Chapter 6251 - 6260
He gripped the Dragon-Slaying Sword tightly and charged forward again.
This time, his sword was faster, more ruthless, and more decisive.
Yunxi stood at a distance, watching the battle, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
She could see that although Kai fought fiercely and relentlessly, Ning Zhi clearly still had strength to spare.
Every attack Kai launched was precisely neutralized by Ning Zhi; every burst of energy from Kai was calmly dealt with by Ning Zhi.
If this continued, Kai would eventually be exhausted, and then it would be a matter of life and death.
She gripped her sword tightly, her ghostly energy surging around her, preparing to intervene.
“Yunxi, don’t.”
Kai’s voice suddenly came, his tone firm and unquestionable, “This is between him and me, don’t interfere.”
Yunxi bit her lip, her eyes filled with resentment, but ultimately she didn’t move.
She knew Kai’s temperament.
When he said he didn’t want her to interfere, he really meant it.
If she forced her way in, Kai wouldn’t be grateful; instead, he would be angry.
This was his pride, and also his stubbornness.
The battle continued.
Kai fought with increasing ferocity, his golden dragon bloodline boiling to its limit.
He felt like a piece of steel thrown into a furnace, being forged and tempered by fire. Every strike carried the resolute determination of burning life itself. The
dragon patterns on the Dragon-Slaying Sword shone brightly, the entire sword emitting a blinding golden light, as if it might explode at any moment.
Every line on the blade pulsed and burned, the divine weapon, passed down for countless years, responding to its master’s will.
Ning Zhi gradually abandoned his frivolous expression, a hint of solemnity appearing in his eyes.
He could sense that Kai’s strength was still increasing during the battle, seemingly without limit.
Each strike was heavier than the last, each attack more ferocious than the last.
This terrifying talent of growing stronger with each battle filled Ning Zhi with dread.
“This guy…”
A trace of resentment flashed through Ning Zhi’s mind.
He had given so much.
He fell into the demonic path, enduring the pain of demonic backlash;
he devoured the cultivation of countless powerful beings, bearing sins he could never wash away;
he abandoned his former self, becoming an existence even he himself was unfamiliar with.
All of this was what earned him his current strength.
But what about Kai?
He had just reached the fourth rank of the Upper Immortal Realm, yet his combat power was no less than his.
What gave him the right?
What gave him the right to always be one step ahead of him?
A ruthless glint flashed in Ning Zhi’s eyes.
“Kai, you are indeed very strong,” he said coldly, “but not enough.”
Before his words had even finished, the demonic energy around him surged violently.
That demonic energy was no longer the faint, almost imperceptible form it had been before, but rather erupted from his body like a volcanic eruption, blotting out the sky and dyeing the entire sky black.
Within the demonic energy, faint cries of ghosts and wolves could be heard, the resentment left behind by the powerful beings he had devoured, the sins he bore.
He threw a punch.
This punch was unlike any of his previous punches.
The fist energy was as black as ink, but it was no longer simply black.
Within that inky blackness, a dark red light swirled, countless twisted faces wailed, and a terrifying power capable of destroying everything coalesced.
It was his all-out attack, a strike powerful enough to level a mountain.
Kai gritted his teeth and swung his sword to meet it. He knew he couldn’t withstand this punch, but he couldn’t retreat.
Once he retreated, his momentum would dissipate, and there would be no chance to turn the tide.
The Dragon-Slaying Sword let out a mournful cry, as if it too knew this was the final collision.
“Boom—!”
This strike was ten times more powerful than any before.
The golden light and demonic energy exploded simultaneously upon collision, transforming into a visible shockwave that spread outwards at supersonic speeds.
Wherever the shockwave passed, the ground was ripped apart, rocks were pulverized, and the air was compressed into a tangible mass, emitting a piercing shriek.
The protective array of Holy Light Peak trembled violently under this attack, and countless cracks appeared on the golden shield, like an eggshell about to shatter.
The spirit stones in the array’s core were instantly drained of all their spiritual power, turning into grayish-white powder. Dozens of elders maintaining the grand formation simultaneously coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground.
Kai was blasted away like a golden meteor, crashing heavily onto the ground hundreds of feet away.
The impact created a crater several feet deep, filled with scorched earth and shattered rocks.
He struggled to stand, but every bone in his body groaned and every muscle trembled.
The Dragon-Slaying Sword was stuck in the ground beside him, its light dimmed to a minimum, emitting a faint whimper.
Blood seeped from his mouth, nostrils, and ears—a sign of internal organ injury.
He knelt on one knee, gasping for breath, his vision blurring.
Ning Zhi fared no better.
He was forced back more than ten feet by the recoil, his feet carving two deep furrows in the ground.
His black clothes were torn in several places by the sword energy, one of which even grazed his arm, blood dripping from his fingertips.
He glanced down at his wound, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
How long had it been since he’d been injured?
Since falling into the demonic path, since gaining his current power, he hadn’t tasted the bitterness of injury in a long time.
“Kai…”
he murmured, his tone tinged with complexity.
On Holy Light Peak, Yao Chen watched this scene, a glint of light in his eyes.
The opportunity had arrived.
Kai was severely injured, and Ning Zhi had also expended considerable energy.
This was the perfect moment for him to strike.
If he could eliminate both of them now, the Divine Hall could completely remove two major threats and rest easy from then on.
He pondered: Kai had a grudge against the Divine Hall; keeping him alive would only bring trouble sooner or later.
Although Ning Zhi seemed uninterested in the Divine Hall, who knew if he might change his mind?
Rather than waiting for Ning Zhi to free up his hands, it’s better to act now, help Ning Zhi deal with Kai first, and then find an opportunity to strike at Ning Zhi.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend; Ning Zhi surely understands this principle.
As long as he shows sufficient sincerity, Ning Zhi shouldn’t refuse.
“Pass down the order to activate the mountain-protecting formation,” Yao Chen said in a deep voice.
The guardian elder was shocked: “Hall Master, what are you doing?”
Yao Chen didn’t answer. With a flash, he led several True Immortal Realm elders away from the mountain-protecting formation and flew towards the battlefield.
Yun Xi was the first to spot them, shouting sharply, “Kai, be careful!”
Kai was struggling to stand up from the pit. Hearing Yun Xi’s warning, he tried to retreat, but it was too late.
Yao Chen struck out with a palm.
The golden palm print, carrying the terrifying power of a True Immortal Realm expert, descended like a mountain from the sky, aiming straight for Kai’s back.
This palm strike was as fast as lightning, extremely ruthless, and showed no mercy. Wherever the palm print passed, the air was compressed into a tangible form, emitting a piercing shriek.
Caught off guard, Kai barely managed to dodge the fatal blow, but was struck on the shoulder by the palm strike. “Bang!”
The sound of bones cracking was clearly audible.
His shoulder caved in instantly, and he was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground dozens of feet away, spitting out blood.
“Kai!”
Yun Xi was furious, drawing her sword to charge at Yao Chen, but Kai stopped her with a raised hand.
Kai struggled to his feet, his left arm hanging limply at his side, the bones in his shoulder shattered, every movement causing excruciating pain.
He looked at Yao Chen, his eyes filled with coldness, but a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth. “The head of the Divine Hall? Is this how your Divine Hall behaves? Taking advantage of someone in distress?”
Yao Chen’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, “There’s no need to follow any rules when dealing with an arrogant fool like you. You destroyed my Holy Light Domain’s Holy Pure Sect and insulted the dignity of my Divine Race; you deserve to die.”
He turned to Ning Zhi, his face instantly plastered with a smile, and cupped his hands, saying, “Senior Ning Zhi, I am Yao Chen, the head of the Divine Hall. I
have long admired your name, and meeting you today, I can see it is indeed well-deserved. Senior has a grudge against Kai, and so do I.
I am willing to lend you a hand to deal with this fiend. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. What do you say, Senior?”
Ning Zhi looked at him without speaking.
