, but it was also very different. Beast Spirit Sect cultivators, upon entering the Dao, would choose a compatible demonic beast and form a sworn pact. The two would then be like one entity, and that demonic beast would be called their Natal Spirit Beast. Besides their Natal Spirit Beast, they might also raise a few spirit beasts with unique abilities for their use, but the number wouldn't be large. Most couldn't afford to raise demonic soldiers, as it would hinder their own cultivation. The cultivation of spirit beasts wasn't obtained out of thin air. Qin Sang found it quite energy-consuming to raise a few Four-Transformation Spirit Insects and gather the necessary spiritual materials for their cultivation; it only improved after he received the "Panhu True Scripture."

The two squads of water snake soldiers before him were not only well-ordered and disciplined, but their cultivation levels were also not weak. Especially the leaders of the two squads of water snake soldiers, whose cultivation was only slightly lower than the priestess's, both being Early Demonic Core stage snake demons. Under each leader were several Demonic Spirit stage water snakes, and beneath them, over a hundred Mortal Demonic stage water snake soldiers. The two squads of water snake soldiers formed a tight formation, led by two water snake demon generals, with the priestess as the axis. Their combined momentum flowed through them as one, subtly forming a strange array that contained immense power, certainly not to be viewed as an ordinary military formation.

Only two gates were open at this moment; what would it be like if all eight gates were open? What if the person in charge of the altar had a cultivation level of Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, or even higher? Wouldn't a single cultivator in this realm be equivalent to a thousand soldiers and ten thousand horses! Qin Sang felt a chill in his heart. Of course, he understood that conscripting and training demonic soldiers, making them single-minded and disciplined, was by no means as simple as it looked.

Having finally met cultivators from this realm, Qin Sang felt a slight relief upon seeing a method to resolve the chaotic spiritual energy of heaven and earth. He also became greatly curious about cultivators in this realm; cultivators in the Storm Realm focused on self-cultivation, rarely witnessing such sights. However, if he were to train soldiers, he would be quite reluctant. Didn't cultivators in this realm worry about delaying their own cultivation by expending so much effort on soldiers? Or were there other benefits?

As Qin Sang pondered in silence, changes occurred on the river once more. After her reprimand, the priestess did not intend to wait for the wolf demon's reply. The wolf demon dared to openly harm the river god under her jurisdiction; this crime alone was enough to warrant its demise! Moreover, this squad of wolf soldiers was clearly a group of rogue soldiers. Rogue soldiers were originally forces under a Daoist priest. Due to unforeseen circumstances, such as the priest's death with no disciples to inherit, or the soldiers rebelling against their master, or the priest being unable to subdue them for various reasons, the altar would explode, or the soldiers would seize the altar and escape, losing their restraint, thereby becoming rogue soldiers. Rogue soldiers of inherently good nature would not pose a great threat. However, wolf soldiers like these, who consumed raw flesh and blood and dared to attack water mansions and city gods, were likely rebellious soldiers who had caused an altar explosion. Any Daoist disciple who encountered them had the responsibility to slay demons, subdue monsters, and reclaim the talismans!

The priestess formed hand seals, performed the Yu Steps, and moved swiftly, creating a celestial formation. With a command, the leaders of the two water snake squads vigorously shook the banners in their hands. Immediately, streams of water-colored ripples scattered out, entering the bodies of the water snake soldiers, who roared in unison, their voices shaking the mountains. The water colors converged, as if a celestial river coiled above the river surface, enveloping all the water snake soldiers within it. The water snake soldiers swam within the river water, and under the blazing sun, they seemed to glow with a faint golden light, their demonic energy flowing seamlessly. Immediately, one water snake demon general raised his banner and pointed it towards the sky, while the other pointed towards Bailongjun, who was struggling desperately on the river surface.

The water snake soldiers' formation shifted, and the celestial river suddenly swept upwards, instantly darkening the sky and earth. The blazing sun vanished, replaced by an ethereal blue water sword suspended upside down above the river. Its gentle blue light illuminated the mountains and rivers, and its tip slightly trembled, pointing directly at the giant wolf. At the same time, with a splash on the river surface, the river water beneath Bailongjun surged, and a mass of cold air materialized, instantly forming an ice pillar that froze Bailongjun. This act was to protect Bailongjun and prevent the wolf demon from acting rashly. Although the priestess's cultivation far surpassed that of the wolf demon, she was extremely cautious. The wolf demon had no time to stop it, watching helplessly as its captured prey was frozen and sank to the river bottom. Simultaneously, the ethereal blue magic sword trembled slightly and pierced through the air, descending with lightning speed. In the distance, Qin Sang's expression stirred slightly. The power of this sword strike was already comparable to that of a Late Core Formation cultivator!

Unexpectedly, the wolf demon showed no fear whatsoever. It allowed the priestess to rescue Bailongjun, then looked up at the sky, letting out repeated sneers. "Altar Master? So it's a High Minister of the Tianshu Academy's Law Enforcement. You've certainly caught a big fish, my respects! My respects!"

