The Human Heart Harbors Great Desires.
The filth of great evil is incubated by the desires of the human heart, growing deep within the sea of consciousness. It intertwines with the mind and spirit, blooming like a poppy flower, spreading ceaselessly. Under the protection of divine powers, it remains undetected—even those at the Void Piercing Realm would be deceived.
Everything should have been flawless…
If not for that wretched brat, Mo Hua of the Taixu Sect, who transformed his divine sense into a sword and cleaved open the sea of consciousness, these poisonous corruptions of desire would have remained hidden, never to be exposed before the eyes of the ancestors.
"That damn brat deserves to be cut into a thousand pieces!"
Elder Shen gritted his teeth. "Now that we've been exposed, we can't wait any longer…"
His right hand, hidden within his sleeve, suddenly turned pale and transformed into a demonic claw. Without hesitation, he twisted off his own left arm, tearing through tendons and skin, and extracted a section of white bone from the dripping flesh.
Elder Shen muttered an incantation.
The bone shimmered with a faint red light, as if activating an array pattern. But in the next instant, a sword light suddenly slashed down, severing Elder Shen's right arm. Blood splattered as his incantation was forcefully interrupted.
Elder Shen suffered a backlash, spitting out blood. He turned in shock and saw Elder Shen of the Qiandao Sect's Ascension Realm standing before him, sword pointed directly at him.
Around them, the formation elders of Qiandao Sect had already set up an array, sealing off the surroundings.
Several other Ascension Realm sword cultivator elders from the Shen family also pointed their swords at Elder Shen, completely surrounding him.
Elder Shen's voice was cold and unwavering: "We thoroughly investigated the incident at Solitary Mountain and found traces of you, 'Elder Shen,' hidden within."
"By the order of the Patriarch, I have been keeping an eye on you. Do not act recklessly—I can still spare your life for the Patriarch to interrogate you."
"If you so much as make a single wrong move, you will be torn apart by ten thousand swords on the spot. Choose wisely."
Elder Shen grinned, his mouth filled with blood, his tongue writhing.
"Seeking death!"
Elder Shen's gaze sharpened, and he thrust his sword forward in an instant. A chilling flash of light pierced through Elder Shen's tongue, running through the back of his skull. The sinister blood dripping from the blade corroded the stone beneath it, as if highly toxic.
Yet even with his tongue impaled, Elder Shen's mouth continued to move, uttering ancient and obscure sounds.
Elder Shen's pupils contracted sharply.
"Together! Kill him completely!"
The surrounding elders of Qiandao Sect no longer hesitated. Swords and spells rained down, seeking to execute Elder Shen on the spot.
Despite being drenched in blood, his tongue pierced by a longsword, Elder Shen sneered. His tongue writhed as he uttered two words.
Though the words were unclear, they eerily resonated in everyone's minds:
"Too late..."
Suddenly, the white bone in Elder Shen's left arm cracked apart, emitting a blinding red light. The patterns upon it fused into the void like a "key," linking with a grand formation.
Then, in a flash of blue light, Elder Shen vanished.
The killing strikes of the Qiandao Sect elders hit nothing but empty air, failing to erase Elder Shen.
Elder Shen roared in fury, but he was powerless.
Yet, at the very moment when Elder Shen was about to be transported away by the power of a Fifth-Grade Grand Formation—
From the Sword Observation Tower, the Shen Family Patriarch's expression turned cold. With a mere flick of his fingers, a sword aura sliced through space itself.
A moment later, the sword aura descended above Dao Discussion Mountain, forcibly severing the spatial passage.
Elder Shen, who had not yet fully escaped, was slashed in half.
His escape technique was forcefully interrupted.
His body, split into two, was twisted and mangled by the turbulence of the shattered void, turning into a grotesque and deformed mass of blood and flesh.
Yet even then, Elder Shen did not perish.
His two halves still wriggled, attempting to fuse back together and flee once more.
Inside the Void Piercing Grand Hall, the one-eyed patriarch let out a furious roar:
"Wretched fiend!"
" You wretched beast!"
The one-eyed patriarch clenched his fist, and the void trembled. A massive bronze-colored hand manifested in midair, descending upon Elder Shen.
