Immortal Road.

One by one, the flying ships of the Sacred Land of Vastness sailed across the sky, leaving dozens of long white streaks in the clouds.

The disciples above were relaxed and at ease, having dealt with those heretical cults with ease these past two days. Overlooking the vast mountains and rivers below the clouds, they awaited the arrival of the next stronghold and were ready to swarm out!

Those Nascent Soul stage experts were all resting and recuperating in the cabins, preparing for the upcoming battle. They knew that the main force of the Black Lotus Sect was still there, and as long as the Azure Lotus Fairy was alive, everything was far from over.

"Boom, boom, boom"

Suddenly, a violent collision occurred, and three large ships on both sides exploded with a deafening roar, like three blooming fireworks. Sparks flew from the crossbeams of the sampans, and the strong shockwaves caused the fleet to shake violently.

Hundreds of beams of light attacked from all directions, shooting fiercely into the sky!

"What has happened? All disciples, hold the boat and do not cause any disturbance."

A calm voice came from the center, giving people a sense of security. The Holy Lord of Vastness flew out with many powerful beings, and with a large brush, he lightly drew a circle. An orange-yellow halo descended from the sky, firmly protecting the fleet.

Immediately afterwards, the halo burst into flames, and sparks rained down like a waterfall, slowly rotating and transforming into a curtain of light, a meteor shower, impervious to all magic.

The dense forest below was instantly ignited, and countless tiny dots flew into the sky in panic. The original ambush and sneak attack were exposed in just a few rounds!
"Is this the legendary Heaven-Reaching Treasure, the Spring and Autumn Annals Brush?"

Chi Hong looked surprised and felt a slight tightness in his heart. This was the first time he had come to face the Holy Lord Haoran. So many fellow cultivators had joined forces, yet they had been stopped by a single treasure, which made him feel unreal.

Upon seeing this scene, the Holy Lord Haoran on the opposite side was furious at the deaths and injuries of the three disciples. He saw that the Black Lotus Sect had sent tens of thousands of people, but there were not many truly top-level experts; most of them were low-level cultivators.

With a wave of his hand, light raindrops began to fall from the sky.

The elite disciples of the Haoran Holy Land all jumped off the ship, awaiting orders to wipe out the remnants of the Black Lotus Cult and not let any heretic escape!
"You are Chi Hong? One of the four protectors of the Black Lotus Sect, the once rogue cultivator who rose to prominence as the Burning Flame Venerable. I have seen your portrait in intelligence reports."

Although the Holy Lord Haoran had never met him before, he recognized Chi Hong at a glance.

As the lord of the Holy Land, he keeps in mind all the prominent figures in this world. Upon hearing this, others couldn't help but look over, and in an instant, countless killing intents locked onto him, as if a thousand arrows were piercing his heart.

Chi Hong was sweating profusely, and a stiff smile appeared on his face.

"Hehe, I didn't expect that the Holy Lord Haoran would remember me. It is my honor. This is my first time clashing with your Holy Land. We are each serving our own masters, so please forgive me."

"This Holy Lord remembers that you were clearly a rogue cultivator before. Even if you did some dirty work for Fairy Qinglian, it was just an employment relationship. Why did you decide to join the Black Lotus Sect, become a member, defy the will of Heaven, and aid and abet evil everywhere?"

"It's a long story; the World-Honored One has shown me great kindness and favor."

Chi Hong did not want to talk about the past with others here. After all, so many eyes were watching, and if he said the wrong thing, his secret would be exposed. He was unwilling and dared not.

But the Holy Lord Haoran was relentless, and his words implied an intention to surrender on the spot!

“Burning Flame Venerable, you are not a direct descendant of the Black Lotus Sect. You were either coerced or misled into joining along the way. This Holy Lord is not heartless. If you can repent and turn over a new leaf, and join us in our counterattack, you will not only be innocent but also do a great service! You should think it over carefully.”

