Chapter 1669: Tianhao

"With a demon spirit controlling the Five Elements Crown and the Five Elements Divine Array, how have you managed to hold on until now?" Zhulu Wudao asked again.

He thought to himself, 'No wonder.' The demonic son's mental messages were intermittent, blurry, and confused, and his responses were slow. It felt as if even transmitting thoughts was difficult, indicating his dire situation.

It turned out he had caused trouble himself and was now battling the demon spirit of the Five Elements Crown.

Once a spiritual treasure gives birth to a tool spirit, it undergoes a transformation.

This transformation also manifested in the seal on Dishou Mountain.

When the seal had a master, it could integrate the power of the Five Elements Crown and the Five Elements Divine Array, displaying its strongest suppressive might. The demon spirit could then seize the opportunity to devour the demonic son.

Having been sealed for so long, the demonic son was already at the end of his tether.

Given this ebb and flow, Zhulu Wudao was secretly amazed that the demonic son still had the strength to resist.

The demonic son's reply was still fragmented: "Since the demon spirit is not a true tool spirit and is not fully compatible with its main body, coupled with the interruption of my contamination process, its true nature is incomplete. Thus, it is limited. When manipulating the Five Elements Crown, it inevitably encounters hindrances, and this extends to the Five Elements Divine Array as well. It cannot perfectly control them, which is why I have a chance to breathe."

The demonic son's response remained intermittent, but it didn't impede understanding.

Their communication had always been like this since Zhulu Wudao first contacted the demonic son. Zhulu Wudao had grown accustomed to piecing together the information himself to understand the general reasons.

No wonder the demonic son referred to the demon spirit as a freak.

The demon spirit was nurtured, half from the spiritual essence of the spiritual treasure itself and half from the demonic nature of the demonic son. It wasn't a pure tool spirit, yet it had developed sentience.

Thinking about this, Zhulu Wudao found it increasingly strange. He hadn't imagined that a tool spirit could turn around and devour its master.

The Five Elements Crown's spiritual essence was tainted... so the demonic son should also be considered half its master, right?

The demonic son, however, was quite candid about this. "All things with spirits possess a desire for transcendence. Unless constantly refined and kept intimately close, who would willingly endure bondage and slavery? What's strange about a tool spirit devouring its master? Furthermore, with layers of seals separating us, it was already incredibly difficult for me to contaminate the spiritual essence of the treasure; I had no power to impose further restrictions on it..."

"Where is that demon spirit now?" Zhulu Wudao asked cautiously, looking around. He faintly guessed its whereabouts, recalling the demonic son's previous actions.

"Since it couldn't suppress me, it sought another path. Its sentience was born from my contamination, and its demonic nature is deeply rooted. Its actions are no different from ours. Having left its main body, it likely intends to devour a few cultivators before returning to consume me and complete its true nature."

"So it's the one causing all the trouble!"

Zhulu Wudao realized. No wonder Su Zinan and the others hadn't caught up yet.

He finally understood the deeper meaning behind the demonic son's actions.

After establishing contact, the demonic son had sent him a simple thought, instructing him to break open the Jade Pavilion, and dared not say more.

One purpose of this action was to interfere with the Five Elements Divine Array.

Of course, compared to the entire seal, this disturbance alone wasn't enough to free the demonic son. He needed to bring the divine statue up the mountain.

This led to the second purpose: to let others in, attract the demon spirit, and confuse its judgment, so it wouldn't be alerted, allowing Zhulu Wudao to act discreetly.

Doing so had pros and cons. Zhulu Wudao was transported to the entrance hall, where he encountered two Daoist masters and was pursued. Fortunately, his strategic maneuvering proved successful.

Only after the demon spirit was lured away did the demonic son dare to communicate freely with him.

Earlier, Zhulu Wudao activated the wind array to cover the demon spirit's movements. While the demon spirit was distracted, the demonic son transmitted power through the divine statue to conceal Zhulu Wudao's aura, thus deceiving everyone.

No wonder the demonic son was so urgent and kept pressing him. The demon spirit was unaware of their connection. If it were to discover them, it would return to its main body, sever their link, and all their efforts would likely be in vain.

