Chapter 584 - 16: Buddha, Demon, and Chess

「Red Profound Realm, Mingxiao Domain.」

Outside Heaven Crossing Hall, the sun shone brightly in a clear, azure sky.

Suddenly, several sinister, pitch-black rifts tore through the void.

A moment later, a compass radiating golden light emerged. As it slowly turned, the surrounding space shattered and collapsed. Four figures, each with a powerful aura, walked out from within.

The one in the lead was none other than Fang Cheng.

Behind him were Ascendant Dun’an, Monk Haideng, and Qiu Jingyu.

Ascendant Dun’an curiously examined the Ten Thousand Worlds Compass, clicking his tongue in amazement and repeatedly praising, "What a treasure."

Fang Cheng smiled. "I obtained this treasure from another World Heaven. Daoist Dun’an, is there any way you could reverse-engineer a copy of it?"

Ascendant Dun’an carefully studied the Ten Thousand Worlds Compass for a while before saying, "The Space Dao is one of the most profound Daos in all the realms. Although I am skilled in Artifact Refining, deciphering this treasure’s mysteries and reverse-engineering it would likely take me at least a hundred years to succeed."

Fang Cheng felt a pang of disappointment.

’There isn’t enough time...’

He put away the Ten Thousand Worlds Compass and walked with the other three to the front of Heaven Crossing Hall. Dragon Elephant Wanderer was standing at the entrance with a wide smile, personally welcoming them.

"Senior, it’s been a long time."

Ascendant Dun’an stepped forward and bowed deeply to Dragon Elephant Wanderer, his respect clear for all to see.

Fang Cheng and the other two had also benefited greatly from Dragon Elephant Wanderer’s help, and seeing this, their admiration for the old monk grew even deeper.

Dragon Elephant Wanderer smiled. "Zhongyi, now that you’re here to help, I can rest easy."

Ascendant Dun’an replied, "To be able to preside over the refining of a Sixth-rank Magical Artifact in my lifetime is something this junior has always dreamed of. I must thank you, Senior, for giving me such an opportunity."

Dragon Elephant Wanderer said, "However, this matter is fraught with danger. The slightest mistake could lead to the death of even a Tribulation Realm Cultivator, which is why I didn’t dare ask you to come sooner."

With that, he invited the four of them into Heaven Crossing Hall.

Passing through a swirling white mist, Fang Cheng was surprised to find they hadn’t arrived at the thatched cottage in the valley he remembered. Instead, they had entered a massive Grotto Heaven Secret Realm.

This Secret Realm was filled with endless fiery light. Looking down, one could see a vast, boundless sea of fire. The flames were so thick and viscous they seemed almost solid, surging mightily like a tide.

In the center of this sea of fire, a Stone Stele over thirty thousand feet tall stood firm as a mountain, completely unmoving.

A vast pressure emanated from the Stone Stele, making Fang Cheng feel extremely uncomfortable and ill at ease.

The Stone Stele gave him an extremely dangerous feeling, as if he would be suppressed the moment he drew near.

’The prototype of a Sixth-rank Magical Artifact, the Demon-Suppressing Celestial Stele.’

On the Stone Stele were a massive number of unfinished Array Patterns and runic restrictions. They were so complex and profound that even with Fang Cheng’s Divine Soul Cultivation, just looking at them made him feel dizzy and disoriented.

At this moment, figures with powerful auras surrounded the Stone Stele, using all sorts of precious materials to continuously refine it.

With a single glance, Fang Cheng saw no fewer than forty-seven Tribulation Realm Cultivators surrounding the Stone Stele!

Fang Cheng recalled that during the Red Profound Conference, there had been a total of fifteen grand chairs in Heaven Crossing Hall, all of them seats for Tribulation Realm Great Powers.

If the other four ancient domains were similar to the Mingxiao Domain, then over sixty percent of the Tribulation Realm Great Powers in the Red Profound Association had gathered here.

Such a monumental undertaking, if not world-shaking, was not far from it.

The refining method for a Sixth-rank Magical Artifact had been passed down from a Spirit Immortal of the Upper Realm, and its power was comparable to a strike from a Spirit Immortal.

The stele’s main component was the Demon-Suppressing Immortal Cicada, a Chaos Rebirth Treasure from the Extreme Jade Heaven. It was supplemented by countless other top-tier precious materials and Celestial and Earthly Spiritual Objects. It was as if the Red Profound Realm had exhausted all its manpower and resources, mustering the strength of an entire realm to forge a single Magical Artifact.

Whether they could purge the demonic intent from the Celestial Dao Origin and open a path for the world’s Tribulation Realm Cultivators to undergo their tribulations and ascend, all depended on whether this stele could be successfully refined.

When Ascendant Dun’an saw the stele, it was as if he had laid eyes on the ultimate treasure. His eyes blazed with light, and his expression, like that of a pilgrim, was solemn yet tinged with excitement and awe.

Dragon Elephant Wanderer led Ascendant Dun’an toward the Demon-Suppressing Celestial Stele to brief the other Tribulation Realm Cultivators.

Unwilling to get any closer to the stele, Fang Cheng remained where he was.

A short while later, Dragon Elephant Wanderer returned. Fang Cheng cupped his hands and said, "Senior, there is something I must report."

Seeing his grave expression, Dragon Elephant Wanderer said, "Follow me."

Then, he turned to Monk Haideng and Qiu Jingyu. "You two, proceed as planned."

With that, he led Fang Cheng back through the white mist and into the courtyard of the thatched cottage.

The old monk remarked with a sigh, "Your rate of growth has far exceeded my expectations. Zhongyi already told me; if not for you, he likely would not have survived this time."

After a few humble words, Fang Cheng’s expression turned serious. "Two of the Demon Lord’s four Demon Servants, the Night Queen and the Bitter Elder, have already appeared. As for the other two, this junior has now met both of them."

He then relayed to Dragon Elephant Wanderer the intelligence he had obtained from the Divine Sense memories of four of Master Xiaoyao, Yu Wenxu’s, Daoist partners.

"One of them received a Spirit Immortal’s legacy and is highly skilled in the Mechanical Spirit Dao of the Upper Realm. His potential is limitless. He was originally the City Lord of Nine Heavens Spiritual Palace City in the Profound Nether Domain. Later, when I returned to the Red Profound Realm to face my tribulation, he must have been sent by the Demon Lord to sabotage my efforts. Instead, Ascendant Feng Yan destroyed two of his avatars with a single strike. He still has two avatars remaining, but their whereabouts are unknown."

"The other one is named Yu Wenxu, with the Daoist name Master Xiaoyao. This man has a Nine Tribulation Cultivation and has roamed the heavens for many years, taking numerous Daoist partners, many of whom are themselves Tribulation Realm Cultivators. This time, it was he who arranged for his Daoist partners from the Dongxuan Realm to entrap Ascendant Dun’an..."

After listening, Dragon Elephant Wanderer sighed. "These are truly troubled times."

Fang Cheng said worriedly, "I’m concerned that this Yu Wenxu will go and help the Demon Lord’s avatar break the Demon Buddha’s measures."

Dragon Elephant Wanderer replied, "That is highly likely. However, according to the feedback from the avatar I have stationed there, no one else has gone there for now."