Chapter 2130: Divine Mountain

Great Compassion Zen Temple.

Qin Sang stepped out of the teleportation array and immediately felt the oppressive atmosphere hanging over the temple.

Flying into mid-air, the scene of the battlefield came into view.

The Grand Emissary personally led the vast army, charging furiously. Under the impact of this overwhelming force, the rain curtain subtly seemed to congeal.

The Thunder Altar had been activated and was poised to strike.

In the battle at Moonrise Bay, he had personally intervened to obscure Patriarch Minghu's senses because the Thunder Altar required time to activate, and Minghu might have escaped before it could fully unleash its power. The new Thunder Altar, vastly superior in both power and activation speed, still necessitated his personal presence due to the unique divine abilities of the Siyou Clan and their life-saving artifacts.

"Splash, splash..." The incessant, annoying sound of the torrential rain filled the air.

Under the dim sky, the Grand Emissary's eyes shone brightly and intimidatingly, like lightning, seemingly able to pierce through the rain curtain. He did not conceal himself, standing proudly at the front of his vast army, with thousands of soldiers behind him!

Qin Sang spotted him instantly, his expression subtly darkening as his figure quietly merged with the rain.

In the blink of an eye, King Lu's army approached the rain curtain. The Grand Emissary, with a confident stance, led his forces directly into it without hesitation.

"Whoosh!" The torrential rain was like the gaping maw of an abyss.

Upon entering the rain curtain, a familiar sight reappeared: countless shadows stood silently in the rain, awaiting them. The figures were densely packed, stretching as far as the eye could see, utterly silent, making the scene incredibly eerie. These were the Thunder Soldiers, their old adversaries, but this time, they were prepared.

Before direct engagement, wisps of cloud began to float from King Lu's army formation. They were still employing the same formation, but the array core had been replaced by a Siyou Clan expert. With the experience from the previous encounter, they could now respond more effectively, and the array core would be much safer.

The clouds stretched continuously, drifting high into the sky, and the rain instantly weakened. The Grand Emissary searched for a moment but found no trace of Qin Sang or his companions. Without further hesitation, he ordered his army to launch an offensive.

"Boom!" The two armies suddenly collided, creating an earth-shattering roar.

The clouds moved with the cultivators, and their flow revealed the distribution of King Lu's army. Like sharp daggers, they pierced into the Thunder Soldier formation, unstoppable. In the blink of an eye, countless Thunder Soldiers fell.

"Hmm?" The Grand Emissary had been scanning the surroundings, searching for Qin Sang and his group. At that moment, he seemed to sense something, his expression shifting slightly, but he was immediately drawn by an anomaly elsewhere.

Qin Sang, Frost Sable, the Stone Statue, and Fire Spirit appeared simultaneously, just like last time, charging into the battlefield from four different directions. Except for Qin Sang, Frost Sable, the Stone Statue, and Fire Spirit had moderate strength and had previously served more as a distraction. The Grand Emissary immediately dispatched troops to engage them, while secretly transmitting a message to Li Yue, ordering him to intercept Qin Sang.

Last time, Li Yue had fought Qin Sang alone and immediately fell into his sword formation, his formidable cultivation rendered useless as he struck only empty air. With the Grand Emissary overseeing this time, Li Yue vowed to redeem himself. He immediately summoned his companion beasts, donned his spirit armor, and stepped forward. Simultaneously, the Grand Emissary flipped his palm and conjured a Six Harmonies Edict. Other Siyou Clan experts also conjured this artifact. The edicts hung in the air, spinning ceaselessly, responding to the situation, giving the Five Elements Crown no chance to activate.

"Rumble!" As Li Yue moved, his momentum was like a collapsing mountain, shaking the void and overpowering Qin Sang's presence.

