Chapter 45: 045 Part 2

From the cheat item’s display, the Aristocratic Families and the Master-Disciple Lineage had already clashed, enduring several battles. The number of Daoists in the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm had significantly decreased. Wei Mingyi lowered her eyes, her gaze shifting to a few isolated, lonely dots on the map. Those individuals were motionless, likely “chickens” adept at hiding.

After mulling it over, Wei Mingyi decided to deal with these stragglers first, letting the Master-Disciple Lineage and the Aristocratic Families continue their battles. No matter how clever their escape arts, they couldn’t evade the cheat item’s scans.

Behind a waterfall, within a mountain cave.

A Daoist hid here. She knew she lacked the ability to claim Head Champion, and the Penglai Purple Qi she’d found wasn’t much. Yet, as long as she could hide until the very end, she’d be considered a “winner.” Whether joining a sect or an Aristocratic Family later, she’d have a better choice. But just as she sat cross-legged in meditation, a world-shaking explosion erupted. A beam of light like a rainbow plummeted. Alarmed, she saw the waterfall outside the cave suddenly sliced apart by a bolt of golden light. Within that fierce golden radiance, thousands of ink dots shot up and down. The explosions continued relentlessly—the cliff face was shattered by the heaven-shaking thunder.

How could the Daoist remain hidden? She wrapped herself in magical power and charged out of the cave. The thunderous booms were continuous. Another golden Dharma Seal smashed down. Unable to dodge in time, she was slammed against the mountain by the seal’s force. Her ears buzzed; her hearing was disrupted by the dense thunder-like explosions. Struggling, she raised her head and saw, in the distance, a white-robed Daoist standing calmly, a faint smile on her lips, her aura roiling like the tide.

That Daoist didn’t attack further, nor did she plunder her Qiankun Pouch. After a moment’s hesitation, the hidden Daoist, now without cover, activated her Reception Talisman. She watched the light slowly rise, finally enveloping her. As she was taken away, she saw the figure give her a slight nod. With a heavy sigh, she raised her sleeve to return the salute.

Ill fortune.

But preserving what she’d gained wasn’t the worst outcome.

After sending this Daoist away, Wei Mingyi repeated the process, ferreting out the remaining “chickens.” The process consumed magical power, requiring her to absorb spiritual energy to replenish it. The cycle of emptying and filling accelerated her expansion progress. After expelling eighteen people, Wei Mingyi clearly felt that barrier loosen! Her eyes shone with bright spirit as she broke through to the Foundation Establishment Second Layer Realm! Crossing a realm within three months—this speed far surpassed her previous progress! Were Heaven-rank Spirit Veins and Penglai Purple Qi this effective? Or, as her Shizun said, was she just a genius with excellent innate talent?

Wei Mingyi allowed herself a little moment of smugness.

When the time was up, she reined in her swelling pride like an ebbing tide.

Within a major realm, there were three minor stages. The early ones were easy; the later ones were hard. Ultimately, the key was the threshold between major realms.

Elsewhere.

The slaughter between the Aristocratic Families and the Three Sects hadn’t stopped.

But after a few clashes, the Aristocratic Clan members noticed something off.

The Pure Clean Sect Daoists were moving together with the other two sects. The highest-cultivation, most troublesome member of the Three Sects was Wu Weibai. The Pure Clean Sect was nothing special.

During the fights, that elusive Pure Clean Sect Daoist hadn’t appeared. Initially, the Aristocratic Clan Daoists thought that once full-scale confrontation began, there was naturally no need for hiding. But now, a vague sense of unease crept in.

Was it really those Pure Clean Sect wastes?

“To the northwest. Traces of Master-Disciple Lineage Daoists overlap with a location of Penglai Purple Qi. They’re probably heading there to search for Purple Qi,” a Heavenly Evolution Mountain Daoist announced, weariness evident on her face. The Master-Disciple Lineage cultivators weren’t trees; they moved. Once their trail was lost, Heavenly Evolution Mountain had to calculate their movements. Her Formation Dao was well-cultivated, but her Guizang Scripture was inferior to Yu Yuanhui’s.

