**Huanxia province**
**Origin Cave Mountain**
Within the heart of the underground cave system Jin Xue suddenly felt a thump in his heart and his expression darkened.
"Riu and Li are dead," Jin Xue muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with anger. His aura flared briefly, causing the air around him to distort. "Those fools can't follow a simple instruction."
He raised his hand, summoning a black, ominous mirror. The surface rippled like water before solidifying, revealing a scene. A young woman was standing and poised, exuding a deadly presence.
"That's the one, a mere Soul Wondering Realm brat..." Jin Xue said, his voice low but cold.
The mirror showed taking out a crescent shaped item and the screen went dark, Jin Xue’s grip on the mirror tightened, the frame breaking under the pressure.
"Mei!" he barked, his voice echoing through the cavern.
From the shadows, a woman with a serpentine grace emerged. Mei the Serpent Tongue, with her sly smile and calculating eyes, stepped forward. "Yes, Boss?"
"It's time," Jin Xue said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We’re leaving this wretched continent."
Mei’s brow arched in surprise, though she quickly masked it with a smirk. “Are you certain this is the right decision, Boss? The Pure Yang Secret Realm is dangerous. If you enter—”
“Do you think staying here is a better option?” Jin Xue snapped, cutting her off. “That demoness is preparing to use this kingdom as a stepping stone for the demon realm. Once she’s done, this entire continent will be a wasteland. I have no intention of becoming a sacrificial pawn in her games.”
Jin Xue’s gaze darkened further. "Enough. Gather what remains of our forces. We leave before dawn."
Mei gave a bow. "As you command, Boss. But you know if you enter the Pure Yang Secret Realm, your cultivation level will be restricted right."
Jin Xue didn’t respond, his mind already racing with plans and contingencies. As Mei disappeared into the shadows to carry out his orders, he turned back to the mirror, which now showed Meng Lin standing amidst the carnage she had wrought.
"I still have to deal with this nuisance," he muttered, his voice laced with anger.
Unbeknownst to him, the demon woman’s schemes were already in motion, and his departure from the Huanxia province would only serve to accelerate the chaos.
****
Within the outskirts of the Forgotten Forest, Meng Lin appeared on the ancient teleportation formation, her eyes narrowing as she took in the unfamiliar environment.
The air was thick with the faint remnants of spiritual energy, and the once serene outskirts of the Forgotten Forest now bore scars of a battle—uprooted trees, scorched earth, and a few giant craters around the formation.
Her spiritual consciousness spread out instinctively, encompassing the area within a 24-mile radius. She immediately detected the faint clashes at the edge of her spiritual consciousness, but what caught her attention was the lingering aura of multiple powerful cultivators.
Meng Lin's expression grew cold. 'Was there a battle between Narscent Soul Cultivators here.' she wondered, the energies felt too volatile, as if the cultivators involved had fought not too long ago.
Her attention soon shifted to her spiritual consciousness where she has detected movement.
Her expression darkened and without hesitation, she vanished from the formation, reappearing moments later near the scene of the conflict.
The sight that met her was grim. Scarlet mists twisted in the air, from the blood of three disciples on the ground, their bodies torn in half.
As Meng Lin appeared, the fighting momentarily halted. The perpetrators, a group of five Scarlet Demon Sect cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Realm and one at the Gold Core Realm turned their attention to her.
"Who the heck ar-" one of the Scarlet Demon Sect cultivators began, but his words were cut short as Meng Lin's spiritual consciousness slammed into the area with overwhelming force.
The Scarlet Demon Sect cultivators froze and the blood mist in the air dispersed as their bodies held enormous pressure before they instantly gave in, kneeling on the ground with a thud.
Meng Lin didn't bother to ask what was going on as she raised she hand and her spiritual consciousness, condensed into a needle-thin spike, pierced through the mind of the nearest cultivator.
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His eyes widened in horror as his consciousness ripped apart, leaving his body to crumple lifelessly to the ground.
The remaining cultivators were terrified. "P-please spare us!" one of them stammered, his voice shaking as he struggled against the crushing force pinning him down.
