Chapter 234: Chapter 228: Array Talisman Path
The thunder spanned the horizon, tearing through endless mountains and rivers and piercing the universe. Its vermilion brilliance surged, turbulent and emitting an overbearing aura capable of annihilating thousands of Demonic Evil Cultivators.
Sitting on the Sword Gourd, Qi Xiu’s demeanor was calm. His face, illuminated by the thunder light, was shrouded in shadows and indistinct.
Sixth Realm Calligraphy! This Mysterious Ability, which had taken six years to break through, finally did not disappoint Qi Xiu’s anticipation.
Upon breaking through to the Sixth Realm, Qi Xiu smoothly comprehended new Cloud Seal Talismans.
[Divine]! Indeed, the Cloud Seal he comprehended after breaking through to the Sixth Realm was the [Divine] character.
Compared to the Martial Talismans that evolved Martial Paths and the talismans of magic paths, the [Divine] character originated from [Yama’s Golden Chapter], a Soul Skill. It could evolve all Dharma Gates of the soul realm.
And upon comprehending the Divine Talisman, Qi Xiu felt a premonition rising in his heart.
The Martial Path represents Essence! The magic path represents Qi! The Soul Skill path represents Spirit! At this moment, he had gathered all three Cloud Seal Talismans: Essence, Qi, and Spirit.
He only needed to wait for the day his calligraphy broke through to the Seventh Realm to comprehend a super Divine Marvel that could penetrate heaven and earth.
Although it was just a hint of premonition, Qi Xiu felt a slight shiver run through his body, goosebumps rising all over.
Besides the [Divine] character, the Sixth Realm Calligraphy also resolved a shortcoming Qi Xiu had always hoped to overcome: the issue of the Cloud Seal Talismans’ potency.
Powerful as the Cloud Seal Talismans were, both Martial Talismans and magic talismans could only manifest one-fifth of the power of their original Dharma Gates. But after his calligraphy broke through to the Sixth Realm, Qi Xiu could enhance the Cloud Seal Talismans’ strength by injecting his true essence, currently up to double the power of the original Dharma Gate!
This enhancement instantly transformed the Cloud Seal Talismans from a previous weak point, due to insufficient power, into one of Qi Xiu’s strongest Mysterious Abilities.
In addition to infusing true essence into the [Martial], [Magic], and [Divine] talismans to enhance their power, the [Suppression] Talisman could also be strengthened by pouring soul power into it. Its limit was even higher, up to three times the original power!
In the fifteen years following his breakthrough to the Sixth Realm, Qi Xiu prepared for the Jiazi catastrophe—a calamity warned by the Human Path Merit. He used the power of the Sixth Realm Cloud Seal to create an extremely large number of various Talisman Scripts.
As the contemporary possessor of the Innate Mixed Yuan Holy Body with three hundred and sixty-five Hunyuan Apertures, the wealthy Qi Xiu, whose true essence was virtually limitless, infused these Cloud Seal Talismans with their maximum potential power. In half of the eighteen Golden Cry Jade Beads, their storage spaces were completely filled with Cloud Seal Talismans. And by channeling true essence into them every five years, he could ensure these Cloud Seal Talismans remained effective for a long time.
Possessing such a vast quantity of Cloud Seal Talismans, Qi Xiu could now certainly be called a walking arsenal. He didn’t even need to act himself. By continuously throwing Talisman Scripts, few Blood-Stained Realm cultivators could withstand such an overwhelming bombardment.
One hundred and eight [Five Thunder Orthodox Skill·Bing Fire Divine Thunder Talismans] formed the Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation, decisively encircling this group of brazen Demonic Evil Cultivators who had arrived laughing wildly, intending to rampage across the lands of the Human Race.
The purple-red Talisman Scripts burst forth with layers of terrifying thunderous might. They tore apart a hundred li of the void as electric snakes danced wildly, forming a vermilion Sea of Thunder.
Terrifying!
In the distant Forest Sea, Feng Siji watched the young Daoist deploy this towering thunderous formation with a mere wave of his hand. Feng Siji’s jaw dropped unconsciously in astonishment.
