Chapter 1096: Red Desert

Tao Jie-xing emerged from Xuanniao Temple on the wind, her heart heavy and indescribable.

"Judging by his appearance, Lord Wei won't be able to complete his cultivation."

Though inexperienced in the ways of the world, Tao Jie-xing had achieved enlightenment at a young age and was exceptionally intelligent. She had been "borrowed" by Qi Lanyin for two months under false pretenses and hadn't been able to return since. She already had her suspicions, and understood the implication of the single sentence, her mind somewhat dazed:

"Not achieving it, not achieving it... that's precisely achieving it."

The Tao family had close ties with Zhi Xuan and was a prominent ancient family that frequently practiced the Three Yins. When her great-grandfather achieved enlightenment through cultivation, without attaining the Purple Robe status, it drew cultivators from over half of the Zhao Kingdom to offer congratulations, a truly magnificent event.

However, the old man privately returned to his family... feeling a profound sense of loss, weeping uncontrollably.

"The old man said... Jueyin was slain by the Secondary Yang and became a demonic disciple. Yet now, the heavens, high above, call upon Zhi Xuan to enter the mortal world, to wear the Purple Robe for them. How can one succeed without the Purple Robe? Not achieving it means following the true path. His cultivation, which didn't result in the Purple Robe, actually signifies the Purple Robe hidden beneath a white robe, becoming a 'concealing robe'."

Tao Jie-xing understood in her heart that Wei Xuanyin's current inability to complete his cultivation was, in fact, an extremely terrifying and dangerous situation.

"This Lord Wei... sits at the very top of the Zhi Xuan Pavilion. And Zhi Xuan has completely intervened in the immortal path, virtually manipulating the entire world's situation. The 'concealing robe' is an inevitable achievement, yet he can remain outside of it... Setting aside for a moment what kind of cultivation and skill this requires... Lord Yao cannot possibly be unaware of its mysteries, yet he assigned him to Zhi Xuan. The meaning is already very clear."

"His ambition, I fear, will greatly inconvenience the mountain."

In Tao Jie-xing's view, Mount Luoxia was actually very tolerant; otherwise, Wei Xuanyin would not possess his current cultivation as a Great True Immortal. But what the mountain truly thought, who dared to guess?

In her daze, Tao Jie-xing found herself in a gray, misty mountain forest. Mountains and rivers undulated in the night, and grayish-white banners fluttered in the wind, marking the Baiye Immortal Path.

This was Ye Hui's mountain gate, which seemed inconspicuous in the North-South conflict, yet it was protected by the Purple Mansion Grand Array. Tao Jie-xing cast a deep glance at the mountain forest hidden in the dark night, then stepped down from the wind with a start.

Compared to the profound darkness and solitude outside the array, there was infinite light within, a golden expanse. Layer upon layer of palaces contained almost no immortal cultivators in Taoist robes; instead, they were filled with dense crowds of monks!

And above the main hall, two Mahas, transformed to human size, sat cross-legged, their golden bodies gleaming, filling the hall with Sanskrit chanting. Only a man in feather robes sat silently to the side, eyes closed.

This small Baiye Immortal Path was surprisingly filled with Buddhist cultivators!

Not only were there Mahas led by Guang Chan and Nu Zi, and various Buddhist masters and lesser cultivators aligned under the Golden Lotus seat like Nu Yan, Xu Wang, and Lue Jin, but also the silent True Immortal Tuoba Ci of the Tuoba family, who remained quiet to the side!

This was the stratagem Ye Hui had presented to Qi Lanyin!

Across the wilderness lay the Baiye Immortal Path, with its rather extensive territory. To the northwest was Baixiang Valley, which could serve as a springboard to attack Bian Yan and relieve the siege on Tangdao Mountain — a strategy the Great Song also employed.

