Chapter 128: Cold Mist in Troubled Times

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(Second Update)
Gu Xijin—
Universally recognized as the foremost among the younger generation of the Nine Sects.
If he were killed, it would mean that during this secret realm expedition, the other eight sects would each lose a formidable rival.
Tian Feng Daoist’s suspicion towards the other eight sects was not without reason.
The elders of those eight sects, upon hearing this, mostly wore grave expressions.
Some snorted coldly, some smiled enigmatically, while others pondered with oddly shocked looks—yet none spoke much. Whether it was their doing, they naturally knew, and now debating was utterly meaningless.
The younger generation of the Peach Blossom Sword Sect, upon hearing this, naturally cast unfriendly glances at the other sects.
Long Jinyi of the Desperate Sword Palace, the last of his line, pierced through the crowd and fixed a deep, penetrating gaze on Gu Xijin, as if trying to see through him.
“Third Senior Brother, did your spiritual sense detect who is pursuing Gu Xijin?”
Fang Junmei asked Linghu Jinjiu. His own spiritual perception was not strong enough to see, but that did not mean others couldn’t.
Yet Linghu Jinjiu also did not see clearly; the distance was too great. Hearing Fang Junmei’s question, he shrugged lightly.
Fang Junmei sighed helplessly; his curiosity was genuine.
…
He was not the only one curious. In the chaotic family, Luanshi Daolang was also inquiring earnestly, his expression serious.
“Liangyan, did you see who the opponent is? What realm are they at?”
He addressed his sister, Luanshi Liangyan. Her aptitude in cultivation and blade arts was merely above average, but her talent and genius in spirit cultivation were terrifying, which earned her the opportunity to come here. If she could use her strong spiritual power to discover any treasures in advance, she would gain the upper hand.
Luanshi Liangyan said, “It’s someone completely wrapped in black leather, with only two eyes visible. Judging by the build, it should be a man. His clothing is strange—probably a magical treasure. My spiritual sense cannot penetrate it, so I don’t know who it is.”
She actually saw him.
And when she became serious, her demeanor was entirely different from the timid air she had shown before—sharp and composed.
“It’s normal that you couldn’t see through it.”
Luanshi Daolang nodded slightly, then asked, “You haven’t told me what realm he is at yet.”
“…If I’m not mistaken, mid Dragon Gate realm.”
After a brief silence, Luanshi Liangyan squinted her eyes and, with a look even she found hard to believe, spoke these words.
“What? How is this possible? Gu Xijin has already become that strong? Even a master of mid Dragon Gate can’t kill him?”
Luanshi Daolang’s eyes widened, his expression mischievous.
Luanshi Liangyan gave him a strange smile.
“I was originally planning to take this chance to challenge him—but he’s improved so much. Is there any room left for others to live?”
Luanshi Daolang looked thoroughly frustrated.
“Brother, although you have good aptitude and ambition, if you always stay within the sect and never see the outside world, opportunities won’t just fall from the sky. The opportunities within the sect are limited and have to be shared with others.”
Luanshi Liangyan’s eyes were clear and penetrating.
“Isn’t this trip a good opportunity? Liangyan, you must help me find something valuable!”
Hearing this, Luanshi Daolang raised an eyebrow and replied with a cheeky grin, clearly not taking it seriously.
All in vain!
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Luanshi Liangyan’s pretty face darkened; she truly had no way to deal with her reckless brother.
This secret realm expedition had not even begun, yet the bloodshed curtain was already rising. The first to be targeted was Gu Xijin, the lone bird shot.
…
Under the bright moon, Gu Xijin was healing amidst the protection of many, silent and focused, cherishing every second.
The members of the Peach Blossom Sword Sect mostly wore solemn expressions, especially the elders.
The juniors were mostly resentful and angry. Fang Junmei and his two companions exchanged glances but said little.
“Gu Xijin has improved again. The one pursuing him is a mid Dragon Gate cultivator. Once entering the Bottomless Light Realm, unless it’s a major opportunity, no one is allowed to provoke him.”
On the side of Lingyun Immortal Sect, an elder reminded all disciples by transmission.
Hearing this, all the disciples secretly gasped, thinking how terrifying Gu Xijin was—he could even evade pursuit by mid Dragon Gate cultivators.
Ouyang Ge and a few others who had previously observed the hundred-year competition at Peach Blossom Sword Sect immediately thought of the mysterious, seemingly Mortal Transcendence-level sword master whom Gu Xijin had visited.
Of course, there was no answer.
Similar words also spread among disciples of other sects, all equally shocked.
…
Time passed bit by bit.
When the hour of Zi Zheng was nearly upon them, just a moment away, Gu Xijin finally let out a long breath, withdrew the white mist surrounding him, opened his eyes, and stood up.
His aura was far more stable, his complexion regained some color, and his expression returned to normal. Aside from bloodstains on his body, there was no other abnormality.
As for what he had learned from that mysterious sword master, no one could tell yet.
Just standing up attracted the secret attention of all cultivators nearby.
