novelraw Chapter 260: The Truth and Falsehood of Azure Cloud, The Many Kind Hearts of the Saint Sect
Chapter 260: The Truth and Falsehood of Azure Cloud, The Many Kind Hearts of the Saint Sect
"Since you have seen Azure Cloud, why do you not bow!"
Deep mountains, mist and clouds, ancient moss, a pill furnace that needed no fire, and that refreshing, fragrant scent.
It was the genuine article, the methods of an immortal!
Both Hyacinth and Ruo Yun were stunned. Ruo Yun aside, as she had never seen what the real Azure Cloud Upper Sect was like.
She had only heard from her master that the Azure Cloud Upper Sect's Illusory Moon Cavern Dwelling was a place where immortals resided.
Dreamlike and illusory, unlike the mortal world.
In the past, Ruo Yun had most yearned to see the Azure Cloud Sect's Illusory Moon Cavern Dwelling in Beihai, always dreaming of going there one day.
Now, seeing it with her own eyes, she couldn't help but sigh. Master truly did not deceive me; this Azure Cloud Illusory Moon Cavern Dwelling is indeed very... immortal.
Though an open-air cavern dwelling is a bit too avant-garde, what if it rains?
And it's in the old world, no wonder a group of people couldn't find the Azure Cloud Sect's main gate. So it was in such a place...Meanwhile, Hyacinth on the other side couldn't find it funny anymore, staring intently at Jiang Si.
Yet she saw the young man wasn't the least bit angry, only gazing solemnly at the Illusory Moon Cavern Dwelling, nodding from time to time, lost in thought.
"This is the will of heaven."
Jiang Si let out a long sigh.
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When one's potential in the immortal path is insufficient, someone will inevitably come to steal one's immortal path potential and develop it better.
This is the Heavenly Dao, taking from the surplus to supplement the deficiency.
Because he had been negligent in reading scriptures and meditating, and now someone was demonstrating a more splendid demeanor under the name of Azure Cloud.
For a moment, it even stirred a sense of crisis in Jiang Si's heart.
To the point that the forgotten potential of the immortal path was forced to resurface a bit.
"This world truly has countless heroes and talents; geniuses and outstanding individuals are everywhere. In the long river of history, shining peaks of stardom are all around. To stand out, to advance bravely and diligently, one must only utilize the legacies and accumulations of past sages, absorbing their essence into oneself. As the saying goes, the sea accepts all rivers, greatness comes from tolerance. Only by gathering the strengths of a hundred schools can one lead the multitude of heroes, and even rise above all living beings, achieving unparalleled, supreme feats!"
Jiang Si gazed towards the Azure Cloud Sect of the old world and sighed with emotion, "This sight today is no less impactful than Bai Ningbing's sword strike, reminding me to guard against arrogance and impatience; it is also like the World-Honored One's kneel, making me recognize my own superficiality and lack of foundation. I must thank you all for awakening me. Your ingenious ideas and immortal methods will allow me to take a solid step forward on the Heavenly Dao from now on!"
Ruo Yun listened beside him, utterly confused. "What... what does the Saint Hall Envoy mean?"
"You've done very well." Suddenly, the transparent, ethereal girl beside the Saint Hall Envoy spoke. "Copy it."
Ruo Yun tilted her head to glance at Hyacinth. "Is that what it means?"
"Pretty much." Hyacinth said distractedly.
Although she really wanted to watch the fun, these disaster humans of the old world were too audacious.
She feared Shion would fly into a rage and directly cause a river of blood to flow in the disaster-human realm.
No one could stop that.
While the current situation was indeed quite amusing, thinking about the possible consequences...
Hyacinth couldn't bring herself to laugh.
Fortunately, it seemed he wasn't that petty, but Hyacinth still didn't dare let her guard down.
What if they said something else that provoked Jiang Si? That would be no joke...
"Impudence! Bowing is giving you a chance! Ignorant child! You dare imitate our Azure Cloud's wonderful methods, the supreme Buddha's Fury Lotus, yet you still don't quickly kneel and admit your mistake, so the Sect Master might spare your life!"
The voice came again, actually carrying a trace of anger: "Such nerve! How many mothers do you have!"
Hyacinth's mouth twitched, hoping this lady would stop talking.
