Yun Xi snapped back to her senses and asked obediently, "Zūnzhě, what are your instructions?"
Hao Hui frowned. "Yun Xi, your Master has run into trouble with his Divine Transformation."
The words made Yun Xi's heart tighten. She immediately asked, "Zūnzhě, what happened? When I left Lingxue Peak, Master was well. He already showed faint signs of breaking through. How could something go wrong?"
"We'll only know the details once we return to the sect. The Sect Master is already trying to find a solution."
"Understood."
Yun Xi gave a crisp reply.
Afterward, Hao Hui exchanged a few words through voice transmission with Hao Qing. Yun Xi quickly handed over the Soul-Nourishing Stone that housed Yu Su's true soul to Hao Qing Zūnzhě. Under everyone's eyes, she followed Hao Hui Zūnzhě out of the temporary dharma house.
Before anyone could react, Hao Hui tore through space itself, stepping into the void with Yun Xi and vanishing from sight.
Hua Bai's eyes flickered. He wanted to leave as well, but Ming Hong Zūnzhě blocked him.
"Hua Bai, this is the Baohua Mountains, territory of the Western Domain. You'd better rein yourself in. Otherwise, not even the immortals will be able to save you."
Grinding his teeth, Hua Bai sat back down beside Hua Yu. He knew this was Mingjian Gate's warning. He had no strength to pit himself against every Divine Transformation cultivator of the Western Domain.
The Divine Transformation Zūnzhě of the Western sects all felt a weight lifted. Finally, Huaxian Gate had taken a blow, avenging the humiliation of losing the strange flame.
Hua Bai was suffering a double loss—if he hadn't stolen the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame, perhaps his junior wouldn't have perished.
The Zūnzhě from the other three domains said nothing, but the faint curve of their lips betrayed their good mood. Clearly, none of them had fondness for Huaxian Gate's domineering ways.
Hua Yu forced the topic back on track. "Since the secret realm is temporarily stable, we may as well wait."
Leaving the Baohua Mountains, Yun Xi's heart was heavy. Hao Hui Zūnzhě's face was grim as well. He turned to her. "Don't worry. Yu Ling will be fine."
Yun Xi only nodded absently, unable to relax. Last time, her uncle had nearly fallen into demonic deviation. Now, her Master was in trouble. Yet she hadn't even encountered Wei Yunqing in the secret realm, let alone stolen any opportunities from her. Why was it that Master's Divine Transformation had gone wrong?
What Yun Xi didn't know was that, unknowingly, she had already snatched Wei Yunqing's destined fortunes. The upper-grade spirit vein in the army ant nest and the top-grade vein in the desert oasis were both meant for Wei Yunqing. Her Master's current misfortune was, in truth, indirectly connected to her.
Hao Hui Zūnzhě brought Yun Xi back to Haoran Sect at the fastest possible speed. When they stepped out of the void, they appeared on the outskirts of Lingxue Peak. The area was already crowded with sect cultivators. At the very front stood Sect Master Yu Geng Zhēnjūn, his brow tightly furrowed as he watched Yu Ling at the center of the tribulation lightning.
Hao Hui's arrival eased Yu Geng's expression somewhat. He immediately cupped his hands. "Zūnzhě, thank you for your efforts."
Hao Hui waved it off. "It's nothing. What's the situation? Still no way to send spiritual energy inside?"
"Yes. The entire defensive formation of Lingxue Peak has activated. Even those holding marked identity tokens can't enter.
We tried to force our way in, but it was impossible. None of us Zūnzhě dare to interrupt Yu Ling's tribulation. If we do, the lightning will double, and he won't even survive long enough to absorb enough qi. He'll be annihilated by the tribulation itself.
That's why I wanted Yun Xi to return. Perhaps her token can enter Lingxue Peak and at least break the confinement."
He turned his gaze to Yun Xi.
Yun Xi looked at the bolts of tribulation lightning striking down, her brows drawn tight. She could sense no flow of spiritual energy from within Lingxue Peak. At this critical moment of Divine Transformation, insufficient qi meant certain failure.
When the Sect Master looked her way, she asked, "Martial Uncle Sect Master, what exactly happened to Master?"
"Yu Ling should have successfully broken through the barrier to Divine Transformation. But after summoning the tribulation lightning, he found himself unable to leave Lingxue Peak, as though bound there.
Normally, the location doesn't matter. As long as there is abundant qi, he could weather the tribulation with no problem. But now, for some unknown reason, the spiritual energy around him has also been locked away, making it impossible to absorb.
Without sufficient qi to repair the damage of each strike, the destructive force of the tribulation will quickly outpace his recovery. In time, his body will collapse."
Hearing this, Yun Xi unfurled the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella and leapt into the storm of tribulation lightning, attempting to force her way into Lingxue Peak. The next moment, the lightning locked onto her.
Yu Geng Sect Master immediately shouted, "Reckless! Yun Xi, come back! I meant for you to give me your identity token so I could send someone else!"
Yun Xi, protected under the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella, retreated from the lightning zone. But even so, a bolt struck the umbrella, letting her taste firsthand the might of a Divine Transformation tribulation.
Hao Hui pulled Yun Xi to his side, displeased. "Girl, what are you rushing for? Do you think we Divine Transformation Zūnzhě are decorations?"
Yun Xi hurriedly waved her hands. "Please don't be angry, Zūnzhě. I was too anxious. But my token can't enter Lingxue Peak either. What do we do now?"
Hao Hui looked up at the storm, expression grim. "A tribulation cannot be interrupted. If Yu Ling fails, I will think of a way to protect him afterward."
Yun Xi's heart sank. That meant her Master's Divine Transformation was destined to fail.
Agitated, she instinctively released her late-stage Divine Transformation divine sense, searching desperately for any flaw.
Then she noticed it: among the gathered Divine Transformation experts watching Lingxue Peak, one man's expression was unnervingly calm. He even had a trace of smugness in his eyes, as though this outcome was only natural.
Yun Xi turned to Sect Master Yu Geng. "Who is that senior?"
Her gaze fixed sharply on the man.
Yu Geng glanced over. "That's Zuo Qiu Zūnzhě. He recently advanced to early Divine Transformation. Why do you ask?"
At the name "Zuo Qiu," Yun Xi's fists clenched, teeth grinding audibly. He was Wei Yunqing's Master, having taken her as disciple through a certain deal. She hadn't expected him to succeed in Divine Transformation before her Master. Drawing a deep breath, Yun Xi said,"Sect Master, I obtained some fortunes during my training in the secret realm. Perhaps I can use them to help Master."
At the same time, she sent a voice transmission. "Xiao Xian, can you channel spiritual energy into Master's body?"
"I can… but only if you manage to get me into his hands! And that's a Divine Transformation tribulation! Do you want to die?"
"Master must succeed. The Realm Spirit's foresight is paying off now. The Boundary-Breaking Cone it gave me can be used."
Xiao Xian immediately understood her intent. Its leaves trembled. "Master, think carefully. Once you draw the bow, there's no turning back. Even if you don't die, you'll be gravely injured. This isn't a joke."
Yun Xi inhaled deeply, eyes steely. "Heavenly Dao wants Wei Yunqing, the so-called favored daughter of luck, to step on my head. I refuse! I won't bow to fate. I will see Master through his Divine Transformation!"