Chapter 282: Return to Emptiness, Earn Reverence?

The next morning, as the sky just began to lighten, the Inner Sect of the Xiang Jianzong.

At the foot of the mountain where the Ancestral Sword Hall stood, a flat, open square.

Usually, very few people came here, but today many had gathered: one Soul Transformation, three Nascent Soul, five Golden Core, twelve Jin Dan, twenty-four Foundation Establishment, and one Li Principle Qi Refining.

Oh, and the Sect Master was here too.

After all, the Xiang Jianzong wasn't the Taishang Daozong—most disciples would fight to the death for a chance to train beyond the world.

Soon, the Soul Transformation stepped forward first; each person walked to the Sect Master's side and received a bracelet, each of a different color, heavy and substantial.

Chi Jiuyu was at the peak of Nascent Soul, so she was soon reached.

But when she received the green bracelet, she looked at it and was dissatisfied.

I hate this color the most!

"Sect Master, can I get a different color?"

Du Ruoheng glared at her.

"No, it's assigned by your realm."

You're always causing trouble!

"Fine, fine, I can't change it—why glare at me?"

Chi Jiuyu muttered under her breath and returned to Zhang Yunlu's side, then opened the bracelet and clasped it around her right wrist.

The cool bracelet touching her skin felt like some kind of metal.

As a faint spiritual glow flared, the entire bracelet seemed to melt and seep beneath her skin, leaving behind a thumb-wide mark.

Green.

Chi Jiuyu scowled—it looked awful.

Beside her, Zhang Yunlu watched her, then glanced at the green mark on her wrist.

Once everyone had received their bracelets, the sky was no longer dimly lit—it had brightened somewhat.

But morning mist remained thick, the air damp and heavy.

Visibility was low, and the mist here seemed inherently mystical, so even cultivators' eyes could not see far.

Besides Chi Jiuyu and Zhang Yunlu, several other disciples who knew each other whispered quietly.

Tap, tap…

Sound came from above; on the straight stone steps ahead, a faint silhouette gradually emerged through the hazy mist.

The murmurs ceased instantly.

"Greetings, Ancestor." Du Ruoheng bowed.

Those behind him followed suit.

"Greetings, Ancestor!" The voices seemed to push back the mist slightly.

Even Chi Jiuyu didn't dare be insolent.

The silhouette in the mist quickly sharpened—it was Xu Xing, holding a mobile phone, seemingly chatting with someone.

Chatting?

Has our Xiang Jianzong Ancestor become so modern?

Many disciples who had never seen Xu Xing looked puzzled, but Chi Jiuyu, Zhang Yunlu, and others who had met him before took it in stride.

He descended the steps and stood before the square, glancing over them.

Besides Jiuyu and Xiaoyunlu, Lin Qiuxian—who had rebuilt his Foundation into the Dao of Creation—was also among them.

"All ready?"

"Yes, Ancestor," Du Ruoheng replied respectfully.

Xu Xing nodded slightly, his gaze calm as he looked at the group before him.

"Do you have any questions?"

After a moment of mutual glances, Chi Jiuyu stepped forward: "Uncle, what exactly is our mission in the 'Three Days Realm'?"

Information about the world had been distributed, but not a single detail about the mission had been revealed.

"No mission. Do what you believe is right."

Do what you believe is right…?

"Any other questions?"

"Then… can we kill?"

Everyone turned to look—the speaker was a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator: Zhang Yunlu.

"Yes," Xu Xing's tone remained calm. "Any other questions?"

No one spoke again.

"Since there are no more questions, depart."

No sooner had he spoken than, before anyone could react, their vision blurred and a crisp, cold mechanical voice echoed in their ears.

【Cross-realm transit initiated. Estimated arrival in ten minutes…】

With that, the dozens on the square vanished, leaving only Xu Xing and Du Ruoheng behind.

"Pay close attention to their condition," Xu Xing instructed.

"Disciple understands."

These trainees were the Xiang Jianzong's most outstanding disciples.

No mission was assigned precisely to see how far they could go in an unfamiliar environment, for… the Xiang Jianzong's future rests in their hands.

Du Ruoheng understood this perfectly.

Even if Xiao Shu—the little aunt—if she truly possesses the ability and vision to be a Sect Master, then let her take the next position!

Of course, that said again.

This must wait until after my term ends and I step down.

"Mm." Xu Xing nodded slightly.

Then he took out his phone, glanced at it, and walked up the mountain.

Du Ruoheng watched Xu Xing depart until he vanished completely into the mist, then turned away.

Of course, he also took out his phone and opened the Cattle and Horse Group.

The people from my side have already been sent off; I wonder how things are on their end.

……

……

Ling Yin Fang.

After Ning Ruo appeared to see them off, she vanished again.

Whether disciples, sect leaders, or even Hehuan Laozu, all were perfectly normal.

Ji Shi Valley.

Dan Zu appeared lightly, sent the person beyond the boundary, then floated away just as lightly.

Shen Ji Lian Bao Ge. The crowd regarded the senior brother who had just returned from "advanced training" and "treatment" at Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect with complex expressions, then were swept away by the Master of Artifacts' sleeve.

