Chapter 1656: Seven Lodges Divide the Field

Wuxia & Xianxia

With the infusion of demonic flames, the Ruyi Pearl transformed into a black demonic orb. A perfectly good Buddhist treasure, tainted by demonic flames, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a demonic artifact.

Qin Sang's consciousness sank into the Mani Pearl. He sensed that the protective qi shield was still active, sustained by the growing power of the demonic flames. Perhaps 'Fiery Qi Shield' would be a more accurate name for it. The demonic flames served as the power source for the Fiery Qi Shield. It was certain that not only demonic flames but other spiritual fires could also be absorbed by the Mani Pearl. The stronger the spiritual fire, the more powerful the Fiery Qi Shield.

Qin Sang was both surprised and delighted by the Mani Pearl's newfound properties. What surprised him was the artifact's ingenious ability to encompass all fires; based on his understanding of artifact refining, this was fundamentally impossible. At least, Qin Sang hadn't yet tested the limits of the Fiery Qi Shield's power. As he continuously infused the Nine Nether Demonic Flames, the Fiery Qi Shield grew in strength accordingly, showing no signs of slowing down. What delighted him was obtaining this extraordinary artifact, which would bring him immeasurable improvement.

He was skilled at flame manipulation, and due to fortuitous encounters, he had obtained the Nine Nether Demonic Flames and the Southern Bright Scarlet Flames, two top-tier spiritual fires. He had never lacked offensive means, but he was somewhat lacking in defensive capabilities. Previously, he had relied on the Ruyi Pearl's protective qi shield, but after breaking through to the late Nascent Soul stage, he felt the shield was somewhat insufficient. As an artifact refiner, he had considered custom-crafting a defensive magical artifact for himself. However, suitable spiritual materials were hard to find, and his energy was consumed by cultivating "Golden Lotus of Fire Seeds," so the project had been shelved.

Whenever he encountered danger, he either relied on the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's ability to see through illusions for early warnings or on his superior evasion techniques to quickly extricate himself from disadvantageous positions and maneuver around opponents. This shortcoming became apparent whenever he encountered an environment where danger was ubiquitous. Following the principle that a wise man avoids perilous situations, Qin Sang's usual choice was to retreat if possible, even if it meant missing out on opportunities. With the Mani Pearl in hand, the situation was completely different!

The Nine Nether Demonic Flames, an offensive spiritual fire, transformed into a sturdy Fiery Qi Shield after being infused into the Mani Pearl, proving in no way inferior in terms of defense. The drawback was that offense and defense could not be simultaneous; he had to maintain the demonic flames' integration with the Mani Pearl for the Fiery Qi Shield to persist. So far, the demonic flames remained Qin Sang's most convenient and frequently used offensive method, which he couldn't abandon. Without summoning his Natal Spirit Sword, his sword formation's power was slightly inferior. The Sun God Bird was strong enough but lacked flexibility.

Of course, using the Fiery Qi Shield to resist opponents' attacks would significantly deplete Qin Sang's true essence, but compared to the other drawback, this was minor. He could only adapt to the situation, relying on his control over the demonic flames to switch between offense and defense at any time, which greatly tested his ability to seize tactical opportunities.

Pondering these thoughts, Qin Sang withdrew the demonic flames and suspended the Mani Pearl in front of him. A brief refinement proceeded unexpectedly smoothly; he supposed it was because he had previously refined the Ruyi Pearl, saving him much trouble. Just as he was wondering if the Mani Pearl had other uses, his avatar suddenly sent a thought.

"Whoosh!"

The Mani Pearl transformed into a beam of Buddhist light, and, similar to the Ruyi Pearl, could be stored in his Dantian.

Qin Sang stood up, flashed to the top of the jungle, and looked up at the Five Elements Divine Restriction. Having just emerged from the Yang Flame Divine Restriction, he had roughly figured out the patterns of the Five Elements Divine Restriction.

Clouds and mists encircled the mountain, all external manifestations of the Five Elements Restrictions. At their core lay the Five Elements Divine Restriction, arranged according to the cycle of mutual generation among the Five Elements, with each divine restriction displaying unique phenomena. For example, within the area of the Yang Flame Divine Restriction, firelight flickered, and the clouds there resembled fiery clouds.

