A moment ago, the Heaven-Building Secret Realm had just shattered.
A spatial rift appeared in the center of the realm, sucking in all the surrounding soil and spiritual plants.
Bubu quickly grabbed Yun Ze's wrist and shuttled into the void layer!
When the secret realm shattered, the void layer was the first to collapse. Only after everything remaining in the void layer was transmitted to the outer periphery would the contents within the Heaven-Building Secret Realm be affected.
However, as the void layer was a gap between the Heaven-Building Secret Realm and the real space, a portion of it remained stable.
Bubu's plan was simple: hide in that stable corner and emerge after everyone outside had left.
With her current strength, achieving this was effortless.
However, as soon as she brought Yun Ze to the stable corner, a figure was already standing there.
"Yo, you're finally here."
Upon hearing this, both Yun Ze and Bubu were startled!
"Brother Xiao!"
Yun Ze looked at him in surprise, "You... how can you..."
"Now is not the time to talk about this."
Xiao Hanshi said, spreading his hands, "Where is Lan Feng? Give it to me quickly!"
Although Yun Ze didn't know what he intended to do, Lan Feng was originally something for himself. To mention this one item confirmed he was indeed Brother Xiao.
He took Lan Feng out of his Sumeru Ring and handed it to Xiao Hanshi, "Brother Xiao, what is this..."
"Saving you."
Xiao Hanshi took Lan Feng, and a small hammer flashed in his hand as he began to hammer the blade.
With each strike, dark golden patterns flickered on the sword's body, and as the hammering intensified, the blade began to change shape.
"You've become incredibly powerful now. The Ancient Desolation has certified you as a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, and those guys outside know you're here.
They aren't fools; if they don't see your corpse, will they give up? They'd probably tear this entire space apart just to see you alive or dead."
While Xiao Hanshi was speaking, the Lan Feng in his hand had already transformed into Yun Ze's appearance, even his heartbeat and breathing frequency were identical!
If it weren't for the wrong direction, Yun Ze would have truly believed he was looking in a mirror.
His heart was filled with shock.
This method... was too bizarre!
"Here, give me a drop of your vital blood."
"Alright."
Yun Ze didn't hesitate, forcing a drop of vital blood to his fingertip and sending it to Xiao Hanshi with his water control ability.
Xiao Hanshi dripped it onto Lan Feng's... no, it should be called the Yun Ze substitute's brow, and then infused a ball of spiritual energy into it!
After a few breaths, this substitute possessed the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment stage!
"Not bad, not bad. After so many years, my skills haven't regressed."
Xiao Hanshi said, then handed it to Bubu, "Here, little girl, you can handle this. Throw this substitute into the Heaven-Building Secret Realm.
By the way, I can't make a substitute for you, is that okay?"
Bubu didn't say much, but simply processed the remains as Xiao Hanshi instructed, and then threw them into the Heaven-Building Secret Realm.
After finishing everything, she looked at Xiao Hanshi, her eyes full of doubt, "What else do you know?"
Lan Feng.
That was no spiritual artifact at all, but clearly an informant placed beside Yun Ze!
In this era, nothing else had progressed, only the path of artifact refining had advanced considerably. With Xiao Hanshi's skills, even she hadn't seen through it at the time.
Everything they had said and done in the secret realm, he had likely heard it all!
Otherwise, he wouldn't have come here to intercept them.
"I know what I need to know."
Xiao Hanshi said, then lay on the ground, as lazy as before, "It's just a shame there are no fish here. Otherwise, a full meal and then leaving would be perfect."
Bubu frowned upon seeing this.
Logically, this guy knew so much, she should eliminate this hidden danger. But now... she was clearly no match for him.
Forget it.
This guy didn't seem dangerous at the moment, so she'd let him be for now and see.
Yun Ze didn't think so much. All he knew was that since he met Xiao Hanshi, this Brother Xiao had never done anything against him, and had helped him so much.
Seeing Xiao Hanshi appear, he quickly took out the pair of waist drums, "Brother Xiao, look at this."
"Oh, you actually found it?"
Xiao Hanshi didn't get up upon seeing this, instead crossing his legs.
He didn't touch the waist drums, only glanced at them and frowned, "Now that the demonic artifact has taken shape, the souls within can never be saved.
You only have two paths now. Either find a highly virtuous monk to destroy the drums and transcend the two departed souls, perhaps even helping them reincarnate."
Yun Ze naturally knew this path, but he still pressed, "What about the other path?"
"That would be spiritual cultivation."
Xiao Hanshi swung his legs, "Although this is only a first-tier demonic artifact, it still has room for growth. You just need to find some vengeful souls to feed it. Once it breaks through to a second-tier demonic artifact, there's a chance it can regain some of its sentience and escape to become a spiritual cultivator.
Of course, if the original artifact refiner had completely erased the sentience of these two souls, you would only end up with two spirit artifacts without any sentience."
Yun Ze had also considered this path before and was more inclined to have his parents cultivate with him.
However, feeding it with vengeful souls was truly against heavenly principles!
If he did that, what would be the difference between him and Chen Xiao?
