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

Inside the stone chamber, the dark green wood grain continued to extend outwards.

The cracks at the base of the mountain, severed by the mine shaft, are gradually healing.

Du Feng raised the psionic gun.

The muzzle of the gun, the Soul-Cleansing Lamp, swept across the rock wall.

The gray-black mist that had been seeping out had long since dissipated.

Only wisps of gentle, pale blue light remained, flowing among the rocks.

Lin Qingxue stood in the center of the stone chamber.

In the palm of her hand.

A palm-sized, pale green leaf slowly fell.

Fine wood grain patterns appeared on the leaves.

The wood grain echoes the blue lotus mark on her chest.

[Ding! Reporter Lin Qingxue of Qinglian Seal has received the favor of Jianmu.]

[Comprehension Ability: Jianmu Listens.]

[Jianmu Listening: It can discern the vitality of the earth's veins, the damage to mountains and rivers, and unusual movements at sealed gates.]

Lin Qingxue grasped the leaf, and a gentle thought emanated from it.

It was an extremely clear emotion.

It feared that even after the Jianmu seed entered Chuzhou Cave Heaven, it would still be able to perceive the outside world through its roots left on Beishan Mountain.

What it fears at this moment is not the North Mountain Pupil Sect.

Lin Qingxue raised her head and looked up at the top of the mine. It was as if a pair of eyes from beyond the heavens were watching the Ancestral Realm across the endless sea of ​​stars.

"Sister Su."

Su Wan looked at her.

Lin Qingxue was silent for a moment before speaking, "The matter of Beishan is not over yet. Jianmu is afraid of the outside world."

Su Wan's expression hardened: "From beyond the heavens?"

Lin Qingxue did not explain, because even she herself did not know where that fear came from.

All that is known is that the moment the Jianmu seed awakened, something outside the ancestral realm sensed it.

……

Heilong Lake.

Chu Zhou's consciousness sank into the Azure Lotus Cave Heaven.

In the center of the grotto.

The verdant seeds take root in the sacred soil.

Its roots intertwine between the earthen yellow mountains and the spiritual waters of Heilong Lake.

At the top of the seed, a tiny sprout emerges.

The tender shoots are no more than half a foot tall.

It was supported by only a tiny, pale green leaf.

But the moment that leaf unfurled.

The entire Qinglian Cave Heaven was filled with an ancient and vast vitality.

The pale moon casts its light.

The spiritual waters of Heilong Lake transformed into a drizzle.

The mountain patterns on the yellowish-brown mountains intertwine with the roots of the Jianmu tree.

The edge of the cave.

The chaotic mist retreated once more.

The cave, which was one kilometer in diameter, expanded to 1,100 meters.

Chu Zhou's roots gently landed beside the tender buds of the Jianmu tree.

He can feel it.

The tender shoots are not strong.

It is even as fragile as a newly sprouted weed.

But with each of its breaths...

All of them are connected to six nodes: Heilonghu Lake, Beishan Mountain, Changbai Mountain, Dongjing Bay, Zhenhai Relic Island, and Fuyue Shiling.

"Building a tree root network".

The strange stone stood in front of the water mirror and said, "Once the towering Jianmu tree begins to take root, it will instinctively seek out the roots and remnants scattered throughout the realms. But this also means that things that once chased after it will also come looking for it along this aura."

Chu Zhou's lotus leaves swayed gently: "Priest of Moon Abyss?"

Strange Stone shook his head: "Not necessarily. During the war between immortals and demons, too many forces had their eyes on the Tongtian Jianmu tree, some of which were even more troublesome than the Moon Abyss Priest."

Chu Zhou wanted to ask more questions, but the strange stone fell silent and didn't say anything more; the guy didn't want to talk about it.

Chu Zhou didn't ask any more questions, since the strange stone would naturally explain the situation to him when the time was right.

In the following days, Heilonghu became much quieter.

