Chapter 1881: Protect My Taoist Sect!

The Mortal World

The Daoist gazed into the cosmos and saw Revered Master Tianjue ascend to the moon.

Withdrawing his gaze, the Daoist then looked towards the Sinister Plains and the Sinister Sea. The Demon-Summoning Drum had struck its first note, and he could already feel an oppressive atmosphere permeating this realm, enveloping the Daoist gate.

At this moment, the Daoist gate had become an isolated island.

The Daoist's face was solemn; he exchanged a distant glance with Kun Dao. His figure flickered, and he appeared above the Celestial Pivot Court's Bureau of Investiture.

Figures were flying towards the Bureau of Investiture, all of them principal officials from various departments of the Celestial Pivot Court and True Ones of the Daoist court.

However, these True Ones could only stand on the periphery now.

Before this, within the Curing Altars, some Golden Palaces that had been sealed for many years and which many suspected were uninhabited had opened one after another, from which emerged Grand True Ones with profound auras and cultivation as deep as the sea.

All of them were legendary figures, well-known to later generations.

Outside the Curing Altars, in the Ten Directions Forests, there were also Grand True Ones who had been in secluded meditation in their temples, startled by the anomaly, and emerged from their quiet chambers.

Jingquan Temple.

The Daoist temple was hidden deep in the mountains, amidst swirling clouds and mist.

This mountain had a hundred spiritual springs, living up to its name, 'Pure Spring'.

The halls and pavilions within the temple were as ethereal and beautiful as their surroundings, nestled among the trees, without the slightest sense of abruptness.

Behind Jingquan Temple, by the spiritual springs, a courtyard and a thatched hut were built, with birds chirping, making it extremely serene and quiet.

To the left and right of the courtyard gate were several wooden halls. Two graceful female Daoists, who appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old, were sitting cross-legged in silent meditation in front of the wooden halls.

Suddenly, the door of the thatched hut opened, and a figure flashed out; it was True One Ruoquan.

True One Ruoquan had not yet fully recovered her cultivation and remained at the Cavernous Mystery rank. She stood in mid-air, her robes fluttering, glanced up at the sky, her face showing surprise, then broke through the air and flew towards the front of the mountain.

True One Ruoquan did not conceal her tracks. The two female Daoists outside were startled awake; seeing their Grand Ancestor emerge from seclusion and not knowing the reason, they hastily crushed the jade talismans in their hands.

Inside the temple at the front of the mountain, streams of light immediately ascended.

"Master..."

The current abbess of Jingquan Temple flew to meet her, her coral lips slightly parted, just about to ask when she heard True One Ruoquan speak in a solemn voice.

"Heaven and Earth have changed! Open the ancestral altar! Go quickly and gather all disciples!"

The abbess dared not delay and acted according to the command. Soon, all Jingquan Temple disciples gathered in the Bureau of Investiture, seeing True One Ruoquan standing with her hands behind her back in front of the ancestral altar, as if waiting for something.

Similar scenes were unfolding in various locations across the Daoist gate's Twin Curing Altars.

The Curing Altar of Zhongmao Cure.

All the True Ones surrounded the sky above the Bureau of Investiture. Below was the core vital area of the Bureau of Investiture, the true location of the Curing Altar.

The Daoist landed in front of the grand hall, and the hall doors opened on their own.

The furnishings inside the hall were largely similar to those in the Bureau of Investiture of the Arctic Exorcism Palace. It also had an investiture altar inside, but instead of the holy image of 'Empress Houtu, who emulates Heaven and Earth', it hung 'Great Emperor Gouchen, Heavenly Emperor of the Upper Palace'.

The Daoist bowed to the holy image, stepped onto the investiture altar, and sat cross-legged.

The next moment, a ball of light leaped out from the altar. The ball of light twisted and flickered before the Daoist, occasionally revealing the faint outline of a Dharma Seal within the radiance.

This seal was precisely the Grand Meritorious Seal of Zhongmao Cure!

The Grand Meritorious Seal had not yet reached completion, its form not solidified, which was why it appeared in this state to the world.

At some point, a square seal appeared in the Daoist's hand. Holding the square seal, he pressed it towards the ball of light, leaving a vermilion impression which flashed and vanished into the ball of light.

The next moment, the entire Bureau of Investiture began to shake violently. The dome of the grand investiture hall seemed to vanish, and the Grand Meritorious Seal burst forth with a pillar of green light, shooting straight into the clouds.

