Various patterns of nine-headed birds, each with distinct forms, were embedded within the door, emanating an arcane and obscure glow, as if they were integrated into the fabric of the heavens and earth—wild and primordial.
Jiu Li approached the stone door, now holding a multicolored feather fan. Its base was of profound yellow, traversed by black and white, adorned with noble purple, elegant pale white, and accented with watery hues, weaving together a pattern of Five Virtues—beautiful yet not gaudy, brilliant yet not glaring—embodying both sanctity and solemnity.
This was the “Five Virtues Heaven and Earth Fan,” crafted from the shed feathers of generations of great demon gods from the Phoenix Clan of Fantasy Heaven. It even contained materials of legendary quality. Though it ultimately fell short of becoming a peerless treasure, it was still an outstanding divine weapon among celestial artifacts.
Peerless divine weapons and treasures were always rare. Even with the Phoenix Clan’s heritage tracing back to the Demon Sage and their accumulation over countless generations, spanning eons, they possessed only a handful. If such a treasure were rashly bestowed upon Jiu Li, it would be obvious she bore some greater mission, undermining the purpose of her dispatch.
One by one, the patterns on the “Five Virtues Heaven and Earth Fan” lit up, culminating in a watery radiance that coalesced into a hazy tome above Jiu Li’s head, cascading with streams of pure light.
Then, with a firm push of her right hand, Jiu Li activated the Zhutian Blood Fiend Array on the door.
Boom!
The door erupted with an ancient, rusty crimson, filling the air with a nauseating stench that made heads spin and stomachs churn.
Streaks of red light transformed into lethal arrows of baleful energy, raining down upon Jiu Li like a blood-soaked shroud enveloping the heavens and earth.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Yet, before the blood-fiend arrows could touch her, they veered off course, piercing into the cold, dark void of the cosmos, merely stirring ripples in the watery radiance surrounding her.
The Virtue of Sanctity nurtures all, untouched by myriad laws!
Meanwhile, Ao Qin, Gu Yue, and Jinlin Xianzi stood in the formation of Heaven, Earth, and Man, each wielding treasures bestowed by their elders, guarding against unexpected changes in the array and wary of potential hidden enemies.
Though proud, they were far from incompetent, handling matters with thoroughness.
Only now did He Mu clearly see the divine weapons and treasures in their hands. Ao Qin held a translucent, frost-wreathed sword of ice, its crystalline edges refracting light with an ethereal beauty capable of unsettling an enemy’s primordial spirit.
Gu Yue gripped a pair of bronze rings in each hand, their surfaces oddly tarnished with verdigris, embodying both weight and agility—contradictory qualities coexisting. Jinlin Xianzi was encircled by a supple whip adorned with golden fish scales, its rippling waves casting fragmented, dazzling light.
After a quick survey, He Mu saw that Jiu Li had fully activated the Zhutian Blood Fiend Array, the crimson energy surging like tidal waves. Calculating the changes and deducing the pivotal moment, he suddenly slashed with his “Sword of Departing Immortals.”
Red for fire, scorching and burning;
Green for wood, flourishing and entangling;
Yellow for earth, heavy and solid;
White for metal, sharp and unyielding;
Black for water, ceaseless and eroding.
The five elemental sword lights intertwined into a single beam, harmonious and unified.
As Meng Qi’s inheritor in the sword path, He Mu’s strike vividly embodied the essence of “Severing Heaven” and “Slaying Immortals.”
One sword to cleave the heavens, one sword to sunder the earth!
The sword light blazed, its sharp aura stinging the faces of Ao Qin and Jinlin Xianzi even under the protection of their divine weapons. The five colors—red, green, yellow, white, and black—pierced through the blood-fiend energy and struck beside the nine-headed bird pattern at the lower left corner of the cave door.
Clang!
The stone door rang like struck metal. The blood-fiend energy recoiled violently, its crimson hue fading as it collapsed with a thunderous roar.
The restrictions burst into shifting colors of light, ultimately unable to hold form, receding like a tide. The door slowly swung inward with a ponderous weight.
Such formidable swordsmanship… Ao Qin, Gu Yue, and Jinlin Xianzi were no strangers to prowess, yet they couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
This “Yue Luo” not only recognized ancient script but also wielded such formidable swordplay. Was he truly as virtuous and fortunate as Jiu Li claimed, no ordinary figure?
