Chapter 416: New Soldiers Enter the Battlefield

At precisely 7 PM, the city gates closed. The sky was a dim yellow, the sun sinking in the west. A sky full of red clouds glowed with breathtaking splendor.

All the concealed individuals had departed, and the expansive transcendental manor settled into a quiet calm as twilight deepened. Li Ling was among the last to leave the city, accompanying Elder Zhuo and his group.

Day transformed into night, a clear division of yin and yang.

Li Weiyi brought Zen Sea Guanwu out of the Blood Mud Space. The two walked silently along the courtyard path to the meticulously decorated bridal chamber. Red candles, silk, and drapes created a peculiar feeling, both novel and surreal.

Throughout the afternoon, Li Weiyi had been transcribing intelligence, preparing dozens of copies. Meanwhile, in the Blood Mud Space, Zen Sea Guanwu helped him refine Star Day Pills and examined the three-foot-tall Buddhist shrine he had brought from the underground immortal dwelling.

Within the shrine, an iron box was enshrined. The iron box was so heavy that even Tang Wanzhou, despite his cultivation, couldn't move or open it.

“The iron box was sealed during the era of the ancient Pāramitā Sect, using 376 Buddhist secret texts,” Zen Sea Guanwu explained. “I have deciphered them all.” As she spread her right palm, intricate Buddhist characters materialized and flew towards Li Weiyi’s spiritual realm between his eyebrows.

Li Weiyi asked, “What’s inside?”

“It’s a page of Buddhist true scripture, which should be highly beneficial for your cultivation,” Zen Sea Guanwu replied. “Tonight, we don’t have much time. Should we continue discussing cultivation?”

Li Weiyi gazed at her breathtakingly beautiful, jade-like face for a long moment. “Have you truly convinced yourself?” he asked.

During their first frank conversation, when Zen Sea Guanwu chose the second ‘Yang Marriage’ method, she had remarked, “You’re actually acceptable; I can convince myself to accept you.”

Zen Sea Guanwu gazed at the fading twilight hues on the horizon. “In my eyes, you are already far more than just acceptable,” she said. “In another hundred years, your renown across the continent of Yingzhou will likely surpass mine. It’s simply a pity that our time together has been so brief, and now circumstances are utterly beyond our control.”

“I’m afraid I would wrong you,” Li Weiyi admitted.

“You are excellent in every way,” Zen Sea Guanwu replied, “but emotionally, you are always hesitant and indecisive. We have already performed the Heaven-and-Earth ceremony, and we are no longer strangers. Tonight marks our wedding, and our destinies are intertwined. This is not the culmination we sought, but the very beginning of everything. It is you who perceives this beginning as the end.”

The sky completely darkened.

Li Weiyi drained the wine from the pot. He took a silent breath, then, with a flick of his finger, extinguished the red candles from across the room. He picked up Zen Sea Guanwu and walked towards the draped red bed, just like any newlywed couple.

In that moment, he felt like a raw recruit facing his first battlefield, his heart filled with both trepidation and anticipation. Was the spear in his hand truly sharp? Would the experience of killing be as wonderful and exhilarating as the veterans described, or would it bring a sense of guilt and a heavy psychological burden?

On this, his first battle, everything was unknown. He only knew the opponent was incredibly formidable, and this would be the most crucial challenge of his life.

A newlywed couple on their wedding night. This was destined to be a sleepless night!

***

A transcendental manor located just ten miles from the Six Thoughts Zen Monastery.

After nightfall, mysterious carriages, drawn by exotic beasts, arrived one after another, entering the grounds.

Zen Master Six Thoughts, appearing to be around thirty years old, bore an eight-star precept mark on his head. He sat opposite An Xianjing, discussing Buddhist dharma. Lanterns were lit, dispelling the darkness.

Although Zen Master Six Thoughts was one of the five revered masters of the Dao Cult's Heavenly Hall, known as the 'Revered Exalt of Lingxiao,' he was not actually native to the Lingxiao Living Realm. He had arrived more than two decades ago, accompanying the Crown Prince of the Demonic Kingdom. He served as the Crown Prince of the Demonic Kingdom’s envoy within the Lingxiao Living Realm. He remained to research the power of the Six Thoughts Heart Demon, a condition set by the Crown Prince of the Demonic Kingdom for aiding Yu Yaozi in eliminating the Sacred Infant.

