Chapter 109

Chapter 109: Friends Come From Afar

"To the ends of the earth, to the remotest corners I will find you in this imperial capital, and tear you to shreds!"

Three primordial spirit avatars of the Nine-headed Great Emperor chased after, yet the auras of Lin Qianmo and the others had long since vanished from heaven and earth. Only a vast chasm lay across the path ahead.

The three avatars merged into one, and the Nine-headed Great Emperor’s aura surged violently. His gaze was shadowed with malice; his killing intent shot into the skies.

Losing one avatar was a minor matter. What concerned him was the loss of the Path of Oblivion Blade.

This was his imperial weapon, the one that had proven his cultivation path.

Compared to the Qian Kun Cauldron, the Path of Oblivion Blade was his foundation.

"Failed?"

A melodious voice sounded. The Seven-tailed Celestial Fox appeared beside the Nine-headed Great Emperor. She moved with seductive grace, yet her eyes held a cold arrogance and aloofness.

"Underestimated that woman," the Nine-headed Great Emperor said, his voice icy. "She possessed a branch of the Ancient Tree."

"The Ancient Tree?"

The Seven-tailed Celestial Fox’s beautiful eyes narrowed. The Ancient Tree countered the Path of Oblivion, the natural bane of the Nine-headed Great Emperor. With the Ancient Tree in hand, his failure was understandable.

"How about your side?" the Nine-headed Great Emperor asked.

The Seven-tailed Celestial Fox replied, "That poisonous entity’s origins are unusual. The moment it left the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain, it simply vanished without a trace."

"As for the other one, he used a Death Substitute Talisman to escape, leaving behind a decoy."

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Suddenly, streams of escaping light shot into the Nine-headed Great Emperor’s body. As five primordial spirit avatars returned, his cultivation level surged back to the emperor realm.

"I only managed to slaughter one member of the demon clan," the Nine-headed Great Emperor stated coldly.

He had killed a golden crow, the Golden Crow King of the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom.

"This time, if we fail to find that thing, we might be in trouble," said the Seven-tailed Celestial Fox, her eyes turning icy. "In my view, that thing is most likely on that woman."

Before Xu Changqing died, he had contact with Lin Qianmo and the others.

As a descendant of the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain, possessing the heavenly formation, the human-skin manuscript had to have been in his hands. It was almost impossible that the Poison Emperor could have obtained it.

Therefore, Lin Qianmo remained their prime suspect.

"We will dig three feet into the ground if we must, but we will find them."

The Nine-headed Great Emperor waved his hand grandly. The Qian Kun Cauldron rose into the air, countless divine patterns manifesting, only to immediately fade into the void. The entire cauldron seemed to merge with heaven and earth.

In an instant, all within a radius of a million miles entered the Nine-headed Great Emperor’s perception.

"Follow me."

He took a huge stride, crossing the vast chasm, and set foot onto the land of the Southern Wilderness.

…

"So this is Linglong City?"

A scholarly man in blue robes appeared outside the city gates, a ripple of interest stirring in his gaze.

This man was none other than Qin Changsheng.

He traversed the Sea of All Realms and arrived in the Southern Wilderness. Along the journey, he had heard endless mentions of the remarkable feats of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Qin Changsheng had come specifically for Heaven’s Secret Pavilion on this trip.

“I wonder how my master is doing now?” Qin Changsheng gazed toward the western region, able to sense the aura of the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain, yet he dared not venture there.

This Second Primordial Spirit Avatar of his possessed only a cultivation at the great sage level. On the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain—where quasi-emperors were as common as trees, and where a Great Emperor might even make an appearance—it wouldn’t even qualify as cannon fodder.

His journey here was partly to investigate the Yuan Realm, to see if he could relocate the disciples of the Unsurpassed Fairy Island to its lands.

After all, the Unsurpassed Fairy Island floated in the Sea of All Realms, constantly fraught with danger, entirely unsuitable for cultivation or training disciples at the middle or lower tiers.

Qin Changsheng stepped into Linglong City and, with a flick of his Divine Sense, immediately located the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

“The Talents List?”

Before heading there, Qin Changsheng paused beneath the Talents List, marveling.

“So young, and yet the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion can discern their future cultivation limits? Does this person truly possess such immense ability?” Doubt colored Qin Changsheng’s expression.

Harboring this question, he proceeded to the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Through the entrance, he saw a youthful figure, radiating lazy charm. The young man had striking red lips and pearly white teeth, his handsome features extraordinarily refined. He was lounging in a traditional wooden armchair, rocking back and forth while reading from a book held in his hand.

A petite, graceful young girl stood beside him—still blossoming but already hinting at becoming a future femme fatale—lightly kneading his shoulders. An aura of absolute ease surrounded them.

“Elder, we have a guest,” Ye Xian’er whispered, catching sight of Qin Changsheng.

After several days in seclusion, her cultivation had improved yet again.

Ye Xu didn’t move a muscle.

He had expended two hundred thousand heavenly secrets points, raising his cultivation to the saint level. Though a mere saint was unremarkable in the current era, Ye Xu was thoroughly satisfied.

After all, his total cultivation time amounted to roughly three months.

“May I ask if the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion is present?” Qin Changsheng inquired, stepping across the threshold with a respectful salute.

Information regarding Qin Changsheng surfaced in Ye Xu’s mind.