But the next few sects had a strangely off tone.

Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect.

Amid a mighty, sky-shaking "F*** you!", the cultivators were sent away.

Qin Wei, who proposed this suggestion, was slapped by Ba Zun into the ground.

Tai Xuan Tian Sect.

Though this was the team with the fewest cultivators, the gathering square was packed solid with people.

Yang Lin and Han Yun's faces were extremely grim.

But as the cultivators were sent away by Hong Zun.

The entire square was filled with fluttering paper dolls the size of a palm, and bean-sized grains clattered and clinked across the ground.

Cheng Junming: "..."

!. Read

Fortunately, each sect sent their own this time.

Meanwhile, in a city under Tai Xuan Tian Sect's jurisdiction, Xiang Yuanjun also sent the Jin Dan fully perfected Meng Xuan into the "Three Heaven Realm."

Then he took out his phone and replied to the message Xu Xing had posted in the group.

Hehuan Sect.

Blossoms and swallows, plump and slender, each distinctive, utterly captivating.

Master Mei Zu did not appear; she was still in seclusion.

Sect Leader Shen Qingjun used a power left behind by Master Mei Zu before her seclusion to send off all Hehuan Sect cultivators.

Except for the Qidaxian Sect.

Huo also sent his disciple Xiao Fan into the "Three Heaven Realm."

…………

Three Heaven Realm.

In the lowest layer, the dark, filthy, miasma-choked "Impure Realm," the sky was gloomy, and foul vapors drifted.

Fierce demonic beasts roared; sinister ghostly spirits whispered.

This was a forbidden zone even Tai Xuan Tian cultivators dared not enter.

But today was different.

Boom—!

Amid terrifying tremors, the entire Impure Realm seemed to shake, as several beams of pure light, rising from the ground like pillars holding up heaven, radiated righteous energy that cleansed filth and exorcised evil spirits.

The pure light shimmered, spreading in a relentless tide across all directions, covering hundreds of thousands of miles.

Demonic beasts, ghostly spirits, even the deepest filth of the Impure Realm itself, were all swept clean.

Many ancient demons, even the "Demon Sovereign" who ruled the Impure Realm and had reached Void Return's peak, stirred and gazed down at the source of the pure light.

A cultivation master in flowing sleeves, majestic and imposing, stepped forth from the pure light, his terrifying magic power rippling, distorting the air into visible, tangible waves.

Master Xiao Yu of Tai Xuan Tian Sect.

Elder brother of True Person Xiao Ning, realm: Void Return's peak.

He once faced off against a Dao-Union adept and a Dao-Binding spectral beast in the stars, and survived the residual shockwaves of their clash.

He could single-handedly beat his younger brother, True Person Xiao Ning, senseless.

He was unquestionably the foremost Void Return cultivator of Tai Xuan Tian Sect.

Gazing at the surroundings, Master Xiao Yu frowned.

"What a filthy world."

Though he had read the records, the Impure Realm's level of filth still exceeded his expectations.

It seemed this layer of the world was itself composed of the utmost filth, impurity, and evil of the "Three Heaven Realm."

Within the pure light, all remaining Tai Xuan Tian cultivators were at least Foundation Establishment.

After seeing the surroundings.

Those unaffected by the "Coward's Dao" atmosphere were fine, but those influenced by it had grim expressions.

The originally thin group began visibly swelling, as figures materialized out of thin air.

Impure Realm!

The Ancestor had directly thrown them into the Impure Realm!

It seems the Sect Master's earlier words about reforming the Gailiang Sect's atmosphere were not empty talk.

Soon, the group that had originally numbered only dozens now swelled to nearly a thousand, and as the pure light faded, many figures immediately scattered and fled in all directions.

But they were all mere illusions…

"…"

Master Xiao Yu, standing atop the void, also found this scene somewhat speechless.

With a helpless shake of his head, he looked up toward the distance.

From deep within the Impure Realm, countless greedy, violent gazes stared at him, their malice utterly unhidden.

"Friend, are you from the Taixuan Immortal Realm?"

A clear voice came from deep within, from afar.

As the voice sounded, a figure slowly descended from the dim sky, as if even the gloomy heavens and earth grew slightly brighter with his arrival.

The newcomer wore a black long robe adorned with nine dragons, crowned with a twelve-bead imperial headdress, his face handsome, his bearing majestic.

"I am Cheng Yu, lord of this Impure Realm."

The demons roared, the spectral spirits whispered, as if countless beings, countless existences, murmured together into one voice—

Demon Sovereign!

Demon Sovereign!

Even those hidden, malicious gazes deep within the Impure Realm dimmed somewhat at his appearance.

"Sovereign?"

Master Xiao Yu's expression turned peculiar.

A Return-to-Void cultivator, and you call yourself Sovereign?

"Friend, you have not yet answered my question," said Cheng Yu.

Perhaps he was accustomed to giving orders.

His tone was indifferent, yet carried a hint of command, as if an emperor directing his subjects.

"My actions require no explanation to such an ant as you," said Master Xiao Yu coolly.

So you want to show off? Think I can't do that too! (End of Chapter)