This man’s mastery of talismanic techniques and Thunder Magic is so profound! Could he be a great cultivator from the Spirit Light Treasure Sect? No, that’s not right. The power manifested by these Thunder Talismans is the pure Five Thunder Orthodox Skill. The Spirit Light Treasure Sect is indeed unparalleled in talismanic techniques, but their Thunder Talismans are mostly superficial Thunder Magic like Palm Thunder. How could they possess such majestic and domineering Five Thunder Charms? And look at the gourd this Daoist is sitting on—at first glance, it seems ordinary, but after looking longer, my eyes sting with extreme pain, as if sharp arrows were piercing them, striking fear into my heart. Clearly, it is an extremely profound Sword Dao magic artifact or Dharma Gate. Talismanic techniques, Thunder Magic, Swordsmanship... Good heavens, which clan’s prodigy has descended upon us?
As a third-level Blood-Stained Realm Great Cultivator, Feng Siji possessed formidable strength and equally keen insight. Just by observing from afar, he could discern that Qi Xiu wielded several powerful methods, far surpassing those of a typical Blood-Stained Great Cultivator.
Talismanic techniques and Swordsmanship are widespread; remnants and incomplete texts are not impossible to find. But this Thunder Magic is uniquely controlled by the Shenxiao Sect! In that case, this person must surely be a great cultivator from the Shenxiao Sect!
After this analysis, Feng Siji immediately identified the origins of the young Daoist before him.
With his hands raised, Qi Xiu gestured downward. The surging, vermilion Sea of Thunder, spanning hundreds of miles, pressed down relentlessly.
Thousands of Demonic Cultivators were trapped in the Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation, mostly low-level fiends of the Dao-Entering Realm. Only five were Blood-Stained Realm Demons. Faced with the Lei Mang and electric light—far brighter and more terrifying than the Taiyang itself—they roared furiously. They unleashed their Sorcery and Demon Skills, attempting to break the formation and escape.
But how could such depraved Dharma Gates dare to confront the heavenly might of the Five Thunder Orthodox Skill!
The Sea of Thunder pressed lower and lower. The range of the formation continuously shrank, its thunderous light and electric arcs madly lashing the Demonic Evil Cultivators within. Screams, accompanied by the foul stench of charring flesh, permeated the void.
"Don’t bother with them! Let’s break out!" shouted a single-horned Evil Ghost. It had green skin, sharp fangs, and a string of human heads hanging from its waist. Seeing the Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation descending, it let out a shrill howl. Abandoning its fellow Demonic companions, it gathered all its Cultivation and violently crashed against the great formation before it, trying to forcefully break through and flee!
BOOM!
The recklessly charging Ranxue Jing Yaomo caused the entire Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation to tremble abruptly. Seeing this, the other Ranxue Jing Yaomo no longer protected their subordinates. They too began to unleash their Sorcery and Demon Skills, shaking the Great Formation. Under the concerted efforts of the Demons, the Sea of Thunder from the Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation, which had been bearing down on them, was actually pushed back up.
What a pity. The art of talisman formations was lost tens of thousands of years ago. Relying merely on fragments recorded in historical texts, it’s truly difficult to reproduce this ancient craft that combines the talismanic Tao and Formations. My Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation has its form but lacks its spirit. Otherwise, if the full power of Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation were unleashed, everyone from the Blood-Stained Realm and Dao-Entering Realm here would be turned into rolling ashes on the ground.
Watching the Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation being pushed back, Qi Xiu slowly shook his head.
After his calligraphy broke through to the Sixth Realm, the power of his Cloud Seal Talismans had surged. He had then considered how to maximize the power of this Mysterious Ability, and the legendary art of talisman formations became his first choice.
The art of Talisman Formations is an ancient craft that perfectly combines talismanic techniques and Formations. It uses talismanic techniques as the medium for Formations, discarding an orthodox Formation’s need for Array Plates, terrain, qi mechanisms, and other factors. By using Talisman Scripts to set up Formations, thousands of variations can be created. With talismanic techniques, a single thought can become a Formation.
