Chapter 1164: 隔湖

The sky was dark. The Xuanyue Mountain Gate lay like a dying beast, prostrate on the ground, as the fragmented light of the array continuously spilled forth. The immense black clouds in the sky dwarfed the sprawling mountain gate.

In the sky, the Purple Mansions stood aligned, like divine soldiers besieging a demon palace, creating a chilling spectacle.

Kong Tingyun's gaze was calm as she swept over them, devoid of hatred or resentment. Only when her eyes fell upon the Taoist in white and gold robes did a hint of gratitude flicker within them.

Li Ximing stood beneath the endlessly bright Heavenly Gate, a shadow of melancholy on his brow. The young attendant beside him clutched an urn, not daring to speak. Sensing the gaze from the mountain, the True Man shifted his eyes to Li Zhouwei.

The Prince of Wei sat upright in the center of the Heavenly Gate, his eyes glowing with brilliant light, but he remained silent.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and the terrifying light of divine abilities emanated from the Underworld Palace. The general, holding a golden scroll with a solemn expression, spoke words that seemed to echo from the netherworld, cold and indifferent:

"My Dao governs True Yang, inheriting the imperial lineage, its merits immense. Wherever it passed, noble families rose to power, and immortal paths shone brightly. Thus, all the southern lands submitted without hesitation."

"Only your Profound Light Shifting Mountains Dao, by illegally occupying the ancient lands of Old Yue and covertly colluding with other cultivators from Northern Zhao, has defied us. This general has led ordinary gods and mundane cultivators, delivering an ultimatum, hoping to minimize bloodshed. Yet the Kong Clan grew more rebellious and stubborn, refusing to reform. Thrice they defied the Divine Origin Dao lineage, repeatedly rejecting the True Light of Martial Cultivation."

Yang Ruiyi had already exited the main hall. He raised an eyebrow and declared coldly:

"Martial cultivation remains unsubdued. Today, we unleash the killing blow."

His tone was icy. The exiled qi in the sky rolled back, revealing a tiny speck of white light.

The object had a mouth and a slender neck, resembling a bottle yet not quite. It had a pointed base and a prismatic body, resembling a cone yet not quite. It was entirely pure white, as if made of porcelain. Some light seemed to be contained within the vessel, spraying out streams of white, mist-like air currents that caused the exiled qi to retreat in droves, forming a circular void.

In an instant, the world paled. Everyone looked on with astonished doubt. Even the Prince of Wei shifted his gaze, directing his attention to the treasure.

The object bore no words or patterns, yet a name resonated in everyone's minds:

"The Wenwu Pingqing Zhi!"

The woman also looked up, her Xiang-colored spiritual robe fluttering wildly in the gale. Her gaze was somewhat dazed, and the clouds beneath her feet quickly dispersed as she stared blankly at the treasure.

'Over two hundred years of arduous cultivation, unable to escape this prison, only to face death before this esteemed presence!'

She slowly closed her eyes before the True Qi.

But the howling wind only roared in her ears for a moment. The anticipated destructive pain did not arrive. It was astonishingly quiet around her, and a cool sensation washed over her.

Kong Tingyun opened her eyes.

Clouds, rising from below and swirling like leaping beasts, enveloped the mountaintop. A man in white stood quietly before her. Behind him, a pallid spiritual light, so dense it seemed to solidify, formed into rings of light.

Simply by standing there, an ethereal, otherworldly Jueyin aura hovered around him. His unbound black hair lifted high in the wind—the wooden hairpin used to secure his Xuan Crown had been removed and was held in his hands clasped behind his back, shimmering with a faint, pale light.

Wei Xuan-yin!

The moment this Great True Man of the Guanhua Dao lineage appeared, all the divine abilities to the south simultaneously retracted and retreated. Yang Ruiyi was incredulous, while Li Ximing, as if facing a formidable enemy, fixed a wary gaze upon him, shielding the people behind him.

