World Besieging the Mountain

No one responded; they all remained silent.

Even the hot-tempered Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow and the Old Monster of Cold Mountain shifted their gazes unnaturally.

The figures from the North Sea—every single one of them—had lived longer than all of them combined. No one truly wanted to provoke them.

Especially the one before them, one of the only three remaining auspicious beasts in the world: the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Born with nine lives.

Of course, that wasn't the main reason. The main reason was that they simply didn't dare enter the North Sea.

It wasn't that they couldn't get in, but that they feared they wouldn't come back out, just like the others.

Imagine if you provoked this group and fought her.

If you won.

She would only lose a spirit body.

Her cultivation would be damaged, but she would simply need to rest for a few days.

But once a grudge was formed, she could manifest another spirit body whenever she felt like it just to mess with you. What would you do then?

You couldn't strike at her homeland.

But she could strike at your doorstep at any time.

It was a completely uneven playing field.

You would live every day in fear.

As the saying goes, one doesn't fear the thief stealing; one fears the thief watching.

It was the same logic.

Provoke her?

You'd have to be out of your mind.

Besides, there was serious business to attend to.

Tu Sisi remained overbearing, but she stepped aside to clear the path.

At the same time, thousands of miles away, a great river surged from the north to the south, crossing through the sky.

Upon the river's surface, a giant beast galloped.

It tread upon the waves.

In the blink of an eye, that great river hung suspended across the horizon.

An ancient, strange, and powerful aura rippled out, filling the space in an instant.

Inside and outside the mountain gate, everyone turned to look.

They saw a giant beast standing atop the great river.

The water Qilin had arrived.

Everyone present—whether from the Wendao Sword Sect, the Three Sects and Six Schools, the hidden sects, the spirits and great demons, or the various demons of the North Sea—felt a surge of wariness and caution.

A giant beast they had never seen before.

A powerhouse they had never heard of.

It had appeared out of nowhere.

Who was it?

Where did it come from?

Why was it here?

The water Qilin looked down, surveying the world with disdain. It clicked its tongue and marveled, "Tsk, tsk. This tiny Fanzhou really is a land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. To think there are so many little monsters here. Hahaha, interesting. Truly interesting."

The crowd remained silent, their scrutiny continuing.

No one replied.

Yao Xiqiao, his eyes still filled with wariness, spoke up, "It's him... the East Desolation Ancestor..."

The members of the Wendao Sword Sect realized that the newcomer was an enemy, not a friend, and their caution deepened.

Just as the water Qilin arrived, Bai Ze arrived outside the mountain gate as well, leading several beast god stage powerhouses ahead of the beast tide.

Unlike the water Qilin's appearance, which had brought a cold, wary silence to the world, Bai Ze's arrival inevitably drew a wave of sighs.

There was no one present who didn't recognize Bai Ze.

Seeing him appear here unharmed, many eyes flickered with a hint of regret.

What a pity.

This guy actually wasn't killed by Yun Zheng.

It seemed the Wendao Sword Sect still had a fight ahead of them today.

And it wasn't just between them and the Wendao Sword Sect; even among themselves, a struggle was likely unavoidable.

After Bai Ze appeared, to the surprise and confusion of the onlookers, he respectfully led his followers to the water Qilin's side.

Like a junior, he stood there obediently and did not forget to bow.

"Ancestor."

Disdain remained in the water Qilin's eyes as it gave Bai Ze a brief, casual glance, teasing, "Little thing, it seems you're quite famous. These people all seem to know you?"

Bai Ze replied humbly, "It is merely a hollow reputation."

The water Qilin snorted and didn't pursue the matter.

The second lord of the North Sea, Azure Dragon Ao Tian, called out from across the distance, "Brother Bai, may I ask who this is?"

Bai Ze instinctively looked toward the water Qilin.

The water Qilin kept its head high, still looking incredibly arrogant and untamed.

Bai Ze answered, "The Ancestor of my race."

Ancestor?

Upon hearing Bai Ze's answer, many people began to discuss in low voices.

"Ancestor? Which one?"

"Never heard of him."

"The East Desolation has such a figure?"

