"Which junior dares to ruin the patriarch's plans? In that case, leave them all here." As he spoke, the seven skulls on his chest simultaneously unleashed their power, sending down a vast expanse of multicolored malevolent light.
Just as Lin Yi was about to take out the Six Yang God-Sealing Banner to release Xuan Yao Dao Ren, he suddenly saw a point of golden light appear in the void.
A precious mirror leaped out, shining brightly and instantly illuminating an area of thousands of miles.
The blazing fire of the sun, known for its domineering and destructive power, descended, and all the evil spirits and ghosts without the protection of incense were reduced to ashes in that instant.
A handsome young man in feathered robes and a star-studded crown appeared and said loudly, "Our sect has finally found a promising talent, and we cannot let him be ruined in your hands."
"Haoyang Sect, Ning Daoque," the middle-aged man on the demonic cloud said in a very strange tone. The seven skulls on his chest were all motionless, clearly indicating that he had just suffered a loss.
The young man nodded and said, "It is I. May I ask which Venerable One from the Netherworld Demon Sect you are?"
"I, Yan Ming, will remember what happened today." After uttering these harsh words, Yan Ming Demon Lord rode on his demonic cloud and vanished into the darkness in an instant.
Ning Daoque did not pursue them. The Netherworld was different from the mortal world; it was vast and boundless, making a pursuit extremely difficult.
The cultivators of the Netherworld Demon Sect are most skilled at communicating with the underworld and entering the netherworld; they are always easy to defeat but difficult to kill.
So from the very beginning, he used swift and decisive measures to make the other party back down.
Below, Lin Zhengyang finally materialized into a physical form. Although it was only a ghost body, it was something that countless ghost cultivators with undiminished spirits had been dreaming of.
He stepped out of the spiritual realm, looked at the handsome young man above, pondered for a moment, then bowed and said, "This unworthy disciple, Lin Zhengyang, pays respects to the Ancestor."
Ning Daoque nodded slightly and said, "The path of immortality is carefree; there is no need for such formalities."
"Thank you, Ancestor." Lin Zhengyang then bowed to the red-robed deity and said, "Thank you for your care over the past few years, Junior Brother."
The red-robed deity waved his hand and said, "Senior Brother Lin, you flatter me. As fellow disciples, we should naturally help and support each other."
Lin Zhengyang bowed to Lin Yi, who was shrouded in pure white mist, and said, "Thank you for your guidance."
Lin Yi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end he only uttered eight words: "Having been entrusted with a task, I must be loyal to it."
Although he really wanted to suppress the pure white aura around him and call out "Master", reason held him back.
Because there are too many things that cannot be explained, such as the Tai Su Refining Flag in his hand, or the He Luo Heavenly Book he used before...
To fabricate one lie, you need countless more to cover it up.
Lin Zhengyang left with Ning Daoque, and the red-robed deity also left.
Lin Yi was left standing there silently.
After a while, he knelt before the spirit realm, which had lost its spiritual light and was constantly ravaged by the yin wind, and thus left the underworld.
------------
Chapter 99 Blessed Land of a Hundred Flowers
The Hundred Schools Academy in Dingyang City, the capital of Lingzhou Prefecture, was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, creating a lively atmosphere.
As Lin Yi walked along, he couldn't help but feel a little curious.
Upon entering Tongde Hall, he glanced around and spotted Gongsun Chenghua mingling in the crowd.
"Fellow Daoist Gongsun." Lin Yi stepped forward and greeted him.
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Chenghua turned around, glanced at the young man in front of him, thought for a moment, then laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist Lin, it's been a long time."
The two talked as they squeezed out of the crowd.
Once outside, Lin Yi asked, "Fellow Daoist Gongsun, do you know why there are so many people in the academy?"
Gongsun Chenghua looked at Lin Yi with some surprise and said, "Fellow Daoist Lin, don't you know?"
"Know what?" Lin Yi asked, somewhat puzzled.
"About the Purple Cloud Valley," Gongsun Chenghua said, pointing in the direction of Tongde Hall, "Most of the people here at the academy are ordinary cultivators without any connections. The academies in the prefecture and the schools in the state are where the important figures gather."
"One day at noon six months ago, a strange thing happened in Purple Cloud Valley, with purple energy shooting straight into the sky. Later, news spread that the lost Blessed Land of a Hundred Flowers was about to reappear, and whoever could enter first would become the master of the blessed land."
Lin Yi laughed and said, "Isn't this nonsense? How could an ordinary person enjoy such a blessed land?"
Gongsun Chenghua nodded in agreement, sighed softly, and said, "That may be true, but there's no smoke without fire. Some people are just delusional and want to get ahead in one step. Besides, many others are actually after the spiritual treasures nurtured in the Blessed Land of a Hundred Flowers. If they could find the Hundred Flower Wine, it would be an invaluable longevity elixir."
The two walked and talked, and found an elegant restaurant in the academy. They ordered a few dishes and a pot of spirit wine, and ate and chatted.
Through Gongsun Chenghua, Lin Yi gained a general understanding of the situation.
Over the past six months, turmoil has been brewing in Dingyang City.
Many cultivators entered the Blessed Land of a Hundred Flowers by chance. Some died, but others not only came out alive but also obtained some rare spiritual items.
The Land of a Hundred Flowers was once a blessed land for spiritual practitioners, inhabited mostly by plant spirits that had gained intelligence and taken human form, as well as a celestial flower that had been blessed by heaven and earth.
The celestial flower, combined with the blessed land, was in no way inferior to a sixth-order Earth Immortal, which is why it was able to stand firm. No one expected that a calamity would strike from the heavens, annihilating it overnight.
As time went by, the news of the birth of the Blessed Land of a Hundred Flowers spread wider and wider.
Besides the cultivators from Lingzhou, cultivators from several surrounding states also traveled long distances to join in the fun.
Moyun Ridge has long been a forbidden area for ordinary people. Every day, countless cultivators search for it. Entangled in grudges and affections, it has almost become a battlefield.
If it weren't for the intervention of the Lingzhou Academy, Dingyang City would probably have been far from peaceful.
After the meal, Gongsun Chenghua said earnestly, "Fellow Daoist Lin is young and has a limitless future. It's best to think things through carefully before acting."