Thin mist laden with pure spiritual energy drifted slowly, dispersing layer by layer to reveal a spiritual lake as clear as a mirror.
The lake lay perfectly still. An ancient pavilion stood at its center, its upturned eaves cloaked in a faint azure glow and its entire frame wreathed in endlessly flowing Dao patterns.
A man and a woman sat opposite each other in the pavilion, black and white game pieces scattered across the stone table between them. They placed their pieces unhurriedly, yet each movement of their fingertips stirred terrifying phenomena throughout the surrounding world before a piece even touched the board.
To Duobao, Jin Ling, Wudang, and the other Jie Sect Disciples, every move seemed to tug at the heaven and earth origin.
The Great Dao rose and fell within the void. Ancient laws shattered with thunderous force, while entirely new orders of the Dao arose in their wake. These phenomena overturned everything the disciples knew, piercing straight into their souls.
In mere moments, their seas of consciousness churned, their primordial spirits trembled violently, and the blood within their bodies surged backward. Crimson blood poured from all seven orifices. Their primordial spirits teetered on the brink, as though they would dissolve and perish within that supreme Dao resonance at any moment.
At that critical instant, a clear, ethereal female voice gently brushed past their ears. Neither loud nor soft, it carried the power to soothe every disturbance.
"Close your eyes!"
Not daring to hesitate, everyone hurriedly shut their eyes. The pressure tearing at their souls vanished instantly, and warmth began to flow gently through their bodies.
The Dao injuries and physical damage they had suffered in the God Conferment war and the brutal battle at Jiepai Pass were all cleansed and repaired by that gentle power. Their wounds