The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 217 Four Major Sects Besiege Fengyu Mountain

A month has passed since Huang Yuyan and Zhou Jin escaped death and regained their memories.

Luo Yifei listened in silence, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hilt of the sword at his waist.

The night wind atop the mountain, carrying the salty tang of the sea and the chill of the cliffs, stirred the embers of the campfire, making them flicker and lick the charred charcoal, much like his turbulent thoughts at that moment.

Huang Yuyan and Zhou Jin's voices had already lowered as they recounted the moment when the elder and Haiyang were swallowed by the deep-sea serpent. Their lips were tightly pressed together, their eyes were red, and their bodies were still trembling slightly. The deep-seated fear and helplessness they felt, even a month later, were still like a lingering ailment.

“So…” Luo Yifei’s voice broke the silence, slightly hoarse, “You were lucky to escape back then. Now a month has passed, who could have predicted that the giant snake’s venom would have the effect of causing amnesia? I’m afraid Elder Qingsong and Brother Haiyang… are probably in grave danger.”

As an outsider, Luo Yifei was unwilling to risk his life to save two people in dire straits from the North Sea Abyss, yet he couldn't bear to reveal the truth directly.

"You were able to escape alive thanks to Elder Qingsong's life-risking efforts." Qi Yuan, who had been sitting silently to the side, broke the silence. His voice was low and deep, with a sigh like the friction of sandpaper, which was particularly clear in the night wind. "From what you have said, the power of that serpent was ferocious and overwhelming, and it was definitely not something that ordinary cultivators could defeat. It was entrenched in the deep abyss of the strait, and it also had the ability to create strange poisonous fog and imprison space. It was truly a place of extreme danger and death."

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, as if he were carefully choosing the least hurtful words. The flickering firelight danced in his eyes, reflecting a complex sense of compassion.

“A month has passed, and the world has changed drastically. In such a desperate situation…” Qi Yuan’s gaze fell on Huang Yuyan and Zhou Jin. Mentioning the passage of time, the two of them couldn’t help but tense up. “Elder and Brother Haiyang, I’m afraid… I’m afraid their chances of survival are slim, and there’s nothing that can be done to save them.”

“Brother Qi, Brother Luo!” Huang Yuyan suddenly looked up, her eyes quickly filled with despair, her voice trembling, “The elder… he sent us a final message to leave, to fight for that sliver of hope! His cultivation is profound, he might… he might not be able to hold on in that abyss! Junior Brother Haiyang… he’s still so young…” Her words were cut off by a surge of sobs, her shoulders heaving violently.

Roland, who was sleeping beside Huang Yuyan, was awakened by Huang Yuyan's sobs and opened her eyes. She silently got up and went to the campfire.

“My master once taught my sister Roman a secret technique that allowed her to see into the depths of life and death.”

Roland's words were like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, creating ripples in everyone's hearts.

"This technique requires the recipient's personal belongings as a catalyst, supplemented by the practitioner's life essence as a medium, and must be performed when the moonlight is at its strongest." Roland's voice pierced through the howling night wind, clear and cold. "It can reflect the recipient's current state of life and death. Although it cannot pinpoint their location, it can reveal a glimpse of the secrets of heaven." Her gaze swept over Huang Yuyan and Zhou Jin, "Do you still have the Elder's and Junior Brother Haiyang's personal belongings with you?"

Huang Yuyan trembled violently, tears still wet on her cheeks, and hurriedly reached into her robes, pulling out a warm, lustrous blue jade pendant—the protective jade pendant Elder Qingsong wore year-round, its edges now gleaming with a jade-like luster from the elder's spiritual energy. Zhou Jin quickly untied an inconspicuous gray cloth pouch from his waist, taking out a broken piece of dark black wooden hairpin. The hairpin retained faint traces of seawater salt and spiritual energy imprints; it was the item Haiyang used to tie his hair. As the two handed over the items, their fingers trembled slightly, their eyes a mixture of fear and a last glimmer of hope.