If you want to die, don't drag the other people of the disaster-human realm with you...
Sure enough, Jiang Si finally let out a cold laugh and slowly asked:
"I, imitated your Azure Cloud's wonderful methods?"
So I'm the counterfeit?
"That is correct. The Buddha's Fury Lotus is an Azure Cloud secret technique, never transmitted outside. It was created by our Azure Cloud founding master between life and death. How could you heretical cults understand and use it? You disgrace the name of Azure Cloud. We must clean up for the founding master..."
"Nonsense!"
Before the other party could finish, a sharp shout suddenly interrupted them.
Hyacinth also heard this and opened her mouth wide, looking back.
Ruo Yun's face was serious, her eyes carrying a bit of fury. "The Buddha's Fury Lotus is clearly an exchange skill from my Saint Hall! How did it become yours?! Since ancient times, the Saint Hall has possessed the creation rights to the Buddha's Fury Lotus. Saint Hall original creation, secondary creations will lead to disputes! What does it have to do with your Azure Cloud? How dare you attempt to seize my Saint Hall's skill ownership rights? The Saint Hall Envoy and I will absolutely not let you off lightly!"
Hey, why are you getting involved... Although it suddenly became more interesting, if I get dragged in too, it won't be fun anymore...
Hyacinth immediately tugged her hand. "Leave this matter to Simo Tu-sama, let's not interfere..."
"No! This matter concerns copyright; it must be clarified."
Ruo Yun spoke with increasing agitation. "My Saint Hall is the original. Their Azure Cloud Sect are the counterfeit dogs, and they still want to bite back. Are you going to say you use it better than the original version too?"
Amusing.
Hyacinth held her forehead, momentarily feeling drained.
Too amusing.
Since she could no longer stop it, Hyacinth decided to give up and enjoy the show.
She just reminded Ruo Yun, "Your teacher is also from Azure Cloud, you know."
"My teacher is naturally an exception."
As she spoke, Ruo Yun glanced again at the hazy seven members of the Azure Cloud Sect and their Sect Master.
The one who had been speaking was a light blue Magical Girl beside the Azure Cloud Sect Master. Due to being in thick mist, the current Sect Master and the seven true-transmissions were actually not clearly visible.
Only their colors could be discerned. The Sect Master at the top was naturally the standard purple, the most noble and also most terrifying color.
On her sides were a faint ice blue and a transparent white Magical Girl.
Her own teacher probably wasn't here, right? The teacher said earlier she was going to South China.
Thinking this, Ruo Yun was a bit worried her teacher would be sad if she heard her words later, so she bowed to the Saint Hall Envoy. "Saint Hall Envoy, please vindicate the Saint Hall's Buddha's Fury Lotus!"
Just throw the matter to the Saint Hall Envoy.
Jiang Si fell silent.
Wait, most of the exchange skills in the Main God Space are copied from elsewhere, isn't that common knowledge?
Talking about copyright with the Main God Space makes me want to laugh.
But in this atmosphere, admitting the Saint Hall's Buddha's Fury Lotus is a copy doesn't seem very appropriate either.
After all, wouldn't that be admitting he's the counterfeit?
Then just say it was picked up from another world...
"No need to argue."
Before Jiang Si could speak, the purple Magical Girl sitting at the very top, whose appearance couldn't be seen, spoke up. "Since you use my Azure Cloud's skill, it shows you also have a heart seeking the Dao. Presumably, you are also a fan and follower of Azure Cloud, right?"
"Pfft..."
Hyacinth beside them couldn't hold back.
She laughed out loud.
Everyone looked over. Hyacinth pursed her lips and said nonchalantly, "Sorry, my phone's ringtone wasn't off."
The Azure Cloud side didn't bother with her either. A gust of wind blew past, and the mist surrounding the Azure Cloud Sect finally dispersed.
"Shion" sitting at the very top lowered her head slightly. She was about 1.7 meters tall, extremely well-developed. Although a long purple dress somewhat concealed her figure, it was still evident she was tall and had a good figure.
Hyacinth stared for a long while before asking, "Why is only one eye purple?"
The originally aloof, particularly dignified young girl rubbed her eyes. "Wearing colored contacts in both eyes is a bit uncomfortable, and my right eye here is a bit..."
