Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 968 Trapped in Heaven and Earth
The three remained silent, a heavy silence filling the altar. After a long while, as if sensing something, they all raised their heads to look up.

Several figures were seen slowly flying in from the depths of the flying island.

First were Xu Rong and Guo Zizhe, followed closely by the Wu couple, who were supporting each other and were barely breathing.

Surrounded by a crowd, who else could that handsome young cultivator in a simple Daoist robe be but Chen Mu?

The gloom in Tao Feng's eyes dissipated somewhat, and an indescribable warmth welled up in their hearts. They quickly got up to greet him.

"Fellow Daoists, your kindness is truly admirable. I, Tao, truly do not know how to repay this friendship that has stood by me through thick and thin, especially Fellow Daoist Chen..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu simply smiled calmly, his tone gentle yet cutting to the heart of the matter: "Master Tao, you are too kind. What I did was also out of personal consideration. If your temple were to collapse as a result, where would I get my share of the reward?"

Chen Mu spoke frankly, stating that he stayed for the reward, but Tao Fengbian absolutely did not believe that this was the whole reason.

Under the relentless pressure and ruthless tactics of Liangyi Temple, Fusheng Temple is on its last legs and teetering on the brink of collapse.

Even in such dire straits, they remained steadfast in their commitment; this bond transcends a mere contractual transaction.

Tao Feng said no more, but bowed deeply to Chen Mu with utmost solemnity. He then stepped aside and gestured with his hand, saying, "Fellow Daoists, please take your seats on the altar."

The crowd returned the greeting respectfully and ascended the central altar in turn, each finding their place to sit.

Chen Mu's gaze swept over the extremely solemn faces of Tao Fengbian and the other two. His eyes flickered slightly, and he asked bluntly, "Master Tao, the current situation is extremely precarious. I wonder if your temple... has any plan to turn the tide?"

Although he was fixated on cause and effect, he also needed to assess the situation and evaluate the likelihood of success for this trip.

Upon hearing this, Tao Fengbian remained silent for a moment, his gaze gradually becoming profound.

He glanced around at the remaining people, spoke in a deep voice, a bitter smile on his face:
"Since fellow Daoists have not abandoned Fusheng, I, Tao, need not conceal anything further. Before we begin our discussion, we... did indeed have an unfinished plan..."

Tao Fengbian no longer concealed anything and revealed everything about Tang Shangyuan. He also explained in detail how he had previously plotted to seize the three outer flying islands and the two peaks in the north and south, intending to use these five places as the foundation to activate the "Hun Yuan Zhen Yun Cong" and thus force Tang Shangyuan out and create chaos.

"...Unfortunately, now that things have come to this, only three islands remain, and the two peaks are gone."

"Such a damaged state is absolutely incapable of withstanding the power of the 'Hun Yuan Zhen Yun Cong'! If we force it, I'm afraid that before Uncle Tang even appears, the 'Hun Yuan Zhen Yun Cong' will have already collapsed, and all our plans... will have come to naught!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was astonished, deeply shocked, and genuinely surprised.

Unexpectedly, Fusheng Temple also harbored a senior master!
However, compared to Qi Yunsu of Liangyi Temple, this Uncle Tang is truly worlds apart, like heaven and earth.

Xu Rong pondered for a moment, then analyzed in a low voice: "So... if we can find a way to recapture the North and South Peaks, there might still be a glimmer of hope in this situation?"

"That's easier said than done."

Guo Zizhe shook his head, looked at everyone present, and said, "Given our current situation, it is still unknown whether Liangyi Temple will abide by the previously established rules for the duel. If they really launch a full-scale attack, what can we do?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Danian suddenly stood up, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth clenched, feeling a surge of resentment stuck in his chest, with a desire to fight to the death but nowhere to exert his strength.

He was not afraid of being besieged by Liangyi Temple, and was even willing to fight to the death.

The key point is that, in the eyes of the Yin-Yang Observation, he, his two senior brothers Tao and Yan, were already an inseparable whole.

