Zi Yun, who was usually dignified, arrived beside her daughter even faster than her Senior Brother. Spiritual light overflowed from her fingertips, scanning Qin Yue from head to toe three times. Only after confirming that not even a corner of her clothes was damaged did she turn to Qing Feng and repeat the same process.
As her tensed shoulders completely relaxed, the Sword Cultivator, known for her strictness, suddenly had red eyes.
“Three years! Three communication talismans have been replaced.” A choked voice mixed with reproach fell, and Qin Yue’s obediently bowed head was reflected in a puddle on the bluestone slab.
Qing Feng secretly laughed at his Senior Sister’s current docility, especially since three days ago she was still standing with her hands on her hips, saying, “Next time, I must explore the entire ruins.”
Yun Qingrao averted her gaze to the sky, a fleeting softness flashing across her cool face when no one was looking.
In the distance, thunderclouds were gathering at an abnormal speed, and purple lightning roamed like dragons within the inky clouds. Even from afar, the celestial dao’s pressure made one’s spiritual platform sluggish.
A whooshing sound approached from afar, and the black shadow, which had been as tiny as a sesame seed, reached overhead in the blink of an eye.
The white-haired, youthful-faced Elder stood in the air, holding a dark-green treasured umbrella. Each Yingluo dangling from the umbrella ribs pulled at space ripples.
When his gaze swept over the Disciples below, Qing Feng felt a thousand-pound weight suddenly press down on his soul.
“You’re the kid who got ahead of the Yaoguang Saintess?” Feng Dingshi raised an eyebrow with interest, but the pressure of a Tribulation Transcending Realm mighty cultivator quietly shifted towards Yun Qingrao.
Qing Feng subtly moved half a step sideways, perfectly blocking that scrutinizing gaze.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth suddenly solidified, and Qing Feng’s shoulders felt as if ten thousand mountains were pressing down. His expression remained normal as he bowed, “Disciple Qing Feng greets Ancestor.”
Feng Dingshi’s gaze suddenly became like a sharp blade tempered in cold ice. Others only felt a gentle breeze, but Qing Feng perceived thousands of invisible sword qi roaming around him, ready to spill blood on the spot with the slightest movement.
He maintained his bowing posture, not even changing his breathing rate by a single iota.
“Everyone’s here, you speak.” Feng Dingshi suddenly stepped half a pace aside and smiled at the Sect Leader who had arrived on his sword, “If Deputy Head speaks, it would seem like bullying the younger generation.”
Mu Zhengting’s green robe stirred slightly. He cupped his hands towards Immortal Yun and said, “I heard that Immortal Yun recently found an ancestral Mystic Realm. I must offer my congratulations.”
“Dao Lord is mistaken.” Immortal Yun’s wide sleeves fluttered lightly, and nine-heavens cloud patterns flowed on her cuffs, “This was originally my ancestor’s old place, but the Mystic Realm entrance is elusive, so it appeared through your Sect’s leylines.”
“Presumptuous!” Wei Yun Zhenjun, the Chief of Dragon Yang Peak, suddenly roared like thunder, with crimson flames surging around him, “Since this Realm is within the Beast Taming Sect’s territory, it naturally belongs to our Sect.”
“All gains from the Mystic Realm must be returned.” Behind Elder Luo Junlin, a phantom of a green dragon appeared, and the Dongxuan Realm pressure caused the stone steps to crack inch by inch.
However, Yun Qingrao only looked at Mu Zhengting, “The Beast Taming Sect has always been clear about grievances and favors. If I hadn’t saved the trapped Disciples, what you would see now would likely be corpses everywhere. How does your Sect plan to repay this life-saving kindness?”
Mu Zhengting lightly tapped the green jade sword hilt at his waist, and the ethereal sword hum stung everyone’s eardrums, “Qing Feng, is what Immortal Yun said true?”
“Reporting to Sect Leader, the fierce beasts in the Mystic Realm were rampant, and the Disciples indeed relied entirely on Senior Yun’s Primordial Star Array for protection.”
As soon as Qing Feng finished speaking, the entire mountain peak suddenly resounded with the clamor of ten thousand swords, and even the floating clouds in the air were shattered by sword qi.
“Dao Lord, please don’t be angry yet.” Yun Qingrao’s dark hair moved without wind, and twelve jade talismans flew out from her sleeve, forming a light barrier:
“If I truly intended to coerce, why would I bring two Disciples out of the array to testify? Qingrao merely wishes to discuss the Mystic Realm’s ownership with Dao Lord privately. Regardless of the outcome, I will safely return your Sect’s Disciples.”
