Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1300: 844: The Ghost Maiden Escapes the Ancient Array

"I understand. I shall relay this situation to the Xuanqing Sect!" Shi Pingshan replied, fully aware of how grave the circumstances had become.

"Very well!" Yang Zhenshan gave a slight nod before preparing to depart.

Initially, he had not intended to reveal himself this evening, but upon reaching the Beishi household, he felt it necessary to make his presence known; primarily to expose Mo Xuanyu’s true identity, granting the Three Sects time to prepare.

"Senior, please wait," Shi Pingshan called out urgently as he noticed Yang Zhenshan getting ready to leave.

"Is there something else?"

Shi Pingshan cupped his hands again, "Senior, our family was saved from total destruction because of your intervention. We are eternally grateful. Let us know your name so that we may repay this great debt one day!"

"Please, leave your name, Senior!" Shi Shengyuan added, also bowing in respect.

After a moment of contemplation, Yang Zhenshan retorted, "There is no need for names. Simply consider this a favor owed by your family."

He tossed a jade token over to Shi Pingshan, "Should a person arrive carrying a similar token in the future, you may repay the favor then!"

Naturally, that token could not grant access to the Spirit Source Land; while its appearance and restrictions matched, it lacked a Divine Soul Seed. Yang Zhenshan did not realistically expect anything from the Beishi family, yet leaving this opportunity open might prove useful should he require their assistance later.

Shi Pingshan caught the item, hesitating, but ultimately choosing not to press for the mysterious man’s identity.

With a wave of his hand, Yang Zhenshan returned to the Spirit Source Land with elegance. Shi Pingshan and Shi Shengyuan watched him disappear, their expressions a complex blend of emotions. The Beishi family had stood on the brink of annihilation; without Yang Zhenshan’s help, they would likely have ceased to exist in the Sea of Spirit by morning. Drowning in a mix of lingering terror and profound relief, Shi Pingshan turned to his relative. "Let us go. First, we must see to the comfort of our clansmen. At dawn, we head to the Xuanqing Sect to request an audience with the Supreme Elder."

...

The following day, both men arrived at the Xuanqing Sect.

Lin Daoyuan, the Supreme Elder, resided atop Sword Origin Peak. Legend tells that the Heavenly Sword True Monarch founded the sect on this mountain, and it was named 'Xuanqing' because the first Martial Arts technique bestowed by the Monarch was the Xuanqing Skill.

Far more than a simple cultivation technique, the Xuanqing Skill was a monumental compilation of dozens of Martial Arts True Intents, reflecting the Monarch’s own profound grasp of Martial Arts and his insights into Sword Dao.

The Heavenly Sword True Monarch had not founded the Xuanqing Sect to gather troops for exploring Ancient Relic Arrays, but rather to protect the kin and descendants of those at Hidden Sword Mountain. Since Hidden Sword Mountain only accepted children with Spiritual Acupoints, their families could not be abandoned.

To provide for these relatives, the sect was established, allowing them to train and master the way of the sword. Later, as the need to probe Ancient Relic Arrays increased, Hidden Sword Mountain went on to establish the Wuxiang Sect and the Illusion Moon Sect, collectively known as the Three Sects of Lingxiu.

Lin Daoyuan, now over three centuries old, stands as one of the most powerful Sword Immortals within the Sea of Spirit. While not the eldest, his might is peerless. The sect retains deep connections to Hidden Sword Mountain, with its strongest traditions firmly rooted in the Sword Dao. Although Lin is not an Immortal Cultivator, his mastery of the blade rivals that of a true Sword Immortal, with his only regret being his failure to fully grasp the Immortal Path.

Upon reaching Sword Origin Peak, the duo encountered Lin Daoyuan. He was draped in a dark cyan robe, his face square and his eyes sharp—he appeared as a blade pulled from its scabbard. Merely standing in his presence caused Shi Pingshan and Shi Shengyuan to feel immense, suffocating pressure.

"The Unpredictable Ghost Sect! So, it was them!" Lin Daoyuan squinted, faint flickers of sword light dancing in his pupils. While others remained ignorant, Lin had traveled extensively in his younger years, even venturing past the Wanhua Mountain Range into the central regions of the Wanhua Domain, where he had once barely escaped being turned into a Corpse Ghost by their kin.

"To think they would emerge here in the Sea of Spirit; quite interesting indeed."

"Master has heard of this sect?" Shi Pingshan asked cautiously.

Lin Daoyuan gave a curt nod. "I know of them, though my knowledge is limited. Worry not; this Mo Xuanyu is merely a Blood Pool Steward of their Yin Ghost Department."

While the Unpredictable Ghost Sect as a whole was terrifying, Lin felt no concern toward a mere regional steward. Their influence was largely contained to the lands east of the Wanhua Mountain Range. "Return home; I shall see to this matter personally," he stated calmly.

...

Lin Daoyuan had no intentions of letting Mo Xuanyu escape justice. Upon confirming his identity, he immediately mobilized scouts to track the Yin Ghost Department while dispatching an agent to the Ancient Relic Array to summon Ming Shuzi of the Nether Prison Sect. The threat posed by the Unpredictable Ghost Sect necessitated a coalition between the Three Sects of Lingxiu and the Nether Prison Sect; unity was essential.

Meanwhile, Mo Xuanyu stood beside the Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Pool, his pale visage clouded with gloom. "What is our next move?" Xuanzhen asked, casting a look of revulsion at the crimson pool.

"We evacuate the Blood Pool," Mo Xuanyu hissed coldly. He had little choice. With his resources depleted—mostly due to Yang Zhenshan slaughtering his subordinates the previous night—he was severely weakened. He could ill afford to lose the Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Jade, and his obligations to the Yin Soul Bureau remained. Now that he was exposed, relocation was his only path forward.

"Damn it!" he cursed.

"Is it not a bit premature to flee?" Xuanzhen suggested softly, secretly hoping the Blood Jade would be destroyed so he might finally break free of the man’s control.

"Fear not, I intend to leave them a parting gift to vent my frustration!"

Relocating the pool was no small task; the Evil Blood Killing Array required massive amounts of precious materials to function. Losing those resources was a bitter pill to swallow. Yet, as a man with many escape routes, Mo Xuanyu acted with chilling efficiency. Within two days, the pool was gone, though he left the destructive power of his array behind as a trap.

Yang Zhenshan remained unaware of the flight, still believing Mo Xuanyu was entrenched at Black Mountain Ridge. As the final day before the Ancient Relic Array opened dawned, a ghost maiden stood by the entrance, her pale face etched with confusion. The past month had been a nightmare for her; hunted by the combined forces of the Three Sects and the Nether Prison Sect, she had lost all her subordinates.

She was powerful enough to handle standard martial artists, but the current pursuit included six late-stage Qi Refining cultivators—a force that left her no option but flight. She faced a grim dilemma: leave and face near-certain death at the hands of the sects, or stay trapped within the array, never achieving Foundation Establishment. Driven by her desperate ambition, she took a breath and chose to exit.

Transforming herself into a mere wisp of shadow using the Shadow Transformation Skill from her “Mystic Yin Soul Silence Scripture”, she slipped past the guards who held the exit. Just as the gate opened, she surged forward. "Stop her!" came a shout, but it was too late. Before the bewildered Martial God experts could react—many of whom were distracted by the political shifts between the sects—she vanished into the dense forest, leaving them behind.