Chapter 130 Kunlun Cave

Ji Xiang followed the Eighth Sect Leader to the so-called Shangqing Secret Land, above which were written the two characters "Kunlun".

"Shangqing Kunlun Cave."

Legend has it that ancient Taoist grandmasters, Mao Ying, Wang Bao, and Zhang Daoling, a total of nine saints and seven perfected, all received Taoist scriptures and paid homage to the Queen Mother at the Kunling Palace.

Among the deities venerated by the Shangqing Sect Leader is the Queen Mother of the West. As Shangqing practitioners, whether it be the Qingxu Patriarch and the Lady of Nanyue, or the Three Mao Lords, they all acknowledge the Kunlun Sect. This is the foundation upon which Maoshan stands.

This is similar to how all the sects and factions of Wudang Mountain must pay homage to the Great Emperor Zhenwu. The cultivators of a mountain, if they do not have a jointly inherited Taoist tradition, or similar internal scriptures, then they only have one common point: venerating the same main deity.

The Shangqing Sect, after venerating the Queen Mother of the West of Kunlun, also venerates the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning. This is not surprising or special, as the Lingbao Sect of Gezao Mountain also venerates the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning.

Inside, a formation was in operation. Ji Xiang glanced at it and cracked it. This was just an entry-level sealing formation, and it had obviously been damaged before. After being restarted, its power was greatly reduced, so it could be easily destroyed.

"This was destroyed by the two patriarchs. They said that since the Taoist tradition was about to be inherited, there was no point in keeping the formation in front of Kunlun Cave. In the future, people from Zhu Huo Palace will enter and exit from Kunlun Cave, so if the formation is sealed, it will be too much trouble to crack it again."

"But I don't know why it was restarted. Perhaps it was... the Mountain Lord."

The Eighth Sect Leader made his own deduction. He believed that the sudden restart of the formation was due to the actions of the Maoshan Mountain Lord. Ji Xiang asked upon hearing this:

"Your Mountain Lord is here?"

The Eighth Sect Leader said, "The best place to suppress the Mountain Lord, and the most convenient and direct place, is Kunlun Cave."

"The Patriarch's methods are horrifying to gods and ghosts. I cannot understand, so I don't know how the Sect Leader is trapped inside."

"Previously, the Fourth Sect Leader came here to investigate, and then disappeared here. The patriarchs told us that he had rebelled against Shangqing and had already been executed, and that he would be removed from the Shangqing Sect... That was a Xiantian (Innate) realm cultivator."

The Eighth Sect Leader's expression was complex. The two Shangqing Patriarchs had killed the Fourth Sect Leader, who had taken the lead in opposing them, as a warning to others. The Xiantian expert had died before the two patriarchs without anyone knowing. The other sect leaders naturally felt fear and grief, and if they did not want to die, they could not oppose the two patriarchs.

"I am not a coward, but... the most important thing is the inheritance of the Taoist tradition."

The Eighth Sect Leader opened his mouth and sighed, "Although I am irritable and foolish, I am definitely not someone who is greedy for life and afraid of death, but if I resist, I will be removed from the sect like the Fourth Sect Leader, my Taoist tradition will be destroyed, and my disciples will disappear for no reason, probably all dead."

"I can die. After all, since I have embarked on the path of cultivation, if there is a death tribulation that I cannot avoid, then there is no way. I can only blame myself for not cultivating enough, but I am afraid that my Taoist tradition will be destroyed."

"I have cultivated to this point, creating such a large foundation in Shangqing. The Shangqing Patriarchs do not care about our Taoist traditions, because we are also a branch of their Taoist tradition. The Taoist traditions of the surface mountain and rivers are not important to them, as long as there are still some incense offerings for them to manipulate. But how can I, because of a moment of anger, personally hand over my own Taoist tradition to them to be destroyed?"

The Eighth Sect Leader was full of grievances, and his expression was bitter.

Sometimes, one's own death is not terrible. What is terrible is the people behind oneself. Therefore, large sects and factions often appear slightly weaker when facing some lone rangers, because lone rangers have no scruples, while they have things they are concerned about.

Whether it is fame or status, the most important thing is often their Taoist tradition or blood relatives.

Ji Xiang just nodded, expressing his understanding of his difficulties, and then entered the depths of Shangqing Kunlun Cave. There was a different world inside, as if there was a small world nested within the earth realm, just like the Eastern Mahayana Temple of the White Lotus Sect before.

Along the way, the formations were operating weakly, all of which had been restarted after being destroyed. The Eighth Sect Leader told Ji Xiang that he only knew that the two Quanzhen Taoists had been thrown here, but he didn't know exactly where they were thrown.

"You said, those two Quanzhen were thrown here?"

"Yes."

Ji Xiang casually asked, "Then who threw them here? Was it a Shangqing side-patriarch or the Shangqing Three Patriarchs?"

