Chapter 1352: Returning To The Mountain (I)

"Five-eyed one! What are you doing!"

Chilu never expected that the Merciful One before him, with wondrous hands like lotus petals behind his back, would be so furious yet remain completely motionless. He stood eerily still in midair.

Clearly, the Boundless Water-Fire on his body had long since extinguished, and he still retained eight or nine tenths of his momentum. His condition could be called excellent among this group of Merciful Ones, yet the old thing did not move at all.

"You!"

Before Chilu could finish cursing, he felt the great void tremble. A thunderous explosion rang by his ears, followed by a deafening roar:

The Buddhists gathered on Mount Xiaoshi all raised their heads. Black rifts of various sizes appeared in the sky, linking directly to the great void. Dazzling golden qi mixed with treasure light shot forth and, upon entering the manifested world, transformed into drifting pink lotus flowers and cascading golden sand.

A streak of bright golden light fled through the air. Amid the scattered petals and golden sand, the intricately patterned Three Retributions World Entering Lotus let out a mournful cry as it circled in the sky, standing out brilliantly against the white snow.

Chilu stared in shock and cried out in alarm, "Daisi is injured!"

This streak of light seemed to trigger the collapse of the entire battlefield. The purple immortal pavilion floating in the air grew ever brighter, and a middle-aged man with a half-white hair and beard stood upon it, positioned in front of Ning Wan.

The completely snow-white Purple Mansion Realm spirit sword, etched with profound snow and Supreme Yin, its surface depicting the passing of autumn into winter, had already fallen into the middle-aged man's hands.

Ling Mei!

Ling Mei of the Sword Gate! Ling Mei was wielding the Frosty Absolute Sword!

The difference between the Frosty Absolute Sword in Ning Wan's hands compared to when it was in Ling Mei's could be described as the difference between heaven and earth. The Buddhist land in the sky almost instantly dispersed. Multicolored light, thrones, golden bodies all vanished faster than they appeared, leaving only drifting white snow.

Only now did Chilu belatedly understand the five-eyed Merciful One's actions. Ling Mei must have used Li Ximing as bait, striking with a single sword to injure Daisi, who held the Three Retributions World Entering Lotus. If it had been Chilu himself, he might not even have had a chance to return to the Buddhist land.

He had never gotten along with the five-eyed one for hundreds of years. Yet now, because of the other's caution, his own life had been spared. His feelings were complicated as he immediately fled into the great void,

So crafty. Rumor has it this old thing has been temperamental lately, slaughtering his own disciples. How is there even a trace of senility in him? He is only getting more and more cunning... he must be plotting for the next position within the Emptiness Dao...

Unexpectedly, the five-eyed Merciful One himself was so frightened that his whole body had gone weak. He did not even dare to look back, muttering to himself as he rushed straight into the great void. The other Merciful Ones also fled or scattered, each scrambling to save their own lives.

Who would still be willing to stay? Zhelu had already dispersed the Buddhist land, and this Maha was remaining only to prevent too many Merciful Ones of the Emptiness Dao from falling. Otherwise, a Supreme Yang Dao lineage Daoist Master of the Metal Virtue, wielding a Purple Mansion Realm spirit sword famous for centuries, would probably need several Golden Lotus Throne-level figures to die before it was enough.

At the same time, the black-clad Daoist Master Luo, shrouded in sinister yin qi, also fled in terror. The moment he saw Ling Mei, half his life was scared out of him. He fully activated his divine ability, abandoning any thought of claiming credit, and turned tail to flee.

The snowfall in the sky grew heavier. Maha Zhelu was clearly growing wary, the thousand eyes on his body blinking in unison as pink and golden light converged. Daoist Master Kuiqi's expression relaxed as he landed beside the purple radiant pavilion, cradling his sword in his arms.

