I'M ACTUALLY A CULTIVATION BIGSHOT

by Kideo11

The Immortal Dao is ethereal, and Immortals are hard to find. Li Nianfan had descended into the cultivation world as a mortal. After learning that he has no hope in cultivation, he only wants to live a peaceful life. However… The dog he adopts becomes a demon king of a generation when it sees his poems and paintings. It manages to suppress an entire world. The tree he plants be

4. Chapter 301 - 400

Chapter 301

Li Nianfan was suddenly extremely curious. He wanted to ask if she had been in a relationship before.

However, his final traces of rationality defeated his impulse.

Curiosity would kill the cat. Staying alive was more important.

Li Nianfan said to Xiao Bai, "Xiao Bai, we're finished. Come clean up the table."

Xiao Bai half-wiggled and jogged over. "Yes, my dearest master."

Smash!

The way Xiao Bai cleaned up the table was rough and brutal. It simply tossed the dishes into the pond, shocking the crowd.

It did not show any respect to the Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasures at all!

Ziye looked at Li Nianfan and hesitated for some time. Finally, with an extremely uneasy and excited feeling, she said, "Mr—Mr. Li, after listening to 'Investiture of the Gods', I have a childish idea... I don't know if I should share it or not."

Li Nianfan halted slightly. He asked with curiosity, "What idea?"

This Immortal loved joking around. Since she had spoken up, Li Nianfan could not tell her not to say it even if it was childish.

Ziye took a deep breath and said slowly, "I want to build a Heavenly Temple."

What situation?

Build a Heavenly Temple?

The Heavenly Temple could be built?

Li Nianfan was dumbfounded. He looked at Ziye as if it was his first time meeting this guest.

So wild? Did she want to be the 'Wu Zetian' among the Immortals?

Perhaps he understood her wrongly? Perhaps the Heavenly Temple she meant was the name of a Sect?

Li Nianfan could not help verifying, "You can't possibly be referring to the...Heavenly Temple in 'Investiture of the Gods'?"

"It's that Heavenly Temple indeed!" Ziye nodded solemnly. She continued, "Mr. Li's right. If an ordinary realm needs an Emperor, what more than the Immortals? A civilization needs some rules to keep things in order."

"This..."

Li Nianfan did not know how to reply to Ziye. He looked at the others who did not look surprised. Instantly, he knew that they had all discussed this and decided to build a Heavenly Temple together.

Oh, no! Oh, no! Did they decide to build a Heavenly Temple based on his story?

Zhou Yunwu went ahead to rule the ordinary realm because of what he taught him.

Yuecha went ahead to establish Buddhism because of 'Journey to the West'.

Now, these Immortals want to build the Heavenly Temple because of 'Investiture of the Gods'?

This world was too insane!

However, it was easy to understand. It was similar to a person having been inspired by a successful entrepreneur story. The person would be filled with excitement and passion to start working on it.

It was apparent that Ziye and the group felt this way. It seemed that they were quite capable.

Li Nianfan thought for a second. Then, he said sincerely, "Building a Heavenly Temple is wonderful. However, the process might be very challenging."

'The expert's giving us the mission!

'He's testing our determination!'

The crowd became more energetic, feeling more delighted than scared.

Ye Liuyun said, "Don't worry, Mr. Li. However challenging it might get, we're not afraid!"

"If you're all so determined, it's great!" Li Nianfan smiled. "If you could really build a Heavenly Temple, it'd be great news for the people!"

If they succeeded, they would be like the ancient Immortals. Being their friend, Li Nianfan might be able to gain some benefits from them. He might even be able to gain some privileges after death.

Of course, if they could even make some Flat Peaches, it would be ideal!

Aw, the thought of it was not bad at all.

Ziye was excited. "Mr. Li, this is our plan. We're just not quite sure how the Heavenly Temple works. What are the positions and how do they work in 'Investiture of the Gods'?"

"There're quite a lot of positions in the Heavenly Temple and it's more complex than the ordinary realm. Listen carefully." Li Nianfan would not joke about this. After composing his thoughts, he said, "For the Gods of Lightning, there are twenty-four positions. They manage the rain and the clouds, the nutrients of all plants, and remove evil beings while blessing the people.

"The Gods of Plague comprise six positions. They're in charge of the plagues and sickness in the ordinary realm, along with other enforcements.

"Also, the Gods of Finance who work with Yue Lao, the God of Soil and Ground, appoint different paths..."

Merely by discussing the positions, it sounded more like a story. Li Nianfan summarized the plot along with some of his ideas. It did not take long before he told them the main concepts of the Heavenly Temple.

The eyes of the crowd were getting brighter. Just from listening, they could feel the orderly and smooth world they were about to build.

Ziye thoughtfully recorded every word.

Although she had worked in the Heavenly Temple before, the complexity of the positions was not something she could figure out. She only knew the concept of them.

Immortal Linzhu could not help asking out of curiosity, "Mr. Li, what ranking of Immortals are required for these Godly positions?"

"There isn't a definite requirement. Additionally, the ranking of one's realm isn't the main requirement." Li Nianfan thought about it before he continued, "I think it depends on one's merits. If one has done great things in the ordinary realm and blessed others, this person can also become a God after death."

He halted for a second. Li Nianfan could not help adding on, "Of course, I got all of these from the story. It's simply made up. Don't take it seriously. Just use it as a reference."

The crowd nodded seriously, "Yes, we understand."

Seeing that they were so caught up with it, he had to continue. As for how these Immortals were planning to build it, Li Nianfan had no clue. He was not interested to know either. What he could do was to provide them with some fictional ideas.

What nobody realized was that as Li Nianfan was speaking, some unknown changes were happening in the world. Some ripples appeared in the air as if layers of restrictions were being broken down.

Inside the four-part architecture, the small sapling by the pond was suddenly glowing without a sound. It suddenly shot up two notches. Meanwhile, the vines around it jolted slightly, revealing a small, thumb-sized gourd.

Meanwhile, beneath the ground.

It was dark. It somewhat seemed like another space away from the world where the sun did not shine. It was cold and wet.

Hwa-la-la!

Within this boundless darkness, many sounds seemed to fly by at a shocking speed. In the deep end, there was the sound of rolling waves.

The sounds of the waves were getting louder. The passing figures became more and more urgent along with some scoffs.

During one of the moments.

The darkened world seemed to light up. However, it was not white light but a green glow. Even though it was bright, it was somehow eerie.

Amidst this green light, one could see that the rapidly flying figures were dressed in black uniforms. In the middle of the uniforms, there was a word printed, 'Ghost'. They were not dead bodies, they were more like phantoms.

The ghosts were flying toward the waves rapidly. As they rushed in, they flew past a long, deep, narrow tunnel. Further on, one could see a stone sign hanging above with the word 'Styx'. Red liquid flowed out of it as it emitted a terrifying glow.

The roaring sound was coming from here.

Upon entering the stone cave, the entire world suddenly opened up. There was a gigantic sea of blood. The bloody seawater was wild by now, spraying and splashing like a dragon. The waves rose into the sky as if it was a tsunami.

"Quick! Quick! Quick! Get more people here! We must block it!" an Oni in black armor growled in a low voice. His eyes were red. As he lifted his hands, the big knife sliced the ghosts who jumped out from the bloody sea into pieces!

Above the bloody sea, an Oni in bloody armor was patrolling in the sky. He was exuding a strong temperament, his killing intent as thick as the boundless sea. He pushed down on the bloody sea!

He was trying to calm the waves!

"Who is it? Who did this? Who reopened the road between life and death? Is this person unafraid of the punishment?" he growled as he breathed hoarsely. His eyes followed the bloody sea to the end of it. Back there, a phantom-like Ghost Door was gradually opening.

By the door, a long and unreal path was slowly stretching out.

Sizz...

In the bloody sea, countless ghosts were roaring. Their roars made one's scalp itchy.

These ghosts rushed over in waves. They were all rushing toward the Ghost Door.

Outside the Ghost Door, the Oni rushed over, one after another. They were trying to block the ghosts, trying to shut the Ghost Door.

A black figure and a white figure stood in front of the Ghost Door. They were using all they had to disperse the ghosts. One of them could not help saying with difficulty, "Back then, the Emperor sacrificed his life to cut off the road between life and death. How's it being reopened now? Who has the right to reopen it?"

Click!

Suddenly, a sharp ringing sound was heard. Everyone's hearts were jumping wildly, their eardrums trembling as chills crawled all over them.

A long stream of light was projected out from the Ghost Door.

The Ghost Door was...open!

Chapter 302

Click!

The harsh sound was getting sharper. It was so sharp that the initially noisy Underworld went silent.

The face of the Oni in black armor became pale. He sighed and said, "It's over."

Hwa-la!

In the next moment, the bloody sea was rolling more and more vigorously. Raging waves with unlimited ghosts were boiling like water, their heads popping up from the surface wildly.

The ghosts rushed into the Ghost Door along with the seawater. They were unstoppable.

At the four-part architecture.

Li Nianfan smiled. He said, "Right, other than the Gods in the Heavenly Temple, there should also be Gods in the ordinary realm. Such as the City God Temple and Mountain Gods to guard the peace in the ordinary realm. Oh, wait, we might not need the City God Temple since there aren't any ghosts in the Immortal Realm."

Vroom!

Right after Li Nianfan spoke, the entire world vibrated vigorously. The originally clear blue sky suddenly darkened. Layers of dark clouds moved around. They seemed different from the usual clouds, giving off some terrifying chills.

Li Nianfan stood up in shock. He looked at the four corners of the sky. What was this? The end of the world?

Ziye and the rest looked serious. Their heads were pulsing as a terrifying feeling was arousing in them. Something big had happened! Definitely something big!

Click!

The big door of the backyard was opened. Nanan, Dragon, and the little fox jumped out.

"Brother Nianfan, something's up!" Nanan said with a concerned look.

Meanwhile, her nose twitched slightly. She smelled a fragrance.

She turned around to see Xiao Bai washing the dishes. When she saw the pile of cutleries and leftovers, her eyes became red.

Nanan's small face changed as if she had been neglected by the entire world. There were tears in her eyes as she said sadly, "You...you actually ate without me!"

Li Nianfan coughed gently. He said, "Oh, we just had some wine. It's for adults. Don't make a scene."

Dragon even cried out loud, her eyes overflowing with tears as she wailed, "We were working so hard at the back! We were plowing and watering the plants. How could you do this? Why didn't you invite us! Waa..."

"Exactly, I used my beauty to lure this bull over!" the little fox mumbled in a low voice. Its ears had dropped down as it jumped onto the table. It used its small nose to sniff for any hidden food.

"Alright, I'll make it up to you next time. I guarantee that it'll be delicious and nutritious," Li Nianfan comforted. He continued, "Now's not the time to discuss that. What happened?"

Nanan looked better right away. She said, "Brother Nianfan, you've got to keep your promise. I'll remember this."

Vroom!

The world shook again.

Suddenly, in the northeast direction of the four-part architecture, which was also the north side of the Fallen Immortal Mountain, a gust of gray smoke suddenly appeared.

The gray smoke shot out like a volcano, rushing toward the sky while forming a gigantic gray tornado. Looking from afar, one could see the gray tornado swirling around.

"Phew."

Wailing was heard along with the wild wind. Even though it sounded far away, it was all still very eye-catching and terrifying.

"That—that was..."

Ziye and the crowd's faces sank. They cried out in shock, "Dead Qi?!"

"Dead Qi?" Li Nianfan halted slightly. The Dead Qi that came from beneath the ground?

'I was just saying that we didn't need a City God Temple and suddenly, the ghosts are coming out?' Li Nianfan was unsettled but he tried to remain calm.

After all, he had so many bigshots around him. This was the benefit of bootlicking the bigshots!

Were the ghosts as powerful as the Immortals? This was an easy question. At least most of the ghosts were not as powerful! 𝘭𝘪𝑏𝑟ℯ𝒶𝑑.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Vroom!

In this instance, the sky and ground cracked open. Then, the sky darkened!

Even the four-part architecture was affected. It was still during the day and in a blink of an eye, it was suddenly night.

Scary! So scary!

After living in the Immortal Realm for so long, he had seen many things. However, this was definitely the most shocking experience. If he had to describe this, it would be the 'Descending of Gods'!

Although he had Immortals by his side, he had to see them fight. While looking at the sight, Li Nianfan finally saw how powerful the Gods were with his own eyes!

They could easily extinguish the world!

The dark clouds in the sky were getting thicker. There was thunder and lightning, flashing like silver snakes, dancing wildly causing sparkles in the sky.

Vroom!

Pale blue lightning fell from the sky, striking directly into the middle of the gray smoke. It was extremely scary. It was as if the entire world was left with traces of lightning.

However, it only dispersed a little bit of the gray smoke. It did not even leave a mark behind.

Sizz...

A few lights rushed over from afar, heading toward the strike!

"The world's changing, some rare treasures must have fallen! Our opportunity has come!"

"Quick! Let's go and find out what actually happened!"

"Everyone, please, stay calm. Why don't we form a team? The more people we have, the stronger we are. If there's a treasure, we can split it up."

In the darkness, the lights of the cultivators were extremely obvious. They were like the brightest stars in the night sky. However, they only dared to surround the tornado to find out the situation. They did not dare to go deeper into it.

Ziye and the crowd exchanged looks. They all saw the fear and seriousness in one another. "It's bad!"

"Immortal Ziye, do you know what happened?" Li Nianfan instantly asked the powerful bigshot.

ZIye took a deep breath and said with a trembling voice, "Mr. Li, this sight could possibly mean the appearance of an Underworld."

"What? Underworld!" Li Nianfan's mouth widened and his heart sank.

He did not know if there was an Underworld in his previous realm, but the Immortal Realm seemed like it did!

So, there were ghosts?

Chapter 303

Even though she offered him a ride, he was not actually sitting on top of her. Li Nianfan was standing on the Fire Phoenix's back.

The phoenix was not small. With its wings outstretched, it was almost ten meters long. Its back was wide with soft feathers. It looked like it was glowing with flames even though it was not hot at all.

Furthermore, even though it was glowing in flames, it was not slippery to stand on. In fact, it was soft and comforting. Most importantly, there was warmth coming from below his feet, as if it had a heating effect. It was more comforting than any carpet ride in the world.

It was the best flying pet!

Li Nianfan called out, "Daji, come on up!"

"Okay." Daji nodded. She carried the little fox in her arms and got on with Nana and Dragon.

The Fire Phoenix did not seem to mind. It knew its role was to be a flying pet. Since they were on the same team, it was okay for them to ride her as well.

"Stay put!"

The Fire Phoenix warned them before spreading its wings. It thrusted forward, a flame in the darkness illuminating the sky. It was extremely beautiful.

It was flying rapidly!

It was even a few times faster than the skyship!

Li Nianfan felt his surroundings disappear behind him rapidly. Suddenly, the Fallen Town was right in front of him. With another blink of an eye, the Fire Phoenix had already rushed into the Fallen Town.

Meanwhile, the cultivators of the Ganlong Immortal Dynasty had arrived. They were comforting the villagers of the town.

Luckily, the ordinary people in the Immortal Realm were better at taking the shock. Even though they were shocked, they did not seem too panicked as nothing major had happened so far.

"Look, it seems to be...a phoenix!"

"A phoenix from above! Everyone, get down on your knees and worship it!"

"Oh god! A phoenix is coming to my Fallen Town! What's happening?"

"Cut the nonsense! Everyone, make a wish!"

The appearance of the Fire Phoenix made the Fallen Town livelier than usual. Countless people came out to worship it.

As for the cultivators, they were extremely shocked. Their faces turned pale. They were not as ignorant as the ordinary people. They did not know if this Fire Phoenix was friendly or hostile.

The Holy Emperor was terrified, too. However, when he saw Li Nianfan riding on the Fire Phoenix's back, he instantly let out a sigh of relief.

He instructed his people, "Everyone, calm down! A big figure's visiting. Mind your own business and don't disturb him!"

With that, he hastily rushed over in light with Luo Shiyu.

He greeted, "Greetings to Mr. Li, Miss Daji, Miss Nanan, Miss Dragon."

"Greetings to the Holy Emperor, Miss Luo." Li Nianfan smiled and made a gesture. "How's Miss Luo feeling?"

Luo Shiyu thanked him right away, "Thanks to Mr. Li, I'm almost fully recovered."

"That's good," Li Nianfan nodded. 𝓵𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙚𝒂𝙙.𝓬𝒐𝒎

The Holy Emperor looked at the Fire Phoenix and could not help gulping. He asked, trembling, "Mr. Li, the phoenix below you..."

Li Nianfan smiled, "Oh, Holy Emperor, don't be afraid. This is a friend. She thinks highly of me, that's why I had the pleasure of riding her."

"I see," The Holy Emperor nodded.

The expert was being so humble. 'It was you who thought highly of her and gave her a chance to offer you a ride!'

He could not help recalling the little red bird on Li Nianfan's shoulder the other day, and the woman with red hair and red eyes by his side. He could not see through her at all. Was she the Fire Phoenix?

The likelihood of that was 99 percent!

As expected, the company hanging around the expert was nothing ordinary!

Seeing that the Holy Emperor looked restricted, he smiled and said, "Holy Emperor, the Fire Phoenix is very friendly. You don't have to stay so far away."

The Holy Emperor was shocked. He waved it off without hesitating, "Ha-ha, don't worry, I think it's good to keep it this way."

The expert really liked to joke around.

'Perhaps she's friendly to you. Even by standing here, I can feel a strong burning Qi coming from her. If I get any closer, I'll get burned!'

This was the flame of the phoenix! Of course, he had to stay away as far as possible. He must stay alive!

Li Nianfan smiled. He did not insist. He said to Nanan, "Nanan, would you like to look for Auntie Zhang?"

Auntie Zhang was worshiping along with the crowd. The Fire Phoenix was flying high up in the sky. The sky dimmed, swirling repeatedly. Thus, the people were unable to see the figures standing on top of the Fire Phoenix.

Nanan looked below her. She shook her head and said, "No need. As long as my mother's fine."

Daji noticed that Li Nianfan was glancing in the direction of the gray smoke. She smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Li, would you like to go over and have a look?"

Li Nianfan looked at the Fire Phoenix below his feet. "This...this is possible. What do you think, Fire Phoenix?"

The Fire Phoenix did not speak. After circling the Fallen Town, it flew toward the gray smoke just like the shooting star.

The Holy Emperor said, "Shiyu, quick! We're going over, too! As long as we can help the expert in any way, it'd be ideal!"

"Father, I know," Luo Shiyu nodded hastily. She turned into light and followed swiftly.

Li Nianfan looked at the approaching gray smoke. He took a deep breath as his heart started to beat faster.

Facing the uncertainties, he was suddenly very anxious!

The words 'Underground' and 'Ghost Door' kept spinning in his head. His heart was thumping loudly.

Gradually, he caught sight of many cultivators. Similarly, they turned to look at the Fire Phoenix in shock. They all staggered a few steps backward.

Meanwhile, Li Nianfan realized that the gray smoke was rapidly spreading out!

As they continued to approach it, they shot into the gray smoke!

Click!

Meanwhile, a skeleton flew into the air. It was gasping wildly, its mouth opening and closing.

However, before Li Nianfan could see clearly, a sword appeared by the side and stabbed the skeleton's chest. It jolted vigorously and the skeleton instantly turned into powder.

"What was that?" Nanan's brows furrowed. She was controlling the Heavenly Water Sword among the crowd. She then said to Li Nianfan proudly, "Brother Nianfan, am I clever?"

"Clever indeed," Li Nianfan nodded. He felt slightly more secure.

He looked ahead and his eyes widened. He cried out in shock, "Fire Phoenix, please, could you stop for a moment?"

The Fire Phoenix stopped and said, "Mr. Li, there's a strange Qi up ahead."

"This...can't be ghosts, could it?" Li Nianfan's lips parted. He could not help looking around. He had chills all around him.

He did not expect this, he really did not expect this. His trip to this Immortal Realm not only allowed him to meet the Immortals, he even saw this majestic sight of ghosts!

Upon entering the gray smoke, the surroundings had become blurry. There was a faint layer of mist surrounding them. It blurred their vision and gave off an eerie feeling.

Through the mist, he saw a village not far up ahead. It was neither too big nor too small.

Because of the Fallen Town, there were quite a lot of villages around and they were quite prosperous.

Among the layers of mist, there were also all kinds of glows. However, it was mostly green. There was a faint red glow appearing from time to time. Looking from afar, it gave off an eerie vibe.

Through this eerie glow, one could see phantoms floating among them, one after another. They were in the form of humans as well as demons. Some even looked vulgar with twisted expressions. They looked exactly like the ghosts from Li Nianfan's imagination.

It was a shocking sight, but Li Nianfan was able to stay calm. After all, he had seen these from the movies he watched.

Other than the spirits, there were many skeletons in all shapes. They were floating in the air.

Click! Click! Click!

Amidst the thin fog, a lot of spirits and skeletons rushed out again, rushing toward Li Nianfan.

"Water Purification!"

Dragon's small hands clenched tightly. She touched both her thumbs and pinkies together and with a pull, two tiny streams shot out from her hands.

With that, she lifted her hands and the streams formed two lines. They grew bigger rapidly, surrounding the crowd like a water ring that spread out in two directions.

Hwa-la!

The stream seemed harmless, but it was like the sharpest knife in the world. Wherever it passed, the ghosts were instantly cut and killed!

Li Nianfan's eyes sparkled. He could not help praising, "Nicely done!"

It was not only elegantly beautiful, it was so powerful! Who would have thought that a Carp Demon could be so powerful!

Dragon grinned and laughed, "Ha-ha!"

"Hmph! I can slay the ghosts, too!" Nanan scoffed. She turned into light and rushed into the village.

There were already some cultivators inside the village. However, there were even more ordinary people around and unlimited ghosts. They were aggressively attacking the living beings.

A woman with her daughter had nowhere else to run. She was surrounded by many ghosts and she was wailing hopelessly.

"Don't you dare harm her in front of me!"

Nanan landed from the sky and scoffed, "Swallow Spirit!"

The Heavenly Water Sword drew a curve in the sky. It slashed down rapidly and instantly cleared up its surroundings thoroughly.

"Fun! I want to join!"

Dragon jumped off the Fire Phoenix and landed on the ground. She rushed over happily to save the people.

"You two be careful! Safety comes first!"

Li Nianfan could only stand on the back of the Fire Phoenix to warn them. He rested his hand on the jumpy little fox and said, "You can't go, you have to protect your sister."

Meow.

The little fox meowed like a kitten.

'Does my sister even need my protection? You're doing this on purpose, hmph!'

"Mr. Li."

The Holy Emperor used up all his power, finally arriving much later. He rushed over from behind.

"Holy Emperor, you're here," Li Nianfan said. "Do you know what caused this?"

"I don't know either. However, the appearance of these phantoms is quite strange. They're so twisted and vulgar. This is something only the Evil Cultivators would do. Unless... Someone's doing such a thing nearby? How daring!" The Holy Emperor furrowed his brows.

To the cultivators, spirits were not something foreign to them. Back then, the Demon Man who captured Nanan was an Evil Cultivator. They would even suck people's souls out. They even refined evil weapons. However, cultivators like them were very rare nowadays as they were not welcomed.

Chapter 304

It seemed that the Holy Emperor did not know the reason either.

Ziye said that it was the appearance of an Underworld. It should be true, but it seemed that nobody else knew why it appeared.

What was happening in the Underworld? Why were the ghosts being let out? Was no one managing them?

Li Nianfan looked at his extremely terrifying surroundings. They were way more interesting than horror films. He could not help crying out to himself. He saw so much more and gained so much more experience!

The Holy Emperor and Luo Shiyu were like the two most loyal bodyguards, guarding him by his side. Any ghosts who tried to approach him would be instantly killed.

Meanwhile, the mist in front of them shook vigorously. Two figures appeared out of nowhere.

The two figures walked without a sound, emitting gray smoke around them. Each of them had a big knife around their waist. Most importantly, the word 'ghost' was printed on their robes.

Although they were entangled with Dead Qi, they were different from the other spirits. Their bodies were more solid.

One could instantly tell that they were different from the rest.

Nanan's eyes sparkled. "Dragon, quick! These two are different!"

"How arrogant, they even printed it on their robes. Are they afraid that the others can't tell they're ghosts? Don't snatch it from me, each of us gets one!" Dragon was excited. She ran toward them with her short legs. She rubbed her hands to produce a big water ball that she was ready to throw at them anytime.

Watching the two children rushing toward them, the two ghosts were stunned.

'What just happened? The kids want to kill us?'

Dong!

Their faces sank as they unbuckled their knives from their waists in unison.

Li Nianfan watched with his scalp itching. He said loudly, "Dragon, Nanan, stop what you're doing right away!"

He hastily instructed the Fire Phoenix to approach them.

These two wild kids! They did not know the limit of the sky! How unsettling!

'Judging by their attires, they were most likely the Oni from the Underworld. Can they even fight them? Will I still be able to bribe them after death?

'I can't offend this kind of existence at all! If not, how am I supposed to bribe them when I die?'

Seeing that someone was approaching them on a Fire Phoenix, the two Oni's faces turned pale. They staggered two steps backward. "Don't come close to us!"

This was the Fire Phoenix. If he kept approaching them, they would instantly die!

Li Nianfan said in a friendly tone, "Are you two working for the Underworld?"

One of the two Onis replied, "Yes, that's right. May I know your name? Are you an Immortal of the Immortal Land?"

"I'm Li Nianfan. I'm no Immortal. I'm merely an ordinary and insignificant nobody."

Li Nianfan halted. Then, he said apologetically, "Sir, the two kids are ignorant. They mistook you for the other spirits. Sorry for the trouble, please, don't take it to heart."

"Nanan, Dragon, hurry up and apologize to the two Onis."

Dragon and Nana stuck out their tongues. "Oh, sorry."

The two Onis nodded. They did not dare to offend them.

After sizing up Li Nianfan, they could not see through him at all. He gave out a clear sense of an ordinary man.

However, this was exactly why they had to be even more cautious.

A bigshot. A true bigshot!

'You're riding a phoenix, and you call yourself an ordinary man? Are you insulting the intelligence of us Onis?'

They remained calm on the surface. They made a gesture and said, "Greetings to Mr. Li, nice to meet you."

Li Nianfan asked, "May I ask you two, did you come here for the ghosts?"

One of the two Onis answered, "Indeed, the ghosts came to the ordinary realm by accident. Unfortunately, we don't have enough staff. They could only send the two of us here to maintain order."

Li Nianfan asked, "How did the ghosts get out?"

The two Onis exchanged a look and they both shook their heads at the same time. "We have no idea."

LI Nianfan could tell that they were either too afraid to tell him or they did not want to tell him.

After all, they would not spread embarrassing things about themselves. It was likely that someone messed up in the Underworld. It was normal.

"Mr. Li."

One of them hesitated and said, "In the center of the Dead Qi, the Ghost Door is open. A few Immortals had gone over, but we would like to beg for Mr. Li's help."

"You all want the phoenix to step in, right?" Li Nianfan smiled and said, "I probably know the Immortals there. I should go and have a look."

It must have been Ziye and the rest.

The two Onis were delighted. They said hastily, "Thank you, Mr. Li!"

Li Nianfan made a gesture and said, "I'm afraid I'll need the two of you to take care of this village."

The two Onis said right away, "It's our duty."

Li Nianfan was rather curious. He said, "Immortal Phoenix, why don't we go in and have a look?"

After a pause, he added on, "Let's have a look first. If they're fighting, then it's better to stay out of it than to get involved."

"Yes, I'll listen to Mr. Li." The Fire Phoenix nodded and turned into a flame, rushing toward the mist.

The deeper it went, the thicker the mist was. It was followed by darkness. There was some eerie wind surrounding them. Luckily, he had a Fire Phoenix who acted as his natural heater. If not, Li Nianfan would not be able to get in here.

Gradually, there was a light source coming from the front. The howling wind became more urgent. It was apparent that someone was battling.

Further in, the shape of a gigantic figure gradually appeared.

Looking like a small mountain, the Qi exuded from this figure was so shocking.

Ding-dong!

It was followed by a series of smashing sounds.

It was a giant meatball. It seemed as if it was made up of fats and there was no skin around it. The fats were dripping in layers. Furthermore, the body was filled with boils, extremely terrifying.

Upon getting closer, Li Nianfan's pupils dilated. These were not boils around the meatball, they were skeletons and spirits. They were all growling with their mouths open!

Furthermore, on the body of the meatball, bloody red lines were interlacing one another as if forming a meridian. The lines were very close to one another.

Around the meatball, there were three figures. Each of them was grasping onto black iron chords that were as thick as half an arm. They were tying up the meatball between them. On top of the meatball, some gray smoke was entangled around it, struggling with the meatball and shaking vigorously.

Other than the three figures, there was also an Oni dressed in black armor. He held a knife in his hand. It was flashing with a bloody red glow as he chopped the meatball.

Roar!

A roar came from the meatball as its ghost moaned eerily. The gigantic meatball was expanding from the middle. Almost half of its body consisted of mouths. Sharp fangs and Dead Qi were coming out from the mouths, extremely scary!

Dragon could not help covering her mouth. She said with disgust, "What an ugly monster!"

Daji could not help saying, "Mr. Li, we might attract attention if we get any closer."

Li Nianfan nodded, "Yeah, let's observe from here."

"Mr. Li, you all came!"

A delighted voice came from his side. It was Ziye and the rest.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Ha-ha-ha, yeah. We came here out of curiosity, you all are..."

Ziye winked at Li Nianfan and said, "Same as Mr. Li. We're silently observing from the side for now."

Li Nianfan instantly felt speechless.

As expected, the bigshots were different!

They would hide in the dark to watch the others fight. They were probably waiting for the rest to wear out, or would only step in if the situation worsened.

Perhaps this was the amusement of the bigshots. 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Meanwhile, the gray smoke was spreading outward slowly, blending into the darkness.

The Ghost Door was open and there were one too many ghosts rushing out wildly. Even the surroundings were affected. Hundreds of ghosts were swimming around.

Most of these ghosts were not too powerful, but they were high in quantity. They were in a wild and fierce state, unafraid of any being while they swam around with no arms and launching themselves at any living being.

The originally calm Fallen Immortal Mountain suddenly had a strange gust of wind.

The plants and flowers were shaking as ghosts started to appear.

Click! Click! Click!

"Stop scaring me! Are you done yet!" The Black Bear Demon growled and crushed the skeleton appearing from the ground into dust.

However, another skeleton gradually appeared not far away. Click! Click! Click!

The Black Bear Demon frowned. "What's this? Can the skeletons here revive?"

The Green Python Demon stuck its tongue out, squirting the spirits swimming around it away with water. "I'm not sure. I feel like they're related to these spirits."

The Wild Boar Demon speculated, "Ghosts possessing their bodies? Don't care, hurry and kill them! We don't know when the Demon King and the expert will be coming home but we must clear them out first!"

Click!

The door of the four-part architecture busted open.

Xiao Bai looked around, its eyes glaring red.

"I noticed there's a lot of rubbish around. Cleaner Xiao Bai's now online. Entering cleaning mode."

Along with a mechanical sound, Xiao Bai's two palms shrank, turning into two empty holes.

Below its feet, wheels appeared.

As the wheels moved, it made a sound and shot outward.

It whizzed along the mountain paths as if walking on a flat surface. As it moved around with both its arms facing the sky, the two holes acted like vacuums, making a sizzling sound.

Wherever it passed, the surrounding ghosts were sucked into the machine like water...

Chapter 305

Among the mist.

Ding-ding!

Three Onis along with one Oni in black armor were still fighting the meatball. It was hard to tell who was winning.

Unlike the fights between cultivators, the fight between the ghosts did not have too many effects. The color of their clashes was mostly in gray and red, exuding an extremely heavy killing intent that could engulf the human flesh and soul.

Furthermore, in comparison to the fights between cultivators and Immortals, their fight was more of a sight. Each punch was dealt right into the flesh. Extremely brutal.

Meanwhile, there was some Dead Qi around the Oni in black armor, circling him like small snakes. Swiftly after, he took a step and his body jolted vigorously as he turned into a dense blob of gray air. 𝑙𝒾𝒷𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥.𝒸𝑜𝘮

In the blink of an eye, it landed on top of the meatball.

