Chapter 115
Deep within the Yue Lin Mountains under the protection of the Wendao Sect lay several forbidden regions, places where none but the sect's highest-ranking elders were permitted to tread.
Far to the southeast, rising through drifting veils of mist, stood a pagoda of haunting grandeur. Its towering frame was cloaked in obsidian-black light, while countless ancient runes flowed across its surface like streams of living shadow, winding endlessly around each tier.
This was the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda, also known as the Blessing Pagoda—one of the Wendao Sect's most heavily guarded sacred grounds.
On this day, cultivators from all seven allied sects had gathered before its tightly sealed gates under the guidance of the Wendao Sect elders.
Lou Yuqing stood among the selected disciples, a respectful distance behind the senior cultivators, quietly studying the towering structure before her.
From certain angles, the dark exterior caught the light in an almost unreal way. Beneath the obsidian sheen, shimmering prismatic colors flickered into view, shifting and changing as though every hue beneath the heavens had been woven into its surface.
"So this is the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda..." One disciple unconsciously leaned forward, unable to hide the awe in his voice. "It looks even more extraordinary than the legends describe."
A ripple of excitement spread quietly through the gathered disciples.
Even the usually composed Wei Houming allowed anticipation to show in his eyes.
Yet it was not the pagoda's breathtaking appearance alone that stirred their hearts.
Everyone present understood the true value of what lay hidden within.
Those fortunate enough to enter the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda invariably emerged with their cultivation transformed, advancing by astonishing leaps. Unlike most methods of forcibly increasing one's strength, its blessings left behind almost no hidden dangers or lasting side effects.
For cultivators who spent their lives pursuing the Dao, there were few opportunities in the world more precious than this one.
Nowhere else on the continent existed a treasure quite like it.
Yet for all its extraordinary value, the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda could not be opened at will. Only once every fifty years would the Seven Great Sects gather to select those deemed worthy of entering its halls.
By fortunate coincidence, this cycle coincided with the conclusion of the recent Grand Tournament. As a reward, the highest-ranking victors had earned the right to step inside.
In the end, only ten disciples—including Lou Yuqing—had secured this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Sect Leader Qingxuzi gave a light cough, and the murmuring crowd immediately fell silent.
Turning toward the towering pagoda, he called with an easy smile,
"Junior Brother Ma, we've arrived."
The Spirit-Summoning Pagoda was far too precious to be left unattended.
At all times, a Nascent Soul elder remained stationed here, maintaining its formations and guarding against anyone foolish enough to covet the treasures hidden within.
A languid voice drifted from behind the sealed gates.
It sounded strangely close, as though spoken beside their ears, yet impossibly distant at the same time.
"Ah... Senior Brother Sect Leader?"
A lazy yawn interrupted the greeting.
"Is it already time?"
Lou Yuqing tilted her head toward the pagoda, blinking in amusement.
It sounded remarkably like the guardian had just been awakened from a deep sleep.
As it turned out...
She was exactly right.
Deep within the pagoda, beside the heart of its grand formation, Ma Yuanmiao had been curled up comfortably asleep.
He stretched lazily, joints cracking one after another as he slowly climbed to his feet, letting out a long, reluctant sigh.
Ten years had passed since he accepted the duty of guarding the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda.
The work was steady.
Peaceful.
Uneventful.
Perhaps a little too uneventful.
Most days, the only sound accompanying him was the wind brushing against the ancient stone.
The solitude was enough to drive anyone half mad, and more than once he had wondered whether volunteering for this assignment had been a terrible mistake.
Unfortunately, there was no backing out now.
Guardians of the forbidden grounds served fifty-year terms.
He had completed only ten.
There were still forty long years ahead of him.
Yet duty alone was not what kept him here.
Hidden deep within his heart was another reason.
Out in the wider world lingered someone... or something... he desperately wished to avoid.
It was that lingering shadow that had driven him to request this lonely post in the first place.
The memory alone sent a chill crawling down his spine.
Ma Yuanmiao shook himself briskly, forcibly pushing the thought aside.
The formations protecting this place are absolute, he reassured himself.
No one can find me here. Nothing can.
I'm safe.
He took a steadying breath before forming a series of practiced hand seals. Streams of luminous spiritual energy flowed from his fingertips, sinking into the heart of the grand formation.
A deep, grinding rumble echoed through the pagoda as ancient mechanisms stirred to life.
"One more moment," his voice drifted outward once again. "I'm releasing the inner seals."
At the same time, Sect Leader Qingxuzi turned to the elders of the other six great sects.
"Please present your sect tokens. The outer formation requires the authority of all seven sects before the pagoda can be fully unsealed."
Lou Yuqing had wondered about that for quite some time.
The Spirit-Summoning Pagoda stood deep within the territory of the Wendao Sect, yet everyone spoke of it as though it belonged equally to all seven sects.
Captain Wei had once explained the reason.
Two hundred years ago, no such pagoda had existed.
Then, without warning, it descended upon the Yue Lin Mountains.
Its arrival was accompanied by an endless tide of savage spirit beasts that swept through the region, devastating everything in their path. The catastrophe forced the Seven Great Sects to join forces in a desperate battle before they finally managed to suppress the beasts.
In the end, they sealed the beasts' spirits within the pagoda itself, using an immense array to refine their lingering power into pure spiritual energy that could aid future generations of cultivators.
That was how the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda had come to exist.
As they waited for the countless seals to finish aligning, the surrounding disciples found their attention drifting toward Lou Yuqing again and again.
Ever since her battle with Yan Zice, everyone had become convinced that she was the mysterious owner of that all-knowing voice that had echoed throughout the tournament grounds.
Even several days later, the shock of that revelation had yet to fade.
To them, it seemed as though she could glimpse the hidden threads of fate itself and uncover secrets that no ordinary cultivator should ever know.
Their curiosity had only continued to grow.
Had sect etiquette not strictly forbidden causing a disturbance before the pagoda, many of them would have surrounded her already, bombarding her with questions until she answered every last one.
Ling Yunxiao noticed the lingering weight of those curious stares and quietly stepped a little closer to Lou Yuqing. With the slightest shift of his shoulders, he placed himself between her and the most inquisitive disciples.
The probing gazes gradually retreated, though many looked away with obvious reluctance.
One person, however, refused to give up.
Gao Xuexi of the Suyin Sect narrowed her eyes and casually shifted a step to the side, trying to catch another glimpse of Lou Yuqing.
Ling Yunxiao moved at almost the same instant.
Her view was blocked once again.
She frowned and sidestepped in the opposite direction.
He followed just as naturally, as though he were nothing more than her shadow.
After the third attempt, Gao Xuexi finally stopped and shot him a sharp look.
Her voice slipped silently into his mind.
"Fellow Daoist Ling... if you continue getting in my way, don't blame me for being discourteous."
Ling Yunxiao merely smiled.
It was a courteous, perfectly composed smile. Yet somehow, it was far more provoking than any spoken retort.
He said nothing aloud.
Instead, his calm gaze seemed to ask only one question: Are you certain you could defeat me?
Gao Xuexi's expression darkened.
She had watched every one of his matches.
His movements were swift enough to leave afterimages, his sword strikes impossibly precise. She was confident she could fight him on equal footing, but claiming victory?
That was another matter entirely.
Ling Yunxiao finally answered through the same spiritual link.
"Whatever thoughts you may have regarding Junior Sister Yuqing..." His tone remained calm, yet unmistakably firm.
"I advise you to put them aside. She is not someone to be approached with ulterior motives."
Gao Xuexi frowned, genuinely offended.
"Ulterior motives? I may not be a saint, but neither am I some scheming villain."
Her brows knitted together.
"When have I ever harbored ill intentions toward Fellow Daoist Lou?"
Ling Yunxiao met her gaze without the slightest hesitation.
"The way you look at her..."
He paused before finishing evenly, "...is different from the way you look at everyone else."
For the first time, Gao Xuexi found herself speechless.
She opened her mouth to retort, only to hesitate. A rare hint of awkwardness crossed her face before she hurriedly corrected herself.
"It's just... she's rather extraordinary," she said, carefully steering away from whatever she had almost admitted. "I simply wanted to speak with Fellow Daoist Lou about something important. We've just never had the right opportunity."
She shot him a pointed look.
"You needn't treat everyone as though they're hiding a dagger behind their back."
Ling Yunxiao let the matter drop.
He suspected her curiosity was directed less toward Lou Yuqing herself than toward that mysterious ability to uncover hidden truths. Unfortunately for her, that gift was as unpredictable as it was extraordinary.
And if it ever happened to expose whatever plans Gao Xuexi was quietly keeping to herself...
Well.
That would certainly be an interesting sight.
The thought brought a faint, genuine smile to his lips.
Seeing that smile, Gao Xuexi suddenly felt a chill creep down her spine.
For reasons she could not explain, she had the distinct feeling someone had just taken silent pleasure in her future misfortune.
At that very moment, Lou Yuqing happened to glance over and caught sight of Ling Yunxiao smiling to himself.
Senior Brother Ling really is an optimistic person, she thought with quiet fondness, completely unaware that he had just spent the last several moments subtly shielding her from countless curious eyes.
Before she could dwell on it further-a deep, rumbling boom echoed across the mountains.
The earth trembled beneath their feet.
The Spirit-Summoning Pagoda suddenly erupted with dazzling radiance as a pillar of brilliant white light burst skyward, piercing the clouds and flooding the heavens with blinding brilliance.
The entire mountain range seemed bathed in sacred light.
Only after several breaths did the radiance gradually subside.
Then came the slow, resonant groan of ancient wood.
The pagoda's massive doors—each standing three zhang tall and carved with intricate images of celestial beasts and constellations—began to swing inward.
A rich tide of pure spiritual energy poured from within.
Sect Leader Qingxuzi turned toward the waiting disciples, his eyes filled with quiet encouragement.
"Go."
His gentle voice carried clearly across the gathering.
"The farther you climb and the longer you endure within the pagoda, the greater the blessings you shall receive."
