Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
A great many cracks appeared on the ground beneath Jing Jiu. If this place were not the center of the Great Formation of Cloud-Dream and the ground were not as hard as the magic treasures, he would have been crushed into the underground.
One of the most noteworthy features for the Scenic-Cloud Bell was its heavy weight.
Gazing at the Scenic-Cloud Bell in Jing Jiu’s hand, the incredulous and angry expression in the Unicorn’s eyes turned to fear; his breathing rate became faster. His front hooves were plowing the ground incessantly, sinking his head and shoulders slightly. It was not that he was ready to flee but to kneel down…
The Scenic-Cloud Bell was the most precious magic treasure of the Center Sect, having an unimaginably formidable power, except that it couldn’t attack over the distance like other magic treasures. However, once it was knocked close to the Cultivation practitioners, they, regardless of whether they were the figures in the Heavenly Arrival State or the disgraced immortals, would feel excruciatingly painful since their spiritual souls would be shattered by the vibration of the ringing bell.
Someone as powerful as Lian Sanyue was even intimidated by the Scenic-Cloud Bell in the Immortal Tan’s hand during the Battle of Zhaoge City. It was the day prior that the number one swordsman of the Underworld, the Underworld Master, had almost been killed by Tong Yan who sneak-attacked him with the Scenic-Cloud Bell.
No one could travel faster than Jing Jiu in this world. If he pursued his opponent while knocking the Scenic-Cloud Bell, it was indeed an assault that was difficult to ward off.
But, the Unicorn was a true divine animal from ancient times, having extremely powerful energy and Cultivation state. Like he said himself, he had many hidden magic methods. Even if he was a bit scared of the Scenic-Cloud Bell in Jing Jiu’s hand, he shouldn’t have felt so intimidated. His cowardly behavior was even worse than Ada.
Why did he behave as such?
“It’s said that the Scenic-Cloud Bell is your divine item, which was tied to your neck since ancient times.”
Jing Jiu continued while looking at the Unicorn, “But I don’t believe in any legend and myth.”
He was a legend in Chaotian himself; so he was fully aware that the myth was often far from the truth, except that the myth usually had some association with the truth.
For instance, it was said among the Cultivation practitioners that Emperor Xiao hid in a turtle shell. This myth evidently had something to do with the Round Turtle. In reality, the so-called turtle shell was a hardest magic treasure in the world. Sometimes, it was a turtle shell, but sometimes it was a clam; and it could be turned into a palace hall if Emperor Xiao wished to.
The association between the myth and truth was sometimes quite hilarious; the myth could be totally different from the truth.
If the Scenic-Cloud Bell were not the divine item tied to the Unicorn when he was born, why was it tied to his neck? Why did it become the magic treasure only the sect master of the Center Sect could keep?
One could come up with an answer that was close to the truth after making a simple postulation.
In fact, he and the Immortal Taiping had reached this conclusion several hundred years ago, which was substantiated by the reaction of the Unicorn today.
The Scenic-Cloud Bell was not a divine item of the Unicorn, but a divine item used to suppress him. It might be something produced by nature, but it could also be something that was tempered by a talented practitioner in ancient times or constructed by the founding grandmasters of the Center Sect.
The Green Mountain Sect had the sheath of the Inherited Heaven Sword that had been used to control the All in One Sword; it was the same principle.
Hearing what Jing Jiu said, the Unicorn realized that Jing Jiu knew about the usage of the Scenic-Cloud Bell, a hint of anger flashing in the end of his eyes. Yet the Unicorn suppressed his fear forcefully as he said, “Is it too shameful to use the precious treasure of the Center Sect to deal with me, the divine animal of the Center Sect?”
“I think it’s quite fitting,” rejoined Jing Jiu.
The Unicorn yelled in despair and anger, “This matter has nothing to do with me!”
“I’m curious as well. Why didn’t Bai Yuan bring you with her while doing this?” demanded Jing Jiu.
The Unicorn said, “I’m a divine being. To kill a few people once in a while is not a big deal. But I can’t do this sort of thing all the time because I’m afraid of the heavenly punishment.”
The change in heaven and earth was clearly sensed by this divine animal from ancient times.
