Chapter 95: The Xuan Palace opens and heroes gather
The sect's warship tore through the clouds, crossed the boundless wind and snow, and after several days of speeding, finally arrived at the destination of this journey - the Soul Burial Mountains in the deepest part of the extremely cold ice field in the north.
Before they even got close, a vast, ancient aura, mingled with extreme cold and a hint of oppression, assaulted their faces. The protective light shield on the warship rippled, shielding them from the harsh cold that could freeze even a cultivator at the Condensed Veins Realm.
Ye Li stood by the porthole, gazing into the distance. The once barren icefield, the vast glacier known as the Soul Burial Mountains, was now shrouded in a bizarre scene. In the center of the mountain range, the sky twisted, forming a strange, ice-blue vortex. Beneath it, a massive portal, a thousand feet tall, seemingly formed from ten-thousand-year-old black ice, loomed. Carved upon the portal were countless intricate, ancient runes. Though most had faded, they still emitted a frightening energy surge.
There is the entrance to the Bingpo Xuan Palace ruins!
Even more striking was the dense concentration of cultivators already gathered on the vast ice plain in front of the entrance, their banners fluttering and a mingled aura, like a temporary grand gathering of cultivators. A variety of flying instruments and demonic beast mounts were parked around the area, demarcating the area into distinct zones.
The Xuanyun Sect's warship slowly landed in its designated area, instantly attracting countless gazes. As one of the landowners and discoverers of the Northern Territory, the Xuanyun Sect was naturally a key force in this exploration.
Lay Buddhist Muyun was the first to disembark from the flying boat, followed by a group of fifty exploratory disciples, led by five core disciples: Yeli, Leng Ning, and Xuan Tianzi. All dressed in the standard uniforms of the Xuanyun Sect, their auras were concentrated and their discipline was strict, displaying the demeanor of disciples of a major sect. Yeli, who had recently gained fame in the Northern Territory, was the center of attention.
"Look! They're from the Xuanyun Sect!"
"That's Ye Li? He's really impressive!"
"That cold figure next to her is Jianfeng Lengning, right? And the Sect Master's direct disciple Xuan Tianzi..."
"The Xuanyun Sect's lineup is very strong this time!"
There were many discussions, some were amazed, some were afraid, and some were looked at with malicious intent.
Ye Li looked calm as he swept his eyes across the entire venue, quickly taking in all the forces.
The camp closest to the Xuanyun Sect was the Bishui Pavilion. Dozens of female cultivators in aquamarine dresses surrounded a woman in white, her aura as pure and ethereal as a fairy. It was Qin Yixuan. She, too, spotted the Xuanyun Sect members, and her gaze briefly met Ye Li's in mid-air, a slight nod of greeting. Both understood that excessive communication was inappropriate at this moment, but that fleeting exchange of glances revealed a tacit understanding only they could understand. The Bishui Pavilion disciples possessed a gentle and profound aura, subtly harmonizing with the icy surroundings.
On the other side lay the Tiandao Sect's camp. Each of the sword cultivators exuded a fierce, menacing aura. Leading the charge was an elderly man, eyes closed, clasping a long sword. His aura was profound, presumably the leader. Standing behind him was none other than Li Juetian, his face still pale from his wounds. When Li Juetian saw Ye Li, a fierce fighting spirit and a hint of barely concealed humiliation instantly erupted in his eyes. But he quickly suppressed his emotion, snorted coldly, and turned away. A defeated general, he had no nerve to challenge.
Besides the three great sects of the Northern Territory, there were numerous other forces. There were ascetic monks from the Western Territory, draped in cassocks and radiant with Buddha's light; there were scantily clad, wild-looking barbarian warriors and demon cultivators from the Southern Wilds; there were cultivators from the overseas reaches of East Continent, wielding strange sea beasts; and there were also many independent cultivators and disciples of smaller sects who had formed temporary alliances upon hearing the news. It was a mixed bag.
Ye Li even spotted several figures wearing attire similar to those seen during the Blackwater City incident, lurking among the crowd of casual cultivators, their eyes menacing. Clearly, just as Qin Yixuan had anticipated, demonic forces had also infiltrated the scene.
Of these forces, the one that most alarmed Ye Li was a small, reserved group, dressed in uniform black uniforms and lacking any sect markings. They occupied a small, isolated area, standing out from the other forces. They were silent, but their occasional glances were cold, as if they were scrutinizing prey. Ye Li sensed a dangerous aura from them, similar to that of the Shadow Demons.
