Chapter 114: The Nine Provinces Barrier

Leng Bingyan had no idea that while she had spent only a few short hours in Heaven, more than ten days had already passed in the mortal realm. To be precise, she had been in Jehovah’s temple for just a few hours, but thirteen days had elapsed in both Heaven and the human world.

Thirteen days was a long enough span for many events to unfold. The world had descended into chaos; countless disasters of varying magnitude struck every corner of the earth. The earthquakes had inevitably spread to the land, with China suffering the most severe impact. Vast and rich in spiritual veins, China was shaken by a relentless succession of quakes, large and small, throughout the day. Fortunately, most tremors hovered around magnitude four, causing limited damage. Yet there were also many stronger shocks—no fewer than ten registering magnitude six within just a few days. The destruction wrought by these powerful quakes was immense, with casualties too numerous to estimate.

Amid such geologic turmoil, fear gripped the people to a fever pitch. Their vigilance was absolute, each moment fraught with dread of sudden quakes that might snatch away their lives and those of their families. After days of such tension, the nation was worn thin, yet no one dared close their eyes for fear that sleep would bring an eternal ending.

One day, Leng Bingyan returned to the Jade Void Palace cradling Long Mingxi. Upon entering the main hall, she immediately sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere. All the sect leaders from the cultivation world had gathered here, including those from the secular cultivation realms—though they could no longer be called secular, as they had now fully integrated into the cultivation world, establishing their own mountain gates modeled after their former mundane sects.

“What’s going on? Everyone looks so serious,” Leng Bingyan said, setting Long Mingxi down. She then infused her immortal spiritual energy into Long Mingxi’s body, healing the damage to her immortal roots. Soon, Long Mingxi’s complexion brightened as she woke.

“Miss, a great calamity has befallen the secular world,” said Long Xian’er, the person with the highest cultivation after Leng Bingyan, making her the most suitable to explain.

“A great calamity?” Leng Bingyan pondered, then released her divine senses, thousands of them sweeping across the vast land of China. Within moments, her consciousness returned, bringing back the full scope of the world’s suffering. Her face changed suddenly as she perceived the agony, the countless sorrowful gazes, the heart-wrenching grief of those who had lost loved ones. All these myriad emotions washed over her spirit.

Overcome with profound feeling, Leng Bingyan’s soul was purified by the rawest emotions of the world. Her cultivation surged dramatically, reaching the threshold of mid-Immortal Emperor.

She withdrew her divine senses and, looking at the gathered leaders, sighed. “It seems the establishment of the Nine Provinces Barrier is now an urgent necessity. We cannot afford any further delay. Who knows how many more tragedies will unfold in the blink of an eye?”

All present felt her words deeply and nodded in solemn agreement. Qingxu spoke up: “Then what shall we do? Please command us, and we shall obey without fail.” Others echoed the sentiment, eyes fixed on Leng Bingyan, eager to hear her plan.

“Very well. There’s no time to waste. What we must do now is...” She paused, reading the eagerness in their faces before uttering the final words: “Deploy the Nine Provinces Barrier!”

At the mention of the Nine Provinces Barrier, all were moved. This was a feat of monumental significance!

“Qingxu!” Leng Bingyan called.

Qingxu bowed respectfully, signaling readiness to follow her orders. She nodded, “Once the Nine Provinces Barrier is formed, all malevolent spirits will be barred from entry, and those already inside will be destroyed by the barrier, reduced to dust! Now I require you to expel all lingering dark creatures from the western lands within China.”

Qingxu nodded but asked with some confusion, “What about our own people—the demons and spirits native to China? Although they are part of the shadowy forces, they are born and bred here. If the Nine Provinces Barrier destroys them as well, that would be regrettable.”

Leng Bingyan smiled gently. “Do you know that centuries ago there was already a barrier? Although at that time it was weak and almost negligible. What about a thousand years ago? Back then, the Nine Provinces Barrier was flourishing, yet demons and spirits lived peacefully. So you need not worry—the barrier will not harm them.”

Qingxu felt considerably reassured. After bidding farewell, she and her disciples dispersed to begin driving out the western dark beings still lingering in China.

“Xian’er, you should go with them. Mingxi’s body hasn’t recovered yet, so she should stay here.” Upon hearing this, Long Xian’er nodded and took to the sky.

“One more thing—for western supernaturals, the Nine Provinces Barrier will also be effective. Those who enter the barrier will find their powers halved, though not entirely nullified.”

Turning to the others, Leng Bingyan continued, “I know everyone is still recovering from the Church’s eastern campaign and exhausted from the tsunami disaster, but I have a mission for you all. I hope none will refuse.”

Her words sent a ripple of reverence through the crowd. They all vowed to devote themselves wholeheartedly to her commands. Leng Bingyan’s profound power had left an indelible impression—they revered her as a divine immortal without hesitation.

“When deploying the Nine Provinces Barrier, I alone cannot complete the task. The barrier’s formation involves countless arrays, each with numerous array cores. Each core will be sealed by one of my treasures to provide energy. What I ask of you is this: during the barrier’s deployment, you will place your treasures on the respective array cores in sequence. Of course, I have already prepared these treasures.”

