Chapter 955: Qingchi

The surging river was murky and exceptionally swift, churning up fragments of ice floes that tumbled and collided, resembling the tail fin of an unknown colossal creature emerging from the water, emitting a chilling light.

"Crack..."

The old man in black stood blankly in the air, gazing ahead in disbelief, his lips trembling.

Qu Bushi was not skilled in magical combat; he had simply flown high in the air, observing the situation and ready to provide assistance at any moment. When the mist rose on the battlefield, Qu Bushi noticed nothing.

It wasn't until the rolling mist swept beneath his feet, retreating northward like a tide, that he watched it, mesmerized and blank, even though it didn't directly touch him.

In a single breath, the extremely noisy battlefield transformed into extremely quiet darkness.

The thunderous, imposing clamor from the north bank was gone. The monks who had fearlessly crossed the river one after another, seeking rebirth in the next life, had all turned into white bones, standing stiffly in the dark, heavy rain, eerily silent.

Everything in his vision was dim, his spiritual sense seemingly covered by a layer of dust. Countless white bones of various forms mostly stood in the darkness, staring blankly at him. Qu Bushi still hadn't reacted, only feeling sheer terror.

As if waking from a dream, Qu Bushi finally perceived that everything around him was wrong. He stood stunned for a moment, then looked down, slow to react for two breaths, and murmured, "Divine Ability... Divine Ability!"

His voice quickly transformed into a loud cry that echoed in the night. Qu Bushi frantically rode the wind, scrambling southward, only to hear a low call in his ear: "Guest Elder Qu!"

Li Zhouming, looking flustered, flew towards him on the wind, not daring to unleash his magical light. Seeing Qu Bushi, his pupils widened, and he exclaimed in horror, "Old Man Qu... you!"

Qu Bushi vaguely looked down and realized that his lower body had already turned into white bones. The heavy sensation in his mind, the desire to fall unconscious at any moment, grew stronger. He murmured, "Oh dear... I've been hit by a divine ability!"

Li Zhouming was further from the center of the battlefield and less affected by the divine ability. At that moment, he was at the riverbank, waiting to meet his kinsmen, and unexpectedly encountered the old man, feeling a sudden pang of distress.

He quickly and anxiously lifted the old man, using Bright Yang magical power to protect his heart meridian. With extreme speed, he flipped open his sleeve, took out a pale red flower, and put it into the old man's mouth. He glanced at the silent wilderness around them and whispered in a panic, "There's no one left... Go... Let's return to the north bank first, Old Man Qu! You can only be saved once we're back in the mountains."

He picked up Qu Bushi and looked at the white bones at their feet and in the distance. For some reason, his eyes suddenly felt a little sore. "What kind of battle was this... Why did they die... A million lives... Did any of them truly understand why?"

He quickly composed himself and flew away. The powerful divine ability continued to affect the entire battlefield, making spiritual senses clouded and distorting perception of distance. After flying for a while, they gradually approached the center of the battlefield, where an extremely surging magical power rushed towards them.

"Who?!"

Li Zhouming felt a chill shoot through his heart and was slightly startled. He then saw that the surging magical power shimmered with silver light, supporting a woman in feather robes. Her brows were tightly furrowed, and a dense bloody aura mixed with silver light was emerging from her body.

"Que Wan?"

Li Zhouming's heart suddenly trembled, but Li Que Wan's speed was astonishing at that moment. She urgently swept past him, giving him only a fleeting glance before disappearing into the profound darkness.

"What's going on?!"

Intense light mixed with magical wind blew past, leaving Li Zhouming stunned. He hesitated for a brief moment, then finally gritted his teeth. Bright Yang magical power surged forth rapidly, also illuminating with magical light, and he turned to follow her.

However, Li Que Wan's spiritual attainment and cultivation level already far surpassed her uncle's. Li Zhouming flew for a long time, nearly losing her, but after some bewildered searching, he finally saw a faint silver glow.

It turned out Li Que Wan had already landed, and her flickering silver light was quite noticeable.

