Chapter 2392: The Immortal

The two women, possessed by the Fox Immortal and the Willow Immortal, underwent a complete transformation in their expressions and demeanor. Their gazes sharpened, fixing on a green light before them.

This was also a green vine, but unlike the previous ones, it was translucent and emerald green, resembling jade.

*Swoosh!*

The green vine slashed through the air towards the two women, its spiritual light illuminating the abyss.

The emerald glow, combined with the churning black water below, created a chilling, almost ghostly realm.

The two women did not dodge, but their eyes underwent a change.

Red Lian's eyes suddenly lit up, becoming bright and intimidating, sharp as blades. Bone Mei's eyes, however, turned incredibly soft, as if filled with deep affection, her watery gaze almost seeming to drip with emotion.

The next moment, two distinctly different forces, one soft and one rigid, appeared in the void, almost simultaneously locking onto the green vine.

Immediately, the green vine began to twist. One half seemed to be struck by an immense force, bouncing back forcefully, while the other half was gently pushed away, rippling outwards.

Though manifesting in two different ways, the outcome was the same: the green vine was forced back by the two women, unable to harm them in the slightest.

*Whoosh!*

The green vine retreated, climbing back up the old man's brocade sleeve.

The old man in the brocade robe wore a solemn expression. These two demonic women were not bluffing; they already possessed strength comparable to his. This indicated he was no longer facing just the two women, but two Guardians of the Five Immortals' Sanctuary!

Just moments ago, out of apprehension, he had held back, not daring to use his full power. He had assumed it would simply take a little more time, certain that these three could never escape his grasp. Unexpectedly, one unforeseen event after another had occurred, and now it was too late for regrets.

Suddenly, a strange shriek rang out.

The old man's expression subtly changed as he swiftly retreated. From where he had just stood, a patch of white mist inexplicably rose, and three fox tails flashed through it. Had the old man not possessed keen spiritual senses, he would have been struck by the fox tails.

Before the old man could fully regain his balance, he sensed another danger. He quickly adjusted his escape light, narrowly avoiding a small sword that grazed past him.

The sword was only thumb-sized, tiny and exquisite, yet its danger level was no less than that of any spirit treasure.

The origin of the small sword was unknown; the old man only perceived its presence when it was already upon him. He narrowly dodged the strike, only for the sword to vanish into thin air before him again.

The Fox Immortal and the Willow Immortal seemed to have merely aimed to repel the old man, not continuing their assault. Instead, they manipulated the two women's bodies to soar into the sky.

The old man glanced downwards, his expression changing slightly, before he flashed away to follow the two women.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

The four demons were fiercely attacking the Black and Yellow Guardians, but unfortunately, their opponents were also top-tier experts, making a quick victory impossible.

The two women charged into the battlefield, and the four Guardians finally reunited.

The Black and Yellow Guardians, now with a chance to catch their breath, sighed in relief and grumbled, "Why were you so slow?"

"You were just too impatient!"

The Fox Immortal said coldly, scanning the surroundings. By this time, the old man in the brocade robe had also joined the four demons, and the five top-tier experts had completely surrounded the four of them.

However, the situation was now completely different from before. Although the Five Immortals' Sanctuary side was one short, a four-on-five fight was not an absolute disadvantage. Once the true forms of the Fox Immortal and the other demons arrived, they would immediately be able to turn the tide.

The schemes of the Plague Lord's faction had clearly failed, and their expressions were grim.

"The White Immortal shouldn't be far now, should they? I never expected to draw out all five Guardians of the Five Immortals' Sanctuary. It seems I underestimated the value of some things!"

The Plague Lord narrowed his eyes, speaking with profound meaning.

The Fox Immortal shifted her gaze to the Plague Lord, her voice still cold. "If you hand over anything else you possess, we might still be able to resolve this peacefully. In the future, the Five Immortals' Sanctuary will certainly not trouble you."

The Fox Immortal appeared to be the leader among the four Guardians; the Black and Yellow Guardians and the Willow Immortal remained silent.

Upon hearing this, all five demons showed expressions of disdain.

The Plague Lord even let out a scoff.

Provoking the Five Immortals' Sanctuary was indeed troublesome, but it wasn't enough to instill fear in them. If they truly reached a dead end, they could abandon their foundation in the Lotus Ferry Great Marsh. With their strength, there would surely be a Great Sage willing to take them in.

"In that case, let's rely on our own abilities!"

The Plague Lord snorted, gesturing to the Gu Hag and the Three Elders. Immediately, the five demons transformed into five streaks of escape light and plunged into the depths of darkness.

With the four Guardians of the Five Immortals' Sanctuary present, continuing the fight would offer them no advantage. It was better to act first, before the White Immortal arrived, to gain some initiative.

The Fox Immortal and her companions were powerless to stop them, and could only watch as the five demons departed.

By this time, the abyss was already churning violently, with surging black tides rising and falling, and streaks of black ink flying erratically, making it incredibly perilous.

