Chapter 658: Eight Gates Predicament

"The First Pavilion of Heaven..."

Under the large tree, Jiang Yu gazed at the conspicuously golden signboard shimmering in the dark night and nodded. "No mistake," he murmured, "this must be the place."

During the day, their conflict had begun precisely because of that phrase, "The First Pavilion of Heaven." The information he had received about the "Pilgrimage Tower" suggested there was only one such location in the entire Eastern Heavenly King City. The target was definitely here, no doubt about it.

However...

"Was the area around 'The First Pavilion of Heaven' always like this?" Jiang Yu asked, looking up at the lush ancient trees overhead, a hint of confusion in his voice. As an ancient monument of the Eastern Heavenly King City, while one couldn't get too close, spirit refiners entering the city would almost always glance at the Pilgrimage Tower from a distance. The Jiang clan had never specifically come to admire it. However, when they occasionally glimpsed it upon entering the central district, the Pilgrimage Tower was still simply the Pilgrimage Tower, without such a flamboyant golden plaque. And there didn't seem to be so many ancient trees outside the building either. Yet now, observing the height and density of these ancient trees... They couldn't possibly have grown like this in less than a century!

"It's likely just decorations requested by the merchant association; it's not very important," Jiang Tai replied. His attention wasn't on the trees, but rather fixed on the grand entrance of the pavilion, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

"What we need to focus on now is how to bypass the defensive barrier of 'The First Pavilion of Heaven' and abduct the person without raising any alarms," Jiang Tai transmitted telepathically. They had indeed conducted an investigation before the operation. The location of 'The First Pavilion of Heaven' was exceptionally well-chosen, positioned directly on the formation eye of the city's protective barrier, and thus safeguarded by the grand formation. For two ordinary 'thrones' (cultivators of a specific rank) to break in silently was virtually impossible. Therefore, the success of this operation hinged entirely on Jiang Yu.

"Grand Spirit Formation Master, we're counting on you!" Jiang Tai patted Jiang Yu's shoulder, holding his breath in anticipation. Among their group, Jiang Yu was the only one qualified to wield the "Heaven-Knowing Pearl." While the city's grand protective formation was formidable, Jiang Tai believed that with enough time, they wouldn't need to fully dismantle it. Simply creating a small opening for two people to pass through should be quite straightforward.

"Don't worry," Jiang Yu nodded, then produced a dark spirit formation bead. He injected his spiritual sense and began to sense.

The evening breeze rustled the leaves softly. Jiang Tai concentrated intently, his eyes scanning for any sign of movement or disturbance. He knew that for the next few hours, his sole task would be to wait and keep their presence concealed.

Yet, the moment Jiang Yu's spiritual sense entered the spirit formation bead, he frowned. "It seems... we don't need to break the formation anymore," he said hesitantly, stiffly turning his head to point at the nearby main gate.

"What do you mean?" Jiang Tai froze, then looked in the direction Jiang Yu was pointing. But aside from the glittering golden plaque, he saw nothing at all.

"Look below, not at the plaque," Jiang Yu said, his eyes filled with apprehension.

"Below?" Jiang Tai followed the instruction, lowering his gaze, and his entire face instantly froze. Below the dazzling golden plaque of "The First Pavilion of Heaven," there was a couplet whose radiance was completely overshadowed. With such a prominent plaque, virtually no one would notice the unlit couplet. But if one truly paid attention, the content of the couplet was remarkably striking.

"'Enter only if there's business; welcome all guests'?" Jiang Tai murmured the words, suddenly feeling as if his feet were filled with lead, impossibly heavy. He swallowed hard. "He guessed we were coming?"

Jiang Yu couldn't respond.

A chilly night wind swept through the area in gusts. The two stared at the couplet, then glanced at the horizontal inscription, "The First Pavilion of Heaven." All the pores on their bodies involuntarily bristled with dread.

"How incredibly arrogant!" Jiang Tai spat. "Considering the Xu clan's behavior, they must have offended countless people... I believe they guessed someone was coming, but not when, so they posted this couplet as a deterrent."

"An empty fort strategy?" Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Possibly."

"But what if it's not?"

"If it's not..." Jiang Tai fell silent. If it wasn't an empty fort, then their opponents were truly audacious! To deliberately hang such a couplet, knowing someone was coming—was this mockery? Or disdain? Utter disregard?

"Retreat?" Silence fell, and Jiang Yu hesitantly articulated the word.

"We can't retreat," Jiang Tai dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Aside from the consequences of failing the mission, do you truly believe a mere couplet can deter two 'thrones'? At the very least, we must investigate. If the situation proves unfavorable, we'll adapt."

"But what if we can't adapt?" Jiang Tai was momentarily stumped. He paused, then suddenly lashed out, giving Jiang Yu a sharp rap on the head. "This is a mission. Do you really think you can just retreat whenever you feel like it?"

"Uh."

