Star Martial Soaring Cloud

nobody.

There was no aura, no trace of array fluctuations, and not even a single bird wanted to linger on the mountaintop.

Wang Xiao swaggered around the mountaintop again and again, neither concealing his figure nor restraining his energy, but rather displaying a deliberate arrogance.

If Tetsuya Hatoda or Kenjiro Koyama were hiding in some corner of this snow mountain, it would be impossible for them not to notice his presence.

But still, nothing was gained.

When he returned to the foot of the mountain and told Su Qinhe and Yan Zixi the results, both of them looked incredulous.

"They entered the Central Region so many days earlier than us, how come they haven't arrived yet?" Yan Zixi frowned slightly. "Could it be that they are still preparing something, which is why they haven't come yet?"

"Could they be hiding in the snow-capped mountains?" Su Qinhe asked softly, pointing to the thick ice and snow layer on the mountaintop, which was several meters thick. "The snow on the mountaintop has been accumulating for countless years, so thick that even divine sense cannot penetrate it. If they dug a hole and hid inside, we would have no way of noticing them."

"That's troublesome." Wang Xiao shrugged helplessly and laughed. "If they're really hiding deep in the snow, we won't be able to find them unless we turn the whole mountain upside down."

"But there's no need to worry," Su Qinhe comforted softly. "The preparations before Jun Guo's resurrection will definitely not be without fluctuations. Whether it's activating the formation, gathering vital energy, or sacrificing bloodlines, each of these will generate tremendous energy fluctuations. No matter how well they hide, they can't hide these movements."

"So," Yan Zixi said, arms crossed, "the only thing we can do now is wait?"

"We can continue the search," Su Qinhe added, "but with just the three of us, it would probably take quite a while to thoroughly search this mountain."

Wang Xiao looked up at the cloud-shrouded mountaintop, then gazed at the distant horizon.

"What's the situation with Xiao He and the others?" he asked.

"Everything went smoothly," Su Qinhe replied softly, taking out a communication jade slip from her sleeve. "They only encountered a few strange beasts on the way, which they have all successfully avoided. Judging by their pace, they should arrive before noon tomorrow."

Wang Xiao nodded, feeling a slight sense of relief.

"Let's prepare a campsite first." He looked around and chose a sheltered ravine. "It'll give them a place to stay when they arrive."

The three immediately got to work, felling several sturdy ancient trees and quickly building a simple wooden hut.

Yan Zixi activated her fire-based magical power to dry the damp soil around the wooden house; Su Qinhe, on the other hand, activated her wood-based magical power to cause vines to grow and entwine around the wooden house, filling all the gaps tightly and making it airtight.

The campsite wasn't large, but it was big enough to accommodate a dozen or so people.

A simple pergola was built outside the wooden house, with a few flat stones placed underneath to serve as tables and chairs.

The next day, as noon approached, Wang Xiao was resting with his eyes closed when he suddenly opened them wide.

His divine sense detected several familiar auras approaching the camp.

"Here I am." He slowly stood up.

In the distance, a group of people appeared at the foot of the mountain.

Leading the way was Xiao He, dressed in a black and white scholar's robe, with the Haoqi Sword hanging at his waist, his steps steady.

Behind him was Ling Cheng, who was bickering with Li Yu and Zhang Lian as they walked.

"Senior brother, slow down! Our legs aren't as long as yours!" Li Yu shouted breathlessly.

"Exactly! What's the use of you walking fast by yourself? You'll still have to wait for us when you get there, won't you?" Zhang Lian chimed in.

"You two, I always tell you to train more, but you never listen! Now you know your legs are short?" Ling Cheng didn't even turn his head, but his words were merciless.

Yuan Kong walked in the middle of the group, with Zhao Shuheng following closely behind. His complexion was much better than before, and his eyes had become clear and bright.

Yun Qingyao walked at the back of the group, a ribbon wrapped around her arm swaying lightly; in front of her was Lin Yueyao, an old cloth bag tied around her waist, her long hair slightly disheveled by the mountain wind.

Lin Yueyao's gaze swept over everyone in front of her and immediately spotted Su Qinhe.

She immediately started running.

"Sister Su!"

Lin Yueyao practically lunged forward, burying her face in Su Qinhe's arms and tightly hugging her waist.

"I miss you so much……"

Su Qinhe stretched out her arms and gently embraced her, a slight smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with tenderness: "Sister Yueyao, I missed you too."

The two hugged for a long time, so long that Yan Zixi, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but cough lightly.

"Hey, hey, what about me?" Yan Zixi put her hands on her hips, feigning displeasure. "Sister Yueyao, are you only recognizing Sister Qinhe and not me as your older sister?"

Lin Yueyao lifted her head from Su Qinhe's embrace and reached out to take Yan Zixi's hand: "Sister Yan, I missed you too."

"That's more like it." Yan Zixi pinched her cheek, her tone full of doting affection.

The three stood together, one in white, one in scarlet, and one in plain white, like three distinct flowers quietly blooming in the mountain sunlight.

Wang Xiao stood under the shade of the canopy, watching this scene, and thought it was beautiful.

"When did they become so close?" he wondered to himself, just as Lin Yueyao's gaze swept over and landed on him.

"Brother Lu Yang." Her voice was soft and indifferent. After speaking, she looked away and continued to exchange pleasantries with Su Qinhe.

Wang Xiao opened her mouth, but the words "long time no see" stuck in her throat and she ultimately couldn't say them.

He was slightly taken aback, feeling that something about Lin Yueyao seemed different.

Ling Cheng walked over, slapped Wang Xiao on the shoulder, and said in a low voice with a mischievous grin, "What's wrong? Is she ignoring you?"

Wang Xiao glared at him: "Get lost."

"Tsk tsk tsk," Ling Cheng shook his head, a knowing look on his face, "A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. Brother, you still have a lot to learn."

Wang Xiao ignored him and turned to walk towards Xiao He.

"Was the journey smooth?" he asked.

Xiao He nodded: "Aside from a few foolish beasts, there's nothing much to worry about. Oh, by the way, let me introduce a new friend to everyone!"

He stepped aside to make room for someone else, who was standing there.

The man was dressed in a dark gray robe, with a thin face, deep-set features, and an air of gloom that lingered between his brows and eyes.

He walked so lightly that you could hardly hear a sound, as if he were floating on the ground.

Even more strangely, his aura was completely concealed. Although he was standing right in front of Wang Xiao, he almost missed him several times when Wang Xiao scanned him with his divine sense.

"Yan Yi Palace, Night Without Trace," Xiao He slowly introduced.

Wang Xiao's heart stirred slightly. He had heard of this name before. He was one of the twelve strongest people on the Demon Island. He was elusive, had a solitary personality, and was most skilled in assassination.

Since arriving on the island, this person has been elusive, and it was unexpected that he would appear here.

"Brother Ye," Wang Xiao said, clasping his hands in greeting.

Ye Wuhen nodded slightly without saying anything.

His gaze swept over Wang Xiao, over the camp, and finally settled on the distant Central Mountain Range, where it lingered for a long time.

"According to him," Xiao He walked to Wang Xiao's side and lowered his voice, "the Northern Plains Alliance is now down to just him. Lin Shisan... didn't go back."

Wang Xiao's brows furrowed slightly, but quickly relaxed again.

"Let's rest first." Wang Xiao pulled himself out of his thoughts and gestured for everyone to sit down. "We can talk about anything after we've rested."

The group sat around the shaded area, and Li Yu and Zhang Lian immediately collapsed to the ground, complaining, "We're so tired, so tired!"

Ling Cheng kicked them up one by one, cursing and saying, "Disgraceful!"

Ye Wuhen did not sit down. Instead, he walked straight to the edge of the camp, leaned against a boulder, crossed his arms, and slowly closed his eyes.

