Immortal Refiner

Azure Ridge Domain. By the time Wu Chong and his companions arrived at the void rift leading to the demon realm, members of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild had already been waiting for some time.

Several ancient demon corpses lay scattered across the ground, each radiating formidable energy, clear evidence of a fierce battle that had recently taken place.

”Fellow Daoists from Lingyun Sect have arrived,” True Lord Yuanbao greeted them, clasping his hands in a respectful bow. ”In this critical hour, your sect’s willingness to lend aid is truly a testament to the righteousness of heaven and earth!”

Wu Chong and his companions returned the bow. ”Under a collapsing nest, no egg remains unbroken,” they replied. ”We naturally wish to contribute our meager strength to protect this realm.”

”However, we remain uncertain about the specific actions required for this plan. I’ve pondered this throughout our journey, yet I still can’t fathom how we might be of assistance.”

Including True Lord Yuanbao, the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild had brought three cultivators. The remaining two were both in the nascent soul realm. One was True Monarch Tianbao, an old acquaintance of Li Qing.

The other nascent soul realm cultivator was unfamiliar and dressed in remarkably plain attire, completely unlike the guild’s usual ostentatious style. He was likely a Foreign Surname Retainer within the guild, possessing considerable strength.

”Heh, this matter is highly classified,” True Lord Yuanbao chuckled. ”The less revealed before the plan commences, the better.”

”Now that you fellow daoists have arrived, it’s best not to keep anything hidden.”

True Lord Yuanbao then explained the specifics of the operation to the supreme elders of Lingyun Sect.

Upon learning that the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild possessed a formation art capable of repairing void rifts, Wu Chong and the others were both delighted and deeply impressed by the guild’s vast resources.

To possess such a rare formation art, and to generously provide vast quantities of formation deployment materials to support the Human Realm’s various great domains—this was truly a magnanimous act of generosity!

”Impressive, truly impressive! As expected of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild. Your grand vision is deeply admirable!” Jiang Han exclaimed sincerely.

The other two Nascent Soul True Monarchs remained unmoved. The corpulent True Monarch Tianbao chuckled, ”Fellow Daoist Limitless hasn’t been heard from yet, has he, young friends from Lingyun Sect?”

”If Fellow Daoist Limitless were here to oversee this operation, success would be virtually guaranteed.”

Hearing this, Wu Chong naturally wouldn’t reveal Li Qing’s secret protection. He merely shook his head and sighed, ”Alas, we still have no confirmed news.”

Another Nascent Soul True Monarch, a Foreign Surname Retainer of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild, grew impatient. He said coldly, ”The time is nearly upon us. We should begin preparing the formation deployment now to avoid any mishaps that might delay the opportunity.”

The sky gradually darkened, and the faint glow of stars began to pierce the night’s veil.

True Monarch Tianbao glanced up at the celestial patterns, then nodded. ”Very well, let’s begin.”

”Setting up this spirit formation will create a significant disturbance. Ancient demons or demonized cultivators may be drawn here to disrupt us. Fellow Daoist Guangzhu, you and the young friends will defend against any threats.”

”Once the formation plate is activated and the spirit formation begins to materialize, it cannot be interrupted. Any disruption will render our efforts futile.”

”Therefore, everything now depends on your skills!”

Wu Chong and the others replied in unison, ”We will do our utmost!”

Despite their words, each of them couldn’t help but recall Li Qing’s instructions before their departure.

They would naturally exert themselves, but their own lives and safety remained paramount. Under no circumstances were they to risk their lives.

Seeing their resolve, True Monarch Tianbao patted the storage bag hanging from his waist, which was thicker than a water bucket.

A crystalline blue hexagonal formation plate materialized in his hand, its surface etched with intricate, deep-blue array patterns.

He channeled his mana into the plate, activating it. The blue array patterns instantly expanded into ethereal projections, enveloping an area spanning a thousand meters in all directions.

Boom!

The spiritual energy between heaven and earth began to surge violently. As the formation plate activated, the lingering spiritual energy in the air converged rapidly.

The azure array patterns emanating from the formation plate blazed with intense light, their brilliant blue radiance visible even from tens of thousands of miles away, like a newly lit star.

Despite his corpulent frame, True Monarch Tianbao moved with surprising agility.

He repeatedly tapped his storage bag, releasing a flood of precious formation deployment materials and numerous black formation flags adorned with blue patterns.

Guided by the formation plate, these materials and flags needed no manual placement. They autonomously settled into their designated positions.

