Chapter 1838: Passing Guilt (II)

The Capital Immortal Dao's mountain gate stood in the Baiye region, surrounded by rolling hills. Murky river waters surged past, lending the landscape a gloomy cast. The mountain was riddled with caves and grottoes, adorned with carvings and paintings of ghosts, monsters, and spirits. Its towering halls were built of bluestone, fitted together so closely as to appear seamless.

The faint radiance of a divine ability fell upon the ground. After a brief silence, the corpulent man at the head of the hall sneered, seemingly to himself.

"So you have received orders as well... Guangchan's death has frightened them all out of their wits, and now they are sending us to do their bidding."

As his words hung in the air, a man stepped out of the great void and replied, "Our Helian Family owes much to the Pavilion of Profound Order. Naturally, we must do our utmost."

"Your utmost?"

The gray radiance of Valley Water shone forth as Murong Yan said evenly, "I cultivate [Valley Water], so I can come and go without fear. Your Helian Family cultivates baleful energy. Without reinforcements from Xuanmiao Temple, would you dare linger here? Surely Li Zhouwei is not the only one coming!"

There was a faintly confrontational edge to his words. But Helian Wujiang clasped his hands together and replied casually, "[Valley Water] does have some means of dealing with Banished Essence... But consider this; fellow Daoist, if you had been in Guangchan's place, how confident would you be of escaping? Li Zhouwei alone would be more than enough trouble for you!"

Helian Wujiang lacked the powerful backing enjoyed by the Murong Family, and clearly dared not voice any dissatisfaction with the Pavilion of Profound Order. His remarks steered the conversation elsewhere, but Murong Yan merely chuckled in turn. "How kind of you to concern yourself, fellow Daoist. I am not entangled in Bright Yang's karma. My Valley Water divine abilities are growing stronger. Whoever suffers in a fight, it certainly won't be me!"

Helian Wujiang's mood darkened. He knew that Murong Yan was highly capable, and Valley Water was a great Dao manifested in the world. Had the man fought with all his strength, the situation here would never have deteriorated this far.

Yet through an unexpected turn of events, the battle at Turbid Slaughter Mausoleum years ago had failed to create enmity between the Murong and Li Families. Instead, it had alerted Murong Yan to the schemes against him within the Buddhist land of Compassion Dao. From then on, he had changed completely. Wearing that ugly guise, the Daoist Master had done nothing but evade and deflect in the following years, unwilling to fight with any ferocity!

Helian Wujiang gave him a dark look and could only say quietly, "You must still be able to account for yourself, fellow Daoist. How can you expect to remain uninvolved forever? Walk by the river often enough, and your shoes will get wet. You enjoy your freedom... only because certain people have yet to make their move."

Those words struck home. Murong Yan's expression gradually darkened, making his already ugly guise even more unpleasant. Yet he had no answer.

I may evade it once or twice, but can I do so ten or twenty times? So long as those in the Buddhist land do not abandon their schemes, I fear I will eventually be caught in this karma too!

The two Daoist Masters continued to trade barbed words. Below them, a black-robed man knelt silently beneath the lowest step, his head bowed so low that it nearly touched the ground.

Gloom filled Gongsun Baifan's heart.

Ever since Guan Gongxiao and Guan Lingdie had entered seclusion, Daoist Master Yehui had scarcely visited the Capital Immortal Dao. The direct descendants left in charge had progressively lower cultivation. With so few members to begin with, the Guan Family had gradually relinquished authority within the gate, allowing guest cultivators of other surnames to take most of the leading positions.

For guest cultivators like them, this was not necessarily a bad thing. But Gongsun Baifan was no ordinary man, and he had already sensed something amiss... Yet what could he do?

So this day has truly come.

He knew neither of the two Daoist Masters standing in the hall, but their words filled him with dread, leaving him dazed. Suddenly, both men's expressions grew serious, and an even voice rang out.

"Activate the formation and meet the enemy."

Gongsun Baifan knew the order was meant for him, and thus hurriedly acknowledged it. Scrambling to his feet, he took out a command token and shone its light upon a nearby jade platform.

The pitch-black radiance of the formation rose above the hall, obscuring the clouds and sun. Then it gradually turned transparent, revealing blood clouds and heavenly light in countless colors that filled the sky!

A young man stood high in the sky, clad in ink-black qilin armor traced with gold. His purple-feathered royal cloak billowed in the wind, lending him an imposing presence, while the edge of the long halberd in his hand disappeared into the clouds. Below him stood three young Profound Holders, each distinct in appearance. One wore green-purple armor in the manner of a military commander. Another was handsome, and dressed in green and white. The third wore cloud-patterned robes and held a profound sword.

All had golden eyes.

Gongsun Baifan had always been composed and levelheaded, rarely losing his poise. Now, however, his legs felt weak.

Li Zhouwei, the White Qilin...

That face was familiar, yet somehow strange. To Gongsun Baifan, it seemed more majestic and more fierce. The outward composure and pensiveness of years ago were gone, yet this transformation somehow seemed only natural.

Those scenes from years ago remained vivid. While following Guan Gongxiao, he had suffered several setbacks at Li Zhouwei's hands. Decades had passed in the blink of an eye, hardly a long time for a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. His own progress had been swift, carrying him from the middle stage to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm, where he could advance no further...