Roland remained silent, then got up and shook the sleeping Roman awake.

Roman opened her eyes groggily, looking around with a dazed expression. The firelight danced on her face, reflecting the solemn yet hopeful eyes of the others. But when she saw the blue jade pendant and the broken wooden hairpin in her sister's hand, and the unwavering determination in Roland's eyes, she instantly snapped back to reality.

Without a word, Roman immediately understood her sister's intention. She and Roland exchanged a glance; their years of tacit understanding made everything clear.

Roland took the jade pendant and wooden hairpin and carefully placed them on a relatively flat rock in front of him.

At the same time, Roman formed hand seals, her ten fingers moving rapidly like butterflies flitting among flowers, while she chanted ancient and obscure incantations. A thin, almost transparent silver light began to swirl around her, this silver light not being spiritual power, but rather drawing upon some more profound power in the world.

The night wind atop Windwhisper Mountain seemed to be summoned as well, gradually subsiding. The full moon, hanging high in the inky blue sky, its cool moonlight, as if drawn by an invisible force, descended from the heavens in wisps and strands, like smoke and mist, converging on the two items before Roland that carried the last hopes of everyone. The moonlight formed two hazy halos on the surface of the tokens, one blue and one dark, slowly rotating.

Huang Yuyan and Zhou Jin clenched their fists so tightly that their nails almost dug into their palms. They held their breath, their eyes fixed on the two rotating halos of light, afraid of missing the slightest change.

Luo Yifei gripped the sword hilt with his knuckles, leaned forward slightly, and locked his sharp gaze on the core of the spell.

Qi Yuan's expression was solemn, with complex emotions surging deep in his eyes, and the light of the campfire cast shifting shadows on his face.

Roman's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, clearly indicating that maintaining the connection between his essence and the secret technique was extremely taxing.

Her incantation suddenly rose in pitch, becoming rapid and piercing. Her hands clenched together sharply, as if trying to compress an invisible force!

hum-

A soft hum, like the vibration of a vibrating harp string, rang out. On the rock, the two halos of light instantly stabilized.

Both the jade pendant and the wooden hairpin shimmered with a faint blue light.

"Their soul fire hasn't been extinguished; they still have a glimmer of hope," Roman said slowly.

Roman's voice was exceptionally clear on the desolate mountaintop, and the two faint yet persistent blue lights, like sparks suddenly ignited in the abyss of despair, scorched everyone's pupils.

However, at this moment, the protective formation of the mountain experienced violent fluctuations.

"This is bad, someone is attacking the mountain-protecting formation." Roland attached his divine sense to the formation. "At least eighteen people, from three different forces."

The attack lasted for more than an hour before it gradually subsided.

Fortunately, those outside the mountain gate had no effective means of attacking Fengyu Mountain's great formation.

The sky is getting brighter.

A shout suddenly rang out outside the mountain gate:

"The Holy Demon Sect has come to visit Fengyu Mountain. We humbly request that you open the door to receive our guests."

"The Ghostfire Sect earnestly requests that Fengyushan open its doors to guests."

"The Moon Worship Cult requests that Fengyu Mountain open its doors to welcome guests."

"The Hidden Gods Sect has visited Wind Whisper Mountain..."

Twenty-one people from four different factions gathered at the gatehouse at the foot of Fengyu Mountain.

The clamorous shouts pierced through the thin mist, like icy needles, each one wedged into the heavy silence of the mountaintop. The embers of the campfire were completely extinguished, leaving only a few wisps of smoke rising, which were then torn to pieces by the mountain wind.

Luo Yifei's hand, which had been caressing the sword hilt, suddenly clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white. His sharp gaze swept towards the mountain gate, like a hawk locking onto its prey, and his aura instantly became condensed and dangerous.

The lazy smile that usually graced Qi Yuan's lips had vanished, replaced by a cold wariness. He slowly rose, his wide sleeves fluttering even without wind, his eyes swirling with scrutiny and calculation.

