Chapter 642: A Common Affliction of Golden Turtle Island

Daoist Kuang and the others were utterly shocked. Jiao the Cripple’s display was no ordinary Tai Yi Golden Immortal’s.

A Tai Yi Golden Immortal was an existence comparable to a great demon, possessing transcendent strength.

The Golden Immortal Realm had six Dao Realm stages, and advancing by even one was extraordinarily difficult, no less than a major breakthrough. The time required to cultivate from Xu Wu Yue Heng Heaven to Zhu Luo Huang Jia Heaven was incredibly long, often measured in tens of thousands of years.

Advancing to Tai Yi Golden Immortal was even harder. During the war that brought down the Shang Dynasty, aside from the Three Purities, even the most powerful immortals had only reached the level of Tai Yi Golden Immortals, and at most had cultivated to the thirteenth or fourteenth Dao Realm stage.

The power Jiao the Cripple displayed now even surpassed the Tai Yi Golden Immortals of that era!

Only someone who had cultivated to the seventeenth or even eighteenth Dao Realm stage could give them such a shock.

But Jiao the Cripple was clearly just a cripple who had suffered endless humiliation. They had bullied him ever since the fall of the Shang Dynasty, and had continued to do so up to the present. When had the disciples of the Three Purities ever taken him seriously?

Besides, in a place like western Penglai, polluted by the Great Dao, even if Jiao the Cripple wanted to cultivate, he had nowhere to do so. How could he have broken through and become a Tai Yi Golden Immortal?

One had to know that even their Cloud Sky Grotto had only five Tai Yi Golden Immortals!

Just then, Qiao Gu came over with Jiang Guo, coughing as he walked. He said indignantly, “Uncle, they’re trying to wipe out the roots of our Golden Turtle Island! Let’s fight them to the death!”

Jiao the Cripple’s body trembled, and his imposing aura suddenly softened. With a smile that looked almost like a grimace, and an expression that was almost tearful, he said, “Fellow Daoists of Cloud Sky Grotto, please leave us a way to live. I beg you.”

Qiao Gu flew into a rage. He coughed violently, even coughing up blood. “Uncle, if you keep backing down, Master’s lineage will be wiped out!”

Jiao the Cripple paid him no heed, looking at Daoist Kuang and the others as if pleading with them.

Daoist Kuang let out a breath of relief and smiled. “Jiao the Cripple, you gave me quite a scare. Those who understand the times are outstanding figures, and you’re one who understands the times. Western Penglai was originally sacred ground belonging to the Three Purities’ disciples. It was only because of the upheaval back then that they left western Penglai. Your Golden Turtle Island has lived here for two hundred thousand years, and we haven’t even charged you rent. That’s already exceptional generosity. Today, if Golden Turtle Island yields western Penglai to us, we’ll let bygones be bygones.”

The smile on Jiao the Cripple’s face looked even worse than crying. He forced a smile and said, “Please, fellow Daoists, leave us a way to live. Golden Turtle Island will yield to you, and the Jade Clarity Dao Spring will be yours as well. Please leave us a place to settle in western Penglai.”

Another Daoist, a woman surnamed Yan and named Jinzhi, smiled and said, “Fellow Daoists, it’s better to resolve enmity than to deepen it. Jiao the Cripple has exhausted himself pleading with us. We can’t deny him at least a little dignity. Very well, as long as they yield this sacred ground, we’ll allow them a place to settle in western Penglai.”

The other Daoists had witnessed Jiao the Cripple’s cultivation and were also worried that both sides might suffer. They all smiled and said, “Senior Sister Yan is right. Back then, the Three Purities left Saint Tongtian a way to live. As their juniors, how could we drive these people to utter destruction?”

Daoist Kuang smiled. “Jiao the Cripple, aren’t you going to thank us?”

Jiao the Cripple hurriedly dispersed his cultivation, leaned on his cane, and bowed in thanks. “Many thanks, fellow Daoists, for sparing the disciples of my Golden Turtle Island.”

Daoist Kuang said, “We can spare you, but Chen Shi cannot be spared. He killed my disciple, and no matter what, he must pay for that with his blood. Otherwise, where would that leave the reputation of Cloud Sky Grotto?”

Jiao the Cripple hurriedly forced a smile. “Daoist Kuang, please let Chen Shi go. He’s young and doesn’t know any better. If someone must be punished, punish me instead. Look, my left leg is still a good one. Why don’t you take it and spare Chen Shi?”