Whether Chi Hong was tempted or not was unknown, but he certainly didn't dare to show it. He just smiled bitterly and thanked the Holy Lord Haoran. Anyway, You Meiji was leading the main force to carry out a fierce attack on the alien race on the other side. As long as he could keep them occupied, he could just talk some nonsense to buy time, which suited him perfectly.

"I have gained the World Honored One's favor and been entrusted with important responsibilities in the Black Lotus Sect. If I win in the future, I will have the opportunity to ascend to immortality. But what can you give me, Holy Lord? And what can the Pure Lotus Hermit give me?"

"If you can abandon darkness and embrace the light, the same conditions that the Immortal Envoy gives to others can be given to you. Do you want the Earth Spirit Pill? It's enough for you to cultivate to the mid-stage or even late-stage of the Nascent Soul realm!"

"That's not enough. My goal is to ascend to immortality and see the higher scenery of the celestial realm."

"Stop dreaming! This holy man is here to remind you that the trick of the Azure Lotus Fairy leading people to ascension is fake; she has been using this to deceive you all!"

The Holy Lord Haoran ruthlessly revealed a piece of information that shocked everyone.

"All cultivators in the myriad realms who wish to ascend must pass through the Golden Palace Ascension Platform. Without the guidance of the Ascension Platform, you will only be adrift in the dark void and perpetually perish!"

"Even if Fairy Qinglian has connections in the Celestial Realm, and even if she wins in the mortal realm, in order to avoid the Golden Palace's surveillance, her influence cannot exceed that of the Ascension Platform!"

"I can tell you definitively that the Ascension Platform can only accommodate a maximum of four people ascending at the same time. In other words, Fairy Qinglian herself can only bring a maximum of three people with her. Any more than that and the immortal artifacts of the Golden Palace Heavenly Monitoring Platform will detect it!"

"Legend has it that the Celestial Observatory possesses an ancient celestial artifact, the Armillary Sphere, capable of monitoring all the heavens and myriad realms, seeing everything clearly, no matter how small. If you sneak across quietly, you might have a chance to escape the celestial net, but if the number exceeds the limit, you will surely invite great disaster."

Chi Hong was greatly shocked!

This was the first time he had heard such a rumor—that a maximum of four people could ascend at once?
But the number of people who made this condition by the Azure Lotus Fairy must be well over a hundred, including those at the Nascent Soul stage and those with supernatural powers. It's quite laughable now that I think about it.

You led hundreds of people to undergo tribulation and ascend to heaven in a grand manner; only a fool in Heaven wouldn't see that.

But for some reason, no one suspected anything was wrong back then. Now that I think about it, there are definitely a lot of suspicious points!

Moreover, he had no choice but to believe it, as Youmeiji had confirmed the news before setting off, and even used it to threaten him, making him obey.

It's so ironic now!

The other Nascent Soul stage cultivators and powerful cultivators in the Black Lotus Sect camp were also agitated upon hearing this, their eyes filled with uncertainty, wishing they could turn back and ask Fairy Qinglian for clarification.

Most of them aimed to ascend to immortality, fearing that if they missed this opportunity, they would only be able to retire and wait to die in the lower realm. That's why they fought bravely and risked their lives in the previous battles.

And then you tell them there are limited spots?
Only three people!

Would it be my turn?
Upon seeing the army in disarray, Chi Hong was immediately alarmed, realizing he had fallen into a trap!

With minimal effort, the Holy Lord Haoran shattered the morale of the high-ranking officials with just a few words, leaving them disoriented and devoid of any will to fight.

At this rate, let alone completing the mission, even escaping will be difficult!
"Everyone, stay focused and don't be misled by them! This is only the enemy's side of the story. Trust the World Honored One, and even if you have any doubts, go back and ask again!"

These words hit the nail on the head, and everyone slowly came to their senses, secretly thinking how powerful they were, as they had almost fallen apart because of a few words from the Holy Lord Haoran.

On the other side, someone stepped forward to report.

"Holy Lord, the Inhuman Ice and Snow Alliance has suffered heavy losses from the Black Lotus Cult and is sending out appeals for help from other directions. What do you think we should do?"

"The Inhumans? What about the other routes? What's the situation there?"

