Chapter 459: Moon White Spirit Veil (Jingzhi Zhai Ally Leader)

To Li Xuanfeng's surprise, just as he had barely opened the book, the densely written ink characters suddenly blurred, leapt off the page, jostling each other, and transformed into streaks of light, vanishing from sight.

The ancient book fluttered wildly in the sky. Li Xuanfeng felt a wave of dizziness, and in his ears, he heard the majestic, overwhelming sound of waves crashing from north to south, at times striking cliffs and sending down a shower of cold rain.

Bang!

The ancient book instantly disintegrated into a pile of ashes before his eyes, and the moment it touched the ground, it melted into black ants, which swayed their heads, scattered, and fled, seeping into the ground and disappearing from view.

Li Xuanfeng's mind buzzed. His gaze slowly fell to his hands, a look of confusion on his face. Lin Chensheng, who was nearby, turned to him and asked:

“Fellow Daoist, have you finished reading all six of these cultivation methods?”

Li Xuanfeng seemed to awaken from a dream. He looked up and nodded, saying:

“Yes, I've read all of them. Unfortunately, none of them go beyond the Qi Condensation stage.”

Lin Chensheng chuckled softly and replied:

“You needn't worry. When the three drums sound throughout the Sea of Clouds, you'll be able to go up and choose more.”

Li Yuanjiao and Tu Longjian had been strolling through the forest for a while. Soon, a white mist began to envelop the surroundings. Li Yuanjiao grew suspicious and whispered:

“Fellow Daoist, this mist appeared without warning. We should be careful.”

Tu Longjian smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding mist, and replied:

“This mist can block spiritual sense, which is indeed strange. Let us rise into the air on the wind, then. Stay close behind me; don't fall behind.”

Li Yuanjiao was incredibly cunning. Upon hearing this, he was seventy percent sure that the grotto-heaven was about to descend. He nodded, summoned the wind, and followed closely by his side.

Just as they ascended on the wind, the setting sun in the sky vanished instantly, replaced by a sky full of stars. These stars hung motionless and orderly in the distant sky.

All traces of the distant ocean disappeared, leaving only an boundless sea of clouds and continuous mountain ranges. Li Yuanjiao adopted a posture as if facing a formidable enemy and said in a deep voice:

“Oh no! We've fallen into someone else's illusion array!”

Tu Longjian, who had been watching him closely with a serious expression, finally shed his last shred of doubt upon seeing this. He laughed heartily and replied:

“Senior, this place is the Mirage Mirror Grotto-Heaven!”

Li Yuanjiao's expression showed surprise. He was genuinely puzzled now. They were supposed to be going to the Green Pine Grotto-Heaven, so how had the Mirage Mirror Grotto-Heaven suddenly appeared? Then he saw Tu Longjian explain:

“The Green Pine Temple was originally located within the Mirage Mirror Grotto-Heaven. It's just that this grotto-heaven has been sealed for a long time, and these people are unaware of its secrets, having come up with strained interpretations. The Purple Mansion True Lords were also happy for the original name to fade, so they simply called it the Green Pine Grotto-Heaven!”

“This realm was opened by the ancient cultivator Ying Ze. Its name was originally derived from the Dao tradition of an Immortal Monarch from back then. How could it possibly be called the Green Pine Grotto-Heaven!”

On the surface, Li Yuanjiao appeared shocked by this news, but inwardly, he was even more astonished by Tu Longjian's attitude. Combining this with the clues that had emerged along the way, Li Yuanjiao felt a strong conviction:

‘This person has, more likely than not, understood something about this place... and it's even more likely that he has gradually broken free from the True Lord's control!’

He frowned, showing a mix of joy and fear, and whispered softly:

“It seems we have the good fortune to enter this place, which is naturally a great thing. As for whether we'll survive to leave... that's hard to say...”

