Chapter 2052: Xuan Yin Valley, Dugu Hong, Dugu Feng

Chapter 2035: Profound Yin Valley, Du Guhong, Du Gufeng

The Whirlwind Mountain Range stretches for tens of millions of miles, comprising over 100,000 mountains of varying sizes. Exotic flowers and rare herbs grow in abundance, ancient trees and strange vines are intertwined, and streams, waterfalls, mountain lakes, and ponds are scattered throughout, alongside jagged rocks.

Deep within the Whirlwind Mountain Range lies a lake spanning a million acres, occupied by a sixth-tier black flood dragon. This beast periodically emerged to harm human cultivators. Whenever human masters attempted to eliminate it, it would immediately retreat into Black Flood Dragon Lake and escape through hidden currents. Once the human masters withdrew, it would re-emerge to cause trouble.

Over time, human cultivators rarely entered the Whirlwind Mountain Range, only venturing into its outer areas when absolutely necessary. The Whirlwind Mountain Range thus became the black flood dragon's private territory.

More than two thousand years ago, True Lord Taiyang, with his Mid-Void Refinement cultivation, slew this beast. He then moved the main headquarters of the Taiyang Sect to the Whirlwind Mountain Range. Since then, the Whirlwind Mountain Range has served as the Taiyang Sect's spiritual mountain gate.

Sun Yingying was a born-and-raised disciple of the Taiyang Sect, her family having served the sect for three generations. When True Lord Taiyang advanced to the Integration stage, a grand ceremony was held to celebrate, with guests widely invited.

To maintain order, the Taiyang Sect increased its patrolling personnel. Sun Yingying, a Mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, was dispatched to lead a patrol team responsible for the outer perimeter.

The Taiyang Sect's lineage was relatively short, with only just over thirty Soul Transformation cultivators, fewer than five Void Refinement cultivators, and one Integration cultivator.

After years of development, the Taiyang Sect had occupied many territories, with numerous high-ranking cultivators stationed at their branch divisions. Few Soul Transformation cultivators remained at the main headquarters; thus, only two were symbolically sent for patrol, assisted by a large number of Nascent Soul cultivators.

A tall, thin young man in a green shirt spoke, beaming with pride, "This time, with Ancestral Master advancing to the Integration stage, quite a few forces have come to congratulate us. The Deng Family of Xuanyun Mountain, the Skyblade Sect, the Profound Yin Valley, and so on. Haven't you noticed the envious expressions on the faces of those guests when they look at us?"

"Indeed!" another chimed in, "I'd say Ancestral Master is a genius of his generation. Perhaps in a few millennia, he will advance to the Mahayana stage, becoming the third Mahayana cultivator among humans. At that time, our Taiyang Sect will be one of the top human sects on the Mysterious Spirit Continent."

"With Ancestral Master's aptitude and divine abilities, he will certainly achieve it."

Sun Yingying listened to these words, smiling but remaining silent. She knew very well how difficult it was to advance a minor realm above the Nascent Soul stage, and felt her fellow disciples were simply jesting.

As disciples of the Taiyang Sect, it was understandable for them to harbor such thoughts.

"Someone is approaching! Everyone, be alert and don't disgrace the sect!" Sun Yingying said gravely. The cultivators promptly adjusted their attire, displaying sincere smiles.

A golden light and a green light appeared on the horizon, moving at extreme speed.

Not long after, the golden light stopped, revealing a massive golden gourd. A team of cultivators stood upon it, led by an old man in a green robe and a young woman in a red dress. The green light was a verdant lotus dharma seat, with three men and one woman standing upon it – Wang Changsheng and his group.

After leaving the Seven Hues Mountain Range, they traveled day and night, finally arriving at the Taiyang Sect.

It was better to arrive early for such an important event as the Taiyang Sect's celebration for True Lord Taiyang; missing it might displease him.

"Junior Sun Yingying greets all seniors. May I ask your names?" Sun Yingying asked, cupping her fists, her tone sincere.

