Old Scores

Violent shock waves tore through layer after layer of night mist.

Second Sister Gong panted heavily, staring at the White Ape in alarm and suspicion.

The way he had acted made it clear: he had long planned to seize the incense offerings of the Eight Hundred Miles of Linked Clouds...

But when had these demons slipped into the region?

Why had she never heard of outside demons stealing incense offerings before?!

As shock and fury surged through her,

the Blood Sea ahead roiled and roared once more.

Second Sister Gong's expression turned grave. This upheaval was beyond anything she could handle alone.

She had to tell her eldest sister and the others!

With that thought,

she slapped her waist and brought out two lustrous jade talismans.

She sent them flying. The talismans became streaks of light that shot straight toward Jade Luan Manor.

Only then did Second Sister Gong look up.

It was too late to return to the land of incense offerings... She had to capture the White Ape first so they could question him later!

She was about to move

when the White Ape, who had radiated ferocious power moments ago, suddenly went utterly impassive...

Then,

before Second Sister Gong's eyes,

his massive body began to blur and turn translucent.

In the space of two or three breaths, he vanished completely.

Cloud-Crossing Commandery.

Its walls rose high, moss covering the bluestone blocks.

No clamor of hawkers or passersby filled the city. Only low chanting echoed along its streets.

The dense scent of incense lingered, shrouding the entire city in a haze.

This was a stronghold of the Sumeru Sect.

Yet at its very center stood no lavish palace,

but a white tower that pierced the clouds.

Seamless and without a door or window, it thrust straight into