Shanji Prefecture.

Rain and clouds churned across the sky. A woman in purple stood suspended in midair, one hand forming a seal while the other held a gray-white vessel. She chanted under her breath as surging blue and azure flames coiled around her body like several ferocious flood dragons.

On the other side, billowing black smoke gathered in the sky. A streak of blood-red light sliced across the heavens like a crimson sword, tearing through the air and crashing into the raging flames. However, it was blocked by the overwhelming power of [Boundless Water-Fire], breaking apart into rolling black smoke that dispersed away.

Within the roiling demonic smoke stood a four-eyed Purple Mansion Realm devil cultivator, a genius of the Helian Family. Blood-red light flickered endlessly from his eyes, and his face carried only a vibrant, eager smile.

He exclaimed, "The [Upper-Minister Vessel] truly lives up to its name!"

But the woman in purple within the flames paid him no attention. Her beautiful eyes shifted as she calmly watched a certain spot within the clouds. There stood a striking middle-aged man with a high nose and deep-set eyes. He stood slightly turned, and the longsword, short blade, and long whip at his waist all gleamed with light.

Helian Wujiang!

This mid-stage Purple Mansion Realm expert was not known for combat. His cultivation path was completely different from Helian Wumeng's Heavenborn Devil Dao[1]. He followed the orthodox Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao.

His cultivation depth far surpassed Helian Wumeng's. Much of the Helian Family's rise was credited to him alone. He had almost single-handedly pulled the Tiefo State out of crisis, allowing Helian Wumeng to live to this day.

This man did not focus on spells, craftsmanship, artifact forging, or alchemy. Instead, he devoted himself entirely to deepening his cultivation. Tinglan was very familiar with this path, as two seniors from her Purple Smoke Gate excelled in it.

Experts of this type possessed a wider range of divine ability transformations and more comprehensive methods. Some could reincarnate and cultivate anew or adapt themselves according to their Dao lineage. They were often of this kind.

Thus, although he would not unleash particularly fierce spells, he could certainly devise many counters against others. With Helian Wumeng, who excelled in open and aggressive combat, fighting at the front, and a deeply cultivated mid-stage Purple Mansion Realm expert watching from the shadows, the situation was far from easy...

Yet the middle-aged man in the clouds did not move. He took in the gray-white vessel within the surging flames from afar and silently sighed, Zimu's [Upper-Minister Vessel]... such exquisite technique!

As someone who also specialized in divine abilities and cultivation depth, his gaze lingered for a few more breaths before he turned slightly to look at Helian Wumeng, who had already leaped into the air and charged forward fiercely.

His divine ability condensed into a thread and silently transmitted, "The Supreme Yang Dao lineage still has strength. Houfu's whereabouts are unknown, and even a Grand Daoist Master has yet to appear. Do not act rashly. Just follow the plan and hold her back. If one of her spirit artifacts suppresses you and reinforcements arrive, you will be in grave danger!"

Although Helian Wumeng appeared exhilarated and fought with abandon while observing the opponent's techniques, he was no brute. He quietly acknowledged the message.

The sky gradually darkened. Helian Wujiang lowered his gaze slightly as the jade pendant in his hand flashed.

At that moment, a streak of clear light shot across the river, and someone called out, "Fellow Daoist Tinglan!"

Helian Wujiang and Helian Wumeng exchanged a glance and immediately turned to step into the great void together.

The two foreign Purple Mansion Realm cultivators halted within the great void instead of leaving immediately. Helian Wumeng put away his long-handled blade, looking somewhat subdued.

He smiled at the man beside him and said, "This is rather dull. It is better to roam the great desert. Kill when you kill, die when you die. If you survive, escape with your life and recuperate for a few years... The south lacks any real heat..."

"The southern situation is stable. The Supreme Yang Dao lineage is all one faction. It cannot be compared." Helian Wujiang's expression remained calm as he replied, his tone faintly distant, "Now that we have come to act along this river, we must not become a weapon in someone else's hand. After our lineage was nearly cut off, we have struggled step by step to reach today. We cannot afford any mistakes..."

He lowered his voice and said, "However... it was wise of you not to mention that Boundless Essence battle art. After all, it belongs to the Tuoba Family. They have always enjoyed protection, and in recent years have produced another genius. The King of Dai is now in his prime, only a step away from attaining five divine abilities, and he is also a close friend of Daoist Master Chiguang. At such a critical time, they must not be offended.

"Everyone knows there is something wrong with that battle art, but the one who speaks it aloud carries a completely different meaning. Not even those so-called Merciful Ones in Jiangbei have dared to voice it... Who among them has spoken? Do not be fooled by Murong Yan's rough appearance or Shilou Yingge's arrogance. Neither of them will say a word about it."

