Deep in the ruins of Golden Ao Island, in an underground cavern.
Tongtian sat cross-legged, the aura around him now fully stabilized at the Mid-Quasi-Saint level. The phantom of his Primordial Dao Fruit slowly revolved in his dantian, drawing in and releasing pure Chaos Magic Power. It resonated faintly with the surrounding world in a new way, free from the Heavenly Dao's constraints.
Saint Mother Wudang and Kui Niu stood guard nearby. Their auras were several times stronger than before, and hope shone in their eyes. The resources from the Dragon Palace had clearly done wonders.
"Master, what should we do next?" Saint Mother Wudang asked respectfully. Now that her master had regained some of his strength and received secret aid from the dragons, she believed he must have a plan.
Tongtian's gaze was profound, as if it pierced the endless void and settled upon the Investiture of the Gods, turning ceaselessly under the pull of the Heavenly Dao.
"The Investiture of the Gods..." he said slowly, his voice edged with coldness. "It is a shackle, but it may also be a clue—a bridge."
He looked at Wudang. "Wudang, I remember that before Gongming fell, he used three imitation Treasure Dropping Gold Coins as the focus for a small blessing array on Moon Gazing Cliff, behind Golden Ao Island. He prayed for several siblings who were away fighting. Is that right?"
At his words, Saint Mother Wudang's eyes filled with memories and sorrow. She nodded. "It is. Senior Brother Zhao Gongming was deeply devoted to his loved ones. Even when the fighting was fierce, he often worried about Junior Sister San Xiao, Nephew Wen Zhong, and the others. Though the array was small, it contained a trace of his vital essence, energy, and spirit. Master, do you mean..."
"Though the array was destroyed, its imprint may remain." Tongtian's gaze sharpened. "Using that remnant imprint as a guide, praying with his true name, and using Chaos Qi to shield us from the Heavenly Dao's scrutiny, we might briefly reach the true spirit of his trapped soul on the Investiture of the Gods!"
Saint Mother Wudang's eyes lit up, but worry soon clouded them. "It's a clever plan, but the risks are enormous! The Investiture of the Gods was bestowed by the Dao Ancestor and is a treasured artifact of the Heavenly Court. If we contact the spirits on the list, Haotian Shangdi, who controls it, could easily notice!"
"That is why we must prepare thoroughly." Tongtian's voice was calm. "Though Haotian controls the list, he does not watch every spirit upon it at all times. And we will not force our way into it. We will merely use a secret art to make an exceedingly subtle connection, like searching for a particular star in a vast sea of stars. If we are fast enough and choose our moment well, we may succeed."
He paused, then continued, "Besides, the aura of the Hunyuan Dao I cultivate now is very different from the Heavenly Dao's, and the Chaos Bead can further obscure the workings of fate. It won't be easy for Haotian to notice."
Even so, Tongtian knew that this was like dancing on the edge of a blade. If they failed, they would not only alert their enemies; Gongming's true spirit might also suffer a backlash.
But this was the most promising way he could think of to reach his disciples on the list. He had to learn how they were faring. He had to tell them that their master had returned and had not abandoned them!
"Wudang, go at once to the old site of Moon Gazing Cliff. Find the traces of the array Gongming set up and bring back a wisp of his aura."
"K Kui Niu, guard the cavern entrance and stay alert for any outside watchers."
"Your master needs to prepare a few little things to conceal the workings of fate."
"Yes, Master!" "Yes, my lord!" Saint Mother Wudang and Kui Niu replied, then immediately went their separate ways.
Tongtian took out several special materials from the Dragon Palace's treasury: ten-thousand-year Underworld Iron, Void Stardust, Bewitching Lotus... Combining them with his own blood essence and Chaos Qi, he began crafting three palm-sized black banners covered in strange, twisted runes.
Using array knowledge provided by the system, the properties of the Chaos Bead, and his own insights into the Array Dao, he had devised the Heaven-Deceiving and Form-Concealing Banners on the spot, specifically for this operation.
Several hours later, Saint Mother Wudang returned with a wisp of pure qi so faint it was almost gone. Within it lingered a familiar, feeble fluctuation belonging to Zhao Gongming.
Tongtian took the wisp and carefully preserved it.
Half a day later, the three black banners were complete. Their surfaces fluttered without a breeze, radiating a strange power that distorted light and muddled perception.
"Let's begin," Tongtian said gravely. He walked to the center of the cavern and waved his hand. The three Heaven-Deceiving and Form-Concealing Banners flew out and landed at the three points of a triangular formation, instantly shrouding the space within. Once the formation was in place, the light, aura, and even the flow of time inside became indistinct, as if the area had been temporarily "severed" from the world.
He had Saint Mother Wudang stand beneath the central banner to maintain the formation. Then he went to its center, took out the wisp of Zhao Gongming's aura, and brought out several treasures from the Dragon Palace that contained the power of incense and prayer to use as offerings.
He drew a deep breath and forced a drop of blood from his fingertip. Mixing it with a wisp of Chaos Qi, he began carving ancient, mysterious sacrificial runes into the ground. Each rune made the surrounding void tremble faintly, forming an almost imperceptible connection to the Investiture of the Gods.
When the runes were complete, they formed the phantom of a complex little altar.
Tongtian placed Zhao Gongming's aura in the center of the altar and arranged the treasures imbued with the power of incense and prayer around it.
He sat cross-legged and formed a hand seal. Chaos Divine Light shimmered in his eyes as he intoned in a low, solemn voice, infused with Primordial Unity Magic Power:
"Heavenly Dao above, Samsara as witness—" *(A feint; in truth, he used his Chaos Dao Fruit to communicate with the Great Dao Origin.) "I, Tongtian of the Interception Sect, use an old keepsake as my guide and the power of incense as a bridge, mindful of the past deeds of my disciple Zhao Gongming... I pray for a chance to see him."
