High in the air, Sacred Mother Wudang of the Interception Sect observed the ongoing battle between the humans of the Three Realms and the Tengri Chaos World. It had been several hundred years since the restriction had risen to allow Earth Immortals to fully display their power in the World Nexus.
The change only intensified the war between both sides.
The Earth Immortals that Sacred Mother Wudang and the other immortals and empyreans trained for this day were dispatched. Although the Earth Immortals immediately turned the situation in the Three Realms' favor, it was but a short-lived victory.
The Tengri Chaos World immediately dispatched more mortals and shamans. Unlike the previous batch, these new shamans could release power greater than Earth Immortals, and numerous Earth Immortals lost their lives.
A few students Sacred Mother Wudang taught also died under the siege of the shamans, causing her to grip her sword until her knuckles turned white. Although she only taught them on a whim and under her master's orders, they were still her students whom she spent time and effort on.
Seeing them die made Sacred Mother Wudang almost charge into the fray herself, but her fellow disciples stopped her.
"Junior Sister, charging in now will only make it harder on yourself," Daoist Duobao said.
"Indeed, Junior Sister. Your cultivation will be suppressed to the Earth Immortal Realm, and although you can likely display power equal to a Golden Immortal in that state, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that they could tire you out and kill you using swarm tactics," Sacred Mother Jinling advised.
Zhao Gongming, and the Ladies of Three Skies: Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao—the four had been promoted to inner disciples by Redcloud Ancestor after the Earth Celestial Banquet—all advised her against it. Under their words, Sacred Mother Wudang relented.
Still, that did not mean the anger in her heart had vanished. Sacred Mother Wudang would patrol the outskirts of the World Nexus, waiting for the invading armies to cross into the Three Realms. That would be their last mistake.
While observing the battle between the humans of the Three Realms and the Tengri Chaos World, Wudang noticed a particular group of humans known as the Bear Tribe. Unlike the other humans that participated or the descendants of the demigiants, the Bear Tribe practiced a unique path she had never seen before.
She soon gained an interest in Youxiong, the strongest of the Bear Tribe and one step away from the Earth Immortal Realm. Sacred Mother Wudang's eyes narrowed when she saw the shaman leading the army that Youxiong attacked. She remembered her clearly. After all, she had memorized everyone who had killed her students.
As Sacred Mother Wudang expected, Youxiong lost to the shaman. She sighed, and just as she was about to avert her gaze, lest she gain the impulse to interfere, Sacred Mother Wudang noticed something. Youxiong's entire aura changed; he was close to breaking through.
She had a feeling that as long as Youxiong did not die, he would become a mighty general leading the charge against the Tengri Chaos World. So, Sacred Mother Wudang joined the fray.
Her body turned into a glittering silver streak and entered the World Nexus. Immediately, Sacred Mother Wudang felt the suppression restricted her cultivation base to the Earth Immortal Realm. Her speed drastically decreased, but she continued on as if she didn't care.
Upon reaching the scene, Sacred Mother Wudang proudly declared her presence, "Wretched scoundrels of Tengri, today is the day of your reckoning. For I, Sacred Mother Wudang of the Interception Sect, shall reap your lives."
Sacred Mother Wudang uncrossed her arms and slowly unsheathed her sword, named the Beidou Sword. Since her duel with Dishitian, she had cultivated arduously in order to win the next time they crossed paths. Although she had yet to enter the Great Unity Realm, she could cross that moat at any moment.
Below her, the shaman roared and erupted in a blue light. When the light died down, wings had sprouted from her back, and her toes turned into talons. Her aura rose from the Earth Immortal Realm to the Sky Immortal Realm threshold.
In the Tengri Chaos World, only those with exalted status would be blessed with the ability to fly by the Skyfather. This revelation only made Sacred Mother Wudang want to kill her even more.
