First Clash

The hall had no windows on any of its four sides. The astral barrier cast by the Ruyi Pearl was the sole source of illumination, dispelling the gloom and casting shifting shadows across the chamber. Qin Sang maintained a silent guard as he looked around. Seeing that he was alone, he found the situation rather strange. He recalled the sudden upheaval from moments before. He was certain the anomaly had not been triggered by him. A variable had undeniably arisen elsewhere, yet he had no idea why he had been shifted here—and alone, at that. *What did Zhu Wudao do?* Qin Sang's thoughts instinctively went to Zhu Wudao. That man knew the Wuxiang Immortal Sect best. Judging by the time, since he could not wait for Cave Master Qiling, he ought to have reached the mountain by now. Qin Sang shifted his gaze. The hall was vast and barren, devoid of superfluous furnishings. At its very center stood a two-tiered jade dais that resembled some manner of ritual altar. However, there was not the slightest glimmer of spiritual light upon the altar; it appeared long abandoned. He was about to step forward to examine its purpose, but paused after a second thought. With the circumstances unclear, he could not act rashly. He needed first to ascertain what kind of place this was and find a way out. "No doors..." Qin Sang was surprised. The entire hall lacked a single doorway. Restrictions rippled across the stone walls, and one did not need to test them to know they could not be easily shattered. Looking up at the vaulted ceiling, there was no skylight either. A faint tremor vibrated through the floor beneath his feet. The outside of the hall seemed far from peaceful. This deepened his confusion. The path out likely still rested upon the altar. With a flick of his body, Qin Sang closed the distance to the altar. Just as he was about to inspect it closely, a blinding radiance erupted before his eyes—not from the altar itself, but from the far side of it. The brilliant flare illuminated the entire hall, only to vanish in the blink of an eye. Yet the hall was not plunged back into darkness, for another cluster of light flared immediately after. *Swish! Swish!* In the span of a breath, four clusters of light flashed in succession. When the brilliance subsided, four figures materialized out of thin air. Each possessed an overbearing aura no weaker than Qin Sang's. The moment Qin Sang clearly saw their faces, his expression froze, and he inwardly groaned with dismay. That Su Zinan, Mo Xingdao, and Zhu Wudao had joined hands was well within expectations. But when had Old Devil Fan entered, and how had he ended up with them? The newcomers were none other than Zhu Wudao and his three companions. Qin Sang had even had friction with two among them, forging grudges of no small measure. At any other time, those grudges would not have been enough to warrant a fight to the death. But now the other side had superior numbers, and all of them were trapped in this hall with no way to ascend to heaven or burrow into the earth—how could they not harbor malicious intent? Even though Qin Sang would never belittle himself, he dared not face four great cultivators alone. *Where is Old Daoist Zilei?* Qin Sang's thoughts raced as his eyes darted about. Yet after the four appeared, no other light flickered. Could the three great cultivators of the Daoist sects not be on Dishou Mountain after all? At the same time, eight eyes turned in unison to fix upon Qin Sang, each bearer wearing a different expression. "Fire Demon!" Su Zinan blurted out, instantly followed by wild delight. He truly had worn out iron shoes in a fruitless search, only to find the prize without the slightest effort. The moment he set foot on the mountain, such a lavish gift had been delivered right before him! If they cornered and slew Fire Demon here, not only could he seize the supreme treasure for overcoming tribulations, but the third primary soul for his demonic banner would also be secured! Seeing that the hall had no exits, Su Zinan threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Did you ever imagine this day would come?" Qin Sang felt rather puzzled. Back then, his battle with Old Wu had essentially ended in a draw, so why did Su Zinan look as though he harbored such bone-deep hatred toward him? Either Su Zinan had pinned Concubine Yue's death on him, or Su Zinan knew what lay within the Water Element Master's tomb! Old Devil Fan had been sizing Qin Sang up with a half-smile. Hearing Su Zinan's laughter, he remarked in surprise, "Fellow Daoist Su also holds a grudge against this wretch? Heaven has eyes indeed—he who commits many injustices is bound to perish, walking straight into the gates of hell when there was no door!" Murderous intent flared openly in his eyes. A dark glint swirled in the palm of his hand, where nine Yin Demon Spikes