Jiu Li nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction in her expression, pleased with her judgment.
As the door fully opened, all eyes turned inward. Soon, the scene within was laid bare before them.
It was an ancient, desolate wilderness—the earth cracked and fissured, while nine blazing suns lined the sky, their scorching heat and blinding light overwhelming.
Nine suns spanning the heavens—the extreme of yang breeding malevolence!
“Truly a scene from the Primordial Era…” The usually taciturn Gu Yue glanced at He Mu, murmuring as if to himself.
Ao Qin, however, fell silent. Though no trace of the Primordial Immortal Realm was yet visible, the hallmarks of the Primordial Epoch were undeniable. Yue Luo’s interpretation of the ancient script was at least half correct—an extraordinary feat without direct enlightenment at the Legendary Realm, relying solely on accumulated knowledge. Such mastery would typically require a lifetime of exhaustive study, hindering progress in cultivation at lower levels.
Yet, this was not reflected in Yue Luo…
Either he possessed an exceptional innate talent in this regard, or he had once obtained relevant scriptures or treasures.
Jiu Li looked at He Mu, nodding approvingly before frowning slightly. “The Nine-Headed Great Sage’s power and realm exceed our expectations. With a word, he could dictate the laws of the world, permanently altering the cave’s natural order and constructing an almost eternal array. Why would he use it merely to maintain this Primordial environment?”
This was also He Mu’s question.
After some discussion yielded no answers, Ao Qin, unwilling to waste time, suggested they proceed while searching for clues.
Their divine weapons and treasures glowing, they passed through the door and stepped into the Primordial Wilderness. The scorching heat assaulted them instantly; even with layers of protection, He Mu felt as if his hair might singe. The might of the nine suns was undeniable—especially higher in the sky, where their heat could ignite objects outright!
Thus, the group kept their flight low, skimming just dozens of feet above the ground, where the cracks in the earth were clearly visible, some even splitting into fathomless canyons.
Suddenly, a terrifying aura erupted from a canyon, shaking the scorching waves above. He Mu’s primordial spirit trembled as if frozen. Were it not for a surge of sword intent from the hilt of his “Sword of Departing Immortals,” jolting his soul, he might have lost control of his weapon and plummeted from the sky.
Gu Yue’s swirling gale dissipated; Jinlin Xianzi’s protective waves dissolved into rain. Ao Qin, standing amidst clouds, paled, nearly dropping his ice sword. Only Jiu Li, shielded by the Virtue of Sanctity’s watery light, remained unshaken—though her expression had shifted.
Emerging from the canyon was a colossal, terrifying serpent—eight heads, eight tails, filling the sky, wreathed in clouds and rain, its crimson eyes radiating overwhelming power far surpassing that of a Demon King.
“A Primordial Demon God nearing the Legendary Realm…” Jiu Li’s voice carried a tremor.
Weren’t the restrictions supposed to be at the level of Demon Kings?
This was hundreds, if not thousands, of times stronger!
Could she rely on her status as a descendant of the Demon Sage to bluff her way through?
He Mu was equally shocked and fearful. Facing a Primordial Demon God nearing the Legendary Realm made him fear for his life. Yet, a sliver of calm remained in his mind—a product of years of experience and unwavering trust in his master.
His master would never lead him to certain death!
With his realm, his divine abilities, and his authority as the unique “Cause of All Effects,” he would surely foresee any fatal peril in this journey!
Calm breeds stability; stability breeds wisdom. In those fleeting thoughts, He Mu noticed something amiss.
The eight-headed, eight-tailed serpent’s gaze was cruel and bloodthirsty, devoid of sentience. It showed no hostility toward Jiu Li but hesitated toward He Mu, Ao Qin, and the others—as if torn between attacking and restraint, buying them time to think.
Stability breeds wisdom; wisdom breeds insight. A flash of inspiration struck He Mu, and he transmitted his thoughts to Jiu Li:
“Extend the Virtue of Sanctity’s light to cover everyone!”
“That serpent lacks intelligence, acting purely on instinct. It perceives the Virtue of Sanctity’s light as friendly and is unwilling to oppose it!”
