On the enraged North Sea, two immortals were acting on behalf of heaven to eliminate demons.
This ancient demon was a Great Luo realm demon king who had survived for countless years, evading numerous heavenly tribulations. Each time it survived a tribulation, it would slaughter more ferociously.
This demon was named Wu Xun Mo, a lineage of demons created by the Demon Ancestor Luohu.
On the sea, the ethereal Qingxu Daode Zhenjun, with his immortal demeanor, held the Mo Xie sword. Its radiant sword light was like a galaxy, repelling demons without corruption. Countless sword energies slashed through the void, yet they could not inflict a single scratch on the demon.
The Lingbao Grand Master stood at a distance, chanting incantations. He gathered the clouds of a thousand miles into thunder, and streaks of Yuqing Divine Thunder struck directly at the demon's head and antlers, only making the demon king more ferocious.
The two newly ascended Golden Immortals of Chan Sect, having just entered the Great Luo realm, were clearly no match for an ancient demon on the verge of entering the Grand Authority realm.
Yet, the two immortals showed no intention of retreating, facing the overwhelming demonic might with a heart set on eradicating the demon.
They harbored the intention to kill the demon, but the demon did not intend to kill them. It wasn't a matter of not wanting to, but of not daring. This was because Primordial World knew well the favoritism of the Heavenly Venerable Primordial. If he truly shattered the bodies of these two, Primordial would not let him off.
Heavenly tribulation was a heavenly punishment, and Wu Xun had many secret methods to evade it. However, the killing intent of a Saint was a man-made disaster. When a man-made disaster merged with a heavenly tribulation, it became a fatal calamity.
Wu Xun had been in hiding for tens of thousands of years; he did not wish to be buried here.
Thus, Wu Xun Mo turned around, transforming into thousands of shadowy illusions. With a flap of his wings, boundless void demons surged towards the two immortals.
Qingxu quickly waved his fan, unleashing a torrent of scorching flames that blasted open the horde of void demons. Lingbao changed his incantation, and a vast expanse of immortal light purified the void, instantly revealing Wu Xun Mo, who had been concealed.
Qingxu shouted, "Demon, where do you think you're going?" With that, he thrust the Zanxin Ding towards the demon's heart.
The demon roared, "Two juniors, if not for the sake of the Saint, I would have refined you into void demon avatars long ago!"
Lingbao chuckled, "Precisely because of that, we dare to pursue you relentlessly."
Wu Xun Mo's heart flared with anger. "How dare you! I, Wu Xun Mo, am being forced into such a pathetic state by two juniors today. It seems I must teach you a lesson."
Qingxu waved his hand, "Then you must be mindful of the severity, lest your master casually captures you. Come, then."
Saying this, the Zanxin Ding in his hand instantly pierced the demon's body, causing it to convulse in pain. But Wu Xun was an old monster after all. Enduring the terrifying agony, he let out a mighty roar towards the heavens. An invisible sonic wave swept across the four directions, instantly repelling the massive sword energies and the eighty-thousand-mile cloud thunder around him, causing Lingbao Grand Master's expression to change.
Lingbao Grand Master chanted his incantation again, and a long banner appeared, exuding a terrifying aura of slaughter that instantly permeated the nine heavens.
"Pangu Banner!" Wu Xun Mo cried out in terror. Disregarding everything else, he fled madly. A congenital supreme treasure of a Saint was not an opportunity but a death sentence!
Qingxu quickly urged his treasure fan again. Five types of exotic fires and the resounding calls of seven ancient behemoths rose together, and a terrifying true flame burned the void, rushing towards the demon.
Simultaneously, the Mo Xie sword flew into the clouds. Countless ancient patterns appeared on its blade's tip, as if countless spiderwebs were growing from the sword tip, covering the sky and sealing all directions.
Lingbao Grand Master and Qingxu shouted in unison, "Punish!"
