“Disciple Xing Zheng requests an audience with Master,” Mo Xing Zheng announced.

Winter in Zi State always arrived earlier than in other States. Though cultivators were not afraid of wind and snow, Daosheng Tian’s disciples prided themselves on sensing nature. Thus, Mo Xing Zheng had braved the snow to arrive.

Daosheng Tian had three Floating Mountains. Two overlooked the earth, connected by iron chains to the smallest central mountain above the clouds. Here, the snow from the mortal world turned to rain, perpetually lingering in the evergreen bamboo forest.

Mo Xing Zheng bowed deeply before the bamboo forest until a crane emerged from a small path, speaking with a human voice.

“What brings Senior Brother Mo to seek Xuanzai?” the crane asked.

Mo Xing Zheng replied softly, “Recently, rumors have spread across the States, claiming Master killed Nan Fang Lord, defaming Daosheng Tian. I’ve come to request Master’s guidance to investigate the truth and clear our sect’s name. Please convey this, Crane Envoy.”

The crane remained still, lowering its head. “Xuanzai has already explained this to Dragon Lord and Sword Hero. Nan Fang Lord sacrificed herself years ago to suppress evil demons in the mortal realm.”

Mo Xing Zheng pressed, “If that happened years ago and Master knew, why was news of Nan Fang Lord’s death only revealed now? Is it related to the recently rumored orphan of Nan Fang Lord?”

The crane glanced back into the bamboo forest, as if receiving permission, then spoke:

“The death was concealed because Nan Fang Lord bore a child for an evil demon before dying. It was kept secret for two reasons: First, Senior Yigu was punished for guarding the Demon Sealing Array, leaving the child without support. Secrecy ensured her safety. Second, the child’s father was an evil demon. To protect Nan Fang Lord’s posthumous reputation, we had to painfully conceal her death. Does this answer your questions?”

“I… see,” Mo Xing Zheng responded, shocked but seeming relieved. “Master is righteous; disciples dare not doubt. Since Nan Fang Lord and others once studied under Dao Zun with Master, her orphan should be cared for. Even if Yin State won’t accept her, Zi State should take her in…”

Before he could finish, the crane stepped aside. The bamboo parted, revealing a wide stone path.

“Xing Zheng, come play a game of Go with me,” a calm voice called from the forest.

Mo Xing Zheng straightened, bowed deeply again, and followed the path to a pavilion.

Inside sat a figure, like the only streak of white in the bamboo forest, lightly tapping Go stones on the board. As Mo Xing Zheng approached, the figure spoke.

“Sit.”

Mo Xing Zheng bowed once more before carefully taking a seat.

“Forgive my intrusion, Master,” he said, observing Ying Zewei’s expression. Noticing his master’s empty cup, he refilled it. “You’ve drunk this Cicada Dew for so many years. Have you never thought of trying something else?”

Ying Zewei shook his head slightly. “Other wines intoxicate. Only this one doesn’t.”

“Disciple doesn’t understand.”

“All people can be intoxicated, but the leader of Daosheng Tian must remain sober.” He changed the subject. “You didn’t come just to discuss wine, did you?”

Mo Xing Zheng’s face showed unease. “Today is Senior Brother’s death anniversary.”

Go stones clinked back into their box as Ying Zewei looked up. Mo Xing Zheng had already knelt to one side.

“Senior Brother strayed from the path, attempting to uncover Dao Zun’s secrets, and perished. But he was still the heir you nurtured. Twenty years have passed. Please forgive him and allow his memorial tablet to return to Minquan Hall.”

As he spoke, the surrounding rain seemed to slow. Mo Xing Zheng knew he might have angered his master and prepared for punishment. But after a long moment, Ying Zewei murmured indiscernibly.

“I… once hoped more than you… that he could return.”

After all, that disciple had been so brilliantly talented. Everyone believed he would be the next Master of the World.

— But why did you have to cling to your meaningless persistence, never turning back?

As if heaven responded to his sigh, the void outside the pavilion rippled. A voice, incongruous with the bamboo forest’s atmosphere, called out:

“Xuanzai! Something’s happened at Youquan Valley!”