"Nether Slash!"

He raised the knife and struck down!

Vroom!

The Dead Qi, along with the bright red killing intent, landed right on the meatball, cracking an opening.

Growl!

The meatball growled out loud. At the opening made by the knife, a pale skeleton hand shot out without any warning. Like lightning, it launched at the Oni in black armor!

The Oni in black armor did not expect this to happen. Before he could react, the claw had reached his chest, tearing it open. It pulled out a handful of meat.

The claw retracted. However, some fangs started to grow out of the wound, turning it into another mouth. It was munching at his own flesh.

Gray smoke was coming out of Oni's chest. However, he had a cold smile on his face as he scoffed, "You? Eat my flesh? Nether Fire!"

He stretched out his left hand. There was a green flame rising from his palm. Although the glowing green light was visible, it gave one an unreal feeling, almost as if there was no hint of warmth in it. It was a type of chilling flame.

As the flame rose in the air, the meatball jolted vigorously. It roared, and the same green glow flashed from its stomach, spreading to the rest of its body.

Ding-ding!

The chain vibrated. The other three ghosts pulled on it tightly. They were all struggling.

It did not take long before the meatball disappeared. It then vanished along with the green glow.

"Beautiful!"

Li Nianfan could not help praising. They were indeed the staff of the Underworld. They were quite powerful and fought well!

This type of fight was so much more interesting than the fight he watched the other day at the Chuchen Town.

Godly fight! The standard Godly fight!

He got lucky! He had the chance to witness a legendary Godly fight! This was much more meaningful than watching a movie. This trip to the Immortal Realm was definitely worth it!

Ziye could not help asking, "Mr. Li enjoys watching a good fight?"

Li Nianfan nodded, "Yeah, I'm just an ordinary man, so I'm curious about the kind of fighting that happens in the Immortal Realm. It's so rare to see battles of this level, so of course, I'm captivated by it. Sorry to have embarrassed myself in front of you, Immortal Ziye."

Ziye and the rest instantly looked strange.

This level of fighting was not something they cared about. To be honest, the level of the meatball was not even close to the level of an Immortal. To Ziye and the crowd, this was like a child's fight.

Who would have thought that the expert would watch it with such indulgence?

The expert had completely blended into becoming an ordinary man. He thought about it and he became one. Everything was possible as long as the thought was formed.

Perhaps this was the highest realm of living in this realm. This was really awe-inspiring.

However, thinking closely, the interests of the expert was something to be looked up to.

An ordinary man's sense of satisfaction was always much lower. Hence, they would become happy much easier. The higher the ranking, the harder it was to achieve happiness. As a high-ranking Godly figure like the expert, he was undefeatable and was way beyond everything. Of course, he would get bored. It was lonely being undefeatable.

Hence, it was reasonable for him to choose to become an ordinary man. It was still a privileged honor that they were able to become a part of his ordinary life, even though they played a small role.

Hwa-la!

Meanwhile, a bloody long river suddenly appeared out of thin air. The bloody sea was rising wildly like a river that allowed time to pass. Although the bloody sea did not flow back to the ordinary realm, it still had a strong sense of killing and evil intent all over.

Meanwhile, on the top corner of the bloody sea, there was a black but simple door that was gradually appearing. There was a rush of strange Qi.

Ziye's face froze slightly. She cried out in shock, "That's the Ghost Door!"

Hers and Immortal Linzhu's faces flushed red. Their eyes looked like they were filled with nostalgia. This was the door to the Underworld. It really reappeared!

Back then, they used to go down there often to play. It was full of memories.

"Lock it up, quick!"

The Oni in black armor jolted. He pulled out the same black chain from his waist. It was like a black python, instantly shutting the Ghost Door!

The other three Onis did the same. There were four chains in total, locking the simple door, trying to seal it.

However, the door was too heavy. Along with a long 'ding', the four chains broke. With that, the Ghost Door opened up with a 'click' sound.

A gigantic skeleton head appeared, coming out from behind the door followed by its body. Below its long body, there were some withered claws.

Li Nianfan looked at the gigantic skeleton and his heart skipped a beat. "Wow, what a sight! It's actually the skeleton of a dragon?"

Roar!

The skeleton dragon roared at the four Onis. Its gigantic dragon tail swung and the wind howled in return. The wind caused by the swinging of its tail was like the sharpest knife, slashing its surroundings and cutting the tall trees in two!

Caught off guard, the four Onis were slashed away. They fell to the ground with no energy left to resist.

Below this skeleton dragon, another gigantic figure gradually appeared behind it. It was formed by countless evil spirits.

"Ha-ha-ha, finally, we've left that place. Hello, ordinary realm!"

Along with a burst of wild laughter, a figure in a red dress gradually walked out from the Ghost Door. It was a woman—an extremely alluring woman, showing off her exposed and alluring body.

Her smile was wild as she said, "Now that chaos is everywhere in this realm, wouldn't I be undefeatable in the ordinary realm?"

Ziye and the rest exchanged a look. They all saw the same look of excitement in one another.

Since the expert liked watching interesting fights, of course, they should perform for him. They were still struggling to find an excuse to perform for him, so this came at the right time!

Instantly, Ye Liuyun straightened his face. He said, "Mr. Li, these three ghosts are fierce. They're some wild figures. We should step in."

"Okay, everyone, be careful," Li Nianfan nodded. This bunch of Immortals was no longer merely watching.

He was slightly excited. This would be yet another exciting battle.

He felt for the wine jar around his waist. He was drinking wine while watching the Immortals fight. What a great life!

If it was not for him being considerate, he would have taken out some seeds to munch on.

The woman in the red dress was still smiling seductively, seducing the four hopeless Onis. In the next moment, her face changed as she saw Ziye and the rest.

Ziye, Ye Liuyun, and the rest—five of them in total. Three Taiyi Golden Immortals and two Golden Immortals. This level of ranking was extremely terrifying.

One could only imagine how shocked the woman was. When she saw the five of them appear, her head buzzed and her face almost twisted.

A moment ago, she was claiming to be undefeatable in this realm. In the next moment, she was attacked by this shocking sight. One could easily understand how disappointing this was, it was like a dream!

The woman's sharp voice trembled as she said, "How...how...how...how could this be!?"

The other two ghosts halted. They staggered backward instinctively.

"Watch out for my Water Dragon Call!"

Urchin could not hold back anymore. He lifted a finger, and instantly, a gigantic water dragon was formed out of thin air. Along with a loud roar, it rushed toward the skeleton dragon.

The skeleton dragon did not have to think at all. It turned around, trying to run away.

However, the water dragon turned around and easily blocked the skeleton's way. The gigantic water dragon was very grand and huge, trapping the skeleton dragon in the middle.

"Thousand Sword Launch!"

Xiao Chengfeng followed swiftly, and countless phantoms of longswords gathered around him. Sword Qi rose all over, covering the sky. It was a very majestic sight.

Ziye and the rest did the same. As they made their moves, their spells looked majestic and powerful. Great effects were shown.

The three ghosts had never seen anything like this before. They were so shocked with their scalps itching. All they wanted to do was to run away.

One of them alone could have easily finished the three of the ghosts, what more the five of them together!

'What's the situation in this ordinary realm? Sudden changes? Perhaps we've transgressed into a realm full of bigshots?'

'Anyhow, this is too terrifying! Let me go, I want to go home.'

Urchin panicked. He hastily pestered, "Don't just keep running. Where are your final moves? Hurry up and use your final moves to beat me! Don't feel bad!"

Ye Liuyun's burning flame had already surrounded the woman in the red dress. The flame formed one ring after another like donuts. "Fight back, don't you know how? Hurry up and use your powers! Don't worry, we won't kill you right away, we'll take turns!"

"Fight back?! I beg you to kill me now! I'm really sorry, I want to die!"

The alluring woman almost cried. She wished she could take turns to attack him but she did not have such power!

"Hurry, you throw a punch at me and then show a few effects. It has to look exciting! Being able to perform for the expert's worth thousands of years of blessings!"

The three ghosts were not able to escape at all. They were desperate!

'How cruel! Are these people even human?'

Chapter 306

Daji peeled a grape. She reached out with her delicate fingers and gently held it to the corner of Lip Nianfan's lips. She smiled and said, "Mr. Li, come, open your mouth."

Li Nianfan opened his mouth and ate the grape. His lips touched Daji's small fingers. Her scent was sweeter than the grape. He said with satisfaction, "Hm, Daji's so good, you smell good."

Nanan rubbed her arms. "Hmm, I have goosebumps all over."

Dragon scoffed, "I know right, you have two kids by your side. Shameless!"

"How dare you say that? Daji and I were living happily and now we have two extra light bulbs." Li Nianfan ruffled Dragon's head.

"Watch the battle. Learn from it. When you two are as powerful, I'll be proud of you."

Nanan pouted and said, "I'll be more powerful than all of them one day!"

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Daji, don't mind them. Come, continue peeling the grapes, and don't stop."

He was being served grapes by Daji while watching the exciting fight. It was like watching a movie, how luxurious!

Ziye and the other four were fighting a close battle with the three ghosts. All kinds of special effects were spreading out in the sky, Li Nianfan was stunned. What a sight!

Li Nianfan looked at Daji. He asked, "Daji, is this exciting? Are you scared?"

"As long as I'm beside Mr. Li, I'm not scared of anything." Daji shook her head. She said, "The fight between Immortals is so exciting. The battle's so fierce!"

Li Nianfan nodded. He said sincerely, "Yeah, it's so awe-inspiring."

He felt rather disappointed. Although he agreed with what Daji said, he thought women would instinctively be scared of things like ghosts. Was she not supposed to cry out in shock and launch herself into his arms for protection?

This was like bringing one's girl to watch a horror film. Instead of being horrified, she said, "As long as I'm beside you, I'm not scared of anything"! How speechless was that!

On the battlefield, Ziye and the other four exchanged looks. They were communicating.

"Immortal Ziye, how're you doing? Almost?"

"Almost, I've used all my beautiful and powerful routines once. The performance is good."

"Same here, if we go on, we'll have to repeat the routine."

"We've put in so much effort to perform. I'm sure the expert's pleased. We should end soon."

"Alright! Let's have a final move. Let's join forces to create the coolest effect!"

Instantly, the five of them came together and their effects rushed out all over. The sky and air changed colors. Flames, wild wind, and thunder were everywhere. It was extremely scary.

The powerful effect of the tornado was extremely destructive as it crashed toward the three ghosts.

The three ghosts were delighted instead of scared. They had a look of relief on their faces.

"Finally, we're able to die in peace. Sign, it's so hard."

The battle ceased.

The Oni in black armor quickly floated over with his staff. He said with respect, "I'm the night-shift Oni, Bing San. Greetings to all Immortals."

Ziye nodded. "Hurry up and shut the Ghost Door."

"Right away." Bing San made an order. The originally broken chain reappeared in the hands of the four Onis. They tossed the chains over the door.

This time, they were not hindered. They easily shut the Ghost Door.

The gray smoke lost its source and gradually faded away.

Immortal Linzhu and Ziye knew quite a bit about the things in the Underworld. They could not help asking, "Why are there only a few of you coming out from the Underworld?"

Bing San smiled bitterly and said, "You probably didn't know about this but the Underworld's no longer the same as before. There's been a severe shortage of manpower. Now that the entire Underworld has been shaken up, most of the Onis were kept there to tame the ghosts. Some were sent to other places to prevent the ghosts from messing up in the ordinary realm."

Ziye shook her head. "Who'd have thought that the Underworld would turn out this way? Even the ghosts can't be tamed?"

Bing San sighed. He said in a low voice, "During the last Natural Tribulation, countless Onis died in the Underworld. The Acheron was broken up and many stones were crushed. Hell collapsed. More importantly, even the Reincarnation Gate was broken down. The Underworld today is merely just a name."

Everyone's faces changed. "No more Reincarnation Gate? How would they reincarnate, then?"

"They can only rely on Heaven's mechanism. Now, there's a long queue for reincarnation," Bing San said with mixed feelings. "Now that the Underworld's chaotic, there's no way we can take in so many ghosts. Therefore, half of them went into the Styx. They committed more crimes while doing so. However, we have no other choice."

He paused and then continued, "Back then, the Fengdu Emperor didn't want the ghosts to mess up in the ordinary realm. Thus, he disconnected the road between life and death. Recently, however, someone was bold enough to use his means to reconnect the road."

"Mind your language!" Ziye and the rest scoffed in unison. They all had cautious expressions as they hastily cut him off.

The doings of the expert were not something he could simply talk about.

Bin San was terrified. He then said, "This is indeed something I shouldn't be speaking of."

After halting for a moment, he asked with an uncertain tone, "May I ask...if you all were messing with the three ghosts?"

He felt that these five Immortals had some weird ticks. They seemed to like showing off their prowesses in front of those who were about to die. 𝙡𝙞𝒃𝓻𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝒎

"That was not messing around, we were performing!" Ye Liuyun said with a straight face. "A big figure likes watching Immortals fighting, so naturally, we had to perform well."

"Per—perform?"

Bin San was stunned. He almost could not believe his ears.

Immortals performing for someone else? If they had a look at the Time River, this had never happened before, let alone now. How rare!

There were musicals and street art in the ordinary realm, but this was not something that was looked up upon.

The Immortals would actually perform while fighting? Were they not lowering their standards?

Most importantly, Ziye and the rest were the winners among the Immortals. What kind of big figure was worth them doing so?

Bing San did not dare to think further. Even the thought of it was scalp-itching.

Ziye thought for a moment and warned him seriously, "This man's a figure beyond the world. He enjoys living an ordinary life. He's the one who reconnected the road between life and death. When you meet him, you must be extra cautious in what you say!"

Bing San's face turned pale. He asked, trembling, "He reconnected the road between life and death? He's nearby?"

"Nonsense! If not, who were we performing for?" Xiao Chengfeng said. "Enough, let's not make the expert wait for too long."

Instantly, the crowd walked toward Li Nianfan while Bing San followed behind them uneasily.

Li Nianfan had been watching them. Seeing that they were walking toward him, his face straightened up.

He was from the Underworld. With Ziye introducing him, he might be able to befriend this staff member.

He said with a smile, "Exciting, how exciting! Good job, everyone."

Urchin said, "The three ghosts are powerful, it took us some effort."

"I can tell," Li Nianfan nodded. He looked at Bing San and asked, "You must be a staff from the Underworld?"

Bing San's heart sank. He wasted no time as he said hastily, "I'm Bing San, a night shift Oni. Greetings to Mr. Li."

Bing San? The names of the Underworld were strange.

Li Nianfan made a greeting gesture and said, "Nice to meet you, Bing San."

Bing San said, embarrassed, "The ghosts from the Underworld came to mess around in the ordinary realm. I'm sorry to have caused you trouble."

Of course, Li Nianfan would not expose them. He shook his head and said, "Not long ago, I met two Onis in a village not far from here. The ghosts are fierce. You're doing a respectable thing by capturing them."

Bing San said hastily, "Thank you for reminding me. We must ease the chaos here so that no one gets hurt."

"Let's go and have a look."

It did not take long before the group arrived at the village.

Compared to before, there were fewer ghosts around and it was no longer as chaotic.

After all, most of the ghosts were not too powerful. With the involvement of the cultivators and the two Onis, many of the ghosts were taken care of.

Of course, many of the ghosts also escaped. They had no choice but to capture them later on.

However, what surprised Li Nianfan was that even though most of the ghosts were taken care of, the two Onis were surrounded by the ordinary villagers. There was a wailing coming from the crowd.

Furthermore, some of the cultivators seemed to be trapping the two Onis.

Among the crowd, a male ghost was protesting with the two Onis. Beside the male ghost was an old woman. Half of her hair had turned white.

They seemed to be arguing.

"Mr. Li." The Holy Emperor saw Li Nianfan. Instantly, he turned into light and flew over. He looked restricted as every one of the bigshots around Li Nianfan was way beyond his level.

Li Nianfan asked with curiosity, "Holy Emperor, what's the matter?"

The Holy Emperor told him the backstory. Everyone looked rather uncomfortable.

Li Nianfan looked at the male ghost and the old woman with disbelief. He could not help verifying, "You're saying that they're a couple?"

The Holy Emperor nodded, "Exactly."

To be exact, they used to be a couple 20 years ago. Since the man had died 20 years ago, the old woman had been widowed for 20 years. That was what caused the scene.

It was such a tragic love story.

After 20 years, this man came out of the Underworld as a ghost. The first thing he did was to go back to his village—to guard the village and his wife. Earlier on, he fought on behalf of the villagers against the other ghosts. He was still guarding them.

The Holy Emperor continued, "This man used to be the hunter coach of the village. He was also the leader of this village and he was well-respected. He even died for the village."

Li Nianfan nodded, "I can tell."

He had been dead for 20 years. Even though he had turned into a ghost, he was still protected by the villagers. They even protested against the Onis for him. He was clearly well-respected.

Li Nianfan said sincerely, "This man's respectable indeed!"

Ziye and the rest agreed without hesitation.

"Mr. Li's right. Even I have to say that he's brave!"

"He's indeed respectable!"

Bing San heard that Li Nianfan was speaking for that male ghost. He made a decision and instantly said, "This man has earned the right to become an Oni!"

Chapter 307

Bing San could not wait to perform himself. He instantly walked over and announced the appointment of the man as an Oni.

However, this agitated the group even more.

An old woman walked forward and said with a trembling voice, "Twenty years and he was unable to get a turn to reincarnate. He's been bathing in the Styx accompanied by other ghosts. What am I going to do after death?"

"Yeah, is the Underworld even good enough for us to live in?"

"Even a good ghost would turn insane!"

"I can't afford to die!"

Apart from the ordinary people, even the cultivators were scared. After all, everyone would eventually die.

Bing San bit the bullet and said, "Everyone, rest assured. The Underworld's taking corresponding measures. It won't take long before the dying procedure's complete. By then, reincarnating would take less time and the ghost's area would have increased. The ghosts will be directed to their rightful places, not just the Styx."

With that, he looked at the male ghost and said, "Hurry up and bid your wife goodbye. The longer you stay with her, the more you're hurting her. We should go."

It did not take long before Bing San went back to them.

Li Nianfan was still concerned. "Mr. Bing, there...there's actually a queue for reincarnation?"

He could tell that the Underworld of the Immortal Realm was very stingy. It was like a coded program. After death, the soul would instantly be transferred to the Styx. Regardless if it was a human or a demon, good or bad, they would all bath in the Styx and then queue up for reincarnation.

The Styx was undoubtedly the phantom of the bloody sea. The thought of bathing in there after death was such a chilling thought!

Now that the Xia Kingdom was in a war with the Land of Southern Barbarians, the number of deaths was extremely high. Who knew how long the queue would be?

Furthermore, when the plague arrived, like other natural disasters, the number of deaths would increase.

Initially, waiting in the queue was not a big deal. The key point was that one had to wait inside the Styx. It was a big mixed pot of everything, how terrifying!

Would the ghosts not be cruel? Would they not run away?

Bing San said hopelessly, "To be honest with you, the Underworld isn't doing so well. This is our current situation."

'Your situation is bad but we're the one suffering,' Li Nianfan thought as he pursed his lips. "You mentioned taking some measurements. Is that true?"

Bing San did not dare to hide it from him. He smiled bitterly and said, "This is...not true for now."

Huh?

Li Nianfan was terrified. If he died and his soul belonged to the Underworld, he would have to bathe in the Styx?

He could only half-beg and ask, "Does the Underworld have something like a Reborn Curse?"

Bing San slightly halted. "Reborn Curse? What's that? What for?"

Li Nianfan explained, "It's a small way to eliminate karma and return the soul back to the pure land."

Bing San shook his head honestly and answered, "No."

Li Nianfan frowned. This Underworld was not doing well. They had nothing. Once a person died, he would end up being punished.

He thought the Underworld had something like the Reborn Curse to calm the souls down so that everyone could live in peace. Even if they bathed together, it was still acceptable. This was not asking for too much.

Seeing that Bing San did not speak, Ziye was scoffing at how stupid this person was to herself.

The expert was already making it so clear. Did he still not get it? Was he a pig?

Look, the expert even frowned! Did he want the expert to take the initiative and offer him the opportunity?

She took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Li, what's the Reborn Curse you mentioned about? Is there really such a thing?"

Li Nianfan waved it off and said, "Yeah, there is, but it's just a curse. It's nothing valuable. I guess it's probably unimportant." 𝓵𝒊𝒃𝙧𝓮𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝒐𝙢

Ziye continued, "I'm really curious. Could you tell us more about it, Mr. Li?"

Bing San finally snapped back to reality. How he wished he could slap himself hard.

How foolish was he! He almost missed the Reborn Curse!

It could...eliminate karma and return the souls back to the pure land.

Was there really such a thing in the world?

"Of course," Li Nianfan nodded. He halted before he said, "This thing's hard to comprehend. I'll write it down."

Ziye pointed with her finger. Instantly, a table appeared in the air. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan picked up a brush, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, "This thing...don't take it too seriously."

He was rather embarrassed. He felt like a hoax himself. Most importantly, the Reborn Curse did not sound like something a normal person would say. It might even ruin his reputation and image in front of others.

However, it was too late to pull back.

He could only try to make the words look nice to make up for the lack of substance.

His brush landed on the paper.

'Nanwu Amiduopoye. Dota Gadoya. Duo Di Ye He...'

The Reborn Curse was not long. It consisted of less than 100 words. As Li Nianfan said, it was difficult to comprehend. One would not understand it normally.

However, as Li Nianfan's brush landed on the paper, everyone's faces changed. They all stared at the paper without blinking, their eyes glowing in gold.

The golden glow did not come from their eyes. They were merely reflecting the glow of the paper.

Li Nianfan was using black ink to write, but every word was written in gold. The characters were very eye-catching and sacred.

This golden glow shone onto them, giving off a wave of peacefulness coming from within. As for Onis like Bing San, they were even more affected. Their brains had gone blank. The karma of their past was repenting in their heads over and over again. Their obsessive thoughts were gradually soothed, sending peace back into their hearts.

Compared to living humans, the ghosts were more terrified of obsessive thoughts.

The more Li Nianfan wrote, the higher the golden glow rushed up into the sky, shining over them.

In that instance, all of the swimming ghosts around them, including those powerful and cruel ghosts, knelt on their knees facing the golden glow. They had the look of repentance on their faces.

They were no longer escaping. Instead, they were all genuinely repenting. The impatience and cruelty within them were instantly cleansed. They obediently returned to the door, ready to go back to the Underworld to silently wait for their reincarnation.

"Alright."

Li Nianfan stopped writing. Seeing that the crowd was staring at the curse blankly, he touched his nose and said, "I know this curse isn't that significant. I simply wrote it. Just have a look at it and don't take it too seriously."

Simply wrote it?

Nothing significant?

'Expert, you being so humble is doing us great harm!'

Onis like Bing San were trembling. They did not even dare to breathe.

They stared at the paper, wishing they could reach out with their eyes to have more than just a look.

As the Onis, they could feel that this paper was the most precious treasure to the ghosts! It had an immeasurable effect!

It was already a precious treasure when he simply wrote it. If he wrote it seriously, how great would that be? They did not dare to imagine it!

Moments ago, they did not understand why. However, they could finally grasp how powerful the expert was—the expert that the Immortals like Ziye were trying to please. Even by the look of this writing, he would be the most precious guest of the entire Underworld!

An expert! A true expert!

Bing San gulped. He asked with deep uneasiness and excitement, "Mr. Li, could you please give this to me?"

In the past, he would not dare to ask for it at all. However, in such an extraordinary time, he had to bite the bullet and ask.

With that said, he felt his heart tighten. He did not dare to meet Li Nianfan's eyes. The seconds of waiting for his reply felt like years.

Li Nianfan saw that Bing San was staring at his paper as if he had lost his soul. He could not help smiling in shock. "Mr. Bing likes writing?"

Bing San nodded hastily. He smiled apologetically as he said, "Yes, since young."

Li Nianfan was delighted. He said, "If you like it, have it."

This man must have been a cultivated man when he was alive.

Being an Oni was probably a role one would take on after death. If he liked writing back then, he must like it now, too. As expected, having a skill was a good thing everywhere. He made yet another acquaintance.

Perhaps when he had to bathe in the Styx in the future, someone would look after him.

"Thank you, Mr. Li."

Bing San was very delighted. He held the paper with trembling hands.

Cautiously and extremely carefully, he kept the paper close to himself.

Bing San knew that this was a big matter. He did not dare to waste any more time. With an apologetic tone, he said, "Everyone, now that the Underworld's chaotic, we have a shortage of manpower. Since the problem's fixed here, I must return to continue my duty. Please, forgive me."

Li Nianfan and the rest understood the urgency of the matter. He said, "Go settle your things. Goodbye."

"Thank you for everyone's help today, I'll report back to my superior. Everyone here will be guests of the Underworld from now on!"

Bing San bowed at the crowd sincerely. He then instructed the other Onis to finish up and rushed back to the Underworld as fast as he could.

Chapter 308

Underworld.

Countless souls were moaning.

All the Onis were used up, they were all busy.

Meanwhile, they had a panicky look on their faces. This matter was way more severe than what they expected.

The road between life and death was reopened. The Styx had changed, the Ghost Kings asleep were waking up one after another. Most importantly, there was not just one Ghost Door. The door could appear whenever in all parts of the ordinary realm. The number of ghosts had gone over the number of Onis in the Underworld. It was getting out of hand!

Meanwhile, in the Styx, among the boiling bloody sea, there was a gust of wild laughter along with some moaning.

Those souls that had fallen asleep since ancient times had been woken up one after another. They were unwilling, they were cruel, they wanted to get out of this prison to see the outside world.

The entire Underworld was shaking as if it was an earthquake. The situation was worsening, the normal Onis were unable to get into the Styx anymore.

In the next moment, one black and one white figure was being tossed out from the Styx. Their faces were pale and phantoms weak.

It did not take long before someone with bloody armor walked out of the Styx.

He was panting hoarsely. His body was covered in the Styx water, filled with blood.

"Can't repress them any longer."

The first thing he said instantly changed the looks on the Onis. They all had a look of despair on their faces.

"Ready...the whole army will provide backup to the ordinary realm. We don't have to stay in the Underworld anymore!"

This was the second thing he said.

Bai Wuchang looked at the bloody figure, he asked, trembling, "General , if the Underworld is gone, where do we go?"

The General waved it off, "To the ordinary realm, to the Immortal Land, your choice. Find an opportunity, who knows, we might be able to reconstruct a fleshy body to start all over."

Hei Wuchang looked at the General, he said, "General, what about you?"

The General said, "From the moment I became the General of the bloody sea, I made an oath on never leaving the Styx behind!"

Someone asked, "Then, we're not leaving! If we leave, wouldn't we become homeless ghosts?"

"Nonsense!"

The General of the bloody sea had his eyes reddened. He scoffed, "I'm asking you all to back up in the ordinary realm! This is an order! Bring back all of the ghosts from there, as long as you have not brought back all of the ghosts there, you're not allowed to return to the Underworld!"

Everyone looked upset, their spirits shivering.

"Report...It's bad! It's bad!"

Meanwhile, an Oni rushed in, he said in a low voice, "The Northern Territory of the Qinling Mountain in the ordinary realm got out of hand. Onis were sacrificed. We need immediate backup!"

"It's bad, we need immediate backup!"

Another Oni ran over panickily. Half of his spirit was crushed in pieces. One limp and one hand was bitten off him, as if he would vanish anytime.

He cried, "Three Ghost Kings appeared in the ordinary realm's Qingyu Town. The entire town had turned into a ghost town. Countless cultivators had died, while Onis sacrificed. We need an urgent backup!"

"It's bad!" Another One flew over, limping. He moaned, "Qingshan Town has collapsed."

More and more Onis were reporting back. In some places, the entire Oni army collapsed. They did not even have the chance to report back.

The atmosphere of the entire Underworld instantly became heavier.

They needed backup. What was able to provide anymore backup!

The General of Bloody Sea had his eyes flickering with a red glow, he scoffed loudly, "Did you hear that? All of you are the most powerful ones in the Underworld. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get to the ordinary realm to provide backup!"

Hei and Bai Wuchang shook their heads bitterly, "If we go, what about the Underworld?"

Meanwhile, an elderly lady of white hair and wrinkled face gradually walked over.

Every Oni's face straighter, they called out with a very respected tone, "Popo."

A hoarse voice came out of Popo's mouth, "The Styx is chaotic, let me sooth it. Hurry up, all of you get to the ordinary realm."

"No way!" The General of the Bloody Sea walked over, he said, "Popo, you already lost your flesh, you can't sacrifice for the Underworld again!"

The other Onis agreed, "Yeah, Popo, no way!"

"It doesn't matter. I've lived for long enough. I got bored, let me die, but the Underworld cannot vanish!" Popo spoke as she dragged her listless body toward the Styx one step at a time.

"My soul is able to calm it down for a thousand years. During this time, you all think of a solution."

The Onis watched Popo silently. Instinctively, they wanted to walk toward her to pull her back, because they could not think of any other way.

Unfortunately, souls had no tears. If not, their eyes would be rolling in tears.

"Good news! Great news!"

Suddenly, a contrasting voice came in, breaking the painful silence. Everyone's heart skipped a beat, they all frowned.

The elderly woman who was walking suddenly jolted abruptly. She was going on a suicide mission, and this Oni was making it hard for her.

Instantly, the well-built atmosphere was instantly broken.

What situation was that?

How could this Oni be so insensitive?

All of the Onis were looking upset, they turned to the source of the voice. 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝙧𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝙢

Bing San was very excited, his face had flushed red. He ran over joyfully, "Great news, great news!"

Behind him, five Onis followed closely behind him. They were calling out joyfully, "We're here, we're here! We're coming with a big surprise!"

"Nonsense!"

The General of the Bloody Sea straightened his face. He scoffed coldly, "I can tell you all had a victory. However, isn't it just a victory? Is there a need to be so insensitive? Now that the Underground is in danger, you're all being too insensitive!"

Bing San was still very excited, he felt each of his cells crying in joy. He even jumped up and down on the same spot, "General, we not only had a victory, we also gained a huge opportunity!"

"Absurd!"

The General's face turned even darker, "If you all gained an opportunity, just go and celebrate among yourselves. Why rub it on our faces? To show off?"

The other Onis did not look pleased as well. If they did not hold themselves back, they would have beaten Bing San up.

'We were in here painfully bidding farewell, while you ran in joyfully. Are you not rubbing it on our faces?'

While Popo looked at Bing San, she asked with a friendly smile, "May I know who you are?"

The truth was, she was weighing in her heart. She was thinking if she should bring them along to the bloody sea later.

The General of Bloody Sea said, "Popo, he's a night shift Oni, his name is Bing San."

"Oh, so Popo is here, too!" Bing San was instantly more cautious.

"Hmph! How hopelessly insensitive!" Bloody Sea of General scoffed, he glared, "I thought the current situation would make you all more sensitive. After all, our home is about to be vanished, we're ready to die, what's there to be delighted about? However, seeing you today, sigh...you disappointed me!"

Bing San shrank, he could not help asking, "General, this opportunity is too huge, that's why I'm acting like this!"

"How big is it? Can it help the Underworld to pass through this hurdle?"

"I think, perhaps, maybe, likely, possibly...possible." Bing San was quite uncertain.

"Possible your ars*!" The General of the Bloody Sea almost could not believe his own ears. He scoffed angrily, "Are you possessed by some Ghost King? Or did you have brain damage during a fight!? How could you say such a thing? I'm so ashamed of you!"

He felt so hopeless, he waved his hand, "Drag him out, don't let him embarrass himself in front of Popo."

The other Onis shook their heads, too. They all looked at Bing San, they were no longer accusing him.

Now that the Underworld was extinguished, he must have been overly sad, affecting his thinking and thus he started speaking nonsense.

"General, don't. You have a look at the opportunity first!" Bing San said sincerely as he took out the paper from his chest. He handed it to the General of Bloody Sea, "This paper was given to me by an expert. I can't see through it, but it's definitely the greatest treasure!"

"Just this? An ordinary paper from the ordinary realm? I think you've really gone crazy!" The General of Bloody Sea sighed, he shook his head.

Nonchalantly, he received the paper from Bing San, he then simply opened it unperturbed.

He did not take it seriously at first, however, with just a quick glance.

