Laozi seemed to be taking a nap, not hearing Zhao Gongming's greeting, but the blue ox was nodding its head in a grand manner, which made the outer-disciple of the Dianjiao sect turn up its nose in disdain.
"Hey, Dao brother, come here, come here." Deng Chanyu waved at Zhao Gongming from a distance.
Zhao Gongming discarded the sword he was holding as he knelt halfway, feeling that it would be awkward to go back and pick it up. He didn't need that sword anyway, as Deng Chanyu, who was just starting her journey in the Daoist world, could be dealt with with just one finger.
However, compared to the two sisters, Qiong Xiao and Bi Xiao, who were spoiled and arrogant, he could become the big disciple among the thousands of outer-disciples in Dianjiao not only because of his strength but also because he had a good way of dealing with people and was very diplomatic.
Although he was extremely annoyed with Deng Chanyu, he dared not act impudently in front of Laozi.
Standing up calmly, straightening his feather cap, he walked to Deng Chanyu's side and asked in a stern tone, "What is it?"
Deng Chanyu pointed to the half-broken formation: "The Saint had previously ordered that someone would come and help me break the array. I assume that person is Dao brother, right?"
Zhao Gongming wanted to scold her for talking nonsense, but the Saint couldn't be wrong. If there were no one coming from the Emei Mountain today, he would have to follow the order.
He carefully observed the great formation.
It's hard to start anything. Deng Chanyu has already broken open half of it, and Zhao Gongming, a grand Daoist master, has sufficient refinement. Naturally, he could see some clues.
He spoke with full confidence, "This formation lacks a master and has no treasure to suppress the array's core; it's just an empty shell. It won't be difficult to break it. Please sit comfortably, my friend, and watch as our Jie School demonstrates the mystical art of breaking formations with formations!"
After half an hour.
The formation laid by the 24 Defensive Pearls of the Sea was being pushed and destroyed internally by the Er Yin Weichen Array. Zhao Gongming repeatedly cast incantations, but the Defensive Pearls of the Sea were already out of control, flying wildly like artillery shells. The Yin and Yang Qi within the array was even more terrifying, with no intention of being reined in. The Yin and Yang Qi swept around carelessly without restraint.
Deng Chanyu rushed over to the Blue Cow's side.
In order to reward Jin Dadao for being diligent, hardworking, and willing to contribute, Deng Chanyu had previously collected a bundle of fire-attribute herbs when she visited the Lishan mountain. The Lishan mountain was influenced by Nuwa, and all the plants on the mountain had a strong vitality. According to Bi Biao, the taste was said to be outstanding.
When Jin Dadao went to be a pestilence remover, she forgot about this matter. Seeing the formation driven wild by Zhao Gongming, she immediately took it out to give to the Blue Cow.
You must have eaten ordinary medicinal herbs often, but I'm sure you've never tasted herbs with the Dao of Creation and Perpetuity. Don't be shy, I'm treating you!
The Blue Cow first looked at her with great caution, then sniffed the scent of the grass, chewed a few mouthfuls, and his eyes shone. He thought the taste was good and indicated that she could stand by his side.
Standing humbly by the Blue Cow's side, Deng Chanyu was beyond reach of the rampaging Yin and Yang Qi and the reckless Defensive Pearls of the Sea.
Afterward, the person and the cow sat together to watch Zhao Gongming being struck.
The Defensive Pearls of the Sea, the size of a soup bowl, were pushed by the rampaging Yin and Yang Qi and crashed into Zhao Gongming's eye socket with a "plop".
Deng Chanyu winced at the sight, it must have hurt a lot!
Zhao Gongming couldn't bear to ask for protection from a cow, so he used all his cultivation as a Grand Daoist Master to gather the Defensive Pearls of the Sea that were flying everywhere and suppress the rampaging Yin and Yang Qi with profound Daoist magic.
He had wanted to show off his profound knowledge of array arts before, but at this moment, he had no choice but to forcefully suppress the situation.
