Chapter 1484: The Nine-Tailed Pattern Seed Shatters Kyoto, Xuanji's True Name Just Descends into the World

"Roar!!!"

Tan Shen devoured its master, instantly as if it had consumed the most potent tonic in the world. Its form, already vast enough to blot out the sky, swelled even further, expanding to more than three times its original size. In that instant, the south gate of Yujing City was shrouded in a dense veil of ghostly energy. Merely the sweep of its fluffy nine tails seemed poised to reduce the entire official road and surrounding forests to dust.

Onlookers were all horrified. This spirit beast was the most ferocious creature any of them had ever witnessed. The Blood Shadow Copper Coin that had been restraining Tan Shen's body could no longer keep up with its sudden expansion and was abruptly flung away.

"Boom!"

With a thunderous explosion, the Blood Shadow Copper Coin soared into the sky. Fang Wenxin, in his aged red robes, who had been struggling to suppress Tan Shen through resonance, let out a muffled groan as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Drawing on his vast experience, he quickly dispersed the blood and its scent with a shake, then stood up and shouted,

"Everyone, stay back!"

Mei, Ye, Yu, and Zhong swiftly retreated. Even the spectators who had been teleported to the distant forests outside took a few more steps back. Was this distance enough? Fang Wenxin's eyes, slightly narrowed, were fixed intently on the further mutating Tan Shen. At this point, blaming Zhong Yuanzi for his little lecture was pointless. Moreover, the strangeness that no one had noticed earlier stemmed from Tianren Wushuai and the Blood World Pearl. It wasn't just Zhong Yuanzi's fault—Fang Wenxin, Yu Laoyu, and the others shared the blame. The urgent task was to figure out why Tan Shen had become so wildly ferocious...

"Boom!"

Thunder suddenly rumbled from the Nine Heavens. Dark clouds gathered rapidly—it was...

"A tribulation?"

Fang Wenxin was stunned. Just by devouring one Xu Xiaoshou, the spirit beast Tan Shen had powered up enough to summon a tribulation. Was Xu Xiaoshou some kind of sacred elixir? Even sacred elixirs couldn't boost it this ridiculously! And was this the Nine Deaths Thunder Tribulation or...

"Boom!"

The clouds in the sky quickly divided into two layers: the lower one was muffled and restrained, the upper one wild and turbulent—one radiating tribulation intent, the other exuding saintly might in all directions. Yu Laoyu, who had leaped onto the walls of Yujing City, glanced up, a hint of surprise in his eyes:

"Two tribulations at once?"

As soon as he spoke, Fang, Zhong, Mei, and Ye, the four saints, all turned in shock. The Nine Deaths Thunder Tribulation and the Saint Tribulation crossing together? How was that possible?

"It's not impossible!"

Fang Wenxin quickly recalled something and said gravely,

"Back when Yu Laoyu was slumbering in the deep sea, he swallowed all things, concealing them within himself, oblivious to the passage of time. When the winds changed and he emerged from the sea to transform into a Kun Peng, it was also two tribulations at once, with saintly power like surging waves and the heavens as insignificant as a basin..."

He stopped there. Because in the definitions of the Shengshen Hall at that time, this was also considered a form of ghostly energy. When the young Fang Wenxin led a team to respond, people from the Han Palace Secret Realm were already alarmed, but it was too late. The path of Kun Peng's sanctification was unstoppable! Ordinary semi-saints would collapse at the mere touch of such a colossal form. His team and the people from the Shengdi families survived only because the Kun Peng, after sanctification, did not go on a killing spree. It was like a newly born intelligent being—seeing fish turn into Kun, clouds into Peng, and people into people. It showed signs of being communicative and guidable. After some attempts, Fang Wenxin brought it back to Guizhe Sheng Mountain, leading to the Kun Peng divine envoy we have today.

Yu Laoyu's memories were also triggered, and he stared blankly at the sky-covering Tan Shen, murmuring to himself,

"It must have eaten a lot of good things..."