The intense expenditure of magical power in a short time made her face extremely pale, and cold sweat beaded on her skin, dampening the black hair at her temples into strands. Yet, the woman paid no mind to any of this. With one hand forming a spell, she used the other to sweep her sleeve heavily across the ground.

The tumbling white bones immediately scattered. She knelt down and, using magical power, picked up a round object from the muddy ground. Li Zhouming stumbled to her side, looked down, and his pupils suddenly widened.

This round object was, astonishingly, a human head.

The person's face was square, with thick eyebrows and tightly closed eyes, clenching his teeth strenuously, revealing well-developed cheek muscles. But the flesh of his entire face seemed to have been impacted by some force, appearing ragged and shredded like torn cotton.

Beneath the head lay fragmented white bones and flesh. The person's upper body was incomplete, fallen in the sand by the riverbank, with various internal organs scattered. His entire lower body had turned into white bones, as if it would crumble at a touch.

Rolling ashes of talismans mixed with fragments of magical artifacts were scattered next to the head. Li Zhouming felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He dropped to his knees with a thud and exclaimed in horror, "Zhouda!"

This person was precisely Li Zhouda!

Li Zhouda always charged into battle first. In recent years, his cultivation and skills had grown rapidly, but encountering a divine ability of such a catastrophic level, he was among the most deeply affected... Even though he was protected by talismans and magical artifacts left by the clan, and seemed to have taken a series of decisive self-rescue measures when the divine ability struck, he was still but a moment away from death.

Li Que Wan coughed laboriously twice, spitting out a mouthful of vital essence from her throat. She gently touched his glabella with both hands, then stuffed the Wanling Flower into the head's mouth. She looked up, her eyes slightly red, and said somewhat hoarsely, "Uncle, go first..."

Li Zhouming wanted to say more but dared not disturb her rescue efforts. At this moment, he also understood why she had rushed there so urgently: 'The divine ability still has residual effects. Although the mist has moved north and is extremely thin over such a large area, usual methods definitely couldn't locate our own people. Only by rushing to the site of the magical combat at extreme speed and using sorcery within the vicinity could she calculate...'

'But no matter how thin the residual effect, it's still a divine ability. Even using sorcery to bypass the divine ability for calculation, who knows how much she had to pay!'

His heart ached with sadness and pain: 'The celebratory drink for my breakthrough, we hadn't even had it yet...'

Li Que Wan could no longer afford to speak much with him. With a sweep of her sleeve, various spiritual objects appeared before her, feeding them into the skull's mouth regardless of the cost—Li Zhouda's current state was beyond ordinary rescue, but if he could just hold on a little longer... he could eventually be saved by the divine ability!

Though tears welled up from her urgency, her decade-long practice of preparing spiritual items kept her hands steady and swift. Most importantly, she possessed the unique, life-saving wondrous item—the Wanling Flower!

Li Zhouda's aura had plummeted to its lowest point, but his life was stubbornly held on by this spiritual item. Yet, as time passed, drop by drop, Li Que Wan's cold sweat poured like rain. She looked up again, urgently saying, "Uncle... please go invite Guest Elder Sun to help!"

Li Zhouming jumped up, somewhat flustered, only to see a brilliant light descend towards them, and his elder brother's back already appearing before him.

Li Zhouda's pupils suddenly opened. White bones and flesh began to re-extend from his neck. The internal organs and incomplete upper body in the mud seemed to sprout legs and leaped up, reattaching themselves below his head. Even his original armor reformed from Bright Yang Heavenly Light, identical to before. The man sat up abruptly, turned his back, and violently spat out a mouthful of black blood.

And Qu Bushi, whom Li Zhouming had been carrying, also miraculously grew his lower limbs from nothing, standing firmly in the clouds. He wept and bowed, "Thank you, True Person!"

Li Que Wan stood up, somewhat relieved, though the anxiety in her expression had only slightly lessened. She said urgently, "Uncle... there might still be others in various places..."

