Chapter 600: Calamity (Part 1)

The Way of Brush and Ink, Xuanjian Immortal Clan!

Riverbank.

On the north bank, dark demonic smoke hung heavy. Northern cultivators from various factions landed on the shore, forming small camps. Several major powers each occupied an end, their lights converging and extending downriver with an imposing aura.

Further back, countless rogue northern cultivators filled the sky with their escape lights. They followed from a distance, merely waiting for the riverbank's defensive formation to break, ready to pour into the south.

The surging demonic smoke halted at the river's edge. Suspended in the air was a brilliantly shining pass, its white bricks tightly interlocked, bright and crystalline, presenting a formidable sight. The city gate was tall, and its two white gateposts were intricately carved with numerous patterns, imbued with mysterious witch curses.

Within the city gate, a dazzling, hazy light shimmered, as if facing a brilliant sun. Blinding light emanated from it, piercing into the surging black smoke and forcing the demonic cultivators to retreat.

At the very top of this pass, a youth sat quietly, dressed in a golden daoist robe. In front of him, a palm-sized white disk with intricate patterns floated as he calmly observed the scene.

Another person, dressed in a white feathered robe with a spirit fan tied at his waist, appeared refined, elegant, and graceful. Holding a sword in his arms, his gaze lingered on the north as he pondered deeply.

Li Xizhi was originally meant to report to Bianyan Mountain, but several hours earlier, the entire northern region had been swept by demonic smoke, leaving Bianyan Mountain isolated within it. This gave him an excuse to stop at the pass instead.

After all, Li Xizhi was also reluctant to deal with the Chi family members at Bianyan Mountain. Furthermore, his own family's territory lay just beyond this grand formation. With the recent abnormal movements, he was actually eager to stay and defend.

Here, he took the demonic cultivator's short blade and examined it carefully, exchanging it for a Foundation Establishment magical sword. The sword was brownish-yellow throughout and named Xushi. Due to its mediocre material, its quality was not high, placing it at the bottom tier among Foundation Establishment artifacts.

Only after careful inquiry did he learn that this item actually came from Yuanwu Peak. It was an early work of Tang Shejun, a member of the Tang family who had failed to break through to the Violet Palace realm and subsequently died. This sword was now over a hundred years old.

"What a coincidence..."

Li Chijing's Green Rule Sword had been refined by the then-peak master of Yuanwu Peak, who was none other than Tang Shejun. After searching for a better option, Li Xizhi ultimately chose this magical sword.

"What exactly happened at Daning Palace...?"

Half an hour ago, more and more demonic cultivators gathered in front of Li Ximing's formation, with occasional probes. He simply manifested his Immortal Foundation and stood upon the formation.

Regardless of Li Ximing's personal strength, his Immortal Foundation, condensed from a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and a fourth-grade cultivation method, was quite intimidating. Coupled with Li Xizhi, also in the late-stage Foundation Establishment, they were sufficient to deter everyone. There were many river crossings along the bank, and when the demonic cultivators saw that this person was difficult to provoke, they naturally gathered elsewhere.

"Only the direct descendants of the Northern Cultivators went to Daning Palace and haven't been seen since. The rest are easily misled... they have no real fighting spirit..."

Li Ximing was not foolish; he chose his moments carefully. Yet, even as he watched many demonic cultivators retreat, his mood remained quite somber.

He waited for a moment. From a distance, a female cultivator in green robes flew and landed beside him. She wore a light green daoist robe, her magical light shining brightly, and a suppressed look of anger was visible on her beautiful face. She paused slightly upon seeing Li Ximing.

"Greetings, Senior Linggu."

The person before them was Linggu Lanying, who was also defending the riverbank. This woman had lost her mount, a spirit beast, in the previous chaos and had only returned by wind in recent days to defend the riverbank. When Li Ximing and the other person inquired, she took out a jade talisman from her hand, handed it to Li Xizhi, and softly said:

"News has arrived from Bianyan."

