Chapter 1609: Earth Phase Order

Outside Rainbow City, an old monk and a woman arrived from the north.

When they reached the vicinity of Rainbow City, the woman sensed something. Her expression subtly shifted, and she teleported to a nearby mountain peak. With a light tap of her foot, the mountain trembled, rocks tumbled down, and her vital energy vibrated through the void.

"Get out!"

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Several streaks of light immediately shot out from the shadows. Someone was actually hiding in this desolate wilderness.

Among them, two figures, one green and one black, had the strongest auras and fastest speeds, emitting an unusually fierce presence. Simultaneously, a rough, thunderous shout came from within the black streak of light.

"Who dares disturb me..."

The yelling abruptly stopped. The person in the black light seemed to have been choked.

"Saint King!"

A voice of surprise rang out from the green light. It shot up the mountain peak, revealing a figure in green armor who bowed deeply in salute, "Your subordinate greets the Saint King!"

The black light followed closely, revealing a brawny man in a black robe. Seeing the woman's half-smile, the man grew uneasy and quickly followed the green-armored figure in saluting, "Your subordinate was disrespectful; please punish me, Saint King!"

They were all demons. The green-armored man's and the brawny man's clothing and armor were clearly special treasures, capable of effectively concealing their identities, whereas other demons had varying degrees of demonic energy.

The woman was none other than the current Saint King of the Demon Race, the ruler of the East Sea Saint King Palace — the Azure Fox Saint King! The old monk was Huiguang, a Dharma Body Saint of Buddhism, who had already entered Rainbow City earlier.

The Azure Fox Saint King asked, "The human race is holding a Dharma Assembly. What are you doing here?"

"Reporting to the Saint King, we have not seen your return for a long time and were worried about your safety, so we searched all the way from the East Sea to this place. We learned that the human race's Dharma Assembly has a tradition of Dharma Body Saints appearing, so there might be news of you..."

The green-armored man was halfway through his explanation when he was suddenly interrupted by a humph from the Azure Fox Saint King.

"So, after confirming my disappearance and that of the human Dharma Body Saint, you dared to divide the Saint King Palace, didn't you?"

"Your subordinate wouldn't dare!"

The green-armored man and the brawny man were greatly alarmed by her words and vehemently protested their innocence.

The green-armored man, quick-witted, stated repeatedly, "Saint King, please be advised, your subordinate is absolutely loyal to you! It's just that that fellow, Dragon Whale, seeing your absence, secretly colluded with Six-legged, plotting mischief. Your subordinate was forced to seal off the Saint King Palace and flee to this place."

The Azure Fox Saint King merely reprimanded them lightly, without actual punishment, and said, "What major events have occurred during my absence all these years?"

"Two hundred years ago, that scoundrel Dragon Whale began to cause trouble. Several fellow cultivators who had achieved human form were attacked and inexplicably disappeared without a trace. It was likely his doing. A century ago, he even personally led his shrimp soldiers and crab generals to deliberately pass by the Saint King Palace. He should be punished for his great disrespect! One hundred and thirty years ago, the Rank Seven Jade Spirit Bamboo bloomed, and your subordinate has already sealed off that news."

The green-armored man recounted the events of those years one by one.

The Azure Fox Saint King seemed somewhat distracted. As long as the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao persisted, ascension would remain an illusion. There was nothing more important in the mortal world, and other matters hardly stirred any ripples in her.

However, when the green-armored man mentioned a particular event, the Azure Fox Saint King's expression drastically changed. "What did you say? Ferocious beasts?"

The green-armored man was greatly surprised that the Saint King didn't even know about the ferocious beasts. Ferocious beasts roamed the Storm Zone, at least at the Dharma Body level, and there was more than one. A beast would pass through Central Continent every few decades, or even as often as every few years.

The current Storm Zone was infinitely more dangerous than before. At least at the Nascent Soul level, everyone knew about the ferocious beasts. Previously, some Nascent Soul cultivators would even venture beyond the barrier to travel through the Storm Zone, hoping to stumble upon fortunate encounters or discover ancient treasures. Now, hardly anyone dared to go out; encountering a ferocious beast meant certain death without even a proper burial. The only fortunate thing was that the barrier of Central Continent seemed to possess a power that these ferocious beasts feared or disliked, preventing them from approaching. Inside the barrier, it was still very safe.