With a crushing motion, the patriarch shattered the space itself, annihilating Elder Shen's writhing masses of flesh. His bones and sinew were pulverized, and even the vile, tainted blood was vaporized by the force of the void.
Thus, the Nascent Soul-stage Elder Shen perished—his very existence erased, leaving not even a drop of blood behind.
Yet, despite having destroyed Elder Shen, the patriarch did not seem relieved.
It did not feel as if he had "killed" something. Rather, it was as though he had merely crushed a wriggling, fleshy maggot.
And in the very instant that Elder Shen was utterly annihilated— A deep, resonating hum echoed throughout the heavens and the earth.
A spirit wail.
The deafening howl of a colossal formation consuming vast reserves of spirit stones, converting them into a torrent of spiritual energy. It was akin to the roar of an ocean wave crashing down from the heavens.
This meant—the Five-Rank Dao Discussion Mountain Formation had begun operating again.
And this time, the spirit wail was just as immense as before, shaking the hearts of all who heard it. This signified that the formation was running at full power.
Above, radiant light surged forth, shrouding the sky.
Boundless spatial energy churned in the air, an awe-inspiring and terrifying spectacle. But something was different.
The formation was active, yet not a single trace of killing intent emanated from it.
The watching cultivators looked around in confusion, unsure of what was happening.
The assembled Nascent Soul patriarchs, however, had a grave look on their faces— they sensed impending disaster.
Previously, the formation had been activated to counter Nascent Soul projections, shielding the participating disciples—particularly that monstrous little one from the Grand Void Sect, Mo Hua.
It had also protected the observing cultivators from being caught in the devastating tide of spiritual energy caused by Nascent Soul-level combat.
Though they disliked the fact that Mo Hua was being safeguarded, it was within the formation's intended function, so they had no grounds for complaint.
But this… The formation had activated at full power without any external trigger.
"Someone… tampered with the Five-Rank Formation?!"
"What is their objective?"
Several Nascent Soul patriarchs turned their gazes toward Elder Xun.
Elder Xun of the Grand Void Sect was one of the few Fifth-Rank Formation Dao Masters in the entire Qianxue Prefecture.
His brow furrowed as he stared at the runic patterns shifting in the sky. He traced their flow in his mind, reverse-engineering the formation's operation to discern its true purpose.
It was not an attack formation. Nor a defense mechanism. Nor was it meant to protect the disciples.
It was— A teleportation array?!
Elder Xun's heart shuddered. Realizing something chilling, his face darkened, and he barked urgently:
"Quick! Inform the Dao Discussion Mountain elders—forcefully seal the formation's core and cut off its spiritual energy supply!"
He had no direct authority over the Five-Rank Formation.
The formation was constructed specifically to shield the Dao Discussion disciples from any external interference.
And the primary threat it was designed to prevent interference from was— Nascent Soul cultivators from the major sects and noble families.
If a Nascent Soul cultivator truly wished to disrupt the competition, no one could stop them.
Thus, the formation was built to completely isolate the battlefield from outside influence—including those very same Nascent Soul elders.
This meant that Elder Xun himself could not interfere with the formation.
His only option was to rely on the elders of Dao Discussion Mountain to act. But— it was already too late.
Elder Shen's death had been the key, triggering the final activation of the formation.
The array followed its preset course, shifting into full operation as streaks of blue light began to flicker.
All disciples who had been eliminated from the Shura Battlefield were now being forcibly re-entered.
...
In the desolate Shura Battlefield. One by one, figures who had previously "died" reappeared.
Linghu Xiao, Ouyang Xuan, Cheng Mo, Situ Jian, the Five Brothers of Tai'a, Hao Xuan…
One after another, the disciples of the Grand Void Sect materialized, their blue-lit figures gathering once more around Mo Hua. But it wasn't just the Grand Void Sect.
Disciples from the Four Great Sects, the Eight Major Clans, and even some of the Twelve Tributary Sects were also flashing into existence.
Shen Cangfeng.
Ao Zheng.
Xiao Ruohan.
Shi Tiangang.
Ye Zhiyuan.
Qin Cangliu.
Feng Zichen.
