Chapter 488: The Celestial Envoy

Hearing Feng Tiandu's words, the others were somewhat surprised, and Luo Qinghai couldn't help but show a hint of astonishment. He hadn't expected Feng Tiandu to be so agreeable.

"Heh, I know what you're all worried about, but there's no need. Time is pressing now, otherwise I wouldn't mind settling life and death with you all in this valley first, then slowly breaking the restriction," Feng Tiandu said with a faint smile.

"Elder Feng's words are mistaken; this proposal is excellent. The Cangliu Palace has no objections," Luo Qinghai said with a smile.

"The Nanli Tribe agrees," the white-haired old woman said expressionlessly.

Ouyang Kuishan pondered briefly, then said, "The Candao Sect has no objections either."

In the valley, only the three, including Huyan Daoist, had yet to make their stance clear.

Han Li glanced at Huyan Daoist and Yun Ni, sighing inwardly. Although he also wanted to enter the Taiyi Hall, he didn't want to force Huyan Daoist to choose him, so he planned to withdraw first and think of other ways.

"Let Fellow Daoist Li enter the Taiyi Hall with me," Huyan Daoist suddenly transmitted to both Han Li and Yun Ni as Han Li was about to speak.

Yun Ni said nothing, only nodding silently.

Han Li raised an eyebrow, looking at Huyan Daoist with some confusion.

"You, boy, I've never been able to see through you, but one thing I believe is that you are not one to break faith. So taking you in doesn't worry me much. Most importantly, I trust your strength and methods," Huyan Daoist chuckled.

"Perhaps there's one thing you didn't mention? That the Taiyi Hall is even more dangerous, and you don't want to put Fellow Daoist Yun Ni in peril?" Han Li replied with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Li jokes. By the way, after this matter is settled, the latter two layers of the True Word Wheel Sutra promised earlier will be presented," Huyan Daoist laughed, stuffing something into Han Li's hand.

"Then many thanks," Han Li smiled, putting the item away without changing expression.

Yun Ni looked at Huyan Daoist, a hint of amusement in her eyes, but also some hidden worry.

"Everyone, the True Flame Sect has no objections either," Huyan Daoist smiled at her, then turned to announce to the others.

"Alright, since no one has any objections, let's not delay. We'll start breaking this restriction now," Luo Qinghai said.

Hearing this, everyone gathered and walked toward the stone wall.

"In my opinion, the landscape painting on this stone wall is very similar to the Cold Abyss Landscape Map we used to open the Cold Abyss Immortal Mansion, but not exactly the same. I've just deduced that if the thirteen Golden Immortals present use the Nine Palace Formation-Breaking Diagram and simultaneously employ the Nine Spirits Capture Truth Technique, we should be able to break it," Luo Qinghai said.

At these words, silence fell, and everyone looked thoughtful.

Han Li glanced at Huyan Daoist, raising an eyebrow slightly.

The Nine Palace Formation-Breaking Diagram was a widely circulated formation diagram for breaking restrictions in the Immortal Realm, of considerable rank and with many variations.

As for the Nine Spirits Capture Truth Technique, it was a divine ability slightly inferior to the Great Five Elements Capture Truth Divine Light. He didn't know what effect combining these two methods would have.

"In that case, let Fellow Daoist Luo preside over the formation diagram, and we'll break this restriction immediately," Feng Tiandu said after a brief pause.

Luo Qinghai nodded and, without ceremony, began arranging the Golden Immortals present, positioning them according to the Nine Palace numerological positions, then explained the incantation steps of the Nine Spirits Capture Truth Technique in detail.

"Begin," Luo Qinghai ordered after a moment.

The four Golden Immortals of the Fuling Sect, one from Cangliu Palace, two from the Nanli Tribe, three from the Candao Sect, and the three including Han Li—thirteen Golden Immortals in total—all formed the Nine Spirit Hand Seal and chanted strange incantations.

As their chanting rose, the robes of each person began to flutter in the currents of energy, and the fluctuations of their immortal spiritual power grew increasingly intense.

Standing at a node of the formation diagram, Han Li felt a peculiar sensation as he activated the spell.

Though they were separate individuals, when using the Nine Spirits Capture Truth Technique simultaneously, the Nine Palace Formation-Breaking Diagram created an unprecedented strange connection. Everyone's immortal spiritual power, like a dozen rivers, was drawn by the same mysterious force, merging harmoniously into a single lake.

Luo Qinghai, at the forefront of the formation, was the sole outlet of this entire lake.

Blue light flowed around him as he formed a lotus-shaped hand seal and pushed forward.

