Chapter 547: There Are Four Swords, Emergence

White Cave.The Departing Sword Grassland.

If there was one famous place within the White Cave that even those who had never entered had heard of, it would undoubtedly be the Departing Sword Grassland. The reason was simple. This vast grassland, stretching for dozens of miles, was home to a majestic formation, grand as a palace: the Thirty-Six Heavenly Sealing Array!

At this moment, outside this grand array, which seemed to connect with the clouds above and block the great grassland below, groups of red-robed figures stood, clustered in teams of two or three. Each red-robed figure held a formation flag, some standing still, others moving. But without exception, all wore solemn expressions, as if preparing to face a formidable enemy that threatened their lives. Behind each red-robed figure were Spirit Array Masters of varying ages, their faces filled with apprehension, ready to stake their lives. The various teams were not far from each other, only a few miles apart. This distance ensured that if an emergency occurred in one area, those nearby could quickly come to their aid.

Red-Robed Headquarters.Within a specially arranged tent, Lan Ling stood before a rectangular table. On the table was a structural model of the "Thirty-Six Heavenly Sealing Array" located outside the White Cave. Its various nested components were disassembled and stacked several feet high. In front of it, Xin, Heiming, and other red-robed guards stood silently.

"How is Shouye? Has he not returned yet?" Lan Ling withdrew her attention from the array diagram and looked intently at Xin.Xin glanced at the increasingly prominent dark circles under her eyes, then looked away towards the window. "Soon," he replied. "He said Xu Xiaoshou has completely vanished, and he couldn't find any trace, but he wants to search a bit more. However, with the array about to be breached, he has no choice but to return."

"Hmph!" Heiming scoffed from the side. "Xu Xiaoshou... is this person supposedly more important than the Sealed Ghost Beast?""Yes," Xin nodded. "That's what Shouye said. The rest, I'm not clear on.""Nonsense!" Heiming exploded in anger. "An ant with Xiantian cultivation, no matter how important he is, how important can he be? Don't tell me he's the vessel for that Sealed Ghost Beast?""No," Xin shook his head."No... Heh, besides the 'Four Swords of Existence' and the 'Sealed Ghost Beast,' what else is more important in the White Cave? Tell me!" Heiming waved his hand."There are indeed more important things, perhaps even more than two," Lan Ling interjected before Xin could speak. "Firstly, the remaining interdimensional rift from the 'Inferno Sea of Blazing Ash.' Unless something unexpected happens, the 'Holy Slaves' might try to access it. However, the entity inside has sealed all spatial aura, so we red-robed figures can't locate the place at all. Sending more people there would likely be futile."

Heiming immediately sneered, "You seem to know everything so clearly, yet you still send people there?""Not being able to find it doesn't mean we should do nothing," Lan Ling said, unconcerned by his attitude, shaking her head slightly. "At the very least, we should try our luck, just in case.""Just in case?" Heiming laughed heartily, tilting his head back. Before he could continue, Xin stepped forward, directly in front of him."Heiming, mind your attitude! This isn't your command. You failed to guard outside and now you're in here, so stay quiet and don't cause any trouble for us!"

"Oh?" Heiming straightened his head, and the two tall, burly men immediately faced off. "You big oaf, are you teaching me how to do my job?"The air solidified instantly. The other red-robed figures in the tent instinctively retreated a few steps. They were new recruits, completely out of their depth in a confrontation between these top-tier figures.

"Enough!" Lan Ling snapped, her voice cold. "Are we going to cause chaos before the array is even breached? Everyone, step back!"Heiming's cold eyes under his helmet swept towards her. Lan Ling narrowed her eyes and tilted her head back. "Heiming, this is my territory! If you truly want to ask... right now, I am teaching you how to do your job! Step back!"Xin immediately took a step back, positioning himself beside Lan Ling, and shot her an admiring glance. That reprimand was incredibly satisfying!

"What?" Lan Ling glanced at Xin, then looked back at Heiming, who was much taller than her.Heiming pondered for a long time, finally choosing to take half a step back."Phew." Lan Ling let out a sigh of relief inwardly. Honestly, she was the one who least wanted a fight to break out here. While Heiming might still be insubordinate, he was clearly aware of the bigger picture. Starting a conflict at such a critical moment would undoubtedly be internal strife for the red-robed organization.

