Chapter 857: Retreat(1+1/2)

Five Arhats, designed to counter late-stage Purple Mansion cultivators, could briefly hold back a Great Immortal if they worked together effectively. What chance did she, a mere early-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, have?

She could only activate her divine ability, as two brownish-yellow lights appeared beneath her feet. Joining her palms about a fist’s distance from her torso, she raised her head and urgently chanted in her mind:

‘Scorched earth ascends, towards戊 light, impoverished soil manifests, bringing forth metal and yang!’

In an instant, a hazy, deep brown light rippled out from her body, thick and stable as the earth, spreading out to encircle her.

As she finished the incantation, the five magical artifacts of the surrounding Arhats struck the light simultaneously, producing a violent thud that echoed through the clouds. Zhu Gong’s expression subtly changed, indicating her struggle.

While Earth Virtue One was potent, Wutu wasn’t as indestructible as Xuantu, nor was it immune to lightning. What made it worse was Zhu Gong’s questionable origins; her Wutu was impure, tainted with demonic cultivation methods.

Struck by the combined force of the five Buddhist cultivators, the light immediately destabilized, faintly emitting deep black energy. Two of the Arhats, eyes wide with fury, one spitting golden sand and the other spewing flames, launched their attacks at the light.

‘Damn it!’

Lacking experience in battling Northern Buddhist cultivators, she had no choice but to activate her divine ability. Her eyes glowed with colorful light; with one hand held to her chest and the back of the other covering her mouth, she took a quick breath and shouted:

“Halt!”

The Arhat spitting flames next to her had no time to react, letting out a cry of pain and collapsing, covering his face like a mortal. A flaw appeared in the five-person encirclement, allowing her to seize the opportunity to maneuver. Her divine ability activated again, transforming her body into a scattered stream of light, and she broke through the encirclement.

The affected Arhat remained bent over and kneeling, his golden lips continuously spewing blood; he was genuinely flustered. However, the Arhat who spat golden sand appeared composed, clearly experienced. He drew his sword and advised:

“It’s the ‘Afflicted Crown’ of Wutu. Rise with the wind; don’t touch the ground. We are Buddhist cultivators, so we’ll feel some pain, but as long as you don’t panic, it’s not a serious injury!”

The Arhat who spat golden sand was clearly the leader, holding a higher status. The affected Arhat, enduring the pain, rose with the wind and indeed felt better. Not far away, Immortal Zhu Gong’s expression was grim. As she cast her spell, she secretly thought, "This is bad."

“This monk has sharp insight…”

Immortal Zhu Gong had coincidentally achieved enlightenment through the Tongxuan Dao lineage, and indeed practiced the ‘Afflicted Crown.’ However, due to her early ignorance, her cultivation was mixed. Although she changed her cultivation method before Foundation Establishment, it left many hidden dangers. The ‘Afflicted Crown’ had been instrumental in her repeated victories against stronger foes, but now, having it exposed in a single sentence was like losing an arm. With a spell rising in her hand, she shouted:

“Monk! Try this move!”

She violently coughed up blood. From her slightly parted crimson lips, a burst of light, carrying flecks of colorful misty aura, flew out almost immediately, hurtling towards the face of the fire-spitting Arhat who had been affected by the spell. It shrieked sharply in the air, causing the Arhats on either side to silently curse and quickly move closer.

However, Immortal Zhu Gong had deliberately shouted, using it as a feint. The moment the light reached its intended target, it instantly transformed into an ethereal glow. Instead, the true treasure-yellow light, like a venomous snake, emerged from the Void and struck directly towards the back of the leading Arhat’s head.

‘Target this person first! If I can’t incapacitate him, I might be surrounded and fall!’

She knew well she was no match for the combined force of five. Her current advantage was only due to possessing one more divine ability, granting her a brief upper hand. Therefore, she attacked ruthlessly, with a do-or-die mentality. Another small silver bell also floated from the sky, following the light downwards.

Instantly, three Arhats were held back. The leading Arhat had no choice but to raise his golden sword, steeling himself to face the treasure-yellow light, and shouted:

“Endure!”

Dazzling colorful light filled the sky as the Buddhist Earth subtly emerged. A precious light, like cascading layers of gauze, descended upon the light, layer after layer, emitting sizzling sounds.

“Boom!”

But the light, like a hot coal falling into cotton, pierced through layers of resistance and finally struck the Arhat’s Dharma body. He let out a heart-wrenching shriek. The silver bell followed closely, poised to strike, but unexpectedly, the Arhat forced his eyes open. Allowing the light to create several large holes in his Dharma body, he clenched his steel teeth and, incredibly, locked the silver bell in his mouth.

