novelraw Chapter 1146: Between Black and White
Chapter 1146: Between Black and White
The land collapsed, massive tectonic shifts occurred—it seemed like a geological catastrophe had begun.
The millennia-old spiritual energy that burst out transformed instantly into a spiritual energy storm, violently erupting from the shattered base of Mount Tai. It was as fierce as a Category 10 hurricane—but even more destructive.
This raging spiritual energy was like highly concentrated oxygen. For cultivators of lower skill, it was as toxic as poison. Just one breath could cause a sudden surge in internal power—so much so that the meridians couldn’t bear it.
The violent spiritual storm blew people off, scattering them away from Mount Tai’s summit. And the mountain itself, split by this wild spiritual force, was forcefully widened—forming two symmetrical peaks.
At that moment, light blazed across the earth. No one noticed that at the convergence of the seven Jade Dragon Pillars in the sky, another Earth Spirit Sword had formed.
And the moment it appeared, the sword shot straight toward the earth—toward the location of Crouching Dragon Estate!
…
For those with deep cultivation, the eruption of spiritual energy brought immense pressure, yet they could stabilize themselves—and some even gained minor benefits.
Still, the eruption wasn’t as terrifying as expected. Although the mountains and rivers crumbled, the destruction was centered only around Mount Tai within a hundred-kilometer radius. It wasn’t as catastrophic as feared.
Of course, ordinary people wouldn’t survive even this—within seconds, they’d be overwhelmed by the spiritual energy storm. But luckily, the area had long since been cleared and declared a dead zone.“It… it stopped?”
From under the soil, Firecloud Evil God emerged with difficulty, scanning his surroundings.
“This is just the beginning.”
“Blind, you're still alive!” Firecloud turned and looked.
He saw Mr. Blind, barely standing while leaning on his ancient sword. For now, only the two of them remained here. All others from the joint forces had been blown away when the spiritual storm erupted—scattered and separated.
“Old Fool… can you still move?” Mr. Blind staggered, “This was just the prelude. The true eruption of the millennia spiritual energy… is still coming.”
“You mean, this was only a prelude?” Firecloud's face changed drastically.
“Like a dam starting to crack. At first, only a bit of water leaks. But as the cracks widen, the whole dam will eventually break. That’s when the real flood comes,” Mr. Blind took a deep breath. “I don’t know how much time we have. Normally, this should’ve been a chain reaction, happening instantly—but it paused. Likely… because True Dragon is suppressing the cracks.”
“If that’s true, only True Dragon could do it.” Firecloud forced a laugh and tried to stand—only to collapse again. “If only Bihua were here… I’m really out of strength.”
“I never thought that the Dragon Fiend was still alive…” Mr. Blind’s face was heavy. “If it absorbs the spiritual energy unleashed this time, it might truly evolve into a being on par with True Dragon—Divine Land Evil Dragon. If it interferes, even True Dragon might not be able to hold out for long…”
Mr. Blind bit his teeth, suddenly pulling out a few golden needles.
“You’re insane, Old Blind! If you stick those in again, forget seeing tomorrow’s sun—you won’t last an hour!!”
Mr. Blind gave a bitter smile. “It was I who released the Dragon Fiend back then. Because of it, Divine Land was plunged into chaos. My master gave his life for me. I lived on… wandering for decades in a haze. I never knew what I stayed alive for. Now… maybe this is the moment. Old Fool, I won’t get to drink that bottle of wine with you. If you can, pour it beneath that phoenix tree for me.”
“Blind!!”
Just as the golden needles were about to pierce several critical acupuncture points on his body, they were suddenly knocked away.
A ghostly shadow flashed by, stealing the needles—soon taking the form of a cold-faced, pale middle-aged man.
“You’re… Xiao Shengmo?” Firecloud Evil God furrowed his brow in surprise.
Xiao Shengmo had not joined the joint forces and hadn’t been seen since before the Penglai Grand Gathering. But now, the City Lord of Fengdu appeared here of all places.
“City Lord Xiao, why are you here…” Mr. Blind clearly recognized him too.
