Free Web NovelChapter 306: Chapter 305: Eight Trigrams Array Traps Black Rock Mountain
Yongzhou, on the outskirts of He Yan Mansion, Black Rock Mountain.
This was the headquarters of the Nether Fire Sect. It was said that Earth Fiend Magma lay deep underground, with fissures connecting it to the surface, causing Black Rock Mountain to be shrouded in a miasma of Evil Qi year-round, blocking out the sun.
The Netherfire Sect Leader had refined this miasma of Evil Qi into a Mountain Protection Array. He had infused it with countless vengeful souls and drawn upon the Evil Qi from the subterranean magma, making it more than sufficient to fully protect Black Rock Mountain.
The Nether Fire Sect’s headquarters was situated on Black Rock Mountain. Its buildings, constructed from black rock, were tall and rugged, built almost flush against the mountainside. They resembled enormous, dark maws, ready to devour anyone who dared to enter.
But these structures were clearly just the entrances. The true headquarters of the Nether Fire Sect lay within the belly of Black Rock Mountain. It was rumored that the Netherfire Sect Leader had hollowed out nearly the entire mountain, its core connecting directly to the Earth Fiend Magma, a place no mortal could approach.
At the southern foot of Black Rock Mountain sat a small town that provided logistical support for the mountain, similar in function to Cui Mountain Town below Cuiluo Mountain.
But this Heiyan Town shared the same gloomy style. In the center of the town stood a thirty-foot-tall stone statue with a single eye and four arms, holding four treasures: a sword, a seal, a rope, and a pot. Its back was to Black Rock Mountain as it gazed south toward the sky.
Groups of Nether Fire Sect followers prostrated themselves in the town, kowtowing to the statue. Wisps of Incense and Candle Telekinesis flowed into the statue and were then continuously channeled underground through some unknown means, sent deep into Black Rock Mountain.
"This place is clearly up to no good!" Taoist Yan Ling couldn’t help but frown. "Why are there still so many followers?"
"Forget about here. Even on Blue Star, there are plenty of cults and Evil Gods!" Taoist Yan Song said, shaking his head. "South Korea, Sakura Paste, Siam—count them all. Which one of them doesn’t have a cult?"
Taoist Yan Ling thought for a moment, then sighed. "True. Even Celestial Xia has its heretical sects, to say nothing of other places."
Taoist Yi Hong stroked his beard, his eyes glinting coldly. "But now that we are here, things will naturally be different."
Taoist Ming Yu chuckled. "We’ve learned a bellyful of Demon Suppression Methods. If places like this didn’t exist, wouldn’t our cultivation have been for nothing?"
Taoist Shen Hao’s white eyebrows rose. "So the Netherfire Sect Leader is beneath Black Rock Mountain?"
Taoist Jing Feng nodded. "After the great battle in Shide Prefecture, he returned to Black Rock Mountain to continue his secluded cultivation."
Generally speaking, the higher a person’s cultivation, the less they move around. Most find a place for secluded cultivation and rarely emerge. An occasional whim to walk the mortal realm is merely a recreational activity between training sessions.
Take the Ink Flood Dragon, for example. It spends most of its time sleeping and cultivating at the bottom of Mo Lake, only emerging every two or three years to amuse itself by eating people.
The Netherfire Sect Leader was similar. After the battle in Shide Prefecture, he left subsequent matters to his followers, dispatching the Five Flames Venerable for important tasks while he himself continued to cultivate beneath Black Rock Mountain.
"What about the Five Flames Venerable?" asked Taoist Qingyuan.
"What a coincidence. Today is the day the Five Flames Venerable make their monthly report on the mountain," Taoist Yu Zhang said with a smile. "They all returned last night."
As the saying goes, ’an army marches on its stomach,’ and intelligence work must come first. So, before Daluo Palace decided to move against the Nether Fire Sect, several of the old Daoists had already come to scout the area.
In addition, Daluo Palace disciples had been hiding nearby, gathering intelligence on Black Rock Mountain. The information that the Netherfire Sect Leader was in seclusion on Black Rock Mountain and that the Five Flames Venerable returned once a month was all obtained by them.
This information earned them a large number of points, enough for each of them to redeem a Spirit Flying Jade Talisman upon their return.
"Before we knew it, our reach has extended all the way to He Yan Mansion," Gu Zhao remarked with emotion.
Taoist Yan Song smiled. "That’s because we’ll soon be establishing a Daluo Temple in both Shide Prefecture and He Yan Mansion."
Gu Zhao nodded. "In that case, let’s begin."
"Alright!" everyone nodded in unison.
The next moment, on a mountain peak not far from Black Rock Mountain, the group revealed themselves. They transformed into eight streaks of light, instantly flying to the sky above Black Rock Mountain.
The pure, natural Taoist True Qi was completely incompatible with the miasma of Evil Qi shrouding Black Rock Mountain. Even without any deliberate action, their mere presence stirred up ripples, drawing the attention of everyone on and around the mountain.
"Who’s there?"
"We’re under attack!"
"They’re on all eight sides! They’re experts!"
"Quick, inform the Guardians!"
The Nether Fire Sect was indeed a major sect. On Black Rock Mountain, there were over a hundred humans, demons, and ghosts with cultivation, including quite a few minor experts with two to three hundred years of Dao Practice.
But now, facing the eight figures hovering in mid-air, who released an oppressive might that exceeded their wildest imaginations and enveloped the heavens and earth, they could feel nothing but deep despair.
Just then, a plume of black smoke suddenly erupted from within Black Rock Mountain. A terrifying Divine Sense appeared, sweeping across the area, carrying with it a soul-shaking will.
"Who are you people? How dare you trespass against my Nether Fire Divine Sect?"
But as this terrifying will approached the eight figures, it was easily dispelled by them—some with a flash of golden light, some with the harmony of Tai Chi, some letting it dissipate with the wind, and some remaining as immovable as a mountain.
The next moment, the auras of the eight figures linked together. This combined aura instantly enveloped Black Rock Mountain. From the perspective of those on the mountain, the entire sky changed color in an instant, as if they had been sealed off from the rest of the world.
And in the eight directions within this sealed space, different phenomena manifested.
In the true east, golden light spread out, filled with countless blades of Saber Qi that seemed to occupy the entire sky. Its sharp aura nearly tore through the void as it held the Dui Position, the Shock Gate.
In the true west, dark clouds gathered and thunder rumbled. Within the clouds, five-colored lights flickered, and streaks of lightning and thunderbolts flashed, occupying the Zhen Position, the Hurt Gate.
In the true south, black and white Qi intertwined and flowed. Streams of misty energy filled this part of the sky, making it seem as if the heavens had turned into a great vortex, occupying the Kan Position, the Rest Gate.
In the true north, a swath of red clouds covered the sky. Each cloud seemed on the verge of bursting into flame, and an object as bright as the sun hung in mid-air, occupying the Li Position, the Scenery Gate.
In the northeast, waves of Yin Qi pulsed. A triple Illusion Realm seemed to flicker at the horizon. A White Bone Lamp, a White Bone Banner, and a Green Fire Arrow appeared and disappeared within the three layers of heaven, occupying the Kun Position, the Death Gate.
In the southeast, though the sky was still clear and blue, the faint sound of chanting could be heard. In the sky, images of various giant beasts and Celestial Gods flickered in and out of existence, occupying the Qian Position, the Open Gate.
In the northwest, fierce gales swept through. Even with no point of reference, one could see the raging winds in mid-air that seemed to tear space itself apart. Faint traces of fire flickered within the wind, occupying the Xun Position, the Delusion Gate.
Finally, in the southwest, a seven-colored light bloomed forth—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet. The colors either flashed in a cycle or shone all at once, blotting out the sun and dazzling the eye, occupying the Gen Position, the Life Gate.
Eight people, eight gate techniques, had completely sealed off Black Rock Mountain.
"Such audacity!"
A fierce shout rang out, followed by the sudden appearance of a jet of black Qi. It formed into a tornado and shot toward the true south.
However, when the tornado of black Qi had traveled a certain distance, it seemed to plunge into a vortex and was instantly shredded into nothing.
Beside the vortex, a figure flickered in and out of view. With a flick of the longsword in his hand, a pattern of intertwining black and white faintly appeared behind the vortex before vanishing in a flash.
Everyone saw it clearly: the Netherfire Sect Leader’s counterattack had been blocked!
