Chapter 1976: Up the Tea

A stream of light shot out from Luohun Abyss, moving with incredible speed. It traversed the barren plains, entered Mount Muoluo, and headed directly east.

The stream of light, like a wave of grey smoke, sliced through the sky, rolling onward with immense force.

A tremendous roar.

The sound of it tearing through the air was like thunder descending from heaven, shaking the earth and bringing an unprecedented shock to the barren plains and Mount Muoluo. Countless cultivators awoke from their meditation, their faces filled with terror. Even before hearing the thunder, they could feel an utterly terrifying oppressive aura permeating the heavens and the earth.

It felt as if the sky itself was about to collapse!

Instinctive fear made countless individuals tremble, cowering and shaking within their cave dwellings. The end of the world was nigh; the sky and earth were rending apart, leaving nowhere to escape. The thought of resistance simply couldn't form in their minds, as if that oppressive power represented the will of heaven and earth. How could a person, born between heaven and earth, dare to defy the will of the heavens and earth?

In the valley, greenery spread like a vast sea, with ancient trees reaching skyward.

Chittering...

Joyful calls echoed through the forest. Through gaps in the leaves, a group of white-furred, long-armed spirit apes could be seen chasing and playing. These spirit apes leapt from branch to branch with exceptional agility, as if moving on flat ground. Their movements possessed a strange rhythm, like a unique, naturally perfected footwork.

The spirit apes remained completely unaware. On a nearby tree, a faint human figure stood, observing the spirit apes with keen interest, fingers gently swaying, seemingly mimicking their footwork.

Suddenly, the person's expression changed abruptly. Their figure flickered, pressing tightly against the tree trunk, and their body, like water, seeped into the bark, merging with the ancient tree. The ancient tree's bark twisted, revealing a terrified human face. The spirit apes also sensed the abnormality, emitting sharp shrieks before scattering in all directions.

Hidden within the tree, the person still felt insecure. They then vanished from the trunk into the ground, employing a secret art to conceal themselves within the tree roots. The next moment, the stream of light flew overhead. Underground, a human figure, no bigger than a cicada, huddled in the tree roots, trembling uncontrollably, not daring to return to the surface for a long time.

On a certain peculiar peak in Mount Muoluo, the scenery was beautiful, and spiritual energy abounded. Here stood a sect called the Eight Cauldrons Sect, known for its ambiguous nature, and quite renowned throughout Mount Muoluo. The founding patriarch of the Eight Cauldrons Sect was a Nascent Soul cultivator. Subsequent sect masters throughout generations had failed to surpass him. However, the current sect master, upon discovering flaws in their cultivation techniques, reformed them, and with one stroke broke through to the Soul Transformation stage, truly a heaven-blessed genius. Due to the current sect master's remarkable feat, the Eight Cauldrons Sect's reputation spread throughout Mount Muoluo.

However, this sect master was very astute. He did not rush to expand the Eight Cauldrons Sect, instead proceeding steadily and cautiously, and also restrained his disciples from arrogance. On this day, the sect's tranquility was shattered by urgent bells. The ringing of the Profound Bell signified that the Eight Cauldrons Sect had reached a moment of life and death.

Accompanying the bell, the sect master's roar echoed: "Quickly activate the mountain-protecting formation!"

The disciples of the Eight Cauldrons Sect turned pale with shock; it was the first time they had seen their sect master so agitated and panicked. The moment the grand formation activated, a terrifying oppressive force swept past. Even the mountain-protecting formation could not block that oppressive force.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The disciples of the Eight Cauldrons Sect trembled uncontrollably, involuntarily falling to their knees. Before the Grand Hall, the Eight Cauldrons Sect Master stared intently at the stream of light in the sky, using immense willpower to steady his mind. His gaze was filled with awe, horror, and a profound sense of anticipation!

The river surged. It flowed through a gorge between two mountains, the terrain treacherous, and the current swift. White waves constantly splashed on the river surface. Occasionally, river fish would leap out of the water, and as they fell back, a slender black shadow would emerge beneath the surface, revealing a sharp, fanged mouth to swallow the fish in one gulp.

