Chapter 1613: Covering Moon Hermitage

The Mortal Realm

Dragon Ascent Cliff.

The ritual altar and Five-Phase Command Medallions shone brilliantly.

Thump! Thump! Thump! The Five-Phase Command Medallions swayed precariously, creating the illusion that they could be shaken off at any moment. The ritual altar, too, rocked incessantly. Though its movements appeared slight, they carried astonishing power.

The five individuals rotated with the altar, their palms pressed firmly against its edge, enduring the immense vibrations emanating from it and not daring to move an inch. Despite their peak cultivation in the current age, the continuous backlash from the altar began to take its toll, risking them losing their grip or even being injured by the shock.

At this moment, the differences in their inheritances became apparent. Su Zinan and the Sword-Bearer were not disciples of the Formless Immortal Sect.

A blood talisman flew out of Su Zinan's mustard seed pouch on its own, exploding with a 'bang' and revealing a blood shadow. The blood shadow's features were twisted, and it emitted a painful shriek that caused turmoil in the minds of those who heard it, clearly indicating it was an evil artifact.

Whoosh! The blood shadow turned and lunged at Su Zinan. Su Zinan neither dodged nor evaded, merging with the blood shadow. A flush of blood color spread across his face, then quickly returned to normal. His aura surged, the tremor in his arms significantly reduced, and he pressed firmly onto the altar.

The Sword-Bearer slightly lowered his head, silently activating a saber art. The heavy sword on his back trembled, its hum like a dragon's roar, and suddenly unsheathed.

Hum! The long sword hung horizontally in the air. Astonishingly, saber qi soared to the sky! The sword's blade was invisible, only a dazzling saber glow, like a crescent moon, flashed and struck between the Sword-Bearer's two hands. The sword tip silently pressed against the altar, sharing the backlash force for its master.

The other three individuals were more or less connected to the Formless Immortal Sect. The white-robed man's ritual robe billowed.

The ritual robe was not pure white after all; it had complex patterns that now appeared. Inside the robe, there seemed to be a small world where heavy snow fell. Streams of pale, visible cold wind surged out, surrounding the white-robed man and growing in intensity. The cold air accumulated behind him, gradually transforming into an ice mirror. The ice mirror hovered behind the white-robed man's head, its surface facing the altar and shimmering with cold light.

The man with the strange face slightly twitched his shoulders. Starting from his shoulders, his arms became woody, transforming into two pieces of withered wood. His fingers, dry like tree branches, tightly gripped the altar, refusing to let go.

Zhu Wudao was the mastermind, but Su Zinan had not yet seen him make a move. Out of the corner of his eye, through the light of the Five-Phase Command Medallions, he discreetly observed Zhu Wudao. Unexpectedly, Zhu Wudao merely transformed his eyes into a pale golden color, shooting a tangible gaze towards the altar, with no other actions. He didn't seem to perform any demonic art, yet he stabilized the situation. He was the most relaxed of the five.

The five individuals joined forces to stabilize the altar, then simultaneously looked upwards.

The Five-Phase Command Medallions emitted five colored light pillars. In the center of the light pillars, the white light became much larger than at the start, forming a light sphere the size of a human head, and the strange fluctuations grew increasingly violent.

These fluctuations were the source of the vibrational force. Inside the light sphere, light waves surged, each surge bringing a powerful vibration. These vibrations not only affected the altar but also acted upon the entire space, shaking the ground, causing the peaks of Taiyue Sect to tremble, and rocks to roll down.

On the main peak, both sides ceased fighting, drawn by the six light pillars soaring into the sky.

Gold, green, blue, crimson, yellow! The five light pillars were almost identical in size, encircling the white light pillar. Initially, the white light pillar was not as large as them, but as the vibrations grew stronger, the white light became increasingly dazzling, subtly showing a tendency to surpass them.

Under the influence of the vibrations, the main peak swayed the most, and even lower-level disciples had to circulate their cultivation techniques to stand steady. All were astonished.

"It's there!"

