Chapter 47: The Truth of the Heavenly Realm

The stone platform in the underground space remained quiet.

Although the bound Nine-Tailed Red Fox appeared somewhat weak, its body radiated an elegant and steady composure.

Its eyes were exceptionally clear, lacking any trace of violence or frenzy.

However, when it began to recall its past, the fox suddenly paused, momentarily unsure of where to begin.

Xi Yu didn’t rush it, merely using his dragon power to envelop the area where they spoke, preventing any sound from leaking out, and waited quietly before it.

“Apologies, Your Highness.”

After a moment of distraction, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox offered an apology and finally began to speak.

And what it said right from the start left Xi Yu quite surprised.

“I originate from the Heavenly Realm.”

The Nine-Tailed Red Fox looked up at the sky, and Xi Yu instinctively followed its gaze, seeing only pitch-black darkness.

“The Heavenly Realm?” Xi Yu couldn’t help but ask in surprise. “Do you mean the Umbrella World in the sky?”

“How do you know the Heavenly Realm is also called the Umbrella World?” the Nine-Tailed Red Fox asked in surprise, even carrying a hint of joy. “Could it be that you know the Shangqing Heavenly Emperor?”

“I just named it casually, thinking it fit the shape,” Xi Yu smiled. “Who is the Shangqing Heavenly Emperor?”

The Nine-Tailed Red Fox appeared slightly disappointed, though it recovered quickly.

“The Heavenly Emperor is the supreme existence of our world, a realm above the Lords of the Beyond,” the fox said, its tone carrying sorrow and nostalgia. “And the Heavenly Realm is the residence of the three Heavenly Emperors, and my master was one of them—the Shangqing Heavenly Emperor.”

“He used to laugh and tell us that the Heavenly Realm looked like an umbrella, and calling it the Umbrella World suited it well, which was why I thought you were related to the Shangqing Heavenly Emperor,” the fox said with emotion.

Xi Yu nodded.

Subsequently, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox finally revealed why it had appeared here.

This also allowed Xi Yu to learn the deeply hidden secrets of this world.

In the Celestial Palace Realm, the Heavenly Realm had originally been the destination of everything.

And the Heavenly Emperors were the masters of the Heavenly Realm, the rulers of all things.

Once cultivators in the lower realm reached the Flying Immortal stage, they could ascend to the Heavenly Realm.

To the ordinary cultivators of the Celestial Palace Realm today, the Lords of the Beyond were the limit.

However, there had actually been a higher realm above this stage—the Heavenly Emperor, meaning the Master of Heaven.

Achieving the Beyond in the Celestial Palace Realm merely increased one’s strength and extended one’s lifespan, but one remained confined within the Celestial Palace Realm.

They could not leave, otherwise they would be swallowed by the chaotic aura outside the world, and only by becoming a Master of Heaven could one achieve true transcendence, even converting the chaotic aura into spiritual energy for all living beings to cultivate with.

The Beyond was called the Beyond, but in truth, it had not achieved true transcendence.

A Lord of the Beyond was merely a pioneer who had just gained the qualifications to step into eternity.

Only a Heavenly Emperor could achieve true immortality.

The Heavenly Emperors possessed grand supernatural techniques and immense power.

However, across countless ages, the Celestial Palace Realm had only given birth to three Heavenly Emperors.

The relationship among the three Heavenly Emperors was exceptionally good, with very few disputes over time. It was precisely because they continuously converted the chaotic aura outside the world that the cultivation environment of the Celestial Palace Realm flourished, and it was also because of them that the entire world remained peaceful for countless years.

That was until the invasion of an otherworldly demon.

Disaster arrived.

It was an unimaginable, terrifying entity, powerful to the extreme. The three Heavenly Emperors had given their all merely to heavily injure and seal it within the Heavenly Realm, yet they were unable to kill it.

Even so, the Celestial Palace Realm had merely gained a hidden threat, ultimately surviving the catastrophe.

However, true misfortune arrived.

That terrifying otherworldly demon seduced the Datan Heavenly Emperor, one of the three, leading Him down a wrong path known as [Believer].

Ultimately, the Datan Heavenly Emperor fell into corruption, requiring all living beings in the Celestial Palace Realm to worship Him. And as He grew stronger through the power of believers, His actions became extreme and ruthless.

Eventually, He even wanted the other two Heavenly Emperors to worship Him as well.

Thus, an inevitable war erupted.

It was during that war that the living beings in the Heavenly Realm were nearly wiped out, with only a few, including the Nine-Tail Red Fox, managing to escape.

As for what occurred in the Heavenly Realm in the end, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox didn’t know; it only knew that after that war broke out, the gates to the Heavenly Realm were completely sealed.

