Chapter 1124: Peak of the Cloud Sea – Three Questions

Inside the fifth-rank Star Domain of the Cloud Sea, within the hazy star mist, there was currently a massive Spirit Beast, roughly three hundred zhang long. This Spirit Beast resembled a fierce tiger, with a sharp, ten-zhang long single horn growing atop its head, radiating a chilling glow.

Sitting cross-legged on the back of this fierce tiger Spirit Beast were more than thirty people. All of them looked calm, meditating with their eyes closed. These people included both men and women, and waves of cultivation emanated from their bodies.

Standing directly in front of them, beside the fierce tiger Spirit Beast's single horn, was a man. This man was middle-aged, wearing purple robes that fluttered without wind. With his hands clasped behind his back, he silently gazed at the star mist ahead, lost in thought.

Following respectfully behind this man was an elder, who accompanied him in observing the front.

"Sect Master, judging by the speed of the tiger beast, we will reach Moluo Continent in one more day." The elder said softly.

These people were Cultivators of the Zidao Sect. Originally, their arrival at Moluo Continent would not have taken so long, but due to the matter of the Pill Formula and the Jade Slip, the invasion by sixth-rank Star Domain Sects forced the Zidao Sect to postpone its journey to Moluo Continent.

After finishing all the miscellaneous tasks and cooperating with the sixth-rank Star Domain search, the Zidao Sect immediately mobilized and set off on the road to the Guiyuan Sect.

His gaze remained fixed on the star mist ahead, as if he were deep in thought. After a long silence, the middle-aged man nodded slightly and said calmly, "The matter that needs resolution must ultimately have an answer."

The elder was startled. He didn't understand the meaning behind the words of the Zidao Sect's most esteemed person. In his view, going to the Guiyuan Sect was simply a matter of taking something within reach; what answer was needed?

"Sect Master…" Just as the elder was about to speak, the middle-aged man shook his head and said, "You don't understand. Great chaos is about to erupt, and the Cloud Sea will no longer be peaceful."

The elder fell silent, saying nothing.

"Is it worth it, for just one Pill Formula and Jade Slip, that not only the sixth-rank domain rushed here, but even Cultivators from the seventh-rank and eighth-rank domains have arrived…" The middle-aged man seemed to mutter to himself, a hint of gloom always lingering between his brows.

"After all, the Pill Formula and Jade Slip are too valuable; it's inevitable that people will be tempted." The elder said softly from the side.

"That Pill Formula is an ominous object. The first time it appeared years ago, it caused the Cloud Sea Catastrophe. This second appearance… I just don't know who took the Pill Formula. The longer this Pill Formula is exposed, the wider the scope of the catastrophe will be." The middle-aged man shook his head and sighed deeply.

"According to the investigation, it was the Poisonous Hag of the Five Poisons Sect who took the Pill Formula and the Jade Slip and hid them." The elder hesitated before saying in a low voice.

"Don't underestimate those Old Monsters from the sixth-rank Star Domain Sects!" The middle-aged man smiled slightly.

The elder froze for a moment, thought carefully, and asked in confusion, "Could it be someone else?"

"If the Poisonous Hag really took it, would the Five Poisons Sect still exist now?" The middle-aged man's eyes showed wisdom as he said softly, "With the Poisonous Hag's cultivation, how could she withstand Shi Luoxing's self-detonation power? How could she leave no trace under such intense searching? And how could she possibly kill Qian Guizhong of the Huaqing Sect during her escape!

Qian Guizhong's cultivation was shattered nirvana. Who could kill him in the short span of an Incense Stick's time before the second wave of Huaqing Sect Cultivators arrived!"

The elder drew a sharp breath, his mind shaken. It took him a long time to recover, and his eyes revealed horror.

"Qian Guizhong of the Huaqing Sect was actually killed!" He clearly had no knowledge of this matter.

"The Poisonous Hag could not have done all this. Only the mysterious Cultivator who truly obtained the Jade Slip and Pill Formula has this kind of strength. This person's killing of Qian Guizhong must have been a last resort. He likely encountered Qian Guizhong when leaving the Barren Continent, aroused suspicion, and was thus forced to act." The middle-aged man's eyes showed admiration and appreciation.

"A ruthless style, decisive action, and a clean kill of Qian Guizhong. Furthermore, in the rush of time before that, he shifted the target of the sixth-rank Cultivators onto the Poisonous Hag, creating a smokescreen, gaining crucial initial time, and successfully escaping their blockade before the sixth-rank Cultivators could even react. Even I, if I switched places with him, probably couldn't achieve this.

More importantly, this person is incredibly deep-minded. I don't know if transferring the target onto the Poisonous Hag had a deeper meaning. If he truly saw through the essence of this whole affair and deliberately framed the Poisonous Hag, then this person's cunning has already reached the level of a demon!" The appreciation in the middle-aged man's eyes grew stronger.

The elder beside him felt his heart pound. He pondered for a moment, still feeling somewhat confused.

The middle-aged man did not turn around, but seemed to clearly know the elder's confusion, saying softly, "If the Jade Slip and Pill Formula were successfully acquired, it would be an auspicious sign for the sixth-rank Star Domain. But if clues appeared only for the Jade Slip and Pill Formula to vanish again, then that is a disaster.

