Chapter 15: Crimson Sky
Page (1/3) 015 Crimson Firmament
Pang Yue forced a bitter smile. “I truly do not know.”
The middle-aged man chuckled. “You do not even know the name of the world you inhabit?”
Pang Yue replied, “I only know this world is vast and boundless, called the Celestial Sea. The Celestial Sea is divided into Inner and Outer Seas. The Inner Sea has four regions—east, south, west, and north... Ordinary Dao Foundation cultivators, relying solely on flight, could hardly traverse even one of these seas in their lifetime.”
“How ignorant!”
The middle-aged man snorted. “Judging by your cultivation method, it is no ordinary one. I thought you hailed from a great sect or powerful clan, yet your knowledge is so limited.”
Pang Yue seized the chance to ask, “Would you enlighten me, senior?”
He truly wished to know whether the world he had transmigrated into had any connection with the Doushuai Heaven from his previous life’s game.
The middle-aged man said, “This realm was created in the Primordial Age by a mighty cultivator of the Crimson Firmament Sect in the Ethereal Heavens, hence its name: Crimson Firmament. Within this world are five regions—east, south, west, north, and center. The Celestial Sea you spoke of is but one sea among the three continents and one sea of the eastern domain.”
Pang Yue’s expression shifted. He had not expected the cultivation world to be so vast.
In the memories of his body’s former owner, even a mighty Nascent Soul cultivator’s entire range of activity was limited to wandering the four seas. For a Dao Foundation cultivator, with a lifespan of three hundred years, the Eastern Sea alone would be more than enough to spend a lifetime exploring.
Moved by a sudden thought, he asked, “Senior, have you ever heard of Doushuai Heaven?”
“I have not. Which world is that?” The middle-aged man shook his head.
“I merely chanced upon the name in ancient texts and know nothing more,” Pang Yue replied.
The middle-aged man then inquired about the current state of the Eastern Sea, and Pang Yue answered each question in turn.
Afterward, the man fell silent for a long time before finally speaking:
“You were able to enter this place and awaken a trace of my lingering consciousness. Clearly, you have a fated connection with my Yuanyang Sect. I have perished for hundreds of thousands of years; by rights, I should not be picky, but your aptitude is... simply too poor.”
“In this Yuanyang Sanctuary, there remains a treasure vault—the foundation for the Yuanyang Sect’s revival. Within, there are two legacies of the Primordial Spirit Dao, nine magical treasures, and countless spirit stones. If you agree to serve as my Outer Sect Elder and seek out true disciples for me, I can guarantee you wealth and prosperity for life.”
Pang Yue considered this and asked, “If I become this Outer Sect Elder, will I have no time left for cultivation?”
The middle-aged man nodded. “Indeed. You would have to devote all your time to seeking true disciples for me. But with your aptitude, even if you exhaust vast amounts of rare resources, reaching the late stage of Dao Foundation in this life would already be your limit. Why waste your years on meaningless pursuits? Why not find a few beautiful female cultivators, take them as Dao companions, build a family, and let your descendants join my Yuanyang Sect and carry on my legacy?”
Pang Yue pondered for a long time before replying, “Forgive me, senior, I cannot agree. The path of immortality is long and winding—if I stop here, I would never be content in this life.”
The middle-aged man looked at him, silent for a while, then said, “Foolish! Utterly foolish! Must I personally act and place a restriction on your soul before you comply?”
Pang Yue gave a small smile. “A pity about that treasure vault, but I doubt, senior, you have the ability to make me stay!”
With that, his figure flickered and vanished.
“Hm?” The middle-aged man’s expression changed. “What a marvelous flying sword?”
As he spoke, spiritual light flared around him.
The Yuanyang Sanctuary seemed to come alive; countless fissures split open on the surface of the massive green stone, pouring forth blinding white light.
An invisible sword, in a flash of creation and destruction, pierced through the Sanctuary’s defenses from inside out and shot away like lightning.
Then, it vanished into the boundless depths of the sea.
Behind, the massive green stone suddenly blazed with an intense radiance; the white light illuminated a thousand miles in an instant.
Within a thousand miles, every living creature became still.
Only an invisible sword-light, with a faint struggle, broke through the spiritual force and slipped away.
“Let it be. If you wish to leave, I will not keep you. Perhaps, if fate allows, we shall meet again.”
The middle-aged man’s voice echoed in Pang Yue’s ear.
The next moment, a pillar of dazzling white light surged from the seabed, and the seawater within a thousand-mile radius was instantly boiled by the immense spiritual power!
The blinding white pillar pierced the sky, spirit energy waves spreading in all directions, perceptible for ten thousand miles.
At the Magic Talisman Sect’s teleportation market, over a thousand cultivators saw the phenomenon from afar and rushed toward it on flying lights.
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Within the light pillar, the Yuanyang Sanctuary rose to the sea’s surface, floated in the air, spun lightly, and disappeared.
Riding the Invisible Sword, Pang Yue emerged above the sea and revealed himself. He glanced back at the pillar of light, his expression complex.
Life’s journey is made up of countless choices. Whether missing this opportunity was right or wrong, who could say?
“This is no place to linger.”
His spiritual sense detected others already heading this way, stirred by the phenomenon. Pang Yue prepared to depart at once.
Suddenly, a voice sounded in the distance.
“Fellow cultivator, wait!”
Not far off, five streaks of escaping light sped straight toward him.
The leader wasted no time, hurling three dark divine thunders at Pang Yue.
Still troubled by the matter of the Yuanyang Sanctuary, Pang Yue could not help but laugh in anger.
The three divine thunders exploded instantly, dark blue light surging and transforming into three thunderclouds that enveloped Pang Yue.
