Volume One: The Immortal Hall of Misty Clouds Chapter Forty-Two: Shifting Shadows

Chapter Forty-Two: Shifting Forms

Ten stars in immortal power! Ten stars in combat prowess! Ten stars in potential!

All three attributes were at their maximum, and what did that mean? It meant that Zhou Hao stood at the highest starting point on the path of cultivating the immortal way, blessed with an extraordinary talent—one who could only be called a genius among geniuses. Most crucial of all was his ten-star potential, signaling limitless achievements in his future, a potential that surpassed ordinary immortals by hundreds or even thousands of times. How could such a disciple ever remain unknown? He was destined to ascend to the very pinnacle of the immortal path.

Every gaze was fixed on Zhou Hao. His earlier feat of walking and summoning lotus blossoms beneath his feet, together with his three perfect ratings, had etched an indelible impression upon all present. When these were weighed against his previous experiences, everyone reached a unanimous conclusion—

Gold will shine wherever it lies.

Immortal Yunmiao stroked his long white beard, nodding repeatedly, his heart brimming with joy. "This young man is indeed remarkable," he said, "He’s reminiscent of the prodigy Yu Yang, who once brought such pride and glory to all of Yunmiao."

The elders nodded in agreement, and even Elder Yunfang felt completely at ease now. Mentioning Yu Yang only reminded him of his unparalleled talent and cultivation. The thought that both his disciples were peerless geniuses made Yunfang’s smile all the brighter.

"Elder Yunfang, two outstanding disciples under one roof—surely you are the foremost elder of Yunmiao Immortal Hall!"

"Indeed, two generations of disciples, both are Yunmiao’s finest. Elder Yunfang truly deserves his title!"

The elders showered Yunfang with praise. Though Nangong Xun and Cheng Bing were secretly displeased, they could hardly refute the consensus. After all, Yunmiao Immortal Hall was under Yunfang’s elder brother’s stewardship, and to speak out against him at such a moment would win them no friends. Such a loss of popular support was never Nangong Xun’s way.

"Wow, amazing! You’re incredible, my brother!" Cao Shuang was genuinely happy for Zhou Hao. He’d known Zhou Hao was gifted, but never imagined he’d so quickly surpass Su Qing and become Yunmiao’s foremost disciple!

"Yes, Zhou Hao, you’re truly remarkable! You’re already being compared to my brother’s achievements, maybe even surpassing them! You’re basically the idol of Yunmiao now. Can I be your devoted fan?" Yu Nan chattered excitedly beside Zhou Hao, so much like a star-struck girl worshipping her idol.

"My, my, you two…" Zhou Hao shook his head, feigning mysterious profundity.

Just as Cao Shuang and Yu Nan thought Zhou Hao might respond with humble elegance, he leisurely drawled, "You’re just stating the plain truth!"

Both of them groaned and rolled their eyes at him, each giving him a playful glare and a rude gesture.

"Junior Zhou, congratulations!" In the midst of their banter, a figure approached, drawing the astonished eyes of the disciples.

"Heh, not at all, Senior Sister Su, your praise is too much. My own cultivation is shallow and can’t compare—I wouldn’t listen to the nonsense these two are spouting," Zhou Hao said, scratching his head.

"That’s more reasonable. I’m surprised you have some self-awareness, Zhou Hao!" A sudden voice interjected, and two more figures joined them.

"Cheng Yan! What did you say? Apologize to Zhou Hao at once!" Yu Nan cried angrily.

"Senior Sister, I…," Cheng Yan was at a loss, embarrassed by Yu Nan’s fierce, cat-like indignation.

"Junior Sister, Cheng Yan means no harm. Like Fairy Su, we simply came to offer our congratulations to Junior Zhou," Nangong Ying said with a gentle smile, exuding warmth and sincerity.

Yet those who knew him understood that, like his father Nangong Xun, Nangong Ying was a master of duplicity, ever the expert at wearing a mask.

"You’d better mean it," Yu Nan replied coldly.

Zhou Hao, facing the two with thinly veiled hostility, only smiled instead of growing angry. He rested a hand lightly on Yu Nan’s shoulder, signaling her to simply watch. This gesture caused Cheng Yan and Nangong Ying’s eyes to turn frigid, and even Su Qing’s expression shifted slightly.

"Where do you think you’re putting that hand?" Cheng Yan barked at Zhou Hao.

"Well, your congratulations certainly come with a twist! I’m truly overwhelmed, brothers," Zhou Hao replied, ignoring Cheng Yan and meeting Nangong Ying’s gaze with a mocking smile.

"Junior Zhou, I realize we’ve yet to truly cross swords. Personally, I enjoy a good sparring match. But right now, unity among Yunmiao’s disciples is what matters most. So… let’s be sure to test each other’s skills another day!" Nangong Ying’s smile was amiable in form, but not in substance.

Zhou Hao nodded lightly, returning the smile. "Honored that Senior Brother values me so highly. As they say, one never truly knows another until they’ve exchanged blows. Though we’ve only briefly crossed paths, I can already discern your profound cultivation. I’ll look forward to your guidance next time."

Soon, Immortal Yunmiao addressed the gathering. By this point, only ten disciples remained on the vast plaza; the rest were left outside, casting envious, jealous, and resentful glances at Zhou Hao and the others.

"The top ten selection ends here today. Now, you ten will follow me into Yunmiao Immortal Hall for the next preparations. The rest of you are free to do as you wish."

Clad in white robes, Immortal Yunmiao strode toward the golden palace behind him. The ten selected disciples followed closely and entered the grand hall.

"You all likely know, at least in part, the importance of this event. The title of Great Immortal is a temptation beyond your imagination. To pick only three from a hundred and sixty—think of how brutal the competition must be!" This time, Immortal Yunmiao didn’t take the high seat. He stood before the ten young faces, speaking quietly like an ordinary elder.

