Aspiring to the Immortal Path

"I see now. As expected, you planned everything out. First, you used part of the Divine Will to draw out Ye Yun so that the Cloud Ancestor would have an excuse to intervene and suppress him. Then, you joined with the Seven Absolutions Sect to make a surprise attack on Godhead Palace. After dealing with Godhead Palace, you want to turn around and deal with the Beast Refining Gate. Since the Imperial Sky Stamp isn't like the Divine Will Golden Body and is a Dao armament that can be carried around, you plan to also seize it. It's a very good plan."

Right after the battle of Godhead Mountain had ended, Ling Xiao slowly spoke to his disciple.

He finally understood all of Tang Jie's plan.

"But to get the Imperial Sky Stamp, you have to kill Meng Guanshan, and Meng Guanshan isn't an easy person to deal with," Xiao Biehan said, shaking his head.

"Oh?" Tang Jie curiously asked. "Is even Martial Uncle not capable of dealing with him?"

A hint of pride appeared on Xiao Biehan's face. "How could I be afraid of him? But Meng Guanshan holds the Imperial Sky Stamp, which he doesn't treat like any other treasure. It has always been stored within Meng Guanshan's body."

"This disciple knows, which is why I devised this plan. Otherwise, if he didn't bring it with him, wouldn't I have done all this for nothing?" Tang Jie casually replied. Although Meng Guanshan was carrying the Imperial Sky Stamp, the stamp wasn't a combat Dao armament. Its combat power was actually rather low, at best making Meng Guanshan able to recover much faster and last longer in battle. It didn't pose too much of a threat to his enemies.

"But you definitely don't know that Meng Guanshan has cultivated the Unlimited Golden Light Divine Connection, right?"

"What?" Tang Jie cried out in shock.

The Unlimited Golden Light Divine Connection was a powerful defensive Divine Connection of Godhead Palace, one that the likes of Jin Wuyu and Shi Wunian were all adept in, and it was only passed through Godhead Palace. Notably, its impressive defensive effects were further boosted when combined with the Imperial Sky Stamp.

This was why the Beast Refining Gate had paid a large price to obtain this Divine Connection so that its Stamp Holder could study it.

But as had been said before, as their systems were different, the Beast Refining Gate found it difficult to cultivate this Divine Connection to its apex. If one was unable to cultivate it to the apex, one could not truly achieve resonance with the Imperial Sky Stamp. Tang Jie had been eying the Imperial Sky Stamp for a long time, so he understood many of the details concerning it, including this one.

Now, Xiao Biehan was telling him that Meng Guanshan had actually successfully cultivated the Unlimited Golden Light? How could he not be shocked by this?

"When did this happen?" Tang Jie urgently asked.

"Fifteen years ago. You hadn't cback yet," Ming Yekong answered. "To get this information, we lost a Celestial Heart–level spy."

Every Celestial Heart spy was a treasure, and losing one made the heart wince.

But the information gained was worth it.

It was precisely because they knew this that they knew that Meng Guanshan had a real trump card.

Ling Xiao said, "Meng Guanshan has cultivated the Unlimited Golden Light Divine Connection, so he can merge it with the Imperial Sky Stamp to create the Impermeable Golden Anchor Dao Art, a suprdefensive art. Protected by this Dao Art, he might not be able to defeat everyone in the world, but he can at least ensure his safety."

Everyone fell silent.

If he couldn't win, he could run.

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As Meng Guanshan was half fiend, he possessed incredible speed and sharp attacks. When it cto speed, there was nobody who could keep up except in Horizon Ocean Pavilion. If this was paired with the Impermeable Golden Anchor Dao Art, killing him becexcruciatingly difficult. And if he could flee back to the base of the Beast Refining Gate, Tang Jie and the others could do nothing to him. Yun Tianlan had just been in a battle, so unless Mu Ziyang clooking for him, he would not engage in a battle with Mu Ziyang.

This new information presented a huge problem to Tang Jie.

He seriously considered the problem for a while. "Meng Guanshan himself has yet to enter a Dao, correct?"

Everyone nodded.

Tang Jie then said, "A Dao Art has its foundation in the power of a Dao. Since Meng Guanshan has yet to enter a Dao, he should be relying on the Dao power within the Imperial Sky Stamp. If that's the case, this art can't last for too long, correct?"

"A split second of invincibility is enough to do a lot," Ling Xiao reminded.

Tang Jie shook his head. "What I mean is that if it can only last for a while, then if Meng Guanshan's brain is working normally, he won't wantonly use it, only when he is in the most danger."

Ming Yekong understood what he was saying. "You mean…"

"We just don't give him the opportunity to use it," Tang Jie concluded. "My idea is to catch him off guard, killing him before he even gets a chance to use the Impermeable Golden Anchor."

"Let's hear it," everyone excitedly said.

Tang Jie slowly explained his plan.

In truth it was very simple. First, they would have Xiao Biehan duel with Meng Guanshan, creating the false impression that Xiao Biehan refused to group against Meng Guanshan. This would make Meng Guanshan put down his guard and disregard his own safety. Tang Jie would then provoke Meng Guanshan and draw him into a pursuit, and during the chase, everyone would suddenly attack and kill him in a single combined strike.

It was a simple but effective trap. So long as Meng Guanshan didn't sense it, then the full-force attack of five Violet Palace experts would heavily wound if not kill Meng Guanshan.

"But I will have to wrong Martial Uncle Xiao," Tang Jie apologized to Xiao Biehan.

A major consequence of this action would be the significant harm done to Xiao Biehan's reputation.

People who cultivated to this level didn't ask for too much. Besides higher cultivation, there was only reputation and prestige.