The Saint King didn't even know about the ferocious beasts. Could she really have been trapped somewhere? The green-armored man thought to himself but refrained from asking about the Saint King's experiences. "Over two hundred years ago, someone first discovered ferocious beasts, and they have appeared repeatedly since then. Their power is terrifying; there have been foolish individuals from both races who tried to spy on them and lost their lives. Their origins are unknown, their nature is wild, and they are completely irrational..."

The woman's expression turned solemn. After a moment of contemplation, she suddenly leaped and flew towards Rainbow City.

The green-armored man and the brawny man exchanged glances. They ordered the other demons to stay behind and await orders, then quickly followed the Saint King. In Rainbow City, human masters gathered, and they had not dared to approach before. Now that the Saint King had returned, there was nothing to fear.

Soon, the Azure Fox Saint King flew above Rainbow City, her gaze sweeping across the city. She then teleported towards a verdant small mountain north of the city. Within the mountain were dense forests and bamboo groves, with a temple faintly visible.

Before they even got close, urgent bells rang out from the mountain, signaling an alarm.

"Who's there!"

Dozens of monks immediately flew out, as if facing a formidable enemy.

At that moment, the voice of Grandmaster Xingji, abbot of Ganlu Zen Temple, came from within the temple: "No disrespect! Junior Brother Xingzhen, please invite these benefactors into the mountain."

"Yes!"

A young-looking monk stepped forward from the crowd, signaled to the disciples to open the formation, and recited a Buddhist chant, "Honorable benefactors, my senior brother invites you!"

The Azure Fox Saint King had no intention of stopping. She charged straight into the temple, causing the monks to frown.

Inside the temple, Grandmaster Xingji, though the abbot, could only stand respectfully below, speaking to the old monk in a low voice. When he saw the Azure Fox Saint King burst in, he immediately fell silent.

The Azure Fox Saint King said bluntly, "Old monk, do you know about the rampage of the ferocious beasts?"

Huiguang Saint nodded, "I just found out."

After a pause, Huiguang Saint said to Grandmaster Xingji and the two demons, "You two may leave for now."

This had been agreed upon by him and the Azure Fox Saint King long ago: the matter of the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao could not be revealed for now, as it would otherwise cause panic in the cultivation world and lead to widespread chaos. For most cultivators, ascension was a distant goal, but at least it was *a* goal. Now, let alone ascension, under the influence of the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao, the inner demon tribulation during breakthroughs would surely be terrifying. It was likely that cultivators wouldn't even be able to pass this stage. With the path to immortality broken, their only hope gone, and eternal life out of reach, what else could they pursue? In despair, it was hard to guarantee they wouldn't do something crazy.

"The rampage of the ferocious beasts occurred *after* the appearance of the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao!"

The Azure Fox Saint King said gravely, "The Gui Ruins are the lair of the ferocious beasts and the location of the Path Marker Gate. These beasts only operate near the Gui Ruins; their sudden scattering must mean there's a change in the Gui Ruins! The source of the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao might be in the Gui Ruins; the ascension of the Immortal Palace was merely a prelude!"

"This poor monk also has this suspicion," Huiguang Saint agreed.

The Azure Fox Saint King was decisive. "If that's the case, the priority is obvious. We must quickly go out to sea and prepare to hunt the ferocious beasts! Over the years, madness has accumulated within us, and the influence of the Demonic Sound of the Heavenly Dao is growing stronger. It will eventually spiral out of control, and I don't want to become completely insane! The goal of hunting these beasts should be to capture them alive. Although their nature is wild, there's a chance we can obtain fragments from their memories to understand what happened in the Gui Ruins. I will now order someone to return to the palace to retrieve the palace protection formation flags. Old monk, you don't need to be distracted by any Dharma Assemblies. After hunting the beasts, I will help you deal with any petty thieves."

