On this side of the mountain range, ancient trees towered into the sky, lush and vibrant, teeming with life, where all manner of birds and beasts could be seen from time to time.
Yet on the other side of the mountains, a dark miasma shrouded the land, blackening all vegetation. Every sound seemed to vanish, leaving an eerie silence.
On this side, a massive fortress stood imposingly, grand and majestic, guarding the border.
Across the plains, herds of golden giant elephants thundered past, their blood qi billowing as they carried supplies to reinforce the fortress.
Meanwhile, on the dark side of the mountains, shadowy figures moved silently—some scaling the peaks, baring their fangs in savage grins as they glared across, others sitting cross-legged, exhaling black mist, their eyes gleaming with malice. They, too, were preparing for war.
Both sides remained cautious, locked in a tense standoff.
Especially now, as signs of the world’s decay hinted at the approach of an era of decline, even the dark creatures were acting with extreme caution.
“Things seem lively over there.”
Not far from the fortress, a bustling marketplace stood in stark contrast to the grim war atmosphere, filled with clamoring crowds.
“Almost every fortress has a market like this nearby, trading all sorts of strange artifacts from the dark territories,” Cao Yusheng explained.
Battling the creatures of the dark inevitably meant bloodshed, but it also yielded rewards. Slaying powerful dark beings often left behind bizarre and valuable spoils.
Thus, the borderlands attracted many cultivators, with various clans frequently sending representatives to trade and barter.
“Aren’t they afraid of dark corruption?” Shi Hao asked.
Everyone knew how terrifying dark matter was—once tainted, it was nearly impossible to cleanse without being a supreme expert.
“These items have undergone sacred purification. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be allowed for trade,” Cao Yusheng said.
This was the work of the Immortal Domain. They had constructed special arrays and forged divine furnaces capable of refining away dark matter.
All seized artifacts were thrown into these furnaces for purification before being brought to the markets.
“Huh, there are beings from the Immortal Domain here too?” Shi Hao was surprised.
He spotted creatures clad in armor engraved with strange glyphs—powerful, unique, and exuding immortal energy. He had seen them before.
Cao Yusheng nodded. “Some of the treasures seized from dark creatures are priceless. Certain families from the Immortal Domain are the main buyers.”
Shi Hao was astonished. Could dark creatures really possess peerless treasures?
“Some are fragments, but they’re absurdly powerful. Rumor has it they were bestowed by true dark overlords—remnants of supreme treasures from our world!” Cao Yusheng explained.
The dark overlords behind the scenes had fought in battles across other epochs, seizing artifacts from the Nine Heavens and even the Immortal Domain. Some were shattered and casually handed down to their underlings.
Not long ago, someone had slain a dark supreme being and retrieved a blackened metal ring fragment, later identified as a remnant of the legendary Vajra Bracelet!
That artifact had once shaken the Immortal Domain itself.
Upon hearing of it, major families from the Immortal Domain rushed to compete for it.
“That was pure luck. Who’d have thought a fragment of an Immortal Domain treasure would resurface like that?” Cao Yusheng mused.
Another had obtained a shard of the Nine Phoenix Furnace, a relic of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!
Shi Hao fell silent. It wasn’t the treasures that unsettled him, but the terrifying evolution speed of the dark creatures. In just thirty years, supreme beings had already begun emerging.
These creatures were once fallen cultivators from the three thousand provinces—not supreme in life, yet after death and rebirth, they had ascended at such a horrifying pace. What exactly was this dark matter?
“Hey, that little Taoist looks familiar,” someone in the market suddenly remarked, eyeing Cao Yusheng with surprise.
Unrolling a scroll, the man compared it and froze—this chubby figure bore an uncanny resemblance to the infamous Taoist Cao Yusheng!
Shi Hao was amused. In thirty years, Cao Yusheng had become a celebrity? Recognized the moment he arrived!
“That’s a member of the Wang Family. They’ve been hunting me, trying to capture me to lure out my master. Instead, they’ve been thoroughly humiliated a few times,” Cao Yusheng said casually.
But Shi Hao could easily imagine the chaos this troublemaker had caused. His retaliations must have been brutal, leaving the Wang Family with a deep grudge.
Whoosh!
The man blocked their path, staring at Cao Yusheng with a mocking grin. Clearly, he was no ordinary cultivator.
“Are you Taoist Cao?” he asked, his smile not reaching his eyes.
“No need to doubt—your grandpa Taoist stands before you!” Cao Yusheng declared boldly, unafraid despite being in Wang Family territory. With Shi Hao by his side, he had nothing to fear.
“Ah, Master Taoist, my lord has missed you dearly,” the man replied with a meaningful chuckle.
Though aware of Cao Yusheng’s prowess, he showed no fear. This was the Wang Family’s domain—no one escaped unscathed.
The fortress was too close. One signal, and the Wang Family’s experts would swarm in, sealing all exits with arrays.
Before Cao Yusheng could respond, the little dog barked, “Human pet, what are you waiting for? Smack him away!”
Cao Yusheng grimaced. Damn mutt, still ordering him around like a servant!
But he had no patience for the Wang Family. After years of evasion, even considering faking his own death, he was ready to strike back.
“A talking pup? Quite remarkable for its age,” the man remarked leisurely, unfazed.
Slap! Slap!
Cao Yusheng and the dog struck simultaneously, landing twin blows that sent the man spinning, his face twisted in pain.
“You dare cause trouble here?!” the Wang Family expert roared.
“They say ‘even when beating a dog, mind its master.’ But today, I’ll beat you, the dog, and see what your master can do!” Cao Yusheng taunted.
“Woof!” The little dog, enraged, leaped up and bit Cao Yusheng’s hand.
The onlookers stared, speechless. This was like cursing a monk to his face!
“Let go, you mutt!” Cao Yusheng yelped in pain.
He shook his hand violently, but the dog clung on like glue, nearly tearing off flesh.
“Why stick to me like some cursed talisman?!” he howled.
Even Shi Hao facepalmed. Provoking the dog was never wise.
“You dare insult me?!” The pup gnawed harder, using a secret technique to amplify the pain a hundredfold.
Tears welled in Cao Yusheng’s eyes as he cursed, “Damn it, did you commit so many sins in your past life that the world made all these sayings about you?!”
Surprisingly, the dog released him, pondering seriously. “Hmm, possible. Those fools probably envied me and slandered my name.”
The crowd gaped. Was this pup narcissistic or just delusional?
Seizing the distraction, the Wang Family man bolted, sending a message to his clan.
Soon, a thunderous voice boomed.
“Cao Yusheng, you actually dared to show yourself?!”
Two gray-clad elders, former servants of Wang Changsheng, descended like lightning, blocking the path.
“Bring him here to kneel and beg for mercy,” a voice called from a lavish tavern nearby.
The speaker sounded young, surrounded by nobles from immortal clans and the Immortal Domain, all there to trade dark artifacts.
“Oh, Wang Changsheng’s eldest grandson. What arrogance! But today, it’s you who’ll be groveling!” Cao Yusheng shot back.
“A stray dog still barks?” the grandson sneered.
“Even if the Nine Worms came, they wouldn’t be enough to stop me!” Cao Yusheng retorted.
The pup, even fiercer, barked, “Woof! Brat, you’re dead! No one in heaven or earth can save you now!”
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