Back during the Dragon Fiend disaster decades ago, Qingxiaozi had emerged as a rising star among the Plain-Clothed Dao, brought onto the stage by the 70th generation of Heavenly Heart. Most of the senior Daoists had met him before—he naturally knew them as well.
“Qingxiaozi, it’s too early for you to die.” Xiao Shengmo’s tone was deep. “Your master left a few words… entrusted to me.”
“My… master?” Mr. Blind was stunned.
“He asked me to take you somewhere… Let’s talk on the way. Please, get in.” Xiao Shengmo nodded and waved his sleeve. A gust of ghostly wind shot out and formed into a carriage pulled by black-flame yin oxen!
…
…
All around, massive stones from shattered mountains stood like a field of chaos. The destruction from the spiritual energy explosion… was truly terrifying.
Amidst the great battle, gravely injured and then swept away by the spiritual energy storm, Zi Xing, Young Mistress of the Greedy Wolf Clan, was finally thrown into this chaotic field of boulders. She now leaned powerlessly against a massive stone, clutching her shoulder—where a deep gash had been torn open.
It was a wound inflicted by the spear of one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits of Xuanyuan Palace.
Zi Xing had used a secret technique to stop the bleeding. Now, every slight movement made her internal injuries flare with pain.
Breathing heavily, she looked up at the night sky and toward the former peak of Mount Tai… now split into two peaks. The sight shocked her deeply. Her gaze quickly scanned her surroundings.
At that moment, two figures entered her line of sight—two men standing atop a giant boulder.
An old man and a sinister-looking youth… Zi Xing immediately sensed a chilling, disturbingly familiar aura from the old man.
“Found you. I've missed you… quite a bit,” the old man sneered and leapt down in front of Zi Xing.
Suzuki Yuichi… or rather, Ren Zhen!
At the same time, the eerie young man jumped down as well—Suzuki Chun Xin, also known as Ba Qi.
The two wretched brothers.
Ba Qi grinned viciously, “Brother Ren Zhen, what did I tell you? High risk, high reward! Look at Mount Tai—dangerous as hell, but full of opportunities… Look, you said you wanted your Yin Wolf Star power back, and here it is!”
He squatted down like a serpent, studying the clearly tense Zi Xing. “Little sis, don’t be afraid… We’re here to liberate you. You know this guy next to me, right?”
“Yin Wolf Star… it was you.” Zi Xing ignored Ba Qi’s gaze and stared seriously at Ren Zhen. “That day in the cave… I knew it was you!”
Ren Zhen sneered, “Last time in the cave, you got away. This time, not so lucky. Zi Xing, all these years, I’ve been trapped inside you, forced to follow your orders… Today, I’m taking back everything with interest! From now on, the Yin Wolf Star power no longer belongs to your Greedy Wolf Clan!”
Without another word, Ren Zhen reached out to grab Zi Xing—but Ba Qi suddenly stepped in to block him.
“Ba Qi, what are you doing?!” Ren Zhen barked in anger.
“Brother Ren Zhen, easy,” Ba Qi said slyly, eyes narrowing. “I’m not stopping you from reclaiming your power. We’re brothers in life and death—of course, the stronger you are, the safer I feel. But… can I have her three souls and seven spirits?”
“What do you want to do?” Ren Zhen frowned.
Ba Qi chuckled coldly. “I changed my mind… Suddenly thought, the body of the Greedy Wolf Young Mistress is quite nice too. Now that Divine Land is waking up again after this battle, with spiritual energy returning—why do we need to flee again?”
“You mean…?”
Ba Qi narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you think it’s a great deal to take over the entire Greedy Wolf Clan? Killing her outright would be such a waste, right? I’m honestly tired of this Suzuki Chun Xin body.”
“Do what you want!” Ren Zhen snorted. With the Yin Wolf Star power right before him, he couldn’t care less about Ba Qi’s scheme.
“Wait—someone’s coming,” Ba Qi suddenly said, frowning.
“Damn it!” Ren Zhen’s killing intent surged again.
Ba Qi quickly blocked him. “Brother, have you forgotten how many terrifying beings are in Mount Tai right now? We’ve only recovered a bit of our strength—we’re far from full power. If we run into someone strong, we’re dead meat. Don’t be reckless!”
