Chapter 2431: The World Within the Painting

Qingyuan and Moyan exchanged a few words, then looked at Qin Sang. "Those demon tribes won't give up easily. There will be another fierce battle ahead. Shall I escort Daoist Priest away from here first?"

Qin Sang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Ever since he learned the truth, he had been on tenterhooks. This was not something he could participate in; a single misstep could lead to his demise.

"Can the two of you not come with me?" Qin Sang asked.

Moyan's expression was very solemn; he gently shook his head.

Qingyuan, however, said with a relaxed demeanor, "There's no need to worry. The demon tribes are not a monolithic entity. Moreover, the New Demon Court hasn't been established for long, and its power cannot yet compare with that of Dragon Island and Phoenix Pavilion. We can have a good talk with them."

Seeing Qingyuan's confidence, Moyan's expression relaxed slightly.

Qin Sang also understood Qingyuan's intention, which was nothing more than the art of alliance and diplomacy. Facing a Mahayana cultivator and an ancient post-natal spirit treasure simultaneously, unless a force was confident in detaining them all, any power would have to weigh its options carefully.

Changing his tone, Qingyuan then said to Qin Sang, "In that case, we might have to stay here for a considerable time. Daoist Priest can come here to find me later."

Qin Sang was overjoyed to hear this and repeatedly assented.

This was equivalent to a promise from a Mahayana cultivator. Powerful figures come and go mysteriously, like dragons seen only by their head or tail. To form such a beneficial connection was worthwhile, even without the previous fortuitous encounters.

"Daoist Friend Mo..."

Qingyuan looked at Moyan, who slowly sank to the bottom of the lake. Subsequently, the lake surface reflected the outside world's scenery.

Qingyuan reached out to the lake surface, and then schools of fish successively swam out from within. These fish, completely oblivious, were guided by Qingyuan into Qin Sang's sleeve.

"These Star Spirits should be enough for Daoist Priest's use. The remaining fish schools are needed to maintain the operation of this place," Qingyuan said, his figure gradually fading, "Daoist Priest, please stay here for now and don't wander off."

The Arctic Icefield.

The current battlefield was even more terrifying than the battle to encircle and suppress the demon realm remnants years ago. On the icefield, malevolent energy surged sky-high, and mountains collapsed and the earth cracked.

After this great battle, it was feared that the entire icefield would be transformed beyond recognition!

Black dragons of malevolent energy charged relentlessly, their might immense. A mere flick of their tails could easily destroy large icebergs.

At this moment, a mausoleum appeared in the sky above the icefield.

The mausoleum, square in shape, resembled a ceremonial altar, rising in layered tiers. Its four tomb entrances were like hidden military caves, and the tomb chambers were tall and magnificent, large enough to accommodate an army of thousands.

The pitch-black tomb chambers conveyed a sense of majesty and solemnity. However, the malevolent energy was so overwhelming that to outsiders, it seemed like the underworld.

Occasionally, a flash of black mist would reveal the tomb chambers were, in fact, piles of white bones. One could only wonder how many battles the owner of this treasure had endured and how many beings they had slaughtered to forge this General's Tomb from their flesh, blood, and bones. It was indistinguishable from the true eighteen layers of hell!

All the Demon Sages, gazing at the colossal mausoleum before them, wore expressions of astonishment.

Faced with the overwhelming black dragons of malevolent energy, they gradually felt their strength waning. Their domains of power even showed signs of collapsing.

"Not good!""Be careful!"

Amidst the cries of the Demon Sages, the soldiers in the military formation let out a synchronized roar. Their weapons pointed uniformly towards the sky.

"Kill!""Roar!"

The black dragons of malevolent energy all raised their heads, their heads appearing like a forest within the black mist. They roared towards the heavens, their cries rising and falling, utterly breathtaking.

Accompanied by continuous dragon roars, the malevolent energy swept in all directions. The winds and clouds changed color, and thunder rumbled in the void.

Seeing this scene, all the Demon Sages revealed expressions of horror. They had a feeling that if they continued to stay here and confront the army, they might die!

"Flee!"

In the face of a life-or-death crisis, one's life was naturally paramount. Who cared about plans or the 'Celestial Immortal's' orders anymore!

They had underestimated the power of this supreme treasure, and even the 'Celestial Immortal' had underestimated its power. Unless the Celestial Immortal descended directly, even gathering all the Demon Sages of this realm would not be enough to contend with this treasure. Their previous plans had become a joke!

The Demon Sages each displayed their unique abilities, unleashing their most powerful escape techniques, scrambling to rush out of the malevolent black clouds. Some even reverted to their true forms, fleeing the icefield without a backward glance.

The Pill-Stealing Great Sage pointed his wooden staff at the ground. With each tap, a spirit tree would sprout in the distant front. The spirit tree would instantly grow to full size, and then the Pill-Stealing Great Sage would appear on it, as if leaping, yet moving extremely fast. Only the Sword-Body Unity Northern Balance Great Sage could rival his speed.

Whoosh!

From sprouting to full foliage, it happened in an instant. The Pill-Stealing Great Sage pushed aside the layered leaves, peered behind him, and his pupils suddenly contracted to the size of needlepoints.

