It was not that Feng Chutang harbored any prejudice against Chuhe; rather, having been together in Qingming for so long, they knew each other quite well. For an anomalous change to appear so suddenly, a sudden epiphany was improbable, whereas inner demons were exceedingly likely—it was not unheard of for inner demons to seize possession, hollowing out and replacing one's origin soul from within.
Wei Yuan had also found it strange, but as the Domain Lord, he had examined Perfected Chuhe with the power of the domain and truly detected nothing out of the ordinary. Thus, he could only conclude that the old Daoist was blessed with immense karmic fortune and had stumbled upon a miraculous encounter.
The two discussed it for a while, and once they were certain that Old Daoist Chuhe was entirely sound, their minds were put at ease.
As for the Scourge of the Northern Border, they had no intelligence on him for the moment; they could only bide their time and seek an opportunity to hunt him down as the war progressed.
Just as Feng Chutang prepared to take his leave, both of their expressions changed simultaneously. They sensed a colossal, terrifying consciousness sweep across the land.
This will was frigid and merciless, sweeping over the entire Northern Mountain Gate like a tempest. Then, a cold snort echoed from the void. The world shifted around them, and a portion of that sweeping consciousness froze solid in an instant!
Immediately afterward, a storm seemingly carrying the entire galaxy surged into the sky, colliding head-on with the vast will rolling in from the north!
A buzzing ring exploded in Wei Yuan's ears, and instantly, he could see nothing and hear nothing. The world seemed to detach from him in that heartbeat, casting him out.
Fortunately, his senses soon returned, but an unspeakable nausea racked Wei Yuan from the inside out. Looking around, he found Feng Chutang clutching the table, his face deathly pale as thin trails of blood trickled from his ears and nose.
Wei Yuan hurried over to steady him, but the Dao power within his own body surged and ebbed like chaotic tides, making it difficult even to control the strength in his hands.
He quickly realized this was not a flaw of his own, but rather that the surrounding Great Dao of Heaven and Earth was warping violently, causing his Dao power to slip from his grasp.
Wei Yuan dared not cast any Daoist techniques at this moment; with the laws in disarray, there was no telling what consequences any spell might trigger. He could only help Feng Chutang sit down and endure the strain through the sheer resilience of his dharma body.
Shock gripped his heart. This was the first time he had directly experienced the terror of a clash between immortals. This could barely even be called an aftershock—the mere perturbation of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth had already wounded him, and Feng Chutang, possessing a weaker dharma body, had sustained injuries that were far from light.
The tempest did not last long. After a fierce collision, the terrifying will sweeping from the north finally ebbed away, leaving behind a small fragment that had been completely frozen solid. Calm once again returned to the Northern Mountain Gate.
"Did the Patriarch win?" Wei Yuan asked.
Feng Chutang shook his head. "I cannot say for sure. But our Patriarch has the Northern Mountain Gate's backing; so long as their strength is comparable, he is certain to prevail."
Wei Yuan suddenly turned his head toward the north.
In his divine sense, an intense glare hurtled from the far northern horizon, turning into a falling star that plunged toward the earth. Heaven and earth trembled violently, and the Heavenly Dao distorted. In that instant, Wei Yuan's spiritual sight expanded without limit, and he saw a damaged ancient stele descend from the heavens, planting itself firmly into the soil!
The moment the ancient stele struck the ground, the worldly laws shifted. Boundless wind and sand transformed into a dusty-yellow storm that surged in all directions. The storm rose higher and fiercer until it reached hundreds of zhang in height, looming like a mountain as it pressed toward the Northern Mountain Gate!
From the center of the Northern Mountain Gate, four stars—three large and one small—rose and hung aloft in the sky, turning the midday firmament into night. Frigid starlight cascaded down, illuminating a swath of ten thousand li.
Under the starlight's glow, the sandstorm dissolved layer by layer. By the time it was less than a hundred li from the border town where Wei Yuan was stationed, it finally collapsed into a gale carrying dust across the plains. Though fierce, it was now merely a mundane wind, posing no real threat.
By then, Ji Liuli, Feng Tingyu, and Sun Yu had appeared beside Wei Yuan, looking toward the north alongside him. Not just Wei Yuan, but Feng Chutang, Ji Liuli, and the other dharma idol cultivators could see that ancient stele several thousand li away.
Feng Chutang's expression abruptly shifted. "That is the Worthy Prince of the Left's natal immortal treasure, the Mountain-Stabilizing Stele! Isn't he engaged in a fierce war against the Silver Moon Khagan? Why has his natal immortal treasure suddenly been sent here?"
