Vol 3 Chapter 11: The Gathering of the Three Sects
Qingzhou, Senluo Path.
Deep in the mountains, hidden within a transparent barrier, the air was thick with the scent of ancient vegetation and damp earth. A faint, almost imperceptible aura of
primordial power
lingered, a wild and profound energy unique to the
Zhuyan
.
Whoosh!
As the appointed date arrived, disciples from the
Myriad Beast Sect
, the
Flower Sect
, and
Thousand Illusions Mountain
gathered at the entrance to the
Zhuyan’s Inheritance Grounds
, a place monopolized by the three sects.
As
Thousand Illusions Mountain’s
airship approached, an impatient voice rang out from outside the barrier.
"Phantom Lord Ming, your
Thousand Illusions Mountain
sure took its time. We’ve all been waiting on you to unlock the barrier."
"Heh, isn't that Old Miao? I heard you took the
Myriad Beast Sect’s
Core Disciples on a trip to the
Ancient Celestial Kingdom
to annex the
Beast Taming Sect
—only to get beaten back. Is that true?"
Standing at the prow of the airship,
Thousand Illusions Mountain’s
Sect Master,
Phantom Lord Ming
, looked toward
Myriad Beast Sect’s
Vice Sect Master,
Miao Ling
, with a smirk.
"Hmph, that
Lin Jing
from the
Beast Taming Sect
possesses a rare
Gu
ability. It’s no surprise our disciples were at a disadvantage. But for him to use such power... that sect is bound to pay the price."
Miao Ling
, a
Great Perfection Nascent Soul
cultivator specializing in beast taming, was the very same elder who had attempted to recruit Lin Jing into the
Myriad Beast Sect
.
However, after what he had witnessed in the
Ancient Celestial Kingdom
, his interest in Lin Jing had waned.
Why?
Because at the border town of the
Cloud Sea Mountains
, they had encountered a
Nascent Soul Demonic Cultivator
from the
Gu God Sect
!
Fortunately, the demonic cultivator had no interest in them—only in information regarding the
Ten Rare Gu
and Lin Jing himself...
After that incident, Miao Ling and his team quickly abandoned any thoughts of involving themselves in Lin Jing’s affairs, returning to
Qingzhou
before they could get caught in the storm.
Their caution proved correct.
Soon after,
Thousand Illusions Mountain
—which had hidden itself within an academy—was attacked. Now,
wanted notices
for
Thousand Illusions Mountain’s fugitives
had even spread into
Qingzhou
.
Was the
Gu God Sect
behind it?
Miao Ling wouldn't be surprised.
"Wait,
Myriad Beast Sect’s
Core Disciples fought against
Qu Jun
?"
Hearing the exchange between
Phantom Lord Ming
and
Miao Ling
, disciples from
Thousand Illusions Mountain
and the
Flower Sect
perked up in interest.
By now,
Qu Jun’s
name had become infamous due to mysterious
wanted notices
circulating across multiple regions. Even in
Qingzhou
, many had heard of this monstrous cultivator.
"Have you heard?
Thousand Illusions Mountain
isn’t the only sect issuing wanted orders for
Qu Jun
. Many sects across different domains are hunting him down. It’s insane that he hasn’t been caught yet!"
"Maybe the
Ancient Celestial Kingdom’s
powerhouses have already taken him down," Senior Sister
Ning
interjected. "But let’s not concern ourselves with outsiders. Focus on staying calm—distraction is the greatest weakness for illusion cultivators."
As the two Nascent Soul elders exchanged a few more barbed words, the
Flower Sect’s
Sect Master impatiently urged them forward.
Eventually, the three sects worked together to dissolve the barrier.
Though the three sects often engaged in
both open and covert conflicts
, they upheld one unwritten rule:
Nascent Soul and stronger cultivators would refrain from interfering directly.
Disputes over resources, treasures, and inheritances were left to the disciples.
After all, as long as a sect’s
Nascent Soul cultivators
remained, its survival was assured. Disciples? No matter how many died, new ones could always be recruited.
"Unlock the boundary!"
With a soft hum, the barrier shattered like scattered fireflies, revealing the landscape within the
Demon Ancestor’s Ruins
.
At the center stood a massive
white stone pillar
, its surface etched with the marks of time. Strange, natural rune-like patterns coiled around its base.
"
Thousand Illusions Mountain
disciples, enter the ruins!"
Hovering in midair,
Phantom Lord Ming
issued his command.
In an instant, a hundred
Thousand Illusions Mountain
disciples transformed into streaks of
illusory light
, surging toward the stone pillar.
"
Myriad Beast Sect
disciples, go!"
"
Flower Sect
disciples, go!"
Under the commands of their respective sect leaders, the other two sects’ disciples also rushed toward the pillar.
This
white stone pillar
was a
Void Mystical Treasure
of the
Demon Ancestor Lin Jing
, containing an entire
independent realm
. Those whose cultivation met the requirements would be drawn into the ruins upon stepping within its radius.
Lin Jing followed
Senior Sister Ning
and the other
Thousand Illusions Mountain
disciples toward the pillar.
As waves of spatial energy rippled, countless cultivators seemed to sink into the depths of a vast ocean, vanishing into another world.
Inside the Demon Ancestor’s Ruins
A
dimensional shift
later, figures began appearing one by one in a vast, dimly lit hall.
Lin Jing blended into the crowd of
Thousand Illusions Mountain
disciples, his presence unremarkable. Nobody knew that he was the very
Ancient Celestial Kingdom’s prodigy
listed in wanted notices.
"Is that... Lin Jing’s blood?"
Among the crowd, Lin Jing’s gaze locked onto a single drop of floating
red blood
at the center of the grand hall. A surge of extraordinary power radiated from it.
As the three sects’ disciples fully entered the ruins, the
blood drop
began to change—gradually taking the form of a
small ape, just over a meter tall
.
"So tiny."
For many first-time explorers, the
Zhuyan’s
diminutive form was underwhelming. After all, the stronger a demonic beast, the larger it tended to be.
"Don’t underestimate it!"
A veteran of previous expeditions immediately shouted.
The
Zhuyan
appeared mostly white, with crimson markings resembling burning flames. Its eyes gleamed with an intelligence far beyond that of a mere construct.
"RAAAH!!!"
The
Junior Zhuyan
scanned the entire hall, baring its fangs.
Before it could even move—
BOOM!
Thousands of spells rained down upon it, engulfing the hall in a maelstrom of energy.
Though only
300 cultivators
had entered the ruins, the
Myriad Beast Sect
disciples—each commanding multiple demonic beasts—made it feel as though an entire army was present.
Even Lin Jing casually cast a simple
Fireball Technique
.
Though his squad’s mission was to
observe
the
Zhuyan
, there was one requirement:
Only those who had successfully inflicted damage upon it could leave the ruins.
Thus, those who had never entered the ruins before had to contribute at least a minor wound to the
Junior Zhuyan
to ensure they received a trace of
Zhuyan’s blood
.
"Second Squad, sit down and concentrate!"
Amidst the chaos, Senior Sister
Ning
gave the order.
Alongside Lin Jing, the ten
Thousand Illusions Mountain
disciples under her command immediately focused their divine senses, studying the battle unfolding before them.
And what they saw was shocking.
Despite being only
Early Foundation Establishment
, the
Junior Zhuyan
endured thousands of attacks like an
unbreakable fortress
. Fire, lightning, metal-elemental strikes—none could even scorch a single strand of its white fur.
The sheer
defensive power
of the creature stunned Lin Jing.
It was stronger than his own Fire Qilin Dragon…
Even though this
Junior Zhuyan
was merely a construct formed from a drop of blood, its
bloodline rank
was unquestionably that of a
Demon Ancestor
.
Lin Jing’s mind raced.
"This creature hasn’t shown any of the overwhelming might typical of primordial relic beasts… just terrifying physical strength. If I want to recreate its essence as an illusionary beast, where do I even begin?"
Illusions typically relied on
aura
—an overwhelming presence to intimidate opponents.
Yet, the
Zhuyan
displayed
no aura, no oppressive force
.
It simply
rushed into the horde of beasts
—silent, unyielding, and ruthless.
Limbs flew. Flesh was torn.
Its every movement was a
brutal, yet elegant masterpiece of slaughter
.