Chapter 605 Ready for Battle, Great Luo Dharma Assembly
Nine Mountains Realm.
Xie Qingxue entered Yan Wushuang's courtyard.
Yan Wushuang was sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, with the Immortal-Slayer Sword lying across the stone table in front of him. His gaze was fixed on the void, as if he were thinking about something. His upper body was motionless, but his hand kept stroking the hilt of the Immortal-Slayer Sword.
"Junior brother?"
Xie Qingxue stood at the courtyard gate for a long time before calling out softly.
Yan Wushuang was startled, looked up, turned to Xie Qingxue, and called out, "Senior Sister? Is there something you need me for?"
Xie Qingxue did not answer the question. Instead, she walked into the courtyard and looked down at the Immortal-Slayer Sword, her expression unusually hesitant.
"Senior sister? What happened?"
"Have you heard?" Xie Qingxue looked up at Yan Wushuang, "About the Creation Devil Ancestor."
"The sect has urgently summoned the Celestial River Legion; they've already informed us that the Creation Devil Ancestor is likely to invade." Yan Wushuang nodded. " The Creation Devil Ancestor is Golden Immortal; the Celestial River Legion has been training for a thousand days, and this is precisely the time to use their power."
"We've raised this army for a thousand days... Our sect has truly sacrificed a great deal for the Celestial River Legion."
Xie Qingxue sighed.
As a high-ranking member of the sect, Zheng Fa would not hide anything from her. Xie Qingxue naturally knew that in order to upgrade the Immortal-Slayer Sword Formation, the sect had practically gone bankrupt, even squandering the entire fortune of Vast Sun Mountain, before they succeeded.
Now, looking at the resources of the Nine Mountains, apart from the Celestial River Legion, there is no other means to fight against Golden Immortal. Logically and emotionally, the Celestial River Legion should be at the forefront.
As the master of the Immortal-Slayer Sword, Yan Wushuang naturally understood this principle.
"Junior brother, Old Han and I are thinking of having you... temporarily relinquish your position as the master of the Immortal-Slayer Sword."
Yan Wushuang's eyes widened as she looked at Xie Qingxue. Xie Qingxue turned her gaze away, looking into the distance. "It's not something you can say for sure. I'll go talk to Zheng Fa. I'll do it for you..."
"Senior Sister!" Yan Wushuang suddenly stood up, her voice rising sharply, "How can I stay in the Nine Mountains Sect if you continue like this?"
Xie Qingxue knew her idea was flawed, but she insisted, " The Immortal-Slayer Sword Formation has just been upgraded. Who knows how powerful it is? Can it even contend with Golden Immortal?"
"..."
"Junior brother, besides Master, there are only the three of us left in the Tianhe Sect." Xie Qingxue turned to stare at Yan Wushuang, her expression revealing a hidden tenderness. "I've watched you grow up since you were little, and I really don't want you to take such a risk... I also know the < Immortal-Slayer Sword Canon > and have refined the < Yellow Court Scripture >. My cultivation is also higher than yours, so I'm more likely to succeed than you, and it will also be a help to the Immortal-Slayer Sword Formation."
Yan Wushuang lowered her head, seemingly unwilling, yet unsure of what to say.
Xie Qingxue's expression softened further. She reached out and tapped the Immortal-Slayer Sword, her voice becoming even gentler. "Junior Brother..."
"If it were you, senior sister, would you hide?"
Yan Wushuang suddenly spoke, her voice muffled.
Xie Qingxue frowned and looked at her junior brother.
Yan Wushuang suddenly raised her head, stared at her, and asked again, "Senior Sister, can you dodge?"
Xie Qingxue, under Yan Wushuang's piercing gaze, surprisingly found herself speechless in front of this junior brother.
"There are only four of us left in the Tianhe Sect." Yan Wushuang looked up at the sky, as if searching for something. "If I run away when I encounter danger, what will my fellow disciples in the Nine Mountains Sect think of me? What will they think of the Tianhe Sect?"
Xie Qingxue was stunned.
"Won't they think that we have not only betrayed our Founder, but also lost Founder courage?"
"..."
"Senior sister, even if only one of us survives, we are still members of the Tianhe Sect, and descendants of our Founder. I don't want to lose face; otherwise, even if I live, the Tianhe Sect will truly perish."
Xie Qingxue remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh, "I watched you grow up, but I never imagined that you... were truly a descendant of the Founder."
"It was you, senior sister, who taught me."
Yan Wushuang knew that Xie Qingxue had been persuaded, and he smiled. Seeing the lingering worry on Xie Qingxue face, he comforted her, "Senior Sister, don't worry. With the upgrade of the Immortal-Slayer Sword Formation, its strength has greatly increased. If that Creation Devil Ancestor comes, it will be a good opportunity to test the power of the sword formation!"
He spoke with absolute certainty, and Xie Qingxue could only nod in agreement. Yan Wushuang then added:
"Senior sister, actually I'm still hoping he'll come."
"What?"
"During the Tianhe Upheaval, although the Creation Devil Ancestor was merely a pawn, he cannot escape blame. I think..." Yan Wushuang gripped the Immortal-Slayer Sword tightly, "Together with the Celestial River Legion, using the sword formation left by our Founder, we will seek justice for the Tianhe Sect of that time."
At this point, the veins on Yan Wushuang's hands bulged. "I'm waiting for him to come!"
But the Creation Daoist did not come.
Vast Sun Mountain.
" Shi Nandang is Zheng Fa?" Cloud True Immortal's mouth dropped open. Yes, he certainly suspected Shi Nandang's identity, but Shi Nandang was actually Zheng Fa?
He truly hadn't expected it.
Seeing the certainty on the face of the Creation Daoist, Cloud True Immortal smiled wryly and said, "I've dealt with him several times, and I haven't seen a single flaw in his scheme."
The Creation Daoist nodded slightly. "Not to mention you, none of us noticed. He possesses an extremely sophisticated transformation technique, even more powerful than the White Bone Demon from back then."
"The art of change..."
Cloud True Immortal's expression shifted, as if he had thought of something. He frowned and asked again, "What about the White Bone and the Gu God Founder?"
"Dead."
"Dead?!"
"Where is the Golden-Winged Roc, the White Lotus Ancestor? And my Lu Clan's disciples?"
They're all dead.
The Creation Daoist was already frustrated by losing the Primordial Purple Qi, and since he didn't think much of Cloud True Immortal and the others, he didn't bother to hide it anymore and simply said, "Not a single one of them survived!"
"May I ask, Founder, were they killed by Zheng Fa...?"
"Him? He's nothing but a coward who only knows how to hide!"
Yes! Yes!
Cloud True Immortal lowered his head and quickly agreed.
He pondered for a moment, then spoke again, " Founder, Zheng Fa's methods are so strange, he might have more trump cards up his sleeve. He's on good terms with the Supreme Dao and Jade Pool, so they might even have reinforcements. Even if we want to counterattack the Nine Mountains Sect, we should plan carefully."
The Creation Daoist frowned.
Clearly, despite his outward disdain for Zheng Fa, he was actually quite wary of him.
What do you think?
"Why not send a message to Thunderclap Temple?"
"Absolutely not!" Creation Daoist resolutely refused. "Wouldn't that just make Fellow Daoist Lu Mo blame us for our incompetence?"
Cloud True Immortal lowered his head even further and asked, "Then what do you think, Founder?"
"You're right to be cautious. Here's what we'll do: you go to the Supreme Dao to gather some intelligence, and while you're at it, send someone to check out the area near the Nine Mountains Realm..."
The Creation Daoist seemed to find Cloud True Immortal's caution quite reasonable. After pondering for a moment, he added, "The main thing is to find out whether the Supreme Dao and Jade Pool have any assistance in reaching the Nine Mountains Realm."
"Yes!"
