Chapter 419 - 50: Red Bell
Inside the Lingxiao Three Sceneries Talisman.
Amidst a stretch of towering mountains, two youths sat cross-legged atop a peak, cultivating in silence.
During this trip to the Western Wilderness, Fang Cheng had not allowed the two to reveal their avatars. After arriving at the Purple River Valley, he had simply instructed the brothers to cultivate diligently inside the Talisman.
Jingyuan let out a long cry as his figure shot into the sky. A divine light erupted from his body, his aura surged, and a nimble, graceful sword light circled around him, letting out a clear, sonorous ring.
He stood in the void, sensing the abundant and enduring Magical Power within him. He couldn’t help but exclaim, "This talisman seed is truly incredible! In just a few days, it’s allowed me to break through to the eighth layer of the Sensation realm, multiplying my strength several times over!"
What was even more unbelievable to him was that he now had a karmic connection with a Tribulation Realm Great Power—an existence so far beyond his reach he wouldn’t have dared to even dream of it before.
"If I can truly master this Celestial Demon Slaying Immortal Technique, I might just be able to roam the world unrivaled, invincible for a lifetime."
Jingyuan’s eyes burned with determination. His ambition flared, and even his Flying Sword erupted with a piercing glow, its Sword Intent chilling to the bone.
「Below.」
Jingxuan sat cross-legged on a large boulder. A gentle light flowed over his body, and behind him, a halo of Buddha Light had formed, looking profound and extraordinary.
Although he hadn’t broken through like Jingyuan, his physical body seemed to have undergone a profound transformation. It was tougher than before, his vital energy and blood as dense as mercury, as if he had attained a hint of an indestructible, diamond-like state.
Jingyuan suddenly felt a pang of homesickness. ’I wonder what Dad is doing now, and when he’ll return to the Abyssal Marsh.’
He had a restless personality, and cultivating inside this Talisman felt somewhat stifling. It couldn’t compare to the freedom of being on the Primordial Qi Celestial Island.
Jingxuan looked up, a wise light flickering in his eyes. He saw through his brother’s thoughts at a glance and smiled. "Brother, Dad told us to cultivate here, so we should just focus on that. This world inside the Talisman is also a good place to temper our dispositions."
Jingyuan pouted. "You might be able to sit still, but I can’t. How about we spar for a bit?"
Jingxuan sighed and shook his head. "Alright. I’ve gained some insights from my cultivation over the past few days. It’s a good opportunity to test them out."
With that, Jingxuan stepped onto the Buddha Light and rose into the air, beginning to spar with Jingyuan.
「...」
「In the main hall of the Water Mansion.」
After Fang Cheng finished the Jade Snow Ice Banquet, the beautiful woman, whose skin was as fair as jade, was carried away by the Maids.
He chatted with Zhao Wuji, the Qianmu Demon King, and Mo Yuan for a while before the banquet concluded.
Afterward, a Maid led him to a courtyard in the Water Mansion. This was the residence the Mo Family had arranged for him.
The Maid brought him to the entrance, curtsied respectfully, and took her leave.
Fang Cheng walked into the courtyard and found it to be a quiet and classic siheyuan. A Spirit Gathering Array had been set up inside, making the Spiritual Qi abundant. The place was elegant, serene, and exquisitely furnished, making one feel quite comfortable, truly at home.
The courtyard was dotted with a Spirit Fish Pool, verdant slender bamboo, a pavilion, and stone tables, every detail showcasing meticulous craftsmanship.
His Divine Sense detected someone in the West Wing Room, so he pushed the door open to take a look. Inside, he saw a bathing pool constructed from mutton-fat white jade. Steam curled up from the pool, and a subtle fragrance filled the air.
A Beautiful Female Cultivator with fair skin and a seductive figure was leaning against the edge of the pool. Her back was to Fang Cheng, revealing the slender curve of her waist and back. Water glistened on her full, perky, snow-white bottom.
Seeing her fair waist and hips, Fang Cheng recognized her at a glance as the lead dancer.
She was also the one who had served him the Jade Snow Ice Banquet just moments before.
Hearing someone enter, the woman abruptly turned her head, revealing an exquisite, beautiful face. With a shy yet respectful expression, she quickly stood up and said, "Senior, this little girl, Mo Ye Lan, pays her respects. For the next few days, I will be attending to you in your chambers. Please forgive me if my service is lacking in any way."
’The Mo Family certainly knows how to play their cards,’ Fang Cheng thought. ’A woman with such a stunning figure, graceful dance, and beauty that outshines all others was likely intended as a companion for Zhao Wuji. But after seeing how Zhao Wuji treated me, they arranged for her to be here instead. A flower in bloom is meant to be plucked. This Water Mansion is quiet and peaceful—a perfect place to relax for a few days and sample the delights of a Mo Family female cultivator.’
