Volume 1, Chapter 513 – The Heavenly Dao Is Unpredictable

Old Immortal Nanhua’s shrill howl echoed across the vault of heaven. Amid the blinding silver flashes, a figure was sent flying, blood spraying across the sky.

The silver divine phoenix shot straight into the clouds, instantly tearing apart the thunderclouds that had blanketed the heavens.

The radiance of the great sun once more spilled over the sea. Old Immortal Nanhua no longer looked like the transcendent, immortal-like figure he had been before. His robes were in tatters, his whole body drenched in blood. A huge wound had been blasted through his chest, open clean through, and more than half his organs had been shattered.

The silver great spear had come too fiercely. Even though he had been on guard the entire time, he still had no time to react. He was gravely wounded in a single blow and left on the verge of death.

“Roar!”

The White Tiger did not miss the opportunity. The Geng Metal qi filling heaven and earth grew denser still, its razor-sharp edge biting into flesh and bone.

Brilliant rune-light blossomed in midair and transformed into countless blades, slicing through space and weaving a pale-gold mesh of knives. It condensed into a ring and dropped toward Old Immortal Nanhua’s head.

Bang!

Old Immortal Nanhua formed Dao seals with his hands and chanted true words. Billowing black smoke spread out and swallowed his form.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

Within the black smoke, countless pitch-black figures flickered in and out. The muffled thunder of war drums could vaguely be heard, and the howls of slaughter grew fiercer and fiercer. A heavy aura of deathly yin fiend energy spread out, extremely similar to the yin soldiers of legend.

Yet Geng Metal qi was the utmost in hardness and yang. Carrying astral fiend energy that was the bane of all yin and evil, the black smoke that covered the sky was hacked into pieces by the dense blade-net in an instant.

When the smoke finally dispersed, Old Immortal Nanhua was already gone.

“With wounds that severe, he can’t have gone far. Shall I pursue him?”

The White Tiger lowered its head and asked Shi Lan.

“Pursue!”

Shi Lan did not hesitate in the slightest. Letting a Supreme of the arcane arts escape was no different from letting a tiger return to the mountains. If he came back after recovering, he would undoubtedly become a tremendous threat.

“Shi Lan, send them back to the Qiongluo Realm and shut the passage!”

Reincarnation’s voice rang out abruptly, urgent in tone. A vague barrier spread outward and completely wrapped around Shi Lan.

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Hearing Reincarnation’s words, Shi Lan froze for an instant, then immediately called back the White Tiger, which had been preparing to continue the chase.

She had it return to the Qiongluo Realm together with Chijun Yu and the two rune masters, then immediately closed the passage.

The moment the passage closed, the sky, which had only just cleared, was once again covered in dark clouds. Lightning flashed wildly, more than ten thousand times more terrifying than the thunder-art divine abilities Old Immortal Nanhua had used just moments before. It almost engulfed the entire North Sea, and countless living beings emerged from the depths in fearful confusion.

This was heavenly punishment.

Looking at the clouds overhead, Shi Lan felt a chill run down her spine, and she instantly understood why Reincarnation had suddenly panicked.

“The Heavenly Dao of this world is different from that of Qiongluo. What you did earlier was a bit too reckless.”

Reincarnation let out a slight breath of relief. Had its warning come even a little later, Shi Lan might well have died, and the entire Qiongluo Realm would have been overturned.

“Chijun Yu also appeared in this world before, and nothing unusual happened then. Why is the Heavenly Dao reacting so strongly today?”

Shi Lan could not help but feel puzzled. When Chijun Yu had appeared before, the Heavenly Dao of this world had shown not the slightest rejection.

“The Qiongluo Realm has devoured too much energy. The loss of the world’s energy was far too rapid, and that alerted the Heavenly Dao. Fortunately, it hasn’t fully awakened yet, so I can barely conceal it.”

After saying that, Reincarnation warned her again:

“It has already sensed that something is wrong and is accelerating its awakening. You need to leave this world as soon as possible. Once you are discovered, the Heavenly Dao will seal the world shut and search layer by layer. You will not escape death.”

“I understand.”

Shi Lan swept her gaze over the distant void, somewhat regretful. Old Immortal Nanhua was badly wounded right now, without question the best chance to take his life, but now she could only watch helplessly as the opportunity slipped away.

“About how much time do I have left?”

Reincarnation fell silent for a moment before answering, “At most half a month, at least seven days. Once the Heavenly Dao fully awakens, a killing tribulation will surely descend upon heaven and earth. Leaving quickly is the wisest course.”

“Seven days is enough.”

Shi Lan gave a slight nod. A few days would be enough for her to settle a few remaining matters.

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…

…

The thunderclouds lingering across the sky remained for half a day before slowly dispersing. The living beings of the North Sea were badly frightened, and many of them began migrating toward land.

Some bitter cultivators hidden away on immortal mountains overseas were also forced out of seclusion by the threat of heavenly punishment and made their way to Jiuzhou.

No one dared test the might of heaven with their own body.

Because of heavenly punishment, Penglai instead grew much quieter. Up until Tong Yuan emerged from seclusion, all remained calm.

Even though she had already expected it, Shi Lan was still shaken when she saw Tong Yuan again.

