Volume Two: Mountains and Rivers Bar the Way Chapter Thirteen: Between a

In the void above Lanling, the moon of the fifteenth night had long since set, while the sun of the sixteenth was striving to spread its light across the land. In the Moon-viewing Pavilion by the central Zhengyang Bridge of Changshan City, Su Xin and Zhuo Yun had dozed off over the stone table for most of the night. Qin Ying still maintained the same posture she had held when the lanterns were first lit, leaning against a pillar of the pavilion. A layer of dew had collected on her cloak, and her vacant eyes stared toward the courier's inn, the tear stains on her cheeks still faintly visible.

A few crows called harshly from the branches, rousing Su Xin. She sat up slowly, shaking her aching head. Glancing up, she saw Qin Ying, who had stood all night. The lanterns lining the streets had all gone out, sunlight was already pouring onto Zhengyang Avenue, and the few pedestrians hurried home with weary steps.

Su Xin rose and walked over to Qin Ying, massaging her temples with one hand and patting Qin Ying’s shoulder with the other. “You shouldn’t wait any longer; it’s already light.”

Qin Ying shook her head. “Zhuo Hua said he would come. He’ll keep his word.”

Su Xin sighed. “Yuan Shang must have had something urgent to attend to, couldn’t let us know in time. We’d best head back for now.”

—Clouds of Auspice, in the void.

Lan Sheng could no longer recall how many bolts of lightning he’d endured. His body felt heavier with each passing moment, every punch exhausting his strength. The energy his Core of Tranquility produced was dwindling. Were it not for Lord Zhuo Hua’s constant aid, deflecting danger from his side, he’d have long since fallen into the endless, crimson abyss below, crushed to dust by the weight that pressed down like three mountains.

Zhuo Hua glanced at the black Eye that loomed ever closer, then at Lan Sheng, who could no longer take another step. Lan Sheng’s perseverance was remarkable—he’d only just reached the Spirit Stage before entering the Clouds of Auspice. Yet now, Zhuo Hua himself was struggling to withstand the Nine Heavens’ Lightning alone, and with Lan Sheng in tow, it seemed impossible to reach the World Tree within the black Eye.

Suddenly, a familiar voice roared from afar. Both Zhuo Hua and Lan Sheng turned to see Yuan Kang, battling falling lightning, flying toward them with a furious shout.

Zhuo Hua was alarmed, sending a thought to Lan Sheng: “This is bad! That fiend has broken through his limits. He was only at the Immortal Stage earlier, but in half a day he’s reached the Divine Stage. Be on your guard!”

Before he could finish, Yuan Kang hurtled straight at them. Zhuo Hua and Lan Sheng, already straining against the lightning above, had no strength left to fend off Yuan Kang’s deadly blow.

Thinking quickly, Zhuo Hua moved in front of Lan Sheng, spinning himself to try to deflect Yuan Kang’s attack with his protective aura and bounce him away.

Just as Zhuo Hua began to spin, Yuan Kang struck. There was a thunderous crash and a burst of white light. Zhuo Hua felt his protective aura almost completely shattered by the impact. In that instant, he glimpsed Yuan Kang’s head drooping as he barreled toward Lan Sheng, the two colliding and tumbling together toward the black Eye.

—Lanling Void, Courier’s Inn of Changshan City.

Old Yao had just returned to the inn. Upon entering the hall and seeing the Illusion Servant, he barked anxiously, “Where are the three young ladies?”

The Illusion Servant, in the midst of sweeping, was startled by Old Yao’s shout and stammered, “I—I don’t know. The ladies went to the Lantern Festival last night and haven’t returned yet.”

Old Yao sighed and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Back at the pavilion, Zhuo Yun and Su Xin continued to urge Qin Ying to come home.

Zhuo Yun said, “Sister Qin, Palace Master Qin, you should return to the inn. My brother and the others might already be back. Waiting here serves no purpose.”

Su Xin chimed in, “She’s right, Sister Qin, let’s go back! Old Yao isn’t around either, something important must have happened.”

Just then, Qin Ying pointed to the street, where Old Yao was running toward them, and said, “That scoundrel Old Yao is coming.”

In moments, Old Yao reached the pavilion, breathless with anxiety. “Palace Master Qin, Lord Yuan entered the Clouds of Auspice last night. Please notify the Cloud Palace to prepare for his return.”

