Chapter Ninety-One: An Awkward Situation (Fifth Update)

The Thick Earth Palace, in terms of orientation, occupies the central position of Yin and Yang, governs the Three Powers, connects the Five Elements, and commands the Nine Palaces. It is the hub of the immortal manor’s earthly ley lines.

Presently, members of both the Orthodox sects and the Demonic sects have gathered. Both sides have found the keys to open the Thick Earth Palace, having obtained tokens from the distant Four Spirits Palaces to break the first layer of restrictions outside the Thick Earth Palace.

However, the two factions encountered each other before the palace. After a fierce clash, they now occupy the left and right sides of the palace, neither willing to retreat a single step. Whenever one side prepares to enter the palace, they are immediately attacked by the other.

When Ji Feichen arrived, the two sides were in a state of tense restraint. On the left, celestial light shimmered and Taoist energy surged, with various immortals seated amidst a forest of jade trees. On the right, demonic clouds loomed, surrounded by chilling winds, with numerous demons lurking within the red, baleful mist.

Ji Feichen arrived as a rogue immortal and headed toward the fellow practitioners on the left. Li Jingxun had arrived just before him and was speaking with Zhang Yuanchu. After meeting with the disciples of the Taishang lineage, he asked about the current situation.

"Both sides want to enter the palace, but they are deadlocked, refusing to let the other side in."

After some thought, Ji Feichen said to Li Jingxun, "Junior sister, you carry the Azure Cloud Demon-Subduing Banner. How long can your magic power sustain it?"

"About the time it takes to burn a stick of incense," Li Jingxun replied after careful consideration. "My cultivation has not yet reached the level of a Human Immortal, so I fear I cannot hold it for too long."

"That will suffice. Later, I will join you to block the Demonic sect's attacks, allowing our fellow practitioners to rush in and open the palace." Ji Feichen shared his plan with Fang He and the others.

Everyone agreed. Those with weaker cultivation, such as Li Xuange, were placed in the center, while Ji Feichen and Li Jingxun took the vanguard, with powerful immortals like Jing Xuan and Fang He providing support.

The group charged toward the entrance of the Thick Earth Palace in one breath.

The moment they moved, the Demonic sect sensed it.

"Stop them!" Zheng Qiong, Yang Fei, and the others launched their attacks. Golden Crow Demonic Fire, Lunar Demonic Light, the Black Demonic Spells of the Black Saint Sect, and the Yellow Springs Sand of the Yin-Underworld Sect were unleashed.

"Junior sister!" Ji Feichen and Li Jingxun simultaneously activated the Azure Cloud Demon-Subduing Banner. Golden flowers bloomed, and cloud light rippled as a vast azure cloud barrier rose before them, deflecting all attacks.

These two banners were ancient treasures for subduing demons. With the two of them exerting their full strength, the demonic practitioners could not get close for a time. Li Xuange and the others seized the opportunity to rush into the Thick Earth Palace from behind.

Ji Feichen and Li Jingxun found it difficult to hold on for long. As the azure clouds began to dissipate and the golden flowers grew sparse, the two fought and retreated, finally leaping into the Thick Earth Palace.

"Senior brother, it is your turn!"

The two dodged to the sides, revealing Jing Xuan, who had been hiding behind them.

"Monsters! Taste my Formless Heavenly Sword of the Supreme Purity!" Jing Xuan gripped the Nine-Radiance Divine Sword with both hands and slashed fiercely at those preparing to enter from outside the palace.

The sword qi surged forth, a massive beam ten feet long and nine feet wide, blasting out from the entrance.

Zheng Qiong’s face changed, and he grabbed Tao Wanru to dodge to the side. A deep trench appeared where they had been standing. As the sword qi exploded outward, its power radiated far and wide, destroying the distant jade trees and ponds, and even cleaving the layer of blood clouds in the sky.

"This sword qi is comparable to the attack of a veteran Human Immortal at the Profound-Piercing stage," Yang Fei observed from the side. The sword qi was too strong. If they hadn't dodged, it would have been equivalent to taking a full-force blow from Jing Xuan head-on.

As the sword qi faded, the group prepared to advance again. At this moment, Fang He was inside, readying his most powerful Taoist spell.

"Supreme Origin Path, Five Gods Contending, Dust and Sin Cleansed, All Demons Banished!" Holding a white jade square seal, layers of rune arrays exploded from it, finally unleashing a beam of extreme light from within the Thick Earth Palace. This was the Demon-Banishment Divine Light of the Supreme Origin Palace; a purple pillar of light swept through the entrance, dispersing the demonic mist and baleful energy.

