Outside the Zhutian Secret Realm.
"That's how things are."
Xiu Yun recounted everything that had happened within the Zhutian Secret Realm.
He particularly emphasized the existence of Xiu Long, while extremely downplaying Bu Bu's presence, to the point where she was virtually non-existent in his narrative. All of Yun Ze's mysterious actions were attributed to himself. After all, as the direct disciple of Emperor Guinu, such unconventional behavior was more fitting.
Except for two individuals, everyone present accepted this explanation without question. These two were, of course... Mu Si Yue and Yun Xiao!
They were Emperor Guinu's true direct disciples and naturally knew Yun Ze's true identity. Zhou Tian Qi Hai? Tian Dao Zhu Ji? The latter term was understandable, as it was something their master had planned before. But the former term... they had never even heard of it!
The image of one person flashed through Mu Si Yue and Yun Xiao's minds almost simultaneously. Xiao Han Shi! He had once said that Yun Ze was very much like their master, as if he were their master reincarnated and cultivating anew. They hadn't taken this speculation seriously then. But now...
If everything Xiu Yun said was true, and Yun Ze possessed the ability to contend with Di Sha, even developing something called Zhou Tian Qi Hai, then things were entirely different!
"So, you mean..." Mu Si Yue looked at Xiu Yun, a strange glint in her eyes. "Yun Ze is still in the Zhutian Secret Realm, contending with Di Sha, intending to seize his Tian Dao Zhu Ji inheritance?"
Pupil technique! This seemed to be some kind of truth-testing technique. Xiu Yun clearly recognized it, but he merely frowned and nodded slowly. At least on this point, he hadn't lied. Yun Ze had indeed done these things, though he had an assistant.
Mu Si Yue said no more and turned to look at Yun Xiao. Yun Xiao also frowned slightly and looked down at Tan Chen Yu. She harbored no affection for Tu Xiu, nor much of a master-disciple bond. However, if Tu Xiu had truly reincarnated and researched the method of Tian Dao Zhu Ji, she naturally wanted to know the truth.
Without her needing to speak, Tan Chen Yu proactively said, "Master, Xiu Yun is not lying."
"Whether he's lying or not isn't for you juniors to decide," Xiu Qi Tian interrupted. He clearly didn't believe their story. "Since you claim that Yun Ze attempted to seize the Tian Dao Zhu Ji, regardless of whether he succeeded or not, this secret realm will be broken open soon. In that case, why don't we wait here a little longer? Whoever emerges, we can ascertain the truth immediately."
"Alright!" A voice echoed from the sky.
Everyone looked up, and with a single glance, their hearts trembled. Black clouds filled the sky, and the sun was stained with ink! Countless ravens circled in the air, yet the surroundings were eerily silent, devoid of any clamor. A dark purple true dragon coiled in the sky, its two horns soaring into the clouds, its whiskers trailing across the heavens as if to cleave the firmament in two!
At the center of the dragon's forehead stood a man in robes as white as snow. Even from thousands of meters away, they could see those pair of demonic purple eyes! The fourth generation master of the Demon Den, the Demon Lord! Since Emperor You Bing, who founded the Demon Den, all subsequent generations had referred to themselves as the Demon Lord. And this one was the current Demon Lord—Xiu Li Tian!
Just as everyone was in shock, the dark purple true dragon vanished instantly! A figure in white appeared before everyone. The ravens swarmed towards his shoulder like moths to a flame, instantly merging into a single silver-gray raven that perched on his shoulder. The dark purple true dragon transformed into a spiritual sword, hanging at his waist.
He stood before Xiu Hao and Xiu Yun, meeting Xiu Qi Tian's gaze, a slight smile playing on his lips. "This Lord happens to have nothing to do, so I'll accompany you in waiting to see what the truth is."
Xiu Qi Tian remained silent, his brow furrowed. "Xiu Li Tian, I see you truly have nothing better to do, don't you? The Demon Den..."
"Family Head Xiu, you don't need to worry about matters there," Xiu Li Tian interrupted before Xiu Qi Tian could finish. "If you wish to concern yourself, I can send you to the front lines of the Demon Prison right now, and you can worry to your heart's content!"
Xiu Qi Tian was instantly rendered speechless and stopped talking. If anyone else had said this, he could have dismissed it as a joke, but coming from this madman... he was perfectly capable of doing so!
Wait? Then they would wait! There was definitely another person beside this Xiu Long. They could simply shift the blame to that person, and the Xiu family could extricate themselves completely! He refused to believe that this abandoned child of a family, lacking spatial spiritual roots, could send anyone else away from this secret realm before him!
"Heh, wait, is it? Then everyone wait!" To prevent any mishaps, Xiu Qi Tian raised his hand and imposed another restriction on the outside of the Zhutian Secret Realm. "Everyone waits here! Until this secret realm is broken!"
