Chapter 439: Cutting Off the Illusion

Li Qinghong and Spirit Rock Master discussed recent events. The Spirit Rock Master, who had no temper or airs, stroked his white beard and chuckled, "I must ask... does your esteemed clan have any younger members of suitable age and talent who might come to cultivate on my peak? I am not permitted to leave the sect, and my peak has always had very few disciples. Our lineage is in danger!"

"This junior will remember, and I will search for someone when I return to the clan."

Li Qinghong nodded, not lingering further. She bid farewell to the Spirit Rock Master, rose into the wind, and saw a woman standing in the clouds outside the peak. It was Shen Yanqing, who smiled sweetly and said softly, "I will guide you out, Senior."

She stood on a blue-purple flying shuttle and said softly, "Our Shen family has long heard of your esteemed clan. If there's an opportunity, my father and I will certainly come to visit."

"Excellent!"

The young woman was so polite that Li Qinghong naturally nodded with a smile. Shen Yanqing chatted with her for a few moments, escorting her all the way to the boundary of the Purple Mist Sect, pointing out, "To the east is Red Reef Island's territory, and to the north is the Snowbound Gate..." This area was already close to the East Sea. Although Red Reef Island was an East Sea sect, it also controlled several coastal ports in Yue State. Li Qinghong bade farewell and flew north with the wind.

After escorting her out, Shen Yanqing flew back into the Purple Mist Blessed Land. She journeyed deep within, quickly reaching the central Violet Qi Heaven Mountain, landing before a platform of purple jade. On either side stood two elderly men. Seeing Shen Yanqing, both clasped their hands in salute and chuckled, "Junior Martial Aunt!"

Although Shen Yanqing was young, she was a disciple of True Person Zipei, holding a high position within the Purple Mist Blessed Land. She returned their salute and stepped inside. The cave dwelling was filled with thick purple mist, tinged with golden hues, creating a shimmering purple-gold atmosphere. Shen Yanqing raised her brows and saw a woman standing at the head of the room with her hands behind her back. She wore a purple-gold robe, appeared to be only in her twenties, and a point of purple-gold light gleamed between her eyebrows.

"Master!"

This person was True Person Zipei. Shen Yanqing bowed, and the woman nodded slightly, her voice cool and clear: "It is indeed Sky Thunder... and it hasn't absorbed vital essence."

Shen Yanqing respectfully replied, "That is correct, Master."

True Person Zipei nodded gently and spoke, "I just made a trip to the East Sea. Dongfang You failed in his Golden Core breakthrough and perished. He had accumulated power for many years, missing only the final step. He drew down nine portions of water-attuned essence, six of which were taken by the dragon kin."

"With the water essence gone, the East Sea now experiences descending water and rising thunder, making it an excellent time to cultivate thunder magic. Jiangnan's Profound Peace atmosphere isn't suitable for you. Once you break through, you can go to the East Sea to oversee matters and broaden your experience."

Shen Yanqing paused, then asked with some doubt, "But... since he was only one step away, wouldn't the associated phenomena be comparable to those of True Person Donghua back then? The Profound Peace atmosphere is inherently fragile; won't it be affected by the East Sea?"

The purple-robed True Person gently shook her head and said gently, "The Xiu Yue Sect, in pursuit of the Upper Yuan breakthrough, painstakingly adjusted the spiritual energy in Jiangnan's heavens and earth to the Profound Peace atmosphere, utilizing the deaths of Chi Wei and the fall of the East Fire, all to facilitate the cultivation of Golden Cores like the Jade True. They would never idly watch Jiangnan's spiritual energy change again."

She changed the subject, taking out a bright purple crystal from her sleeve. It was clear and translucent, flashing with streaks of purple-white lightning. True Person Zipei said gently, "We took a trip to Qunyi and discovered two Mysterious Thunder Heavenly Stones. One was taken by Red Reef Island, and I acquired the other. Keep it close; it will greatly benefit your breakthrough to the Violet Palace stage."

Shen Yanqing bowed in thanks. True Person Zipei chuckled softly, dismissed the young woman, and stood amidst the purple-gold spiritual mist, the purple glow between her eyebrows slowly brightening. The purple qi before her flowed rapidly, converging into a river, colliding with itself. She murmured, "To maintain the Profound Peace atmosphere, the Xiu Yue Sect will have to intervene. It will also be a good opportunity to see what level that True Sovereign has reached... Back then, he ascended to his fruit status by means of Liang Po and Zhao Xing. He must have reached an astonishing level by now."

Li Qinghong, meanwhile, passed by the Snowbound Gate, only to find the mountain sealed off, no visitors allowed. Flying directly over would be impolite, so she had to make a slight detour. "The Snowbound Gate has been sealed for eighty out of every hundred years; you barely see any disciples... It's quite peculiar. Rumor has it their lineage was broken centuries ago... but surely that doesn't necessitate sealing the mountain to this extent..."

She flew along the river all the way to the East Sea, only to see a dark, oppressive mass on the horizon. Countless storms and bolts of lightning roamed the sky, resembling drops of ink spreading in clear water, approaching from a distance. "The phenomena in the East Sea... are actually so immense..."