When the oppressive force arrived, in an instant, the wind howled and waves surged; even the water at the riverbed seemed to churn upwards. The stream of light flew past, vanishing into the horizon in the blink of an eye. The river gradually calmed. A creature, neither quite snake nor fish, floated to the surface, its white belly exposed, utterly lifeless. It was precisely the monster that had been devouring fish. It had been so utterly terrified that it died on the spot from fright!

The higher one's cultivation, the more one could sense the immense power of the individual who cast this escape light. They had finally witnessed the legendary Void Refinement cultivators who could control heaven and earth, but that impact was not something everyone could endure.

Patriarch Ming Hu seemed extremely urgent, fleeing through the air with great speed, making no attempt to conceal his tracks. He had no choice but to be urgent; the Coiling Dragon Heavenly Pillar was unearthed by the Nine Immortals of Yundu, and only two people were present at Luohun Abyss, utterly powerless to stop them. Even a slight delay could mean Yundu Heaven getting there first. Concealing his aura was pointless; in the vicinity, only Solitary Cloud Elder was qualified to contend with him for the Coiling Dragon Heavenly Pillar. With the Coiling Dragon Heavenly Pillar's emergence, Solitary Cloud Elder would also be unable to remain idly by and would surely descend from his mountain. The value of one Coiling Dragon Heavenly Pillar surpassed that of all other relics combined, and the gentleman's agreement between the two sects certainly did not include it!

Solitary Cloud Elder's Dharma body also journeyed forth. Although not as grand in momentum as Patriarch Ming Hu, it still created significant ripples on Mount Yundu, and its escape speed was not at all slow.

At Qingyang View, Qin Sang had emerged from seclusion at some unknown time, leaving the underground chamber, ascending high into the sky, and looking north.

"He's left the mountain already?" Qin Sang muttered to himself, feeling quite surprised. The movement of a Void Refinement cultivator shook the world.

His actions in the Fire Domain, intervening in the mortal realm, all his arrangements, were designed to draw out two Void Refinement cultivators from their mountains. Today, his wish was granted, yet it was somewhat unexpected. It was too fast, too easy. Qin Sang was not clear about the true value of the Scarlet Fire Copper Pillar. Relying solely on this item to alarm two Void Refinement cultivators might have been slightly possible, but Qin Sang hadn't held much hope. As long as it could provoke conflict between the two sects and deepen their animosity, it would have served its purpose.

Qin Sang had prepared two approaches: simultaneously intervening in the mortal realm while setting up his pieces, stirring up the situation, and gradually dragging the two sects into a quagmire. He hadn't expected to succeed so easily; all his subsequent plans were rendered unnecessary. This showed that the Scarlet Fire Copper Pillar's value far exceeded his estimation. Missing out on a great treasure, Qin Sang felt no regret, as it was not important to him. Instead, he felt a faint excitement, eager to begin.

"This is perfect! Some of my ideas can finally be put to the test!"

Qin Sang's eyes narrowed, and he looked down at Qingyang View below. At the foot of the mountain, cooking smoke curled upwards. Yu Lang had achieved success and fame, and the academy had become a sacred place in the hearts of the Yan Kingdom's people, with a continuous stream of scholars coming to pay homage. Seven Row Village benefited from this, expanding repeatedly and growing increasingly prosperous, effectively transforming into a small town.

Qin Sang turned his palm downward and pressed. An invisible light barrier enveloped the earth, obstructing the sight of mortals and concealing all fluctuations.

Crack!

The mountain peak where Qingyang View was located suddenly cracked open. The fissure ran through the mountain, passing precisely through Qingyang View and splitting its main hall in two. The mountain body slowly tilted to both sides, on the verge of collapsing but not quite. The interior of the mountain peak was exposed, lightning flashed, and the main altar appeared!

Qin Sang sat cross-legged high in the sky, directly above the main altar, eyes closed in meditation, forming lightning seals with his hands.

Boom!

A muffled thunderous sound, as if from underground, echoed throughout this realm. The mortals at the foot of the mountain could not hear the thunder at all, still living their normal lives. Even cultivators near Jin County remained completely unaware. All anomalies were deliberately suppressed by Qin Sang, yet his movements did not cease. His hand seals changed continuously, becoming more and more complex. Each time a hand seal was formed, a lightning talisman would fly out of his hand and merge into the main altar. Then, the main altar would generate lightning, shooting towards the sky, divine thunder filling the heavens.

