Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

A sword light flashed in the sky above Lingnan, coming from the north.

The sword light was not ostentatious.

It didn't rampage recklessly, nor did it unleash any murderous intent.

But the moment it entered the area of ​​Heilong Mountain.

In the mountains and forests, Bai Shan Jun suddenly looked up, and the White Gold Tiger Demon rose from its body.

Little Jinbao stopped on an ancient tree branch and said in a deep voice, "What a sharp sword aura."

Looking from the direction of Mount Fuyue, the mountain beast's shoulder-mountain stone trembled: "Eighth-tier peak human race, you've got some skill."

On Heilong Lake.

Ten lotus leaves sway on the Chu boat.

His divine sense landed on the sword light, which stopped three miles outside Black Dragon Lake.

In mid-air, Xuanweizi stepped on the ancient sword and landed lightly.

He carried a long sword on his back, his beard and hair were all white, and his Taoist robe was fluttering in the night wind. Xuanweizi looked in the direction of Black Dragon Mountain, cupped his hands and said, "Xuanweizi of Wudang has come to pay his respects to the mountain, but I have not received the master's permission, so I will stop here."

Chu Zhou's voice echoed from Black Dragon Lake: "If you really insist on forcing your way in, I can't stop you."

Xuanweizi looked up at the ten-petaled blue lotus in the center of the lake: "If I want to venture forth, I will not stop. Lord of the Blue Lotus, I am not a member of the Ninth Bureau, nor am I here to persuade you to submit to the human race."

Chu Zhou, his lotus leaves unfurling, asked, "Then what brings you here?"

Xuanweizi remained silent for a moment: "The appearance of the Beishan Tongmen, a wisp of remnant will of the Moon Abyss Priest, dares to break through the boundary and test the waters above the ancestral realm's ley lines."

"I have come here today only to see with my own eyes who is the one who will guard the path to the ancestral realm in this lifetime."

The words fell.

The area around Black Dragon Lake quieted down, and Little Jinbao muttered to himself, "This old Taoist priest's words are actually quite pleasant to hear."

Bai Shanjun gave it a cold glance: "Shut up."

Xuanweizi raised his right hand.

A faint sword intent rose from his fingertips.

The sword intent was weak, yet it seemed to conceal an ancient mountain.

"I possess a sword that judges neither life nor death, but only reveals the true nature of my heart. Lord of the Azure Lotus, may I have a glimpse of it?"

On Heilong Lake.

The roots of the Chu boat stirred slightly.

A silvery-blue lotus leaf slowly rises from the lake.

The lotus leaf did not attack; it simply stopped in front of Xuanweizi.

"Make your move."

hum!

Xuanweizi unleashed his sword intent from his fingertips.

The moment the sword intent touched the lotus leaf.

There was no earth-shattering noise, nor did the mountains and rivers collapse; only the lotus leaf trembled.

The sword intent was like moonlight falling into a lake, scattering into countless tiny points of light.

Finally, it disappeared over Heilong Lake.

Xuanweizi's pupils contracted slightly. He could see clearly that Chu Zhou had not forcibly crushed the sword intent with his power.

Instead, he embraced his sword within the lotus realm.

If the sword has no killing intent, the lotus will not be able to suppress it; if the sword truly has the intent to cleave mountains...

The Ten-Leaf Town Lotus Domain will instantly transform into a sky curtain.

Xuanweizi remained silent for a long time before finally nodding: "I understand. Your entry into the King Realm is no accident."

Chu Zhou laughed and said, "I thought you would think I was some kind of strange monster."

Xuanweizi looked at him and said, "Whether he is human or demon, what does it matter?"

"I protect the mountains and rivers, not the physical form and race. Anyone willing to protect the ancestral lands can discuss the Dao with me."

Chu Zhou, with lotus leaves swaying, said, "I find those words agreeable."

In the ancient underground city.

The strange rock looked at Xuanweizi through the water mirror.

The crimson stone patterns shimmered: "It's quite strange that there are still cultivators from the True Martial lineage alive."

Chu Zhou's hairline curved slightly: "My beloved concubine, do you recognize him?"

Strange Stone scoffed, "I've only witnessed the sword intent of a fellow practitioner. Besides, don't shout things in front of outsiders!"

Chu Zhou laughed and said, "I didn't call you by the wrong name."

The strange rock, its patterns shimmering, muttered irritably, "Get lost!"

Xuanweizi took out a tattered ancient map from his sleeve.

The ancient map was made of an unknown type of animal hide, with charred edges and nine illusory images of mountains and rivers on it.

