Jinwu Sect, Fan Lishuang, the “Great Sun Envoy,” personally welcomed at the mountain gate and saw the disciple from Yuxu Palace. Fang Huayin wore plain robes, his face slightly stern, his aura steady and profound, surpassing even the night sky devoid of moon or stars, with an elusive, mysterious quality hidden within, like a god or demon descending into the mortal world, gazing down upon all beings, making it impossible to gauge his true strength merely by his outward appearance.
“Truly worthy of being a disciple of Yuxu,” Fan Lishuang inwardly marveled. Despite appearing merely at the initial stage of the Outer View Realm, Fang exuded an inner strength and unique aura that placed him among the elite even among those at such a level.
Fan clasped his hands and smiled, “The name Yuxu shakes the Three Realms. This old man failed to properly welcome you. Please, Miss Fang!”
Fang Huayin, after many years of cultivation at Yuxu Palace, no longer doubted his identity as a direct disciple of Yuanshi, smiled calmly and replied, “It’s no trouble at all, Master Fan.”
Though his exterior remained calm, his inner thoughts were not tranquil. The Jinwu Sect, after all, had once been a great sect of antiquity, possessing profound foundations. If he appeared weak, they might seize the opportunity to take advantage or even openly bully him. Although he could invoke his master’s aid through the “Three Lives King Wheel,” doing so during his cultivation journey would essentially mean failure.
Therefore, despite being newly entered into the Outer View Realm and unable to activate the “Three Lives King Wheel,” through experimentation along the way, he had managed to channel a trace of this divine artifact’s power into the “Heaven-Transforming Earth-Shaking Great Method,” enhancing his spiritual might and aura. He further cloaked this unique aura with a layer of deep, chaotic, and boundless meaning, subtly veiled, unafraid of others detecting any anomalies.
Indeed, this display immediately awed Fan Lishuang, the Jinwu Sect’s sect leader.
What Fang Huayin did not know was that while his mysterious aura played a part, the more crucial factor was the invitation letter mimicking the style of the Golden Turtle Island’s Celestial Envoy, which had caused Fan to break into a cold sweat.
Inside the Jinwu Sect, host and guest conversed amicably. Seeing that Yuxu Palace had brought ample materials and that the few missing ones could be exchanged within his sect, Fan Lishuang readily accepted the task of forging the requested item and arranged for Fang Huayin to reside in a picturesque location.
…
“Master? Master?” Seeing the Night Emperor lost in thought, Yunyue waved her delicate, fair hand in front of his face.
The Night Emperor, his eyes half-closed, chuckled and ordered Liushang beside him, “Go retrieve the divine weapon left behind by the ‘Taiyi Heavenly Venerable’ from the treasure vault.”
Liushang glanced at Yunyue, smiling tenderly, “Yunyue younger sister is truly clever, always ready to relieve Master of his burdens. We also owe our success in the previous matter to her.”
As she spoke, she walked toward the rear of the cabin, recited secret techniques, lifted the seals, and entered the treasure vault.
“Master, look at her…” Yunyue pouted.
Huo Lishang, watching Yunyue’s coquettish display with a delighted smile, said, “You know her nature well. By the way, back then, what materials did the ‘Taiyi Heavenly Venerable’ Han Guang use to forge the divine weapon?”
Yunyue frowned thoughtfully, “A broken sword with a flame-red phoenix talisman inscribed with ‘Li Fire Vermilion Bird,’ a jade-hued broken sword engraved with the characters ‘Yi Wood,’ a tattered immortal sword named ‘Xuan Ming,’ and a shell containing the properties of Metal and Earth, seemingly the shed skin of a divine-grade insect.”
She had previously reported these details to her master, but at the time, they had made no sense to him, so he had ignored them. Now, however, a clue seemed to have emerged.
The Night Emperor nodded slightly, raising his right hand to stroke his chin. At that moment, Liushang returned with the iron-black bamboo-section whip. Even without displaying any supernatural traits, its sheer weight made it difficult for Liushang, an Outer View Realm expert, to carry.