The military formation and the black dragons of malevolent energy did not pursue them. Instead, their military might was aimed directly at the heavens, as if they intended to raise an army to conquer the sky itself!

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Black dragons of malevolent energy roared as they surged into the sky. A black storm of malevolent energy covered the sky and earth. Through the malevolent energy, only the faint outline of the mausoleum could be seen, and the army seemed to have merged with the malevolent energy.

The monstrous malevolent aura and the unyielding murderous intent still made the Pill-Stealing Great Sage's heart pound.

Bang!

Suddenly, two black dragons of malevolent energy collided, seemingly engaging in self-destruction, their bodies shattering simultaneously into two black clouds. Immediately after, more black dragons of malevolent energy crashed into each other. Inside the black dragons was incredibly pure malevolent energy, which instantly obscured the sky and sun, converging furiously towards the center, ultimately transforming into a gigantic blade.

The black colossal blade spanned across the firmament, stretching for countless thousands of miles. Its shadow could even be seen from beyond the icefield.

The blade's tip slightly upturned, and then it slashed down!

In an instant, the hearts of all the Demon Sages intensely thumped. They felt a faint sting in their bodies, having been wounded by the blade's intent from afar.

A terrifying saber qi shot up into the sky.

A world-shaking strike, slashing against the heavens!

Rumble!

The entire minor chiliocosm violently shook. The biting cold winds of the Arctic Icefield abruptly ceased. In the Southern and Northern Regions, as well as the Lotus Crossing Great Marsh, mountains trembled, the earth cracked, and rivers flowed backward.

South of the Southern Region, fierce winds raged, churning rivers and seas.

Terrifying anomalies affected the entire realm, filling living beings with dread, as if the end of the world had arrived. And the source of it all was this single strike!

Boom!

The Demon Sages abruptly turned their heads, their eyes wide with disbelief.

The black blade split the heavens in half, leaving a long blade mark, a rift that could not heal for a long time. This single strike directly tore the firmament, and with the naked eye, one could see the terrifying storm beyond the rift.

A familiar aura emanated from beyond the rift—it was the ubiquitous Six Heavens Old Qi!

"Niel River! It's the Niel River!"

The Garuda Great Sage exclaimed in surprise. Legends of the Niel River had long circulated in the Spirit Realm. Cultivators of this realm also knew about the Niel River and had long suspected that this realm was located within it.

This single strike had actually broken through the world barrier, allowing them to directly see the interior of the Niel River.

At this very moment, if they flew out of this rift, they could leave this realm and enter the Spirit Realm!

Yet, not a single Demon Sage dared to move.

All the Demon Sages looked towards the General's Tomb with fearful eyes. The black blade had vanished after splitting the firmament. Around the General's Tomb, malevolent energy surged. The mausoleum subtly vibrated and then flew towards the outer heavens.

Just then, a Demon Sage suddenly pointed into the depths of the Niel River and exclaimed.

"What is that!"

Gui Xu.

The jungle domain had, at some unknown point, turned into a sea of flames. Wherever the flames passed, they left behind scorched wood, devoid of any vitality.

The flames spread towards the entrance of the clam shell, squeezing the jungle's living space.

Amidst the flames, a figure walked slowly, as if strolling through a leisurely courtyard. The moment Qingyuan's true form descended, the contest of spells between him and the Banyan Tree King was no longer in suspense.

Qingyuan suddenly stopped, feeling something, and looked north. A moment later, he retracted his gaze, looked towards the flame-engulfed jungle, raised a hand and beckoned. Two streams of light shot out and landed in his grasp.

They were also artifact spirits; though not comparable to the Rivers and Mountains Scroll and the General's Tomb, they could still serve as assistance.

Qingyuan sent the two streams of light towards the depths of the void and said solemnly, "Daoist Friend Mo, the General's Tomb has already broken through the realm and left. It's time to act!"

North shore of Lotus Crossing Great Marsh.

The anomalies in this world brought an aura of destruction, stirring the most primal fear in its living beings. Even if they couldn't see the strange phenomena, they could still feel dread.

At the foot of the mountain.

The once lively mountain forest was now terrifyingly silent, not a single insect chirp could be heard. Occasional mournful howls only added to the terrifying atmosphere.

Unenlightened beasts and birds huddled together in their nests, trembling.

Some birds were so terrified they even forgot how to fly, falling to the ground and cowering in the grass.

What's more, some were so utterly terrified that they let out heart-rending wails.

On the mountaintop.

A group of demon cultivators gathered here, including two Demon Kings, both dressed in colorful brocade robes and bearing a slight resemblance to each other.

They were blood brothers, one named Hermit Qishan and the other Hermit Mianyuan.

All the demon cultivators stared blankly at the black line piercing through the firmament. Those with higher cultivation could discern that it was a rift tearing the firmament, but this only intensified their fear.

"Is the legendary day finally upon us?" Hermit Qishan murmured.

They had once heard some rumors from the Great Sages.

Just then, Hermit Mianyuan suddenly frowned. "Brother, am I seeing things?"