Creation Daoist waved his hand, signaling Cloud True Immortal to step back. Cloud True Immortal bowed respectfully and retreated from the Three Palaces Hall. After walking quite a distance, he clenched his fist.
He raised his head, first glancing at the Vast Sun Golden Summit with a very unpleasant expression, then at the Three Palaces Hall, his face darkening even further.
Cloud True Immortal thought for a moment, then did nothing but send out a Communication Talisman.
After a while, Yun Fan arrived at Cloud True Immortal's residence and respectfully greeted, " Founder?"
"I remember a few days ago, it was the Lu Clan who went to Thousand Wonders Peak to allocate supplies?"
"Yes." Yun Fan was a little confused. "Wasn't that something you, Founder, promised?"
What did they take?
"..."
Yun Fan looked somewhat troubled.
"You are the master of Thousand Wonders Peak, and you don't even know what they took?"
" Holy Ancestor, if you're asking what they didn't take, I do know."
Yun Fan's answer enraged Cloud True Immortal, causing his face to flush red.
Seeing his expression, Yun Fan was even more puzzled and asked, "Aren't those resources for setting up formations within the sect?"
"A formation?" Cloud True Immortal looked up at the distant mountain peak inscribed with a formation, gritting his teeth as he said, "They are from the Nine Mountains Sect!"
" Nine Mountains Sect!?"
"And there's Shi Nandang!" Cloud True Immortal wasn't stupid; now that the cause and effect were connected, many things naturally became clear. "He's Zheng Fa in disguise!"
Yun Fan stammered, " Stone Ancestor?"
"You still call him Stone Ancestor?"
Yun Fan slowly closed his mouth, his expression still one of disbelief, and asked, " Founder..."
"That's Creation Daoist told me; judging from his expression, it didn't seem like he was lying."
Upon hearing this, Yun Fan's face immediately turned ashen, and he was filled with doubt. "Those Lu Clan?"
"I don't know who's real and who's fake, but they certainly didn't use all the money they took from my Vast Sun Mountain vault for setting up formations... They might even have tampered with this Golden Sun Burning-Heaven Formation."
Yun Fan felt a chill run down his spine, and asked again, "Then, Founder, how can you be so sure I'm not...?"
Cloud True Immortal glanced at him sideways and said, "You're too biased towards Shi Nandang... Besides, if you were, why would they need to forge my order?"
Why...?
"Their main objective is the Golden Sun Burning-Heaven Formation!" Cloud True Immortal seemed to have truly understood. "Only the Lu Clan are able to access this formation."
Yun Fan finally understood. After thinking for a moment, he asked, " Founder, why not tell the Creation Founder about this?"
Cloud True Immortal's expression grew even more bitter, the bitterness reaching deep into her heart.
" The Creation Daoist is not to be trusted."
"..."
"The White Bone Demon Ancestor, the Gu God, and even the White Lotus Ancestor, along with several elders of the Lu Clan in the sect, were probably all killed by him!"
Yun Fan's eyes widened.
"This..."
"That's my guess," Cloud True Immortal, his fingers gripping the armrest of his chair. "But one thing I'm certain of is that he has definitely betrayed the Founder! Otherwise, why wouldn't he dare to send a message to Thunderclap Temple?"
"..."
Yun Fan had a pretty good grasp of the current situation.
"Our Vast Sun Mountain has countless spies from the Nine Mountains Sect, and even the Golden Immortal traitor, the Creation Devil Ancestor?"
Cloud True Immortal.
" Founder, what should we do?"
Yun Fan panicked now.
"I've managed to stabilize the Creation for now," Cloud True Immortal said through gritted teeth. "With him here, those people from the Nine Mountains Sect won't dare to act recklessly. I can take this opportunity to reorganize the grand formation, at least to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Nine Mountains Sect."
"As for the Creation Daoist, once I take control of the great formation, I will have a way to deal with him."
Yun Fan understood. The Founder was preparing to take a risk, using the power of the Creation Daoist to suppress the Nine Mountains Sect's spies within the sect, while also guarding against the Creation Daoist.
