The wind along the riverbank was fierce, with dark black rocks scattered among the river waters. The jagged stones created eddies in the flow, some calm, others turbulent. Occasionally the reflections of the sky could be seen in the bends where the water was smooth.
However, there was a single point of brightness amid the dense night fog.
A man in platinum armor rose high into the sky, shining like a white star in the dim night, radiating a blazing light. The cultivators in the north hesitated for a moment, then all looked up at him.
"Li Xuanfeng of Bianyan..."
The crowd of cultivators did not just have rogue cultivators and family cultivators, but also experts. They were all silently waiting for something. The entire stretch of the river from north to south fell eerily silent, leaving only the sound of the surging water.
Si Yuanli was also a decisive man. Once he’d made his decision, his mindset shifted immediately. His sword aura was ethereal as he stood beside Li Xuanfeng.
There were many cultivators on the northern bank, yet they were divided into several factions. Several Buddhist cultivators and Master Monks gradually arrived, settling in the back like immovable mountains. The front was mostly made of family and rogue cultivators conscripted from the northern counties, with their sects often a mix of Daoist, Buddhist, and demonic practitioners. It made for a complicated scene.
The rogue cultivators and minor sect cultivators were clearly much simpler; they were either purely practicing Daoist or devil cultivation, or sometimes both. In any case, they were all demonic in nature, with no real conflict. They were mixed with devil cultivators from all over the southern and northern regions. There were even some from overseas, all here to fish for profit. It made for a chaotic gathering.
Si Yuanli watched for a while and even saw some Zhao State’s banners. He wasn’t surprised; Zhao’s imperial court had become a puppet of the Buddhist Dao, but unlike Wu and Yue, it wasn’t just an empty shell. The Buddhist cultivators used Zhao’s court to conscript cultivators, and it looked more legitimate that way.
He turned to Li Qinghong and spoke softly, "Buddhist cultivators from the Way of Emptiness, Compassion, and Virtuous are gradually arriving. The northern bank is no longer as chaotic and leaderless as before. Buddhist cultivators like to seize the destiny and fortune of this north-south conflict; they definitely won’t give up easily. We must remain vigilant."
Boom!
Thunder rumbled twice in the clouds when he finished. The dim, dark smoke rose, and Li Xuanfeng stood in mid-air, bow in hand and bathed in golden light. The cultivators he had halted with his shout began to press forward again after more than ten seconds.
Brilliant platinum light shimmered in the air, beams of bright light shooting out, piercing the night across the river. The man released the string and drew a scroll from his waist.
The scroll wasn’t large and looked quite ordinary, yet now all eyes from north and south were focused on him alone. Every burning gaze fell on that scroll, some curious, some suspicious; all their pupils followed its every movement.
Li Xuanfeng’s eyes also fell on the spirit artifact. He poured his spiritual sense and mana into it. The ivory-white hook fastener untied itself, and the long scroll unfurled, forming a sheet of white in the air.
Li Xuanfeng personally held the scroll and took in its contents at a glance. It was a vast depiction of the Huai River region. The depiction covered five thousand kilometers of the river, with rich scenery of vividly lifelike birds and beasts on both banks. It was far longer than the river at his feet as it wound and twisted its way until it flowed grandly into the Eastern Sea.
His gaze followed the scroll all the way to the end, "Huai River Map, Boye Cui Yan, Year 317 of Zhenghe."
When the scroll opened, countless red light streams burst forth, swirling like fireflies in the air. Li Xuanfeng’s voice was slightly hoarse, but sonorous and powerful, "Shining in the Profound Mystery, remnants of sunlight over the Huai River..."
His voice was drawn into the scroll the moment he spoke. The sky instantly brightened, and the clouds transformed into a brilliant golden hue as a sheet of bright light fell from the heavens.
Below, Li Ximing’s pupils slowly widened. His Immortal Foundation seemed to stir, letting out a series of rumbles. A dazzling brilliance was reflected in his eyes as he murmured, "Bright Yang..."
Before tens of thousands of onlookers, a golden light flew out from the scroll and descended from the sky. A brilliant radiance appeared beneath Li Xuanfeng’s feet. The great river had turned into a bright, clear golden stream.
The bright river continued to surge forward. A shadow faintly emerged on the water’s surface, and a second later, a tall pass rose from beneath the water, breaking through the surface and soaring into the sky.
The pass stretched on without end, its patterns intricate and bright. The white bricks fitted together perfectly, with a jade-like color that shone even brighter. It exuded an ancient yet elegant beauty as it rose into the sky.
Splash!
The heads of the assembled cultivators slowly lifted as their eyes followed the pass into the air. Golden river water shimmered as it cascaded down the pass like countless golden waterfalls.
"An ancient spirit artifact... Huai River Map" A voice from the north murmured. The words echoed among the cultivators, sounding especially sharp in the quiet atmosphere.
The sky grew dim once more. The man in platinum armor stood atop the hundred-zhang pass dividing north and south like an ancient celestial general. Behind him, white illusions formed concentric rings of light, illuminating the space at his side.
Countless mysteries rose in Li Xuanfeng’s mind, and both of his Immortal Foundations received some kind of blessing. Thick mana surged outward, allowing him to lightly float in the air. The Heavenly Gilded Helm covering his body shone more clearly than ever, exuding a fierce and mighty aura along with dazzling platinum light.
Buzz.
He raised his bow, and a mysterious arrow immediately fell onto the string. Sharp light began to flicker along the bow, and powerful Astral Qi spread behind him, leaving golden trails that occasionally put his face in shadow.
Whoosh...
A flash of golden brilliance streaked through the air. All the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators felt a sudden alarm in their hearts and hastily raised their dharma artifacts in panic. The cultivators on the riverbank froze all at once as colorful dharma artifacts, red, orange, green, rose into the air, creating a dazzling display.
Boom!
But the head of a middle-aged cultivator standing on the northern bank exploded with a bang. The dharma artifact in his hand was torn through like thin paper, raining down on the others in a flurry. The blast of dharma light and Astral Qi erupted, producing a deafening roar.
Rumble!
The surrounding cultivators all backed away. This person hadn’t even taken a single blow before being killed on the spot. His only claim to existence was a red mist rising to the sky, transforming into a crimson light like a sunset glow.
"A phenomenon... that’s truly dead!" The elderly cultivator beside him turned pale, trembling as he exclaimed in fright, "Chunyu Bei is dead... even though he was injured, that was just one arrow! How can this be reasonable?!
"We are, after all, prefecture temple masters from many regions, yet in front of this man, we’re like dogs and chickens... what’s the point of fighting?!"
The crowd did not even have a chance to mourn before a fearful wailing rose in their ears. The cold-faced man already had five more arrows nocked on his bow. The Embryonic Breathing Realm and Qi Cultivation Realm cultivators that were at his feet, the monks and nuns, couldn’t see the situation clearly and rushed forward in confusion, but every Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator collectively took a step back.
"Not good!"
Boom!
Brilliant golden light exploded everywhere. Before the elder could even see who had died or been injured, several black escape lights shot into the sky. Li Xuanfeng exhaled lightly, and five more arrows appeared on his bowstring.
The elder felt a cold chill on his neck, stepped back, and exclaimed in shock, "Why is no one stepping up? Are you forcing us to die for nothing!"
Terror spread across the northern bank. Even the lesser cultivators on the ground raised their heads, and the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators’ escape lights flickered in and out, showing signs of collapse.