"Thank you for your help!"
Xie Shuci suddenly sat up in bed, looking around in fear.
He returned to his room in the inn, where there was no one around. A bright pearl illuminated the room, while it was pitch black outside the window.
Xie Shuci sat on the bed in a daze, taking two heavy breaths, still somewhat unaware of his surroundings.
Wasn't he with Xie An? Where is Xie An?
Xie Shuci threw back the covers, rolled off the bed, and called out, "An? An!"
He felt no discomfort, and his clothes were clean, as if nothing had happened; he had simply slept until dark.
Perhaps because he had slept for too long and slept too deeply, Xie Shuci's mind was a mess. The chaotic images in his dream weighed heavily on his heart, and he could only feel at ease when he saw Xie An.
"Xie An..."
Xie Shuci forcefully pulled open the door, and just as he was about to crash out, his body was blocked by an invisible barrier.
Xie Shuci hesitated and looked up, discovering a faint red barrier outside the door, like a protective barrier.
Xie Shuci placed his palm against it, and a gentle yet powerful force blocked his forward momentum. Xie Shuci had felt this spiritual power more than once, but it was different from the previous ones. This spiritual power was gentle and mild, and it blocked Xie Shuci with an absolutely gentle force.
Xie Shuci trembled as he looked at the barrier. He turned and walked to the window, and sure enough, the outside was still trapped by the spiritual energy.
Xie Shuci's face turned deathly pale as he tried to merge his spiritual power into the barrier, but while the barrier accepted his spiritual power, it refused to let him leave.
Looking out at the pitch-black darkness, Xie Shuci shivered, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. This wasn't an inn! This was... the bead Xie An had given him! He said it sealed his memories of himself; he had lied to him!
"Xie An! Let me out!" Xie Shuci pounded on the barrier, but to no avail. In the silent space, he seemed to be the only living thing.
Xie Shuci took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He didn't know how long he had slept, whether the Immortal Sect Selection had started, or Xie An's current situation. He could sense the aura of the bead in this space. Xie An probably couldn't put him inside the bead; most likely, he had locked his consciousness, and his body was still outside...
To confirm his idea, Xie Shuci searched the room and eventually found a short dagger.
Xie Shuci gritted his teeth, rolled up his sleeves, closed his eyes, and swung the dagger at his wrist. The expected pain did not come. Xie Shuci opened his eyes in surprise and found that the dagger had passed through his wrist, leaving a blur.
"really!"
Xie Shuci was overjoyed. Xie An must have used some method to lock his consciousness inside the bead, while his body was still outside. He wondered if Chu Wenfeng and the others could find out!
However, he couldn't place all his hopes on others. He didn't know where he was, what the situation was like outside, or what Xie An wanted to do. His consciousness had to leave this place as soon as possible. If he missed the Immortal Sect Selection, he would be doomed!
——
Two days before the Immortal Sect Selection, Xiao Xun was paraded through the streets when, due to the obstruction of the Yin family disciples, he managed to escape right under everyone's noses.
Over the years, the Yin family had accumulated many grudges, and numerous immortal sects and aristocratic families seized the opportunity to report to the Hundred Sects, demanding severe punishment for the Yin family disciples. The Yin family head once again tried to evoke the elders' sense of guilt towards the Yin family by mentioning Yin Mingyuan's death, hoping to get leniency in this matter. However, they never expected that this matter was no longer under the control of the Hundred Sects elders. Sikong Xin, holding the token of the Siming Pavilion, not only imprisoned the troublemaking Yin family disciples but also revoked the Yin family head's control over the Hundred Sects. Due to the urgency of the situation, he and Sikong Ye temporarily took over the management.
The day after Xiao Xun disappeared, panic gripped Sangqi City. The leader of the Xiaoyao Sect, along with many important disciples from various immortal sects, guarded the only entrance and exit of Sangqi City, even though they knew that if Xiao Xun wanted to leave, they were powerless to stop him.
However, to everyone's surprise, on the night before the Immortal Sect Selection, Xiao Xun suddenly appeared and fought with the two Sikong brothers and Liu Yunhan in Sangqi City. He fought against all three of them and was eventually defeated, and was once again imprisoned in the Xiaoyao Sect.
