Chapter 199: Chapter 142: Black Mountain (First Update)_1
Translator: 549690339
“Ancient temples in all directions are like demonic prisons.”
“Seven-foot cold frost swords are like dragons.”
This was the scene and the impression it made on everyone present.
Sword light stretched infinitely, weaving a domain of swords, casting light upon an expanse of darkness.
Within this realm of swords, amidst the darkness, lay an ancient and dilapidated temple, where boundless dark currents surged like tidal waves, surrounding a towering, sky-reaching tree.
This tree was a locust tree, yet not an ordinary one; it stood a thousand feet tall, with countless roots and vines hanging down, rooting themselves into the ancient temple, forming an eerie sanctuary where a myriad of phantom shadows wailed and shrieked.
It was the Locust Tree of Gloomy Yin-Yang!
As a peculiar demon, it had already stepped into the Demon Emperor Realm, possessing thousands of years of Taoist Cultivation. Although not yet at the level of ancient demons such as those of Black Mountain, who could boast ten thousand years of cultivation, it was far superior to beings like Chu Gonghou, ranking as a formidable power among the Demon Emperors.
Thus, when it sensed the abnormality within the Orchid Temple, it resolutely took action.
It wasn’t overestimating its own abilities, but rather, it had no choice.
Plants and stones are vastly different from animals and livestock, it was extremely difficult for them to awaken Spirit Wisdom and transform into spirit monsters or demons.
However, correspondingly, once plants and stones became enlightened, surpassing the boundary of beasts and livestock, their starting point and strength were certain to surpass those of similar creatures.
The Black Mountain Old Demon was one example.
As the spirit of Black Mountain from the Underworld, in terms of strength, it was one of the top powerhouses even among ancient demons thousands of years old.
Even Daoist Celestial Masters and Holy Buddhist Monks could only seal it instead of destroying its body, the Black Mountain that had existed for countless years.
Such was its formidable strength.
However, success was Xiao He, and so was failure!
Though demon trees and mountain spirits were powerful, far surpassing beastly spirit monsters, they had one significant weakness and flaw: their bodies were difficult to move, or simply could not move at all.
Like the Black Mountain Old Demon, its body, a sprawling and towering mountain of unknown expanse, belonged to the immobile category.
Therefore, it could only reign in its own domain, dominating an area, incapable of ruling the world for eternity.
It was the same for this demon tree.
People move and live, trees move and die!
As a tree, its body might not be as immobile as the Black Mountain, but moving it was extremely burdensome; uprooting it came at a painful cost, devastating its foundation, severely wounding its Yuan Qi, potentially ruining thousands of years of cultivation in an instant.
How could it accept this?
Not to mention, moving might not necessarily mean escaping.
Therefore, it had no choice but to fight desperately.
“Boom!”
The ancient temple fell apart, rocks collapsed and scattered like clouds, and the massive Yin-Yang Locust Tree soared high, with countless roots emerging like dragons.
Moreover, overwhelming Yin Qi roared mightily like tides, sweeping along myriad evil ghosts, biting towards the opponent’s sword light.
The magnitude of its presence was undeniable, and its strength was significant.
Yet the sword light was crisscrossing, swift and agile like a dragon.
The Sword Realm outside, although formed in battle formation, did not aid in the onslaught.
It was just a blockade, isolating all sides to prevent any from slipping through the net.
Among the Ghost Realm, amidst the turbulent currents, lingered the afterglow of one man and one sword.
“Boom!”
Within the vast stream of sword energy, a divine light burst forth, shattering the endless darkness, sweeping across like a long rainbow during the day, striking the Ghostly Tree Shadow directly.
That one sword, that one light, its brilliance and shock were indescribable, beyond words.
One sword, just one sword!
“Spurt!”
With the pass of the sword, the demonic atmosphere instantly dissipated.
The mighty Yin-Yang Locust Tree, a thousand-foot stature, shook thunderously.
Roots and vines, serpent-like or dragon-like, instantly stiffened, solidified, withered, and shattered.
Countless phantom ghosts wailed, in an instant freeing themselves from their bounds, rushing in all directions.
Yet the Sword Realm blocked them, sealing off their escape routes; countless phantom ghosts had no way up to the heavens, nor a door to descend to the earth, either being sliced apart or captured.
