393: Ou Yezi

On the ice wall of the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, the water mirror reflected the full view of the Tianshu Hall. After the clouds and fog dispersed, the suspended palace revealed its true appearance—the roof was covered with dark gold glazed tiles.

Bronze bells hung from the four corners, but when the wind blew, no sound could be heard, indicating that a soundproofing Restriction had clearly been applied. The three characters “Tianshu Hall” on the plaque above the hall door flowed with faint Spiritual Qi fluctuations between the strokes, surprisingly sharing the same origin as the Third Prince's “Tianshu” Jade Pendant.

“Young Lord,” Zhao Gao said, holding the newly deciphered secret letter, his voice tinged with seriousness. “The scroll Marshal of the Unruly found in Xuantian Sect's secret passage records that the Tianshu Hall opens once every hundred years, hiding the Secret Art of Shattering the Void.”

He pointed to the cinnabar annotation on the secret letter. “Successive Sect Masters of Xuantian Sect have been searching for the key to open the hall door. It is said that the key... is related to the summoning array of Beyond Heaven.”

Jun Xiaoyao tapped lightly on the ice desk with his fingertips, and ice chips rustled down onto the sword blank Ouyezi had just forged. The sword blank was refined using Nether cold iron mixed with the poison from the poison scripture; the blade glowed a strange black-purple, and faint patterns of flowing poison could be seen. “They certainly know how to connect the dots,” he said lightly, turning his gaze toward the summoning array—the Spiritual Qi within the Formation had risen to 97% due to the appearance of the Tianshu Hall. As the runes circulated, the silhouette of a figure holding a whisk emerged.

Summoning Activated, Revealing Heaven's Secrets

[System Notification: A clue regarding Shattering the Void has been detected, triggering a “Dao Comprehension Type” summon.]

[Summonable Character: Wang Chongyang]

[Origin: The World of the legend of the condor heroes]

[Realm: Land Immortal Realm Peak]

[Martial Skill: Innate Art (Transcendent, capable of comprehending Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi), One Sun Finger (Shatters evil spirits, harms enemies invisibly)]

[Specialty: Dao Comprehension (90% success rate for analyzing Cultivation Techniques and Secret Manuals), Spreading the Dao (Enhances allied comprehension ability)]

[Summoning Cost: Spiritual Qi 95%]

The summoning array erupted in soft golden light, and runes spun like stars. Wang Chongyang's figure, dressed in a Daoist robe and carrying a long sword on his back, condensed in the light. His face was lean and refined, his eyes deep like an ancient pool. He bowed to Jun Xiaoyao: “This humble Daoist, Wang Chongyang, greets the Young Lord. Hearing of the secret of Shattering the Void, I have specifically come to assist.”

[Character Panel: Wang Chongyang]

[Status: Deduction]

[Special Ability: Innate One Qi (Can see through the truth and falsity of Formations), Quanzhen Sect Secrets (Knows some past events of the Ancient Holy Lands)]

[Loyalty: 88%]

[Current Thought: The Restriction of the Tianshu Hall is similar to the Ancient “Spirit Locking Array” and needs to be broken using the Innate Art.]

“Daoist Priest, do you have any idea how to open the Tianshu Hall?” Jun Xiaoyao pointed to the hall door in the water mirror, where complex runes were carved, bearing a seven-tenths resemblance to the patterns of the summoning array.

Wang Chongyang gently swept his whisk, and his fingertips outlined the trajectory of runes in the air: “This Formation is based on the 'Heaven, Earth, and Man' Three Talents. It requires the simultaneous injection of three types of power—the Spiritual Qi of the Holy Land, the Dragon Qi of the Imperial Dynasty, and... the summoning power of Beyond Heaven.” He paused, a flash of understanding in his eyes. “The Third Prince's Jade Pendant is likely used to activate the Dragon Qi.”

Ouyezi's Poison Weapon Refining Technique

Ouyezi was busy in front of the bronze cauldron. He poured the poison scripture's poison liquid into the molten slag according to proportion. The Kunwu Divine Fire suddenly shot up ten feet high, the flame color changing from purple to black, emitting a pungent odor. “Young Lord,” he said, using iron tongs to pick up a refined iron blank. “When this poison iron is fused with Nether cold iron, the resulting weapon can corrode the opponent's Spiritual Qi. Anyone below the Land Immortal Realm will be wounded upon contact.”