Mo Xing Zheng recognized the voice as one of Daosheng Tian’s most mysterious and powerful reclusive masters, known to the outside world as Dao Tian Shangshi. Before he could hear more about Youquan Valley, Ying Zewei gestured, cutting off his hearing.

… What about Youquan Valley? What was Master discussing with Dao Tian Shangshi?

Full of curiosity, Mo Xing Zheng was surprised to see Ying Zewei close his eyes as if divining something, then smile chillingly.

“Master?” He hadn’t seen Ying Zewei smile in a long time, but this smile sent shivers down his spine.

Outside, bamboo leaves swirled, opening a path through the void. Mo Xing Zheng watched Ying Zewei enter, leaving behind words that seemed both joyful and mocking:

“… Good disciple, you’ve truly made me happy.”

…

Si State, Wuyuan Mountain.

Within a hundred miles of Youquan Valley’s entrance, tens of thousands of cultivators had gathered, mostly demonic cultivators from Si State and some spies from Chen State.

“Heavens, even the Righteous Law Palace has mobilized, and a Dao Tian Shangshi has descended!”

“The Righteous Law Palace has always been Daosheng Tian’s puppet. Their joint action isn’t surprising, but what’s happening in Si State? How did they suddenly oppose Daosheng Tian?”

“Never mind, report back to the Dragon Capital quickly.”

At Youquan Valley’s original entrance, a massive divine seal blocked the way. To prevent the entrance from dissipating, eight cultivators of indiscernible power levels formed an array in the distant sky, continuously channeling spiritual power to maintain the seal.

Among them sat an elderly man with frost-white hair and a crane-like visage, perched on a chair that resembled a miniature mountain. From afar, one could see waterfalls cascading and herons circling.

Nearby demonic cultivators, two or three miles away, watched in awe.

“What terrifying aura.”

“Those eight masters must all be ninth-grade array masters! Is this Daosheng Tian’s true power?”

“But this is Si State’s territory. Daosheng Tian arrived uninvited, breaking the rules. Why hasn’t Senior Huo Wuji acted?”

“Senior Huo Wuji alone might struggle to drive them away!”

As the demonic cultivators debated, four more Nascent Soul realm disturbances appeared in the void. Moments later, figures tore through space.

“Brother Huo, we’re late. You’ve worked hard.”

Three women and one man, all Nascent Soul realm demonic cultivators, arrived. Their demonic aura expanded, darkening half the sky.

Huo Wuji, cross-legged, nodded slightly. “The Dao Tian Shangshi has sealed Youquan Valley’s outer space. Half of my divine sense and Zhu Sui’s body are trapped inside. Please help me reopen the entrance.”

The demonic cultivators were eager to act but found the entrance blocked by Daosheng Tian’s overwhelming spiritual power. They turned to the Dao Tian Shangshi.

“If we’re not mistaken, you’re Daosheng Tian’s Six御 Shangshi. A few hundred years ago, we’d have called you senior. Why have you come uninvited?”

The crane-faced elder on the stone seat barely opened his eyes, unfazed by the four Nascent Soul demonic cultivators.

“This ghostly place is a great menace. I’ve come to purify the world,” Six 御 Shangshi said.

His words were both unreasonable and contemptuous.

One of Tianxie Dao’s female Nascent Soul cultivators, her eyes flashing with anger, transmitted to the others: “Each Daosheng Tian Dao Tian Shangshi has unfathomable cultivation. Though we outnumber him, only I have entered the First Decay stage. Let’s disrupt this seal to free Brother Huo’s divine sense, then we can negotiate.”

The others nodded. One stayed to protect Huo Wuji’s body while the other three appeared before the divine seal.

Six 御 Shangshi slowly opened his eyes. “I don’t wish to fight. Juniors, step back.”

As he spoke, the illusory waterfalls from his stone seat materialized, pouring down on the three demonic cultivators.

“Turning illusion into reality with a word… this Shangshi must have passed the Third Decay,” the three thought bitterly. The gap between cultivators who had and hadn’t entered the Five Decays was vast. They couldn’t match him without paying a price.

As the two sides clashed, a third force appeared.