Yet he now wields divine abilities and overawes his fellow cultivators. He has slain a Maha of the Fifth Incarnation with his own hands, striking fear into even divine ability cultivators...

And Guan Gongxiao? He still did not even know whether he could attain a divine ability.

Clang!

Neither side confronting the other above Baiye exchanged a word. In one smooth motion, Li Zhouwei had wrenched his halberd free and dove downward from the sky!

Rumble!

Brilliant white radiance shot skyward. Rising to meet him was a spirit artifact that resembled both a staff and a sword, yet was neither.

It was the [River Rampart Staff], wielded by Murong Yan!

Whether out of wariness or simply to spite Murong Yan, Helian Wujiang had chosen to face Situ Huo, leaving Li Zhouwei to Murong Yan, despite knowing that Li Zhouwei's [Heaven-Venerating Gate] remained damaged and had yet to recover!

But the situation had long since changed. Li Zhouwei was no longer the man who had only just reached the Purple Mansion Realm, standing alone without a weapon to his name!

Murong Yan now faced the Great Song's King of Wei, a middle stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivator! Although Murong Yan had reached the middle stage of Purple Mansion Realm much earlier and knew his opponent was injured, he remained utterly serious and attacked with all his strength.

Fierce winds surged in an instant, and the world darkened. The vast desert appeared once more beneath a golden setting sun, solemn and still. Murong Yan's expression changed slightly as gray radiance surged from him in turn. Though its expanse was much smaller, it firmly held the surrounding divine ability at bay!

On the other side, Helian Wujiang had only just landed in front of Situ Huo and reached for the three spirit artifacts at his waist when the old man gave him an indifferent glance.

Situ Huo calmly rested his hand on the golden-red saber behind him and sneered. "You court death."

Cold disdain and offended pride filled his heart.

Even if Li Zhouwei has just slain Guangchan, you should never have thought him harder to deal with than me.

Before Helian Wujiang, Situ Huo shed his earlier shameless bowing and scraping. Instead, he revealed the cold arrogance ingrained in his nature, regarding his opponent with contempt.

Helian Wujiang was not particularly formidable among middle stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. He had devoted himself to cultivating the Dao and seldom studied killing techniques, but he was hardly an easy opponent. With a cold expression, he drew his spell sword. Yet a metallic ring suddenly sounded, and the man before him vanished!

[Monarch's Lost Sheep].

The old man appeared behind Helian Wujiang in an instant and viciously drew his saber.

[Blood Fiend Tower]!

Blood-red light erupted into the sky!

After several centuries, this blood-red blade once again displayed its brilliance upon the lands of the realm. Billowing bloody light flashed forth and vanished with bewildering speed. With two treasures comparable to spirit treasures deployed together, even Helian Wujiang, a dignified middle stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivator who had prepared in advance, was still a fraction too slow!

A line of blood appeared across Helian Wujiang's throat. His Body Divine Ability immediately took effect, and his entire form dissolved into billowing black mist that poured out like a waterfall, scattering in every direction amid streaks of blood-red light.

[Thousandfold Body].

Baleful Metal Qi gradually rolled over Situ Huo's body and clung to it. As he watched his opponent disperse into Baleful Qi, a faint smile appeared on his aged face.

"The great divine ability [Hatred-Clamping Mouth] once shook the Middle Age, yet you discarded the trunk for a mere branch and reduced it to this paltry art of self-preservation. Laughable!"

The saber strike had somewhat disrupted Helian Wujiang's divine ability, and traces of bloody light flickered within his Baleful Qi. Unable to speak for the moment, he sent his words reverberating through his divine ability.

"Then put it to the test, old bastard!"

Although the Helian Family consisted of devil cultivators who cultivated Baleful Essence, they had only adopted this path later. Even their most gifted forebear had devoted his efforts to [Whole Pill]. But how could they possess the wealth of fine cultivation techniques enjoyed by a true Devil Dao lineage such as the Tuoba Family? Helian Wujiang himself knew that [Thousandfold Body] was an inferior art.

Yet he had his reasons for daring to face Situ Huo.

Baleful Essence can naturally interact with Metal Virtue and dissipate its force. [Thousandfold Body] may be inferior, but it is immensely useful against his Metal Qi divine ability!

Situ Huo regarded him coldly, reversed the blade in his hand, and drew a bowl from his sleeve to receive the Metal Qi. Yet he did not immediately direct it at Helian Wujiang. Instead, he held it aside for a moment and glanced at Li Zhouwei.

That casual glance told the old schemer what he needed to know.

Ch'i Lanyan has given up on the Capital Immortal Dao. If he truly intended to hold this place, he would have sent more than these two defeated commanders.

Even Yehui had abandoned the cultivators at the Capital Immortal Dao's mountain gate, so naturally no one else cared about them. Shanji, however, could not be lost. What other course could there be? Situ Huo's heart grew colder still.

Yang Ruiyi's warning was no idle threat. At the very least, he is determined to divide my authority in Jiangbei... Slowing my progress toward crossing the Purple Mansion Threshold will make it easier for him to keep me in check!

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