However, Qi Lanyin had calculated that the Great Song cultivators, eager for reinforcements, would not attack the Baiye Immortal Path's mountain gate before repelling the Northern cultivators. They would surely pass by the side to reach Baixiang. During previous skirmishes, Qi Lanyin had secretly used the Tuoba family's demonic methods to arrange for Buddhist cultivators to hide within the Baiye Immortal Path's mountain gate. Over time, Guang Chan and others had accumulated there and had long since been hidden.

Seemingly, the True Immortals had retreated, leaving the Immortal Path's mountain gate isolated, unsupported, and precarious, but in reality, a surprise force was hidden within!

Under this arrangement, if Liu Bai and others halted to attack the Baiye Immortal Path from the side, they would certainly struggle to break through, allowing the Northern forces to immediately surround them. But now, with Liu Bai and others racing north for reinforcements, this surprise force could immediately emerge en masse, cut off their retreat, and have ample room to maneuver!

Helian Wujiang, Helian Wumeng, and others were all decoys; the only one truly in the know was Ye Hui himself!

This group of monks had been there for a long time, already restless. Seeing Tao Jie-xing, they were overjoyed. Guang Chan, seated at the highest position, immediately jumped down and laughed:

"Cousin... is it done?"

To prevent detection from the south, the group hadn't even connected their grand arrays, operating the Purple Mansion Grand Array to sever ties with the Great Void, thus naturally remaining completely unnoticed. Tao Jie-xing quickly clasped her hands and replied:

"Precisely! They have gone north!"

Instantly, joy appeared on several faces. The white-robed man sitting to the side also opened his eyes, a slight smile in his gaze, and said:

"Why don't we head south right away!"

Clearly, his intention was to seize the opportunity to cross the wilderness and strike directly into the heartland of Great Song!

But his jest caused a slight change in everyone's expressions; no one dared to respond. One person, with hands clasped behind their back, secretly chuckled to themselves:

"This group is here to plunder fate, not to risk their lives. Who would fight with you deep into the Great Song heartland? Zhi Xuan hasn't given the command, and we'd gravely offend the Underworld Ministry. Is life not precious anymore...?"

What's more, there was still no definite news about Yang Ruiyi. If they really didn't intercept Liu Bai but instead advanced deep into the south, Situ Huo, Liu Bai, and others would abandon the mountains and return to reinforce, coordinating with Yang Ruiyi, and they would be the ones surrounded as an isolated force!

"If we truly want to go south, Moon-Gazing Lake would be more practical... But Li Ximing and Li Zhouwei are working together; it won't be easily taken in a short time, and the outcome would ultimately be the same..."

No one responded to him, only Guang Chan offered an awkward smile:

"Then, please, Daoist friend, you may head south. We, however, must go north, to catch them off guard."

Liu Bai and the others in the north were already struggling to attack Bian Yan; how could they endure being attacked from the rear by these people? Who would ignore an easy target and risk venturing deep into enemy territory?

As soon as this was said, the middle-aged man immediately fell silent. Tao Jie-xing simply stated:

"Time is short, everyone, let's go!"

Instantly, countless golden lights erupted as they all stepped into the Great Void and headed north. The sky was a chaotic swirl of colors, a scene of turmoil. Guang Chan laughed:

"Daoist Tuoba and I will go first. You all wait here to intercept their defeated troops!"

Baixiang Valley.

Baixiang Valley was originally a place of exquisite beauty, once the ancestral land of the Su family, a prominent clan in Ningguo. It featured low hills and countless maple trees, but now it was shaken by tremors, with gullies crisscrossing everywhere.

A colossal golden body, separating the heavens, with countless eyes, looked down from above, surveying all beings. In the sky, colors merged, thousands of pink illusions spanned the firmament, layer upon layer, illuminating a riot of colors.

The one guarding this place was none other than Zhielu, the mighty embodiment of Emptiness and Nothingness!

This Maha, embodying the might of Emptiness and Nothingness, had undergone six reincarnations and possessed immense power!

Facing him stood a sword cultivator, stepping on a pure white light: Liu Bai.

This Zhusheng True Immortal's divine powers shone brightly, filling heaven and earth. He trod on cliffs of green jade, evading calamities. His long sword pointed directly at the Maha, showing no weakness. Wherever the sword's edge reached, thousands of eyes alternately closed, shedding tears.

