453 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 453: Searching for the Enemy Across Thousands of Miles The old ancestor, who had reached the Enlightened God stage, saw little point in explaining the situation thoroughly. With just a few words, Qi Xiu could only half-listen, half-guess to understand the gist. It began with a mighty cultivator from the White Mountain Esoteric Sect. As his lifespan neared its end, he forged a unique path by combining Buddhist samsara secret techniques, Daoist corpse-cutting methods, the corpse ghost path, and mechanics. He developed a distinctive method of external incarnation using divine puppetry, allowing part of the primordial spirit to attach to the puppet as a separate existence. Such a heretical magic could not be tested under the Esoteric Sect's scrutiny. The peak of White Mountain functioned almost like a prison, and ordinary cultivators could hardly descend. Fortunately, during the chaos of the Black Flood Dragon in the Death Swamp over three thousand years ago, he took the opportunity to descend the mountain and built a secret realm at the base of Black River Peak, leaving behind his divine puppet. Nearing his end, he also sealed his inheritance within it. When exploring the ruins, He Yu was the first to enter the pseudo-six paths space and quietly took possession of the method for divine puppet incarnation. Although the Nan Gong family obtained most of the benefits, they later discovered a crucial missing piece, likely claimed by someone who arrived first. An external incarnation, equivalent to another self, is especially alluring to cultivators nearing their lifespan's limit. However, both the samsara principles and the corpse-cutting method are close to the ultimate layers of the Buddhist and Daoist paths, typically beyond reach. Yet, since He Yu managed to cultivate this technique, its low threshold is tempting enough to drive people mad, and the Nan Gong family was no exception. This is the root of the conflict between the Nan Gong family and He Yu. That desiccated corpse was actually He Yu's divine puppet incarnation, deceiving everyone into believing it was just an empty existence, but it was the true culprit behind the serial murders in the Stone Forest Trials. "So you're saying..." Qi Xiu looked at the desiccated corpse on the ground, his expression shifting rapidly. "He Yu cut away his own desires and evil thoughts, forming an incarnation completely devoid of ethics and morals. So it's both him and not him?" This made everything so complicated! Evil acts committed by an evil version of He Yu... should they hate He Yu himself, or separate the two? A He Yu who cut away his malice—is he still the same as before, or is he a whole new person? A good person? "Though the esoteric sect's genius was knowledgeable in many disciplines, it's certain that his divine puppet incarnation had its flaws. Otherwise, his own incarnation wouldn't have perished under Black River Peak. Only by capturing He Yu and retrieving the inheritance can I discern the truth after thorough research." This matter of He Yu and the divine puppet technique was something Nan Gong Mu was determined to obtain, a fact he did not hide. "For a mere Golden Core cultivator to evade my Nan Gong family for decades is impressive. But now, in Ji Xia, a young member of our family has again fallen at his hands..." "I've lost my patience!" Nan Gong Mu's voice suddenly rose, a fierceness in his words. The serene Huashan Fudi turned suddenly stormy, with wild winds, thunder, and lightning, revealing his inner fury. The sky turned black as ink, and only during the bright flashes of lightning could Qi Xiu see him clearly. The elderly man's initially kindly face became sinister under the flickering light, like a completely different person. 