After several months of long voyage, the vast fleet finally set foot in the mysterious Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain.
Li Mu stood on the deck of the flagship, gazing down, only to see a majestic and magnificent Ling Peak soaring into the sky, like a bridge leading to the Immortal Realm.
Li Mu's expression revealed a complex emotion; memories of his cultivation in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain over a hundred Years ago surged like a tide, including his Lightning Tribulation in Qingxuan Sect and his advancement to the Nascent Soul Realm. That thrilling Undergoing Tribulation experience was still vivid in his mind. In Yu Ling Sect, he defended against the invasion of the Nine Demon Sect with Venerable Lei Hong and Revered Qing Wei, and obtained the Legacy of Celestial Evolution Divine Lord—a major turning point in his life—and acquired the Grotto-Heaven Magic Treasure, the Painting World Treasure Mansion…
Many memories of the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain surfaced in Li Mu's mind, as if a lifetime had passed, and a strong sense of belonging welled up in his heart.
"Elder Li, we're almost at the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain. I heard you're from the Southern Wilderness?" Elder Yun Yi's voice interrupted Li Mu's thoughts. He walked forward with a smile, looking at Li Mu with a hint of admiration and familiarity, and asked with concern.
"Yes! I am from Qingxuan Sect, but... but Qingxuan Sect no longer exists, right?" Li Mu's expression grew heavy. He nodded slowly, his voice tinged with regret.
"Elder Li, I am deeply sorry," Elder Yun Yi's tone also became heavy. The Demon Abyss forces' destruction in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain was so extensive that few survived. He paused for a moment, then quickly reassured him, "The Demon Abyss forces are indeed rampant in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain, and many Sects have been massacred by them. But this is also one of the reasons we came here; we hope to bring a glimmer of hope and light to the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain and completely drive the Demon Abyss forces out of this Realm."
"Elder Yun is absolutely right. I hope this trip will completely drive the Demon Abyss forces out of this Realm," Li Mu took a deep breath, feeling somewhat impatient.
Of the seven extreme lands, he had already obtained five. One of the extreme fire lands was firmly controlled by the Demon Abyss forces. If they weren't driven out of this Realm soon, that extreme fire land would likely be out of reach. At that point, Li Mu would have to expend a huge price to set up a formation and create a high-grade fire domain to Cultivate high-grade fire-attribute spiritual plants and maintain it for several hundred Years—an unimaginable cost.
Time flew by like a white steed, and the fleet's trajectory quietly passed through the magnificent outline of the Heavenly Pillar Peak range. Finally, the enchanting Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain completely opened its embrace to them.
The majestic Barren Ancient City came into view, standing amidst the peaks. Above it, a grand and spectacular Floating Skyport was suspended, like an island floating in the air, standing aloft and connected to the heavens and earth. Around the Floating Skyport, swirling clouds and mist were dreamlike, adding a sense of mystery and solemnity to this aerial city.
The Floating Skyport was grand in scale, shaped like a semi-circular fan, with various buildings scattered at different heights, pavilions and halls reflecting each other, revealing the vicissitudes of Years in their ancient elegance. Golden glazed tiles shimmered under the sunlight, sparkling with a captivating glow.
In front of the Floating Skyport, large and small Spirit Ships of various shapes were docked. Some were like coiled Dragons, majestic and imposing; others were like giant sword bodies, sharp and exposed... Each Spirit Ship exuded unique Spiritual Qi fluctuations, poised for action.
Busy small Spirit Boats shuttled between the Spirit Ships, or Cultivators flew on swords, or Cultivators rode flying Spirit Beasts. They came and went in a hurry, presenting a busy scene.
As the fleet approached, the Cultivators at the Floating Skyport looked up, their morale greatly boosted. They knew the origin of this fleet from afar: it was the Xuantian Sword Sect's fleet, coming to support them and jointly resist the Demon Abyss.
Soon, the fleet slowly descended onto the Floating Skyport. Everyone disembarked from the warships, feeling the solid ground beneath their feet and the Spiritual Qi permeating the air.
"Elder Li, Sword Master Feng is waiting for us. Let's go!" Yun Yi looked at Li Mu, gesturing an invitation.
Li Mu nodded and, following Yun Yi and Xiao Shuang, walked towards the flagship, then flew on their swords towards the main hall of the Floating Skyport.
Soon, the three arrived in front of a magnificent hall. Two guards stood at the entrance. Upon seeing Yun Yi, Xiao Shuang, and Li Mu, they immediately bowed in salute.
"Sirs, the Sword Master has been waiting for a long time inside the hall. Please enter," one of the guard commanders respectfully gestured.
The three exchanged smiles and stepped into the grand hall.
The hall was spacious and bright, elegantly decorated. In the center was a large round table laden with various delicacies and spiritual wine.
Sword Master Feng was already seated at the head of the table, smiling as he looked at them. Seeing the three enter, he waved his hand and warmly greeted them, "You three have had a long journey. Please take a seat. This is a welcoming feast for you."
"Thank you, Sword Master!"
The three thanked him in unison, then took their seats in order.
