"To be able to converse with my predecessor to this extent, I have no regrets." Mo Ren bowed towards Jiang Wen. "Please forgive me, predecessor, but I have no time left."
Mo Ren spoke as the ink color on his body slowly faded. He stood before Jiang Wen, peacefully watching the giant sword, and said with a smile, "How wonderful it would be if I could have been born in the era of my predecessor."
"The Dao follows nature; there's no need to force it," Jiang Wen said.
"As long as one lives in this world, there will always be fortune and misfortune, but one should act without shame in their heart."
"My predecessor's teachings are correct," Mo Ren smiled, the ink on his body completely faded, leaving only a white, misty divided soul. "Disciple will take his leave first."
"Go then," Jiang Wen smiled. "If fate allows, we will meet again."
Pure Yang Zhenren silently nodded and knelt on the ground, bowing to Jiang Wen. Then, his white soul dissipated, turning into fireflies and disappearing into the Vajra Grand Formation.
"Alas," Jiang Wen watched the vanishing trace of Pure Yang Zhenren, knowing that perhaps there would be no more Pure Yang Zhenren in this world. What remained in the Vajra Palace and Pure Water Palace were only wisps of Pure Yang Zhenren's divided soul, transformed from his divine soul after severing his physical body. As for the true original divine soul, Pure Yang Zhenren didn't say where it was, perhaps feeling there was no need to say.
Perhaps he had already been reincarnated, and his presence or absence in this world held no meaning for Pure Yang Zhenren. He didn't say how to deal with the Three Corpses and physical body sealed in the Pure Yang Cave Abode, perhaps believing they had a way?
Jiang Wen didn't understand these things, and he felt there was no need to understand them too deeply. Once they reached the Central Earth Palace, everything would naturally become clear. What he needed to do now was to break this Vajra Palace's grand formation.
"Pure Yang Zhenren gifted me the Sword Qi of Slaughter; perhaps the key to breaking the formation lies within it." Jiang Wen summoned the Four Symbols Sword Formation and then sat cross-legged on the ground. He closed his eyes tightly, summoned the four strands of Sword Qi of Slaughter, and threw them towards the four flying swords, integrating them into them.
"Azure Dragon Sword, governs slaughter."
"White Tiger Sword, governs destruction."
"Black Tortoise Sword, governs severance."
"Vermilion Bird Sword, governs annihilation."
"Slaughter, destruction, annihilation, severance; this is the sword intent contained within the Sword Qi of Slaughter."
Jiang Wen placed his hands on his forehead, and golden light emerged. His Celestial Eye opened, observing the four flying swords. Within them, the phantoms of the Four Symbols emerged, with the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise each standing in one direction.
The four strands of Sword Qi of Slaughter integrated into them, causing the Four Symbols Sacred Beasts to roar towards the sky.
Jiang Wen then formed a hand seal and chanted, "Respectfully summon the Azure Dragon of the East, essence of Horn and Kang constellations, spewing mist and dense Qi, shouting thunder and emitting sound, soaring through the eight extremes, traveling the four seas, with great virtue and gratitude, come to serve on the left."
The Azure Dragon Sword hummed, and azure light emanated from the sword's body. Thunder rumbled from the sword, and lightning flickered. The Azure Dragon phantom soared, catching a ray of azure light. When the azure light fully manifested, the Azure Dragon held an azure-colored precious sword in its mouth.
"Respectfully summon the White Tiger of the West, corresponding to the Zi and Shen constellations above, heroic and pure, solemn and clear in sound, awing all beasts, roaring and shaking the mountains and forests, with great power and virtue, come to serve on the right."
The White Tiger Sword vibrated, and the tiger's roar resounded. The White Tiger leaped out, its tiger eyes surveying all directions. It also held a white precious sword in its mouth, and the entire White Tiger Sword emitted white light.
"Respectfully summon the Black Tortoise of the North, born from the Taiyin, the Xu and Wei constellations responding to its essence, turtle and snake combined in form, coiling and wandering the nine lands, awing all spirits, with great power and virtue, come to follow behind."