“Then what do you suggest?” Ren Zhen said impatiently, eyes locked on Zi Xing like a wolf.
“One word—hide.”
Ba Qi grinned, then waved his hand to restrain Zi Xing’s body.
Just then, two more figures were swiftly navigating the shattered terrain…
…
“What exactly happened here…”
Atop a massive boulder, Mo Xiaofei lowered his hand from his brow after scanning the horizon—they hadn’t arrived in time for the battle and had only followed the True Dragon of Divine Land’s trail.
Looking down, he heard Windchaser say, “No idea, but that scared the hell out of me… Big Bro, did you see it? That mountain just split open!”
“I don’t know what happened to Master…” Mo Xiaofei bit his finger. “Windchaser, let’s speed up, okay?”
“Uh… sure!” Windchaser nodded and jumped up the boulder.
Mo Xiaofei crouched, ready to follow—but Windchaser suddenly froze like a statue.
Mo Xiaofei frowned. “Windchaser? Windchaser! Windchaser!”
“Huh? Oh…” Windchaser was staring blankly ahead. “Big Bro, hold on. I think… I smell Zi Xing.”
“Zi Xing?” Mo Xiaofei was stunned—the image of the Greedy Wolf Clan’s Young Mistress flashed through his mind.
Come to think of it, Windchaser did seem to have a crush on her… But she was of noble status and never really showed much interest in him.
“Windchaser, listen. About girls…” Mo Xiaofei began, but Windchaser had already jumped down into the rocks.
Windchaser lifted his head, sniffing the air as he followed the scent. Mo Xiaofei scratched his head and followed him.
Soon, Windchaser stopped in front of a massive rock. “Weird, her scent is definitely here… but no one’s around?”
“There’s no one here at all.” Mo Xiaofei shook his head. “You dreaming about her or something?”
Windchaser circled the stone again and again, then finally sighed and returned to Mo Xiaofei’s body. “Maybe… I just haven’t seen her in so long. I wonder how she’s doing now.”
“Alright, stop overthinking.” Mo Xiaofei patted his shoulder. “If it’s meant to be, you’ll see her again. Maybe once we find Master, you’ll see Zi Xing too. Hey, how about I talk to Master and set something up between you two?”
“Huh? That… that doesn’t sound right, does it?” Windchaser stammered. “Will Lord Long even agree to this?”
“She probably will? I think my master is just tough on the outside but soft on the inside. If we beg her, maybe it’ll work out.” Mo Xiaofei stroked his chin. “But let’s be clear—I’m only creating a chance for you two. If she doesn’t like you, then you better give up already… I mean, what about Ni Ni? Isn’t she nice? Have you thought about her?”
“Are you dumb?! Ni Ni likes cheese!” Windchaser snapped. “Besides, I’m a man of honor! Messing with someone else’s girl? How could I do that? If I did, how could I still hold my head up high as Windchaser the Great?!”
“Okay, okay, no more nonsense. Let’s move.” Mo Xiaofei waved his hand, then suddenly changed the subject. “But before we leave, let’s handle what’s going on here first… still planning to keep hiding?”
In an instant, hundreds of small pebbles on the ground began to float.
Under Mo Xiaofei’s mental power, the stones shot forward like bullets—straight toward a massive boulder ahead!
Just before the stones hit, the boulder suddenly shifted—something deflected them all, shattering them midair.
And in that split second, a cold voice rang out, “Nosy little brats… DIE!!”
Boom—!!
As the attacker lunged forward, Windchaser instantly jumped in front of Mo Xiaofei, but it was too sudden—he was blasted away, slamming into a massive rock behind him.
Mo Xiaofei immediately threw up a telekinetic barrier and retreated to Windchaser’s side. “Windchaser! Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.” Windchaser shook his head and quickly got up, brushing dust off his clothes.
The two looked ahead and immediately saw the attacker—a sinister-faced young man. Behind him stood a sturdy old man. But that wasn’t what mattered most.
“Zi Xing!” they both shouted in unison.
Zi Xing was currently being restrained by Ren Zhen, her arms pinned and shoulders held tightly. She couldn’t move, but her eyes were wide, pupils darting—trying to signal Mo Xiaofei and Windchaser to flee.
