"Xinzhan, look over there."
Daoist Cunsi pointed northwest as he spoke.
There, a cloud of black smoke rose from West Mountain. At first, it was only a slender wisp, but in the blink of an eye, it spread out, advancing eastward and swallowing the sunset clouds like a whale.
The sky darkened with astonishing speed.
Cheng Xinzhan frowned. Was this a celestial phenomenon or a Daoist art?
If it was a celestial phenomenon, he had never heard of one so strange. If it was a Daoist art, what realm would someone need to reach to cast such an art, one that blotted out the sky and sun?
"Vile creature!"
"Scoundrel!"
Several furious shouts rang out from where the black smoke had risen, resounding across the heavens.
Who knew how far away that place was, yet the voices seemed to fall right beside their ears.
Along with the voices came a brilliant light, shining from the spot where the black smoke had first risen and illuminating the smoke just as it was about to blend into the night.
Only a few breaths passed between the sky darkening and lighting up again, yet the black smoke had already spread swiftly toward them, covering half the sky from northwest to southeast.
Daoist Cunsi and Cheng Xinzhan looked toward the source of the light. It now resembled the legendary Tang Valley, myriad rays blazing brilliantly.
Within that brilliance, the Dharma bodies of dozens of ancient exalted gods were now clearly visible, towering between heaven and earth as they unleashed heaven-shaking Daoist arts to seize the black smoke.
Besides them, a divine bird radiating clear light flew out of the luminous valley. Its wings resembled clouds hanging from the heavens, its tail a long rainbow spanning the sky.
"Juqü Mountain!"
Cheng Xinzhan and Daoist Cunsi