A Kun Peng's body forms its own world and requires devouring vast amounts of heavenly treasures to one day ride the winds out to sea. The energy accumulated over time, when fully released at the right moment, creates the terrifying phenomenon of two tribulations at once. Compared to Yu Laoyu's true age, the spirit beast Tan Shen was far too young! For it to achieve two tribulations simultaneously, it must have consumed higher-quality heavenly treasures in its short life than what the Kun Peng unconsciously devoured during its slumber.

"Heh..."

Hidden within the saintly path, with its aura completely suppressed, Tianren Wushuai withdrew the Blood World Pearl he had been forcefully activating, leaving only its natural influence. Hadn't Tan Shen eaten plenty of good things of high quality? Back at Qingyuan Mountain, after Yu Zhiwen constructed the spatial passage, Tianren Wushuai took one look at the ghostly energy inside Xu Xiaoshou's small world and gave up entering. Why? He knew too much about spirit beasts! He instantly saw that Tan Shen, awakened by blood food, was like the Kun Peng during its sanctification. Let alone Mei and Ye, the two saints—even with a few more semi-saints—they might not be enough to satisfy its hunger. After all, Xu Xiaoshou's small world contained a Shen Nong Medicine Garden. Would a frenzied Tan Shen rationally spare those ancient sacred herbs? Impossible! So, with the entire Shen Nong Medicine Garden consumed—one stalk could make a throne birth saintly power, ten could let a phantom god thrash Bei Huai's incarnation, and if it all went down...

Tianren Wushuai silently retreated. He knew all too well how terrifying a fully liberated devouring body could be. Not only could Xu Xiaoshou's small world not contain it, but it would actively emerge to hunt, and its combat power would continue to soar. Spirit beasts had short growth cycles, and the devouring body compressed that time even more. Paired with an entire Shen Nong Medicine Garden... Sanctification would be the least of it. Even reaching Shengdi level, Tianren Wushuai thought, was possible. After all, the devouring body completely absorbs and digests everything—it's the foremost of the Five Absolute Bodies that Tianji Shen Shi must eliminate in its liberated state! The only question was whether Tan Shen had a semi-saint status, a Shengdi status, or an equivalent, and if it could use it.

"Roar!!!"

Tan Shen roared again, and spatial ripples lit up under its claws, causing it to vanish from the spot in an instant. Before anyone could react, above Yujing City, its massive white-furred nine tails and sharp claws came crashing down. The Kyoto Great Array, like a illusory water barrier, immediately rippled and repelled the attack.

"Boom—"

The explosion echoed from outside to inside, resounding through the streets and alleys of this prosperous city. Doors and windows shattered in succession, tiles and bricks flew apart. The streets were filled with flying sand and stones, and under that claw and nine tails, countless people had their eardrums burst. Some were even knocked unconscious on the spot.

"What is that thing?!"

"Heavens! Such huge claws—what kind of spirit beast is that?"

"How could Yujing City be attacked out of nowhere? Doesn't the Kyoto Great Array protect us? Is the Dao Hall Master just eating for nothing!"

Panic spread through the city in an instant. Faint roars and explosions from outside had been audible earlier, which was unheard of before. After all, the soundproofing array of the Kyoto Great Array was said to be second to none in the world. Now... not only could sounds get in, but this ghostly spirit beast was perched in the sky, peering down. Those eyes, blazing like the sun and blood-red, made it clear to anyone that it craved blood food—it was utterly terrifying!

"Don't worry, we have the Kyoto Great Array!"

"No fear, we still have the unfathomable Dao Qiong Cang. My friend said the Dao Hall Master was just dozing on Guizhe Sheng Mountain and forgot to act. This beast won't last long!"

"Your friend is that impressive? I bet it won't take a quarter of an hour before a semi-saint arrives on the clouds to capture it and make soup!"

"Wow, that sight makes me crave meat, slurp."

