Xianye

Chapter 521 Flowing Sand Mountain

Above the clouds is a vast blue sky, and a sun, seemingly real and tangible, hangs high in the center, as if it were close at hand, within reach on the wind, yet also seemingly forever out of reach.

Below the clouds stretched a thousand-mile-long river, its white waters churning and its blue waves surging, its current swift and powerful.

There were no fish, shrimp, or monsters on the river, making it appear quite desolate.

It wasn't until they arrived at this remote and uninhabited place, and Sima Xiu fled three hundred miles away in one breath, that he relaxed his vigilance slightly.

Sima Xiu still felt lingering fear and confusion when she recalled the moment she locked eyes with Chen Heng.

She was born into the Sima clan of the Twelve Generations, and later became a disciple of the Divine Guardian. She paved her way through mountains and rivers to finally achieve her current status.

With Sima Xiu's supernatural abilities, she could be considered first-rate among the contemporary immortals; otherwise, she would have had difficulty defeating the group of Golden Core immortals from the Divine Imperial Sect and entering this corner of the Imperial State Map.

However, few people in the world know that Sima Xiu is not only proficient in all the methods of the Divine Control Sect, but she has also learned the "Hidden Eight Transformations of Clear Scenery Technique" of the Tangting Sima Clan, which has not been mastered by anyone for many years.

What are the Eight Transformations of Hidden Retreat?

The first is to conceal one's form and hide one's shadow; the second is to ride the void and fly through the sky; the third is to hide and soar into the heavens; the fourth is to emerge from existence and enter into non-existence; the fifth is to fly in all directions; the sixth is to dissolve one's form and escape; the seventh is to return to the morning and turn to the mysterious; the eighth is to hide one's scenery and dance in the heavens.

This superior technique of concealing one's form and hiding one's appearance was meticulously created by the former Heavenly Venerable Xie Gongzai.

The Sima family of Tangting only obtained the first six transformations, while the remaining "Returning to the Morning and Turning to the Mysterious" and "Hidden Scenery and Dancing in the Sky" were obtained by the Xiao family of Hongguang.

As for the complete version, it is only preserved in the library of the Xie family of Changyou.

It is said that if one learns all eight transformations, not only will it be difficult for others to see the true form of the practitioner, but the practitioner will also receive a layer of divine protection and be blessed with good fortune!
Sima Xiu knew that among the Dan Yuan present, Wei Lingjiang had learned the "Scattered Scenery and Concealed Form Technique" created by the Tribulation Immortal Ancestor.

This is also a type of concealment technique, and like her "Eight Transformations of Hidden Realm: Clear Scenery Technique", it ranks first in the "Hidden Realm" section of the Earthly Palace Golden Chapter!

However, in Sima Xiu's opinion, when it comes to concealing one's form, Wei Lingjiang is still a step behind him.

Although the "Scattering Scenery and Converging Form Technique" is incredibly profound, it was created by the Old Ancestor Jiexian in his early years, before the Daoist Kongkong had fully attained enlightenment, to guide the Daoist Kongkong in creating the "Great Formless Constant Fusion True Qi".

It can be said that unless one takes the "Great Formless Constant Fusion True Qi" as the foundation of cultivation, even if one has the Dispersing Scenery and Concealing Form Technique, its effectiveness will be greatly reduced.

Wei Lingjiang's foundation is "Purple Pure True Qi", which obviously has nothing to do with "Great Formless Constant Harmony True Qi".

In this way, Sima Xiu's claim that he was the most skilled at concealing his identity was not entirely unfounded.

However, Chen Heng only needed a glance to see through Sima Xiu's whereabouts, which truly surprised and puzzled Sima Xiu, who is still somewhat emotionally turbulent.

“I have clearly mastered the ‘Concealing Form and Hiding Shadow’ and ‘Riding the Void’ techniques of the ‘Eight Transformations of Concealed Realm’. Even when casting spells, I can completely conceal my aura. Chen Heng…”

A thoughtful look flashed in Sima Xiu's bright eyes:

"Could this person's supreme supernatural power be the 'Pure Eye' from the Twenty-Five Orthodox Laws of the Jade Emperor, which allows him to perceive the strength and weakness of the six lines and the circulation of yin and yang, thus revealing my presence?"

