Chapter 6571 - 6580

In the light, Bei Mingyuan’s illusory figure began to solidify, his previously ethereal form gradually becoming clear.

His white hair turned black, his wrinkles disappeared, and his hunched body straightened.

A middle-aged man slowly emerged in the light, his face resolute, his brows carrying the unique coldness and nobility of the Ice God lineage.

This was the first time Kai had seen Bei Mingyuan so clearly.

“Senior, you have finally recovered your physical body?” Kai walked up to him, clasped his hands in a salute.

Bei Mingyuan raised his head, looked at Kai, and remained silent for a long time.

Then, he shook his head, “I haven’t recovered yet. Even on this altar, with the Heart of the Cold Abyss, how could I possibly recover my physical body so quickly?” ”

Then how long will it take for Senior to recover his physical body?” Kai asked.

Bei Mingyuan was silent for a moment, then said, “I don’t know, perhaps a hundred years, or a thousand years, ten thousand years…”

Hearing Bei Mingyuan’s words, Jiang Xuelan was stunned.

She had originally thought that if the Ice God lineage’s ancestor recovered his physical body and was resurrected, then their Ice God lineage would become powerful.

But now, restoring the physical body takes so long?

A thousand years, ten thousand years later, will anyone still exist in the Ice God lineage?

Bei Mingyuan seemed to see Jiang Xuelan’s worries and smiled slightly, saying, “Girl, you are the successor of my Ice God lineage. Even if I cannot restore my physical body, the Ice God lineage will not perish.”

“Take the Heart of the Cold Abyss. When you reach the twentieth heaven, find the main altar of our Ice God lineage, obtain the complete inheritance, and the Ice God lineage will become powerful again.”

The Heart of the Cold Abyss slowly flew towards Jiang Xuelan.

Jiang Xuelan reached out and grasped the Heart of the Cold Abyss.

The Heart of the Cold Abyss felt slightly warm in her palm, and icy blue light spread upwards along her arm, merging with her Ice God power.

Seeing this, Bei Mingyuan slowly sat down on the altar.

“You may leave. I am about to begin my seclusion to restore my physical body. After you leave, seal the secret passage. Do not let anyone disturb me,” Bei Mingyuan said.

Kai nodded and turned to walk towards Jiang Xuelan and Su Yuqi.

Su Yuqi had awakened from her healing process, leaning against the ice wall, her dark red eyes fixed on Kai with an indescribable emotion.

She had seen and heard everything.

The ancestor of the Ice God lineage, the Heart of the Cold Abyss, the reshaping of the physical body…

these were things she had never known before.

“Let’s go.” Kai walked up to her and extended his hand.

Su Yuqi looked at his hand, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and let him take her hand.

Her hand was cold, but Kai’s hand was warm.

Purple chaotic energy surged from his palm, enveloping her hand and seeping into her body, stabilizing her injuries.

Su Yuqi’s body trembled slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her dark red eyes.

“Your chaotic energy… can heal?”

“Yes.”

Kai released her hand. “Chaotic energy is the source of all elements, including the life force. While it’s not as effective as specialized healing spiritual energy, it can still be used.”

Su Yuqi was silent for a moment, then nodded.

The three of them left the ice crystal palace, passed through the passage, and returned to the bottom of the crevice.

Kai glanced up at the exit above the crack, then turned and took out several huge rocks from his storage ring. He melted them with chaotic power, turning them into magma, which he poured into the crack.

The magma solidified upon contact with the cold air, completely sealing the crack.

He then placed several restrictions on the sealed crack, reinforcing them with chaotic power to ensure that no one could enter.

“That should be enough.” Kai dusted off his hands, turned to Jiang Xuelan and Su Yuqi, and said, “Let’s go.”

The three climbed up the ice wall along the edge of the crack and returned to the ice field.

Three blazing suns hung high in the sky, their golden, silvery, and crimson rays intertwining, dyeing the entire ice field a magnificent tricolor.

The ice field was silent, save for the howling of the cold wind and the faint sound of ice crystals shattering.

The corpses of the Bright Temple cultivators were still scattered on the ice field, their golden blood having congealed into a dark golden film, shimmering eerily in the sunlight.

Kai’s gaze lingered on the corpses for a moment before returning to his seat.

“Which way?” Jiang Xuelan asked.

Kai took out a jade map and glanced at it.

“South,”

he said. “First, leave the Northern Abyss and find a safe place for Su Yuqi to recover. Then… go to the Hall of Light.”

“Go to the Hall of Light?” Jiang Xuelan was somewhat surprised. “What for?”

Kai put away the jade map, a cold glint flashing in his purple eyes.

“They want to kill me, I have to go and say hello.” His voice was calm, but a chilling undercurrent emanated from it. “Tell them I’m not someone to be trifled with.”

Jiang Xuelan looked into his eyes and didn’t ask any more questions.

She was used to Kai’s way of speaking.

Every time he said “go and say hello,” it meant someone was about to suffer.

Su Yuqi stood to the side, looking at Kai’s profile, a complex emotion flickering in her dark red eyes.

She didn’t know this young man well, but she could sense an inexplicable aura about him.

It was a temperament forged through countless life-and-death experiences, tempered amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Cold, composed, decisive, and ruthless.

Yet, at the same time, it carried an indescribable tenderness.

Just like the warmth he felt in her palm when he held her hand earlier.

“Let’s go.” Kai turned and led the way south.

Jiang Xuelan followed behind him, and Su Yuqi hesitated for a moment before following as well.

The three figures cast long shadows across the icy plain, gradually receding into the distance in the icy blue light of the Frost Abyss.

Behind them, in the sealed rift, Bei Mingyuan was in seclusion within the light of the Heart of the Frost Abyss.

Before them, the forces of the Hall of Light and the Flame God Palace were eyeing them covetously.

Kai knew the road ahead would not be easy.

But he didn’t care.

He had walked even more difficult paths and faced even more powerful enemies.

These were nothing compared to this.

The only thing he cared about was the dark red figure behind him.

Su Yuqi.

He would definitely find a way to restore her memories.

Not to make her return to her past self, but to let her know that

she was never alone .

In this world, there were still people who cared about her, still people who remembered her, still people who were willing to risk their lives for her.

Even if she had forgotten everything.

Kai pulled himself together and quickened his pace.

The road ahead was still long, but he wasn’t afraid.

Because he knew that no matter what lay ahead, he would not stop.

To become stronger, to find the Chaos Dao Palace, for those he wanted to protect. He would

not retreat a single step.

The three of them climbed the last ice wall from the edge of the ice field. The ice beneath their feet gradually thinned, and the dark red sand reappeared in their sight. The icy blue aura of the Northern Abyss swirled slowly behind them, like the unchanging aurora borealis, silently watching their retreating figures.

Su Yuqi walked at the very back; her injuries hadn’t fully healed. Although the wound on her shoulder had scabbed over, each movement of her arm aggravated it, sending a slight stinging pain through her.

Her dark red dress was covered in ice shards and dust, and her long hair fluttered wildly in the cold wind, but she didn’t complain of fatigue or slow her pace.

Kai walked at the front, the Dragon-Slaying Sword hanging at his waist, his purple eyes scanning the surroundings, his divine sense covering a radius of fifty miles.

Although the edge of the Northern Abyss was much safer than its interior, who knew if the Hall of Light had already sent reinforcements?

Jiang Xuelan walked in the middle, her icy white dress fluttering in the cold wind of the Northern Abyss.

Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, icy blue spiritual energy flowing between her fingertips, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

The Heart of the Abyss resided within her; the icy blue bead emanated from within her, its slight coolness felt like a piece of ice jade pressed against her heart.

The three walked in silence for about an hour. The icy blue halo of the Northern Abyss had faded into a pale blue hue on the horizon behind them, and the Azure Cloud Mountains reappeared in their sight.

Pine forests, pebble beaches, dried-up riverbeds—everything was the same as when they arrived.

Only their state of mind was different.

When they came, Kai had only a vague guess: the Northern Abyss might contain a treasure of the Ice God lineage.

On the way out, he not only witnessed the Heart of the Abyss but also the beginning of the Northern Abyss’s physical transformation, and learned that the Heart of the Abyss was the key to unlocking the main altar of the Ice God Palace in the Twentieth Heaven.

More importantly, Su Yuqi was by his side.

Although she had lost her memory, although she didn’t remember their past, she was still alive, still standing before him—that was enough.

Kai stopped and turned to look at Su Yuqi.

She walked slowly, her face still pale, her dark red eyes half-open, her gaze somewhat unfocused, clearly forcing herself to keep going.

“Let’s rest for a bit,” Kai said, pointing to a flat rock nearby.