The fire of the Seven Birds, carrying the might of ancient times, contended with heaven and earth, rushing towards the demon. The sword light in the sky seemed to pour down, destroying the universe. The Pangu Banner, carrying the power to shatter heaven and earth, swept forward. For a time, the momentum was immense, intimidating the entire North Sea.
However, the demon's panic turned to rage upon seeing the might of the Pangu Banner. "You dare to trick me with an illusion?"
The demon reached out and used its innate magical technique, the Wu Xun Mo Hand. In that ancient era, divine abilities and secret techniques did not have fancy names. They were usually named after the cultivator. The name of the divine ability was the name of the person.
The Wu Xun Mo Hand reached into the void, vanishing into the ethereal nothingness, and grabbed for Lingbao Grand Master's celestial spirit.
Lingbao's expression became solemn. One after another, spiritual treasures appeared around him: the Apricot Yellow Banner, the Jade Pure Glazed Lamp, the Yin Yang Mirror, the Heaven-Overturning Seal...
One after another, vivid supreme treasures of Chan Sect appeared, blocking before him.
But the vaguely perceptible dread did not disappear.
Seeing this, Qingxu quickly reached out and summoned the Hunyuan Banner to protect Lingbao Grand Master.
However, that hidden demonic hand ignored all the divine lights and suddenly materialized before Lingbao Grand Master's forehead, intending to seize his primordial spirit as well.
At this critical juncture, a point of light flashed instantaneously. Time flowed like an arrow, and an arrow of time struck that demonic hand.
Wu Xun Mo cried out in pain, "Who dares to ambush me?"
An old Daoist with white hair and a long beard walked out leisurely, holding a white whisk. His smile was kind and inviting, making one feel as if bathed in spring. Behind him stood a nondescript young boy, his head lowered.
"This humble Daoist is Wuya Zi, acting on behalf of heaven with my disciple Wang Ming. Today, encountering a malevolent demon, I cannot but act."
Upon seeing this, Qingxu and Lingbao rejoiced. "Many thanks for your assistance, fellow Daoist!"
Wu Xun, seeing an outsider arrive, instead restrained his anger and became cautious.
"Daoist, what is your cultivation level? Do you intend to interfere in my affairs, Wu Xun Mo?"
Wuya Zi chuckled and flicked his whisk. A bridge of bright moonlight was cast, descending from the nine heavens and pressing down on Wu Xun Mo.
Wu Xun Mo's expression changed greatly. "So you are a Grand Authority? I apologize, I shall take my leave!"
"Fellow Daoist, you should stay." Wuya Zi stroked his white beard and took a step forward. The vast moonlight illuminated the world like a bright moon descending into a valley, filling the world with clear radiance and bright light.
Accompanied by a cry of pain and unwillingness, the moonlight receded. At the bottom of the North Sea, a moon bridge appeared, with a demon king suppressed beneath it.
Qingxu and Lingbao stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Many thanks for your help, senior."
Wuya Zi nodded with a smile. "Indeed, as disciples of a Saint, it is rare to still possess such Dao heart."
Lingbao Grand Master, a refined young man, smiled faintly. "You jest, senior. We only embarked on the path of cultivation through our master's power. If we continue to rely on the Saint's name, how far can this junior go on the path of cultivation?"
Qingxu also replied, "I believe you must have heard what we said to trick that demon, leading to your misunderstanding."
Wuya Zi did not seem to mind. His disciple Wang Ming, however, said, "Are not all disciples of Chan Sect arrogant and haughty, relying on the Saint's prestige to be famous throughout the Primordial World?"
Lingbao Grand Master sighed upon hearing this. "These rumors were spread by our Chan Sect ourselves."
Wuya Zi said with a surprised chuckle, "And why is that? Could you explain it to this humble Daoist?"
Qingxu pondered for a moment. "Very well. Since you have helped us, and do not seem to be from the Three Sects, we shall explain.
Actually, it pertains to the teachings of our Chan Sect.
'Prospering in accordance with heaven, acting on behalf of heaven' sounds lofty, but do not all beings in the Primordial World think it merely means being slaves to the Heavenly Dao and accepting one's fate?
