Chapter 147: Backlash

The grand array locking away demons at the center of Jade Pool returned to absolute silence in an instant.

At that moment, everyone's spells and daoist arts vanished into thin air like smoke.

Spiritual energy was abruptly emptied, and every law seemed to have lost its power.

The nightmare's colossal body froze, motionless in mid-air, its surrounding aura completely extinguished, resembling a black hole exuding an aura of death.

Witnessing this bizarre scene, the crowd suddenly looked at each other in mutual dismay, seemingly unable to comprehend what had happened.

At that very instant, the Holy Mistress of Jade Pool constricted her pupils and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Scatter!"

The moment the words fell, an incomparable ripple, seemingly capable of destroying everything, erupted from the nightmare's body.

With the nightmare as the center, a wave of black aura rapidly spread in all directions. Everything surrounding it—the meteorite array, the towering wooden pavilions, the immortal herbs and spiritual flowers—instantly crumbled and vanished into nothingness.

Boom!

The terrifying sound of the explosion echoed outward, resembling a volcanic eruption, utterly terrifying.

At the summit of Mount Kunlun, the young woman currently receiving the ancestral heritage shook violently, as if waking from a dream. She opened her aqua-blue eyes and slowly descended to the ground.

That massive pillar of spiritual energy began to transform into flowing streams pouring into her body. With effortless ease, her cultivation realm began to surge at a terrifying rate.

"Whew..."

Now truly qualified to be called a carp leaping over the dragon gate and ascending to the heavens in a single bound, the young woman looked into the distance with a puzzled expression, a strange sentiment unfolding in her heart.

The jade sword she held in her arms—borrowed from a certain someone—trembled violently just a moment ago, as if filled with great joy.

"Well now, skipping right through the twelve pavilions of the Daoist gate, practically ascending in a single step, and you're not even that far from the upper three realms." Liu Shouyi, dressed in purple daoist robes, stood beside her with zero demeanor of a master and asked with a smile, "Good disciple, how are you feeling now?"

"Not bad." Lu Caiwei revealed a faint smile, gazing into the distance, and asked with some confusion, "Master, what was that just now?"

"A minor disturbance broke out near Jade Pool, but the commotion just now was rather large. Your掌教 (abbot/master) uncle has already gone there personally, so you needn't worry."

Liu Shouyi smiled beamingly. "Your realm is unstable right now, so you should go into seclusion first and strive to step into the upper three realms within the next few years. My lineage has a meager population, and the Academy's Lingyun Rankings a few years from now will depend entirely on you."

Lu Caiwei withdrew her gaze from the distance. Hearing these words, something rippled slightly in her eyes as she recalled a certain memory. A proud, girlish smile touched the corners of her lips. She nodded gently and turned to walk away.

A gentle breeze swept by, fluttering the young woman's dark hair. Her appearance was peerless, and owing to her breakthrough in realm, an ethereal, immortal aura drifted across the mountain peak.

Countless disciples witnessing this scene wore looks of utter infatuation and lingering yearning.

"Uncle Liu, you've taken in a fine disciple! She's beautiful and possesses supreme talent. Why don't you introduce her to me? Who knows, maybe one day I'll even have to call you Master."

A young man with a purple-black gourd hanging from his waist, hovering on an immortal sword in mid-air, said with a smile.

Liu Shouyi glanced at this outstanding member of the younger generation and retorted ungratefully, "You brat, I recall you were being chased and beaten by Wan Jianyi just a few days ago. Have you forgotten the lesson already in such a short time?"

The young man rolled his eyes and cursed, "That fellow looks cold, but he turns out to be a jealous creature. I just wanted to have a quiet chat with Senior Sister Lu at night, not peek at her taking a bath—why throw such a huge temper?"

He then smiled and continued, "Uncle Liu, don't look at Jianyi as being stronger than me now. Once my daoist arts reach perfection, there's no telling who will beat whom. Are you really not considering me?"

Liu Shouyi rolled his eyes, wearing the smug expression of a parent showing off a successful child, and retorted triumphantly, "Neither you nor Wan Jianyi stand a chance. My precious disciple's heart has long belonged to someone else, and that person is far stronger than any of you little brats!"

"What?!"

This time, the response came from every single Kunlun disciple standing atop the peak.

...

Inside Jade Pool.

An unknown amount of time passed in absolute silence.

Practitioners who had been knocked to the ground by the ripples lifted their heads with great difficulty.

A gigantic crater scarred the ground, and that towering, awe-inspiringly robust figure had vanished into thin air, as if it had never existed at all.

"What was that..."

"Such a terrifying aura, completely irresistible."

"Where is the nightmare? I can no longer sense its aura."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, their faces clouded with incomprehensible bewilderment.

He Pianpian of Jade Pool suddenly raised her head and shouted, "Shen Yu is still inside!"

The Holy Mistress of Jade Pool landed on the ground and uttered, "The Immortal Burial Tombs."

...

The very instant the nightmare was completely eradicated, certain individuals realized what had happened and made their way to the Immortal Burial Tombs.

Su Mo arrived at the foot of the mountain and spotted a giant spiritual beast lying unconscious on the side. Crouching down, he fed it an unknown medicinal pill. The heavily wounded beast, a Huanluo, instantly came back to life, a glimmer of gratitude shining in its eyes.

Su Mo stroked its head, then raised his gaze to an ethereal phantom floating above the mountain summit.

"I imagine you might need my help," Su Mo said gently.

Linghua Fairy flickered her sleeve lightly, and the two of them were transported into an ethereal world.

Everything here was extremely unstable; spiritual energy overflowed violently, and heaven and earth seemed to be slowly collapsing.

Not far ahead of them, a blood-soaked figure sat cross-legged—it was Shen Yu.

Seeing this, Su Mo frowned slightly.

Shen Yu's current condition was dire. Within a radius of five丈 (approx. sixteen meters), jagged black rifts laced the space, exuding a terrifying pressure that made even them feel a palpitation in their hearts.

That appeared to be a force surpassing the laws of nature, capable of destroying everything.

Linghua Fairy explained, "He employed some incomprehensible methods, resulting in a backlash from the laws of heaven and earth because his cultivation realm was insufficient. He has become entangled in a power resembling the laws of space and time, unable to free himself. The only solution I can think of is for him to awaken by his own accord. If that fails..."

Linghua Fairy paused for a moment before continuing, "He will vanish into the long river of time. Not death, but true annihilation..."

"Is there no other way?"

Sensing the bizarre aura surrounding Shen Yu, Su Mo recalled the seven volumes of heavenly books he had once read. He shook his head slightly, thinking it was sheer recklessness.

"I do not know."

An unconcealable sorrow surfaced in Linghua Fairy's eyes.

Shen Yu's method—which utterly defied time, space, and the heavens themselves in an utterly shocking and absurd manner—was something only he, three thousand years ago, could understand and execute.

In truth, such a method should never have existed in this world.

If there were a solution, even if it meant trading life for life, why would she be struggling with such torment now?

Su Mo fell silent for a moment, took a few steps forward, and finally chanted silently: "The sages say, he who possesses righteous aura remains invulnerable to all spells."

His right hand bloomed with a solemn white radiance, and then he reached within five丈 of Shen Yu.

Resembling a black hole, the rifts emerged, and Su Mo's right hand began to sizzle, as if water droplets had hit a red-hot iron.

With a placid expression, Su Mo suddenly radiated a blinding light all over his body, appearing directly beside Shen Yu. He tapped Shen Yu lightly on the forehead with his right hand and commanded, "Awaken."

The next moment, Su Mo's figure dissipated like a phantom, retreating beyond the five-丈 boundary. The entire sequence occurred in a fraction of a second.

Watching this, Linghua Fairy asked with a hint of astonishment, "This is..."

Su Mo explained, "I read a few books and learned a trick. Fortunately, it doesn't require realm support."

Linghua Fairy did not press further, only asking, "Is it useful?"

"Even if the Junior Apprentice Brother wakes up, it is of no use. Given his current realm, he cannot escape the bondage of these laws unless someone brings him out."

Linghua Fairy inquired, "Who?"

Su Mo fell silent for a brief moment and replied, "The Academy."