Seven points glowed brightly on Sacred Mother Wudang's sword. Redcloud Ancestor refined the Beidou Sword by gathering the quintessences of the stars that composed the Northern Dipper Constellation: Dubhe Star, Merak Star, Phecda Star, Megrez Star, Alioth Star, Mizar Star, and Alkaid Star.
After ruminating on the mystery of the Northern Dipper Constellation, Sacred Mother Wudang created the Qixing Swordplay. "Seventh Sword - Yaoguang."
The seventh star, the one closest to the tip, shone brilliantly, far above the rest. Sacred Mother Wudang thrust the sword forward, and countless beams of light flew out.
The eagle shaman didn't even have a chance to react as one of the beams pierced her head, causing the life to leave her eyes, but she wasn't the only one struck. Every single one of the beams pierced a shaman's head.
When Sacred Mother Wudang finished, she sheathed the Beidou Sword with a crisp clack. The moment she finished, all the shamans collapsed onto the ground while the eagle shaman plummeted. Before she could crash into the ground, she transformed into a blue light and shot toward the west, to the Tengri Chaos World.
Moments later, a thunderous roar filled the World Nexus. Sacred Mother Wudang snorted in defiance.
She glanced toward the Tengri army, stunned by the reversal of the situation, and pointed her finger at the sky. Light shot out from her fingertip and into the sky. Upon reaching their apex, they curved and descended. Soon, all the Tengri humans collapsed onto the ground, dead.
Their deaths weren't meaningless. Although Sacred Mother Wudang couldn't sense it, her master had told her that each sentient being could influence the Way of Heaven of a world. The more sentient life that died on one side, the weaker their Way of Heaven would become.
This was the reason why the Tengri army invaded so many times and killed as many people as possible. However, Redcloud Ancestor had also said that the Tengri Chaos World wasn't lucky. Sacred Mother Wudang had asked why, but Redcloud Ancestor only shook his head and said, "The Secrets of Heaven cannot be easily divulged."
Sacred Mother Wudang slowly descended in front of Youxiong. She waved her hand, and the wounds on Youxiong's body healed. He immediately kneeled and said, "I thank the Great Immortal for your aid. I will definitely repay this grace in the future."
"No need," Sacred Mother Wudang said. "This is what you deserve for courage."
She paused and stared at Youxiong, and a sudden thought occurred to her. "Actually, there is something. Do you have a master? If you do not, how about becoming my disciple?"
Youxiong paused. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept the Great Immortal's grace. I do not have a master, but my method was given by the Martial Ancestor, and I cannot become anyone's student without first asking him."
Sacred Mother Wudang sighed. Youxiong's answer already cleared up many of her questions. Since Youxiong cultivated Wutian's Martial Path method, it explained why he seemed so powerful. In addition, she refused to believe that a Quasi-Saint like Wutian would be ignorant of Youxiong's existence.
Between a Golden Immortal and a Quasi-Saint, Youxiong would be a fool to apprentice under the Golden Immortal. She sighed.
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"Forget it. You should go," Sacred Mother Wudang said as she turned around toward the west.
Because of the Liberation Sect's location, they bore more than half the brunt of the alien world's invasion. Luckily, Mount Sumeru had not become part of the World Nexus and served as an impenetrable fortress. She wondered how Dishitian was faring.
It was not like Sacred Mother Wudang especially cared for the latter's life or death, but she had a feeling that the other woman was important somehow.
Behind her, Youxiong hesitated, but considering the near defeat the Tengri army dealt to the Bear Tribe and his need to break into the Earth Warrior Realm, he nodded his head. He ordered the Bear Tribe to retreat to the original location of the Bear Tribe, where they had built a sizable fortress.
After they left, Sacred Mother Wudang sat in a lotus position. Although it seemed easy for her to exterminate all the shamans and the Tengri army, she expended a sizable portion of her qi due to the suppression. She could already sense the second wave, one aimed at her, marching toward her. Before they arrived, she would have to recover as much qi as possible.