Su Yuqi glanced at him, said nothing, and walked over to sit on the rock.

She took out a pill from her storage ring, swallowed it, closed her eyes, and began to regulate her breathing.

Dark red flames slowly burned on her body, dispelling the surrounding chill and casting flickering light on her face.

Kai stood beside her, looking at her profile, a complex emotion flashing in his purple eyes.

He remembered many things.

He remembered his past with Su Yuqi.

He remembered their first meeting, when Su Yuqi almost hit him with her car.

He remembered how Su Yuqi used her family’s influence to protect him.

Back then, he didn’t seem so powerful…

Kai took a deep breath, suppressing those surging thoughts, walked to Su Yuqi, squatted down, and looked her in the eye.

“I have a question for you,” Kai said.

Su Yuqi opened her eyes, her dark red pupils looking at him. She didn’t speak, only nodded slightly.

“Where’s your junior brother?” Kai asked. “Ning Zhi. ”

Su Yuqi’s brows furrowed slightly, as if she was recalling something.

“He’s in seclusion,”

she said softly. “Ever since he was defeated by you at the Fourteenth Heaven, he’s been in seclusion and hasn’t come out.”

Kai fell silent. This Ning Zhi had chased him all the way from the mortal realm to the Celestial Realm, and now he’d even come to the Celestial Realm.

Did he really intend to kill him?

Thinking about it, they didn’t actually have any deep-seated hatred.

It was just that he killed his father, was that a big deal?

“What exactly is the hatred between you and him?”

Su Yuqi suddenly asked, a hint of curiosity in her dark red eyes. “From the Heavenly Ladder to the Celestial Realm, he’s always wanted to kill you. I asked him, but he wouldn’t tell me. Can you tell me?”

Kai remained silent for a long time.

He didn’t know where to begin.

“If we’re talking about my hatred for him, that was a long time ago, back when we were still in the mortal realm!” Kai said.

“The mortal world?” Su Yuqi frowned. She seemed to have forgotten the mortal world.

She had amnesia and no longer remembered her past.

“You don’t need to know too much.” Seeing Su Yuqi’s confused look, Kai didn’t want to tell her too much.

Now Su Yuqi had forgotten everything about herself, even the mortal world. If he said too much, it would only confuse and upset her more.

Su Yuqi looked into his eyes and didn’t press him.

The three rested for about half an hour. Su Yuqi’s complexion had improved, and the wound on her shoulder had healed most of it. The dark red scab had begun to fall off, revealing the new pink flesh underneath.

Kai stood up, dusted himself off, and said, “Let’s go, it’s time to get out of here.”

The three continued south.

The pine forest grew denser, the gravel beach turned into a dirt road, and the dirt road became the dry riverbed they had crossed on their way here.

The chill of the Northern Abyss was completely gone, replaced by the damp earthy smell of the outer Qingyun Mountains and the fragrance of pine resin.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Birdsong drifted from the depths of the canopy, clear and melodious, a stark contrast to the deathly silence of the Northern Abyss.

Ahead, the outline of the Azure Cloud Mountains was clearly visible; the continuous peaks gleamed a bluish-gray in the sunlight, their summits capped with snow that never melted, appearing particularly magnificent against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds.

According to the map, a day’s journey south from here would completely take them out of the Azure Cloud Mountains.

Kai stopped and turned to look at Su Yuqi.

“What do you plan to do next?” Kai asked.

Su Yuqi was silent for a moment, her dark red eyes gazing into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

“Return to the Flame Demon lineage,”

she said calmly. “My people are dead. I need to go back and report. The Hall of Light killed them; the Flame Demon lineage will avenge this.”

Kai looked helpless. If he told Su Yuqi now that she wasn’t a member of the Flame Demon lineage at all, she probably wouldn’t believe him.

Su Yuqi is a fire spirit, which is actually different from the Flame Demon lineage.

But Kai can’t say that right now.

“Come with me.” Kai looked at Su Yuqi with purple eyes, a hint of expectation in them. “It’s too dangerous for you to go back alone. The people from the Hall of Light are definitely looking for you everywhere. Your injuries haven’t healed yet, what if you encounter…”

“No need.”

Su Yuqi interrupted him, her voice soft but firm.

Kai’s words caught in his throat, a flicker of sadness crossing his purple eyes.

He looked at Su Yuqi, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

What reason did he have to make her stay?She had amnesia; she didn’t remember him.

In her eyes, he was just someone she knew, a boy she had seen in the Fourteenth Heaven, someone who had just helped her kill the cultivator from the Hall of Light.

Nothing more.

“Alright,” Kai’s voice returned to calm. “Then be careful.”

Su Yuqi nodded and turned to walk northeast.

She took a few steps, then suddenly stopped, without turning back, and simply whispered, “Thank you.”

Then she continued walking, her dark red figure gradually disappearing into the shadows of the pine forest.

Kai stood there, watching the direction her figure had vanished, motionless.

Something churned in his purple eyes, but ultimately returned to calm.

Jiang Xuelan stood beside him, silent.

She simply stood quietly, keeping him company.

After a long time, Kai finally withdrew his gaze.

“Let’s go,” he said, turning to walk south.

Jiang Xuelan followed behind him, hesitated for a moment, and asked, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Kai’s voice was calm, almost unnaturally so.

Jiang Xuelan didn’t ask any more questions.

She knew Kai needed time.

Some things couldn’t be let go of with a simple “it’s nothing.”

The two walked south along the dry riverbed for about an hour. The terrain gradually flattened, and the pine forest became increasingly sparse.

Ahead was a small open area, the ground covered with pebbles and withered grass. Several huge rocks were scattered at the edge of the open area, as if deliberately placed there by someone. Just

as Kai was about to cross the open area, he suddenly stopped.

His divine sense sensed a person.

That person stood in the center of the open area, with their back to them, motionless, like a statue.

Kai’s hand rested on the hilt of the Dragon-Slaying Sword, his purple eyes narrowing slightly.

The person wore a simple blue Taoist robe, had a thin face, and carried a wooden sword on their back.

The sword was covered with densely packed runes, not ordinary Taoist runes, but ancient Taoist patterns recorded in the Great Luo Golden Classic.

A Taoist.

Kai’s gaze lingered on the wooden sword for a moment, then returned to his own.

He sensed the person’s cultivation level: second rank of Golden Immortal.

Not too high, not too low—just enough to move freely in the Eighteenth Heaven without attracting too much attention.

But what caught Kai’s attention was the complete lack of hostility from the person.

His aura was calm and deep, like a still pool in a deep mountain, without ripples, without killing intent, only a sense of…waiting.

As if waiting for someone.

The person he was waiting for was Kai.

Because Kai sensed a faint fluctuation of Daoist cultivation within the person’s aura, a fluctuation that resonated subtly with the Great Luo Golden Scripture.

This was the first time Kai had encountered a Daoist since arriving in the Eighteenth Heaven.

He released the hilt of his Dragon-Slaying Sword and walked towards the person.

Jiang Xuelan followed behind him, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her gaze warily fixed on the person’s back.

Kai stopped about three zhang behind the person.

The person turned around.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with a thin face and a composure and calmness beyond his years.

His skin was fair, as if he hadn’t seen the sun for years, but it wasn’t a sickly white; rather, it was a jade-white color that came from cultivating some kind of technique.

His eyes were very dark, like two deep pools of water, bottomless and without ripples.

His gaze lingered on Kai for a moment, then he nodded slightly, as if confirming something.

“This humble Daoist is Yun Yi.”

He bowed slightly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching Kai’s ears, “A disciple of Qingyun Cave Heaven. By order of the sect leader, True Person Yu Xu, I invite Mr. Chen to Qingyun Cave Heaven for a discussion.”

Qingyun Cave Heaven.

True Person Yu Xu.

Kai had seen these two names on the map given to him by the Void Merchant Guild. Qingyun Cave Heaven was the foundation of the Daoist sect in the Eighteenth Heaven, and True Person Yu Xu was the sect leader of Qingyun Cave Heaven, a fifth-grade Golden Immortal.

A fifth-grade Golden Immortal powerhouse sending his disciple to invite a young man of the eighth grade True Immortal realm, and using the word “invite,” not “grab” or “bring.”

This was interesting.

Kai didn’t answer, only looking at Yun Yi. His purple eyes held neither hostility nor trust, only scrutiny.

Yun Yi didn’t urge him either.

He simply stood there, slightly bowed, like a bamboo stalk standing tall in the wind, unhurried, neither arrogant nor humble.

After a moment, he took out a jade slip from his robes and presented it with both hands.

“This is a letter from my master to Mr. Chen,” his voice remained calm.

Kai took the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense.

