Who let him join the Sword Sect!

Chapter 385 Going Home
In the ice and snow.

Junior Sister is on her way to Baidi City.

Lily: "Wow, if you're going, then go. Why are you taking me with you?"

Fully armed, Lily was driven by her junior sister, speeding across the snowfield.

To be precise, the junior sister was piloting a specially made Thousand Machine Mech, and Lily was the head of this mech.

The junior sister, carrying Ah Li, stood on the back of the mecha and sped towards Baidi City in a sword-riding posture.

"Didn't you say you were my great general, and that you would personally kill the traitor for me? Isn't it normal to bring you along?" The junior sister said absentmindedly, looking ahead.

"I was just saying it casually, how come you believe everything now? And why did you only arrest me when Peach was there too?" Lily, who had transformed into a flying device, muttered under her breath.

Junior sister, "Because Bai Tao said she didn't want to go, I didn't invite her."

"I already said I don't want to go, are you a dragon?" Lily snapped.

Recalling the humiliating experience of clinging to the pillar and refusing to let go, only to have Chen Qin, that little devil, pry open her fingers one by one, carry her on her shoulder, and tie her up, Lily's anger flared up again.

"Sigh, I brought you along because you're the family member I trust the most," the junior sister said sincerely to Lily.

"Huh...hehehe, really?"

"Really, absolutely true."

"Alright, alright, today I'll show you my limits!"

Inspired by her junior sister, Lily unleashed her full power, transforming into a family hero and moving forward at full speed.

Until she saw the polar night spreading from above Baidi City.

Lily's cowardly instincts still overcame her family buff. In a flash, Lily's cockpit spun 180 degrees, her head popped out from the rear of the mech, and she began to accelerate away.

But disaster always gets one step ahead of Lily; the polar night expands extremely quickly and eventually catches up with Lily's tail.

After being captured by the polar night, Lily and her junior sister felt a strange sensation as if their souls were being ripped away and they were falling into the deep sea.

Just as the junior sister was about to unleash her ultimate attack, a semi-transparent barrier of air dispelled the encroachment of the polar night.

"Huh? I did it?"

Suddenly shimmering with golden light, Lily stared blankly at her hands, then at the semi-transparent barrier protecting her and her junior sister.

Lily reached out her hand, and the air barrier expanded; Lily clenched her fist, and the air barrier shrank.

Protected by the air barrier, they were safe and sound.

"Shall we keep going?" Lily suggested, though she didn't know what had happened.

"us……"

Before the junior sister could finish speaking, a loud bang made the decision for them.

The earth collapsed.

In the north, apart from Baidi City, all the other uninhabited demon cities that served as the core of the formation were blown into the sky.

At the same time, the expansion of the polar night stopped, and the sky returned to clear skies.

"Are we still going?" Lily asked.

“Go,” the junior sister replied.

……

Baidi City.

Although the situation was somewhat sudden, there were actually contingency plans in place.

After all, that was the plan, and Sister Wang just didn't expect the accident to happen so quickly.

The ugly building that once housed the White Emperor is no longer there, and the obelisk-shaped engine has been unearthed from the ground.

Sister Wang raised her hand and carefully placed it into a giant coffin.

With her hands forming a hand seal, after releasing Yuqing from the sky, she borrowed some of Yuqing's power, and the nine-headed giant wolf separated from Wang Jie's body.

The coffin lid was closed, and nine giant wolves surrounded the coffin, forming the image of nine wolves pulling the coffin.

Blocking out Yuqing's cursing, Sister Wang looked at her masterpiece and nodded in satisfaction.

"I told you, tearing down the house is the most effective method."

"Yuqing, keep an eye on this place. I'll be right back."

After saying that, she transformed into a streak of black light and fled south.

……

The sudden commotion in the north naturally alerted the old men of the East.

Still docked in Linglu Valley near the Northern Great Wall, the old Deng men gathered together to discuss countermeasures.

"This humble monk believes..."

Master Kukai, who was meditating with his eyes closed, was about to speak when he suddenly sensed that something was wrong. When he opened his eyes again, he found that apart from Old Tang standing opposite him, there was no one else in sight.

"Where is he?" Master Kūkai asked.

Old Tang pointed, indicating that Master Konghai should look back.

"back?"

Although there was nothing behind Master Kukai's consciousness, he still looked back as Old Tang had instructed.

"Ok?"

Sister Wang stood there and waved to Master Kukai.

"Hi."

After Sister Wang finished having her fun, Master Kukai also disappeared.

slipped.

"Am I that scary?" Sister Wang asked.

Old Tang nodded.

"Then why don't you run away?" Sister Wang asked.

Old Tang patted his chest arrogantly, "I'm at the peak of the Golden Core stage! I'm not afraid of anything!"

