After Yang Wudi was taken away from the Fourth Great Hall and sent to a lair of the Ten Evils Hall, Wu Wang finally felt the tense string inside him relax slightly.

He had managed to keep the great Immortal Yang safe for the time being.

Then he heard, "The Chief Elder commands, starting today, Yang Wudi shall cultivate in this place! You must not leave this cave dwelling for even half a step, and you must not be treated poorly either."

"Yes!"

Suddenly, there was a messy sound of footsteps.

Yang Wudi secretly opened his eyelids, glanced at the Barrier that lit up at the entrance of the cave, then continued to close his eyes, feigning unconsciousness. He introspected, his Primordial Spirit communicating with the gray qi, "Sect Master, what do I do now? How did Qiong Qi take direct action against us!"

"Rest assured, it's all fine now. From now on, you shouldn't get involved in the affairs of the Ten Evils Hall anymore," Wu Wang said.

"I have already determined the approximate location of the Fourth Great Hall.

"You are now under Qiong Qi's watch. I will arrange for someone to rescue you from here as soon as possible. Do not work as an insider anymore.

"How great must the merits be to be considered enough?"

"Thank you, Sect Master!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Wudi felt greatly relieved. His Primordial Spirit little man patted his chest and said with a laugh, "Just a mere Evil God, what's there for me to fear?"

"Oh?"

"Well... It is a bit scary, HAHA..."

Yang Wudi took a few embarrassed breaths.

Wu Wang's mouth twitched slightly, and he said indifferently, "Do you know why Qiong Qi retreated so easily? Do you really think it was because I scared him off?"

"Not... isn't that it?"

"Of course not."

Wu Wang said, "Such an Evil God is very shrewd; he calculates value against risk. I only posed a slight threat to him. In his eyes, you are obviously not worth taking that small risk, which is why he threw you out of the Ten Evils Hall."

Yang Wudi's Primordial Spirit little man silently covered his chest as if a small sword had pierced him, a chilling feeling spreading through.

Wu Wang wondered again, "Speaking of which, it is strange. Your Dao heart has no cracks, and normally a Cultivator at the True Immortal Realm should be able to resist the invasion of a wisp of Qiong Qi's Divine Soul for several hours. After all, it's just a wisp of Divine Soul from Qiong Qi, not very powerful in Divine Power by itself. But look at you, you only left me an instant to react!"

"This... HEE HEE... it's because I practice Body Cultivation..."

PFFT! A second sword pierced through Yang Wudi's Primordial Spirit, crossing the first.

"SIGH!"

Wu Wang lamented for various reasons, "As it turns out, my effort to put out an all-Human Domain warrant for you was just a waste of manpower and resources.

"The insider line is completely cut off now, and Qiong Qi will watch your every move closely.

"Maybe, to hedge his bets, Qiong Qi will come back later to have a chat with you. That will be really troublesome."

Yang Wudi's Primordial Spirit shivered continuously, pierced by the small Flying Swords.

"Sect Master! I've shed blood for you, Sect Master! What's this all-Human Domain warrant about!"

"Well, rest assured, it's just a small strategy," Wu Wang said. "If Qiong Qi comes looking for you, I will help you deal with it. You just rest easy here and, by the way, strengthen your Dao heart."

Yang Wudi's Primordial Spirit couldn't help but feel dejected. "Subordinate obeys the command. Sect Master, rest assured, I will not pursue minor profits and lose my principles..."

"Hmm, you've worked hard."

Wu Wang laughed twice, and the ball of gray qi settled down.

Yang Wudi's Primordial Spirit heaved a long sigh, collapsing in a spread-eagle position within his God's Mansion. He felt a vast emptiness around him, as if he had run out of energy, feeling utterly hollow.

「...」

Who is that God?

In the southwest of the Great Wilderness, within Qiong Qi's cave dwelling, the Evil God Qiong Qi, who had transformed into a middle-aged man, was pacing back and forth beside a pool, his fierce face full of thought.

Having encountered such an odd event, Qiong Qi could not help his apprehension.

That Yang Wudi's God's Mansion actually harbored the residual thought of an Innate God; that aura, that Great Dao fluctuation, undoubtedly belonged to an Ancient God of the Great Wilderness.

