As soon as he received Song Xiantu's message, Song Changsheng immediately set out from the mountain with the Azure Sky White Jade Pill and headed to the clan's supply shop to meet up.
As soon as he arrived, he saw a familiar figure upright and dignified, white-haired but youthful in appearance, with a kind and gentle face. It was none other than the clan's Grand Elder, Song Xianyun!
Song Changsheng was startled and quickly stepped forward to salute.
"Granduncle Twenty-One, why have you come personally?"
"I could tell from your hurried message that something urgent must've happened," Song Xianyun replied while motioning him to sit down. "With both the Lieyang Sect and the Earthfire Sect eyeing us like wolves, I couldn't rest easy sending anyone else."
Though he spoke lightly, in truth, the entire clan had been thrown into alarm when they received the message, fearing that something serious and unspeakable had occurred.
The primary reason Song Xianyun decided to come himself was because he was currently the only one in the clan capable of fully controlling the Flying Cloud Vessel. What should have taken more than ten days, he had managed in under ten, proof of how urgent he considered the matter.
"It is indeed a matter of great importance, but I couldn't speak freely through the communication altar," Song Changsheng said, raising his hand to lay down a soundproofing barrier. His face turned serious.
Song Xianyun nodded. That much had been obvious. The clan's communication methods weren't entirely secure, and with both Lieyang Sect and Earthfire Sect lurking nearby, caution was always warranted.
At that moment, he noticed that Song Changsheng's aura had subtly changed so much so that even his cultivation made it hard to discern.
"Changsheng, have you broken through again?" he asked uncertainly.
"Yes. Not long ago, I participated in a trial called the Heart-Questioning Formation hosted by Lord Zhan of the city. I gained a lot from it; not only did my mental state rise to the pinnacle of the Foundation Establishment Realm, but my cultivation also broke through another layer."
"Heart-Questioning Formation? Excellent, excellent! I didn't expect you to encounter such fortune, even I envy you," Song Xianyun said with a chuckle, stroking his beard in admiration.
It had only been a few years since Song Changsheng entered the Foundation Establishment Realm. Most people at his stage would still be struggling to elevate their mental state, but he had already reached his peak and even advanced his cultivation.
Foundation Establishment mid-stage may not be noteworthy in Luoxia City, but in Lingzhou, it was more than enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the older generation. Even Song Luhuai and Song Luyao were only at the mid-stage!
They had taken nearly a decade to advance from early to mid-stage Foundation Establishment. Yet Song Changsheng had done it seemingly with ease. As the saying goes, comparison brings death, and goods by comparison are worthless.
Hard work, it seemed, was worth very little when stacked against true talent and opportunity.
"I contacted the clan this time precisely because of what happened during that Heart-Questioning Trial."
Song Changsheng then explained everything in detail and finally placed the jade bottle containing the Azure Sky White Jade Pill in front of Song Xianyun.
Looking at the bottle, barely three inches tall, Song Xianyun's hands trembled with emotion. His beard quivered as he carefully picked it up with both hands.
"This… this is the Azure Sky White Jade Pill?"
"It was promised as a reward by Lord Zhan himself, so it shouldn't be fake. But just to be safe, we should have Fifth Uncle examine it," Song Changsheng said cautiously. After all, considering the complicated relationship between Lord Zhan and their patriarch, it wasn't entirely impossible that something might be amiss.
Song Xianyun nodded solemnly and stood up.
"I understand. This is no small matter. I will depart immediately."
"Allow me to escort you part of the way, Granduncle," Song Changsheng said.
"Not," Song Xianyun replied at once. "This journey is fraught with danger. If something happens to you, it would be a terrible blow to the clan!"
Song Changsheng was touched, but he responded seriously,
"The news of me winning the Azure Sky White Jade Pill isn't exactly a secret. The Lieyang Sect is likely already preparing an ambush.
If you, Granduncle, were to fall into danger as the clan's Grand Elder and central pillar, the entire clan could be doomed!"
Both sides were firm in their positions, and the conversation hit a stalemate.
"Even when I was at early-stage Foundation Establishment, I was able to kill Cheng Yufei," Song Changsheng said. "Now that my cultivation has advanced, and with the Slaughter God's Flying Dagger in hand, I am capable of defending myself. Please, Granduncle, allow me to go with you."
Looking at the once-youthful face that had just shed its innocence and now showed such resolve, Song Xianyun felt momentarily dazed.
The boy who once babbled nonsense as a child… had now grown into someone who could take charge of his fate.
After a long moment of silence, he sighed.
"Very well. We'll do it your way. If all goes smoothly, you'll escort me only as far as Fengxi Pass.
I've already sent word to the clan. Your Fifth Uncle will be there with reinforcements. But if we encounter an ambush from the Lieyang Sect at any point along the way, you must immediately retreat without hesitation."