Mu Juntian suddenly laughed, shaking off the accumulated snow from the branches, “What a ‘not an enemy of Sword Cultivators’! Immortal Yun, please.”
Watching the two figures depart on clouds, the Elders’ gazes simultaneously turned to the two young Disciples who remained.
Qin Yue instinctively retreated half a step, but Qing Feng noticed the crimson flood dragon coiling within Luo Junlin’s sleeve, exhaling pill fire.
Everyone exchanged subtle glances, and several cultivators from Dragon Yang Peak showed even more unusual expressions.
Under numerous scrutinizing gazes, Qing Feng calmly cupped his hands, “Disciple and Senior Sister have important matters to report privately to Shibo.”
“Follow me.” Dao Lord Zisu lightly flicked her wide sleeves, and her green Daoist robe rippled in the wind.
“Wait!” Feng Dingshi paced forward, leaning on his bamboo staff, “This old man wants to hear what kind of secret it is.” This white-browed Elder, a reclusive cultivator from the Sword Tomb, seemed casual, but his gaze was as deep and unfathomable as a Cold Pond.
Wei Yun Zhenjun suddenly stepped in front, “Since it’s a Sect matter, why not discuss it openly?” Several Chiefs behind him simultaneously echoed their agreement, and spiritual pressure surged like an undercurrent.
Dao Lord Zisu’s fingertips suddenly burst forth with sword hums, and all the candles in the entire great hall extinguished in response. Wei Yun Zhenjun staggered back half a step, and a three-inch sword mark was clearly visible on his collar.
All the cultivators present were horrified; this Chief of Sword-wielding had actually cultivated to the realm of sword qi materialization.
“Any more objections?” Dao Lord Zisu’s gaze swept over everyone. Yuan Feng True Lord was about to speak, but saw Feng Dingshi lightly tap the ground with his bamboo staff, instantly suppressing all of his spiritual power fluctuations.
Once the Chen Ming Peak barrier was erected, Feng Dingshi suddenly clapped his hands and laughed heartily, “What a natural Dao heart! Little Zisu, you’ve found an interesting trouble for this old man.”
“This junior is foolish and doesn’t deserve Ancestor’s praise.” As Qing Feng bowed, a jade tablet quietly slipped into his palm from his sleeve.
“There isn’t a second young person in the entire Green Nether Beast Taming Sect who can make my Senior Nephew make an exception and ask for help.” Feng Dingshi suddenly flicked his finger, shattering the teacup on the table, “Speak, what ancient restriction did you two trigger in the Mystic Realm?”
Dao Lord Zisu raised her hand and set up a sound-insulating restriction, “Does Grand-Shibo still remember the Sword Mound anomaly a hundred years ago?” Before she finished speaking, thunderclouds suddenly gathered over Chen Ming Peak, and a vast sword hum echoed from the nine heavens.
Feng Dingshi’s gaze turned to Qing Feng, “According to the time calculation, you should be the first to enter the Grotto-heaven. Have you figured out the mysteries within?”
In the past three years, Beast Taming Sect Disciples came one after another, especially after the first exploration team brought out a high-grade human-level defensive magic treasure, the entire Sect was in an uproar.
Knowing the dangers, but with great benefits at hand, who would care about the risks? Even a grand event like the Seven Meridians Sword Discussion was postponed until now for this reason.
“According to Disciple’s investigation, this was created by Ao Pan Dragon Emperor and Celestial Void Daoist in their final moments.”
A glowing white jade slip appeared in Qing Feng’s palm, and as light and shadow flowed, a scene of heaven and earth collapsing was displayed.
Two peerless powerhouses were jointly fighting against something unnamable.
“Fallen? Is there truly an existence in this world capable of killing them?” Feng Dingshi’s sword-like eyebrows slightly raised.
“They died for the common people.” Qing Feng activated the jade slip, adding specifically, “Using a tortoise shell to carry the image easily attracts covetousness. It’s safer to use this specially made crystal.”
In the light and shadow, bizarre rule creatures rampaged, sending chills down everyone’s spines.
Upon hearing that the root cause of the heavenly tribulation anomaly was here, Feng Dingshi’s sword qi exploded, and the beams and pillars of the entire great hall hummed and trembled.
As a Tribulation Transcending Realm mighty cultivator, he was all too aware of the pain of distorted heavenly laws.
The breakthrough heavenly tribulation, which should have been a sure thing, had now become a death warrant.
How many fellow cultivators were forced to cower in the Sword Tomb, living like rats in a dark gutter.