The jade slip contained a very brief spiritual message, only one sentence, but each word was like a nail, deeply driven into Kai’s mind.

“The three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven are willing to accept the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture as the new leader of the Daoist sect, even unto death.”

Kai’s hand trembled slightly.

He withdrew his divine sense from the jade slip, looked up at Yun Yi, a complex expression flashing in his purple eyes.

Accept the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture as the new leader of the Daoist sect.

Unto death.

What did this mean?

Was the Daoist sect going to hand over the entire Qingyun Cave Heaven?

Or is there another reason behind this?

Kai remained silent for a moment, then stored the jade slip in his storage ring.

“How long have you been waiting for me?” he suddenly asked.

Yun Yi was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Kai to ask this question.

“Three days,” he said. “My master said that Mr. Chen would emerge from the Northern Cold Abyss, and instructed me to wait here.”

Three days.

True Master Yu Xu knew three days ago that he would come to the Northern Cold Abyss, that he would emerge from here.

Kai’s brows furrowed slightly.

How did True Master Yu Xu know this?

Did he calculate it?

Or…did someone tell him?

In any case, this Jade Void Immortal was far more unfathomable than he had imagined.

“Aren’t you afraid I won’t be able to wait for you?” Kai asked again.

Yun Yi shook his head.

“My master said that Mr. Chen will definitely come.” His voice was calm, carrying an unwavering trust. “My master has never been wrong.”

Kai remained silent for a long time.

He stood in the center of the open space, his gaze passing over Yun Yi, looking towards the southern horizon.

There, the continuous peaks of the Azure Cloud Mountains gleamed with a bluish-gray luster under the sunlight. Between the peaks, the outlines of some buildings could be vaguely seen—not palaces, not pavilions, but ancient buildings like Taoist temples, with blue tiles and white walls, hidden in the clouds, appearing and disappearing.

That was the Azure Cloud Grotto-Heaven.

The foundation of the Daoist sect in the Eighteenth Heaven.

Kai withdrew his gaze and looked at Yun Yi.

This was the second force he had encountered showing him goodwill since arriving in the Eighteenth Heaven.

The first was the Void Merchant Guild, which gave him a map and a guest elder token.

The second was the Daoist sect, which wanted to appoint him as the new sect leader.

He didn’t know if there was any connection between the Daoist sect and the Void Merchant Guild, nor how much enmity existed between the Daoist sect and the Seven Lineages of the Divine Race.

But he saw something in Yun Yi’s eyes.

Something that the people of the Void Merchant Guild didn’t see, and that the cultivators of the Divine Race didn’t see either.

It was the look of someone who had waited in the long darkness for tens of thousands of years and finally saw a glimmer of light.

Kai had seen that look in Gui Yuanzi’s eyes, in the eyes of Xuanbing Venerable, and in the eyes of everyone who had been oppressed by the Divine Race for countless years.

It wasn’t scheming, it wasn’t a conspiracy, but a pure, heartfelt…hope.

The people of the Daoist sect wouldn’t harm him.

Kai didn’t know why he had this feeling, but his intuition was always accurate.

“Lead the way,” he said.

A glint flashed in Yun Yi’s eyes, but it quickly returned to calm.

He bowed slightly and turned to walk south.

Kai and Jiang Xuelan followed behind him.

The three of them crossed an open area and walked onto a bluestone path hidden in a pine forest.

The path was narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Covered in moss, it was clearly rarely used.

Dense pine forests lined both sides of the path, their branches laden with gray moss. The canopies of the pines blocked out the sun, leaving only sparse rays filtering through the leaves to create dappled shadows on the ground.

The air was filled with the sweet scent of pine resin and the damp smell of earth, occasionally punctuated by birdsong from the depths of the canopy, adding to the tranquility.

Yun Yi walked at the front, his pace neither fast nor slow, each step firm and steady.

His back was ramrod straight, his simple Taoist robe fluttering gently in the breeze. The wooden sword on his back swayed slightly with his steps, the ancient Taoist patterns on it glowing faintly in the sparse light, like sleeping dragons slowly awakening.

Kai walked behind him, his gaze fixed on his back, his purple eyes gleaming with thoughtful consideration.

“What else did your master say?” Kai suddenly asked.

Yun Yi didn’t turn around. His voice came from ahead, calm and clear: “My master also said that Mr. Chen has many questions in his heart, and he will answer them one by one.”

Kai’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

He did indeed have many questions.

Who left the black stone token, and how did it end up in the hands of the gods?

Where exactly is the Chaos Dao Palace? What’s inside?

What grudges exist between the Daoist sect and the gods?

Perhaps, he could find some answers to these questions in Qingyun Cave Heaven.

Qingyun Cave Heaven was hidden deep within the Qingyun Mountains, concealed by an ancient array. From the outside, it appeared as nothing more than endless green mountains and clear waters, showing no signs of anything unusual.

But the moment one stepped into the array, the world changed abruptly.

The green mountains and clear waters disappeared, replaced by a vast, boundless paradise of immortals.

With Yun Yi’s guidance, Kai and Jiang Xuelan quickly found the location of Qingyun Cave Heaven. If no one had guided them, even if they had just passed by, they wouldn’t have discovered that this place was a hidden paradise.The cobblestone path wound its way through the bamboo forest, the verdant bamboo swaying gently in the breeze, its leaves rustling softly as if whispering ancient secrets.

Kai walked behind Yun Yi, his purple eyes scanning their surroundings. He could sense that every bamboo stalk in this forest was no ordinary plant, but rather a component of some kind of array.

The bamboo roots intertwined underground, forming a vast network that gathered the spiritual energy of the entire valley, creating a natural spirit-gathering array.

The arrangement of this array was extremely sophisticated, not something that could be set up overnight, but rather the result of tens or even hundreds of thousands of years of accumulation and evolution.

The Daoist sect’s foundation was far deeper than Kai had imagined.

The three walked along the cobblestone path for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, until the bamboo forest gradually thinned out, and a cobblestone archway appeared ahead.

The archway, about three zhang high, consisted of two massive stone pillars and a horizontal beam. The pillars were inscribed with Taoist runes, and the beam bore four ancient characters: “Qingyun Cave Heaven.”

Behind the archway was a wide bluestone avenue, flanked by neatly arranged spirit trees laden with colorful spiritual fruits, emitting an alluring fragrance.

At the end of the avenue stood a magnificent Taoist temple.

Built against the mountainside, its blue tiles and white walls, with upturned eaves, stretched layer upon layer from the foot of the mountain to its summit, as if growing out of the mountain itself.

Each hall was shrouded in a faint spiritual light, the glow released when the protective array was activated.

Above the temple, cranes circled, colorful clouds swirled, and a spiritual spring waterfall cascaded down from the mountaintop, its thunderous roar echoing throughout the valley.

Yun Yi stopped before the archway and turned to look at Kai.

“Mr. Chen, please wait a moment.”

He bowed slightly. “My master said that Mr. Chen is a distinguished guest of the Daoist sect and should be greeted with the highest honors. I will go and inform him now.”

Kai nodded.

Yun Yi turned and walked onto the bluestone path, his pace much faster than before.

After walking about a hundred steps, he suddenly stopped, took out a jade talisman from his sleeve, and infused it with spiritual power. The jade talisman emitted a clear and melodious sound, which echoed in the valley and lingered for a long time.

As soon as the sound subsided, the bells and drums in the Daoist temple suddenly rang out in unison.

The bells were deep and resonant, ringing out nine times in total. Each ring seemed to echo throughout the entire valley, making one’s eardrums tingle, yet also giving one an indescribable sense of solemnity.

The drums were vigorous and powerful, also ringing out nine times, alternating with the bells, as if some ancient ceremony was being held.

The gates of the Taoist temple slowly opened, and two rows of Taoist disciples dressed in blue robes emerged, lining both sides of the main road. Each held a blue lantern, its flame flickering gently in the breeze, illuminating the entire road.

These disciples were all highly skilled, the lowest being at the seventh rank of True Immortal Realm, and the highest reaching the peak of the ninth rank.

They stood in neat rows, their postures respectful, their gazes fixed on Kai, their eyes filled with undisguised curiosity and anticipation.

Kai watched this scene, a hint of surprise flashing in his purple eyes.

Nine tolls of the bell, nine drumbeats, two rows of disciples lining up to welcome him—this level of ceremony was reserved for the most distinguished guests in any sect.

And he, a mere eighth-rank True Immortal Realm youth, was receiving such treatment on his first visit to Qingyun Cave Heaven.

What exactly did Master Yuxu intend to do?

This thought flashed through Kai’s mind, but he had no time to dwell on it, for a figure had already emerged from the Taoist temple.

The man had white hair and beard, a refined face, and wore a blue Taoist robe. He held a whisk in his hand, his steps neither fast nor slow, each step extremely steady, as if he were measuring the earth.

There was no fluctuation of spiritual energy on his body; he looked like an ordinary old man.

But Kai’s pupils contracted slightly.

He could sense how terrifying the power contained within this old man was.

That power was not outwardly projected, but rather inwardly contained, like a peerless divine sword sheathed. Although its edge was unseen, once drawn, it could cut through everything.

Fifth Rank Golden Immortal.

Master of Qingyun Cave Heaven, Jade Void True Person.

Jade Void True Person walked up to Kai and stopped three steps away.

He sized up Kai, his gaze lingering on those purple eyes for a long time, then nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

“The inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Classic is indeed extraordinary.”

His voice was aged yet gentle, like a kind elder praising a junior. “I am Yuxu, and have long admired Mr. Chen’s name.”

Kai clasped his hands in greeting. “Junior Kai greets True Man Yuxu.”

True Man Yuxu waved his hand. “No need for formalities. Mr. Chen is a distinguished guest of the Daoist sect. I have prepared tea. Please come in.”

He then turned and walked into the Daoist temple.

Kai followed behind him, followed by Jiang Xuelan and Yun Yi.

The four of them passed through the gate of the Daoist temple and entered a spacious courtyard.

The courtyard was filled with green bamboo, and a small path paved with pebbles led through the bamboo grove to an elegant tea room deep within the courtyard.

The tea room was small, only about three zhang square, with windows on all four sides, offering views of the verdant bamboo grove and distant mountain scenery.

The interior was simply furnished with a wooden table and a few wooden chairs. On the table sat a set of celadon teaware, from which steam rose gently, filling the room with a delicate and refreshing aroma.

Master Yuxu invited Kai to sit down and personally poured him a cup of tea.

“This is a spiritual tea produced in Qingyun Cave, called ‘Qingyun Mist,’ harvested from thousand-year-old tea trees on the mountaintop. Only three catties are produced each year. Please try it, Mr. Chen.”

Kai picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

The tea warmed his throat and flowed into his dantian, circulating through his meridians, invigorating his spirit.

“Excellent tea,” Kai said sincerely, setting down his cup.

Master Yuxu smiled and sat down opposite him.

Jiang Xuelan and Yun Yi did not sit down but stood at the entrance of the tea room, one on each side like two guardian deities.

Only Kai and Master Yuxu remained in the tea room, sitting opposite each other.

A moment of silence followed.

Kai knew that Master Yuxu hadn’t invited him simply for tea.

He also had many questions he wanted to ask.

“Master,” Kai began, his purple eyes fixed on Master Yuxu, “this junior has many questions in my mind. I wonder if Master Yuxu could answer them?”

Master Yuxu nodded. “Please ask, Mr. Chen. This humble Daoist will answer to the best of my knowledge.”

Kai took the black stone from his storage ring and placed it on the table.

The stone gleamed faintly in the light of the tea room, its surface patterns subtly shifting, as if something slumbered within.

“What is this?”

Kai asked. “Where did it come from? Why is it in my possession? What is its connection to the Chaos Dao Palace?”Master Yuxu’s gaze fell upon the black stone, a flicker of emotion crossing his usually calm eyes.

He reached out and gently stroked its surface, as if caressing a lost treasure.

“This black stone,” Master Yuxu’s voice deepened, “is a fragment of the key to the Chaos Dao Palace.”

“A fragment of the key?” Kai frowned.

“The Chaos Dao Palace is no ordinary palace.”

Master Yuxu withdrew his hand, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. “It was a Dao Palace built by the ancestors of the Daoist sect with supreme magical power at the dawn of chaos and the beginning of heaven and earth. Sealed within the palace are the most core inheritances of the Daoist sect, including one hundred and eight supreme Daoist scriptures, such as the Great Luo Golden Scripture, as well as the insights into laws and cultivation methods left by the ancestors of the Daoist sect.”

One hundred and eight supreme Daoist scriptures.

Kai’s heart trembled.

The Great Luo Golden Scripture was only one of them?

What level of cultivation techniques were the other one hundred and seven scriptures?

“However, the Great Luo Golden Scripture is the foremost of these 108 Daoist scriptures. Possessing the Great Luo Golden Scripture means possessing the purest lineage of Daoism,” said Jade Void Master.

“Senior, in which heaven is the Chaos Dao Palace located?” Kai asked.

“The Chaos Dao Palace is not in any heaven of the Heavenly Realm.”

“It exists outside the laws of heaven and earth, in an independent space unbound by the Heavenly Realm. That space has no fixed coordinates, no fixed entrance, and not even a fixed flow of time.

To enter the Chaos Dao Palace, one must gather three key fragments and combine them into one to open the spatial passage leading to the Chaos Dao Palace.”

Three key fragments.

Kai looked down at the black stone on the table, a thoughtful glint in his purple eyes.

“So, there are two more of these black stones?”

“That’s right.”

Master Yuxu nodded. “The three key fragments are held by different forces. The one you have was left by the ancestors of the Daoist sect, but it was lost during the war between the Daoist sect and the gods, and ended up in the lower realm. As for why it ended up in your hands…”

He paused, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips, “Perhaps it’s fate, perhaps it’s the arrangement of the ancestors of the Daoist sect. I dare not make a definitive conclusion.”

Kai was silent for a moment, then put the black stone back into his storage ring.

“What exactly is the grudge between the Daoist sect and the gods?”

Master Yuxu’s smile disappeared, replaced by a deep emotion that had been suppressed for tens of thousands of years.

“The grudge between the Daoist sect and the gods is a long story.”

He put down his teacup, gazing at the bamboo forest outside the window, as if recalling something from a long time ago.

“The Daoist sect and the Divine Race originally shared the same origin. In the primordial era, the ancestors of both sects were cultivators who comprehended the laws of heaven and earth. Later, due to differing understandings of these laws, they split into two factions.

One faction believed that all things possess spirits, all beings are equal, and the path of cultivation should encompass all phenomena and be inclusive—this is the Daoist sect. The other faction believed that the Divine Race were the darlings of heaven and earth, born superior to all, and should rule all realms—this is the Divine Race.”

“Initially, the two factions were merely engaged in a clash of ideologies, and could coexist peacefully. But as time went on, the Divine Race grew increasingly powerful, beginning to suppress the Daoist sect and exclude those who disagreed.

They claimed that only the Divine Race was qualified to comprehend the supreme laws, and that other races were inferior beings, unworthy of cultivating profound techniques. The Daoist sect, advocating equality for all beings, naturally became a thorn in the side of the Divine Race.”

“The war lasted for hundreds of thousands of years, with the Daoist sect suffering repeated defeats. The Great Luo Golden Scripture was lost during that period, and the Chaos Dao Palace was sealed into an independent space during that time.”

The voice of Master Yuxu carried an undisguised sorrow.

“How is that possible? Isn’t the Divine Race just a few self-proclaimed noble human branches united and calling themselves the Divine Race? Besides, the Divine Race’s headquarters is in the twentieth heaven, and their God-King is only a Golden Immortal. How could they possibly defeat the Daoist Sect?”

Kai was somewhat incredulous.

After all, the Daoist Sect was an ancient force, existing since the beginning of chaos. How could they be defeated by a single Divine Race member?

Silence filled the tea room.

After Kai finished speaking, True Person Yu Xu did not immediately reply.

He picked up his teacup, took another sip of Qingyun Wu tea, and the aroma lingered on his lips and teeth, as if savoring some distant memory.

Outside the window, the green bamboo swayed gently in the breeze, the leaves rustling softly, as if whispering some ancient secret.

Jiang Xuelan stood at the entrance of the tea room, her ice-white dress shimmering faintly in the afternoon light.

Her gaze fell on True Person Yu Xu, her eyes also filled with doubt.

She was a descendant of the Ice God lineage and knew from a young age that the influence of the seven lineages of the God Clan only extended to the twentieth heaven. All the experts above the Golden Immortal realm resided in the twentieth heaven, and she had never heard of any higher-level existences within the God Clan.

Yun Yi stood on the other side, his simple Daoist robe fluttering gently in the breeze.

His face was expressionless, but a complex look flashed in his eyes, as if he knew that what Master Yu Xu was about to say would overturn Kai’s entire understanding of the world.

Master Yu Xu put down his teacup, his gaze shifting from the bamboo forest outside the window to Kai.

“Mr. Chen, you’re saying that the God Clan is just a few self-proclaimed noble human branches united together, calling themselves the God Clan?”

