Prologue: Passing the Mantle
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The wings of a giant sun crow stretched vast and imposing across the sky, releasing a powerful cry as its flames intensified and then condensed. The bird's form shifted, shrinking back into its human shape. There stood a man with disheveled long black hair and proud green eyes that burned with defiance. His white robes, now bloody and torn, hung loosely around his frame.
A booming laugh escaped him, echoing across the sky. "To have such thick skin! Look, Ling Xu Sect! This is the might of your Grand Elder! To draw all the powers of Penglai to rob you—what an honor!"
Thousands of voices suddenly rose in unison, their rage and killing intent darkening the skies with swirling colors of crimson and black.
Below the battle, lay the mighty Ling Xu Sect, a jewel of Penglai renowned for its unparalleled strength. Its sprawling grounds teemed with vibrant life, each breath of air thick with qi. Towering pavilions and temples, adorned with golden dragons and phoenixes, spiraled toward the heavens, their rooftops gilded and sparkling under the sun.
Surrounding the sect, thousands of cultivators, the disciplined disciples of Ling Xu, stood in awe yet with a sense of urgency. They watched the sky, where their elder battled fiercely, feeling a mix of pride and helplessness.
"The Ling Xu Sect will not be bullied so easily! When the Heavenly Court hears of this, there will be nowhere in Penglai you can hide!" roared the disheveled man in the sky, his voice booming with defiance. His aura of killing intent materialized as dark clouds around him, crackling and echoing with grotesque screams that filled the air.
A wild man astride a towering metal lion let out a deep, hearty laugh. "Your Ling Xu Sect thinks too highly of itself, riding on the shoulders of your master. Without him, you are nothing more than a fart in the wind to the Celestials! Now die!"
Around them, the air began to tremble as qi from the surrounding environment was drawn into the lion's gaping maw, forming a large formation before it. The man atop its head threw his head back, unleashing a roar that shook the heavens. Behind him, the image of a giant nine-headed beast materialized, its presence dominating the sky.
"Beast King Chaotic Fist!"
Like a crack of thunder, the man punched forward, striking the formation. Time seemed to halt as a mind-numbing roar burst forth from the array, followed by a beam of pure primal destruction that surged towards the white-robed cultivator.
Leaping backward, the Ling Xu Elder erupted with black and white flames as he swiftly executed multiple hand signs. "Origin Nether Flame!"
Instantly, a small formation appeared on the elder's chest. From within, a burst of pure white and black flame emerged, surging forward with intense speed.
A beautiful woman standing on a floating blossom caught sight of the flame and her eyes filled with longing. "A true primordial flame! How did this little brat get so lucky?"
As soon as the wild man's attack collided with the flame, the once small black and white fire erupted, expanding massively. It ignited to engulf the entire sky as both forces clashed, each struggling for dominance.
"Seems your fist is a little lacking, Beast King," a swordsman chuckled, raising a hand to cover his mouth.
Fury blazed in the Beast King's eyes. With a ferocious roar, the image of the giant beast behind him solidified, and he himself began to take on a more bestial appearance, his face sprouting fur and his mouth revealing sharp fangs. Drawing a deep breath, he summoned a mouthful of his origin blood and spat it forcefully onto the formation.
As the origin blood struck the array, it fused instantly, causing the formation to swell in size with a surge of power. The array's expansion amplified the beam attack, intensifying its force. The enhanced attack pushed relentlessly against the flame, forcing it back and causing it to flicker and wane, losing some of its earlier dominance and brilliance.
Pride resonated through the Beast King's laughter as he taunted, " As a member of my demon race, I'll show you some face and end this quickly. You should have taken our offer when you had the..."
Before the beast king could finish his taunt, A powerful voice boomed across the battlefield, cutting through the noise and bringing the world to a standstill, "Supreme Taiji Heavens Axis Formation!"
From the heart of the Ling Xu Sect, an enormous formation flag burst upwards like a spear, piercing the sky with its immense presence. It unfurled rapidly, sprawling across the heavens, its intricate symbols radiating light. As it enveloped the sky, it snaked around the beast king's formation, a colossal serpent consuming the qi within.
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The flag absorbed the chaotic power of the attack, swirling with the stolen energy, before redirecting it with ferocious intensity back towards the Beast King.
The beast king's eyes widened in shock and fear as he realized the tide had turned. In a desperate bit for survival, he bellowed, "Bloodline Sacrifice!" His mighty palm slammed down onto the head of the giant metal lion beneath him. At the impact, the lion's metallic body cracked and expanded dramatically, it's size doubling as it burned its bloodline.
The redirected attack collided with the now colossal lion. For a brief moment, the beast held firm against the onslaught. But it was not enough; the attacks power was too great. The lion, along with the Beast King atop it, were quickly engulfed and obliterated.
"Seems the friends I made throughout my life were nothing but wolves in disguise, how shameful for the older generation to bully the young." These words thundered across the sect, sparking a renewed spirit among the disciples.
Inspired, one of the disciples shouted with fervor, "Disciple greets the Grand Elder!"
In unison, every disciple of the Ling Xu Sect retracted their killing intent and bowed deeply towards the center of the Sect.
Emerging from the center of the Ling Xu Sect, the Grand Elder appeared as a frail, emaciated figure, his presence nonetheless commanding. Surrounded by a blinding light, he stepped into the sky, his long white hair and beard framing his pale, thin skin. His large, dark eyes, now sunken yet still defiant, glowed with a piercing intensity as the colossal formation flag that veiled the sky contracted rapidly and funneled into one of his azure eyes.
