Chapter 531: Let Go of the Flowing Water

Green Peak is elegant and richly hued—as if dyed deep.

Gazing far into the distance, one sees a thousand peaks arranged in a row, faintly meeting the horizon where water meets sky.

Those who walk among them seem to pass through a scroll of landscape painting, the scenery enchanting, colors harmonious.

Wei Lingjiang and Gu Yi exchanged a distant glance.

One stood atop the peak, sleeves fluttering lightly, her cloud-like coiffure towering, like a clear lotus in rain—serene and exquisite.

The other was wreathed in misty vapor, her features radiant and deeply beautiful, like a moonlit Tanhua —brilliant and dazzling.

“I never expected to meet you here—it’s a pleasant surprise, Wei Lingjiang…”

After a moment of silence, Gu Yi spoke first, gently tucking a few strands of wind-tossed hair behind her ear, saying:

“Rather than choose an auspicious day, let fate decide. Since we’ve met by chance, let us settle both old grudges and new grievances all at once.”

“The old grievance refers to the Miaoyi Spirit Mansion in the Northern Sea?”

Wei Lingjiang’s voice was cool and detached:

“Gu Yi, your narrow-mindedness is no blessing for Dao cultivation. Even if no disaster strikes now, you will surely face tribulation in the future.

In light of our shared origin as cultivators of Dongzhou, I advise you to cultivate purity, guard your nature, and clarify your mind—only then may you avoid calamity.”

Since thirty years ago, when they vied for the fortune within the Miaoyi Cave Mansion, Wei Lingjiang and Gu Yi had begun their feud.

The former, having seized the Wanqiu Banner that governed the mansion’s residual array, nearly annihilated the hundred celestial demons under Gu Yi’s command; had Gu Yi not swiftly discerned the array’s core, she would have been forced to deploy her sect’s ultimate treasure merely to escape.

After suffering such a crushing defeat, Gu Yi etched the incident firmly into her memory.

In the decades since, she had repeatedly harassed Wei Lingjiang in kind, repaying insult with insult.

The two had clashed fiercely, back and forth.

Now, hearing Wei Lingjiang speak thus, Gu Yi unusually offered no retort; as if recalling something, a faint smile touched her lips.

“Your aura suggests you’ve just endured a fierce battle to obtain this copper fish.”

Wei Lingjiang glanced at her and continued:

“Only two copper fish remain to appear; the contest has reached its decisive moment. If we fight now, it serves no purpose.”

The ultimate winner of this Dan Yuan Assembly is determined by the number of copper fish each Dan Yuan True Person carries.

Since entering the Huang Lao Sheji Map, over the next three months, ten Huoling Copper Fish will emerge in sequence; whoever fully refines one secures a top-ten position.

To date, only two copper fish remain to surface, and once they do, the Huachun Mist will vanish entirely.

And this assembly will then descend into its most violent struggle!

Yet before that, if two Dan Yuan True Persons who each possess a copper fish meet and clash…

The loser naturally exits—but the victor cannot claim the opponent’s copper fish.

Due to the assembly’s regulations, they can only watch as the defeated’s copper fish escapes on its own into the blue sky, vanishing into the mountains, rivers, and lakes, awaiting another worthy soul.

Only another Dan Yuan True Person who possesses a copper fish may, by chance, perceive the true form of the vanished fish; others, even if they seek to snatch it, are powerless.

Thus, until all ten copper fish have surfaced and the Huachun Mist dissipates…

All Dan Yuan True Persons who have obtained fish share an unspoken understanding: they refrain from attacking one another prematurely.

Lest their hard-won efforts merely benefit others, while they gain nothing.

This is why Wei Lingjiang, though she holds deep disdain for Gu Yi, does not strike now.

“A few days ago, I faced Hu Xu of Xuanfeng Cave, shattered his Yellow Sand Secret Chant, and took this copper fish from him. Though he bears great renown, his combat prowess fell far short of my expectations.”

“It seems rumors are often misleading—what you hear is not what you see; empty fame holds no weight. True strength is only revealed through trial?”

Gu Yi pondered, then shook her head, though her final words carried an edge of mockery.

She looked at Wei Lingjiang:

“What, after more than a few clashes between us, are you finally going to yield to me before the Dan Yuan Assembly?”

Wei Lingjiang remained unmoved, guarding her spiritual core, her gaze cool.

Since Gu Yi’s appearance, she had silently launched an assault, weaving demonic sounds into her speech to unsettle Wei Lingjiang’s spirit.

Should Wei Lingjiang’s mind waver even slightly, the demonic sound would slip in, granting Gu Yi a hidden advantage.

This was a tactic Gu Yi routinely employed.

At first, it had caught Wei Lingjiang off guard—but she soon recognized it, and since then, Gu Yi’s attempts had proven useless.

Yet Gu Yi’s intent now was merely to probe; she never expected this technique to succeed.