This was Ji Feichen's plan: the Thick Earth Palace was surrounded by immortal restrictions, and one could not inherit the manor without passing through the main gate. Therefore, as long as they took turns guarding the door, using Taoist Fruits, divine abilities, or top-tier spells, they could hold off the demons outside.

As the light dimmed, Fang He and Zhang Yuanchu swapped positions.

Zhang Yuanchu held a jeweled umbrella, and overlapping golden light shields blocked the doorway. Two white cranes formed a Taiji shape—one hard, one soft, one Yin, one Yang—not with overwhelming attack power, but with supreme defensive power, blocking the only passage.

Of course, the biggest problem with Ji Feichen's plan was the recovery of magic power. Even someone with as vast a reservoir of magic as Ji Feichen could not restore his power to its peak in a short time. After one strike, his magic was effectively depleted, and he had to rest and recover on the side.

The immortals took turns. There was purple mist from the east, golden rays filling the sky, the vastness of the sea, and the brilliance of divine fire... but soon, the disadvantage of insufficient manpower became apparent.

"Are you not done yet!" Fang He stood nearby, anxious, looking at Xuange and the others. By now, everyone had taken a turn, and Ji Feichen was once again using his Azure Tide Pearl to hold the line.

Li Xuange’s face turned pale. "Something is wrong. To open the main Thick Earth Palace, a key artifact is required! Without the direct transmission token of the Lingwei Sect, we cannot open the manor!"

As Ji Feichen’s support began to falter, Li Xuange made a swift decision. "Let’s enter the side palace first!"

The interior of the Thick Earth Palace contained the main hall and two flanking side halls. The entrance Ji Feichen and his group were guarding was merely the outer perimeter wall. Normally, after inheriting the manor, one could close the gates and peacefully take over the property.

But upon entering, the inheritors were surprised to discover that to inherit the manor, one must first obtain a core artifact of the Lingwei Sect and use the Sect Master’s seal to open the gates.

Thus, unable to open the main hall, they could only temporarily open the left side hall to rest.

The immortals retreated into the left hall, and the demons swarmed into the front courtyard of the Thick Earth Palace.

While deflecting cold arrows fired by the immortals, they had Tao Wanru step forward to inherit the manor. However, they were in the same predicament as Ji Feichen’s group; without the core inheritance artifact, although they could enter the Thick Earth Palace, they could not reach the main hall, nor could they gain control of the manor’s hub.

Consequently, they entered the right side hall to take shelter.

Now, both sides were in a thoroughly awkward position. Hiding in their respective side halls on the left and right, the situation was no different from before.

"A core token? What is that thing? Without it, we cannot inherit the manor?"

"That is essentially the case."

The immortals hid in the side hall, recuperating with worried expressions. Meanwhile, the blood clouds outside had expanded from a corner to cover one-third of the sky.

Li Jingxun looked up, her expression filled with concern. If they could not control the manor and activate its Demon-Subduing Spells, this Earth Immortal would be difficult to deal with.

As the immortals and demons confronted each other, the Blood Sea Earth Immortal had calmly cultivated his Great Dao, his strength nearing the Earth Immortal realm once more.

"Cannot get in? Without one of the Three Treasures of Lingwei, how could you people ever enter the main hall? How could you ever obtain the inheritance?" Number Fifty-Six said with disdain, continuing to expand the Blood Sea step by step within the manor.

Clear water, bright lakes, cold springs, and deep pools—every water source in the immortal manor was polluted by blood, losing all traces of its celestial nature. By the time the Blood Sea spread through the entire manor, even if the Orthodox sects obtained the inheritance, it would be useless.

"I do not kill these juniors precisely to have them delay the Orthodox sects, preventing them from gaining control of the manor before me. However, that rogue immortal with the peachwood sword might pose a threat to me."

At this moment, in the hall, Jing Xuan asked Li Xuange, "What exactly is the core token of the Lingwei Sect?"

"This... my memories have not yet returned, I am not sure."

The past lives of the other inheritors were merely attendants or spirit beasts in the manor. Now that their past lives were forgotten, they could not recall it.

Fang He suddenly thought of something, his gaze turning to Ji Feichen. "I remember the fellow practitioner has a peachwood sword in his possession?"

"That's right, that sword is one of the inheritance tokens of the Lingwei Sect. Perhaps it can serve as a key to open the manor?"

