323: Calamity

Sword Domain.

Barren State.

Xuan She Tribe.

In the Wuqi River.

An azure blue pearl silently appeared in the Wuqi River.

At the bottom of the river.

A colossal Black Giant Serpent's body slowly rose and fell.

Bringing with it Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi that converged and then dispersed.

The colossal Black Giant Serpent's pupils narrowed, swallowing the azure blue pearl into its belly.

"Testing..."

"Buddha Venerable..."

Mo Xuan pondered.

"It seems this Xuanming Realm is also fraught with hidden currents..."

Since he revealed his Soul Transformation might.

There had only been that one instance of him making a move in the Jiang Family.

It was just that at that time, it was too sudden and rushed.

Apart from Venerable Xingai, who had some understanding of his strength.

Even if other Nascent Soul Venerables had some perception, they knew very little.

And that heavenly secret ranking was not entirely accurate.

This was probably the true reason behind today's probing move.

However, the person who wanted to test his cultivation must not be Buddha Venerable.

A series of names from the heavenly secret ranking flashed through Mo Xuan's mind.

But there was no specific target.

Others did not understand his strength.

Nor did he understand the strength of other Nascent Soul Venerables.

During this period.

Although all the other Soul Transformation powerhouses had sent Disciples or envoys with gifts.

He had only met Venerable Xingai, Venerable Cangyue, Daoist Chong Hua, and today's Buddha Venerable, these four Soul Transformation powerhouses.

As for the other Soul Transformation Cultivators, he only knew their names.

Among them, Venerable Cangyue was a female Cultivator who presided over the Azure Moon Domain.

Daoist Chong Hua was a leisurely guest.

He enjoyed wandering the Mortal World.

Although he had established the Chong Hua Hall Dao lineage.

He rarely revealed himself to the outside world.

That day, he must have been passing through Barren State.

That's why he came to visit and met Mo Xuan.

After thinking it over.

There was no conclusion.

Mo Xuan did not insist.

He had too many methods; if they wanted to test his strength, then let them test it.

The Black Giant Serpent fell silent, sinking back into slumber... Above the endless planes.

In the distant Chaofeng Ancient Realm.

Within the vast realm.

A figure slowly appeared high in the sky.

The figure carried a long sword on his back, its power not evident, like a common weapon.

The words 'Cang Hai' were engraved on the hilt of the long sword.

Zhou Liye stood still in the air for a moment.

In his hand, he held a special Magic Treasure resembling a compass.

It seemed to be guiding his direction.

Zhou Liye frowned slightly.

He thought for a moment.

Then flew down.

It was also his first time using this red lotus dao plate.

It was difficult to accurately grasp its essence.

Zhou Liye was not in a hurry.

He slowly descended to the ground.

Following the direction of the red lotus dao plate, he walked forward.

His perception, comparable to the Nascent Soul Stage, continuously spread forward.

However, his movements were extremely cautious.

"Oh?"

"Found it."

After a long while.

Zhou Liye's heart stirred.

His figure suddenly accelerated.

On a cliff face.

A young boy, not very old, carried a basket on his back.

He was struggling to climb the cliff.

In front of where the boy was climbing.

A small, emerald green grass was growing.

Zhou Liye arrived on another mountaintop.

Watching the continuously climbing boy.

He thought to himself.

"It should be this person..."

In his hand, the red lotus dao plate sensed strongly.

Zhou Liye put away the red lotus dao plate.

But he was not in a hurry to act.

Nor did he offer help.

After the boy went through several dangers and successfully picked the emerald green grass.

Zhou Liye's heart stirred, and his figure slowly disappeared.

Above the cliff.

The boy, who had picked the qing xun grass and slowly climbed up the cliff.

As soon as he poked his head out.

He was startled.

Almost falling down.

Above the cliff, a young man with an elegant demeanor and firm eyes floated.

"Immortal, Immortal!"

The boy hurriedly climbed up and knelt down.

