“Heh. So what if it’s the Grand Dao Sect? My Heavenly Net Hall is an Overlord-tier power in the Southern Wilds, too!”
The other Great Emperor chuckled mockingly. “Now, the Ancient Supreme Artifact, the Bronze Ancient Palace, has appeared. The Great Era is descending! Decaying powers like the Grand Dao Sect are destined to sink into the river of time, while my Heavenly Net Hall will rise again, following the great trend!”
The Dragon Guards were stunned. The Grand Dao Sect is nothing? Had the Heavenly Net Hall really grown so powerful that it dared to dismiss the Grand Dao Sect?
Ji Fuyao’s eyes shone with divine light. She spoke slowly, “All of you, retreat.”
Qing Yan and the others were dumbfounded. “Your Majesty the Empress, you…”
Ji Fuyao extended her slender hand and said, “Retreat! This time, I misjudged the situation and dragged you into danger.”
Boom!
Ji Fuyao stepped into the sky, her fiery red robe fluttering. A faint divine aura surged around her, manifesting the terrifying might of the Saint Realm. The majesty of the former Empress reappeared. She looked at the two Great Emperors, her eyes devoid of fear.
Seeing this, the two Great Emperors in the void watched Ji Fuyao with interest.
The grey-robed Great Emperor looked at the other one. “Don’t kill her. Keep her alive.”
The other Great Emperor’s eyes flashed with desire. “Such a beauty, I can barely bring myself to strike. But perhaps we should make her bleed a little, make her eat some humble pie.”
Ji Fuyao’s slender hand reached out, and a long spear suddenly materialized.
Crack!
The moment the spear appeared, it erupted with blazing divine light. The entire void was instantly torn apart by terrifying Emperor Might, and overwhelming power surged outward like a collapsing mountain range. Even the thunder and lightning in the sky seemed to dim in comparison.
It was the six-star Emperor Weapon, the spear Rending Heaven!
Ji Fuyao stood amidst the storm and lightning, holding the spear. The fierce winds were like mountains being uprooted, and the torrential rain was like a bursting dam. Yet, the space around her was a perfect vacuum.
Ji Fuyao directly activated the Emperor-tier techniques, the Heaven-Burning Art and the Grand Dao Scripture!
Immediately, two terrifying, peerless forces surged from her body. One was overwhelmingly domineering, the other profound and abstruse. The two powers intertwined and converged into a rushing river of energy.
Ji Fuyao gritted her teeth.
Burning Soul!
Using the power of her Burning Soul, she directly unlocked another seal on the six-star Emperor Weapon, Rending Heaven.
She looked at Qing Yan and the others. “Go! Leave now!”
She intended to use the might of the Emperor Weapon Rending Heaven to fight the two Great Emperors!
Qing Yan and the others froze, staring blankly at Empress Fuyao.
Memories from three thousand years ago flashed before their eyes. This moment is exactly like that moment, three thousand years ago! On that day, the Empress had also used her Burning Soul to hold back three Great Emperors from the Heavenly Net Hall, allowing them to escape!
Seeing this, the experts of the Heavenly Net Hall were utterly shocked.
A six-star Emperor Weapon! How was this possible? Ji Fuyao was only a One-star Profound Saint. Where did she get such a heaven-defying opportunity? The Grand Dao Sect had deep foundations, but surely they wouldn't give a True Disciple a six-star Emperor Weapon as a life-saving trump card?!
The next instant, Ji Fuyao, in her fiery red dress, moved through the void. She raised the Emperor Weapon Rending Heaven and charged toward the experts of the Heavenly Net Hall and the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!
A single sweep of the spear unleashed a terrifying sea of Spirit Fire, crushing the enemies.
A flash of red light arrived first, followed by the spear striking out like a dragon!
Pfft! The cold light was like lightning, and a Quasi-Emperor instantly perished!
The Heavenly Net Hall experts were utterly shaken. A six-star Emperor Weapon was truly terrifying! It allowed a mere Saint Realm cultivator to instantly kill a Quasi-Emperor expert?
The grey-robed Great Emperor chuckled, licking his lips. He looked at Ji Fuyao. “Thank you for the treasure.”
With that, the grey-robed Great Emperor slammed down a palm!
This was true Emperor Might, like the ocean overturning or a star falling from the sky.
