Chapter 297: The Events of That Year

Just as Chi Jiu Yu and Zhang Yunlu and others reunited.

Within the imperial palace.

The Demon Sovereign of the Impure Realm, Cheng Yu, slowly awakened from his cultivation of the Dao's Primordial Anchor Scripture.

Earlier, others had approached, but he had misled them all with his mind-confusing arts.

"Huh~"

He exhaled a long breath of turbid qi, and as he opened his eyes, his once sharply black-and-white irises now held a faint shimmer of brilliant purple.

Previously wounded by Xiao Yu, his divine abilities had plummeted to a level worse than even a Nascent Soul.

"Xiao Yu…"

This Dao's Primordial Anchor Scripture is incomparably profound; once I fully comprehend its myriad wonders, I will make Xiao Yu pay dearly!

"Hmph!"

He let out a cold snort and rose to his feet, walking outward.

His wounds have not yet healed; he must still linger in this mortal realm for a while. If Xiao Yu or those few old fools from Tai Xuan Tian detect my current state…

I must maintain my public identity!

He hurried to the door, his thoughts swirling.

'Newly ascended to the throne, the court is unstable, ministers hold too much power, brothers covet the crown…'

It's chaotic.

But they're merely mortals—no need to worry. A few subtle maneuvers will stabilize things.

After one night of cultivation, though his wounds had not fully healed, they had eased somewhat.

At the very least, he could now handle ordinary Nascent Souls and Soul Transformations; in this mortal realm, he should be safe.

Dealing with mere mortals would be effortless…

As he stepped outside, lost in thought, Cheng Yu suddenly halted.

His expression turned grave as he gazed toward the five three-story, magnificent buildings known as the Cloud Crane Tower.

His gaze seemed to pierce through layers of obstruction.

Soul Transformation?!

No!

It's a Nascent Soul—a Nascent Soul with power so immense it defies all logic!

Though his divine arts were damaged, his perception remained intact, and after cultivating the Dao's Primordial Anchor Scripture, he had undergone a certain transformation.

Thus, Cheng Yu faintly perceived the foundation of that Nascent Soul.

His Dao foundation was incomparably profound, his Jin Dan perfectly round and indestructible, his Nascent Soul both ethereal and alive…

Hm?!

Where did this monster come from?!

If his divine arts were even slightly sharper, with such a colossal foundation, ordinary Soul Transformations would be beaten like dogs!

Qi Condensation beating Foundation Establishment is one thing.

This thing? A Nascent Soul that can beat Soul Transformation?!

Is this reasonable?!

Cheng Yu couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

Why, of all times, during this critical period when I'm still severely wounded, does a monster like this Nascent Soul appear?!

Suddenly!

Brilliant golden light shone forth, piercing illusions and revealing truth—a pair of eyes suffused with faint golden radiance swept toward the imperial palace.

After a moment, sensing nothing amiss, the gaze withdrew.

"..."

Cheng Yu suppressed his entire aura, his face dark with fury.

I don't understand…

The divine arts used by that Nascent Soul—I couldn't discern even a single detail of their origin!

The Supreme Tai Xuan Realm…

Cheng Yu closed his eyes, drew a deep breath, then stepped forward again.

I now possess the Dao's Primordial Anchor Scripture; sooner or later, I too will ascend to it!

First, stabilize the court, and use my current identity to heal my wounds.

But with that monster Nascent Soul present, I must be more cautious with my methods.

Proceed with utmost care.

Surely, that monster Nascent Soul has no reason to trouble an emperor of this dynasty.

Probably…?

…

…

Inside the Cloud Crane Tower.

"What's wrong, Ye Shijie?"

"I feel like someone's watching me," Chi Jiu Yu turned her head.

As her eyes, glowing with golden light, swept over her, Nangong Ruo felt a chill—she had the sense of being utterly laid bare.

The veil and wide-brimmed hat, which normally offered powerful concealment, now seemed useless.

It's the divine art of the Sword Sect's Grand Void Sword Scripture!

"There shouldn't be anyone here—before, people said the cultivators in Jingcheng were utterly wicked, so they were all eliminated," said Lin Xuanxuan.

"Then it must have been my imagination," said Chi Jiuyu, the golden light in her eyes dimming.

She couldn't help but mutter to herself.

It couldn't possibly be that her master had emerged from seclusion and heard her earlier words…

Sss~

No no, how could that be!

Someone of her master's level wouldn't emerge from seclusion so quickly.

But her aunt had said that this time, her master's seclusion wouldn't last long…

Chi Jiuyu shivered.

Forget it, forget it—better not scare herself.

After convincing herself, she quickly put the matter out of her mind.

"By the way, do you know how the current Emperor is? Is he also like the previous Emperor, turning people into pills?"

The first full-server announcement didn't include her—this second one, Jiuyu Laizu absolutely couldn't miss.

"No, someone investigated—it was the old Emperor who did that because he sought immortality; the current Emperor is still very young," said Nangong Ruo.

"Oh."

Chi Jiuyu felt disappointed.

"Sister, actually, announcing something to everyone like that might not happen a second time," Zhang Yunlu reminded.

After all, no one ever said such a thing would happen twice.

"Huh?"

Chi Jiuyu froze!

More than half an hour later.

On the main road of Jingcheng.

Lin Xuanxuan trotted beside Chi Jiuyu, listening to her boast about how awesome she had been before.

Zhang Yunlu and Nangong Ruo followed behind, a short distance apart. Looking ahead, Nangong Ruo's eyes beneath her wide-brimmed hat grew complex.

