Chapter 608: Empty Awareness Subdues Demons

The man's clothing was the usual plain attire of the Fei family, and the spear in his hand was severely damaged. Decades of managing the family had worn away the color from his face, yet traces of a noble young master could still be discerned.

It was Fei Tongyu, the current head of the Fei family from the north shore of Moon-Gazing Lake!

For decades, the Fei family had been silent and in decline, as if its backbone had been broken. Fei Tongyu's life had been the hardest; every night, when he closed his eyes, that ethereal sword light would always appear before him.

The scene of this person casually slaying his grandfather, Fei Wangbai, as if killing a dog, would always replay in his mind. From then on, the Fei family could no longer cultivate their ancestral legacy, a century of accumulation instantly becoming nothing. Forced to start anew, they were plunged into endless torment.

He had been startled awake from nightmares too many times; he couldn't possibly be mistaken! It was indeed this person in the sky! Fei Tongyu's current status was too lowly; he didn't even have the right to know this person's identity. Yet, he wasn't anxious, muttering:

"Such a significant matter... Qing Yi can investigate it... Good... Good..."

This man, usually as hesitant as a stoat, calmly and composedly watched the vast colorful light in the sky. Even a slight ripple could tear him to shreds, yet he felt no fear, murmuring to himself:

"When revenge has a direction, one fears not vanishing without a trace. You slew my grandfather, leaving his corpse sprawled in the snow for all to see, his remains unburied for three months..."

"Three thousand of the Fei clan remain, all weeping blood and hating for our ancestor. Even three-year-old children in the peak draw wooden talismans. Just wait... just wait..."

Those eyes sank into the black smoke, disappearing into the darkness. The golden light in the sky brightened once more, and Si Yuanli, completely focused, remained unaware of any of this.

His green robes fluttered, and his swordsmanship was ethereal. He wielded his sword with effortless grace in the air, forcing the two mages to retreat repeatedly. Si Yuanli had been kept hidden by Yuan Xiu for many years, and now, bringing forth his sword, he felt a sense of exhilaration.

The lineage of the Pine White Full Essence Sword Art was ancient, traceable all the way back to Sima Jun, who guarded the riverbanks for the Wei Kingdom. The sword qi in his hand was pure white, surprisingly resonating with the Huai River Map beneath his feet, making it even more formidable. The mages' resonating shouts only made him pause. The jade bracelets on their wrists pulsed with light, and they immediately disengaged, raising their eyebrows to look at Li Xuanfeng.

Li Xuanfeng had already exchanged several blows with the mages, causing the sky to roar. The battle was reaching its critical point.

Six mages in the air glared furiously, their Buddhist chants echoing loudly. Some manifested three heads, others six arms, some had burning eyes on their chests, while others had four vibrating ears on their sides, each revealing their true forms.

At the mage level, with the exception of two special traditions, most highly cultivated mages were androgynous. Their faces shifted between male and female, intertwining masculine and feminine features, which was quite eerie.

Their arms, holding weapons, were robust and graceful, shimmering with golden dust. They tightly gripped their magical artifacts, which all converged onto a golden bow, intertwining brilliantly. The fearsome golden bow hooked the sharp edges of the various weapons, holding them steadily in the air.

Li Xuanfeng was held in check by the six Buddhist cultivators. His protective energy surged like clouds, manifesting from emptiness into reality in the air. It condensed into sharp rays of light, intertwining and gradually appearing in the air, spiraling upwards along the edges of his Celestial Golden Armor, circling around him.

His hand, resting on the golden bow, was as steady as a mountain. Yet, streams of golden light flowed from between his fingers. A white scroll unfolded beside him once more, unfurling like a long snake, and Li Xuanfeng suddenly vanished from his spot.

The magical artifacts in the hands of the six Buddhist cultivators simultaneously felt empty. All six pairs of eyes, as if carved from the same mold, looked south in unison. Just then, they saw the man in white-golden armor manifest his form, his long bow drawn like a full moon, pointing directly at them.