Even if Song Changsheng had to run for his life, at least he'd draw away part of the enemy's attention without putting himself in mortal danger.
"Understood, Granduncle," Song Changsheng replied.
After making some brief preparations, the two set off under the cover of dusk. Due to the evening curfew, the streets were nearly deserted, perfect for slipping away unnoticed and flushing out any hidden watchers.
When they reached the city gates, they found them already halfway closed. Timing it perfectly, they slipped out just in time. The moment they exited Luoxia City, Song Xianyun released the Flying Cloud Vessel, and they sped toward Lingzhou.
Along the way, they didn't dare pause for even a moment. Although the anticipated ambush hadn't materialized, neither of them dared lower their guard; instead, they quickened their pace.
Given how wary the Lieyang Sect was of Song Xianming, it was impossible to believe they wouldn't send someone to intercept them.
After all, if Song Xianming's injuries were healed, his chances of breaking into the Purple Mansion Realm would skyrocket, posing a huge threat to the Lieyang Sect. Anyone in their position would do everything in their power to smother that danger in its cradle.
So the only question was what trick were they planning this time?
The morning sun rose as the flying vessel soared over an endless sea of forests. Song Changsheng stood at the bow with his hands clasped behind his back, carefully watching for any disturbance in the wind or grass.
This was the third day since they had left Luoxia City, and they were now less than a day's journey from Fengxi Pass. Yet still, there was no sign of an ambush.
Far from putting Song Changsheng at ease, the silence only made him more uneasy. Although they'd changed direction several times to throw off pursuit, with the Lieyang Sect's capabilities, locating them shouldn't be that difficult. The complete lack of action was just… too suspicious.
"What exactly are you scheming…" he muttered, eyes scanning the ever-shifting scenery below.
Suddenly, Song Changsheng's brow furrowed. His expression changed drastically as he shouted,
"Stop the ship!"
Though Song Xianyun didn't understand, he trusted Song Changsheng's instincts and immediately brought the flying vessel to a halt.
"Changsheng, what's wrong?"
"Something feels off up ahead. Let me check it out," Song Changsheng replied, summoning his Soul-Slaying Gourd and cautiously flying forward.
They were thousands of meters above the ground, surrounded by nothing but empty sky and drifting clouds. On the surface, everything looked normal.
But Song Changsheng's instincts as a formation master were screaming at him that something wasn't right. After advancing only a hundred meters, he stopped.
He raised two fingers to his eyes, and a strange, mystical rune flashed across his pupils.
With the Eye of True Sight activated, the world before him transformed. In the gray-white void, he saw a cage formed from countless glowing threads hovering just ahead in the clouds, less than a hundred meters away.
It covered an area several hundred meters wide. At its four corners were the ghostly images of the Vermilion Bird, Azure Dragon, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger, each exuding a terrifying presence as they crouched in midair.
Song Changsheng's heart shook.
"This is the Four Symbols Heaven-Trapping Array... and it's a top-grade Tier-2 formation!"
It was a powerful trapping formation, exceptionally difficult to break. Anyone caught inside would find their strength suppressed by at least thirty percent!
After the initial shock, a wave of relief washed over him.
"Good thing I sensed something was off. If we'd flown into that head-on, we'd be dead for sure."
"So that's why they hadn't made a move, they were waiting here!"
Though his face remained calm, a storm brewed in Song Changsheng's heart as he pretended to scout the area innocently.
Not far from the formation, hidden within its boundaries, were several Lieyang Sect disciples led by an elder, including people like Qi Feiyun, whom Song Changsheng had encountered before.
This time, the Lieyang Sect had truly gone all-in. Not only had they dispatched four Foundation Establishment cultivators who were attending the City Lord's birthday celebration, but they had also urgently summoned three more elders from their sect: two at the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment, and one at the late stage.
All told, there were seven Foundation Establishment cultivators lying in ambush: three elders (two peak, one late), one more late-stage, and three early-stage Foundation Establishment disciples.
That was seventy percent of the Song Clan's entire strength, and they still weren't satisfied they'd even laid a top-tier formation to launch a sneak attack.
"Truly overkill," Song Changsheng thought grimly.
Qi Feiyun, younger and more impulsive, couldn't hold back his emotions upon seeing the man who had once humiliated him standing just meters away.
"Uncle Yu," he whispered to the elder beside him.
"It's just the two of them. Let's strike now!"
The "Uncle Yu" he spoke of was the leader of the ambush, Yu Chengbo, the Third Elder of the Lieyang Sect.
Yu Chengbo shook his head.
"They must have some kind of backup plan. If we act rashly, they might escape. Be patient. As soon as they step into Junior Brother Mao's Four Symbols Heaven-Trapping Array, they'll be trapped like dogs in a cage."
