Chapter 177 The Mysterious Traces of the Clouds

A few days later, the [void-breaking sword boat] had traversed who knows how many tens of thousands of miles of cloud seas, mountains, and rivers. The surrounding Spiritual Qi became increasingly dense and pure, even condensing into wisps of spiritual mist and rosy light that swirled around the flying boat. At the edge of the horizon in front, where the originally azure sky met the boundless sea of clouds, the scenery began to change.

It was like a mirage, yet also like a folding of space and time. A majestic, awe-inspiring, and indescribable suspended immortal mountain Realm slowly revealed its true form from amidst the dense Spiritual Qi and ten thousand rays of rosy light.

It was not a solitary peak, but a continuous expanse of floating mountains of various sizes and shapes, like a bonsai left in the mortal world by legendary immortals, yet so vast it was breathtaking. The largest main peak pierced the heavens, its summit disappearing into the ten thousand auspicious clouds. Faintly visible were palace complexes with glazed gold tiles and white jade railings, surrounded by thousands of strands of rosy light and auspicious energy, with spirit birds circling and dancing. The clear and resonant sound of bells and chimes seemed to penetrate the barriers of time and space, drifting over faintly. Other peaks, some like sharp swords pointing to the sky, others like blooming lotus platforms, or like giant turtles treading the waves, were scattered like stars, slowly orbiting the main peak in mysterious trajectories. Between the peaks, rainbows served as bridges, spiritual waterfalls poured upwards, springs flowed with rosy light, and exotic flowers and rare trees covered the mountains, exhaling dense Spiritual Qi. Even more, streaks of spiritual light, like shooting stars, shuttled between the peaks—these were the Cultivators of the Yunmiao Holy Trace flying about.

The entire Holy Trace was enveloped by a soft yet tough pale golden light membrane. Countless ancient runes flickered on the membrane, emitting an aura that was vast, majestic, ethereal, and inviolable. This was the cultivation Holy Land that stood aloof from the world and rose above the vast majority of forces on the entire Xuanhuang Continent—the Yunmiao Holy Trace!

"We have arrived." Tianshu Sword Sovereign's calm voice rang in the ears of every Disciple, yet it could not hide a trace of imperceptible solemnity.

As his voice fell, the majestic and magnificent Yunmiao Holy Trace, with its ten thousand rays of light, was right before their eyes. The dense Spiritual Qi turned into almost tangible mist, rushing toward them, instantly invigorating their spirits. Many Disciples on the flying boat who were visiting this place for the first time surged to the railing, their eyes wide, letting out suppressed exclamations.

"My god... Is this the Yunmiao Holy Trace? This Spiritual Qi... just breathing it in makes me feel like my cultivation is loosening!"

"An immortal blessed land, a true immortal blessed land! Look at those peaks, they are actually floating! And those palaces, they look like they were built from jade and glazed glass!"

"Spiritual springs, waterfalls, rainbow bridges... This is practically the legendary fairyland! Being able to Cultivate here for one day must be worth months of hard work outside, right?"

"Quick, look at those streaks of light flying past. Are those Disciples from the Holy Trace? Their auras are so powerful!"

The young Disciples discussed excitedly, their faces full of longing and shock. In their eyes, this suspended immortal mountain enveloped by a pale golden light membrane was the legendary utopia, the ultimate cultivation Holy Land that countless Cultivators dreamed of.

However, just as everyone thought Tianshu Sword Sovereign would pilot the impressive [void-breaking sword boat] directly into that dreamlike immortal mountain, the boat began to slow down, lowered its altitude, and descended diagonally toward the outskirts of the Holy Trace.

"Huh? Why isn't the Elder flying directly in? Why land at the entrance?" A young Disciple, clearly here for the first time and of a more restless nature, couldn't help but ask in a low, puzzled voice. He looked at the streaks of spiritual light freely shuttling between the peaks in the distance, his eyes filled with yearning.