Clear boundaries existed on both sides of the Yang Flame Divine Restriction. To the west, the clouds were deep and earthy yellow, indicating the Earth Element Divine Restriction, located to the left of the Yang Flame Divine Restriction. From this, he inferred that the Metal Element Divine Restriction was to the left of the Earth Element Divine Restriction, already nearing the shaded side of Emperor's Grant Mountain. Qin Sang had speculated that the Metal Element Divine Restriction might undergo changes and had ordered his avatar to keep a close watch. This was now confirmed.

In the Metal Element Divine Restriction, points of light shone like starlight, coloring the clouds like a golden morning glow. At this moment, however, the clouds there were turbulent. Although the light had not diminished and was even more dazzling, there was a sense of fragmentation, with the energies colliding, indicating an internal conflict within the divine restriction. This fragmentation was not very obvious and was obscured by layers of outer clouds, but it could not escape Qin Sang's keen spiritual sight.

Not only Qin Sang. Su Zinan, Mo Xingdao, the Venomous King, and Master Huaiyin, with their high cultivation levels, also possessed excellent eyesight. Such signs were enough for them to make an accurate judgment.

Qin Sang pondered briefly and immediately decided to enter the Metal Element Divine Restriction to investigate! He had just obtained the Mani Pearl, so if he returned to the Yang Flame Divine Restriction, his ability to resist heavenly fire would greatly increase, but breaking the restriction would still require effort. The Metal Element Divine Restriction was definitely affected by something. For them, even a tiny flaw in the restriction array, if seized, could be transformed into a winning opportunity and an easy way out. There was no reason to miss this shortcut!

Having made his decision, Qin Sang was about to depart, but before acting, he first retrieved his avatar. The purpose of this trip was the Wordless Jade Tablet behind the Five Elements Divine Restriction. Within the Five Elements Divine Restriction, breaking the restrictions was the priority; it wouldn't be too late to release his avatar to assist in combat when needed. With the Mani Pearl, his main body's safety was assured. The avatar, however, was a bit inferior to other powerful figures, not to mention the elusive and strange expert secretly lurking; it might even become a liability.

Putting away his avatar, he also hid the Fire Jade Centipede in his sleeve. Qin Sang's figure darted swiftly, re-entering the Five Elements Restriction. Unbeknownst to him, Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao had also withdrawn from the Yang Flame Divine Restriction, making the same choice. Fortunately, the restriction's range was vast, so neither party met in the outer clouds.

Soon, Qin Sang entered the depths of the clouds, reaching the edge of the Metal Element Divine Restriction. Unexpectedly, from the outside, the clouds here appeared so dazzling, yet upon closer inspection, Qin Sang saw a dull and gloomy scene. Various array restrictions flashed through Qin Sang's mind; many could create such a scene, but none quite matched the current situation. Unable to discern the reason, he could only try it himself.

Qin Sang summoned the Golden Sinking Sword and activated the Fiery Qi Shield for protection, then stepped in! In an instant, the world spun. All ambient noises vanished, and the light also dimmed, almost like deep night. In the vast wilderness, only Qin Sang's solitary figure stood, making the place feel even more desolate. Utter silence prevailed. While heavenly fire fell like rain in the Yang Flame Divine Restriction, here it was dim and silent, a perfect contrast.

Qin Sang stood on solid ground. He looked down to see rough rocks beneath his feet, a steep slope, and scattered boulders all around. There was no path here, but it didn't hinder his ascent.

"Is this the true mountain body of Emperor's Grant Mountain?" Qin Sang was surprised. Through the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, Qin Sang confirmed that these rocks were not illusions but genuinely real. He was directly transported inside the mountain. Where was the Metal Element Divine Restriction?

Qin Sang swept his gaze around, felt something, and sharply looked up. Above the sky, stars hung illuminated. There was no moon here, and starlight flickered. Compared to the true heavens, the stars here were somewhat sparse, not even forming a complete galaxy, as if the firmament was incomplete, and the starlight was not bright enough. Qin Sang gazed upwards, remaining motionless for a long time. He had a feeling as if each of these stars had eyes watching him, and the energy of all the stars had locked onto him. It was as if he had been cast into a sea of stars, isolated from the world.

