Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

As the waning moon sets in the west, its cool light spills over the Laoshan Mountains, where mist drifts gently, washing away the daytime hustle and bustle.

Lin Yanyunxi and the others returned to the Xuan Shui Cave alone. They sat cross-legged on the futons, raised their hands and gently placed the inkstone and Dingyuan Pearl on the table in front of them. Their fingertips slowly reached out and lightly touched the two treasures.

Perhaps due to a calm mind, this contact with spiritual energy did not stir up a strong spiritual light. The dark and shimmering blue light slowly intertwined, condensing into an extremely ethereal phantom of a sea map in mid-air. Above the vast East China Sea, in a gap in the void, a misty secret realm floated, with the spiritual spring of the sea eye churning, ancient restrictions crisscrossing, and the spiritual energy so dense that it turned into swirling mist—this was the Guixu Sea Mouth, coveted by the five major sects, located at the intersection of the Laoshan Sea Area and the Red Reef Islands of the Burning Heaven Gate. It was both the eye of the East China Sea's spiritual energy convergence and a forbidden holy land that concealed ancient opportunities and world-destroying dangers.

Looking at this illusory image, Lin Yan's mind became clearer. The two treasures, Yanzhu and Zhu, were not only the keys to unlocking the core of Guixu, but also the vital artifacts for suppressing the evil spirits of this place and stabilizing the spiritual veins of the East Sea. As the successor of the Guixu Guardian Vein, he had shouldered the heavy responsibility of protecting the sect and the veins since he received these two treasures, and there was no turning back.

Tonight is sure to be a sleepless night.

At this moment, outside Laoshan, in all directions of the thousand-mile sea area, the core halls of the four major sects were brightly lit. All the powerful and high-ranking members of the sects were gathered together, and they were having a series of turbulent discussions about the Guixu Sea Mouth and the Yanzhu treasure. Their murderous intent and ambition were already aimed directly at Laoshan and at Lin Yan.

A resounding shout echoed throughout the Blazing Fire Hall of the Burning Heaven Gate. The Red Reef Islands were perpetually ablaze with volcanic fire, and the entire hall was constructed of fiery rock, its interior a pool of lava, radiating intense heat, barren of vegetation, and exuding an aura of domineering rage. The Gate Master, Lie Cang, with his fiery red hair and crimson robe adorned with flame patterns, sat high upon a fiery jade throne, his body radiating intense heat. His gaze swept across the area below, causing scorching ripples in the air.

His Highness appointed three powerful figures in the sect: the Fire Execution Elder, Lie Rongyan, who holds the power of life and death in the sect and is equivalent to the deputy sect leader; Huo Xiao, the garrison commander who leads tens of thousands of fire cultivators in the outer sea and guards the Red Reef Fortress; and Yan Ce, the strategist who is in charge of strategy and has a cunning mind. All of them are important figures in the Burning Heaven Sect.

"That old man who attained enlightenment ruined my grand plan! The Lingxian Valley's efforts were all in vain! The precious inkstone pearl was so close, yet it flew away right before my eyes!"

Lie Cang shattered the throne armrest with a single palm strike, and raging flames instantly engulfed the hall. His voice roared with fury, "The core of the Guixu Sea harbors the Innate Flame Spirit, the foundation upon which my Burning Heaven Sect advances and proves its Dao! Anyone who obstructs my quest for this treasure, this Flame Spirit, I will annihilate them!"

Elder Lie Rongyan, the Fire Executioner, strode forward, his face resolute, his voice like thunder, and his aura intense: "Sect Master, Laoshan has just resealed Guixu and hastily appointed Lin Yan as its lineage successor. Rumors within the sect have not yet subsided, and defenses are still lax! In my opinion, we should directly mobilize the main force of Chijiao, press them to the outside of Lingxian Valley, forcibly break through the mountain and seize the treasure, and kill anyone who stands in our way!"

The garrison commander, Huo Xiao, was a burly man whose armor was faintly ablaze. He immediately clasped his hands in a resounding fist salute and replied, "This humble general is willing to lead three thousand elite fire cultivators to blockade the three sides of the Guixu Sea Mouth. As soon as Lin Yan steps out of Laoshan, we will intercept and kill him and retrieve the Inkstone Pearl!"

