277: Shen Xuanzhao

Central Continent.

After Venerable Chang Feng's starlight Incarnation disappeared,

all the Cultivators who had been observing the Yin Yang Harmony Hall fell silent.

Shock and bewilderment intertwined.

They were shocked that Mo Xuan, going all out, possessed such powerful Aura.

Even more shocking was that despite Mo Xuan's immense power, he couldn't gain any advantage against the Venerable.

The bewilderment stemmed from how Mo Xuan managed to escape right under the Venerable's nose.

Based on their experience and records in Sect ancient texts,

this was the first time such an event had occurred.

Subsequently, news spread that the Zhou Family and its affiliated minor forces in Yingyang Commandery, Qingzhou, and Cloud Dream Marsh, had all vanished, leaving their residences empty.

Despite thorough searches by those with intentions,

not a single trace was found.

Only some lingering signs of their past presence remained.

Above the ruins of the Yin Yang Harmony Hall,

four figures, previously hidden high in the sky, converged once more, their expressions unreadable as they gazed down at the Yin Yang Harmony Hall, which had been wiped clean and looted countless times.

"Fairy Bai Hua, are you injured?"

Ancestor Wuji withdrew his gaze and asked the only female Cultivator among the four, Fairy Bai Hua, who was adorned with various flower petals and exuded a floral fragrance, with some surprise.

"Just minor injuries."

Fairy Bai Hua's expression was normal.

"Haha~"

Ancestor Wuji chuckled softly.

He did not press further.

He was merely probing.

Wuji Palace scouts had already reported the Hundred Flowers Valley's encounters in Jingzhou.

The Fuhai Sect in Jingzhou was deeply hidden.

Although the Hundred Flowers Valley eventually annihilated the Fuhai Sect, the Hundred Flowers Valley also suffered greatly.

Several Nascent Soul True Lords from the Hundred Flowers Valley alone were killed or injured, and even Fairy Bai Hua sustained some injuries.

However, it seemed she had mostly recovered by now.

Otherwise, Fairy Bai Hua would not have appeared here.

If not for the Hundred Flowers Valley and its affiliated forces gaining the upper hand,

the cost of taking down Jingzhou would likely have been much higher.

"What a pity..."

Ancestor Wuji's lips curved into a smile, thinking to himself.

This time, the Five Families' surprise attack on various states.

The entire Yin Yang Harmony Hall Sect was annihilated.

Both the Hundred Flowers Valley and Yuanya Grotto-Heaven suffered varying degrees of weakening.

Only Wuji Palace and the Wei Clan incurred minimal losses.

Therefore, Ancestor Wuji had been in a good mood.

Even though Mo Xuan had caused such a major upheaval.

Beside him, True Monarch Lü Yuan, who appeared middle-aged, was somewhat silent.

"Our plan, should we still push it forward?"

After a moment of silence,

True Monarch Lü Yuan asked the three.

The original plan was to take down the Five States, then attack them together.

However, now... As soon as he spoke, Ancestor Wuji, who had been smiling, also fell silent.

"My Hundred Flowers Valley will not participate. Fellow Daoists, do as you wish. This Junior Sister will take her leave first."

Fairy Bai Hua spoke first, addressing the three before directly departing.

Currently, the Hundred Flowers Valley was in a weakened state.

Moreover, with Mo Xuan's precedent and the hidden Fuhai Sect in the background,

who knows what other changes might occur next.

Once Fairy Bai Hua left,

True Monarch Lü Yuan also bid farewell and departed.

Ancestor Wuji and Wei Clan First Ancestor remained, exchanging glances.

They both tacitly avoided mentioning the matter.

After a brief exchange, Wei Clan First Ancestor also disappeared from the location.

Ancestor Wuji sighed softly.

The four were not united.

As long as one person withdrew, this loose Alliance would collapse.

They dared not expose their backs, fearing a stab from the Hundred Flowers Valley.

"To be able to retreat unscathed from a Soul Transformation, the two Fellow Daoists of Yin and Yang did not die in vain."

High above in the sky,

Ancestor Wuji sighed quietly.

He also felt a sense of relief in his heart.

Fortunately, he hadn't been blinded by greed and acted rashly at the time.

If it were him, and he had attacked a Soul Transformation Venerable, his fate would certainly not have been good, let alone retreating unscathed... Tianshui Mountain Range.