“Are Yu Yuanhui and the others truly no longer in the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm? Who forced them out? Her perception is always sharp; she should be first in avoiding disaster. How could such an accident happen?” a voice full of curiosity chimed in.

The Yu Clan Daoist hesitated. “Master-Disciple Lineage?”

“Returning to Supreme Peak is fine, at most being mocked for a hundred years. Better than that Cloud Realm member who simply lost her life and Dao,” the Daoist lamented.

A Cloud Realm Daoist cast an icy glance at the speaker. “The incompetent die. No one else is to blame.”

Now knowing the Three Sect Daoists’ whereabouts, and that they were heading for Penglai Purple Qi, the Aristocratic Families weren’t about to sit idly. Their group similarly sped toward the location.

Northwestern peak. A cliff edge, where an ancient pine clung precariously.

Wei Mingyi sat cross-legged on a rock. The sky was clear for ten thousand miles, and streaks of white clouds drifted among the towering mountains.

The bait was Penglai Purple Qi.

This move never failed.

It was, after all, the key to victory.

Someone from the Three Sects had already entered the mountain. Perhaps their full attention was on searching for Penglai Purple Qi, for no one noticed her.

Wei Mingyi waited patiently. The map showed a cluster of “obstacles”—an Aristocratic Family force—surging rapidly towards this mountain.

The formation she’d learned from the Yu Daoist was called the “Nine Heavens Suspended Thunder Array.” The materials consumed far outstripped its final power, making it a rather useless array for those seeking lethality. But it was simple to learn. For those who didn’t treat valuable materials as precious, it could be considered a protective measure. Killing Three Sect or Aristocratic Family Daoists with this array was impossible, but it was perfect for sowing chaos.

In less than an hour, Wei Mingyi looked up and saw flying escape lights. The newcomers were more cautious than the Three Sects; several lights shot directly toward her. Wei Mingyi raised an eyebrow and immediately vanished. She could easily evade others, but she trusted the Aristocratic Family members wouldn’t have much energy left to play hide-and-seek with her.

As expected, the Aristocratic Clan Daoists chased her a few times, then gave up.

Their clansmen had already clashed with the Master-Disciple Lineage. The Penglai Purple Qi could not be conceded.

As for those lurking in the shadows, they could only warn each other and remain vigilant.

Light and color intertwined on the mountain. Thunderous booms echoed continuously. Astral winds surged, and rolling clouds of smoke churned into the sky, instantly dyeing the bright firmament a dusky blue. Several Daoists among the Aristocratic Families and the Three Sects practiced superior techniques, making the battle a fearsome spectacle. Moreover, their auras were remarkably enduring; even after wantonly expending magical power, they showed no signs of fatigue—the benefits of rare-material body shaping and proper inheritance. Fortunately, Wei Mingyi had also received guidance from Wu Chongyun. Otherwise, growing wild like a weed, encountering someone of comparable cultivation, she’d easily suffer a great loss.

With both sides fiercely fighting, a quick resolution was impossible. Wei Mingyi observed from a moderate distance. Several Aristocratic Clan Daoists had ganged up on Wu Weibai. Her sword light flashed like shooting stars, but the Aristocratic Family side clearly had methods to restrain sword cultivators. The sword qi was deflected by magnetic force, becoming sluggish; the speed and power of her sword couldn’t be fully exerted. Piled on by multiple opponents, Wu Weibai quickly fell to a disadvantage.

Wei Mingyi watched intently. She had a bit of history with Wu Weibai; for the sake of that small connection, she had to help her. But Wu Weibai couldn’t be defeated, nor could she emerge completely unscathed. Estimating the time was right, Wei Mingyi activated the formation. Instantly, thunder filled the sky, lightning split the clouds, writhing like frenzied serpents. With the array’s thunder striking down, the Aristocratic Clan Daoists’ coordinated assaults were thrown into disarray. Moreover, someone recognized the array as belonging to Heavenly Evolution Mountain, and the previously united Aristocratic Families instantly fractured.

“The Nine Heavens Suspended Thunder Array? The Yu Clan? What is the meaning of this?!” someone roared.