With a clang of a sword, just like last time, Qin Sang began by unleashing a streak of sword light. The Grey Oriole Sword slashed through the air towards Li Yue. Li Yue's response was also the same as last time: he intended to use his physical strength to directly resist the spirit sword, seemingly having forgotten his previous lesson. As he wished, sword light flickered in mid-air, then the spirit sword vanished. The void instantly became utterly silent as the sword formation spread out, and Li Yue was instantly enveloped within it.

Just as he succeeded, Qin Sang suddenly heard a dog's howl. His gaze narrowed, looking behind Li Yue. He saw that, at some point, two black-furred spirit dogs had appeared beside the Grand Emissary, crouching one on each side of his feet. The spirit dogs had short, fine fur, long wedge-shaped heads, deep chests, slender waists, and long, thin limbs—straight in front, bowed behind. Without a doubt, these two spirit dogs were the Grand Emissary's companion beasts. They raised their heads to the sky, letting out long, piercing howls that were distant and highly penetrating, able to cut through the clouds.

A moment later, a faint light spilled onto the battlefield, and a circular spot of light appeared in the sky, gradually brightening like a full moon hanging on the horizon. Spirit Dogs Howling at the Moon! The 'full moon' cast down a beam of light, which fell into the sword formation. At this moment, Qin Sang vaguely sensed that Li Yue, within the formation, had established some kind of connection with the 'full moon'. Realizing the danger, he continuously shifted the formation but couldn't sever the link.

Li Yue, on the other hand, after falling into the sword formation and facing the vast starry sky, was initially bewildered. After all, their previous encounter had been too rushed, and he hadn't yet figured out a way to break the formation. However, when the 'full moon' appeared, his bewilderment quickly vanished as if guided by something. Li Yue abruptly turned his head, his gaze sharp as a blade, fixed on a particular sword-star, and then charged forward like a wild ox, with astonishing momentum.

Li Yue's own cultivation was not bad, and with the Grand Emissary's assistance, if left to rampage within the sword formation, he truly might be able to break it. Qin Sang glanced at the Grand Emissary. This man still wanted to control the battlefield from behind the scenes. However, Qin Sang would not let him have his way.

Just then, the Grand Emissary's earlier sensation returned. He noticed that the battlefield situation was somewhat unexpected; the Thunder Soldiers had become much weaker, already showing signs of defeat after only a brief engagement. Although they were well-prepared, the effect shouldn't have been so immediate. "Are they abandoning the Great Compassion Zen Temple?"

In fact, ever since Qin Sang activated the Thunder Pledge Scroll but kept it dormant, all the altar masters had been under immense pressure. For every moment the thunder talisman remained unactivated, their pressure intensified. At this very moment, including the three Su Nu, none dared to be distracted. The current Nine Heavens Jade Pool Thunder Rain Great Art was Qin Sang's pre-activated and preserved power; every bit consumed meant one less. Without the cooperation of the altar masters, many variations could not be performed, which was why King Lu's army appeared to be breaking through so easily.

The Grand Emissary sensed something amiss, but before he could ponder it, he was startled by thunder. The Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Talisman moved with his will, its thunderbolts obscuring the sky, forming a thunder seal. Terrifying thunder power pierced through the void, striking towards Li Yue within the formation. This attack was almost Qin Sang's full power. Even for someone as strong as Li Yue, if he couldn't evade in time, his chances of survival would be slim.

However, how could the Grand Emissary let Qin Sang succeed so easily? A golden light immediately shot out from his sleeve. This time, he was well-prepared and held nothing back. The Heaven-Binding Golden Lock erupted with its full power, and a subtle fluctuation spread with the golden light. On the battlefield, almost all cultivators at the Void Refinement Realm and above were drawn by this fluctuation, for it was the power they desperately sought—the power of a Dharma Domain! Only Qin Sang could discern that it was still a considerable distance from a true Dharma Domain. Nevertheless, the Grand Emissary's ability to wield the power of a "virtual domain" using the Heaven-Binding Golden Lock made him a top-tier existence among those of his rank.

