Chapter 124: Night Talk with A Jiu, the Fall of Yinming Heaven, Xiao Chen

After leaving the imperial palace, Jun Xiaoyao returned to the Silent Courtyard.

He planned to refine these immortal sources, then use the message jade tablet to ask Jun Zhangjian about Xiao Chen's whereabouts.

He always felt that behind Xiao Chen lay one final, greatest secret.

But Jun Xiaoyao was merely curious.

Nowadays, Xiao Chen posed no threat whatsoever to him.

Once he uncovered this secret, Jun Xiaoyao could easily crush this ant with a single palm strike.

Just as Jun Xiaoyao returned to the courtyard, a soft, flowing qin melody arose.

Jun Xiaoyao lifted his gaze.

There, atop a pavilion, sat a woman in gray robes, peerless in grace, playing the qin.

A crescent moon illuminated her, making her seem like a fairy stepped from a painting.

Though her gray robes were plain, they could not hide her unparalleled beauty.

It was A Jiu.

Jun Xiaoyao stood silently, listening, without disturbing her.

The melody carried no feminine fragility; instead, it brimmed with boldness.

From the music, he seemed to see a figure in white robes, towering above heaven and earth.

Walking calmly through the courtyard, he overshadowed the ancient imperial clans and struck down life's forbidden zones.

Behind that figure stood eight other peerless forms, each dominating a realm, commanding awe across the world.

This scene must refer to his father, the White-Robed Divine King Jun Wu-hui, and his Eight Divine King Legions.

When the melody ended, Jun Xiaoyao still sat with eyes closed, savoring it.

Long moments passed before he opened his eyes.

"I always thought my qin skills, while not unmatched, were still among the finest—until I heard your music, and realized I was a frog at the bottom of a well."

"Your melody has woven a story into every note," Jun Xiaoyao said with a faint smile.

A Jiu glanced at Jun Xiaoyao; a gentle breeze stirred a few strands of her black hair, revealing half her luminous, peerless face.

"Young Master, don't be so formal—just call me A Jiu."

Though by rank and power, A Jiu far surpassed Jun Xiaoyao, her tone remained humble, as if she were merely his guardian.

Because Jun Xiaoyao was the sole heir of her master.

"A… Jiu." Jun Xiaoyao found it strange to say.

After all, A Jiu's status was too high.

Though not a member of the Jun family, she was a follower of Jun Wu-hui, and thus held immense status within the clan.

Not even as a guardian would she be disturbed—any matter was left entirely to her own discretion.

Yet now, she had voluntarily offered to become Jun Xiaoyao's guardian.

Even the Jun clan elders were stunned.

Previously, the Jun clan's first-sequence heir—the famed Rebirth Eye cultivator—had begged A Jiu to leave seclusion and become his master.

Yes, even that first-sequence heir dared not ask her to be his guardian.

Merely becoming his master would have satisfied the Rebirth Eye.

After all, A Jiu possessed the Rebirth Eye—she was the perfect master for such a cultivator.

But she refused, showing no interest whatsoever in becoming the Rebirth Eye's master.

Now, she had voluntarily chosen to become Jun Xiaoyao's follower.

The difference in attitude was immense.

Hearing Jun Xiaoyao call her "A Jiu," A Jiu's lips curved into a faint smile.

One smile, and all the beauty of the world paled.

Even Jun Xiaoyao, a man immune to beauty, paused slightly.

At the same time, a strange thought surfaced in his mind.

Could his father have chosen his followers based purely on looks?

He shook his head slightly—he knew the idea was absurd.

"So similar…" A Jiu suddenly said.

Her Rebirth Eyes, swirling with stars and opening into chaos, now held a trace of memory.

Jun Xiaoyao was just like his father.

Same peerless white robes, same transcendent aura.

"A Jiu, what is my father's current condition?" Jun Xiaoyao asked.

He was deeply curious.

What happened ten years ago that caused his father to leave?

A Jiu gently shook her head. "Since your kin have not told you, I cannot reveal anything."

"But Young Master, do not rush—soon enough, you will catch up to your master's pace, and not fall short of him," A Jiu said.

Jun Xiaoyao nodded slightly.

This extraordinary woman, who could stand against the Divine Lord Pan Wu.

Before him, she was gentle and humble.

Jun Xiaoyao knew much of it stemmed from him being Jun Wu-hui's son.

But he did not care.

In time, he would make A Jiu follow him wholly—for himself, not for any other reason.

In the following days, Jun Xiaoyao devoted himself entirely to refining the immortal sources.

More than fifty immortal sources allowed him to forge three additional Great Luo Immortal Bones.

Throughout the Huangtian Immortal Realm, rumors about Jun Xiaoyao had spread like wildfire.

And then came another earth-shattering piece of news.

The Jun clan dispatched troops, elder cultivators, and even Supreme experts to eradicate the Yinming Heaven.

As a famed assassin organization of the Huangtian Immortal Realm, Yinming Heaven operated in shadows, with no fixed base.

Like death incarnate hidden in darkness, no one could track its movements.

In the past, immortal clans had sought revenge after their juniors were assassinated by Yinming Heaven.

But instead of eradicating it, they suffered brutal retaliation—countless juniors slaughtered.

Yet this time, it was not merely the Jun clan acting.

The ancient Jiang clan, a colossal power, also joined the effort.

After all, Jun Xiaoyao was half-Jiang by blood.

The Jun clan had enlisted a Jiang clan expert skilled in divining fate, who calculated Yinming Heaven's various hideouts.

Then the Jun clan struck with overwhelming force, uprooting Yinming Heaven entirely!

Even Yinming Heaven's top assassin Supremes were slain by Jun Clan's Eighteenth Ancestor and others.

Instantly, the entire Huangtian Immortal Realm trembled.

Though not an immortal clan, Yinming Heaven was among the strongest powers beneath that tier.

And yet, such a terrifying force was eradicated in mere days—all members slaughtered.

This overwhelming display once again reminded everyone of the Jun clan's might.

It reminded them: do not provoke the Jun clan's Divine Son.

Peer-to-peer rivalry? The Jun clan didn't care.

But if anyone used treachery to harm Jun Xiaoyao, they would face the Jun clan's terrifying retribution.

Jun Xiaoyao only learned of this news several days later.

He clicked his tongue in admiration.

This was the advantage of being born into a top-tier clan.

No need to fear any power's threats, no need to dread any ancient elders turning against you.

Jun Xiaoyao only needed to cultivate peacefully, remain invincible, and crush all prodigies of the myriad races.

At that moment, the communication jade tablet suddenly reacted.

Jun Xiaoyao pulled it out, and Jun Zhangjian's voice came through.

"Divine Son, you won't believe what Xiao Chen has done—something utterly heinous!"

Next, scene after scene of bloody, cruel imagery reached Jun Xiaoyao.

In the visions, village after village was slaughtered to the last soul.

Xiao Chen, drenched in blood, wore a devilish grin.

Around him lay corpses—men, women, children, the elderly.

Jun Zhangjian, unable to alert the target, had recorded everything from afar and sent it to Jun Xiaoyao.

"It seems Xiao Chen's madness exceeds even my expectations—what is his goal?" Jun Xiaoyao mused.

This resembled a sacrificial ritual.

Was he summoning a great demonic god?

"Regardless, this scene must be shown to Wu Mingyue."

"Let her see the true face of the righteous, kind, and unyielding Xiao Chen she believes in!"