were quietly readied. During their clash outside the immortal sect, Old Devil Fan had suffered a hidden loss when three of his Yin Demon Spikes were instantly broken. The memory remained fresh, so this time he prepared all nine at once. Su Zinan had been secretly transmitting his voice, urging the others to make a move. He and Mo Xingdao already had an alliance, but the thoughts of Zhu Wudao and Old Devil Fan were deep and unfathomable. Others might not recognize the Ice Instrument Divine Plate on Qin Sang, but it certainly could not escape Zhu Wudao's discerning eyes. Su Zinan had no desire to see the two devils reap the spoils after a bitter fight. Seeing that he had swayed Old Devil Fan with scarcely any effort, Su Zinan was thrilled. Then he caught Qin Sang's lips curling slightly upward—not only showing not a shred of fear, but bearing a chilling sneer instead. In the next instant, the hand Qin Sang rested against the edge of the altar turned pitch-black. Nine Nether Demonic Fire surged forth without reserve, crashing violently into the altar! "Kill him!" Su Zinan's expression shifted drastically. Black light erupted from his palm, instantly coalescing into a black ruler. Without any superfluous flourishes, the ruler's silhouette shattered the void and smashed straight toward the space between Qin Sang's brows. Old Devil Fan's face darkened, and the nine Yin Demon Spikes shot from his hand. Yet Qin Sang was simply too close to the altar. Swift as their movements were, the demonic fire was swifter still. The moment the four materialized, Qin Sang had already swept the altar with his divine sense. Since the Wuxiang Immortal Sect had constructed this hall, they could not have left no way out; it had to be tied to the altar. With that sweep, he had indeed uncovered the secret: the altar was the crux of the hall's restrictions. What was more, a tremendous force from outside was continuously battering the hall, causing tremors and destabilizing the altar. *Boom!* The demonic fire poured entirely into the altar. Runes flared violently across the stone dais. Struck by the demonic fire, the restrictions fell into instant disarray. This was nothing short of adding frost to snow. Under the pincered assault from within and without, the entire hall hummed and shuddered. The five cultivators within felt the ground beneath them heave violently, and then they saw the altar shatter into pieces, leaving behind a blinding orb of white light in its place. Anticipating this all along, Qin Sang recoiled rapidly. Immediately after, a deafening crash sounded behind his head as a section of stone wall slammed hard against the protective astral barrier of the Ruyi Pearl. Before anyone realized it, the hall had already collapsed. The vaulted ceiling was the first to be torn away, allowing endless clouds and mist to surge in, followed by the four surrounding walls. Finally, the hall's very foundation was shredded by the tremendous force, turning into a torrent of shattered rock that was swept away into the depths of the mist. *Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...* The five within reacted with lightning speed. Before the hall crumbled entirely, they took to the air one after another, escaping unscathed. The only thing disrupted was the offensive launched by Su Zinan and Old Devil Fan, which was thrown off by the shockwaves from the shattered altar, allowing Qin Sang to evade it without the slightest effort. *Whoosh! Whoosh!* Gales howled as clouds churned and mist surged. The five stood atop the clouds, treasure light of various hues shimmering around them. Clearly, all had activated their respective protective treasures to withstand the chaotic currents within the mist. Qin Sang still faced a situation of one against four. During their standoff, all were quietly observing their surroundings. Above and below, mist stretched everywhere, severely restricting their vision. High above, the silhouette of a divine mountain could be faintly discerned. Its peaks rose sheer and steep, far more magnificent than the mountain scenery they had witnessed before. Seeing this, everyone understood: this was the true Dishou Mountain! They had already crossed the threshold, yet they remained within the bounds of the grand array. The violent churning of the mist was the result of the formation falling into severe disorder. Though it took long to describe, with their cultivation bases, taking in the situation took mere moments. Su Zinan and his companions were in no hurry to ascend the mountain, still eyeing Qin Sang like tigers stalking their prey. Zhu Wudao held no personal grudge against Qin Sang. Ever since entering the hall, he had remained on guard against the Daoist sect masters. Gathering allies to accompany him was partly to avoid being cornered here by the Daoist factions. The Daoist sects had entered