Chapter 57

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Chapter 57

As the evening sun cast its glow over the eastern peak, seven or eight riders galloped swiftly into the depths of the mountain wilderness.

A phoenix and a leopard lurked several miles away, waiting for the right moment to report as their Master had instructed.

The horse team appeared unremarkable, but each saddle bore a hollow bell. When they moved quickly, the bells made no sound, looking like nothing more than rustic ornaments at first glance.

It wasn’t until they approached a mountain pass that the bells suddenly jingled, and in the next moment, both riders and horses vanished as if they had been swallowed by a well—without warning.

The horse team pressed on without hesitation or slowing, kicking up dust and grass roots in their wake. No one noticed the tiny insects hidden in the grass.

As for the two black butterflies that had settled into the shadows of the baggage, their presence went entirely unnoticed.

When Gong Wu transformed into a butterfly, the world around her seemed to expand suddenly. She felt as small as a speck of dust, gazing up at every falling leaf and mountain flower.

She clung to the shadows with her delicate form, carefully avoiding the swishing horse tails, and soon found herself entering a hidden realm.

The light there was dazzling, a stark contrast to the dim twilight outside.

So many lamps—no, so many flames—and all of them were spiritual fire!

She quickly took in the intricate arrangements around her, her ears filled with the deep chants and prayers echoing from the hollow floor below.

“May my Master achieve Nirvana and be reborn, reshaping the lotus body…”

“Supreme, auspicious law, unbroken and undying, like infinite light.”

“May my Master save countless worlds, rescuing me from suffering…”

Different voices mingled together—some tender like children, others hoarse like old women—sending chills down the spine.

Faint murmurs and devout recitations flowed from thousands of sources, converging from all directions, amplifying the eerie atmosphere in the dim glow of the spiritual fire.

Gong Wu strained to discern what they were each murmuring when the air currents summoned by her brother swept them away; the two butterflies silently left the horses’ backs and fluttered to a safer, more concealed spot.

“Can you hear me?” Tu Xuixin communicated through spiritual energy. “I’ll follow their leader to investigate the North Palace; you two stay close but don’t wander far.”

After Gong Wu acknowledged, she flew higher, gradually realizing that the massive lights were illuminating something—

A grand tapestry woven with golden threads and pearls, encircling them like a fortress.

Resembling a city wall or a towering tent, it was a marvel that demanded even more manpower and resources than a mural.

In her butterfly form, she felt minuscule; at first glance, it was hard to imagine such a creation was woven thread by thread.

The tapestry, five zhang high and over a hundred feet wide, seemed to depict the deity they worshipped; upon closer inspection, it appeared human yet not human, its imagery bizarre and vivid.

The figure in the tapestry seemed to radiate boundless light, as if possessing the power to illuminate the hearts of countless followers.

From the center of its palm to the depths of millions of hearts, golden threads shimmered like stars amidst the flickering lights.

When Gong Wu glanced back, she noticed Ji Yang standing guard behind her.

“Take your time,” Ji Yang said calmly. “If anyone notices us, there are already illusions to shield us.”

Gong Wu thanked him and turned her gaze back to the astonishing creation towering four to five stories high, sighing, “Earlier, I saw members of the royal family wearing cloud-patterned silk embroidery, but their craftsmanship paled in comparison to this.”

“Not only that, look at the scripture cabinets and the offering platform nearby,” Ji Yang remarked, scanning the surroundings. “We’re likely on the middle level of this temple, where scripture recitation stands and incense burners are scattered everywhere.”

Beneath the hollow ground, nearly ten thousand nameless devotees recited prayers and offered their pure faith to this deity.

The scale and ritual here could easily rival the Five Great Immortal Sects if brought to light.

Gong Wu frowned.

“Strange, they don’t seem like monks, nor do they resemble Taoists.”

Though Tu Xuixin was an alchemist, he had briefed his siblings on the ways of the three teachings and nine schools, ensuring they wouldn’t miss anything during their future explorations.

He had even described how members of the most peculiar sects in the Western Regions dressed and presented themselves.

All the devotees before them wore black robes adorned with red jade, making their origins difficult to discern.

“Brother, have you encountered such people during your travels?”

Ji Yang pondered deeply before replying, “No.”

“But…” he hesitated, “Little Wu, I have a nagging feeling that there are disciples of both the Taoist and Demonic Sects mixed in here; their origins seem impure.”

Having wandered into the Demon Realm for months, he had developed an instinctive sense for demonic energy after slaying sand worms.

Among the black-robed disciples, some moved with a law-abiding demeanor that clearly indicated their foundation in the Legalist school.

“According to the usual rules, with righteousness above and demons below, what is this place?” Gong Wu whispered. “Could it be that some lawless bandits quietly found a place like this and gathered here to establish their own stronghold?”

As she speculated, Tu Xuixin had already scouted the path ahead.

“Fly up the right path; there are two tiger-headed crane-wing lamps guarding the side hall, and you can enter the main hall by circling east.”

“Did Master see the owner of this place?”

“Hmm…” Tu Xuixin frowned. “In my few hundred years of life, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Gong Wu, her curiosity piqued, swiftly fluttered her butterfly wings to ascend higher, following the path he had indicated.

It turned out that the hidden mountain trail led to the side door of the nameless sect’s leader, with the grand hall situated even higher up.

The atmosphere here was one of strict hierarchy and numerous rules. Aside from the murmurs of scripture readings and prayers, the devotees communicated primarily through sign language, their faces etched with reverence.

Groups of disciples cradled swaddled infants while turning prayer wheels, trudging along in a solemn procession. The origins of the dozens of babies in their arms remained a mystery.

Ji Yang noticed her gaze and gestured toward the slanted beams of the nearby octagonal pavilion.