Li Xizhi examined it carefully, sending his spiritual sense into it. Linggu Lanying stated directly:

"The news from Bianyan Mountain states that Chi Zhiyan is being firm and decisive, mobilizing more troops. He claims reinforcements will arrive soon and instructs us to hold this position."

She gave a sarcastic laugh and continued:

"On the other hand, my family received news that while he has sent people back to conscript cultivators, he has gathered all the direct descendants back to Bianyan Mountain. Clearly, he intends for us to directly confront the demonic cultivators..."

Hearing this, Li Xizhi sighed inwardly. Chi Zhiyan was never truly a magnanimous person. Although he put on an outward show, usually pretending to be decent and speaking kindly and grandly, his true nature was revealed when it came to actual actions.

The "hold this position" aspect of this order was what the Li family hoped to see. After all, their own Moon-Gazing Lake lay right behind them. Li Xizhi and the others were among those who most wished for Qingchi to hold its ground and resist the demonic cultivators. While Chi Zhiyan acted from his own family's interests, his decision ultimately aligned with the Li family's.

However, with the demonic cultivators surging fiercely, he gathered all the Qingchi direct descendants, the Chi family's guest elders, and their Qi Refining cultivators back to Bianyan Mountain, instead dispatching the various noble families. This clearly showed he didn't value the lives of these families, intending to squeeze out their last bit of value.

Li Ximing sat quietly on the Mingguan pass, exchanging a glance with his elder brother. Both understood instinctively, observing with cold eyes:

"Although Bianyan Mountain is now on the opposite bank, isolated in the north, it is the safest place, protected by numerous powerful formations. As the demonic cultivators flow downriver, it acts like a reef dividing the water; they would rather attack our far more fragile earthen dam."

After all, the grand formation on Bianyan Mountain could be seen from a great distance. Even if it could be breached, any demonic cultivators who first charged into it would surely lose their lives. Meanwhile, the defense line across the river was full of loopholes; as long as one found an entry point, the prosperous Jiangnan region lay just beyond.

'Chi Zhiyan gathering his direct descendants to Bianyan Mountain truly means he's playing it safe with no losses. Even in the worst-case scenario, where the Violet Palace realm never appears and all the Jiangnan defense lines collapse, it would merely mean the northern cultivators plundering everything and leaving...'

As soon as this order came down, Linggu Lanying, Li Xizhi, and even the various noble families understood clearly that this person was ultimately narrow-minded. He had now effectively torn off his disguise, and his actions almost explicitly declared:

'Beyond the river lies the foundation of your various noble families. Surely the demonic cultivators won't be able to breach Qingchi Mountain, right? If you can't hold it, then your own families will suffer the disaster!'

He remained silent for two breaths, then replied:

"What do you think, Senior?"

Linggu Lanying's almond eyes widened slightly as she replied:

"We have already sent someone back to the sect to report to the Sect Master. With Chi Zhiyan acting like this, how can this riverbank possibly be defended?!"

Li Xizhi shook his head slightly and said softly:

"It's too late. Moreover, the disciples of the main sect are good at self-preservation; how could they exert their full strength to the death like us? Even if they came to the formation, they would only stand by and watch."

His words were tactful but very clear: how noble were the Chi family disciples? Even if they were sent, would they truly obey the orders of Li Xizhi and others? Li Xizhi paused for two breaths, then reminded her:

"If they were truly dispatched here, I fear those esteemed individuals would have other demands, making things even more difficult."

"Well..."

Li Xizhi had indeed reminded Linggu Lanying. If the Chi family members truly came to defend the formation, it would be one thing if they simply seized command. The real fear was that as soon as the situation became slightly unfavorable, they would demand to be escorted away. What would they do then?

After these two sentences, the female cultivator immediately paid more attention to the youth and said gently:

"It is a force, after all... Alas! What exactly happened at Daning Palace? This situation doesn't seem like the north and south have completely broken ties... This place is full of flaws; we can hold it for a while, but not for days or months... Why has the True Lord said nothing!"

