As if observing flowers across a river, only the form is present, not the substance.
This was a summoning ritual utilizing the divine might of a sacred artifact.
Those eyes were a manifestation of divine power from a deity descending to the mortal realm.
To achieve divine favor within twenty-eight days without complex rituals, merely using a sacred artifact for a direct, forceful summon to invite a deity to descend and assist—only the— "Liu Jiang Fusheng…"
Deities would not descend in their true forms, but a mere pair of eyes displaying divine might were enough to annihilate all gloomy malevolence and the miasma of malevolent spirits.
Gu Junshi saw that the "Gathering Yin Ghost Array" had been completely destroyed by Liu Jiang Fusheng's sword, and the situation between Fengdu Ghost City and Rongcheng had reversed.
Without the interference of the ghost domain, it seemed she would not obtain the immortal artifact this time.
If not for Li Sheng's arrival having delayed her for some time, she might have already made her move. But now that the ghostly energy had dissipated and spiritual energy had returned, Mo Tu, that ferocious beast, had regained its peak strength. Making a move now would likely be troublesome.
So then…
"You didn't just come here to recommend yourself and repay a debt, did you?"
Gu Junshi saw through it all, but she had strong self-control, her emotions unreadable. She asked him in a light tone.
Li Sheng froze, shrinking into a ball like a rabbit suddenly caught.
So timid, yet dared to scheme before her.
"You are wholeheartedly devoted to the Immortal Sect, willing to sacrifice yourself to demons?"
Li Sheng was startled, sweat beading on his forehead. He quickly shook his head, his eyes misting over, and pleaded earnestly, "N-no, that's not it. I… the immortal artifact is very important to Rongcheng. I know you are not from Fengdu Ghost City, and I know you are not a bad person… But, can you please not take the immortal artifact anymore? Cibei City's Demon Breaking Arrow is gone, Hua City's Jade Blossom Pure Vase is also gone. Currently, only Rongcheng's last immortal artifact is barely holding on. If even the last immortal artifact is lost, Fengdu Ghost City will have no obstructions, and there will inevitably be widespread devastation."
Gu Junshi gazed at him with deep meaning for a long moment, a curve lifting at the corner of her lips. To her surprise, she spoke with good temper, "Alright, I won't take the immortal artifact this time. As you wish, let's go abduct someone first."
—
Taking Liu Jiang Fusheng away was incredibly smooth.
So smooth that Gu Junshi didn't need to scheme much. With a single decisive action—binding him, pulling him close, and capturing him—she abducted him in plain sight.
But the reason for the smoothness was easy to find.
Just a moment before, Liu Jiang Fusheng had single-handedly broken the eye of the "Gathering Yin Ghost Array," clearing the surrounding malevolent spirits and ghostly energy. This operation had severely depleted his spiritual power.
And then Gu Junshi appeared, making it incredibly easy to take away someone whose strength had greatly diminished.
This was a classic case of striking while the iron was hot, ah, no, rather, taking advantage of a moment of vulnerability.
Naturally, her purpose for taking Liu Jiang Fusheng was not as simple as the reason she stated.
She wanted to accelerate the conflict between Fengdu Ghost City and the Immortal Sect, escalating it to the point where they would have to commit all their resources. To do this, she needed to strike at the heart of the matter.
The Immortal Sect had no idea how deep the waters were in Fengdu Ghost City.
They also didn't know that if the Immortal Alliance hesitated to make a decision until Fengdu Ghost City was fully prepared, the balance between the righteous and evil factions would inevitably be broken.
Therefore, this battle should be initiated by the Immortal Alliance taking the crucial first step.
The destruction of Cibei City by the Shuofang Ghost King was the first wake-up call. The loss of the immortal artifact, which sealed the ghostly energy flowing into the cultivation world, was the second wake-up call. And Liu Jiang Fusheng was her third wake-up call to them.
If asked, compared to Cibei City and the immortal artifact, was Liu Jiang Fusheng personally that important?
Of course.
Do not underestimate the influence of a 'Dragon King of the West,' especially after he rises to prominence. Invisible forces and the favor of heavenly destiny will pour onto him. Even if he does nothing, he will be the focal point of the conflict between demons and the heavenly dao.
—
When the elder stewards and their entourage arrived at Rongcheng, they learned everything from the City Lord of Rongcheng. Upon hearing that the people of Rongcheng were saved thanks to a man named Liu Jiang Fusheng, the envoys from Wushang Mansion were immediately agitated.
They heard that the person had left behind a pair of attendants. When the anxious group from Wushang Mansion saw these two, they immediately rushed forward.
"Xun Chenmu and Qian Mi? Why are you here, where is the Sacred Lord?"
The envoys from Wushang Mansion numbered over ten, with the highest cultivation being at the Integration stage and the lowest at the Nascent Soul stage. They were a powerful team, whom even the elder stewards of the Immortal Alliance dared not provoke lightly.
The Sacred Lord?
Xiao Chenmu and Mu Qian Mi's faces immediately turned grim.
Mu Qian Mi said shamefully, "The Sacred Lord was taken away."
Everyone nearby was astonished.
Listening to their words, this, this, this leader of Wushang Mansion… was Liu Jiang Fusheng?!
Ru Lan and Lu Ziyin, two individuals with surging inner monologues, exchanged glances.
Ru Lan: Wasn't he a mortal? How did he return after disappearing for seven years and immediately become gilded?
Lu Ziyin: Wasn't he a disciple of the Great Evolution Sect? Why has he suddenly become someone from a mysterious family that cannot be approached?
Yan Tianjiao remained relatively calm. When Liu Jiang Fusheng appeared this time, he had a feeling that he could not fathom the man's strength. A truly ordinary person, no matter how gifted, without sufficient resources and protection from background, many would perish prematurely.
And Liu Jiang Fusheng, appearing after seven years, was meticulously refined from head to toe, carrying an aura of detachment from worldly dust. For a person to live without being worldly or obsequious, to maintain their true self and proud, cold demeanor, they must stand on high ground.
Danyuan led two Mountain Lords, standing alongside elders of higher seniority from other sects.
He was also surprised that Liu Jiang Fusheng was from Wushang Mansion. If his background was truly extraordinary, why did he marry a mortal woman like Gu Yi back then?
Did the people of Wushang Mansion know about this?
"By whom was the Sacred Lord taken? Where were you all at that time?" the envoys from Wushang Mansion roared in exasperation.
Xun Chenmu and Mu Qian Mi hung their heads, speechless.
"The top-ranked rookie from back then was the Sacred Lord of Wushang Mansion?" Rongcheng City Lord Yu Shicheng murmured. In fact, the moment the Sacred Bell and Qing Pan appeared, he had already harbored some suspicions.
He came back to his senses and quickly stepped forward to appease them, "Envoys, please do not be too anxious. This happened suddenly. A dark shadow suddenly appeared and took away the Sacred Lord of Wushang Mansion. Since he took the person away rather than ambushing and harming him, it is likely that his life is not in immediate danger."
Hearing this, the envoys from Wushang Mansion did not calm down. Instead, they panted heavily, clearly struck by the news.
The elder stewards, however, were bewildered and confused.
Among the elder stewards, some had attended the rookie ranking ceremony in the past, acting in a senior capacity. A man in blue robes with an elder's token was one of the sect masters of the Seven Luminaries Sect.
He raised a question, "It is rumored that Wushang Mansion does not intermarry with outsiders. Could it be that the mortal wife of the top-ranked rookie from back then was also from your Wushang Mansion?"
He was practically implying, is this all your prideful divine bloodline is capable of?