His gaze was terrifyingly calm, as if he were looking at a dead man.
Yao Chen was overjoyed, thinking Ning Zhi was considering it, and quickly continued, “Senior, the Divine Hall has been operating in the Holy Domain of Light for tens of thousands of years, with a profound foundation. If we can join forces, the Divine Hall is willing to provide full assistance to you in your future endeavors in the Holy Domain of Light. Whether it’s resources, intelligence
, or manpower, please don’t hesitate to ask.” He paused, then added, “Senior, rest assured, I have no other intentions than to sincerely wish to befriend you. This Kai is ruthless and indiscriminately kills innocent people; everyone has the right to punish him. It is perfectly reasonable for me to join forces with you, Senior.”
Yao Chen spoke eloquently, his eyes full of expectation.
In his mind, Ning Zhi had no reason to refuse.
The Divine Hall was one of the oldest forces in the Holy Domain of Light; with the Divine Hall’s assistance, Ning Zhi’s actions in the Holy Domain of Light would be much more convenient.
Moreover, he had taken the initiative to show goodwill, adopting such a humble posture; Ning Zhi wouldn’t refuse him.
But he was wrong.
Ning Zhi looked at him and suddenly smiled.
The smile was faint, yet it carried undisguised mockery and disdain, as if looking at a clown.
“Yao Chen?”
he repeated the name softly, his tone playful and somewhat nonchalant. “You just said, ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’?”
Yao Chen nodded hastily, his face beaming. “Exactly, exactly. Senior has a grudge against Kai, and I also have a grudge against Kai. It’s only natural for us to join forces.”
Ning Zhi shook his head, looking at him like he was looking at an ignorant child.
“Yao Chen, haven’t you made a mistake?”
He stepped forward slowly, each step leaving a deep footprint in the ground. The soil around the footprints was corroded by demonic energy, instantly turning into charred powder.
“You think you’re worthy to be my friend?” Ning Zhi’s face was full of sarcasm.
Yao Chen’s smile froze instantly, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him.
Ning Zhi continued, “Your Divine Hall, claiming to be the righteous path, secretly captures demonic cultivators and rogue cultivators, conducting those shameful bloodline experiments. For your own selfish gain, you turn living people into monsters, letting them die in agony. This behavior is even worse than that of the demon race.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but every word was like a hammer blow to Yao Chen’s heart.
“With your kind of trash, you dare to talk to me about cooperation? You dare to call yourselves ‘enemies of enemies’?” Ning Zhi’s mockery deepened.
Yao Chen’s face turned pale, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. He hurriedly said, “Senior, there must be some misunderstanding! Our Divine Hall…”
“Misunderstanding?”
Ning Zhi sneered, interrupting him, “I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears. You call that a misunderstanding?”
He raised his right hand, and a wisp of black demonic flame quietly appeared in his palm.
The demonic flame was small, but it emitted a chilling temperature, distorting and scorching the surrounding air.
“How many demonic cultivators has your Divine Hall captured? How many people have you killed? Those demonic cultivators you captured, those rogue cultivators you used as experimental subjects, their wronged souls are still wailing in that dense forest. Do you think I don’t know?”
Yao Chen trembled all over, subconsciously taking a step back, his voice changing tone: “Senior, I… I’m doing this for the future of the Divine Race… If we don’t become stronger, the Divine Hall will eventually follow in the footsteps of the Divine Temple…”
“The future of the Divine Race?”
Ning Zhi interrupted him again, his eyes full of disdain.
“Do you think I don’t know what you’re planning? You want to use me to deal with Kai, and then reap the benefits after we’ve both been weakened.
Or, you want to use my influence to strengthen your Divine Hall, and then find an opportunity to kick me aside. Yao Chen, I can see through your scheme at a glance.”
Yao Chen’s face changed drastically, his lips trembling as he tried to explain, but Ning Zhi didn’t give him the chance.
“Yao Chen, the worst thing you could do was treat me like a fool.” Ning Zhi’s voice was terrifyingly calm, but beneath that calm was a killing intent capable of destroying the heavens and the earth.
“You think I’d cooperate with you? You’re not even worthy to carry my shoes,”
Ning Zhi sneered.
Yao Chen finally panicked, completely panicked.
His legs went weak, almost kneeling down, his voice trembling as he pleaded, “Senior, I had no such intention! I just… I just…”
Ning Zhi wouldn’t listen to his nonsense.
He raised his hand and struck out with his palm.
The black demonic flames that had been churning in his palm suddenly erupted!
It wasn’t the casual flame he’d used against the divine power before, but a true, all-out world-destroying flame.
The demonic flames spewed from his palm, initially just a thin pillar of fire, but in an instant, the pillar of fire expanded to tens of feet thick, transforming into a ferocious black fire dragon, baring its fangs and claws as it pounced on Yao Chen!
Wherever the fire dragon passed, space was torn open with a huge rift, revealing the pitch-black void within.
The spatial fragments at the edge of the rift melted and evaporated in the demonic flames, emitting a piercing shriek.
A deep trench, several meters deep, was scorched into the ground. The soil at the edge of the trench melted under the intense heat, turning into dark red magma that bubbled and bubbled.
Yao Chen was horrified and desperately channeled all the spiritual power within his body.
His holy light shield was like paper before the demonic flames, torn to shreds the moment it touched him.
He summoned his protective artifact, the golden mirror that had been with him for thousands of years, but it only lasted for less than a breath in the demonic flames before shattering into countless fragments.
He turned to flee, but the fire dragon was too fast, so fast that he didn’t even have time to react.
The demonic flames instantly devoured his protective holy light, his physical body, and his soul.
“No—!”
Yao Chen let out a bloodcurdling scream, his voice filled with resentment, confusion, and despair.
He died without understanding why Ning Zhi would kill him.
He was clearly helping Ning Zhi, clearly wanting to cooperate with him, clearly having lowered his stance and abandoned his dignity, so why…
The demonic flames dissipated.
Yao Chen’s body turned to ashes, vanishing into the world.
The elders who had followed Yao Chen didn’t even have time to scream before being engulfed by the demonic flames and instantly killed.
Their bodies burned in the demonic flames for less than a breath before completely turning to nothingness, leaving not even bones.
But the demonic flames didn’t stop there.
After devouring Yao Chen, the fire dragon continued forward, crashing directly into the protective array of Holy Light Peak.
Boom—!
The entire Holy Light Peak trembled.
The protective array, strengthened by countless ancestors of the divine halls over tens of thousands of years, was like paper before Ning Zhi’s demonic flames, instantly torn open with a huge gap.
The golden light shield melted and evaporated rapidly under the scorching demonic flames, turning into countless golden specks, like a golden rain.
Cracks spread outwards from the breach, dense and numerous, like a spider web.
In just a few breaths, the entire formation collapsed, the golden light shield completely dissipated, revealing the trembling Holy Light Peak within.
The buildings on the mountain swayed precariously in the aftershocks of the demonic flames, countless palaces and pavilions collapsed with a deafening roar, debris flying everywhere, and dust billowing.
The disciples of the Divine Hall scattered and fled, their cries, screams, and pleas for mercy mingling together, echoing throughout the entire mountain.
Ning Zhi withdrew his hand, looking at the scene before him with a calm expression, as if he had just done something insignificant.
The entire scene was deathly silent.
On Holy Light Peak, the surviving disciples of the Divine Hall collapsed to the ground, trembling all over, lacking even the courage to flee.
They looked at the black-clad figure at the foot of the mountain as if looking at an invincible demon god.
Yun Xi looked at Ning Zhi with fear in her eyes, instinctively shielding Kai behind her.
Ming Li gripped his Ghost Blade tightly, standing in front of Liu Qianqian, his palms sweating profusely.
Yun Yao hid behind Kai, trembling all over, unable to utter a word.
Kai calmly looked at Ning Zhi, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.
Ning Zhi turned to Kai, “What, are you surprised?”
