Chapter 352 ·The Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm Strikes

Zhang Ping followed the direction Bai Ning’er pointed and saw four disciples transporting a massive bronze long chest. Even from a great distance, he could sense the surging spiritual energy contained within it.

Not only them—more and more disciples were drawn to the bronze long chest, discussing it among themselves.

“What is that?”

“No idea, but I heard some news. Supposedly, whatever’s inside will provoke a frenzied counterattack from the Myriad Yin Sect. The sect is preparing to end this conflict.”

“Does that mean the final battle is coming?”

“I wonder if we’ll even make it back alive.”

“I heard that someone even stronger than Senior Brother Yuan Li is coming to support us. Don’t be too pessimistic.”

Disciples across the mountains discussed fervently. At this stage of the war, not everyone had grown more confident—many were exhausted in body and mind, longing to return, even fearing whether they could survive. After all, they had witnessed too much life and death.

Since the war with the Myriad Yin Sect began, the Clear Sky Sect had already lost more than two thousand disciples. This was no small number. Each fallen disciple had masters, friends, and family within the sect—their deaths affected nearly half the sect.

No one harbored resentment toward the sect, because they all understood that without resistance, their fate would only be worse, and even more would die.

Compared to the chaotic times before, things were already much better now.

Yuan Li stood atop a mountain to the west, gazing at the bronze long chest with tightly furrowed brows. Aside from sensing spiritual energy, he also felt a trace of ominous aura.

What exactly was hidden inside?

He had long been puzzled—how could a powerful sect like the Myriad Yin Sect go mad over a single treasure?

Under his watchful gaze, the bronze long chest was delivered to the central peak of the stronghold. A disciple opened it, and rolling purple mist poured out. Immediately after, thick purple vines extended outward, rapidly growing, frightening the four disciples into retreat.

Wei Tianxiong appeared beside the bronze long chest out of thin air, with Chu Jing and Gu Changping following closely behind. All three stared at the purple vines inside, their expressions filled with astonishment.

“Is this really a treasure?” Chu Jing asked in a deep voice. Wearing a mask, his expression could not be seen.

Wei Tianxiong’s face was equally grim. “It counts as a treasure, but in essence, it is a ghost artifact. There should be a soul sealed inside. That soul likely holds a high status within the Myriad Yin Sect. No wonder he was so confident in luring them here. The situation ahead will be far worse than we imagined. Send a request to the sect immediately—we need at least three thousand more true transmission disciples!”

Chu Jing’s expression changed upon hearing this, and he vanished instantly.

……

Inside a dim palace, a white-haired woman sat cross-legged on a high platform. She wore a loose black robe that fluttered as ghostly figures surrounded her—each one appearing as a child, silently screaming.

The woman’s face was aged, her skin sagging, covered in wrinkles. Suddenly, she opened her eyes—clear and bright. She frowned, sensing something carefully.

As if realizing something, she abruptly stood up, her expression turning excited.

“Zhen’er…”

The white-haired woman murmured in delight. She then transformed into a gust of black wind and surged forward, disappearing instantly. The child-like ghosts around her dissipated as well.

At the same time—

Tens of thousands of miles away, within a forest—

Shen Yue, Lin Lingzhou, Wan Feng, and Yin Jingxing with his mother were traveling forward.

Four-year-old Yin Jingxing held his mother’s hand, looking around curiously. This was his first time leaving the mining mountain.

Lin Lingzhou looked at Shen Yue’s back, his eyes filled with worry. Wan Feng also watched Shen Yue, but his gaze was full of admiration.

Last night, after comprehending the No-Self Sword Art, Shen Yue displayed overwhelming strength, leading them out of the mine. They had not even seen how he attacked—those powerful Myriad Yin Sect cultivators had been instantly decapitated.

“He must be an incredibly powerful immortal cultivator. I wonder which sect he comes from.”

Lin Lingzhou thought to himself. Shen Yue had not revealed his origins, and without a spiritual root, Lin Lingzhou had already given up hope on cultivation.

He no longer sought to ask Shen Yue to teach him cultivation—he only wanted to reach the Nine Provinces alive and, in his lifetime, see his senior brothers and sisters again.

At that moment—

Yin Jingxing’s mother, Lady Lu, suddenly collapsed to the ground.

After four years of torment, she no longer resembled her former well-fed self from Anxuan City. She had aged nearly ten years and was reduced to skin and bones.

Shen Yue stopped and turned to look at her, but did not step forward.

Lin Lingzhou crouched down, intending to help her up, but she stopped him.

“Heroes… I can’t go on anymore… thank you for saving Jingxing. Though I don’t know your purpose, I can only trust you… from now on, Jingxing must be entrusted to you…”

Lady Lu spoke bitterly. Upon hearing this, Yin Jingxing panicked, repeatedly asking what was wrong.

Lin Lingzhou and Wan Feng fell silent. They had long known her condition was poor, but they hadn’t expected her to last only this far.

“Jingxing… from now on, Mother can’t stay by your side. You must…”

Before she could finish, she began coughing violently, even spitting out a mouthful of poisoned blood onto the ground, terrifying Yin Jingxing.

Shen Yue stood not far away, watching everything, his heart filled with guilt, yet he was powerless.

