The aura of the divine weapons and magical treasures of the demons such as Jiuli and Ao Qin did not originate from themselves but belonged to external objects. Therefore, they were not recognized by the rules established by the Primordial Script—neither immortal nor divine, they could not “open the door” to pass through. On the other hand, the magical artifact that altered his own aura was rooted in the **Seventy-Two Transformations**, with the aura of the legendary senior brother Xiaotian as its source. It had transformed and fused with his inner landscape to emit a pure demonic aura, so much so that even legendary figures would struggle to detect the deception unless they paid close attention.
In other words, he currently resembled a demon god whose strength had fallen below the level of a Dharmakaya due to injury. His “essence” complied with the rules of the Primordial Script, and these rule-based restrictions lacked sentience—as long as the requirements were met, passage was granted without any active analysis of why or whether there were issues.
He Mu withdrew his gaze, his mind racing with thoughts, gaining a clear understanding of the matter. He now comprehended why he, who was neither immortal nor divine in reality, could pass through the “barrier” established by the “Word as Law.”
If he could do it, but Jiuli and the other demons seemingly could not, did this indicate that his master’s calculations, foresight, and grasp of the Nine Phoenix’s legacy surpassed those of minor sages like Huiguang and Beiji by more than a margin?
They were aware that the dangers of this Primordial Wasteland were only at the level of demon kings, and the divine wonder of the **Five Virtues Cosmic Fan** was sufficient to ensure the safe passage of their descendants. Yet, it seemed they were unaware that the imitation Pillar of Heaven required the aura of an immortal or divine being to enter, leaving Jiuli and the others stranded before the Primordial Script. Meanwhile, his master had long since arranged everything effortlessly, and only after the success did he, the person involved, realize how it had been accomplished!
Amidst the bewildered and panicked questions from Ao Qin, Golden Scale Fairy, and others, Jiuli suppressed her emotions and asked solemnly, “Mr. Moonfall, may I ask how you managed to deceive the heavens and pass through this restriction?”
Could he be a demon king, great demon, or demon god in disguise? Was it not the rule of “no entry for non-immortals and non-divine beings” that was deceived, but rather themselves?
Meeting Jiuli’s clear and crystalline gaze, He Mu found himself momentarily at a loss for words. How could he say that he was actually human, relying on an artifact that altered his aura and adjusted his physique to deceive them? That this aura came from a pure-blooded minor sage of the demon race, and even though it felt significantly weakened, the rules still recognized it as belonging to an immortal or divine being?
Many would have simply ignored Jiuli and the others, striding confidently up the Pillar of Heaven to enter the Primordial Immortal Realm spoken of by the Great Sage Nine Phoenix, monopolizing all the benefits. But He Mu had always adhered to his principles, influenced by the noble demeanor of his master Su Mengyin when he created the “Heavenly Questions” technique. Fond of reading and literature, he possessed a certain integrity. Given Jiuli’s unwavering trust and her primary invitation, he truly could not bring himself to betray their trust.
More importantly, the summit of the Pillar of Heaven might involve fragments of the Primordial Immortal Realm—who knew what bizarre things they might encounter? An extra ally meant an extra layer of safety!
Even though his master had said this journey was an opportunity without hinting at any calamity, it did not mean it was foolproof. Perhaps the prerequisite was sincere cooperation with these demons until the end?
His thoughts racing, He Mu paused briefly before turning to Jiuli and the others. “When I obtained this immortal sword, I coincidentally refined the residual aura of a demon god from my own race. It can be used at critical moments to intimidate an opponent’s soul and terrify their mind. I never expected it to come in handy now.”
As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes and channeled the aura of Xiaotian to the surface of his body.
Instantly, the sky darkened slightly, as if the nine great suns were being swallowed. A terrifying and overwhelming pressure radiated outward, causing Ao Qin, Guyue, and Golden Scale Fairy to tremble involuntarily, as if facing a superior being. Only Jiuli, nourished by the virtue of sagehood and untouched by all laws, managed to withstand the intimidation and suppression, sensing the underlying frailty beneath the overwhelming aura.
“Mr. Moonfall does not deceive,” Jiuli said with a faint smile. “To openly share such a trump card is commendable.”
He Mu retracted his aura and smiled in return. “This matter is of great importance. Without clarity, how can we cooperate?”
Jiuli nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with his response. Ao Qin and Guyue, though slightly envious, also felt that Moonfall had handled the situation well, earning a bit more of their trust.
“But if we cannot pass the ‘Word as Law’ restriction, how can we cooperate?” Golden Scale Fairy frowned.
