Chapter 115: Metamorphosis Stage, She Must Win

When the four suns had all set, the fifth illusion descended. The stars twinkled in the sky, and a bright moon hung in the southern sky, its edges faintly tinged with red, gradually being consumed by the red light.

Lian Mu walked northward, and when night fell, she faintly saw a waterfall-like barrier at the edge of the sky.

This barrier had no visible top, and from top to bottom, it looked like water falling from the sky, with traces of Spiritual Energy flowing through it.

At the bottom of the barrier was a copper platform, on which a statue of the Black Tortoise was carved, symbolizing the Xuanwu North, and also corresponding to the Returning Immortal Sect.

The Four Symbols Mirror barrier was set up by the Clear Thought Sect’s Sect Leader. Among the two factions of talisman cultivators, Clear Thought Sect was known for its dual cultivation, but it leaned more toward the Hidden Heart faction. Its barrier represented the pinnacle of a talisman cultivator’s strength from the Hidden Heart faction, while also serving as an invisible deterrent to other sects.

Lian Mu flew over and touched the barrier, which felt icy cold. The further she went, the deeper the chill became.

She tentatively extended half of her hand into the barrier, and in the blink of an eye, her hand became numb with frost.

Lian Mu withdrew her hand and used her spiritual energy to alleviate the cold, abandoning the idea of passing through the barrier directly.

She looked down at the Black Tortoise copper platform. According to Bai Li Que, the Four Symbols Mirror corresponding to Returning Immortal Sect had not yet been activated, and the people who had been transported to the second realm of heaven could not exit, nor could anyone from the outside enter.

If she remembered correctly, there were two Fire Core Flowers in this round, one in the desert and the other in the second realm of heaven.

It was uncertain which one would bloom, and it was very dangerous for Returning Immortal Sect’s Chief Team to remain in the second realm of heaven.

Lian Mu flew down and approached the Black Tortoise copper platform. From a distance, she saw three smaller statues near the platform, representing Zhuque, Baihu, and Qinglong.

Among these three statues, only the eyes of the Zhuque statue were glowing. This indicated that the Four Symbols Mirror corresponding to Azure Profound Sect had already been activated.

The Azure Profound Sect Chief Team was all in the first realm of heaven. They must have chosen to activate the Four Symbols Mirror first, facilitating their subsequent actions.

But as a Talisman Cultivators sect, Clear Thought Sect had not activated their Four Symbols Mirror right away… In fact, they had even kicked the Chief talisman cultivators out of the team.

As soon as this doubt crossed Lian Mu’s mind, a gust of wind suddenly rushed from behind her.

She instinctively dodged and controlled her broom to fly upwards. A wave of heat came crashing at her, and when she looked back, she saw the broom’s tail was on fire.

Lian Mu flew to a safe spot and looked down. Beneath her was a giant flame beast, with thick limbs and cracks in its skin from which red flames flowed. Its eyes were bloodshot, and it was furiously digging at the sand below.

She took a closer look and thought the beast looked somewhat familiar. She seemed to have seen one like it before… Yes, this flame beast was identical to the Spirit Pet of Feihai Pavilion’s Gong Yu.

However, this was a Metamorphosis-stage demonic beast.

The Spiritual Energy surrounding the flame beast was murky, mixed with explosive, foul-smelling energy. Lian Mu couldn’t immediately tell its rank.

The appearance of this flame beast here might have been arranged by Clear Thought Sect’s Sect Leader to guard the Four Symbols Mirror.

Lian Mu had heard from Xu Xianxing that the Clear Thought Sect’s Sect Leader had placed Metamorphosis-stage demonic beasts in the Illusory Realm. Killing them could increase a cultivator’s rank in the Five Cultivator Rankings, and they could take the demonic beast’s crystal core at the Metamorphosis stage.

She did not immediately descend but instead hovered in the air, observing the situation below.

She watched as the flame beast stared at her, then, having lost its target, it moved toward the barrier and its body melded into it.

