Fierce winds arose.
Laced with malevolent fiend-qi, the spiritual gale could melt flesh and dissolve bone.
Wherever the wind-fiend swept, the sky dimmed and the earth grew dark. Piercing howls reverberated along the Heavenly Ladder.
The two Daoist masters of Bajing Abbey were the first to sense something amiss. Then, they saw the wind vortex ahead expanding, while specks of light surfaced on both sides of the Heavenly Ladder.
Hazy and hallucinatory with wind and smoke, the faint lights revealed themselves to be wind cages suspended in midair. These cages were not physical objects, but manifestations of talismanic seals carved into the Heavenly Ladder.
Torrents of wild wind poured endlessly from the cages, instantly locking down the Heavenly Ladder. Billowing fiend-winds churned violently, converging toward the center. Hemmed in alongside the swelling vortex, they found themselves surrounded on three sides.
Looking back, two rows of wind cages stretched as far as the eye could see—retreating offered little refuge.
The two masters exchanged a glance and stood their ground. Daoist Hegao gripped the Azure Silk Treasure Umbrella tightly and unfurled its canopied dome in an instant, sheltering them both beneath it before they were swallowed by the wind-fiend.
Behind them, Qin Sang was flying backward in retreat.
The moment the disturbance began, his first instinct was self-preservation. Yet the wind-fiend closed in far too quickly; before he could retreat very far, the wind formation was fully established, forcing him to follow in the two masters' footsteps.
Zhu Wudao and Old Demon Fan, the instigators of it all, were the most at ease.
With the power of the Yin Mystic Wind Pearl nearly exhausted, Old Demon Fan decisively recalled his divine ability. Turning, he saw Zhu Wudao already on his feet, tracing two spirit talismans in midair and flicking one across.
Old Demon Fan caught it and poured true essence inside. The talisman dissolved into motes of light that draped over his body, bringing a refreshing coolness.
Insulated by this faint sheen of light, the pressure from the wind formation plummeted. Old Demon Fan clicked his tongue in praise and urged Zhu Wudao to make haste.
***
Just as the wind formation was triggered...
Inside the Five Elements Divine Restriction.
Amidst the turbulent Nine Lands Metamagnetism, a svelte figure lay flat in the void, drifting aimlessly with the metamagnetic radiance. It was none other than the Daoist nun.
She had stalked the Poison King and Master Huaiyin, but finding no opening to strike, she had been forced to give up.
Her eyes were shut tight. Just as Qin Sang had anticipated, she was treating the injuries of this body.
Her robe had been pierced by celestial thunder, and the tear at her shoulder remained, but the wound beneath was already gone—her skin was smooth and fair as snow, without a trace of charred blackness.
However, the Death Seal on her chest was far more troublesome.
The Death Seal had nearly breached her internal organs, clinging like an ulcer eating into bone. While not lethal and not difficult to suppress, she could sense a bizarre qi within it that maintained a connection with its master.
If she kept the Death Seal, its master would be able to pinpoint her position, stripping away her ability to remain hidden.
The nun made no visible movement, yet the essence blood surrounding the Death Seal gradually thinned and flowed back. The skin beneath the seal sank inward, and like a venomous barb, the Death Seal was drawn out inch by inch.
With every inch extracted, it pulled out thick strands of blood.
*Puff!*
The Death Seal was completely torn from her body and collapsed with a sharp pop.
The nun's wound snapped shut, the flesh knitting together at a visible pace.
Right at that moment, her eyelids twitched. With a faint flutter, her eyes opened, and she vanished into thin air. When she reappeared, she was at the rim of the cloud mist, not far from the "Dishou" archway.
In her sight, the scope affected by the wind formation was not limited to the Heavenly Ladder; fiend-winds swept across the entire southern foot of Dishou Mountain. Though varying in intensity, the Heavenly Ladder was the formation's epicenter.
She stared fixedly at the wind formation, taking in the positions of every cultivator on the mountain:
At the very forefront were Zhu Wudao and Old Demon Fan.