"Heh, I just want its claws—those nails could be made into swords, and I could become an ancient sword cultivator of the East Domain!"

"Wow, that fur..."

Soon, under the protection of the water barrier, the people of Yujing City turned their panic into banter. In this city, everything was available, and many had lived here their whole lives without ever seeing a real spirit beast. Now, with this monstrous thing looming overhead... it was a rare sight! Truly rare! Some even pulled out canvases on the spot, sketching the scene in the air, trying to capture the terror of their emotions on paper.

Amid the casual chatter, only a few frantically rushed to help their fallen loved ones who had no spiritual cultivation experience, staring in stunned silence:

"It's... dead..."

This cry, amid the curiosity and cheers, sank like a stone in the sea, causing no ripples.

"Roar roar roar!!!"

The ferocious beast outside the barrier went mad, its nine tails lashing wildly and all four claws striking down. It seemed intent on tearing open this watery prison, releasing the tamed ignorance and arrogance inside to feast until satisfied.

"Boom boom boom..."

The barrier trembled, and explosions thundered. Some covered their ears, others retreated for safety, while many more cheered and applauded on the long streets.

"Bring it on!"

"Keep going!"

"Let's see if you're stronger or if our Dao Hall Master is!"

"Hang on, we couldn't hear sounds like this before..."

"Nonsense! Has there ever been a spirit beast this huge? The soundproofing array just blocks sound, it's not absolute—you can see almost all the damage is being blocked by the great array, right?"

"That makes sense."

Whoosh! A massive, ancient copper coin shot through the air, striking Tan Shen head-on as it ravaged the Kyoto Great Array. In an instant, Tan Shen's nine tails flipped, and its body was knocked sideways.

"Roar!"

This seemed to fuel its fury even more. After tilting its head, its nine tails erupted with ashen white flames, and its four claws surged with purple lightning.

"Boom!"

It struck down again. This time, the Kyoto Great Array's water barrier emitted a straining creak.

"Screech—"

The cheers in the city halted abruptly, falling into silence. But soon, they erupted into even more enthusiastic applause and excited shouts:

"It's here!"

"Someone from Sheng Mountain is coming—beat it!"

Outside the Sheng Huan Hall on Guizhe Sheng Mountain,

"Xuanji Hall Master, are you ready yet? How much control do we have over the Kyoto Great Array? The commotion below is huge!" Jiang Na Yi was sweating profusely; he had blocked countless urgent messages.

"Just a moment." Dao Xuanji ended his enlightenment state, lowered his hands, and after comprehending the Tianji Great Array, he didn't make any further moves.

"Why wait? The spirit beast is about to break into Yujing City!" Jiang Na Yi panicked. If the Kyoto Great Array wasn't activated and was just defending passively, was it waiting to be torn apart?

"Are you commanding this hall?" Dao Xuanji swept a calm gaze over him.

"I dare not!" Jiang Na Yi quickly stepped back, but couldn't help adding, "But if that spirit beast enters the city, it will be a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, with terror everywhere!"

Dao Xuanji remained unmoved, his wooden eyes staring indifferently below, showing no human emotion.

After a long pause, he repeated,

"I said, just wait."

"What is Xuanji Hall Master up to?!"

In stark contrast to the revelry in the city, Fang Wenxin at the south gate watched with his scalp tingling. His Blood Shadow Copper Coin could no longer deal heavy damage to Tan Shen! The spirit beast's physical form had suddenly leaped to a new level, like that of a void giant. And at this moment, Xuanji Hall Master should have intervened remotely with the Kyoto Great Array—he had even requested aid in advance. Yet, there was no sign of action!

Xi glanced at the old man in red robes and retreated to the rear. At the city gate, he clutched a communication bead, sending messages frantically, one after another, like an ant on a hot pan. But there was no response!

"I'll handle it!"