Beside him, a slightly older Senior Brother with a calm demeanor, who seemed to know something about the Yunmiao Holy Trace, turned pale upon hearing this and quickly hissed: "Hush! Don't speak nonsense!"

He glared at the young Disciple and lowered his voice, his tone serious and admonishing: "Do you want to die? Inside the Yunmiao Holy Trace, it is strictly forbidden for any external flying Magical Artifact to intrude directly! This is an iron law!"

Seeing that the young Disciple was still somewhat bewildered and dismissive, this Senior Brother's tone became more urgent as he quickly explained: "See that pale golden light membrane? That is the Sect-protecting formation formed by the combination of the Yunmiao Holy Trace's 'top-tier grand formation' and 'no-fly barrier'! Unless you hold a specially made pass token of the Holy Trace or have received internal guidance, any unauthorized flying object, including the Cultivators themselves flying, will immediately trigger a counterattack from the formation once they try to intrude or fly recklessly above! At best, you will be imprisoned or shot down; at worst, you will be instantly ground into dust by the power of the formation! Although the [void-breaking sword boat] we are riding is quite extraordinary, trying to barge into this ancient immortal formation is like throwing an egg against a rock! It is a serious provocation to the Yunmiao Holy Trace!"

He paused, glanced at Tianshu Sword Sovereign, who stood with his hands behind his back at the bow, seemingly unaware of the Disciples' discussion behind him, and lowered his voice further: "Even an expert like Elder Tianshu at the Void Refining stage must follow the rules when coming here and land at the designated reception platform to show respect to the Holy Trace. You want the Elder to pilot the flying boat and barge in? That's not paying a visit, that's declaring war!"

After hearing this, the young Disciple turned pale with fright, cold sweat breaking out. He quickly shrank his neck and dared not say another word, only looking with awe at the pale golden light membrane that looked soft but actually contained heaven-destroying power, and the sacred, inviolable immortal territory beneath it.

The other Disciples around who were also clueless, upon hearing this explanation, also showed realization and awe, putting away their previous casualness and excitement, becoming reserved and solemn. Yes, this was the Yunmiao Holy Trace, which stood aloof and above all living beings; how could others be allowed to be reckless? Rules had existed from the moment they stepped into its sphere of influence.

The [void-breaking sword boat] slowed down steadily and landed precisely on a huge suspended platform at the outskirts of the Holy Trace that looked like it was carved from white jade. Several Cultivators dressed in the standard moon-white Daoist robes of the Yunmiao Holy Trace with profound auras were already standing on the platform, waiting—clearly, they were the ones receiving guests.

The sword boat came to a steady stop, and the light shield opened. Tianshu Sword Sovereign stepped off first, followed by the hundred Disciples of the Wandao Sword Sect, stepping onto this white jade platform suspended in the clouds, looking around at the fairyland-like scene with curiosity and awe.

"Hiss—!"

A young Disciple had just taken a breath when he couldn't help but gasp, and along with the Spiritual Qi that was so dense it had almost turned into liquid, it surged madly into his body with his breath. He felt the pores all over his body open involuntarily, and the spiritual energy that was originally circulating slowly in his body now seemed to have been injected with powerful momentum, accelerating its circulation on its own, and an indescribable feeling of comfort spread through his limbs and bones.

"This... is this the Spiritual Qi of the Yunmiao Holy Trace? My god! I just took one breath, and I feel... I feel it's worth half an hour of meditation in the Sect's quiet room!" He was so excited his face flushed, and his voice trembled slightly.

Another Disciple beside him was also full of shock. He tried to operate the most basic Qi-guiding technique, and saw the wisps of milky white spiritual mist around him, which were almost visible to the naked eye, gather toward him like swallows returning to their nest, quickly merging into his body. "More than that! I feel that Cultivating here for one day is probably worth a month of hard work outside! No, maybe even longer! This Spiritual Qi is not only dense but also... extremely pure and gentle, almost without the need for much refinement to be used for oneself!"