“I am Ao Shuang, sent by the Dragon Lord with the Prison Demon Marquis’s decree to retrieve our reckless imperial son. Would Six 御 Shangshi please make way?”

Though Ao Shuang’s cultivation was inferior, his seniority was high. Six 御 Shangshi, constrained by an old acquaintance, slightly softened and stood with his staff. “Friend Ao Shuang, this is merely a place of evil ghost disturbance. I can handle it. Why trouble yourself?”

Ao Shuang smiled. “Family matters are best resolved by family. Unless… Shangshi has some untellable story he’s unwilling to share with an old friend?”

Six 御 Shangshi now felt awkward, as he lacked justification in Si State territory. The atmosphere grew tense.

Suddenly, one of the array masters protecting the formation coughed blood and shouted, “A ghostly creature in Youquan Valley is out of control!”

As he spoke, the entrance wavered. All Nascent Soul cultivators acted, using their ultimate skills to tear open a spatial rift.

“Brother Huo, come out quickly!”

The rift was highly unstable, likely lasting only four or five breaths. Six 御 Shangshi flashed inside as soon as it opened.

“Six 御!” Ao Shuang called out.

Six 御 Shangshi returned almost immediately, his face dramatically changed. A strand of primordial spirit carrying dozens of figures burst out of the rift.

The three demonic cultivators at the entrance quickly caught one person: “Miss Mian… Huh? Your face…!”

Among those carried out by Huo Wuji’s half-primordial spirit was Li Mian. Trembling, her face wrapped in white cloth, she twisted in terror. “Quick, run… I want to go home. Daosheng Tian’s people have gone mad. They want to be Yama, releasing ten thousand ghosts to destroy Si State!”

Everyone was shocked by her words.

Six 御 Shangshi angrily shouted, “Nonsense!”

A demonic cultivator who had also been sent outraged, “Is it? Wasn’t that demon cultivator called Yin sent by you to destroy our Si State’s Golden Core cultivators? When the Hell Tower collapsed and the Yin Curser tide devoured everything, only he and Zhu Sui were safely enclosed in one place!”

“What about the others?”

The remaining escaped demonic cultivators said bitterly, “They activated some technique. Those who died… all turned into Yin Cursers obeying their commands!”

As they finished speaking, Zhu Sui’s figure finally appeared at the entrance just before the rift closed. Everyone retreated in shock.

Even Six 御 Shangshi was speechless: “Zhu Sui, you…”

Zhu Sui was surrounded by over a hundred Yin Cursers with familiar faces. The demonic cultivators retreated while exclaiming in shock.

“That… that’s my sect’s uncle master. Why has he become a Yin Curser? And why is he following him?!”

Zhu Sui’s eyes were blood-red. He seemed to want to say something but couldn’t speak no matter how he clutched his throat. He anxiously sought Six 御 Shangshi, but the Yin Cursers followed him like shadows, like servants.

Seeing this, Ao Shuang exploded in anger: “Daosheng Tian is the world’s foremost sect. How can a Nascent Soul cultivator from your ranks indiscriminately kill and practice ghost techniques? How can this set an example for the world?”

The weight of universal condemnation was truly unbearable. At this moment, Six 御 Shangshi’s expression changed, showing respect as he stepped aside.

Suddenly, the wind and sand stilled. A shadowy figure appeared beside Six 御 Shangshi, arriving silently without tearing through space like other Nascent Soul cultivators.

“Ah!” Zhu Sui rushed forward in wild joy, seeking help. But as he approached, a sudden change occurred.

The Yin Cursers who had been closely following Zhu Sui suddenly turned to flee. In an instant, they were slain by an invisible sword.

Zhu Sui was also killed. As he fell, he stared in disbelief at the person before him.

“Destroying the primordial spirit… how ruthless…” Everyone was stunned into silence.

The killer, watching his disciple fall to the yellow sand, spoke softly in apology.

“Daosheng Tian forbids disciples from colluding with evil demons. Is this explanation satisfactory to everyone?”

In the silence, Ao Shuang said, “Since Xuanzai has made this clear, let’s end here for today. There’s a spatial transmission disturbance to the north. The life jade indicates it’s likely our imperial son. We’ll go search for him now. Farewell.”