The girl next to her, whose entire body was covered in ice, suddenly had a violent coughing fit, then tugged at "Shion."
That girl also froze for a moment, then immediately glared fiercely at Hyacinth. "How despicable, actually using such methods to probe. Fortunately, we have seen through your evil plan! My eyes, of course, only change color when I activate my magic! Now I'm only using half my magic, so naturally only one eye is purple."
"Shion wouldn't talk this much, you know." Hyacinth said somewhat nostalgically. "Talking less would make you more like her. Don't you think so, Saint Hall Envoy?"
Jiang Si nodded, then added, "Too tall."
"What 'too tall'? Any shorter and there'd be no imposing presence... That's not right." "Shion" frowned. "Have you seen Shi... me?"
"Heh, guess." Seeing Jiang Si not answer, Hyacinth looked at the little ice person next to her.
Her entire Magical Outfit, including her skin, was wrapped in a layer of faint, transparent thin ice. "And this one is?"
"M-magical Girl Winter." The frozen girl's lips were somewhat blue, her words trembling, exhaling cold air. "Be careful, I, I'll freeze you all, a-all of you!"
Hyacinth shook her head again. "Magical Girl Winter doesn't stutter."
Jiang Si: "She's not afraid of cold; she's afraid of heat. Holding her in summer is very cooling; you don't need air conditioning."
Ruo Yun stared wide-eyed at the Saint Hall Envoy, her heart full of admiration.
Could it be the Saint Hall Envoy had even held that Winter before?
Hyacinth was also stunned, not expecting him to say that.
The originally imposing seven people all widened their eyes, and someone immediately raised their hand. "What about me, what about me? I'm Dandelion."
Hyacinth shook her head again. "Dandelion isn't covered all over with dandelions. You're too superficial. Dandelion's Magical Outfit is very distinctive, light and airy, like feathers, flying away with a gentle blow."
Jiang Si: "She's very fast, with excellent concealment ability. She can merge into the wind. She's the fastest among the seven true-transmissions. In situations like this, she usually wouldn't dare speak up, but she'll be very clingy afterward."
That "Dandelion" had stars in her eyes. "Really can merge into the wind? So cool."
Someone else stepped forward, silent for a good while, then said somewhat embarrassedly, "I am Qinghua."
Hyacinth: "Not familiar."
Jiang Si: "Too restrained. Be more shameless."
Another person stood up, raising their hand. "I am Four Leaf, I am Six Leaf."
Hyacinth: "The two leaves are two people, you know."
Jiang Si: "They're sisters, not one person with split personality."
Ruo Yun watched beside them, dumbfounded, her mind buzzing with doubts.
How is the Saint Hall Envoy so familiar with the Azure Cloud Sect? Could it be that the Azure Cloud Sect is truly a future great enemy of the Saint Hall?
Precisely because they are a great enemy, he would understand them so clearly.
The so-called Azure Cloud Sect, in front of the Saint Hall Envoy, has no secrets at all!
"I am Sun Rose."
Until someone on the opposite side mentioned a field she was familiar with.
"You're a fart of Bai Mei-sensei!"
Ruo Yun instantly jumped up. Seeing the other person's Magical Outfit, which was almost from head to toe, not to mention completely simulating herself into a sword, she directly conjured a firepower cannon on the spot, pointing it straight at the other's forehead.
"Bai Mei-sensei is not like this!"
The Magical Girl disguised as a sword also looked like she wanted to cry. "But, but Bai Mei is a big sword person."
"Teacher's is called 'Body Transformed into Sword'! What 'big sword person'! You're the big sword person!"
Watching her captain get so excited she wanted to rush over and stuff the cannon barrel into the other's mouth, Hyacinth quickly pulled her captain back.
The seven Azure Cloud Sect true-transmissions over there started whispering among themselves.
"What's going on? Did we really get it wrong?"
"But we always scared people off like this before; other old world people also fell for this..."
"Ran into tough ones... It can't be that they've all really seen the Azure Cloud Sect's seven true-transmissions, right?"
"But teacher said she has really seen them before..."
"Let 'Shion' handle it..."
"Right, this one they absolutely cannot have really seen!"
After whispering and discussing for a while, the "Shion" at the very top stood up. Her tall stature now gave off an immense sense of pressure. One dark eye and one purple eye coldly gazed at everyone present.