Meng Lin didn't answer and with another wave of her hand, her spiritual consciousness surged again, forming dozens of invisible spikes that stabbed into the cultivators’ spiritual seas. Their screams echoed briefly before their bodies went limp, collapsing into heaps on the blood-soaked ground.
The battlefield grew silent once more, with only the faint rustling of leaves in the wind. Meng Lin glanced at the corpses briefly, her mind on the feasibility of using her spiritual consciousness as an attack.
She turned to the sect disciples, who were now staring at her in stunned disbelief. Bloodied and exhausted, they seemed unsure whether to bow or run.
One of them, a young man clutching his wounded arm, stepped forward hesitantly. "Senior… thank you for saving us."
Meng Lin’s gaze swept over them, her expression unreadable. "Why are Azure Wind Sect disciples here?"
The young man flinched but answered quickly. "We… we were sent to investigate the sudden invasion of the Scarlet Demon Sect in this region. We didn’t expect to encounter them this far in."
Meng Lin nodded slightly, her tone still cold. "Leave now. Return to your sect and report what you’ve seen."
The disciples hurriedly bowed and retreated, their steps faltering as they fled toward the east.
Meng Lin remained still for a moment, her spiritual consciousness sweeping the area once more. After confirming that there was no danger she flew off, heading towards the sect.
As she soared through the air, Meng Lin felt a faint ripple in the air. Her brows furrowed as the disturbance grew stronger, looking afar to her left she saw a giant flash beyond the clouds which caused her to squint.
Boom!
When her vision cleared, she felt a shockwave that pushed her back.
Focusing, she caught a fleeting glimpse of a colossal shadow within the cloud, accompanied by bursts of energy that sent shockwaves rippling in all directions.
Her instincts sharpened. A battle?
Without hesitation, she turned to the sect and increased her speed, her heart calming as the sect came into view.
Her sharp eyes caught sight of a figure standing by the entrance—a familiar face dressed in crimson and black robes.
She quickly arrived at the entrance, where she landed swiftly, her robes still trailing the residual energy from her flight.
“Senior Wen Bonshan,” Meng Lin greeted, her tone neutral, though her senses were on high alert.
The man smiled faintly, his piercing blue eyes betraying no emotion, but Meng Lin could feel the faint ripple of energy emanating from him—a deliberate show of strength or a subtle warning, she wasn’t certain.
“Junior Meng Lin, welcome back,” Wen Bonshan replied smoothly, his voice calm.
Meng Lin’s eyes raised as she probed. “Senior, the sect seems tense. Is it the Scarlet Demon Sect."
Wen Bonshan's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he spoke. “Indeed, all sect disciples were called because out of nowhere the scarlet demon sect attacked.” He gestured toward the inner sanctum of the sect.
“The Sect Master has left in a hurry and the grand sect elder held a meeting with the elders. You six in the Pavilion Mountain were each requested too.”
Meng Lin inclined her head. “Understood. I will head there at once.”
As she turned to leave, Wen Bonshan’s voice stopped her. “Junior Meng Lin.”
She glanced back, her eyes meeting his calm but probing gaze.
"Be careful," Wen Bonshan said, his tone measured. "The Scarlet Demon Sect’s actions are strange this time."
“I will keep that in mind, Senior.” Meng Lin nodded slightly and she ascended into the air, heading toward the Sect Master’s hall.
'Half-Step Narscent Soul Realm.' Meng Lin's thoughts turned to the energy fluctuation from him, he might have tried to hide it, but Meng Lin was quite familiar with the energy fluctuation, from her battle with Senior Sister Liu.
'to think he would be this strong, it seems he isn't that simple.' while she had been at the sect courters of the Gold Core disciples, she had heard some news about this Senior Brother Wen Bonshan, he had made it to the top 10 of the Rising Star Ranking.
However, it was only now that she realized how powerful he truly was. She turned her attention and she approached the Sect hall, her spiritual sense extended instinctively.
She detected two powerful auras gathered inside, each one radiating authority.
Landing softly on the stone pathway, she adjusted her robes with practiced grace, masking her unease. She stepped through the hall’s grand entrance, her gaze immediately falling upon the figures seated at the heart of the assembly.