Most of the area has been blurred and indistinct by the passage of time.

"This map is called the Nine Provinces Sealing Gate Map." Xuanweizi looked at the ancient map: "Our Wudang sect has guarded this object for generations."

"When the patriarch left the map, he only left three instructions: Do not open the sealed gates indiscriminately, do not destroy the restrictions indiscriminately, and do not seize the spiritual energy of the land indiscriminately."

Chu Zhou's divine sense landed on the ancient map, and the next moment, the Mountain and River Suppressing Abyss Emperor Seal above Black Dragon Lake suddenly trembled.

hum!

Four colors of light—black gold, moon white, cyan silver, and earth yellow—drooped down from the imperial seal.

The tattered ancient map soared into the air.

A vertical pupil totem suddenly lit up the previously dim northern mountain area on the map.

Immediately following, towards Wudang Mountain.

At the same time, a totem of Xuanwu (a mythical creature) with a tortoise and a snake intertwined also responded and lit up.

Further west, deep within the Kunlun Mountains, a blurry, illusory image of a heavenly gate appears and disappears.

The ancient ferry crossing on the Nanjiang River, the tidal bore of the East China Sea, and the ancient battlefield of Wanling in the southwest.

Ancient coordinates begin to glow faintly on the map.

However, in the very center of the entire map, three areas are still obscured by thick black fog.

Within the black mist, something seemed to be reviving.

[Ding! Fragment of the Kyushu Sealing Map detected.]

[The Mountain and River Town Abyss Emperor Seal is currently undergoing earth vein mapping.]

[Currently confirmed locations under lockdown: six.]

Two of the seals showed abnormal fluctuations.

Chu Zhou's expression shifted: "So the Northern Mountain Pupil Sect was just one of the fulcrums of the seal."

Xuanweizi nodded: "That's right. The real crisis isn't this small door; it's that someone is using this fulcrum to probe the foundation of the entire Ancestral Realm."

Chu Zhou looked towards Wudang: "Your Wudang's Xuanwu Fengtian Gate has also cracked?"

Xuanweizi's expression darkened.

"A thin crack appeared."

"When the North Mountain Pupil Gate trembled, the Xuanwu Heaven-Sealing Gate simultaneously sensed the anomaly."

"If I hadn't broken out of the seal myself, Wudang wouldn't have been able to suppress that crack at all."

The lotus leaves on the Chu boat swayed gently.

"So you've come here today to join forces with me?"

Xuanweizi shook his head and said, "It's not an alliance, it's a pact. You will guard the earth vein seal, and I will guard the Wudang Mountain gate. You will not be under the command of the Ninth Bureau, and Wudang will not be under the jurisdiction of the Qinglian Forbidden Zone."

"But from this day forward, the gates of Kyushu will be sealed. If any changes occur, we must communicate with each other."

"Whoever notices it first should defend it first. If it is difficult to defend it by one's own strength, then ask the other side for help."

On Heilong Lake.

Chu Zhou remained silent for several breaths.

Then, his roots gently landed on the Emperor's Seal of the Mountain and River Town.

"Sure, but I also have rules."

Xuanweizi looked at him.

Chu Zhou's voice was calm: "If someone uses the name of the human race to enslave mountain spirits, hunt young demons, and damage the foundation of the earth's veins..."

"I will definitely take action to suppress them, regardless of their identity."

Xuanweizi did not hesitate: "If demonic beasts wreak havoc, slaughter cities, and harm mortals, my Wudang swords will show no mercy."

Chu Zhou, with lotus leaves unfurled, said, "Very well. Whoever breaks this agreement will perish first."

Xuanweizi looked at him and suddenly smiled: "Lord of the Azure Lotus, I finally understand why the Stone Embryo of the Northern Mountain is willing to submit to your Imperial Seal."

"You, this blue lotus, understand the meaning of protection better than most people in the world."

Chu Zhou said calmly, "No need for your polite praise."

The strange rock sneered from underground: "Saying you don't need it, yet your lotus leaves are practically pointing skyward."

Chu Zhou: "..."

Xuanweizi could not hear the sounds of the strange rocks underground.

He put away the map of the sealed-off Kyushu.

He then cupped his hands to Chu Zhou and said, "I am returning to Wudang to guard the mountain. The ancient battlefield in the southwest and Kunlun are sealed off. I will trouble the Lord of Qinglian to take good care of them."

Chu Zhou said, "If there is any unusual activity at Wudang, you can call me directly."