In the next instance, his pupils dilated. His body jolted all over, he wished he could pull out his eyes to stick them onto the paper.

"This, this, this..."

His mouth went dry, his blood circulating wildly. Even the bloody armor on him started to let out a red glow. His voice was extremely shaky, "Oh, no! Oh, no!"

Chapter 309

"Big opportunity! A truly huge opportunity!"

The General of Bloody Sea was unable to stay calm, his lips twitched in one direction as he let out a smile. To the others, his grin was rather vulgar, he looked like a devil!

Many Onis had strange looks on their faces.

Who was the one asking Bing San to stay calm? What was that look on his face? Was he not embarrassed?

"Popo, have a look, this paper is not ordinary!" The General of the Bloody Sea had a serious look on as he handed the paper to Popo.

Popo's brows furrowed, she received the paper and could not help saying, "What's the matter? Why did you lose your composure?"

She was cautious, she placed her long-sighted eyes on top of the paper.

In the next instance, the elderly look on his face vanished. Her rickety body instantly straightened up in shock.

As if woken up from a dream, she gasped in shock, "How could this be? This was written by a Saint!"

She glanced at the paper carefully without blinking. The more she looked the more shocked she was. At the end, her eyes went wide while her mouth formed an "o" shape. Her wrinkles were stretched out.

"Indeed, this was definitely written by a Saint!"

She raised her hand and felt the words on the paper. A strange rush of Qi exploded. The golden glow circulated around Popo's finger, it came with an Avenue Rhythm. At the blink of an eye, the surroundings had turned golden.

On a wall shone by the golden glow, a line of projected words appeared: [The dust returns to the dust, the soil returns to the earth, and the soul returns to the earth. However, you don't need pain and sorrow... My body is transformed into the six realms, so that you will not dissipate..."

This line of words had the same sacred glow on, sparkling from the wall.

"This, this is..." All of the Onis could not help worshiping. The line of words were like the highest command in the Underworld, it appeared even more like an instruction from above, irresistible.

The golden glow from the paper was in sync with the line on the wall. The two had a golden sparkle in between, creating a cool effect.

"This was the ambition I had when I reincarnated back then."

Popo stared at the line of words, her eyes looking nostalgic with her thoughts all over the place. She recalled tens of thousands of years ago, thousands and thousands years ago. Thousands of thousands of thousands of years ago.

Back then, in order to fight for the last chance to live, she would rather reincarnate to extradite all the souls, in order for the world to exist longer. In the blink of an eye, one after another natural tribulation, she would not have thought that she would reincarnate into a broken soul.

If she did not separate out a part of her during the reincarnation and became Meng Po, she would have vanished by now.

The General of Bloody Sea pursed his lips, finally he could not hold it back anymore. He called out with a very respectable tone, "General of the Bloody Sea, greetings to...Empress."

The other Onis felt their hearts sinking. They all lowered their heads and greeted, "Houtu Empress."

Other than a small number of Onis, most of the Onis were extremely shocked. They only knew that Popo had a well-reputed ranking in the Underworld, there were even rumors about how she was born way before the Underworld. Who would have thought that it was true!

She was the Houtu Empress, in charge of reincarnation!

The legendary...eighth Saintess!?

"What Empress, I'm just an old woman."

Houtu resumed her elderly state. She lifted her hands and made an extremely humble and respectful gesture at the paper. She said sincerely, "Thank you brother's help for today."

The General of the Bloody Sea asked, "Empress, is this useful?"

"Let me teach you one thing."

Houtu said calmly, holding on to the paper. "You must not question or doubt a Saint at work."

There was no difference between knowing and not knowing. Questioning was an insult to the Saint.

The General of Bloody Sea felt chills in his back. He was terrified, he hastily bowed at the paper politely and stuttered, "Sorry to have offended you."

"Follow me."

Houtu held on to the paper and gradually walked into the Styx.

"Roar!"

In the bloody sea, sorrowful roars came out one after another. The bloody sea was rippling like a bloody monster, about to swallow everything.

In here, even the General of the Bloody Sea was unable to stay on any longer. In the bloody sea, countless skeletons were struggling. Outside the bloody sea, countless evil ghosts and spirits were luring around. The original place to repress the ghosts and have been turned into a playground for them!

"Roar!"

The appearance of Houtu and the group became the center of attention. It was like oil being added into a sizzling pot, splashing and exploding.

Countless ghosts were no longer terrified by the Onis. They had the intention to wildly destroy everything. They rushed toward them with killing intent, there were Ghost Kings among them.

With such a strong temperament, even the General of the Bloody Sea felt pressurized. He felt his heart getting heavier, he could not help feeling ready to fight for his last chance to live!

Meanwhile, a ray of golden glow lit up suddenly.

It formed an aperture, hovering around the crowd.

The color of the aperture was not thick, it was dazzling. In contrast, it was gentle.

However, this golden glow was able to keep the millions of ghosts outside. However brutal and wild they were, they were unable to get past it. In fact, the spreading glow was gradually forcing them to stagger backward.

All of the ghosts stood in the golden glow, they gasped open their mouths in unison. Their eyes sparkling like stars without blinking as they looked at the performance of the golden light.

This feeling was like when an ordinary man saw an Immortal landing. They could only stand by a side blankly, worshiping with an extremely respectful heart.

No matter how many numbers and how powerful the ghosts were, in front of the golden glow, they were like ordinary animals, instantly halted.

This was too powerful, unbelievable! 𝓵𝓲𝙗𝓻𝓮𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝒎

The golden glow was covering more and more areas. Gradually, the paper gradually floated under the gaze of everyone.

As if flowing in the wind, it rose up in the air. Finally, as if a small sun, it shone light at every corner of the bloody sea.

All of the ghosts, with no exception, went back into the bloody sea. They dared not to show their heads. The rippling bloody sea was slightly calmed, as if turning into an ordinary river, flowing gently.

They continued to fly in the air and stuck onto a wall. With a flash, the paper disappeared and blended into the wall. A line of words were engraved onto the wall.

This line of words were like the most terrifying seal in the world, overwhelming the entire Styx thoroughly.

All of the strange sights had vanished. Only the sound of the stream was heard, compared to moments ago, this was a completely different world.

Everyone could not help feeling mind-blown.

"So...so powerful." Bing San's head was buzzing. He even felt as if he was dreaming. "I actually met such a powerful figure? And I even had the honor to speak to him?"

"This...is undoubtedly a Saint!"

Houtu took in a deep breath, her eyes showing how she was having a deep thought, "This Reborn Curse is slightly close to Buddhism, however, Buddhism has completely vanished from the last disaster. Even reincarnation is no longer possible, who would it be? How did he survive? Or perhaps...he's the Ninth Saint?"

She shook her head and said with a solemn tone, "Now is not the time to think about this. Now that the Styx is calmed, you all must rush over to the ordinary realm to calm things down!"

...

Days had passed.

Ever witnessing how the Immortals vanished the ghosts with his own eyes, Li Nianfan was unable to calm down for a very long time.

The Immortals were so powerful, so powerful! By lifting their hands, they could give out special effects. What a cool feeling!

Killing demons and ghosts had always been the dreams of many people. Even the thought of it made one excited.

Let alone being able to travel on clouds! How enviable!

'I won the jackpot to have transgressed here. And yet they only allow me to watch without having the power? How suffocating!'

He then thought about how bad the situation in the Underworld was. Li Nianfan was upset, he was even more scared of dying.

'Sigh, let me live one day at a time. After all, I could live for a thousand years. If I meet more bigshots and strive for a few hundred more years to live, who knows, the Underworld could be fixed by then.'

'If I'm lucky enough to grow some Spiritual Root to cultivate, it'd be ideal! I'd smile even when dreaming.'

After the other day, Li Nianfan's life resumed a long period of peace. He was accompanying Daji while waiting for the gourds in his backyard to grow up gradually.

Meanwhile, he was holding on a carving knife. Along the curl of his finger, he finished the last stroke.

He had a smile on his face.

He said with a mysterious look, "Daji, come here. I'll show you something nice."

Daji was curious, she jogged over, "Mr. Li, what is it?"

Fire Phoenix could not help looking over.

LI Nianfan held on the square chess board he carved out with the wood, and then the round shaped chess pieces, "You guess?"

Daji looked at it, "This is...a chess board? Some weird chess pieces? There're words carved into them."

"Clever! This is a chess board! It's call Xiangqi." Li Nianfan's eyes sparkled, he said with excitement, "This is an interesting game. Come, hurry, let me teach you how to play."

Meanwhile, at the Linxian Palace.

Yao Mengji was standing in front of the gate, waiting.

It did not take long before a light rushed over from afar. It was the Holy Emperor.

He landed in front of Yao Mengji and said, "Brother Mengji, what is it that you urgently asked me to come here for?"

Yao Mengji said, "My Sect Mistress would like to discuss with everyone to do something for the expert."

"Your Sect Mistress?" The Holy Emperor was shocked. She was an Immortal!

He said hastily, "If it's for the expert, I would do all I could! Just tell me what I can do!"

As he spoke, three more clouds came over.

Gu Changqing and the other two came in clouds. They seemed rather relaxed and languid.

Gu Changqing smiled, "Brother Mengji, what is it that you urgently asked us to come here for?"

Yao Mengji made a polite gesture, "My Sect Mistress is waiting for everyone in the hall. Please let me walk you all there, we will speak as we walk."

"You're too polite. We're all working for the expert." Instantly, the five of them walked into the hall of the Linxian Palace.

In the hall, Gu Xirou was already waiting for them there. When she saw the crowd, she let out a solemn look and said with a serious tone, "Everyone, I've been thinking for a long time. Finally, I figured what we could do for the expert!"

Chapter 310

"Really?"

Gu Xirou went straight to the point, so she caught the attention of all of them.

Including Payne.

They all did not know how to assist the expert, they felt incapable of helping him, and thus they were only able to fight against some smaller ghosts. How could they ever repay the kindness the expert had shown them?

Therefore, as long as they had not done something for the expert, they dared not to visit him.

Although the expert had always been very friendly and generous, he might not even hold it against them. However, their guilty conscience did not allow themselves to do nothing. Although the things they could do were of nothing significant in the eyes of the expert, they had to be sincere and genuine!

"The expert wouldn't look up at ordinary things, I think everyone would not be foolish enough to give him those gifts." Gu Xirou said calmly, she continued to show up, "The other day, I gave a seed to the expert. The expert seemed to be quite pleased."

Gu Yuan nodded, he said, "I do know about this. The expert is quite interested in plant seeds, especially fruit plant seeds."

Payne looked at Gu Xirou, he said, "Unless you have some ways of getting those seeds?"

"Although I'm not doing so well in the Immortal Land, I do happen to know many corners unknown to the others." Gu Xirou looked at the crowd, she continued, "There are quite some treasures there, but there are certain risks involved. It's worth it to fight for them."

"No wonder you never answer when I summon you. You're always in danger or running away from danger." Yao Mengji looked at his Sect Mistress blankly, he found it hard to imagine how daring she was.

Gu Xirou smiled, "As they said, one could gain wealth from danger, one has to fight in order to gain an opportunity. That's just how things are, what do you all think?"

"If we could help the expert, I'd do anything!" Gu Changqing made a gesture, he said politely, "I wonder what Immortal Gu prepared to do?"

"The seed I got the other day, I exchanged it in a black market. I was chased after because of the seed." Gu Xirou halted, she continued, "Although the black market likes to collect food, they have quite a lot of treasures. They even have quite some treasures from the ancient times. They have the concept of exchanging treasure for treasure."

"Exchanging treasure for treasure?"

Everyone halted, they understood right away. "What you're saying is that we should all gather some treasures?"

Gu Xirou nodded, "Yeah, and they must be rare treasures! I have gathered two oranges from the expert here, take out yours."

Payne did not hesitate, he instantly took out the sawdust Li Nianfan tossed away the other day, "I have some Spiritual Roots here."

"I also have an orange here, and some tea leaves." The Holy Emperor also took out his items.

The tea leaves were given by the expert a long time ago. The leaves consisted of Insights, he only took a small sip everyday to have kept it until now.

The treasures from the expert were something extremely precious, but they did not hesitate to bring them all out today.

There were three oranges, eight pieces of Spiritual Root and a small portion of tea leaves.

They placed them all on the table. Though the crowd eyed the items as if looking at the most precious items in the world.

Payne was uneasy, "Immortal Gu, are they reliable? This is all of our assets."

"It's definitely reliable, but we have to be cautious." Gu Xirou smiled, "I've shown my face the other day, I can't go this time. Brother Changqing has recently Immortalized, you're a new Immortal. You're the best candidate for this."

The crowd discussed for another while, they were excited as they traveled toward the Immortal Land.

Immortal Land.

Gu Changing had a mask on, he followed Guirous instruction to a town. He then cautiously felt his chest and walked over.

He was not even as anxious when he Immortalized. He now had such a huge sum on him. There were three oranges!

He was so scared of being robbed.

The thought of the following trade with the black market made him even more anxious.

It did not take long before he arrived at a shop in the deep end of the black market.

The entire shop was pitch dark, there was only a black curtain hanging. It looked extremely solemn.

"It's here."

Gu Changqing took a deep breath and gradually walked over.

In the darkness, a hoarse voice was heard.

"Here for a trade?"

Gu Changqing calmed himself down, he said, "Right."

"Been here before?"

"No."

"Alright. Bring out your item."

A faint light appeared in the room, and an elder gradually appeared in front of Gu Changqing.

"This is an orange?"

The elder frowned. He found it hard to believe. His first reaction was feeling insulted.

However, he had seen a lot. Soon, his face became extremely solemn, he gasped.

In fact, he was becoming more and more shocked.

"Spiritual Root Immortal Fruits? This orange has the Spiritual Root?!

"This sawdust...Hmm? Consisting Spiritual Root as well? Who had the heart to destroy them so badly?"

"The tealeaves, they consist of Insights, they could trigger an enlightenment!"

This, this, this...

Even with the composure of the elder, he could not help taking a gasp. He felt a tsunami in him. 𝑙𝑖𝑏𝓇𝘦𝑎𝒹.𝑐𝑜𝓂

These three items were too terrifying. It was unbelievable!

Any of the three items would be highly regarded by him. However, the amount of each was not much.

This Immortal must have gotten so lucky! How could he get so lucky?

He repressed his urge to fight him, he asked, "What would you like to exchange?"

Gu Changqing said without hesitation, "Treasure from the ancient times. Preferably some special treasures."

"Certainly!" The elder did not even think twice. He agreed right away.

He waved his hands. A black compass disk appeared in the air in front of Gu Changqing. It was glowing with a strange Qi coming out from it. It had the Qi of ancient times.

The elder introduced, "This is a Thousand Spell Disc, it has a hundred thousand types of spells in it. Although it is only an Inferior Heavenly Spiritual Treasure, if one could skillfully use the spells in it, its power would not be less than an Intermediate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. What do you say?"

Heavenly Spiritual Treasure, it was hardly acceptable.

Gu Changqing let out a long relief, he nodded, "I'll trade!"

The elder's eyes locked at Gu Changqing, he said with his hoarse voice, "Brother, if you'd tell me the source of these items, I will give you another Heavenly Spiritual Treasure for free. I'll mark you as a VIP!"

"No need." Gu Changqing shook his head, without hesitation, he turned and walked away. "Goodbye!"

The elder looked at the back of Gu Changqing. His eyes squinted into a line.

"These three items, each of them had gone extinct in the Immortal Land. It's impossible to come across those, let alone begging for it. How could a newly Immortalized small Immortal gain those things?"

The elder's heart was thumping rapidly. If he could find out the source of these, it would be an unbelievably big opportunity!

"These are way more precious than the Golden Bees Honey and the Firefinch eggs from not long ago. Unfortunately, we never heard back from the people we sent out the other time. We can't miss anything this time round!"

The elder's eyes had a violent glint, he gritted his teeth and said, "Just to make sure, I'll send out three Real Immortals over this time! I don't believe that they can't even take down a small Tian Immortal!"

Gu Changqing walked out of the shop. He did not care about his back, he went straight out of town.

He drove on the cloud in one direction.

He only gradually slowed down after he arrived at an empty mountain. Behind him, three figures were quietly following him, they hid their Qi from him. They only wanted to follow Gu Changqing to see if they could find out more about his secrets.

"A mere Tian Immortal is able to gain so much Spiritual Root? He's likely to have come across a secret border of ancient times."

"I feel that we must've fished a big fish this time. We might come across a huge opportunity! We're getting rich! Ha-ha-ha!"

"Alright, be careful. Don't lose him. Have you forgotten that they have not heard back from the two Tian Immortals they sent out the other day?"

"How can you compare us to the two of them? We're Real Immortals, we can do anything in the Immortal Land! We're powerful!"

As the three of them were speaking, they suddenly felt the atmosphere around them did not seem right. They had a strange feeling arousing in them.

They looked up to realize that they had somehow been surrounded.

Payne, Gu Yuan, Gu Xirou and Gu Changqing were silently looking at them. For safety reasons, they even called up Ding Xiaozhu. The five of them perfectly surrounded the three of them.

The three of them were terrified, they weakly staggered a few steps backward.

"Oh, we just happened to pass by. What do you all mean? Is there a misunderstanding?"

"Brother, I'm sorry. I didn't know there were so many of you."

"Sorry to have disturbed. Goodbye!"

Payne scoffed with a mocking smile, "You didn't disturb us. Come, show me how powerful you are, show me how you can do anything in the Immortal Land!"

Chapter 311

At the Fallen Immortal Mountain.

Three figures slowly landed on clouds.

They were worried that too many people would disturb the expert. So, only Pei An, Gu Xirou, and the Holy Emperor came.

They coincidentally represented their three sects. Moreover, the Holy Emperor was at the Ganlong Immortal Dynasty, he was considered the closest with the expert. It would not be unusual for him to visit.

Of course, the opportunities were not given to them for free. They had to comfort the others by giving out treasures.

If they got something from the expert, they would also share it with the others.

They knew the importance of manners through interacting with the expert. They could not be greedy and try to be sneaky or manipulative. They were co-workers, hence they must be polite.

"I wonder if the expert would like this so-called Thousand Spell Disk." Gu Xirou walked while looking at Pei An. She asked, "Cultivator Pei An, you're quite knowledgeable in the Azure Ville Sect spells, right? What do you think about this disk?"

"It's too profound!"

Pei An usually liked to boast and pretend. The disk must be truly profound since he was being humble.

He paused and continued, "You asked that to make fun of me, right? This is a Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. The weakest spell formation in it is enough for me to investigate for a long while. There are thousands of spell variations in it, it can play me to death."

Heavenly Spiritual Treasure was an unimaginable treasure to them. Their whole net worth was not up to par with the value of one Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. However, they had no issues giving it away to the expert. They were instead worried that the expert would not like it.

Gu Xirou sighed in relief, "Good. If you think it's easy to understand, I can never bring it out to the expert."

Pei An did not look happy at all. "I see this as you trying to piss me off?"

The Holy Emperor immediately stopped walking. He kept his distance from the two.

'Immortals joking with each other is too scary. I don't want to be involved.'

Soon, they arrived at the four-part architecture. The three of them jolted and did not dare to speak anymore. They walked forward with devotion.

The Holy Emperor took a deep breath and walked to the door. He knocked on the door.

"Guests are here. Xiaobai, answer the door."

They heard Li Nianfan.

Then, they heard footsteps.

Creak. 𝓁𝘪𝑏𝑟ℯ𝒶𝑑.𝑐ℴ𝘮

The door was opened.

Xiaobai peeked out and said, "Pardon for the wait, everyone."

The three of them were instantly scared. They quickly waved, "No, no worries."

"Please come on in."

The three of them carefully stepped into the four-part architecture. They saw Daji playing chess with Li Nianfan in the yard. They saluted and greeted, "Greetings to Mr. Li and Lady Daji."

"Haha, it's you guys. Welcome. Long time no see, Brother Pei An and Goddess Gu."

Li Nianfan hurriedly said hello. He smiled and said, "You guys came at the right time. I recently invented a new Milk Cake, you're all in for a treat."

Immortals constantly came over to socialize. If they took too long to come for their next visit, Li Nianfan would feel rather lonely.

He created delicacies for his enjoyment, but also to impress the Immortals. Leaving them an unforgettable experience would be the best result. He did not want them to forget about the place.

The three of them were overjoyed. They did not expect to get a surprise like that when they arrived. They were utterly excited and touched, "Thanks, Mr. Li."

'The expert is so nice to us.'

Xiaobai came over with a tray.

A big cake quietly rested on the tray.

It was a round whole cake—not sliced, about the size of a face. It looked tidy but was brown on the outside because Li Nianfan did not go through the trouble to decorate the surface. Simple but not boring.

The three of them looked at the cake without blinking. They gulped and felt dry in the throat. It was caused by their desire for delicious food.

The three of them held their breaths. They looked at the cake as it was placed on the table. They licked their lips.

The nice smell of the cake was accentuated when they got closer. They felt that God was miraculous because eggs, flour, and milk could merge together so perfectly. It had a sweet smell that teases the appetite.

It was elegant and subtle. The smell was not as strong as the other foods but once detected, they could not get enough of it.

Xiaobai took out a small knife and sliced the cake. The cake was effortlessly sliced to even pieces. Xiaobai had precise skills, it was as satisfying as watching a flower bloom.

"Milk Cake. Please enjoy."

"Thanks, Xiaobai."

"Alright, dig in, everyone. Let me know how it is." Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Milk and eggs, the perfect combination. This is the simplest version of the Milk Cake, I can add in fruits next time, or make it into a cream or something."

The three of them hurriedly replied, "Okay, we'll eat it now."

'Let you know how it is? It is delicious for sure.'

The three of them knew clearly that the cake was made from Firefinch eggs, milk from Five-Color Sacred Cows, and the special flour made by the expert.

Food like that was not only delicious, it was also a huge breakthrough. Endless Immortals would kneel and beg for that!

The three of them carefully took a piece.

'So soft.'

That was their first thought.

The sensation was indescribable. They did not dare to be forceful, it was as if they might squeeze out liquid by accident. They were also worried that they would change the shape of the cake, they did not want to destroy the beautifully made cake.

'So soft. If it's in my mouth, then the sensation...'

The three of them were excited. They smacked their lips and could not control themselves anymore. They took a bite.

'So soft. As if biting on a cloud.'

It immediately melted in their mouths. The aroma filled up their mouths and nostrils.

"So... So delicious!"

Gu Xirou also could not control herself. She devoured the entire cake in one bite.

Most importantly, it was a big slice of cake but she did not need to chew it much. She felt the cake melted on her tongue and merged with her body as one.

It was as if she was soaking in warm water. She felt repeatedly floating on cloud nine.

Enjoyment. It was extremely enjoyable!

The place of the expert was a paradise. Aside from the opportunities they got from the delicious food, the feeling of sheer happiness was unmatched!

Suddenly, they realized something. 'Why am I a cultivator? So what if I'm Immortal? Am I even truly happy?'

They realized that their lives were worth it because they ate the food of the expert!

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "How is it? How does it taste?"

"Delicious, too delicious! It's tasty and mesmerizing."

"Truth be told, I feel most relaxed here, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan laughed. "Because delicious food makes us forget about all our troubles. It's the biggest enjoyment in life."

"Mr. Li, we brought something this time." Pei An flicked his wrist and out came the Thousand Spell Disk. He slowly passed it to Li Nianfan.

Li Nianfan immediately replied, "You guys came to visit every time with gifts, I feel so sheepish."

Pei An hurriedly said, "It's just a small plaything. It's not a treasure or anything."

"Thank you, then." Li Nianfan smiled and accepted it. Immortals would not take advantage of ordinary men so if he did not accept it, it would be rude.

The disk was not small, it was as big as a chessboard. It was black and looked like a compass disk. It had a stripe pattern on it. The stripe pattern would shine being touched by a finger.

"Huh? Fun."

Li Nianfan was intrigued. He tried to rub it with his hands again.

The color of the compass disk kept flickering and changing. The lights had different colors. It looked like several small colorful snakes slithered in the compass disk, creating different colorful patterns.

"This is... a Gaming Console?"

Chapter 312

'Gaming console?'

'The Heavenly Spiritual Treasure was just a gaming console to the expert?'

Gu Xirou and the others did not dare to say or ask anything. They could only quietly go along with it at the side.

They watched as Li Nianfan messed with it.

The awesome Heavenly Spiritual Treasure did not dare to resist either. It let Li Nianfan mess with it, and it had to cooperate with shining lights.

'Life is too hard.'

Li Nianfan looked at Pei An and asked, "Oh yeah, how do you play this?"

'How to...play?'

'The experts love to joke around.'

'How would I dare to play with it?'

Pei An pursed his lips. He carefully chose his words and said, "Play by arrangement. Yeah, there are a lot of arrangement methods in it."

"I get it, no wonder it's familiar to me."

Li Nianfan instantly understood it. "It's like a Rubik's Cube, you can arrange it however you want as long as you have the skills."

He got it. He simply swiped on the compass disk and it shined. Soon, a fierce tiger made from lights appeared on the compass disk.

'That...'

Pei An looked at the fierce tiger and jolted. They had cold sweat all over.

A ferocious aura knocked them in the face, it was wild.

The spell pattern was a tiger. Even powerful Immortals would be trapped to death.

'The expert...just created an ultimate spell pattern?'

'So casually?'

"Yo, how interesting. Looks lively. Let me try a dragon."

Li Nianfan touched the disk again. He created a Rainbow Dragon. The dragon looked fierce like it was about to fly out from the disk.

Yikes—

'This...'

The spell pattern became a dragon!

Golden Immortals would be jealous of that level of technique.

It also meant that the expert was not a threat to them. Otherwise, he would have simply destroyed their realm with ease.

"Fun. Let's do a Double Dragon Playing Fireball."

"Let's do a Guanyin Sitting on Lotus."

"Oh yeah, how about a Ten Thousand Swords Return to Sect?"

The three of them had their mouths wide open. They were dumbfounded as they watched the changes of the spell patterns. They completely lost their minds.

Their hair stood on end and they could not breathe. They were as stiff as statues.

Any of those spell patterns would be the ultimate killer weapon. It was enough to let countless Immortals change their minds and beg for mercy. He showed and presented them one by one.

Moreover, they had to resist it with all their might even though the expert was not threatening them. The spell patterns were so powerful that they were under enormous pressure.

It was like dancing with death. They would not die but they were truly afraid!

Pei And went blank. He was dumbfounded.

He thought he was knowledgeable about spell patterns. He also sneakily tried to use the Thousand Spell Disk. However, the disk ignored him. The simplest spell pattern of the disk made him dizzy. He did not know where to start.

'Is it so simple for the expert?'

'Only stroke it a few times and it works?'

'My eyes learned it but my hands didn't! Life is so hard.'

His mind was buzzing. He did not understand it.

'No way, I'm such a weak chicken. Why am I still alive? I don't deserve to.'

"Huh?"

Li Nianfan suddenly arched his eyebrow. When he was arranging the Ten Thousand Swords Return to Sect, there were a lot of shiny light swords but they started to flicker. Some of it was not as bright.

"There seems to be something wrong with the gaming console?"

"Something wrong?" Pei An and the others panicked. They asked quiveringly, "Is... Is it?"

Li Nianfan carefully observed the gaming console. He flipped it around and said, "Maybe. Some of the wood parts seem to be broken, causing it to have lesser variations. I'll fix it when I have the chance, it shouldn't be a problem."

He realized the gaming console was old and it seemed to be pieced together. Some of the parts were missing but fortunately the materials were nothing special, so he could patch it up with wood.

'Too little variations in the Thousand Spell Disk?'

'Fix it?'

'Can a Heavenly Spiritual Treasure be fixed?'

Thankfully, they were all used to it. They still looked calm on the surface with a smile.

Gu Xirou licked her dry lips and said, "Um, Mr. Li. We didn't know that...the gaming console is broken. We're very sorry about that."

Li Nianfan hurriedly shrugged it off. "No worries. This thing is interesting, absolutely entertaining. I like it a lot, thank you so much."

'As long as you like it.'

Everyone instantly sighed in relief. No matter what, as long as the expert liked it, it was great news.

Li Nianfan suddenly smiled. He said, "I just invented a new game and you all brought me a gaming console. What a coincidence."

The three of them looked at the chessboard. They were instantly curious.

It was not much at first sight. However, on a closer look, it was fresh and entertaining. It was as if the chessboard had the Answer, they felt like they were looking at a small universe.

Most importantly, the chessboard and the chess pieces were made from Spiritual Plant. It was hand-crafted by an expert. They felt like it was holy from the looks of it.

The chessboard and the chess pieces might be as valuable as the Thousand Spell Disk.

It was just a game that the expert invented because he was bored.

'Powerful' was not good enough to describe the expert.

Pei An asked, "Excuse me, Mr. Li. What game is this?"

"This game is named Xiangqi. The rules are extremely simple." Li Nianfan smiled and explained the rules of Xiangqi.

The rules were simple. They were Immortals so they naturally understood it. They thought it was very interesting.

Li Nianfan noticed that everyone wanted to try it so he invited, "Anyone wants to give it a go?"

Pei An thought about it and rubbed his hands. He said, "I should try it."

Li Nianfan welcomed him, "You're on the red side. You go first, please make your move."

"Oh, alright."

Pei An excitedly looked at the chessboard.

He widened his eyes on sight as he flinched. He could not help but get goosebumps.

He did not feel much as an observer. However, once he was the player, the chessboard felt like a neverending swirl. An endless powerful aura knocked him in the face, his mind instantly went blank.

His surroundings had changed when he woke up again.

He was no longer at the four-part architecture. He levitated in mid-air with nothing around him. He was in a muddled state.

He looked down.

He saw a chessboard. A huge chessboard!

The Xiangqi was tidy and still looked the same, but it was very overwhelming for him.

He was at the position of The General.

At that moment, he thought to himself, 'Set an array of formation with the soldiers and deploy troops to save The General.'

It was a straightforward sight. There was nothing there except for the chessboard. However, Pei An lost focus.

He was astounded by the majestic sight.

'This isn't a chess game, this is a spell pattern!'

The chess pieces they moved were to form the spell pattern. The two sides were competing for a better spell pattern.

'So deep, so incredible.'

He felt like a cell in a droplet of water and the droplet of water was in an ocean. He was insignificant at the chess game.

He already started to sweat before he began the move. He looked around with doubt and confusion.

'What should I do to be able to manipulate such a profound spell pattern?!'

He finally calmed down and clenched his jaw. He started to make his move.

He felt utterly embarrassed of himself because of the profound chess game. He also felt a strong sense of danger. Therefore, his first reaction was to protect The General.

He started to move. The spell pattern changed. His first move was to defend The General with The Advisor.

Li Nianfan was baffled. He looked like he was in disbelief.

'Although you're a beginner, you're not so dumb, right? Maybe this is how an Immortal plays chess? Is this a cool strategy?'

Li Nianfan quickly made the next move without hesitation. 𝙡𝙞𝒃𝓻𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝒎

Pei And felt the powerful aura of the changing realm. He was more uneasy.

Therefore, he took the defense route again. He moved The Elephant in front of The General.

Li Nianfan did not understand his moves. Therefore, he was more careful. He defeated Pei An in eleven moves.

Pei And finally snapped out of it. He was soaked in cold sweat. The hand he was using to play chess was shaking. He said in a hoarse voice, "I lost."

He was still tense. He felt a complex emotion.

He was agitated, excited, scared, respectful, nervous, and embarrassed. He felt an explosion of emotions.

It was as if an ordinary man suddenly encountered an Immortal and got advice from the Immortal. Words could not describe how he felt, it was like looking up to a high mountain. He was kind of disappointed in himself.

Li Nianfan noticed how disappointed Pei An looked. He asked, "Again?"

Pei An was pleasantly surprised. He asked in a trembling voice, "Can... Can I? I feel like my chess skills are weak."

Chapter 313

'Not only is it weak, but even newbies also would not dare to play chess like that. Your self-realization is not good enough!'

Of course, Li Nianfan only dared to roast him in his mind. Pei An was an Immortal, he had to help him save face.

He said, "You're quite alright. As a beginner, you can take it slow."

Pei An teared up. He used all his might to stop tearing up and replied, "Thanks, Mr. Li, for guiding me."

