Chapter 1612: Sword Tomb

As they were speaking, the Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array enveloped Dragon Ascension Cliff, and its black canopy expanded outwards.

Su Zinan and the others sensed the change. They fell silent, looking up at the sky, intently observing the array's transformations. With their sharp eyesight, they could naturally tell that the Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array wasn't merely for sealing off the Taiyue Sect; it was also capable of damaging the Taiyue Sect's mountain-protecting grand array. From the outside, the Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array appeared to be all-pervasive, embedding itself within the Taiyue Sect's mountain-protecting grand array. The two spirit arrays nearly overlapped, the black canopy clearly spreading within the mountain-protecting grand array. Two distinctly different arrays, which should have been incompatible, were now perfectly integrated, indistinguishable from each other. Some key nodes of the Taiyue Sect's mountain-protecting grand array were either infiltrated, masked, or damaged by the Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array, severely diminishing its power. This demonstrated the extraordinary sophistication of the Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array.

As a Soul Transformation inheritor, Su Zinan's knowledge was second to none among those present. Precisely because of this, he understood the immense difficulty of achieving such a feat. A peculiar glint flashed in his eyes as he secretly activated a divine ability, attempting to mentally deduce the array's next transformation. Even with the preceding 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 been plotting against the Taiyue Sect for an unknown period, possessing an intimate knowledge of its mountain-protecting grand array. Even for a grand master of arrays, achieving this level would require immense effort and was almost impossible. Moreover, sealing off the Taiyue Sect was merely the initial preparatory phase, not even the first step. They had yet to see any sign of the Formless Immortal Sect.

Neither an individual nor even a major power could achieve this! Unless the plotting began long ago, spanning several generations of effort to gradually fulfill the plan. This was indeed something only inheritors of the Formless Immortal Sect would do.

“By my adoptive father's assessment standards, Fellow Daoist has truly mastered the Way of Arrays. I am impressed!” Su Zinan always maintained a graceful demeanor in public, never leveraging his status as a Soul Transformation inheritor to intimidate others. He admitted mistakes and never held back praise when encountering a master. No one could discern his brutal nature.

“I never imagined that Skyreach Tower, besides Sect Master Yu and Elder Fan, concealed such a master. The Qu Yangshan lineage of Skyreach Tower isn't well-known externally; for Fellow Daoist to conceal yourself within it is truly an underutilization of your talent. In my humble opinion, Fellow Daoist's abilities are sufficient to replace either of them. Had I not previously interacted with Sect Master Yu and Elder Fan alongside my adoptive father, I would have thought one of them was impersonating someone to amuse me.”

The white-haired elder's subordinates were all clad in robes to conceal their identities, but their true affiliations were exposed the moment they engaged the Taiyue Sect. Su Zinan and the others, with their keen eyes, finally saw through his origins. The Grotesque-Faced Man evidently already knew the white-haired elder's identity, but the others were somewhat surprised, never expecting him to be such a prominent figure, hailing from the foremost Demonic Sect.

The white-haired elder, manipulating the Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array with ease, could still spare attention to respond, “Fellow Daoist Su, you flatter me. Sect Master Yu and Elder Fan's demonic cultivation has reached profound levels, with Soul Transformation within reach. As for this old man, I can only meticulously plot to uncover the former site of the Formless Immortal Sect and seek opportunities. The difference in our standing is clear at a glance.”

His words also indirectly clarified that he was not aligned with Sect Master Yu and Elder Fan. The others understood. Skyreach Tower was not a monolithic entity. The hearts of demonic cultivators were unfathomable, and their internal conflicts were greater than those of other sects. If this person were in cahoots with Yu and Fan, Skyreach Tower would only need to call upon any random ally to open the Formless Immortal Sect, without such elaborate efforts.

It wasn't just the Daoist and Buddhist factions that targeted the Formless Immortal Sect; the Demonic Path also gained considerable benefits back then. Skyreach 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 it wouldn't have been erased so thoroughly. The remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect had actually infiltrated Skyreach Tower and formed their own lineage. Indeed, the most dangerous place is often the safest; the ancients did not deceive me.

During their conversation, the Sword-Backed Man remained silent. Clearing his throat, the Sword-Backed Man spoke in a deep voice, “As far as I know, the lineage master of Qu Yangshan should only be at the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Observing Fellow Daoist's divine ability, it's clearly not a recent breakthrough. Have you been hiding in the background all this time?”

“This old man is Zhu Wudao, the lineage master of Qu Yangshan,” the white-haired elder nodded.

The Sword-Backed Man was surprised, “You've been hiding 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 ceased his actions, allowing the spirit array to evolve on its own. Sensing the situation outside, he let out a long breath, “Fellow Daoist Mo and the others are acting personally, so there should be no worries! The overall situation is settled; it's time for us to begin.”

Pausing, Zhu Wudao seemed to recall something and looked at the Grotesque-Faced Man, “Where is the Poison King now?”

The Grotesque-Faced Man calculated with his fingers, “The Cave Lord and I set up a diversionary array outside. Barring any accidents, he should now have been lured into the heartland of Manzhou.”

