Xiuxian: I studied abroad in modern times

Chapter 588 The Three Palaces' Open Struggle, Undercurrents Under the Bright Sun

"Yes, that's right. Last time, the Underworld was destroyed by the powerful monks of Leiyin Temple, and the Stone Ancestor escaped. He was truly blessed."

Hearing the words of the Yun clan elder, Yun Zhenxian's expression darkened slightly, and he pressed for an answer:
What did he do after he came back?

"As soon as the Stone Ancestor returned, he stopped the Lu Clan from indiscriminately killing innocent people..." Although the Yun Clan elder was somewhat confused, he still reported the recent events to Yun Zhenxian in detail.

"You mean, Shi Nandang not only turned against the Lu Clan, but also entered the Nine Luminaries Heaven?"

"Yes!"

Yun Zhenxian remained silent, seemingly deep in thought, while the Yun and Luo clans members in the hall exchanged glances silently, their expressions a mixture of anxiety and hesitation.

Yun Fan of the Yun Clan gritted his teeth and spoke: "Holy Ancestor."

"Hmm?" Yun Zhenxian snapped out of his daze, looked at Yun Fan, and asked with a slight surprise, "You've achieved corpse liberation?"

"Yes."

"Not bad!" A smile finally appeared on Yun Zhenxian's face. This was probably the first and only good news he had heard since returning to Haori Mountain. "After so many years of wasting time, you have finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel."

“Holy Ancestor, the reason why your disciple achieved liberation from the physical body is due to the Stone Ancestor.”

"..."

Yun Zhenxian narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the Nascent Soul cultivators inside the hall.

These Nascent Soul cultivators were people he trusted implicitly, yet some of them were bowing their heads, seemingly afraid to look at him, their postures revealing both guilt and stubbornness.

Yun Zhenxian looked at Yun Fan at the front and asked in a cold voice, "What do you want to say?"

“I…” Yun Fan gritted his teeth and said, “This disciple begs the Holy Ancestor not to doubt those who should not be doubted.”

"presumptuous!"

Yun Zhenxian let out a cold shout, and Yun Fan flew backward, crashing onto the jade steps outside the Three Palaces. He rolled and groaned, spitting blood from his mouth.

Blood flowed down the steps, one step at a time, like a small waterfall.

Inside the three palaces, everyone else remained completely silent, not even a breath could be heard.

Yun Zhenxian took two deep breaths, waved his hand, and Yun Fan's body flew back again, crashing into the hall with a thud.

"Whether Shi Nandang is truly suspicious, I don't know yet." Yun Zhenxian stared at the lying Yun Fan and sneered, "But you, you have already harbored rebellious thoughts!"

"As long as... as long as the Holy Ancestor and the Stone Ancestor are in harmony."

Yunfan answered haltingly.

"You're quite the loyal dog, Shi Nandang!"

“Disciple…disciple is not doing this for Ancestor Shi.” Yun Fan raised his head, staring at Yun Zhenxian with a stubborn look in his eyes, “but for myself, for my Yun clan, and for you, Holy Ancestor.”

Yun Zhenxian stared at him and actually laughed: "For me? You traitor, you dare to say it's for me?"

"Although I have received great kindness from Ancestor Shi and achieved Corpse Liberation, and am now the master of Thousand Peaks," Yun Fan said weakly, "I have grown up in the clan since I was a child, and the Holy Ancestor has always guided me. In terms of gratitude, the Holy Ancestor is far more profound than I am. How could I only be devoted to Ancestor Shi?"

His tone was sorrowful, and Yun Zhenxian's expression softened slightly. Yun Fan continued, "Has the Holy Ancestor ever considered what our Yun Clan would be like now if the Stone Ancestor had not returned?"

Yun Zhenxian opened his mouth, but suddenly realized that he found it difficult to answer the question.

What will it be like?

The Lu Clan was nearly driven mad. If it weren't for Shi Nan's deterrent, the Luo Clan would probably have been mostly devoured by insects, and the Yun Clan would have suffered a severe blow.

Given the Lu Clan's past actions and the Gu God's greed, the scene he would see upon his return would be ten times more tragic than it is now.

Seeing that Immortal Yun Zhen remained silent, Yun Fan continued, "If it weren't for Ancestor Shi, my Haori Mountain would be..."

"Enough!" Yun Zhenxian's face darkened as he shouted, "You only know he's Shi Nandang? Do you know what his purpose was in going to Haori Mountain?"

Yunfan was stunned.

Even the others in the hall couldn't help but buzz and discuss among themselves, clearly frightened by Yun Zhenxian's words.

Yunfan murmured softly, still incredulous: "No, it's not Ancestor Stone?"

"Ha, who is this person? Entering my Haori Mountain, he has ulterior motives," Yun Zhenxian cursed. "You are all so blind and ignorant, yet you dare to speak up for him?"

Yun Fan remained silent for a long time. Just when Yun Zhenxian thought he was speechless, he suddenly asked, "A treacherous spy with ulterior motives is a hundred times more benevolent to my Yun Clan than to the Lu Clan."

"..."

"A spy, guiding my cultivation, quelling the turmoil within the sect, and protecting the lives of my disciples." Yun Fan looked at Yun Zhenxian, his voice growing louder and louder, "Who is the real spy for Haori Mountain, him or the Lu Clan!"

Yun Zhenxian suddenly realized that he was the one who was speechless.

What made him frown even more was that even though he had pointed out the doubts about Shi Nandang's identity, half of the people in the hall seemed to agree with Yun Fan's words.

"Yunfan! Don't forget your identity as a disciple of Haori Mountain!"

"It is precisely because I remember! Without the Stone Ancestor, this 'outsider,' my Yun Clan would have been finished long ago, and Haori Mountain would have been a den of insects!"

Yun Zhenxian looked at Yun Fan, whose face was covered in blood and grime, his complexion as pale as gold paper, his breath weak, yet his voice was strong and his tone resolute.

Seeing that he remained silent, Yun Fan continued, "Holy Ancestor, given the current situation in Xuanwei, it's difficult for either Haori Mountain or the Yun Clan to remain unaffected..."

These words truly struck a chord with Yun Zhenxian. Upon hearing about the current situation of Xuanwei, he knew that Haori Mountain was in serious trouble—he was the only true immortal in the entire sect, far inferior to even the Cangming Dragon Palace.

If they ever want to show off the power of the Four Sects of Xuanwei again, they're dreaming.

"What do you want to say?"

Yun Fan lowered his eyes and said softly, "Disciple does not believe in the Lu Clan, nor does he believe in the Demon Ancestor."

"..."

Yun Zhenxian pursed her lips, her heart surging with turbulent waves.

Has Yunfan's resentment towards the Lu Clan reached such a level?

What he meant was that no matter who Shi Nandang was, it was better than choosing the Lu clan.
But when he looked at the others in the hall, his eyes paused. Most of the Nascent Soul cultivators were deep in thought as Yun Fan spoke, and a few even nodded in agreement.

That Shi Nandang, who appeared out of nowhere, has unknowingly won over so many people's hearts, and his words are even more powerful than those of the Holy Ancestor.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled and looked at Yunfan: "I understand what you're saying."

"Holy Ancestor".

Yun Zhenxian raised her hand and said, "I know you are sincere. Get up."

"Thank you, Holy Ancestor." Yun Fan stood up, his face beaming with joy. "Holy Ancestor is wise!"

The atmosphere in the hall relaxed, and Yun Zhenxian's lips curled up slightly, her expression becoming even more gentle.

……

Beneath the golden summit of Haori Mountain, amidst the inverted Yuanzun Peak, the figure of Yun Zhenxian flashed out.

"Yun Zu!"

The Lu clan members stationed there were in complete disarray, staring at Yun Zhenxian outside the altar with fear on their faces.

They had assumed that this place was the center of the great formation, and that they would be safe and sound inside. However, they did not expect that Yun Zhenxian could enter so easily and silently, without the great formation reacting at all.

