Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme - Chapter 211
Chapter 211: Chapter 151: The Final Battle_1
Translator: 549690339
“Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture?”
Upon hearing this, the cultivators were all taken aback, as if they had never heard the name of this item before.
Fortunately, with the Xuan Guang Mirror showing, there was information available.
“The Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture was created by an Ancient Demon Clan Great Sage, who mimicked the treasure of the carefree stray Immortal, Taoist Man Lu Ya, and made the Nailhead Seven Arrow Book!”
“As it is a replica, its power is not as great as the authentic Nailhead Seven Arrow Book. For this reason, that Demon Clan Great Sage took a different approach, adding an ancient Curse Spell, the Plough-Head Curse, thus creating the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture!”
“As it’s a Demonic and Evil Skill to cultivate this treasure, its activation requires a sacrifice of lifespan, using hair as straw, bones as nails, blood as ink, and skin as paper, to serve as materials for the Curse Spell.”
“Then, they tie the hair into a straw effigy, soak talisman scripts in blood ink made of flesh, inscribe the victim’s name on them, and worship them for seven times seven, forty-nine days, after which the cultivating skill automatically takes effect, attaching it to someone’s body.”
“After the skill is complete, there are three major threats: the Nailhead Skill, the Plough-Head Curse, and the Seven Arrow Book.”
“The Nailhead Skill, once complete, would see the Evil Skills of Nailhead lodged in, unable to be removed nor purified. As long as it remains in one realm, no matter where one goes, to the heavens or the earth, one cannot avoid the skill nor diminish its power.”
“The Plough-Head Curse, an ancient Curse Skill, capable of moving three mountains and five peaks, traps the victim’s body, leaving only their head and neck exposed. Then, the Green Bull pulls the Heavenly Plow, shattering the enemy’s head and neck, aiming specifically at the Divine Soul, incredibly fierce in its effect.”
“The Seven Arrow Book is the fundamental treasure, a Seven Day Curse Killing by seven arrows; after worshipping for seven times seven, forty-nine days, it then employs the Curse Skill, with Nailhead increasing in severity each day for seven days, and the Plough-Head Curse worsening with each incantation, seven nails for seven days, seven arrows with seven curses, destined to extinguish the life of the adversary completely!”
“This…”
“How extremely poisonous!!!”
Looking at the information revealed in the Xuan Guang Mirror, not only the cultivators, but even True Monarch Changrong couldn’t help but cry out in shock.
Poisonous?
It’s more than just poisonous!
Xu Yang shook his head and sighed, “The Nailhead Seven Arrow Book is an ancient magical treasure. Even Immortals would scatter their souls if cursed by it. This Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Book, although only a replica, still possesses some power. I fear the Daoist Celestial Master may find it difficult to withstand!”
“This…!”
Hearing this, all the cultivators looked concerned: “Even the Taoist Master cannot resist it?”
Xu Yang shook his head, “This curse is formidable, seven killings in seven days. It is only the first arrow now, and it’s easily defensible, but by the seventh arrow, its power will have increased many times over….”
“Not only they, the Demons, possess treasures!”
True Monarch Changrong said solemnly, “In our Taoism, there are also treasures to avert calamity and help in crossing tribulations, to undo curses and protect the body. With the Taoist Master using such protection, and us conducting skills to share the burden, coupled with the empowerment of the Luotian Dajiao and the support of the prayers from the masses, we might not be unable to withstand this curse.”
“Indeed!”
“At White Cloud Mountain, we have the White Cloud Spirit Grass Song Scroll, which can avert disaster and protect the Divine Soul. We offer it to Taoist Master to counteract this Evil Skill!”
“In Pure Yang Palace, we have a copy of the Ancestor Lu Pure Yang Sword Diagram, which can slay nameless External Demons and protect the Yang God’s soul. We are also willing to offer it to the Taoist Master.”
“And we from the Misty Cave…”
“Mount Taibai as well…”
Everyone was talking over each other, and all Taoist sects, except for those that had been completely annihilated, produced their treasures that guarded their mountains.
