The river surged with roaring waves.
The muddy banks were a sprawling expanse of yellow, crowded with robed monks. Several squadrons of red-armored cavalry galloped past, kicking up splashes of muddy water. Their long whips cracked through the air, sending the monks scattering in panic on either side.
The mounted soldiers arrived before a towering platform. Flanking its base stood two golden bodies: one entirely crimson, astride a fierce tiger; the other bearing a benevolent visage and five eyes across his body. They loosely let the riders pass. The five-eyed Lianmin sat there blankly, his expression wooden.
‘Curse that wretched Minghui!’
Five Eyes had cultivated in the north for many years. What had transpired upon the lake back then felt like a lingering nightmare, keeping him perpetually on edge. Consequently, he had done everything in his power to avoid marching south all these years, keeping his strength entirely intact—a far more comfortable existence than that of Chiluo on the other side. Yet today, a deep irritation consumed him, giving way even to dread.
‘How could this happen? I have to go to the lake again!’
He had no grand ambitions; all he wanted was to enjoy wealth and honor in peace. He was utterly unwilling to engage in perilous ventures where a single misstep meant death. Raising his brow, he looked across at Chiluo, who sat looking utterly at ease. A wave of fury surged within him, and he spat, "Idiot!"
Chiluo drooped his brows and sneered back. "What... has Daoist Five Eyes grown so terrified? This southern expedition promises immense benefits. With the great lord shielding us in front, even if the Xiuwu Star limits slaughter above, dampening Li Zhouwei's pride and seizing immortal artifacts—which of those isn't a lucrative bargain?"
Five Eyes shot him a sideways glance and retorted, "For all your century of cultivation, you’ve cultivated nothing but utter stupidity. How could good fortune across the world ever fall to the likes of us? Do you think that humbling the White Qilin... will earn you advancement in the Buddhist Land? Did that Nuzi Mohe rise through the ranks by dampening someone's pride? And Xuwang, who now sits atop your head—whose pride did he ever humble?"
The contempt in Five Eyes's gaze left Chiluo frowning in silence. The two had been at odds for a long time, yet after several major battles where Five Eyes had stayed clear of the fray with effortless ease, Chiluo was forced to acknowledge the survival instincts of this veteran from the Great Liang dynasty.
‘When cultivating in the Buddhist Land, having backing is what matters most... Without backing, throwing your life away in battle is the height of folly...’
As he pondered with a scowl, a sudden commotion arose. A wild gust swept over the high platform as a man descended upon the wind. Divine radiance shimmered brightly from his armor, and in his grip was a short-handled red axe. The scar across his face writhed as he spoke.
"Dashi Minghui!"
Five Eyes's eyelid twitched. Sure enough, that goddamned Minghui arrived riding the light. His pale face was round and plump, looking every bit the attained, eminent cultivator. The Mohe behind him wore similar attire, though he was older and taller, keeping his brows furrowed in silence.
Minghui returned the courtesy with a smile. "Greetings, General Gongsun..."
The newcomer was none other than Gongsun Bei.
This General Gongsun was relatively cordial and nodded. Minghui, however, remarked, "I hear the General holds a treasure in hand. With the great battle at hand, we must confer on the matter... Lest we act without knowing its depth and end up bungling the affair!"
Gongsun Bei stroked his beard slightly, finding the words reasonable, and nodded. "Very well!"
In an instant, nearly every gaze fell upon Gongsun Bei. Holding the red axe in one hand, the general raised his other hand slightly, and from his palm floated a miniature terrace.
The terrace was pale yellow throughout, as though compacted from earthly stone qi. No larger than a palm, it featured iron railings, an elevated platform, and embellishments of various clouds, crafted with exquisite precision. Looking closer, one could faintly discern two tiny three-pronged halberds planted in the circular platform at its very center, every fine inscription distinctly visible.
Gongsun Bei sighed and said, "This object is none other than the Treasure Terrace of Sunlight and Sundial Division, bestowed by Zhixuan Pavilion and loaned to me for this day's use. It is a spirit treasure of the highest caliber, impervious to water, fire, light, lightning, wind, sand, clouds, and smoke. Once invoked, myriad beams of sunlight fill the heavens while the Sundial Division Terrace sits upon the earth, trapping and slaying the enemy."
