He Daoist chuckled and said, "Precisely." Then he called out sternly, "Jing Lan, why haven’t you come to greet your Martial Uncle yet?"
The young cultivator was respectful and bowed to Daoist Qingyao, saying, "Nephew Huo Jinglan pays his respects to Martial Uncle."
Daoist Qingyao nodded with a smile and said, "No need for such formalities."
Han Guzi glanced over from a distance, noticing that He Daoist had not made any indication for Huo Jinglan to greet him. It was as if he gave no regard to his presence, causing Han Guzi’s expression to grow darker, almost to the point of dripping with resentment. Original content can be found at novel⸺fire.net
Meanwhile, at a mountain peak several miles away, Hou Boxu stood with a few Hou disciples, his gaze fixed on the dense layers of cloud-shrouded mountain ranges. His brows furrowed involuntarily.
For some reason, Hou Boxu felt a faint unease in his heart, but remembering that Hou Sanlang had the "Five Spirits White Carp Shuttle" to assist him, he dismissed the feeling as mere overthinking.
Time passed unnoticed as the misty haze over the distant mountains undulated, moving like rippling waves. Finally, the lingering veil of fog that had shrouded Qingcun Mountain for three years began to dissipate.
As the formation opened, no figure appeared immediately, but a talisman flew out first.
He Daoist’s expression brightened as he reached out to catch it.
Since the Great Void Defense Array had sealed Qingcun Mountain, he had no way of knowing the situation within. To prevent Dong Jinzi from causing any unforeseen complications, he had arranged for a few disciples to enter the formation beforehand. This flying talisman was sent by one such disciple.
Opening the talisman to read it, He Daoist frowned and muttered internally, "Why has this change occurred? Who is this Li Yuanba? Whose hands hold the Ganoderma Ancestor’s corpse?"
After pondering for a moment, he handed the talisman to an attendant child beside him and instructed, "Go inform the disciples guarding the formation. If anyone leaving the formation matches the appearance described in this talisman, ensure they are detained and tell them it’s by my orders."
The child immediately accepted the order and departed.
He Daoist then turned to his disciple and said, "Jing Lan, when the Old Demon’s avatar emerges from the formation shortly, it will be your task to deal with it."
Huo Jinglan quickly replied, "Understood, Master."
He Daoist fixed his gaze on him, speaking with gravity, "As your master, I can only assist you to this extent. The Old Demon’s avatar has the same Xuan Guang Cultivation level as you. I will absolutely not intervene. Whether you can claim the corpse depends entirely on your own skills."
Huo Jinglan knew that his master’s actions carried an implicit test of his abilities. Although the task was indeed challenging, he dared not refuse and said immediately, "Disciple is already deeply grateful for Master’s guidance and does not dare trouble Master further."
He Daoist nodded slightly. He glanced around, noting the presence of dozens of Taihao Sect disciples guarding the array gate and over a hundred invited fellow Daoists. Seeing that no major mishap was likely, he resolved that if his disciple failed to secure the Ganoderma Ancestor under such advantageous conditions, there was no point in investing further effort in training him, no matter his talent.
At that moment, within Qingcun Mountain, the Great Void Formation’s array gate opened, and thousands of cultivators eagerly surged out.
During these three years, they had been repeatedly harassed by Dong Jinzi. Though protected by the array flags, they lived in constant fear, yearning to escape the formation. Now, unwilling to delay any longer, they rushed out in a frenzy.
Dong Jinzi cloaked his face with green energy and mingled inconspicuously among the crowd. A plan already formed in his mind, he intended to wait until reaching the array gate to kill several Taihao disciples guarding the formation, causing chaos. In the ensuing commotion, no one would notice Zhang Yan’s movements, allowing him to flee easily with the Ganoderma Ancestor’s corpse.
The scheme seemed flawless, but before he could act, the "Five Spirits White Carp Shuttle" in his sleeve suddenly jolted free and leapt away. His expression changed drastically as he cursed under his breath.
Since Hou Sanlang’s death, the spirit shuttle had refused to obey his commands no matter how he tried. It seemed to have lost its spiritual nature. With his eye power, he could naturally discern that the original owner had placed a prohibition on the artifact, which his Xuan Guang Avatar was incapable of breaking.
He had not worried about it initially, intending to wait for his Nascent Soul to arrive, at which point he could remove the prohibition and reclaim control. Yet now, with the formation opening, the artifact suddenly shot away, its radiant brilliance attracting everyone’s attention in an instant. He realized at once that he could no longer maintain his concealment.
The striking appearance of the spirit shuttle immediately drew He Daoist’s gaze. Recognizing Dong Jinzi’s identity almost instantly, his eyes gleamed sharply. He raised his horsetail whisk and pointed downward, shouting sternly, "The Old Demon is here! Disciple, why aren’t you acting swiftly to slay him?"
Huo Jinglan, hearing this, summoned his courage and prepared to strike.
Just then, a streak of green energy burst forth from the horizon, stretching from the clouds to the earth. In a mere blink, it transformed into a stream of dazzling green light that ascended into the air. At a hundred feet away, the light divided abruptly, revealing two women.
The faces of the two women were identical, resembling twin sisters. The one on the left had a red mole on her forehead, wore no adornments, and had skin like snow. Her attire was plain and elegant, standing with the austere beauty of a winter plum blossom.
The woman on the right wore green jade earrings and was adorned with golden bells and jade rings, which jingled melodiously as she traveled on the wind. With eyes like polished gems, her every glance radiated unmatched charm and beauty.
Daoist Qingyao furrowed her brow and said, "I’ve heard that the Jiuling Sect of the Demon Sect specializes in refining cultivators into their own avatars. This Old Demon is uniquely gifted and has mastered the Jiuling Sect Techniques excellently. These two women must be his Dharma Bodies."
He Daoist’s face turned grave as he replied, "Indeed, Junior Sister, be cautious. The woman on the left is named Tan Ruoshui, and the woman on the right is named Tan Ruoyue. Originally fellow Daoists from the Lishan Sect, both were Nascent Soul Cultivators before falling tragically to this Old Demon’s schemes. They are not to be underestimated."
Daoist Qingyao, initially indifferent, turned cold-faced upon hearing this. She stated solemnly, "Surely an Outer Dao Evil Demon, deceitful and sinister. If it acquires the Ganoderma Ancestor’s corpse and succeeds in its tribulations, it will wreak greater havoc upon the world. Today, I would have let it be, but since it has come, even at the cost of my life, I must stop this Demon from escaping catastrophe."
While the two conferred, Han Guzi paid them no heed. Instead, his reddened eyes swept his surroundings vigilantly until suddenly, his gaze sharpened and locked onto an imposing figure.
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)