Chapter 308: Performer Takes the Stage

The Immortal River of Eternal Fortune. Ever since the Eight Sect Alliance shattered the Minor Divine Sect with a forbidden artifact and destroyed its dam, a tributary of the river has flowed furiously, tracing Mount Taishi Due'er and traversing a long distance, eventually entering the territory of the Eight Sect Alliance.

This river, along its course, nourished countless small nations, allowing a great number of mortals to benefit and enriching the region.

The Eight Sect Alliance maintained strict oversight over it, with continuous patrols from all eight sects to ensure the river's safety.

Yet today, an unexpected incident occurred.

The affected section of the river was not far from the Eight Sect Alliance.

In fact, this area was even within the Alliance's territory. For unknown reasons, that section of the river suddenly transformed from its original clear state to an incredibly dark, murky one.

From a distance, the upstream water still teemed with spiritual energy, but upon entering this section, it instantly became incredibly foul-smelling.

It was thick with anomalous substances, even bearing similarities to when the main flow of the Immortal River of Eternal Fortune emerged from the forbidden land of Yinghuang Province.

Black mist rose from the river water, enveloping the surroundings and becoming tangible, forming vast, spreading plumes of anomalous mist. Wherever it spread, the riverbanks were corroded, all vegetation turned purplish-black, and life struggled to survive!

Even more terrifyingly, this anomalous mist could devour spiritual energy, causing the surrounding spiritual energy to dissipate rapidly.

The river water itself had become the source of this anomaly.

Even a single drop of this river water contained astonishing anomalous substances, with countless tiny black specks visible to the naked eye, resembling some deadly substance.

The mist subtly affected the sky, as dark clouds spread, making the heavens gloomy.

Furthermore, imperceptible fluctuations emanated from the river water.

Wherever they passed, they seemed to alter the very fabric of life, causing living beings to collapse and be severely corrupted.

Not only that, the altered river water also contained potent venom, which spread, completely polluting the river and permeating it with intense corrosive power.

Countless spiritual fish in the river died, while those that survived began to mutate, transforming into monstrous beasts and emitting terrifying roars.

Furthermore, countless river sprites were also affected, mutating into grotesque forms.

Finally, countless vengeful spirits rose from the riverbed, their numbers unclear, surging both within and outside the water, causing the tributary beyond this section to resemble a realm of specters.

Unlike conventional spirits, these vengeful spirits did not emit coldness but an astonishing heat, causing the river water to boil with their undulations and distort the surroundings.

If a powerful being were present here, gazing into the depths of the troubled river section, they would see the source of it all: a constructed altar at the riverbed.

The altar was surrounded by concealment formations, making it undetectable on normal days. On the altar lay a small black bottle, from which dense black liquid seeped out, rapidly merging with the river water.

Thus, this tributary of the Immortal River of Eternal Fortune, carrying immensely terrifying destructive power, surged forward at an extremely high speed, roaring and churning towards the Eight Sect Alliance.

Due to its close proximity, this terrifying river water, permeated with anomalous substances, instantly surged outside the Alliance's main city.

Although the Eight Sect Alliance had long prepared numerous countermeasures for such a situation, it seemed as if these preparations were being individually targeted, rendering them largely ineffective.

Formations collapsed, rapidly erected dams were corroded, and barriers formed by various spells were shattered by the impact of the terrifying river water.

Even when freezing powers were activated along the river, attempting to seal it, the presence of those scorching spirits prevented the ice from holding.

For a moment, the entire Eight Sect Alliance trembled as urgent chimes echoed from the mountain gates of every sect, and a vast number of disciples surged forth in unison.

Their expressions filled with shock, they rushed directly towards the Immortal River of Eternal Fortune.

They knew clearly that they absolutely could not allow this contaminated river water to pour its anomalous substances into the main city; otherwise, the Eight Sect Alliance would suffer immense losses.

As one of the six major powers in Yinghuang Province, the Eight Sect Alliance possessed deep foundations. Although a series of previously prepared preventive measures had failed, there were still more preventative actions unknown to the disciples, understood only by the patriarchs and sect masters.

So quickly, as the sect masters and patriarchs appeared, earthen walls immediately rose from the ground outside the Alliance city, directly blocking the surging river water.

Furthermore, sharp sword energies whistled as they merged with the river water, rapidly slaughtering everything within it.

Massive quantities of elixirs were also scattered, neutralizing the potent venom and anomalous substances in the river water.

At the same time, patriarchs took action, causing the surrounding pervasive mist to be blocked externally. The earth then roared as a new river channel materialized, bypassing the Alliance's main city and extending in another direction towards the Forbidden Sea.

These various methods instantly stripped the seemingly ferocious river water of most of its power.

This showed that the Eight Sect Alliance's ability to respond and prevent indeed matched its status as one of the six major powers.

However, the anomalous substances and potent venom had still spread to some extent, requiring a large number of Alliance disciples to dispel them.

Furthermore, while the arrival of the river water was being handled, dealing with it was only one aspect; the key was to find the source of the invasion.

Therefore, the powerful cultivators and patriarchs from various Alliance sects swiftly rushed out, heading directly towards the troubled river section.

At the same time, disciples from all sects of the Eight Sect Alliance were busy. The situation seemed urgent, but everything proceeded in an orderly manner, with each fulfilling their duties.

