Chapter 1068: Release the Leader

Sima Yuanli, having learned from his recent setback, immediately cast the spiritual treasure he held. However, Li Ximing showed no sign of stopping. Enduring the intense dizziness caused by his depleting spiritual energy, he formed a complex hand seal before his chest, reaching out to a distant force.

Before the deluge of blazing light from the heavens had even receded, the grand formation, enveloped in a radiant purplish-gold glow, roared to life. Thirty-two streams of spiritual energy surged skyward, illuminating the heavens once more.

This was the Purple Ceremony Light of the Zhaoguang Xuanzi Spiritual Formation, a core component of the Purple Mansion Grand Formation!

The majestic temple in the sky was collapsing, shattering into countless pieces. Amidst the swirling cascade of falling glazed tiles, white cicadas fluttered. Dazzling, expansive light connected heaven and earth as various fiery hues rained down from the sky. Amidst the swirling red and purple, the figure of the young monk suddenly emerged.

Guangchan’s eyes were tightly shut. His golden kasaya was covered in flickering golden flames, and the mysterious runes inscribed on it pulsed erratically, making him appear utterly motionless, like a stone statue.

The only difference was a three-finger-wide hole that had ripped open in his chest. Through the opening, flickering flames were faintly visible, and decaying purple wisps gushed out, revealing his shattered, crystal-like internal organs.

The Great Separation White Hee Light was, after all, an extremely high-grade spell. Li Ximing had further amplified it by channeling the "Valley Wind to Guide Fire" technique and concentrated fully on condensing it within the pagoda. This light had utterly surpassed Guangchan's expectations; it had not merely wounded his Dharma body but had pierced straight through its heart in a single blow!

What was worse, his life-bound cultivation technique, the "Cicada Shedding Light Seat Wonderful Method," which allowed him to shed his armored form and instantly resolve all superficial injuries, was useless here. The "Golden Hee Malevolence" left by the penetrating attack had spread throughout his entire body, and even transforming into a white cicada could not dispel its effects!

As a result, the thirty-two purple light pillars, intertwining between heaven and earth, resonated with each other, rapidly converging and bathing the monk’s face in purple light. Yet, Guangchan remained utterly motionless. The Golden Malevolence of the Great Separation White Hee Light had completely paralyzed his Dharma body in a short time, and the "Six Harmonies Light" imbued within the radiance possessed a remarkable binding effect. These two forces, synergizing, rendered him unable to even open his eyelids in that instant!

"Boom!" The thirty-two light pillars merged, transforming into a dense purplish-gold radiance—the very Guanggu Purple Ceremony Light of the grand formation!

In this moment of crisis, the faint golden mystic window above Guangchan’s head spontaneously opened, casting down a protective aura. The monk's form, like an ant, was engulfed by the flood of surging purplish-gold light.

Li Ximing coughed, yet felt no joy. Instead, a flicker of regret crossed his mind.

‘Times have changed,’ he thought. ‘When the Solar Orthodox Sect modified this grand formation for me, they sacrificed its offensive capabilities. The Guanggu Purple Ceremony Light is still effective against early-stage Zifu cultivators, but it’s utterly inadequate against this being’s Dharma body!’

With a decisive thought and no hesitation, he sped off, pursuing something in the sky.

As expected, despite the similar celestial distortion, the Guanggu Purple Ceremony Light proved to be a mere ripple compared to the Great Separation White Hee Light’s terrifying power that shattered the Dharma Temple. The monk’s face contorted in pain, yet he stood his ground steadily within the purple light, a series of sharp cracking sounds emanating from his body.

In that instant, the monk slowly opened his eyes, his pupils brimming with an incredible hue.

Fortunately, Li Ximing had no other formidable spells left. With an unstable Dharma body, Guangchan painstakingly raised a hand, immediately covering the wound on his chest. The equally sized hole on his back rapidly mended, and the damage on his kasaya quickly shrunk to a pinprick.

Yet, in the midst of a Purple Mansion struggle, how could he be afforded the chance to heal? As a long scroll unfurled in the air, the Huaijiang Map billowed, unleashing a surge of golden light. A colossal, formidable pass instantly materialized, descending with overwhelming force!

"Boom!" Terrifying sound waves rippled through the air. Beneath the colossal pass, countless perilous peaks emerged, accompanied by various "Bright Yang" apparitions: rivers stilled, golden statues toppled, armies dispersed, and grand palaces collapsed. The bells and drums of heaven and earth chimed in unison, their profound resonance echoing endlessly. Guangchan, whose cultivation was terrifyingly profound, had already momentarily suppressed the Golden Hee upon its descent. He briefly pulled his attention away from his injuries, raised an eyebrow, and bellowed:

"Take that!"

The mystic window floating above his head glowed brilliantly, briefly warding off the spiritual treasure. However, the Huaijiang Map, being a spiritual treasure of high rank, could not be so easily repelled. It not only sealed his aura but also cast down white light like a curtain on either side, completely blocking his escape route!

The Huaijiang Map... that makes sense!