Zhelu was clearly different from Daisi. His golden body was profound and wondrous as it reached up to the heavens. His voice thundered down from layers of clouds, "So it is Fellow Daoist Ling Mei. Upon seeing such divine ability of the Sword Dao, I thought it was Louxing."

Ling Mei said nothing as golden qi merely gathered upon the sword. The Frosty Absolute Sword, which had not rested in the hands of a high-level sword cultivator for many years, flickered between bright and dim, as if exceedingly excited.

Upon hearing the name Louxing, a trace of coldness flashed through Daoist Master Kuiqi's eyes. He had never been one with a good temper, so how could he possibly hold it in?

He cursed, "You bald old donkey, who are you pretending for?! If my Grand Daoist Master was here, would you dare show even half of that shiny head of yours? If you are going to get lost, do it early! When my family's Grand Daoist Master roamed the world with his sword, did you dare let out a single fart?! The moment the Grand Daoist Master goes into seclusion for a few years, you come out barking like a mad dog!"

Kuiqi sneered coldly, speaking without the slightest fear, "If you force our southern side too far, I want to see whether it is your golden body that shatters first!"

Kuiqi's torrent of curses was deeply satisfying and made Ling Mei's brows relax. Ning Wan had been trapped within the formation for several days. Even with her reserved nature, she felt like some of her pent-up frustration had been released as she quietly took a pill.

Li Ximing emerged from the great void and supported Chen Yin in midair. The Chen Family ancestor's face was deathly pale, clearly having suffered a serious injury. Li Ximing did not hesitate.

He took out a True Profound Heart-Cleansing Pill from his sleeve and pressed it into Chen Yin's hand, speaking quietly, "Senior, do not worry. This pill was refined by the Pristine Water Dao. It specializes in healing injuries and regulating qi. It perfectly suits your divine ability. Take it at once."

Both were Purple Mansion Realm Daoist Masters, but unlike Li Ximing, Chen Yin was suffering a severe shortage of pills. The others were from the Supreme Yang Dao lineage and naturally did not lack good items. In truth, Chen Yin was the most desperate at the moment. He quickly expressed his thanks and accepted it.

Despite being scolded so thoroughly, Zhelu was neither angry nor anxious. His voice remained calm, clear, and heavy as he said, "Although I am not a match, I would surely benefit immensely and be overjoyed if I were fortunate enough to receive guidance from Fellow Daoist Louxing..."

Ling Mei ultimately had not crossed the Purple Mansion Realm Threshold. Though Zhelu was wary of him wielding a spirit sword, he was certainly no match for the Grand Daoist Master Louxing.

He responded coldly, yet softly, "There is no need for senior. I will come and exchange pointers myself."

Zhelu had already retreated into the great void as the words fell. Atop the purple qi immortal pavilion, Kuiqi vanished at the same time. The radiance over Mount Xiaoshi dissipated as dark clouds covered the sky once again. Heaven and earth turned dim, leaving only thick layers of snow on the ground.

The shifting radiance of the Frosty Absolute Sword pierced into the great void, transforming into countless forms. Gentle moonlight accompanied by icy brilliance flooded the pitch-black great void in an instant.

The great void should have contained nothing, yet even the darkness retreated like a tide. Zhelu's golden body was equally terrifying in size. Hundreds and thousands of arms extended from his back, each arm bearing an open eye at its center, appearing both noble and eerie.

These tens of thousands of eyes opened simultaneously, revealing deep blue-black pupils. Pink radiance flew forth like a peacock spreading its tail, dazzling in brilliance, with even the slightest movement.

Ling Mei struck with a single sword.

The sword carried flowing snow and reflected autumn light. It surged upstream through countless river-like streams of pink radiance and stabbed straight toward Zhelu's face. In an instant, the great void roared and exploded with boundless brilliant light.

Such a great battle had erupted within the great void, so the manifested world likewise echoed with its effects. Layer upon layer of golden snow swept through the air, vanishing before they could touch the ground. The several Purple Mansion Realm cultivators all showed strange expressions.

