"Hmm? A little demon? Since we don't know the situation, let's capture it and question it properly~" Tian Yuanzi's gaze suddenly turned cold as he descended from the sky, unleashing a ball of light with a single wave of his hand. The light was dazzling and powerful, radiating immense pressure, instantly illuminating Xiao Bai. Xiao Bai groaned and collapsed to the ground, unable to move an inch. Xiao Bai's cultivation level was at most the late stage of Qi Induction, barely touching the edge of the early stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation. A master at the late stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation was simply trash. Without any power to fight back, it was captured.
"There's such a snake demon? That's impressive. But what's strange is why it's hiding here?" Void said to Little White in surprise.
"What do you think? It must be kept by his subordinates to protect him. But what can such a long worm do outside? Can it stop us?" Tian Yuanzi said disdainfully.
"Exactly. Just a little worm~" Void said dismissively.
“Then ask me your questions,” Void said.
Tian Yuanzi frowned slightly and said, "You should do it."
"I can't do it, you should do it," Void waved his hand immediately. He didn't understand snake language, so it would require the Soul Searching Technique, which consumed mana and damaged one's karma. He wouldn't do that.
“Alright.” Tian Yuanzi glanced at the void, no longer refusing, and decided to use the Soul Searching Technique himself to obtain the information he wanted.
"Oh no! Something's happening down below!" Xu Kong suddenly exclaimed, as he suddenly felt a deep pressure and aura emanating from the ground that made him tremble.
"What's going on?" Tian Yuanzi was also taken aback, his grip on Xiaobai's hand pausing as he stopped casting the Soul Searching Technique. Xiaobai immediately swallowed hard; the pain of the Soul Searching Technique was like torture for the soul, terrifying even to hear about. It thought to itself, "Li Yang, hurry up, come out and save me!"
"Go down and take a look!" Tian Yuanzi struck Xiao Bai with a beam of light, causing Xiao Bai to tremble violently, its eyes filled with pain. Then, the entire snake stiffened, as if frozen in place. After immobilizing Xiao Bai, Tian Yuanzi casually tossed it to the ground. It transformed into a streak of light and hurtled towards the ground. The void, not to be outdone, quickly caught up.
Deep underground, within a deliberately created space, Li Yang sat motionless. Before him stood another Li Yang, but this one appeared far more ethereal, like a shadow, as if it might dissipate at any moment. Once a powerful and tangible person, he now seemed drained of his strength, reduced to a mere shell.
Looking at the other Li Yang, his entire body shimmered with golden light, almost like a solid golden figure, as if he were made entirely of gold. Radiating golden light, his entire body exuded an immense and boundless power, as if a single gesture or step could shake the earth. Each breath was accompanied by a tremendous roar. His wings, originally crimson blood, now also emitted a dazzling golden light, appearing as if sculpted from gold, like a golden-winged roc.
The entire space was shimmering with golden light. He had been sitting motionless on the ground when Li Yang's shadow opposite him suddenly trembled. Li Yang, radiating golden light, grabbed him, his eyes snapping open and shooting out two tangible golden beams. He opened his mouth and swallowed the shadowy Li Yang whole. Instantly, he vanished without a trace, entering Li Yang's body.
With a deafening roar, Li Yang trembled, and an astonishing aura surged forth, whipping up a powerful gust of wind within the tomb. Dust billowed up instantly, and the porcelain, shrubs, and other artifacts were reduced to dust and vanished without a trace. The sturdy walls were also instantly dented by the powerful wind; in the blink of an eye, several meters of walls disappeared, and the space suddenly became several times larger than before.
The sealing membrane, which was originally some distance below the soil layer, was suddenly exposed. However, within a second of emerging, it began to tremble and then cracked with a sound like an egg breaking. The entire underground area trembled as if a small earthquake had occurred, and the entire seal was destroyed.
"Oh no. The seal has been completely destroyed. Who has such power? Even you and I couldn't break it by brute force. Who is this person? Their strength is too great!" Tian Yuanzi said in shock.
"I also had a bad feeling, and those powerful malevolent energies seemed to have completely disappeared all at once. Could it have been absorbed by the person below? And his strength has increased dramatically, could it be that he has surpassed us?" Void Old Man's face turned pale and bitter, and he almost pulled out his beard.
Chapter 956: A Thunderclap from Out of the Blue
Tian Yuanzi and Xu Kong suddenly froze in mid-air, hesitating whether to descend to the ground or turn and flee, ignoring what was happening below. After all, the terrifying aura emanating from below was terrifying even to them. If they continued to pursue the matter, what if the other party became displeased? Wouldn't that be courting death?