Jiuli chuckled lightly. “Have you forgotten the Devouring Sun divine ability of the Heavenly Hound race? Their bellies hold a universe within, capable of hiding us and carrying us past the restriction.”
“Ah, right!” Golden Scale Fairy clapped her hands softly, while Ao Qin and Guyue showed hints of delight.
He Mu, however, was stunned. He wasn’t a true Heavenly Hound—how could he perform the Devouring Sun ability?
His thoughts clashed and sparked rapidly until an idea struck him. He turned and passed back through the restriction to the foot of the mountain, saying solemnly, “My Devouring Sun ability is newly mastered and not yet refined. Please guard your vital points to avoid accidental harm.”
This raised no suspicion. On the contrary, Jiuli and the others appreciated his caution and immediately took measures to protect themselves, focusing most of their attention on defense.
Seizing the moment, He Mu opened his mouth while subtly raising his left sleeve.
The world abruptly darkened, as if the sun had been devoured. Everything became chaotic, as if entering another universe.
Jiuli and the others, not resisting the suction, were drawn into his sleeve before they could see what was happening.
**Sleeve Cosmos!**
He Mu had pulled off a seamless deception!
After Meng Qi exchanged the **Sleeve Cosmos** divine ability with Duke Huan of Qi, it undoubtedly became a standard technique of the Jade Void Palace. After all, it did not require dedicated cultivation or worry about irreversible breakthroughs—it was simply too useful, and everyone practiced it!
Lowering his sleeve, He Mu stepped through the invisible barrier established by the Primordial Script and re-entered the imitation Pillar of Heaven.
Then, he opened his mouth and waved his sleeve, releasing Jiuli and the others. As they staggered slightly from dizziness, he clasped his hands behind his back and slowly closed his mouth.
“The Devouring Sun ability of the Heavenly Hound race is truly extraordinary,” Jiuli praised.
“Just barely passable,” He Mu replied sincerely.
Without further delay, the group ascended toward the summit. Along the way, they found the place eerily silent—not only were there no demons, but not even a blade of grass could be seen. Aside from bluish-gray rocks, there was only more bluish-gray rock.
Observing this, He Mu frowned and said gravely, “The friend who discovered this legacy site clearly did not venture this deep. The scrutiny and deductions of the two minor sages would also have been affected by the ‘Word as Law.’ In other words, once we step onto this mountain, we can no longer assume the restrictions or dangers are only at the level of demon kings or below. If anything unusual occurs, I propose we retreat immediately—no risks should be taken.”
His master’s grasp of heavenly secrets would also be affected by the Nine Phoenix’s “Word as Law.” If the summit truly led to fragments of the Primordial Immortal Realm, heavenly secrets would be even more easily disrupted…
Hearing He Mu’s solemn words, Jiuli and the others fell silent briefly before nodding in agreement. “Agreed.”
Their futures were bright—none were willing to throw their lives away for this.
Unconsciously, He Mu seemed to have replaced Jiuli as the leader of the group.
Flight was impossible on the imitation Pillar of Heaven. In the deathly silent environment, it took them a full hour to reach the summit. There, they found a sea of clouds covering the surroundings, light and ethereal yet strangely solid underfoot. Standing at such heights, they could gaze down upon countless realms and the ancient wilderness.
“This truly is the Primordial Immortal Realm…” Jiuli murmured, half in awe, half in lament.
At that moment, Golden Scale Fairy spotted something hidden in the sea of clouds ahead and reached out to retrieve it—a rusted, lifeless longsword, devoid of luster or spirit, as if it had died long ago. Two ancient seal characters were inscribed on it, one tier below the “Nine Heavens Script.”
“**Nine Skies**… This was a famed divine weapon. To think it was destroyed here…” Ao Qin remarked with surprise and regret.
Jiuli nodded. “A dead tiger still has its majesty. Even broken, the materials of **Nine Skies** are valuable. I’ll keep it for now, and we can divide it later.”
No one objected. As they pressed forward, they discovered many precious divine weapons and rare materials, all dull and powerless, as if corroded by time.
This eerie situation heightened their wariness.
After bypassing a palace sculpted from white clouds, their eyes brightened at the sight of a distant mound-like structure shrouded in mist and bathed in clear light. The surrounding clouds bulged outward, forming long tendrils with faint glows flowing through them like eerie blood vessels.
The mound exuded an ancient and primal aura, slowly pulsating as if nurturing something.
A chill ran down He Mu’s spine as a thought struck him—had the Nine Phoenix expended her accumulated power to preserve the Primordial Immortal Realm through “Word as Law” just to cultivate this thing?
Could this be the “opportunity” his master had spoken of?
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