Chapter 353: Taking All Living Beings as Hostages

"The Eternal Celestial Venerable is not the Immortal Celestial Venerable. Of course, they can fall."

Ji Hongdao shook his head and chuckled softly.

"Moreover, the owner of this severed green stone palm was an ancient Celestial Venerable who achieved the Celestial Venerable fruit through the ancient method."

"Achieving Eternal Celestial Venerable through the ancient method is not as harsh as it is today, requiring one to defy the principles of heaven and earth."

"Their strength is naturally more than a notch weaker."

"It's entirely possible they were killed by someone or perished in a calamity."

Not giving the Cultivators present much time to be shocked, Ji Hongdao spoke as if it were a trivial matter, then turned to instruct: "This mission is urgent; there's not much time for rest. Today, Huangfu and Shangguan will first familiarize everyone with the precautions within the Eternal Immortal Fortress."

"Formal construction begins tomorrow."

"The first phase task is to construct the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Grand Array outside the Chizha Abyss."

"After we relocate that newly discovered Mystic Domain, we will rush over to construct the second Lock Spirit Array."

"Once both locations are complete, we can return."

"By the way…"

Ji Hongdao paused, took out a heavenly mystery small mirror from his bosom, and projected a radiant list above everyone's heads.

"Let it be known to you that the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array Popularization Competition has officially begun."

"Although most of you are not among the contestants, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance will not let your hard work go to waste."

"Every effort in protection, transportation, and collaboration will be meticulously recorded and converted into points. When the grand arrays are finally completed, these points can be exchanged for Cultivation Techniques and treasures within the Alliance."

"Furthermore, the construction of each Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array will be considered a top-grade first-class merit mission."

"When the Formation is completed, corresponding merit rewards will be given based on the level of contribution."

"Real-time distribution, no delays."

Before Ji Hongdao's words had fully faded, the Cultivators present were already in an uproar.

Clearly, they had just learned this news.

Top-grade first-class merit missions are usually tasks of extremely high danger and difficulty.

Ordinary Cultivators have no hope of completing them.

Yet now, simply by diligently constructing the Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array, one can obtain them.

How could this not drive them wild?

Ji Hongdao smiled slightly: "Everyone, do you want to obtain Cultivation Techniques? Do you want to raise your permission Rank?"

"This time is truly a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity."

"If you miss it, the cost to obtain comparable rewards in the future will likely be several times greater."

"So, please do your best."

Amidst the fervent excitement, Li Fan examined the radiant list in the sky.

Perhaps because the competition had just begun and the gaps hadn't widened yet.

The names on the list changed constantly every moment, enough to show the intensity of the competition.

There were seven hundred and eighty-three names on the list in total.

The names were very familiar; they were all the trainees who had participated in the special training at the Cosmos Abode.

Apart from Li Fan and Xue Mu at the bottom with zero points, there was also a Golden Core cultivator named Guo Yezhong who, for some reason, had not yet officially participated in the array construction.

"Alright, temporarily rein in your excitement. Save your strength for tomorrow."

After a while, seeing the atmosphere had been sufficiently built up, Ji Hongdao then continued.

"After disembarking, you must carry this [black death talisman] with you at all times. Even within this Eternal Immortal Fortress, it must be so. Remember this."

"Starting tomorrow, Cultivators stationed at the Immortal Fortress will also act alongside you to guard against the abyssal demonic whispers."

"Huangfu and Shangguan will explain the specific details to you."

With that, Ji Hongdao waved his hand, and over a hundred talismans, their surfaces shimmering with black light like fleeting lightning, appeared in the sky.

They then flew to the Cultivators present.

As Li Fan touched it with his hand, the black death talisman instantly transformed into a black line, hiding itself at his left wrist.

Before he could examine it carefully, urged by Huangfu Song, he left the crossing dust boat and temporarily settled within the Eternal Immortal Fortress.

The Immortal Fortress truly lived up to being the front line against the Chizha Abyss, almost entirely self-sufficient.

All the common facilities and places found in ordinary prefectural cities were available here.

Apart from the inability to teleport, there was even a tianxuan mirror here.

However, the area where Li Fan and the others resided was only the outermost part of the Immortal Fortress. Based on the size of the severed palm seen earlier, it was estimated to occupy at most a single finger segment.

Attempting to go deeper was impossible, as it was guarded by Cultivators in green robes.

…

While the Cultivators were wandering within the Immortal Fortress,

On the crossing dust boat,

Ji Hongdao still stood at the bow, gazing at the scenery within the severed palm structure.

A twisted figure, like a ghost, suddenly appeared behind him.

"Still using methods of luring people with benefits? Don't you know how to try something new?" The figure spoke rudely, full of disdain.

Ji Hongdao didn't seem surprised by his appearance, not turning his head, and just said leisurely: "Old-fashioned, but effective."

"Isn't it?"

"Which Cultivator under heaven can truly remain unmoved when faced with immense benefits before their eyes?"

"Even someone as 'aloof' as you, Lord Shang, if there were no gains to be had, why would you willingly personally guard the Chizha Abyss for decades, standing firm and unmoving?"

Lord Shang snorted coldly, offering no rebuttal.

After a moment of silence, he spoke: "Being able to gain something from the abyss is my ability. Why don't you let others try?"

"I won't mention the merit of guarding such a dangerous place."

"Why is it that now, even my side must construct the [Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array]?"

"You and I both know full well what that thing is."

"We Cultivators…"

Ji Hongdao suddenly turned around, his expression unprecedentedly serious, staring at Lord Shang.

Lord Shang's words also immediately stopped.

"The Tianxuan Locking Spirit is the trend of the times."

Ji Hongdao said, word by word: "Anyone who dares to defy it is on a path to death."

"I advise Lord Shang not to attempt to challenge the will of the [Dharma Transmitter]s."

Seeing Lord Shang still wore an unhappy expression, Ji Hongdao sighed and advised: "The current situation is critical, having reached a point where there is not a moment to lose."

"For some reason, heaven and earth have suddenly loosened cultivation restrictions, clearly acting recklessly, as if to drag us all down with them."

"Over on the Five Old Men Association side, after many attempts, they have still failed to find any trace of the Celestial Venerable of Dharma Transmission. They are already growing restless."

"The Dharma Transmitters have even observed traces of the reversal of the principles of heaven and earth."

"What that means, I believe you understand very well."

"At this juncture, only through [Tianxuan Locking Spirit], using the majority of living beings in the Xuanhuang World as hostages, can we pass through this difficult period."

"Only then can we gradually search for a way to break the deadlock."

Lord Shang clearly could not accept Ji Hongdao's explanation.

He retorted: "Treating all living beings as ants, how do you know you yourself are not an ant?"

Ji Hongdao disagreed: "We are naturally above the masses."

Lord Shang snorted coldly: "Perhaps."

"We shall see."

Then his figure flickered and disappeared.