Chapter 649: Factions of the Central Region

"The hunt begins."

The man's voice faded, but the group before him showed no reaction.

One person crossed their arms, staring at him coldly.

Another openly scoffed, making no effort to hide it.

"..."

The man swept a cold gaze over the crowd.

"Did you not hear me?"

"Hey, hey, hey. You're just the guide for this trip. Don't start thinking you're actually the boss."

A youth in a t-shirt and jeans sat cross-legged on the ground. He grabbed his ankles with crossed arms, the corners of his mouth tipping up.

The man frowned.

He had known this group would be difficult to lead, but he hadn't expected even calling for the start would be this hard.

"You want to challenge me?"

The man looked at him.

As if waiting for those exact words, the youth leaped to his feet with a kip-up.

"We could give it a try."

He beckoned, orange weird energy surging around his body.

"..."

The man's frown deepened. After a few seconds, he spoke indifferently.

"Fine. I'll oblige you."

A weapon materialized in his hand—something resembling a cross between an axe and a halberd.

Behind him, black and white weird energy churned.

Seeing a battle on the verge of breaking out, the crowd chose to watch from the sidelines, amusement flashing in their eyes.

It didn't matter to them who won. It wouldn't prove anything anyway.

Even though both men were renowned figures outside...

So was everyone else here.

Unless they were those monsters at the very top of the rankings...

None of them truly believed they would lose to anyone else.

But right then, a figure stepped out of the crowd.

"Let it go, you two."

It was a slender woman dressed in a pale purple gauze dress. Her lips were bright, her teeth white, and the curve of her neck smooth as jade.

What drew the most attention were her eyes, which were covered by a strip of black silk. It gave her a distinct, alluring charm.

The moment she spoke, everyone's attention snapped toward her.

Not because of her beauty, of course. Who among them wasn't a heavenly prodigy of their own region? Even beauty had its limits, and they had long since stopped being swayed by superficial appearances.

The reason they paid attention to her was her identity.

[Yongle].

That was the name of the organization behind her.

It sounded like an organization associated with pleasure and entertainment.

In truth, it was nothing of the sort.

The name originated from an ancient text from a distant era.

That ancient text was said to be a dazzling masterpiece of its time. It encompassed classics, history, philosophy, and literature. It covered astronomy, geography, yin and yang, medicine, divination, Buddhist and Daoist scriptures, drama, crafts, agriculture, and countless other fields. It was truly the crown jewel of that era.

Unfortunately, it was later lost.

Her organization had adopted this name because they were the know-it-alls of the Central Region.

They traded with every faction. They never made enemies, nor did they ever form true alliances.

They slipped through the cracks between the various powers. Despite having only seventeen members, they knew over ninety percent of everything that happened in the Central Region.

However, this auxiliary "role" didn't mean they were weak.

Once, a man had been hunted down because [Yongle] leaked his information. By sheer luck, he survived.

Not long after, he staged a comeback. After acquiring a certain item, he consecutively killed several Divine Envoys and slaughtered his pursuers.

He sent out word, warning the members of [Yongle] to be careful when they went out, declaring he would lie in ambush for them.

But on the very night he issued that threat...

He vanished.

In the truest sense of the word.

No one knew where he went. Not a single trace or whisper of him remained.

And this was just an insignificant footnote in the organization's history.

Rumor had it they had once used certain methods to ally with other factions and hunt down a Demigod from the Inner World.

"Everyone, I think rather than wasting time here, it would be better to quickly find 'Yi'."

The woman spoke softly.

"I believe everyone is perfectly clear on what being first on the rankings means. If they are allowed to truly mature, I imagine many of you will have no reason to participate in the upcoming Day of Godhood."

"..."

Hearing her words, the crowd's expressions grew a bit more serious.

Indeed, a rank-one who had appeared out of nowhere was the very reason so many of them had joined forces in the first place.

The woman continued evenly.

"This time, we of [Yongle] are willing to provide all clues regarding 'Yi'. This is simply to ensure that everyone can compete on the same starting line when the Day of Godhood arrives."

"As for that person's identity, we haven't yet investigated it thoroughly, but... the Lord behind me has already expended his origin to locate their position."

She turned her head, as if her gaze could pierce through the black silk and look off into the distance.

"They are in the south."

Hearing this, everyone was tempted.

Naturally, someone still stepped forward to voice their doubts.