Only the strategist Yan Ce stroked his beard, his expression sinister, and slowly stepped forward to stop them in a deep voice: "You two must not be reckless. The Qingyun Sect has always been sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight, the Shuiyue Pavilion is two-faced, and the Xue Sha Sect is hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike. If our sect launches a forceful attack, it will inevitably suffer heavy losses and will eventually be devoured by the other three sects, which would be a loss for us."

Seeing that Lie Cang's expression had eased slightly, Yan Ce continued, "Hai Lan and Su Chen, who were expelled from Laoshan three months ago after their cultivation was crippled, are now stranded on a desolate reef in the East China Sea. They hate Lin Yan to the core and are well aware of the inner workings of Guixu. It would be better to capture them secretly first, use forbidden techniques to extract their confessions, find out the true nature of Guixu, and then make further plans. That would be the best course of action."

Lie Cang's eyes flashed with a fierce light. After a moment's contemplation, he immediately made a decision: "Very well! We'll proceed according to Yan Ce's plan. You will be in charge of capturing and interrogating people. Huo Xiao will immediately lead troops to seal off the outer sea area of ​​Gui Xu. Lie Rongyan will prepare the Fire Prison Formation! Once we have obtained all the secrets of Gui Xu, I will personally refine Lin Yan into a fire slave and seize the Inkstone Pearl and the Innate Flame Spirit to enhance the prestige of my Burning Heaven Sect!"

"We will obey the sect leader's decree!" The three people in the hall bowed in unison, their voices shaking the hall and their overwhelming fire and killing intent soaring into the sky.

Inside the Sword Inquiry Hall of the Qingyun Sect, sword energy condensed into frost, and clouds and mist swirled around the summit of Mount Daze. Thousands of immortal swords hung on the walls of the hall, and ten thousand sword patterns were engraved on the ground. The atmosphere was cold, solemn, and aloof, fully displaying the cold and majestic aura of a major sword sect.

Sect Master Shen Qinghan, dressed in pristine white robes with his hair tied up, sat regally in the main seat of the hall. His sword intent was restrained and profound, seemingly calm, yet the air in the entire Sword Inquiry Hall almost seemed to freeze. Standing below him were three core high-ranking members of the sect: Elder Ling Xuan, the Sword Venerable who held the highest seniority and was in charge of the sect's swordsmanship inheritance and ancient texts; Chief Enforcement Officer Jian Wuhen, who was in charge of the sect's rules and punishments and had a cold and ruthless temperament; and Eastern Border Sword Guardian Chu Linfeng, who guarded the airspace between Qingyun and Laoshan and commanded a large force of sword cultivators in the eastern border. All of them were high-ranking and powerful figures in the Qingyun Sect.

Shen Qinghan's gaze was indifferent as he looked at the people in the hall. His voice was as cold as ice: "The spiritual energy at the Guixu Sea Mouth is pure and abundant, which is most beneficial to our sect's sword cultivators for comprehending the Dao and tempering immortal swords. The inkstone also contains the inheritance of ancient swordsmanship. Laoshan has the treasure and holy land to itself, which cuts off our Qingyun Sect's path to the top of the East Sea."

Elder Ling Xuan, the Sword Master, with his white hair and beard, held an ancient longsword and spoke slowly and steadily: "Sect Master, our sect and Laoshan have always been allies of the righteous path. If we openly seize the treasure, it may give others cause for criticism and damage the reputation of our sect's righteous path. We need to consider this carefully."

Chief Enforcement Officer Jian Wuhen, dressed in a plain white sword robe, had sharp eyes like swords and a cold tone: "A false reputation is useless. Lin Yan is only at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet he holds a treasure that suppresses the meridians. He is guilty of possessing a treasure. Even if our sect takes action, it is to obtain the treasure and uphold the righteous path. We only need to find a pretext of 'protecting the treasure and quelling the chaos' to rightfully enter the Ruins of Return."

