Song Siying floated above the forest of Bi Xin City, looking at a ring of black metal carved with intricate patterns with a tight frown. The intricate patterns on the black metal ring emitted a soft silvery glow, giving it a strange sense of mystery.

After a short while, the black ring dimmed and returned to Song Siying’s outstretched hand, which she then put away. 

She then turned to her right, where a figure floated, and spoke, “It seems you’re right, Fellow Daoist Vermillion Cloud. Your Void-Sealing Staff really lives up to its reputation as one of the most powerful Space-type Magic Treasures - our Sect’s Twisting Void Ring doesn’t compare at all!” 

A tall, elderly man with wispy eyebrows and chuckled in reply, “Haha, Fairy Scorching Sun is over-praises me!” He wore voluminous Taoist Robes that rippled with the wind, giving him an elegant feeling. 

Cultivators at the Transformation Stage and above used Daoist names when referring to acquaintances. Only Cultivators that could be considered friends used each others’ real names.

“Tsk, she’s clearly praising your Magic Treasure, not you!” A muscular, tanned lady rolled her eyes. She wore a two-piece battledress that bared her muscular arms and midriff. Coupled with her wild hair reminiscent of a lion’s mane, it gave her a sort of majestic and unique beauty. 

Just as Daoist Vermillion Cloud was about to retort angrily and curse the braindead Martial Artist, Song Siying coughed lightly, “Ahem. According to my and Fellow Daoist Vermillion Cloud’s investigations, the Spatial Anchor of the Secret Realm has been tampered with - its usual cycle of interference with the Main World every 3 years has changed. It is now approximately once every year.

“Moreover, the Realm’s interference cycle has been pushed further along its ‘cycle’. This means it will take 8 more months for the Demon Beast Heaven Realm’s space to interfere with the Main World’s again. 

“Seeing how it has been almost a month and a half since the last interference, the next interference will be in six and a half months.”

“Wait,” the dark-skinned lady’s golden eyebrows scrunched together into a frown, “doesn’t this mean that someone messed with it? Even the Core Formation Perfected Ones of your Immortal Path aren't able to do this, right?”

“Not only the Perfected Ones, even the Essence Soul Enlightened Ones are unable to interfere with space based on their own ability!” Daoist Vermillion Cloud spoke.

“And that means only someone with a Space-attribute Treasure can interfere with space.” The dark-skinned lady turned to Daoist Vermillion Cloud with her golden eyes narrowed. “Oi, Vermillion Cloud, what do you have to essay for yourself?” 

“What the hell do you mean? Why are you blaming me?!” Vermillion Cloud was also pissed! Why did this brainless, muscle-headed woman keep targeting him for no reason?! Even if the Mystic Sky Sect was partially responsible, there was no direct relation to him at all! In fact, as a fence-sitter, he was not even involved in the Sect’s plan!

Song Siying hurriedly stepped in when she saw the situation was getting out of hand, “Master Myriad Forms Sabre, Daoist Vermillion Cloud’s Void-Sealing Staff is only a mid-grade Magic Treasure. To attain this level of interference, it needs to be among the best of high-grade Magic Treasures or even a Spirit Tool! Fellow Daoist Vermillion Cloud doesn’t have the ability to mess with the Spatial Interference Cycle at all!”

It was only after Song Siying reassured her over and over that she calmed down.

“Then who interfered with the Spatial interference cycle or whatever?” Myriad Forms Sabre huffed in displeasure.

Song Siying and Vermillion Cloud looked at each other before Song Siying sighed, “This whole operation requires a rather precise control over the fabric of space. And more likely than not, it is a Spirit Tool level Artefact. In our continent, there is only one such Artefact: The Sky Suppressing Mountain belonging to the Void Dragon Royal Family of the Void Heaven Kingdom!”

“The Myriad Kingdoms’ Alliance’s Void Heaven Kingdom?” the dark-skinned lady raised her eyebrows in surprise.“ Does the Myriad Kingdom’s Alliance want to start another war or something?!” She did not have the time to check for the latest news because right after coming out of seclusion, she heard about how her little brother was stuck in the Mystic Realm - she had rushed over at the fastest speed, paying no attention to current affairs.

“Seems like it.” Song Siying’s expression turned sombre. “They are trying to undermine our Fortune by dragging the Super Sects’ reputation through the mud…”

“I see…” Master Myriad Forms Sabre’s face also scrunched up into a scowl. 

The three stood in silence for a while, before Daoist Vermillion Cloud broke it, “Well, we’ll have to get ready to forcefully open the Realm when it begins to interfere once again in 6 months-”

“Actually, there’s no need to wait for so long.” Song Siying interrupted him. “I know a Formation that allows us to interfere with the Spatial Interference Cycle. The Void Treasure Transference Formation can temporarily borrow and enhance the Space-attribute Treasure’s power without any side effects. 