The five demons arrived, piercing through the air. Upon seeing the scene, their escape lights paused briefly before they plunged into the chaos, disappearing into the depths of the black tide.

A moment later, the four Guardians also appeared above the black tide, their expressions solemn as they gazed at the black streaks, hesitating to descend.

The great lake where the Water Dragon Palace was located was overcast with dark clouds, and demonic energy permeated the air.

Countless demon soldiers marched in neat formations towards the southwest of the great lake. At the forefront of the demon army was a royal carriage.

To the right of the royal carriage, a purple rhinoceros ascended on clouds, moving parallel to it. Seated on the rhinoceros's back were a man and a woman—the very cousins mentioned earlier.

Yuan Luo sat upright within the royal carriage, leading the vast army alongside the purple rhinoceros, majestically heading southwest.

The demon soldiers behind them were all mighty and elite. Originally sent as elite troops by nearby demon kings, they had undergone extensive training, becoming the cream of the crop, perfectly uniform and strictly disciplined.

As the army set forth, a whirlpool suddenly appeared in the center of the lake. The whirlpool intensified rapidly, and a crystal palace slowly rose from it.

This crystal palace was slightly smaller than the Water Dragon Palace at the bottom of the lake. If Red Lian and the other demons were present, they would recognize it as the White Dragon King's bedchamber, revealed to be a treasure.

*Whoosh!*

The crystal palace chased after the army, moving parallel to it on its left flank.

Not long after they set off, a mass of seven-colored auspicious clouds flew from the southwest, with a golden pagoda vaguely discernible within it.

The pagoda had nine levels and was magnificent in appearance.

The demon cultivators in the area all knew that this pagoda was the Plague Lord's traveling palace. The multi-colored cloud and golden pagoda flew to the right side of the army, directly opposite the White Dragon King's crystal palace.

Both traveling palaces subtly emanated powerful auras, indicating that not only the White Dragon King and the Plague Lord, but also the demon kings under their command had mobilized!

The army's passage was too grand to conceal, and the demon kings, who had long been observing the area, immediately received the news.

From the shadows, countless eyes watched the army.

"Rumor has it that Mount Chiyun has drawn in the White Dragon King, while the Plague Lord is closer to Moon Lake Tundra. It appears to be true."

On a cliff by the lake, several figures stood in the shadows, gazing at the army.

A face emerged from the shadows, revealed to be the Black Silence Demon King. Standing behind him were all the demon kings who had pledged allegiance to him, including Meishan Yuanjun, who stood notably at the front.

"The subordinates of the Demon Sages have finally moved. What are our Lord's instructions?" A short man stepped forward, revealing a fawning smile.

A flicker of disdain passed through the eyes of the other demon kings.

Although they had pledged allegiance to the Black Silence Demon King, they usually addressed each other as fellow cultivators, at most calling him "Great King." The only one they would willingly serve as their true Lord was a Great Sage!

No matter how powerful the Black Silence Demon King was, he was only one or two minor realms above them and hadn't bestowed any favors upon them. Only this wretched demon was shameless enough to grovel before him.

The Black Silence Demon King let out a chuckle and licked his lips. "Just follow them! This is our territory. Even if the Demon Sages' subordinates get the meat, they can't leave our brothers without even a drop of soup!"

With that, the Black Silence Demon King summoned clouds beneath his feet and flew off the cliff. Meishan Yuanjun and the other demon kings followed suit.

As the army advanced, more and more demon cultivators caught up. They dared not openly overtake, only trailing far behind. Within the clouds and misty formations, countless demon cultivators were hidden.

Mount Chiyun and Moon Lake Tundra seemed utterly oblivious to this, not sending out any experts to drive them away.

The vast army flew over mountains and rivers, without a moment's pause.

Gradually, some demon cultivators began to discern the destination of the Demon Sages' subordinates.

"They're heading to the place where the Four Kings fell!"

"It seems the rumors have a basis. Two Great Sages perished together there, and the Four Kings suffered an unforeseen disaster."

"Great Sages perishing together? It's not that simple! Don't you think there's something suspicious? Even if a Great Sage's life flame truly extinguished, Mount Chiyun and Moon Lake Tundra should have kept it a strict secret. How could such news have been allowed to spread?"

"Perhaps it was an accidental leak of confidential information..."

The demon cultivators whispered among themselves in secret.

By then, they were not far from the place where the Four Kings fell. The truth would soon be revealed, and all the demons were eagerly anticipating it.

Finally, the marsh where the Four Kings fell appeared at the edge of their vision.

The marsh had now transformed into a vast expanse of water. The lake water that had been drained earlier had returned, but the mountains that had been moved were completely pulverized. The scattered remnants of rocks lay at the lake bottom, with only a few jagged reefs visible above the water's surface.

Ever since Mount Chiyun and Moon Lake Tundra arrived, they had sealed off this area, prohibiting entry.

The demon cultivators trailing behind stopped one after another, observing from a distance.

Unexpectedly, the army did not stop upon reaching this point. The Demon Sages' subordinates stationed there rejoined the main force, then continued westward with the army.

