The Bajing Palace Lantern was to Eight Views Abbey what the Tianhao Ancient Mirror was to Tianhao Tower.
However, the lantern held by Daoist Zilei was not the authentic Bajing Palace Lantern, but his Natal Magic Treasure.
The genuine Bajing Palace Lantern served as the bedrock of Eight Views Abbey's mountain-protecting grand array. Should disaster strike, it could directly sever the earth veins, relocating the entire abbey far away to preserve the sect's core strength.
It would withdraw beyond the mortal realm and await a future resurgence.
It was akin to Old Demon Lu's Luye, yet superior in every respect.
Bound by ancestral edicts, Daoist Zilei would never dare take that lantern beyond the mountain gates. If an accident befell it outside, he would become a sinner of Eight Views Abbey.
With that lantern present, Eight Views Abbey possessed a foundation unshakeable for ten thousand generations.
Yet if they truly resorted to that, Eight Views Abbey would have to cast aside external possessions. Centuries of painstaking management would be ruined in a single day as they became an otherworldly hidden sect. Reclaiming such former glory would be exceedingly difficult, and the price agonizing.
As the abbey master of Eight Views Abbey, how could Daoist Zilei allow the sect to decline under his governance?
The imitation possessed all of the original's capabilities and could resonate with the true Bajing Palace Lantern. Every generation of abbey masters chose an imitation as their Natal Magic Treasure—a duty that came with being the abbey master.
Unfortunately, Daoist Zilei's thunder arts had reached the pinnacle of mastery, but his Dao path did not align with the Bajing Palace Lantern. This Natal Magic Treasure had thus become a hindrance instead.
His being stuck before the threshold of Deity Transformation for so many years was not unrelated to his Natal Magic Treasure.
In truth, this problem was not difficult to resolve. Eight Views Abbey had precedents; one simply needed to make a journey to the Sword Tomb.
With various factors compounding, the schemes surrounding the immortal palace had come to pass.
What Daoist Zilei displayed now were two powers of the Bajing Palace Lantern.
The first was called the Shadow-Reflecting Heart Lantern.
The profound lamp shone forth, casting shadows of mental traces.
In this way, it could capture a target's movements, establishing a connection between their qi.
Yet the power of Daoist Zilei's lantern fell short of the one housed in the sect. Against an opponent of comparable cultivation like Zhu Wudao, projecting an imprint unnoticed without alerting the other party was immensely difficult.
At the peak of the precipice, their hasty exchange had failed to produce a reflection.
Only after enduring the battle at the teleportation array and the pursuit through the mountains—two ferocious clashes—did he take advantage of Zhu Wudao's wavering focus to successfully lock onto him.
After entering the mountain, Daoist Zilei had bided his time, using the Shadow-Reflecting Heart Lantern all along to monitor Zhu Wudao's movements and let him lead the way.
Naturally, this connection had its limits; it could not reveal every minute detail.
Upon sensing that Zhu Wudao had lingered in one place for too long, situated in such a peculiar spot as the mountain's hollow interior, Daoist Zilei deduced that Zhu Wudao had found his objective, and struck immediately.
The second power was the Mysterious Crossing Rainbow Bridge.
Utilizing the heart lantern's connection, a rainbow bridge could be cast across the void, allowing Daoist Zilei to cross empty space and arrive directly on the opposite shore.
Unless an exceedingly formidable formation restriction intervened to sever the connection, nothing could stop it. On Dishou Mountain, fiend-winds filled the heavens and chaotic restrictions ran rampant, but neither formed an obstruction.
*Whoosh!*
The rainbow bridge landed straight before Zhu Wudao.
The Tianhao Ancient Mirror was already nowhere to be seen.
In an instant, the rainbow light faded, and Daoist Zilei stepped forth. His gaze was icy as he stared directly at Zhu Wudao.
Unforeseen shifts arose one after another. Firm of resolve though Zhu Wudao was, his heart leaped into his throat.
Old Devil Fan was manageable; he had merely used the Tianhao Ancient Mirror to pinpoint his location and words to perturb his mind, while his true body was likely still outside. But Daoist Zilei had driven straight into the vital core, catching Zhu Wudao completely off guard.
The Bajing Palace Lantern hovered above Daoist Zilei's head. The lantern possessed eight facets, each bearing a wondrous spectacle—true realms of immortal domains, boundlessly majestic and soul-stirring.
Profound light hung like ribbons of silk around Daoist Zilei's body. The surrounding gray mist was dispelled, unable to draw near.