Without time to ponder, Jiu Li expanded the watery radiance, enveloping Ao Qin, the others, and He Mu. Instantly, the serpent swayed its eight heads and slowly retreated into the canyon depths, vanishing from sight.
“Yue Luo, your judgment was spot-on,” Jiu Li praised, relieved.
He Mu exhaled deeply. “Truthfully, I wasn’t certain. I just acted on a hunch—a lucky guess.”
His humble, witty reply drew laughter from Jiu Li and Jinlin Xianzi, softening Ao Qin and Gu Yue’s perceptions of him. At least in this moment, he didn’t flaunt his prowess or scorn them.
“Such a formidable Demon God lacks intelligence. This place is undoubtedly peculiar. Likely, none of the Demon Gods in this Primordial Wilderness possess awakened wisdom. We can rely on the Virtue of Sanctity to bypass them,” Jiu Li deduced, still shaken from her earlier fright. Fortunately, the outcome aligned with her mother’s warning that the dangers here were at the level of Demon Kings.
He Mu nodded in agreement, trusting his master’s guidance. The group pressed onward, encountering numerous powerful, colossal Demon Gods—some with nine heads spewing fire and water, crying like infants; others with human faces, horse hooves, and ox bodies covered in red fur; still others resembling grotesque amalgamations of beasts.
As predicted, they lacked sentience and showed no hostility to those under the Virtue of Sanctity’s protection.
After a long journey, He Mu’s eyes brightened at the sight of a towering peak, its summit lost in the clouds.
Though Jiu Li and the others had witnessed mountains as vast as stars, this one seemed incomparably tall—piercing the heavens and reaching into the Nine Nethers!
“Could this be the Pillar of Heaven from the Primordial Epoch?” Ao Qin murmured doubtfully.
Jiu Li shook her head. “Impossible. The Pillar of Heaven shattered with the end of the epoch. Its remnants became materials for the Daoist treasure ‘Heaven-Overturning Seal,’ wielded by the Guangcheng Heavenly Venerate, one of the Nine Daoist Sovereigns. This must be a replica created by the Nine-Headed Great Sage.”
As they reached the mountain’s base, they saw two rows of nine-headed bird carvings, each exuding a wild, arcane aura.
“Yue Luo, what do these signify?” Jiu Li asked, echoed by the expectant gazes of Ao Qin and the others.
The imitation Pillar of Heaven piercing the clouds likely led to the Primordial Immortal Realm—consistent with He Mu’s earlier interpretation!
He Mu felt a surge of relief. In the past, entering such a place would disrupt or sever the Myriad World Talisman’s connection. But now, with his master having reached the Creation Realm, such interference was trivial.
Sitting cross-legged, he re-entered the Myriad World Knowledgeable Realm for answers. Soon, he had them.
“The right side means ‘Beings here lack awakened intelligence,'” He Mu stated solemnly.
“Mm.” Jiu Li nodded—this matched their observations perfectly.
Under their expectant gazes, He Mu continued, “The left side means ‘None but immortals or gods may enter.'”
“None but immortals or gods?” Jiu Li frowned. “Does that mean only Demon Gods can enter this mountain?”
She attempted to channel the aura of her Five Virtues Heaven and Earth Fan, but an invisible barrier repelled her efforts.
He Mu, intrigued, stepped forward. To his surprise, he passed through the barrier with a ripple, standing at the mountain path’s entrance!
“What happened?”
“How did you get in?”
Ao Qin, Jinlin Xianzi, and the others voiced their confusion, stunned and bewildered.
He Mu, equally puzzled, stood frozen in thought.
Their divine weapons and treasures couldn’t mimic the aura of immortals or gods. Why could he?
Ah—his current aura was actually Xiao Tian’s, albeit diminished. It still qualified as that of an immortal or god!
Was this a coincidence?
No. His master must have foreseen this. Everything was under his control!
Instinctively, He Mu glanced back at the cave entrance, as if his gaze could pierce through to the Jade Void Palace on Mount Kunlun.
…
In the Jade Void Palace on Mount Kunlun, Meng Qi sat in meditation, his eyes half-lidded, his spirit wandering realms unknown.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage