Outside Scenic Yang Immortal Abode’s Rosy Dawn Door, the Bai sisters, the Zhu brothers, and company were present.
“Hahaha, it appears the Tuṣita Divine Fire Talisman Amulet and my Primordial Chaos Sect are fated.” A fat elder chuckled. Eighth Zhu and Lunatic Zhu stood obediently beside him.
“Old Pig, you sent two Connate True Core realm juniors in and managed to obtain a Numinous treasure? How did you chance upon such luck?” Another middle-aged Daoist could not help but say.
“You guys from Numinous Treasure Mountain are just being envious and jealous!” The fat elder shouted immediately.
“Ancestral Master Fu.”
Ji Lie stood beside a silver-haired elder together with Sixteenth Prince.
The silver-haired elder could not help but comment, “Ji Lie, you should be the strongest one who entered. You didn’t obtain the Numinous treasure, the transcendent-grade Dharma treasure, or even a first-grade Dharma treasure?”
Ji Lie also felt embarrassed but he could only nod helplessly. “Yes, I didn’t obtain any of those.”
There were a total of three first-grade Dharma treasures.
Deacon Yuan, Bai Junyue, and Yi Xiao had each obtained one.
Qin Yun had taken the transcendent-grade Dharma treasure into the array formation.
As for the Numinous treasure? Eighth Zhu lucked out and obtained it!
“I got a few second-grade Dharma treasures,” said Ji Lie under his breath.
“Forget it.” The silver-haired elder waved his hand.
There was a middle-aged man with knitted brows. He was none other than Patriarch Yi. He too had come.
Bai Junyue stepped forward and said, “Senior Yi, Qin Yun, and Yi Xiao are currently inside an array formation. The Golden Core Cauldron and the first grade Capital Heaven Talisman Amulet are inside the array formation with them. With Qin Yun’s strength, he will probably be able to stay in it even longer, considering he has lasted three days in it.”
“Alright.” Patriarch Yi looked at Bai Junyue and smiled with a nod. “Miss Junyue, I know that they should be able to last for a period of time. But all of you have also mentioned that there will only be a chance of saving the two of them unless one’s strength has reached the Paramount realm.”
Ji Lie, who wasn’t far off, immediately added, “Yes. I used my divine power, Power Arms, to probe the array before. Its interior is extremely redoubtable. If I were to step in, I would be pulled in and there will be no way of me coming out! If someone of equivalent strength as mine enters, the chance of exiting it is less than ten percent. It has to be a Connate Golden Core expert at the Paramount realm to have any chance of saving the two of them. Of course, that is only to have a chance. We do not know how powerful the array formation is either.”
Patriarch Yi nodded slightly as his brows exuded vexation.
“That darn Scenic Yang, the array formations he left behind shouldn’t be so ruthless.” The fat elder could not help but say. “Even when they obtained the Golden Core Cauldron and the Tuṣita Divine Fire Talisman Amulet, they did not suffer such dangers. There can’t be a treasure more valuable than the Numinous treasure inside this immortal abode.”
“Unless that array formation was not set by that darn Scenic Yang,” remarked the middle-aged Daoist.
“Oh? Third Elder Bai, what do you mean?” asked the fat elder immediately.
“Don’t forget that over the past three millennia, there was an Elder Sword that barged his way into the Scenic Yang Immortal Abode forcibly,” reminded the middle-aged Daoist. “Elder Sword had long attained the Dao by grasping Sword Dao. Furthermore, he had once slain a fiendcelestial! His powers are unfathomable. If not for sword immortal lineages lacking the ability to become immortals, he would probably not be inferior to us at present.”
“Elder Sword was surly. Back when he entered the Scenic Yang Immortal Abode, he was close to his death. It’s also quite normal for him to set up a powerful array formation before he died in the Scenic Yang Immortal Abode,” elaborated the middle-aged Daoist.
“That’s really quite possible.”
“Elder Sword has quite a vicious nature.”
“Back then, in order to search for all sorts of manuals to create a Dharmic formulation to continue on the sword immortal lineage, he had offended many sects.”
“His skills in array formations were also famously powerful! His Intrinsic Flying Sword was a sword array itself.”
Everyone added.
Elder Sword’s Intrinsic Flying Sword was very unique. It could be used as a flying sword and could also be disassembled to form a sword array! Elder Sword had used the sword array to trap a fiendcelestial, and slew it at the Connate Golden Core realm! Elder Sword… was also greatly idolized by junior sword immortals.
Unfortunately, he ultimately died. Clearly, he was unsuccessful at making the final step eventually, failing to condense a Sword Immortal Essence Soul.
“If he were to leave behind an array formation, that would be powerful. Even someone in the Paramount realm could perish in there if they enter.” The immortals thought to themselves.
“This Qin Yun is only twenty-three years old. He was able to withstand the Earth fire solely with his flying sword arts. What a pity.”
“Old Fellow Yi, there’s really nothing to be faulted for the way that Qin Yun treats your Yi family’s Yi Xiao.”
Everyone added.
Patriarch Yi did not say a word.