Zen Master Six Thoughts not only studied various incantations of the Six Thoughts Heart Demon but also consistently regarded himself as a Buddhist cultivator. He held a keen interest in the Buddhist scriptures unearthed by the Dao Cult from the underground immortal dwelling. Consequently, their cooperation was exceptionally close. The Dao Cult, seeking the Demonic Kingdom’s support, bestowed upon Zen Master Six Thoughts the title of Revered Exalt of Lingxiao. Both parties gained what they sought.

Footsteps approached, and Yang Shenjing, the Sect Master of the Sui宗 Sect, was the first to arrive. He appeared to be in his fifties, with a handsome face and temples streaked with white. He was as steady as a mountain, his eyes never betraying any emotion, exuding an unfathomable and inscrutable aura.

An Xianjing ceased her discussion of Buddhism with Zen Master Six Thoughts and looked out of the pavilion. “For Sect Master Yang to be here,” she remarked, “he must already be aware of our operation. How did you come by this information?”

“The main altar and Hall Master An have always held prejudice and caution against me, stemming from racial biases. However, the Hall Master of the Heavenly Hall has consistently placed trust in me and the Sui宗 Sect,” Yang Shenjing stated. He stopped thirty feet outside the pavilion, standing firm as a pine, with the vast expanse of starlight above him.

The identity of the Heavenly Hall's Master was shrouded in mystery; even An Xianjing didn't know who it was, speculating they might be a transcendental figure of the human race. As Yang Shenjing and the Sui宗 Sect were invaluable for breaching Lingxiao City, and thus essential, An Xianjing refrained from further comment.

The twelve elders of the Nine Li Hidden Gate were escorted in by two Dao Seed Realm masters from the Sui宗 Sect. The twelve elders were limp, many of their bones broken.

In the darkness, someone asked, “Who is he?”

“During this period,” Yang Shenjing explained, “an unknown force has consistently been investigating the Sui宗 Sect’s various strongholds. However, these individuals are formidable, incredibly vigilant, and possess exceptional stealth capabilities, making them impossible to apprehend. Only after I returned to the city and personally intervened was I able to capture one of them.”

“We detected them early on and even captured several individuals,” Zen Master Six Thoughts added. “However, these people are exceptionally resilient; not one of them willingly spoke.”

Yang Shenjing nodded. “He possesses death spirit fire within him, which prevents the extraction of soul memories. Only if His Highness, the Crown Prince, intervenes can useful information be obtained.”

“Is that so?” a voice from the darkness asked. “So difficult to make him speak? This old man will try.”

A transcendental being from the Sacred Dark Family stood a hundred feet away, shrouded in boundless darkness. A clawed hand extended through the air.

A sharp hiss! Streaks of black lines spread out, penetrating the elder’s body, attempting to corrupt his consciousness and soul.

The elder let out a horrific scream. Seizing the moment as the seal within his body was corroded and broken by the dark power, he deliberately ignited the death spirit fire, and his body immediately erupted into crackling flames.

Everyone present watched with detached indifference. Zen Master Six Thoughts was unfazed, as even his own mind-spirit incantations would yield the same outcome.

A moment later, the elder’s body burned to ashes.

Zen Master Six Thoughts, with a benevolent expression and gentle voice, announced, “His Highness the Crown Prince has gone to the Qilin Terrace. This humble monk will preside over tonight’s assembly.”

The sound of carriage wheels and hearty laughter drifted from the distance. “The Third Palace Mistress of Lingxiao Palace actually dared to agree to let His Highness the Crown Prince enter the Qilin Terrace?” a voice boomed. “How interesting!”

Another faction arrived by carriage. The one at the reins was an elegant and refined young man of Pure Immortal Physique. He wore a scholar’s cap, his bright eyes handsome yet approachable. Despite his Dao Seed Realm cultivation, he showed no unease facing a gathering of top experts, his gaze calmly assessing everyone present. His composure alone marked him as a prodigy among the younger generation. He was Fu Wenyan, the Young Heavenly Emperor of the Tribulation Crossing Monastery.

The carriage behind him was covered in inscriptions. The characters were difficult to decipher, yet imbued with an exquisite aesthetic.

Fu Wenyan was entirely relaxed and unrestrained. His gaze settled on the darkened area where the Sacred Dark Family’s transcendental figure stood, and he recognized Xie Chucai. He observed that Xie Chucai’s height had nearly doubled, his bones protruded, a pair of bone wings had grown from his back, and his eyes glowed blood-red. Fu Wenyan sighed, understanding this was the price of failure in the face of a critical undertaking: suffering punishment, transforming into something neither human nor ghost, and possibly with his consciousness utterly fragmented.