Huang Yuyan and Zhou Jin were struck dumb, the faint color that had appeared on their faces due to a glimmer of hope instantly draining away, leaving them ashen-faced. They had just been pulled back from the abyss of despair by a faint blue light, only to be dragged into an even deeper vortex by the cold shouts from outside the door. Huang Yuyan instinctively clutched the warm, blue jade pendant in her bosom, as if it were her only source of strength, her nails almost digging into her palms. Zhou Jin gripped the broken, dark wooden hairpin tightly, her knuckles cracking from the force, her body taut like a fully drawn bowstring.

A frosty expression crept onto Roman's pale face, drained by the secret technique. She and Roland exchanged a quick glance. Without a word, the sisters instantly reached a consensus. Roland closed her eyes, her spiritual energy flowing around her, connecting her divine sense more deeply with the mountain-protecting array. Under her precise control, the previously slightly chaotic array's light barrier returned to its stable and solid state, like the resilient glass covering the mountain, blocking out all noise and malice.

“Holy Demon Sect… Ghost Fire Sect… Moon Worship Cult… Hidden God Sect…” Qi Yuan repeated the names outside the mountain gate in a low voice, each word seemingly soaked in icy water, carrying a bone-chilling cold. “Gathered from all directions, twenty-one people… Ha, what a grand display, what a ‘coincidental’ timing.” His gaze swept over the crowd, especially lingering on Huang Yuyan and Zhou Jin’s faces, the meaning of which was self-evident—they had just escaped back, had just regained their memories, and had just confirmed that the elders and Haiyang were not dead, and these “guests” had swarmed in like sharks smelling blood.

Luo Yifei took a step forward, his figure as steady as a mountain, yet radiating an invisible sharpness. "These visitors are not friendly." His voice was concise and powerful, like the clang of metal. "Fengyu Mountain is isolated overseas, rarely interacting with the outside world. Now, with this upheaval, four forces have come together. What do they seek?" He turned his gaze to Roland, "Is the array core still stable?"

Roland opened his eyes, a faint light flashing from the subtle runes beneath them. He nodded and said, "The foundation of the formation is intact, and with the blessing of the divine artifact, there's no problem." His tone was calm.

The shouts outside the mountain gate erupted again after a brief silence. This time, the spiritual power contained in the voices was even more immense, carrying an irresistible pressure that pierced through the array's light barrier and resounded throughout the mountain peak:

"Fellow Daoists of Fengyu Mountain! We come from all directions with no ill intentions! We only wish to verify one matter! There are unusual disturbances in the North Sea Abyss. Some fellow Daoists have sensed an explosion of terrifying demonic energy, and even the power of spatial confinement is leaking out! We have just heard that a fellow Daoist from your sect ventured there a month ago, and it seems that some have suffered losses! We are worried that this fiend will cause trouble, so we have come to inquire about the details and discuss countermeasures! Please remove the formation and open the door for a discussion!"

The speaker had a booming voice and introduced himself:

"The Holy Demon Sect, Li Wujiu!"

"Ghost Fire Gate, Yin Jiuzhu!"

"The Moon Worship Cult, Moon Without a Trace!"

"The Hidden God Sect, Liu Xuanfeng!"

Four names, like four heavy hammers, pounded into everyone's hearts. The domineering Holy Demon Sect, the unpredictable Ghost Fire Sect, the enigmatic Moon Worship Cult, the secretive Hidden God Sect... all were renowned forces in their respective regions! Their words pointed directly to the North Sea Abyss and the Serpent!

Huang Yuyan and Zhou Jin were terrified. Not only did the other party know they had been there, but they had also pointed out the "losses"! This was no coincidence! A chilling, venomous terror instantly gripped them.

Qi Yuan let out a low, sarcastic laugh: "'Discussing countermeasures'? I'm afraid they've come to probe the truth, or even try to seize the 'opportunity' that can trap Elder Qingsong!"