"Junior Brother Mao" referred to Mao Wuwei, the other peak Foundation Establishment cultivator present and also a top-grade Tier-2 formation master, as well as the Fourth Elder of the Lieyang Sect.
"But," Qi Feiyun tried to argue.
Before he could finish, a cold voice cut him off:
"Our goal is the Azure Sky White Jade Pill, not your petty revenge. Fall back!"
Faced with Mao Wuwei, Qi Feiyun didn't dare say another word. He lowered his head and muttered an obedient "Yes, Elder."
Yu Chengbo, however, frowned as he watched the flying vessel hover in place.
"That kid's a formation master. Could he have noticed something?"
Mao Wuwei sneered.
"He might have some talent, but he's still far from being a threat in the Dao of Formations. Don't worry, Senior Brother."
Just as he finished speaking, Song Changsheng suddenly turned and retreated at full speed!
Yu Chengbo's face darkened.
"He's found us out! Everyone, attack! Don't let them escape!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Chengbo was the first to charge toward the flying vessel.
Mao Wuwei's expression turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, like he had just swallowed a mouthful of filth. This was a direct slap in the face!
Qi Feiyun, who had been itching to move, followed close behind. The rest of the Lieyang Sect disciples surged forward like starving wolves descending on prey.
"Go around the left, there's a formation up ahead!"
Song Changsheng activated Flickering Shadows, and in the blink of an eye, he was back aboard the vessel. Song Xianyun immediately channeled all his spiritual power into the flying boat, attempting to break through the encirclement.
"You're not going anywhere!"
Yu Chengbo's hair and beard flared as he swept his wide sleeves, unleashing a glittering golden net into the air. The net rapidly expanded until it covered the sky, blotting out the sun.
"Damn! It's Yu Chengbo's Net of Heaven's Restraint!"
Song Xianyun's expression darkened. He reached into his storage pouch and pulled out a small, exquisite bronze mirror, a high-grade spiritual artifact called Skylight Mirror, his lifebound treasure, whose power rivaled the Net of Heaven's Restraint.
The Skylight Mirror ascended swiftly into the air, greedily absorbing the blazing sun's pure yang energy. Then it fired a searing golden beam directly at the massive net overhead.
"Don't get cocky!"
Mao Wuwei also activated his treasure, a pitch-black battle flag known as the Wu Earth Battle Banner, another high-grade spiritual artifact.
Now with two high-grade spiritual tools clashing in midair, the pressure on Song Xianyun increased drastically.
Seeing this, Song Changsheng immediately summoned the Lu Wu Bell to confront the Wu Earth Battle Banner. With his breakthrough to mid-Foundation Establishment, he could now unleash the full power of this artifact.
In an instant, four high-grade spiritual artifacts lit up the sky in brilliant, resplendent light. Their overwhelming presence was so intense that even cultivators like Qi Feiyun, who were at the early Foundation Establishment stage, didn't dare recklessly enter the fray.
Fortunately for the Lieyang Sect, they still had two late-Foundation Establishment cultivators, each summoning their mid-grade artifacts, bringing the total to six spiritual artifacts clashing at once. A violent spiritual energy storm erupted in the sky.
This was true foundational strength.
In most sects, even producing one spiritual artifact would be difficult, but here, they were four high-grade tools and two mid-grade ones all deployed at once. Even Purple Mansion cultivators would be jealous of such firepower.
"We're hopelessly outnumbered, and they have us beat in artifacts, too."
Song Xianyun's expression turned grim.
"I'll use a third-tier talisman to open a path. We'll split up and break through. They're after me, you head toward Luoxia City. Once you're inside, they won't dare touch you."
As he spoke, he slapped a yellow talisman onto Song Changsheng's chest. It was a top-grade second-tier talisman, the Fleetfoot Talisman, which would boost Song Changsheng's speed beyond even peak Foundation Establishment cultivators for half an hour.
Song Changsheng clenched his jaw but said nothing about "escaping together" or any other such nonsense. Their enemies were too well-prepared. If he stayed with Song Xianyun, he'd only become a burden.
By splitting up, he could draw away some of the firepower.
He wasn't being arrogant, but with his current strength, only a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator stood a real chance at killing him.
Seeing that Song Changsheng didn't argue, Song Xianyun immediately pulled out a pure-white talisman. With a flash, the winds surged and the clouds churned. A green vortex began to form high above the battlefield, releasing an aura so oppressive it seemed to smother the heavens.
Yu Chengbo's face contorted in horror.
"A third-tier low-grade talisman Heaven's Astral Wind Talisman?!"
"Fall back, now!"
He barked the order, retreating as he pulled out an earth-yellow talisman of his own. The Lieyang Sect had prepared for just such a contingency.
But would it be enough?
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 115+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader