The Seal's Mutation

Rumble! A deafening roar interrupted their conversation. Everyone fell silent, turning their eyes together toward the confluence of the two mountain ranges. Scarlet flames billowed from the crater. The intensely concentrated scarlet-flame aura formed an enormous pillar of fire that shot into the sky. Over the mouth of the crater, a swastika seal hovered in the void like a golden sealing talisman. Faint golden light covered the entire crater, yet within it was a blinding expanse of crimson. Even with the seal in place, the scarlet-flame aura was still capable of generating such immense momentum. It was difficult to imagine just how terrifying a power had accumulated beneath the seal. It was clawing to burst forth. The entire Jinghai Sect was facing an imminent catastrophe. Rumble, rumble... The thunderous noise persisted, and the earth shook. The crater and the seal were the epicenter. At this moment, they could see clearly. The swastika seal blanketing the crater was in an extremely unstable state. Its main body spun continuously, yet its rotation grew slower and slower, and the power of the seal felt palpably sluggish. The seal had already begun to show signs of bulging outward, and the surrounding golden light was gradually dissipating. Such a spectacle was an undeniable sign that the seal was on the verge of collapse. Even standing at a distance from the crater, they could feel the wildly raging power beneath the seal, making their scalps prickle with dread. Witnessing this, the expressions of the several Nascent Soul cultivators darkened. Even without knowing the origin and history of the Jinghai Sect, one could tell from the sight before them that once the seal collapsed, the Jinghai Sect would be completely erased from the world. They even suspected that the Jinghai Sect’s abandonment of the mountain and the total disappearance of its members were connected to that place. The excitement deep within Realized Master Chijie’s eyes was suppressed, and he gasped, “The seal is about to collapse! How could it be such a coincidence—right after we broke in... Could breaching the formation have triggered this mutation?” Primordial Lady Yuyi’s eyes flickered uncertainly. First drawn to the scarlet pillar of fire and the seal at the crater, she seemed to discover something and looked in turn toward the Golden Peak, the Pagoda, and the spiritual array above that they had just passed through. Hearing Realized Master Chijie’s words, Primordial Lady Yuyi snorted. “Can’t you see it yet, Fellow Daoist Chijie? That golden swastika talisman is merely one part of it. All the restrictions within the Jinghai Sect—including those on the Golden Peak and the Pagoda—and the sect-protecting array above were forcibly welded together by someone with vast divine abilities, fusing into a single complete seal. Their auras are interconnected, supporting each other. Damaging any part of it will cause the entire seal to weaken, or even collapse...” Realized Master Chijie wore an embarrassed look. His knowledge of the Jinghai Sect came from his master. Yet his master, Jiujie, had known very little as well, ignorant of why and how the Jinghai Sect had vanished. At that moment. Old Man Hunmo, who held his black bamboo staff and had remained silent the entire time, suddenly spoke: “It wasn't forcibly welded together. These restrictions were intrinsically connected from the beginning. When the Jinghai Sect first established its foundation, they may already have had a premonition.” At these words, the others were taken aback. “Fellow Daoist’s judgment is likely not mistaken,” Primordial Lady Yuyi said, her expression growing increasingly solemn as she fixed her gaze on the crater. “Could it be that inside is not simply scarlet-flame energy, but something else sealed within?” Hearing Primordial Lady Yuyi’s words, a chill ran down their spines. The might displayed by the Jinghai Sect’s sect-protecting array was enough to demonstrate this Buddhist sect’s formidable strength. Why had such an illustrious Buddhist sect remained so obscure, only to vanish without a trace? Realized Master Chijie let out a dry laugh. “Let us not make wild guesses. Things have reached this point, and there is no turning back. Fairy Yuyi mentioned earlier that half a month ago, Old Ghost Huang gathered several old-timers in his cave dwelling, plotting who knows what. Having caught wind of this, they certainly wouldn't miss the chance. They have probably already entered and are breaking through the formation right now. We had better seize the treasures first before worrying about anything else. After expending so much effort, we cannot return empty-handed...” He stole a glance at Old Man Hunmo as he spoke. With Old Man Hunmo and Primordial Lady Yuyi not moving, he dared not act rashly on his own and could only fret in secret. The other two early Nascent Soul cultivators remained silent, but their eyes constantly darted between the Golden Peak and the Pagoda. These two places were too extraordinary; they were clearly vital Buddhist sanctuaries. “If an unforeseen change occurs, I shall rely on you fellow Daoists. Do not let out some great fiend to wreak havoc upon the Boundless Sea. The beauties on my island are all delicate beings carved of jade, gathered with immense pains; they cannot withstand such turmoil.” Primordial Lady Yuyi drew her gaze back from the crater, looking languid yet exquisitely alluring. The corners of her lips curved slightly. “This is somewhat different from what you two said before. We do not have much time left to retrieve the treasures. We can hardly explore every corner in detail or take our time deciphering how to break the restrictions.” 'Then why are you still spouting nonsense here! They are nothing more than cultivation cauldrons—if they die, you can just find another batch,' Realized Master Chijie cursed inwardly. Old Man Hunmo tapped his black bamboo staff and said indifferently, “There should still be time to open the Golden Peak Grand Hall and the Thirteen-Tiered Pagoda. To prevent the seal from collapsing halfway through, let us act together. Make your choice.” Realized Master Chijie and the other two remained silent. Primordial Lady Yuyi asked, “Which one do you choose, Fellow Daoist Hunmo?” “The Golden Peak!” Old Man Hunmo uttered the two words softly. His turbid eyes fixed upon the Golden Peak. Ignoring the others, his figure shifted slightly as he flew through the air toward the peak. Primordial Lady Yuyi chuckled softly, making an unexpected choice. “I trust Fellow Daoist’s judgment. The treasures inside the Golden Peak will surely not disappoint me.” The two strongest cultivators had both chosen the Golden Peak Grand Hall. This was something the other three had not anticipated. Realized Master Chijie could barely contain the joy in his heart, yet spoke in a composed tone: “With Senior and Fairy Yuyi taking action, success is certain. I shall head to the Pagoda; the restrictions on the Pagoda seem somewhat weaker.” At this moment, the tall cultivator, who had remained expressionless and aloof throughout, twitched his ears slightly. He inconspicuously glanced at Primordial Lady Yuyi’s retreating back, pondered for a brief moment, and said, “I shall go to the Pagoda as well.” The two flew toward the Pagoda almost neck and neck. Realized Master Chijie glanced sidelong at him and said with a smile, “Fellow Daoist Sanyin, we must cooperate in good faith, lest we fall behind Senior and Fairy Yuyi and miss out on the Buddhist treasures.” The Nascent Soul cultivator whose Dharma name was Sanyin merely nodded slightly. Now, only the last cultivator remained where he was, hesitating. The worry on his face diminished somewhat. Watching the other four, he could not fathom their relationships for the moment. He knew in his heart that these people were definitely not as harmonious as they appeared on the surface. He wished to avoid the center of the vortex, but within the entire Jinghai Sect, there was no third place that could rival the Golden Peak and the Pagoda. Even if there were other treasures hidden in the dark, by the time he found them, the seal would probably have collapsed. After a momentary hesitation, he stomped his foot and set off after Realized Master Chijie and Sanyin. The five Nascent Soul cultivators split into two groups. Fairy Yuyi trailed half a body-length behind Old Man Hunmo and said with a charming laugh, “Can you speak plainly now, Fellow Daoist? What on earth did you come here for? That way, I can steer clear and avoid accidentally taking the treasure you have your heart set on, stirring up trouble for nothing. I have no wish to follow in the footsteps of those old fellows and die a sudden, untimely death.”