Luo Yifei's eyes were sharp as knives. His hand, which was resting on the hilt of his sword, remained motionless for a moment before he lowered it and reached for the cold musket in his robes. "Roland, can you tell what level those people outside are at?"

Deep within Roland's eyes, the pale silver runes rippled violently, like the surface of a lake tossed with pebbles. Her brows furrowed, as if she were straining to analyze the energy source of the twenty-one figures outside the mountain gate through an invisible barrier. A moment later, her voice rang out, heavy with emotion:

“Li Wujiu of the Holy Demon Sect, peak late-stage Yuan Dan, possesses a domineering and fierce aura. His spiritual power surges like molten lava. The two people beside him are in the mid-stage Yuan Dan realm, their murderous aura soaring to the sky.” She paused, then extended her divine sense further, “Yin Jiuzhu of the Ghost Fire Sect, early-stage Yuan Shen realm! His aura is cold and eerie, like a bone-deep infection. His spiritual power is entangled with ominous death energy. The three people beside him, two in the mid-stage Yuan Dan realm and one in the early-stage Yuan Dan realm, all exude a chilling aura.”

The air atop the mountain seemed to freeze. The Nascent Soul stage! The appearance of this realm instantly amplified the invisible pressure to a suffocating level. Luo Yifei's knuckles, pressed against the musket, turned white from the force, his fingertips clearly feeling the icy texture of the metal barrel—completely different from the warm feel of the ancient sword at his waist, yet equally conveying a resolute power.

Roland's investigation continued, her pace quickening: "Yue Wuhen of the Moon Worship Sect, late-stage Yuan Dan, his spiritual energy fluctuations are elusive and unpredictable, seemingly resonating with the moonlight. The four behind him, three early-stage Yuan Dan and one Great Perfection True Yuan, their auras blending into the night, mysterious and difficult to discern." Finally, her gaze seemed to pierce through the outermost light barrier, "Liu Xuanfeng of the Hidden God Sect... this person... his aura is the most obscure and difficult to discern, one can only vaguely sense that his realm is at least late-stage Yuan Dan or even higher, his spiritual energy is almost imperceptible, as if integrated into the heavens and earth themselves. The four he brought are all mid-stage Yuan Dan cultivators, their auras restrained, their sharpness concealed."

As Roland reported the specific cultivation levels of the four forces outside the mountain gate, a heavy chill settled over everyone's hearts. One Nascent Soul cultivator, four late-stage Core Formation cultivators, plus a dozen early-to-mid-stage Core Formation cultivators and Perfected True Essence cultivators… this force was enough to easily crush a mid-level sect! They gathered here, saying they were "discussing countermeasures," but their true intentions were as clear as vultures circling above a dying man.

"Ye Fan, Sun Li, do you have a solution?" Luo Yifei awakened the two souls that were sleeping in the Wind and Fire Wheels.

"Tsk..." Ye Fan's illusory figure clicked his tongue in a cryptic tone, his voice like the friction of sand, carrying the stagnation of someone who hadn't spoken in a long time and a hint of impatience from being forcibly awakened. "What a lively scene, one Nascent Soul cultivator, four late-stage Core Formation cultivators... Kid, have you stirred up a hornet's nest?" His gaze swept over Luo Yifei's hand on the musket, then glanced at Qi Yuan's tense expression, finally settling on Huang Yuyan's tightly clutched jade pendant and the half-broken wooden hairpin in Zhou Jin's hand, a faint crimson light flickering within.

Sun Li's illusory figure remained silent, but deep within her cold eyes, subtle runes flowed, as if rapidly analyzing everything before her—the overwhelming spiritual pressure outside the mountain gate, the solemn despair on everyone's faces, the lingering fluctuations of secret techniques in the air, and the two tokens carrying faint soul flames.

"Please ask them to come up the mountain. I have a way," Ye Fan said calmly, then turned to Zhou Jin, "Lend me your body for a bit."

Zhou Jin nodded slightly.