"Rahu, I am the Cangtian Dao Venerable. Today I shall step into your Sword Formation and see whether this Nine Tribulations Sword Arrays truly possesses the power to slay gods and butcher saints."
A divine radiance descended from the heavens, and within it the Cangtian Dao Venerable strode forth. A Saint descending to the mortal realm brought with him golden light stretching for thousands of li, purple qi surging from the east, heavenly flowers falling from the skies, and golden lotuses blooming across the land.
Clad in purple robes, his face solemn and majestic, the Cangtian Dao Venerable glanced once at the great sword formation before him. Without hesitation, he advanced, and above his head appeared a cloud of auspicious light. From within emerged a purple immortal bell—his life-bound innate treasure, the Heaven-Suppressing Bell!
This was an innate supreme treasure, capable not only of suppressing fortune but even of stilling the very movements of heaven and earth. Sun, moon, and cosmos—one toll of the bell could suppress them all. Domineering and terrifying.
Fixing his gaze on the bell, the Cangtian Dao Venerable stepped into the Nine Tribulations Sword Arrays.
"Heh heh, come, come, come! Step inside and fight! I, Rahu, was never one to be frightened into retreat."
Rahu's eerie laughter rang out. His words carried not the slightest hint of fear or retreat. Since battle was inevitable, what difference did it make how many Dao Venerables entered? The Nine Tribulations Sword Formation itself was forged through the gathering of boundless tribulation power—what opponent could be more fitting than Saints themselves?
"Well said, Rahu."
Juntian Dao Venerable also gave a nod of praise, appearing outside the formation. Above his head blossomed a cloud of auspicious qi, upon which floated a pure yellow jade ruler. Upon it shone two characters—Jun Heaven (Tian). This was his life-bound treasure, the Jun Heaven Ruler. One strike of the ruler could collapse all the heavens, its destructive force boundless.
"The curtain has already fallen upon you, yet you still leap out. You are merely courting death."
The Xuantian Dao Venerable shook his head slightly. Above him rose a canopy of auspicious clouds, from which descended a golden pagoda emitting divine light. This was his life-bound treasure—the Xuan Yang Pagoda. Nine stories tall, yet each one contained immeasurable power. It brimmed with pure yang force, each layer like a blazing sun hanging high above. All demons and evils were instantly annihilated beneath it, reduced to nothing, not even ashes remaining.
The three Dao Venerables joined the Demon Heaven Dao Venerable and together entered the Nine Tribulations Sword Arrays.
Clearly, their intent was to join forces to break the formation and slay Rahu outright. With such a Demon Ancestor lurking in the shadows, even the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables would not wish him to exist. His mere survival was too great a threat.
"Why has Rahu appeared at this moment? And why does he seem to stand on the opposing side of the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables?"
Hidden in the void, several gazes turned toward Great Yi.
At this moment, Great Yi had already become the focal point of the Eternal World. Countless eyes were watching, among them Saints. For instance, the Three Pure Ones were watching intently from nearby.
It was the Primordial Heavenly Venerable who spoke, his eyes showing a trace of doubt. The timing of Rahu's emergence was far too coincidental. It reeked of him deliberately aiding Great Yi. And Rahu was no minor figure—he was no "lamp that runs out of oil."
Long ago, he had contended with the Dao Ancestor himself for the role of Heaven's favored son. His legend still evoked dread even today.
"The Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation is itself a legacy of Rahu. Back then, he used it to contend with Teacher. It could not be broken without the Four Saints. And now, he has crafted a Nine Tribulations Sword Arrays. I wonder, how does this compare to the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation?"
The Lord of Tongtian's eyes gleamed with excitement.
The Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation had long been refined and strengthened by him over the years, now ranking among the foremost killing formations in existence. Yet its origin remained tied to Rahou. And Rahu's wisdom was not to be underestimated.
To have devised a Nine Tribulations Sword Arrays—when the Lord of Tongtian first heard of it, he had even considered personally stepping inside to test its mysteries. For now, though, it sufficed to watch.
"This time, for Great Yi to overcome this calamity will not be so easy. The Nine Heavens Dao Venerables have already acted, and they will not rest until their aim is achieved. Between them and Yi Tianxing, I fear only one side's collapse will mark the end. Now, it depends on the means of the Holy King of Yi."
The Grand Pure One (Laozi) shook his head and sighed.
Such battles were the foundation of the Eternal World itself. Whichever side lost, the pain would shake the ages. But the two could not coexist. Nor could the Three Pure Ones intervene. And among the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables were those of demonic nature—who truly was "the demon"? They could only wait and see, lest greater losses befall.
"Yi Tianxing, I have come to send you to the afterlife."
In the void, blood light surged like a tidal wave. In but an instant, a vast sea of blood appeared at the horizon, pouring down from the heavens like a blood-colored mural. Within the blood sea countless ferocious shadows writhed, and should they descend, they would wreak apocalyptic ruin.
"Excellent. On this day next year shall be your death anniversary."