Meanwhile, Qin Sang traveled day and night, passing through the Six States of Jiangzuo and arriving in Nanzhou.

Back in Nanzhou, Qin Sang, familiar with the roads, headed straight for Taiyue Sect. As he approached Taiyue Sect, Qin Sang activated his invisibility and concealment techniques, hiding in the shadows and cautiously nearing.

There was nothing unusual along the way. None of the various forces showed signs of deploying troops, as the attention of the Central Continent cultivation world was drawn to the Ullambana Assembly.

Qin Sang's main concern was the Eight Scenery Temple. He hadn't yet discovered the movements of True Immortal Zilei and didn't know how many masters the Eight Scenery Temple had sent this time.

Taiyue Sect's main gate was located in Mount Taiyue, in northern Nanzhou. The scenery here was excellent, unlike the southern region with its widespread poisonous miasma, only slightly inferior to the Six States of Jiangzuo. Most of Nanzhou's sectarian forces were concentrated here. Mount Taiyue had treacherous terrain, abundant spiritual energy, and no poisonous miasma, making it an excellent place for cultivation. The mountain range stretched continuously for tens of thousands of li. Taiyue Sect occupied only a few spiritual peaks, but the entire mountain range was within Taiyue Sect's sphere of influence. Only some sects affiliated with Taiyue Sect were allowed to establish themselves in Mount Taiyue.

Qin Sang infiltrated Mount Taiyue without encountering any resistance. Taiyue Sect seemed unaware that someone was plotting against them. The disciples within the sect were still carefree. Qin Sang encountered several groups of Taiyue Sect disciples, some visiting relatives and friends, others going out for training.

"It seems the Gu God Sect hasn't made its move yet."

Qin Sang quietly appeared on a desolate mountain peak, gazing towards Taiyue Sect. After a moment of thought, he decided not to proceed further, instead opening a cave dwelling on the spot and going into hiding. The emergence of the Formless Immortal Sect would undoubtedly cause a massive stir and couldn't be concealed. Otherwise, the Gu God Sect wouldn't have had to wait for the Ullambana Assembly. From here, he would definitely be able to sense it, but if he got too close, he might be discovered by both sides. The Eight Scenery Temple, the Gu God Sect, and he had no grievances. Given the unclear situation, he didn't want to take sides so early.

After creating a cave dwelling and carefully concealing it, Qin Sang awakened the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to maintain vigilance while he continued to explore the Sun Divine Tree.

Somewhere, this appeared to be a subterranean cave.

The cave was dim. Shadowy figures moved within, each exuding a powerful aura, but gathered together like this, they seemed inconspicuous.

Inside the cave was a jade tablet. The jade tablet emitted a faint glow, its surface rippling like flowing water. The light undulated, revealing a scene of chaos within, indistinct and unclear.

At this moment, two people stood before the jade tablet, intently staring at it, quietly waiting for something. One of them was True Immortal Zilei, the master of the Eight Scenery Temple. The other person was not a Daoist. He wore a dark yellow robe with mountain patterns, appeared to be around forty years old, with a stern face and piercing, tiger-like eyes that commanded respect without needing anger. He was Yue Lingtian, the current sect master of Taiyue Sect!

The leaders of these two major sects were not in Jinyu State at this moment, but were hidden in a small subterranean cave!

A suffocating silence ensued. Yue Lingtian silently calculated the time, then couldn't help but say, "Why is there no news from Hegao yet?"

"No rush." True Immortal Zilei replied calmly, "According to the intelligence we've gathered, breaking the Formless Immortal Sect's grand formation requires the Five-Phase Tokens. The more tokens missing, the greater the difficulty and the higher the cost. Most crucially, the formation-breaking speed will slow down, and the longer it drags on, the more masters will be drawn here. Our junior brother, holding the Earth-Phase Token, has infiltrated the Gu God Sect. Even if the remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect suspect him, they will surely wait until the Formless Immortal Sect is opened before acting."

