txolops Chapter 2613 The Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth
Chapter 2613 The Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth
Chapter 2613 The Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth
Seeing his cherished swordsmanship used as a tool for others to conceal their true intentions, it's no wonder Ye Loucheng felt indignant for the swordsmanship and also felt sorry for Qin Sang.
In his eyes, Qin Sang, being a Heavenly Lord of the Thunder Department, must have built his foundation on the Great Dao of Thunder. He wouldn't have devoted all his energy to comprehending the Dao of Swords, yet he was able to cultivate a Sword Domain. Such a genius in the Dao of Swords had no ambition in this area, which was truly regrettable.
But Ye Loucheng never expected that the 'Thunder God' was actually just a decoy!
Qin Sang knew the temperament of sword cultivators well and wouldn't mind, but she didn't expect them to suddenly mention someone unexpected.
The one who founded the Sword Pavilion was none other than the Purple Star Sword Master!
The name "Ziwei Sword Scripture" was chosen by Qin Sang himself. Although it is called a sword scripture, it is actually a killing technique! Qin Sang is indeed worthy of being the successor of Ziwei Sword Master. In addition to the sword path, he has also added the Thunder Ancestor. In this respect, he has surpassed his master.
When the Purple Star Sword Master founded the Sword Pavilion, everyone praised him as the supreme master of the sword path. No one could have imagined that he was actually cultivating the path of killing.
Nowadays, it seems that these things are no longer a secret in the eyes of powerful families and clans. First there was the Purple Star Sword Master, then the Dao Court Heavenly Lord, both of whom coincidentally disguised themselves as sword cultivators. Moreover, Broken Rainbow Island was once implicated by the Sword Pavilion, no wonder Ye Loucheng was displeased.
Having traveled the Spirit Realm for many years, Qin Sang deeply felt that many cultivators and forces were reluctant to discuss the Sword Pavilion. Of course, Qin Sang's cultivation level was low before, and he rarely had the opportunity to come into contact with those top forces. Even if he did, he would not deliberately inquire about the deeds of the Purple Star Sword Master. As for other sects, due to the long passage of time, they were unaware of that history.
What earth-shattering things did the Purple Star Sword Master do? What was the truth of what happened back then? Immortal Luo and Ye Loucheng seemed to know something and were willing to speak, so Qin Sang listened attentively.
Unaware of Qin Sang's thoughts, and fearing a conflict between the two that would end badly, Luo Xianweng advised Qin Sang and then Ye Loucheng, "The past cannot be changed. The Sword Pavilion is a story from before the last great calamity. Now that the sixth great calamity is approaching, why should Peak Master Ye use the mistakes of the ancients to slander people of today?"
Qin Sang was completely confused by these words.
He understood what Luo Xianweng meant. The so-called ancient person must be the Ziwei Sword Master. However, this was the first time he had heard of the concept of a great calamity. What was the origin of the sixth great calamity, and what was the order of its arrangement?
At this moment, Luo Xianweng seemed to have guessed Qin Sang's thoughts and took the initiative to explain to him, "The Great Calamity is also called the Killing Calamity, the Heaven and Earth Killing Calamity, or the Heaven and Earth Great Calamity. There are many different interpretations. Similar sayings have been circulating among the people in the past, but there has never been a conclusion. The last time it was brought to the forefront and discussed seriously by powerful figures from all sides was during the debate on Mahayana and Hinayana paths in the Great Zhou court last time."
"The tribulations of Mahayana are nameless and formless, yet they truly exist. Some formless tribulations only affect Mahayana cultivators themselves or a few others, but there are also more terrifying tribulations."
"It seems that every now and then a great calamity is brewing, whether the cause of the calamity is inside or outside the realm, it will eventually form a terrifying calamity that devours countless living beings in the realm. Once the calamity comes, even Mahayana cultivators will perish in droves."
