Chapter 407: Ascending the Phoenix Pavilion

The maid pushed the door open, bringing in the dishes.

Li Weiyi glanced at Zen Hai Guanwu, who was already seated, and asked the maid, “How can Lingxiao Palace allow the Demon Kingdom’s army to enter the city? What about the imperial court’s authority and dignity?”

The maid replied, “Guest, you must be new to Lingxiao City. A few days ago, a major incident occurred: Fairy Yu of Luantai was assassinated and severely wounded…”

Li Weiyi’s eyes narrowed, finding the news hard to believe. “Fairy Yu was assassinated? Who would dare such a thing? She’s the Second Palace Master’s disciple, a direct descendant of the Jiang family!”

“It is rumored to be the work of Xie Mucai from the Sacred Dark Family, but there’s no evidence,” the maid stated.

Li Weiyi corrected, “Xie Mucai… you mean Xie Chucai, right? How could he possibly assassinate Fairy Yu? And what does this have to do with the Demon Kingdom’s army entering the city?”

The maid explained, “After the assassination, Xie Mucai disappeared! Important figures in the Demon Kingdom suspect he might have been imprisoned or killed by the imperial court, so they dispatched their army into the city to investigate.”

Li Weiyi couldn’t grasp it at all. “Assassinating an imperial official is a heinous crime for which Xie Chucai deserves death. How can the Demon Kingdom use this as a pretext to send their army into the city?”

“There’s no evidence for the assassination itself. However, Xie Mucai’s disappearance within the city is a fact,” the maid stated.

Li Weiyi took a deep breath and sighed inwardly, unsure if this was a compromise from the Third Palace Master or the result of certain factions within the imperial court welcoming them.

Even though the Demon Kingdom’s army entering the city numbered only two or three hundred, the blow to the imperial court’s authority, and to the self-esteem and confidence of Lingxiao’s cultivators, would be immeasurable.

Li Weiyi inquired about Fairy Yu’s injuries, but the maid knew little and, excusing herself, withdrew.

Zen Hai Guanwu commented, “The Dark Knights of the Sacred Dark Family are elite warriors, handpicked from thousands. The Demon Kingdom crossing the Nether Realm to bring them here clearly indicates their significant ambition.”

Li Weiyi sat down, eager to meet Jiang Ning. “By all accounts, the Second Palace Master should have returned to Lingxiao City by now. What kind of figures from the Demon Kingdom could possibly force them to yield? Ah, all these troubles are your doing.”

Zen Hai Guanwu froze.

Beside them, the window of the restaurant burst open.

Several figures, exuding powerful auras, flew out from a private room, landing in the center of Tianjie to block the Demon Kingdom’s army.

Tai Shi Yu’s voice then rang out: “I, Tai Shi Yu, Head of the Tai Shi Imperial Guards, have come to challenge the four Blood Handprint Knights. If I am fortunate enough to win, I ask that the Blood Handprint Knights withdraw from Lingxiao City.”

“I, Chen Huang, also come to challenge.”

“This time, I, Cao Shisan, will fight to the death and not yield.”

Most of the cultivators gathered in the ground-floor lobby rushed out, each summoning their magical artifacts and combat weapons.

“Demon Kingdom’s army, get out of Lingxiao City!” someone shouted.

“The imperial court may have agreed to your entry, but we did not!”

Zen Hai Guanwu, completely unconcerned by the conflict outside, felt wronged. “How is this my fault?”

“You left countless troubles behind by doing things halfway back then.”

Li Weiyi counted on her fingers for her: “Firstly, Qilin Zang is the son of Feilong. You killed Feilong but didn’t eradicate the problem. Now, others have returned for revenge!”

“I admit that! But he went into hiding back then, and Yingzhou is so vast, he was impossible to find,” Zen Hai Guanwu replied.

Li Weiyi continued, “Yu Baxian of the Demon Kingdom has a grudge against you, doesn’t he? To varying degrees, the people from the Demon Kingdom who come to Lingxiao Sacred Realm intend to seek revenge on Lingxiao Palace.”

Zen Hai Guanwu fell into thought. “It was Yu Baxian who first encroached upon the Lingxiao Sacred Realm; that’s why I intervened. It is indeed my fault for failing to kill him.”

Li Weiyi continued with a smile, “And the Leixiao Sect, you didn’t eradicate them either. Why didn’t you eliminate a threat like the Holy Infant back then?”