“Well, well, not bad, kid. You saw through my illusion.” Ba Qi narrowed his eyes at Mo Xiaofei. “Didn’t expect to see you again, little brat.”
“I’ve seen you before?” Mo Xiaofei frowned—his mind was incredibly sharp, but he truly didn’t remember meeting this guy.
“Heh, no big deal if you forgot. What matters is… I remember you.” Ba Qi stared at him like a prisoner eyeing a naked beauty.
This kid… was the reincarnated remnant soul of the Eternal Emperor!
Compared to that, the soul of the Greedy Wolf heiress behind him was nothing!
Judging from the kid’s clueless look, he probably didn’t even know who he really was… Ba Qi schemed internally—this trip to Mount Tai was totally worth it. Not only had he gotten a taste of divinity (though Ren Zhen later forced him to split it), but now he’d run into the Eternal Emperor’s soul!
Time to flip fate?
“Ba Qi, quit blabbering! Finish off these two pests already. I’ve got a bad feeling…” Ren Zhen’s expression suddenly turned grim. “I feel… something…”
Something that chilled him to the bone.
“Relax, bro, it’s just two kids. I can—”
Smash—!!
Before he could finish, a not-so-big but very solid fist slammed into Ba Qi’s face—so hard it exploded his face on contact!
Ba Qi was sent flying into a rock, completely dazed.
At the same time, Ren Zhen’s face turned pale. Now he understood that dreadful feeling—it was coming from this seemingly harmless little demon brat!
“Greedy Wolf…” Ren Zhen’s eyes widened.
“Windchaser?” Mo Xiaofei stared. He’d never seen Windchaser like this before.
Vast demonic energy poured out of Windchaser’s body in waves—his entire form looked like it was wearing an armor of raw power. The ground stones floated under the pressure.
The air grew heavy.
“Let… her… GO!”
Windchaser growled deeply. His figure vanished in an instant.
Ren Zhen’s face twisted. He grabbed Zi Xing and jumped into the air.
But in a flash, Windchaser appeared directly in front of him, cloaked in demonic energy. “I said—let her go!!”
Panicking, Ren Zhen shoved Zi Xing forward to escape.
But in that instant, a strange force froze his body in place. Zi Xing was pulled from his grasp by an invisible force—he couldn’t even grab hold of her!
On the ground, Mo Xiaofei extended both hands—one to pull, one to catch—bringing Zi Xing safely to his side. “Windchaser! Do it!!”
“BASTARD!!! You DARED to touch my Zi Xing?!”
Imperial Heaven Shattering Fist – First Form
Greedy Wolf Divine Skill: Super Speed
Greedy Wolf Divine Skill: Herculean Strength
Greedy Wolf Divine Skill: Vajra Body
BOOM—!!
Windchaser’s fist, wrapped in supreme demonic energy, smashed into Ren Zhen’s chest.
It was a pure display of power. The air rippled outward like shockwaves. Ren Zhen’s body was smashed into the ground.
The entire rocky landscape sank layer by layer from the impact!
In midair, Windchaser’s body briefly floated due to the demonic surge. After landing the punch, he clenched his fist, looked up at the moon, and howled ferociously…
A wolf’s howl—that shook mountains and rivers.
Mo Xiaofei, holding Zi Xing aloft with his mind, soared into the air just as the ground collapsed. He glanced at Windchaser, rubbing his temples.
He had no idea if teaching Windchaser that bizarre boxing technique might end up causing trouble later.
“Wolf Lord… he’s… the Wolf Lord?!”
The force that had been binding Zi Xing had vanished. Staring at Windchaser howling to the moon, a fear deep within her bloodline overwhelmed her.
“Wolf Lord?” Mo Xiaofei clearly heard her and looked over in confusion.
Zi Xing wanted to speak but stopped short—then suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. Already heavily wounded, then sealed by Ba Qi and injured again, she was now further affected by Windchaser’s ancient Greedy Wolf power. The wolf blood within her surged uncontrollably and overwhelmed her nervous system.
Zi Xing collapsed unconscious.
