Chapter 68

Fang Yuru was feeling quite pleased with herself when she heard Sikong Zhan’s warning, but she refused to believe it, driven by her greed. How could she let go of the treasure that was almost in her hands? She still wanted to seize the treasure before leaving. Just as she saw the red silk entangle the newly flown out treasure sword, before she could retrieve it, she heard a sharp tearing sound. The treasure sword suddenly burst into a brilliant light, split into two, and unleashed a fierce wind and fire, tearing the red silk into pieces. Then the two swords crossed like scissors, aiming to cut her waist.

Fang Yuru let out another scream, frantically releasing her flying sword to block the attack. Suddenly, a deafening crack echoed above her head, like popping beans. She looked up and saw a grayish cloud swirling above, trying to fall down but held back by a blue light. The two forces rubbed against each other, producing a loud explosion. She recognized the cloud-like object as Xu Feiniang’s Primordial Qi Sleeve and the blue light as her master’s Lieque Hook. Realizing the danger, she hurriedly fled.

Liu Quan’s Wind and Fire Twin Swords were also blocked by a green light. He exerted all his strength, changing through seven sword techniques, but the hook still held them back, preventing any advance. Suddenly, he heard Xu Feiniang shout, “Those are the old ghost’s Lieque Twin Hooks. Junior Brother, don’t be greedy and chase the enemy; focus on protecting yourself!”

Fang Yuru merged with her sword, transforming into a stream of colorful light and flying outward. Suddenly, two black gases rose from the ground at the entrance of the Northern Pole Immortal Palace, revealing the Black and White Impermanents, each about three meters tall, wearing pointed hats and long cloaks, with long tongues. The Black Impermanent held a soul-snatching rope and said in a shrill voice, “Fang Yuru! Your time has come. Surrender quickly and come with us to the Underworld to face the judge!”

Fang Yuru thought it was just another illusion and sneered, directing her sword to cut the Black Impermanent. The Black Impermanent flicked the soul-snatching rope, which accurately entangled her flying sword. The sword, personally refined by Sikong Zhan, was immune to any evil, but it immediately lost its luster and became powerless when entangled by the black rope.

Startled, Fang Yuru quickly took out the All-Heaven Image Mirror to shine on them. The White Impermanent held a mourning staff and coldly said, “Your thing can only deal with mortals. Using it against us is laughable.” He struck Fang Yuru’s head with the mourning staff, and she immediately felt disoriented, dazed, and helpless as the Black Impermanent put the soul-snatching rope around her neck and dragged her away.

Fang Yuru had joined the sect later and did not know the subtleties of Mount Maoshan’s Daoist techniques. Sikong Zhan, however, was very familiar with them. As soon as he saw the Black and White Impermanents, he knew something was wrong and tried to retrieve the twin hooks. However, he was held back by Xu Feiniang and Liu Quan. Watching Fang Yuru being dragged north by the Black and White Impermanents, he let out a long whistle, “Old Daoist Mao! We have always been on good terms. Are you really going to help these juniors against me?” He spat out two streams of essence, and the Lieque Twin Hooks burst into a brilliant light, forcing them to return. Xu Feiniang used seven Green Dragon Sea-disturbing Swords to hold back one, while Liu Quan, whose power was inferior, saw the green light about to fly away and quickly took out the Green Mirage Bottle, releasing a colorful light to tightly wrap the hook.

Sikong Zhan tried three times to retrieve the hooks but failed, feeling both shocked and angry. Seeing Fang Yuru being taken away by the Black and White Impermanents, he could not wait and flew after them. Although the Black and White Impermanents seemed to be walking leisurely, they moved quickly on the cloud. Sikong Zhan chased them for a thousand miles before catching up. He rubbed his hands, and the sky suddenly burst into a brilliant light, like the sun falling to earth, with silver rays turning into needles, numbering in the billions, pouring down like rain, enveloping the Black and White Impermanents, piercing them into two clouds of smoke.

Sikong Zhan saved Fang Yuru, blew a stream of immortal energy onto her face, and gently patted her forehead, saying, “Rouer! Wake up!” Fang Yuru gradually regained her senses and, seeing herself in her master’s embrace, burst into tears, “Master, they are truly despicable. You must avenge me!”