"Heh... those old fellows are not to be trifled with!"

Learning about the demon spirit's origin and abilities from the demonic son, and realizing that the Five Elements Crown was in a stalemate with the demonic son, and that the demon spirit had merely escaped its essence, Zhulu Wudao almost laughed. He clearly didn't have high hopes for the demon spirit, despite its ability to control the Five Elements Divine Array to some extent.

Those he had led up the mountain were all vicious, cunning, and deeply hidden; some even he couldn't see through.

Although the demon spirit possessed a demonic nature, it had been confined to the mountain since its birth, inexperienced in worldly affairs. In his view, it was more brutal than cunning; one could even describe it as naive.

If it dared to scheme against those people, it would likely break its teeth first.

The demon spirit would only have a chance to devour spirits on a large scale once the weaker cultivators entered the mountain. Fortunately, the Cloud Dragon outside the mountain gate had collapsed, blocking others from reaching it. Otherwise, today's situation would have been truly difficult to resolve.

As he pondered, Zhulu Wudao suddenly remembered something and asked with concern, "Aren't you afraid the demon spirit might willingly acknowledge a new master?"

The demon spirit was in a special state, incompatible with its main body. However, having a master would make a significant difference. As long as the demon spirit cooperated, even through the simplest Treasure-Controlling Incantation, a master could integrate the demon spirit and the Five Elements Crown, conceal their rift, and unleash the Crown's full power.

With a master's help, over time, the demon spirit would eventually achieve a state of compatibility with the Five Elements Crown, pass the Spirit-Shaping ordeal, and become a true tool spirit.

For a tool spirit to develop, the difficult part is the process of creation from nothing.

From a magic treasure developing sentience to that sentience nurturing a tool spirit, each step presents a chasm-like difficulty. Ninety-nine percent of magic treasures and spiritual treasures get stuck at this stage.

Consider this: over countless years, numerous Spirit Transformation cultivators have ascended from the Central Plains. Yet, even their most intimate life-bound magic treasures are never heard to have truly given birth to tool spirits.

The demonic son sneered. "I just told you, have you forgotten? The demon spirit was born from the spiritual essence of the Five Elements Crown. As a spiritual treasure, it changed countless masters and was controlled and manipulated innumerable times by the Treasure-Controlling Incantation. That brand is deeply etched in its heart, impossible to erase, so it cannot acknowledge a master!"

Zhulu Wudao didn't understand the thoughts and feelings of tool spirits, making it hard to empathize. However, the demonic son's tone was very confident, so he assumed it must be true.

He wanted to ask more, but impatient thoughts continually emanated from the divine statue, urging him to speed up.

Sensing the demonic son growing increasingly agitated and prone to sudden outbursts of anger, Zhulu Wudao wisely shut his mouth, daring not to ask further questions.

Inside Dishou Mountain, everyone else was oblivious. A shadow, perfectly hidden within the wind's malevolent aura, streaked across, heading straight for the summit of Dishou Mountain.

Even the pervasive malevolent wind couldn't hide the myriad wonders of Dishou Mountain.

With every few steps, Zhulu Wudao saw vastly different scenery. This was truly a celestial haven; if not for the urgent situation, he would have loved to properly admire it.

After rushing an unknown distance, ahead, green clouds suddenly appeared like a canopy.

Zhulu Wudao's figure paused. To his knowledge, the Wordless Jade Stele was located here!

Beneath the green clouds lay a valley, not very deep, sealed by a green cloud-like restriction. Within the valley, spiritual energy surged like a tide, indicating a place of exceptional spiritual essence.

The spiritual energy here was almost tangible. It was hard to say whether the green clouds were a restriction, an extraordinary manifestation of spiritual energy, or both.

From deep within the valley, a faint clear glow emanated. Inside, there was a sheer cliff face like a mirror, resembling jade, over ten zhang high and almost square, with no inscriptions whatsoever. This was the Wordless Jade Stele.

Its surface was clear, like a mirror with rippling water, reflecting all the beautiful scenery of the valley.