"To think you could see through their disguises. Correct, the disaster-human realm does not have the Azure Cloud Sect's seven true-transmissions, because the seven true-transmissions still need to guard other worlds. The Azure Cloud Sect's influence spreads across every old world."
"However, no other true-transmissions are needed. I, *Shion*, am here."
As the purple Magical Girl stood up, that vast mana, as if boundless, began to spread out in all directions.
The overwhelming, terrifying, and violent nature of the aura, along with that enormous amount of mana, actually gave a feeling truly identical to Shion's!
Ruo Yun wavered for a moment, because her first thought was actually of the purple magic in Jiangming City.
Is Shion's magic like this?
It's a bit similar to that Saint Hall Envoy from back then... Was Hyacinth really just misspeaking earlier?
While hesitating, she heard "Shion" speak again: "You all should have died, but earlier, you gave three friends of mine in the disaster-human realm a sliver of life. Thus, this venerable one will also give you a sliver of life."
In the sky above, purple mana gradually gathered into a great sun.
The terrifying spectacle was far more heart-stopping than what Alice had created before!
However, it was only the amount of mana.
The three from the Saint Hall looked at the great sun in the sky that still couldn't smoothly condense into a stable sphere, and a thought simultaneously arose in their hearts:
The control is so rough.
"Everyone, do not flee."
Although no one was actually running, "Shion" still spoke. "Whoever runs, I kill."
Hyacinth's mouth twitched.
This person, still blindly imitating, imitating Jiang Si again... no, actually still imitating Shion.
Just how much do you admire her!
Then, when a Disaster Beast tried to escape from the range of the purple great sun, as if to demonstrate, a sharp blade edge sliced it in two!
Hyacinth understood in her heart. They had been watching everything that happened earlier.
But clearly, this Azure Cloud Sect "Shion" did not possess slashing abilities.
The one using the slash was the Magical Girl who transformed into a big sword person imitating Bai Mei.
Now her expression was serious, the Sword Energy in her hand cold and sharp.
She actually had some shadow of Bai Mei's former self!
Imitation is the fastest way for a Magical Girl to become stronger.
Admiration, then imitation. A strong wish will raise Magical Girls to the power realm they yearn for at the fastest speed.
This is not something shameful or embarrassing.
On the contrary, if not within the Azure Cloud Sect, this is the fastest path for Magical Girls to grow stronger.
When the purple great sun pressed down, the immense pressure made both Hyacinth and Ruo Yun unable to lift their heads!
Sweat began to trickle down their temples again.
"Why, is it us two again!"
Ruo Yun cried out, looking like she wanted to weep but had no tears.
Earlier, they were suppressed along with three disaster humans by the Saint Hall Envoy.
Now they have to accompany the Saint Hall Envoy to be suppressed again.
They've suffered all the hardships...
"Get used to it."
Hyacinth struggled to lift her head, then glanced sideways at Jiang Si.
Even if he were made of clay, being imitated all the way to this point should have stirred some anger...
Sure enough, she saw the young man expressionless, taking a step forward.
"Ah!"
A sound of a sharp blade cutting through the air, a sword mark appeared on the ground in front of Jiang Si's feet.
The sharp Sword Energy almost struck Jiang Si.
Other Disaster Beasts, whose bodies were presumably much stronger than Jiang Si's ordinary human one, were split apart in this slash.
"Wait a moment longer." "Shion" said faintly. "I said, do not move."
Yet Jiang Si acted as if he couldn't hear at all, taking another step forward.
"Shion" raised an eyebrow: "I said don't..."
Clang!
The second half of the sentence "Shion" subconsciously wanted to use to warn the other was stuck in her throat.
This time, the Sword Energy struck Jiang Si's arm, but only sparked flying embers!
As if it had struck steel!
The "Azure Cloud" crowd stared dumbfounded at the completely unharmed Jiang Si.
But after a moment of shock, "Shion" immediately waved her hand in signal.
The Magical Girl imitating Bai Mei attacked again. More blades, like a storm, instantly all slashed towards Jiang Si!
Both Ruo Yun and Hyacinth were startled, and "Shion's" eyelids also twitched.
Amidst a series of dense *ding ling dang* clanging sounds, the sharp noise of steel colliding and grinding was ear-piercing.
