Chapter 6021 - 6025

Meanwhile, in Yu Ranran’s elegant pavilion,

Kai stood by the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of buildings, landing on the divine envoy who was being fawned over.

Yu Ranran had been temporarily lured to the adjacent quiet room under the pretext of researching a meditation array requiring absolute silence.

As Kai had subtly observed, the guards outside the pavilion were indeed much more lax than in the previous two days, with longer intervals between patrols.

Especially the secluded paths leading to the treasury area, which were now almost deserted.

“A divine envoy… a sixth-grade Immortal…”

Kai muttered to himself, a cold glint in his eyes.

This was an opportunity—an opportunity to contact the divine race, obtain intelligence, and perhaps even find the whereabouts of the Soul Refining Crystal!

Yu Wuji, that old fox, had suddenly relaxed his surveillance; his intentions were obvious—he wanted to use someone else to kill, or test their strength.

Since that was the case, then so be it!

Kai’s figure flickered, as if blending into the shadows, and he silently left the elegant pavilion.

He didn’t rush to the treasury immediately. Instead, like the most patient hunter, he stealthily moved along the deliberately loosened paths, using his understanding of the Jade Immortal Mansion’s formations and the concealing properties of chaotic power to avoid all possible eyes and ears.

The treasury was a heavily guarded area.

But at this moment, due to the arrival of the divine envoy, most attention was drawn to the area at the main entrance of the treasury where offerings were exchanged.

Kai appeared like a ghost in a secluded corner behind the treasury.

There was a hidden small door there, used for emergency evacuation or transporting special supplies, with complex restrictions on it.

But all of this was not insurmountable for Kai, who possessed some of Fei Qing’s memories and chaotic power.

Chaotic gray light flickered at his fingertips, like the most skillful key, gently probing into the restriction nodes, silently “paralyzing” and “assimil” them temporarily.

The small door quietly opened a crack.

Inside the treasury, the lights were bright.

Yu Wuji was personally accompanying Envoy Yun Ting as he inventoried piles of shimmering spirit crystals, medicinal herbs, ores, and other offerings.

Several divine guards were scattered on guard.

Kai seemed to blend into the boundary between light and darkness, his aura completely concealed, his gaze swiftly sweeping across the storeroom.

His target wasn’t these ordinary offerings, but… the location of the Soul Refining Crystals!

Based on Fei Qing’s memories and the information he’d gleaned from Yu Ranran over the past few days, the Soul Refining Crystals should be stored in the deepest part of the storeroom, in the Xuanbing Chamber, a place personally protected by Yu Wuji!

He moved like a slippery fish through the shadows of the massive shelves and mountains of supplies, avoiding the occasional storeroom steward, and stealthily made his way towards the direction he remembered.

Deep within the storeroom, the temperature noticeably dropped.

A heavy, black iron door, inscribed with icy runes, appeared before him, its surface shimmering with light and radiating a chilling aura.

It was the Xuanbing Chamber!

Just as Kai was about to try and break down the door, suddenly, he heard soft footsteps and voices behind him!

It was Yu Wuji and Envoy Yun Ting, who had just completed the transaction, walking towards this direction!

It seemed Yu Wuji was showcasing the treasury’s resources to the envoy, or… was he deliberately leading the envoy here?

Kai’s heart skipped a beat, and he instantly flashed behind a pile of tall ice-attribute ore, completely concealing his aura.

“Envoy, please look, this is the Xuanbing Chamber, where some special materials are stored,”

Yu Wuji’s voice came, carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension.

Envoy Yun Ting walked to the door of the Xuanbing Chamber, sensing the fluctuations of the restrictions on the door, and nodded: “The protection is adequate. Lord Yu, is the unfinished Soul Crystal condensed here?”　　“Indeed,”

Yu Wuji replied. “It will take several more days before it can be retrieved.”

Envoy Yun Ting stared at the door of the Xuanbing Chamber, his eyes flashing. Suddenly, he said, “Open it. I want to see the progress with my own eyes.”

Yu Wuji’s expression changed slightly: “Envoy, the condensation process cannot be disturbed. What if…”

“I know what I’m doing.”

Envoy Yun Ting’s tone was unquestionable, carrying the arrogance unique to the divine race. “Or is it that Lord Yu has something… that’s inconvenient for me to see?”