Dishou Mountain earlier than they had. To their surprise, even now, Daoist Zilei had not appeared. Zhu Wudao felt slightly relieved. Glancing left and right, he looked at Qin Sang with surprise, equally curious as to who this sacred figure might be. "May I ask for your esteemed name, Fellow Daoist? Are you a descendant of the Fire Phase? What a pity that back in the teleportation hall, you were unwilling to forge good karma. Otherwise, this old man might have mediated to dissolve the grievances between you and the others. So long as it is not a feud unto death, I am sure Fellow Daoist Su and Senior Brother Fan would show me a bit of face..." "Why waste words with him! Even without a grudge, it does not hurt to eliminate him and have one fewer rival for the treasures!" Old Devil Fan had just lost another nine Yin Demon Spikes for nothing and was currently burning with heartache; he fully intended to tally every bit of that debt onto Qin Sang's head. Su Zinan said nothing. He suspended the black ruler before him while a fine net slid from his sleeve into his grip. Silently chanting an incantation, he snapped the dragon sinew net wide open into the void. The dragon sinew net could shrink or expand at will—small enough to be as fine as nothingness, or large enough to seal heaven and earth! Capturing Old Man Yanshan's Nascent Soul alive had owed much to this net. The net might not hold Qin Sang indefinitely, but stalling him for even a brief moment was more than enough. Even if Zhu Wudao remained noncommittal, there were still three of them on their side. Su Zinan refused to believe they could not bring Qin Sang down! *Swish!* The dragon sinew net vanished into thin air, and a grid of crisscrossing light emerged within the void. The lines of light intersected, poised to close together. Behind Qin Sang, a pair of exquisite phoenix wings had materialized at some unknown moment. Fixing his sights on the depths of the mist, he fused himself with his sword, transforming into lightning to take flight! A sudden thunderclap erupted on the flat ground. "What astonishing escape speed!" Su Zinan and the others were all taken aback, watching helplessly as that bolt of lightning shot right through a gap in the net. Only after the lightning pierced through did a black lotus bloom at the gap. The demonic qi within its core surged to the heavens, forming a cage, but it caught only empty air, entrapping a mass of cloudy vapor. Old Devil Fan's expression stiffened, followed by mounting fury. Flipping his left palm, he sent the black lotus soaring into the air. The lotus inverted, unleashing endless black light. Wherever the black light fell, lotus after lotus bloomed in succession. In an instant, thousands upon thousands of black lotuses swayed within the sea of mist, turning it into a vast lotus pond. The streak of escape light Qin Sang had transformed into plunged into the lotus pond. An exceptionally chilling aura saturated the surroundings. Above, below, left, and right, he was encircled by black lotuses; no matter how he shifted and turned, he could not break free. *Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* The black lotuses surged forward with frenzy, sharp as blades. Had he been caught in their churning vortex, Qin Sang would have been ground to mincemeat on the spot. At this moment, shielded by his astral barrier and cloaked in demonic fire, Qin Sang's momentum was overwhelming as he obliterated countless black lotuses. Yet Old Devil Fan's aim was merely to delay Qin Sang and force him to divide his focus. Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao moved simultaneously, flanking him from left and right. Just then, a stern shout suddenly rang out from the depths of the cloud sea: "Ten Thousand Illusory Nether Lotuses!" The voice carried a chilling intent of slaughter. At the sound, Zhu Wudao and the others blanched. Immediately after, thunder far more awe-inspiring than Qin Sang's Thunder Escape echoed from deep within the cloud sea. Five thunder pythons charged into view, plunging straight into the lotus pond. In concert with Qin Sang's demonic fire, they swept away every obstacle blocking the path ahead. Behind the thunder pythons, two figures stepped forward atop the clouds—none other than the two Daoist masters of Bajing Abbey. "The two Daoist masters have finally arrived!" Qin Sang nodded toward them from afar. Once he had broken out of the hall, he had stopped worrying about his predicament. His Heavenly Eye divine ability had pierced through the mist, detecting the traces of Daoist Zilei and Daoist Hegao. They had likely entered early, cracking their jade pavilion space and entering the mountain before the anomaly occurred, which was why they had not been teleported into the hall. As for why only the two masters from Bajing Abbey were present while Yue Lingtian was nowhere