C935 The God of Gods!
Nestled within the Jade Peak Mountain Range lay the sprawling edifices of the Medicine Sect.
Chu Yao sat stoically before the majestic palace, flanked by a line of Yang God Stage masters and a handful of alchemists, their presence marked by a faint scent of medicinal herbs.
Before him, the Medicine Sect's alchemists and practitioners knelt in submission.
Those who had refused to bow were now but bones.
"The former sect master of the Medicine Sect, Shi Yuxuan, trespassed into the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and conspired with the Outland Evil Demon," Chu Yao recounted methodically, detailing Shi Yuxuan's transgressions.
He then declared, "Effective immediately, Shi Yuxuan is no longer the Sect Master of the Medicine Sect. I, Chu Yao, will assume interim leadership. Once the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area has been breached and the Outland Evil Demon vanquished, I will select a successor with distinguished military achievements to become the new Sect Master."
After a brief pause, Chu Yao added, "Are there any objections?"
Silence enveloped the crowd.
"Very well," Chu Yao nodded in approval. "We shall not engage in direct combat, but our duty lies in concocting pellets to aid and heal the wounded warriors."
He glanced upward as a gilding treasure ship sailed overhead.
The Spirit Void Taoist, standing at the ship's prow, seemed to catch Chu Yao's eye and acknowledged him with a distant nod.
Chu Yao returned the gesture with a respectful bow.
...
Amidst the crimson peaks of the Red Mountain, Feng Pu, Tang Zheng, Van Heqing, and Mo Baichuan were engaged in hushed deliberation. Their attention shifted as the gilding treasure ship, carrying the Spirit Void Taoist, came into view.
With a whoosh, the Spirit Void Taoist appeared, standing alone upon the ruddy expanse.
Possessing the late-stage prowess of the Unrestrained Stage and the authority of a sect master, the Spirit Void Taoist's presence commanded a respectful silence from those gathered.
"Welcome, Taoist," Feng Pu greeted him first.
Tang Zheng, Van Heqing, and the others maintained their composure, offering no reaction.
"What of the Silver Moon Sect?" inquired the Spirit Void Taoist, his brow furrowed.
At his words, Tang Zheng of Quill Mountain let out a soft huff, "As of now, no elders or disciples from the Silver Moon Sect have joined the fray."
"I heard that not too long ago, Lau Ying was detained in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area," Van Heqing interjected. "The girl has returned, but it's uncertain whether her soul has as well. Everyone understands what she represents to the Silver Moon Sect. Their absence here might be attributed to that concern."
His implication was clear: Lau Ying was likely held captive by the opposition, her Yin God leveraged as a threat against the Silver Moon Sect.
The Silver Moon Sect feared for the life of Lau Ying's Yin God, hence their reluctance to dispatch experts to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.
"I've heard rumors that the enigmatic master of the Moon Sect was forging his Primordial Spirit in the Outland Star River with assistance from the Divine Soul Sect. Could this be why the Silver Moon Sect is hesitant to engage in conflict?" inquired the Spirit Void Taoist.
"Those are unfounded claims, not to be recklessly spread," retorted Van Heqing.
"True or not, time will reveal all," the Spirit Void Taoist said, casting a glance at the sky. "If the Moon Sect Master manages to refine his Primordial Spirit, the upper echelons of the Heavenly Source Continent will expand from three to four."
His expression was icy as he spoke these words.
The Spirit Void Sect, once the foremost among the seven lower sects, and he, in the late Unrestrained Stage, both aspired to refine their Primordial Spirits.
Yet it seemed the Moon Sect Master, presumably with the Divine Soul Sect's aid, was poised to beat them to the punch.
Meanwhile, the Spirit Void Sect had suffered greatly: Taoist Chongxiao and Taoist Yeyin were dead, and two other Taoists had been gravely wounded in an ambush on their way back to the sect.
The Spirit Void Sect's standing plummeted from first to behind both the Silver Moon Sect and the Thunder Sect.
Had it not been for the sudden alliance of the three upper sects, the Demon Palace, and the Devil Palace converging in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, pressuring the malevolent forces targeting the Spirit Void Sect to retreat into hiding, their losses would have been even more severe.