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Kai, hiding in the shadows, sneered inwardly.

This old fox, Yu Wuji, was indeed up to no good. He deliberately led the envoy to the location where the Soul Refining Crystal was stored, wanting to use the envoy’s hand, or perhaps Kai himself who might be lurking nearby, to stir up the situation!

A look of struggle flashed across Yu Wuji’s face. Finally, he sighed, seemingly giving in: “Since the envoy insists… so be it.”

He stepped forward, made a hand seal, and released several beams of spiritual light, which landed on the door of the Xuanbing Chamber.

The runes on the gate lit up one by one, the chill intensified, and it emitted a low rumble as it slowly opened inward.

A purer, colder aura, mixed with a faint, unsettling wave of resentment, emanated from within.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Yun Ting’s eyes as

he stepped into the Xuanbing Chamber. Just as his foot was about to step into the chamber…

a sudden change occurred!

A hazy gray sword light burst forth without warning from the shadow of the pile of ice-attribute ores beside him!

Its speed was extreme, as if it had broken through the limitations of space, aiming straight for Yun Ting’s vital point in the back! Wherever the sword light passed, even the air emitted a faint hissing sound as it was being eroded and annihilated!

It was Kai’s long-awaited fatal strike!

The target was not Yu Wuji, but this divine envoy!

Yun Ting, as expected of a sixth-grade Upper Immortal, reacted extremely quickly!

The instant the sword light struck his body, a dazzling silver divine light erupted from him, and a close-fitting inner armor automatically appeared. Simultaneously, his body forcefully twisted to the side!

*Swoosh!

* The hazy sword light pierced through the silver divine light, leaving a deep mark on the high-grade inner armor, almost piercing it through!

Residual chaotic energy seeped into his body, causing the Yun Ting envoy to groan and his face to turn pale instantly!

“How dare you!”

The Yun Ting envoy, filled with shock and anger, turned and shouted fiercely. At the same time, a flash of light appeared in his hand, and a longsword, gleaming silver and crackling with lightning, appeared in his grasp. He slashed fiercely in the direction from which the sword light had come!

However, Kai retreated immediately after the attack, not bothering to linger.

His figure, like a ghost, once again disappeared into the shadows, rushing towards the outside of the warehouse!

His purpose had been achieved: to attack the envoy, create chaos, and test the envoy and Yu Wuji’s reactions!

“Stop him!”

The Yun Ting envoy was furious; someone had actually dared to attack him inside the Jade Immortal Palace’s warehouse!

This is an utter disgrace!

He moved like lightning, giving chase, his thunderous sword light tearing through the air!　　Yu Wuji also shouted urgently, “Assassin! Protect the envoy! Close the treasury! Capture that thief!”

He directed the guards who rushed to the scene, seemingly cooperating fully to capture the assassin, but a strange, almost imperceptible glint flashed deep in his eyes.

Kai’s figure moved like a ghost, weaving through the intricate palaces, corridors, gardens, and rockeries of the Jade Immortal Mansion.

He wasn’t fleeing aimlessly, but deliberately using the terrain and the mansion’s formations to constantly disrupt the vision and senses of the relentlessly pursuing Yun Ting Envoy.

The power of chaos granted him near-perfect stealth abilities; if Yun Ting Envoy hadn’t used a divine secret technique to lock onto his faint remaining aura, he would have already shaken him off.

After several close calls, Kai even deliberately lured Yun Ting Envoy’s attacks into several unimportant treasuries and gardens, creating even greater chaos.

Finally, like a slippery eel, he narrowly escaped back to the Yu Ranran Pavilion before Yun Ting Envoy’s furious thunderous sword energy struck.

At this moment, the seemingly lax guards around the Xiu Pavilion had already been alerted and were tensely setting up their defenses.

Kai, however, slipped in like a wisp of smoke through a tiny gap in their defenses and instantly returned to the pavilion.

He quickly changed out of his slightly damaged outer robe, let his hair down, and made it appear as if he had just come out of the meditation room to study formations.

Almost the instant he finished doing all this, hurried footsteps and shouts came from outside.

Yu Wuji, with a face full of shock and anger, followed by the envoy Yun Ting, whose face was ashen and whose breathing was unsteady, and a large number of guards who were on high alert, surrounded the Xiu Pavilion.