The virtual domain enveloped the battlefield, and the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Talisman dimmed. Previously, even if it wouldn't be annihilated by the virtual domain, its thunder power would have become incredibly sluggish. But after forging the Thunder Altar, Qin Sang had gained much and had refined the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Talisman to its peak, possessing power beyond his own cultivation realm.

"Rumble, rumble..." The thunder roared incessantly. Amidst the golden light filling the sky, a blue lightning bolt, like a sharp arrow, streaked across the void, seemingly intent on piercing through the virtual domain. The Grand Emissary's expression turned grim; the thunder's power exceeded his expectations. He hurriedly chanted a spell, and the Heaven-Binding Golden Lock emitted clanking sounds as golden light waves surged within the virtual domain.

Just as the thunder seal and the Heaven-Binding Golden Lock clashed, the Grand Emissary suddenly felt something amiss and abruptly looked towards the sword formation. Through the two spirit dog companion beasts and the 'full moon', he had established a connection with Li Yue, allowing him to vaguely sense changes in Li Yue. At this moment, what Li Yue conveyed was—fear! Li Yue, a mid-stage Void Refinement Realm cultivator with three companion beasts possessing him, facing an opponent of the same rank who was currently being held back by him, why would he feel fear?

Within the sword formation, Li Yue charged wildly through the starry sky, swinging heavy fists, shattering sword-stars one after another. He was incredibly fierce and unstoppable; the sword formation could do nothing against him. But just as the situation looked favorable, myriad sword-stars suddenly trembled. Their light converged to form fierce White Tiger and Vermilion Bird spirits, which jointly lunged at Li Yue. Li Yue stopped, standing ready, and immediately sensed an anomaly. As the fierce spirits attacked, the grand formation seemed to have undergone a transformation, and the starry sky became very unfamiliar.

"This is..." Li Yue's expression suddenly changed, and a hint of dread flashed in his eyes. A Sword Domain! He had personally witnessed the Grand Emissary manifesting a virtual domain with the Heaven-Binding Golden Lock, but the aura of this Sword Domain was more authentic than a virtual domain; it was a true Dharma Domain! Li Yue, considering his own powerful abilities, didn't believe he had a chance against a Sword Domain. His opponent, despite being of the same rank, had actually comprehended a Dharma Domain.

Meanwhile, outside, the Grand Emissary also sensed the aura of the Sword Domain. Li Yue was a vital general and had to be saved. The Grand Emissary raised his right hand, holding a precious vase in his palm. The vase had a narrow mouth and a rounded body, its surface shimmering with colorful light, becoming transparent in the Grand Emissary's hand. Inside the vase, there was nothing but a single orb of light. The orb flickered between bright and dim, erupting into two dazzling white beams. The two white beams, centered on the precious vase, formed a cross. The cross of white light spun rapidly, suddenly transforming into a massive light wheel. The wheel tilted and swiftly cut into the sword formation.

Just then, the Grand Emissary's eyes flashed. Qin Sang had once mimicked a wisp of Dharma Domain aura, which had terrified Old Man Gu Yun and Patriarch Minghu. But the Grand Emissary had a broader vision, having witnessed true Dharma Domains and even capable of manifesting a virtual domain himself.

"A mere facade!" the Grand Emissary scoffed coldly, yet felt extreme astonishment in his heart. Even if Qin Sang's Sword Domain was just a facade, the fact that he could manifest it proved he had gained a glimpse of the path. Any late-stage expert hearing this would likely feel jealous. The Grand Emissary was no exception, and his intent to kill intensified. He even began to wonder if provoking this individual was a mistake, but the Mist Sea was, after all, the domain of the alien races; outsiders wouldn't be able to stir up much trouble.

As his thoughts flickered, he watched the light wheel collide with the sword formation. Suddenly, Qin Sang's figure emerged within the sword formation. Ignoring the light wheel beside him, he looked at the Grand Emissary and murmured, "This distance... it's about right."

