After all, the existence of such a realm was an overlord among fierce beasts; harvesting their eyeballs was no easy task.
"Though I sent my two disciples out of the mountains some time ago to hunt beasts and gain some practical experience, they have barely been away for ten days. Given their strength, it is impossible for them to acquire the eyeballs of a Moon Profound Realm fierce beast. Therefore, setting up this Five-Element Fiend Array before Tiannan arrives is likely out of the question," Elder Yidao sighed.
Just as his voice fell, Qingniao's voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.
"Master."
Chapter 36: The Eyeballs of a Moon Profound Realm Beast, Brought Back by Me and My Sister
"Ah, is there something you wish to say?" Elder Yidao looked toward Qingniao and asked.
The others in the courtyard also turned their gazes toward Qingniao.
After all, given the occasion, even though Qingniao held a decent status among the younger generation, she inevitably felt somewhat nervous at this moment.
Under the gaze of everyone, she twirled the storage ring on her finger and produced six jade bottles.
"The eyeballs of a Moon Profound Realm fierce beast, my sister and I have brought them back."
"Six of them."
"And they are from the mid-stage of the Moon Profound Realm."
As soon as Qingniao finished speaking, an uproar broke out across the entire courtyard.
"What?"
Elder Yidao was the most agitated. He rushed forward in a flash and picked up one of the jade bottles to examine it closely.
Inside the semi-transparent jade bottle, an eyeball was perfectly preserved.
"Well, Elder Yidao, are these really the eyeballs of a mid-stage Moon Profound Realm beast?" Zhuge Qing asked hurriedly.
With Elder Yidao's experience, he naturally discerned the truth instantly. What Qingniao said was no lie—they truly were the eyeballs of a mid-stage Moon Profound Realm fierce beast.
He couldn't help but nod solemnly toward Zhuge Qing.
With that nod, everyone else revealed looks of elation, their gazes instantly sweeping uniformly toward the two sisters.
"Hahaha, the two of you have rendered a tremendous service to Wandao Mountain!"
Zhuge Qing did not hold back his praise.
The other elders followed suit, offering wave after wave of compliments to the two women.
For them, these Moon Profound Realm beast eyeballs were truly a timely help in their hour of need.
After all, Elder Yidao held an exceptionally high status in Wandao Mountain, and the Five-Element Fiend Array he was researching would undoubtedly play a crucial role in the upcoming battle against Tiannan.
These praises made both sisters somewhat bashful.
Yet knowing they had contributed significantly to the sect brought them immense joy.
"Still, how on earth did the two of you manage to get them, and six of them at that?" Zhuge Qing finally voiced the question in his heart.
The others also cast inquiring gazes their way.
After all, fierce beasts of this caliber were not something they had the confidence to hunt.
Even with cultivation at the late stage of the Moon Profound Realm, facing the desperate final struggle of such a beast carried a high risk of injury.
"Reporting to the Sect Master, a senior gave them to us," Leng Ning stood up and said respectfully.
"A senior gave them to you?"
Everyone wore expressions of utter disbelief.
What sort of senior would gift them items of such immense value?
One had to know that aside from their potential use in array formations, eyeballs of this tier possessed numerous other miraculous properties. To call them priceless would be no exaggeration.
Leng Ning and her sister nodded solemnly, then recounted the previous events to everyone present, leaving nothing out.
Upon hearing the tale, the crowd was filled with astonishment.
"A single leaf was enough to instantly kill a mid-stage Moon Profound Realm fierce beast, and he even had a Moon Profound Realm retainer—that person is undoubtedly in the Sun Profound Realm without a doubt," Zhuge Qing concluded.
"Not only that, Sect Master, but Senior Zhong Qing also possesses a pocket world," Qingniao added, unable to hold back.
"A pocket world?"
Hearing Qingniao's words, everyone was shocked yet again.
"It seems this person either comes from an unimaginably grand background or possesses terrifyingly high cultivation!"
Zhuge Qing added once more, "Regardless, forging a good affinity with such an existence is your great fortune. You did exceptionally well this time, and you've established a massive merit for the sect. Once we eliminate the threat of Tiannan, I shall reward you handsomely."
"Thank you, Sect Master."
The two sisters hastened to express their gratitude.
Remembering something, Leng Ning spoke up again, "Oh, right, Sect Master, Master, various elders, before we left, that senior gifted us two wooden carvings."
"We originally thought these wooden carvings were souvenirs from the senior. But on our way back, we accidentally triggered something, and the carvings suddenly radiated light, unleashing an attack toward the sky that happened to strike down a passerby."