"The one backing you should be a Demigod. Are you saying that even after expending his origin, he couldn't pinpoint their exact location?"

The woman shook her head and replied softly.

"The Day of Godhood is imminent. The Lord is unwilling to pay too heavy a price right now, and we of [Yongle] also require a certain degree of self-preservation."

Faced with this explanation, the crowd let go of their doubts.

The man in the silver-white robe let out a cold snort. Stowing his axe-halberd, he tapped the ground lightly and vanished into the horizon as a streak of light.

He left behind a single sentence.

"Since you refuse to be led, we'll fight our own battles, life or death be damned. But if I catch anyone using this as an excuse to infight, don't blame me for stepping in."

After he left, the rest of the figures also scattered.

Just as he'd said, out of the more than thirty people present, only a few actually had ties with one another. The instant they disbanded, they split into several small groups.

There were also quite a few lone wolves, whether due to eccentric tempers or sheer arrogance. A few seconds later, only three figures remained.

The woman from [Yongle], the youth in the white t-shirt and jeans, and Yin Tianhuang.

"Miss Youlan."

Yin Tianhuang looked at the woman and smiled.

"I wonder if I might travel with you."

He had his own plans. He felt the woman still hadn't revealed everything, and by traveling with her, he hoped to coax out more information.

Aside from that, there were a few other matters he wanted to consult her about.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Youlan shook her head.

"I have already arranged to travel with someone else. I am truly sorry, Mr. Yin."

Rejected, Yin Tianhuang's face stiffened in embarrassment, but he maintained his grace. Taking a deep breath, he nodded.

"If that is the case, I'll take my leave."

With that, he turned and left. With a single step, he traversed thousands of meters, vanishing into the distance.

Only after confirming the two weren't following him did his expression turn completely frigid.

"Fuck."

He spat out a curse.

Arranged to travel with someone else, his ass.

To him, it was nothing but an excuse.

She just didn't think much of his talent, nor did she find his battle record impressive. It had to be something like that.

Before coming to the Central Region, he had undoubtedly been the most dazzling genius in all of Yueyin.

But after arriving in the Central Region, everything changed.

He wanted to climb higher, only to find the path ahead densely packed with people.

Some worked harder than him; others had better talent.

And then there were those who were both more talented and worked harder.

The massive disparity had once nearly shattered his Dao heart.

Until later.

He finally discovered where his true talent lay, allowing him to claw his way step by step to where he was today.

That was...

Ruthlessness.

It was true that some worked harder than him, and some were more talented.

But no one was more ruthless.

To him, his current resources were merely stepping stones. As long as he could keep climbing, he could endure any humiliation and abandon anything.

"Just you wait," he muttered softly, heading off into the distance.

Once his plan succeeded, once the Day of Godhood truly arrived, he wouldn't spare that foolish woman a single glance even if she begged him.

...

...

"Why did you stop me just now?"

Only after Yin Tianhuang left did the youth in the white t-shirt and jeans finally speak. He looked at the woman, his tone dissatisfied.

"That guy Lin Mo really takes himself too seriously. I needed to teach him a lesson."

"You can't win."

Zheng Youlan spoke calmly, delivering what were, to the youth, the most hurtful words possible.

Had it been anyone else, he might have already flown into a rage.

The faction behind him and the one behind Lin Mo had always been irreconcilable. The two of them had fought openly and covertly for years without a clear victor. To be told to his face that his strength was inferior to his rival's—how could he possibly swallow that?

But it was her saying it, which left the youth momentarily stunned.

He had experienced the power of her eyes firsthand. Even though she couldn't see physical objects, she could see things of a far more essential nature.

"That's impossible..."

After a long silence, that was the only sentence that escaped his lips.

In his view, it was absolute nonsense, but Zheng Youlan was the one saying it. The clash in his foundational logic left him with nothing but this stubborn retort.

"Nothing in this world is impossible."

Zheng Youlan recited her catchphrase before looking at Ning An.

"Lin Mo has already walked his own path to completion. He's no ordinary Divine Envoy anymore; he has already received certain hints from the Deities."

"Before Advent Day arrives, he might even attain a Divine Throne."

At those words, Ning An's eyes widened. Then, like a deflated balloon, he pursed his lips and squatted on the ground.

"Let's go."

Zheng Youlan said.

But Ning An didn't move.

"Go my ass. I'm going back to cultivate."

