Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Wind Thunder Pavilion
Luzhou, within the sphere of influence of the Wind Thunder Pavilion, Lin Qingzhi risked his life to infiltrate this powerful sect’s stronghold.
The Wind Thunder Pavilion was one of the seven major sects in Luzhou, with numerous experts among their ranks.
Using the Technique of Ten Thousand Li Tracking taught by Lu Changsheng, Lin Qingzhi traced the remnants of the Summoning Demon Palace’s aura and surprisingly found clues leading to the Wind Thunder Pavilion.
“Although the Wind Thunder Pavilion is not known for being particularly upright and honorable, it is not part of the Demon Sects, so why would they harbor remnants of the Summoning Demon Palace?”
Clutching a Spirit Concealment Talisman in the shadows, Lin Qingzhi held his breath and concentrated, cautiously searching for traces of the Summoning Demon Palace’s Palace Master within the vital areas of the Wind Thunder Pavilion.
Even though Lin Qingzhi’s cultivation had reached the Void Refinement Realm and he possessed two Immortal Artifacts, the Wind Thunder Pavilion had Unity Realm experts in residence, and should Lin Qingzhi be discovered by one of these Unity Realm experts, he too faced the danger of perishing.
Within the critical areas of the Wind Thunder Pavilion’s sect, Lin Qingzhi dared not release his spiritual energy for fear of detection, and could only rely on his naked eye to secretly search for traces of the Summoning Demon Palace’s members.
Lin Qingzhi, always fully focused and persistently single-minded in his endeavors, showed great patience as he lay hidden within the Wind Thunder Pavilion for an entire year.
“Found it.”
After lying in wait for a year, Lin Qingzhi’s diligent efforts finally paid off as he sensed the aura of an Elder of the Summoning Demon Palace on a secluded mountain behind the Pavilion.
Lin Qingzhi secretly followed this Summoning Demon Palace Elder and discovered that he frequently entered and exited a cave dwelling on the back mountain.
After noting this, Lin Qingzhi patiently lay in hiding among the bushes outside the cave for another month.
Indistinguishable from the surrounding trees, his Everlasting Verdant Body blended perfectly with the vegetation, rendering him unnoticeable to others.
Throughout that month, Lin Qingzhi noticed several powerful members of the Wind Thunder Pavilion entering the cave dwelling twice.
There must be a connection between the Wind Thunder Pavilion and the Summoning Demon Palace.
This was Lin Qingzhi’s preliminary assessment.
Otherwise, the Wind Thunder Pavilion would not have specifically provided a refuge for the Summoning Demon Palace.
But what could the Wind Thunder Pavilion gain from this?
Among sects, unless the Sect Leaders are bound by a life-or-death friendship, cooperation is always based on mutual benefit.
Suddenly, several terrifying auras approached.
Several streaks of light fell from the sky, and a middle-aged man clad in a Wind Thunder Dao Robe, accompanied by several of the Wind Thunder Pavilion’s Supreme Elders, strode into the cave dwelling with an imposing manner.
“Those people are very likely the higher-ups of the Wind Thunder Pavilion. Their arrival must be connected to the Summoning Demon Palace’s Palace Master. It seems I must take the risk and investigate…”
Lin Qingzhi pondered in his heart for a moment, then gritted his teeth and risked entering the cave dwelling.
The cave dwelling led directly to a gloomy subterranean realm.
A hundred zhang underground, a sinister Great Formation was slowly operating, with a fierce-looking demon statue at each of its eight positions.
The Summoning Demon Palace’s Palace Master, at the peak of the ninth level of the Void Refinement Realm, along with several Supreme Elders of the palace, were silently reciting an ancient Mnemonic Verse, operating the Summoning Demon Great Formation.
Among them was Luo Feng, a traitor from the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion.
When several high-level members of the Wind Thunder Pavilion arrived, the Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace opened his eyes.
The middle-aged man dressed in a Wind Thunder Dao Robe said coldly, “We at the Wind Thunder Pavilion have provided three years of refuge for you people of the Summoning Demon Palace, and have even set up the Summoning Demon Great Formation for you. When will you complete the Summoning Demon Great Formation? We at the Wind Thunder Pavilion do not support idlers.”