“Using this, we can influence the Spatial Interference Cycle. So we should be able to have it interfere in less than 2 months!” She looked at Vermillion Cloud intently as she said this, watching his expression carefully.

“Huh? You guys really have such a Formation?” Vermillion Cloud’s pleasant surprise was apparent. “Excellent! We can save our disciples sooner, then!

“Let’s prepare for it immediately! I’ll go get the required materials as soon as possible!” Saying so, he immediately rushed over to his Immortal Ship that was docked in Bi Xin City.

Song Siying felt a little surprised by Vermillion Cloud’s enthusiasm. She frowned inwardly, ‘Was I mistaken and the Mystic Sky Sect really doesn’t have anything to do with it?’

Indeed! Song Siying was suspicious that this matter might not be as simple as the Myriad Kingdoms’ Alliance wanting to go to war with them - she suspected that the Mystic Sky Sect might be involved somehow. 

What was the reason? 

For one, Vermillion Cloud did not seem very enthusiastic about trying to rescue the disciples who were stuck in the Mystic Realm. 

Second, she did not believe for a moment that the 2nd strongest Sect and the current strongest Immortal Cultivation Sect in the World did not have anything similar to the Void Treasure Transference Formation. 

Third, she had her disciples go through the list of disciples that participated in the Trials and found that none of the Mystic Sky Sect’s disciples were particularly interesting - meaning it would not affect the Mystic Sky Sect much if they all died since none of them were influential or particularly talented. They might feel the pinch, but that was it. 

However, Vermillion Cloud’s reaction was flawless and she could not tell a thing.

‘Maybe, I was overthinking?’ she felt like she was stretching things a bit much. Her unusually powerful Cultivator’s intuition had also not been triggered. So perhaps, she really was mistaken.

Moreover, it could also be that the Mystic Sky Sect had sensed something off beforehand and withheld their talented disciples from participating. The Mystic Sky Sect had no reason or responsibility to inform other Sects about their findings. 

‘Well it doesn’t matter, it’s more important to set up the Formation for now. I’ll just report my suspicions to the Sect.’ 

She took out her Elder’s Token.

***

Xiao Hong stared up at the ordinary-looking man who was looking down at the Formation Barrier expressionlessly, her heart pounding so hard she felt in her neck. She subconsciously grabbed the edge of her clothes, trying to dry her clammy hands.

That overwhelming aura the True Demon exuded was far beyond her estimation. She had tried her best to overestimate the power a Nirvana Stage Being held. Yet, she still underestimated them!

‘How is this still the Divine Sea Stage?!’ she screamed inwardly. The sheer aura the man exuded left her feeling breathless. She knew the moment she felt the aura that she had absolutely no chance against a Nirvana Stage Being! She could not even escape them - not even with her Earth Burrow that was at Grand Accomplishment (Perfection)!

Yet, she had no time to ponder all this because the middle-aged man spoke, exuding an air of utter indifference, “Disciples of the Purple Spirit Sect, I am Fang Jin. 

“I have no wish to end the lives of everyone here. As long as you remove this Formation and surrender yourselves to me, I will let you leave with your lives intact. I just want three people. I don’t care what the rest of you do. 

“However,” his crimson eyes that were like tiny pools of blood flared with an overwhelming Killing Intent, “if you do not heed my words, I will make sure each of you dies in extreme agony.

“Don’t think for a second that this Formation will stop me - it will only delay me for a few moments, nothing more.” 

“You have five minutes. Make your decision!”

Inside the Formation, many disciples, overwhelmed with terror in the face of Fang Jin’s threat, started to have other thoughts. They were sure that the True Demon Fang Jin would make good on his threats.

Just then a disciple shouted mockingly, “Fuck off, you retard! Do you think we’re 3-year-old children? You’re obviously from the Blood Sea Sect - your cultivation literally requires Immortal Cultivators to advance. And you expect us to believe that you will let us go?”

Instantly, some of the disciples who were cowering sobered up. 

Bai Hao and the others knew very well that the Demonic Sects loved to use deception to achieve their goals. While most of it was propaganda the Immortal Sects fed their disciples, there was still an inkling of truth in it.

For example, just now, Fang Jin used his overwhelming aura to establish a great sense of fear in opponent’s hearts. He even used a special technique to increase the might of his aura so that even the idea of resistance was hard to muster. And it was quite effective - after all, there was absolutely no way they could win against such a powerful enemy! 

In this situation, he gave them an out - they could escape with their lives just by sacrificing three of their Sect mates. It is the nature of most living beings to avoid harm and seek safety. Thus, Fang Jin’s words were truly tempting.

Upon hearing the mocking voice, Fang Jin’s expression darkened and he decided to immediately kill a few of these ants to show them their place!

DaoistDumbledore

I'm really sorry guys, but I will not be able to update this story very often as I am swamped with work. One or two chapters (maybe three if I feel particularly inspired) per week is the best I can do.