"In the words of a great Buddhist master, karma and its consequences accumulate to a certain degree, exceeding a certain limit, and will inevitably erupt. There is no fixed rule, and the intervals between great eons vary in length, depending solely on karma and its consequences."
"Back then, when the Great Zhou Dynasty traced back to ancient times, the furthest point was the period when the gods disappeared. Going further back is not of much significance to people today. As for the even earlier beginning and the time before the beginning of chaos, they only exist in legends and speculations and are not discussed here."
"The idea that this gave rise to the five great calamities has gained widespread acceptance, but there are still many unresolved controversies and no definitive conclusion has been reached, so it has not been widely circulated outside the country."
"However, these things have long been traceable. Apart from the Sword Pavilion, the others must also be recorded in the Daoist scriptures."
"The first great calamity was set when the gods disappeared and the world was in chaos. Human shamans and demon shamans lost their power to communicate with the gods, and the descendants of the gods lost their authority. As a result, the people rose up, smashed the statues of the gods, and destroyed the altars. This can be called the Shaman Calamity. During the Shaman Calamity, the turmoil only ended when the Demon Court ruled the world, the Demon Star shone brightly, and replaced the gods."
"From this, we can deduce that the second great calamity was set during the Jade Emperor's conquest of Heaven and the great war between humans and demons. The result was the destruction of the Demon Court, the shattering of the Demon Star, the expulsion of the demon race to the desolate seas, the Jade Emperor's establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the rise of the human race as the most intelligent of all beings."
"The third great calamity was the Demonic Calamity. Just as the Jade Emperor was about to reorder the Great Thousand Worlds and establish the Thirty-Three Heavens, the Demon Realm suddenly appeared. The two realms collided, and the human and demon races were forced to join forces to resist the Demonic Calamity, triggering an unprecedented catastrophe. As a result, large parts of the land shattered, the Northern Underworld Continent collapsed, and apart from the legendary Lost Continent located on the opposite side of the River of Sin, the Spirit Realm was left with only one intact continent. Fortunately, the Jade Emperor ultimately led the myriad races of the Spirit Realm to repel the Demonic Army, using great supernatural powers to create a boundary wall and repair the cracks in the earth's membrane; otherwise, most of the Spirit Realm would have fallen and become the Demon Realm."
"As for the fourth great calamity, some call it the chaos of the Dao Court..."
At this point, Luo Xianweng paused slightly. The phrase "the chaos of the Dao Court" was tantamount to blaming the Dao Court for the source of that great calamity. To say this in front of Qin Sang was tantamount to directly accusing them of wrongdoing.
Moreover, ever since the debate between Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism became so prevalent, a voice has emerged claiming that the path followed by the Daoist court was the correct one, and that those who attacked the Daoist court were short-sighted.
Seeing that Qin Sang's expression was normal, Luo Xianweng felt relieved and continued speaking, but he only mentioned it briefly.
"This is also the biggest point of contention. Some people believe that only a calamity that affects the entire spirit realm can be called a calamity of heaven and earth. Although that battle was tragic, it was far less severe than the previous three calamities. Others believe that as long as it is tragic enough, it can be called a calamity of heaven and earth. Moreover, the true power of a calamity may not be revealed in this calamity. The hidden dangers buried may erupt countless years later, or even become the beginning of a new calamity of heaven and earth."
"For example, the Sword Pavilion's campaign against the demons, which was listed as the fifth great calamity, shook the boundary walls, causing the demonic calamity to re-emerge..."
Qin Sang listened intently, and through the words of Luo Xianweng, finally managed to outline a general timeline of history.
This also confirms one thing: the collapse of the boundary wall was indeed caused by the Purple Star Sword Master, no wonder he was an enemy of the whole world!
But why would a cultivator who has comprehended the Mahayana Killing Path destroy the barrier that protects all spirits in the spirit world?
"If it weren't for the Sword Demon, things wouldn't have come to this!"