'The expert is so indescribably nice to me. The expert is willing to teach me, how lucky am I to be able to get an opportunity like this?'

Being in the chess game was like being in the Ultimate Spell Pattern. He could learn more about spell patterns with every move.

He had to say that the expert was truly an expert. He invented such an incredible game. It was unimaginable.

If the Thousand Spell Disk was used to create spell patterns and attack the enemies, then Xiangqi was used to learn about spell patterns.

In comparison, the Xiangqi was more valuable than the Thousand Spell Disk!

'It seemed like the expert is very pleased with the Thousand Spell Disk, that's why he is willing to teach me.'

He was utterly impressed by the expert and his state of mind!

So, second round, third round...

Li Nianfan could not endure it anymore after the fifth round.

Newbie, he was too much of a newbie. It was unbearably tragic.

The last time he met a chess newbie like that was when he played with Luo Shiyu. Pei An was so lousy at chess that he was lousier than Luo Shiyu.

It was hard to imagine that someone could be so lousy at chess. It surprised Li Nianfan that he was an Immortal. 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝙧𝓮𝙖𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝙢

It was considered torture to play chess with him.

Li Nianfan groaned for a moment and asked softly, "How about...we stop here for today?"

Pei An did not dare to refute. He hurriedly understood and nodded, he replied, "Oh, okay. Pardon for the disturbance, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan laughed and said, "Haha, it's not a disturbance. I welcome you all to come and visit anytime."

Gu Xirou and the Holy Emperor stood up and said, "Mr. Li, we should be going now."

"Yeah." Li Nianfan saluted and glanced at the leftover cake at the table. He immediately asked, "Why didn't you all finish it? Don't save it up for me."

The Holy Emperor smiled and replied, "Mr. Li, we already tried it. We're too embarrassed to finish it all since it is so delicious."

Li Nianfan shrugged it off, "Don't be a stranger. It's not something valuable anyway. If you like it, you can bring it back as a takeaway."

He immediately packed the rest of the cake for them.

He had to make it up to them since he asked them to leave.

Gu Xirou and the others very carefully took over the cake. They thanked him in an excited voice, "Thanks, Mr. Li."

The three of them walked out from the four-part architecture, still looking grateful.

The Holy Emperor sighed, "Sigh, we get opportunities from experts every time we come here. We eat and we take, it's so embarrassing because we can't repay him!"

He felt like he was on the verge of another breakthrough once he ate the cake. He felt like it was not hard to become an Immortal.

He would never imagine it if it happened way back then. Even becoming a cultivator from the Combination realm was a luxury back then.

It was the benefits of following a bigshot. The taste of the bootlicker was delicious.

"Not only that. Do you guys know that Xiangqi is the Ultimate Spell Pattern? It is an enormous breakthrough for me!" Pei And was in awe, "The game is too profound for me or other Immortals. Only the bigshots in the Above Immortal Realm can play it!"

He paused. He suddenly looked serious. He said, "However, I understood a new level of meaning from Xiangqi. The Soldier, The Chariot, The Horse, and The General all had their place in the game. They were responsible for attacks, responsible for defense. Every chess piece had its jobs. It turned complications into straightforward things. That's how a good spell pattern should essentially be! Therefore, as the expert's chess piece, I have to be clear of my place. After deep thought, I think we are supposed to be The Soldiers. We are responsible for attacking in the first line, we should go forward and never look back!"

Gu Xirou nodded, "You make a lot of sense."

The Holy Emperor analyzed, "If so. If we want to help the experts, we should help the Human Sovereign to win the war. We should focus on attacking the Demons right now."

The three of them chatted and walked to the bottom of the mountain. Gu Changqing and the others waited for them. They hurriedly walked over when they saw them.

"Don't ask, don't tell. Look at what we brought you first," said Pei An as he took out the bag and waved it in front of everyone.

"Is it food? You packed this from the expert?"

"Yum, what a nice smell! It must be from an expert."

"The expert must have known that we were waiting here so he let you guys pack. He is too nice to us."

"Control yourself. Don't be touchy-feely. We have to share it evenly!"

The leftover cake was the size of a palm. They surrounded it like they were protecting the most precious treasure in the world.

Then, they carefully shared the cake in small bites. They forgot about everything else.

They finished the last piece of cake. Although everyone ate very little, they were still very satisfied. They licked their lips and reminisced in satisfaction.

However, they noticed something was off. They looked up at the sky.

A big cloud was in the sky. The white clouds cast a shadow.

A powerful aura was on the cloud. It was heading toward the Fallen Immortal Mountain.

Pei An and the others dropped everything and stopped the cloud without hesitation, they asked, "Who are you?"

The cloud slowly landed. There were about twenty cultivators there. The weakest link was a cultivator from the Mahayala realm. The leader was an elder with white hair.

A square-faced middle-aged man sneered, "Ha, we saw your gathering from afar. You all seem to be fighting for food, we thought you were a bunch of rats. How entertaining. What's up? Who gave you the courage to stop the Cloud Tribe Sect?"

"I see, you're all cultivators from the Cloud Tribe Sect."

Pei An tried hard to suppress his anger. He took a deep breath and asked, "Aren't you all supposed to be in the Above Immortal Realm? Why are you here in the Immortal Realm?"

Pei An and the others tried to be peaceful because they did not want to affect the expert by fighting. It would not end well.

"The bridge to immortality was reconnected. Why can't we stroll around in the Immortal Realm?"

The middle-aged man smiled. Then, he said, "We coincidentally passed by, this is a nice location. Quite beautiful. It is nice enough to be the new location for the Cloud Tribe Sect to settle down in the Immortal Realm."

Chapter 314

An unfriendly bunch!

Pei An and the others frowned. They had a menacing gaze.

'A group of twenty cultivators taking a trip and just so happen to like this mountain?'

'Who are they trying to fool?'

He said, "Excuse me. The mountain already has an owner. Please ditch this unrealistic idea, look for another place."

The middle-aged man sneered, "If someone owns it, we shall chase them away. You all are standing here, perhaps you want to stop me?"

Gu Yuan said in a deep voice, "I suppose you are here for a different reason."

"Move aside and it will be none of your business. Prepare to die if you don't give way!"

They were here for a different reason and their intention was obvious.

They were commanded to investigate the place.

The mountain had a hidden expert. They did not know who or had any clues. So, they used a lousy but reasonable excuse to own the place and find out more information from there on.

They had a complete plan in their minds. They planned to execute it when they got to the mountaintop. It was going to be easy until they were stopped at the bottom of the mountain.

Pei An already guessed what they were going to do. He said in a low voice, "Let me give you all a piece of advice, it's never too late to go back! Don't die as a messenger!"

It did not matter whether they were able to fight them. He would not allow them to pass. He would not let them disturb the expert at all.

"We're here and we don't want to fight. But do you think that a few Real Immortals and Tian Immortals can stop all of us?"

The leader spoke. He slowly stepped forward to be closer to everyone. He had a nice voice, slightly coarse. He might be old but he had a powerful aura. It made him extraordinary.

He advised them, "Move! Don't be stubborn."

He was a Golden Immortal!

Pei An and the others did not look at all. They did not budge.

"Swoosh!"

Suddenly, a flash of lightning struck fast like a snake. It moved in an instant and struck in front of Pei An.

The lightning was too fast with no signs. It was too sudden. No one had time to react.

The elder seemed friendly but he was ready to attack. He could kill someone if he did not like what they were saying!

Pei An was the best amongst the others. He was an Intermediate Real Immortal. If he was out of the picture, the others could easily be destroyed. He would strike him first because it would be easier to do so.

Everyone was alarmed. Pei And felt his hair stand on end. He knew he was not able to dodge it in time.

Buzz!

It was a close shot. Static was in the air.

The lightning disappeared like it hit an invisible wall. It shot back without hitting anything.

"Too bad!' sighed the elder.

The electricity swirled in the air and returned to his side. It was a lighting dagger. Electricity swirled around it, it was a powerful lightning weapon. It was an Ultimate Lightning Spiritual Treasure.

That attack should be unavoidable with his distance but he missed. It was indeed too bad.

Pei An sighed in relief. He patted his chest and stepped back.

He was angry from embarrassment. "Low blow!"

He was distressed from shock as he almost died before he could have cold sweat.

Everyone noticed that the Fallen Immortal Mountain stopped the lightning bolt.

Pei An was standing at the edge of the mountain and dodged the attack.

The elder arched his eyebrow. "Spell?"

Pei An and the others relaxed. They were excited because they knew the expert was behind that.

Gu Xirou said, "I know you came to the mountain for the expert. But let me warn you, put your greedy little thoughts aside. Otherwise, you would die!"

"Ha, you think you can stop me with a small spell pattern?"

The elder looked down on them, slowly walked to the bottom of the mountain, and lifted his hand.

There was a shield in front of him. It did not attack him. He placed his hand on it and felt its resistance. He could not go further than that.

The elder immediately laughed. "I thought it was something special. This is just a soft defense spell."

He flapped his sleeves. "What a coincidence. My Lightning Dagger is best at breaking defense spells!"

He lifted his arm and out came the Lightning Dagger. It levitated in front of him and became three big daggers as he cast a spell.

Thunder and lightning were on the daggers. It was as if there were thousands of birds shrieking. It was deafening. Their ears hurt.

"This Mountain Defense Spell looks easy to break. It seems like the owner of the mountain is easy to defeat too. Let me break it!"

The elder held the Lightning Dagger. Lightning flew to the sky like long slithering snakes. It became an intertwined blue lightning bolt.

Then, it struck the Defense Spell...

Boom—

The cultivators of the Cloud Tribe Sect stood behind him. They were ready to cheer. They heard a huge boom, then they saw the elder 'swoosh' away like a bouncy ball. The elder flew by their heads, creating a beautiful curved line.

Then, they heard 'plop'.

'This...' 𝑙𝒾𝒷𝘳𝑒𝑎𝘥.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Everyone instantly went stiff.

The squared-faced middle-aged man hurriedly ran over. "Sect Master, are you alright?"

"I'm alright." The elder shrugged it off and got up from the ground. He looked calm like nothing happened, "The spell is so sneaky. It looks like a soft Defense Spell on the surface. I didn't expect it to have counter-attack properties. It snuck up on me."

He did not look happy when he saw Pei An and the others cheering and laughing. He sneered. 'Just you wait!'

He cast a spell and the Lightning Dagger levitated above him. It enlarged again. It became a Lightning Longsword. Strong electricity ran through the sword. The electricity was as huge as a tree.

It was not over yet.

The elder lifted his arm again with his face calm as ever. "Lightning Spell!"

Kaboom!

There were no clouds on sight but thick blue lightning struck down and swirled around the elder. He looked like the Thunder Man.

Split splat!

The cultivators of the Cloud Tribe Sect backed up. Bolts of lightning slithered around him like silver snakes. It looks very harmful.

"The spell will be broken after this attack! Not only that but the mountaintop will also be flattened!"

The elder looked at Pei An and the others. He smiled menacingly. "You'll only be considered skillful if you can survive this!"

Then, he grabbed the Lightning Dagger that was as big as a small tree with both of his hands. Lightning powers flowed through him and he attacked the Fallen Immortal Mountain!

Everyone widened their eyes without blinking. They were worried that they would miss out on the exciting sight.

That was the strongest attack of the Golden Immortal while using the Ultimate Spiritual Treasure and the Lightning Spell. Very few attacks were as strong as that in the Above Immortal Realm. It was horrifyingly powerful!

'Almost. Almost..."

Pei An and the others also felt their hearts racing as they held their breaths.

"Break!" roared the elder like he was lifting a small mountain.

He stared dead at the shield with menacing wide eyes.

Suddenly, the Defense Spell changed. It flickered with lightning. A figure of the Lightning Dragon appeared and swirled around.

The elder had a twisted facial expression, it was as if he saw something unbelievable. He was hopelessly petrified. "Oh—"

It was too late.

Kaboom—

They heard an explosion.

Everyone was blinded by the lights, their ears were ringing and numb.

They saw an ocean of lightning. Endless bolts of lightning jumped and crackled. They could not open their eyes because of how bright it was.

They could not see anything apart from the endless lightning.

"Sect Master...is so powerful!"

"I've never seen the Sect Master attack this hard before. He probably improved."

"Seems like they pissed off the Sect Master. That's why he's so ruthless."

The disciples of the Cloud Tribe Sector discussed. They looked like they were in awe.

The strong light faded away. Everyone hurried over to take a look...

The mountain was still the mountain. The flowers and grass did not change one bit. Pei An and the others still quietly stood there. It was as if nothing happened.

'How... How could this be?'

'Oh yeah, where's the Sect Master?'

'Is the Sect Master missing?'

"Sect Master! Are you here?"

Clang!

A big dagger fell to the ground.

The dagger was bent and damaged. It lost its light but they could still tell it was the Lightning Dagger.

Chapter 315

It was silent.

Everyone from the Cloud Tribe Sect was dumbfounded. They looked at the Lightning Dagger on the floor—baffled, they even thought they were hallucinating.

"The Sect Master...is gone?"

They were in disbelief. He was a Golden Immortal. Was he a goner just from a 'Duang' sound effect?

Not only that. Even the Ultimate Spiritual Treasure was damaged. Not even their dreams were that wild.

That...was so horrifying.

"Sigh," Pei An sighed and mocked, "I already told you so. Why don't you guys listen to us? Isn't it nice to be alive?"

They were not surprised at the result.

What was a Golden Immortal in the eyes of the expert? He was barely an insect. He belonged to the enemies-to-play-with group.

Gu Yuan stared at the remaining cultivator. He looked down and suddenly felt confident, "Say it, who told you to come over?!"

The square-faced middle-aged man already had clouds underneath his feet. He was utterly horrified and fled without hesitation. "Retreat, everyone. Save yourselves!"

"You critter. Where are you running to?!"

...

At the four-part architecture.

Li Nianfan was teaching Daji how to play the gaming console.

"From easy to difficult, see? That lightning was a bit too complex. I feel like you can start from the shield in the beginning. Come on, let me demonstrate for you again."

He said while holding her hand. He started to slide along the gaming console. Her hand was soft and she smelled nice. Li Nianfan instantly felt seduced.

He leaned on Daji. 'Yeah, so soft and warm.'

The Fire Phoenix was observing at the side at first. She attentively studied and learned how to create a spell pattern. Then, she realized she was the only one who was learning it seriously—the other two were flirting around. She instantly felt attacked so she quietly left.

'In the middle of the day? How rude and shamelessly impolite.'

Li Nianfan finally stopped teaching when his hands felt tired.

He finally realized why emperors back in the days would love their women instead of their empires.

Daji looked at Li Nianfan and said, "I recently wanted to go out with the Goddess Fire Phoenix."

"Again?"

Li Nianfan arched his eyebrow. He thought of that milk cow and said, "Daji, are you trying to surprise me with a gift again? You don't need to. We don't lack anything at home."

Daji pursed her lips. She thought about something for a long while, then she said softly, "The Fire Phoenix told me that I actually...can cultivate."

She hesitated to say this sentence for a long while.

Her Master seemed to wish for her to stay at his side. Therefore, he treated her like an ordinary mortal. However, she felt like a pretty vase, useful in appearance but empty on the inside. She just followed her Master around and ate. The recent situation was getting intense, she wanted to help him out more.

There were a lot of things she could not do as an ordinary person. Therefore, she chose to test cultivation out.

She hurriedly dropped her head after saying it and did not dare to look at Li Nianfan.

She did not know what he would think. She was scared that her Master would be angry.

Li Nianfan was silent.

He kept avoiding that issue from the moment he adopted Daji.

He wished that Daji did not have a Spiritual Root, he wished that she was the same as him so they could live ordinarily for the rest of their lives together.

Sometimes, he even purposefully avoided asking the cultivators and Immortals if Daji could be a cultivator. He was afraid that someone would mention it.

He did not dare to think what would happen to him once Daji was a cultivator.

However, the question finally came.

'I knew it. Such a pretty girl like Daji would probably be able to cultivate. She might have huge potential too. If she is in a sect, she must be molded to be a Saintess.'

Li Nianfan was slightly agitated. He avoided it because he knew that once Daji became a cultivator, they would be two different people.

Even if Daji was willing to be together with him, he would still feel bad.

Daji noticed that Li Nianfan did not speak for a long while. She instantly teared up. She hurriedly said in a quivering voice, "I'm sorry. I can continue to be an ordinary person."

"Silly, why would you want to be ordinary when you can cultivate?"

Li Nianfan concealed his sadness. He smiled and said, "I dragged you down previously. I'll now count on you to protect me after you become a successful cultivator."

Daji nodded and said, "Don't worry. I'll always be there to protect you."

Li Nianfan laughed. Then, he asked, "When are you ready to go?"

"When do you want me to go?"

Li Nianfan groaned for a moment and asked, "How about after I taught you how to play the gaming console?"

Daji said obediently, "Yeah, I'll listen to you."

Five days had passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Nianfan and Daji happily enjoyed the five days. Li Nianfan did not say it but deep down, he cherished the five days very much.

If Daji became a cultivator, or even an Immortal, he would not know how to be with her like that again. In the end, they would feel separated.

Li Nianfan was glad that Daji was following the Fire Phoenix though. If she had joined a sect, he would worry about her at all times.

Li Nianfan was at the door with Daji and the Fire Phoenix. He said, "Goddess Fire Phoenix, please take care of Daji. I heard that recently there are a lot of ruthless demons, and the sky showed weird and unpredictable signs. It's so not peaceful out there."

The Fire Phoenix nodded, "Don't worry."

Daji told Li Nianfan, "I'm going now."

The little fox blinked in her arms. She waved at Li Nianfan with her little paw.

"Go." Li Nianfan tried to look casual and waved.

Li Nianfan waited until Daji was gone. He sighed and sat on the bench. He was in a daze.

'I'm afraid Daji's trip won't be short. If she comes back and becomes an Immortal, what should I do?'

Suddenly, Blackie ran over to Li Nianfan and rubbed its head on his leg.

"Bark." (Master, you still have me. I am not a cultivator, I am just a normal dog.)

"Leave me alone."

Li Nianfan nudged Blackie on the head. He shook his head and said, "Bug off to the side. You single dog won't understand how I feel."

After a while, Li Nianfan suddenly stood up.

"No way, I have to cultivate!"

Determination flashed before his eyes like never before.

As the saying went, women were the drive of men.

In previous times, once Li Nianfan knew it was hopeless, he would have simply given up and lived a safe, simple life. However, he was about to risk it all to become a cultivator for a woman.

He immediately let Xiao Bai go to the backyard to call on Nanan and Dragon.

Nanan jogged over, "Brother Nianfan, you called for us?"

Li Nianfan looked serious. He looked at Nanan and asked, "Nanan, your Devour skills, can it be learned without a Spiritual Root?"

Nanan tilted her head and thought about it. "Devour is my power. Only a body with Spiritual Root can contain power."

That answer meant no.

"Dragon, do you demons have skills? Does it also require a Spiritual Root?" Li Nianfan was desperate. It seemed like it was impossible.

As expected, Dragon shook her head and said, "Every demon cultivates different spells or skills. If ordinary people learn demonic skills, they will die."

That answer was even worse.

Li Nianfan frowned.

Dragon raised her hand and said, "Brother, I know how ordinary people can become Immortals."

Li Nianfan was intrigued, "Tell me."

Dragon started listening while counting her fingers.

"Eat a flat peach.

"Eat Immortal Dan.

"Be investiture as a God."

'Okay, so you think this is 'Journey to the West' and 'Investitures of the Gods' huh?'

Li Nianfan rolled his eyes.

However, he jolted.

In 'Investitures of the Gods', it seemed like a lot of ordinary people instantly became Immortals after getting Canonization. If they were written in the plans of the Heavenly Palace, they were basically Gods.

'Too bad the Immortal Realm does not have the Heavenly Palace. Investments are out of the question.'

'However...'

'There is no Heavenly Palace, but there is an Underworld!'

'If I can get a job in the Underworld, then I am basically an Immortal, right? This also counts as twisted progress?'

He paced in the four-part architecture. He was getting excited.

He previously thought about bathing in the Styx after death, he had not thought about getting a job in the Underworld!

'Do I need a Spiritual Root to be an Oni? Maybe... not.'

He found a way. He saw some hope.

Li Nianfan felt his heart thumping. He was exhilarated.

There was fire in his eyes. He looked at Nanan and Dragon, "Nanan, Dragon, how's your cultivation? Is it great?"

Nanan was instantly excited at the mention of cultivation. She said proudly, "It is awesome. Brother Nianfan, I'm awesome. Even though I'm just an Intermediate Distraction cultivator, I can fight ten cultivators from the Combination realm! Excluding using my Immortal Items."

"Hehe, I am a cultivator from the post-Mahayala realm. I'm stuck but I'm not afraid of the Immortals I encounter," smiled Dragon. She looked at Nanan smugly.

"So awesome." Li Nianfan was thrilled. He would be safe with the two of them around.

Nanan was able to Devour. Dragon was a demon with a powerful Carp Demon family. They were also taught and advised by the Fire Phoenix and the Immortals. He did not expect them to improve so fast.

However...it was good news.

Li Nianfan did not wait. He immediately said, "Pack up, I'm bringing you out."

Dragon and Nana were exhilarated. "Really? Out to play? Okay!"

They did not wait for Li Nianfan to nod. They already went to pack their things.

Blackie excitedly looked at Li Nianfan while wagging its tail. "Bark."

Li Nianfan thought about it and looked at Blackie. "Fine, you too."

Blackie was strong. If they ran into strong enemies, Blackie could delay them at crucial moments.

Nanan suddenly walked out of the room and said, "Oh yeah, Brother Nianfan, the wine gourd vine in the backyard grew out a beautiful wine gourd."

"It grew a wine gourd?"

Li Nianfan immediately walked to the backyard.

The wine gourd vine was long. It intertwined along the trunk of a small tree.

A purplish golden wine gourd hung from there. It gleamed under the sunlight. It was extremely eye-catching.

The wine gourd was about the size of two palms. The size was just right and it looked extremely beautiful. It was a high-end wine gourd.

He wanted to go out to look for ways to become an Immortal. He might socialize with bigshots. The wine gourd was good enough to show off.

Li Nianfan professionally plucked the wine gourd. He roughly cleaned it up and made it into a wine gourd bottle.

After a deep thought, Li Nianfan chose to bring out the red wine because he was worried that drinking white wine would cause trouble.

"Xiao Bai, guard the house. The hens and cows are your responsibilities."

"No worries, my noble Master."

Everything was set. He closed the door of the four-part architecture. Three people and a dog went on their journey.

Li Nianfan had a clear target. He was going to look for ghosts.

He was going with the Underworld route. He also wanted to look for ways to cultivate without Spiritual Root.

Between the two choices, looking for an Oni seemed more reliable.

Li Nianfan did not rush to his destination after he got off the Fallen Immortal Mountain. He headed toward Fallen Town to get information.

Li Nianfan would naturally avoid being clueless.

They arrived at Fallen Town. Li Nianfan said, "Nanan, do you want to catch up with Auntie Zhang? We are going out for a long trip."

"Oh, okay. Brother Nianfan, don't leave without me, you must bring me with you," said Nanan.

Li Nianfan helplessly shook his head, "What kind of person do you think I am?" 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝓶

Then, they went to their familiar market.

The fishmonger had good business as usual. He immediately smiled when he saw Li Nianfan. He asked, "Mr. Li, long time no see. Are you here to buy fish?"

Li Nianfan shook his head and asked, "Nah, I'm going on a trip. I heard a lot of places were haunted?"

"I know right!"

The fishmonger instantly looked serious. "It's not a prank or anything. Our Fallen Town had ghosts recently. It's too scary. Thankfully, the Immortals were there to help. Otherwise, we wouldn't know how to handle it."

The fishmonger warned him, "Why are you going out on a trip? It's such bad timing!"

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "I had to. Do you know where the more seriously haunted places are? I'll try to avoid them."

"Southwest area!" said the fishmonger without hesitation.

Li Nianfan asked, "Why?"

"The war!" The fishmonger looked uneasy. "Too many people died there. Ghosts would naturally like to be there. I heard that even an entire city's worth of people was dead. There were ghosts and demons everywhere. Even Immortals did not dare to mess around. No merchants dare to head in that direction anymore."

Li Nianfan nodded. "I got it, thanks for informing."

'As expected, I came to ask at the right place. That's the place!'

If it was so heavily haunted, there must be an Oni there.

"Oh yeah, Mr. Li." The fishmonger warned him, "If you're going far away, you better buy some Rune Paper or Evil-Warding Jade. Protect yourself from those lost ghosts."

"Haha, alright," laughed Li Nianfan.

No wonder why he saw a lot of new items along with the stalls. The reappearance of the Underworld was a big business opportunity.

However, he did not know whether those items like Rune Paper or Evil-Warding Jade would work or not. Li Nianfan felt like they were worse than what he could make.

Chapter 316

They left Fallen Town.

Li Nianfan brought Nanan and Dragon to head toward the Southwest. Blackie was responsible for leading the way.

The others were more active than Li Nianfan. They were jumping around and were thrilled like they were out on a road trip.

'Two kids and a dog, all heartless beings. My life is the hardest.'

However, Li Nianfan felt relaxed seeing them like that.

The more they headed southwest, the more they could feel a ghastly aura.

The ghastly aura came from desolation.

They had walked for a long while but they could not see anybody. They only saw beasts occasionally.

However, it could not be helped. The traffic in the Immortal Realm was lousy. Apart from crowded areas, most places were unexplored since it was dangerous. The Immortal Realm naturally did not have tourism industries.

Nanan suddenly sparked up and said, "Brother Nianfan, a bunch of wolves are staring at us. I'll go kill them."

Li Nianfan could tell the little girl sounded excited.

Maybe it was because of her past but Nana was a natural fighter. She was not scared of trouble at all.

"Don't." Li Nianfan looked at the sky, "The sky wants us to be nice. Just get the leader of the wolves, it's time to eat."

"Hehe, alright!"

Nanan could not wait. She immediately flew away.

Dragon jogged over with her short legs. She followed along with 'tap tap tap' sounds.

"Dragon..." Li Nianfan hurriedly called on her.

Dragon stopped and said coquettishly, "Brother, I want to capture wolves too."

"Wait until next time."

Li Nianfan said, "Don't go together... Look out for me too."

'Who would protect me if you two are gone? Do you want me to rely on my silly dog?'

"Oh, I understand." Dragon nodded and smiled happily.

'Brother is worried about us, he is scared that we will run into danger.'

Li Nianfan suddenly felt like the Monk.

He walked in the realm of ghosts and monsters and needed people to protect him because he was an ordinary man. His goal was also to go in a direction with a purpose.

The Monk relied on his students while Li Nianfan relied on two little girls. Nanan went off with the wolves.

He wondered if there would be vixens to seduce him.

Oh yeah, he seemed to be missing a ride.

Soon, Nanan came back with a big dead wolf. However, she had a huge black bear on her other hand, it was way bigger than her but she was able to carry it.

The black bear was not at peace. It was quivering in fear.

When it dropped to the floor, it hurriedly covered its head with its paws. It cowered and trembled.

Li Nianfan was taken aback. "What's going on with this bear?"

Nanan sneered, "When I'm catching the wolf, it roared at me. You wanted me to only kill the wolf but I was angry so I captured it too."

'What a...good and powerful reason. Alright, we even have a ride.'

It was a long journey so relying on feet was unrealistic.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Good, we can ride on it."

Everyone had a meal and then they were on the road again.

They were on the road for three days. Nanan and Dragon were busy because they kept being disturbed by demons on the way. However, they did not see any ghosts.

It was in the afternoon on that day.

Nanan suddenly flew in from afar. She said happily, "Brother Nianfan, there's a village upfront."

"Oh? Then we should hurry up. Let's be there before sunset."

Li Nianfan had sparkles in his eyes. He sat on the big bear and yelled 'go'. They immediately sped up.

After half an hour, an old village peaked from the horizon. There were thin veils of smoke over there.

They were out camping and eating in the middle of nowhere. They suddenly saw a village and felt familiarity.

The village was mostly built with wood. It had simple fencing around it. There was a big door frame at the center. The entrance did not write the name of the village. It was the Nameless Village.

The entrance was naturally not guarded. However, Dragon and Nana were quite noisy, they attracted a lot of attention.

"Bear... Bear!"

Someone panicked inside the village. The villagers were frightened and on guard.

"Don't worry, everyone. This bear won't hurt anyone."

Li Nianfan smiled and leaped down from the bear. He patted its shoulder. "Thanks for accompanying us along the way, you can go now."

The black bear growled. He lingered then left.

Li Nianfan kept smiling as he saluted the villagers. "Hello everyone, we are siblings who passed by this area. It's getting dark. We wish to stay here for the night, I wonder if it's convenient?"

Li Nianfan was with two little girls. The combination easily made the villagers relaxed.

Suddenly, an elder walked out. He might be the Chief. He carefully asked, "May I ask, are you three...Immortals?"

They saw that Li Nianfan and the girls came here riding a bear. They must be extraordinary.

Li Nianfan was too lazy to explain. He said, "Not Immortals, but cultivators."

Suddenly, he visibly felt that everyone looked at them differently. It was not out of respect. It was complex. Everyone looked at them with various emotions.

The vibe was instantly weird.

"Since you're cultivators, please, welcome in."

The elder moved aside with a friendly attitude. He said, "My humble village does not have inns. I can only find somebody's place for your temporary stay."

Li Nianfan said, "No worries, thanks."

However, no surrounding villagers responded. A lot of them stepped backward.

Li Nianfan felt awkward.

"Hmph!"

Nanan scrunched her nose and sneered. She did not look happy at all. She was about to jump on it. "I'll go find a place!"

A thirty-year-old woman walked over to say, "I have rooms in my house. Why don't you all stay at my place?"

"Thanks...lady!" Li Nianfan immediately saluted.

"Please follow me, cultivators." The lady walked to lead the way.

Li Nianfan followed and asked quietly, "May I ask you something, lady? Is your village in trouble? My two sisters and I have been powerful cultivators since young, we can deal with some small demons."

Li Nianfan felt more like the Monk.

The lady went pale. She shook her head and said, "No, don't overthink it."

Li Nianfan did not say anything else.

Soon, they were at a village house. The house was built from soil and wood. It was simply built but it was nice. In comparison with the other houses in the village, the house was considered half a mansion.

Creak.

The door opened.

It smelled like alcohol.

A middle-aged man laid on the floor, pouring alcohol into his mouth with his face flushed. He was quite drunk.

He saw that the lady had returned. He stared at her and asked, "Did you bring the stuff back?"

The lady passed over a small package to him. Li Nianfan noticed that it had a small Ginseng in it.

"Why so little?"

The middle-aged man instantly looked displeased. He then noticed the outsiders. He frowned and asked, "Who are they?"

The lady looked uncomfortable. She hurriedly replied, "Passerby, they are here to stay for the night."

"Stay for the night? Are they going to pay?"

Li Nianfan took out a crushed piece of silver without saying anything.

Silver money was nothing to him. There were too many ways to get it.

"That's better."

The middle-aged man was instantly pleased. He took the money, held the alcohol jar, and could not wait to get out.𝓵𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙚𝒂𝙙.𝓬𝒐𝒎

Chapter 317

"Cultivators, I really am sorry."

The lady hurriedly apologized to Li Nianfan and the girls. Then, she said softly, "I wasn't trying to hide the truth on purpose. It would be bad if my husband knew that you guys are cultivators."

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Why? Perhaps your village is discriminative against cultivators?"

"Ha, nothing like that. Please feel free to stay." The lady avoided the topic. She helped Li Nianfan tidy the room.

Soon, a bedroom was ready for them.

"I won't be disturbing you all anymore." The lady closed the door.

Nanan immediately pouted and sneered, "Hm, this village is super weird. I feel like everyone here has issues."

"It is indeed problematic. Why would ordinary people be repulsed by cultivators?"

Li Nianfan scratched his chin and frowned. "Also, on our way here, everyone looks like they had something on their minds. That guy was weak and fragile too. It is indeed abnormal."

He had medical skills so he knew the villagers were weak. Some men were weaker than the ladies.

'That guy is weak and wants to eat Ginseng to make up for it?'