At the same time, the Pacification Altars, Capital Altars, and Branch Altars under the Celestial Pivot Court's jurisdiction, as well as the ancestral altars of temples and sects in various places, all registered a reaction.

"I am Zhang Haichan, Grand Minister of the Golden Palace of the Nine Heavens and Minister of the Celestial Pivot Court. By virtue of holding the Celestial Pivot Court Seal of the Supreme Purity, I hereby command the Daoist court's immortal officials and temple masters to obey and implement this order without delay!"

"This is truly a critical moment for the survival of the Daoist gate..."

The Daoist's voice echoed from the Bureau of Investiture, and through the Grand Meritorious Seal of Zhongmao Cure, it spread to all altars within the realm.

All the True Ones outside the Bureau of Investiture, and the True Ones and Daoists waiting at altars in various locations, all wore solemn expressions, listening to the True Monarch's decree.

"I implore all True Ones to defend our Daoist gate!"

The last sentence, its tone suddenly rising, caused all who heard it to be deeply moved, their blood boiling.

"We respectfully obey the decree!"

Outside the Bureau of Investiture, the True Ones thundered their assent.

Jingquan Temple.

True One Ruoquan turned and looked at the disciples behind her: some familiar, some unfamiliar; some at the True One realm like the abbess, and others who had just recently entered Daoism, with still low cultivation.

Their expressions varied, some composed, some bewildered...

"You," True One Ruoquan raised her jade finger, pointed at the abbess, and then pointed out several others individually.

"You all stay!"

"Master!"

The abbess was greatly anxious and stepped forward but was stopped by True One Ruoquan's dismissive wave.

True One Ruoquan gently raised her head, a strange light glimmering in her eyes. "With the Divine Court emerging, someone must guard the ancestral altar and await imperial decree. Rest assured, there will be opportunities for you to prove yourselves later. As for the other Jingquan Temple disciples, follow this poor Daoist out of the mountain to slay enemies and protect the Dao by eradicating demons!"

Hearing her Master's unquestionable tone, the abbess dared not argue and could only stand aside, watching helplessly as True One Ruoquan led the disciples out of the mountain, her face filled with worry.

Streams of escaping light flew out of Jingquan Temple, streaking across the night sky like a meteor shower, flying eastward.

Their destination for this journey was precisely the Daoist court's Capital Altar closest to Jingquan Temple.

Minor teleportation arrays were mostly set up in immortal cities under the Daoist court's governance, and most Daoist temples were built around these immortal cities.

Firstly, it was the will of the Daoist court; secondly, the places chosen by the Daoist court were all cultivation holy lands most suitable for practice.

At this very moment, if someone were to look down from the sky, they would see the Daoist gate's Twin Curing Altars shrouded in night, with countless escaping lights interweaving like a massive net covering the land.

These lights were like tributaries, converging towards the main vein.

Inside the Curing Altar.

The True Ones dispersed like stars, but some remained behind, including two Grand True Ones.

The doors of the grand investiture hall slowly closed. After the True Monarch delivered his decree, there was no more sound.

The two Grand True Ones each selected some personnel, one heading south, one heading north.

They exchanged glances across the Bureau of Investiture, summoned their sacred altars, and performed the Heavenly Dipper steps. Other True Ones and Daoists gathered around the Grand True Ones, forming arrays and performing various rituals, changing their formations as the Grand True Ones shifted their Heavenly Dipper steps and hand seals.

From afar, they looked like two constantly shifting talisman diagrams.

From within the formations, the incantations chanted by the Grand True Ones continuously rang out, and divine talismans appeared in mid-air one after another, being sent to various parts of the Curing Altar.

Rumbling!

The Curing Altar continued to vibrate, with spiritual lights erupting from all directions one after another.

The spiritual lights connected in the sky, and finally, through the hands of the two Grand True Ones, converged inward, merging into one, like a gigantic sacred altar suspended above the Curing Altar.

Similar scenes also unfolded in Baishi Cure.

While the Grand True Ones guarding the Curing Altars were busy, other Grand True Ones had already led all True Ones and the Daoist court's forces to rush to the great teleportation hall in the city.

Above the great teleportation hall, figures were like clouds, a dense, dark mass without end, and streams of escaping light continuously converged here from outside the city.