"Hmph~ No matter how powerful he is, he can't possibly be an Earth Immortal. At most, he's only slightly higher than us. Breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation isn't easy. Becoming an Earth Immortal is no joke either. The fact that not a single Earth Immortal has appeared in hundreds of years already speaks volumes. In today's mortal world, Earth, it's impossible to become an Earth Immortal. We've occupied all the major blessed lands and grotto-heavens, yet we still can't become Earth Immortals. He's just a rogue cultivator, practically a wandering ghost, lacking resources, magic weapons, and spiritual herbs, with few cultivation manuals and scriptures."
"How could it be that we couldn't break through, but he did? That's absolutely impossible!" Tian Yuanzi snorted coldly to bolster his own courage, firmly denying that there was a powerful Earth Immortal below.
After listening, Xu Kong nodded slightly, agreeing with Tian Yuanzi's assessment. If they couldn't achieve the status of Earth Immortal, then it was even more impossible for those wandering ghosts, unless they were in a place like the Jade Pool Immortal Palace. They had nothing more to say.
"Then there's no need to be afraid of him. Let's go down and see for ourselves what kind of monster dares to openly oppose our five major sects and break the seal!" Master Void snorted coldly and said with a chilling expression.
"Good. It's time to go down and take a look." Tian Yuanzi nodded slightly, agreeing with Xu Kong's opinion. Having decided on their plan, the two landed on the ground with a whoosh. Then, with a thought, two incredibly powerful immortal swords shot into the sky, carrying astonishingly surging sword energy. They spun in the air, then pointed downwards, their sword light flickering as they swooped down. Even before reaching the ground, sand and stones began to fly, and cracks appeared everywhere.
"Open!" The two roared almost simultaneously, their immortal swords piercing the ground with a whoosh. With a tremor, a massive crater over two meters in diameter appeared in the ground—their swords had struck the earth at the same time. A crater over two meters in diameter and more than ten meters deep instantly appeared on the surface, revealing a huge underground cavern—a truly astonishing sight. But this wasn't what surprised them most. What truly astonished them was that within the crater lay a person, radiating dazzling golden light. A vast and pure aura of terror emanated from him, wave after wave. A demonic blade, exuding a terrifyingly fierce aura, hovered around his body, and a pair of golden wings, radiating brilliant light, fluttered slightly. It was as if a Vajra Arhat had suddenly descended to earth.
"What... what's going on?" Xu Kong's jaw nearly dropped to the ground in astonishment. The terrifying feeling and astonishing appearance left him speechless for a moment. The scene before him completely exceeded his imagination. That terrifying feeling, that feeling emanating from the depths of his soul, he experienced again. The last time he felt it was when facing Hua Mandie, before Hua Mandie entered the Xuan Yin Cave. That oppressive force that made one's soul tremble with fear was almost imprinted on his soul. He could never forget it. That was over a hundred years ago. At that time, his cultivation level was already at the late stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation. Now, his cultivation level was still at the late stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation, without the slightest progress, stagnant for over a hundred years. But before him appeared another person who made his soul tremble. Could it be that an Earth Immortal had appeared? His breathing became erratic.
Tian Yuanzi was stunned. He stared blankly at the radiant golden light and terrifying aura emanating from the brand. The golden light and wings brought many thoughts to mind. Could this be the legendary Vajra Arhat? No, the Vajra Arhat was a celestial being, a powerful figure in the Buddhist realm. In their world, even Earth Immortals were top-tier beings; there weren't even True Immortals. There couldn't possibly be Celestial Immortals. What else could it be but a Celestial Immortal? Radiating golden light, like a golden-winged roc. Could it have reached the Earth Immortal realm? Achieved the indestructible Vajra body? The indestructible Vajra body that that stinky monk from Dandong kept talking about? The Earth Immortal rank?
"How is this possible? What happened? Who is this person? His knife exudes a terrifying, murderous aura; just looking at it sends chills down your spine. What kind of weapon is that? What kind of knife? Could it be the Changping mass grave?"
"Did this sword absorb all the malevolent energy from several years ago, or did that malevolent energy transform into this sword?" Tian Yuanzi felt his mind was overwhelmed; everything seemed to be beyond his control and beyond his comprehension.
Both of them were stunned. Finally, Li Yang, who had gone all in and frantically improved his cultivation, broke through the barrier of the late stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation, achieving the Great Dao of Earth Immortal in one fell swoop, stepping out of the mortal's cage and attaining the status of an immortal. Although he was the lowest level of immortal, being an immortal meant he had achieved the Refining Spirit and Returning to Emptiness realm, which granted him immortality and transcendence of reincarnation.
"Hmph! You captured my Little White?" Li Yang felt incredibly exhilarated upon achieving the Earth Immortal realm, his strength surging. With a thought, he immediately realized Little White had been captured and was lying on the ground. His mood instantly soured, and his tone became somewhat displeased. At the same time, he waved his hand, and Little White suddenly moved, the spell cast on him by Tian Yuanzi instantly losing its effect. Little White hissed happily, leaping up and transforming into a white light, rushing into Li Yang's arms.