Song Kui…
As far as the eye could see—Mo Hua was surrounded by his "enemies." However, before they could seek vengeance, they only stared at each other in bafflement.
None of them knew what was happening.
Why had they, who had been eliminated, suddenly been teleported back in? No answer came. And yet—the teleportation did not stop.
The blue light flickered once more, and the disciples gathered in the Shura Battlefield vanished again.
By the time they regained their senses, their surroundings had changed.
Mist swirled around them, mountains pierced the clouds, and an ethereal aura pervaded the air.
The sensation was that of standing atop the world—lofty, untouchable, gazing down upon all beneath them.
Some disciples quickly realized where they were.
"Xuāntiān Peak!"
"This is Xuāntiān Peak?!"
At the highest point of Dao Discussion Mountain, there stood one peak and one pavilion.
The peak was Xuāntiān Peak, and the pavilion was the Sword Observation Pavilion.
The Sword Observation Pavilion was a place reserved for the ancestors of noble families, the direct lineage of Daozhou, and the high-ranking officials of the imperial court. Hidden among the clouds, it remained unseen by ordinary cultivators.
For most people, the highest point visible on Dao Discussion Mountain was the towering Xuāntiān Peak, piercing the sky like a sword.
And Xuāntiān Peak was also the final battleground for the "Heaven" stage of the Dao Sword Tournament.
After enduring the brutal battles of the "Earth" stage, those who had successfully advanced—each sect's prodigies—would gather atop Xuāntiān Peak to engage in the ultimate battle against Qianxue Prefecture's strongest young talents, determining the true champion.
Yet, at this very moment, these prodigious disciples were suddenly realizing— All of them had been teleported onto Xuāntiān Peak.
"What happened?"
"What does this mean?"
Shock filled their hearts, and confusion clouded their faces. Even now, the teleportation had not ceased.
Above the Five-Rank Grand Formation, an incredibly blinding radiance suddenly erupted.
A piercing spirit wail resounded.
A massive amount of spirit stones was devoured in an instant, converting into boundless spiritual energy to fuel the formation.
A tremendous wave of spiritual energy, like a hurricane, swept in all directions.
A vast ocean of blue light surged into the sky, breaking through the clouds. Its boundless radiance enveloped the entirety of Xuāntiān Peak.
The Five-Rank Dao Discussion Mountain Formation was now operating at the brink of its limit.
Then, under the incredulous gazes of thousands of cultivators—
The towering Xuāntiān Peak, standing high into the clouds, was severed from its base by a surge of spatial energy. And then, it simply…
Vanished.
The crowd was horrified.
Even the Void-Refining Ancestors were visibly shaken.
Xuāntiān Peak… had been teleported away?!
Right before their very eyes, the peak that had stood within Qianxue Prefecture for over ten thousand years had been taken away by the Five-Rank Dao Discussion Mountain Formation?!
And atop Xuāntiān Peak—were the top disciples of the Four Great Sects and the Eight Major Clans!
These were the very lifeblood of the major sects, the most cherished talents.
"Hurry!" A Void-Refining Ancestor roared in both shock and fury. "Find out where Xuāntiān Peak was sent!"
Teleportation involving Fifth-Rank spatial energy was no trivial matter.
The conditions for such a teleportation were extremely strict, with numerous limitations.
Moreover, even if a structure as massive as Xuāntiān Peak had been teleported away, it couldn't have been sent too far—it would, at most, still be within the vicinity of Qianxue Prefecture.
One after another, the Void-Refining Ancestors spread their divine senses.
Powerful waves of Void-Refining energy swept unrestrained across the entire Qianxue Prefecture.
Others retrieved supreme treasures like the Heaven-Peering Mirror, scanning the entire prefecture.
Soon, the Void-Refining Ancestors made a discovery.
"Southwest!"
"The edge of Third-Rank Yanluo Mountain!"
Yanluo Mountain—where Mo Hua had previously eradicated the Demon Sect.
One ancestor immediately channeled the Heaven-Peering Mirror toward the southwest.
Across eight hundred miles of marshland, shrouded in poisonous mists and foul vapors, Yanluo Mountain came into view.