Daoist Zilei's gaze fell upon Zhu Wudao, causing his body to stiffen. Alarm bells rang wildly in his mind, and he immediately signaled a warning to the Demon Son through the divine idol in his sleeve.
Then, Daoist Zilei swept his eyes across the cavernous hollow. Taking in the scene, he was indeed drawn to the seal below.
Old Devil Fan had discerned the relationship between the Five Elements Divine Restriction and the Five Elements Crown; naturally, it could not escape Daoist Zilei's keen eyes. Since the method to command the spirit treasure was hidden within the Five Elements Divine Restriction, why waste any more words on Zhu Wudao?
Daoist Zilei uttered not a word. The thought had barely formed and he was about to strike when a sensation gripped him. Staring straight at Zhu Wudao's sleeve, his gaze became as sharp as a blade. "What are you doing?"
His voice boomed like thunder, a Daoist shout of the Xuan Sect.
Those of weaker cultivation would have had their mental defenses shattered on the spot, terrified into submission.
*Discovered!*
Zhu Wudao's heart jolted violently. He had not anticipated Daoist Zilei's perception to be so sharp. Daring not harbor the slightest wishful thinking, he did not argue, crying out urgently within his mind, "Help me!"
Golden light glared brilliantly.
Golden armor enveloped Zhu Wudao's body. A roar like the wrath of a celestial dragon erupted from his throat, carrying tangible acoustic shockwaves that surged toward Daoist Zilei.
Daoist Zilei's expression darkened. The flame of the Bajing Palace Lantern blazed furiously, not only dispersing every trace of darkness but also drowning out the radiance of the golden armor.
*Whoosh!*
The palace lantern swayed gently, rising high into the air. Casting brilliant light, it spun with mounting speed.
As the palace lantern whirled, the lamplight showed no sign of disarray. Instead, wondrous spectacles manifested from within—the very scenes painted upon the lantern, now cast into reality.
Moreover, the eight illusory scenes were no longer distinctly separated.
Mountains and oceans, heaven and earth.
The vast starry sky, the bustling mortal world.
They were clearly entirely disparate illusions, yet at this moment they seamlessly coalesced without the slightest jarring note, unfolding all around Daoist Zilei.
These scenes were naturally illusory. Wherever the illusions reached, Daoist Zilei's power extended, stirring heaven and earth to a certain degree and bringing them into this domain. Anyone falling within would be brought low before him, subject to his restraint.
Deity Transformation cultivators were an exception; no matter how flawless the illusion, it remained unreal, and Daoist Zilei's boundary was an inherent limitation, incomparable to a true Deity Transformation cultivator's resonance with heaven and man.
Yet to deal with Zhu Wudao, it was more than enough.
As the lantern's illusory scenes unfurled, it was as if a minor world were reflected here.
Zhu Wudao's roar reached it, charging unobstructed into the lantern's illusion, only to be met by layer upon layer of illusory barriers. The roar could not reach Daoist Zilei at all.
Daoist Zilei, on the other hand, paid the roar no mind. Profound brilliance gleamed in his eyes as his hands formed an incantation seal, pressing down toward Zhu Wudao.
In an instant, the various illusions rolled down like a boundless torrent, on the verge of engulfing Zhu Wudao. Furthermore, the qi of the Bajing Palace Lantern had already locked him down in advance.
Even through the golden armor, Zhu Wudao felt an immense sense of constriction, and inwardly cursed his luck.
His reaction exceeded Daoist Zilei's expectations. He made no attempt to break through the qi lock, nor did he flee into the distance to escape the range of the Bajing Palace Lantern. Instead, he shattered the rock beneath his feet and plunged straight downward.
Yet recalling the array nearing completion on the seal's surface, as well as the eerie aura clinging to Zhu Wudao, Daoist Zilei reacted swiftly.
His fingers formed a sword, and a thunder sword flashed forth.
Six Pitches of Arrest and Slaughter!
A net of thunder—also called a net of swords—abruptly congealed around Zhu Wudao. As though the void were shattering, crisscrossing lightning sword qi slashed through, easily shredding the outer golden glow of his armor.
The golden armor dimmed, its bone-chilling sword intent penetrating deep within.
*Clang!*
A ringing sword chime originated from within Zhu Wudao's body.
In an instant, blinding golden radiance burst forth.
This golden radiance had nothing to do with the armor; it was a golden rainbow soaring out from Zhu Wudao's crown, within which lay a sword.