"As expected of the transcendent Yunmiao Holy Trace!" A relatively calm-looking Disciple also couldn't help but sigh. He looked around at the dreamlike immortal mountain scenery, the rainbow flying bridges, and the spiritual waterfalls and springs, his eyes filled with longing. "Look at this atmosphere, this foundation... My Sect's mountain gate is already a top-tier blessed land in the Eastern Region, but compared to this place, it's like a rural village compared to an immortal palace!"

"Who says it isn't!" Someone immediately echoed, his tone full of uncontrollable excitement and longing. "If one could Cultivate here for a long time, why worry about not achieving the Dao? If I could be favored by some Senior of the Holy Trace and taken as a Disciple, even if it's just a Named Disciple, that would truly be... a step into the heavens!"

"Stop dreaming!" A Senior Brother beside him who knew more about the Yunmiao Holy Trace, although also excited, remained somewhat sober and warned in a low voice: "The strictness of the Yunmiao Holy Trace in accepting Disciples is far beyond what we imagine. Unless one is a peerless Genius, a Prodigy, possesses a top-tier special Physique, or has a Heaven-Defying Opportunity, one simply cannot enter its gates. The top Disciples of our four great Sects might only be one of the entry thresholds in their eyes. However..."

He changed the subject, a fiery light igniting in his eyes as he looked toward the depths of the Holy Trace enveloped by the pale golden light membrane, and lowered his voice: "However, this Yunxu Secret Realm is a huge Opportunity! It is said that not only are there countless Opportunities in the Secret Realm, but one's performance within will also be watched by the Senior experts observing from within the Holy Trace! If one can stand out in that Secret Realm and demonstrate amazing talent, Heart-Nature, or strength, it is not impossible to be favored by a Senior of the Holy Trace as an exception, or even be directly introduced into their Sect!"

These words made the breathing of the surrounding Disciples quicken a few beats. Originally, their expectations for the Secret Realm were mostly about the Heaven And Earth Treasure and ancient Legacy within. Now, awakened by this point, they suddenly realized that the Secret Realm itself might be an unprecedented "Sect entry assessment" for the top Prodigies of the entire Xuanhuang Continent!

"Senior Brother is right!" Another Disciple clenched his fists, his eyes firm. "In this Secret Realm, I must do my best! Not only to find Opportunities, but also to perform well! If... if I could really be favored by a strong person from the Holy Trace, even if it's just a glance of favor or a word of guidance, it would be enough for us to benefit infinitely, and our status in the Sect and even the entire Eastern Region would be completely different in the future! That would truly be soaring into the sky, flourishing and prospering!"

"Yes! The time to risk everything has arrived!"

"We must not miss this once-in-a-thousand-years Opportunity!"

"I heard there are factions within the Holy Trace. If one could be accepted under a strong person..."

"Don't think so far ahead, think about how to survive in the Secret Realm and get benefits first!"

The Disciples discussed excitedly in low voices. The previous awe was gradually replaced by an emotion mixed with ambition, desire, and high fighting spirit. The cultivation environment of the Yunmiao Holy Trace, which far exceeded their imagination, was like a fire, igniting their infinite yearning for a higher Realm and a wider world. The nervousness they might have had about the dangers of the Secret Realm was also diluted by this huge temptation. After all, risk and Opportunity coexist; if one can make a name for oneself here, the future will be limitless!

Even some of the older, calm-natured Core Disciples had bright lights flashing in their eyes at this moment, obviously stirred in their hearts as well. The Yunmiao Holy Trace, this transcendent cultivation Holy Land, with its unparalleled foundation and attraction, had already given all the visiting young Prodigies a profound first lesson and planted the seeds for more intense competition before the Secret Realm officially opened.

Although their discussion was kept very low, everyone present was a Cultivator, so how could they not hear it?

Tianshu Sword Sovereign and the several welcoming Great Masters who were exchanging pleasantries naturally heard it clearly as well.

The Great Masters exchanged smiles and did not stop them.

It is a good thing for young people to have sharp spirit and ambition.