And the three Heavenly Emperors never appeared in the Celestial Palace Realm again.

From then on, no one in the Celestial Palace Realm could ascend to the Heavenly Realm, and the strongest individuals in this world remained confined to the realm of the Lords of the Beyond.

And over these years, aside from being unable to ascend, the Celestial Palace Realm had remained peaceful and safe.

However, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox knew clearly in its heart that there was no telling when disaster might strike.

Over these years, after falling to the lower realm, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox had wanted to know the current state of the Heavenly Realm and whether its master was still alive.

However, it had failed every time.

Until it encountered an extraordinary genius named Jian Kuitian, whom it cultivated to become a Heavenly Emperor, hoping he could help it later.

However, once it cultivated Jian Kuitian into a Lord of the Beyond, to obtain the secrets of the Heavenly Realm, he betrayed it, ambushing it and imprisoning it in this underground world ever since.

***

Xi Yu was shocked by what he heard.

If the Nine-Tailed Red Fox hadn’t lied, the Heavenly Emperors of this world were on the level of Food Sequence Lords. And that terrifying otherworldly demon might have been a Food Sequence Lord, or perhaps a Calamity Lord.

However, Xi Yu felt the possibility of a Food Sequence Lord was greater, because according to the fox, the entity had arrived in the Celestial Palace Realm alone; had it been a Calamity Lord, it would have brought an army.

If that were true, didn’t it mean this world truly held a method to become a Food Sequence Lord without relying on [Believers]?

Although becoming a Food Sequence Lord through this method might be slightly weaker, it was still far better than the cruel path of [Believers].

Another point that drew Xi Yu’s attention was the method the three Heavenly Emperors used to convert chaotic aura, which was indeed something only a Food Sequence Lord could achieve.

If his guess was correct, the chaotic aura the fox spoke of was Mutation Particles. And the three Heavenly Emperors could convert Mutation Particles into a magical energy free of mutation traits after cultivation, which this world called spiritual energy.

Because of spiritual energy, this world hadn’t given birth to so many ghosts and beasts, nor had it suffered like Kun Star, where meat products became completely inedible.

To Xi Yu, he felt this ability was far more miraculous and powerful than using dragon aura to dissolve mutation traits. If he could learn this ability, Kun Star might never have to worry about eating meat again, which was far more convenient than laboriously dissolving traits himself.

He instantly realized there was another thing he wanted to learn in this world.

Xi Yu felt that most of what the Nine-Tailed Fox said was true, though some details were surely withheld.

Furthermore, he couldn’t determine whether those Heavenly Emperors knew the greatest characteristic of [Believers]. At the very least, the Nine-Tailed Fox was unaware; it only knew there was an issue with the [Believer] ability, but had no idea what the issue was, which was why it spoke so calmly.

However, regardless of whether the Heavenly Emperors knew, exposing his mastery over the [Believer] ability would bring him immense trouble.

Fortunately, the gates to the Heavenly Realm were sealed.

He suddenly found this to be very good news.

However, as a result, obtaining the method used by the Heavenly Emperors to convert Mutation Particles wouldn’t be easy.

Luckily, Xi Yu was in no hurry; he could wait until his strength increased before finding a way, and before that, he could only hope the gates remained sealed.

The contents shared by the Nine-Tailed Fox held immense value for Xi Yu.

And according to what it said, Xi Yu could indeed rescue it. The Nine-Tailed Red Fox had lived in the Heavenly Realm, leaving only out of necessity, and didn’t seem to have done anything wicked.

However, regarding whether to rescue the fox, he had a better standard of judgment, which was what he intended to tell the fox. This matter couldn’t be hidden from others, and hiding it from the Nine-Tailed Red Fox was impossible, as taking it out required explaining it.

“Do you know that I also possess the [Believer] ability?” The white dragon stared at the Nine-Tailed Fox calmly.

The Nine-Tailed Fox stared at the white dragon, its body freezing.

***

“Who agrees, and who objects?” Miao Luohua’s cold gaze swept over the peak masters of the Kuitian Sword Sect.

Miao Luohua held no genuine interest in becoming the Sect Master of the Kuitian Sword Sect.

However, she knew the Kuitian Sword Sect was currently in an extremely perilous situation.

In truth, even if Jiang Shaomu hadn’t crippled Hong Qianfan’s cultivation earlier, she would have proposed taking the position of Sect Master. Jiang Shaomu’s hatred toward Hong Qianfan might or might not erupt, but given Hong Qianfan’s character, he would surely seek revenge if given the chance, dragging the Kuitian Sword Sect into an abyss.

Only by becoming the Sect Master could she ensure no problems arose on Jiang Shaomu’s end, and as for Hong Qianfan, she could only do her best to restrain him.

However, with Hong Qianfan’s cultivation now ruined, those hidden threats vanished instantly.

In truth, she felt a genuine sense of relief.

Yet with the Kuitian Sword Master’s secluded cultivation currently facing issues, and the sect lacking a Flying Immortal powerhouse to maintain order, the sect would fall into internal chaos even without external pressure. At a time like this, someone had to step up and carry the burden, and after all considerations, only she was suitable to serve as Sect Master.

She wasn’t sure how much the divine dragon valued Jiang Shaomu, but she could only use the dragon’s prestige for now. As long as Jiang Shaomu remained alive, the event of him suppressing the sect today would serve as a deterrence, ensuring no one dared cause chaos.

Most importantly, only by becoming Sect Master could she prevent Jiang Shaomu from taking out his anger against Hong Qianfan on the Kuitian Sword Sect.

And she only needed to hold out until the Kuitian Sword Master emerged.

Regardless, becoming the Sect Master meant facing immense pressure, and she was prepared for it.

Looking at Miao Luohua’s cold gaze, the peak masters couldn’t calm their minds.

“I agree,” Hua Yuanxian hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand quickly.

“I agree as well,” Dai Zhendao said after a moment of silence, offering his support.

Instantly, the pressure fell upon the remaining peak masters.

Their minds were in turmoil, but looking at Jiang Shaomu beside her, who still radiated a majestic aura, they felt an intense dread.

This was a blatant threat; if they didn’t agree, Hong Qianfan’s fate would be theirs.

He was, after all, a Lord of the Beyond, which exceeded their ability to resist.

Furthermore, a Lord of the Beyond had been created so easily, so how powerful must the divine dragon behind Jiang Shaomu be?

After calm consideration, they all knew Miao Luohua was indeed the most suitable candidate for Sect Master currently, though they found it hard to accept their current situation.

And most ironically, this might be the only way to preserve the sect from being destroyed by the white dragon.

After much thought, they decided to deal with today’s matter first, and as for the future, they would see how things unfolded between them and Miao Luohua.

“I agree.”

“I agree.”

After a short wait, everyone offered their agreement.

Miao Luohua showed no surprise.

If they had the spine to object, they would have stepped forward when Jiang Shaomu first appeared. Of course, this was assuming the white dragon hadn’t appeared to occupy the Kuitian Sword Sect, otherwise she believed there would still be people willing to fight for the sect.

That they could maintain restraint showed that this was ultimately an internal affair of the Kuitian Sword Sect.

However, Miao Luohua felt no excitement, instead experiencing a sense of weariness. She didn’t know when the sect had become filled with such calculating people, and perhaps the Kuitian Sword Sect truly needed a transformation.

However, the premise was that they could survive today safely, and the next step depended on whether the white dragon would appear.

Hong Qianfan’s actions had exposed the true state of the Kuitian Sword Sect.

Even if the white dragon had held no ulterior motives, he would find it hard not to be enticed now.

At this thought, Miao Luohua couldn’t help but feel an indescribable rage and disappointment toward Hong Qianfan, the culprit behind it all.

She recalled that Hong Qianfan had been very wise for a long period, so why had he acted so foolishly regarding Jiang Shaomu? It was only when she saw Hong Qianfan throwing Jiang Shaomu into the forbidden area that she understood everything—it was simply selfish desires at work.

“Circumstances demand swift action, so please prepare, senior brothers; we will begin the Sect Master inauguration ceremony in a bit,” Miao Luohua said calmly.

As long as today’s crisis passed, the future development of the Kuitian Sword Sect would depend on her methods.

“Yes, we obey the Sect Master’s command,” Hua Yuanxian said loudly.

“We obey the Sect Master’s command,” after a moment’s hesitation, everyone responded.

Jiang Shaomu let out a complete sigh of relief; he could finally leave with peace of mind.

However, he still felt very reluctant.

Hong Qianfan looked at Miao Luohua in a daze.

He only remembered his junior sister as having decent cultivation and being peerlessly beautiful. He didn’t know when she had developed such a sense of responsibility, fully capable of taking charge. His gaze dimmed completely.

The winner takes all; he had lost.

Since his plan had failed, he deserved this fate.

He knew his era in the Kuitian Sword Sect was over.

Now, Miao Luohua’s era had arrived.

However, Hong Qianfan clenched his fists; even if he held selfish desires, he didn’t believe the white dragon harbored no thoughts toward the Kuitian Sword Sect. Knowing the current state of the Kuitian Sword Sect, how could the white dragon not be enticed? This was the entire wealth of a Lord of the Beyond; who wouldn’t be tempted?

He wasn’t wrong!

He believed the white dragon would surely appear today; just wait.