Yet Jiang Si remained unscathed. Not just his body, even his clothes were difficult to cut. Sparks exploded continuously on Jiang Si like fireworks, so dazzling his form was hard to see.
"Shion" watched as the young man finally paused slightly in the blade storm, unable to advance further, then raised her head again. Her tone was exactly the same as when Jiang Si pressured the three disaster humans and Hyacinth and Ruo Yun earlier.
Cold and dangerous.
Imitated perfectly.
"Wait a little longer."
Yet as soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Si, braving the blade storm, leisurely walked up into the sky as if taking a stroll.
Under everyone's gaze, he reached out and touched the purple, blazing great sun. The agitated mana calmed under his hand.
The purple great sun seemed to dim.
"Shion" stared at her somewhat dazedly. Although her figure was better, taller, bigger than the real Shion's, now she looked no different from a little child.
She just murmured somewhat at a loss: "Wait a little..."
However, this instead became a death knell.
Jiang Si grabbed the purple mana great sun, his right hand suddenly exerting force!
The sun, gathering a massive amount of mana, was instantly crushed like a water balloon!
Mana surged outward, pouring down. The plaque of the Azure Cloud Sect's Illusory Moon Cavern Dwelling below shattered and splattered within it.
The seven Magical Girls of the Azure Cloud Sect were sprawled on the ground. "Shion" stubbornly remained standing, unwilling to lose face.
After a while, the blinding light faded. The deep, old forest was dead silent. The former immortal aura had been blasted away without a trace, leaving only a terrifying crater and swirling dust...
The seven Azure Cloud Sect members and "Shion" who had avoided the explosion only looked up at the sky after a good while.
Under the close-range explosion impact, the young man was only slightly dirty at the hem of his clothes, without a single wound, just quietly gazing at her.
After a moment of silence, they saw "Shion" actually continue with strength and composure: "Wait a little longer..."
The entire Azure Cloud group, who hadn't dared to breathe, was terrified.
Hyacinth, who had been lowering her head stifling laughter, immediately looked up. Ruo Yun's eyes widened even more.
Admirable.
This is called professionalism.
Even the threatening purple great sun is gone, yet she can still perform with no physical object!
Unaffected by the external environment, forcibly staying in character and committed!
This is a veteran actor!!
And she didn't miss the last small segment either. Instead, she suddenly clapped her hands, as if something really was about to crash down at the last moment, delivering the verdict: "Leave."
However, neither Jiang Si, nor Ruo Yun and Hyacinth, moved from their spots.
And Jiang Si not only didn't plan to leave, he continued to approach her.
So "Shion" retreated repeatedly, clapping her hands as she backed away, calling out somewhat urgently: "Leave, go, you can leave now!"
Clapping and clapping, "Shion" accidentally sat down on the ground with a thump. She sniffled and finally stopped clapping. "You... leave, you really can leave, I won't stop you..."
After saying this for a while with no reaction, she saw Jiang Si pressing closer step by step.
"Great Barren Imprisoning Heaven Finger!"
A single finger pressed firmly on Jiang Si's forehead!
Literally just one finger, a Great Barren Imprisoning Heaven Finger about the size of "Shion's" own finger...
Jiang Si grabbed the Great Barren Imprisoning Heaven Finger that seemed to be acting coquettishly, then extended his own finger and pressed it towards "Shion".
A giant finger pressed her into the ground with a rumble!
The other seven true-transmission Magical Girls were greatly alarmed, rushing over to dig their Sect Master out of the deep pit.
"Shion", pulled out by everyone, had reddened eyes, sniffled, looking like she was about to cry. The purple Magical Outfit on her body was already beginning to fade, the colored contact in her left eye had fallen out, and she said loudly:
"I, I may not be Shion, but I really know Shion! If you really act recklessly, Shion won't let you off! It's not too late to leave now; Shion will come soon!"
Seeing she couldn't scare the other party away, the Magical Girl imitating Shion finally couldn't hold on and started telling the truth, using the real Shion to scare them.
Hyacinth pursed her lips. Although the corners of her mouth were held tight, the corners of her eyes had curved into crescents. She just looked at Jiang Si. "What should we do, Saint Hall Envoy? Are we really going to fight Shion?"
Ruo Yun hesitated. "That's not good, is it? Now isn't the time to fight the Azure Cloud Sect..."