The wolf demon let out a demonic howl, stomping its four hooves heavily, and an altar suddenly appeared beneath its feet. This demon had clearly used means to hide it before. Now that the true master had arrived, it revealed the altar's true form. This altar's structure was similar to the priestess's, also divided into three layers, with four pillars and ten directions and eight gates. However, what floated within this altar was a spiritual banner. The spiritual banner was damaged, and the altar's four pillars were broken, making it appear even more dilapidated compared to the priestess's altar. However, the spiritual banner in this altar was more corporeal than the priestess's Spirit Proclamation Seal.

As soon as the altar appeared, two gates opened, and billowing black smoke poured out. Two more squads of black wolf demonic soldiers rushed forth, including three Demonic Core stage giant wolves, dozens of black-furred demonic wolves, and behind them, over a hundred miscellaneous soldiers like foxes, jackals, tigers, and leopards. Seeing the altar appear beneath the black wolf's feet, a flicker of surprise flashed in the priestess's eyes. "Dansiao Banner, Ascension to Profound Rank?" She was currently only at the Mid-Cavern God Rank; she would only achieve Ascension to Profound Rank upon reaching Great Accomplishment in her cultivation. The Ascension to Profound Rank in the Tianshu Academy was at the level of a Chief Altar Master, a Fifth-Rank official with the revered title of Grand Master of Shangqing Xuandu. This demon was actually a soldier under the command of a True Person!

The several squads of wolf soldiers converged into one. Among the three wolf generals, one was at the Mid-Demonic Core stage, leading the elite soldiers in the front, while the other two were at the Early Demonic Core stage, managing the miscellaneous soldiers at the back. The three generals cooperated tacitly. Hearing the giant wolf's command, they howled upwards, spitting out billowing black smoke. The demons then changed formation, disappearing into the black smoke, indistinct and unpredictable. The black smoke scattered and reformed, transforming into a mighty Celestial Wolf tens of meters tall. It opened its massive mouth towards the sky and swallowed the magic sword in a single gulp. Inside the Celestial Wolf's belly, a faint blue light flickered briefly, then subsided. The Celestial Wolf grinned menacingly, licking its fangs as if it had swallowed something delicious. It shook its head and lunged towards the water snake soldiers' formation nearby. The giant wolf was completely unharmed. It chuckled eerily at the priestess, as if some shackles had been removed from its body. Its aura surged, quickly becoming comparable to the priestess's, and its momentum continued to rise.

The priestess's expression subtly changed. Although she had anticipated that the giant wolf's origin wouldn't be simple, she never expected it to be a rogue soldier who had seized a True Person's altar. However, she did not lose her composure. The strongest generals under a True Person must have followed them for many years, making betrayal almost impossible. The altar beneath the giant wolf was damaged, and the Dansiao Banner was tattered. It was highly probable that the True Person had encountered a powerful enemy, suffered severe injuries, and the giant wolf had seized the opportunity. In such a situation, the True Person's personal guards had most likely died in battle, and this giant wolf's cultivation might not be that high. She was a High Minister of Law Enforcement in the Tianshu Academy, in charge of a sub-altar, and all deities in this area were under her command.

The priestess, calm in the face of danger, suddenly shifted her Daoist steps, moving like a swaying willow, performing the Big Dipper steps. She brought her fingers together and drew in the air, instantly forming a spiritual talisman that transformed into a streak of light and flashed into the treasure seal within the altar. Immediately, the treasure seal radiated brilliant golden light, and the priestess's clear, resonant incantation echoed between heaven and earth.

"By command of the Divine Firmament, I decree the household soldiers.Land Gods and Earth Deities, all obey this order.A single heavenly talisman, nine convergences become one.Where the talisman command reaches, myriad deities follow!Quick! Quick!"

The incantation was like a divine sound, invisibly spreading in all directions. As soon as the incantation was uttered, regardless of whether they were City Gods, Land Gods, Mountain Gods, or Water Gods, as long as their territories were under the jurisdiction of the sub-altar, they would receive the talisman summons and had to immediately dispatch troops to assist, or else incur a sin. The first to sense it were naturally Bailongjun's household soldiers. Bailongjun had not yet escaped, so his household soldiers dared not defy the talisman summons. Coincidentally, the white wolf soldiers who had been entangled with them retreated, and they hastily conjured water waves, ascending towards the sky to join forces with the water snake soldiers. The City God arriving from downstream also received the talisman summons and hastily urged his various divisions of soldiers to quicken their pace. From afar, a streak of divine light could be seen piercing through the sky.

At the same time, mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas outside Fulong City, as well as the capital of Jiulong City, and even neighboring states—anywhere under the jurisdiction of the priestess's sub-altar—all sensed it. However, those too far away would likely be unable to reach. Only some nearby mountains, rivers, and cities raised their banners, rode divine light, and came towards this location. As the priestess issued the talisman summons, the two water snake demon generals shook their banners again. The sky suddenly brightened, and the vast, sky-obscuring water mist abruptly pressed down, briefly hindering the Celestial Wolf. They then led their demonic soldiers to fly high and form an array around the altar.