Should this trend continue, the Ancient Desolate Sect, led by Zhongli, would soon outpace them.
To think that the foundation and prestige he had nurtured for over two hundred years could be obliterated in a mere six months was unbearable. How could he come to terms with such a downfall?
In the decisive battle for the forbidden territory, he was determined to reaffirm his worth and the honor of the Spirit Void Sect!
"Once the ranks from the Devil Palace and Demon Palace are assembled, we'll shatter the grand array," Fenng Pu declared, eyes lifting to the heavens. "The battle will commence simultaneously from outside and within. After the dust settles, the sects will be re-ranked, and the Spirit Void Sect might just reclaim its position as the premier sect among the lower echelons."
His proclamation was met with knowing looks directed at the Spirit Void Taoist.
...
On the fringes of the forbidden zone.
Hovering above the Evil Cauldron, Yu Yuan peered into the chasms below, attempting to extend his soul consciousness to unravel the enigmas hidden within.
Tianzang, the Ghost King, watched him with an inscrutable smirk.
"Kid, the Artifact Soul of your cauldron likely originated from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, which allows the soul spirit to delve deep inside," he chuckled, baring his teeth. "As for you, even though you've gained the sword soul's approval and have a slight connection to the Soul Transformation Pool, it's not certain you can penetrate the depths below."
"Keep in mind, the wonders of the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area extend beyond just the Soul Transformation Pool."
He was cut off mid-sentence as his face contorted with surprise.
The soul consciousness released by Yu Yuan was plain to see; it effortlessly slipped into a crevice, much like Yu Yiyi's had.
"This..."
Tianzang's taunting laughter came to an abrupt halt.
In the following instant, he witnessed a sight that left him astounded.
As the soul consciousness streamed into a crevice like a dark, aqua current, a soul shadow identical to Yu Yuan's gently wafted out from his brow.
"The Yin God has separated from the body! And it was that very thing that triggered it!"
Tianzang's face twisted with dismay. "How could this be? Is it possible that the cauldron soul of the Evil Cauldron truly hails from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and is one of the captive evil demons? No, my memory holds no record of such a demon!"
Formerly known as the Heavenly Devils' Yuv Qian, now the Ghost King Tianzang, he was utterly confounded, unable to fathom the mystery.
With a whoosh!
Yu Yuan's Yin God, as if guided by instinct, left the acupoint at his brow and slipped into a fissure in the rock.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Deep underground, the sound of rare stones shattering echoed abruptly.
Boom! Boom! Thunderous booms resonated from hundreds of feet below the surface, rumbling from a specific region.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, a group of mighty dragons led by Loong Jie pursued the Demon Palace's Grand Commander, Lvliu. They converged on the edge of the Desolate Swamp, forming a blockade to prevent Lvliu from finding refuge in its vastness.
The Desolate God presided over the Great Swamp, a place where even the most powerful Primordial Spirit Stage cultivators and Demon Gods from the Demon Palace dared not cause chaos.
Dozens of jade-green streams were relentlessly besieged by the dragons, thwarting each of Lvliu's clones from entering the Desolate God's domain with ease.
The dragons from Hidden Dragon Lake had been informed by Loong Jie that should any of these streams reach the Desolate Swamp, Lvliu would be considered successfully escaped. He possessed a method that allowed his other clones to instantly reunite with him using a secret art of evasion.
Aoao! Aoao!
Suddenly, the ancient blood within the elder dragons began to boil, their dragon souls quivering with a violent shudder. An unseen force descended from the ether, tearing at their souls, suppressing their dragon blood, and rendering their bodies rigid and unresponsive.
The dragons were immobilized, suspended in the air for several seconds.
In that brief window, the jade-green streams seized the opportunity and surged into the Desolate Swamp.
Within the swamp, the streams merged into a single force, transforming into the true serpentine form of the Green Willow Demon.
The battered Lvliu, with a flash of otherworldly light in its vertical eye, cast its gaze toward the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, far in the distance. In the ancient tongue of the demon race, it whispered softly, "The Dragon Slash Platform stirs."