Yue Lingtian hummed, "I'm worried about some mishap with Qishen at the Dharma Assembly. That old bald monk has profound Buddhist teachings and sees through people's hearts. I fear Junior Brother Qishen's cultivation might be too shallow for him to avoid detection."

"Junior Brother and the others have taken the Cloud Dark Robes; their cultivation is no lower than ours. As long as they are cautious in their words and actions and don't engage in fights, they should not be exposed. Once we enter the Formless Immortal Sect, even if they are exposed, it won't affect the overall situation," True Immortal Zilei evidently had everything planned meticulously, calculating every step.

"It's a pity that Junior Brother Qishen and the others had to go to Jinyu State. We are a bit short-handed here. How confident are you, Daoist Brother, in defeating the remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect?"

Yue Lingtian silently calculated with his fingers, "Since the grand formation is opened with the Five Great Immortal Tokens, excluding Hegao, at least four Grand Cultivators are needed. If the Immortal Tokens are insufficient, even more people will be required. 'A centipede dies but never falls stiff' truly is a wise saying. The Formless Immortal Sect has been destroyed for so many years, yet they can still gather such powerful forces! News from Jinyu State indicates that Su Zinan hasn't appeared there. Also, there's Mo Xingdao, the top rogue cultivator of the Northern Wilds, who is inseparable from Su Zinan. I'm afraid these two have also been drawn over by the Gu God Sect."

True Immortal Zilei calmly stated that it was fine, "Our goal this time is not to eliminate the remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect. That is inherently the duty of both the Buddhist and Daoist sects; we don't need to bear it alone."

Yue Lingtian seemed thoughtful and didn't press further.

Before he finished speaking, the jade tablet suddenly flickered, and a halo of light flowed inward, outlining a vague figure – a female Daoist.

"Greetings, Sect Master Senior Brother! Sect Master Yue!"

The female cultivator was True Immortal Suxia, the Eight Scenery Temple's only female cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage. True Immortal Suxia's voice was also somewhat ethereal as it reached everyone's ears, "Senior Brother Hegao has sent back news. They have already departed and infiltrated Taiyue Sect, secretly setting up formations to seal off Taiyue Sect."

"Is the Formless Immortal Sect truly within our sect's main gate?"

Yue Lingtian had a premonition, but receiving confirmation still greatly astonished him. He repeatedly pressed, "Which peak?"

"It's not clear yet. However, the remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect have already gone to Tenglong Cliff," the female cultivator replied. "Sect Master Senior Brother, you can also depart now."

"Tenglong Cliff!" Yue Lingtian's eyes widened in disbelief, his face showing extreme astonishment. "I've cultivated on Tenglong Cliff for several centuries, and I never felt anything unusual!"

He wasn't the only one. Tenglong Cliff was the cultivation ground for successive sect masters of Taiyue Sect, and the entire sect had been kept in the dark.

True Immortal Zilei's expression remained unchanged. He then asked, "Besides the remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect, who else is there?"

True Immortal Suxia replied, "Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao are both there, and they haven't concealed their identities. However, Su Zinan isn't accompanied by his Nether Moon Guards. From this, we can deduce that the remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect haven't revealed their secrets to him, indicating mutual suspicion and that they are not a unified front, which we can exploit."

This news was not unexpected. True Immortal Zilei was not surprised. He nodded and asked, "Anything else?"

"There's also a Grand Cultivator of unknown origin." True Immortal Suxia paused before continuing, "It is said that this person is also a successor of the Formless Immortal Sect, but doesn't possess any of the Five-Phase Tokens. Senior Brother said that the Gu God Sect has only gathered the Metal and Wood tokens. Including Senior Brother's Earth-Phase Token, that's only three tokens!"

"Water and Fire are still missing!"

True Immortal Zilei suddenly realized, "The Gu God Sect Master has been collecting Five-Element treasures everywhere to refine items to compensate for the missing Five-Phase Tokens... Has Junior Brother not yet discerned his true identity?"

True Immortal Suxia gently shook her head. "Senior Brother is not yet certain. However, in his view, the sheer amount of resources this person can command means he is definitely not a rogue cultivator; he must hold a high position in some sect."