Tragic! Lamentable!

The Witch Clan mark burned against the back of his hand. Following the resonance, Qin Sang's true body sped through the mountains, glancing up at the sky from time to time. Although Daoist Zilei had deliberately flown out of Dishou Mountain to put distance between himself and the crowd, the crushing pressure of the heavenly tribulation was still felt clearly throughout Dishou Mountain. *Yin fire...* With the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, Qin Sang could see the spectacle with greater clarity. As the formless yin fire flared to life, the void near the tribulation clouds warped and twisted. Qin Sang even felt the chilling illusion that the fire was about to latch onto him, and he instinctively drew in his aura. He wanted to stay and observe the entire process of Daoist Zilei's tribulation, but he knew this was not the time. Once Daoist Zilei succeeded, fresh complications would inevitably arise. And once the Daoist sect seized full control of the immortal abode, leaving would become vastly more difficult. Through the Heavenly Eye divine ability, Qin Sang could faintly make out the figure standing at the center of the tribulation clouds. Though he could not see Daoist Zilei's expression clearly, he could inexplicably sense an overwhelming confidence radiating from him. Even with the three disasters descending upon his flesh, he still stood proud and upright between heaven and earth. Rather than pinning his hopes on Daoist Zilei failing the tribulation, it was far better to find an escape route first. The boundary was shattered and the wind formation was suppressed, but the baleful winds that engulfed almost the entire mountain had not fully settled. Whirlwinds drifted everywhere, compounded by the ancient wards and restrictions triggered earlier during the storm's impact. Dishou Mountain remained fraught with peril, forcing Qin Sang to take a winding, cautious path. As he pressed forward, the position sensed through the mark grew clearer. Gradually, Qin Sang was surprised to realize that the Deity Transformation remains did not seem to be on the mountain—they were deep inside it. *Rumble...* *Boom!* Accompanied by a deafening roar, Dishou Mountain was rocked by an even more violent tremor, stoking fears that the entire mountain might collapse. Qin Sang paused, his expression solemn. He glanced down at the rock beneath his feet, then found his gaze drawn by the violent aberrations erupting among the clouds and mist. Right now, the severe damage to Dishou Mountain's boundary was merely an outward symptom of the seal's destabilization. As time wore on, the Five Elements Divine Prohibitions at the core of the seal finally triggered a new phenomenon. The earth shook, and the mountains trembled. The five-colored mist surrounding Dishou Mountain gave off a dazzling brilliance, momentarily seeming to echo the tribulation clouds above in an eerie, striking display of beauty. Qin Sang saw no beauty in it at all. Such a spectacle meant the Five Elements Divine Prohibitions had grown unstable, grinding and crashing against one another. If this continued, the resulting fallout would be far more dangerous than the prohibitions themselves. The shifts within the seal would not halt for Qin Sang's sake; on the contrary, they grew fiercer by the breath. *Whoosh!* The multicolored haze surged upward, billowing outward. Everywhere it swept, swaths of architecture were leveled, reducing Dishou Mountain to ruins. *Bang! Bang! Bang!* A barrage of resounding booms rang out as beams of five-colored light shot skyward across multiple locations on Dishou Mountain, piercing straight into the outer sky. Their origin was plainly the mountain's depths, bursting forth from a series of caverns. Qin Sang flickered repeatedly in motion before finally halting beside one of the caves. The cavern was flooded with radiant light. The blinding haze dyed the cave with vibrant colors as it gushed from the interior. Rumbling sounds echoed intermittently from within, leaving no tell of how deep it ran. He could sense that the fluctuations radiated by the light shared the exact same origin as the Five Elements Divine Prohibitions. Qin Sang activated the Heavenly Eye, but even so, he could not see the true scene within. He did, however, make a new discovery: the stone walls were carved with all manner of runes, profound and intricate beyond measure. The mark's sensation indicated that the Deity Transformation remains lay deep within that radiant haze. In times like this, recklessness was the greatest danger. Qin Sang swept his gaze over all the runes as swiftly as possible. After a moment of contemplation, he discerned several clues: these runes formed a specialized