Xu Qing was currently in the transportation division, having just completed his personal magic vessel. Witnessing this scene, his transmission jade slip rapidly conveyed the sect's summons and arrangements.

Zhang San's expression also changed, startled by this sudden event. He also received a mission. The two exchanged glances, both recognizing the gravity in each other's eyes. Without time to communicate, they swiftly dispersed to their respective duties.

"Something is wrong!" Xu Qing looked up at the red clouds in the sky, faintly obscured by the pervasive black mist. Between the red and black, a hint of purple emerged.

This purple hue reminded Xu Qing of the unsettling feeling he had experienced earlier.

That feeling of unease still lingered.

So he headed directly for the Seven Blood Eyes Sect's mountain gate, his mission being to guard it.

Any perceptive person could see that the river contamination was likely just a smokescreen.

Although they saw through it, they still had to deal with it; whether it was dispelling the anomalous substances and potent venom or drawing the patriarchs and others to the troubled river section, all these actions were necessary.

But if this incident was merely this, then it would be nothing significant for the Eight Sect Alliance, and could be fully resolved in short order.

Everything depended on whether there were further developments.

Xu Qing knew that what he could think of, the Alliance's high-ranking officials surely would have considered, so he moved even faster.

On his way to the mountain gate, Xu Qing's gaze swept over the main city. He saw the panic of countless mortals and the worried expressions on the faces of disciples.

Everyone was busy, yet deep down, they all felt apprehension about the unknown.

Even the forbidden artifacts of each sect were now being activated one after another, emitting dazzling beams of light to guard against external enemies.

But just then, as the forbidden artifacts of various sects emitted their light, the red light surging skyward from the Transcendent Sword Sect suddenly blazed intensely, erupting prematurely.

The appearance of that red light was earth-shattering, attracting countless gazes.

Instantly, all eyes were on it.

The disciples did not know the reason, and upon seeing it, offered various speculations.

But at the same time, the patriarch of the Transcendent Sword Sect, who was with the patriarchs of the other three sects at the troubled river section, dealing with the source, upon witnessing this scene, his complexion suddenly changed drastically.

Because the eruption of this forbidden artifact was not under his control!

In the sky, the red light emitted by the Transcendent Sword Sect's forbidden artifact, crimson like blood, while dazzling intensely, instantly transformed into a colossal, blood-red tree!

This tree was immense, standing tall in the sky with a massive trunk, entirely crimson. Countless grotesque faces appeared on it, all wailing.

On its countless leaves, each leaf emitted an unstoppable, heaven-shaking sword energy, causing the sky to thunder and forming a massive vortex, within which countless sword shadows whirled, their numbers too vast to count.

This vortex enveloped the entire Eight Sect Alliance, its aura shaking the heavens.

Xu Qing was now close to the Seven Blood Eyes Sect's mountain gate. He looked up and saw this scene, his expression changing. He felt the terrifying pressure emanating from it, as if the sky had transformed into a crimson sword sea, shaking heaven and earth with immense force.

And on top of that colossal tree, a figure now appeared.

This figure wore a gradient golden robe, a blue crown adorned with purple on his head, and stood on a three-colored flowing cloud bronze sword. His face was pale but undeniably handsome, yet the empty socket of his right eye and the ferocity in his left gave him an evil aura.

It was… Sheng Yunzi!

He stood on the flowing cloud bronze sword, the sword floating at the summit of the crimson tree. From that vantage point, Sheng Yunzi looked down at the ground and suddenly smiled.

His smile held a hint of emotion and a touch of madness, as he softly spoke.

"This," he said, "is my crimson performance."

As soon as he spoke, the crimson tree beneath him erupted with a thunderous roar, forming a sea of red that permeated the sky, then surged directly towards… the Seven Blood Eyes Sect's mountain gate!

Its speed was immense, and due to the short distance, in the blink of an eye, the red light enveloped the Seven Blood Eyes Sect's mountain gate.

A heaven-shaking crimson tree directly rose from the ground within the Seven Blood Eyes Sect's mountain gate!

The earth shook and mountains swayed as heaven and earth trembled in unison. Sheng Yunzi in mid-air slowly spread his arms, looking up at the sky.

"Zhu Zhao, behold!"

The Eight Sect Alliance instantly erupted in commotion. Meanwhile, within the turbulent main city of the Transcendent Sword Sect, on the roof of a pavilion, two figures in black robes, wearing masks resembling a fragmented divine face, one sat, one stood.

The black-robed figure sitting there toyed with an ancient wooden box in his hand, continuously turning it over. He looked at Sheng Yunzi in the sky; although he was on the ground and Sheng Yunzi in the sky, his eyes regarded him as an ant. He smiled, his voice young.

"Night Dove, is that his performance?"

"Master, it's not him," Night Dove replied respectfully, then looked towards the Seven Blood Eyes Sect, with streaks of light like starlight flashing in his eyes, he added in a low voice.

"Master, please enjoy the show for now. I will go deliver a greeting gift to the Seven Blood Eyes Sect. After this incident, I believe the entire Yinghuang Province will truly come to know Zhu Zhao, and know you, Master. After all, in their previous understanding, Zhu Zhao was merely an insignificant organization, but with your arrival, Master, Zhu Zhao will be different from now on."

"Go," the black-robed youth smiled faintly, still toying with the wooden box in his hand, as he turned his head, looking towards… the Seven Blood Eyes Sect, and murmured softly.

"My little brother is going to cry again."