The Fire Lord’s palm once again revealed the ball of Taiyin Sacred Fire that she had put away earlier.
Her face, filled with light and devoid of features, showed no expression, but her voice had turned sharp:
"Biluo Qing Tian, Da Fu Li Tu? You dare mock me!"
Da Fu Li Tu is the legendary land where all gods are received. The Daoist school calls it Tai Xu or Da Fu Li, while Buddhism refers to it as the Pure Land. In essence, they all speak of the same place.
When the world receives the positions of beings, it is drawn from Da Fu Li. However, the scenery of Da Fu Li is visualized during the reception process, conjured within the mind. What is visualized does not exist in reality; it is neither tangible nor intangible, but rather a manifestation of the collective desires of sentient beings.
Within the Huang Tian Sect, the "method of regeneration" that the old Fire God, Qian Guang, once boasted about, involved using these desires to recreate the three souls and then sprout the seven vital energies. Desires are elusive; one can sense their existence but cannot ascertain whether they are corporeal or incorporeal. The Huang Tian Sect refers to the convergence of desires into "Yuan Dun," a great circle. This concept originated from the Daoist patriarch Danyang's discourse on the Dao of "creation from nothing."
The followers of the Huang Tian Sect believe that through this method, no matter how many times they die, even if their souls are scattered, they can be resurrected.
It can be said that in this era, any powerful being skilled in the arts of spirits and ghosts, particularly those involving the transformation of life and death, generally possesses considerable cultivation.
It's all about "Don't fear death, just get up and respawn," and "Everyone's a daredevil, help me up, I'm going to die again."
After all, what is cultivation if not for longevity?
The Western barbarians tell you that the dead go to heaven. The cultivators of the Central Plains tell you, "Why the hell would you want to die? Isn't living better?"
Even Buddhism in the Central Plains has been assimilated, telling you that you must do well in this life, not for future bliss after death, but for a better life in the next.
Ultimately, the core of cultivation in the Central Plains boils down to two words: "to live."
At this very moment.
The Fire Lord had become enraged. Ji Xiang's words were clearly meant to mock her.
"Are you saying you are a god descended from heaven to punish me? How ridiculous! I seek blessings for all beings, what crime have I committed?"
"I admit you have surprised me, but do not think that by absorbing incense offerings and becoming unkillable, you can mock me at will. The gap in our strength is immense; killing you again would be as simple as raising a hand!"
The Fire Lord raised her luminous left hand, summoning the Taiyin Sacred Fire:
"This time, I shall scatter your soul to the winds."
At this moment, the Fire Lord's strength was rapidly declining, from that of a half-Earth Immortal to the true form of "Three Flowers Gathering on the Crown."
A fall from the Ninth Realm to the Seventh Realm – this was the Fire Lord's true strength.
Ji Xiang looked at the ball of flames, and the Inner Scenery Divine Tablet once again provided a description and strategy:
[Taiyin Tribulation Fire (Residual): All things awaken, gathered by Taiyin; Tribulation Fire blazes, the Great Thousand is destroyed.]
[Within the human body, there is fire qi. The Taiyin Tribulation Fire guides this fire qi. After circulating for a quarter of an hour, it will cause the fire qi to burn in anger, not harming the physical body, but scorching the soul. All burning rage will be fed into the Taiyin Tribulation Fire, increasing its power.]
[Once the Taiyin Tribulation Fire recovers from its residual state to its full form, it can invert the energies of heaven and earth, making the earth utterly Yin and the heavens extremely Yang. At this point, all beings in heaven and earth will be entangled by the Tribulation Fire.]
[Once the Taiyin Tribulation Fire ignites, it will not extinguish until the target is reduced to ashes (can be suppressed).]
[The Yellow Bell is the origin of all things, and Taiyin is the primal energy of all things' awakening. The sound of striking the morning bell (or a bronze bell) can suppress the Taiyin Tribulation Fire; or prevent the Tribulation Fire from circulating within the body for more than a quarter of an hour.]
The Fire Lord called this fire the Sacred Fire, but Ji Xiang's strategy clearly stated it was a Tribulation Fire! It could burn all beings in the world and destroy all phenomena in the Great Thousand.
"No wonder the Fire Lord entered the Forbidden City at night. The Taiyin Tribulation Fire cannot hear the sound of the morning bell. The Forbidden City strikes the morning bell at the fifth watch, meaning the Fire Lord would be powerless after the fifth watch."
"That's why she had to prepare thoroughly, not just sneak in casually."