"This old man is Fang Dexiang," Fang Dexiang introduced himself. "We represent the Fang family of Golden Sparrow Mountain and are invited to attend your sect's grand ceremony."

Fang Shuyu took out a lacquered gold invitation, flew it before Sun Yingying, and handed it to her with both hands. The Fang family had a long heritage; previously, Fang Dexiang wouldn't have paid much attention to such details. But now was different; True Lord Taiyang had already advanced to the Integration stage. Out of respect for the Taiyang Sect, he dared not put on airs.

Sun Yingying dared not be careless; she quickly took the invitation and inspected it carefully.

"We represent Zhenhai Palace and are here to attend your sect's celebration," Wang Changsheng said pleasantly.

Wang Qingfeng held an invitation and flew towards Sun Yingying.

After checking both invitations and confirming their authenticity, Sun Yingying made a welcoming gesture and said, "Seniors Fang and Wang, thank you for traveling so far to attend our Ancestral Master's grand ceremony. Please, come in."

She turned to her companions and instructed, "You all continue patrolling. If any more guests arrive, do not be remiss in your duties."

"Yes, Senior Aunt Sun," the disciples chorused their assent and flew away.

Wang Changsheng and Fang Dexiang followed Sun Yingying, flying deeper into the mountain range. After less than half an hour, they stopped.

Ahead of them was a flat, wide plain, with no cultivators or buildings visible.

Sun Yingying took out a round token that constantly flickered with green light and injected spiritual power into it. The token immediately flared with brilliant green light, emitting a dazzling green beam that vanished into the void. The void then rippled, and a continuous expanse of verdant mountains appeared before them.

Perilous peaks and strange mountains were enveloped in clouds and mist, bathed in myriad rays of light and auspicious energy. Exotic flowers and rare herbs grew everywhere, ancient trees and strange vines intertwined. Streams, waterfalls, mountain lakes, and ponds were scattered throughout, alongside jagged rocks. Black cranes circled high above, spirit monkeys chased each other in the dense forests, and spirit butterflies danced gracefully in seas of flowers.

Many cultivators could be seen flying back and forth high in the sky. Most noticeable was a golden giant tower, over a thousand zhang tall.

The golden giant tower stood in the center of the mountain range, sparkling with spiritual light and exuding astonishing spiritual energy. A shimmering golden flood dragon coiled around the tower's surface, which was covered with golden scales. Upon closer inspection, the golden flood dragon seemed alive, its two massive eyes constantly moving.

The Golden Flood Dragon Pagoda, a mid-grade Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure, was the Taiyang Sect's guardian treasure.

As a sect established less than five thousand years ago, the Taiyang Sect had shallow foundations and relied entirely on True Lord Taiyang to maintain its prestige, much like many newly established cultivation families.

Wang Changsheng's visit to the Taiyang Sect for the celebration was not only to fulfill the mission assigned by Chen Haotian, but also to take the opportunity to learn things that might be useful in the future.

A clear and resonant crane cry echoed as a colossal green crane, with a wingspan of over ten zhang, flew from afar. A benevolent-looking old man in a white robe stood on its back.

The green crane's body was enveloped in countless blue electric arcs, blue light constantly flowed around its claws, and its eyes were golden.

The white-robed old man was short and stout, with a goatee, a round face, and large eyes, giving him an approachable demeanor.

"Disciple greets Senior Uncle Yang," Sun Yingying said, bowing respectfully and reporting truthfully, "They are representatives from the Deng family of Golden Sparrow Mountain and Zhenhai Palace."

"I understand. I will receive them. Junior Nephew Sun, please continue your patrol!" The white-robed old man waved his hand, signaling Sun Yingying to withdraw.

Sun Yingying acknowledged, transformed into a streak of light, and departed.

"This old man is Yang Hao. May I ask the names of the four fellow daoists?" The white-robed old man cupped his fists, asking with a smile and a hearty voice.

