488: Border in crisis

"The Northern Border..."

Cold light gathered in Yao Delong's eyes. No longer hesitating, the crimson-gold rosy light beneath his feet erupted!

"Boom—!"

He transformed into a streak of mysterious golden lightning that tore through the sky! The terrifying pressure of the Mid-stage Soul Transformation was no longer restrained in the slightest,

like an ancient behemoth awakening to trample the clouds, compressing the air into visible, distorted sonic boom rings!

His target was Heavenly Sword Peak—the residence of Liu Rumei!

The silhouette of Heavenly Sword Peak emerged majestically amidst the vast clouds and mist.

Yao Delong's Divine Thought was like an invisible giant net, boldly covering the area of exquisite pavilions and immortal lofts surrounded by spiritual springs and waterfalls!

He sensed the radiance of the residence's defensive Formation, but that unique aura which should have belonged to Liu Rumei—

an aura mixed with the fragrance of charming bones and the suppleness of the water element... was like a mist scattered by the wind, leaving only a heart-pounding emptiness!

Empty! Still empty!

A chill more piercing than the astral winds of the Frost Silence Cold Plain instantly seized Yao Delong's heart!

This is bad! They all went to the Northern Border and have yet to return!

Just as his figure hovered above the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the elegant garden below like a blade in an attempt to find any clues—

"Martial Nephew Yao! True Disciple Yao, please wait!"

A hurried voice, accompanied by heavy panting and the Escape Light of the Nascent Soul Realm, broke through the clouds!

A middle-aged man dressed in the grey robes of a Deacon Elder, his face flushed from flying at full speed, rushed to a spot not far from Yao Delong.

Before he could even catch his breath, he said urgently:

"The Sect Head Immortal Master... has issued an emergency summons! All True Disciples! Tianshu Peak, Great Hall... immediately! Hurry!!"

The word "immediately" was practically roared out, carrying an unquestionable sense of extreme urgency.

Yao Delong's heart tightened. The ominous premonition born from Liu Rumei's empty residence was instantly overshadowed by an even greater storm!

An emergency summons from the Sect Head meant something monumental had happened! Junior Sister and the others' whereabouts might be related to this!

He skipped even a single question. At the moment he nodded, the incredibly solid crimson-gold Dao sword beneath his feet let out a deafening, sharp explosion!

Shuu—!

Only a brief vacuum vortex, formed by the forcibly compressed air, was left behind!

The Elder's vision blurred. When he focused again, he could only see a speck of blazing starlight tearing through the clouds in the distance!

"This speed..." The Elder was speechless with shock. "Soul Transformation... truly is a different realm entirely!"

Tianshu Peak, Tianshu Great Hall.

A solemn and murderous atmosphere, like heavy leaden clouds, weighed down beneath the dome of this core council hall of the Sect.

The massive mysterious black dome was embedded with mithril crystals that operated according to the Laws of the heavenly stars, reflecting a cold and heavy light.

The ancient stone seats lined on both sides of the hall were already filled with several True Disciples of profound auras and varied temperaments, each with a solemn expression.

When Yao Delong's figure, carrying the power of tearing wind and thunder and shrouded in overbearing arrogance, crashed through the threshold of the Great Hall!

Huu—

An invisible pressure, like a tangible tide, instantly swept through the entire venue!

All eyes—whether filled with scrutiny, awe, curiosity, or a faint hint of jealousy—focused entirely on him!

That profound Foundation belonging to the Mid-stage Soul Transformation, which far exceeded the ordinary!

It was like lighting a solitary, blazing beacon amidst a sea of people!

Even the veteran True Disciples, feeling the space oscillations that had yet to dissipate from his body and that wisp of brilliant solar pressure capable of incinerating all things, couldn't help but narrow their eyes!

"Junior Brother Yao!"

"Junior Brother Yao is here!"

Several familiar True Disciples immediately stood up and nodded in greeting.

Yao Delong's gaze swept across the room, spotting the burly figure of Spirit Forging Peak's True Disciple, Long Xu, in a seat near the front.

The latter was looking at him with a steady but worried expression.

With a movement, Yao Delong landed in the empty seat beside Long Xu like a ghost.

"Senior Brother Long,"

Yao Delong sat down and lowered his voice significantly, his gaze sweeping like lightning over the solemn Peak Masters,

"The pressure in the hall is so high; may I ask what has happened?"

