Chapter 487: Transforming the Divine Spirit Treasure — The Azure Cloud Celestial Cauldron

Yellow Cloud Ancestor's proposal was immediately rejected. As everyone stared in shock, they saw someone walk in from outside – it was the Red Cloud Ancestor, who had been missing from Ice River Pass.

Seeing this person, everyone's hearts were instantly filled with rage.

However, only Yellow Cloud Ancestor, also at the Nascent Soul Great Perfection stage, dared to reprimand him aloud.

"Red Cloud, do you know that because of you, Ice River Pass fell? Now the Cloudy Mountain Range faces the ravages of war, and our ancestral foundation is threatened! How dare you still spout such nonsense here?!"

Red Cloud Ancestor had long prepared a counter-strategy.

He retorted with equal indignation.

"What nonsense! Yellow Cloud, it's easy for you to say when you're not in my shoes. The Northern Demon Clan suddenly joined the war, and you had no intelligence whatsoever. Where was Soul Spirit Sovereign?

"You sent him to probe the Northern Demon Clan's intentions, and *this* is the result? From allies to enemies—you bear the greatest responsibility!"

He was a professional at passing the buck.

This matter actually had little to do with either him or Yellow Cloud; it was mainly due to the Northern Demon Clan's own ambition. Yet, he could phrase it this way.

With such a massive accusation hurled at him, Yellow Cloud Ancestor's face darkened further.

"Slandering me! How does this concern me?"

"Then how does the fall of Ice River Pass concern *me*?"

Red Cloud Ancestor spoke rapidly.

"Twenty to thirty Nascent Soul cultivators from the Underworld Mountain Sect launched a frontal assault, and the Northern Demon Clan swarmed out from the Broken Realm Mountain Range. Faced with enemies from front and back, if I hadn't fled, would you only be satisfied if I died in battle at Ice River Pass?"

"That's not what I meant," Yellow Cloud Ancestor explained with an unsightly expression.

Red Cloud's survival was incredibly good news for the Azure Cloud Sect.

But he was the newly appointed supreme commander of Ice River Pass, and his escape at such a critical moment had dealt a fatal blow to their side, excluding himself, a Great Perfection cultivator.

There were also so many cultivators from the Azure Cloud Sect and the Blazing Sun Sect. If the Blazing Sun Sect questioned them later, there would be no way to explain it.

It was still unknown how many people had managed to escape alive this time.

Whenever he recalled the grand assembly of over thirty Nascent Soul experts in the main discussion hall, and then contrasted it with the desolate scene now, with only the Supreme Elders of the Azure Cloud Seven Veins remaining—

—How utterly tragic!

This was also the source of his anger towards Red Cloud.

If this wasn't Red Cloud's responsibility, whose was it then?

Just as Yellow Cloud Ancestor was organizing his thoughts to attack from a different angle, Red Cloud abruptly changed his assertive demeanor and let out a deep sigh.

"Alas...

"Actually, I didn't want to either, but the situation was critical. Now the war has reached the Cloudy Mountain Range, and we have little time left for discussion.

"The Sword Sect must be appealed to for aid, but our sect's main base must also be defended!"

With that,

Red Cloud looked around at his colleagues and murmured,

"If I were truly afraid of death, I certainly wouldn't have returned. Wouldn't it have been a better option to directly leave the Azure Cloud Four Provinces and seek refuge with the Sword Sect? The reason I rushed back was to preserve a useful body.

"To activate the sect's foundational artifact with the power of the Seven Veins: the fifth-tier spiritual treasure, the Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron!"

The other ancestors immediately understood Red Cloud's meaning.

The Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron, unlike other Spirit Transformation spiritual treasures, was a treasured artifact of the sect, originating from the ancient Cloudy Cloud Sect. It belonged to a relatively obscure cultivation path.

Though not as prosperous as it was now, it still produced a Spirit Transformation Venerable, and the Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron was the magic treasure refined by that Venerable.