restriction designed to channel the power of the Five Elements Divine Prohibitions into the mountain's core, culminating in what appeared to be... A seal! Qin Sang's eyes narrowed slightly. Had that Witch Clan Deity Transformation cultivator been treated as an enemy by the Wuxiang Immortal Sect and sealed inside Dishou Mountain? The reason the mark could be sensed now was that the seal was shaking, revealing a flaw. That Witch Clan Deity Transformation cultivator could not possibly still be alive, but reflecting on his past experiences, the cause of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect's downfall, the sudden upheavals on the mountain, and Daoist Zilei's impromptu tribulation crossing, Qin Sang could not help but ponder the possibilities. After a brief hesitation, he took extra precautions and flashed into the cavern. The moment he entered, resistance met him head-on. Qin Sang immediately activated his protective astral barrier, sending sword qi from the Jinchen Sword slashing forward to clear the path. The cavern was far deeper than anticipated. The deeper he went, the more complex the restrictions on the rock walls became, their patterns growing clearer and confirming his previous assessment. Bearing the mounting pressure, Qin Sang finally reached the bottom of the cavern. Unsurprisingly, he was met with the grand spectacle of the Five Elements Divine Prohibitions converging. The interior of the mountain was hollow. Bathed in the five-colored glow, Qin Sang could see only endless haze, his perception severely curtailed. The Solar Flame Heavenly Fire, the Nine Earths Geomagnetic Divine Light, the Seven Mansions Sector Sword Formation, and two other divine prohibitions he had never encountered all converged here in the mountain's core, together forming the seal. It was impossible to tell how vast the cavern was. It resembled a colossal disk woven of glowing clouds, into which the power of the Five Elements Divine Prohibitions poured, churning incessantly. Qin Sang had not yet penetrated the core of the seal. The five prohibitions had not fully fused; along the outer edges of the colossal disk, they remained distinctly demarcated, though the trend toward fusion was already clear. Witnessing this, Qin Sang marveled inwardly. He could scarcely fathom how the Wuxiang Immortal Sect had seamlessly blended such vastly different forces into a unified whole. He had no desire to investigate further. Sinking his awareness into the mark, he finally locked onto a precise location. The Deity Transformation remains were indeed inside the giant cloud disk, though not at its center. This indicated that the Witch Clan cultivator had not been the primary target of the seal. Qin Sang felt a slight relief. An aberration had clearly developed at the seal's core; had the remains been situated there, he would have had to think twice. Even so, charging into the giant cloud disk was no simple feat. Here, the power of the Five Elements Divine Prohibitions reached its absolute zenith, even stronger than on the surface. Qin Sang fixed his gaze on the region governed by the Metal-attribute divine prohibition and flipped his palm to produce an object—the miniature golden sword he had acquired earlier. After obtaining it, he had recognized that it functioned like a jade slip. He had managed to crack its restrictions, but with the sudden turn of events, he had not had the chance to study it in detail. The golden sword recorded several sword formations. Most were incomplete, yet their origins were clearly extraordinary. That female cultivator had evidently been exceptionally proficient in the sword, studying these formations to refine her own path. Among them, the most vital was none other than the *Seven Mansions Sector Sword Formation*! Acquiring this sword formation had certainly pleased Qin Sang, yet he had not thought it would aid him inside the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. Masterfully comprehending it in such a brief span was impossible, and the range of the Five Elements Divine Prohibitions was restricted, rendering it mostly unusable. At best, it might have smoothed his path down the mountain. Who would have guessed he would need it so soon? Qin Sang immersed his mind into the golden sword, projecting the formation's diagrams into his sea of consciousness. While he could not master it on the spot, simply grasping its basic operating principles would make his coming venture much easier. When the Metal-attribute sector rotated past, Qin Sang leaped forward. The familiar scene rushed back as sword stars enveloped him, yet there were subtle differences. It was as though the Western Seven Mansions expanse from outside had been compressed