524: Chapter 77: Shining Through_2 524: Chapter 77: Shining Through_2 “The chess game today is destined to come to its conclusion.”
Nalan Qiutong said with regret, “Prince, if you’re interested, you may accompany me to Qixia Mountain.”
“If General Du does not object, I would naturally be willing.”
Xie Zhi spoke softly, “Who would still be interested in playing chess when there’s such a show to watch?”
“Object?”
Nalan Qiutong smiled and said, “He will not object… Hey, surname Du, send a message to Chen Chong to arrange a feng shui haven, to provide our esteemed guest with the best seat for the spectacle.”
“…?”
Du Yunzhong’s frown deepened.
Had he heard it right, Nalan Qiutong was taking Xie Zhi to Qixia Mountain?
Du Yunzhong took a deep breath, suddenly recalling the Great General’s admonition before departure, to always send a message to inquire first in any situation, and upon reflection, his previous thrust indeed seemed recklessly impetuous.
According to the Prince’s instruction, he ought to have inquired before unsheathing.
He pulled out the messaging token and related the situation here in its entirety, asking whether to bring along the Prince of Jiangning.
A moment later.
He received Chen Chong’s affirmative response.
Damn it!
The Great Chu’s Prince Jiangning was truly the Great General’s guest!
“The two of you, please follow me.”
Du Yunzhong composed his emotions, expressionless, pulled out a talisman, and ignited a gateway amidst the mist.
…
…
In the Qixia Mountain Range, the mist was torn by star fire.
Du Yunzhong used his spear to part a gap, and outside the gateway was a sheer cliff offering an overlook of the entire Qixia Valley.
Nalan Qiutong stepped through the gateway first, the Prince of Jiangning with his sleeves gathered, following closely.
“Is this the great spectacle of today?”
Xie Zhi narrowed his eyes, smiling as he spoke.
“Qixia Mountain’s terrain appears flat, with an official road built, but in reality, it hides another Grotto Heaven.
Miles into the mountain, the broad road gradually narrows.”
Nalan Qiutong spoke calmly, “The place we are standing now is known as ‘Treasure Bottle Mouth’.”
Treasure Bottle Mouth?
That’s an interesting name, with an entry but no exit, a good omen.
Xie Zhi looked back and saw that the top of Treasure Bottle Mouth was shrouded in dense fog, unusually thick, clearly not a product of natural weather.
Du Yunzhong, holding his spear, stood atop the high mountain, and behind him, faint lights flickered…
It was evident that an army was stationed here, and the so-called “thick fog” was merely an illusion created by Array Patterns and Talismans.
“I’ve heard that General Du’s Camp Cang, each one carefully selected, is an elite force, able to fight one against a hundred.”
The Prince of Jiangning said, “However…
you both should be aware of what happened at Qu River, right?
Among the Fan Yin Temple embassy, there are two Reincarnated Yang Gods stationed, and deceiving their eyes will be no easy feat.”
“Xuanwei Island isn’t only adept at the ‘Control String Skill’, their array setting skills are likewise top-notch in the world.”
Nalan Qiutong’s expression was indifferent, “The grand array at Treasure Bottle Mouth was personally laid by the Master.
Forget those two Reincarnated Yang Gods who currently possess only Cave Heaven Realm strength… even if they advance another realm, it’s uncertain whether they would be capable of detecting the ambush atop the mountain.”
“Of course, at this level, it may not really be so reliant on ‘Divine Soul Detection’.”
Nalan Qiutong paused and sneered, “I heard that Sword Cultivators’ ‘Heart Lake Sensing’ is incredibly sensitive, perhaps Xie Zhen sensed something amiss long ago…”
Unable to hold back, Venerable Bai Yu, who followed behind the Prince of Jiangning, asked, “That being the case, if they sense something is wrong and don’t enter Treasure Bottle Mouth?”
“If among them, somebody truly has a premonition and refrains from advancing upon reaching Treasure Bottle Mouth, then they’ve got great skill.”
Nalan Qiutong spoke without any expression, “But even so, what can be done?
Camp Cang, Yuzi Camp, Yuanzhou Iron Cavalry have all been set in ambush in every direction around Qixia Mountain, lying in wait for days, just waiting for the order to surge from all sides…
Treasure Bottle Mouth might seem the entrance to the deathtrap, but the real deathtrap has already been set the moment they stepped into Qixia Mountain.
If they do not enter this trap, there are other deathtraps waiting; it’s just that without the ‘natural advantage’ of Treasure Bottle Mouth, this ambush would become considerably more troublesome.”
As she said this, a ruthless glint flashed through her eyes.
Nalan Xuance’s character was cold and ruthless, his methods merciless.
As his favorite disciple, her way of doing things almost perfectly mirrored her Master’s.