The surface of the iron blank was covered with honeycomb-like holes, each condensing a drop of poison liquid, glistening under the firelight. Jun Xiaoyao watched the people from Sword Forging Manor collecting petrification poison dust in the water mirror and instructed Ouyezi: “Forge a batch of poison spears for Yue Fei's spearman Formation. Use this iron blank for the spearheads and mix in petrification poison dust powder.”

A sharp light flashed in Ouyezi's eyes: “Young Lord, you want the spearheads to be both corrosive and capable of petrifying the enemy? What a brilliant idea!” He immediately adjusted the temperature of the smelting furnace and evenly sprinkled the poison dust powder into the molten slag. “I guarantee three thousand poison spears will be delivered within three days!”

In the water mirror, the Disciples of Sword Forging Manor were putting the poison dust into jade bottles. The Manor Master stood nearby, giving instructions: “Hurry up! This poison dust can give weapons a petrification effect, and selling it to the Holy Lands will earn us a fortune!” They didn't notice that The Net's “Shadow” group, hidden in the dark, had already recorded this scene. A message talisman turned into a wisp of green smoke and flew straight toward Hanyue Valley.

Marshal of the Unruly's Secret Tianshu Investigation

In another corner of the water mirror, Marshal of the Unruly had infiltrated the mountain path outside the Tianshu Hall. The stone walls on both sides of the path were carved with the same runes as the hall door. He used the Tiangang Art to condense a ball of crimson Qi in his palm and gently pressed it onto a rune—the rune surprisingly lit up with red light, revealing a staircase hidden behind the stone.

“There really is a secret passage.” Marshal of the Unruly walked down the staircase. At the end was a stone chamber. A huge star map hung on the wall, marking thirty-six light spots. Three of these spots flashed red light, corresponding to Xuantian Sect, Pill King Valley, and Sword Forging Manor, respectively. “This is a contact map of the Holy Lands.” He pulled out special rubbing paper and completely copied the star map. “The other thirty-three light spots... are there other hidden Holy Lands?”

On the stone platform in the center of the stone chamber lay a yellowed ancient book, with “Tianshu Secret Record” written on the cover. Marshal of the Unruly opened it and his pupils shrank—it recorded the true purpose of the Tianshu Hall: it did not hide the Secret Art of Shattering the Void, but rather imprisoned a “Spirit Devouring Giant Beast.” It was opened once every hundred years to appease the Giant Beast with sacrifices, preventing it from breaking out and devouring the continent's Spiritual Qi.

“Xuantian Sect doesn't know the truth at all!” Marshal of the Unruly quickly made a rubbing of the Secret Record. Just then, footsteps sounded outside the stone chamber, and he quickly hid behind a stone coffin, holding his breath.

The ones who entered were the Sect Master of Xuantian Sect and the Emissary of the Tianshu Hall. The Emissary wore a bronze mask, and his voice was hoarse: “Are the sacrifices ready? The hundred-year period is in three days. If the Spirit Devouring Giant Beast gets angry, your Xuantian Sect will be the first to suffer.”

The Sect Master bowed and said: “Three hundred living sacrifices have been prepared, all Disciples captured from the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult.” He paused and asked again, “Lord Emissary, will opening the hall door this time truly grant us the Secret Art of Shattering the Void?”

The Emissary let out a strange laugh: “After the Giant Beast is appeased, it will naturally be given to you.” Before the laughter faded, a flash of green light suddenly appeared under the mask, clearly indicating he was not telling the truth.

Marshal of the Unruly, hiding behind the stone coffin, recorded this conversation. A huge wave rose in his heart—Xuantian Sect had been deceived by the people of the Tianshu Hall; their so-called “Secret Art” was merely bait to appease the Giant Beast!

Wang Chongyang's Method for Breaking the Formation

In the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, Wang Chongyang was deducing the Restriction of the Tianshu Hall. He used cinnabar to draw a Formation Diagram on the ice desk, pointing his finger at the “Man” position of the Three Talents Formation: “This is the weak point of the Formation Core. As long as enough summoning power is injected, the Restriction can be temporarily disturbed, allowing the aura of the Spirit Devouring Giant Beast to leak out.”

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the Formation Diagram, suddenly recalling the Spiritual Qi fluctuations of the summoning array: “You mean to use the power of the summoning array to provoke the Giant Beast, causing it to break out of the hall early?”

