Chapter 44: A Thought Contains All Phenomena

High above the wilderness, atop the mountain peaks, a voice rang out abruptly. It seemed to descend from the clouds, ethereal as mist, gentle as the wind, blending with the dust.

Ao Tian lifted his head to face the moonlight. The right side of his face had completely rotted away, patches of wrinkled skin now a bluish-brown, as menacing as the scales of a serpent. The other half, though still bearing the features of a man, was unnaturally aged, wholly at odds with the strength of his body.

Such a body could no longer be called human.

“Three thousand years! This world can no longer birth immortals. The world hates me—all must die!”

Staring at the full moon, Ao Tian spoke with mounting difficulty, each word forced out in broken, halting syllables. His voice was oppressively muffled, as if spoken from within a coffin, sealed away from the world.

As he uttered the final word, he suddenly threw his head back and roared in fury, wildness overtaking him. In that instant, savage fangs erupted from his mouth. From his neck down to his foot, the right half of his body turned ashen-black, as if oxidized in an instant, his skin now rigid as dried meat roasted in fire. His hair, too, transformed in a flash from black to a blood-red hue.

“This is bad—he’s turning into a corpse. Some force must have violently awakened him from slumber, shattering the Five Elements’ spell he’d laid upon his own body.”

Everyone witnessed Ao Tian’s transformation. The Kirin Envoy of the Five Images, already shaken after seeing two masters of the Upper Mystic Heaven Sect slain in an instant, now recoiled in terror at Ao Tian’s madness, stumbling back two steps, his face ashen.

“Senior brother, what happens after a corpse transformation? He was a master of the Ancient Union Heaven Realm—he can’t have lost all reason. Will he truly slaughter the world?”

“How should I know? No one ever imagined it would come to this… An ancient master of the Union Heaven Realm, a living Yin-Yang sorcerer—perhaps even the leaders of all the great sects cannot fathom his strength. For now, best we do nothing.”

The five Seal Envoys were in disarray, desperate to flee. Yet, with the Upper Mystic Heaven Sect and Hundred Blossom Valley serving as grim examples, none dared move. The scholar sat slumped on the ground, unable even to open his eyes, muttering prayers to all the gods and buddhas.

At that moment, Moonless quietly transformed into his true demon fox form and carried Lu Xin down from the ledge.

“Fox, it seems we’re doomed this time. I’ve brought calamity upon you all.”

Lu Xin’s voice was heavy with guilt. The situation had spun completely beyond his control. If he hadn’t suggested accompanying the Ghost Soldiers westward, perhaps Tu Chengli and Moonless would never have fallen into such peril.

“It’s not your fault, so don’t blame yourself. We—”

“Roar!”

Before Moonless could finish, Ao Tian let out another furious howl, spewing a torrent of black smoke that instantly shrouded the wilderness. Overhead, thunder rumbled within the low-hanging black clouds, as if heaven and earth were colliding.

“The world hates me. The scattered paths slay the immortals—kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!”

Ao Tian shouted “kill” seven times, each more thunderous and weighty than the last. As his voice faded, countless shadows emerged in the void beneath the black clouds, each coalescing from darkness into physical form. In just a few breaths, the entire wilderness was filled with Ao Tian’s images.

With a single thought, myriad forms were born!

“Ao Tian, the Great Tang is a sacred dynasty for the ages, far beyond the world you once knew. Your flesh has turned corpse and demon, and the world will not tolerate you. Do you think you can still leave this place today?”

“You insolent child—die!”

Ao Tian’s true body stamped into the ground, borrowing its force, and shot out of the wilderness like a cannonball toward the mountains, shrouded by black clouds. Lu Xin and the others could not discern where he’d gone.

At the same time, hundreds upon thousands of Ao Tian’s avatars surged in all directions. Lu Xin watched in despair as dozens charged toward him. It wasn’t just him—the Five Images’ disciples and the Yang sisters all paled.

Though these were only avatars, their presence was overwhelming, each like a primordial beast. Ao Tian was, after all, an ancient cultivator, his mastery at the Union Heaven Realm. No one wanted to cross him unless absolutely necessary.

“At this speed, they’ll reach the foot of the mountain in ten breaths. Senior brother, what do we do—fight or flee?”

“He’s inhaled the clouds and now spews them forth. This black fog over the wilderness must be some grand formation. I fear escape is nigh impossible.”

The Kirin Envoy gripped his treasure seal, his purple robe billowing in the wind. Though the avatars rapidly approached, he was clearly still mired in indecision.

Seeing this, Moonless strode forward, returning to his demon fox form.