"They suddenly unleashed an attack and killed a passerby?"
This dramatic turn of events left everyone present speechless.
Such luck was truly peerless, wasn't it?
At the same time, they offered a silent moment of mourning for that poor fellow's terrible fate.
"Let me see those wooden carvings at once," Zhuge Qing said hastily.
The two sisters dared not delay and promptly brought out the wooden carvings.
For a time, the entire senior leadership of Wandao Mountain examined and pondered the two wooden carvings.
Yet clearly, Wandao Mountain possessed expertise in such arts, and many within the sect even practiced puppet techniques of this kind.
Yet after a thorough examination, everyone failed to discover anything unusual within the carvings.
No matter how they looked at them, these were simply ordinary wooden carvings.
"Are you certain you actually saw these carvings launch an attack?" Zhuge Qing asked incredulously.
"Sect Master, it is absolute truth," Qingniao said hurriedly. "We witnessed the attack with our own eyes."
"And what level of attack did they unleash, precisely?" Zhuge Qing couldn't help asking again.
"This..."
The two sisters exchanged glances and shook their heads, saying, "We couldn't really tell. Aside from a flash of light, there was no discernible aura. It could have been the Chen Profound Realm, the Star Profound Realm, or perhaps even the Moon Profound Realm."
"As for the person who was killed, we didn't know his cultivation level either. It was only after he was struck dead that we realized the attack had hit someone."
"Very well. Perhaps these wooden carvings employ some technique unknown to us. After all, the world is vast and full of wonders. You should put the carvings away for now," Zhuge Qing instructed.
"Oh, right, Sect Master, we also brought the corpse back. Since it was an accidental killing, we felt quite guilty about it. We thought we would bring the body back to slowly investigate his identity, return his remains, and offer compensation and apologies to his family," Leng Ning said at this point.
"You can deal with that matter slowly after the crisis of Tiannan has passed," Zhuge Qing replied. At this critical juncture, he truly had no spare energy to fret over such trifles.
"Understood, Sect Master."
Understanding the gravity of the situation, the two sisters put away the wooden carvings and sat back down.
With the conclusion of this sect meeting, the entire Wandao Mountain was mobilized, and numerous disciples were secretly sent away.
After evacuating these people, all the array formations of Wandao Mountain were kept active, and no one was permitted to enter or leave.
In addition, the various elders brought out their ultimate trump cards, making final preparations of all kinds.
Meanwhile, the Five-Element Fiend Array presided over by Elder Yidao was rushed to completion with the cooperation of everyone.
Finally, on the day before Tiannan was set to attack Wandao Mountain, the Five-Element Fiend Array was fully set up.
Another day passed.
The day when Tiannan had boasted he would slaughter his way to Wandao Mountain had finally arrived!
Every corner of Wandao Mountain stood on strict alert.
Everyone with combat capability grasped their weapons and waited in the main sect hall.
An even greater number of people remained stationed within the formations, operating them to handle any possible situation.
Chapter 37: Yet Why Does This Person Look So Familiar?
Yet despite making so many preparations, a heavy shadow hung over every face.
The slightest disturbance was enough to rattle their nerves.
The threat posed by a Sun Profound Realm expert was simply too immense, especially since the array formations they took such pride in might not work against this person at all.
Amidst this tense waiting by Wandao Mountain, the sun rose high in the sky.
Zhuge Qing patrolled all around to prevent any unforeseen issues.
The other elders also kept a close watch on the surroundings to guard against a sudden sneak attack by Tiannan.
Soon, noon arrived.
"Though Tiannan has not yet appeared, he may have long since arrived near Wandao Mountain. Let no one lower their guard," Zhuge Qing reminded the crowd.
Yet as they waited, afternoon passed as well.
The sun sank, casting a glowing red sunset that bathed Wandao Mountain in crimson.
"Does this Tiannan intend to launch a night raid?"
"It is entirely possible. We waited for him all day without him showing up; come nightfall, he will surely assume we have let down our guard and suddenly appear to catch us off guard."
"Therefore, we must not let our guard down."
Several elders conversed secretly in the dark.
Under such nervous anticipation, even with their formidable cultivation, the mental toll remained enormous.
Unable to help it, each of them swallowed a Mind-Soothing Pill and continued to stand on strict guard.
The night over the mountains grew darker and darker.
Aside from the brightly lit areas within Wandao Mountain, everything else was pitch black, unable to see one's own hand before one's face.