“Stop yelling! Zi Xing just fainted!” Mo Xiaofei shouted toward Windchaser.
Windchaser snapped out of it, and the overwhelming demonic energy around him instantly receded. In a flash, he returned to his small demon state… and without that power sustaining him, he immediately plummeted from the sky.
“Waaah—help!!!”
Mo Xiaofei shook his head. “Still so unreliable. Definitely just a kid after all.”
…
“Big bro, is that guy dead?”
Windchaser was now carrying Zi Xing on his back. She hadn’t woken up since fainting and didn’t respond no matter what they tried. If not for her steady breathing, Mo Xiaofei figured Windchaser would’ve gone berserk again.
“He’s dead,” Mo Xiaofei said, shaking his head.
In the pit below, the old man’s body had been crushed and deformed. His eyes were rolled back and lifeless. The strange-looking young man who had been with him had also vanished without a trace.
Mo Xiaofei scratched his head. “That other guy probably took off in the chaos. Maybe your punch scared him off… but seriously, you were amazing. What made you so strong all of a sudden?”
Windchaser chuckled. “I don’t know either. I just felt it. The closer I got to the front, the more energized I felt. Even breathing makes me feel powerful now.”
“How come I don’t feel anything like that…” Mo Xiaofei shook his head. “Forget it, this whole thing’s weird. We’ll ask my master when we find her… for now, keep carrying Zi Xing~”
…
After Windchaser and Mo Xiaofei left with Zi Xing, a figure crawled out from the dirt—Ba Qi.
He collapsed onto the ground and pulled a glowing orb from his clothes—Ren Zhen’s soul.
The soul orb was now dim and lifeless, with Ren Zhen’s consciousness completely gone. No matter how he called out, there was no response. Ba Qi sighed.
Being bound by fate, half of Ren Zhen’s damage transferred to him. It was already a miracle he survived and managed to recover even slightly.
“Ren Zhen, old buddy… I’m a good brother, right? If I hadn’t shared half the damage with you, you’d be dust by now…”
Thought it was bronze, turns out it was a champion. Totally got wrecked.
“Mount Tai is way too dangerous. Let’s go home, Ren Zhen…”
Even after all these years, these sworn brothers from the Voidless Moon World were still a pitiful pair.
…
Half an hour earlier — Croaching Dragon Estate
Mo Mo had returned to the gates of Croaching Dragon Estate—something had been puzzling him deeply.
He had been on the brink of death, already preparing to convert himself into a ghost cultivator and use a reverse yin-yang technique to resurrect himself. Though the consequences would’ve been severe, it was better than remaining undead and angering his master to death.
But somehow… he had completely recovered. Not only were his broken meridians restored, but even his spiritual power was back—and even stronger than before.
He thought of Senior Luo. This kind of miracle could probably only be done by someone like her—but reason told him it wasn’t him. If Senior Luo had intervened, it would’ve been a business deal… and he hadn’t asked for help.
As strange as it was, Mo Mo had more urgent matters to attend to. First, he hadn’t brought Zhan’er with him when he escaped. Second, Lai Caisheng might still be lurking here.
That master-disciple pair from the Plain-Clothed Dao had deliberately come to Croaching Dragon Estate instead of heading to Mount Tai’s peak with the coalition—clearly, they had other plans.
Mo Mo took a deep breath, checked the remaining talismans on him, climbed the estate’s wall, and quickly made his way toward the old courtyard once used by the Plain-Clothed Dao.
But he was soon stopped by a figure—Du Lin, the heavily injured demon.
Still wounded, blood seeping from his shoulder, the Pipa Lock had been removed. Du Lin now sat cross-legged under a tree, blocking the path.
“Even though the Honored One said your wounds were beyond saving,” Du Lin said calmly, “I had a feeling you’d be back—and soon. Looks like I was right.”
“Is that so.” Mo Mo stopped, speaking coolly. “Since your predictions are so accurate, why don’t you tell me what I’m about to do next?”
Du Lin shook his head. “Doesn’t matter what it is. I won’t let you pass. We’re down to the final step—I won’t let you ruin the Honored One’s plan.”
There was no need to argue anymore. Mo Mo and Du Lin both knew—they stood on opposite paths.