into a confined space; the sword stars were denser, giving rise to new variables, and the sharp bite of sword intent permeated every inch of the air. His experience breaking the formation outside still applied, but it would have taken considerable effort. Armed with the sword's insights, Qin Sang bypassed that trouble and swiftly untangled the formation's pathways. After traversing the giant cloud disk for an indeterminate time, Qin Sang finally entered the inner layer of the seal. He could sense that the Deity Transformation remains were drifting in tandem with the disk's rotation. Channeling his astral fire shield, he forced his way forward and finally arrived. Before him floated a black stone hut, suspended within the seal. "How strange. The innermost layer is actually protected by a Witch Clan restriction." Qin Sang stretched out a hand to touch the hut's door, surprised. *** Tribulation thunder rolled across the sky. The rumbles reverberated through the entire Wuxiang Immortal Sect. Countless cultivators craned their necks, staring in dread at the center of the tribulation clouds. When the celestial lightning reached its peak and began to wane, its momentum subsiding, realization dawned upon them—the three disasters were coming to an end! "The figure is still there!" "He passed the three disasters so quickly?!" "There's still the heart demon tribulation..." A commotion rippled through the immortal abode. The remnants of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect were gripped by the most conflicted emotions of all. News had arrived from the vanguard: the person undergoing the tribulation was suspected to be Daoist Zilei, the Abbey Dean of Bajing Abbey. If the Daoist sects produced another Deity Transformation cultivator, what would become of them? They had just been immersed in the joy of opening the Wuxiang Immortal Sect's immortal abode, only to be cast straight into the depths of despair upon entering. Even now, there had been no news of their own foremost experts, including Zhu Wudao. On this side, panic spread, while the Daoist faction's morale surged. In a valley between Dishou Mountain and Jinxiang Hall, only the old nun of Moon-Veiling Nunnery and a female lay practitioner were present; the other nuns had already entered Jinxiang Hall. They gazed up at the sky, having held that posture for who knew how long. Not until they saw the tribulation thunder begin to recede did the old nun's expression change slightly. "Liuli has not returned yet?" The laywoman replied heavily, "Junior Sister Liuli went to search for the path to the immortal palace and explore those places; we do not know if she has found it yet. Still, Abbess, there is no need to worry. Junior Sister Liuli joined us halfway, and her Dao foundation differs from ours. She has no ties to the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, so the Daoist sects should have no reason to target her." Saying so, the laywoman glanced toward Jinxiang Hall. "I have already sent Junior Sister Shan to gather the others. Who could have expected Daoist Zilei would dare attempt his breakthrough to Deity Transformation here? If the other factions dare not contest the Daoist sects, we can only grit our teeth and withdraw. I wonder how the junior sisters fared inside Jinxiang Hall, and whether they secured the true legacy of the Jinxiang branch." Such an unexpected turn was beyond anyone's prediction. The old nun nodded. "Let us retreat a bit further and wait for Liuli a little longer." "All right." *** Even as they spoke, the tribulation thunder waned rapidly, and the tribulation clouds began to shrink. A solitary figure could be faintly seen hovering high above—he had indeed successfully passed the three disasters! *Swish!* The purple thunder host transformed back into three bolts of purple lightning, recombining into the imperial crown and returning. Daoist Zilei sat cross-legged in midair, eyes tightly shut. Though his aura was turbulent, it was distinctly more powerful than before. Throughout the descent of the three disasters, he had drawn ever closer to the Heavenly Dao, flashes of inspiration bursting through his mind as his comprehension of the Great Dao deepened. With no time to sort through these insights, Daoist Zilei braced himself to face the final heart demon tribulation. How could he have imagined that as his realm climbed, the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao was waiting for him?! Abruptly, an ear-splitting screech pierced Daoist Zilei's Nascent Soul like a sharp dagger. It sounded as though someone were screaming and shrieking madly beside his ear, accompanied by grotesque murmurs. Yet these were not real sounds; they were a demonic voice flooding