In the middle section of the ladder were the two Daoist masters from Bajing Abbey and Qin Sang.
Su Zinan, who had entered the archway, trailing a step behind Qin Sang.
As well as Mo Xingdao, who was closing in on the archway, and the Poison King, who had just seen Master Huaiyin off, located the core of the sword formation, and was about to enter.
Eight individuals. Every single one was so tantalizing—their pure, abundant essence held a lethal allure for her, making her mouth water.
Yet not one would be easy to handle.
Down the mountain lay blood-food that would be easy to hunt, but she was bound by other restrictions. She could not wander far from Dishou Mountain, and separating from the Five Elements Divine Restriction would drastically diminish her power; she could only wait for blood-food to deliver itself to her door.
Inside the Five Elements Divine Restriction, she was at her strongest, yet even such careful arrangements had ended in failure. Among those who remained, perhaps none were inferior to the monk.
If nothing else, the Poison King's gu insect filled her with deep dread—a fear rooted in this very body.
Furthermore, she had already exposed herself earlier. Those who knew were on guard, while she had failed and gained nothing to boost her strength. As her foes stayed wary and her own momentum waned, the situation grew ever more disadvantageous.
Her gaze shifted, sweeping over Mo Xingdao before parting from the cloud mist as her figure dissolved once more into nothingness.
A portion of the mountain summit's barrier was an outward manifestation of the blended powers of the Five Elements Divine Restriction.
Due to the barrier's unique nature, it did not offer as many lethal measures for her to exploit as the interior of the divine restriction did, but she could still borrow its power—far superior to being outside, allowing her at least to remain concealed.
However, the other formations and restrictions on the mountain were unconnected to the Five Elements Divine Restriction. If she made any move, she could not conceal herself as effectively as within the restriction, making it easy to reveal her tracks and be discovered.
Now, things were different. The wind formation on the Heavenly Ladder had been activated by Zhu Wudao, offering the perfect cover to strike with the tide.
***
"With the wind formation blocking the way, it should delay them for some time—long enough for us to unlock the Wordless Jade Wall."
Zhu Wudao looked back as he walked. Though he could not see clearly, the periodic fluctuations carried by the howling wind were evidence enough.
Old Demon Fan gave an odd laugh. "I truly didn't expect Junior Brother to be so generous, agreeing to help me remove the Wordless Jade Wall and bring it back to the sect."
"My lineage at Quyang Mountain inherited the legacy of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, yet we have recuperated at Tianhao Tower for many years under the sect's protection. How could I not feel the slightest gratitude? I ask only to view the jade wall alongside Senior Brother, and when news of the Immortal Palace arises, I hope the sect will inform me," Zhu Wudao said, sounding utterly righteous.
Hearing Zhu Wudao's high-sounding words, Old Demon Fan gave no sign of how much he actually believed, merely remarking, "It is commendable that you remember the sect's grace in nurturing you. Once I bring this treasure back to our sect, I shall certainly report your merit to Sect Master Yu."
"Then I am indebted to Senior Brother."
Zhu Wudao bowed deeply. He was about to say more when his expression suddenly changed drastically.
At the same time, Old Demon Fan also sensed the anomaly. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he fixed a dark, unblinking glare upon Zhu Wudao.
At this moment, rumbling noises echoed from the depths of the wind-fiend—and not from just one direction. Accompanied by these sounds, the wind formation, which had been functioning smoothly, violently shuddered.
*Boom!*
The wind-fiend howled in fury, its violence multiplying over tenfold in an instant!
Under the astonishing impact of the fiend-wind, the protective talismans on their bodies flickered erratically, whipping violently like robes caught in a hurricane, threatening to shred at any second.
Once the talismans shattered, their predicament would be no different from the others'—would that not mean they had spun a cocoon only to trap themselves?
Old Demon Fan suppressed his fury and demanded coldly, "Junior Brother Zhu, what on earth happened?"