In truth, along the journey, he had been secretly transferring vital energy to Lady Lu.

Yin Jingxing was the Sect Master’s youngest disciple—how could Shen Yue not feel guilty watching him suffer and lose his mother under his watch?

It was all because he was not strong enough, that Yin Jingxing had endured so much suffering.

Both Lin Lingzhou and Wan Feng had experienced partings of life and death, but seeing the four-year-old Yin Jingxing crying uncontrollably still made their hearts ache like knives.

After finishing her fragmented instructions, Lady Lu ultimately died in the forest.

After Yin Jingxing cried for a long time, Shen Yue intended to bury her there, but Yin Jingxing insisted on cremating her and carrying her ashes with him.

This proposal surprised the three men—they had not expected such a thought from someone so young.

Two hours later—

Yin Jingxing held his mother’s urn, following behind Shen Yue and the others.

Having just escaped death, they immediately experienced the loss of a companion. All three men were in low spirits, not to mention Yin Jingxing, whose eyes were red from crying.

After hesitating for a moment, Shen Yue stepped back to Yin Jingxing’s side. Lin Lingzhou and Wan Feng looked at him.

“Although your mother has passed, before her death, she was still deeply concerned about you. In this world, there are many orphans who have never even met their parents. And you are not without support—I was sent by your master to find you.”

This was the first time Shen Yue revealed his purpose.

“Master?”

Not only Yin Jingxing, but even Lin Lingzhou and Wan Feng exchanged glances in surprise.

Shen Yue continued, “When you were just born, your master foresaw you in a dream. He told me your hometown and your name, which is how I found you. Unfortunately, I was not strong enough to rescue you sooner, nor could I protect your mother.”

Yin Jingxing’s eyes remained red as he asked, “Who is my master? What is his name? Why did he choose me?”

Even as a slave, Lady Lu had taught him literacy and principles of the world, so he had always been more mature than ordinary children.

“You will know when the time comes. It will still take one or two years to find your master,” Shen Yue replied.

Yin Jingxing fell silent.

Lin Lingzhou could not help but ask, “Senior Shen, are you heading east?”

Shen Yue glanced at him and nodded slightly.

Lin Lingzhou’s eyes lit up as he continued, “Senior Shen, do you know of the Nine Provinces?”

Shen Yue remained expressionless and said, “I’ve been there. Why, are you planning to go? At your age, you shouldn’t have been there before.”

“My master was a martial artist from the Nine Provinces. I have nowhere else to go, so I want to visit his homeland,” Lin Lingzhou replied.

After hearing this, Shen Yue chose to believe him—mainly because Lin Lingzhou posed no threat.

As for Lin Lingzhou’s master, Shen Yue had no interest.

There were far too many martial artists in the Nine Provinces, and many martial sects still existed there.

Right now, his only goal was to bring Yin Jingxing back.

After comprehending the No-Self Sword Art, his strength had soared, and he no longer feared the dangers ahead.

Without saying more, Shen Yue continued leading the way. After learning he had a master, Yin Jingxing’s spirits visibly improved.

As the sun set and the moon rose—

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

Under a waterfall, Shen Yue’s group stopped to rest. Yin Jingxing and Lin Lingzhou were mortals and could not travel endlessly, while Wan Feng, a former cultivator whose cultivation had been crippled, also needed rest.

Shen Yue brought Yin Jingxing onto a massive rock, preparing to teach him the Primordial Unity Scripture.

If Yin Jingxing could quickly cultivate vital energy, their travel speed would greatly increase.

Shen Yue subconsciously believed Yin Jingxing to be an extraordinary genius, so he never considered the possibility that Yin Jingxing might fail to cultivate vital energy.

However, after an entire day, Yin Jingxing failed to produce even a trace of vital energy, leaving Shen Yue deeply puzzled.

“Senior Shen… am I useless?” Yin Jingxing asked dejectedly. He could not sense the so-called spiritual energy of heaven and earth at all.

Shen Yue comforted him, “Cultivation cannot be rushed. Take it slowly.”

He planned to teach Yin Jingxing patiently in the days to come.

After all, he was personally chosen by the Sect Master—his talent must be extraordinary. Something must have gone wrong.

Meanwhile—

The decisive battle between the Clear Sky Sect and the Myriad Yin Sect was about to erupt.

At the Spirit Mine stronghold within the mountain range, Yuan Li stood atop a peak, facing the wind. The sky gradually filled with dark clouds, and he saw surging demonic energy sweeping in from the horizon.

Dong——

A deep bell chime rang out. A radiant barrier rose from the stronghold, covering six mountain peaks with a diameter exceeding twenty miles. More and more Clear Sky Sect disciples rode their Clear Sky Swords into the air.

Wei Tianxiong and Chu Jing stood atop the highest peak, gazing into the distance.

“They’ve come. That aura is terrifying… is it the Heaven-Connecting Radiance Realm?” Chu Jing asked in a low voice.

Wei Tianxiong replied, “That’s right. It seems the soul within that ghost artifact is connected to this great cultivator.”

At that moment, a rustling sound came from the horizon. Wei Tianxiong focused his gaze and saw countless bats sweeping in, crossing over the mountains like a black storm—unstoppable.