Kai didn’t answer.
Ning Zhi said indifferently, “People like Yao Chen deserve to die. They claim to be righteous, but behind the scenes they do despicable things. Although I’m not a good person, at least I despise this kind of scum.”
He paused, his gaze turning icy.
“That’s enough for today. We’ll fight again when we have another chance.”
With that, he turned and transformed into a black streak of light, disappearing into the distance.
The streak of light tore through the sky, leaving a long gash in the clouds that took a long time to heal.
Ning Zhi wasn’t stupid. He knew that in a life-or-death situation, Yun Xi would definitely intervene. With Kai and Yun Xi joining forces, he
would be no match. Furthermore, Ning Zhi wasn’t worried about Kai running away. As long as Su Yuqi was with him, Kai wouldn’t give up.
Ning Zhi even wanted to see Kai die at Su Yuqi’s hands.
Kai stood there, watching Ning Zhi’s departing figure, speechless for a long time.
Yun Xi walked to his side and whispered, “This Ning Zhi… who exactly is he?”
Kai was silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
“A madman.”
He turned around and looked towards Holy Light Peak.
That once majestic and sacred mountain now had its protective array broken, most of its palaces and pavilions collapsed, and disciples of the Divine Hall were fleeing everywhere. It no longer resembled a sacred place.
“Let’s go, I still have things to discuss with the Divine Hall.”
He strode towards Holy Light Peak.
Although his left arm still hung limply at his sides, although blood still clung to the corner of his mouth, and although every step aggravated his wounds, his back stood ramrod straight, like a drawn sword.
Yun Xi followed behind him, and Ming Li and Liu Qianqian also caught up.
Yun Yao wiped away her tears, mustered her courage, and followed as well.
The five figures headed towards the dilapidated mountain peak.
Kai quickly found a guardian elder trying to escape inside the ruined palace of the shrine!
Upon seeing Kai approach, the guardian elder knelt down with a thud, weeping bitterly.
“Grandpa, spare me! Grandpa, spare me…” This guardian elder had witnessed Kai’s strength and was already terrified.
“Do me a favor now, and I’ll let you go,”
Kai said to the guardian elder.
“Grandpa, just say it, I’ll do anything…”
the guardian elder nodded repeatedly.
Kai took out the soul crystal containing the remnant souls of Musa and her husband and said, “This is a soul crystal refined by the temple. There are two remnant souls inside. I know that your temple has the ability to release the remnant souls inside the soul crystal and make them directly form a soul and then restore their physical bodies.” Hearing Kai’s words, the guardian elder was slightly taken aback.
His kneeling body trembled violently, cold sweat mixed with dust dripping from his forehead, leaving dark streaks on his face.
His name was Zhou Yuanlang, a guardian elder of the Divine Hall for three thousand years, his cultivation barely touching the threshold of the True Immortal Realm. He was usually a respected figure in the Divine Hall.
But at this moment, he didn’t even have the courage to look Kai in the eye.
He subconsciously swallowed.
The Divine Hall did indeed possess this secret technique.
It was one of the most core inheritances of the Divine Hall for tens of thousands of years—the Soul Return Technique.
Through special means, it released the remnant soul sealed within the soul crystal, then used the unique bloodline power of the divine race to reshape its physical body.
This secret technique was extremely complex, requiring specific arrays, precious materials, and at least three elders at the True Immortal Realm level or above to perform the technique together.
Moreover, the success rate was not high.
But he dared not deny it.
Kai’s eyes told him that if he said “no,” his head would be separated from his body in the next instant.
“Yes…yes.”
Zhou Yuanlang nodded repeatedly, his voice trembling. “The Divine Hall does indeed possess this secret technique, called the Soul Return Technique. However…it requires a specific place to cast…”
“What place?” Kai pressed.
Zhou Yuanlang hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “In the forbidden area behind the Divine Hall…there is an ancient Soul Return Formation there, the only place in the entire Holy Light Domain where the remnant soul of the Soul Crystal can be safely released.
Ordinary formations that forcibly release the Soul Crystal will cause the remnant soul to dissipate the moment it is released; only that formation can guarantee the integrity of the remnant soul…”
Kai put the Soul Crystal back into his pocket and said coldly, “Lead the way.”
Zhou Yuanlang shuddered, a barely concealed strange light flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly covered by fear.
“Yes, yes, yes…Grandpa, come with me…”
He turned around and walked towards the back of Holy Light Peak, his steps faltering, his back looking extremely disheveled.
Yun Xi walked to Kai’s side and said in a low voice, “This person is not right.”
Kai nodded slightly: “I know.”
Of course he knew.
Zhou Yuanlang agreed too quickly, and his attitude was too submissive.
Even if someone who had been an elder in the Divine Hall for thousands of years was afraid of death, he shouldn’t have so readily betrayed the sect’s core secrets.
Unless he had other plans.
“Then why are you going with him?” Yun Xi frowned.
Kai looked at Zhou Yuanlang’s back and said calmly, “He has his plans, and I have my methods. My friend and his wife’s remnant souls won’t last much longer; I can’t wait.”
Yun Xi stopped speaking, only gripping her sword tightly, her eyes filled with even greater vigilance.
Ming Li, holding Liu Qianqian’s hand, walked at the very back, his Ghost Blade already half-drawn, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.
Yun Yao followed closely behind Kai, her face pale, but she bit her lip, not uttering a sound.
Six figures passed through the dilapidated buildings of Holy Light Peak, heading towards the back mountain.
Along the way, there were collapsed palaces and fleeing Divine Hall disciples everywhere.
When the disciples saw Kai and his group, they screamed and scattered as if they had seen ghosts; no one dared to stop them.
The patriarch of the Divine Hall, Yao Chen, was dead; the protective array of the mountain was broken; the elders were either dead or had fled. This sacred land, which had once dominated the Holy Domain of Light for hundreds of thousands of years, was now nothing more than a toothless tiger, all show and no substance.
Zhou Yuanlang led them through ruins and through a dark mountain tunnel, finally arriving at the entrance of a valley shrouded in thick fog.
“This is it,”
Zhou Yuanlang stopped, pointing into the valley. “The Soul Returning Array is deep within the valley. However, it is shrouded in a restriction year-round, preventing outsiders from entering. It requires my elder’s token to activate it…”
He took out a palm-sized golden token from his robes, its surface covered with dense runes, emitting a faint glow.
“Grandpa, please wait a moment, I will activate the restriction…”
Zhou Yuanlang held the token up in front of him, chanting incantations.
The runes on the token began to light up, the golden light growing stronger until it transformed into a beam of light that shot into the thick fog.
The fog churned and slowly parted to reveal a narrow passage.
At the end of the passage, an ancient stone platform could be vaguely seen, its surface covered with intricate patterns and emitting a faint blue light.
“That’s the Soul Return Array,”
Zhou Yuanlang said, pointing to the platform with a broad smile. “Grandpa, please follow me. The spell will take a little time to cast, but it will definitely succeed…”
He then stepped into the passage first.
Kai followed, but the moment he entered, his brow furrowed sharply.
Something was wrong.
The aura in this passage… something was wrong.
An extremely strange aura emanated from the depths of the valley, containing both the holy light unique to the gods and the malevolent energy unique to the demons. These two opposing forces were forcibly mixed together, creating a distorted, chaotic, and nauseating sense of oppression.
It was like forcibly mixing oil and water; on the surface, they appeared to blend, but in reality, every drop repelled and tore at each other.
“Kai…”
Yun Xi’s voice came from behind, tinged with obvious apprehension, “There’s something wrong with this place.”
“I know.”
Kai stopped, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping towards the thick fog at the end of the passage.
The distorted aura grew thicker and heavier, as if something was awakening from its slumber.
Zhou Yuanlang had reached the middle of the passage when he suddenly stopped and turned around.
His expression changed.
The obsequious, servile demeanor vanished, replaced by an almost manic smugness and resentment.