Li Nianfan could not understand it. 'Was the guy trying to rely on Ginseng to look better?' 𝓁𝘪𝑏𝑟ℯ𝒶𝑑.𝑐ℴ𝘮

Nanan glanced at something. She suddenly said, "Brother Nianfan, wait for me."

Then, she energetically went out the door.

Li Nianfan could only remind her at the back. "Don't go anywhere too far!"

Soon, Nanan was back.

She could not stop smiling.

She had a package in her hand. She gave it to Li Nianfan, "Brother Nianfan, look."

He opened the package. There was a palm-sized Ginseng inside the package.

"Where did you get this?" Li Nianfan arched his eyebrow. He already guessed it.

"Hehe, that fella took the silver and went to buy Ginseng instantly. I saw that he went into the alleyway. I easily took it. No worries, I'm a professional."

Nanan joyfully said, "I'm not going to let him spend our silver. He's not a good fella!"

Li Nianfan asked, "You didn't hurt anyone, right?"

"No."

"Good. Be civilized."

Li Nianfan nodded. He thought it was weird.

'He took the silver to instantly buy Ginseng? Did he like to eat Ginseng that much?'

It was unusual.

Creak!

The door opened. Then, they heard the middle-aged man in a scolding voice, "Damn unlucky, I'm so pissed off! My Ginseng was gone just like that!"

He was not sober yet. He could not walk straight, he did not know what happened.

The lady held a cup of tea. "Drink some tea to sober up first."

"Move, it's all your fault, you unlucky lady! Stop bothering me!"

The middle-aged man did not even look at her. He held the alcohol jar again and laid on the floor, living a wasted life.

"That b*stard!"

Nanan rolled up her sleeves. She was going to punish him but she was stopped by Li Nianfan.

"Mind your business, we are just overnight stayers."

It was soon dark.

The lady came over and knocked on the door. "Cultivators, do you need to eat?"

"No, thanks, lady."

The lady left.

They were about to eat in the yard. The food was simple, it was mainly steamed bread.

The middle-aged man crawled up from the ground and simply ate some steamed bread. His drunken face suddenly became shocked. It was as if he was expecting something.

Slowly, it was nighttime.

Layers of dark clouds covered the sky like a curtain, engulfing the small village.

The bright moon was high up in the sky with decorative stars around it. It was as if it became the only light source of the realm.

The night was chilly.

Li Nianfan was feeling slightly troubled in the room. He was thinking of where to head next.

The Southwest area was too wide and vague. The Immortal Realm did not have maps either, it was worse than his past realm.

Li Nianfan looked at the night sky and yawned. He was ready to sleep.

'I can only plan as I go.'

Nanan and Dragon were practicing their cultivation at the side. He felt very safe.

Li Nianfan was woken up by some bickering at midnight.

"Where are you going? Don't leave!"

"Move aside, stop minding my business!"

"Don't go. Are you crazy? I forbid you to go!"

Then, it ended with a 'slap'.

They heard the sound of the door being opened and footsteps leaving.

Li Nianfan was not as sleepy anymore.

Nanan looked livid. "Brother Nianfan, that guy is so horrible. He hit a lady. Can we teach him a lesson?"

Li Nianfan noticed something was off. "Let's wait and see."

The lady looked like the passive type. The situation must be very serious for her to fight with him like that.

"Easy, check this out!"

Dragon smiled, exposing her two pointy canine teeth. She pointed with her two fingers and created two thin veils of ripple waves.

Then, she drew in the air. A circular water ring was formed in thin air.

She cast a spell and pointed at the water ring.

"Look at my Water Mirror Spell."

A thin layer of bubble covered the top of the water ring. It gleamed and became a mirror. Images started to appear in the mirror.

The middle-aged man was in the mirror.

'F*ck, that is awesome!'

Li Nianfan was astounded. His first reaction was of the legendary skill, the Otaku Gospel!

He could see anything at any angle. Wait, ew...

He was being perverted, he had to snap out of it.

Dragon tilted her head. She was waiting to be complimented, "Brother, am I awesome?"

"Awesome, super awesome."

Li Nianfan was super envious. It was too nice to be a cultivator. He wanted to become a cultivator more than ever.

He focused on the Water Mirror.

The middle-aged man hurriedly walked on the village roads. He looked like he was anticipating something.

He went to a place where a lot of men gathered. They were all chased out from their houses.

They all looked pale and scrawny. They were lethargic in the daytime but they were energetic at night.

"Everyone is here, right? Let's go. Let's not be late!"

"Yeah, don't keep the beautiful ladies waiting. Hurry up, I can't wait any longer."

"Oh yeah, Dashan. Your house has three cultivators, do you know that?"

Dashan was the name of that middle-aged man. He had a change in the face and scolded, "What? That b*tch. Why would she let cultivators stay at the house for no reason?"

Everyone was slightly concerned. "You didn't attract the attention of cultivators, right?"

Dashan brushed it off. "Don't worry. I didn't. Also, those three don't look all that to me. They won't pay attention to us."

Somebody asked, "Will your b*tch beg for the cultivators' help and ruin our fun?"

"If she dares to, I'll rip her skin off!" Dashan sneered, "Stop talking. Let's go."

"Wait for us."

They heard someone calling them from behind. An old man and a youngster walked over.

"Chief?"

Everyone was stunned. Then, they all smirked perversely. "You're an old man, won't you be shocked to death over there?"

The old Chief replied, "I'm old, but I got a son to help me out."

"What a good son! Having a son is nice, like a father like son."

Everyone hurriedly walked out of the village. The visuals suddenly stopped after they walked out.

Li Nianfan was enjoying the show. "What happened next?"

Dragon pursed her lips and said, "The Water Mirror Spell only works in the areas I set watermarks on. I felt like the village was odd so I set watermarks all over. I didn't expect them to exit the village.

'I see. No wonder the two kids were outside so long, they must be out to set the watermarks.'

Li Nianfan realized that the two kids could be playful at times but they were still alert and careful. They would not be easily tricked. The Fire Phoenix was such a good mentor.

Nanan excitedly said, "Those guys are up to no good. Brother Nianfan, let's follow them."

Li Nianfan groaned. Even if they wanted to meddle, they had to ask that lady first. They needed to understand what was happening.

Knock knock.

Meanwhile, they heard a knock outside their room. "I humbly request to see the cultivators."

'What a coincidence.'

Nanan immediately ran over to open the door.

The lady immediately wept when she saw the three cultivators. She cried and sobbed. Her face had a red slap mark, she looked pitiful.

"Please help me, cultivators." She knelt on the floor to beg.

Li Nianfan looked calm. He asked, "What happened?"

The lady sobbed and took a deep breath. She said, "In our village, the men will plant crops and the women will sew. We have houses and lands, and we are living happily. However, five female ghosts suddenly showed up and cursed the village. Every household was ruined."

"Female ghosts?" Li Nianfan was intrigued. They finally encountered ghosts.

The lady continued, "Those female ghosts feed on masculine energy. They entranced the entire village. Now, the men don't care about anything. They only waited until nighttime to let them feed on their masculine energy. Our village will soon be gone."

Nanan frowned. She said in a cynical voice, "The female ghost is so evil. Don't worry, we will help you get rid of them!"

The lady was overjoyed. She hurriedly kowtowed and thanked them, "Thank you, little cultivator. Thank you."

"Brother Nianfan."

Nanan instantly looked at Li Nianfan with puppy eyes. She was waiting for his order.

Li Nianfan patted Nanan on the head. He smiled and said, "Let's go. Blackie, come along too."

The three of them followed the directions of the lady. They walked out of the village and walked to the right. There was a forest at the side of the village.

It was dark at midnight. It made the place more isolated and creepy. They could barely see the dark shadow figures of huge trees, swaying in the wind.

They kept walking. They heard subtle zither sounds out of nowhere.

The zither sounds were soft and tragically enchanting.

The three people and a dog quickened their pace.

They saw a white light when they entered the dark woods. However, it was hazy.

All the men were there. There were also five other figures.

There were five ladies. They were wearing white, long-hanging chiffon dresses. White ribbons blew in the wind.

They were all beautiful ladies.

One of the five ladies was playing the zither. Another one was playing the flute. The other three were dancing.

They were elegant dancers. Their bodies looked as light as the wind, their feet did not touch the ground. They were floating in between a lot of men, enchanting them under the moonlight.

The three dancers would circle the men. Then, they would suck their masculine energy out of them through their faces.

A dancer went over to the Chief.

She sucked but soon realized the old man had no masculine energy left. She could not devour it.

A youngster next to the Chief chuckled and said, "Goddess, I'll help my father out. You can suck mine instead."

Li Nianfan felt his skin crawl at that. 'This stuff can be considered a stand treat? The more you know.'

He also finally realized why the middle-aged man wanted to eat Ginseng. It was to please these b*tches.

"Stop it!"

Nanan did not understand what was happening, she jumped out and said, "You all are a bunch of cheaters and sl*ts. How dare you all gather here to do 'marriage stuff'? Justice will be served!"

She looked honorable. Too bad her choice of words was poor, she ruined the moment.

"Cultivators?!"

Zither music stopped. The five ghosts frantically shrieked. They looked at Nanan anxiously.

The men suddenly snapped out of it. Their dazed state was interrupted. They were immediately angry from embarrassment.

"Mind your own business. Scram, don't ruin our fun!"

"Don't be scared, Goddesses. We will protect you."

"Yes, unless we're dead!"

"So what if they are cultivators? What's so good about cultivators?"

Those men were determined to protect the female ghosts.

"Scram!"

Nanan yelled and punched a big tree at the side.

Suddenly, a whole row of trees was flattened with a 'boom'. About ten trees were knocked down with shattered trunks.

"Alright, we'll scream."

The men instantly fled without another word. They quivered in fear.

The five ghosts floated in front of Nanan and knelt on the ground. They frantically kowtowed, "Spare our lives, cultivator! Please have mercy on us ladies."

Nanan said, "You all messed with the ordinary villagers, it is unforgivable!"

"Cultivator, we five sisters have never killed or harmed anyone. They all consented. Please have mercy on us, cultivator."

Li Nianfan shook his head and said, "Devouring masculine energy shortens their lives. It is the same as killing."

"We have no other choice. That's why we do this." One of them cried and said, "We're five lone ghosts. If we don't devour masculine energy, our souls will soon fade."

Dragon said, "You can go back to the Underworld."

"We can't go back to the Underworld."

The five of them quickly shook their heads. They seemed horrified.

"You don't know this, cultivator. But the Underworld doesn't allow us to reincarnate. We will spend all year in the Styx without daylight. We were also tortured by the Ghost King. We don't dare to go back."

"We five sisters were sold to a brothel at a young age. We pleasure men for a living, we have no freedom, no life. Living was worse than dying. So, we committed group suicide at the lake. We thought death would set us free. Who knew we ended up like this?"

"Even though our lives are hard, we had never wanted to harm anyone. We thought about karma, we thought we could be happier in the next life. We don't want this to happen either."

"Please have mercy on us, cultivators. We don't want our souls to fade away."

"Sob—"

The five of them felt miserable from talking about their sad past. Plus they did not know what was going to happen to them. They could not help but cry and sob.

Chapter 318

"Boohoo, Brother Nianfan, they are so pitiful." Nanan and Dragon also cried.

Li Nianfan sighed softly and shook his head.

The five female ghosts were indeed tragic. They were tortured and abused, it was surprising that they were still kind. 𝘭𝒾𝑏𝓇𝘦𝒶𝘥.𝘤𝘰𝑚

Actually, what they did was kind of like brothel business—they were ghosts and masculine energy was their payment.

They were truly pretty, aside from the life-absorbing part.

He looked at the sobbing ghosts and said, "The shyness of the daytime's covered by a silken sleeve; the melancholy of springtime makes it hard to rise and dress. A priceless gem is more easily found than a man who has a heart."

The five female ghosts suddenly stopped crying. They jolted. They dazedly looked at Li Nianfan with teary red eyes. They reminisce about the poem.

'A priceless gem is more easily found than a man who has a heart.'

That sentence perfectly described their situation. It went straight to their hearts.

Those men were obsessed with them. They swore to protect and die for them, but they fled faster than a rabbit when they were in danger.

As a prostitute, they were already used to it. Otherwise, they would not be so much in despair that they committed suicide at the lake.

That cultivator knew them best!

Suddenly, they did not feel afraid to look at Li Nianfan. They felt touched. They blushed with tears in their eyes.

They felt like it was all worth it to meet such a man like that and to hear that poem.

A lady composed herself and got up. She bowed at Li Nianfan and said softly, "Sir, please accept my respect."

The other female ghosts followed. "Please accept our respect."

"It was too bad that I did not meet you earlier. Otherwise, I would have done anything to satisfy you, sir."

"Only you understood me in the entire realm."

"Sir, if you can be a guest of my opening show, I will be happy to death."

The five of them spoke while leaning close to Li Nianfan. They looked at Li Nianfan admiringly.

Since the beginning of time, women have loved talented men, even prostitutes, and especially when his poem resonated with their weak spot. They could not help themselves.

Li Nianfan was inspired to recite the poem. He did not expect the poem to be so powerful. He basically got the pass for free prostitutes.

Nanan and Dragon leaped in front of Li Nianfan at the same time. They opened their arms like chickens protecting their food. "What are you all trying to do to Brother Nianfan? Don't come near us, backup. Back up!"

The five female ghosts immediately snapped out of it. They said, "It is an insult to be near him as a prostitute. We are truly embarrassed."

Li Nianfan softly coughed. He changed the topic and said, "Ladies, I have a few questions."

The five ghosts said sincerely without a second thought, "Please ask us, sir. We will tell you anything."

They looked happy to be able to help Li Nianfan.

It was awesome to be cultured, even ghosts could be impressed.

Li Nianfan smiled. Then, he asked excitedly, "Can ghosts cultivate?"

"Yes."

A lady nodded. Then, she shook her head and said, "However, we don't cultivate. Our feeding on masculine energy is like ordinary people eating meals. We don't grow from it, it's not considered cultivation."

Another ghost said, "Sir, usually, ghosts don't cultivate. The more powerful or vengeful ghosts can devour other ghosts to be stronger. But it's also not proper cultivation."

Li Nianfan nodded and furrowed his brows. "That means only Onis can cultivate."

'Of course. Why would ghosts be able to cultivate? If that was the case, anyone could kill themselves to become cultivators. It was outrageous.'

Li Nianfan continued to ask, "Can ordinary people cultivate?"

The five ghosts shook their heads simultaneously. "We don't know that."

Li Nianfan was slightly disappointed.

"Mr. Li, I was previously at the side of the Ghost King. I did hear something," said the lady who played the flute.

Li Nianfan arched his eyebrow. "What is it?"

"They seemed to be looking for a book. They said that whoever got the book can be cultivators. They can become the Ghost God. I guess that it might be a way to cultivate."

"A book?" Li Nianfan was intrigued. He saluted and said, "Thanks for the info, lady."

He was curious about the book but did not think much about it. He knew he had no right to have any ideas about it.

Li Nianfan continued to ask, "Ladies, do you know where I can run into an Oni?"

"Sir, you can go to Sapphire City. We escaped from there. They are forming a ghost army there to fight back with the Onis."

Another ghost said, "Sir, that place is a ghost town. Countless ferocious ghosts. If you go there, it would be dangerous."

Li Nianfan asked for directions. He nodded and said, "I got it, thanks."

The five ghosts looked at each other when they realized Li Nianfan had no more questions. They bite their lips and bow at Li Nianfan. They said in a low voice, "Sir, we should go."

Li Nianfan was slightly surprised. "You are planning to... go back?"

"We are delighted to talk to you today, sir. If we can reincarnate, we hope to be by your side to serve you, sir."

"Sir, before we go, please allow us to dance for you."

They played the zither and flute again.

The five female ghosts were flaunty in their breezy chiffon dresses. They danced under the moonlight.

The dance was no longer the dance of prostitutes. They danced like elegant snowflakes.

Gradually, the zither and flute faded out. Their figures also started to fade.

"Farewell, sir."

The five figures vanished with a farewell.

The moonlight was still bright, the night was still chilly. It was as if what happened was just a dream.

The men became sober when the music faded away. Then, they hurriedly knelt on the ground. They said fearfully, "We were entranced by ghosts. Please forgive us for disrespecting you, cultivators. Please spare our lives."

Li Nianfan shrugged it off. "Go back to your lives."

He did not return to the village. He walked toward Sapphire City with Dragon, Nanan, and Blackie.

At the Above Immortal Realm, Cloud Tribe Sect.

A lot of clouds flew around in mid-air. It was very chaotic.

Someone frantically yelled from within, "Quick, quick, activate the Defense Spell. Get in position, everyone!"

"Where is Taishang Elder? I'm asking you, where is Taishang Elder? Hurry up and go get Taishang Elder!"

An elder walked out from the Cloud Tribe Sect, he did not look happy at all, "Why do you need to disturb the Taishang Elder? Where is the Sect Master? Isn't the Sect Master with you all? Why isn't he back yet?"

"Big Elder, the Sect Master is goners!"

"Goners?" The Big Elder was taken aback, "What do you mean?"

"He evaporated. Not even a hair was left!"

"He's dead?"

His jaw dropped. The Big Elder was in disbelief. "How did that person in the Immortal Realm do that? What's going on? Who is that person in the Immortal Realm?"

"No time to explain. They are incoming. Get the Taishang Elder."

"Taishang Elder cannot be disturbed. Don't panic, tell me how many people we are dealing with."

"A few Taiyi Golden Immortals, and a lot of Golden Immortals."

"How many people do we have?"

"We have three Golden Immortal elders and..."

"Alright, say no more. I'll go get the Taishang Elder!"

...

Chapter 319

At the back of the Cloud Tribe Sect.

An elder was sitting properly on a futon.

His skin was wrinkled. His figure looked dehydrated. Even his hair was dried like weeds. He looked like a dying, dried tree.

The elder was covered in dust. He was barely breathing. If you got closer, you would smell a decaying stench.

Those were the symptoms of the Five Decays.

Once they became an Immortal, they would shed their old skin to have a clean one. Dust would naturally fall off their skin. Even if Immortals walked barefoot in the dirt, their skin would not be dirty at all.

However, once they have the Five Decays, they no longer have clean skin.

The first sign of the Five Decays was old and torn clothes. The second sign was dried hair. The third sign was sweaty armpits. The fourth sign was a smelly and dirty body. The fifth sign was having no signs of life as if it was a natural death.

He had crossed legs. He was squinting. His mouth moved as if he was having a conversation with someone.

On a closer look, there was a puny black dot in front of him. It was a tiny black mosquito.

The mosquito flew around the elder. Then, it slowly landed on his neck. It easily pierced his skin with its mouth.

Then, the wrinkly skin of the elder started to relax and tighten. The decaying stench was gone. He looked energetic again.

The elder looked excited. He said, "Thank you, Immortal, for blessing me with a new life."

The mosquito said, "We failed but you did a great job. I just gave you five hundred years. Next up is a new mission. If you also do it well, you can have another five hundred years!"

The elder was overjoyed. He hurriedly said, "Yes, sir!"

Suddenly, the Big Elder hurriedly ran over. His calm façade was crumbled. He said frantically, "Taishang Elder, it's bad, it's bad! The enemy is upon us!"

The Big Elder actually had a grudge against the Taishang Elder.

He thought the behavior of the Taishang Elder was nonsense. 'Was it not nice to chat, brag, be cool and awesome? Isn't it nice to live for thousands of years?

'Why did he have to face the unknown?

'What is the purpose, man?'

The Big Elder thought that the Taishang Elder was out of his mind. However, the Cloud Tribe Sect was at the edge of damnation, they were under attack!

'Now that the Sect Master is gone, how can we fight them?'

"Why are you panicking?" sneered the Taishang Elder. He was very calm, he said in a calm voice, "I'm here. The Cloud Tribe Sect is going to be fine!"

"But the Sect Master is dead, we..."

The Big Elder did not finish his sentence. He looked at the Taishang Elder with extreme shock. He felt tongue-tied. "Taishang Elder, you, you..."

He became young. The Taishang Elder became younger!

Although he still looked like an old man, his skin was flourishing and glowing.

Taishang Elder smilingly looked at the Big Elder. He said coldly, "Ha, so the Sect Master died. It's not a big deal. You should know, the Cloud Tribe Sector relies on me!

"Let's go, take me to the enemies."

"Yes, yes."

Outside of the Cloud Tribe Sect.

Clouds slowly flew in from afar. Daji looked calm. She looked forward with her pretty eyes. A creepy aura slowly covered the Cloud Tribe Sect.

Most of them rode on clouds. Only one of them rode on a flying sword. The sword was fast, and he was laughing maniacally. He could not wait to attack the Cloud Tribe Sect.

He was riding on a flying sword with black robes on. He was unstoppable.

He...was Xiao Chengfeng.

"Kids of the Cloud Tribe Sect, come out and meet me, Xiao Chengfeng. Hurry up and bow down to me!"

His voice was loud, kind of like thunder. It matched his lightning-like sword. He was like a holy Sword Immortal.

Kaboom!

A literal thunder replied to him!

Lightning struck down from the sky like a shiny silver snake and came down on Xiao Chengfeng.

Xiao Chengfeng squared up and cast a spell. A long sword figure appeared in front of him. It was just as fast as the lightning. It swooshed through the sky.

It clashed with the lightning when it was visible again. It created a loud boom.

Xiao Chengfeng was smug. "That's it? Come on!"

A cold, old voice was heard within the Cloud Tribe Sect. "You foolish kid. When I ruled the Above Immortal Realm, you weren't even born yet!"

Xiao Chengfeng levitated in mid-air. He roasted, "You're right, because at that time I was too busy being your daddy! What's up, now that you're a Taiyi Golden Immortal, you don't recognize your daddy anymore?"

"Die!"

He yelled in the Cloud Tribe Sect. A neon blue Lightning Dragon was formed in the sky with crackling noises. It was in front of Xiao Chengfeng in a flash.

Xiao Chengfeng wanted to dodge it but the Lightning Dragon swiped its tail to whip him.

The lightning hit the longsword. Xiao Chengfeng spat out a mouthful of blood. His body was numb and charred.

Then, the Lightning Dragon opened its mouth. It was about to devour Xiao Chengfeng.

Xiao Chengfeng was reduced in speed. He fled while yelling, "Save me, Brother Urchin!"

"Sigh, I don't actually want to save you."

Urchin sighed. He transformed into a dragon and protected Xiao Chengfeng. He clashed with the Lightning Dragon.

Then, he turned back into human form again. He frowned.

He could feel that the Lightning Dragon...was very powerful.

"Who gave you all the courage to mess with Cloud Tribe Sect?"

Taishang Elder levitated on top of the Cloud Tribe Sect. His demeanor was cool and his robes were flowing in the wind. He looked powerful.

The disciples of the Cloud Tribe Sect suddenly felt hopeful at that cool appearance. They stopped panicking and even felt excited.

"That's Taishang Elder?"

"I've been in this sect for five thousand years. I have only heard of him but never saw him before. Who knew he was so awesome?"

"Our sect has such a secretive bigshot. We will surely win."

Urchin and Xiao Chengfeng backed up at the same time. They looked at Taishang Elder with seriousness.

"Han Mofeng?"

Goddess Ziye furrowed her brows. She was mystified. "You're not dead?"

Han Mofeng laughed. "Goddess Ziye, you're older than I am. You're not dead either, right?"

Ziye frowned. "You know me?"

Han Mofeng replied, "You're the Seventh Princess of the Heavenly Palace. Of course I'm familiar with you!"

Everyone looked at Ziye weirdly, including Xiao Chengfeng. He knew she was from the Heavenly Palace, but he did not expect her to be a princess.

"Who told you so?" Ziye had glints in her eyes. "Since you know who I am, you should know that you don't deserve to talk to me. Let me talk to your boss!"

"If the Heavenly Palace still exists, I will agree with that statement. However, it's a new generation now!"

Han Mofeng smirked. "Moreover, my boss is unimaginably powerful. You don't deserve to meet my boss."

"Ha, nonsense!"

Xiao Chengfeng laughed. He proudly lifted his head, "Do you know who our boss is? Our boss is a Godly expert, he can scare you to death!"

"Ridiculous, my boss is the best!"

Han Mofeng sneered, "We should compare the abilities of our bosses!"

"There's no point talking that much. Kill him!"

Daji pointed at Han Mofeng to attack him!

Her Xuan Water Bracelet shined like a halo. It flew away from her hand and became a huge silver ring. It rolled toward Han Mofeng!

Meanwhile, the Xuanying Immortal Water came out from the Xuan Water Bracelet like wild ocean waves. As if it was an angry dragon, as if a tsunami, about to devour the Cloud Tribe Sect.

"Be in spell formation!"

Han Mofeng cast a spell. A neon blue light appeared on top of the Cloud Tribe Sect. Then, the light spread and covered the area. Electricity was suddenly at every corner.

Sizzle!

The lightning struck the Xuanying Immortal Water. It splashed everywhere.

At the same time, the lightning also continuously struck at everyone.

Daji frowned and said, "Delay him. The Fire Phoenix and I will break the spell!"

"One Leaf Blindfold!"

Immortal Linzhu took her leaf out. It grew with the wind like a green ribbon. It wrapped up Han Mofeng.

Urchin and Ziye went after Han Mofeng at the same time.

Daji looked at the sky. She reached out and swiped on the Xuan Water Bracelet.

Then, the Xuanying Immortal Water became countless water snakes. They slithered toward all directions and gradually froze.

From afar, it looked like a long, icy ribbon across the realm. It gleamed. It was extremely majestic.

The ice kept growing with the Xuanying Immortal Water. The lightning attacks were powerless.

Suddenly, the surrounding temperature dropped. Snowflakes were floating in the sky. Even the Immortals felt cold.

The spell was half frozen. It slowed down like it was about to break.

"Watch this!"

The Fire Phoenix was on fire. A fire lotus quickly formed around her. The fire lotus spun fast with golden fire at its center. Then, it attacked the center of the spell!

Kaboom!

The Fire Lotus smashed the air. A layer of cracks started to appear. Then, it shattered like a mirror.

"This..."

The Big Elder who was battling Xiao Chengfeng was stunned. His eyes almost popped out of his skull.

'What's happening? The spell was activated for how long? It broke in seconds?

'That was the Endless Lightning Spell that could trap a Taiyi Golden Immortal to death. It is known for having no weaknesses. How can the opponents break it in seconds?'

"Losing focus while battling me? It seems like you are not a good opponent!"

Xiao Chengfeng sneered and pointed at the Big Elder. His point became a sword, "Sword Point, take this slaughter!"

Spurt!

The Big Elder spat out a lot of blood. He fell from the sky like a kite with snapped ties.

Daji and the others went after Han Mofeng.

"You dare fight us on your own?" Urchin laughed, "Say it, who's your boss?"

"He's not on his own, we are here!"

A few figures shone out of thin air. They had a menacing aura. Daji and the others stopped in their tracks.

Then, five figures rode in slowly on clouds.

The five people all had Immortal Qi on them. They had not released it yet but it was already overwhelming.

Everyone went silent.

Mainly because it was too stunning.

Five other Taiyi Golden Immortals!

The Above Immortal Realm had been quiet for years. They had never seen a crowd like that. That team was extremely majestic.

Ziye frowned hard. She felt heavy. "Another bunch of old dudes who should be dead by now."

They had five Taiyi Golden Immortals in total on their side. Ziye, Linzhu, the Fire Phoenix, Urchin, and Ye Liuyun.

Daji and Xiao Chengfeng were Expert Golden Immortals. The rest of them were allies, a few Golden Immortals too but they were not as strong.

Most importantly, including Han Mofeng, the six Taiyi Golden Immortals on their side were made up of three Experts and three Intermediates. Their level was much higher than theirs.

They thought they were sure to win. They did not expect the turn of events.

Immortal Linzhu flinched. She asked meekly, "Sis... Sister Ziye, I won't pay with my life because of something I ate, right?"

She already took out a few oranges while talking. She stuffed them into her mouth.

Chew.

She mumbled, "I have to eat all the delicious saved food. The worst thing in life is still having delicious food when you die."

"The Seventh Princess of the Heavenly Palace, the Dragons, the Fire Phoenix, and the Nine-Tailed Fox. Damn, the victims of the big tribulation."

A tall and slim elder smiled and said in a hoarse voice, "Our boss wants me to give you all a message. Hurry up and turn around, switch to our side. We can spare the extinction of your species!"

"Hey, aren't you missing someone? I'm here, the sword cultivator, Xiao Chengfeng!" Xiao Chengfeng jumped out with an unhappy face. "Are you guys ignoring me?"

The tall and slim elder glanced at Xiao Chengfeng. He did not acknowledge him.

He said, "If you all are trying to rebuild the Heavenly Palace, wanting to recreate the eldritch eras, forget about it. It is common knowledge that once the balance is broken, you all cannot afford to bear the consequences!"

Ziye asked, "Why?"

The elder smiled creepily, he replied, "Our era right now is named the Absolute Era! A few Saints opposed it and then they died. Is this a good enough reason for you?"

Ziye was shocked. However, she said through her teeth, "I won't dare in the past, however, now...I want to try it."

The tall and slim elder looked at the others. "What about you guys?"

Daji replied calmly, "All I can say is your question is very dumb."

The elder laughed. He said cruelly, "Then... die!"

Boom!

Everyone attacked at the same time.

The sky was covered by endless light. Powers were everywhere. The Power of Law was swaying in the air. The sky even started to crack. An endless strong wind blew.

It was just the first wave of attack. But it erupted like a volcano. The surrounding area was destroyed.

The Cloud Tribe Sect was abolished like it was paper.

Some lucky disciples that survived were scared out of their souls. They ran and fled with all their might.

Ice, fire, lightning, wind, flying swords, Immortal Items...

Everyone was doing their most. It was like fireworks in the sky. The huge crater beneath them kept expanding. The nearby mountains were obliterated!

Everyone in the Above Immortal Realm felt anxious. They were uneasy.

However, their enemies were prepared. They had their items too. Their items were also better. Daji and the others were at a disadvantage.

Clang!

Xiao Chengfeng was suddenly flushed. He ran his hands across his longsword and spat a mouthful of blood on it.

The longsword instantly shined. There was a sharp aura in the air. The area was surrounded by millions of swords. The swords would instantly be turned to ash once they were near any spells from the opponents.

"Go, I got this!" Xiao Chengfeng roared. His longsword was instantly turned to endless sword figures. It rained down on the opponents like a meteor shower!

"No you don't, I'm with you!" yelled Urchin. He transformed into a pale dragon. His huge body could protect three people.

Xiao Chengfeng said, "You don't get it, that fella ignored me just now. I naturally have to show him how powerful I am! I am going to go solo today and finish six Taiyi Golden Immortals on my own. It will be legendary, don't ruin it for me. Hurry up and leave!"

Urchin chuckled, "Lady Daji has to be safe. I have to stay for extra safety! You can't take all the credit!"

"Leave? How naïve!"

The tall and slim elder smirked coldly. "None of you are leaving today!"

He had a golden rope in his arm. He tossed it at Daji.

Suddenly, the rope slithered like a snake. It went after Daji.

The rope was not fast but it was odd. It seemed unstoppable. It ignored every incoming spell and went toward its target.

Ziye realized and quickly said, "That's the Immortal Trap Rope! Lady Daji, run!"

She tossed her hair accessory at the rope but it was blocked by someone else.

Daji raised her eyebrows. She froze the Immortal Trap Rope with her Xuan Yin Immortal Water from her Xuan Water Bracelet.

However, the Immortal Trap Rope broke free in three seconds. It continued swimming toward her like a parasite.

Daji had a light shield around her. The Immortal Trap Rope could not get close to her. However, the light shield was visibly fading.

"The Immortal Trap Rope will not stop unless it traps its target. It also has power binding properties. Once trapped, even Daluo Golden Immortals could not escape!"

The masterful elder chuckled, "Since the lady has a special status, she will be our best bargaining chip as our hostage!"

"Sister!"

The little fox was worried sick. She wanted to seduce the rope, but the ropes did not have any feelings at all.

Daji was pale. She felt like she was in extreme danger. Her nine tails swayed behind her. She showed her true form. She leaped away on all fours. No one could visibly see her.

However, the Immortal Trap Rope chased after her. It was about to get Daji.

Han Mofeng laughed. He mocked everyone, "It seems like your expert is not that big of a deal. You are all one step behind!"