The sword was less than three inches long, yet extraordinarily sharp.
With this strike, not only did sword qi surge to the heavens, but so did the sword intent Zhu Wudao had cultivated to this moment. Anyone with a discerning eye would know at a glance that this was supreme swordsmanship rarely seen in the mortal world.
"Taiyuan Golden Gang Sword Scripture!"
Daoist Zilei's pupils contracted slightly.
The Taiyuan Golden Gang Sword Scripture was the heritage of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect's Metal Phase lineage—unmatched in ferocious rigidity.
The sword cast a golden rainbow whose sheer might even surpassed the Six Pitches of Arrest and Slaughter. It was not that Zhu Wudao's cultivation exceeded Daoist Zilei's, but rather that the Taiyuan Golden Gang Sword concentrated upon a single point, piercing a surface from a single point to carve a path through the lethal net of thunderous swords.
The slight hesitation of the Six Pitches of Arrest and Slaughter gave Zhu Wudao enough time to react. The golden armor expanded wildly, manifesting the phantom of a Golden-Armored Strongman that possessed Zhu Wudao. Forcing his way through the thunder sword's murderous assault, he plunged violently downward.
Meanwhile, the golden rainbow's momentum remained unspent, piercing straight into the sky in a bid to shatter the lantern's illusion.
Unfortunately, his ambition was difficult to realize.
Daoist Zilei snorted coldly. The lantern's illusions curled back and overlapped, suddenly thickening several times over. Though the golden rainbow pierced inside, having already been whittled down by the lethal net of sword thunder, it was ultimately imprisoned by the illusions, completely extinguished as the illusory realm unfurled and rolled back.
*Swish!*
The torrent of illusions poured downward with irresistible momentum.
So exquisite was Daoist Zilei's control that the lantern's illusions inflicted not the slightest shock upon the five-colored seal, unfurling across its surface.
Zhu Wudao offered no resistance and was drawn into the lantern's illusion. But his goal was also accomplished: his feet touched down upon the array, bringing him into close contact with the seal.
Sensing something amiss, Daoist Zilei would naturally not give him any chance to complete the array. The Bajing Palace Lantern manifested above the illusion, its flame like a bright moon hanging down and shining upon Zhu Wudao, pinning him dead in the center of the illusion as terrifying pressure converged from all directions.
Yet Zhu Wudao knew this full well and did not attempt to complete the array directly. Anyone who dared be distracted before Daoist Zilei would be reduced to bones.
Having brought the divine idol down in person, even if the conduit was not fully formed, it could still function to a degree.
The Demon Son had long been waiting. A domineering power surged through the conduit into the divine idol within Zhu Wudao's sleeve. The bloody hue in the idol's eyes deepened, gradually glowing with a bizarre luster, clinging closely to Zhu Wudao.
The next moment, a flush of crimson surged across Zhu Wudao's face. His hair came undone, his black robes whipping loudly, and his aura soared madly.
The spirit sword resonated with its master's will, echoing with a resounding, clarion cry.
*Swish!*
As the spirit sword let out a long cry, a golden rainbow even more dazzling than before pierced straight toward the clouds, clearly targeting Daoist Zilei's true body!
Zhu Wudao snapped his head up. At some point, his eyes had turned into violet pupils, as if harboring a boundless demonic domain within, thoroughly bizarre.
His gaze was like lightning, piercing through layers of illusion to slam into Daoist Zilei's mind like a heavy hammer.
Daoist Zilei's expression altered abruptly. An unprecedented sense of crisis gripped his heart. Those violet pupils were like two sharp swords penetrating his mental defenses, producing the illusion that his mind was about to be dragged into them.
He had no doubt that once his mind was ensnared by those violet pupils, he would sink into utter perdition.
*That is unmistakably a pair of demonic pupils!*
*Is this still an inheritor of the Metal Phase?*
Among the five lineages of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, the Metal Phase lineage consisted of the purest sword cultivators who never dabbled in external paths, maintaining utmost vigilance against the demonic Dao.
Perhaps this was also why the remnants of the Metal Phase lineage chose to hide within Tianhao Tower.
Even if descendants of the Metal Phase were forced to switch to Tianhao Tower's demonic arts to conceal themselves, a legitimate inheritor like Zhu Wudao could never truly switch sects. Why, then, was his attainment in the demonic Dao so profound, seemingly even surpassing his swordsmanship?
Furthermore, to Daoist Zilei's knowledge, Tianhao Tower had no such demonic art of violet pupils!
