My Master Disconnected Yet Again Chapter 141-150

Chapter 141: The Volcanic Sword Mound

Heh… Heh heh… Heh heh heh…

Xun Shu laughed drily. It was only seconds later that he stuttered, "How… could… How could I have been here before? Heh heh, I… am guessing. That's right, I'm only guessing. Heh heh heh…"

The three of them stared blankly at him. Then, in unison they said, "Oh…"

Xun Shu: "…" What does "oh" mean? Do they believe him or not? Xun Shu felt the panic rising up in his chest. I'm finished, I'm finished. Am I giving myself away?

"Let's go!" Shen Ying suddenly stepped forward.

Huh?

"Didn't you say this is the entrance?" She gestured for Yi Qing and Lonemoon to follow her as she walked toward the archway. "Chef, Father Niu, let's go!"

She stepped through the archway as the other two exchanged glances before they followed suit.

They left behind a disbelieving Xun Shu. That… is it? Weren't they going to push him further? He suddenly felt extremely disappointed at this turn of events.

He glanced at the three people who had already walked through the archway. Clenching his fists by his side, he followed them.

The moment he walked through the entrance, the scenery in front of him seemed to split open like curtains. The view changed completely. A burning hot aura came rushing toward them. There were deviant molten rocks everywhere and the temperature was so high that it was off the charts. Everywhere they could look, they saw burnt soil. A volcano so tall that it touched the clouds stood in front of them, seeming to join the ground to the sky. There were different swords all around, stuck into the ground so that there was hardly any space left to walk in between. Rather than call it a volcano, it would be better to call it…

"A sword mound!" Lonemoon breathed. There were immortal swords everywhere - how much money would that make him? It was a pity that the swords had already been sealed. Unless they recognised someone else as their new owner, nobody could take them away. They would not be as useful as the raw materials.

There were too many deviant flames. The few of them were only able to move by riding on their swords. As they flew over the swords, they heard the swords cry out. It looked like no one had stepped into the sword mound for a long time. That was why these immortal swords were reacting so strongly.

"The sword room is there. Let's go over!" Xun Shu pointed toward the bottom of the huge volcano. He turned to see the three of them looking at him suspiciously. His heart thudded and he added, "I think?"

"Oh," Shen Ying answered. She tugged at Chef and flew in the direction Xun Shu pointed. After flying for awhile, the temperature around them dipped drastically. That was when they realised the bottom of the volcano was surrounded by a wall of ice. It looked like a chasm, which separated the inside world from the outside.

They swooped downward and landed atop the ice. Indeed, not far in front of them was an entrance - a gate made out of ice. It led toward the inside of the volcano. But they were standing too far from it to see what was inside.

Just as they started to walk over, they heard something underneath their feet. The ground began to tremble as transparent bubbles as tall as them suddenly emerged from under the ice. The bubbles floated into the air and quickly covered the surface of the ice.

"Eh? The ice can blow bubbles?" Is it made out of soap?

"Don't go over! It's the Thousand Blade Array!" Xun Shu frowned and stopped the three of them. "I did not think that a place like that would contain the Thousand Blade Array. These look like bubbles, but they're made out of immortal Qi that has condensed so that it cannot ever be destroyed. Each bubble contains a burst of sword Qi. If you touch it, you might be trapped inside it. It can also absorb any kind of attack. We had better walk around… Eh, what are you doing?" Just as he was speaking, Yi Qing drew his sword and walked right toward the bubbles. "Wait! ordinary swordsmanship is not strong enough to break…"

Before he could finish speaking, he sensed the immortal Qi around Yi Qing's body began to surge. His entire body emitted golden light which condensed together to form an enormous sword. There was an explosion of sword Qi as he raised his hand. A loud crash was followed by the sound of a thick cloth being ripped apart. All the bubbles and the ice on the ground began to crack into little pieces. The Thousand Blade Array fell apart immediately.

It's broke… broken!

(⊙ o ⊙)

That's… way too fast, isn't it? Wasn't it said that the bubbles can absorb any kind of attack? It's freaking messing with me.

"My master says one strong man can overcome ten!" Yi Qing explained, seeming to have sensed that Xun Shu being extremely confused. He then faced Shen Ying and said, "Master, we can move on now."

"Oh, thank  you  for  your  hard  work!"  Shen  Ying  nodded.

Unmoved, she walked over the broken pieces on the floor.

Xun Shu: "…"

Lonemoon patted his shoulder with a knowing look. "It'll get better as you get used to it!" They're just a big cheat and a mini cheat. You've already seen the big cheat, haven't you? Why should you make a fuss out of the mini one?

They walked in a single file toward the inside of the volcano. For a long while, all they saw was darkness. The pathway was filled with dust, as if no one had been in there for a long time.

Lonemoon flicked his wrist and conjured a fire seal to light up the walkway. As they walked, he looked around for raw materials, wondering where would be a good place for them to stop and dig. Unfortunately, while the path was old and worn, it  was clearly meticulously designed. Everything around was arranged so neatly; there wasn't even a side road to be found. It had no business value whatsoever. As they got closer and closer to the inside of the volcano, the walls became smoother and the pathway broadened. It looked as though the volcano had been dug empty. They reached a vast space scattered with stone pillars. They could not see the end of the space from where they were standing. It was hard to estimate exactly how big the inside of the volcano was.

"Be careful!" Xun Shu exclaimed. He ran forward and pulled Lonemoon, who was right in front, backward.

They heard a ding, and an immortal sword landed tip first on the ground in front of Lonemoon.

Lonemoon jumped. "What happened?"

No sooner was the question out of his mouth did the immortal sword begin to shake in its place, as if they activated a switch. All around, immortal swords appeared, revolving around the same spot to form a cyclone of swords. A great burst of sword Qi charged toward them. The few of them had no choice but to retreat. They saw a few flashes of light and then the entire surroundings lit up. Only then were they able to see what exactly was happening.

Swords! There were immortal swords everywhere. There were countless of them and they all seemed alive. They danced dangerously in the vast space in front of them, as if taunting them and threatening to shred them to pieces if they dared to move any closer.

"Another sword array!" Lonemoon frowned. It did not look easy to combat that.

"This is the Myriad Image Sword Array," Xun Shu introduced.

"Myriad Image!" Lonemoon started. Then, his expression fell. "This is the legendary sword array which even the divine race cannot get rid of?" Lonemoon learned about this array when he was going through the ancient records back at Qing Tong Immortal Abode. Could it be more than a legend?

"It should be!" Xun Shu nodded. "I don't know how to get rid of this array. It looks like we have no choice but to use all our might."

"Oh, well…" Lonemoon looked again at the dense sword array and turned around, announcing decisively, "Let's turn around!"

"What? Wait!" Xun Shu pulled him back in utter disbelief. "You're… you're giving up just like that? You sure you don't want to go in and take a look?"

"That's right!" Lonemoon nodded as if it was obvious. "Didn't you say we shouldn't go? It's almost time anyway, we should head back! What's more, I didn't see any raw materials on the way here. Who knows if there are any inside?" Instead of wasting time here, they would be better off picking up the waste materials outside.

Lonemoon gestured toward the other two. "Let's go, Shen Ying and Yi Qing."

Chapter 142: Myriad Image Sword Array

Seeing the three of them turn to leave, Xun Shu stood with his mouth agape. Once again, he tried to stop them. "Don't, we're already at the entrance. We have to go in and take a look, right? Who knows… who knows, there might be better materials inside."

"It's not worth investing when the rate of returns are so low." Lonemoon's face was set.

Must he be so resolute? It's obvious that valuable treasure is contained here. Are they stupid? Why are they choosing to dig in mines instead?

"Wait!" Xun Shu lowered his gaze and gritted his teeth, having made up his mind. "I'll tell you the truth. There must be something valuable hidden in such a strong sword array. Maybe… maybe it's the Six-Joint Mystics Sword!"

The three of them paused and exchanged glances. Together, they answered, "Oh." "Oh?" What's that supposed to mean?

"And then?"

"Then?"

"Are you a voice recorder?"

"A re- what?"

"Hai…" Lonemoon sighed, rolling his eyes. "I mean, even if the Six-Joint Mystics Sword really is inside, what are we to do about it?"

"Huh? That… that is the Six-Joint Mystics Sword. Didn't you come in to search… Ah pfft, even if you did not come in to search for the sword, don't you want it in the least? It's a divine weapon, mind you, a divine weapon!" Are you not in the least bit interested? "We don't want it," Lonemoon answered calmly. Even the other two looked bored. "Anyway, isn't it true that only Young Emperors and above can use divine weapons? What would we want it for? Are we supposed to carry it around and draw attention to ourselves so that everyone in the immortal realm would try and attack us? Are you stupid?"

"…" Xun Shu trembled. Suddenly, he thought that Lonemoon was making a lot of sense.

"In any case, this blasted sword array is obviously going to be troublesome." Lonemoon glanced pointedly at the array and said, "You're thinking of asking Shen Ying to help out, right? But this is a volcano afterall. She can't control her power. If you engage her, she might very well destroy this entire volcano together with the array. Let's not talk about getting injured - would you even be able to retrieve the blasted sword from the wreckage?"

Shen Ying: "…" Why do I feel like I'm being despised?

"Er…" Xun Shu's expression darkened. He really was thinking of getting Shen Ying to help. "It's true that nobody has ever broken this sword array." "Enough. Let's go, let's go. We're going to dig mines." They had a little over a month left - they had to cherish whatever time they had. Lonemoon turned around, ready to leave. Then, he realised that Shen Ying and Yi Qing were staying where they were, looking at the sword array. "What are you doing?"

"This array is so formidable…" Yi Qing clenched his fists and faced Shen Ying. "Master, can I try to break it?"

"Huh?" Shen Ying stared blankly back at him.

