Chapter 106: Farewell at White Mountain

“That sly old fox!” Hua Yuyan shouted angrily, her brows furrowed and eyes blazing with fury. If it weren’t for the last feng shui formation still protecting the Lingying Palace, Old Master Hu San would have long since breached its walls.

“Palace Mistress, you really shouldn’t have returned!” Linglan, the Dharma Protector, said with grief and despair.

“This is my Lingying Palace. How could I not come back?” Hua Yuyan replied firmly.

After speaking, Linglan came over to me and said, “Young Master Lin, you and the Old Mountain God possess profound Daoist skills. But the rest of us Dharma Protectors have reached the end of our road. That old fox Hu San has absorbed the vital energy and spirit of the four peak Dharma Protectors of Lingying Palace, multiplying his strength several times over. If we all stay here, it’s a death trap. So, I, Hua Linglan, earnestly beg you, Young Master Lin, to take the Palace Mistress away quickly!”

I glanced at Hua Yuyan but found myself at a loss for words. Yet Linglan knelt before me, pleading, “Young Master Lin, please, take the Palace Mistress away!”

Hua Yuyan immediately came over and helped Linglan to her feet. “Linglan, as the Palace Mistress, I must share the fate of Lingying Palace. No matter what, I will not leave!”

“Yuyan, you are the only hope Lingying Palace has left. If you can leave safely, there may still be a chance to revive the palace. But if you perish with the current Lingying Palace... then it truly is doomed!” Linglan’s voice was thick with emotion. Though injured, the other Dharma Protectors knelt before Hua Yuyan as well.

All the Kun Dao disciples of Lingying Palace in the grand hall dropped to their knees before Hua Yuyan.

Honestly, though Hu San is esteemed as the Patriarch of Wild Immortals, I never expected his power to be so overwhelming. Even before he absorbed the energy and spirit of those four Dharma Protectors, he had already surpassed the peak Nascent Soul level. Absorbing their essence only magnified his strength to a terrifying degree. None here—neither the remaining Dharma Protectors, Hua Yuyan herself, the Old Mountain God, nor I—nor all of us combined, could hope to match Hu San now. Not even close.

Moreover, this grand movement of the Wild Immortals was led solely by Hu San and a few thousand followers attacking Changbai Mountain. Hu San is no reckless gambler; he would never act without absolute certainty. Had he not been confident, he would have struck when we went to the Moon Temple to pacify it.

The other four great Dharma Protectors were absent, undoubtedly all at Shanhaiguan Pass. Though there was the Luo God Protector and the Qingping Demon-Sealing Sword there, it still didn’t inspire complete confidence.

At this point, with the dragon vein of Changbai Mountain dried up and the Wild Immortals occupying the Heavenly Pool, Lingying Palace’s fate was sealed.

Linglan had clearly seen this long ago. When we descended the mountain, she had desperately wanted Hua Yuyan to take all the Kun Dao disciples away from Changbai Mountain. Unfortunately, she had to respect the Palace Mistress’s authority. Then the mountain was sealed off, and she could no longer send messages to us. Otherwise, she would have sent someone to stop us from returning to Changbai Mountain.

All of this had unfolded beyond expectation.

Only now did I understand what that ominous phrase “Heaven wants to destroy Lingying Palace” truly meant. Once back on the mountain, there was no chance of survival. And yet, we had brought the last five thousand Kun Dao disciples back to Changbai Mountain. It was as if fate had been sealed—untraceable and unchangeable no matter how many times events might repeat. The outcome was destined to be the same.

The disciples’ earnest petitions placed Hua Yuyan in great distress. She shouted angrily, “All of you, rise! Do you see your Palace Mistress as a liar and a coward?”

“Palace Mistress, please leave Lingying Palace and leave behind Lingying’s last hope!”

“Palace Mistress...”

Even as Hua Yuyan’s anger flared, they would not change their pleas. One by one, they knelt, ready to face death.

The Palace Mistress’s safe departure from Changbai Mountain was the very purpose of their sacrifice.

“Palace Mistress, our time is running out. I, Hua Linglan, beg you!” Linglan knelt and implored Hua Yuyan. Though Hua Yuyan moved to help her up, Linglan would not rise.

This scene deeply moved me.

I stepped forward and looked at Hua Yuyan. “Miss Yuyan, please agree. Leave behind Lingying Palace’s last hope.”

