Three months ago
In the deep of night, the vast sea was still engulfed in fierce winds and torrential rains, churning up towering waves. Beneath the dark night sky, it seemed as if the world between heaven and sea had transformed into a realm of rising water vapor.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, a piercing cry suddenly broke through the howling of the waves. Upon closer inspection, amidst the dimly lit half-air, it appeared as if flames were bursting forth.
Amidst the continuous wails, a flash of five-colored divine light suddenly illuminated the swirling flames, momentarily revealing the forms of five phoenixes in fiery manifestation.
Following this, the five phoenixes rode the wind and rain, soaring into the sky, ready to transform into five-colored escape lights, fleeing in different directions.
Swish—!
The sound of breaking air echoed, and within the roar of the flames, four divine birds in fiery manifestation all collapsed amidst their cries.
In the fleeting brilliance, one could finally discern that the true illumination, suspended between the dark heavens and earth, was a continuously surging pitch-black curtain, resembling a flowing river in the void.
At this moment, under the dim light of the last flickering flames, specks of five-colored spiritual light reflected off the dark curtain, appearing like endless steles hanging down.
Upon closer inspection, in front of the dark curtain, surrounded by the heavy steles, only the red phoenix remained, crying out like a shooting star, suddenly darting through the intertwined wind and rain, ultimately crashing down onto the sea, as if struggling to leap up, only to be swept back down by the wind and rain, crashing down into the sea once more!
The sound of breaking air rang out.
In the place where the fire phoenix had been, there was no longer any trace.
Upon careful observation, it was Elder Yan, the third elder of the Yan family, drenched and in a state of utter disarray, bursting forth from the sea. The moment he stood suspended in the air, the five-colored flames reappeared beside him.
Due to the brightness of the flames, one could clearly see the grim visage of the middle-aged Daoist.
However, from a grander perspective of the universe, the five-colored flames above the vast ocean appeared as small as candle flames, flickering in the wind and rain, seemingly on the verge of extinguishing at any moment.
Then, the voice of the third elder echoed, struggling against the wind and rain.
"I am the guest elder of Tingchang Mountain! I am of the Dongshan clans! Observing your Dao techniques, you have refined the Sha Qi from the interplay of Yin and Yang, which must mean you are a disciple of the Yuanmen sect. I do not know when we have had grievances, why must you confront me like this?
Dao friend, if there is a misunderstanding, you may leave, and I can treat this as if nothing has happened!
Or we could meet and discuss; if we can resolve our grievances, it would be a beautiful thing. But if you insist on obstructing me, Dao friend, I am here on behalf of Tingchang Mountain! Can you bear the consequences of this?
As his words fell, the third elder's eagle-like eyes pierced through the illumination of the flames, gazing towards the layers of the curtain, hoping to catch a glimpse of some vague figure.
But disappointment was destined to be his fate.
Suddenly, a voice filled with profound sorrow, that of a woman, resonated from all directions.
Listening to the voice, it seemed to belong to a woman in her middle years, slightly hoarse, marked by the traces of hardships endured, yet she still stood at the end of her graceful charm, not yet fully revealing signs of aging.
Just hearing that vague, sorrowful voice evoked an inexplicable sense of melancholy for the passage of time.
"Fate... I have come for a matter of fate! To refine the Five Phoenix Demon Flames, you need not say, you must be a disciple of Tingchang Mountain! What I seek is also a disciple of Tingchang Mountain!
Once, there was a talented genius of the Sword Sect who made a mistake, languishing for many years, reduced to a mere steward in the Demon Suppression Cave, only wishing to hide away, unwilling to meet any old acquaintances.
When I heard of the upheaval in the Northern Frontier, I thought the earth dragon had turned, burying him... So I set off, traveling a thousand miles to see him one last time, to send him on his final journey.
But who would have thought, I would find his grave on Lingqiu Mountain... Though it is said that when a person dies, it is like a lamp extinguished, all fates extinguished, I am still alive, and his old acquaintances are still alive!
Thus, I went to Lingqiu Mountain to pay my respects to the ancestor of the Yuanmen, seeking news. How coincidental it is that the one who took his life was a disciple of Tingchang Mountain, of the Dongshan clans!"
As her words reached their conclusion, the voice echoing from all directions suddenly coalesced, resonating behind the third elder.
In an instant, the third elder shivered violently, leaping and spinning in mid-air.
When he looked back at the place where he had originally stood, the overlapping steles formed a heavy pitch-black curtain, and standing upon the flowing dark river was a middle-aged woman with graying hair, draped in a purple robe.
At this moment, the middle-aged woman held in her arms a somewhat tattered wooden board, upon which, under the flickering light, one could vaguely see the mottled ancient script—
The Grave of Sword Cultivator Ma Sandong!
In an instant, the third elder's face turned ashen.
In the swirling winds, a chilling cold enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye, the flickering flames indeed became a candle flame in the wind.
Five colors, four colors, three colors...
Flames wailed and dissipated in the chilling cold.
Until finally, only the red flames remained, still struggling to encircle the third elder.
At this moment, even the middle-aged woman, immersed in sorrow and melancholy, could not help but glance at the third elder.
With a scornful remark, amidst the swirling water and the coldness of the wind and the Sha Qi, the middle-aged woman's voice revealed a hint of ferocity.
Hearing those familiar words, the third elder's expression grew increasingly grim.
When he spoke again, perhaps due to the overwhelming cold, his voice trembled, sharp and piercing.
Upon hearing this, Xie Chengqiong suddenly smiled.
The wrinkles between her brows became apparent, as if they were traces left by the winds of time.
As her words fell, it was unclear when the flickering flames had ceased their dance.
Looking again, there were no flames left, only the crimson spiritual light illuminating the area, encasing the third elder, whose face was stiff and twisted, sealed within a chilling ice shell.
Xie Chengqiong raised her hand, lightly pointing above the third elder's heart.
In an instant, a stream of scorching flame flowed from her heart, and amidst the hazy dark red fire Sha Qi, the third elder's remains were instantly reduced to ashes and dust.
A few gray-white particles scattered in the howling wind.
Looking again, in Xie Chengqiong's hand, only a swirling five-colored flame remained, which, with a sudden shake of her wrist, transformed into five-colored dust, completely dissipating into the night sky.
Finally, a deeply sorrowful sigh echoed, and upon looking again, all forms, all steles, all curtains had vanished, as if they had suddenly disintegrated in the wind and rain, dissolving into nothingness.
Tingchang Mountain, at the peak's Dao Palace.
The Daoist body of the Danxia Old Mother still sat on the lotus platform, while Chunyu Huai stood in the center of the Dao Hall, coldly observing the Danxia Old Mother.
After a brief silence and mutual gazes, it was finally Chunyu Huai who, unable to contain his impatience, spoke up.
The expression on Danxia Old Mother's face revealed no trace of joy or sorrow; she simply spoke quietly, like a lonely elder discussing mundane matters.
Upon hearing this, Chunyu Huai raised an eyebrow.
In response, Danxia Old Mother instead smiled kindly.
As her words fell, it was as if thunder had struck one last time.
Following this, within the vast Dao Palace, the old and the young fell silent, neither speaking further.
After a while, it was finally Danxia Old Mother's voice that broke the silence.
Upon hearing this, Chunyu Huai's eyes finally brightened.
He hurriedly took a step forward.