This token was precisely the last of the Five Phase Tokens—the Fire Phase Token.
The white-robed Daoist took out the Fire Phase Token and ascended the stone steps.
After walking for a long time, the mountain gate came into view.
It was likewise a tall jade gate, but the characters inscribed upon it read "Attaining Bodhi Anew."
The Daoist nun stared at the characters on the jade gate, puzzled as to why a Buddhist term would be inscribed here.
"Dishou Mountain held supreme status within the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. Initially, it was the founder's bodhimanda, but it later evolved to serve many functions, though even more of it was symbolic. There are myriad methods under heaven, but times change and circumstances shift; heaven and earth are ever in flux. Among all the various dharmas and methods, by the present age, very few cultivators could actually reach the Deity Transformation stage. It is said that these jade gates commemorate the forebears of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect who dared to attempt new methods and forge ahead with vigorous devotion, every one of them having the talent to establish their own sect! By successfully charting new paths and attaining Deity Transformation, they essentially carved out new roads for future generations. Thus, each left behind a flight of mountain steps and a jade gate on Dishou Mountain..."
The white-robed Daoist scrutinized the four characters "Attaining Bodhi Anew."
Without a doubt, the forebear commemorated by this jade gate had cultivated Buddhist Dharma. However, "Bodhi" carried extraordinary meaning in Buddhism, and using it here was surely an exaggeration, perhaps even presumptuous.
Of course, the Wuxiang Immortal Sect cared little for the gossip of outsiders.
"Could this senior have fallen from the Deity Transformation stage, or perhaps switched to cultivating Buddhist Dharma to re-enter Deity Transformation?"
The white-robed Daoist did not delve deeper into the matter. Shifting his attention to the sea of mist behind the jade gate, he gestured for the Daoist nun to draw closer to him and stepped through the gate.
They met with the same experience as Qin Sang.
When the tide of mist surged toward them, the Fire Phase Token flashed with red light, enveloping the pair and guiding them before a jade pavilion.
The entire jade pavilion was fashioned from a single kind of spiritual jade, devoid of any talismans or inscriptions, extraordinarily pristine.
The white-robed Daoist shook the Fire Phase Token in his hand, but the jade pavilion showed no change, its doors remaining tightly shut.
He looked back down at the Fire Phase Token.
Though the token had led them to the pavilion, it showed no further reaction.
The Daoist nun was somewhat surprised. "Is this not the key to open the jade pavilion?"
"When the experts of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect activated the grand formation and sealed themselves inside the mountain, these tokens were forged at that time, divided into the five elements. Since there is no response, it is likely because after ten thousand years, the experts within have long passed away, leaving no one inside to receive us. Still, this has its advantages. With no one controlling the grand formation, it merely operates according to its own intrinsic patterns. Holding the Fire Phase Token, we need not fear being annihilated by the formation, and can gradually work out those patterns." Stroking his beard, the white-robed Daoist pondered as he surveyed the pavilion doors.
Then, gesturing for the Daoist nun to step back thirty feet, he gave his wrist a slight flick, and the Red Fire Sword flew from his hand.
*Whoosh!*
A scarlet sword shadow stabbed straight toward the doors of the jade pavilion.
When the spirit sword struck, there was no sound of impact, yet a red ring of light erupted, hurtling back in an instant. Though it made little noise, the ring contained astonishing force.
His expression turning grave, the white-robed Daoist did not hesitate to hold the Fire Phase Token horizontally before his chest.
*Puff!*
The moment it made contact with the Fire Phase Token, the ring of light silently dispersed.
Seeing this, the white-robed Daoist relaxed slightly. He continued to strike with his sword, thrusting against the jade doors blow after blow.
Watching his movements, the Daoist nun grew increasingly puzzled. She knew her senior brother's strength well; his sword strikes should not be so soft and weightless, nor should the pace of his thrusts be growing slower and slower.
What she failed to see was that as he struck, a strange light gleamed in his eyes, as though he was deducing something.
Before long, the Daoist finally grasped what he sought. Letting out a hearty laugh, he flipped his palm to recall the Red Fire Sword, then slid two fingers together down the blade, imbuing it with power along its entire length.