Upon hearing this news, everyone's hearts, which had been in their throats, finally settled down.
"Senior Brother, what do you think Xiao Xun is trying to do?"
Chu Wenfeng put one foot on the stool, glanced at Xie Shuci who was still fast asleep on the bed, frowned, and asked in confusion.
Not long ago, the missing Xiao Xun suddenly found them, handed over the unconscious Xie Shuci to them, thanked them, and left without saying a word. Not long after, they heard that he had been captured again by Sikong Ye and others.
Now that things have come to this, both of them have guessed that Xiao Xun's arrest was intentional.
Chu Guiyi remained silent for a long time before saying, "I don't know what he's trying to do, but by locking Shuci's consciousness, he probably doesn't want to involve Shuci in this matter."
Chu Wenfeng, with one hand supporting his broadsword and the other resting his chin on his hand, said, "What if Xie Shuci wakes up again? If he starts crying, he'll never stop. It's so annoying."
Chu Guiyi lowered his eyes and said, "Young Master Xie deliberately got arrested, there must be other reasons. There will definitely be trouble tomorrow, we need to be careful. Shuci is not here... perhaps it is a good thing."
Chu Wenfeng frowned, "But..."
Before he could finish speaking, Chu Guiyi said, "But Shuci doesn't want it to be like this."
Hearing this, Chu Wenfeng couldn't help but roll his eyes at Xie Shuci on the bed and said, "This idiot, I don't know what he's thinking."
Chu Guiyi looked at Xie Shuci on the bed and sighed softly, "We can't break the seal, so let's hand him over to those seniors."
After hearing this, Chu Wenfeng lowered his head again, his voice somewhat sullen, and said, "But, if the seal is broken, he might not be able to escape his own fate..."
Chu Guiyi was silent for a moment, then said, "Shuci never intended to hide in the first place."
Chu Guiyi cultivates the Dao of Pure Breeze, which is the most inconspicuous of all the Daos in the world.
They come and go like the wind, free and easy.
He acts as he pleases, and never interferes with him.
People don't force others.
It seems that for him, doing whatever he wants is enough.
Therefore, no matter what Xie Shuci wants to do or what the final outcome will be, he will feel regret and pity for Xie Shuci, but he will never add his own efforts to it.
“If Young Master Xie entrusted him to me hoping that I could protect him and prevent him from getting involved in this disaster, then… he has chosen the wrong person,” Chu Guiyi said, lowering his eyes.
Chu Wenfeng had always looked up to his senior brother since childhood, and he would ignore the words of the Chu family patriarch. However, he almost always followed Chu Guiyi's lead.
He acknowledged his senior brother's Dao of Purity, even though he didn't want Xie Shuci to die in the Immortal Sect Selection as Ban Xiayin had predicted. However, he was also unwilling to go against Xie Shuci's wishes.
The thing that locked Xie Shuci's consciousness was almost the very source of Xie An's life. If there was no other way to unlock it, Xie Shuci's locked consciousness could only be freed when Xie An died.
Chu Wenfeng could hardly imagine how Xie Shuci would react to waking up to Xie An's death. That guy... would probably feel even worse than if he himself had died.
Chu Wenfeng remained silent for a long time before nodding slightly.
After the first heavy snowfall of this winter, the weather has become noticeably colder.
The biting winter wind felt like needles pricking the skin, and the vast darkness pressed down on the earth like ink-stained rice paper, weighing heavily on everyone's hearts.
A cold wind howled past, sand and gravel swirled and danced, and the vast city of Sangqi exuded an empty sense of haste. It was like a harbinger of destiny: the Immortal Sect Grand Selection would begin early tomorrow morning, and the Immortal Sect families within the Futu territory would descend to witness the grand spectacle of the Heavenly Dao Saint Son's annihilation.
"Boom—"
As an ancient bell tolled throughout Sangqi City, the vast town awoke from its slumber.
The sky was a hazy gray, with dark clouds piling up and flashing purple lightning from time to time. No trace of the sky could be seen through the gaps in the clouds, making it look as gloomy as dusk after rain.