The next moment, a crystal pagoda flew out from his chest. The pagoda had three layers; it was the Spatial Severing Spirit Pagoda! Upon seeing the Spatial Severing Spirit Pagoda, the Grand Emissary's expression instantly froze, and a sudden sense of danger arose in his heart.

"Crack!" "Snap!"

The Spatial Severing Spirit Pagoda shattered completely, its fragments flying everywhere, then breaking further into the finest dust, scattering with the wind. The Spatial Severing Spirit Pagoda was undoubtedly a supreme treasure that countered the Siyou Clan. Unfortunately, it was extremely difficult to refine and had a limited number of uses. Even with careful calculation, it could barely be used three times. To ensure absolute certainty, Qin Sang held nothing back, fully unleashing the power of the Spatial Severing Spirit Pagoda. An invisible, secret power spread with the dust, permeating the battlefield.

At the same moment, all the altars in the Storm Realm activated simultaneously. The cultivators performed their ritual steps, and their resonant chants reverberated throughout the universe!

The Land of Filth.

The Azure Luan manifestation tracked Min Zhuo, entering the source of the Azure Spirit Qi. It was as if he had crossed a barrier; the seawater disappeared ahead, and a profound, dark abyss appeared before Qin Sang.

Qin Sang swept his gaze around, reminded of the Ruined Sea he had seen years ago—that too was an abyss where seawater cascaded down like waterfalls. However, unlike the Ruined Sea, which was vibrant and filled with wondrous phenomena, the abyss before him was entirely dark.

Qin Sang had lost Min Zhuo's trail but was not worried. Upon entering the abyss, the tremors became clearer and clearer. By following the source of the vibrations, he would find his target. He flapped his wings, flying deeper into the abyss, feeling the increasingly heavy pressure.

Not long after, Qin Sang encountered his first obstacle: a damaged ancient restriction. Although the ancient restriction was broken, the fluctuations it emitted indicated considerable power. Qin Sang deduced for a while, then carefully passed through the ancient restriction. Not long after moving forward, he encountered another one. He had heard Mo Xingdao speak of his experiences in the Ruined Sea, where ancient restrictions were also widespread and dangers lurked everywhere.

"Could this truly be a manifestation of the Ruined Sea, or perhaps a lost part of it?" As Qin Sang pondered this, he suddenly saw a flash of green light—a wisp of Azure Spirit Qi. The ancient restrictions here did not harm it, and the Azure Spirit Qi moved as if unimpeded. Qin Sang drew it over remotely, observed it for a moment, then released it without collecting it.

Continuing onward, getting closer to the source of the tremors, Qin Sang finally discovered Min Zhuo's tracks. Since Qin Sang and Min Zhuo had taken different paths, Min Zhuo's warning mechanisms hadn't been triggered, and he remained completely unaware of the pursuer approaching from behind.

"Boom!" The tremors clearly came from directly ahead.

Min Zhuo, already impatient, suddenly accelerated. Moments later, specks of green light began to shine in the darkness ahead. Several wisps of Azure Spirit Qi brushed past him, but Min Zhuo ignored them, his gaze fixed on the end of the darkness. There, within a mass of rich green light, stood a divine mountain in the darkness, captivating Min Zhuo's attention.

The mountain was bare of vegetation, a stone peak, towering and perilous, with jagged rocks. Its stone cliffs were entirely jade-green, appearing exceptionally heavy, yet it floated in the void. The peak was trembling, seemingly trying to break free from some constraint, to escape the abyss and reappear in the world. Each tremor caused the green light to intensify, revealing a crack on the mountain that almost traversed its entire body. That was the source of the green light and also the origin of the Azure Spirit Qi.

Facing the mountain directly, a sense of awe involuntarily arose in Min Zhuo's heart, his eyes filled with greed.