Even during the Daoist court's most perilous times, such an astonishing sight had never been seen.

Seemingly chaotic, in reality, under the guidance of the Daoist court, the teleportation was orderly.

In the Daoist court's Twin Cures, figures continuously streamed into the immortal cities at the north and south ends.

If this realm were seen as two parts: one land, one sea.

The Four Cures would then be located at the boundary of land and sea, occupying a protruding part of the land, arranged in a line along the coastline.

The north had to face the fierce beasts of the Sinister Plains, while the south had to face threats from the sea.

Even though fierce beasts rarely attacked them proactively, the Daoist gate still had to guard against the Ghostfang Kingdom sounding the Demon-Summoning Drum, and had long made corresponding arrangements.

Within the Twin Cures, the layout of the immortal cities at the north and south ends held hidden mysteries, precisely to guard against this very day!

The Daoist court's grand army, mighty and vast, was marching towards this location. As for the Yellow Spring Dao, which directly confronted the Ghostfang Kingdom, not many people were sent there; instead, forces were withdrawn to other battlefronts.

The Demon Grand Sage had moved most of his elites to the Grand Sage's Mansion to prevent the Daoist court's True Monarchs from seizing the Demon-Summoning Drum.

As for the demons in the Yellow Spring Dao, the army stationed there could handle them. They didn't need to launch an offensive, only needing to form arrays to block the demons to prevent them from charging into the Daoist gate's heartland.

Unfortunately, due to the haste, the Daoist court could only manage this much.

The cultivators of Jushan Cure also received the True Monarch's decree through their ancestral altars, knowing that a great change was imminent.

The Daoist court found it difficult to attend to everything; they could only save themselves.

Fortunately, the demon kingdom in Jushan Cure also had to protect itself and did not follow the Ghostfang Kingdom's madness, and the Daoist court was not entirely unprepared.

Mount Heming.

The Yin Celestial Palace spared no effort, activating its sect's grand formation, with all its masters emerging.

Star Island Immortal Lake.

Both the Left Thunder Mansion and the Right Thunder Mansion erupted with thunder, shaking all directions.

True One Xun, alone, stood on a mountaintop north of Baishi Cure. Behind him, exhilarating shouts echoed.

"Defend our Daoist gate!"

"Defend our Daoist gate!"

Their voices shook heaven and earth.

True One Xun gazed north, seeing only black clouds pressing down on the Sinister Plains, the night so thick it couldn't be dispelled, and demonic qi rising to the sky. He couldn't help but sigh softly, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes.

Just then, a stream of escaping light flew from afar, landing behind True One Xun, revealing a young-looking Daoist.

The young Daoist bowed and spoke rapidly: "The grand formations in all cities have been activated, forming mutual flanks. All fellow Daoists have also spread out beyond the city to guide mortals into the cities as much as possible, but..."

The young Daoist's face showed reluctance, and he said with difficulty: "The beast tide is coming. If the Ghostfang Kingdom sounds the Demon-Summoning Drum at all costs, we cannot possibly bring all mortals into the immortal cities..."

"Do your best, and leave the rest to fate."

True One Xun said faintly.

These words sounded callous, but were truly a helpless act.

The incident happened suddenly; the demons had already gone all-in. The Daoist gate could barely protect itself; how much spare capacity did it have to save mortals?

The young Daoist's lips moved slightly, as if to speak, but he stopped himself.

True One Xun noticed, frowning and scolding: "Hesitating! What else do you have to say?!"

The young Daoist steeled himself and knelt on one knee: "Forgive this subordinate's impertinence, but why has the True Monarch's imperial carriage not appeared yet?"

True One Xun snorted coldly: "How can a True Monarch move lightly!"

Before his words finished, True One Xun suddenly felt something and abruptly looked up, only to see two white rainbows flying out from the Moon Palace.

Within the white rainbows were actually two sword shadows, one to the south, one to the north, striking towards the Sinister Sea and the Sinister Plains, respectively.

At this very moment, within the Four Cures, whether cultivators or demon cultivators, all could see these two sword shadows that seemed to cleave the firmament.

True One Xun watched the sword shadow flying north, only to see the sword shadow in mid-air, but even with his full Dharma Eye, he couldn't discern the sword shadow's true form.

He knew this was because the sword intent contained within the sword shadow was too powerful, and he couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed.

