Chapter 1479: The True Method of the Golden Cicada Shedding Its Shell, Leaving Traces of Panic Behind

Dao Xuanji suddenly stood up.

The golden dragon throne beneath her shattered into pieces on the spot.

Jiang Na Yi's mind went blank as well, unsure if it was the words "Tianji Puppet" that scared him or the explosion beside him.

His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

"This is just a preliminary assessment!" Xi quickly added upon seeing this:

"On Sacred Mountain, there are no Tianji Art practitioners left..."

"Uh, no, I mean, there are no high-level Tianji Art practitioners left!"

"So, we're dealing with those who maintain the Sacred Mountain's great array... the maintenance experts... the assessors..."

Under Dao Xuanji's murderous gaze, Xi's voice grew softer and softer.

I'm just as scared, okay? Xi screamed internally.

After arriving on Sacred Mountain and learning this information, Xi had nearly the same reaction as Jiang Na Yi, collapsing in the foreign department.

As for the others... well,

The entire Dao Department had perished!

And all were suspected to be Tianji Puppets!

At the time, Xi thought this intel was too absurd, so he simply reported it and tried not to overthink.

Now, seeing Dao Xuanji's reaction and combining it with his own earlier speculations, it seemed he was the one being absurd.

I'm too weak to comprehend the realm of the Dao Hall Master!

Xi was on the verge of breaking down and had to admit this harsh truth:

The entire Dao Department consisted of fakes, meaning that in his past work, the people he had interacted with—those who seemed alive, full of emotions, with families and children...

They could all be fakes!

They might have all been created by the Dao Hall Master, or even be the Dao Hall Master himself!

Including the annual "Tianji Grand Competition," "Heavenly Ranking Selection" in the Dao Department, and the occasional "Tianji Art Basic Training" with the other five departments and the Sacred Mountain's guardians...

Were they all real illusions?

Was it all just the Dao Hall Master entertaining himself?

Oh, no!

There was also Yu Zhi Wen outside...

"Wait!"

At this thought, Xi's face turned pale and ashen.

He couldn't imagine if even Yu Zhi Wen was a Tianji Puppet!

One day, this Dao Department leader might suddenly return holding a three-finger-thick purple undergarment, staring at him with her beautiful pearl-like eyes, smiling ambiguously as she said, "Tianji cannot be revealed..."

The moment this image appeared in his mind, Xi felt utterly unwell, worse than swallowing a fly.

And just then, Dao Xuanji happened to look over with her vacant eyes and asked gravely:

"Xiao Yu, where is she?"

"Is she really a Tianji Puppet?" Xi exclaimed in shock.

"This hall asks where she is, if she's in the Dao Department, or if she's dead?" Dao Xuanji's tone was icy.

"Oh, no!" Xi finally calmed down, realizing he had been overly paranoid. "When I returned to Sacred Mountain, she was still on a mission in Qing Yuan Mountain. She should be safe, after all, with the Dao Hall Master's protection... uh?"

A sudden silence fell.

The atmosphere became awkwardly tense.

Xi still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that the Dao Hall Master had defected from Sacred Mountain.

He realized that his former solid support—the Dao Hall Master, who, no matter the mistake, would turn back with that ambiguous smile, making you understand the error was deliberately fed to the enemy—

Had now become an unavoidable threat, leaving Xi with an indescribable discomfort.

And fear!

This was just the beginning!

The Dao Hall Master had only just left, bringing such terror, so how could Gui Zhe Sacred Mountain ever know peace?

"Call her back."

Dao Xuanji waved her dust whisk, regaining her composed demeanor, and sat down casually.

"Ga—"

She stumbled slightly.

She nearly slipped on the fragments of the shattered golden dragon throne and fell to the ground.

Fortunately, her combat instincts and reflexes were sharp, so she just swayed and straightened up.

"Hiss!"

Xi and Jiang Na Yi both inhaled sharply in their minds.

That didn't look composed at all!

Yet, strangely in sync, neither made a move to help, pretending they saw nothing.

"Change the seat." Dao Xuanji glanced back calmly at the throne fragments. "The color doesn't match."

The noble, imposing gold was, of course, completely out of place with the pure silver and elegant style of Sheng Huan Hall.

But wasn't the request for "something distinctive" yours in the first place?