"You're crazy!" Lonemoon shouted. "Did you not hear him? This is a Myriad Image Sword Array. Even divine beings can't break it. Are you courting death?"

"That's precisely the reason I want to try!" He was obviously determined. "Training as a sword cultivator is difficult. Facing difficulties is part and parcel of sword cultivation. I came to this immortal territory because I wanted to train. Now that an obstacle is lying before me, how can I back away? Master, please let me attempt to break the array!" "Oh…" Shen Ying tilted her head. "Go ahead."

"Shen Ying!"

"Thank you, Master!" With a flick of his wrist, Yi Qing condensed his immortal Qi to form a sword. He turned and charged toward the sword array.

"Wait!" Lonemoon was too late to stop him. He glared at Shen Ying. "Are you crazy? Aren't you sending him to meet his doom?"

"Father Niu, calm down," Shen Ying said as she patted his shoulder. "Didn't he say so himself? If he doesn't push himself, how would he know how far he can go?"

"…" Did he even say that?

Wait! Shen Ying is rarely so decisive. Could it be… "Could it be… you can already tell that he is skilful enough to break the array?"

"No!" Shen Ying said seriously, "I was making a guess!"

Lonemoon: "…"

Xun Shu: "…"

Damn you!

Bam!

There were loud clashes coming from inside the array. Yi Qing, who had dashed into the array, was injured by an immortal sword the moment he entered. There was a huge gash on his body. Blood flowed continuously. His aggression quickly dissipated as he felt the wind from the fast-moving immortal swords. The less confident he felt, the more injured he became. Soon, the swords were raining down so quickly that they could no longer tell one sword from the next. Yi Qing's immortal Qi was gone in an instant.

Shit!

Lonemoon's and Xun Shu's expressions darkened. They finally understood why even divine beings could not make it past the sword array - the swords were way too fast. If they let this carry on, Yi Qing would be cut into pieces by the sword array.

No way!

"Shen Ying, give him two more minutes. If he still can't break the array, you have to go in and save him!"

"Oh," she nodded.

The situation inside the array seemed to be getting worse. The swords were getting faster and faster. Yi Qing was giving up on his defence and focusing on his attack, but adopting this strategy meant that he was also getting more injured. Lonemoon was getting anxious. This fella was too hardcore!

"Think of something to help him!" Lonemoon nudged Shen Ying. "Aren't you his master? This is the best time to teach him something!"

"Er… teach him what?"

"How should I know?" He glared at her. "Aren't you gifted with a glib tongue? The moment you teach him something, he manages to cheat his way out. Say something you said before."

"One beats ten? Be one with your sword?"

"Yes, continue!"

"That's it." That's all she got out of the novels.

"…" Holy shit! The ones she said before were not original! He was sure of it!

He looked back at Yi Qing, whose situation was worsening. "I can tell you that this sword array adapts according to the situation. Any technique you use would be useless. You'd better teach him something practical or he's going to be severely injured and nobody would cook for you."

Shen Ying paused eyes widening. She stepped forward and studied the flying swords intently.

Why was it so troublesome to teach disciples? What should she do? What should she do? How would she know any techniques… techniques…

Huh?

"Heh, well, Chef…" She suddenly thought of something and shouted, "Have you heard: Your sword technique must be natural? No-frills beats fanciful techniques." "No-frills beats fanciful techniques?" The figure in the array went still.

Then… millions of immortal swords flew toward him, causing him to bleed all over.

Lonemoon: "…"

Xun Shu: "…"

"Holy shit, Shen Ying!" Are you here to help him or cause trouble for him? It's bad enough that she's teaching him nonsense, but this was ridiculous! What did "no-frills is better than fanciful techniques" even mean? "You made him stop fighting at a time like that. Isn't it bad enough that he's dying…"

Boom…

Before Lonemoon could finish speaking, there was a great explosion inside the sword array. The figure who had so many swords stuck into him that he resembled a lion's head was now gone. All the immortal swords in the sword array came to a halt. Then, they started to shake violently. The swords began to cry out, filling the entire space with their cries. The swords seemed to be facing their natural enemies. A few moments later, they fell down to the ground.

A familiar sword intent filled half the room. It was everywhere, like the air, pressing down on them so that they could hardly breathe. On top of the mountain of swords, Yi Qing stood with his chest out.

The sword array… is broken!

How the f*ck is this possible?

(⊙_⊙)

"His… his sword Qi." Xun Shu muttered dazedly. His sword Qi was much stronger than before. Indeed, sword immortals worked extremely hard to ascend to immortality! Xun Shu had never seen such great sword Qi. Even his own sword Qi was suppressed by Yi Qing's formidable aura even though the former was of a higher cultivation level. That's not right. The immortal Qi around Yi Qing's body… Was he holding it in on purpose?

He… was having an epiphany!

"Thank you for your guidance, Master!" Yi Qing was back beside Shen Ying in a moment on his knees. He looked up at her in awe. His white robes were still covered in blood stains.

"How are your injuries?" Shen Ying asked. Can he cook?

"Not to worry, they're minor injuries!" Master is so concerned for my welfare. He was elated!

"Oh, that's good!" She was relieved.

Lonemoon: "…" Son of a b*tch!

Why did he have to butt in? He knew full well that Shen Ying was the catalyst for Yi Qing to get epiphanies. "The sword array is broken. Let's move on!" Yi Qing said, sweeping the sword hill to create a path for them to walk through.

That was when the group noticed the fiery blaze  on  the opposite side of the hill. The heat was blasted toward them and they could hear the sound of lava flowing.

"That's the middle of the volcano, " Xun Shu's eyes twinkled.

He walked briskly toward the fiery blaze.

The three of them followed closely behind him and entered an extremely big space with molten rocks all around, spurting pillars of flames every once in awhile. The flames were special - they were purplish black.

On top of the molten rocks was a stone bridge that extended down the middle of the space. It stood at more than ten metres high, yet the unbearable heat could still be felt up there. It felt like the entire world was being burned.

Lonemoon instinctively  started  to  conjure  up  a  defensive array to protect the group. Then, he heard Xun Shu's exclamation as he stepped into the space.

"How could this be!"

Chapter 143: The Six-Joint Mystics Sword

Xun Shu stood at the center of a round-shaped platform. Atop the platform rested what seemed like a golden foundry table. Curls of black flames rose from the table. Something golden shimmered faintly within the flames.

They walked up to take a closer look. An image of a sword floated within the light, undulating like ripples of water. Xun Shu, who was standing beside it, looked stunned. In utter disbelief, he muttered, "How can this be, how can this be?" Stepping back in disappointment, he smiled and said mockingly to himself, "No wonder… no wonder our ancestors said no one could possess this sword. Now I understand why."

Lonemoon glanced at the sword image in the flames. Suddenly a thought struck him. Frowning, he asked Xun Shu, "Is this… the Six-Joint Mystics Sword?"

Xun Shu stiffened. Clenching his hands, he nodded slowly.

"Then how can it be…" The sword in the flames was clearly only a mirage! "It's Mirage Divine Sorcery." Before Lonemoon could finish his sentence, Xun Shu explained in disappointment,  "This sword is sealed in a Chaos void. So although you can see it, you can't remove it. This is the sword that legends say has the power to create the earth." Because it was sealed in a Chaos void, unless the person had the ability to break down the barrier, he would not be able to retrieve it.

"You want it?" asked Shen Ying suddenly.

Xun Shu laughed wryly and replied, "Everyone who enters this immortal realm wants this sword."

"Oh."

"But it's a pity the sword isn't in this realm. No one… Huh?

Wait! What are you doing?"

When Xun Shu turned around, he saw Shen Ying extending her hand into the flames. "This is immortal fire, you cannot…" Before Xun Shu could finish his sentence, Shen Ying had already inserted her hand into the ball of black flames. Gripping the sword tightly, she pulled it directly out of the flames. All at once, the golden light flashed brightly and a dense sword Qi filled the entire area.

She took… took it out?

Σ(°△°|||)

How could this be possible!?

Shen Ying glanced at the sword in her hand. There was nothing special about it apart from being a bit yellow. She tossed the sword casually to Xun Shu and said, "For you!"

"Huh?"

She's giving… giving it to him?! Was he dreaming? He looked in disbelief at the sword in his hand, then looked up at the person in front of him. However, she had already turned to look at her companions behind her.

"Father Niu, I think this fire is not bad."

"Master, this fire is the original source fire of the immortal realm. Ordinary deviant fire cannot compare to it."

"Oh, then should we take it back with us?"

Lonemoon rolled his eyes at them and said, "Do you need to ask? Of course, we must take it back. But the thing is, this fire burns everything, we have nothing to store it with!"

"Master, I think this table isn't affected by the fire. Maybe it can contain this fire?"

"Why don't we… take the whole table with us?"

"That might work. Yi Qing, do you have any more storage bags?"

"I have one and a half bags left. Not sure if it's enough?"

"Can't be helped. Let's try putting it inside."

So with a look of determination on their faces, the three of them walked towards the deviant fire table, each holding onto a corner of the storage bag.

Xun Shu: "…"

Hey, hey, hey! There's a perfectly good divine weapon here, why aren't you looking at it? Why are all of you gazing longingly at the flames? Is the fire more important than this divine weapon? Suddenly he understood what it felt like to be in the

land of the blind!

Xun Shu's mouth twitched. He glanced at Shen Ying, then lowered his head to look at the sword in his hand. Finally he blurted out, "Shen Ying!" "What?" Shen Ying, who had been directing the removal of the foundry table, turned around.

"Are you… really giving the sword to me?"

"Umn." Shen Ying nodded her head in reply. Was there a problem? She did not provide repair warranties.

Still unconvinced, Xun Shu reminded her again, "This is a divine weapon!" She had given it away so casually; even her other two companions did not seem to mind.

"I know. Don't you want it?"