Draped in tattered blue robes that hung loosely from his fragile frame, his voice, though weakened, echoed powerfully across the sect, "The rest of you old goats can come out; why are you hiding when you should be greeting an old friend?"
"Friend? The Grand Elder of the Ling Xu Sect has friends?" The voice was tinged with irony. "If not for the Heavenly Court's backing, the Jade Mountain Pavilion would have wiped every last mention of your name from history, Xue Feng."
Descending from the clouds, the man's entrance was striking. Broad-chested and robust, his jade-like skin and sturdy build exuded strength. Thick green hair, tied back with vine-blossomed tendrils, framed his formidable presence.
As the green man stopped advancing, the sky suddenly cracked open, radiating multiple brilliant auras. Like celestial warriors descending from the heavens, pillars of light sliced through the calm, casting dazzling spectacles onto the mortal realm.
Below, the gathered disciples gasped in awe and whispered fervently among themselves as legendary figures emerged from the cascading lights.
Each figure hovered menacingly around Xue Feng, their auras clashing and swirling in a maelstrom of power. As tensions thickened, each activated their defensive treasures, creating a kaleidoscope of protective barriers that shimmered and sparked with ancient power.
"His cultivation technique matters not to me. I'm here for the primordial flame that beast wields, and that’s all!" Roared a man in golden armor, his body covered in flames.
The Grand Elder's azure eyes swept over the assembly, a hint of approval flickering across his face. "Jade Sage Emperor, The Venomous Wanderer, Abyssal Demon Lord, the Avatar of Fire, and the Water Elementalist, Sword Sovereign, Golem Master, and even the beautiful Sky Blossom Matriarch. To be graced by such formidable figures on my deathbed—I must have led a truly remarkable life."
The Avatar of Fire nearly choked on his rage, retorting sharply, "Enough, glutton! How many have you cheated and oppressed? Today, we come to plunder you! Surrender the Taiji Talisman Technique, or watch your Ling Xu Sect vanish from Penglai."
With his right eye blazing, Xue Feng advanced a single step, forcing everyone around him to retreat three, "The little candle burns loud, does it? Last I recall, you and your master were groveling at my feet."
"Do not be foolish, Xue Feng," the Sky Blossom Matriarch snapped, a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead, "you might slay a few of us, but your fate—and that of your sect—is sealed today. Don't worsen your end."
As Xue Feng whirled to face the woman, their eyes locked, and her complexion paled. Her barrier flared to life and then shattered, blood spraying from her mouth. She snatched a petal, consumed it, and her color swiftly returned. "Soulforce!" she gasped.
Xue Feng's expression darkened with disappointment. "It seems I've lost most of my old strength. I know you've resented me ever since I rejected your advances, Ji Ling, but your charms merely mask your flaws; they can't erase them."
"Enough!" The Sword Sovereign bellowed, "your time has ended, Xue Feng! We will rip the technique from your soul after we obliterate you and your entire Sect!"
The Qi around them rolled violently as the towering figures began to marshall their techniques.
Shaking his head, hands clasped behind his back, Xue Feng's laughter started as a murmur, swelling into a thunderous echo that forced the surrounding powerhouses to halt their attacks and cover their ears. "You covet my Taiji Talisman Technique? You aim to steal my own creation? Very well! But touching it will elude you for a millennium! Life, then death, the eternal cycle! When all ceases, my powers converge! Seal!"
A colossal wave of power surged from the frail Elder, as the immense formation flag burst forth from his eye, instantly enveloping the entire Ling Xu Sect.
From beneath the expanding formation flag, the tattered Elder howled, "Master!"
As the enormous amount of qi began to gather around the grand Elder, his body engulfed from the frantic attacks of the surrounding immortals, his fading eyes smiled as he looked towards the Sect he had helped nurture, "Wu Chen, the Sect will remain for at least another thousand years with my dying formation. Use this time to master the Taiji Talisman Technique, achieve the final 9th layer like I never did, achieve true immortality and live feely!"
As his final words erupted from him, the body of Xue Feng exploded into a cloud of lights, each moving to create a massive formation along the base of the barrier surrounding the sect. With a heaven shattering crack, the formation solidified in an explosion of light.
Blinded by the intense burst of light, the gathered cultivators shielded their eyes, feeling the world shift around them as a suffocating pressure descended, sealing the atmosphere.
After a few tense moments, the tattered Elder Wu Chen, the sole disciple of the Grand Elder of the Ling Xu Sect, slowly opened his eyes. A glowing green jade pendant hovered before him, immediately capturing the envious gazes of all present.
With tears streaming down his cheeks and his jaw set firmly, Wu Chen reached out and grasped the Talisman. Standing defiant within the barrier, he bellowed at the assailants encircling them, his voice laden with resolve and grief. "In a thousand years, I vow vengeance! I will lay your sects and the treacherous Heavenly Court to ruins!"
Almost in response, a bolt of heavenly lightning tore through the sky towards him, only to be effortlessly repelled by Xue Feng's protective barrier. Wu Chen's laughter echoed, fierce and triumphant, as the tribulation lightning crackled and danced harmlessly around him.
"A thousand years! In a thousand years, I will avenge you, Master! Your disciple will carve your legacy throughout the heavens in blood!"
As the hostile forces recoiled in dismay and Wu Chen roared his vows of vengeance, the disciples of Ling Xu Sect, overwhelmed with a mix of pride and despair, wept tears that stained the earth beneath them.
Yet, unseen by all, a subtle shift was occurring. Xue Feng, the venerable Grand Elder of the Ling Xu Sect, quietly embarked on a journey unlike any before him. His spirit, resilient through countless cycles, was now venturing into realms so profound and mysterious that they were uncharted, even in the vast tapestry of Penglai.