"May I ask, Hall Master, will the four major factions be attending the Immortal Hall tournament?" Zhou Hao asked.

"No, they only care about the Great Immortal’s Sanctuary. In two days, when the sanctuary’s void dimension becomes unstable, the hall masters and leaders of the four factions will open the spatial node together and send fifty people inside! The sixteen Immortal Halls combined can only send three, while the four major factions can send forty-seven. Do you know why?" There was a trace of agitation in Immortal Yunmiao’s voice.

The ten disciples fell silent, heads bowed.

"The first reason: the four major factions are full of upper immortals, battle-hardened and bloodthirsty. Even at the same level, our hall masters cannot defeat their upper-immortal experts. Second, they cultivate many disciples, all fiercely combative, and by sheer numbers, they outmatch us. So they dominate in every respect. Besides, their arrogance knows no bounds—they treat this star realm as their own colony. Years ago, the Immortal King sent repeated expeditions to suppress them, even dispatching a Great Immortal once. That blow wounded the four factions deeply, but soon they rose again, more violent and lawless, extending their claws to the living stars, and the Immortal Hall could do nothing." Immortal Yunmiao recounted these struggles, sighing repeatedly.

The ten disciples listened intently, sensing all too well the humiliation endured by the Immortal Hall through the years. Their mission was to safeguard the weak under these stars, yet powerful enemies left them helpless. The fact that only three out of fifty could enter the Great Immortal’s Sanctuary said it all—the four factions cared nothing for the Hall, and in the Immortal King’s eyes, the Hall was merely a tool for profit.

"Now, you ten are the pride of Yunmiao Immortal Hall, but with that pride comes great responsibility. Tomorrow’s tournament is crucial. To be honest, I wish the final three victors could all be from among you, but I can’t wish that, because the challenges inside the Great Immortal’s Sanctuary will be even greater. Only the most outstanding young talents beneath these stars will enter, and no immortal treasure or art can substitute for that."

"Finally, to ensure you are at your best, I will specially open Yunmiao’s treasure vault for you to choose three treasures each. I will return in three hours to lead you out."

With a gentle wave of his sleeve, Immortal Yunmiao shifted the very fabric of space around them, and the scene changed in an instant. The ten disciples were dazzled—for the place before their eyes defied belief.

One would expect the treasure vault of Yunmiao Immortal Hall to resemble the underground armory, yet here lay a vast expanse of verdant grass, clear streams, lofty mountains, birdsong, fragrant flowers, and lush trees—an unspoiled paradise.

"The Yunmiao vault houses countless immortal treasures, the accumulated wealth of generations of hall masters and elders. Now, you may each choose three treasures. I will return for you in three hours," Immortal Yunmiao explained, then vanished.

The ten disciples now stood beneath a green mountain, a gentle stream before them, the grass cool beneath their feet and a refreshing breeze caressing their faces.

"But… where are the immortal treasures?" Zhou Hao scratched his head, at a loss.

Indeed, the space they occupied seemed a secluded utopia with nothing but mountains, water, flowers, and grass—hardly the appearance of a treasure vault. Could these things themselves be the treasures?

"Maybe they’re hidden. Let’s look around—we have three hours, after all," one disciple suggested.

"No, there’s no need. The treasures are right before us, we just can’t see them," Su Qing suddenly declared, stunning everyone.

"What? Right before us? You must be joking. Are they invisible? Or have they become spirits and disguised themselves?"

"It’s not invisibility, it’s shifting forms," Su Qing explained.

"Shifting forms? Do you mean… the Shifting Form Art?" At the mention of these words, many disciples could not help but cry out.

Zhou Hao, standing among them, was equally shaken. He’d heard Yunfang speak of shifting forms—an art rarely mastered, yet widely known throughout the immortal domain.

Invisibility and shifting forms differ by a single word, yet worlds apart in meaning. Invisibility merely conceals the body, leaving its real form unmoved—a mere trick of the eyes. Shifting forms, on the other hand, involves spatial transposition: the object is no longer in this space, but has shifted to another. There are two types—the visible and the invisible. In the visible form, it appears before you, but you cannot touch it, as though striking air. In the invisible, you cannot even see the person, though you know they are there—you still cannot reach them.

Comparatively, invisible shifting forms are as if no one is present at all, while visible shifting forms are as if someone is there, but not in substance.

"It really is the Shifting Form Art! But what are we supposed to do? This is far beyond anything we’ve learned—it involves manipulating space itself!" one disciple grumbled.

"Don’t worry. Since the hall master told us to choose treasures, he’ll surely give us a clue. Shifting forms may be out of our reach for now, but the treasures must be connected to this space. If we find that connection, we’ll be able to retrieve them," Su Qing replied, her usual coolness colored by a rare warmth.

Some of the male disciples, previously nervous, now relaxed completely after Su Qing’s explanation—after all, their goddess was with them.

Without further ado, Su Qing sat cross-legged on the grass, closed her eyes, and began forming hand seals, seeking to pierce illusion and find the treasures.

The others quickly followed suit, and soon, all ten disciples entered a meditative trance. Their spirits drifted above the space, taking in the breathtaking scenery.

And then—miraculously—the treasures appeared, dazzling beyond description. On the grass, in the stream, atop the mountains, in the trees—everywhere sparkled with radiant jewels and magical lights.

A suit of deep blue armor shimmered with immortal light, casually draped over a small tree. A golden sword blazed with fierce brilliance, thrust slantwise into the grass. A plantain fan exuded a gentle green glow as it rested atop a green mountain. A pair of war boots glimmered with rainbow colors, floating in midair…

And so it was.