“Search! Don’t miss any corner! That assassin must have escaped into this area!”

Yu Wuji ordered sharply, his gaze sweeping across the pavilion, and he met Kai’s eyes, who had just come out of his room after hearing the noise. A complex emotion, difficult to describe, flashed deep in his eyes.

The guards rushed into the Xiu Pavilion like wolves and tigers, ransacking the place, not even sparing Yu Ranran’s boudoir and meditation room.

Yu Ranran was also startled by the commotion outside. She emerged from her quiet room and, seeing the scene, was both shocked and furious: “Father! What are you doing?! This is my place!” ”

Ranran, an assassin infiltrated the treasury and attacked Envoy Yun Ting. He may have fled here. I’m searching for him,”

Yu Wuji reassured her, while discreetly observing Kai’s reaction.

Kai’s face showed appropriate surprise and concern: “An assassin? Attacked the envoy? Lord, is the envoy injured?”

Envoy Yun Ting clutched his chest, where the wound, still throbbing from the corrupting power of chaos, was terribly grim.

His sharp gaze swept over Kai like a knife, then across the entire Xiu Pavilion.

This young man looked frail, and his aura was indeed only around the eighth rank of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, completely different from the ruthless and unpredictable assassin from before.

But… for some reason, he felt something was amiss.

The guards searched for a full half hour, turning the Xiu Pavilion inside and out, but naturally found nothing.

“My lord, no trace of the assassin has been found,” the guard captain reported, forcing a smile.

“Useless!”　Yu Wuji feigned rage, “Continue the search! Expand the search area! Seal off the entire inner palace, don’t let a single fly out!”

Envoy Yun Ting raised his hand, stopping Yu Wuji’s performance.

He looked coldly at Yu Wuji, his voice filled with suppressed anger: “Lord Yu, I was attacked in your heavily guarded treasury. The assassin moved freely within your residence, finally disappearing without a trace near your daughter’s residence… Shouldn’t you give me a reasonable explanation?”

The atmosphere instantly plummeted to freezing.

All the guards fell silent, even Yu Ranran felt the suffocating pressure.

Yu Wuji took a deep breath, a helpless expression on his face: “Envoy, please calm down. This matter… alas, it is shameful to say. In recent years, there have always been some… restless cultivators who harbor resentment towards the Divine Race and have often criticized my Jade Immortal Palace for its allegiance

to the Divine Race.” “They dare not confront us directly, so they often cause trouble in secret, either by spreading rumors, stealing resources, or even… like this time, they have dared to attack the envoy, intending to damage the relationship between my palace and the Divine Race and put my palace in an unjust position!”

He spoke earnestly, directing the blame towards the cultivators who resisted the Divine Race.

“When I was attacked, the assassin used strange and unheard-of power, definitely not that of an ordinary cultivator.”

Envoy Yun Ting stared at Yu Wuji, pressing him relentlessly. “Lord Yu, your treasury is heavily guarded. How did that assassin infiltrate? And how did he know my whereabouts so accurately, ambushing me in front of the Xuanbing Chamber?”

“This…”

Yu Wuji looked troubled. “The treasury’s restrictions are complex. That assassin might be an expert in formations. As for his whereabouts… the envoy’s arrival was quite grand; perhaps someone with ulterior motives secretly spied on him.”

“It’s all my fault for lax management and negligence, allowing the thief to take advantage! I have ordered a city-wide curfew, sealing off all passages, and I will definitely find the murderer and hand him over to the envoy for punishment!”

He was respectful, taking responsibility upon himself, while reiterating that he would do everything in his power to investigate.

Envoy Yun Ting’s eyes flickered, clearly not entirely believing Yu Wuji’s explanation.

The possibility of Jade Immortal Palace plotting something under his nose was far greater than any attempt by rebellious cultivators to infiltrate and assassinate him.

However, at this moment, he was alone deep within the core of Jade Immortal Palace. Although he had brought some guards, if he truly broke ties with Yu Wuji, he might not fare well.

Moreover, he was slightly injured, and the strange gray power made him quite wary.

After a moment’s hesitation, the envoy Yun Ting coldly snorted, “Fine, I’ll trust you this once. Lord Yu, I hope you can give the Divine Punishment Hall a satisfactory explanation as soon as possible.”