Daoist Kuang shook his head. “Everyone else may live, but not Chen Shi.”

Jiao the Cripple’s expression darkened. He raised his cane and brought it down.

The sky suddenly shook violently. Daoist Kuang, Yan Jinzhi, and the others each let out a muffled groan. Before the cane had even landed, they sensed that the surrounding space had already been sealed off!

Daoist Kuang immediately offered up his magic treasure, the Purple-Sashed Immortal Robe. As soon as he raised the robe, immortal light suffused with purple qi appeared, rendering it impervious to all techniques.

Although Daoist Kuang’s cultivation was inferior to Jiao the Cripple’s, his Dao Realm had also reached the fourteenth stage. He was a Tai Yi Golden Immortal, and fully capable of bringing out the Purple-Sashed Immortal Robe’s power.

Jiao the Cripple’s cane came crashing down. With a muffled pop, the seemingly invincible blow landed on the Purple-Sashed Immortal Robe, and its power was completely absorbed by the robe, without affecting Daoist Kuang in the slightest.

Daoist Kuang was both startled and delighted, but then he heard several thumps. Yan Jinzhi and the others were each struck by a cane, spat blood, and collapsed to the ground.

Daoist Kuang’s heart skipped a beat. The Purple-Sashed Immortal Robe had protected only him, not the others. It looked as if he had blocked the full force of Jiao the Cripple’s blow, but he had only blocked the one aimed at him.

Jiao the Cripple had swung his cane several times at once. Although Yan Jinzhi and the others were also extremely powerful, they couldn’t withstand a nearly perfect Tai Yi Golden Immortal like Jiao the Cripple. One blow had severely wounded them.

Daoist Kuang hurriedly put on the Purple-Sashed Immortal Robe and drifted backward, shouting, “Jiao the Cripple, are you trying to make an enemy of Cloud Sky Grotto?”

Jiao the Cripple leapt into the air and charged after him, shouting, “Jiang Guo, take them prisoner! Qiao Gu, go rescue Chen Shi and Jing Mei! Don’t let a single one escape!”

Qiao Gu’s spirits soared. He immediately flew toward the place where Chen Shi was.

Jiang Guo hurried forward, took out the Immortal-Binding Rope, and bound Yan Jinzhi and the others hand and foot.

He was concerned that these people were, after all, powerful figures of his uncle’s generation, with great divine abilities. He immediately slapped his waist, and a peachwood sword flew up with a hiss, stabbing Yan Jinzhi in the collarbone.

“What are you doing?” Yan Jinzhi endured the pain and demanded.

Jiang Guo ignored her and praised, “What a tough body.”

His sword had failed to hurt Yan Jinzhi in the slightest.

Jiang Guo struck with his sword again. This time, he used the Sword Seal he had comprehended at Dao-Contemplation Cliff. The moment his sword thrust out, it broke through Yan Jinzhi’s perfect Golden Immortal body and pierced her collarbone!

Yan Jinzhi was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face.

Jiang Guo activated the Immortal-Binding Rope and threaded it through her collarbone. “Now we don’t have to worry about you escaping, Martial Aunt.”

The Immortal-Binding Rope threaded through her bone caused even more excruciating pain, and the immortal was tortured into unconsciousness.

Jiang Guo did the same to the other Daoists, threading their collarbones as well. One of them was surnamed Dou and named Shuang. He too was a Tai Yi Golden Immortal, with a thirteenth-stage Dao Realm and an exceptionally powerful body. Jiang Guo had to stab him more than a dozen times before he could barely pierce his collarbone.

Daoist Dou said nothing, only staring at him with a dark expression.

Jiang Guo paid him no attention and activated the Immortal-Binding Rope, threading it through his collarbone as well.

“Uncle Jiao told me to capture them, not kill them. It seems he wants to negotiate with Cloud Sky Grotto.”

He spoke in a low voice. “In that case, I’ll have to keep a close eye on them.”

He picked up the Immortal-Binding Rope and headed toward Dao-Contemplation Cliff.

He planned to leave Yan Jinzhi and the others deep within Dao-Contemplation Cliff. That way, even if Cloud Sky Grotto’s experts came to rescue them, they would have to cross Dao-Contemplation Cliff and face Master’s sword art.

