Zhongli Xiayi

Day after day passed.

Outside the Quiet Room, thunderclouds gathered and tribulation lightning crashed in waves, yet he still showed no sign of waking.

Yang Mingcheng had successfully formed his core!

With the aid of the Nine Tripod Divine Pill, he had successfully formed a False Core.

He was the second person in White Jade Capital to form a False Core; Yunxiao had been the first.

He was also the second person in White Jade Capital to form a core through the Martial Dao; Yu Qingyi had been the first.

Another three years passed.

Yang Jizhen, too, faced his thunder tribulation and stepped onto the Golden Core Great Dao.

Compared with Yang Mingcheng, Yang Jizhen's core formation went far more smoothly, encountering almost no obstacles at all.

Just as White Jade Capital was celebrating Yang Jizhen's core formation, Hengshan Sect, following Wuchang Ghost Sect, was also destroyed by the Demon Evil.

That battle had shaken the Great Void and split heaven from earth. No one knew how many peaks in the eastern part of the Hengshan Mountain Range had been razed flat.

Hengshan Sect truly deserved its name as the strongest sect in the Myriad Flower Domain. Its strength far surpassed that of the other great powers.

Over a hundred Demon Evils attacked, yet Hengshan Sect actually managed to suppress more than twenty of them.

Unfortunately, Hengshan Sect still could not withstand the Demon Evil attack and was ultimately destroyed.

However, unlike Wuchang Ghost Sect, Hengshan Sect's inheritance had not been cut off, because when the Demon Evils attacked Hengshan Sect, quite a few of its Golden Core cultivators were fighting the South Sea Demon Court in the Southern Region.

They had fortunately escaped the Demon Evil attack.

Of the four great sects and three great Demon Courts, only Wanbao Sect and the South Sea Demon Court now remained.

Tianji Pavilion, Wuchang Ghost Sect, Hengshan Sect, Wanhua Demon Court, and the North Sea Demon Court had fallen one after another over the past century, while Tianxian Dao had also vanished without a trace.

The only great powers still standing were Wanbao Sect and the South Sea Demon Court.

Wanbao Sect had hidden away, and those Demon Evils seemingly could not locate the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven.

The South Sea Demon Court might be the Demon Evils' next target.

Zhongli Tian.

Inside the White Jade Great Hall.

Duobao True Monarch sat cross-legged on a cattail mat, quietly regulating his breath. Zhongli Xiayi entered the hall, dressed in a Magnificent Palace Dress.

The Pure and Transcendent Aura around Zhongli Xiayi had now grown even denser. Her original warmth had long since vanished, leaving behind only lofty, Elegant and Noble dignity and an icy aloofness that kept others a thousand miles away.

"Ancestor!"

she called in a cool voice.

Duobao True Monarch opened his eyes, revealing a pair of profound pupils.

"Your temperament is growing colder and colder. In the past, you would never have disturbed this old man!"

"Ancestor is merely regulating your breath. You need not fear being disturbed!" Zhongli Xiayi said.

Duobao True Monarch shook his head helplessly. Rising to his feet, he looked at her. "The Ten Thousand Mile Brocade has affected your true nature!"

"No!" Zhongli Xiayi's expression softened considerably. "It is only that the Way of Sunset Glow is too ethereal. I am having some trouble adapting to it!"

Duobao True Monarch nodded slightly. "That is good!"

Unconcealable delight appeared on his face. After plotting for a thousand years and preparing for a thousand years, he had finally seen the results.

For the Zhongli Xiayi of today, he had spent more than two thousand years.

Nor had Zhongli Xiayi disappointed him. She had ultimately reached the level of Half-step Entering Dao. Though she had only taken half a step into it, she had allowed him to see hope.

Whether she became a true Dao Master or fought for the Position of Authority and became the Lord of Authority, Zhongli Xiayi had a chance.

Zhongli Xiayi sat in a chair beside him, her expression turning solemn. "I heard Hengshan Sect was destroyed?"