Wang Chongyang nodded: “Precisely. The aura of the Spirit Devouring Giant Beast can suppress the Spiritual Qi of all Holy Lands. At that time, we won't need to act ourselves; they will fall into chaos.” He circled a light spot on the Formation Diagram. “This is the Giant Beast's Seal point. Attacking here with poison spears will intensify its agitation.”

Zhao Gao suddenly entered to report: “Young Lord, Yue Fei's spearman Formation has been assembled, and Ouyezi's first batch of poison spears has also been forged and is ready to depart.” He handed over the Sword Forging Manor's transaction record. “They are indeed trading with the Tianshu Hall's Emissary, exchanging poison dust for a quota to open the hall door.”

Jun Xiaoyao's fingertip traced the transaction record, stopping at the words “three thousand petrification poison spears.” “Sword Forging Manor sure knows how to do business.” He nodded to Zhao Gao. “Have The Net's 'Kill' group intercept this batch of poison spears. Say it's... a 'toll fee' collected on behalf of Beyond Heaven.”

Intercepting the Poison Spears, Initial Display of Prowess

In the water mirror, the Sword Forging Manor's convoy was escorting the poison spears toward the Tianshu Hall. Three hundred Disciples guarded both sides, their vigilance strict. Suddenly, huge rocks rolled down from both sides of the mountain path, blocking the convoy front and back. Yue Fei's spearman Formation charged out from the forest, and the three thousand poison spears gleamed with black-purple light under the sunlight.

“It's people from Beyond Heaven!” The Manor Master was both shocked and furious. “We have no grievance or enmity with you, why are you blocking the road?”

Yue Fei stood holding his spear, the spearhead pointing directly at the convoy: “Sword Forging Manor colluded with the Tianshu Hall, selling poison spears and aiding tyranny. According to the rules of Beyond Heaven, the goods are confiscated, and the people... will be spared their lives.” As soon as he finished speaking, the spearman Formation had formed the “Coiling Dragon Formation.” The spearheads pointed outward, and the poison liquid on the spears emitted a pungent odor.

The Manor Master knew that fighting hard would yield no benefit. He gritted his teeth and said, “We can give you the poison spears, but you must guarantee not to harm my Disciples!”

Yue Fei nodded: “Beyond Heaven keeps its word.”

Watching the empty-handed convoy leave, the leader of The Net's “Kill” group stepped forward to ask for instructions: “General, how should these poison spears be handled?”

Yue Fei pointed in the direction of the Tianshu Hall: “As per the Young Lord's command, transport them to the secret passage entrance, wait for Marshal of the Unruly's signal, and be ready to attack the Seal point at any time.”

Planning in the Underground Palace, The Storm Approaches

In the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, Jun Xiaoyao looked at the footage of the poison spears being stored, which Yue Fei had sent back, and said to Wang Chongyang: “The Tianshu Hall will open in three days. We will proceed according to the Daoist Priest's plan.” He tapped lightly on the summoning array; the Spiritual Qi within the Formation had recovered to 90%. “Also, have Cheng Lingsu prepare some antidote to restrain the Spirit Devouring Giant Beast, just in case.”

Wang Chongyang bowed in affirmation. As he turned, he glimpsed the people of Xuantian Sect in the water mirror driving the living sacrifices toward the hall door. A flicker of reluctance crossed his eyes, but he ultimately said nothing—he knew that the Young Lord's decisions were never changed by pity.

Zhao Gao organized the messages received from various parties and whispered: “Young Lord, the Medicinal Pills refined by Pill King Valley using petrification poison dust have been sent into the Tianshu Hall. It is said they can briefly boost cultivation, and are intended for the sacrifices to make their Spiritual Qi more 'delicious'.”

A cold smile curled Jun Xiaoyao's lips: “Then let their 'deliciousness' become the Giant Beast's 'laxative'.” He looked at Ouyezi's smelting furnace, where the last batch of poison spears was being refined. The firelight reflected red on the ice wall, also illuminating the impending storm.

The bronze bells of the Tianshu Hall remained silent, as if waiting for the upheaval three days later. In the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, all preparations were complete.

Awaiting only Jun Xiaoyao's command, The Net would tighten once more, thoroughly exposing the sins hidden beneath the Holy Land's halo to the sunlight.

The runes of the summoning array slowly circulated, and the next summon was already brewing. The journey belonging to Beyond Heaven was approaching the Realm of Shattering the Void, step by step.