Boom!
Thunder roared across the sea.
Under the gloomy sky, fine rain fell, and electric serpents danced in the downpour.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the five streaks of light had already surrounded Pang Yue.
Soon the thunder light faded.
Pang Yue stood in midair, his body glowing with golden light, utterly unharmed.
He had cultivated the Dragon Elephant Subduing Fist to perfection; though his flesh was not as tough as a Nascent Soul cultivator’s, it far exceeded that of the Dao Foundation realm.
He looked calmly at the five who had encircled him, his voice cold. “Why do you attack me without cause? Do you all tire of living?”
Long Yanzi and his companions scrutinized Pang Yue and, seeing that he was only at the third level of Dao Foundation, relaxed a bit.
Though his body-refining art was formidable, as long as they kept their distance, they could surely kill him.
“Are you the one who killed my sister, Long Ying’er? And what of the Five Friends of Bamboo Mountain?”
Long Yanzi fixed his gaze on Pang Yue; he had been the one to attack with the Darkwater Yin Thunder.
“I do not know any Long Ying’er or the Five Friends of Bamboo Mountain,” Pang Yue replied, baring his teeth in a grin. Two swords floated before him—one gleaming cold and clear, the other a mingling of red and white.
The sword-lights coiled around him like live serpents, ready to strike at any moment.
He swept his gaze over the five, as if deciding whom to take down first.
The scholar using Darkwater Yin Thunder had perfected his Dao Foundation and would be the hardest to deal with.
The young-looking cultivator seemed familiar—wasn’t he seen at the Antiquities Pavilion, with some connection to the Gu family?
The short, stout elder in ornate robes was the weakest, just at Dao Foundation sixth level.
The remaining two: one armored and masked, his whole presence exuding chill, at Dao Foundation seventh level; the other, in black robes with a rugged face, at Dao Foundation ninth level, now eyeing Pang Yue greedily, his killing intent undisguised.
Long Yanzi saw how relaxed Pang Yue remained despite being surrounded and dispelled his own contempt, focusing all his attention and caution.
Xun Yuan barked, “Was it you who caused the phenomenon just now? Is the Nascent Soul relic in your possession?”
The black-robed cultivator, impatient, said, “There’s no one else for a thousand miles. Who else could it be? Let’s just kill him and search for the treasure!”
With that, he summoned a jet-black flying dagger, sending it hurtling for Pang Yue’s brow.
Pang Yue sneered, flicked his finger, and sent the Butterfly Loves the Flower sword to intercept the dagger.
The Flame Demon Immortal-Slaying Sword flickered and appeared before the black-robed cultivator, transforming into a slender red-and-white light that circled toward his neck.
Clang!
The black-robed cultivator flung out a silver short staff, striking the red-and-white sword precisely.
But in the next instant, his expression froze; his eyes widened in disbelief.
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A fine line of blood appeared at his brow, extending downward.
The other four, just about to strike, instinctively paused.
Before their eyes, the black-robed cultivator’s body split in two, falling into the sea below.
A chill gripped the hearts of the remaining four; none had seen how their companion had died.
“Together!” Long Yanzi roared, taking the lead and hurling a water-bucket-thick Darkwater Yin Thunder at Pang Yue.
The others attacked as well.
But Pang Yue’s form flickered and abruptly vanished!
All their attacks struck only empty air.
Yet the two flying swords danced and weaved, elusive and swift, transforming into dazzling arcs of sword-light that swept the field.
The cold sword-light slashed toward Qian Yufeng, the red-and-white light toward Xun Yuan.
Faster than lightning, the sword-lights moved at a thought; both men mustered their full strength to defend.
Long Yanzi and the armored cultivator widened their eyes, sweeping the area with spiritual sense, desperate to find Pang Yue’s whereabouts.
Suddenly, the cold sword-light accelerated, slipped past Qian Yufeng’s block, pierced his brow, exited the back of his head, and vanished into the rain.
A muffled thunder sounded.
Qian Yufeng’s face froze. He looked at Long Yanzi, opened his mouth as if to speak, but his gaze dimmed and he died.
Sword-energy thunder.
The three survivors’ hearts pounded wildly; each began to regret coming.
Without a word, Long Yanzi abruptly summoned a jet-black battle banner and shouted, “To me!”
Billowing black mist surged from the banner.
Xun Yuan and the armored cultivator hurried toward him.
Suddenly, dazzling sword-light erupted. The red-and-white sword split in four: two strands tangled with Xun Yuan, two slashed at the armored cultivator.
A deep blue glow enveloped the armored man as he raised a handful of cold sand to shield himself.
The sand, dense as fog, surrounded him, emanating an extreme chill. The falling rain froze into crystals before touching the ground, drifting gently down. Even the sea below began to ice over.
Yet the red-and-white sword-light slipped through the sand like a fish, weaving nimbly between each grain.
The armored man hastily formed a seal; the sand gathered tightly over his body, forming an extra layer of armor.
But the next moment, the sword-light merged, circling his neck dozens of times at lightning speed!
A shrill, grating sound filled the air.
“Dragon Brother, save—” the armored man bellowed.
But before he finished, a helmeted head dropped to the ground.
The cold sand, battle armor, protective aura—all were sliced apart by the Flame Demon Immortal-Slaying Sword.
Elsewhere, Xun Yuan wielded a fan-shaped artifact to fend off the sword-light while fleeing toward Long Yanzi’s black mist.
He was nearly within the mist when the armored man’s death cry reached him.
Turning his head, he suddenly felt a chill at his neck.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a blood-stained, translucent sword flashing past his vision...