Yu Jian Zhen Xian's eyes flashed with admiration. "Junior Brother Qin Yun need not be discouraged. You have only cultivated the Tian Jue Wu Ya for a few years, yet you've brought this divine ability to such a level. When you reach the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, your strength will likely be no less than mine."
Yu Jian Zhen Xian's words were not mere comfort. Qin Yun's talent and comprehension were indeed extraordinary, which was why Yu Jian Zhen Xian, despite being at the peak Nascent Soul realm himself, was willing to befriend him. As long as Qin Yun did not perish prematurely, he might even surpass Yu Jian Zhen Xian in reaching the Spirit Refining realm.
After all, though Yu Jian Zhen Xian was only one step away from the perfection of the Sword Dao rules, this step had held him back for thousands of years. Without a special opportunity, he might never achieve perfection in this lifetime.
Yu Jian Zhen Xian stepped forward and casually drew the ancient, unadorned long sword from his back. With a clear ringing sound, a brilliant sword light cleaved through the sky. Nearly a million strands of Sword Dao rules converged into a single line, striking directly at the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect's protective formation.
Within the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect, the Half-Step Void Refining powerhouses stationed at various points felt their bodies tremble. A powerful force surged into them, causing their blood and qi to surge and their faces to flush slightly.
"Such formidable strength," Dong Ji Zhen Xian muttered, his eyes narrowing as he felt the pressure. A single casual strike from Yu Jian Zhen Xian far surpassed the power unleashed by Qin Yun's divine ability, already impacting those guarding the formation.
"Again!"
Yu Jian Zhen Xian wielded his long sword, and sword light flickered across the heavens. As he displayed his swordsmanship, a river of swords formed above his head, vast and mighty, surging towards the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect's protective formation.
For a time, the crisp sound of sword鳴 echoed incessantly. The light barrier enveloping the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect trembled uncontrollably. However, under the defenders' efforts, when the sword river's power subsided, it still failed to break through the formation.
Qin Yun frowned slightly at this. This sword river technique, with its continuous attacks, was the most adept at breaking formations. Yet, it still failed to shatter the protective formation, leaving Qin Yun feeling a surge of frustration.
Seeing that the protective formation remained steadfast, Yu Jian Zhen Xian's narrow eyes also narrowed slightly, and an unspoken anger ignited within him.
"Dong Ji, your protective formation has clearly taken considerable effort. No wonder you dare to be so defiant against me," Yu Jian Zhen Xian said coldly.
"I dare not. It is merely a matter of necessity. If Fellow Daoist Yu Jian is willing to cease, this old man will offer you an Immortal Treasure as a token of gratitude, how about it?" The strength displayed by Yu Jian Zhen Xian made Dong Ji Zhen Xian feel threatened, and his words carried a hint of appeasement.
Qin Yun, standing nearby, couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. A single Immortal Treasure to make Senior Brother Yu Jian withdraw? How naive. He had already gifted an Immortal Treasure just to invite Senior Brother Yu Jian to act, and substantial treasures awaited him upon success.
"To withstand my sword river technique, you do have some skill. I wonder if you can withstand my Tian Jue Wu Ya Shen!" Yu Jian Zhen Xian ignored Dong Ji Zhen Xian's overture. He closed his eyes, his surrounding magical power surging, rules permeating his being, and his entire form gradually becoming ethereal.
Simultaneously, a colossal illusory manifestation of a Dharma Body formed above Yu Jian Zhen Xian's head. It bore his exact likeness, its body as tall as a ten-thousand-foot mountain. The entire Ten Thousand Mountains Sect was cast under its shadow, exuding a terrifying aura.
"Tian Jue Wu Ya Shen!" Dong Ji Zhen Xian's expression turned extremely grim. He had underestimated Yu Jian Zhen Xian's strength. He hadn't expected him to have cultivated this seventh-grade divine ability to the Great Accomplishment stage while still in the Nascent Soul realm, capable of manifesting an illusory Dharma Body.