"Other routes were also attacked, but it doesn't seem serious."

The Holy Lord Haoran stroked his beard and immediately understood the Black Lotus Sect's strategy for this battle. He smiled and asked about the movements of the other two groups.

"The Shangxiao Sword Sect and the Hunshan Demon Clan have not acted rashly and are still advancing in various battles."

"okay, I get it."

The Holy Lord Haoran chatted and laughed with the various primordial spirits around him, showing no sign of urgency, and watched as the alien race was plunged into a bitter battle.

"That Northern Star Divine Lord is from the Snowman Clan beyond the borders. His Snowfield Ice River technique is arguably the most powerful divine ability in this realm. The Black Lotus Sect isn't afraid of breaking their teeth if they try to take on this tough nut! Let's wait and see!"

"Hahaha, something's happened to the Inhumans, there's no need for us humans to rush over, we have no connection anyway~"

"If we leave, what will happen to these disciples? Are we just going to abandon them? That's outrageous!"

"Even if we need support, let's seize this easy opportunity first and see what happens. Why rush things?"

"Yes, yes, but I don't think there's any rush."

As expected, almost no one from the Haoran Holy Land agreed to go and provide support; they were all thinking about securing the credit first. The Haoran Holy Lord began to put pressure on Chi Hong:

"Burning Flame Venerable, are you going to surrender or not? If you don't, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

Chi Hong knew he couldn't hold out any longer; the other side must have reached a critical moment.

"Regarding the issue of ascension, I will ask the World Honored One when I return. It is unclear whether your statement is true or false. Let's not mention the matter of betrayal for now."

The others calmed down slightly after hearing this. The situation was indeed unclear. They didn't know whether what the Holy Lord Haoran said was true or false. Perhaps he was just trying to sow discord among their troops. They couldn't trust him easily.

It would be best to ask him when we get back.

"Hahaha, you don't really think you can stop me, do you? If you get captured, you won't be treated the same way you are now."

"Holy Lord, there's no need to be too happy yet. Your opponent is not me, but someone else!"

"Oh? Who is it?"

Chi Hong stepped aside, knowing that if he wanted to deal with such a person, he would have to ask the Ancient Cult Master to take action; he was definitely no match for him.

But to everyone's surprise, there was nothing behind him!
"."

The atmosphere at the scene instantly fell silent.

"where?"

The Holy Lord Haoran looked left and right behind him, but couldn't see anyone at all, so he became skeptical.

Chi Hong also sensed something was wrong. He turned his head and looked around, and suddenly the sky seemed to collapse!
Lin Shan has disappeared!
"No, where is the leader of the Seeking Antiquity Cult?"

They were so engrossed in their conversation that they forgot when the Ancient Seeking Cult Leader left. This sudden, disastrous turn of events almost made them faint on the spot.

Swish swish swish swish~~~
As the earth trembled, yellow earthen dragons rose from the ground, scattering sand and stones, stirring up clouds of dust, and intertwining with each other. A total of seventy-two earthen dragons soared through the clouds.

"Lord Haoran, I have been waiting for you for a long time!"

Lin Shan’s voice came from within, followed by an even louder roar that surged from the depths of the earth. Countless stone spears rose into the sky and pierced the Haoran Holy Land fleet!

"Master Lin, you haven't left?"

Chi Hong and the others were overjoyed, realizing it was a false alarm; they had almost been scared to death.

The Holy Lord Haoran's expression instantly turned serious, but he immediately clapped his hands and laughed.

"Hehehe, so who did they think they were relying on? It turns out to be Leader Lin of the Ancient Searching Sect. You got away last time, and you still haven't learned your lesson about losing the Yellow Turban Warrior. You've come again this time. I'm afraid you've come specifically to deliver the Heavenly Treasure to this Holy Lord?"

The surrounding Nascent Soul stage cultivators laughed heartily and took to the air to counterattack.

"Stop talking big, let's see what you've got!"

This time, Lin Shan used the territory of Cangkun to extract all the spiritual veins of the mountains and rivers within a radius of hundreds of miles, gathering them into great dragons to help him make disposable aids, treating them as consumables without any scruples.