After a few words, she smirked mischievously and suddenly spoke:

“By the way, you and Chen Hang must have had a romantic affair, haven’t you?”

“….”

Wei Lingjiang lifted her gaze, her expression calm.

“If we’re precise, it was in the past, wasn’t it?”

Gu Yi studied her expression, speaking slowly:

“You, the Zheming Wei True Person, have always cultivated in solitude on Lutai Mountain, detached from worldly affairs, so much so that your name barely registers at the Suidan Evaluation. How then did you meet Chen Hang?

Was it childhood intimacy, a quiet affection blossoming? A match arranged by matchmakers and parental decree? Or did fate bring you together, and you fell in love at first sight?

Don’t look at me like that—I’m only jesting. Given Chen Hang’s former status as a lone cultivator, the first two are absurd. Clearly, it was the last? But if it was truly mutual affection, how did you end up…?”

Gu Yi deliberately paused.

“Water spilled cannot be retrieved?”

Around them, silence fell abruptly—even the wind seemed to hush.

Cloud shadows drifted slowly across, then vanished soundlessly.

Seeing Wei Lingjiang offer no reply, Gu Yi paid it no mind, merely blinked and spoke to herself:

“I guessed right—you two did indeed once have a romantic bond.

Yet Chen Hang, though he appears as cold as iron, is not truly heartless. So then—?”

“Pathetic.”

Wei Lingjiang’s tone was flat, devoid of anger or malice:

“Is this all you’re capable of—tricks like these?”

Gu Yi did not grow angry; instead, her eyes brightened with amusement: “Ah, don’t misunderstand—I’ve recently found Chen Hang intriguing and wished to learn more about him. If I could glean some insight from you, all the better.

This is a sincere inquiry, not mockery. Have you misunderstood me, Wei True Person?

Yet on this point, I offer you one piece of sound advice—do you wish to hear it? The past is gone; it cannot be reclaimed…”

Seeing Wei Lingjiang unmoved, Gu Yi lifted her eyelashes slightly, elongating her tone into an air of solemn gravity:

“I advise you, Wei True Person: let go of the flowing water, awaken to the true cause.”

After she spoke, there was no response.

After waiting a moment, as Gu Yi began to feel slightly bored, she shook her head slightly, preparing to strike directly—

On the misty green peak, Wei Lingjiang suddenly smiled.

At that moment, she was like a lotus reflected in water—so pale it became radiant, dazzling, almost blinding.

“Gu Yi, do you think I am someone you can unsettle with such petty tricks?”

Wei Lingjiang’s gaze burned with fierce combat intent as she gave a strange smile.

“And as for what transpired between me and my younger brother—there is no place for your interference.”

She stepped forward, hand on her sword, slowly drawing it from its scabbard:

“Hu Xu of Xuanfeng Cave is no insignificant figure. He rose to fame in the southern lands with his Yellow Sand Secret Chant, defeating numerous peers of the Golden Core realm—even I, secluded on Lutai Mountain, heard of it.

But do you think defeating him means you can defeat me?”

Gu Yi’s smile faded; her expression grew serious.

“You’re more interesting than I thought.”

She said.

The two stood locked in silence for only a moment before simultaneously striking.

Two mighty magical forces surged into the air—one like a vast jade field, brilliant and clear, yet radiating searing, piercing heat, as if capable of burning through the heavens.

The other like an endless silver ocean, vast and overwhelming, its depth unfathomable!

The sky instantly blazed with radiant light, blindingly intense.

The two forces crashed together like surging tides, roaring and crashing, shattering the storm clouds into fragments, scattering spiritual energy!

At that moment, a crimson small tripod leapt from behind Wei Lingjiang, its mouth facing downward, spewing layers of flame that wove into a net, fully enclosing her body.

Puff—

Almost the instant the crimson tripod appeared, a small golden hammer struck in.

In one strike, it tore open the fire net, then surged upward, nearly shaking the tripod loose.

Seeing she could not easily prevail, the flame streams spewing from the tripod, under Wei Lingjiang’s command, transformed into red-hot chains that lashed out; the golden hammer, in turn, flickered and retreated.

At that moment, Gu Yi suddenly sensed something, without hesitation, transformed into blue light and vanished from her spot.

The next instant, a majestic sword light slashed through the sky, crossing the azure heavens in a flash, cleanly severing the great green peak behind her into two halves.

“Wei Lingjiang, your use of the Miaoyi Cave array to destroy my demonic generals cannot be so easily forgotten.”

Gu Yi emerged from the light, glancing at the split peak, smiling inwardly:

“Then as previously said—let us settle both new grudges and old grievances, all at once!”

With a thought, Gu Yi casually flung something.

A embroidered ball, adorned with silk tassels below and jade pendants below, flew out, emitted a single shrill cry, then exploded—rolling waves of gray smoke and white mist surged forth with a roar!

“True-Will Golden Worm?”