Li Xizhi took her words and comforted her:

"The True Lord isn't responding; perhaps he is battling demonic cultivators. Six hours have already passed. While Violet Palace realm battles can be long, they don't last for months. If we hold out long enough, there might be a turning point."

Linggu Lanying fell silent for a moment. She knew that Moon-Gazing Lake lay behind the grand formation, making the Li family even more anxious about this matter. Her own Linggu family, however, resided deep in the south, making it unlikely for them to be affected.

Linggu Lanying's urgency stemmed mostly from concern for the Linggu family disciples within the formation and the people of the various commanderies should the formation break. Her concerns were much lighter than the Li family's. She calmed down for the moment and said softly:

"Besides the various noble families along the river, there's also the Xiao family, a Violet Palace Immortal Clan. What if True Lord Chuting decides to act...?"

She said this aloud, but knew in her heart that hope was slim. Indeed, she saw Li Xizhi shake his head:

"The Xiao family has been in seclusion for many years. The True Lord long ago made it clear he didn't want to interfere; he even went to the North Sea a long time ago. The demonic cultivators aren't foolish; they won't touch the Xiao family's territory in the slightest."

As he said this, the several people present all had the same answer in their hearts:

"Back when Li Xia massacred the commanderies and the Xiao family's own territory was ravaged, Xiao Chuting still refused to act. Now, who knows how many schemes are involved in this north-south conflict. He has always been the most rational and meticulous; why would he be willing to act now?"

None of them dared to voice these thoughts. Only Linggu Lanying nodded and replied:

"Then I shall return to defend the formation."

She left on the wind. Only then did Li Ximing speak, his voice slightly low:

"Brother... Is the Violet Palace truly willing to sacrifice all these families here, allowing the northern cultivators to advance south...? But this would also be a great blow to Qingchi's own vitality... Why would they do it...?"

"Hard to say."

Li Xizhi responded and asked:

"Has the family replied?"

"Not yet."

Li Ximing activated a secret technique and transmitted his voice:

"However, a few days ago, Zhou Wei reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining. He brought the Three Perfection Breaking Boundary Pill and Talisman Pill on this trip. With both combined, he might soon have a chance to reach Foundation Establishment."

"Foundation Establishment... and he's not even twenty yet... Even if he cultivates in seclusion for five years, he'd only be twenty-five..."

Li Xizhi frowned, activating a secret method, and said softly:

"It's a bit too fast. This is almost catching up to True Lord Junjian's cultivation speed. Zhou Wei is exceptionally talented and could have accumulated more. It's just a pity that changes are increasing, leaving no room for a slow pace."

Li Ximing sat quietly on the Mingguan pass, his voice slightly softer, whispering:

"Not necessarily. People like him cannot be judged by conventional wisdom. For him, adapting to the times is far more important than accumulating slowly. If he reaches Foundation Establishment, what difference would one or two spells make? How many high-grade Bright Yang spells can our family provide for him to learn before Foundation Establishment?"

Li Xizhi paused, surprised, then tilted his head and glanced at Li Ximing, nodding in agreement:

"Ming-di's words make sense."

"We still need to get through this current obstacle first."

Li Ximing looked forward, his magical light shining. A torrential rain was already pouring down between heaven and earth, but before it could fall on his Mingguan pass, it evaporated, emitting sizzling sounds.

Demonic smoke rapidly surged forward. Countless tentacle-like escape lights flew out from it, trailing billowing black clouds as their fiery wakes. Five streaks of light flew nearby, crashing into the formation beneath their feet.

Behind these demonic cultivators were northern cultivators like locusts, all descending towards the front of the formation. Li Ximing activated his Immortal Foundation, arbitrarily chose two individuals, and slammed downwards with astonishing force.

"Boom!"

