Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 512 - 448: Fall

An unreachable horizon.

The boundless sea of clouds is dreamlike and illusory, like a mysterious curtain in a fairyland, gently swaying in the endless void.

The clouds are heavy yet soft, like white jade brocade meticulously woven by celestial maidens, sometimes billowing, sometimes serene.

Above this sea of clouds, peaks stand like heavenly masterpieces, towering proud, reaching into the Nine Heavens, their summits piercing the clouds like the stone steps of Heaven, leading people to gaze upon that supreme domain.

At the summit of these lofty peaks, figures appear and disappear, like descending deities, their appearances obscured by mysterious mist, leaving only grand silhouettes, tall and solemn.

The auras they emit are profound and majestic, like the power of heaven and earth awakening from slumber, with every inch of skin and every strand of hair imbued with indescribable strength.

Around them, blurred visions of the Dao appear—perhaps a bright moon hangs on their chest, a mighty dragon coils above their heads, or stars twinkle in their sleeves. Each scene reveals their control over the Three Thousand Grand Paths.

With a mere movement of their hands, they can shake the heavens and the earth, their invisible might guiding all things, shifting stars, and quaking rivers and mountains.

Their supreme majesty, like the sovereign of heaven and earth!

The utmost in the world!

"The Zhao Family still refuses to relent?"

Atop the group of peaks, a figure with a moon hanging on her chest, bathed in bright yellow moonlight, spoke slowly. Her voice was cool and ethereal, as if from the Nine Heavens above, making one feel as if they were in Guanghan upon hearing it.

"There’s no choice. Although the Imperial Cauldron Fire Seed of the Zhao Family is already precarious, it hasn’t completely extinguished.

The dynastic change hasn’t begun yet.

As long as the Zhao Family holds power, using the Godslayer Platform requires their consent."

Another grand figure, sitting calmly on a Golden Dao Tree, spoke.

"Hmph! Ignorant and ungrateful, we’ve already made an exception by allowing them to send four people over on this Southern Ming Wasteland expedition, yet they still hesitate.

What do they want to do, rebel?"

"Heh, after being the Human Race’s imperial ancestor for over a thousand years, they truly think they are the supreme of the world, just like the Chen Family of Great Yan back then."

"We need to find a way to force them to agree, our people have already gone deep into the Southern Ming Wasteland, the longer the delay, the greater the losses."

"I think Elder Li needs to step forward on the Zhao Family issue."

Upon hearing this, gazes capable of changing heaven and earth and redirecting rivers and mountains all focused on the celestial peak at the highest point of the cloud-covered sky.

On this celestial peak, there was no divine radiance or Daoist visions.

Only an elderly Daoist, hair and beard all white, dressed in a simple robe, sat cross-legged on a cushion of yellow grass, dozing with one hand supporting his cheek.

Under such intense scrutiny, the old Daoist seemed utterly oblivious, deeply asleep.

Until a petal from a peach branch pinned in his hair drifted down.

When it landed on his nose, the old Daoist slowly woke up, wiping away the petal as he yawned and stretched.

"Uh, why’s everyone looking at this old man?" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Upon waking, the old Daoist noticed all eyes were on him, turning his head in confusion.

"Elder Li, about the Zhao Family..."

After recounting the Zhao Family’s unwillingness to use the Godslayer Platform, it seemed that all in this ancient alliance of cataclysmic beings held the highest respect for this old Daoist.

"I see."

Gently stroking his beard, the old Daoist lifted his drooping eyelids and looked at the present beings:

"This concerns the fate of my Human Race. Of course, this old man can make a trip for you.

But if the Zhao Family isn’t willing to respect my words, then there’s nothing I can do."

"Elder Li jests, the Zhao Family, even if they have the guts of a dragon, wouldn’t dare harbor such thoughts.

If they truly were so rebellious, the Dao Alliance would initiate the highest decision and simply erase them," the grand existence with the moon on their chest calmly said.

"Alright, since everyone said so, this old man will give it a try."

Seeing the old Daoist agree, the grand existences nodded gradually.

"There’s another matter, regarding the proposal to break through the muddy fog of the Southern Ming Wasteland..."

"Without moving the Godslayer Platform, this can’t be done, the cost is too great."

"Let’s be patient, perhaps the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains will lose patience first, at least for now, they seem more anxious than us."

"Then this matter..."

"Let’s set it aside for now, first handle the Godslayer Platform issue, since the Southern Ming Wasteland will probably take some more time. We can address it after they delve deep into that battlefield and find the trace of that sword."

"Alright, let’s decide on that then."

...

Southern Ming Wasteland.

As the Human Race and the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains gradually delved into this Ancient Battlefield, the skirmishes and encounters with Tenacity Retentions grew ever more frequent.

Although the Human Race’s number of Dao Experts didn’t match the Demon Kings and Demon Lords of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

On this battlefield, they clearly held a certain advantage.

And this advantage came entirely from the Tenacity Retentions of these Ancient Cultivators.