But his heart was filled with unease.

"Could it be that he came for the qing xun grass in my hand?"

"What should I do?"

Sweat beads appeared on the boy's forehead.

"Do you wish to cultivate?"

A light voice, like a thunderclap, exploded in the boy's ear.

"Cultivate, cultivate?"

The boy repeated subconsciously.

"But..."

But he had already undergone spirit-testing and had no cultivation talent.

The boy did not wait for the question.

His heart suddenly stirred.

"Yes!"

He bowed down.

No one didn't want to control power, to control their own destiny.

The boy was no exception.

"Have you thought it through? If you follow me, it's a path of ten deaths and no life, with no return."

The calm voice sounded again.

As the words fell, Zhou Liye had a moment of trance.

He seemed to return to that time, his own situation back then, it seemed to be just like this.

It was just that the roles had changed now.

The boy's heart tightened.

These words were so calm.

Yet, he couldn't detect a hint of falsehood or intimidation, so it must be true.

"I, I..."

The boy stammered.

Many thoughts flashed through his mind.

There were the faces of his parents, siblings, and also the fear of unknown dangers.

Before he could finish speaking.

The elegant and detached Zhou Liye's expression suddenly changed.

High in the sky.

Two figures, one chasing and one fleeing, streaked across the sky.

The figure chasing from behind glanced downwards.

Suddenly, he casually pressed down.

A giant handprint descended from the sky.

Pressing towards Zhou Liye and the boy.

"Damn it!"

"This time it's a man-made disaster!"

Zhou Liye's heart sank.

The faint gray Qi on his body suddenly surged.

Between his hands, a gray giant sword condensed.

"Calamity Dao Sword, Slash!"

Zhou Liye roared inwardly.

He clasped his hands virtually, slashing towards the incoming giant handprint.

"Boom!"

The giant handprint trembled, its power significantly diminished.

But it still crushed the gray giant sword and continued to press downwards.

"Calamity, Dao, Speed, Escape!"

Zhou Liye formed hand seals, rapidly changing them.

Finally breaking free from the giant handprint's restraint.

Transforming into gray Qi that exploded.

"Boom!"

The giant handprint pressed down.

The cliff collapsed.

Boulders rolled down.

But there was no sign of Zhou Liye and the boy.

A hundred miles away.

Two figures appeared.

Zhou Liye's aura dropped, and blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.

"Immortal, Immortal, are you alright?"

The boy, still shaken, stammered his question.

"I'm fine."

"This is the calamity you will constantly face after following me."

"What do you say, have you thought it through?"

Zhou Liye was unconcerned, accustomed to it.

The "Mortal World Averting Calamity and Saving the World Dao" he cultivated was personally created by the Palace Master of the Red Dust Immortal Palace.

Only special Physiques like his and the boy in front of him could cultivate it.

Thus, he was noticed by the Palace Master of the Red Dust Immortal Palace, who was traveling through various realms at the time, brought to this realm, and became a Disciple of the Immortal Palace.

Cultivating this method not only required absorbing Heavenly Tribulation Qi, but also constantly faced calamities such as natural disasters, man-made misfortunes, earth fire, wind and water, formation, existence, destruction, and emptiness.

One careless mistake, and it would be the annihilation of body and Dao.

His first mission as a Red Dust Walker was to find a Calamity Physique like his own and bring him back to the Immortal Palace.

"I, I don't want to leave my family."

Looking at the rather disheveled Zhou Liye, fear overcame the desire for power.

The boy retreated.

Zhou Liye was stunned.

He seemed not to have expected it.

After some time.

Looking at the uneasy boy in front of him.

Zhou Liye waved his hand, sending him back to his original location.

"Family..."

"Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Liyue..."

"Are you all still..."

Faces from his memories flashed through Zhou Liye's mind.

But he dared not think further.

"I hope you won't regret your choice today..."

Looking in the direction the boy left, Zhou Liye murmured to himself.

Then his figure disappeared.