Long Xu also sent a sound transmission, speaking very quickly with a hint of disbelief:

"I heard a bit from my master... The Northern Border! Marquis Zhenyuan!

That son of a bitch from the Zhenyuan Marquiss Residence guarding the border has rebelled!

They colluded with the demonic brats from beyond the borders and opened a gap in the 'Dragon-Severing Ice Ridge Pass,' the core of the Frost Silence Cold Plain's defense line!

They blood-sacrificed half of the pass city! Several Void Refining Great Experts from the Moyang Sect and our own Sect who went to intercept them have been pinned down!

The specifics are unclear, only that the demonic brats who have leaked through... are numerous and of mixed strength!"

He took a breath, his voice deepening.

"This emergency summons is most likely for us to lead teams and wipe out these bastards who have snuck into the pass!"

Yao Delong's heart sank abruptly, not because of the mission, but because of... the Frost Silence Cold Plain! The Dragon-Severing Ice Ridge Pass!!

Wasn't that exactly the area in the Northern Border where Rumei went to investigate the emergence of the Essence Fire?!

"Rumei..." Yao Delong gritted his teeth.

Seeing his expression, Long Xu immediately understood his worry and quickly added:

"Junior Brother Yao, don't worry! Junior Sister and the others' mission is deeper within the Profound Fire Ancient Realm; it's relatively safe and should be fine!"

These words were meant to comfort, yet they also carried gravity. In such Chaos, no place in the Northern Border could be considered completely safe.

Just then!

Light swirled outside the hall doors! Two figures stepped in almost simultaneously!

One was Cang Yunyao, surrounded by the spiritual light of red and blue mysterious talismans!

Her red lips curled slightly. The moment she entered the hall, her world-bewitching gaze accurately crossed the space and landed on Yao Delong!

With a slight arch of her brow, she silently sent him a flirtatious wink filled with hidden sparks.

But this time, beneath that smile, Yao Delong keenly captured a rare trace of gravity.

However, she soon returned to her usual self, swaying her water-snake-like waist,

and walked straight toward a white-clothed woman sitting at the front, whose temperament was ethereal and whose face was shrouded in a hazy talismanic light—

The True Disciple of Talisman Peak, Zhen Xuanji.

The figure that followed closely behind Cang Yunyao caused the oppressive atmosphere of the entire hall to freeze!

With a single step!

Without any deliberate release of pressure, he naturally exuded a dao rhyme aura that was as deep as a pool and as steady as a mountain, as if overlooking the mountains and rivers of an entire region!

Dressed in clothes as white as snow, his posture was as upright as a solitary peak's cold pine. His face was resolute and peerlessly handsome, and his eyes seemed to contain the birth and death of stars as they opened and closed!

Dao Changge!

The current champion True Disciple of the Yin Yang Sect! Recognized as the person with the highest talent in a hundred years!

He had arrived!

Dao Changge's gaze calmly swept across the hall. When it passed over Yao Delong,

his eyes, which were like an undisturbed ancient well, suddenly produced a very clear ripple!

It was as if a giant boulder had been thrown in!

Soul Transformation?! Middle Stage?!

Dao Changge, who had just emerged from seclusion and stabilized his Early Stage Spirit Transformation Dao Heart, could not hide his momentary shock and agitation!

In just a few short months! He had actually overtaken him by a step?

This boy's Foundation was so profound that it definitely couldn't be explained by just the Chaos rosy light on the surface!

He gave Yao Delong a deep look, his complex gaze containing scrutiny, shock,

and even a trace of... solemn wariness that he himself had not yet noticed!

Ultimately, it turned into an extremely slight nod, one that contained the respect and Battle Intent between equals.

Yao Delong's expression remained calm, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips as he returned the nod.

All sixteen True Disciples were seated! The air was as thick as a solid copper wall!

Heavy footsteps echoed from the inner hall.

Sect Head White Cloud Master, wearing a white cloud-patterned Daoist robe embroidered with the heavenly stars and the boundless sea of stars, walked out slowly.

The moment he appeared, the space in the entire hall seemed to droop slightly!

When Yao Delong's Mid-stage Soul Transformation Divine Thought swept over, he could clearly see the Sect Head's figure,

yet it felt as if he were looking up at an ancient, eternally existing, and infinitely high divine mountain!

Inscrutable! That was definitely not Void Refining... it was very likely... a Integration Realm titan!