He was certain that even among the Three Purities’ disciples, no one could break into Dao-Contemplation Cliff to rescue them.

After all, there was only one Chen Shi.

Only Chen Shi could surpass him within Dao-Contemplation Cliff. No one else could.

Jiao the Cripple rode an immortal cloud and quickly caught up with Daoist Kuang. The two Tai Yi Golden Immortals fought fiercely in the air, not even dodging or retreating when they faced the black-haired wind.

Daoist Kuang had the immortal robe protecting him, while Jiao the Cripple fought without regard for his life. Even when he plunged into the black-haired wind and faced attacks from the bones of many great demons, he kept desperately striking at Daoist Kuang.

Daoist Kuang took dozens of blows from the cane and couldn’t help but feel his heart pound. Without the protection of the Purple-Sashed Immortal Robe, he would have been beaten to death on the spot long ago.

The Purple-Sashed Immortal Robe truly lived up to its reputation as a treasure belonging to a Great Luo Gold Immortal. Even with Jiao the Cripple fighting with all his might, not a trace of force passed into Daoist Kuang’s body when the cane struck him.

However, the Purple-Sashed Immortal Robe couldn’t protect his hands, feet, or head. Daoist Kuang had to defend himself desperately to keep Jiao the Cripple from smashing his head open.

“Crack!”

A sharp sound rang out. Daoist Kuang’s left leg was broken.

He endured the pain and continued to defend himself. Jiao the Cripple’s cane kept striking his only good leg, making him both furious and anxious. “You crippled bastard, are you really going to break both my legs?”

One chased while the other fled. They moved at incredible speed, covering hundreds of thousands of miles in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, Jiao the Cripple’s breathing grew labored, and his heart jolted.

His place of Dao Unification was also western Penglai. Western Penglai was polluted by the Great Dao, and the external Dao ran rampant. Although no other immortals had come to contest the land, it was still a polluted place. When he achieved Dao Unification, the external Dao there had already begun to affect him.

Normally, he could suppress the external Dao’s pollution, but now that he was drawing on too much of his cultivation, he was gradually losing the ability to keep it at bay.

“No matter what, I can’t let him get away!”

Jiao the Cripple gritted his teeth and pursued him. With another thump, his cane swept into Daoist Kuang’s other good ankle.

There was a sharp crack, and Daoist Kuang tumbled through the air and fell.

Jiao the Cripple pounced forward and caught up with him, breaking his left arm with a blow before moving to break his right.

Daoist Kuang’s expression twisted viciously. He fled by circulating his cultivation, without relying on his hands or feet. But without the use of his legs, dodging in the air became increasingly difficult.

Jiao the Cripple’s cane shot toward his neck. It looked as though he meant to break it and paralyze him from the neck down.

Daoist Kuang was both frightened and enraged. The cane struck his neck, and a series of cracking sounds rang out. He suddenly realized that his entire body had gone numb, with only his head still able to feel anything.

He thought, “This is the end for me,” but then saw Jiao the Cripple suddenly stumble. He foamed at the mouth, convulsed all over, and fell from the sky.

Daoist Kuang was alarmed and uncertain. He immediately circulated the mana he had left and used his head to fly, carrying his useless body as he fled in panic toward the immortal city in the distance.

Outside the ancient temple, Jing Mei’s gaze was razor-sharp as she shielded Chen Shi behind her and activated the Three Skies Saint-Manifesting Art. She smiled and said, “I ask all my senior brothers and sisters to show me a little courtesy.”

“Show you courtesy?”

Gu Daoling sneered. “Do you deserve it?”

At his command, the surrounding immortal formations sprang to life. Dao patterns swept in all directions, transforming into all kinds of Great Dao Phenomena: the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Sparrow, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger, the Myriad Thunder Annihilation Formation, the Heavenly Cycle Star Array, dragons and phoenixes refining one another, and Heaven and Earth turned upside down!

Thousands of immortal soldiers and generals charged in formation, while disciples of Cloud Sky Grotto hid among the formations, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

“Junior Brother, stay close to me!”

Senior Sister Jing Mei charged forward. With a wave of her hand, space twisted, becoming like an enormous golden dipper turned upside down. It sucked hundreds of immortal soldiers and generals into it.

The people flew back out of the golden dipper, but all their cultivation had vanished. They had become crawling infants, completely naked.