'Crack!' A bolt of lightning struck near the desiccated corpse, igniting a patch of spiritual grass. The fire spread quickly in a pattern, gradually revealing the outline of a grand and complex array on the ground. "This!" As the fire array grew clearer and its aura more intense, it encircled both the desiccated corpse and Qi Xiu’s kneeling position, areas that were notably the array’s critical points according to his study of formations. Surprising details about the divine puppet, Nan Gong Mu’s abrupt personality shift, the chaotic atmosphere of Huashan Fudi, and the odd fire array prepared in advance gave Qi Xiu an uneasy feeling about what the Nan Gong family really needed from him. “If I could alleviate the Old Ancestor’s worries, I would do so without hesitation!” On the surface, his heavily practiced demeanor was filled with loyalty, a willingness to serve the Nan Gong family to the end. Nan Gong Mu slowly floated into the air, his robe billowing in the wind, his hair spreading out around him as he nodded, “Good! It’s enough that you have such a heart!” He extended his palm forward, no longer suppressing his cultivation. The world around them changed again, the wood spiritual energy that filled every corner of the blessed land rapidly congregating, flowing like rivers into his palm following some grand path of wood. "The green wood becomes a dragon, transform!" Once the wood spiritual energy gathered to an almost world-destroying degree, Nan Gong Mu flipped his palm downwards with a commanding shout. The energy coiled around his forearm, reshaping into the vivid form of a green dragon's head. The raw force of a cultivator at the Enlightened God stage unfurled fully, making the world akin to a boiling cauldron, where all suffered and disintegrated in agony. Hidden within the fire array, Qi Xiu was unharmed but found his entire resolve shattered as he lay trembling on the ground, instinctively like a frightened animal. “This force is leagues beyond the Daoist powers of Chu Zhen, Gao Guangsheng, and Chu Hongshang! Indeed, no wonder an Enlightened God cultivator is unmatched! They have truly stepped into the path of the wood’s grand Dao!” Amidst a subconscious awareness, his thoughts screamed internally, “Why such a spectacle in his own blessed land?! Who is he going to target!? He Yu?” "Qi Xiu!" Before he could even react, Nan Gong Mu's voice resonated, his eyes fixed on Qi Xiu, the green dragon, hundreds of meters in length, elegantly traversing the skies above the fire array, lacking only its eyes but losing none of its majestic aura. "Here I am..." Gathering his courage, he managed to respond. “Would it be possible to borrow your [Red Bottomed Demon Monkey]?” With Nan Gong Mu’s words, the green dragon's mouth slightly opened, letting a paper talisman drift down into the fire array. “This?” Feeling uneasy as his life-bound treasure was being eyed, Qi Xiu quickly took the descending talisman to scrutinize it, realizing it was the [Life Concealment Talisman] he crafted nearly a century ago to support his sect’s expenses! The Life Concealment Talisman, tied to his life-bound ability [Not in the Calculations], aligns with the Red Bottomed Demon Monkey’s Yin Yang Destiny Path. It was even used against him by enemies during the old battles at the Luo family’s land. That Nan Gong Mu, a venerable Enlightened God, would even possess such a talisman indicates he must know its roots in Qi Yun Sect. Now producing it openly indicated clear intentions... Qi Xiu, an astute person, glanced at He Yu's divine puppet corpse, now understanding his predicament, his usually smooth speech stumbling as he replied, “O-of course, I would give my life for such a cause!” Nan Gong Mu, powerful enough to wield the green dragon, likely didn’t genuinely care for Qi Xiu’s consent. Yet, seeing such cooperation from him, he nodded, “You are indeed smart.” With a casual sweep of his sleeve, the fire array began to hum and operate. Almost instantly, Qi Xiu felt a weight lift from him, all external pressures blocked outside. Deeply sighing, he faced He Yu’s divine puppet corpse and assumed a meditative position, realizing it was time to speak plainly, he intoned, “To report to the Old Ancestor, on the path of fate and destiny, I only have [Fate Simulation Technique] that barely stands out, but it comes at the cost of my life span, and the more entangled destiny is involved, the harder it is to simulate.” “Mm, you go through the trouble.” Endless meditation and arduous training for mid to lower-tier cultivators often aim for longevity—a tangible, graspable goal. Life span, a precious resource, is something neither cultivators nor ordinary people can easily relinquish. Qi Xiu has faced numerous perils but never dared use [Fate Simulation Technique] lightly; actively employing it only once out of necessity for his path of cultivation. Now, with just a casual remark, Nan Gong Mu sought to steal away Qi Xiu’s most treasured life span. What could compensate