Chapter 961: The Lingering Echo of the Shocking Evil

Jiufeng Mountain was not particularly close to Lu Min's current location. Given his state and the absence of pursuers, he naturally prioritized caution and concealment. He chose not to travel quickly, instead occasionally stopping for a day or two in major mortal cities to recuperate. His journey often led him through picturesque, spiritually rich mountains and rivers, undoubtedly protected by benevolent deities.

One day, Lu Min was flying, shrouded in mist, when a sudden uneasy premonition made his heart flutter. Realizing something was amiss, he quickly spotted a large, spiritually vibrant mountain in the distance and descended towards it.

The most striking feature of the mountain was a colossal peak with a prominent crack down its center. Lu Min instinctively landed there, hoping to use the terrain for concealment. That sudden jolt of intuition and panic was undoubtedly a bad sign, suggesting that pursuers might have once again detected his whereabouts.

Although Lu Min believed he had been extremely cautious, if the opposing side had truly gained full control of the Jingxuan Sea Pavilion, they might be able to use certain spiritual artifacts within the pavilion, which recorded disciples' vital information, to track his slightest traces.

'This mountain peak is remarkable, but too conspicuous for concealment!'

With that thought, Lu Min flew over two peaks. Disregarding the muddy ground left by the rain, he lay down at the foot of a mountain and gradually transformed into a moss-covered stone. This method of transformation was remarkably agile and ingenious.

What Lu Min didn't know, however, was that his every action was under the watchful eye of the mountain god, who found him quite intriguing. Soon, though, someone else captured the mountain god's attention.

Not long after, a white cloud drifted from the sky, carrying a woman who appeared fresh and beautiful. She was slowly descending towards this mountain range; it was Lian Ping'er.

Although Lian Ping'er was highly skilled in concealing her aura and altering her appearance, the mountain god, perceiving her through the collective auras of the mountains, instinctively sensed that something was amiss with her from the very first moment.

Lian Ping'er's descent path mirrored Lu Min's earlier trajectory, also heading towards the cracked colossal peak where spiritual energy was densest. However, she didn't seem to be pursuing Lu Min; she landed directly at the foot of the giant peak.

At this moment, Lu Min was in a complete state of suspended animation, specifically to prevent any leakage of his aura. Naturally, he dared not observe Lian Ping'er.

Lian Ping'er landed in the mountain and slowly approached the cracked colossal peak. She closed her eyes, calmly sensing her surroundings for a moment, then approached the peak and placed her hand on the rock face.

"To think, Lian Ping'er was once suppressed right here by Ji Yuan and that old beggar, wasn't she? Time has passed quickly. In merely twenty years, Pozi Mountain, whose original terrain was ruined, has now become a center around which the mountain ranges have reformed, transforming into a beautiful, spiritually abundant land."

Lian Ping'er walked around the colossal peak, eventually reaching the central crack. Peering into the fissure, she could still hear flowing water, a clear sign that the flood from that ancient battle had formed an underground river. Her gaze then shifted to the right side of the crack, where she noticed inscriptions. These carvings included the mountain's name, the local government's name, and even a large section of finely detailed text, broadly recounting how immortals once used this mountain to suppress malevolent spirits.

"Fox Suppression Peak? Hahahaha, they couldn't even suppress the fox demon. What's with the name 'Fox Suppression Peak'? 'Demon Leak Peak' would be more fitting."

"It's just a shame about the mountain god of Pozi Mountain; he became a casualty in the effort to save the fox. Even if he couldn't hold Tu Siyan, Ji Yuan should have at least offered some reward, but instead, he ultimately perished..."

As Lian Ping'er spoke, her gaze drifted to other parts of the mountain. She scanned her surroundings for a long time before finally looking back.

The mountain was rich in spiritual energy, nurturing various spiritual entities, yet this energy flowed freely like wind throughout the area, lacking specific convergence points beyond Fox Suppression Peak. Even beneath Fox Suppression Peak, the spiritual energy merely circulated, seemingly connected to the underground river. It appeared there truly was no mountain god here, but Lian Ping'er still called out as a test, receiving no response.

Since that was the case, Lian Ping'er ceased her attempts. She returned to the crack, closed her eyes again, and calmly focused, seeking to perceive any lingering Dao essence from that time. After all, the actions of Ji Yuan and the old beggar, Tu Siyan's defiance, and the subsequent battle within the mountains all involved profound techniques, so residual auras were bound to remain.

Suddenly, a whistling sound, seemingly imbued with the majestic power of heavenly thunder, reverberated.

"Fiend! Halt! Hmph—"

"Ah!"

Lian Ping'er's body trembled, jolting her awake. A slight sweat beaded on her forehead as she stared into the Fox Suppression Peak crack, where the sound's echo seemed to faintly linger.

This was the furious roar of the Golden Armor, unleashed decades ago after Tu Siyan escaped her confinement. The sound had never dissipated, and its final word, in particular, carried the power to shatter demonic illusions and deter malevolent spirits, thoroughly unnerving Lian Ping'er.

Lian Ping'er instinctively touched her left cheek, as if it were subtly aching once more.