Brilliant light shot out from the grand pass. The Minghuang Pass excelled at suppression and refinement, and also restrained demonic cultivators. Dazzling radiance poured out from it, immediately causing the two suppressed individuals to curse loudly and conjure their magical artifacts to resist.

"Hmph...!"

The two individuals felt their bodies sink under the pressure, their curses choked midway, turning into muffled grunts. Both were in the early Foundation Establishment stage; how could they withstand such an attack from Li Ximing, who was in the late Foundation Establishment stage and had activated his Immortal Foundation? One of them immediately cursed aloud:

"Behind! This person's Immortal Foundation is strange, like some kind of object... Quick, someone come help!"

Li Xizhi, standing nearby, drew his sword. His gaze swept over the five individuals, picking out the one with the highest cultivation, an old demonic cultivator in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. With a thought, his figure vanished. A streaked golden light flickered a few times in the air, then abruptly materialized behind the cultivator, unleashing a sleeve of brilliant light.

'Golden Descent from the Clouds!'

The demonic cultivator was instantly terrified. He drew the long saber from his waist but was caught off guard. Before his saber qi could erupt, Li Xizhi had already formed another hand seal, his various figures each stepping forward, transforming into several rainbow-shadow clones, each forming hand seals and chanting spells.

The old demonic cultivator was caught off guard. Li Xizhi even had the presence of mind to observe his actions, finding his appearance somewhat suspicious. The six figures simultaneously drew their swords, sweeping out arcs of white, crescent-shaped sword light.

It was Li Xizhi's first time using a Foundation Establishment magical sword. With Xushi in hand, his sword light gained an additional half-tenth of its power, raising a sharp, brilliant radiance.

Only at this moment did the old demonic cultivator have a chance to unleash a chilling saber light. It was shattered by the sword light, his figure flying back with a spray of blood and a miserable wail. He reappeared several feet away, frantically forming hand seals and casting spells without daring to stop.

Li Xizhi saw that this person's cultivation heritage was shallow. He simply conjured a rainbow light, pulled and tugged it in the clouds, instantly disrupting the demonic cultivator's spiritual energy, casually making his spell miss, and calmly advanced.

The old demonic cultivator could no longer hold back and cried out:

"Quickly, reinforcements!"

A demonic wind then had to turn back beneath his feet, revealing a female cultivator in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. She also held a sword in her hand, raising a sword light and striking towards him.

This female cultivator seemed to possess a rare Wood Virtue Immortal Foundation in Yue Kingdom. As she wielded her sword, she brought forth a burst of wood spirit energy. Li Xizhi's expression finally turned slightly serious; his Immortal Foundation activated, and colorful radiance flowed from his body.

He pressed two fingers together, and a radiant glow appeared. Casually pinching the surging, sharp sword qi, he flicked his hand, unleashing a wave of light from his sleeve. The female cultivator's spirit sword was now in his hand, though it was merely a Qi Refining level artifact.

'Floating Light Item Seizing!'

This northern cultivator was clearly stunned, her eyes filled with disbelief:

'There's such a spell!'

Li Xizhi felt even stranger in his heart. He had never experienced rendering an enemy helpless with such ease and was suddenly filled with emotion.

Since he emerged from seclusion, his opponents had either been the first breath of cloud qi exhaled by the Dragon Lord or the imperial princes of the Tuoba family of Daliang. At worst, they were old demonic cultivators like Chimian Difu, who had profound cultivation and hidden backgrounds.

He had always struggled somewhat against these enemies, almost forgetting that he was also the Peak Master of Qingchi. Truly facing these northern Foundation Establishment cultivators, who lacked proper cultivation heritage and had risen by sheer luck and raw blood qi, there was indeed a significant disparity.

The two individuals before him, however, acted as if facing a formidable enemy. Although those two moves just now weren't life-and-death struggles, the fact that the two of them were played with so easily demonstrated the immense strength of the person before them... They began to communicate secretly:

"This person before us is probably from the Chi family! He's an old devil with years of cultivation, not easy to deal with. We should quickly call more people over..."