Chapter 392: 391. Sweeping Away大同, Civility is Lost! (Part 2)

Chapter 392: 391. Sweeping Away大同, Civility is Lost! (Part 2)

The Snowy Heaven also retracted, and the Lin Clan ancestral land seemed to freeze into a glacier.
With his power condensed, he used all his might to block Tang Xiaotang's Dragon-Tiger Strike and the advance of the Primordial Breath.
The cost, however, was the massive consumption of the "Books" that Lin Zheng had accumulated.
However, Tang Xiaotang pressed on without mercy, and the Celestial Masters' Seal embedded within the Snowy Heaven manifested a three-layered altar, with purple, golden, and cyan lights shining brightly, as the altar began to expand.
Lin Zheng and the Lin Clan ancestral land were greatly shaken by this impact.
The numerous ritual vessels used to set up the rituals and support the lineage and restrictions were all trembling uncontrollably.
Then, they shattered one after another!
Gu, huang, and other ritual vessels broke into pieces.
The people of the Great Unity Lin Clan, who had been assisting Lin Zheng, were affected by the ancestral land, their souls trembling and their vision darkening as if their souls were about to be shaken out of their bodies.
The illusory cultural qi of the Great Unity Lin Clan that rose above their clan temple began to distort and then, it dissipated.
Finally, the Lin Clan ancestral temple below trembled and then...
Collapsed!
Lin Zheng watched as the Snowy Heaven gradually fell apart, his heart palpitating.
He paid no heed to the serious consumption of his literary qi and talent qi by the grand meaning, and wanted to speak to stabilize the ancestral land.
But at the same time, the "Changes" was warning him!
With the change in their distance, Lin Zheng's "Changes" was fully exerting its effect, and he could clearly sense and grasp the specific changes in Tang Xiaotang before him.
As the Primordial Breath converged, it seemed to be gathering towards one point.
The airflow remained formless, colorless, and intangible, but Tang Xiaotang treated it as a pearl.
This was a new innate divine ability she had achieved upon reaching the ninth-layer, alongside the Ming Tian Dharma—the Primordial Origin Dharma.
She also named this ability the "Origin Pearl."
With the Primordial Breath converged, it still did not manifest a concrete form.
However, after compressing it into a single point, it exploded outwards.
It was like the beginning of all things, evolving from nothingness to a vast expanse.
From this point, a wondrous and powerful force emerged, directly clearing everything around it, forming a primordial and empty vacuum zone.

The icy snow that filled the sky was forcefully torn apart by an invisible force.
As the snow fluttered and danced in the air, half of the Snow Country seemed to be wiped out of existence, and the remaining half began to collapse and crumble under the tremors.
Lin Zheng pointed upwards, and at this moment, even the Guangmo Sword, which resembled the pillar holding up the heavens, was shaken off course.
In an instant, the ancestral land of the Great Unity Lin Clan truly seemed to be tilting towards destruction.
Once again, Tang Xiaotang's golden and green Tai Chi diagram erupted with brilliant light, enveloping Lin Zheng in the Dragon-Tiger Combo attack.
Lin Zheng's robe fluttered in the wind.
The once pristine white robe now had countless ink characters appearing on its surface.
These characters expanded outward, forming a magnificent tapestry that helped Lin Zheng block the intense light emitted by Tang Xiaotang's Dragon-Tiger Combo.
The huge altar flashing with purple, gold, and blue light disappeared from above.
The white jade seal reappeared and descended towards Lin Zheng's head.
Lin Zheng's skewed Guangmo Sword once again pointed upwards, its sword qi piercing the sky to counter the falling seal.
But at this moment, as Tang Xiaotang closed in, Lin Zheng could no longer divide his attention.
Tang Xiaotang transformed into the Dou Mu Xing Shen law body, surrounded by the nine yang auras. At this moment, she seemed to transform into a pure golden divine body, and with unmatched might, her gigantic fist struck Lin Zheng's body.
The ink-inscribed white robe that Lin Zheng used for protection shattered instantly, turning into snowflakes that scattered in all directions.
His vision darkened as his vital energy surged, and a reddish tint appeared around his orifices.
Tang Xiaotang's fists struck out in rapid succession, but her next punch only hit empty air.
The "book" that Lin Zheng had accumulated over the years through his literary talent and virtue burned fiercely.
One of the five Confucian rites, the rite of hospitality, came into play at this critical juncture.
However, it functioned in a completely opposite manner to normal.
Lin Zheng went against the conventional way and, as the host welcoming a guest, sent them off instead, becoming the guest himself and suddenly distancing himself from the ancestral land of the Great Unity Lin Clan.
With this unexpected move, Lin Zheng temporarily escaped Tang Xiaotang's pursuit and also avoided her subsequent capture attempt with her Great Vehicle Dao Realm.
However, such an action naturally came at a great cost, rendering the rite of hospitality unusable by Lin Zheng for a short period.
The Dou Mu Xing Shen law body above Tang Xiaotang's head, with eyes like the two holes in the heavenly man law body, swept her gaze around and quickly locked onto Lin Zheng's direction.
With a cold snort, she wasted no time in chasing after Lin Zheng, transforming into a beam of golden light.
Behind her, in the ancestral land of the Great Unity Lin Clan, the battlefield was littered with the dead and wounded.
The remaining clan members looked at the collapsed ancestral hall and the severed lineage with despair in their hearts.
That female crown had not only invaded their ancestral land but also forced back their clan head, Lin Zheng, who had reached the ninth level of perfection?!
Now that Lin Zheng had retreated, the Great Unity Lin Clan faced a daunting challenge: what would be their next course of action?
Fortunately, some of the clan's elders were still present, and they managed to stabilize the situation, with some attempting to salvage the ancestral land, while others scattered in different directions.
Some went to investigate the status of the other major clans, while others tried to break through the blockade and escape into the Great Han world.
A small group chose to hide their tracks and, going against the flow, attempted to find a way to enter the Great Tang world, hoping to turn the tables in their favor.
This group quietly located the spatial gateway connecting the Great Tang world and the Great Unity world.
After passing through the gateway, they found themselves in a peaceful world, a stark contrast to the war-torn Great Unity world they had left behind.
There was no sign of any Great Tang cultivators lying in ambush or blocking their path.
This relief was short-lived, however, as the leader of the group, an elder of the Lin Clan, suddenly felt that something was amiss.
He attempted to deploy his "Country and the World" art, but it conflicted with the world they were in!
This indicated that the world before them was not the real human world.
As the two worlds clashed, a denser and more vibrant literary talent and virtue, more profound than his own, suddenly expanded.
The Lin Clan elder's heart sank.
Before him was clearly the work of another great Confucian.
Moreover, this person's cultivation and strength far surpassed his own!
No matter how the Lin Clan elder and his companions struggled, their efforts were in vain.
At this point, the world around them became even more unreal.
They felt as if they were trapped within someone else's painting.
The painting trembled, and then a hand reached out and pressed upon it, calming the ripples on the paper.
Zhang Hui held a brush in his hand and smiled as he looked at the Lin Clan members within the painting.
Beside him, Chu Yu stood with her hands behind her back, a smile on her face as she said, "Your static painting skills have improved. Your brushstrokes are now imbued with a divine essence."
Zhang Hui sighed, "I'm still struggling with the musical aspect, unable to reach a higher level. It seems I have little talent in that area."
Chu Yu nodded in agreement, "We are in the same boat in that regard."
She was from the Chu Clan of Suzhou, a family renowned for their expertise in music. Both her given name and style name were related to this art.
However, it was a pity that she herself did not possess a high level of attainment in this field.
"Indeed, we share the same struggle," Zhang Hui sighed.
After a moment, his expression turned slightly solemn, "As for Her Majesty the Empress..."
Chu Yu replied, "Her Majesty is no longer in danger and has begun preparing for her upcoming cultivation journey. Although her injuries have delayed her progress, there is a silver lining—this setback has allowed her to accumulate more energy for the next stage."