This move by Yunmiao Holy Trace was not without the intention of using this Opportunity to observe and screen the world's talents.

This has also been the norm every time the Yunxu Secret Realm opens.

Mu Changge stood in the ranks of the Disciples and naturally heard the surrounding discussion.

His expression was calm; he was not as restless and excited as the other Disciples.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi environment of Yunmiao Holy Trace was indeed astonishing, but his Dao Heart was firm, and he knew deeply that external forces were ultimately just an aid; the true foundation lay within oneself.

As for being favored by the Holy Trace? He had never pinned his hopes on the favor of others.

His path was the sword in his hand and the Dao in his heart.

In the Secret Realm, seizing what he needed, tempering himself, and plaguing the Child of Fortune were the fundamentals.

As for the rest, let nature take its course.

He lifted his eyes and looked once more at the suspended mountains shrouded in immortal light and rosy clouds, his gaze clear and firm.

Not long after they had settled, a vast sound of Buddhist chanting came from the eastern horizon, and golden light burst forth.

A golden lotus platform, as vast as a mountain, radiated soft yet resilient Buddhist light as it broke through the clouds and flew slowly over.

On the lotus platform stood many shadowy figures. At the lead was an old monk, majestic and solemn, draped in a crimson kasaya, with a faint halo of Buddhist light revolving behind his head; he was the high monk leading the Mount Sumeru delegation, and his cultivation was shockingly at the Void Refining Realm!

Beside him, many young monks stood solemnly, chanting Buddhist verses. The most eye-catching among them was the young Buddhist Disciple standing in the front row.

He appeared to be about twenty years old, with a handsome and gentle face—not an aggressive handsomeness, but one carrying a kind of warmth that put people at ease.

His skin was fair, with a faint, jade-like luster flowing within it.

Most peculiar were his eyes, clear and bright, as if they could reflect the most minute dust in the depths of a person's heart, yet also as if they had experienced endless cycles of Reincarnation, containing a sense of vicissitudes and wisdom that did not match his age.

He was dressed in moon-white monastic robes, covered by a simple light-golden kasaya, with a string of seemingly ordinary dark brown prayer beads hanging around his neck. His hands were pressed together, his expression serene and tranquil, complementing the surrounding Buddhist chants and golden light.

However, if one with keen perception were to sense carefully, they could feel from him a unique Buddhist aura that was extremely restrained, yet seemed capable of encompassing and dissolving all things.

He was none other than the Buddhist Disciple of this generation from Mount Sumeru—Liao Chen.

Almost at the same time, ethereal immortal music drifted from the southern horizon, and a strange fragrance filled the air.

Nine magnificent, snow-white spirit cranes pulled a gorgeous carriage carved from crystal-clear emerald and white jade, arriving gracefully.

Around the carriage, auspicious clouds provided support, and petals appeared out of thin air, drifting down slowly.

The carriage curtains were lifted, and several female Cultivators with cold, otherworldly temperaments and stunning beauty stepped out; they were all Elders and Disciples from the Yaochi Holy Land.

The old woman in the lead, though white-haired, had a complexion as rosy as an infant's, and in the opening and closing of her eyes, it seemed as if the sun, moon, and stars were flickering in and out of existence; she was one of the Grand Elders of the Yaochi Holy Land, a Void Refining Middle Stage Great Master—Qionghua Yuanjun.

And following closely behind her was the Holy Maiden of Yaochi of this generation.

As soon as she appeared, it seemed as if the surrounding light became brighter and softer.

Her figure was slender, and she wore a simple yet luxurious light-cyan immortal dress with lotus patterns; the hem of the dress trailed on the ground, and as she walked, it was like flowing water brushing against waves.

Her appearance was not one of overwhelming, gaudy beauty, but rather a pure, otherworldly beauty that was untainted by dust, like a snow lotus blooming quietly on the peak of a snowy mountain, or a green lotus standing tall in a pond after the rain.

