Chapter 178: 175: Proclaim to the World!

In the year 1733 of the Great Xuan Calendar, at the end of summer. The Sect Master of Shenxiao Sect, Patriarch Dongfang Qing, personally piloted the Sect’s Guardian Divine Artifact, the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City, to attack Divine Sorrow Ridge after his disciples were captured and plundered by them.

This battle resulted in the capture of Xiahou Xuanji, King of the Yin Tian Nation of Divine Sorrow Ridge.

Over one hundred thousand Demonic Evil Cultivators from the Yin Tian Nation were slain.

This was the most significant loss the Demonic Evil Cultivators had suffered in their decade-long invasion of Dianchuan Province!

Currently, there was no response from Divine Sorrow Ridge.

In August of the same year, Shenxiao Sect announced to the world:

"[Since Divine Sorrow Ridge and the Yin Tian Nation unreasonably captured and injured disciples of our Sect, their crime is unforgivable, and death is not enough to atone!]"

"[From today, our Sect declares to the world, hoping our colleagues in the cultivation community will take heed.]"

"[Those who offend Shenxiao Sect, no matter how far, shall be punished!]"

This proclamation caused an uproar throughout the land!

Many of the older generation privately sighed.

Although Shenxiao Sect was no longer at its peak, the ruthlessness in its bones and its protective nature towards its members had not changed in the slightest.

The current Sect Master, Dongfang Qing, truly embodied the essence of his predecessors.

For the sake of a direct disciple, he had boldly driven the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City to descend upon Divine Sorrow Ridge.

And in the presence of numerous Dao Body Realm Demons and that mysterious Primordial Spirit Boss, he forcefully captured the King of the Yin Tian Nation.rating to the very marrow.

The phenomenon Qi Xiu encountered when using the Black Water True Skill wasn’t unique. Others who had cultivated the supplementary volumes of "The Great Five Elements Extinction Scripture" had also triggered such phenomena. But after a few occurrences, the phenomenon would disappear without a trace, never to emerge again. Over one hundred thousand years was enough time to grind away any arrangements or contingencies.

With the reassurances from Daoist Yunxiong and Wanfa Pavilion, Qi Xiu was able to set his mind at ease. The previous phenomenon had indeed been quite startling to him.

Fortunately, it was a false alarm.

...

「At night, Qi Xiu sat cross-legged atop Guanlan Cliff.」

The moonlight above cast a soft and hazy aura. In front of him, the Hua Sheng Thunder Pond kept emitting bubbles with a GURGLE GURGLE sound. This signified Wei Wujie’s protest from beneath the surface. By Daoist Yunxiong’s command, Qi Xiu was there to guard Wei Wujie, preventing him from secretly surfacing.

Looking up at the moon hanging in the sky, Qi Xiu took out an antique bronze mirror. With a slight shake of his palm, he softly called, "Tai Yin."

HUMMM—

The void trembled, and a Divine Marvel circulated. A gentle breeze swept by, and a handsome Daoist in black robes, his expression indifferent, appeared beside Qi Xiu.

Previously, the Daoist of the Taiyin had been killed by Xiahou Xuanji, the King of Yin Tian Nation, at Divine Sorrow Ridge. After returning to Shenxiao Sect, Qi Xiu had asked his master, Daoist Yunxiong, to spend two million Dao coins to restore the vitality of the Dual Heart Mirror. He then summoned Tai Yin back.

"It seems the matter has been resolved, then." Surveying his surroundings and realizing he was back in Shenxiao Sect, Tai Yin sat cross-legged on the ground and looked at his original body. "How was it? Was the process thrilling? Tell me about it?"

As an avatar, Qi Xiu, the original body, could perceive all of Tai Yin’s thoughts and memories, but Tai Yin could not access the original body’s memories. Therefore, Tai Yin was unaware of everything that had happened after his "death."

"It was quite convoluted. After we destroyed the soul-summoning altar, Master and the Sect Master arrived, bringing the Sect’s Guardian Divine Artifact, the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City. You saw the outcome yourself; it was perilous, but we emerged unscathed."

After briefly describing the subsequent events, Qi Xiu looked down at Tai Yin. "As for you, you must have had a grand time traveling the outside world all these years."

"Original body, you’re being quite cheeky, benefiting and then feigning innocence. If it weren’t for me, would we have access to such a profound technique as the Black Water True Skill?" With a mischievous grin, the Daoist of the Taiyin leaned back against a rock. "Speaking of which, we had an agreement: once Ge Ping’s matter was resolved, you would let me go out again. Shenxiao Sect is great in every way, but it’s just too stifling here. I still prefer the outside world—free and unrestrained. Shouldn’t life be like this—riding the wind and rain, carefree and joyous? Original body, your life is too dull. Why don’t you come out with me for a change of pace?"

"Everyone has their own path; you don’t need to worry about me. When do you plan to leave?" Qi Xiu, who had no intention of keeping Tai Yin, replied casually before asking.

"As soon as possible. Perhaps tomorrow, or even tonight," the Daoist of the Taiyin said, scratching his eyebrow.

"So soon?"

Qi Xiu glanced at Tai Yin but said nothing more. Although the Daoist of the Taiyin was his avatar, and both were fundamentally Qi Xiu, their temperaments and personalities were vastly different. Qi Xiu sometimes couldn’t fully fathom Tai Yin’s thoughts. If it weren’t for the mysterious connection between them that allowed him to find Tai Yin at any time, Qi Xiu suspected he might never see Tai Yin again once he departed.

"By the way, I didn’t get a chance to tell you when I was at Divine Sorrow Ridge. Do you know who I met before heading there?" Suddenly remembering something, the Daoist of the Taiyin gave a secretive smile.

"Who?" Seeing the Daoist of the Taiyin’s sly expression, Qi Xiu asked with a furrowed brow.

Although he could look into Tai Yin’s memories and thoughts, he couldn’t possibly review them all at once. Minor details were easily overlooked.

"An old acquaintance of ours—Song Tingye, the former County Magistrate of Baoho County!"