Chapter 160

Wusheng Temple.

The many wondrous lights that once shrouded the temple had grown sparse, and most of the butter lamps that were usually kept burning had gone out.

The entire place now carried a desolate, declining air.

“The Kitchen God Sect and the Tie Family’s Dao Foundation forces have developed far too quickly.”

“By now, they have already occupied ninety percent of Xituo Commandery and encircled our path.”

Miaoshan clutched a scroll in her hands, her face filled with worry. “Ever since the Zeng Family was destroyed, our path no longer has a single external ally.”

She passed through the courtyard, where the number of monks had clearly dwindled, and made her way into the underground palace where Sangji was in seclusion.

Miaofeng Bright Son had aged considerably. He stared blankly at the black soil that had gathered on the ground.

Miaoshan’s breathing immediately grew tight.

“Master… is about to pass away…”

Miaofeng’s face seemed caught between laughter and tears. He shrank into a corner like a beaten dog, letting out low sobs. “He… he is going to die…”

“More than twenty years…”

The scripture in Miaoshan’s hand slipped to the ground as she stood there in a daze. “Miaofeng… Wusheng Temple still needs you to hold it together!”

“Haha… once Master passes away, we will all be nothing more than discarded pieces! Just discarded pieces!”

“What White Bone Dao? What millions of believers, tens of millions of people, all of it is nothing more than dishes on someone else’s table, waiting for the entire temple to be wiped out!”

Miaofeng’s eyes were bloodshot. Beneath his monk’s robe, lumps bulged and squirmed, as if small mice were crawling beneath his skin.

“Silence!”

Miaoshui Wisdom Consort arrived and was instantly horrified at the sight. She joined Miaoshan, and the two began chanting esoteric incantations. Only with great effort did they suppress the signs of Miaofeng’s dao deviation.

At that moment, a deep voice rang throughout Wusheng Temple:

“A decree from the Purple Mansion of the Xuantu Sect has arrived. Where are the monks of Wusheng Temple?”

“They have come again.”

Miaofeng brushed the dust from his robes. Strangely, his demeanor grew calm. “Let us go and see…”

Miaofeng, Miaoshui, Miaoshan, and Qingjing rose into the air. Before them hovered a massive flying vessel.

The vessel was entirely earth-yellow, towering and imposing. Pavilions and halls had been constructed upon its deck, giving it a grand and majestic appearance.

“The Xuantu Sect? Your sect is a Purple Mansion immortal sect from a neighboring commandery. Why have you come to Xituo?”

Miaofeng spoke loudly. “Our Esoteric Domain has an agreement with Cloud Grazing Cliff.”

“That is only natural.”

A streak of light descended from the vessel, revealing a middle-aged man in a yellow Daoist robe. His skin was bronze, his brows fine, his eyes large, and he smiled as he spoke. “Before Master Sangji passes away, our Xuantu Sect will not take a single inch of Xituo Commandery. This time, we have come to deliver good news to the esteemed masters.”

A token appeared in his hand, blazing with radiance. Strands of multicolored light carried immense weight, forcing Miaofeng and the others to bend slightly. This was the pressure of a Purple Mansion divine ability!

“By order of Spiritual Master Xuantu, Wusheng Temple is to dispatch its [Nu Earth] Dao Foundation cultivators for assignment!”

The man in the yellow robe spoke loudly.

“This is outrageous! Utterly outrageous!”

Miaofeng shouted. “You dare forcibly conscript Brahma disciples?!”

“And what if we do?”

The middle-aged man smiled. As a trusted subordinate of a Spiritual Master, he already knew Sangji’s breakthrough attempt would fail.

Now that the bet had been lost and the Esoteric monks could not cross eastward, what did he have to fear?

Back when Wusheng Temple forcefully entered Xituo and seized an entire commandery, it had offended all the surrounding Purple Mansion forces.

They had merely held back out of fear of the Esoteric Domain’s might.

Now that the higher powers had revealed the agreement and confirmed that the White Bone Dao was nothing more than a dying tiger, it was only natural to strike while it was down.

“How many… do you require?”