“Kai, Kai, you actually dared to follow me in.”
Zhou Yuanlang’s voice no longer trembled, but instead carried a long-suppressed sense of exhilaration. “What do you think the Divine Hall is? You think I’d obediently help you? Hahahaha…”
He laughed loudly, the laughter echoing shrilly in the narrow passage. Chen
Ping looked at him calmly, without speaking.
Zhou Yuanlang suddenly raised the token in his hand and slammed it hard against the wall of the passage.
Boom—!
The entire passage shook violently, and thick fog surged in from all directions, completely blocking their escape route.
At the end of the passage, on the ancient stone platform, the intricate patterns glowed with a blinding red light, like flowing blood.
But most chilling was the heartbeat emanating from beneath the platform.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The heartbeat was deep and powerful, each beat causing the ground to tremble slightly, each beat like a heavy punch to the heart.
Zhou Yuanlang retreated to the side of the platform, his smile growing increasingly sinister.
“Come forth, my clan’s most perfect masterpiece!”
His words had barely left his lips when the platform shattered with a deafening roar!
Shards of stone flew, dust billowed, and a colossal figure soared into the sky from beneath the stone platform, landing heavily at the end of the passage.
As the dust settled, Kai finally saw the thing in its entirety.
It was… a humanoid monster.
Its size was enormous, over two zhang tall, its entire body covered in dark golden scales, each scale flowing with eerie blood-red patterns.
Its left half radiated a holy golden light, the holy light power unique to the divine race;
its right half, however, surged with pitch-black demonic energy, the malevolent intent unique to the demon race.
These two diametrically opposed forces clashed wildly within its body, yet were forcibly fused together by some bizarre method, making it appear like a torn and reassembled doll, twisted and mad in every way.
Its face was expressionless, or rather, its face was incapable of expressing any expression.
It wasn’t a normal human face at all. The left half still retained human features, but the right half was completely twisted and deformed, with countless worm-like blood vessels bulging beneath the skin. One eye was blood-red, while the other was empty, like a lifeless object.
“This is…”
Yun Xi gasped, instinctively taking a step back.
“The only finished product of the secret fusion of the Divine Hall.”
Zhou Yuanlang stood behind the monster, his voice filled with pride and resentment. “We spent ten thousand years, using thousands of divine and demonic cultivators as test subjects, to successfully create this one.”
He reached out and gently patted the monster’s back, his manner resembling that of someone showing off their most prized creation.
“Its body is fused with the bloodlines of twelve divine cultivators and the demonic cores of six demonic cultivators. We spent ten thousand years repeatedly adjusting and improving it to achieve its current stable state.”
Zhou Yuanlang’s smile grew increasingly maniacal.
“Peak of the third rank of True Immortal Realm. This is the greatest achievement of the Divine Hall in tens of thousands of years! Given enough time, it could even grow to the peak of the ninth rank of True Immortal Realm, or even break through to the legendary realm!”
He looked at Kai, his eyes full of contempt and disdain. “If it weren’t for that trash Hall Master being too careless and being instantly killed by that demon Ning Zhi, as long as we release it, none of you would have escaped! Not a single one of you would have escaped!”
Kai stared at the monster, his brows furrowed.
His intuition was frantically warning him.
This thing… was indeed very strong.
The aura of the peak of the third rank of True Immortal Realm was almost tangible, pressing down on him so much that he could hardly breathe.
The distorted holy light and demonic energy intertwined, forming a strange force field that made the surrounding space unstable.
He could sense that this thing’s strength far surpassed Yao Chen’s.
Yao Chen was only a second-rank True Immortal Realm cultivator, and he was used to being pampered; his true combat strength might not even reach the level of a second-rank True Immortal Realm cultivator.
But this monster was different.
It was created to fight; every inch of its flesh and blood, every bone, was born for slaughter.
“Kai…”
Yun Xi’s voice was soft, yet carried an unprecedented gravity, “This thing is not easy to deal with.”
Kai nodded slightly and took a deep breath.
The golden dragon bloodline within him began to boil, golden dragon energy surged around him, and the Dragon Slayer Sword appeared in his palm, emitting a deep sword hum.
“It’s not easy to deal with, but we have to deal with it.”
His voice was calm, but his eyes were sharp as knives.
Zhou Yuanlang laughed loudly, his laughter filled with disdain and smugness.
“Deal with it? Kai, what do you have to deal with it? You can’t even beat Ning Zhi, yet you dare to challenge my Divine Hall’s most perfect masterpiece? Hahahaha… Kill them all!”
Before he finished speaking, the monster moved.
It made no sound, not even a breath, and charged forward silently.
But its speed was outrageous! Its
massive body, over two zhang tall, unleashed a terrifying speed completely disproportionate to its size. Like a dark golden meteor, it was enveloped in distorted holy light and demonic energy, hurtling straight towards Kai!
Wherever it passed, footprints over a foot deep were left in the ground, and ear-piercing explosions echoed in the air—sonic booms! Its speed had broken the sound barrier!
Kai’s pupils contracted sharply. He held the Dragon-Slaying Sword horizontally in front of him, golden dragon energy surging wildly into the blade.
“Clang—!”
The monster’s fist slammed into the Dragon-Slaying Sword, producing a deafening metallic clang.
The power… was immense!
Kai felt as if he had been struck head-on by a mountain. He was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily against the wall of the passage.
The wall shattered with a deafening roar, sending debris flying and dust billowing.
His back shattered at least three feet of rock before he finally came to a stop. His hands
were numb, and the Dragon-Slaying Sword trembled violently in his grasp, its cry tinged with sorrow.
A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth; that punch had injured his internal organs.
“Such immense power…”
Kai gritted his teeth and straightened up, a look of horror flashing in his eyes.
He had already defended with all his might, but the monster’s strength still far exceeded his expectations.
A full-force attack from a peak third-grade True Immortal was indeed something a peak fourth-grade Upper Immortal couldn’t withstand.
Moreover, this monster’s true combat power was likely higher than that of an ordinary peak third-grade True Immortal cultivator.
No wonder even a legitimate divine clan like the Divine Hall secretly engaged in things that defied the laws of nature.
The monster, having landed a blow, charged forward without hesitation.
Its movements were devoid of any fancy moves or techniques; they were pure, primal, beast-like violence.
Every punch, every kick, every ramming strike carried earth-shattering power, enough to level a mountain.
Kai gritted his teeth and met the attack head-on, his Dragon-Slaying Sword transforming into a sky full of sword light, engaging the monster in fierce combat.
Golden light clashed with dark golden scales, erupting in dazzling sparks.
But Kai soon discovered a chilling fact—his sword couldn’t break through the monster’s defenses.
The Dragon Slayer Sword struck its scales, leaving only a shallow white mark, unable to even cut through the scales.
Each of the monster’s attacks left Kai in grave danger.
“Boom!”
Another punch sent Kai flying, crashing through three stone pillars and spitting out a mouthful of blood.
His left arm, already shattered by Yao Chen’s blow to the shoulder, was now even more severely injured, leaving his entire arm numb.
“Kai!”
Yun Xi could no longer restrain herself, drawing her sword and charging forward.
Her ghostly blade, imbued with a chilling aura, pierced the monster’s back.
The monster didn’t even turn its head, slapping back with its hand.
Yun Xi parried with her sword, but was forced back several steps by the terrifying force, her tiger’s mouth split open, blood flowing freely.
“This thing’s defense is too strong…”
Yun Xi gritted her teeth, “Ordinary attacks can’t hurt it at all.”
Kai struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, a ruthless glint in his eyes.
“Ordinary attacks won’t hurt, so I’ll use something extraordinary.”
He took a deep breath, and the Golden Dragon bloodline within him boiled completely.
Golden dragon energy surged from his body, condensing behind him into a phantom of a five-clawed golden dragon.
The phantom was more solid than when he fought Ning Zhi, its dragon eyes blazing, its dragon might overwhelming, as if it were about to break free from the void.