“Though there are no spiderwebs, the craftsmanship and wear suggest this place has stood for nearly a century.”

Tu Xuixin stood in the eaves of the main hall, watching as his disciples arrived one by one, their wings fluttering as they approached.

“Follow the hidden path; there are four or five guards stationed inside the hall.”

He directed their attention to the distant cliff carvings beyond the hanging bridge and waterfall, where the characters ‘Wu Xuan’ were etched with bold, powerful strokes.

The plaque above the main hall bore the inscription ‘Return to Eternal Bliss,’ and in the pond outside, deep blue lotus flowers bloomed under the glow of candles, casting an eerie, ghostly light.

By worldly custom, the main hall of a cave or palace should serve as the seat of power and rest for the master.

Gong Wu hesitated before flying into the entrance of the main hall, where she, like her master, was momentarily stunned by the sight.

The surrounding side halls were occupied by various figures, all likely prominent members of the sect.

Inside the main hall, there was no grand throne or long table; instead, a silver egg rested at its center.

Encased in a hexagonal cradle crafted from precious materials—chicken blood stone, lapis lazuli, agate, and jade—the egg was secured within the heart of a defensive formation.

The intricate runes and formations adorning the hall were no less impressive than the grand formation of Jin Yan Tuo they had encountered before—

Perhaps even crafted by the same hands.

The shimmering silver egg was so smooth and radiant that it reflected the figures nearby.

After consulting various texts, it became clear that this was no ordinary egg—neither a phoenix’s, a teng snake’s, nor that of any known spirit beast or mythical creature.

The egg’s surface was adorned with spiritual patterns depicting the deity they had seen earlier on the tapestry. These patterns radiated outward, from the silver shell to the eight treasures’ pedestal, extending to the painted walls and floor tiles, forming an unbroken thread that seemed to connect to the very center of the universe.

Gong Wu shivered and suddenly asked, “Master, is this place the center of the world?”

Tu Xuixin looked momentarily puzzled. “…It seems so? I’ve not studied geography extensively.”

“It’s impossible for such a place to remain unknown,” Ji Yang said in a low voice. “We shouldn’t linger; let’s leave at once.”

Upon their return to Moonfire Valley, Yan Fangji was already pacing anxiously, fearing they had encountered more trouble like before.

Kan Jixuan, the elderly woman, remained unperturbed, calmly sipping her potato soup while absentmindedly stroking the head of a leopard.

“What did you all go to see?”

Ji Yang glanced at the others in the hall, exchanged a look with his master, and recounted their experiences in detail.

With his sharp memory, he recalled many of the scriptures recited by the devotees and sketched out several of the objects they had seen.

The group gathered around, studying the sketches for a long while, exchanging puzzled glances.

…Such a sect existed in the Central Plains?

With over ten thousand disciples, why did they not spread their teachings openly but instead remain so deeply hidden?

When Ji Yang mentioned the black robes and red jade, the sharp sound of a porcelain cup shattering echoed through the hall.

“Red jade?”

Kan Jixuan smiled coldly. “What kind of things are embedded in their foreheads?”

Ji Yang took the brush and red ink from his junior disciple and, after a moment of recollection, sketched the design.

It appeared as though a silver string passed through, with a perfectly round object resting right in the center of the forehead.

Though Hao Chengzi, a dispersing immortal and the founder of the sect, had never seen such attire, his brow furrowed slightly.

“If we can determine the origin of this jade, we might uncover some clues.”

Cheng Ji called for his disciple to fetch his jewelry box and carefully explained, “Lingnan is rich in jade. I’ve collected some southern red beads and blood fat jade. Do they resemble this?”

Gong Wu picked up a bead and examined it closely under the dim light, just as the old lady laughed again.

“This is not jade at all.”

“You members of prominent sects are accustomed to genuine artifacts.”

The members of Zhi Bai Guan had previously heard of this demon’s notorious reputation, and they regarded Kan Jixuan with wary eyes.

Elder Wancheng took a deep breath. “Could it be…?”

“It is the heart’s blood of you cultivators,” Kan Jixuan replied slowly. “Some kills could not preserve the whole corpse, so they rely on corpse oil to refine it.”

Gong Wu instinctively placed the red bead back into her jewelry box, as if she had been burned by a fiery tongue.

The old lady clapped her hands and laughed heartily, adding, “You haven’t seen it, but I’ve had the fortune to witness it three times in that dark place I reduced to powder.”

“Could it be from your Demon Realm?”

A disciple nearby couldn’t help but express alarm, and whispers of concern began to spread: “Is the Demon Realm about to attack?”

“Wait! Let the elder explain.”

“What else is there to say? With the corpse oil and silver egg, it’s clear they’re not from the righteous path!”

Cheng Ji turned back with a dismissive glance. The faces of the several disciples discussing in hushed tones turned pale as they quickly bowed and withdrew.

The old lady observed their reaction with satisfaction, speaking in a calm manner.

“If there truly exists a place that can steal away the spiritual energy of the world, would anyone easily let the Demon Realm pass?”

The few present also considered this, taking deep breaths in seriousness.

“What’s concerning is not that someone is trying to carve out an evil path and strive for dominance,” she continued slowly.

“It’s that they might want to drain the cultivation and spiritual energy of everyone in the world, birthing something even more ferocious and unpredictable.”

“What could possibly be inside that egg?” Hua Tingxiao couldn’t hold back, angered as he said, “An ancient ferocious beast? An evil spirit? What kind of egg requires this much effort to hatch for decades?”

Ji Yang felt extremely exhausted and sighed while pressing his brows. “Master, do we need to investigate a few more times?”

Tu Xuixin shook his head.

“At this stage, relying solely on just a few of us will no longer control the situation.”