"Hmph! I won't make it easy for any of you!"

Lian Ping'er had merely been passing by and stopped to investigate the peak. She had initially planned to meditate cross-legged beneath Fox Suppression Peak for a short while, but her mood had soured considerably, so she ascended into the air and departed immediately.

About half a day later, faint sounds emanated from near the stone Lu Min had transformed into.

"Fellow Daoist, Fellow Daoist... awaken, Fellow Daoist, awaken!"

Soon after, the stone slowly emitted a layer of mist, gradually transforming back into Lu Min, who had been lying prone. He slowly regained his senses, then stood up and cupped his hands in greeting to his surroundings.

"Which fellow Daoist is this?"

Since he had been discovered, Lu Min decided to be more forthcoming, especially since his intuition sensed no immediate danger. No sooner had he spoken than a wisp of green smoke emerged from the ground beside him, transforming into a slightly hunched old man who then bowed to Lu Min.

"I am Shi Youdao, the mountain god of this Pizi Mountain. That peculiar woman has already departed, so rest assured, Fellow Daoist."

"Many thanks for the information, Fellow Daoist Shi!"

Lu Min felt a measure of relief.

"Would Fellow Daoist be comfortable disclosing your identity? And who was that woman who seemed to be pursuing you? How did she know that a fox demon, Tu Siyan, was originally suppressed beneath that mountain?"

"Tu Siyan?"

Lu Min paused, then carefully considered his reply.

"My identity is quite sensitive, so I'd rather not disclose it, Fellow Daoist; please forgive me. However, I truly do not know who was pursuing me, nor anything about her, and this name, Tu Siyan, is also the first time I've heard it."

Shi Youdao looked at Lu Min, and seeing no sign of deceit, he nodded and replied.

"No matter. As for Tu Siyan, perhaps not many have heard her name, but Fellow Daoist must surely know about the demonic chaos that afflicted Tianyu Continent back then, right?"

"I am certainly aware of that. Is it connected to her?"

It was a rare opportunity for Shi Youdao to converse with someone. Although his cultivation wasn't exceedingly powerful, his perception was very acute. The man before him had a peaceful aura, indicating he was not ill-intentioned. He stroked his beard and smiled.

"This Tu Siyan was, in fact, one of the masterminds behind the demonic chaos in Tianyu Continent. Her true form is that of a nine-tailed fox demon. She was once suppressed beneath Fox Suppression Peak, appearing to have only eight tails at the time. Later, she was rescued by numerous demons working together, and for some unknown reason, she attained true nine-tailed status during the subsequent upheaval in Tianyu Continent."

Lu Min was startled, never having imagined that this unremarkable mountain held such a significant historical tale.

"I observe that your vital energy appears severely depleted. Perhaps you could recuperate in this mountain for a while?"

"Many thanks for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Shi. However, Jiufeng Mountain is not far from here, and I have old acquaintances there. It would be better for me to go there. If anyone were to pursue me here, it would also implicate you."

Shi Youdao did not press the matter.

"Very well, then, Fellow Daoist, travel safely!"

Lu Min cupped his hands in farewell and slowly departed on the wind. It seemed that cautious, stop-and-go travel might not be entirely secure; he needed to reach Jiufeng Mountain quickly.

Fortunately, Lu Min encountered no further alarms after this. He reached Ruanshan Crossing, successfully met a familiar fellow Daoist, and entered the gates of Jiufeng Mountain. Only when he and his friend flew into the Jiufeng Grotto-Heaven on a small boat did he finally breathe a slight sigh of relief.

However, no sooner had he entered the grotto-heaven than he observed that while the rest of the ethereal Jiufeng Mountain was brimming with immortal aura, one particular area above it was shrouded in dark clouds, from which lightning intermittently struck.

"Rumble..." "Crackle-boom..."

The lightning bolts struck erratically but consistently landed in the same spot, causing thunder to reverberate throughout all of Jiufeng Mountain.

"Fellow Daoist, what is happening at Jiufeng Mountain?"

Lu Min asked in astonishment, but the cultivator beside him merely shook his head gently.

"This is a disgrace to our Jiufeng Mountain..."

At the main peak of Jiufeng Mountain, Sect Master Zhao Yu sighed softly as he gazed at Cliff Mountain in the distance.

"Alas, once he left, he shouldn't have come back."

A'ze had never told Wei Wuwei or the Dragon Girl how he left Jiufeng Mountain, but the truth remained unaltered by his concealment. Stealing the Sect Master's token and then defecting from the sect was a severe crime in any immortal sect—a transgression grave enough to warrant torture that would obliterate a cultivator's body and spirit.

On Cliff Mountain and in the surrounding air, numerous Jiufeng Mountain disciples were gathered, both on the mountain and amidst the clouds. A colossal platform, featuring two brass pillars each a hundred zhang tall, stood erected in the center of Cliff Mountain, and A'ze was suspended from it, his hands bound.

"Rumble..."

Lightning struck, hitting one of the pillars, and electric arcs coursed down the golden ropes, coiling around A'ze's body. He grimaced in pain but remained silent.