However, things are different in the Dragon Kingdom.

Wudang Mountain was very lively that day.

After the fourth spiritual energy tide.

The Wudang Mountains, already shrouded in mist, rose several times higher once more.

The sheer cliffs, thousands of feet high, resemble ancient swords thrust upside down into the sea of ​​clouds.

Ancient pine trees in the mountains can reach heights of 100 meters.

Outside the Purple Cloud Palace.

A mountain path paved with bluestone stretches from the foot of the mountain all the way into the depths of the clouds.

Both sides of the mountain road.

Each suspended lamp emitted a pale golden light.

Today, the entire Wudang Mountain has activated its protective formation.

Any awakened one who approaches the mountain gate can feel a gentle yet profound sword intent.

How many people have come to Wudang Mountain?

A young awakened individual who had just climbed the mountain path looked up.

He looked at the psionic airships floating in the sea of ​​clouds ahead and couldn't help but gasp.

The flying boat carried the black and gold flag of the Ninth Bureau, the red battle flag of the military, and the heritage flags of various ancient martial arts sects.

Bajiquan, Xingyiquan, Taiji lineage, Kongtong Ancient School, Kunlun Sword Sect.

One after another, high-level awakened individuals, rarely seen in ordinary times, ascended Wudang Mountain.

They came today not to compete for spiritual objects, nor to explore forbidden areas, but only to listen to the Daoist Xuanweizi preach.

"I heard that Senior Xuanweizi has already reached the peak of the eighth rank."

Someone lowered their voice.

"What's so special about being at the peak of the eighth rank? Didn't you see the battle at the Beishan Tongmen?"

A middle-aged awakened individual beside him looked at the sky with awe in his eyes.

"When the Lord of the Azure Lotus entered the King Realm, the Moon Abyss Priest reached out a hand through the seal, but two of his fingers were forcibly broken."

"Now that the Ancestral Realm is experiencing unusual activity, Senior Xuanweizi's lecture at this time is probably not just about cultivation methods."

After those words were spoken, everyone around fell silent, following the fourth spiritual energy tide.

As the number of powerful individuals increased and the beasts grew stronger, everyone realized that the real danger never lay solely in the beasts of the mountains and wilderness.

The Northern Mountain Pupil Sect, the Moon Abyss Priest, and that giant silver-black hand that emerged from the ground, obscuring half the sky.

These existences made everyone clearly aware of them for the first time.

Beyond the ancestral realm, there are enemies.

……

In front of the Purple Cloud Palace.

A middle-aged man wearing a black overcoat slowly walked up the stone steps.

He didn't release his spiritual pressure, but when he appeared, the previously noisy crowd quieted down.

It was Zhou Zhenshan, the director of the Ninth Bureau.

Behind Zhou Zhenshan, Elder Ye, Lei Zhenyue, Wang Jun, and others walked over one after another.

Qin Zhenyuan was among them, carrying a heavy black sword on his back.

The sword was not drawn, yet the air around the scabbard had already begun to distort.

"Director Zhou."

Master Song Yunhe, who was guarding in front of Zixiao Palace, bowed and paid his respects.

Zhou Zhenshan returned the greeting: "Thank you for your trouble, Wudang."

Song Yunhe shook his head and said, "Today is not a banquet hosted by Wudang. It is the Patriarch who is using Wudang as a venue to say a few words to all of you fellow practitioners."

Zhou Zhenshan looked up and saw a bronze bell hanging quietly in the depths of the clouds, towards the direction of the Xuanwu Cliff.

The clock is covered with the marks of time.

But the Xuanwu totem on the bell, with its tortoise and snake intertwined, seems as if it might open its eyes at any moment.

Zhou Zhenshan's expression hardened slightly: "Xuanwu sealed the Heavenly Gate, what's the situation?"

Song Yunhe remained silent for a moment: "With the patriarch personally overseeing things, there's no immediate danger."