Yi Fenggu was dead! His heart ached for him. As for Yi Xiao, she was a junior he thought highly of, but she was trapped in the array formation. Patriarch Yi was not in a good mood. After all, it was very difficult for a family clan to produce a powerful junior. Now, the Yi family only had one Connate Golden Core cultivator.
“Let’s go.” The fat elder led Eighth Zhu and Lunatic Zhu away first.
“Time to go.” The middle-aged Daoist led the Bai sisters away.
“Let’s leave.” The silver-haired elder departed with Ji Lie and Sixteenth Prince. As they were flying off, Sixteenth Prince turned to look at the immortal abode that was shrouded by clouds. He secretly sighed.
As for Hong Lingtong and Fang Yu, they walked to the Scenic Mountain Sect disciples by the side.
“We would like to trade with the Scenic Mountain Sect,” said Hong Lingtong and Fang Yu.
“Mortal children.”
Patriarch Yi shook his head gently and turned to leave. As he walked, he vanished.
…
The news of Qin Yun and Yi Xiao being trapped within the immortal abode with the transcendent-grade Dharma treasure and first-grade Capital Heaven Talisman Amulet quickly proliferated. Nearly all the top factions received news of it very quickly.
Scenic Mountain Sect.
They were reveling in joy for they had long brought back the manuals.
“Oh? Qin Yun entered the array formation to save Yi Xiao and failed to come out?” When Palatial Lord Essence Charm received the news, he could not help but feel mixed emotions. He could still remember clearly.
Two years ago.
He had presided over Grand Dominance. Qin Yun and Yi Xiao were like an immortal couple when they greeted him.
“What a pity.” Palatial Lord Essence Charm shook his head.
“Ji Lie has also mentioned. Those of similar strength to his would have less than ten percent chance of coming out if there were to go in. Only those at the Paramount realm has a chance but even so, there is a possibility of perishing,” said Sect Master Gong. “Paramount realm experts are only a handful in the world. How could they take that risk?”
Palatial Lord Essence Charm sighed. “It’s truly a pity. I hope that Qin Yun will be able to come out alive. It is rare for a powerful cultivator of our Jiang Prefecture like him to be produced. If he were to continue his growth for a few more decades, the situation in our Jiang Prefecture would also change because of him.”
…
“Only people at the Paramount realm has a chance of saving them?”
“What a pity with regards to this pair of youngsters.”
After the various factions learned of the news, all of them shook their heads.
There were nineteen prefectures in the world. In each prefecture, only one or two would have reached the intent domain stage at the Connate Golden Core realm! The imperial family or the Daoist and Buddhist sacred lands might have slightly more, such as the Scenic Mountain Sect’s Sect Master Gong, or the royal family’s Ji Lie. Those at that stage were already few in number. Only the imperial family and Numinous Treasure Mountain had deep enough roots to be able to send one each to take a risk.
As for the Paramount realm?
There was only a handful in the world! Even the imperial government and Numinous Treasure Mountain had to give them special treatment. It was impossible they would send someone at the Paramount realm to risk their lives. Neither did they have the right to request them to risk their lives. It would happen only if they wished to do it of their own accord.
…
Deep in the southern mountains, Magistress Mountain was the absolute hegemon.
It was the only top sect that remained of the magus lineage! There was a Magistress presiding over it, and the might the Magistress Mountain had made it one of the best top cultivation sects.
And the cultivation techniques that Magistress Mountain possessed were different from the Daoist or Buddhist sects. They were odder and more vicious. They were ruthless both to enemies and themselves.
At that moment in a small wooden hut’s yard on Magistress Mountain.
“Your Highness,” A red-dressed woman said respectfully. “In the Scenic Yang Immortal Abode, Qin Yun entered an array formation alone with the Golden Core Cauldron and has not returned to date! The Magistress has also mentioned that the array formation is too dangerous. There is no way Magistress Mountain can provide any assistance.”
“No way to provide help?” Chen Shuang was dressed in red. She sat there and nodded gently. “I understand. I heard that only Golden Core experts at the Paramount realm would stand a chance.”
“Then, I shall take my leave.” The red-dressed woman retreated respectfully.
Chen Shuang sat there silently.
“Brother Yun… I came out of Magus Matriarch Cave alive. Even the Magistress said that I’m talented but why, why were you willing to give up your life for Yi Xiao?” Chen Shuang had tears brimming in her eyes. She stood up, retrieved a zither from the hut, and walked silently to a cliff not far from the wooden hut. Sitting there, she began playing the zither.
The zither’s tunes were pleasant as though they were depicting her pining.
She recalled how her young Brother Yun had taught her the way of the sword! Her elder brother, Xie Lei watched by the side with a smile.
She also remembered that her Brother Yun had left alone at fifteen to roam the world. She had sent him off with a tune from her zither. By the time her Brother Yun was gone, her tears had stained her clothes.
She remembered how they hugged each other after not meeting each other for years back in the Swallow Phoenix Brothel.
She remembered how when fiendish demons attacked during the Courtesan Belle selection, Qin Yun had transformed into a stream of light to slay the fiendish demons in her panicked horror.
The zither’s tunes continued.
Unknowingly, Chen Shuang’s face was covered with tears as she looked towards the Jiang Prefecture in the north. “Brother Yun, you must come out alive…”