Amidst the wails of thousands of ghosts, the battle concluded without complication.
Outside the Sword Realm, a group of people stood still in shock, with confused expressions, struggling to accept what had happened.
Even Nie Xiaoqian, the ‘Resourceful Big Sister’ who had early on realized that something was amiss and took decisive action, was now in utter astonishment, disbelief etched on her face.
The grandma is dead?
Just like that?
With only one sword?
Just one sword!
This…
As one of the phantom ghosts under the Yin-Yang Locust Tree, Nie Xiaoqian was well aware of her grandma’s capabilities, which were incomparable to ordinary demons. Within the Orchid Ghost Realm, she held an absolute home-field advantage, not only being able to command thousands of phantom ghosts to fight but also to channel the forces of both Yin and Yang realms, applying the Gloomy Skill that manipulates space-time.
Gloomy Skill meant the interaction of gods and ghosts, the merging of Yin and Yang!
It was the Art of Divine Abilities related to “space-time.”
Rooted in the Ghost Realm, the Demon Tree Grandma, using her Yin and Yang Gloomy Skill, forged the “Alternate Demon World” Divine Power, capable of turning the intangible into tangible, the solid into the void, space-time shift, transformation of Yin and Yang, almost able to divert any attack. Even a Taoist True Monarch invoking a mountain-subduing Magical Treasure would find it hard to harm its true body.
But now…
One sword, just one sword!
And with that, all was settled to dust.
What kind of spell, what kind of Divine Skills were these?
Nie Xiaoqian couldn’t imagine and found it hard to accept.
But she soon woke from her shock, her heart filled with joy and relief.
Reality is reality, regardless of whether you accept it or not, whether you acknowledge it or not, it remains fact.
The grandma is dead, no matter the cause of death; dead is dead!
She saved her life and gained freedom, how could she not rejoice and cheer?
Not just her, the Green Butterflies to her left and right, once they came to their senses, were overjoyed beyond measure, almost wishing to embrace each other and weep, looking at this “big sister” who led them with even greater admiration.
If it weren’t for her decisive kneel and wise submission just now, they would probably face more danger than safety at this moment.
Indeed, even in death, one must use their eyes and brains.
Let’s not talk about everyone else’s reaction for a moment.
After piercing the heart with his sword and slaying the Demon Tree Grandma, Xu Yang did not reappear before the crowd, but instead went directly through the barrier between yin and yang into the Netherworld.
Slaying the Demon Tree Grandma was a matter of course for him, without any suspense.
After all, no matter how strong the Demon Tree Grandma was, in terms of Cultivation, she was merely a Demon Emperor, a second-rate one at that, with only a few thousand years of Taoist Cultivation, nowhere near the likes of Black Mountain Old Demon with tens of thousands of years.
Now, having initiated the Luotian Dajiao and acquired the strength of a Daoist Celestial Master, Xu Yang’s Cultivation Realm, Taoist Cultivation, and Mana were far superior to hers, and coupled with the now Magically Treasurable Xuanyuan Divine Sword, it was natural and fitting that he slayed her with one strike; it would have been abnormal not to.
As for that Art of Yinyang Gloomy Skill, the art of spatial transfer, it was truly profound and extraordinary.
But… even the strongest Divine Skills require Cultivation to support!
Without sufficient Cultivation, even the most astonishing Great Divine Powers cannot exhibit much of their might.
Facing Xu Yang, who was completely overwhelming in Cultivation Realm, Taoist Cultivation and Mana, with the help of his life-bound Magical Treasure, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, the Demon Tree Grandma’s Yin and Yang Gloomy Skill was utterly ineffective; the spatial transfer failed, and Xu Yang seized the opportunity to pierce her heart with a sword.
Cultivators, cultivators, Cultivation is the foundation, and Realm is the cornerstone.
Without sufficient Cultivation, all Spells and Divine Skills, all Magical Treasures and Spiritual Treasures, are nothing but castles in the air.
The Realm of the Underworld, the great dark heavens, devoid of the brilliance of the sun and moon, is filled with nothing but yin clouds and death Qi.
Under the black heavens is Black Mountain.
And beneath Black Mountain, there lies Black City.
Black Mountain towers high, stretches unbroken, covering an unknown expanse of land.