"It seems that this pool of water is even more muddy than I imagined." Ye Li thought to himself.
At that moment, Zhan Kuangfeng's group also caught her attention. Shi Long, accompanied by nine Zhan Kuangfeng disciples, stood at the edge of the Xuanyun Sect's group. Unlike the others, who were either nervous or expectant, Shi Long and his companions' eyes flickered, occasionally exchanging subtle glances with certain figures in the crowd of wandering cultivators. When Shi Long's gaze met Ye Li's, he didn't dodge. Instead, he revealed a sinister and eerie smile, full of provocation and calculation.
Goldman Sachs did not appear in the team and was said to be still recovering from his injuries, but Ye Li believed that Situ Kuang’s arrangements would definitely not be limited to the obvious Shilong.
"Hmph, a clown." Ye Li sneered inwardly, not taking Shi Long's provocation seriously. In the face of absolute strength, these conspiracies and tricks were nothing but chickens and dogs.
Time slowly passed as they waited. All parties were secretly observing and weighing their options. The air was filled with a sense of oppression and tension before a storm.
Suddenly, the icy blue vortex in the sky accelerated, and the thousand-foot-tall ice gate suddenly solidified! The ancient runes on the gate lit up one after another, emitting a dazzling light! An even more powerful and ancient pressure emanated from the gate, sweeping across the entire ice field!
"The entrance is about to open!"
Someone shouted, and everyone's spirits were lifted, and their eyes were cast towards the huge ice gate with burning eyes.
Buzz——!
With a humming sound that seemed to come from ancient times, the massive ice door slowly opened inwards, a crack appearing! A stream of pure, yet bone-chilling cold air gushed out like a bursting dam, instantly causing the temperature of the glacier to plummet again! Behind the door lay a deep passage, seemingly made of endless ice and snow, with no end in sight.
"Disciples of Xuanyun Sect, listen up! Form a formation and prepare to enter!" Master Muyun shouted in a deep voice, and his voice was clearly heard by every disciple.
At the same time, the Bishui Pavilion, Tiandao Sect and other major forces also took action. Powerful auras burst out and they formed battle formations, like an army about to charge.
"Junior Sister Ye, be careful after entering." Leng Ning took the initiative to speak to Ye Li, a rare move. Although her tone was still cold, the reminder contained in it was obvious. Xuan Tianzi also cast a peaceful look at Ye Li.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Leng, Senior Brother Xuan." Ye Li nodded in response. Although there were conflicts within the sect, there was still basic unity when dealing with the outside world.
She glanced toward the Bishui Pavilion again, and coincidentally, Qin Yixuan was looking over there as well. Their gazes met, and each saw the solemnity and determination in the other's eyes. The next moment, they both turned almost simultaneously, facing their respective sects' teams.
"Enter!"
Following the almost simultaneous orders issued by Mr. Muyun and the elder leading the Bishui Pavilion, the teams of Xuanyun Sect and Bishui Pavilion, like two sharp swords, rushed towards the entrance of Bingpo Xuan Palace which had just been opened!
The Tiandao Sect, the Buddhist cultivators of the Western Regions, the barbarians of the Southern Wilderness... various forces followed closely behind, like hundreds of rivers converging into the sea, rushing towards the unknown world full of opportunities and dangers!
The shouts, whistles, the light of magic weapons, the roars of monsters... instantly broke the silence of the ice field!
The Bingpo Xuan Palace, this ancient relic sealed for millennia, finally opens its doors to the world. And a fierce battle sweeping across the Northern Territory, and potentially even beyond, has officially begun!
Ye Li was at the forefront of the Xuanyun Sect's team, Xuanbing Sword already in hand. Her body was energized by a surge of frigid spiritual energy, faintly resonating with the chill at the Xuan Palace's entrance. With a sharp gaze, she was the first to step into the icy passage.
The cold was biting, the light was dim, and my consciousness was greatly suppressed. Behind me was a surging crowd, and ahead was an unknown danger.
But she was fearless in her heart, only full of fighting spirit.
Within this mysterious palace, she must not only seek opportunities and improve her strength, but also find the fragments of the Samsara Mirror and uncover the truth behind her parents' disappearance! Anything that stands in her way, whether it's a relic restriction, a genius from all sides, or a hidden conspiracy, will be shattered by her sword!
The figure was instantly swallowed up by the darkness and coldness of the passage.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