"…" Xun Shu did not know what to say. He felt conflicted. She had known from the very beginning that his purpose in following them was to make use of her to find this sword. She had obviously suspected him all along. He had even prepared to battle it out to the death should the sword be found. But she… actually gave it to him! She had shown no hesitation, no reluctance, she had tossed it to him as if it were a bun. "Why?" "Huh?" said Shen Ying looking even more perplexed. "You wanted it so I'm giving it to you, why do you… need a reason?"

"…"

He was about to pursue further, but Lonemoon started hollering, "Shen Ying, if you don't help us to pull the bag open, how are we going to put it in?"

"Oh." Shen Ying turned around and started to pull open the mouth of the storage bag.

Xun Shu looked at the three busy immortals and chuckled softly.

A while later…

"The table is not the one that controls the fire, it's the earth on top of it." Why did he have this uncontrollable urge to help them? Xun Shu stepped forward and pushed aside the three persons surrounding the table. Then grabbing a bunch of yellow earth on the platform, he sprinkled it into the fire. The black fire instantly shrank into a ball, and the earth immediately enveloped the fire. Within seconds, a yellow earth ball was formed.

"All done!" Xun Shu passed the yellow flame capsule to them.

"Wow!"*3

The three Invincible Sect members exclaimed in surprise, like ignorant country bumpkins. They had not known that such black technology existed.

Lonemoon took the capsule from Xun Shu. True enough, the deviant fire, encapsulated by the earth, was cool to the touch. He immediately put it inside the storage bag. Glancing at the table that still had some residual earth left on it, he narrowed his eyes and waved at the two people behind him. "Carry on with the move!" Might as well take the whole thing away. Can't let it go to waste! "…" Are you as poor as that?

Xun Shu's mouth twitched a little as he watched them stuff the table into the storage bag. He rubbed his throbbing head and sucked in a deep breath. Then holding the sword in both hands, he walked up to Shen Ying and said solemnly, "This sword… Thank you!"

"You're welcome!" replied Shen Ying.

"Do you want to know why I want this weapon?" said Xun Shu, clenching his fists. He felt a sudden impulse to say something.

The trio turned to look at him.

Xun Shu took a deep breath. He had followed them all the way here under the pretext of pursuing their theft of his Winter Spirit leaf. However, he discovered that these people were not a bad lot. They had known his motive, yet they had not confronted him. Moreover, they had given him the sword so readily. That being the case, he really should not continue withholding the truth from them; that would be really mean of him.

"Actually…"

"We don't want to know!" shouted the trio in unison, before he could continue further.

Huh? Huh?

Shen Ying: "It's too much of a bother. From the looks of it, you're going to tell a long story. It's dinner time soon, and delaying dinner is bad for my digestion."

Lonemoon: "We're not that close. Why should we be interested in your tragic past? We'd be better off using the time to continue our search for raw materials."

Yi Qing: "It's time to start preparing dinner. What would Master like to eat tonight?" Xun Shu: "…"

What the hell? Can't you respond like normal people!

(╯‵□′)╯(┻━┻

Chapter 144: The Wandering Flame Race

"The Yu Feng Immortal Territory is not an immortal territory left behind by the ancient divine beings, like we thought. It's just where my Wandering Flame race lives."

"And the Ten Directions Divine Armament is not some weapon left behind by divine beings. It's just a valuable weapon that my lineage created. It was meant to subdue this immortal territory to keep order and stability."

"My ancestors lived in a world of utter turmoil. This immortal territory was put together by the generations of hard work of my ancestors. Although it is located far away from the three thousand realms, it managed to formed an entire universe on its own. My ancestors were born with very special powers – they could create objects out of condensed Qi. My lineage was born with the ability to create objects out of Qi."

"But because of this power, we attracted disaster upon ourselves. The weapons that we created became stronger and stronger and became in-built with the ability to destroy the world and create another. Because of this, my bloodline threatened the Three Realms." "The immortal Qi contained in the immortal realm in the ancient times was different from the present – there was almost as much immortal Qi then as in the divine realm. Immortals and divine beings fought at times. The Immortal Emperors in the immortal realm sought help from my ancestors, to create a weapon that would be able to subdue the divine race."

"My ancestors did not respond, but they did create a few weapons that were strong enough to defeat the divine beings. This greatly angered the divine beings. Naturally, they began to attack my ancestors. My ancestors had the help of the weapons they created, but they were too few nevertheless. Of course, they were not strong enough to fight the divine beings. The battle was extremely devastating – the entire Yu Feng Immortal Territory was destroyed. My ancestors were almost wiped out. Only a few of my ancestors managed to escape the three thousand realms."

"That was how the Yu Feng Immortal Territory got exiled to the immortal realm. My ancestors fought to survive by sealing their abilities in their meridians- they were thus able to avoid the divine beings, who tried to come after them. They longed for the day that their descendants, upon becoming Immortal Emperors, would be able to return to this land and restore their former glory. But the majority of the people from my bloodline who were able to escape ran to the mortal realm instead. The spirit Qi in the immortal realm was thin and it was difficult for them to ascend to immortality, much less unlock the meridians."

"I, too, unlocked the memories in my meridians by chance a hundred thousand years ago. That was how I found the Winter Spirit leaves to get me past the Lishui River. It was also because of those memories that I knew the situation within the immortal territory."

"Although all of this happened in ancient times, the original Wandering Flames race was probably similar to me – akin to the average person. But I still want to find my ancestors. This Six- Joint Mystics Sword is actually the cornerstone of this immortal territory. It is also the key that can unlock my ancestors' meridians. Only with it can we awaken my ancestors' memories."

"Now you understand why I must retrieve this sword, right?"

Xun Shu finished telling the entire story and took in a deep breath. He looked up at his three companions worriedly. "Holy shit! Shen Ying, you foodie, you should have left me some dishes, right? Aren't you afraid that you would choke to death by eating so quickly?"

"I left you some."

"Left my ass! Apart from green peppers, leeks and garlic, is there anything else in this bowl? Where's all the meat?"

"Don't be picky!"

"What cheek you have to be saying this! Wait… Yi Qing, you bootlicker, put down that pastry!"

"I made it!"

"Shit!"

The three of them fought like this over food for a long time, and nobody paid Xun Shu any attention.

Xun Shu: "…"

He felt something in his brain snap. What was it!

Flips table!

(╯‵□′)╯(┻━┻

Was anyone listening to him? Could they not show him some respect?

He must have been blind to attempt being honest with this bunch!

—————— This trip to the Yu Feng Immortal Territory took them half a month. They exited the territory ahead of time because… their storage bags were full. They thought of turning back to buy more storage bags, but decided that it would take them far too long to do so. Lonemoon had to return with gritted teeth.

Before any of them could step atop the leaf to get across the river, they noticed a huge group of people standing on the opposite end, looking at them.

"Fellow Immortal Yi, you came out so quickly." Immortal Emperor Ge You grinned expectantly and stepped forward. Obviously, he had not left that spot for the entire month that Yi Qing had gone. He had been waiting there for the group of people to return. He scanned Yi Qing and said, "It looks like you reaped great rewards from this trip." The sword Qi surrounding his body had increased by a considerable amount!

"Immortal Emperor!" Yi Qing nodded his head in greeting.

"Do you have any news of the Six-Joint Mystics Sword, or of any other divine weapons?" He asked anxiously. "Yes!" Yi Qing answered honestly.

"Wh- what?" Ge You paused. He did not understand the undertones in Yi Qing's response.

"Your Majesty Ge," Xun Shu addressed Ge You  without waiting for Yi Qing to respond. Stepping forward, he continued, "You would be better off asking me instead of him."

Ge You frowned and looked at him suspiciously. "Young Emperor Xun, what do you mean?"

"I mean…" Xun Shu smiled. "The Six-Joint Mystics Sword belongs to me now. In future, Your Majesty need not send any more sword immortals into the immortal territory to search for the sword."

"What!" Ge You's expression twisted but he regained his composure quickly. "You… really found the Six-Joint Mystics Sword!" "That's right, I did not think that I would ever get this lucky." Xun Shu flicked his wrist and immediately, a golden sword appeared in his hand. It was the Six-Joint Mystics Sword.

Ge You's expression darkened. He took in a couple of deep breaths, as if he was trying his hardest to suppress the fury that welled up in his chest. After a few seconds, he spoke through gritted teeth, "Then congratulations, Young Emperor Xun." His cultivation level was higher than Xun Shu, but the latter was a sword immortal with a divine weapon. If they fought, Ge You had no confidence that he would emerge victorious. He had no choice but to swallow his anger. Turning around to face Yi Qing, he forced a smile. "I never thought that a certain someone would be this useless. To think I was so hopeful!"

He did not wait to hear a response after saying this. Ge You tutted and gestured for the group behind him to follow him before turning around and flying away. It was obvious that he could not stand to look at them any longer.

Shen Ying, who was carrying the newly-repaired divine weapon – the Myriad Sword Armour: "…" Er, he's gone now. Should she still give him the weapon? "It's fine if you don't want it!" Lonemoon immediately took hold of the Myriad Sword Armour from Shen Ying's hands and stuffed it into his own storage bag. He had been afraid that Yi Qing would have difficulty explaining himself, so they  went back to pick it up for the Immortal Emperor. Now, they could save on their gift.

Although the divine weapon was not useful to those who were less than Young Emperors, they could still pick the Heavenly Fire Stones with it! It would be a waste just to throw it away.

"You all had better leave this place quickly!" Xun Shu said. "Ge You might know that I have the Six-Joint Mystics Sword, but he has always been petty. You have caused him to look shameful in front of a crowd – he will not let you off easily. What's more, you are on his territory…" Xun Shu paused mid-sentenced and quickly added, "Why not you move to my Shan Dong Immortal Abode?"