Yun Zhenxian ignored everyone else and focused his gaze on Shi Nandang's master's face, slowly lowering it in front of him.

"Yun...Yun Zu." "You're in charge here?"

"Yes!"

Shi Nandang, the master, gritted his teeth and said.

He originally held a high position in the clan, but he was blind to the potential of taking in a wicked disciple, and as a result, he was excluded from the Nine Luminaries Heaven this time.

However, he was of high cultivation level and pure bloodline, so he was able to take charge of the altar, receive the Grand Elder and others, and preserve the vitality of the Lu Clan.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Yun Zu returned, he went straight to Yuan Zun Peak, and now everything was over!

Master Shi Nandang's face turned ashen, and despair filled his heart. But Yun Zhenxian's words caught him off guard: "Let me ask you, when did you take Shi Nandang as your disciple?"

"Stone...stone is hard to withstand? Why does Ancestor Yun know about this?"

"Answer my questions!"

"This disciple is from over eleven thousand years ago..."

Master Shi Nandang hurriedly said, "Back then, Shi Nandang was quite filial and respectful, who would have thought that things would turn out like this..."

Yun Zhenxian nodded slightly and said, "In other words, Shi Nandang back then didn't have such formidable strength as he does now, and couldn't have achieved near-invincibility among his peers?"

“This disciple certainly has talent,” Master Shi Nandang said in a low voice. “If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have valued him back then. But to say that he is invincible among his peers… I really didn’t expect that.”

"That one person is capable of fighting against ten Nascent Soul cultivators..."

"You couldn't tell at all in your early years."

Yun Zhenxian nodded slowly, and then heard Shi Nandang's master say, "Actually, I've thought about this too. This disciple must have had some extraordinary adventures."

"An unexpected encounter?"

“It might even have been when he went to the Hundred Immortals Alliance.” Master Shi Nandang said with his eyes downcast, “Back then, he went to the Hundred Immortals Alliance to help the Chongxuan Sect, but he lost the Trapping Immortal Sword and disappeared for a while.”

"You mean..."

"Ancestor Yun, this person must have received some great opportunity to achieve what he has today..."

"idiot!"

Shi Nandang, the master, was taken aback.

"Even now, all you're thinking about is trying to get me to seize that insurmountable opportunity!"

"Disciple, disciple..."

Yun Zhenxian was so angry he almost laughed: "Is Shi Nandang really Shi Nandang? How could you, as his master, not have a single doubt?"

Master Shi Nandang gaped, his eyes wide, and it took him a long time to realize: "Not Shi Nandang?"

His expression shifted repeatedly, and he suddenly whispered, "That's right, this wicked disciple's temperament has also changed. But back then, he acted as if nothing was wrong, and he knew everything about my Haori Mountain and the Lu Clan, so I didn't think much of it!"

Seeing that Immortal Yun's face was even more unpleasant, and Master Shi Nandang's face was even more mournful: "I only thought I was misjudging people, but this Shi Nandang is very cunning!"

"You're blind!"

"Not good!" Master Shi Nandang immediately realized, "That scoundrel has entered the Nine Luminaries Heaven! He's after the Holy Ancestor's treasure!"

"Now you know! If you lose the Nine Luminaries Heavenly Treasure, let's see how you can bear the consequences."

"Ancestor Yun, what should we do!"

Yun Zhenxian looked at the remains of the Primordial Demon Ancestor and asked, "Can the Nine Luminaries Heaven still be opened?"

"No, once the ceremony begins, we are powerless to control it. The Nine Luminaries Heaven can only be reopened at the end of the ceremony by us and the Grand Elder working together from the inside and outside."

Yun Zhenxian shook his head and asked again, "Who went in?"

Shi Nandang reported to each of them one by one.

"There's the White Lotus Saint Monk, the Golden-Winged Roc, and the three Demon Ancestors." Yun Zhenxian felt a little relieved. "With Shi Nandang inside, he probably won't be able to cause any trouble."

