Chapter 505 - 140: Jia-Upper 03
The giant locust tree, which towered into the clouds, twisted and contorted under the influence of the Wood Spirit Array created by Huishan True Monarch, which was now in the process of devouring it.
When Huishan True Monarch sensed the Wood Spirit Origin on Wu Ma Daoist, the anticipation in his eyes grew even stronger. He looked at Xiao Shan Lord and asked, "Is that the Wood Spirit Origin that belonged to Yuxiao?"
"That’s right!"
"I see. He must have been Yuxiao’s puppet all along?" Huishan True Monarch revealed a genial smile. "When did you all start planning this?"
"Far earlier than you can imagine!"
"So, what are you going to do next?"
Xiao Shan Lord didn’t answer. He summoned a White Jade Brush and infused it with the activated Heaven-Stealing Talisman. Then, holding the brush in his right hand and staring at Huishan True Monarch, he said, "Remember what I said earlier?"
"Alpha-03, the Divine Jade Brush. HAHA! I’ve been searching for it ever since Yuxiao fell. To think you were the one who hid it. Excellent!"
Though Huishan True Monarch’s words sounded imposing, in the very next moment, he decisively severed the Array that was devouring the giant locust tree and attempted to flee the area.
Meanwhile, Xiao Shan Lord’s left hand quickly formed a Spell. The Divine Jade Brush in his other hand sketched a few strokes in the void. As soon as the strokes were complete, his Primordial Spirit Consciousness swiftly finished fusing with the Spiritual Body of Wu Ma Daoist beside him.
But Huishan True Monarch, in his attempt to flee, was now entangled by the giant locust tree. The tables had turned—the tree was now trying to fuse with him!
The moment Xiao Shan Lord’s Primordial Spirit Consciousness finished merging with Wu Ma Daoist’s Spiritual Body, the sky-piercing locust tree seemed to go berserk. It used its dense branches to seize Xiao Shan Lord and begin devouring him.
Just then, a colossal, ethereal palm descended from the depths of space, plummeting toward the fusing giant locust tree in an attempt to destroy it.
But as soon as it pierced the atmosphere, it was completely consumed by a tangible vortex of suction. The source of this power was a Jade Green Gourd, which, after absorbing the ethereal palm, landed in a large, sallow hand.
It was True Monarch Yuan Wu!
He was dressed in a blue, Narrow-sleeved Daoist Robe that hung loosely on his gaunt frame. His skin was as weather-beaten as a farmer’s, his snow-white hair was unruly, and he sported a drooping mustache. After putting away the gourd, he cupped his fist toward the west and said, "Fellow Daoist Tian Gong, why must you interfere in their private feud?"
Master Tian Gong, the Five Realms True Monarch who backed Vajra Temple, and the one Master Kaiyun called ’Senior Brother’. He had a dignified and solemn bearing, wore a yellow Daoist Robe, and stood upon a lotus throne as a Profound Light behind him emanated a golden radiance.
In response to True Monarch Yuan Wu’s question, he pressed his palms together and murmured, "The Saint is merciful!"
Having spoken, he prepared to strike the giant locust tree again. Just then, a figure arrived in a flash from the south. This person was clad in a wide-sleeved white robe, with a golden jade belt at his waist. His face shifted and changed with every passing moment, and a clear, celestial melody echoed through the world wherever he passed.
"Ling Mountain, the matter from several thousand years ago is still unresolved, and now you want to interfere in this as well?"
Master Tian Gong stayed his hand. Looking at the newcomer with an expression of great compassion, he revealed the man’s identity.
Ling Mountain True Monarch, the Ancestral Master and founder of the Yuqing Sect!
"Shouldn’t we be calling him Xuanqing now?"
Another figure landed beside Master Tian Gong. He looked toward Ling Mountain True Monarch and said, "Xuanqing, you stole the foundation of the Yuqing Sect thousands of years ago. Are you trying to pull the same trick again?"
This man was clad in chillingly glinting black armor, his face obscured by a dense web of black and purple runes. He was mounted upon a bizarre, lion-like beast, and the Netherworld Aura emanating from it stained half the sky pitch-black.
This was Bai Yan Daoist, a True Monarch of the Taiyin Sect!
"The flourishing of the Human Dao is the tide of destiny. Why must you two insist on going against it?"