"No, thanks! We like our surroundings." Lonemoon turned Xun Shu down politely. No other place would be as profitable as where Invincible Sect was located at the moment. With the cheat around, Lonemoon had little to worry about regarding the Immortal Emperor as well. "But in future, we might indeed have to impose on Young Emperor Xun." "Alright, then. You know your situation best." Xun Shu turned around to face the sloth-like Shen Ying and said, "You helped me a lot this time. If you need anything in future, do feel free to ask."

Lonemoon's eyes twinkled. "We shall thank Young Emperor Xun in advance then." He bowed politely and turned to address Yi Qing and Shen Ying. "Let's go, it's time to go home."

Shen Ying stepped forward, but something tugged at her robes.

"Master, maybe we can't…." Yi Qing's expression had changed. He lowered his voice, "I can't control my immortal Qi anymore. I might… have to breakthrough!"

Shen Ying: "…"

Lonemoon: "…" Son of a b*tch!

Chapter 145: A Mega Business Deal

Three months later.

"Greetings to Sect Master and both elders from Si Yu!" Si Yu entered the rear hall covered in dust and bowed to the small group seated there.

"Hey, Little Green!" Out of habit, Shen Ying raised her hand to wave at Si Yu and the latter's eyes brightened immediately. Her exhausted body perked up at once.

"You're back?" Lonemoon scanned her from head to toe. "How did it go? Did everything go smoothly?"

"Yes!" Si Yu nodded. She took off the storage bag which was hanging by the side of her body and handed it over. "Whatever Elder has instructed, your disciple has completed. This is what Exalted Immortal Shu told me to pass to you."

"What is it?" Shen Ying asked curiously. She had not seen Little Green for a few days because she had been sent out by Father Niu.

"The remaining fees," Lonemoon answered. He took the storage bag and opened it. A white flash of light shone from within. Everyone present was nearly blinded by the immortal stones that were packed to the brim.

So… so many!

Shen Ying and her broke followers fell silent in shock!

"Didn't I give Shu Jiang  several  talismans  to  sell  the  last time?" Lonemoon used his divine  perception  to  scan  the contents of the bag before, satisfied that there was the correct amount, he put it away. "Judging by the time, he should have already sold a portion of it. That was why I sent Si Yu  out  to collect the agreed-upon monies due."

He's Father Niu indeed. He actually sold those pieces of air- selling talismans? It looks like he sold them for a considerable price too. Lonemoon suddenly recalled something and turned to the person beside him. "Yi Qing, have you set up the array to target divine perception that I told you to set up all around the demonic Qi?"

"Yes," Yi Qing replied, nodding. He poured a cup of tea for Shen Ying and continued, "I did it yesterday."

"That's good!" Now he could let the first batch of people who bought the talismans enter the demonic Qi to train. What's more, that area was already isolated from the sect using an isolation array. That way, the immortals who entered would not disturb the disciples' training, and they would not find out the truth about the demonic Qi as well. That array had been handed over to Yi Qing by Xun Shu; ordinary people would not be able to break through it.

"Oh yes, is Yu Hong back yet?" He suddenly recalled another matter.

Si Yu shook her head. "I did not bump into Senior Sister on my way back here." Lonemoon counted the time that had passed and realised that it was not yet time for Yu Hong to return. He instructed Si Yu to get some rest and was planning to discuss matters regarding the demonic Qi with the other two when he realised that Yi Qing and Shen Ying were already happily talking about what dishes they should add.

"We have money now, Chef. We can prepare afternoon tea!"

"What do you want to eat, Master?"

"Anything will do. We could have melons, chicken, mixed seafoods, asparagus, winter bamboo shoots, magnolia tablets, duck, fish head… anything like that!"

"Yes, Master! No problem, Master!"

Lonemoon: "…"

These wastrels! ——————

Shan Dong Immortal Abode.

"What did you say?" The corners of Xun Shu's mouth twitched. He looked at the composed woman standing in front of him and wondered if he had misheard her. "Who sent you here?"

"I am a senior disciple of the Invincible Sect," Yu Hong said, stepping forward with cupped fists. "My Sect Elder Lonemoon sent me here."

Xun Shu's expression darkened. "Tell me again. What did he send you here for?"

Yu Hong did not seem in the least bit nervous. She repeated herself calmly, without rushing. "My sect's elder said  that Young Emperor Xun has a big heart and promised that if my sect meets with any difficulties, you would try your best to help us. My sect is not lacking in anything but a batch of immortal weapons. We do not expect Young Master Xun to exhaust too much energy on our sect, so… we have prepared the raw materials for refining weapons. We would like to request that Young Emperor help us to refine a few immortal weapons using these materials."

"You call this 'a few'? Do you think I don't know how to count?" Xun Shu pointed at more than ten storage bags sitting on his desk. He had an urge to throw them all at the visitor's face. "Do a few immortal weapons need more than ten storage bags'  worth  of  raw  materials?!"  Don't  think  I  don't  know  –

you've clearly brought all the raw materials you dug out from

the Immortal Territory!

"Thank you, Young Emperor!" Yu Hong bowed once again.

"Get out!" Xun Shu glared at her. She was indeed Invincible Sect's disciple. She was as annoying as the three people he had met. "I'm not a weapon moulder who is going to work for free for your sect. If you want immortal weapons, look for someone else!"

Yu Hong glanced at the storage bags on the table and surprisingly did not insist. She walked forward and picked up the storage bags saying, "My Elder said that if Young Emperor isn't free, I should not force you."

Xun Shu eyed her suspiciously. Is she giving up so easily? This does not seem like the rascals' style! He watched her as she bowed respectfully and said, "My Invincible Sect does not force people to do what they do not want to, especially if they're ungrateful ingrates!"

"…" Was she scolding him?

"My elder also said that they had Young Emperor to thank for the help you extended to them in the immortal territory. Our Sect Master will come some time in the future to visit Young Emperor and your bloodline for a sweet reunion."

"…" Is this a threat? This definitely must be one!

"I will take my leave!"

"Come back!" Every vein in Xun Shu's temple was throbbing as he gritted his teeth and snatched the storage bags from Yu Hong's hands. Through his gritted teeth, he said, "I… will refine them!" F*cker! He had clearly just been threatened. Anybody could come except for Shen Ying!

"Thank you, Young Emperor!" Yu Hong thanked him immediately. She retrieved a parchment roll from inside her robes and handed it over. "My elder said that this is a list of the immortal weapons that we will need you to refine. You just have to follow what is written."

Xun Shu reached for it but lost his grip on it so that it fell on the floor. The roll fell onto the floor and unrolled  itself, revealed a list several metres long. The writings were incredibly small and there was hardly any space between each line. There were at least a thousand weapons' names written on it.

Yu Hong: "…"

Xun Shu: "…"

Xun Shu felt like a blood vessel had burst inside his brain. A while later…

"Get out!" He shouted so that his voice echoed throughout the Shan Dong Immortal Abode and at least a hundred metres beyond…

——————

An incredible thing had happened in the immortal realm recently. The "Treasure Tower" which belonged to Exalted Immortal Shu auctioned several spirit transmission talismans every few months. It was said that these talismans could send one's divine perception into a sacred place. This sacred place had wondrous surroundings. When one's divine perception entered this sacred place, one's cultivation, immortal techniques and even heart and perception would improve rapidly. The same effect would take place regardless of one's cultivation level.

When the news spread, multitudes of immortals became excited. This was especially so after the first batch of immortals emerged from this sacred place. A few of their cultivation levels had indeed increased; even immortals who had not improved in ten thousand years suddenly experienced a breakthrough in their cultivation. This news spread quickly across Chong Zhen. Everyone rushed to enter Treasure Tower in the hopes of obtaining just one talisman to bring them to the sacred place.

But there were few talismans available. They were only put on auction every few months – and sometimes even half a year. Its price was through the roof. The price of each talisman was about several hundred thousand immortal stones on average, and sometimes even over a million. Yet, it was still just a talisman.

Because of this, many immortals who were unable to obtain the talisman became resentful toward the Treasure Tower. Yet, they could do nothing about the situation. Some  immortals even attempted to locate the sacred place by themselves. No matter how hard they looked, however, nobody knew where this place was really located.

At least, that was the case for everyone except those of Invincible Sect, whose cultivation levels were swelling and whose hands were cramped from counting cash.

Chapter 146: Sleeping Beauty

The smile that spread across Lonemoon's face as he patted the wall of the sect's storehouse was one of a satisfied profiteer. The storehouse was getting fuller and fuller by the day. Even the blow of Yi Qing's breakthrough to the rank of Exalted Immortal seemed much more bearable now. Feeling generous, he waved his hand airily and announced, "I hereby approve your request for a supper allowance."

When Lonemoon did not hear the expected whoop of joy from a certain someone, he frowned and muttered, "What? Still not satisfied with supper…" He abruptly stopped in mid-sentence and turned to look at the person beside him.

He discovered that Shen Ying, who had been eating just a moment ago, was now sprawled on the table, fast asleep.

Good heavens! This foodie could even fall asleep while having her meal? Her sleeping skills had definitely advanced!

Thinking it a small matter, Lonemoon transmitted a voice message to Yi Qing in the kitchen to arrange for someone to take Shen Ying back to her room.Then he continued to work on his holy land development project. Recently, the  cultivation  of their disciples had risen very quickly. Most of them had formed immortal bones and become immortals. Even he himself had risen to the level of Mystic Immortal, due to his frequent entries into the demonic Qi. During this period, Xun Shu had also sent more than half of the immortal weapons over. It was a busy period for him.

However, he was surprised to learn that Shen Ying had still not awakened after sleeping for several days. And this was a foodie who never failed to turn up punctually at the dining hall at mealtimes. Even when her meals were brought into her room, she showed no response at all.

"Is Master all right?" A frowning Yi Qing looked worriedly at Shen Ying's bed room.

