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墨書 Inktalez
June Twenty-First.
Two days later will be the Beginning of Autumn. At this time of year, except for noon, the weather is no longer so hot that one feels like shedding a layer of skin; the mornings and evenings are much cooler.
At dusk, a gray figure swiftly swept across the slightly autumnal yellowish grass tips, traversing mountains and valleys, finally arriving at the Deep Valley outside the Li Fire Formation at the South Mountain Exit.
He stopped at the narrow gourd-shaped entrance outside Deep Valley, not rushing into the grand formation. He paused to look around, unconsciously tightening the straps of a large bamboo basket on his back. The basket was filled with a bunch of green grass tips, exuding a strong medicinal fragrance.
Two figures emerged from a concealed spot nearby. Upon seeing him, the Patrol Captain Elder smiled and said, “Elder Yao, back from gathering herbs again?”
Elder Yao nodded without a smile.
The two elders from the Patrol Team said little more and clasped their hands together, saying, “Elder Yao, please go in and get busy.”
Elder Yao activated his movement technique and flew toward the entrance at the valley's bottom. Just as he flew out a short distance, he suddenly heard the Patrol Captain Elder call out from behind, “Wait!”
Elder Yao halted abruptly, gripping the straps of the bamboo basket tightly, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.
He turned slowly without showing any signs of tension on his face.
The Patrol Captain Elder flew forward and scratched his head with a smile, saying, “Elder Yao, I wanted to ask if I could get some Fire Origin Pill. Is there plenty in stock at the Heavenly Pill Hall recently?”
Elder Yao gradually relaxed his grip on the basket's straps and nodded, “Yes. Just come by to pick it up when you’re off duty.”
The Patrol Captain Elder was overjoyed: “Thank you, Elder Yao! Hehe, you go ahead with your work; I need to continue my patrol.”
Elder Yao quickly flew to the stone wall at the bottom of the valley, took out a Jade Tablet, and performed a spiritual incantation on it. His figure disappeared behind the stone wall.
If Li Hong were here, he would surely notice that his Jade Tablet was the same as his own, one of the five highest-level Jade Tablets of the Nine Li Sect.
June Twenty-Two, Hai Time.
This was a huge stone chamber, buried deep underground, but the air was not murky; a pleasant light fragrance filled the air. It was the scent of Eternal Candle.
On each of the four walls hung an ancient Bronze Lamp, each containing a white Eternal Candle as thick as a child's arm. The Eternal Candle was made using South Sea Eternal Mermaid Paste, and when burned, it did not emit bright light, so the entire chamber was immersed in the hazy white glow and fragrant mist of the Eternal Candle.
The chamber was very quiet, with a square Azure Jade Platform in the center, upon which sat eight people.
This Azure Jade Platform was quite special. In its depths, there was a faint black shadow resembling a dragon. The base and surface of the platform were carved with strange formation diagrams, and even the positions where the eight people sat were carefully arranged.
They each sat at the center of a formation diagram; upon closer inspection, all the diagrams on the platform formed an overall Bagua Formation Diagram, with formations nested within formations.
All eight individuals had their eyes tightly closed, their appearances ancient and rugged, with white beards and hair, likely aged in thousands of years.
One of them opened his eyes; with a gesture of his right hand, a large Silk Scroll flew out from a cabinet by the wall of the chamber. The elder caught the Silk Scroll in his hands and opened it. He pressed his finger on a line of text that contained dates and names, and an unusual small blue hook suddenly appeared next to it.
After marking it with the hook, he casually tossed the Silk Scroll back into its original place in the cabinet, where it landed perfectly. With a click, the cabinet door closed automatically.
He closed his eyes again, and an almost inaudible voice emerged from deep within his throat. The other seven elders remained unaffected, as if they had not heard anything.
In the Li Fire Formation passage, some individuals were cautiously navigating the complex and dark Passageway according to the instructions of an elder.