"No wonder the little red-haired one who plays with fire fell. This Qilin must be something else..."

Azure Dragon Ao Tian scrutinized the water Qilin once more but said nothing else.

For some reason, he smelled the same aura on it as the Phantom Emperor of the North Sea.

Could the two of them come from the same place?

Of course, it could just be an illusion.

The other demon immortal spirit bodies felt the same way.

Qingluan.

Jin Ao.

Tu Sisi...

Their scrutinizing gazes became even more intense.

Although the water Qilin looked down on Bai Ze and these little youngsters, it quite liked the way Bai Ze addressed it.

Ancestor.

It certainly sounded domineering.

Very high-class.

It was also quite satisfied with their reactions.

This was exactly the effect it wanted for its entrance.

Its vanity was slightly mollified.

However, now was not the time for posturing; business came first.

This body of its couldn't last much longer. Most of its time had already passed, so it had to get the main task done.

The water Qilin looked at the Wendao Sword Sect's mountain gate, which was already in a desperate situation, and spoke plainly:

"Where is Xu Xian?"

"Tell him to come out and accept his death!"

The crowd stirred in surprise.

Calling him out by name.

Xu Xian?

This giant beast hadn't come for the Wendao Sword Sect, but specifically for Xu Xian. This caught them off guard.

What was going on?

You came all this way just for a teenager?

Even Bai Ze was surprised.

He thought to himself, Could it be that the Ancestor, like me, calculated the future of the East Desolation and thus woke up to suppress Xu Xian?

The members of the Wendao Sword Sect were equally confused.

It was unexpected, yet it made sense in a way.

Jiang Wanyin stood atop the bridge, her gaze meeting the beast's directly as she questioned, "Who are you?"

The water Qilin feigned ignorance, "Are you Xu Xian?"

The crowd was speechless.

What was wrong with its eyes?

Even if it were face-blind, surely it could tell a man from a woman?

Jiang Wanyin knew the other party was doing it on purpose and that the intruder was an enemy. Naturally, she had no kind words. With a cold face, she said:

"I am the one asking you."

The water Qilin was stunned for a moment, then it laughed, a sinister chuckle. "You actually dare to speak to me like that. You've got guts. Are all the people in your sect this ballsy?"

As it spoke, it didn't forget to glance at Yao Xiqiao inside the mountain gate.

Jiang Wanyin said, "If you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth. If you have the guts, then come and attack!"

The water Qilin was truly amused.

Look at their situation.

And she was still this arrogant?

The world's enemies surrounded this sect's mountain gate, pushing them into a corner, yet she was so defiant.

Was it mistaken, or had the world gone mad?

She really did have guts!

It rarely had such patience, wasting a few more words.

"You don't truly think this tiny sword array can hold us back, do you?"

Jiang Wanyin remained neither humble nor arrogant. "And what if it can't?"

The water Qilin shook its head, truly not knowing what to say. It laughed:

"Fine, you've got spirit. I admire that. Since you're all so ballsy, if you hand over Xu Xian, I can promise you that when the fighting starts, I'll help you kill all of them. How about it?"

The crowd went silent.

Great, here comes another one showing off.

First it was Tu Sisi.

Then Azure Dragon Ao Tian.

And now the water Qilin...

What kind of freaks and monsters were these?

Inside Jiang Wanyin's sleeve, her long sword lowered. Her voice was cold as she said, "I told you to stop wasting your breath. If you have the courage, attack."

What else could the water Qilin say?

It gave her a chance and she didn't take it, insisting on posturing.

Then they would see who could posture better.

It bared its sharp teeth and said overbearingly:

"None of you move. Whoever moves, I'll kill."

"Today, I will crush this mountain gate with a single arm."

"I'll show you what happens when you posture with me!"

Below the Wendao Sword Sect.

In the Earth Core Flame Pool, with Xu Xian's support, the five sword spirits finally completed their formation.

The new array rose.

The five-colored chains wrapped around the Sky Gate tightened instantly.

The five-colored array patterns surged toward the Sky Gate as the completely new formation replaced the old Five Elements formation.

Boom!

