Chapter 540: Flowering Courtyard Master

"What's Plan B?" Chen Mobai asked.

Lan Haitan smiled, said nothing, and walked to the side of the airship, opening the panel that covered the window.

Then, a sky-blue spiritual light, as clear as the azure sky, entered Chen Mobai's eyes. The blue light, like surging waves and a vast ocean, transformed into the colossal phantom of a shark. It opened its cavernous maw, as if the sky had ripped open to reveal a dark void, and descended abruptly.

With a look of shock and disbelief on Chen Mobai's face, the Jade Phoenix Tree, the symbol of Danxia City, which stood majestically between heaven and earth, steaming clouds and exhaling mist, was swallowed whole from top to bottom by the enormous shark phantom.

"Once Immortal Narcissus's Northern Darkness Domain is deployed, it can sever the flow of spiritual energy both inside and out. In the past, our Daoist Academy's Spirit Venerable used this to deal with Patriarch Changchun of Jumang Daoist Academy." As Lan Haitan spoke, he signaled Lin Yin to stop the airship and turn it towards the nearby Crimson Cloud Academy.

Chen Mobai followed to the airship's window, gazing at the shark's immense maw that occupied half the sky, and murmured to himself, "Deputy Hall Master of the Hall of Righteous Law, Head of the Enforcement Department, Goddess of the Sea... I didn't expect it would be *her* taking action!"

Among the Immortal Sect's fourteen Nascent Soul cultivators, three are not human in form, and the most prominent among them is Immortal Narcissus. She is a disciple of the Immortal Sect's Spirit Venerable who governs the Four Seas. After transforming, she entered Kunpeng Daoist Academy to cultivate and soon successfully formed her Nascent Soul by comprehending the Six Imperial Sutras. She is also the only Nascent Soul-level Deputy Hall Master among the Immortal Sect's Three Great Halls. While Gongye Zhixu and Ye Yun'e were painstakingly accumulating years of service, waiting for the spirit medicine to form their Nascent Souls, Narcissus had already directly become the first successor to the Three Great Hall Masters. Should any of the Three Great Hall Masters retire, she would be able to fill their position. The Goddess of the Sea was the title bestowed upon Narcissus by other students when she first entered Kunpeng Daoist Academy. Given the Immortal Sect's scarcity of resources, as a disciple of the Spirit Venerable, she could be said to be the wealthiest among the fourteen Nascent Soul cultivators. For the Spirit Venerable had granted a certain sea area of the Earth Star to her clan as their fiefdom. It is said that spiritual pearls and shells there are countless, and the plump spiritual pearls are so rich in spiritual energy that they are comparable to high-grade spirit stones.

"Once the Northern Darkness Domain isolates the Jade Phoenix Tree, we just need to arrest Shi Qing."

As Lan Haitan spoke, a dark green sword light shot up from the peak of the Danxia Mountain Range, which had just lost the Jade Phoenix Tree. It was Gongsun Jielü!

Chen Mobai had experienced her power in suppressing Yu Tianguang and immediately recognized it. The sword light, like a dragon, extended freely in mid-air, instantly enveloping a graceful figure in a purple long dress.

Chen Mobai activated his Spirit Eyes of Emptiness to their limit and finally saw Shi Qing, the uncrowned king who had resided in Danxia City for over a hundred years. She was an ordinary-looking woman, but her pupils glowed with an eerie five-colored light. Her expression was stern, and her snow-white, jade-like right hand held a crimson stone flower. As the stone flower waved, a ring of fiery light blossomed, like a shockwave, sweeping away the dark green sword lights that Gongsun Jielü had rounded up and struck from all directions.

"Shi Qing reached the ninth layer of Golden Core decades ago. With the Jade Phoenix Tree and Danxia City's fire ley line, she has long breathed as one with them. Although Deputy Minister Gongsun's cultivation is extraordinary and she is ranked among the Immortal Sect's Four Great Sword Masters, it's hard to say who will win against Shi Qing, who holds a geographical advantage," Yu Tianguang said, approaching with a worried expression.

"It is precisely because of this concern that Immortal Narcissus chose to intervene personally this time." Lan Haitan showed no worry at all. Just then, a wisp of blue light gleamed atop the head of the giant shark that had swallowed the Jade Phoenix Tree in the sky, and a white-haired, white-browed maiden, as fair as jade, floated out. She stretched out a finger towards Shi Qing, and a jet of water, like a laser, instantly pierced through Shi Qing's spiritual energy shield and plunged into the latter's Dantian Qi Sea.

Is this the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Immortal Sect!? Chen Mobai, seeing Immortal Narcissus suppress the Jade Phoenix Tree and then instantly subdue Shi Qing, a ninth-layer Golden Core cultivator, couldn't help but marvel. Zhou Shengqing, who had performed the Reversal of Longevity Art, was not nearly this formidable.