At that moment, the door to the stone chamber opened, and a figure entered. It was none other than the current leader of the Nine Li Sect, Ling Xuzi.
Aside from the eight people on the platform, two elders were seated cross-legged on a Reed Mat in the corner of the stone chamber. Ling Xuzi glanced at the eight individuals on the high platform before walking over to the corner and bowing deeply to the two elders, saying, “Master, Ancestor, I have arrived.”
This place was the Nine Li Sect's most guarded secret, the Array Hall.
In the corner, one of the two was True Microbe, the chief elder of the Array Hall, whom Ling Xuzi referred to as Ancestor. The other was Yueyangzi, Ling Xuzi's master and former leader of the sect who had stepped down.
Yueyangzi looked up at Ling Xuzi. He understood his disciple well and noticed that Ling Xuzi did not appear as worried as usual; upon closer inspection, there seemed to be a hint of joy between his brows. He asked, “Have there been any good news recently?”
Ling Xuzi was taken aback and immediately shook his head. “No, it’s still the same.”
Despite this, Ling Xuzi paused for a moment, which gave Yueyangzi some insight. His disciple must be hiding something from him. However, since it was supposed to be good news and considering that he was now the leader of the Nine Li Sect, who had always acted commendably, Yueyangzi chose not to press further.
He extended his hand and asked, “Where is it?”
Ling Xuzi took out ten small jade bottles from his Cosmic Bag and lined them up in front of his master. “They have been refined; this batch is of even better quality.”
Yueyangzi stood up and distributed the small jade bottles to everyone present, keeping the last one for himself.
Deep within this Underground area, surrounded by countless isolation formations, it was difficult for Li Fire Aura to penetrate. The elders of the Array Hall needed to take Fire Origin Pill regularly. This type of Fire Origin Pill was a recent product of the Heavenly Pill Hall, with enhanced efficacy, improved from an existing formula and personally refined by Elder Yao.
Yueyangzi opened his small jade bottle, and a bright red color burst forth, with Spiritual Energy almost spilling out of the bottle. Just one whiff was immensely beneficial.
"Indeed quite good," Yueyangzi said as he tucked the jade bottle into his robe.
Ling Xuzi came to deliver Fire Origin Pills periodically, and each time he would chat with his master for a bit. However, this time after delivering the Fire Origin Pills, he bowed and said, "Disciple has other matters to attend to. I will come back to visit Master and the Ancestors next time."
Yueyangzi looked at him curiously but ultimately did not ask anything.
Ling Xuzi exited the Array Hall and turned down a long passageway, where he encountered another stone door. He performed a hand seal, and after a moment, he heard Yue Zongzi's voice: "Is that the sect leader's nephew? Come in."
The stone door opened to reveal another vast stone chamber, with a high platform in the center that resembled the towering Heaven and Earth Platform opposite Nine Separation Peak, albeit on a much smaller scale.
The Array Hall was actually divided into two sections: one guarding the Li Fire Formation and the other overseeing the Heaven and Earth Platform. The previous area was a secret chamber for guarding the Li Fire Formation, while this one was for watching over the Heaven and Earth Platform.
Yue Zongzi was a direct disciple of Elder of Artifact Refinement Yue Changzi and had been refining artifacts in the Artifact Hall. After the war between the Immortal and Demon sects began, there was a shortage of personnel, so Ling Xuzi transferred him to the Array Hall to guard the Heaven and Earth Platform.
The Heaven and Earth Platform had already been sealed, so only Yue Zongzi was present. In the past, three elders were required to guard it at all times. Now, Yue Zongzi found himself quite idle here; although someone had to be on duty as per regulations, he actually had nothing to do. Yue Zongzi spent all his time cultivating, using his Fire Origin Pills more quickly than others.
Ling Xuzi handed over three bottles, and when Yue Zongzi opened one, he was satisfied but somewhat puzzled. "How is this different from before? It seems to be of better quality?"