If Wang Xiao hadn't been able to sense his presence, he would have almost thought he was asleep.

This person is like a silent, invisible shadow.

After resting, everyone sat together to exchange information.

Wang Xiao briefly recounted their encounter in the ancient city, the strange phenomenon of the ghostly soldiers passing through, the appearance of the heroic spirits of their ancestors, and their search in the Central Mountain Range.

The crowd remained silent for a long time, especially the women, whose eyes were slightly red.

"Every inch of the land of Kyushu is soaked in blood." Yuan Kong murmured a Buddhist chant, his voice filled with sorrow.

Ling Cheng, unusually, didn't have a joking expression. He simply patted Wang Xiao on the shoulder and said nothing.

"That's the current situation," Wang Xiao steered the conversation back on track. "We've been searching the Central Mountain Range for a whole day, but haven't found any trace of anyone. Tetsuya Hatoda and Kenjiro Koyama are most likely hiding deep in the snow, or in some secret cave that we haven't found yet."

"So we can only wait and wait?" Ling Cheng asked.

"At present, this is indeed the only option," Su Qinhe continued, "but the current situation is in our favor. With Brother Wuhen joining us, we now have eight Dragon Gate Divine Realm experts, while the other side has at most five—two from Fusang, two from Tianyi Sect, plus that shadowy figure who only showed up once. Although Xiaoshan Jianyang is at the Dragon Gate Transformation Realm, we have an absolute advantage in numbers, and besides, we are guarding a strategic location. They are the ones who should be worried."

"The Dragon Gate Transformation Realm..." Ling Cheng rubbed his chin. "Isn't the most terrifying thing its spiritual attacks?"

"That's right," Yuan Kong explained, "The spiritual attacks of the Dragon Gate Transformation Realm can take form and directly impact our sea of ​​consciousness. At best, they cause dizziness, loss of focus, and temporary inability to move; at worst, they cause the sea of ​​consciousness to tremble and the soul to be damaged. In the most serious cases, the sea of ​​consciousness is shattered and the soul is destroyed. What's even more troublesome is that spiritual attacks have no fluctuation of vital energy, so our physical senses and vital energy detection are almost unable to detect them. Often, before the physical body even engages, the sea of ​​consciousness has already been severely damaged. This is an invisible battle that takes place within the sea of ​​consciousness."

Buddhism has never emphasized offensive supernatural powers, but rather the way of defense.

The Buddhist golden body technique is known as the "world's number one defensive technique." In addition to its powerful physical body, Buddhism also has a profound understanding of spiritual consciousness.

"Therefore, we must be extra careful when fighting him," Xiao He added. "At that time, there may be situations where we cannot control our own supernatural powers, and we may even... mistakenly attack our own companions."

The expressions on everyone's faces became more serious.

"But a mental attack isn't something that can be accomplished overnight," Ling Cheng analyzed thoughtfully. "It takes time from the start of the attack to the complete destruction of his sea of ​​consciousness. As long as someone continues to put pressure on him, he will have to focus on defense. So, if the four of them work together to deal with him and are careful, their chances of winning should not be low."

He paused, then patted his chest: "Count me in when we're dealing with him."

"Count me in," Yuan Kong and Xiao He's voices rang out simultaneously.

"Me!" Everyone was shocked, not expecting the voice to come from the edge of the camp.

Ye Wuhen remained leaning against the boulder, his eyes still closed.

But his voice was cold, as cold as the snow on the mountaintop, yet it carried an undeniable certainty.

"The Buddhist mantra for calming the mind has a certain defensive effect against attacks on the mind, and I understand mental attacks better than you all. I am ready to fight this battle!" Yuan Kong explained.

"The Cleansing Heart Technique of the Righteous Spirit Pavilion also has this effect. Cultivating the body and mind is essentially nourishing the spirit, so I must participate in this battle!" Xiao He continued.

Ye Wuhen kept his eyes closed, only coldly uttering, "I will kill him."