Compared to the indiscriminate destructive attacks by the Demonic Path cultivator’s retentions, the retentions of Righteous Dao like Lin Cong’s at least maintain enough reason and spiritual wisdom in half of them.

With their support, the Human Race’s situation in the Southern Ming Wasteland is noticeably better than that of the Demon Kings and Demon Lords of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

Until the progress of the Dao Experts advanced into the depths of the Southern Ming Wasteland.

Compared to the outer borders, the muddy fog in the depths of the Southern Ming Wasteland is even denser, with streaks of red resembling blood threads appearing in the originally grey-white mist.

The increased density of the fog further reduced the already poor visibility.

For Dao Experts who could normally scan a thousand miles with their Divine Sense, it was like groping through an impenetrable black night.

In a surging black river with biting cold fog, Qi Xiu sat cross-legged within a talisman array, eyes slightly closed, surrounded by the Yimu Divine Light like emerald ripples, gently stirring and flowing with endless life force.

Within this divine light, trees of emerald green soared into the sky, lush and verdant, taking root and growing in the void.

However, amidst this scene of vitality, there was also an aura of grey decay and silence, the withering after the renewal of dead wood, the cycle and replacement of life.

Every withered branch and leaf appeared to be dying, yet in the gloom, they nurtured new life, illustrating the mercy and ruthlessness of the Yimu Dao.

Although through the Endless Azure, Qi Xiu absorbed Lin Cong’s lifetime insights and experiences in cultivation.

To transform these into his own gains still required thorough research and comprehension.

Fortunately, as the Sect Master of Qingmu Cliff, Lin Cong, a True Monarch in the Dao Body Realm, had nearly exhausted the essence of the Azure Eternal Wood Scripture.

With his insights and experiences, cultivating this true scripture’s Dharma Gate was like copying from a standard answer.

Coupled with the Hunyuan Myriad Laws Immortal Body’s dominion over all laws.

In less than ten days, he had cultivated this true scripture’s Dharma Gate to the highest [Ninth Realm].

Slowly opening his eyes, exhaling a breath mixed with the essence of Yimu, Qi Xiu’s brow slightly twitched.

Raising his hand, he summoned several Suppression Talismans to suppress the call of the Great Dao that resonated from the depths of his mind.

This was the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth wishing him to embody the Yimu Dao.

However, he cultivated the Azure Eternal Wood Scripture to ultimately embody the Five Elements of the Dao.

If his aim were solely to embody a single Dao among the Five Elements, with his current realm, he could become a Dao Expert of three or even four embodiments at any time after the embodiment’s cooldown period.

With a flip of his palm, two rays of withered yellow, resembling autumn’s withered leaves, suddenly appeared in Qi Xiu’s hand.

"I didn’t expect that the Yimu Dao, representing vitality and nature, would hold destructive power comparable to the Lihuo Dao of the Boundless Fire Emperor.

Indeed, all things have their dual aspects.

Fire possesses the terrifying power to burn the sky and boil the seas, yet it can also bring warmth to all living beings.

Water can submerge everything, sinking into the abyss, yet it is also the origin of life.

It is the same with Yimu.

There is both life and death, the vitality of breaking through the soil, reaching upward, and the decay into ashes, returning to a withered yellow."

With a thought, Qi Xiu activated the Heaven and Earth Imperial Sword Skill, gradually transforming this force of grey decay into a seemingly ordinary longsword, covered in withered wood patterns.

Ash Wither!

Perhaps in terms of pure destructive power, the Yimu Dao wasn’t as formidable as Lihuo.

But if one talks about the extinction of life.

This Sword of Ash Wither might have the upper hand.

"With this sword in hand, dealing with those thick-skinned demons will be much easier."

Dismissing the Ash Wither, Qi Xiu waved his sleeve and withdrew the talisman array surrounding him.

Unbeknownst to them, they had been in the Southern Ming Wasteland for nearly half a year, and due to the obstruction caused by the muddy fog, their advance had slowed to its minimum speed.

As they delved deeper into this ancient battlefield.

Its vast expanse led the numerous Dao Experts of the Human Race to gradually drift farther apart, and without recognizable landmarks, Qi Xiu’s attempts to reunite with his master, Daoist Yunxiong, using visible means never succeeded.

Moreover, as time went on and the environment changed.

Some of the events they dreaded most became inevitable.

Some Dao Experts began to fall!

Although the fog prevented communication and forecasting type Dharma Gates from functioning.

Due to the existence of the Mind Sensing Spirit Plaque, they could still barely use messages to communicate indirectly.

At the end of the third month after entering the Southern Ming Wasteland, Chu Xinyi left a message on the Mind Sensing Spirit Plaque, urging all Dao Experts to leave messages every ten days to confirm their safety.

So that the Human Race would at least know how many of them remained.

When this strategy was carried out for the fifth time.

Which was five and a half months after the Dao Experts entered the Southern Ming Wasteland.

There were missing messages in the usual updates.

Five Dao Experts left no message.

Afterwards, despite Chu Xinyi’s continuous reminders over five days, there was still no response.

At this point, every Dao Expert felt a sinking feeling.

These five companions likely met a grim fate.

...