“As for the Soul Crystal… since it hasn’t been completed, I won’t linger. The offering has been handed over, and I will return immediately to report. Lord Yu, take care!”

He gave Yu Wuji a deep look, then glanced at the seemingly innocent Kai and the disgruntled Yu Ranran beside him, before turning away with a flick of his sleeve. Leading his divine guards, he left Jade Immortal Palace with a gloomy face amidst Yu Wuji’s “respectful farewell.”

He needed to collect the offerings elsewhere as soon as possible, then immediately return to the Hall of Divine Punishment to report today’s events, especially Yu Wuji’s unusual behavior and the situation of the strange assassin, to the Venerable One.

Watching the envoy Yun Ting’s carriage disappear into the horizon, the respect and sorrow on Yu Wuji’s face slowly faded, replaced by a deep calm.

He dismissed his guards, leaving only a few trusted confidants to guard the outer perimeter of the Xiu Pavilion.
“Ranran, go back to your room and rest. I have something to say to Mr. Chen,”

Yu Wuji said to his daughter, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Yu Ranran glanced at Kai worriedly, and seeing him nod slightly at her, she reluctantly returned to her room.

In the small hall outside the Xiuge Pavilion, only Yu Wuji and Kai remained.

The atmosphere was eerily quiet.

Yu Wuji slowly walked to the main seat and sat down, his gaze sharp as he scrutinized Kai.

After a long while, he finally spoke, “Mr. Chen, impressive skills.” Kai’s expression remained unchanged. He poured himself a cup of tea and took a small sip. “Why do you say that, Lord Yu? I’ve been studying formations here all this time and am unaware of what’s happening outside.”

“Heh.”

Yu Wuji chuckled, but his smile lacked warmth. “The warehouse assassin, he attacked and retreated in an instant, his movements unpredictable, his strength peculiar. He could move freely within my residence and finally disappeared near Ranran Pavilion… Mr. Chen, do you think such a coincidence is possible?”

Kai put down his teacup and looked up at Yu Wuji. “Does Lord Yu suspect me?”

“It’s not doubt.”

Yu Wuji leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a knife. “It’s certainty. Although you concealed it well, that gray, annihilating power—in the entire Jade Immortal Mansion, besides you, I can’t think of anyone else.”

Kai was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, but his smile carried a hint of coldness: “Since Lord Yu has already seen through it, why ask such a pointless question? And why deliberately relax the guards to create an opportunity for me?”

“Because I want to know who you really are and what you want.”

Yu Wuji said, enunciating each word clearly. “Now that Envoy Yun Ting is gone, it’s just you and me here. Can we be frank?”

Kai’s smile faded, his eyes becoming deep and sharp. The aura of a powerful figure was no longer deliberately concealed; although it was still the fluctuation of an eighth-grade Celestial Immortal, it brought a subtle pressure to Yu Wuji.

“Since the Lord of the Palace inquires, then this junior will no longer conceal anything,”

Kai said slowly. “My name is Kai, and I do indeed come from the lower realm. I have come here to seek out two old acquaintances, seniors Mu Sha and Liu Qingyin.”

Upon hearing these two names, Yu Wuji’s pupils contracted slightly, and the fingers on the armrest tightened imperceptibly.

“It seems the Lord of the Palace knows them.”

Kai stared at Yu Wuji. “This couple was publicly beheaded at Fallen Soul Slope for the crime of leaving the Heavenly Realm without permission and spying on forbidden matters, and their souls were refined into soul crystals. Was this matter ordered by the Lord of the Palace himself?”

Yu Wuji remained silent, not denying it.

After a long while, he let out a long breath, his eyes filled with complex emotions: “That’s right, it was I who gave the order. But the reasons are not as simple as they are publicly stated.”

“I would like to hear the details.”

Kai’s voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

“Musa and Liu Qingyin…”

Yu Wuji seemed to be recalling something, “They weren’t just simple stowaways. They seemed to know something… about how the gods truly controlled the Thirteen Heavens, and their true purpose in collecting Soul Crystals.”

“They were secretly contacting some forces dissatisfied with the gods, trying to do something.”

“I don’t know the specific details, but they sneaked into the vicinity of the warehouse, seemingly trying to steal or verify something, and were discovered by the formation.”