“With the blade at your throat, what is there to hesitate for? Five Seal Envoys, I’ll hold them off for you. Five breaths—five breaths should be enough for you to set your formation, no?”

Without waiting for a reply, Moonless charged out, his massive body slamming into more than a dozen avatars—only to be sent flying the next instant.

Boom!

The cliff quaked from the impact, dislodging a torrent of rocks. Moonless had hoped to withstand five breaths, but hadn’t lasted even half a moment. The faces of all present darkened further; Lu Xin’s hands, gripping the Sword of Wandering Immortals, were slick with sweat.

“Xin, what now? I’m still a virgin, am I to die like this? Heaven, how can you be so blind!”

“Enough with the shouting—go, check on the fox, see how badly he’s hurt!”

“Qin’er, release the golden-armored gu insects, I need to cast a spell.”

“Sister, you—?”

“Don’t hesitate—there’s no time!”

Suddenly, Yang Xiu stepped in front of everyone, her fingers rapidly forming seals as she spoke. Seeing this, Yang Qin gritted her teeth, pulled a bamboo tube from her robes, and uncorked it—sending a swarm of golden insects, fine as mosquitoes, into the air. Yang Xiu bit her tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the swarming insects.

The air was filled with a piercing, high-frequency buzzing that made Lu Xin’s ears ache, though the pain lasted only a second. Then, countless golden insects burst apart, their pale yellow blood mingling with Yang Xiu’s, transforming into two streams of vapor that flowed into the sisters’ mouths and noses.

At once, a faint golden aura enveloped Yang Xiu and Yang Qin, even manifesting wings upon their backs. Meanwhile, more than a dozen of Ao Tian’s avatars rushed upon them. The sisters, wielding daggers, darted about like the wind, managing to fend off eight attackers at once.

At the sight, the Kirin Envoy brightened and shouted, “Form the array!”

The five Seal Envoys tossed their treasure seals skyward, each burning a talisman and hurling it into the air. As they chanted, the seals of east, south, west, north, and center transformed into the visages of divine beasts, roaring up at the sky.

Three seconds later, a square barrier formed overhead, with a colossal Kirin standing atop it, gazing down upon all creation.

“The formation will last for half a quarter-hour. Ladies, quickly, enter the array!”

After the Five Images’ disciples finished the formation, their complexions visibly worsened. The Kirin Envoy’s voice was already faint, and the Yang sisters, surrounded by more than a dozen avatars, could not hear a word.

The avatars, though incapable of spells or flight, were wreathed in black mist. The sisters’ daggers could not harm them in the slightest. The golden light upon the sisters, battered by the avatars’ blows, was rapidly fading.

“So young, yet such cultivation—Miaojiang’s witchcraft truly is extraordinary!”

“Indeed. Judging by their strength, each avatar is equal to a sixth-rank Yin-Yang Master. That demon fox, a born abomination, couldn’t withstand even a single exchange against ten, but these two have held out this long. The power of the Witch Tribe’s descendants is clear to see.”

Sheltered beneath the array, the five Seal Envoys were far more composed now, their voices no longer panicked. Lu Xin, hearing them converse so nonchalantly, pulled a long face.

“The two sisters are about to collapse, yet as allies, you still have time to sit and chat?”

“Oh? Are you suggesting we risk our lives to save them?”

The White Tiger Envoy sneered at Lu Xin’s words, the others all turning with unfriendly glares.

“You, a mere mortal, dare question us? Who gave you the courage?”

“In this world, people accept kindness without gratitude, always asking for more—such arrogance!”

“Hmph. If not for the Miaojiang sisters, would we have sheltered you inside the array?”

The Five Images’ disciples cared nothing for Lu Xin. To them, even the top martial artists of the world were beneath their notice, let alone a youth just out of the academy. Thus, when Lu Xin’s words tore away the veneer of civility, it seemed abrupt, yet was only natural.

“Sister, my magic is nearly spent—I can’t hold on!”

At that moment, outside the barrier, Yang Qin cried out. The golden aura around her was all but gone, her attacks slowed to a fraction of their initial speed—clear signs of exhaustion. Yang Xiu immediately darted to her side, pushing her into the array with a palm.

“Take care of my sister!”

“Sister, no! Please, save her—my sister, she’ll die!”

Watching Yang Xiu beset by more than a dozen avatars alone, Yang Qin’s tears flowed like rain. Yet the Five Images’ disciples remained silent, not even glancing outside the barrier.

“Cowards, every last one of them.”

“Boy, what makes you so bold? This world is full of your kind—demanding others take action while you cower in safety.”

“Is that so?”

With a cold, disdainful snort, the youth drew his sword and charged out of the array!