The Second Hanging Temple was perched high above the ground. From that altitude, people looked like ants, constantly scurrying about. The three Hanging Temples were massive, imposing structures that left one in awe of their grandeur.
Su Yun left the training grounds and headed toward her dormitory to prepare for the mission. However, she couldn't shake the fear and concern she had seen in her father's eyes. Yet, how could she have known that the future of the Mist Sect depended on her sacrifice?
Su Yun gathered her necessities, placing them carefully into her storage ring, and made her way toward the outer buildings. As she descended the path, she saw newly inducted cultivators and mortals moving in droves toward the First Hanging Temple.
She wandered through the marketplace, hoping to find something useful, but as she ventured further, nothing caught her eye. Eventually, she reached a cave that opened to the outside world.
*Click!*
The wooden gate's structure activated with spiritual energy, and the heavy stone doors swung open on their hinges. At the same time, the brisk morning air rushed toward her.
"Honored Elder, Inner Sect Disciple Su Yun reporting for duty, heading out for a mission beyond the sect."
The man seated at the desk picked up his enchanted pen and replied, "Please present your token."
After inspecting the token, he scribbled something on a parchment and stored it in his own ring.
"Good luck. The mission may not be the most challenging, but it's best to stay cautious. No one can predict what lies beyond these gates."
Su Yun clasped her hands together in respect and said, "Yes, Elder!"
---
Inside the meeting room, the Mist Sect's leader stiffened at their request. He was well aware of Elder Su's attachment to his daughter, and even if that were not the case, he couldn't easily hand over one of his most talented disciples to the supreme Moon Sect.
After a long, contemplative silence, he was interrupted by a sudden message.
Through a partially opened window, a paper bird fluttered in, hovering before the Sect Leader before gracefully bowing and unfolding its creases.
The three venerable Elders immediately grasped the significance of the message.
[This must be something urgent, if they're using Origami Art to inform the Sect Leader.]
Origami was an ancient method of cultivation rooted in the Essence of Nature. Practitioners refined spiritual paper from the wood of spirit plants, using it for communication, espionage, and even assassination.
After reading the message, the Sect Leader smiled and said, "Honored Elders, your generous offer is appreciated. However, I cannot make such a decision right now. Please, return to your quarters while I organize my thoughts."
The Elders stood without protest, nodding respectfully before leaving the room.
---
"Elder Su..."
The origami dissolved into mist, and moments later, Elder Su materialized from within the fog.
"Greetings, Sect Leader."
"No need for formalities, old friend. It seems you acted swiftly, sending Yun Yun out of the sect."
"Indeed. I cannot allow those bastards to lay a hand on my daughter."
The Sect Leader pondered for a moment. "Did you mention anything about your daughter to the Elders, Su?"
"No, I made sure not to give anything away. Even when they referenced her, I reacted in such a way that they couldn't possibly guess Yun Yun is my child."
"Could they have used Thought-Reading Arts?"
"No, I maintained strict control over my thoughts. At that moment, Yun Yun was just another prodigious disciple to me. I didn't let them find my weakness."
The Sect Leader sat back in his chair, pouring himself a cup of tea.
"But they seem to know she's your daughter and are aware of how protective you are of her. It's likely they intend to use this against us."
Elder Su clenched his fists, his icy gaze smoldering like embers, ready to ignite at any moment.
Suddenly, he said, "I understand."
And with that, he vanished, dissipating into the air.
---
Fang Yuan's thoughts raced, his mind strained by the flood of conclusions he had to draw, especially in those final moments. He was nearing another mental crisis.
[Breaking formations requires mastery of the Path of Wisdom and structures.]
That was an undeniable truth. This was why zombies couldn't establish formations. And this was common knowledge among cultivators.
[If a zombie possessed Go Thought, it would be a grave threat. The primary reason for their defeat lies in their lack of reasoning. Zombies are a submissive race, incapable of forging new paths in the world. That's why they either become slaves to powerful sects or fall under the control of dark sorcerers.]
Fang Yuan needed clear thoughts to strategize.
Far into the distance, there were no signs of villages or human groups. Leaving the Titan behind posed too great a risk. Fang Yuan decided to gamble.
[I have to use the stored thoughts of my Will. The main soul of this body was slightly damaged by the Titan's attack, so it doesn't require much mental energy to suppress it. I can use the remaining thoughts to formulate a plan.]
Without hesitation, Fang Yuan tapped into his intuition and carefully examined the Titan.
[This Titan must be fully grown, but why does something feel off?]
The Titan's size matched that of a mature creature. If not for the Karma Curse, the spiritual rain, and the formation, it would have towered several hundreds of meters tall.
But now, its size had diminished to a quarter of that, and it was still shrinking.
Fang Yuan moved closer to the Titan.
The spiritual rain had ceased, and the water now reached up to his waist.
He scrutinized the fragments of the Titan's body, watching how they dissolved in the water.
[Wait a moment, this isn't dissolving. It's… separating. This shell, these are Gu Worms?!]