“The gods quickly received the news and put pressure on me, ordering me to deal with them immediately, to execute them without fail, and to refine their souls into Soul Crystals using the Soul Refining Formation and hand them over.”

He looked at Kai, his tone tinged with helplessness: “Although I am the lord of a manor, I have little choice in front of the gods.”

“Disobeying the divine decree, Jade Immortal Mansion is in danger of destruction in an instant. As for Musa and Liu Qingyin, I… feel ashamed, but I had no choice.”　　Kai processed this information, his heart filled with a mixture of anger and grief, but reason kept him calm. “So, where is their Soul Crystal, numbered Jiaxu 73?”

“In the Xuanbing Chamber,”

Yu Wuji said frankly, “but I cannot give it to you.”

“Why?” Kai’s eyes turned cold.

“Because this is my, and also the lifeline of the Jade Immortal Palace,”

Yu Wuji said solemnly. “The Divine Race collects Soul Crystals periodically, with strict rules and purposes. If I secretly give you this Soul Crystal, how will I explain myself when the next envoy comes?”

“At that time, the Divine Race will surely be furious and investigate thoroughly. Once they discover that the loss of the Soul Crystal is related to me, no one in the entire Jade Immortal Palace will survive.”

“Young friend Chen, I understand your desire to save your old friend, but on my shoulders lies the survival of millions of lives in the entire Jade Immortal City,”

Kai said silently.

What Yu Wuji said was indeed the truth. Forcibly

taking the Soul Crystal would be tantamount to pushing the Jade Immortal Palace to its doom, and would also alert the Divine Race, making them even more vigilant.

“You killed Tu Gang, Tu Meng, and Fei Qing, right?” Yu Wuji suddenly asked.

Kai nodded: “Yes. They were merely executors, but their hands were stained with the blood of my old friends.”

Yu Wuji’s face showed no anger, but rather a hint of sarcasm: “Well done. Fei Qing, on the surface, was loyal to me, but in reality, he had long been secretly bribed by the Divine Race and was my biggest informant.”

“I was held back in many ways because he was watching me. The Tu brothers were his henchmen, and their deaths were not a pity. By eliminating them, you have saved me a lot of trouble.”

Kai looked at Yu Wuji with some surprise.

It seemed that this Lord of the Palace harbored a much deeper resentment and vigilance towards the Divine Race than it appeared on the surface.

“Lord of the Palace, Yu, today you allowed me to attack the envoy and have been so frank with me here. I’m afraid you didn’t just want to tell me these things, did you?”

Kai, with his keen insight, asked directly.

Yu Wuji gave Kai a deep look, leaned back, and his eyes flashed with a gambler’s shrewdness.

“Young friend Chen, you possess extraordinary skills, boundless potential, and exceptional courage, yet you clearly have a grudge against the Divine Race. Today, your ability to injure Yun Ting, though aided by a sneak attack, demonstrates that you indeed have the resources to contend with or even confront the Divine Race.”

“I, Yu Wuji, refuse to be the Divine Race’s dog for eternity, forced to be subservient and perform such heinous acts of extracting souls!”

“But I lack the power to resist. The four Venerables of the Divine Punishment Hall are like four insurmountable mountains.”

“Helping you today is also helping myself. I want to take a gamble, betting that you, Kai, or the power behind you, have the ability to shake the Divine Race!”

His voice was low but filled with determination: “I cannot give you the soul crystals of Mu Sha and his wife for now. But I can promise that, given the right opportunity, I will find a way to help you obtain them and explore whether it is possible to awaken or preserve their remnant souls.”

“At the same time, I can provide you with some intelligence about the Divine Race in the Eastern Region, cover your activities in Jade Immortal City and even Azure Nether Immortal Continent, and even… provide you with necessary support at crucial moments.”

“In exchange,”

Yu Wuji’s gaze was intense, “I want your promise that if you truly have the ability to fight against the gods, in the future… you must help my Jade Immortal Palace break free from control and gain true freedom!”

“And, you must not harm Ranran. Her love for you is genuine.”　　Kai listened quietly, his mind racing.

Cooperating with Yu Wuji was undoubtedly extremely risky; exposure would mean certain death for both of them.

But the benefits were also obvious: a powerful ally within the God Clan’s controlled territory, an ally who understood the God Clan’s workings, and a glimmer of hope to rescue Senior Mu Sha and his wife.