Even if he was forced to step down, it was only because his strength was inferior.

As Sect Master, his decision hadn’t been wrong.

When the time came, everyone in the sect would know he had truly sacrificed everything for the sect.

‘So, white dragon, I am waiting for you to appear!’

***

The Nine-Tailed Fox’s body shivered—the white dragon also possessed the [Believer] ability?!

“I also originate from an otherworldly realm,” Xi Yu looked at the Nine-Tailed Fox intently. “In truth, you should have guessed it long ago, right?”

Earth-shattering thunder seemed to clap in the Nine-Tailed Fox’s mind.

Instantly, all the reactions on its body ceased, and its gaze toward the white dragon turned exceptionally calm, its aura rising sharply.

After a moment, its aura dropped abruptly once more.

“Yes, in truth, I guessed it long ago,” the Nine-Tailed Red Fox said dejectedly. “If a dragon existed in this world, the Heavenly Emperors would have captured you long ago, so you could only originate from an otherworldly realm.”

“And when you sent those two humans away earlier, I wondered if you possessed the [Believer] ability, as you might originate from the same place as that otherworldly demon.”

“However, I want my freedom now; I want to leave this place alive,” the Nine-Tailed Red Fox’s eyes turned blood-red, a sky-piercing killing intent erupting. “I want revenge! I want to kill Jian Kuitian, that traitor! So even if I guessed you might possess the [Believer] ability, I didn’t care.”

“Do you know why Jian Kuitian ambushed me?” The Nine-Tailed Fox finally spoke the truth. “It was because of [Believers]; he wanted to obtain its knowledge from me. How laughable—how could he think I possessed such knowledge? Had I known, why would I have counted on him to bring me back to the Heavenly Realm?”

The Nine-Tailed Red Fox roared, “No matter how I explained it to him, he wouldn’t believe me! Just for an illusory power, he actually chose to betray me!”

Xi Yu watched the hatred and killing intent erupting from the Nine-Tailed Fox with some surprise; it seemed the fox truly hated the Kuitian Sword Master to the core.

“As long as I can take my revenge, I wouldn’t care even if I fell into the deep abysses of hell! Lord White Dragon, let me become your believer! I am willing to become your believer, as long as you rescue me and let me complete my revenge!” The Nine-Tailed Fox lowered its head.

“A believer isn’t something you can become just because you want to,” the white dragon shook his head. “Only when you sincerely feel grateful to me for saving your life can you become my believer.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox was dazed upon hearing this, looking up at the white dragon; this was its first time hearing such a requirement.

He looked at the Nine-Tailed Fox. “I can rescue you now; if you can become my believer, I will bring you out of here, otherwise you’ll have to escape on your own. But whether you can become my believer or not, aside from seeking revenge against Jian Kuitian, you cannot slaughter the innocent, otherwise I will personally capture you again, and it won’t be as simple as imprisoning you here.”

“Your Highness, you are truly willing to save me?” The white dragon agreeing so easily left the Nine-Tailed Red Fox in disbelief.

“Of course, I also hope to gain a few more believers,” the white dragon smiled.

Although he lacked Ding Ren’s mind-reading ability, if the Nine-Tailed Fox could become his believer, it proved it was worth saving. But if it was an ungrateful creature that showed no reaction upon being saved, that would prove its words were untrustworthy.

In that case, he naturally wouldn’t meddle in its affairs, leaving it in this underground world.

As long as it couldn’t escape, the Kuitian Sword Sect would eventually discover its anomaly, and how to handle it would be left to the Kuitian Sword Master.

Ultimately, whether the Nine-Tailed Fox could truly escape depended on itself; he merely offered an opportunity.

However, as he prepared to act, he paused, then said with some awkwardness to the Nine-Tailed Red Fox, “Uh, wait a moment.”

He still had a portion of his power residing on Jiang Shaomu.

The Nine-Tailed Red Fox was bewildered, but didn’t dare rush the white dragon.

In truth, its patience was very good; having endured centuries in this underground world, patience was the one thing it didn’t lack.

***

After a full hour, Xi Yu finally reclaimed the power from Jiang Shaomu.

Subsequently, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox felt the white dragon’s aura surge sharply.

In the end, it felt as if a sun had appeared in the underground world, its powerful energy radiation nearly melting the space.

And this filled it with surprise and joy.

Xi Yu wasn’t sure how strong the chains binding the Nine-Tailed Fox were, so to avoid looking foolish, he utilized his full power this time.

Then, he flew before the chains, extending his claw to slice down with all his might.

Crack.

A crisp sound echoed, and the chains severed instantly.

Xi Yu let out a sigh of relief; fortunately, these chains weren’t absurdly strong, otherwise he would have been embarrassed.