Zhou Zhenshan nodded and didn't ask any more questions. Today, Wudang Mountain also hides an ancient sealed gate.

This is no longer a secret.

But no one wanted to find out what was behind the door.

The Beishan incident has already provided the answer for everyone.

Some doors exist precisely to prevent people from opening them.

Just now.

A deep dragon's roar echoed from the sky.

A bluish-purple spirit boat passed through the clouds.

Two dragon shadows formed from lightning circled in front of the spirit boat.

The people from Longhu Mountain have arrived.

As the spirit boat landed, an elderly man dressed in an old-fashioned Taoist robe stepped out first.

The old man had gray hair and carried a peach wood cane; he looked quite ordinary.

But the moment his foot landed, the spirit lamps outside Zixiao Palace began to sway gently.

The patriarch of Longhu Mountain, Zhang Baoyi.

Behind him stood Zhang Xuanling, the contemporary Celestial Master, clad in a purple-gold Celestial Master's robe, with a lightning pattern faintly visible between his brows.

Zhang Xuanling looked to be only in his early forties.

With each breath he took, tiny arcs of lightning danced around his body.

"Old Master Zhang."

A loud voice came from not far away.

Chen Wuji strode up the mountain path.

This Bajiquan master was tall and imposing.

He was wearing a black training uniform that had faded slightly from washing.

With the river-suppressing stele on his back, the bluestone steps vibrated softly with every step he took.

Zhang Xuanling glanced at him and said with a smile, "Chen Manzi, you brought this broken stele to Wudang, are you planning to smash up the patriarch's dojo?"

Chen Wuji laughed heartily: "I came to listen to the teachings, so why did I bring a weapon for self-defense?"

A Wudang Mountain disciple bowed helplessly and said, "Seniors, fellow practitioners have gathered at Wudang Mountain today. Could you please refrain from arguing for a bit?"

Chen Wuji glanced at him: "You haven't even firmly established yourself at the fourth level yet, and you're already trying to tell me what to do."

Upon hearing this, the Wudang disciple gave a wry smile.

The people around them did not feel relaxed, because they could see that although Chen Wuji and Zhang Xuanling were sharp-tongued.

However, both of them looked at Xuanwu Cliff with a hint of solemnity in their eyes.

Those who have come to Wudang today are not truly weak; at the very least, they are all among the best of the fourth-tier awakened beings.

Most of them are core members cultivated by various powerful forces.

Behind them lies not only their own future, but also the future of countless cities and defense lines.

"The people from the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone didn't come?"

Suddenly, someone in the crowd spoke in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, many people instinctively looked towards Lingnan.

In the Battle of Beishan, the Ten-Leaf Green Lotus protected the mountains and rivers, and the Moon Abyss Priest's Giant Hand was defeated.

The current Lord of the Azure Lotus is no longer an ordinary Lord of a forbidden zone.

Rather, he was the true king of the ancestral realm.

Zhou Zhenshan said, "The Lord of the Azure Lotus guards the Black Dragon Mountain and the Northern Mountain ley lines and will not participate in internal sermons among the human race."

Someone hesitated and said, "But now that the gate is in disarray, if we could ask the Lord of the Azure Lotus for help..."

"What do you want Him to do?" Zhou Zhenshan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears: "Ask Him to guard the city for us?"

"Should we ask Him to shield us from all danger, or should we ask Him to become a weapon in the hands of humanity?"

The awakened one's face paled slightly, and he lowered his head.

Zhou Zhenshan looked at everyone and said, "It is a blessing for the Ancestral Realm that the Lord of the Azure Lotus is willing to suppress the taboos beyond the heavens."

"But humanity cannot forget that just because it has Him, it should also wield a sword, defend the city, and fight for those behind it."

"I came to Wudang today not to seek refuge with anyone."

"It is so that when the human race encounters the Black Tide, the Beast Tide, the Gate of Seizure, or enemies from beyond the heavens, they can stand up."