Gathering

The black filament swam nimbly through the pool, continuously absorbing the fire poison. Sensing the filament's aura, Master Huaiyin's gaze was firmly drawn to it. His expression grew grave, and he asked sternly, "The fifth metamorphosis?" Poison King shook his head. "Merely refining a corpse into a gu. It is an empty shell." Seeing that he seemed disinclined to elaborate, Master Huaiyin pressed no further. He cast a deep look at the black filament before studying the surrounding subterranean palace. At that moment, both he and Poison King noticed that the fire spirit nurtured within the Flowing Fire Phantasm Pool had an extraordinarily weak aura, wholly unfitting for the pool. It was clearly abnormal. "Someone has been here!" The two spoke almost in unison, both discerning that something was amiss. The genuine fire spirit had already been taken ahead of them, and the culprit could not have left long ago—they had likely been frightened off by the commotion of the two breaking through the obstacles. The fire spirit was secondary; the flowing fire within the Flowing Fire Phantasm Pool was the true essence. However, ever since entering the ancient estate, they had known nothing of the layout of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, wandering about like headless flies. They desperately needed someone knowledgeable about the sect to clear their doubts, yet none of the cultivators who had entered before could be found. Now that they had finally crossed paths with someone, they naturally wanted to ask a few questions. Master Huaiyin swept his eyes across the chamber, locked onto a stone door, and vanished down the stone corridor. Poison King needed to control the black filament and could not pull away for the moment. He sat cross-legged at the edge of the Flowing Fire Phantasm Pool, driving the black filament with all his strength to absorb the fire poison within. As the black filament swam, the dazzling golden light gradually dimmed. Meanwhile, rumbling tremors echoed down from the shaft. Poison King listened intently; it was not the sound of Master Huaiyin fighting another cultivator, but the impact of him forcibly breaching restrictions. Before long, Master Huaiyin returned empty-handed and shook his head. The person had withdrawn promptly and seemed quite familiar with the island's restrictions; by the time he gave chase outside, their trail had gone cold. "Once we reach the mountain, we will run into them eventually." Poison King was in no hurry. He continued manipulating the black filament, accelerating the absorption of the fire poison. In the short time since they had set foot on Fire Rhinoceros Island, the aura across the island had been spiraling into chaos at a visible rate. Surging waves of fire billowed from the magma cascades, showing no sign of waning; instead, each wave rose higher than the last. Fierce flames rolled back up onto the floating island, turning into an ocean of crimson fire. The turmoil grew increasingly violent. The roaring and shaking even penetrated the underground palace. Poison King could feel it distinctly, knowing that the floating island had been destabilized by their intrusion and its destruction was merely a matter of time. He hurriedly focused all his power on absorbing the fire poison. Taking advantage of this interval, Master Huaiyin stepped out of the subterranean palace, treading upon magma and strolling unhurriedly amid the raging fire. He searched without a specific aim, occasionally picking up items, though none caught his fancy. Not long after, Poison King finally finished collecting the fire poison and immediately rushed over to meet him. By this point, Fire Rhinoceros Island was on the verge of collapse. The island held no further value, and neither man intended to linger. They picked a random path and descended. *Whoosh! Whoosh!* Just as they left Fire Rhinoceros Island and before they could clear the range of the flame vein, an earth-shattering boom erupted behind them, suddenly releasing an astonishing shockwave. *Rumble!* The violent energy had accumulated to a critical point and burst forth completely. Crimson flames surged into the heavens, dyeing the entire sky a searing red. Fire Rhinoceros Island began crumbling from the Central Palace, and colossal boulders rained down ceaselessly. The shockwave formed a dazzling ring of crimson fire that expanded rapidly in all directions, crashing behind them in an instant, poised to engulf them. Poison King summoned a cloud of poison, forming a protective ring around himself. Within Master Huaiyin's body, the faint rumble of thunder sounded as his blood and vitality surged, keeping the flames from approaching him. Unhurt, the two broke out of the flame vein and scaled a distant hilltop. They turned back to watch the apocalyptic scene they had brought about, its momentum falling only slightly short of the earlier beam of deep blue light. Unexpectedly, when the phenomenon peaked and began to decline, a portion of Fire Rhinoceros Island remained intact. In the northern section of the island, a fire dragon supporting the floating landmass had held firm against the impact. Though less than a tenth of Fire Rhinoceros Island survived, a remnant had indeed been preserved. This was due to the island's unique spirit formation, though that fire dragon was teetering precariously, and it was hard to say how much longer it could hold. The two did not stay long, hurrying toward Dishou Mountain to rendezvous with Old Devil Fan. In the distance, Qin Sang's incarnation emerged from a secluded spot in the mountains. Looking back toward Fire Rhinoceros Island and seeing the floating island collapse, he could not help but sigh with regret. With the Central Palace housing the underground palace destroyed, the Flowing Fire Phantasm Pool was certainly lost. Glancing down at his palm, the Fire Jade Centipede was fast asleep, its round, plump belly rising and falling. The incarnation looked toward Dishou Mountain and set off immediately to reunite with his true body. *** Among the mountain forests, before a crude cave abode. Mo Xingdao sat as still as a bronze bell. After he informed Su Zinan of the Deity Transformation opportunity on Dishou Mountain, Su Zinan had gone into seclusion on the spot. He had been refining some treasure, taking a remarkably long time to emerge. However, Mo Xingdao's temperament had been tempered through countless trials; he grew neither restless nor impatient, adjusting his condition as he waited for Su Zinan. *Clack!* Su Zinan finally finished refining the treasure and pushed the door open. Mo Xingdao rose with him. Seeing Su Zinan's expression, he felt a strange gloom about the man and wondered privately if the refinement had failed. Little did he know that Su Zinan was deeply frustrated, facing a difficult dilemma. He had successfully refined Old Man Yanshan into a primary soul, thereby extracting a vast amount of information regarding the Wuxiang Immortal Sect from him. Among those details was a piece of news that greatly tempted even this successor to a Deity Transformation cultivator. The Wuxiang Immortal Sect possessed a tribulation-crossing formation! The tribulation-crossing formation was the true heritage of the Water Phase Hall and the Fire Phase Hall. It required the cooperation of two treasures: the Bingyi Divine Disk and the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant. In addition, it required a formation altar designed to complement the treasures, as well as an Ice-Fire Token. Old Man Yanshan had obtained the method to set up the formation and the technique to craft the Ice-Fire Token from the tomb of the Water Element Master, yet he possessed neither the Bingyi Divine Disk nor the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant. One could not make a meal without rice. Those two treasures were the core of the tribulation-crossing formation, utterly irreplaceable. Barring any surprises, the Bingyi Divine Disk had likely been taken by Fire Demon, which at least left a lead. But the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant had long been missing, and even the Water Element Master had not known where it had fallen back then. The Bingyi Divine Disk had been kept in Bingyi Palace to be nurtured. Correspondingly, in normal times, the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant was enshrined on Fire Rhinoceros Island. Only when someone in the Wuxiang Immortal Sect was about to break through to the Deity Transformation stage would the two treasures be brought out to set up the tribulation-crossing formation. If the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant had not been taken outside, it was most likely placed in the Fire Phase Hall. Only now did Su Zinan understand why Old Man Yanshan had fled toward Fire Rhinoceros Island after leaving the gravel beach—he had been going to search for the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant. Yet, ignorant of the truth, Su Zinan had been preoccupied with the opportunity in the immortal palace after defeating Old Man Yanshan and had chosen not to refine the primary soul on the spot. Now that he knew, it was too late; he had brushed past Fire Rhinoceros Island. If he turned back to the Fire Phase Hall now, Mo Xingdao would certainly object, and Zhu Wudao could not wait for them indefinitely. Which was more important, the opportunity for Deity Transformation or the tribulation-crossing formation? That was the question. Moreover, a battle for the Dao was imminent on Dishou Mountain, which would inevitably trigger a chaotic melee—something he had long anticipated. Lacking only one of the three souls, the demonic banner was close to completion. Every great cultivator was scheming and inscrutable. Catching a newly advanced great cultivator like Old Man Yanshan alone had been pure luck, nearly impossible to repeat. Only in the midst of a chaotic fight would there be a chance to fish in troubled waters. Su Zinan only lamented that what the Three Corpses Demise Banner refined was not an incarnation; he could not send it too far from the banner, nor did he have any Dark Moon Guards here at his disposal. Unaware of Su Zinan's thoughts, Mo Xingdao spurred his light into flight toward Dishou Mountain. Su Zinan followed behind, glancing toward Fire Rhinoceros Island from time to time. Outwardly composed, he was weighing the gains and losses in his heart, torn by hesitation. As they flew, a brilliant red light suddenly flared into the sky from the direction of Fire Rhinoceros Island. Su Zinan froze. Mo Xingdao also noticed the anomaly in the distance and wondered aloud, "Where is that now?" "Judging by the direction, it should be the Fire Phase Hall!" Su Zinan replied grimly. "First the Water Phase Hall, now the Fire Phase Hall," Mo Xingdao clicked his tongue. "Do these fellows really need to use such violent methods when hunting for treasures?" The Wuxiang Immortal Sect had been sealed for ten thousand years, remaining unchanged over the ages. The Fire Phase Hall could hardly have collapsed on its own. "First the Water Phase Hall, now the Fire Phase Hall... that route..." Repeating Mo Xingdao's words, a sudden spark of inspiration flashed in Su Zinan's mind. Atop the sheer cliff, a figure suspected to be Fire Demon had appeared. And Fire Demon held the Bingyi Divine Disk and was suspected to be the Fire Phase successor. If he knew of the existence of the tribulation-crossing formation... As various pieces of information converged, a figure immediately came to mind. It seemed new grudges and old scores would have to be settled together! Murderous intent flashed deep in Su Zinan's eyes before fading in an instant. He looked toward Fire Rhinoceros Island, withdrew his gaze, and hesitated no longer, heading straight for Dishou Mountain! *** The divine mountain stood majestic. A myriad of wonders unfolded across its peaks. The Wuxiang Immortal Sect possessed countless wondrous summits, but none could compare to Dishou Mountain. On the northern foothills of Dishou Mountain, a winding stone path coiled upward through the secluded forest, ultimately leading to a cluster of ancient halls halfway up the mountain. Beyond that point, obscured by wondrous light and heavy restrictions, nothing could be seen clearly. A voice arose at the entrance to the stone path. The sound was somewhat ethereal, carrying a hollow quality. "Legend has it that the name 'Dishou'—Bestowed by the Emperor—was given by the founding patriarch of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. He claimed his divine abilities were bestowed by an emperor, though there is no record of which 'Emperor' he meant. Some suspect that the master of the immortal palace was a Heavenly Emperor of the Upper Realm..." Before the voice could finish, it was cut short by a cold laugh. "A Heavenly Emperor? More like a mortal emperor, I'd say. The righteous path hypocrites are best at flattering themselves." The ethereal voice took no offense, merely chuckling softly. "Indeed. Countless cultivators across the generations have explored the immortal palace, yet none could confirm which grandmaster ruled it. A Heavenly Emperor of the Upper Realm is likely just a myth. Senior Brother Fan remains as sharp as ever, striking right at the heart of the matter every time. I recall when we were young and sent out on sect missions; none of my actions could escape Senior Brother Fan's discerning eyes. I was always kept in your shadow, receiving only the second-tier rewards. To think it remains so today." As the voice grew clearer, light and shadow flickered on the very first step of the stone path. A figure transitioned from illusory to solid—it was Zhu Wudao. Pursued by three Daoist experts, he had escaped with his life and bore no visible wounds. Standing on the stone steps, Zhu Wudao looked toward the forest beside the path. The woods were dim, thick with vegetation, without a soul in sight. Yet after Zhu Wudao appeared, the shadow of an ancient tree deepened, outlining a person's silhouette. It was Old Devil Fan, who had arrived alone. He laughed heartily. "Blame only your own carelessness. I happened to notice Junior Brother Lu acting strangely and shadowed him, which was how I caught your tail. Still, I never expected you to conceal yourself so deeply and harbor such grand ambition. The sect owes you a Grand Ceremony of Attaining the Dao!" His tone held mockery and ridicule, alongside a hint of astonishment. Tianhao Tower was hardly harmonious internally, but neither were its members complete strangers. Zhu Wudao was not only a successor of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, but also at the late Nascent Soul stage. He had concealed his cultivation before them, and not a single soul across the entire sect had noticed. Zhu Wudao appeared oblivious to the mockery, merely saying, "I had no choice. If my cultivation were exposed, the lineage of Mount Quyang would be forced into the open to face scrutiny." "Then why did you contact me of your own accord?" Old Devil Fan countered. He had originally been blocked by the wall of clouds and lost Zhu Wudao's trail. To his surprise, just as he reached the foot of the mountain and before he could even begin searching, Zhu Wudao had taken the initiative to invite him to meet. "We are fellow sect brothers; we know each other's roots. That makes you far more trustworthy than Daoist cultivators or those fellows of unknown origin," Zhu Wudao said frankly. "Trustworthy?" Old Devil Fan scoffed, though he did not refute the claim. There might not be much trust between them, but he had to admit they were indeed the most suitable partners. Even so, he would not be duped so easily. Assuming the air of a Grand Elder, Old Devil Fan's eyes shone with intimidating brilliance. "The matter of your Mount Quyang lineage lurking within our sect is an account I will set aside for now. But if you don't want your entire Mount Quyang wiped out, tell me everything you know about the Wuxiang Immortal Sect!" With Old Devil Fan's vicious nature, he was entirely capable of carrying out the threat. Currently, the Sect Master of Tianhao Tower was in seclusion, and Old Devil Kurong held lower status than Old Devil Fan. He truly possessed the authority to mobilize the sect's strength and eradicate Mount Quyang. However, Zhu Wudao showed no fear. Pinching his fingers in calculation, he replied unhurriedly, "Calm yourself, Senior Brother Fan. The appointed time is near. Once those fellow Daoists arrive to meet us, I will naturally explain the opportunity for Deity Transformation clearly. If you do not believe me, you are welcome to ascend the mountain ahead of us—provided you hold any of the Five Phase Tokens." In truth, Zhu Wudao was also deeply puzzled. The agreed time window was generous, more than enough for Cave Master Qiling and Mo Xingdao to arrive. Yet there was still no sign of them. Had some unexpected mishap occurred? Old Devil Fan maintained his distance from Zhu Wudao, remaining hidden in the shadows, his thoughts unknown. As the appointed time approached, the sound of rushing air finally echoed from afar. Then, two streaks of light appeared in the forest, flying at extreme speed and arriving before them in the blink of an eye. "Fellow Daoist Mo! Fellow Daoist Su!" Zhu Wudao's gaze narrowed slightly. He looked deeply at Mo Xingdao, though he was not surprised that Mo Xingdao had brought a helper. "You two have finally arrived; there is no time to lose! Cave Master Qiling shares a deep bond with another Daoist, and they possess the Wood Phase Token. They likely intended to shake us off and have already ascended on their own," Zhu Wudao announced, believing this to be the only possibility. "Oh? When did Elder Fan arrive?" Su Zinan asked in surprise, noticing Old Devil Fan in the shadows. "I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Su to wade into these muddy waters as well," Old Devil Fan said with a hollow smile. With nothing to chat about, the group set off immediately. Unexpectedly, Old Devil Fan deliberately lagged behind to put distance between himself and the others, and he was openly leaving marks of some sort, making no attempt to conceal it from them. The marks were meant for Poison King and Master Huaiyin; Old Devil Fan had partnered with them out of necessity. Since Zhu Wudao's side held superior numbers, Old Devil Fan naturally needed to bring along a few allies to keep them in check. Upon learning where Poison King and Master Huaiyin had gone, Su Zinan exclaimed in astonishment, "Fire Rhinoceros Island?"