"It should be the Three Patriarchs. The Three Patriarchs left from here and threw those two Taoists in casually."

The Eighth Sect Leader looked around in all directions. He took the initiative to explore the path, while Ji Xiang saw many formation patterns on the walls.

These formation patterns converged towards a certain place, and there were also many small formations that had been damaged. Soon, the Eighth Sect Leader's voice came, saying that he had found the location of the Quanzhen Taoist cultivators.

He used a tracking spell, which Ji Xiang thought was quite useful, so he asked him for it.

The Eighth Sect Leader did not dare to refuse and told him the key points and formulas.

Ji Xiang studied it for a while, remained silent, and suddenly asked:

"I know that the yuanguang shu (circular light technique) can be used for imaging and tracking, or you can use divination to calculate the location, or the hundred-mile, thousand-mile tracking technique, which requires the hair or blood or clothing of the person being tracked. Your tracking method doesn't require any divination or hair, nor does it require imaging, let alone opening the celestial eye. It only requires chanting incantations and then drawing an arrow on the ground with blood?"

The Eighth Sect Leader smiled slightly, "My Shangqing great sect naturally has some spells that are different from the ordinary, it is unique."

"The incantation is simple, but it is generally not passed on to outsiders. You can try it..."

"Oh, unique, is that so..."

Ji Xiang tried it, and sure enough, an arrow ran out. At this time, Ji Xiang's gaze towards the Eighth Sect Leader was still calm.

However, the Inner Scene Divine Tablet, as Ji Xiang himself cast this spell, began to reflect, and the name reflected was not the Maoshan tracking method that this Eighth Sect Leader said!

[Divine Blood Guiding Technique (Locking Heaven and Extinguishing Escape Great Formation): An inducement-type spell, setting the target for guiding. The person who casts the guiding technique can find the set target location when lost, and its function is endless.]

[The current guiding location is the Locking Heaven and Extinguishing Escape Great Formation. The target point will "receive" when the guider approaches!]

Ji Xiang narrowed his eyes.

When hunters in the mountains capture prey, they often set up inducement-type traps, waiting for powerful prey to actively crash into the trap. In order to make the prey obediently take the bait, they will inevitably place some delicious raw meat near the trap, and also bring some blood. Under the action of the wind, the bloody smell drifts, and the prey will naturally take the bait.

"Am I the prey?"

At this time, Ji Xiang was really disappointed. He had just felt that the Eighth Sect Leader was someone, after all, the character he had shown before was also straightforward. He really didn't expect that the other party would still do such a thing to himself after he killed one and defeated the other of the two Shangqing patriarchs.

What gave you such great courage?

And what kind of power drove you to do these things?

"Could he have been possessed?"

Ji Xiang just thought like this, but he couldn't be sure, so he followed the Eighth Sect Leader forward and soon saw a coffin placed on a beautifully carved white jade platform.

"Xuan Tian Coffin, there is a world inside the coffin. The two fellow Quanzhen Taoists, I found them, are in that coffin..."

The Eighth Sect Leader took the initiative to walk forward, seemingly guiding Ji Xiang to also move forward.

But Ji Xiang took two steps and stopped.

"This... Senior?"

The Eighth Sect Leader was a little puzzled, but Ji Xiang said coldly:

"Your spell just now was not a tracking spell at all, but an inducement spell. It's rare. There are not many people in the Orthodox Dharma who know inducement spells. This kind of spell was originally created by the Fajiao (Magical Teaching), you... Going to Upper Maoshan, did you also learn a lot of those unranked skills of Lower Maoshan?"

"Do you think I am an easy person to get along with? You treat me as prey, lure me here, and still want to harm me?"

"You really have great courage. Is your Shangqing Sect not afraid of anything? I just killed your patriarch, and you immediately jumped out and slapped me in the face?"

"Eighth Sect Leader, your actions make me lose face. I am the dignified Taoist Lord of Great Ming, and I don't want to kill too much."

The Eighth Sect Leader fell silent, and then put on a different face, viciously saying:

"You say that the spells of Lower Maoshan are unranked, but aren't you also proficient in them? Otherwise, how would you recognize this Divine Blood Guiding Technique!"

Ji Xiang said lightly, "I know many spells, there is no need to report to an ant like you!"

"Before I kill you, you better give me a normal explanation!"

The Eighth Sect Leader laughed, but his expression seemed helpless, so in this helplessness, he gradually transformed into ferocity and madness towards himself:

"We have no choice! You killed our patriarch, after this matter is over, you can leave, but what are we going to do?"

"Are we going to abandon Upper Maoshan and disband? Is a thousand-year-old tradition something we can just give up?"

"When the Kunlun Platform opens again, the patriarchs of Zhu Huo Palace will descend and will definitely settle accounts with us useless people. The Three Patriarchs have already said something similar before. If we are useless, they will replace us all."