[Qin Changsheng: Second Primordial Spirit Avatar. Great Sage Level.]

[Identity: Descendant of the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain, direct disciple of the former Great Emperor Xu Changqing.]

[Techniques: Unsurpassed Imperial Scripture…]

[Abilities: …]

“I am the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion,” Ye Xu replied, setting down his book. He instructed Ye Xian’er, “Xian’er, prepare tea for our Daoist friend Qin.”

“Understood,” she complied.

Qin Changsheng’s pupils constricted in shock.

He hadn’t even introduced himself, yet Ye Xu knew his surname already. Could it be that this man truly possessed such skill?

To be genuinely omniscient?

After all, this was his very first visit to the Yuan Realm.

"My fellow Daoist friend, there’s no need to be alarmed."

Ye Xu smiled.

"Not only do I know you’re called Qin Changsheng, but I also know you are a descendant of the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain."

"This body of yours is merely your Second Primordial Spirit Avatar."

"The Master’s vast divine abilities are indeed astounding. I’m utterly impressed."

Qin Changsheng was struck with immense admiration.

He was considered one of Heaven’s favored sons, someone who had seen and experienced much in the world.

Yet, after meeting Ye Xu today, he was completely awed by Ye Xu’s methods.

"Please enjoy the tea."

Ye Xian’er offered him a cup of tea.

"Thank you, Young Lady."

Qin Changsheng expressed his gratitude.

He took a small sip of the tea.

"From what I know, the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain has manifested in the Yuan Realm."

"The Master possesses incredible divine abilities, why has he not gone to seize its treasures?"

"That mountain is a legacy of the Emperor Venerable."

"I regret that my cultivation is too weak."

"I can only be able to sigh despondently."

Ye Xu’s expression turned peculiar.

Qin Changsheng’s breath caught slightly, unsure if his words had given offense.

His heart tightened nervously.

"My fellow Daoist friend, do you know why the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain was able to manifest?" Ye Xu asked with a faint, enigmatic smile.

"Could it be… the Master’s doing?"

Qin Changsheng was no fool; prompted by Ye Xu’s words, he understood instantly.

"Correct."

Ye Xu said.

"The Unsurpassed Divine Mountain’s whereabouts were deduced entirely by me."

"Its presence was then drawn fully into the Yuan Realm by several quasi-emperors, using fragments of the Unsurpassed Divine Seal."

"If I had wanted the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain for myself alone…"

"…why go through all this extra trouble?"

Qin Changsheng suddenly grasped the truth.

He finally understood why the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain had descended upon the Yuan Realm.

Moreover, what truly shocked him was that the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion before him seemed utterly uninterested in the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain.

Otherwise, with his methods, taking sole possession of it would have been effortless.

"Senior’s virtue and integrity are admirable; I, this junior, greatly admire it."

Qin Changsheng bowed deeply.

"I’m but a mundane person; one cannot speak of high virtue or integrity," Ye Xu chuckled.

Ye Xian’er nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.

"Senior, when I first arrived in the Yuan Realm, I heard that the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion’s deduction technique is peerless in all the world."

"No one can match it."

Qin Changsheng’s expression turned earnest.

"My visit here as a junior…"

"…is to humbly request that senior assist me."

"To deduce my master’s life or death."

"That is easily done."

Ye Xu immediately agreed.

"System, settle the account."

[420,000 heavenly secrets points.]

Ye Xu frowned slightly.

Since it was so cheap, it probably wasn’t a good thing.

"I want a Quasi-Emperor Weapon."

Ye Xu offered.

"Deal."

Qin Changsheng took out a divine hammer forged from a star core, indestructible to all.

[Congratulations host, you gained 560,000 heavenly secrets points.]

"Check on Qin Changsheng’s master’s situation."

Ding!

[Congratulations host, you spent 420,000 heavenly secrets points and the query succeeded.]

[Xu Changqing: Peak of quasi-emperor level, had his Dao fruit stripped before, falling from the emperor realm.]

[Current situation: Has already self-detonated and perished.]

[Additional message: Before his death, Xu Changqing entrusted Lin Qianmo to deliver a skin scroll to Qin Changsheng. Presently, Lin Qianmo and her group are heading towards Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.]

Ye Xu’s gaze flickered slightly.

"Daoist friend, I have one piece of good news and one piece of bad news."

Qin Changsheng stared tightly at Ye Xu.

"The bad news is, Xu Changqing is dead."

Ye Xu said.

"He self-detonated his primordial spirit and body, clearing the path for Lin Qianmo and the others to evade pursuit from two Great Emperors."

"Lin Qianmo?"

Qin Changsheng frowned deeply; he had never heard that name before.

Regarding the two Great Emperors appearing at the Unsurpassed Divine Mountain, they were almost certainly from the Taihao Heavenly Sect.

"Master…"

Qin Changsheng looked dispirited. He did not weep in grief, just showing sorrowful eyes; Xu Changqing’s fall had long been within his expectations.

No surprise.

Just hard to accept.

"Daoist friend, please accept my condolences."

Ye Xu comforted him and said.

"But there’s also good news, related to Lin Qianmo."

"Please speak directly, senior."

"Before he died, Xu Changqing took what he always wanted and handed it to Lin Qianmo, entrusting her to deliver it to you."

"Then how can I find this person?" Qin Changsheng asked urgently.

He was very clear about the importance of the skin scroll.

"She is on her way to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."