If he were to act rashly, Qi Yunsu would certainly not stand idly by.

By then... the situation will only be more dangerous and unimaginable than it is now...

Tao Feng paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "If that is truly the case, I, Tao, will naturally forgo future ancestral worship to invite Uncle Tang..."

Upon hearing this, the room fell silent.

Faced with such a crucial decision concerning the survival of the Daoist tradition, Xu Rong and other external cultivators knew that this matter was of too great importance to be discussed by outsiders, and it was inconvenient for them to offer suggestions.

Ultimately, the decision rests with the three brothers, Fusheng and his fellow disciples.

Chen Mu did not participate in this heavy discussion, but sat quietly to the side, feeling slightly more at ease than when he arrived.

The fact that Fusheng Temple still has such hidden tricks shows that things are far from being hopeless and without any chance of turning around. How can we say there is no chance at all if we don't try?

Thinking of this, he looked up at Tao Fengbian, whose face was grave, and said in a calm tone, "Master Tao, there is no need to make a decision now. Let's wait until tomorrow and observe the movements of the Liangyi Temple before making a decision."

“If Heaven does not forsake Fusheng, a turning point will surely appear, and at that time… there will be no need to take this helpless step that is almost a betrayal of the ancestral master’s legacy.”

Upon hearing this, Tao Fengbian's eyes flashed with a complex light, and he nodded heavily, saying, "I... understand the implications. Fellow Daoist Chen cares about the very foundation of my sect's heritage. I thank you for your kindness."

Night fell, enveloping the fields, stars were sparse, and the waning moon was hidden.

Yan Rongmu, who had remained silent throughout, quietly rose and strolled to the edge of the altar.

He gazed into the pitch-black night sky, his eyes deep and unfathomable. His right hand, hidden in his wide sleeve, was quietly holding a warm jade talisman, its spiritual light flowing within, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, following his thoughts.

In fact, besides agreeing to Tang Shangyuan's desperate measure, he still had another option in his mind.

"Should I... tell my senior brother about this...?"

A thought kept swirling in his mind:
"Judging by the time... the Yuan brothers should... be almost there by now..."

……

Tens of thousands of miles away, atop a desolate and lonely mountain peak.

The Yuan brothers stood silently in the wind, their faces ashen and speechless for a long time.

Yuan Tianquan, in particular, paced anxiously back and forth on the cold rocks, the night wind tearing at his robes, his mouth uttering nothing but resentment and bitterness over the incompetence of Fusheng Temple.

When Chen Mu killed Song Qin, he was worried that Fusheng Temple might be able to turn the tide and survive this calamity.

If that's the case, wouldn't all their scheming have been for nothing?
Unexpectedly, the situation deteriorated so quickly. Just because Zhong Chiyan was defeated in one battle, Fusheng Temple lost at least 30% of its strength and is now in a dead end with no hope of survival.

With such clear advantages, why would the Liangyi Temple need their brothers to add anything superfluous?

“Brother, there’s really no hope now. With the Liangyi Temple having such an advantage, even if the two of us show up to help, the cultivators of Qizhou will only think that we came uninvited…”

Yuan Tianchu remained silent. He had not expected the situation to collapse to this extent. However, compared to the anxious Yuan Tianquan, his mind was relatively calm.

After all, Chen Mu, who killed Song Qin, has not yet left, and the outcome of tomorrow's battle is still unknown.

However, Yuan Tianquan made a statement that hit the nail on the head: "Judging from the current situation, Liangyi Temple... really has no reason to invite them to help."

He slowly raised his hand, and a jade talisman similar to the one in Yan Rongmu's hand appeared in his palm.

A cold, ethereal light illuminated his calm eyes, which were also lost in deep contemplation:
"Or... why not change course again and help Fusheng Temple?"

For the brothers, all talk of faith and covenants was meaningless.

The only way they have been able to get to where they are today on this perilous path is to assess the situation and adapt to the changing winds of the times.

……

A night passed in the blink of an eye.

