Chapter 1069: Excluding Dissenters

This hand frantically fled through the air, with two layers of dim gray light trailing behind it. Chang Yun took one look and immediately understood.

He came from a high lineage, his eyes had been cultivated with special spiritual artifacts, and he possessed extremely high-grade magical techniques. Even if a Great True Man performed transformative magic, they still couldn't deceive him!

He recognized at a glance that it was Ming Hui himself. With a flick of his sleeve, a white umbrella immediately slipped out, propping itself in the air.

As the umbrella opened, twelve-colored lights burst forth from its ribs. They collided head-on with the dim gray light, which appeared to have little power, crashing together with a dull thud. A thunderous roar immediately followed, and three autumn leaves, as large as human heads, rustled down from the sky, gently swaying.

From these leaves emerged three winds: greenish-gray, inky black, and grayish-white. They swept down from above, making the ground tremble. Dark soil surged towards the sky, and massive hurricanes arose from the flat ground.

The magical wind possessed immense power. The umbrella immediately groaned under the strain, and Chang Yun's expression instantly turned solemn. He conjured a talisman between two fingers, veiling the thick yin mist. He raised his other hand and whispered,

"Ming Hui!"

Ming Hui had indeed abandoned his spiritual body, with only one arm remaining. A pair of eyes and a mouth were gouged into its palm. One could still see the panic in his expression as he pleaded miserably,

"True Man, please save my senior brother!"

Chang Yun's expression, however, suddenly grew suspicious. He whispered,

"Who has come?"

Ming Hui, still shaken, only said,

"You ask me? Who can I ask? Don't investigate me further. If you say it's not Yang Ruiyi, then who else could it be!"

Chang Yun heard that the other party's tone was genuine and felt a sense of relief. After meticulously investigating again, he grasped the white umbrella, joined two fingers, cast a spell, and pointed it at his glabella.

He gazed remotely with his divine perception and found the place to be a hazy expanse, as if trapped in a ghostly underworld. Countless skeletal specters crawled on the ground, intertwining and accumulating into a towering mountain peak. In the sky, thousands of owls, nightjars, and dark evil ravens circled indistinctly. Only a pale white temple stood on the mountain's summit, appearing on the verge of collapse.

Chang Yun's vigilance immediately intensified. He abruptly shifted his gaze and indeed saw a bronze Xuanming Ghost Chariot at the highest point. A long bronze staircase extended downwards, with green lanterns on either side burning with pale blue flames.

'Yang Ruiyi…'

Chang Yun frowned deeply, steadying himself in this ghostly realm with his white umbrella. The strangeness in his heart had reached its peak.

He had initially thought Yang Ruiyi used the entire power of the Great Song to push north and used Moon Lake to tie down Guang Chan, all to penetrate deep alone and divide east from west. But even now, Yang Ruiyi's true self was still here!

Both Ming Hui and Chang Yun, in their agreement, had assumed Yang Ruiyi would lead an attack here; that Ming Hui and his senior brother would be decisively defeated and would need his intervention to save their lives—not that they would hold out until now, awaiting reinforcements!

This meant that the full efforts of Li Ximing, Ting Lan, and others had not gained Yang Ruiyi the opportunity to penetrate deep into the north. They hadn't even traversed half of Jiangbei.

When the many True Men from the north gathered, Yang Ruiyi, who was already at a significant disadvantage, would inevitably return without success and might even leave the south greatly weakened!

'Could it be that Yang Ruiyi tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice instead…'

He immediately shifted his gaze to the mountain peak. There were no human figures in the gleaming temple. The ground was littered with the skeletons of monks and scattered golden robes. On a mountain of piled bodies, a monk sat upright, his face pale, but he was still stubbornly chanting scriptures.

'It's Ming Xiang.'

Chang Yun had good relations with Lotus Temple and naturally knew this rising star of Lotus Temple in recent years. This person had not fully exerted himself in the great battle on the lake, but according to Chang Yun's estimation, his strength was only beneath that of Guang Chan and Zhe Lu!

Yet, even if Chang Yun highly overestimated his strength, at this moment, he felt doubt, then a jolt of alarm:

'There must be a trick! The one inside isn't Yang Ruiyi!'

The Zhe Qi in Yang Ruiyi's hands could almost be ranked as the most restraining Daoist lineage for Buddhist cultivators. If this Zhe Qi spiritual treasure suppressed someone, it would be enough to completely sever any Buddhist cultivator not of Mahakala's power from their connection to the Buddhist lands, preventing them from borrowing even a shred of power. Ming Xiang was not Jin Lian; it was utterly impossible for him to have held out until now, completely unharmed!

The dark ominous energy in the sky was infinitely dense. Chang Yun suddenly turned his head and realized that the path he had come from was slowly vanishing. Yet, he did not immediately lift his leg, but instead revealed a thoughtful expression.

"Fellow Daoist Chang Yun!"

The surprise and doubt on Chang Yun's face had vanished. He lowered his head thoughtfully, only to see the expression on the hand in his sleeve suddenly freeze. A red light instantly flared in its two eerie eyes, shining fiercely into his own eyes!

"You!"

The True Man's body instantly froze. His mind hesitated for a split second. The hand holding the talisman in his sleeve finally relaxed. He gritted his teeth, furrowed his brow, closed his eyes tightly, and activated his divine ability!

Sizzle!

Even though Chang Yun was a Purple Mansion stage cultivator with an extremely powerful Dharma Body, he couldn't withstand being illuminated so unprepared. His pair of silvery-bright eyes shattered with a crash. Two streams of golden blood slid down from the corners of his eyes. He had already lost his sight!

He cried out in pain and decisively raised his hand high. He struck the severed hand with a flick of his sleeve. Instantly, golden light shattered, and dark colors dispersed. His ears were filled with echoing screams from all directions. Chang Yun's chance to leave the area suddenly vanished, and he angrily cursed without restraint,

"You dare to deceive me with transformation magic!"

The yin energy in the sky was heavy. Six talismans flew out one by one from the tightly shut bronze gate, scattering numerous phantoms across the sky, all pressing down on Chang Yun.

The white light within the temple grew dimmer, but because Chang Yun bore some of the burden, it gained a moment's respite. Ming Xiang sat cross-legged before the temple, hands pressed together, his face filled with devotion.

Ming Hui's severed limb was shattered by Chang Yun's palm. Yet, he showed no signs of grief. Instead, his face was calm, and he sneered inwardly:

'Junior brother, it seems he understands now!'

As he sneered, a small golden nasal bone appeared from beneath his chest garments, humming and vibrating, mystically transmitting Ming Hui's thoughts with its magical power:

'Chang Yun is clever; he already knows the one here isn't Yang Ruiyi. But it's not just us who hate Qi Lan Yan. Chang Yun was forcibly summoned by him; what good feelings could he have towards him! He's even less willing to offend the south. He quickly crippled his own spiritual eyes, seizing the opportunity to retreat from the front line. Now he has a good reason not to recognize Yang Ruiyi!'

Chang Yun's spiritual eyes were formidable. What had just fallen into his embrace was indeed not a transformation spell, but Ming Hui's own method. It was a secret collusion, merely to absolve him of responsibility!

'Now, in resisting the south, my Dharma Body is destroyed. Master also has reason to protect us. Once the Zhe Qi closes, no one will know what happened inside, and the blame can be shifted onto us.'

His voice took on a colder edge. He laughed sinisterly:

'Let Dayang Mountain and Qi Lan Yan come up empty-handed! Let Yang Ruiyi hit them hard!

'Each of you from Dayang Mountain, do you take my senior and junior brothers to be made of mud? If my senior and junior brothers were truly like dogs and horses for you to command… then our Shanle Dao wouldn't need to be ranked among the Seven Aspects!'