Buzz!

Suddenly, a powerful aura appeared out of thin air. The aura was not overwhelming, but they felt fearful respect.

A light shined on Daji on her chest area. The shine was not blinding, it was quite subtle.

However, the Immortal Trap Rope went soft when it touched the light. It fell to the ground like it was a normal rope.

"That..."

Everyone was perplexed.

"Sculpture?"

No one could believe their eyes, especially the tall and slim elder. They looked like they were in disbelief.

His facial expression was twisted. "How is this possible? What kind of Immortal Item is that?!"

"Leftover Powers? Signs of Wisdom?"

Han Mofeng started to feel his skin crawl. His hair stood on end. What happened in front of him was beyond his knowledge.

The Immortal Trap Rope was a Superior Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. It was a tried-and-true useful item, it was incredibly powerful. How did it go soft because of a sculpture?

Meanwhile, the Phoenix sculpture that the Fire Phoenix wore on her chest was also flickering. It was as if the two sculptures were communicating.

The two sculptures slowly flew out and levitated above Daji and the Fire Phoenix. A mysterious aura was emitted. It was as if everything stopped.

Then, Daji and the Fire Phoenix became visibly powerful. The sculptures helped them become twice as powerful!

"This is impossible. How can this be?"

The tall and slim elder started with wide eyes. His forehead had a cold sweat. He leaned backward then fled as fast as he could.

'Unimaginable, incredible!" 𝓁𝒾𝒷𝘳ℯ𝘢𝑑.𝑐ℴ𝓂

'These people are too good at hiding their real abilities!'

Daji and the Fire Phoenix looked at each other. They temporarily put aside their feelings of respect and admiration. They focused and chased after the elder!

Xiao Chengfeng stepped on his longsword and rode on it. He yelled smugly, "Why are you running? Seems like your boss is not that big of a deal!"

Han Mofeng and the others have no time to acknowledge him. They were trying their best to escape.

However, their speed was reduced because of the One Leaf Blindfold Spell by Immortal Linzhu.

Daji looked as cold as ever. She stepped out and was behind the tall and slim elder.

The tall and slim elder attacked but it had no effects on the sculpture defense. Even his items would lose their shine once it was near the sculpture. The light shield from the sculpture was the most solid light shield in history. Nothing could break it!

He felt truly helpless.

The masterful elder was deranged. He yelled, "We are all hard working cultivators here, why the ruthless extermination?"

Daji replied with a spell. Endless Xuan Yin Immortal Water covered him. He turned into a running ice statue in an instant!

Chapter 320

"You dare look down on our expert? If I let you escape today, I would spell my name backward!"

Ye Liuyun yelled in power. He was indescribably thrilled.

They were ready to die in battle since losing a few chess pieces was normal in a chess game. However, they did not expect the expert to have a hidden move. He was truly awesome.

'The expert is truly an expert. I'm a man with a bigshot behind my back!'

The fire was as long as a dragon. It quickly surrounded the horrified Taiyi Golden Immortal. The Taiyi Golden Immortal burned to ash in despair.

The battle was soon over.

The area was destroyed. The Cloud Tribe Sect was also demolished to bits and ashes.

Daji slowly reclaimed the sculpture. She cupped it with her hands and looked at it with admiration.

Ziye looked at that sculpture bewilderingly. She asked, "This sculpture...was made by an expert?"

"Yeah." Nodded Daji.

"So scary, this is invincible!" Xiao Chengfeng looked envious.

Urchin said, "Stop looking at it, this sculpture is not something that belongs to you."

Xiao Chengfeng felt a sting in his heart. "I know that. But can't I look at it?"

"Awesome. The sculpture is stronger than a Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. What kind of treasure is that?" Immortal Linzhu stared at it with wide eyes. Then, she suddenly burst out crying.

"Boohoo, I ate all my delicious food. The worst thing in life is that you finished all your delicious food but you are still alive. Boohoo, I saved it up for a long time..."

As teammates, they should say something like, "Don't cry, I'll give you some of my delicious food."

However, they were rational cultivators. More importantly, they did not want to say anything like that.

Therefore...they naturally changed the subject.

The Fire Phoenix asked, "Goddess Ziye, are you the Seventh Princess of the Heavenly Palace?"

"Yeah, sorry to hide my identity previously, it's not on purpose. But it doesn't matter anymore since the Heavenly Palace is gone."

Ziye paused. She looked a bit sad. She said in a low voice, "I am adopted by the Queen of the Heavenly Palace. There are seven princesses in total, my siblings and I were all created from flowers or plants. Now, it's just me."

Ye Liuyun asked out of curiosity, "Then you should know a lot of secrets of the eldritch eras, right?"

Ziye shook her head and said, "All I know is from the expert's 'Journey to the West'. When the big tribulation occurred, I was just a puny Golden Immortal. I was weak and only knew limited things."

Xiao Chengfeng looked like he did not want to speak.

She used 'puny' to describe Golden Immortal, that was a personal attack.

Daji said, "Goddess Ziye, you gathered us for the Heavenly Palace, right?"

"Yeah." Ziye nodded. "I kept thinking about revisiting the Heavenly Palace. I've always felt like my six sisters are not dead yet. I know where the Heavenly Palace once was, but I need all of your help."

The Fire Phoenix said, "No worries. We are all teammates, plus the expert always wanted to check out the Heavenly Palace."

Daji touched her sculpture. She looked troubled. "I can only be with the expert later then. I wonder what the Master is doing right now."

...

At the Immortal Realm.

Li Nianfan was riding on a Colorful Tiger.

The huge tiger was three meters tall. It was like a small building. Li Nianfan could see widely up there. It was nice.

Nanan and Dragon flew at the sides to guard Li Nianfan. They followed his directions. Nanan would discover the roads while Dragin protected at the side. If the situation was out of control, Blackie was responsible to protect Li Nianfan with its life.

The Colorful Tiger was quick as the wind. That was their fifth ride on the way.

They changed rides at each stop. They had already ridden on a bear, a tiger, a leopard, a wolf, and an elephant. Dragon and Nana also killed demons on the road. Plus, the unique sceneries of the Immortal Realm were sights to behold. Li Nianfan felt that the trip was interesting and fulfilling.

"We are reaching Sapphire City."

Li Nianfan looked upon the horizon. He stopped his leisure attitude because it was about to get real. They heard that Sapphire City was already a ghost town. It was very scary, they were unsure if there would be Onis.

The weather started to change as they went into the area. It was a sunny afternoon, but the sky was gloomy and dim. The sunlight went away and it was breezy. It felt depressing.

He said, "Nanan, be careful. Take notice of Onis. If the Onis are not here yet, we should find a safe spot to settle down. Don't be casual about this."

"Brother Nianfan, it's easy. Check this out." Nanan smiled and flew far away.

Li Nianfan once again felt like he was the Monk, he yelled, "Be careful. Also, don't hurt the innocent..."

Nanan was out for a long while. She returned after slightly over an hour. She was grabbing a female ghost with a white shirt.

Nanan looked thrilled. She said, "Brother Nianfan, I'm back."

The female ghost with a white shirt dropped to the ground. She looked like she was in despair. She cried, "Sir, please spare my life, woo—"

Nanan lifted her and slapped her twice. The ghost was instantly quiet.

"Why are you whining? Stop pretending to be pitiful, I'll hit you again if I have to!"

Li Nianfan suddenly felt a déjà vu. If he was the Monk, that would be an excerpt story.

"My evil student, how can you be so rude? My dear lady, are you alright?"

Too bad he was not the Monk.

"Where did you get her?" asked Li Nianfan.

Nanan smirked. She said in a smart voice, "Hehe, I pretended to be a lost kid, crying out loud on the streets. She took the bait. She was so evil, she tried to eat me."

"Sir, I didn't. I wasn't. She is falsely blaming me! Woo—"

"Ghostly nonsense. Nanan, shut her up."

"Slap."

She was quiet.

Li Nianfan would be a fool to trust the female ghost.

Li Nianfan looked at her and said, "Answer our questions properly, we'll let you return to the Underworld safely. You won't get your soul shattered."

"Dragon, cast a spell!"

"Alright, brother." Dragon smiled. She cast a spell on the female ghost, "Water Smoke Spell. If you lie, the bubbly water on you will be very sensitive and hot."

"What is your name?"

"I am Ruby."

"Where are you from?"

"Sap... Sapphire City."

"How's the situation in Sapphire City?"

"The ghosts are, most, mostly gone."

Sizzle.

Bubbly steam appeared on her. She was shaking from the burns.

"Argh— I'm sorry."

The ghost frantically screamed. She said, "Sapphire City is filled with ghosts. I heard that the Onus arrived. The Ghost King is forming an army. A lot of ghosts were scared so they escaped from there."

"Can the Ghost King win against the Onis?"

"That... I don't know."

Li Nianfan frowned. He felt that the situation was not good. It would be nice if the Fire Phoenix was with him.

'Safety first. Safety first.'

He reminded himself.

"How far is Sapphire City from here?"

"Less than ten miles."

Li Nianfan waved. "Alright, go back to the Underworld."

The ghost jolted. She seemed unwilling but she just bowed and left in the end. The Immortal Realm was too interesting, she did not want to leave!

If a ghost was killed, that meant they were gone for good. They would not have a chance to reincarnate. Li Nianfan was naturally not that cruel.

"Next up, stay beside me, you two. Don't go away."

Li Nianfan was serious. Nanan and Dragon nodded. They continued forward.

More ghosts started to appear after a few miles. Their surrounding aura was getting darker and creepier. Ghost Fire appeared from time to time. They could hear howls and cries from afar. It was unsettling.

Li Nianfan jumped down from the Colorful Tiger, "Big tiger, go."

The Colorful Tiger was too huge. It was too eye-catching. They also did not need a ride anymore.

"Roar." It growled softly. It leaned down and rubbed its head on Li Nianfan. It did not want to go.

Li Nianfan patted the tiger. "Go. Be careful on your own."

The ride was quivering in fear when it was captured. However, after tasting the delicious food, it started to play its role obediently.

Of course. They had never tasted food that delicious before. They must have thought they were in luck.𝘭𝒾𝒷𝓇𝘦𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Chapter 321

At night.

The dark sky became darker. The sky even concealed the moonlight.

Dark clouds were all over Sapphire City.

A black figure and a white figure slowly floated in the air. They had high hats on and they were holding two mourning staff that were in black and white. They looked cold and serious. A lot of Onis followed behind them.

They were against the countless ghosts in Sapphire City.

The ghosts at Sapphire City were totally different from the usual ghosts. They lost their human form, and looked twisted, odd, and creepy. They were deformed because they devoured other souls to become more powerful instead of cultivating and that caused them to be terrifying to look at.

Three figures sat on the huge city door above all the ghosts. They were deadly powerful. Even if they were facing a lot of Onis, they were still composed.

The three Ghost Kings made the place a ghost town. It was like a playground for ghosts. Even cultivation sects were demolished there.

One of them had a green face and fangs. His eyes popped out and his mouth was like a crocodile. His sharp teeth were exposed and gleaming. He called himself the most powerful Fangs Ghost King.

Another one had three heads. His heads were like tumors. His eyes were slanted and his mouth was wide open like a frog, it seemed like he could not close his mouth. He could not stop chuckling creepily. He called himself the invincible Three Heads Ghost King.

The other one was a lady in a red dress. She was in human form and she was extremely pretty. It seemed like she was the leader of the Ghost Kings.

If Li Nianfan was there, he would be shocked because that red dress lady was the same lady he met last time. Her aura was easily recognizable.

The Three Heads Ghost King laughed weirdly. Three different voices echoed, "Black and White Impermanence, why is it only you two? Where's the General of the Bloody Sea?"

Black and White Impermanence sneered, "Ha, you bunch of weak ghosts. We don't need to trouble the General of the Bloody Sea!"

"Hehe, he's too busy to come over. It's severely understaffed in the Underworld, you think we don't know that?" Fangs Ghost King laughed maniacally as if he saw through it all. "The Death Note reappeared, how could he not go? However, it will be all for nothing in the end! And you guys will die here too!"

White Impermanence looked extremely pissed off, he was ready to fight. "You dare have ideas about the Death Note?"

"Finder keepers for such a treasure."

The lady in red laughed. She licked her lips with her bloody tongue. She looked at the Black and White Impermanence and said, "You and I both understand that the Underworld is long gone. Why are you all still protecting it? Times like this are the best for us to get opportunities. We can be the new rulers. You should learn from Shura Ghost General. If we team up, the whole realm would be ours!"

"Shura Ghost General has been banned from our Underworld! He will be next after we deal with you all!"

Black and White Impermanence were livid. They said in a powerful voice, "We are the Onus of the Underworld, you lost ghosts are no match for us!"

"Begone!"

Black and White Impermanence attacked at the same time with their hands up. A black chain shot out like a huge python. It wrapped up the three Ghost Kings.

"Minions, kill the Onis. We will be the future rulers of the Underworld! Attack!" Fangs Ghost King yelled. He flew out with his mouth wide open. He bit on the chain and the chain was immediately crushed with a 'clang' sound.

He squinted like a cobra—violent and hysterical. He opened his mouth again and shot out dark gas at the Black and White Impermanence.

"We have the bodies of Ghost Gods, no poison can penetrate!"

Black and White Impermanence sneered. They had a halo around them like a light shield. They did not need to do anything, the dark gas could not harm them.

Onis naturally had their ways to defeat ghosts.

Then, Black and White Impermanence raised their mourning staff at the same time and attacked the Fangs Ghost King!

The mourning staff was specially made to attack ghosts. A critical hit could shatter souls. Even Ghost Kings would lose their abilities to fight once they were hit.

"Ha, do you really think we didn't prepare for this?" chuckled the Fangs Ghost King. He flicked his wrist and out came a huge saber sword. He flew toward them.

Clang. It clashed with the mourning staff.

The saber sword was deadly. It had a bloody aura around it. Innocent souls were trapped inside the sword, they cried and howled in agony.

"How dare you?!" Black and White Impermanence looked as dark as ink. They roared like thunder, "You murdered the people here and turned them into a Ghost Weapon. This sin calls for infinite time in the eighteenth level of Hell!"

The Three Heads Ghost King attacked them with a big hammer. He said smugly, "We improved the Immortal Items of the Immortal Realm. What can the Underworld do about it?"

The other ghosts of Sapphire City had their Ghost Weapons too. They started attacking the Onis.

The Onis had weapons with defense properties against ghosts. So, their weapons were less effective. The winds were howling all of a sudden, the sky turned dark and the weird ghostly screams sent shivers down their spines.

The terrifying aura rolled in like a tsunami.

The battle between ghosts was not as cool as a battle between cultivators. However, it was more gory and violent. Those souls tore each other apart, it was extremely creepy.

Meanwhile, five miles away from Sapphire City...

A light blue light shone in the dark.

The light blue light was a water-light shield. It was like a dome.

Inside the dome was a chic tent.

Li Nianfan sat outside the tent and said, "We're going to camp outside again tonight."

He looked at the water shield and had to say that it was convenient having Dragin around. She simply cast a water-light shield that was pretty, effective, and soundproof. It was the best spell for traveling.

Dragon asked curiously, "Brother, can't we continue onward? We are almost there."

"Absolutely not!" Li Nianfan shook his head without hesitation. He caressed Dragon on the head. "We don't know what's going on there so it is extremely dangerous. Remember this, avoid dangerous places as much as possible. Always be as careful as you can be."

Dragon nodded. "Oh. So, should we wait here?"

"At least until tomorrow. Scoot over."

Li Nianfan sighed softly, "The best-case scenario is that the Onus has already won the battle when we get there, all is safe. The worst-case scenario, we would be running."

Li Nianfan looked at Blackie when he mentioned running.

Blackie looked understanding, it softly barked.

Nanan said, "Brother Nianfan. I can find out what's the situation tomorrow morning."

Li Nianfan groaned for a moment.

"Let Dragon go instead. Dragon is more reliable than you." Li Nianfan looked at Dragon and said, "Remember, be sneaky and discreet. Observe from afar, don't force yourself."

Dragon nodded, "I got it, brother."

"Alright, I should sleep. Hope that everything is successful tomorrow." Li Nianfan looked at the starry night sky. Then, he walked into the tent.

Time passed and the sky turned dark like a jet-black beast. The dark almost devoured everything in sight. 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝓻𝒆𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝙤𝒎

Dragon and Nana tilted their heads. They had a quiet conversation out of curiosity.

Dragon asked, "Nanan, what do you think your brother wants to cultivate? He is already so powerful, what could he possibly be cultivating for?"

Nanan shook her head and scrunched her small nose. She said, "I don't get it either. I feel like my brother is looking for a reason to take us out on a trip for fun."

"You're making a lot of sense."

Dragon looked like she realized something. Then, she looked at Blackie and asked curiously, "Blackie, what say you? What do you think my brother wants to do?"

"I think we don't need to guess. Just follow the Master." Blackie rolled its eyes. Then, Blackie said, "The Master does as he pleases, he doesn't have a purpose."

Dragon suddenly felt sympathy for him. She said in a sentimental voice, "True. You win some, you lose some. Brother is too powerful, he must have lost a lot of joy and fun."

"The Master will play around when he is happy. It is not impossible that he would ruin the realm when he is unhappy. It's all based on his mood."

Blackie suddenly moved its ear.

Then, it slowly stood up. "In conclusion, all we have to do is follow the Master's hints. Let the Master remain happy. For example, I'm off to help the Master right now."

"I agree. The ultimate goal in life is to be happy. If Brother Nianfan is playing around, we should go along with it."

Nanan nodded hard then looked at Blackie. "How are you going to help Brother Nianfan?"

"Just now, when the Master talked about the 'best case scenario', he looked at me. That is naturally a hint. I have to clear the path for the Master."

Blackie walked out from the water shield and slowly headed into the darkness. "I'll be back soon."

...

Sapphire City was still chaotic.

The ghosts outnumbered the Onis. They were not very good fighters but the Onis were exhausted by fighting the ghosts. A lot of Onis had also been torn apart.

The Black and White Impermanence was worried at such sight.

The Underworld was severely understaffed. They were decreasing in staff. How could they run the Underworld in the future?

They locked eyes with each other and raised their hands at the same time. "Soul Strangler!"

Splash!

Endless black chains shot out from their bodies.

It covered the area like a spider web. The three Ghost Kings were instantly trapped.

The metal chains quickly retracted to stop the two Ghost Kings. They were mainly attacking the Three Heads Ghost King!

They wanted to give it their all to end one of the Ghost Kings first!

They raised their mourning staff and attacked the Three Heads Ghost King.

They were about to hit him. The Three Heads Ghost King suddenly opened his mouth, revealing a long bloody tongue that looked like a terrifying snake, and bit the Black and White Impermanence!

He was ready to die along with them. The Black and White Impermanence could not afford the risk so they gave up the attack.

The Three Heads Ghost King suddenly laughed weirdly. He was smug. "Ha, the Black and White Impermanence is not that big of a deal. Show me what you got."

The Black and White Impermanence did not say anything. They took out a black jade bottle. Drops of rain dripped out of the bottle!

The sky started to rain. It easily went through the ghostly energy and dripped on the ghosts. They did not mind it at first but soon enough, they looked horrified.

Fang's Ghost King retreated and shrieked, "Lethe Water, this is Lethe Water!"

Some of the ghosts were out of it. They lost their minds and swayed around in a daze.

The Black and White Impermanence sighed softly. They said achingly, "Lethe Water is getting lesser with each use."

"The Underworld is truly capable, still well-prepared even after the fall."

The red dress lady was covered in blood. It stopped the Lethe Water from dripping on her. She said slowly, "However, you might have forgotten. I'm not a ghost, I was born from the Styx."

The blood on her suddenly became thick. She shielded the dazed Fangs Ghost King and the Three Heads Ghost King. The blood thickened and the figure of the Styx appeared like a giant dragon. It seemed to be chewing on the two Ghost Kings.

The red dress lady also emerged into the blood. They were three for one, they painted the sky red!

Slowly, the face of a woman was formed from the blood river. The water flowed, it looked as if the ghost face was squirming. She laughed in a terrifying high-pitched voice.

"Hehe, free opportunity. Free opportunity! I'll have both of you! This is my chance to improve my Asura Body."

The bloody ghost face opened her mouth wide, she sucked and devoured all the surrounding ghosts.

The ghosts were all in a dazed state, they did not know how to resist so they were easily devoured. The face grew larger and the devouring got stronger. Onis could not resist it either. They were sucked into the mouth.

Splash!

Chains flew out to tangle those Onis.

"Steady, everyone. Work together. Get through this!" The Black and White Impermanence were fighting with all their might. They chained every Oni into one so they could resist it with their lives.

White Impermanence yelled on the top of his lungs, "Quick, chain up. Pull the ghosts together too. Chain as much as you can!"

Splash, splash!

Chains were splashed out. More Onis and ghosts were chained together to resist.

"Hehe, chain up. It's even better. I'll devour everyone at once. It's going to be nice to eat!"

The bloody face laughed maniacally. She was sure that she would devour everyone. It was just a matter of time.

She was too powerful.

The ghosts and Onis were getting closer to the bloody face. The Black and White Impermanence was extremely grumpy. They looked desperate and unwilling.

If they were goners, then the Underworld would truly be over!

Even the Styx would be gone.

'Is the Underworld really going out like this?'

Their hearts were beating fast. They did not want to die, they could not die!

Rustle.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps from afar.

A black dog appeared. Its black fur blew in the wind as it quietly stood there. It calmly looked at them.

'Is that...a black dog?'

Everyone was taken aback. They could not believe their eyes.

'Why am I having a hallucination like this before death?'

The ghost face was baffled too. However, she did not think much of it. She sucked harder to include Blackie.

"Didn't expect to have an extra dog for a meal at the very last moment. Alright."

However, she soon realized an issue. That dog was still standing there quietly. It did not move, not even its fur was affected. The dog still looked calm.

'Huh?'

'This dog...seems unusual.'

The dog spoke, "Seems like you didn't suck hard enough. Why don't you check this out?"

Then, the dog sucked like it had a straw. The ghost face had no chance to resist, she was turned into a pile of blood before she could react. Blackie slurped her up like juice.

The dog chewed and swallowed.

"Ew, disgusting. I think I ate sh*t."

Chapter 322

Silence.

Only a creepy breeze blew by slowly, making a rustling sound.

The Onis looked at Blackie dumbfounded. They lost their ability to think. They were out of it for a long while.

What happened was beyond terrifying. It was unimaginably calm and too sudden. They were not ready for that.

The Black and White Impermanence bewilderingly looked at Blackie. Their tall hats almost leaped off their heads.

Then, they hurriedly floated over to salute at Blackie respectfully, "Thanks, Lord Dog, for saving our lives. We members of the Underworld will not forget what you did today."

Blackie sneezed loudly. It calmly said, "No need to thank me, you should thank my Master."

"Mas... Master?"

They could not believe their ears. 'Such a powerful Dog God had a Master?'

'How powerful would the Master be?'

The White Impermanence did not dare to imagine. He carefully asked, "Your Master is..."

"You will know in the morning."

Blackie calmly replied. Then, Blackie said, "Don't be shocked at everything. All you need to know is that my Master is an 'ordinary man', and I am an 'ordinary dog'. You defeated the Ghost Kings. It has nothing to do with me, right?"

'This...'

'Ordinary man?'

'Ordinary dog?'

Bing San behind the Black and White Impermanence jolted. Then, Bing San asked while quivering, "Lord Dog, is your Master per, perhaps... Mr. Li?"

The Black and White Impermanence suddenly realized. Their hairs stood on ends and their jaws dropped. They were jumbled.

'Mr... Mr. Li."

That name was unimaginably important in the Underworld.

His writings caused chaos on the Styx. He was the savior of the entire Underworld. Houtu Empress claimed that he was the fearfully respected Eighth Saint!

In other words, he was an unimaginable existence. He decided the fate of the Underworld!

They suddenly heard that name so they were thunderstruck.

Blackie glanced sideways at Bing San. Then, it slowly turned around and left.

Blackie left an echoing voice, "Tidy up, my Master is coming in the morning."

"Got it... We got it." The Black and White Impermanence was still buzzing in their minds. They felt tongue-tied and hurriedly said, "Farewell, Lord Dog."

After a long while, Black and White Impermanence still looked shocked.

They looked at each other and gulped at the same time. They said in a trembling voice, "Mr... Mr. Li is coming?"

They had struggled to think of ways to visit Mr. Li. They also imagined how their meeting would go. They did not expect Mr. Li to come to them. They were too unprepared for that.

'Here it comes. The expert is looking for the Underworld!'

They were pleasantly surprised, but they felt more anxious.

The writings were cool enough. The dog turned their understanding of the situation upside down. 'How could such an awesome dog like that exist?'

'It must be Mr. Li, even though his dog is so powerful.'

'Mr. Li saved the Underworld again!'

The Black Impermanence immediately said, "Quick, do your duties. Mr. Li is coming over soon, we have to look alive!"

The sky started to shine.

Li Nianfan walked out from the tent and looked at the sunrise at the horizon.

"Huh? It's much brighter today." Li Nianfan was surprised. He felt like it was a good sign.

"Brother Nianfan, you're awake." Nanan immediately passed him a towel. "Here you go, clean your face."

Li Nianfan smiled and took the towel. He asked, "Thank you, Nanan. Where is the Dragon?" 𝑙𝑖𝘣𝓇𝑒𝒶𝘥.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Nanan replied, "She went to Sapphire City."

"So early?" Li Nianfan looked slightly worried.

Thankfully, he did not have to wait for long. She flew in from afar soon.

"Brother, I'm back." Dragon cheered before she landed. "The ghosts were defeated by the Underworld. A lot of Onis are cleaning up there."

Li Nianfan had a sparkle in his eyes. He nodded. "Oh? Nice, very nice!"

Blackie at the side noticed that the Master was happy. It smirked and was pleased with itself.

'I'm happy if my Master is happy.'

"Let's depart then. Let's go visit the Underworld."

Li Nianfan quickly packed their things. He was excited because he got to meet Onis again.

The Underworld was a mythical existence in his past realm. However, he traveled for miles to visit it.

He was feeling arrogant and smug.

Li Nianfan walked while he nagged, "Dragon, Nanan, don't simply say things when you meet the people of the Underworld later. Don't offend them. Got it?"

Nanan flew upfront. "Yeah yeah, don't worry, Brother Nianfan. We know that."

It was only five miles away. They soon arrived even on foot.

They saw a giant city. It was rare that it was not smaller than Fallen Town.

Moreover, the walls of the entire city were made with Sapphire. It was very majestic.

As they got closer, they saw Onis in uniform floating on top of the city. The Onis were guarding the place.

Li Nianfan smiled. "The Onis won."

The leisurely Onis saw Li Nianfan and the others. They visibly jolted and froze in mid-air like a statue. Then, they fell at high speed.

An Oni said in a muddled voice, "Sire, Sire, Ex, the... Expert is here!"

"Here?"

The Black and White Impermanence hurriedly adjusted their clothes. They ordered with a serious tone, "Didn't you hear what the Lord Dog said? Don't be shocked at everything. The expert came here as an ordinary man. Order, every ghost needs to calm down. Stay calm!"

He told them to stay calm but he was pacing back and forth. He was frantic.

He knew that the expert was powerful but he had to pretend he was an ordinary man. He needed to put up a good act.

'What a difficult test.'

"Seems like they noticed us." Li Nianfan stopped walking and waited for the Onis to react. He tried to look friendly.

"Who are you?" Soon, a few Onis flew out from Sapphire City.

Li Nianfan was thinking of how he should befriend them.

Thankfully, he heard a familiar voice. "Mr. Li?"

"Mr. Bing." Li Nianfan smiled and hurriedly saluted, "Long time no see."

Bing San told his Oni teammates, "Everyone, this is Mr. Li. A friend of mine. No need to worry."

The Onis nodded.

Bing San asked, "Mr. Li, ghosts are everywhere here. It is dangerous. Why are you here?"

"Ha, I have my two sisters to protect me along the journey. It is a danger-filled but safe trip." Li Nianfan hurriedly told Dragon and Nana, "Quick, say hi to Uncle Bing."

Best convenient way to be close to someone.

Nanan and Dragon greeted, "Hi, uncle."

"Hi, hi." Bing San tried his best to repress his beating heart. Those were the sisters of the Saint and they called him uncle. He panicked a little.

"Mr. Li's two sisters are so talented. They are such great cultivators at such a young age. Their futures are limitless."

Bing San naturally invited them, "Since you all are here. Please, be my guest."

Li Nianfan nodded. "Thank you, we'll be disturbing you then."

Bing San laughed and said, "Haha, that's an overstatement, Mr. Li. This city belongs to ordinary people like you in the first place. We are the visitors after all. We're working for the Underworld by the way."

They walked into Sapphire City. They could see the Onis cuffing the ghosts on the hands and legs on their way. The Onus was taking them to the Underworld. They looked like cops taking the prisoners to jail.

There were female ghosts, male ghosts, evil ghosts, and all sorts of oddly shaped ghosts. Li Nianfan learned new knowledge about the oddities of the Immortal Realm.

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Mr. Bing, how will the ghosts be dealt with?"

Bing San said in a hateful tone, "These ghosts are ruthlessly evil. In the past they will be imprisoned in the eighteenth level of Hell and banned from reincarnation. However, now they are temporarily imprisoned in the Underworld for case records. We will deal with them later!"

"Eighteenth level of Hell?" Li Nianfan raised his eyebrows. He did not expect the Underworld to have the famous eighteen levels of Hell.

He slightly furrowed his brows and fell into deep thought.

He realized that he was not familiar with the Immortal Realm. However, some places were in sync with legendary myths.

For example, the eighteen levels of Hell. Why was it not seventeen levels or nineteen levels? It was coincidentally eighteen levels.

Moreover, the Dragon, the Phoenix, and the Nine-Tailed Fox were all famous mythology creatures.

His past realm did not have those things, but it had the legendary stories.

He never thought much about those details before. He thought it was normal. Suddenly, he realized the unusual coincidences.

'Is it pure coincidence, or is the Immortal Realm linked to the past realm? Or maybe, a long time ago on Earth, those legendary myths are not myths, but they truly existed instead?'

He had to ask out of curiosity, "What do you mean 'in the past'?"

Bing San sighed and said, "Now, the eighteen levels of Hells are corrupted. Plus, we're severely understaffed in the Underworld. We don't have the energy to deal with them."

'The eighteen levels of Hell can be corrupted?'

'No wonder the Underworld was so lousy. They had huge issues.'

"Mr. Li." Bing San interrupted his thoughts, "Our boss is over there. The two Impermanence Sires of the Underworld."

Li Nianfan looked at where he pointed and jolted.

A black figure and a white figure were over there ordering the ghosts around. They looked serious like they were supervisors. They were very authoritative.

'Holy sh*t, the Black and White Impermanence?!'

'The Underworld has the Black and White Impermanence!'

'What kind of Immortal Realm did I transmigrate to?'

Chapter 323

Li Nianfan felt like his mind started to race at the sudden overlapping coincidences.

However, it was not the time to think about that because the Black and White Impermanence walked over.

The two famous death knights. He would be lying if he said he was not nervous.

Li Nianfan hurriedly composed himself while observing the two Impermanence Sires.

They were highly similar to what he imagined the Black and White Impermanence would look like. The two of them were black and white. They both had high hats and mourning staff. However, they did not have a long bloody tongue that could touch the ground when rolled out.

Black Impermanence had a black birthmark in between his eyes. White Impermanence was unusually pale with a white birthmark in between his eyes. They were not horrifying but they were prestigious.

Black Impermanence frowned and asked, "Why is there an ordinary man here?"

Bing San replied, "Sire, this is Mr. Li. He is my friend."

Li Nianfan hurriedly saluted, "My name is Li Nianfan. Greetings to the Black and White Impermanence Sires."

White Impermanence said, "This area belongs to the ghosts now. It is temporarily not safe for ordinary people. It will be better if you leave."

Bing San softly told the Black and White Impermanence, "Sires, Mr. Li knew a lot of Immortals as friends. Last time, his friends helped me to take down the Ghost King. Otherwise, my army would have lost."

"Really?"

The Black and White Impermanence instantly looked at Li Nianfan in a different light. They said, "If that's the case, welcome. You're a guest of the Underworld."