No one knew what might be lurking in the shadows.
Until...
"Cock-a-doodle-doo..."
A rooster crowed from the forest outside the mountains.
Raising their heads to look, everyone realized they had unconsciously waited through the entire night as a second red sun rose from the eastern horizon.
"Tiannan actually didn't come yesterday. Could we have gotten the date wrong?"
Zhuge Qing and the major elders gathered together.
"That's impossible; it was definitely yesterday."
"Do you suppose Tiannan deliberately released false news just to exhaust our mental energy? Once our stamina is nearly spent, he'll suddenly strike."
"Indeed, I agree with the Great Elder's assessment. A person like Tiannan has no concept of honor or trustworthiness."
"That is very likely..."
Zhuge Qing nodded solemnly and then ordered, "Pass down the command: keep all array formations active, and let no one slack off."
"Understood."
With the order given, the entirety of Wandao Mountain remained on high alert.
Yet time slipped by.
Another seven days passed.
Forget Tiannan coming to attack Wandao Mountain; there wasn't even a single hair to be seen.
Moreover, the various secret scouts sent out by Wandao Mountain brought back no news of Tiannan whatsoever, as if the man had evaporated from the face of the earth.
Zhuge Qing and the assembled elders sat in the main sect hall, completely bewildered.
This script didn't seem right.
This completely failed to match Tiannan's usual style of operation.
Under these circumstances, Wandao Mountain attempted to resume partial sect operations, yet all remained safe and peaceful.
This day, by a flowing waterfall near the cave dwelling of Leng Ning and Qingniao, the two women stood in a pavilion.
Right in front of them rested a coffin.
Inside the coffin, an eerie youth lay quietly.
Because the corpses of immortal cultivators do not easily decay, even after many days, the body showed no significant change from the moment of death.
"Sister, when do you suppose the threat of Tiannan will be completely lifted?"
Gazing at the corpse before her, Qingniao rubbed her temples and said, "This fellow in the coffin is like a thorn in my heart; it feels thoroughly uncomfortable not pulling it out. I really want to figure out his identity and let him rest in peace."
"But the threat of Tiannan still lingers. We can't even leave the sect to investigate his identity. Alas."
"Let's wait a little longer," Leng Ning frowned as well, offering comfort. "The threat of Tiannan is simply too great. Until he dies, the risk of leaving the sect is far too high."
"Very well."
Qingniao had no choice but to nod helplessly.
"You two little girls, what are you doing here?" At that moment, Elder Yidao, exuding an immortal and otherworldly aura, approached from not far away and asked the two women.
"Greetings, Master."
The two hurried to bow, then said, "Master, we were just discussing what to do about this person."
Elder Yidao noticed the coffin as well and couldn't help stepping closer to take a look.
"That wooden carving—is this the one it killed?"
"Such a fine young man, to die just like that. What a pity."
"Fate is truly fickle..."
Elder Yidao couldn't help letting out a sigh of emotion.
"Master, how is it you have the time to visit us?" Qingniao couldn't resist asking.
"My mental energy was somewhat taxed the past few days. I just finished meditating to recover, and seeing that all is temporarily quiet, I came to check on you two sisters," Elder Yidao replied.
As his voice trailed off, the Myriad Dao Bell suddenly chimed.
Elder Yidao's brow twitched as he glanced sideways into the distance.
"The Myriad Dao Bell has rung again. The Sect Master is holding another elder meeting. You two chat; I must head over first," Elder Yidao said helplessly, before stepping into the void and hurrying toward the main sect hall.
By the time Elder Yidao arrived, most of the sect's upper echelons had already gathered.
"Everyone, I have called you here once more concerning the matter of Tiannan."
"The fact that Tiannan has delayed his coming does not mean he will not arrive."
"Furthermore, Tiannan employs bizarre methods and tactics. We cannot even rule out the possibility that he has already reached Wandao Mountain and might be lurking somewhere observing us."
"He could even have disguised himself as a disciple and mixed in among us."
"Though the probability of this is low, we cannot afford not to guard against it."
Zhuge Qing spoke from the head of the hall.
The senior executives nodded solemnly, thoroughly agreeing with his words.
Given Tiannan's perverted and eccentric personality, there was nothing he wouldn't dare to do.
"Considering that some elders had not yet joined our sect three hundred years ago—or for various reasons never witnessed Tiannan and thus do not recognize him—I have retrieved a recording previously captured using a Myriad Dao Stone."