Trapped within the spiritual treasure, Guangchan’s gaze darkened as he looked towards the pagoda. Yet, the pagoda, which he had meticulously refined, remained firmly anchored by the Xuantu, utterly immobile. With no other option, the monk slid his thumb from the tip of his middle finger to its pad, his expression shifting.

Moments before, Li Ximing had used the formation to suppress Guangchan and make his escape, but not to retreat. Instead, he had sped off, and now, lifting his sleeve, his pale hand suddenly expanded. The "Yetian Gate," which he had previously used to empower himself, abruptly descended, trapping the Yin Water Lotus within!

Guangchan had already used the Yin Water Art to escape from under the Yetian Gate once before. Li Ximing was clearly anticipating him attempting the "Golden Cicada Shedding Shell" technique again using the "Borrowing Yin Water Ritual Art."

‘He’s not just a Daoist alchemist who only knows how to cultivate!’ Guangchan thought.

Guangchan felt a mix of anger and admiration, yet no fear. Unable to escape, he faced the spiritual treasure’s torrential downpour of golden light. He immediately raised his sleeve, and enduring the pain in his chest, waved it forcefully, fully committed. He chanted:

"The Precious Tooth Golden-Edged Earth Saint Law is in my body!"

The mystic window floating above his head suddenly contracted, receding into his glabella. This caused his aura to surge dramatically, but there was nothing left to impede the descent of the Huaijiang Map!

'Thump!' With that resonating sound, Guangchan appeared to have been struck squarely on the head. The pinprick-sized wound on his back abruptly widened, returning to a three-finger breadth, and two streams of white blood trickled from his nose. His open eyes gleamed with a golden hue.

He now found himself within layers of formidable passes and encircling river water. The grand pass stretched endlessly, standing majestically, its ramparts lined with countless figures in golden armor and robes, each holding a bow and spear, glaring fiercely.

‘I’m already inside the Huaijiang Map!’

He then saw Li Ximing, pale-faced, circulating his spiritual energy, urgently recuperating while seated on the Yetian Gate. His divine ability, however, showed no delay. Seeing Guangchan trapped within the spiritual treasure, Li Ximing immediately relinquished the Yin Water Lotus, preparing to descend upon the Huaijiang Map to sever Guangchan's connection to the Great Void.

Guangchan had allowed three successive moves precisely to recover from the consequences of his earlier miscalculation; how could he possibly yield again!

His face turned grim, his pupils reflecting the Huaijiang Map’s endless golden light. He swallowed the blood mixed with blazing fire, and gradually, numerous illusions began to appear behind him as he spoke in a low, ethereal voice:

"Precious tooth body, body reverent as heart can bear, victorious name Dharma appearance, all reverently listen and manifest, completely illuminate a drop within my body."

Consequently, numerous spectral figures emerged behind him. The figure on the left sat in the lotus position, a halo around its head, while the figure on the right sported three flowers atop its crown and a fleshy topknot resembling a lotus. Guangchan strained to open his mouth, tearing its corners cleanly back towards his ears. The upper half of his face dramatically peeled backward, revealing two rows of stark white teeth. The white cicada leaped forth, sharp-toothed and sharp-mouthed, crying out:

"Father! You cannot kill your son!"

This cry was like shattering celestial thunder, making the Huaijiang Map shudder and seemingly dim with shame. Had it been an ordinary spiritual artifact, with its master Sima Yuanli preoccupied, it would have certainly shattered. But the Huaijiang Map was no ordinary artifact; with Li Ximing's direct intervention, it teetered on the brink but managed to hold its ground.

This, however, was a severe strain on Li Ximing. His face was ashen, and he felt dizzy. He heard an earth-shattering roar in his ear, and through a haze, he saw countless golden forms rising from the ground, lifting all profound mysteries!

As the golden-white hues before his eyes receded, Guangchan had vanished, replaced by a massive, gradually ascending golden head!

This towering face reached into the clouds, its nose bridge like a mountain peak. A dark, cavernous mouth exhaled colorful mist, and its lips were painfully pressed together, etched with wrinkles like deep furrows. Its eyes were two majestic palaces, where countless monks entered and exited, seemingly residing within two glazed pearls, kneeling in devout worship.

Below this head was a bloody neck, devoid of a torso, as if savagely torn off by some sharp-toothed beast. This Golden Body of Guangchan Mahā was, astonishingly, just a head!

Li Ximing was seized with alarm: "He’s been fighting me using a youthful avatar this entire time, and only now has he revealed his true Golden Body!"

To be fair, Guangchan's Golden Body wasn’t particularly large. However, unlike other Mahās, his was merely a head, making its terror and sheer scale far exceed that of others. When those two cavernous, palace-like eyes turned to gaze, the entire continent fell silent, plunged into despair.

But Guangchan showed no hesitation. With the manifestation of his Golden Body, the Huaijiang Map's suppression on him had reached its weakest point—it was the perfect moment for a surprise attack!

"Hahahahaha!"

Laughter like thunder spread across the sky. The mouth instantly opened to its widest, a gaping black void eclipsing all color, as its pure white teeth, sharp as blades, descended swiftly.

Li Ximing’s golden pupils clearly perceived that within the colossal head’s mouth, a red-eyed white cicada still resided!

