Chapter 1611: Abandoned Piece

As they were speaking, the Heaven-Veiling Profound Array covered Soaring Dragon Cliff, and the black canopy expanded outwards.

Su Zinan and the others sensed it, fell silent, and looked up at the sky, intently observing the array's changes. With their keen eyesight, they could naturally see that the Heaven-Veiling Profound Array was not merely for sealing Taiyue Sect; it could also damage Taiyue Sect's mountain-protecting array. From the outside, the Heaven-Veiling Profound Array seemed to penetrate everywhere, embedding itself within Taiyue Sect's mountain-protecting array. The two spiritual arrays almost overlapped, with the black canopy clearly spreading within the mountain-protecting array. Two completely different arrays, which should have been incompatible, were now perfectly merged, indistinguishable from each other. Some crucial nodes of Taiyue Sect's mountain-protecting array were either invaded, obscured, or destroyed by the Heaven-Veiling Profound Array, greatly diminishing its power. This showed just how intricate the Heaven-Veiling Profound Array was.

As a successor of a Transcendent God, Su Zinan's knowledge was second to none among those present. Because of this, he understood even more clearly how difficult it was to achieve this. A strange glint flashed in his eyes. He secretly used his supernatural abilities, attempting to mentally deduce the array's next transformation, but even with the initial clues, it proved quite challenging. Looking at the white-haired elder in surprise, Su Zinan's estimation of him rose another notch. The white-haired elder had presumably been plotting against Taiyue Sect for a long time, as he knew its mountain-protecting array like the back of his hand. Even for a master of arrays, achieving this level would require immense effort, almost bordering on impossible. Furthermore, sealing Taiyue Sect was just the initial preparatory phase, not even the first step. They had yet to see any sign of the Formless Immortal Sect.

A single person, or even a major power, could not achieve this, unless they had been plotting for a very long time, meticulously working through generations to gradually achieve their plan. This was indeed something only descendants of the Formless Immortal Sect would do.

"By my foster father's standards, fellow Daoist, your mastery of array formations has reached a profound level. I am truly impressed!" Su Zinan was always refined in public, never using his identity as a Transcendent God's successor to oppress others. He admitted his mistakes and readily praised experts. No one could discern his brutal true nature.

"I never imagined that besides Sect Master Yu and Elder Fan, Heavenly Radiance Tower harbored yet another master. The Qu Yang Mountain lineage of Heavenly Radiance Tower isn't well-known externally, and for you to hide within it is truly a waste of your talent, fellow Daoist. In my opinion, your abilities are enough to replace either of those two. Had I not previously interacted with Sect Master Yu and Elder Fan alongside my foster father, I would have thought one of them was impersonating you to amuse me."

The white-haired elder's subordinates all wore long robes to conceal their identities, but their true affiliation was revealed as soon as they engaged Taiyue Sect. Su Zinan and the others, with their keen eyesight, finally saw through his origins. The grotesque-faced man clearly knew the white-haired elder's identity long ago, but others were surprised, never expecting him to be such a significant figure from the foremost Demonic Sect. The white-haired elder controlled the Heaven-Veiling Profound Array with ease, even having the presence of mind to respond, "Fellow Daoist Su, you flatter me. Sect Master Yu and Elder Fan's demonic cultivation has reached profound levels, and their ascension to Transcendent God is imminent. As for this old man, I can only meticulously plot to unearth the former site of the Formless Immortal Sect in search of opportunities. The difference in our standings is clear at a glance." His words also implicitly indicated that he was not aligned with Sect Master Yu and Elder Fan. The others understood.

Heavenly Radiance Tower was not a monolith. Demonic cultivators were unpredictable, and internal conflicts within their ranks were greater than in other sects. If this person had been in collusion with Yu and Fan, Heavenly Radiance Tower, with one more ally, could have opened the Formless Immortal Sect without such elaborate preparations. Not only Daoist and Buddhist factions targeted the Formless Immortal Sect; the Demonic Sect also gained considerable benefits from it in the past. Heavenly Radiance Tower showed no mercy when encountering remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect. Preventing the resurgence of the Formless Immortal Sect seemed to be a consensus among the major sects of the Central Plains; otherwise, all traces of the Formless Immortal Sect would not have been erased so thoroughly. It turned out that remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect had infiltrated Heavenly Radiance Tower and formed their own lineage. The adage "the most dangerous place is the safest" truly held true.

While the others conversed, the man with the sword on his back remained silent. He cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "To my knowledge, the lineage master of Qu Yang Mountain should only be at the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Observing your supernatural abilities, fellow Daoist, this is clearly not a recent breakthrough. Have you been hiding in the background all this time?"

"This old man is indeed Zhu Wudao, the lineage master of Qu Yang Mountain," the white-haired elder nodded.

The man with the sword was surprised. "You've been hidden from Yu and Fan for so long?"

"My late master passed down a few minor tricks, nothing worth mentioning," Zhu Wudao said calmly, offering no further explanation.