Miaofeng nearly spat out a mouthful of golden blood, but forcibly suppressed it. A faint smile appeared on his face as he asked.

“It is said your temple has five Bright Ones. Naturally, we require five [Nu Earth] Dao Foundation cultivators.”

The man chuckled.

“One Bright Son of our temple has already fled. Furthermore, at least one must remain to guard our master’s seclusion.”

Miaofeng’s expression turned cold. “At most, we can send three. Any more is impossible. Otherwise, this humble monk will smash his head within the underground altar, forming such great karma that the wrath of the Formless Multitudes will descend. Can you bear the consequences?”

The man’s expression shifted before he nodded. “Three it is. No fewer. Which masters will go?”

“Miaoshan, you possess talent in management. Remain in the temple and guard Master.”

Miaofeng turned to her. “Even if all of us perish, even if the world outside Wusheng Temple is filled with heretical demons, you must remain steadfast like the earth itself. Under no circumstances may you defile the lineage!”

His voice grew stern and severe. Then, together with Miaoshui and Qingjing, he descended onto the deck of the flying vessel.

The deck was already crowded with people.

Among them were two ninth-layer Qi Ingestion cultivators, who seemed particularly afraid of the three and shrank into a corner.

‘They seem somewhat familiar…’

A thought stirred in Miaofeng’s mind, but his heart was already ashen. He simply sat down in a corner and began silently chanting scriptures.

Qingli Mountain.

“This ‘Primordial Refining Cauldron’ is truly extraordinary. It can turn harm into benefit. When I consume cultivation pills, their effectiveness is likely several percent higher than for other cultivators.”

Feeling the [Stomach Earth] mana within his body gathering and forming a mysterious Dao Foundation, Fang Wuchen’s face was filled with joy.

“Once a Dao Foundation is forged, everything truly becomes different.”

He arrived before the Dragon-Sealing Stone of the secluded cultivation chamber. Without opening the cave dwelling, a flash of earthen yellow light flickered across his body, and he was already outside.

“Wuchen…”

Fang Yixin looked at Fang Wuchen. Sensing the unfathomable aura emanating from him, his eyes reddened. “You… you’ve forged your Dao Foundation?”

“Indeed. From this day forward, our Fang Family is a Dao Foundation clan as well.”

Fang Wuchen laughed heartily. His gaze then shifted to his master and his wife.

Le Mingxue’s belly was already swollen. She looked as though she had been pregnant for seven or eight months.

‘I took a pill to forge my Dao Foundation. It felt like only an instant, yet so much time has passed outside.’

Fang Wuchen sighed inwardly. Then he noticed his younger brother.

The latter was staring at him with a mixture of worry and fear.

‘Wujiu… is worried about me?’

A thought stirred in Fang Wuchen’s heart. He then turned toward his master. “Master, I have succeeded.”

“Haha, excellent!”

Hu Quanan stepped forward, his broad palm like a fan as he patted Fang Wuchen’s shoulder, looking deeply gratified. “Seeing you achieve Dao Foundation today, this old man can die without regrets. As it happens, I have recently felt a calling and plan to journey to the Southern Frontier. I will take my leave today.”

“Uncle Hu, you…?”

Fang Yixin was greatly alarmed. Hu Quanan had never mentioned any intention of traveling far.

“The Southern Frontier?”

Fang Wuchen blurted out, “That place is fraught with danger. Why not allow this disciple to accompany you? I have already forged my Dao Foundation. Whether facing demonic cultivators or exploring secret realms, I can provide some assistance!”

“Haha, good.”

Hu Quanan agreed immediately. “With master and disciple working together, we might even seize a great opportunity.”

Yet Fang Yixin felt that something was not quite right.

Fang Wuchen had just become the pillar of the family and had only recently forged his Dao Foundation. The clan had just been established, surrounded by enemies on all sides. His wife was heavily pregnant. How could he leave for the Southern Frontier at such a time?

“Wuchen…”

Le Mingxue held her waist, sorrow filling her eyes.

“Brother…”

Fang Wujiu’s lips trembled. As if finally overcoming his inner fear, he spoke in an attempt to persuade him. “Stay…”

“I…”

Fang Wuchen’s expression twisted, neither quite crying nor smiling. “I…”

Rumble!