In an instant, a vast thunder swamp formed between heaven and earth. Qin Sang bathed in this sea of thunder, and these thunderbolts precisely formed an immense thunder altar beneath him. This altar connected heaven and earth, brewing divine power, yet remaining concealed and unreleased!

The next moment, the main altar below manifested another anomaly, bursting forth with dazzling silver light, even overshadowing the thunder swamp in the sky. A silver "paper" appeared within the main altar, emitting an exceptionally mysterious aura. The surface of the silver paper was covered with writing. The text was constantly changing. These characters were extraordinarily profound, secretly aligning with the ultimate truths of heaven and earth; a single character seemed to contain infinite knowledge. A mere glance from a mortal could lead to their sanity collapsing, their heads bursting from the overload! The silver paper undulated, capable of detaching from the altar and shooting into the sky at any moment, but it was also suppressed by Qin Sang. Qin Sang's action was precisely the activation of the altar, but it was not yet launched; it was poised for action.

With the main altar's appearance, the entire altar formation moved in response. In the four directions—southeast, northwest—Taiyi, Luohou, Ling Shi, and Gui Hou, the four Soul Transformation cultivators, all sat cross-legged on their respective sub-altars, their faces solemn. Their presence on the four sub-altars served as the four pillars of the formation, stabilizing the four cardinal points and guarding the main altar! Qin Sang's will was transmitted through the main altar, via the formation, causing the sub-altars beneath the four Soul Transformation cultivators to simultaneously flash with lightning.

Besides the four major sub-altars, other sub-altars also had altar masters presiding over them. These altar masters included fire spirits and monsters, with hardly any humans among them, and they had all revealed their true forms. Over the years, they had been assigned under the four Soul Transformation cultivators, cultivating lightning arts, and had all achieved considerable proficiency. At this moment, these demonic creatures sat cross-legged, mimicking human postures, casting spells in accordance with an unseen command, with fierce thunder-fire burning beneath them. It was as if the altars themselves were burning. Qin Sang did not demand high comprehension from them; as long as they could cast lightning spells, preside over the sub-altars, and stabilize the formation, it was enough. The four Soul Transformation cultivators accepted Qin Sang's guidance, and these sub-altar masters, in turn, obeyed the four Soul Transformation cultivators. The sub-altars and the main altar, all altar masters connected as one, forming a colossal altar formation that covered the mortal realm!

Qin Sang was the master of the main altar, the controller of the formation. This was his first time truly activating the altar. As he felt the entire formation, a strange expression appeared on his face. At this very moment, his thoughts turned to the scenes he had witnessed in the Talisman Realm. The remnants of the Dao Court, relying on altars, gathered the power of many Daoists. Heavenly Master Zhang, using an altar to summon a divine being, achieved a breakthrough and instantly annihilated a Mahayana cultivator. That astonishing divine might was truly captivating. Qin Sang finally experienced the power of an altar firsthand; it truly lived up to its reputation! Yet, the altar beneath him would certainly not rank among the foremost in the entire Dao Court.

The path of immortality was long; he still had a very long way to go. Qin Sang sighed inwardly, slowly opened his eyes, and rose to stand upon the thunder altar.

Glancing around, Qin Sang took a step to his left, leaving behind an identical copy of himself where he had stood. The two Qin Sangs stood side by side: one his true self, the other his Dharma body. This was a true Dharma body, not the avatars he had sent down to the mortal realm in previous lives.

The Dharma body slightly raised both hands, palms facing down. Sword light flashed, and a sword shadow appeared, its blade inverted, slowly rotating. This sword was precisely the Grey Warbler Sword. Moreover, it was the Grey Warbler Sword that had already transformed into a spiritual treasure and given birth to a spiritual embryo!

Buzz! Buzz!

The Grey Warbler Sword seemed to sense its master's thoughts, emitting a sharp sword hum, brimming with spiritual essence. The spiritual sword burst forth with killing intent; its blade would move according to its master's will, striking down all enemies!