As he watched, the starlight gradually brightened, but the ground remained dim and silent. The stars illuminated Qin Sang alone! The stars were reflected in Qin Sang's pupils. His Heavenly Eye Divine Ability revealed the essence of the stars: they were actually light swords hanging high in the sky!

"This is... a sword array!" Qin Sang understood. A sword array was being used here to replace the function of the Metal Element Divine Restriction, maintaining the mutual generation of the Five Elements. Qin Sang was very curious how the array's creator managed this.

Soon, he discovered the mystery. These sword-intent-transformed stars were less than the total number of stars in the cosmos, which was why they appeared sparse. However, the stars' positions could be matched. The Three Enclosures and Four Symbols – only one symbol was extracted!

"The Seven Mansions of the West! The White Tiger constellation!" Qin Sang's heart trembled. The array's creator had actually used swords to manifest a constellation; their boldness was astonishing. The White Tiger belonged to the Metal element, symbolizing slaughter and conquest. As this thought arose, Qin Sang felt as if his entire body was targeted by sharp sword qi, creating a chilling atmosphere. Even through the Fiery Qi Shield, he felt an inexplicable stinging sensation. Little did he know, this was one of the Golden Aspect Hall's most top-tier sword arrays: the Seven Mansions Division Sword Array! The Seven Mansions referred to the White Tiger Constellation. Swords drawing power from heaven and earth and channeling the constellations, with the White Tiger entering the world, could be called the ultimate sword dao of slaughter in this realm. The Golden Aspect lineage, with all its sword cultivators, collectively formed the Seven Mansions Division Sword Array, which once slayed many demons during the demonic tribulation, achieving unparalleled merit. The Seven Mansions Division Sword Array was perfectly suited for this place.

The Venomous King and Master Huaiyin circled Emperor's Grant Mountain, searching. They had long noticed the anomaly in the Metal Element direction, but with too little information, they hadn't acted rashly. After circling once, they indeed made a discovery. They found multiple traces of combat. From the clues, they discerned the movements of the combatants and their approximate identities.

"This should be the work of Old Daoist Zilei." The Venomous King pointed to a charred area in the forest. The vegetation here had lost all vitality, but a unique thunderous aura lingered underground. The Venomous King was no stranger to this aura; it belonged solely to True Person Zilei, the master of the Eight Scenic View.

"The Eight Scenic View's thunder technique is extremely difficult to cultivate," the Venomous King stated. "Very few can even get started, and those who master it are even fewer. In this era, only Old Daoist Zilei has cultivated it to such a level. Among all past True Persons of the Eight Scenic View, his talent is top-notch." The Venomous King conjured a wisp of aura, purple qi wriggling in his palm, not stinting on his praise for True Person Zilei. He was also subtly warning Master Huaiyin not to underestimate True Person Zilei. The relationship between the Daoist and Buddhist sects used to be decent, but the Eight Scenic View appearing here, concealing it from the Sweet Dew Zen Temple, was quite intriguing.

Master Huaiyin nodded. He already knew True Person Zilei's formidable reputation, but seeing it firsthand, even if just the remnants of a battle, he couldn't help but sigh that seeing was believing. Judging by the traces of combat, both sides involved two top-tier cultivators. The opponents were almost being chased and beaten by True Person Zilei and True Person Hegao, though it was also possible that they were simply eager to escape and unwilling to engage in prolonged combat.

"I smell the aura of Yin demons," Master Huaiyin said, pressing his palms together.

The Venomous King sneered, "It's undoubtedly Old Demon Fan's Myriad Devil Yin Scripture. It seems this old demon was even forced to use the ninth transformation of his Myriad Illusion Nether Lotus, barely able to resist Old Daoist Zilei's thunder technique. Doesn't he fear the lightning will shatter his Myriad Illusion Nether Lotus? The other person's aura is somewhat mixed, but their strength isn't weak..."

Master Huaiyin followed the traces to the edge of the clouds and affirmed, "They were chased to this point!"