Jiang Na Yi grumbled internally but didn't dare pull out Dao Qiong Cang's silver seat again. After getting up, he asked:

"Then replace it with silver?"

Dao Xuanji nodded slightly, her eyes vacant.

Soon, her gaze focused, and she pointed to the tables, chairs, and beams ahead: "Change everything to black."

"Yes!" Jiang Na Yi bowed his head, not daring to say another word.

The hall fell silent again.

Xi busily performed dozens of repetitive seals, sweating profusely as he summoned an ordinary little ghost and sent it out of Sheng Huan Hall:

"I have dispatched someone to summon Yu Zhi Wen."

"Good, then you may withdraw."

I want to withdraw too!

Your occasional outbursts are so oppressive!

Either stay calm like the Dao Hall Master, or just explode once and get it out!

With a stiff resolve, Xi pulled out a jade slip, pressed it to his forehead, then held it out hesitantly:

"This is a message I just received. There's a ghost beast aura at the south gate of Yu Jing City. Elder Fang requests assistance."

"Do you want to see the details?"

Dao Xuanji didn't take the jade slip. Upon hearing this, she said unhappily: "Didn't I assign Elder Zhong and Elder Yu to him? Can't three saints handle one ghost beast?"

"Elder Zhong said Elder Fang wants to be cautious, so he needs the help of the red robes still on Gui Zhe Sacred Mountain and the Kyoto great array." Xi quickly explained.

"Approved."

"Uh..." Xi hesitated again.

"Speak directly!" Dao Xuanji suddenly snapped. "Stop with the 'uhs'—are you a goose?"

Xi jumped, suddenly nostalgic for that night.

The Dao Hall Master scolded people, but at least you learned something from it...

"The red robes left on Sacred Mountain—those in important positions—have already 'perished.' The rest lack experience." Xi said diplomatically.

"Then transfer from elsewhere!"

Xi was about to speak when Dao Xuanji tossed a token to him, her tone softening a bit: "This is the transfer order. Next time, just speak directly."

"Yes!"

Xi breathed a sigh of relief; at least she wasn't an irrational hall master. "As for the Kyoto great array, activating it also requires Tianji Art practitioners..."

With a snap, Dao Xuanji threw another token at him: "Then keep pulling from the Dao Department... people..."

Xi didn't catch it.

His eyes were empty, as if he were deaf and heard nothing.

Dao Xuanji took a deep breath, using her sacred power to retrieve the token, then threw a jade talisman instead:

"This hall will personally activate the great array. Use this jade talisman to assist Elder Fang when the time comes."

"Yes!"

"Hold on."

"Uh... um?" Xi quickly changed his tone, turning the goose-like sound into a question, holding the jade talisman as he asked oddly, "Dao Xuanji, what is it?"

Dao Xuanji used her sacred power to pull the jade talisman back and said flatly:

"The Kyoto great array doesn't need to be activated. Elder Fang's side has Elder Zhong and Elder Yu to help; nothing will go wrong."

So...

Is there something wrong with the Kyoto great array too?

Xi pondered this but didn't dare agree without confirmation:

"On their side, there are also three saints, including Ye Ban Sheng with spatial mysteries, Jian Sheng Si Ren, and the heavenly being from Yan Wang..."

"Oh, and Xu Xiao Shou!"

The first three aren't the main concern; Xu Xiao Shou is the key.

At least, after following the Dao Hall Master for a while, Xi knew how much he valued Xu Xiao Shou—more than any saint!

"If necessary, this hall will intervene." Dao Xuanji said no more.

"Yes!"

"Anything else?"

"Uh, um, nothing for now..."

"Then withdraw."

"Yes!"

Stumbling out of Sheng Huan Hall, Xi gazed at the sky, pausing slightly, feeling utterly out of place.

It was a discomfort like ants crawling all over his body!

He searched for the source of this strangeness for a long time before realizing:

—It was all too passive!

Everything was just responding as events unfolded.

If the Dao Hall Master were still here, the strategy wouldn't be like this; he certainly wouldn't let me off so easily after reporting!

At least, once everything was said in Sheng Huan Hall, the Dao Hall Master would flash that annoying smile, as if mocking the nonsense I just sprouted.

But afterward, he'd methodically provide a comprehensive plan.

