Yanyue Nunnery

At Tenglong Cliff, the altar and the Five Phase Tokens blazed with brilliant light. *Bang! Bang! Bang!* The Five Phase Tokens grew unstable, giving the unsettling impression that they could be violently hurled away at any second. The altar shook incessantly. Though the tremors seemed minor on the surface, they carried staggering force. The five spun along with the altar, their palms pressed firmly against its rim as they endured the tremendous concussive shocks, not daring to shift an inch. Despite possessing cultivations among the world's pinnacle, continuously withstanding the altar's severe backlash was beginning to take its toll, risking their grips slipping or even suffering internal injuries. At times like this, the difference in their heritages became apparent. Neither Su Zinan nor the sword-carrying man were descendants of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. A blood talisman flew out of Su Zinan's mustard seed bag on its own and exploded with a *bang*, revealing a blood shadow. The shadow's facial features were contorted, unleashing an anguished screech that shook the minds of all who heard it—evidently a vile artifact. *Whoosh!* The blood shadow spun and lunged at Su Zinan. Without flinching or dodging, Su Zinan merged with the blood shadow. A flush of scarlet swept over his face before returning to normal as his aura surged violently, drastically dampening the trembling of his arms, which remained clamped onto the altar. The sword-carrying man lowered his head slightly, silently channeling a saber art. The heavy sword upon his back quivered, crying out like a dragon before suddenly unsheathing itself. *Buzz!* The long sword hung horizontally in the air—and what soared skyward was actually saber qi! The sword's blade was invisible, masked entirely by dazzling saber radiance that curved like a crescent moon, flashing down to strike between the sword-carrying man's hands. The tip silently braced against the altar, absorbing a portion of the recoil for its master. The other three all had some connection to the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, to varying degrees. The white-robed man's robes billowed. It turned out his robe was not purely white; intricate patterns surfaced across the fabric, looking as if a miniature world of swirling blizzards was housed within. Visible gales of pallid, freezing wind surged forth, swirling around the white-robed man in ever-thickening gusts. The frigid qi amassed behind him, gradually taking the shape of an ice mirror. The ice mirror hung suspended behind his head, its face pointed squarely at the altar, glittering with cold light. The strange-faced man shook his shoulders slightly. Beginning from his shoulders, both of his arms turned woody, transforming into two lengths of withered timber. His fingers withered like bare branches, clutching the altar in a vice grip that would never slip. Zhu Wudao was the mastermind behind all this, yet Su Zinan had never seen him fight. Out of the corner of his eye, peering through the glow of the Five Phase Tokens, Su Zinan observed Zhu Wudao quietly. To his surprise, the old man merely shifted his gaze, his eyes turning a faint gold as tangible beams of light locked onto the altar. He made no other move, nor did he display any demonic art, yet he held his ground with ease. He appeared the most relaxed among the five. Combining their strength, the five stabilized the altar, then looked up in unison. The Five Phase Tokens projected five colored pillars of light. In the center of the pillars, the white light had grown far larger than at the start, forming a head-sized orb of light that emitted increasingly violent, strange ripples. These ripples were the very source of the shaking. Waves of light churned within the orb, each surge bringing forth an intense shockwave. These tremors did not affect the altar alone; they acted upon the entire space, shaking the earth until the peaks of the Taiyue Sect swayed and rocks tumbled down. On the main peak, both sides halted their battle, drawn by the six soaring pillars of light. Gold, azure, blue, red, and yellow! The five pillars of light were nearly identical in scale, circling the white pillar. At first, the white pillar had been inferior, but as the tremors intensified, the white light grew ever more blinding, faintly threatening to surpass them. Swaying most violently under the tremors, the main peak shook so hard that low-level disciples had to circulate their cultivation