Those with true ambition and great perseverance desire to achieve the Great Dao and hope to escape the destiny of heaven. How would they choose our Chan Sect, a sect that prospers in accordance with heaven? Conversely, the teachings of Jie Sect, which intercept the power of heaven and act against heaven to change destiny, who would not desire that?
Thus, there are more excellent disciples who aspire to Jie Sect, and fewer dull ones who aspire to Chan Sect. Over time, our sect naturally finds it difficult to find gifted disciples.
Therefore, we can only rely on protectiveness to attract talented individuals from all over the world, so that those who join our Chan Sect can find a way to establish themselves."
"So that's how it is," Wuya Zi nodded. "It must be difficult for the immortals of your Chan Sect."
Lingbao smiled and said, "What is this? If one cannot endure this much, how can they possess the Dao heart to achieve Golden Immortal or Taiyi, let alone ascend to Great Luo?"
Wang Ming said with a playful laugh, "Fellow Daoist Lingbao, you are named Lingbao, so you should possess many spiritual treasures. Why are they all mere illusions of spiritual treasures conjured up?"
Lingbao fell silent for a moment.
Qingxu saw this and smiled. "Junior Brother Lingbao does not like to use the power of spiritual treasures. He believes more in his own mastery of techniques."
Wuya Zi heard this and chuckled. "Lingbao Grand Master indeed lives up to his name.
Disciple, you should learn from him."
Wang Ming nodded in agreement.
Qingxu then said, "This demon devoured nearly a hundred thousand of our Chan Sect's human disciples. It is truly extremely wicked. May I be so bold as to ask, for how long can your great divine ability seal this demon?"
Wuya Zi frowned. "This demon has already reached the half-step Grand Authority realm. Even I find it difficult to kill him. This seal can only hold him for at most one hundred Yuan Hui. After one hundred Yuan Hui, this demon will re-emerge into the world.
I shall impart a poem to you:
After a hundred Yuan Hui of peace, the demon star of the new moon will bring chaos.
Where clouds and flowing water pass in the western mountains, only then will the lamplight appear dimly."
Qingxu pondered over the words, but still did not understand. He was about to ask further.
However, the old Daoist Wuya Zi had already departed for other lands with his young disciple.
Lingbao Grand Master sighed. "What about after a hundred Yuan Hui?"
Qingxu said, "That will be for later. I shall relocate the refugees of the Jiufeng lineage outside our sect's mountain here to guard the North Sea Moon Bridge, to prevent this demon's avatars from coming to break the seal and appear prematurely."
Lingbao nodded helplessly. "This is all we can do for now. Perhaps after a hundred Yuan Hui, we will have already entered the Grand Authority realm and can resolve this demon."
Elsewhere, Wuya Zi stopped with his disciple before a desolate mountain. Wuya Zi asked with a smile, "Do you still think all disciples of Chan Sect are incompetent?"
Wang Ming was silent.
Wuya Zi smiled. "None who have entered the Great Luo realm, the pinnacle of immortality, have done so by chance or without substance.
I hope you will speak of their Dao."
Wang Ming was silent, then remained silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke, "Lingbao Grand Master's true form is Lingbao that has taken shape. He sees each spiritual treasure being stripped of its sentience and becoming mere tools for Daoists to wield. Yet, he is powerless to change the era where more and more immortals value spiritual treasures over Dao techniques. He can only walk his own path, cultivate techniques without relying on treasures, and hold fast to his own Dao heart.
Qingxu Daode Zhenjun might be a hypocrite, but he can benefit others while pursuing his own interests. One cannot say whether the name 'Daode' truly suits him or not."
Wuya Zi heard this and smiled with satisfaction. "Xuan'er, you have also made progress."
Wang Ming said, "Disciple is Wang Ming."
Wuya Zi chuckled. "Why call yourself Wang Ming, such an unfitting name?"
Wang Ming said, "Master, you said that since we enter the world, we should be our true selves. I have always believed that I am the pearl of the King of the Sky, the light of the Primordial Vault Master."