Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 1568: Chapter 970: Enforcing Heaven’s Mandate, Upholding Divine Law to Rectify Human Relations (Part 2)

Yang Zhenshan did not entangle with them, allowing them to leave.

It was not the time for conflict. Forcing the intruders to retreat would be sufficient.

Moreover, Feng Guiyue was not the first to approach him. Many had tested him during this period, all driven away by Yang Zhenshan.

Yang Zhenshan did not take this matter to heart. After confirming Feng Guiyue and others had left, he continued to meditate with his eyes closed.

Time slowly passed, with disturbances around him growing increasingly frequent, occasionally exploding with intense mana fluctuations.

The location where Yang Zhenshan and his companions resided was not ideal. Though people came to test him, none dared to seize it.

Thus, days went by until this fateful morning.

Lead-gray clouds stacked into heavy ramparts at the horizon, shredding the dawn’s dim light into the depths of the cloudscape.

Where the pale morning should have bloomed in the east, floated only a stain of dark orange, revealing faint dying strands of light through the thick clouds.

Occasionally, a faint pale blue light leaked from the clouds, but was swiftly swallowed by heavier shade before touching the ground, sinking the world into perpetual dusk—laden air stifled the chest, heavy with oppression.

Yang Zhenshan felt the oppressive suffocation, his eyes focused on the gloomy sky.

“Is it coming?” Yun Xiao asked.

Kou Ta and Hong Fuxiu also wore expressions of tension.

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, “It’s coming!”

By now, he was already sensing the aura from the Sun Cave Heaven.

Having practiced the Cave Heaven Refining Scripture, his perception of the grotto heaven and void surpassed other Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Others might not see through what lay beyond the clouds, but he could see it clearly.

Those weren’t real clouds, but a scene induced by space compression.

The descent of the Sun Cave Heaven blocked the sunlight meant to spill onto the earth, causing the world to distort.

He sensed not only the aura of the Sun Cave Heaven but also the void’s breath, infiltrating through the void rift.

The Spirit Source Land is a grotto heaven, originally within the void.

The Void Refining Scripture contains some principles about the void.

Each time Yang Zhenshan used the Spirit Source Land for teleportation, he had to touch the void—accurately, the void outside the main world’s barrier.

Though the contact lasted but a moment, it made him familiar with the void and the great void.

The time was not yet right; the void rift had not fully formed, but Yang Zhenshan could still feel the faint trace of the void’s aura.

He looked southward, approximately ten miles away in their direction, where a void rift would appear, allowing entry to the Sun Cave Heaven.

Yun Xiao, seeing him gaze south, followed suit, asking, “What’s up?”

“There’s a space rift over there!” Yang Zhenshan said.

Yun Xiao’s eyes brightened, “What are we waiting for, let’s head over!”

“Wait, don’t rush!” Yang Zhenshan quickly stopped him.

“Can we afford not to be anxious?” Yun Xiao was barely able to contain his inner excitement.

Yang Zhenshan shook his head at him, saying, “Who knows what lies inside; let others probe the way first. Besides, do you realize how many immortal cultivators are watching us? Do you know if there are any Golden Core Cultivators around?”

The early bird gets shot.

Perhaps those who move first may gain more but face greater hazards too.

Though now anxious, Yang Zhenshan wasn’t intent on being the early bird.

“Um!” Yun Xiao paused, while Hong Fuxiu and Kou Ta also restrained their urgency.

“Don’t rush; as long as we enter, the order matters little,” Yang Zhenshan said.

All three agreed with his viewpoint.

Thus, the four continued to wait quietly.

The sky grew increasingly murky, eventually turning pitch black as if a dark curtain covered the heavens.

And above the highest heavens, more than ten imposing figures overlooked the scene below.

Looking down from the sky, it was a similarly twisted black territory, the earth replaced by peculiar fluctuations.

“Hehe, everyone, let’s agree that before the Sun Cave Heaven fully descends, none of us shall act!”

A young Taoist in a yin-yang robe, holding a horsetail whisk, chuckled.

“Huagai old Taoist, who doesn’t know your Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion’s expertise in scheming, don’t try to plot against us again!” A man resembling a towering monument said in a rumbling voice.

“Hehe, Xiong Ba, I’m just one person; how can I plot against so many friends? Besides, though my Mysterious Pavilion is adept at scheming, its disciples are few—only a handful are entering True Yang Heaven this time, unlike the Demon Court’s thousands of demon clan!”

Huagai deftly smiled.

Saying so, his gaze swept around, capturing shadow after shadow in his eyes.

“Yellow Springs Ancestor, do you find my words true?” His gaze fixed on an old man with faint aura.

The old man wore coarse hemp clothes, his ordinary face and slightly hunched frame exuding none of a Golden Core Great Power’s presence.

But he was the Yellow Springs Ancestor, founder of the Yellow Springs Hall—a Ghost King, possessing Golden Core Peak might.

“Hehe, others may show deference to your Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, but this old ghost won’t!” His voice was hoarse and unpleasant to ears.

Huagai hardly minded his rudeness and instead responded with a smile, “Senior, why disdain? Isn’t the Unpredictable Ghost Sect here? Watch your little ghosts lest they’re stewed by the Unpredictable Ghost Sect!”

He then looked at a black-robed figure nearby.

That was An Wusheng of the Unpredictable Ghost Sect.

The Unpredictable Ghost Sect has three main halls: Soul Hooking Hall, Soul Refining Hall, Soul Control Hall; An Wusheng is the Hall Master of Soul Control Hall, known as Judge An.

The Yin Ghost Department falls under Soul Control Hall, with Zhang Mo and Mo Xuanyu as its stewards.

An Wusheng cast a glance at Yellow Springs Ancestor, who snorted and remained silent.

He and the Unpredictable Ghost Sect are natural enemies; the sect commands soul hooking, refining, controlling, crafting Yin Ghosts, and enslaving them, whereas the Yellow Springs Hall represents Ghost Cultivators—a favorite material for the sect’s enslavement.

“Enough, Huagai, stop sowing discord. It’s fine for all to contend, but only after the Sun Cave Heaven’s complete descent! No acting before this moment!”

A woman in stunning feather garments spoke in a calm tone.

Her commanding tone seemed to dismiss the surrounding Golden Core Cultivators beneath her regard.

However, hearing her words, the Golden Core Cultivators showed no annoyance, instead bowing respectfully, “We obey the Taoist Envoy’s decree!”

The woman seemed satisfied by their respect, offering an explanation, “Acting before the grotto heaven fully descends risks shattering the void, so to avoid calamity upon the mortals, your conduct must obey rules I’ve set forth!”

“The Taoist Envoy cares for the creatures; naturally, we comprehend. Rest assured, we won’t act hastily!” Huagai commented with a smiling gaze.

He did not forget to provoke Yellow Springs Ancestor, “Senior, do you agree?”

Yellow Springs Ancestor cast him a cold glance, “The Taoist Envoy’s decree, this old one dare not defy!”

“That is well!”

The woman’s porcelain-like face remained unperturbed as she flipped her wrist, from which a blue pearl radiated light, spreading its glow to manifest a magnificent palace upon the heavens.

The woman floated inside, the doors shut, flanked by engraved couplets.

Upper line: The Law sustains heaven and earth, upholding the Dao to balance mortal fate.

Lower line: To fulfill heavenly duty, enforcing divine mandates and correcting human order.

Both lines shone with bright radiance, seemingly entrapping powerful Dao intents, enticing one to immerse within.

All eyes from the Golden Core Cultivators glanced the couplets, quickly averting, as if fearing to gaze long.