Ji Liuli added, "The Mountain-Stabilizing Stele can alter heaven and earth, drastically enhancing the power of wind and earth while suppressing the other elements of the Five Phases. Any Liao Clan members within its domain receive its blessing, their strength increasing tremendously. Why would he send such an instrument of war here instead of using it against the Silver Moon Khagan?"
"The Silver Moon Khagan—isn't he also of the Liao Clan?" Wei Yuan asked.
Feng Chutang quickly explained that the Silver Moon Khagan possessed mysterious draconic power and could draw upon lunar power—that is, the power of Taiyin. The blessings he conferred upon warriors were markedly superior to those of other Liao leaders; warriors empowered by him saw their combat prowess double. The Northern Mountain Gate had suffered considerably against them on previous battlefields.
Therefore, to contend with the Silver Moon Khagan, one needed to break the enhancements he bestowed on his troops, making the Mountain-Stabilizing Stele an unrivaled countermeasure.
Hearing this explanation, a realization struck Wei Yuan. "The Liao Clan is preparing for an all-out assault!"
By planting his natal immortal treasure here, the Worthy Prince of the Left intended to neutralize the geographical advantage of the Northern Mountain Gate. The next step would inevitably be mobilizing their grand army for a full-scale offensive.
At Wei Yuan's reminder, the surrounding cultivators realized this as well. Their expressions darkened slightly, but none panicked. All of them were battle-hardened veterans who had seen far greater spectacles; they would not lose their composure before the fighting even began.
Wiping away the trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, Wei Yuan chuckled. "For the Worthy Prince of the Left to launch a direct assault on the Northern Mountain Gate and even plant his natal immortal treasure here... he's gone mad. He's acting as if someone devoured his foundation for attaining the Dao."
The cultivators all burst into laughter, but after just a couple of chuckles, sudden silence fell over them. In unison, their eyes turned to Feng Chutang.
Feng Chutang hadn't laughed from the very start.
Three thousand li to the north, a massive, grotesque winged dragon touched down, snorting two jets of breath laced with sand and fire from its nostrils. A Northern Liao general leaped down from the dragon's back. He stood two full heads taller than the other Liao warriors, possessing an immensely burly build, and behind his normal eyes, several small, extra eyes grew along the side of his face.
Stepping before the hundred-foot-tall ancient stele, he bowed respectfully. He then retrieved an archaic seal from his robes and pressed it into the stone. The seal sank into the stele, which immediately shifted and transformed into a grand hall dozens of zhang in height.
The Liao general strode into the grand hall. In the center stood a high throne, flanked by four seats on either side. One of the chairs was currently glowing, beckoning him.
He walked over and sat down, immediately feeling an endless, terrifying power surge into his body. It crudely tore apart his existing flesh and muscle before generating new form. Howling in agony, two tusks slowly jutted from his mouth, while several thick bone spurs thrust out from his shoulders and back. His aura grew savage and wild.
Another Liao general entered the hall. His gaze fell upon the first officer, a flash of murderous intent flaring in his eyes before swiftly fading. Taking the outermost seat on the opposite side, he too began to howl in agony as he endured an infusion of immortal power far beyond his limits.
Before long, four Liao generals in total had entered the hall one after another. Their seats had already been designated, and each received a different infusion of immortal power.
Next, a Liao woman stepped into the hall. She had dark-silver eyes, and her hair was likewise a dark silver, braided into countless small plaits.
Two short blades were tucked at her waist, their black-and-silver scabbards lavishly adorned with depictions of ancient Northern Liao myths and legends. Flecks of silver flame seeped from the sheaths and fell to the ground, lingering without burning out and leaving a trail of silver fire behind her steps.
Her gaze swept over the four generals in the hall. Expressionless, she walked straight to the high central seat and sat down. Yet upon taking her seat, her countenance remained completely undisturbed, with no infusion of immortal power befalling her.
Lounging languidly against the backrest, she propped her head on one hand and rested with her legs splayed casually, merely watching the entrance of the hall. After waiting a short while, her patience wore thin. "Where is the Scourge of the Northern Border? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"
A tall figure appeared at the threshold. The light from outside left his face shrouded in shadow, his expression indiscernible. In a low voice, he said, "I am already here. But I dare not accept the Worthy Prince of the Left's bestowal, so I shall simply stand at the door."
The Liao woman replied, "Do you still believe you have a chance at ascending to immortality? Without the Prince's boon, you will not survive the killing tribulation before you."
The Liao warrior remained motionless. "Even if I cannot survive it, that is merely my own lack of strength. I will have no one else to blame."
A glint of murderous intent flashed in the eyes of the woman upon the high throne. She said coldly, "The Prince gave specific orders for me to remind you that a killing tribulation is upon you. Now, I have warned you. But if you seek your own death, do not blame me."
Chapter 699