Particularly eye-catching were her bare jade feet, which wore no shoes or socks and were spotless. Around her left ankle was tied a delicate anklet, seemingly woven from the purest emerald jade and some mysterious silver thread. At the end of the anklet hung a tiny bell, no larger than a fingertip, emerald green and dripping with color, as if it had condensed the freshest vitality in the world.

As she moved with lotus steps, the bell strangely made no sound at all, only occasionally sending out almost imperceptible emerald ripples as Spiritual Qi flowed, further setting off her snow-like skin and ethereal temperament—truly, she was "unstained by the silt, and unadorned by the clear ripples."

To the west, a flash of clear light passed. Without great fanfare or extravagant display, a simple, ancient-looking flat boat, seemingly polished from a single piece of cyan jade, appeared silently at the edge of the platform.

There were fewer people on the boat (judging by the attire, it was a combined group from two Sects, as Daoist Sects were few to begin with). Leading them was a thin, elderly man wearing a dark blue Daoist robe embroidered with the stars of the heavens and runes of time. He held a glistening white whisk, and three strands of long beard floated across his chest. His eyes were deep and wise, as if they could see through the past and future. He was the Grand Elder of the Xuantian Sect—Xuan Lingzi, also a Great Master of Heavenly Secrets at the Void Refining Realm.

The Disciples behind him, whether male or female, all had calm temperaments and agile eyes, as if they were constantly observing and deducing some rhythm of the world (the others in different attire had sharp eyes, scanning the ever-changing scenes around them).

The Saint of the Xuantian Sect did not accompany them; it is said he was in seclusion, deducing a heavenly secret concerning the Sect's Luck.

"Fellow Daoist Tianshu, I trust you have been well." Xuan Lingzi took the lead and performed a Daoist salute, his voice calm and carrying a unique rhythm.

"Fellow Daoists Xuanling and Qionghua, your elegance surpasses the past." Tianshu Sword Sovereign cupped his hands in return, his tone lacking its usual sharpness.

"Amitabha, Benefactor Tianshu, Benefactor Qionghua, Fellow Daoist Xuanjizi, and Fellow Daoists, it has been a long time."

The leading old monk from Mount Sumeru, with a ruddy face and large earlobes, pressed his hands together, his voice sounding like a great bell; he was the Holy Monk Dunan of Mount Sumeru.

These Void Refining Great Masters were all figures who had lived for thousands of years and had once dominated their respective eras. Although they belonged to different Sects and even had competition, at their level, there was more of a transcendent indifference and mutual respect.

After exchanging a few simple pleasantries and sharing their views on the struggle for the Secret Realm, they were led by the welcoming Cultivators of Yunmiao Holy Trace to head towards their temporary lodging.

As Tianshu Sword Sovereign and the Great Masters walked aside to converse, the atmosphere in the area where the Disciples were located livened up slightly.

The top Disciples of the four great Sects were all Prodigies famous in their regions; even if they hadn't interacted deeply, most had long heard of each other.

Gathering now at this welcoming platform of Yunmiao Holy Trace, they couldn't help but size each other up, and a restrained yet subtle air of competition permeated the atmosphere.

On the side of the Wandao Sword Sect, the Saint Jian Wushuang took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the killing intent and the churning frustration from his previous defeat. His face once again wore that habitual, gentle, and elegant smile that felt like a spring breeze, though that smile now looked somewhat sinister no matter how one viewed it.

As soon as he descended, his gaze first fell upon the childhood sweetheart he regarded as his exclusive property.

Since the [void-breaking sword boat] had set off, Yun Qingyao had entered the quiet room prepared for her inside the boat, citing the need to meditate and adjust her breathing in preparation for the Secret Realm journey, and had not appeared until their arrival.

This undoubtedly caused Jian Wushuang, who had wanted to use the journey to ease their relationship, to hit a soft wall once again.

Seeing her standing gracefully at the front of the Disciple ranks, still as aloof and independent from the world as ever, Jian Wushuang's thoughts raced, and he decided to take the initiative to approach her.

