That alone was wholly insufficient to describe what the people of the Shu Mountain Sect were feeling, yet rack their brains as they might, they could not conjure a suitable phrase for the current situation.

Who had ever seen a mountain flying in the sky?

Let alone seen it, even in the fanciful tales they heard from storytellers, they had never encountered such a scenario; even if it was briefly mentioned, it was dismissed in a single sentence, and no one could ever truly describe what it looked like.

But now, the assembled people of the Shu Mountain Sect were experiencing it firsthand!

Meanwhile, the residents surrounding Shu Mountain witnessed this divine miracle with their own eyes. Many had been working in the fields, mostly tenant farmers who worked for the Shu Mountain Sect and lived rather comfortably thanks to the sect's general care. But today, while working, they felt a violent tremor beneath their feet. At first, they thought it was an earthquake, but when they straightened up, the mouths they had opened could not be closed.

"Liu'er! Old Liu!" "What is it? It’s just a little earthquake, why bother with it?"

"Not that… Look… over there!" The other man straightened up and glanced casually to the side: "What am I looking at?"

"Over there! Shu Mountain!" "What about Shu Mountain… Ah…" At first, this man paid no mind. After all, his family had lived here for generations; Shu Mountain had always been the same. He had watched that mountain grow up since childhood, knowing it intimately, and thus feeling no novelty about it.

But this time, when he turned his gaze toward Shu Mountain, his eyes widened, leaving him stunned and speechless. After his teeth chattered twice, he suddenly let out a loud cry: "My dear mother! Am I dreaming this whole thing?" He immediately grabbed the brother who had called him earlier: "Slap me!"

With a crisp smack, the Shu Mountain continued its slow ascent. It had already risen more than thirty zhang high. Now, not only the surrounding people could see it, but even those in the distant villages and the county town witnessed this strange spectacle.

It happened to be the afternoon, not yet dinnertime, a bustling time! Many people were strolling the streets of the county town, including a fair number of loafers who wandered around aimlessly all day.

It was these ruffians and hooligans who first noticed the anomaly. Standing in the street, they forgot everything else and simply craned their necks to look into the distance: "Am I seeing things? Why do I feel like Shu Mountain is flying up into the sky?"

Someone nearby laughed and cursed: "It’s not even time for dinner yet! Where did you go to steal some wine? Why are you talking nonsense so early?"

"Then you help me look, is that mountain flying up into the sky?"

The other person laughed and cursed: "Hey! Aren't you done yet? How could a mountain possibly fly to the heavens?"

"Just look and then tell me!"

"Fine… I'll look…" Mid-sentence, as he turned his head, his gaze became fixed. He stared blankly into the distance, then roared: "Heavens! The mountain is flying away!" His shout was no small thing. They were standing right in the middle of a busy thoroughfare, and his shout drew the attention of everyone nearby. Some people, seeing it was those two ruffians, were about to curse them, but noticing they were both staring blankly into the distance, they followed their gaze.

Similar scenes unfolded across the town. One by one, people looked over there, and everyone in the county town seemed to turn into dazed puppets, staring blankly at Shu Mountain, muttering incomprehensibly.

Coincidentally, a fortune-telling Taoist, who had enjoyed good business these past few days and was feeling quite cheerful, noticed the crowd of pedestrians all looking into the distance. He turned his head to see, and with just that one glance, he froze completely.

However, having studied metaphysics for years, and seeing the purple light frequently crisscrossing above Shu Mountain recently, a thought suddenly struck him: "Could there be an immortal residing in Shu Mountain? Am I witnessing this miraculous event, perhaps as an omen?"

The more he pondered, the more convinced he became. He scrambled out from behind his table, immediately knelt down with a thud, and began muttering incessantly—words like 'Immortal Lord' and 'This disciple is the Nth generation successor of such-and-such a sect.'

His kneeling action prompted the surrounding populace to follow suit. In an instant, not a single person remained standing on that street. Everyone knelt on the ground, bowing repeatedly, their mouths reciting prayers.

