Unbeknownst to Tongtian, the two were concealing a heavenly secret. Tongtian still believed it to be the Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods, with each disciple relying on their own destiny, thinking it was a closed-door event.
Laozi said, “My good brother, the three of us jointly established the ‘Investiture of the Gods’ list to fulfill the calamity ordained by Heaven. How could you possibly obstruct the Zhou army and cause Jiang Shang to defy the will of Heaven?”
Upon hearing this, the Tongtian Sect Leader angrily said, "Brother Dao, you must not be biased. Guang Chengzi entered Biyou Palace three times, insulted our sect to our faces, and hurled insults, committing treason and breaking the rules. Yesterday, you two insisted on only punishing your own disciples, and instead killed our brothers. What is the reason for this? Now, instead of reprimanding your own disciples, you blame me. What is the meaning of this? If you want me to let bygones be bygones, you can send Guang Chengzi to my Biyou Palace for me to deal with, and I will let it go. If you refuse to say a word, then you may do as you please, and each of us will preserve our sect's strength to determine the victor!"
Laozi sneered, "How can you speak without bias? You listen to the whispers of your disciples behind their backs, stirring up your ignorance and causing them to set up this evil formation, harming living beings. Even if Guang Chengzi had said such things, his crime wouldn't warrant this. You've already entertained such thoughts, regretted your original intentions, defied the Heavenly Way, disobeyed the rules, and violated the precepts against anger and delusion. You'd better listen to me now, quickly dispel this formation, return to Biyou Palace, and repent for your past transgressions. Then you might still be allowed to lead the Jie Sect. If you don't listen to me, I'll take you to Zixiao Palace, where you'll meet your master and be banished to the cycle of reincarnation, never to return to Biyou Palace. Then it will be too late for regrets!"
Upon hearing this, the Tongtian Sect Leader's Mount Sumeru turned half red, his eyes blazing with fury. He roared, "Li Dan! You and I are of the same ilk, both in charge of our respective sects. How dare you treat me with such blatant disrespect, favoritism, and deceit, and then turn the tables on me? Am I inferior to you? I have already set up this formation, and I will not let this go! Do you dare to break my formation?"
Lao Tzu laughed and said, "What's so difficult about it! You mustn't regret it!"
Laozi then said, "Since you want me to break the formation, I will let you enter the formation first and use it properly before I enter, so that you will not be flustered."
Tongtian Daoren roared in fury, "Come into my formation, I will find a way to capture you!" With that, Tongtian Daoren followed the Dou Kui Niu into the Xianxian Gate, where he awaited Laozi beneath the gate. Laozi slapped the green ox, sending it heading west to the Dui direction. Upon reaching the Xianxian Gate, he urged the ox forward, and auspicious light and white mist rose from its four hooves, accompanied by purple and red clouds. Laozi then unfurled the Taiji Diagram, transforming it into a golden bridge, and proudly entered the Xianxian Gate. Laozi composed a song: "Beyond the Xuanhuang realm, I pay homage to the enlightened master; in the chaotic times, I am free to act as I please."
The Five Elements are in my grasp, and the Great Dao guides all those lost in confusion.
In tranquility, I built a golden pagoda; in leisure, I once ventured beyond the Guanzhong Plain.
His two hands encompass the heavens and earth, his belly holds the five sacred mountains and Mount Sumeru.
After Laozi finished his song, he went straight into the formation. Meanwhile, the Tongtian Sect Leader, seeing Laozi enter so boldly, unleashed a thunderbolt from his hand. A loud crash resounded, shaking the precious sword atop the Immortal-Trapping Gate. With a single movement of this sword, even immortals could be beheaded.
Laozi laughed loudly, pointing at the Linglong Pagoda above his head. Wisps of Xuanhuang Qi descended and swirled around him, blocking the approaching sword Qi. The sword Qi was also stimulated by the Xuanhuang Qi and dissipated. Laozi laughed and said, "Brother Tongtian, don't be so rude. Take this from my flat cane!" With that, he wielded his flat cane and struck at Laozi's face.
Seeing Laozi enter the formation as if it were empty, the Tongtian Sect Leader's face flushed red, his body blazing with anger. He hastily drew his sword to meet the attack. In the midst of the battle, Laozi laughed, "You do not understand the ultimate Dao, how dare you establish your sect?" He then struck at the face with his flat staff. The Tongtian Sect Leader roared in fury, "What Daoist arts do you possess that dare to kill my disciple? How can this hatred be quelled!" He blocked the staff with his sword, and the two sages fought within the Immortal Slaughtering Formation, neither gaining the upper hand, battling several times.
The two sages battled within the Immortal Trapping Gate, each displaying their power. After only half an hour, many disciples of the Intercepting Sect gathered beneath the Eight Trigrams Platform within the Immortal Trapping Gate, their eyes wide and alert. Within the formation, thunder roared and wind howled from all directions, lightning flashed, and mist obscured the view. As the saying goes: The wind howled, shaking heaven and earth; the thunder roared fiercely, shaking mountains and rivers. Lightning flashed like red silk, piercing the clouds and flying like fire; mist obscured the sun and moon, shrouding the earth. The wind whipped up sand and dust to cover faces; the thunder startled tigers and leopards into hiding; the lightning caused birds to fly in disarray; the mist obscured trees to vanish. The wind stirred the Tongtian River into turbulent waves; the thunder shook the Jiepai Pass, causing the earth to crack and mountains to crumble; the lightning blinded the immortals of the Immortal Slaughtering Formation; the mist caused disciples to lose their way under the reed huts. The wind is so strong it can push mountains, turn rocks, and bend pines and bamboos; the thunder is so powerful and awe-inspiring it can startle people; the lightning is so fast it can flow across the sky and illuminate the fields like a golden snake; the fog is so thick it can cover the nine heavens.
Meanwhile, during the great battle at the Immortal-Trapping Gate, Laozi had his exquisite pagoda appear above his head in the air, unaffected by the thunder and howling winds. Laozi thought to himself, "He only knows how to rely on his Taoist arts, but doesn't know how to guard himself and cultivate his character. He has set up this evil Immortal-Slaying Formation to fight me. I can't go too far. I have to fight him, but I also have to use the Xuanhuang Pagoda to suppress the evil energy within the formation, lest the formation break and the evil energy collide with heaven and earth. I've suffered a great loss. Fine, I'll show him the methods of the Xuandu Purple Mansion!"
After thinking for a moment, Laozi lifted the green ox and jumped out of the circle, shouting, "Brother Tongtian, don't be so arrogant! Watch as I transform into the Three Pure Ones with one breath!" He then pushed up his fish-tail crown, and three streams of energy emerged from his head, transforming into the Three Pure Ones. Tongtian was startled, but saw no effect, and was puzzled. Just then, a bell rang from the east, and a Taoist appeared, wearing a nine-cloud crown, a crimson robe with white cranes, riding a white lion; carrying a precious sword, he shouted, "Brother Li! I've come to lend you a hand!" Tongtian didn't recognize him and asked, "Who is this Taoist?" The Taoist replied, "I have a poem to prove it: In the beginning of chaos, the Tao came first, constant existence and constant non-existence are naturally attained."
"Auspicious purple clouds rise from the east, stretching thirty thousand miles; the Hangu Pass has stood for five thousand years."
The man finished composing a poem and said, "I am the Daoist Shangqing." He then drew his sword and attacked. The Tongtian Sect Leader, not knowing where the Daoist Shangqing had come from, hastily parried. Just then, a bell rang from the south, and a Daoist appeared, wearing a Ruyi crown and a pale yellow Bagua robe, riding a heavenly horse; holding a Lingzhi Ruyi in one hand, he shouted, "Brother Li! I have come to assist you in subduing the Daoist Tongtian!" He spurred his heavenly horse and struck with his Ruyi. The Tongtian Sect Leader asked, "Who comes here?" The Daoist replied, "I do not recognize you either. Why do you call yourself the Master of the Jie Sect? Listen to my words. The poem says: 'From Hangu Pass to Kunlun, the Daoist school unified China and the barbarians.'"
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