Shi Nandang, the master, breathed a sigh of relief.

"But we must be wary! This person has been scheming and must have something to rely on," Yun Zhenxian said coldly. "If he obtains the Nine Luminaries Heavenly Treasure, we must not let him escape!"

"Yes!" Master Shi Nandang responded first, then asked, "But how can we stop him from escaping?"

Suddenly, Yun Zhenxian stretched out his right hand, and the Yuanzun Peak, which was hanging upside down, began to sway from side to side like a pendulum. Everyone stumbled and looked around in fear.

A crimson light shot out from the mountainside and landed in the palm of Yun Zhenxian.

"The Divine Bow That Shoots the Sun!"

Master Shi Nandang stared wide-eyed at the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow lying obediently in the palm of Immortal Yun Zhen, and cold sweat poured down his back.

This Sun-Shooting Divine Skill is the core of the Golden Sun Burning Heaven Formation. The Lu Clan has always regarded it as their greatest trump card. However, they never expected that the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow had already been refined by Immortal Yun!
Yun Zhenxian glanced at him and sneered, "Why do you think the First Ancestor entrusted Haori Mountain to me?"

"..."

Master Shi Nan opened his mouth and murmured, "Why..."

“I was also surnamed Lu in my early years.” Yun Zhenxian stroked the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow and laughed. “I was a direct descendant of the Lu clan. Later, after achieving the Dao Fruit, my branch established its own sect. Because of the characteristics of the cultivation method, we took Yun as our surname.”

"Yun Zu!"

Upon hearing this, Master Shi Nandang immediately became agitated and choked up, saying, "I thought, I thought that with the return of Ancestor Yun, we would not even be able to survive."

"Shut up!" Yun Zhenxian cursed, then said, "I will allocate the resources, you arrange and set up the Golden Sun Burning Heaven Formation."

A look of doubt flashed across Shi Nandang's face.

"The situation in the Nine Luminaries Heaven is unclear. This Golden Sun Burning Heaven Formation is a secret passed down by the First Ancestor. If I activate the formation, it will be enough to contend with a Golden Immortal!"

"Golden Immortal?"

Yun Zhenxian nodded, his voice cold: "The world only thinks that my Haori Mountain has declined, and even that there are disloyal people within the sect... But as one of the four sects, how can others imagine the depth of Haori Mountain's foundation?"

"Shi Nandang, Jiushan Sect, they have provoked Haori Mountain, and they are courting their own destruction."

Master Shi Nandang trembled with joy: "Once Shi Nandang leaves the Nine Luminaries Heaven, we'll shoot him dead with an arrow! After dealing with Shi Nandang, we'll go and destroy the Nine Mountains Sect!"

"Only one thing!" Yun Zhenxian said coldly, "Haori Mountain likely already has spies from the Nine Mountains Sect!"

Below the altar, several figures froze.

"A spy!"

Yun Zhenxian gripped the Sun-Shooting Divine Bow in his hand, his expression somber: "Among the Yun and Luo clans, many have already turned their hearts toward Shi Nandang."

"Even the Yun clan... why doesn't the Yun Ancestor just clean house?"

“The situation in the Nine Luminaries Heaven is unclear, and we must not let Shi Nandang become wary.” Yun Zhenxian shook his head, and then added, “Moreover, this Shi Nandang is probably related to the Nine Mountains Sect.”

Master Shi Nandang exclaimed in sudden realization, "That's right! He was at the Hundred Immortals Alliance during the time he was missing!"

"I think if the Nine Mountains Sect is prepared, this great formation will be difficult to achieve its purpose!" Yun Zhenxian instructed. "You must not tell anyone! Only the Lu Clan should know about this."

Master Shi Nandang patted his chest and said, "Ancestor Yun, don't worry, these are the most direct descendants of our Lu Clan, and they are irreconcilable enemies with Shi Nandang!"

Yun Zhenxian glanced around at the Lu clan members below the altar, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over 'Lu Yan', and slowly nodded.

(End of this chapter)