The Venomous King looked into the depths of the clouds, seeing the turbulent scene. "The anomaly might be their doing," he said. "As you've seen, Master, this mountain is sealed by the Five Elements Restrictions. Any entry point will be blocked by a divine restriction. Since we haven't found any trace of that old scoundrel, why don't we follow them?"

Master Huaiyin had no objection. The two stepped into the clouds and soon reached the sword array.

Another location within the Seven Mansions Division Sword Array. Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao had similar experiences to Qin Sang, battling the sword array's attacks, observing the stars, and sensing the sword array's energy to find a way out.

Below Emperor's Grant Mountain.

The group of nuns passed by the Golden Aspect Hall, facing a difficult choice. The Hidden Moon Nunnery inherited both Golden Aspect and Water Aspect divine abilities, so the ruins of both halls held great appeal to them. In addition, anomalies appeared on Emperor's Grant Mountain, and there was an unknown Immortal Palace, all promising astonishing opportunities. Four locations, where to go?

Ultimately, the old nun decided to split into two groups because they found that the Golden Aspect Hall had not yet been visited by others, and no other people were visible around, making it relatively safe. The old nun left half of the less cultivated personnel behind, repeatedly cautioning them to know when to stop and take what they could get. The Golden Aspect Hall was commissioned by a formation master from the Earth Aspect lineage. Although not as complex as the Earth Aspect Hall's myriad pavilions, its scale was also quite large, encompassing multiple mountains. Sword cultivators were known for their individualism and disliked having their caves too close to others. Various sword arrays were integrated into the formation, nested one within another. Each mountain peak was a sword, creating a highly interconnected system, making it the most dangerous of the five halls.

The other group was led personally by the old nun, with most of the experts, including Liuli. They first circled the base of Emperor's Grant Mountain, saw mist surging halfway up, and clouds filling the sky further up, all clearly indicating extreme danger. They didn't rush up the mountain, deciding to observe for a while longer, then bypass Emperor's Grant Mountain and head for the Water Aspect Hall.

Then, they were all stunned. The perfectly fine Water Aspect Hall had disappeared, frozen for a thousand li. The Water Aspect Hall's inheritance had naturally vanished into thin air.

"What a ruthless one!" The nuns gnashed their teeth in frustration, but were helpless. Not to mention not knowing who did it, even if they did, it was likely not someone easy to provoke.

With a helpless sigh, the old nun noticed the Langhuan Jade Pavilion not far away. She quickly led her group there; fortunately, the pavilion was still intact and hadn't been harmed. The old nun already knew that the first level contained the Boundless Immortal Gate geomantic map. Upon entering the pavilion, she was surprised to find the map intact and quickly ordered the nuns to be on guard, then activated the restriction. The Boundless Immortal Gate appeared before the nuns.

Liuli stepped forward, stood shoulder to shoulder with the old nun, and quietly asked for the location of the Immortal Palace's teleportation array. From the Hidden Moon Nunnery's scriptures, the old nun had identified several places where teleportation arrays were most likely to be located, but she wasn't sure which one. This geomantic map could help her rule out possibilities. The old nun stared at the geomantic map, pondering for a long time. Various scriptures surfaced in her mind, along with the scenes she had observed since entering. Comparing them with the map, she eventually eliminated three locations but remained uncertain about two.

"The summit of the precipice, the northern forbidden land..." The old nun pointed twice.

Liuli committed it to memory. Hearing the old nun and others discuss their plan—to use the opportunity of other strong cultivators contending for the Immortal Palace's opportunities to search for treasures in the Golden Aspect Hall and Emperor's Grant Mountain as much as possible—Liuli actually declared her intention to go alone to find the Immortal Palace. The old nun worried that it would be too dangerous for Liuli to face many Grand Cultivators alone, believing that the opportunities within the Boundless Immortal Gate were already enough for them. But Liuli was very resolute. She had never forgotten her original purpose for coming to the Central Plains. The quest to find her master had permeated her entire cultivation life, and any other opportunity could be abandoned.

"I will be careful," Liuli stated resolutely. She stepped out of the pavilion, departing alone. "If Senior Sister finds a special sword scripture for nurturing spirit swords in the Golden Aspect Hall, I hope you will bring it back."