Lian Mu thought: So it’s really a demonic beast guarding the Black Tortoise copper platform?

She was about to descend when another group of people arrived.

It was none other than Shen Wuxie, who had been tricked by her earlier. He hadn’t gone back but had instead followed the trail to this spot.

It seemed he hadn’t come with Lian Mu. He didn’t notice her in the sky and was holding a talisman that was already half-burned.

“It’s around here somewhere,” Shen Wuxie glanced around and spotted the Four Symbols Mirror not far away. “Is it around Returning Immortal Sect’s Four Symbols Mirror again? How unlucky.”

He seemed quite displeased and walked up to the Black Tortoise copper platform, kicking it. “Still hasn’t activated the mirror at this hour. Bai Li Que really isn’t what he used to be, letting a Second Seat draw lots for him.”

“Chief, be careful!”

A disciple from Clear Thought Sect reached out to pull him, but the flame beast, which had leaped out of the barrier, was too fast. A burst of intense flames brushed against Shen Wuxie’s face, burning off two strands of hair from his cheek.

“Hiss…” Shen Wuxie frowned and stepped back a few paces. “So it’s hiding in the barrier. Heh, right on time.”

He didn’t waste words, immediately engaging in battle.

Lian Mu continued observing from above. Seeing that Shen Wuxie had made the first move, she decided not to intervene. Since someone was already testing the waters for her, she could take this opportunity to figure out the weaknesses of both Shen Wuxie and the flame beast.

The Clear Thought Sect disciples below all joined the battle to assist Shen Wuxie. Their attention was focused entirely on the flame beast, and none of them noticed her presence.

Lian Mu sat on her broom, watching them fight. Her gaze shifted with the movements of the flame beast. Before long, she noticed a pattern on the beast’s back, flickering between light and dark.

Lian Mu followed the beast’s movements and, whenever the pattern lit up, quickly memorized it. After several attempts, she was able to sketch it out by hand.

If the flame beast was indeed guarding the Four Symbols Mirror, then this pattern was likely the spell-breaking method for the mirror.

Lian Mu looked up at the sky again. The moon had already been half consumed by the blood-red light. She didn’t know what this meant, but it certainly wasn’t a good sign.

…

Outside the Illusory Realm.

“The Flame Tsunami is about to arrive,” a Senior from Crimson Sky Sect said, “Only the Returning Immortal Sect Chief Team is in the second realm of heaven. Your luck in this round isn’t good.”

Xin Wanbai: “The second-seat sword cultivator has already found the Four Symbols Mirror. She will have a solution.”

Murong Yi saw the image of the Clear Thought Sect’s Chief appear in the shadow stone of Returning Immortal Sect and smiled faintly. “The Clear Thought Sect’s Chief is quite helpful, helping Returning Immortal Sect kill the guardian beast of the mirror.”

Upon hearing this, a Senior Alchemy Cultivator from Clear Thought Sect’s expression darkened. He turned to the nearby Senior Talisman Cultivator and said, “Look at what your good disciple is doing. He doesn’t care about his own sect’s business and is meddling in others’ affairs.”

The Senior Talisman Cultivator had long gotten used to it. “Tang Wuxun has already decided to let Bai Li Yu kill the guardian beast at the White Tiger Copper Platform. Wuxie wants a rank, so naturally, he has to go after other sects’ guardian beasts. Young people always like to compete in this regard. You can’t blame him.”

“But this is a First Rank guardian beast. Shen Wuxie couldn’t even defeat a Third Rank demonic beast during the sect’s trial. Isn’t this a suicide mission?”

The Senior Talisman Cultivator from Clear Thought Sect smiled. “Isn’t Returning Immortal Sect’s second-seat there?”

Cheng Ling, who was standing nearby, smiled. “You’re relying on the Returning Immortal Sect’s second-seat, a three-spirit-roots sword cultivator? She’s hiding in the sky, probably too scared to come down.”