The true powerhouses at this Dan Yuan Conference are mostly those who have mastered supreme divine abilities or have acquired sword skills.

For example, Xuan Yin mastered Hu Zhao's "Clearing the Impure Realm," and Xie Tan cultivated Chi Ming's "Great Possession of Fire and Heaven."

Sima Xiu herself even entered the "Summoning and Controlling of Ten Thousand Gods Seal," a renowned technique of the Divine Imperial Sect that was almost considered the sect's sacred law!
However, regarding Chen Heng...

Thinking of this, Sima Xiu also felt a bit of a headache.

After Chen Heng achieved the first grade of the Golden Core, he went to travel to the outside world. When he returned to Xiaoming Great Swamp, he had already reached the third level of the Golden Core and the inner realm was perfected.

Although his battle achievements were reported from beyond the universe, such as fighting Cui Ju and Lu Shen, people could glean some clues from them.

But hearsay is never as good as seeing it with your own eyes.

As for which of Yu Chen's supreme divine powers Chen Heng had cultivated, not only was Sima Xiu puzzled, but many Dan Yuan True Persons present were also at a loss.

"Just now, Xuan Yin even used the 'Clear the Realm of Turbidity' technique, but Chen Heng seized the opportunity and dodged it in time."

Even though this person hasn't mastered the supreme divine powers, his combat skills are still not to be underestimated..."

Sima Xiu sighed softly to herself.

At this moment, she stopped thinking and, after a moment's thought, lightly flicked her sleeve. A hundred-foot-long dragon that had been holding its breath at the bottom of the river was suddenly grabbed by an invisible force, abruptly breaking through the river water and involuntarily flying into the sky.

"Roar!"

The dragon struggled fiercely, but could not break free completely. Its fear only fueled its ferocity, causing it to indent its belly and spew out poisonous flames from its mouth!

In an instant, a ghastly green flame swept over, roaring and crackling, mixed with a foul, fishy stench that was hard to describe.

Just a whiff is enough to make one feel dizzy and have a headache.

This poisonous flame is a unique divine power that the dragon in front of us has forged by consuming flesh and blood and cultivating souls for many years, combining the accumulated poison with its own dragon fire.

Although no living people reside in this corner of the Imperial Altar Map, there are always plenty of wild monsters and spirits within it, almost to the point of being rampant.

The fact that the dragon has survived to this day and can dominate this section of the river freely indicates that it is quite powerful.

Unexpectedly, Sima Xiu remained calm in the face of such an attack, and did not make any hand gestures to dodge.

Only when the poisonous flames penetrated ten feet in front of her did she casually toss out a smooth, white pearl surrounded by a swirling crimson glow.

Before the dragon's astonished gaze, the moment the poisonous flame touched the pearl, it seemed to have encountered some kind of natural enemy, and quickly rolled back. No matter how hard the dragon tried to regain its senses, it was useless.

In the blink of an eye, the poisonous flames surged back onto the dragon, burning it until it howled in agony, its flesh charred black, and even its thick scales could not stop the flames.

In desperation, the dragon even broke through the cloud barrier, breaking free from Sima Xiu's confinement technique.

But before they had gone ten miles, petals of pure white flowers began to fall from the sky, as if a goddess were carrying a basket and pouring them all down to the clouds.

The dragon knew something was amiss, but the moment the petals appeared, they covered several miles, making it difficult for him to escape in a short time. Moreover, he didn't know what kind of supernatural power these petals possessed, as they were even harder than black iron.

When it swung its claws, although it shattered a few pieces, a metallic clang was heard, which secretly startled him.

In the blink of an eye, countless petals flickered and shimmered in the distance, eventually coalescing into an enormous crystal sphere that trapped the dragon right in the center.

"These fireworks are quite ingenious. If I hadn't won this fire-repelling pearl from Sima Wenjun, I would have needed to put in some effort to subdue this dragon."