He straightened his unwrinkled robes, walked calmly to a spot about three steps away from Yun Qingyao, and stopped, his posture perfectly poised.

With an impeccable, concerned smile on his face, he said gently: "Qingyao, the journey has been exhausting, are you well? I observe that your aura is becoming more rounded and transparent; surely your cultivation has improved again. You will certainly have great gains in this Secret Realm journey. If you need anything, Qingyao, just say the word."

However, Yun Qingyao's reaction was even colder than he had anticipated.

Upon hearing him, she only slightly turned her cheek. Those eyes, clear as the autumn water in a cold pool, swept over him calmly. In her gaze, there was no longer even a trace of the mild warmth that had existed between fellow Disciples in the past; instead, it was replaced by a clear sense of distance, and... a hint of imperceptible scrutiny.

It was as if she were looking through his perfect facade, scrutinizing something deeper.

She nodded slightly, the movement so small it was almost reserved. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and the words she uttered were like her—cold and concise: "Thank you for your concern, Saint, I am well. In the Secret Realm, we each rely on our own Opportunity; I would not dare to trouble you, Senior Brother."

The tone was flat, devoid of any emotion, yet it drew a clear line of distance.

After speaking, she turned her head back and cast her gaze toward the distant, cloud-shrouded immortal mountains, as if the scenery were more worthy of attention than the Saint before her, with no intention of continuing the conversation at all.

The smile on Jian Wushuang's face instantly stiffened, and a surge of emotions mixed with annoyance, embarrassment, and deeper jealousy flooded his heart.

He clearly remembered that before the appearance of Mu Changge, the "variable," and especially after the vague rumors about the Sword Burial Abyss incident, Yun Qingyao's attitude toward him began to change subtly.

From the initial intimacy, to the gradual indifference later on, and now to this obvious distance and scrutiny... the timing of all these changes overlapped highly with the trajectory of Mu Changge rising to fame within the Sect and repeatedly making him suffer setbacks!

How could he not attribute his anger to Mu Changge?

He suppressed the urge to flick his sleeves and leave, maintaining the last trace of a smile to keep his composure, and nodded: "Qingyao is right; Opportunity relies on one's own ability."

Immediately after, as if to resolve the awkwardness and also to display his connections and demeanor, he turned and walked toward Prodigies from other Sects whom he was acquainted with to engage in conversation.

On the platform, the Disciples of each Sect followed the guides to head towards their temporary lodging.

Yunmiao Holy Trace had arranged a continuous row of exquisite rooms, sufficient to accommodate guests from all sides.

The Wandao Sword Sect was arranged in a group of courtyards on the east side, decorated with emerald bamboo and exotic stones.

Upon entering the courtyard, Yun Qingyao went straight to the most secluded room. After giving a slight nod to everyone, including Jian Wushuang, she drifted inside and closed the door again, clearly intending to continue her quiet meditation.

Jian Wushuang gazed at the tightly shut door, his eyes gloomy, his hands in his wide sleeves clenched into fists.

He felt as if an invisible, cold wall had separated him and Yun Qingyao, pushing them further and further apart.

His gloomy gaze swept over the black-clad figure among the Disciples (Mu Changge was also heading towards a cultivation room), and the killing intent and schemes in his heart grew more intense.

Mu Changge was completely unaware of this, or rather, he did not care.

He chose a simple room to stay in, sat cross-legged on the couch, and quietly adjusted his breathing, setting about to achieve a Breakthrough (after all, he had been at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage for quite a while).

Outside the window, the night at Yunmiao Holy Trace seemed to carry a dense amount of Spiritual Qi, and the starry sky was exceptionally brilliant.

He knew that the real test would come when the Secret Realm opened tomorrow.

And before that, any undercurrents and schemes were merely appetizers.

He slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking into his comprehension of the Dao of the sword. Around him, an extremely faint yet indomitable Sword Intent flowed, subtly resonating with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi of this immortal fairyland.