Stained Glass Sky Peak, Stained Glass Palace.
The palace was like an iceberg perched on the mountain. It really had the feel of an immortal palace. Those that roamed within this immortal palace were like immortal men and women.
In the palace of glass, two women faced each other. The lush beauty with a severe nature, Lan Huayi, and the warm and tender Lan Boli.
The two spoke for a while. Lan Boli showed a hint of worry. "Auntie, the Zhongyuan Dao Sect is overboard, actually teaming up with ghostly cultivators and demons. Is there no one to stop them?"
Lan Huayi barked a laugh. "In our area, the Dong Sheng Divine Continent is the furthest east. It's far from the center, and is considered a whole other world by itself. The martial cultivators in the Dong Sheng Divine Continent are not even worth mentioning. When one is far away from authority, the powers that be will not intervene. Furthermore, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to provide assistance in such a short amount of time.”
"And by the time someone does, the Bipo Mountain Range will probably already be Jiang Xie's," Lan Huayi added as an afterthought.
"Then, can we ask for help from 'that place?’ After all, the Heavenly Sword Sect is part of them."
Speaking of that place, Lan Huayi shook her head. "It's too far, and there's too little time. Even if we succeed, they might not take it seriously. And even if they do hurry over, they still might not make it in time."
"Is the situation really so urgent?" Lan Boli worried.
"Mm. We don't know what they are preparing. In truth, they should have attacked earlier. Even so, killing Yang Qing was already a signal. I estimate that in a few days...."
Lan Huayi's expression was ugly. She had fought with Feng Xueya for so long, only to be invaded by outsiders.
"Then how should we deal with it?" Lan Boli asked.
Lan Huayi looked at her. "None of your business. Beating them off is up to us."
"Auntie, I'm already at the eighth tier of the Qi Condensation Realm," Lan Boli grumbled.
"And so what?" Lan Huayi was firm on this. She did not want Lan Boli to fight. She shot her a sharp glance. "Boli, have you fallen in love with Night Wishes for Snow?"
"Eh...." Lan Boli started a little suspiciously. "Auntie, why would you suddenly ask something like that? It's not important."
"Speak." Lan Huayi stood there, menacing.
Lan Boli stammered, "This is my personal business, and nothing much compared to the survival of the sect...."
"I object," Lan Huayi interrupted. And then she softened her tone. "Boli, you and him belong in different worlds. Once we are past this impediment, I will apply to send you to that place, and then you will be forever separated, one in heaven the other on earth. There is no chance!"
"I...." Lan Boli's eyes were brimming.
If she went there, did it mean they could never meet again? And even if they did, there might be a gulf between them.
......
The Zhongyuan Dao Sect was located to the east of the Bipo Mountain Range, on the Zhongyuan Immortal Mountain. It was a mountain twice as high as Heavenly Peak, and their superior numbers had built many palaces around the Zhongyuan Immortal Mountain.
On the west side of the Zhongyuan Immortal Mountain, there was Fuli Palace, which was the territory of the prince of the Zhongyuan Dao Sect, Jiang Junlin.
Ever since their return from the Heavenly Sword Sect, Fuli Palace had been ringing with curses and rants. The voice had only subsided recently.
Fuli Palace was plastered with talismans everywhere, with a huge eight trigram diagram in the center. It looked like an extremely proper place, and proudly displayed the righteousness of an orthodox sect.
However, within Fuli Palace stood seven people, completely dressed in black, and their heads masked. They were garbed in the same manner the Spectral Concubine had been. They were of a spread in height, gender, and appearance, but each had the intensity and sinister aura that eclipsed the Spectral Concubine's tenfold. Compared to them, the Spectral Concubine was but a small child.
Their presence filled Fuli Palace with an eerie atmosphere. A closer listen would discern low, ghostly cries. Shadows flitted through the curtains, lurking under beds and around corners. And the ground thudded as though huge beasts roamed below one's feet.
Although they wore headscarves, a sharp stench of blood permeated the place, unable to be concealed. These seven were murderers, cultivators of the Ghostly Dao. In the East Sea, they were well known as the Scarlet Sea's Seven Ghosts.
Of course, they called themselves the Scarlet Sea's Seven Immortals.
In Fuli Palace, the Scarlet Sea's Seven Ghosts stood to one side. On the other was Jiang Xie, standing proper in a black-and-white dao robe. His hands were clasped behind his back, and Jiang Junlin was sitting in the lotus position on the ground before him. Jiang Junlin completed his cultivation. He wiped the fine sweat that had gathered on his brow and stood up.
"Have you recovered?" Jiang Xie asked.
"Mm. The Reunion Pill is indeed effective. After my Chest Meridian recovered, because it had a spiritual source before, re-condensing qi only required Spirit Concentration Pills. And now I'm back at my previous level. I just don't know if there are any scars or trauma left." As he said this, Jiang Junlin recalled his own defeat at Wu Yu's hands. His face darkened and grew malicious.
"Father! That Wu Yu humiliated me twice! And this time, he almost crippled me! I hate him so. I will be repaid, blood for blood. I will personally end him, and smash his corpse into a thousand pieces. I will make him suffer all the pains of this world, and die in exquisite agony. Only that will ease my hate!"