"Clang..."

The three golden rings in the air suddenly leaped and shone brightly. As if capturing something violently struggling, they wildly emitted metallic clanging sounds in place. Yet, Li Xuanfeng's bowstring did not cease.

"Clang clang clang clang clang..."

The faces of the three Buddhist cultivators holding the golden rings turned pale, and they simultaneously spat out blood. The remaining nine quickly formed hand seals and cast spells, each chanting incantations in low, complex, mind-bewildering voices, murmuring in the air:

"Respectfully, we summon the Akasagarbha Demon-Subduing Bowl!"

The grand formation itself began to shake violently. From the great void, a golden light burst forth and streaked through, landing precisely in the center of the twelve individuals. Like a small stone falling into water, it rippled outwards, then quickly gathered and condensed into a large purple bowl.

The purple bowl was rimmed with two black bands and bore no inscriptions. Yet, it was mysteriously solid, its opening a dark, gaping void, drawing in countless flying golden lights and firmly suppressing them within.

"A Violet Manor-level spirit artifact!"

Si Yuanli's face instantly darkened. A warning resonated in his mind as he secretly became aware of a terrifying truth.

It was obvious at a glance that the Akasagarbha Demon-Subduing Bowl belonged to a Maha. It must have been sent by one of the Seven Aspects, and its summoning here meant that at least one Maha was carefully observing this location!

"Hahahahahaha!"

Si Yuanli was highly alarmed by this. These twelve individuals had summoned a magical artifact specifically targeting Li Xuanfeng, which somewhat alleviated the frustration they had felt at being unable to subdue a single person. All of them burst into loud, overlapping laughter that echoed across the sky:

"A mere barbarian tribe from the southern mountains dares to challenge the sacred methods of our orthodox sect? The World-Honored One is merciful, but today you shall fall here."

This voice, rumbling like thunder, caused all the cultivators to look sideways.

No matter how formidable Li Xuanfeng was, he was still just one person. Facing him were twelve orthodox Void-Empty Path mages! Each of them was at the peak Foundation Building level. Not only could they borrow power from above, but they also possessed an exceptionally sophisticated grand formation. How could one person stop them?

Even Li Qinghong now wore a look of worry, considering how to abandon her current opponents and go assist. She mused that if she endured some more injuries and fully activated her 'Long Sky Dangerous Sparrow', she could still pose a threat to these people...

Li Xuanfeng, however, showed no change in expression, and said softly:

"Just watch!"

No sooner had Li Xuanfeng's words fallen than the golden string in his hand gleamed. The scroll unexpectedly emerged from his side, springing open upwards. It twisted and turned in the air, fluttering like a swimming dragon, and a swath of silver light shone forth.

Countless golden rays surged from his hand, like a dam collapsing and a flood erupting. For a moment, an unknown number of profound lights flew out, all pouring into the clear silver light.

These golden rays, upon touching the silver light, immediately transformed into gold and silver. They split into two, then into four, surging forth and leaping high into the sky, penetrating deep into the clouds:

"Clang!"

The profound lights filled the sky, rushing towards the heavens, and before they could descend, the silver light had already swept across. The purple bowl was still relatively stable, but the three golden rings swayed erratically, as if struck by a swiftly moving comet.

"Clang clang clang clang..."

The faces of the three Buddhist cultivators controlling the golden rings turned pale, but by using the grand formation to harmonize their spiritual power, their complexions quickly recovered. Yet, all twelve Buddhist cultivators hesitated for a moment.

This grand formation had a long and mysterious lineage. The twelve individuals could not only harmonize their spiritual power and share damage, but also communicate telepathically within it. Their thoughts instantly connected within the formation:

"This demon is extremely powerful. The Akasagarbha Demon-Subduing Bowl has limited capacity; how can we waste it easily? We should put it away for now and respond with the formation!"

