Chapter 1008: Xuan Qingzi

Deep underground, about twenty miles north of the small lake, hundreds of cultivators still crowded around the entrance to the sealed rift.

Due to the self-detonation of the illusion array, the rift, several zhang wide, was now clearly visible to all. However, this also made the passage far more dangerous. Silver light flickered incessantly at the entrance, surging outward like waves of molten silver, creating an eerie and unsettling sight.

At the entrance, rogue cultivators and those from minor factions who deemed themselves unworthy of the struggle kept their distance. Meanwhile, three distinct groups of cultivators stood gathered, locked in a tense standoff.

One group consisted entirely of female cultivators clad in emerald-green robes, each young, beautiful, and graceful in figure. Their attire marked them as local cultivators from the Southern Border. Leading them were only two—a middle-aged woman at the mid-Nascent Soul stage with an ordinary appearance, and a strikingly beautiful young woman at the early Nascent Soul stage.

Facing them was a group of over thirty cultivators, oddly divided into two factions—one dressed in black robes, the other in snow-white robes.

Standing before them were five Nascent Soul cultivators. Among them were Ge Tianhao and the Heavenly Grassland’s Holy Maiden, Lin Yinping. However, the most eye-catching figure was a refined young man standing beside Lin Yinping. Judging by his spiritual fluctuations, he was a late-Nascent Soul grand cultivator—none other than the Great Immortal Master Xu from the Heavenly Grassland.

The last group was the smallest, comprising only three Daoist priests in azure robes. Their leader was an elderly Daoist with white hair and a ruddy complexion, exuding an immortal aura—another late-Nascent Soul grand cultivator.

“Madam Mu, why must your sect wade into these troubled waters? It’s not that I look down on you, but this journey is fraught with peril. A single misstep could severely wound the strength of the Hua Xian Sect. It’s only out of past camaraderie that I urge you to reconsider,” the white-haired Daoist said solemnly to the woman.

His tone suggested a long-standing familiarity with her.

“Xuan Qingzi, even if the Taiyi Sect claims to be the foremost among the righteous sects, you cannot act so domineeringly. This seal lies within our sect’s territory—how can the Hua Xian Sect be barred from entering? As for danger, our disciples are hardly concerned,” the woman replied coolly.

These female cultivators belonged to the Hua Xian Sect, another major sect of the Southern Border, located closest to the seal.

In fact, the reputation of this sect was even more renowned in the cultivation world than that of the Sacred Gate. Due to the nature of their cultivation techniques, most of their disciples were women, and their high-ranking elders were all female. However, what truly made the sect feared across the Southern Border was their insidious and unpredictable curse techniques. It was said they could kill from tens of thousands of miles away, without a trace.

Thus, tales often spread of cultivators who offended the sect mysteriously perishing in distant, unrelated places. This made most cultivators from other sects wary of the Hua Xian Sect’s female disciples, avoiding conflict whenever possible.

The Hua Xian Sect’s “Madam Mu” was particularly infamous, rumored to have once cursed three fellow Nascent Soul cultivators to death in a single day. The elderly Daoist also had some unresolved history with her.

Thus, despite being a high-ranking elder of one of the Great Jin’s foremost sects, he remained courteous.

“Brother Xuan Qing, I won’t interfere in the affairs of other sects, but our Yin Luo Sect must enter,” Ge Tianhao interjected from the side.

Having accompanied the Heavenly Grassland cultivators on their urgent journey, he had encountered two other Yin Luo Sect elders upon entering the Southern Border and learned of the underground seal. Immediately, he led everyone here. Now, confident that his faction outnumbered the Taiyi Sect, he had no intention of backing down.

“If Fellow Daoist Ge insists on entering, I won’t stand in your way. To be frank, I’ve received intelligence that this seal was deliberately unsealed by someone. Though I don’t know what lies below, I doubt it bodes well. Moreover, even if I don’t intervene, how do you plan to traverse this rift in its current state? Even I wouldn’t dare charge in recklessly,” Xuan Qingzi replied calmly, glancing at the silver radiance at the entrance.

Hearing this, Madam Mu and Ge Tianhao fell silent. This was indeed a thorny issue.

With the rift’s restrictions so violently unstable, entering would be extremely perilous.

“Our Hua Xian Sect recently acquired the Sun-Moon Shuttle, one of the rarest treasures in the world, capable of both offense and defense. If my junior sister and I join forces, we’re willing to attempt it,” Madam Mu said, brushing aside a strand of hair as she spoke slowly.

“The Sun-Moon Shuttle? One of the Three Great Spirit Shuttles? You possess such a treasure?” The elderly Daoist looked genuinely surprised.

“It’s nothing. Our sect only recently obtained it and intends to make it our legacy treasure,” Madam Mu replied indifferently, showing no hesitation.

“If you have such a treasure, I’ll say no more. Take care, Fellow Daoist Mu. I, too, will enter this seal in two days,” the Daoist said with a nod.

