The great void.
The great void was shrouded in endless darkness. Gradually, a harmonious and beautiful arc began to glow, revealing its form within the void. The shape of Anhuai Heaven grew clearer and brighter, becoming the most prominent feature in that space.
More and more gazes turned toward Anhuai Heaven, staring through its transparent and beautiful barrier to observe what lay within. Lu Jiangxian’s divine sense hovered within the great void. It took only the slightest movement for it to slip inside.
Lu Jiangxian’s divine sense was far superior to mere spiritual sense. While the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators were still speculating whether Anhuai Heaven even existed, he could already see its form. Now that Anhuai Heaven had fully manifested and others were only just gaining clarity, he had already entered without needing to pass through Great Ning Palace.
After the incident with the five True Monarchs of Green Pine Temple, he had become confident that even Golden Core Realm cultivators couldn’t detect his divine sense. Reassured, he sent a wisp of his divine sense drifting into Anhuai Heaven, where it landed above a small lake.
The lake was only two and a half kilometers across, its waters rippling with a bluish-white radiance. Yet it didn’t seem quite like water, drifting upward like mist before being drawn back by the formation at the lake’s edge.
A grayish-white stone stele inscribed with several ancient seal characters stood at the lake’s edge.
Daling Lake. Lu Jiangxian took one look and immediately recognized it, River Pure Qi
This lake was formed entirely of River Pure Qi. Li Tongya used this very qi for Qi Cultivation, but just a small vial had cost him dozens of spirit stones. Yet here in Anhuai Heaven, there was an entire lake of it, likely intended for cultivators of the Pit Water Dao to refine their techniques.
Just as Lu Jiangxian paused to observe, two figures flew in from the sky and stopped at the same spot. The one in front was a female cultivator in golden robes, her eyes bright and gentle. Behind her stood a figure cloaked in black, faintly shrouded in golden haze.
“Qiushui and Chang Yun...”
The two landed in front of him, but they were unable to see him. They both looked up at the lake. A look of admiration appeared on Qiushui’s face as Daoist Master Chang Yun used mana to transmit his voice, “Ancestor... This Anhuai Heaven is rather strange... we can’t extend our spiritual sense at all... and the formations are still intact... who knows how long it will take to find what we need...”
Daoist Master Qiushui nodded slightly and revealed a golden pearl in her hand, releasing a mist-like golden glow that enveloped the two of them. Then she spoke softly, “No one could’ve expected it would turn out like this... what a pity. Tianque, Tianyuan, and I went through all that secret planning just to protect Zhong Qian... and in the end, there’s no use for him...”
The two did not linger and rose swiftly into the air. Though they were suppressed by the grotto heaven, making their speed modest, Daoist Master Chang Yun chuckled and said, “Ancestor... Zhong Qian is a gentlemanly sort and easy to handle. That’s why we chose him in the first place. Even if he’s not useful here in the grotto heaven, he’ll be a major asset once he establishes a sect in Jiangbei. Who knows? He might even help reform our devil sect into something more like the immortal path...”
Daoist Master Qiushui smiled gently and replied, “That’s true... Xu State is currently empty and pure, with exceptionally rich spiritual energy. Don’t let the efforts and calculations of your grandmaster and me go to waste.”
Their conversation showed clear familiarity, and it turned out that Daoist Master Chang Yun was her junior. His tone carried great respect.
“Of course. It’s just a shame...”
They casually gathered treasures from the palace on the lake’s small island. The items were precious, but no longer of real value to those at the Purple Mansion Realm. Zhang Qiushui kept her focus on detecting any signs of combat.
Meanwhile, Daoist Master Chang Yun sighed softly and said, “Seeing this whole lake of River Pure Qi reminds me of something... Back when we were setting up the plan, I casually placed a piece and handed the River Mountain Sutra to Li Tongya. I thought him exceptional, and suited to the image of a river beast. He might’ve been able to unravel it. But then Maha meddled...
“Later, we saw Li Yuanjiao making swift progress in cultivation. He was ambitious and a true schemer. He might have been capable of stirring up northern Azure Pond, crossing the great river, uniting Jiangbei, and doing something grand. But he died inside the grotto heaven...”
Lu Jiangxian sharpened his gaze, and in that moment, saw through Chang Yun’s disguise to a clear view of the man’s face. He looked ordinary, but had a sharp, fierce gaze. A blade was hidden within his robes, suppressed and ready.
So it was you... Lu Jiangxian sighed inwardly. Chang Yun... Zhang Yun.
The man before him was none other than Zhang Yun of the Golden Feather Sect! He had entered seclusion years ago to break through to the Purple Mansion Realm. Not only had he succeeded in just twenty years, he had even infiltrated the ranks of Eastern Sea’s devil cultivators!
In an instant, all the scattered clues aligned. Why had the Golden Feather Sect spread the Blood Dharma Manual during the devil plague? Why had Chimen Difu, a devil cultivator, known the Golden Feather Sect’s techniques?
Clearly, this had been planned years ago. To avoid suspicion, they had secretly stolen the Blood Dharma Manual from the Miao Family of the Southern Sea, quietly gathered a group of devil cultivators, and converted several northern disciples of the sect, like Chimen Difu and Zhang Huaide, into devil cultivators and scattered them across Jiangbei...
It was all for the moment Zhang Yun achieved his breakthrough; he could immediately rally a loyal force of devil cultivators and instantly alter the balance between north and south. Leveraging the chaotic situation in Xu State, he fabricated the identity of Daoist Master Chang Yun and justified the establishment of his own sect.
It also explained why Zhong Qian, who was supposedly dead and his dharma artifact long divided, had suddenly reappeared among devil cultivators. Naturally, the Golden Feather Sect had secretly protected him, grooming him as a pawn for this very day, so he could enter Anhuai Heaven!
“Furthermore, as the founder of a sect and a key figure in the northern-southern struggle, Chang Yun could even claim a spot in Great Ning Palace. If everything went according to plan, the specially preserved Zhong Qian would shine brightly within Anhuai Heaven and seize countless treasures...
“This plot would allow Golden Feather to not only gain two entrance slots, but also secretly establish their own sect in fertile Jiangbei. It would secure the northern flank... and ferry endless spirit herbs and spirit items from the spiritual-energy-rich Jiangbei into the Golden Feather Sect...
“This was the Golden Feather Sect’s century-long plan... A hundred years ago, they foresaw the Shangyuan breakthrough, predicted inevitable chaos in Jiangbei, and how several Purple Mansion Realm cultivators would join forces. They began planning in secret, and now, at last, the fruits have begun to ripen.”