Xuanyang was a major city in the southern central region. The streets bustled with people, mechanical constructs roamed freely, and conversations filled the air, discussing and debating the grand affairs of the world.
Jia Sumeng snapped out of his reverie and suddenly furrowed his brows. Just moments ago, while his attention had drifted inward, he vaguely heard the name “Sumeng.”
Something about “Sumeng guiding the sword techniques of the world, a sword that dominates five sects, the Devil Sword Celestial King, the Supreme Heaven Demon, the Multi-Eyed Celestial King” particularly piqued his curiosity and caution.
What exactly had he done? Jia Sumeng decided to investigate this matter further, so he extended his spiritual sense, spreading his consciousness to perceive the surrounding conversations.
At that moment, his vision darkened, and a blizzard howled in, obscuring the sky and cutting off the surroundings.
Amidst the gently falling snowflakes, twelve stone pillars rose around Jia Sumeng, as if centered on him. These pillars, savage and sinister, seemed to belong to no era known to this world.
As the pillars stood, a sinister aura spread, faintly linking the Nine Netherworlds, instantly enveloping Jia Sumeng. The Demon Sword Celestial King, his face as pale as snow, hovered in midair, gripping a demonic blade and laughing wildly, “This time, let’s see how you escape!”
A Celestial Immortal? Jia Sumeng was deeply puzzled. He had just arrived, acted cautiously, done nothing, and hadn’t even revealed his strength. How could he have already incurred the wrath of such a terrifying enemy at the Celestial Immortal level?
“Esteemed sir, have you mistaken me for someone else?” Jia Sumeng blurted out while simultaneously activating a mysterious cultivation technique. His exposed skin turned a pale golden hue, exuding an aura of ancient immortality and indestructibility.
Upon hearing this, the Devil Sword Celestial King sneered, “Mistaken identity? Sumeng, even if you turned to ashes, I’d still recognize you! You think you can fool me?”
Suddenly, he let out a soft exclamation, “You’ve reached the Earth Immortal realm? No wonder! No wonder you dare not conceal your presence. There must indeed be a trap here. Fortunately, I borrowed twelve ancient desolate pillars and set up the Primordial Heaven Demon Blood-Soul Formation. Any trap is futile in this place—you won’t escape today!”
Sumeng? Ascended to an Earth Immortal? Was it his doing that caused this? Jia Sumeng shuddered, finally understanding. He immediately shouted, “I’m not Sumeng! I’m the fake—”
Before he could finish, blood light descended, reality and illusion collapsing together. The Devil Sword Celestial King had already activated the Blood-Soul Formation, unleashing the Primordial Heaven Demon Sword.
Jia Sumeng’s Eighty-Nine Transformations were not fully refined, barely resisting for a while before the pale gold was completely corroded, his vision rapidly darkening.
“I… I’m not Sumeng…”
His lingering resentment echoed within the Blood-Soul Formation.
After landing the strike, the Devil Sword Celestial King frowned, sensing something amiss. The true Sumeng, possessing a Celestial Immortal-grade divine weapon, shouldn’t be this fragile.
As the blood light dissipated, he saw Jia Sumeng’s body disintegrate into a white monkey hair, turning to ash inch by inch.
“A transformation from white monkey hair?” The Devil Sword Celestial King’s expression turned grave. “Is the real Sumeng a monkey, using white hair to create a false body to evade pursuit from the Devil Sect?”
Yet a single white hair could transform into an Earth Immortal? What was Sumeng’s true cultivation level?
Such a feat even a Celestial Immortal couldn’t achieve!
Perhaps it was the work of his master or patron?
The Devil Sword Celestial King was deeply shaken, realizing that Mengqi was even more mysterious and terrifying than he had imagined.
He had detected no ambush, so his demeanor remained relatively composed.
Within the rift between the blizzard realm and the real world, space rippled in layers, seemingly concealing two shadowy figures observing the battle between the Devil Sword Celestial King and Jia Sumeng.