It was indeed a high-stakes gamble. But Kai had come for revenge and to uncover the truth, already disregarding life and death.

He stood up, walked to Yu Wuji, and extended his hand.

“Lord of the Palace, your frankness today is admirable. I will avenge Senior Mu Sha and investigate the secrets of the God Clan.”

“If given the opportunity, I am willing to join hands with you, Lord of the Palace, to fight for justice for the Jade Immortal Palace and for the oppressed beings of the Thirteen Heavens!”

Kai’s hand clasped tightly with Yu Wuji’s, a fragile alliance formed.

But the flames of revenge and investigation in Kai’s heart did not subside; instead, they burned even more fiercely.

Merely injuring Yun Ting was far from enough.

He needed to delve deeper and make more direct contact with the core of the God Clan!

“Lord Yu…”

Kai released his grip, his gaze intense. “Will Envoy Yun Ting return directly to the Divine Punishment Hall after leaving?”

Yu Wuji shook his head. “No. His trip is routine for collecting offerings and soul crystals from several forces in the Eastern Region. Yu Immortal Mansion is just one stop along the way.”

“According to custom, he will continue to the next location, which should be the Xuanbing Valley in the northern part of the Eastern Region. He will only return to the Divine Punishment Hall to report after all his missions are completed.”

“Xuanbing Valley… how long will it take to get there?” Kai pressed.

“It could take half a day at the fastest, or a day at the slowest. His jade carriage isn’t slow, but it carries a large amount of offerings and follows a fixed route and handover procedure, so it won’t be too fast.”

Yu Wuji seemed to have guessed Kai’s thoughts and frowned. “Young friend Chen, you wouldn’t happen to be…”

“That’s right.”

A cold glint flashed in Kai’s eyes. “I want to keep this Yun Ting envoy here permanently. Then, I’ll use his identity for my own purposes.”

“Absolutely not!”

Yu Wuji blurted out, his expression grave. “Yun Ting is a sixth-grade Upper Immortal, and an elite member of the Divine Race. He’s not someone to be trifled with.”

“He also has dozens of Divine Race guards with him, none of them ordinary. Although you can injure him, the odds of winning a direct confrontation are uncertain.”

“Moreover, if a Divine Race envoy dies abroad, the Divine Punishment Hall will be furious and will send even stronger individuals to investigate. The risk is too great!”

Kai, however, seemed confident: “Lord, there’s no need to worry. I’m confident in a direct confrontation.”

“As for the risks… since I’ve decided to be an enemy of the Divine Race, I’ve already disregarded life and death.”

“If I can infiltrate the Divine Race’s stronghold as Yun Ting, gather intelligence, and even uncover the secrets of the Soul Crystal, this risk is worth taking.”

He paused, looking at Yu Wuji. “Besides, this is the first step in our cooperation, isn’t it? If I can’t even handle an injured Yun Ting, how can I talk about shaking the Divine Race?”

Yu Wuji looked at Kai’s calm yet incredibly confident eyes, and his heart trembled.

This young man was not only incredibly audacious, but also seemed to possess some kind of hidden trump card.

Perhaps… he really could do it?

After pondering for a long time, a decisive glint flashed in Yu Wuji’s eyes. Since the bet had already been placed, why not go even higher!“Alright!”

Yu Wuji said in a deep voice, “After Yun Ting leaves my Jade Immortal City, his route to the Profound Ice Valley will inevitably pass through Black Wind Gorge.”

“The terrain there is treacherous, the spiritual energy is chaotic, and there are often spatial turbulences, making it an excellent location for an ambush. I can give you a detailed route map.”

“However…”

he solemnly instructed, “You must kill him in one strike, leaving no survivors or traces!”

“Moreover, Yun Ting must possess a secret treasure or restriction that allows him to urgently contact the Divine Punishment Hall. We must be extremely careful, and it would be best to instantly imprison his soul to prevent him from transmitting messages or self-destructing!”

“I understand.”

Kai nodded.

Soul searching was originally his plan.

He not only wanted to kill him but also to obtain his memories.

The two discussed in secret for a while and finalized the details.

Yu Wuji gave Kai a clearly marked route map and information about the various ways Yun Ting might possess to protect himself and communicate.

Kai then entered the Demon Suppression Tower, using the time inside to further adjust his state, digest what he had gained from his dual cultivation with Yu Ranran, and push his combat power to its peak.