Caw-caw!

Along with the sword's hum, a strange bird cry also resounded. A fiery light circled the Grey Warbler Sword in flight; it was precisely the Vermilion Bird. The Vermilion Bird seemed to have been suppressed for too long, completely lacking the demeanor of a sacred beast. Its cry was full of excitement, urging Qin Sang: "Quick! Quick! Quick! This Vermilion Bird can't wait! The first credit belongs to this Vermilion Bird!"

This silly bird was indeed audacious, seemingly fearing nothing but order in the world. Qin Sang secretly shook his head. The Vermilion Bird knew what they were about to do, yet showed no fear or worry whatsoever. The Dharma body flicked its sleeve, drawing the Grey Warbler Sword and the Vermilion Bird into its folds. Simultaneously, a pure green light emerged behind Qin Sang's true self, and with a phoenix's cry, the Azure Luan Dharma Aspect was summoned! The Azure Luan spread its wings, its phoenix wings eclipsing the sky. The Azure Luan Dharma Aspect stretched its body fully, flew to a high altitude, then plunged down, transforming into a streak of green light that poured into Qin Sang from the top of his head. With the Dharma Aspect merging with his physical body, Qin Sang's aura changed instantly.

At the same time, five-colored radiance flashed, and Little Five immediately appeared. Returning to the mountain, Little Five seemed to have forgotten the mortal world, washing away all worldly embellishments. She still stood beside Qin Sang, eyes closed, her face serene and innocent. The true self took Little Five's small hand, nodded to the Dharma body, and headed northeast.

On Mount Yundu, Solitary Cloud Elder left his sect's gate, coming westward alone. His escape art was quite peculiar: he pointed his purple bamboo staff forward, its tip touching the void, and purple light burst forth. The purple light, like lightning, instantly flew over mountain after mountain. When the purple light exhausted itself, Solitary Cloud Elder would appear within it. The purple lightning continuously leapt, gradually reaching the edge of Mount Yundu.

Solitary Cloud Elder held the staff in one hand, while the other hand performed calculations with his fingers, his expression not relaxed. "That Corpse Demon, I wonder if his divine abilities have fully matured. If so, he will not be easy to deal with..."

As he pondered, Solitary Cloud Elder suddenly felt something, his expression abruptly changing. He heavily tapped his purple bamboo staff into the void, and the purple lightning instantly ceased. Directly ahead, on a mountaintop, stood a strange Daoist, his hands clasped behind his back, looking towards him.

"Fellow Daoist, from whence do you come, and why do you obstruct this elder?" Solitary Cloud Elder sharply questioned, not making any rash moves. He felt the aura of a Dharma Aspect from Qin Sang. Although some exceptionally talented demon cultivators could comprehend Dharma Aspects in the Soul Transformation stage, it was absolutely impossible for them to possess such powerful and concentrated Dharma Aspect energy! When things go against the norm, something suspicious is afoot. This Daoist and he had never met, yet he was blocking his path at this moment. Could he be a helper summoned by the Corpse Demon?

"This humble Daoist is Qingfeng. I have long admired Daoist Solitary Cloud Elder's great reputation and have come specifically to pay my respects." Qin Sang clasped his hands in greeting from afar, then stepped aside to reveal what was behind him: a stone table carved into a chessboard, two stone stools, and black and white chess pieces. The chessboard and pieces were all carved from ordinary stone, sourced locally.

"I hear Fellow Daoist is skilled in the game of chess. This humble Daoist would like to invite you for a game. What do you say?" Qin Sang extended his hand in invitation.

Solitary Cloud Elder narrowed his eyes, scrutinized Qin Sang for a moment, then looked at the chessboard, seemingly pondering something. A moment later, he actually flew forward, landing beside the chessboard, and lightly tapped the ground with his purple bamboo staff.

Qin Sang swept his Daoist robe aside, sat down, and instructed: "Little Five, serve tea!"

"Yes!" Little Five walked up, carrying a tea tray. Like an obedient little Daoist attendant, she knelt neatly by the side, arranged the teapot and teacups, and meticulously began to brew tea.