"As its spiritual mechanism turns and its marvels are driven to the peak, the short halberds upon the terrace will leap forth, striking down like thunder to crush skulls and shatter the spirit."
Gongsun Bei said solemnly, "I have already tested it. Its consumption of divine power and magic power flows like running water—an ordinary man could never sustain it. But its might is truly terrifying!"
"This..."
Minghui felt his heart pound at the description and inquired, "Are there any taboos or weaknesses?"
Gongsun Bei fell silent for a moment before answering vaguely, "It operates on Xi Qi; it is simply those familiar principles. Fellow Daoist surely lacks the myriad arts of an immortal, so just refrain from using Sui Qi and Lushui..."
Five Eyes watched with mounting unease, unaware that atop the platform, Minghui's thoughts were racing just as furiously.
‘Who knows what Qi Lanyan is planning, making such a massive fuss!’
‘According to the northern orders, a Buddhist cultivator was originally supposed to lead forces through the wilderness to assault Lixia. I already had Senior Brother take up that task... to spare mortals along the way and satisfy the request of the Damu Dharma Realm...’
Minghui had long since made arrangements with Mingxiang: Mingxiang would march south and stir up a commotion in Lixia, ready at any moment to withdraw north, staying far away from whatever unfolded on the lake.
‘According to that lord's expectations, Li Ximing's divine ability can easily handle me. If I rope in these two Lianmin to stall for time, that lord will have to endure the siege of Gongsun Bei and Daixi... While this treasure is exceptionally fierce, he holds a spirit treasure of his own and should be able to hold out...’
‘What's more, several figures should be arriving from the south to assist...’
Having secretly laid his plans, Minghui appeared in high spirits, remarking languidly, "Look at this weather and light—a fine season for war!"
On the other side, the horse-faced Mohe looked hideous, his eyes brooding as he completely ignored him.
"Mohe is in good spirits."
This Zhao general, Gongsun Bei, casually answered Minghui before attending to Daixi's feelings, murmuring, "Dashi has been away from the court for many years, stationed in the south. Several prominent clans have often spoken of you... missing you dearly. They await Dashi's return to the palace, speaking of paying you a visit together."
Daixi had once cultivated within the Grand Zhao imperial palace and was clearly far more familiar with these Zhao aristocratic clans. Having ties with Gongsun Bei, the leader of the Zhao clan faction, he would not spurn the general's courtesy, shaking his head as he said, "The matter of the lake will require the General's efforts."
Minghui turned his head with a faint sneer, while Gongsun Bei said in a deep voice, "No matter. My southern expedition today is undertaken on the revered immortal's command; I have come prepared. Dashi need not worry."
This allowed Daixi to let out a quiet breath of relief, while Minghui felt a cold dread settle in his heart.
‘Qi Lanyan and the noble clans have reached a consensus of interests. What sort of scheme have they prepared now!’
Yet before he could take a single step, the Great Void trembled. A snow-white Dharma Body materialized and descended upon the platform, revealing a stern, middle-aged monk. Followed by a host of Lianmin, he offered a salute.
"Yanbai greets all venerable virtues!"
Minghui's heart seized. He raised his brow to look at him, while Gongsun Bei appeared slightly surprised and asked, "Dashi Yanbai? What brings you here?"
The middle-aged monk pressed his palms together and said flatly, "By order of Mount Dayang, I have come to replace Mingxiang in managing the wilderness campaign. I have already been to Xuanmiao Abbey and reported my duties to Qi Lanyan—he instructed that Dashi Mingxiang need not return to report, but should join in the assault on Lake Wangyue."
"..."
At these words, Minghui went momentarily speechless, while Five Eyes below felt his scalp go completely numb.
‘So now we have Lotus First Incarnation Minghui, Third Incarnation Daixi, Fourth Incarnation Mingxiang, and on top of that, Gongsun Bei of the mid Violet Palace stage... Why did this one have to come too? Curse it all!’
Five Eyes was fraught with boundless dread. Those beneath the Golden Lotus could each stall a Violet Palace cultivator of one divine ability, while Daixi and Minghui were far from ordinary figures. Mingxiang was comparable to a mid Violet Palace cultivator. If it had merely been Buddhist cultivators acting, he might have held some faint hope. But the addition of Gongsun Bei brought a qualitative change; it was no exaggeration to say they possessed the equivalent of three mid Violet Palace combatants! Not to mention that this general held a spirit treasure specifically meant to counter Mingyang!
He did not care whether something befell the White Qilin; what terrified him was that the contingency left by that great lord would require him to be sacrificed!
‘If I truly turn traitor and strike... it won't help the situation much... It would probably just mean throwing my life away for nothing. That man named Qi is truly vile, making a mountain out of a molehill!’
‘Lotus Temple is indeed unreliable, but this is bizarre... Qi Lanyan is a rustic mountain Daoist, untouched by mortal affairs. His previous southern deployments were practically a joke, so where did he get this kind of cunning today? Truly like seeing a ghost!’
While Five Eyes struggled desperately to think of a countermeasure, Minghui put on a look of sudden realization. Yet his heart sank abruptly, even as he smiled and said, "Our force to attack Wangyue was arranged long ago. We are touched by Daoist Qi's concern, yet I fear our flanks may lack sufficient hands!"
Yanbai had little good grace for Daixi, but because of a private agreement between their traditions to spare mortals, he held some goodwill toward Minghui. Still, he did not show it, speaking without the slightest courtesy as he pressed his palms together and said flatly, "It hardly counts as concern. After hearing the report from Dayuan Guangyin Temple, Qi Lanyan stated bluntly that Lotus Temple habitually engages in petty compromises and cannot be entrusted with great tasks. He worried that Daoist Mingxiang was set on self-preservation, paying lip service while acting contrary."
At these words, Minghui's gaze turned dark, and Mingxiang's face hardened as well.
In truth, Qi Lanyan had guessed correctly. The two fellow disciples had indeed planned to fish in troubled waters. Yet having it called out so nakedly was utterly humiliating. Minghui could hardly blame the man before him for being blunt, cursing inwardly instead:
‘Qi Lanyan... Qi Lanyan—that son of a bitch Qi Lanyan!’
No matter how he turned it over in his mind, he could not fathom it. From his higher standing, his suspicions took an entirely different angle:
‘What madness has seized Qi Lanyan? His Zhixuan Pavilion acts on behalf of the mountain... But would the mountain want Li Zhouwei to fall? Impossible! They surely want this lord to advance step by step, attempting to strike for a fruit position—so for you, Qi Lanyan, to suddenly insist on wounding or killing him... how could that align with the mountain's interests!’
Minghui racked his brains, entirely unable to understand.
All cultivators had their motives. Why was Gongsun Bei, an imperial cultivator of Grand Zhao, so enthusiastic about going south? Why had he prepared so meticulously? Because Gongsun Bei cultivated Xi Qi. Emulating how Xi Qi had ruined Mingyang in ancient times would inherently benefit him, and harboring an aspiration toward Buddhism, he had all the more interest in harming Mingyang...
If one or two Eighth or Ninth Incarnation Buddhist cultivators wanted to kill Li Zhouwei, he could entirely understand their desire to seize the karmic mandate. But why was Qi Lanyan joining the fray? One had to remember that Wei Xuanyin had always followed the mountain's decrees, using Mingyang as bait to steer the Buddhists' movements!
‘Something must have changed his mind...’
Beside him, Daixi chuckled with schadenfreude, assuming Minghui's plot to harm him had fallen through. He strolled leisurely with his hands clasped behind his back, tossing out sarcastic remarks from time to time, but Minghui had no inclination to pay him any mind.
Yanbai's arrival to take command in the south had thoroughly upended Minghui's plans. None of the cultivators were blind; the addition of Mingxiang would decisively tip the scales of the battle, making it difficult to hold back no matter how much one tried! Moreover, Mingxiang had no grasp of the underlying intricacies; once the fighting grew fierce, he would never pull his punches!
Mingxiang's inclusion greatly brightened Gongsun Bei's expression. He gave the two fellow disciples an amicable nod and, without further delay, said, "I must ask you all to spearhead the assault. I shall hold the treasure within the Great Void and ensure we seize the upper hand in a single blow to suppress this fiend!"