The golden dragon patterns on the Dragon-Slaying Sword flickered wildly, every line on the blade burning and roaring.
This was the limit of what he could do.
He pushed the power of the Golden Dragon bloodline to its limit, pouring everything into this one sword strike.
“Yun Xi, help me restrain it!” Kai said in a deep voice.
Yun Xi didn’t hesitate at all. She twirled the Ghost Blade in her hand, and the eerie ghost energy transformed into countless black chains, wrapping around the monster.
The monster was bound by the chains, letting out a low roar, and with a shake of its arms, it broke the chains inch by inch.
But this momentary pause was enough.
Kai moved.
His figure transformed into a golden streak of light, the Dragon-Slaying Sword in front of him, and he shot forward like an arrow, aiming straight for the monster’s chest.
This sword strike contained all his power, all his will, and all his life.
Before the sword arrived, its intent had already reached him.
That sword intent was as chilling as winter, as sharp as a blade, tearing a dark rift in the air.
The monster seemed to sense the threat; for the first time, it let out a sound, a low, beast-like roar, filled with resentment and rage.
It clenched its fists, and the holy light and demonic energy within its body erupted simultaneously, condensing into a twisted shield in front of it.
Half of the shield was radiantly golden, and the other half was pitch black; the two diametrically opposed forces swirled wildly within it, forming an extremely eerie vortex.
“Break—!”
Kai roared, and the Dragon-Slaying Sword plunged fiercely into the vortex.
Boom—!
The moment the sword collided with the shield, a deafening roar erupted.
Golden dragon energy and twisted holy demonic energy exploded simultaneously, transforming into a terrifying shockwave that spread outwards.
The walls on both sides of the passage were torn to shreds by the shockwave, sending debris flying and dust billowing everywhere.
Numerous cracks appeared on the overhead rock face, and large chunks of rock fell from above.
Kai felt his arms, shoulders, and even the bones throughout his body groaning and trembling.
The Dragon-Slaying Sword and the shield were locked in a stalemate, neither able to advance.
The monster’s power was too great; its cultivation far surpassed Kai’s. Even with Kai burning his bloodline, he couldn’t overpower it in strength.
“Break!”
Kai gritted his teeth, his eyes turning a deep crimson gold.
The golden dragon bloodline within him broke through its limits at this moment, and the bottleneck that had plagued him for so long shattered in this life-or-death moment!
Fifth Rank of the Upper Immortal Realm!
His aura surged instantly, golden dragon energy erupting from his body like a volcanic eruption, coalescing behind him into a more solid and majestic five-clawed golden dragon.
The light on the Dragon-Slaying Sword intensified several times over, the dragon patterns on its blade seemingly coming to life, emitting a deafening roar!
Crack—
a crack appeared on the distorted shield.
The crack spread rapidly, densely packed like a spiderweb.
“Break!”
Kai roared again, thrusting the Dragon-Slaying Sword forward with tremendous force.
Boom—!
The shield shattered, the Dragon-Slaying Sword piercing the monster’s chest with unstoppable momentum!
“Awooo—!”
The monster let out a shrill roar, its voice filled with resentment and rage.
Dark golden blood gushed from the wound, containing both golden holy light and black demonic energy, the two forces repelling each other in the air, emitting a hissing sound.
But the monster did not fall.
It frantically swung its arms, smashing towards Kai.
Kai didn’t have time to draw the Dragon-Slaying Sword, so he could only loosen his grip on the hilt and retreat.
But the monster’s fist was too fast, slamming into his chest with a resounding
“Bang!”
The sound of bones cracking was clearly audible. Kai felt at least two of his sternums break, and he flew backward like a kite with a broken string, spitting out blood .
“Kai!”
Yun Xi cried out in alarm, flashing forward to catch Kai.
But the impact was too great; she staggered back more than ten steps with Kai in her arms before barely managing to regain her balance.
The monster glanced down at the Dragon-Slaying Sword stuck in its chest, let out a low roar, reached out and gripped the blade, and yanked it out .
Dark golden blood gushed out again, but the monster seemed oblivious to the pain, casually tossing the Dragon-Slaying Sword to the ground and turning to walk towards Kai and Yun Xi.
Though its steps were unsteady, its killing intent remained undiminished.
Each step left a deep footprint in the ground, the edges of the footprints stained dark gold with blood.
“It’s not dead yet…”
Kai gritted his teeth, the excruciating pain in his chest making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
Yun Xi put him down, gripped her ghost blade tightly, and stood in front of him.
“I’ll handle this.”
Her voice was calm, but the killing intent in her eyes was intense.
The monster was getting closer and closer.
Yun Xi took a deep breath, and the ghostly energy around her surged wildly.
Behind her, a huge phantom vaguely appeared, a woman in a black robe, with long, flowing hair, a blurred face, and holding an equally enormous ghost blade in her hand.
That was her innate ghost form, her trump card cultivated for thousands of years.
“Ghost Slash.”
Yun Xi uttered two words softly, her voice low, yet like a judgment from the deepest abyss.
She drew her sword.
This sword was unlike any she had ever used before.
The ghostly energy on the ghost blade condensed to its peak at this moment, transforming into a jet-black blade of light, slashing towards the monster’s neck.
Where the blade of light passed, space was torn open with a dark rift, the edges of which emitted a piercing shriek.
Sensing a deadly threat, the monster frantically channeled its holy light and demonic energy, attempting to re-form its shield.
However, its chest was pierced by the Dragon Slayer Sword, its power greatly diminished, and the shield shattered before it could even take shape.
The blade’s edge sliced through its neck without hindrance.
“Crack.”
The sound was soft, yet clearly audible.
The monster’s head flew high, dark golden blood gushing from the severed neck like a fountain.
Its body stood still for a full three breaths before crashing to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Its head rolled a few times on the ground, its twisted face still bearing the grotesque contortions of its death.
All was silent.
Yun Xi sheathed her Ghost Blade, her face paling, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
This single strike had nearly exhausted most of her strength.
“Dead…”
she gasped, looking at Kai, “How are you?”
Kai struggled to his feet, the excruciating pain in his chest causing cold sweat to pour down his forehead, but he still shook his head: “I won’t die.”
He glanced down at the monster’s corpse on the ground, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
A fusion monster at the peak of the third rank of True Immortal Realm… If it weren’t for Yun Xi’s sword strike, he probably would have really died here today.
“What about Elder Shentang?”
Kai suddenly remembered something and looked up sharply.
The end of the passage was empty.
Zhou Yuanlang was gone.
“He ran away when you pierced that monster’s chest.”
Ming Li’s voice came from behind, tinged with regret, “I’ll go after him…”
Before he could finish speaking, a scream suddenly came from afar.
That voice… it was Zhou Yuanlang’s.
Kai’s heart sank, and he endured the excruciating pain in his chest, rushing towards the direction from which the voice came.
Ming Li followed closely behind.
The three of them passed through the passage and arrived at the other side of the valley, where the scene before them made Kai’s steps suddenly stop.
Zhou Yuanlang’s corpse lay on the ground, a thin line of blood on his throat, fresh blood slowly seeping from the wound.
His eyes were wide open, his face still showing terror and disbelief, as if he couldn’t believe he was dying here.
Yunxi stood beside the corpse, blood still dripping from the ghost blade in her hand.
Her expression was calm, even somewhat cold.
“He tried to run,” Yunxi said calmly. “I killed him.”
Kai was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “I… wanted to spare his life.”
Yunxi turned to look at him, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes: “Why keep him? Keeping someone like that around is just asking for trouble.”
Kai didn’t answer.
He couldn’t say.
He couldn’t say that he had spared Zhou Yuanlang because he still needed him to control the Soul Return Array to release the remnants of Mu Sha and his wife’s souls.
But now… Zhou Yuanlang was dead.