Zhong Yuanzi stepped forward boldly, his explosion-resistant suit glowing brightly. He spread his five fingers, and on them appeared the compressed origins of the Five Elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. He extended his other hand, and on those five fingers leaped the Five Energies: light, darkness, wind, thunder, and ice. Crossing his ten fingers, a gust of wind and snow swept the area outside the city, instantly creating a vacuum for miles.

"Watch me!" Zhong Yuanzi leaped high, as if about to throw a shot put.

"Get down here!" Yu Laoyu panicked.

"Zhong, stop!" Fang Wenxin was so frightened his heart nearly stopped. "Do you want to feed it the Ten Attributes? It's a devouring body!"

These two transmissions reached him simultaneously. Zhong Yuanzi's eyes, filled with bewilderment, cleared of their red hue as he remembered something.

"Uh..."

He sheepishly lowered his hands. With a shake, the terrifying trembling energy at his fingertips turned to ash and was absorbed into his Qi Sea. Handling it with ease.

"I told you, stay back!" Fang Wenxin roared angrily, then turned to Yu Laoyu: "Yu Laoyu!"

Boom! Above Yujing City, the Nine Deaths Thunder Tribulation and the Saint Tribulation formed simultaneously. Tan Shen raised its sharp claws again, as if synchronizing with the tribulations for a triple assault.

"What the..."

People in the city stared wide-eyed. Even knowing the Kyoto Great Array wouldn't break, this was too visually shocking!

"Woo—"

Just then, a distant, ethereal sound echoed from the sky. It was mournful and desolate, rising from the deep sea and resonating through heaven and earth, sending shivers through everyone's souls.

"What is that sound..." The thoughts of the people in the city broke off in unison.

They saw massive waves rise in the sky, and on the southern side of the Kyoto Great Array's water barrier, an even larger deep-blue behemoth swam into view out of nowhere! It was enormous. From below, people could hardly see its full form, only catching a glimpse of the pale underbelly amid the deep blue. Just half of its fin could cover all of Yujing City!

"What is that..."

"A Kun?!"

Yujing City was stunned. When this deep-blue behemoth appeared and swam by, no one even saw where its abyssal maw opened. In the sky above, the two tribulations—Nine Deaths Thunder and Saint—vanished together.

"It ate them?!"

Crowds screamed in shock, overwhelmed. When had they ever witnessed such a spectacle in the decades or centuries of peace in Yujing City?

But with the tribulations gone, Tan Shen pressed on relentlessly, its claw still swinging down.

"Screech—"

Right on time, a sharp bird cry pierced the air, exploding in everyone's minds—completely different from the earlier Kun's mournful hum. This cry was filled with anger and battle lust, evoking endless ferocity.

Boom! The vast sky shattered with the flap of wings. People only saw flowing cloud feathers draping down, still not glimpsing the full form of the giant bird, as a golden Peng foot with four claws reached out. Before Tan Shen could strike, it grabbed it like a chick and lifted it into the air.

"Screech—"

As Tan Shen was swiftly carried into the clouds, people finally caught a partial view of the giant beast. It was a massive golden Peng, with the colossal Tan Shen seeming insignificant in its grasp.

"Got it!"

Yu Laoyu's true form was released, and he transmitted from afar: "I'll take it to the Storm Sea and finish it quickly. You all follow, and we'll decide how to deal with it then!"

Fang Wenxin suppressed his long-forgotten shock and nodded heavily. No human could match such Kun Peng might.

Zhong Yuanzi's eyes sparkled with light, as if he hadn't heard a word, reaching out to grab at the golden Peng in the sky. His five fingers suddenly burst open, and he muttered "pop" under his breath, mimicking something.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, things changed. Around Tan Shen under the Peng, spatial patterns cracked open, briefly breaking free from the restraint! Its nine tails stood up straight, like someone spreading five fingers. Zhong Yuanzi watched from afar, feeling an odd sense of familiarity, and saw destructive forces light up on each of the nine tails: white flames, sword intent, saintly power, spatial ripples, divine punishment tribulation, elixir fragrance, sacred plant energy, Shengdi Dragon Blood!