A moment later, Zhu Wudao withdrew his hand, letting the spiritual array evolve on its own. He sensed the outside, then let out a long breath. "Fellow Daoist Mo and the others are acting personally, so there should be no worries! The overall situation is set; it's time for us to begin." Pausing, Zhu Wudao remembered something and looked at the grotesque-faced man. "Where is the Poison King now?"

The grotesque-faced man counted on his fingers. "The Cave Master and I set up a diversionary array outside. Barring any surprises, he should now have been lured into the heart of Manzhou."

"That's good. The Poison King alone can't cause much trouble!" Zhu Wudao nodded. "As long as the Poison King is diverted for a while, even if the Formless Immortal Sect emerges and draws him back, by the time the news reaches Jinyu Province, it will be too late. We have plenty of time."

As they conversed, cries of battle already shook the heavens outside Soaring Dragon Cliff.

'Thump!''Thump!''Thump!'

Drumbeats suddenly resounded within Taiyue Sect. Each drumbeat was more urgent than the last. This was no ordinary drum; it seemed to originate from the earth, commanding all mountains to move in unison. The drumbeats were deep and not sharp, yet those who heard them clearly felt the urgency they conveyed, their minds vibrating, creating a sense of suffocation. With each drumbeat, everyone in Taiyue Sect, high and low, was gripped by panic.

This was the Taiyue Sacrificial Drum, built atop the main peak, personally constructed by Taiyue Sect's founding patriarch. While not a supreme treasure, it held immense significance for the sect. The Taiyue Sacrificial Drum was only sounded in Taiyue Sect's most critical moments. Since Taiyue Sect became the overlord of Nanzhou, the drum had not been heard for countless years within the sect. Upon entering the sect, Taiyue Sect disciples were told about the Taiyue Drum, but they had never heard its sound. As soon as the Sacrificial Drum sounded, everyone in Taiyue Sect, regardless of cultivation level or reason, immediately gathered towards the main peak.

Adding insult to injury, night fell without warning. From the depths of the darkness, it seemed as if a hundred ghosts were roaming at night, terrifying Taiyue Sect disciples even more. Everyone knew something had happened to the sect, but they never expected the change to begin from within. Had the formidable mountain-protecting array become mere decoration? All at once, Taiyue Sect descended into chaos, with streaks of light appearing from all directions, rushing towards the main peak. Little did they know, these individuals had become even more conspicuous targets.

Low-level Taiyue Sect disciples were utterly defenseless against the invaders. Massacres unfolded, streaks of light extinguished one after another, with only occasional short screams. Most died silently, like the gate guards. The invaders massacred low-level disciples but, finding it insufficient, unanimously turned their attention to Taiyue Sect's main peak. Taiyue Sect's experts reacted swiftly; most had already gathered on the main peak and activated their array. At this moment, the Heaven-Veiling Profound Array also covered Taiyue Sect's main peak, but the darkness could not engulf it; profound yellow light shimmered there. The Heaven-Veiling Profound Array could only damage the mountain-protecting array; Taiyue Sect's main peak had its own independent grand array. However, the Heaven-Veiling Profound Array's sealing power was impartial. The main peak's grand array was also surrounded by darkness, its yellow light appearing thin and dim. The phenomena here could not be seen from the outside, let alone transmit messages.

"Where are you going, Old Ghost Chi!"

Suddenly, two streaks of light, one red and one white, appeared in the darkness. The white light was ahead, the red radiance behind. The red radiance belonged to the Crying Spirit Cave Master. His previous search had yielded little, and he had assumed all Taiyue Sect experts had fled into the main peak, but unexpectedly found a furtive figure. Even better, this person held a grudge against him! The white streak of light was a burly man with a face like a dark red date. Seeing the Crying Spirit Cave Master, his eyes split with rage: "It's you!"

The Crying Spirit Cave Master sneered, "Back then, you clamored to flatten my Crying Spirit Cave and drive this Cave Master out of Nanzhou. Did you ever imagine this day would come?" Before he finished speaking, a red light shot from the Crying Spirit Cave Master's palm. The red light was exceptionally vivid, revealing itself to be a red flower, shaped like a morning glory, inverted in the air, its opening facing Old Ghost Chi in front.

'Whoosh... whoosh...'

A strange whistling sound emanated from the flower's center, and the red light flickered. There was no grand, ostentatious attack. But the moment the whistling began, Old Ghost Chi reacted as if facing a formidable enemy, plunging to the ground without hesitation, creating a large crater in the hard mountain rock with a 'rumble'. Next, a yellow light flashed around Old Ghost Chi, and he merged with the rock, instantly burrowing into the ground. Simultaneously, the crater bulged significantly, even exceeding its original height, forming a distinct mound. The mound's texture was distinctly different from the surrounding mountain rock, displaying regular patterns, resembling a shield carved from stone.

'Bang! Bang! Bang!'

A series of explosions rang out, and the mound's surface instantly cracked into a dozen blade-like fissures. As the fissures appeared, several illusory blade shadows flashed and vanished. The mound collapsed with a crash. A muffled groan came from within. Seeing that Old Ghost Chi couldn't be forced out, the Crying Spirit Cave Master changed his incantation. The red flower suddenly swelled, becoming as large as a small mountain, like a giant bell, and fiercely descended in the direction Old Ghost Chi had fled.