Tu Longjian nodded slightly. Li Yuanjiao cupped his hands and said:

“Since Fellow Daoist understands this grotto-heaven so well, we'll have to rely on you for the rest.”

Tu Longjian smiled and replied:

“Senior, there's no need for such politeness.”

With a few words, it was settled that the two would continue their journey together. Li Yuanjiao was not covetous of the treasures within this grotto-heaven; he was more eager to find Yu Muxian. He wondered if the elder had already started fighting with him...

Tu Longjian and Li Yuanjiao ascended on the wind, choosing a random direction. Tu Longjian stood with his hands behind his back in the clouds, his eyes fixed on the distant mountain ranges. The token at his waist swayed gently.

He judged the direction and selected a path forward through the layers of the sea of clouds. After flying for a while, they heard the clamor of a fight.

“Someone beat us to it...”

Tu Longjian frowned in dissatisfaction, muttering a few words. The golden hammer reappeared in his hand. Only a few breaths passed before the sea of clouds ahead began to tremble. Spiritual light and spells fiercely collided in the air, as spirit artifacts clashed, emitting clanging sounds.

About five or six people were gathered around a small hilltop, cautiously wary of each other. On top of that small hilltop, stood a tall stone platform, and on it rested a small jade bottle.

This jade bottle was intricately carved with silver osmanthus flowers. It was enveloped by a silvery-white spiritual barrier, making it difficult to discern what it contained. However, trails of moon-white spiritual mist appeared at the edges of the barrier, like threads, wavering and floating, making it appear exceptionally mystical.

In the center stood a tall, thin middle-aged man in a dark Daoist robe. His expression was stern. The faint patterns on his robe indicated superb spiritual attire craftsmanship. He held a purple sandalwood whisk and coldly gazed at the people around him, saying softly:

“This Foundation Establishment spiritual barrier... my Changxiao Sect claims it... You all might want to think twice.”

However, a red-robed cultivator nearby retorted sarcastically and sneered:

“Oh, is that so, Xun Yizi? Then take that barrier and leave, and let us see what kind of spiritual treasure is in the jade bottle inside!”

The tall, thin man in the Daoist robe did not respond. Instead, he cast a cold, menacing gaze over everyone present. Li Yuanjiao and Tu Longjian stood silently in the clouds not far away, observing. They looked at the five or six people around.

Among these five, one female cultivator wore a Xiang-colored Daoist robe. She stood on clouds, appearing delicate and petite. She seemed to be carefully examining the item within the spiritual barrier. One slender hand held a small golden mountain, while the other grasped a jade bead. It was none other than Kong Tingyun of the Xuanyue Sect!

At the other end stood a handsome young man. His brows were slightly furrowed, and he seemed to have the intention to retreat. Li Yuanjiao had only met him a few times, but he had already etched his appearance deeply into his mind.

‘Zhong Qian!’

As he was carefully discerning the identities and backgrounds of the other individuals, Tu Longjian, standing in front of him, had a fervent gaze. He murmured:

“Senior... that jade bottle contains something good! If a fight breaks out later, you just need to look after yourself!”

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanjiao finally let his gaze rest on the high platform.

The high platform was built simply, not from any valuable materials. However, the silvery-white spiritual barrier looked quite extraordinary. It shimmered with a faint silvery-white hue, and its four corners were carved with 'osmanthus rabbits,' identifying it as an ancient cultivator's Foundation Establishment spiritual artifact.

Within this artifact, there was a faintly visible silvery-white treasure bottle. Its spiritual energy was rich. The moon-white patterns on the jade bottle were ancient and mysterious, yet they gave off an incredibly familiar feeling. The moon-white spiritual mist drifting around it was even more familiar, to the point of being undeniable.

Li Yuanjiao chuckled silently to himself. This object was identical to the moon-white spiritual mist he had seen hundreds, if not thousands, of times at home. He deeply understood that this item was enough to drive all the cultivators present into a frenzy:

‘Grand Yin Lunar Essence!’