Witnessing this, all the demons were puzzled. After waiting for a while, they flew over with a mixture of doubt and belief, encountering no resistance.

"Where exactly are Mount Chiyun and Moon Lake Tundra going?"

The demons were perplexed, and could only continue to follow.

After flying past this area, they entered the former dao field of Splendid Light Heavenly King, one of the Four Kings. The army continued westward, reaching the westernmost part of the Splendid Light Heavenly King's dao field, where the royal carriage and purple rhinoceros finally halted.

The destination of the Demon Sages' subordinates was, unexpectedly, this very place.

Beneath the demons lay a boundless golden ocean of swaying reed flowers, countless reeds gently swaying under the sunlight.

"It's here!"

All the demons were greatly astonished.

This reed marsh was part of the Splendid Light Heavenly King's dao field. It was immensely vast, even larger than the dao fields of the other three Kings among the Four, and was renowned far and wide.

Only reeds grew here. Because it was so barren, no demon king was willing to establish a dwelling here. Later, the Splendid Light Heavenly King encompassed it within his domain, but largely left it untouched, using it as a buffer zone between his and other forces.

After the fall of the Four Kings, this reed marsh remained neglected.

That such a barren place would be targeted by Mount Chiyun and Moon Lake Tundra piqued the curiosity of all the demons.

At this moment, Yuan Luo stepped out of the royal carriage, and the cousins also rose from the purple rhinoceros's back. Their conflict was already public; their gazes met briefly before separating, and without any communication, they each gave their own commands.

The demons began to move. Squads of demon soldiers interwove with each other, rapidly expanding the grand formation outwards. From time to time, a squad of demon soldiers would break away from the main formation and fly towards the horizon, their purpose unknown.

The traveling palaces of the White Dragon King and the Plague Lord also halted on the periphery.

In front of the multi-colored cloud and golden pagoda, the Bound Resentment Demon King appeared. After observing for a moment, he turned back and respectfully reported, "Reporting to Your Majesty, we have arrived at the location."

The Plague Lord's command issued from within the golden pagoda.

"The few of you, go inside and lend a hand to our fellow cultivators from Moon Lake Tundra."

"Yes!"

The Bound Resentment Demon King selected several demon kings, who then entered the battle formation. Simultaneously, several streaks of escape light also flew out from the crystal palace on the other side.

The grand army systematically deployed in all directions.

The royal carriage and the purple rhinoceros were positioned at the very center of the grand formation. Yuan Luo scanned her surroundings, nodded in satisfaction, then put away the carriage. With a flick of her delicate hand, four spirit needles shot out from her sleeve.

In mid-air, the spirit needles transformed into four massive pillars, plunging straight into the marsh. The exposed portions still stood thousands of feet tall, like four pillars supporting the heavens.

Immediately afterwards, flames ignited at the tops of the massive pillars.

The fiery torches were clearly visible even in daylight. From a distance, the watching demons felt their hearts pound just by gazing at the flames. The more timid ones couldn't help but retreat far away.

At this point, the cousins also produced horns and blew them together. The purple rhinoceros beneath them leaped into the air, its form dissipating into a mass of purple mist that enveloped the fire pillars, remaining dense and obscuring the view from outside.

Both sides then successively cast out several more treasures. The purple mist grew denser and denser, forming a solid purple barrier that isolated the inside from the outside.

Immediately afterwards, both sides suddenly flashed towards the purple mist.

Before entering the purple mist, their gazes still held malice towards each other. Once inside, the three demons' expressions instantly returned to normal, and they silently proceeded to the center of the purple mist.

Yuan Luo nodded to the two demons and tossed out a treasure banner. The three demons jointly activated it, and the banner conjured clouds and mists, creating another layer of barrier within the purple mist.

Inside the treasure banner, it was pitch black.

Yuan Luo raised her hands, holding an object from which golden light seeped through her fingers. In her palm, the golden light flowed like water, and within it floated an object resembling a golden talisman. However, its form constantly shifted, soft as brocade.

Upon seeing the golden talisman, all three demons showed respectful expressions.

Yuan Luo held the golden talisman before her forehead, slightly lowered her head, and respectfully said, "Reporting to the Venerable Immortal, we are ready."

The next moment, the golden talisman in her hand trembled gently, and a powerful, ancient voice emerged from it.

"Well done! Such smooth progress means no Great Sages have set up obstacles for you."

"While there hasn't been overt obstruction, there are certainly many spies," Yuan Luo replied.

The voice from the golden talisman uttered an "Mm." "Continue with the previous plan... Hmm, have you heard anything recently about a Qilin descendant being born anywhere?"

The three demons exchanged glances, all stating that they had heard nothing of the sort.

The voice from the golden talisman sounded somewhat disappointed. "Proceed then. I will guide you secretly."

"Yes!"

Yuan Luo bowed in acknowledgement, then hesitated as if to speak, but finally couldn't help asking.

"Venerable Immortal, when exactly can we rescue our Master?"

The cousins pricked up their ears, revealing expressions of concern.