The Summoning Demon Palace’s Palace Master, fixated on the operating Summoning Demon Great Formation and generating Demonic Qi, replied with frenzied eyes: “Lei Tiannan, the magical formation is about to succeed. You have already waited for three years; what harm is there in waiting a little while longer? I have collected the souls of the fallen powerhouses from the Refinement Sect, Mount Shu, Inquiry Immortal Pavilion, Immeasurable Temple, and even those from the Demon Race of Huang State. Together with two hundred thousand years of our Summoning Demon Palace’s improvements to the Summoning Demon Great Formation, only now do we stand a chance to summon the soul of the Demon Lord. When the time comes, you will obtain the Supreme Skills, and the Wind Thunder Pavilion will become the most powerful sect in Luzhou.”
The man in the Wind Thunder Dao Robe, upon hearing that the Summoning Demon Great Formation was about to achieve great success, his expression eased slightly, “I hope that your Summoning Demon Palace’s Summoning Demon Great Formation can control the soul of the Demon Lord that’s summoned, and make him willingly hand over the Supreme Skills; otherwise, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
“Rest assured, this is the cultivation technique manual left by the first Palace Master of our Summoning Demon Palace; there will not be any mishaps. Luo Feng, go to the eye of the Great Formation.”
The Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace glanced at Luo Feng, who had pledged allegiance to the Summoning Demon Palace.
“Yes…”
Luo Feng vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but in front of the powerful Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace and the Pavilion Master of the Wind Thunder Pavilion, he couldn’t defy the command and could only obediently follow the Palace Master’s order, walking towards the heart of the Summoning Demon Great Formation.
Suddenly, the Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace and several Supreme Elders of the palace operated the Summoning Demon Great Formation with all their strength.
The Summoning Demon Great Formation devoured the souls of tens of millions of living beings, including the souls of strong individuals from Mount Shu, the Refinement Sect, the Inquiry Immortal Pavilion, the Martial Alliance, the Immeasurable Temple, the Demon Race of Huang State, and others.
Even the remnant soul of the Demon Lord was sacrificed and annihilated within the Summoning Demon Great Formation.
“Ahhh!!!”
Luo Feng, standing in the middle of the Summoning Demon Palace’s Great Formation, was devoured by the souls of tens of millions of living beings inside the formation, letting out heart-wrenching screams that made one’s scalp tingle.
The towering Demonic Qi generated by the Summoning Demon Great Formation surged forth, disregarding the barrier of the mountainside, and shot straight into the heavens!
Many elders and disciples of the Wind Thunder Pavilion were horrified to discover a thick black column of light appearing on the back mountain, as if connecting to the sky, the Demonic Qi piercing the heavens!
“An inconceivable ancient Demon Sects Great Formation…”
The Pavilion Master of the Wind Thunder Pavilion watched in amazement as the Summoning Demon Great Formation operated at full speed.
This formation was the most ancient and mysterious one of the Summoning Demon Palace, and its uses were only partially understood by the Palace Master.
Successive Palace Masters of the Summoning Demon Palace had tried to operate the Summoning Demon Great Formation, but only this time had it succeeded.
The Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace had an even more fervent look in his eyes, almost to the point of hysteria, chanting ancient incantations as the Demonic Qi flowed endlessly into the Great Formation.
“What in the world are they trying to do?”
Lin Qingzhi, who was secretly observing all this, was shocked, yet dared not release a hint of his breath.
The Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace was a peak figure in the ninth layer of the Void Refinement Realm and had once been a peerless expert on the same level as the six Sect Leaders.
The fact that the Pavilion Master of the Wind Thunder Pavilion harbored the Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace, and showed no sign of fear on his face, indicated that the Pavilion Master’s cultivation level was even higher than that of the Palace Master; otherwise, he wouldn’t be so composed.
But why was the Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace so intent on setting up the Summoning Demon Great Formation? What was the goal?
Lin Qing had been sent by his sect to pursue the remnants of the Summoning Demon Palace in Luzhou; he hadn’t expected to stumble upon the successful activation of the Summoning Demon Great Formation.
The Pavilion Master of the Wind Thunder Pavilion and several Supreme Elders of the pavilion were now so captivated by the frenzied operation of the Summoning Demon Great Formation that they failed to notice Lin Qingzhi, who had concealed his presence with talismans.
The overwhelming Demonic Qi persisted for a full half hour; when the astonishing Demonic Qi gradually dissipated and the black column reaching the Immortal Realm vanished, the Summoning Demon Great Formation ceased to operate.
Crack.
The eight demon statues shattered.
The Palace Master of the Summoning Demon Palace and several Supreme Elders looked as if they had been through a fierce battle, all exhausted and depleted of Demonic Qi.
With the loss of magical support, the Summoning Demon Great Formation instantly lost its luster.
In the midst of the Summoning Demon Great Formation, Luo Feng still stood, his eyes filled with surging Demonic Qi.