At the summit of Penglai Mountain.
Layers of magic arrays radiated tremendous power, shutting out everything outside.
Gemstones flew back and forth within the arrays.
These were all chess pieces condensed through supreme magical power by the great cultivators during the Immortal Kingdom's most glorious days.
They formed that art-
Supreme Saint King Form-Exchange Spirit-Transfer Chess Art!
The original purpose of this art was to allow people living at the end of the world to return to the past and seek hope for the Immortal Kingdom's survival, should it ever encounter a crisis it could not overcome.
This was the Immortal Kingdom's ultimate means of saving itself.
However.
All the gemstones kept flying through the air, but they were not being activated in succession.
The Penglai Mountain Master's hands continually formed different spell arts. She seemed to be casting some spellcraft and had no time to control those chess pieces.
A full half hour passed.
At last, she successfully formed every spell seal and cried in a low voice:
"Soul Escape!"
A phantom emerged from her body, flew into the air, and looked back at her.
"Don't linger. Go."
The Penglai Mountain Master spoke.
The human-shaped phantom flew away.
Only then did the Mountain Master resume forming hand seals, bringing a gemstone down before her as she looked into nothingness.
She was just about to release the gemstone when a hand suddenly reached out of nothingness and seized her by the neck.
"Nan Xingman," a stiff male voice rang out, "you know I'm powerful enough to destroy your entire Penglai Mountain. Even Guanghan Palace and Haoyang Heavenly Palace combined couldn't withstand one-thousandth of my strength-"
The voice abruptly turned savage and murderous:
"How dare you use the Supreme Saint King Form-Exchange Spirit-Transfer Chess Art!"
The void opened.
A male cultivator