"What is it?" someone shouted, pointing at the light sphere.

Hua Chenzi scolded, "Hurry and recuperate!" The disciples were awe-struck, only then remembering their predicament. Escaping danger was their primary concern. The invaders kept attacking, and all of them were exhausted. They quickly cast aside distracting thoughts and focused on recuperating.

The light pillars soared into the sky, piercing into the black sky curtain. Within the sky curtain, black clouds converged, trapping the light pillars. Otherwise, the anomaly would be visible from a thousand miles away, and before the Formless Immortal Sect had even fully emerged, the news would spread at an astonishing speed, known to all major forces in advance.

A few hours later, the five-colored light pillars stabilized, while only the white light pillar continuously expanded. The light sphere gradually inflated, revealing what seemed to be a deep passage within. Inside the passage, chaotic phenomena abounded, with multi-colored light rays twisted into a knot, filled with chaotic power.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The origin of these light rays was unknown; they collided with each other and continuously exploded. The power of the spirit formations and restrictions was extremely violent, even mixed with spatial turbulence.

Su Zinan and the others were only a short distance from the light sphere. Seeing the scene inside, their expressions turned solemn; if they were swept in at that moment, even they dared not guarantee they could escape unscathed.

"Must we enter the Formless Immortal Sect from here?" Su Zinan's brows furrowed, feeling it was very dangerous.

"The great chaos came suddenly that year," Zhu Wudao began, "Our predecessors were unprepared and forcibly sealed the Formless Immortal Sect, causing spatial turbulence and triggering chaotic phenomena. We have no other choice but to force our way through. However, there's no need to rush. Once the passage stabilizes and the immortal abode emerges, there will be room for maneuver."

As Zhu Wudao spoke, he looked up at the sky, confirming that the anomaly was contained by the Sky-Veiling Profound Array, and secretly nodded.

Although the anomaly was not outwardly visible, the fluctuations caused by the emergence of the Formless Immortal Sect grew increasingly violent. The Sky-Veiling Profound Array gradually failed to contain it, and the vibrations spread outside Taiyue Sect.

After the passage had been open for some time, on a distant mountain, Qin Sang sensed the fluctuations and woke from his meditation.

"It's finally here!" He waved his sleeve, putting away the Sun God Tree, rushed out of his cave dwelling, concealed his tracks, and stopped a distance outside Taiyue Sect. From this vantage point, Taiyue Sect appeared normal. But Qin Sang was certain this was an illusion; a drastic change had occurred inside Taiyue Sect!

"Sealing off a top sect, what a grand undertaking!" Qin Sang muttered to himself. Fearing the grand array had means to counter probing, he did not let his Heavenly Eye Butterfly spy, choosing instead to wait and see. He remained in the shadows, searching other areas, but found no trace of True Lord Zilei. Unsure if Ghost Mother's judgment was correct or incorrect, he knew caution was always wise.

Two days later, the light sphere was gone. During these two days, the light sphere had slowly ascended, and the internal power of the passage had manifested outwardly, revealing a spatial vortex that abruptly appeared above Taiyue Sect.

The vortex's scope could already cover a small portion of Taiyue Sect, its terrifying power capable of destroying everything at any moment, bringing a dreadful pressure that made hearts palpitate.

Just then, a thunderous roar, a 'boom' that shook heaven and earth, erupted. Everyone looked up in shock, realizing that the passage had made contact with the black sky curtain, and the edge of the turbulence had finally collided with the Sky-Veiling Profound Array.

In an instant, turbulence filled the sky, and the black sky curtain tore apart. Various forces collided, forming a storm that swept across the entire Taiyue Sect. Vegetation was uprooted, halls and pavilions collapsed, the ground swayed, and the main peak of Taiyue Sect seemed as if it could collapse at any moment. Everything was in ruins.

Finally, the black sky curtain completely shattered! At this moment, Zhu Wudao could no longer stop the anomaly. Strange light shot straight into the sky, spatial fluctuations suddenly burst forth, and the celestial phenomena drastically changed.