In front of the Wordless Jade Stele were several meditation cushions, woven from spirit herbs that calmed the mind and spirit. They had been unattended for a long time, losing their luster and adding a sense of desolation.

Zhulu Wudao took a deep look at the valley but did not linger.

After passing the Wordless Jade Stele, the summit was not far.

Following the demonic son's guidance, Zhulu Wudao bypassed another magnificent hall and reached the summit. Looking down, he discovered that Dishou Mountain's interior was hollow.

The light inside the mountain's interior was dim, with a persistent grayish aura lingering. Deep within, faint lights of other colors flickered.

Without hesitation, he leaped, falling into the mountain's core and into the grayish mist. He immediately felt a sense of oppression and instinctively adjusted his posture.

He hadn't descended far when the lights below became clearer.

The lights were divided into five colors, similar to the cloud formations outside.

Zhulu Wudao's heart stirred; he understood that the power of the Five Elements Divine Array converged here. The Five Elements Crown must be stored within, acting as the seal's core and controlling the divine array.

Correspondingly, the demonic son was also suppressed here.

As expected, Zhulu Wudao soon saw a mass of five-colored cloud formations, or more precisely, a light shield formed by colorful radiance. However, it was too dense to see anything inside.

This was the manifestation of the seal's power.

It was evident that the sealing power was primarily directed inward, preventing the demonic son from escaping. Presumably, the ancient sages of Wuxiang Immortal Sect believed that the demonic tribulation had ended, and since the seal was within Dishou Mountain, the core area of Wuxiang Immortal Sect, no trouble could arise, so they didn't make too many arrangements.

Inside the light shield, the five-colored light flowed ceaselessly, exceptionally solid. Before Zhulu Wudao had even fully settled, he felt a thought from the divine statue: "Set up the array here."

The demonic son's thoughts conveyed a hint of fatigue, but more so, excitement.

Zhulu Wudao nodded slightly, looked around, flew to one side of the stone cavern, found a protruding rock, landed on it, and sat cross-legged.

He wasn't in a hurry to take out the divine statue.

His fingers continuously tapped, sending out various runes that landed on the surface of the cloud formations. As the runes connected, they formed a black curtain of obscure aura, seemingly probing for weak points in the seal, but actually preparing for what was to come.

The divine statue was originally meant to rescue the Sacred Monarch, so using it here was actually overkill.

As a channel for internal and external connection and a vessel for the demonic son's body, this connection meant there was no need to forcibly break the seal. By simply using the power of the blood sacrifice to silently widen this channel, the demonic son could transfer his spirit, descend into the divine statue, and thus escape.

If properly manipulated, it could completely deceive the demon spirit's perception, proceeding unnoticed. Once the ritual reached a certain stage, even if the demon spirit returned, it would be difficult to stop them.

At the same time, Zhulu Wudao's mind activated a spark of spiritual light within the divine statue, transmitting a signal.

Outside Wuxiang Immortal Sect.

The Two Southern Barbarian Provinces.

The chief sacrificers involved in the blood sacrifice had long been anxious. The divine statues linked the inside and outside, and once Zhulu Wudao began to act, they would sense it through the statues and initiate the final step of the ritual.

Lord Emissary had given an approximate time before his departure, but now it had greatly exceeded the agreed time, and there was still no movement.

The blood sacrifice had caused too great a commotion. Although it was limited to mortals and low-level cultivators, their arrangement covered two provinces, an excessively wide area. So many people dying simultaneously, and in such bizarre ways, would certainly raise suspicion.

If Wuxiang Immortal Sect hadn't emerged, and the ancient ruins hadn't captivated the minds of cultivators in the Two Southern Barbarian Provinces, their plot would have already been exposed by various sects, who would be pursuing them.

Even so, seventy to eighty percent of their deceptive arrangements had already been broken, and exposure was inevitable sooner or later.

Just as they were consumed by anxiety, they finally received the signal. Overjoyed, they prostrated themselves, chanting "Sacred Monarch!" with faces full of fervor and excitement.

Of course, they didn't forget their duties.

The divine statues were in position!