Within that aged body, his life-force had nearly dried up completely. He looked as though he were standing on the boundary between life and death, and had even begun to carry a trace of deathly yin fiend energy, as if he might step into the Yellow Springs the very next moment.

Even so, Tong Yuan’s eyes remained calm, hiding emotions Shi Lan could not read.

Zhao Yun followed behind Tong Yuan with his head lowered. His hanging hair covered his face, making his expression impossible to see.

Tong Yuan stood atop the mountain, gazing toward Jiuzhou, a trace of attachment in his eyes. After a long while, he turned back to Shi Lan.

“You’ve been troubled these past few days, Miss.”

“You praise me too highly, Senior. If not for the preparations you made beforehand, I fear I would not have been able to fulfill your request.”

Shi Lan shook her head. If not for that spear strike of Tong Yuan’s, Penglai would certainly have been swept into the battle. She had no face to claim the credit.

“I know everything that has stirred in these past days. Nanhua does not have long to live, so there is no need to worry about him. But you, Miss, I fear you cannot remain in this world for much longer, can you?”

As a Supreme, Tong Yuan understood the Heavenly Dao far better than ordinary beings. From the heavenly punishment earlier, he had already seen some clues.

“That is indeed the case. I will be taking my leave in the next few days.”

There was no need to hide that.

“A killing tribulation is about to rise in Jiuzhou. Being able to withdraw in time is a good thing.”

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Tong Yuan gave a slight nod, then changed the subject and spoke again:

“In that case, I will not keep you any longer. I still have some private matters to arrange, so I hope you’ll forgive me, Miss.”

The meaning could not have been clearer. He was asking her to leave.

Shi Lan was puzzled for a moment, but faced with so obvious an order to see a guest out, she could not very well ask more questions. She could only cup her hands in salute.

“Take care, Senior. Until we meet… again.”

With that, Shi Lan glanced at Zhao Yun, who still stood behind Tong Yuan with his head lowered, then turned and left.

…

…

“The Heavenly Dao is unpredictable. Fate toys with us.”

Tong Yuan sat down on the ground facing the North Sea, his back hunched. His breathing gradually grew heavier, as if he were bearing a pressure too great to endure. More breath left him than entered him.

A coffin of ice settled silently beside him. Yan Yun, dressed in splendid robes, lay within it. Her complexion was rosy, her face serene, and a faint smile curved the corner of her lips.

“You’re already so grown, so why are you still like a child?”

As he gazed at Yan Yun within the ice coffin, a bitterness difficult to describe finally surfaced in Tong Yuan’s calm eyes.

“You were still in the bloom of youth. Why come to this…”

After a long while, Tong Yuan spoke again. “Zilong…”

“This disciple is here.”

At the side, Zhao Yun knelt and bowed, his fists clenched tight as he wept soundlessly, tears surging down like blood.

“The world is full of demons and monsters. Though you have already stepped into the ranks of this age’s great heroes, when faced with the blade that is the human heart, cultivation alone cannot block it.”

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“I have a few final words. Do not ask questions. Just keep them in your heart.”

“You cannot hold Penglai. Take the Immortal Scale Grass from the mountain and leave at once.”

“Chaos is about to engulf Jiuzhou. Your martial skills may be high, but you do not possess imperial talent. If you are drawn into it, then you must choose a wise lord to serve.”

“Your eldest senior brother, Zhang Xiu, is fickle and ever-changing in temperament. Once he learns of my death, he will surely stir up trouble. Your second senior brother, Zhang Ren, is too honest and straightforward, and it will be easy for others to use him.”

“After I die, you need not send word to either of them. Bury my body in the North Sea and return it to heaven and earth. As for your master’s wife…”

“Take her to the snowy summit of the Heavenly Mountain in the far south. I have an old friend there. You must guard your master’s wife’s body well. It must not suffer the slightest damage!”

Tong Yuan’s breathing grew more and more labored, and the divine light in his eyes began to scatter.

“As for Shi Lan, there is a great secret on her… her origins are extraordinary. She contains a world within her body. I have roamed the heavens, yet I have never heard of anyone who could refine an entire great world into their own body. Such a means of remaking heaven and earth is beyond what ordinary people can imagine…”

“And she…”

His voice broke off abruptly. The short, ragged sound of his breathing vanished as well. Zhao Yun suddenly raised his head. The divine light in Tong Yuan’s eyes had completely scattered, and all vitality had left him.

His Dao fruit had been cut away. He had already been like a guttering candle in the wind, and then he had forcibly passed on his cultivation. That he had endured until now was already a miracle.

Looking at Tong Yuan’s face, Zhao Yun lowered his head and knocked it heavily against the ground, his voice sounding as though it wept blood.

“Zilong can never repay in this lifetime the grace of Master’s teachings, nor the kindness of Master’s wife in guiding me.”

“But forgive this disciple for being unfilial. I cannot bear to see Master’s remains harmed. I would rather die ten thousand deaths than obey the order to bury him at sea…”

With that, he rose and looked up at the sky. A blinding bolt of blood-red lightning tore across the heavens, followed by a torrential curtain of crimson rain.

“This disciple is incompetent. I cannot even conceal the news of your death.”

“But Penglai is still Penglai…”

“Anyone who dares invade will be slain!”