“What exactly is Lai Caisheng plotting?” Mo Mo asked grimly. “Spiritual energy is reviving across the land, and he—who’s supposed to be the mastermind—isn’t even at Mount Tai’s peak? Instead, he’s sneaking around here at Croaching Dragon Estate… Don’t tell me it’s just for the feng shui.”
“Do you know why this place is called ‘Croaching Dragon Estate’?” Du Lin suddenly asked.
Mo Mo frowned, not sure why he brought that up. He glanced around, then shook his head.
“Because this is the spinal ridge of the ley lines of the entire Mount Tai system,” Du Lin said slowly. “Over forty years ago, Qingxiaozi of the Plain-Clothed Dao lured the Dragon Fiend here. That creature shares the same bloodline as the Twelve Ancestral Dragons of Divine Land—possibly even the same source as the True Dragon of Divine Land. The battlefield of the Dragon Fiend disaster… was right here. Croaching Dragon Estate was built on that battlefield.”
Mo Mo’s brow furrowed deeper. “Be straight with me… We’re already at this point. You’re not planning to keep it a secret anymore, are you?”
"When the ley lines of Mount Tai are successfully broken open, the spiritual energy that has been sealed for countless years will erupt in an instant," Du Lin said calmly. "I believe you understand just how destructive such an outburst of spiritual energy would be."
"Isn't that exactly what you all want?" Mo Mo snorted coldly. "You're willing to do anything just to bring back the old era."
"We are willing to pay any price to restore that era," Du Lin replied coolly. "But that doesn’t mean we want to destroy everything. Listen—within Mount Tai right now are countless Daoist and Demon elites. Among them are people like us who’ve exhausted our potential and have no hope of advancing, even with the spiritual revival. But there are also rising stars like you. We won’t allow this future to be buried by a spiritual storm."
Mo Mo was startled. "Then you all…"
"The spiritual energy erupting from a single point would destroy everything," Du Lin said slowly. "But if there’s an additional outlet, then the damage will be far less. At the very least, the energy’s concentration will be lower and the affected area smaller. Right now, the Honored One is inside, preparing to open a second outlet when the first one bursts."
"So you're saying… you're doing a good deed now?" Mo Mo shook his head.
Du Lin suddenly said firmly, "Mo Mo! Listen—Mount Tai’s summit is in chaos. Can you be certain the coalition will stop the first rupture?"
"The True Dragon has already gone."
"Invincible doesn’t mean immune to time," Du Lin took a deep breath. "This is a race against time… and yes, we’ve made preparations to delay the True Dragon. So far, everything has gone smoothly. After all, she only appeared just now, right? If she'd arrived earlier, this plan might never have reached this point."
Mo Mo sighed. "From the moment the Penglai Grand Gathering began, to the fight over the Edict on Zhan’er, and then the mysterious disappearance of most of the Daoist and Demon forces… it’s clear you people came prepared."
"Not completely. Many unexpected variables showed up." Du Lin shook his head. "You, for one. Then Baijie and the others—they returned far earlier than expected… but even so, the plan has reached its final stage. Mo Mo, it’s up to you now. If you’re confident that we’ve lost at Mount Tai’s summit, then go ahead and act. But if you’re not… then don’t move. Because if your side fails at Mount Tai, and you also stop the Honored One here, then all the destruction caused by a single-point eruption of spiritual energy will be partly your responsibility. Didn’t you say—if you can’t reach what’s out of your grasp, then at least save what you can reach? So now, what will you choose?"
Mo Mo stared at Du Lin for a long time before finally letting out a slow breath. "Take me to Lai Caisheng."
"Having you here is truly a relief, Mo Mo," Du Lin sighed.
Mo Mo sneered, "Don’t think a few kind words will soften me."
"No. If you were just a hot-headed fool who couldn’t see the situation clearly and acted on blind passion, you would’ve made a different choice. So, Mo Mo… please accept this bow from me."
With a serious expression, Du Lin deeply bowed toward Mo Mo.
Mo Mo gave a bitter smile. This bow… weighed heavier than Mount Tai itself.
He murmured, "Senior… so this is the place between black and white."
(End of Chapter)