Chapter 242 - 137: Stepping into the Grotto Heaven and Breaking the Encirclement (2)

Chapter 242: Chapter 137: Stepping into the Grotto Heaven and Breaking the Encirclement (2)

Xuzhuang had no spare moment to bother with those junior disciples of Foundation Establishment and Refining, so he had charged straight for this place. But now it seemed he was a step too late.

And yet, since the Celestial Permanence Sect had already successfully withdrawn its people into the Grotto Heaven, the gate itself had not immediately closed... The implication was obvious even without thinking.

As the thought crossed his mind, Xuzhuang made his decision. His gaze sharpened. With a shake of his body, a hazy shadow identical to him detached from his form. It took two steps forward and gradually solidified, revealing that he had once again summoned the dharma body from his Three Elements Residence in the World Technique.

During his battle with Jiang Chengzi, Xuzhuang had expended one element’s worth of his Magical Power in a single go. Fortunately, he had already grasped the state of the "Marvelous Response of the Three Elements." Although his three-element Magical Power had not yet been cultivated to its original, perfect level, he had already mastered the wondrous art of naturally recovering Magical Power after using the three elements.

Although Xuzhuang had rushed here from the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly without a moment’s rest, he had still recovered nearly half of the expended element of Magical Power. This was more than enough to create a dharma body to act as a vanguard for his true self.

A barely perceptible smile touched Xuzhuang’s lips. He pointed a finger, sending a streak of purple light into the dharma body. He then commanded the dharma body to charge headfirst through the gate of the Grotto Heaven.

——

The moment Wang Xingsi and his companion entered the Grotto Heaven, their vision opened onto a vast plain. In all directions, glowing orbs shaped like meditation cushions hung suspended in mid-air. Upon each orb sat a cultivator who had at least achieved the Golden Core, each holding a different Magical Artifact, poised and ready for battle.

At the highest point, three brilliant orbs hung suspended. Two remained empty, but a figure was already seated on the one to the right—it was the Nascent Soul Elder who had been the first to lead the disciples into the Gurotto Heaven.

Seeing Wang Xingsi and his companion enter the Grotto Heaven, the elder breathed a sigh of relief and flew down to greet them. "Senior Brother..."

Before he could finish, Wang Xingsi cut him off. "Give me the Array Talisman. Return to your position and remain on high alert."

Elder He froze for a moment. He took the Array Talisman from his sleeve and handed it to Wang Xingsi, asking, "Aren’t you going to close the Grotto Heaven’s gate, Senior Brother?"

Wang Xingsi didn’t answer. He took the Array Talisman, and with a single leap, flew up to the main seat at the highest point and settled down.

Seeing this, the two elders could only fly to their own designated positions. Then, they heard Wang Xingsi’s solemn voice echo throughout the space. "Fellow members of the sect, our lineage was passed down directly from the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster. In ten thousand years, never have we faced a crisis as dire as this."

"Our Sect Master and elders have been defeated and killed at the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly. Our seat has been usurped by the True Form Temple. We have reached the brink of annihilation."

"The True Form Temple’s forces are at our doorstep, but our people have not yet finished evacuating. Many of our clansmen and disciples—including my own—are still within the sect’s mountain gates. Our only option is to use this Grotto Heaven Array to fight them in a battle to the death."

"I ask you all to unite as one and help our sect survive this calamity."

Hearing his words, the faces of all the cultivators in the formation, including the two Nascent Soul Elders at his sides, grew solemn. They answered in unison, "Yes! We obey the Venerable’s/Senior Brother’s command!"

"Good!" Wang Xingsi boomed. "I need all of you at your absolute sharpest! The moment anyone breaks into this Grotto Heaven, attack instantly and obliterate them!" Without further ado, he shook the Array Talisman. The power of the Grotto Heaven Array instantly descended, and the auras of every elder and Mage in their positions began to climb dramatically.

This was the Life and Death Gate. Wang Xingsi didn’t hesitate to squander the Grotto Heaven’s very essence. Empowered by the great array, even those who had just formed their Golden Core felt their Magical Power surge to its absolute peak, as if they had instantly refined a perfect golden elixir.

And that was nothing. The majority of the Grotto Heaven Array’s power was focused on the more powerful cultivators. For a time, if one didn’t look too closely, the various Mages in their positions were almost indistinguishable from Nascent Soul Venerables.

Even if their Magical Artifacts and Daoist techniques remained unchanged, there were dozens, nearly a hundred cultivators present. What would a joint attack from nearly a hundred Nascent Soul Cultivators look like? And that wasn’t even counting the three true Nascent Soul Venerables, led by Wang Xingsi, whose power, amplified by the Grotto Heaven Array, was beyond measure.

In an instant, the morale of the Celestial Permanence Sect cultivators soared.

Witnessing this, a confident expression finally appeared on Wang Xingsi’s face. He summoned a Magical Sword to hover in the air before turning his gaze back to the center of the formation, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes.

In truth, Wang Xingsi’s ambush was an open plot, one that didn’t rely on deception. But he didn’t believe for a second that his target would retreat.

And who was this Venerable Dao Miao?

A man who, at the Golden Core Realm, could overwhelm a Nascent Soul cultivator—a feat unprecedented in all of history. At the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly, he had slain a Nascent Soul Third Layer cultivator to take his place. With a single sword, he had charged across hundreds of thousands of miles to brazenly smash through our sect’s gates...

’Would such a figure really resort to slaughtering Foundation Establishment and Refining Technique Disciples?’

’Even if he does, I can simply seal the Grotto Heaven. I won’t have to bear the shame of abandoning my disciples just to cling to life... I doubt a provincial sect like True Form Temple, despite producing one monstrously talented disciple, would even know how to locate a Grotto Heaven, let alone break into one by force.’

’If, one day, I have the slightest chance to reach the Nascent Soul Third Layer, or even become a Master Dongt, it might not be impossible to rebuild the Celestial Permanence Dao Lineage.’

Of course, Wang Xingsi knew such an opportunity was incredibly slim. That was why he was staking everything on this single gamble. His eyes were locked on the center of the formation, unblinking, as he thought, ’Venerable Dao Miao of the True Form Temple... come. Do not disappoint me.’

In the very next instant, there was a flash of light in the center of the formation. A young Daoist with a refined and dashing aura materialized!

"He’s here!" Wang Xingsi’s eyes narrowed. The newcomer’s wide, white robes billowed around him, while Sword Qi swirled at his side. His spiritual energy and Magical Power surged like a tidal sea, howling and echoing through the space. Judging by his aura alone, there was no doubt—this was Venerable Dao Miao!

For a split second, an unidentifiable emotion flickered through Wang Xingsi’s heart, but he instantly crushed it. Shaking the Array Talisman to fully activate the array, he roared, "Attack!" and was the first to act, sending his Magical Sword slashing down!

At the same time, everyone in their respective positions attacked! All kinds of Magical Artifacts and dozens of different Daoist techniques were unleashed at once. Spiritual light flickered and rainbow hues flashed in a chaotic, murderous rain that descended upon the target.

The moment Xuzhuang’s dharma body entered the Grotto Heaven, it faced this deadly peril. Before it could even think of dodging, the full power of the Grotto Heaven Array descended upon it. It felt its whole body sink as if a thousand mountains had been dropped on its shoulders, pinning it to the spot, unable to move.

Fortunately, this was the body Xuzhuang had sent in, and he was not unprepared. It looked up to see the deluge of Magical Artifacts and techniques from the Celestial Permanence Sect crashing down. With a sudden shrug of its shoulders, a brilliant green light shot toward the sky. It resembled the Ancient Heaven-Supporting Divine Wood, sprouting nearly a hundred branches that spread out to meet the incoming attacks.

Each streak of green light precisely intercepted the spiritual glow of a Magical Artifact or technique. With a sudden surge, they managed to halt the entire cataclysm of attacks for a single instant!

Unfortunately, Xuzhuang’s Five Elements Primordial Divine Light was still not powerful enough. In just a moment, the green light began to tremble violently. A breath later, led by Wang Xingsi’s Magical Sword, a number of Magical Artifacts and techniques broke through the Wood Element Divine Light and continued their deadly descent toward Xuzhuang’s body.

However, even just blocking a fraction of the attacks meant the Wood Element Divine Light had served its purpose. Xuzhuang was not surprised. With a low cry, a thick layer of purple mist rose from the body’s head, forming a canopy to defend against the assault.

The next moment, the rain of spiritual light from the artifacts and techniques hammered against the Purple Qi Xiaoyi, producing a continuous, deafening hum like the tolling of a great bell. Before two breaths had passed, the Purple Qi Xiaoyi had already begun to waver.

Xuzhuang’s eyebrow twitched slightly. The strength of the Celestial Permanence Sect’s combined assault was indeed beyond his expectations. The durability of the Purple Qi Xiaoyi was directly tied to the user’s own Magical Power, and even with his immense reserves, it was already showing signs of failing.

In just two breaths, nearly half of the Magical Power fueling the body had drained away like a bursting dam. The Purple Qi Xiaoyi was on the verge of shattering, yet the body remained unhurried. It leisurely raised its head, looked around, and its gaze passed through the chaotic sky of spiritual light to lock onto Wang Xingsi’s face.

Seeing Xuzhuang’s double teetering on the verge of collapse under his sect’s bombardment, Wang Xingsi’s face lit up with joy. But then he saw the figure look over at him with utter composure, and suddenly, it smiled!

Wang Xingsi’s eyelid twitched. Just as a sense of foreboding washed over him, another brilliant light flashed within the Grotto Heaven.

Before Wang Xingsi could react, a colossal beam of sword light erupted from the flash. It shot into the sky and, like a meteor, weaved between several of the formation’s positions. Amidst the flashes of light, blood sprayed through the air. More than a dozen Golden Core Greats plummeted from their platforms, faces frozen in terror.

P.S. There’s one more Chapter coming. I wanted to release them together, but it’s not quite finished. I’ll post this one first.