On Azure Mist Mountain.
Venerable Elder Baimei perceived everything happening within Eternal Sun Prefecture.
A flicker of shock crossed his expression as he witnessed the blood-red ancient tree emerge from crimson leaves on Qilin Mountain, saw Lin Wudao's threads of fate shatter inch by inch, and realized the Li family was stealing the fruits of Tian Xing's ten-thousand-year labor!
"Master, this is wonderful! Hahaha!"
The disciple, Ah Xiu, came forward to report the good news, his face filled with delight.
"Master, there's still a year and a half until the hundred years you spoke of, when the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode would be opened," he said. "But now, there's no need to open it at all! The Li family is already seizing everything from Tian Xing—he's no match for them!"
"Master, did you see? That Tian Xing... he's truly just as you said! So terrifying!
With that level of power, I fear that if he truly wanted to escape, not even an expert at the Void Refining realm could stop him.
And he can spread his avatars across the world, it's no wonder you never dared to move against him lightly."
"But it's all over now! Tian Xing's own avatars have become the very means by which the Li family is stripping him of his power!"
"Master, now is the perfect time to open the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode and rescue the Li family members..."
For all these years, Ah Xiu had been closely following the Li family's affairs.
He remained incandescent with fury over the sins Venerable Tian Xing had once committed on Azure Mist Mountain.
Now that Tian Xing, the one who had brought such disaster upon the Li family, was finally suffering, Ah Xiu's kind and good-natured disposition made him talk on and on without cease.
However, as he was speaking, his voice came to an abrupt halt. His Master was staring at him with an exceptionally peculiar gaze.
"Master," Ah Xiu stammered, "why... why are you looking at me like that?"
But Venerable Elder Baimei merely patted Ah Xiu's shoulder and said with profound meaning, "Everyone under heaven should be laughing right now; only you and I should not be so happy."
"Master, why?" Ah Xiu asked. "Lin Wudao is being..."
Venerable Elder Baimei paid Ah Xiu no mind. He simply walked back to his thatched cottage and stood in the doorway, gazing at Bai Rourou, who was cultivating upon a rush cushion inside.
The Bai Rourou of today had ceased her daily cultivation.
She, too, seemed to know what had transpired on Qilin Mountain, and a flicker of joy flashed in her eyes.
However, sensing Venerable Elder Baimei and Ah Xiu approaching, she merely turned her head stiffly to stare at the master and disciple.
"Lady Rourou, this is wonderful! Your Li family has Lin Wudao under control."
Ah Xiu announced joyfully, then turned to Venerable Elder Baimei. "Master," he urged, "Let's open the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode right now! As long as we destroy his core, Tian Xing will no longer be a threat!"
However, neither Bai Rourou nor Venerable Elder Baimei paid him any mind. Bai Rourou rose to her feet.
Venerable Elder Baimei's expression was calm, yet his words caused Ah Xiu's face to pale with horror.
"Tian Xing's core has never been in the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode," he said. "It is here, within this very Azure Mist Mountain. I said one hundred years! Why did your Li family have to force the timing? Why... WHY?!!"
His voice, which had been calm, turned into a roar!
"If you had just waited a little longer, I could have returned your people! I could have delivered Lin Wudao into your hands myself, and everything would have been over! Why," he roared, "did you have to oppose me? Why sever my Great Dao?!!"
Watching Venerable Elder Baimei's sudden, drastic change, Ah Xiu felt as if the Master before him were a complete stranger.
His Master had always been so benevolent, yet now his face was contorted with ferocity, like a vengeful ghost that had crawled up from the underworld.
"Master... what's... what's wrong with you?" Ah Xiu stammered. "Don't... don't scare me."
But Bai Rourou remained perfectly calm.
With but a single glance, Venerable Elder Baimei summoned the power of Heaven and Earth and reached out to seize Bai Rourou. Yet even as she was bound by his power, Bai Rourou remained fearless. She let out a cold sneer.
"Old Daoist Baimei," she said, "Lin Wudao is a dead man, and you're next!"
"You..."
Venerable Elder Baimei's expression changed drastically. The Bai Rourou sitting cross-legged before him gradually lost all signs of life. It was... a puppet!
"Scoundrel!"
Venerable Elder Baimei's expression contorted. He abruptly looked off into the distance.
"There's still the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode!" he cried. "There are still Li family members inside! Capture them, and we still have a chance to salvage this!"
But suddenly.
"AHHH!!!"
Ah Xiu let out a bloodcurdling scream, his face deathly pale. He dropped to the ground, clutching his head and rolling in agony.
"Master!" he shrieked, "My divine soul! My divine soul!!!"
...
In the skies above Eternal Sun Prefecture.
Li Yaotie, who had remained hidden until now, was floating up into the air.
He was bare to the waist, revealing his powerful muscles.
The crimson light from the old tree on the distant Qilin Mountain shone upon his bald head, reflecting a dazzling red glare.
Beside him was Bai Rourou!
She had spent many years meditating on Azure Mist Mountain, but she had taken advantage of the incident on Qilin Mountain, using a puppet as a substitute while her true body escaped.
At this moment, she stood quietly behind Li Yaotie, watching as he deployed numerous puppets.
Using the esoteric Daoist techniques of the Heavenly Light Sect, he summoned forth a technique, and a pitch-black fissure materialized out of thin air!
"Ah Tie," Bai Rourou said, "that old ghost on Azure Mist Mountain has discovered us. We don't have much time left."
As Bai Rourou's voice fell.
A golden light gleamed in Li Yaotie's eyes. He let out a cold snort. "It's enough."
---
1/2