The moment the formation completed, a wave of energy rippled out in all directions.

Everywhere it passed, the earth first shook and the lava boiled.

Then, in an instant, everything went still.

The cold chains grew quiet, the Sky Gate was sealed, the boiling lava no longer roared, and the heat waves slowly subsided...

Xu Xian opened his eyes, which were filled with exhaustion. He looked up, his gaze falling directly on the Sky Gate, half of which was still exposed.

He could clearly feel that the wisps of black qi at the Sky Gate had thinned significantly.

This meant the new formation was a success.

The Sky Gate was sealed once more.

Fanzhou's life had been successfully extended.

A narrow escape.

He exhaled a breath of turbid air and whispered with relief, "It's done."

Yes, it was done.

The Five Swords had replaced the Five Saints, re-sealing this gate—the only path from Fanzhou to the outside world, to the Heavens.

...

At the same time, above the Heavens, in a corner of the Three Thousand Provinces of Cangming.

In that grey world, a bridal gown fluttered without cause atop a small hill.

The gown was as red as blood.

It was as if someone had taken a brush and dotted a bit of cinnabar onto an ink-wash painting.

Like a scroll.

Yet it exuded a sense of eeriness and gloom, loneliness and desolation.

Looking closely, it wasn't just a garment.

It was clearly a person wearing a blood-red bridal gown.

Grey long hair, grey skin, a grey face, and grey lips...

Except for that bridal gown, her entire being was grey, blending perfectly with the surrounding world.

The wind of Eternal Night blew gently, making the blood-red bridal gown flutter. At this moment, she was startled awake and slowly opened her eyes.

Her crimson eyes were filled with trickling tears, deep as the sea, with ripples of scarlet waving within.

She stood there, gazing affectionately at that grey land beneath the Eternal Night.

Her thin lips parted slightly, revealing white teeth.

"They're here!!"

...

Meanwhile, outside the Wendao Sword Sect's mountain gate, the water Qilin released its demon qi, intending to break the array and start a grand battle.

Jiang Wanyin raised her sword, prepared to meet the challenge.

The demons of the North Sea, the spirits of Fanzhou, and the saints of the Central Plains watched in silent agreement. They wanted nothing more than to use Jiang Wanyin to test the strength of this great demon that had mysteriously emerged from the East Desolation.

However, before the fight could even begin.

The entire earth shifted without cause, as if a giant beast beneath the mountains and rivers had rolled over.

The crowd was dazed for a split second.

The tremor came suddenly and vanished just as quickly.

Before they could recover, it was gone.

At first, people were nervous.

But seeing no further movement, they didn't pay it much mind.

They were about to continue watching the show.

But then.

Deep within the Wendao Sword Sect, in the direction of the Ancestral Peak, an ear-piercing thunderclap echoed above the cloud-shrouded depths.

Rumble!

People's attention was drawn once again. They looked across the distance, their divine senses piercing through the layers of mist and smoke.

They saw that on the distant mountain, the breaking dawn was once again swallowed by darkness. A mass of black clouds spread out, with countless bolts of lightning mixed within.

Out of nothing, a dense mass formed.

Thunderclouds?

A lightning tribulation!

Seeing this, the hearts of many saints outside the mountain skipped a beat, and their expressions changed drastically.

Some even cried out in alarm.

"Dammit!"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"No way, right?"

"Again?"

Late last night, Li Qingshan had transcended his tribulation. Not even two hours had passed since then, yet at dawn today, another lightning tribulation was gathering over the Wendao Sword Sect's Ancestral Peak.

It could fall at any moment.

A lightning tribulation, by all rights, was nothing to be afraid of.

But the lightning tribulations of the Wendao Sword Sect were different.

The scenes of Li Qingshan chasing them with a lightning tribulation were still fresh in their minds.

Seeing another one now, these saints all turned pale, their hearts filled with lingering fear.

Even the old monk and the old scholar among the Three Sects' ancestors were the same.

Terrified that the same scene would repeat and another madman would come out of the Wendao Sword Sect, they instinctively shrank back.

The demons of the North Sea and the crowd from the East Desolation were completely baffled.