The Buddhist cultivators were not simple individuals. Not wanting to give Li Xuanfeng a chance to test the Akasagarbha Demon-Subduing Bowl, the purple bowl instantly vanished, and all twelve returned to their positions in the formation, loudly declaring:

"Mii!"

A golden grand formation appeared, spanning both riverbanks. Countless golden incantations flowed, revealing its form. The circular formation, as vast as a mountain range and slightly tilted, dispersed the clouds and all demonic forces, its might profound.

"What a formidable grand formation."

By this point, the cultivators from both north and south had gradually lost their will to fight. However, being under the command of their superiors, they had no intention of stopping. Noticing the disturbance, they all looked up, and before they could properly examine the grand formation, they vaguely saw a flickering expanse behind it.

Si Yuanli finally lost his composure, and the sword light in his hand briefly faltered. Fortunately, his opponents had long since been beaten to a state where they couldn't retaliate, so this momentary lapse caused no consequences. He was horrified in his heart, whispering:

"Thirty-two thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight..."

As his words faded, stars unexpectedly appeared across the sky above, interweaving gold and silver, flickering erratically. They slowly expanded in the cultivators' pupils, transforming into profound lights that filled the sky, descending from the heavens. Before they even landed, a sharp, imposing aura rushed towards them.

"This... what is this?!"

"Is this Foundation Building?!"

The cultivators below had already turned pale. Li Qinghong's eyes were slightly red as she muttered to herself:

"Second Uncle has used the secret art that damages lifespan and cultivation..."

The profound lights rained down like a torrential storm. The lesser cultivators on the ground immediately scrambled for cover. Fortunately, these profound lights converged on their own in mid-air, surging towards the central grand formation, as if the River of Heaven itself was falling to suppress it.

The twelve Buddhist cultivators were all pinned down and unable to move, their eyes filled entirely with gold and silver light. The grand formation swayed erratically like lotus leaves in the rain, but after all, there were twelve of them; occasionally, someone would cough up a little blood, yet the formation remained unbroken.

The twelve mages were temporarily suppressed, and the profound lights filling the sky did not reach the ground. However, the lesser cultivators who had recoiled on both sides couldn't be stopped, fleeing towards the riverbanks. Even Foundation Building cultivators no longer had the heart to manage them...

Amidst the profound golden rain filling the sky, the offensives from both the north and south had to temporarily cease. Cultivators on both sides had lost their will to fight. Those at the Fetal Breathing and Qi Refining levels retreated, and only cultivators at the Foundation Building level were still holding each other in check.

By this point, almost everyone on the scene understood: the situation now hinged on Li Xuanfeng and the twelve Buddhist cultivators...

Either Li Xuanfeng defeated all twelve, forcing the North to abandon its southward advance, or the twelve mages slew Li Xuanfeng, causing the Huai River Map to disintegrate and giving the Northern cultivators an opportunity to advance south!

As tens of thousands looked up, the golden string in Li Xuanfeng's hand was drawn to its fullest, like a full moon. His eyes were astonishingly bright. Even with the ancient spirit artifact's augmentation, it seemed insufficient, as inside him, his two immortal foundations began to evaporate without regard for loss, emitting a thin golden mist.

Li Xuanfeng naturally possessed methods to consume essence, qi, and lifespan, known as the 'Sacrificial Essence Stabilization Art', an heirloom of the Ning family. He had used it once before when he killed Tang Shendu.

This secret art originally had extremely severe after-effects; often, overdrawing three to four tenths of one's immortal foundation would lead to cultivation collapse. The fact that he used this method to kill Tang Shendu and could still remain stable in the Great Ning Palace was partly due to Yuan Xiu's intervention, and partly related to his current state.

His current cultivation was anchored in his talisman seed, with nearly half of it detached from his physical body, meaning he was practically borrowing from the talisman seed. This came with an unexpected benefit: his immortal foundation was sustained by the talisman seed. Unless he drained it entirely with the secret art in one go, Li Xuanfeng could draw upon his cultivation with the secret art without risking collapse.