Nevertheless, on this anticipated day, all the immortal sects and aristocratic families in Sangqi City were still eager to try their luck.
The people of the city lined the streets early in the morning, watching with curiosity and excitement as familiar and unfamiliar disciples from various immortal sects passed by, making their way in an orderly fashion to the massive Wind and Cloud Platform in the center of Sangqi City.
"Disciples of the Chu family from Yingzhou have arrived—"
"Disciples of the Hehuan Sect from Jinzhou have arrived—"
"Disciples of the Xu family from Huaizhou have arrived—"
"Disciples of the Li family from Bianzhou have arrived—"
...
Every time a disciple from a prestigious immortal family enters the first trial of the Wind and Cloud Platform, a melodious bell tolls.
The sound soared into the sky, and even though it was several feet away, the people waiting on both sides of the street could hear it clearly.
The ancient selection of immortal sects has not involved all disciples. Instead, it follows the "Hundred Sect Leaders" competition held thousands of years ago, selecting the ten most talented young people in the sect to go through layers of selection to determine the top ten immortal sects. The final ranking is unrelated to the individuals.
The reason for this is probably because young monks represent the dawn and hope of the world.
The highest point of Fengyun Terrace is eleven zhang (approximately 33 meters), and looking out, several elderly men stand on the high platform.
They wore gray robes with the characters for Heaven, Earth, Yin and Yang tattooed on their backs in black and white silk thread. Their hair was white and their skin was aged, but their eyes were remarkably clear.
Looking down at the young disciples of the cultivation world who were filing into the stage, their faces bearing the arrogance and inscrutable nature that comes with being in a superior position, they stood with their hands behind their backs and sighed in a deep voice: "These cultivators are the dawn and future of the cultivation world?"
The dissatisfaction in his tone was obvious.
One of the elders in the green robe bowed slightly and clasped his hands, saying, "Elder, the cultivation world is naturally not comparable to the Floating Pagoda Realm. However, the Chu family of Yingzhou and the Hehuan Sect of Jinzhou have a few disciples with quite good aptitude."
The elder smiled slightly, "Just because a few green shoots are mixed in with weeds doesn't mean they're not weeds anymore. They're nothing special."
The old man standing behind him stroked his beard, shook his head, and said, "Dawn and hope? This is... the twilight of the cultivation world."
The Grand Elder raised his hand slightly and said, "Although they are weeds, fresh blood may still sprout from beneath their soil, adding a touch of color to the future of the cultivation world."
The old man in the green robe was slightly taken aback, but then he understood what he meant. He lowered his body even further and bowed his head, saying, "Since it is the request of the Fate Pavilion, the Hundred Sects will naturally do their utmost."
The Grand Elder waved his hand, "After they have all entered, open the barrier of the Wind and Cloud Platform. At that time, I will open the gate of the Floating Pagoda Realm, so that these weeds can see the true dawn and hope before they die."
This is... for the future of the cultivation world, this is... guidance from the Heavenly Dao!
The elders behind him trembled and knelt down in unison, looking up devoutly at the sky, as if the so-called "Heavenly Way" they spoke of resided there.
Before long, all the disciples from the aristocratic families who had come to participate in the Immortal Sect Selection entered the Wind and Cloud Platform.
An elderly man in a green robe descended into the air above the crowd, holding an ancient black tree branch with a red bead embedded at its tip. He raised the branch high and muttered some mysterious incantation. Ten disciples of the Xiaoyao Sect on the ground occupied ten array points, channeling their spiritual power to assist. A huge energy exploded in mid-air, with strands of spiritual power as fine as rain. The red bead extended a golden spiritual power, weaving the spiritual power together in mid-air, gradually forming an impenetrable net that enveloped the entire Fengyun Platform, completely isolating it from the outside world.
Whatever happened in Fengyuntai today, it will never be known to outsiders.
This situation is almost identical to the contest for supremacy among the "leaders of a hundred schools" held by Luo Jingyu seven thousand years ago.