“Two days? Earlier, you claimed even you couldn’t pass. What do you mean now?” Ge Tianhao sensed something amiss.

“Did I not mention? In two days, the Seven Wonders True Monarch of the Heavenly Demon Sect will arrive. With his Spirit Tortoise Chariot, traversing this rift won’t be an issue,” the Daoist said, stroking his beard.

“The Seven Wonders True Monarch is coming here?” Ge Tianhao and the others were visibly shocked.

“Indeed. The intelligence I received involves matters concerning both righteous and demonic factions, which fall under my and the Seven Wonders True Monarch’s purview. We were operating separately near the Southern Border not long ago. Now that we’ve found the lead, it’s only natural to summon him for assistance. It’s not that I’m timid, but if the intelligence is accurate, I doubt I alone could handle it. It’s safer to wait for him,” the Daoist said leisurely.

Hearing that even the Heavenly Demon Sect’s Seven Wonders True Monarch was involved, Ge Tianhao’s expression darkened. After a moment of contemplation, he exchanged silent words with Lin Yinping and the young man surnamed Xu.

The young man remained expressionless, while Lin Yinping frowned deeply.

Seeing this, Ge Tianhao hastily added a few more words. After a brief silence, the young man surnamed Xu nodded slowly. Though Lin Yinping seemed hesitant, she did not voice any objections.

Relieved, Ge Tianhao turned resolutely to Xuan Qingzi. “From your tone, Fellow Daoist Xuan Qing, it seems there’s indeed something amiss beneath the seal. But since our sect’s Grand Elder has already descended, I cannot stand idly by. Though we lack treasures like the Sun-Moon Shuttle or the Spirit Tortoise Chariot, we’ll still attempt it.”

“Heh! Since I’ve made myself clear, and Fellow Daoist Ge has his own means, I won’t play the villain. Use whatever methods you have to cross the rift,” Xuan Qingzi said, unsurprised, his gaze briefly flickering toward the Heavenly Grassland’s Great Immortal Master Xu.

Clearly, the elderly Daoist was well aware of the origins of the Heavenly Grassland cultivators.

“Very well, we won’t hold back. Fellow Daoist Xu, we’ll rely on you,” Ge Tianhao said with a forced laugh.

“Since Fellow Daoist Ge insists, I’ll give it a try,” the young man said, slapping a spirit beast pouch at his waist. A multicolored radiance erupted from the pouch, and with a flash of light, a five-colored peacock materialized in the air. Its long, iridescent feathers shimmered with halos of light, dazzling to behold.

“A Spirit Rhinoceros Peacock!” Xuan Qingzi’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression shifting.

“Indeed. The five-colored spiritual light of the Spirit Rhinoceros Peacock naturally isolates heaven and earth’s spiritual energy. With it leading the way, we can enter as well. Brother Xuan Qing, we’ll take our leave first.”

Without further hesitation, Ge Tianhao and the others followed the peacock as it let out a clear cry and plunged into the silver radiance. The Nascent Soul cultivators summoned their protective treasures and swiftly pursued.

In moments, only the low-ranking disciples of the Heavenly Grassland and the Yin Luo Sect remained outside.

Seemingly under prior orders, after confirming that Ge Tianhao and the others had entered safely, they wasted no time, immediately mounting their escape lights and departing for the surface.

Soon, only Xuan Qingzi’s group and the Hua Xian Sect’s female cultivators remained at the entrance.

After a moment’s thought, Madam Mu turned and issued a few commands. Her disciples promptly dispersed, leaving the area.

Once they were gone, she nodded to the beautiful young woman. “Junior Sister, release the shuttle.”

“Understood!” The young woman replied, reaching to her slender waist and producing a silver, double-pointed treasure. She tossed it into the air.

Simultaneously, Madam Mu flicked her sleeve, releasing an identical golden treasure.

The silver and golden lights collided midair, intertwining without explosion or repulsion. Instead, they merged instantly into a colossal gold-and-silver shuttle, ten feet long and radiating immense power.

“Let’s go!” Madam Mu cried, transforming into a streak of light alongside her junior sister as they vanished into the shuttle.

The shuttle’s surface shimmered with gold and silver light, spinning once before shooting into the rift.

“After all my warnings, you still insisted on entering. If anything happens, don’t blame me for not cautioning you,” Xuan Qingzi muttered with a strange expression once the shuttle had disappeared.

He then waved to the two Core Formation Daoists behind him, and the three sat cross-legged at the entrance, meditating.

With a grand cultivator guarding the entrance, the distant onlookers could only exchange uneasy glances.

Meanwhile, atop Mount Kunwu within the seal, in a dim and enclosed space, an unimaginably massive object floated motionlessly in midair. Its surface was plastered with countless high-grade restriction talismans and bound by thick, black chains streaked with faint traces of blood.