“Xijin, do you have any other hidden injuries? Can you still enter the Bottomless Light Realm?”
Tian Feng Daoist asked.
Gu Xijin shook his head, then nodded slightly but said nothing. His confident and calm eyes were stronger than ever. Surviving a near-death encounter with a mid Dragon Gate cultivator was undoubtedly a huge boost to his mindset.
Seeing this, Tian Feng Daoist and others breathed a sigh of relief.
Many elders and disciples of other sects showed disappointed expressions, silently resenting the mysterious cultivator’s lack of thoroughness—if he couldn’t kill Gu Xijin, he could at least have left him severely wounded.
“Other matters can wait until we return to the sect. For now, focus on the task at hand.”
Tianzhu Daoist said.
Gu Xijin nodded again.
Everyone stepped forward to pay their respects briefly without much talk.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Gu Xijin finally had the chance to carefully observe the disciples from the other eight sects.
He paid little mind to most, but upon seeing Long Jinyi, his gaze darkened noticeably. Long Jinyi, however, didn’t even look at him.
Fang Junmei wanted to ask if Gu Xijin had secured a chance to meet that sword master but thought better of it. He decided to get through the immediate challenges first.
…
“Everyone, it’s about time to dismantle the formations we set up.”
After a while, an elder female cultivator from Immortal Bird Mountain spoke.
The elders of the major sects nodded and instructed their juniors. The female cultivator from Immortal Bird Mountain first dismantled the initial formation, which had been set by Immortal Bird Mountain.
After Immortal Bird Mountain came Blackwater Divine Sect,
Then Lingjue Heavenly Palace.
…
Layer by layer, the mist dissipated, revealing a deep pit below.
When they reached the seventh layer, the activity paused. The reason was simple: this layer’s formation had been set by the now-extinct Luofu Sword Sect. With Luofu Sword Sect wiped out, who would dismantle it?
“Everyone, the matter of destroying Luofu Sword Sect involves all five sects. I don’t know who cleared out the Luofu Sword Sect’s Scripture Pavilion. Whoever it was, don’t be shy—come out and dismantle it.”
A tall, slender elder of the White Cloud Immortal Sect spoke in a tone neither cold nor warm.
Upon hearing this, some old and young demons on the demonic side chuckled oddly.
“Brother Qi, I know you want it. Just say so. If you’re willing to join our Ten Thousand Barbarians Mountain, I promise on behalf of our sect master that you can browse the Luofu Sword Sect’s array formation secrets at will.”
From Ten Thousand Barbarians Mountain, a hunched, short old man emerged, his aura sinister as he approached the seventh layer of mist and began dismantling it.
The tall elder from White Cloud Immortal Sect snorted coldly and ignored him.
After dismantling the seventh layer, the last two layers were dismantled by the Desperate Sword Palace and Peach Blossom Sword Sect respectively.
Once the final layer of mist vanished, the scene below finally appeared before everyone’s eyes.
Below was a black abyss resembling a deep chasm, about a hundred zhang in diameter, pitch-black and impenetrable. The air was still; it seemed utterly void. Even spiritual sense detected nothing—only a sensation of a bottomless void. In fact, that was exactly what it was.
Some cultivators had ventured deep into this abyss but never reached the end and returned frustrated. The name “Bottomless Light Realm” originated from this.
The juniors had already been told by their elders that at the hour of Zi Zheng, an inexplicable beam of light would shoot out from the abyss’s depths. Cultivators below the Dragon Gate realm, if struck by this light, would enter an independent space called the Bottomless Light Realm.
Just hearing how to enter made one feel the process was unfathomably mysterious.
The juniors now all stood at the abyss’s edge, their hearts involuntarily tightening.
…
“It’s coming!”
After a short while, someone whispered.
All cultivators’ pupils dilated. First, they felt the earth tremble oddly beneath their feet, as if a monstrous beast stirred underground.
Then, from the darkness below, a seven-colored light—an amalgamation of gold, wood, water, fire, earth, ice, and thunder—silently appeared and shot upward, as thick as a human body.
Whoosh!
The fastest to react—unknown who—whistled and shot downward. Upon touching the light, a green glow burst from their body, as if merging into the light, vanishing without a trace.
Whoosh, whoosh—
More figures rushed towards the rising light, eager to enter first and seize the advantage. Upon contact with the light, their bodies immediately emitted different colored glows corresponding to their innate spiritual roots and physiques.
Some went alone; others held hands.
According to the elders, once inside, one would reach different edges of the Bottomless Light Realm. Holding hands tightly could bring people closer together, with three to five being effective. However, if dozens held hands, the spatial forces encountered would be much stronger, and they would eventually be separated.
The disciples of Peach Blossom Sword Sect had already discussed this on the way.
Among them, Yang Xiaoman, Linghu Jinjiu, and Fang Junmei naturally planned to go together.
The three joined hands firmly, exchanged a glance, and then rushed downward.
The light enveloped them, and an inexplicable spatial force arose, carrying them into another world—the Bottomless Light Realm!