On the third day, as dawn broke, the Liangyi Temple dispatched another disciple, who flew to the vicinity of Fusheng's altar.

The disciple hovered in mid-air, bowing in respect:

"Master Tao, Master Luo has sent his disciple to inquire whether Fusheng Temple is willing to surrender? As long as Master Tao and Elders Yan and Fu surrender, our Liangyi Temple will keep its promise and will not pursue the rest of our fellow practitioners!"

Seeing that Liangyi Temple was still resorting to psychological warfare and sowing discord even at this point, Fu Danian's anger flared up, and he couldn't help but let out a cold snort.

This snort contained the pressure of a True Monarch. Although it was not deliberately targeted, it still made the disciple who delivered the message feel as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer. His body swayed violently, his face turned as white as paper, and he almost fell from mid-air.

Tao Feng frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Junior brother, this boy is just a junior messenger. There's no need to make things difficult for him; it will only make him look down on."

He turned to the still-shaken disciple, his voice steady and resolute: "Go back and tell Luo Feng that the lineage passed down by Ancestor Zhongfu is not to be handed over so easily. Taking Tao Feng's life is easy, it just depends on how much of his life he is willing to pay in exchange."

Having suffered a great loss, the disciple dared not utter another word. He hurriedly bowed, and as if granted a pardon, turned and flew back swiftly.

Before long, he returned to Liangyi East Peak and reported Tao Fengbian's words verbatim.

Luo Feng had anticipated this, and upon hearing it, he merely smiled calmly, but there was no hint of amusement in his eyes: "In that case... don't blame us for not showing any consideration for our past relationship."

He turned around, bowed respectfully to Qi Yunsu, who sat calmly on the high platform, and then suddenly raised his arm and swung it downwards!
"rise!"

A deafening roar echoed from the top of the eastern peak, and nearly ten dazzling streaks of light shot into the sky from behind Luo Feng.

In an instant, rays of light burst forth, and rainbows erupted.

Various colors of light intertwined and shone, illuminating the blue sky and flowing clouds in a magnificent display.

When so many Dao-seeking True Monarchs simultaneously unleashed their power, the heavens and earth changed color, the gale howled, the profound energy surged like boiling water, and the clouds were dyed into a dazzling sea of ​​light. Their overwhelming and unstoppable might seemed to crush all obstacles in their path into dust.

In contrast, at the Fusheng Temple altar, although the number of people seemed to be about the same, the atmosphere was worlds apart.

Apart from Chen Mu, who remained calm and stood with his hands behind his back, everyone else felt as insignificant as a drop in the ocean in the face of this overwhelming pressure, as if they would be completely swallowed up by the violent energy tide at any moment.

Seeing this, Tao Feng and the other two's faces darkened; their worst fears had come true.

Apart from Luo Feng and Qi Yunsu, the entire opposing force had set off, clearly intending to achieve their goal in one decisive battle and completely cut off any chance for Fusheng Temple to catch its breath or delay.

"Master Tao, what should we do?"

Xu Rong and the others were getting increasingly uneasy. Although they spoke up to inquire, they might also be urging Tao Fengbian to quickly invite Tang Shangyuan.

Tao Feng sighed inwardly, knowing there was no way to turn back. Just as he was about to take out the token from the temple to send a message, he saw Chen Mu look ahead, suddenly laugh loudly, and with a flick of his sleeve, a beam of clear light appeared, and his figure instantly reached the sky.

"Fellow Daoist Chen—!"

Everyone was shocked; the sudden turn of events had not been mentioned at all yesterday.

Chen Mu ignored the exclamations of the crowd, remaining calm and composed as he stood with his hands behind his back before the surging wind and clouds.

Under the strong airflow, his wide robe sleeves fluttered wildly.

At this moment, the two True Monarchs who were at the forefront had already entered within a hundred miles. Seeing him blocking their way alone, they subconsciously paused their escape.