Chu Linfeng, the swordsman of the Eastern Territory, stood tall and straight, his sword intent resounding. He immediately bowed and said, "Your subordinate has already given orders to seal off all airspace in the Eastern Territory and to arrange for disciples to monitor the movements of Lingxian Valley and Guixu Sea Mouth 24 hours a day. As soon as there is any spiritual energy fluctuation, our sect's sword cultivators can arrive instantly and seize the initiative."

A cold glint flashed in Shen Qinghan's eyes, and his sword intent surged slightly. He ordered in a deep voice, "Pass down the order: the entire sect shall remain still and observe the situation. If the Burning Heaven Sect makes a move, our sect will observe; if the Blood Fiend Sect emerges, our sect will restrain them; once Laoshan reveals a weakness and fails to protect the Inkstone Pearl, our Qingyun Sect will take possession of the treasure and guard the Guixu Sea Mouth, protecting the peace of the righteous path in the East Sea!"

"Yes, sir!" The three high-ranking officials bowed in unison, and sword energy soared into the sky, piercing through the clouds, fully demonstrating the ambition and coldness of the great sword sect.

At this moment, on the Water Moon Pavilion's Misty Water Terrace, the voices were soft yet sharp. The misty waters of the Misty Water Marsh were filled with vapor, and lotus boats floated on the waves. The terrace had water steps and jade lotus seats. The beaded curtains around it rustled softly, creating a gentle and elegant scene. It seemed tranquil and peaceful, but in reality, the atmosphere was tense.

Pavilion Master Su Wanli, dressed in simple white robes, sat gracefully by the water, her gentle features and faint aura of water surrounding her. She sat upright on a jade chair, yet her eyes held an unyielding worry. Standing before her were three of the pavilion's most powerful figures: Ze Zhu Shui Ning Shuang, who oversaw the internal and external water veins and whose status was second only to the Pavilion Master; Ling Ze Elder Mu Qing Yao, an expert in water vein deduction and guardian of the sect's spiritual vein foundation; and the Shadow Water Guard Commander Luo Wei, who commanded the pavilion's Shadow Water Guards and specialized in intelligence gathering and covert operations. All three were core figures in power within the Water Moon Pavilion.

Su Wanli lightly brushed the water in front of her with her fingertips, her voice soft yet carrying a hint of heaviness: "The Guixu Sea Mouth is the source of the East Sea's water veins, directly affecting the two spiritual roots of my Pavilion, Yanshui Marsh and Xiangxue Lake. The Ink Pearl is in the hands of Laoshan, which can still maintain the balance of the water veins. If it falls into the hands of evil sects such as Burning Heaven and Blood Fiend, the spiritual foundation of my Water Moon Pavilion will surely collapse, and the destruction of the sect will be imminent."

Ze Zhu Shui Ning Shuang frowned, her tone grave: "Sect Master, in the battle of Lingxian Valley, I already intervened to restrain the Laoshan disciples. Our thousand-year-old friendship with Laoshan has long been fractured. To continue to blindly trust Laoshan is to hand over the fate of our sect to others, which is not a long-term solution."

Elder Mu Qingyao of Lingze sighed softly, her brows furrowed with helplessness: "Once the spiritual energy of Guixu is disrupted, all the spiritual plants and springs of our pavilion will be rendered useless, and the disciples' cultivation will also be severely damaged. We cannot take the initiative to compete, but we cannot retreat even half a step either. The only option is to defend as if it were an offense, and protect the foundation of the water veins."

Commander Luo Wei, the secret guard, spoke with a cold expression and a resolute tone: "I have already dispatched several elite secret guards to infiltrate Laoshan and its surroundings, closely monitoring Lin Yan and Yanzhu's movements, while also guarding key points of the East Sea water vein. If the four major sects make a move, our sect will prioritize protecting the water vein; if Laoshan is in imminent danger, we will immediately seize Yanzhu to protect ourselves and safeguard the foundation of our sect."