The majestic city with its gates wide open bustles like a thoroughfare.
Suddenly…
“Who is it!”
A cry of fury shook Black Mountain, trembling the heavens and the earth.
“Boom!”
At the same time, a Sword Light descended upon Black Mountain, as though thunder was striking from the heavens.
The Locust Tree of Gloomy Yin-Yang, the mountain of life and death, was originally a Demon born alongside them.
It took root atop Black Mountain, deeply entrenched, governed by it.
Even later, when merging the Dual Realms of Yin and Yang through its Gloomy Yin-Yang Skill, the actual location did not change.
Therefore, the roots of the Locust Tree of Gloomy Yin-Yang were still on Black Mountain; the tree body that appeared just before was merely a section of its trunk.
Now, with the death of the Demon Tree Grandma, as Sword Light descends from the heavens, Black Mountain Old Demon is jolted awake for the first time.
Its reaction seems a bit sluggish.
But there’s no helping it, that’s just how a mountain spirit that has taken form behaves.
Its speech isn’t even clear, how fast can its reactions be?
Only after the death of the Demon Tree Grandma does it awaken; Black Mountain erupts into action, sand and stones fly in all directions, condensing into a giant hand that rises to meet the Sword Edge.
This giant hand, formed of black stone, as hard as metal, extremely sturdy, imbued with the Power of Mountains and the Qi of Death, is nearly impossible for ordinary cultivators to contend with.
However, the one who has come is by no means ordinary.
A sword descends from the heavens, its light brilliant, cleaving the dark heavens and earth.
Fire of man and law, the righteousness is vast.
Essence of Earth Law, unsurpassably sharp.
The might of Heavenly Law, Scouring the Court and Sweeping the Den.
The Three Laws invested in the sword, all energy concentrated in one strike.
“Boom!”
A loud explosion resounds, shaking the heavens and earth, causing Black Mountain to tremble.
The giant hand made of black stone was pierced in an instant, the mana within also shattered in a moment.
With that, stones rolled downhill, the giant hand disintegrated.
Only the sword remained unchanged, thunderously puncturing the mountain’s peak.
If it were a human body, this would be akin to a sword piercing through the Heavenly Spirit.
However, Black Mountain is not human; from within the deep sword wound, a near-liquid stream of Yin Qi surges out, along with mixed Black Sand Evil Qi and spewing Earthfire venom, seeking to corrupt the Sword Light, reduce the Magical Treasure to slag, and shatter the offensive.
This is Black Mountain Old Demon’s signature move—Black Sand Poisonous Fire.
Having become sentient over untold years, Black Mountain consumed the souls of countless living beings, harboring within it their vengeful, poisonous Evil Qi, combined with the vile and toxic flames naturally occurring in barren and dangerous lands. Fused together and cultivated by the Old Demon over tens of thousands of years, it eventually became a Divine Ability—the Black Sand Poisonous Fire.
This fire, tainted with Evil Qi and steeped in poison, is extremely corruptive; even for a Taoist True Monarch, a single breath could cause serious injury, damaging their law body, contaminating their Yang Spirit, and if not cleansed quickly, it could even lead to demise and death.
Now, as the sword pierces Black Mountain, it is not merely sprayed upon; it is fully immersed in this Black Sand Poisonous Fire.
With such contamination, such a vile concoction of Evil Qi and venomous flames, even a Magical Treasure, how long can it last?
“Bang bang bang!”
The Earth Sha poisonous fire spewed violently, carrying with it swirling Black Sand that eroded and collided with the Sword Light, causing a dazzling spray of sparks.
Yet, the Sword Light continued to not retreat but instead began to spin and surge, unleashing the Thunderbolt Strength, like an electric dragon twisting and writhing within the mountain body.
“Boom!”
Immediately, Black Mountain shook, rocks crumbled like clouds, countless tunnels drilled out by the force.
The Old Demon could not bear it and eventually the vast expanse of Black Mountain had a human face emerge, contorted in agony, features twisted, still straining to open its large mouth and violently expel what was within.
“Pfft!”
With all the might of the Earth Vein and the Power of Mountains and Rivers expended, the sword interlaced with thunderbolts was finally vomited out.
Thereafter, Black Mountain shook, its expression settled into silence, and apparently it took on a defensive posture, withdrawing into itself.