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The Legend of the Immortals Prequel: Wilderness Journey
Azure Cloud Mountain, Tongfeng.
In the front mountain of Tongfeng, there are many majestic halls and pavilions, as well as numerous beautiful and picturesque landscapes. Among the famous Azure Cloud Six Sceneries, three are located here: Rainbow Bridge, The Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies, and Emerald Terrace. It is usually very lively, with disciples often moving about to practice, and the central Yuqing Hall situated at the peak of the front mountain adds an air of solemnity.
In contrast, the back mountain of Tongfeng appears much quieter. As far as the eye can see, there are Azure Pine trees and ancient cypress, with only the occasional sound of crisp bird calls echoing from deep within the forest. Aside from the faint mist floating around, there is almost no other sound. This area is rarely visited; a winding mountain path leads deeper into the forest, its destination unknown, enhancing its sense of mystery.
On this day, around noon, with the sun high in the sky, Dao Xuan finished handling various matters in Yuqing Hall. After giving a few instructions to those around him, he quietly left and soon appeared on the mountain path of Tongfeng's back mountain.
As he walked into the forest, his expression was solemn and even somewhat stern, with a hint of worry visible in his eyes.
After walking deeper into the woods for a while, Dao Xuan saw that the mountain path ahead suddenly split into two. A stone tablet stood by the roadside; it might cause hesitation for others, but he was clearly already familiar with the terrain nearby. Without glancing at the stone tablet, he turned directly onto the right-hand path. Behind him, the stone tablet pointed toward another path where faintly could be seen the words Illusory Moon Cave.
This path leads to another important location of the Azure Cloud Sect, Qiu Wangyu, a grand hall dedicated to enshrining the spirit tablets of past ancestors of the Azure Cloud Sect, hidden among cypress trees. The flying eaves and large columns gradually came into view as he approached.
In front of the hall was a patch of bluestone ground covered with fallen leaves and pine needles. The air carried a hint of fresh wood fragrance. Before him were several steps leading up to the entrance of Qiu Wangyu. Although it was noon, Qiu Wangyu still appeared quite dim, with heavy drapes hanging down and silence enveloping it. Only a few candles flickered in that darkness, casting some light.
Dao Xuan walked over and paused at the entrance, scanning the hall but not seeing anyone at first. He frowned and hesitated for a moment before calling out loudly: "Master, disciple Dao Xuan has arrived."
There was no response from Qiu Wangyu, nor did anyone answer him. Only the faint candlelight flickered slightly as if startled but quickly returned to normal.
After waiting for a while without any reaction, Dao Xuan called out again. After some time, from a dark corner within Qiu Wangyu, a voice suddenly emerged—Chengzi, sounding somewhat weary and indifferent—said: "What is it?"
Not daring to be negligent, Dao Xuan bowed respectfully and then said earnestly: "Master, disciple has come to invite you back to Yuqing Hall."
Chengzi said, "I have already made it clear to you several times in the past few days. After my serious injury, my mind has been disturbed, and the front mountain is too noisy. I need to recuperate here."
Dao Xuan looked even more worried, lowering his head and saying, "Master, the rise and fall of Azure Cloud Sect depends solely on you. My reputation and abilities are insufficient. These days, acting as the sect leader has already become a heavy burden for me. If this continues, I fear I will fail your expectations. My reputation is lacking, but if I mismanage Azure Cloud Sect, it would be unforgivable. I earnestly request Master to return to the mountain and take charge of the situation for the sake of Azure Cloud Sect."
Chengzi was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Is there someone dissatisfied with your handling of important matters?"
Dao Xuan was taken aback for a moment and shook his head, saying, "Not at all, it's just..."
Chengzi interrupted him, saying, "If that's the case, what do you have to worry about? There is no need for further discussion; I will not return."
Dao Xuan was left speechless, looking at the dim hall before him. Behind the heavy curtains and flickering candlelight stood rows of solemn spirit tablets, resembling imposing giants coldly gazing at him, a mere mortal. His lips trembled slightly, and a deep yet helpless anxiety flashed in his eyes. Just as he was about to try speaking again, a sudden intense gasp echoed from deep within the hall. Moments later, it sounded as if something had fallen to the ground with a crisp resonance.
“Ding…”
A black object rolled out from somewhere in the shadows, spinning in a large circle on the ground before vibrating a few times and finally coming to rest on the floor of Qiu Wangyu.
Dao Xuan looked over and saw that the object on the ground resembled a round iron lid—dark and unremarkable—lying there without any peculiarities.
At that moment, Chengzi's voice suddenly came again, sounding somewhat indifferent. "What are you doing over there?"