***

Xuanmiao Temple.

Distant lights flickered continuously, their reddish glow stinging the eyes. The Dharma lamp before the platform flickered, appearing eerily cold. The young man above wore a long white gauze crown, dressed in a black Daoist robe adorned with mysterious patterns and dark clouds, intently staring at the chessboard on the platform.

It was none other than Qi Lan Yan, who was stirring up trouble in Jiangbei!

The young man playing against him wore blue clothes. His eyes were lively, and a small water sparrow perched on his shoulder. He watched Qi Lan Yan with a smile and said,

"Mount Ji is in chaos, yet Master Qi remains so composed."

Qi Lan Yan picked up a chess piece and said softly,

"Mount Ji has Gongsun Bei and Murong Yan. There won't be any problems for a short while. Yang Ruiyi hasn't appeared yet, so you and I cannot act rashly."

He tapped the table and raised an eyebrow, saying,

"I'm curious. Since Duxian Dao directly faces the wilderness, are you not afraid, Fellow Daoist Bai, being invited here?"

Ye Gui smiled, without a hint of worry between his brows. He simply said,

"I trust you, my lord."

Ye Gui was inherently selfish. His only concern was his sister's children, whom he had long ago sent overseas. He didn't care if others died a thousand or ten thousand times, so these words were naturally flattery. Qi Lan Yan likewise didn't believe him and said indifferently,

"Jiangbei broadly has three main arteries: to the west are Lesser Chamber Mountain and Tanging Blade Mountain behind Baijiang Stream; in the center are Chenshui and Duxian… and to the east is Xuanmiao behind Mount Ji…"

"Which path do you think Yang Ruiyi will attack, Fellow Daoist?"

Ye Gui picked up a chess piece, looked at the board's progression, and said softly,

"What the Great Song wants is not to conquer any particular sect or family, but the overall situation of the world. From the land of Yue to controlling the Huai region, and then re-establishing the power of Chu… Although the territory is vast now, there is a thorn in the side, a constant irritation, in the Yue region. If it's not removed, Yang Ruiyi won't rest easy."

He placed the piece and whispered,

"Mount Ji."

If anything the Zhixuan Monastery did disgusted the Yang clan the most, it was undoubtedly planting Mount Ji as a thorn in the south. If Mount Ji Prefecture were lost, even if the Great Song conquered all of Shu, the Song Emperor would still have the reputation of having lost the old homeland!

"Not so."

Qi Lan Yan nodded and smiled, saying,

"They definitely want Mount Ji, but they lack the strength for a direct assault. They should have plotted slowly. But Yang Ruiyi has one disadvantage compared to me: he has the Song Emperor above him. Once he launches an attack, he must achieve results."

Ye Gui's expression was grave. He squinted slightly.

"Your information is truly well-informed, my lord."

He couldn't quite figure out how Qi Lan Yan had ascertained the relationship between Yang Ruiyi and the Song Emperor. He could only assume it came from the power behind him. Qi Lan Yan, meanwhile, whispered,

"Since he cannot take Mount Ji by storm, he can only enter from the middle, cutting off Duxian in the central region and severing Xuanmiao's connection with the Zhao Kingdom. Firstly, this will support the other side attacking Xishu in the west. Secondly… it also serves as an explanation to the Song Emperor."

Ye Gui was exceedingly intelligent. He nodded and said,

"So, my lord designed this and deliberately gave up Duxian."

Qi Lan Yan smiled,

"Not exactly… there are still places where I need your help."

He then rolled up his sleeve, seeing the jade talisman in his hand faintly glowing. He smiled and said,

"Beneath Chen Yun, beside Duxian, there is a Fanyun Cave. Several fellow Daoists, including Chang Yun and Ming Xiang, have already lost contact and are trapped within. Presumably, Yang Ruiyi has arrived. Please summon Zong Chang and others, first go to Mount Ji, take action against Liu Bai, and ideally, further capture Yufu Prefecture!"