Compared to orthodox Formations, the art of talisman formations is quicker and more convenient. While its power may be slightly inferior, it allows for rapid changes in the Formation and extremely fast setup, making it difficult to defend against in advance. Moreover, its power can be continuously enhanced by adding more Talisman Scripts. It is a highly practical craft.
Regrettably, this technique had already been lost in the Near Ancient Era. The Spirit Light Treasure Sect had been trying to revive it all this time, but despite many years of effort, their results were not significant. Conversely, a prominent family in Yunpu Valley of Mengxi Prefecture, Dianchuan Province, seemed to have made a breakthrough in recent years.
As Feng Siji watched from a distance, he saw the Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation showing signs of collapse under the full force of the Demons. His eyes suddenly brightened!
An opportunity has come! Disciples of the Shenxiao Sect are few and far between. If I can befriend a great cultivator from the Shenxiao Sect through this, it will bring great benefits to my future bid for Sect Master.
With a thought, Feng Siji beckoned to his Sect Members. They drove raging fires that turned into countless streaks of light, rushing forward to lend Qi Xiu a helping hand.
"This battle today is my first since descending the mountain. If I let you escape like this, wouldn’t that be laughable?"
Watching the Demonic Evil Cultivators who had managed to push up a huge bulge in the Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation, Qi Xiu slowly rotated the Golden Cry Jade Beads in his hand.
In the next instant, another hundred Cloud Seal Talismans flew out. But this time, they were not Thunder Talismans!
RUSTLE— The Talisman Scripts glowed as mist swirled about!
In the boundless void, a pitch-black, icy ocean emerged from nothingness, like an extension of an endless abyss. A heavy layer of frost hovered over the water’s surface, starkly contrasting with the dark waters below. In this ocean, there was not a trace of life—only cold and solitude.
With one hand raised and the other lowered, Qi Xiu’s eyes downcast, he slowly clasped his hands. "Thunder and water combine—Endless Cold Hell!"
RUMBLE!
The icy black sea, formed by the Black Water True Skill, instantly swallowed all the Demonic Evil Cultivators.
A Sea of Thunder and a sea of black water! The two oceans abruptly merged, their violent collision and fusion producing a deafening sound!
Guided by the water, the power of the Thunder Magic increased dramatically, becoming inescapable. The waters of the black sea possessed an extremely strong corrosive and entangling force.
Paralyzed and weakened by the thundering electricity, the Demonic Evil Cultivators could only watch with bulging eyes. They slowly sank to the bottom, never to rise again. Even those five Ranxue Jing Yaomo felt powerless. The bulge they had pushed up in the Five Thunder Demonic Subjugation Great Formation gradually subsided.
"Kill..." Feng Siji’s approaching voice grew fainter and fainter.
Left hand wielding Yang Thunder, right hand the Yin Sea!
With a simple gesture, Qi Xiu maintained his usual expression. He had used two terrifying, rolling, and turbulent oceans to exterminate thousands of Demonic Evil Cultivators, as though it were a trivial matter.
"Hmm? You are..." Sensing Feng Siji’s approach, Qi Xiu slowly turned. His eyes, swirling with hints of purple, swept over Feng Siji with a casual glance. A Righteous Path cultivator? Is he... coming to help?
Using his Observing Qi Skill, Qi Xiu noted Feng Siji’s identity as a Righteous Path cultivator. A Golden Cry Jade Bead on Qi Xiu’s wrist slowly dimmed.
"I am Feng Siji of the Fire God Sect, leading my Sect Members here to slay Demons," Feng Siji said, cupping his fists as he introduced himself.
"You... uh, I..." Looking at the youthful and scholarly Qi Xiu, Feng Siji opened his mouth but suddenly found himself at a loss for words. After all, the power Qi Xiu had displayed was terrifying. But the art of talismanic techniques made it hard to discern his true Cultivation level. Moreover, techniques like Youth-Preservation Arts were not particularly profound. At that moment, he truly didn’t know whether to address Qi Xiu as ’Fellow Daoist’ or ’Senior’.
Seeing the reason for Feng Siji’s discomfort, Qi Xiu smiled faintly, easing his awkwardness. "I am Qi Xiu, a disciple of the Shenxiao Sect. Pleased to meet you, Daoist Feng."