Kai turned to look at the shattered stone platform at the end of the passage. The Soul Return Array had been completely destroyed in the battle just now; its complex patterns had shattered into countless pieces, scattered all over the ground, beyond repair.
His heart sank to the bottom.
“Kai?”
Yun Xi noticed his unusual behavior and frowned, asking, “What’s wrong?”
Kai didn’t answer, but slowly took out the soul crystal from his robes.
The two white lights within the soul crystal… dimmed even more.
Their movement became slower and slower, as if two exhausted souls were about to stop beating at any moment.
Kai’s fingers trembled slightly.
The shrine was destroyed, the Soul Returning Array was ruined, and Zhou Yuanlang was dead.
The remnant souls of Mu Sha and his wife… couldn’t be released.
“Kai?”
Yun Xi walked to his side, looking down at the soul crystal, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes, “The remnant souls in this soul crystal… are about to dissipate?”
Kai nodded, his voice hoarse: “The Soul Returning Array of the shrine was destroyed, and Zhou Yuanlang is dead. Without the array, the remnant souls can’t be released… In a while, they will completely dissipate.”
He gripped the soul crystal tightly, his knuckles turning white, veins bulging.
Yun Xi fell silent.
Yun Yao walked over from behind and carefully tugged at Kai’s sleeve.
Her eyes were red, and her voice was soft, yet carried a resolute gentleness.
“Young Master Chen, don’t worry. The Divine Hall has been destroyed, but… there’s still the Divine Palace.”
Kai turned to look at her.
Yun Yao pursed her lips, mustered her courage, and continued, “The Divine Hall and the Divine Palace are both branches of the Divine Race. The Divine Hall has the Soul Return Technique, and the Divine Palace might have it too?
Moreover, the Divine Palace is older and more powerful than the Divine Hall, and their lineage is more complete. If anyone in this world can release the remnant soul within the Soul Crystal, it must be the Divine Palace.”
Kai’s eyes flickered slightly.
Yun Yao’s words were like a ray of light illuminating the darkness in his heart.
Yes… there was still the Divine Palace.
The Divine Race wasn’t just the Divine Hall.
The Divine Temple, the Divine Hall, and the Divine Palace were collectively known as the three major branches of the Divine Race.
The Divine Temple had been destroyed by Ning Zhi, and the Divine Hall had also been destroyed by him and Ning Zhi together, but the Divine Palace still existed.
That most mysterious, oldest, and most powerful Divine Palace still existed.
“Do you know where the Divine Palace is?” Kai asked.
Yun Yao nodded, carefully choosing her words, “The location of the Divine Palace… is extremely secretive. I once saw some records in a fragment of a scroll, saying that the Divine Palace is not in the Holy Domain of Light, but in another extremely hidden place in the Fourteenth Heaven.
What that place is called, where it is, is not explicitly stated in the scroll, only mentioned in passing as ‘Beyond the Heavens.'”
She paused, then added, “Moreover, there are very few tales about the Divine Palace. Many cultivators in the Fourteenth Heaven don’t even believe that the Divine Palace truly exists.
Some say it’s just a legend embellished by the gods, while others say the Divine Palace disappeared tens of thousands of years ago. ” “They’re dead,” some say. “The Divine Palace has always existed, but their disciples never show their true faces, acting with extreme discretion and never participating in any conflicts within the Fourteenth Heaven.”
Kai frowned. “Aren’t the Divine Hall and the Divine Temple also branches of the Divine Race? They don’t even know the exact location of the Divine Palace?”
Yun Yao shook her head. “Although the Divine Hall, Divine Temple, and Divine Palace are collectively known as the three major branches of the Divine Race, the Divine Palace has always operated independently, with almost no contact with the other two branches.
The Divine Hall and Divine Temple operate openly, establishing sects and recruiting disciples throughout the Fourteenth Heaven; the Divine Palace operates in the shadows, hidden from the world, detached from worldly affairs.”
Kai was silent for a moment.
This was far more troublesome than he had imagined.
He had originally thought that the Divine Palace, like the Divine Hall, was a well-known force within the Fourteenth Heaven, easily found by asking for directions.
But now he realized that the existence of the Divine Palace itself was a mystery, a mystery even those within the Divine Race themselves didn’t fully understand.
“However…”
Yun Yao suddenly remembered something, her eyes lighting up slightly. “There was a sentence on the scroll that I don’t quite remember, but it seemed to say, ‘The Divine Palace is hidden in the far north, beyond the snowfields, and only those with the right destiny can enter.’
If the record is correct, the Divine Palace should be located even deeper in the far north of the Fourteenth Heaven, farther than any place anyone has ever been.”
“The far north…” Kai murmured, repeating.
Yunxi interjected, “When I was in the Fifteenth Heaven, I heard someone mention that at the northernmost end of the Fourteenth Heaven, there’s an ice plain called ‘Guixu,’ the edge of the Fourteenth Heaven, beyond which lies the Chaotic Void.
It’s said that a fierce wind blows across that ice plain year-round, capable of freezing souls, and even early-stage True Immortal cultivators dare not venture deep into it. If the Divine Palace is really there…”
She didn’t finish, but her meaning was clear: if the Divine Palace was truly hidden in such a place, then the danger of Kai’s journey would far exceed his imagination.
Kai carefully put the Soul Crystal back into his robes, his eyes calm and resolute.
“No matter where the Divine Palace is, I’m going.”
His tone was soft, but there was no room for negotiation.
Yunxi frowned: “I’ll go with you.”
“No,” Kai shook his head. “I’ll go alone.”
Yun Xi’s brows furrowed even more. “Why?”
Kai looked into her eyes and said seriously, “The Divine Palace has always been secluded, which means they don’t want to be disturbed. If I bring too many people, it’s easy for them to misunderstand. If they think I’m going to provoke them with helpers, they probably won’t even let me in the door.”
He paused, then smiled bitterly. “Besides, the news of the destruction of the Divine Hall will reach the Divine Palace’s ears sooner or later. If they know I was one of the people who destroyed the Divine Hall, they’re already wary of me. If
I bring a large group of people to attack, they’ll definitely think I’m here to wipe out their sect.”
Yun Xi fell silent.
She understood what Kai meant.
The Divine Palace was different from the Divine Hall.
The Divine Hall was in the open, acting openly and following rules;
the Divine Palace was in the shadows, mysterious and unpredictable, acting entirely according to its own principles.
When dealing with an opponent who follows rules, you can use those rules to maneuver;
but when dealing with someone without rules, you never know what they will do.
Moreover, the Divine Palace’s foundation was unfathomable.
If a real fight broke out, Kai might not win.
Even if he did, the Divine Palace would be destroyed, and the remnant souls of Mu Sha and his wife would truly have no hope left.
“But you’re going alone…” Yun Xi was still worried.
“Going alone is actually safer,”
Kai said. “I’ll visit as a guest, not as an enemy. Besides, with my current strength, there aren’t many people in the Fourteenth Heaven who can stop me.”
This was true.
After his battle with Ning Zhi, his cultivation had broken through to the fifth rank of the Upper Immortal Realm, and his Golden Dragon bloodline had become more solidified.
Although his cultivation level was still in the Upper Immortal Realm, he was confident he could fight a third-rank True Immortal Realm cultivator.
Yun Xi bit her lip, ultimately not insisting any further.
She knew Kai was right, but she couldn’t suppress her worries.
“Then promise me,”
Yunxi stared into his eyes, enunciating each word clearly, “if the Divine Palace turns against you, leave immediately. Don’t be reckless, don’t fight head-on.”
Kai nodded: “I promise you, you should also return to Yunxian City as soon as possible. With only Long Zhan and Wanqing, I’m afraid we can’t hold it. Ning Zhi has gone back, and he might even bring the Demonic Dragon to attack Yunxian City.”
“Okay!” Yunxi nodded.
Kai turned around and looked at the distant horizon.
That direction was the northernmost point of the Fourteenth Heaven, the unknown land called “Guixu,” the place where the Divine Palace might exist.