At this moment, the young disciples looked with admiration at the figures in the sky and at the elders from the Fate Pavilion of the Floating Pagoda Realm on the highest platform of the Wind and Cloud Platform. They sincerely believed that as long as they performed well today and left a mark on their immortal sect in their eyes, making them remember them, this was almost the thing they longed for the most.
Because those people represent the Floating Pagoda Realm and the will of Heaven. They work for the Heavenly Dao and are among the few people closest to the Heavenly Dao, apart from the Startled Feather Bird and the Holy Son of the Heavenly Dao.
Now that the Holy Son of Heaven has betrayed Heaven, they are among the most trusted people by cultivators in the world.
What merit or ability do these ordinary cultivators in the cultivation world have to see them in their lifetime?
Chu Guiyi looked up at the inescapable net that had formed high in the sky, and a strange sense of foreboding washed over her.
The barrier blocked the coming and going cold winds and the noise of the people in Sangqi City, making everything seem so eerie and quiet.
That inescapable net, like a pillar of heaven, covered the entire Fengyuntai.
"Senior Brother, wasn't there a similar barrier during the Immortal Sect Selection four years ago?"
Chu Wenfeng frowned and looked up at the sky, involuntarily clenching the large sword in his hand.
The weather today is really not good. The dark clouds in the sky look like they are about to fall to the ground, and now they are covered by such a cloak, which makes people feel uneasy for some reason.
Chu Guiyi pursed her lips and shook her head, saying, "No."
Meanwhile, in the Hehuan Sect not far away, Ye Changxuan's expression was solemn. A female disciple beside her seemed to have said something to her, and her face paled. She looked up towards the direction of the Xiaoyao Sect disciples, and when she saw them hiding...
When she saw a figure at the back of the crowd, her pupils trembled slightly, and she unexpectedly unleashed a tremendous chill.
Deng Changqing recognized Ye Changxuan. He couldn't help but glance towards the Hehuan Sect as he entered the Wind and Cloud Platform. Of course, one couldn't blame him; which of the junior cultivators present hadn't secretly glanced at the Hehuan Sect's group? After all, this immortal sect was famous for having only female disciples, and each one was exceptionally beautiful. There were certainly cultivators in the world willing to become their furnaces…
When he noticed Ye Changxuan's gaze bypassing him and looking at someone behind him, he subconsciously turned around and suddenly saw a familiar face in the crowd.
Deng Changqing was taken aback. "Senior Brother Shu Yun? Didn't he already reach the Floating Pagoda Realm...?"
However, in just a moment, that familiar figure disappeared into the crowd.
"What Senior Brother Shu Yun? Are you crazy? He was already taken into the main family of the Floating Pagoda Realm a long time ago."
"He wasn't even the most talented one in our Xiaoyao Sect back then, so why did the main family take him in?"
"Who knows?"
The clamor of the crowd subsided after a muffled chime of a bell.
The old man in the green robe returned to the stone platform, knelt halfway before the Grand Elder, and bowed his head, saying, "Grand Elder, please."
The Grand Elder nodded in satisfaction, "Good, you will definitely have a place in the cultivation world in the future."
The old man in the green robe looked grateful. "Yes!"
The cultivation world of the future will be different from the cultivation world of today.
The Grand Elder strode forward with steady steps. As his foot stepped into the void, a golden staircase leading upwards appeared out of thin air!
The golden staircase stretched for over a hundred blocks. At the very top, a golden spiritual energy surged within the clouds, as if brewing a massive storm.
"Is this the passage to the Floating Pagoda Realm?"
"This is unbelievable! He clearly...didn't do anything?!"
"Senior Brother... what is this?" Chu Wenfeng murmured in disbelief.
Chu Guiyi's expression was extremely solemn as he said, "It must be that he possesses spiritual power from the Floating Pagoda Realm. Once they get close, the gate to the Floating Pagoda Realm will automatically open to them... But how vast does the Floating Pagoda Realm need to be to achieve this? How powerful must the master of the Floating Pagoda Realm be to maintain the passage from the Floating Pagoda Realm to the human world for thousands of years?"
He had an answer in his mind that was about to come out, but he just couldn't figure out a reason.