“A single white hair?” One figure spoke with the voice of Ren Qiushui.
Was the Sumeng he knew merely a white hair?
The other figure, with a tone of aged contemplation, replied, “Not Sumeng, but a false body. His true form isn’t here.”
“It turns out his powerful patron is Yuanhong from Golden Tortoise Island. That explains how he entered the Investiture World and found the Green Abyss Palace. Come to think of it, I heard the Buddha Maitreya mention that Yuanhong was attempting to forge a Green Abyss Palace. Now I wonder, perhaps it wasn’t forging, but restoration.”
“Yuanhong of Golden Tortoise Island?” Ren Qiushui was puzzled.
“This involves legends, so it’s normal you don’t know. Yuanhong was a great demonic leader who survived the Investiture Era. Back then, he was on good terms with my Jie Sect. Later, he took the descendants of the Shang Dynasty and occupied Golden Tortoise Island. After the demon chaos ended, he vanished into the farthest reaches of the Eastern Sea, hiding from the world.”
“In his time, he was already at the peak of legends. Now, he may have stepped into Creation. This matter requires careful planning.”
Ren Qiushui nodded slightly, his mind suddenly clear. Indeed, behind Sumeng stood legendary or even cosmic-level power!
…
Within the ruins of the Celestial Court, “Devil Master” Han Guang sat beneath a crimson gate, eyes half-closed, exuding a lofty and solemn aura, like a true Celestial Emperor.
Mengqi’s heart trembled instinctively, halting his steps. Could it be that the Devil Master had truly come to Jade Emperor Mountain?
Previously, he had entered Xuanti Sect empty-handed, which meant the Blade of Time hadn’t acknowledged him, right? If it didn’t recognize him now, it wouldn’t have recognized him in the past either. Yet Han Guang still hadn’t given up?
Was this the legendary persistence of relentless pursuit?
At that moment, he noticed Gray-Robed Anan also paused, joining the Sages and Bi Jingxuan in directing their gazes toward the Devil Master.
That wasn’t right. Anan was merely an imprint, responding according to historical progression. At this moment, encountering a Devil Master not belonging to the original history, shouldn’t he have ignored it?
Or had he indeed encountered something here originally, or was the Devil Master’s presence here part of the original history?
Thinking thus, the speculation of causal cycles left Mengqi’s head slightly throbbing.
Suddenly, Han Guang opened his eyes. Within them, a phantom river seemed to flow, slowing the passage of time around.
He rose slowly, yet against the stream of time, he appeared extremely swift, standing in an instant. His gaze bypassed Mengqi, the Sages, and Bi Jingxuan, locking eyes with Anan midair.
Pah!
Ripples surged into whirlpools, causing the surrounding space-time to become chaotic. Even an Immortal of the Human Realm caught within would rapidly consume their lifespan.
Han Guang stepped forward, his mouth opening solemnly and majestically, “Why did you betray me?”
His voice was heavy yet graceful, like a stream laden with the dust of ages, entirely different from the Devil Master’s voice Mengqi knew!
This… Could it be the voice of the Celestial Emperor? Was the Devil Master possessed by the lingering will of the Celestial Emperor within the ruins?
Mengqi was deeply startled.
Could it be that the Celestial Emperor, the first among the Five Emperors of Antiquity who dominated the Mythic Era, still had lingering willpower?
Unlike the confusion of the Sages and Bi Jingxuan, Mengqi clearly understood—the Celestial Emperor wasn’t questioning Anan, but the Thunder God!
Gray-Robed Anan listened silently to the accusation. The sorrow on his face suddenly dissipated, the aura of a revered monk or Bodhisattva fading. Something within him seemed to awaken due to that question.
He curled his lips into a faint smile:
“Because…”
Before he could finish speaking, his Ananda Golden Body manifested. A colossal crystal palm stretched out, layer upon layer of Buddhist realms descended, completely enveloping Han Guang.
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