A disheveled figure, covered in blood, with a low Aura, and disheveled hair, was rapidly moving through the dense forest.

Not far behind him,

several faint Auras were pursuing from a distance.

"Damn it, Master, Junior Sister, I must survive. I must avenge you!"

Shen Xuanzhao coughed up fresh blood from time to time, his eyes bloodshot.

However, the figures pursuing him from behind were getting closer and closer.

"I can only take a risk and gamble."

Sensing the Auras of the people behind him,

if this continued, he would definitely not be able to shake them off.

The situation of the Tianshui Mountain Range flashed through Shen Xuanzhao's mind.

He turned and rushed towards the depths of the Tianshui Mountain Range.

Shen Xuanzhao controlled his speed,

allowing the people behind him to gradually close in.

Not long after,

a pitch-black abyss appeared ahead.

Several Talismans appeared in Shen Xuanzhao's right hand.

In his left hand, he clutched a jade Talisman.

As the people behind him drew closer and closer,

the remaining meager magical power in his body surged into the Talismans in his right hand.

The Talismans shot out and plunged into the abyss.

"Boom!"

The Talismans exploded in the abyss.

An Aura surpassing the Foundation Establishment Stage awakened within the abyss.

"Human, intruder, disturbing my slumber, die!"

A grand, enraged voice emanated from the abyss.

A giant foot emerged from the abyss and stomped down towards Shen Xuanzhao's position.

Shen Xuanzhao was already prepared.

He crushed the jade Talisman in his left hand.

As the foot descended, he disappeared from his original spot.

The several people pursuing him had already fled frantically outwards as soon as the Golden Core Stage great demon's Aura was revealed.

Shen Xuanzhao escaped, the great demon roared, and water shot out, attacking those several people.

Rumbling sounds continued.

Not far from the abyss,

Shen Xuanzhao's disheveled figure appeared.

He coughed up another large mouthful of blood.

That jade Talisman was a small Teleportation Talisman he had acquired in the Xuanming Realm.

Because the teleportation distance was not far,

if he hadn't used this move, even with this last Teleportation Talisman, he wouldn't have been able to escape successfully.

Shen Xuanzhao dared not linger.

He hurried towards the direction of the Zhou Family.

He had been fleeing all this time, so he naturally didn't know what had happened in the Nancang Domain.

Cloud Dream Marsh.

It was still shrouded in white clouds and mist, which had not dissipated due to Mo Xuan's departure.

Shen Xuanzhao's figure appeared outside Cloud Dream Marsh and plunged into the clouds and mist.

Inside his Storage Pouch, the snake-patterned zhou character token, which Zhou Xiuyuan had given him, emitted a faint glow.

If anyone had discovered Zhou Xiuyuan's actions, they would surely be surprised by Shen Xuanzhao's audacity.

Today, Cloud Dream Marsh had already been designated as a Forbidden Ground by the Xuanqing Sect.

This was not only to adhere to True Lord Herun's wishes.

It was also because the clouds and mist enveloping Cloud Dream Marsh were not to be trifled with.

If one's strength was insufficient, entering it meant never being able to come out again.

This was something countless greedy Cultivators had proven with their lives after the news of the Zhou Family's departure spread.

Shen Xuanzhao entered, journeying all the way.

Along the way, he saw several Cultivators who had passed away while meditating in the clouds and mist.

Shen Xuanzhao searched them.

He arrived at the depths of Cloud Dream Marsh.

However, he couldn't see a single person.

After a long silence,

Shen Xuanzhao found a hidden spot.

After his injuries had recovered somewhat,

Shen Xuanzhao disguised himself and quietly left Cloud Dream Marsh. After some inquiries, he learned what had happened.

Now, the Fuhai Sect had been destroyed, Yun Qingsi had unfortunately died during her escape, and their Master, True Lord Sanshui (Three Waters), had already perished in Jingzhou while helping them escape.

Shen Xuanzhao took out the snake-patterned zhou character token.

After much deliberation,

he went to the Xuanqing Sect and, with that token, successfully became an elder of the Xuanqing Sect.

"Brother Zhou, I owe you this. Allow me to avenge my Master and Junior Sister first, then I will repay you."

Inside the Xuanqing Sect, Shen Xuanzhao murmured in his heart.