Into The Sea

The white wolf followed the scent trail relentlessly, and after a full day of running, Lan Wu grew increasingly uneasy.

If Xuan Yu had been captured, the group that took her must have been moving nonstop, and their direction seemed to be towards Yunxiao Pavilion. However, the Immortal Sect Competition held at Yunxiao Pavilion shouldn’t be over yet. What would they want by bringing Xuan Yu to her own home?

Countless questions swirled in Lan Wu’s mind, like a thick fog obscuring her vision, impossible to clear or see through.

She let out a silent sigh, her gaze heavy as she looked ahead.

By nightfall, the group, covered in dust and exhaustion, stopped at the foot of Wanhua Mountain, where the Yunxiao Pavilion was located. Ji Lingyue  dismounted the white wolf and began ascending the stone steps. After rounding a bend, a narrow, steep passage known as “One Line of Sky” came into view. The mountain gate was set here, guarded by two disciples holding swords. Hearing the commotion, they turned to look.

The young man on the left quickly recognized her, surprised. “Fellow Cultivator Ji, didn’t you say you wouldn’t participate in this Immortal Sect Competition? Why are you here now?”

Ji Lingyue frowned, a little surprised by his attitude. “What do you mean?”

He tilted his head. “Your sect said you went on a long journey.”

Ji Lingyue was stunned. She hadn’t expected Haochen Mountain to keep her departure from the sect a secret. Whether it was to avoid unnecessary attention or due to some hidden intention, it worked conveniently in her favor now.

She went along with it. “I was passing by and wanted to take a look.”

“That’s great then,” he nodded, his brows furrowing as he noticed the other two behind her. “And these are?”

“My contracted beasts.”

As she spoke, Ji Lingyue touched Lan Wu’s forehead. A golden lotus appeared, and Lan Wu, holding the fox, respectfully lowered her head, looking submissive and timid.

“And this fox?”

“She can’t transform yet,” Ji Lingyue said calmly. “She’s also my contracted beast.”

Perhaps because he had great trust in Ji Lingyue, the young man nodded and quickly stepped aside to let them pass. “Please, go ahead.”

Ji Lingyue thanked him and led Lan Wu up the mountain path. After a few steps, she suddenly thought of something, turning back. “Have you seen Xuan Yu?”

“Senior Sister Xuan?” He raised his eyebrows. “What a coincidence. She just returned this afternoon. She should be in the mountain.”

After flying several miles up the mountain, Lan Wu couldn’t help but ask, “So Xuan Yu is fine, and she came back on her own?”

Yao Zhu said irritably, “Impossible. The blood on the white wolf belongs to Xuan Yu. With both of you injured, she’d never leave without at least informing us.”

“That’s true.” Lan Wu pursed her lips, looking at Ji Lingyue, who looked serious, as if lost in thought. After a moment, the woman closed her eyes and sighed softly. “Why did it have to come to this…”

The group continued to ascend, passing through emerald hills and clear waters. After breaking through the clouds, silence suddenly descended around them. The cold moonlight illuminated the sharp, steep peaks ahead. Countless pavilions dotted the perilous cliffs, their lights flickering like fireflies. At the heart of these mountains, the main peak stood shrouded in luminous mist.

Ji Lingyue’s dark hair fluttered in the wind. “That’s the main pavilion, Yunzhong Tower. Everyone must be gathered there.”

Lan Wu instinctively looked up, only to hear the fox in her arms say, “For thousands of years, at least eight or ten cultivators have ascended to immortality from Yunzhong Tower. I heard people say it’s the closest place to the immortals. Standing there, one can supposedly see all the way to the southernmost edge of the continent. But after coming here myself, I found that was just a myth.”

“Yes,” Ji Lingyue agreed. “When I visited here with Haochen Mountain, I stood on the peak and looked south. All I could see was the dense forests of the Southern Region. I couldn’t even glimpse the waters of Kunlun Sea.”

Lan Wu hesitated, then gently reached for Ji Lingyue’s fingertips, softly promising. “Someday, I’ll take you to see the Kunlun Sea.”

Ji Lingyue remained silent, but quietly shifted her wrist, holding Lan Wu’s hand firmly.

The closer they got to the peak, the louder the noise became. Yunzhong Tower was a hundred feet tall, with a large circular platform in front. Twenty-seven towering white jade pillars stood along the edge, their large luminescent pearls emitting a soft glow, illuminating the surroundings as brightly as daylight.

The disciples of Haochen Mountain, dressed in white, stood to the north of the platform, their faces serene, like a patch of cold snow. To the east were the disciples of Yunxiao Pavilion, dressed in blue, gentle and refined. And to the west were the cultivators of Jintang Palace and Penglai Island, wearing gold and silver, all of them dignified and impressive. The remaining space was occupied by the wandering cultivators from all over the world.