Peak Master Ye sighed deeply, cupped his hands to Qin Sang, and looked into the depths of the Wind and Sea with his hands behind his back.
Luo Xianweng, however, had a different opinion, saying, "It can't all be blamed on the Sword Demon. A broken mirror can't be mended, and a boundary is not a membrane; it will eventually collapse. The Sword Demon merely brought that day forward. Much of the truth from back then is buried in the dust of time, unknown to most. At least the campaign against the demon must have been agreed upon by most people; otherwise, the Sword Pavilion alone couldn't have accomplished it. Furthermore, after the chaos of the Dao Court, the North was left empty, and the Great Zhou was severely weakened. The demon race, based in the north, looked south with predatory intent. The Sword Demon led thousands of sword cultivators northward, established the Sword Pavilion, and forged a formidable pass with sword energy. After countless bloody battles, countless sword cultivators perished in the wilderness, preventing the demon race from venturing even half a step beyond the wilderness. He can be called a pillar supporting the heavens, and this achievement cannot be denied. Could it be that the Sword Demon had already fallen into demonic possession back then?"
"As expected of the kind and benevolent Immortal, even the Sword Demon can be exonerated," Peak Master Ye shook his head slightly. "The Immortal summoned us here in such a hurry, surely not just to talk about these past events?"
"Hehe, I got carried away and almost forgot about the important matter..."
Luo Xianweng stopped talking, picked up his wine gourd, took a sip, and invited Qin Sang and Peak Master Ye to taste it.
But looking at the dirty gourd, and knowing that the wine inside was no ordinary product, they simply couldn't muster any interest.
The three of them then took flight again and continued their journey towards the strange mine.
Before Luo Xianweng could get to the point, just as they flew to the vicinity of a storm eye, Luo Xianweng picked up the wine gourd at his waist, flicked it three times with his fingers, and three drops of wine flew out.
The wine didn't have an enticing, strong aroma; it only had a faint, elegant fragrance. It was hard to imagine that it had been poured from such a dirty gourd.
The three drops of wine, upon contact with the southeast wind, were immediately dispersed. These mere three drops of wine, scattered into the vast sea of wind, could not be found even a trace again.
Luo Xianweng turned to look at Qin Sang, "Did the Heavenly Lord sense it?"
Qin Sang stood still, looking around as if searching for something. After a moment of contemplation, she nodded slightly.
However, they were clearly surrounded by only a southeast wind, and the scenery was no different from anywhere else.
He raised his right hand, extended his index finger, and gently plucked it in front of him, as if playing a musical instrument. An invisible string was plucked by him, unseen by the naked eye, but he could clearly feel its presence.
"Is this the great formation that supports the Immortal City of Xunzhou?" Qin Sang asked.
"It is indeed the Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Formation!"
Luo Xianweng and Ye Fengzhu nodded simultaneously.
The immortal city of Xunzhou resides in the heavens and moves with the wind, but it is not allowed to move freely, otherwise it would have already caused great chaos in Xunzhou.
The wind is ever-changing, and the Xunfeng Sea is even more unpredictable. In order to keep the Immortal City in a certain order and allow it to operate on this land, it is necessary to use an array, which is the Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array.
Not long ago, when Qin Sang first arrived in Xunzhou, he encountered a celestial city flying past near the northern region. As the celestial city approached, he vaguely sensed a change in the formation of the world.
The Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array is known to all cultivators in Xunzhou, but how this array operates and what power it possesses remain a mystery. Some even say that the array has not yet been truly completed.
Some speculate that the Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array must have borrowed the power of the Xun Wind, and that the array artifacts were placed inside various immortal cities. Alternatively, the immortal cities may be part of the Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array, connected remotely, and thus radiate the array's power in all directions.
If the formation were set up on the ground, covering the vast territory of Xunzhou, the resources required would be unimaginable to ordinary people, making it impossible to achieve.
It now appears that the Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array has extended into the depths of the Xunfeng Sea.
