Night fell, and beneath thick, ink-like clouds, darkness enveloped a towering mountain that reached for the heavens.
This mountain, in folk legends, was said to be where immortals ascended to heaven in broad daylight. Because the mountain soared into the clouds, seemingly connecting heaven and earth, it was also revered as "Immortal Mountain." From afar, it looked like a slumbering primordial beast, breathing softly in the darkness.
The peak of Immortal Mountain
"Are you ready?" a voice asked from the shadows.
"Haha, of course. Can you believe it's been five hundred years in a blink of an eye? I remember the last Ascension Ceremony, Qingcheng Sword Immortal, you were there, weren't you? Haoran, you really are ageless." A playful voice chimed in.
"Cultivation knows no time," said the man called Qingcheng Sword Immortal, his voice calm.
"Stop the chit-chat, do all you Tianji Sect members talk this much?" A stern voice boomed. "The Ascension Ceremony cannot afford any mistakes. The one in the Upper Realm has concluded successfully, and they apparently received a few top-grade spirit root jade stones! We, who are responsible for the Lower Realm's ascension, cannot be slacking off."
"Are all you Pure Yang Sect members so rigid?" another voice drawled. "Let's just get this done. Less talk, everyone. My Immortal Brew is about to finish. If we delay any longer, the wine will go bad. I'm sure you wouldn't want me to be too drunk to successfully set up the formation, right?"
"It begins." A cold voice appeared, abrupt and out of place, as if coming from another world.
"Sword-Craze speaks," the playful voice teased.
"The last of the Ten Great Sects... Just because he's good with a sword," someone mumbled.
"It's almost time. Half an incense stick left," the stern voice said again.
"We shall begin the formation!"
"Heaven, Earth, Xuan, Huang, Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui... The apex of all living beings, the outstanding talents of heaven and earth, destined to return. How wondrous, beyond words... The All-Creatures Formation! Rise!"
With this low chant, an indescribable force emanated from the lofty peak of Immortal Mountain! An invisible field, like a lid, covered the entire mountain! A soul-stirring aura spread out, centered on Immortal Mountain. Countless snakes, insects, and rodents fled in fear, even the tigers and wolves fled in terror. For a moment, the peaceful night grew chaotic.
A blinding light appeared on the peak of Immortal Mountain, against the inky black sky.
Mo Yi held the reins of his Blood-Sweating Steed, with Mo Luo Xue riding behind him. They rode through the darkness, the occasional screech of a night owl their only company, other than the sound of hooves and footsteps.
"Are you alright?" Mo Yi looked up at Mo Luo Xue on the horse. The first thing she did after regaining her mobility was to summon the Blood-Sweating Steed and set off. If Mo Yi hadn't woken up in time, he would have been left behind.
Mo Luo Xue remained silent. Her mind was fully extended into the surrounding forest, observing every movement. A lesson learned the hard way; after the surprise attack last time, she had implemented ten layers of vigilance.
Seeing Mo Luo Xue ignore him, Mo Yi felt a pang of boredom. He idly looked up at the dark sky. The weather wasn't good today, no stars or moon, which made him a little glum.
Mo Luo Xue suddenly pulled on the reins, a look of seriousness crossing her face... She sensed an invisible pressure descending, not from Master Hun Yuan, not from a Grandmaster, but something... even more terrifying!
A point of light suddenly appeared in the dark sky, causing Mo Yi to start.
Suddenly! A blinding curtain of light spread across the sky from west to east! In an instant, the dark sky was as bright as day! It was as if a white silk curtain had covered the night sky! As if someone had thrown a bucket of white paint to illuminate the entire sky!
Countless brilliant beams of light rained down from the heavens, and in an instant, every detail of the primeval forest was visible, as clear as daylight!
"This..." Mo Yi was astonished, and so was Mo Luo Xue on horseback, and all the people in the primeval forest who sought immortality. They all stared dumbstruck at the sky, now as bright as day.
He turned his head to look around. All darkness had been dispelled, replaced by a gentle, non-glaring white light. Every branch of every tree was clearly visible. The nightingales of the forest were terrified, all of them shutting their beaks and hiding in the leaves.
Animals that had been asleep were even more frantic, scattering in all directions. The abnormal celestial phenomenon had disrupted their biological clocks!
Yi Kingdom, the Imperial Palace.
In the grand and opulent gilded palace hall, a man wearing an official hat bowed his head and reported to the figure on the golden dragon throne above. "Your Majesty, a strange phenomenon has occurred on the border of our kingdom, where night has become day! Countless people are panicking, and animals are fleeing the forests in droves!"
The Emperor was an ordinary old man in imperial robes, his face etched with the marks of time. He looked up toward the direction of Immortal Mountain, and a flicker of brilliance appeared in his wise, bright eyes.
"Has it begun... the Ascension Ceremony."
The Capital City, the Mo Family.
Mo Tianjiao sat at a stone table in the courtyard, looking up at the bright moon in the sky while sipping white wine. Beside him lay a pile of melon seeds and peanuts.
"Five hundred years ago... five hundred years later, I hope you are well," Mo Tianjiao sighed, gazing at the moon in the sky, his voice filled with loneliness and longing.
Deep within the primeval forest.
"It's Immortal Mountain," said a handsome young man, his face filled with shock as he looked at the celestial phenomenon in the sky.
"Yes, Little Yanzi, that's the celestial phenomenon caused by the activation of the All-Creatures Formation. The Immortal Gate has opened," a raspy voice communicated with the young man through spiritual power.
"Qi Lao, will the Immortal Path truly let me soar to the heavens?" The young man asked, staring at the sky.
"Yes, you will. With your unparalleled talent, Xiao Yan, I will one day see you standing at the peak of ten thousand immortals," the voice of the person called Qi Lao said, a hint of wistfulness in his tone.
"Yes, I will, I will," the young man clenched his fist and said. "Thirty years in the East, thirty years in the West, never underestimate a young man."
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"Is this the celestial phenomenon of the Immortal Gate opening?" Luo Hou looked at the sky, as bright as day, in awe. He felt his entire body trembling, with excitement, excitement for his future achievements.
"Haha... One day I'll have that kind of power... The Mo Family? Humph, mere ants! Even that breathtaking Mo Luo Xue, I will take her as my concubine!" Luo Hou laughed chillingly. At his feet lay a lifeless body, its eyes wide open in death. It was a Blood Tempering martial artist who had tried to ambush Luo Hou but had failed and been killed. He hadn't expected his target to be so young and already at the Blood Tempering realm!
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Deep in the primeval forest, an unassuming young man looked up at the sky, filled with white light. He smiled, a happy smile.
"Whoever cast that spell must taste delicious! If I eat him, I should be able to soar to the heavens."
In the white light, the young man's teeth gleamed menacingly. In his hand was a dried, dehydrated corpse. The corpse's eyes stared fixedly, its withered face contorted in a grotesque grimace, as if it had been seized by terror before its death.
Mo Yi looked up at the sky, a fire burning in his eyes. Yes! Yes! This is what he wants, this power to steal the heavens! One day he will hold the heavens in his hand, make all things bow before him!
His laughter echoed in the air, filled with joy. And laughing with him was the icily beautiful Mo Luo Xue, a similar fire of anticipation and battle spirit burning in her beautiful eyes.
This night, no one would sleep.