"What could possibly be wrong with her?" snorted Lonemoon rolling his eyes. After thinking for a while, he asked, "How long has she been like this?"

"Five days…" "So long! Did she say anything to you before she slept?" Lazy Shen Ying might be, but dumb she was not; in fact she was even more quick-witted than the average person. She would definitely have given them hints had she discovered something amiss.

Yi Qing shook his head after thinking it over. "No!" There was nothing out of the ordinary in her behaviour that day.

"Then it should be fine." Lonemoon let out a sigh of relief and said, "As you know, although she is lazy, she is actually as smart as a whip. She would not have kept quiet if something was wrong. Besides, didn't she once sleep for two whole days?"

"But I feel that this time Sect Master has been sleeping much too long." Yu Hong stepped forward and suggested hesitantly, "Shall we… try waking her up?"

Yi Qing and Lonemoon mulled over her suggestion. It was a sound idea … but…

"Who's going to do it?" Yi Qing: "…"

Lonemoon: "…"

Yu Hong: "…"

A while later…

"Ahem! Maybe she's just too tired…" Lonemoon gave an awkward laugh. "She went without sleep for several days when we were at Yu Feng Immortal City. She's making up for lost sleep… nothing unusual about it."

I think…?

"But…" The trip to the immortal city was over half a year ago! Although Yu Hong had her doubts, she could think of no better explanation. Sect Master was so powerful, who could possibly set her up? Maybe she was… really to tired? Yi Qing clenched his fists and gazed fixedly at the room. Then, he walked up to the door and pushed it open suddenly.

"Yi Qing!" exclaimed Lonemoon in shock, "Do you want to… die?"

Huh?

He scanned the room. Oddly, the person lying on the bed had not been aroused by the commotion. He could hear the faint sound of her breathing; it seemed she was sound asleep.

"Master, it's mealtime!" Yi Qing walked up to Shen Ying's bed and gave her a gentle shove.

There was no response from her.

"I cooked your favourite food… assorted meat dishes."

"…" "There's fried crab, steamed crab, immortal noodles…"

"…"

"Toad fish, Ba Dai fish, spicy wild hen…"

"…"

He went on to enumerate a whole list of dishes, but still failed to elicit a response from her. An inexplicable feeling of dread overwhelmed him. His head buzzed and his hands trembled. "Master…?"

It was then that Lonemoon realized something was not right. His expression changed. He strode quickly into the room and instructed an obviously panicking Yi Qing, "Quickly, check her pulse."

Yi Qing calmed down a little and proceeded to use his immortal Qi to check her pulse. Everything seemed normal. He repeated the procedure a few times, but could find nothing wrong with her.

"How is it? What's wrong with this foodie?" asked Lonemoon.

"I… don't know," answered Yi Qing, shaking his head.

"How can it be? Let me take a look!" Lonemoon grabbed Shen Ying's hand from him to take her pulse. The expression on his face grew increasingly grim. He too could not find anything wrong with her. He gripped the flute in his hand in exasperation. He thought for a while, then turned to Yu Hong. "Yu Hong, go to Shang Dong immortal abode quickly." Perhaps their cultivation was not strong enough to diagnose the problem. "Tell Xun Shu to come over. Say it's a matter of life and death… Forget it! I'll go instead."

He was about to leave when Yi Qing said, "I'll go!" In a flash he was gone.

Fortunately, to facilitate the production of the immortal weapons, the Invincible Sect and Shang Dong Immortal Abode had already set up a transportation array between them. Within moments, Yi Qing was back with Xun Shu.

"Hey, why did you drag me here?" Xun Shu, who had been in the midst of weapon refinement, grumbled. "Don't blame me if this immortal sword breaks…"

Midway through his sentence, Xun Shu noticed the person sleeping soundly on her bed. Aghast, he struggled free from Yi Qing's grip and cowered behind the door. Through voice transmission, they could hear his trembling voice as he cursed them, "Hey, you bastards! Are you trying to get me killed!" I

thought we were friends? Why did Yi Qing bring me to Shen

Ying when they know she's sleeping? Haven't I suffered enough beatings from her?

"Don't worry!" Lonemoon assured Xun Shu, who had obviously not gotten over his mental trauma. "Come and tell us what's wrong with her?"

Xun Shu looked suspiciously at them, still afraid to step out from behind the door. Lonemoon had to repeatedly assure him and even yelled out a couple of times to convince him of Shen Ying's unresponsiveness before he slowly emerged from behind the door. Taking a few deep breaths, Xun Shu checked Shen  Ying's pulse briefly before quickly retracting his hand. Still maintaining his whispering tone, he said, "Her aura is calm, her pulse is stable. There's no abnormal signs. She's just sleeping. Why did you call me over?" To test my courage?

"Master has been asleep for five days." Yi Qing explained.

"What? Can't be!" exclaimed Xun Shu. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. Pressing his two fingers to Shen Ying's forehead, he transmitted a stream of immortal Qi inside to explore her divine perception. He found that it was totally empty. He cried out in surprise, "Could this be due to… the Soul Detachment Spell?"

"No!" Before anyone could speak, Xun Shu immediately dismissed this notion. "Her soul shows no signs of having left her body, how can it…"

"What Soul Detachment Spell?" asked Yi Qing anxiously.

"The Soul  Detachment  Spell  is  a  type  of  soul  controlling technique!" explained Xun Shu, "Soul controlling  techniques can extract a person's soul but this Soul Detachment spell just causes the soul to leave the body. This is a weak spell, it causes its victim to fall into a deep sleep, but does no harm to his body. That's why most immortals have never heard of it. I only got to know of it from the ancient memories that I inherited from my ancestors."

"You mean that someone cast this spell on Shen Ying?" asked Lonemoon.

"Very likely," replied Xun Shu, nodding, "The strange thing is that her soul has not left her, but a part of her divine perception is missing from her body. Someone must have cast a spell on her. Looks like you are in trouble."

"…"

Everyone looked grim, especially Yi Qing, who gripped his fist tightly.

Shen Ying's divine perception, who was standing beside them all along: "…"

Er… Didn't anyone discover that she was only sleep walking?

Chapter 147: The Profound Sanskrit Poison

Shen Ying turned to her left and right and saw the few people around her acting as if she was not there. She sighed and was just about to return to her body when she heard a weird noise next to her ear.

It was a tiny noise, almost indistinguishable. She paused and thought for awhile before she floated out the door.

Everybody inside the house did not have a clue about what was going on.

Yi Qing's face was etched with worry. Anxiously, he turned to Xun Shu and asked, "How can we wake Master up?"

"Her divine perception has just left her body. There's nothing to worry about." Xun Shu pondered over something and then continued, "We can only wait for her divine perception to return before she wakes up again. Otherwise, we can look for the person who cast the spell." "But when one's divine perception leaves the body, it usually travels over thousands of miles. If we wait for her to return…"

At that moment, the people in the room who knew Shen Ying suddenly recalled her characteristic lack of any sense of direction. They exchanged knowing looks as their faces fell.

"Heh! We'd better discuss where to find the person who cast the spell." The corner of Lonemoon's mouth twitched. "In these six months, Shen Ying has not taken a single step out of Invincible Sect." Of course, no outsider has set foot in the sect as well. Who could possibly cast the spell on her?

"It did not have to be done at close-range," Xun Shu explained. "This Soul-Leaving Technique is very simple. It doesn't have to be done to the person; it can be attached to talismans, weapons or anything that carries immortal Qi will do. Just  think carefully: Before she returned, did she come into contact with any stranger or strange item?"

"Item…" The two of them turned to look at Xun Shu. "What are you looking at me for? It's not the Winter Spirit Tree!" Xun Shu glared at the two of them. "If I was the one who cast the spell, would I still come here? Besides… didn't you pluck my Winter Spirit Tree out on your own accord?"

"She had some meals at the capital, but she did not touch anything else. What's more, I ate those same meals too." Lonemoon was wrecking his brains but he could not recall when the spell was cast on her.

Yi Qing suddenly recalled something. "No, there was something else!"

"What?"

"The Winter Spirit Leaf!"

"I said it wasn't me!" Xun Shu was anxious now, prepared to explain himself.

But Yi Qing reached into the storage bag hanging by the side of his body and retrieved a leaf that was already turning yellow. "This was handed over to me by Immortal Emperor Chen Ge. Only Master and I have touched it."

Xun Shu's expression fell. He quickly and purposefully set the leaf done onto the table. Then, he cast a few spells on the leaf. All they saw were lights flashing because of the spells. The yellowing-leaf suddenly turned into what looked like a parchment that was dipped in black ink. From the center of the paper, it started bleeding black. In several seconds, the entire leaf turned black so that even the table was stained.

"This leaf is poisoned with Profound Sanskrit Poison!" Xun Shu's expression changed. That was a type of poison that targeted immortal bodies. It would only take four months at most for the poison to seep into the immortal's bones. This was a great poison that would cause extreme damage. He quickly turned to Yi Qing. "But you… why?" Why was Yi Qing alright?

Lonemoon's heart jumped as well. When they came out of Yu Feng Immortal Territory that day, Immortal Emperor Chen Ge was clearly enraged with them over the Six-Joint  Mystics Sword. But over the last six months, he did not make any move on Invincible Sect. Lonemoon initially thought that they were preparing to launch a big attack on them – but he never expected Chen Ge to have planned everything so well from the beginning. When he handed Yi Qing the Winter Spirit Leaf, he already had no intention of keeping Yi Qing alive.

But he did not know that Yi Qing had that innate sword embodiment – he was born resistant to hundreds of different types of poisons.

"It was him – he poisoned Master!" Yi Qing clenched his fist and gritted his teeth so that the veins in his temples were visible. He was filled with rage. Immediately, he condensed the immortal Qi around him to form an immortal sword.