“Senior Musha, wait a little longer,”
he said silently in his heart, “I will definitely find a way to release you.”
He took a deep breath, transformed into a golden stream of light, and disappeared into the horizon.
Yunxi stood there, watching his back, motionless for a long time.
Ming Li walked to her side and said softly, “Mr. Chen is just like that, you can’t stop him.”
Yunxi didn’t speak, but just gripped the sword in her hand tightly.
“Let’s go too.” Her voice was calm, but a barely perceptible worry flashed in her eyes.
Kai was her greatest hope now; she was counting on him to accompany her to the Fifteenth Heaven.
“If he doesn’t return within a month… I’ll storm the Divine Palace and tear down their gates.” Princess Yunxi’s temper flared.
Ming Li: “…”
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.
Forget it, this young lady’s temper is even worse than Kai’s.
Can’t afford to offend her.
…
There was no teleportation array to the far north, so Kai flew north for seven days and seven nights.
For the first three days, he could still see signs of life: scattered small towns, the caves of rogue cultivators, and the occasional passing caravan.
He asked everyone he met about the Divine Palace, but the answer was always the same: a shake of the head.
“The Divine Palace? Never heard of it.”
“That’s just ancient legend; who knows if it’s true or
not.” “Young man, have you been deceived? I’ve lived in the Fourteenth Heaven for eight thousand years and have never heard of any Divine Palace.”
By the fourth day, all signs of life had vanished.
The land beneath his feet transformed from a vast grassland into barren frozen tundra, and then from frozen tundra into an endless ice field.
The temperature plummeted so drastically that even his protective dragon aura felt the chill; his breath condensed into tiny ice crystals that fluttered to the ground.
On the fifth day, even the ice field vanished.
Beneath his feet lay a void of white, not ice, not snow, but a substance he had never seen before.
The white was like solidified light, feeling unreal underfoot, yet he wouldn’t fall.
A chilling silence reigned all around; not even the wind could be heard, as if the entire world had been muted.
The aurora borealis in the sky changed from a vibrant blue-green to an eerie pale white, like a dying flame, flickering silently overhead.
Kai didn’t know how far he had flown, nor where he was.
He had completely lost his bearings.
He could only rely on his intuition, flying and flying further north.
On the sixth day, he encountered his first gale.
The gale-force wind blew silently from the depths of the aurora, carrying a chill capable of freezing the soul.
When it swept past Kai’s indestructible golden body, the golden scales, strong enough to withstand a full-force attack from a first-grade True Immortal, were instantly covered with fine frost. The frost spread along the scales, making a teeth-grinding “crackling” sound.
Kai’s heart tightened. He activated his Golden Dragon bloodline with all his might, golden dragon energy burning fiercely on his body, barely managing to keep the gale-force wind at bay.
But his spiritual energy consumption rate instantly increased tenfold.
“This is the gale-force wind of the Ruins of Return…” Kai gritted his teeth and increased his flying speed.
He didn’t know how many more such gales lay ahead, nor how long he could hold out.
But he couldn’t stop, nor could he retreat.
The seventh day.
Kai’s spiritual energy was already mostly depleted, and his protective dragon energy was more than half dimmer than when he set out.
His lips were cracked, and a thick layer of frost covered his brows; each breath felt like swallowing razor blades.
He was nearing his limit.
But then, he suddenly sensed something ahead.
It was an extremely faint aura, so faint as to be almost imperceptible, yet the power contained within it made his heart leap.
That aura… was alive.
Kai’s spirits lifted, and with his last ounce of strength, he flew in that direction.
After flying for about two more hours, the scene before him suddenly changed.
The ethereal white expanse vanished, replaced by a vast, dark blue ice plain.
Countless enormous ice pillars stood on the ice plain, each tens of meters tall, resembling a stone forest or a natural maze.
Faint mist flowed between the ice pillars.
The mist wasn’t white, but an extremely thin, pale gold, radiating a faint warmth that contrasted sharply with the surrounding frigid air.
As Kai stepped into the ice pillar forest, he immediately felt the surrounding gale weaken considerably.
The pale gold mist seemed to have an insulating effect on the gale; the further he went, the weaker the gale became, until it finally disappeared completely.
His steps grew slower and heavier. His
spiritual energy was almost exhausted; his vision began to blur, and his legs felt like lead.
Just as he was about to collapse, he suddenly heard a clear, ringing bell.
The bell’s sound came from the depths of the ice pillar forest, melodious and ethereal, like a mountain spring, or an ancient chant.
With each ring, the surrounding mist trembled slightly, as if in response.
Kai followed the sound.
His steps faltered, his consciousness began to blur, but his unwavering determination sustained him step by step.
Finally, he passed through the last row of ice pillars.
What he saw before him made his breath catch in his throat.
It was a lake.
A vast, circular lake, its surface as still as a mirror, reflected the pale aurora borealis overhead.
The water wasn’t blue, nor black, but a deep, inky blue, as if it had melted the entire night sky into it.
In the center of the lake lay a small island.
There were no palaces, no pavilions, only a single tree.
The tree was enormous, its canopy blotting out the sun, its trunk so thick that dozens of people couldn’t encircle it.
Its leaves were golden, each one like a tiny sun, radiating a warm glow.
And the golden mist rose from these leaves.
Kai stared blankly at the tree, a strange feeling welling up within him.
He felt… this tree was alive.
Not just any living plant, but a tree possessing consciousness, a soul, an ancient wisdom that transcended all things.
“You’ve come,”
a voice suddenly sounded behind him.
The voice was soft and gentle, like a spring breeze across a lake, like moonlight falling on a snowfield.
Her voice carried an innate coolness, yet also a strangely comforting warmth.
Kai whirled around.
A woman stood three steps behind him, silently watching him.
She wore a long, plain white dress, the hem trailing on the ice, blending seamlessly with the surrounding snow.
Her long, ink-black hair was simply styled in a bun, secured with a white jade hairpin, a few stray strands falling beside her ears, fluttering slightly in the cold wind.
Her face… Kai couldn’t find the right words to describe it.
It wasn’t the kind of beauty that could topple kingdoms, nor the ethereal beauty of someone untouched by worldly affairs.
Her features were delicate and aloof, her eyebrows like distant mountains, her eyes like cold stars, her lips slightly pursed, carrying a subtle sense of detachment.
But those eyes…
those eyes were too deep.
So deep that Kai felt he wasn’t facing a person, but an ocean, a starry sky, an ancient world that had existed for countless millennia.
Her aura was so calm it was almost imperceptible, yet Kai’s intuition screamed a warning: this person’s strength was unfathomable. Stronger
than Ning Zhi.
Stronger than anyone he had ever met.
“You are…”
Kai began, his voice so hoarse he barely recognized himself.
“Isn’t this the person you’ve been looking for?”
the woman said calmly, a slight smile playing on her lips, so faint it was almost imperceptible. “You traveled ten thousand miles north, braving the fierce winds of the Ruins of Return, venturing into the Ice Pillar Forest, all to find this place?”
Kai’s pupils constricted slightly. “You are… the Palace Master of the Divine Palace?”
The woman didn’t answer, simply gazing at him silently.
Her gaze was calm, almost cold, yet beneath that calmness, a barely concealed curiosity flowed.
“The Divine Palace is indeed here.”
She finally spoke, her voice still calm. “However… it’s been many years since anyone has been able to find this place. The last person to come here was a rogue cultivator a hundred years ago. He strayed into the Void and was severely injured by the gale, drifting to the lakeside on the verge of death. I rescued him, healed his wounds, and sent him away.”
She paused, her gaze sweeping over Kai.
“And you… are the first person to actively seek this place out.”
Kai took a deep breath, forcing his almost broken body to stand up, and clasped his hands in a salute: “I am Kai. I have come here to ask the Divine Palace for assistance.”
“Assistance?”