Wu Weibai’s eyes flickered. She didn’t understand why members of the Yu Clan were helping her, but she wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. Laughing loudly, she declared, “Many thanks to the Yu Daoist for her honorable assistance!” So saying, she displayed her sword light and fought her way out of the encirclement, rejoining the Master-Disciple Lineage Daoists.

“Was it truly the Pure Clean Sect acting earlier?” Chen Qinghe slowly spoke. They had repeatedly clashed with Pure Clean Sect cultivators, sending them out. Judging by their cowering, hesitant attitude, their old habits hadn’t changed. “Could someone be imitating the Pure Clean Sect’s technique?” They recognized the Ink of World Purification, but after all, they were only Foundation Establishment cultivators. It was possible they’d been deceived.

“The attacker comes and goes without a trace, accurately capturing the locations of our clan’s isolated Daoists. Look around this Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm: who has such ability?”

After eliminating the Pure Clean Sect, the Aristocratic Family members’ gazes abruptly fell upon the bewildered Heavenly Evolution Mountain Daoists.

“Did Yu Yuanhui truly withdraw from the Eternal Cosmos Heavenly Realm? Or was the one hiding all along Yu Yuanhui herself? She calculates everyone’s whereabouts and uses the Minor Heavens Escape Art to evade everywhere?” Chen Qinghe voiced her speculation.

As soon as she spoke, it struck like a sudden thunderclap.

The more everyone thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. It was possible for Yu Yuanhui to use the Guizang Scripture to deduce a technique similar to the Ink of World Purification to confuse everyone’s eyes. After all, only traces remained at the scenes.

If she could avoid disaster, how could she be expelled so easily?

So, Heavenly Evolution Mountain was covering for Yu Yuanhui! Everything was her doing! To seize Head Champion, she hadn’t hesitated to tear up the agreement, stir up conflict prematurely, and even collude with the Three Sect Daoists right now to harm every clan!

Accusations flew. Amid the suspended thunder array, the Heavenly Evolution Mountain Daoist found herself utterly unable to defend against the charges.

The alliance of the Four Clans shattered in an instant. If Heavenly Evolution Mountain couldn’t be trusted, then what about the other families?

Over there, Wu Weibai saw the infighting erupt among the Aristocratic Families and knew she couldn’t let this chance slip. Even if she wanted to leave now, with Penglai Purple Qi on her, they likely wouldn’t let her go.

The howling mountain wind swept past; all things withered.

Wei Mingyi smiled and nodded with mock seriousness. “Yes, yes. It was all Heavenly Evolution Mountain’s doing.”

It took clever people having sudden inspirations and letting their suspicions run wild.

This round of conflict was even more chaotic and fierce.

Many Daoists were seriously injured and forced to activate their Reception Talismans to leave.

One among them was a direct descendant of the Chen Clan. The moment she landed, she coughed up blood and, without even taking a healing pill, knelt before her Guardian Perfected One and shouted, “Perfected One! Yu Yuanhui violated the code of our Aristocratic Families and colluded with the Three Sects to harm us all!”

Perfected One Chen’s expression was solemn, a bitter taste in her heart.

Moments later, a crisp voice rang out: “Fellow Daoist Chen, what nonsense are you spouting?! Just because you yourself were defeated, must you slander my sister?”

The Chen Clan Daoist instinctively followed the voice. The first thing she saw was the Yu Clan’s Guardian Perfected One, flanked on either side by the sisters Yu Yuanhui.

She froze. An instant later, her face bore an expression of utter thunderstruck shock.

Yu Yuanhui had truly been eliminated? If not Yu Yuanhui, then who?

Yu Yuanhui wouldn’t tell anyone she had taught someone the array. She turned to Perfected One Yu and said, “Perfected One, that person knows the Guizang Scripture and my Heavenly Evolution Mountain’s arrays. I fear she is the successor of the Sword Devil. After the Sword Devil disappeared, she secretly joined the Pure Clean Sect.”

Perfected One Yu listened and shook her head, sighing. “The Pure Clean Sect says she’s not one of theirs.”

The Sword Devil had killed Aristocratic Family prodigies, yet members of the Master-Disciple Lineage had also died under her sword.

She was simply a madwoman who killed at the slightest disagreement.