“Immortal, please calm down. That little girl, Bai Yuan, is so insane, so she has done such a crazy thing.”
The Unicorn continued helplessly while looking at Jing Jiu, “Under the circumstances, she would not care about my life and death.”
“So, she wouldn’t show up even if she knew I’m going to kill you,” said Jing Jiu.
“That’s right,” returned the Unicorn earnestly.
“If I haven’t killed her within two hours, I’ll come back to kill you.”
Having said this, Jing Jiu put away the Scenic-Cloud Bell and turned to leave Cloud-Dream Mountain.
…
…
The bright sword light broke through the endless clouds and fog and returned to the fields, mountains and rivers of Chaotian, traveling among them at an unimaginably fast speed.
The sword light had seen the whole of human world and was also seen by the whole of human world.
The mortals in the fields and towns thought it was an ominous sign to see the shooting star during the broad daylight, spitting to the ground frequently.
Yet, the Cultivation practitioners of various sects didn’t think this way. Looking at the fleeting sword light in the sky, they generated a great deal of awe and aspiration in their hearts.
On a huge cloud boat, the Immortal Tan looked at the sword light that flashed here and then in heaven and earth while putting away the bloody handkerchief and sighed, the wrinkles on his broad forehead growing deeper.
The people on Green Mountain had seen the sword light as well; their responses and emotions were various.
On the top of Shenmo Peak, Liu Shisui pressed his palms together to recite the scripts he had learned while he was at the Fruit Formation Temple. Yuan Qü was calculating how long the Immortal Sect Master would take to find the Immortal Bai based on the speed of the sword light and the number of the passages leading to the Underworld with a pen and a paper in his hands. Zhuo Rusui was lying on the bamboo chair with his hands behind his head; it was unclear what was on his mind.
As the sword light was traveling in the world, Ping Yongjia was summoning the sword instructions on the Sword Peak.
His face was pale, and his sword wills were highly exhausted, his fingers pointing at the sky while trembling incessantly.
Instead of operating the sword, Ping Yongjia, under the circumstances, seemed more like he was being controlled by the sword light.
Zhao Layue didn’t look at the sword light in the sky; she had been gazing at Ping Yongjia’s face the entire time.
The Immortal Guangyuan thought that she was worried that Ping Yongjia might not be able to hold up and that the Immortal Sect Master would no longer be able to travel as a sword light. Nan Wang thought that Zhao Layue was pondering how to replace Ping Yongjia with her own formed shapeless sword body. Yet, the Green Girl was the only one who knew that Zhao Layue had another idea that couldn’t be revealed to anybody else, this in addition to all the thoughts just mentioned.
“Are you observing to find out his weakness so that you will be able to kill him any time you want to?”
The Green Girl flew to the rear of Zhao Layue and asked gingerly by the spiritual awareness.
After a pause, Zhao Layue nodded imperceptibly.
…
…
The sword light had visited all the places of the human world.
It had been to all the possible places where the Immortal Bai might be.
Jing Jiu had checked the passage leading to the Underworld at the Cold Mountain and the other passages. He had even gone to the Huge Whirlpool and the Underworld. Later, he lingered by the East Ocean for a while.
In the end, he hadn’t found any trace of her; and time was up. As such, he came back to Cloud-Dream Mountain and the deep end of the Great Formation of Cloud-Dream, before the Unicorn.
“I thought you would try to flee,” remarked Jing Jiu.
The Unicorn knew that Jing Jiu was about to strike him as he saw Jing Jiu’s pale face and the dim but insane gleam in the deep end of Jing Jiu’s eyes. “Can I travel faster than you?” the Unicorn exclaimed angrily.
Jing Jiu returned, “But you can hide the same way as Bai Yuan has done.”
The Unicorn said helplessly, “Can’t you stop testing me? I really have no idea where she is or what method she has used to conceal her energy.”
“I have no choice but to kill you then,” said Jing Jiu.
A cold and contented expression showed in the Unicorn’s eyes, as he said, “I’ve just thought of something.”
Jing Jiu took out the Scenic-Cloud Bell, saying nothing.
“Haven you forgotten the Longevity Mountain?” the Unicorn yelled hastily.
…
…
Longevity Mountain was located in the southeast of Chaotian, a long distance from the Fruit Formation Temple and the Water-Moon Nunnery.
This mountain was lush with green trees and almost cloudless, and it was here that the tombs of the previous dynasty were found . The No-Mercy Sect had occupied the place a great many years ago and used it as their headquarters.
The No-Mercy Sect had no figure in the Heavenly Arrival State after Pei Baifa departed the world after the fight with the Godly Swordsman of West Ocean, and they were forced to seal off their mountains. Besides Liu Shisui, no one else had visited the place.
The royal tombs of the previous dynasty had the formation that could conceal energies, and the No-Mercy Sect had activated the Great Formation to seal off the mountains; as a result, this place was utterly isolated from heaven and earth. It was understandable that no one could sense the Immortal Bai’s energy here.
More importantly, there was a passage leading to the Underworld beneath the royal tombs of the previous dynasty. The No-Mercy Sect had lost many lives to guard this passage for many generations.
The greenish cliff looked rejuvenated after being illuminated by the sword light briefly.
The mountain wind tousled the white cloth and the hair, which merged into the fading sword light.
Standing above the cloud, Jing Jiu looked down at the uninterrupted hills below with furrowed eyebrows, looking like a sword that was about to come out of its sheath.
The Green Mountain Sect and the No-Mercy Sect were on good terms for generations. He had been to this place before, but he never liked the energy here.
This negative feeling had nothing to do with the dark energy of the tombs and the dark wind coming out from the Underworld.
The emperors and empresses of the previous dynasty were buried in the tombs on this mountain; but he was a royal member of the Jing family, so it was natural that he felt it out of place.
The formation of the tombs of the previous dynasty had no impact on Jing Jiu; but the Great Formation of the No-Mercy Sect that was used to seal off the mountains was indeed formidable; it blocked all the sunlight and rain outside the mountains by encasing the area of one hundred square miles with a seemingly indestructible and shapeless lid.
Fortunately, Jing Jiu was indeed very good at cutting off things.
His line of sight fell on Longevity Mountain. Soon after, he surveyed all the cliffs and even every ancient tree, and found the only passage of this formation.
Since the Green Mountain Sect and the No-Mercy Sect were steadfast allies, it was inappropriate for him, the Sect Master of Green Mountain, to break through the formation; however, he didn’t have time to think about this and flew over without a second thought.
The bright sword light illuminated an ancient tree. It vanished instantly after he sliced open the bark of the tree, and it was already inside the great formation as it reappeared.
The elders and disciples of the No-Mercy Sect were cultivating behind closed doors in the manor caves, and didn’t sense the arrival of the sword light. The formidable sword will had merely disturbed the fallen leaves.
Isolated by the Great Formation sealing off the mountains, the seasons in this place was not the same as other places in Chaotian. It still felt like autumn here.
The yellowish leaves were flying, like countless butterflies dancing around in the air.
The sword light passed through a great many yellowish leaves and arrived before the grand hall of the No-Mercy Sect; it continued traveling toward the deep part of longevity Mountain after pushing the heavy stone gate open soundlessly.
The grand hall was the front temple for the royal tombs of the previous dynasty, the inside of which was the inner section of the royal tombs.
With many crisp and faint breaking sounds, the sword light had broken through dozens of stone walls and seven halls, and arrived at the deepest end of the royal tombs.
A famous tyrant of the previous dynasty was buried in this tomb. It was fairly large with a different construction than the others.
The coffin made of the white jade laying in the middle of the tomb exuded a cold and gloomy odor.
The Immortal Bai was lying inside the white jade coffin.
Crack!!!
The white jade coffin ruptured as a bright sword light drifted into it; however…it halted.
This sword light had sliced a Gorge and pushed up a mountain range; no one could resist it in heaven and earth. But it was blocked by an object at the moment.
It was something impossible to imagine in the world.
The sword light was still.
The broken pieces of the white jade coffin fell down like snowflakes.
Jing Jiu appeared in person.
The Immortal Bai looked at him quietly with a clam in her hand.
Jing Jiu’s finger was pinched by the clam.
