Amidst the tangled woods, Jiu Lian Sheng nearly tumbled from a branch, gazing up at the sky's clouds with a sigh. “The once orderly Wujian Realm has descended into this chaos. I wonder how the Third Sect Master’s journey to Tianyunji turned out!”
High above the Sunblind Clan’s territory, at Tianyunji, white clouds billowed around floating islands, which swayed slightly from an inexplicable atmospheric tremor.
Elder Tian Yuan sat unmoving atop the grand hall. Unlike the halls of other clans, the Sunblind Clan’s seating arrangement dictated rank by height: the higher one’s official position and cultivation, the higher the seat, making the entire hall resemble a set of stairs. “The instability of Tianyunji suggests extraordinary shifts beneath the Wujian Realm.”
“Reporting to the Elder, the Third Sect Master of Huanggu City, Garuda, requests an audience on the foremost island.” The messenger, whose wings were dark and whose frame appeared skeletal, delivered the news.
Elder Tian Yuan, adorned with a golden-yellow silken sash, possessed a deep voice despite his sightless eyes. He turned to the two elders beside him. “What do you suppose brings Garuda to Tianyunji?”
“A disturbance in Huanggu City. Perhaps the Bone Sect has come to demand accountability,” Elder Liuyun, known for his cunning nature and wearing a jade-green sash, sneered. “The leadership of the Wujian Realm in Huanggu City should have been superseded by our noble Sunblind Clan long ago.”
An elder with a composed expression, wearing an ordinary black sash, was none other than Pao Tian, the master of the bird-men. “Huanggu City is teetering. Third Sect Master Garuda’s visit likely means he seeks our aid. With the rise of the Corpse Demon Forest, if Huanggu City remains obstinate, its existence may be brief.”
“Indeed, I concur with Pao Tian’s assessment. Invite the Third Sect Master in,” Elder Tian Yuan stated from his luxurious high perch. The Sunblind Clan, always positioned above, rarely worried about survival. “If he requires our help, might we ask him to reveal the secret of the Bone Sect’s immortal bones?”
The attendant guided Garuda across several floating islands. Tianyunji was far above the clouds, with the foremost island connected to a towering mountain peak. However, entry to the five main islands at the center required guidance from a Sunblind Clan member. “Third Sect Master, please, this is the Floating Island Hall.”
Garuda was perfectly courteous as he surveyed the world upon Tianyunji. These islands were composed of stacked stone, and the central, largest island was clearly plated with a layer of golden metal, radiating magnificence. He followed his escort into the hall, where the three elders had long been waiting. “The Bone Sect’s Garuda pays respects to Elder Tian Yuan and the two esteemed elders.”
“What pressing matter brings the Third Sect Master to Tianyunji?” Elder Liuyun assessed him with a slight glance, his head held high in haughtiness.
Garuda, having prepared for this, addressed the Sunblind Clan directly. “My eldest brother, Jiaye, is dead. The culprit is my second brother, Jianan.”
“What? The First Sect Master is dead!” Elder Pao Tian expressed surprise, glancing at Elder Tian Yuan before turning back to Garuda. “The First Sect Master is deceased, and you accuse the Second Sect Master?”
“Hmph, dog-eat-dog—how entertaining!” Elder Liuyun scoffed, holding the Bone Sect members in utter contempt. “State your purpose, Third Sect Master.”
Elder Tian Yuan pondered deeply, waving his hand to silence Liuyun. “Third Sect Master, you claim the Second Sect Master killed the First. Do you have evidence for this assertion?”
“My second brother colluded with the Fierce Beast Gate. Not only did he kill my elder brother, but he also attempted to execute me!” Garuda did not shy away from revealing his clan’s shameful secrets. “Second Brother Jianan now controls Huanggu City. Given his nature and his alliance with the Fierce Beast Gate, the entire Wujian Realm risks being engulfed in war.”
Elder Liuyun sighed and chuckled. “It seems the Third Sect Master is currently without a home. What, are you seeking refuge under the protection of our Sunblind Clan?”
Garuda did indeed seek aid from the Sunblind Clan, yet he did not feel servile. “Garuda may find it difficult to defeat Jianan using only his own strength, which is why cooperation with the Sunblind Clan is necessary. I trust the esteemed elders understand my intentions.”
“Cooperation? What value does an inept Third Sect Master like you offer for us to cooperate?” Elder Liuyun had long heard that the Bone Sect’s Third Sect Master was unlearned, merely a junior.
Elder Pao Tian, being level-headed, admired Garuda’s courage in coming alone. “Third Sect Master, what specific assistance does the Sunblind Clan stand to offer?”
“Under the guise of seeking justice for my elder brother, we will force Jianan to relinquish the Sect Master position,” Garuda declared, gesturing without a trace of humility. “The entirety of Huanggu City will be under my command. From that point forward, the Wujian Realm will know no more strife, only harmony.”
“Hahaha, what a joke!” Elder Liuyun could no longer restrain himself and burst into loud, upward laughter. “Are you trying to pull a fast one? What benefits will our Sunblind Clan gain from this?”
Elder Tian Yuan nodded, signaling Liuyun to remain silent. He questioned firmly, “Third Sect Master, you wish for our Sunblind Clan to deploy forces to Huanggu City under your banner? And upon success, the Bone Sect and the Sunblind Clan will abandon the endless feud between clans and reconcile?”