The banners in the water snake demon generals' hands continuously swayed. The water snake soldiers moved according to command, and instantly, streams of water light rose, transforming into a transparent token suspended above the altar. The token vibrated slightly, and the celestial river reappeared, but this time it remained latent, encircling the demonic soldiers like a celestial snake with its head and tail connected. With the token's blessing, its power was clearly far greater than before. Knowing that this was a trap set by the giant wolf, with herself as the target, the priestess immediately adopted a defensive stance. The celestial river enveloped the demonic soldiers and the altar, then suddenly sped downstream, intending to first merge forces with the City God. Although her strength was slightly inferior to this group of wolf soldiers, she was not afraid. As long as she held out until the household soldiers from the various temples arrived to encircle them, they would surely have no chance of escape.

No sooner had this thought crossed her mind than the priestess's expression drastically changed. The giant wolf's cultivation had been surging continuously, and now, having reached the peak of the Demonic Core realm, it still showed no signs of stopping. "Crack, crack..." The giant wolf twisted its head, its bones cracking loudly within its body. Its aura suddenly surged, and it instantly entered the Transformation stage. "Howl!" The wolf's howl shook the heavens, startling gods and ghosts alike. The giant wolf transformed into a black light and flashed into the black smoke. "Little ones, follow this king to capture this tender, soft-skinned naked worm! We'll boil him for drinks, and then you can freely enjoy the blood and flesh in this country!" "Howl, howl, howl..." Excited wolf howls echoed from within the black smoke. With the giant wolf personally commanding the main formation of the altar, the wolf soldiers' morale greatly increased. Endless black smoke continuously converged into the body of the Celestial Wolf. In the blink of an eye, the Celestial Wolf grew to a hundred zhang tall, its body comparable to a mountain, majestic and awe-inspiring. Its breath could stir winds and thunder, and its exhalation could shake mountains and rivers.

Downstream of the great river, banners stood like a forest, belonging to the divine soldiers of Fulong City's City God Temple. The City God was surprisingly not a demon, but a young man around thirty years old, with a pale face and short beard. He wore a black gauze-winged official's hat and a green robe, his eyebrows as sharp as if carved, possessing considerable majesty. He had come to provide aid as summoned, and upon seeing the towering Celestial Wolf in the distance, he was instantly filled with alarm. Although he was the City God of this place, his cultivation was only slightly stronger than Bailongjun's. How could he not be afraid when facing a Transformation stage evil demon with countless demonic soldiers under its command? If the deities within Jiulong Kingdom could arrive in time, they might be able to deal with the evil demon. But with only the deities of his city, even with the command of the Tianshu Academy's High Minister, they would likely not be a match for the evil demon. Thinking of this, a thought of hesitation immediately arose in the City God's mind. "Rather than dying in vain, it's better to preserve myself and quickly report to my superiors, which might even atone for some faults..." However, with the talisman summons in effect, he had no choice but to respond. With a change of thought, the City God ascended his divine carriage, pointed forward, and ordered his household soldiers not to delay and to quickly go to aid. As he sat upon the divine carriage, his expression suddenly became somewhat rigid, and a chill wind silently seeped into the mountain forest. His household soldiers were unaware, yet dared not defy the order, flying nervously towards the battlefield.

Just then, the Celestial Wolf easily caught up to the priestess, opened its massive mouth, and took a mighty gulp from the celestial river. The surging river water, like a bolt of silk, was sucked into the Celestial Wolf's mouth, exposing the riverbed below. With a single gulp, it severed the river! The protective celestial river also became turbulent, with waves surging and the token trembling wildly. The priestess's face paled slightly. She hastily cast a series of spells, and the demonic soldiers continuously shifted formations, sending streaks of light towards the token to stabilize the celestial river. Unexpectedly, the Celestial Wolf leaped forward, bringing with it a malevolent wind, and charged straight at them.

"Is that person still not going to act?" Qin Sang, who had been observing the battle from afar, saw this scene and glanced at the isolated peak where the priestess had previously hidden. On the boat, he had already discovered two people hidden on the peak, one of whom had a concealed aura comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator. If this person was the priestess's master, the timing should be just right; it was time for them to make a move. Indeed, as he shifted his gaze, he happened to see a faint, deep glow shoot up from the mountain, followed by a powerful, resonant voice echoing through the heavens.

"Water and fire merge, Heavenly Prison manifest.Subdue demons and ghosts, reveal evil's true form.Quick!"

On both banks of the great river, at the peaks of various mountains, four heavenly pillars spontaneously rose, hundreds of zhang tall, trapping the priestess and the wolf soldiers within. Inside the heavenly pillars, one half glowed fiery red with rolling flames, while the other half was stark white with chilling cold. The crisp sound of chains continuously echoed, like a celestial prison!