Chapter 1820: Five Elements Crown

**Mortal Realm**

Based on Qin Sang's understanding of the Green Fox Saint King, this demonic fox, though ruthless, would not arbitrarily attempt to kill Mo Xingdao without cause. They had once collaborated to venture into the Guixu; even if the Green Fox Saint King disregarded their shared hardships, she would understand how to weigh the pros and cons. Currently, Mo Xingdao is under someone else's control. Rescuing him would secure a reliable ally, and his life would be more valuable spared than taken.

Mo Xingdao's extreme panic suggested he had encountered a natural predator. Did the two of them form an enmity in Guixu, or does Mo Xingdao possess something the Green Fox Saint King desperately desires? Qin Sang calmly analyzed the situation, believing there must be a hidden reason. He focused his pressure on the Kingfisher, waiting for Mo Xingdao's explanation. While it was true he had a feud with the Green Fox Saint King, he would not lose his composure due to resentment and jeopardize important matters, much less allow himself to be exploited.

Held firmly in Qin Sang's hand, the Kingfisher's entire body stiffened. Its wings fluttered a few times but it remained motionless in his palm. The anxiousness in its bead-like eyes faded, and a degree of calmness returned. After a moment of silence, it said, "The Five Elements Crown..."

Only after listening to Mo Xingdao's detailed account did Qin Sang learn the true events of that year. Although Mo Xingdao had not lied to Qin Sang during their previous conversations, he had employed evasive language, claiming he had fallen unconscious and omitting many details.

That year, they encountered an anomaly. Saint Huiguang vanished, and both he and the Green Fox Saint King were flung into this realm. Their arrival caused turmoil deep within the Altar of Governance, throwing the illusions into chaos. Both were nearing their limits, constantly at risk of perishing. The Green Fox Saint King intended to use Mo Xingdao as a stepping stone, but Mo Xingdao, sensing danger, preempted her and counterattacked.

However, Mo Xingdao ultimately failed to escape danger. His earlier claim of unconsciousness was not a lie; at the brink of death, he was swept into a turbulent flow, losing consciousness. He awoke outside the Altar of Governance, where he was rescued by Hong Yuzi. Mo Xingdao was unsure whether the Green Fox Saint King was alive or dead, but given the circumstances, her chances of survival were slim. Hong Yuzi used the power of the Daoist Court to search for the Green Fox Saint King but found nothing, at one point mistakenly identifying Qin Sang's ascension tribulation as the Green Fox Saint King. It was only upon meeting Qin Sang later that he learned the truth. For over a hundred years, there had been no trace of the Green Fox Saint King in Guifang Kingdom, leading Mo Xingdao to assume she had perished.

Their enmity was only one part of the story. Along with them, the Five Elements Crown also arrived in this realm. While unconscious, Mo Xingdao personally witnessed the Five Elements Crown being drawn into an illusion. Mo Xingdao had deliberately concealed this, intending to secretly retrieve this spiritual treasure, once considered the foremost in Central Continent, after Qin Sang had helped him escape.

Upon arriving in this realm, he realized that above spiritual treasures were acquired spiritual treasures. The Five Elements Crown had already developed a spiritual artifact, and only needed to successfully pass its tribulation to become a true acquired spiritual treasure. Hong Yuzi, a respected fourth-rank immortal official of the Daoist Court, possessed only spiritual treasures, which showed how precious acquired spiritual treasures were. If Mo Xingdao was tempted, the Green Fox Saint King certainly would be too.

Mo Xingdao speculated that the Green Fox Saint King was seeking him out to track down the Five Elements Crown and to exact her revenge. Based on Mo Xingdao's understanding of the Green Fox Saint King, if he fell into her hands, his fate would be worse than death, with unimaginable consequences. He might as well follow Hong Yuzi.

"It was my fault to conceal the Five Elements Crown from you, Fellow Daoist," the Kingfisher's voice grew weaker and weaker, "but everything I said before was true, and I harbored no ill intentions towards you. If you help me overcome this tribulation, I will wholeheartedly assist you in acquiring the Five Elements Crown..."