Xuanweizi nodded, and the ancient sword rose.

Just as he was about to leave, a blue-silver lotus leaf slowly flew over from Black Dragon Lake.

The lotus leaf fell into his palm.

"This lotus leaf can protect you from the abyss's energy once, so you don't perish too soon."

Xuanweizi looked down at the lotus leaves.

After a long while, he tucked the lotus leaf into his sleeve: "I also want to give you a piece of advice: the King Realm is never the end of cultivation."

"The mysteries lurking behind the door are not necessarily like those of the Moon Abyss Priest, who only cautiously probes the truth."

Chu Zhoulianye swayed gently: "I'll wait and see."

Swish!

The sword light shot into the sky.

Xuanweizi rode his sword northward.

Heilong Lake has returned to calm.

The seal of Emperor Keshanhezhenyuan.

The illusory image of the Nine Provinces Sealing the Gates did not dissipate.

Southwest direction.

A red dot that was originally dull.

It suddenly twitched slightly.

Three days later.

Beishan, Linjiang City.

The red blockade line has been stretched for dozens of miles.

At the foot of the mountain, the once bustling Beishan mining area is now filled with transport vehicles.

Many awakened workers stood outside the cordon.

Their faces didn't look too good. After Beishan was sealed off, many of Linjiang City's defense projects were affected.

The spirit iron ore and mountain marrow stone produced on the outskirts of Beishan are important materials for the construction of the spirit energy barrier in Linjiang City.

With the mining area shut down, many projects had to be postponed. A middle-aged man stood at the front of the crowd.

His name is He Yan.

Project manager of Beishan Mining Area.

"Captain Su," He Yan said, looking at Su Wan, "we're not causing trouble, it's just that there are still three sections of the psionic city wall on the outer ring of Linjiang that are not yet completed."

"If the Beishan mining area is completely sealed off, materials will have to be transported from Dongling, which will delay the construction period by at least half a month."

"The fourth wave of the Hellfire just passed not long ago. Who can guarantee that the area outside the city will be completely safe for the next two weeks?"

Su Wan stood in front of the blockade line, her expression serious, and said, "Beneath the North Mountain lies a sealed gate of the Nine Provinces level."

"No one is allowed to enter the core area of ​​Beishan."

He Yan gritted his teeth and said, "We will never touch the core area, but we can always mine the outer veins, right?"

"If the city walls are never finished being repaired, and we encounter a beast tide, who will bear the responsibility?"

The workers around fell silent.

They weren't after the mines in Beishan.

They were just afraid, afraid of the next Kuroshio Current.

Linjiang City lacks sufficiently high city walls, enough psionic cannons, and sufficiently sturdy shelters.

Lin Qingxue walked down the mountain path, and in her palm, the bluish-brown stone tablet was emitting a faint light.

The two characters are 【听脉】.

Shimmering slightly in the setting sun, Lin Qingxue walked to the blockade line and looked at He Yan: "Which specific area of ​​the outer mining vein you mentioned?"

He Yan quickly pulled up the map: "North Mountain West Side, No. 3 Old Mine Cave. This side is far from the core ancient well, absolutely safe."

Lin Qingxue took the map.

Her fingertips landed on the location of the No. 3 old mine shaft.

The next moment, the bluish-brown stone tablet became hot. She closed her eyes, and suddenly heard muffled breathing in her ear.

It was as if the entire North Mountain was slowly breathing.

But when her senses landed below the No. 3 old mine shaft...

The breathing suddenly turned into a piercing, tearing sound.

"Mining is not allowed here."

Lin Qingxue opened her eyes, her face slightly pale: "Beneath this vein of ore is a fractured earth vein. If you dig the mine down another thirty meters, you'll find the old wound at the base of Beishan Mountain."

"Once the drilling rig goes down, the seal of the Beishan Tongmen will definitely be damaged and shaken again."

He Yan's expression changed: "Are you 100% sure?"

Lin Qingxue did not answer. She raised the pulse-listening stone tablet, and a yellowish-brown spiritual light flew out from it.

It landed on the ground not far away.

hum!

Faint golden mountain patterns slowly emerged from the ground.

The mountain-like pattern extends all the way through the old mine shaft, finally stopping in front of an abandoned wellhead covered with cement.

A faint wisp of gray-black mist emanated from below the wellhead.

Everyone's expression changed.

That wellhead is the main drilling point for the No. 3 mine, which is about to be reopened.

He Yan broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

If Lin Qingxue hadn't intervened in time today...

They have likely already drilled the first hole directly above the seal.