his mind, echoing straight within the depths of his heart, dealing a horrific blow to his mind and spirit. Daoist Zilei's mind felt as though it had been struck by a heavy sledgehammer. Caught off guard, he spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot, spraying blood across the sky. The entire crowd was shocked! At this moment, Daoist Zilei suddenly realized something. The path to the immortal palace was severed. The Deity Transformation cultivators had vanished without a trace. So it was... The Demonic Voice... of the Heavenly Dao! Daoist Zilei turned deathly pale, but immediately plummeted into boundless illusions—the heart demon tribulation had arrived! "Ah!" A shrill scream suddenly rang through the high sky. Deep in the mountain, Qin Sang paused in cracking the stone hut's restrictions and looked up. The old nun halted her retreat. Every onlooker was stunned by the roar, staring blankly at the sky. They saw trails of blood, the shredded lightning robes, the fallen imperial crown... And the man vomiting blood! *Boom!* The Bajing Palace Lantern spewed a pillar of fire a hundred rods high. Its wick burned out in an instant, expending all its power—scarcely different from detonating a natal magic treasure. With disheveled hair and beard, covered in blood, Daoist Zilei looked completely mad. Confusion and insanity mingled in his eyes; the seven emotions and six desires flashed in rapid succession, corrupted by the heart demon tribulation and the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao. Yet before sinking completely into oblivion, he forcibly dragged back a sliver of clarity in his eyes. The moment he was struck by the Demonic Voice of the Heavenly Dao, Daoist Zilei understood that he could not survive this tribulation. Yet he could not simply perish in silence. There was no time for self-pity, no time to curse the heavens, and no time to harbor regrets or sorrow. He had to warn his junior brother. He had to warn the juniors of the Daoist sects. Do not blindly attempt a breakthrough and follow in his footsteps! He had not hesitated to destroy his natal magic treasure, using the shock of excruciating pain to buy a fleeting moment, all to stake his life on sending this message out. "Beware the Heavenly Dao..." Daoist Zilei managed to voice the words, only for an invisible force to intercept them. The energy was sickeningly familiar—it was... Buddhist! Daoist Zilei's eyes threatened to tear at the corners in fury! A sigh drifted over. "Fellow Daoist Danyu ascended to the upper realm alongside the Immortal Palace, causing the Heavenly Dao to mutate... This poor monk will give Bajing Abbey an explanation." The speaker was none other than Saint Huiguang. Having just arrived, he remained concealed within the sword slaughter formation, refusing to show himself. His palms were pressed together, his expression sorrowful and his eyes filled with lament. "Guh..." Daoist Zilei struggled to say more, but the Heavenly Dao permitted it not. In his final moments, the last sight Daoist Zilei beheld was his junior brother Hegao flying out from Dishou Mountain, rushing toward him in frantic desperation, lips moving as though crying out: *Senior Brother.* Then, his consciousness was entirely swallowed by darkness. Everyone stared blankly into the heavens. They watched the revered Daoist master, who had commanded lightning and conquered the three disasters, contorted in grotesque postures, fallen into madness—at times screaming, at times laughing hysterically, at times roaring in fury—his aura withering away at terrifying speed. The same thought surfaced in everyone's heart: *How is this possible?!* The Daoist sects were in no way inferior to the Buddhists when it came to tempering the mind, and Bajing Abbey was the last place that would lack secret techniques to refine one's mental state. For the Abbey Dean of Bajing Abbey, the foremost leader of the Daoist sects, to harbor a flawed Dao heart was the height of absurdity! Yet the brutal truth unfolded right before their eyes, leaving no room for disbelief. On this day, a monumental upheaval shook the Southern Barbarian lands: Daoist Zilei perished in the heart demon tribulation! The entire immortal abode fell deathly silent. There was grief, regret, terror, joy, gloating, shared sorrow... Reflecting upon the major events that had unfolded across Zhongzhou over the years, the crowd could only search for answers here. The widespread rumors that something had happened to Zhongzhou's Deity Transformation cultivators were now confirmed. Otherwise, why would Daoist Zilei have rushed so heedlessly to break through without a settled state of mind? Someone let out a long sigh. "Too hasty! Tragic! Lamentable!"