Once all the deployment materials had settled into their respective nodes, the spiritual light of the Starlight Mending Heaven Formation intensified, becoming even more condensed.

The power of heaven and earth stirred faintly as a formidable aura erupted violently outward.

The formation’s intricate patterns, now spreading across the night sky, seemed to resonate with the stars, as if beginning to draw upon the stellar force.

The sheer scale of this spectacle was awe-inspiring. Wu Chong and the others felt a faint tremor of fear, deeply shaken by the spirit formation’s overwhelming power.

The placement of the formation art was meticulously chosen. As the array patterns unfolded, the arc-shaped void rift in the sky aligned perfectly at the center of the spirit formation.

Soon, threads of stellar force began to descend from the heavens, their radiant strands almost impossibly beautiful.

The formation art was complete!

The stellar force drawn in by the spirit formation finally began to mend the void rift.

Hidden in the shadows, Li Qing watched this spectacle and couldn’t help but marvel.

”Tsk, tsk, truly a remarkable formation art. How have I never heard of such a wondrous technique existing in the Human Realm before?”

”Could this be the result of years of research by the formation masters employed by the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild? Or does it originate from some other source?”

Speculation alone would yield no answers. Li Qing silently observed the process, watching the formation art’s progress in repairing the void rift. His brow slowly furrowed.

The Starlight Mending Heaven Formation’s progress was surprisingly slow, far from the rapid pace he had imagined. At the current rate, it would likely take at least three days and three nights to completely seal the void rift.

Of course, three days and three nights was still remarkably swift. For repairing a void rift, such a timeframe was practically instantaneous.

But today was different. Would the ancient demons simply stand by and watch the void rift be completely repaired?

Even from tens of thousands of miles away, the surging spiritual light of the formation art was clearly visible. Over the next three days and three nights, it would undoubtedly face relentless assaults from the ancient demons.

Therefore, any hope of a peaceful passage through this period was doomed from the start.

If one were to look down from a hundred thousand miles above, they would see such celestial spectacles of heaven-mending unfolding across the landmasses of the Human Realm’s great domains and above its sea territories.

Starlight, drawn down by the spirit formations, pierced into the Demonic Realm Rifts, slowly mending them.

The scene was truly magnificent, deserving of the name ”Heaven-Mending.”

”We need to hold out for three days and three nights,” Li Qing murmured, his gaze fixed on the Demonic Realm Rift. ”The ancient demons and demonic humans of the Human Realm are manageable, but I fear...”

As if on cue, the demonic qi within the rift surged violently, instantly flooding the surrounding skies with its corrupting energy.

Soon after, a string of strange syllables echoed from behind the rift—the ancient demonic language.

”To think such a minor world would possess the means to mend the heavens... truly astonishing.”

The voice boomed with such power that it shook the very souls of all who heard it, even across the two realms.

Wu Chong and his companions were utterly overwhelmed, but even Li Qing felt a tremendous pressure, his body tensing slightly.

The speaker’s power was terrifying beyond measure—undoubtedly an ancient demon whose strength surpassed even the divine transformation stage!

Yet, restrained by the barrier between realms, the boundless ancient demon could only project its voice, unable to act further.

”Since they could deploy a spirit formation so easily, it seems the holy race who descended through the void rift have already perished.”

”This void rift was opened at great cost. We cannot allow you to repair it so easily.”

”Continue activating the demon subduing platform. Those who survive the crossing, remember this: destroy that spirit formation!”

Only the voice echoed through the realms, its source remaining unseen.

But the commanding tone suggested this was a great demon of considerable status, even within the demon realm itself.

Immediately afterward, an even denser primordial demonic qi surged from the void rift.

Wu Chong and the others were paralyzed by the oppressive aura, their faces contorted with fear.

Though separated by two realms, even Li Qing felt considerable pressure. As mere core formation realm cultivators, their reactions were understandably more extreme.

”Don’t be so afraid,” True Monarch Tianbao roared, sweat beading on his forehead. ”Dimensional descent isn’t easy. The stronger the entity, the greater the restrictions they face!”

”Otherwise, the demon realm would have sent a Divine Transformation stage demon or higher to the lower realm long ago!”

He was clearly straining to maintain the spirit formation against the overwhelming pressure, the effort draining his energy rapidly.

Soon, vast quantities of primordial demonic qi poured from the void rift. Within this dense miasma, demonic races materialized!

True Monarch Tianbao’s eyes narrowed.

”Did you truly think this formation could only mend the heavens?”

”Celestial Shift!”

Boom!