「...」
「Several days later.」
Three thousand li north of the Purple River Valley, amidst a vast expanse of snowy mountains.
A gleam of light flashed on the horizon. A single point of spiritual radiance grew larger as it approached from the distance.
A moment later, a Flying Boat that looked as if it were carved from solid ice burst through the clouds and soared over.
Two men sat aboard the Flying Boat. The one in front wore an ornate Magical Robe, had a jade-like complexion and large ears, and his eyes were slightly closed. A black beard hung down to his chest, giving him a majestic and upright demeanor.
The man behind him was an unremarkable, middle-aged man who was holding a Compass and staring at it with intense focus.
He was piloting the Flying Boat while watching the Compass, as if searching for something.
「A short while later.」
The Flying Boat stopped halfway up a snowy mountain. Snow that hadn’t melted in a thousand years weighed down the peak. The majestic, colossal mountain blotted out half the sky, making one feel utterly insignificant.
"Master Chen, the Ancient Cultivator’s Cave Mansion is here," the middle-aged man said respectfully.
He possessed a Late-stage Life Talisman Cultivation. His aura was restrained and profound, and the honest, stoic expression on his face gave him an air of being exceptionally reliable and down-to-earth.
The "Master Chen" he spoke of was Chen Chizhong, who ranked tenth among the thirteen Supreme Elders of the Qiankun Saint Sect.
Chen Chizhong slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the snowy mountain below, and nodded. "There is indeed a faint, hidden aura. Are you certain this is the Heritage Mansion of a Late-stage Life Soul Cultivator?"
The middle-aged man bowed. "I would not dare deceive you, Master Chen. Although I did not venture deep into the Cave Mansion back then, based on the signs on the periphery, it is indeed the Heritage Mansion of a Late-stage Life Soul Ancient Cultivator."
He had discovered this Cave Mansion in his early years. Unfortunately, his Cultivation was insufficient to break the restrictive seals inside, so he had to postpone exploring it again and again.
He had planned to return after his Cultivation had improved, but breaking through the Life Soul Barrier proved to be as difficult as ascending to heaven. As his age advanced and the hope of a breakthrough faded, he decided it was better to cooperate with a Life Soul Cultivator from the sect to retrieve the treasures, rather than let the opportunity go to waste while he guarded it in vain.
This was the middle-aged man’s original story.
Chen Chizhong had known him for many years and had also examined the treasure the man had brought back from the outskirts of the Heritage Mansion, so he was mostly convinced.
「At this moment.」
Chen Chizhong stood up, stepped off the Flying Boat, and said in a low voice, "If you have deceived me in the slightest, don’t blame me for being merciless."
With that, he waved his large sleeve. A terrifyingly hot wind swept over the mountain, instantly melting the white snow. SIZZLING steam billowed into the air.
Black mountain rock was revealed before the two of them.
The entrance to a cave came into view. A few steps inside was a stone door. The restrictive seal on it flickered; it was clearly what the middle-aged man had left behind years ago to conceal the aura.
The Heritage Mansion’s true restrictive seals were still inside.
Chen Chizhong landed before the stone door and pushed. The seal on the door instantly shattered, and the heavy stone door slowly swung open.
「Suddenly!」
A glittering golden rope shot out from behind the door, faster than lightning and impossible to guard against.
A look of surprise crossed Chen Chizhong’s face. He thought it was a sentient treasure from within the Heritage Mansion trying to escape.
He reached out with his large hand, intending to grab the golden rope, but it coiled and flashed. In a blur, it wrapped around his arm!
The next moment, the Immortal Binding Rope extended and coiled, and in the blink of an eye, it had bound the Supreme Elder of the Qiankun Saint Sect tightly.
Chen Chizhong suddenly had a bad feeling. He felt his Magical Power, Divine Sense, and physical body all being suppressed and bound by an invisible, immense force. No matter how much he struggled, it was useless.
In a single instant, he had become a fish on the chopping block.
"Fellow Daoist Fang, what a powerful Magical Artifact!" a voice called out from inside the Heritage Mansion.
Chen Chizhong looked over in astonishment and saw three Cultivators with unfathomably deep auras walk out of the Heritage Mansion.
All three of them had a higher Cultivation than him. The way they looked at him was like a predator staring at its prey.
Realization instantly dawned on him. He whipped his head around to glare furiously at the middle-aged man and roared, "Gao Mingxuan, you dare set a trap for me?! Aren’t you afraid of the sect’s punishment?"
But the middle-aged man didn’t even look at him. He fell to his knees before the Cultivator in the middle. "I respectfully welcome Your Lordship’s arrival in the Western Wilderness."
「...」