At that moment, countless rays of light burst forth. A massive earthen-yellow ship tore through the clouds and descended upon Qingli Mountain like a sovereign.

From the great vessel flew down a Dao Foundation cultivator. He wore a constant smiling expression like Maitreya Buddha. It was none other than the Sect Master of the Kitchen God Sect.

“Where are my sect brothers Hu Quanan and Fang Wuchen? Come with me. We are going to accomplish a great undertaking!”

The Kitchen God Sect Master’s face was filled with wild joy. “There is a treasure in the south. Those who enter will obtain great wealth and great opportunities!”

“Father… Mingxue… little brother…”

At this moment, Fang Wuchen had no choice. He cast one last lingering glance at his family, then used the profound power of his Dao Foundation to envelop Hu Quanan and flew toward the massive earthen ship.

Halfway there, a storage bag fell from his grasp.

“Take care of yourselves!”

Fang Wuchen’s voice echoed as the great ship disappeared into the distance.

Fang Yixin stared blankly at the storage bag on the ground, standing frozen in place.

“You knew… you clearly knew…”

Le Mingxue looked at Fang Wujiu, her face pale as death. “Yet you said nothing!”

“I…”

Fang Wujiu’s eyes reddened as tears fell. “Brother…”

Southern Frontier.

This region was filled with countless mountains, rich in spiritual herbs. Demon generals and demon kings roamed freely, coexisting with the native tribes.

From a great height, one could see flying boats one after another, each carrying numerous earth-aspect cultivators, all converging toward a single location in the Southern Frontier.

“Taihuang Heaven, Purple Mansion cultivators can only establish Blessed Lands. Only True Lords who grasp the Metal position can create Grotto Heavens.”

Within the void, darkness gathered before revealing a figure. It was none other than Great Cultivator Si Chen of Cloud Grazing Cliff, followed by several Purple Mansion cultivators.

He waited silently for a moment before black earth gathered together. A towering golden-armored corpse puppet, as large as a mountain, emerged. Standing atop its head was a hunched old man holding a white bone staff.

“Fellow Daoist Si Chen, it has been a long time.”

The old man, shrouded in corpse qi, spoke first. Gray mist surrounded him, within which countless faces seemed to writhe.

Even Purple Mansion cultivators felt dizzy and pained when looking at those twisted visages.

Clearly, this was a Great Cultivator of extremely high attainment, though his state was poor, nearing assimilation into the Dao.

This person was known as Kaiyuanzi, a Great Cultivator of the southern demonic sect, the Corpse Sect. He cultivated the path of [Nu Earth] and had achieved three divine abilities, standing at the late stage of Purple Mansion.

“So it is Kaiyuanzi. You did not appear during the Golden Attainment of Suwu. I thought you had already died.” Si Chen said indifferently.

“Hehe. Upon hearing news of Taihuang Heaven, even if this old man were buried, I would crawl out. After all, this concerns the legacy of that one, the [Divine Lord Dongyuan, Spiritually Responsive Registrar of Fate]. Our Corpse Yin Sect has also contributed greatly to the opening of this Grotto Heaven. We deserve a share.”

Kaiyuanzi spoke, then continued, “The [Stomach Earth] path governs the central earth position. It is no ordinary path. The one who holds the central position is king. If a powerful figure emerges from this Dao, both your [Di Earth] and my [Nu Earth] will inevitably be suppressed, just like the shattered [Liu Earth]… Hm? Why are there also demon clans here?”

Whoosh!

A violent wind howled. Countless streams of azure qi transformed into indistinct feathers, drifting down like snow.

Amid the falling feathers, a massive shadow emerged. A hoarse voice resounded from within. “The opening of a Grotto Heaven is a grand event. Naturally, our Great Wind Tribe must take part!”

“Hmph. Very well… Where is San Ji?”

Kaiyuanzi snorted coldly. “He is the legitimate inheritor of the Kitchen God lineage. Without him, the Grotto Heaven cannot be opened. Otherwise, this old man would have crushed him with a single palm long ago. How could he have lived until now?”