Chapter 591: Not Allowed Inside

Literary Arts, Profound Mirror Immortal Clan! His tone was resolute, and his eyes gleamed. His longsword swept upward, releasing sword energy as bright as frost, imbued with an ethereal quality. He was no longer the dispirited figure he had been; white mist rose from beneath his feet as he flew towards the hall.

Li Xuanfeng naturally followed closely behind, his golden bow gleaming as he entered. The circular hall was somewhat empty, with several square tripods placed around. In the very center stood a jade platform, radiating brilliant white light.

The octagonal jade platform resembled a lotus supporting a jade box. This box, engraved with intricate golden patterns, floated slightly above the platform, gently swaying.

The hall was a play of light and shadow. Golden light filled the ceiling, where numerous talismans hung from red threads at various heights. They swayed and collided, disturbed by the strong wind created by the two intruders.

The dharma seat at the very top was dimly lit. Its armrests were shaped like two phoenixes, and the large screen behind it displayed complex patterns. In the center, the patterns converged brightly to form two large characters: "Sima."

'Not Si... it's Sima...' Si Yuanli completely ignored the jade platform. He rode the wind directly past it, reaching out to touch a high-placed table. Indeed, he found a scroll painting there, looking ordinary with no magical glow.

"What a lavish hall..." With two steps, he ascended to the higher ground. Li Xuanfeng naturally went to retrieve the golden-patterned jade box from the jade platform. The platform had no significant protective measures, only a thin film of light enveloping its aura. Li Xuanfeng simply reached out and immediately took hold of the item.

The golden-patterned jade box was incredibly hot; as it landed in his hand, it emitted a scorching heat that brushed warmly across his face. With a sweep of his hand, Li Xuanfeng tore down most of the golden talismans in the hall, collecting them all into his pouch in one go.

Meanwhile, his spiritual sense entered the jade box. A hint of red-golden brilliance surprisingly emerged, darting back and forth within the box, scorching his spiritual sense. His heart pounded, and he wondered, "This appearance..."

Si Yuanli had already retrieved his item and turned to escape outside the hall. Li Xuanfeng, not being careless or greedy, followed closely out of the hall. As he flew to the entrance, he saw a letter and an incense burner on a small table by the door, which he quickly grabbed and put into his pouch.

His spiritual sense was still circulating within the golden-patterned jade box when a thought flashed like lightning in his mind: "Fiery red like gold, darting like light... it must be the Essence of the Sun..."

Joy lingered in his mind for only a moment. His heart trembled, and he immediately felt the item in his hand growing hotter. He pondered deeply: "Si Yuanli talks a good game, saying we can take whatever we want... But how could an ordinary cultivator keep a spiritual treasure like the Essence of the Sun? Now that this jade box has been taken, those Purple Manor cultivators might have noticed it. If I leave Great Tranquility Palace with this item, all Purple Manor cultivators will surely suspect me. Wouldn't that be seeking my own death?"

He understood clearly: "When he said 'take whatever we want,' he meant only the golden talismans and ordinary items could be kept. There's no way one could secretly keep anything else..."

He held the golden-patterned jade box in his hand, not daring to put it into his storage bag, as entering and exiting with it would inevitably raise suspicion. It was extremely hot in his hand, yet Li Xuanfeng calmly took the spiritual item and handed it to Si Yuanli, saying in a deep voice, "This originally belongs to your esteemed clan; Xuanfeng dares not claim it."

Si Yuanli was riding the wind at full speed, carefully observing his surroundings. Hearing these words, he paused, stunned. His hand had just been about to withdraw, but then he felt the scorching heat, and his spiritual sense jolted. He immediately understood.

He put it away with a backhand motion. He didn't question it but instead said seriously, "We'll discuss it in detail, fellow Daoist, once we're out of Great Tranquility Palace!"

After Si Yuanli finished speaking, he realized the hidden meaning in his words. He wanted to elaborate to correct it but felt it would only make matters worse. Li Xuanfeng, however, immediately understood: "Good... it is indeed the Sima clan."

Si Yuanli had been familiar with the route all along, and Li Xuanfeng had harbored suspicions for a while. Furthermore, the two talismans he took out were precisely what was needed, which only intensified his doubts.

Although Si Boxiu was a Purple Manor cultivator, there were countless Purple Manor cultivators in the sky. What's more, there were Mahas and Lianmin—who among them couldn't outwit Si Boxiu? Why was Si Yuanli the only one who came all the way here, feigning his true purpose?

Considering everything, combined with the two characters "Sima" in the hall, Li Xuanfeng realized that this hall belonged to the Si clan. When he casually asked, Si Yuanli, whose attention was elsewhere, answered offhandedly, effectively admitting it.

"The Si clan indeed originated from Ning Kingdom... or has a lineage there... In any case, Si Yuanli played dumb all the way and finally achieved his goal."

"As soon as we entered the grotto-heaven, we split up; perhaps Si Boxiu was even guarding against the Chi family members!"

