Shockwaves

Baixiang Valley had fallen to Tuoba Chongyuan over half a year ago, and the surrounding regions, including Mount Qunyuan and Mount Nu, had been looted clean. Vast stretches of land had turned into a demonic realm ravaged by demonic cultivators. Tang Shedu was by no means incompetent. With Tuoba Chongyuan dead, he had received orders to strike into the mountains midway, cleaving the demon territory in two and charging straight into Baixiang Valley. In less than four hours, he had fought his way back to this ground. The Long Sky Halberd was already renowned, and though he had not taken action for years, sweeping through in a single surge like this, he slew more than ten demonic cultivators in succession. Wherever his halberd struck, life and cultivation were extinguished, and not even a shred of a soul could escape. Clad in gleaming white armor dripping with gory demonic blood, he halted here to stand guard. Planting the long halberd into the ground, he truly looked imposing and exceptionally pleased with himself. "Where is Li Xizhi...?" Tang Shedu glanced at the jade slip twice and asked casually, "The appointed deadline was within three days, yet why haven't I seen any sign of him?" Tang Shedu had only just fought his way into Baixiang Valley, and it was already the final day of the three-day limit. This timeline had been strained from the start; Tang Shedu did not even need to think to know it was certainly the work of Chi Liangzhe and the others from the Chi family. He was somewhat wary of Li Xuanfeng, and though he no longer deliberately targeted the Li family, he was not about to show mercy or grant them favors either. Since Chi Liangzhe had handed him this leverage, Tang Shedu naturally had his own way of dealing with it: "If he hasn't arrived yet, make a note of it and send it to the main hall." He was not about to foolishly play the villain himself; he would let the Chi and Li families resent each other instead. He asked twice carefully, and the subordinate below replied, "The Daoist fought his way here an hour ago and will pay his respects to you immediately, Sir." Tang Shedu was momentarily taken aback. Looking down, he saw a white-clothed man approaching. Refined and composed, the man wore an azure-blue fan at his waist and a sword at his side. His complexion was slightly pale, but he spoke calmly, his tone slightly cold yet polite and flawless: "Greetings, Senior." Inwardly, Li Xizhi thought: *For now, wait... This man is difficult to deal with, and I must not bungle matters... But he might deduce something; I must also beware of him striking first!* This was his first time meeting Tang Shedu. Li Yuanjiao had died beneath this man's halberd—a debt engraved deeply in Li Xizhi's heart. Though he had never revealed it, his intent to kill Tang Shedu was by no means small. The two remained wary of one another. Though neither showed any change on their faces nor exchanged further words, their minds were simultaneously calculating each other's thoughts. Tang Shedu looked complacently at the demonic cultivators fleeing in all directions before him. Lifting his gaze, however, he noticed that the entire southern sky was filled with fiery-red clouds, stirring doubt in his heart. Tang Shedu cast a glance at Li Xizhi, yet chose not to ask him, turning instead to another subordinate at his side: "What is the situation to the south?" The subordinate replied in a low voice, "Reporting to Sir, it is the Purple Mansion Real Person of Mount Kuijun, who has achieved the Mu Fire divine ability." "A cultivator broke through to Purple Mansion and became a Real Person?" "Precisely!" Tang Shedu froze, his back rigid. After a daze of two breaths, his voice trembled slightly: "Bai Yuanjian?! How could it be so fast! How could it be so fast!" "Oh?" Li Xizhi's cold voice struck his heart. Tang Shedu slowly turned around to meet those calm eyes, his heart seized with shock. Tang Shedu's face darkened. Li Xizhi merely watched him from behind, concealing his emotions well, though a tempest raged in secret. Tang Shedu did not need to turn back, nor did he need to use his spiritual sense; he could easily imagine Li Xizhi's expression. Hatred festered in Tang Shedu's heart: *That's right... he is Li Yuanjiao's son, Li Xizhi! And Li Xuanfeng killed that vicious man... they have all but cut off my path of survival!