Hermit Qishan was startled and followed Hermit Mianyuan's gaze, discovering that the mountain before them had a double image.

The two demons rubbed their eyes vigorously, confirming it wasn't their imagination.

Not just this mountain, but the surrounding ranges, great rivers, and lakes also appeared as double images in their vision, and the land became blurred.

The double images grew more severe, as if the shadows of these mountains and rivers were about to separate from their original forms.

"What is that!"

The Demon Sages looked over at the sound, only to see some light points emerging from the Six Heavens Old Qi. The light points became increasingly noticeable, scattered like stars within the Niel River, forming a starlit sky.

"The Demon Court has arrived!"

The Pill-Stealing Great Sage let out a long breath, then his heart tightened again. Behind the starlight, he saw crimson flames soaring into the sky, forcing even the Six Heavens Old Qi to retreat a considerable distance.

Whoosh!

At the edge of the crimson flames, another streak of green light tore through the void. A faint true dragon phantom flickered into existence, emitting a majestic voice.

"Hmph! A bunch of sneaky cowards, finally daring to show yourselves!"

Before the words had even finished, the majestic voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"The General's Tomb!"

Whoosh!

In an instant, numerous gazes shot towards this realm.

When they felt gazes directed at them, the Demon Sages once again realized how utterly weak they were. These gazes contained astonishing pressure, leaving the Demon Sages with only one thought: get as far away from the icefield as possible!

Faced with the covetous gazes from outside, the General's Tomb showed no fear. Carrying monstrous malevolent energy, it surged out of the heavens.

Instantly, all the stars moved in unison, and the dragon phantom and crimson flames crossed the starry sky, charging directly towards the General's Tomb!

Seeing that a three-way battle was about to erupt, the repercussions had already begun to affect the realm.

Crack!Boom!

The Arctic Icefield was overwhelmed, with broken landscapes everywhere. Not only the ice layers and icebergs above the icefield, but the ground beneath the ice also cracked. Massive fissures crisscrossed. Even if it could recover in the future, the Arctic Icefield would likely cease to exist, becoming a collection of isolated islands.

The Demon Sages fled south in panic, only to suddenly discover that the surrounding world was also undergoing strange changes.

They had just been captivated by the General's Tomb and the scene outside the heavens, only now noticing the changes around them.

The ground had a double image, but this was definitely not a shadow of the land!

It seemed there were originally two worlds here. One was a real world, vibrant, full of life, and colorful. The other was an ink-and-wash world, where the earth, mountains, rivers, winds, clouds, and lightning were all outlined with brush and ink, some bold, some faint, with monotonous colors, and everything above and below was gray and white, as if a world within a painting.

Now, the world within the painting was separating from the real world.

What was astonishing was that the world within the painting was no smaller than the real world. Despite its monotonous colors, it was still clearly discernible that it also contained snow-capped mountains, icefields, mountains, rivers, lakes, and stormy oceans...

This scene unfolded before the beings of this realm like a colossal ink wash painting.

Rather than two separate worlds, it was more accurate to say that the world within the painting formed the veins and skeleton of the real world. The world within the painting was the very foundation of this realm's existence!

Within the Lotus Crossing Great Marsh, as the world within the painting emerged, various secret realms appeared one after another.

Most of these secret realms were related to the Black Tortoise Sacred Palace. The Sacred Palace had shattered into countless fragments, but each fragment was interconnected by ink-wash landscapes, allowing them to remain connected in spirit despite being physically scattered.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As the world within the painting peeled away, fragments of the Black Tortoise Sacred Palace flew towards the secret realm where Gui Xu was located. Soon, they assembled into a rudimentary form of the Sacred Palace. The Black Tortoise Sacred Palace then slammed onto the ground, and the violently shaking real world immediately became much more stable.

"The Rivers and Mountains Scroll!"

A startled cry came from outside the realm.

At this moment, the truth was revealed, and the demons finally understood they had targeted the wrong object. The supreme treasure was not the General's Tomb, but the Rivers and Mountains Scroll!

The celestial bodies and the crimson flames from Dragon Island, which were rushing towards the General's Tomb, unhesitatingly changed their target.

The General's Tomb was no less valuable than the Rivers and Mountains Scroll; in fact, it might even surpass it. But here, the Rivers and Mountains Scroll was more important. Furthermore, the Rivers and Mountains Scroll was clearly easier to subdue. The General's Tomb was almost at its full power; if a real fight broke out, no one was confident they could stop it.

Moreover, these were all human race supreme treasures, with the General's Tomb being a particularly important military artifact. They would surely alert the Great Zhou Heavenly Monitoring Bureau, so they couldn't get entangled for too long.

Whoosh!

Unhindered, the General's Tomb transformed into a black streak and vanished into the depths of the Niel River.

At this point, the world within the painting became increasingly clear, like a true scroll, slowly rolling up. Under the cover of the General's Tomb, most of it had already rolled up.

Above the scroll, a figure suddenly appeared. Behind that figure, two more streaks of spiritual light shot into the sky, transforming into a stringless zither and a sheath without a sword...

Qingyuan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky, directly confronting the multitude of demons!