Some shouted for the Immortal Lord, some for the Buddha, and a few absurdly called out for Brother You! In short, a myriad of strange things were being uttered, but the one commonality was the profound reverence everyone showed toward Shu Mountain, as if the mountain itself were a deity.

By this time, Shu Mountain was soaring ever higher. As a flash of light swept across it, the exterior of Shu Mountain seemed to be encased in a shell of iridescent, multicolored eggs. Many Shu Mountain disciples, who were beginning to suffer from the high altitude, the immense pressure of the rapid ascent, and the rushing gale winds, felt much better once this seven-colored stream of light enveloped them.

Many people stood up and found that they moved as if on level ground, completely unhindered, feeling none of the gale-force wind against their bodies, nor did they feel the mountain swaying.

With the first person standing, naturally, a second followed. Finally having the composure, they turned their attention to the side, watching the multicolored radiance envelop them. Many couldn't help but exclaim in awe: "Truly the work of immortals!"

Little Shunzi, the personal eunuch attending to Wei Hong (Well, I completely forgot to count him in the last chapter, I knew I was missing someone!), helped the Emperor Wei Hong to stand up and asked: "Your Majesty, is Immortal Ye planning to take the entire Shu Mountain to the Immortal Realm?"

Back when Ye Wen first mentioned taking people to the Immortal Realm, Wei Hong had discussed it with Liu Fushun, which was Little Shunzi, and assumed it would only involve taking a few personal disciples or selecting some outstanding juniors. He never expected Ye Wen to have such grand ambitions—intending to take the entire sect to the Sword Immortal Realm.

Never mind taking the whole sect; he didn't even spare the sect's foundations, actually lifting the entire Shu Mountain into the air and flying toward an unknown destination.

"Master now possesses mighty power; taking the entire Shu Mountain is not surprising!" However, he wondered what sort of upheaval Ye Wen's actions would cause throughout the entire Shang Dynasty! Not only did Shu Mountain fly into the sky under the bright daylight, but even if they had left secretly at night, the next day, the entire mountain vanishing without a trace would surely attract attention. How much more so when it flew into the sky under the gaze of the masses?

But looking around and seeing the seven-colored radiance, Wei Hong knew this was for the best; at least the appearance of this radiance would clearly tell the world: this is the work of immortals!

Although the Shu Mountain Sect was leaving this world, their prestige might endure for ten thousand generations. Even if people eventually dismissed the event as a fabrication, the story would surely be passed down.

The situation was quite close to Wei Hong's speculation. At this moment in Shushan County, not only common folk but even the County Magistrate had been alarmed. Everyone within sight of Shu Mountain stood in open areas, watching the multicolored light-wrapped mountain slowly ascend.

The Magistrate of Shushan County stared fearfully at the sky, murmuring in a low voice: "Is there truly an immortal?"

By this time, his wives and concubines had long since knelt on the ground. Seeing his lord in a daze, the Chief Secretary hurriedly said: "Haven't people been reporting these past few days that purple light has frequently been seen coming and going from Shu Mountain? According to those martial artists, that purple light is emitted when the Sect Founder of Shu Mountain, Ye Wen, flies using his divine skill. This miraculous feat now might very well be the work of Senior Ye!"

Upon hearing this, the Magistrate jumped up and down. The reason was simple: a few days prior, someone had reported to him that Ye Wen, the Ancestor of the Shu Mountain Sect, had achieved immortality and was currently residing on Shu Mountain.

He had dismissed that person as a nonsensical spreader of rumors and driven them away, even cursing: "Don't you know what place this is? Coming to the yamen to spread rumors and cause trouble?"

But looking now, he realized what a great chance for immortal connection he had missed! If he had believed it just a little, perhaps sending someone to investigate Shu Mountain, he might have forged some immortal bond—even if he couldn't attain immortality, gaining a small benefit like good health would have been worthwhile.

Alas, in the current situation, he couldn't even ascend Shu Mountain now, and judging by the momentum, who knew where Shu Mountain would fly off to.

"Where… is it going to fly to?"

The Secretary pondered: "Could it be that the Shu Mountain Sect is moving its entire lineage to the Immortal Realm?"

"..."