Sword Master Feng raised his wine glass, looked at the three, and said, "The Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain has been difficult to conquer. With your assistance today, we will surely turn the tide and open a new situation. Come, let us raise our glasses and drink this wine, wishing us an early victory!"
As Sword Master Feng's words fell, the three also raised their wine glasses and drank the meaningful wine with him.
After three rounds of drinks, Sword Master Feng's smile faded, and his expression turned serious as he began to elaborate on the war situation in the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain.
"The passage cracks in the Sealed Land show signs of expanding, and the Demon Abyss's power is continuously infiltrating, making our defenses increasingly strong. Ten Years ago, we could still penetrate deep into the Sealed Land, but now, even approaching the Sealed Land has become extremely difficult."
"The Demon Abyss's demonic creatures have not only drastically increased in number but also significantly improved in strength, including some powerful demonic species we have never seen before. Their fighting style is cunning and cruel, often catching us off guard."
"If this continues, I fear we will struggle to maintain our position. The Demon Abyss has a vast number of demonic creatures, and their Xenomorph Cultivators are powerful. They seem endless and can recover quickly after each battle, while we need time to recover and rest."
"Even more seriously, I suspect that a more powerful existence from the Demon Abyss forces has already descended upon this Realm through secret arts. Once he adapts to the Heavenly Dao power of this Realm, it will be a catastrophic consequence."
...
Listening to Sword Master Feng's detailed explanation, the three exchanged glances, their expressions becoming extremely solemn.
"Sword Master, what is your plan?" Yun Yi looked at Sword Master Feng, asking with concern.
"If the Demon God of the Demon Abyss descends, without a Dao Lord's intervention, neither you nor I can defeat him. However, the two Dao Lords are currently outside the Domain and cannot disengage to provide aid for a while!" Sword Master Feng took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the three of them one by one, and said in a deep voice, "Facing the Demon God of the Demon Abyss, fighting alone with our strength has almost no chance of victory. However, if we can combine our efforts, there is still a chance to fight."
"Sword Master, do you mean to use the power of the Sword Formation?" Xiao Shuang's eyes lit up, and she looked at Sword Master Feng, asking for confirmation.
"Precisely! Elder Xiao is indeed intelligent." Sword Master Feng nodded slightly, giving Xiao Shuang an appreciative look, then solemnly introduced, "This Sect was founded by the Xuantian Sword Immortal, starting with the Dao of the Sword. We also have a few Dao-Grade Sword Formation Legacies. One of them, the Dao-Grade Sword Formation 'Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Heavenly Sword Chapter', if we can gather seven Combined Body Realm Sword Cultivators, Cultivate this method together, and jointly deploy this Sword Formation."
"Moreover, thanks to Elder Li's Artifact Refining assistance, gathering seven Dao-Grade Swords for this formation will undoubtedly greatly increase its power. Even if a Demon God truly descends upon this Realm, we can slay him with a single sword," Sword Master Feng paused, then looked at Li Mu and praised him.
Upon hearing this, the three immediately brightened up, involuntarily drawn to the plan described by Sword Master Feng.
Li Mu smiled slightly and humbly waved his hand, saying, "Sword Master, you flatter me. I am merely doing my best, contributing a small effort to the Sect."
Xiao Shuang's delicate brows furrowed as she seriously pondered in that direction. Then, remembering something, she looked at Sword Master Feng and asked with concern, "Sword Master, how can we ensure that we find enough Combined Body Realm Sword Cultivators in such a short time and have them master this Sword Formation? Our Sect has quite a few Combined Body Realm Sword Cultivators, but it seems we can't gather enough for this formation, can we?"
Yun Yi frowned deeply, nodded, and then added, "Sword Master, this method might not work! As far as I know, deploying this Heavenly Sword Formation requires gathering Combined Body Realm Sword Cultivators of the Five Elements—gold, wood, water, fire, earth—and Yin and Yang, seven attributes in total. Moreover, each Sword Cultivator needs to have profound Sword Dao Cultivation and tacit cooperation, which is almost an impossible task."
"That's right, I've also gained some insights into the 'Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Heavenly Sword Chapter'. This formation is a peerless Sword Formation of our Sect that has been lost for a long time. Its power is incomparable; once unleashed, it condenses the Chaos Power of the Nine Heavens into a Heavenly Sword, destroying everything in its path," Xiao Shuang's eyes sparkled with anticipation, speaking with immense longing.
After a pause, Yun Yi's expression darkened, and he frowned, "However, to wield this formation, gathering seven Sword Cultivators of equal Cultivation in Yin and Yang and the Five Elements is difficult. Five Elements Sword Cultivators are easy to find, but two Yin and Yang Sword Cultivators are hard to come by! Especially at the Combined Body Realm!"
"Indeed, and besides, this 'Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Heavenly Sword Chapter' is a secret of our Sect that is not to be passed on, so it's not suitable to transmit it to external Sects," Xiao Shuang nodded solemnly, indicating her agreement.
Upon hearing this, Sword Master Feng's brows furrowed, stumped by the current problem, and for a moment, he looked distressed.