In his eyes, the master of the Floating Pagoda Realm was either Luo Jingyu, the Holy Son of Heavenly Dao, or Bixie, who later cultivated the Path of Divine Transformation.
However, the Heavenly Dao Saint Son was indeed struck by heavenly lightning and his body was destroyed, which is why another Heavenly Dao Saint Son was born thousands of years later.
If, if, the master of the Floating Pagoda Realm is Bixie who later cultivated the Path of Divine Transformation, why would he do this?
He killed everyone at the tournament that year, and then became a god to protect the world.
Defying the destiny of being the embodiment of evil in the world, they protect a group of people in this way that is similar to a sacrifice?
Why?
Chu Gui couldn't understand it.
The crowd watched as the aged figure ascended the steps, as if they could follow in his footsteps and open a mysterious door that had never been opened before. They held their breath and stared intently, waiting for those aged hands to push open that mysterious door.
Finally, under the dark clouds that pressed down like a black wall, the old man, as thin as an ant, slowly reached his hand up into the clouds. At that moment, the crowd on the ground seemed to hear the sound of an ancient door being opened, and they couldn't help but stare intently at the scene in mid-air.
The old man pushed open a large door in mid-air, and without even looking, leaped down from the sky and landed back on the stone platform.
But no one noticed him; everyone's attention was focused on the legendary door in mid-air.
What's the difference between the people there and them?
What will they look like? In what form will they appear?
Before they knew it, they were looking up at the mysterious passage, unconsciously lowering their postures, as if the people in the secret realm were born to be looked up to and looked down upon.
At the very top of the golden staircase, two majestic wolf howls suddenly rang out.
The wolf's howl stirred up a wave of air, which rippled outwards, creating a blinding gust of wind in the enclosed space. Then, a snow-white figure leaped out from the mysterious door.
"They're out!"
What is it?
"Red, red snow wolf?"
A crimson wolf with silvery-white fur leaped down the golden steps. A tuft of crimson fur on its right ear, like a blazing flame, exuded wildness and a terrifying aura.
The crowd below immediately realized that this Crimson Snow Wolf was different from any they had ever seen before; it was a spirit beast that lived in the territory of Futu, a place where spiritual energy was abundant and turbulent!
Before anyone could react, another Crimson Snow Wolf leaped out of the passage. Its body, several people tall, looked down at the ant-like cultivators on the ground, roared, and like two scout beasts, quickly retreated to stand on either side of the golden steps, waiting for the others to come out of the passage.
The mere presence of two Crimson Snow Wolves, which are ubiquitous in the cultivation world and are arguably the strongest yet most human-friendly of all wolf clans, was enough to make cultivators on the ground realize the vast difference between the Floating Pagoda Realm and the cultivation world.
Before long, a boy dressed entirely in gold tumbled down the golden steps.
He tumbled several times in the air before regaining his balance. He dusted off non-existent dust, crossed his arms, and looked down at the people below, who seemed as insignificant as ants. His voice was as crisp as bamboo shoots as he asked, "Where is Xiao Xun? Where is Xiao Xun? I heard he's going to be executed here, so I came to see for myself."
It seems that apart from that Heavenly Saint Child, the young man doesn't take anyone else seriously.
After all, these cultivators in the cultivation world were just insignificant ordinary people to them. If it weren't for Xiao Xun's appearance here, they wouldn't have even given him a second glance.
Even so, the people below seemed to take the boy's arrogance and disdain for granted.
Because he came from the Floating Pagoda Realm, from that legendary, mysterious territory that countless cultivators flocked to!
"Dove, stop fooling around."
The elder on the high platform waved to the boy, who smiled and squinted his eyes, obediently jumping down the golden steps and landing on the high platform.
"grandfather!"
"Quiet."
"Oh...where is Xiao Xun? Where is Xiao Xun?"
"Quiet!" The First Elder flicked Jiu'er on the head, just like an ordinary grandfather and granddaughter.
But everyone understood that they were not ordinary people, and it was hard not to feel a sense of envy towards the young man.
Just then, another man walked out of the passage.