This battle at Qixia Mountain was not originally so intricately planned.
After the battle at Qu River.
The news reached the Li Kingdom, and Yuanzhou Iron Cavalry began to mobilize, ready to commence the ambush as soon as the Fan Yin Temple embassy entered their territory—
The reason it evolved into this was because of Chen Chong!
Chen Chong wanted Nalan Qiutong to first disguise herself as a Dark Child of the Book Tower using the “String Skill” and meet Xie Zhen face to face.
If she could persuade Xie Zhen to part ways with the Fan Yin Temple embassy, then this ambush would become much easier.
The usually decisive Nalan Xuance surprisingly agreed to this suggestion.
Nalan Qiutong, with her relatively shallow cultivation and experience, had no choice but to comply…
She held little hope for such a probe from the beginning, and the outcome, as expected, did not defy expectations.
This premature contact not only failed to have the intended effect, it also exposed the ambush lurking deep within Qixia Mountain.
“Here they come.”
Venerable Bai Yu spoke in a grave tone.
Above the mountain cliff at Treasure Bottle Mouth, fog intertwined, protecting the group; from the peak looking downward, one could clearly see the Fan Yin Temple delegation proceeding in a single-file line in the distance.
Perhaps it was the prior “contact” that had made this delegation cautious.
The Ming Sha Treasure Staff was suspended in the sky.
One by one, the True Words of Light converged, encircling the delegation, shedding cascades of radiance and shattering the thick fog.
Clip-clop…
Clip-clop…
The sound of horse hooves echoed over Treasure Bottle Mouth.
“Humming…”
General Du Yunzhong lifted an arm, clutching a Star Fire Talisman; atop the mountain, light and fire ignited, forming a gargantuan portal.
With just a single thought, the grand portal, which connected to the bottom exit of the cliff at Treasure Bottle Mouth, could be directly opened!
The Camp Cang iron cavalry who had been resting here for a while began to form ranks.
Every person was armored in iron, simply waiting for the command to charge.
It was at this moment.
“They…
have stopped?!”
One li in front of Treasure Bottle Mouth.
As the delegation was almost set to enter this narrow passage, they suddenly came to a slow halt.
“…”
The mountain top fell into silence.
General Du Yunzhong’s expression was icy cold as he stared fixedly at the caravan.
Nalan Qiutong furrowed his brow, remaining silent.
Everyone was waiting.
…
…
“Uncle Master, Benefactor…
I don’t feel so good.”
The Fan Yin Temple delegation stopped at the entrance of Treasure Bottle Mouth.
Within the Golden Light Array, Mi Yun’s face was pale; he looked rather ill, surrounded by Miao Zhen, Jun Mountain, Xie Xuanyi, and Deng Baiyi.
The young monk lay flat in the spacious carriage, surrounded by golden light, a wisp of auric radiance gathering at his brow.
The green robes fluttered about him with no wind to stir them.
One could vaguely make out a massive golden skeleton, enveloping the young monk like a comforter.
“Endure it…
This is a good sign, the Tanluan Buddha Bones are merging with your Divine Soul.”
Miao Zhen wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, a flash of distress crossing his eyes.
Mi Yun was just a child.
The suffering he was undergoing now, all rooted in Buddhism.
As an Innate Reincarnator, the process of soul fusion was extraordinarily brief.
As the original consciousness faded, it would merge with the old soul, and the entire process was like having slept through the night.
Despite the agony, it would dissipate by the next day…
But it was different for Mi Yun.
The piercing pain would persist with him until he completely subdued the Tanluan Buddha Bones.
“Mm…”
Mi Yun was frail, barely managing a muffled grunt through his nostrils.
Xie Xuanyi found it equally unbearable to witness.
In silence, he imparted a wisp of the Principle of Life, even sending forth a mist of Undying Spring Water Vapor, but alas, the suffering of Mi Yun didn’t stem from “injuries”; the Life Dao and Undying Spring afforded him minimal relief.
As the carriage was engulfed in silence,
a muffled grunt sounded.
The golden light within the carriage suddenly turned violent, Mi Yun cried out in pain, and the Karma Principle at his brow started condensing out of control again, intertwining dozens of golden wisps…
dispelling layers of fog, spreading into an image like a painting.
“What’s this?”
Deng Baiyi was taken aback, her pupils contracting.
Within the golden light painting, a narrow and towering cliff was revealed, exactly one li away at Treasure Bottle Mouth.
The tightly concealed area atop the cliff, shrouded by dense fog, was penetrated by the Karma Principle.
Several figures were directly illuminated by the Karma Principle.
Nalan Qiutong, Xie Zhisu, the Tiger General clad in azure armor Du Yunzhong wielding a long spear…
As well as behind Du Yunzhong, the densely arranged Camp Cang iron cavalry, ready for battle!