Seven days later, Sacred Mother Wudang opened her eyes. She stood up and ascended into the sky. She could already see the army coming for her. She didn't care. Even with her cultivation base suppressed to the Earth Immortal Realm, regular mortals did not possess the capability to harm her.
What she cared about was the number of youthful-appearing shamans. From her years of observation, the younger a shaman appeared, the stronger the power they could call upon. Rarely did she see an actual young shaman. Those tended to die quickly.
Sacred Mother Wudang frowned when she saw who it was that was leading the army of three million strong. It was the eagle shaman she had killed before. When she left a hole in the shaman's head, she hadn't died. Instead, the Tengri Chaos World must have methods to revive their fallen shamans.
Most likely, this privilege was only granted to those with exalted statuses.
There were over fifty shamans present. They stepped forward while the army of three million stayed behind. Sacred Mother Wudang wondered why they were even present, but the army soon answered her unspoken question.
The army began to chant, and as they chanted, a blue light encased the shamans. Sacred Mother Wudang pursed her brows. 'They're directly channeling their belief into the shamans?'
Not one to stay on the defensive, Sacred Mother Wudang struck first. She unsheathed her sword and soared toward the untransformed eagle shaman. Before she could reach the eagle shaman, the other shamans blocked her path.
Sacred Mother Wudang bifurcated the first one, but the second halted her path. The second shaman wielded an iron staff and grew cattle-like horns atop her head. Her sword sunk into the iron staff, but it couldn't cut through cleanly. She clicked her tongue.
The sixth star on the Beidou Sword shone brightly. "Sixth Sword - Kaiyang."
The Beidou Sword's blade took on a fiery heat, one that resembled the Supreme Yang Star. Before the shaman could react, Sacred Mother Wudang continued her slash, shearing through the iron staff and the shaman.
Immediately after, the sixth star dimmed as the blade returned to its previous silver appearance. The Beidou Sword was a top-grade acquired spiritual artifact. With her current suppressed state, Sacred Mother Wudang had to use it sparingly.
She cut down another shaman, but the fourth shaman halted her in her steps again. Then a fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth surrounded her. Sacred Mother Wudang cast a cursory glance around her.
"Devote yourself to the Skyfather, and not only will you be spared from a fate worse than death, but your existence will be granted meaning!" Sacred Mother Wudang turned toward the eagle shaman, the one that had spoken.
"No one in the world can make me bow my head against my will," Sacred Mother said defiantly.
"As you wish, Heretic," the eagle shaman said. "Capture her!"
The shamans surrounding her leaped into action. However, Sacred Mother Wudang displayed an exquisite swordsmanship that resembled a floating butterfly, but it still sliced through whatever it passed cleanly. One of the shamans died, while the others all received varying degrees of injuries, with two losing a hand and arm, respectively.
The eagle shaman's confident expression darkened. She thought that with over fifty shamans able to display the same level of power, they would be able to capture Sacred Mother Wudang. But the Golden Immortal's combat capabilities exceeded their expectations.
A chant flowed from the eagle shaman's lips. Soon, the fifty shamans' strength increased by another step. All of them had transformed, and displayed traits of various animals, but the most common were wolves. All of them rushed toward the Golden Immortal once more.
Sacred Mother Wudang was forced on the defensive. Her light and flowing swordsmanship allowed her to deflect and dodge all the attacks, but she didn't have a chance to counterattack. The more time passed, the more pressure she faced, and the more likely she was to receive an injury
The second star on the Beidou Sword radiated an intense light. "Second Sword-Tianxuan!"
A jade-green light encased Sacred Mother Wudang's body. All the shamans saw was a green streak, and the next thing they knew, Sacred Mother Wudang had appeared a distance away. Following that, five shamans collapsed onto the ground, lifeless.