At the forefront sat the Grand Sect Elder, his frail frame draped in simple yet intricately embroidered robes. Despite his age and seemingly fragile state, the oppressive aura he exuded was suffocating.
His hazy eyes, though clouded, seemed to pierce through all pretenses, locking onto Meng Lin with a scrutiny that made her instincts scream caution.
Beside him sat another figure, a man whose presence was no less intimidating. Dressed in azure-and-gold robes of the Soul Shattering Sect, his sharp features were accentuated by an air of regal indifference.
His aura hummed with restrained power, suggesting a profound cultivation realm. His eyes, however, betrayed a faint curiosity as they assessed Meng Lin.
The Grand Sect Elder broke the silence, his hoarse voice cutting through the heavy atmosphere. "Disciple Meng Lin," he began, his tone measured, "You have been making quite the name for yourself. You have caught the attention of many."
Meng Lin felt his piercing gaze and didn't know what to say, the grand sect elder was definitely talking about the events of the ancient spirit pool realm, where the Palace Master appeared and took both her and junior brother Ruan Lee.
She bowed her head slightly. "I was undeserving of the attention, Grand Sect Elder. I am simply doing what I must."
The man next to the grand elder finally spoke. " It's good to see our sect producing such talents," the man said, his voice smooth. His gaze lingered on Meng Lin, sharp and probing. "To rise so quickly and garner such attention yet not even appear on the Luan Catalog Rankings... it is no small feat."
Meng Lin kept her expression neutral, but her mind raced. This man was clearly from the Soul Shattering Sect, but who was he, she felt a suffocating aura no less than the grand elder from this man.
"Senior is too kind," Meng Lin said, keeping her tone respectful.
The man gave a faint smile, but his sharp eyes did not waver. "Modesty is admirable, but false modesty serves no one. I am Yue Que."
"Yue Que?" Meng Lin said, remembering it as a name she recognized.
The Grand Sect Elder nodded faintly before continuing, his tone shifting. "Disciple Meng Lin, we shall not ask what happened with the Palace Master, rather we have a question for you."
Meng Lin's eyebrows raised, noting the subtle way the elder referred to himself, though she showed no outward reaction. "What is the question." She said, dropping her pretense.
"The Formless Cultivation Method!"
Meng Lin’s heart skipped a beat as the Grand Sect Elder’s words echoed through the hall. “The Formless Cultivation Method.”
She couldn’t hide her shock, and the slight widening of her eyes betrayed her. Her instincts urged her to deny it, but she remained silent, her lips pressed tightly together.
A thin, knowing smile appeared on the Grand Sect Elder's lips. "So it was you," he said softly.
Meng Lin remained silent, her mind racing. How had they discovered her connection to the Formless Cultivation Method? It was a secret she had not told anyone, not even the three girls.
The Grand Sect Elder leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "Do you know the history of the technique you are using?"
Meng Lin hesitated, then shook her head slowly. "No, Grand Sect Elder. I only know that it is the core cultivation technique of the Formless Sect."
"Formless Sect," Yue Que interjected, his voice steady but laced with curiosity. "A hidden cultivation sect that once stood at the pinnacle of our cultivation world during its prime. It was said that their techniques defied the heavens themselves."
“The Formless Sect members are considered sinners. Secluded, they were last seen 500 years ago, they have erased themselves from the annals of history. To find a trace of their techniques now… quite interesting.”
Meng Lin’s mind churned with questions, but she kept her composure.
The Grand Sect Elder’s tone shifted, becoming lighter and friendly. “Enough of that for now. You are bound for greatness as long as you don't die."
Meng Lin looked up, startled by the sudden change in his demeanor.
The Grand Sect Elder reached into his sleeve and retrieved a small, intricately carved jade token. “This is a Formless Sect Token. It has no use for me so we shall give it to you, consider it an investment in your future.”
"It may resonate with certain areas or objects tied to the Formless Sect. Keep it close; it should be of use."
Meng Lin hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to accept the token. “Thank you, Grand Sect Elder."
The elder waved a hand dismissively. “You will have many opportunities to prove yourself. In fact, we have a task for you.”
Meng Lin straightened. “What task?”