Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Lin Qianmo Returns to the Sect, Du Yueheng Gets Beaten, Qi Ruyu Gets Scammed

"I am going back."

Nangong Zhandao smiled. "If it’s a tribulation, then I will face it. If it is fate’s fortune, I shall accept it."

"And why not meet the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion while at it?"

"Since you’re returning to Yuan Realm, I will come back with you." Lan Youruo gazed affectionately up at Nangong Zhandao, her eyes full of love.

Lin Qianmo saw this and sighed inwardly in her heart.

The Xuan Du Forgetting Emotions Heaven Book that Nangong Zhandao cultivated was renowned even in the Upper Realm.

The Way of Heaven forgets emotions; all living beings are equal.

He could project his feelings onto all things but would never sincerely devote them to a single person.

"Sister, how long until the day arrives?" Lan Youruo asked.

"Four months."

"Then let us depart now," Qi Ruyu suggested. "The master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion has now leaked heaven’s secrets, causing the ancient tombs and blessed lands buried within Yuan Realm to surface one after another."

"By the time we get back, perhaps we too can find a Secret Realm to explore."

Nangong Zhandao’s smile bloomed brilliantly. "I love exploring Secret Realms the most."

Qi Ruyu’s smile stiffened slightly.

The person before her was the child of fortune.

"Let us depart."

With a wave of her sleeve, Lin Qianmo drew the entire medicinal garden into her Purple Palace. Lonely Moon Island instantly became an empty landmass. She channeled her magic power and soared off the island.

A moment later, the four had flown beyond the Three Thousand Immortal Islands.

The Chaotic Sea surged and roared. Sharing a single sword with Lan Youruo, and under the protection of a quasi-emperor expert, Nangong Zhandao had not the slightest fear of the chaotic energy’s onslaught.

After the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, the four arrived in the sea zone connecting to Yuan Realm.

Lin Qianmo struck out a palm, shattering the void and forcibly carving out a spatial passage. She led the group as they descended upon Yuan Land.

"After ten thousand years, I have returned to Yuan Realm."

Lin Qianmo projected her Divine Sense, letting it spread across Yuan Land, its splendid beauty reflected in her mind.

"So this is the ancestral home from the Primordial Era?"

Lan Youruo shielded her eyes and peered into the distance, sensing Yuan Realm’s aura.

"Ancestral home?"

Nangong Zhandao and Qi Ruyu exchanged glances, their faces marked with identical confusion, clearly not understanding Lan Youruo’s meaning.

"The title ‘ancestral home’ comes from a very distant time."

Lin Qianmo explained, "This isn’t a major secret. If you wish to know, I can tell you."

Nangong Zhandao and Qi Ruyu were brimming with curiosity.

"Ever since Heaven and Earth first opened and the innate gods made their descent into the world, Heaven and Earth have passed through several epochs. In the epochs before the birth of the Heavenly Emperor, the world was without the essence of order. Ruled by the innate gods, it existed in utter chaos."

And one epoch ago, during the primeval era, the Heavenly Emperor emerged from the Yuan Realm.

In those times, the Yuan Realm wasn’t called that yet but the Heavenly Capital Realm, the domain of an innate god. Yet upon his birth, the Heavenly Emperor grew in strength step by step, vanquished that innate god, and unified the Heavenly Capital Realm.

Qi Ruyu was utterly astonished.

Innate Divine Beings, born directly from the heavens and earth during the creation of the cosmos, held innate mastery over the power of the Great Dao. So long as the Great Dao remained unbroken, they were nearly immortal and indestructible.

For the Heavenly Emperor to slay an innate god, his own strength must have been truly fearsome.

“This was only the beginning.”

Even Lin Qianmo’s eyes brimmed with reverence. “After that, the Heavenly Emperor swept through myriad realms, unified the Heavens, suppressing and banishing all innate gods.”

“He established order, standardized writing and language, and utilizing the power of all beings, he forged the Immortal Realm. Finally, he decreed that upon reaching the True Immortal Realm, cultivators must ascend to the Immortal Realm and must not disrupt order in the lower realms.”

“Thus, order prevailed in heaven and earth, and all beings found their rightful place.”

“The Heavenly Capital Realm also came to be known as the Yuan Realm, honored as the ancestral home.”

"So the Immortal Realm wasn’t born naturally but crafted by conscious effort…"

Qi Ruyu and Nangong Zhandao were thunderstruck by this revelation.

Lan Youruo, however, remained serene and unperturbed.

Of extraordinary origins herself, she considered the Heavenly Emperor’s rise no particular secret.

"Master," asked Qi Ruyu, "was this Heavenly Emperor… one of the humans?"

Lin Qianmo nodded.

"That is precisely why the humans came to be the foremost among all sentient beings."