Indeed, to withstand his full-power claw strike, the chains would have to be weapons on the level of a Food Sequence Lord.

If the Kuitian Sword Master were truly that formidable, he would have likely become a Heavenly Emperor long ago.

Seeing the chains truly severed, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox’s eyes widened, and tears suddenly flowed from its eyes.

Just then, Xi Yu was taken aback, sensing a massive point of light appear in his inner world.

In an instant, this point of light became the most powerful among all his believers.

The Nine-Tailed Red Fox had truly become his believer.

And it was a Lord of the Beyond.

He finally possessed his first believer approaching the level of a Calamity Lord.

Unfortunately, his Fate Connection value wasn’t sufficient, otherwise he would have designated the Nine-Tailed Red Fox as his third true believer right now, unable to fathom how much of a boost it would bring him.

“I have good news for you: you’ve successfully become my believer, and you can leave this place now,” Xi Yu smiled at the Nine-Tailed Fox; his joy at this moment was no less than the fox’s.

“Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Lord Dragon!” The Nine-Tailed Fox bowed to the white dragon immediately, and though it had been a Lord of the Beyond for many years, tears still flowed from its eyes in this moment.

“You don’t need to thank me; as I said, you can seek revenge against Jian Kuitian, but you cannot harm the innocent.” With that, Xi Yu severed the remaining chains one by one.

In no time, the thirty chains completely fell away from the Nine-Tailed Fox.

The Nine-Tailed Fox leaped off the stone altar, sensing an unprecedented lightness across its body, and unable to contain its excitement, it let out a long howl toward the sky. Then, as if gone wild, it moved rapidly through the underground space.

Its body expanded and shrank continuously.

Originally, it had been unable to shrink to escape due to the restrictions on the chains, but now the Nine-Tailed Fox could finally display its abilities without reservations.

After a full fifteen minutes, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox finally calmed down and landed before Xi Yu, saying with gratitude: “Thank you, Lord Dragon, for saving my life. Red Fox has no way to repay you, and will devoutly serve you in the future.”

“Worship won’t be necessary,” the white dragon waved his claw. “Later, you can help me with a task. Normally, you can move freely, and when I have a need, I will naturally contact you.”

“Yes, Lord Dragon,” the Nine-Tailed Fox said respectfully.

“Now, do not resist; I will bring you out of here.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox sat properly, relaxing its mind.

Then, Xi Yu pulled out all the chains from the ground and stored them away; these chains likely held significant value and couldn’t be wasted.

Subsequently, the white dragon vanished from the underground space along with the Nine-Tailed Red Fox.

And the next moment, inside the white dragon’s inner world, the figure of the Nine-Tailed Red Fox appeared out of thin air.

Looking at the scene of the world before its eyes, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox’s heart throbbed.

It had finally escaped the cage that had imprisoned it for centuries.

Fortunately, it had released its excitement earlier, so it maintained its composure now.

Looking at the slightly hazy world around it, it felt this was an incomparable view, which nearly brought tears to its eyes once more.

At this moment, Xi Yu sat on the dragon-head throne, watching it calmly.

He knew the Nine-Tailed Fox would need a moment to calm down, so he didn’t rush to disturb it.

The Nine-Tailed Red Fox greedily studied everything in the inner world, feeling immense curiosity toward everything here. Aside from being a new environment, the white dragon’s inner world had always seemed mysterious and grand to it.

The Nine-Tailed Red Fox looked at the massive platform, the dragon-claw seat beside it, and then saw an exquisite youth sitting on the dragon-head throne.

The Nine-Tailed Red Fox’s heart leaped, and it realized immediately, “Lord Dragon?”

“It’s me,” Xi Yu said gently. “It seems you’ve calmed down; now restore your body.”

Then, a surge of dragon power was injected into the Nine-Tailed Red Fox through the [Believer] ability.

In an instant, the Nine-Tailed Red Fox felt its body grow warm, and it watched as the wounds that had been torn on its body for centuries began to heal bit by bit.

Before long, all the injuries on its body were completely healed.

This left the Nine-Tailed Fox deeply shocked; the white dragon’s power was truly miraculous.

Instantly, the Nine-Tailed Fox felt the power it had lost return to its body, though this was an illusion; its wounds had healed, but its power would need to be recovered through slow cultivation.

Even so, it still couldn’t help but want to howl again, though it ultimately held back.

After calming down, the Nine-Tailed Fox couldn’t help but study Xi Yu’s human form with curiosity, having never imagined that the youth from before was actually Lord White Dragon.

“Alright, it seems you’ve mostly recovered. Stay by my side for the next two days, and once I’ve handled my affairs, you can go find Jian Kuitian,” Xi Yu said.