Duobao True Monarch rose, his expression equally grave. "That is right! First the North Sea Demon Court, then Wuchang Ghost Sect, and then Hengshan Sect. If nothing unexpected happens, the next one will be either our Wanbao Sect or the South Sea Demon Court!"

The situation was already clear. Someone was using the Demon Evils of the Land of Reincarnation to eliminate the various powers.

Of the Myriad Flower Domain's former four great sects and three great Demon Courts, only Wanbao Sect and the South Sea Demon Court remained. Thus, the Demon Evils' next targets would inevitably be Wanbao Sect and the South Sea Demon Court.

"Can they find where the Grotto-Heavens are?" Zhongli Xiayi asked.

Duobao True Monarch fell silent for a moment before saying, "They probably can. They found both Wuchang Ghost Sect's Corpse Sea and Ghost Island!"

Wuchang Ghost Sect did not have many Grotto-Heavens, only three: Wuchang Land, the Corpse Sea, and Ghost Island.

Unlike Wanbao Sect's Hundred Realms Cave Heaven, where the Grotto-Heavens were connected together, these three were scattered apart. The Cave Heaven Portal to Wuchang Land was located at Wuchang Ghost Sect's external sect grounds, while the portals to the Corpse Sea and Ghost Island often shifted.

Outsiders found it difficult to locate the Corpse Sea and Ghost Island, yet those Demon Evils found both Grotto-Heavens immediately and launched attacks on them at the same time.

There were two possibilities. One was that the Demon Evils had found the portals to the two Grotto-Heavens and invaded through them. The other was that the Demon Evils had found the locations of the two Grotto-Heavens within the Great Void and launched their attacks directly from there.

Either possibility meant that those Demon Evils understood the rules of Grotto-Heavens very well and could accurately grasp the traces they left behind.

Where there was existence, there would be traces. A Grotto-Heaven resting within the Great Void was like a needle in the sea; if one relied only on searching everywhere, finding it was nearly impossible.

Yet the traces left behind by a Grotto-Heaven and its portal could not be entirely erased. As long as one could find some traces and had a method to follow them, one would eventually find where the Grotto-Heaven lay.

"Then the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven is no longer safe either! Does the Sect Master have any plans?" Zhongli Xiayi asked.

Duobao True Monarch said softly, "The Sect Master has already sent people to contact the various powers, intending to join forces against the Land of Reincarnation!"

Wanbao Sect was not simply waiting for death. Though it had hidden away long ago, it could not guarantee that the Demon Evils would not come knocking. To avoid being caught unprepared, Wanbao Sect planned to unite the various powers and first destroy the Demon Evils of the Land of Reincarnation.

At a time like this, they could no longer spare thought for the Position of Authority. Before the question of life and death, the Position of Authority could only be ranked after everything else.

"That is good too!" Zhongli Xiayi had no other solution.

Duobao True Monarch changed the subject. "Can you contact that Yang Zhengshan?"

"Yang Zhengshan?"

Zhongli Xiayi looked at him in confusion, unable to understand why he would bring up Yang Zhengshan at this time.

After weighing his words, Duobao True Monarch said, "You do not know yet. Over Ten Years Ago, Yang Zhengshan repelled Chang Buzai in the Wanhua Mountain Range. The exact course of the battle is unclear, but one thing is certain: Yang Zhengshan should have reached the level of Half-step Entering Dao!"

To be honest, when Wanbao Sect received this news, the vast majority had not believed it.

Yang Zhengshan had previously been a nobody. Most of Wanbao Sect knew little about him; only the Zhongli Family, due to Zhongli Yue and Zhongli Xiayi, knew somewhat more.

Yang Zhengshan seemed like someone who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and he possessed such tremendous strength. Many found it unbelievable.

However, after investigating, Wanbao Sect confirmed that Yang Zhengshan had once fought Chang Buzai. Only then did they have no choice but to acknowledge Yang Zhengshan's strength.