And behind this Zhusheng True Immortal, there hung a circular jade ring, as large as a tabletop and as thin as a cicada's wing, divided into two inner and outer circles. Its smoky colors shimmered, imbued with a rouge hue, and empowered by his divine abilities and magical energy, it resembled a true immortal's dharma wheel, possessing boundless divine might!

The Supreme Goodness Profound Jade, acquired from Li Zhouwei years ago, had now been refined by this True Immortal into an extremely formidable treasure!

Under the simultaneous enhancement of the jade wheel and true qi, he showed no weakness, even appearing to somewhat overpower Zhielu!

His sword qi surged horizontally and vertically, affecting the celestial phenomena. Helian Wujiang and Murong Yan were still contending with Chen and Xian Yao, but Ting Lan, in another location, appeared much more distressed.

Her opponents were Gao Fangjing, whose fierce flames surged and whose spiritual artifacts were ominous, and Chang Yun of the Chengyun Sect, who harnessed gold to seize evil and possessed profound Daoist magic. Gao Fangjing was secondary; Chang Yun, though a rogue cultivator, had already achieved mid-Purple Mansion cultivation and possessed extremely formidable divine powers!

Ting Lan parried back and forth with the Limitless Water and Fire and the Purple Seat Mu Ling Pavilion, but her injuries mounted, and she felt increasingly exhausted...

"The Northern forces are simply too numerous! Baixiang and Bian Yan... they must have been prepared long ago!"

The woman's heart grew heavy. Her gaze quickly swept across the battlefield, and she noticed that the most relaxed ones were the three Li family cultivators, entangled with several Compassion Monks at low altitude.

Nothing else, the Ignorance Water and Fire was simply too effective against Buddhist cultivators, especially the Compassion Monks under the Maha.

This brilliant golden, purple-infused True Hero Water and Fire, once it landed on these Compassion Monks, was even more terrifying than the Limitless Water and Fire! Limitless Water and Fire burned the surrounding Great Void, but Ignorance Water and Fire directly severed these Compassion Monks' connection with the entire Great Void!

For the Compassion Monks, this was not merely an inability to traverse; the guiding light of the Buddhist Land immediately vanished, and all Buddhist spells connected to the Buddhist Land became ineffective. Even though the Maha's power was right beside them, and the Buddhist Land was closer than ever, it was impossible for them to join forces in an array or collectively receive the light! Unless Zhielu, desperate, decreed the Emptiness and Nothingness Buddhist Land to manifest and communicate with the present world, these Compassion Monks could not hope to receive even a shred of assistance.

And precisely, Li Jiangliang and the others were not easy opponents. Their cultivation of martial light grew increasingly refined, descending one by one without hindrance, almost as if effortlessly.

This undoubtedly greatly alleviated Ting Lan's pressure, removing many concerns. She raised her eyebrows, once again forcefully using the Purple Seat Mu Ling Pavilion to suppress Chang Yun's golden saber, her face paling. Before she could resolve the tremors within her body, and just as she was about to speak, her expression suddenly changed!

Gao Fangjing's surging true flames, blazing intensely as they traversed, revealed a point of yellow light within!

The swirling Xuan-Huang qi intertwined, suddenly revealing a bright, sharp halberd. Even before it reached her, a suffocating pressure assailed her — this halberd had come prepared, its accumulated divine power aimed at taking her life!

"The Tuoba family!"

At this moment, Ting Lan's two spiritual artifacts and the Limitless Water and Fire were all suppressed outside, leaving her divine powers to parry. For a moment, her defenses were wide open, causing Chang Yun's eyelids to twitch as he silently cried out, "Not good!"

But at this very moment, light suddenly burst forth from Ting Lan's brow, and a mirror leaped out!

This mirror, sparkling silver and shining brightly, was only palm-sized and appeared exceptionally fragile, yet it fiercely blocked the halberd. Instantly, the silver light shattered, revealing a silver glow that pierced through heaven and earth!