It required the use of seven types of cloud-path magical power to fully unleash its strength. If Red Cloud Ancestor were missing, they would lose their final trump card for a desperate battle.

Therefore, what he said indeed made some sense.

However, these were actually two completely different matters. By conflating his objectives, Red Cloud made it impossible for anyone to logically refute him, leaving only moral condemnation.

After all, it was like a "save the mother or save the child" dilemma.

The classic "trolley problem" was precisely this kind of situation. Red Cloud chose the track with fewer people, preserving the overall situation for the Azure Cloud Sect.

How could one condemn that?

"So that's how it is..." Green Cloud Ancestor murmured to himself, then quickly brightened, saying,

"In that case, let's not delay any longer. Bring forth the Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron! Let those beasts taste the power of a Spirit Transformation spiritual treasure!"

"It should be so."

"Good."

"Precisely my intention."

"I'll go arrange the appeal for aid from the Sword Sect."

With the discussion concluded, the ancestors dispersed to take action. Red Cloud Ancestor also breathed a sigh of relief, relieved that he had managed to get by.

Whether those high-sounding reasons were true or false, only he knew. As one of the Seven Orthodox Sects, the Azure Cloud Sect's assistance to his cultivation was undeniable.

To break through to the Spirit Transformation stage, the Azure Cloud Sect could not fall!

And he himself could not die. The remaining old cultivators generally had less than three hundred years of life left. If they couldn't cultivate a large number of Nascent Soul experts within this time,

even if they survived this tribulation, the Azure Cloud Sect would be replaced by emerging forces. Only with the support of the Sword Sect in this regard could the Azure Cloud Sect's transcendent status be guaranteed.

Otherwise, their fate would be to be superseded by those top-tier major powers.

Cultivation was difficult; managing a faction was even more so.

Meanwhile,

Fierce fighting raged in the Cloudy Mountain Range. Birds and beasts rampaged, utterly destroying the beautiful environment created by the Azure Cloud Sect.

A large number of cultivators stationed at the mountain gate had died.

Sky Roc King revealed his true form: his demon body was a golden-feathered Sky Roc several kilometers long, soaring across the sky and sweeping over the mountain range, with winds strong enough to kill Qi Condensation cultivators.

His powerful demon physique charged wildly, crushing almost everything it touched. Formations and restrictions were utterly useless. Among cultivators at the same Great Perfection stage,

the advantage of demon beasts grew greater in the later stages.

At the same cultivation realm, their almost overwhelmingly powerful physical bodies provided strategic advantages that allowed for many different tactics, much like Wang Yu's dual cultivation of magical arts and physical body, making fighting above their cultivation level a common occurrence.

The Cloudy Mountain Range was quite vast. Besides the main complex of buildings, there were many peaks that served as Nascent Soul cultivation grounds for the Azure Cloud Sect. However, their masters were either missing at Ice River Pass

or guarding other towns in other provinces.

Over thirty battlefronts fell one after another within just an hour, with the demons gaining the upper hand everywhere, leaving only the main building complex of the Azure Cloud Sect's mountain gate.

The sect-protecting formation had been activated, shielding the terrified low-level cultivators. The fourth-tier late-stage sect-protecting spiritual beast, the Rainbow-Winged Celestial Serpent, coiled on a peak.

It gazed at the Sky Roc King from afar. As their eyes met, they seemed to exchange a lot of information. Ultimately, the Rainbow-Winged Celestial Serpent did not actively attack; instead, it chose to tear off its own rainbow wings.

At the cost of suffering severe injuries, it severed its contract with the Azure Cloud Sect. After transforming into human form, it secretly embraced the demon side. Although it did not directly attack the Azure Cloud Sect,

its betrayal was too swift, making people lament that the Azure Cloud Sect's glory was over!

Another stick of incense time later,

a demonic cloud drifted from afar, its demonic aura so dense that it almost completely disrupted the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Beside it, there was also a demon cloud.

