Undying Life

Chapter 927: Too Many Strong Beings

Zhong Shan surveyed the powerful figures around him. While he did not recognize most of them, he managed to identify a few familiar faces. Knowing who had arrived did not necessarily reveal their intentions, but it offered a sense of pattern amid the unknown.

Suddenly, Zhong Shan felt an unusual sensation, as if a gentle breeze had passed over him, leaving a slight pressure in its wake. Instantly, he knew what it was. Someone was trying to divine his fate.

Thanks to the Heaven Chart gifted by Ying, Zhong Shan was well-versed in celestial calculations. He had advanced to the fourth level of the Heaven Art three years ago. This meant that unless a sage was divining him, he could sense it.

Someone was divining him, and from the feeling, that person was nearby.

Here?

With a thought, Zhong Shan activated the Heaven Art, causing a slight tremor around him as his fate wavered. A faint mist enveloped him, disrupting the divination attempt.

He then focused his gaze on a distant peak.

On that peak stood numerous men in white robes embroidered with plum blossoms. Leading them was an old man with white hair and a white beard, who exuded an aura of otherworldly grace. His left hand was performing a divination, but suddenly, his fingers were flicked apart.

The old man looked slightly surprised and glanced in Zhong Shan's direction.

"Who is that old man with plum blossoms on his robe?" Zhong Shan asked the Nine-Tailed Princess.

The Nine-Tailed Princess immediately recognized him.

"That's the Snow Plum Patriarch. In the past, when Lady Nuwa's Star Palace was surrounded by Ancient Immortals, they were alerted by him. The Snow Plum Patriarch is a Fate Manipulator, extremely skilled and precise in divination!" she explained.

"Snow Plum Patriarch?" Zhong Shan frowned, staring coldly at the old man.

From afar, the Snow Plum Patriarch looked at Zhong Shan and nodded slightly, his smile friendly.

Friendly? Zhong Shan didn't believe it. Divining someone without permission was extremely rude and usually had ulterior motives.

Though filled with anger, Zhong Shan maintained a polite facade and nodded back.

"Snow Plum Patriarch? It seems he's taken an interest in you," Ying remarked.

"Indeed," Zhong Shan nodded.

He knew this matter wouldn't end easily.

As Zhong Shan continued to observe the various forces, they in turn watched him. Bai Qi's earlier actions had drawn a lot of attention, even overshadowing Feng Xingyun's presence.

The Ancient Immortals no longer dared to rashly approach the main peak. Feng Xingyun's strength was evident, and no one wanted to embarrass themselves. Moreover, the strongest in the Snake Queen's Dojo was not Feng Xingyun but the Snake Queen herself.

The Snake Queen was a figure shrouded in mystery. Despite Zhong Shan's efforts, he had gathered no information about her.

This was a grand gathering, with more and more people arriving, all awaiting the opening of the "Nuwa Realm."

A month passed quickly. By then, the Snake Queen's Dojo was surrounded by an enormous crowd of powerful figures, stretching as far as the eye could see.

There were so many strong beings that it was impossible to know how many Ancient Immortals were present. The anticipation for Nuwa's relics was immense. Naturally, such a large gathering led to chaos, with conflicts and killings occurring daily. Only the peaks remained somewhat peaceful.

"Feng Xingyun, the month is up. When will the Nuwa Realm open?" someone suddenly shouted from the crowd.

Feng Xingyun, standing on the main peak, glanced coldly at the speaker. His presence alone silenced the murmurs of the restless crowd. With a firm, commanding voice, he announced, "The Nuwa Realm will open now. Prepare yourselves!"

As he spoke, the air around the main peak shimmered, and a massive, ancient door began to materialize, radiating an aura of immense power and ancient wisdom. The anticipation among the gathered throng reached a fever pitch.

The shout acted as a signal, causing nearly everyone to pause and turn their attention to the main peak. Feng Xingyun paid no heed and walked to the grand hall behind him.

"Boom!" The hall doors swung open.

Everyone knew that the Snake Queen's leader was about to emerge.

Stepping out lightly, the Snake Queen's leader appeared, shrouded in a black robe. No one could see her face. The robe was adorned with an intricate, multicolored serpent that seemed almost alive, slithering on the fabric.

"Who is that?" Su Afo expressed surprise.

"It must be her!" the Nine-Tailed Princess confirmed with certainty.

Zhong Shan stared intently. The Snake Queen's leader—was she really Mago?

The same Mago who had faced all the heroes of the world at Ao Lai Sea? A powerful Fate Manipulator who seemed to know fox clan techniques as well.

Mago's face remained hidden, but her figure captivated many onlookers with its allure.

"Master," Feng Xingyun greeted respectfully.

"You've worked hard," Mago said softly.

"It was my duty," Feng Xingyun replied.

Mago nodded and surveyed the crowd. She raised her delicate hand, moving it through the air. The multicolored serpent on her robe began to move, emitting vibrant rays of light that merged with her fingers.

After a moment, Mago pointed to the sky, and a radiant serpent-like beam shot into the vast sea of merit clouds above.

The immense merit cloud sea began to churn violently. Endless merit roared and swirled, gradually forming a vortex. In the center of this vortex was a void, through which all eyes gazed eagerly.

"The Nuwa Realm! The Nuwa Realm is appearing! It was hidden within the merit clouds?" People exclaimed excitedly.

"Boom!"

A thunderous explosion echoed as the infinite merit dispersed, revealing a massive portal to another world in the sky.

"Rumble!"

Thunderclouds gathered and assaulted the portal relentlessly.

No one rushed forward; instead, they looked to Mago.

Gazing at the portal, Mago spoke with a tinge of sorrow, "The Snake Queen's Dojo is no more. May the Lady rest in peace."

Zhong Shan's heart skipped a beat. Mago's words, though veiled, suggested that the mission of the Snake Queen's Dojo had come to an end. Guarding Lady Nuwa's tomb was their final duty.

As the crowd absorbed this revelation, a solemn atmosphere settled over them. They realized that the opening of the Nuwa Realm marked not just an opportunity but an end of an era. The sacred duty of the Snake Queen's Dojo was fulfilled, and now the treasures and secrets of Nuwa's Realm lay ahead, waiting to be discovered.

Was all of this Lady Nuwa's plan?

"Whoosh!" A white figure shot into the sky, followed by many others.

It was the Snow Plum Patriarch, leading his disciples as the first to enter the Nuwa Realm.

With the precedent set, everyone else rushed in, unwilling to be left behind. The forces of the Taichu Holy Court, the Taiyi Holy Court, the Purple Cloud Dojo, the Burning Lamp Dojo, Yan Hui, and many others surged into the Nuwa Realm.

Countless people ascended towards the sky, aiming for the realm created by Lady Nuwa herself.

Ying, Bai Qi, and Guiguzi also soared upward.

"Zhong Shan, let's go!" the Nine-Tailed Princess urged.

"Wait!" Zhong Shan shook his head.

Entering first didn't guarantee finding the sage artifacts. If it did, the rest wouldn't need to enter. Better to wait until Mago and her group made their move.

Mago and her followers remained still, observing the chaotic flow of people for an hour until the crowd thinned out.

Only then did the Snake Queen's Dojo members take to the sky.

As they ascended, Mago suddenly paused, glancing at a distant peak. But after a brief look, she continued into the Nuwa Realm with her disciples.

Zhong Shan followed her gaze to the peak, where a white-robed youth stood, seemingly unhurried to enter the Nuwa Realm. He watched the Snake Queen's Dojo with a detached expression.

When Zhong Shan looked at him, the youth's gaze met his. Zhong Shan felt a terrifying sense of being completely seen through, as if the youth's gaze could pierce through all disguises and secrets. Who was he?

Beside Zhong Shan, the Nine-Tailed Princess shivered.

"What's wrong?" Zhong Shan asked.

"That youth... I can't explain it," she replied, puzzled.

"Which one?" Su Afo asked.

"That one... wait, where did he go?" The Nine-Tailed Princess looked confused.

The white-robed youth had vanished, disappearing as mysteriously as he had appeared.

"What did he look like?" Su Afo inquired.

"His appearance? I can't seem to remember," the Nine-Tailed Princess frowned.

Zhong Shan realized he, too, couldn't recall the youth's features. It was unnerving. Why couldn't he remember?

Zhong Shan's heart pounded. How many powerful beings were present this time? The Nuwa Realm?

Gazing at the sky, the Red Luan Pink Lotus on Zhong Shan's forehead turned deep blue, signaling great misfortune, then switched to deep red, signaling great fortune. It fluctuated between the two, unpredictable and perplexing.

Great misfortune and great fortune coexisting? How to interpret this?

"Zhong Shan, are we going or not? Everyone else has gone!" Su Afo urged.

"Let's go!"

The three of them ascended, reaching the massive portal and diving into another small world.

A world created by a sage, even a small one, was beyond their visual reach.

They found themselves in a vast forest. The strong had already flown off in all directions, while those with lower cultivation looked around, bewildered.

"Zhong Shan, which way should we go?" the Nine-Tailed Princess asked excitedly.

"Quick, we're being watched!" Zhong Shan warned.

"Watched? By whom?" she asked.

"Judging by his attire, he's one of Confucius' disciples, probably under Yan Hui," Zhong Shan explained.

"Yan Hui? An Ancient Immortal?" the Nine-Tailed Princess grew cautious.

"Let's move!"

The three swiftly chose a direction and sped away.