Chapter 1444: Heaven-Sent Edict

Wu Xian explained, "Nuba has been frantically trying to force the Emperor to show himself lately, but he still hasn't appeared. Perhaps he's feeling guilty or ashamed. Also, to pressure the Emperor, Nuba might have used disrespectful language. The ten Golden Crows, being young and hot-blooded, couldn't tolerate their father being insulted in such a way, so they came out together to confront Nuba."

At this moment, another sorceress, previously introduced as Wu Gu, spoke, "Nuba once held the power to sway the outcome of the great war between the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou. Although her strength was significantly diminished after that battle, her cultivation remained terrifyingly potent. This time, had she not encountered the Golden Crows and the Sun Goddess, but rather opponents of comparable strength, Nuba might not have perished."

Zu An had witnessed the entire battle and knew she spoke the truth. After all, Nuba's greatest power lay in her scorching body, which could bring drought to the world.

Against anyone else, her supreme solar heat would pose an enormous threat. Unfortunately, she encountered the Golden Crows, who were embodiments of the sun. How could one possibly "overheat" the sun itself?

On the contrary, Nuba was scorched by the intense sunlight from the ten Golden Crows and the Sun Goddess, which ultimately caused her internal heat to spiral out of control and explode.

Alas, one could only say Nuba was unlucky, destined to face this calamity.

He suddenly recalled something and hastily asked, "Seniors, is your Spirit Mountain located in India—uh, I mean, a place like Tianzhu?"

He wasn't sure what India was called in this era. If their "Spirit Mountain" was the same as the one associated with the Buddha, wouldn't they be transported to an incredibly distant place?

How would he complete his mission then?

"What India, Tianzhu? We've never heard of such places," the sorcerers said, looking puzzled. "Oh, by the way, we've arrived at Spirit Mountain."

As they spoke, the group quickly arrived at a vast mountain range. Here, the mountains undulated, lush green trees carpeted the slopes, and steep peaks were adorned with all sorts of exotic flowers and plants. The air was filled with a refreshing, heart-warming fragrance.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue exchanged glances. The primordial energy here was astonishingly rich, far surpassing the blessed grotto-heavens of their respective sects. It was an exceptional cultivation ground. No wonder these sorcerers, by occupying such a place, were able to cultivate to such a high level.

Zu An, meanwhile, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he wasn't going to eat curry, it was fine.

Then, the sorcerers introduced the various locations one by one:

"This entire mountain range is collectively known as Spirit Mountain, and we are called the Ten Sorcerers of Spirit Mountain precisely because we have resided here for a long time. This peak is called Daguan Mountain, that one is Wanqing Mountain, and there are also Xiedi Mountain, Lanyingzhai Mountain, Lintanya Mountain... These are our individual grotto-dwellings."

"You are our guests and may freely access these peaks on a daily basis. However, remember that two places are forbidden, and you must not approach them."

Zu An asked curiously, "Which two forbidden places are those?"

He was itching with impatience. The more they spoke this way, the more curious he became.

The sorcerers pointed to a cloud-shrouded, faintly visible mountain deep within the range and said, "That one is called Baoyuan Mountain. Approaching it means certain death."

Yu Yanluo asked in surprise, "Since it's called Treasure Source Mountain, it should be a treasure land, shouldn't it? Why is it so dangerous?"

Wu Xian hesitated for a moment, then, once again sensing their inexplicable affinity, finally spoke: "You see, the mountain god of this peak is Bao Jiang."

"Bao Jiang?" Zu An and the others were startled. Was it the same Bao Jiang who was ambushed by Gu? In that case...

Seeing their expressions, Wu Xian nodded, "Precisely. The Elixir of Immortality that Bao Jiang once guarded is within it."

Upon hearing about the Elixir of Immortality, Yun Jianyue's eyes sparkled with an unusual light, and she became eager to try. She was inherently daring, and while these sorcerers possessed terrifying power, the legendary elixir was certainly worth the risk.