These were the Five-Colored Holy Lord, Dark Roc Bishop, and other cultivators who had rushed from Ice River Pass after the battle there. This brought the number of Nascent Soul cultivators besieging the Azure Cloud Sect's mountain gate to over a hundred!

Among them were several Great Perfection cultivators. Even in its prime, the Azure Cloud Sect would have been doomed in such a situation, let alone now, after repeatedly suffering heavy losses.

Although Wang Yu wasn't there in person,

with the permission of others, he used a secret spiritual sense technique to attach himself to Ice Soul Fairy's shoulder, watching the raging war with keen interest, as if it were a movie.

Though he felt a little regret, he had no regrets about his decision.

Such a place was still too dangerous for him. What if he encountered an Orthodox Spirit Transformation Venerable? Tsk, tsk, he dared not even imagine the situation.

Moreover, at the Northern Demon Clan's territory, Thunder Scale King and Fire Crow King were present, making it very safe.

Just then,

"—BOOM!!!"

A muffled, majestic bell sound suddenly reverberated throughout the Cloudy Mountain Range. In a certain worship hall, a beam of green light shot straight into the sky, and those with keen eyes could see a small cauldron bobbing within the light pillar.

An extremely terrifying pressure spread out,

causing many demon beasts to prostrate themselves in fear, trembling uncontrollably.

"Here it comes."

Beside the Five-Colored Holy Lord, the Sky Roc King, Dark Roc Bishop, and an aged red-eyed white rat demon gathered. These were the four Great Perfection Nascent Soul cultivators in this battle.

The white rat demon was known as Sky-Devouring King, one of the hidden powers of the Northern Demon Clan from the Heart Beast Tower. Its true bloodline originated from a mutated individual of the Gold-Devouring Rat clan, and it had named its own species the Sky-Devouring Rat.

In its youth, it was also a ruthless character. It used the Heart Beast Tower's effects to extend its life and calm its mind, now with only about sixty years of life left, making it someone who could fight to the death at a critical moment.

The Five-Colored Holy Lord had naturally anticipated the existence of the Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron. Since he had set his sights on the Cloudy Mountain Range, he wouldn't fight an unprepared battle.

He immediately said to the Sky-Devouring Rat,

"Elder Bai, I'll trouble you to make a move."

The Sky-Devouring Rat held no resentment towards this junior who had risen to become Holy Lord. His only regret was that no Holy Lord selection had been held when he was younger.

It was just a slight regret. Seeing his politeness,

he patted his chest and said,

"Don't worry, Holy Lord. The divine ability of the Gold-Devouring Rat clan specifically counters metal-type magic treasures, and this cauldron is among them. Coupled with my self-comprehended Sky-Devouring Art,

"I wouldn't dare say I can destroy this cauldron, but I can certainly render it ineffective for a quarter of an hour. This window of opportunity is yours. If you can't seize it... then we'll have to wait for another time."

There was only one chance.

However, he could also adapt to the situation; unless absolutely necessary, the Sky-Devouring Rat would not rashly choose to sacrifice himself.

No sooner had he spoken than the green light pillar vanished.

The small, black-speck-like cauldron rapidly grew, expanding several times with each blink, until it blotted out the sky.

This Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron was of a three-legged, two-eared design.

Engraved upon it were auspicious cloud patterns and an ancient text praising the diverse beauty of clouds. Legend had it that this text concealed a Spirit Transformation inheritance of the cloud path, but no one had ever deciphered it.

Not even the Azure Cloud Sect, and its authenticity remained unknown.

After all, for a Spirit Transformation spiritual treasure, inscribing such a text seemed meaningless, unless it was the former owner's personal preference, which had some slight possibility.

At this moment, the Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron hung inverted in the sky.

Its size was even more exaggerated than the Sky Roc King's demon body. The inherent sentience of the spiritual treasure could assist its wielder, allowing for better manifestation of its power.

It also offered effects like automatic self-protection and reduced mental strain.