Sima Xiu raised a finger and put away the fire-repelling pearl she had released earlier, smiling slightly.

She paid little attention to the violent noises coming from the distant crystal sphere, but instead stroked the fire-repelling pearl with her jade fingers, lost in thought.

About half an hour later, the crystal ball suddenly collapsed, and the endless petals turned into wisps of green smoke, which were scattered by the wind.

What followed was that the hundred-foot-long dragon leaped up and respectfully came to Sima Xiu's side, its head bowed, its submission evident, and all traces of its previous ferocity were gone.

"Your Majesty."

"The dragon said in a low voice."

“My Bifang is already equivalent to a primordial spirit, and under the constraints of the Grand Assembly’s regulations, it cannot enter this corner of the Imperial Altar Map. For the next few months, I will use you as a substitute.”

Sima Xiu glanced at the dragon and said.

"How dare you disobey your orders!"

The dragon, whose mind had been tempered, was overjoyed upon hearing this, as if it had heard some incredible good news. It quickly moved closer and nodded repeatedly.

Once Sima Xiu was on the back of the dragon, at her command, the dragon flicked its tail and disappeared into the depths of the heavens. Judging from its direction, it was clearly going to go straight up the river, avoid Chen Heng, and take another path to the direction of the Flowing Sand Mountain indicated on the small jade tablet.

Sima Xiu knew that the reason Chen Heng had run into Xuan Yin earlier was not by chance, but because both of them wanted to go to Liusha Mountain.

Before the appearance of the Fire Bell Bronze Fish, Sima Xiu did not actually want to confront Chen Heng alone, which is why she fled three hundred miles away in a fit of anger.

However, things are different once you go to Liusha Mountain...

It should be noted that although the small jade tablet specifically pointed out several places of natural wonder like the Flowing Sand Mountain, the number was not large. Even if the Flowing Sand Mountain is included, there are only four such places.

After eliminating Xuan Yin, who was already eliminated, there should still be a total of forty-one Dan Yuan True Persons left in the arena.

Whether it's to compete for destiny or to seize the opportunity to fight each other.

At Liusha Mountain, it must be a place where many heroes gather, not a place where only one or two people are fighting!
With such a large number of people, there are many more things that can be done.

Who knows what that time was like...

Thinking of this, a cold glint flashed in Sima Xiu's eyes as she sat atop the dragon's back.

She repeated Chen Heng's name in her heart several times, but in the end she just lowered her eyes and didn't say a word.

Half a day later, we arrived at a place with towering rocks and gushing waterfalls.

Sima Xiu suddenly sensed something amiss and subconsciously activated the "Eight Transformations of Concealment".

Knowing that they were not far from the Flowing Sand Mountain, and to avoid attracting attention, she thought for a moment and put the dragon beneath her into a beast-taming circle before continuing to fly forward.

Sure enough, not long after they started walking, Sima Xiu saw faint sword light soaring into the sky and black water crisscrossing. The two collided and surged against each other, like a tsunami and a mountain collapse, shattering the nearby boulders and easily turning them into dust!
“Shen Xingcui, Yuan Fayan…”

After casting a circular light through hand seals, Sima Xiu was able to discern the identities of the two combatants.

Instead of launching an attack, she retreated several miles with great interest to observe the situation.

Before long, as the loud clamor gradually subsided, the surging spiritual tide in the sky also subsided.

Two beams of light leaped out from within, instantly revealing the figures of Shen Xingcui and Yuan Fayan.

"Old Yuan, your One Yuan Heavy Water didn't break my sword escape just now. As agreed beforehand, I won, so you have to come with me to Liusha Mountain!"

At this moment, Shen Xingchun was clearly in a good mood. He spread his hands and chuckled.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Fayan's temple throbbed slightly, and he sighed helplessly.

“How vast is this corner of the Imperial Map of the State? How come I have run into you in less than three days? Also, this is not because you won. I have not yet used the true method of the Arctic Garden. You have only won this round.”