With a flick of his left hand, the Whip of Mountain Shifting landed in the Night Emperor’s palm. He examined it back and forth, a half-smile on his lips, “Yu Huang Su Meng, inheritor of both the ‘Yuanshi Golden Scripture’ and the ‘Eight-Nine Profound Art,’ upon attaining the Dharma Body, already possessed legendary and Transcendent characteristics, controlling everything with minute precision. His words became the law for all under heaven. In the Southern Wilds, he single-handedly defeated the Gu God, already at the Earth Immortal level at that time, seizing the Whip of Mountain Shifting…”
This was intelligence from the Luo Sect, which he had previously disregarded, but now everything clicked into place.
Liushang, Yunyue, and the other concubines listened in stunned silence. This “Yu Huang” was simply too extraordinary!
A true heir of Yuxu, possessing two supreme techniques with legendary and transcendent qualities, capable of slaying Earth Immortal demonic deities immediately upon attaining the Dharma Body, and whose words became the law for all under heaven—each of these feats was awe-inspiring, yet he embodied them all, surpassing even the Young Master in brilliance by an immeasurable margin!
“The Gu God… the Whip of Mountain Shifting… Yu Huang is none other than the other identity of the ‘Taiyi Heavenly Venerable’ Han Guang!” Yunyue confirmed her suspicion but felt no joy. Such an enemy was one no one would wish for.
The Night Emperor smiled faintly, his gaze deep and unfathomable, “Back then, the name ‘Taiyi Heavenly Venerable’ Han Guang was likely a false identity. Yu Huang… Yu Huang… he might be the ‘Yuanshi Tianzun’ of the Fairyland.”
His tone remained calm, but the implications lingered.
“Yuanshi Tianzun…” Liushang, Yunyue, and the other concubines inhaled sharply. This title was even more formidable than “Yu Huang.” Anyone who could bear such a title and still live must be an extremely terrifying figure.
The beginning of all beginnings, the cause of all effects—the creator of heaven and earth, Yuanshi Tianzun!
“Thankfully, Yu Huang hasn’t ascended for many years yet; he’s still a Human Immortal,” Yunyue suddenly recalled, patting her chest in relief.
The Night Emperor lifted his teacup, took a sip, and smiled, “No, he has already reached the level of an Earth Immortal, comparable to a Heaven Immortal. In today’s world, few can surpass him. But to fall by the hand of Yuanshi Tianzun—this young master would not consider it unjust.”
He finally understood the issue with the strange Taoist he had encountered at sea. How could he possibly bear the karmic burden of Yuanshi Tianzun?
No wonder the Myriad Lives and Deaths Karma Reflection Art nearly backfired!
But the hardships and misunderstandings he had endured because of this were countless, and he had even wronged the true Han Guang, who had already become a Heaven Immortal…
“He’s already an Earth Immortal, and it’s only been a few years… How powerful will he be in a few more?” Yunyue gasped in shock.
Such a cultivation speed rendered any attempt to oppose or challenge him utterly irrational unless one was already extremely powerful.
“Master, shall we retaliate?” Liushang asked timidly.
The Night Emperor smiled, “Yunyue, have that acquaintance at the Jinwu Sect investigate what the Yuxu Palace disciple is forging.”
“Master, since there was no actual loss, perhaps we should…” Yunyue frowned, suggesting restraint.
The Night Emperor chuckled, “This young master is now a Dharma King of the Luo Sect. The Jade Emperor and the Old Mother have long held grudges. We may set aside personal vendettas, but we must still attend to official matters. The Old Mother is a transcendent figure—can she not protect us?”
He intentionally spoke this way. Whether spoken aloud or merely thought, as long as the name of Wusheng Laomu was mentioned, the Transcendent being would sense it. Flattering her a little to gain some benefit was always a good idea.