The Wenwu Pingqing Zhi still stood in the sky, not yet descending, wavering amidst various True Qis, and appearing exceptionally noble.

Kong Tingyun had considered many possibilities. Even in the one-in-ten-thousand hope of survival, she had thought Wang Ziya might intervene. But she had never imagined it would be him. This Great True Man, who had always cultivated in seclusion within the Zhixuan Pavilion, had only met her once and had long been dismissed from her mind.

Yet Wei Xuan-yin stood there impossibly, which even left Kong Tingyun bewildered:

"What more could he possibly need me for?"

It wasn't just Kong Tingyun who found it incredible. Every gaze in the sky shifted in unison. Yang Ruiyi's expression darkened with unprecedented speed. He trembled his lips, the shock and fury in his heart reaching their peak.

'How did he get in here? Was he hiding here in advance? What an exquisite concealment technique, to evade the detection of the Youxuan Huanling Palace! His Jueyin Dao cultivation... it must have reached perfection!'

'But... how dare he?'

These five words filled his mind—Yang Ruiyi had never even considered that Wei Xuan-yin would interfere!

In his opinion, Wei Xuan-yin's actions were even crazier than those of Qi Lanyan earlier!

'This is the Wenwu Pingqing Zhi!'

The Wenwu Pingqing Zhi was one of the three True Qi Imperial Artifacts. The one in the sky was the very foundation of the Song State. It had never been brought out in previous magical duels, not because its power wasn't terrifying enough or its status not noble enough, but precisely because it was too precious!

These three treasures were intrinsically linked to the Song Emperor's life. Just as the Song Emperor continuously accumulated auspicious omens and could not tolerate failure, once the Wenwu Pingqing Zhi descended, it likewise could not fail!

'Wei Xuan-yin deliberately appeared half a step early... knowing that once this treasure descended, there would be no room for maneuver!'

Even so, Yang Ruiyi still felt an uncontrollable shock and fury regarding his interference in the mountain's affairs:

'What does he want to do? Isn't it enough? Knowing full well that the Northern Cultivators can no longer gain an inch of land from Jiangnan, does he still want to use this excuse to disgust my Yang Clan?!'

Yet, despite his shock and fury, he truly couldn't bring himself to strike a ruthless blow.

Wei Xuan-yin was the current Dao Master of the Guanhua Tianlou Dao and the master of Zhixuan Pavilion. Since the Middle Ages, the Guanhua Dao lineage had gradually declined, which only made him appear more significant!

'More importantly... he is highly regarded.'

Yang Ruiyi finally suppressed his anger and said lightly:

"Daoist Wei... aren't you overstepping your bounds a bit?"

His words dispersed into the air. Wei Xuan-yin did not turn his head to look at Kong Tingyun. Instead, he surveyed his surroundings, showing no sign of vigilance despite being deep within enemy territory, and spoke:

"Tingyun once paid respects to Zhixuan, and ultimately, she is a direct descendant of the Tongxuan lineage. In the end, it was my Zhixuan who used her to interfere in southern affairs. Today... I cannot stand idly by and not save her."

His words were vastly different from those of Qi Lanyan's Tongxuan lineage descendant that day, making Yang Ruiyi realize his intentions were not good. Fury seethed within him as he said softly:

"Direct descendant... didn't one just fall above Xianhu Lake?"

Wei Xuan-yin's expression was somewhat complex:

"Mingyang was his tribulation. He has already overcome it."

Yang Ruiyi didn't think much of it, simply assuming Wei Xuan-yin had adopted the demeanor of the Northern Buddhists. He slowly tightened his grip on the small cauldron in his hand. Meanwhile, Wei Xuan-yin slightly turned his face and said gently:

"Tingyun, the destiny of Profound Light Shifting Mountains is exhausted. What was borrowed must eventually be returned. But since you have entered my lineage, I cannot stand by and watch you lose your life. Give up this earthly inheritance, and I will take you back to Zhixuan."

At these words, Kong Tingyun paused, startled, as if she couldn't believe it. She looked up, meeting Wei Xuan-yin's clear, calm eyes, and a realization dawned upon her.

'The "tiger skin" our ancestor donned back then, the North happened to have a use for it, and the Zhixuan was merely mutually utilizing us... We never received any true recognition, let alone being able to withstand the Yang Clan's wrath...'

'Whether out of pity or for the sake of a title, Wei Xuan-yin truly considered me a direct descendant of Tongxuan. That's why he was willing to present the Zhaoyao Mountain lineage back then... and why later Tongxuan figures were willing to converse with me, also out of respect for him.'

That last shred of doubt within her abruptly disintegrated:

'It seems... he didn't intervene because I still had some use...'

Kong Tingyun suddenly understood. Yet no one present was foolish; each became pensive. Yang Ruiyi was stunned, more than half of his fury dissipated. His cold eyes stared directly at Kong Tingyun, his attitude clear and unmistakable:

'Then let's see if he can protect you!'

Under the gaze of all, Kong Tingyun's eyes gradually moistened. She slightly lowered her eyelids and saw the old man standing on the mountaintop, kneeling on the ground, his aged face a mix of tears and laughter, continuously nodding at her, urging her to escape quickly.

But Kong Tingyun understood.

When she achieved her breakthrough, her ancestor, True Man Changxi, had already transcended years ago. Yet, those messages had reached her one by one. Kong Tingyun understood that this elder had given his utmost, from the false identities of two Purple Mansion seeds to the sacrifice of Kong Haiying, from Jingyi leaving behind heirs to the Li Clan seeking assistance... No one could have done better than him.

She vaguely remembered Changxi placing the Youguan Precious Earth into her embrace and personally guiding her into secluded cultivation within the White Sea's earth veins. At that time, his aged eyes were full of hope as he exhorted her:

"The Profound Light Shifting Mountains Dao is the fruit of my life's efforts. The Kong Clan... if it is to be revived, it rests solely on you!"

At that time, though Kong Tingyun was in tears, she had no idea what subtle and ruthless schemes this elder had secretly concocted!

To assist her in breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm, Changxi borrowed the Gen Earth treasure from the Sword Gate, the Listening Wind White Stone Mountain, intending to resonate with the Precious Earth she used to complete her breakthrough!

A treasure is something precious. Precious Earth is earth that receives and holds, yet remains unmanifested, thus nurturing plants and fostering harvests. Kong Tingyun silently immersed herself in the earth veins, cultivating divine abilities, precisely aligning with the Precious Earth's essence. But... it wasn't enough!

According to the information Kong Tingyun gathered and surmised, True Man Changxi must have spent years, little by little, inserting this treasure into the Rising Sun. It was likewise concealed as a second Precious Earth phenomenon, almost completely integrated with his body. He also inscribed various talismans within his Dharma Body, then, at the moment of his death, he fully activated this spiritual artifact!

True Man Changxi... was almost literally ruptured to death by this spiritual artifact!

Whenever she recalled this, Kong Tingyun couldn't help but burst into tears.

Yet it was precisely the phenomenon of his death that concealed the earth-shattering vibrations as the spiritual artifact operated. The true body of the Listening Wind White Stone Mountain was hidden beneath this earth-shaking Gen Earth anomaly, and his Dharma Body, meticulously carved for decades, carefully contained the mountain-like essence of the spiritual artifact, concealing it beneath Gehu Peak. This was the third Precious Earth phenomenon!

And True Man Sumian, without a moment's pause, immediately set up arrays on this mountain, enveloping all possible anomalies. Thus, Changxi's lifetime of divine cultivation was, over a long period, entirely transformed into resources for Kong Tingyun's breakthrough.

To put it bluntly, whether it was the Youguan Precious Earth or the Listening Wind White Stone Mountain, also of Gen Earth, even Kong Tingyun's path of divine ability—this triple-layered earth of reception and concealment—was painstakingly paved by him. After countless texts observed and years of planning, he forcibly laid it out!

'Yes... he wasn't a good person... He once harbored malicious intent, attempting to create human elixirs; Fuyuezi was even originally one of his intended materials. But he was warned by that person, dared not use them again, and was thus forced to change his path... Yet the schemes and arrangements here were no worse than those of anyone today. He simply had no path left to take!'

'Calamity like a lake, this peak as a barrier... This was once an elder's proud boast when he achieved divine ability, befriended senior Sumian, and was full of youthful vigor. In the end... it was fulfilled!'

Her expression was desolate. She took a step amidst the increasingly tense atmosphere and walked before the Great True Man. Under everyone's gaze, her slender hands pressed onto the sword hilt and drew it out with a flourish!

"Clang!"

Her slender hand reversed its grip, and the blade was already at the woman's neck:

'But True Man... now I... cannot leave.'

Whether the Kong Clan or the Profound Light Shifting Mountains Dao, they were the lifelong efforts of Kong Yanxi, personally entrusted to her. If she were to simply leave, she could indeed escape, but what about the disciples and the sect on the mountain?!

Wei Xuan-yin had stated it very clearly:

"Give up this earthly inheritance, and I will take you back to Zhixuan."

Just this earthly inheritance!

Even if this Great True Man possessed immense power, taking her alone would be the utmost he could do. The Xuanyue Gate left behind would inevitably bear the uncontrollable wrath of the Great Song.

At that time, it would not just be the Xuanyue Gate, but the Kong Clan as well! The entire mountain sect—elders and newcomers alike, and even Kong Gumo, cultivating in seclusion far overseas—all would be annihilated by the Yang Clan's fury.

So she raised her sword.

This seemed to cast a storm between heaven and earth. Gaze after gaze, astonished and complex, fell upon her. The flashing sword light and familiar posture were like a sharp blade, piercing into Yang Ruiyi's eyes, melting the coldness in his gaze and filling him with dread.

The thunder was silent, and the Jueyin cold. Li Ximing's expression changed; he opened his mouth as if to speak, then stopped. But the majestic momentum had already reached its peak. All light converged on the woman's face as she opened her lips and said:

"Tingyun's sins are immense. I offer my head to appease the wrath. May the Heavenly Dynasty have the virtue of cherishing life. The Kong Clan is innocent! The Kong Clan... is innocent..."

These words shook the heavens, causing the rolling white qi in the sky to rapidly recede. The bottle-like yet not-quite Wenwu Pingqing Zhi seemed to acknowledge her; the mysterious True Qi one by one retreated back into the Zhi, swiftly disappearing behind the exiled qi.

Yang Ruiyi closed his eyes, and each divine ability lowered its gaze. Even Wei Xuan-yin lifted his head; his composure was shattered by the long sword. In his eyes, there was no pity, no surprise, but a profound and painful respect.

"Boom!"

The loud thunder was deafening. Silver light illuminated the earth. Reflected on the sword blade was the old man from the mountain gate; his shadow, kneeling and weeping on the ground, was immediately diluted by the vast Gen Earth light that burst forth.

The Gen Earth collapsed, and Xuanshan was defeated. Kong Tingyun's life poured out like light. Her delicate face fractured piece by piece, and rainbow light blossomed from the tips of her hair; her face had aged beyond recognition. The golden casket at her waist vibrated, its opening sliding open, and the gale unceremoniously pulled out a pale white Daoist robe, which unfurled itself in the reflection of her greyish-white pupils.

In the last vestiges of her life, Kong Tingyun directed the dissolving Gen Earth light to bypass the white robe, allowing it to tumble nimbly and float lightly into the boundless mountain forest, becoming a speck of white in the deep darkness.

The bursting Gen Earth light solidified into stones, piling up one by one, crumbling and disintegrating, falling into the darkness. The earth trembled, mountain ranges surged up, and a sudden thick fog arose, spreading from the mountains all the way to the edge of the exiled qi.

Xuanyue perished.