"Boom!"

With a deafening thunderclap, the entire sky suddenly changed color. Silver light flowed like water, thousands of divine lightning bolts, like waterfalls, descended.

"Clang!"

This heaven-spanning lightning was truly formidable; it cleared the atmosphere, shattered evil, and eliminated concealment — revealing one by one the figures suspended in the sky!

Ting Lan's pupils suddenly dilated.

She immediately recognized Tuoba Ci, who had appeared before her, and her heart sank. Her reactions were swift; she instantly realized something, abruptly raised her eyebrows, and looked towards Li Jiangliang and his two brothers in the mountains.

A white cicada suddenly leaped out from the Great Void!

This creature, with its claws bared and wings buzzing, was extremely familiar to Ting Lan — she recognized it in an instant, and her heart was suddenly seized with terror:

"Guang Chan?!"

"This monk... he's after the Son of Mingyang!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Almost simultaneously, a thunderous roar erupted across heaven and earth. Countless golden lights shot up from between the three figures, and a colossal, cloud-piercing face reappeared, its nose like a peak, its eyes like temples, its giant mouth wide open, its tongue transformed into a white cicada, baring its claws and teeth, as if in a sneer.

Guang Chan, without hesitation, had revealed his golden body!

His golden body was immense, casting a colossal shadow on the ground. Not only did it cause the three figures to halt abruptly, but it also made several Compassion Monks surrounding them fall down together, their faces filled with terror.

"Guang Chan?!"

Li Jiangliang felt a chill run through his body. The delicate balance the three had been desperately maintaining among the Compassion Monks was suddenly shattered. They were pushed back nine steps by the colossal roar, halted for an instant, their faces entirely enveloped by the immense shadow.

Pristine, sharp teeth opened and closed. The mountain-like white cicada leaped out, its compound eyes, containing thousands of human eyes, all stared at him. It drew out limbs submerged in endless darkness, and fiercely embraced him!

This venerable five-lifetime Maha had been lurking for a long time, now striking with full force, mercilessly targeting him.

Enveloped by the shadow of the colossal mouth, Li Jiangliang felt as if he were in a raging fire. His expression suddenly changed. He clasped his hands, formed a ritual gesture, and attempted to cast a spell, sensing the martial cultivation and trying to escape... but he found the white cicada's red eyes piercing directly at him, using divine power to hold him captive!

"Dong!"

In his ears, a long, resonant bell chime seemed to ring.

"Fourth Brother!"

Li Jiangxia's furious roar echoed through heaven and earth, but everything before him seemed to freeze. A golden light emerged from the darkness, only palm-sized, yet it seemed to transform into a mountain-sized entity, like a fierce tiger that had long lurked in the depths of the jungle, suddenly leaping out and striking directly at the white cicada's face.

"Boom!"

Dazzling golden light dispelled all darkness. Cracking and bursting sounds rose and fell, and the buzzing chants and bell chimes that had filled their ears vanished, leaving only silence.

"Aoo!!"

All surrounding scenery seemed to flow backward, chaotic and disordered. Earth-shattering screams echoed through heaven and earth.

Li Jiangliang found everything before his eyes fading. Endless gales swept past him. In the crimson desert, the world was vast and desolate, and cries of battle erupted everywhere.

He felt the world spin. The golden-yellow sunset was reversing and rising from the west at an incredibly terrifying speed. A dark golden royal axe was embedded in a pale cicada shell, and a pair of invisible eyes had unfolded across heaven and earth.

Before this bright, immense sunset, like a beast lurking in the desert, Li Jiangliang — along with his two elder brothers — simultaneously bowed their heads, as if their spines had been removed, becoming three black dots, three ants, before the endless, qilin-like golden presence, kneeling in the desert's fierce wind.

Four stars flickered between heaven and earth. The dark golden long axe returned to its owner's hand. Light and shadow shifted on his elder brother Li Jianglong's face. With closed eyes, he uttered two words in a strange mix of fear and joy.

"Father."