Garuda stepped forward, bowed, and ignored Elder Liuyun entirely. “The Bone Sect and the Sunblind Clan are descendants of the ancient Fuxi. I believe this is an opportunity for our peaceful unification. Jianan’s ambition is boundless; if he is not stopped, not only the surface of the Wujian Realm but even Tianyunji risks falling to him.”
Elder Pao Tian found merit in this, but he who holds the advantage always controls the initiative. “Regarding cooperation, I believe Elder Tian Yuan will deliberate carefully. However, we have yet to see tangible sincerity from the Third Sect Master.”
Garuda had anticipated this maneuver. He composed himself and spoke: “The Bone Sect members are inherently skeletal. Every death only signifies the superficial decay of flesh and skin; the bones enter a dormant state. After a prolonged period, when dormancy ends, they merely require new flesh to awaken. That is all.”
“Hahahaha, the Third Sect Master truly possesses fortitude,” Elder Tian Yuan had long wished to know the details of the Bone Sect’s revival. “So, unless one is born into the Bone Sect, they cannot attain this longevity?”
Garuda nodded, showing little concern for eternal life himself. “Bone Sect members originate from the Fuxi root-bones. While we possess the miraculous ability of deathless resurrection, each successive revival causes the loss of all previous memories. If the bones are destroyed, however, there is no hope of awakening.”
Elder Tian Yuan smiled, quite satisfied. “Third Sect Master, no further explanation is needed. Your agreement with the Sunblind Clan has been noted.”
“I thank Elder Tian Yuan,” Garuda bowed deeply. At this moment, all his energy needed to be focused on dealing with Jianan. “Then, Garuda will take his leave for now, awaiting Elder Tian Yuan’s assistance at any time.”
“Wait a moment!” With the major points settled, Elder Liuyun recognized the sincerity in Garuda’s plea, though he remained skeptical of his strength. “We have heard of the might of the Bone Sect Imperial Family’s Heavenly Bone Sword Art. Does the Third Sect Master perhaps have the capacity to demonstrate it for us? Our Sunblind Clan prefers not to ally with someone who only knows how to spin eloquent words.”
“I obey!” Garuda understood Elder Liuyun’s intent perfectly. He drew his long sword, Renhe; this bone sword shimmered with an extraordinary jade-green hue. As he assumed the stance for the eighth level of the Heavenly Bone Sword Art, the friendliness vanished from his eyes. “Garuda offends.”
“Ah…” Elder Liuyun unfurled his silver wings and immediately shot forth a flurry of silver-white needles, each point sharp and flashing with lethal intent. “Allow me to test your skill.”
“Whoosh!” A blur of white light, Garuda lunged forward, his sword already striking down countless needles. By the time his feet touched the ground, he had already swept past Elder Liuyun. A few dark feathers drifted to the floor. “I yield, Elder Liuyun.”
“This!” Elder Liuyun stood frozen on the spot. The Heavenly Bone Sword Art not only held an advantage in speed but was also impeccable in its tactical variations. He had never believed that the person scorned by the world as useless, Garuda, possessed such cultivation.
“Garuda takes his leave!” Garuda offered no further courtesy to Elder Liuyun, bowing respectively to Elders Tian Yuan and Pao Tian before being led by the attendant toward the foremost island.
Elder Tian Yuan observed Garuda’s performance and offered a faint smile. “In my view, the First Sect Master possessed noble aloofness; the Second Sect Master is excessively aggressive. This Third Sect Master, Garuda, has hidden his ambition for so long; he must be a man destined for great accomplishments.”
Elder Pao Tian smiled as Liuyun suffered his minor defeat. “Garuda’s cultivation is certainly not beneath ours. Although cooperation is agreed upon, we must remain wary of this fellow.”
“Mmm,” Elder Tian Yuan dropped the subject. He pointed toward the island where prisoners were held. “The one who murdered Tianyue Shanren seems to have been captured. How do you propose we deal with him?”
“What is there to ask? Death without reprieve!” Elder Liuyun, smarting from his humiliation, felt a surge of anger. “May I be the one to execute him personally?”
“Absolutely not!” Elder Pao Tian, ever cautious, cautioned. “I recall Yu’er telling me that this individual possessed two supreme blades, but both vanished during his capture. If we keep him alive, we might have a chance to locate the Jue Tian Blade and the Jue Di Blade!”
Elder Tian Yuan wholeheartedly agreed. “We will proceed according to your counsel. Find a way to acquire Tianzhi Que. One day, when our Sunblind Clan possesses the Heavenly Sword and the Supreme Blades, unifying the Wujian Realm will no longer be a mere dream.”
“A pity that Tianzhi Que was seized by a mysterious youth!” Elder Pao Tian also contemplated the cultivation level of that youth from that day—a young man named Ye Xiu, who managed to slay Bai Cheng, the inheritor of the Long Bone Seven Swords of the Realm. He could not be a simple figure.
The void remained still. Beneath the void, the world was a sphere of chaos, which differentiated from two polar points, manifesting a crack like a slit in the sky before their eyes.
Ye Xiu awoke from the haze. Before, Jiayun Xin had snatched the soul energy from the jade ring, and the entire realm seemed to have switched back from the Desolate Abyss to the third level of the Xiyao Pavilion. “Old Liu, Old Liu!”
Old Liu gradually regained consciousness, patting his head and complaining, “Such immense power in the Demon Pool was stolen by those damned women! Where are we now?”
Beneath the crimson fog of the chaos, four immense, oval mirrors stood majestically within the space. The edges of these mirrors were inlaid with intricate golden patterns. A strange screeching sound echoed, vibrating through the wilderness.