A wide swath of the way ahead was clear. Senior Sister Jing Mei led Chen Shi into it, but the immortal formations on either side swept toward them. Suddenly, two metallic clangs rang out. Yin and yang qi shot forth, turning into two golden dragons. With a crack, they sliced every soldier in the two immortal formations clean in half at the waist!

Only two Cloud Sky Grotto disciples escaped because they were skilled in yin and yang qi. But one of them was far less accomplished in it than Senior Sister Jing Mei, and both his legs were severed at the knees. He fell to the ground, screaming in agony.

Gu Daoling charged over. His cultivation was extremely high. He turned his left hand into yin and his right into yang, then used yin and yang qi to forge a Mirror of Clarity above his head. He shone it down at them and shouted, “Can the yin and yang heresy of Golden Turtle Island compare to the orthodox lineage of the Three Purities?”

When the Yin-Yang Mirror shone on Senior Sister Jing Mei, life and death reversed. She grew dazed and disoriented, on the verge of death.

Chen Shi took a step forward. A swath of Wuji Dao Field surged out, fusing yin and yang and restoring Jing Mei’s life and death to their proper order.

Senior Sister Jing Mei felt as if she had come back to life. She immediately stepped forward, her movements tracing the nine bends of the Yellow River. Her killing intent soared as she engaged Gu Daoling head-on.

Although one of her legs was crippled and only the other could bear her weight, she fought Gu Daoling to a standstill with her disabled body, even suppressing him and leaving him both shocked and furious.

She activated her divine ability again. The golden dipper floated in the air and sucked Gu Daoling up, pulling him toward it.

Gu Daoling was horrified. He hurriedly steadied himself, but was still dragged toward the golden dipper. He shouted, “Junior brothers and sisters, attack together! Don’t bother following any rules with this she-devil!”

The other senior and junior disciples of Cloud Sky Grotto charged at Jing Mei and surrounded her, attacking together. Even though Senior Sister Jing Mei was skilled in the Three Skies Saint-Manifesting Art, she couldn’t hold them off.

Gu Daoling noticed that the golden dipper was unsteady. He immediately unleashed a divine ability that shattered it, then seized the chance to escape.

Still shaken, he saw Chen Shi and Jing Mei fighting side by side to withstand the others’ attacks. He was so furious that he laughed. “You little demon brat!”

He rushed forward, about to use a divine ability to kill Chen Shi, when a figure suddenly descended from the sky and landed in front of him, meeting his attack head-on.

Their divine abilities collided. Gu Daoling’s blood and qi churned, leaving him terribly uncomfortable. Then he saw that his opponent was a tall, gaunt man with a sickly air about him. It was Qiao Gu.

Gu Daoling attacked again. Coughing as he did so, Qiao Gu met him head-on. The instant their divine abilities clashed, Gu Daoling’s aura surged, while blood trickled from the corner of Qiao Gu’s mouth.

“He has old injuries and can’t keep this up for long!”

Thinking this, Gu Daoling attacked again. Both their bodies shook, and Qiao Gu couldn’t help coughing up blood.

Gu Daoling pressed his advantage and clashed with Qiao Gu once more. Qiao Gu’s complexion improved considerably, and he stopped vomiting blood. Gu Daoling’s eyes, however, went wide as blood poured from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Qiao Gu had shaken every bone in his body to pieces, and even shattered his Primordial Spirit. He collapsed limply to the ground.

“I’m using seventy percent of my cultivation to suppress my injuries and thirty percent to fight you. You just had to force me to use my full strength. You deserved to die!”

Leaving those words behind, Qiao Gu plunged into the layers of immortal formations. He activated the Golden Spirit Doumu Mystical Art, transforming in myriad ways, and led the other two through one immortal formation after another before leaving.

The Cloud Sky Grotto disciples pursued them, but after clashing with Qiao Gu’s divine abilities once or twice, they all coughed up blood and fell back.

Chen Shi had originally planned to fight in person. Seeing his senior brother and senior sister’s abilities, he couldn’t help admiring them. “Golden Turtle Island’s inheritance really is powerful!”

He had only just thought this when he saw Qiao Gu and Jing Mei both grow listless, their bodies beginning to convulse uncontrollably.

Chen Shi’s heart jolted. He had no idea what was happening to them, but the next moment he understood. “They achieved Dao Unification in western Penglai, and have been polluted by the external Dao in this world! But this is something I can solve.”