The Black Tortoise manifested, its aura as majestic as Mount Tai. Its four feet stood on the ground, looking up to the heavens and down to the earth. A black precious sword fell onto its turtle shell, suppressed within the stone tablet. The Black Tortoise roared, and the phantom flew into the sword. The sword hilt changed, becoming a dragon-turtle swallowing the sword's body. Immediately, black light surged, like ink dripping down.
"The Three Heavens have ordained, the Four Sages all admire. Awe and suppress the altar, both inside and outside are peaceful. The guards stand in solemn array, the gods exert their power. With a single call of the jade talisman, merge with the Dao."
Jiang Wen chanted again, and a jade talisman appeared in his hand. The jade talisman was imprinted with the Four Symbols, and it was the sword talisman that controlled the Four Symbols Sword Formation.
He formed a finger seal and chanted a spell, his divine sense entering the sea of consciousness. He landed in front of the stone tablet, looked at his Merit Points, and gritted his teeth, deducting a portion.
"I can only spend these Merit Points to temper the Four Symbols Sword Formation."
Immediately, the four flying swords were imprinted into his divine sense, and then the Merit Points tempered them. The four flying swords became even more brilliant than before. Even though the Four Symbols Sword Formation's main body was just ordinary iron, under Jiang Wen's repeated tempering, the current flying swords were magical treasures. Even the Mysterious Iron used to forge the flying swords paled in comparison.
After finishing the ritual of refining the flying swords, Jiang Wen woke up.
He stood up and waved his hand, summoning the Four Symbols Sword Formation. The four flying swords emitting different colors surrounded him, their Qi senses intertwined, sharpness and heaviness existing together.
"In this way, the Four Symbols Sword Formation can be considered to have advanced further." Jiang Wen was overjoyed, feeling a few more emotions for Pure Yang Zhenren. If he hadn't been disturbed by the Heart Devil, perhaps Jiang Wen could have made a friend of him.
Thinking this way, Jiang Wen didn't linger. He looked at the giant sword in the distance and flew towards it. The giant sword transformed into countless ink-colored flying swords, forming a large formation and attacking him.
"Well done!" Jiang Wen looked at the sword formation, formed a hand seal, and shouted. "Four Symbols are boundless, heaven and earth unite. The Four Spirits gather completely, dispelling all evil and filth."
"Four Symbols Slaughter!"
The Four Symbols Sword Formation instantly changed, and the Sacred Beasts stood in the formation, holding swords. Their killing intent surged, unstoppable. The moment those ink-colored flying swords touched the four-colored sword light, they turned into nothingness.
Jiang Wen pointed towards the giant sword, and he heard the roar of the tiger and the roar of the dragon, the phoenix flying and the turtle running. The Four Symbols phantoms transformed into sword Qi, shooting towards it.
In an instant, the giant sword was suddenly severed. The entire black and white realm turned to ashes.
Heaven and earth returned once again, and the sound of loud noises rang in his ears. Jiang Wen looked at the Pure Water Palace in the distance, looked at Chang Yin and the others running towards him, and a smile appeared on his face.
"So powerful! I knew you could definitely do it!" Chang Yin exclaimed in surprise.
"What's going on? How did this giant sword suddenly break? What did Brother Jiang do just now?" Tiger scratched his head, asking in confusion.
Jiang Wen smiled without saying a word, watching the giant sword slowly fall into the chaos. He suddenly felt a sensation in his heart and stretched out his hand towards the giant sword. He saw a yellow precious bead fly out from the giant sword and slowly land in his palm.
"Vajra Bead!" Chang Yin's pleasant laughter came. "We've finally gathered all five of the Five Elements Beads! We can go to the Central Earth Palace now!"
"Yes, you're finally about to fulfill your wish," Jiang Wen nodded.
"By the way, did you encounter any trouble in that grand formation?" Chang Yin looked at the Five Elements Beads and asked Jiang Wen curiously.
"Yes, I met an old friend," Jiang Wen smiled.
"Old friend? Who is it?" Chang Yin asked curiously.
"I won't tell you unless you tell me your identity now," Jiang Wen joked, causing Chang Yin to glare at him.
The group talked and laughed, and then they walked towards the giant elephant. Their goal was only one place left, the Central Earth Palace that radiated endless light.