Sister Wang sighed, too lazy to joke with Old Tang, "Let them come back. There won't be any more clashes between our paths. It's all over. I need your help with something."

Old Tang thought for a moment, picked up the small walnut and started calling out to people, but after calling around, no one came back.

“They’re not coming because they suspect you kidnapped me and used those threats to make me say these things,” Old Tang said, shrugging.

Sister Wang, "What about your character? What about the character of your sect leader? Guarantee it with your character!"

Old Tang, "We used it all up a long time ago."

"..."

Looking at Old Tang, who spoke half-truths and was as thick-skinned as a mule, Sister Wang sighed and asked Little Walnut to think about how to explain things to Master Konghai and the others.

After reaching the Void Refinement stage, the world appears different to cultivators, and the boundaries of matter become indistinct.

What appears flawless to low-level cultivators may be riddled with holes to Void Refinement cultivators. They might even destroy it without using any magical power, simply by touching it with their hand.

This ability comes at a price; as one gets closer to the essence of all things, the cultivator's own existence becomes blurred.

Every step is like walking on thin ice; one wrong step could lead to utter ruin.

The path after refining emptiness is a process of cultivating oneself to maintain one's self, while simultaneously pursuing the one true solution to all things in the world, ultimately achieving transcendence over everything.

Because of the different paths of cultivation, the ultimate realm after Mahayana Buddhism is called Hunyuan Wuji by Longhu Mountain, Hetianzong by Tianren, Jianzong by the Ultimate Sword Realm, and by Buddhism by the other shore of transcendence...

The same applies to the demon race; Sister Wang refers to that realm as the Earth Sea Realm.

In the eyes of the demon race, besides matter and spiritual energy, there is a place called the Earth Sea.

Every ripple in the world will be reflected there.

The demon race believes that complete control of the land and sea is the only condition for achieving perfection.

The magic array in the Northern Territory was built on the foundation of the Earth Sea and anchored at White Emperor City, creating ripples in the Earth Sea to purify the demon race.

After entering the Northern Territory, although cultivators who have reached the Void Refinement stage cannot observe the existence of the Earth Sea, they cannot escape its influence.

By amplifying these effects through magic arrays, the paths of the two races can be clashed.

"That's how it is. Now that I've dismantled the magic array, the Earth Sea will no longer affect you."

Sister Wang sighed.

"If you're unaffected once you leave the magic array, then why are you being so cautious when you come to the Eastern Continent?" Old Tang asked.

Sister Wang: "Of course, you have to go all the way when you're acting, otherwise how can you fool me?"

"Is it really necessary? Making such a big fuss over something so trivial," Old Tang muttered under his breath.

"Why not?" Sister Wang looked at Old Tang. "You're that habitual offender!"

Sister Wang took out a scroll from her bosom, opened it with a snap, and the other end of the scroll rolled all the way to Old Tang's feet.

It's a long list.

"What is recorded here are all the human cultivators who have secretly slipped into the Northern Territory over the years."

"This is under strict guard. Otherwise, there would be even more. If something really goes wrong, the Great Wall will collapse, and the man-eating demons will come south, and we'll all go back to the past and play in the mud."

"Last time, that brat Xiao Jing caused trouble. If I hadn't been on guard, do you think it would have turned from a war between the East and the West into a chaotic Three Kingdoms war?"

Old Tang looked down at the list that had rolled to his feet, and his name was written on the last line.

"Are you sure you're just doing this to protect the magic array, and there's no other secret?" Old Tang felt that Sister Wang wasn't telling the truth.

Clearly, what those who were spying on the Northern Territory wanted was not the Northern Territory magic array.

Of course, this doesn't include him; he went there simply to get his feet washed.

"Yes, and more than one," Sister Wang answered readily this time.

"What is that?" Old Tang asked hurriedly.

Sister Wang pointed, giving me a look that said, "If you ask again, you're in for a world of hurt."

Old Tang immediately shut up.

A moment later, Master Kukai returned to the place first.

He was the last person to run away; if something had really happened, it would have been a problem long ago.

Moreover, when he was in the sky, he did indeed find that the cities surrounding Baidi City had become ruins.

"Alas, is there anything you need our help with? Is it related to Zhang Ze?" Master Kukai asked.

"Yes," Sister Wang nodded in response.

Hearing that it was Zhang Ze's matter, the others also returned here one after another.

"What happened?" Old Tang asked.

“Since we need your help with this matter, there’s no need to hide any secrets,” Sister Wang said, ignoring Old Tang and addressing the crowd. “There’s no need to hide anything. You didn’t tell me just now,” Old Tang said, slapping his thigh as he sat down, looking defiant.

Sister Wang pointed again, and Old Tang shut up again.