Indeed, he was formidable. Despite the impending collapse of the formation, he managed to forcibly suppress the rampaging array with his deep cultivation.
The cost was not cheap.
His eyes, nose, and mouth were all swollen with bruises, and his feather cap was nowhere to be found. The back and front of his Daoist robe also had several grayish circular marks.
As an onlooker, Deng Chanyu had a clear view of the situation. Observing Zhao Gongming's trial by fire, her understanding of the array deepened: "This formation has six doors: life, death, obscurity, brightness, illusion, and extinction. Once inside, life and death and illusion are all in a single thought. Once trapped within it, even immortals can't escape. Brother, don't act rashly."
Zhao Gongming replied with annoyance, "There's no need for you to chatter, I have my own eyes."
Zhao Gongming's attempt to break the formation by using an array failed, and so it returned to Deng Chanyu's old tactics of hardening her position and engaging in slow battles. When the yin energy came, he used yang energy to block it. When the yang energy swept in, he immediately sent the yin energy over to neutralize it.
Her spiritual lamp even surprised the Saint a little, let alone Zhao Gongming.
"Cui Guang Liang Yi Deng? You have this spiritual lamp, why didn't you bring it out earlier? Are you watching me make fun of the poor monk?"
"I didn't ask you for it?"
Laozi was present, so Deng Chanyu had no concern that Zhao Gongming would seize her treasure. When she was tired and needed to rest, she lent the Liangyi Lantern to Zhao Gongming to continue breaking the formation.
The method is a bit clumsy, but it's better than having none.
Zhao Gongming's profound cultivation finally had a chance to shine. While Deng Chanyu had to rest and take a break after three or four breaths of exerting herself with the Liangyi Lantern, Zhao Gongming continued to use the spiritual lamp to break the formation without a word of fatigue from start to finish.
You can continue, it's better than him being like a large beast.
Deng Chanyu ran aside to rest.
"Where did that grass come from? The smell is really unusual." the Blue Cow whispered to Deng Chanyu.
"As for that grass, it's not from the Lishan mountain. But don't worry, I'll send you two bundles later! You can try it!"
"Thank you so much!"
"No problem, we're all friends!"
With the powerful assistance of Zhao Gongming, the two-dimensional Micro Dust Array was broken in just half a day.
"Just a broken sword? After all this trouble just for that?" Zhao Gongming wanted to mock Deng Chanyu for lacking insight. When he turned around, he found no one behind him. When he looked again, he saw Deng Chanyu standing on the other side of the Blue Cow, showing great respect and not even glancing at the Nanming Lihuo Sword. At this moment, Laozi happened to wake up.
Laozi spoke like an elderly man just waking up: "Not bad, quite quick. You've done well."
Deng Chanyu was particularly polite, bowing and kowtowing: "Master, your praise is too high. Deng Yun is afraid that she doesn't deserve it."
Zhao Gongming: "..."
"After I arrived, all in all, you've only worked for five breaths of time. During the remaining half day, wasn't it me who was using the spiritual lamp to break the formation?"
He handed the spiritual lamp back to Deng Chanyu: "Here you are."
He was using practical actions to prove that the effort had always been his own.
Laozi seemed to see it, yet it also seemed as if he didn't notice.
"The opportunities are yours, Old Man. I only wish to build a small cottage here and pass on a lineage of Daoism in the future."
Deng Chanyu immediately declared: "If the disciple manages to escape the God Enshrining Great Calamity, I wish to establish a cave here and protect the Daoist lineage of the Saint for five hundred years."
Zhao Gongming also said something similar, but he had much more confidence than Deng Chanyu. After all, I am a Grand Daoist Master!
Laozi nodded gently and then rode the cow and disappeared into the sky.
After the Saint of Taiqing left, Zhao Gongming's desire to avenge Yue Yan arose again. Deng Chanyu pretended to tidy up her bags, showing half of the Shanhe Shaji Tu, implying that it was up to him to decide.