"It's... over?" Yu Tianguang's eyes widened at the sight. He hadn't imagined that Immortal Narcissus could simultaneously suppress the Jade Phoenix Tree and send out a clone to subdue Shi Qing.

"Of course. Such is the gap between Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators." A rare look of pride appeared on Lan Haitan's face as he spoke. Immortal Narcissus was a graduate of their Kunpeng Daoist Academy. The ease with which this battle was won showcased their academy's status as the Immortal Sect's foremost power. Although in the era of Chen Mobai and Zhongli Tianyu, the Weapon Daoist Academy unexpectedly snatched the top spot, Kunpeng still held the position of the Immortal Sect's premier academy.

"Now that Shi Qing has been arrested, can you release me? If you wanted to use me to lure her out, wouldn't it have been enough to just inform me beforehand? Would I have refused?" Yu Tianguang complained, raising his still handcuffed hands, his tone filled with displeasure.

"My apologies, True Monarch Yu. After all, you have indeed cultivated the God-Swallowing Art, even if unconsciously, and must be treated as a suspect." Lan Haitan apologized, shaking the bracelet attached to Yu Tianguang's wrist. Even now, he had not undone the restrictions on Yu Tianguang.

"It's already proven I was framed, and you're still treating me like this? Isn't that a bit inappropriate!" Yu Tianguang's voice subtly carried emotion as he spoke. Primarily, the night's immense shocks, sorrows, and joys had made it difficult for him, an experienced old Golden Core True Monarch, to maintain his composure.

Seeing that Lan Haitan still refused to release him, a flicker of anger crossed Yu Tianguang's eyes, and he looked towards Chen Mobai.

"True Monarch Yu, if you are truly wronged, the Daoist Academy will naturally clear your name once you reach Wangwu Grotto-Heaven." Chen Mobai spoke preemptively, cutting off Yu Tianguang's words. However, at this moment, he felt something strange. Yu Tianguang's emotions seemed inexplicably agitated.

But just then, Yu Tianguang, who had been simmering with anger, suddenly became still. He lowered his head, gave an eerie smile, and spoke words that made Lan Haitan and Chen Mobai's pupils contract. "The little devils of the Immortal Sect are surprisingly cautious!"

*Sizzle! Whoosh!* Chen Mobai and Lan Haitan struck simultaneously. The Divine Wood Lightning and Yin-Yang Primordial Magnetic Force transformed into two torrents, one green and one gray, pressing down on Yu Tianguang's Purple Mansion Consciousness Sea and Dantian Qi Sea at the same time!

A silver torch materialized out of thin air before Yu Tianguang, seemingly connected to a mysterious void. A blurry figure holding a seven-colored treasure tree emerged within the torch. He waved the treasure tree in his hand, deflecting Chen Mobai and Lan Haitan's attacks and protecting Yu Tianguang. If Chen Mobai and Lan Haitan hadn't been able to freely control their lightning and primordial magnetic forces, the airship would probably have been shattered into countless pieces.

"Pavilion Master Shenyu!" Seeing such a distinctive appearance, Lan Haitan's expression became solemn after retracting his primordial magnetic force. He raised his hand, fully activating the power of the bracelet on his wrist. A dark light flared up, extending towards Yu Tianguang at the far end. The restraint artifacts of the Heaven Mending Group always had backup measures, allowing for extreme actions when the situation was unfavorable.

But Pavilion Master Shenyu had already reached out his right hand and the seven-colored treasure tree through the void, gently brushing them over Yu Tianguang's hands.

*Crack!* The pair of high-grade Tier 3 handcuffs that bound Yu Tianguang shattered in an instant, breaking into pieces that fell all over the floor.

"I've cultivated this divine seed for a long time; it's quite a shame to use it up like this." Yu Tianguang, freed from his restraints, slowly raised his head. However, his tone and expression had completely changed. A silver flame mark blazed on his forehead, and his eyes revealed an unprecedented malevolence. Yet, amidst the malevolence, there were also various emotions such as struggle, anger, pain, and fear.

"Who are you... How is this possible... I'm an Immortal Sect disciple... I can't be your divine seed... Hurry... Kill me..." By the end, Yu Tianguang had grasped his own neck with both hands, intending to end his life, while simultaneously pleading with Chen Mobai and Lan Haitan to act.

Lan Haitan, without hesitation, directly pulled out an artifact from his domain. It was a silver and black stone, faintly depicting the Yin-Yang duality. This was precisely the Star-Gathering Stone he had obtained at the Weapon Daoist Academy, which he had refined into his innate artifact after forming his Golden Core. He extended his right hand, and the Star-Gathering Stone instantly erupted with dark light, heavily smashing towards Yu Tianguang, who was currently struggling with Pavilion Master Shenyu for control of his body.