“Yes, Lord Dragon,” the Nine-tailed Red Fox responded respectfully.

“Now, do not resist; I’ll send you back to the physical world.”

Xi Yu checked the locations of his believers, and ultimately selected Qing Qishan as his target to return to the Celestial Palace Realm.

***

Wulian Mountain—this was the stronghold of the Lihu Mountain Bandits.

Although it was night, Qing Qishan felt as if he were burning inside.

After bringing Yan Xiongsha from Hongtian Village, he had interrogated him and learned that the raid on the villages had been planned by a strategist named Guan Luo.

Likely knowing he was finished and wanting to drag someone down with him, Yan Xiongsha had betrayed Guan Luo completely, even laying out his entire plan.

Hearing this plan, Qing Qishan’s hair stood on end.

He truly couldn’t imagine that someone in the world could be so venomous, so utterly insane.

He felt a lingering fear; had they not encountered the Lord Dragon, their village might have been completely slaughtered.

The more he thought about it, the more his heart throbbed.

At this moment, Qing Qishan cared about nothing else, only wanting to capture Guan Luo and tear him to pieces.

However, when Yan Xiongsha and his men had gone down the mountain, Guan Luo had also gone to contact people in the government, causing Qing Qishan to make a futile trip to Wulian Mountain.

Qing Qishan was currently deeply troubled, because even Yan Xiongsha didn’t know where Guan Luo had gone, and they could only wait for Guan Luo to contact them.

This left Qing Qishan somewhat helpless.

He had originally wanted to go down the mountain immediately to root out all the informants of the Lihu Stronghold, interrogating them one by one, but Yan Xiongsha was currently acting like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, insisting on being fed and watered before going down the mountain. Furthermore, he demanded meat and wine, otherwise he wouldn’t cooperate at all.

Qing Qishan had used some methods, but Yan Xiongsha held out stubbornly.

This made things difficult for Qing Qishan; he was originally an ordinary farmer, and had only gained extraordinary abilities through the Dragon God’s blessing. Thus, his mindset hadn’t shifted, and he couldn’t bring himself to use truly harsh methods, rendering him unable to force Yan Xiongsha to speak.

This made him sigh; Yan Xiongsha’s ability to become a bandit leader meant his bones were quite tough.

However, he truly didn’t want to let Yan Xiongsha off easily.

Thus, he reached a stalemate with Yan Xiongsha, temporarily deciding to stay on Wulian Mountain to see if he could get lucky and wait for Guan Luo to return.

However, he was worried in his heart; if Guan Luo learned that Yan Xiongsha and his men had been wiped out and fled, he would be completely out of options.

In this way, he stayed on the mountain for nearly half a day, ultimately coming up empty-handed.

Instead, watching Yan Xiongsha act shamelessly made him furious.

Currently, Qing Qishan was eating some late-night food in the bandit den on the mountain.

The more Yan Xiongsha wanted to eat meat and drink wine, the less he would give it to him; instead, he would eat and drink well himself to drive him mad with envy.

As he was eating, Qing Qishan suddenly discovered two figures had appeared before him.

Suddenly, Qing Qishan’s eyes snapped wide.

“Temple Priest!” Qing Qishan was overjoyed.

He quickly set his bowl aside and ran to Xi Yu’s side.

Xi Yu looked at him with a smile.

On the other side, Yan Xiongsha, who had witnessed Xi Yu and the Nine-Tailed Red Fox appear out of thin air, stared with wide, round eyes. He had seen the divine dragon, so two figures appearing out of thin air didn’t seem strange to him at all.

Only, he now suspected these two had been called by Qing Qishan specifically to deal with him.

He was going mad; wouldn’t he have confessed everything if they had just given him a good meal? Was it necessary to call deities over? He didn’t dare say a single word, nor did he dare ask for food, fearing he would draw the attention of the two deities, in which case his fate might be worse than death.

“Temple Priest, why have you suddenly come here? Does the Lord Dragon have instructions?” Qing Qishan asked quickly.

“I just happened to be passing through for a task, and decided to rest here for a day,” Xi Yu waved his hand.

“So that’s how it is; let me arrange a place for you to stay,” Qing Qishan said happily. Being able to see Xi Yu here made him exceptionally excited, bringing him a sense of absolute peace.

“Alright, thank you for the trouble then,” Xi Yu expressed his thanks.

“No trouble at all, no trouble at all,” Qing Qishan smiled brightly. “You’ve come at a perfect time; I actually have a matter I’d like to ask your advice on.”

“Sure, let’s talk over food.” Seeing Qing Qishan was eating, Xi Yu produced some cooked food to share with him.

Qing Qishan didn’t act coy, having benefited from eating much of Xi Yu’s food previously.