In the depths of the vast horizontal fog, tens of thousands of golden-scaled strange insects poured down like torrential rain.

Wei Lingjiang raised a finger and pointed; suddenly, a banner five feet tall, its crimson fabric embroidered with a scene of dragons battling the sea, flew forth.

Its light flashed brilliantly, its radiance blazed fiercely!

…

…

In the air, crimson dragons roared constantly, dark flames spiraled, shaking mountains and trembling earth, their might terrifyingly fierce!

After half a day of combat, both Wei Lingjiang and Gu Yi had suffered heavy losses, and both knew that unless they unleashed their ultimate techniques, they could not overcome the other—this duel would inevitably become a war of attrition.

If it came to that, the former would naturally hold the advantage.

A first-rank Golden Core was already among the highest achievements in Golden Core cultivation.

In terms of the depth and strength of magic power, Wei Lingjiang was inherently superior to others by a full margin!

But Gu Yi would never allow such a thing to happen.

She had continuously summoned her magic power, instantly unleashing several Hu Zhao techniques—clearly aiming for a swift victory, unwilling to be dragged into prolonged combat.

Yet Wei Lingjiang proved difficult to subdue; her cultivated scriptures were among the finest in the world, and she too had mastered several techniques, which was why they had reached this stalemate—neither could gain a decisive edge in the short term.

In an instant, the fire dragon flashed dozens of times; Gu Yi’s figure blurred and vanished from her original spot.

Only after fleeing over ten miles did Gu Yi summon her golden hammer, seize an opening, and shatter the relentless fire dragon outright.

The hammer’s residual momentum did not cease—it surged outward and struck Wei Lingjiang’s flying sword head-on, finally coming to rest.

“Let’s try this method.”

Gu Yi sheathed her golden hammer, her gaze shifting.

Since she forcibly seized the bronze fish from Hu Xu, three days had passed.

This meant Gu Yi had firmly secured a top-ten position, destined to share in the elixir’s transformative grace.

As for this duel with Wei Lingjiang, whether she won or lost, Gu Yi could now fight freely, giving it her all!

She activated the secret technique, channeling her internal magic power; a colossal white bone hand gradually solidified from void, fingers splayed wide, gripping the deepest heavens, summoning fierce gales and biting cold.

It altered the heavens’ appearance, shattering clouds and rupturing the air!

This white bone hand hovered between reality and illusion, as if seeking to encompass boundless mountains and rivers, suppressing all disturbances.

No matter what variation arose, none could escape this palm!

One of the Six Killing Arts of Hu Zhao—the Wu Xiang Wu Jie Quan Sheng Yin!

The moment this supreme technique was unleashed, Wei Lingjiang felt the surrounding spiritual energy corrupted by foul qi, as if she stood at the deepest depths of the netherworld, hearing clearly the roars and howls of countless demons—her spirit could not hold firm, growing deeply uneasy.

Facing such an assault, evasion was no longer viable; Wei Lingjiang discarded her protective jade talisman, lest the artifact suffer needless damage to her true consciousness.

Then, with two fingers she slashed—suddenly, a tremor rang out; a barrier of qi stretched across, dividing heaven and earth into inner and outer layers, then mysteriously sealed shut again.

At this moment, radiant clouds of light shone above Wei Lingjiang’s head, cradling her in auspicious mist.

She seemed to suddenly merge with the Dao, her body now draped in an ineffable, mysterious aura—as if the great sun hung high in the heavens, stirring the movement of celestial orbs and the rhythms of the seasons!

“Zheng Tian Fen Du…”

Gu Yi’s gaze flickered slightly.

The Dao of Heaven follows constancy—its order is Zheng—

Although Chi Ming’s supreme technique was not suited for direct assault, it was an extremely potent enhancement art, utterly Burongxiaoqu .

Hu Zhao and Chi Ming both resided in Dong Mi; in the past, Hu Zhao Elders had suffered greatly from this very technique, so Gu Yi was no stranger to its mysteries.

But before the two supreme techniques could collide, the heavens trembled—colorful light erupted from the western corner, dazzlingly bright.

Before anyone could react, in the next instant, another beam of colorful light shot up from the far northern reaches, illuminating the clouds!

In this instant, within the Emperor’s Imperial Map, the remaining two bronze fish simultaneously appeared.

“The bronze fish has surfaced? How fitting—it seems this battle of ours must continue.”

Gu Yi smiled.

With a light, Xukongyian , the colossal hand gripping the heavens gently unfolded, instantly piercing through layers of void, crashing down with overwhelming force!

The emergence of the bronze fish did not merely alarm Gu Yi and Wei Lingjiang.

Every True Person within this map now felt the disturbance.

In the wild mountains and vast marshes, Chen Hang, who had been seated in meditation, opened his eyes—but he did nothing further.

He merely waited three more days; only after his primordial energy fully restored did he rise, sweep his sleeve, and ascend into the clouds.