Chapter 2394: Upstream and Downstream

## The Mortal Realm

The water's surface rippled in layers and quickly calmed, rendering the Ink Phoenix, hidden in the Ink River, invisible from the outside.

Qin Sang and Mo Yan were hiding inside the Ink Phoenix's belly. It was pitch black before them, as the creature's internal organs and flesh were entirely ink-black, clearly indicating it was not a normal living being.

Just as Qin Sang was hesitating whether to use his Heavenly Eye Divine Ability to peer outside in front of Mo Yan, Mo Yan picked up a paintbrush and waved it before them. The brush tip swept through the void, leaving no ink marks.

Qin Sang suddenly found his vision expanding; he could not only see the scenes within the Ink River but also vaguely discern the riverbanks through the water.

“This is…”

Qin Sang tried to shift his gaze, but found it was beyond his control. He suddenly realized they were seeing the outside world through the Ink Phoenix's eyes.

This Ink Phoenix recognized Mo Yan as its master, so Mo Yan controlled its gaze, leaving Qin Sang to merely observe.

Since that was the case, Qin Sang settled in as an observer. He soon noticed Mo Yan moving the Ink Phoenix's eyes upward, gazing at the area above the Ink River.

Ink currents condensed above this ink wash landscape, forming a cloud of ink that never dispersed.

The ink clouds were heavy but restless; one could see them swirling and colliding with the naked eye, like dark storm clouds before a tempest.

Suddenly, a rift appeared in the ink clouds, and five figures flew out one after another: Plague Monarch, Gu Granny, and the Three Elders.

To Qin Sang and Mo Yan's disappointment, none of the five demons were injured; their auras were complete, clearly indicating they had not fought to the death with the Five Immortal Sect.

The five demons working together to resist the ink marks would naturally be much easier. However, it didn't rule out that they might possess methods similar to Mo Yan's.

The spiritual perception of top-tier powerhouses was exceptionally keen; if someone were constantly observing them, they would soon be detected. However, Mo Yan did not move the Ink Phoenix's gaze, and the five demons remained completely unaware, huddling together to discuss something.

Only the five demons had descended; the Five Immortals of the Five Immortal Sect were nowhere to be seen.

“It seems it's just them,” Qin Sang thought to himself. “Black Silence Demon King is not with them…”

He had initially suspected that Black Silence Demon King was approaching Plague Monarch with ulterior motives, just like them, but now it appeared that wasn't the case. Fortunately, he had joined Tianyun Pu; if not for the Five Immortal Sect and Scarlet Serpent, he would still be in the dark.

“They won't discover the Ink Phoenix, will they?”

Qin Sang watched Plague Monarch and the others finish their discussion and disperse. Some surveyed the ink wash landscape, while others stared intently at the Ink River, almost making eye contact with him. He felt a bit worried.

As the weakest party, it was best for them to remain hidden in the shadows, waiting for the Five Immortal Sect and Plague Monarch's group to battle it out and then reap the benefits.

“As long as the Ink Phoenix stays hidden in the river, it should be difficult for them to discover us,” Mo Yan said, guiding the Ink Phoenix's gaze to Plague Monarch.

All signs indicated that Plague Monarch was the leader among the five demons.

The Three Elders had clearly entered for the first time, gazing at this unique world with astonished eyes.

It was Plague Monarch who stared intently at the Ink River. It was unclear what he saw, but a moment later, he pointed in the direction of the river's flow and said, “Let's go downstream!”

Gu Granny and the Three Elders had no objections. Just as they were about to move, a small deer suddenly darted out from the riverside forest.

The deer seemed to have leaped out of a painting, outlined with just a few strokes, yet capturing its full essence. It hopped and skipped, looking flustered.

“Roar!”

A tiger's roar echoed through the forest.

A gust of wind shook the wilderness, flattening vegetation. Immediately, a fierce tiger burst out of the forest and pounced on the deer.

“Wait,” Gu Granny called out to Plague Monarch. “Let's first test the abilities of this beast…”

As she spoke, Gu Granny's finger trembled slightly, and a transparent bubble suddenly appeared before the deer. The deer leaped into it and became unable to move, allowing the bubble to carry it towards Gu Granny. The fierce tiger, relentless, leaped after it.

A colorful cloud, drifting from unknown origins, suddenly engulfed them. A few tiger roars emerged from within, then all sound ceased completely.

Gu Granny was a bit disappointed. “So, it really was just a low-level demon!”

Immediately, the colorful cloud parted, and two blobs of ink fell into the Ink River, splashing water.

“It seems most of the ink beasts here are far weaker than the Ink Phoenix,” Qin Sang said.

“Yes, this Ink Phoenix must be the overlord of this area,” Mo Yan agreed.

Having understood the ink beasts' abilities, the five demons no longer hesitated and flew downstream along the Ink River. Mo Yan immediately maneuvered the Ink Phoenix to follow, and indeed, the Ink Phoenix remained undetected as it swam within the Ink River.

If this were an ink wash landscape painting, the Ink River's banks were narrow, yet its length was unexpectedly vast.