The Evil Heaven Dao Venerable sneered, his eyes brimming with cruel anticipation and excitement.
In his hand he held a jade umbrella, which he unfurled. It shielded him from all wind and rain. This was his life-bound treasure, the Evil Spirit Thousand-Changes Umbrella. Not merely a parasol, it could transform into myriad divine weapons. In battle, it was infinitely changeable, eerie and unfathomable. To slay geniuses with it was far more intoxicating than killing common cultivators.
Five Dao Venerables joined forces against Yi Tianxing. To die at their hands was enough to be considered an honor, one that would grant eternal renown.
"Good! Very good! Do you truly think Yi Tianxing is a plaything for you to crush at will? Today, I shall let you know—even ants can defy the heavens! My Great Yi is not inferior to anyone. Here, this is the domain of Great Yi! The heavens here belong to Great Yi! And within it, this Holy King is Heaven's Will itself!"
Yi Tianxing's voice rang cold and sharp.
Standing upon the Heaven-Sacrificing Altar, his figure in that instant seemed to tower endlessly, filling the entire world.
In that moment, he was in no way inferior to the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables. In majesty and momentum, he even surpassed them. For this was his home ground. This was Great Yi's territory.
"By decree: The Nine Heavens Dao Venerables have waged war without the Way. They must be punished!"
"Deprive the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables of their Saint Positions!!"
Yi Tianxing spoke each word slowly, but his voice reverberated like thunder.
Deprive—the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables—of their Saint Positions.
At those words, all heaven and earth fell silent. It was an act of open defiance against the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables. Outside of Heaven's Dao itself, who dared proclaim to deprive Saints of their positions? It was nothing less than courting death.
Even more—it was thought impossible.
"Where does your confidence come from?"
The Nether Heaven Dao Venerable sneered.
Yet as Yi Tianxing's words fell, above Great Yi an invisible will surged forth. A vast heavenly net appeared, woven entirely of glowing heavenly decrees. This Heavenly Net unfurled to cover the world, and beneath it, no one could defy its law. It represented the will of Great Yi itself.
Here, Heaven was Great Yi's Heaven.
And the moment the Heavenly Net appeared, it severed the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables' link with Heaven's Dao. Within Great Yi's territory, Heaven's Dao will receded as though cut off.
This was the power of a Dao Dynasty. Within such a dynasty, the will of the dynasty's ruler was the will of heaven and earth. He could substitute for Heaven's Dao and exercise its authority.
Of course, this was merely shielding, not truly erasing. To truly strip away the Saint Position was beyond Great Yi's current standing.
"What—how can this be?"
"Our connection to Heaven's Dao has been severed! Great Yi truly is a Dao Dynasty, to possess such terrifying ability. Great Yi should have been annihilated long ago. To have endured until now is a colossal disaster."
"Kill him! Kill him, and everything will be broken!"
The Nine Heavens Dao Venerables clearly felt the change. Normally, with a thought, they could command the power of heaven and earth itself. But now that ability had vanished. For the authority to mobilize heaven and earth was granted by Heaven's Dao. Yet their own Daos they still retained.
Now, they were merely Hunyuan realm experts.
Saint—that was an office, a position. As long as Heaven's Dao endured, Saints could not die. But stripped of Heaven's Dao's authority, they were only Hunyuan beings—and Hunyuan beings could perish.
Within Great Yi's domain, they had lost the Saints' undying, indestructible privilege.
"Not fully cut off—there remains a faint thread of connection."
They could still sense a lingering tie to Heaven's Dao. Great Yi, as a Dao Dynasty, was not under Heaven's Dao's jurisdiction, yet retained the right of supervision. With only a Holy Court, it could not fully sever Heaven's influence.
But the impact was enormous. Should Great Yi advance to become an Immortal Court, that severance would be complete.
"This must not be allowed. Great Yi cannot be permitted to ascend to Immortal Court."
The thought surged within the minds of the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables, filling them with dread.
"Great Yi truly is a Dao Dynasty."
The countless great powers hidden in the dark, and even the Saints such as the Three Pure Ones, upon witnessing this, had their perspectives of Yi Tianxing utterly transformed.
"Jiang Ni, open the Feng Shui grand array. Protect Great Yi!"
Yi Tianxing did not pause, immediately issuing his next command.
"Yes, Holy King!"
Jiang Ni responded loudly.
As the order came, divine light flashed in his hand, and the Mountain-Driving Whip appeared, runes of mystery flickering along its length.
Crack!!
The whip lashed into the void with a sharp report, imbued with unfathomable power. At once, every realm and every immortal city of Great Yi trembled as one.
"Mountains and Rivers State Map—unfurl!!"
As his voice fell, Xuanhuang Sacred City released a profound resonance. From within, a divine light surged skyward, like a pillar reaching the heavens. Across all the realms of Great Yi, dragon veins roared, and in each immortal city, heaven-reaching divine pillars rose one after another, towering mightily between heaven and earth.