His voice was soft, but every word seemed to come from a very deep and distant place, carrying a weight of experience. “I ask you a question: have you ever seen a true god?”

Kai was stunned.

A true god?

He had seen members of the God Clan: Heavenly Extreme Venerable, Yan Wuji, Holy Light Venerable—those were all gods.

They called themselves the Divine Race, possessing combat power far exceeding that of cultivators of the same level, and wielding the power of laws such as holy light and divine fire.

But in Kai’s eyes, they were merely a group of cultivators with higher cultivation levels, far removed from the word “god.”

“The highest cultivation level of the Divine Race I’ve met is only at the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal Realm,”

Kai said truthfully. “Although they are stronger than ordinary cultivators, they are far from being true gods.”

Jade Void Master nodded, a faint smile appearing on his lips, a smile carrying an indescribable meaning, as if gratified that Kai had not been deceived by appearances, yet also as if weighing the weight of what he was about to say.

“You’re right. Those so-called Divine Race members you’ve met are indeed not true gods.”

Jade Void Master’s voice deepened. “They are merely the outer forces of the Divine Race, tools used by the Divine Race to rule the various heavens of the Celestial Realm. The true Divine Race has never resided in the twentieth heaven.”

Kai’s pupils contracted slightly.

Not in the twentieth heaven?

Then where is it?

Master Yuxu seemed to see through his question and slowly said, “Mr. Chen, do you know how many heavens there are in the celestial realm?” Kai thought for a moment, “The Thirty-Six Heavens.”

“Then do you know what lies above the Thirty-Six Heavens?”

Kai fell silent.

What lies above the Thirty-Six Heavens?

He had never considered this question.

In all the information he had come across, the Celestial Realm was the Thirty-Six Heavens, the pinnacle of the Celestial Realm.

The Divine Race’s headquarters was in the Twentieth Heaven, and the God-King was also in the Twentieth Heaven—that was all he knew.

“Beyond the Celestial Realm lies a vast cosmic river, and the Celestial Realm is but a tiny speck of dust within it. And within this cosmic river lies a place called the ‘Divine Realm.'”

Jade Void True Man’s voice carried an unusual solemnity. “That is the true foundation of the Divine Race. The Divine Race’s headquarters in the Twentieth Heaven is merely a tentacle extended from the Celestial Realm’s Divine Race to the lower realms. Only those Divine Race beings above the Golden Immortal Realm can barely grasp some of the truth about the Divine Realm.”

The Divine Realm.

Kai heard this term for the first time.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. If the true foundation of the Divine Race lay in the Divine Realm beyond the Celestial Realm, then the Divine Race forces he had previously fought against were merely the tip of the iceberg?

No, not even the tip of the iceberg. Only those Divine Race members above the Golden Immortal Realm could be considered the lowest level of the Divine Race, knowing a little bit of the truth about the Divine Realm.

And below the Divine Race’s main altar, those Divine Race cultivators below the Golden Immortal Realm weren’t even considered the lowest level.

They were considered trash…

Perhaps the Divine Race within the Divine Realm didn’t even know these members existed.

Jiang Xuelan listened from the side, dumbfounded. Their eight branches of the main altar had always been scheming and fighting for the so-called God-King position.

But in the end, these self-proclaimed noble Divine Race members weren’t even at the very bottom of their race.

Perhaps, they weren’t even Divine Race at all.

The shock of this information made Jiang Xuelan feel dizzy.

“Mr. Chen, you’ve heard the term ‘Myriad Realms,’ haven’t you? You don’t actually think that among these myriad realms, the Celestial Realm is the highest.” The voice of True Immortal Yu Xu seemed to come from a great distance, each word like a boulder weighing heavily on Kai’s heart,

sending a chill down his spine.

Kai’s mind was blank. It was like someone who studied hard, thinking that getting into university would make them the most knowledgeable person.

But now that they’d entered university, someone suddenly told them that university was nothing special; there were master’s degrees, doctorates, academicians…

university graduates were the least valuable.

Kai took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions.

“Senior,” Kai spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, “how do you know all this?”

After all, True Immortal Yu Xu was only a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, an eighteenth-level cultivator. How could he know so much? Moreover

, even the Divine Race itself didn’t know about the Divine Realm, yet True Immortal Yu Xu knew.

Master Yuxu smiled. “I only know this because I accidentally obtained a wisp of my ancestor’s inheritance, but that’s all I know. I don’t know anything else.”

“Senior, is the power of the Daoist sect also very vast?” Kai asked.

Master Yuxu nodded. “The power of the Daoist sect in the myriad realms is far greater than what you see. In the entire Heavenly Realm, every level has a Daoist sect. In other realms, there is also the power of the Daoist sect, and even in the mortal world, there are branches of the Daoist sect.”

Some images flashed through Kai’s mind: the Daoist temples, Daoist priests, Daoist practices in the mortal world… were they all part of the Daoist sect?

“However,”

Master Yuxu’s voice became even lower, “the Daoist sects are too numerous and complex, with different philosophies between them, and they often clash. Some sects advocate using softness to overcome hardness, some advocate using hardness to overcome softness, some advocate detachment from the world for cultivation, and some advocate engaging in the world to help people.

These differences prevent the power of the Daoist sect from being unified, and it remains a scattered mess.”

“A scattered mess?” Kai frowned.

“Indeed.”

Master Yuxu nodded. “There are countless sects within the myriad realms of Taoism, each with its own traditions, rules, and interests.

On the surface, they all call themselves Taoist, but in reality, none submit to the others. For hundreds of thousands of years, no sect has been able to unify Taoism, nor has any individual been able to win the sincere respect of all Taoist disciples.”

He paused, his gaze falling on Kai, a burning light flashing in his eyes.

“Until the appearance of the Great Luo Golden Scripture.”

Kai’s heart skipped a beat.

“The Great Luo Golden Scripture is the supreme Taoist scripture left by the ancestors of Taoism, the source of all Taoist cultivation methods. Whoever can cultivate the Great Luo Golden Scripture is the successor of the ancestors of Taoism, and whoever has the right to command all Taoist sects under heaven.”

Master Yuxu’s voice carried an undisguised excitement. “Mr. Chen, you are the first person in hundreds of thousands of years to possess the Great Luo Golden Scripture.”

Silence fell over the tea room.

Kai sat in his chair, his purple eyes churning with complex emotions.

He finally understood.

Why Master Yuxu had sent Yun Yi to wait outside the Northern Cold Abyss for three days.

Why did Qingyun Cave Heaven greet him with the highest level of ceremony?

Why did Master Yuxu say, “We honor the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture as the new leader of the Daoist sect”?

It wasn’t because he was Kai, but because he had cultivated the Great Luo Golden Scripture.

Before the Great Luo Golden Scripture, who he was, where he came from, and his cultivation level were all unimportant.

What mattered was that he was the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture, the descendant of the Daoist ancestor, and the first person in hundreds of thousands of years qualified to command the Daoist sects of the world.

“Senior,” Kai began, his voice slightly hoarse, “Do you think I can unify the Daoist sects?”

Master Yuxu was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

“This humble Daoist doesn’t know.”

His voice was frank. “Unifying the Daoist sects isn’t something that can be done with just one cultivation technique. It requires strength, wisdom, opportunity, and… time. But this humble Daoist knows one thing: if you can’t do it, then no one in this world can.”

Kai looked into Master Yuxu’s eyes; in those aged eyes, there was no calculation, no probing, only unreserved trust.

It was the look in his eyes, the gaze of someone who had waited tens of thousands of years in darkness and finally seen a glimmer of light.

Kai took a deep breath, suppressing his chaotic thoughts.

“Senior, I have one last question.”

“Please speak.”

“How can I find the Chaos Dao Palace?”

Master Yuxu remained silent for a long time.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, picked it up again, and put it down again.

He repeated this three times before finally speaking.

“I know that there is a faint connection between the three key fragments. If you can find the second fragment, you can sense the approximate location of the third fragment. If you can find the third fragment, you can sense the location of the Chaos Dao Palace.”
Kai fell silent.

Of the three key fragments, he only possessed one.

The other two were nowhere to be found, and no one knew who had them.

It was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

But he was not discouraged.

He had walked a path far more difficult than this, and faced situations far more desperate than this.

With one fragment in hand, he was not entirely without anything.

“Thank you for your explanation, Senior.” Kai stood up and bowed respectfully.

Master Yu Xu also stood up and waved his hand. “Mr. Chen, you are too kind. I merely mentioned some things that Mr. Chen would know sooner or later.”

“What are Mr. Chen’s plans next?”

Kai’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword, a cold glint flashing in his purple eyes.

“To the Hall of Light.”

Master Yu Xu’s brow furrowed slightly. “The Hall of Light? Does Mr. Chen have a grudge against the Hall of Light?”