Therefore, resuming its use now, he was not at all stingy with his cultivation. Taking advantage of the twelve being held back, the golden-red arrow in his hand became increasingly condensed, and surging spiritual power and protective energy solidified in his grasp.

"Buzz..."

The profound lights filling the sky lasted for dozens of breaths. As soon as the golden-silver light disappeared, the golden-red color in Li Xuanfeng's hand almost simultaneously vanished. The twelve individuals all shuddered in unison, but it was too late to summon the Akasagarbha Demon-Subduing Bowl.

Only the three golden rings floated up in isolation, abruptly seizing something. The three circular golden rings paused slightly, and one of their corners suddenly twisted. In just one breath, the artifact emitted a piercing tearing sound in the air.

"Crack crack... Clang..."

The three magical artifacts instantly exploded in the air, transforming into a shower of golden fragments that cascaded down. The three Buddhist cultivators had already severed their connection with the artifacts, yet they still spat out blood, their faces as pale as golden paper.

Fortunately, thanks to this delay, the large purple-golden bowl reappeared in the air. It swallowed the golden-red arrow that had broken free, swayed twice, and then flickered between bright and dim.

The twelve Buddhist cultivators quickly seized the opportunity, leaping decisively from their positions and dismissing the great bowl. The remaining nine Buddhist cultivators shifted positions, and the grand formation reformed, all chanting in unison:

"We implore all Susiddhikara! Righteous Dharma suppresses demons!"

Instantly, sounds vibrated in the air. The remaining nine Buddhist cultivators' forms shone brightly, and a pair of calm, indifferent eyes simultaneously opened on each of their chests. Golden patterns flared on their faces, no longer resembling human countenances.

These eyes simultaneously looked at Li Xuanfeng. There was no colorful or golden light, no dazzling radiance appearing or disappearing through the void. Yet, the bright light beneath their feet trembled, causing the cultivators to stumble.

The bright light around Li Xuanfeng dimmed for a moment, and he was astonishingly held in place. The nine Buddhist cultivators followed suit, leaping up from their positions in unison. The grand formation beneath their feet dissolved at their command, and empowered by their Susiddhikara true forms, they attacked together.

"Boom!"

For a moment, metal and stone clashed, like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami raging. All light in the sky dimmed, and both the north and south riverbanks collectively fell silent.

Ten Buddhist cultivators attacked together, augmented by the Susiddhikara true forms summoned by the grand formation. Their power had accumulated to a terrifying degree. Si Yuanli, standing nearby, felt a premonition of death rise in his heart, and cried out in alarm:

"I underestimated them!"

The bright barrier beneath his feet trembled, and Si Yuanli broke out in a cold sweat. He frantically raised his head, and through the gaps where the golden light of various weapons intertwined with colors, he saw a touch of red.

"Clink..."

Scattered drops of blood, like a long curtain of shattered jade beads, each perfectly round and crystal clear, scattered in all directions. Striking the mages' stacked magical artifacts, they surprisingly produced sounds like jade.

"Whoosh..."

The blood dripped, transforming into golden rain in the dim mid-air. Under the gaze of tens of thousands, and the anxious or relieved looks of countless others, the golden bow and Li Xuanfeng's figure vanished.

"Where is that fiend?"

"Could it be that he was annihilated, turned to ash and smoke..."

Si Yuanli watched the bloody rain fall with wide eyes. Suddenly, he heard crisp metallic clangs, and a cold, hoarse voice echoed in the air, carrying from high above to the ears of cultivators both north and south.

"Gan-zhi Ren-Gui, metal used to its utmost..."

As this voice fell, the crisp metallic clanging grew louder, almost roaring more than thunder. Yet the cold, hoarse voice became even deeper:

"Sheny-You, the true position of Metal! I implore the Golden Wielder!"