Qin Sang sensed that this formation was not rooted here, but flowed with the Xun wind, without constant form or shape. This wisp of formation happened to drift nearby and was captured by Luo Xianweng.
This also leads to the conclusion that the operation of the Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array is inextricably linked to the Xunfeng Sea.
"The Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array was created by a grandmaster of array formations. It is extremely ingenious. The array can operate on its own by drawing on the power of the Xun wind, without being affected by the violent and chaotic power of the Xun wind. If the Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array is likened to a living being, these are its tentacles, inserted into the Xun wind sea, continuously drawing power..."
Luo Xianweng released the array, "If the Xunfeng Sea is pacified and the Xunfeng is lost, the Feibai Fujie Secret Array can still operate, but the cost of maintaining the array's daily operation will increase several times or even more, and all the costs will have to be shared by everyone."
Qin Sang's expression hardened slightly, understanding the unspoken meaning in Luo Xianweng's words.
The Xunfeng Sea is the source of power for the Feibai Fujie Secret Array. If the Dao Court were to take control of the Xunfeng Sea and quell the Xunfeng, it would save Xunzhou from the suffering of wind disasters, but it would also cause the great array to consume more energy. The first thing they would have to do is face the criticism from all levels of Xunzhou.
Despite the large number of forces gathering in the Northern Region and flocking there, Xunzhou is actually more wary of the Dao Court.
Was Luo Xianweng warning himself and the Dao Court not to act rashly towards the Xunfeng Sea?
"I wonder how much the Flying White Floating Mustard Secret Array can eat, and how many Xun winds it would take to satisfy its appetite?" Qin Sang asked.
"It's not that big, but it's not that small either..."
Luo Xianweng chuckled and said, "You, Heavenly Lord, must have experienced the customs of Xunzhou firsthand. There's nothing that can't be discussed. As long as the benefits brought by the Dao Court are significant enough, even if the Dao Court makes Xunfeng Sea disappear tomorrow, it can still gain many allies. Or, to resolve even bigger troubles, they will accept any price they have to pay."
Qin Sang stared at Luo Xianweng for a while, and a realization dawned on her. "I would like to ask Luo Xianweng to show me the way."
Ye Loucheng also frowned and looked over.
It seems that Luo Xianweng really wants to win over the Daoist court. Just how much trouble has Huangting Dao gotten himself into here?
By this time, they had entered the interior of the strange mine.
To the naked eye, the view ahead was like a vast, boundless sea, with a monotonous landscape. However, under the guidance of Luo Xianweng, Qin Sang and Ye Loucheng discovered several special places.
These are the true spirit mines, but they have already been mined, leaving only some special energy. From the remaining energy, one can glean some information; what Immortal Luo said was true—this place produces rare and extraordinary treasures from beyond the heavens, uncommon in the spirit realm.
"What an amazing mine!"
Ye Fengzhu's eyes gleamed.
Extraterrestrial treasures are extremely rare, and only Mahayana cultivators can go to the outer heavens to collect them. However, in order to hone their disciples, and given that the outer heavens are fraught with danger and surrounded by demons, Duanhong Island would never go to collect them specifically for its disciples.
He turned to look at Luo Xianweng, his eyes filled with suspicion. "Is Huang Tingdao really going to give up this extraordinary mine and share the profits with everyone? Is there any hidden danger in this vein?"
At this point, the old man from Luoshen finally stopped keeping everyone in suspense.
He sighed softly, "These so-called extraterrestrial wonders may have fallen from the heavens, or they may have drifted here from other realms."
Suddenly realizing something, Peak Master Ye's expression changed drastically. "What have you discovered here?"
Luo Xianweng pointed downwards and said, "When we were exploring the mineral vein, a junior brother found a strange place under the rare mineral. He specially set up a large array and investigated it repeatedly. He found that there was a crack in the earth membrane there, which should be... connected to the Demon Realm."