Embers of Sword

Chapter 594 Fugue
The sword flashed, shattering the clouds and smoke.

The thick fog of Tianyuan Mountain's secret realm was shattered by the flying sword, and the young woman in white, standing on the sword, gripped the Great Concealing Talisman tightly. Although Deng Baiyi's cultivation level was not high, her mastery of talismans was already quite advanced. This talisman, driven by her divine sense, burned to its limit, carrying her through layer after layer of restrictions.

The Tianyuan Mountain Secret Realm already existed when the Taoist sect was first established a thousand years ago.

Some say this secret realm was left behind by the Daoist sect to combat a great calamity. In that golden age a thousand years ago, the Daoist sect's power was far greater than it is now. There were more than one master at the Celestial Realm… Unfortunately, after the great calamity struck, their vital energy was depleted, and life withered. The Daoist sect's masters were almost wiped out. Fortunately, this Tianyuan Mountain preserved the Daoist sect's most precious secret… Only Daoist leaders at the Master level could enter this secret realm, but since Xiaoyaozi went into seclusion, the entire realm has been sealed off.

Taoism remains the largest sect in the world.

But fortunes fluctuate, and destiny changes. In recent years, the Taoist sect has shown signs of decline. If Xiaoyaozi can successfully break through this barrier, then the Taoist sect will regain its leading position for another hundred years.

That is why Master Zhongmiaozhai values ​​this secret realm so highly—

However, at this moment, the long-standing tranquility of Tianyuan Mountain was broken by the flying sword!

Deng Baiyi held her breath.

The flying sword crashed into the secret realm, surrounded by towering ancient trees on all sides.

Beyond the ancient trees lie rows of withered mountain walls, a secret realm that imprisons many powerful demons.

Sixty years ago, during the Battle of Poisoning, the Grand Master of the Daoist Sect defected, causing the northern front to be occupied by the demon race... It wasn't until Xiaoyaozi intervened that the situation was reversed. Several Daoist sect leaders died in battle, and some powerful young demons were captured by the Daoist Grand Master and taken back to the Tianyuan Secret Realm, where they were imprisoned in this mountain cave called "Shadow Wall".

If these powerful demons are tamed, they can be released and become guardian spirit beasts of the Taoist sect.

If they do not accept being tamed, they will be locked up in the screen wall day and night.

In the past, every ten years, the Daoist sect would send its young disciples into the Tianyuan Secret Realm for training... The best among them would be qualified to enter the "Shadow Wall" and attempt to tame a great demon. However, with Xiaoyaozi's seclusion, the Tianyuan Trial also ended. These great demons, suffering from loneliness and almost going mad in the Shadow Wall, now saw a flying sword figure and unleashed their supernatural powers and spells.

boom!
A demonic ape tried to reach out its palm, attempting to grab Deng Baiyi from a distance.

The Shadow Wall Cave trapped its true form, but it couldn't stop the demonic ape from using the terrain to unleash its supernatural powers... A gigantic hand formed from earth and stone suddenly rose from the ground, appearing without warning in front of Deng Baiyi! The woman holding the talisman was pale, but she followed the teachings of Junshan, silently reciting the Heavenly Cleansing Heart Mantra. Her cultivation level was low; even if these great demons were trapped, their innate supernatural powers were beyond what she, a mere cultivator, could withstand. Her only reliance was this Great Concealing Talisman and the flying sword that had recognized its master beneath her feet.

Boom!

The Great Convergence Talisman suddenly unleashed an extremely powerful burst of energy!

Master Junshan left a wisp of sword energy on this talisman. Although it was thin, the sword intent contained within it was extremely profound!
The demonic ape trapped in the Shadow Wall Cave Heaven had its pupils contract and a look of fear appeared on its face.

some years ago.

There was once a Yangshen Sword Immortal who left an extremely deep impression on all the great demons of Tianyuan.

At that time, the newly enlightened Master Junshan had traveled all over the four realms and had nothing to do, so he came to this Tianyuan Secret Realm.

He did something.

That meant defeating all the powerful demons imprisoned in all the Shadow Wall Caves!
beat!
We're going to fight the great demon!

In the battle of drinking poison, these young demon kings caused the younger generation of the Taoist sects a great deal of suffering!

He was now going to teach these guys a lesson on behalf of his younger generation... Wherever Junshan passed, the Shadow Wall Cave Heaven was filled with wails. During that time, all the great demons hid their heads and bodies, fearing that they would be targeted by this unreasonable Taoist sword cultivator and suffer another beating for no reason.

Before we knew it, several decades had passed.

The demon ape never saw the swordsman from that sect again. He had assumed that the unreasonable, mad swordsman from back then was dead!

did not expect……

Still alive!

As this wisp of sword energy was unleashed, the divine power and spell that the demon ape had been using to draw upon its lifeblood instantly crumbled!
He was the "Mountain-Suppressing Dragon Ape" of the western border of the Demon Kingdom, possessing some dragon blood. However, his bloodline supernatural powers were connected to the earth, which was why he could still use his supernatural powers even when trapped in the Shadow Wall Cave. At this moment, his supernatural powers collapsed, not because his strength was weak, but because memories from many years ago flooded his mind. The Mountain-Suppressing Dragon Ape was so frightened that he took several steps back and didn't even have the courage to look directly at the flying sword.

