Central Domain.
Wuxiang Sect.
"Junior Brother, my heart feels uneasy. It is as if something terrible is happening..."
Han Huijun pressed a hand to his chest, his brow tightly furrowed, his expression grave.
Shen Yuefu looked at him, guessing, "Sect Master, did the Sect Master order you to carry it with you at all times?"
Han Huijun raised his hand to his chest, "I have been keeping it close recently. It is right here… The Sect Master Order is burning!"
Startled, he pulled the Sect Master Order out and threw it to the ground. His right hand turned bright red from the heat.
Shen Yuefu used the tip of his sword to lift the Sect Master Order. The scorching heat instantly made the tip of his Immortal Sword glow faintly red.
"Junior Brother, your Lǚshuang Yǔn Immortal Sword..."
Han Huijun pointed at his sword in astonishment.
Shen Yuefu focused, "It is the Sect Master Order that has gone wrong. Which place does it concern?"
Han Huijun snapped out of his shock, "It is Hun Ling Mountain. Someone must have successfully broken into Hun Ling Mountain!"
"Hun Ling Mountain? How could that place be linked to the Sect Master Order?"
Shen Yuefu's eyes were full of confusion.
Han Huijun's face changed drastically, his expression tense, "Hun Ling Mountain is a core area of Wuxiang Sect, protected by layers of seals. Normally, no one can enter its innermost part!"
"The Sect Master Order reacting like this… does it mean someone has reached the innermost area?" Shen Yuefu seemed to understand.
Han Huijun nodded heavily, "Yes. Although the Ancestor told me about Hun Ling Mountain when he passed the Sect Master Order to me, I never imagined that one day Wuxiang Sect could not even protect Hun Ling Mountain!"
Shen Yuefu gazed calmly toward the outer gate. "The Sect's protective array is about to be broken. The people at Hun Ling Mountain may also have been sent by them."
Han Huijun let his hands drop in despair, "Is Wuxiang Sect really going to fall under my watch?"
"No, wait..." Shen Yuefu narrowed his eyes, staring at the spirit world cultivators attacking the array outside the gate.
"They have left. The Ancestor of Miaoyun Sect has left!"
Shen Yuefu's voice could not hide his astonishment.
Han Huijun hurriedly lifted his head, shocked, "He really took them away! What is going on?"
Shen Yuefu pressed two fingers together, gripping a Water Condensing Ice Arrow, and drove it into the ground.
"Go!"
He whispered sharply.
The Water Condensing Ice Arrow took off, chasing the cultivators who had departed outside the mountain gate.
"It seems their direction is… Hun Ling Mountain!"
Shen Yuefu looked toward the distance in surprise.
Han Huijun clenched his fists, "We cannot just sit and wait for death. They must have some plan for Hun Ling Mountain. I cannot let their scheme succeed."
"I will go to Hun Ling Mountain to stop them," Shen Yuefu volunteered.
Han Huijun raised a hand to recall the Sect Master Order, "No, I will handle this personally. You stay here and protect the disciples!"
With that, he did not wait for Shen Yuefu's response. He turned and flew into the hall, leaving through a hidden passage.
Shen Yuefu stared alone at the cold, empty hall, feeling as if he had lost something.
-
Hun Ling Mountain.
"Fairy, we are here!"
Mo Rui pointed at the shattered stone tablet, speaking to Yao Ranran.
Bai Qingwu swallowed fearfully, "I heard that the treasures hidden in Hun Ling Mountain can turn the Lower Realm into a spirit world, with spiritual energy so concentrated it can help one break through the Divine Transformation bottleneck. Reaching Mahayana would not be a problem!"
Mo Rui glanced at her, a flash of killing intent crossing his eyes before vanishing.
This person really talks too much!
Yao Ranran looked at her in surprise, "Turning the Lower Realm into a spirit world? As long as we obtain these treasures, we don't need to ascend to the spirit world. We can cultivate to Mahayana right here?"
Bai Qingwu, seeing everyone's eyes on her, stammered, "I… I just heard about it. I don't know if it's true. Anyway, many people want these treasures!"
"Yes. The treasures hidden here are older than Wuxiang Sect itself. Whoever obtains them will have no difficulty advancing to Mahayana!"
Mo Rui suddenly laughed wildly.
Mu Xin's face changed. He struck a palm toward him.
"Not good, it's an external manifestation!"
His palm struck the soft clouds. Mo Rui's afterimage rushed into the depths of Hun Ling Mountain, his laughter echoing wildly.
"Ha ha ha, all the treasures of Hun Ling Mountain will be mine! When I come out, I will kill all of you!"
Bai Qingwu turned pale with fear, "I have nothing to do with the two of them. Don't kill me! I surrender, I surrender!"
Mu Xin raised his hand and struck the back of her head heavily, "You cowardly woman. You are a woman—can you not learn from the Eastern Wilderness Fairy beside me?"
Unconsciously, he felt genuine admiration for Yao Ranran.
Bai Qingwu trembled, "Who is a woman? I am not a woman!"
Yao Ranran nodded, "Yes, she is not female."
Mu Xin froze at their words, then realized, "To avoid embarrassing women, you dare not even admit your own identity! But do not claim you are a man either. There are no men as cowardly as you!"
Bai Qingwu opened her mouth, but swallowed her words in grievance.
Yao Ranran looked toward the direction Mo Rui had fled. After taking a few steps, she heard the roar of beasts from deep underground.
"Hmph, that Mo Rui. I will go catch him myself!"
Mu Xin prepared to chase after him.
Yao Ranran quickly stopped him, "Did you not hear the sound from deep underground? The treasures are buried below, not vicious beasts, right?"
Bai Qingwu and Mu Xin stared blankly at her.
"How could there be vicious beasts in the Lower Realm? We heard nothing at all!"
Yao Ranran gazed suspiciously toward the distance where Mo Rui had fled.
"I am not mistaken. There is definitely a living being roaring below."
Mu Xin hesitated a few steps back, "Has anyone in this world actually seen the treasures buried in Hun Ling Mountain?"
Bai Qingwu blinked, confused, "I only heard from others… it seems no one has seen them."
"Someone is coming again." Yao Ranran listened to the wind and turned toward the mountain entrance.
"Who… Yao Ranran?"
Han Huijun's angry shout froze mid-air as he saw the faces of the three in front of him.
"Bei Ming Holy Maiden? How are you here?"
He looked at Yao Ranran and the others in shock, occasionally glancing at the seemingly inconspicuous Mu Xin.
Mu Xin stared at Bai Qingwu in astonishment, "This androgynous creature is the Bei Ming Holy Maiden? Since when did the Bei Ming Holy Palace have such poor taste in choosing a Holy Maiden?"
Bai Qingwu glared at him in annoyance but did not dare speak back.
Yao Ranran, seeing Han Huijun's urgency, asked curiously, "Sect Master Han, why are you in such a hurry?"
Han Huijun suddenly remembered the matter and stared at the three cautiously.
"Have you encountered any spirit world cultivators here? Hun Ling Mountain hides our Wuxiang Sect's secrets. I hurried here because someone has tampered with the treasures of Hun Ling Mountain!"