"That's too risky..."
Yun Fan said with deep concern.
"Therefore, I need you to secretly send a message to Thunderclap Temple!" Cloud True Immortal instructed, "Inform the Holy Ancestor about everything at Vast Sun Mountain, and have him send someone over!"
Yun Fan hearing Cloud True Immortal's arrangements, Yun Fan was finally somewhat relieved.
Cloud True Immortal waved his hand and said, "Go down. Remember, don't alert the enemy."
"Yes!"
Just as Yun Fan was thinking about how to find an opportunity to inform Thunderclap Temple, an unexpected change occurred at Thunderclap Temple.
A figure enveloped in Buddhist light soared into the sky from the Western Continent, transforming into a small golden bean in the azure sky.
On the Western Continent, the chanting of Buddhist prayers was uniform, and the Buddha's light shone brightly on that person, like a surging tide, sweeping across the entire Xuanwei Heaven from west to east.
The overwhelming golden light could be seen throughout the Nine Mountains Realm, Vast Sun Mountain, and even the Underworld.
A voice rang out from within the Buddha's light.
"I am Lu Mo, the Great Vehicle Buddha Ancestor."
The sound pierced through all the heavens and worlds, and even Zheng Fa in the Modern World could hear it.
He stood up, gazed at the sky, puzzled, and listened carefully to Lu Mo's words.
"The appearance of the Primordial Purple Qi in the world today is a pivotal moment for the transformation of Human Race's destiny. However, the mystery of the purple qi is already clear—only when Human Race is united as one and the world is in harmony can we obtain its Creation."
Lu Mo's tone was gentle, grand, and domineering.
Zheng Fa frowned, looking at the Primordial Purple Qi in the sun, thinking to himself that Lu Mo's understanding of the Primordial Purple Qi was much deeper than he had thought.
"Though my knowledge is limited, I am willing to do my part for the sake of Human Race," Lu Mo said slowly. "I intend to convene the Great Luo Dharma Assembly, inviting all Dao Fruit from across the world to jointly discuss the foundation of Human Race for eternity, to re-establish the order of heaven and earth, and to forge an eternal great harmony."
Great Luo Dharma Assembly?
Lu Mo has been preparing for so long, just for this?
Zheng Fa was somewhat enlightened, but even more puzzled— Lu Mo's idea was easy to guess; it was probably to unify all cultivators in the world.
This Lu Mo has a much deeper understanding of the Primordial Purple Qi than I do.
What puzzled Zheng Fa even more was, what gave Lu Mo such confidence?
Behind the Supreme Dao is the Dao Venerable.
Not to mention that the Nine Nether Emperor of the Underworld are his mortal enemies.
But what he could understand was that Lu Mo's ambition, or vision, was greater than he had imagined.
No wonder he wasn't so concerned about who possessed the Primordial Purple Qi.
To some extent, once he unified the Immortal Way, it wouldn't matter to him who possessed the Primordial Purple Qi.
" Lu Mo, what's going on...?" Old Man Bai hurried over and asked Zheng Fa, "What are you going to do?"
"Let's wait and see." Zheng Fa for a moment, then shook his head and said, "The first step on Lu Mo's path is to subdue all the immortals in the world. Let's see how the various sects of Xuanwei respond."
The Old Man Bai nodded slowly.
Lu Mo's ambitions are great, and naturally, he faces many difficulties. The biggest problem is: why should the various factions listen to him?
If the Great Luo Dharma Assembly succeeds, it will indeed be difficult for Zheng Fa to protect the Primordial Purple Qi —with his current strength, he will have no way to deal with the Dao Fruit of the world.
The problem is, the contradictions within Xuanwei have a long history, and are even deeply entrenched and difficult to resolve. What gives Lu Mo the confidence to do so?
Zheng Fa and Old Man Bai exchanged a glance, but another worry arose in their hearts:
Lu Mo is a very shrewd man. He usually acts in the shadows and would not be so ostentatious unless he is absolutely certain of success.
(End of this chapter)