After their brief exchange, silence descended once more. Despite their words, their feet seemed glued to the ground, utterly unable to budge.

"Rustle..." A strong gust of wind swept through, bending the ancient trees. The rustling sound and the swaying branches seemed to beckon them into the pavilion.

But that pavilion... Jiang Yu looked up again. "The First Pavilion of Heaven," which he had scoffed at earlier in the day, now truly possessed an inexplicable aura fitting its name. It loomed over them, seemingly mocking all creation. Under the cover of night, this impossibly tall building, to their eyes, was no longer a mere structure; it was a ferocious beast poised to devour. And the direction the ancient trees seemed to invite them was precisely the abyssal maw of this beast!

After a long, deep breath, Jiang Tai gritted his teeth and made a decision. "Let's go! We'll adapt as needed. If it really doesn't work out, then we retreat!"

*Enter only if there's business.**Welcome all guests.*

Outside the couplet, two silent, dark figures descended, then crouched, vanishing from sight.

"Domain, open!""Domain, open!"

Spatial ripples gently shimmered. Two thin yet secure domains enveloped their forms. With a synchronized step, they darted through the doorway.

"Thud!" The moment they stepped inside, a dull, wooden bell reverberated, striking a chord within their very souls and sending shivers down their spines.

"Were we discovered?" Jiang Tai was the first to react, his expression tightening as he adopted a defensive posture and scanned the surroundings. He saw an ancient wooden clock hanging in a side hall near the entrance. The bell's chimes echoed, but it didn't seem to be triggered by their entry.

"Thud!" Another rhythmic chime resounded. Hidden in the shadows, Jiang Yu also silently exhaled. They hadn't been discovered! Instead, the clock had been tolling at a specific frequency, as if keeping time, quietly accumulating power from the wind and striking at regular intervals.

"Damn it, what a bizarre habit!" Jiang Yu grumbled inwardly, telepathically signaling Jiang Tai to remain calm. "With this ominous tolling, how could anyone possibly live here? Who could sleep?"

Ahead lay a grand hall. The hall featured two rows of low, long wooden tables, dimly lit by flickering candlelight. While the flickering light illuminated parts of the hall, the innermost reaches remained cloaked in shadows, obscured by the contrast, making it impossible to discern anything. On the wooden tables, perhaps because the barrier hadn't been fully sealed, several illuminating candles had already guttered out. A few dwindling embers drifted away with the wind, fading into nothingness—a truly unsettling sight. Both Jiang clan members' hearts leaped into their throats at the sight. The layout of this pavilion was utterly chilling. Who would arrange their own home like this? It didn't look like a dwelling; it looked more like a place for rituals... human sacrifices!

—It was utterly sickening!

"Let's split up." The message was transmitted telepathically. They knew time was short. They had to find the two Xu clan girls quickly and get them out before they were discovered.

But just as their resolve solidified... The moment they took a step forward, the scene before them swirled, the previous view vanished, and they felt as if they had entered another dimension.

"Whoosh!" A strong wind rose, whipping up sand. The pavilion's layout was gone; as far as they could see, they were now in a vast, desolate desert. Under the shroud of night, tiny points of candlelight dotted the sky, like pairs of divine eyes gazing down, observing every movement of those in the desert.

"An illusion!" Jiang Tai's heart sank. He knew they were in trouble. This wasn't an empty fort strategy; their opponents had genuinely been prepared, waiting to catch them like turtles in a jar. But retreating was no longer an option. Not only was there no way back, but if they were truly discovered, they would have to force their way through and capture the two Xu clan girls, no matter the cost. Otherwise, the punishment for mission failure would be far more terrifying than simply breaking into this pavilion.

"Act!" Even though he couldn't see his companion, Jiang Tai still roared towards Jiang Yu's previous location. They had already rehearsed various scenarios. If trapped within a spirit formation, spatially-anchored telepathy was the only means for 'thrones' to communicate. However, the situation was different from what they had anticipated. After transmitting his message, Jiang Tai received no response. His heart sank. Even a fool would understand that, despite taking only a small step forward, they had likely entered different illusions.

"Spatial isolation?" His domain enveloped him like a second skin. Yet, Jiang Tai remained frantic, not daring to move an inch, terrified of triggering some mechanism. He wasn't a spirit formation master; his only means of breaking the formation was a direct assault. But a direct assault would be announcing to the Xu clan that 'The First Pavilion of Heaven' was currently under invasion, wouldn't it? And if Jiang Yu were to begin breaking the formation now... wouldn't he be alerting the enemy?

"Meeooow!" As he was contemplating, a piercing wail, like a cat being slaughtered, exploded beside him. Jiang Tai's eyelid twitched, and he instantly turned his head. A streak of white light flashed and vanished. The last image he caught was that of an impossibly elongated white cat leaping into a tiny spatial rift far in the distance.