"How is the progress on breaching the array? How much more is left?" Xin asked, looking at the towering Heavenly Mechanism Array outside the window."Everything is ready; we only lack the 'east wind.'""'East wind'?" Xin turned back, puzzled."Yes," Lan Ling replied, also looking out, speaking slowly. "The various focal points of the Heavenly Mechanism Array have basically all been discovered. I have ordered everyone to be on standby. We just need one final step to fully disarm the array.""If they've all been discovered, what are we waiting for?" Xin grew anxious. "Wouldn't it be better to disarm it now?""No, we still have to wait," Lan Ling shook her head."Wait for what?""Wait for someone!""Who?""The Heavenly Mechanism Array must be deciphered by a Heavenly Mechanism Master. As strong as I am, I am only a Grandmaster of Spirit Arrays. There are some things that are beyond my capabilities," Lan Ling explained."A Heavenly Mechanism Master..." Xin hesitated. He had heard of such beings, but they were figures that only came from the headquarters of the Holy Divine Palace. Could they even wait for one?Heiming casually dragged a chair over and sat down in the back. This was not his command post. Since speaking more would only lead to unnecessary arguments, he simply chose to observe.

"Whoosh!"Just then, a gust of wind rustled the tent flap outside.Xin turned sharply. "Who's there?""Sister Lan Ling, Elder Xin!"A figure darted into the tent."Xiao Ke?" Xin's attempt to strike instantly froze."Mmm-hmm." Lu Ke's face was alight with excitement, like a child who had skipped school to play and now, returning home, tried to suppress the adults' anger with superficial cheerfulness."He's here," Lan Ling murmured softly, her gaze not even on Lu Ke.Sure enough, the next second, Lu Ke pointed outside the tent flap and loudly announced, "Sister Lan Ling, Elder Xin, look who I brought!""Who?" Xin followed the direction of his finger.Even Heiming silently turned his head."Hehehe." Lu Ke trotted over, pulled back the tent flap, and, with his head sticking out, said: "This is Aunt Dao Xuanji's direct disciple from the Holy Divine Palace Headquarters, the second-ranked on the Heavenly Roll of the Dao Division, one of the Six Divisions, and also the super genius who broke Uncle Dao's record to become the continent's newest number one Heavenly Mechanism Master...""Yu Zhiwen, Sister Zhiwen!"

The crimson sky spilled into the tent as the flap was lifted.*Clang!* Heiming shot up from his chair in surprise.Xin, who had raised his head, quickly lowered it, abandoning his intention to lecture Lu Ke.Even Lan Ling's pupils constricted in an instant, her heart churning with shock.Dao Xuanji, Dao Qiongcang's sister... The Heavenly Roll of the Dao Division, one of the Six Divisions, was the most powerful ranking where a group of madmen delved into the mysteries of the world... And the newcomer was Dao Xuanji's direct disciple, ranked second on the Dao Division's Heavenly Roll!Lan Ling was astonished. She had received news that headquarters would send someone to handle the final stage of breaching the array. But she never expected the person to be of such immense standing!

*Tap.*Responding to the sound of footsteps, a woman stooped and entered from outside the tent. As soon as she entered, she gracefully curtsied before raising her gaze. To everyone's astonishment, she revealed a face veiled. Even though her full appearance wasn't entirely visible, her captivating, star-like eyes alone made it impossible for anyone to look away."This humble one, Yu Zhiwen, greets all seniors."

Somewhere in the White Cave.Before a rather spectacular interdimensional rift. The area was completely dark, so much so that one couldn't see their own hand. Even probing with spiritual senses revealed only emptiness.

"Is this the 'Void Island Rift'?" Cen Jiaofu emerged with a start from another spatial rift. He then gently placed the blood-soaked masked man from his back onto the ground."Are you alright?" Seeing his leader reduced to such a state by a mere interdimensional rift before even engaging in combat, Cen Jiaofu couldn't help but twitch his mouth.

"Cough, cough!""Pfft..." A large spray of blood splattered as the masked man struggled to rise. "No, I'm alright... Pfft!"Cen Jiaofu: "...""I always knew the saying 'running up a mountain to kill a horse' was true, but after becoming a Spirit Refiner, to be trapped by spatial rifts for so long, and then misled to so many similar places...""This, this is the first time."After helping the masked man up, he sighed, looking at the interdimensional rift before them. As for his leader's injuries... well, this guy wasn't going to die anyway, so there was no need to waste pills.

"Pfft!" The masked man spat out another mouthful of blood. Thick blood drops were already seeping out from under his mask.Cen Jiaofu hesitated for a moment, then pulled out a pill. "How about you take some?""No need." The masked man waved his hand. If it was an injury that pills couldn't treat, why waste them?He struggled for a bit, finally raising his head to see the rift before him. "After all, it's a Saint Emperor's method, designed to guard against high-level figures from the Holy Divine Palace. Given the strength you've shown so far, to break through this illusion array and find the ultimate location, that's already quite impressive."He sighed, then suddenly..."Pfft!" Another mouthful of foul blood spewed out.