Boom! A terrifying wave of power instantly swept through the void. Ji Fuyao spat out a mouthful of vital blood, her delicate body trembling as she forcibly stabilized herself in the void.
But the grey-robed Great Emperor was also forced back several steps!
Everyone was stunned. Ji Fuyao, wielding the Emperor Weapon, using her Burning Soul, and leveraging the power of the Heaven-Burning Art and the Grand Dao Scripture to borrow the power of Heaven and Earth, had actually forced a Great Emperor to retreat! This was simply too heaven-defying!
The grey-robed Great Emperor’s smile widened. “Excellent! Excellent! This Emperor Weapon is indeed invincible!”
Ji Fuyao looked at Qing Yan and the others, roaring, “Go! Go now!”
Qing Yan and the others gritted their teeth, then immediately roared, “Go! We are only a burden to Her Majesty the Empress if we stay here!”
Wang Man, still suppressed beneath the Heavenly Net Token, yelled, “Find Peak Master Lu! Hurry and find Peak Master Lu!”
Instantly, divine rainbows surged beneath the feet of the Imperial Dragon Guards. They shot into the sky, attempting to escape the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
“Still trying to run?”
The Quasi-Emperors of the Heavenly Net Hall and the Drunken Immortal Pavilion stepped into the void to intercept them.
Ji Fuyao’s figure blurred, and she blocked the path behind Qing Yan and the others. “Go!”
One spear strike, one Quasi-Emperor fell! She single-handedly held back thirty Quasi-Emperors!
Qing Yan and the others looked back in despair.
Their eyes were wet, and clear tears streamed down their faces.
The Empress was single-handedly holding back two Great Emperors and thirty Quasi-Emperors! This scene was deeply imprinted in their minds, overlapping with the scene from three thousand years ago.
But the next moment, they gritted their teeth, tore open the void, and sent a message to Ye Beichen and the others outside Willow City.
“Go! Find Peak Master Lu!”
***
Grand Dao Sect.
The Sect Master arrived at Azure Mystery Peak and looked at the leisurely reclining Lu Xuan, shaking his head slightly. “Lu Xuan, the Cangxuan Old Ancestor wants to see you.”
Lu Xuan slowly got up. “What’s the matter…”
Before he could finish, the Sect Master grabbed him, and a divine rainbow rose beneath their feet, carrying Lu Xuan toward the Grand Dao Sect’s hidden sanctuary.
They soon arrived at the hidden sanctuary.
Here, the Cangxuan Old Ancestor was sitting cross-legged on a long river, leisurely fishing for spiritual fish. This was his unique method of ‘Fishing for Dao Enlightenment.’
A spiritual fish took the bait, but the Cangxuan Old Ancestor immediately released it back into the river.
Lu Xuan hadn’t understood why the Old Ancestor fished here, only to release the fish. Now he understood. When a spiritual fish took the bait, it meant the Old Ancestor had gained a sliver of enlightenment into the Grand Dao Scripture. The Dao is formless, and its law is nature. Only with a clear and pure heart could one catch a spiritual fish.
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor smiled faintly. “Lu Xuan has arrived.”
Lu Xuan nodded. “Old Ancestor, why did you summon me?”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor sized Lu Xuan up and then asked quietly, “Would you like to try fishing?”
Lu Xuan replied, “I don’t know how.” He didn’t know how to fish. But he was quite good at slacking off.
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor handed the fishing rod to Lu Xuan. Lu Xuan hesitated for a moment, then casually tossed the rod into the river.
Seeing Lu Xuan’s casual approach, the Sect Master shook his head slightly from the side.
How could he possibly catch a fish like that? The Sect Master had once tried for three days and three nights, always coming up empty.
Thinking of this, the Sect Master said, “Lu Xuan, you’re too casual! If you can catch a spiritual fish, I’ll personally eat…”
Before he could finish, Lu Xuan’s fishing rod twitched slightly.
Plop.
A spiritual fish took the bait!
The Sect Master was dumbfounded. What the actual hell… that worked?
Lu Xuan looked at the Sect Master. “Eat what, Sect Master?”
The Sect Master’s face twitched, and he didn’t speak.
Lu Xuan smiled, placing the spiritual fish into his storage ring. He told the Cangxuan Old Ancestor, “Old Ancestor, I’m taking this back. I’ll let Ye Chen and Fuyao eat it later.”
The Sect Master was slightly stunned.