"This one is Wang Changsheng.""Wang Ruyan.""This old man is Fang Dexiang.""This humble one is Fang Defu."Wang Changsheng and the other three successively reported their names, all smiling.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, why didn't Senior Chen from your esteemed sect come? Our Ancestral Master asked about him just two days ago!" Yang Hao asked politely. True Lord Taiyang had a wide circle of friends and had invited many for this grand ceremony.

"Senior Uncle Chen was occupied with matters and couldn't leave, so he sent us to attend True Lord Taiyang's grand ceremony," Wang Changsheng explained.

Yang Hao realized, nodding, "I see. You must have had a tiring journey. I will arrange your accommodation first; the ceremony has not yet begun."

He patted the green giant crane beneath him. The green crane let out a sharp cry, and with a gentle flap of its wings, a thunderous roar erupted as it flew towards the sky. Wang Changsheng and the others quickly followed.

After a while, the green crane stopped above a ten-thousand-zhang-long silver waterfall. The waterfall was ten thousand zhang long and over five hundred zhang wide; clear spring water cascaded down, falling into a massive pool, stirring up splashes and producing a tinkling sound.

Near the waterfall stood a colossal peak, over a thousand zhang tall. The peak had been flattened, and on its summit grew a blue tree over a hundred zhang tall. Its leaves were blue, and its canopy, over a thousand zhang wide, covered a large area.

Near the blue tree was a magnificent blue palace. On its plaque were three large golden characters: "Listening to the Waves Palace," and carved on the thick blue stone pillars were patterns of water qilin.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, how do you find Listening to the Waves Palace?" Yang Hao asked politely. Since Chen Haotian couldn't come personally and sent Soul Transformation cultivators, the Taiyang Sect dared not be negligent. After all, Zhenhai Palace was one of the top human sects, far superior to the Taiyang Sect.

"This is quite good, we'll stay here!" Wang Changsheng said, nodding. He quite liked the abundant water spiritual energy in the area.

"Very well, you will stay here then!" Yang Hao said. "There are too many visiting guests, and we are quite overwhelmed. Fellow Daoist Wang, please stay in Listening to the Waves Palace for now. I will take you on a tour in a couple of days. Under no circumstances should you leave Listening to the Waves Palace without permission. If you trigger the restrictions, it will be troublesome..."

Yang Hao's words were cut short by a deafening boom. A massive black mushroom cloud soared into the sky, accompanied by faint, mournful wails.

Immediately, alarms blared, and numerous Taiyang Sect disciples rushed towards the location of the black mushroom cloud.

Yang Hao frowned deeply. With so many guests flocking to the Taiyang Sect, the sect simply couldn't cope. There was no helping it; the Taiyang Sect had only developed for over four thousand years and had never hosted such a grand celebration before.

The celebration had many guests, with no less than fifty Soul Transformation cultivators alone, and quite a few Void Refinement cultivators. The Taiyang Sect was short-staffed, yet trouble still arose.

"Fellow Daoist Yang, rest assured, we will definitely stay in Listening to the Waves Palace," Wang Changsheng agreed. Even if Yang Hao hadn't said anything, he wouldn't have run around aimlessly; he understood these rules.

He wondered which faction's disciple was so ignorant of the rules, triggering the Taiyang Sect's restrictions.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, this is the restriction token for Listening to the Waves Palace. Please keep it safe." Yang Hao took out a shimmering blue round token and handed it to Wang Changsheng. He then turned to Fang Dexiang and the others, saying, "Fellow Daoist Fang, please follow me."

Wang Changsheng performed a hand seal, and the Verdant Lotus Dharma Seat slowly descended, landing at the entrance of Listening to the Waves Palace.

The palace gates of Listening to the Waves Palace were tightly shut, covered by an aquamarine light barrier.

Wang Changsheng took out the round token, which had the characters "Listening to the Waves" carved on its front, and injected spiritual power into it. The characters immediately lit up, emitting a blue light that merged into the aquamarine light barrier.

The aquamarine light barrier rippled, then suddenly dispersed.

Wang Changsheng pushed open the palace gates and entered.

Upon entering Listening to the Waves Palace, a surge of pure water spiritual energy enveloped them. Wang Qingfeng and Wang Qingcheng, neither of whom possessed water spiritual roots, disliked places with abundant water spiritual energy, and both brothers frowned.

The main hall was spacious and bright, furnished with over a dozen blue jade chairs and several pots of flowers and plants.

To the left was a blue corridor lined with over a dozen stone chambers, including alchemy rooms, artifact refining rooms, cultivation chambers, and insect breeding rooms.

"I know you don't like it here," Wang Changsheng instructed with a solemn expression. "But as guests, we follow the host's arrangements, so don't be too picky. Don't run around; stay in Listening to the Waves Palace."

This was his first time bringing his two sons out to experience the world, and he didn't want them to act recklessly and cause trouble.

"Understood, Father. We'll go rest now," Wang Qingcheng and Wang Qingfeng agreed, and each entered a cultivation chamber.

"After traveling for so long, I am indeed a bit tired," Wang Ruyan said, stretching lazily with a look of contentment on her face.

They entered a cultivation chamber to meditate and recuperate.

In a small valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, a gaunt black-robed old man with sunken eyes floated in the air, his brows tightly furrowed, emitting a dense aura of malevolence.

A handsome young man in a black shirt stood on the ground, with a monkey-like ghost creature with a single horn standing beside him. There were dozens of large pits on the ground, from which black smoke billowed and black flames flickered.

Both the black-robed old man and the black-shirted young man had a grotesque ghost face pattern on their sleeves, the emblem of Profound Yin Valley.

Profound Yin Valley had been established for over five thousand years, but even now, it only had two Void Refinement cultivators. The black-robed old man was Du Guhong, the Valley Master of Profound Yin Valley, a Mid-Void Refinement cultivator. The black-shirted young man was his only descendant, Du Gufeng, a Late Nascent Soul cultivator.

A young woman in a green dress with picturesque features stood upon a cloud of green, her willow-like brows tightly furrowed.

The young woman in the green dress had skin as white as snow, a captivating figure, and her hair styled in a celestial bun.

Lin Yaoyao, True Lord Taiyang's youngest disciple, was a Mid-Void Refinement cultivator.

"My sincerest apologies, Fellow Daoist Lin," Du Guhong said, apologizing while instructing Du Gufeng. "This old man's lack of proper discipline caused Feng'er to trigger the restriction. Feng'er, you nearly caused a great disaster. Apologize to Senior Lin at once!"

"This junior was merely curious and accidentally trespassed into your esteemed sect's restricted area, which deeply disturbs me," Du Gufeng said gravely, appearing quite responsible. "Senior Lin, I will accept any punishment."

Lin Yaoyao's expression softened. "Young Friend Du Gu accidentally trespassed, so let's let it go," she said. "This is the dereliction of duty of the disciples guarding the restricted area, not your fault. However, Young Friend Du Gu, it would be better for you to stay honestly in your lodging. You won't be this lucky every time. If you trigger other powerful restrictions, you might be dead before we even arrive."

"Senior Lin is right. This junior will certainly learn my lesson and will not run around aimlessly anymore," Du Gufeng readily agreed.

"Hmph, you scoundrel! I brought you out to see the world, and all you do is cause trouble for this old man," Du Guhong snorted coldly, reprimanding him unceremoniously. "Go back and be confined for three hundred years. You are not allowed to leave until you advance to the Soul Transformation stage."

"Never mind, Fellow Daoist Du Gu," Lin Yaoyao said, smoothing things over and dispersing the crowd. "It's understandable for young people to be curious. Blame the disciples guarding the restricted area, not Young Friend Du Gu. Everyone, disperse and go about your duties."

Du Guhong expressed his thanks and left with Du Gufeng.

Lin Yaoyao watched Du Guhong's retreating back, a hint of confusion flashing deep within her beautiful eyes.

"Summon the disciples guarding the restricted area for me. Why did they leave their posts without permission?" Lin Yaoyao instructed, her tone icy.

It was fortunate that it was discovered in time; otherwise, Du Gufeng could have caused a major disaster, bringing immense disgrace upon the Taiyang Sect.