Zhu Wudao said nothing, standing rooted to the spot. His gaze darted back and forth as he spread his divine sense to the utmost, sensing the shifts in the wind formation's qi. With a grave expression, he said, "The wind formation on the Heavenly Ladder might not be isolated. Something else has triggered other formations and restrictions! I fear more than half the restrictions on Dishou Mountain have been activated. While they won't threaten heaven and earth directly, the coalescing backlashes of all these formations converging here are no trivial matter. The wind formation's might will likely..."
His tone was bitter, repeatedly murmuring that he had been too reckless. Turning his head, he met Old Demon Fan's chilly stare. Zhu Wudao paused, then quickly realized: "Senior Brother suspects I did this on purpose?"
A sneer was his only answer.
Old Demon Fan's attitude could not have been clearer.
Zhu Wudao was caught in a bitter plight. "I have already sworn an oath by my inner demon, yet Senior Brother still doubts me... Since entering the mountain, we have never left each other's side. If I did anything, could it have escaped your discerning eyes?"
This was precisely what puzzled Old Demon Fan. Deeply wary of this junior brother, he had watched Zhu Wudao's every move, confident he hadn't missed anything.
He could tell that when Zhu Wudao was fumbling to activate the wind formation earlier, his unfamiliarity was genuine, not an act.
If Zhu Wudao truly knew Dishou Mountain like the back of his hand and could quietly trigger other restrictions right under his nose, why would he have needed to invite him as backup? Zhu Wudao alone would have been able to block all the experts at the mountain base.
Listening to his words and observing his conduct, Old Demon Fan found it hard to press the matter further under the circumstances. He snorted, "Enough talk! Move!"
Zhu Wudao nodded without lingering on the argument. Both pushed themselves to full power, speeding upward.
The fiend-wind's ferocity soared. The protective talismans fluttered precariously and soon broke. Prepared, Zhu Wudao immediately replaced them with new ones. But shielding two people at once proved too much—the talismans shattered faster and faster, clearly outstripping his ability to replace them.
In the end, stripped of their protective talismans, they had only a momentary lapse before discovering that the Heavenly Ladder beneath their feet had vanished. The wind formation had somehow linked with another spiritual array, giving rise to new shifts that teleported them to an unknown location.
Scanning their surroundings through the fiend-wind, the two faintly spotted several elegant thatched cottages, known as the Heart Cottages.
Old Demon Fan had previously learned the general layout of Dishou Mountain from Zhu Wudao. A quick calculation told him that the Heart Cottages were places where cultivators of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect cultivated their state of mind. It was not far from their previous position, showing that the teleportation distance was limited and within an acceptable range.
Right then, Old Demon Fan's nose twitched. He asked in puzzlement, "What is that scent?"
***
...What scent?
Qin Sang smelled the very same aroma.
At this moment, he too had been displaced from the Heavenly Ladder. Unfortunately, with no one to guide him, he had no idea where he was, surrounded only by the pervasive fiend-wind.
*Does this count as innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire?*
Qin Sang gave a bitter inward chuckle. The wind formation was likely not the Daoist nun's doing, but had been triggered by Zhu Wudao, dragging everyone else into the mess. As for whether the nun would fish in troubled waters, that remained to be seen.
With the Jinchen Sword suspended point-down above his head, Qin Sang maintained a vigilant guard. Just as he quietly channeled his Heavenly Eye divine ability to seek a way out, the Fire Jade Centipede unexpectedly stirred with a reaction once again.
Though faint, this time the sensing was clearer than ever before, pointing toward his front left.
Surprisingly, the Fire Jade Centipede's perception was no longer erratic. Although the target moved at a decent speed, it followed a single, consistent direction.
Barring any surprise, it was almost certainly that Daoist nun.
This change was likely because she had left the omnipresent Five Elements Divine Restriction, causing her to lose her teleportation ability.