"That's good to hear," Zhang Hui said with relief, "You've been working hard during this period, Chu Yu. Your own cultivation has also reached a critical juncture."
Chu Yu smiled and shook her head, "It's the Grand Preceptor and Third Madame who are at the critical stage. I still need a bit more time to consolidate my foundation."
She glanced towards the Great Unity world, "Have the three Celestials of the Heavenly Master's Mansion, Xu, Tang, and Lei, all departed?"
Zhang Hui nodded, "Indeed. After all, they might be dealing with the ancestral land of a deeply rooted clan, and forcibly breaking through such a stronghold is no easy task."
Chu Yu looked at the spatial gateway connecting the Great Tang world and the Great Unity world, then at Zhang Hui's painting, "Fortunately, it seems that they have succeeded."
Zhang Hui smiled, "Before Lei Celestial ascended to the Great Vehicle, it was rare for the three Celestials, Xu, Tang, and Lei, to act together. Now that the three Great Vehicle cultivators of Dragon Tiger Mountain have joined forces, it must be a spectacular sight, though we weren't able to witness it firsthand."
...............................................
Zhang Hui and Chu Yu lamented their inability to witness the events unfolding in the Great Unity world.
For those within that world, it felt as if doomsday had arrived.
However, there were a few exceptions.
On a vast plain, a luxurious carriage stood still.
Several people gathered in front of it.
Suddenly, a frigid gust of wind blew past from the distant mountains, swiftly passing by.
Following the wind, a beam of golden light flashed by, disappearing into the mountains.
The people in front of the carriage lowered their heads as the wind and light passed by, and only when they had faded away did the leader, a middle-aged man, raise his head to gaze into the distance.

A young man standing beside him spoke in a low voice, "Is that Lin Zu?"
The middle-aged man in luxurious clothing silently nodded.
The people around them exchanged glances but didn't dare to speak.
Only the young man spoke softly, "Judging by the direction, he seems to be coming from the Lin Clan's ancestral land and heading towards Qingliangyuan of the Fang Clan?"
The middle-aged man in luxurious clothing didn't respond.
The young man said, "I heard that the Su Clan and the Han Clan have met with disasters. Could the heavens be changing?"
A slight change appeared on the face of another person beside them as he cautioned, "Young master, be careful with your words."
Rong Guogong, the young master, remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly. "Indeed. Qingliangyuan connects to all corners of Jiuzhou, and it may even lead beyond this world. They... still have a chance to make a comeback."
His father, Rong Mukong, finally spoke, "Let's return."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the other side.
On the plains, another caravan could be faintly seen.
Rong Guogong gazed into the distance and said, "That's Yan Country's caravan."
Within Rong Country, the Fang Clan held the most influence.
And Yan Country relied heavily on the Lin Clan.
Rong Mukong gazed into the distance without saying a word.
Apart from the people of Yan Country, he also noticed another group approaching.
They seemed to be from the Imperial Capital of Datong, the world they were in.
Simultaneously, warfare engulfed the Five Powers of Datong.
Everywhere else in Datong, regardless of status, would be affected.
Would this decide the future course of Datong?
…………………
Lin Zheng withdrew from his clan's ancestral land, but Tang Xiaotang pursued relentlessly.
He didn't choose to go to the Han Realm or避往大唐人间避往大唐人间 avoid the Tang Realm.
Some of his clansmen had gone towards the Han Realm, but they had disappeared without a trace.
Things were probably amiss over there.
As for the Tang Realm, although there was a chance to stumble upon hidden dangers, it was more likely that powerful enemies awaited.
If it were just him alone, Lin Zheng would still give it a try.
But with Tang Xiaotang in hot pursuit, one wrong step would mean being caught between two enemies.
Left with no choice, Lin Zheng eventually decided to head towards the ancestral land of the Fang Clan in Datong.
Uniting their forces would be better than being defeated in isolation.
Moreover, there might be another way out of Datong.
Currently, at the ancestral land of the Fang Clan, they had successfully dispersed most of the smoke and flames that had arisen due to the Ironblood Loyal Soul Grand Sacrifice.
However, the ability to connect to the outside world was still blocked, and it was imperative to clear that obstruction.
Lin Zheng's appearance weighed heavily on Fang Xi, the clan leader of the Fang Clan in Datong.
Their opponents were indeed formidable.
They hadn't broken the Ironblood Loyal Soul Grand Sacrifice by mere chance.
"Brother Tonghua." Fang Xi didn't reject Lin Zheng's arrival.
If it had been enemies from the Han Realm, Fang Xi would have considered negotiating with them to preserve the strength of the Fang Clan in Datong, even if it meant betraying the other prominent clans.
But this time, the situation was entirely different.
Although the various pieces of news that had come from the Tang Realm now seemed dubious upon reflection, Fang Xi felt that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the prestigious families to stand their ground over there.
Their enemies this time were intent on driving them to extinction!
Hence, the calamity that had befallen Datong today.
With that realization, Fang Xi naturally didn't harbor any more illusions.
Beside him, Fang Xing drew his bow and nocked an arrow. The arrow's tip glowed faintly, unlike the previous unrestrained display of power. However, it exuded a threatening force that surpassed the previous Eightfold Heaven-opening Divine Archer.
The light transformed into an arrow and shot forth, unleashing astonishing power. It was as if the arrow itself tore through the borders of a country.
The arrow wasn't aimed at Lin Zheng but rather brushed past him.
Behind them, Tang Xiaotang's eyes, which were marked with the Eye of Heaven, narrowed.
She sensed danger, as if foreseeing it, and her body shifted sideways.
The next moment, an arrow whizzed through the spot where she had just been.
One arrow followed another in rapid succession, like a dazzling downpour of arrows that tore through the void and appeared before her.
Tang Xiaotang's body danced through the air, but the illusory eyes on her forehead remained calm, dodging each arrow with deadly precision.
Over at the Fang Clan's ancestral land, Lin Zheng expressed his gratitude to Fang Xi and Fang Xing, "Thank you, Brother Pure Light and Brother Distant Wind."
Fang Xing had reached the Ninth Heaven, and now, the Fang Clan in Datong boasted two 'Calm the World' Grand Scholars.
The one most affected was undoubtedly Lin Zheng.
Previously, he had somewhat anticipated Fang Xing's progress in his cultivation.
However, given their current situation, everything else would have to wait until they crossed this hurdle.
"Although the smoke has dissipated, the connections are still blocked. We need time to clear the obstruction," Fang Xi explained to Lin Zheng without any pretense.
He paused briefly before continuing, "Brother Vast Heights and the Su Clan's ancestral land have lost contact for the time being..."
Lin Zheng nodded silently, "I'll take care of things over at Qingliangyuan. Thank you, Brother Pure Light."
Without further ado, he turned back to assist Fang Xing.
Tang Xiaotang was growing impatient.
Although she had consecutively dodged Fang Xing's arrows with the insight provided by her '洞念天人法象' Divine Perception of the Heaven-Earth-Unity, how could she tolerate merely evading the onslaught?
The nine lights of the Heaven-Earth-Unity revolved above the Grand Master Robe, intertwining with the primordial yin-yang qi of Tang Xiaotang herself, forming a grand illusionary ritual platform.
Then, under the cover of the platform, Tang Xiaotang descended towards Qingliangyuan while weathering the storm of arrows.
Lin Zheng, with a pale complexion, took the initiative and charged forward.
Fang Xing didn't leave him to face Tang Xiaotang alone.
With Lin Zheng holding the fort, Fang Xing's arrows no longer flew in dense volleys.
His arrows slowed and lessened in number, but the threat they posed began to escalate linearly.
Fang Xi didn't join the battle.
With three against one, they held the absolute advantage.
However, Tang Xiaotang's body remained outside, and she had the opportunity to retreat.
To surround and annihilate her wouldn't be achievable in a short time.