Mingxiang cupped his hands in assent, taking the lead as he rose upon the wind, a surge of eager anticipation rising within him. Minghui felt an agonizing headache, his heart gripped by mounting terror:
‘What's more... once Yanbai finishes with Lixia, or if he is driven back in the south, he is very likely to come reinforce the lake...’
* * *
*Dong, dong, dong...*
The resonant pounding of war drums echoed over the river waters, accompanied by countless battle cries soaring to the skies. A man in black stood upon the riverbank, gazing from afar at the mountain-sized Dharma Body shifting indistinctly within the misty clouds.
Vibrant, shimmering brilliance poured down through the white vapor, making the shouting below seem all the more insignificant. Soon, a colossal form extended its limbs from the mist, revealing a holy, radiant golden head whose wide mouth droned:
"Mingxiang of Lotus Temple greets the Benefactor!"
This utterance brought a cascade of light from the heavens, hues overlapping one another. The man in black wore a solemn expression, standing with hands clasped behind him, the killing intent in his eyes deepening.
*Rumble!*
Two golden palms descending from the heavens were bound fast by flourishing, thread-like beams of Mingyang light. Li Zhouwei extended his hand, and amidst the rolling surge of purple flames, he drew forth a halberd!
In a mere instant, an alms bowl materialized, that familiar purplish-black radiance blooming once more as karmic fire billowed forth. Li Zhouwei watched with cold eyes.
"Daixi..."
Daixi met his gaze directly and flinched back instinctively, only to recover a moment later. Flying into a rage, he brightened his divine ability further and barked out a curse!
"Beast! You still dare resist!"
A massive parasol of cyan and yellow spun open behind Li Zhouwei's back. The radiance of the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges held off every wisp of karmic fire. With a flick of his halberd, he spun sharply, and with a resounding clang, deflected a golden sword emerging from the Great Void.
*Boom!*
Mingxiang's golden weapon had gathered power for long; colliding with him, it managed to hold its ground for the moment. As rolling purple flames spread out, golden bodies materialized on Li Zhouwei's left and right. One rode a red tiger, while the other bore five eyes upon his body, both grotesque and terrifying. One caught hold of his long halberd while the other wielded his divine marvel to lock the butt of the weapon.
Feeling the dragging resistance transmitted through the halberd shaft, Li Zhouwei knew both were under the Golden Lotus!
High above, the sky was violently torn open. Minghui, having gathered his strength for long, emerged with a mirror held high above his head. A thick pillar of multicolored brilliance poured downward, aimed squarely between his brows!
Li Zhouwei showed not the slightest panic. His large hand gripping the halberd exerted immense force, golden patterns rippling across his arms and causing the faces of the two Lianmin beside him to change drastically. Yet his gaze pierced through the billowing dust and smoke, stabbing straight into Minghui's eyes.
That single glance startled Minghui into a cold sweat, yet a ferocious grin surfaced upon his face.
Before he could voice any vicious taunts, however, and before Daixi's shout of "Beast! You still dare resist!" could even fade from the sky, a rumbling soundwave transmitted by divine ability followed right behind, carrying the thread of the sentence through the Great Void with sinister venom:
"Today all cultivators have gathered; how could you be allowed to act so wildly!"
It was none other than the Five-Eyed Lianmin!
This utterance of divine power filled Minghui with immense delight, though he found it rather bizarre in his heart. Rolling profound tones boomed from his mouth as he let out a harsh laugh: "Indeed! Both immortal and Buddhist have arrived; you will surely perish upon the lake today!"
At these words, Five Eyes quietly swallowed his saliva. In the Great Void, Gongsun Bei wore an unsightly scowl. He looked left at Daixi, right at Five Eyes, and then up at Minghui, hesitating to speak with his brows tightly furrowed.
‘These fellows are far too arrogant... Not a single one of them is reliable! There was truly no need to utter such a line.’
*Boom!*
A brilliant radiance flared abruptly within the Great Void. Dasheng swept across, knocking Five Eyes away first, then swept diagonally upward to block the descending rainbow light!
Enduring this Buddhist light—vast in momentum yet utterly dispersed—with cold eyes, he calmly averted his gaze from Minghui. The Immortal Mirror had already swept roughly through the Great Void, uncovering Gongsun Bei waiting in ambush!
‘Jinyu's warning was not unfounded... What a grand lineup.’
Chapter 1030