The hilt of the Violet Lightning Sword emerged from Chen Mobai's domain. He reached out, hesitating whether to draw his sword, when he saw Lan Haitan catch the rebound Star-Gathering Stone with both hands and rapidly retreat, crashing into the airship's rear cabin wall.

After striking Lan Haitan away, a phantom figure suddenly flew out from the true body of Pavilion Master Shenyu behind the torch. This phantom, holding the seven-colored treasure tree, stepped out of the torch, descended into the Immortal Sect's territory, and then directly merged into Yu Tianguang's Purple Mansion Consciousness Sea.

"It's been about three hundred years since I last returned." After completely taking over Yu Tianguang's body, Pavilion Master Shenyu raised his palm to extinguish the torch and took a somewhat intoxicated breath of the fresh air on Earth Star.

What greeted him was a dazzling green pillar of lightning. Pavilion Master Shenyu, who had just assimilated the divine seed, somewhat unexpectedly waved the seven-colored treasure tree in his hand. However, this artifact seemed to have awakened its own will; it trembled, broke free from his control, then burst through the airship's window, heading directly towards Shi Qing on Danxia Mountain's peak nearby.

*Bang!* Chen Mobai's Divine Wood Lightning, unimpeded, directly struck Pavilion Master Shenyu in the face. Caught off guard, Pavilion Master Shenyu was sent flying, just like Lan Haitan moments earlier.

*Boom!* The airship could no longer hold together and completely disintegrated. Fortunately, everyone on board was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and possessed some self-preservation abilities. Chen Mobai also threw out his Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror, using this artifact to shield them from the aftermath and guide them safely to the ground.

A spiritual light flared, landing beside Chen Mobai. "Thanks," Lan Haitan said, floating next to Chen Mobai, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, and thanking him for protecting the Heaven Mending Group members from the airship.

"I was mainly saving Qing Nü," Chen Mobai maintained his persona, but Lan Haitan merely took it as a sign of his proud personality and nodded in appreciation.

"Hmph, I wasted three hundred years raising you!" At this moment, Pavilion Master Shenyu, who had been sent flying by the Divine Wood Lightning, stopped himself. He grumbled slightly, lifting his slightly scorched face to look at Shi Qing nearby, who, having obtained the seven-colored treasure tree, was now unleashing mighty power and fiercely engaging Immortal Narcissus and Gongsun Jielü.

Pavilion Master Shenyu closed his eyes, sensed Yu Tianguang's spiritual power, then opened them again. His entire body was engulfed in surging spiritual flames, transforming into a crimson fireball that flew towards the highest peak of the Danxia Mountain Range nearby.

"Stop him! Pavilion Master Shenyu is at his weakest right after he has used the divine seed to possess a body, because he can only use Yu Tianguang's inherent power." As Lan Haitan spoke, the Star-Gathering Stone was already cradled in his palm. Waves of dark primordial magnetic force shimmered, and iron needles, as thick as fingers, half an arm long, and sharply pointed at both ends, emerged abruptly from various points in space, gleaming with sharp cold light, obstructing Pavilion Master Shenyu's path.

The golden-red flames of the Sky-Burning Art, pushed to their limit, displayed power equivalent to a peak Golden Core cultivator under Pavilion Master Shenyu's realm, which surpassed the Golden Core level. They easily melted Lan Haitan's iron needles into molten iron. Chen Mobai's Divine Wood Lightning was also firmly blocked by the Sky-Burning Spiritual Light Shield.

Amidst hearty laughter, Pavilion Master Shenyu broke through the needle mountain and lightning sea, easily landing in the battlefield on Danxia Mountain's highest peak.

The white-haired, white-browed Narcissus saw Yu Tianguang and broadly understood what was happening. She then slightly frowned, tilted her head, and examined the seven-colored treasure tree in Shi Qing's hand, a look of realization dawning on her face.

"It's you. Three hundred years ago, the Hall Master of Kaiyuan shattered your Dao Body and scattered your spirit. I thought you were dead." At this moment, Chen Mobai and Lan Haitan also landed there, just in time to hear this remark.

Who was Immortal Narcissus talking about? Chen Mobai glanced at Lan Haitan beside him, who quietly transmitted four words: "Pavilion Master Huakai!"

Chen Mobai had heard this name before. Pavilion Master Huakai was one of the three Vice Cult Masters of the Ascension Cult, renowned alongside Pavilion Master Shenyu and Hall Master of Life and Death. Was Shi Qing her reincarnated form after dissolving her body?

"Can Immortal Narcissus fight two at once?" Chen Mobai asked Lan Haitan, a little uncertainly. The latter shook his head, indicating no, but his face was filled with confidence and certainty.

"Patriarch Qianxing's innate artifact is linked in parallel with the Celestial Curtain. Once Pavilion Master Shenyu intruded into Earth Star, the Celestial Curtain would detect it. And if the Celestial Curtain detects it, it means Patriarch Qianxing also knows."