Realizing this, Qin Sang felt a stir in his heart. This was undeniably a golden opportunity. If he could capture the nun and interrogate her on the methods she used, all his troubles would be resolved, allowing him to roam this place freely.
He hesitated no further and followed the Fire Jade Centipede's guidance, closing in on the nun.
Naturally, he did not make his movements too obvious, occasionally altering course or pausing along the way as if lost in thought.
Though the wind formation was unpredictable, with the nun serving as a beacon, Qin Sang did not need to expend effort deciphering it. Even after intentionally taking many detours, he drew ever closer to her.
And then, he caught the scent.
It was faint, like the fresh scent of herbs and flora, drifting indistinctly on the breeze yet impossible to miss.
For once inhaled, it felt like an ice cube dropping into the lake of the mind, bringing instant clarity and washing away all the exhaustion from his struggles in the Five Elements Divine Restriction.
*A spiritual herb? Or a spirit pill?*
Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly as he sank into thought.
The Fire Jade Centipede's tracking and this abrupt fragrance forced him to wonder: could this be another of the nun's ploys?
Even though Zhu Wudao had triggered the wind formation.
The Wuxiang Immortal Sect had been sealed for ages; any spiritual medicine on the mountain would surely be exceptionally precious. How could he not be suspicious when such an aroma appeared out of nowhere with no prior warning?
Yet the aroma was peculiar. If it truly belonged to an exceedingly precious spirit herb, Qin Sang doubted she would be willing to use it as bait. If lost, the risk was too great; even a great cultivator's net worth might not match its value.
More likely, it was highly valuable yet useless for cultivation, like the Boiling Snow Pill.
Or there was more than one such spirit herb.
Regardless, Qin Sang closed in toward the source of the fragrance.
Soon, Qin Sang confirmed that the source of the fragrance largely aligned with the nun's position. Sure enough, this woman was the one orchestrating it behind the scenes.
He no longer needed to disguise his movements and headed straight for the source of the scent.
Meanwhile, the two Daoist masters, Su Zinan, and the others were also drawn by the fragrance. Even the Poison King, having just stepped out of the sword formation, caught the scent and, after brief contemplation, hurried in that direction.
With the fragrance as a guide, the wind formation's teleportation effects were no longer a hindrance.
Before long, the two Daoist masters were the first to pinpoint the fragrance's source.
Pausing their flight, they saw white mist billowing ahead. Within the mist, a small earthen mound was faintly visible, fronted by a stone wall, before which stood an exquisite stone cottage.
The white mist was contained by an array, yet even from outside, one could feel the intensely overflowing spiritual energy within.
"This place..."
Daoist Hegao's eyes brightened. In sects like theirs, such locations were most likely medicinal gardens used for cultivating spirit herbs—and exceptionally rare ones at that.
Approaching closer, they saw the mist churning over the mound. It was very likely that an impact on the protective array had caused the medicinal fragrance to leak out.
"Senior Brother?"
Daoist Hegao was deeply enticed.
However, breaking the array would take considerable time and might disrupt their primary objective.
Just as he was about to ask Daoist Zilei's opinion, a faint glow lit up the fiend-wind behind them. Moments later, a figure flew up. Looking closely, they saw it was Mo Xingdao.
Daoist Hegao's gaze narrowed. Looking behind Mo Xingdao, there was no one else; Su Zinan was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing the two Daoist masters, Mo Xingdao was also momentarily taken aback. Looking wary, he stopped at a distance and turned his eyes toward the mound.
Ignoring Mo Xingdao, Daoist Zilei let purple light gleam in his eyes as he peered into the depths of the spiritual array.
Daoist Hegao took a step forward and was about to speak when the fiend-wind behind shifted again. Qin Sang's figure flashed by in an instant, darting elsewhere without greeting them, seemingly making a deliberate effort to avoid them.
Qin Sang then began circling the mound, only to find that its area was far larger than expected. It appeared to be an expansive medicine garden, housing who knew how many spiritual herbs.
Chapter 1664