Volume One: The Palace of Misty Clouds Chapter Fifty-Nine: Rain Lake

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Rainlake

The boundless azure sea stretched as far as the eye could see. Amidst its vastness, a heart-shaped island, spanning several thousand miles, became the sole highlight in all this world. This place was a unique realm, constructed long ago by a mighty Great Immortal—a private domain, a sanctuary created for the seclusion and cultivation of its master.

The path of Immortal cultivation is generally divided into six realms: Lesser Immortal, Golden Immortal, Greater Immortal, Great Immortal, Immortal King, and Immortal Lord. Each step is separated by a chasm as wide as heaven and earth, and, in particular, the rank of Great Immortal is seen as the watershed of the Immortal Way. One reason for this is that a Great Immortal can open up a world of their own—a space-time domain belonging solely to themselves. With such world-creating power, how could one not yearn to ascend to the realm of Great Immortal? This world, then, is known as the Great Immortal’s Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary exists as an independent space-time, ever moving with its master, unaffected by the changes of the outside world. Most astonishing of all, even if the Great Immortal who created it perishes, the Sanctuary endures, hidden within the universe, slipping away to other planes at any time. This, above all, marks its unfathomable peculiarity.

Eagles soar through the skies, fish glide in shallow waters, and all beings compete for freedom beneath the frosted heavens. This Sanctuary is just such a world, where life exists in its most primal state, resembling a wild, untamed nature reserve.

On the heart-shaped island, Turtle and Zhou Hao were enjoying an utterly relaxing day on the golden sands.

With only its head exposed to the sun, the Turtle wore an expression of sheer bliss. Its eyes were covered by coconut leaves, and it held two straws in its mouth, each attached to a large coconut.

“How wonderful! What better way to ease one’s worries than with coconut water!” The Turtle took a long, greedy sip, then let out a loud exclamation, two drops of creamy coconut juice still clinging comically to the corners of its mouth.

“Stupid turtle, what are you shouting for? You’re disturbing my nap!” At the boundary where the sea met the sand, Zhou Hao lounged contentedly in a deck chair. Annoyed by the Turtle’s shout, he complained at once.

He was reveling in pure luxury—bare feet buried in the sand, letting the rise and fall of the tides wash over them. This sensation was a first for him, absolutely unmatched! Though he wasn’t bare-chested, the billowing white robes of a disciple suited him just as well, lending him an air of unrestrained elegance.

Suddenly, without warning, a cold arrow shot toward Zhou Hao as he reclined. It was terrifying—through its flight, it made not the slightest sound, utterly uncanny!

“Hm?” Yet Zhou Hao’s senses were now razor-sharp. Though the arrow was silent, his body sensed the danger. He quickly rolled off the chair, dropping to the sand.

Boom! The arrow missed Zhou Hao, plunging instead into the sea. The result: the water boiled, erupting several hundred meters into the sky.

“Courting death!”

Zhou Hao’s expression darkened, his brows furrowing at once. This had truly been a lethal attempt. If not for his keen senses, his head would have exploded then and there—the shot had come from behind, from the forest beyond the beach, precisely aligned with where the back of his head had just been. Had he not noticed, he would’ve been struck down without mercy.

Beyond the golden sands lay a dense forest, and the arrow had flown from one of its trees—someone was clearly perched there!

As for the Turtle, its first reaction was to withdraw its head all the way into its shell, burying itself entirely in the sand, a clear testament to its fear of death!

“You from Cloudmist Palace—how dare you kill my junior brother! Today, only your death can atone!” From within the forest, a tree crashed down, and at the same time, a figure flashed before Zhou Hao.

She wore fiery red battle attire, holding a crimson treasure bow in her hand. Her long legs and slender waist, paired with a fair, oval face twisted in rage—she was a female immortal.

“So it’s an avenger.” Zhou Hao immediately understood from her words that the red-robed disciple he’d defeated earlier was this woman’s senior sister.

“A mere disciple of the Immortal Palace dares slay someone from Fire Origin? You must have the courage of a rabid dog!” The female immortal’s face was icy, and her grip on the bow summoned another silent arrow.

Zhou Hao’s eyes flashed coldly. His right hand opened wide, and lightning burst forth, a hundred-meter arc of electricity shattering the incoming fiery arrow.

“Who are you calling a dog?” Zhou Hao replied with a chilling voice.

The woman from Fire Origin was startled by how easily her attack had been neutralized. She’d never imagined that a mere Cloudmist Palace disciple could withstand this arrow.

But she was decisive. Seeing her arrows were useless, she unleashed her unique immortal technique. She leapt into the air, her form transforming into a blade of fire, blazing with fierce flames as she slashed toward Zhou Hao!

The sky blazed with fire, crimson clouds surging forth. The blade flowed with liquid fire like molten lava, radiating dazzling light and exuding a vast killing intent that swept across the golden sands!

For the first time, Zhou Hao realized just how formidable the disciples of the Four Great Sects truly were. This female immortal, blade in hand, radiated an unstoppable killing will. Even as a leading figure among the younger generation, Zhou Hao had to admire her strength.

There was no way to dodge; the blade’s killing intent was overwhelming and its speed breathtaking. Zhou Hao had only one move to counter it: the Grand Sun Palm!

Pushing both palms forward, brilliant golden light enveloped his hands, illuminating the entire stretch of beach. Heaven and earth thundered, and an invisible momentum erupted.

Boom!

Twin golden palm prints, like the hands of a Buddha, struck toward the fiery blade. In an instant, a terrifying storm of energy obliterated everything—the forest behind was flattened, and the sea ahead was hurled skyward, an awe-inspiring spectacle!

Clang!

Blade and palms collided, emitting an earth-shaking, resonant clang like a great bell struck against stone! At that moment, the palm prints shifted from pushing to a clasped position, trapping the advancing fire blade.

“Truly, the Grand Sun Palm is a peerless immortal technique—it can even restrain the enemy this way!” Zhou Hao was secretly delighted at the sight of his own palm imprint in the air; it meant his mastery had deepened.

Flames billowed through the sky, a hundredfold streams of fire ravaging heaven and earth, but as the golden palms tightened their grip, the fiery intent faded, the flame streams dissipating into nothingness.

“Release me! You Cloudmist weakling—Fire Origin will never let you go!” the fire blade cried in a woman’s voice, struggling in vain, for the golden palms pressed down upon it like unyielding walls.

“If it’s already a fight to the death, why should I let you go?” Zhou Hao sneered.

“Just wait! The disciples of Fire Origin won’t rest until you’re destroyed! In this Sanctuary, you’ll be annihilated, soul and spirit alike!” the fire blade spat out, venomous in defeat.

“Oh? I’d like to see how Fire Origin plans to destroy me. As for you, you won’t live to witness it.”

Zhou Hao’s gaze grew merciless. Clenching his fists, the golden palms in the sky—seemingly linked to his own hands—also tightened their grasp!

With a crack, the fire blade shattered into dozens of pieces, and the Grand Sun Palm’s power obliterated the Fire Origin woman’s very soul.

“This place is no longer safe. More will surely arrive soon!” Zhou Hao thought.

Just as he and the Turtle prepared to leave the golden sands, the sound of figures slicing through the air came from the ruined forest behind the beach. The earlier battle had flattened much of the woods, and sand now covered fallen trees.

“Who goes there?” Several figures landed on the sands, staring menacingly at Zhou Hao.

“They’re not from Fire Origin!” Standing before Zhou Hao were four figures in blue robes. Now he understood: each of the Four Great Sects had their own distinctive attire—green for Wind Desert, blue for Rainlake, purple for Thunder Mountain, and red for Fire Origin.

“Rainlake!” Zhou Hao eyed the four in blue warily.

“So, it’s a lone, weak disciple from Cloudmist Palace. Let’s kill him and take any treasures he carries,” one Rainlake disciple remarked, instantly recognizing Zhou Hao’s background by his robes and looking down on him with utter disdain.

“Wait!” Just as that disciple stepped forward, a tall Rainlake disciple stopped him.

“What is it?”

The tall one replied in a low voice, “He killed someone from Fire Origin.”

“What?” The other three were thunderstruck.

“Impossible! How could a mere disciple from the Immortal Palace defeat someone from Fire Origin?”

“Look around you—and at his feet. A great battle took place here moments ago. Who would have thought it was a disciple of the Immortal Palace who slew a member of Fire Origin…” The tall disciple sighed.

Hearing this, the others glanced at Zhou Hao’s feet, where a pile of ashes and a broken crimson bow lay.

“We underestimated the Immortal Palace.”

Zhou Hao simply waved dismissively, smiling. “Fellow cultivators, might I ask what brings you to these sands?”

“Such arrogance, Cloudmist disciple! You’ve killed someone from Fire Origin and now run into us of Rainlake—today, you won’t leave this beach alive!” the tall Rainlake disciple sneered.

All four suddenly unleashed a terrifying killing intent. In their hands appeared azure spears, the tips gleaming with cold, blue light.

“I have to fight just to get an answer? Then… so be it!” Zhou Hao shook his head in resignation.

A golden arc flashed—a golden immortal sword gripped tightly in Zhou Hao’s hand as he charged at the Rainlake four.

They responded together, moving to encircle him, their spears thrusting in unison. Zhou Hao met them head-on, sword against spear, sparks flying with every ringing clash!

Roar!

The Rainlake disciples controlled their spears, surrounding Zhou Hao. Each spear shone with a hazy blue light and gave off faint dragon roars; dragon shadows writhed along the shafts, roaring as they struck at him.

Golden sword light clashed with the dragon phantoms, gold and blue entwined as the battle grew ever more intense. Zhou Hao felt the combined might of the four, even he sensing a trace of danger!

“Kill!”

The Rainlake four roared in unison, channeling their immortal power into their spears. Instantly, the blue light blazed like four blue suns, and Zhou Hao’s golden sword began to lose its luster. Where it once glowed with radiant gold, now its brilliance faded, the spear’s power suppressing the blade.

Crack, crack… In the next moment, a fissure appeared on the golden sword. Within seconds, the crack ran across the entire blade—Zhou Hao’s pupils shrank dramatically.