At this point, Yuan Fayan also frowned:

"Speaking of which, what exactly are you going to Liusha Mountain for?"

"Naturally, it's for testing my sword!"

Shen Xingcui smiled and said, "The small jade tablet marks four places of creation. Flowing Sand Mountain is the closest to me. The ten Fire Bell Copper Fish on the left and right have not yet been taken away for refining. This Transformation Mist cannot be dissipated for the time being."

Instead of wandering around like a headless fly looking for someone to test my sword against, I'd rather go straight to the Flowing Sand Mountain. I think that place can also give me a good fight!

"So you dragged me along to avoid being ganged up on?"

Yuan Fayan understood at this moment and shook his head slightly:
"In my opinion, Liusha Mountain is probably not a good place. It might attract some powerful figures, and if they do show up, there will inevitably be a fierce battle!"

Shen Xingcui didn't take it to heart:

"A bloodbath? Isn't that what I came to the Dan Yuan Conference for?"

"You've really let go of that."

Yuan Fayan pondered for a moment:

"For the sake of our past friendship, I can go to Liusha Mountain with you, but let me make this clear beforehand: if too many people attack you, I will not risk my life to protect you."

Although securing a top-ten spot at this Dan Yuan Conference will be no easy feat, I still wish to give it a try.

Seeing that Yuan Fayan was willing to give him face, Shen Xingcui had no objection and nodded in agreement.

However, as he left, Shen Xingcui seemed to sense something was amiss.

He glanced around, but couldn't see much difference. He shook his head and flew into the air on his sword.

In less than a day, Shen Xingcui and Yuan Fayan arrived at the Liusha Mountain.

After the two parted the clouds and saw the scene before them, they suddenly looked at each other in surprise.

"This is?"

Shen Xingcui held his sword in his hand, his eyes suddenly sharpening.

……

……

The yellow sand stretches endlessly, making it difficult to distinguish between north and south.

At the edge of the field of vision, there was only a towering mountain, its entire body a muddy yellow, devoid of any birds, beasts, or plants, rising abruptly into the clouds.

Shen Xingcui looked closely and saw that there were five sand streams swirling and dancing around the mountain, overlapping each other and stirring up howling winds. They looked like five yellow dragons twisting and turning, breathing in clouds and rain, and exhaling clear sunlight. It was a magnificent and majestic sight. This is the origin of the name "Liusha Mountain" (Flowing Sand Mountain).

At this moment, the area around the quicksand cloud was not deserted.

Demonic clouds hung in the sky from all sides, golden leaves intertwined—

The various colors of the Dharma light swayed and fluttered, sparkling and dazzling, like stars illuminating the sky, truly magnificent beyond words!

At a glance, it was remarkable that there were six True Immortals of the Dan Yuan realm gathered here!

Strangely, whether they were Xuanmen True Persons or Demon Sect practitioners, they all stood in the clouds at this moment, making little movement.

They all looked at the quicksand mountain, their faces showing a hint of solemnity.

Just as Shen Xingcui was about to ask, he suddenly heard a series of loud sounds that pierced his eardrums, like a god striking a bell, one after another!

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw that a huge hole had suddenly collapsed in the sky, forming a massive vortex.

A five-colored hand slowly emerged from it, like a divine pestle, sweeping down and easily parting away the immeasurable clouds and yellow sand.

The pressure was immense, unparalleled, causing the entire quicksand mountain to tremble and the rocks to crack!
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the large hand slowly grasped the top layer of sand, and then snapped it shut as if breaking off a dry branch!

In the blink of an eye, it crushed the ring-shaped sand flow into dust!
Another loud bang, and one of the five sand streams was destroyed in the blink of an eye.

The yellow sand on the ground involuntarily rose into the air, turning the world into a murky yellow, with dust and smoke blinding the eyes and a thunderous roar!
"Chen Heng!"

Looking at the young man standing with his hands behind his back in the depths of the clouds, who had retracted his five-colored hand, Yuan Fayan's pupils constricted, as if facing a formidable enemy.

(End of this chapter)