Which of the Ancient Gods alive today was easy to provoke?

During the last war of the gods, he, Qiong Qi, was just a fierce beast with decent strength. If he had involved himself, he could only have ended up serving as a mount for powerful Divine Spirits. If it weren't for the rise of the Human Domain, and Heaven Palace finding his skills valuable, he would not have been promoted to a Divine Spirit.

That Ancient God's Dao charm is unmistakably genuine. Although the aura is not very strong, this must certainly be just a wisp of consciousness.

Those two phrases seemed to be reminding him, the chief of the Evil Gods, but in fact, they were a warning to him not to speak too freely in Heaven Palace.

Heaven Palace...

Qiong Qi felt a slight tangle of conflict within his heart.

Perhaps, it is truly the remnant soul of an Ancient God awakening. If I capture it and take it to Heaven Palace, I should be able to gain quite a bit of favor. If I do the other a favor now, when the age of gods changes again in the future, might I also have an additional way out for myself? This time I went to Heaven Palace, I could also sense that many Divine Spirits within were restless and anxious. What a pity, those incompetent little gods are beyond my reach; otherwise, capturing a few low-powered but beautiful Goddesses to serve in my bed would be a delightful affair.

Entertaining such thoughts, Qiong Qi's mouth curled into a faint, cold smile.

As for that male of the Human race—high-quality puppets could be found everywhere, so Qiong Qi felt not the slightest regret; it truly wasn't worth taking the slightest risk for such a toy.

But this Ancient God...

"Father!"

Upon hearing this sudden call, Qiong Qi stopped his pacing, flung his wide robes, and flipped back onto the stone bed to sit cross-legged, his spiritual mind shifting back to the Female Celestial Qiongqi.

The old woman of the Hua residence knelt before Female Celestial Qiongqi, whispering, "Yang Wudi has been adequately settled, and more than a dozen experts have been assigned to guard him there."

Qiong Qi said, "Good. Give him more benefits, let him enjoy fine wine and beautiful women to his heart's content. I will still need him later."

"Yes, Father, rest assured."

"Are the sacrificial offerings ready?"

"Everything is prepared, Father. You can use them at any time."

Qiong Qi nodded in satisfaction, and an eerie smile crossed the face of her Female Celestial vessel.

Moments later, in an underground hall wrapped in layers of Formation Barriers, hundreds of figures in a Blood Pool cried and roared continuously, their bodies rapidly dissolving. Wisp after wisp of gray mist rose from the Blood Pool and converged into the Treasure Bead before Female Celestial Qiongqi.

Shortly after, dozens more Cultivators swept over the Blood Pool, throwing hundreds of mortals down. Their bodies dissolved in the Blood Pool, refined into strands of gray aura.

Over and over, ceaselessly.

The wailing of beings continued for several days and nights.

「...」

In the subsidiary pavilion of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion where Ji Mo was recuperating.

Inside a pavilion on the edge of a cliff, Wu Wang was surrounded by seven or eight figures, discussing incessantly beside several maps. Because the matter discussed was confidential, those present were all people Wu Wang could trust, including Lin Suqing, Immortal Mu, the Grand Elder, Xiao Jian Daoist, Ling Xiaolan, and two Transcendent Realm experts from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

The Grand Elder said in a deep voice, "Sect Master, the area we're looking at is still too vast. To find a deliberately hidden underground entrance within a radius of ten thousand miles is quite difficult."

Wu Wang asked, "What about using the Dao of Heaven and Earth?"

The Grand Elder replied, "If the other side has an expert skilled in the Spells of Heaven and Earth, hiding any abnormalities of Heaven and Earth is not difficult."

Xiao Jian Daoist said, "If we want to surround them with a strong force, the number of Immortal Soldiers we'll need to mobilize is too great, and it's impossible to encircle such a large territory tightly."

Ling Xiaolan suggested, "What about using their Teleportation Array?"

The Grand Elder shook his head. "During teleportation, if the array on one side is destroyed, those traversing Heaven and Earth will suffer heavy injuries, even if they are Transcendent."

After pondering for a moment, Wu Wang asked, "Could we do this? We find the external Teleportation Array, and according to its arrangement and structure, determine the focal point of the grand Formation?"