"Think about it slowly, no rush."
Xiao Hanshi saw Yun Ze's dilemma and then said, "There's still plenty of time. If you want to take the second path, I have a way to help you transform this demonic artifact into a spiritual artifact."
Yun Ze's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "What way!"
"Tongtian Academy."
...
...
Outside the Heaven-Building Secret Realm.
The moment Mu Siyue saw Xiao Hanshi, without any pleasantries, she directly asked, "Where is Yun Ze!"
"Yun Ze?"
Xiao Hanshi tilted his head, "Isn't he already dead?"
"Alright, with your skills, how could we not recognize it?"
Yun Xiao said from the side, "Let him come out, I want to see him."
In fact, as soon as the 'corpse' of Yun Ze appeared, Mu Siyue and Yun Xiao had discovered the trick.
That was not a corpse at all, but a... substitute!
Xiao Hanshi had cultivated the path of artifact refining, and had profound insights in this field. Even when his master was still alive, he had refined such substitutes to attend classes for him while he went out to play.
Later, under Mu Siyue's coercion, Xiao Hanshi had even taught her and Yun Xiao the method of refining and identifying such substitutes.
Now, after so many years, they still recognized at a glance that the corpse was made by Xiao Hanshi!
It should be known that this substitute required the vital blood and primordial spirit of the 본체 (original body) to be nurtured for a long time before it could be useful.
Even the Emperor Guwu at the time hadn't seen through it, and the current Demon Lord certainly wouldn't.
"Alright, alright, little junior sister asks, I will certainly comply!"
As soon as Xiao Hanshi finished speaking, two figures emerged from the spatial rift.
A man and a woman, it was Yun Ze and Bubu.
Yun Xiao and Mu Siyue didn't recognize Bubu, nor had they heard about her from Xiu Yun.
When they saw Bubu appear, both of them frowned.
Xiao Hanshi nudged Yun Ze's shoulder, "Kid, aren't you going to introduce yourself to your two senior sisters?"
"I'll do it myself."
Just as Yun Ze was about to speak, Bubu stepped forward, tilting her head slightly to look at the two, "Kong Lingxian, according to your words, I should be an ancient person."
She didn't hide her origin.
After all, with Xiao Hanshi's informant hidden beside Yun Ze, he probably already knew about her affairs.
Whether to say it or not was just a matter of time.
It was better to be open and honest now, and see what these three intended to do.
Ancient!
Yun Xiao's eyes lit up when she heard these words!
She had scoured all the historical records of Tongtian Academy, and the descriptions of ancient beings were also very scarce.
Now that a living ancient person stood before her, how could she not be excited?
"Kong Lingxian?"
Mu Siyue wasn't as excited, but upon hearing Bubu's name, she frowned slightly, "Meaning, you taught Yun Ze the method of Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment?"
Yun Xiao also pricked up her ears.
This was particularly important!
They had originally thought Yun Ze was indeed their master reincarnated and had researched the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment method. But if an ancient person was by his side, then this matter was different.
"Mhm."
Bubu didn't deny it. Her gaze swept across the three present, "I know you have many questions to ask, and I also have many doubts.
How about... we chat?"
"Chat!"
Yun Xiao spoke first, "You... how do you want to chat?"
Bubu didn't answer, but turned to look at Yun Ze, "There are some things you shouldn't know yet. Go out first."
"...Okay."
Yun Ze hesitated for a moment, but still nodded in agreement.
She could have simply knocked him unconscious, like Tan Chenyu lying on the ground, but she didn't.
Yun Ze knew that Bubu asking him was already giving him face, so there was no reason to refuse.
He took a step back, and seeing Mu Siyue's toes lightly tap, her sword domain instantly expanded!
Yun Ze turned his head, looking up at the sky he hadn't seen in a long time. A string of golden inscriptions remained, and a surge of pride welled up in his heart...
In the void layer, he had heard it from Xiao Hanshi.
This was the reward from the legendary Ancient Desolation, or as Bubu called them, the ancient saints, for him!
Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, a thousand years of lifespan!
He had actually done it!
However... in the eyes of all living beings, he was already 'dead'.
Yun Ze turned his head to look at the sword domain again, a hint of curiosity still welling up in his eyes.
Their conversation this time would not only be about exchanging information on the ancient past and the current situation but would also determine his next course of action.
After all, he was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage. With the world situation about to become turbulent, it was too early to venture out into the mortal world.
He still needed to cultivate diligently.
As Yun Ze was contemplating, the sword domain dispersed.
Mu Siyue, Xiao Hanshi, Yun Xiao, and Bubu's gazes all fell on Yun Ze.
"Are you finished?" Yun Ze asked curiously.
"Mhm."
Mu Siyue replied, then said, "Yun Ze, it's time for you to choose now."
"Choose?" Yun Ze was confused.
"Yes, a very simple choice."
Xiao Hanshi said helplessly from the side, "We discussed for a long time, and finally decided that you would choose who to continue cultivating with.
With me, I will take you to travel through the Nine Great Xuan Heavens and seek opportunities."
Travel... perhaps 'flee' would be a more appropriate word, right?