"Don't say that, I only found this place by following your guidance," Cen Jiaofu said, patting the masked man's back worriedly. "Tsk tsk. Speaking of which, is the person inside really a Saint Emperor?" He looked at the rift."Yes," the masked man nodded. "Even Half-Saints aren't qualified to force those people to act.""Even Half-Saints aren't qualified... How did you, an Acquired Realm cultivator, sense this place?" Cen Jiaofu raised an eyebrow, deliberately trying to provoke him."Having been inside, one would naturally know," the masked man clearly didn't want to elaborate on this, changing the subject. "What about the Storyteller? Has there been any new news?"

Cen Jiaofu said, "I can no longer sense his aura here, but there was indeed a message earlier. It said he encountered a red-robed figure named Shouye, who has already killed one of his external avatars.""Oh?" The masked man exclaimed in surprise.Cen Jiaofu continued, "The opponent is only a Dao Severer, yet he possesses Void Power, which is likely related to the Holy Divine Palace's latest research.""Ghost Beast, perhaps..." the masked man murmured. "Anything else?""Yes," Cen Jiaofu chuckled. "He also said he's prepared a big surprise for you and will personally deliver it when the time comes.""A big surprise?" The masked man suddenly tensed. "What big surprise?""I don't know, you two can discuss it yourselves then!" Cen Jiaofu felt a chill and dared not meddle too much in their affairs."Could it be that he found Wen Ming and brought him along?" The masked man smiled faintly."Not sure." Cen Jiaofu composed himself and said seriously, "Right, there's another very important piece of information. That effeminate Storyteller didn't provide it, but people from outside sent it in.""What information?""Gou Wuyue seems to have arrived. He's right outside the White Cave!""Gou Wuyue?" The masked man froze, a flicker of remembrance in his turbid eyes."Yes," Cen Jiaofu continued, "Not only has he arrived, but he's also injured." Cen Jiaofu's expression also grew solemn."Tell me.""Okay." Cen Jiaofu nodded. "Gou Wuyue personally led a group of white-robed figures from the Eastern Region and blocked the entrance to the White Cave. Judging by the situation, that Storyteller guy probably didn't come specifically to help; it's possible his central region division was destroyed, and he's fleeing for his life." He couldn't help but interject a complaint."Continue," the masked man was not interested in this."Oh," Cen Jiaofu reluctantly responded, continuing: "Gou Wuyue's team encountered an ambush while passing through Qinglong County, suffering heavy casualties. The white-robed faction tried to block this information, but too many people witnessed the battle, so it couldn't be kept secret. Two types of power appeared in the battle: one belonged to the Blazing Ash lineage, which was the ambushers. It's said they fought Gou Wuyue in a fierce battle that scorched thousands of miles. You should know who that is."

A faint smile immediately flickered in the masked man's eyes upon hearing this. "Revenge, then...""Still that fiery temper. Doesn't he know his own limits? Given his situation, can he really fight one of the Seven Sword Immortals?""What about the other power?" he asked, then abruptly changed the subject. "Did he die?""No, he didn't." Cen Jiaofu said, "At the end of their desperate struggle, a Great Buddha appeared, his sword energy slashing in all directions, splitting the world in two. The person was taken away. But this second power, people are rumored to call it... the Eighth Sword Immortal!"Cen Jiaofu watched the masked man, trying to gauge his reaction."The Eighth Sword Immortal?" The masked man's eyes remained unperturbed. "Has the continent finally produced another Sword Immortal? Not bad.""Not 'another'," Cen Jiaofu shook his head firmly. "There is only one Eighth Sword Immortal!"The masked man fell silent."Who is he?" Cen Jiaofu asked."How would I know?" The masked man sneered. "Shouldn't you ask those who saw him? You and I have been together, and I haven't even seen a shadow of the person. If you ask me, who should I ask?""But that was the 'Great Buddha Slash'!" Cen Jiaofu's voice rose."The Great Buddha Slash is just a small application of Illusory Sword Art. There are many people in the world who can perform it.""But Sword Intent is not!" Cen Jiaofu's tone was firm."Talented individuals constantly emerge between heaven and earth. If someone can comprehend 'Punishment of Gods, Calamity of Heavens,' isn't it also normal for another to comprehend Sword Intent?"Cen Jiaofu: "..." He wanted to say more.

But suddenly, this dark place trembled violently."Boom!" A fierce sound echoed from outside.Cen Jiaofu was stunned. "What kind of commotion can tear through Saint Emperor's power and affect this place?" he asked in disbelief.The masked man also gazed intently. At that moment, his turbid gaze seemed to penetrate the darkness and the sky, seeing the world of the White Cave."The Four Swords of Existence have appeared..."