What good could come of holding a spiritual artifact in one’s mouth? Not even a complete divine ability would dare such a feat, let alone an Arhat’s Dharma body. Indeed, his eyes instantly exploded into golden dust, and countless dark golden cracks appeared on his Dharma body.

Seeing this, Zhu Gong felt no joy; instead, she was both shocked and enraged.

The last Arhat, who had vanished, had already traversed the Void, wielding two golden hammers and striking towards the back of her head. His three-headed, six-armed Dharma body also produced two mirrors and a pair of wooden fish, effectively locking her on both sides.

“So fast! What a powerful Dharma body!”

It was only then that the female Immortal realized the stealthily approaching Arhat was the most skilled in combat among the five. However, her own spiritual artifacts were already deployed and couldn’t be recalled immediately. She could only draw her Dharma sword and deploy spiritual shields from her sleeves to defend.

“Clang!”

Immortal Zhu Gong’s magical arts were decent, but her other abilities were clearly lacking. The two spiritual shields struggled in the air, emitting dense black energy, evidently blood-refined artifacts suppressed by the precious light. Ultimately, they failed to block everything. The two mirrors emitted dazzling golden light, shining directly into her eyes.

The ‘Afflicted Crown’ was a purely spell-based divine ability, unlike ‘Worshipping Heaven’s Gate’ which also enhanced the Dharma body. Immortal Zhu Gong’s eyes could not withstand such illumination; they immediately burst with sparks, instantly transforming into hollow, scorched black sockets, from which two streams of charred blood-tears flowed.

At the same time, the silver bell burst forth from within the Arhat’s abdomen, blasting the golden sand-spitting Arhat into fragments that scattered across the ground, raining down like golden sand.

“Boom!”

Imprisoning a spiritual artifact within one’s body would only be more agonizing than what Zhu Gong endured! To think he simply returned to the Buddhist Earth in such a manner!

The remaining four, rather than being angry, were delighted. They swiftly broke through the Void and surrounded her.

Immortal Zhu Gong had very little experience fighting Northern Buddhist cultivators, but these five Arhats knew perfectly well how to deal with immortal cultivators. From the very beginning of the battle, they had an unspoken understanding: to trade their lives for injuries!

Their position as Arhats in the Buddhist Earth meant that death was acceptable; it was serving Mahakala. Even after death, their Dharma bodies would be compensated. But what about Zhu Gong? How much leeway did she have? A Purple Mansion Immortal cultivator’s Dharma body was indeed not as crucial as during Foundation Establishment, but how could serious injuries sustained in battle recover without at least a year or two?

The moment these four surrounded her, their hands never ceased, and they simultaneously chanted scriptures. These chants resonated with the lingering injuries in her eye sockets, causing bursts of golden flames to erupt and continuously exploit the weakness of her frail Dharma body.

Zhu Gong had now realized, her heart turning cold, but she was already encircled by the four Arhats. The stinging pain from her eyes subtly affected her spellcasting, warning her of one crucial fact:

“If I don’t leave now, I might soon be unable to leave at all!”

The spell in her hand remained active, transforming into a radiant light that enveloped her, barely fending off the four Arhats’ attacks. Her spiritual sense floated upwards, looking towards Mahakala and Immortal Kuiqi in the sky.

This Immortal from the Xiukui sect was still dressed in black, one hand behind his back. In front of him, the Grand Unity Kui Bronze Sword danced and fluttered, appearing and disappearing as various illusions, weaving through endless colorful light. Meanwhile, Mahakala’s renowned Void-Subduing Demon Bowl was bound in the air by a black rope. Although it repeatedly tried to break free, it was always a beat too slow and remained restrained.

Immortal Kuiqi’s other free hand held a point of dark light, from which streams of radiance flew out, layering one after another and falling upon Mahakala. This horse-faced Mahakala, besieged by both the Grand Unity Kui Bronze Sword and the dark light, barely maintained a stalemate with his Dharma body.

Clearly, compared to Zhu Gong’s distressed state, Immortal Kuiqi’s battle with Mahakala was not a difficult task. Zhu Gong grew anxious; the longer she persisted, the more uncertain she felt. As her magical power continuously depleted and her Dharma body accumulated more injuries, she finally caught Immortal Kuiqi’s gaze.

