Chapter 226

‘The void realm of the Blissful Union Sect is truly strange.’

At some point, Spiritual Master Xinyi had already departed. The rising sun and the branches of the Fusang Tree had vanished without a trace.

Fang Qing drifted amidst the turbulent currents of the void, gazing into the distance as he silently observed the region ahead.

‘Even though Purple Mansion cultivators possess the ability to traverse the void, after this area was sealed, one must either pass entirely through the Blissful Union Sect’s territory and emerge within the domain of the Supreme Unity Mysterious Gate of Northern Zhou and Southern Wu, or travel far to the north or south... In short, it is impossible to tear open the void within this region and directly return to the mortal world.’

‘There are even Purple Mansion arrays extending into the void itself. One careless step and you could fall straight into one of them...’

‘Unless this chain of arrays is completely broken, it will indeed be rather troublesome.’

His gaze shifted toward Dharma King Pilu, who was assigning the coming battle tasks.

At this point, ordinary Duzi and Dumu no longer had the qualifications to speak. Only the assembled Dharma Kings were discussing strategy.

‘And now, things are no longer like before, where only Qi Ingestion and Dao Foundation cultivators died.’

‘In a true war between Golden Core sects, even Duzi and Dharma Kings will fall!’

A sense of urgency rose in Fang Qing's heart.

This wretched Qi Ingestion world truly was infuriating. Unless one climbed all the way to the very peak, genuine freedom would forever remain out of reach.

“The Blissful Union Sect is a Golden Core sect. Under its command are seven Purple Mansion factions. The Purple Mansion arrays guarding their territories are all critical array nodes and must be destroyed one by one before we converge upon the Blissful Union Sect’s mountain gate.”

With a casual gesture, Dharma King Pilu summoned a golden map into existence.

“My fellow masters of the Hidden Treasury Domain, each of you may choose a target for conversion.”

Fang Qing looked over the map.

The Blissful Union Sect controlled seven Purple Mansion forces, divided into three sects and four great clans.

The three sects were the Violet Garden Sect, the Illusory Sound Sect, and the Vermilion Origin Sect.

The four clans were the Bai Clan of Eastern Waters, the Lin Clan of Mystic River, the Nangong Clan of Crimson Flame, and the Situ Clan.

The three sects were stronger and had already been assigned to the three great Temples of the Origin of All Dharmas.

The remaining four Purple Mansion clans were equally dangerous. Not only did they possess Purple Mansion cultivators of their own, but there was a strong possibility that hidden Purple Mansion experts from the Blissful Union Sect were concealed among them.

After all, by using arrays to seal the void and force the Hidden Treasury Domain to divide its forces, the Blissful Union Sect was clearly attempting to defeat its enemies piecemeal.

The monks of the Hidden Treasury Domain were thinking along similar lines.

Both sides were employing transparent strategies. In the end, victory would depend entirely on raw strength.

“Our Temple of All Beings Without Form is willing to undertake the assault on Violet Garden Sect.”

The Great Dharma King Jiumoluojie pressed his palms together.

“As for the White Bone Dao, you may choose one of the clans.”

‘This Great Dharma King truly works tirelessly for the Dharma.’

Hearing this, Fang Qing felt somewhat depressed.

He had originally hoped Sangji could follow behind the Great Dharma King of the Temple of All Beings Without Form while he himself remained safely in the rear, cheering from a distance.

Unexpectedly, they were still being forced to stand on their own.

‘Since that's the case, I need to think about my own interests.’

A thought stirred in Fang Qing’s mind.

Through the Great Sun Tathagata Tranquil One, he secretly communicated with Sangji.

The two quietly negotiated in private.

Yet despite the presence of all the Great Dharma Kings, even Dharma King Jiumoluojie remained completely unaware, as though deaf to their exchange.

“In that case, the White Bone Dao shall choose the Bai Family of Eastern Waters.”

Jiumoluojie finally spoke.

“The Bai Family of Eastern Waters possesses Spiritual Master Bai Mu, who is suspected to have already reached mid-stage Purple Mansion...”

A thought flashed through Dharma King Jiumoluojie’s mind. He knew the Bai Family of Eastern Waters was among the more troublesome Purple Mansion clans.

Immediately, he smiled.

“Excellent.”

...

Bai Family of Eastern Waters

One spiritual spring after another connected together like a string of pearls scattered across a pristine white beach.

Beside the lakes stood countless banyan trees, their aerial roots plunging into the water below. Individual trees had grown together until entire forests seemed to have emerged from a single trunk.

“Ancestor, disaster has struck!”