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor laughed. “You may. Eating this spiritual fish can grant a sliver of insight into the power of the Grand Dao Scripture.”
Lu Xuan asked, “Should I continue?”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor replied, “Continue.”
One must know that fishing in this long river had nothing to do with one’s cultivation realm. It required a state of mind, a profound, subtle connection between the Dao and Heaven and Earth. Although the river was a manifestation of the Cangxuan Old Ancestor’s Emperor Weapon, even he couldn’t fully explain its mysteries. The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao!
Lu Xuan continued to fish.
One!
Two!
Ten!
…
Twenty!
The Sect Master was utterly speechless.
He knew that the Cangxuan Old Ancestor sometimes went a month without catching a single spiritual fish. He often struck out. But Lu Xuan had caught twenty in one go! This is seriously too ridiculous. And it’s his first time!
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor kept dry coughing on the side, his heart bleeding. These were all insights that rightfully belonged to me! He felt like he couldn’t understand Lu Xuan anymore. What is up with this kid?
But he quickly realized the truth. It’s his state of mind! Lu Xuan’s constant idleness was, ironically, a state of ‘non-action.’ What Ye Chen had said that day—that Lu Xuan was cultivating ‘non-action’—was actually correct. Alas, Lu Xuan’s talent is too worthless. The more 'non-action' he practices, the more worthless he becomes!
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor coughed. “Ahem… Lu Xuan, well, I did call you here for a specific reason.”
Lu Xuan smiled and reeled in his line, placing all the spiritual fish into his storage ring.
At this point, the Cangxuan Old Ancestor extended a wisp of divine sense and scanned Lu Xuan’s body.
A moment later, the Cangxuan Old Ancestor said, “Indeed, the Power of Destiny on your body is growing stronger!”
Lu Xuan asked, “What good is the Power of Destiny?”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor explained, “For other cultivators, the Power of Destiny is immensely beneficial. It can change a cultivator’s fate, turning disaster into fortune! If the Power of Destiny is incredibly dense, one can become a favored child of the Heavenly Dao, a Child of Destiny, blessed with great luck! But for you, it might bring disaster!”
Lu Xuan’s face darkened. “Why?”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor said, “When you appeared near the Bronze Ancient Palace, other Emperor Realm Patriarchs also noticed the Power of Destiny on you. An innocent man gets into trouble for possessing a treasure! You are only in the Qi Refining Stage. If someone targets you, this Power of Destiny will be stripped away!”
Lu Xuan: “…”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor warned, “Therefore, don’t run around alone in the future. Anywhere outside the Grand Dao Sect is unsafe. Unless the Sect Master and the others are with you.”
Lu Xuan said, “Alright.”
Just then, the communication Ancient Jade Slip in the Sect Master’s embrace vibrated incessantly. He injected his divine sense.
Instantly, the Sect Master’s face turned pale. He secretly transmitted a message to the Cangxuan Old Ancestor. “Old Ancestor, this is bad! The Life Token Hall just sent news—a sliver of Fuyao’s life token is shattered, and her soul lamp is flickering. She may be facing a life-or-death crisis!”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor frowned. “Where is Fuyao now?”
The Sect Master replied, “In Cangzhou!”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor’s eyes flashed with killing intent. “Cangzhou is tens of millions of miles from our sect! I will make a move this time!”
The Sect Master agreed. “Good.”
Seeing the two suddenly become extremely tense, Lu Xuan couldn’t help but ask, “What happened?”
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor waved his sleeve, enveloping Lu Xuan in a divine light. He said faintly, “We’ll tell you when we return.”
The next moment, Lu Xuan was swept up by a force and instantly flew out of the hidden sanctuary.
Boom! The Cangxuan Old Ancestor’s power was incredibly gentle, like the force of the Supreme Secret Art: Star Shift. Lu Xuan was gently deposited back onto Azure Mystery Peak.
Lu Xuan was slightly stunned. He looked up at the void.
Crack! The void tore open! Space twisted!
The Cangxuan Old Ancestor, taking the Sect Master and several Peak Masters with him, tore through space and instantly vanished above the firmament.
Lu Xuan muttered, “What the hell happened?”
Suddenly, the System’s voice rang out.
[Ding! Host's eldest disciple Ji Fuyao is severely injured!]
[Disciple Nurturing Quest issued: Host must travel to Cangzhou to rescue Ji Fuyao and destroy the Drunken Immortal Pavilion!]