However, these events were all within Zhu Wudao's expectations. Everything was proceeding according to his plan. The top experts from various Central Plains sects were gathered in Jinyu Prefecture; even if they received the news and rushed over, it would be too late to stop them.

The vortex's expansion speed was accelerating. Through the vortex and passage, mirage-like scenes occasionally appeared—either a section of a mountain range, a pavilion, or a patch of jungle—clearly projections from inside the Formless Immortal Sect.

This was enough to prove that the Formless Immortal Sect had not been destroyed, but was perfectly preserved!

Just then, a sudden change occurred. The ritual altar suddenly began to sway violently, and the individuals found it difficult to hold on, especially as the two replica Five-Phase Command Medallions jingled loudly, threatening to shatter at any moment.

A mishap at this moment could very likely lead to complete failure.

"This is bad!" Zhu Wudao's expression suddenly changed drastically, and he let out a long cry.

The anomaly had already appeared, so there was no longer a need to seal off Taiyue Sect. Mo Xingdao and the others heard the cry, immediately withdrew their troops, rushed over, surrounded the altar, and each displayed their unique abilities.

At the north foothills of Taiyue Sect, Yue Lingtian returned, escaped into the valley, and rendezvoused with True Lord Zilei.

The group hid here, gazing at the sky. True Lord Zilei, meanwhile, was searching for traces of Zhu Wudao and the others.

West of the mountain gate, Qin Sang stood under a tree, having waited for a long time. Gazing intently at the celestial phenomenon, his brow flashed, and he summoned his external incarnation.

Southeast of Taiyue Sect, in a barren mountain not far from Mount Taiyue, a figure was hidden in a strange mist, drifting through the mountain forest. Moving sometimes fast, sometimes slow, hovering erratically, it seemed to be searching for something.

When the anomaly appeared, the person suddenly stopped, abruptly looked up, revealing a pale face. It was none other than Elder Fan, the Demonic Elder, Grand Elder of Tianhao Pavilion.

This person had a pale face and no beard, his complexion devoid of any color, and his aura chilling. First, he was surprised, then he remembered something, and was both shocked and delighted. "Old ghost Zhu," he muttered, "I wondered why your Qu Yang Mountain lineage had been so secretive. So you're remnants of the Formless Immortal Sect! Fortunately, I tracked you here; otherwise, wouldn't I have missed an immense opportunity?"

He gave a sinister chuckle and vanished in a flash.

Further away, in a market town, lower-level cultivators, not daring to travel long distances to attend the grand assembly, had instead gathered and formed a small debate assembly. Some even put up prizes, and the participants were all disciples from nearby small sects.

Two individuals were currently engaged in a spell battle on the stage, and the crowd watched intently. Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside, and a few who went out did not return. Exclamations of surprise continued, and others could no longer suppress their curiosity, rushing out of the venue. Even the two battling on stage couldn't resist.

The streets were bustling with people, all of them staring in astonishment towards Taiyue Sect. "Over there... it seems to be Mount Taiyue." "What's happening at Taiyue Sect?" "Impossible, who would be so foolish as to attack Taiyue Sect? It looks like a rare treasure has emerged, let's go!"

As this person moved, he was grabbed by a companion. "Taiyue Sect's treasure? You dare to snatch it? Do you have a death wish!" "What's there to fear!" the person retorted, pulling his companion. "The celestial phenomenon is so eye-catching; surely, more than just us have seen it. As the saying goes, the law doesn't punish the masses. If Taiyue Sect gets the meat, won't they let us have some soup? Let's go see the situation first!"

Hearing this, the companion was tempted. Soon after, figures flew out of the market town, soaring into Mount Taiyue on their artifacts. Similar scenes unfolded in various places near Taiyue Sect.

Southern Mount Taiyue. Poison King and Grandmaster Huaiyin were searching for the man with the strange face in the wilderness. They were joined by Elder Ming of Myriad Poison Mountain. While Poison King and Grandmaster Huaiyin were tracking the man with the strange face, Elder Ming was also leading Myriad Poison Mountain experts to search for traces, to prevent any oversight.