Su Wanli closed her eyes and sighed softly. When she opened them again, only determination remained in her gentle eyes. She softly ordered, "Follow this plan. Pass down the order that all disciples of the sect should not reveal their strength, not initiate battles, and strictly guard the water veins. A thousand years of friendship is as light as mist, but the survival of the sect is as heavy as a mountain. Everything must be done to protect Shuiyue Pavilion."

Everyone bowed in unison to accept the order, their figures disappearing silently into the misty water, revealing the Water Element Sect's hidden strength and unpredictable nature.

Inside the Blood Fiend Sect's Blood Axe Demon Hall, evil roars shook the heavens. Dark mist shrouded the sun on the Black Reef Island in the distant sea, and a bloody wind blew incessantly. The hall was built with white bones as steps and bloodstone as pillars. The stench of blood was pungent, and the cries of ghosts and wails were incessant. Everywhere was filled with an atmosphere of sinister violence, bloodlust, and madness.

Sect Master Mo Tu, clad in crimson heavy armor and wielding a massive crimson axe over ten feet long, sat atop a skull throne. His aura was overwhelmingly malevolent, almost tangible, and a single glance from him could terrify anyone who looked upon him. His Highness had three monstrous leaders standing before him: the Blood Demon Elder, Bone Demon, the most senior and ruthless cultivator of the Evil Bone Technique; the Black Reef Army Commander, Vengeful Ghost Sorrow, who commanded tens of thousands of evil cultivators and was known for his massacres; and the Prison Envoy, Poison Heart Rakshasa, specializing in torture, soul searching, poison concoction, and slave control—all notorious villains of the East Sea.

Mo Tu roared with maniacal laughter, his voice piercing and ferocious, causing the bones inside the hall to shatter: "What a fine successor to the Guixu lineage of Laoshan! Lin Yan, that brat, is just the right stepping stone for my Blood Fiend Sect! The Ink Pearl Treasure, the Guixu Spiritual Mechanism, and the seventy-two peaks of Laoshan—I, the sect master, want them all! After devouring the Guixu Spiritual Mechanism, I will crush all the righteous sects of the East Sea and dominate the four seas!"

The Blood Fiend Elder, Bone Demon, was emaciated and withered, and he chuckled sinisterly, "Sect Master, those two traitors, Hai Lan and Su Chen, who were expelled from Laoshan, are now stranded on the desolate reefs, reduced to cripples, and they hate Lin Yan to the core. I can personally capture them and use the forbidden Soul Searching Technique to interrogate them. I'm sure I can grasp all the secrets of Guixu!"

The Black Reef Army Commander, Gui Chou, with disheveled hair, roared, his ferocity unleashed: "This humble general is willing to lead all the evil cultivators under my command to ambush in the Yin Domain of Guixu Sea Mouth. Once the Laoshan, Fentian, Qingyun, and Shuiyue sects are exhausted from fighting each other, we will swarm them all, slaughter them all, seize their treasures, and occupy the mountain!"

The voice of the Executioner, Poisonous Heart Rakshasa, was high-pitched and eerie, his eyes filled with venom: "I can also refine Poison Soul Incense and secretly spread it around the outskirts of Laoshan to disturb the minds of its disciples, causing them to become suspicious and disorderly among themselves. This will weaken Laoshan's strength without lifting a finger."

Mo Tu's eyes flashed with murderous intent. He swung his giant blood-red axe, blood splattering everywhere, and roared, "Granted! Capture Hai Lan and Su Chen immediately and interrogate them by soul-searching! All evil cultivators on the island are to be mobilized and lie in wait in the Yin Domain of Guixu Sea Mouth. They must not make any rash moves! When the East Sea is in chaos, that will be the day my Blood Fiend Sect washes Laoshan in blood and reigns supreme over the East Sea!"

"We obey the sect leader's command!" The leaders of the evil cultivators inside the hall roared in response. The overwhelming Yin energy broke through the Demon Palace and pressed down on the starry sea, fully demonstrating the violence and madness of the evil sect.

The night was as dark as ink, and a terrifying storm was brewing. That night, no one in the entire cultivation world of the East Sea slept peacefully.