"Then it's settled. The four of you will deal with him!" Su Qinhe nodded. "The rest of us will basically be one-on-one. We should finish off our opponents quickly in case anything changes, and then rush to the other battlefields as soon as possible."

"Leave Tetsuya Hatoda to me," Yun Qingyao suddenly spoke, her voice cool yet filled with absolute confidence. "I'll show him what true wood-type divine power is!"

Su Qinhe originally wanted to advise, "It would be best to take advantage of the counteracting forces of the techniques to finish the battle quickly," but seeing that Yun Qingyao took the initiative, she didn't say anything more.

"Leave the top outer disciple of the Tianyi Sect to me." Yan Zixi stretched. "Killing Yang Xuan wasn't enough; let's try killing another one."

"Then I'll deal with Qin Wuming." Wang Xiao didn't mince words, because he really didn't understand mental attacks. "I'm confident I can take care of him the fastest."

He paused, then looked at Su Qinhe: "Miss Su, I'll leave that shadowy figure to you. Your agility should be enough to subdue him."

Su Qinhe nodded, her gaze sweeping over Li Yu, Zhang Lian, Zhao Shuheng, Li Xin, and Lin Yueyao, and said gently, "As for you, you can stay at the camp. We have already set up a protective array here, so they won't be able to find it for a while; besides, their goal is to resurrect Jun Guo, and with us blocking the way outside, they will not be distracted by looking for you. This is the safest place."

Lin Yueyao opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she nodded silently.

For the next month, everyone searched the mountain by day and cultivated at night, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

The eight Dragon Gate Divine Realm experts were divided into four groups and simultaneously searched the Central Mountain Range from four directions.

They searched every ridge, every valley, and every crevice, and even used their divine sense to delve into more than a dozen seemingly suspicious snow caves, but still found nothing.

"Where are they hiding?" Ling Cheng exclaimed, looking utterly frustrated, as he flew down from the mountaintop. "They can't possibly just disappear into the mountains and never come out again, can they?"

……

However, what shocked everyone the most was the strange formation at the foot of the mountain.

In order to better prepare for the battle, the group often sparred and exchanged techniques. Several Dragon Gate Divine Realm cultivators took turns attacking, unleashing their supernatural powers and sending spiritual light soaring into the sky. However, when those attacks landed on the formation, they were all swallowed up.

It wasn't blocked, nor was it resolved; rather, it sank silently like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, without even a splash.

"This..." Yun Qingyao's eyes widened, unable to believe what she was seeing.

The group decided to attack together. The eight Dragon Gate Divine Realm experts simultaneously activated their divine powers, and the spiritual light of each element intertwined and entwined, transforming into a devastating torrent of energy that slammed fiercely towards the array patterns at the foot of the mountain.

The torrent of energy landed on the formation, flickered slightly, and then vanished without a trace, as if something had opened its giant mouth and swallowed it whole.

The group looked at each other, and no one spoke for a long time.

"This formation is far more powerful than we imagined." Xiao He's voice was somewhat hoarse. "Even the full force of eight Dragon Gate Divine Realm experts couldn't make it tremble."

"This is something we cannot shake." Yuan Kong put his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

Looking at the still-shimmering patterns, Wang Xiao felt a strange, indescribable feeling welling up inside him.

What exactly is this formation suppressing?

For a whole month, nothing changed.

The mountain was still that snow-covered mountain, the snow was still that vast expanse of white snow, there were no traces of enemies, no unusual fluctuations, and nothing happened.

But everyone knew that this was just the calm before the storm.

On the night of November 10th, there were only five days left until Jung-kwok's resurrection.

A bright moon was obscured by thick clouds, plunging the world into darkness. Only a few glass lamps in the camp emitted a faint light, casting swaying shadows of the people.

Suddenly, several distinct auras appeared simultaneously from all four sides of the Central Mountain Range.

Not one, but a full five!

They rushed from different directions and converged, heading straight for the central mountain range.

The enemy has finally shown themselves.