The nine tails converged.

The nine energies roughly merged.

—Saint Nine Tails Pattern Seed Technique!

"Watch out!"

By the time Yu Laoyu cried out, it was too late. That wild energy, like a heavenly disaster, hurtled toward Yujing City with devastating force.

"Crack!"

"Crack crack!"

"Crack crack crack—"

The Yujing City barrier emitted the sound of solid material cracking, covered in spiderweb-like fractures.

"No..."

"It's not possible, right?"

The playfulness on the faces of the people in the city froze bit by bit, quickly turning to horror and screams:

"Ah!"

"Run!"

"The Kyoto Great Array is breaking!"

"Dao! Xuan! Ji!"

Fang Wenxin let out a heart-wrenching shout, his eyes wide with rage as killing intent filled the air. He slapped the Blood Shadow Copper Coin at his waist. Nine copper coins flew out, forming a blood array in the sky, barely meeting the Nine Tails Pattern Seed Technique as the Kyoto Great Array shattered.

"Puff!"

Fang Wenxin was shaken, spitting out blood. This energy was too raw! Fused by the devouring body with various saintly powers, including Shengdi blood, it was pure destruction with no logic to it. He alone couldn't hold it back.

"Watch me!"

Zhong Yuanzi knew the critical moment relied on him. The explosive origin seeds that had vanished from his fingertips reappeared. He leaped toward the intersection of the Blood Shadow Copper Coin and the energy impact, under Fang Wenxin's speechless, astonished gaze...

"Go go go go go go go!"

One wave of elemental energy after another, merged chaotically in a poison-for-poison approach, was flung by Zhong Yuanzi, slamming into the Nine Tails Pattern Seed Technique. The sky above Yujing City exploded like brilliant fireworks.

"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom..."

Below, in various districts, buildings, long streets, shops, palaces... Without spiritual arrays for protection, even the violent explosions alone could shatter everything, sending people tumbling.

"Ah! My leg!"

"Disaster! This is a disaster!"

"The great calamity is upon us! What is the Dao Hall Master doing? I don't want to die, I don't want to die!"

Wails rose everywhere, screams echoed in all directions. Ye Xiaotian frowned in discomfort and pity, spinning a spatial mystic array under his feet.

"Lord of Ten Thousand Realms!"

With a wave of his hand, layers of spatial realms nested together, temporarily shielding the residents of Yujing City and separating the battlefield from the spectators.

"Boom boom boom..."

The impacts continued. The world seemed to go mad, with only the explosive brilliance offering a false sense of calm.

"Sigh."

Mei Siyi sighed at last; he hadn't wanted to act. Slowly, he raised his sword, and amid the destructive disaster, enchanting red plum blossoms drifted down.

"Plum blossoms..."

"How can there be plum blossoms?"

Snowy days with fragrant red plums—Yujing has no proud bones. The people in the city were stunned, some pinching the rare plum in their fingers, only to have their skin cut by sword energy. But the harm is minor, adding a touch of gentleness to the apocalyptic explosions.

"Swish."

The sword dao mystic array unfolded, instantly covering all of Yujing City. As Tai Cheng flew into the sky, Mei Siyi rose, his sword about to sever the destructive nine tails...

Just then, a sharp cry pierced through the explosions, reaching everyone's ears:

"Dao Qiong Cang has betrayed the Shengshen Hall, fled Guizhe Sheng Mountain, privately damaged the Kyoto Great Array, and released the spirit beast Tan Shen to slaughter the living!"

"Xuanji Hall Master, in his compassion for all eternity, activates the Xuanji Great Array to save Yujing!"

The light of the sword dao mystic array was immediately overshadowed by the celestial scroll. Suddenly, intricate Tianji dao patterns filled Yujing City, forming a new saint-level Tianji Great Array—the Xuanji Great Array—to protect below.

"This dao, seals."