Li Nianfan was relieved. He said humbly, "I befriended those Immortals by luck."

Black Impermanence smiled and said, "No need to be humble, Mr. Li. I think you must be extraordinary. The Underworld would not mistreat you."

White Impermanence said, "Bing San, take Mr. Li to the lobby for a proper welcome. We are handling some things here, we'll be there later."

"Yes, sires!"

Bing San immediately took Li Nianfan to the lobby. He waved and beautiful ghosts flew out to serve tea for everyone.

According to Bing San, the tea was made from local tea leaves growing next to the Acheron. It was watered by Acheron water daily and had no sort of pollution. It was a rare quality tea.

Li Nianfan was interested in drinking it at first. However, after what Bing San said, he immediately did not want to taste it.

Li Nianfan asked out of curiosity, "Mr. Bing, do you mind if I ask? Can you tell me why the eighteen levels of Hell were corrupted?"

Bing San sighed and answered, "Sigh, not only the eighteenth levels of Hell collapsed, the entire Underworld was in crumbles. The realm was unpeaceful for too long. Every once in a while, there would be a huge tribulation. The Underworld was destroyed by the big tribulation."

"Big tribulation?" Li Nianfan arched his eyebrow.

It was unimaginable that a tribulation could collapse the Underworld. He continued to ask, "Then, does the Underworld have...Yama?"

Bing San said, "Of course. The Underworld is ruled by Lord Yama. Too bad Lord Yama also vanished after the big tribulation."

Li Nianfan felt his heart rate start to increase. He continued to ask, "What about Meng Po, Higan Flowers, and the Naihe Bridge?"

Bing San nodded, "Yes. Mr. Li is quite familiar with our Underworld."

'I'm not 'quite familiar', I'm super familiar with it!'

Li Nianfan felt dizzy. Something incredible happened!

It could be considered a coincidence for one or two things. However, it was not a coincidence when all of the things were the same.

The Immortal Realm had an exact replica of the Underworld. He transmigrated to...a legendary mythical realm.

'Journey to the West? Investitures of the Gods?

'It seemed unlikely.

'The fighters were weaker here.'

He had too little information. He could not rush to conclusions, he had to figure it out slowly.

Li Nianfan took a deep breath. His voice was slightly coarse, he probed, "Mr. Bing, have you heard of...Wukong?"

"Wukong?" Bing San frowned. It seemed like he had not heard of it.

However, they heard a voice from outside, "Mr. Li is talking about that monkey, right? Tell me about it."

The Black and White Impermanence walked in at the same time.

Li Nianfan immediately stood up. "Impermanence Sires, have you heard of Wukong?"

White Impermanence sighed. He shook his head and said, "Not only have we heard of Wukong, but we also fought with that monkey. We have an alright relationship, too bad he sacrificed himself from what we last heard."

'This...is the sequel to Journey to the West?!'

Li Nianfan pursed his lips. He stood in place dumbfounded. His emotions were riled up and he felt extremely disturbed.

His mind was filled with excitement, nervousness, confusion, and thrills. He had goosebumps from that.

He thought he came to an ordinary Immortal Realm. In the end, he realized he was living in the legendary realm. Anyone would freak out.

Since Wukong had already sacrificed himself, he must be living in the post-Journey to the West time period.

No stories were recorded about that time period. Li Nianfan called it the blank story time period.

It was just an instant, but he already pieced a lot of the information together.

After Journey to the West ended, there was a big tribulation. It caused the Heavenly Palace to be gone, the Underworld had collapsed, Buddhism was destroyed. The rising Demons were highly likely the Demons of that Lawless!

It also explained why the Immortal Realm was so weak.

No wonder those Immortals were so serious when he told the stories.

He is telling stories to the same people in those stories.

For the cultivators, those stories were not stories. They were history!

'I became a History teacher for the Immortals.'

"Mr. Li," White Impermanence pulled Li Nianfan back to reality, "Perhaps Mr. Li knew that monkey?"

"Cough. I heard of him. I heard of him." Li Nianfan softly coughed and hurriedly brushed it off.

He felt more excited after the huge shock.

After all, he was a huge fan of the mythical realm from a young age. Anyone would be excited. He got the chance to experience the world in his stories. At that moment, his unfamiliarity with the Immortal Realm vanished for good. He felt good about it, maybe he would run into famous characters.

'Too bad I did not transmigrate to earlier periods. Maybe I could have run into the famous Wukong. Sigh, what a waste.'

"Speaking of that monkey, he was quite respectable," sighed the Black Impermanence.

White Impermanence also said, "After that monkey died, the big tribulation came after thousands of years. I still feel anxious thinking about that day, my Underworld... Sigh, forget it."

Li Nianfan asked, "Was it that serious?"

White Impermanence forced a smile and said, "You didn't know, Mr. Li. There are way too many ghosts that escaped. Most of them are hiding in discreet places. They are causing a lot of harm. On the other hand, Onis are getting lesser in the Underworld. We are not capable of controlling the situation at all!"

Li Nianfan had an idea. He felt like it was a good opportunity. He said, "I have an idea."

"Oh?" The Black and White Impermanence felt their hearts raced. They hurriedly said, "Please tell us, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "The Underworld can set up a spot at the Immortal Realm, naming it as the City Castle. It can protect the people, manage the ghosts, court cases, bless the people, and more."

"A spot at the Immortal Realm? City Castle?" The Black and White Impermanence had sparkles in their eyes the more they thought about it.

Black Impermanence said, "This might work! Why didn't we think of setting up a spot at the Immortal Realm before?"

White Impermanence slapped his thigh. "Nice, it's a nice idea!"

"If so, we not only fixed the understaffing issue, we can also bond with the people of the Immortal Realm. It improves our dealings with emergencies too. It has a lot of benefits!"

They underestimated the benefits.

The City Castle would let the people think highly of the Underworld. They could be powerful again.

Even the pale White Impermanence was flushed from excitement. He said sincerely, "Mr. Li, you are truly talented. Just with this plan alone, you are now the VIP of the Underworld!"

Li Nianfan secretly felt good. He acted like it was no big deal. "Hey, it was just a casual idea, don't mind it."

Black Impermanence said, "Mr. Li, in your opinion, who should run the City Castle?"

"Should be run by locals. Someone who is powerful and approved by the people. That way they can truly work for the people and protect the people with sincerity."

Li Nianfan paused and gave an example, "Like that male ghost from last time that Mr. Bing brought back. He's suitable to play the role."

The Black and White Impermanence nodded understandingly.

They were thinking about all the possibilities of the plan. Finally, they found out that the plan was invincible. It was considered the best blessing of the Underworld!

If they did that earlier, the Underworld would not end up so tragic even after the big tribulation.

'Is this the power of a Saint? He simply thought of a plan that could create a new era!'

'So exceedingly powerful!'

Li Nianfan smirked. The creation of the City Castle was beneficial to him too.

He was a VIP of the Underworld. When he dies, he could ask for a job at the City Castle. The Underworld would naturally agree to give him a job, right?

Therefore, he made a nice career path for his future.

Black Impermanence saluted and said, "Mr. Li, do you have any more suggestions for the City Castle?"

Li Nianfan groaned for a moment and spoke, "I think that the City Castle can be an office at the Immortal Realm. Responsible for managing ordinary people or the recently dead. As for the evil ghosts cases, set up the City Castle Deity, the Soulbringer, the God of Daywalkers, and the God of Nightwalkers at the bottom of the City Castle. They should come with their decisions and report the cases in detail to the Underworld. The Underworld will take it from there."

"Nice. That is quite nice!" The Black and White Impermanence nodded with excitement. They could picture it.

'Awesome. The future is bright.'

'And with that, the job description is clear, everything is in order, everyone will have easier tasks, and we will no longer be understaffed. It's all good. Absolutely perfect.'

They would have bowed at Li Nianfan if they forgot about the role that he was cosplaying. After all...it was the advice of a Saint!

Black Impermanence said with a straight face, "Your words are our breakthroughs, Mr. Li. If you ever need anything, the Underworld will be glad to help!"

Li Nianfan hesitated and said, "I do have something to ask."

White Impermanence gestured with a wave and said generously, "Feel free to ask, Mr. Li."

Mr. Li asked, "If an ordinary man has no Spiritual Root, are there any methods to cultivate? Can he cultivate with his soul?"

"This..." Black Impermanence was stumped. He shook his head and said, "Men are different from ghosts. Soul cultivation is another variation of reincarnation. The purpose is to gain new flesh. Ordinary people cannot cultivate with their souls."

"Oh." Li Nianfan disappointingly shook his head.

He could not kill himself to cultivate as a ghost. Wait, actually, he could, but...never mind.

Suddenly, White Impermanence said, "Mr. Li, there is a way. You can cultivate with your flesh."

Li Nianfan jolted!

'Why didn't I think of something so simple?'

White Impermanence noticed that Li Nianfan looked happy, he hurriedly added, "The Underworld has a flesh cultivation method. I'll go get it for you, Mr. Li."

"Really? Thanks!" Li Nianfan did not reject his offer. He could not wait.

Black and White Impermanence looked at each other. They did not dare to delay. They immediately said, "Yeah. Please wait for a while, Mr. Li. We'll be back as soon as we can."

Then, they flew out.

Dragon asked curiously, "Brother, you don't want to be an ordinary man anymore?"

Li Nianfan replied, "Being an ordinary man is indeed nice, but it is inconvenient. I don't wish for much, I don't need to be all that, I don't need to be powerful. I want to fly and be able to protect myself so I don't be a burden to others."

He was surrounded by Immortals while he was just an ordinary man. Although they did not mind it, Li Nianfan secretly did. He did not show it but he cared. Especially when Daji went off to cultivate.

Blackie nodded and noted that. It seemed like his Master was tired of playing the ordinary man, he was ready to switch it up.

At the Underworld, the Black and White Impermanence were rushing.

Usually, they would not simply trespass the area of the Houtu Empress. However, the Houtu Empress once said that anything related to the expert, even the small details, could be reported anytime.

Especially when the incident was...way important!

"Black and White Impermanence request to meet Popo!"

"Back? How's everything?"

The hunched Meng Po slowly stirred a pot of hot soup.

Black Impermanence immediately replied, "Popo, we got into trouble this time. Thankfully, the expert helped us to get through it."

Meng Po stopped stirring. She asked in a shocked voice, "The expert is involved?"

White Impermanence said, "Not only that. The expert also gave us advice. We can change the fate of the Underworld!"

Meng Po was intrigued. She could not wait to hear it, "Really? Tell me."

Black Impermanence said, "It's a long story. We don't have time to explain. The expert wants to learn flesh cultivation. We are here to ask for it."

"Flesh cultivation? Why would the expert want that?"

Meng Po frowned and asked, "He wants to cultivate flesh at his level?"

She shook her head and said without hesitation, "But since it's what the expert wishes, we should not delay it. Go immediately."

She took out a small cowhide brochure. It looked extremely antique as it gleamed.

"Father's mastery. It's our greatest gift for him."

Black Impermanence very carefully accepted the brochure from Meng Po. "I shall give the mastery to the expert. White, stay here and tell Popo what happened."

White Impermanence nodded. "Okay!"

Black Impermanence took the brochure and flew back to Sapphire City as fast as he could. He appeared in the lobby again. "Mr. Li, here's the mastery."

"Thank you so much."

Li Nianfan felt his heart thumping. He took the brochure and immediately read it.

He was electrified. His heart was thumping.

The answer for cultivation was right in front of him.

Too many things happened that day. Firstly, he re-evaluated the era he was in. He was living in the realm of the post-Journey to the West world. The Immortal Realm was going downhill. However, finding out where he was at was precisely why he wanted to be a cultivator more than ever.

After all, he was living in a fantasy realm. Since he was already here, why would he not try the legendary experiences?

Moreover, he seemed to have found a way to be a cultivator!

Blackie slowly stood up while Li Nianfan was reading. Its fur stopped flowing in the wind. It looked serious.

Dragon and Nana also looked at Li Nianfan with seriousness.

Black Impermanence and the nearby Onis all jolted. They kept getting uncontrollable goosebumps.

They all had a feeling that later...something bad would happen!

Then, the sky suddenly turned gloomy. It was as if everything stopped in place.

Streaks of golden light shone from all directions. It was an ocean of golden light in the blink of an eye.

Everyone drowned in the golden light. They felt like they could not breathe. They could not move at all. The blinding golden light hurt their eyes.

"Deluxe Merit. That is the Deluxe Merit!"

Black Impermanence almost popped his eyes out of his skull. He stared dead at Li Nianfan while he screams internally.

"How much Deluxe Merit did he have?! Did he attract all the Deluxe Merit of the entire realm?!"

He could not believe his eyes. He could not accept the truth.

'That was the Deluxe Merit. Even Saints cared about Deluxe Merit!'

He could tell the Deluxe Merit was not given. It was forcefully taken by Li Nianfan. It was crazy!

It was incredible, unimaginable!

The Deluxe Merit circled Li Nianfan like rivers returning to the ocean. They merged with his body and wrapped him up. His Deluxe Merit was too much. It was overflowing.

A sea of golden light was formed with Li Nianfan as the center. It was infinitely powerful.

Blackie looked like it realized something. It used telepathy to communicate with the horrified Black Impermanence, "My Master said that he did not need to be powerful. He only wants to fly and be able to protect himself."

Black Impermanence trembled hard. He almost passed away on the spot.

'True. Deluxe Merit was indeed not harmful, it has no attack properties. However, you call that ability for self-defense?'

'But of course. So much Deluxe Merit wrapped him up. No one in the realm could hurt the expert.'

Even Saints would respectfully call him the Lord of Deluxe Merit. Nobody would dare to talk behind his back.

Li Nianfan thought it was odd.

The mastery had nine levels. He initially wanted to try it. He wanted to see if he could achieve it.

Then, something weird happened... First level, second level, third level...

He somehow finished the nine levels.

'Maybe it's a fake mastery?'

'Or is my golden touch activated?'

Chapter 324

Li Nianfan was riled up and excited.

That was the flesh cultivation mastery of the Underworld. It would not be lousy no matter what. 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝒓𝙚𝒂𝓭.𝓬𝒐𝓶

The so-called nine levels of mastery were finished in one go. 'Am I going to immortalize during the daytime?'

He opened his eyes.

He was astounded at the sight.

Infinite golden light surrounded him. The golden light was lively and peaceful. They protected him.

'This...'

'It is confirmed. My golden touch did the trick!'

His heart jolted. He could control himself.

However, the golden light was too blinding. He would be too flashy to be surrounded by such an odd accessory. He was not used to it.

The endless golden light disappeared as soon as he thought about that.

'Very thoughtful!'

Li Nianfan laughed and looked at everyone in the lobby.

Blackie acted as if nothing happened. It poked out its tongue and laid on the floor looking innocent.

'This silly dog. It probably didn't sense anything since it's a dog.'

Li Nianfan looked at Black Impermanence and was instantly frightened.

He realized his eyes had popped out of his sockets. It rolled on the floor. His eyes were hollow circles like he just saw a ghost.

Li Nianfan laughed.

'Ha, you must be shocked by my golden touch.'

He did not want to brag or anything. He just wanted to confirm it so he said, "Sire, I seem to have achieved the flesh cultivation."

Black Impermanence snapped out of it.

He hurriedly picked up his eyes on the floor and pushed them back into his sockets. He mumbled, "Yeah... Yeah. Mr. Li is truly... talented. You are beyond imaginable. So impressive."

"But, I don't think I feel any different. What level is this mastery?" Li Nianfan frowned. He looked outside and saw a rock. He air-punched it.

Splash!

The golden light attacked the big rock like an ocean, it wrapped up the big rock and then slapped on it.

The effects were very cool, it seemed powerful.

However... that rock did not budge at all.

Li Nianfan was highly disappointed.

At that moment, he had a very deep understanding of the phrase, poisoned chalice.

'Perhaps the light is used to blind the enemies?'

He asked, "Sire, what's going on?"

"Mr. Li, the level of this mastery is... very, very high."

Black Impermanence tried very hard to form his sentence. Then, he said, "It's just that your cultivation method is slightly unique, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan raised his eyebrows, he asked uncomfortably, "Something went wrong?"

Black Impermanence hurriedly shook his head, "No problems. It's just that you cultivated the Deluxe Merit Flesh. Deluxe Merit has no attacks."

'Deluxe Merit?'

Li Nianfan fell into deep thought. He was naturally familiar with the phrase.

Even Saints would fight for Deluxe Merit. The Nuwa mended the sky, concocted a man out of clay, and created a religion to gain Deluxe Merit. It was to become a Saint.

Since he transmigrated to the legendary fantasy realm, he would not be wrong about it.

'Deluxe Merit became my golden touch?'

'No wonder the Black Impermanence was so shocked.'

'Deluxe Merit Flesh...'

Li Nianfan looked at his arm and pinched it.

'Yeah, still soft. I don't feel anything. Maybe I can't tell?'

He looked at Black Impermanence and said, "Sire, how about... you try pinching me?"

"Gasp—"

Black Impermanence went pale with his dark face. He gasped, rolled, and crawled away. His high hat dropped on the ground.

He looked troubled. He quivered and said, "Mr... Mr. Li, stop joking around. How would I dare to touch your body? If I mess up one of your body hair, that would be beneficial to me. It will be enough to make my life a living hell."

"I see."

Li Nianfan laughed. He was overjoyed. In the end, he did not hold it in, he burst out laughing.

'Invincible. I am invincible!'

Although he could not hurt others, others could not hurt him either. He was a Deluxe Merit Saint. That was a very cool title, he could talk to the Immortals as equals. Immortals would not dare to offend him.

Therefore, he could travel around the world fearlessly.

Li Nianfan double-confirmed, "Sire, is my Deluxe Merit enough to prevent anyone from harming me?"

'What do you mean enough? It is more than plenty.'

Black Impermanence forced a difficult smile. He said, "Unless they are crazy, no one would dare touch you, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan highlighted an important word in his sentence.

'Crazy.'

'Of course. I might have a Deluxe Merit Flesh. However, I have nothing else. It seemed unstable.'

If he ran into an idiot, said idiot could easily die with him.

'Don't be too arrogant. Be friendly, make more friends."

Li Nianfan reminded himself.

He suddenly recalled something very important. He mumbled, "Can I fly?"

He gave it a thought.

Endless Deluxe Merit Golden Light started to form into a cloud underneath his feet. It slowly lifted him.

The cloud was different from the other clouds. It was golden and blinding as if it was a small sun. It was definitely cool and unique.

Li Nianfan stumbled at first. He soon learned how to balance his body. He smiled widely.

He was riding on a cloud, a golden cloud.

'Awesome!'

'I can finally fly.'

He once again could not hold it in, he laughed, "Nice, it's nice! Haha..."

Blackie excitedly looked at Li Nianfan. Blackie also laughed.

It seemed like the Master was very satisfied with his new settings. He was tired of playing the ordinary man and had newfound entertainment. Blackie was very glad.

It was worried that the Master would lose interest.

After all, it was very hard to find a good toy that could satisfy the Master.

Metaphorically speaking, when a kid had a new toy, they could play with it happily. However, if they were bored with the toy, they would simply crush it.

His Master was the same case.

Once the Master was bored, he would want to play as an invincible God. He could sneeze and destroy most of the realm.

Li Nianfan gave the brochure back to Black Impermanence, "Sire, thank you so much."

Black Impermanence hurriedly said in a frightful voice, "You're welcome, Mr. Li. You helped the Underworld more than we did."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Haha, we help each other. We help each other."

He felt confident enough to talk to anyone as equals. He did not need to be careful and nervous anymore. He felt much more casual.

"Sire, I should try flying outside."

Li Nianfan rode on his cloud and swooshed outside.

He rode on his golden cloud like he was surfing. His hair and clothes blew in the wind.

Li Nianfan started to understand how the Immortals felt. He was considering changing an outfit to look cooler too.

He suddenly had an idea. His golden light appeared again and surrounded him. Soon, it formed into a super luxurious Lamborghini race car.

Li Nianfan held the steering wheel and drove on air.

'Only me, the Li fella can drive a race car on air.'

The Deluxe Merit Golden Light was fast. Its speed was up there with the Immortals, maybe even faster.

Those Onis in Sapphire City looked up with curiosity. They were astounded.

"Look, gold cloud. Why is there a golden cloud? Awesome, so magnificent."

"Hey, yo, the cloud changed. What is that? So cool. Is it an Immortal Item?"

"That is so freaking cool. I have never seen anything as cool as that. It must be a flying and defense combination Immortal Item."

"I'm envious."

Black Impermanence ran out and yelled, "Shut up! Bunch of hillbillies. Stop being shocked at everything, don't disturb the expert! Look at you all, your eyes are all popped out of your sockets. Where are all your manners?!"

He scolded them. Then, he composed himself and quickly flew to the Underworld.

At the Underworld.

Meng Po was carefully listening to the reports of White Impermanence. Her face was wrinkled but it got more wrinkled as she frowned.

The interruption of the Asura Body was such a close call. The dog of the expert swooped down like a hero and easily saved them from danger.

The expert saved the Underworld again!

However, it was just the appetizer of the story. When Meng Po heard about the City Castle, her hunched body straightened up as she gasped.

"Gasp—"

Chapter 325

"Such a great plan, such a powerful strategy!"

Meng Po sighed. Even at her level, she was very astounded.

She knew far better than others. She had a greater vision.

In eldritch eras, why would Saints create religions? Why would she sacrifice mortality to work for reincarnation? What was it all for except to gain Deluxe Merit?

If the Underworld set up the City Castle. The terrifying impression of the Underworld would be changed.

People were used to being afraid of the Underworld. They were scared of the Onis.

Once the City Castile was built, they would be able to be more in touch with the ordinary people. Ordinary people would like them better. They could gain Deluxe Merit at the same time!

'Scary!'

'Terrifying!'

'Multiple benefits that could change the whole scenario!'

Too bad the Underworld had ended up badly. If they knew about the plan earlier, they would not be so helpless after the big tribulation. 𝓁𝘪𝘣𝘳ℯ𝒶𝘥.𝘤𝑜𝓂

'Take it slow. Since the expert provided us with the plan, we shall take it slow. Careful planning. We will rise sooner or later!"

Meng Po sighed, "The expert is unbelievably nice to the Underworld! We can't repay our gratitude."

She was a reincarnation of a Saint. If she said that, it meant that the plan was truly impressive.

"Popo, Popo!"

Suddenly, Black Impermanence ran over. His voice was anxious and shaking.

"So nervous, where are your manners?!"

Meng Po frowned, "Aren't you with the expert? Why did you run here? It is rude to leave the expert alone!"

Black Impermanence passed the brochure over, "The expert wants me to give this back."

"The expert is not satisfied with the mastery?" Meng Po was surprised. She slightly panicked because it meant that the Underworld was not good enough.

"No, the expert has already finished learning it."

"Fin... Finished? Are you sure?" Meng Po was dumbfounded.

That was the mastery of her Father. It was not a lousy mastery that omitted most of the techniques. It was a legit mastery. Even her ancestors had not perfect all of it. How did the expert finish it in the blink of an eye?

Mastery was all about improving and learning with each stage or level. 'Not even Saints can learn it all in one go. What do you think this is?'

Meng Po would have thought Black Impermanence was pranking her but she knew him well.

"Popo, the expert really finished it. He also cultivated the Deluxe Merit Flesh!"

Black Impermanence looked horrified. He took a deep breath and gulped. Then, he said with extreme respect, "The expert said... said he did not want to be an ordinary man anymore. He wants to fly and be able to protect himself. That's why he cultivates. Then, he, he... he just fully learned the cultivation and became a Deluxe Merit Saint."

'Deluxe Merit Saint?'

'For a bit of self-defense?'

Meng Po thought something was wrong with her ears.

'Just because he wanted to fly and not be harmed, he chose to become a Deluxe Merit Saint? That... is so heart-aching!'

She would not dare to dream of something like that!

'Moreover, Father's mastery can cultivate Deluxe Merit Flesh? Why didn't I know about that?"

Meng Po asked in a monotone voice, "How much Deluxe Merit do you need to become a Deluxe Merit Saint?"

"I don't know. But apparently, a lot. The expert could not hold it in either. It was overflowing like an ocean, circling him, and it is wavy too," said the Black Impermanence while using outrageous gestures.

"Tap."

Meng Po stumbled.

She tilted her head to wipe the tears off the corner of her eye.

She cried from heartache.

Back in her days, Saints used and manipulated each other to fight for a bit of Deluxe Merit.

She sacrificed her mortality for Deluxe Merit and gained only a tiny amount. She thought it was precious too.

However, the expert was overflowing with Deluxe Merit just because he wanted to have some self-defense. The difference was unimaginable.

'He was bored with being an ordinary man so he switched it up to become the Deluxe Merit Saint. Alright, it seems like the bigshot can do whatever he wants.'

Meng Po took a deep breath and said with respect, "The state of the expert is unimaginably powerful! The Saints could not stop him. I think he is unstoppable. No wonder he can simply come up with the City Castle plan."

There were two types of Merit in the realm. One was the Deluxe Merit. You would gain Deluxe Merit when you did something incredible that affected the fate of the realm. For example, when Goddess Nuwa mended the sky.

Another type was the Faith Merit. The Faith Merit was earned from sincere worship by the public. Faith Merit was not as powerful as Deluxe Merit, but it was still precious.

Of course, the two types of Merit did not apply to the expert. He simply took the Deluxe Merit like it was a toy.

Black and White Impermanence were slightly disoriented. They wanted to cry. They said in a trembling voice, "Popo, the expert is too scary!"

"Careful with your words!"

Meng Po glared at them and yelled, "It's not scary. It's respectable, respectable. Respectable like looking up to a mountain. You can look but you can never reach it."

Black and White Impermanence quickly nodded, "Yes, Popo. You are right. We are wrong."

"Meeting the expert is the biggest breakthrough of your lives. You must remember to watch your words and actions!"

Meng Po warned them. Then, she sighed softly and said, "If I can leave the Underworld, I would go visit him for sure."

"Don't worry, Popo. We got this."

"Alright, go. Don't let the expert wait. Oh, yeah, regarding the Death Note, it's related to the uprising of the Underworld. Don't mess it up."

Black and White Impermanence nodded with seriousness. Then, they said, "Popo, we will be going now."

"Go."

...

At the Immortal Realm.

Li Nianfan was having a ride in his gold race car, it was a blast.

Then, he parked his car in mid-air. He took out 'Bootlicker's Guide to the Immortal Realm' and analyzed it in his race car.

He had come so far as an ordinary man. Things were about to change. He needed to re-evaluate his strategy.

He had the Deluxe Merit Flesh. It heightened his status and he was much safer. As long as he did not run into a maniac, he would probably be fine. However, to be safe, he should befriend as many bigshots as he could.

Living was not an issue. He should be thinking about his afterlife.

Firstly, he was unsure whether he could improve as a Deluxe Merit Saint. Secondly, if he ran into a maniac, he would die too.

Once he was dead, only the Underworld could help him out. Therefore, he had to bond with the Underworld for death conveniences.

He roughly came up with a few plans and added the new bigshots to his 'List of Big Shots'.

All was well. Li Nianfan returned to Sapphire City.

Black and White Impermanence immediately welcome Li Nianfan when they saw that he had returned. They greeted in a friendly manner, "Mr. Li."

"Sires, are you guys about to leave?" Li Nianfan glanced at the Onis that were busily packing.

"Yeah, Mr. Li."

White Impermanence nodded and said, "The Underworld was reborn. A lot of related treasures resurfaced too. There is a crucial treasure that we need to fight for."

Li Nianfan recalled the information he heard on the way. He asked curiously, "Is it a book?"

"Exactly!" The Black and White Impermanence nodded, "This book is what made the Underworld. It is the book of life and death, the Death Note!"

"Death Note?"

Li Nianfan was stunned. He was more than familiar with the Death Note. It was famous.

"The book that records death? I heard you can control deaths with that book."

White Impermanence explained, "Mr. Li, the Death Note is mainly for mortals. Once you are a cultivator, you will be less bonded to the Death Note. Higher cultivation means a lower bond with the Death Note."

"I see."

Li Nianfan nodded. Even so, it was very cool.

That was the legendary Death Note. Since he was already there, it would be a waste to not look at it. Plus, he could bond well with the Underworld along the way.

Li Nianfan was interested. He asked, "Sires, I am too curious about the Death Note. May I please come along with you?"

"Of course. If you want to, Mr. Li." Black and White Impermanence were overjoyed. It would be their honor to travel with the expert. They might get to know each other better too.

"But..."

White Impermanence groaned for a moment. He said, "Mr. Li, it's not just us that had eyes on the Death Note. The Underworld is still going through a battle, there might be a war when we get there."

"War?" Li Nianfan arched his eyebrow. He asked, "If I just watch at the side, will it be dangerous?"

Black and White Impermanence shook their heads at the same time.

White Impermanence forced a smile and said, "Mr. Li, if you are there, you won't be harmed, everyone will protect you."

'But of course. We have a Deluxe Merit bigshot next to us, we have to be careful. If the bigshot was injured, both sides of the war will pay the price.'

Metaphorically speaking, it was as if two people were fighting and a rich old man was watching at the side. One of them accidentally hurt the rich old man. The rich old man laid on the ground, about to sue them...

What an interesting scenario.

Li Nianfan lit up, "Really? So wonderful? Alright then."

To be honest, as long as he was not in danger, he loved to join the crowd.

Then, he looked at Blackie and thought to himself, "If that's the case, Blackie seems to be a burden. It can't even be cannon ash.'

'Why keep Blackie here?'

"Blackie, go back," said Li Nianfan. He hesitated, "But going back alone must be unsafe, I will be worried."

Black Impermanence instantly understood the hint. He smiled and said, "No worries, Mr. Li. I can order two Onis to escort Blackie back."

"Is it too troubling?"

Black Impermanence quickly replied, "No, not at all. It's not a big deal."

"Thanks for the trouble then."

Li Nianfan immediately placed a small parcel on Blackie. He nagged, "Blackie, the road ahead is dangerous. I didn't bring you along for your own good. There are a lot of fruits in the parcel. Go. Remember."

"Bark." Blackie rubbed its head on Li Nianfan as a goodbye.

Everyone rode on clouds to a place called the Cool Breeze Gorge.

Li Nianfan did not need help this time. He rode on his cloud, carrying Dragon and Nana as passengers. He suddenly felt proudly independent.

Especially when he heard Nanan and Dragon sincerely say, "Brother, you are so awesome." Li Nianfan was secretly pleased.

Clouds were the signs of a successful man in the Immortal Realm.

Li Nianfan followed the Black and White Impermanence. He gradually realized an issue.

His Deluxe Merit Cloud was too flashy and shiny. The clouds that the Black and White Impermanence rode on were dull in comparison.

As if a luxurious car was alongside two second-hand cars. The difference was huge.

Quality was accentuated with comparison.

Black and White Impermanence realized that too. They looked slightly uncomfortable. They felt like they were too cheap. It bruised their egos. They felt like they did not deserve to fly with the expert.

Li Nianfan felt bad. He suggested, "Sires, how about we cloudpool? My cloud is bigger anyway."

His cloud grew larger as he spoke. It became a huge golden round disk that levitated in the sky. It was blindingly golden.

Although they were mentally prepared for it, Black and White Impermanence still felt like it was hard to accept. They hesitated at his generosity, "This..."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Come on, don't be a stranger. Come on up, it's nice to sit together."

Black and White Impermanence did not dare to reject his offer. They carefully step onto the Deluxe Merit Cloud.

Even their organs were trembling when they stepped on the Deluxe Merit Cloud. They tried their best to compose themselves and control their footsteps. 'Light, be soft and light. Don't hurt the cloud.'

That was probably the most glorious moment of their lifetimes. That was the closest they had been to Deluxe Merit.

Li Nianfan waved.

Suddenly, five golden lotuses appeared on the cloud. They were temporary chairs. At the center of the chairs was a round table.

"Sit, everyone. It's quite far from our destination. It will be a boring ride, how about we drink for fun?" Li Nianfan laughed. He took out the wine gourd, "I made this wine myself. You have to try it."

The wine gourd had a purplish golden sheen on it. It looked eye-catching. Black and White Impermanence were stunned on sight.