"This footage was recorded back when Tiannan was setting up arrays here at Wandao Mountain."
"You may all study this footage to understand Tiannan better, observing his aura, posture, and mannerisms."
"Once you understand, please remain extra vigilant during your routine patrols around Wandao Mountain. If you truly encounter someone with similar behaviors and actions, report it immediately."
The senior officials nodded in unison.
It was no wonder Zhuge Qing was so nervous; being prepared for contingencies was always better than being caught off guard.
As Zhuge Qing's voice fell, he waved his hand.
An image materialized out of thin air high above the crowd.
Within the projection, a youth in black robes sat cross-legged with his hands forming seals.
His facial features were quite distinct: triangular eyes, a hooked nose, gaunt cheekbones without flesh, and a skin tone so abnormally pale it looked somewhat sickly.
Seated below, Elder Yidao also carefully and attentively observed the projection overhead.
Though he had already been an elder of Wandao Mountain three hundred years ago, he had been in seclusion at the time, researching an advanced array formation, and Tiannan had entered the mountain precisely during that period.
By the time he emerged from seclusion, Wandao Mountain had already expelled Tiannan from the sect and launched a joint suppression campaign.
Thus, from beginning to end, he had never laid eyes on Tiannan.
Only at this very moment did he finally get a true look at what this legendary Tiannan actually appeared like.
Yet... why did this person look so familiar?
Chapter 38: Master Carried the Coffin Away?
He had a lingering sensation that he had seen this person somewhere before.
Elder Yidao racked his brains, pondering over and over.
Suddenly, something clicked in his mind, and seated as he was, he bounced straight up as if springs had been fitted to his backside.
"Squawk!"
From his mouth burst a shrill cry akin to a dry duck, sharp enough to split the eardrums of everyone present.
Elder Yidao's sudden, bizarre reaction instantly drew the gaze of the entire hall.
Presently, Elder Yidao was staring wide-eyed, his face flushed red, wearing an expression of extreme and utter disbelief.
"Elder Yidao, what is wrong with you?"
Zhuge Qing asked hurriedly with a look of concern.
"Indeed, Elder Yidao, you suddenly reacted like this—did something happen?"
The others also chimed in with worried inquiries.
This sudden erratic behavior truly frayed their nerves.
Besides, over all these years, this was the first time they had ever seen Elder Yidao lose his composure to this extent.
However, Elder Yidao paid them no mind whatsoever. He bolted out of the main sect hall and flew away, leaving the assembled crowd completely baffled, scratching their heads in confusion.
Upon flying out of the hall, Elder Yidao didn't stop for a second, flying straight toward the location where Qingniao and Leng Ning resided.
The two sisters were still in the pavilion discussing what to do with the corpse when they saw Elder Yidao flying toward them with unprecedented speed.
"Master, weren't you attending the grand elder meeting? Why have you come back?" the two asked with bewildered expressions.
Yet facing their inquiry, Elder Yidao remained silent. Instead, he shouted loudly, "Where's the coffin? Where is the coffin?"
"Th-this is it. Master, what is wrong with you?" Startled by Elder Yidao's urgent demeanor, Qingniao hurriedly retrieved the coffin from her storage ring and set it out.
Boom!
The coffin landed on the ground.
Elder Yidao flipped open the lid and stared fixedly at the motionless youth lying inside.
"It really is—it truly is!"
Staring at the interior of the coffin, he muttered a few words to himself. Then, without another word, he hoisted the coffin onto his shoulder, soared into mid-air, and flew toward the main sect hall.
Seeming afraid his speed wasn't fast enough, he even pedaled his legs through the air as he flew.
This series of maneuvers by Elder Yidao left the two sisters utterly dumbfounded.
Their master had actually... carried the coffin away.
"Something must have happened," Leng Ning said, sensing that the situation was out of the ordinary. "Come, Junior Sister, let's follow and see what's going on."
Meanwhile, Zhuge Qing and the rest of the senior leadership were still in a daze, unable to comprehend why Elder Yidao had acted so erratically.
Then they saw the very same Elder Yidao, who had just flown off, returning—and on his shoulder, he was carrying a coffin.
This sight left everyone staring at one another with wide eyes.
Had Elder Yidao taken the wrong medicine or something?
Or had the pressure and threat of Tiannan driven him out of his mind?
Running off like a madman for no good reason, only to carry a coffin back?
"Elder Yidao, can you tell me what on earth is going on?" Zhuge Qing stepped forward, asking with a worried expression.
"Hah!"