Ye Gui immediately stood up and praised, then said thoughtfully,

"My lord is truly a brilliant strategist… It's just that the spiritual treasure is formidable. If we go to the east, Yang Ruiyi, not knowing who he's with, Chang Yun and Ming Xiang alone might not be able to stop him…"

Qi Lan Yan smiled coldly,

"I had already arranged for Fellow Daoist Guang Chan to arrive nearby. With him there, he should be able to temporarily hold back Yang Ruiyi. Currently, everyone from Dayuan Guangyin Mountain has gone over."

Ye Gui repeatedly praised his wisdom, bowed in salute, and then got up to depart, thinking noncommittally:

'Guang Chan wouldn't go there, that's absurd!'

Guang Chan would absolutely not let go of the juicy opportunity that was Moon Lake. This meant he should still be on the lake. Qi Lan Yan's deliberate mention of him was merely to incriminate him. As for how the trapped people would die, it had nothing to do with him.

'Since Chang Yun and Ming Xiang could fall silently into this trap, it must be Yang Ruiyi without a doubt… Now that this person's whereabouts have been revealed, why is Qi Lan Yan still sitting here? Why isn't he taking the opportunity to head south?'

Ye Gui's expression remained respectful, but his mind was filled with extreme suspicion. He couldn't help but turn to look at Qi Lan Yan and say,

"Master Qi…"

Qi Lan Yan shook his head and smiled, saying,

"I have my own destination."

The young man watched Ye Gui leave and refocused on the chessboard. After a while, a robed man came forward, bowed before the platform, and respectfully said,

"Master!"

Qi Lan Yan had brought no Zhixuan Monastery disciples with him on this journey. Yet, this disciple, who called him Master, was wearing Zhixuan Monastery attire. Even more strangely… this person's cultivation was merely at the Qi Refining stage!

"Rise."

Qi Lan Yan smiled as he looked at him and saw the man rise after bowing, respectfully saying,

"Master, what about now…"

Qi Lan Yan withdrew his hand, turned to look at the man, and said faintly,

"Yang Ruiyi cannot lose any more southern territory. Losing one piece there cannot be compensated even by gaining ten in the north. He won't simply abandon Mount Ji. There must be a backup plan there. Ye Gui and the others will surely return empty-handed, no need to go."

The man lowered his head and agreed,

"Master, your words are most insightful…"

He knelt on the ground and cautiously said,

"Master… perhaps you should go to Ting Prefecture, to Wei Nie's place…"

His tone sounded very solemn, but his voice trembled slightly, as if suggesting something sacrilegious. Hearing the words "Ting Prefecture," Qi Lan Yan closed his eyes, let out a deep breath, and shook his head,

"I understand your eagerness… but there's no hurry at this moment. Li Zhouwei is very safe right now. If I go there alone, would I join forces with Guang Chan and drag myself into trouble? Moreover, even if you kill everyone on the lake, he might not come out, and you might not be able to slay him."

He appeared distressed, saying,

"Since he couldn't be removed before his wings fully grew, a forced encirclement and slaughter is now meaningless. The goal of slowing down his cultivation has been achieved, but the overall direction of the north-south situation cannot change..."

The young man stood up, dropped the chess piece in his hand, and said faintly,

"When chaos truly erupts, and the several lords personally intervene, then with us fanning the flames from the side, there will be a possibility of accomplishing this. By ourselves, even with the authority borrowed from the mountain… it won't be enough to achieve this."

The man below said,

"I just fear…"

He hesitated, on the verge of speaking, but his words made one's heart pound. Qi Lan Yan gritted his teeth and replied,

"Besides, haven't you seen whether it's succeeded or not!"

The man below fell silent, while Qi Lan Yan closed his eyes and said,

"No need to say more. I'm going to Dayuan Guangyin Mountain."