Eighty-Nine: The Immortal’s Grotto, Where Demons Dance in Chaos

Tianxin Daoist proposed that they begin calculating the exact hour and direction when the immortal abode would open, and so he took from his storage bracelet a strange mirror. It was strange because mirrors were ordinarily round or square, yet the one he produced was triangular. Ancient patterns covered its back, and silver light shimmered across its surface, though it could reflect no human face.

True Man Zhengyi and Sect Master Water Moon each produced an identical mirror as well. The three of them took up positions in a triangle, aiming the mirrors toward the empty space at the center. Then, slowly, they adjusted the angles so that the moonlight above could be reflected.

Before long, the angles were set. The three mirrors gathered the reflected moonlight to a single point at the center, and suddenly that point transformed into a mountain range veiled in drifting mist. Wood and the others were startled when they saw it, for it was in fact only a miniature version of Great Dream Cloud Marsh Mountain.

The three men urged their power, and the silver radiance on the mirrors grew even brighter. The mountain range began to turn, and one of its peaks enlarged again and again until at last it came to a stop.

True Man Zhengyi asked, "Did you see clearly where it is?"

Wood and the others were all gifted beyond the ordinary; at once they understood that the peak shown there was the place where the abode would open this time, and they hurried to fix it firmly in their memories.

Tianxin Daoist then took from his bracelet an object shaped like a sphere and tossed it toward the illusion of Great Dream Cloud Marsh Mountain. The object landed upon the mountain range and unexpectedly became a full moon, drifting slowly across the mountains.

Wood and the others did not understand what this meant, but Water Maple said, "Senior Brother Tianxin, it looks as though there are still several hours before the abode opens!"

Tianxin Daoist shook his head. "This object can only calculate an approximate time. Even our master said its accuracy falls short of half!"

True Man Zhengyi also said, "Indeed. Last century we miscalculated the hour and missed the opening. This time we'd best arrive early to be safe!"

Tianxin Daoist agreed. The three men put away the mirrors, and the illusion of mountains and moon vanished at once.

True Man Zhengyi looked up at the moonlit sky and murmured, "I'm afraid it is nearly midnight. Another hundred years, and another cycle gone by."

No sooner had he spoken than the clouds suddenly began to churn, and the tides surged upon the sea of mist. The three sect masters were delighted, and in one voice they cried, "The time is almost here, go!" With that, they slipped down the mountain peak and plunged into the cloud and mist.

Within the cloud and mist lay the Sky-Confounding Primordial Array. Wood asked in wonder, "Sect Master, why don't we simply fly our swords straight to that peak instead of entering the array?"

True Man Zhengyi replied, "When the abode is about to open, the area around that peak becomes as solid as iron. Sword flight cannot enter at all; we can only pass through the great array."

As they spoke, everyone had already descended into the formation.

Once inside, they saw only roiling mist all around them. Three meters away, they could see nothing at all. Tianxin Daoist said in a low voice, "Stay close!"

He stepped forward at the head of the group, turning left and right with ease, as though walking in his own courtyard.

Wood found this odd and caught hold of True Man Zhengyi. "Sect Master, how far can you see?"

"Beyond three meters, nothing is visible," True Man Zhengyi answered.

Wood asked in surprise, "Then why does Senior Uncle Tianxin seem to know the way so well, as though he were walking at home?"

True Man Zhengyi smiled. "Several of our ancestors passed through this great array in the past. They long ago studied its paths, and even left behind maps. Of course we are very familiar with it."

As they talked, Tianxin Daoist suddenly halted and made a gesture for silence, then tilted his ear to listen.

Water Maple whispered, "Someone has been confused by the formation and is running about blindly."

Wood and the others concentrated their hearing as well, and sure enough, from within the great array came the angry cursing of someone, sometimes near, sometimes far, impossible to make out clearly.

Tianxin Daoist's expression darkened. "It is Young Master Golden Fan, Cang Shanjin, and the disciple Autumn Heartlessness from the Demon Eye. Strange, they seem to be being chased by another expert. That one has not spoken."

True Man Zhengyi also heard it. "None of them are righteous people. It has nothing to do with us. Leave them be."

Tianxin Daoist nodded and led the way onward.

Great Dream Cloud Marsh Mountain stretched who knew how many thousands of miles, and in truth many in the cultivation world knew that within Cloud Marsh Mountain lay an immortal abode that opened once every hundred years. Roughly when it would open was known, but no one knew its exact location. Thus, searching for an immortal abode within several thousand miles of mountain range was no different from fishing a needle from the sea.

But for Tianxin Daoist and the others, who knew the directions well, finding the place was not difficult. They moved in fits and starts, repeatedly calculating their bearings, and in only a little over half an hour they came to an open stretch at the foot of a mountain. Here, however, no rolling mist blocked their view, and they could see a hundred meters away. Of course, beyond that hundred meters the mist still churned endlessly.

"It is here!" True Man Zhengyi said joyfully. "Only where the abode is about to open will there be no mist." He raised his head to look at the mountain peak, but the slope was extremely steep, with no path leading upward.

In ordinary times, whether there was a path or not made no difference to a group of cultivators. The problem was that within the Sky-Confounding Primordial Array, none of them could use flight techniques. The place where an immortal abode appeared was notoriously uncertain: it might be at the foot of the mountain, or halfway up, or even at the summit. Yet this steep peak, with no road leading upward, had put them in a difficult position.