Imperceptibly, the blood sacrifice grand array, which the Quyang Mountain lineage had been planning for generations and which covered the Two Southern Barbarian Provinces, finally took shape!

Even separated by ten thousand li, the divine statues, having drunk their fill of fresh blood, seemed to respond to a simultaneous summons, all at once opening their eerie blood-red eyes. A strange aura flowed with their gaze, converging on the divine statue held by the chief sacrificer, and then transmitted to Taiyue Mountain!

Within his sleeve, the divine statue was entirely crimson and incredibly hot, its temperature more astonishing than before. Simultaneously, an eerie fluctuation emanated from it, assaulting Zhulu Wudao's mind.

He struggled to suppress the statue's fluctuations to prevent the demon spirit from noticing, and his movements grew faster and faster.

The array was about to be completed.

Zhulu Wudao seemed to sense something. He frowned, then suddenly looked up to see a bright moon hanging above the grayish aura.

This was no bright moon, but an ancient mirror. If Qin Sang had been present, he would have recognized that the ancient mirror's shape was identical to the Tianhao Tower's treasure ship.

"The Tianhao Ancient Mirror!"

Zhulu Wudao's expression changed drastically. "You dared to bring this treasure out of the sect!"

On Dishou Mountain, only one person could control the Tianhao Ancient Mirror: Old Demon Fan!

The Tianhao Ancient Mirror, the Tianhao Tower's sect-protecting treasure.

This treasure was the supreme artifact that suppressed the Tianhao Tower's fortune, left by the founding patriarch. Since the Tianhao Tower's establishment, it had always been placed at the center of the sect-protecting grand array.

The sect's high-ranking members all knew that no one could bring this treasure out of the sect, and no one dared to. The Quyang Mountain lineage had schemed for so long but had never entertained the idea of seizing the Tianhao Ancient Mirror.

Old Demon Fan was mad; he actually dared to steal the Tianhao Ancient Mirror.

Even if he was mad, Sect Master Yu wouldn't possibly go mad with him.

"It's merely a mirror talisman! Our sect spent years planning and countless resources to refine these talismans, with a pitifully low success rate. I never expected its first outing to be against a fellow disciple. However, though the mirror talisman is precious, without it, how could I have known of your schemes, Junior Brother Zhulu?"

After Zhulu Wudao disappeared, Old Demon Fan hadn't moved far.

He was seen sitting on the ground, hands resting flat on his knees. In front of him, a ball of white light hovered, within which the form of an ancient mirror was visible, though it appeared very illusory, not a physical entity.

Old Demon Fan spoke, but no sound emerged from his mouth. Instead, his words were transmitted into the cavern through the ancient mirror.

Without waiting for Zhulu Wudao's reply.

The ancient mirror slightly tilted, shining upon the five-colored seal.

"Is this where that supreme spiritual treasure is kept? Did you think I didn't know the secret of the Wordless Jade Stele, Junior Brother, and intended to use a useless treasure to make your elder brother sacrifice his life for you?"

At this moment, Zhulu Wudao could only be glad he hadn't yet taken out the divine statue. Old Demon Fan thought he was plotting to obtain a spiritual treasure.

Quickly gathering his thoughts, Zhulu Wudao gripped his sleeve, feigning composure, and said in a deep voice, "Even if you seize the spiritual treasure by force, Senior Brother, how will you control it without the Treasure-Controlling Incantation? Why not listen to your junior brother for a moment..."

His words were cut short by Old Demon Fan's leisurely interjection, "Why would I need a Treasure-Controlling Incantation? Just by looking at the arrangement of the Five Elements Divine Array, it's clear this treasure is related to the Five Elements. The method to control it must be found within the outer Five Elements restrictions. No wonder ancient texts record that whenever Wuxiang Immortal Sect used this treasure, a grand array always accompanied it, creating a vast commotion!"

Zhulu Wudao's expression changed, and he tried to argue further.

Old Demon Fan suddenly let out a soft "Oh?" and the ancient mirror vanished in an instant.

The next moment.

The gray mist vibrated, and a rainbow bridge descended directly into the mountain's core!