Li Zhouwei nodded to her. The two then noticed another person behind Li Zhouwei, evidently also just rescued, whose face was extremely pale but could not hide a distinguished and heroic aura—it was Li Jiangxia.

Then, the divine ability fluctuated, and golden-armored, golden-robed soldiers rode on light across the vast land by the river, searching everywhere. In an instant, the darkness seemed to gain countless conspicuous bright lights, like flames in a night forest, shining brilliantly.

Wherever Li Zhouwei's gaze swept, there were white bones everywhere. Emotions stirred in his chest: 'If I had participated, and if the Li family had sent more cultivators... Sui Guan disdained distinguishing between friend and foe. Not only were the monks and common people on the north bank slaughtered, but even the Li family and Qingchi cultivators who crossed to the south bank suffered injuries and deaths...'

"Elder Brother!"

Li Zhouming nearly shed tears. He no longer called him "Senior," but "Elder Brother." Li Zhouwei helped Li Zhouda up and looked at Li Que Wan, commending her, "You worked hard."

Li Zhouda finished coughing up black blood, his complexion already much better. He was a straightforward man; there was not much relief on his face from surviving, but it was filled with deep hatred and rage. He thanked them and was about to kneel again.

Li Zhouwei supported him, his brows tightly furrowed, and said softly, "Good thing you're smart; at least your Sea of Qi is mostly preserved. I'll seal it for you first, to prevent your cultivation from dissipating... We'll find a way once we're home."

He lifted the three of them and transported them away, instantly arriving at a small pavilion on the mountaintop.

Li Jiangqian had already gone into seclusion some days ago, so the pavilion was empty. He left Li Jiangxia there to count the casualties, saying softly, "Count the casualties... Don't act rashly, just guard the south."

Li Jiangxia bowed in assent. Only then did Li Zhouwei take Li Que Wan to the island, entering the inner formation, and asked, "How are your injuries?"

Li Que Wan bowed and replied, "I only expended some vital energy from rushing so quickly. This place was indeed difficult to calculate. I reached the site of the magical combat and secretly used an immortal artifact to pinpoint the location... I didn't lose much lifespan."

Her eyes were slightly red, and she whispered, "But I don't know what kind of mystical Lu Water divine ability this is... so utterly brutal!"

Li Zhouwei had already anticipated this and nodded silently, speaking softly, "It was Sui Guan... This matter is not just Qingchi's concern. The millions of people who migrated to Jiangbei over the years when Buddhist cultivators occupied it... were prepared precisely for today! For Wanling Heaven!"

Sui Guan revealed the traces of Wanling Heaven, and the phenomenon in the Grand Void lasted for a long time, gradually disappearing now. It shows Sui Guan's intention: Wanling Heaven's descent is only a matter of time!

'Anhuai Heaven, Wanling Heaven... both are renowned Grotto-Heavens in Jiangbei. Back then, Anhuai Heaven's Golden Nature caused an uproar, and Purple Mansion cultivators appeared. Now, Wanling Heaven is even more noble and ancient, and the turmoil it brings will surely be even more severe!'

Seeing him deep in thought, Li Que Wan said with some shock, "So it was True Person Sui Guan... But the cultivators below... only know it as a divine ability of Qingchi's Lu Water, and all say True Person Ning used some extraordinary treasure..."

"Along the way, I saw cultivators in distress. Even in this North-South contest, Jiangbei's methods have been unprecedentedly brutal for hundreds of years!"

"The name 'Qingchi Demonic Sect'... will probably become the foremost in Jiangnan, impossible to erase... True Person Qiuhu... I wonder how she will handle herself!"

"Rumble!"

Thunder rumbled in the sky, illuminating the world for an instant. Faintly, specks of gray-white could be seen against the darkness, revealing the somber glow of white bones.

The river on the desolate bank had swelled several miles, reaching the foot of the mountains. Even at the highest points on the bank, the river water still covered their insteps. Scattered figures stood in the water or floated on its surface, as silent as statues.