He paused before adding with a warm smile, "Many disciples who entered before you advanced an entire cultivation realm upon emerging. A fortunate few even reached the threshold of their next breakthrough."
The ten selected disciples bowed together.
"Thank you, Sect Leader!" they answered in unison before stepping toward the open gates.
Lou Yuqing and Ling Yunxiao fell into step just behind Wei Houming as they made their way toward the pagoda's entrance.
Sect Leader Qingxuzi watched the three disappear into the towering doorway, unmistakable pride shining in his eyes. Yet as Song Li's figure vanished after them, a faint trace of regret crossed his face.
It was a pity.
Had she not been paired against Wei Houming in the quarterfinals, she would almost certainly have secured a place among the final ten. Her strength was undeniable—it was simply that Wei Houming's foundation ran just a fraction deeper, and in the end, she had lost by the narrowest of margins.
When the tournament concluded three days earlier, each division had produced five successful qualifiers.
Of the ten disciples granted entry into the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda, three belonged to the Wendao Sect alone, the highest number of any participating sect.
It was an achievement that inspired open envy in some...
And no small amount of frustration in others.
"We have seen everything there is to see."
The leading elder of Haotian Palace spoke stiffly as the last disciple disappeared beyond the pagoda gates.
"If there is no further business, we shall return to our sect immediately."
His expression was so dark that it seemed he would rather march through a sea of flames than remain another moment after Haotian Palace's disappointing performance.
Qingxuzi courteously urged him to stay for a few more days as an honored guest, but the elder declined without the slightest hesitation.
Just as he was about to leave, however, Shi Hua stepped forward and gently stopped the elder from Medicine King Valley.
"Elder Xuyang," she said with a respectful smile, "might I trouble you for a moment? There is something I greatly wish to seek your advice on."
The surrounding elders immediately turned their attention toward them.
Medicine King Valley was unrivaled in alchemy and medicinal arts, while Elder Xuyang himself was recognized throughout the cultivation world as one of its foremost grandmasters.
Whatever Shi Hua wished to discuss, it was certainly no trivial matter.
She leaned closer, transmitting her words directly through divine sense so that no one else could hear.
No one knew what she said.
But whatever it was, it gave Elder Xuyang pause.
After a thoughtful silence, he slowly nodded.
The next instant, both figures shot into the sky like twin streaks of light, disappearing over the distant mountains before anyone could ask another question.
The remaining disciples and elders of Medicine King Valley stared after them in bewilderment.
So... are we leaving?
Or staying?
An awkward silence settled over the gathering.
Sect Leader Qingxuzi smoothly stepped in, wearing his usual warm smile.
"It seems Fellow Daoist Shi has found a matter requiring Elder Xuyang's undivided attention."
He looked toward the remaining members of Medicine King Valley before sweeping his gaze across the other sects.
"Since our young disciples will remain within the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda for some time, why not stay as our honored guests? We could exchange insights into cultivation and the Dao over the next month or two. By the time they emerge, we may gather once more to welcome them together."
Minghan Zhenren of the Bailing Sect was the first to nod.
"That suits us perfectly."
The other elders nodded in agreement. None of them had any desire to leave while their disciples were still undergoing the trials within the pagoda, and the opportunity to exchange insights with fellow Nascent Soul cultivators was one few would willingly pass up.
Inside the Spirit-Summoning Pagoda, Lou Yuqing had barely taken her first breath before her eyes widened ever so slightly.
The spiritual energy here was astonishingly dense.
Each breath she drew in felt heavy with pure spiritual essence, as though she were wading through warm water instead of air. Even Cangtian Peak—the Wendao Sect's most sacred cultivation ground—held barely a tenth of the energy gathered within these walls.
She rubbed her fingertips together.
The air felt faintly moist, as though the overwhelming concentration of spiritual energy had already begun condensing into something almost tangible.
Nineteen floors...
She silently recalled everything she knew about the pagoda.
The higher one climbed, the richer the blessings awaiting above. But the resistance would grow just as quickly.
Without wasting another moment, she steadied her breathing.
Violet lightning burst across her limbs, crackling brightly over her skin. In the next instant, her figure dissolved into a streak of thunder, racing forward with explosive speed.
She shot past several disciples before they had even properly stepped onto the first flight of stairs.
That movement technique...
Gao Xuexi watched the streak of violet disappear into the distance, a flicker of admiration crossing her eyes.
It's extraordinary.
She had intended to stay close to Lou Yuqing, hoping to find an opportunity to speak with her once they entered the pagoda.
Instead, the girl had vanished like a bolt of lightning, leaving nothing but the faint scent of ozone lingering in the air.
Before the tournament, Gao Xuexi had paid Lou Yuqing little attention.
At the time, she had seemed to be nothing more than an early Foundation Establishment cultivator—the weakest-looking among all ten qualifiers.
Then came her match against Yan Zice.
She had defeated one of the Cloud Soaring Sect's most celebrated swordsmen.
After that...
She continued overcoming one powerful opponent after another, shattering expectations with every battle and advancing farther than anyone had believed possible.
Only then had Gao Xuexi realized, this quiet young woman had been hiding far more strength than anyone had ever imagined.