Even if Fang Xi wished to give it a try, he would also have to consider the other powerful experts from Dragon Tiger Mountain's Daoist Sect.
Hence, for now, Lin Zheng and Fang Xing held off Tang Xiaotang while Fang Xi, as the host of the Fang Clan's ancestral land, channeled all his efforts into reopening the connections to the outside world.
Datong had been their stronghold for many years, and abandoning it entirely and fleeing was a difficult decision to make.
However, the top priority was to ensure they retained their mobility.
But just as Fang Xi devoted himself to unblocking the obstruction, an unsettling feeling suddenly arose in his heart.
Lin Zheng, on the other side, also received a warning from the '易' Change he cultivated.
It was a pity that they had reached this point with no room for retreat.
In the distant plains far away from the Fang Clan's ancestral land, two faint glows suddenly appeared and vanished in the next moment, like shooting stars across the sky.

In the next moment, above the ancestral land of the Fang Clan, a divine soldier sword tore through the void and arrived!
The ancestral land of the Fang Clan had a concept of 'connecting the nine provinces', which, when unfolded, looked like a complex network of roads and waterways converging from all directions.
It could withstand external attacks by diverting them onto land or water, transferring the enemy's strong assault elsewhere, thus protecting its own ancestral land.
But at this moment, sword lights flew and penetrated the various land and water roads, tangling them like threads and forming a giant vortex. It pulled and drew out the surrounding illusory land and water passages, causing them to break one after another.
The originally solid and mysterious ancestral land restriction was thus destroyed and vanished without a trace!
All their efforts to unblock and restore the ancestral land's ability to connect with the nine provinces turned out to be in vain.
The qi veins under their feet went into chaos, raging and twisting like angry dragons, causing the entire ancestral land of the Fang Clan to start collapsing downward.
Inside the ancestral land, everyone from the Great Unity Fang Clan was affected. Their bodies trembled violently, and their divine souls and physical bodies were injured.
The clan leader, Fang Xi, had the protection of the Town Clan's heirloom, the Nine Provinces Brush, and was in a relatively better state.
On the other hand, Fang Xing, who was standing next to him, was worse off. His qi and blood surged in the wrong direction, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
His heart couldn't help but be filled with shock and horror:
As a Grand Scholar of the Divine Shooter lineage, having reached the Ninth Heaven 'Balancing the World' realm, his insight was stronger than many cultivators of the same level.
Yet, in this moment, he had completely failed to sense the presence of the attacker.
How far away did this attack come from?
Just as Fang Xing turned his head, another sword light arrived in the blink of an eye, targeting him!
Lin Zheng was busy fighting Tang Xiaotang.
Fang Xi, a practitioner of the 'Changes', had a premonition through his spiritual sense, allowing him to sense the incoming sword light earlier than Fang Xing.
If the sword light had been aimed at Fang Xi himself, he would have sensed it even sooner.
It was aimed at Fang Xing, and even with the Nine Provinces Brush in hand, Fang Xi couldn't rescue him in time. He could only watch helplessly as Fang Xing was pinned to the ground by that abrupt and terrifying sword light!
Violent thunderfire ravaged and exploded, instantly killing Fang Xing, the Grand Scholar of the Divine Shooter lineage who had cultivated to the Ninth Heaven 'Balancing the World' realm.
The last thought in Fang Xing's mind was:
Even if he had already cultivated to the 'Balancing the World' realm, as a member of the Confucian Divine Shooter lineage, he would need enough time to accumulate power to unleash such a formidable strike.
And even then, he could only manage a single strike.
Moreover, he could only ensure the accuracy of the attack at such a long distance because of his cultivation level.
Who is this opponent?
Are they two Daoist Artifact Forge Masters simultaneously controlling flying swords? If it's only one person, what level of cultivation does he have to be able to unleash two such powerful swords in such a short time?
Fang Xing's thoughts reached this point, and his consciousness scattered.
Inside the ancestral land, the people of the Great Unity Fang Clan were stunned and petrified.
Just a moment ago, the situation had seemed to be under control by Fang Xi and the others.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end