Chapter 892: Return, Enemy

"It's fine!"

Liu Molin held the black array disc in his hand, his gaze unable to tear away; he said, "Old man here just loves this kind of thing!"

"Besides, you've done me a great favor—you extended my life by a thousand years, gave me Red Feather Wheat to break through my bottleneck, and provided me with the Great Creation Pill to help me enter the Mahayana Emperor realm!"

"What are a couple of arrays compared to such a debt?"

"If you ever need me in the future, just say the word—I won't leave anymore; I'll stay right here in your elixir shop, it's perfect!"

He Pingsheng nodded: "Then… how long will it take to complete the array diagram?"

"Twenty years!" Liu Molin said: "This one's even harder than that one… no—four years will be enough!"

"Four years?" He Pingsheng looked puzzled.

Liu Molin's gaze finally tore away from the array disc; he chuckled and pointed to the nearby array: "The time flow within this array is five times faster than outside—I can finish it in four years using this Time Array!"

"I see!" He Pingsheng said: "But this array also consumes lifespan—you should use it less in the future!"

"Hmm... I still have plenty of supreme spirit stones; take them all and use them to power the array!"

He Pingsheng tossed several hundred supreme spirit stones, then stepped out of the Small Spirit World.

He didn't head toward the front shop; instead, he waved his hand.

With a sharp rip, he tore open the void!

Inside the small house, a pitch-black vortex appeared.

He Pingsheng stepped into it.

The next instant, space and time shifted; after a flicker of darkness and light, He Pingsheng reappeared in another realm.

The Continent of Heavenly Fire!

He hadn't returned in a long time.

After orienting himself, He Pingsheng became a streak of light and merged into the void, soaring through the high sky.

After about half an hour, he landed halfway up a small hill.

Here, green grass spread like velvet, vast and sparsely populated.

Yet, far away by the river stood a cluster of grand halls.

It resembled a sect.

He Pingsheng said nothing; he waited on the small slope for a few breaths, then a red light shot out from the sect and landed before him.

The arrival was a woman clad in red robes, her cultivation base at Void Refinement eighth layer.

"I pay homage to the Original!"

The woman bowed to He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng nodded: "We are one and the same—no need for formalities!"

This woman was one of the five clones He Pingsheng had originally created.

A water-element clone.

"How's it going?" He Pingsheng asked: "Is he still in the same place?"

When He Pingsheng had dispersed all his clones, he had given this water-element clone a special task.

That task: to monitor every move of Tian Jinpeng, the Heavenly Fire Emperor of the Heavenly Fire Divine Nation.

If Tian Jinpeng went into hiding, she was to memorize his secluded location.

"No!" The Water Clone shook her head: "After the Stone Platform Gathering, Tian Jinpeng, perhaps not having earned your forgiveness, left the Heavenly Fire Divine Nation!"

"He took his daughter and went into seclusion in a remote Emperor Domain!"

He Pingsheng asked: "Do you know where?"

"Yes!" The Water Clone nodded.

Then she pulled out a jade slip and projected its map: "Here… this is the Infinite Emperor Domain!"

"They've hidden in a small sect within the Infinite Emperor Domain!"

"I've assigned disciples to infiltrate the sect—they're constantly watching their movements!"

"Should the Original proceed?"

"Yes!" He Pingsheng nodded: "Your mission is complete. Now, come with me to settle matters with Tian Jinpeng and his daughter—you can then cultivate in peace, striving to merge with me soon and reach the Body Integration realm!"

With that, He Pingsheng raised his hand again—and with a sharp rip, tore open the void.

Together they stepped into the vortex; after a single breath, they landed in the Infinite Emperor Domain.

"Seems… there's still some distance left!"

He Pingsheng pulled out a golden banner: "This is the Time-Space Golden Banner. When we reach the small sect, immediately unfurl it to seal the ten-thousand-li void—no one is to escape!"

"Yes!" The Water Clone took the Time-Space Golden Banner.

The two flew further, then landed on a small hill not far from the small sect.

……

Xilin Sect!

Nestled in a remote corner of the Infinite Emperor Domain.

The highest cultivation level within the sect was only Soul Transformation third layer.

A hundred years ago, two Nascent Soul elders suddenly arrived at Xilin Sect.

They were father and daughter, both surnamed Tian.

They settled in the sect ever since; no one knew their true names.

Yet they taught disciples here, always humble and kind, rarely clashing with anyone.

Daily, they never left their cultivation grounds, tending flowers and nurturing spirit herbs.

At first glance, they seemed to be spending their final years in peaceful retirement.

Today, the spring sun shone brightly.

Old Tian smiled as he taught a group of Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining disciples at the entrance of his cultivation ground.

"Today's lesson: Spiritual Sense!" Old Tian said: "For cultivators, spiritual sense is crucial!"

"For those below Nascent Soul—Golden Core, Foundation Establishment, and Qi Refining—spiritual sense seems optional, but once you reach Nascent Soul, it changes entirely!"

"Golden Core shatters, transforms into the Nascent Soul!"

"When your spiritual sense connects with your elemental root, a Dao Root emerges!"

"The Dao Root is essential for comprehending the great truths of heaven and earth—it's one of the necessary factors for breakthroughs!"

"Thus, every cultivator who walks far along the Dao is invariably one with a powerful spiritual sense!"

Old Tian spoke slowly, smiling warmly; the disciples below listened, entranced.

Then, suddenly—change erupted.

On a nearby hill, not particularly tall, a golden banner burst open.

Emperor aura crushed ten thousand li.

The golden banner pierced the heavens, shaking the hearts of all who beheld it.

Countless low-level disciples fell prostrate; some fainted outright from the pressure of the Emperor aura.

Old Tian's face turned pale.

Then he saw his daughter, disguised as Tian Xiaoqiao, running over.

"Dad… Dad…" Her voice trembled: "It's him… it's him…"

"He… has come!"

Old Tian slowly rose from his seat, then sighed deeply: "Yes… what must come, has finally come!"

There was no sign of He Pingsheng.

Only the Emperor aura from the Time-Space Golden Banner rippled outward in concentric waves.

A streak of light flew in.

The Soul Transformation third-layer elder landed in this realm.

"Old Tian, what's going on?" The white-haired elder asked Old Tian.

Old Tian said: "I'm sorry… my enemy has come."

"It may drag the sect into trouble."

"Enemy?" The Supreme Elder chuckled: "Don't fear—when you saved my life years ago, I swore to repay you. Today, your enemy comes—I'll stand in his way!"