The County Magistrate’s mind struggled to process it. He stared with tear-filled eyes at the increasingly high Shu Mountain, lamenting his poor fortune. Finally, he too knelt down and offered another prayer. Though he wasn't sure if it would have any effect, he could only comfort himself by thinking, "Since Immortal Ye is an immortal, perhaps he can still hear my prayers…"

Unfortunately, Ye Wen at this moment had no time to attend to them, nor could he hear the prayers of these people. He was concentrating all his energy on manipulating the Nine Provinces Tripod, propelling the entire Shu Mountain into the air along with himself. Afterward, he intended to tear open a rift and leave the mountain clear of the Tripod's influence.

Besides that, he had to divide his focus to exert vital energy to protect Shu Mountain, lest the numerous disciples aboard suffer any harm. For as Shu Mountain flew higher and faster, the powerful gale winds were not something these ordinary disciples could withstand. Moreover, should some unfortunate soul accidentally fall off, it would certainly result in utter annihilation.

Glancing around and feeling that Shu Mountain had risen high enough, Ye Wen turned, unleashed his sword light, and shot forward. Shu Mountain, like a massive container being towed behind a super-charged vehicle, gradually began to accelerate as well.

"Why do I feel like a celestial artisan repairing the heavens right now?"

As Ye Wen's sword light grew brighter and his force stronger, eventually everyone felt as if a purple sun had suddenly appeared in the sky. In an instant, the entire Shu Mountain rushed into the height of ten thousand zhang. If any disciple stood at a high vantage point then, they would see clouds all around, with no view of the world below.

The common folk, however, only saw a sudden burst of purple light erupt from Shu Mountain. Then, that purple light grew ever stronger, shooting straight into the heavens, and the iridescent Shu Mountain followed closely behind this purple beam, rising higher and faster.

At that moment, some people who had visited Shu Mountain cried out in shock upon seeing the purple light: "It's Old Senior Ye!"

"It truly is the technique employed by Old Senior Ye?"

"Old Senior Ye has indeed achieved true immortality… to be able to move mountains and overturn seas…"

"Shu Mountain rises… the entire sect has received immortal fortune!"

As they were sighing in awe, someone suddenly burst into loud sobs!

A curious bystander asked: "Did you have relatives on Shu Mountain?"

The man shook his head.

The crowd was perplexed and asked again: "Then why are you so heartbroken?"

The man replied: "I was also an apprentice on Shu Mountain. A few days ago, the sect sent someone to call me back, but I was too attached to the business of my shop and refused. I have completely missed this great immortal fortune!" Hearing this, the others didn't know what to say. Some even scoffed at this man for his lack of fortune, pushing away an offered chance at immortality; it was truly his own fault.

When these words reached his ears, the man wept even harder! Those familiar with him tried to console him, but to no avail. In the end, they just let him be.

By this time, Shu Mountain had transformed into a streak of multicolored light, shooting into the firmament and vanishing from sight. People could only vaguely make out a glimmer of color. After a while, even that colorful glimmer disappeared. Everything that had just happened felt like an absurd dream. If the massive mountain that should have been standing there hadn't vanished, they truly would have thought they had experienced some outlandish fantasy.

Nearby villagers had already rushed to the original location of Shu Mountain. They found that the towering mountain that should have stood there was gone without a trace, along with the surrounding smaller peaks. All that remained was a massive, deep pit, serving as evidence that something had indeed been there. But now, only this pit remained.

Whether Ye Wen intended it or the Nine Provinces Tripod acted spontaneously, just as everyone lost sight of the light, dark clouds suddenly covered Pingzhou. It had been a perfectly clear day, but in an instant, it turned gloomy, as if it were night.

This was immediately followed by a deafening clap of thunder, and with the thunder came a downpour, like a waterfall. Many people who were still watching the spectacle were instantly soaked through.

Several people standing near the deep pit, looking down, were nearly washed into the pit by the sudden deluge, saved only by someone grabbing them.

The torrential rain didn't last continuously but fell intermittently for about a month. Then, the people of Shushan County discovered that where Shu Mountain once stood, a vast lake had appeared. Everyone marveled at this, and some even suggested that Immortal Ye could not bear to see the scenic area of Shu Mountain become so ugly and thus created a lake to replace it.

The County Magistrate also went to inspect the area upon hearing the rumor. He immediately ordered a temple to be built by the lake, dedicated solely to the worship of Ye Wen.

He even recorded the event in a memorial submitted to the capital! This, however, stirred up quite a storm, as many ministers in the court harshly denounced the Magistrate's memorial, accusing him of spreading superstitious nonsense.

Unfortunately, they were unaware that the current Emperor had received private instructions from his father, knowing that his father had not passed away but had attained immortal fortune, and that this fortune was connected to the Shu Mountain Sect.

Now, another memorial arrived, stating that Ye Wen, the Ancestor of the Shu Mountain Sect who had shattered the void fifty years ago, had returned as an immortal, displaying supreme power by taking the entire Shu Mountain to the Immortal Realm. Countless people in the dozen villages surrounding Shushan County had witnessed Shu Mountain rising into the clouds. Following this, heavy rain fell for a month, yet the area around Shushan miraculously avoided flooding; instead, the former site of Shu Mountain transformed into a vast lake. Did these events not align precisely with the vague instructions left by his father?

Therefore, the Emperor not only failed to dismiss the Magistrate but instead dispatched an Imperial Envoy to Shushan County!

Most people expected that after the Imperial Envoy arrived, the Magistrate would surely be reprimanded, as no one believed a mountain could fly into the sky. Once the envoy confirmed the matter, the Magistrate's doom would be sealed.

Unexpectedly, the Emperor spoke directly: "The temple for Immortal Ye cannot be constructed haphazardly. My esteemed official, you must supervise it closely and ensure it is done properly! Once the temple is complete, bring the Magistrate of Shushan County back to the capital with you!" Hearing this was enough to shock the assembled ministers, but the Emperor added: "Oh, right. Effective immediately, Shushan County shall be renamed Shu Mountain County!"

With that, he waved his hand, ignoring the ministers who were about to speak further, and declared: "Court dismissed!"

Because of the Emperor's decree, the news of the entire Shu Mountain Sect, along with the entire mountain, ascending to the heavens spread throughout the land within a month, amplified by the guests who had been visiting the Shu Mountain Sect and now added their own accounts. The Shu Mountain Sect immediately became synonymous with the divine.

Of course, some people stubbornly refused to believe it. Led by a few skeptics, they personally traveled to Shushan County—now Shu Mountain County—to see for themselves, and even they had to nod in acceptance.

Who in the martial world didn't know where Shu Mountain was located? Now the entire mountain was gone, replaced by a huge lake, and thousands of people stepped forward to swear they had witnessed Shu Mountain ascend. They couldn't disbelieve it even if they wanted to.

Among them, those who claimed to have seen the immortal Old Senior Ye firsthand had recently become the most popular figures in the martial world. Wherever they went, people politely invited them for drinks and meals, solely to hear stories about Old Senior Ye.

Furthermore, the Tian Shan Sect made the biggest move. Shortly after the news arrived, reports surfaced that the Tian Shan Sect wished to invite any informant who had seen Old Senior Ye to meet them in Tian Shan, offering substantial rewards! Those who went and returned reported that the Tian Shan Sect Master asked very little, only inquiring about Old Senior Ye's build and appearance, after which the Master fell silent.

"Vaguely, he was overheard muttering… So, Master has truly pursued the path of immortality?"

Many people were utterly bewildered by this statement, and no one understood what it meant. This became one of the great unresolved mysteries of the martial world in those days.

Of course, this mystery was overshadowed by the news of the entire Shu Mountain Sect and its mountain ascending to the heavens, and thus didn't attract much attention. Most people were more interested in discussing whether the martial landscape would change now that the Shu Mountain Sect was gone.

Before these discussions settled, however, the Tian Dao Sect and the Chan Sect spread the news that the Hundred Sword Gate was a remnant sect of the Demonic Cult, causing the entire martial world to shift its focus back to the righteous factions uniting to fight the Hundred Sword Gate!

……”。”。”,……。，。