Ling Xuzi smiled and replied, "Master Uncle has a keen eye. This is newly developed by Elder Yao; several Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures have been added inside, improving its quality compared to before. I have personally tested it."
"Since it is produced by Elder Yao, it must be excellent," Yue Zongzi said with a grin as he tucked two bottles into his robe while leaving one resting on his knees. "Tomorrow during Chou Time at the Beginning of Autumn is when the Fire Spirit Energy of heaven and earth is weakest. I will take one pill right at the start of Chou Time; in fact, I might as well leave it here."
The two chatted for a while, and Ling Xuzi got up to leave.
On June 23, at the first hour of Chou Time.
In the Array Hall, Yue Zongzi, who was guarding the Heaven and Earth Platform, opened his eyes. He picked up a small jade bottle in front of him and casually tossed a Fire Origin Pill into his throat without even looking. He closed his eyes again.
Suddenly, Yue Zongzi's body trembled violently, and an expression of extreme pain appeared on his face. Moments later, strands of black mist, seemingly coming from nowhere, began to rise from his body, wrapping around him like black poisonous snakes. He hunched over in agony, his face turning dark; upon internal inspection, his Nascent Soul was enveloped in the strange black mist, completely bound by it. The Nascent Soul looked wilted, with a golden little face mirroring the same expression of pain as Yue Zongzi.
Yue Zongzi forced himself to calm down. His trembling hand slowly reached into his robe until he finally touched something—a small jade flute. Shaking, he used the last bit of strength he had left to press a small hole on the flute and weakly said, "Fire Origin Pill is toxic... be careful..."
With a loud bang, Yue Zongzi fell backward onto the hard Azure Jade Platform, blood gushing from the back of his head. A large amount of black mist poured out from his nostrils and slowly gathered into a moving humanoid shape made of black fog.
The black fog figure looked down at the convulsing Yue Zongzi, who was frothing at the mouth for a moment before transforming into a wisp of smoke that re-entered Yue Zongzi's nostrils.
Yue Zongzi slowly sat up with wide-open eyes and stiffly walked down from the small Heaven and Earth Platform. He squatted down by the base and reached to press a switch underneath it.
He had already touched it when Yue Zongzi's extended right hand suddenly paused. Half of his face began to turn red, increasingly so as if it were on fire, while the other half remained deeply purple-black.
The fiery red gradually spread down toward his neck as Yue Zongzi's right hand hovered over the switch's surface. It seemed that an immense force within him was compelling him to press it down, but Yue Zongzi fought with the last bit of clarity he had left to pull his hand back.
The black mist surged fiercely and suddenly attacked from the left side; the red barely held its ground as Yue Zongzi used the last remnants of his conscious mind to defend his final position.
Gradually, Yue Zongzi's face alternated between black and red at an alarming speed.
He let out a roar and, with a tremendous effort, severed his own right arm with his left hand. The severed limb fell to the ground, and Yue Zongzi leaned back desperately, trying to distance himself from the switch.
"Do you think that without a hand I can't press that? How foolish; this is your own body!"
The blood flowing from the severed area was as black as ink. The black blood quickly drained away, leaving half of Yue Zongzi's body covered in a foul-smelling purple-black liquid. It became increasingly difficult for him to maintain his clarity of mind; even his internal organs began to rot, and streams of foul-smelling corpse water mixed with white foam flowed continuously from the corner of his mouth.
His vision blurred, and heavily, the tip of his remaining right arm pressed against the protrusion.
A low hum resonated, and red light flared up as the Heaven and Earth Platform began to activate.
"No..." Yue Zongzi cried out in anguish, but his voice was only heard by himself.
He fell down unwillingly, instantly transforming into a pool of Black Water. Within the Black Water lay a small Nascent Soul that had already turned black from poison. Moments later, even the Nascent Soul dissipated.
Yue Zongzi vanished from the world like a bubble.
In the stone chamber, someone chuckled softly. Hehehe...
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