While only half a day had passed outside, dozens of days had gone by inside the tower.

Kai quietly left the Xiuge Pavilion, still avoiding the lax guards, and like a ghost in the night, he left the Jade Immortal Mansion, speeding towards the Black Wind Gorge indicated by Yu Wuji.

He didn’t use any overly conspicuous movement techniques or magical treasures, only simulating ordinary escape light with the power of chaos, yet his speed was incredibly fast.

Black Wind Gorge is located between two towering mountain ranges that are perpetually shrouded in black gales.

The gorge is deep and rugged, with strange black whirlwinds howling year-round. These whirlwinds can not only disrupt divine sense but also interfere with spatial stability and communication fluctuations to a certain extent, making it a natural treasure trove for murder, robbery, ambush, and assassination.

Kai arrived ahead of time, carefully surveyed the terrain, and chose a section of the gorge where the cliffs on both sides were steep and the black whirlwinds were most violent and chaotic.

He didn’t set up a complex formation, but instead quietly merged his own chaotic power with the surrounding disordered spiritual energy and raging black whirlwind, as if he had become part of the canyon environment, his aura completely disappearing.

He lay in wait like the most patient hunter.

About two hours later, the familiar cry of a phoenix and the sound of a chariot cutting through the air came from the horizon.

A magnificent chariot pulled by a three-headed jade phoenix, surrounded by dozens of silver-armored guards, was flying towards Black Wind Gorge along the predetermined route.

Inside the chariot, Envoy Yun Ting’s face was still gloomy. Although he had temporarily suppressed the injury to his chest caused by the chaotic power with a divine secret technique, it still ached faintly, making him extremely depressed.

The details of the attack on Jade Immortal Mansion kept replaying in his mind, as well as Yu Wuji’s seemingly respectful but secretly cunning behavior, and doubts arose one after another.

“Speed ​​up and pass through the canyon ahead,”

Yun Ting ordered in a deep voice. The environment of Black Wind Gorge was harsh, and he instinctively didn’t want to stay any longer.

The chariot accelerated and plunged into the canyon.

Just as the chariot reached the narrowest point of the canyon, where the black whirlwind was at its most violent, another unexpected event occurred!　　From the seemingly empty pile of rocks below, a figure suddenly soared into the sky without warning!

There was no elaborate spellcasting, no massive energy fluctuations, only a condensed, almost ethereal gray finger strike, seemingly capable of devouring all light, silent yet lightning-fast, aimed directly at the core of the carriage!

The target was none other than the Cloud Serpent Envoy seated within!

This single strike contained all of Kai’s current essence, energy, and spirit, as well as the purest annihilation properties of chaotic power!

Its power was several times greater than the sneak attack in the warehouse!

“Enemy attack!”

The Cloud Serpent Envoy’s hair stood on end, his sense of crisis instantly overwhelming him!

He roared, unleashing his divine power without reservation. Layers of defensive divine light instantly illuminated the carriage, and he retreated rapidly, attempting to break through the carriage to escape!

However, he was still a fraction too slow!

That hazy, gray finger force seemed to ignore spatial distance, forcefully corroding a path through layers of divine light defense, and precisely striking the envoy Yun Ting’s brow!

*Poof!

* A soft sound.

The envoy Yun Ting’s retreating figure abruptly froze!

His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, horror, and despair.

A tiny gray dot rapidly spread from his brow, and wherever it passed, flesh, bones, and even the soul hidden within, silently turned to ashes like a weathered sand sculpture!

He didn’t even have a chance to crush the emergency communication jade talisman in his robes!

One move, instantly killing a sixth-grade Celestial Realm divine race envoy!

“Envoy!”

The surrounding silver-armored guards were utterly horrified, but their reaction was swift. They instantly formed a battle formation, unleashing a torrent of divine light, magical treasures, and spells upon the figure that had appeared!

Kai ignored the attacks, his figure blurring as he appeared beside the slowly falling corpse of Envoy Yun Ting, his hand resting on its head.

Soul Search!

A massive amount of memory fragments, carrying the cultivation methods of the Divine Race, intelligence on various forces in the Eastern Region, some information about the Divine Punishment Hall, and some vague understanding of the collection and use of Soul Crystals, flooded into Kai’s sea of ​​consciousness like a tidal wave.