Xu Yang, however, shook his head, “This Nailhead Book ranks first among Spiritual Treasures, and I’m afraid the treasures of my fellow Taoists might not be able to compete.”
“Then what should we do?”
Upon hearing this, everyone started to panic.
“To break the Curse Killing Skill, there are but three methods,” said Xu Yang. “One is to overcome the skill with another skill, dispel the curse with another curse. But given that the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Book’s Curse Skill and magical treasure both surpass our own, this method won’t work. The second is to kill the caster, destroying the curse treasure. Doing so means we must marshal our armies to head north, and launch an onslaught against the Capital Region.”
“As for the third option…”
At the end of his words, Xu Yang sighed, “Our only option is Ascension!”
“Ascension?”
The cultivators looked at each other, not sure what to do.
Xu Yang’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, “He wants to force my Ascension!”
“This…”
The cultivators’ gazes intensified, as if they somewhat understood.
True Monarch Changrong also frowned deeply, “What does the Taoist Master mean…?”
“That Nailhead Book is just a replica; it can only conduct Curse Killing within this realm,” Xu Yang shook his head. “Should I ascend to the Upper Realm, it would have no effect on me, and this disaster would naturally resolve.”
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
They could only be silent.
If not silent, what else could they say?
In such a situation, if it was not beyond salvaging, it was still with little hope.
As the one at the heart of it all, the only one capable of contending against Pudu Cihang, and now afflicted with such a vile curse…
What should they do, what should they do?
The people didn’t know what to do, and it was even harder to ask Xu Yang to stay and make a futile sacrifice for this irredeemable situation.
“This Demon… how utterly malicious!”
True Monarch Changrong’s face was full of bitterness, but still he mustered the strength to say to Xu Yang, “Taoist Master, ascend as quickly as possible, and inform the ancestors in the Upper Realm to send down Celestial Soldiers to vanquish the Demons; maybe there is still hope.”
“Indeed!”
“What True Monarch Changrong says is true.”
“At this point, we have no choice but to request the ancestral master to descend to subdue demons from the Lower Realm!”
Upon hearing this, everyone agreed, albeit it was an approval born of helplessness.
A Seventh Realm cultivator possesses the power to ascend, reaching the Upper Realm of Immortal Gods.
But since ancient times, a barrier has separated the realms of immortals and mortals; Only those who ascend have been seen, never a banished immortal. The great sects of Taoism have also lost the means to contact the ancestral masters of the Upper Realm.
Therefore, they couldn’t be certain of the situation in the Upper Realm, nor could they guarantee that after ascending, they would definitely be able to meet the ancestral master and request Celestial Soldiers to descend and subdue the demons.
Even if they managed to request aid, whether they could arrive in time was another issue. It’s possible that by the time the Celestial Soldiers arrive, this realm would have already been devoured by that demon.
Thus, this method was the last, helpless choice they had.
But at this juncture, did they have any other path to take?
The atmosphere became heavy with an implied sorrow, filled with despair.
Seeing this, Xu Yang simply smiled, “If that demon wants to force me into ascension, how could I possibly make its wish come true?”
“This…”
“Taoist Master!”
The crowd looked at him in astonishment, at a loss for words.
“No need for further talk.”
Xu Yang shook his head and spoke solemnly, “Currently, I have two strategies. The first is to hold our ground, to see if I can resist that Nailhead Seven Arrow Scripture, while Brother Dao Changrong ascends to report the matter to the ancestral masters of the Upper Realm. As long as we can request Celestial Soldiers to subdue the demon before it breaks through to the Eight Realms, this catastrophe can be resolved.”
“Taoist Master!”
As soon as these words were spoken, True Monarch Changrong’s expression changed immediately.
He was well aware of the current situation.
In the Guo Bei Academy, including himself, there were only four major Seventh Realm forces. And now, with Xu Yang struck by the Nailhead Seven Arrow Scripture, his life was in grave danger, uncertain even from morning to evening.