The starlight patterns within the spirit formation shifted, instantly teleporting the demons that had descended into the Starlight Mending Heaven Formation outside the formation’s boundaries.

Seeing this, True Monarch Guangzhu immediately activated his natal magic treasure—a jade-green, nine-segmented bamboo staff. The moment it appeared, it radiated immense power.

He channeled his natal magic treasure, launching a direct assault on the demonic race shrouded in demonic qi.

This was meant to catch the enemy off guard. Crossing the two realms placed a significant burden on them, and he intended to eliminate these ancient demons before they fully awakened.

But before the Jade Nine-Segmented Bamboo Staff could strike, the dense primordial demonic qi dispersed, revealing only demonic corpses—lifeless and devoid of any vital energy.

”These are... corpses?” True Monarch Guangzhu exclaimed in surprise.

True Monarch Tianbao grinned, his fleshy cheeks trembling slightly. ”Hahahaha! It seems the Starlight Mending Heaven Formation is working!”

”Dimensional descent is already an extremely difficult feat. Now that the void rift has been partially repaired, the restrictions on those descending have intensified. These ancient demons are practically dead on arrival!”

Hearing this, the expressions of the assembled cultivators visibly relaxed.

If that were truly the case, the pressure on their current operation would be significantly reduced.

Otherwise, with the demon realm continuously sending ancient demons through the void rift, they would have no chance of holding their ground.

Just then, a violent tremor erupted from the other side of the void rift, as if something had exploded.

Boom!

On the demon realm side, a colossal demon god with six arms and six eyes wore an extremely grim expression, even a hint of pained regret.

”Go! Retrieve the final demon subduing platform and deploy it. Continue sending the holy race through to destroy the spirit formation repairing the rift!”

His power was immense, and his status supreme. Even the several ancient demons in the divine transformation stage surrounding him dared not defy his orders.

Soon, a pitch-black, obsidian-like platform was carried forth by over a dozen ancient demons. After meticulous preparations, the demon subduing platform finally activated.

Under the six-armed demon’s command, ancient demons with auras around the nascent soul realm were sent to the platform one after another.

Yet these demons wore expressions of reluctance and resentment.

”Great Demon General, perhaps we should cease this. The void rift is beginning to mend, making dimensional descent increasingly perilous. Even with the demon subduing platform, the odds of survival are slim.”

”Moreover, if this demon subduing platform were to collapse, we’d be unable to replace it for quite some time.”

An ancient demon with Divine Transformation stage cultivation advised, but the six-armed demon general dismissed the warning with a furious roar: ”This is the Formless Saint Ancestor’s Saint Decree! It must be carried out to the end!”

”If not for the natural laws restricting passage between the two realms, I would descend myself! What chance would you worthless wretches have to earn battle merits then?”

”Continue activating the demon subduing platform and force passage between the realms!”

With another furious roar, more ancient demons were sent onto the obsidian platform. Under the combined activation of several Divine Transformation stage demons, their figures were enveloped in demonic qi and hurled into the void rift.

Whether they lived or died now depended entirely on their luck.

On the Human Realm side, True Monarch Tianbao gritted his teeth, relentlessly activating the Starlight Mending Heaven Formation to teleport away the ancient demons descending from the rift.

Though most were corpses, he dared not relax his vigilance. If even a single living demon were to destroy the mending formation, all their efforts would be for naught.

Perhaps due to their sheer numbers, a handful of ancient demons that had descended into the Human Realm managed to survive.

”Roar!”

True Monarch Tianbao’s scalp tingled as he activated the formation art to resist the onslaught. ”Fellow Daoist Guangzhu, hold off two of them! I’ll use the formation to slay these demons!”

Moreover, as the primordial demonic qi in the area gradually intensified, waves of demonized cultivators from the Azure Ridge Domain began converging on the battlefield.

These demonic humans gazed at the surging demonic qi emanating from the ancient demon corpses with ravenous hunger, then charged madly toward the Starlight Mending Heaven Formation.

”Kill!”

Most of the attacking demonic humans were only at the foundation establishment realm, but a few core formation realm cultivators among them possessed exceptionally refined and formidable auras.

With the formation now besieged from two sides, the situation deteriorated rapidly.

Wu Chong, Jiang Han, and Chu Lingyi—the three supreme elders from Lingyun Sect—recognized that it was time for them to act.

At the very least, they couldn’t allow these demonized cultivators to disrupt the operation of the Starlight Mending Heaven Formation!

Similar scenes were unfolding across every major domain in the Human Realm. Wherever void rifts existed, the same chaotic battles were erupting!

(End of the Chapter)

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