Qin Sang scoffed. Mo Xingdao was treating him as a last resort and would under no circumstances reveal the location of the Five Elements Crown. The Five Elements Crown was secondary. To find the path to ascension, he would have to choose one of them, Mo Xingdao or the Green Fox Saint King, to form an alliance with. His feud with the Green Fox Saint King remained unresolved. Even if Qin Sang could prioritize the larger picture and swallow his anger, he would still have to guard against the Green Fox Saint King's potential betrayal. At the very least, he could not allow the Green Fox Saint King to obtain the Five Elements Crown. Comparatively, Mo Xingdao was easier to control.

Swiftly moving through the illusions, Qin Sang rapidly approached the battlefield. He learned about the situation through Mo Xingdao and continuously pondered his strategy. Qin Sang was not surprised that the Green Fox Saint King had broken through to the Spirit Transformation Mid-stage. This demon had likely already undergone an ascension tribulation. Qin Sang, having experienced it himself, knew how much benefit an ascension tribulation could bring to a cultivator. In the years he spent in secluded cultivation at the Altar of Governance, Qin Sang dedicated most of his time to cultivating the "Heavenly Demon Refinement Technique," with only a small portion spent on "Primordial Spirit Sword Nurturing Chapter," yet he still achieved astonishing progress. This was precisely due to the combined blessings of his poison cultivation and the ascension tribulation. Once he fulfilled Venerable Zhenru's agreement and accumulated sufficient insights in the path of killing, breaking through to the Spirit Transformation Mid-stage would not be far off.

After attaining Spirit Transformation, the Green Fox Saint King remained in the Storm Realm for many years, refining her cultivation. Coupled with the ascension tribulation, it was normal for her cultivation to advance rapidly in a short period. Besides the Green Fox Saint King, there was also another Spirit Transformation Late-stage expert from the demon race. The two sides seemed evenly matched in number, but Mo Xingdao's strength was inferior to the Green Fox Saint King's, and the opponent had launched a sneak attack, so Mo Xingdao's side was clearly at a disadvantage. However, defeating Hong Yuzi would be no easy feat for them, and this presented Qin Sang with an opportunity to intervene.

"Two Spirit Transformation Late-stage experts, an old adversary... this is a good opportunity to gain insight into the path of killing..." Qin Sang murmured to himself, his eyes glinting with cold light.

Before the killing intent descended.

Mo Xingdao and Hong Yuzi were oblivious to the approaching powerful enemies, focusing instead on dealing with the dangers within the illusions. Guided by Mo Xingdao, they moved towards Qin Sang's direction, and his tension grew.

"Oh? The path ahead seems difficult..." Hong Yuzi suddenly stopped. Mo Xingdao was slightly startled. He focused his gaze and saw a long, dark cyan ribbon stretching ahead. A whistling sound came; it was a wall of teal wind blocking their path. This wind was peculiar, certainly not ordinary. Mo Xingdao could not discern any anomalies within the spiritual wind, knowing his eyesight was inferior to Hong Yuzi's, so he asked.

Hong Yuzi pondered, gazing for a long time. He lightly waved his horsetail whisk and said, "We'll know once we're inside!" As he spoke, the horsetail whisk in Hong Yuzi's hand shimmered with faint light. Glimmering motes of light fell, converging at their feet to form a giant luminous platform, which lifted Mo Xingdao along with him, and flew towards the spiritual wind.

"Whoosh, whoosh..." The strong wind howled. Everything around them was a hazy teal, making it difficult to discern directions. This wind seemed capable of consuming souls and corroding bones, blowing away everything between heaven and earth. The surface of the luminous platform shimmered faintly, forming an inverted light shield that blocked the spiritual wind.

Just then, Hong Yuzi's expression subtly changed. Mo Xingdao also heard it; the sound of the wind seemed to be mixed with strange noises. The next moment, several spots in the spiritual wind around them deepened in color, then startlingly transformed into humanoid figures. These figures, over ten feet tall, with long arms and legs, lunged towards them, opening their slender arms amidst strange roars.

Hong Yuzi reacted swiftly. With a slight flick of his wrist, he swept his horsetail whisk, and an arc of light shot out. Swish! They made no attempt to dodge. All the figures were struck by the arc of light, directly in their chests. Then, a bizarre scene unfolded: the arc of light passed right through the figures' bodies. Their chests appeared to have been erased, leaving blank spaces, and their bodies were severed in two, yet they seemed unaffected, still lunging frantically towards the luminous platform. The fastest figure even passed through the luminous platform's light shield without obstruction, closing in instantly. These figures seemed like malevolent spirits trapped within, eager to possess bodies.