But then he thought again, with fellow practitioners gathered behind him and Wei Cangdong backing him up, even if this True Immortal disciple had extraordinary abilities, could he possibly stop everyone?

The two exchanged a glance and both sneered. Eager to make a contribution, they increased their speed, thinking that as long as they got close, they could easily entangle him by using their magic weapons together.

Before they could get really close, a dazzling golden light suddenly spread out, and the two of them suddenly stopped, as if they were locked by an invisible force, and were frozen in mid-air, unable to move.

"Oh no, this is... a technique to imprison heaven and earth?!"

The two were filled with surprise and doubt. Given their level of cultivation, they shouldn't have been so easily controlled by such magic...

Wei Cangdong, who had been holding the rear, saw the two trapped and his eyes flashed with a fierce light. He moved as if to fly over and rescue them.

However, just as he was halfway through his movement, he suddenly saw a small dragon-bird soar through the air, so lifelike, and it attacked fiercely from a distance of a hundred miles.

Wei Cangdong felt a chill run down his spine. Although the dragon-bird had the form, the fierce sword intent it contained made his hair stand on end.

Seeing the golden light approaching swiftly like a shooting star, he let out a low shout, his magical power surging and gathering, and the "All Laws Return to Nothingness" divine power was immediately unleashed.

The golden light surged to within a thousand feet, then suddenly halted, as if frozen in place by the Dao.

Before Wei Cangdong could breathe a sigh of relief, he saw the dragon-bird phantom suddenly tremble and then split off a golden light out of thin air.

Moreover, this golden light was even more malevolent and its momentum was even stronger!

He was taken aback and hurriedly cast another spell to freeze it in place. The dragon-bird trembled again, and another golden light split off, still killing intent. He had no choice but to cast the spell a third time.

For a time, the dragon sparrow was repeatedly immobilized, and from mid-air, it looked like a dozen golden stars shining in a row.

However, no matter how many times the Daoist magic was used to capture it, the Dragon Sparrow's transformations seemed endless, and the last golden light had already broken through to within ten feet.

A piercing whistle tore through the air, and the sharp, piercing beam that was flying through the sky was imminent. Wei Cangdong's expression changed drastically, and he could no longer maintain his composure. In a hurry, he hurriedly ducked to avoid it.

The next moment, he felt a chill on his head as a section of his hair bun was cut off, and his long hair was immediately draped down.

This startled him so much that he was terrified and dared not be careless in the slightest. He flew back in a disheveled state.

Chen Mu remained expressionless and motionless.

Behind it, the majestic illusory image of the Dao Fruit suddenly appeared, followed by a surge of abundant water light that cascaded down from the illusory image, like a celestial river flowing backward, sweeping across the arena.

"Tsk-!"

As the water shimmered, the protective aura surrounding the two trapped True Monarchs was instantly stripped away as if it were thin paper.

Before anyone in the arena could react, a hazy sword light suddenly appeared. This sword light stretched for hundreds of feet, its momentum seemingly capable of cleaving through the void, sweeping across with unparalleled sharpness.

As the light faded, the two heads flew up and rolled into the dust.

"this--?!"

With a flick of his sleeve, Chen Mu instantly killed two Dao Inquiry True Monarchs, causing the entire audience of cultivators to tremble in shock and fall silent in horror!

The Two Elements Cultivators, who had been surging forward like a raging torrent, suddenly froze in their attack. It was as if a raging tide had crashed into a towering reef, instantly shattering into pieces and losing all its momentum.

Especially after witnessing even Wei Cangdong being forced into such a sorry state by that profound and unpredictable Taoist technique, everyone's morale was further shaken.

Faced with Chen Mu alone, none of the five or six cultivators seeking enlightenment dared to take another step forward...

On the altar of Fusheng, all the cultivators were speechless, their expressions dazed, almost unable to believe what was happening before their eyes.

Yan Rongmu's eyes flashed with a sudden glint, and he quietly loosened his grip on his right hand, silently putting the shimmering, ready-to-use communication jade talisman back into his sleeve...

……

(End of this chapter)