Now that Wanbao Sect was preparing to unite the various powers against the Demon Evils, a Half-step Entering Dao expert like Yang Zhengshan was naturally someone they wished to ally with.

Zhongli Xiayi revealed a surprised expression. "He actually entered the Dao as well!"

Beyond her surprise, she felt Extremely Happy.

"Yes, there is a Great Possibility. Can you contact him?"

"I will try!"

Zhongli Xiayi hurriedly took out a Communication Talisman and activated it. In an instant, the talisman transformed into a stream of light and vanished into the Void.

Watching the disappearing stream of light, Duobao True Monarch asked, "Can he receive it?"

"He should be able to. This Communication Talisman has the Way of the Void applied to it," Zhongli Xiayi explained. "However, I cannot receive his Reply Letter. I need to go somewhere and wait for him!"

This had been their agreed method of contact long ago.

Ordinary Communication Talismans had limited transmission range and could not send messages between Grotto-Heavens. Although Lin Xiqiu's Communication Talisman could transmit messages over immense distances and even between Grotto-Heavens, it had a drawback: only Lin Xiqiu could receive messages through such a talisman. Even if Lin Xiqiu wanted to send someone a message, he could not. He could only receive, not send.

Within the Longevity Palace of the Life Realm Immortal Palace.

Yang Zhengshan was still in seclusion. Holding the Communication Talisman he had just received, Lin Xiqiu came before the hall but could not bring himself to enter and disturb him.

Yang Zhengshan was in seclusion, and Yu Qingyi was also in seclusion. After thinking it over, Lin Xiqiu went to find Yunxiao.

"Zhongli Xiayi? Do you know why she is looking for the Venerable?" Yunxiao asked.

"I do not know! The Communication Talisman only said to meet at Lingxiao Mountain!"

"Lingxiao Mountain? Where is Lingxiao Mountain?"

There were countless mountain peaks in the Hengshan Mountain Range. The overwhelming majority had no names, and only a small number possessed commonly recognized names.

Lin Xiqiu explained, "Lingxiao Mountain is in the western part of the Hengshan Mountain Range, less than a thousand li from Chunyang Valley. When the Venerable was heading to Wanbao Immortal City in the past, he paused briefly atop the mountain. Seeing that the scenery there had a Special Quality, he left behind a small pavilion at the summit."

Yunxiao showed a look of understanding.

No one knew how many places of beautiful scenery lay within the mountains. Some liked seas of clouds, some liked forests, and some liked waterfalls spilling down like silver rivers. Immortal Cultivators lived free and unrestrained lives, often lingering in places of beautiful scenery and leaving behind some buildings.

At times, they invited three or five friends to admire the view. At other times, they lived alone in the mountains. Of course, they sometimes forgot about such places and abandoned them.

"The Venerable is in seclusion, so it would not be appropriate to disturb him! Should we meet Zhongli Xiayi on the Venerable's behalf?" Lin Xiqiu asked.

After considering it, Yunxiao said, "Go make the trip. Explain the situation to Zhongli Xiayi!"

The Life Realm Immortal Palace had already been sealed off. Although Golden Core cultivators like them could still leave, because the Life Realm Immortal Palace lay deep in the Great Void, finding the Realm Boundary of the Myriad Flower Domain after leaving would not be easy.

However, Lin Xiqiu was an exception. He cultivated Void Shuttle and could locate the Void around a Realm Boundary in an extremely short time, allowing him to return to the Myriad Flower Domain quickly.

They all knew Zhongli Xiayi was Yang Zhengshan's friend.

Since Zhongli Xiayi wished to see Yang Zhengshan, they naturally needed to ask on Yang Zhengshan's behalf what exactly was happening.

Lin Xiqiu also felt that he should go take a look. At the very least, he needed to ask whether Zhongli Xiayi was seeking Yang Zhengshan over an urgent matter.

