Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 255 253: Lin Qianyan Inquires About Her Husband's Whereabouts in the Yin Yang Sacred Land

The Kunlun Mountain Secret Realm.

Inky clouds pressed down, making the mountain ridges bow, while eerie, violet-blue lightning roiled between heaven and earth.

The Cultivators, who had been fighting fiercely all across the Secret Realm for Ancient Magical Treasures and inheritances, suddenly felt a premonition and all looked toward the realm's depths.

A black-blue mist, thick with the stench of ten thousand years of decay, surged forth as if from the Nine Nether Abyss, drifting over from the Imperial City Ruins within the Secret Realm.

The Cultivators closest to the mist had no time to flee before they were instantly swallowed by the black-blue miasma.

That Cultivator opened his eyes and saw a scene straight out of a parade of a hundred ghosts.

Tens of thousands of Undead cavalry shattered the void, their decaying Bronze Battle Armor revealing the ghastly white bones beneath.

"It's... it's the Undead tide! Are these the lingering Undead spirits of the Asura Race? Dammit, why have they all come out from the depths of the Secret Realm!"

The Cultivator's pupils widened. Before he could escape, a giant, rotting hand shot out from the ground, seized him, and instantly refined him into a pool of blood!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!

Thunder and wind erupted throughout the entire Secret Realm. The Cultivators no longer had time to fight over treasures and inheritances. Their only choice was to first work together to repel the attacking Undead, then flee for their lives at full speed.

Against an Undead tide of this magnitude, they stood no chance, even if the Divinity Transformation-level Undead from the depths of the Secret Realm didn't act.

A Nascent Soul Cultivator might be able to resist the black-blue mist for a few breaths, like a candle flickering in the wind. But a Golden Core Cultivator below the Nascent Soul realm was no different from an ant floating in a vast ocean, liable to be swallowed and crushed by a single wave.

"Dammit, dammit!! Why have all the Undead gone berserk!"

A Cultivator with bloodshot eyes roared in anguish.

He had clearly been just one step away from obtaining an ancient inheritance. But alas, the favor of the Celestial Dao was not with him. A sudden catastrophe had denied him the chance to defy the heavens and change his destiny.

From this day forward, he might be doomed to a life of mediocrity!

"The Undead seem to be chasing something... Oh, great Celestial Dao, this tide is as dense as a black sea! Even those terrifying Undead from the deepest parts of the Secret Realm are out!"

"This is bad, retreat! We can't stay in the Kunlun Mountain Secret Realm any longer! It's no different from a living hell!"

The seven-day exploration of the Secret Realm was forced to an abrupt end, all due to the wrath of a certain Divine Maiden.

Everyone was like a flock of sheep driven by a fierce tiger, scrambling chaotically toward the rift at the Secret Realm's entrance. They were terrified that if they were too slow, a skeletal hand would reach out from the black-blue mist, grab them, and trap them in this realm forever.

Of course, there were also those who believed that their fate was in their own hands, not for the heavens to decide. They saw this disaster as both a crisis and an opportunity. 'If everyone else is scared away, doesn't that mean I'll have the whole Secret Realm to myself?'

As the saying goes: be greedy when others are fearful! They were betting their lives!

So, some people stayed behind. Perhaps ninety-nine percent of them would die here, but any who managed to make it out alive would likely become figures capable of founding their own sects.

...

...

The chaos within the Secret Realm was unknown to the outside world, where all was still tranquil and serene.

Within the Gangfeng Layer, suspended thirty thousand feet in the air, floated an octagonal stone pavilion carved from Cyan Jade. Its Seven Treasures Glazed Tiles reflected the brilliant noon sun, and the Bronze Bells hanging from its eaves trembled gently.

The Elders leading the teams from the Major Sects sat before Cloud Pattern Jade Tables, from which wisps of blue smoke rose from Purple Copper Chishou Incense Burners.

Elder Liu of the Xuanyuan Dao Sect leisurely brewed Spirit Tea, Zhenren Qin Yin of the Yin Yang Sacred Land held a Copper Mirror while arranging her beautiful hair, and Elder Xuanji of the Celestial Secret Pavilion casually toyed with a game of Star Chess...

Everyone was minding their own business, but their gazes all converged, more or less, on the southeastern corner of the pavilion. To be precise, they fell upon the quiet, graceful figure of a woman wearing a white-veiled conical hat.

Lin Qianyan sat alone by a balustrade carved with reliefs of Cyan Simurghs. The black silk ribbons of her veiled hat fluttered in the wind, and her plain white, wide sleeves cascaded down like flowing Moonlight. When a stronger gust blew, her movement of pouring tea paused for a moment, sending three concentric ripples across the surface of the celadon cup.

This was the current Saintess of the Jade Pool Sacred Land.

The Jade Pool Sacred Land was a rather reclusive and ancient Sacred Land. It was cut off from outside news, a veritable paradise on earth that few outsiders knew about. Thus, even for the Elders of the Major Sects present, this was the first time they had ever seen this Saintess.

Perhaps this was why the Jade Pool Sacred Land had sent their newly appointed Saintess to make an appearance—a sort of low-key "New Saintess Inauguration Press Conference."

Elder Liu took a small sip of his Spirit Tea, his gaze inconspicuously drifting toward the Jade Pool Saintess.

'I can't see through this new Saintess's Cultivation at all... Does that mean her realm is at least Void Refining?'

'I thought our Dao Sect's Saint Son was already the number one Saint Son in the world. Heh, the Jade Pool Sacred Land really knows how to hide its strength, silently cultivating a Saintess at the Void Refining Realm.'

'It seems women truly are the best liars. Back then, after the war, they kept crying poverty and swindled so many resources from our other Major Sects. In reality, they were secretly building up their strength. And look how well they've developed!'

"Saintess Lin, it must be quite dull sitting in the corner watching the wind. Why don't you come join us?"

Zhenren Qin Yin, who had a beauty mark by the corner of her eye, smiled charmingly as she took the initiative to strike up a conversation with the reticent Lin Qianyan.

Her true purpose was to probe the current Jade Pool Saintess's disposition. After all, the Yin Yang Sacred Land had now been "whitewashed" and joined the Righteous Dao, but the blood feuds forged with those "little fairies" from the Jade Pool Sacred Land during the great war between the righteous and demonic paths were not so easily dissolved.

If Lin Qianyan's attitude was hostile, then the Jade Pool Sacred Land would likely create significant obstacles for the Yin Yang Sacred Land's path of reform and integration.

Zhenren Qin Yin belonged to the pro-peace faction within her Sect—the faction that hoped to mingle among the elites of the Righteous Dao—so she naturally did not wish to see such an outcome.

Hearing this, Lin Qianyan set down her celadon cup and said softly, "Since I was young, Qianyan has focused solely on cultivation and study. I am not versed in the four arts, nor do I understand astronomy or geography. It is best I remain seated here."

"It seems Saintess Lin is a very pure person. No wonder you were chosen as the Saintess at such a young age. I am truly impressed."

As Zhenren Qin Yin spoke, she was actually sighing in relief internally.

'It seems this Jade Pool Saintess isn't one of those difficult 'little fairies.' At least she appears quite humble. Perhaps this is a good sign.'

Just as Zhenren Qin Yin averted her gaze, she suddenly heard a telepathic message from Lin Qianyan.

[Elder Qin Yin, Qianyan apologizes for the sudden intrusion via telepathy.]

[It's quite all right. Please speak freely, Saintess Lin.]

Zhenren Qin Yin nonchalantly scanned the other Sect Elders around her, puzzled as to why the serene beauty had suddenly sent her a telepathic message.

[Elder Qin Yin, among the Cauldron Slaves used by your sect's disciples, are there any who are over one hundred and twenty years old?]

'Cauldron Slave?'

Zhenren Qin Yin's beautiful eyes widened, and she almost lost her composure.

She never would have imagined that the elegant Saintess of the Jade Pool Sacred Land would ask about something that was essentially a human-shaped Jade Rod.

However, after a moment's hesitation, she replied:

[Cauldron Slaves with Golden Core Cultivation can live for over one hundred and twenty years. They are a resource commonly used by the Elder-level Female Cultivators of our Sacred Land.]

Upon hearing this, a hint of excitement entered Lin Qianyan's voice.

[Really? Then, Zhenren Qin Yin, do you know if there is a man with the surname Pei among those Golden Core Cauldron Slaves?]

[This friend with the surname Pei is a cherished old acquaintance of mine. If Zhenren Qin Yin can help me find him, I will reward you handsomely!]

Lin Qianyan had wanted to say the man was her husband, but her current status was sensitive. She feared that if the other party found out, they might use it as leverage to threaten the Jade Pool Sacred Land. So, she could only refer to him as an "old acquaintance," which she felt was safer for her husband.

However, Lin Qianyan had no idea that the name she mentioned made Zhenren Qin Yin's mind buzz.

'The surname Pei...'

'Pei Yuhang?'

The moment she heard that surname, Zhenren Qin Yin's first thought was of that peerless Sword Immortal, as flawless as jade, a transcendent being walking the mortal world.

'But what right does my Yin Yang Sacred Land have to use a Sword Immortal as a Cauldron Slave?'

'Any woman who used him would have no regrets in life, even if she were stitched up afterward!'

Zhenren Qin Yin laughed inwardly, thinking she was overthinking things. 'How could a noble Sword Immortal like Pei Yuhang possibly have any connection to a lowly Cauldron Slave?'