For example, right now, we should go to the Sacred Palace to cause trouble, since no matter the process, the result is that Ye Xiao Tian got out.

Use the Sacred Palace to counter them; whether it succeeds or not, we can demand benefits from that side... Ah, I've become tainted, damn Dao Hall Master!

Yes, the Dao Hall Master would point out details I missed, down to specifics that made it seem like he was there in person, getting intel faster than me.

For instance, in the portrait Elder Zhong sent, that outsider with the big build looks a lot like Cao Er Zhu...

Cao Er Zhu, who controls the divine punishment tribulation, might accidentally attract Kui Lei Han.

It's a minor thing, really, with a one-in-a-million chance.

But overlooking it could lead to disaster.

The Dao Hall Master considered even these remote possibilities, while Dao Xuanji just asked nothing...

Well, that makes sense.

She's newly appointed and not on the battlefield, so how could she know more details than me?

Her reaction is normal.

The abnormal, inhuman one is the Dao Hall Master!

"Huff..."

Xi let out a long sigh, descending the steps with a melancholic heart amid the wind and snow.

The Dao Hall Master had only been gone less than half a day, and he already missed this figure who turned all the big shots on Sacred Mountain into useless figures and made everyone's work meaningless.

Turns out, he was that strong...

"Tap tap tap."

After a few steps, Xi paused as Dao Xuanji's voice echoed in his ears.

She was issuing orders!

One after another, her commands flowed like an emotionless Tianji Puppet.

Sacred Palace, great arrays, red robes, Dao Department, Greed God... all handled methodically, down to the finest details.

Her tone was like a female version of Dao Qiong Cang.

The scope covered the entire situation and every trivial aspect.

After a moment of daze, Xi's face lit up with a smile.

It was late, but everything she said was spot-on, truly worthy of the new hall master.

In Sheng Huan Hall, she was certainly frightened, but... a tiger father has no dog daughter!

"Yes!"

He responded loudly to the empty space, his faded fighting spirit reignited as he strode briskly down the mountain.

But he paused again.

Raising his hand, he stared at his palm, slightly lost in thought, letting Gui shadows drift before him and snow pile at his feet.

This time, the feeling was completely different, coming from within himself.

"I've grown..."

"Dao Xuanji, Xu Xiao Shou is full of schemes, and he has three saints around him. I'm worried the three elders of Gui Zhe might overlook something on the battlefield, leading to minor issues!"

At the entrance of Sheng Huan Hall, Jiang Na Yi worried aloud.

Xu Xiao Shou's reputation had spread to the northern domain.

There were rumors that his brother, the saint Jiang Bu Yi, fell due to Xu Xiao Shou's involvement.

What was most terrifying was...

Dao Qiong Cang, that elusive figure, had deep layouts and strong abilities; anyone could flatter with words, but everyone acknowledged his depths internally.

From the Four Symbols Secret Realm to Qing Yuan Mountain, Xu Xiao Shou vanished when present and reappeared elsewhere, now showing up outside Yu Jing City.

This guy was harder to catch than a mole; he had to be guarded against!

"Why do you think a ghost beast appeared outside Yu Jing City?" Dao Xuanji gazed at the sky, calculating the snow's trajectory, but couldn't quite see the wind and clouds clearly.

"This..." Jiang Na Yi was at a loss, suspiciously asking, "It couldn't be related to that flashy old Daoist, could it?"

"Flashy old Daoist—is that how you address him?" Dao Xuanji turned her head.

"Oh oh, former hall master, former hall master. I misspoke; I deserve punishment, I deserve it..." Jiang Na Yi sweated, slapping himself hard before continuing, "Does he really dare collude with ghost beasts?"

"He's dared to kill the Judge, dared to make the important figures in the Dao Department and on Sacred Mountain all perish collectively—what wouldn't he dare?" Dao Xuanji sneered.

At this, Jiang Na Yi felt his legs go weak but still couldn't understand, asking in shock:

"But with his level, how could he be so sloppy?"

"If I were the Dao Hall Master and betraying Sacred Mountain, I'd do it more thoroughly!"

"I'd keep those people around and have them all perish when something big happens on Sacred Mountain, causing even greater... uh."

Noticing Dao Xuanji's indifferent gaze, like looking at an ant, Jiang Na Yi turned into a goose again and slapped himself: "Misspoke, heh, misspoke... I shouldn't speculate about the former hall master..."

"So you can only be Jiang Na Yi." Dao Xuanji didn't even bother to criticize.

Throughout Sacred Mountain, who knew how many rumors and backseat driving there'd be about Dao Qiong Cang afterward? They were all probably at Jiang Na Yi's level, offering no useful suggestions.

"Please enlighten me, Dao Xuanji!"

At this point, Jiang Na Yi realized he was probably only on the first, second, or at most third level, while Dao Qiong Cang was elusive, perhaps half a level above him.

Dao Xuanji didn't answer for a long time, silently feeling the empty Gui trees and snow on the platform in front of Sheng Huan Hall.

Just as Jiang Na Yi felt disappointed, thinking this woman was just bluffing,

Dao Xuanji turned back, her eyes piercing like they could see into his soul, and with a slight curl of her lips, she said: "Are you a Tianji Puppet?"

Jiang Na Yi's mind went completely blank.

His eyes widened more and more, the whites growing.

Finally, his face filled with terror, he knelt in panic, wailing:

"Dao Xuanji, please see clearly! I'm not a Tianji Puppet, and I'm definitely not sent by the Dao Hall Master to test you."

"I'm a living person! I have a past, I have experiences... all of which can be verified!"

"I'm Jiang Na Yi, a real person!"

Dao Xuanji looked straight ahead without glancing sideways: "The Dao Department also has history; its people once had the warmth of human life..."

Bang bang bang!

Jiang Na Yi kowtowed repeatedly, his face covered in blood, terrified beyond words:

"I'm real, I'm real..."

You wretched woman!

I helped you scheme!

I got you to the hall master position!

Now, in less than a day, you're crossing the river and burning the bridge, trying to kill me with this charge?

You're not human!

"Get up."

Dao Xuanji wasn't trying to scare him on purpose.

Someone like Jiang Na Yi, a mere ant, wasn't worth her killing personally. With a burst of sacred power, she helped him up.

Jiang Na Yi sighed in relief.

As long as his life was intact, there was a chance to turn things around.

He wiped the blood from his face and looked up at Dao Xuanji, only to find her staring intently at him.

Thump!

Jiang Na Yi's heart skipped a beat: "Dao Xuanji?"

Dao Xuanji's face was expressionless, her gaze emotionless, asking in a voice devoid of human feeling: "Maybe there's another possibility—the people in the Dao Department thought they were human right up until they died..."

At this, Jiang Na Yi collapsed like a pile of mud, unable to defend himself:

"I'm not... no, I'm really human..."

"Then what about this hall?" Dao Xuanji leaned in, smiling ambiguously, "Is this hall his Tianji Puppet?"

Jiang Na Yi froze on the spot, staring at Dao Xuanji in disbelief.

His jaw clenched, and his head shook rapidly, soon his whole body convulsing.

Terror spread like slowed spiderweb cracks, crawling from his fingertips up his arm and into the trembling blood vessels of his eyes.

Jiang Na Yi suddenly understood...

Perhaps this was the great terror everyone on Gui Zhe Sacred Mountain would face in the future?

"Ugh!"

Jiang Na Yi turned and retched.

He saw two green blades of grass by the steps, bending in the wind and snow into a heart shape, as if Dao Qiong Cang's ambiguous face appeared inside...

No! It was his sister's face— this woman's face!

"Ugh..."

Jiang Na Yi covered his mouth, retching as he backed away step by step.

When his rear touched the cold pillar, he yelped and jumped like a startled rabbit.

I want to go home!

Gui Zhe Sacred Mountain isn't a place for humans!

This brother and sister aren't human; they make people sick!

"Snicker."

Dao Xuanji chuckled, and in an instant, the ice and snow melted.

She turned away, her fingers starting to move, Tianji Dao patterns emerging on them.

She was beginning to inspect and repair the mountain-protecting array and the Kyoto great array, for sacred war was no joke; she took it very seriously.

But to deal with external threats, one must first secure the interior.

Dao Qiong Cang's move to pull the rug out before leaving was something Dao Xuanji never anticipated, and the deeper she thought, the more alarmed she became.

"But I hope the Tianji Puppets that perished on Sacred Mountain are all of them..."

(The end of this chapter)