"Wait, Yi Qing. Don't be… rash."

Before Lonemoon could finish speaking, Yi Qing had flown out in a flash.

"Holy shit! Come back!" Lonemoon ran after him and realised that he had already disappeared without a trace. He felt an urge in his heart to curse even Yi Qing's parents. Lonemoon had gotten too used to the image of the retarded chef. He had completely forgotten that by nature, Yi Qing was a vengeful man who hated wrong-doers. What's more, the person lying there was Shen Ying. It was only natural that Yi Qing would go crazy!

What should I do? What should I do?

He pondered for awhile and quickly dragged Xun Shu with him when he decided to give chase. "Quick, quick, quick, we have to go and help him. We have to get him back. He won't be Chen Ge's match."

"Why not?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? That's an Immortal Emperor! We're not even going to talk about how many other immortals there are up there. Even if he can get past them, he's merely an Exalted Immortal. How can he win an Immortal Emperor, who is two whole cultivation levels higher than him?"

Xun Shu paused and looked at Lonemoon suspiciously. "You… don't know?"

"Know what?"

"In order to advance to become a Young Emperor, one has to go to the Emperor Stage. That was why… he suppressed his cultivation and only advanced to become an Exalted Immortal. In actual fact… He's already the level of a Young Emperor."

What?

Lonemoon came to a sudden halt. He almost fell off of his sword.

"…" Motherf*cker!

—————

At the foot of Invincible Sect. Shen Ying surveyed the huge amount of demonic Qi in front of her that surrounded the Invincible Sect. She did not know if she was mistaken, but for some reason she felt like the demonic Qi that day was… a little thicker?

Subconsciously, she stepped closer. The black cloud in front of her began to surge, as if it was about to dissipate.

"Why is it moving?" Shen Ying eyed the demonic Qi expressionlessly. I didn't do anything. She walked into the demonic Qi and the thick black fog retreated, as if afraid of her. There was a clean empty space for her to continue moving forward.

Before she could react, she heard the sound next to her ears once again. This was when she realised it was the  sound  of  a baby crying softly.

Not far away, a small figure squatted under a bald tree. The figure was hugging its knees with both arms, head buried in his arms. The figure was trembling, as if it had been badly frightened. Once in awhile, the figure let out a soft cry. A kid? Where did it come from?

No wonder the demonic Qi felt so different today. It has done something wrong; it has bullied this kid.

"Hey, little kid!" She walked over and called out.

The little figure trembled once again and slowly raised its head, revealing a black and seemingly featureless face.

This kid looks like… a horror movie!

Black Qi spiralled out of the kid's face, so thick that Shen Ying could not make out her features. The demonic Qi around them was so thick that she had not noticed this earlier; not only her face but the kid's entire body was covered in black Qi which did not look like it will dissipate any time soon. No wonder the demonic Qi was surrounding her – it mistook the kid as one of its own.

"Big… Big sister?" The kid stopped crying momentarily, as if just realising that the black Qi around her had disappeared. Shen Ying saw a flash of joy in her eyes, mixed with apprehension and hope as she looked at her. "Big Sister, are you the ghost guard that is here to take me away?"

What the hell?

"Little friend, what are you doing here?" Apart  from Invincible Sect's disciples, only Father Niu's customers entered this place. This kid was clearly neither.

"I… I don't know." She shook her head and looked around at the demonic Qi all over. Trembling, she continued, "They said… I am a jinx and I only cause harm to people, so… so they always hit me. It hurts, it hurts…"

Shen Ying's face fell. What the hell?

"They say I'm better off dead, so… they brought me here." The kid looked as though she did not know what else to say. She asked Shen Ying, "Big Sister… Are you dead?" "…" What nonsense is this kid talking about?

"How coincidental, so am I!" Her face split into a wide grin, which faltered as she looked fearfully around once again. "Is this where people go to when they die? But this place… is so cold, so very cold."

That was when Shen Ying realised that the child's body was translucent. She was really just a soul. Did the immortal realm have souls as well? How did a soul manage to get in here?

This is so troublesome. I should let Father Niu handle this!

"Hey, little ghost!" Shen Ying gestured toward the kid to come closer. "Come over, I'll bring you out."

"Really?" The kid paused and stared at Shen Ying's hands.

Then, she stood up obediently. "Is it warmer outside?"

The kid took hold of Shen Ying's hand. "Thank you, Big Sister Ghost Guard." "…" In what way did she look like a ghost guard?

Shen Ying pursed her lips and was just thinking about flying toward Invincible Sect when a white light flashed under her feet. An array was appearing.

Huh?

Before Shen Ying could make sense of what was happening, the two of them disappeared into thin air.

Chapter 148: Protection of A Divine Immortal

In moments, the two people were standing inside a strange house. There was not much space but there were four or five people standing around inside. They looked like older females who were bustling around, preoccupied. From time to time, they shouted encouragements like, "Keep going! It's almost out! You're nearly there! Give it all you got!" It was like a maternity ward.

"Big Sister Ghost Guard, thank you for sending me here." The little ghost suddenly let go of her hand.

"…" I already said I'm not a ghost guard.

"I'm leaving!" Little Ghost smiled at her and disappeared into the pregnant woman's stomach, as if she had done it a thousand times before.

The next moment, the sound of a baby crying filled the room. "It's out! You've given birth!"

Shen Ying finally figured out what was going on. Could this be… reincarnation?

She was only having a dream. Had she really become a ghost guard?

-_-|||

She looked around her and then floated of the ward, only to realise that she had been in a cottage. There was a little yard outside the cottage. Even further out, there was a vast plain, on which people were working the soil.

Seeing as she had nothing to do, Shen Ying decided to roam around the little village. After she made one round, she realised she had a problem. That array seemed to have taken her directly into the mortal realm.

She was not an ordinary distance away from her body! What's more, she was not sure if she was mistaken but for some reason, she felt time passed much faster on this realm. As if a major change was taking place every second. The little ghost whom she came here with had already grown from an infant to a little child as tall as her waist in a span of a few days.

It was just that the little child had forgotten all that had happened before she reincarnated. Like the other people, the child could no longer see Shen Ying. Even the black Qi that surrounded her before was now gone.

They had spoken to each other for a bit after all – that was why Shen Ying was paying so much attention to her.

From her observation of the girl's life, Shen Ying could tell that it was full of ups and downs. This was the first time she encountered someone this unlucky.

This little girl's life could be summarised in one word: unfortunate.

The moment she stepped out of her house, she would either fall straight into a drain or down a hill. She could walk into a puddle of water even on straight, flat ground and encounter a wild beast in the smallest of forests. Even when she drank water, she would choke; when she attempted to sit down in her house, she would lose her balance and fall to the ground.

Her entire life seemed to be just like a silent film. She tripped and fell every three to five seconds. Apparently, this ill fortune was contagious as well. Anybody who got too close to her would inevitably be implicated. They would either be pulled into a drain or down a hill with her. It was the same for her relatives: During the harvest season, her family was the only one without a single crop harvest. They lived in the innermost regions of the village, yet their house got burgled every single month. Their house would also be flooded when it rained, and burned down when a volcano erupts, or buried in the event of a landslide.

She was like a living plague – everywhere  she  went,  she brought her bad luck with her.

Shen Ying turned to glance at the girl beside her. She was standing on her tiptoes with her arm reaching upward, trying her hardest to reach for a fruit on the tree while swallowing her saliva. Shen Ying sighed. What an unlucky child!

So she stretched out her hand and lifted the fruit by a millimetre, just out of reach of the girl…

(๑̄∀๑̄)

Heh heh, you're just not tall enough!

The little girl's flushed face became pale immediately. She looked longingly at the fruit which was beyond reach and pursed her lips. Her eyes began to well up and she looked like she was about to cry.

"The jinx is here again!" A male voice cried out from behind her.

The little girl was frightened. She turned around in fear and saw a fatty who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He looked vastly different from her – while she was unkempt, he appeared neat and tidy. He pouted angrily as he pointed to the girl and shouted to his companions behind him.

A few more children who looked about the same age as the fatty suddenly came running up the small round. They eyed the little girl standing under the tree with malice. One by one, they began to blame her for different things.

"My mother says she's a jinx and a freak. She's only good at causing harm to others. No wonder her parents don't want her anymore."

"I saw her trying to steal fruits from the tree."

"She's not going to harm fruit trees as well, is she? What if the tree can't bear fruit in future?"

"Beat her! We can't let her harm this fruit tree!"

"That's right, the fruits are ours! Beat her!" "No… no, I did not." She was becoming increasingly scared. Unable to control them any further, tears began to flow down her cheeks. She retreated several steps, intending to run away, but she tripped on a tree root and fell to the ground.

"Stop her, don't let her get away." A few of the kids ran up to her and bent down to pick up stones from the ground. They looked ready to hurl them at the little girl.

Shen Ying frowned and silently stuck out one of her legs.

"Hit- Ahya!" The fatty leader suddenly flew forward and landed heavily on the ground. His forehead began to swell up. He paused for awhile, unable to process what had happened. Then, the pain began to sink in and he started to bawl.

Everyone around him stared in shock. They looked from the little girl to the little fatty.

"It was her, it must have been her! She has harmed yet another person! Beat her to…" Bam!

Another child who had been charging toward the little girl tripped and fell to the ground.

There was a series of loud crashes. All the little children who had charged toward the little girl were now lying in a heap on the ground.

"Fre… freak!" The few children seemed to realise they were in danger – none of them dared to charge toward the girl anymore. They retreated and eyed the girl fearfully. "She really is a freak. Hurry, run… run away!"

Immediately, the proud children disappeared.

Hm, bullying little children… is indeed addictive!

The unlucky little girl slowly got to her feet and looked around, confused. Shen Ying could not tell what the little girl was thinking but watched as the little girl turned around and started to limp home.