for ten years less living? And simulating others' whereabouts is vastly different from querying one’s fate. The entangled destinies mean his life span could seep away endlessly, risking death on the spot. In his sea of consciousness, the red-bottomed monkey seemed to sense the impending crisis, becoming agitated and running in circles, even abandoning its favorite toy, the [Transparent Illusionary Mirror]. “Good friend, forgive me.” But circumstances forced his hand, and delay meant no compassion from someone like Nan Gong Mu. Qi Xiu inhaled sharply, steeling himself, “Fate Simulation Technique!” With a fierce command, he cast a hand seal, awakening his unique soul-bound accessory, the Seven Aperture Phantom Heart, illuminating the scene in dazzling array, beautifully lethal, frightening the red-bottomed monkey into frantic arm-waving, screeching in panic. Despite Qi Xiu’s urging, it adamantly refused to comply. “Persisting disobedience again…” The bonded familiar, akin to part of oneself, seemed to be safeguarding both itself and its master through its despondent resistance. Suppressing his pity and sorrow, Qi Xiu changed his hand seals, finally compelling it forth. A massive apparition of the Red Bottomed Demon Monkey appeared behind Qi Xiu, furious, pounding its chest, and roaring defiantly at the sky-dominating green dragon. "Roar!" The Pure Wood Qi-formed Greenwood Dragon, surprised by the audacity of a challenge, immediately retaliated. It opened its colossal maw as if to devour everything, letting out a roar that made the fire array shudder and weep, almost collapsing under the force. “Qi Xiu, watch carefully!” Nan Gong Mu couldn’t be bothered with such trivial squabbles and promptly pointed his fingers at the array’s core where He Yu’s divine puppet lay as a desiccated corpse. With just the briefest touch of flame, the corpse was reduced to black ash. From these ashes, a faint, desperate remnant soul—a twisted version of He Yu's malicious intent—was forced out, thrashing within the confines of the fire array. “Go forth!” Knowing that such a remnant soul has little time in the world once disembodied, Qi Xiu didn’t dare hesitate. “Good old friend, go! Find him!” Driven by his command, the Red Bottomed Demon Monkey pounded its temples in pain but soon drew out a strand of yellow light from its forehead, imbued with the primal forces of fate and Yin-Yang. It pursued the fleeing remnant soul. “Go! No matter how many thousands of miles, bring him back alive!” With an arm raised to the heavens, Nan Gong Mu redirected his command, and the Greenwood Dragon, under his lead, lowered its head to clutch both the yellow light and remnant soul within its jaws. It then soared into the sky. As the yellow light departed, Qi Xiu immediately experienced immense suffering—a visceral terror stemming from his very core of humanity, inducing spasmodic trauma. His hair rapidly turned gray, lines spread across his face, and his body grew increasingly weak, hunched over uncontrollably. Most disturbingly, as the Greenwood Dragon ascended, it took Qi Xiu’s senses with it, soaring through clouds, cutting beneath powerful winds, then turning southward accompanied by thunderous booms at incomprehensible speeds. One after another, magnificent cultivation cities like Qi Nan City, Hei He Fang, and Qi Fu City flashed before his eyes like fleeting ants, quickly disappearing behind them. The entire sleeping populace of Qi Yun White Mountain was startled by the green dragon’s presence in the sky. “Wood paths in the Enlightened God stage? Nan Gong Mu!” 'All-Knowing' Wan Xuan emerged from his cave in Qi Nan City, excitedly jotting down notes after witnessing this incredible celestial anomaly, “On such a day, at Qi Nan City and Hei He Fang, the Elder Nan Gong suddenly displayed his might…” “Why would the old fellow Nan Gong target White Mountain?” Wan Tian Gang, inspecting Wan Bao Pavilion in Hei He Fang, squinted and stroked his long beard, lost in thought. Continuing southward, through Si Guo Fang, Bo Mu City, Bo Sen City... “What is this? What manner of existence wields such power?” On a flying shuttle overseeing war logistics in the Spirit Wood Alliance, Chai Yi, not expecting an attack on his territory from Nan Gong Mu, watched as the dragon circled and descended sharply on his domain. “Which location are we striking?" Hastily pulling over a subordinate, he