“Good. The Poison King alone can't stir up much trouble!” Zhu Wudao nodded, “As long as the Poison King is diverted for a period, even if the Formless Immortal Sect emerges and draws him here, by the time the news reaches Jinyu Province, it will be too late. We have plenty of time.”

As they conversed, war cries already resounded outside Dragon Ascension Cliff, shaking the heavens.

‘Boom!’‘Boom!’‘Boom!’

Inside the Taiyue Sect, drum sounds suddenly reverberated. The drumbeats grew more urgent with each strike. This was no ordinary drum; it seemed to originate from the earth, commanding mountains to move in unison. The drumbeats were deep and not sharp, yet those who heard them could clearly feel the urgent emotions they conveyed, their hearts and minds trembling with a suffocating sensation. With each drumbeat, everyone throughout the Taiyue Sect was filled with panic.

This was the Taiyue Sacrificial Drum, built atop the main peak by the Taiyue Sect's founding patriarch. It was not a supreme treasure, but it held profound significance for the Taiyue Sect. The Taiyue Sacrificial Drum was only struck in the Taiyue Sect's gravest hour of crisis. Since the Taiyue Sect became the overlord of Nanzhou, the drum had not been sounded within the sect for unknown years. Taiyue Sect disciples were informed of the existence of the Taiyue Drum upon entry, but none had ever heard its sound. As soon as the sacrificial drum sounded, everyone in the Taiyue Sect, regardless of cultivation level or reason, immediately gathered towards the main peak.

Adding insult to injury, darkness descended without warning. Deep within the darkness, it was as if a hundred ghosts were roaming at night, terrifying the Taiyue Sect disciples even further. They all knew something had happened to their sect, but they never imagined the crisis would begin from within. Had their perfectly functional mountain-protecting grand array become mere decoration? In an instant, the Taiyue Sect descended into chaos, with streaks of light appearing from all directions, fleeing towards the main peak. Little did they know, these individuals became even more conspicuous targets.

Low-level Taiyue Sect disciples were utterly helpless against the invaders. Massacres unfolded, streaks of light extinguished in swathes, with only occasional brief screams heard. Most died silently, just like the gate guards. The invaders, having massacred low-level disciples and feeling unsatisfied, unanimously turned their attention to the Taiyue Sect's main peak. The Taiyue Sect's experts reacted swiftly, most having already gathered on the main peak and activated their array. At this moment, the Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array also covered the Taiyue Sect's main peak, but the darkness could not engulf it entirely; profound yellow light shimmered there. The Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array could only damage the mountain-protecting grand array; the Taiyue Sect's main peak possessed its own independent grand array. However, the Heaven-Shrouding Profound Array's sealing power was impartial. The main peak's grand array was similarly surrounded by darkness, its yellow light appearing faint and dim. The phenomena here could not be seen from the outside at all, let alone could messages be transmitted.

“Old Ghost Chi, where do you think you're going?!”

Suddenly, two streaks of escape light, one red and one white, appeared in the darkness. The white light was in front, the red light behind. The red light belonged to the Crying Spirit Cave Lord. His previous search had yielded little, and he had assumed all Taiyue Sect experts had fled into the main peak. Unexpectedly, he discovered a sneaking figure. Even better, this person held a grudge against him!

The white streak of escape light was a burly man with a dark red face. Upon recognizing the Crying Spirit Cave Lord, his eyes almost split open with fury: “It's you!”

The Crying Spirit Cave Lord sneered, “Back then, you clamored to flatten my Crying Spirit Cave and drive this Cave Lord out of Nanzhou. Did you ever imagine this day would come?” Before his words finished, a red light shot out from the Crying Spirit Cave Lord's palm. The red light was extraordinarily vibrant, revealing itself to be a red flower, shaped like a morning glory, inverted above them, its opening facing Old Ghost Chi.

‘Whoosh…whoosh…’

A peculiar whistling sound emanated from the flower's core, and the red light flickered. There was no grand, overwhelming offensive. But the moment the whistling sound began, Old Ghost Chi reacted as if facing a formidable enemy, unhesitatingly plummeting to the ground. With a 'rumble,' he directly smashed a large crater into the hard mountain rock. Then, a yellow light flashed around Old Ghost Chi, and he merged with the rock, instantly escaping underground. 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, like a shield carved from stone.

‘Bang! Bang! Bang!’

A series of explosions erupted. The mound's surface instantly fractured into a dozen blade-like gashes, and as the gashes appeared, several illusory blade shadows flickered and vanished. The mound collapsed with a roar. A muffled groan sounded from within.

Seeing that Old Ghost Chi had not been forced out, the Crying Spirit Cave Lord changed his incantation. The red flower suddenly swelled, becoming as large as a small mountain, like a giant bell. It aimed at Old Ghost Chi's escape direction and fiercely descended.

However.

Just as the red flower was about to hit the ground, the earth suddenly cracked open, and a black light shot skyward. A stone stele flew out from underground. The stone stele was perfectly square and rectangular, bearing no inscriptions or runes, only the two characters ‘定风’ (Wind-Stabilizing).