Shen Ying did not think too much of this. She did not expect the little girl to sneak back onto the field that night to locate that exact tree. From out of nowhere, the girl took out half a sweet potato and put it on the floor. Then, the girl got onto her knees.

"You're a Divine Immortal, aren't you?" She asked in a low voice. She looked around carefully and said, "I heard the fat lady next door say that if one is obedient, the divine immortals would bless him. The one who protected me today was definitely a divine immortal, right?"

She looked around excitedly, as if expecting to  find something. She did not, however. She kowtowed three times and said, "Thank you, Divine Immortal. I… I will come back regularly to pay my respects to you. So… so…" she dropped her voice even lower and stuttered. Awhile later, she found the words. "Can you please… can you keep… protecting me?"

After she finished speaking, she kowtowed three more times. She used so much force that Shen Ying could hear the sound of her forehead hitting the ground. "I will be obedient – very obedient!" She waited in silence for a few seconds. Seeing that nothing was happening, she left in disappointment.

Shen Ying: "…"

She looked to the ground and saw half a sweet potato. This was why… she hated little children.

But this child seemed to be addicted to giving gifts. What's more, she had nobody left in her family. Since then she would return to the same tree every single night. Sometimes, she brought half a sweet potato with her. Sometimes, she brought half a potato. Sometimes, she brought half a radish.  Other times, she brought some unknown flower or plant.

This night was slightly different. She brought with her a stone that was almost as tall as her thigh. Then, she carved something on the stone very seriously.

"Divine Immortal, Divine Immortal, I heard others say that I have to write the name of the divine immortal I'm making offerings to. Otherwise, you would not receive it. I caught this fish after a lot of hard work and learned a few words from Big Brother Da Jun from the family of scholars. You will be able to receive my offerings in future."

When she finished speaking, she put down a flower and kowtowed three times.

This was when Shen Ying saw the words written on the stone: The Divine Immortal Who Protected Me.

She made her a tomb!

"…" Motherf*cker!

The little child seemed to have thought of something. Suddenly, the ground began to vibrate. The pitch black sky lit up at once as hundred of thousands of rays shone down onto the ground. Something descended from the skies with a loud crash, landing on the peak of the hill not far from where Shen Ying stood. What the hell?

Chapter 149: Demon Immortal Duo

"Divine Immortal! Are you here? It must… it must be!" The face of the little girl beside Shen Ying lit up as she got to her feet at once. She turned around and ran toward the peak of the mountain.

Shen Ying frowned and glanced at the peak. Is this light… immortal Qi?

Just as she was thinking of walking over to take a look, she caught the stone tablet in the corner of her eye. She stepped back, lifted her leg and stomped down on the tablet. With a loud crack, the tablet broke into a thousand pieces.

Hmm, this is better!

Satisfied, she floated toward the peak.

The little girl ran extremely fast toward the peak. During this time, there was already a big pit burned into the hill. More than half of the hill had been blasted off and soil flew everywhere. Even the fields at the bottom of the peak were affected – more than half of the fields were destroyed. All the villagers were running for their lives – only that little figure moved steadily toward the peak. Panting as she ascended, the little girl's vision filled with colourful rays and the floating soil. There was no way she could make out what was happening.

Suddenly, everything fell silent. She began to feel nervous, but her desire to see the divine immortal kept her there. She sucked in a deep breath and walked amidst the chaos. Weakly, she called, "Divine… Immortal?"

Roar!

As she called out, she heard a loud, angry roar. In front of her, huge figure appeared. It opened its blood-filled mouth and a strong smell of blood rushed toward the girl.

"Ah!" The girl was so frightened that her legs went jelly and she fell to the ground. She could not even think about running away.

That was when she managed to get a good look at the beast in front of her. The beast was almost as tall as the original hill and it looked extremely ferocious. It had sharp teeth which were taller than the length of the girl's entire body. It was making its way steadily toward her; with each step that the beast took, the ground shook. Suddenly, it opened its mouth and bit down toward her.

The little girl was scared to her wits. She stared at the beast in shock, absolutely terrified. No… This is not Divine Immortal!

She was about to be swallowed. Suddenly, the great beast started, as if it stepped on something. It slipped and fell down into the gigantic pit with a loud roar.

The impact sent dust flying everywhere once more.

Roar!

The great beast had no time to struggle. Suddenly, another great figure appeared, taking this opportunity to jump into the pit. It let out a loud cry and used its claws to attack the other beast. There was the sound of flapping wings and she felt a strong gust of wind which once again sent dust flying into the air. When the dust settled, the girl clearly saw the two beasts in the heat of battle.

The other beast was a giant bird covered in flames. Under it was a great four-legged beast, with the head of a panther, the tail of a snake, and the claws of an eagle. Its body was covered entirely in scales and its mouth filled with sharp teeth. It looked injured – a lot of the scales from its body had been scratched off. It lay motionless at that moment, under the firebird.

"Hahaha, Biao Ting, you dare call yourself a Celestial Emperor when your cultivation level is this pathetic. It cracks me up!" The fire bird kept mocking the other beast. "I think you'd better go back to your Cave of Celestial Teachings. Don't embarrass yourself any further. Return the Qing Han continent to me."

"Blackbird!" The other beast struggled with all its might but could not release itself from the claws of the firebird. It could only keep roaring. "You are a prominently rotten bird. Today, I am at your mercy only because of my negligence. Cut to the chase. If you want to kill me, do it now."

"Hmph." The firebird used one of its wings to slap the other beast, then stopped attacking it any further. Instead, it stepped back. There was a flash of immortal light around the bird. It transformed into a green-robed man who was staring at the great beast coolly. "You think I am as stupid as your beast race? Talk! I have nothing against you. Why did you destroy my Phoenix Palace?"

"Pfft! You call yourself a Heavenly Emperor. If you hadn't shamelessly stolen my Six-Flame Pearl, I wouldn't bother myself with your rotten place." Biao Ting gritted his teeth and said, "An eye for an eye! It was kind of me to destroy your nest."

"Who stole your Six-Flame Pearl!" Blackbird's expression hardened. "I don't care for your stupid pearl!"

"Don't even try to deny it!" Biao Ting was getting angrier. "Your bird race has always enjoyed collecting sparkly things. There is no lack of pearls in your rotten nest. What's more, among the ten Heavenly Emperors, only you are fire-elemental. If you didn't steal it, who did? You dare to do it, but you do not dare to admit it. IF you don't kill me now, I will definitely settle the scores with you soon!"

"Forget it if you don't believe me. I know I did not take your pearl," Blackbird was clearly agitated too. "Do what you please. I am at your mercy; do you think I am afraid?" After he finished speaking, he reached out and plucked a whisker from the panther's face.

"You!" Biao Ting was fuming now, but he could not do anything because of the injuries he sustained. He did not lurch at the green-robed man. Instead, he transformed into a black- robed man, who was glaring at the green-robed man with rage. "Don't think I can't win you. If not for the fact that someone stepped in today and distracted me, I wouldn't…"

As if recalling something, he turned to look at the girl seated on the floor. His eyes widened and he glared at her, as if ready to kill her in his fit of rage. "This wretched mortal is to blame!"

The little girl trembled and remembered to make her escape. She stumbled to her feet but was too late. Biao Ting reached out and caused a great burst of immortal Qi to charge toward her. Then, he clenched his fist and, at once, the little girl was thrown into the air. She could no longer control her body. She flew right into his grip.

Biao Ting tightened his hold around her neck. The little girl struggled with all her might but could not even reach the other party's sleeve. How could a mere mortal hurt someone from the upper realm? What's more, she was only a child. A surge of panic began to rise in her chest, and she began to tear. Using all the energy she could muster, she called out, "Divine… Divine Immortal, protect… me…"

"Divine Immortal?" Hearing her address, Biao Ting laughed mirthlessly. "I'm the Divine Immortal you're talking to!"

The little girl stared at him blankly. She was suffocating, but her eyes widened, and she had a sudden burst of energy. Kicking wildly, she said, "No… No, you're not!" Liar! Her  divine immortal was not like that! It can't be!

"Hmph, just a little ant!" Biao Ting ignored her struggles and tightened his grip. He was going to strangle her to death.

"Wait!" The firebird Blackbird exclaimed, grabbing hold of his hand.

"What, you still want to fight?" Biao Ting looked at him with contempt and mocked, "You're not thinking of becoming a divine immortal who would help mortals in need, are you? Don't forget, you ascended to immortality a long time ago but you're still a demon." Why would a demon want to save someone?

"This child…" Blackbird ignored him. He looked intently at the child in his hand and narrowed his eyes, as if he discovered something.

Biao Ting paused, having discovered something out of the ordinary as well. He released his grip and the child fell down onto the ground on her bottom. She coughed and retched, looking as if she was about to pass out.

Biao Ting remained unbothered. He released a strand of immortal Qi and touched the child's forehead. The immortal Qi entered her body and caused the child to scream in pain. Her whole body began to contort from the pain.

"It's a pure Yin body." Biao Ting was shocked. He laughed lightly, "The perfect build for purifying deviant fires."  He looked at Blackbird in fear and said, "You don't want her, do you?" "Why? You're thinking of snatching her from me now that you understand what's going on?" Blackbird scoffed.

Biao Ting pursed his lips, hatred evident on his features. All he could do was grit his teeth and glare at the girl lying on the ground.

Blackbird waited for his enemy to snatch the child up from the floor. This mortal did not have immortal bones and would not be able to endure the deviant fire more than a few times, but she was still a rare breed. It was a waste. He lifted his head to look at the fast-closing realm gates. "Biao Ting, I'll let you off this time. The next time you come down and cause trouble at my Phoenix Palace, don't blame me for being unkind to you!"

He flew up toward the realm gate once he finished speaking. Biao Ting clenched his jaw in anger, yet he had no choice but to swallow his anger. He sucked in a deep breath and followed him up.