Although his words were harsh, Murong Yi had to admit that staying up in the sky to observe the battle was the best choice for Lian Mu. Shen Wuxie, with his Heavenly Spirit Root, might be able to give it a try, but going head-to-head with a First Rank Demonic Beast as a Three-Spirit-Roots cultivator would lead to disastrous consequences.

Shang Liu made no comment about the Returning Immortal Sect’s Second Seat’s actions. His face was cold, clearly not fond of the name, especially since not long ago, this Second Seat had robbed the Azure Profound Sect’s Chief Alchemy Cultivator and Artifact Refiner, and forcibly set up an unfair contract.

“It’s just a First Rank Demonic Beast,” Shang Liu said indifferently. “A single sword could solve this, no need to argue over it.”

The moment he spoke, everyone fell silent, unable to refute him. Azure Profound Sect had that kind of strength. Their Chief Sword Cultivator, Ying You, had charged straight to the Four Symbols Mirror upon entering the Illusory Realm and dealt with the guardian beast in a single sword strike.

The room fell quiet for a while. As the image on the recording stone shifted, Clear Thought Sect’s Senior began to frown.

“Shen Wuxie really isn’t up to it.”

On the recording, Shen Wuxie had been pinned to the ground by the guardian flame beast. Covered in wounds, he still gripped his fists tightly, determined to land a final blow.

“This child is so stubborn, refusing to admit defeat, and now he’s in such a sorry state.”

Murong Yi wasn’t interested in Clear Thought Sect’s people, but the next moment, he saw Lian Mu dive down from the sky.

Murong Yi: “Why is she suddenly making a move now… The guardian beast is about to enter its berserk phase.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to the recording of Returning Immortal Sect’s Second Seat, where they saw her speeding past on her broom, pulling Shen Wuxie out from the claws of the flame beast.

“Another one seeking death,” Cheng Ling laughed even more deeply. “I think your two sects should first teach your disciples how to save their lives in a crisis.”

Murong Yi stared at the shadow recording stone, his grip tightening around his silver fan, and said no more.

Inside the Illusory Realm.

“Lian Mu, let me down!” Shen Wuxie struggled in mid-air, his collar gripped in her hand. “You think just because you saved me, I’ll thank you? Dream on!”

Lian Mu: “…No one is trying to save you.”

Without saying another word, she snatched the talismans he was holding, then tossed him onto the sand. “I will take these. You’re in no condition to use them. You might as well give them to me.”

Shen Wuxie spat out a mouthful of blood. “Have some shame, will you? So you’ve been watching me from above this whole time? I knew it felt creepy behind me. It’s all your fault, messing with me while I was trying to kill that Demonic Beast.”

“If you’re useless, don’t find excuses,” Lian Mu said, thrusting her sword through him. “I don’t have time for your nonsense.”

Shen Wuxie widened his eyes, seemingly wanting to curse some more, but his body was dissolving much faster than his words could come out. Before he could say anything else, he was sent out of the Illusory Realm.

Other disciples from Clear Thought Sect were also severely injured by the Demonic Beast and sent out of the Illusory Realm.

Lian Mu raised her sword and looked toward the flame beast not far away, which had already gone into a berserk state. Its eyes had completely turned to fire, and as it became enraged, flames and red liquid poured from the cracks in its skin. In the air, it turned into fire, becoming the hottest light in this dark desert.

The beast scratched at the sand furiously, cracks appeared at the corners of its eyes, and its sharp teeth grew longer and longer, letting out an angry, hoarse roar.

It was entering its metamorphosis stage.

Somehow, upon hearing its roar, Lian Mu’s mood grew restless as well. Holding her sword, she felt like there was a fire burning in her blood, and her dantian began to heat up.

The flame beast also sensed her presence. Its fiery eyes flicked toward her, and it charged at her with claws bared.

Lian Mu gripped her sword tightly. She didn’t know the exact rank of this Demonic Beast, but… she had to win this fight.