Chapter 573: Detachment

Xuanjian Immortal Clan: Masters of Pen and Ink Arts!

Li Xuanfeng held his mystical bow steady. Golden-red light radiated from the arrow. Streaks of crimson light brushed past his cheek. The mystical arrow's light shimmered; before it even descended, tiny, adzuki-bean-sized blood beads welled up on Tang Shendu's forehead.

Thwip!

The situation had reached a critical point. Not only did Li Xuanfeng give Tang Shendu no chance to speak, but he himself remained silent. With a slight release of his hand, a brilliant golden-red light flared in the azure sky.

Hum... hum...

The golden-red mystical arrow pulsed in the air, then abruptly vanished. The soft azure rain momentarily halted, caught its breath, then once again enveloped the blue pond.

Tang Shendu was frozen in the azure light. His entire body's magical power surged, erupting from his skin, and his pupils dilated. He could only manage to raise his hands a palm's distance from his sides, his eyes filled with nothing but the golden-red light.

"You..."

Only now did he understand why Elemental Master commanded such respect. To cultivate merely one divine ability at the early Purple Mansion stage was enough to make all other cultivators wary. The power of the Xinyou Luzhe Seal was utterly terrifying...

"Damn it."

Even if the golden-red arrow had been unleashed and he were free to dodge, he might not have escaped it. How much less so now, fixed in place by the azure light, with a piercing pain, as if an iron nail were being driven into his brow.

Boom!

Just then, the five colorful clouds Tang Shendu had vaguely perceived grew increasingly distinct. Five splendid ladders intertwined and clashed in the air, but they were all momentarily stalled by the Xinyou Luzhe Seal.

"Damn it!"

The azure rain pattered down. In the sky, the feathered serpent closed its eyes. The large azure characters of "East Sea Lu Yu" slowly extinguished, and the azure light pillar dissolved into scattered rain.

Plop!

Tang Shendu fell to his knees. The colors on his armor faded, leaving only two flickering points of light. In the Luzhe Heavenly Pond, where there was no distinction between up and down, he knelt, stripped of his magical power, suspended between the azure water and the azure sky.

Clink... clink-clink-clink...

His eyes were tightly shut. A fine, dense tapping sound emanated from his body, accompanied by a buzzing metallic hum. With a soft *pop*, a crack appeared on his face, from which a whistling golden wind blew, peeling back two pieces of shriveled flesh.

His spiritual body seemed like an inflated cloth, gradually splitting open along the golden light. Tang Shendu slowly opened his mouth wide, and surging golden-red light erupted from his lips, ears, and nose, rising into the air in a dazzling display of colors.

Cough, cough, cough...

Li Xuanfeng coughed incessantly, thick golden dust rustling from between his lips and teeth. Dark blood streamed from his eyes, transforming into several round golden beads on his cheeks that clinked as they rolled down.

Yet, his hands did not stop. Five golden mystical arrows pulsed again, falling into his palm in sequence. All the azure light before him distorted. Li Xuanfeng felt a sharp pain in both eyes as a hazy glow descended from the sky.

Everything before him vaguely shattered, revealing boundless, ethereal golden clouds. Figures of various expressions sat within them, male and female alike: some smiling charmingly, some glaring fiercely, some joyful and open-hearted...

This hazy glow was merely the ladder by which these Mahakalas of Compassion were guiding Tang Shendu. It swept gently across the Heavenly Pond, its power largely diminished by the Xinyou Luzhe Seal, then floated down lightly, brushing over both of them.

Tang Shendu's shattered flesh slowly re-formed. Li Xuanfeng, though only grazed, felt his spiritual armor emit a crisp friction sound, and his entire body felt as if countless blades were pressing against him. His magical power drained away as if poured into a bottomless pit, completely exhausted.

He closed his eyes slightly, his vision a blur of crimson. He heard a vague sound. From above, a deep voice, as if from a multitude, calmly and peacefully said:

"Shendu... have you... seen clearly?"

These words gently echoed in the air. A warmth rose in Li Xuanfeng's heart, and he inexplicably felt like tearing up. The multitude's voice continued to spread through the air, gradually becoming somewhat sharp:

"I've seen clearly... I've seen clearly... I've seen clearly!"

Tang Shendu forced his eyes open. The voice from above descended, resonating with the previous lingering sound, as if he were in a grand hall where tens of thousands were chanting, and their voices boomed together:

"You have overcome toxic difficulties, subdued jealousy, and endured countless blades and karmic torment. Now you have achieved great enlightenment, shedding evil to embrace righteousness. With a single golden ray returning to your heart, you may enter my Buddhist path."

This voice was so piercing that golden blood streamed from Li Xuanfeng's ears, yet he understood.

The northern and southern orthodoxies clashed, plunging Xu State into chaos. Tang Shendu had leveraged this turmoil to cultivate and advance, achieving his current state by seizing the opportunities presented by the factions' conflict. So much so that this Mahakala could not resist personally coming to guide him!

"Enter my Northern Buddhism, choose one of the Seven Paths... and achieve great karmic accomplishment."