* Years ago, Tang Shedu had fought a bitter battle against Bai Yuanjian, even hurling taunts at him and ruthlessly slaughtering the disciples of Tujun Gate. That youth's icy gaze surfaced in his memory once more, sending a chill through his spine. Tang Shedu had long known the secret of Qingsong Temple's Mirage Mirror realm. He had thought that figures like Bai Yuanjian, formidable as they might seem at the time, were ultimately doomed to die inside, which was why he had dared to offend him to the death. Who could have imagined that with a host of Purple Mansion masters watching closely in the Great Void, they would still let him slip away! It was the height of absurdity! Tang Shedu did not know what schemes Qingchi Sect harbored or what backing Bai Yuanjian possessed; he only understood that he had now become a sacrificial pawn. A biting cold seeped into his heart, rendering him speechless. *I must find a Purple Mansion backer, or else who knows which day I'll open my eyes only to find the Mu Fire already burning against my chest!* *How should I conduct myself? How can I conduct myself?* Tang Shedu slowly calmed down, and a plan soon formed in his mind. *** Mount Kuijun had been the dao ground of Tujun Gate many years ago. The mountain was strewn with cold iron and cold stone, riddled with frigid yin places. The terrain was treacherous, bordering the various Wu states between Wu and Yue to the south, thoroughly remote and secluded. It was close to the demon territory of the Southern Border; further south lay numerous demonic abbeys and Wu states of various sizes, all paying tribute to the demon race, with great demons constantly coming and going—practically a grazing pasture for demons. Now, a hazy red mist rose through the mountain range, drifting in dim, smoldering light, flowing between the peaks. The cold stones and cold iron had long since transformed, taking on a scorching, fiery-red hue that brought forth a shower of fiery sparks. Looked at from afar, the entire range was shrouded in dim, hazy firelight. Bai Yuanjian, dressed in white, looked toward the assembled cultivators and said in a clear voice, "Bai Yuanjian greets you all!" "I am here to rebuild Tujun. When the demonic calamity swept across the land in the past, the people of Tujun were displaced, each fleeing for their lives, their whereabouts unknown today. If you encounter any people of Tujun or disciples of our Tujun lineage anywhere, please guide them to our mountain gate. I shall surely reward you handsomely." As soon as his words fell, the cultivators were seized with astonished dread. They fell to their knees in unison, crying out toward the heavens in utter terror: "The cultivators of the Wu states congratulate the Real Person!" "The Real Person shames us! The Real Person shames us! We dare not accept such an address!" This Real Person was naturally Bai Yuanjian. Though he had weathered many trials and suffered the calamity of sect extermination when young, his youthful demeanor remained strong; whenever he met other cultivators, regardless of their cultivation, he habitually addressed them as fellow Daoists. Back during Foundation Establishment, it was still tolerable—Qi Refinement cultivators merely felt somewhat overwhelmed upon hearing it. But now that he had become a Real Person, how could any cultivator dare let him address them as peers? Their hearts were filled with nothing but fear. The crowd assented with meek deference. Bai Yuanjian nodded and turned to descend back into the mountain, leaving the cultivators staring in slight bewilderment. Who could have anticipated that he would accept no tribute, make no mention of consolidating the sects, and merely raise an unusual request before departing just like that? The cultivators wished to pledge allegiance, yet dared not step into the red mist. Exchanging glances, they finally dispersed like the wind. Mount Kuijun was located at the junction of Wu and Yue. Northward lay Tongmo Commandery of the Yuyang Chen clan, and crossing this commandery brought one to the southern foothills of Mount Xiaoli, merely ten thousand li from Lake Wangyue. Wind gathered and swirled before the mountain, coalescing into a white-robed man. At his side, two flames—one grayish-red and the other hazy—burned fiercely, interweaving into gusts of scorching wind. Halting before the mountain, he called out in a resonant voice: "I am Changxiao. I request Daoist Bai Yuan to show himself for a meeting!" Before his voice could fade, another figure manifested before the mountain. It was a woman clad in an antique Daoist robe, cradling an umbrella in her arms. She swept a cold glance over Real Person Changxiao and said softly...