He was totally unchecked in the Zhongyuan Dao Sect. He had never been slighted so badly before since he began cultivating dao.
Jiang Xie frowned slightly. "You have let your hatred cloud you. That Wu Yu is indeed not bad, but his only mistake is to be of the Heavenly Sword Sect, and destined to have no future. You should set your sights further. Order yourself, and challenge the dao."
"Yes, Father! But I must end him to continue my path. Or he will forever be an inner demon in my heart!" Jiang Junlin said in a low voice. In his resignation, there was still resentment.
Jiang Xie frowned. "I'm afraid you cannot best Wu Yu in any short order."
Jiang Junlin laughed coldly. "As long as he dies, who cares if I best him? The day we attack the Bipo Mountain Range will be the day Wu Yu suffers hell!"
"Keke...." Just at this moment, the leader of the Scarlet Sea's Seven Ghosts laughed. He was as short as a 10-year-old, but his voice was coarse and belonged to a middle-aged man.
"Tian Yijun, do you have some idea in mind?" Jiang Xie turned back to regard him seriously. Although he was the shortest, Tian Yijun was the leader of the Scarlet Sea's Seven Ghosts.
"I have something that will allow Prince Jiang to defeat his opponent in a straight fight. On top of that, it will cause his opponent to suffer the agony of Hundred Ghost Devouring for life." Tian Yijun laughed wickedly.
"Marvellous! Many thanks to Senior Tian Yijun!" Jiang Junlin exclaimed excitedly.
His conflict with Wu Yu had begun in Capital Wu. His two defeats, and near crippling, had escalated it to an intolerable level.
And even thinking of Wu Yu now, he trembled with hate.
"Sect Leader Jiang, is the Ninth Spirit not here yet? We are all anxious." A silken voice came from amidst the Scarlet Sea's Seven Ghosts, even more compelling than the Spectral Concubine's.
Jiang Xie smiled. "Seven Cloud Concubine, do not be anxious. I reckon it will be within these few days. And when the time comes..."
......
Heavenly Palace!
The strongest core members of the Heavenly Sword Sect were seated here.
The Sect Leader, Feng Xueya; the Sect-Protector, Lan Huayi; and the Five Elders, including Elder Shentu, the Lone Elder, and Elder Gongsun.
There was also the Elder of Imparting Arts and the Elder of Enforcement.
A total of nine, the nucleus of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
"The Scarlet Sea's Seven Ghosts together have the power of a Jindan immortal. Added to Jiang Xie and Ninth Spirit, that’s a total of three combatants at the Jindan realm. And below them, there are many of the ninth and 10th tiers of the Qi Condensation Realm. There are at least 10 of them. Although we are stronger than the Zhongyuan Dao Sect, their combined might surpasses us by a length." The Elder of Imparting Arts sighed as he shook his head.
Elder Shentu said, "All these years, we have relied on the defensive setup of the 10,000 Swords Formation that the two masters fashioned to protect the sect. Once the 10,000 Swords Formation is broken, our younger disciples in the sect will be directly faced with battle. If that happens...."
Saying thus, he choked on his worry.
"There is no need to belittle ourselves and raise them up. The 10,000 Swords Formation that our leaders created might not be penetrable. And if they really come killing, we'll be like cornered rats. Would we fear them? I don't believe that Jiang Xie is unafraid of the casualties that his sect will suffer. They will be irrecoverable!" Elder Gongsun raged.
"Even if they kill a thousand, they will lose 800 in return. And if we are pressed to fight for our lives, they will definitely be severely wounded! After all, I am already prepared to fight to the death," the Lone Elder said.
This group of elders already had no hope of reaching Jindan. They would soon die, their dao vanishing. Therefore, they were unafraid of death.
Hearing the discussion, Lan Huayi suddenly spoke up. "What you all say makes sense. There is no way to know the outcome of this battle before it is fought. Although our fighting power is at a disadvantage, taking the Bipo Mountain Range is a dangerous affair, and there is the 10,000 Swords Formation. Victory is undecided in a battle to the death. But I have a suggestion."
They were all listening to her now.
Lan Huayi said, "If the opponent breaks the 10,000 Swords Formation, then we will fight to the death. But we have to leave some seeds behind. If we lose, they can still grow again, and not die here on Bipo Mountain Range with us. They are still young, and unable to help us fight anyway. We should protect them at all costs. And if the Bipo Mountain Range survives this attack, recalling them back will be an easy matter.
The wrinkled Elder Shentu opened his eyes. "The Sect-Protector means to send away a portion of our elite disciples away from the Bipo Mountain Range and keeping them from taking part in the defense?"
"That's right."
Lan Huayi had already talked this over with the other four elders, and none had raised objections.
She continued, "Among the disciples, the youngest and most excellent are undoubtedly the Sect Leader's and my personal disciples. Only eight remain. Besides Night Wishes for Snow and Lan Boli, the others are no help in the battle. They will merely be fodder. But if we send them away, they can still grow to strength again in the event that we lose. They could then take back the sect.
Lan Huayi's words were not without reason. The others looked at each other, but no one raised an objection.
They were indeed useless in this immortal battle, and would only be casualties.
But in the end, the decision fell to Feng Xueya. After all, his disciples were involved.