This kind of perception only applies to the mere mention of her name, not the full content of thoughts. Wusheng Laomu would only sense that someone had thought of her, directing her gaze toward that location. She couldn’t effortlessly grasp the entire context of those thoughts unless she descended with power and used divine techniques to probe the mind.
“Yes, Master,” Yunyue replied respectfully, showing her obedience.
…
He Mu listened attentively to his master’s solemn words and dared not delay. He journeyed day and night toward the Southern Wilds, frequently altering his route to evade pursuit or ambush. Whenever his energy was nearly exhausted, he would seek refuge in areas densely populated by righteous factions or powerful sects, such as the vicinity of the Six Fan Gate in a prefectural city or the surroundings of top-tier sects.
Proceeding with such caution, he gradually neared the Southern Wilds, where continuous mountain ranges and a savage aura already lay before him.
At this moment, He Mu felt an unusual exhaustion, realizing he had reached his limit. After observing his surroundings for a while, he descended from his flying sword light and chose a hidden cave.
This place was near the Southern Wilds, where righteous forces could no longer easily track him. Hiding was his best option.
After refining his cultivation technique, He Mu quickly surpassed the first heavenly trial. Now, while taking medicinal pills and meditating to recover his energy, he remained vigilant while simultaneously directing a portion of his consciousness into the “Li Immortal Sword.”
Given the Southern Wilds’ dangers, any enemy encountered would likely be a formidable Left Path master, beyond his ability to confront directly. His only hope of survival lay in the “Li Immortal Sword.”
Suddenly, a cold gust of wind blew through, making even He Mu, a top-tier expert, shiver involuntarily.
Without hesitation, he immediately channeled a trace of the “Li Immortal Sword’s” aura outward, using its might to intimidate.
At his current cultivation level, activating the “Li Immortal Sword” would only grant him a single strike. Thus, he preferred to scare off enemies.
Five-colored lights—crimson, azure, yellow, white, and black—rose, swirling with ethereal mist, exuding an aura of immortality so heavy that every living being on the mountain, whether wild beasts, deities, or savage creatures, fell to their knees, trembling in fear.
The cold wind ceased, the chill dissipated, and everything returned to normal.
He Mu did not dare linger. After recovering his strength, he immediately changed direction and fled southward, taking a detour before finally reaching the Southern Wilds.
Upon entering the Southern Wilds, he was astonished by what he saw.
He had never been here before and only knew of the “Demon Emperor” by reputation. The rumors were mixed—some said the Southern Wilds openly taught supreme martial arts techniques, a blessing for martial artists, while others claimed the Demon Emperor was cruel and adept at luring people into corruption, altering their thoughts. Those who praised him were merely brainwashed disciples, and the real goal was to destroy the foundations of the righteous path. One must never be lured to the Southern Wilds and become a demon slave, losing one’s self.
Amidst these conflicting accounts, He Mu could not discern truth from falsehood. However, upon entering deeper into the Southern Wilds, he felt an unprecedented vitality. Everywhere he looked, martial artists diligently trained, young disciples earnestly exchanged martial arts insights, and people worked enthusiastically in fields and mines. Though true experts were not yet visible, the atmosphere was like the rising sun at dawn, uplifting and invigorating.
Certainly, there were still intrigues, differences in talent, joy, and sorrow, but everyone radiated hope. Even after setbacks and pain, they could rise again and move forward.
With this inexplicable feeling, He Mu passed through the Southern Wilds’ core area’s protective seals and met the world-renowned “Demon Emperor” Qi Zhengyan, whom the righteous path viewed with trepidation.
He wore a simple green robe, his features ordinary, his aura unassuming, yet his gaze held a natural charisma that drew people to follow him without question.
“Senior Qi, my master has sent this letter,” He Mu inhaled deeply, shaking off that feeling and maintaining the dignity of Yuxu Palace.
At that moment, a chill ran down his spine, and he felt a cold force surge within him, coalescing into a dark shadow behind him!
Clang!
The Li Immortal Sword on his back emitted a warning sound.
What’s happening? An enemy has used my body to sneak past the seals?
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