Everywhere his fingers passed, crimson flames flared intensely, and the sword chimed sharply.
"Go!"
The white-robed Daoist pointed toward a specific spot on the pavilion doors.
In the next instant, the sword Qi arched like a rainbow.
*Boom!*
An unprecedentedly brilliant ring of light suddenly exploded outward. Although it was likewise neutralized by the Fire Phase Token as it reached them, the rest of the shockwave swept deep into the mist tide, churning up a thousand waves.
Moving like lightning, the white-robed Daoist held the Fire Phase Token aloft and pressed it squarely into the center of where the ring of light had erupted. It sank into the door without the slightest hindrance!
*Rumble!*
The jade pavilion shook slightly.
The white-robed Daoist pulled back and retreated swiftly. Looking back at the jade pavilion, he saw a token had appeared on it, gliding on its own up to the lintel of the door.
The Fire Phase Token merged into the pavilion, becoming completely one with it!
With a creak, the tightly shut doors of the jade pavilion parted by a hairline crack.
The two exchanged a look.
The white-robed Daoist pushed the doors open with his sword, finding no resistance at all. With a gentle shove, they swung wide. To their surprise, behind the doors lay pitch-black emptiness.
In a grand formation, a single pull moved the entire body.
The Daoist nun dared not act rashly, watching the white-robed Daoist.
The white-robed Daoist took a step into the pavilion, and she quickly followed. But unexpectedly, he froze in his tracks, his expression shifting abruptly as though sensing something.
Meanwhile, Qin Sang had already entered his jade pavilion.
Just like the white-robed Daoist, he had relied on the protection of the Wood Phase Token to continually probe the shifts within the restrictions on the pavilion doors.
Though he did not know the secrets of Dishou Mountain, by using the Wood Phase Token to sense the shifts of the restrictions, coupled with his own deep knowledge of restrictions and the aid of the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, he had likewise discovered the crux. Opening the doors with the Wood Phase Token, he had entered the jade pavilion even earlier than the pair from Yutai Sect.
However, the scene inside far exceeded his expectations.
Seen from outside, the pavilion was not particularly large.
Yet behind the doors lay no grand hall, but a void of empty space.
Qin Sang had the illusion of drifting in the void; this space seemed boundless. It was dead silent, devoid of any sound or tangible substance.
The only thing he could sense was the entrance—the pavilion doors—which remained fixed in a single position.
Once certain he could return at any moment, Qin Sang began exploring boldly. Using the pavilion doors as a landmark, he flew straight toward the deepest part of the space, sensing the spatial shifts as he dashed forward.
Gradually, an understanding dawned on him.
Without question, this was not a real space, but one generated by the power of the formation. While he appeared to be moving forward, he was actually being invisibly shifted around by the restrictions, which was why he had been unable to reach an exit.
The spirit formation used this method to prevent intruders from penetrating Dishou Mountain.
If there were someone ahead to guide him, finding the way out would be simple. Now, he could only rely on himself to decipher the pattern.
However, as long as he found the crucial nexus, there would be a way to crack it.
For Qin Sang, this was not difficult; it would merely take some time.
...
"The crow flies and the hare runs."
Before a jade gate.
Zhu Wudao, Su Zinan, Mo Xingdao, and Old Devil Fan had arrived here. Looking at the inscription on the jade gate, Su Zinan murmured it softly, baffled by its meaning.
The phrase described the passage of the sun and moon, day and night; why it was used here, he could not fathom.
Old Devil Fan hovered nearby, making his own marks as he observed the conspicuous white jade steps behind the gate leading straight into the sea of mist. He grumbled, "Junior Brother Zhu, behind the gate is clearly an open path. Could you be exaggerating simply to scare us?"
Zhu Wudao replied with a smile, "Without a Five Phase Token, the white jade steps seem real. Only with a token does one realize it is an illusion! If Senior Brother disbelieves me, you are welcome to step inside and try."
Though suspicious, Old Devil Fan was not so easily baited. He snorted, "If that is so, there is no rush to enter. We shall wait until my helpers arrive before entering the mountain together."