She repeated, a hint of amusement in her tone. “You’re quite direct. Usually, when asking for help, people would exchange pleasantries first, build rapport, and then get down to business. But you, without even a sip of water, just asked.”
Kai smiled wryly: “I don’t have much time left, and I really don’t have the leisure for pleasantries.”
He took out the Soul Crystal from his robes and held it in his palm.
The two beams of white light within the soul crystal had dimmed to their lowest point, like candles flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.
“This soul crystal contains two remnant souls, the souls of an old friend and his wife,” Kai’s voice was somewhat hoarse. “I heard that the Divine Palace possesses a secret technique that can release the remnant souls within soul crystals and reshape their physical bodies. I have nowhere else to turn but to come and seek an audience.”
The woman looked at the soul crystal in his palm and remained silent for a moment.
She reached out and took the soul crystal from Kai’s hand. Her fingers were long and slender, white, with a faint golden glow at the tips, creating a strange contrast with her aloof and cold demeanor.
She held the soul crystal up to her eyes, examining it closely.
The two beams of white light within the soul crystal seemed to sense something, trembling slightly and moving a little faster.
“Two remnant souls, a man and a woman, are indeed a married couple,”
the woman said calmly. “The remnant souls are relatively well-preserved, but they are too weak. If you had arrived three days later… no, two days later, these two remnant souls would have completely dissipated.”
Kai’s heart tightened suddenly: “Can they be saved?”
The woman did not answer immediately.
Her gaze shifted from the soul crystal to Kai’s face.
Something flickered slightly in her deep eyes.
There was scrutiny, consideration, and a hint of inexplicable emotion.
“I can save him,” she finally spoke, “but what will you offer in return?”
Kai was taken aback.
The woman returned the soul crystal to him, stood with her hands behind her back by the lake, her gaze fixed on the enormous golden ancient tree in the center of the lake.
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch. You begged me to save someone, so I have to accept payment. That’s the rule.”
Her tone was calm, yet undeniable. “What do you intend to offer in return?”
Kai was silent for a moment: “What do you want?”
The woman turned to look at him, a slight smile playing on her lips, a smile more genuine than before, yet even more enigmatic.
“What do you have?” the woman asked. Kai paused for a moment, then began to take stock of his possessions.
He rummaged through his storage ring, taking out each item one by one.
Spirit stones, pills, cultivation manual jade slips, several decent-grade magic artifacts, some refining materials… a jumbled mess spread out on the floor.
Then he glanced at the sleeping fire qilin, but didn’t take it out.
If the fire qilin knew that Kai intended to use it as a bargaining chip, it would probably be angry.
The woman glanced at it and gently shook her head: “The Divine Palace doesn’t lack any of these things.”
Kai frowned.
He really didn’t have anything worth mentioning.
All his wealth combined, in a place like the Fourteenth Heaven, was probably less than that of an ordinary rogue cultivator.
“Then what do you want?” he asked.
The woman didn’t answer, but instead slowly circled Kai, her gaze sweeping over him.
That gaze made Kai feel as if he were seen through, as if he had no secrets in front of those eyes.
“Golden Dragon bloodline…” she murmured, her voice soft, as if talking to herself, “Royal bloodline… Interesting.”
She stopped and stood before Kai, looking directly into his eyes.
“I want you.”
Kai: “…”
He wondered if he had misheard.
“What?”
the woman said calmly, “I said, I want you. You stay in the Divine Palace and do three things for me. In return, I will help you release those two remnant souls and rebuild their physical bodies.”
Kai was silent for a moment: “What three things?”
“Haven’t thought about it yet.” The woman answered confidently, “I’ll tell you when I’ve thought it through.”
Kai: “…”
He took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone calm: “You mean, I’m selling myself to you, and I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do?”
The woman thought for a moment and said seriously, “You can understand it that way.”
Kai felt like he might have encountered a liar.
“How do I know you can do it?” He stared into the woman’s eyes, “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”
The woman wasn’t angry; instead, she smiled slightly.
The smile was faint, yet it softened her entire face, transforming her from a cold, snow-capped mountain into a lake rippled by a spring breeze.
“If you don’t believe me, you can leave,” she said calmly, “but your remnant soul will only await death.”
Kai gritted his teeth.
He knew he had no choice.
The remnant souls of Mu Sha and his wife wouldn’t last much longer; he had no time to find another way.
Even if the woman wanted him to stay in the Divine Palace to do three things, even if it cost him half his life, he would have to agree.
“Alright,” Kai took a deep breath, “I agree.”
The woman nodded slightly, seemingly unsurprised by the answer.
“Follow me.”
She turned and walked towards the small island in the center of the lake.
Her steps were light, making no sound on the ice. Her
white dress fluttered slightly in the wind, blending seamlessly with the surrounding ice and snow, as if she herself were a part of this icy plain.
Kai took a step to follow, but after only two steps, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees on the ice.
His spiritual energy was completely exhausted.
Seven days and seven nights of non-stop flight, piercing through the fierce winds of Guixu, had exhausted all his strength.
Now, the moment his taut nerves relaxed, his body immediately gave way.
The woman stopped and glanced back at him.
That glance held a hint of helplessness, and a touch of tenderness she herself didn’t even realize.
“Troublesome,”
she murmured, walking back and bending down to place Kai’s arm on her shoulder, helping him up.
Her body was cool; even through her clothes, one could feel its chill.
Yet her movements were light and steady, like helping a child who had accidentally fallen.
Kai tried to push her away, but his body was completely unresponsive.
“Don’t move,” the woman’s voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. “If you move again, I’ll throw you into the lake.”
Kai: “…”
He wisely remained still.
The woman, supporting him, stepped onto the lake’s surface.
Strangely enough, the seemingly fragile ice didn’t budge an inch, not even a crack.
Beneath the ice, the inky blue lake water was unfathomably deep, and something could be vaguely seen moving slowly in its depths.
The small island in the center of the lake seemed close, but the journey felt unexpectedly long.
Kai’s consciousness grew increasingly blurred, and the scene before him began to distort.
He could only sense the aloof figure beside him and the faint, delicate fragrance emanating from her, like plum blossoms in winter.
“What’s your name?” he asked with his last strength.
The woman was silent for a moment.
“Jiang Xuelan.”
Her voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the wind.
Kai wanted to say something, but his consciousness completely plunged into darkness at that moment.
His body went limp, leaning heavily against Jiang Xuelan’s shoulder.
Jiang Xuelan looked down at the young man leaning on her shoulder and frowned slightly.
“You’ve got some nerve,” she muttered softly, “daring to lean on me on our first meeting.”
She didn’t push him away, but simply adjusted her position to make him more comfortable.
Then, she continued walking towards the small island in the center of the lake.
Her steps remained steady, her figure still aloof.
Only the hand supporting Kai tightened slightly.
Kai had a very long dream.
In the dream, he stood in a golden ocean, soft sand beneath his feet, a dazzling starry sky above.
Countless golden leaves floated on the surface, each one shimmering faintly, like stars fallen to earth.
He looked down and discovered that the reflection in the water wasn’t his face, but a stranger’s.
The face was blurry, only a pair of eyes were exceptionally clear.
Those eyes… were very similar to Jiang Xuelan’s eyes.
Equally deep, equally aloof, equally holding within them endless years.
“What did you see?”
a voice came from behind.
Kai turned around and saw Jiang Xuelan standing three steps behind him, quietly watching him.
Her white robes were tinged with a warm hue in the golden light, no longer as aloof and distant as before, but instead possessing a touch of human warmth.
“A tree,” Kai said, “a very large tree.”
Jiang Xuelan raised an eyebrow slightly: “And what else?”
“A sea,” Kai thought for a moment, then added, “and your eyes.”
Jiang Xuelan fell silent.
She looked at Kai, her gaze scrutinizing, thoughtful, and containing a very subtle fluctuation.
“You are very interesting,” she finally spoke, her tone gentler than before, “In thirty thousand years, you are the first person to say such a thing to me.”