If he were to ascend at this moment, with one less major combat power in the Guo Bei Academy, facing the incoming demons from the Northern Territory, collapse was likely imminent…
True Monarch Changrong wanted to speak, but Xu Yang gestured him to silence.
“There’s another strategy as well, which is to launch an offensive.”
Xu Yang continued with a serious tone, “That demon feeds on living beings, shrouded in curses and abhorrent to the world. When it attempts to break through to the Eight Realms, it will surely incur the wrath of gods and humans alike, who will cast down thunderous tribulation. If I seize the opportunity to strike, there’s a chance to annihilate it.”
“This…”
Upon hearing this, the faces of all present lit up with renewed hope, “This plan might just work!”
Yet, True Monarch Changrong was still anxious, “But Taoist Master, with the Nailhead Curse in your body, can you last until the demon’s tribulation comes?”
“That’s why we have a seven-day deadline!”
Xu Yang said gravely, “He wants to force my ascension; I intend to force his tribulation!”
“Force his tribulation?”
True Monarch Changrong muttered to himself, then suddenly realized what was meant, “Taoist Master means…?”
“We move our armies northward immediately, at all costs, launching a direct assault on the Capital Region!”
“I want to decide life and death with him before the seven-day curse strikes!”
Xu Yang declared with determination, “Now that he is devouring living beings of the Northern Territory, without the power of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly rituals to aid him, in terms of cultivation, he is but a Seventh Realm demon. As long as our army can break into the Capital Region, destroy his daoist arena, and ruin his formations, I am confident I can kill him.”
“At that time, facing the life and death tribulation of the Eight Realms, whether he wishes to cross it or not, he will have to face it!”
Xu Yang laid out the plan and then looked at the cultivators, “This assault comes with extreme risks, deaths, and injuries are inevitable, and we may well lose everything. Do my fellow daoists wish to take this chance with me?”
“Taoist Master!!!”
The cultivators’ faces tensed, and then they knelt down.
“We are willing to lay down our lives for the Taoist Master!”
“Our bodies bear heavy sins, and we ought to atone with our lives!”
“A general dies on the battlefield; a cultivator dies for the Dao. To sacrifice one’s life for righteousness is our duty!”
The cultivators were not afraid, expressing their resolve.
“Good!”
Seeing this, Xu Yang did not say more, “Issue my command, deploy our forces in one direction, straight toward the Capital Region.”
Having said that, he turned his gaze to True Monarch Changrong, “Brother Dao Changrong, you and Fairy Qingluan lead the forces. I will also request the assistance of the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, along with the Ghost Gods from Yin Mountain Mansion to accompany you. Though the enemy has four great Demon Gods, no Demonic and Evil Skills can stand against the Taoist Gate Righteous Skill. Coupled with the treasures of Taoism, breaking through the Capital Region should not pose a problem.”
“I will stay in Guo Bei, resisting the Curse Killing Skill, and also keep watch over Pudu Cihang. If it makes a move, I will strike to intercept.”
“However, this also means I cannot assist you any further. Life and death will be determined by destiny!”
Xu Yang looked at True Monarch Changrong, then at the cultivators gathered in the hall, and spoke with gravity, “Brothers, take care!”
Upon hearing this, the cultivators simply smiled.
“Rest assured, Taoist Master. We pledge to fulfill your command!”
With a seven-day deadline, time was of the essence.
The order was immediately issued. Guo Bei Academy, along with the seven provinces of the south, sprung into action like a war machine thundering to life.
The main forces of the Nine Courtyards disciples, joined by the great sects from north to south, along with the Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals from the Yin Mountain Mansion, formed an army, an immense force marching straight toward the Capital Region.
The remaining people of the seven provinces, hundreds of millions of civilians, once again offered sacrifices, commencing an unprecedented Luotian Dajiao ritual since ancient times.
With the power of the rituals supporting them, the cultivators set forth with their weapons drawn.
Xu Yang sat in Guo Bei, waiting for the Curse Spell to strike him, and for the tribulation destined by heaven to arise.
The final battle was about to begin!