This was why the Cloud Ancestor refused to attack first for fear that it would mar his reputation. The lowly would be willing to cast aside their reputation and shfor the smallest benefit, while the great could have black hearts but still had to maintain appearances.

Xiao Biehan hesitated, but in the end, he laughed and said, "You're fighting the Jewel Immortal Sovereign in twenty years, so sacrificing a little of my reputation for this is no big deal. We'll do as you propose!"

"Martial Uncle, thank you for accepting!" Tang Jie deeply bowed.

——————————————

Golden light madly surged out from Meng Guanshan's body, creating a golden eggshell. Just like the Infinite Palace, it was made from threads of light, constantly flickering in and out of existence before finally solidifying into a barrier.

This was the Impermeable Golden Anchor, an extremely powerful defensive Dao Art, surpassing even the Infinite Palace in this aspect.

Like the Infinite Palace, the Impermeable Golden Anchor took tto take form, and there was no avoiding the steps of manifestation and turning from illusory to real.

Not much twas needed, but for speople, an instant could feel like an eternity.

When the golden light first emerged, Ling Xiao's Water Cloud Sleeve, Xiao Biehan's Sky-Parting Sword, Tang Jie's Ten Extinctions Blade, Mystic Moon's Darkmoon Light, and Nine Splendors' Heaven Frost impacted with various parts of Meng Guanshan's body.

Each person targeted a separate part, fully covering Meng Guanshan while not getting in each other's way, unleashing a terrifying assault on Meng Guanshan.

This attack could make mountains collapse and seas dry up, and rob the light from the world. Even an Earth Immortal wouldn't be able to cout intact.

Meng Guanshan felt an unprecedented threat from this terrifying strike. His bestial intuition told him that it was impossible to complete the Impermeable Golden Anchor in the the had left. Hardening his resolve, he let out a howl, and the golden light retreated back into his body. At the stime, black smoke poured out of him. The phantom of a giant ape appeared behind his head, the savage beast rapidly growing to meet that terrifying attack.

A black gale swept out.

Smoke burst out in the sky, mixed with golden flecks of light.

In the blast of wind, five people were thrown back—clearly Tang Jie's group of five.

The combined attack of five experts had been pushed back!

A gust of wind blew away the black smoke.

As the black smoke retreated, a large and savage beast was revealed.

Its entire body was covered in thick black fur, and it possessed particularly long hands and feet. It was like a primitive form of man from a million years ago, but it stood more than two hundred feet tall, its eyes flashing with a ruthless light.

At its heart was a golden stamp, pulsing just as a heart would. Everyone could keenly feel its beating as if it was the veins of the earth itself.

The beast still lived. After experiencing the combined attack of five experts, this terrifying beast still stood tall, gazing at the five with a fierce and furious stare, growling in anger.

"Guanshan!" Li Nanfei cried out in grief.

Ling Xiao's face turned grave. "Complete fiendification!"

Complete fiendification meant utterly forsaking one's human bloodline and transforming into a fiend. This transformation was irreversible, and from a certain perspective, Meng Guanshan had ceased to be a human and was now a fiend.

It was only the toughness of a fiend and the powerful restorative abilities of the Imperial Sky Stamp that could let him survive such an attack.

Even so, its injuries were heavy. Half of its head was missing, brains flowing and mixing with blood. A hole had been punched through its left arm, and sbizarre spiritual power was continuing to eat away at the wound, causing wisps of smoke to rise from it. The right arm had been entirely frozen, and whenever the ice was shaken off, it would swiftly reform. A wound had been opened up on the back, cutting so deeply that one could see the organs within. And even Meng Guanshan's powerful recovery abilities couldn't heal this wound.

Most frightening of all was the wound that Tang Jie had inflicted on its chest. The power of Destruction burrowed in through the wound, eating away at its organs and burning away at its life force, bringing it to the brink of death.

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But Meng Guanshan was still roaring and bellowing, thumping its chest like a giant ape. It was constantly howling in pain and had seemingly lost its rationality.

"Awooo!" It roared at Tang Jie, its crimson eyes burning with hatred as it lunged at him.

"Tang Jie, dodge!" Xiao Biehan shouted.

This was Meng Guanshan's dying strike, so its power would definitely be extraordinary.

Ling Xiao's long sleeve swept out to coil around Meng Guanshan.

But as the Water Cloud Sleeve touched Meng Guanshan, a powerful black flame, blazing with murderous intent, pushed away the sleeve and jolted Ling Xiao back.

The interception had failed!

Meng Guanshan rushed at Tang Jie, two black claws giving off an eerie sheen.

It had gathered all of its strength and had burned up all its life force, emotions, and hatred so that it could kill Tang Jie.

Despite the vastness of the world, Tang Jie felt like he could not escape this lunge.

He knew that he couldn't evade, nor did he want to.

As countless people cried out in alarm, Tang Jie's eyes flashed with resolve.

He charged at Meng Guanshan as though into a roaring fire.

The golden Sovereign Blade silently transformed into a black clawed gauntlet that covered his right hand. Tang Jie imitated Meng Guanshan, his clawed hand thrusting at Meng Guanshan's chest.

Two rapidly moving figures cto a sudden stop.

Meng Guanshan and Tang Jie's hands had pierced through their enemy's defenses, stabbing deeply into each other's hearts.

Meng Guanshan's hand held a red heart that was still vigorously beating.

Tang Jie's right hand had also grabbed something.

The Imperial Sky Stamp.

The golden stamp rose up from Tang Jie's hand like the rising sun, and its rise signaled the fall of an expert.

"Aaaaah!" Meng Guanshan roared in pain.

It watched the Imperial Sky Stamp rise higher and higher, helpless to take it back. Together with Tang Jie's heart, its enormous body fell from the heavens, and as it fell, it dissolved into dust and was scattered by the winds…