Both their expressions changed simultaneously. Mo Xingdao's entire body erupted in dark light, as if he were enveloped in a cocoon of light. His bones cracked like thunder within him. He raised both fists and fiercely slammed them into the nearest figure. Hong Yuzi's gaze flashed, and he immediately conjured a divine talisman. The talisman's image was fleeting, but even a quick glance revealed its intricate form. The talisman's image transformed into an iron yoke, which divided into ten. With a flicker, it encircled all the figures.

In an instant, all the figures were bound by shackles, powerless to resist. Upon seeing this, Mo Xingdao immediately retracted his fists. Hong Yuzi gently beckoned, summoning one figure before him. Just as he was about to examine it, the figure unexpectedly dissipated into a wisp of wind and smoke. The change occurred in a flash; Hong Yuzi had no time to stop it and was momentarily stunned. He then looked at the other iron yokes, which were all empty.

At that moment, the wind around them intensified, and in an instant, more figures materialized, their numbers multiplied several times over! Swish! The figures swarmed forward in groups. These monsters could not be killed or contained, and some defensive measures had no effect on them. They were utterly bizarre, making Hong Yuzi feel extremely troubled. He lowed, "Quickly, let's go!"

The two immediately increased their speed, charging towards the opposite bank. The iron yoke talismans continuously multiplied, but there would be an end to them. As one batch of figures dissipated into wind, more would immediately be born. Soon, the two were surrounded by dense swarms of figures, and Hong Yuzi's expression became unusually grim. Divine abilities emerged one after another, with various divine talismans manifesting consecutively.

Whoosh! Another divine talisman appeared. The talisman shattered, and a silver bolt of lightning was born from within it. This was not actual lightning, but a silver chain. The chain, like a snake, suddenly sprang up, instantly piercing through a figure's glabella. Then, a silver serpent was seen darting rapidly through the crowd. All the figures had their glabella pierced by the long chain, linking them together. Whoosh! The figures quickly dispersed, and the surroundings instantly became quiet.

This could not fundamentally change the situation. The wind roared like thunder around them, and more figures were born, like a surging tide. However, Hong Yuzi now knew how to deal with them. His gaze deepened slightly, and with a subtle thought, an altar slowly flew out. He had actually summoned a Talisman Altar here.

Boom! The altar's gates swung open, and groups of demon soldiers marched out in formation. Five of the eight gates opened. All five teams of demon soldiers were disciplined and orderly. Each team consisted of the same type of demon beast, and the five teams represented different species, corresponding precisely to the Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. There were Water Snake Soldiers for Water, Earth Beast Soldiers for Earth, Tree Demon Soldiers for Wood, Fire Spirit Sparrow Soldiers for Fire, and Golden-Eyed Leopard Soldiers for Metal.

The Five-Element demon soldiers, arranged in strict formation, with the Golden-Eyed Leopard as the pivot, included many transformed great demons. The leader of the Golden-Eyed Leopard soldiers was a burly man, holding a precious banner. His golden eyes were piercing, and his demeanor was utterly ferocious. He was, astonishingly, a demon of the Marquis level! This demon, also the leader of the demon soldiers, opened its mouth, letting out a roar like thunder, and violently shook the precious banner in its hand. The soldiers moved according to command, erupting with five-element light flames that surged upwards.

Hong Yuzi chanted incantations, performed gang steps, and changed hand seals continuously. Above them, runes appeared out of thin air. The runes were dense and twisted, and upon closer inspection, they resembled the earlier chains, as if written with numerous interwoven chains. What he was now unleashing was a talisman formation originating from the same source as the divine talisman used just before. With the help of the demon soldiers, activating the talisman formation was much easier and faster than doing it alone. Once the formation was complete, it would be enough to protect them as they charged out of the spiritual wind. Whoosh! The light flames surged towards the sky.

Just as the talisman formation was about to be completed, a burst of wild laughter suddenly echoed around them, "Old Daoist, this Marquis has finally waited for you! Hahaha..." The laughter was like demonic music, brimming with boundless arrogance, and it was right near them.

