Celestial Taoist

Li Mofan quickly withdrew his spiritual energy, held the Amorous Sword at his waist, and his voice traveled out the door along with the spiritual energy: "Who goes there?"

A respectful yet slightly reserved voice came from outside the door, its tone tinged with caution: "Seniors, I am a guard by the sect leader's side. I have come on the orders of Sect Leader Ling to report that the formation that draws upon the power of the stars has been prepared by our Ten Thousand Swords Sect according to the blueprints. The site has been chosen on the most open side peak of Ten Thousand Swords Mountain. The sect leader requests that you two seniors proceed to the peak to activate the formation and begin the casting of the elixir."

After the words were spoken, a brief silence fell over the room. Li Mofan turned to look at Su Qingyao, his eyes questioning, as he had no experience with the welcoming ceremony. Su Qingyao sat upright on the couch, her tone calm and even: "Understood, please wait a moment."

The guard outside the door quickly replied, "Yes, sir. I will wait for you two seniors outside the door."

Su Qingyao looked up at Li Mofan, her gaze sweeping over the dimly lit Amorous Sword at his waist. She said softly, "It seems you've made quite a bit of progress these past two days." Her eyes flickered, as if she had made up her mind, and she continued, "We'll talk about the second level of the Spirit Rhinoceros Technique once you've caught up with me."

Upon hearing this, Li Mofan trembled slightly and quickly activated the wondrous perception of his Dao Foundation, but it was too late. He didn't sense the slightest fluctuation. He nodded and said, "Thanks to the captain, I have comprehended a Dao technique. However, what is your level, captain...?"

"No need for further words," Su Qingyao raised her hand to interrupt him, slowly standing up. A flash of spiritual light surrounded her, and her armor was brand new. "Ling Canghai prepared the formation quickly, probably because he's eager to obtain the Sword Pill Technique. You come with me to the mountain peak, and once the Heavenly Punishment Law arrives, we can return directly."

Su Qingyao raised her hand, a wisp of spiritual light condensing at her fingertips. With a gentle tap, the light barrier surrounding the room instantly dissipated. She stepped forward and gently opened the door. The guards outside immediately bowed respectfully, their expressions deferential, without looking directly at the two of them.

"Lead the way," Su Qingyao said calmly.

The guards quickly responded and strode ahead to lead the way, their steps light and careful. Li Mofan followed closely beside Su Qingyao, his eyes warily scanning the surroundings. Outside the room, he could vaguely see several Wanjian Sect disciples dressed in tight-fitting clothes patrolling back and forth, clearly people specially arranged by Ling Canghai.

At the summit of Wanjian Mountain, a perfectly circular altar stands in the very center, with a diameter of more than three zhang (approximately 13 meters). It is entirely constructed of dark, massive stones, the surfaces of which are polished smooth as a mirror and engraved with intricate and complex patterns.

Around the altar, Ling Canghai and several elders of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect waited quietly.

A fierce wind swept across the mountaintop, causing everyone's robes to flutter loudly. Upon seeing Su Qingyao and her companion arrive, Ling Canghai quickly stepped forward, a respectful smile plastered on his face: "Fairy Su, young friend Li, you two have finally arrived. I have prepared the array for drawing upon the power of the stars according to the blueprints provided by the fairy. Every detail has been checked and there are absolutely no errors. I am just waiting for you two fairies and young friend to come and activate it so that we can begin the casting process."

As he spoke, he turned to the side and gestured an invitation. He clearly didn't understand why this formation could draw upon the power of the stars, and he only hoped that Su Qingyao and the other person would activate the formation and forge the sword pellet as soon as possible.

Su Qingyao remained calm, her gaze sweeping over every detail of the altar. She nodded slightly and said, "It's acceptable. The layout is correct and meets the requirements for drawing upon the power of the stars." She walked straight toward the center of the altar.