Xi Yu invited the Nine-Tailed Red Fox to eat as well. By now, the Nine-Tailed Fox had shrunk to human-knee size, appearing exceptionally cute.

Regarding its identity, Xi Yu had instructed the Nine-Tailed Fox not to speak of it, and Qing Qishan and the others didn’t know its true identity. Thus, the Nine-Tailed Fox sat quietly to the side eating, its eyes narrowing into slits—it had forgotten how long it had been since it last ate, and it was currently deeply satisfied.

It naturally didn’t dare disobey Xi Yu’s instructions.

Only at this moment did Qing Qishan realize a fox with nine tails was sitting beside them.

And then he was completely dumbfounded.

This was a legendary beast, yet it was eating at the same table with him.

As expected, anything related to the Lord Dragon could make the impossible happen.

After calming his mind, Qing Qishan quickly shared the matter regarding Yan Xiongsha.

“This matter is simple; Temple Priest, why don’t you leave it to me to handle?” the Nine-Tailed Fox spoke with a clear voice.

“You… you can speak?!” Qing Qishan was dumbfounded again.

“Alright, then I’ll leave this matter to you,” Xi Yu nodded. “Qishan, follow Red Fox later.”

“Yes,” Qing Qishan swallowed hard and agreed quickly.

In the distance, Yan Xiongsha, who had heard everything with his own ears, felt his vision go dark. He regretted it now; why hadn’t he just confessed earlier so he could die sooner and be reborn?

Now, he couldn’t imagine what kind of fate awaited him.

As he was thinking, Yan Xiongsha suddenly discovered the blood-red Nine-Tailed Fox was staring at him, and in the next moment, only a pair of crimson eyes remained in his vision.

***

After the meal, Xi Yu began to rest, as the day was nearly over.

He needed to recover his strength.

Xi Yu slept deeply, but at this moment, the Kuitian Sword Sect was unable to sleep or eat in peace because of him.

After witnessing Miao Luohua inherit the position of Sect Master, Jiang Shaomu departed under the reluctant gazes of Miao Luohua and his fellow disciples.

And what followed for the Kuitian Sword Sect was a long wait.

Including Miao Luohua, many people were deeply anxious.

Especially for ordinary disciples, news of Jiang Shaomu’s situation had spread throughout the sect. Everyone now knew why Hong Qianfan had wanted to kill Jiang Shaomu, and they were truly unable to understand his actions. But with this situation unfolding, the white dragon had completely seen through the Kuitian Sword Sect, and even they could tell that their Ancestor had encountered a major issue.

Even if the white dragon originally had no designs, he likely had them now.

If they were in his position, they certainly wouldn’t spare the Kuitian Sword Sect.

Next was the moment that would announce their fate; if the white dragon truly came, they could only sit and await their doom. Even if the Kuitian Sword Master successfully emerged by then, it would be too late.

At this moment, no one wished to see the white dragon, except for one person.

Hong Qianfan currently wished for the white dragon to appear, to prove that his actions had been correct.

However, as time passed bit by bit, the white dragon never appeared, which made him deeply anxious.

Miao Luohua had completely relaxed by now; if the white dragon were coming, he would have arrived long ago, and wouldn’t have delayed until now. Furthermore, if he truly harbored designs, he could have accomplished them through Jiang Shaomu previously.

Gradually, everyone in the Kuitian Sword Sect relaxed.

The white dragon truly didn’t seem to be coming.

Thinking of this, many felt deeply ashamed; they had thought the white dragon would covet the Kuitian Sword Sect’s wealth, but in the end, it was entirely their own self-importance.

From start to finish, the white dragon had never intended to do so.

The more they thought about it, the more ashamed they felt.

Only Hong Qianfan was deeply unwilling; how could the white dragon not have come?!

But the white dragon simply hadn’t come.

When this fact was confirmed, Hong Qianfan’s spirit completely withered in an instant.

From that day on, he felt everyone was pointing fingers at him behind his back, and before long, Hong Qianfan stopped seeing people. In a few days, when Miao Luohua went to see him again, she found he looked decades older, completely ruined as a person.

However, Miao Luohua had no time to care about him currently.

The day after becoming Sect Master, Miao Luohua called all peak masters together.

There were seven people in total now, and she temporarily maintained her position as peak master of Qinglei Peak, intending to step down when a suitable successor appeared.

During this peak meeting, Miao Luohua clearly sensed that the peak masters were much more cooperative. That the white dragon hadn’t attacked the Kuitian Sword Sect made them feel it might indeed be related to Jiang Shaomu. Thus, as his master, the peak masters were indeed much more polite to Miao Luohua.