The Immortal, seeing her struggling, was unsurprised. Three divine abilities flowed through his hands, and the spells he cast grew increasingly powerful, causing Mahakala’s expression to gradually darken.

‘Fellow Daoist Zhu Gong! Just hold on for another quarter of an hour until I unleash my divine ability!’

Zhu Gong’s heart sank instantly. Before she could reply to Kuiqi, the light around her grew even dimmer. The Arhat who had just injured him with mirror light stretched his six arms, his eyes golden-red, clearly having employed some secret technique.

Indeed, after only a few rounds, the golden flames in her eyes grew increasingly intense. With a muffled thud, all the light before her shattered. Zhu Gong again took a quick breath, activating her divine ability:

“Halt!”

This time, being closer, the four people beside her simultaneously burst with sound, collectively stifling. Golden blood gushed from the nose of the nearest six-armed Arhat, his eyes wide with fury, and he pursued again. Zhu Gong’s silver bell once more defended, but the other three were already upon her.

Blazing golden light still burned in her eye sockets, and the weakness of her frail Dharma body became apparent. The ‘Afflicted Crown’ was clearly a divine ability better suited for one-on-one combat than group battles. She now found herself somewhat flustered, coughing up another mouthful of blood that scattered as golden light.

What Zhu Gong could never have anticipated was that, at this critical moment, an intricately patterned, golden-shimmering demon-subduing lotus emerged from the Void and struck her defenseless back!

“Boom!”

The sky immediately erupted in a cloud of mist, accompanied by the crumbling sound of collapse. The rain dissipated, and the air filled with scattered rocks and sand. Zhu Gong, her face pale, coalesced from golden light a short distance away. Her chest had a gaping hole revealing the scenery behind her, precisely a lotus-shaped void.

‘Mahakala! How is this possible!’

But the demon-subduing lotus did not let her go. This dazzling golden treasure was even more formidable than the Void-Subduing Demon Bowl. In an instant, it transformed into sharp petals that rained down upon her Dharma body.

“Alas!”

Finally, a black rope emerged from the Void, blocking most of the lotus fragments and then releasing thick dark light to bind the precious light hidden within the Void. Even so, Zhu Gong still took hits from three to five petals, and, dizzy and disoriented, spat out a mouthful of blood.

Endless white mist descended upon Mahakala’s head, trapping him within. Immortal Kuiqi clearly had to cast his spell early, manifesting his form before Zhu Gong. His Grand Unity Kui Bronze Sword pointed directly, causing the Arhats to retreat in fear.

His gloomy gaze lingered on the dark golden demon-subduing lotus. A name appeared in his mind:

‘Zhelu! This is the Three Retributions World-Entering Lotus…’

Meanwhile, Zhu Gong finally got a moment to breathe. The gaping wound in her chest rapidly regenerated flesh. Disregarding everything else, she instantly fled into the Void and disappeared.

Mahakala, remaining in the sky, was all smiles, clearly in an excellent mood, and simply said:

“Fellow Daoist Kuiqi! You are still a step behind me!”

Immortal Kuiqi’s expression was grim. He glanced at the monks and nuns before him, said no more, his expression gradually chilling, and stepped into the Void in disappointment, also disappearing.

“Haha!”

The horse-faced Mahakala descended from the sky, immensely pleased. The remaining four Arhats knelt in a heap with a thud, simultaneously shouting:

“Congratulations, Lord! Our felicitations!”

Mahakala’s expression slowly transitioned from smugness to coldness. Seeing that an Arhat had died, and an old, experienced one at that, he felt a slight twinge of pain and quietly said:

“Years of hatred, today is a temporary payback… If it weren’t for considering that missing elder from the Purple Smoke Sect, and being cautious not to act too rashly, lest the Solar Dao lineage unleash their trump cards for revenge… it wouldn’t have been this troublesome!”

He slowly put away the hatred in his eyes, lowered his head, and looked at the intricately patterned dark golden lotus in his palm, feeling both greed and regret:

‘What a pity… such a fine treasure, yet it’s not mine.’

“Let’s go! Follow me back!”

The Void.

Immortal Kuiqi, wielding his divine ability, walked through the air, his expression grim.

Zhu Gong, having sustained such severe injuries, would certainly not reappear. Kuiqi had no particular relationship with Zhu Gong, and she would absolutely not allow her heavily injured self to be exposed to anyone, not even Kuiqi, who had just saved her.

This meant that it was impossible even to try and persuade the Immortal from the Sea of the East, making Immortal Kuiqi even more gloomy. He gritted his teeth, thinking:

‘Afflicted Crown’ is no worse than any other Purple Mansion ability, but its various powers are all directed at individuals, making it extremely potent in one-on-one combat. It’s just that she didn’t master it, and encountering a group of Arhats led to this outcome… and also that the Three Retributions World-Entering Lotus appeared too suddenly!”

As an Immortal of the Great Xiukui Temple, Kuiqi naturally knew what kind of Dao lineage the ‘Afflicted Crown’ was. In fact, the Great Xiukui Temple even possessed Immortal foundations for it. Kuiqi likely understood her divine ability better than Zhu Gong herself!

“A perfectly good immortal divine ability, practiced into such a mismatched form… It seems she obtained an incomplete lineage… How could the Wutu lineage be so easily acquired?”

After observing for just a moment, Kuiqi could already deduce the origin of her divine ability. He sighed inwardly:

“It also appears to be merely a substitute, not the orthodox path. It’s just that the Tongxuan Dao lineage is so powerful that even a narrow path within it now becomes a grand, heaven-reaching road, allowing her to achieve the Purple Mansion realm.”

His expression quickly darkened. He calculated with his fingers, narrowing his eyes, and said:

“Zhelu is still probing, perhaps not daring to push Tinglan and Ningwan too hard… But allowing them to be trapped in the North without enough people to make them suffer or reclaim the situation… that would greatly damage the prestige of the Solar Dao lineage and make the Northern Buddhists even more arrogant…”

Tinglan and Ningwan both held many trump cards, but Buddhist cultivators excelled at forming arrays to trap people. If one accidentally fell into their trap, it would be difficult to break free. Immortal Kuiqi was naturally not afraid that something serious would happen to the two, but rather that this incident was deliberately intended to cause the Solar Dao lineage to lose significant face.

‘We absolutely cannot let this go! While the cultivators are unwilling to interfere in Jiangbei’s affairs, that doesn’t mean you Buddhist cultivators can casually plot against us…’

‘It’s a pity that Hengzhu, due to past events, has become somewhat disheartened and is no longer willing to participate… Otherwise, why would we have to endure such humiliation!’

‘The Chen clan has always been amiable, so persuading them won’t be difficult. Old Immortal Yuming is also approachable, and Immortal Shanbai by the sea is also friends with my family; they are all significant figures. Daoist Lingmei is also very likely to lend a hand. As long as he makes a move, this matter is basically half-settled. If we can break through Mahakala’s obstruction, Zhelu, though powerful, cannot withstand a coordinated attack from within and without.’

Given the reputation of the Solar Dao lineage and their long-standing friendships, and considering they would be fighting the notorious Zhelu, a single call to arms would naturally summon many Immortals.

“But there’s one drawback: Immortals Yuming and Shanbai are both near Xiuyue. They were once under the Northern Sect’s rule, and their relationship has been awkward for a long time. Now that our Lord has gone to the Outer Heavens and Xiuyue has sealed its mountain, they probably won’t find it convenient to travel.”

When Immortal Kuiqi mentioned Xiuyue, his tone was surprisingly complex, both intimate and awkward. When he referred to the True Monarch of Xiuyue Sect, his use of “Lord” carried significant respect.

But the Void was silent and empty. With just a fleeting thought, Immortal Kuiqi recalled Immortal Zhaojing by the lake:

“But this person isn’t here… Divine abilities each have their own effectiveness. Perhaps in a one-on-one fight, Zhaojing isn’t as formidable as Zhu Gong… But against Arhats, ‘Worshipping Heaven’s Gate’ is far more useful than ‘Afflicted Crown’!”

“Tinglan thinks well. Li Ximing, after all, is surnamed Li. Although the entire Li family might not be able to stir up even a ripple under the glow… avoiding suspicion is always good… It’s a pity that such a situation has arisen now, fighting Buddhist cultivators… The Li clan would certainly be happy to lend a hand, and it would give him an even better excuse to return…”

“Moonlight Lake…”

From there, he rode the wind, traveling through the Void without a moment’s pause, heading south along the Void. He soon emerged, seeing a lake under a torrential downpour.

Given such violent celestial phenomena, the Li clan was clearly on edge. Magical lights flickered across the lake, and surprisingly, many cultivators in Purple Smoke Sect attire could still be seen. Immortal Kuiqi observed for a while before descending with his divine ability.

