Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 471 Heaven Opens
Yizhou, Qishan.

This mountain range stretches for hundreds of miles, almost encompassing an entire prefecture. The mudstone is brownish-yellow, with sparse vegetation and few birds. The mountain is dilapidated, with sheer cliffs and precipices rising from the mountainside, the marks of its destruction shocking to the eye.

Even so, its remains are still the highest among the thousands of peaks in the western region. If it had not collapsed in the past, it would have been as famous as Mount Tai in the Central Plains, a place where emperors performed the Fengshan ceremony to worship heaven, and a symbol of the Earth element.

Brownish-yellow light burst forth from the base of the mountain, carving countless divine patterns on the lacquered mountain. A profound and overwhelming pressure emanated from the dome, as if to drag this sky down into the mud.

The void was like a thin brocade stretched to its limit, constantly emitting tearing and shattering sounds. The radiant light spread, and the clouds were dazzling. From the cracks in the void, one could vaguely see countless mysterious peaks and spiritual palaces, and the scenery of the grotto heavens was clearly revealed to the world.

Kunwei is about to open.

The news spread like lightning to all the prefectures of Dali, from Qingzhou, which borders Xikangyuan, to Jiandi, which is near the East Sea, and then to Chiyun. It entered Tianji Mountain and was picked up by a thunder sparrow from a page of white paper on the Qingyu table, landing in the hand of the black-robed Taoist sitting there.

Xu Xuan's expression was solemn. After reading the intelligence report, he learned that all the cultivators in Dali were now paying close attention to the movements in Shu. From the leaders of the immortal sects to the Foundation Establishment cultivators, they all wanted to enter this cave heaven to try their luck.

The opening of grotto-heavens throughout history has often created a new generation of Purple Mansions, most of whom are people with destiny who achieve supernatural powers amidst the chaos. However, the vast majority of people are affected by these supernatural powers and turn into ashes, disappearing into the world.

Xu Xuan turned his gaze, realizing it was the perfect time to make his move, and looked towards the hall.

Standing quietly beneath the throne in the main hall was a man in a dashing green robe, wielding a sharp silver sword. His near-perfect immortal foundation aura was contained within his sword, which was none other than Liu Xingfang.

Xu Xuan now considered the situation. This trip to Kunwei would undoubtedly involve the full force of all the Purple Mansions, unlike the minor skirmishes in the previous secret realm. Foundation Establishment would be of little use; in fact, the mountain gate needed more protection. He could have Xingfang and the two guardians guard it together.

Liu Xingfang has taken on the divine position of the Thunder Department and can lead thirty-six heavenly soldiers. With the help of faith, he can wield the divine artifact [Kui Zhen Tian Yin Gu], which is as powerful as Vajra. With the protection of the great array in the sect, it is enough to block cultivators in the early stage of the Purple Mansion realm.

Even though Xu Xuan didn't think any Purple Mansion cultivator would go mad and storm the mountain gate, he still had to be on guard.

"Have you received messages from Douyan and Qinghua?"

When he asked the question, Liu Xingfang, who was seated below, immediately replied:

“The True Man Pingxiu of Douyan has already gone there and will send a message. However, there seems to be a change in Qinghua’s situation. True Man Guangsu said that there are matters in the sect and he cannot leave for the time being.”

As he spoke, Liu Xingfang delivered two secret letters, one containing remnants of True Fire and the other of Guangmu Divine Power.

Xu Xuan checked everything and found it to be true. However, he wondered what had happened at Qinghua Sect that prevented Guang Su from leaving his side. But it was also a good thing, as it meant that Chen Xiyue, the remnant of the Chen family's direct bloodline, wouldn't be involved.

"At first, we couldn't get in touch. Master Luyu only said that we would act according to the circumstances."

Xu Xuan looked at the disciple and said in a deep voice:
"I have already contacted Master Zhujian of Xiangjian Mountain. After I leave, he will keep an eye on my mountain gate. If anything changes, he will take action."

"Xiao Wen is in seclusion to break through to a higher level of supernatural powers. This matter is of utmost importance and must not be allowed to go wrong."

"Yes."

Liu Xingfang spoke solemnly, knowing the importance of the matter, his momentum rising like a sword being drawn from its sheath.

"You will need to take care of things in the mountains. I don't know how long my trip will take or what changes might occur. If the situation changes in the future, we should act accordingly."

Xu Xuan gave a brief instruction, then scanned the mountain with his spiritual sense, taking in all the scenery before saying no more.

He then flicked his sleeves and floated up from his seat. The vast emptiness before him suddenly opened up, revealing bizarre and fantastical scenes, like a broken mirror. In an instant, silver snakes danced wildly, and black clouds rose from the sky, steadily lifting him and sending him into the depths of the void.

On the way to Yizhou, we headed southwest. After traveling for a while, we could see the mottled and uneven sunlight in the sky. Beside it, streaks of rosy light hung down, winding like intertwined dragons and snakes. This atmosphere made the spirit of the Shu region hang low for thousands of miles, and the mountains seemed to moan.

This grotto-heaven hangs prominently in the void, occupying almost the entire Yizhou region. It is vast and magnificent. When Xu Xuan looked at it, he couldn't help but think of the glorious past of the ancient Shu dynasty, which was probably very close to the Celestial Empire.

He quietly hid in the void outside Yizhou, using his spiritual sense to perceive that within a radius of a thousand miles, numerous supernatural auras were surging like a tide, causing various strange phenomena to appear in the world of Yizhou, such as hens crowing at dawn, rivers flowing backward, stone figures weeping, and withered trees coming back to life.

"Compared to this grotto-heaven, the former [Surging Calamity Heaven] seems cramped."

Xu Xuanzhan gazed at the almost boundless radiance of the Wutu Earth. Through the cracks, numerous immortal peaks and mysterious palaces could be seen hidden within. From the vast cavern, which was as expansive as the Dharma Realm, heart-pounding fluctuations emanated continuously.

As his mind calmed down, he concealed his form and sensed that the number of Purple Mansions in the vast void outside Yizhou was increasing, causing his spiritual energy to surge and constantly stimulate this grotto-heaven.

"Tian Tuo?"

At this moment, he called out in his mind, and the old demon faintly responded, which gradually calmed Xu Xuan's heart.

At this moment, the token from Douyan Mountain seemed to sense something, causing Xu Xuan to shift his gaze from the vast expanse of primordial light to another spot, where a line of crimson flames surged forth, accompanied by rolling waves of heat.

Emerging from among them was a young man in a black-gold Taoist robe embroidered with Bagua patterns. His hair and beard were all white, and terrifying True Fire Divine Power condensed around him, revealing the aura of a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator.

The Daoist lineage of the Heavenly Realm, the True Man of Peaceful Rest.

"Fellow."

When this immortal found Xu Xuan, a hint of joy appeared in his eyes. He rode the wind straight forward, and the two met. Thunder and fire intertwined, obscuring the outside world.

"Kunwei Tiankai, I received the news from overseas through the Shangxiao Immortal Sect and flew here just in time. Now that I have met you, fellow Daoist, I will need your assistance in future endeavors."

Pingxiu's voice sounded much older, like the scraping of withered leaves, which seemed rather inappropriate against his rather handsome youthful appearance.

This True Man had already made up his mind. Since it was the ancient Shu cave heaven, the Shu descendant True Man Bijie was naturally the most powerful. Moreover, in terms of fighting, this True Man Bijie was no less capable than himself.

Born into a distinguished family with a keen eye, he could naturally discern the other party's current cultivation level. The combination of thunder and sword intent was already an extremely formidable configuration. If this sword immortal before him had obtained a Thunder Palace Spirit Sword, even a Purple Mansion cultivator with four supernatural powers would not dare to underestimate him, and would surely be injured if he was not careful.

True fire has many uses and is easy to control. It is stable in nature and can be considered the most comprehensive of the five fires. However, in other words, it does not have many special characteristics. Only as one's cultivation increases, one can control the other spiritual fires to increase one's killing power. This is somewhat similar to thunder.

"I will do my best, but if things are beyond my control and my life is in danger, I hope you will understand if I have to leave."

Xu Xuan agreed. This transaction was to repay Pingxiu for the pill he had refined for Xiaowen, and also because of his past friendship with Douyan, so he was willing to lend a hand. However, asking him to risk his life for this was asking too much. "I understand, of course. I only need you to help me keep things under control and use your status to do me some favors. If the Immortal Ash appears, I will go and retrieve it."

Pingxiu laughed heartily, his tone somewhat smug. As a renowned cultivator of the Purple Mansion in the Western Sea, he was skilled in many other areas besides alchemy. Even when facing the immortals of the Li Kingdom, he was confident he could obtain spiritual items.

The two stood in the void, quietly watching the Wu Guang above Yizhou. This cave heaven was different from the Yongjie Heaven of the past. It was too vast. Once it appeared in the world, without the support of the Golden Core, most of them would fall into the mortal world. At that time, not only the Purple Mansion, but also some bold Foundation Establishment cultivators would have their own thoughts.

I wonder how many of them will ultimately succeed?
-

Yizhou, the present world.

The Qingjiang River flows eastward, reflecting the green mountains on both banks. A faint light spreads, turning the river water a brownish-blue color. The people on both banks were so frightened by this strange phenomenon that they abandoned their homes and fled far away, leaving no trace of human habitation.

A lone boat drifts downstream in the middle of the river, with two people sitting opposite each other on the boat, a chessboard in front of them.

The man in gold robes held a black sword. He had a noble and elegant demeanor. A golden longsword lay flat on his knees. The hilt was covered with golden scales and was placed in a black wooden scabbard. It contained an extremely sharp and fierce meaning.

Opposite him sat a man in an apricot-yellow Taoist robe. He had a heroic appearance, but also a fiery and aggressive air about him. He held a white sword in his hand and occasionally glanced at the golden-scaled sword with considerable apprehension.

'This Gengjin spiritual treasure has truly been unsealed.'

Born into an imperial family, Song Shiyi had seen countless rare spiritual artifacts. Yet, even within the imperial palace, it was difficult to find a single spiritual sword that could compare to this [Golden Scale]. In the past, this sword had most of its power sealed, yet it was still comparable to a spiritual treasure. Today, it was truly unsealed, and just looking at it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Fellow Daoist Wan Jin, you've come with this sword; who do you intend to slay?"

The Song Dynasty's Master Zhu Xia turned his gaze and spoke first. Wan Jin, who was still pondering where to place his piece, chuckled upon hearing this:

"But I do not intend to kill anyone in particular; I only look at who will run into the edge of this sword."

His tone was smiling, yet it carried a deep chill. The aura of the Golden Scale Spirit Sword grew even more fierce. Beneath the river, countless aquatic creatures were affected by the golden energy, as if they were being torn apart by a thousand knives, staining the originally brownish-green river water with an added touch of red.

"Fellow Daoist Wan Jin is too kind. What kind of sword is the Golden Scale? In the entire Great Li, perhaps only the private collection of Taiping Mountain can compare to it. Now that it has been truly unsealed, it has fallen into your hands."

Song Shiyi's gaze was solemn, showing utmost reverence for this spiritual sword. This was because the sword was once wielded by the former master of the Tai Zhen Immortal Sect, True Monarch Bai Yi, and contained sword intent.

The position of Geng Metal was previously held by the immortal Geng Wu. He ascended to heaven and relinquished his position to his successors. With an immortal before him, it is as difficult as ascending to heaven for those who wish to attain it.

Zhao Ting's two masters, Tian'e and Qingyu, were both disciples of Gengwu. Several of the Purple Mansions they had painstakingly cultivated had perished one after another, and since then, Geng metal had not been prominent.

The path to enlightenment of Bai Yi Zhenjun of Tai Zhen Immortal Sect may not be the most spectacular among all the Zhenjuns in history, but it must have been the one that caused the most deaths in the Purple Mansion. This golden scale came with him as he fought his way out of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood. The position of Geng Jin was supported by the lives of countless living beings.

Song Shiyi looked away. By the time he made his move, the game had reached the endgame.

"Kunwei Tiankai, it seems that Yuan Yi Zhenren of Fuchen Immortal Sect is about to make a move. He cultivates the Earth element and is only missing the [Representing the People's Hearts] rank, but his lifespan is coming to an end, so he is probably preparing to reincarnate."

Upon hearing this, Wan Jin paused for a moment, then said quietly:
"Reincarnation? That depends on whether Fu Chen can seize the Golden Nature. Heaven has already reserved one. As for the remaining Yuan Yi, he will be reborn in the future, and he should also be planning to take a position. The nobility of Wu Earth and Ji Earth is comparable to Yin and Yang. I think that whether it is Fu Chen or Heaven, it will not be an easy task if they want to do it."

Song Shiyi neither agreed nor disagreed, but said slowly:

"Currently, it is True Person Lingjing who is handling this matter, along with his eldest son who is also traveling outside. This person has little of Fuchen's immortal aura; on the contrary, he is as fierce as a demon. Fellow Daoist Wanjin..."

He seemed to be subtly mentioning two grudges. Wan Jin Zhenren's master had a considerable grudge against Ling Jing, involving two generations. An Xian Hui broke through later, but his cultivation speed was extremely fast. Now he and Wan Jin both possessed two supernatural powers.

"As a member of the imperial family, it is probably not appropriate for you to discuss these matters with me."

The man in golden robes raised his head, his arrogant demeanor vanishing, replaced by a chilling aura of war that sent shivers down one's spine. The murderous intent of the Geng metal element was subtly revealed.

Song Shiyi simply smiled slightly and made his move to finish the game.

"I only represent myself. As for the affairs of the Imperial Family, let the Grand Preceptor handle them. They are none of my business."

On the river, the wind and waves gradually rose, but this lone boat remained as steady as a rock, unmoved by the storm. The radiant light and colorful clouds in the clouds grew even more intense, the void shattered, and the spirit fell.

The boat was now empty, with only the light of Li Ming and Geng Sha dissipating, yet the small boat continued to drift steadily downstream.

The vast and magnificent cave gradually revealed its true form from the void, with countless peaks and palaces appearing in the clouds, and the mysterious light of the Wu Earth shining down, causing many supernatural powers to stir.

At this moment, golden blood gradually dripped from the crack, the mountains and rivers wailed, and the sounds of burial resounded. A large, ochre-yellow black bird, as big as a small mountain, flew out of the cave, its wings spread wide, and the earth's energy was hazy.

The thousands of peaks in Yizhou all evoked mournful sounds, especially Qishan Mountain, where the tombs that were originally buried had long been destroyed in the great battle, and half of the mountain was even leveled.

The black bird soared into the sky and returned to Mount Qi. Its wings drooped, and golden blood was poured onto this once sacred mountain, while its body gradually turned into yellow earth.

Qishan, now completed.

This sacred mountain has regained its former glory, becoming a celestial mountain of the Earth element, shining brightly in response to the heavens. The sounds of worship and praise from the ancestors then resounded, connecting to the grotto-heaven above. This grotto-heaven is half-fallen into the mortal world and half-hidden in the void, completely exposed to the many Purple Mansions.

Kunweitian has truly fallen.

The silver lightning flickered, but Xu Xuan remained still, quietly waiting for the formation within the cave to dissipate. He looked at the lacquered mountain, where it seemed hot golden blood was dripping down, transforming into a celestial waterfall.

A sudden surge of emotion and sorrow welled up within him. He had rarely experienced such emotional fluctuations since he had attained supernatural powers. Not long ago, his patriarch had been waiting on this sacred mountain to pass on his teachings.

"The Great Crimson Sky Sword, the two patriarchs drew their swords together, splitting seventy-two immortal peaks to welcome the Emperor into Qishan."

Xu Xuan recalled the scene of his first meeting with Zuo Hemo, and the words of the Kongjian Sect Leader were still vivid in his mind. Now that he had truly seen this immortal mountain that had suffered from war, his thoughts were complicated.

Inside the scene, the page of the Book of Inquiry into History gradually emitted a white light, captivating the soul.

(End of this chapter)