Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Chapter 528 - 261: Fifth Mo and Xu the Sixth! Ten Thousand Evils Tribulation Aspect Returns (Part 2)

Without a doubt, such a person is truly a rare grandmaster of Maoshan, concealing glory in silence, yet displaying marvelous skill known to the world.

This is the true elder hermit.

"Xu the Sixth, back in the day among this group of old brothers, you were the least adept at cultivation, but I didn’t expect that after all these years, your skill hasn’t slackened a bit. Looks like you’ve dug up quite a few treasures underground."

Mo Rancun grinned, revealing a row of neat, gleaming white teeth.

Rumble...

As his words fell, from outside the courtyard, atop the heavens came another wave of thunderous noise. Amid the oppressive dark clouds, a monstrous being squirmed, its body thick and long, coiling just like a great dragon.

"Flowing clouds gather and scatter, forming Qiu Long..."

"Is that the [Qiu Long Cloud] from Qi Yun Mountain!?" Yu Hua looked up, grave light surging within his eyes.

Men cultivate the Dao amidst the mountains, watching the drifting clouds as ancient arts unfold.

It is said that the Ancestral Master of Qi Yun Mountain once roamed divinely beyond the heavens, and in the highest skies conceived a Daoist Skill, able to use flowing clouds to reveal myriad forms of the world, seizing spiritual rhythm and divine might.

When Yu Hua was young, he followed his elders to Qi Yun Mountain, and had witnessed this art.

However, then, the one who performed this technique possessed profound cultivation but was far inferior to Mo Rancun. He could only manifest a Magic Sword from flowing clouds, called [Void Sword Cloud]; compared to conjuring the legendary monstrous spirit with clouds, it was naturally much less impressive.

Rumble...

The vast sky surged with clouds. That massive being like a Qiu Long coiled amidst raging firelight, opening wide to swallow, actually devouring the Great Flowing Flame hidden within the clouds. The immense cloudbank shimmered with light.

Such a celestial anomaly left the crowd gaping in astonishment.

By comparison, the grand duel between Yuan Ling Crown and Prince Qin felt like mere child’s play.

"Fifth Mo, let’s see how much longer your bravado holds." Xu Xuan Guan remained impassive, a ripple seeming to stir in his deep gaze.

Om—

In an instant, throughout the vault of clouds, the fiery light died away. Then, a ripple of water spread out, and soon, another monstrous entity strode forth from the undulating water—limbs sturdy as pillars, shell vast as a disk, upholding the sky, mingling with the flowing clouds.

"Separation Fire Generates Kan Water, Flowing Flame Transforms Spirit Turtle!" Mo Rancun narrowed his eyes, laughing in a low, focused tone.

"So you’ve also mastered Zhenwu Mountain’s [Turtle Union Aspect], Lao Liu, surely you didn’t dig up Zhenwu Mountain’s ancestral tomb, did you?"

Zhang Fan, Fang Changle, and Yu Hua all gazed at the changing portent in the sky, each unconsciously revealing awe.

[Chang Chun Skill] from Zhongnan Mountain, [Great Flowing Flame] from Lao Mountain, [Turtle Union Aspect] from Zhenwu Mountain—by this count, Xu Xuan Guan has already displayed the finest skills of three schools. His Dao Practice is truly inconceivable.

"Fifth Mo, your sharp tongue won’t withstand your own overbearing power," Xu Xuan Guan said coldly.

"Then let us see whether Zhenwu Mountain’s great turtle is superior, or my Qi Yun Mountain’s great dragon."

Rumble...

From the sky came a tremendous tremor. There, the dragon coiled, claws clear and distinct, the terrifying roar of the dragon echoing endlessly; the giant turtle bellowed as well, its black armor rippling in waves, warding off the dragon’s tearing assault.

The two gigantic beings battled fiercely in the depths of the cloud-sea, now appearing, now vanishing, shifting in and out of view.

Witnessing such a mystical scene, Zhang Fan could scarcely resist pulling out his phone to capture the spectacle on camera.

Yet he knew, visions of such profound magical combat were beyond mere technology to record; as for mortals—unless their Primordial Spirit is awakened, or their Life Chart is extraordinary, they’d hardly ever witness such sights.

Rumble...

Suddenly, deep within the clouds, the great dragon shook violently and soared to the sky, actually forcing the turtle back. At the same moment, atop the dragon’s cloud-formed brow, a Dao Talisman suddenly flashed—mysterious rays binding together, manifesting with majesty. Somewhere within, the long cry of an immortal crane drifted through the heavens.

"This is..." Xu Xuan Guan’s brow arched as he finally looked up at the sky.