"The formation eye?" Jiang Tai subconsciously lifted his foot, about to follow. He immediately snapped awake, realizing this was very likely another trick within the illusion, designed to...

"Hiss!" Looking down at his raised right foot, Jiang Tai suddenly realized: perhaps one couldn't move a step within this formation? Was that white cat simply trying to lure him into moving? He gasped, cautiously retracting his foot and placing it back precisely on his original footprint.

"Whoosh." Yet, this very movement seemed to trigger a mechanism, and the scene before him shifted once more.

"Chirp chirp—" Pleasant birdsong filled his ears, and the air was rich with a refreshing fragrance. The desert was gone, replaced by a dense, vibrant forest, teeming with birds. Jiang Tai heavily closed his eyes. So, merely setting his foot down also counted as a step?

"This cursed..." The desert had vanished. In its place was a dense, primeval forest. His heart rate quickened slightly. Jiang Tai was close to losing his composure, desperate to punch out and shatter this predicament completely. Yet, just as his thoughts shifted, the image transmitted to his spiritual sense from behind him made him suddenly jolt.

"Doors?" There was nothing in front of him. Only trees, flowers, and grass. Yet, behind him stood eight incongruous, massive doors. The doors, as if standing since ancient times, exuded an archaic and imposing aura, radiating an oppressive power. Above each door hung a large character formed from solidified sand, arranged in sequence: Rest, Life, Harm, Block, View, Death, Alarm, Open.

"The Eight Gates?" Even though he wasn't a spirit formation master, Jiang Tai understood the meaning of these eight characters. What truly shocked him wasn't the presence of these eight gates, but the blood splattered in front of each, along with corresponding fragments of flesh and severed limbs.

Before the Rest Gate lay half a black garment, a severed arm, and a gruesome scattering of bloody foam and minced flesh, a truly terrifying sight.Before the Life Gate, a single tattered shoe and a severed leg.Before the Harm Gate, half a buttocks...Before the Block Gate, an arm, internal organs...Before the View Gate, a shinbone, a spinal column...Before the Death Gate, absolutely nothing!Before the Alarm Gate, a bloody left-pointing arrow...And before the Open Gate... a human head!

Jiang Tai's pupils constricted as he scanned them one by one. The human head before the final Open Gate was none other than his companion for this mission, Jiang Yu!

"N-no, don't move..." Blood bubbled from the head's seven orifices, yet fragmented, guttural words still spilled from its grotesquely torn mouth. "Bagua... Pilgrimage Map..." "Eight Gates, spirit... spirit formation..." "Choose one and focus, only then can you exit..." "N-no, don't move!!!" As if it saw Jiang Tai attempting to lift his foot, the severed head's expression violently contorted. It let out a sudden cry, but after a spurt of blood, it uttered no more words.

"Dead?" Jiang Tai was utterly dumbfounded. The night-traveling clothes, the expression, the familiar tone... There was no doubt; this person was Jiang Yu! But Jiang Tai refused to believe it. How could he be unaware of the terrifying nature of high-grade spirit formations? Simulating such a scene, while difficult, was not impossible. All of this was merely designed to make the formation-breaker believe the illusion more readily. And his earlier tentative act of lifting his foot had, in turn, provoked Jiang Yu's desperate cry...

"Don't move?" Jiang Tai fell silent. His heart pounded wildly; he had no idea what to do. The conclusion that one couldn't step was one he, a novice formation-breaker, had drawn while inside this spirit formation. An outsider couldn't possibly know! Yet now, Jiang Yu's severed head had died before his eyes, seemingly to convey this very message. What did it mean? How could he have known? Was he real?

"Bagua Pilgrimage Map..." Recalling the information Jiang Yu had given just before his death, Jiang Tai hesitated. Was this still an illusion? Or had Jiang Yu, from another location, invoked the power of the spirit formation, desperately sending this last image? If it was the former, believing it could very well mean death! If it was the latter, disbelieving it would mean Jiang Yu's final struggle was in vain!

Jiang Tai's gaze locked onto the bloody left-pointing arrow before the Alarm Gate. Following the arrow, he could see the empty Death Gate. "Death..." This particular gate, presumably, no one would want to enter. Yet the scene before him depicted the only way out that Jiang Yu had discovered after multiple attempts at the cost of his own body. One thought, heaven; another, hell?

Jiang Tai fiercely clenched his fists. He didn't know if this grand formation was original to the Pilgrimage Tower or if Young Master Xu had brought it. But he knew that if Jiang Yu hadn't managed to break the formation by now, he was likely already in grave danger.

"Xu Deyue!" Jiang Tai gritted his molars, tasting a metallic bitterness in his throat. Should he choose to wait... Or believe the scene before him and, with a single thought, enter the Death Gate... Or disregard the consequences, violently shatter the formation, directly annihilating this entire spirit formation...

—There was no time for choice!

His eyes wide with anger, Jiang Tai paused for barely half a second before raising his fist, cutting through the air. "Damn you!"