The surroundings of the Mist River were damp as night fell, black clouds like mountain ridges were pressing down ominously, almost connecting with the ground.
Bright light, as if it were daylight, flickered amidst the black clouds like a yellow dragon maneuvering, followed by deafening thunder and a curtain of rain.
The torrential rain descended, yet it further illuminated the spiritual power and demon energy on both sides of the Mist River, glimmering like starlight in the rain, flashing on and off.
Above the severed Mist River, a golden-red light blossomed from the entrance of the cave heaven, suddenly flickering and instantly drawing all eyes of people and demons alike.
Judgments about the level of a cave heaven are always discerned through the color and shape of its entrance.
White Mist Tao Level, Purple Cloud Immortal Level, Blue Sea Emperor Level, Golden Vortex Venerate Level, Red Vortex Saint Level.
Thus, the Mist River Cave Heaven, which lies between the Venerate and Saint Levels, presented a swirling golden-red entrance.
But at that moment, the golden-red light at the entrance spewed out a cloud-like radiance. The red light was swiftly devoured by the golden light, quickly dissipating under countless gazes.
Suddenly, a brilliant glow lit up the night, illuminating the surroundings, with a roaring humming sound erupting amidst the heavy rain.
Nine Palace Eight Trigrams, Five Elements Four Symbols.
One of the immortal artifacts from Tianyan Pavilion, the Mirror World Mountain and River Map.
When the map was unfolded, it reflected the scenery of heaven and earth, containing mysterious and unfathomable immortal power, like the energy of a small world descending, enveloping the entrance of the entire Mist River Cave Heaven.
The space trembled, revealing endless fissures, but within the fissures were not raging space storms, but irregular boundaries that stretched endlessly at a glance.
Without a doubt, this was the boundary outline of the Mist River Cave Heaven hidden between heaven and earth.
But even with the effect of the immortal artifact, it could only display the approximate boundary of the cave heaven, with no way to fully present the entire cave heaven to the world.
Amidst the torrential rain, mocking laughter suddenly rang out, recognizable to everyone as the laughter of the King Court Master Qingyun Jun.
"You old fool, why waste your effort?"
Standing in the sky dome, Qingyun Jun placed his hands behind his back, his golden pupils full of mockery: "Did you think using the Mirror World Mountain and River Map could maintain the real opening of the cave heaven?"
Shangguan Qizheng looked at Qingyun Jun expressionlessly: "The handiwork of the Upper Realm?"
Qingyun Jun, clad in a golden robe, mockingly retorted: "Weren’t you supposed to be a master of calculations? Yet you couldn’t foresee that this cave heaven is actually a Venerate-Level cave heaven?"
"Old bird." Qi Huizu gazed coldly at Qingyun Jun, the vast aura of the Divine Concealing Realm, combined with the Sword Qi of the Fifth Realm’s Heaven Sword Realm, directly tearing apart the void around Qingyun Jun: "You truly are a loyal dog to your ancestors."
Qingyun Jun’s demon energy turbulently collided with the overwhelming Sword Qi, resulting in one reverberating boom after another.
Ignoring Qi Huizu’s mockery, he addressed Shangguan Qizheng directly: "Even with your ’Zhiwei Zhizhang’, you are ultimately only Divine Concealment, there are things in this world that you cannot predict."
Shangguan Qizheng glanced down at the cave heaven entrance halted by the [Mirror World Mountain and River Map], his eyes flickering: "Even for the Upper Realm, it’s impossible to break the rules of heaven and earth."
The world’s ’Transcendence’ either left or perished fifty thousand or twenty thousand years ago.
"Indeed." Qingyun Jun’s tone was faint: "If the rules of heaven and earth cannot be broken, then what about the rules of the cave heaven?"
Shangguan Qizheng’s pupils contracted; Qingyun Jun was very satisfied with his expression and continued: "Within your capabilities, you can defy fate for certain people, but how will you change the rules of the cave heaven?"
Qi Huizu frowned at Qingyun Jun, then looked at Shangguan Qizheng, noticing for the first time that the elder’s face turned grim.
Thus, Qi Huizu understood the gravity of the situation.
Sure enough, a brilliant radiance suddenly shot out from the entrance of the cave heaven stabilized by the Mirror World Mountain and River Map, like a fragment.
The fragment shone with magnificent light, piercing one corner of the Mirror World Mountain and River Map in an instant.
Although it was just a corner, it rendered the spiritual power released by the Mirror World Mountain and River Map ineffective.
The fragment dimmed, reverting to the appearance of an original scroll.
On the scroll was painted half a landscape of mountains, rivers, and lakes.
"Mountain and River Map." Shangguan Qizheng’s gaze was icy cold.
The Mirror World Mountain and River Map is an imitation of the Mountain and River Map, which resides in the Upper Realm, at Hidden Life Mountain!
"The Human Clan and Demon Clan collaborating against the Human Clan, huh!" Qingyun Jun made no attempt to hide his ridicule: "How does it feel?"
"Them? Hehe." Shangguan Qizheng shook his head, the gaze on his aged face as sharp as a torch staring at Qingyun Jun: "Not to mention their true purpose, why would that ’Qilin’er’ you’ve been hiding also enter the cave heaven?"
Qingyun Jun’s expression remained unchanged: "Naturally, it is to kill Lu Jin’an."
Shangguan Qizheng said nothing, yet he did not believe Qingyun Jun’s words, as there were significant loopholes.
The Demon Clan hadn’t done anything to ensure Lu Jin’an’s entry into the cave heaven, and if they intended to kill him, why not use a cave heaven between the Venerate and Emperor Level?
If the Upper Realm could open a Venerate Level cave heaven in advance, then would it be challenging to pay a small price to open a cave heaven between the Venerate and Emperor Levels?
Moreover, how long has Lu Jin’an been the Wandao Sect Saint Heir?
Daoist skills flowed in Shangguan Qizheng’s eyes as he looked up at the pitch-black night, uttering not a word.
"Given up?" Qingyun Jun laughed heartily and then, like him, lifted his gaze to the sky, the mockery in his eyes deepening.
It’s said that the Heavenly Dao is merciless, the Daoist skill is natural, and indeed it is so.
The Upper Realm could even deceive a living intelligent person like Shangguan Qizheng, let alone the ’natural’ Heavenly Dao?
However, the actions of the Upper Realm ultimately went beyond the normal scope of the ’Qi Fortune Competition’... and the words ’causality’ have far-reaching implications.