The scene shifted— And in the Heaven-Peering Mirror, Xuāntiān Peak stood alone among the clouds, now located at the very border of Qianxue Prefecture, adjacent to the Third-Rank Yanluo Mountain.
The geography of the location made the Void-Refining Ancestors' hearts tremble.
"This…?!"
"Could it be…?"
Before they could react, Xuāntiān Peak, right before their very eyes, suddenly… collapsed.
A massive "rumbling" sound echoed as the mountains shifted and dust filled the sky.
The towering Xuāntiān Peak, after being teleported to the edge of the Five-Rank Qianxue Prefecture, collapsed directly into the Third-Rank Yanluo Mountain territory.
As a result, the entire Xuāntiān Peak now stood like a "bridge," spanning between the Five-Rank and Third-Rank prefectures.
Yet, bound by the laws of the heavens, the Void-Refining Ancestors dared not act recklessly within a Third-Rank domain.
What a grand scheme! What an intricate setup!
All the ancestors felt a chill run down their spines.
…
At that very moment, the shocking event at Xuantian Peak drew the attention of nearly everyone— from the ancient ancestors to the ordinary cultivators watching the event.
On the Shangguan Clan's Viewing Platform
Wenren Wan was equally stunned by the scene. She looked up at the vanished Xuantian Peak while holding Yu'er tightly in her arms.
But in the next instant— A figure flickered into existence beside her. A cultivator suddenly appeared and pressed a jade pendant, shaped like a "Dao Discourse Jade," against Yu'er's forehead.
A flash of blue light.
Yu'er instantly vanished.
Wenren Wan felt her arms suddenly empty. Yu'er was gone. Her face turned deathly pale, and her heart twisted in agony.
She turned her head sharply, her beautiful eyes filled with fury, her voice hoarse with hatred— "Shangguan Wang—!"
Shangguan Wang sneered coldly.
The abrupt turn of events had also caught the attention of the other Shangguan elders. One of them shouted angrily—
"Elder Wang, what are you doing?!"
Shangguan Wang smirked and replied—
"I am granting the Shangguan Clan's direct descendant an opportunity— A chance to be reborn, to shed their mortality and ascend to godhood."
With that, he crushed a blood jade in his hand.
In the blink of an eye— He vanished as well.
Time was of the essence.
He only had this fleeting moment while the chaos at Xuantian Peak unfolded. Once Shangguan Yu was sent away, he had to leave immediately— without a second of delay.
If he lingered even a moment longer, once the Void-Refining Ancestors regained their senses and focused on him, there would be no escape.
Silence.
In just an instant— Yu'er was gone.
Shangguan Wang was gone.
Wenren Wan didn't even know where Shangguan Wang had sent her Yu'er— Didn't know what fate awaited her child.
A terrifying nightmare resurfaced in her mind— Yu'er, drained of blood.
Organs hollowed out.
A face soaked in crimson, pale skin, lifeless eyes staring at her.
A child's voice trembling, questioning her— "Mother… why couldn't you protect me…?"
An abyssal terror spread from the depths of her soul.
It felt as if a dagger was slowly carving into her heart, slicing her apart— pain beyond words.
Elsewhere—Inside a Secret Chamber in the Qianxue Prefecture.
A pool of blood and flesh stirred.
From within, Mr. Tu emerged once more— reborn.
He draped a ritual robe over himself.
Tall and gaunt, his presence exuded a dark and eerie aura, like a demon shedding its human disguise to reveal its true form.
His long, skeletal fingers flexed. His face was a ghostly white, utterly devoid of life.
"Everything is ready— The divine fetus, the blood river, the flesh city, the blood eye, the bone pivot…
And the greatest sacrificial offering in all of Qianxue Prefecture."
"Though it was rushed… there was no choice."
His expression twisted in rage.
"That damn little bastard… if not for him—!"
His teeth clenched violently, face contorted in hatred.
Then, forcing his fury down, he let out a slow sigh.
"Enough… no more waiting."
He knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed to the cold stone.
"We, the lowly and humble, welcome the birth of the Great Desolation Lord…!"
His eyes bulged wide open—
Bloodthirsty, fanatical, yet filled with absolute reverence.
"Archaic Heaven Blood Sacrifice Formation—"
"Activate!"
(End of this Chapter)