“Yes.” Kai’s voice was calm, but beneath the calm lay a chilling killing intent. “They injured someone they shouldn’t have.”

He didn’t say who that person was.

But Master Yu Xu read the answer in Kai’s eyes.

It was the kind of look one would only show for someone truly important.

Cold, resolute, and leaving no room for negotiation.

“The strength of the Bright Hall is not to be underestimated,”

Jade Void Master’s voice carried a hint of solemnity. “The Hall Master is a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, the Deputy Hall Master a fourth-grade Golden Immortal, with dozens of elders and thousands of disciples. Although Mr. Chen’s combat power is astonishing, to fight the entire Bright Hall alone…”

“I didn’t say I wanted to go alone,” Kai interrupted Jade Void Master, his purple eyes fixed on him. “Senior, you said that the three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven are willing to serve me as the new leader of the Daoist sect, even unto death.”

Jade Void Master’s body trembled slightly.

He looked into Kai’s eyes, those purple eyes showing no hesitation, no probing, only an undeniable firmness.

A moment of silence followed.

Then, Jade Void Master smiled.

The smile was faint, but genuine, like an old man who had waited for tens of thousands of years, finally waiting for the person he had been waiting for.

“Good,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “The three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven are willing to follow Mr. Chen into battle.”

Kai nodded, and was then arranged to rest.

Lying in bed, Kai couldn’t sleep at all; his mind was a complete mess.

Now that he knew there were cosmic galaxies beyond the Celestial Realm, what was Mr. Shi’s identity?

Was he from the Celestial Realm, or from the myriad realms beyond?

What about his father? Wasn’t he the Golden Dragon?

And what about Wen Haotian? What was his true identity?

These mysteries plagued Kai.

After thinking for an unknown amount of time, Kai covered his head to stop.

Since he had come this far, he would take it one step at a time. If one day he couldn’t go on, he would stop and rest.

Or he could let his sons and grandsons continue the journey.

Anyway, he had plenty of women; he wasn’t worried about not having sons.

The next morning.

Qingyun Cave Heaven, Martial Arts Arena.

Three hundred Qingyun Cave Heaven disciples stood neatly in the arena, each with the cultivation of a Golden Immortal, including more than twenty at the third rank or higher.

Although Qingyun Cave Heaven didn’t have many people, they were all elites.

They wore uniform cyan Taoist robes, with standard Taoist artifacts hanging at their waists and various longswords on their backs.

A morning breeze blew, causing the robes of the three hundred people to flutter simultaneously, like a surging cyan ocean.

Master Yuxu stood on the high platform of the training ground, his white hair and beard flowing in the morning wind, his cyan robe gleaming faintly in the sunlight.

Behind him stood Yun Yi and several other Golden Immortal elders, each with a solemn expression.

Kai stood beside Master Yuxu, his purple eyes sweeping over the three hundred disciples in the training ground.

Three hundred pairs of eyes looked at him simultaneously, without doubt or dissent, only a pure, unreserved trust.

It was trust that Master Yuxu had earned with tens of thousands of years of prestige.

Master Yuxu said he was the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture, the successor of the Taoist ancestor, and the new leader of the Taoist sect.

The disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven believed him.

No proof was needed, no explanation was needed, no reason was required.

Kai took a deep breath and stepped forward.

“Everyone,” his voice wasn’t loud, but it reached everyone’s ears clearly, “Today, we are going to the Hall of Light.”

Silence fell over the training ground.

The three hundred disciples listened quietly, no one speaking, no one whispering.

“The Hall Master of the Hall of Light is a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, the Deputy Hall Master is a fourth-grade Golden Immortal, there are dozens of elders, and thousands of disciples.” Kai’s voice was calm, as if stating a simple fact, “We only have three hundred people.”

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his purple eyes.

“But that’s enough.”

Silence remained over the training ground.

In the eyes of the three hundred disciples, there was no fear, no hesitation, only a burning fighting spirit.

They had cultivated in Qingyun Cave Heaven for hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of years, waiting for this day.

The Daoist sect had been suppressed by the Divine Race for hundreds of thousands of years, waiting for this day.

“Let’s go.” After saying these two words, Kai turned and walked down from the platform.

The three hundred disciples turned simultaneously, their steps in unison, heading towards the exit of Qingyun Cave Heaven.

The azure Taoist robes billowed in the morning breeze, like a blue torrent surging out of Qingyun Cave and heading towards the Hall of Light.

Master Yuxu walked at the head of the procession, a whisk in hand, his azure robes fluttering in the wind, his white hair and beard shimmering silver in the sunlight.

His pace was neither fast nor slow, each step steady, as if measuring the earth, or perhaps the hundreds of thousands of years of hatred between the Taoist sect and the divine race.

Yun Yi walked beside Master Yuxu, the wooden sword on his back glowing faintly in the morning light, its ancient Taoist patterns like awakening dragons, slowly moving.

Jiang Xuelan walked beside Kai, her ice-white dress standing out starkly against the azure backdrop.

Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, icy blue spiritual energy flowing between her fingertips. The Heart of the Cold Abyss warmed slightly within her, as if responding to the fighting spirit within her.

Kai walked at the head of the group, the Dragon-Slaying Sword hanging at his waist, his purple eyes fixed ahead.

The Hall of Light was to the southeast, about three days’ journey from Qingyun Cave.

The three hundred people proceeded on foot, choosing not to fly.

Not because they couldn’t, but because it wasn’t necessary.

Three days was enough for the people of the Hall of Light to know they had arrived.

This was the effect Kai wanted.

He wouldn’t resort to sneak attacks or ambushes.

He wanted to enter the Hall of Light openly and honestly, letting everyone know that the gods were not invincible.

The group moved through the mountains and forests at a moderate pace.

The three hundred people formed a long dragon, their blue Taoist robes standing out vividly against the green forest. The rogue cultivators and members of small sects encountered along the way gave way upon seeing this group, their eyes filled with shock.

Qingyun Cave Heaven had mobilized its entire force—what was it planning?

Was it going to war with some major sect?

The news spread like wildfire through the mountains and forests. In less than half a day, all the forces within a radius of thousands of miles knew that Qingyun Cave Heaven had dispatched three hundred disciples, heading southeast.

Southeast.

That was the direction of the Hall of Light. At

the Flame God Palace,

Yan Wuji sat on the Flame God Throne, holding a newly arrived intelligence report.

The report contained only one line—”Three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven have mobilized their entire force, heading towards the Hall of Light.”

Yan Wuji looked at this line, a hint of doubt flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

Although Qingyun Cave Heaven and the Hall of Light had a history of conflict, it had never reached the point of armed conflict.

That old fox, True Person Yuxu, had been biding his time for tens of thousands of years, never actively provoking any force.

What was going on today?

“Continue the investigation.” Yan Wuji tossed the intelligence report to his trusted aide. “Find out exactly what Qingyun Cave Heaven is up to.”

“Yes.”

The aide acknowledged and withdrew.

Yan Wuji sat alone on his throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, producing a dull thud.

He had a bad feeling.

Qingyun Cave Heaven’s sudden military action must be related to that Kai.

Just a few days ago, a team sent by the Bright Hall to the Northern Netherworld Abyss was completely wiped out, and the Golden Immortal Fourth Rank Elder who led the team did not return.

The Bright Hall was investigating the matter and had not yet found any results.

But if Kai participated in that battle, if Jade Void True Person knew about it…

Yan Wuji’s brows furrowed even more.

“Kai…” he murmured the name, a hint of killing intent flashing in his crimson-gold eyes, “What exactly do you want?”

…

The Bright Hall was located in the southeast of the Eighteenth Heaven, situated on a massive spiritual vein.

The entire palace was built of white jade, radiating a soft white light under the sunlight, appearing from afar like a bright pearl embedded in the earth.

Nine floating altars surrounded the palace, each inscribed with holy runes that shimmered in the sunlight, enveloping the entire palace in a golden holy light shield.

This was the Palace of Light’s protective array—the “Holy Light Canopy,” said to be able to withstand any attack from those below the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal realm.

The Palace Master of the Palace of Light was named Holy Light Celestial Venerable, a fifth-rank Golden Immortal, second only to Yan Wuji among the Eighteen Heavens’ divine race.

He had lived for hundreds of thousands of years, witnessing the entire process of the Palace of Light’s development from a small branch of the divine race into the second largest power in the Eighteen Heavens.

At this moment, Holy Light Celestial Venerable sat in the main hall of the Palace of Light, holding a piece of intelligence identical to that in Yan Wuji’s hands.

“Three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven have all left, heading towards the Palace of Light.”

