Zhu Tianming had already changed into a short-sleeved outfit, concealing his previous hooded peculiarity. Hearing the words, he nodded helplessly and sighed, “The Six Paths have screwed us over more than once or twice.”
His primary cultivation lay in mental power, leaving his physical body quite fragile. It was only through direct enhancements from the Six Paths that he barely managed to keep up. He had long wanted to switch to a high-tier martial arts technique for supplementary cultivation or obtain a protective treasure that wouldn’t interfere with his mental power. At first, he was thrilled, thinking he had found an opportunity—only to have it dashed by a single decree from the Six Paths.
The two of them exchanged silent glances, too disheartened to even discuss other intel. They remained quiet until the delicate-looking Yu Jinghua, the elf-blooded Luan Yaqian, and the armored warrior Jiao Li returned. Naturally, they too had changed into common attire of the Great Zhou to mask their distinctive features, such as pointed ears.
As soon as she entered, Luan Yaqian said with a grave expression, “Latest news: Prince Jin Zhao Heng broke through several months ago and is now a bona fide Divine Demon-level figure!”
“Divine Demon-level?” Mao Jin sucked in a cold breath, his voice trembling slightly.
This mission would directly involve a Divine Demon-level powerhouse!
The terror of such beings had left a deep mark on his heart. Even if his team was fully prepared, armed with secret treasures, and had the advantage of timing, terrain, and unity, they could barely surround and kill a near-Divine Demon expert. But the gap between a true Divine Demon and a near-one was like heaven and earth. Even ten teams as strong as theirs would be annihilated without a trace—no exceptions.
The delicate Yu Jinghua adjusted her glasses and calmly reminded them, “Our current mission is only to infiltrate Prince Jin’s residence, not to kill Zhao Heng.”
“Right, this isn’t a death mission. No matter how ruthless and shameless the Six Paths are, they wouldn’t make us face a Divine Demon,” Luan Yaqian sighed in relief. The shock and fear had momentarily unsettled her, but thankfully, Jinghua’s calm and insight always brought them back to reason.
Mao Jin also exhaled, then mused, “A Divine Demon-level figure… This is a Divine Demon-level figure! The Nightmare World truly lives up to its name—even a normal mission involves such beings.”
“Indeed. Who’d have thought we’d casually run into one? Our Samsara Space is fraught with danger, but it never lacks trials and opportunities. Yet, out of all the teams and experts, how many have actually reached Divine Demon status?” Jiao Li remarked gruffly.
At this point, Yu Jinghua spoke dispassionately, like a Mo-family automaton: “Based on intel gathered over the years, the Samsara Space has produced at least seven Divine Demon-level figures. But they’ve either been confirmed dead or vanished without a trace, never to reappear. Currently, only two are certain: the leader of ‘Immortal Trace,’ ‘Primordial Heavenly Lord,’ and the leader of ‘Myth,’ ‘Celestial Emperor.’”
“Right. Only Divine Demon-level figures could command organizations as formidable as ‘Immortal Trace’ and ‘Myth,’ maintaining their transcendent status within the Samsara Space,” Zhu Tianming agreed. “But both ‘Primordial Heavenly Lord’ and ‘Celestial Emperor’ are shrouded in mystery. I’ve never heard of anyone outside their organizations actually seeing them—even if they were masked at the time.”
Yu Jinghua adjusted her glasses again. “I suspect they both severed ties with the Six Paths after reaching Divine Demon status.”
“Severed ties?” The other four were stunned, shaking their heads. “Impossible. Even if Divine Demon-level figures had enough merit to complete the Nightmare Task attached to the ‘Other Shore Talisman,’ the Six Paths, with their cunning and shamelessness, wouldn’t let them leave so easily. More likely, they gained certain privileges—no longer needing to complete normal missions but stepping in when the Six Paths require their intervention.”
After saying this, a wave of despair washed over them. If even Divine Demon-level figures couldn’t escape the Samsara, what hope did they have? They could only live day by day.
To bolster their spirits, they hastily added the “more likely” part.
Yu Jinghua said coolly, “Once, an ‘Immortal Trace’ member tried to recruit me. I asked, ‘Is your Primordial Heavenly Lord a Samsara traveler?’ His answer was, ‘He used to be.’ All signs indicate he wasn’t lying, but we can’t be certain. Perhaps ‘Immortal Trace’ higher-ups deliberately mislead their members. Still, it’s highly probable that ‘Primordial Heavenly Lord’ severed ties after reaching Divine Demon status.”
A brief silence followed. Then Mao Jin suddenly laughed. “Why are we discussing the leaders of ‘Immortal Trace’ and ‘Myth’? They have nothing to do with us right now.”
As he spoke, Yu Jinghua produced five thin metal cards:
“‘All-World Communication Talismans’—simplified, promotion versions that don’t require identity verification. They allow long-distance communication, seamless dialogue, and access to the ‘All-World Communication Realm,’ which offers conveniences akin to those in technological worlds.”
“Long-distance communication? How far?” Mao Jin’s interest was piqued. For a team like theirs, splitting up was sometimes unavoidable, and communication had always been a headache for him as the leader. Neither tech-world gadgets nor magical artifacts ever fully met their needs.
Yu Jinghua replied impassively, “According to the description, they work across all realms—meaning even different Samsara worlds can’t block them.”
“No way! That’s gotta be a bluff!” Jiao Li stared incredulously at the tiny metal card.
“These are byproducts of the ‘All-World Communication Sphere’ created by the ‘Primordial Immortal Venerable’ of the Jade Void Palace. He’s a figure far beyond Divine Demon status. Nothing’s impossible for him, and trying it out won’t cost us anything,” Yu Jinghua said.
Mention of the “Primordial Immortal Venerable”—a being far surpassing Divine Demon status—swirled in their minds as they hesitantly accepted the talismans.
Just then, the aloof voice of the Six Paths Samsara Master echoed in their ears:
“‘All-World Communication Talismans’ are restricted to this Nightmare World. They will self-destruct upon departure.”
They exchanged glances. Jiao Li suddenly slapped his thigh. “Damn! So they really can connect across different Samsara worlds!”
Otherwise, why would the Six Paths Samsara Master restrict their use?
Luan Yaqian cursed, “That shameless Six Paths!”
Zhu Tianming chuckled bitterly. “The only good thing about the Six Paths is that no matter how much you insult it, it never retaliates or punishes you.”
Having completed missions in several tech worlds before, they quickly familiarized themselves with the talismans’ functions, guided by the built-in tutorial. There was little to be shocked about.
After some tinkering, Zhu Tianming exclaimed in mixed delight and dismay, “That divine technique can be downloaded directly from the Southern Wasteland’s teaching site!”
No purchase, no cultivation—just reference. Surely that’s allowed!
He swiftly completed the steps, only to freeze in bewilderment.
“What’s wrong?” Mao Jin asked, waiting for him to share.
Zhu Tianming looked utterly defeated. “The Six Paths… blocked the download function. The teaching livestream is all static, and related discussions are hidden…”
“Ruthless! The Six Paths really has no shame!” Jiao Li clicked his tongue, though his tone was resigned—they were powerless against it.
“This proves the Primordial Immortal Venerable’s ‘All-World Communication Talismans’ genuinely threaten the Six Paths’ merit system…” Yu Jinghua murmured, a rare hint of emotion in her voice.
Another silence fell, but they quickly recovered—long accustomed to such setbacks—and unanimously headed for the “All-World Marketplace,” the most useful feature for them.
After careful study, Mao Jin sighed. “The All-World Marketplace’s offerings in martial and immortal arts aren’t inferior to the Six Paths’. But when it comes to oddities from other worlds, it’s severely lacking. In that regard, the Six Paths truly is extraordinary.”
“Same for high-end items. Divine weapons, artifacts, and immortal elixirs are exceedingly rare here. But at least you don’t need to complete near-suicidal missions—just pay the right price,” Luan Yaqian observed fairly.
As they analyzed the differences, Yu Jinghua suddenly interjected, “For treasures like magic weapons and elixirs, after conversion, the Six Paths’ prices are cheaper. Quality is uncertain, though.”
“Of course. The Six Paths far surpasses Divine Demons. Crafting weapons or refining pills might take it mere moments. Plus, it has ‘laborers’ like us selling our loot cheaply. Not everything in the Nightmare World can be personally made by the Primordial Immortal Venerable,” Mao Jin and the others weren’t surprised.
Yu Jinghua added coolly, “In other aspects, the All-World Marketplace excels. But the Six Paths has already warned us—no buying such items, and selling is also restricted.”
They were dumbfounded again, thinking: Did the Six Paths have to block every loophole? Would it kill them to let us earn a little?
“Enough. Let’s focus on the mission,” Mao Jin said, turning to Yu Jinghua.
She was prepared. “Given that even the standard ‘All-World Communication Talismans’ require household registration verification, how would Prince Jin’s residence let in people of dubious origins like us?”
“Fake registrations?” Zhu Tianming suggested.
“The talismans link household registrations across the Great Zhou. Fakes would be detected immediately,” Yu Jinghua flatly rejected. “The Six Paths didn’t drop us in Chang’an but in this remote town precisely so we could obtain genuine registrations.”
“Genuine registrations?” Luan Yaqian was puzzled.
Yu Jinghua nodded. “Remote towns often have ‘hidden households’—people living in the mountains, cut off from the outside world, without registrations.”
“But newly registered hidden households would never pass Prince Jin’s scrutiny,” Mao Jin said, drawing on his experience.
Yu Jinghua was unfazed. “Remote towns have limited resources. We can manipulate minds, deceive officials, and assume the identities of similar individuals, then register the originals under newly added hidden households. To ordinary folks, whether someone’s registration is new or old makes no difference—they wouldn’t notice.”
“Good. Let’s do it!” After some thought, Mao Jin deemed the plan feasible and made the call.
After much effort, they became “genuine” citizens of the Great Zhou. Gazing southeast, they felt both trepidation and anticipation:
“Chang’an, here we come!”
May they reap rewards—and avoid the notice of Divine Demon-level figures.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage