Black Shoes Enters the Palace

The sea Billowing Dream Palace resembled a crumpled piece of dark silk. The eternally unchanging salty wind swept past, carrying shards of ice that crashed against the glazed tiles of the palace walls, scattering tiny silver sparks.

The twelve newly made stone lions, commissioned by several deputy envoys, crouched at the foot of the white jade steps outside the palace gate. Each lion's head was inlaid with pupils made of Third Tier mermaid pearls, which shimmered with a ghostly blue light in the afterglow of the thunderstorm, as if they might open their mouths and spew out icy mist at any moment.

Further out in the deep sea, purplish-black waves surged, their crests supporting swarms of crimson-scaled rays. The membranes on their backs were as transparent as paper in the rosy light, yet they could easily slice through the body of the fake alchemist.

Whenever the ancient sword on the palace roof rings out, these stingrays will all turn towards the palace, as if in worship, or as if in fear.

They remembered that five hundred years ago, Kuang Chexiao had slaughtered several Fourth Tier Wenyao. The Blood Coral that had been nurtured was of very high quality and still smelled sweet and fishy at the foot of the palace walls.

This shows that we should not assume that Kuang Chexiao's self-deprecating use of the term "Dragon Spawn" truly makes him detached from the Kuang Household. In fact, he inherited a great deal of the Kuang Household's ruthless style from his ancestor, Kuang Nianbai.

The thunderstorm clouds lingered three zhang above the palace roof, yet not a single drop of rain fell. Occasionally, flashes of bluish-white lightning would appear through the gaps in the clouds, drawing the attention of the palace guards on duty outside.

"Recently, the sea has been rich in thunderous energy; this half-cycle may be a good time to train Thunder-Shock Dao Soldiers."

The palace general had just formed this thought and was about to say something to his colleague when he saw several streaks of light approaching. He immediately raised the golden mace in his hand, but just as he became wary, he smiled again after seeing who was approaching:

"It turns out to be the patrol officers. You've all been very busy lately, I didn't know you'd come today. What brings you here?!"

Although the palace guard on duty spoke very warmly, his silver eyes were not idle. He meticulously examined the jade tokens on the waists of the cultivators before saying:

"Perhaps you have come at an inopportune time. Vice Envoy Changxiao is currently meeting with His Majesty on important matters and will likely not have a moment's rest. Therefore, you may have to wait at the palace's separate residence for a while."

Don't be fooled by the fact that this palace general is merely assigned to guard the palace gates outside the Billowing Dream Palace; in reality, his cultivation has already reached the Late-Stage Golden Core.

Within the realm of the Immortal Dynasty, this might be enough to earn a title and rank, making him no small figure. However, the palace general's attitude towards these young cultivators was rather amiable.

After all, the Billowing Dream Palace only holds the White Wave Dharma Assembly once every two cycles of sixty years. The cultivators selected from this assembly and ranked among the best are then given the title of Sea Patrol Captain.

Although his current status is slightly lower than that of the Palace General on Duty, he is a Nascent Soul cultivator jointly selected by all the True Person of the Billowing Dream Palace. Why would this Palace General bother to offend such a person in the slightest?!

The patrol officers included men and women of all ages, led by a scholar in a turban, with dark skin and small eyes, who was not particularly handsome. After hearing the palace general's words, he bowed and said, "To be honest, General, it was Deputy Envoy Changxiao who summoned us, and we have come to pay our respects by imperial decree."

"I see,"

As the palace general spoke, he gently raised his hand, and the armored soldiers behind him shouted in unison, causing the crisscrossing array of halberds to separate and reveal a path.

The scholar in his turban and the accompanying patrol officer bowed to the palace generals one by one before entering the palace gates.

During this time, the palace guard did not act arrogantly, but instead returned the greetings to each of the cultivators in a very amiable manner. However, when he saw the disheveled Daoist priest at the very end of the line, wearing Black Shoes, he couldn't help but glance at him slightly.

"Who is this young man? He exudes such a strong aura of Sha Qi."

The disheveled Daoist priest seemed to notice the palace general's unusual expression, but he did not flinch. Instead, he bowed respectfully and solemnly, saying, "Black Shoes from Cloud Horn Prefecture greets the palace general."