What they need is an explanation! An explanation to the seventh-, eighth-, and even ninth-rank Star Domains…"

Understanding dawned in the elder's eyes, mixed with disbelief. His chest rose and fell for a moment, and he said solemnly, "So they allowed the Five Poisons Sect to continue existing, and they insisted that the Poisonous Hag was responsible. Even Qian Guizhong's death, they must have insisted, was the work of a Five Poisons Sect expert!"

The middle-aged man smiled slightly, murmuring as if to himself.

"This mysterious Cultivator is brilliant. He gave the sixth-rank Cultivators an explanation. Regardless of the final outcome, having this explanation significantly reduces their disaster. Otherwise, how could there be no shattered nirvana Cultivators in the search teams, only Pure Nirvana Cultivators looking for a mysterious person who can kill a shattered nirvana Cultivator within the time it takes an Incense Stick to burn… If I were a Sect Master of a sixth-rank Sect, I might even help that mysterious Cultivator erase all clues, preventing him from leaving any trace. That way, only the Five Poisons Sect would die!"

The elder beside him was deeply shaken. The way he looked at the middle-aged man in front of him revealed profound reverence and apprehension, and even a hint of fear.

He had followed Lu Yuncong, the middle-aged man, for many years, watching him rise from obscurity to the Peak. Three thousand years ago, the Zidao Sect was merely a small Sect within the fifth-rank Star Domain, but under this man's leadership, it is now powerful enough to be called formidable. Although it is not the strongest within the fifth-rank Star Domain, mentioning the name Lu Yuncong is known even in the sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-rank Star Domains.

"I really want to cross paths with this mysterious Cultivator… I have a premonition that I will meet this person one day…" Expectation shone in the middle-aged man's eyes. His figure, with his hands clasped behind his back, was like a mountain in the elder's view.

The elder remained silent.

Time slowly flowed. The fierce tiger Spirit Beast broke through the star mist and sped forward, its speed increasing rapidly.

When they were only half a day away from Moluo Continent, a blue light suddenly erupted in the star field ahead. This blue light was strange and demonic, penetrating the star mist and causing the mist itself to turn into a blue glow, as if it had been dyed.

The fierce tiger Spirit Beast immediately paused, its eyes showing vigilance and faintly containing fear. It roared softly forward but dared not advance even an inch.

This sudden scene immediately caused the thirty-plus Cultivators on the back of the fierce tiger Spirit Beast to open their eyes simultaneously. Each person looked calm, silently stood up, and coldly stared ahead, showing not the slightest bit of panic!

This was because they were Cultivators of the Zidao Sect, Core Disciples of the Zidao Sect, and direct descendants personally trained by Sect Master Lu Yuncong! They possessed pride. They could die, they could fail, but they absolutely could not panic. Even if a Mountain Collapse occurred before them, they had to remain calm.

The elder beside Lu Yuncong looked solemn, staring at the strange blue glow ahead. Only Lu Yuncong's expression remained completely unchanged; he quietly watched the mist ahead, as if nothing unusual were happening.

The blue mist permeated the area, gradually covering a thousand zhang radius. Moments later, the blue mist churned, and a graceful figure slowly walked out from within. With blue hair and white clothes, her exquisite face held neither the coldness of an iceberg nor the softness of the rising sun; instead, it held only tranquility and elegance.

In her slender jade hands, she held a Green Flute. She was like a Fairy walking out of nothingness and descending upon the mortal world.

As the Fairy drew closer, the moment her entire figure was revealed, the blue mist covering the thousand zhang radius violently surged, slowly solidifying and transforming into a thousand zhang long Blue Spirit Dragon.

This Fairy stood atop the head of the Blue Spirit Dragon, gazing tranquilly at Lu Yuncong. Her eyes held no fluctuation whatsoever, being completely pure and devoid of any Impurities.

Her gaze was like a deep, secluded pool that could intoxicate people. Furthermore, under her gaze, even the most tyrannical person would calm down, and a feeling of inferiority would involuntarily rise in their heart.

"Li Qianmei!" Lu Yuncong kept his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on the woman. Although he was surprised by her tranquility and the strange beauty of her Concept, his expression remained unchanged.

"Li Qianmei of the ninth-rank Potian Sect!" The elder beside Lu Yuncong retreated several steps, his expression vigilant. He recognized her identity immediately. In this Cloud Sea Star Domain, she was the only blue-haired woman, Li Qianmei!

"Qianmei greets Brother Lu." The woman smiled and slightly curtsied toward Lu Yuncong.

"Fellow Daoist Li, you flatter me." Lu Yuncong clasped his fists and laughed.

"Brother Lu, Qianmei has three questions to ask, and hopes Brother Lu can enlighten me." The woman smiled gently, her expression becoming even more tranquil as she spoke softly. Along her journey, she had asked the same questions to many people, and every respondent was a preeminent figure. Yet, ultimately, she had not obtained the answer she sought. Of her three questions, she had only ever managed to ask the first. No one had been able to allow her to ask the second question, let alone the third.

"Please speak." Lu Yuncong nodded.

"The first question: What is Heaven?" The woman asked softly.

Lu Yuncong glanced at Li Qianmei, pondered for a moment, and slowly replied, "The cage is Heaven!"

The woman knitted her delicate brows, a very moving sight. Moments later, her eyes brightened, and she smiled, like a blooming lily.

"Brother Lu's answer is very interesting. Qianmei wishes to know: Why is Heaven a cage?"

"Is this the second question?" Lu Yuncong laughed.

"No, it is still the first one. Can Brother Lu answer?" The woman tucked a strand of blue hair behind her ear and said softly.