After Old Tang shut up, Sister Wang continued, "It's related to what I just said about the Earth Sea. The essence of the Illusionary Law is touching the Earth Sea."

"To cast an illusion spell, a limited space needs to be created in the shallow layer of the sea, and then the cultivator can enter it."

"By utilizing the characteristics of the Earth Sea and in conjunction with magical artifacts, one can reflect the cultivator's inner world, thereby creating a near-perfect and realistic illusion."

"The reason why your human race has failed to find the right method and has no success in cultivation is because you cannot observe the existence of the Earth Sea."

"So what does this have to do with Zhang Ze?" Mo Jingchun asked.

"When he was communicating with Bai Di in the illusion, something unexpected happened, and he fell into a deeper place. Although I have pulled him out now, it will be difficult to pull him and Bai Di out. I need someone to help me."

Mo Jingchun: "What accident?"

"A fluctuation, a fluctuation emanating from Central Continent."

The one who answered Mo Jingchun was not Sister Wang, but Lu Yuzhou, who had come from Tianzong.

“When I was in jail at home, I had a feeling that something was wrong in the North, and sure enough, something happened.”

"Yes, that fluctuation caused the Earth Sea to lose its stability for a moment," Sister Wang nodded.

"Then how can we help?" Mo Jingchun asked.

"The Spirit Fusion Technique of the Beast Taming Sect allows you to barely sense the existence of the Earth Sea," Sister Wang replied.

Upon hearing this, Elder Li, who had been standing silently to the side, suddenly showed an expression of sudden realization.

"No wonder, so that's how it is."

At the same time, the old man proudly puffed out his chest.

Old Master Li was no less capable than anyone else throughout his life, and this art of spirit fusion was unique to him.

Only he could get this publicity.

"Hahaha, then this old man will lend a hand."

“Understood, Benefactor Wang, please lead the way,” the monk Kukai interjected.

"Baldy, what business is it of yours? People need the Spirit Fusion Technique of the Beast Taming Sect, not you chanting any spells," Elder Li said, blowing his beard and glaring.

The monk Kukai was not angry. Instead, he smiled and stretched out his right hand. In the golden light, his right hand became translucent.

"I can do it too."

Elder Li, "?"

“I’ll help too, but after it’s done, you have to teach me the method of creating illusions.”

"Okay," Sister Wang nodded.

Lu Yuzhou's avatar stepped forward, whether to anger Sect Master Li or to prove herself, her body also transformed into a human-shaped starlight.

Elder Li turned to Old Tang and Mo Jingchun, "Don't tell me you two can do that too?"

Old Tang shook his head. "No."

Just as Elder Li breathed a sigh of relief, Old Tang gasped for breath again.

"But! I know how to do this."

As he spoke, he took out a golden talisman.

It is the Longhu Mountain's "Ten Thousand Mile Divine Travel Talisman".

"I drew this a long time ago. I stumbled upon a teleportation method that is not within the Five Elements. Although it consumes a lot of energy, it can take you there in an instant. I never expected that the place I infiltrated was actually the Earth Sea."

After listening to Lao Tang's explanation, Sister Wang looked at him with admiration. This time, instead of pointing at Lao Tang's nose, she gave him a thumbs up.

"You're really fearless. I wouldn't dare to do this. One wrong step and I'd never be able to come back in this lifetime."

Elder Li looked at Mo Jingchun.

"It's similar to Dao Ye's situation. I also know there's such a place, but I'm not as brave as him."

As she spoke, a misty longsword appeared in her hand.

Looking at the sword, Sister Wang noticed an aura emanating from the Earth Sea.

Mo Jingchun said, "Once, there was a mistake in the forging of the sword. The sword disappeared for a quarter of an hour and when it reappeared, it looked like this."

Somewhat embarrassed, Sect Master Li looked at everyone and said, "You all kept this from me!"

Old Tang stroked his goatee. "Who would dare tell you? Every time we meet, they brag about how amazing your Spirit Fusion Technique is. It's so embarrassing to say it out loud."

Some of the old sect leaders, including Li, placed their hopes on Qin Lang, the master of Medicine King Valley.

"Hey, do you know the art of spirit fusion?" Elder Li asked, taking out a small walnut and hitting it at the other side.

"Why are you asking this? I don't know how. I'm busy right now, don't bother me."

After saying that, Qin Lang, who was about to 'borrow' some more spiritual plants and herbs, hung up Little Walnut.

Elder Li breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as you're better than him, that's fine.

"Please," said Elder Li, who had regained his confidence, to Sister Wang.

……

Upon arriving at Baidi City, Yuqing, who had just been cursing at the nine wolves left behind by her sister, immediately changed her demeanor and greeted everyone from Dongzhou with gentleness.

"Sorry to trouble you all."

As they talked, the giant coffin, pulled by nine giant wolves, slowly descended.