Listening to their conversation, especially hearing about the Cultivation Technique "Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Heavenly Sword Chapter," Li Mu's spirit couldn't help but be invigorated. If there was no accident, this Dao-Grade Legacy should be the advanced Cultivation Technique of "Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Basic Chapter."
Currently, Li Mu held the esteemed position of Grand Elder in Xuantian Sword Sect, making him a core member of the core management. Yet, he had never seen this Sword Formation Legacy.
"Sword Master Feng, isn't this 'Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Heavenly Sword Chapter' in the Hall of Dharma Transmission? Why haven't I seen it?" Li Mu couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
"Elder Li, it's normal for you to have this doubt," Sword Master Feng looked at Li Mu and replied with a slight smile, "The 'Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Heavenly Sword Chapter' is indeed one of our Xuantian Sword Sect's most precious Legacies, but it is not easily accessible. This Sword Formation requires extremely high Sword Dao Cultivation and a special Opportunity to comprehend, so it has always been kept in the Forbidden Land of our Xuantian Sword Sect, personally guarded by successive Sect Masters."
"Forbidden Land?" Li Mu raised an eyebrow. He had heard of Xuantian Sword Sect's Forbidden Land but never had the Opportunity to enter it.
"Yes, the Sword Sect Forbidden Land," Sword Master Feng nodded. "It houses the relics and Legacies of our Xuantian Sword Sect's past Seniors, including many extremely precious Magic Treasures and ancient texts. However, the Forbidden Land is also full of unknown dangers; a single mistake could lead to death. Therefore, one must only enter after ensuring sufficient strength and with the Sect Master's permission."
"I understand," Li Mu nodded, enlightened.
"Furthermore, even if one can enter the Forbidden Land and read the texts of the 'Profound Heaven Sword Formation - Heavenly Sword Chapter', it doesn't mean it can be easily comprehended," Sword Master Feng continued. "This Sword Formation requires seven Combined Body Realm Sword Cultivators to Cultivate together, and each person's Sword Dao Cultivation and comprehension ability will affect the power of the Sword Formation. Therefore, setting up this formation requires finding Sword Cultivators who meet the conditions, and they also need to have sufficient tacit understanding and trust among themselves to jointly unleash the Sword Formation's maximum power."
"Oh! Can no one deploy this formation alone?" Li Mu was slightly startled and asked with concern.
Upon hearing this, Sword Master Feng looked at Li Mu thoughtfully, knowing that Li Mu cultivated all Five Elements and Yin and Yang, and might have an Opportunity to deploy this formation in the future. However, he then seemed to recall something and shook his head with a wry smile.
"The power of this Sword Formation is immense. The minimum Realm requirement is for a Combined Body Realm expert. However, without comprehending the Five Elements and Yin and Yang, and without gathering the Chaos Power of the Nine Heavens, even a Great Vehicle Dao Lord, or even one Undergoing Tribulation to Immortal Ascension, would find it difficult to deploy this formation," Sword Master Feng explained to Li Mu. After a pause, he continued, "But things in the world are always full of variables. Elder Li, you Cultivate all Five Elements and Yin and Yang. While you may find it difficult to access such a Sword Formation now, the road ahead is still very long, and the path of Cultivation is inherently about continuous Breakthrough and transcendence. You may yet have an Opportunity in the future."
"Thank you, Sword Master, for your guidance," Li Mu thanked him gratefully. Then, remembering something, he looked at Sword Master Feng and suggested, "If we can't gather the Heavenly Sword Formation, other Sword Formations might still work! For example, the Earth Origin Sword Formation, the Four Seas Sword Formation, the Flowing Cloud Sword Formation. As long as there are enough Dao-Grade Swords and the formation deployers cooperate tacitly, with the power of these Sword Formations, cross-Realm combat should be no problem, right?"
After a pause, Li Mu looked at the three Sword Masters and continued to suggest, "If it really doesn't work, setting up a grand formation trap, combined with the power of a Sword Formation, with the combined power of both, it might even be possible to slay a high-level Demon God, right?"
Upon hearing this, the three seemed to be enlightened, their expressions simultaneously stunned, looking at Li Mu with full of surprise.
"What? Did I say something wrong?" Li Mu felt uneasy under their gaze and asked confusedly.
"No, Elder Li, your suggestion is very good. I just didn't think of it for a moment," Sword Master Feng gave a wry smile, looking at Li Mu with a complex expression.
These Sword Cultivators were accustomed to fighting alone. Deploying Sword Formations was already the strategy they could think of to counter powerful enemies. Under their habitual way of thinking, they had never considered cooperating with Magic Formations and traps. Li Mu's suggestion immediately enlightened them.
"Elder Li's method is excellent. Last time you designed the killing of the Undying Demon Lord, we only realized afterward that Elder Li was meticulous and cautious!" Xiao Shuang smiled gracefully, praising Li Mu.
"Oh, there's such a thing? Tell me about it!" Sword Master Feng asked with interest.
Xiao Shuang nodded, then recounted how Li Mu had set up a trap and invited them to jointly eliminate the Undying Demon Lord.
Sword Master Feng listened with great interest, looking at Li Mu with surprise and approval. (End of this chapter)