"Are you afraid the Saint Hall Envoy will lose?"
"Of course not!"
Ruo Yun whispered, "Teacher likes and respects the Sect Master very much. If... if the Sect Master gets hurt, teacher will be sad, and might even hate me..."
"Didn't you already not care?"
"..."
Ruo Yun turned her head away, not wanting to pay her any mind.
"Regardless, a lesson still can't be skipped, right?" Confirming Jiang Si wouldn't kill anyone, Hyacinth now looked at them with anticipation again. "How should we deal with them? Daring to use the Azure Cloud Sect's name to scare us."
The seven Magical Girls huddled together behind the counterfeit "Shion", trembling.
Thinking of the beatings she had suffered before, Hyacinth felt a bit of schadenfreude for a moment.
"You've done well." When she heard Jiang Si's first words, Hyacinth thought she had misheard for a moment.
Then she heard Jiang Si say, "You all, do you want to join my... Azure Cloud Sect that I haven't been to?"
Hyacinth and Ruo Yun looked at each other.
What, now he's recruiting for the Azure Cloud Sect?
Hyacinth felt even more disappointed for a moment.
He's just letting it go like that?
Just as the huddled Magical Girls were somewhat dumbfounded, not understanding what he meant.
They saw an Incubator drifting over from the distance.
Jiang Si backhandedly punched the Incubator into a pulp, only to see it restore its original form after a moment.
"Please forgive the children's mischief, respected Saints of the Hall."
Jiang Si narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the Incubator, his pupils showing some surprise.
"They only want to protect this old world, with no ill intent. I am Xiao Qi, World Observation Team Old World Observer No. 340. We are not enemies. Please believe me. Now, we need to join hands to overcome difficulties together."
That's right, it was the Incubator from Beihai before, the one that explained the old world rules to them.
Jiang Si remembered it was finally traded to the Disaster Control Bureau by Bingtang.
To think they could meet again here. Indeed, one can't expect the Disaster Control Bureau to completely eliminate these Incubators.
Waiting a bit and finding the other didn't recognize him, Jiang Si asked, "You still haven't connected with the collective?"
Jiang Si's words also made Xiao Qi somewhat puzzled. "How do you know about this?"
"I have some friends in the Azure Cloud Sect."
Xiao Qi tilted its head. "I see, the Azure Cloud Sect. You are correct. I have already left the collective, because I plan to save this world bubble together with these children."
"I should now be called a Dream Incubator, not an Incubator. Because leaving the collective, abandoning the new world, wanting to save the old world—a traitor can only be a Dream Incubator."
Xiao Qi walked to the counterfeit "Shion's" side, using its tail to wipe her pretty face. The Magical Girl's figure shrank, then returned to her original appearance.
A Magical Girl with a very simple, light green Magical Outfit now hugged Xiao Qi as if hugging a parent, sobbing, "So scary, Xiao Qi, he's so scary..."
"Don't cry, don't cry, Ling Mei. The Shion you admire is even more terrifying."
After comforting the Magical Girl, Xiao Qi continued facing Jiang Si and the other two. "Apologies, these children are not yet mature. To prevent invasions from other old worlds and the Witch Association, they had no choice but to disguise themselves as the Azure Cloud Sect to scare off enemies."
"Very dangerous, isn't it."
Someone suddenly spoke from a corner not far away.
Ruo Yun and Hyacinth were both startled. The two looked over; it was the White Fox who had been following Jiang Si earlier.
"I thought she had naturally disappeared already..." Hyacinth muttered quietly.
Her presence is too faint.
White Fox acted as if she didn't hear her, just looking at Simo Tu-sensei and Xiao Qi.
Although Simo Tu-sensei being the Saint Hall Envoy was a bit unbelievable, to her it was originally something that didn't matter.
"That is true." Xiao Qi didn't deny it, just nodded. "This is also something unavoidable. Before we reach Full Bloom, we must ensure the safety of the disaster-human realm. If someone destroys the bubble, Full Bloom will be meaningless. The disaster-human realm, and all the people here—we will protect and save everything with the most perfect Full Bloom."
Xiao Qi bowed to the three from the Saint Hall:
"Please, make a contract with us."
"Join us, save the world in the most perfect way, become heroes!"