This white cicada was no longer its former delicate and charming self. Now, it was as vast as a mountain, its numerous limbs eerily stretched through the darkness. Its compound eyes were covered with thousands of human eyes, all staring fixedly, while its mouthparts continuously opened and closed, dripping with saliva.

A chill ran up Li Ximing’s spine. He cursed inwardly: ‘What on earth is this Guangchan creature?!’

At this moment, he deeply understood that he absolutely could not release the Huaijiang Map or move the Yetian Gate. Once his opponent connected to the Great Void, they would undoubtedly receive an endless stream of blessings from Shihtu. Resisting the Golden Body that lunged at him, he clasped his hands together.

In an instant, all the blazing light converged, and the Bright Yang Heavenly Light contracted, transforming into bursts of vermilion flames that dispersed like smoke.

"Stepping on Flames!"

The sound of explosive biting reverberated across the sky. Guangchan’s eyes instantly blazed, and two powerful white lights gushed forth, forcing Li Ximing out of mid-air. The massive lips fiercely parted once more, revealing an empty space where no white cicada resided, only a piercing shriek: "Aooooohh—"

This shriek caused the earth to shake and mountains to tremble. Regardless of friend or foe, Sima Yuanli, Tao Jiexing, and even the two besieging Renmin cultivators all gasped, losing their focus simultaneously.

Li Ximing, however, remained unaffected, his eyes bright. He leaped, his heart growing increasingly anxious. The distant golden head suddenly shrank by a full circle. The pagoda forcibly broke free from the Xuantu that had long bound it, and the terrifying white cicada leaped out from behind him, its sharp mouthparts aiming to bite his waist!

As time passed, Guangchan realized he could no longer afford to delay. He was willing to damage his Dharma body if it meant immediately subduing Li Ximing!

In that critical moment, Li Ximing felt no panic. All the Six Harmonies Light receded into his sleeves, and his "Divided Spirit, Different Body" technique flared, pushing his sensory perception and connection to their absolute limits!

Yet, the expected intense pain never arrived. Li Ximing vaguely perceived purple light descending, and he found himself enveloped in a swirling mist of purple qi.

A faint hint of autumnal yellow appeared in his vision, and he heard a woman’s gentle, melodious whisper: "How dare you be so presumptuous!"

Upon hearing the voice, Li Ximing understood. He turned to see a refined face, unadorned by makeup. Her eyes, which had once seemed delicate, now held a fierce resolve, glaring intensely at Guangchan. The Zhaojing True Person instantly brightened. "Good, you’re here," she said.

The sky was dim, the colors muted. The rumbling of carriage wheels emerged on the horizon, as dark, heavy clouds plunged the entire Jiangbei region into pitch blackness. The True Person in the black-feathered, dark-patterned long robe wore an icy expression. The jade gourd in his hand pulsed incessantly, his heart heavy.

Upon receiving Jinlian’s message, Chang Yun did not break his word, immediately setting out for the rescue. His escape technique was swift, yet his mind was entirely preoccupied with something other than Minghui.

‘Strange… Yang Ruiyi is making quite a display,’ he mused.

True Person Chang Yun, Zhang Yun, possessed a considerable background and his own unique insights into the North-South political landscape. He understood that Yang Ruiyi would inevitably advance north, but he also grasped the significant disparity between the North and South.

‘True, the Great Song possesses some Xuan wielders, but its national power has yet to recover. Those few Xuan wielders are primarily Foundation Establishment cultivators; even if they’ve gained some divine marvels through Heavenly Martial arts, they still can’t compare to ordinary Zifu cultivators. Even if you were to add five or six more, how could they possibly be a decisive force? Only you possess that level of power…’

‘The Great Song isn’t incapable of fighting, but it absolutely must not aim to occupy territory. Its objective should be to strike Northern forces and gain itself more breathing room…’

Yet, judging by the current trajectory, Yang Ruiyi was distributing his forces to push towards the Shanji region while he himself penetrated deep alone. Chang Yun truly couldn't fathom what scheme he was enacting, and it gave him a headache.

‘If this is the case,’ he thought, ‘with no significant figures guarding Moon-Gazing Lake, won't it be disastrous?’

As he pondered deeply, his expression suddenly changed. He subtly raised a hand, confirming the presence of an invisible barrier before him. Decisively, he drew a sword from his sleeve, affixed a talisman to it, and declared:

"Gengdui Shifting Phase, the time for change is now!"

Perhaps this barrier was designed to deter internal breaches rather than external ones, or perhaps the small sword was truly exceptional. It effortlessly carved a seam through the oppressive, pitch-black light, causing True Person Chang Yun’s eyelid to twitch.

‘Damn it… surely there isn’t an ambush!’

But then, a chorus of sharp screams instantly pierced his ears. Everything before his eyes shattered like glazed glass, and a magnificent, pristine, yet bone-baring severed hand leaped out, soaring madly into the air!

This large hand, unnervingly, had eyes and a mouth growing between its palm, appearing as though it had been casually picked up from a corpse. It was now emitting a mournful roar: "Save me! Save me! True Person, save me!"