With that, she handed a storage ring to one of the cultivators. This ring, though not quite on par with the one given to her by Mo Wuxie, was still a formidable treasure. Inside were tens of thousands of artifacts—a treasure trove of incomparable value in the cultivation world.

Leng Bingyan did not worry that the cultivator might hoard the treasures. She knew the adage: distrust no one if you don’t have to, but trust no one blindly. Moreover, even if the cultivator harbored greed, none would dare seize possession in defiance of her divine presence.

“All right, no time to lose. Arrange yourselves quickly and be at the designated locations. In half an hour, we commence the deployment of the Nine Provinces Barrier!” Brilliant rays of light shot forth, entering the foreheads of the cultivators. Within these lights were the precise locations of every array core.

Once this was done, Leng Bingyan vanished from sight...

When she reappeared, she stood atop a towering mountain. The peak was steep and sheer, yet the summit formed a broad platform. From there, she gazed down upon the land, commanding a majestic view as though surveying all lesser mountains below.

This was no ordinary place—it was where the ancient Emperor Yu had once divided China into nine provinces. Legend had it that when Yu the Great “guided rivers and piled stones,” he passed through Lanzhou. “Yu spread earth, carved mountains, established great rivers and mountains, dividing the world into nine provinces.” Now, Leng Bingyan sought to emulate Emperor Yu, drawing the provinces once more by placing the Divine Dragon Cauldrons anew, solidifying the Nine Provinces Barrier.

Drawing on the immortal spiritual energy within, she took a deep breath and then let out a resonant call that echoed across the vast expanse of China.

“I am Leng Bingyan, the Heartless Immortal Emperor. The mortal world suffers calamity, and my heart cannot bear it. Today, I emulate the great Emperor Yu, define the Nine Provinces, establish the Nine Provinces Barrier to stabilize the spiritual veins and preserve the vitality of China’s spiritual energy!”

Her words, though ceremonial, sounded authentic and carried far, aided by the infusion of immortal energy. Though distant, the message was clear and distinct. Instantly, countless people knelt in awe, yearning for the manifestation of the immortals. Fortunately, the earlier appearance of cultivators during the tsunami had somewhat strengthened their tolerance, preventing fainting in shock.

At the same time, the voice reached the highest levels of government, where leaders troubled by the disasters suddenly found clarity. Perhaps they believed that with the arrival of this “Heartless Immortal Emperor,” all the great and small calamities within the country would soon be resolved! Why such confidence? Because she was an Immortal Emperor!

In a remote mountain village recently shaken by an earthquake, the people still trembled in residual fear. A child asked his mother, “Mom, when will the earthquakes end?”

The mother stroked his head with a gentle yet helpless smile. “Mom doesn’t know, but it will surely pass.”

At that moment, the child pointed skyward. “Mom, look! Someone is flying in the sky!”

Following the child’s gaze, they saw a cultivator hurrying toward a designated array core.

Instantly, the entire village believed it a sign from the immortals and knelt in unison. At that moment, Leng Bingyan’s voice rang out once more: “I am Leng Bingyan, the Heartless Immortal Emperor. The mortal world suffers calamity, and my heart cannot bear it. Today, I emulate the great Emperor Yu, define the Nine Provinces, establish the Nine Provinces Barrier to stabilize the spiritual veins and preserve the vitality of China’s spiritual energy!”

“Mom, the immortals have appeared! Does this mean we won’t have to endure earthquakes anymore?” the child asked innocently.

The mother wiped away tears of excitement and nodded firmly. “Yes, no more earthquakes. Your father has gone, but I will take good care of you.”

Such scenes unfolded countless times simultaneously across China. Though disasters persisted, hope was beginning to blossom.

As all of China stirred with renewed spirit, Leng Bingyan stood quietly on a mountain near Lanzhou. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, a faint violet gleam flashing from within. A vortex of turbulent energy swirled around her like a tornado, roaring fiercely as if about to burst outward. But in an instant, the chaos vanished, and calm returned.

She summoned the nine Divine Dragon Cauldrons from the spatial rift: the Prison Bull Cauldron, the Wrathful Cauldron, the Mocking Wind Cauldron, the Pulao Cauldron, the Suanni Cauldron, the Tourmaline Cauldron, the Bian’an Cauldron, the Fuxi Cauldron, and the Chiwen Cauldron. These nine small cauldrons shimmered with golden light, beginning to revolve around Leng Bingyan’s body.

With a clear “ding,” a purple sword erupted forth, radiating overwhelming power. The spirit of Zi Ling instantly entered Leng Bingyan’s mind.

After a flash of silver-white light, the charming and ornate Half-Moon Star Wheel appeared. It had two faces, and the one Leng Bingyan held leaned toward defense. Now, it hovered above her head, guarding her in every direction.

Beneath her pure white immortal infant, the Chaotic Five Elements Array spontaneously began to rotate. At its center were five flags: the Apricot Yellow Flag of Earth in the center, the Azure Lotus Treasure Flag to the east, the Flame Light Flag to the south, the Plain Cloud Realm Flag to the west, and the Mysterious Origin Water-Control Flag to the north. These five flags, each a different hue, were positioned around the immortal infant, their lights flickering to safeguard it.

“It’s about to begin!” A steely resolve flickered in Leng Bingyan’s eyes as she raised her hand. The nine Divine Dragon Cauldrons moved in sequence before her...

The moment had arrived.