techniques just to remain on their feet, each filled with horror. "Over there!" "What is that thing?" someone shouted, pointing toward the orb of light. Hua Chenzi snapped, "Hurry and adjust your breath!" The disciples shuddered, only then remembering their predicament; escaping danger was paramount. Under the invaders' relentless assault, they were exhausted, and they quickly discarded extraneous thoughts to recover their strength. The pillars of light shot into the sky, piercing the black canopy. Within the canopy, dark clouds coalesced toward them, locking the pillars in place. Otherwise, the celestial phenomenon would have been visible a thousand li away. The Wuxiang Immortal Sect would not even have emerged before news spread at terrifying speed, alerting various powers in advance. A few hours later, the five-colored pillars stabilized, while only the white pillar continued expanding relentlessly. The orb of light swelled, revealing what seemed to be a deep passage within. Chaos reigned inside it, multicolored rays twisted into a tangle, brimming with chaotic power. *Boom! Boom! Boom!* Coming from unknown origins, these rays clashed and detonated constantly. The powers of spirit arrays and restrictions had turned violent to the extreme, interwoven even with spatial turbulence. Standing within arm's reach of the orb, Su Zinan and the others watched the interior scene with grim expressions. Were they to be sucked inside at this moment, none could guarantee coming out unscathed. "Must we enter the Wuxiang Immortal Sect through here?" Su Zinan's brow furrowed tightly; it felt perilous. "The catastrophe came too suddenly back then. Caught unprepared, our predecessors forcibly sealed the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, which destabilized space and triggered this chaotic turbulence. We have no choice but to force our way in. But fret not, everyone. Once the passage stabilizes and the immortal abode emerges, we will have room to maneuver." Zhu Wudao spoke as he looked up into the sky. Confirming that the phenomenon remained contained by the Sky-Shrouding Profound Array, he nodded inwardly. Though the phenomenon was not yet visible outside, the ripples stirred by the Wuxiang Immortal Sect's emergence grew increasingly violent. The Sky-Shrouding Profound Array was gradually losing its ability to suppress them, allowing the tremors to ripple beyond the Taiyue Sect. Sometime after the passage opened, upon a distant mountain, Qin Sang sensed the ripples and woke with a start from his meditation. "It's finally here!" Sweeping his sleeve to stow the Sun God Tree, he dashed out of the cave dwelling, concealed his presence, and stopped a short distance outside the Taiyue Sect. From here, the Taiyue Sect appeared entirely normal. Yet Qin Sang was certain this was an illusion; a monumental upheaval was taking place within! "Locking down an entire top-tier sect—what an immense undertaking!" Qin Sang muttered. Wary that the array possessed counter-detection measures, he refrained from deploying the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to spy, choosing instead to bide his time. Lurking in the shadows, he scanned the surroundings without finding any trace of Daoist Zilei. He did not know whether Ghost Mother's judgment was right or wrong, but caution never hurt. Two days later, the orb of light vanished. Over those two days, it had slowly ascended, and as the energy within the passage manifested outwardly, a spatial vortex appeared in the sky above the Taiyue Sect. The vortex had grown large enough to blanket nearly half the Taiyue Sect. Its terrifying power threatened to obliterate everything at any moment, exuding a dread-inducing pressure. Right then, *rumble!* A thunderous roar shook heaven and earth. Everyone looked up in shock. The passage had reached the black canopy, and the edge of the chaotic turbulence had finally collided with the Sky-Shrouding Profound Array. In an instant, turbulence blotted out the sky, and the black canopy tore open. Colliding forces birthed a tempest that swept across the entire Taiyue Sect. Vegetation was ripped up by the roots, halls and pavilions collapsed, and the earth convulsed. The main peak of the Taiyue Sect seemed on the verge of toppling, plunged into ruin. At last, the black canopy shattered completely! At that moment, Zhu Wudao could no longer suppress the phenomenon. Strange light shot straight into the empyrean, spatial ripples exploded outward, and the heavens dramatically shifted. However, this was all within Zhu Wudao's calculations. Everything was unfolding according to plan. The top experts of the Central Plains sects had gathered in Jinyu Prefecture; even if they received word and rushed over, they would not arrive in time to stop them. The vortex expanded at an accelerating pace. Through the vortex and the passage, mirage-like sights occasionally flickered into view—a stretch of mountain range, a pavilion, a jungle—clearly projections cast from inside the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. It was enough to prove that the Wuxiang Immortal Sect had not been destroyed, but remained intact! Just then, an unexpected mishap occurred. The altar abruptly began to sway violently, slipping beyond their control. In particular, the two counterfeit Five Phase Tokens clattered incessantly, on the verge of collapsing at any second. A setback at this juncture could easily ruin everything. "Not good!" Zhu Wudao's expression drastically changed, and he let out a long whistle. Now that the phenomenon had manifested, there was no longer any need to keep the Taiyue Sect cordoned off. Hearing the whistle, Mo Xingdao and the others instantly broke off their attacks and rushed over, surrounding the altar in a circle and displaying their respective divine abilities. *** At the northern foot of the Taiyue Sect, Yue Lingtian returned, diving into a valley to rendezvous with Daoist Zilei. The group hid there, gazing up at the firmament, while Daoist Zilei searched for traces of Zhu Wudao and his cohort. *** West of the mountain gate, Qin Sang stood beneath a tree, having waited for quite some time. Staring fixedly at the celestial phenomenon, a flash gleamed between his brows as he summoned his external incarnation. *** In the desolate mountains southeast of the Taiyue Sect, not far from Mount Taiyue, a figure concealed within a strange mist drifted through the forest, alternately fast and slow, wandering erratically as if searching for something. The phenomenon appeared. The figure came to an abrupt halt and jerked his head up, revealing a pale face—it was none other than the Grand Elder of Tianhao Tower, Old Demon Fan. The man was clean-shaven and deathly pale, exuding a sinister cold aura. At first startled, he seemed to realize something, turning shocked and ecstatic. "Old Ghost Zhu, so that's why your Quyang Mountain faction was always acting so furtively—you're remnants of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect! It's fortunate this old man tracked you here; otherwise, wouldn't I have missed out on a monumental opportunity?" With an eerie chuckle, he flickered and vanished without a trace. *** Even farther away, in a market city. Lacking the courage to make the long trek to attend the grand Dharma gathering, these low-level cultivators had casually organized a small Dao-discussion assembly in the market. Some had even put up wagers, and the participants were all disciples of nearby minor sects. Two people were dueling onstage, watched intently by the crowd. Clamor suddenly arose outside, and several people who stepped out never returned. As gasps resounded one after another, the rest could no longer rein in their curiosity and rushed out of the venue; even the two dueling on stage couldn't resist. The streets were packed with people, all staring dumbfounded toward the Taiyue Sect. "Over there... seems to be Mount Taiyue." "What happened at the Taiyue Sect?" "Impossible. Who'd be blind enough to attack the Taiyue Sect? It looks like an extraordinary treasure has appeared. Let's go!" Just as he moved, a companion caught him. "Treasures of the Taiyue Sect, and you dare snatch them? Are you tired of living?!" "What's there to be afraid of?" The man pulled his companion back. "A phenomenon this conspicuous won't just be seen by us. As the saying goes, the law doesn't punish the masses! If the Taiyue Sect is eating meat, won't they at least let us drink soup? Let's check out the situation first!" His companion was swayed by these words. Soon, figures flew out of the market city one after another, riding their magical artifacts into Mount Taiyue. Similar scenes played out all across the areas neighboring the Taiyue Sect. *** South of Mount Taiyue, the Poison King and Master Huaiyin were scouring the wilderness for the strange-faced man. An additional person now accompanied them—Elder Ming of Myriad Poison Mountain. While the Poison King and Huaiyin pursued the strange-faced man, Elder Ming had been leading Myriad Poison Mountain experts to scour for traces to ensure nothing was missed. As they traveled, the Poison King and Master Huaiyin abruptly halted. Seeming to sense something, strange expressions crossed their faces, and they exchanged glances before their speed suddenly surged, their figures flashing like lightning. Perplexed and stunned, Elder Ming hurriedly followed, but could only see their departing backs. After a tight chase, Elder Ming finally caught up to the two on a mountain peak, just in time to witness the intensifying phenomenon on the horizon. "What is that?" Elder Ming paused. "It seems to be in the direction of the Taiyue Sect." Master Huaiyin turned his gaze to the Poison King. Hailing from the Western Lands, he knew very little of Zhongzhou and did not understand what such a phenomenon signified. The Poison King remained silent, pondering for a long while. "The Southern Frontier, an immortal abode..." A realization dawned on the Poison King. "The Wuxiang Immortal Sect! No wonder that scoundrel lingered in Nan Prefecture. With the Deity Transformation cultivators missing, petty villains truly have taken advantage of the Dharma gathering to stir up trouble!" "The Wuxiang Immortal Sect?" Master Huaiyin asked in confusion. The Poison King briefly explained the background. Master Huaiyin nodded and made to set off, but was stopped by the Poison King. After thinking for a moment, the Poison King turned and said, "Daring to act now, and doing so in Mount Taiyue, their forces must be formidable. If their cultivations are all comparable to that scoundrel's, the two of us alone will hardly be able to sway the situation. The Daoist and Buddhist sects understand the Wuxiang Immortal Sect best. Elder Ming, return to the sect at once and send word to Ganlu Zen Monastery, telling them to quickly contact Master Xingji and ascertain the full story!" "Understood!" Elder Ming took his orders and departed. The Poison King and Master Huaiyin sped into Mount Taiyue. *** Somewhere along the border between Man Prefecture and Nan Prefecture. The environment here was completely distinct from the rest of the Southern Frontier, devoid of poisonous miasma for a hundred li around. The mountains were elegant and lush. Morning mist drifted through the woods, birds sang in secluded serenity, surpassing even the Central Plains. An ancient sanctuary was nestled deep in the mountains, known as Yanyue Nunnery. Amidst the forested mountains stood only a scattering of temples, embodying quiet seclusion and harmonizing seamlessly with nature. In scale, Yanyue Nunnery was only slightly larger than Bajing Belvedere. Forest leaves drifted down into the nunnery. Several bhiksunis held brooms, sweeping the fallen leaves, everything appearing just like a mortal temple. In their hands, the brooms felt weightless; every sweep flowed naturally, carrying a profound sense of tranquility—evidently, this too was a form of cultivation. Inside a quiet chamber, an old nun fingered a string of prayer beads before curling tendrils of sandalwood incense, deep in silent cultivation. Suddenly, a young nun rushed in, flustered and panicked. "What is causing such a fuss?" the old nun asked softly. The old nun's voice seemed imbued with a certain calming power. The young nun's emotions settled considerably, and she bowed. "Reporting to Master, one of the stupas in the stupa forest has suddenly begun to glow." The old nun's fingers paused. Rising, she walked out of the quiet chamber and arrived at the stupa forest. "Master, right there." The young nun pointed toward a stupa in the dead center of the forest; indeed, it was shining with light. Its design was completely different from the other stupas. At this sight, a ripple of emotion finally crossed the old nun's face. In a flash, she appeared directly before the stupa. Reaching out, she touched the stupa lightly, the astonishment in her eyes deepening as she murmured, "The Wuxiang Immortal Sect..." "Master, why is this happening? What is the Wuxiang Immortal Sect?" the young nun asked timidly. Having guarded the stupa forest for years, she was seeing such a strange occurrence for the first time. Buddhist light shone from the old nun's palm, blending seamlessly with the stupa's glow. Then, her hand reached into the stupa, as though taking hold of something. After sensing it for a moment, the old nun did not answer, but instructed instead, "Go and summon your martial aunts from seclusion. Yes, including your Martial Aunt Liuli." "Understood!"