As they proceeded, Poison King and Grandmaster Huaiyin suddenly stopped, seemingly sensing something. Their expressions changed, they exchanged glances, and their speed suddenly surged, their figures like lightning. Elder Ming was bewildered, his face full of astonishment, and quickly followed, but could only see their backs.

After a close pursuit, Elder Ming finally caught up with the two who had landed on a mountaintop. At the same time, he saw the increasingly intense celestial phenomenon in the sky.

"What is that?" Elder Ming was startled. "It seems to be in the direction of Taiyue Sect." Grandmaster Huaiyin glanced sideways at Poison King. He was from the Western Lands, knew little about Central Plains, and was unclear what this anomaly represented.

Poison King remained silent, pondering for a while. "Southern Barbarian Lands, Immortal Abode..." Poison King suddenly realized, "The Formless Immortal Sect! No wonder this villain lingered in Southern State. With the Soul Transformation cultivators gone missing, sure enough, some scoundrels are causing trouble during the grand assembly!"

"The Formless Immortal Sect?" Grandmaster Huaiyin was puzzled. Poison King briefly explained the reason to him. Grandmaster Huaiyin nodded and was about to step forward, but was stopped by Poison King.

After a short contemplation, Poison King turned his head and said, "They dare to act now, and on Mount Taiyue. Their power is likely considerable. If their cultivation levels are all like this villain's, it may be difficult for us alone to control the situation. The Daoist and Buddhist sects know the Formless Immortal Sect best. Elder Ming, quickly return to the sect gate, send a message to Ganlu Zen Temple, asking them to quickly contact Grandmaster Xingji, and inquire about the reasons!"

"Yes!" Elder Ming received the order and left. Poison King and Grandmaster Huaiyin then entered Mount Taiyue.

Somewhere at the border between Manzhou and Nanzhou, the environment was completely different from that of the Southern Barbarian Lands; there was no poisonous miasma for a hundred li around.

The mountains were picturesque. Morning mist flowed through the forest, and birds chirped in the secluded mountains, a tranquility surpassing even the Central Plains.

A secluded temple was hidden deep in the mountains, named Hidden Moon Temple. Throughout the mountain forest, there were only a few scattered temples, profoundly embodying tranquility and merging with nature.

Hidden Moon Temple was only slightly larger than Eight Scenery Temple. Forest leaves fell into the temple, and several bhikkhunis held brooms, sweeping fallen leaves. Everything was like an ordinary earthly temple.

In their hands, the brooms were as light as nothing, and each swing was perfectly natural, creating a sense of tranquility. This was clearly also a form of cultivation.

In a quiet room, an old nun was turning prayer beads in her hand, sandalwood incense gently rising before her, in quiet meditation. Suddenly, a young nun rushed in in a panic.

"What's all the fuss about?" the old nun asked softly. The old nun's voice seemed to possess a certain power, and the young nun's mind calmed considerably. She bowed and said, "Reporting, Master, a pagoda in the pagoda forest suddenly began to glow."

The old nun's fingers paused. She rose and left the quiet room, arriving at the pagoda forest.

"Master, it's right there." The young nun pointed to a pagoda in the center of the pagoda forest, which was indeed glowing. The design of this pagoda was distinctly different from the others. Seeing this scene, a ripple finally appeared on the old nun's face, and she flashed to appear directly in front of the pagoda.

The old nun raised her hand and lightly touched the pagoda. The astonishment in her eyes grew stronger, and she murmured, "Formless Immortal Sect..."

"Master, why is this happening? What is the Formless Immortal Sect?" the young nun cautiously asked. She had guarded the pagoda forest for many years, and it was her first time seeing such a strange phenomenon.

Buddhist light shimmered in the old nun's palm, merging with the pagoda's light. Then, her hand reached into the pagoda, seemingly grasping something. After sensing for a moment, the old nun did not answer, but instructed, "Go wake your martial uncles from their seclusion. Yes, including your Martial Uncle Liuli."