Two days later, Lin Xiqiu arrived at Lingxiao Mountain.

Amid the vast sea of clouds, Lingxiao Mountain resembled an isolated island, shrouded in hazy mist.

By the time Lin Xiqiu arrived at Lingxiao Mountain, Zhongli Xiayi was already waiting.

At the sight of Lin Xiqiu, Zhongli Xiayi was somewhat disappointed.

"May I ask who you are?"

"Lin Xiqiu of White Jade Capital!"

"White Jade Capital?"

Zhongli Xiayi had never met Lin Xiqiu and did not know of White Jade Capital.

Lin Xiqiu examined Zhongli Xiayi, unable to conceal the astonishment and confusion on his face.

"Are you Daoist Zhongli?"

"That is correct!"

"Lin Xiqiu greets Daoist Zhongli!" Lin Xiqiu respectfully bowed, for he found Zhongli Xiayi's aura extraordinarily weighty, giving him an unfathomable feeling.

"Did Daoist Yang send you?" Zhongli Xiayi asked.

"No. The Venerable is in seclusion. After receiving the message, I could only come in the Venerable's stead to explain matters to Daoist Zhongli!" Lin Xiqiu explained.

Zhongli Xiayi looked at him, then nodded. She already understood what had happened.

Clearly, Lin Xiqiu owned the Communication Talisman that could cross the Great Void, and he had been the one responsible for receiving it.

"Please come in!"

She invited Lin Xiqiu into the pavilion. The small octagonal pavilion had nothing Special Quality about it and even appeared somewhat dilapidated. Yang Zhengshan had simply placed it here casually, and it had stood here for decades without repairs. The fact that it had not collapsed was already fortunate.

The two took their seats, and Zhongli Xiayi brought out tea.

"The White Jade Capital you mentioned earlier is?"

"White Jade Capital is a sect established by the Venerable."

"So that is how it is!" Zhongli Xiayi nodded. "It seems Daoist Yang's cultivation has truly reached the level of Entering the Dao!"

Lin Xiqiu hesitated before saying, "My cultivation is shallow, so I do not understand the Venerable's cultivation very well!"

He was not lying. He had yet to touch the level of Entering the Dao. However, he had concealed some facts as well. Though he did not know Yang Zhengshan's precise cultivation, the strength Yang Zhengshan had displayed long ago proved that he had stepped into the level of Entering the Dao.

Zhongli Xiayi did not dwell on it. Although Lin Xiqiu had said nothing outright, his words had already revealed much.

For example, the founding of White Jade Capital. Being able to make a Golden Core cultivator so utterly obedient already proved that Yang Zhengshan's cultivation was anything but ordinary.

Furthermore, although Lin Xiqiu claimed not to understand Yang Zhengshan's cultivation, he knew of the level of Entering the Dao.

This Entering the Dao was not true Entering the Dao, because true Entering the Dao referred to becoming a Dao Master. Half-step Entering Dao was, in the end, not fully Entering the Dao.

"Do you know when Daoist Yang will leave seclusion?"

"I do not know!"

"I see!" Zhongli Xiayi said thoughtfully. "Do you know about the Demon Evils?"

"We know a little, but not very clearly!"

"My Wanbao Sect is preparing to unite the various powers and eliminate those Demon Evils. Three years from now, we will gather in the East Sea. If Daoist Yang wishes to participate, he may come to the East Sea to find me then!"

The threat posed by the Demon Evils was too great. Neither Wanbao Sect nor the South Sea Demon Court could oppose them alone, so they had to unite and destroy those Demon Evils.

Besides these two great powers, Wanbao Sect also intended to join with other powers and experts, such as Heavenly Sword True Monarch of Hidden Sword Mountain and Wu Wei Zheng of the Myriad Beast Sect.

The Position of Authority could be set aside for now, but those Demon Evils had to be destroyed first.

Of course, making these experts work together with one heart was also impossible. The specifics would depend on whether everyone could reach a unified agreement.