Chapter 810: Cold Light Pierces Through

Chapter 810: Chapter 810: Cold Light Pierces Through

Eastern Divine Continent, Liuping Sha.

Bai Xuanling concealed her aura, her gaze sweeping over the still, bottle-shaped lake resting calmly amid the yellow sand below.

According to the map Chu Xingchen had provided, the majority of the spirit-vein tributaries converged here — and other tributaries were still being rerouted. By all projections, this was their ultimate destination.

Altering the course of spirit veins, even just their tributaries, was an extraordinarily difficult feat. It was not something brute force could accomplish.

Even the Eighteen Immortal Sects built their headquarters only at the confluence of major spirit veins — they could not twist the veins to their will. Many sects had established themselves in terrible locations and only later spent enormous effort to adjust their positions over time.

With the current capabilities of Tianyan Sect, adjusting a spirit-vein tributary’s path was not impossible — but the price would be exorbitant, and it certainly could not be done as effortlessly as these Heavenly Demons appeared to manage.

They must have employed the power of Dao Authority.

In the past, when the Heavenly Dao had once collapsed and its Authority scattered, the Eighteen Immortal Sects had each obtained fragments — though the majority had been collected by the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect, the greatest sect under heaven at the time.

By contrast, the Heavenly Demons had recklessly polluted and tested their Authority’s power.

The Xuanqing Heavenly Sect’s approach had always been to seek every means possible to return the Heavenly Dao’s Authority, and every sect had witnessed them doing so firsthand.

Thus, over the years, all eighteen sects had nominally refrained from extensive research into the Authority’s power.

After all, the Heavenly Dao’s collapse had been, in large part, an act to save the living beings of this world. Returning the Authority was an absolute good, beyond question.

Especially since some had drawn a connection between the loss of Authority and the inability to ascend to immortality.

The reasoning held together well enough. Thus, even Tribulation Transcendence cultivators who held Authority would, in the slim hope of one day achieving immortality, choose to surrender it.

But regardless of everything, a portion of the Heavenly Dao’s scattered Authority had fallen into the hands of the Heavenly Demons.

Xu Linglong’s once-displayed, mind-bending illusion technique might well have been Authority’s power.

These spirit-vein movements now were most likely Authority’s doing as well.

Bai Xuanling’s gaze swept below, carefully probing the spiritual energy fluctuations, but she detected nothing unusual.

Was it within that lake?

Bai Xuanling hesitated for a moment, but did not truly plunge into the depths of the lake to investigate.

If this truly was the Heavenly Demons’ ultimate formation, it went without saying that every manner of precaution would have been laid within.

And they would certainly have prepared additional measures targeting her as a True Immortal. To simply dive in headfirst to take a look would be pure suicide.

If one truly wished to observe, there were always methods.

Release intelligence, take further measures — spread word that Liuping Sha contained a sinister treasure of extraordinary value, and lure some evil cultivators in to clear the path.

If all the evil cultivators perished in that placid lake, then clearly there was a problem, and preparations could be made for a grand gift. If they didn’t die, then send agents in among them to try to gather intelligence.

Bai Xuanling had just made up her mind and was about to depart when her divine sense pricked. She turned her gaze westward and saw a young man in an earthy-yellow monk’s robe, his expression mild and kindly, looking toward her from the distance.

Bai Xuanling recognized at once that the man in the monk’s robes was Boluo. Though his appearance had been altered, that insufferable aura was just as genuine.

Boluo’s gaze rested on Bai Xuanling, a smile curling at his lips, his tone decisive:

"As expected — you had a way to detect spirit-vein flow. Those ritual formations before, you went to inspect them first at locations where spirit-vein tributaries approached."

"I thought it was odd at first, but on reflection — you yourselves are a fragment of the Heavenly Dao’s Authority."

"Still, Bai Xuanling — you actually dared come here alone? Relying on being the world’s only True Immortal?"

Bai Xuanling’s gaze was withering:

"With your level of cultivation, you almost certainly couldn’t sense me. Was it the formation below that detected me?"

Boluo nodded with confidence: "One must have some means, after all. Under heaven, only you and Chu Xingchen can never be too well-prepared for."

"I’d wager the preparations for Chu Xingchen are even more elaborate than for me." Bai Xuanling’s lips curved in a light smile.

Boluo chuckled twice, his gaze mocking as he regarded Bai Xuanling:

"The only living True Immortal under heaven, yet still resorting to petty tricks? You knew the formation below could detect you — how could it not also detect your secret method of summoning help? Though I admit, I genuinely cannot figure out how you triggered it."

Bai Xuanling’s expression was serene as her divine sense swept directly toward Boluo:

"Are you not a Heavenly Demon too? Playing the same sort of unremarkable tricks. This incarnation of yours still carries Xu Linglong’s scent. I imagine Xu Linglong never expected that in the end, it would die by your hand — otherwise, this incarnation should have been seasoned with something extra. Dog excrement, perhaps."

"If you truly had the nerve, why not send your true body? Xu Linglong, for all its faults, at least fought when it came time to fight. Compared to that, it left a far deeper impression — and gave Chu Xingchen and me no small amount of trouble."

"With its abilities, your caliber is far too low to command Xu Linglong."

"So let me guess — your Authority can move spirit veins, and you drew up this grand plan. In the present desperate straits, your plan is the only way out."

"So even though Xu Linglong saw through your sinister intentions, it still wanted the greater matter accomplished. Even playing the fool, it obeyed your commands."

"Even when you intended for Xu Linglong to die, it died as you expected. Even though it was the more qualified one to command the board — but you believed there could only be one person at the helm, and you were different. So Xu Linglong’s sacrifice was simply... deserved."

"The stench of weakness is laid bare for all to see. Wielding your Authority, you extend the blade toward the strong."

Boluo’s expression remained calm. He gently adjusted his monk’s robe:

"What you say holds a measure of what I think. However, the strong must naturally tolerate a measure of doubt from the weak. Only those with an unshaken heart are truly strong."

"If Xu Linglong could truly have led everything, it would not have followed my arrangement. It could not withstand the pressure I applied, and so naturally it had to obey my orders."

"Much as you, too, would not listen to the clamor of the weak."

"Moreover, you understand — the outcome determines who is right."

Boluo raised a hand slightly, pointing toward Bai Xuanling — but in the next instant, the hand was severed by a flash of sword light.

Bai Xuanling’s gaze was glacial:

"You presume to point at me? I have endured your meaningless prattle all this while, waiting for the Heavenly Demons you had arranged. It seems not a single one is here — and yet you dare point your incarnation at me?"

Boluo looked at his severed arm — the flesh had already dissolved into a patch of pale clay to one side — and let out a soft laugh:

"Don’t you understand? Sooner or later we will meet in person. When that day comes, I shall naturally experience the bearing of a True Immortal."

He placed extraordinary weight on the words "True Immortal."

Bai Xuanling narrowed her eyes: "So you wasted an incarnation only to speak these empty words?"

Boluo raised his gaze toward the distant rainbow light approaching at tremendous speed.

"Naturally, I wanted you to make a few more preparations. After all, your methods have been seen through."

"Next time we meet, it won’t be a clone."

The words had barely fallen when the clone’s head was already severed by a flash of cold light.