After walking in silence for a while, they saw Chi Jiuyu ahead become interested in the sugar-pull art by the roadside.

"You seem… to greatly admire your sister."

"Yes."

Zhang Yunlu's immediate answer startled Nangong Ruo.

"Why?"

"Because my sister is incredible."

"..."

Well then, an unanswerable reason—setting everything else aside, just in terms of realm and combat power, this Chi Jiuyu really is very formidable.

Zhang Yunlu seemed to see through her thoughts: "When I say incredible, I don't mean just realm."

!. Read

"Huh?"

What else could it mean?

"I once thought like you do, but later I understood—my sister simply is this way. She has never changed because of others' judgments."

"Amidst the chaos of the mortal world, amidst countless scenes, her childlike heart remains unchanged—isn't that an extraordinary thing?"

"After experiencing some things, I realized I couldn't do this—so I deeply admire her."

Zhang Yunlu's tone was calm.

Nangong Ruo: "..."

So this kind of thing could be understood this way?

"You said you experienced some things… does that refer to becoming her junior sister?"

Among the younger generation of disciples, Chi Jiuyu was quite famous; no one had ever heard she had a junior sister before.

"Mm."

"Can you tell me more?"

This was becoming a true immortal's disciple!

She was curious what kind of event could lead to such fortune.

"It was… a little insignificant kindness, and some luck."

She never expected that just a single kind warning had granted her this immense opportunity.

Ahead.

Chi Jiuyu's gaze was fixed on the slowly forming sugar-pull art, but her ears subtly perked up.

Two Foundation Establishment cultivators—she was Nascent Soul perfected.

She heard every word of their conversation, her eyebrows rising sharply!

Holy shit!

So I'm this awesome?!

This is how Jiuyu Laizu appears in Little Yunlu's heart!

Her childlike heart remains unchanged…

Though it doesn't sound very domineering, it's still a virtue!

"What's wrong, Senior Jiuyu?"

"This sugar painting is truly beautiful," said Chi Jiuyu with a grin.

Hm?

…………

Impure Realm.

The utterly filthy and corrupt qi had long lingered and drifted, yet now it had grown significantly thinner.

The demonic creatures and sinister spirits that once infested every corner of the Impure Realm were now so scarce that one could travel far without encountering a single one.

Two figures walked side by side beneath the dark, gloomy sky.

One was tall and burly, his muscles knotted and bulging, stretching his loose black robe taut.

The other had an ethereal, immortal bearing, holding a fly whisk, his wide sleeves fluttering with an aura of transcendence.

They were none other than the body cultivator Chen Yan and the old Taoist who had once visited Tai Xuan Tian.

"Master, so your divine art came from the supreme Tai Xuan Tian?"

"Indeed. Long ago, by chance, my master from the supreme Tai Xuan Tian drew the entire Three Heaven Realms into himself, and out of his favor, he imparted to me countless methods."

After leaving Tai Xuan Tian, the four carefully infiltrated the Impure Realm.

After all, if "merit deeds" were measured by slaying demons and exterminating evils, no place could be more suitable than the Impure Realm.

Yet they discovered the Demon Sovereign was not present.

After further investigation, they learned the Demon Sovereign had once been nearly killed by a formidable cultivator, even losing the world's favor.

With no need to fear the Demon Sovereign, the group simply began purging the demonic creatures within the Impure Realm.

Along the way, Chen Yan, prompted by the old Taoist's remark, asked about the past.

"Yet in the end, because the supreme Tai Xuan Tian did not recognize us, we were forced to return. At our departure, my master gazed upon me and urged me, after obtaining the divine art, to protect the human race and keep them free from alien races."

The old Taoist revealed everything without the slightest concealment.

"But my life has been just as that evaluation described: at first, my spirit soared to the clouds, determined to sweep away alien races and reshape the heavens."

"Yet time passed, things proved impossible to accomplish; after enduring countless near-deaths, I grew ever more cautious of my life. Added to that, the path ahead remained closed to me, my spirit faded, I drifted with the current, and vanished into the masses."

"I have betrayed my master's hopes, and ultimately even consorted with the great sects of this realm..."

"Ah~"

He let out a long sigh, its meaning impossibly complex.

"All that followed is as you have seen."

"..."

Hearing this, Chen Yan's heart grew complicated.

"Master..."

He spoke only one word, then fell silent.

He did not know what to say now.

Whatever he said now seemed inappropriate.

Yet the old Taoist appeared remarkably carefree: "When the Ascension Platform descended, my desires surged, yet I was filled with dread and fear."

"I wished to reach the supreme Tai Xuan Tian and advance further, yet feared meeting my master, unable to face him with shame."

"During those days at the valley mouth, though my expression did not change, my heart was truly tormented—until the one from the supreme Tai Xuan Tian came from outside."

"Then, upon hearing your merit deed evaluation, I reflected on my past and finally gained insight."

He looked at Chen Yan, his gaze calm and detached, yet seemingly holding intense emotion beneath.

"Remember: the next realm after Returning to Emptiness is called Union with the Dao."

Union with the Dao?!

The words, neither loud nor soft, struck like thunder—Chen Yan froze completely, stunned for a long time, unable to recover.

The old Taoist, after speaking those words, turned his gaze toward a certain spot.

It was a pebble, no different in color from the earth, ordinary and unremarkable, no larger than a silkworm bean.

"..." (End of Chapter)