This is the only option we have!

The Soul-Devouring Prison light cage suddenly appeared, unexpectedly extracting a powerful cultivator. Just as the cultivator tried to call for help, earth dragons swept across him, making him an easy target to be crushed to death!

"Go! Let's attack together!"

Chi Hong was overjoyed at the sight and waved to lead the Black Lotus Cult members to follow closely behind.

"You're asking for it!!!"

The roar of the Holy Lord of Vastness came from above, followed by a large brush descending from the sky, directly shattering the Soul Prison Light Cage that was trying to trap another powerful being.

Lin Shan did not confront the enemy directly, but deliberately avoided fighting the Holy Lord of Haoran from a roundabout way, while looking for opportunities to launch surprise attacks on other high-ranking officials.

The signature feature of this primordial spirit incarnation is the Devouring Soul Prison. Once trapped inside, one is basically unable to escape unless saved by the Heavenly Treasure Mountain and River Brush.

The key point is that he deliberately picks on the weak, targeting those with great supernatural powers, while temporarily letting go of the Nascent Soul stage cultivators, which has caused panic among the opposing camp!
"Master of the Ancient Search Sect, if you have the ability to fight me one-on-one, what kind of skill is it to specifically target other fellow Daoists?"

The Holy Lord Haoran wielded his brush, which transformed into a rainbow, resembling a swimming dragon, flying back and forth around him, attempting to intercept Lin Shan.

Lin Shan was prepared and never met him directly. He hid among the spiritual veins and earth dragons, constantly using his mobility to kill his opponents.

In no time at all, five powerful cultivators had died at his hands!
"Where to run?"

A Nascent Soul stage cultivator finally cornered him, weaving vines into a cage to block his way from both sides, trying to delay him until the Great Lord of Vastness arrived.

"roll!!!"

Lin Shan took out a large bell and slammed it down hard.

Dang~~~
The anti-Five Elements power rippled outwards, and the vine cage instantly shattered into a sky full of verdant wood energy.

Immediately afterwards, two more powerful divine abilities attacked from the side, with two Nascent Soul stage cultivators standing at a distance that was neither too close nor too far away.

Ding ding~~~
Two bells rang in succession, and the cyan and blue energy exploded into a ball. He transformed into a black light and flashed past.

The Holy Lord of Vastness just barely appeared and almost captured him, which made him grit his teeth in hatred!
Among those who had just died were two powerful cultivators from the Vast Holy Land, who were his junior disciples in terms of seniority.

"A land of magnificent mountains and rivers, a land of splendid culture, let's go!"

As he danced with the grace of a dragon and the flamboyance, a long, ethereal scroll unfurled, upon which he painted and inscribed poems in one go, and endless white smoke spread out, making the world within it seem vivid and lifelike.

"He also possesses a top-tier anti-Five Elements spiritual treasure. Don't use the conventional Five Elements; use your own artifacts to restrict it!"

Everyone heard the telepathic message and changed their supernatural strategies, throwing out various sizes of innate or acquired spiritual treasures to block him from engaging in guerrilla warfare.

Lin Shan's actions were finally restricted, and he was forced to begin avoiding encirclement and switching from offense to defense.

Without his restraint, Chi Hong and the others, who were initially at ease, gradually became fatigued, and the Black Lotus Sect as a whole showed signs of decline.

"How's the ambush on the Inhumans going with the main force? When will they complete their mission and withdraw?"

In response to Lin Shan's question, Chi Hong replied telepathically.

"Youmeiji just said that we need to hold on a little longer. The Ice and Snow Alliance's Beichen Divine Lord is putting up a last-ditch effort. We absolutely cannot allow other routes to send reinforcements."

Lin Shan ran downstairs without turning his head after hearing this:

"The spiritual veins I extracted are about to be completely destroyed. I have done my best in other aspects. I will leave the Great Lord of Vastness to you. I'm leaving!"

"no."

Chi Hong was shocked. "You're gone! What will we do?" (End of Chapter)