“Lady Baohua, there’s no need for pleasantries. Please first inform us whether the two treasures capable of resisting the self-detonating locusts have been successfully forged. Many fellow Daoists have contributed rare materials for these treasures,” a clear voice spoke from a man enveloped in golden light.
His tone suggested familiarity with Baohua.
“So it’s Fellow Daoist Li Miao from the Cold Moon Realm. Rest assured, since I dared to accept these materials from fellow Daoists, I was confident in forging these two treasures with an eighty to ninety percent success rate. Behold!”
With a light chuckle, Baohua raised a delicate hand, and two orbs—one black, one white—floated slowly from her palm.
At the center of each orb was a banner embroidered with countless silver stars and a mirror engraved with the image of a winged white tiger.
“These two treasures can counter those self-detonating locusts? They don’t seem particularly extraordinary,” another foreign powerhouse shrouded in green mist questioned skeptically in a hoarse voice.
“Hmph, Fellow Daoist Greenstone, you underestimate them. Though they appear ordinary, they may bear some connection to the legendary Star-Moon Banner and the Illusory Heaven Mirror—two Profound Heaven Treasures. Could these be replicas?” A middle-aged man dressed like an emperor scrutinized the treasures with a grave expression.
“Star-Moon Banner! Illusory Heaven Mirror!”
The mention of these names stirred a commotion among the gathered Grand Ascendants, many of whom reexamined the treasures in Baohua’s hands with renewed interest.
Baohua nodded faintly.
“Brother Jade Sword is correct. These are indeed replicas of the Star-Moon Banner and the Illusory Heaven Mirror. I call them the ‘Falling Star Banner’ and the ‘Lesser Illusory Heaven Mirror.'”
“It’s long been said that the Star-Moon Banner is one of the few treasures capable of harnessing stellar power, while the Illusory Heaven Mirror possesses the supreme ability to obscure the heavens. Lady Baohua, how much of their original power can your replicas unleash?” A monotonous voice echoed through the hall, yet no one could discern its source.
“A fellow Daoist from the Nightfall Realm, I presume? Even here, you remain cautious—truly befitting a practitioner of dark arts. As for how much power these replicas can wield, you jest. The Star-Moon Banner and the Illusory Heaven Mirror rank among the mightiest of Profound Heaven Treasures. If my Falling Star Banner and Lesser Illusory Heaven Mirror can unleash five to six percent of their original might, it would already be remarkable. But according to my calculations, this should suffice against the self-detonating locusts,” Baohua replied with a faint smile.
“If Lady Baohua is so confident, then we need not doubt. Now that the locust issue is resolved, should we not discuss how to suppress the Mother Locust once we enter the Primordial Seal?” The Nightfall Realm Grand Ascendant’s emotionless voice resonated again after a pause.
“Since no objections remain regarding these treasures, we must now strategize against the Mother Locust. Otherwise, even with our numbers, acting independently in the Primordial Seal may lead to disaster,” Baohua agreed, her eyes gleaming.
“Is the Mother Locust truly so fearsome? The last expedition into the Primordial Seal had far more participants, including beings like you, Lady Baohua—yet they were all trapped by that monstrosity. As the last to receive word from the Primordial Seal, could you share the details with us newcomers?” Li Miao of the Cold Moon Realm frowned as he spoke.
“Many of you likely wish to see the message firsthand. Very well, I shall display it openly for all to examine and set your minds at ease.”
Unfazed, Baohua flicked her sleeve, releasing an ink-black crystal sphere that spun rapidly in the air.
With a soft *pop*, multicolored runes erupted from it, coalescing into a fragmented text.
Every Grand Ascendant—whether a Saint Ancestor of the demon realm or a foreign elder—scanned the incomplete message with solemnity.
Han Li also focused intently.
The content matched what Xie Lian had previously relayed—a hurried message from Yuan Yan detailing the plight of those trapped in the Primordial Seal and pleading for aid. Though some details were obscured by missing text, the warnings were unmistakable.
After reading, the gathered elders exchanged uneasy glances.
“It seems Lady Baohua’s account was truthful. Let us now discuss our course of action,” a dignified noblewoman remarked after a long silence.
“Course of action? With a hundred of us here, there will be a hundred opinions. Since Lady Baohua convened this gathering and her prowess is among the greatest here, why not hear her thoughts first?” someone countered dismissively.
“Who claims Lady Baohua is the strongest here? Such words disregard our Sky Crow Realm entirely,” a middle-aged Grand Ascendant from the Sky Crow Realm interjected with a sneer.
At the same time, an elderly man with a vulture-like face, who had been resting his eyes, suddenly opened them—a flicker of lightning flashing in his pupils.
The other Grand Ascendants tensed at this provocation.
Baohua studied the vulture-faced elder before speaking calmly:
“Fellow Daoist Bronze Crow, your reputation precedes you. Do you have any suggestions for our endeavor?”
“I came only to rescue my kin. The locusts and their mother mean nothing to me unless they stand in my way,” the elder replied coldly.
His words caused a stir, and many cast wary glances at the Sky Crow Realm’s delegation.
“Brother Bronze Crow, such words are hardly appropriate,” Baohua chided, though her expression remained composed.
“Inappropriate? I have but one direct descendant, whom I painstakingly raised to Grand Ascension—only for him to be trapped aiding your demon realm. Whether the Mother Locust can truly devour realms matters not unless it threatens mine. My priority is rescuing my kin,” the elder retorted imperiously.
The atmosphere in the hall grew tense.
“Such selfishness is unbecoming,” Greenstone muttered with a frown.
“Selfish? I have always been thus. Do you presume to lecture me?” The vulture-faced elder glared, his gaze chilling Greenstone to the bone.
The latter paled but dared not retort further.
The other Grand Ascendants, sensing the tension, remained silent, though their displeasure was evident.
A few, however, shared Bronze Crow’s priorities and inwardly rejoiced at his defiance. With one of the famed “Four Avians” leading the charge, rescuing their own would be easier.
Han Li, meanwhile, studied the elder with keen interest.
From the start, he had sensed that Bronze Crow’s spiritual power far surpassed that of ordinary Grand Ascendants—perhaps even exceeding Baohua’s. Yet compared to Han Li himself, it still fell short.
After countless fortuitous encounters and specialized cultivation, Han Li’s divine sense dwarfed that of most Grand Ascendants by severalfold.
Even so, Bronze Crow’s prowess was undeniable.
The title “Four Avians” was well-earned.
“Fellow Daoist Bronze Crow, your urgency is understandable, but must you be so confrontational? I never said we cannot achieve both objectives,” Baohua interjected calmly.
As the only one present who could speak to the elder as an equal, her words carried weight.
“Baohua, are you trying to deceive me?” Bronze Crow narrowed his eyes.
“Deceive one of the Four Avians? I wouldn’t dare overestimate myself,” she replied lightly.
“Hmph. Who doesn’t know that among the Three Demon Ancestors, you were always the most cunning—dubbed the ‘Scheming Demon’?” the elder sneered.
Baohua’s brow twitched, but after a moment, she smiled and began transmitting a soundless message to Bronze Crow.
The elder’s expression shifted from cold disdain to shock.
“Baohua, if what you say is false—”
“Judge for yourself.”
With a flick of her wrist, she sent a crystalline light streaking into his hand.
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