But the three sect masters were not anxious at all, because they knew that once the abode opened, spiritual energy would fill the hundred-meter radius free of mist, and at that time they would be able to use flight techniques.

While everyone was staring intently at the mountain peak, a golden thread suddenly shot out from nowhere. It looked thin and soft, yet it carried a shrill whistle that seemed capable of tearing the heart apart.

"King Golden River!" Tianxin Daoist roared and leapt back, but his disciple, Cypress One-Sword, drew the famed blade Break the Heavens, gave a clear cry, and charged straight in to strike, setting off billowing waves of heat.

In the direction where Cypress One-Sword's sword attack pointed, a dwarf not even four feet tall suddenly appeared. He wore a robe of gold, and even his hair and beard gleamed with brilliant golden light.

Seeing Cypress One-Sword come at him with his whole body committed to the strike, he snorted coldly and flicked his wrist. The golden thread danced like a spirit serpent, but instead of meeting force with force, it curved into a circle and bound toward Cypress One-Sword. Who would have thought that the Cloud-Rising Sect's arts were all about pressing forward without hesitation? Cypress One-Sword's cultivation was extraordinary, and the golden sword radiance burst forth with dazzling brilliance, actually forcing the golden thread back so that it could not approach him, sending it recoiling instead.

This startled King Golden River, who hastily dodged aside and shouted, "You brat, who are you? Do you even know who your Golden Grandfather is?"

Cypress One-Sword paid him no mind, only driving his sword light forward, using offense as defense and forcing King Golden River to the point where he could do nothing but parry.

This left Tianxin Daoist and the other two sect masters stunned. They realized that Cypress One-Sword did not seem to be suppressed by the Sky-Confounding Primordial Array at all; otherwise, how could he possibly stand against a veteran devil like King Golden River?

And King Golden River, though driven into a disadvantage, still kept up his hard tone. "Golden Grandfather sees that you are gifted and have great prospects in the future. I cannot bear to destroy such a rare talent. Hurry and run for your life!"

Yet his words stood in complete contrast to his miserable appearance, and everyone could scarcely keep from laughing.

Just as King Golden River was about to be wounded by Cypress One-Sword, a scarlet ribbon suddenly flew out from the mist and struck at Cypress One-Sword. At the same time, a melodious voice rang out, saying, "King Golden River, has your cultivation grown weaker with age? Let me help you!"

As she spoke, a woman in red emerged from the mist. Her beauty was dazzling, no less than Water Maple's.

Without another word, the newcomer attacked directly, clearly someone from the opposite side. Wood gave a cold laugh and raised a hand, summoning Azure Nether. In an instant, azure light burst forth, and the flying sword shot out like a furious dragon emerging from the abyss, slashing straight at the scarlet ribbon, intending to overcome softness with hardness.

True Man Zhengyi hurriedly said, "A-Mu, be careful. That is the famous demonic expert Autumn Heartlessness. Do not look into her eyes!"

King Golden River also shouted, "You shameless woman, watch out! These two boys are strange. They are not affected by the suppression of the Sky-Confounding Primordial Array!"

He was absolutely right. Wood did not feel the slightest effect upon himself. Azure Nether roved through the air like a wandering dragon, forcing Autumn Heartlessness into full defense. She had originally intended to use the Demon Eye to seize the boy's mind, but True Man Zhengyi had called it out first, leaving her no choice but to wave her scarlet ribbon and fight while retreating.

With a resounding clang, a bell suddenly rang out from beneath the mountain peak.

The sound was not especially loud, and in fact rather dull, yet it seemed to strike straight into the soul, as though it could shatter a person's heart. Wood and Cypress One-Sword both went slightly dazed, and their attacks faltered.

Seizing the opening, King Golden River and Autumn Heartlessness both hastily withdrew and shouted, "Bell of Lost Souls, why are you still not coming out to deal with these fellows? Here, only your Twelve Bells of Lost Souls are unaffected by the array's suppression!"

At their cry, a man stepped out from behind the mountain peak. He wore white robes and a tall white hat, and even his complexion was pale, carrying more than a little of the Black-and-White Specter about him.

"Soul-Snatching Demon!" True Man Zhengyi's face changed. If his cultivation were not suppressed, he would naturally not fear this devil, but at present even the combined strength of the three sect masters might be unable to withstand the Twelve Bells of Lost Souls.

"Heh heh... True Man Zhengyi, your memory is excellent. That sword strike of that day, this old man has never dared to forget. Today, let me have you taste the flavor of the Twelve Bells of Lost Souls!"

He spoke of that sword strike, yet his face was full of venomous resentment, clearly meaning the opposite of what he said.

Wood stepped forward and said coldly, "Do you take us for corpses?"

Soul-Snatching Demon looked at him, then at the poised Cypress One-Sword, and said coldly, "Who are you people?"

Before Wood and Cypress One-Sword could answer, Autumn Heartlessness's coy voice rang out. "Soul Bell, you truly are ignorant. These two made a brilliant display at yesterday's grand contest on Heaven-Calling Peak. They were hailed as the foremost among the younger generation of cultivators, disciples of both the Great Void Sect and the Cloud-Rising Sect. They are even said to be reincarnations of celestial beings!"

"Reincarnations of celestial beings?" Soul-Snatching Demon said coldly. "No wonder the array has no effect on them. What a pity for you that you ran into me today. I shall send you both on your way to the heavens..."