Zhu Wudao sighed helplessly. "I have spoken not a single lie. It suffices that Senior Brother guided them to this point. Once you assist me in breaking the formation to shift the peaks and change their positions, the mountain path will naturally reveal itself, and they will quickly catch up. Do not forget, Senior Brother, two groups are already ahead of us, and among them is Old Daoist Purple Thunder!"
A glint flashed deep in Su Zinan's eyes, and he feigned confusion. "Now that we have reached this place, why must Elder Fan remain so secretive? I wonder what masters those two Dao friends might be. If the anomalies at the Fire Phase Palace were caused by them, escaping will hardly be simple. We cannot just wait around here idly."
Seeing how serious Old Devil Fan had been along the way, it did not seem like a fabrication.
Yet his reinforcements still had not shown up.
Su Zinan had probed several times, eager to extract the other party's identity.
"Heheh, once they arrive, Fellow Daoist Su will see for yourself. Rest assured, their cultivation is not inferior to yours or mine. A mere remnant formation cannot trap them."
Old Devil Fan knew Zhu Wudao had assembled many experts.
Among those entering the mountain, besides Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao here, there was also Cave Master Qiling taking another route; counting Zhu Wudao, that was at least five great cultivators.
The Daoist sects also had three great cultivators.
Old Devil Fan felt heavily outnumbered and weak, preferring to bring in Poison King and Master Huaiyin to muddy the waters.
Before the words had finished settling, waves of mist surged on the western slope of Dishou Mountain, accompanied by flickering spiritual light.
Such anomalies were common on Dishou Mountain; Su Zinan, Mo Xingdao, and Old Devil Fan glanced over casually without paying it much mind. Only Zhu Wudao's complexion changed. Pinching his fingers to calculate, he repeatedly muttered, "Not good!"
"What happened?" Su Zinan asked in surprise.
"Someone else has entered the mountain, and they hold a Five Phase Token!" Zhu Wudao said gravely, though none noticed the brief flicker of joy in his eyes.
"The Earth Phase Token is in the hands of the Daoist sects, and Cave Master Qiling's pair holds the Wood Phase Token. The Water and Fire tokens have yet to appear," Su Zinan murmured thoughtfully.
Only he knew that the Water Phase Token was in his own hands!
Sure enough, Zhu Wudao shook his head. "It is not the Water Phase Token! Deducing from the formation's layout, that direction corresponds to the Fire Phase Token!"
His understanding of Dishou Mountain far exceeded the others; even from outside, he could deduce part of the formation's patterns.
"The Fire Phase successor!"
Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao exchanged a glance, both instantly thinking of Fire Demon.
They had long suspected it, and now it was confirmed.
Su Zinan was somewhat unsure whether the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant had been taken by the Fire Phase successor or had fallen into the hands of Old Devil Fan's helpers.
However, he was certain that the Bingyi Divine Disk was in Fire Demon's hands!
"Senior Brother Fan, are you certain you still want to wait?" Zhu Wudao frowned at Old Devil Fan.
Old Devil Fan sneered inwardly, but seeing that Zhu Wudao's expression did not seem feigned, he could not help but waver. Three factions had already entered the mountain, including descendants of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. If they waited any longer, the opportunities might well be snatched away.
Seeing him hesitate, Su Zinan silently cursed the old devil for his indecisiveness, wondering why Zhu Wudao had insisted on dragging him along. Had he known this would happen, he would have ditched them to act alone.
In the end, Old Devil Fan nodded. The four entered in single file, proceeding all the way to the front of a jade pavilion.
The three jade pavilions were identical in outward appearance.
Yet Zhu Wudao's approach was entirely different from Qin Sang's.
Standing directly before the doors of the jade pavilion, he began by probing, but did not allow the Metal Phase Token in his hand to merge with the pavilion. Instead, after feeling it out for a time, he ordered Su Zinan, Mo Xingdao, and Old Devil Fan to attack the pavilion.
With the Metal Phase Token controlled by Zhu Wudao, none of the others could precisely perceive the changes in the pavilion's restrictions, so they could only comply.
Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao took positions to Zhu Wudao's left, while Old Devil Fan stood to his right.
The four unleashed their respective divine abilities.