Zen Hai Guanwu filled a glass of wine and drank it. “When I was active, I didn’t perceive these threats. I’ve never even heard of the Holy Infant you speak of. A thousand years have passed! Even if I had completely eliminated Yu Baxian, Qilin Zang, the Leixiao Sect, and your so-called Holy Infant back then, if Lingxiao Palace were to fall into weakness a thousand years later, cultivators would still emerge from unknown places seeking revenge.”

“Therefore, grudges aren’t the main issue. The fundamental cause of this calamity is Lingxiao Palace’s weakened state.”

“Have you eradicated all your enemies over the past few years? It’s impossible to eliminate them all.”

Li Weiyi asked her for a glass of wine. “How could I ever win an argument against you?”

Suddenly, Zen Hai Guanwu said, “Let’s go. We’ll find the foremost figure in the Lingxiao Sacred Realm and see if we can change the very nature of Lingxiao Palace’s weakness.”

Li Weiyi asked, “Can you break the Six Thoughts Mind Spell?”

Zen Hai Guanwu shook her head. “When it comes to the mind, I have no confidence whatsoever. However, this is our only option right now! If I go, there’s at least a certain chance.”

Considering Tang Wanzhou’s situation back then, Li Weiyi expressed concern. “It’s too dangerous. No one knows what state she’s in now. She might not even remember you, her teacher, and could even try to kill you.”

After eating and drinking their fill, Li Weiyi and Zen Hai Guanwu quietly departed.

Towards the city gate, Lingxiao City’s cultivators had begun to clash with the Dark Knights, determined to defend their dignity in their own way.

Even knowing it was a futile effort, they persisted.

Li Weiyi temporarily stored Zen Hai Guanwu within his Blood Mud Space. Then, he performed the Disguise Art, transforming into the likeness of Ge Xiantong, and confidently strode towards the cloud-mist formation that enveloped government offices like Lingxiao Palace and Taichang Temple.

He decided to risk an attempt to see if he could enter.

On his last visit, accompanying Tai Shi Yu to Taichang Temple, the Embroidered Uniform Divine Guards stationed there had let them pass directly without even checking their tokens.

In a place like Lingxiao Palace, those with insufficient cultivation who dared to trespass would be killed by other formations even if they managed to enter the cloud-mist array. Conversely, if one’s cultivation was strong enough to disregard the three Palace Masters and numerous Longevity Realm giants, then the cloud-mist array certainly wouldn’t be able to stop them.

“Lord Ge!”

The sixteen Embroidered Uniform Divine Guards guarding the palace gate saluted in unison.

The formation’s luminous veil parted.

Li Weiyi walked in with composure, following a spiritual river several dozen zhang wide, towards the Phoenix Pavilion palace complex, which soared a thousand zhang high.

Though seemingly at ease, he felt immense pressure internally.

Luantai and Linttai towered majestically before him. The Second Palace Master and Third Palace Master were likely at the mountain peaks, and could detect him with even a slight release of their spiritual sense.

Along the way, carriages carrying imperial dignitaries constantly passed, some of their occupants calling out to him.

The status of the First Palace Master’s disciple was extremely distinguished; no one dared to offend him.

The Phoenix Pavilion was situated between Luantai and Linttai, a collection of flame-like structures—halls, towers, buildings, and pavilions—built into the mountainside, extending upward in a tiered fashion, reaching directly into the clouds.

Within the clouds lay a grand formation, where the luminous silhouettes of phoenix feathers shimmered faintly.

Li Weiyi reached the palace gate at the base of Phoenix Pavilion Mountain. Seeing no one around, he released Zen Hai Guanwu. She swiftly analyzed the formation, then pushed the large door open about a foot, and the two slipped inside.

The palace gate closed, and the formation’s luminous veil sealed shut once more, leaving Li Weiyi’s heart pounding.

He couldn’t calm himself.

It was no exaggeration to call this the most perilous place in the entire Lingxiao Sacred Realm; only Zen Hai Guanwu could navigate it with such familiarity. Once discovered…

The consequences would be unimaginable.

Upon entering the Phoenix Pavilion, Li Weiyi took a deep breath, immediately feeling an indescribable comfort throughout his body, as if dense spiritual energy was pouring into him.

Even more astonishing, his Wind Mansion Dragon Seed and Divine Palace Twelve-Character Dao Seed became exceptionally active, proactively connecting with heaven and earth.

