Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

Chapter 83 64 Chapter Golden Light Formation



He could feel Lu Zhang's trust in the chubby man, and if he wanted to become the number one cultivator within Lu Zhang's power, this damn fatso was his biggest stumbling block.

Therefore, through his leading words, he deliberately made everyone question Chang Chunzi's capabilities, but what he hadn't anticipated was that this damn fatty was actually a coward. No matter how he provoked him, the man simply ignored it, which made Master Xiaoyao, who had already deemed himself as the State Preceptor of Yuzhou in his heart, quite uncomfortable.

It felt as if he had used all his might to punch into cotton. However, the barrier formed by the formation presented him with an opportunity. Having roamed the Jianghu for many years, he had never heard of such a formation and figured it was probably just another deceptive technique.

So, he volunteered to enter the formation to investigate, ready to use this event as a step up in his career.

Master Xiaoyao, holding a horsetail whisk, wearing a copper crown, and dressed in a Taoist robe, confidently stepped into the formation.

The moment he entered, he discovered that the world had changed, as if he had entered another space. He saw mirrors hanging everywhere and was shocked — such a situation was not only unheard of, but he had also never even heard of it.

His heart suddenly panicked, and he struggled to control his facial expression, not daring to show any sign of fear. It was the experience gained from years of roaming the Jianghu that one must always appear confident, no matter what. Relying on this almost divine acting skill had helped him avoid many disasters.

"I wonder which fellow Taoist has set up this formation. Would you be so kind as to show yourself?" he said, controlling the tone of his voice to sound normal as he probed the person opposite. A closer look would reveal a slight tremble in his cheeks, a sign of fear.

"What nonsense! I am the humble Golden Cauldron Taoist from little Mountain Hua. This is the Golden Light Formation I have studied for many years. Since you've come here to break the formation, let's test our skills against each other!" A voice seemed to come from the sky. Master Xiaoyao looked around but found no one, which made his heart pound even more.

"Fellow Daoist, cultivation is not easy — if one is not careful, years of cultivation can be destroyed in an instant. I think it would be better to turn hostility into friendship. What have worldly matters to do with us cultivators?" Master Xiaoyao said, nervously hoping to persuade the Golden Cauldron Taoist of unknown power to leave.

"Hmph! It seems like you're overconfident. I too would like to see what kind of skills a 'high person' from Yuzhou possesses."

What Master Xiaoyao didn't expect was that his words did not elicit the response he had imagined; instead, they aroused the competitive spirit of the Golden Cauldron Taoist, and he inwardly groaned.

Numerous mirrors in the sky suddenly came to life, golden light flashed from the mirrors, and when it struck, it created sizable holes in the ground.

Seeing this, Master Xiaoyao was on the verge of tears, feeling that his life could very well be over if even grazed by that golden light.

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Chanting a spell, a swath of purple Qi appeared on his body as if he were wearing a treasured garment.

This was a technique he had acquired in that cave dwelling — the practice of absorbing purple Qi from the east and refining it day and night could turn this breath of Qi into a treasured garment impervious to water, fire, blades, and spears.

Regrettably, he coveted the luxuries of the mortal world so much that he only learned the surface of this technique and neglected its cultivation, resulting in his divine skills failing to exhibit their true power.

"Oh! It seems you do have some skills," even the Golden Cauldron Taoist recognized the extraordinariness of Master Xiaoyao's method.

The mirrors in the sky suddenly converged, and a giant treasure mirror appeared in the sky, like a colossal sun suspended high, and golden light burst forth from the treasure mirror, hitting Master Xiaoyao squarely.

Master Xiaoyao was enveloped in a surge of Purple Qi, striving to resist the golden light. Yet, he had neglected his cultivation in daily life, and in less than a quarter of an hour, the golden light pierced through his Treasured Garment, instantly turning him into ashes.

The few people surrounding the water basin also inhaled sharply. With Master Xiaoyao's death, the surveillance techniques Chang Chunzi had left on him vanished as well, thereby preventing the onlookers from observing any further information.

"This is serious! I don't think this Treasure Mirror is an ordinary Magical Treasure. This Golden Light Formation isn't easy to break," observed Chang Chunzi with a sigh. As a Cultivator, he naturally could see the intricacies involved.

The core of the Golden Light Formation was actually that final mirror that appeared; the rest were merely Deceptive Techniques. They might pose some threat to mortals, but for those who had achieved in their cultivation, it wasn't without means to counter.

"What are we to do now? The army is here, and if it lingers for too long, we may run out of supplies. I never thought that a small city like Shencheng would have such a personage. Truly, one must not underestimate the heroes of the world," Lu Zhang also lamented.

During this time, he felt his career was extremely smooth, experiencing the sensation that fortune assisted him in all his endeavors. No matter what difficulties he encountered, they seemed to resolve effortlessly, breeding a sense of pride and complacency. Now, being frustrated in Shencheng served as a wake-up call for him, prompting him to rein in his pride.

Inside Shencheng, a victory banquet was underway. Heading the celebration was a middle-aged and robust man in official attire, with a scholarly elegance about his beardless face: Sheng Hong, the highest-ranking official in Shencheng at the moment.

The star of the banquet was a Taoist whose age could not be determined. Dressed in an ordinary Taoist Robe and with his hair tied up with an Ebony Hairpin, he looked quite common. But this did not detract from his prominent status at the banquet.

"With this cup of wine, I represent the people of Shencheng as well as the Imperial Court to express our thanks to the Taoist Priest for his assistance," Sheng Hong stated, lifting his cup and downing the drink in one gulp.

"Indeed, indeed, it's only through the Taoist Priest's contributions that Shencheng has been preserved and not subjected to slaughter by that youngster Lu Zhang."

"The Taoist Priest's Formation is truly remarkable; I reckon Lu Zhang has been scared out of his wits. He hasn't dared to come challenge us again all day today."

"The Taoist Journeyman, Master Xiaoyao, who entered the formation today, must be the strongest among Lu Zhang's following Cultivators. Otherwise, why would he come face to face with Grand Taoist Golden Cauldron with such confidence? Yet he was quickly dealt with by the Taoist, probably leaving Lu Zhang looking ashen by now."

"Exactly, if things continue like this, that youngster Lu Zhang will surely retreat within three days."

The crowd was clamoring with praises, most of which were compliments for the Golden Cauldron Taoist.

After all, this Taoist was the one who, through his sole might, had kept Lu Zhang's army of a hundred thousand at bay from Shencheng. How could such Divine Skills not evoke their admiration and pursuit?

As the focus of everyone, the esteemed figure being unanimously praised, he was now sitting aloft in the hall. Wearing a Taoist Robe washed to a near white, his face lined with wrinkles and his hair flecked with gray, no one could associate this Old Taoist with the Golden Cauldron Taoist who had held back the army.

The Taoist sat in the hall, surrounded by flattery and set against a backdrop of resplendent beauty. Yet there was not a trace of festivity in the Taoist's eyes. The revelry belonged to others; there was none that belonged to him.

As he gazed upon Sheng Hong, he seemed to see an old acquaintance in his place, envisioning the little girl who had passed away many years ago. That little girl, with her braided pigtails and holding a candied haw on a stick, seemed to traverse the long river of time, approaching him once again.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om


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