The Bai Family Patriarch, Bai Mulin, hurried through the forest, his expression filled with alarm.

“Those Esoteric monks are serious this time. They have truly declared war on our Blissful Union Sect!”

“This really is... unexpected.”

A voice replied from above.

“Although the upper sect began preparing arrays years ago, even this old man believed it was merely for deterrence and defense. I never imagined they would truly go to war.”

A figure emerged from the branches overhead.

The lower half of his body had completely transformed into twisting vines intertwined with the banyan tree itself.

It was none other than Spiritual Master Bai Mu.

Before he spoke, his aura had been completely concealed. Even Purple Mansion cultivators would have struggled to notice his existence.

Yet the moment he opened his mouth, it felt as though heaven and earth contained only a single truth.

The one and only reality.

Behind Spiritual Master Bai Mu, two divine abilities alternated in brilliance, radiating dense [Ji Water] power.

His expression remained somewhat vacant. The symptoms of his cold wood affliction had clearly not yet fully healed.

“A war between Golden Core sects... It has been thousands of years since such a thing last occurred.”

“How has the Blissful Union Sect responded?”

As a Purple Mansion force subordinate to a Golden Core sect, loyalty alone was not enough.

One also had to be clever.

After all, Purple Mansion cultivators themselves often treated their subordinate Dao Foundation cultivators as disposable chess pieces.

The Golden Core sect sat high above, its mountain gate secure and untouched.

But sacrificing a few subordinate Purple Mansion factions as bait, feeding them to the hungry tigers of the Hidden Treasury Domain?

That was entirely possible.

“The upper sect has ordered us to fully activate our Purple Mansion grand array and defend the clan territory at all costs...” Bai Mulin replied.

Bai Mulin knelt on the ground and replied in a trembling voice.

“Has any manpower been assigned? Even a few Purple Mansion Spiritual Masters would help…”

“N... none.”

Spiritual Master Bai Mu let out a faint sigh.

“It seems that even if we are not abandoned pawns, we are still nothing more than expendable pieces…”

The Blissful Union Sect was employing the same open strategy. Using the Great Void Array, they continuously delayed the advance of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury monk soldiers layer by layer, forcing them to split their forces, steadily wearing them down while searching for an opportunity to decide the war in a single battle.

At this point, everything depended on which side revealed a flaw first.

As this thought arose, Spiritual Master Bai Mu suddenly felt a chill run through him.

“Several years ago, when that Duzi and Dumu of the White Bone Dao came to request cultivation methods, could it have all been a pretext? Were they using it as an excuse to probe the strength and weaknesses of my Bai Family?”

Bai Mulin was startled.

“If that's true... then disaster cannot be far from our Bai Family.”

...

Within the territory of the Blissful Union Sect, the Great Void was difficult to traverse.

But for Dharma Kings and Duzi, flying through the mortal world itself was equally swift.

After accepting the mission, the White Bone Dharma King brought Fang Qing, Moonlight White, and Peacock Dumu with him as they headed toward the Eastern Water Bai Family.

‘As expected... when the great void cannot be crossed, many habits of Purple Mansion combat change.’

To put it simply, some ultimate techniques became impossible to dodge.

In that regard, it resembled Core Formation battles on the Qi Refining side much more closely.

Fang Qing silently sensed the great void and reached his conclusion.

At the same time, he secretly communicated with Sangji.

‘You should at least have one vacant Dumu position under your command. Can you not appoint one immediately?’

Back when he was a Bright Son, promotions had been effortless. He could elevate someone whenever needed.

“Venerable One does not know the full story...”

Sangji replied.

“Once one reaches the level of Duzi or Dumu, it involves a mysterious rank within fate itself. After an appointment is made, things become troublesome if that person dies. Although the position can still be reclaimed, a period of waiting is required before a new Dumu may be appointed.”

“Otherwise, the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain would never hesitate to sacrifice several hundred masters if it meant dragging all of the Blissful Union Sect's Purple Mansion cultivators down with us.”

‘That makes sense. If Duzi and Dumu positions could be assigned and replaced at will, the strength of the Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain would be utterly terrifying.’

Fang Qing silently nodded.

Then his thoughts turned toward himself.

He had occupied one of Sangji's Duzi positions for quite some time and had been enjoying all the benefits.

Back when he was in White Luminary Heaven, he had freely lent out and utilized that authority as well.

There seemed to have been no restrictions whatsoever.

‘Could it be, that I unintentionally borrowed the status of the Dao-Genesis Pearl itself, giving me this convenience?’

‘Or does the Esoteric system still regard the Duzi position as continuously occupied by me?’