Miao Luohua didn’t care about their attitudes, only focusing on what she could accomplish, and as long as the peak masters cooperated with her to complete tasks, it was enough.

“I’ve called everyone here today for only two matters,” Miao Luohua said directly.

“The first matter is the request from the divine dragon, conveyed through Jiang Shaomu, to meet the Kuitian Sword Master; this matter will be set aside for now until the Sword Master emerges. The second matter is what Jiang Shaomu mentioned regarding the divine dragon bringing a rainstorm—this is what I want to discuss.”

“We should have prepared earlier, but although it was delayed by two days, I think it is not too late,” Miao Luohua looked at everyone. “Regardless of whether the divine dragon brings rain, we will prepare first to avoid being caught off guard.”

Miao Luohua said seriously: “Next, I hope all senior brothers will mobilize every disciple possible. When heavy rain falls, mountain floods and other disasters might erupt, and helping even one person is worth it, so we can do justice to the divine dragon’s help.”

“Fellow senior brothers, this should be our own duty, but currently we can only place our hopes on the divine dragon. If the divine dragon truly brings heavy rain, it proves He cares more about the lives of these millions of citizens than we do, and how could such an existence covet our Kuitian Sword Sect? If we still harbour suspicions toward the divine dragon, we truly deserve to die of shame.”

“Of course, I don’t want to speak too conclusively; tomorrow is the day agreed upon by the divine dragon, and we will all wait and see together. Now, senior brothers, please move quickly,” Miao Luohua said decisively.

“Sect Master, what if people from the Black Demon Cult cause trouble?” someone suddenly asked.

“Those who fear death need not go; this is not mandatory, purely voluntary,” Miao Luohua said coldly.

Hua Yuanxian chuckled, “Sect Master, I’ll go prepare then. Not all, but our Yuchen Peak can guarantee at least seventy to eighty percent of our disciples will deploy.”

“Good, then thank you, Senior Brother Hua,” Miao Luohua cupped her hands. “Senior brothers, I shall be busy as well; please suit yourselves.”

Watching the two leave, the peak masters looked at each other.

Dai Zhendao shook his head with a smile, following behind them.

In less than an hour, streaks of sword light soared into the sky from the Kuitian Sword Sect, flying in various directions, until the sky seemed filled with flying swords.

And this unprecedented commotion from the Kuitian Sword Sect drew the attention of many.

Soon, the small and medium sects nearby were all alarmed, left dumbfounded. No one knew what the Kuitian Sword Sect intended to do, and at this moment, the eyes of almost all cultivators nearby were fixed on the disciples of the Kuitian Sword Sect, sensing that something major was about to occur.

***

Xi Yu slept until the afternoon of the next day, and then discovered Qing Qishan had gone down the mountain long ago.

Red Fox was still on the mountain, and looking at its demeanor, Xi Yu knew Qing Qishan’s trouble was likely mostly resolved.

His human form had consumed a lot of power yesterday, and he hadn’t recovered much by now.

After some hesitation, Xi Yu pulled out the SSS-class Mutation Essence from the Black Demon Lord and swallowed it in one gulp. He felt no heartache, as it had come from the Black Demon Lord anyway, and there was a big target in the Celestial Palace Realm he could continuously farm.

Soon, a vast energy began to surge within Xi Yu’s body, and the dragon power descended instantly to suppress it, converting it into gentle energy that Xi Yu could absorb, quickly making up for the power his body had lost yesterday.

Xi Yu sensed it for a moment, finding the energy of the Mutation Essence indeed easier to absorb; the energy contained in the Blood-Jade Rabbit’s blood was far too vast, making it a bit overwhelming.

At this moment, the dragon scale transformation of Xi Yu’s body began spreading toward his back.

Xi Yu didn’t delay further; his strength had increased too fast over these past two days, and he didn’t plan on increasing his strength further for now, only wanting to consolidate it for a period.

So he would leave the opportunity to the Black Demon Lord, as it was time to prepare for bringing rain.

[Summon.]

***

On the ocean far to the east of East Demon Island, the Black Demon Lord had concealed his aura entirely, hiding on a small island.

He had chosen this small island at random, and even if he tried to find it again, he might not succeed. This time, the Black Demon Lord felt at ease; the white dragon certainly couldn’t find him.

After waiting for a day, as expected, no accidents occurred, and he hadn’t appeared in the white dragon’s damn, eerie, and mysterious space again.

The Black Demon Lord was instantly overjoyed.

“Hahaha, white dragon, although you are slightly stronger and slightly more mysterious, so what? Not being able to find me renders it all useless! Tsk tsk, if you have the ability, come at me again!”

📚 Also on NHV Novels

This Hidden Class Is a Bit Off

ActionFemale ProtagonistGender Bender

Read Now →
Not interested