Especially seeing the reactions of the people outside the mountain and the wariness in their eyes, they were even more confused.

What did they mean?

It was just a lightning tribulation. What was there to be afraid of?

They didn't understand.

It made no sense.

It was bizarre.

The water Qilin also set aside its intention to fight. It glanced at Bai Ze and asked curiously, "Why did they say 'again'?"

Bai Ze furrowed his brows and eventually shook his head.

He didn't know either.

Azure Dragon Ao Tian didn't know either, his gaze falling intentionally or otherwise on Tu Sisi.

Tu Sisi was speechless.

However, they all knew that this matter was definitely not simple; otherwise, why would these people have such a strong reaction?

There was definitely some gossip to be found here.

Of course, more than the gossip, they wanted to know who had chosen to transcend their lightning tribulation at this time.

Even those who had witnessed Li Qingshan's tribulation were the same, though they were praying that this time it wouldn't be another madman.

Especially the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow.

If it happened again, he truly wouldn't be able to take it.

Most likely, only the people of the Wendao Sword Sect had a relatively certain answer in their hearts.

Within the sect.

The Pavilion Elders, Elders, and Ancestors above the eighth stage had all shown their faces at the mountain gate—those living, those dead, those injured...

Only one person was missing from the list.

Xu Xian.

The Little Grand-Uncle, Xu Xian.

Although Xu Xian had only stayed in the mountains for a day after breaking through to the eighth stage and returning before entering Yun Zheng's grotto-heaven.

During that day, he had inevitably come into contact with some people.

He hadn't made a deliberate effort to hide it, so the news of him reaching the eighth stage had naturally spread through the sect.

Anything concerning Xu Xian was a headline in the Wendao Sword Sect.

It was just that it had happened to Xu Xian, and immediately after, the Wendao Sword Sect had entered a state of war.

Then one thing after another had happened, so it hadn't caused as much of a stir as usual.

Now, a lightning tribulation was gathering over the Ancestral Peak, countless bolts of lightning were churning, and ear-piercing thunder was booming. Recalling the strike of thunder sword intent from yesterday.

Naturally, they connected all these events.

They had a guess.

The same answer.

The Little Grand-Uncle was about to emerge from seclusion. He was emerging by transcending his lightning tribulation.

Unlike the several saint ancestors, most of the disciples in the sect had always looked forward to this, having long placed their final hopes on Xu Xian.

Waiting for him to come out of the mountain.

Waiting for him to offer his sword.

To slaughter in all directions.

To turn the tide.

Now, they had waited long enough. The Little Grand-Uncle was about to transcend his lightning tribulation. Once the tribulation passed, his entry into the tribulation transcendence stage was set in stone.

The thought of a powerhouse in the tribulation transcendence stage under the age of thirty being born in the Wendao Sword Sect made their hearts swell with excitement and fervor.

Thinking back to when the Little Grand-Uncle was only at the sixth stage and was already invincible below the eighth stage.

Now he was at the ninth stage.

He could offer the Five Swords.

Who among these fellows outside could stand against him?

They were full of confidence, their expressions bold.

In their minds, there was no possibility that the Little Grand-Uncle would fail to transcend the lightning tribulation.

If Li Qingshan could do it, the Little Grand-Uncle certainly could.

There was only the certainty of the Little Grand-Uncle returning from his tribulation to reverse the battle.

"This is great."

"We finally waited long enough."

The unusual movements of the Wendao Sword Sect left the enemies outside the mountain gate in a fog.

What was the situation?

Could it be that the Wendao Sword Sect still had a trump card?

Some people guessed it.

Like Tu Sisi, whose eyes couldn't help but fill with anticipation.

Some didn't, and their hearts were filled with even more curiosity.

Like the water Qilin, Azure Dragon Ao Tian, and the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow...

They didn't blink, fearing they would miss any detail.

Of course, some people had a premonition of disaster and couldn't help but worry.

Like Bai Ze, and the old Daoist...

Especially Bai Ze, who repeatedly denied his own guesses, muttering to himself.

"How could it be so fast?"

"It's impossible for it to be this fast."

"It won't be..."

"It's not logical..."