Everyone in the formation diagram immediately shone brightly, and their immortal spiritual power rapidly flowed out, converging toward Luo Qinghai at the front.

As the immense immortal spiritual power gathered, a lotus shadow appeared beneath Luo Qinghai, floating like a lotus platform, lifting him into the air. Blue light shone in his deep eyes, and green threads of light flickered on his robe, moving like living things.

He brought his hands together, pointed a finger, and aimed at the white stone wall.

A solid blue beam shot from his fingertip, striking the stone wall.

The white light curtain on the wall's surface churned violently like boiling water, rippling outward in transparent circles.

Han Li's pupils contracted slightly.

Now it seemed that this second attempt to break the restriction truly touched upon the method to open the white stone wall, and the pace had slowed.

…

Meanwhile, on a vast, misty blue lake.

"Rumble…"

Explosions rang out continuously on the lake surface, sending up towering waves hundreds of feet high. Dense glows of treasures and spells mingled, dazzlingly brilliant.

Strange whirlpools on the lake surface led straight to the bottom. Above the whirlpools, several figures, each holding treasures, struggled to maneuver on the water, fighting against water-blue figures that kept emerging from below.

These water-blue figures were unknown entities, seemingly puppets, but their bodies were made of water. When hit hard, they would scatter, only to quickly reform and attack again.

Those attacked by these strange water-blue figures were none other than Xue Ying and the others from the Northern Cold Immortal Palace, who had previously agreed to 'assist' the Cangliu Palace at Luo Qinghai's request.

Earlier, when they arrived here with the Cangliu Palace people, the place was a desolate wilderness of yellow sand.

The Cangliu Palace had already set up the formation to break the restriction outside the elliptical yellow light shield, only lacking a Golden Immortal to jointly activate it.

As the deputy palace master of the Northern Cold Immortal Palace, she was no ordinary person. On the way, she had learned the general situation from Luo Qinghai, thoroughly examined the formation, and cross-checked the environment with Luo Qinghai's words. After confirming no issues, she agreed to assist in breaking the restriction.

But just as she was helping to break the restriction, on the verge of opening the ancient tomb's barrier, a sudden change occurred!

In the center of the yellow sand wilderness, the sand sea churned, the ground heaved violently, and the beast-like ancient tomb suddenly sank into the ground. Within a few miles, it instantly turned into a blue lake.

At the same time, a large golden formation diagram lit up in the sunken ancient tomb. Underwater currents surged, creating a strange whirlpool that emitted a bizarre suction, firmly pulling her down.

Then, strange blue figures emerged endlessly from below.

By the time she managed to stabilize herself, she found that the Cangliu Palace people had all withdrawn in the chaos, while the Immortal Palace True Immortals she brought were trapped on the water trying to save her.

Xue Ying knew she had been set up by the Cangliu Palace. Furious, she couldn't escape for the time being.

Just as Xue Ying was trapped in a bitter battle, a jade flying carriage sped through the sky and hovered above the lake.

A tall, elegant middle-aged man standing at the front of the carriage frowned slightly, then tossed something.

A white jade Pixiu with a slight yellow tint and warm luster arced through the air and splashed into the lake.

Moments later, a huge wave surged on the lake, and a brilliant white light shot up from the bottom, shattering all the whirlpools and bursting out of the water.

A massive snow-white Pixiu puppet, hundreds of feet in size, emerged from the waves, holding a black millstone several feet wide in its mouth, and charged into the sky.

After soaring high, it bit the black millstone into pieces with a few crisp sounds.

Meanwhile, the lake's surface gradually calmed.

Xue Ying and the others finally broke free and flew into the air.

After steadying her breath, she ignored the huge white Pixiu and flew straight toward the jade carriage.

Stopping a few feet away, Xue Ying bowed respectfully to the middle-aged man and said:

"Junior Xue Ying greets Celestial Envoy Gongshu."

The elegant middle-aged man was none other than the Heavenly Court's Inspection Celestial Envoy, Gongshu Jiu.

"The Gongshu and Xue families have been friends for generations. Your father and I are the closest among our peers. Calling me that seems distant, doesn't it?" Gongshu Jiu said with a gentle smile.

"This junior was being too formal... Uncle Gongshu," Xue Ying said, smiling as she corrected herself.

"Earlier, I received your message asking me to visit the Northern Cold Immortal Domain. I was delayed by other matters and couldn't come sooner. I didn't expect things to be so chaotic here," Gongshu Jiu sighed softly.

"Palace Master Xiao..."

Xue Ying started to speak but stopped, glancing back at the other Immortal Palace cultivators not far behind.

"Speak freely; they won't hear," Gongshu Jiu said with a casual wave and a smile.