Sister Wang withdrew the giant wolf's divine form, released the seal on the coffin lid, and prepared to begin casting a spell to rescue the person.

However, before the old men could even make a move, the coffin lid was suddenly pushed open with a "poof".

Zhang Ze climbed out on his own.

"How did I end up crawling out of a coffin again? What bad luck!"

"Hey, what are you all doing here?"

When Zhang Ze came to his senses, he found that the large coffin was surrounded by people, as if they were visiting his own grave.

"Didn't you fall in? How did you climb out by yourself?"

Lu Yuzhou looked at Zhang Ze with some displeasure, as if he wanted to stuff him back into the coffin.

She was quite envious of the demon race's illusionary techniques and also very interested in the Earth Sea that human cultivators couldn't see. But now that Zhang Ze had climbed out on his own, she wondered if Sister Wang's promise still counted.

"I have a bit of an illness, but this illness makes me perfectly suited to swimming in the Earth Sea, so I swam up on my own," Zhang Ze said with a laugh.

Seeing that Zhang Ze was unwilling to talk, Old Tang did not ask any more questions. He flew to the coffin, looked inside curiously, and his eyes lit up when he saw the starship engine inside the coffin.

"Wow, so this is the secret of the demon race? What... what kind of magical artifact is this?"

"Just think of this as an ancient power array, something that propels the flying boat," Zhang Ze explained.

Seeing that Old Tang looked like he couldn't wait to take the thing apart and see it, Zhang Ze coughed lightly to stop him.

"There's no point in dismantling this thing."

"Why?" Old Tang asked, puzzled.

Zhang Ze sat beside the coffin, thought for a while, and then asked Old Tang a question, "Does the Taoist priest know what happens when fish come ashore?"

Listening to the riddle, Old Tang pondered for a moment, then gave up and patted Zhang Ze on the shoulder.

"Say something quickly."

Zhang Ze rubbed his shoulder. "Unless there are special circumstances, the fish will dry out and die when they come ashore."

"No matter how big a fish grows, it can only be ferocious in the water. If the pond dries up one day, and it doesn't jump into a new pond or find other ways to get water to moisten its gills, it can only wait to die."

"That's how it is; it's a fish that jumped onto the shore."

"The spiritual energy that permeates the four continents is indispensable to us, but it is the most deadly threat to this thing. Its mechanism—you can think of it as a mechanism—cannot withstand an environment full of spiritual energy."

"So the top part is broken."

"The lower half was preserved by chance. Scorpion Poop is one of a kind, so I can't let you take it apart. If you really can't resist, you can go and mess with the Emperor's Flag. I have a lot of those now."

"As for the design concept and ideas behind this thing, there are some things that can be referenced, but not many."

"So, this thing looks pretty high-tech to me?" Old Tang asked.

Zhang Ze shook his head. "It's just plain useless. This thing wasn't designed for an environment full of spiritual energy."

"If the Four Continents were a forbidden land devoid of any spiritual energy, and I gave you a top-tier magic array, could you research it and create something amazing?"

Old Tang shook his head.

“Right? Instead of studying this, you should spend your time studying something else.” After persuading Old Tang and dissuading him from dismantling the thing, Zhang Ze jumped down from the side of the coffin.

He first greeted the elders who came to rescue him before looking at Sister Wang.

"Can I ask you for a few favors?"

When they fell into the ditch, Zhang Ze and Xiangxiang discussed some things, but whether they could ultimately proceed depended on Sister Wang's approval.

Sister Wang said, "Sure, you can make the decision about the demon race all by yourself."

Zhang Ze quickly waved his hand and said, "No need, no need. I'll explain, but if you disagree, you can just reject it."

Sister Wang, "Go ahead and speak."

“I intend to reveal some secrets about the North,” Zhang Ze continued.

Sister Wang was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, but then she smiled and nodded.

"Just do it."

After receiving Sister Wang's approval, Zhang Ze breathed a sigh of relief.

He reached into his robes, took out several neatly folded letters, and distributed them to everyone present.

"This is the plan."

Old Tang looked at the contents of the paper and became more and more surprised as he read.

At the end, Old Tang asked, "Are you willing to do that?"

“I’m willing to share; it’s better to share happiness than to enjoy it alone,” Zhang Ze nodded.

Lu Yuzhou pondered, "Is this related to the fluctuation that surged from the Central Continent?"

"Yes." Zhang Ze nodded.

The mother-in-law seemed to have expected this. She looked at Zhang Ze and asked, "So, now, which step do you want to start with?"

"I want to go home, back to the Sword Sect, back to the Thousand Machine Pavilion. I'm a little tired."

Zhang Ze spoke to Lily and his junior sister, who were shining with golden light, behind the old men.

(End of this chapter)