What an awe-inspiring sword light!

Being so close to the northern Buddhist cultivators was already extremely dangerous. Since Ling Mei and Zhelu were locked in battle within the great void, it was only natural for the others to withdraw quickly. Li Ximing looked around and flew over. Ning Wan coughed twice and spat out some blood on the purple qi immortal pavilion, causing fine snow to drift once more over Mount Xiaoshi. Yet her complexion gradually grew rosier, clearly showing improvement.

Seeing Li Ximing approach, Ning Wan lifted her slender brows and spoke gently, "Greetings, Zhaojing. Many thanks for this matter."

It was also Li Ximing's first time meeting her. He cupped his hands politely and replied, "It was only right."

At this moment, the purple qi immortal pavilion beneath them finally transformed. Flowing light scattered as it gradually shrank into a palm-sized miniature pavilion. Daoist Master Tinglan finally manifested in the world and held the small pavilion in her hand.

This woman's divine ability mana was dim and lusterless. Her face was pale, and she looked utterly exhausted. Most critically, her foundation seemed to have been shaken. Purple qi rolled and scattered, her divine ability flickering between bright and dim. Compared to her, Ning Wan could almost be said to have suffered no serious injuries at all.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Tinglan forced herself to stay alert at the sight of Li Ximing, looking somewhat surprised as she let out a breath and said, "Sorry to trouble you all, Daoist Friends... Fellow Daoist Zhaojing is far away in the Eastern Sea, yet you were still made to make this trip..."

Li Ximing was more familiar with her than with Ning Wan. Seeing her like this, he returned the salute and replied, "When a Daoist Friend is trapped, it is only natural to return and give aid!"

Chen Yin was clearly not close to the two of them. He merely nodded and said little. The four of them together entered the great void and crossed the river all the way to the Purple Smoke Blessed Land.

Tinglan took another pill and lowered her gaze as she said, "I will not say excessive thanks. I am severely injured and truly cannot delay. I will remember this assistance. Let me first stabilize my divine ability... for now, leave the matters to Fellow Daoist Ning..."

She took out a circular formation plate with a gray-gold base and purple patterns from her sleeve, along with a jade slip, and handed them together to Ning Wan. Only then did she force a smile at Li Ximing and say, "Do not worry about your esteemed family's grand formation. Daoist Master Ning's talent in formations is astonishing. She is not like me, a half-trained learner forcing my way through. Her attainment will soon surpass mine, with even more ingenious ideas. Entrust it to her."

Ning Wan nodded silently. After struggling between life and death, she had grown much closer to Tinglan and said softly, "Sister may leave everything for me. Please focus on recovering properly."

Tinglan merely held onto the purple jade pavilion, seemingly using it to temporarily suppress her injuries. She transformed into Purple Essence and slipped away, descending into the blessed land.

Li Ximing felt slightly relieved, judging that the matter had finally come to an end, and relaxed.

Kuiqi's affair would undoubtedly have been extremely troublesome without the Surging Yang Star Command Treasure Disk, and injuries would have been inevitable. Fortunately, the Great Xiukui Temple had been generous. The only real danger throughout had been Daisi, but that Maha was driven back by Ling Mei's sword, allowing him to escape unscathed.

Yet thinking back on it, he still found it hard to believe. Others might not understand, but Li Ximing had witnessed it personally. He thought to himself,

Just one sword...

Daisi had also gone all out, using the famous Three Retributions World Entering Lotus. Yet Ling Mei's single sword strike had first damaged the Three Retributions World Entering Lotus, leaving scars on the treasure artifact and stripping away its radiant light before shattering Daisi's protective treasure light. The sword had sealed his throat, terrifying Daisi into fleeing in disgrace.

Although Ling Mei had prepared in advance and seized the perfect moment, Daisi's treasure artifact had also been borrowed. That horse head would likely not have survived without the Three Retributions World Entering Lotus...