Ji Feichen pondered in silence, then shook his head. "When the immortal sword was given to me, it was said: 'The sword slays three demons; the one who finds the master shall be enlightened.' None of those present are the sword's true owner, and this item must eventually be handed to the true successor. I ask you all to think: is there anything else?"

"If it is an artifact on the level of the Evil-Warding Sword, then only the Lingwei Sect's Golden Radiance Divine Pearl and the Lingwei Jade Plate remain. But these things concern the Lingwei Sect's inheritance—where are we supposed to find them?"

Thus, everyone’s focus remained on the peachwood sword in Ji Feichen’s hand.

However, Ji Feichen had accepted a commission and was loyal to his word. Having shouldered this karmic debt, he would not break his promise.

In the end, the two sides could not reach an agreement, and Ji Feichen left, holding the sword himself.

Fang He wanted to pursue him, but Li Jingxun and others intervened, allowing Qinghong (Ji Feichen) to leave the Thick Earth Palace undisturbed.

Tao Wanru, the representative of the Demonic sect, immediately said to the others, "Fellow senior brothers, the object in that man's hand can open the manor. Please, help me!"

Hearing this, Yang Fei immediately sent the Seven-Avian Messengers to capture Qinghong.

"His magic power is high; it requires senior brother Zheng Qiong to go personally."

Zheng Qiong nodded, instructed Ling Feng and the others to protect themselves, and followed the Huangyang Demonic Sect.

"This is not good." Li Jingxun sensed the danger and said to her companions, "Senior brother Qinghong left in anger. If he is wounded by the demonic cultivators, it would be disastrous."

"His cultivation is deep; a few ordinary demons cannot kill him. Let him hit a wall, and he will naturally return to join us." Fang He flicked his sleeves and returned to his seat with a cold face. "As a rogue immortal, he has always been used to his freedom and lacks any sense of the big picture. If we cannot open the manor and defeat the Blood Sea Earth Immortal, his own survival will be in question, let alone finding any successor!"

There were several people on the Orthodox side who could inherit the manor, but because Ji Feichen held the peachwood sword and refused to give it to any of them, he had offended many. However, he had also saved many. Someone who had been saved by Ji Feichen under the Fire Cloud Rock spoke up: "A man of honor puts integrity first. Since the senior of the Lingwei Sect designated the successor and said 'The one who finds the master shall be enlightened,' perhaps there is something we have overlooked?"

"'Enlightened' implies fairness and righteousness. Perhaps it means acting with integrity. If he refuses to give us the sword, does it not imply our actions are not righteous enough?"

"Besides, look at the names of those present—who has the character for 'Sun' or 'Moon' in their name? Should we look in the Demonic sect? What if the so-called successor is in the Demonic sect? Would we not be fools to send the sword to them?"

"What about in terms of cultivation techniques?"

Li Xuange suddenly spoke. "I vaguely remember hearing my master mention in my past life that the Lingwei Sect had a technique called 'Mingwei Golden Radiance Profound Light,' which breathes in the clear light of heaven to form protective treasure garments and transform into treasure swords to defend against enemies."

The group was moved. They secretly thought: "Could it be that the owner of this sect-protecting sword must be someone who cultivates the Lingwei Sect's techniques?"

But the few candidates who could inherit the manor had already been transferred to other major sects; it seemed impossible for them to learn the techniques of their past lives.

Fang He calmed down and continued, "Without his sect-protecting immortal sword, it is not impossible to open the manor. Let us search other areas for other inheritance artifacts. Are there not the Lingwei Jade Plate and the Golden Radiance Divine Pearl, which are as famous as the Evil-Warding Immortal Sword?"

Thus, the group continued to discuss how to break the restrictions of the Thick Earth Palace, preparing to split into several paths to continue their exploration outside.

Fu Yutang looked uneasy. Finally, gritting his teeth, he secretly left the side hall to pursue Ji Feichen. "Although his brother harmed my family, he has deep ties to my master's lineage. I cannot let him meet with disaster here."

Fu Yutang’s magic power was not high, inferior to the immortals present. Fang He and the others sensed his departure, but assuming he alone could not change the big picture, they did not pursue him.

Seeing this, Li Jingxun whispered to Jing Xuan, "Senior brother has snuck out. Don't let that boy stir up trouble. Senior brother Qinghong has profound magic power and can easily handle the Demonic sect's encirclement, but he may not."

Jing Xuan agreed and followed Fu Yutang out.