He saw a man in black, with gray eyes and long eyebrows. Upon seeing him, the man was visibly shocked, then rode the wind closer, performed a deep bow, showing extreme reverence, and greeted:

“Greetings, Lord. I am Chen Yang from Moonlight Lake, currently patrolling the lake. I never expected to encounter your immortal presence. If you have an immortal decree, please speak. I will certainly make every effort to deliver it.”

Kuiqi waved his sleeve, casually saying:

“I wish to see your family head.”

This statement, uttered, showed respect. The Immortal clearly wouldn’t waste time slowly flying over. Chen Yang only felt his vision distort as he found himself already appearing before the main hall. Kuiqi remained silent, and Chen Yang wisely went in to report.

Kuiqi, however, stood with his hands behind his back, observing the man’s physiognomy. His divine ability had some related mystical properties, and he silently evaluated:

“This man has a sinister appearance. If he bows, he is a hawk or hound; if he stands upright, he is a respectable figure. For the Li clan to gain such a subordinate is no less valuable than gaining a good magical artifact. Moonlight Lake fosters talent and attracts excellent fortune, far surpassing the southern commanderies.”

Just as this thought crossed his mind, a figure in crimson robes quickly emerged from before the hall, demure and respectful, saying:

“May I ask which Dao lineage’s Immortal presence this is? This humble one failed to welcome you from afar and is greatly dismayed. I beg your forgiveness.”

The Immortal, his clothes fluttering, stepped inside, admired the hall’s decorations, sat on the main seat, and raised an eyebrow, saying:

“Great Xiukui Temple, Kuiqi.”

Li Jiangqian’s guess was close to the truth, estimating that the situation in the North had worsened. He bowed respectfully in the hall, while Kuiqi observed, frowning and secretly musing:

‘Li Zhouwei really has some tricks. This eldest son is also hard to read, but few direct descendants of the Wei Li family are truly good people…’

He quickly refocused, looking at the untouched teacup on the table, and asked:

“Where is Fellow Daoist Zhaojing?”

Li Jiangqian was unclear about his intentions, and even less sure if this person had been sent by Qianlizi. He said nothing more, respectfully stating:

“Reporting to Immortal, the Old Ancestor should still be in the Sea of the East.”

As for anything Qianlizi might have mentioned about seeking aid or returning, he did not utter a single word.

Kuiqi merely slid the jade lid of the teacup around the rim of the tea. His light gray eyes darkened, and he said softly:

“Presumably, you’ve also sensed it. Something has happened in Jiangbei, led by Buddhist cultivators, retaliating against Qingchi and Purple Smoke… Purple Smoke’s grievances with Buddhist cultivators have been complicated in recent years, and the troubles left by Ning Tiaoxiao back then were numerous.”

“As for the current situation in the North, Zhu Gong is severely injured and will not reappear. The one who injured her is Mahakala, who also ambushed Tinglan. Do you know Mahakala?”

Li Jiangqian shook his head. Kuiqi simply said:

“He was the one who harmed Li Xuanfeng.”

“Currently, Tinglan is ambushed. I see that her life is not in danger, presumably because they don’t want her involved in Jiangbei’s affairs. I, this Immortal, hope Fellow Daoist Zhaojing returns. Your family cannot avoid this matter.”

The Immortal stared at the tea, speaking to the two in a tone seemingly softer than even Zhu Gong’s. He simply said:

“I understand your concerns. I won’t ask you to deal with Jiangbei’s affairs. On the contrary, having Zhaojing act against the Buddhist cultivators now is precisely to prevent him from having to intervene later due to an out-of-control Jiangbei. What’s needed now is to give the Buddhist cultivators a harsh lesson. On this point, the Li clan must have harbored hatred for the Buddhist cultivators for a long time.”

Kuiqi quietly looked at the two and said:

“Whether from a human relations perspective or a strategic one, rescuing Tinglan now is the choice most aligned with Moonlight Lake’s interests. It’s the choice that allows Moonlight Lake to avoid interfering in Jiangbei’s affairs. If Zhaojing extends a helping hand at this moment, the Solar Dao lineage will naturally remember it.”

After he finished speaking, he put down the jade cup in his hand and said softly:

“Moonlight Lake will naturally grasp the importance of this matter.”

Evidently, while both wanted Li Ximing to return to Jiangnan, Kuiqi’s standing and rhetoric were far superior to Qianlizi’s. His words clearly laid out the pros and cons, making it much more compelling.

More importantly, the current Immortal Kuiqi was the de facto controller of the Great Xiukui Temple of the Solar Dao lineage, a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator. When he spoke with such gravity, who dared to disagree?