Three Thousand States, Spirit Realm, Heaven Mending City
This grand city shone like a radiant pearl nestled upon the vast earth, its brilliance captivating all who beheld it. Built atop a dragon vein, the city brimmed with dense heaven-and-earth essence, enveloped in a snowy mist that rose in delicate curls, lending it an ethereal, dreamlike allure.
From afar, its towering walls pierced the clouds, an impregnable barrier separating the city's interior from the outside world. Within, palaces stood in harmonious array, crystalline and translucent, as if carved from fine jade, glinting dazzlingly under the sun's rays.
This city, a perfect replica of the Heaven Mending City in the mortal realm, was vast and majestic. Situated in the region corresponding to the Spirit Transformation Realm, it was a sacred gathering place for countless cultivators.
Yet today, this magnificent city, firmly under the control of a great sect, found its gates blockaded by provocateurs daring to challenge its authority.
"Little Chan Chan, didn't you want to challenge me? Why are you still hiding?"
A charming, resonant voice echoed across Heaven Mending City, stunning the gathered cultivators.
"Trouble! The Witch of the Heaven Severing Sect has brought people to blockade the city…"
"How bold! Daring to storm our gates—does she think the Heaven Mending Sect lacks defenders?"
In an instant, the city buzzed with activity. Crowds converged beneath the eastern gate, where two factions faced off in tense confrontation.
"Witch, this isn't your Heaven Severing Sect's territory. Acting so brazenly here—are you courting death?" a youth of eighteen or nineteen roared, his indignation palpable.
He had a mane of golden hair cascading thickly, clad in radiant golden armor that gleamed under the sun, exuding a heroic aura. Most striking were his golden wings, crystalline and silken, inscribed with dense runes, pulsating with formidable divine power.
Had Lin Fan been present, he would have recognized this youth as Jin Lingxiao, a fellow disciple who entered the Heaven Mending Sect years ago alongside him. Though Jin Lingxiao fell just short of triggering the purple glow on the stone tablet that day, his diligent cultivation under an elder's tutelage had propelled his strength, placing him among the top of the sect's younger generation.
"Hmph, tell Yue Chan to come out. You're not worthy to speak to me," the girl in a black gauze dress sneered, her skin fair as snow, her beauty peerless.
Her raven hair danced, each strand lustrous, her long lashes framing gem-like eyes that sparkled with mischief and charm as she blinked.
"Our saintess is transcendent, a reincarnated celestial. She's not someone you can demand to see," Jin Lingxiao retorted coldly. The two sects were sworn enemies, and pleasantries were out of the question.
But the Witch, far from angered, laughed, her voice still booming as she taunted, "Yue Chan, are you scared? Hiding away, too afraid to fight?"
"No surprise there. You've always relied on your looks and silver tongue, charming a pack of lapdogs to do your bidding. Just a social butterfly, nothing more."
Her words, brash and unrestrained, left many tongues wagging. It was hard to fathom that a woman who appeared so pure and ethereal could speak so crudely, heedless of her demeanor or reputation.
"How dare you slander our saintess! You're asking for a beating!" Jin Lingxiao snapped, his golden wings flapping, unleashing gusts of wind and thunder that rumbled ominously.
The heavens churned, the weather itself shifting. The earth quaked, fissures splitting the ground, sending nearby onlookers stumbling back.
"So powerful! Senior Brother Jin has grown stronger. With a single flap of his divine wings, he's defeated numerous veteran true disciples. His talent rivals Saintess Yue Chan!"
"And… Senior Brother Jin is now a master of the Formation Arrangement Realm!"
The crowd gasped in awe. Jin Lingxiao's talent, once considered middling within the sect, had surged miraculously, catching up to the elite—a feat deemed extraordinary. His prowess had earned him the favor of a Heavenly Deity elder, who took him as a direct disciple, a remarkable honor.
"Witch, if you want to challenge Saintess Yue Chan, you'll have to get through me first," Jin Lingxiao bellowed, his voice like a thousand war drums, his eyes flashing with golden brilliance, exuding an intimidating aura.
His golden wings blazed, their radiance blinding. Countless golden feathers materialized in the void, each a divine sword brimming with lethal intent.
With a swish, the golden feather-swords sliced through the sky, forming a dense rain of light that surged toward the Witch.
But to everyone's shock, the Witch neither dodged nor defended. She stood her ground, exuding confidence, a faint smirk of disdain curling her lips, without deploying any artifacts or treasure techniques.
She merely called out, "Brother Jin Chan, if you please."
In an instant, a golden beam shot forth from behind her, like a blazing sun, radiant and fierce, positioning itself before her in a flash.
Bang!
The golden feather-swords struck the blazing orb, clanging like metal on metal, sparks flying in all directions.
As the attack subsided, the orb's light dimmed, revealing a figure—a boy of fourteen or fifteen, holding an ancient lamp, clad in monastic robes, resembling a vajra bodhisattva. His skin gleamed inch by inch with golden hue, his head shaved to a shining baldness, exuding a sacred, serene aura.
"This guy's incredible, blocking Senior Brother Jin's strike with just his body! With that appearance, could he be from the Western Sect?" someone exclaimed, eyeing the figure with astonishment.
His attire unmistakably evoked a certain great sect. In the Three Thousand States, only the Western Sect's adherents bore such a look, their bodies honed to perfection through the Diamond Indestructible Body, untainted by dust, devoid even of hair.
Boom!
Suddenly, the lamp-bearing youth moved. Runes shimmered across his body, weaving densely, and a massive golden palm expanded, pressing toward Jin Lingxiao, enveloping him.
The sight was awe-inspiring—the golden hand, vast as the heavens, seemed to crush an entire world. Stars twinkled and orbited between its fingers, a vision of cosmic might.
"Senior Brother Jin, beware! It's the Western Sect's World in the Palm!" someone shouted, voice laced with urgency.
This divine ability was renowned, especially effective against archaic beasts. Once ensnared, escape was near impossible, leading only to subjugation.
"You think you can trap me with this? No chance!" Jin Lingxiao snorted, his wings propelling him skyward with supreme confidence in his speed, darting hundreds of zhang away in an instant.
"So fast! Senior Brother Jin lives up to the Golden-Winged Great Peng's name. Only those with supreme speed divine abilities could outpace him," onlookers marveled, certain he'd evade the attack.
But jaws dropped as they looked up. The massive palm loomed over Jin Lingxiao, as if no matter how far or fast he fled, it remained ever-close, inescapable.
It was like a vast azure sky or cosmos—no matter how swift or high a bird soared, it remained bound beneath that heavens, unable to break free.
"Trouble! The World in the Palm truly counters the Golden-Winged Great Peng clan. Senior Brother Jin's in danger!" the crowd fretted.
Yet, at that critical moment, a sword beam cleaved through the void, rending the heavens and shattering the World in the Palm, freeing Jin Lingxiao to soar away.
"Look! Our saintess has arrived!"
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