Su Qingyao walked to the groove in the center of the altar, stopped, turned to look at Li Mofan, and said in a calm tone: "Come here and do as I say. Remember, just cooperate with me and do not make any unnecessary movements, so as not to disturb the power of the stars and affect the subsequent guidance."

Li Mofan quickly stepped forward and stood beside Su Qingyao. Su Qingyao lowered her eyes to look at the groove in the center of the altar, her expression still calm. She slightly raised her fingertips, and a shimmering white spiritual light suddenly condensed around her, revealing a small, exquisite sphere in her palm. The sphere was slightly smaller than the groove on the altar, and its surface was engraved with fine runes that were completely different from the altar's patterns. A very faint aura lingered between the runes, an aura that was cold and majestic, a trace of the Heavenly Punishment Law.

"This is a token of the laws that draw upon the power of the stars," Su Qingyao said, turning her head to look at Li Mofan, her tone still calm. "You'll have to learn how to use it in the future."

Li Mofan nodded quickly to indicate that he understood.

Su Qingyao said no more, raised her palm and waved it lightly. The sphere, imbued with the aura of the Heavenly Punishment Law, slowly rose and landed precisely in the groove in the center of the altar. As soon as it was embedded, it instantly lit up with a dazzling light. The silver-white powder at the bottom of the groove was ignited, turning into tiny specks of light that swirled around the sphere. An invisible vortex of wind surged from the ground and gathered in the center of the altar.

The altar's light grew even brighter, forming a massive pillar of light that shot straight into the sky, stirring up the fierce winds on the mountaintop. Ling Canghai and the elders, seeing this, showed expressions of astonishment, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Just as the pillar of light reached its highest point in the sky, and the aura of the Heavenly Punishment Law was about to descend completely, a sudden change occurred. The pillar of light that shot straight into the sky suddenly trembled violently, its light dimmed instantly, and the originally rapidly flowing altar patterns became sluggish, with the spiritual light between the runes flickering.

The law token in the groove suddenly erupted with a piercing buzz, its light vanished abruptly, and the aura of the Heavenly Punishment Law that had been lingering around it instantly dissipated, turning into a wisp of green smoke that slowly dissipated into the air.

"What's going on?!" Li Mofan was shocked and quickly withdrew his spiritual power, subconsciously sticking close to Su Qingyao's side and looking around warily.

For the first time, Su Qingyao's expression shifted. Her previously calm eyes instantly turned icy cold. Spiritual energy gathered at her fingertips as she stared intently at the groove in the center of the altar. Her aura grew increasingly fierce, carrying suppressed rage. She bent down to examine the groove, her fingertips touching the now-dulled token of law. Her brows furrowed, and her voice was chillingly cold: "The guiding ritual has failed."

She looked up at the sky, then glanced at the patterns on the altar, thinking: The blueprints for the mission distribution ceremony have been tampered with; I've been tricked.

Ling Canghai feigned anger, raised his hand, and the black-clad experts and Wanjian Sect disciples who had been surrounding the altar immediately stepped forward, wielding longswords, and surrounded the altar. A sharp sword aura swept over them instantly, trapping Su Qingyao and Li Mofan in the center.

"Fairy Su, why hasn't this sword pellet been forged?" Ling Canghai sneered, his tone full of sarcasm. "I used the blueprints you provided and spent countless resources to create the array. In my opinion, it's clear that you don't know how to draw upon the power of the stars and can't produce the sword pellet technique at all. You're deliberately using this fake array to deceive me!"

Several elders of the Myriad Swords Sect echoed, their faces contorted with anger: "That's right! Fairy Su, how dare you toy with my Myriad Swords Sect! If you cannot hand over the Sword Pill Technique today, don't blame us for being impolite!" "Our Myriad Swords Sect has treated you with sincerity, yet you have deceived us like this; you will surely pay the price!"

"Li Mofan, I've dragged you into this," Su Qingyao slowly straightened up, her expression cold yet apologetic, a surge of shimmering white spiritual light erupting from her body. "Watch closely, today I'll teach you how to kill your enemies!"