Rumble, rumble——

The soil and rocks collapsed.

Deng Baiyi looked at the scene before her with a strange expression. Wherever the flying sword passed, the land was flat and the journey was incredibly smooth.

The roars of the great demons on both sides of the screen wall fell silent in unison, and she even heard terrified whimpers and cries... Someone had already "died," but the intimidating presence remained. It was a pity that Master Junshan couldn't be there in person; if he had witnessed this scene, he would probably have laughed out loud with delight.

"Whoosh!"

The flying sword thus entered the end of the Tianyuan Secret Realm without any obstruction.

This is an ancient forbidden land entwined with countless withered vines. The majestic mountain gate is covered in dust and densely covered with the Dao patterns of annihilation.

The flying sword stopped with remarkable intelligence, swaying gently from side to side, indicating that the woman standing on it could get down.

"Is this the legendary Tianyuan Mountain?"

Deng Baiyi looked down at the palm of her hand. Everything was going according to Master Junshan's plan, and the Great Convergence Talisman had just burned out.

She took a deep breath.

Deng Baiyi knew that she didn't have much time left. Outside the Tianyuan Secret Realm, True Man Junshan was under siege... The commotion from the battle just now was too great, and more and more people would be heading to this place.

The barren wall is covered with Dao patterns, which seem chaotic, but there is an intertwining of primordial energy between them.

"This seems to be a secret formation of Tianxiazhai..."

Deng Baiyi frowned slightly.

She reached out and pressed her hand against it, gently stroking the hollows in the withered wall where the spiritual energy had dried up.

Deng Baiyi subconsciously followed the route of the Tianxia Zhai array pattern to connect these Dao patterns. She thought that arranging the Dao patterns would take some time, but everything went more smoothly than expected. After only three attempts, the recessed Dao patterns were successfully connected, and the scattered fluorescent lights were smoothly connected and perfectly integrated.

The entire mountain began to shake, and Tianyuan Mountain, which had been sealed for many years, was opened!

……

……

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The mountain wall collapsed.

The secluded retreat of the great sect, which had stood for millennia, was not as dusty as people imagined; countless fluorescent lights shone from the cracks in the mountain walls.

The powerful energy that had been pent up for years was released in just a small amount, yet it made people feel suffocated and tight in the chest.

The thunderous roar lasted for more than ten breaths before it stopped.

Zhao Tongtian stood silently at the bottom of Lotus Peak with his hands behind his back, watching the Firefly Waterfall dissipate and waiting for the roar to completely subside.

After a while.

He silently stepped into the dark and narrow path.

One after another, sword energies condensed into lotus shapes, floating in the air like fireflies, while lamps illuminated the secluded corridor. This was the "ultimate forbidden area" that only the successive leaders of the Great Eagle Sword Palace could enter. Logically speaking, Zhao Tongtian was not qualified to open this stone door, but Zhao Chunyang granted him this authority.

No matter when, no matter where.

Zhao Tongtian is allowed to enter this lotus forbidden land.

This is no longer a relationship that can be simply explained by the word "trust".

This is a matter of life and death, and cannot be disturbed.

Zhao Chunyang granted Zhao Tongtian the "authority" to enter the forbidden area at any time, which was essentially equivalent to... entrusting his life and death to this junior brother.

Sixty years ago, the battle of drinking poison took place.

Da Chu fought with all its might against the Demon Kingdom, making the northern battlefield extremely fierce.

There was an incident of a Grand Master defecting from the Daoist sect—but there was not a single defection from the Great Jade Sword Palace.

In terms of the number of Yang and Yin spirits, and the strength of Zhaishan and Jianfeng, Da Sui Jian Palace, whose fortunes are declining, may not be able to compare with the Daoist sect.

But in terms of camaraderie among fellow disciples... in this respect, Zhao Tongtian's generation far surpasses the Daoist sect.

There is no intrigue.

Only trust, trust that transcends life and death.

"Senior brother."

"His identity in black has been exposed."

At the end of Lotus Peak, a curtain of water veils the area, and the sound of flowing water drips from the gaps in the mountain cave, falling into the dark, round pool inside.

Zhao Tongtian stood in the dim shadows.

He spoke slowly, recounting word by word the turmoil that had been taking place in the Great Chu Dynasty in recent days.

The jade slip that Chen Jingxuan asked the Fire Lord to deliver played a crucial role.

True Hidden Peak can certainly gather intelligence.

But in the end, it still had to be one step behind the bookstore.

This turmoil in the imperial city seems to have nothing to do with the Great Eagle Sword Palace.

But in reality, every undercurrent in the turmoil ultimately points to the Great Sword Palace...

To be precise, it refers to the very foundation of the Great Sword Palace!
Dragon vein fortune!

With Lotus Peak as the leader, and Golden Turtle Peak, True Hidden Peak, Little Spring Mountain, and Jade Screen Peak, these five sword peaks jointly suppress the earth veins, forming a perfect and flawless grand formation. Over the years, countless aristocratic families and holy lands have risen and fallen in the Great Chu Dynasty, but the Great Sui Sword Palace has always remained aloof from the world. It is because of the protection of this "dragon vein" that even if its fortune declines, a Yang God can still appear. Even if its fortune is in a slump, there are still top experts who can suppress the mountain!
The torch is passed down from generation to generation!

The Holy Empress wants to kill Xuan Yi, which the Great Sui Sword Palace can no longer tolerate. They want to seize the earth veins, and there is absolutely no room for compromise on this matter!

After half a stick of incense.

Zhao Tongtian recounted the entire turmoil, but there was no response from the other side of the water curtain.

Zhang Lu stood silently in the depths of the shadows, his expression complex.

He showed no surprise whatsoever at the silence.

The reason there was no response.

Because... this lotus forbidden land originally belonged only to Zhao Tongtian.

He looked toward the light obscured by the curtain of water.

There lay a futon, weathered and nearly withered by the passage of time.

That was the secluded cultivation spot of the successive sect leaders. Logically speaking, Zhao Chunyang should be sitting on the futon at this moment, but the futon was empty. The sunlight fell from above, illuminating the ethereal futon. Every word Zhao Tongtian spoke after entering the forbidden area was heard only by the water curtain.

How could there be a response from just one person?

"Senior brother."

But the law clerk ignored him, sighed softly, and said with a troubled expression, "I have an idea in my mind... I wonder if you would support it..."

Since the sect leader went into seclusion.

This was Zhao Tongtian's second time entering the Lotus Forbidden Land.

The last time was the Beihai Incident ten years ago.

Everyone was waiting for the Great Sword Palace's response.

Zhao Tongtian entered the Lotus Forbidden Land to find his senior brother. After a short while, he left the forbidden land and issued the order for the Sword Palace to seal off the mountain. Everyone believed that this was Zhao Chunyang's "order," but in reality, Zhao Tongtian did not see Zhao Chunyang at all during that trip into the mountain. This was a completely sealed cave heaven, with only one exit inside and out, which also served as the entrance.

Zhao Tongtian, seeing this scene for the first time, could not believe his eyes.

He didn't understand where his senior brother went after entering the forbidden area...
However, an exciting and thrilling answer soon surfaced in his mind.

It is said that after reaching the pinnacle of cultivation, one's soul can leave the body, transcend the Three Realms, escape the Five Elements, and be free from the shackles and control of the Heavenly Dao.

At that time, the physical body will also undergo a complete sublimation.

The names of these two realms, Yin Shen and Yang Shen, reflect this meaning.

There is a saying in Taoism: "When all the yin elements are stripped away and the elixir is ripe, one can leap out of the small cage and live for ten thousand years."

This is a realm that countless people dream of, a realm that has never appeared again after a thousand years when vitality has been exhausted.

God!

To roam freely beyond the physical world, transcending the great Dao and its long river.

Although Zhao Tongtian could not see his "senior brother" with his naked eye, he could vaguely sense the presence of a familiar figure when his divine sense landed where the heavenly light was descending.

He knew that his senior brother could hear every word he said. The reason his senior brother told him he could enter the forbidden area of ​​the back mountain at any time was because his senior brother had already broken through the most difficult barrier, and when his mind wandered beyond the mundane world, he was no longer afraid of the slightest external interference.

"You know, I'm a very meticulous person."

"Ten years ago, the Sword Palace chose to close the mountain, back down, and appease.

"But this time, the Sword Palace has nowhere to retreat, and I can no longer tolerate it."

Zhao Tongtian said quietly, "Now that Xuan Yi's identity has been exposed... I want to take this opportunity to put an end to those unresolved issues from back then."

Between fellow disciples, there's no need for too much talk.

Zhao Tongtian knew that his senior brother was fully aware of everything he wanted to do.

The last Beihai Incident.

By entering the Lotus Forbidden Land, he demonstrated his desire for battle.

Although there was no sound from the side of the futon and water curtain, a withered leaf drifted over, with an inscription that had already fallen long ago etched on it.

"no."

When Zhao Tongtian saw this reply, he couldn't swallow his anger, but he still obeyed his senior brother's order and sealed Da Sui Mountain for ten years.

As it turns out, my senior's foresight far surpasses that of myself.

Xie Xuanyi did not die after jumping into the North Sea.

It was precisely because of the forbearance we showed back then that we were able to rebuild everything in the past ten years!
This time...

Zhao Tongtian, standing in the shadows, did not wait long.

The light and dust surged before him, and another withered leaf swept in from the other side of the water curtain. Perhaps it was by chance, or perhaps it was fate, but the breeze carried the withered leaf, stumbling and falling, just managing to avoid the impact of the water curtain, and it came into his palm.

The ancient characters etched on the withered leaves seem to have been carved hundreds of years ago, waiting for a long time in the river of time.

This time, Zhao Tongtian received only one word in response.

But this one word carries immense weight.

"can."

(End of this chapter)