"But the only thing to be thankful for is that they will retain our Taoist tradition."

"My Taoist tradition, just like I told you just now, must not be cut off."

"So I took a risk, hoping to lock you here. Even if I can't kill you, at least you can't get out. When the Kunlun Platform opens next time, the patriarchs will descend. If you die, we will have an explanation."

"As for your companions, we will never touch them. As for now, the other sect leaders should have already driven them down the mountain."

"Maoshan is not a good place. Now, for the sake of the Shangqing Ancestral Scripture, the two lineages have completely disregarded the Taoist tradition of the surface mountain and rivers. Things like Orthodox Dharma have also been thrown to the back of their minds. We cannot understand the thoughts of the patriarchs of the inner mountain and rivers, but we must follow their teachings... Before your companions go down the mountain, we will tell them that next time, no matter what happens, do not come again."

The Eighth Sect Leader looked at the coffin, while Ji Xiang said lightly:

"You cannot understand the thoughts of the inner mountain and rivers, but you still want to follow their teachings? The principles of the patriarchs may not be right. People have undergone thousands or even tens of thousands of years of changes, and their hearts have long changed. Most of the people of the inner mountain and rivers that I have seen are like this."

"It's very strange, but it's also very reasonable. After all, there is a saying in Taoism called Taishang Wangqing (Supreme Indifference)."

"Complete indifference is also a state of Taishang Wangqing. I have not cultivated to this realm, so I cannot understand it for the time being. I don't think you should try to understand it, let alone follow it."

"Also, I'm afraid your formation will not be able to trap me."

Ji Xiang raised his hand to cast a thunder spell, but at this time, he heard some calls from the Xuan Tian Coffin.

The Eighth Sect Leader explained, "I said, your two fellow Quanzhen Taoists are in that coffin. If you want to save them, you must enter the formation and take a trip. If you destroy this formation, then the Xuan Tian Coffin will never be opened again."

"This Locking Heaven and Extinguishing Escape Formation is a supreme great formation that only exists in my Maoshan Kunlun Cave. Only by entering the formation can you break the formation, but if you can't get out after entering the formation, then you can't get out. Only the Mountain Lord knows the key to breaking the formation, so for you, there is basically no way to break it!"

"You will definitely enter the coffin."

"Taoist Lord of Great Ming, I know that the government dogs have always been unemotional, but you are a Taoist after all. If you can stand by and watch these two die, you wouldn't have come here with me."

"By the way, the Mountain Lord is also in the coffin. This is the only way to preserve his life. He can't let go of the Shangqing Sect, so we will help him let go. After this is over, as long as the Mountain Lord doesn't die, the Shangqing can be rebuilt sooner or later. As for us... having offended the patriarch, it will be enough to leave the Taoist tradition behind."

Ji Xiang was so angry that he laughed:

"Aren't you afraid that I will now return the same way, leave this Kunlun Cave, kill all of your Shangqing Sect up and down without leaving a single one, and then put the blame on you for being depraved?"

"I am a member of the imperial court, so whatever I say is what it is!"

The Eighth Sect Leader shook his head and sat down inside the formation. Ji Xiang put away his previous smile and asked, "So, you came to seduce me because your temper is the most straightforward and everyone would not suspect you?"

The Eighth Sect Leader nodded, this was obvious.

Ji Xiang also nodded in response, "A good persona, in a critical plan, can often play a brilliant role."

"But unfortunately, I am always outside the plan."

"A mere great formation, I will break it for you to see. I can save people without entering the formation!"

Ji Xiang's mind turned, and at this time, some strange sounds echoed in the Kunlun Cave!

Spirits appeared within the mountains.

A thought arose, alarming the ten directions of evil spirits.

The Tongtian Mingyan (Heaven-Reaching Bright Smoke) had devoured many formations. Ji Xiang sacrificed these formations and then used the True Meaning of the Three Teachings to deduce!

Ji Xiang immediately set up a formation on the spot, which surprised the Eighth Sect Leader, "You can actually cast my Maoshan formation..."

"What's so difficult about it? I used your Maoshan Heavenly Tribulation Thunder Formation to kill that Chunyang (Pure Yang) expert from your Maoshan!"

Ji Xiang gave him a cold look, and the Eighth Sect Leader sighed, "That Chunyang expert was not a patriarch, but a Refinement Spirit realm cultivator from my Maoshan who was enlightened..."

Ji Xiang interrupted the Eighth Sect Leader's voice, "I don't want to care who he is, he is just an ant to me!"

"Didn't you want me to break the formation? You have to watch carefully!"

In Ji Xiang's palm, a black talisman was sacrificed, and the True Meaning of the Three Teachings began to melt and deduce. The formation cast by Ji Xiang disappeared in an instant, and then Ji Xiang sat down cross-legged, exuding a shocking aura!

Didn't you say that there is no way to break this formation?

I will create a way to break it for you on the spot!