Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

"Xiaoliang, it's been so long! You finally got to pursue your ambitions—it's really something to celebrate," the scholar said with a smile as he entered the tent.

"Brother Ziyu! How did you get here!" Hu Shengliang seemed still somewhat incredulous, and for good reason—the man before him was a renowned prodigy from Qingqiu, who had always been practicing in the ancestral lands, and the two childhood friends had not seen each other for many years.

"Our ancestor foresaw the obstacles you would face in Shencheng and decided to send help. I had just finished my retreat and thought, having not seen you for so many years, it was a good opportunity to thick-skinnedly ask for this assignment," Su Ziyu said with a smile.

"Ah! This matter even surprised our ancestor?" Hu Shengliang found it hard to believe. This was a being who had lived for countless years, a true Immortal God, and yet he was sending help for their minor issue.

"Haha, it was also because of Mr. Lu's face. A few days ago, this gentleman clashed with the Great Spiritual Practitioner of the Three Altars Sea Alliance by the shores of the East Sea, where fire met water and their mighty clash echoed across the three realms. Our ancestor is naturally happy to befriend such an outstanding expert!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhang couldn't help but worry about his uncle—clearly, this Great Spiritual Practitioner of the Three Altars Sea Alliance was an extremely formidable figure.

"General Lu need not worry; Mr. Lu and the Great Spiritual Practitioner were merely sparring. The two are in good relations," Su Ziyu said, noticing Lu Zhang's concern.

"Since Mr. Su has arrived, we can rest easy. I'll have a banquet arranged right away!" With his fears abated, Lu Zhang hurriedly ordered the feast to be prepared to entertain Su Ziyu.

"No rush, no rush, I am a cultivator after all, not coveting the pleasures of the palate. Since I'm here, I'd better check the Golden Light Formation first," Su Ziyu stated.

Su Ziyu's words took Lu Zhang by surprise; he hadn't expected this delicate-looking man, who seemed almost womanly, to be so decisive, wanting to break the formation immediately upon his arrival.

"My lord, do not be shocked. Brother Ziyu has always been impetuous. Throughout our childhood, once he decided on something, he couldn't wait even a day!" Hu Shengliang explained to Lu Zhang with a laugh.

After bowing to Lu Zhang, Su Ziyu walked out of the tent with a leisurely grace, his demeanor relaxed, hardly resembling someone about to tackle a powerful array—instead, he seemed more like he was off to enjoy sightseeing.

This demeanor also instilled confidence in Lu Zhang and the others; it was clear that Su Ziyu was a man with a well-thought-out plan.

Su Ziyu left the camp and went straight into the Golden Light Formation. The space changed as he entered the formation, and he looked up to see countless mirrors hanging in the air.

"It truly has some of the Golden Light Formation's charm!" Su Ziyu remarked as he surveyed the surroundings of the formation, nodding slightly.

At that moment, the formation seemed to detect Su Ziyu's intrusion, and the numerous mirrors began to emit golden light, attacking him.

However, as the golden light approached within three steps of Su Ziyu, nine fox tails appeared in phantasmal form, blocking all the golden beams.

"This formation, too, I have seen. Tomorrow, Qingqiu's Su Ziyu will come to break it," Su Ziyu murmured softly.

The sound carried through the formation, drifting on the breeze into Shencheng and resonating in the ears of Sheng Hong and the others.

The previously celebratory atmosphere was suddenly disrupted, and everyone looked around at each other, unsure of what had just happened.

Sheng Hong hurriedly looked towards the Golden Cauldron Taoist and asked, "Taoist Priest? What is this?"

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"Just now, a white-robed scholar who claimed to be Su Ziyu entered the Golden Light Formation and left unscathed. He is challenging me with this, and tomorrow he intends to break my Golden Light Formation," the Golden Cauldron Taoist said, his face as placid as an ancient well, showing no change in expression, though a strange light seemed to flicker in his eyes.

"When did Lu Zhang's subordinate get someone like Su Ziyu? Listening to the Taoist Priest, this Su Ziyu doesn't seem like an easy target," Sheng Hong said, furrowing his brow, for there was no worse news for him than this.

At this moment, Sheng Hong was in no mood for holding a banquet and listlessly motioned for those around him to disperse.

"Taoist Priest, do you have any confidence in defending the formation tomorrow?" Unable to hold back after repeated patience, Sheng Hong still couldn't resist asking this question.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"I have no confidence at all. Observing Su Ziyu's methods, they belong to the Qingqiu Nine-tailed tribe, a clan that appeared on Earth since the opening of Heaven and Earth. When the human race was first rising, they received a lot of help from them, even the Ancient Human Emperor, Da Yu, married a lady from the Qingqiu's Tu Shan family, a well-known major power in the three realms.

I don't know why they would help Lu Zhang," the Old Taoist said.

The words of the Golden Cauldron Taoist sent a chill down Sheng Hong's spine. The Qingqiu Nine-tailed tribe had such a formidable background; if they were determined to assist Lu Zhang, who within the Great Chen could stand as his opponent?

"A wise man submits to circumstances. If the Old Taoist truly cannot hold the formation, General, you might as well surrender to Lu Zhang. This man has a strong Fortune and Destiny and is backed by Great Spiritual Practitioners, perhaps it's fate," the Golden Cauldron Taoist finally couldn't help but persuade Sheng Hong.

Sheng Hong's face was a complex mix of emotions and his mind was in complete disarray. He knew that the Golden Cauldron Taoist's words came from good intentions, but the teachings ingrained in him from childhood made it hard for him to easily decide to surrender.

Turning his head to say something, he only then realized that during his moment of contemplation, the Golden Cauldron Taoist had already silently returned to his room to rest.

The next morning, as the fiery red sun just began to rise, bathing the land in front of Shencheng's city walls in a golden glow.

Stepping into the morning sunlight, Su Ziyu had already reached the front of the Golden Light Formation, when suddenly, the Golden Cauldron Taoist appeared at the entrance of the formation saying, "Su Ziyu, are you sure you want to challenge the formation? Yesterday, I was not in the formation, and no one presided over it.

Don't underestimate it because of that; if you perish within it today, the sin would fall on me!"

"Confident as the Old Taoist is, unfortunately, fate is with me. Today, it is destined that I, Su Ziyu, will break your Golden Light Formation. It's just a pity that a Taoist of your caliber would waste all his hard-won cultivation for this. Truly tragic and lamentable!" Su Ziyu shook his head as he spoke to the Golden Cauldron Taoist.

Unexpectedly, these words stirred the Nameless fury in the Golden Cauldron Taoist, who snorted coldly and said, "If that is the case, the Old Taoist will wait for Daoist Su in the formation to try and break my Golden Light Formation." Having said this, he headed into the formation without looking back.

"Ah! Indeed, confusion from a great calamity has clouded his mind. Well then, fair words can't persuade the damned, it seems the Golden Cauldron Taoist is also destined!" Su Ziyu shook his head as he said.

However, upon reflection, he considered that the Old Taoist had been unable to break through to the Primordial Spirit stage, and now his physical body was gradually aging, with chances becoming ever scarcer. Perhaps this affair might just be his opportunity.

He walked casually into the formation, where the Golden Light Formation of today was vastly different from yesterday; the golden light flourished greatly, and its power had increased manifold.

"Daoist Su, please enter!" A voice echoed from the void, and suddenly a huge Treasure Mirror appeared in the formation, resembling the descending of a great sun, endless golden light bursting forth from the mirror, and in an instant, it surged towards Su Ziyu.

A nine-tailed fox apparition appeared, its nine tails like towering columns, swinging left and right, blocking all the golden light in front of it.