—Clouds of Auspice, Black Eye of the Great Red Spot.

“Lan Sheng! Lan Sheng!” Zhuo Hua called as he flew through the Eye’s darkness. He’d seen Lan Sheng and Yuan Kang crash inside moments before, but now there was no sign of them.

Zhuo Hua drifted forward. The scenery here had barely changed in hundreds of thousands of years—the broken stone tablets floating in the air, the ruined statues, all exactly as he’d seen them when he’d left so long ago.

After a while, a grand temple appeared ahead. Zhuo Hua landed lightly at its entrance, touching one of the sacred sites of the Xuanhuang clan: the Temple of the World Tree.

He stepped inside. The two massive torches at the door were extinguished. With a snap of his fingers, two flames danced in his palm, which he tossed to the torches. Instantly, they blazed to life, filling the hall with brilliant light.

“Lan Sheng…” Zhuo Hua called softly again, but there was no reply.

He continued deeper, gazing up at the statues and murals on either side, silent witnesses to the Xuanhuang clan’s glorious past. Suddenly, both murals and statues ceased, and directly ahead loomed a massive wall carved with a sky-reaching tree.

Zhuo Hua floated up to its center, his hand sorrowfully caressing a huge, dull yellow gem. He murmured, “Father, mother, master, Zhuo Hua has come to see you. But alas, the World Tree on the other side can never be opened again.”

Lost in his grief, he was jarred by a loud crash. Turning, Zhuo Hua saw Lan Sheng struck by Yuan Kang’s palm, sent flying to smash against a thick pillar before collapsing limply, blood trickling from his lips.

With a furious roar, Zhuo Hua sped toward Yuan Kang.

Yuan Kang, thinking the hall empty, was startled to see Zhuo Hua appear from nowhere.

Not daring to be careless, he mustered his strength and braced for battle. As Zhuo Hua’s assault neared, Yuan Kang launched several energy blades.

Zhuo Hua, sensing the ferocity of the attack, instinctively reached out and twisted his right hand in the air, but the White Horse Star gave no response—he’d already used it thrice today and needed more Solar Essence to activate it again. So, twisting his body, he barely dodged the blades, which smashed into a nearby aolite statue, leaving deep cracks and scattering stone fragments.

Enraged, Zhuo Hua shouted, “This sacred land of Xuanhuang will not tolerate your rampage!” With that, he unleashed four palm strikes, each carrying forceful energy toward Yuan Kang’s face.

Yuan Kang bellowed in reply, “You Xuanhuang immortals are all bloodsucking demons! If not for your greed for our homeland, my parents and kin would still live. Let’s end this today!” Even as he spoke, he dodged Zhuo Hua’s four strikes.

Back and forth they battled, neither gaining the upper hand.

As their struggle intensified, a blue gem at the base of the World Tree began to flash and hum.

Zhuo Hua recognized this as the sign that the World Tree had been activated on the Cloud Palace side. Rapidly forming hand seals, he chanted, “Supreme goodness is like water!” With a sudden thrust, a massive sphere of earth energy shot toward Yuan Kang. As soon as he launched the attack, Zhuo Hua raced to Lan Sheng, grabbing him and flying toward the World Tree mural.

At that moment, a black-edged blue portal slowly opened at the base of the wall. Without hesitation, Zhuo Hua dragged Lan Sheng toward it.

Quick as a flash, Yuan Kang, having deflected Zhuo Hua’s attack, noticed the portal and rushed for it. As Lan Sheng was about to fully enter, Yuan Kang grabbed hold of his right leg.

Sensing the danger, Zhuo Hua shouted, “Don’t let him come through!”

Steeled by Zhuo Hua’s warning, Lan Sheng shook off his panic, drew a hidden blade from his sleeve, channeled his energy into it, and, with a shout, slashed down. With a sickening sound, Yuan Kang’s left arm was severed, just as the portal closed.

Exhausted, Zhuo Hua and Lan Sheng, carrying Yuan Kang’s severed arm, emerged beneath the World Tree mural in the Cloud Palace. The portal behind them faded away. Before them stood the twenty-six constellations and the twelve Cloud Palace guards, all on high alert. Seeing Zhuo Hua’s return, everyone relaxed their guard.

At that moment, Qin Ying rushed out from the crowd and threw herself into Zhuo Hua’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.