Things had escalated. Mu Si Yue couldn't help but frown. Although she was the foremost Golden Core cultivator under the Nine Heavens, she was still merely a Golden Core. Now, with a cultivator in the Tribulation Stage and one in the Mahayana Stage present, if Yun Ze encountered any trouble, she feared she alone would be unable to protect him! Especially given his possession of the Tian Dao Zhu Ji method! Even with her master's name as protection, if these two truly intended to act, a mere title would not suffice! She needed to find another way! It seemed she had to find that guy. Given his personality, he must have left many contingency plans for Yun Ze. Mu Si Yue brushed her hand across her Sumeru ring and casually took out a stone, crushing it. Instantly, a figure lurking on the periphery of the Zhutian Secret Realm smiled. This woman was, as expected, unreliable. In the end, she still had to rely on him, didn't she? Xiao Han Shi smiled helplessly and also crushed a small stone, indicating he had received the message and assuring Mu Si Yue.
Yun Ze. He had invested so much effort in this fellow; there was no way he would let him die so easily!
...
...
Empty Layer.
Fifteen days later.
With the assistance of the Origin, Yun Ze could now command the spiritual energy of the entire Zhutian Secret Realm. Even in the Empty Layer, he could absorb spiritual energy from the secret realm through spatial rifts, a continuous flow from thousands of years of accumulation by a Tian Dao Zhu Ji!
The first five days were spent by Yun Ze converting the Origin. With Bu Bu's help, he quickly transformed the Wood Origin into the Five Elements Origin. Afterwards, he only cultivated in seclusion for ten days, breaking through from the seventh level of Qi Refining to the eighth. Although it was only a minor realm advancement, it was not easy for Yun Ze! He now possessed Zhou Tian Qi Hai. At this rate, he would break through to the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining in at most half a month. Now he truly understood what it felt like to be a prodigy. It turned out that breakthroughs were such a simple matter.
After his breakthrough, Yun Ze withdrew his consciousness from the Origin. He looked at Bu Bu before him, and before he could speak, Bu Bu's voice rang out. "Broken through?"
"Yes."
"Then continue. Time is pressing. If you want to rest, you can rest after you get out." Bu Bu's voice was cold and indifferent, as if stating a very ordinary matter. She used to be like this. But Yun Ze felt something was amiss. She seemed to be deliberately avoiding something. However, now was not the time to discuss such things, and indeed, there was no time to rest. It was better to continue cultivating!
Yun Ze closed his eyes and entered seclusion once more. As Yun Ze gradually entered a state of meditation, Bu Bu couldn't help but look at his lower abdomen, recalling what Xiu Long had told her not long ago. Heavenly Mandate Blood... When she had previously entered Yun Ze's Qi Sea, she knew this was no ordinary item, as if it carried a trace of Zhou Jue's aura. The Shi family lineage. These people were always so cryptic. Even when she searched historical records, she found no clues, and she didn't know where they had gone. It seemed that after she left, she would have to take the time to see what this so-called Heavenly Mandate Elder was. However, speaking of which, having killed that fellow, her subsequent plans would have to be altered. How should she find another scapegoat? Trespassing into the secret realm would require someone to take the blame... Bu Bu's eyes were filled with worry, her gaze flickering over Yun Ze as if she were contemplating something.
Time ticked by. The two of them had stayed in the Empty Layer for a full year without feeling time pass, so after only a little over a month, they naturally didn't feel that time was dragging.
Half a month quickly passed. Yun Ze's ninth Qi Sea was gradually taking shape! But just as he was about to break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining, an anomaly occurred! A fluctuation came from a spatial rift in the Empty Layer, and a figure directly emerged from it! Although that location was still some distance away, Bu Bu detected the abnormality immediately! Bu Bu frowned, thinking to herself that it was not good. Di Sha... had found them! She had long anticipated that Yun Ze's excessive absorption of spiritual energy during his breakthrough would cause such a problem, but she hadn't expected it to happen so soon! It seemed this place could no longer be hidden. But that was fine. Now that the Origin had been transformed and his cultivation had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, it was time to resolve this matter completely. Bu Bu moved next to Yun Ze, placing her hand on his shoulder, feeling the approaching aura entering the Empty Layer. Just as the other party was about to appear before them, Bu Bu directly teleported away with Yun Ze. Instantly! Vast spiritual energy surged into Yun Ze's body, causing his ninth Qi vortex to instantly take shape! Ninth level of Qi Refining! Yun Ze slowly raised his eyes and saw a figure standing before him. Di Sha! "Excellent! Truly excellent!" Di Sha's lips curved into a smile, followed by thirty-four empty-eyed corpses. Yun Ze recognized them at a glance. These thirty-four corpses were the beings who had appeared simultaneously with Monk Du Zhi. Thirty-four prodigies from thousands of years ago! No wonder he had the confidence to gamble with him then. Di Sha's smile gradually became wild, even bordering on madness! He laughed maniacally at them. "I thought you were dead! I didn't expect you to still be alive!" "It's good that you're alive! It's good that you're alive!" "This way..." Di Sha waved his hand, and the entire Zhutian Secret Realm began to tremble violently. "I can slowly play with you!" Yun Ze's brow furrowed immediately! He could vaguely sense that the surrounding space was not only sealed but also continuously compressing, as if... Just as Yun Ze was about to utter those two words, Bu Bu, beside him, also frowned and spoke. "He is condensing his core!"