Li Xuanfeng could observe this, let alone the Purple Manor and Maha cultivators sitting high in the sky. Si Yuanli, with the item in hand, no longer had any intention of concealing anything. He simply said in a deep voice, "Though I feigned my purpose all the way, many northern cultivators are aware of the matters in the south and are guarding against my clan. They will arrive even sooner than expected!"

As he finished speaking, a cloud of demonic smoke rose from the lake beneath their feet, pursuing them upwards. These demonic cultivators seemed to have been heading towards the hall but suddenly changed direction, moving towards the two.

Li Xuanfeng turned, holding his bow. Two arrows jumped onto the string and flew out, as if chasing stars and moons, landing in the demonic smoke. Two flashes of golden light exploded beneath their feet, forcing back the demonic cultivators within the smoke.

While Li Xuanfeng blocked the demonic cultivators from behind, Si Yuanli also drew his sword with a completely different stance. Although he wasn't renowned, he had cultivated at the peak of Foundation Establishment for many years. His longsword was graceful and grand, and its converging sword light had surprisingly reached the Sword Yuan level.

With a swing of his sword in the air, a 'bang' sounded out of nowhere, knocking down a reddish small blade. Then, with a backhand lift, he cast out bright sword energy, saying in a deep voice, "Be careful, Brother Xuanfeng."

Li Xuanfeng, however, was at ease. The golden string in his hand vibrated, releasing a burst of golden light that shot directly at a demon leader within the demonic smoke. Si Yuanli had already groaned, whispering, "Brother Xuanfeng!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than four golden-robed masters appeared beside them, each occupying one of the four cardinal directions. Their faces were calm, their robes exposed their chests, and they held swords, spears, staffs, and clubs respectively. They all spoke in unison: "You two benefactors are truly too greedy!"

Beside Si Yuanli, the great tripod still floated, emitting a dazzling green light that made it impossible to look away. The two had also taken away the most valuable items in the grotto-heaven one by one. Two talismans shot heavenward, causing a great commotion visible throughout the entire Great Tranquility Palace. Naturally, they became the target of everyone.

Li Xuanfeng's gaze swept over the faces of the four identical masters. In the distance, several demonic clouds were rushing towards them, and he immediately felt a sense of unease. His golden bow stretched, and a golden-red arrow once again leaped onto the string.

Si Yuanli also understood that they couldn't be surrounded by these four. As his Immortal Foundation spiritual power circulated, his green robe surprisingly turned white, and white snow fell around him. He lifted his longsword and said coldly, "North!"

In an instant, sword light erupted from his hand, transforming into ethereal smoke filling the sky and falling like white snow. Though seemingly ethereal and otherworldly, each wisp was deadly—it was the Si clan's Pine-White Full Yuan Sword Art.

Golden-red light also vanished from Li Xuanfeng's bowstring. A buzzing screech sounded in the sky. The Buddhist cultivator to the north's expression darkened as he raised his staff high, while the other three slowly closed their eyes, their golden light flowing towards the northern master.

"Hah!" His fierce shout had just burst from his throat when it was instantly shattered by the sword light filling the sky. As soon as the monk opened his eyes, a large gash appeared on his throat again. A torrent of vital energy, mixed with golden-red brilliance, gushed out, nearly shattering his body.

The power of Si Yuanli's sword energy clearly exceeded the monk's expectations. More than half of the golden light he had intended to use against Li Xuanfeng was instead used to counteract the sword light, causing him to suffer a great loss.

Li Xuanfeng drew his bow again, but saw the northern master's body melt like mud. Amidst the flowing light, he had been replaced by another master wielding a spear. Si Yuanli frowned, but a demonic cultivator had already rushed in front of the four masters.

"Clang!" The black-clad demonic cultivator drew his spear. Black light flashed, and the spear moved like a dragon, immensely powerful. He thrust the spear directly at the Buddhist cultivator. Si Yuanli was slightly startled by this sight but immediately seized the opportunity, once again unleashing a sky full of white sword light.

"You!" The spear-wielding Buddhist cultivator was clearly also surprised. He could only turn his spear tip to block the incoming spear. The two long spears collided, emitting a violent roar in the air. Li Xuanfeng slowly exhaled, feeling the fluctuating spiritual power within him, then gathered his breath and once again positioned a golden-red arrow.

"Buzz!" For a moment, four streams of spiritual power intertwined. The spear-wielding Buddhist cultivator, who had previously drawn his spear to block, had no time to react. He was hit squarely by the white misty dust and the golden-red arrow, immediately letting out a cry of pain: "Ah!"

His body was instantly pulverized, leaving only a head leaping high into the air. The four-person encirclement was immediately broken, and the radiance on the other three also dimmed significantly. Li Xuanfeng and Si Yuanli disregarded the opportunity to attack them, immediately riding the wind northward, taking advantage of the situation.

Li Xuanfeng rode out for a li and looked back. The black-robed demonic cultivator was treacherous. He pierced the head with his spear, yet didn't kill it, instead stringing it onto his spear. Swaggering, he carried the bare head and headed south.