His brows furrowed deeply.

Qingyun Cave Heaven.

Jade Void True Person.

That old fox, who had hidden in the Qingyun Mountains for tens of thousands of years, never actively provoking anyone.

What’s going on today?

“Has the investigation been completed?” The Holy Light Celestial’s voice was deep and majestic, echoing in the hall.

A cultivator from the Hall of Light, kneeling in the hall, raised his head, his face pale, his voice trembling slightly: “Reporting to the Celestial, it has been completed. The reason Qingyun Cave Heaven sent troops… is related to a man named Kai.”

“Kai?”

The Holy Light Celestial’s brows furrowed even more. “The same Kai who killed Yan Po in the Fallen God Wasteland and slaughtered a troop of my Hall of Light’s forces in the Northern Netherworld Abyss?”

“Indeed.”

“What is his relationship with Qingyun Cave Heaven?”

“According to the investigation, Kai is… the inheritor of the Great Luo Golden Scripture.”

Silence fell over the hall.

The Holy Light Celestial’s expression changed.

The Great Luo Golden Scripture.

The supreme inheritance of the Daoist sect, lost for hundreds of thousands of years.

Legend has it that whoever can cultivate the Great Luo Golden Scripture is the successor of the Daoist sect’s ancestor, and whoever has the right to command all Daoist sects under heaven.

If this were true, if that old fox, Master Yuxu, truly recognized Kai as the new leader of the Daoist sect…

then the Qingyun Cave Heaven’s dispatch of troops wouldn’t be Master Yuxu’s intention, but Kai’s.

“Well done, Kai,”

the Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s voice carried a chill. “You killed my men and still dare to bring Daoist people to the Bright Hall to cause trouble. I’d like to see just what you’re capable of.”

He stood up from his seat, golden holy light surging from his body, illuminating the entire hall.

“Send the order: all disciples of the Bright Hall, enter maximum alert. Activate the hall’s protective array. I will personally confront this Kai.”

“Yes!”

The cultivators in the hall acknowledged the order and withdrew.

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable stood in the center of the hall, golden holy light flowing around him, casting flickering light on his face.

A murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Regardless of Kai’s background, regardless of who stood behind him,

this was the Bright Hall, his territory.

Anyone who dared to act recklessly here would pay the price.

Three days later.

Outside the Hall of Light.

Three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven stood in neat rows before the Hall’s gate. Their azure robes shimmered faintly in the sunlight, and three hundred longswords were drawn simultaneously, their light flashing like a forest of azure swords.

Kai stood at the head of the line, his Dragon-Slaying Sword hanging at his waist, his purple eyes fixed on the magnificent white palace before him.

The Hall of Light’s protective array was fully activated. The holy runes on the nine floating altars lit up simultaneously, golden holy light surging from the altars and condensing into a massive golden light curtain above the Hall, enveloping the entire palace.

Countless holy runes flowed across the light curtain, each one operating frantically, maximizing the array’s defensive power.

Before the Hall of Light’s gate, thousands of cultivators stood in formation, golden holy light emanating from them, reflecting the light of the protective array and dyeing the entire sky gold.

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable stood atop the highest point of the mountain gate, his golden robes fluttering in the wind. He held a golden scepter in his hand, the luminous stone at its tip radiating blinding holy light.

Behind him stood the Vice Hall Master and dozens of elders, each with a solemn expression.

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s gaze pierced the hundreds of feet, landing on Kai.

Eighth-grade True Immortal.

This was the very youth who had slain Yan Po, and the fourth-grade Golden Immortal elder he had sent to the Northern Netherworld Abyss.

This was the very youth who, with three hundred disciples of the Azure Cloud Cave Heaven, had besieged the Bright Light Palace.

“You are Kai?” The Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s voice echoed like thunder in the sky.

Kai raised his head, his purple eyes meeting the Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s golden eyes.

“Yes.”

A single word, no further explanation, no unnecessary words.

A flash of killing intent crossed the Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s eyes.

“I have no grudge against you, so why did you bring people to my Bright Hall?”

Kai’s hand rested on the hilt of the Dragon Slayer Sword, a cold glint flashing in his purple eyes.

“No grudge?”

His voice was calm, but there was a chilling coldness in it. “The people you sent to the Northern Abyss injured someone they shouldn’t have.” Holy Light Celestial Venerable frowned.

“Who is it?”

Kai didn’t answer.

He drew the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Purple chaotic fire burned on the sword, distorting the surrounding air.

“You don’t need to know,”

Kai’s voice was as cold as ice. “You only need to know that your people attacked someone they shouldn’t have. Therefore, you will all pay the price.”

Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s face darkened.

He didn’t understand what Kai meant.

His people had injured someone in the Northern Abyss?

Who was injured?

The team he sent to the Northern Abyss was to find the Heart of the Abyss, not to cause trouble.

How could they have injured someone?

Who was injured that warranted such a large-scale attack from Kai?

Holy Light Celestial Venerable couldn’t understand, but he didn’t need to.

Because Kai had already raised the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Purple sword energy condensed on the sword, growing longer and brighter, finally forming a purple pillar of light tens of feet long.

The pillar of light contained terrifying power—the destructive light released after the chaotic power was compressed to its limit.

Kai slashed down with his sword.

The purple beam of light struck the golden light barrier with a deafening roar.

The golden holy light and the purple chaotic power clashed violently at the point of impact, the two opposing forces annihilating each other and releasing an unimaginable energy shockwave.

The shockwave spread in all directions, destroying all the trees within a radius of several miles and blasting a crater several meters deep into the ground.

The protective array of the Hall of Light trembled violently, and a tiny crack appeared on the golden light barrier.

The Holy Light Celestial’s expression changed.

The Hall of Light’s protective array, the “Holy Light Sky Barrier,” was said to be able to withstand any attack from below the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal realm.

Kai was merely an eighth-rank True Immortal cultivator; how could a single sword strike cause a crack in the “Holy Light Sky Barrier”?

What kind of monster was this?

“Everyone, listen to my command!” the Holy Light Celestial roared. “Maintain the array with all your might! Don’t let that madman break it!”

Thousands of cultivators from the Hall of Light simultaneously circulated their spiritual power, pouring their holy light into the array.

The crack on the golden light barrier rapidly healed, making the barrier even thicker and more solid.

But Kai’s second sword strike had already landed.

The second sword was more ferocious than the first, the purple sword aura longer and containing greater power.

“Boom—”

The golden light curtain trembled violently again, the cracks larger and more numerous than before.

The third sword.

The fourth sword.

The fifth sword.

Kai slashed at the great formation with sword after sword, each strike more powerful than the last, each leaving deep marks on the formation.

The cultivators of the Hall of Light did their best to maintain the great formation, but Kai’s sword was too fast, too powerful, and their spiritual energy was being consumed at a visible rate.

“This won’t do!” The deputy hall master rushed to the side of the Holy Light Celestial Venerable, his face pale, “The great formation won’t hold for much longer! We must take the initiative to attack!”

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable gritted his teeth, a hint of madness flashing in his golden eyes.

“Pass down the order, open the great formation! All disciples, follow me to attack!”

“Yes!”

The golden light curtain slowly opened a gap.

Thousands of cultivators from the Hall of Light rushed out from the mountain gate, golden holy light burning on their bodies, dyeing the entire sky gold.

They formed a battle formation and charged towards the three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven.

Master Yuxu stood at the very front of the Qingyun Cave Heaven’s ranks, his aged face expressionless as he watched the approaching cultivators from the Bright Hall.

“Form the formation,” he commanded, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of every Qingyun Cave Heaven disciple.

The three hundred Qingyun Cave Heaven disciples moved simultaneously.

Centered on Master Yuxu, they quickly formed a massive Bagua formation.

At each of the eight directions of the Bagua formation, a Golden Immortal elder was stationed, and the three hundred disciples were distributed across the various nodes, each infusing their spiritual power into the formation.

The Bagua formation slowly rotated, and azure spiritual light surged from within, condensing into a massive Bagua phantom in the sky above.

Within the phantom, the eight trigrams—Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui—lit up simultaneously, each containing the power of a Daoist law.

This was Qingyun Cave Heaven’s most powerful formation—the “Bagua Heavenly Evolution Formation.”

Legend has it that this formation was left behind by the ancestors of the Daoist sect, possessing immense power capable of trapping enemies whose cultivation surpasses that

of the formation’s caster by a whole realm. For tens of thousands of years, Qingyun Cave Heaven had never used this formation, for it had never encountered an enemy worthy of its use.

Today was the first time.

The cultivators of the Bright Hall rushed into the range of the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation.

In an instant, the world changed color.