His voice was not loud, but carried a strange rhythm. It pierced layer after layer of spatial barriers, following the faint connection between the wisp of aura and the Investiture of the Gods, and spread toward the list hanging beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.
At the same time, the three Heaven-Deceiving and Form-Concealing Banners shook violently, releasing even more Twisting Power to conceal everything. Above Tongtian's head, the phantom of the Chaos Bead (fragment) appeared, draping down wisps of Misty Grey aura that further disrupted the workings of fate.
The entire process seemed peaceful, but was fraught with danger! Tongtian focused all his attention, carefully controlling every trace of power, like a tightrope walker on a ten-thousand-foot precipice.
Saint Mother Wudang's palms were slick with sweat as she strained to maintain the formation.
Time crept by. The aura on the altar flickered faintly, and the power of incense and prayer slowly dwindled, but nothing else happened.
Just as Tongtian thought the attempt was about to fail and prepared to increase the flow of power—suddenly! The wisp of Zhao Gongming's aura at the center of the altar flared brightly for an instant!
Then an incredibly weak, indistinct voice, filled with pain and confusion, came in broken fragments, as if from the bottom of a distant sea. It seeped into Tongtian's spiritual perception:
"Who... who's calling me... It hurts so much... The Investiture of the Gods binds me... Master, save..." It was Zhao Gongming's voice! Though faint and distorted, Tongtian couldn't have mistaken it!
They had succeeded! Suppressing his excitement, Tongtian immediately sent a message with his divine sense, transmitting a wisp of his own aura mixed with Chaos Dao Charm. "Gongming! It's your master! Tongtian!"
The other side fell abruptly silent. Then an incredible wave of awareness burst forth, mingling ecstasy with overwhelming pain. "Master?! Is it really you?! How can you hear me? No! Master, leave! It's dangerous! The list has..."
His voice suddenly turned frantic and terrified, as though he had seen something dreadful. The connection grew extremely unstable, cutting in and out.
"Gongming! Steady your mind! Keep it brief! How are you all? Can you escape?" Tongtian urgently pressed.
"Escape? Hahaha... Hahahaha..." Zhao Gongming's awareness conveyed a despairing laugh. "Our true spirits are bound, enslaved for eternity, forced to gather faith and merit for the Heavenly Court. It's agony. Only the Investiture Platform can ease it for a while, but..."
His words were broken, but Tongtian could already imagine the dreadful scene. Their true spirits were permanently bound to the list, like batteries providing the Heavenly Court with power as they endured endless torment. Only when they occasionally descended in a clone through the Investiture Platform could they catch a moment's respite.
"Junior Sister San Xiao..." Zhao Gongming's awareness suddenly grew agitated, filled with grief and desperation. "Master! They're suffering even more!"
"What happened to Sanxiao?!" Tongtian's heart sank. He demanded an answer.
"Junior Sister Yun Xiao is suppressed beneath Kirin Cliff. The Mysterious Yellow Tower is tormenting Qiongxiao. Bixiao..." Zhao Gongming's awareness grew even more jumbled and fragmented with emotion. "Their true spirits have..." His words cut off abruptly, as though a powerful force had silenced him!
The next instant, a vast, mighty, icy force of the Heavenly Dao surged along the thread of connection!
Haotian Shangdi had noticed! "Hmph!" Tongtian gave a cold snort. He had been ready. He severed the connection at once, while the Chaos Bead shone brightly and the Primordial Dao Fruit turned at full power, deflecting and dispelling the oncoming force of the Heavenly Dao!
Boom! The three Heaven-Deceiving and Form-Concealing Banners exploded at once! The formation collapsed instantly!
Tongtian swayed slightly, his face paling, but he was unharmed. He quickly erased every trace and put away the Chaos Bead.
The cavern fell quiet again, as if nothing had happened. But a storm of rage and bitter cold surged within Tongtian.
Through that brief, perilous connection, he had not only confirmed the tragic plight of Gongming and the other disciples' true spirits; he had also heard news that left him horrified!
Sanxiao were in trouble! And it seemed even worse than being placed on the Investiture of the Gods! Yun Xiao was suppressed beneath Kirin Cliff? The Mysterious Yellow Tower of the Supreme Pure Laozi was tormenting Qiongxiao? What had happened to the other junior sister? What had Gongming meant with those despairing words he had never finished?!
Saint Mother Wudang had heard a few words as well. Her face was deathly pale as she asked in a trembling voice, "Master... Senior Sister Yun Xiao and the others..."
Tongtian slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze was filled with a terrifying killing intent, like a sea of corpses and blood. The cold radiating from him seemed ready to freeze space itself!
He had never been so furious!
Even when the Interception Sect had fallen and countless immortals perished, he had been enraged, but he had known it was the result of a tribulation and the schemes of all sides.
But now he had heard that his disciples, especially his beloved Sanxiao, had suffered a terrible calamity, and that their true spirits might not even be intact. The fury and murderous intent he had suppressed for so long could no longer be contained!
"Yuanshi, Laozi, the Western Teachings, Haotian..." One name after another ground from between his teeth, each laden with seething hatred. "Fine! Very well! I, Tongtian, will remember this blood debt!"
He drew a deep breath, forcing down the rage that threatened to destroy everything. His gaze turned utterly cold and resolute.
"Wudang. Kui Niu."
"Your disciple is here!" "This old ox is here!"
"Get ready." Tongtian's voice was terrifyingly calm, yet carried a chill that could freeze the very soul. "We're going to Kirin Cliff first."
"There are some debts it's time to collect interest on."
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