questioned. “Northside of Ding Shen Mountain!” “Boom!” Qi Xiu saw Ding Shen Mountain barely pause in front of him before the dragon penetrated its defensive mountain barrier, diving headfirst into the solid rock. Beneath the earth, the dragon carved stone like butter, its speed reducing marginally. After unmeasured depths, a thread of light emerged, leading them to a cave. There, Qi Xiu saw He Yu clad in flowing white, the ‘good’ grandson Jiang Yan, and the multi-eyed ghost spider previously at his own Black River Peak trial site. The two humans and one spider clung together on a small stone platform imbued with eerie ghostly energy, looking up in terror at the almighty descending dragonhead. The dragon filled the cavern swiftly, reaching out with massive claws to snatch them where they stood. Nan Gong Mu wanted to capture them alive, and the target was right there. “Why are they together? Something's not right!” The last thing Qi Xiu saw before fainting was the stone platform lighting up with teleportation glow and the trio vanishing from it. “That’s a teleportation array!” The Greenwood Dragon clawed into empty space. ... Six months later, outside the Star Picking Pavilion in the Star Picking City of White Mountain. The excessively handsome Qin Chang Feng descended the mountain path. Each step he took seemed to resonate with the sparkling stars above, giving one the impression of him being the embodiment of a star. “That is my husband,” Nan Gong Yan Ran stood at the foot of the mountain, quietly watching him with a heart full of pride and affection. As Qin Chang Feng approached, she playfully made to kneel in greeting, warmly calling, “Greetings, Senior Qin…” “You!” Qin Chang Feng, unwilling for her to kneel, rushed forward to pull her up. Laughing, they embraced tightly, inseparably. “The breakthrough to the Golden Core went smoothly; why not stay put and solidify your stage?” In their shared tender moments, Nan Gong Yan Ran, nestled in his arms, asked of more serious matters. "The atmosphere in the pavilion has been peculiar. I've thought it over and decided it's best to stabilize my realm back home," Qin Chang Feng replied. “That makes sense. Half a year ago, my family’s Enlightened God ancestor suddenly struck within Spirit Wood Alliance territory. Although nothing followed officially, the overwhelming battles of the Five Elements Alliance ensued with no Nascent Soul experts making an appearance—a fact amid many rumors. It's said they offended my family, now struggling even atop White Mountain, their influence severely falling. To reclaim ground, all elements from several main battlefields are recklessly fighting to their limits. Around Dan Qing Mountain, control has shifted hands several times; hard to say how it's progressed.” “Such dire straits exist—better to leave posthaste!” Qin Chang Feng tapped his wife's nose affectionately, seemingly remembering something. He glanced back at the pinnacle of Star Picking Pavilion and gestured. “What’s the matter?” Nan Gong Yan Ran asked, noting his gestures toward the distance. “Nothing much, just saying farewell to a clever child who lent me a hand in formulating my Golden Core theory. Quite unique,” Qin Chang Feng shared. “Oh? A child that young possessing enough cultivation to assist in such a grand endeavor?” Nan Gong Yan Ran remarked in surprise. Qin Chang Feng laughed heartily, “You see, children’s purity often lets them grasp nuances elders miss. As the saying goes, ‘A child’s tongue wags freely,’ bringing novel perspectives without constraints. When I focused on my natal star for inspiration but struggled with the theory, this child asked me, ‘Why focus on just those few stars when the sky holds countless?’ That insight let me shift my approach—developing a ‘Boundlessness of Stars’ theory, leading to my success.” “So he’s your benefactor, indeed a wondrous meeting of minds across ages,” Nan Gong Yan Ran teased, taking Qin Chang Feng's hand as they embarked on their prepared journey home. No sooner did their flying shuttle depart, than White Mountain's calm erupted into chaos. Spells clashed violently, Nascent Souls screamed curses at one another; fires raged, smoke billowed, and rumbling avalanches followed cascading boulders—all unfolding in an instant… Not waiting for details, everyone knew White Mountain had plunged into turmoil. ... Volume 18 concludes. (To be continued)