Within the illusory Eight Trigrams, eight Daoist laws erupted simultaneously, the azure spiritual light suppressing the golden holy light layer by layer.

The Qian trigram, representing Heaven, unleashed a torrent of thunder, blasting the Bright Hall cultivators at the forefront into charred remains.

The Kun trigram, representing Earth, caused the ground to suddenly crack open, swallowing dozens of Bright Hall cultivators into the earth.

The Zhen trigram, representing Thunder, unleashed purple lightning from the sky, each bolt claiming the life of a Bright Hall cultivator.

The Xun trigram, representing Wind, sent a azure storm swirling the Bright Hall cultivators about, making it impossible for them to stand firm.

The Kan trigram represents water, and a raging flood surged from the void, engulfing the Bright Hall cultivators and drowning their holy light.

The Li trigram represents fire, and azure Dao fire spewed from the void, burning the Bright Hall cultivators to ashes.

The Gen trigram represents mountains, and colossal peaks descended from the sky, crushing the Bright Hall cultivators into mincemeat.

The Dui trigram represents marshes, and swamps appeared beneath the Bright Hall cultivators’ feet, trapping them and preventing their escape.

The eight Daoist laws erupted simultaneously, utterly overwhelming the Bright Hall cultivators.

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable watched this scene, his face ashen.

His thousands of disciples, before the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation, were like lambs to the slaughter, unilaterally slaughtered by the three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before all his disciples were annihilated.

“Everyone retreat! Get out of the formation’s range!” Holy Light Celestial Venerable roared.

The cultivators of the Bright Hall retreated desperately, but the range of the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation was too vast. No matter how fast they retreated, they couldn’t outrun the formation’s attacks.

In just half an incense stick’s time, the Bright Hall had already lost hundreds of disciples.

Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s eyes turned red.

He raised his golden scepter, and the Bright Stone at the top of the scepter erupted with dazzling holy light, condensing into a huge golden sphere of light, which he blasted towards the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation.

The golden sphere of light crashed into the Eight Trigrams phantom, producing a deafening roar.

The Eight Trigrams phantom trembled violently, but quickly returned to stability.

Jade Void True Man stood in the formation, looking at Holy Light Celestial Venerable, his aged face expressionless.

“Holy Light Celestial Venerable,” his voice was calm, “the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation is a formation left behind by the ancestors of the Daoist sect. With your cultivation of a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, you cannot break it.” Holy Light Celestial Venerable gritted his teeth, his golden eyes bloodshot.

He knew Jade Void True Man was telling the truth.

The power of the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation far exceeded his imagination.

If Jade Void True Man were merely a fifth-grade Golden Immortal cultivator, he could still put up a fight.

But Jade Void True Man wasn’t fighting alone.

He had three hundred disciples helping him maintain the formation, and the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation amplifying his power.

How could he possibly break it alone?

“Kai!”

Holy Light Celestial Venerable suddenly turned his head, his gaze falling on Kai. “What exactly do you want? I have no grudge against you! Neither your people nor my people have harmed you! Are you mistaken?”

Kai stood at the edge of the Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Formation, the Dragon-Slaying Sword held horizontally in front of him, his purple eyes fixed on Holy Light Celestial Venerable, devoid of any emotion.

“Your men injured a woman in a dark red dress in the Northern Abyss.”

His voice was calm, but a chilling undercurrent

ran through it. “She is from the Flame Demon lineage, but she is innocent. You shouldn’t have hurt her.” A scene flashed through the Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s mind: his subordinates had reported encountering a group of demon cultivators in the Northern Abyss, including a woman in a dark red dress.

He hadn’t paid much attention then.

Demons, he thought, killed them, killed them.

He hadn’t expected that Kai would bring three hundred disciples from Qingyun Cave Heaven to the Bright Hall for revenge just because that woman was injured.

“Just for a woman?”

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s voice was filled with disbelief. “You brought three hundred men to my Bright Hall, just for a woman?” Kai

didn’t answer.

He simply raised the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Purple chaotic fire burned on the sword, growing stronger and stronger until it condensed into a hundred-foot-long purple sword aura.

“You hurt her.” Kai’s voice was soft, but every word was like a knife piercing the heart of the Holy Light Celestial Venerable. “Therefore, you will all die.”

The sword aura slashed down.

Not at the Holy Light Celestial Venerable, but at the mountain gate of the Hall of Light.

The hundred-zhang-long purple sword aura struck the mountain gate, splitting it in two.

White jade fragments flew everywhere, and the holy light runes on the mountain gate were reduced to ashes by the scorching Chaos Fire.

“You!” The Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s eyes turned red, and golden holy light surged wildly from his body, pushing his cultivation to the peak of the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal Realm.

He raised his golden scepter, and the light stone at the top of the scepter erupted with unprecedented holy light, condensing into a golden sphere the size of a human head, containing enough power to destroy a city.

“Holy Light – Heavenly Punishment!”

The golden sphere flew out of his hand, trailing a long golden tail of flame, and hurtled towards Kai.

Wherever the sphere of light passed, the air ignited, and the ground was scourned with trenches several feet deep, the rocks within melting into crimson magma.

Kai stared at the oncoming golden sphere of light, his purple eyes showing no fear.

He didn’t retreat, dodge, or even parry.

He simply thrust out his sword.

The instant the tip of the Dragon-Slaying Sword collided with the golden sphere of light, purple chaotic fire exploded violently, transforming into a massive purple flame that completely engulfed the golden sphere. The

golden holy light struggled frantically within the purple flames, like prey caught in the jaws of a beast, twisting, struggling, and roaring desperately, but unable to escape the engulfing power of chaos.

Kai flicked his sword tip slightly, and the golden sphere of light, consumed by the chaotic fire, changed direction, flying towards the Holy Light Celestial Venerable.

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s pupils suddenly contracted.

He tried to dodge, but the golden orb was too fast, and after being devoured by the chaotic fire, it became even more unstable, exploding with a deafening roar just before reaching him.

“Boom!”

The golden holy light and the purple chaotic fire exploded simultaneously, transforming into countless tiny pillars of light that shot in all directions.

The Holy Light Celestial was blasted backward, crashing heavily into the palace wall behind him, creating a large hole in the wall. He fell into the palace.

Golden blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin onto the white jade floor.

His golden robe was ripped to shreds, and his holy light armor was riddled with cracks, some of which emitted black smoke.

The Holy Light Celestial struggled to his feet from the ruins, his eyes filled with shock and fear.

A fifth-grade Golden Immortal.

He was a fifth-grade Golden Immortal.

And Kai was merely a eighth-grade True Immortal youth.

How could he have been so badly beaten by a mere eighth-grade True Immortal youth?

“Who exactly are you?” The voice of the Holy Light Celestial was hoarse to the extreme.

Kai did not answer.

He carried the Dragon-Slaying Sword and walked towards the Holy Light Celestial.

Purple chaotic fire burned on the sword, distorting the surrounding air.

His steps were neither fast nor slow, each step steady, as if measuring the steps of death.

The Holy Light Celestial watched Kai approach step by step, the fear in his eyes growing stronger.

He wanted to run away, but his body would not obey him.

Kai’s sword strike had not only shattered his Holy Light Armor but also his meridians.

His holy light was surging wildly in his meridians, unable to gather at all.

Now, he couldn’t even defeat a True Immortal cultivator.

Kai stopped three steps away from the Holy Light Celestial.

His purple eyes looked down at him, without any emotion, like an executioner looking at a prisoner about to be executed.

“Do you have any last words?” Kai’s voice was calm.

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind—pleading, threatening, bribing…

but he rejected every single one.

He knew that none of these would work before Kai.

This young man had come for the woman in the dark red dress.

Hurting her would cross his bottom line.

Pleading was useless, threats were useless, bribery was useless.

The Holy Light Celestial Venerable closed his eyes.

“I have nothing to say.” His voice was hoarse to the extreme. “Do it.”

Kai raised the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Purple chaotic fire burned on the sword, illuminating the pale face of the Holy Light Celestial Venerable.

The sword fell.

The purple sword energy sliced ​​through the Holy Light Celestial Venerable’s neck, and a head flew off, tumbling several times in the air before landing on the ground, rolling a long distance away.

The headless body stiffened for a moment, then slowly fell, crashing onto the white jade ground with a dull thud.

Golden blood gushed from the neck cavity, staining the white jade a dark gold.

The Lord of the Hall of Light, the Holy Light Celestial Venerable, a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, had fallen.

The death of the Holy Light Celestial Venerable was like the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

The morale of the cultivators of the Hall of Light collapsed instantly upon seeing their Lord killed.

Some knelt in surrender, some turned and fled, and some stood frozen in place, at a loss.