Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 1193: Chapter 716: Merciless Hand

PS: Still haven’t finished writing, a few hundred words short. Give me twenty minutes and check again after midnight!

A single utterance attracted everyone’s gaze and made the Old Ape feel like sitting on pins and needles.

Lifting the prohibition?

Indeed, it is something to be sought after!

But desiring is one matter, and acting is another.

Under the watchful eyes of all, if he agreed, then there would be no turning back.

Feeling the gaze of the crowd, especially the ice-cold look from that Devil Sect Earth Immortal, the Old Ape felt as if he were being scorched by fierce flames.

Seeing this, Xu Yang said no more, quietly waiting for his decision.

These Immortal Gods from the Upper Realm are not a weak force, especially those few Earth Immortals. If he could subdue them for his use, to serve as the vanguard, then attacking the various restricted areas next would be much easier.

If not… it doesn’t matter.

Xu Yang didn’t really count on them for anything. Success would be a bonus, but failure would not affect the overall situation.

It was different for them, however, as they had reached a critical juncture.

Life and death, survival and extinction, all hinged on this point. Xu Yang could not possibly leave them behind, let alone take them with him to attack the restricted areas.

After all, the ultimate goal of attacking these restricted areas was to eradicate that Netherworld Sect Supreme—to defy a Heavenly Immortal with the stature of an Earth Immortal. Even if it were a gravely injured, half-dead Heavenly Immortal, it would be an extremely dangerous affair.

A miss by a whisker meant failure by a mile. Such a grand battle, where even the slightest influence might determine victory or defeat, and even life or death.

Therefore, he could not bring these people along, for they would become a burden to him, nor could he leave them behind, for that would be like setting a mine for himself. If they took the opportunity to cause chaos or if he were defeated by the Netherworld Venerable and returned in disarray, then these people would become the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

A force that cannot be controlled, an unstable factor, must be eliminated.

This point, Xu Yang didn’t need to say; they were well aware of it in their hearts.

After all, which of those who could become Immortal Gods did not possess Great Wisdom?

So…

“The old servant is willing to abandon darkness for light and henceforth serve the Taoist Master, ready to walk through fire and water and follow at your beck and call!”

After understanding the pros and cons, the Old Ape made a decisive choice, kneeling to the ground and pledging his loyalty.

“Good!”

Xu Yang smiled and with a wave of his hand, a Divine Light swept out, landing on the Old Ape’s body. Instantly, a dazzling splendor shone forth, Yin Yang and the Five Elements interchanged, lifting the prohibitions on his body and even his Primordial Spirit one by one.

Due to the involvement of that Netherworld Venerable, those who Ascended from the Lower Realm had always not been trusted by the various Tao Lineages, suffering from suspicion and apprehension. The Old Ape, in particular, was constrained with prohibitions, enslaved and driven at will.

This method of imposing prohibition, created by Heavenly Immortals and applied by Earth Immortals, was exceedingly difficult for ordinary people to undo.

But Xu Yang was clearly no ordinary man. With his current Foundation and Cultivation, plus the Realm he had already achieved through the Supreme Dao, unless it was a prohibition personally imposed by a Heavenly Immortal, nothing could block his Supreme Taoist Skill.

Does the Old Ape have any prohibitions placed by a Heavenly Immortal?

Of course not. Heavenly Immortals manage countless affairs, and they also need to enter seclusion to comprehend the Great Dao, so they do not have that much free time to impose prohibitions on those Ascended Human Immortals. Those tasks are generally delegated to subordinate Earth Immortals.

Therefore…

Divine Light splendid, Yin Yang and the Five Elements, all laws return to the origin.

In just a moment, the prohibitions vanished together with the light, leaving the Old Ape feeling liberated from his burdens, reborn.

“Taoist Master, your great kindness cannot be repaid. I can only offer my battered body and pledge my life to die in your service!”

Relieved of a heavy burden and feeling reborn, even a Long-term True Immortal accustomed to worldly affairs could not help but shed tears, bowing deeply in gratitude once again.

“Stand down!”

Xu Yang, however, said nothing more, waved the Old Ape away, then looked at the others: “How about it?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

The people exchanged glances, their defenses crumbling in the silence.

Since ancient times, the wise are those who recognize the signs of times!

Moreover, given such Tao Lineages and such treatments, they were not worth swearing undying loyalty to.

So…

“We too are willing to abandon darkness for light and serve under the Taoist Master, ready to walk through fire and water and follow at your beck and call!”

One by one, the people kneeled, following in succession, and in the blink of an eye, numerous True Immortals from the Upper Realm mostly fell to their knees.

Only more than ten people remained standing, looking at the several Earth Immortals in front of them, unsure of what to do.

These ten or so True Immortals were from the Three Teaching Sect of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Although their situation in the Upper Realm was also quite awkward, it wasn’t as dire as that of the Demon and Devil Sects, so at this moment, they still hesitated slightly.

In the meantime…

“Amitabha!”

The Buddhist chant sounded, and Manjusri knelt down, surprisingly taking the lead among the Earth Immortals: “Since your respect is not the master of the Netherworld Sect, and since the survival of the common people also hinges upon this, then our Brahma Sect truly cannot shirk the responsibility. Manjusri is willing to lend an arm’s strength to your respect.”

With these words, the rest of the Brahma Sect Immortals also felt relieved, all kneeling down in unison.

With Manjusri taking the lead, the other Earth Immortals were also moved, and eventually, they reluctantly bowed their heads.

Qinshan (meaning “Preserving one’s safety to ensure future prosperity”)!

These Earth Immortals, though only avatars without risk to their lives, had nurtured these Taoist Soldier avatars with great effort. If they were destroyed, not only would tens of thousands of years of hard work be in vain, but their Earth Immortal Dao Fruit would also be damaged, with no hope of becoming a Heavenly Immortal and even becoming somewhat inferior among peers.

For them, who are the mainstays of the various sects, this was a difficult matter to accept.

Thus, they decided to bide their time for now.

After all, Xu Yang had clearly stated that he was not that Netherworld Sect Supreme. Instead, he was about to send troops to attack the restricted areas to suppress the turmoil, which was consistent with their goals in the Lower Realm, so temporary cooperation would not be a big problem.

However…

“Human hearts are unpredictable, words alone are no proof!”

Xu Yang smiled, his true intentions as clear as a dagger emerging: “To ensure the overall situation, to make certain there are no mistakes, I have no choice but to do this!”

With that said, he swept his wide sleeves again, and the Five Colors Divine Light appeared once more, enveloping all the True Immortals, and Manjusri among the few Earth Immortals could not escape either.

Yin Yang and the Five Elements, the prohibitions of life and death, the Supreme Taoist Skill reappeared, lifting the prohibitions of the Immortals and once again transforming them into layers of shackles.