"Cloud Horn Prefecture, Black Shoes, Black Shoes... why does that sound so familiar?!"

Gong Jiang's eyes lit up, and he realized that the person in front of him was the Daoist Black Shoes who had just single-handedly killed the Heavenly Lance Flame Beast, a Third-Tier Upper-Grade Demon Beast, in the Glazed Sea Area.

The Heavenly Lance Flame Beast, and the pepper wine brewed from it greatly pleased the master. Only then did the master inquire about the name and origin of the Daoist Black Shoes who presented the beast.

The Palace Master of Billowing Dream's actions were not unusual. After all, the Heavenly Lance Flame Beast Demon Beast nothing more than a plaything in the hands of the deputy envoys. However, even the Palace General himself, who had cultivated for over four hundred years, could not be sure of a sure victory against it.

Yet, the Daoist Black Shoes is only a little over a hundred years old and has already made such progress. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, his future prospects are self-evident.

This gatekeeper's job was hardly for a dull person. The palace general's expression changed quickly upon hearing the Daoist Black Shoes speak, and his amiable expression immediately deepened.

He quickly offered a few more words of concern to the Daoist Black Shoes before watching the other cultivators enter the palace gate with him.

The scene just now was naturally witnessed by all the cultivators. They were all people who had cultivated for hundreds of years and attained the Golden Core, and they were all quite shrewd.

Even though no one knew whether they were jealous or envious inside, they all wore expressions of pride on their faces.

The scholar in the turban, who held considerable prestige among the cultivators, waited until the crowd surrounding the Daoist Black Shoes had dispersed before stepping forward. "The Daoist Black Shoes has been remembered by the Palace Master for his outstanding performance in the Glazed Sea; his future prospects are undoubtedly limitless."

"If that's the case, then I must accept Fellow Daoist Ma's auspicious words." The Daoist Black Shoes spoke in a calm tone, and the cultivator surnamed Ma was not annoyed. He simply gave a few more words of advice to the slightly rude patrol officer before walking into the courtyard with the other cultivators.

Vice Envoy Changxiao timed it perfectly; just as the cultivators had settled down, he pulled himself away from Kuang Chexiao's side and turned to face the crowd.

"Greetings, Deputy Envoy"

"Thank you all for your hard work."

Vice Envoy Changxiao narrowed his eyes and said politely, "I have invited you all here today because I have a mission to take place in the southwest. I wonder if any of you are interested?"

"Southwest?" The Daoist Black Shoes narrowed his eyes slightly. Before he could think it through, he heard Deputy Envoy Changxiao say, "The Palace Master has a junior who has made a request. We need to provide some assistance."

Cultivators like the one surnamed Ma, who came from the outer seas and had never even set foot on neighboring lands like the King Yu Circuit, all had different expressions upon hearing Vice Envoy Changxiao's words.

"Logically, since Vice Envoy Changxiao personally gave these instructions, we juniors should not utter a single word. However, we are fortunate to have received personal instruction and compassionate questions from Vice Envoy Changxiao. If we simply respond with obedience and kowtow, we would be failing to live up to his painstaking cultivation. Therefore, we juniors dare to ask Vice Envoy Changxiao, could you please explain the specific matters to us so that we can discuss them further?"

Vice Envoy Changxiao laughed heartily, seemingly unconcerned, and then waved his hand dismissively, saying, "It's nothing more than what should be done."

As soon as he finished speaking, sheets of spiritual silk fell into the hands of the cultivators. Compared to the very calm and collected cultivator surnamed Ma, it was the Daoist Black Shoes who showed a rare hint of urgency.

But what you fear most is what happens. This spiritual silk was only of normal size, but the Daoist Black Shoes noticed the three characters Chongming Sect, which made him feel anxious again.

After seeing Yangming Mountain, I finally felt at ease.

The cultivators reacted differently. Most bowed to Vice Envoy Changxiao and left, but several patrol officers went to Vice Envoy Changxiao to ask for the assignment. Finally, when only the Daoist Black Shoes remained, Vice Envoy Changxiao asked softly again:

"The young friend seems to be from Shannan Circuit, Cloud Horn Prefecture. Does he have no intention of returning to provide assistance this time?"