"Pity," Lan Youruo sighed, “that it’s all already history."

A big question mark popped up over Qi Ruyu’s brow. “What does Uncle Master mean by that?”

"Let us first return to the Red Dust Demon Sect."

Lin Qianmo brushed aside Qi Ruyu’s question and led her group towards the Southern Wilderness, heading for the Red Dust Demon Sect.

The entire journey, Qi Ruyu remained sullen and silent.

Half an hour later, the four arrived at the Red Dust Demon Sect.

"Halt! State your names and purpose!"

Du Yueheng, just about to leave on business, sensed the approaching party with his Divine Sense. His eyes swept over them, and dread gripped his heart.

He couldn’t penetrate the cultivation base of any of the four.

As a God King himself, anyone beyond his perception could only be… a Saint.

"You brat! Can’t even recognize this venerable master?" Qi Ruyu glared at Du Yueheng, her irritation festering with nowhere to vent. Seeing him only fueled her anger.

Du Yueheng stepped closer, peering intently at her face.

"Remarkably resembles the Supreme Elder…" he murmured in confusion. "But the Supreme Elder is a messy old man. How could he be… this handsome?"

Slap!

A crisp sound echoed as Du Yueheng flew backwards, clutching his reddened cheek…

Qi Ruyu slapped Du Yueheng on the forehead, put her hands on her hips, and said, "In the past, I was just unkempt; this is my true self!"

"You… are you the Supreme Elder?" Du Yueheng covered his face, trembling in fear.

"Disciple Du Yueheng pays respects to the Supreme Elder." Du Yueheng hurriedly bowed and said, "I will go to inform the sect master."

"Come back." Qi Ruyu grabbed Du Yueheng by the collar, snorted lightly, and said, "I want to give her a surprise."

"Master, let’s go inside." The four entered the Red Dust Demon Sect.

Many disciples of the Red Dust Demon Sect looked at this scene with doubt and anxiety, wondering in their hearts who these people were? How dare they treat Elder Du so rudely?

Du Yueheng was stunned speechless.

Master? The Supreme Elder’s master? The fifth-generation sect leader of the Red Dust Demon Sect? Wasn’t she supposed to have already passed away?

"This is big news!" Du Yueheng thought excitedly. "I need to quickly send a message to the sect master to avoid her not being able to handle the surprise." He immediately took out the communication jade talisman. He poured mana into it. After a few breaths, Ye Hongchen’s brief reply came. "Making a fuss over nothing."

"…" Du Yueheng felt like crying but had no tears. "So she knew about the Ancestor’s existence all along? From start to finish, I was the only one kept in the dark?" Moreover, he had been used as a punching bag and slapped.

Du Yueheng hurriedly caught up with the group. They arrived at the back mountain.

Ye Hongchen was in the pond, holding a fish trap, leisurely catching fish.

She had her hair in pigtails, wore a floral dress, submerged from the waist down in the water, playing very happily.

"Having become a saint and still retaining a childlike heart is truly rare." Lan Youruo looked at Ye Hongchen, smiling radiantly.

"Qi Ruyu, you trained an excellent disciple." Lin Qianmo looked at Ye Hongchen as if gazing upon a priceless piece of unpolished jade, finding her utterly delightful. In contrast, whenever she looked at Qi Ruyu, she always felt annoyed.

"Child, hurry up and come ashore to pay respects to the Master." Qi Ruyu waved to Ye Hongchen and said.

Ye Hongchen stood in the water but did not come ashore immediately. Her big, bright eyes stared straight at Lin Qianmo for a moment, seeming to scrutinize her. After a few breaths, Ye Hongchen calmly and slowly waded out of the water.

"Grand-disciple pays respects to the Master." Ye Hongchen bowed and said, looking at Lin Qianmo, "Master, now that you’ve returned this time, have you prepared a gift for me?" "My master often says that every time you saw him, you prepared a gift for him." "This is your first time meeting your grand-disciple!" Ye Hongchen beamed with an innocent smile.

Qi Ruyu’s face twisted oddly.

"Don’t all look at me; this was definitely not taught by me." Qi Ruyu hastily defended herself.

"Du Yueheng, go quickly to prepare the feast." Qi Ruyu changed the subject and said, "Today, everyone present should gather together properly and enjoy themselves."

"Okay."

"Wait a moment, I’ll go with you." Qi Ruyu said.

"Supreme Elder, rest assured; I can handle this alone." Du Yueheng chuckled, refusing Qi Ruyu’s request, and left on his own.

"Rebellion… everywhere rebellion…" Qi Ruyu’s lips trembled.

"Qi Ruyu, come here." Lin Qianmo’s voice was slightly stern.

Qi Ruyu trembled all over.