"Wuwang, you might not have studied Formations in detail," Xiao Jian Daoist smiled. "The idea is good, but since every Cultivator has different habits when setting up Formations, it's difficult for others to discern this information."

The Grand Elder added, "Sect Master, this is indeed difficult."

"In that case," Wu Wang stretched lazily, "then let's do it. Analyze each area one by one. In this vast expanse of wild mountains and hills, look for suspicious places that might be as small as the mouth of a well."

"Hall Master, go and rest," Xiao Jian Daoist said, seeing the weariness on Wu Wang's face. "We can handle these matters."

Wu Wang waved his hand dismissively. "When facing a powerful enemy, you all have to Duel; looking at maps isn't that tiring... Suqing, go prepare some refreshments and a late-night snack for everyone."

Lin Suqing agreed and glided out of the warm pavilion. Immortal Mu pattered up, clearly not wanting to do such tedious work.

Before long, the warm pavilion was covered with maps. Wu Wang and Xiao Jian Daoist walked back and forth with pens in hand, constantly discussing which terrain might conceal the grand Formation. Since the Grand Elder "knew a little" about the Cloud Mirror Law, whenever Wu Wang and the others identified a suspicious location, the Grand Elder would examine it meticulously with the Cloud Mirror.

Ling Xiaolan listened and watched from the side, gradually finding it hard to interject even half a word. Wu Wang's thoughts leaped so quickly that only Xiao Jian, with his Transcendent fast Sword Dao, could barely keep up.

Soon, the two Transcendent Realm experts went to meditate in a corner, their eyes full of admiration as they observed Wu Wang.

After a while, the Grand Elder rested his forehead on one hand, sitting aside to take a short break.

Xiao Jian Daoist and Wu Wang, holding teapots, continued discussing in front of the dozen or so freshly delivered maps.

Ling Xiaolan waited for Lin Suqing to bring tea, then left the warm pavilion with her, breathing a sigh of relief.

This subsidiary pavilion of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion was built on a steep mountaintop, and Wu Wang's warm pavilion was located in the best scenic spot, with a sea of clouds rolling below the balustrade. On a cloudless sunny day, one could look down from this point to see rivers like silvery ribbons and Villages dotted amidst stretches of green.

It was now a foggy night, the Stars dimly visible above, the earth obscured. The lights of the pavilion's various halls shone brightly, presenting a different kind of scenery.

Lin Suqing stopped at the balustrade, put down her tray, and turned to look at Ling Xiaolan, smiling as she asked, "Fairy Immortal, are you tired of listening as well?"

"I wanted to help Brother Wuwang with something." A touch of loss crept into Ling Xiaolan's eyes as she said softly, "But now I realize that my best skill is merely Dueling—and in Dueling, I'm just an ordinary Yuanxian. There's no need for you to address me as Fairy Immortal; calling each other fellow Daoists is fine."

As she spoke, Ling Xiaolan had already walked up to the railing and turned to look inside the hall. Unlike Lin Suqing, who leaned against the white jade railing with a somewhat languid and coquettish posture, Ling Xiaolan stood ramrod straight in front of the railing, her dress not touching the ground, nor her feet the wooden planks, inadvertently revealing her usually hidden, impressive figure.

Lin Suqing first glanced over, then couldn't help but take a few more looks. She lowered her gaze to her own toes and silently puffed out her chest.

Hmph, let's see who's more striking!

Ling Xiaolan watched Wu Wang's back, her almond-shaped eyes shining faintly as she quietly observed.

Lin Suqing struggled for a while before asking softly, "Fairy Immortal, after becoming an Immortal, can one reshape parts of their immortal body?"

"Hmm?" Ling Xiaolan blinked and said softly, "That's not possible, unless one has suffered grave injuries and chooses to reshape their immortal body, as it greatly impacts Cultivation. To ascend to Transcendent involves the elevation of one's essence, qi, and spirit together. Reshaping the immortal body would inevitably result in a loss of one's origin."

"Transcendent, huh..." Lin Suqing's eyes were somewhat vacant as her lithe body swayed gently like seaweed. "It's already good enough for me to have become an Immortal."

Ling Xiaolan said, "Fellow Daoist, your talent is actually excellent. There's no need to be so disheartened."

Lin Suqing pursed her lips and sighed softly before smiling and saying, "I don't actually have much confidence in Cultivation, and I'm not like you and Young Master, both of whom have top-tier talents and insights in the Human Domain. To be honest, I usually don't dare to dwell on these thoughts. One's Dao Realm decides their Lifespan, so how long can I accompany Young Master?"

Ling Xiaolan asked, "Why do you call him Young Master instead of Young...?"

"I'm afraid other people might infer his identity."

"Such a way of addressing him adds quite a bit of human touch." Ling Xiaolan withdrew her gaze from Wu Wang and turned to look at the clouds misting the mountains outside, saying warmly, "Have you heard the story of the Yan Emperor and Lady Ting Huan?"

"Of course I have," Lin Suqing laughed. "It's one of the great tales of our Human Domain."

"Lady Ting Huan is one of our ancestors from the Xuan Nu Sect," Ling Xiaolan said. "My master once mentioned that Lady Ting Huan's biggest regret before her passing was that she couldn't accompany the Yan Emperor through his last journey. Look, even the Human Emperor and Lady Ting Huan couldn't resolve such a difficulty, so why should we worry about it?"

Lin Suqing turned around, leaned on the railing, and smiled. "That makes sense indeed..."

"Which is why," Ling Xiaolan continued, looking at the similarly beautiful woman, "the pursuit of Cultivation and that of a Dao companion cannot be conflated. Dao companions accompany each other for a journey; it's unnecessary to insist on being together till the end. You may have regrets in your heart for not being able to accompany him throughout his life. He will only have memories of the life you shared. It's already good to be together, so why worry about what's to come?"

When Ling Xiaolan said these words, her whole being seemed to shine brightly.

Lin Suqing covered her mouth and chuckled, her laughter blending into the evening breeze and drifting into the hall. She said, "Does the Xuan Nu Sect also have Cultivation Techniques to teach one how to interact with a Dao companion?"

"There are no such techniques, but our elders do impart this wisdom to us." Ling Xiaolan's eyes twinkled as she softly said, "My master always tells me to be a woman who dares to love and hate. Dao companions are hard to find, true love even harder. Even if an Immortal's life is long, most of it is spent in the dry pursuit of Enlightenment."

"Then Fairy Immortal," Lin Suqing asked, "what do you think a Dao companion seeks in the other?"

"It varies from person to person," Ling Xiaolan said. "Frivolous men look for a night of pleasure; those lonely and solitary seek companionship. Male Cultivators value remarkable beauty, while female Cultivators seek handsome and talented men."

Lin Suqing looked enlightened and casually asked, "What does Fairy Immortal think about our Young Master?"

"Of course, I regard him..." Ling Xiaolan's words suddenly stopped. She turned to look at Lin Suqing, her pretty face rapidly blushing, even her neck flushing red as she chided, "How could you lead me on like this! I don't have such feelings for Brother Wuwang!"

"HEE HEE, even Fairy Immortal can say one thing and mean another."

"How is this saying one thing and meaning another? I haven't faced many hardships with Brother Wuwang, how could I have, could have... You Spiritual Silence cultivator! How dare you humiliate me, a Yuanxian!"

"We're just chatting... HAHAHA, don't come over here!" Lin Suqing laughed heartily, her joy blooming like the vibrant flowers of spring.

But Ling Xiaolan grew more irritated the more she thought about it. She extended her soft, gloved hand and even used her immortal power to create several tickling claws. Lin Suqing immediately pleaded for mercy upon seeing this and flashed to the side to dodge, leading to a bout of playful frolicking on the mountain path.

It was a stunningly beautiful scene that attracted countless curious gazes.

In the hall, Wu Wang's face wore a strange expression as he turned to glance at the now empty doorway.

Xiao Jian Daoist exclaimed with admiration, "Quite harmonious, isn't it?"

"Do not make unfounded comments, Brother Dao," Wu Wang said earnestly. "There really is nothing between Fairy Ling and me."

Xiao Jian Daoist chuckled and teasingly said, "Nothing of the nothing... what's that? HAHAHA, HAHAHAHA! Wuwang, it's normal for someone as outstanding as you to be liked. Just don't get dazzled by random beauties. Fairy Ling has quite a reputation; you should treasure her."