The shamans stared at Sacred Mother Wudang with wariness. However, the eagle shaman shouted. "Don't stop attacking her. Can't you tell her energy is dropping? Keep attacking her and make her use up her energy. Devote your life and soul to the Skyfather!"
Under the eagle shaman's order, they all charged at Sacred Mother Wudang with reckless abandon, as if their life and death no longer mattered.
Sacred Mother Wudang stared at the incoming shamans with apprehension. The eagle shaman was right. Originally, she hadn't recovered all her qi after her first bout, and now, it had dropped to nearly sixty percent. 'I need to find a way to weaken them.'
Her eyes turned toward the praying army of three million. Her eyes hardened, and the second star on the Beidou Sword lit up again. A green streak later, Sacred Mother Wudang appeared in the middle of the army.
"Stop her!" the eagle shaman ordered upon learning of Sacred Mother Wudang's intent.
Due to her suppressed strength, Sacred Mother Wudang only managed to slay around two hundred thousand of the soldiers. If she expended her qi recklessly, she would have likely killed six hundred thousand in the same amount of time, but it would leave her open to the shaman's retaliation.
Sacred Mother Wudang engaged the shamans. In a few clashes, she discovered a minute drop in strength, but that was it. Soon, more than twenty shaman's surrounded her. In unison, they unleashed their attacks.
A silver light radiated from Sacred Mother Wudang's eyes. She twisted her body and dodged all the attacks with the barest of movements. Then, she counterattacked. She was too fast, far too fast for the shamans to react.
When she took to the skies and flew to a safe distance, another four shamans perished. Still, Sacred Mother Wudang was not satisfied.
She had sped up her own time using what comprehension she glimpsed from the Law of Time. Although using this technique did not expend as much qi, it placed a large burden on her mind, and mental fatigue took longer to recover from than qi expenditure. And the strain of forcibly speeding up her time also placed a huge burden on her body.
Sacred Mother Wudang calculated she would faint from mental fatigue soon, like in her battle with Dishitian, or use up all her qi before killing all the shamans and soldiers. Still, she was not willing to flee like this. At the very least, she had to kill that eagle shaman.
The second star on the Beidou Sword lit up again, and she unleashed the Second Sword - Tianxuan. Against her expectations, a dome of electricity formed three meters around the eagle shaman, causing her to halt the technique.
Still, this distance was enough. Sacred Mother Wudang didn't have the ability to target the soul, but the Beidou Sword did. The third star on the blade lit up. "Third Sword - Tianji!"
Sacred Mother Wudang slashed apart the dome of electricity and thrust the tip toward the eagle shaman. Time seemed to have slowed as feathers started to grow out of the shaman's body, but it was far too late as the sword tip pierced her forehead.
At the moment of success, Sacred Mother Wudang's vision suddenly shifted. No longer was she on the battlefield. Instead, she was standing in an unknown space in the sky, and in front of her was a giant of a man. He appeared millions of li tall, staring down at her.
She felt herself lose the ability to breathe. Just a single stare was more than enough to crush her. At this time, she heard her master's voice. "Scram!"
Sacred Mother Wudang blinked and returned to the battlefield. Before she could compose herself, warning bells rang in her head. She immediately activated Second Sword - Tianxuan and appeared at a safe distance. Only then could she ascertain what happened.
Something must have gone wrong when she attacked the eagle shaman's soul. Sacred Mother Wudang was sure that the giant man she saw was the Skyfather worshiped by all life in the Tengri Chaos World. 'Could it be that all the shamans are linked to the Skyfather?'
Although it sounded absurd, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility considering the intricacies of the Faith Path. She didn't have long to think as the shamans charged at her.
Sacred Mother Wudang prepared to flee. Her qi had dwindled to nearly thirty percent from the previous turn of events. Any lower, and she might not possess enough power to escape.
Just as she was about to run, she heard three familiar voices.
"Senior Sister, we're here to help!" Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao said, flying toward the battlefield.