Dense formation patterns in the sky gradually lit up as they conversed and flew northward. Three pitch-black fissures appeared. The entire formation shuddered slightly, but with no one controlling it, it could only resist through its built-in instructions.
Countless golden eyes lit up within the darkness. Then came innumerable massive hands that started to pull at the edges. A golden dharma body strained with all its might to push inward, producing thunderous collision sounds.
Boom!
Daoist Master Chi Buzi studied the scene carefully, then turned and said, "I was wondering why Maha hadn’t acted yet. Turns out this Immortal Dao formation sensed him and kept him sealed outside for more than fifteen minutes!"
Though his tone was joking, his footwork technique picked up speed. Yuan Xiu also glanced up once before passing through the grotto heaven and stopping before a tall, rounded altar-like dome.
Chi Buzi halted instantly and looked up. White steps led to a blue hall, glowing faintly with floating white mist. Above the entrance hung a bright plaque, on which a few ancient seal characters were inscribed in golden strokes.
He took in the scenery before him and nodded, "Uncle, shall we go together? It seems to be the Palace of Enlightened Dao within Anhuai Heaven up ahead."
Yuan Xiu looked up at the formation. No one had entered yet. He wasn't very interested in cultivation techniques but did want to examine the spell arts. While nothing passed down by a True Monarch would be kept here, it would still be worth studying for a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator.
He nodded and said, "Lead the way."
Buzi smiled slightly and replied, "I understand formations a little, but I can’t compare to Uncle's formation breaking talisman techniques. Your skills were already famed across Yue State back when you cultivated at Moongaze Lake. I rarely got to witness them myself; now I finally get to see it for real!"
————
The Great River.
The Great River surged with mighty waves, flowing from the west into Lake Xian, dividing the land into north and south. The spray was so white and crystal-clear that the whole scene was breathtakingly beautiful.
Cultivators moved about the riverbank. A beam of bright light descended from the south, stopping at the formation along the shore. A young cultivator emerged, standing on radiant light under his feet that drew many stares.
Li Ximing had stayed here for several months and was growing familiar with the place. The cultivators on either side stepped aside at his descent and greeted him respectfully, "Greetings, Daoist!"
He held a small white disc, about the size of a palm, engraved densely with markings. It was divided evenly into three sections, each with distinct patterns. This was the dharma artifact he had exchanged for using the devil jar. Called Guiyang, it was a solid defensive artifact, also taken from a devil cultivator and given to him easily by the Ning Family.
Guiyang was forged from spirit items of the Lesser Yang attribute, mixed with a trace of True Flame essence. Clearly, its previous owner had been a devil cultivator of the Purple Mansion or Golden Core Realm. Though not Bright Yang, it was close enough. It was a reliable artifact.
Li Ximing knew full well the devil jar was worth less than Guiyang. The Ning Family had offered the exchange so easily to repay a favor. He accepted it in silence, feeling more at ease.
"Daoist Ximing!" One of the nearby cultivators called out, his face filled with both alarm and fear. He spoke in a hushed tone, "Please hurry... the devil cultivators from the north are descending again..."
Li Ximing’s expression darkened. He strode forward quickly, stopping before the formation and looking up. Sure enough, several devil cultivators stood within the thick, overlapping devilish mist, their greedy eyes staring directly at him.
The number of devil cultivators gathering here over the past few hours keeps increasing...
Li Ximing had no idea what had happened at Chengshui Tomb. After months of defending this place, he had gained some experience, but the battle between North and South had taken an entirely unexpected turn since the midnight hour...
A tangled mess... a complete mess...
It was as if some restriction among the devil cultivators had been removed. All of Xu State was in chaos, with orders from Mount Bianyan blocked to the north. It was as if the entire chessboard had been smashed to pieces. The North and South were left disoriented.
The devil cultivators had begun slaughtering each other, yet the massive devil cloud still advanced, spawning countless tendrils that surged southward. The former sense of orderly combat where soldier versus soldier, general versus general had completely vanished.
Dozens of Qi Cultivation Realm devil cultivators had fled into Li Ximing's area within the hour, with even several Foundation Establishment Realm devil heads pausing here. The cultivators in the formation were so terrified they nearly lost control of their bowels and hurriedly called for him.
The man reported, "Daoist... in just one hour, several of our strongholds on the northern shore vanished without a trace or message..."
Li Ximing felt more and more uneasy and asked quietly, "Any word from the Ning Family?"
"They came asking once, fifteen minutes ago!" replied the man.
Li Ximing immediately frowned and sighed inwardly at how clueless this man was. If this formation had been under his full control, how could someone like this hold such a position?
He said coldly, "What did they say?"
The man seemed to realize his blunder and trembled under Li Ximing’s tone. Suppressing his fear of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, he responded respectfully, "Reporting to Daoist... the upper sect asked... they asked if you could get in touch with General Xuanfeng..."
"What?!" Li Ximing froze, a chill creeping up his spine as he murmured, "Didn’t Ning Heyuan say Uncle was with Daoist Master Yuan Xiu? Why would they ask me something like this? Did he lose contact with the Daoist Master?"
"I... I don’t know!" The man thought Li Ximing was questioning him directly and collapsed to his knees in fear, kowtowing repeatedly. Li Ximing no longer paid him any mind, pacing anxiously as dread grew in his heart.
He rushed to grab a jade talisman from the desk, infused it with spiritual sense, and wrote, The north is in upheaval... I urge Zhouwei to retreat quickly to the Eastern Sea...
He yanked the man up from the ground and shoved the talisman into his chest, his voice sharp and stern, "Deliver this to the Li Family in Qingdu immediately!"