Unexpectedly, just as the red flower was about to land, the ground suddenly cracked, and a black light shot skyward, as a stone tablet flew out from underground. The stone tablet was perfectly square, with no inscriptions or runes on it, only the two characters 'Wind Settler'.

'Boom!'

An earth-shattering roar. The red flower descended, and the Wind Settler Tablet rushed upwards, colliding violently. The dazzling red light was impacted, spreading out and dyeing half the sky red. As it was in the darkness, the Wind Settler Tablet's might was not overtly displayed. But the red flower faltered, unable to descend further. The Crying Spirit Cave Master didn't expect an uninvited guest. His expression changed slightly, but it was too late to compensate.

'Whoosh!'

The stone tablet shot into the air, heading straight for the main peak. The Crying Spirit Cave Master hesitated, then gave up the chase. He coldly raised his head to look at Taiyue Sect's main peak, where several figures flickered indistinctly within the yellow light formed by the grand array. It was they who had jointly rescued him.

At this moment, spatial ripples appeared beside the Crying Spirit Cave Master, revealing a figure. "Fellow Daoist Mo, you acted too slowly." The Crying Spirit Cave Master's tone was somewhat dissatisfied. This person was Mo Xingdao. If he hadn't hesitated earlier and acted promptly, he would surely have stopped Old Ghost Chi. How could one be the foremost rogue cultivator of the Northern Wilds if so indecisive?

"Are you injured?" Mo Xingdao didn't answer, instead asking the Crying Spirit Cave Master.

The Crying Spirit Cave Master didn't expect Mo Xingdao to be so perceptive and reluctantly nodded. "The Poison King pulled a fast one on me."

"The Poison King?" Mo Xingdao was surprised. Seeing that the Crying Spirit Cave Master was unwilling to elaborate, he didn't press further, and followed his gaze to the main peak. "I need to guard against others breaking through." This was an explanation for his earlier behavior. Hunting down Taiyue Sect's experts was not their goal. They needed to ensure no news leaked out and keep Taiyue Sect besieged on the main peak. The Crying Spirit Cave Master grudgingly accepted this explanation.

On the main peak, Taiyue Sect disciples were wailing everywhere. Those who had fortunately escaped into the main peak had no smiles on their faces. Many of their relatives and friends had been massacred by the invaders, some falling into the hands of demonic cultivators, condemned to eternal suffering. The Nascent Soul cultivators who remained at the sect gathered together, fully maintaining the grand array, their last barrier. These individuals were centered around a wrinkled old man. They could not afford to be angry now; they had to find a way to break out.

Just then, a figure broke through the air, speaking in a panicked tone: "Grand Elder, the communication array is out of order! Someone tampered with the sect gate long ago!"

The old man was precisely Taiyue Sect's current Grand Elder, whose cultivation had reached the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Though he had no hope of further breakthroughs, his divine sense had reached a form-transforming state, making him a renowned figure in the cultivation world. Hearing this terrible news, the crowd stirred uneasily. The Grand Elder's expression was as calm as an ancient well. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "Everyone, remain calm. During this great chaos, I have already warned the Sect Master. We only need to defend the main peak to await reinforcements, turn the tables on these scoundrels, and avenge our kin and friends!" These words stabilized morale. Taiyue Sect disciples were no longer so panicked.

The Grand Elder's eyes were slightly closed, as if sleeping but not, no different from an ordinary old man. No one noticed his gaze piercing through the grand array, looking towards the Asura's hell outside the main peak. Those Taiyue Sect disciples had just moments ago been vibrant lives. His eyes were not entirely unperturbed. Although he had sent away the most promising disciples under various pretexts, seeing these innocent disciples die in vain still pained him. These disciples could never have imagined that they were abandoned by their respected Grand Elder and Sect Master, that they were disposable pawns of the sect!

This plan began as soon as the target of the Formless Immortal Sect remnants was confirmed. Although the mastermind behind the plan was True Monarch Zilei, the Master of Eight Sceneries Temple, neither he nor Yue Lingtian could find a reason to refuse; in fact, they agreed without any hesitation. Simply because after this event, Taiyue Sect would be qualified to enter the Immortal Palace of the Southern Sea! The reason Eight Sceneries Temple and Sweet Dew Zen Monastery had been able to flourish for so long was due to a secret realm within the Immortal Palace of the Southern Sea. Both major sects had Transcendent God cultivators overseeing them and jointly controlled the Immortal Palace of the Southern Sea, leaving no room for outsiders to interfere. Every generation of great cultivators could enter the Immortal Palace, increasing their chances of breakthrough. Who could enter the Immortal Palace of the Southern Sea was entirely decided by these two major sects.

The common rumors were not false: Taiyue Sect became the overlord of Nanzhou with the covert support of Eight Sceneries Temple. Even so, Eight Sceneries Temple was not generous enough to give them a spot. True Monarch Zilei promised that thereafter, whenever the Immortal Palace of the Southern Sea opened, Eight Sceneries Temple would relinquish a spot to Taiyue Sect! Who could refuse such a condition?