Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 413: 264 Palm: Heavenly Secret_2

But after Leng Aotian went missing, the Demon Sect of the Evil Path fell into an unprecedented slump, suffering continuous defeats at the hands of the Righteous Path Sacred Place. It was no longer simply about shedding blood and ceding benefits; it was now a matter of life and death.

In such a situation, what good were principles and integrity? The only choice was to resort to every conceivable method to contain the Righteous Path’s invasion.

War is mutual. When one side lowers the bar, the other must adapt, ultimately leading to a rapid deterioration of the situation.

As things have developed, the Jiazi Fengyun War cannot be cancelled, but it can no longer serve as a means for dividing benefits and balancing the situation between the Black and White factions.

Moreover, with the day of the Temple of War God’s opening drawing nearer, facing the threat of life and death, both the Righteous Path and Evil Path Divine Martial Venerables regard each other as mortal enemies, each eager to eliminate the other…

In such a state of affairs, even the Righteous Path Sacred Place’s Divine Martial Venerables dare not act rashly. How then could they of the Demon Sect dare desert their posts?

But if the Divine Martial Venerables do not take action, who can capture that person and resolve this issue?

The four of them furrowed their brows, which did not ease for a long time.

Elsewhere…

Dao Concealing Peak, Pavilion of Heavenly Mechanism!

Even now, with the world divided between the Righteous and Evil Paths, and Sacred and Demonic forces at odds, there are still many experts who remain aloof, observing from the sidelines.

The Pavilion of Heavenly Mechanism is one of them and a representative entity at that.

After all, with the Qiankun Bagua and the skill to divine the mechanisms of heaven, they fear neither the conspiracies of the Righteous nor the Evil Paths. To align with any side would mean being warmly welcomed. Thus, they naturally qualify for an independent and neutral stance.

Although neutral, they are not completely indifferent to the affairs of the world.

After all, martial artists need sustenance for their cultivation, senior clan members to appease, descendants to support. If they were to stand apart from worldly affairs, relying solely on the Power of Diagrams, they might be self-sufficient but are bound to fall behind others eventually.

In an age of great strife, to not struggle is to perish!

In such an era, who would dare lag behind, who could afford to lag behind?

Therefore, even the Pavilion of Heavenly Mechanism must engage in some businesses to satisfy their own cultivation needs.

The mechanisms of heaven, what businesses to engage in, need no further explanation.

Even for a Divine Martial Venerable, a visit to the Pavilion of Heavenly Mechanism comes at a painful price.

But one gets what one pays for, and the price is naturally for sound reasons.

For example, right now…

On Dao Concealing Peak, within the Pavilion of Heavenly Mechanism.

A lone figure stood in the midst, his Taoist robe dark as ink but with glimmers of deep blue. Despite his youthful appearance, there was a sense of time-worn wisdom about him, a cold gaze hiding profound secrets, overseeing the unveiling of truth.

It was the Divine Martial Venerable, Pavilion Master—Dao Wuya!

“The heavens are inconstant, the earth’s patterns are elusive!”

“The world transforms, Qiankun Bagua energized!”

As he channeled his primal energy, the Divine Martial force stirred, a radiant light appeared overhead, revealing a stone stele bearing diagrams, where talismans roamed and the image of Bagua gradually took shape.

It was the War God’s Atlas, the twenty-seventh stele—Qiankun Bagua!

With Qiankun initiated and Bagua revealed, Dao Wuya glanced coldly, immersing himself in the mysteries of heaven and earth.

Within that profound mystery, vague images began to emerge, hinting at the outline of a person.

That figure, indistinct and hazy, existing somewhere between reality and illusion, without a definitive form.

“Hmm!?”

Dao Wuya’s eyes sharpened, his Yuan Skill intensified, peering deeper.

As the obscurity faded and the illusions dispersed, he was about to see through the person’s foundations.

But instead he saw…

The mysteries of heaven and earth, changes within the void.

Twelve phantom images appeared, encircling the person.

The twelve phantoms, divided into Yin and Yang, a group resembling divine generals imposing in front, were the Six Jia Yang Gods of Zi, Xu, Shen, Wu, Chen, Yin; a group appearing as ethereal Celestial Maidens in the back, were the Six Ding Yin Gods of Mao, Si, Wei, You, Hai, Chou.

Six Ding and Six Jia, Yin and Yang Gods combined with the essence of heaven and earth, conjured a protective skill enveloping the individual.

The mysteries of heaven and earth, unfathomable even to Ghost Gods.

“…!”

Dao Wuya’s eyebrows furrowed tightly, uncertainty flickering within him. Yet ultimately, as a Deity Transformation Venerable armed with the War God’s Treasure, he urged the Qiankun Bagua, shining a divine light, attempting to penetrate the protection of the Six Ding and Six Jia.

Unexpectedly…

“Roar!”

From within the profound, a loud roar resounded.

Among the Six Ding and Six Jia, divine generals, and Celestial Maidens, another phantom slowly formed.

Though only a phantom, its presence was majestic, resembling deities and hinting at the prestige of turtles and snakes.

It was the Exorcising Demon Heavenly Venerable, the Northern True Martial Emperor!

The Six Ding and Six Jia were his divine warriors; though not exclusively at his command, they invoked his divine power.

Therefore, within the Six Ding and Six Jia Bodyguard Mantra, there lay a trace of the True Martial’s Demon-Exorcising and Orthodoxy-Defending power.

Seeing this scene, even Dao Wuya couldn’t help but pause with surprise and hesitance.

Although he didn’t specialize in Taoism or Curse Skills, being part of the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism, he sensed that this technique was extraordinary.

The Skill of Heavenly Mechanism is not ordinary; while higher cultivation does offer an advantage, it is not absolute. The other party was aligned with the Yin and Yang of heaven and earth, bolstered by the Six Ding and Six Jia of True Martial—should he forcibly interfere, it would not only be a contest with this individual but also a clash against the forces of heaven and earth. Even if he could triumph, it would be a Pyrrhic victory, a loss greater than the gain.

“…”

Dao Wuya fell silent for a moment before ultimately refraining from forcibly acting to break this protection. Instead, he simply used the Bagua to deduce the positions of Qiankun.

After a short while, he obtained the result.

Dao Wuya swept his sleeve, the brilliance above dissipating into illusion, the stone stele of diagrams vanishing, everything returning to nothingness.

“Come in,” he uttered softly.

With that gentle call, the doors opened; a man and a woman entered the hall, bowing reverently and said, “Master!”

Dao Wuya stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent, “Have the people from the Heavenly Demon Sect and Iron Heart Fortress arrived?”

“Yes!”

The man nodded, “They haven’t found that person’s whereabouts, and now they’re causing a commotion in the side hall.”

“Hmph!”

The woman snorted coldly, her indignation evident as she said, “It was clearly their lack of discretion that leaked the news. Now, they’re trying to pass the blame onto us, truly making a fuss over nothing.”

Hearing this, Dao Wuya said no more. He withdrew two letters from his sleeve and handed them to the woman who had complained, “One for each party, give these to them and go.”