‘Boom!’

An earth-shattering crash. The red flower descended while the Wind-Stabilizing Stele shot upwards, colliding fiercely. The dazzling red light was impacted, spreading out and staining half the sky red. Because it was in darkness, the Wind-Stabilizing Stele's imposing presence was not evident. But the red flower paused, unable to descend further.

The Crying Spirit Cave Lord hadn't expected an uninvited guest. His expression subtly changed, but it was too late to salvage the situation.

‘Whoosh!’

The stone stele shot into the air, heading straight for the main peak. The Crying Spirit Cave Lord hesitated for a moment, then gave up the chase. He raised his head and coldly gazed at the Taiyue Sect's main peak. Within the yellow light formed by the grand array, several figures were faintly visible. It was they who had jointly rescued him.

At this moment, the void beside the Crying Spirit Cave Lord rippled, and a figure appeared.

“Fellow Daoist Mo, you were slow to act.” The Crying Spirit Cave Lord's tone held a hint of dissatisfaction. This person was Mo Xingdao. If he hadn't hesitated and had acted promptly, he would surely have been able to keep Old Ghost Chi. How could one be the foremost rogue cultivator of the Northern Barrens if one was indecisive?

“You're injured?” Mo Xingdao didn't answer, instead questioning the Crying Spirit Cave Lord.

The Crying Spirit Cave Lord hadn't expected Mo Xingdao to be so perceptive. He nodded reluctantly, “The Poison King tricked me.”

“The Poison King?” Mo Xingdao was surprised. Seeing that the Crying Spirit Cave Lord was unwilling to elaborate, he didn't press further, and followed his gaze towards the main peak, “I need to guard against others breaking through.” This served as an explanation for his earlier behavior. Hunting down Taiyue Sect experts wasn't their goal. They needed to ensure no news leaked out and keep the Taiyue Sect confined to the main peak. The Crying Spirit Cave Lord reluctantly accepted this explanation.

On the main peak, the cries of sorrow from Taiyue Sect disciples were everywhere. Even those who had managed to escape into the main peak showed no trace of a smile. Many of their relatives and friends had been slaughtered by the invaders, some falling into the hands of demonic cultivators, condemned to never be reborn. The Nascent Soul cultivators guarding the sect gathered together, fully maintaining the grand array, their last barrier. These individuals converged around a wrinkled old man. They had no time for anger now; they had to find a way to break through the encirclement.

At this moment, a figure broke through the air and arrived, speaking in a panicked tone: “Grand Elder, the communication array is inoperable! Someone tampered with the sect gates long ago!”

The old man was precisely the current Grand Elder of the Taiyue Sect. His cultivation had reached the peak of the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Although his breakthrough to the next realm was hopeless, his divine sense had attained the form-shaping level, making him a renowned figure in the cultivation world. Hearing this dreadful news, a commotion rippled through the crowd. The Grand Elder's expression was calm as an ancient well. His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears. “Everyone, stay calm. During this great chaos, I have already alerted the Sect Master. We only need to hold the main peak firmly, and we will be able to await reinforcements, turn the tide against these villains, and avenge our kin and friends!”

These words stabilized morale. The Taiyue Sect disciples were no longer so panicked. The Grand Elder's eyes were slightly closed, as if neither fully awake nor asleep, no different from an elderly mortal. No one noticed that his gaze pierced through the grand array, looking out at the Asura's Purgatory beyond the main peak. Those Taiyue Sect disciples had been vibrant lives just moments ago. His eyes were not entirely devoid of emotion. Although he had sent away the most promising disciples under various pretexts, seeing these innocent disciples die in vain still pained him. These disciples never would have imagined that they were abandoned by their revered Grand Elder and Sect Master, pawns cast aside by their own sect!

This plan had begun the moment the target of the Formless Immortal Sect remnants was confirmed. Although the mastermind behind the plan was True Monarch Zilei, the Pavilion Lord of Eight-Scenery Pavilion, neither he nor Yue Lingtian could find a reason to refuse; in fact, they accepted it without any hesitation. Simply because after this event, the Taiyue Sect would gain the qualification to enter the South Sea Immortal Palace!

The reason Eight-Scenery Pavilion and Sweet Dew Zen Temple had been able to prosper endlessly was precisely due to a secret realm within the South Sea Immortal Palace. Both major sects had Soul Transformation cultivators guarding them, jointly controlling the South Sea Immortal Palace, leaving no room for outsiders to intervene. Every generation of grand cultivators could enter the Immortal Palace, increasing their chances of breakthrough. Who could enter the South Sea Immortal Palace was entirely up to these two major sects. The rumors circulating in the world were indeed true: the Taiyue Sect's rise to overlord of Nanzhou was due to the covert support of Eight-Scenery Pavilion. Even so, Eight-Scenery Pavilion was not generous enough to simply grant them a spot. True Monarch Zilei promised that thereafter, whenever the South Sea Immortal Palace opened, Eight-Scenery Pavilion would yield one spot to the Taiyue Sect!

Who could refuse such a condition?