"Reporting to the Vice Envoy, I must participate in the upcoming talent selection ceremonies and military parades." The Daoist Black Shoes answered earnestly, and the slight hesitation that had initially appeared in the Changxiao Envoy's small eyes vanished in an instant.

The two parted ways, and Vice Envoy Changxiao hurriedly returned to the main hall to report to Kuang Chexiao. The latter showed no unusual expression, only saying, "I told you long ago that he wouldn't go back, because how could someone seeking the Dao bear to leave this place?"

"My lord, in Changxiao's opinion, this Daoist Black Shoes is rather heartless and ruthless,"

"Heartless and ruthless. If that's the case, then for the best; that's how cultivators should be. He thinks he can hide his superior-grade elixir from me? How could that be?!"

For him, diligent cultivation is the most important thing. Everything else is secondary. Once he has made some progress in a few years, I will take him under my wing and teach him properly. In the future, he will become a strong ally."

Vice Envoy Changxiao could tell that Kuang Liuting's tone was serious, so he dared not say another word.

"A letter came from the Office of the Duke of Qin, which is both good and bad. The good thing is that I now have to focus most of my energy on the outside world to prevent the Spirit Transformation from entering my territory."

However, I made a promise to Kuang Liuting before, and I cannot refuse to help.

However, we must not attract too much attention; the chief and deputy envoys cannot be moved lightly. Just give a few men to that newly arrived True Person named Jiuzhen, and send them to provide assistance."

"Yes"

Meanwhile, the Daoist Black Shoes found a secluded spot in the sea and began to examine the spiritual silk in his hand again. Even though he clenched and unclenched it repeatedly, the spiritual silk was eventually destroyed by the Sword Qi in the Daoist Black Shoes's hand.

The Daoist priest could only let out a long sigh at the end, and outsiders could hardly know what he was thinking.

----Outside Yangming Mountain

Before the echoes of the horn had faded, the rosy glow of Yangming Mountain was suddenly shattered by a bloody wind. Contrary to what the cultivators had expected, the warrior monks who had been chanting scriptures incessantly were now hidden in the rear, while the shamanic soldiers, who had recently suffered even greater casualties, were leading the charge.

Unlike previous charges, the light barrier of the Xuanhuang Remnant Array in the northwest suddenly rippled open, and amidst the exclamations of the array masters, countless dark figures had already broken through the light shield.

Sects like the Cloud Marsh Shaman Venerable Hall always have some trump cards up their sleeves. Even though Preceptor Huang Mi isn't skilled in witchcraft, the hall is not lacking in talent. Within just a few days, relying on a large quantity of fresh, high-quality Higher Vehicle and blood, they managed to cultivate a large swarm of "Bone-Eroding Flying Locust."

These fingernail-sized insects, shrouded in dark green miasma, devoured the spiritual soil upon landing, their sharp teeth proving ineffective even against a remnant Third Tier array.

"Form ranks!" Duan Yunzhou's roar pierced through the chirping of insects. The newly recruited righteous men hurriedly raised their spears, but the silver net formed by the spear tips was shattered by the locusts.

One of the Pill Master' direct descendants, who was unknown, panicked and turned to flee, but was struck on the back by the deputy general of the Crimson Zhang Guard. The barbs of the runes tore through his flesh, and the blood droplets were devoured by locusts in the air. In an instant, the young master also lost his life.

"Those who retreat will be executed!" At the lieutenant's shout, the cultivator staggered and turned around, just in time to be met by a locust swarming in his face. His screams came to an abrupt halt as a bloody hole appeared in his neck.

Jin Shilun charged ahead, long sword in hand. Wherever the blade flashed, locusts fell in swarms, only to turn into miasma before hitting the ground. He caught sight of the fleeing followers collapsing on his left, and suddenly hurled his sword, piercing the throat of a shaman who had rarely shown himself before.

The shaman was chanting incantations while holding a bone staff. The green light in the skull's eye dimmed as he died, and the locusts nearby lost their order and were stabbed to dust by the henchmen.

