The world was tranquil.
The surrounding world collapsed like a dream, layers of light and shadow changed, making it hard to distinguish illusion from reality.
The Heavenly Beast Venerable and others felt somewhat dazed, looking ahead, an inexplicable relief in their hearts.
Before them, the Thunder Sun Heaven Sword Master and Seven Kills Venerable were still there, talking about the future of their Sect with concern, without any abnormalities. What had just happened was just a dream.
"It was just a dream..."
The Dan Tian Venerable sighed in relief, his voice suddenly choked.
The bodies of the Thunder Sun Heaven Sword Master and Seven Kills Venerable suddenly crumbled, everything vanished, even their Life Treasures disappeared into the wind.
"Wuuu..."
The eyes of the Seven Kills Taoist and Heavenly Sword Swordsman turned red, unable to hold back tears like rain.
The Dan Tian Venerable and Heavenly Beast Venerable remained silent.
In the distance, a green-clothed youth approached, his steps slow and steady, with each step, the surrounding world and formations changed.
When he arrived, the entire Sect Protection Formation of the Heavenly Beast Garden changed hands, especially at the plane channel, which was heavily sealed, making it difficult for outsiders to even approach, let alone threaten self-destruction.
In an instant, the Heavenly Beast Garden, with its centuries-old legacy, had entirely changed hands without the slightest ripple.
This was a presence far exceeding the Six Tribulations Venerable!
"Greetings,"
"Great Sun Venerable!"
The Heavenly Beast Venerable and Dan Tian Venerable rose, bowing deeply, showing the etiquette of a subordinate, daring not to consider themselves equals.
"Greetings, senior!"
The Seven Kills Taoist, Heavenly Sword Daoist, and other juniors said the same.
"Hmm."
Jiang Ding nodded slightly.
He continually scanned the entire Heavenly Beast Garden, the plane channel, measuring time and spatial data, greatly attentive to this place.
No one disturbed him, all stood cautiously as if they were guests in their masterâs house.
Moments later, formation instruments, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, and Treasures flew in all directions. Array Patterns spread and continuously merged into the Sect Protection Formation of the Heavenly Beast Garden. Using the Nine Bends Milky Way Starlight Array as a foundation, they rapidly formed a brand new, more powerful formation, whose presence continuously grew.
The Heavenly Beast Venerable felt a slight breathlessness.
He saw the many formation refining techniques were incredibly ingenious, treasures shining brightly, abundant Supreme-level Treasures, evidently crafted by different people. Each Treasure was incredibly precious, yet in the green-clothed youthâs hands, they seemed casually picked from storage.
Moments later, a Heavenly River Ten Thousand Lights Array burst with radiant colors, forming Array Patterns that spread and gradually vanished.
The Sect Protection Formation of the Heavenly Beast Garden immediately became several times more powerful!
This was a formation comparable to, or even surpassing, the Seven Tribulations Venerable!
The Heavenly Beast Venerable, Dan Tian Venerable, and others witnessed this scene and dared not entertain any stray thoughts or desires.
Here, the century-old sect of the Heavenly Beast Garden perhaps wouldnât be called so anymore; it might become the Yin Yang Sword Realm, the Pure Yang Sword Sect, or something else.
"The formation... is acceptable."
Jiang Ding examined himself and nodded slightly.
As a True Fairy from the Beidou Seven Star Domains, each Human Immortal Sect paid taxes to him. After 200,000 years of accumulation, he had amassed considerable wealth, effortlessly constructing a Great Array, attracting many Venerables eager to work for him, crafting various formation instruments.
Naturally, the Supreme Great Sun Sword Fairy wasnât one to use othersâ labor for free, having deducted many years of taxes in exchange.
After the formationâs completion, at least in the Perishing Immortal Realm, the plane channel should be stable and secure.
An Eight Tribulations Venerable couldnât forcibly breach this plane channel.
At least a Quasi-Nine Tribulations level was needed.
When an Eight Tribulations Venerable approached the Nine Tribulations Venerable level, they began measuring some Immortal Dao Universe Constants. At that point, Venerables would possess close-range teleportation abilities, allowing various teleportation possibilities within a single Star Domain, without solely relying on natural plane channels.
Having completed everything, Jiang Ding glanced at the four Taoist disciples and two Venerables, pondering for a moment.
The crowd immediately tensed but dared not speak, merely holding their breath, awaiting their fate.
"Seven Kills young friend,"
"Are you grieving?"
Jiang Ding asked, "This is rare. This lord has never seen such a Seven Kills Taoist with emotions for a Venerable. It seems that over the years, the predecessor of Seven Kills has softened much, after all, nearing the twilight years, no longer possessing the icy ruthlessness of past slaughters of billions."
"Senior, I..."
The Seven Kills Taoist turned pale.
"Heavenly Sword young friend,"
"Are you a Lei Yang old acquaintance?"
Jiang Ding ignored him and asked.
"Reporting to senior,"
"The Lei Yang old acquaintances had all died over a hundred thousand years ago, most from natural lifespan expiry. I might possess a trace of their bloodline."
The Heavenly Sword Swordsman respectfully answered.
The old companions who rose with the Thunder Sun Heaven Sword Master eventually succumbed to the limits of life. They lived brilliant and peaceful lives, unaffected by external dangers.
"It seems the sectâs cohesive cultural legacy remains well-maintained at the Lei Yang Sword Sect."
"This is better than the Seven Kills Immortal Palace of the Demon School."
Jiang Ding nodded slightly, "You bear hatred, which is good. A Sword Cultivator with hatred may progress in the future, but be wary not to violate the Tushan Law."
"Do you know the Tushan Law?"
"Yes, senior."
"After today, your law will surely be followed by all life in the Fallen Realm."
The Heavenly Sword Swordsmanâs face turned slightly pale, he said with some shame, "Sword Cultivators grow through Sword Fights. The Sword Master has slain many another Sword Cultivator, many opponents, ultimately meeting their end by another Sword Cultivator, which is the natural logic of heaven and earth, the honor of a Sword Cultivator."
"This juniorâs cultivation of Sword Dao is indeed inadequate."
"This really shames my masterâs teachings and makes you laugh."
"Whatâs so funny?"
"Itâs nothing but living in seclusion in the mountains for too long, lacking experience, every Sword Cultivator goes through this phase, itâs a process."
Jiang Ding gently shook his head, not condescending.
He didnât mind the Sword Cultivatorsâ grudges.
Even if the Sword Cultivators bore no grudge against him, when they became powerful, they would engage him in Holy Sword Fight, which hardly differed, and was something he welcomed.
The two casually discussed principles of Sword Dao, chatting like peers.
The surrounding cultivators felt somewhat envious.
With the rise of a powerful Sword Dao Venerable, the Sword Dao in the Perishing Immortal Realm would surely flourish, greatly benefiting Sword Cultivatorsâ cultivation.
"As long as you all abide by the Tushan Law, the sects will remain."
"You neednât worry about this; I hope more powerful legacies exist in the Fallen Realm, not to suppress the Ten Thousand Laws with a single sect, reducing the diversity of the Immortal Dao."
Jiang Dingâs form gradually faded, leaving only echoes lingering.
He seemed to head in the direction of the Immortal Artifact Sect.
The Heavenly Beast Venerable and others bowed deeply, maintaining their posture until the figure fully disappeared, then slowly rising a quarter-hour later.