He wore a robe as black as ink, with a large crimson bow at his waist. His face was cold as he descended the golden steps, his gaze sweeping indifferently over the crowd on the ground. Then he gave a slight nod to the Grand Elder on the high platform and flew down to land on it.
"Sunset Longbow..." Chu Guiyi murmured, looking at the man who appeared in mid-air.
Chu Wenfeng was startled. "He's a disciple of the main branch of the Xiaoyao Sect?"
"Yes, that's the Sunset Longbow he's carrying."
Dozens of cultivators descended one after another from the passage leading from the Floating Pagoda Realm to the mortal world. Initially, they had all been eagerly searching for the Heavenly Dao Saint Child, but upon discovering that Xiao Xun had not appeared, they immediately withdrew their gaze, listlessly standing atop the highest stone platform of the Wind and Cloud Terrace, looking down at the crowd below. Perhaps, for them, this was simply a matter of course.
Where is Xiao Xun?
"Get Xiao Xun out here quickly!"
The monks on the high platform urged them on in low voices.
The Grand Elder raised his hand slightly, and the platform instantly fell silent.
He gave a wink to the old man in the green robe not far away, who immediately understood his meaning, turned around and jumped down from the platform, gave a few instructions to the disciples below, and the disciples obeyed and left.
Another bell rang, and with a loud rumble, a crack appeared on the ground, gradually sinking into it.
"Cough—"
As the mechanism turned, the sunken earth rose inch by inch again until people could see several figures appearing on the slowly rising stone platform.
The two Sikong brothers each held one end of the iron chain, while the other end of the chain was wrapped around the ankle of the person behind them.
The person behind them was a tall and elegant man.
He wore a robe woven from the feathers of a divine bird, a star-shaped crown in the shape of a startled bird, and the holy son's mark on his forehead was lifelike. His face was as handsome as jade, and his expression was calm. Even in this situation, he remained aloof from everything, his eyes as indifferent as a stream, as if nothing could possibly catch his eye.
But as the stone platform continued to rise, a clear and melodious bell rang out.
On the high platform, the crowd in the Floating Pagoda Realm glanced at his waist and discovered that the man, who was unwilling to spill a single drop of blood even when killing, had a string of extremely conspicuous blue bells hanging from his waist.
It resembled a tender blade of grass, shivering from the cold, sprouting out in the freezing snow.
"Xiao Xun, do you know your mistake?"
The elder looked at the gradually rising stone platform and asked in a deep voice.
His lowered voice seemed to carry a certain pressure, causing others to unconsciously lower their breathing, but Xiao Xun, who was facing him directly, remained completely unresponsive.
After a long silence, the Heavenly Saint Son, who possessed an otherworldly appearance, seemed to remember something and chuckled softly.
His smile made the composed cultivators of the Floating Pagoda Realm extremely nervous.
"Does the Heavenly Pillar I left behind meet your expectations?"
When the man narrowed his eyes, a wicked glint flashed within them, making even the feathered robe he wore seem somewhat sinister.
"Everything you stole from me, I have taken back, bit by bit."
Originally, the Heavenly Pillar was supposed to transfer his spiritual power and fortune to the Floating Pagoda Realm. However, they never expected that, after years of contact, the Heavenly Pillar could already be used by Xiao Xun. As long as he reversed the Heavenly Pillar's formation, it would become that the Heavenly Pillar transferred all the spiritual power that it had stolen from him and the original spiritual power of the Floating Pagoda Realm to Xiao Xun.
Before long, the Floating Pagoda Realm will become exactly the same as the cultivation world, just as ordinary and just as devoid of spiritual energy.
But how could these cultivators, who were used to being superior to others, allow such a thing to happen?
The Grand Elder, instead of being angry, laughed and said, "The Heavenly Pillar you left behind is very much to my liking. Because, in this way, it will be much simpler to reconstruct a 'Floating Pagoda Realm'."
Xiao Xun smiled but remained silent.
"Heavenly Child, this is your innate mission. Please complete the final command given to you by the Heavenly Dao!"
Xiao Xun lowered his eyes and smiled, his gaze carrying an inexplicable eeriness. "Alright."
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