Ning Wan returned, riding the wind and snow, her expression already calm. She landed on the desolate mountain peak, and Lin Wuning came forward to greet her.

Since taking control of the sect, this man had always been full of vigor, but now he seemed bewildered and fearful. He bowed before her, trembling, "Master... Master..."

Ning Wan looked around. None of the Qingchi cultivators on the mountaintop dared to lift their heads to look at her, their expressions all unusual. Only Li Yuanqin's face was calm, waiting quietly to the side.

With a single "What does it have to do with me!", Sui Guan vanished without a trace, as strangely as he arrived, as if such a person had never existed, leaving her to return alone, facing the terrified gazes from the riverbank.

As a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, and having cultivated the Clear Listening divine ability, Ning Wan never experienced illusions. If she had this feeling, Sui Guan must have used some method.

If she, a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, was affected this way, then the lower-level cultivators throughout Jiangnan would likely gradually forget Sui Guan.

'What a method... truly a great method. It must be some technique to diminish karma, evade retribution, and thereby nourish one's life!'

"How is it...?"

Ning Wan composed herself, quietly watching her disciple. Lin Wuning grew even more fearful and whispered, "The people from Ziyan and Xiukui suddenly withdrew without a word... something must have happened. They said... they said."

Ning Wan's expression softened, and she said softly, "No need to tell them anymore."

Lin Wuning didn't know how to respond. He followed Ning Wan all the way to the brightly lit main hall, waiting for the True Person to sit on the main seat. He was about to speak but hesitated, then heard urgent footsteps outside the door. A disciple quickly entered, knelt down, and reported, "Reporting to True Person... Shanji County... has been besieged by True Persons from Xuan Yue Sect! True Person Mu Quan Sect is missing... I heard... I heard that the sect is in chaos, and the direct lineage seems to have retreated early..."

Ning Wan seemed not to hear, her expression complex as she asked, "Are there any anomalies in the mysterious realm?"

The disciple was stunned for a moment, then shook his head hesitantly, "I haven't heard of any..."

The woman finally closed her eyes, remaining silent, showing signs of exhaustion. The Clear Listening divine ability had received too much malice and hatred; operating on its own, it had reached its peak, channeling all the emotional currents of the people throughout the mountain into her ears.

Lin Wuning kneeling below the hall, Si Tongyi quietly standing in the mountain, Fei Qingyi and Qin Xian waiting in the side hall...

From the Ning family's direct lineage to Qingchi's inner sect, from passing rogue cultivators to fleeing common people... sounds of sorrowful weeping, bewildered panic, smiles of detached observation, unwilling resentment, hatred so deep one wished to sleep on their skin and eat their flesh...

The rolling Lu Water Qi devoured not only millions of people from the north—but also Qingchi disciples, direct descendants of various families, and guest cultivators on the battlefield... even the common people in the wilderness.

At that instant, her gaze pierced to the bottom of everyone's hearts. Vaguely, Ning Wan seemed to return to Lukui Pond, to that surging invisible gale, and that hoarse, unpleasant voice sounded again:

"When I die, you'll sit alone on this Lukui Pond, and you'll know how much trouble it is."

In the deep gloom, that gaunt, ghost-like face appeared, its eyes, seemingly about to fall from their sockets, still gazing at her:

"You are the master of Qingchi! Whether you want to be or not, it will no longer be the Ning family of Qingchi... But—Qingchi of the Ning family!"

### Characters* **Ning Wan:** Early Purple Mansion Realm* **Li Zhouwei:** Early Purple Mansion Realm* **Li Zhouming:** Early Foundation Establishment Realm, Yantiamen Sect, direct descendant of the eldest branch* **Li Zhouda:** Early Foundation Establishment Realm, Xuanlei Lake Sect, direct descendant of the middle branch* **Qu Bushi:** Mid Foundation Establishment Realm, Cangna Palace* **Li Jiangxia:** Yantiamen Sect, direct descendant of the middle branch