"I understand, uncle." Helian Wumeng pondered for a moment and asked, "Could it have come from Tuoba Chongyuan? The second young master died suddenly in the south back then, causing a huge uproar across Mobei. I heard about it at the time. It seemed he was killed by Dongfang Heyun. Since Dongfang Heyun killed him, could some of his techniques or divine abilities have been taken and ended up in someone else's hands?"

"Hard to say." Helian Wujiang's expression grew serious as he shook his head and said, "Although Emperor Wu of Liang once promoted the methods of Great Wei and held the Wei State in high regard, at this point, the Tuoba Family can no longer have any ties with the Li Family.

"Even if you assume he is secretly helping, there would be no reason to use something with such obvious traits. There is certainly deeper planning behind this. We should not interfere."

His eyes were deep and filled with hatred as he finished in a low voice, "As long as we identify them... The forces that surrounded and killed our lord... we will strip their skin and devour their flesh to honor his spirit in heaven!"

Hatred was clear on Helian Wumeng's face, yet it did not run as deep as his uncle's. Though he was usually the impulsive one, he now clasped his hands together and said through gritted teeth, "We will endure for now... but they will pay the price..."

Having made their decision, uncle and nephew headed north together. The flames over Shanji Prefecture finally subsided and flowed back into the gray-white vessel. Daoist Master Tinglan descended on the wind to meet the wisp of clear light approaching over the river.

It revealed an old man with a head full of white hair, holding a wooden staff. He stood within the prefecture and cupped his hands toward Tinglan. Though worry weighed on her heart, Tinglan forced a smile and said, "Senior Shanbai[2], thank you..."

This man was none other than Daoist Master Shanbai, a rogue cultivator from the outer-sea. He looked slightly awkward as he replied, "I waited on the river for quite a while. Seeing someone crossing over, I only lent a bit of assistance..."

Tinglan silently sensed the jade pendant in her sleeve and found that it had stopped flickering, indicating that the matter at Moongaze Lake had already been resolved. She let out a breath of relief and smiled, "Please!"

Daoist Master Shanbai had always maintained a good relationship with Purple Smoke Gate and Xiukui Dao Gate[3], but the sea region where he resided lay near the Yue Cultivating Sect. Strictly speaking, it fell under Yue Cultivating Sect's jurisdiction... Taking this into account, Houfu and the others had not made any strong requests of him, and he, being tactful, had spent these years in seclusion, declining involvement.

Now that the conflict between north and south had eased and both sides stood in a standoff across the river, the Supreme Yang Dao lineage could only defend the river. Daoist Master Shanbai finally stopped waiting and came out under the pretext of leaving seclusion. Naturally, he intended to assess Zhugong's injuries.

The two entered the formation and saw that the mountain was still in disarray, barely maintaining order. Daoist Master Shanbai, who preferred neatness, frowned immediately at the sight and shook his head. "Zhugong's subordinates are, after all, devil cultivators from the Eastern Sea. This simply will not do! Look at the new disciples taken in these past years. What have they become? How can this be called a Dao lineage? Is there even any real effort being put into it..."

Tinglan still respected this elder, at least more so than she had for Daoist Master Sumian back then. Thus her words were also more grounded as she said with a trace of regret, "She has always had a free-spirited nature. In her eyes, managing such matters is not as worthwhile as spending a few more days cultivating divine ability. If not for the Dao lineage failing to continue and the need for treasures from Jiangnan, she would not bother with all this..."

Shanbai kept shaking his head and replied, "How does that make sense? The matter of Mifan has already concluded, yet she still finds the [Hidden Blossom Spirit Herbs] insufficient? Does she want to take a few more from you? Or is she hoping for the [Clarifying Transformation Primordial Intercalation Method]? That is far too unrealistic."

The [Hidden Blossom Spirit Herbs] were well known. They were a powerful medicinal product of the Mifan Dao lineage, capable of removing superficial impurities, strengthening one's foundation, and offering great benefits to cultivators aligned with Earth Virtue and Metal Virtue. Though Daoist Master Shanbai had not known her purpose earlier, the situation was now clear to him.

Yet these words left Tinglan unable to respond. She lowered her gaze in silence. Only she knew that the south had gained nothing extra from the Mifan matter. What appeared on the surface was all they had received. There was not even a trace of the [Hidden Blossom Spirit Herbs]!

As for the [Clarifying Transformation Primordial Intercalation Method], there was no trace of it at all. Everyone knew it was within the Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven, so suspicion naturally fell upon the Supreme Yang Dao lineage. Yet they suffered in silence, unable to explain! Shanbai's guess was correct; Zhugong truly longed for these things...

1. Another name of Diverse Mansion Unified Furnace(Chapter 249). ☜

2. Daoist Master Shanbai first appeared in Chapter 1072, and later, also in Chapter 1339. ☜

3. Also known as Great Xiukui Temple. ☜