Wu Wang: ...

Brother, aren't you afraid of being given a hard time by the Human Emperor?

"Back to business." Wu Wang called out and continued to discuss with Xiao Jian Daoist over the map, while the Grand Elder beside them perked up, waiting for the next "Cloud Mirror detection point."

After busying themselves for three whole days, they came up empty-handed.

Both Wu Wang and Xiao Jian Daoist showed signs of fatigue, sitting on the threshold before the warm pavilion, their mood somewhat gloomy.

Xiao Jian Daoist slapped his thigh. "I shall strike the region within ten thousand miles with my Sword Qi!"

Wu Wang said, "The moment there's any movement on this side, they'd surely escape on the other. We must deliver a fatal blow... If only the Chief Elder of this Fourth Great Hall, like that Second Elder, would come out for a stroll when there's nothing to do, that would be great."

Xiao Jian Daoist asked, "By the way, how is Yang Wudi doing?"

"He should be alright." Wu Wang wrapped his Divine Thought around that mass of treasure energy, glanced at Yang Wudi's location, and couldn't help but frown and purse his lips. He instantly withdrew his Divine Thought and spat, looking disgusted.

Xiao Jian Daoist asked curiously, "What happened?"

"Don't worry about him. Into such a small cave dwelling, three women have moved in, and they are drinking together with dice cups in hand! They hardly have any clothes on!" Wu Wang cursed, "Once this matter is resolved, I truly need to settle this account with him properly!"

"HAHAHA, there are such benefits to being an inside man?" Xiao Jian Daoist laughed. "What should we do next?"

"In the outer areas of this region, we must position as many masters as possible, but do not start the search immediately." Wu Wang stood up and said seriously, "The Sun Demolition Sect should be almost ready. Their life-and-death arena with the Heaven Fire Sect is our battlefield against Qiong Qi. Prepare for the worst-case scenario. We will set out in the next few days and go there together with Brother Ji."

"The worst-case scenario is..."

"A chaotic battle between Immortals and Demons." Wu Wang clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at the morning glow on the horizon. "In the Human Domain, any casualties are our loss."

"Indeed," Xiao Jian Daoist glanced at the nearby mountain path, dusted off his Daoist robe, and stood up. "I'll go summon the troops and generals. Hall Master, you must be able to command these Sects on this journey."

Just as Wu Wang was about to remind him not to be too extravagant, Xiao Jian Daoist's figure flashed and he was gone without a trace.

Not far away, Ling Xiaolan lightly touched the ground with her toes, her long hair and skirt fluttering as she gracefully flew to Wu Wang, holding a Jade Flute in her hand.

"Brother Wuwang, I've just heard about something."

"What is it?"

"On the southwestern border of the Human Domain, more than a hundred Villages vanished overnight. The Benevolent Emperor Pavilion is investigating the cause." Ling Xiaolan's brow furrowed slightly with unease as she spoke softly, "I can't shake the feeling that... there's something ominous about this."

"More than a hundred Villages? On the borderlands?" Wu Wang pondered for a moment. "Could it be that they've been abducted... Let the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion handle the investigation."

"Yes," Ling Xiaolan bit her lower lip, then added, "Brother Wuwang, please don't take what Suqing and I were joking about the other day to heart."

Wu Wang, with his hands clasped behind him, looked at Ling Xiaolan and said with a smile, "The impression I have of you is that you're not someone who would be preoccupied with romantic affairs, but rather brave and sharp, like a sword's edge."

Ling Xiaolan sighed. "I'm just afraid you might get the wrong idea. If you were to harbor such feelings, I wouldn't know how to respond at this moment, not wanting to be too hasty, yet also fearing... missing out..."

"Don't worry, that won't happen."

Hmph!

Ling Xiaolan's brows knitted slightly. "That seems like a rather hurtful statement."

"It's mainly because I haven't allowed myself to," Wu Wang looked around, then back at Ling Xiaolan. After much thought, he decided to share his concerns with Fairy Ling. He feared nothing more than inadvertently leading her on.

"Come, let's go inside."

"Eh?" Ling Xiaolan was truly taken aback.

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