Countless disciples within the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect looked up at this sight, their hearts trembling. Before that ten-thousand-foot Dharma Body, they felt like mere ants. A gentle stomp of its foot could likely crush a horde of Half-Step Void Refining cultivators.
"Disciples of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect, heed my command! Lend me your magical power and defend the sect to the death!" With Dong Ji Zhen Xian's roar, tens of thousands of disciples of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect attacked in unison, channeling their magical power into Dong Ji Zhen Xian's body.
"Eight Desolations Without Limit, Guarding the Four Directions, Suppress!" Dong Ji Zhen Xian spread his arms, dividing the vast, sea-like magical power into eight portions and injecting them into the eight array eyes of the protective formation.
In an instant, the light barrier of the protective formation erupted with endless brilliance. The barrier became almost tangible, separating the world within from the world without.
"Break!"
Yu Jian Zhen Xian roared. As his foot descended, the ten-thousand-foot illusory Dharma Body, with the force of cleaving heaven and earth, stomped down fiercely on the light barrier.
Suddenly, the Ten Thousand Mountains Continent felt as if the sky had collapsed. The protective formation trembled violently. An overwhelmingly powerful force permeated through the light barrier into the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect. Nascent Soul cultivators of lesser strength, unable to withstand this force, coughed up blood and fell to the ground, severely injured!
With a single strike, over half the disciples were incapacitated, and the sect was filled with mournful cries, a truly tragic scene.
"How can this be?" Dong Ji Zhen Xian had not expected that a single blow would heavily injure over half the disciples in the sect. With such power, how could they resist?
Nan Zun and others, who were in secluded cultivation, also felt this surge of power and were inwardly shocked. They all ended their seclusion and flew out of the Golden Light Immortal Mansion, arriving beside Dong Ji Zhen Xian.
"Fellow Daoist Nan Zun, lend me your strength!" Seeing Nan Zun arrive, Dong Ji Zhen Xian's heart rejoiced, and he shouted loudly.
Nan Zun's sharp gaze swept across the sect. Seeing the colossal ten-thousand-foot Dharma Body outside the Ten Thousand Mountains Sect, he immediately understood the situation. His magical power surged, and he simultaneously guarded four array eyes. With Nan Zun's assistance, the trembling light barrier gradually stabilized, bringing a sigh of relief to Dong Ji Zhen Xian.
"How many strikes can you withstand?" Yu Jian Zhen Xian sneered, his narrow eyes filled with disdain, and he unleashed another divine ability attack. His colossal fists repeatedly slammed onto the light barrier, like meteors from beyond the heavens. Each impact shook the barrier violently. Even a Half-Step Void Refining cultivator guarding an array eye couldn't endure it, bleeding from all seven orifices and suffering severe injuries.
Liu Mu, seeing this, quickly flew to his side, took out a healing pill, and stuffed it into his mouth before taking his place.
"A complete Tian Jue Wu Ya, worthy of being a seventh-grade divine ability. If one could cultivate it to perfection, one would likely find few equals within the Nascent Soul realm," Qin Yun marveled, filled with awe as he watched his Senior Brother Yu Jian's terrifying ferocity. This also strengthened his resolve to master the Tian Jue Wu Ya divine ability.
"This cannot go on. We must counterattack!" Nan Zun thought to himself, looking up at the unbridled illusory Dharma Body.
"Fellow Daoist Dong Ji, does this protective formation have any offensive capabilities? We must break his divine ability if we are to have any hope of defending. If we let him bombard us like this, the protective formation will surely be broken within a day!"
"There are offensive methods, naturally. However, this Tian Jue Wu Ya Shen is a seventh-grade divine ability, and Yu Jian Zhen Xian is at the peak Nascent Soul realm, with several times the magical power of you and me. How can we counterattack?" Dong Ji Zhen Xian replied helplessly.
"Everyone, lend me your strength, and I will try!"