Just how many secrets was Zhu Wudao hiding?
Fortunately, Daoist Zilei had not pinned his hopes on suppressing Zhu Wudao solely with the Bajing Palace Lantern.
"Purple thunder of the myriad heavens, bestow upon my form!"
The grand voice sounded like a divine decree conferring godhood, shaking the soul of any listener and making them want to prostrate in reverence.
Zhu Wudao froze, ripples appearing in his violet pupils for the first time. Inside the illusion, amid the stars, Daoist Zilei stood upon empty air. Streaks of purple lightning crisscrossed the heavens as the illusion abruptly transformed into a domain of thunder.
Daoist Zilei hovered at the zenith. Boundless purple lightning galloped about without harming him in the slightest, instead gathering actively around him to condense an imperial crown of purple thunder out of thin air atop his head.
The imperial crown slowly descended.
A robe of thunder draped over his body.
Daoist Zilei's majesty was awe-inspiring—he had become the Thunder Sovereign!
...
While they clashed, the Tianhao Ancient Mirror manifested once more on the other side of the mountain's hollow interior.
With Daoist Zilei and Zhu Wudao locked in conflict, Old Devil Fan was only too glad to see it, as it allowed him to fish in troubled waters.
At this moment, Old Devil Fan's true body was also racing toward the summit. Guided by the Tianhao Ancient Mirror, he had no fear of becoming lost in the fiend-winds; the closer he drew, the clearer the scene manifested by the mirror talisman became.
Within the mountain hollow, the mirror surface seemed embedded in the stone wall. Its light was subdued, its fluctuations lowered to a minimum.
Controlling the mirror surface from afar, Old Devil Fan was able to discern the seal's details and made a new discovery.
This took him greatly by surprise.
Where the Five Elements Divine Restriction converged here, it formed an actual seal rather than the spirit pool he had envisioned for nurturing a spirit treasure. What was sealed beneath?
Or could it be...
His thoughts churning, Old Devil Fan dared not be reckless. After observing for a moment, he formed a one-handed seal and abruptly struck his own chest with a heavy backhanded blow.
"Gah!"
Old Devil Fan shuddered, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood that was entirely absorbed by the mirror talisman.
Stained with blood, the Tianhao Ancient Mirror inside the mountain hollow transformed into a blood mirror. Like a crimson disc, it drifted downward, settling upon a meticulously chosen spot to adhere tightly against the surface of the seal.
Then the ancient mirror began to melt, blood-light diffusing outwards. Looking closely, one could see threads of blood extending from the mirror's face and piercing into the five-colored seal, deliberately seeking where the five-colored lights joined.
This was not destroying the seal, but infiltrating it in silence—the most potent capability of the Tianhao Ancient Mirror.
Old Devil Fan did not know what lay beneath the seal, solemnly locked away here by the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. Even after so many years, out of caution, he still chose to probe first through this method.
Because the seal was primarily directed inward against the demon within, and because Zhu Wudao had first shattered the jade pavilion—disrupting the Seven Mansions Divisive Sword Array—and then constructed a conduit with the divine idol to pry open the seal, impacts of varying degrees had occurred. Slipping through the cracks, the Tianhao Ancient Mirror's infiltration proved remarkably effective.
At the summit of Dishou Mountain.
Old Devil Fan had halted at some point, seated cross-legged upon a black lotus—the Ten Thousand Illusory Nether Lotus.
Sitting quietly for a moment, Old Devil Fan suddenly closed his eyes. The nether lotus trembled gently, its petals folding inward layer by layer.
As the petals closed, Old Devil Fan's figure transitioned from substantial to ethereal, ultimately turning into a wisp of mist enveloped inside the closed bud of the Ten Thousand Illusory Nether Lotus.
*Swoosh!*
A black beam shot from the lotus's center, piercing straight into the mirror talisman.
Simultaneously, a speck of dark light emerged at the center of the Tianhao Ancient Mirror within the mountain hollow, clearly resolving into a Ten Thousand Illusory Nether Lotus.
As the Tianhao Ancient Mirror gradually infiltrated deeper, the Ten Thousand Illusory Nether Lotus invaded the seal along with it.
The Ten Thousand Illusory Nether Lotus was Old Devil Fan's Natal Magic Treasure, manifesting his Dao foundation in the Path of Illusory Demons. He was truly a grandmaster of this path, and when paired with the Tianhao Ancient Mirror, it unleashed unimaginable power.
Chapter 1670