Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 384 - 350: Return to Tianyuan

"It’s finally time to go back."

Across the vast land, a peculiarly ancient, immense array stood proudly, its pathways intricately woven from countless peach branches.

These peach branches, tempered by the ages and baptized by life, had transcended their ordinary forms. They intertwined, forming a mysterious order, as if resonating with life and the Dao.

In the center of the array, Tao Guyun stood quietly, his eyes slightly closed, focusing his entire being on guiding the power within him to the Array Patterns beneath his feet. These patterns, like awakened veins, flickered softly, resembling the earth’s bloodlines, pulsating with vitality.

At each node of this grand array, members of the Taogong Clan stood, their foreheads bulging and their bodies radiating a natural aura. They fed their power into the Array Patterns beneath their feet, as streams of pure energy flowed continuously into the array.

As the power of the Taogong Clan poured incessantly into the array, the once-slumbering formation began to awaken, as if breaking free from a dream, bursting forth with new vitality.

A tremendous peach branch burst through the soil at the center of the array. It rose like a dragon, its head reaching toward the sky, its thick body etched with ancient and intricate patterns.

This peach branch extended continuously into the air, advancing into the endless void. At its tip, it seemed to touch upon another dimension, where the vague outline of a vast world began to appear.

In that world, there were mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, the sun, the moon, stars, joyful creatures, and thriving life. All became gradually clearer under the pull of this peach branch.

Standing with his hands behind his back, treading on white clouds, Qi Xiu’s clear black and white eyes reflected the outline of the world at the end of the peach branch.

Is that the Tianyuan Main Realm?

Seeing the Tianyuan Main Realm for the first time as a bystander, Qi Xiu unexpectedly felt a strange sense of enlightenment in his heart.

"Immortal, the array is complete. You can return to the Tianyuan Main Realm by following this peach branch."

Pale-faced, Tao Guyun appeared greatly depleted from reviving the cross-boundary array, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke.

"Thank you for your hard work. I will arrange to deliver what you requested as quickly as possible."

He nodded slowly. Twenty-three years had passed in the blink of an eye since he arrived in the Longevity Star Realm. Qi Xiu exhaled softly and transformed into a divine light, landing on the colossal peach branch that soared into the sky.

"Remember, Immortal, keep moving forward and do not look aside. The realms beyond are filled with strange sights; do not lose your way."

As Qi Xiu set foot on the peach branch, Tao Guyun called out loudly, reminding him.

"I understand."

A calm and detached voice came from the upright figure stepping forward.

Watching Qi Xiu’s departing figure, Tao Guyun leaned on a wooden stake, struggling to sit down on a nearby rock, his gaze both relaxed and complex.

I hope I gambled correctly this time...

...

Qi Xiu walked on the immeasurably vast peach branch. As he delved deeper into the void, the scenery around him started to become bizarre and hazy.

Deep in the void, space seemed to be twisted by some mysterious force, creating a canvas of unpredictable clouds.

Clouds swirled around, unpredictable in shape, brilliant in color, like a dreamlike melting pot.

Sometimes these clouds were like silk threads, light and ethereal; at other times, they were as dense as mountains, ceaselessly tumbling.

Amongst this hazy mist, strangely shaped Cosmic Bi portals lay hidden, deep and mysterious.

These Cosmic Bi portals varied in size and shape, some like cracks between stars, others like blooming flowers, each exuding a strange attraction.

Peering through the gaps of these Cosmic Bi portals, one could glimpse the contours of different worlds: some worlds shone like dazzling gems set against the dark backdrop; others resembled vast oceans with surging waves; and yet others were silent, desolate deserts.

Each Cosmic Bi portal seemed to be a gateway, connecting worlds of different sizes, as if by merely stepping over that invisible boundary, one could instantly traverse to an entirely different world.

Gazing at this indescribable spectacle, Qi Xiu’s pace slowed unconsciously.

Just then, the Primordial Sword Gourd tied to his waist suddenly flew up, striking his head forcefully.

THUMP—

Knocked back to his senses, Qi Xiu looked around in slight astonishment.

Is this the ’strange sight’ Tao Guyun mentioned? Indeed perilous.

He took the still-thumping Primordial Sword Gourd from his head and chuckled softly, "Alright, alright, you’re going to give me a concussion."

Securing the Primordial Sword Gourd once more, Qi Xiu’s expression turned serious as he looked again at the bizarre and mysterious Cosmic Bi portals surrounding him.

Dangerous indeed. These Cosmic Bi portals were seemingly calm but contained the inherent power of the Cosmic Bi, capable of tearing the flesh of a Dao Expert to shreds.

Without specific techniques or artifacts, jumping into these Cosmic Bi portals would result in being torn into the most basic particles, cleanly wiped from existence.

This Outer Realm was the domain of Primordial Spirit Bosses.

Even for a Dao Expert, a single misstep here could lead to a fatal end.

Turning his gaze away from these strange scenes in the void, Qi Xiu quickened his pace. Crossing between realms was no child’s play; the longer it took, the more likely an accident would occur.

Perceiving the dangers of the Outer Realms, Qi Xiu transformed into an almost invisible, swift shadow, striding along the peach branch.

「About half an hour later.」

The peach branch under his feet came to an end. Qi Xiu stepped out and effortlessly pierced through the mirror-like halo in front of him, which resembled a thin film.

POP—

The sound of a bubble bursting echoed in his ear.

「The next instant.」

The familiar elemental energy of heaven and earth surged forth, causing Qi Xiu to take a deep breath involuntarily. A smile touched his lips as he softly sighed, "No matter how good it is abroad, it’s not as peaceful as home."

Upon returning to the Tianyuan Main Realm, while Qi Xiu was still breathing the familiar air, an undetectable fluctuation instantly swept through his body.

Cold.

Indifferent.

Lofty.

Just now... the Heavenly Dao?

His expression became serious as he noticed that very subtle fluctuation. Qi Xiu’s eyebrows slightly lifted.

He had directly faced the Heavenly Dao Will in the Longevity Star Realm.

Although the Heavenly Dao of the Tianyuan Main Realm was countless times stronger than that of the Longevity Star Realm, their auras were similar.

Is it discerning whether I’m an Outer Realm Evil God?

With a thought, Qi Xiu understood the purpose of that momentary fluctuation. It must have been the instinctive detection by the Heavenly Dao Will upon the entry of a being into the Tianyuan Main Realm, discerning whether it was an Outer Realm Evil God.

If it was, what awaited it would be merciless destruction by the Heavenly Dao.

This trip outside really broadened my horizons.

Having successfully returned to the Tianyuan Main Realm, Qi Xiu immediately surveyed his surroundings. He clearly realized this wasn’t within the Shenxiao Sect.

Although the Taogong Clan’s inter-realm formation could send him back, the landing spot did not seem fixed.

Just as Qi Xiu was assessing his environment to see where he was, about a few hundred miles behind him, a violent roar shook the heavens and earth, accompanied by a colossal cloud of dust rising from the ground, shaking the whole land.

"Stop him! That kid has already used the Pray to Heaven Skill; he’s at the end of his tether! Today, we must capture him and claim the reward!"

In the depths of the Forest Sea, more than a dozen burly men wielding great spears, riding upon their Escape Lights, exuded a rolling murderous aura. With a flick of their spears, terrifying spear lights swept out, overturning hundreds of miles of land before them with frightening power.

Clearly, they were all cultivators of the Blood-Stained Realm.

The one being pursued by these Blood-Stained Realm cultivators was a young man with a gaunt face, pale complexion, and draped in a grey-white robe.

Although his clothes were tattered and bloodstained, his eyes were bright and clear. Despite being chased and surrounded, he showed little sign of panic.

"Li Jiufang! Where else can you run? The entire Dianchuan Province is on the lookout for you. You can’t escape even if you grew wings! I say, instead of living in constant fear and exhaustion, it would be better to end it swiftly. Don’t you agree?"

While attempting to confuse Li Jiufang with words, one burly man’s eyes turned cold. He raised his great spear, and as his energy surged, he locked onto the back of Li Jiufang’s head!

"Take this!"

With a low shout, he threw his spear. The resulting shockwaves instantly caused the ground within a hundred-meter radius to collapse with a thunderous crash.

Just as this spear was hurled, the other burly men simultaneously threw their great spears. The immense, heavy spears, imbued with their ferocious murderous intent, collided end-to-end. A chain of Vigor burst forth, one after another, eventually channeling all their power into the foremost spear.

A deafening roar echoed through the void!

The blazing spear, like a meteor, shot out at breakneck speed. Its velocity surpassed conventional limits, and the void itself was torn open, leaving a gruesome gash.

The air within a hundred miles was obliterated by this strike, like waves swept away by a gale, leaving behind only a silent vacuum.

The laws of space seemed so fragile in the face of this ultimate speed, as if what was being torn apart was not just the air, but also the very fabric of time and space.

Everything trembled under the might of this spear. Stars lost their luster, and all creation was in shock.

Almost in the blink of an eye, this terrifying force was already upon him, the sharp end of the great spear flickering at the back of Li Jiufang’s head, as if it would pierce through his skull the next moment.

A savage grin spread across the leader’s lips as he chuckled. This attack won’t kill Li Jiufang, a Blood-Stained Realm cultivator, but it will definitely stop him from escaping!

The time it would take for him to restore his physical body was enough for them to catch up and capture him alive.

Just as the burly men were rubbing their hands, eager to swarm forward and seize this valuable prize, a fair, slender, jade-like hand suddenly reached out. Before the stunned eyes of the onlookers, it casually caught the great spear aimed at Li Jiufang’s skull. With a mere flick, the spear disintegrated into dust. Qi Xiu, his hands tucked into his sleeves, calmly turned to face the group of burly men.

GULP—

The dozen or so burly men involuntarily swallowed. They were completely unable to detect even a trace of Qi Xiu’s presence, and that very fact sent chills down their spines.

After all, this Daoist had effortlessly erased their combined attack and turned a Magic Artifact into fine dust.

After a brief hesitation, the burly men turned and fled. Compared to the bounty, they valued their own lives more.

Having scared off the bounty hunters, Qi Xiu turned to Li Jiufang, who looked puzzled, and smiled faintly, "County Magistrate Li, it’s been a long time."