Cultivating the Dao here would undoubtedly yield results with half the effort.

Zen Hai Guanwu led the way up the jade steps. “Inside the Phoenix Pavilion, killing formations and transcendent runes are everywhere. You must be extremely careful and never rush into unknown areas. Some places even feel unfamiliar to me, and are very dangerous.”

The vast Phoenix Pavilion was eerily silent, devoid of any living creatures.

Li Weiyi still couldn’t fully relax, fearing that the legendary First Palace Master might suddenly emerge dishevelled and go on a rampage. He observed Zen Hai Guanwu, noticing that even this former Martial Dao Emperor seemed somewhat tense.

That made him even more nervous!

They reached halfway up the mountain, with clouds directly overhead, two thousand meters above the ground.

Zen Hai Guanwu approached a tall tower embedded in the cliff face. The plaque above its entrance bore the characters “Divine Martial Tower.”

The formation of the Divine Martial Tower was clearly not one she had set up herself, and it took her a considerable amount of time to cautiously disarm it.

Inside the tower, the space was expansive, stretching over a hundred zhang deep, filled with densely packed bookshelves.

Zen Hai Guanwu explained as she walked, “A thousand years ago, martial arts, classics, and Daoist arts from major powers across Lingxiao Sacred Realm’s three hundred states were nearly all collected here. There were at least rubbings and copied versions, and even some true scriptures. Wait for me here!”

Li Weiyi asked, “You’re going to the mountaintop alone?”

“Yes, it’s too dangerous; you cannot come. If I don’t return, collect all the scriptures here, leave Lingxiao City immediately, and flee as far as you can.”

Zen Hai Guanwu then explained to him the methods for opening the Divine Martial Tower and the Phoenix Pavilion.

Once he mastered the method, even Ge Xiantong could freely enter and exit the Phoenix Pavilion, let alone Li Weiyi, a six-star spiritual master.

Li Weiyi felt he had no place to worry about her; if her abilities and intellect couldn’t resolve a situation, who else possibly could?

“This place is undoubtedly one of the most important treasuries in the Lingxiao Sacred Realm. Finally, I can study true scriptures.”

Li Weiyi quickly moved among the bookshelves, reaching the section dedicated to Daoist scriptures.

There were over thirty thousand volumes of Daoist-related classics, encompassing every category.

Even the supreme classic of the Zuoqiu Sect’s Daoist lineage, the *Bagua Shangxuan Jing*, had a copied version here.

Furthermore, it wasn’t just any copied version; it was imprinted on jade slips, carefully preserving as much of the original scripture’s essence as possible, making it easier to comprehend the core text of the *Bagua Shangxuan Jing*.

The transcriber’s name was engraved upon it: Huang Yuyao.

It had been personally transcribed by the First Palace Master.

The jade slips resembled bamboo slips.

There were eight volumes in total.

Li Weiyi picked up the first jade slip volume and opened it. Immediately, elegant and vibrant scriptures seemed to leap out, emitting a soft blue glow.

Each scripture appeared to be alive, pulsating on the jade slip.

With just a glance, Li Weiyi’s mind was completely captivated, plunging him into a state of Dao enlightenment.

Within his Divine Palace, one scripture after another began to manifest.

Previously, cultivating the Divine Palace Twelve-Character Dao Seed had been arduous, primarily because the vast ocean of scriptures carried by the Dao Ancestor Taiji Fish was like an indecipherable celestial text, making Li Weiyi’s attempts at comprehension exceedingly painful.

The feeling was akin to handing a newly literate child the world’s most profound classic, yet with the text scrambled into an overwhelming ocean of words.

Consequently, each scripture demanded a significant amount of time for him to comprehend.

In contrast, Li Weiyi found studying the *Bagua Shangxuan Jing* far easier. The painful sensation was gone, replaced by a feeling of joy, yielding new insights every moment.

Having studied Daoist classics since childhood, he could grasp many parts instantly upon reading them.

If he encountered truly incomprehensible sections, he could even find interpretations on the bookshelves. Yuyaozi had provided specific explanations, noting her own understanding and insights.

Eventually, Li Weiyi directly activated the Dao Ancestor Taiji Fish, entering the ocean of words.

This allowed him to gain five times the effective time while simultaneously cross-referencing his insights.

Thus, days passed by.