At that moment, the cultivators below were chatting amongst themselves, the atmosphere relaxed and carefree. Ji Lingyue led Lan Wu into the crowd, unnoticed, and she let out a breath of relief, instinctively looking towards the center of the platform.

Coincidentally, she recognized the two people on the stage. One was Xuan Rulin, the master of Yunxiao Pavilion and Xuan Yu’s father, and the other was the third-place winner whom Xuan Yu had once joked about being able to take advantage of.

The competition seemed to have just ended. Xuan Rulin, smiling, handed the long sword to the third-place winner. “Congratulations on becoming this year’s champion of the Hundred-Year Stage.”

The third-place winner didn’t seem very happy, accepting the sword with a stiff face. “Thank you, Pavilion Master.”

Xuan Rulin nodded, wanting to pat her shoulder to console her, but the third-place winner turned and jumped back into the crowd of wandering cultivators without looking back.

Xuan Rulin’s hand hung awkwardly in the air for a moment before he coughed and stroked his beard, addressing the crowd, “Esteemed guests, although the competitions of this Immortal Sect Competition have concluded, there is an important matter concerning the future of Yunxiao Pavilion that I hope you will all witness.”

His resonant voice echoed across the entire platform. The distracted crowd snapped back to attention and looked at him.

Xuan Rulin nodded in satisfaction. “Yu’er, come here.”

A graceful figure in azure walked out from the crowd, ascended the stone steps, and walked calmly to Xuan Rulin’s side.

Ji Lingyue paused, exchanging a look with Lan Wu. She then looked at Yao Zhu, and as expected, the fox already stood upright on Lan Wu’s shoulder, staring intently at that familiar figure.

Xuan Rulin looked at his daughter with pride, then extended his hand to the other side. “Shiqing, you as well.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a young man walked out from the front of the Jintang Palace group, smiling as he walked to Xuan Rulin’s other side.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Xuan Rulin raised his head and said loudly, “Wen Shiqing and my daughter have been childhood sweethearts and share mutual affection. He is not only the second prince of the Sheng Dynasty but also the eldest disciple of Jintang Palace. He and my Yu’er are a match made in heaven. Today, they shall become Dao companions, officially sealing an unbreakable alliance between our two sects!”

He then signaled. “Shiqing.”

Wen Shiqing nodded, extending his hand to Xuan Yu knowingly. Xuan Yu calmly looked at him and reached out her hand.

Lan Wu’s heart sank, and she quickly tightened her grip on the restless fox in her arms. But the red blur shot out like an arrow, transforming mid-air into a slender human figure. In full view of everyone, she leaped onto the platform, grabbing Xuan Yu’s hand in a mix of shock and anger. “Xuan Yu!”

The woman froze, instinctively turning her head. Yao Zhu met her dark eyes and suddenly realized something was wrong.

She said in disbelief, “You’re not Xuan Yu!”

In a flash, the imposter, exposed, suddenly conjured a long sword and thrust it at Xuan Rulin. Xuan Rulin was shocked, scrambling backward, but the imposter slanted her sword, cutting the sash at his waist and catching the scroll that fell from it.

“Demon! It’s a demon!”

The crowd below cried out in alarm, but Yao Zhu still held onto her, demanding, “Where’s Xuan Yu? What have you done with her?!”

The imposter looked at her coldly and flung the scroll at Yao Zhu’s face. The scroll unfurled, stretching several feet long. The image depicted lifelike blue waves, seemingly alive.

Yao Zhu was caught off guard, instinctively raising her hand to shield herself, and her figure disappeared in an instant.

Lan Wu, witnessing the whole scene, stared in shock. “Yao Zhu… she was swallowed by that painting!”

Ji Lingyue tried to raise her voice above the commotion. “That’s Yunxiao Pavilion’s treasure, the Hundred Demons Scroll! It can trap demons in a painted world, imprisoning them forever at the scroll master’s will!”

Lan Wu opened her mouth, but before she could speak, the woman who had been impersonating Xuan Yu flew into the air. A jade-colored demonic aura surrounded her, and ominous scarlet arrays floated beneath her feet. The Hundred Demons Scroll slowly unfurled, growing longer and longer until it encircled the entire platform.

Suddenly, Lan Wu felt light, uncontrollably rising into the air, and flying towards the scroll. Ji Lingyue quickly grabbed her, but was pulled, stumbling, her feet almost leaving the ground.

Through gritted teeth, Ji Lingyue demanded, “What is going on?!”