The distant mountains were reduced to mere black outlines, layer upon layer pressing down on the horizon. A mountain breeze blew up from the valley floor, carrying the scent of damp earth and some indescribable, fishy smell.
Snow Empress caught a glimpse of the change on the horizon out of the corner of her eye. The dots of light were getting closer and closer, moving at an astonishing speed. What started as tiny specks the size of pinheads had expanded to the size of soybeans in just a few breaths, leaving long trails of light, like several shooting stars falling simultaneously towards the desolate mountains. The light was pale blue and silvery-white, the typical glow of a righteous cultivator releasing their Spiritual Power, while a streak of dark red mixed in seemed to be the mark of a cultivator who had taken an unorthodox path.
She sensed the Demon Venerable move. The black figure, which had been standing on the edge of the mountaintop, had now transformed into a blur that was almost invisible to the naked eye, soaring into the sky against the mountain wind. He did not draw his sword or summon any magical artifacts; he simply stood with his hands behind his back, hovering in mid-air, blocking the stream of light and the desolate mountain.
"Everyone, halt!" The Demon Venerable's voice came from above, not loud, but clearly penetrating the howling mountain wind and reaching the Snow Empress's ears. "This is forbidden territory. Those who trespass will bear the consequences."
The streaks of light stopped about a hundred feet away from the Demon Venerable, floating in mid-air and taking on human forms. Leading them was a middle-aged man in a gray-blue Daoist robe, with a thin face, three long strands of beard flowing in the wind, and a white jade token with the words "Tianheng" engraved on it hanging at his waist. Behind him were three younger cultivators, two men and one woman, all of whom looked on with great vigilance.
"Elder Li Xuanqing of Tianheng." The Demon Venerable recognized the token, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Your Heavenly Dao Alliance's intelligence network is quite impressive; I barely landed before you arrived."
Li Xuanqing's gaze passed over the Demon Venerable's shoulder and landed on the golden light halfway up the desolate mountain. The Snow Empress's position was mostly obscured by the mountain and trees, but the aura of Spiritual Power could not be hidden, especially the residual aura after the evaporation of the golden blood. To a cultivator of Elder Tianheng's level, it was as bright as a campfire in the dark.
" Demon Venerable," Li Xuanqing said in a deep voice, "You and the Snow Empress are both top cultivators of the Eight Desolations, and you should not be causing havoc on the world. The Source of Chaos is a legacy of an ancient natural disaster. Once it gets out of control, all living beings on the entire continent will suffer annihilation. As the Lord of the Demonic Path, you should know this better than either of us. I would like to ask the Demon Venerable to step aside and let my Heavenly Dao Alliance deal with the Source of Chaos and seal it properly."
The Demon Venerable chuckled softly, the sound echoing through the empty mountains and fields, carrying an indescribable mockery. "Properly sealed? Li Xuanqing, your so-called proper sealing means taking the Source of Chaos back to the Heavenly Dao Alliance's Treasure Pavilion, letting those old men study it for decades, squeezing out its last bit of power, then finding an excuse to say 'the sealing failed,' and burying the remnants in some desolate wilderness?"
Li Xuanqing's expression darkened. " Demon Venerable, watch your words. The Heavenly Dao Alliance has always acted with integrity and uprightness; how can you slander us like this?"
"Upright and honorable?" The Demon Venerable tilted his head, a cold glint flashing in his jet-black eyes. "Regarding the Chaos Pearl, how much did your Heavenly Dao Alliance receive from the three sects of the Southern Frontier to allow them to take away the fragments of the Chaos Pearl? Don't think I don't know. Two of those fragments ended up in the private treasury of your Heavenly Dao Alliance Council of Elders, and the remaining fragment was only discovered when it was picked up by the Ziwei Sect. Is this what you call proper handling?"
Li Xuanqing's expression changed. The three young cultivators behind him exchanged glances, clearly unaware of this past event. The young female cultivator couldn't help but whisper, "Elder, what did he say—"
"Nonsense!" Li Xuanqing interrupted her sharply, flicking his sleeve. The white jade token flew from his waist, hovering before him, emitting a warm glow. " Demon Venerable, your methods of bewitching people are as effective as ever. But I am here today not to debate with you, but to prevent the Source of Chaos from falling into the hands of those with ulterior motives. If you insist on obstructing me, don't blame me for disregarding our past camaraderie."
"The bond of fellow cultivators?" The Demon Venerable laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, his laughter sharp and cold. " Li Xuanqing, Li Xuanqing, back when you and I were comprehending the Great Dao together in the Wuji Grotto-Heaven, you never mentioned any bond of fellow cultivators. You stole my Dao Comprehension Stone, then claimed it was something you had achieved through sudden enlightenment, and your master praised you for three months. And what happened to that stone afterward? You used it to exchange for the position of Elder Tianheng."
Li Xuanqing's pupils suddenly contracted. The aura around him surged violently, and his gray-blue Daoist robe billowed and fluttered without wind. The light on the white jade token suddenly became dazzling, and the air within a radius of dozens of feet became viscous and heavy, like a pool of amber about to solidify.
"You're asking for it." Li Xuanqing spat out the three words through gritted teeth.
The Demon Venerable stood a hundred feet away from him, his faint smile remaining unchanged. He even stretched out a hand and lazily beckoned with his finger. "Come, let me see how much skill you've gained over the years."
The moment the words left his mouth, Li Xuanqing made his move. The white jade token transformed into a stream of light, splitting into nine in mid-air. Nine silver-white sword lights intertwined to form an impenetrable net, descending upon the Demon Venerable. Each sword light radiated a chilling sword intent, slicing through the air with a sharp whistling sound. Even the Snow Empress, far away on the mountainside, could feel the sharp energy scraping against the panel.
The Demon Venerable didn't even move. Suddenly, a black ripple rose from beneath his feet, spreading rapidly like waves on water, swallowing even the light in its path. When the nine sword lights collided with the black ripple, it was as if nine fine needles had been pierced into a clump of viscous ink; their speed decreased drastically, and the silvery-white light on the surface of the sword lights quickly dimmed, gradually being dyed and swallowed by the black ripple.
"Too slow." The Demon Venerable shook his head and casually pushed forward with his right hand. The black ripples suddenly contracted towards the center, wrapped in nine sword lights, and rebounded sharply, all heading towards Li Xuanqing himself. The speed was more than twice as fast as when they came.
Li Xuanqing's face paled in horror. He clasped his hands together, let out a clear shout, and the Spiritual Power shield around him suddenly lit up. Nine sword lights, stained black, struck his shield, and a deafening roar resounded like thunder. Li Xuanqing was propelled backward dozens of feet by the immense force, his feet carving two deep furrows in the mountainside. The surface of his shield was covered with cracks and teetered on the verge of collapse.
The three young monks behind him turned pale with fright.