Everyone left Heng Mountain and flew together to Ei.
Ei Mountain was currently in a state of seclusion, its main entrance sealed completely. Only when people like Qi Shuming fully perfected their cultivation with Immortal Law and withstood the completion of their formidable tribulations, could it be opened.
On the rare occasions of entry or exit, all would use the Feilei Cave at the back of the mountain.
The Feilei Cave was originally the residence of Bearded Immortal Li Yuanhua. After the establishnt of Ei, the terrain was reforged, and the heart of the mountain was hollowed out to construct the Taiyuan Five Mansions. The Feilei Cave also underwent changes to its internal connections, becoming a backdoor that linked to the outside world.
Normally, this place was also closed. Clouds and fog locked the outer mountains, and the interior rocks were harder than refined steel, making it impossible to open by knocking.
However, the hosts had foretold the arrival of guests who could not be refused today. They waited inside the cave in advance, and as everyone approached the mountain and landed, they hadn’t yet called when the sealing fog spontaneously dispersed. On each side, there were waterfalls and streams that produced a very delicious kind of fish swimming against the current. Originally, the waterfalls mingled, but now they separated to the sides.
When the cave door opened, Lady Miao Yi Xun Lanyin, Master Can Xia, Bearded Immortal Li Yuanhua, and Zhuge Jingwo, along with seven or eight male and female disciples, greeted them with smiling faces. They welcod Xiao Shijiu i and Xiong Man first due to closeness, followed by Luo Ziyuan, and lastly, True Master Yue Yun of the Jade Cave, all very enthusiastically invited inside.
Since they entered through the rear mountain, the Feilei Cave beca the hall for hosting guests. However, Lady Miao Yi didn’t stop there and instead led them through the Feilei Secret Path into the core area of the Taiyuan Immortal Mansion.
Within the Feilei Secret Path there was a part of the Liangyi Dust Formation, an array with just one gate that was hidden and not activated, revealing nothing. But Shi Feiyang still felt the might of the array.
Indeed powerful! Shi Feiyang followed behind, carefully sensing the energy of the Immortal Array hidden in the void. He vaguely sensed the presence of the array gate but refrained from using his Divine Sense to inspect closely; otherwise, it would be easy to trigger the array. This Immortal Array was infinitely profound, not requiring physical touch to activate, just a single thought could trigger it.
After walking the entire Feilei Secret Path, they entered the Taiyuan Immortal Mansion.
The so-called Taiyuan Five Mansions were five large complexes, the most famous being the Left Yuan Thirteen Limits, Right Yuan Fire House, and Small Human Heaven. All concealed Prohibition Formations that were mysteriously enchanting.
Ei Sect disciples would cultivate in the mountains, and if they felt their heart and Dao power were sufficient, they could pass through these two places to go down the mountain, gather outer skills, and garner experience. Otherwise, they weren’t permitted to leave and risk bringing disgrace to the sect. However, since Ei was now secluded, these two places served only as trial grounds for the disciples, and even if they passed, they couldn’t leave.
The guests were invited into a spacious chamber in the Central Yuan Immortal Mansion to be hosted, with Lady Miao Yi and Master Can Xia personally accompanying. Soon enough, Bai Guyi also arrived, ordering his disciples to serve Immortal Fruits and Immortal Tea to the guests.
Lady Miao Yi, Master Can Xia, Li Yuanhua, and Bai Guyi—four hosts, sat at a table with Luo Ziyuan, Xiong Man, Xiao Shijiu i, and Shi Feiyang—four guests.
Lady Miao Yi’s daughter Qi Lingyun and Master Xuan Zhen’s disciple Zhuge Jingwo, accompanied by a few junior brothers and sisters, sat with Lin Su’e, Yue Wen, and several of Luo Ziyuan’s disciples.
First, everyone casually chatted to ease the atmosphere.
Xiao Shijiu i wasn’t really there to bla and hold accountable; she just wanted to seek so explanations for her disciple. After all, Lin Su’e was targeted because she had helped Zhuge Jingwo in the past, and now that she had faced retribution, the Ei Sect could not completely turn a blind eye or ignore the matter altogether.
So words were not easily spoken by the main house of the Ei Sect, so Bai Guyi smoothed things over, "Xiao Dao friend, Xun Dao friend was aware of this matter too. However, it was foreseen that Xiao Dao friend would have a noble person’s assistance, and there would be no danger despite the shock of this tribulation. Ei Sect is currently in a special period, hence no assistance was sent. It was also predicted that today you would visit, so we specifically arranged a banquet in advance to entertain everyone..."
Xun Lanyin thanked Xiao Shijiu i and Lin Su’e gravely, and Zhuge Jingwo, along with Ziling, once again bowed and toasted in gratitude.
She expressed that the Ei Sect had indeed predicted that Xiao Shijiu i and her disciples would not face real danger, or else, even at the risk of the Ei Sect’s downfall, they would have surely co to the rescue.
This served as an explanation for not providing rescue.
Next was compensation. Xun Lanyin had Ziling bring out a Jade Box, "Inside this box is a Magical Treasure left by our previous master, Master Changi, recently retrieved from the Spiritual Jade Peak, with quite wonderful uses. It’s given to your esteed disciple to express our thanks."
As for the long-term concerns for the future, the Ei Sect also offered solutions:
Firstly, regarding the Wutai Sect, the Ei Sect had already sent a go-between to Wutai Mountain to inform the Wutai Sect. The two factions had a swordfighting agreent set for fifty years later. It was not appropriate to start a large conflict before then. The matter involving Xiao Shijiu i and her disciples would be considered the Ei Sect’s responsibility and addressed at that ti, so they should refrain from retaliating against Xiao Shijiu i for now.
Secondly, regarding Divine Cal Yi Xiu, the Ei Sect had also sent Lady Yang from Xuan Turtle Island in the South Sea to Min Mountain’s White Rhinoceros Pond to seek reconciliation with Han Fairy.
Old Mother Yang and Han Fairy were old friends, and now that Han Fairy had made peace with Yi Xiu, she could speak on his behalf.
Yi Xiu had already given his response, stating that he disdained to interfere in this matter. The reason he had saved Situ Ping from afar in the first place was rely because he couldn’t bear the sight of Ei Sect’s hypocrisy. He wouldn’t personally act against Xiao Nineteen or Ei Sect, but as for what his disciple Situ Ping chose to do, he wouldn’t interfere. However, if anyone dared to bully his disciple, that he wouldn’t allow.
The Yi Family had deep connections with Ei Sect. Yi Zhou’s eldest daughter Yi Jing had already joined Ei Sect. After the last opening of the mansion, Yi Zhou’s two grandsons Yi Ding and Yi Zhen also joined Ei Sect. Not long ago, Old Mother Yang had taken them to White Rhinoceros Pond to mingle and make acquaintances with Situ Ping.
Now that Situ Ping had beco a disciple of Yi Xiu, it was unlikely he would join Ei Sect; he also had no desire to marry Ziling. Therefore, Ei Sect prepared a different kind of thank-you gift for him: a three-thousand-year-old Golden Core from Lady Bao Xiang, which was given to Situ Ping to express gratitude for his help in aiding Lady Bao Xiang through her Heavenly Tribulation.
As for Xiao Nineteen and her disciples, if they wished, they could cultivate within Ei Mountain for ten or even a hundred years, a decade or a millennium, not worrying about the length of ti: "Relying on the Liangyi Dust Formation left by our forr master, as long as we seal the Mountain Gate and cut off the outside world, we can sever earthly ties and avoid many natural disasters and human tribulations."
Everyone accepted her arrangents as encompassing all concerns; the slight dissatisfaction they had brought along dissipated, and even Xiong Man felt it was appropriate.
With the core issue resolved, there was little else to say, and the atmosphere beca harmonious; they ate, chatted, joked, and laughed. Far from any displeasures, their affection for each other actually grew stronger.
After the al, since Xiong Man was a true guest visiting for the first ti, Luo Ziyuan and Xiao Nineteen accompanied her on a tour around the area.
Strictly speaking, Xiong Man was also an enemy of Ei Sect, being a disciple of Shi Feiyang, whose relationship with Ei Sect was not much better than that of Wutai Sect. Several elders of Ei Sect had also died at the hands of him and his disciples.
However, Xiong Man was brought over by Luo Ziyuan and Xiao Nineteen, who had been good friends with Ei Sect since Master Changi’s ti and had also attended the opening of the mansion, making them half-guests in a sense.
Ei Sect wasn’t afraid of being observed. With the Liangyi Dust Formation in place, even if the other party touched every brick and morized the cracks on each one, it would still be to no avail.
The Taiyuan Five Mansions occupied a vast area, virtually hollowing out the entire belly of Ei Mountain. Just one small Human Heaven within occupied dozens of acres, with terrains crisscrossing in all directions, folding up and down like a miniature Hundred-Thousand Mountains. With its own universe within, once inside, it was hard to distinguish reality from illusion, and one could easily beco ensnared.
Everywhere else presented a view in each step, so serene, so beautiful, truly befitting an Immortal Cave Heaven.
Xiong Man visited places like the thirteen limits and Fire House but didn’t enter—these were designed for Ei Sect disciples, and as a senior, it would be aningless for her to pass through. Any misstep would be embarrassing. Accompanied by Luo Ziyuan and Xiao Nineteen, she instead wandered to other scenic spots.
On the other hand, Lady Miao Yi was speaking to Shi Feiyang about his and Yue Wen’s matters, with Bai Guyi also present.
Yue Yun had also visited when Ei Sect was founded, and by that ti, Yue Wen had almost certainly decided to join Ei Sect; indeed, he was one of the four great disciples of Ei Sect alongside Zhuge Jingwo.
This event was essentially settled, but a series of changes had occurred afterward, and as Ei Sect closed their gates, Yue Wen still returned to cultivate alone at Zhu Lian Cave in Heng Mountain.
This ti, when Shi Feiyang brought Yue Wen over, he actively discussed with Xun Lanyin: "It’s not safe for Wen’er to cultivate alone outside. I foresee that he has a tribulation in his future. It would be better to officially take him as a disciple and let him join Ei Sect. From now on, he can cultivate here and directly seek guidance from the elders."
This was expectantly the course of events. Xun Lanyin promised, and so Yue Wen began his cultivation within Ei Mountain, just like a disciple of Ei Sect. It was agreed that he would formally beco a disciple after Qi Shuming ca out of seclusion.
Currently, Qi Shuming along with Master Xuanzhen and others were still in closed-door cultivation, contemplating and refining the Emperor Mansion’s Celestial Writ and the Spiritual Jade Peak and its Magical Treasures. Years would pass before they erged...
Shi Feiyang had tid his visit precisely for this critical mont.
Of all the things Ei Sect possessed that made Shi Feiyang wary, aside from the Liangyi Dust Formation, what concerned him were the Spiritual Jade Peak and the treasures left behind by Master Changi.
The Spiritual Jade Peak itself was an incredibly powerful Heavenly Treasure, and the Liangyi Dust Formation was derived from it; its true capabilities remained a mystery.
Master Changi had collected treasures for a thousand years, all of which were hidden in Spiritual Jade Peak before his Ascension. The Emperor Mansion’s Celestial Writ was taken from there. During the mansion’s opening, many treasures flew out and were distributed to the disciples, but likely more remained.
Shi Feiyang rembered that the Palace Master of Stone God Palace had once given Master Changi a precious Jade Lotus, a top-tier artifact adept at subduing various demons, which was also within Spiritual Jade Peak.
His laborious effort to infiltrate Ei this ti not only aid to lure out Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor through Ei Sect but also to find an opportunity to witness the genuine Liangyi Dust Formation and explore the secrets of Spiritual Jade Peak.
After settling Yue Wen’s status, it was now his turn.
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