After reading the strategy, Ji Xiang understood why the Fire Lord had to enter at night. It wasn't just because of the curfew, which prevented celestial officials from entering and kept outsiders unaware of the situation within the Forbidden City; the greater reason was that the Taiyin Tribulation Fire could not hear the morning bell.
Seeing the Fire Lord summon the Taiyin Sacred Fire to incinerate him, Ji Xiang chuckled and took out the Jin Jizi and the San Qing Bell.
In the Daoist tradition, the San Qing Bell is also known as the "Imperial Bell."
However, this thing was ultimately a bell, so Ji Xiang estimated that the strength of his San Qing Bell could only withstand one strike from the Jin Jizi, producing a single sound, before it would immediately be destroyed, perhaps even shattering into pieces.
This was because the Jin Jizi was a national artifact of great power, a force the San Qing Bell, as a mere magical artifact, could not withstand.
Therefore, this battle was to be a "decisive blow."
"Fire Lord... no, Ling Xiao Nü!"
Ji Xiang held the Jin Jizi against the San Qing Bell and smiled again, revealing his teeth:
"Have you heard the sound of the Forbidden City's morning bell at the fourth watch?"
"Dare you respond if I strike this Imperial Bell once!"
It was now the fourth watch!
The Fire Lord had abandoned any pretense of compassion. Her anger at Ji Xiang's threat was now completely unmasked. The flames on her body surged higher and higher, seemingly reflecting her current mood:
"The morning bell is on the Bei'an Gate. You dare claim to have the morning bell with that small bronze bell in your hand?"
"Seventy-six bronze bells of the Underworld couldn't stop me, and you think this San Qing Bell in your hand can?"
Ji Xiang smiled, his face smeared with filth, but his white teeth were remarkably bright in the dim half-world:
"The Underworld's bells and the San Qing Bell are different. Why not try it and see? As long as you take one step, I will strike the San Qing Bell!"
The two faced each other, separating the realms of water and fire.
But the Fire Lord suddenly laughed. Although she had no features, her voice conveyed her amusement, a free and unrestrained laugh. Her voluptuous body writhed in the flames and light, incredibly alluring.
"Fine, I'll assume your little bronze bell can have an effect, but only once or twice? In any case, it won't last long. If you think you can use that small bell to stop me, then try it."
The Fire Lord attacked, holding the Taiyin Sacred Fire and walking towards Ji Xiang. A thousand paces were reduced to one, and Ji Xiang simultaneously struck the bronze bell!
The first measure of primal energy, the Jin Jizi struck the bell, and a world-shattering sound echoed through the Forbidden City. The Taiyin Sacred Fire was instantly repelled and vanished. However, the Fire Lord's hand had already reached his face!
The San Qing Bell was grabbed by the Fire Lord and crushed with a bang!
"Let's see what other tricks you have!"
The Fire Lord raised her hand. Ji Xiang unleashed another measure of primal energy, summoning the Jin Jizi for the fourth time. Ji Xiang felt significantly weakened, but the Fire Lord, relying on her Seventh Realm cultivation, still managed to withstand this strike head-on.
But Ji Xiang smiled, his teeth bared, signaling good fortune.
*Dong!*
Ji Xiang raised his hand and exchanged a punch with the Fire Lord! The Fire Lord felt her body becoming sluggish. It was then that she realized something was wrong. She circulated her spiritual power throughout her body and discovered that one of her Three Flowers on the Crown was missing!
"I forgot to remind you..."
Ji Xiang's voice echoed in the Fire Lord's ears!
"The Jin Jizi strikes a person three times, and it knocks off one realm!"
"Now you are only in the Sixth Realm, the Divine Ability Realm!"
Four realms killing six realms, the advantage is mine!
Ji Xiang finally unleashed his trump card, having seized this opportunity!
Then, Ji Xiang pointed at the Fire Lord's chest, which had been flattened by the single strike:
"Look at what is stuck to your chest?"
The Fire Lord lowered her head. Unbeknownst to her, a yellow talisman had been stuck to her chest. This talisman radiated primal energy!
In the wind and rain, Ji Xiang held a seal in one hand, circulating his spiritual power, and the Great Majestic Divine Incantation erupted, bathing his surroundings in radiance.
My heart is bright, upright and square!
"I foresaw that I might have to fight you, so I specifically wrote this talisman. The Great Majestic Divine Incantation, have you heard of it?"
Sister, want to try this talisman?
The Great Majestic Divine Incantation is a new acquisition from the Tai Wei Five Emperors, and it packs a punch!
The Fire Lord could no longer hear Ji Xiang speaking.
In her perception, the heavens and earth were splitting apart. Her body, flesh, position, and primal energy were all being torn asunder.