The five demons flew downstream without stopping, but they never saw the end of the Ink River.

The winding river flowed through mountains that varied from majestic to gentle, in countless forms. Occasionally, one could also see small bridges over flowing streams and houses nestled in the mountains.

The Ink Phoenix's territory was vast, and the five demons had not encountered any ink beasts as strong as the Ink Phoenix.

After flying for some time, the five demons suddenly stopped before a mountain. Qin Sang and Mo Yan arrived shortly after, realizing that the Ink River forked here, with one branch flowing left and the other right, each in a different direction. The channels were almost equally wide, making it impossible to discern which was the main branch and which was a tributary.

They strained their eyes, but at the limits of their vision, there was no sign of the two branches of the Ink River converging.

All the demons looked at Plague Monarch, who, however, hesitated to move forward.

Seeing this, the Three Elders exchanged glances and asked in surprise, “Fellow Daoist, have you not been here before?”

Plague Monarch nodded helplessly, offering no explanation. He frowned, staring ahead, seemingly deep in calculations.

“Otherwise, we could split up,” the brocade-robed elder suggested.

“That is the worst possible plan,” Gu Granny shook her head. “The Five Immortals of the Five Immortal Sect will arrive soon. They are from the same sect, and when they combine forces, their strength is formidable; even the five of us together must avoid their sharp edge. If we split up and happen to encounter them, it would be too dangerous.”

Everyone present naturally understood this reasoning, but Plague Monarch remained indecisive. What other options were there besides this?

Inside the Ink Phoenix.

Mo Yan also looked in the same direction as Plague Monarch, his expression solemn.

Qin Sang knew Mo Yan was also making deductions. Knowing he knew nothing about this place and couldn't help, he silently appreciated the scenery in their view.

By the Ink River bank stood a mountain, its cypress trees oddly shaped, and at its foot grew a grove of ink bamboo. Behind the ink bamboo grove was a large mansion that caught Qin Sang's attention. Additionally, there were several rows of houses, separated from the mansion by the ink bamboo grove, resembling a village.

Such scenes were not uncommon in ink wash landscapes.

As seen before, these houses and mansions were uninhabited. Though the mountains were full of birds and beasts, they would not intrude upon them.

Looking at these scenes, Qin Sang always felt something was off. Now he realized what it was: if humans were added to this ink wash landscape, it would appear perfectly harmonious.

Small bridges over flowing streams, orderly houses, people working from sunrise to sunset…

Demon cultivators, once enlightened, possessed intelligence no less than humans and also knew how to construct pavilions and mansions. However, their nature dictated that they would not be entirely like humans. Qin Sang always felt these houses and residences seemed more suited for human habitation than for demonic beasts.

But this was a demon domain, tens of thousands of miles from Great Zhou, with no humans at all. Qin Sang suspected his feeling was wrong.

At this moment, Mo Yan seemed to have thought of something. He nodded gently, and his expression softened.

“Does Fellow Daoist have some connection with this place?”

Qin Sang voiced the doubt that had been weighing on his mind.

Mo Yan hesitated for a moment, then said, “Whether Fellow Daoist believes it or not, I knew nothing about this place before coming here. But after entering, I felt like a fish in water; many places felt familiar, and I inexplicably knew how to avoid those ink marks. Upon seeing the Ink Phoenix, I thought I could grant it a pair of spiritual eyes, and it succeeded on the first try.”

Seeing that Mo Yan did not seem to be faking it, Qin Sang was surprised and pondered, “The path of painting is interconnected; not all of it is subtle and profound. Some lines, brushwork, and compositions might be done the same way by any painter of a certain skill.”

“Exactly! I also suspect that the master of this place must be a senior who reached the pinnacle of the painting path…”

Mo Yan gazed at this ink wash landscape, appreciating it not as Qin Sang and the others did, but as a 'painter'.

His face was filled with admiration, even astonishment.

Qin Sang suddenly realized a problem, “In other words, Fellow Daoist also cannot confirm whether this place is connected to that other place?”

He sought the relics of ancient demon cultivators. If the two places were unrelated, then any treasures obtained in this ink wash landscape would likely only be usable by Mo Yan.

Mo Yan nodded, reassuring him, “Plague Monarch went so far as to draw the Three Elders into this trap; it should be connected to that place.”

“I hope so!”

Qin Sang nodded, and suddenly, a thought struck him. “They're here!”

At the same time, Plague Monarch and the other demons suddenly turned their heads, gazing upstream. Behind them, several powerful auras were clearly discernible.

“They arrived so quickly!”

Gu Granny said in a low voice.

The green vine on the brocade-robed elder's arm flickered with spiritual light. After sensing for a moment, he said, “All Five Immortals are present, and their true forms have arrived!”

With all Five Immortals present, no longer possessing Scarlet Serpent and Bone Enchantress, any force facing these five top-tier powerhouses would feel pressure.

“There!”

Plague Monarch no longer hesitated, pointing to the left branch of the river.

Gu Granny and the others didn't know whether Plague Monarch had guessed or truly deduced the result. With pursuers imminent, there was no room for hesitation.

Mo Yan also followed without hesitation.

Shortly after they left, five streaks of escape light appeared upstream on the Ink River, landing at the fork.

Besides the Black and Yellow Protectors, there were two stunning women: one in white fur, with an ethereal, immortal-like aura, and another with a slender, snake-like waist, graceful and charming. Additionally, there was a wizened old man, who appeared to be the eldest of the Five Immortals, his figure hunched, leaning on a short staff, with kind eyes and a benevolent expression.

The true forms of the Five Immortals had arrived, but Scarlet Serpent and Bone Enchantress were nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile, outside the abyss.

Scarlet Serpent and Bone Enchantress flew back to the shore, exchanging bitter smiles, both feeling a sense of surviving a catastrophe and secretly relieved.

When the power of Fox Immortal and Willow Immortal was withdrawn from them, both women felt a wave of weakness and exhaustion. Coupled with their previous intense battles, they were no longer able to participate in combat, so the five Protectors left them outside.

“What do we do now?” Bone Enchantress asked.

After this battle, much of the animosity between them had dissolved.

Perhaps because their whereabouts had already been exposed, the five Protectors did not restrict their movements this time.

“We cannot stay here long,” Scarlet Serpent said, glancing around vigilantly, knowing that Plague Monarch's lackeys could arrive at any moment. “We must recover our energy as quickly as possible and return to the North Shore sub-altar to gather troops and prepare to come to the aid of the five Protectors.”

Bone Enchantress nodded, sat down on the ground, and swallowed a bottle of elixirs.

“It's just a pity about Fellow Daoist Qingfeng…”

Scarlet Serpent looked towards the abyss, silently murmuring in her heart.

The Five Immortals pursued to the river fork but lost Plague Monarch's trail.

The Black Protector's nostrils twitched, and he helplessly spread his hands.

Fox Immortal's beautiful eyes gazed ahead, her eyes shimmering with myriad changes, like clouds and mist.

White Immortal took out several wooden sticks, tossed them upward, and they fell haphazardly to the ground. He picked up his staff, nudged the sticks a few times, then pointed forward. “In that direction.”

The Black Protector looked unconvinced. “Old Man Bai, how accurate is your divination art, really?”

White Immortal scratched the back of his head and chuckled, “Out of ten times, I always get it right once. Before coming here, I had already failed nine times consecutively.”

This remark immediately drew several disdainful glances.

Fox Immortal ignored them and suddenly moved, flying towards the left branch of the river. The four other Immortals, without doubting her judgment, followed closely.

The wrinkles on White Immortal's face crinkled with a smile. “It's accurate! It's accurate!”

Meanwhile, Plague Monarch and his group ahead were flying non-stop, but since they needed to conceal their auras, their speed was inevitably slower. Before long, they sensed their pursuers closing in from behind.

Seeing that they couldn't shake off the Five Immortals, they stopped concealing their presence and greatly increased their speed.

For a time, three factions chased each other relentlessly, up and down the Ink River.

Qin Sang and Mo Yan hoped the two sides would engage in battle soon, but unexpectedly, an unforeseen turn of events occurred not long after.

‘Whoosh!’‘Whoosh!’

Without any warning, the previously calm river water suddenly surged with waves, large ripples crashing against both banks.

All three factions simultaneously halted their pursuit, looking down, confirming it wasn't wind, but the earth itself shaking!

The earthquake caused the river water to churn violently.

All the demons became wary, then immediately realized that the source of the earthquake was actually from behind them.

“How can this be?”

Doubt flickered in the eyes of Plague Monarch and Mo Yan; clearly, neither had anticipated such a change.

“This fluctuation… it's not simple!”

The green vine on the brocade-robed elder's arm trembled repeatedly. His expression grew increasingly serious as he looked at Plague Monarch, “We might have chosen the wrong direction.”

“This…”

Plague Monarch's brow furrowed tightly.

Just then, they perceived that the Five Immortals, who had been hotly pursuing them from behind, suddenly changed direction and flew upstream along the Ink River, which only added fuel to the fire.

“Fellow Daoist must make a decision quickly. The upstream has experienced an anomaly first, and it's so intense. If we insist on going downstream, and if the upstream fluctuation is real, we would be giving away a great opportunity…”

The Three Elders spoke up, one after another, trying to persuade him.

Plague Monarch also hesitated, not daring to stick to his own judgment. He sighed, “The three Fellow Daoists are right; let's go upstream first.”

The situation immediately reversed; the Five Immortals gained the initiative, and they became the pursuers.

The demons gradually went further and further away, but Qin Sang and Mo Yan remained motionless in place.

Mo Yan's expression shifted. The Three Elders' argument was not without reason: the end of the Ink River was unreachable, and seeing an anomaly occur upstream, seemingly not far away, meant they had to investigate, no matter what. They couldn't just hand over the opportunity to others.

This was not a difficult choice. Mo Yan immediately commanded the Ink Phoenix to turn around and return the way they came.