Dao Xuan's expression changed slightly; after biting his lip, he dared not say more and lowered his head to retreat. As he walked down the stone steps and turned back, he couldn't help but glance one last time. The solemn and heavy hall seemed to fall into silence once more. Throughout it all, he had not seen his mentor's figure; at this moment, it seemed to have vanished into that darkness, becoming increasingly indistinct.
Ten Thousand Swords in One and the others had been walking in the desert for several days, feeling that the climate ahead was becoming increasingly dry. The yellow earth of the Gobi was gradually transforming into a complete desert, indicating that they were nearing the entrance to the wilderness. The Northwest Wilderness is known as a perilous and dangerous area, said to be the birthplace of the demonic sect. Throughout history, countless dangers have loomed in the wilderness, making it nearly impossible for outsiders to venture deep within.
One day, Ten Thousand Swords in One and his companions suddenly noticed a large group of figures ahead, all of whom appeared to be members of the demonic sect.
The five were taken aback because the remnants of the demonic sect they had encountered along the way were clearly disorganized, mostly fleeing in small groups, and it was rare to see such a large gathering. Moreover, their position seemed to be right at the edge of the entrance to the Barbaric Desert, adding an air of subtlety to the situation.
In this border area, there were almost no mountains or forests; instead, sand dunes began to appear. Ten Thousand Swords in One and his companions found a dune from which they could observe the scene from a distance.
After watching for a while, Ten Thousand Swords in One spoke up: “The situation over there looks somewhat like that of the Ghost King Sect.”
Leaning beside him, Azure Pine gazed for a moment and faintly heard what seemed to be cries coming from within the Ghost King Sect. He quietly said to Ten Thousand Swords in One: “Wan Shixiong, have you noticed that those people seem to be in chaos? It looks like something has happened.”
“Hmm.” Ten Thousand Swords in One nodded slightly but after pondering for a moment, decisively said: “Never mind, let’s not meddle in their affairs; we have more important matters at hand. Let’s go.”
The others had no objections, so the five quietly descended from the dune and took a wide detour around the chaotic Ghost King Sect group before continuing forward. Before long, they felt the temperature outside suddenly rise; under the blazing sun and amidst swirling sands, they found themselves deep within the Barbaric Desert.
The endless desert appeared to stretch on indefinitely, with countless dunes scattered throughout. When the wind blew, it swept across the land like a veil of sand.
At that moment, as Azure Cloud Sect took a brave step into the mysterious wilderness, within the ranks of the Ghost King Sect on the border of this wilderness, there was an atmosphere of despair. Everyone was wailing and crying; white banners were raised as mourners knelt before a central tent, weeping uncontrollably.
Last night at midnight, within the Holy Sect, the highly respected and renowned Ghost King suffered severe injuries and finally passed away unexpectedly.
The members of Ghost King Sect were grief-stricken and immediately halted their advance. The disciple who had been acting as sect leader, Wan Ren Wang, was particularly devastated by his master's death. He repeatedly fainted from grief before his master's body and was unable to manage affairs.
The Ghost King Sect was in chaos, with everyone feeling anxious. Soon, it attracted the attention of nearby members of the Holy Sect, and several prominent individuals rushed over to pay their respects.
The Four Great Saints of the Demon Sect quickly arrived at the Ghost King Sect's camp. Qinglong first went to the spirit tablet to offer incense, then approached to lift the white cloth covering the Ghost King's face. After taking a final look at the Ghost King's remains, he sighed deeply, his expression somber, and said, "A hero has passed away; the Holy Sect is in decline."
After that, he turned to glance at the side and saw Wan Yi, dressed in coarse clothing, kneeling beside the spirit tablet. In just a few days' time, he looked as if he had lost weight, his eye sockets sunken, and his vitality seemed to have been drained in an instant. Qinglong shook his head and walked over to him.
Behind Qinglong, the other three saints also stepped forward to pay their respects. However, compared to Qinglong, aside from Zhuque, who wore black clothing and a black veil that obscured her face, Baihu and Xuanwu's expressions seemed somewhat subtle. Of course, they were not happy, but they also did not appear particularly sorrowful. After looking at the Ghost King's remains, they exchanged glances and slowly moved to a secluded area. Before long, Zhuque joined them.
Noticing that there was no one around for the moment, Xuanwu suddenly spoke in a voice only Baihu and Zhuque could hear, "In my early years, I engaged in some shady dealings; you both are aware of this, right?"
Baihu glanced at him and replied, "Yes, what about it?"
Xuanwu smiled slightly; his expression did not change much. He lowered his voice even more and said, "Someone has dealt with matters concerning the Demon King Sect Master."
Baihu and Zhuque turned to look at him simultaneously. Xuanwu shrugged but did not elaborate further.
After a moment of silence, Baihu frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"
Xuanwu replied calmly, "I suspect our senior sect master may not have passed away just last night."
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