Li Qinghong slowly began to ponder: "When Duanmu Kui died back then, there were no major phenomena... and even when Chi Wei broke through and died, there seemed to be no great stir... Could it be because the Underworld acted? Or was it a difference in strength?"

As she pondered, speeding across the sea surface, she felt she couldn't see her hand in front of her. It was pitch-black and gloomy, the sea like ink, thunder rumbling. The endless dark seawater and the black clouds in the sky reflected each other, as if she had entered an boundless night. She descended from the estuary, accompanied by several Qi Cultivators who maintained a respectful distance. As Li Qinghong observed the scenery, the cultivators alongside her suddenly cried out, "Look... look at the sky!"

Li Qinghong looked up. Her eye technique was not yet perfected, so she only saw a single point of light floating above the coast of Jiangnan to the west, amidst the darkness. She vaguely perceived a humanoid silhouette but could discern nothing clearly. "This is... at least a True Person..."

She paused, instantly realizing that a high-level cultivator was likely present. She dared not look further, yet felt a wave of dizziness, and indistinctly, numerous images appeared before her eyes, spanning thousands of miles, various scenes surfacing. There were scenes of aristocratic families rising, singing and dancing; dynasties collapsing, wars erupting; vaguely, a man in armor donned a golden robe; people across the land became displaced; the sun fell, stars were eroded; and cliffs were battered by ocean waves, eroding countless holes, cold seawater dripping down, finally startling her awake.

The figure seemed to hold a sword, standing silently facing the black clouds sweeping in from the East Sea. Only when the black clouds slowly drifted before him did he wield the immortal sword in his hand.

"Clang..."

A bright white light rose from the sky, a pillar of light tearing through the air. The sky instantly darkened, then streaks of blue-white light flared. "It's a comet..." Countless comets, trailing long fiery tails, streaked across the dark sky. The world first plunged into extreme darkness, then lit up with myriad starlight, as if countless dazzling eyes had opened in the heavens.

"Boom!"

The dense black clouds dramatically split apart, dispersing to either side. The seawater roared and slowly receded, following the sword's trajectory, pulling back to reveal the monstrous submarine mountain range and countless unconscious demon beasts. The sound shook the cultivators, making them sway as if in a frenzy. They closed their eyes, screaming in agony, shedding tears, and wailing. Several whose cultivation was unstable simply dropped like birds with broken wings.

Even Li Qinghong had to descend to the water's surface and stop. She saw that the black clouds near the coast had been completely swept away as if by a strong wind. The distant thunderstorms and black clouds halted hundreds of miles from the coast, hesitating to advance. 'This True Person... severed the celestial phenomena...'

The cultivators blanched, staring blankly at the winds and clouds in the sky. Cold rainwater dripped down. Li Qinghong lowered her head, closed her eyes, and hot tears streamed down. She heard an old cultivator beside her say, "An eclipse and falling stars, a vision from heaven... It is the True Sovereign of Xiu Yue who has acted!"

The Qi Cultivators could not even clearly see the True Sovereign's form, and thus did not suffer as much pain. Li Qinghong, being at the Foundation Establishment stage, had merely glimpsed him and consequently endured numerous illusions. She let out a breath, feeling much better, though a sense of dread still lingered in her heart.

She submerged herself, moving away from the crowd. After a long while, she finally stirred, carefully pondering, "What magical artifact did that True Sovereign use just now? Was it a staff? Or a sword?" She thought for a moment, then looked left and right, her eyes clouded with confusion. She murmured, "How did I fly all the way to the seabed?"

Breaking through the sea surface with the wind, Li Qinghong gazed at the stagnant black clouds in the distance. Then she looked back at the bright and clear Jiangnan, muttering in confusion, "How strange, why aren't these black clouds moving anymore?"

Li Qinghong flew for several miles, feeling as if she had forgotten something. A sudden coolness swept through her Rising Sun Residence, and she paused very slightly, suppressing the horror in her heart, and dove into the seabed.

Several commanderies in Yue State were dim, but the Kuai Island sector of the East Sea was even more steeped in night. The seabed was pitch black, thick dark clouds swept in, the previously bright sky rapidly dimmed, and the seawater was as black as ink. Thunderstorms permeated the sea surface, whipping up rampant waves, and purple-black lightning flowed down, roaring like mountains collapsing and tsunamis raging.

Li Xuanfeng had been here for several months, gradually growing accustomed to the place. He stood in the seawater, hands clasped behind his back. Beside him stood Ning Heyuan, slightly a step behind him, gazing at the ink-black seabed and saying softly, "Brother-in-law... this kind of storm is rare, let alone such a massive thunderstorm. The seawater is like ink, stretching for ten thousand miles; something has happened."

Li Xuanfeng tilted his head to look at him. Ning Heyuan, being more informed, said softly, "News came from the sect that a demon creature in the East Sea failed its breakthrough and perished."

Ning Heyuan paused, then continued, "It was part of the water-attuned lineage, which doesn't concern us much. However, there should be many changes in the Dragon Palace. Since these phenomena have appeared, the outcome has probably already been decided."

Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly. Ning Heyuan said, "I've been looking into a few things recently, worth mentioning... Let me tell you, brother-in-law."

Li Xuanfeng nodded in acknowledgment. Ning Heyuan continued, "Golden Glimmer Gate's Golden Pouch Island has been quiet these past years, but a temple has been built on the island, and it's said that a woman there gave birth to a person with a root of wisdom."

Hearing the news, Li Xuanfeng glanced at the distant thunderstorm and said quietly, "That Dharma Master of the Wrathful Lineage isn't dead? He's not returning north? He dares to reincarnate on Golden Pouch Island?"

Ning Heyuan nodded and whispered, "I've looked into it thoroughly. It's not that he couldn't, but that the Wrathful Lineage in the north has declined greatly in recent years, being heavily carved up by the other six paths, with many temples destroyed. Monks understand monks. Not just in the East Sea, but many Wrathful Aspect Dharma Masters' methods in the north were completely obliterated, so they all reincarnated into their contingencies in the Four Seas and Jiangnan..."

"I see." Li Xuanfeng nodded, and Ning Heyuan advised, "That island has a Foundation Establishment grand array and numerous guest cultivators guarding it. Although Golden Glimmer Gate is weakened, it still has some foundation, making it safer than other places."

Li Xuanfeng was his brother-in-law and the only person he could stand beside in front of a True Person. Ning Heyuan couldn't bear for him to get hurt, so he expressed his concern tactfully. Li Xuanfeng said softly, "The True Person does not favor the Situ family."

Li Xuanfeng had previously vaguely heard that Elemental was not on good terms with the Situ family. Before he left, Elemental had emphasized, "kill all except the dragon kin." Li Xuanfeng hadn't heard the news before and didn't quite understand. Now recalling, Elemental's hint was very clear. Apparently, one reason for sending him out was to target the Golden Glimmer Gate, while also appeasing his emotions—killing two birds with one stone.

Hearing this, Ning Heyuan nodded slightly and said softly, "Back then... a friend of the True Person gifted him a Three-Eyed Qiaoshan Beast, which he treasured greatly. But Situ Tang killed it to take its three eyes... Although compensation was paid in spiritual resources, enmity was formed."

"As for the True Persons within the sect, only True Person Yuanwu has a good relationship with the Situ family; the others are not particularly fond of them."

Li Xuanfeng coldly watched the storm churning up from the distant seabed, and said quietly, "Is there a way to draw them out?"

Ning Heyuan paused slightly, then said softly, "Situ Mo is cautious. Having suffered a loss, he probably won't come out easily... Golden Pouch Island is built like an iron barrel; it cannot be breached by force. Brother-in-law, perhaps it's better to wait... wait for an opportunity when Golden Glimmer Gate escorts merchant ships out to sea to kill that monk. Dharma Masters often rely on their divination abilities, which makes them easier to plan against."

Golden Pouch Island was, after all, a market town of the Golden Glimmer Gate, heavily guarded. Ning Heyuan continued, "As for luring them out, I do have a method." He took out a transparent jade box from his sleeve, inside which lay an exquisitely carved jade statue. This statue had three heads and six arms, each holding a short staff, a small axe, or similar weapons. Ning Heyuan said, "I specifically sought this out for you, brother-in-law. It's a Wrathful Treasure Artifact of the Buddhist cultivators, equivalent to our Foundation Establishment magical artifacts. It's quite rare."

After all, Buddhist cultivation only rose in recent antiquity. Although its lineage had been completed by several World Honored Ones and was relatively intact, its artifact refinement and pill concoction methods were still quite nascent. Thus, this treasure artifact was indeed rare for Buddhist cultivators. Ning Heyuan handed over the item and said softly, "This treasure artifact can be sensed by cultivators of the Wrathful Lineage within a hundred li. In the past, with a Wrathful Mahakala overseeing things, it would be sensed by them even from thousands of miles away and retrieved by their agents, so it was never dared to be taken out. But now... it can serve as bait."

Ning Heyuan was, after all, a direct descendant of an Immortal Sect; dealing with a Dharma Master whose lineage had declined was easy for him. He said with great confidence, "This Dharma Master has been on the island for a long time and has left behind quite a few reincarnation methods. Even if he's weakened, given their audacious nature, he'll definitely boldly try to emerge in a physical body. As for whether you can completely slay him, that will be up to you, brother-in-law!"

"Hmm, not bad." Li Xuanfeng, rarely offering praise, took the jade box and said softly, "You've gone to a lot of trouble."

Ning Heyuan smiled, quickly waved his hand, and whispered, "What are you saying, brother-in-law? We're family." Years had long since smoothed Ning Heyuan's sharp edges and arrogance. His association with Li Xuanfeng was not merely to seek favor before the True Person, but also to completely strengthen this familial bond, securing another path for himself.

Li Xuanfeng lowered his brows and looked at the statue in the transparent jade box, his expression turning cold. He thought to himself: 'My uncle's vengeance is still unfulfilled; I'll collect some interest from that bald donkey first!'