The sword shadow was clearly not striking at him; it merely whistled past at high altitude, yet he felt a tremor of fear and dread, his hairs standing on end.

He had personally witnessed a True Monarch take action, but this was the first time he had felt this way.

"What realm is this Sword-Wielding True One truly in? Could their cultivation be even higher than the two True Monarchs'?"

True One Xun had long known about the Sword-Wielding True One from the True Monarch, but he had not expected this person's strength to be so astonishing.

Whoosh!

The sword shadow streaked across the void, flying into the Sinister Plains.

In the Ghostfang Kingdom's Grand Sage's Mansion, drums thundered like thunder, one after another, abnormally urgent.

In the depths of the Sinister Plains, roars echoed endlessly.

Countless grotesque and terrifying figures were carried southward by the demonic clouds. The mountain peak where True One Xun stood was directly in front of the beast tide's vanguard.

True One Xun's eyes flashed with divine light, his gaze piercing through the demonic clouds.

Behind the beast tide was a terrifying aura, rapidly approaching; it was a True Monarch-level fierce beast.

Cultivators who had participated in the battle of the Jushan Cure's Curing Altar would find it familiar; it was precisely the fierce beast that could conjure gray lightning.

The fierce beast had been lured by the Demon-Summoning Drum back then and injured by a True Monarch. Evidently, it had not learned its lesson and was once again stirring up trouble.

Facing a True Monarch-level fierce beast directly, even though True One Xun's cultivation was only just below that of a True Monarch, he still found it hard to suppress the tension in his heart. He clenched his fists, watching the movement of the sword shadow.

The sword shadow seemed to sense the fierce beast's aura and slightly shifted its trajectory, flying through the void towards this location.

While flying high above, the sword tip revealed its sharpness, and by the time it reached the demonic clouds, the sword shadow had already left a ten-thousand-zhang sword light in the void.

The sword light obliquely slashed towards the demonic clouds.

Wherever it passed, the demonic clouds dissipated, and countless fierce beasts perished without any power to resist.

Beast blood dyed the earth red.

The sword light cleaved through the beast tide, its momentum unspent, and impartially struck precisely at the center of the gray lightning.

Boom!

The sword light actually cleaved a crack from the center of the gray lightning, as if it intended to pass straight through the lightning.

"Roar!"

A sharp, pained shriek came from within the gray lightning.

The next moment, the gray lightning solidified and then fragmented into pieces, from which a pangolin-like fierce beast tumbled out of the void, screaming as it flew backward, its blood spilling across the sky.

True One Xun's eyes widened in disbelief that a mere sword shadow could injure a True Monarch-level fierce beast with a single strike.

After that one sword strike, the roars of beasts in the Sinister Plains suddenly diminished greatly.

The sword shadow hung inverted in the sky, its sharpness fully revealed, and the demonic clouds actually showed signs of stagnation.

Not only that, the other sword shadow flying towards the Sinister Sea also cut into the storm, reaping the lives of countless fierce beasts, causing the seawater to be dyed red with blood.

On the surface of the sea, a fierce beast resembling a wild ox was impatiently stomping its four hooves and roaring at the sword shadow.

One sword halted the demonic clouds, one sword severed the storm!

Revered Master Tianjue's true body still stood in front of the Southern Heavenly Gate, single-handedly blocking the Demon Grand Sage's path.

The Divine Sword of Po Jun stood in the void, its divine light brilliant.

Having unleashed two sword shadows seemed to consume a great deal of energy; Revered Master Tianjue's face was pale. He no longer wielded the Divine Sword of Po Jun; instead, he waved his hand and summoned his innate spirit sword.

Buzz!

The sword transformed into thousands, all pointing simultaneously at the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon.

He intended to use his own strength to protect the Daoist gate!

Celestial Pivot Court, Bureau of Investiture.

True Monarch Zhang sat cross-legged on the investiture altar, his gaze piercing through the grand hall, lingering for a moment on Revered Master Tianjue, and then continuing upward.

Passing through the Divine Court, and looking beyond the Nine Heavens.

In the depths of the starry sky, strange ripples emerged. The Milky Way was enveloped in shadows, and the starlight flickered unsteadily, as if the heavens were about to shatter.

He closed his eyes and clasped the Grand Meritorious Seal of Zhongmao Cure with both hands.

The next moment, wind and thunder roared around the Curing Altar, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth transformed into a spiritual tide, madly rushing into the grand investiture hall.