"Zhong Qian..." This person was none other than Zhong Qian, sent in by True Lord Changyun. He didn't say a word to Li Xuanfeng, not even exchanging a glance, simply running south with the head strung on his spear.

The remaining three Buddhist cultivators didn't know whether to go north or south. They paused in the air for a breath. Ultimately, their own Maha's affairs were more important, so they abandoned their companion and continued to chase the two.

Si Yuanli and Li Xuanfeng had already ridden far away. The sword cultivator of the Si clan burst into laughter. He provocatively threw out several sword lights as he looked back, cursing, "Bald donkeys! Come chase your master again, and I'll string up all three of your remaining heads!"

As he was laughing loudly, he saw a red expanse rising in the northern sky. Blazing true flames surged upwards, shooting straight into the heavens and igniting a fiery cloud. The burly man in the dark red robe, holding a tripod in one hand, was arrogantly laughing, "Old dog Murong! Four people can't catch your grandpa!"

It was Gao Fangjing, who cultivated true flames. He had actually stolen two great tripods and brazenly charged into the sky, instantly attracting numerous gazes. A group of demonic cultivators immediately surrounded him, and the pressure on Si Yuanli and Li Xuanfeng was greatly reduced. Si Yuanli exclaimed happily, "Good fellow! I like this arrogant fellow!"

Li Xuanfeng glanced at the blazing true flames filling the sky, and the bowstring in his hand slowly relaxed. He quietly observed, a doubt rising in his heart: "Something's not right... The 'Please Lord Hold Golden Talisman' hasn't been used yet. It's far from over."

Li Xuanfeng paused slightly as a whispering voice sounded in his ear: "Yuanli, give the Huaijiang Map to Xuanfeng."

The voice was ancient and solemn, belonging to True Lord Yuan Xiu. Li Xuanfeng paused slightly. Si Yuanli drew his sword to fend off the attacking demonic cultivators in front of him, then unhesitatingly handed over the scroll painting.

Li Xuanfeng took it, and a whispering incantation sounded in his ear again. It was True Lord Yuan Xiu transmitting the incantation for the scroll painting. As he secretly memorized it, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth suddenly changed.

"Rumble!" From the cliff in the center of Great Tranquility Palace, as if a restriction had been triggered, a pillar of clear, colorful light shot up to the heavens. It covered several li, clearly visible even from afar across the lake.

A faint circular arc of light vaguely appeared in the sky, and pale white raindrops pattered down from above. Li Xuanfeng took a careful look, slowly recalling the appearance of the Mirage Mirror Heaven in the Green Pine Temple. His doubts were finally resolved: "So this is where they were waiting for me."

"A grotto-heaven..." Everyone in Great Tranquility Palace looked up, listened intently, and rushed to fly towards the cliff. Si Yuanli, however, showed no surprise. He turned to Li Xuanfeng: "Fellow Daoist Xuanfeng, shall we enter now?"

Li Xuanfeng was about to speak when he noticed something unusual. A strong sense of crisis rose in his heart. The talisman seed, which had remained dormant in his Qi Sea acupoint for many years, subtly stirred, causing both of his Immortal Foundations to tremble slightly.

'Should I not enter?' Li Xuanfeng's warning bells instantly rang loudly. He silently gazed at the sky, where the semi-circular grotto-heaven was gradually revealing its colors. In its very center, a dazzling crystalline radiance shone, perhaps indicating a treasure.

"I shouldn't go in..." A chill ran through Li Xuanfeng's heart. But True Lord Yuan Xiu had sent him in; surely not just for Great Tranquility Palace? Where was the path of retreat now? He could only ponder, stalling for time: "You and I are carrying valuable treasures. We shouldn't act rashly. There might be demonic cultivators waiting for us in front of that light pillar... Just now, being chased by a group of cultivators, my spiritual power has fluctuated a bit. Please allow me a moment to regulate my breath..."

His words surprised Si Yuanli. The middle-aged man then realized that Li Xuanfeng's bowstring had been constantly in use, and he had also protected him earlier, so his spiritual power might indeed be low. He quickly said, "Indeed, there's no hurry. Let's pause for a moment and slowly ride the wind over."

Heaven and Earth within the Mirror. Moonlight-white elevated palace-temples were faintly visible on the mountains, dotting the gray-black mountain range. The high-altitude clouds had dispersed considerably, revealing bright colors.

The light in the sky was dim. That wisp of brilliant radiance, like a blazing sun, hung in the sky, illuminating the Grand Void behind it. One could vaguely glimpse the scene of various Mahas and Purple Manor cultivators sitting around Great Tranquility Palace.

Li Xuanfeng was involved in a spiritual combat between Maha and Zipai, which involved multiple Mahas and Purple Manor cultivators. Lu Jiangxian had been watching from the side. He had forcibly suppressed the talisman seed within Li Xuanfeng's body, making it completely unresponsive to the divine abilities of Mahas and Purple Manor cultivators and saving much trouble in concealment.

His gaze penetrated this barrier, falling upon the scenery in the Grand Void. The Anhuai Heaven, like a glowing glass bead, was slowly approaching the present world, and the scenes within it were becoming increasingly clear.