Sikong Zhan thought the old Daoist Mao was in the Immortal Palace and was already considering retreating. He knew the old Daoist’s power was on par with his own, and a fight would result in mutual destruction. Fang Yuru’s pleading made him hesitate. Suddenly, he remembered his twin hooks. He had been fully focused on the Black and White Impermanents, and now, when he tried to sense the hooks, they were gone. He quickly recited the incantations, but there was no response, as if the hooks had vanished from the world.

This shock was immense. The twin hooks were ancient treasures, refined to be in harmony with his spirit, and could not be taken away. However, no matter how he tried, he could not sense them. He was furious, cursing the old Daoist Mao for being too aggressive. He told Fang Yuru to return to Yunmeng Mountain, but she refused, saying, “I want to see you kill them one by one!” She added, “Can’t you protect me with you by my side?” Sikong Zhan had no choice but to take her along.

Returning to Wutai Mountain, Sikong Zhan shouted, “Old Daoist Mao! Come out and speak!”

Liu Buxu stood at the entrance of the Immortal Palace and shouted, “What kind of person is my master? He won’t come out to see you. He said you are unrighteous and do nothing but bully the weak. If you know what’s good for you, go back to Yunmeng Mountain and hide like a turtle! If you don’t, he will get angry, and your fate will be in his hands!”

Sikong Zhan almost ground his teeth to pieces. Without further ado, he released the silver rays again, turning them into a rain of light, illuminating the sky and sea, making the area within a hundred miles so bright that one could not open their eyes. The entire Wutai Mountain was enveloped. This treasure, called the Gengjia Transformation Heavenly Ray Spirit Needles, was refined from the light of the sun, moon, and stars. The first to be hit would be blinded, then pierced by a thousand needles, and finally burned to ashes by the true fire within the needles. It was incredibly powerful, capable of reducing a mountain to ashes.

Sikong Zhan was furious, knowing the old Daoist Mao was not easy to deal with. He could not let him hide and plot in the dark; he had to force him out into the open. Therefore, he aimed to destroy the entire Immortal Palace. He knew the protective array on the mountain had not been activated for years and could not withstand his full attack unless they hid in the Ice Pole Cave.

As the billions of light needles rained down, about to hit the top of the Immortal Palace, a layer of colorful smoke suddenly rose from below, thin and trembling, creating ripples as the light needles hit it. Despite the increasing number of light needles, the smoke continued to protect, expanding to cover the entire mountain, including the fields, rivers, waterfalls, and ravines, finally enveloping all of Wutai Mountain.

Sikong Zhan looked at the Taiyi Five-Smoke Luo below, his eyes filled with greed. He tried to retrieve it with his sect’s techniques twice but failed, shocking him. He thought the person controlling the treasure must have great Daoist powers. Could the two juniors have given this treasure to the old Daoist Mao, and was he the one using it?

Inside the Immortal Palace, Liu Buxu shouted, “Sikong Zhan is nothing special. He hasn’t improved in forty years. Let me go out and use the Five Elders Immortal Seal to drive him away!”

“Don’t!” Liu Buxuan stopped him, “The Venerable Mahā’s power is on par with our master. These years in Yunmeng Mountain, he might have refined some new treasures. This time, we were able to take the initiative because Senior Yue and Senior Xu calculated in advance. We must not be rash and ruin Senior Yue’s treasure refinement.”

“Then should we just stay here and let him block the entrance and attack?”

Liu Buxuan said, “Senior Yue and I have already discussed it. We will use the Taiyi Five-Smoke Luo to protect the mountain temporarily to avoid destroying the scenery. I will then set up the True Spirit Position Map on the mountain. After three days, we will retract the Taiyi Five-Smoke Luo. If Sikong Zhan is sensible, it will be fine. If not, we will make him pay.”

“Did you bring the True Spirit Position Map?” Liu Buxu was both surprised and delighted, almost jumping up. The Mount Maoshan sect had three treasures, and the True Spirit Position Map was the first! It was refined by the Three Maoshan True Immortals during the Han Dynasty and later refined by several generations of ancestors, including Tao Hongjing. It was incredibly powerful, capable of evolving the heavens and stars, summoning and transforming divine generals, and was comparable to the Two Instruments Microdust Array of the Emei sect. It was not easy to use and was usually enshrined in front of the Three Maoshan True Immortals’ statues, unlike the Five Elders Immortal Seal, which could be carried. “I have only heard about its power but never seen it. Senior, set it up quickly!”

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