"Slay the sorcerer!" Jin Shilun roared, drawing his short blade from his waist. The surrounding cultivators responded in unison, finally managing to slightly reduce the momentum of the increasingly fierce locust swarm.

Just as Qi Ke had sealed the last batch of pills into a jade bottle in the clinic, a blood-soaked figure rolled in from outside the tent.

He was a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator, half of his face had been gnawed by locusts, and he was making hoarse noises as he pointed to the door, unable to speak. Qi Ke grabbed a silver needle and stuck it into the man's chest acupoint. The moment his fingertips touched the man's clothes, he was burned and withdrew his hand.

The witchcraft poison within the cultivator's body had turned into burning embers, which were now scorching along his meridians!

"It's hopeless." Gun Fangmu shook his head and stuffed a black pill into the cultivator's mouth. "Just give him a quick death."

As soon as the pill entered his throat, the cultivator's body tensed up abruptly, then he turned into a ball of green flame, leaving not even ashes behind.

Yuan Buwen lay on the ice-jade bed when he heard the clash of weapons outside the tent suddenly intensify. He struggled to sit up, but the wound on his leg suddenly burst open, and several white worms emerged from the newly grown flesh—the larvae of the Bone-Eroding Flying Locust.

Sect Leader Kang Da wanted to fight Preceptor Huang Mi, so even the usually quiet Chief Secretary Buse joined the fray. However, they couldn't find the old monk this time and had to face off against Second Hall Master Xia Ming and Eighth Hall Master Gou Shier. Even without Buse's help, these two were no match for Kang Dabao, let alone now.

Just as Kang Dabao was locked in a fierce battle with Xia Ming and Gou Shier, a cloud of dust suddenly billowed up from the southeast. Three crimson command flags pierced through the clouds and exploded on the Yangming Mountain, spreading like wildfire.

"Is this a 'Beacon Fire Command' from the Ying Mountain Army?!"

"Reinforcements have arrived!?"

Duan Yunzhou roared as he cleaved the shaman soldiers in front of him, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a dark cavalry formation breaking through the miasma.

The leading general, his silver armor stained with blood, swept his long spear like thunder, turning the swarming locusts into a green mist. He was none other than Fei Enwen, the deputy general of the Ying Mountain Army. The sound of war drums rolled in from the foot of the mountain, resonating with the remaining Spiritual Qi of the Xuanhuang Remnant Formation.

The Ying Mountain Army cavalry formed a wedge formation, their hooves crushing the bone talisman array laid out in the Shaman Venerable Hall. The heads of the shamans, impaled by spear tips, dripped black blood in the rosy light. Fei Enwen's voice pierced through the sounds of battle. "Marquis of Martial Peace, the Ying Mountain Army has been ordered to reinforce! Elder Zong has intercepted that scoundrel Huang Mi and that group of lewd monks; they won't escape!!"

Upon hearing this, Kang Dabao suddenly swung his halberd, Jade Palace Impurity Breaker Halberd shone brightly, knocking the Law Treasure out of Xia Ming's hand.

"You scoundrel!" Kang Dabao pointed his halberd straight at Xia Ming's throat, the clear light of the Jade Palace Impurity Breaker Halberd drawing blood across his neck.

Buse Secretary Buse produced his prayer beads, and the eighteen Bodhi seeds transformed into a golden chain, binding the still-shaken Gou Shier tightly.

Ying Mountain Army's crossbow carts had been pushed to the foot of the mountain, and the glass-like fire arrows poured down like a torrential rain. The Bone-Eroding Flying Locust crackled in the sea of fire, and the dark green miasma was burned and steamed up.

Jin Shilun leaped onto the earthen slope, stepping over the corpses of the shamans. He cleaved the Root Bone staff in two with his long sword, and the remaining locusts flew around like headless flies, getting strung together like gourds by the spears of the righteous men.

Despite the favorable situation, the Sect Leader Kang Da Dukang frowned slightly, clearly not at ease. However, he later thought, "Well, at least Yangming Mountain won't be a battlefield for now."