"Your own path can no longer be perfected through secluded cultivation. Let's go."

Zheng Youlan said slowly.

Ning An still didn't budge.

Until Zheng Youlan let out a sigh.

"I've already calculated it. The completion of your own path lies in this hunt."

"...Really?"

Only then did Ning An leap up from the ground, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Oh man, I knew you were the best, Sister Lan!"

"Save it," Zheng Youlan said slowly. A rare look of helplessness surfaced on her face, half-covered by the black silk.

"Let's go."

Hearing this, Ning An nodded and blew a breath of air.

A massive bird constructed of white bones emerged from the clouds in the sky.

Its wings were so vast they blotted out miles of the sky. From a distance, it looked like a massive dark cloud plummeting rapidly.

No wonder it had looked like an overcast day nearby; its wings had been blocking out the sun.

Yet, this terrifyingly gigantic bird now hovered above Ning An and Zheng Youlan with absolute obedience.

[Shijie]—this was the Pathway for all of Ning An's Rituals.

The organization behind him was called the [Underworld].

And Ning An was one of its Ten Halls of Yama.

More accurately, he was the first among the Ten Halls of Yama.

The two hopped onto the bird's back. Ning An sat cross-legged and called out.

"Hold on tight, Sister Lan! We're off!"

"Swoosh—"

Almost as soon as his voice fell, the giant bird spread its wings and flapped them once. Its massive figure shot forward like a streak of light.

Fierce winds howled past them. Zheng Youlan wrapped her arms tightly around Ning An's waist, just as they used to do when they were children.

"Sister Lan, did your boss really not see that guy's exact location?"

Ning An asked.

"Why don't you leak a little intel? We can just head straight there and finish him off ourselves."

Sometimes, Zheng Youlan deliberately obfuscated the truth in front of outsiders, and Ning An assumed this time was no different.

He just wanted to get this over with quickly so he could go back to seeking his own path.

But this time, Zheng Youlan didn't reply immediately.

Several minutes later, she finally spoke in a muted voice.

"I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone else."

"Come on, tell me. When have I ever leaked anything you've told me?"

Ning An grumbled, displeased that she was doubting his character.

"The Lord did calculate it."

Zheng Youlan spoke softly, her words so quiet they were instantly scattered by the rushing wind.

"But he couldn't see it. Even sacrificing his origin wasn't enough. He was even injured."

"What did you say?!! I can't hear you!"

Ning An yelled back, his words bringing a slight, irrepressible smile to her lips.

This was a tacit understanding between them.

It meant...

Keeping the secret safe.

...

...

"Phew—"

Retracting the weird energy in his hands, Yan Jing let out a long breath.

Thanks to the woman before him, he now had a completely renewed understanding of his current strength, his weird energy, and his abilities.

"Please, I beg you. Let me go."

The bound woman stared at Yan Jing, her eyes brimming with tears. This wasn't some delicate, pitiful weeping; it was born of genuine terror.

But in truth, she didn't look all that miserable.

Quite the opposite, in fact... she looked a little too well.

She was absolutely glowing. Her complexion was rosy, and there wasn't a single wound on her body.

If not for the stark terror written across her face and the incessant trembling of her body...

One might have thought she was on vacation.

"What are you talking about?"

Yan Jing smiled.

"I've only just adapted to my current body. I haven't even started the next stage yet."

'The next stage?'

The woman froze, watching as something materialized in Yan Jing's hand. It was a...

Heart.

It was a semi-transparent heart.

Its texture was like a Crystal, and a faint red hue coated every facet like plum blossoms.

Staring at this object, the woman's eyes snapped wide open.

The sheer magnitude of her shock was no less than visiting a humble peasant for dinner, only to discover they were raising hundreds of thousands of cattle.

No, it was far more exaggerated.

She shuddered uncontrollably.

She had never seen this item before, but she had heard of it. Well, not this exact item, but a rumor very similar to it.

Rumor had it that one of the ten monsters currently standing at the pinnacle of the Central Region had relied on just such a crystal-textured heart to suppress dozens of Divine Envoys who had sought his life.

And subsequently, he had earned the favor of the Deity presiding over the [Death] Pathway.

Earning a Divine Throne as a result.

The moment the Day of Godhood commenced, he would directly enter the Demigod Realm Stage.

And right now, Yan Jing had taken out something nearly identical.