True Monarch Yuan Wu glanced at Ling Mountain True Monarch—or rather, True Monarch Xuanqing. Seeing that he had no intention of speaking, Yuan Wu cupped his fist and responded to the two newcomers himself.
Bai Yan Daoist’s gaze swept past True Monarch Yuan Wu and landed on the site of the giant locust tree. By now, the tree had completely fused with Xiao Shan Lord and Huishan True Monarch. The colossal tree that had pierced the clouds was gone, replaced by an amorphous cluster of Spirit Veins that was struggling to coalesce into a human form.
"This act of yours will cause rivers of blood to flow throughout the world!"
Seeing that the situation was irreversible, Bai Yan Daoist left with that final warning, vanishing in a surge of Netherworld Aura. Master Tian Gong pressed his palms together, murmured "The Saint is merciful," and disappeared in a flash of Profound Light.
Ling Mountain True Monarch, however, left without a single word, retreating to the south and vanishing in the blink of an eye.
True Monarch Yuan Wu chuckled, picked up the gourd from his waist, and gave it a gentle shake. He then reached out to grab the Divine Jade Brush floating in mid-air before transforming into a streak of light and flying south.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared at the foot of a Nameless Mountain Peak on Ningzhou Road. Here stood a small, thatched-roof courtyard, where a teapot on a wooden table still steamed with heat.
True Monarch Yuan Wu entered the courtyard and casually set his gourd on the wooden table. He poured himself a cup of tea while idly tossing the Divine Jade Brush. Just as he was about to drink, a beautiful fox leaped over the fence. It approached the table, swaying its nine tails, then hopped onto a nearby bamboo chair and spoke in a human voice, "Will he succeed?"
It was the Star Demoness!
"Fellow Daoist Huishan was severely injured in a battle thousands of years ago, so his Primordial Spirit was already unstable. Xiao Shan has successfully inscribed the Heaven-Stealing Talisman. Add to that Yuxiao’s prior arrangements and the mark he planted in Huishan’s Primordial Spirit—all this gives Xiao Shan a very high chance of success!"
True Monarch Yuan Wu took out an empty teacup and poured a cup for the Nine-tailed Fox.
The Nine-tailed Fox extended a paw from its right foreleg, which transformed into a human hand as it touched the cup. She downed the tea in a single gulp, then asked, "And what of Xuanqing’s condition?"
True Monarch Yuan Wu shook his head. "Not good. His fusion with Ling Mountain True Monarch’s Primordial Spirit is saturated. He can only maintain his current state. We’ll have to find another solution in the future."
"Oh."
The Star Demoness’s eyes darted to the Divine Jade Brush. "Who do you plan to give it to?"
"It disrupts the balance of heaven and earth too much. To use it just this once, we’ve already done too many things we shouldn’t have. We must prevent another incident like what happened at Yongming Port. For now, I’ll hold onto it."
"Just as well. Mozhou Road has suffered enough because of it."
Not wanting to discuss the topic further, True Monarch Yuan Wu put away the Divine Jade Brush. As he picked up the teapot to pour more tea, he said, "Next, we have to repay the favor we owe Lieyang True Monarch. And his favors aren’t easy to repay."
The Star Demoness’s nine tails swayed gently. "That is a troublesome matter indeed," she replied. "His affairs are too entangled. Never mind the schisms involving the First Day, the First Sect, and the Sun Sect; just think about how we outmaneuvered those people this time. It certainly won’t be so simple next time."
"If only Xiao Shan could fully complete the fusion..."
"That’s impossible. At best, he can only keep Huishan in check. Our hope lies with the next person to ascend."
As he spoke, True Monarch Yuan Wu raised his teacup and gazed toward the north.
「North.」
「The skies above Shangjing City.」
The amorphous Spirit Vein, formed from the giant locust tree’s fusion with Huishan True Monarch and Xiao Shan Lord, had finally managed to assume a human form, suppressing the chaotic frenzy within it.
However, the face of this humanoid form would twist into the likeness of Huishan True Monarch one moment, only to shift into that of Xiao Shan Lord the next.
After repeating this cycle hundreds of times, the face finally settled into the likeness of Xiao Shan Lord. Seizing this moment of clarity, he quickly formed a Spell seal with his left hand and lightly tapped the spot between his brows. A sphere of white light, so brilliant it looked solid, flew out from his glabella. It then transformed into a streak of light and vanished over the southern horizon.