to be seen, Qin Sang did not know. But with these two here, Zhu Wudao's side would certainly no longer be able to target him. Back in the teleportation hall, Qin Sang had even traded blows with them, yet now he had to rely on them to slip away. Truly, times change and circumstances shift. "It is you." Seeing Qin Sang, Daoist Hegao looked displeased. Qin Sang had attacked them not long ago, so he had no favorable impression of him. "What happened in the teleportation hall was a misunderstanding. I hereby offer my apologies to you two Daoist friends. These thieves of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect deliberately damaged the grand array, harboring no small ambition. This must be thoroughly investigated!" Qin Sang pointed the spearhead directly at Zhu Wudao. His figure flashed repeatedly, coming to a halt not far from the two Daoist masters. Behind him, Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao had been in hot pursuit, but upon seeing this, they were forced to stop, hesitating. Daoist Zilei shifted his gaze toward Old Devil Fan. "Is Fellow Daoist Fan also consorting with the remnants of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect?" Old Devil Fan gave a hollow laugh and recalled his Ten Thousand Illusory Nether Lotuses, turning around to demand an explanation instead. "Old bull-nose, I hear they were able to open the Wuxiang Immortal Sect because you deliberately indulged them?" The anger on his face had already vanished; Qin Sang was no longer in his eyes. "Once we are outside, this poor Daoist will naturally give you all an explanation," Daoist Zilei said calmly. "No, no, no..." Old Devil Fan shook his head repeatedly. "I don't need any explanation. You only need to tell me what kind of change occurred in the Immortal Palace!" Daoist Zilei knitted his brows. Knowing it was impossible to conceal the truth any longer, he sighed inwardly and said, "If I knew the details, there would have been no need for such immense trouble. Once this matter is concluded, this poor Daoist will join hands with Ganlu Zen Monastery to open the Immortal Palace. At that time, your sect and the various sects of the Central Plains will be invited to bear witness." Seeing that they were about to reach an agreement in just a few words, Zhu Wudao sensed that things were going poorly, and his gaze grew increasingly somber. He glanced toward Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao. Ever since the Daoist sect masters appeared, the two of them had lingered on the periphery, looking entirely detached from the matter. Earlier, Mo Xingdao had already coerced him into revealing the Wordless Jade Wall, and now they had used his Metal Phase Token to enter. He had already lost his utility, and the pair's intentions were clear as day. The only good news was that Yue Lingtian was absent. Seeing Daoist Zilei speak so forthrightly, Old Devil Fan found it difficult to remain aggressive. He instinctively glanced at Zhu Wudao, showing a hint of hesitation. Just then, Zhu Wudao's voice reached his ears like a muttered whisper. A flicker of shock and suspicion crossed Old Devil Fan's eyes, and he declared with stern righteousness, "Junior Brother Zhu has openly violated the sect's laws, colluding with remnants of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect in an act of great treason! This elder shall personally take him back to the sect to face discipline..." Before his words finished, Daoist Zilei's silhouette suddenly blurred. Old Devil Fan cried out inwardly in alarm. Beside him, thunder erupted violently. At the spot where Zhu Wudao stood, lightning flared to the heavens, obscuring his figure, immediately followed by the clear cry of a crane as an immortal crane soared into the nine heavens! The two Daoist masters of Bajing Abbey acted in complete accord. Seeing that Old Devil Fan could not be persuaded, they struck without hesitation! At the same time, Qin Sang offered them a salute from afar. Flapping his phoenix wings furiously, he flew toward the mountain without looking back. Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao exchanged a glance. Ignoring Zhu Wudao behind them, they gave chase immediately. "Where do you think you're going!" Old Devil Fan was left alone, cursing endlessly. *** Beneath the sea of clouds. Two figures were concealed in a corner. Sensing the chaotic melee among great cultivators above, they dared not move in the slightest. "So many great cultivators." Sensing the auras within the clouds, the Daoist nun stuck out her tongue, feeling fortunate for her senior brother's decisiveness. The white-robed Daoist stared intently upward. Detecting three auras fleeing into the distance while the others dissolved into a chaotic tangle, he said, "Let us go!" Concealing their auras, the two carefully navigated their way through this region.