Two possibilities surfaced in Fang Qing's mind. He planned to continue testing them in the future.

As he gazed at the spring-filled landscape gradually appearing ahead, excitement stirred within him.

‘The Eastern Water Bai Family... Perhaps they possess a [Ji Water] spiritual object capable of assisting a breakthrough into Purple Mansion?’

‘At the very least, there should be two divine abilities here.’

‘If I can obtain them, I should be able to complete the Dao path leading to a [Ji Water] Great Spiritual Master.’

As for whether those divine abilities belonged to the new method or the old method, or whether they could resonate with a Golden Position.

Fang Qing could not have cared less.

Before long, a series of magnificent fountains came into view.

The Eastern Water lands had arrived.

A Purple Mansion grand array rose into the sky, radiating intense [Ji Water] brilliance in all directions. The light was capable of eroding both soul and flesh.

The array was still the same one Fang Qing remembered, but compared to his previous visit, it was completely different. It was clearly operating at full capacity, its power pushed to the absolute limit.

“The White Bone Dao has come to visit. We ask Benefactor Bai Mu to appear and meet us.”

Within Sangji's eyes seemed to lie two bottomless wells of white bone. His divine ability, White Bone Contemplation, struck against the array, creating ripples throughout its barrier.

‘Although Spiritual Master Bai Mu barely advanced into mid-stage Purple Mansion, his divine abilities were damaged. He suffered cultivation deviation and is practically half dead already. Most importantly, he bears the Affliction of Cold Wood, while Sangji corresponds to [Liu Earth]. The symbolism is particularly inauspicious.’

Fang Qing glanced at the sky.

The many mysterious connections surrounding their group had already gathered into clouds of dust that obscured the heavens.

The surrounding light dimmed.

At some unknown moment, bats began fluttering through the air. A figure suddenly emerged from within the Purple Mansion array.

It was Bai Mulin.

Looking at the gathered Dharma Kings and Duzi, his face appeared bitter enough to have swallowed three jin of yellow lotus root.

“Greetings, Dharma King. Our Spiritual Master suffers from severe bodily injuries and cannot leave seclusion. Please forgive the discourtesy.”

“As for anything else... my Bai Family belongs to the Blissful Union Sect. Since conflict now exists between your Esoteric Hidden-Treasury Domain and our side, there is no need for further discussion.”

“Heh heh... what admirable courage.”

Sangji chuckled.

“This lord originally believed that your Bai Family possessed considerable wisdom roots and could be converted into the White Bone Dao to enjoy great freedom and great liberation.”

“Now it seems you remain stubborn and unenlightened, determined to persist along this heretical path.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Bai Mulin's legs nearly gave out beneath him.

“Patriarch of the Bai Family... why not quickly open the array and welcome us inside?”

Finding the scene amusing, Fang Qing also assumed the fierce expression of a Vajra guardian and shouted.

“Yes!”

Bai Mulin responded reflexively.

He immediately produced a white jade command token from his robes and sent a stream of [Ji Water] mana into it, preparing to activate the array.

Whoosh!

A root-like tendril appeared from nowhere and struck him squarely in the chest.

Blood sprayed from his mouth as he collapsed onto the ground.

His eyes, however, were filled with lingering terror.

“That... was still me just now?”

“Even with a Purple Mansion array separating us, the effect was this overwhelming...”

“Of course it was you, Benefactor.”

Holding the ancient Bronze Ge in his hand, Fang Qing continued using the authority of his Gift of Eloquence Speech.

“The sea of suffering is boundless. Turn back, and the shore awaits. This Buddha seeks to convert you. It is your good fortune. Why not hurry and offer your thanks?”

Originally, this gift could only be used effectively against Qi Ingestion cultivators. Influencing even a single thought in a Dao Foundation cultivator had been an extravagant hope.

But with the status of the Vajra Strength Duzi empowering it, the effect became entirely different.

While it still struggled to influence Purple Mansion Spiritual Masters, against lower cultivators who possessed no status of their own, his words carried the force of heavenly law itself.

“Th... thank you... This old man... this old man is willing to take refu...”

Bai Mulin unconsciously began expressing his gratitude.

Then he suddenly slapped himself across the face.

Two silver needles appeared in his hand and stabbed directly into his ears, rupturing both eardrums.

For a Dao Foundation cultivator, bodily injuries were minor matters. Even if he became deaf now, it could easily be treated later.

If it allowed him to block out this demonic voice drilling into his mind, it was worth any price.

For a Dao Foundation cultivator confronted by a malicious Purple Mansion expert, life truly could become worse than death.