Yu Yanluo, however, looked a little embarrassed: "It's all my fault for making you reveal such an important secret."

"Actually, it's no longer a secret. After Gu ambushed Bao Jiang, the related events spread throughout our circles, and many people now know that the Elixir of Immortality is within Baoyuan Mountain. A few more of you knowing won't matter," Wu Xian said, gently teasing the two snakes in her hand. "Moreover, the Elixir of Immortality is no longer there now."

Hearing this, Yun Jianyue immediately looked disappointed: "Then where did it go?"

Wu Xian noticed her disappointment but didn't mind. "With the deaths of both Gu and Bao Jiang, the Elixir of Immortality disappeared. No one knows its whereabouts now."

"Where is the other forbidden place you mentioned, seniors?" Zu An wasn't particularly fixated on the Elixir of Immortality. Firstly, he possessed the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra and had shared the lifespan of Qiao Xueying's elf clan. Secondly, he had personally witnessed Ya Yu's ghastly transformation after consuming the elixir, which made him doubt that the elixir was as wonderful as the legends claimed.

The sorcerers simultaneously pointed towards the same location. Following the direction of their fingers, Zu An saw a beautiful peak, its summit shrouded in mist, with a slender stone standing upright on its crest, oddly giving the impression of an elegant, graceful figure.

"What the hell? Have I been without women for so long that even a rock looks beautiful to me now?" Zu An had a strange expression, yet he was puzzled, wondering why this mountain seemed so familiar.

At this point, the sorcerers began to explain: "This peak is known as Goddess Peak. It was once the residence of Yao Ji, the third daughter of the Flame Emperor. She has always preferred tranquility and dislikes being disturbed by outsiders; even we are not allowed to approach freely."

The moment the words fell, Yu Yanluo, Yan Xuehen, and Yun Jianyue all simultaneously looked towards Zu An. Was the Flame Emperor also one of the Heavenly Emperors?

His daughter was not only a princess but also a celestial fairy, and from her name, she was said to possess exceptional beauty.

This young man wouldn't be so audacious as to set his sights on Yao Ji, would he?

However, Zu An at this moment did not appear to be captivated by beauty; instead, his face was filled with surprise. He swallowed with difficulty, "What is the connection between your Spirit Mountain and Mount Wu?"

In his past life, when he traveled to Mount Wu near the Lesser Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, wasn't there a very famous Goddess Peak there? No wonder he had found this mountain familiar earlier.

"Mount Wu?" Wu Xian paused, then chuckled, "Because a few of us sorcerers reside here, some people do refer to this place as Mount Wu."

Zu An thought, *Just as I suspected. The traditional character for 'spirit' (靈) has the radical for 'rain' (雨) at the top, three 'mouths' (口) in the middle, and the character for 'sorcerer' (巫) at the bottom. Therefore, in ancient times, the terms 'spirit' and 'sorcerer' were often interchangeable.*

He had never imagined that the legendary Ten Sorcerers of Spirit Mountain were, in fact, the ten sorcerers of Mount Wu!

Wu Xian found his reaction quite peculiar. Just as she was about to say something, a golden light suddenly descended from the sky, accompanied by various celestial melodies, and an immense, unparalleled divine power enveloped them.

Everyone felt a tremor deep in their souls, instinctively wanting to prostrate themselves in worship.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue exchanged horrified glances. They had encountered many formidable masters in the world, yet none of their previous encounters compared to the aura they now felt. Even the Demon Emperor and Zhao Hao combined would likely be no match for this presence!

At that moment, a majestic voice resonated: "Ten suns have emerged to bring calamity upon the mortal realm. I bestow upon you this crimson bow and white arrows to support the lower kingdom."

At this very moment, the Demon Emperor and his son, who were far away, suddenly froze. A red light abruptly flew from within the Golden Crow Prince's embrace, then instantly vanished into the sky.

"My Sun-Shooting Bow!" the Golden Crow Prince exclaimed in shock.