The voice boomed. Li Xuanfeng held his golden bow level as a mist-like colorful light descended from the sky. It drifted down and settled upon Tang Shendu, blessing him so that his flesh became translucent.

The Tang Shendu before them shed his golden armor, his forehead becoming smooth and pure white. He seemed to have reverted to his original mortal state. With hands pressed together, he was about to speak, but suddenly stopped.

Jolt...

The hazy colorful light before them was suddenly cut off, severed mid-air. A slender, white-jade-like hand broke through the void and appeared in the azure rain, effortlessly grasping the Xinyou Luzhe Seal floating in the air.

The multitude's Buddhist chant vanished in an instant, and the golden clouds immediately dimmed. A female cultivator stood in the azure rain, clad in purple, her delicate eyes watching coldly.

She emerged, casually holding the Xinyou Luzhe Seal. The spiritual artifact glowed docilely in her hand as her red lips parted slightly, and she softly said:

"That old bald monk is up to his divine tricks again."

As her voice fell, the azure pond beneath her feet immediately churned violently, boiling and surging for a thousand miles. It swept away all the colorful light, replacing it with rising purple clouds.

"Fellow Daoist Zipei... this person has a fated connection with Northern Buddhism..."

As soon as the purple clouds rose, Li Xuanfeng's ears and eyes immediately felt much more comfortable. He recognized the purple-clad female cultivator in the sky; it was indeed Master Zipei of the Ziyan Sect.

This Master had old ties with Elemental Master. It was she who had given the Xinyou Luzhe Seal to Ning Heyuan. She was a female cultivator at the peak of the Purple Mansion stage, a true pillar of the Ziyan Sect.

"Why are you doing this?!"

A rumbling voice of slight anger echoed in Li Xuanfeng's ears. Fortunately, its various powers were blocked by the purple mist, making it much more comfortable by the time it reached his ear. Master Zipei stood in the air with her arms crossed, calmly saying:

"Vajra, I say he has no fated connection."

Her tone was flat, as if stating a fact, giving no deference to Vajra Mahakala. There was no response from within the colorful clouds, only a chilling silence.

The azure rain pattered into the blue water, creating ripples that collided. The Mahakala and the Purple Mansion stage cultivator stood in opposition within the Luzhe Heavenly Pond of the Xinyou Luzhe Seal. Finally, the multitude's voice emerged from the colorful clouds:

"Zipei, Azure Pond has lost its piece. He also lost to this bow-wielder. From joyful madness, he fell to hateful jealousy. This young man is about to fall from the Violet Lotus into my hands. This is the established principle."

"Suiguan stood by idly, why have you come to his aid, fellow Daoist?"

Zipei's voice, consistently cold, caused the purple qi to surge and recede as she spoke:

"I have been in seclusion for many years, and long harbored doubts about fate. Now that the day of my breakthrough approaches, I still cannot let go of these doubts. So I seized this opportunity to test it out. What's all this talk of established principles?"

Master Zipei was on the verge of a breakthrough, and Vajra Mahakala clearly did not wish to argue with her further. He simply said in a deep voice:

"Fellow Daoist, what do you intend?"

"You say he has a fated connection, but I say he has none."

Master Zipei tossed the jade seal in her hand and softly said:

"Why don't you, Vajra Mahakala, explain to me whether this person truly has a fated connection with your Northern Buddhism."

"Oh?"

Vajra Mahakala's voice clearly softened. He was clearly confident about this matter, for Buddhist cultivators were inherently skilled at manipulating fate; how could he fear a mere Purple Mansion cultivator like her? He sneered inwardly, yet spoke very gently with the multitude's voice:

"So, Fellow Daoist wishes me to explain this fate. This is excellent, of course."

His voice traversed through the clouds, pushing and shoving against the purple qi, causing it to surge:

"Although he has now been interrupted by Fellow Daoist, and his immortal foundation has transformed into a mortal body, all manner of fate has already converged upon him. As long as he doesn't die, ascending to Compassion is but a moment away."

"Fellow Daoist's divine powers are vast, naturally beyond fate. As long as Fellow Daoist does not kill him, in just six breaths, he will naturally be guided by numerous methods to ascend to my Compassion position."

"Good."

Master Zipei nodded and softly said:

"What if he doesn't?"

Vajra Mahakala's voice paused and became cautious, asking:

"What does Master mean?"

"I, however, want to reclaim the Qiwang Profound Sky Listener."

Master Zipei quietly watched him. Vajra Mahakala's colorful clouds surged and subsided, pausing for two breaths before a majestic voice echoed:

"This Venerable desires to examine that copy of the Taixu Purple Qi Classic."

A smile, full of mockery, appeared on Master Zipei's face for the first time as she replied:

"That old bald monk's greed knows no bounds. If I could give it to you, would Fellow Daoist dare to look?"

Vajra Mahakala did not get angry at her words. His voice drew out, even seeming to believe her more, as he hummed:

"Then let it be the Violet Qi Glare Shield."

Master Zipei gave him a deep look and nodded slightly:

"I will not make a move against him. If this person cannot ascend to the dharma realm in six breaths, then it will be considered that he has no fated connection."

Vajra Mahakala nodded gently. Then, a swath of purple light leaped from Zipei's hand, sweeping towards the colorful clouds. The dense purple qi that had unknowingly permeated the entire Luzhe Heavenly Pond surged up with it, crashing into the colorful clouds:

Boom!

She suddenly made her move. The purple qi and purple light pressed forward simultaneously, violently crashing into the colorful clouds and completely disrupting the Mahakala's guiding method. Vajra Mahakala, instead of being surprised, was delighted:

"This Venerable has been waiting for Master!"

Yet, Vajra Mahakala had already been prepared. Several golden lights rose from the colorful clouds, spreading and undulating back and forth. They instantly collided with the surging purple clouds, creating a ripple in the void.

"Master merely wants to obstruct my dharma realm. In the end, it's a battle! To trap my guiding method for six breaths? You truly underestimate me..."

A chaotic chanting sound rose amidst the rolling cloud sea. The purple light rose in the air like a sun, thudding loudly. Vajra Mahakala's words, however, abruptly ceased. Only an expanse of purple light remained, filling the space, as the golden light in the sky flowed, finally revealing its true form.

Then, a golden body in the likeness of a man appeared in the air, hazily shrouded in purple mist. It emitted hundreds of thousands of gazes of various colors, while the chanting of a myriad voices continued endlessly. Lotus petals fell, filling the entire sky with pink hues.

Master Zipei, her purple robes fluttering, stood with her hands behind her back, watching quietly. With a gentle push of her slender hand, the Xinyou Luzhe Seal before her burst forth with brilliance. The light of the Luzhe water rippled, floating and spreading in the air.

The Xinyou Luzhe Seal, in Master Zipei's hand, showed a power leagues beyond its use by Ning Heyuan. Azure light, accompanied by nine streaks of tail flame, flew out. It contracted into the shape of a grand formation in the air, slowly suppressing everything.

The Mahakala's true body, along with the colorful clouds, was suppressed within it. It took a full breath for there to be any movement. The seal thumped and vibrated with a rumbling sound as a speck of golden light jumped out from it. Vajra Mahakala said coldly:

"Good... Fellow Daoist Zipei has truly made great progress in strength!"

His colorful clouds slowly flowed out from the azure light, re-asserting themselves over the purple clouds. Vajra Mahakala's voice, like a multitude chanting scriptures, drifted and echoed in the air:

"But Master is truly arrogant! To not even bring the Violet Qi Glare Shield—do you truly think I am made of clay?!"

No sooner had his words fallen than he had already withdrawn from the azure light. The colorful light took the opportunity to shoot into the sky, about to expand its form and receive Tang Shendu. All this struggle had taken no more than five breaths.

His true body, beneath the purple clouds, revealed countless faint, indistinct eyes. It let out a few low, triumphant laughs. But before the laughter could echo within the seal, a faint sound emerged from beneath the heavy purple clouds:

"Crack..."

Vajra Mahakala's smile instantly froze. Although the sound was faint, it appeared in his ears like a clap of thunder. The purple cloud qi rolled away, revealing the azure water beneath.

"Hm?"

Li Xuanfeng's mouth was full of golden blood, which streamed down. Although he had been grazed by the colorful light, feeling as if countless blades were pressing against him and unable to see clearly, he could determine locations by sound. Having long heard Tang Shendu's breathing, he pounced like a ferocious tiger.

Tang Shendu had been watching Li Xuanfeng fall, with colors intertwining in the air, and only managed to take one step back. But now that he was merely a mortal, where could he escape to? His throat tightened, and he was lifted high, his head nearly ripped off.

Li Xuanfeng seized Tang Shendu, his raised arm gripping Tang Shendu's neck. Without hesitation, his five fingers suddenly exerted force, closing with almost no resistance.

"Crack."

Tang Shendu had not even had time to gasp for breath; his throat was instantly crushed. His eyes stared in disbelief. As Vajra Mahakala brushed away the purple qi, Tang Shendu's head softly drooped. Surging gang qi inflated his body like a balloon, thoroughly cleansing it from within.

In less than a breath, Tang Shendu turned into dust from head to toe. Li Xuanfeng's gang qi, with sufficient preparation, was potent enough to prevent even a Dharma Master from reincarnating. Let alone now, unleashing it without restraint upon a mere mortal. He was instantly annihilated.

Vajra Mahakala saw this sight before him; how could he not understand? Instantly, the Luzhe Heavenly Pond, manifested by the Xinyou Luzhe Seal, fell silent. The rustling sound of rain also vanished. Only the sound of golden wind whistling echoed in the clouds.

Vajra Mahakala's smile slowly faded. He seemed to finally understand why the purple qi had always remained heavily veiled beneath. Zipei stood with her arms crossed in the clouds, and the purple clouds and purple light slowly drifted back into her sleeves. Her voice was cold and clear:

"It seems this person still lacks some fated connection with your esteemed path."