An indifferent female voice descended, and the Xuanji Great Array extended black dao chains, binding Tan Shen's nine tails.

"This dao, shatters space."

With a boom, the Lord of Ten Thousand Realms was struck from within, piercing through without warning. Ye Xiaotian turned in disbelief, only to groan and spew blood as he was flung back. At the same time, black chains like serpents wrapped around him.

"No!!!"

Ye Xiaotian's eyes were full of terror. No spatial attribute could outpace a backstab. On his body, along the chains, dense Forbidden Martial Orders crawled out—one glance showed no less than thirty. How was this possible? What virtue did he have?

"I'm saving people! I'm saving people! Dao Xuanji, you fool..."

"This dao, silences."

Whoosh, the Xuanji Great Array rippled like a water curtain. The explosions above the city and Ye Xiaotian's curses could no longer reach Yujing City.

"This dao, no sword."

Amid the rumbling, black chains extended along the sword dao mystic array toward Mei Siyi at the south gate!

"Heart Sword Technique, Prajna..."

Mei Siyi had originally aimed his Tai Cheng Sword at the nine tails in the sky, but upon hearing this, he hurriedly shifted direction. When the sword turned, it pointed toward the millions in Yujing City. Even as a typically kind person, Mei Siyi was furious, nearly choking on blood from rage. He was fighting outward! Ye Xiaotian was fighting outward! No one was helping the spirit beast—everyone was trying to save Yujing City. How could the Xuanji Great Array be so indiscriminate, attacking its own after descending? How could this Heart Sword Technique point at Yujing City?!

In that moment, with fury raging, Mei Siyi truly wanted to level Yujing City and completely eradicate that heartless, ruthless voice. But as his eyes flashed red, having specialized in Heart Sword Technique, he realized where he had gone wrong. He calmed his rage. With one sword of Prajna, he only severed the heavenly chains. After smashing the same dismal fate as Ye Xiaotian, Mei Siyi was too weak to enter the Xuanji Great Array to save anyone. He could only suppress his impulsive heart, enduring the trembling sword and trembling hand...

He endured!

"Princes and generals, are they born noble?!!!"

Someone couldn't hold back. Cao Er Zhu was enraged. How could anyone be so vile? If they had the ability, they could have acted earlier—why sneak attack Ye Semi-Saint and Mei Old Immortal?

Cao Er Zhu's eyes reddened, and around him, divine punishment tribulation exploded into a sea of thunder, surging like waves as he punched toward the Xuanji Great Array covering Yujing City.

"Come back!"

This sudden outburst even startled Mei Siyi. From such a distance, one in the sky and one on the ground, he felt a numbness all over, briefly unable to react. By the time he came to his senses, Cao Er Zhu's fist was already nearing the Xuanji Great Array!

"Er Zhu, no!"

Mei Siyi spun his feet, and red plum blossoms flew from the horizon. He didn't stop him, just used a bit of illusion sword technique.

"Ah? Father!" Cao Er Zhu collapsed in fear. "No no, I didn't mean to hit you..."

"This dao, no thought."

The voice seemed to pause, then black chains surged toward the south gate. Mei Siyi gritted his teeth, swallowed his blood, stepped into the air, scooped up Cao Er Zhu, and fled. With the power of an ancient sword cultivator alone, how could he fight a saint-level Tianji Great Array, plus Dao Xuanji, Fang Wenxin, Yu Laoyu, Zhong Yuanzi... How? This move by Dao Xuanji was calculated to the extreme, using Yujing's lives to sever the fate of the Saint Slaves and Heaven's First Tower!

"We're saved!"

Countless citizens in Yujing City looked up in joy. In the sky, against the snow and osmanthus, the true savior descended. She wore a noble star-patterned Tianji robe, holding a duster, with a hint of arrogance in her brows. After glancing south, she didn't pursue, instead turning back to oversee Yujing, her voice as if from the clouds:

"The Xuanji Great Array will protect Yujing City for another century."

"This hall is Dao Xuanji."