The next moment, an astonishing aura suddenly erupted from behind the crowd. Xia Hou instantly broke through the figures, emerging from among them. He and Qing Fei, using some unknown method, had actually concealed themselves within the wind, waiting for this very moment when Hong Yuzi would be forced to deploy his demon soldiers to make their move!

Upon seeing Xia Hou, Hong Yuzi's expression changed drastically. How could there be a demon marquis ambushing them here! Before he could ponder the reason, Xia Hou had already arrived through the air, with black and white radiance rising behind him. The radiance flickered, transforming into a divine deer. The divine deer's body was half black, half white, including its antlers. This deer was incredibly majestic, exuding an astonishing aura. Its deep eyes gazed at the Talisman Altar, causing all the demon soldiers to falter simultaneously, and the demon soldier leader's face showed shock.

"Dharma Aspect!" Hong Yuzi exclaimed. A Dharma Aspect could only be comprehended by demon cultivators at the Five Talisman Dharma Stage, comparable to a Great True Immortal. However, it was rumored that exceptionally gifted individuals could comprehend a Dharma Aspect in the late stage of the Cavern Profound realm, possessing extraordinarily formidable strength. Such geniuses were rare, veritable phoenix feathers and qilin horns; yet, he had encountered one. After his initial shock, Hong Yuzi quickly realized that the divine deer was not a true Dharma Aspect, yet it still gave him an extremely dangerous feeling.

Xia Hou stamped heavily forward, and the divine deer reared its front hooves, roaring from its massive mouth. With an aura capable of toppling mountains, it transformed into a streak of light and furiously charged the formation. Hong Yuzi dared not hesitate. He opened his mouth and spat out a round pearl. The pearl burst forth with brilliant light, emitting dazzling radiance as it slowly rose. This treasure was precisely Hong Yuzi's spiritual artifact, named the Nine Reversions Pearl. The Nine Reversions Pearl was only the size of a single pearl, yet it seemed to possess immense power, flying away at a speed faster than the giant deer.

Just then, another anomaly occurred. High in the sky, a ring of light suddenly appeared and rapidly descended, squarely enveloping the Nine Reversions Pearl and quickly contracting. The light ring was slender but remarkably resilient. The Nine Reversions Pearl struck it fiercely, yet failed to break it. However, the light of the ring also dimmed significantly, forced to stop contracting and losing its binding power. Even if the light ring couldn't fully trap the Nine Reversions Pearl, the brief delay was enough to be fatal!

"Roar!" An earth-shattering roar assaulted the minds of every demon soldier. The talisman formation was about to be completed, and they had no time to change formation before the divine deer charged fiercely towards them. The demon soldier leader's face was solemn. He forcefully waved the precious banner, and the five-colored light flames merged into one, forcefully turning to charge towards the divine deer. All the demon soldiers roared in unison, rapidly changing their formation. But a hasty response was no match for the divine deer. With an earth-shattering rumble, the divine deer fiercely collided with the light flames. Its antlers, like blades, tore through layers of light flames, and in an instant, countless streaks of light scattered.

Screams of agony echoed continuously within the soldier formation. The terrifying rebound force caused many demon soldiers to vomit blood on the spot, staggering and causing their formation to fall into disarray. The demon soldier leader watched the fiercely approaching divine deer, his eyes wide with fury. All other demon soldiers could retreat, but he could not! Otherwise, the demon soldiers behind him would be massacred. These demon soldiers embodied Hong Yuzi's countless efforts, carefully selected, and even tied to his Great Dao. The massacre of the demon soldiers would have more severe consequences than Hong Yuzi himself being injured.

The demon soldier leader roared towards the sky, transforming into a Golden-Eyed Leopard. Gathering the strength of his remaining soldiers, he charged back towards the divine deer, fearless of death. "How dare you!" Hong Yuzi roared in extreme fury, flicked his sleeve, and a yellow scroll flew out.

Everything happened too quickly. Mo Xingdao was still bewildered. He had initially thought Qin Sang was secretly making other arrangements, but he quickly realized something was amiss. At the same time, Mo Xingdao's mind grew inexplicably tense. He suddenly looked up and saw a familiar, charming face, and those dangerous eyes.