Along the corridor a hundred feet away, Luan Sheng Lin You, whose silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, stated from a distance, “In the Lingxiao Living Realm, given His Highness the Crown Prince’s status and cultivation, he can go anywhere he desires. No one can refuse him; they can only welcome him.”

Fu Wenyan’s gaze landed on Luan Sheng Lin You. He had long heard of this unparalleled prodigy of the demon race, and his eyes were filled with scrutiny. Within the Lingxiao Living Realm, only a handful of individuals truly caught his attention.

A Young Heavenly Emperor of the Dao Seed Realm could command equal standing with Eternity Realm magnates in any power. Provided their backing force was sufficiently strong, their status could even rival that of Grand Eternity.

Leading Luan Sheng Lin You was “Scarlet Luan,” one of the Five Luans of the demon race. Scarlet Luan, in his human form, appeared as a man over two meters tall, his skin adorned with flame-feather patterns. He laughed unrestrainedly. “That’s true!” he declared. “If His Highness the Crown Prince desires something, the Third Palace Mistress will likely have no choice but to cleanse herself, kneel, and quietly await him. However, His Highness has exceedingly high standards; only Yu Yaozi truly captures his attention.”

“This is the third game between His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Palace Mistress!” Zen Master Six Thoughts stated. “Should the Third Palace Mistress manage to hold off the Crown Prince for three days, utilizing the Qilin Terrace’s formation, His Highness will immediately depart the city and leave the Lingxiao Living Realm.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince merely wishes to tie her down for three days,” Fu Wenyan commented. “And the Third Palace Mistress actually believed that? Are the transcendental beings of the Lingxiao Living Realm truly so naive?”

“This is not naivety, but helplessness,” Yang Shenjing countered. “The weak can only cling to fantasies, fantasies of being spared by the powerful. Without such illusions, only despair remains. Only outsiders can discern that the powerful merely seek to manipulate and play games, thereby gaining a greater sense of accomplishment.”

“I’m more curious,” Scarlet Luan chuckled, “what the Third Palace Mistress stands to lose if His Highness the Crown Prince breaches the Qilin Terrace’s formation and reaches the mountain top within three days! Haha!”

Li Longshu, a transcendental being of the Li Clan, appeared on the roof of the palace. “Actually, there’s no need to wait three days,” he declared. “With our current strength, we could directly assault Lingxiao Palace and overwhelm any formation.”

“Very well then!” Fu Wenyan retorted. “Senior Li, why don’t you attack Phoenix Pavilion and help us test if Yu Yaozi’s sword can still strike down a transcendental being?”

At the mention of “Yu Yaozi,” the expressions of everyone present hardened. After hundreds, even thousands, of years of arduous cultivation, who among them would be willing to stake their life?

Li Longshu cast a glance at Fu Wenyan, then shifted his gaze to the carriage behind him, before withdrawing his attention.

“If Yu Yaozi were able to act, she would have done so long ago,” An Xianjing stated. “Why would she simply stand by and watch her master, the Misty Heavenly Emperor’s, realm fall into such a state?”

“The formations of the Cloud Sky Immortal Plain pose the greatest threat,” Yang Shenjing corrected.

Luan Sheng Lin You had been listening quietly, sensing that these powerful cultivators, with their profound cultivation, all carried a degree of blatant arrogance, much like he had before the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival. “The weak are pessimistic, while the strong are arrogant”—these human failings are something no one can truly overcome. While mocking the Third Palace Mistress, they themselves were veering towards another extreme.

“A few interesting events occurred in the city today,” Luan Sheng Lin You began, “and I, as a junior, would like to share a couple of them with you all, seniors. Around noon, after Ge Xiantong became intoxicated in the Heavenly Pavilion, he divulged a millennium-old secret, asserting that when the Misty Heavenly Emperor was alive, he established a Mist Shadow Army. This army, he claimed, was Lingxiao Palace’s ultimate trump card, under Yu Yaozi’s command.”

“He tearfully called for the Mist Shadow Army to gather at the West City Gate tomorrow and hasten to the Western Border Battlefield.”

“Seniors of the Lingxiao Living Realm,” Fu Wenyan inquired, “what are your thoughts on this?”

“I have never heard any legends concerning a Mist Shadow Army,” An Xianjing replied, “but countless sects possess hidden forces, so it wouldn’t be strange for Lingxiao Palace to maintain an army concealed in the shadows.”

“Regardless of whether it’s true or false,” Li Longshu stated, “I will personally go to the West City Gate tomorrow to ascertain the truth.”