Under Zhu Wudao's direction, magic treasures and Daoist arts relentlessly bombarded the jade pavilion. Strange lights flashed repeatedly. At first, the pavilion stood rock-firm, but under the uninterrupted assault of four great cultivators, the tremors grew increasingly violent.
The rings of light unleashed by the jade pavilion were all blocked by the Metal Phase Token, allowing them to attack freely without fear of backlash.
However, Su Zinan, Mo Xingdao, and Old Devil Fan were all shrewd figures. Seeing Zhu Wudao blindly urge them to attack the pavilion, they all began to doubt his motives.
"Junior Brother Zhu, it takes all four of us great cultivators merely to shake this jade pavilion. Among the other groups, only the Daoists might have slightly stronger methods; the others will likely be delayed by the pavilions for a long time. In that case, why worry about someone beating us to the prize?"
Old Devil Fan narrowed his eyes, the power of the demonic artifact in his hands dropping sharply.
Zhu Wudao's expression remained unchanged. Raising the Metal Phase Token, he said in a deep voice, "As expected, nothing escapes Senior Brother! Indeed, there is another method: using the Five Phase Tokens to open the pavilion, probing the patterns of the restrictions inside, and slowly finding the correct path. They are certainly all using that method. But we are already behind; following the standard steps will inevitably leave us in their dust. Do as I say and destroy the pavilion. It may seem reckless, but in truth it saves much trouble and allows us to head straight into the mountain!"
Su Zinan frowned. "Fellow Daoist Zhu, Dishou Mountain is the co-master of the five branches and the core of the ancient legacy. Even at the foot of the mountain, one can sense the might of this spirit formation. Are you certain brute force can destroy this jade pavilion?"
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. If I dare to do this, I naturally have certainty. If this were ten thousand years ago, or if someone were controlling this formation, destroying the jade pavilion would be out of the question. But the Wuxiang Immortal Sect has been sealed for ten thousand years and the earth veins have shifted, which provides us an opportunity to exploit. Moreover, the more Five Phase Tokens return to their positions, the more advantageous it is for us. As you can see, the pavilion is already shaking loose." Zhu Wudao spoke with complete confidence.
Just as he said, the jade pavilion was shaking violently.
Seeing this, the others fell silent and increased their strength.
While they were attacking the jade pavilion...
Poison King, Master Huaiyin, and Qin Sang's incarnation all ascended Dishou Mountain one after another.
The incarnation arrived before the jade gate and saw the secret mark left by his true body instructing him to wait in place.
Knowing the spirit formation behind the jade gate was perilous, the incarnation sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing, taking out the lotus platform to examine it. Judging by its dimensions, the Ruyi Pearl would fit into the lotus platform perfectly, without the slightest gap.
Yet whether the two treasures were a set would only be known once he reunited with his true body.
*The Ruyi Pearl is a defensive treasure; if integrated with the lotus platform, will the power of its astral barrier increase?* the incarnation thought to himself. He sent his divine sense into the lotus platform, but sensed no spirituality within; it was likely not a spirit treasure.
Poison King and Master Huaiyin were likewise stopped outside the gate.
"Old Devil Fan told us to wait outside so we can join hands to seize the Deity Transformation opportunity. When did that old devil become so charitable as to share an opportunity with outsiders? Is he putting on an act, or has he run into rivals and wants to redirect disaster toward us?" Finding Old Devil Fan's mark, Poison King sneered repeatedly.
Their agreement with Old Devil Fan carried no binding power whatsoever.
Master Huaiyin gazed into the sea of mist and murmured, "This place must not be entered rashly."
"Very well." Poison King glanced around. Having just collected the fire poison, he was in high spirits and decided to trust Old Devil Fan this once and wait a while.
After a moment's thought, he shook his sleeve, and a black beam of light flew out.
A faint red glow showed through the black light, rather eerie.
Poison King cut his fingertip, forcing out a droplet of blood essence and merging it into the black light, which instantly devoured it completely.
At the same time, Poison King's face turned abruptly pale, as if having paid a heavy price. Possessing an exquisitely beautiful countenance, he now looked rather delicate and pitiful.
The black light squirmed, then abruptly turned toward the mountain, letting out a hiss.
"That person truly went inside!" Poison King said coldly.
Chapter 1647