He quickly filtered and extracted the key information, while simultaneously using the power of chaos to protect his own soul from any potential backlash from the Divine Race’s soul restrictions.

At the same time, the chaotic power around him spread out like an invisible domain. The divine light and magical treasures that bombarded him vanished the moment they entered the domain’s range, quickly dimming and dissipating, unable to get close at all!

“Monster…monster!”

The silver-armored guards were terrified.

Their attacks were completely ineffective against the enemy?!

Kai had now completed the initial soul search of Yun Ting’s memories, a look of understanding and coldness flashing in his eyes.

He raised his head, looking at the terrified Divine Race guards.

To cut the weeds, one must pull them out by the roots.

He moved again, transforming into a gray streak of light, weaving through the battle formation of the silver-armored guards.

Wherever he passed, chaotic energy surged, and whether it was sturdy silver armor, fierce attacks, or vibrant life, all were quickly annihilated and dissipated under that gray light.　There were no screams, no fierce resistance, only a silent and efficient massacre.

In just a dozen breaths, the canyon returned to calm.

Kai hovered in mid-air, holding several storage rings and key tokens from the Yun Ting envoy.

He closed his eyes, light and shadow swirling around him, his bones crackling slightly, his face, figure, and aura rapidly changing.

A few breaths later, another Yun Ting envoy appeared.

A moon-white star-patterned robe, an arrogant and sinister face, the fluctuations of a sixth-grade Upper Immortal, even the haughtiness of a god and a trace of lingering melancholy from injury in his eyes were perfectly imitated.

Kai stretched his neck, sensing this new identity.

From Yun Ting’s memories, he learned the complete route of this inspection tour, the handover between various forces, some of the rules of the Divine Punishment Hall, and even… some chilling speculations about the ultimate use of Soul Crystals.

His original plan was to impersonate Yun Ting and go directly to the Divine Punishment Hall to investigate.

But the information obtained from the soul search made him change his mind.

The Divine Punishment Hall was heavily guarded, with four Venerables stationed there year-round. His rash departure at this moment would be extremely risky; a slight misstep could expose him.

Moreover, Yun Ting’s memories showed that the Divine Race had special methods for verifying the identity of envoys, not simply relying on appearance and tokens, but also requiring verification of a unique divine imprint.

Although Kai could imitate auras, he couldn’t completely replicate this imprint, which involved the core of the Divine Race, and a forced attempt would easily expose him.

“Since I can’t go to the Divine Punishment Hall for the time being…”

Kai’s lips curled into a cold smile, “then I’ll make good use of this identity and do something else.”

His gaze fell on the list of forces Yun Ting was about to visit in his memories.

Xuanbing Valley, Lieyang Sect, Qingmu Sect… these were all powerful sects in the Qingming Immortal Continent of the Eastern Region, requiring them to pay huge tributes to the Divine Race every year.

“Including massive amounts of Yuan Crystals, rare medicinal herbs, rare mineral deposits, and… those chilling Soul Crystals. ”

“Cultivation resources are always better in abundance,”

Kai muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming.

Having just arrived in the Thirteenth Heaven, although his opportunities were good, resources were paramount for rapidly increasing his strength to prepare for potential future battles.

The Jade Immortal Palace’s resources were limited, and using too much would easily arouse suspicion.

Now, with the divine envoy as a front, he could openly…collect some.

This wasn’t just about amassing wealth; it was also a further test of the various forces’ attitudes towards the divine race. Perhaps he could even discover those like Yu Wuji who outwardly obeyed but inwardly resentful, and maybe even find clues about more secrets of the divine race. With

the plan set, Kai didn’t delay any longer.

The magnificent jade phoenix chariot, with its three jade phoenixes, remained as majestic as ever.

At the same time, he transformed the corpses of the dozens of silver-armored guards into puppets, each one expressionless, awaiting Kai’s commands!

Kai boarded the chariot and, mimicking Yun Ting’s usual demeanor, leaned lazily against the soft couch. He commanded the void, “Depart, to Xuanbing Valley.”

The chariot turned and, surrounded by dozens of silver-armored guards, flew off towards Xuanbing Valley with great pomp.

Thus began a special journey ostensibly undertaken by envoys of the divine race, but in reality, to plunder and investigate.