It was also an auxiliary item facilitating inheritance, capable of circumventing the exclusivity of a cultivator's fated treasure. The closer the relationship with the original owner, the lower the difficulty of inheritance.

But this prerequisite was gaining the approval of the artifact's inherent spirit.

This point was crucial.

At the same time,

the appearance of the sect's spiritual treasure greatly boosted the morale of the Azure Cloud Sect cultivators, who called out to their comrades, intending to repel the invading demon and demonic cultivators.

Led by the two Great Perfection cultivators, Red Cloud and Yellow Cloud, the Supreme Ancestors, known as the Seven Elders of Cloudy Cloud, stood in a line along the edge of the Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron,

overlooking the situation across the entire Cloudy Mountain Range.

The youngest and weakest, Purple Cloud Ancestor, felt a slight nervousness. He was merely a peak Nascent Soul seventh-layer cultivator, facing immense pressure in such a situation.

He worried both about being a burden and about his own life.

He had actually supported retreating first.

The enemy was powerful, but not more powerful than the Sword Sect. The core purpose of this war was to deplete surplus population, a fact generally known by anyone who reached the Nascent Soul realm.

It wasn't a major secret.

And this population primarily targeted mortals with shattered spirit roots who couldn't cultivate, as well as some cultivators. Even the Azure Cloud Sect, as one of the Seven Orthodox Sects, was included in this calculation.

From a macro perspective, the total spiritual energy in the Ice Prison Realm had a limit, and similarly, the spiritual energy in Taihu Lake also had an upper bound. The number of cultivators it could support could thus be deduced.

And this was why the outbreaks of the Righteous-Demonic War were so consistent—it was artificially controlled to produce more powerful cultivators.

If not for the almost complete absence of ascendants in the Ice Prison Realm,

each person who left would take away an astronomical amount of spiritual energy, and over time, the flourishing era of cultivation would decline, until it completely entered an era of dwindling magic.

Returning to the main point.

Purple Cloud Ancestor said with deep concern,

"Fellow Daoists, has there been any clear news from the Sword Sect?"

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

Yellow Cloud Ancestor grumbled,

"Sword River Venerable has promised to come in person, but afterward, Water Cloud Province's spiritual stone revenue will be handed over to the Sword Sect for three millennia, at a rate of thirty percent."

Thirty percent of the revenue was a fair bite, not too much or too little, but three thousand years was a bit too long. A Spirit Transformation Venerable only had a lifespan limit of three thousand two hundred years.

And who among those who break through to the Spirit Transformation stage isn't over a thousand years old?

But taking a hit was better than the sect being annihilated. They could only reluctantly agree for now; there would be further negotiations afterward.

Upon learning that the Venerable had agreed, Purple Cloud Ancestor immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He instantly transformed from a timid state to one of immense pride, sweeping his sleeve dramatically.

"Let's begin! The Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron specializes in countering mass attacks. I refuse to believe these demonic heretics can withstand it."

Everyone was speechless but did not contradict Purple Cloud Ancestor. Having known him for so many years, they understood his character; it was something he would say.

"Then let's begin. Pay attention to the Five-Colored Holy Lord's side."

*Buzz—*

A crisp humming sound quickly spread throughout the Cloudy Mountain Range. As the seven types of cloud-path magical power were injected, a pitch-black vortex suddenly appeared at the mouth of the Azure Sky Azure Cloud Cauldron.

A massive suction force swept across the mountains and earth.

Like the arrival of a tornado, towering trees, along with soil and rocks, were sucked backward into the black vortex, being pulverized into dust by spatial tearing, or directly swallowed into the cauldron.

Rivers also displayed the miraculous phenomenon of "dragon's breath," coiling backward and rushing into the cauldron's mouth. Within these currents were countless demon beasts and demonic cultivators.

Unable to control their forms, they were carried into the sky by the suction, instantly turning to dust, having almost no power to resist.

If this continued, everyone below the Nascent Soul stage

would be completely annihilated here.

"Elder Bai!"

"Leave it to me."