"Senior. May I ask your esteemed name?" The old Daoist Xukong swallowed hard, bowing respectfully. In the cultivation world, seniority isn't determined by age or experience, but by strength. Higher strength makes one a senior. The old Daoist Xukong was far more tactful than Tian Yuanzi, after all, Xukong's strength was inferior to Tian Yuanzi's. After all, Tian Yuanzi was hailed as the number one cultivator in the world. Therefore, the moment Xukong sensed the terrifying aura Li Yang imparted to him, he trembled and immediately concluded that Li Yang was an Earth Immortal, someone he absolutely couldn't afford to offend. He immediately lowered his head, admitting his mistake and willingly becoming a junior.
Li Yang glanced at Xu Kong, his expression cold and indifferent, though it made Xu Kong break out in a cold sweat. However, Li Yang didn't harm him; Xu Kong could still withstand the attack. Then, Li Yang's eyes turned to Tian Yuanzi, and he stared at him calmly, saying, "And who are you two?"
Xu Kong spoke first once again, saying, "This junior, Xu Kong, is a disciple of Mount Shu."
In his heart, Tian Yuanzi secretly despised Xu Kong for being spineless and a servile wretch. However, although he possessed backbone and pride, he too had to bow down and admit defeat in the face of absolute power. Though unwilling, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and accept it. He immediately bowed and cupped his hands, saying, "Junior Tian Yuanzi of Kunlun~"
"Shushan. Kunlun?" Li Yang squinted at the two men, a strange smile creeping across his lips. Their hearts skipped a beat. Why was this man making that face? He didn't look like a high-ranking Buddhist monk at all. Even though Dan Dong had a sharp tongue and a terrible temper, he wouldn't make such an expression. Who was this man, and what did he want?
"It's alright to tell you. My name is Li Yang~ A free spirit~" Li Yang said softly. But to the two of them, it was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
Chapter 957: Show Your Skills
Xu Kong paused for a moment, suddenly feeling his brain wasn't quite processing what was happening. He glanced back at Tian Yuanzi, utterly puzzled. "Is this Li Yang the Li Yang you were talking about? The Li Yang who killed both of your disciples?" "If it really is that Li Yang, then it makes sense. Why could he kill so many people all by himself? His strength is truly terrifying!"
Of course, the shock in the void paled in comparison to that of Tian Yuanzi. If he hadn't achieved such great success in his cultivation and lived to a ripe old age, he would have jumped up in awe. The information he received from his disciple Fei Ling was that Li Yang's main body was at the late stage of Qi Induction, while his second primordial spirit was even stronger—quite bizarre. However, at most, he was only at the early stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation. But now? Holy crap, higher than me? I'm at the late stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation! Higher than me? Are you at the early stage of Spirit Refining and Returning to Emptiness, an Earth Immortal? You've become an immortal? You're no longer human?
"You, what did you say? You, you are Li Yang?" Xu Kong couldn't help but pluck out a few hairs from his beard, forgetting the pain, and stared at Li Yang with trembling lips.
"Is there a problem? I am Li Yang!" Li Yang smiled mysteriously, stroking his chin as he looked at the two shocked people.
"It's nothing." Void hurriedly shook his head, like a child caught making a mistake.
But Tian Yuanzi's face turned ugly, even uglier than someone desperately trying to defecate. His eyes darted around, avoiding Li Yang's gaze, yet he couldn't help but look at him. For a moment, he was completely at a loss for words, unsure of what to say.
"You two came here with such fanfare, and even hurt my Little White. What exactly do you want?" Li Yang stroked Little White in his arms, looking at the two with a half-smile.
"Senior, please don't misunderstand. As you know, this is a demonic beast. We are cultivators, and the rule is that when we see a demonic beast appearing in the human world, we must control it and investigate it to prevent it from harming living beings. We are just being cautious and concerned. It's not directed at you, Senior," Xu Kong hurriedly explained anxiously, afraid that Li Yang might be displeased and kill them both with a single palm strike. That would be a truly unjust death.
"Oh. So you're good people, guardians of morality? Protectors of all living beings?" Li Yang looked at the two with a half-smile.
Xu Kong chuckled awkwardly, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "That used to be true, but with your sudden emergence, we dare not be arrogant anymore. We will follow your orders."
Tian Yuanzi inwardly despised Xu Kong to the core, but he was also helpless and somewhat fearful. However, his long-standing reputation as the number one expert in the cultivation world, and the sect leader, meant he was respected and commanded respect wherever he went. Today, his role had suddenly reversed. He was no longer the number one, no longer the respected and feared expert, but had become a subordinate, forced to be obsequious and fawning. For a moment, his mind went blank; he couldn't process it.