The girl was panicking after being snatched up. Her tears were now flowing uncontrollably, and she struggled with all her might. "No, let me go… Help, Divine Immortal… I have the protection of the divine immortal… I have the divine immortal… can you hear me?"

"Be quiet." Blackbird frowned in irritation. "Do my bidding and you may be able to live for a few days. I am a divine immortal. Whatever I, Blackbird, fancy in these three realms, I will get. Don't count on anyone to save you."

"Really?" The moment he finished speaking, he heard a cocky voice just beside him.

"…" For some reason, he trembled.

Chapter 150: Ge You’s Plot

Before Blackbird could react, he felt a hard force and a gust of wind blow past his ear. He fell downward from the impact, and hit Biao Ting, who had been flying upward below him.

There was a crash as the two demon immortals fell back heavily into the pit. This time, the entire hill collapsed under them.

"Who was that?" Blackbird roared, emitting red light from every pore in his body. He turned back into his original form – a big bird covered in red flames. He looked up in fury but could not see anything. In the air, the girl he was holding on to slowly floated downward.

"Divine… Divine Immortal?" The girl stared blankly around her and then exploded in excitement. She started searching all around for an entity. "Divine Immortal, you're here, aren't you? You've come to protect me again? I… I knew it… Making offerings was good."

Shen Ying, who went through much difficulty in looking for a way up: "…" If you hadn't mentioned those offerings, we could have been friends!

"Divine Immortal, Divine Immortal, I… Why can't I see you?"

"I forgot to tell you something." Shen Ying tossed the child aside on the grass and said, "I hate vegetables!"

The child paused and then frowned. Suddenly, she looked indignant.

"Don't give me anything anymore, but…" Shen Ying turned around to look at the bird and the beast, who had already taken on their original forms. "The two animals you've offered this time aren't bad. Do you… know how to roast meat?"

The child: "…"

The two animals: "…" For some reason, Blackbird's entire bird body tensed up. No matter how hard he tried to use his divine perception, he could not detect the person who spoke. He had no choice but to look in the general direction of the girl and spit out the true flame of life.

"Where are you from? How dare you speak like that!"

He was just about to spit fire when he felt an intense pain in his head. He opened his mouth, but felt an unknown force pressing his beak closed. The true flame of life he was about to spit had already formed in his throat but was trapped. He could neither swallow it nor spit it out. It began to burn in his throat.

Blackbird could not even open his beak to cry out in pain. He writhed around on the ground as he was being burned alive.

He struggled with all the immortal Qi in his body but found that his beak still could not open. It was as if it had been sealed shut.

The next moment, he was in the air. The unknown force was lifting him off the ground. He had no time to react before he felt another gust of wind beside his ear and he landed on the ground once more with a huge crash.

It was not the end. He had now lost control of his entire body. Once again, he was lifted up and thrown down… lifted up and thrown down… and again…

It felt like the entire world was echoing the loud crashes.

Blackbird felt just like a hammer. Biao Ting, who was being hammered: "…"

He had completely… no strength to retaliate!

From beginning to end, they could not see was doing this. It was so frightening. Who… the heck is it?!

A minute later, everything fell silent. Shen Ying seemed to have realised a problem. "If I'm not wrong, I have to pluck out the feathers and fur before I roast the meat, right?"

The Celestial Emperors who had been feigning death: "…"

(゚Д゚≡゚Д゚)

No!

——————

The Immortal Realm, in the capital city.

The emperors of the seven countries were gathered in the Ge Palace. Immortal Emperor Ge You was seated at the head seat. In front of him, the other emperors sat in two rows. They had rushed over for this meeting. Among them sat three immortal emperors and four young emperors. Ge You scanned these people with an impassive expression, his eyes twinkling. He was unsurprised as he said, "Eh, why isn't Young Emperor Xun Shu here?"

"Emperor Ge You, you know that this Young Emperor Xun has always been a bit of a loner," said an immortal emperor toward the right. He laughed mirthlessly and continued, "He doesn't care to show respect to anyone. All these years, he hasn't turned up at a single Ge Immortal Meeting that Your Majesty has invited us to. Isn't that right?"

"That's exactly right!" Another Young Emperor called out, obviously unhappy. He seemed to be highly disgusted at Xun Shu's attitude toward the rest of them. "This Young Emperor Xun is only a young emperor – he is unlike any of us, who have all become immortal emperors and have built countries of our own. He is stuck in his little immortal abode, acting like nothing on the outside world can affect him. This immortal meeting among the emperors of various countries can do without him!"

"Huh," Ge You sighed, his face a mask of worry. "All of you don't know this – it looks like Young Emperor Xun has misunderstood me after something that happened between us at Lishui River awhile ago. That's probably why he hasn't responded to my invitation." "Lishui River!" They all exclaimed. They had been fellow immortals for over ten thousand years. It was easy for them to detect that Ge You was implying something different from anything they had heard before. They all turned to face him immediately. "Your Majesty, what do you mean by that?"

"Speaking of this… it's really just a misunderstanding." Ge You's eyes flashed as he gave another sigh. "All of you know that I'm not a sword immortal, but I often send the disciples under my sect to Yu Feng Immortal Abode to train. I tell them to search for a sword, but my main intention is for them to train themselves. Awhile ago, I sent someone from my sect into the immortal territory, and he met the young emperor inside. Coincidentally, the sword immortal I sent found the divine weapon by chance. The young emperor caught hold of it in the end. I went there to fetch the sword immortal, but I never expected to meet Young Emperor Xun there as well by the Lishui River. He thought I went there to steal the sword. That's how the misunderstanding occurred."

"The Divine Weapon… and the sword, at that!" All of them exchanged looks, as if they could all read one another's minds in that moment. Anxiously, they asked, "Your Majesty Ge You, the divine weapon that he found – could it be…" "Yes, it was the Six-Joint Mystics Sword!" Ge You nodded.

"What!" The few of them exploded.

"It's really the Six-Joint Mystics Sword?"

"I didn't think the legend was true. It was the divine weapon that split the heavens open."

"Young Emperor Xun is too petty – he gained a divine weapon like that yet did not bother to make a sound."

"Exactly. To think he even misunderstood His Majesty Ge You, thinking that he wanted to steal the sword. He must have snatched the sword from someone else's hands."

"Isn't it said that only a Celestial Emperor would be fit to handle this divine weapon? He's only a Young Emperor – how is he fit to possess the Six-Joint Mystics Sword?" "Pfft! He's a sword immortal, and now he even has the divine weapon. How would he have eyes for any of us now?"

The more they talked, the more agitated and angry they got. It seemed to them that Xun Shu had really done something despicable; they desired to seek justice.

Ge You lowered his gaze. He had  released  the  news  on purpose. He had expected the other emperors to react this way. Who wouldn't want a divine  weapon  like  that?  So  what  if  he had found the Six-Joint Mystics Sword? Only those who had the power to keep possession of it had the right to keep it.

With a divine weapon like that in his hands, how could Xun Shu expect to be left in peace? Other people could forget about having what Ge You could not have.

Moreover…

"I think we have no choice but to report this to the Celestial Emperor," an Immortal Emperor suggested at last. "The Six- Joint Mystics Sword is no ordinary weapon. For all we know, the secret to ascending to become a divine being could lie in that very sword. This sword should not remain in Young Emperor Xun Shu's hands."

"That's right, this matter is very serious. It concerns the entire Feng Cang continent. We better let Celestial Emperor Chen Ge gain possession of it." All of them were muttering in agreement.

"Fellow emperors, you all do have a point." Ge You nodded in agreement as well. "But… I heard that Celestial Emperor Chen Ge has already closed the Immortal Rainbow Palace off to any visitors. It's been this way for more than a thousand years. The immortals who have travelled beyond these skies have never seen the Celestial Emperor themselves. How should we report this matter?"

It was then that the group remembered this and frowned. They fell silent for a few minutes before one immortal emperor spoke up.

"It indeed is not good to disturb the Celestial Emperor in his rest, but this is no small matter. If the Celestial Emperor finds out about this some other day, he might covet it. When the day that Feng Cang continent loses the sword comes, we will be blamed. Why not…" The immortal turned to address the group and continued, "the eight of us go up to the Heavens beyond Heaven personally and request to report an urgent matter to the Celestial Emperor. He will surely come out to see us."

Upon hearing this, everybody around nodded.

Ge You felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Everything was going exactly as he had predicted. Immortal Rainbow Palace has been closed for thousands of years. He had already guessed that this would be a problem. He also received news awhile back that Celestial Emperor Chen Ge was not even in the palace; it was possible that he may not not even be in the Heavens beyond Heaven.

The immortal realm already has the richest immortal Qi in the Heavens beyond Heaven – Celestial Emperors would not leave Heavens beyond Heaven for no good reason. If Chen Ge was gone, there could only be one explanation. He was in trouble!

If this bunch of immortals go to Immortal Rainbow Palace, they would meet the same fate. Someone would naturally have to take the place of the Celestial Emperor in charge of Feng Cang continent. Ge You was already the strongest and most capable cultivator among the nations. This was a one in a million chance, and the circumstances were extremely favourable. As long as he could make it to the top, he would not allow Chen Ge to return.

The plan he had thought about for so long finally culminated in this. Whether his plan would succeed depended on this final step. He could not afford any mistakes.

Ge You's heart jumped. He sucked in a deep breath and regained his composure. Standing up, he said in a low voice, "If that's the case, we shall…"

Bam!

Before he could finish, the great hall began to shake violently. There was a crash above head – Ge You saw a big hole in the ceiling. The isolation array that had been set up within the hall broke apart and a white-robed figure was now standing amongst them. The figure pointed his sword toward the man seated at the head and shouted. "Undo the spell you cast on my master, or else I will not let you off!"