Whoosh—

The immortal crane’s lament grew ever grander, flowing clouds turning white, and then blossoms rained down from the sky like petals. Amidst such wondrous scenery, the spirit turtle uttered a pained howl, its form beginning to disperse.

"White Crane Forgets the Machine!?" Xu Xuan Guan’s color darkened, staring at Mo Rancun.

"Lao Liu, you should know, years ago the Ancestral Master of White Crane Temple came to lecture at my Qi Yun Mountain and left behind this very Dao Talisman. What think you?" Mo Rancun said indifferently.

"White Crane Temple... White Crane Temple... no wonder it stands as the head of Daoist Sects, above even Dragon and Tiger." Xu Xuan Guan closed his eyes slightly, tilting his head back with a sigh.

"Lao Liu, I won’t make things hard for you today. I’m only taking these two brats," Mo Rancun said flatly.

"Not so fast, Old Mo, I too have a Dao Talisman—come, discern its merits!"

Xu Xuan Guan slowly opened his eyes, focusing on the heavens.

"Hm!?"

Mo Rancun’s brows twitched as he looked up by instinct, faintly sensing trouble ahead.

The spirit turtle, nearly dissolved only moments before, let loose a heaven-shaking roar, like crashing thunder. The next instant, a profound Dao Talisman appeared three inches above its brow.

That talisman: a foot square, eight corners trailing radiance, its brilliance dazzling, heaven and earth struck with awe!

"As the great wind rises, the clouds fly high, the blazing stars question the heavens: what year is tonight? How many tribulations have met the Jade Emperor?" Xu Xuan Guan softly intoned.

Rumble...

As soon as the Dao Talisman appeared, the great dragon shuddered, seized by boundless fear. Even the crane’s cry in the heavens grew mournful beyond compare.

"Ten Thousand Evils Tribulation Aspect!?"

Mo Rancun’s face twitched violently, and, at last, a flicker of shock came to his always unruffled eyes.

Rumble...

The great dragon thrashed madly; at the dragon’s brow, the Dao Talisman cracked, fissures spreading as if ten thousand calamities struck, shattering the firmament.

In the human realm, of the myriad living, heaven and earth vast, north, south, east, west—there seemed no place untouched by this tribulation, no one spared its suffering.

Boom, boom, boom...

The next instant, the great dragon was destroyed, and together with the dazzling Dao Talisman, all dissolved into flowing clouds.

Such a sudden reversal left everyone utterly dumbstruck.

Yet Zhang Fan’s reaction was strongest, for when he’d contested magical combat with the Black Rat in Yujing City, Mr. Nian lent the latter unseen support. Back then, it seemed this very talisman appeared out of nowhere, manifesting and dissolving his tribulation.

Whoosh...

The great wind swept through, carrying away the spirit turtle hidden in the clouds, while the profound talisman seemed to vanish into the void.

The sky was left empty; the clouds, scattered—only a solitary round moon shone high above.

The little courtyard returned to its former tranquility.

"Never thought it—one of the three Dao Talismans left by Zhang the Second from those days, and you had one hidden here," Mo Rancun said lightly.

"Lao Liu, you certainly aren’t short of treasures."

"Just a bit more than you," Xu Xuan Guan replied coolly.

"Very well—Ten Thousand Evils Tribulation Aspect, worthy of a name among the Nine Great Inner Elixir Methods. Today, I won’t trouble these two juniors."

Mo Rancun cracked a wide grin, turning to Zhang Fan, only to find him utterly bewildered.

"What’s this old codger looking at?" Zhang Fan muttered inwardly.

"Boy, are you planning to take my Qi Yun Mountain’s treasure home and worship it like an ancestral tablet?" Mo Rancun said coldly.

"Oh, oh, oh..."

Zhang Fan started, hurriedly pulling the Demon-Revealing Mirror from his pocket and handing it over.

"This junior thought you’d already forgotten, senior."

"..."

Mo Rancun’s eye twitched, giving Zhang Fan a frosty look. "Truly a youth of promise—guts like a tiger..."

"Young man, we will meet again."

With that, Mo Rancun tucked the Demon-Revealing Mirror into his robe without a glance, and strode out of the courtyard, vanishing into the endless night.

"Master Uncle..."

Seeing this, Yu Hua finally exhaled. His robes had long been drenched with sweat.

Even as a Sect Leader powerhouse, standing before the grand Qi Yun Mountain Sect Leader, he still felt as green as a raw recruit.

"Come with me."

At this moment Xu Xuan Guan spoke, raising a hand straight ahead.

"Me?" Fang Changle blurted by reflex.

As a Maoshan Inheritor, it was only natural to expect a summons by his school’s elder.

"Not you..."

Xu Xuan Guan shook his head, turning to Zhang Fan.