The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 210: The Doom Of The Misty Cloud

The Doom Of The Misty Cloud . . .

"The major flaw in our top martial art lies there, Master Feng," Bing Xin-Yue explained. "I assume it no longer sounds strange to you now."

Cha-Eun Xiao nodded, his interest piqued by her tale.

"In truth," she continued, "that great conflict was triggered by this martial art. At the time, the Misty Cloud Palace boasted numerous formidable cultivators. Our primary martial art was potent, fierce, and virtually invincible. Despite being an all-female sect, we were poised to dominate the entire realm. Under such circumstances, other factions perceived us as a significant threat. They understood that we were likely the sect destined to rule the Qing-Yun Realm."

"And none of them were willing to accept that," Cha-Eun Xiao observed.

"Exactly," Bing Xin-Yue confirmed. "In response, they forged an alliance led by Wu Fa... Thousands of our valiant women perished during their assaults. All seven senior grandmasters fell in battle. The entire Misty Cloud Palace crumbled like a dissipating star cloud... Only the main disciples from our various groups managed to escape using their martial arts before it was too late. They went into hiding in remote locations, awaiting the day when they could return."

Though Bing Xin-Yue recounted the tragic history of her sect, she did so with a stoic expression. Her words seemed matter-of-fact, but the clenched fists at her sides betrayed her underlying emotions.

"Wu Fa..." Cha-Eun Xiao murmured.

"Yes, Wu Fa, also known as The Unruliness," Bing Xin-Yue replied, her voice seething with contempt. "He ascended to prominence during that conflict. He became an authoritative figure in the realm, standing above all others."

Cha-Eun Xiao absorbed this information, nodding thoughtfully. Wu Fa, the Unruliness, now had a deeper context in his mind, becoming the 'One Person' of the 'One Person, Two Temples, Three Palaces, and Seven Factions' within the Qing-Yun Realm.

"Back then," Bing Xin-Yue continued, "the Misty Cloud Palace boasted countless formidable cultivators. We were strong enough to surpass all other factions. However, after being relentlessly pursued by a united coalition of other forces, our power waned. The most significant blow was the crippling of our main martial art in that fateful battle. Seven thousand years later, with the Qing-Yun Realm's main forces stabilized and balanced, the Misty Cloud Palace seized the opportunity to return. Today, we stand as one of the realm's most formidable powers."

She sighed, bitterness tingeing her smile. "However, due to our compromised martial art, we missed the opportunity to be as influential as the 'Two Temples.' We now reside in the third tier. Though we harbor deep resentment against the Qing-Yun Realm's factions, we dare not provoke them."

Bing Xin-Yue's gaze shifted to the nighttime sky, her expression poignant. "People unjustly dub us the 'Evil Palace,' and yet we must accept this and endure the Qing-Yun Realm's challenges to survive."

After absorbing her story, Cha-Eun Xiao exhaled deeply. "I understand now."

Cha-Eun Xiao found himself in a perplexing situation. His knowledge of the Misty Cloud Palace from his previous life had painted it as the most infamous Evil Palace. He had assumed that its inhabitants were ruthless killers, but now, he was confronted with a different reality.

Bing Xin-Yue had divulged the sect's deepest secrets to him, a man she had just met. It was a significant breach of trust for a sect as secretive as the Misty Cloud Palace. Moreover, both Bing Xin-Yue and her disciple hailed from the Kingdom of Chen, which was supposed to be an enemy of Cha-Eun Xiao, the Monarch of Ling-Bao Hall. Ling-Bao Hall had declared its unwavering loyalty to the Kingdom of Chen, so there was no apparent reason for Bing Xin-Yue to be so forthcoming with him. Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but feel perplexed by her actions.

He couldn't dismiss the possibility that Bing Xin-Yue had ulterior motives. She certainly couldn't be a naive or careless individual, given her background and the secrecy of her sect.

As Bing Xin-Yue continued her narrative, Cha-Eun Xiao listened attentively. She explained how the Misty Cloud Palace, despite losing its foundational martial art, had managed to maintain its prominence in the Qing-Yun Realm. They had invested significant effort into studying their martial art during their years of hiding in deserted lands. Their breakthrough came when they discovered the Regeneration Lotus. Different varieties of this lotus addressed the sect's problems at varying stages. The Regeneration Ink Lotus was crucial at the initial stage, followed by the Regeneration Jade Lotus, and ultimately, the Renascence Jade Lotus for the highest level of mastery.

However, a tragedy had befallen the Misty Cloud Palace three years ago when an unexpected gelid storm ravaged their forbidden area, the Renascence Saint Garden.

"The Renascence Saint Garden," Cha-Eun Xiao interjected, "was where you cultivated the Regeneration Lotus?"

Bing Xin-Yue's response was a bitter smile. "Yes, indeed. On that day, a falling star streaked across the sky, and the Misty Mountain was suddenly engulfed by an extreme cold current. Despite the best efforts of our most powerful cultivators, they couldn't halt the onslaught of the cold. In less than half a day, tens of thousands of Regeneration Ink Lotus, Regeneration Jade Lotus, and Renascence Jade Lotus in the Renascence Saint Garden succumbed to the disaster."

She concluded, her voice filled with sorrow, "In the end, not a single lotus survived the icy onslaught. We lost them all."

Bing Xin-Yue's voice wavered as she recounted the tragic events that had befallen the Misty Cloud Palace. She had just revealed that not a single lotus survived the devastating cold current that had struck their Renascence Saint Garden three years ago.

Cha-Eun Xiao was left in stunned silence. "None of them?!" he exclaimed, unable to comprehend the extent of the catastrophe.

He had questions, and they tumbled out in rapid succession. "What was that cold current? In the Qing-Yun Realm, even a single Mengyuan cultivator could easily protect an entire land from such a threat. And you're a Daoyuan cultivator. How could something like this happen despite the efforts of all the superior cultivators in your sect?"

Bing Xin-Yue's expression darkened as she replied, "We don't know. Even now, when we reflect upon that day, it still feels like a never-ending nightmare. When the cold current descended, the chilling qi had the power to freeze the entire world. Strangely, it only targeted the Misty Mountain, and that was where the devastation occurred. Thousands of our sisters were injured in the sect. Some of the worst-affected were frozen into powdery ice, falling to the ground like lifeless statues."

Her eyes welled with both fear and sorrow as she recounted the horrors of that day, and Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but feel a deep sense of shock.