Hua Yuyan’s expression was complicated. Finally, trembling lips parted: “Alright... I agree.”

At her words, tears streamed down her face as she looked at the kneeling Dharma Protectors and Kun Dao disciples. Linglan sighed with relief. “Yuyan, remember—while you live, Lingying Palace lives!”

Then Linglan explained to us, “We will fight with all our strength against the Wild Immortal army. You must descend the mountain via the small path behind the Lingying Palace’s rear hall. Yuyan knows the way.”

“Understood,” Hua Yuyan said.

“Go quickly, Palace Mistress! Young Master Lin! Old Mountain God! Take care on your journey!” Linglan said as everyone watched us head toward the rear hall.

But just before we left, Hua Yuyan suddenly stopped.

She knelt down.

Before Linglan and the remaining Kun Dao disciples of Lingying Palace, she knelt.

“Palace Mistress...” they whispered.

Hua Yuyan raised a hand, signaling them to be silent and not refuse—this was her command.

Then she kowtowed three times. When she stood, blood was seeping from her forehead, tears washing her face.

Yes, they were heroes, monuments that would forever live in Hua Yuyan’s heart.

Old Mountain God and I couldn’t help but clasp our hands and bow deeply three times as well.

Near a rockery behind the Lingying Palace’s rear hall was a very hidden path. We followed it down the mountain silently. Hua Yuyan remained silent the entire way until we were about to leave the trail. Then she turned back and said, “When I was little, I was mischievous and always tried to sneak down this path to play. But I was always caught by Linglan Protector. Back then, I really hated her. I even cursed her behind her back... But now...”

Her voice choked with emotion, she could say no more.

Old Mountain God glanced around and said, “Palace Mistress, we must leave quickly. If Hu San comes chasing, their sacrifice will be in vain.”

Hua Yuyan nodded. As we descended further, we gradually left the main vein of Changbai Mountain. But just as we emerged from that mountain pass, a few Wild Immortals blocked our path.

Old Mountain God prepared to act, but I stopped him. “You have the power of the Mountain God. If you fight, it will attract heavenly lightning. These are just small groups of Wild Immortals. Let me handle this.”

He nodded.

I crept forward silently and struck swiftly, dispatching them in moments. Unexpectedly, further along the mountain path, dozens more Wild Immortals were standing guard.

I instructed Hua Yuyan and Old Mountain God to hide while I approached alone. With the yellow talisman given by Daoist Li, I could kill them quietly—an advantage indeed.

Just as I prepared to strike, I overheard their excited conversation.

“Over at Shanhaiguan, the Luo God Protector of Lingying Palace has died. The rest are stubbornly resisting, but we expect to break through tomorrow and take control inside the pass.”

“I heard there are plenty of people inside. One village alone would feed us for a year!”

“Yeah, I bet Hu San will take Changbai Mountain today and lead us south tomorrow. Time to enjoy ourselves, ha ha ha...”

I stepped out and asked, “Is what you say true? The Luo God Protector at Shanhaiguan is so powerful, wielding the Qingping Demon-Sealing Sword. How could the Wild Immortals have taken her life?”

“Brother, you must have been hiding in the mountains too long. All four great Dharma Protectors have left the pass. Each is no less than Hu San. How could they be no match for the Luo God Protector?”

“Yeah, punk, what makes you so confident?”

“Come, let me show you something!” I said mysteriously. They gathered around, and I handed each a yellow talisman. Instantly, their souls vanished, revealing their true forms.

Hua Yuyan and Old Mountain God soon approached. Seeing my troubled expression, Old Mountain God asked, “Young Master Lin, what’s wrong?”

I glanced at Hua Yuyan but didn’t know how to break the news. She spoke up, “I heard it too. The Luo God Protector has fallen in battle.”

She turned to look toward distant Changbai Mountain.

The mountain was once shrouded in celestial mist, with the cloud summit sky visible—but now, no cloud summit sky remained, only dark clouds swirling.

Frowning, Hua Yuyan again wept and knelt toward Changbai Mountain.

I understood then: Linglan Protector and the others had all fallen in battle. The black clouds enveloping the celestial palace signaled that the Wild Immortals had taken Lingying Palace.

When Hua Yuyan rose, she said, “Let’s go to Shanhaiguan at once. We must never let those Wild Immortals breach the pass!”