'Purple, purple... Purple Golden Gourd?!"

They twitched. They repressed their shock with all their might.

He used the Deluxe Merit Cloud as chairs and he used the Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure as a wine bottle. The wine must be extraordinary too.

'Of course. Only these things match up with the expert. As long as we follow the expert, our expectations can always be improved.

They would probably be too smug to recognize their family members if they followed the expert.

White Impermanence suggested, "You are right, Mr. Li. The journey will be boring. We should call on a few female ghost dancers to perform for us while we drink."

Li Nianfan nodded, "Nice idea!"

Black and White Impermanence immediately moved. They handpicked the best female ghost dancers. Their expectations and requirements were high and strict. It had to be perfect.

At the same time, they chose two beautiful servants to accompany Li Nianfan. They would pour and serve him.

The two female ghosts did not dare to relax. They served carefully. They knew that it was an honor to work for the Black and White Impermanence and be able to step on a golden cloud. It was an honor to touch the Purple Golden Gourd. Even bigshots in the Above Immortal Realm did not deserve that.

Alcohol aroma filled the air once the Purple Golden Gourd was opened.

The two servants had no right to taste it. However, the aroma gave them a breakthrough in their souls.

They were instantly energetic. They worked harder to serve them well.

It was an opportunity of their lifetimes to be able to serve a magnificent character like that and be so close to him.

Chapter 326

The golden cloud was flashy. It blinded a lot of people on the way there. A lot of people thought it was a blessing from the Gods, they knelt and worshiped on the spot.

Dark clouds followed the golden cloud. It was eerie. A lot of Onis guarded around them.

The journey was smooth and peaceful.

The Deluxe Merit Cloud had a stage on it when Li Nianfan manipulated it. The female ghost dancers performed for everyone. The performance was not magnificent but it was quite entertaining.

Li Nianfan and the others chatted, drank wine, and enjoyed the performance.

Previously, he could not cultivate so he did not want to hear about cultivation. He did not know a lot about being a cultivator. That was the time for him to learn and study.

Black and White Impermanence were almost as old as the Underworld. They would only speak on things they knew and they knew a lot.

Li Nianfan was indeed living in his familiar fantasy realm. All the famous characters existed. Li Nianfan was at the peak of excitement. He might be able to meet some of them.

Something happened after Journey to the West ended, Li Nianfan did not know about it.

The original ending was the Buddha being forced to reincarnate, Wukong sacrificed himself, and Buddhism suffered. However, they had a chance to start over again because Buddhism was all about karma.

Reincarnation was a good ending.

However, White Impermanence sighed and said, "Initially, we all thought Buddhism will make it through, that it was just a test. We stood by and watched."

"Yeah, after their journey to the West, Buddhism was more successful than ever. We all thought Buddhism facing a challenge would be fun to watch."

Black Impermanence nodded. Then, he said, "Who knew that when Buddha reincarnated for the ninth time, which was the final reincarnation before Buddha returned, the Demons rose up again. They completely wiped out Buddhism. The entire religion was eliminated."

Nanan and Dragon exclaimed, "How did that happen? Isn't Buddhism very powerful?"

"A black-robed cultivator attacked." White Impermanence looked extremely terrified. He lowered his voice, "He had a black spear in his hand. He is too powerful. He wiped out Buddhism with clean attacks. Everyone was shocked and frightened."

'Black-robed cultivator?'

'Must be the biggest boss of the Demons.'

'But... who is he?'

Li Nianfan frowned and thought about it. He recalled all the incidents but he had no accurate guesses of who it might be. He loved legendary stories, but they were just stories, he was not that knowledgeable of the side stories.

He hinted at Black and White Impermanence to continue.

After Buddhism was wiped out, the Demons were restless. They were riled up, starting to cause chaos on the land. The black-robed cultivator was ruthless. Everyone had to team up and work together.

The Demons were defeated. The Zixiao Palace Door was suddenly opened by an ancestor, a lot of Saints and powerful cultivators were summoned and gathered there.

No one knew what they discussed. They only knew that everyone looked disturbed and worried. They went to their retreats after that meeting.

"Then, came the big tribulation. That was chaotic. Immortal Beasts, Humans, Demons, and Saints were all affected. No one was safe. They were fighting with other species and among themselves. A lot of internal conflicts. As for the specific reasons why, I don't really know."

"As time went on, the world became like this. Realms were split up. The era right now is called the Absolute Era."

Li Nianfan nodded and organized his information. The so-called 'ancestor' was clearly Hongjun Laozu without a doubt.

He did not care about anything else, he only wanted to know one thing. 'Is my Deluxe Merit Flesh useful in a big tribulation? It is too scary. I don't ask for much, I just want to be safe.'

Black and White Impermanence finally took their glasses to drink the wine. Then, they smacked their lips. They looked like they fully enjoyed it.

'Argh~ Good wine, delicious, awesome!'

They lived for so long, they agreed that was the best wine they ever had!

A glass of wine was equivalent to years of hard cultivation. Hard cultivation for hundreds of years and living for hundreds of years were two different things. A glass of wine was equivalent to a breakthrough!

They drank five glasses already. That was five hundred years' worth of hard cultivation!

Li Nianfan waved at the servants next to him, "Pour for the Sires."

Black and White Impermanence was slightly embarrassed. They hurriedly said, "Thanks, Mr. Li. You are too generous."

'Boohoo, the expert blessed us with breakthroughs just because he is happy. He is too nice to us.'

...

Meanwhile,

Blackie was on the way home.

Blackie naturally did not need the Onis to escort. Blackie sent the Onis away with a gaze.

It did not rush to go back. Blackie played and enjoyed the view on the way back. It was a carefree dog.

Danger naturally did not exist for Blackie. It leisurely went to the Ganlong Immortal Dynasty.

A Green Fur Lion slowly passed by in the sky while stepping on clouds.

Its eyes were wide and round like coins. It had thick fur. It seemed to be talking to itself.

"Who is it exactly that is worth the Master to ask for a peace treaty? Master also gave away a jar of Immortal Wine. I feel like the Master made a big deal out of nothing."

"We are in the Absolute Era, who else could be that powerful? If he isn't extraordinary, I will simply eat him to help the Master!"

"Sheesh, I should drink the wine instead."

It talked to itself and chuckled. It slapped on the jar of wine to remove the lid. Then, it chugged the wine.

"Burp~ Nice! Such a beautiful wine. How can I give it to an outsider? Hehe..."

The giant lion blushed while it smacked its lips. It stumbled and started walking drunkenly.

It looked down while being drunk.

It saw the black dog.

The black dog was doing an elegant catwalk with its head up high. It jogged and leaped. Anyone could feel its happiness.

It was innocent and free.

What a happy black dog.

The Green Fur Lion was obsessed. It even started to tear up uncontrollably.

Its mind went off somewhere far away.

It had a flashback to when it was a little lion cub.

At that time, it did not know how to cultivate, it did not know how to do anything. It ate, slept, and woke up every day. It was carefree. A very happy time for the lion.

Everything changed when it became a cultivator.

It sighed and said, "Sigh, my happiest days. Days when I have no cultivation. Truthfully, I am not even that interested in cultivation."

Blackie wagged its body and out flew an orange from the parcel. The orange made a perfect curve when it was tossed into the sky. Blackie chomped it with a 'squish'.

Orange juice splashed everywhere. It was delicious.

Blackie jumped around with joy.

Green Fur Lion was inspired, "Look at that. The dog was happy because it just ate an orange. Happiness in simplicity. I am far beyond the simple joys in life."

It felt like it learned something. The lion was about to leave.

Then, it returned with 'swoosh'. It shook its head because something felt off.

Its coin-like eyes almost popped out of its skull. The lion rubbed its eyes with its paw and stared at the dog again!

"Yikes—"

'Spiritual Fruit!'

'That orange is a Spiritual Fruit!'

'How did a Spiritual Fruit appear in the Immortal Realm?'

It did not have time to think about anything else, especially when Blackie tossed another apple in the air. Its smooth lion fur stood on end. The lion had a twisted facial expression.

The lion felt like the dog was eating its flesh instead of an apple!

'This lucky dog! How did it deserve to eat Spiritual Fruit?'

It immediately swooped down from the sky and landed behind Blackie. The lion was going to take a closer look.

'Score. This lion is about to score!'

It reached out. It was about to have the Spiritual Fruit.

The black dog suddenly kicked with its hind paw.

"Bam!"

Green Fur Lion flew back and tumbled. Its round eyes were filled with confusion.

It fell ungracefully to the ground with a 'splat'.

'I seem to be kicked away by that dog?'

It sobered up and slapped itself on the head.

'Must be a hallucination.'

'It's just a dog. How can it kick me away?'

It stared at the parcel again and smirked. The lion tried to pounce on the dog again.

It instigated, "Dog, come on. Kick me if you can!"

Blackie leisurely turned around.

"Slap slap!"

The dog paws were as quick as the wind. It slapped the lion from left to right without a trace on sight.

Green Fur Lion became a punching bag for Blackie. It felt dizzy and could not differentiate directions. Its head was hurting. The lion lost the ability to think.

"Where did this kitty cat come from? How dare you disturb my good mood?" Blackie stopped.

Green Fur Lion had its tongue out while it laid on the ground unconscious. The lion rolled its eyes and chuckled like a deranged person, it seemed like it was wasted.

"Whatever. I'm near home anyway. This will be my add-on meal."

Blackie simply carried the Green Fur Lion and continued with its runway-walk, "Xiaobai, start the fire. Please help me make a Braised Meat Ball."

Chapter 327

A day passed.

It was early in the morning.

Li Nianfan woke up early. He looked at the sunrise on the horizon.

White Impermanence immediately floated over and pointed in a direction. He smiled and said, "Mr. Li, we will soon arrive at the Cool Breeze Gorge."

He looked over where he pointed. It was right where the sunrise was at.

A red sun hung there. There was a hazy canyon in front of the red sun.

The canyon was split in half into a gorge. The center of the sun was aligned with the middle of the gorge. There were a lot of halos caused by the sun. It looked majestic.

The daybreak sunlight was not blinding. It was mellow and soft.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "What a nice coincidence, this majestic view is worth the trip."

The sunrise view was sufficient to make the place a tourist attraction spot.

White Impermanence hurriedly went along with him, "You are right, Mr. Li. Look at that sun, it is so round and big. Beautiful, what a beautiful sight!"

Li Nianfan felt inspired, "When the clear sun shines, the clouds move aside by themselves."

"Good poem. What a nice poem! Mr. Li, you are truly talented. Look at that long and wide gorge, that..."

Black Impermanence also nodded. He was ready to go along with it but he was not talented. He could have come up with a short poem, it might impress the expert.

However, he was stumped mid-sentence. Then, he blinked and stared at the horizon for a while. He yelled anxiously, "White, look over there. Are they fighting over there?"

Everyone hurriedly looked over.

Figures were moving under the sunlight.

Li Nianfan tried his best to look at it but all he could see were moving figures. He could not focus with the sun halos.

He looked at everyone around him and realized they were shocked.

It seemed like he had to prepare a pair of binoculars next time.

The others already cast Zoom Spell to watch. They looked serious.

"They are fighting! It's General of the Bloody Sea and the others!"

"The opponent is Shura Ghost General. That fella betrayed the Underworld!"

"Things do not look good. Quick, hurry, speed up, speed up!"

Black and White Impermanence were worried. Everyone went over there as fast as they could.

Li Nianfan finally saw what was happening as they got closer. He saw... two figures.

They stood on both ends of the gorge. It was clear which side they were on.

Li Nianfan suddenly realized something. He asked, "Betrayed the Underworld?"

"Mr. Li, look over there. That guy with the blood-red cape is our Underworld's General of the Bloody Sea. He is responsible for managing the bloody sea. Look over there, the guy with the black armor. That's Shura Ghost General. He is responsible for managing Hell," said White Impermanence while he pointed.

'Sorry, can't see them. But I can imagine.'

Li Nianfan pretends like he knew what was going on. He nodded and asked, "Shura Ghost General betrayed the Underworld?"

"Sigh, the bane of the Underworld."

Black Impermanence sighed. He shook his head and said, "We are not sure why, but we knew that he stopped listening to orders all of a sudden. He sneaked into the Immortal Realm when it was chaotic at the bloody sea. We finally ran into him."

Everyone continued onwards. Tension started to fill the air.

Li Nianfan did not expect to run into a climactic incident when he just got there. He was nervous but at the same time, he was kind of excited.

At the Cool Breeze Gorge.

Figures flew around in the air. Crossing each other with a deadly aura in the air. There was a huge amount of Onis and weird-looking ghosts. It seemed very non-human.

The deep gorge was not a threat to them because they were all floating.

At the center of the battlefield, the General of the Bloody Sea held a Bloody Spear. He was battling Shura Ghost General.

Shura Ghost General had a long black whip as his weapon. It was like a venomous snake. It could elongate and retract on will. It was also surrounded by a hazy black mist. The whip was hard to avoid.

The General of the Bloody Sea had red sparks in his eyes. His Bloody Spear attacks were quick and violent. He stared straight at Shura Ghost General. He asked, "Shura, why? Didn't you say that we are going to protect the Underworld together?"

Shura Ghost General replied in a cold voice, "The Underworld is gone. There is nothing worth protecting now."

The General of the Bloody Sea said with agony, "We can rebuild what's gone. What is the reason for your depravity?!"

Shura Ghost General laughed. He sneered, "Rebuild the Underworld? Why don't I build a new Ghost Realm that belongs to me? The new era is an opportunity. You and me. Let's work together, we can rule the Ghost Realm and the Immortal Realm. How about that?"

"You. You!"

The General of the Bloody Sea looked at Shura Ghost General with disbelief. He said in a pained voice, "You're not like this in the past."

He lost focus for a moment. At that moment, the whip attacked like a snake. It was too sudden. It whipped his chest with a 'slap'.

"Hmph!"

The General of the Bloody Sea groaned. He quickly moved back. A whip wound appeared on his chest. His soul was injured. Black flames were burning on his chest.

The General of the Bloody Sea looked at his wound and felt deep pain. His body was in pain, his heart was more pained.

That was the Soul Whip. It was used to attack ghosts and evil souls in Hell. He was attacked by the whip.

The red sun was in the background. He instantly felt miserable.

"You are not going to win," said the Shura Ghost General. He proudly levitated in mid-air with a lot of ghosts behind him, "I manage Hell. I can easily control the evil ghosts. I only want the Death Note. I can spare your life this time."

The General of the Bloody Sea wiped his Bloody Spear and yelled coldly, "Dream on!"

"Then I can only say sorry about it."

Shura Ghost General sounded emotionless. He moved aside and growled, "Attack!"

A buff, huge, fat, and extremely ugly evil ghost stepped out from behind.

The evil ghost looked like a toad but it only had one eye at the center of his forehead. It was covered in warts.

A huge mouth under its eye. The mouth was puffed up.

It kept expanding like a balloon. A terrifying aura emitted from its body.

The General of the Bloody Sea looked frantic. He hurriedly yelled, "Watch out, everyone! It's the Soul Shattering Wind! Pull your soul together, don't be blown out by the wind!"

The Onis were not ready for that. They instantly freaked out.

Shura Ghost General stood by and watched calmly. Suddenly, he arched his eyebrow and looked over the horizon.

Countless clouds were incoming.

Among the clouds, the golden cloud was eye-catching. It was huge. Even during the daytime, it was blinding.

His apathetic attitude changed when he saw the golden cloud. He even rubbed his eyes, he thought he was hallucinating.

'Is that...Deluxe Merit Cloud?'

'What's going on?'

'How did a Deluxe Merit Cloud be among all those clouds? And it is a huge Deluxe Merit Cloud.'

'It is too fake.' 𝓵𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙚𝒂𝙙.𝓬𝒐𝒎

The evil ghost had expanded to its maximum capacity. Shura Ghost General felt his heart thumping like crazy. It sent a shiver down his spine.

He screamed without hesitation, "Stop. Stop it immediately!"

However, it was too late.

"Whoosh—"

"Fume!"

The evil ghost opened its mouth. The endless ghastly wind blew out. The canyon on the opposite side was moved back. It did not crumble because it was blown to ashes.

The wind was black and powerful like an angry dragon. It formed into a black tornado. It was extremely horrifying.

The Onis tried their best to resist it.

The black wind was irresistibly powerful. It even spread to Li Nianfan.

"Be careful, Mr. Li."

Black and White Impermanence hurriedly raised their hands and blocked the wind. Dragon and Nana immediately cast spells to shield out the black wind.

Li Nianfan looked at the dark tornado and exclaimed, "What a scary black wind."

"Yikes— It... It's over."

Shura Ghost General was petrified. He stumbled back and cowered.

A minion next to him hurriedly asked, "Sire, what happened?"

Shura Ghost General said in a troubled voice, "Something bad happened. That fella blew the wind to that Deluxe Merit Cloud."

The minion looked at the Deluxe Merit Cloud and exhaled, "Sire, thankfully, the Deluxe Merit Cloud was shielded. It was protected."

"Are you blind?! What do you mean it was protected? Didn't you see? His hair was messy from the wind. This is bad!"

Shura Ghost General was smart. He knew the evil ghost had no chance of surviving. He immediately made the decision, "Everyone, backup. Back up from that evil ghost. Quick!"

He was the first one to back up.

The evil ghost looked lost. It's only eye was filled with confusion. It did not know what happened yet.

Then, a thick bolt of purple lightning struck down from above. It exploded when it struck with a loud boom.

The electricity spread. Those ghosts that were near that evil ghost instantly vanished into nothing.

The black wind abruptly stopped. Everyone stood there dumbfounded. They looked shocked and terrified. The scene fell into silence.

They all looked at the slowly incoming golden cloud at the same time. They cringed and did not dare to breathe. They were scared that they might breathe too hard on the Deluxe Merit Cloud and then be struck to death by a misunderstanding.

Li Nianfan also jumped. He exclaimed, "What a scary bolt of lightning! What was that? Who cast that spell?"

"Mr... Mr. Li."

White Impermanence gulped and forced a smile. He said softly, "That evil ghost did not hurt you from its attack, but it did touch you. It is considered an attack so it was struck to death. A fair death."

"I caused the lightning?"

Li Nianfan was baffled. It was his first time witnessing the power of his Deluxe Merit Flesh. He was pleasantly surprised, "I'm that powerful?"

'Bigshot, please have some self-awareness. You are not just powerful, you are super-duper incredibly powerful, alright?'

Black Impermanence coughed softly. He said in a quivering voice, "Indeed powerful."

That was their first time witnessing the greatness of a Deluxe Merit Saint too.

Li Nianfan should not be described as having a Deluxe Merit Flesh. He was totally the Lord of Deluxe Merit!

In conclusion, the evil ghost died for good reason.

Li Nianfan gasped. He was also shocked. 'My golden touch... is super scary!'

'I should've known. Since I transmigrated, how would I only be given a useless System? My real power is my flesh.'

He instantly felt pleased when he noticed everyone was looking at him with respect. He smiled and waved, "Cultivators, don't worry. As long as you don't hurt me, I cannot hurt you either. Don't panic. Don't panic."

"Tap-tap."

Everyone near him unconsciously stepped back and kept a safe distance.

"Fine. Continue. Ignore me." Li Nianfan rode on his golden cloud with Dragon and Nana, he flew to the side.

The General of the Bloody Sea looked serious. He looked at the Black and White Impermanence with shock. He said, "Impermanence, that is..."

White Impermanence lowered his voice and said, "He is Mr. Li!"

The General of the Bloody Sea was once again shocked. He asked in a puzzled voice, "Didn't you say he wants to be an ordinary man? How did he become the Deluxe Merit Saint?"

White Impermanence opened his mouth, "You are outdated. He is bored with being an ordinary man. So, he became the Deluxe Merit Saint."

The General of the Bloody Sea felt dizzy. He felt something was very wrong with that.

"Stop trying to figure out the state of the expert. Just follow along," interrupted Black Impermanence. He said, "Oh yeah, for the battle later, make it more interesting. The expert likes a good show."

"You want me to perform? You are insulting me!"

The General of the Bloody Sea did not look happy. Then, he announced, "I have to clear something up. I am not trying to perform, my battles themselves are entertaining and interesting!"

On the other side, Shura Ghost General kept looking away. He looked bewilderingly at Li Nianfan from time to time. He was kind of lost.

In the end, he focused and said, "Screw it. Just remember this, for the battle later, try to avoid that man as much as possible. Don't even accidentally touch him. Don't ever attack him!"

"Got it. We got it," nodded the ghosts. They did not need his reminder.

The General of the Bloody Sea picked up his Bloody Spear. He yelled, "Shura Ghost General, are you ready?"

"Bring it!"

"Kill!"

Both sides fought again.

The Black and White Impermanence joined the battle. The Onis were instantly at an advantage. The battle was more exciting and interesting.

Li Nianfan watched from afar. He stood on his shiny golden cloud. It was the only area that was peaceful.

He watched while he critiqued.

He realized that the battle between ghosts was not complex or fancy. It was usually simple and violent. They would soon have a winner.

Black and White Impermanence had the ultimate weapon to attack ghosts. Once ghosts were hit by the mourning staff, they would mourn on the spot and lose all their energy.

The battle between the General of the Bloody Sea and Shura Ghost General was the most entertaining.

The two of them were terrifyingly powerful. They went all out on their ghastly attacks. Bloody aura and ghost wind crossed each other while they fought. While they were fighting, they would accidentally kill off ghosts that were near them.

The General of the Bloody Sea had a blood-red cape. It rustled while he moved. Apart from looking cool, it was also an Immortal Item. It could teleport someone to the bloody sea once the opponent was covered with the cape. It affected the actions of the opponent.

Shura Ghost General had jet-black armor on. He wrapped himself up from head to toe nicely. No one could see his face. You could only feel his cold penetrating gaze.

The battle was getting intense.

The General of the Bloody Sea suddenly yelled, "Angry Acheron!"

"Splash!"

The Bloody Spear flew to the sky like a rainbow. Acheron water appeared out of thin air. The endless Acheron water contained spears, it went towards Shura Ghost General.

Shura Ghost General was composed. He quickly whipped around with his Soul Whip. His whip transformed into a giant black dragon that protected him. The black dragon looked up menacingly as if it was awoken from slumber!

It was too powerful. Everything seemed to be overwhelmed and frozen in place.

Everyone felt anxious.

They looked at each other. They both screamed.

"Shura!"

"Bloodsea!"

However, just when they were about to collide. Their bodies froze in place. They stopped at the same time.

The General of the Bloody Sea saluted Li Nianfan and said, "Mr. Li, we are about to battle with our best attacks. Please step back for another thousand meters. Don't be hurt by the leftover powers."

Chapter 328

"Sorry for the disturbance, everyone."

Li Nianfan felt sorry. He hurriedly stepped back.

Shura Ghost General immediately yelled again, "Bloodsea, again!"

"Alright! Let me show you my Angry Acheron again!"

The scenario replayed as if nothing happened just now.

Li Nianfan took out his wine gourd and drank some wine. He watched without blinking.

He thought that his golden touch was very useful. It was the best for watching at the side. Everyone was afraid of battles. He pulled a reverse, and battles were afraid of him instead.

'Perhaps, I should name my golden touch.'

'Call it... the Ultimate Viewer Audience Traveller Golden Touch.'

As time went on, the battle became more intense. Both sides were at their limits. The place was filled with sounds of howling, screaming, and maniacal laughing.

Shura Ghost General and the General of the Bloody Sea had a lot of chemistry in fighting each other. Infinite ghastly energy emitted among the spear gleams and the whip shadows. It formed into a black ball. The black ball expanded. Surrounding Onis and ghosts could not get near the terrifying ball.

Suddenly, the ball exploded from within. A blood-red shine beamed from within. It looked like a huge spear from afar. It broke through the black ball like an eggshell and sore to the sky.

A black dragon also flew to the sky after the Bloody Spear.

Red deadly aura clashed with the dark eerie ghost energy. It formed into an odd mushroom cloud. It slowly surged to the sky and spread quickly.

The nearby ghosts were not ready to dodge it. They were mashed into nothing instantly.

The battle was getting to its climax. It seemed as if the world would destruct at the next moment.

However, the climax of the battle was soon over.

The weird phenomenon faded. The General of the Bloody Sea and Shura Ghost General were a mess. They had injuries all over and they were weak. They were not bleeding, ghost energy slipped out from their wounds instead.

Both of them healed each other without talking.

The General of the Bloody Sea said, "It's not because I'm afraid of you."

"Me neither."

They both looked at Li Nianfan at the same time.

Li Nianfan scratched his nose and sighed internally. He slowly flew over on his Deluxe Merit Cloud.

"Quick. The Deluxe Merit bigshot is coming. Stop it!"

The ghosts and Onis were alarmed. The war stopped out of the blue. They silently stepped back to prove their peacefulness. 𝓵𝒊𝓫𝙧𝙚𝒂𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Li Nianfan said in an apologetic tone, "I interrupted again? Very sorry about that."

The General of the Bloody Sea said, "Mr. Li, I'm afraid you have to step back for our next attack."

Li Nianfan talked some sense into them, "You both are old friends from the Underworld, why do you need to battle till death?"

He was quite observant. If the two of them kept fighting, they would be badly injured.

The General of the Bloody Sea and Shura Ghost General were interrupted twice. They did not have the desire to continue the battle.

The General of the Bloody Sea looked at Shura Ghost General and sneered, "Fine. Let's stop today on behalf of Mr. Li."

Shura Ghost General smiled coldly, "I feel the same way. It's not too late to battle after we find the Death Note."

The war had ended peacefully.

Li Nianfan realized his special ability, he was the peace guy.

At a discreet spot miles away.

A few shadowy figures stood there with gleams in their eyes. They were watching the battle from afar.

They gradually looked dejected.

The leader of the pack was a tall, muscular guy with small devil horns. He had dark demonic energy around him. He asked in a buzzing voice, "Where did that Deluxe Merit Saint come out from? He ruined our plan!"

Backo and Amon stood behind him in distress.

After a while of hesitation, Backo asked weakly, "Lord Demon, what should we do?"

"The Death Note is too important, we naturally have to take it!"

Lord Demon had glares in his eyes. He glanced at Backo and Amon in disgust. He scolded, "You two useless creatures. It's all your fault, you can't do anything right. Our advantage is gone! You two ruined the big opportunity for the Demons!"

Amon said in a helpless voice, "Lord Demon, we can't do anything about it. We did not expect Yuecha to betray the Demons and become a Tara."

"That is very suspicious. Why did she suddenly become a Buddhist? Who knew our big plans would be affected by a mole. I'll kill that traitor after I get the Death Note!"

Lord Demon could not figure it out either. He then said, "This Deluxe Merit Saint came out of nowhere too. I suddenly feel unfamiliar with this realm."

Backo said, "Lord Demon, they stopped fighting. What should we do, should we attack?"

"You want to go there and die?"

Lord Demon shook his head and said coldly, "With that intelligence of yours, it's no wonder you can't do anything right! If they are both injured from battling each other, we can easily go over and reap what they sow. However, now... we should let it go. Thankfully, Lord Demon God gave me a treasure."

He paused then said, "This Deluxe Merit Saint is too hard to deal with. Forget about it, make preparations, we will move at night!"

...

At the Above Immortal Realm.

At the Ice Palace.

A few figures flew in slowly on clouds. They looked down on the ground that was covered with ice.

The ice was too unusual. It was built up into shapes like they were mirrors, but they were not reflective. The hypothermic temperature made it snow. However, when the snow fell to the ice, they would instantly melt into nothing.

It was a miraculous sight to behold.

Daji looked at the layer of ice and frowned. She was confused, "Goddess Ziye, the ice seemed to be unnatural."

Ziye nodded and said, "You are truly knowledgeable with ice, Lady Daji. The ice is man-made. Not sure of the reasons but they did block the path to the Heavenly Palace."

Ye Liuyun curiously observed his surroundings. He had to ask, "This is the Ice Palace? Where is the palace?"

Ziye smiled and replied, "Ice Palace is just a name. There's no palace. The ice is extremely hard to destroy. I live in the ice cave between the ice layers."

Ye Liuyun said, "I see. Who knew the so-called sacred land looks like this?"

Daji said, "Goddess Ziye, you stayed here to guard the Heavenly Palace, right?"

"Maybe so."

Ziye looked sentimental. She pointed at a huge iceberg and said, "That's the seal that blocks the path to the Heavenly Palace."

They looked over and saw an extremely tall ice pillar. There were no surrounding icebergs, it was solely there as if it was a pillar to the sky.

They made it through the Ice Palace and got nearer to the ice pillar.

The ice pillar seemed ordinary apart from being tall. It was smooth on the surface. However... On a closer look, the ice pillar had sparkles in it.

Daji was astounded. She said disbelievingly, "The ice froze... light?'

'Light could be frozen? This will shock everyone.'

"The Heavenly Palace had four Heavenly Doors in total, on the East, West, North, and South. Meanwhile, the Heavenly Palace was held up by four pillars because the Heavenly Palace was placed in the sky. The four pillars were the bridges to the Heavenly Doors."

Ziye paused and said, "The four pillars merged well with the realm. It was camouflaged. This is one of the pillars, but it was sealed by the ice."

"Pillars to the sky?"

They closely observed the ice pillar. They were astounded.

"If we break the seal, can we go to the Heavenly Palace?"

Ye Liuyun looked like he had an idea. He cast a spell and red flames circled the ice pillar like a fiery snake.

Chapter 329

"Fume!"

The flames did not stay on the ice pillar for long. It steamed off into thin air.

The results were as expected.

Ziye said, "I tried too many times in too many ways. The ice pillar will not budge from the outside."

Xiao Chengfeng did not believe it. He attacked with a sword spell. The ice pillar was still undamaged.

Urchin frowned and asked, "What is this ice? How can it be so solid?"

Daji looked up at the ice pillar. Its height was immeasurable. She asked, "If the ice pillar reached the top, have you tried flying up there?"

"I did. It's very high!"

Ziye nodded and said, "The highest point... is quite unusual. The ice pillar will vanish."

"Vanish?"

Everyone looked shocked. Then, they soared through the sky, following the ice pillar.

The ice pillar was high and constant. The surface of the ice was smooth as a mirror without any traces or patterns.

Everyone was speedy but they did not reach the top after an hour.

Thankfully, they did not need to continue. When they reached a certain high point, the ice pillar vanished out of nowhere!

Everyone jolted. They looked down.

They still could not see the ice pillar anywhere.

They flew down a little to be on eye-level with the ice pillar. They looked at the part where the ice pillar vanished.

It was far from the end of the pillar. It was as if... the ice pillar was covered by some sort of dimensional seal. In other words, the ice pillar seemed to be something that came out of a different dimension.

The two dimensions were cleanly separated. Therefore, they could only see the part where the pillar reached out. They could not see the other part at all.

Linzhu curiously reached out to touch it. She could still touch the ice pillar. However, the part where it vanished was untouchable, there was nothing unusual there.

She had to say, "So miraculous."

"It's not miraculous. We can do that too."

The Fire Phoenix said, "We landed from the Above Immortal Realm. We can achieve the same effect if only our arms went through."

Daji nodded, "The ice pillar must be coming from the Heavenly Palace. No wonder it's called Heaven from another dimension."

She groaned for a moment and looked at the Fire Phoenix, "Sister Fire Phoenix, what do you see?"

"Might be a Defense Spell." The Fire Phoenix sneered, "It's able to maintain its effects and it's hard to damage. I'm afraid nothing could do that apart from a Defense Spell."

She lifted her hand and made a red fiery lotus. The flames were compressed. Soon, it was shining in a golden color. The fire lotus was compressed to the size of a thumb. The flames turned golden.

The golden flames were little but it was extremely hot, even in the icy lands.

The Fire Phoenix tossed the golden flames on the ice pillar.

The tiny flames focused on one tiny area, the effects were much better.

As time went on, the tiny area of the ice pillar moved. It did not melt but everyone was hopeful.

"It's for sure a Defense Spell." 𝓵𝙞𝒃𝓻𝓮𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝓸𝓶

Daji suddenly laughed and said, "No wonder the Master taught me to play the gaming console before I left. It was a meaningful act. This Defense Spell is also a fun game in the eyes of the Master."

They would be required to deal with Defense Spell no matter if it was going to the Cloud Tribe Sect or the Heavenly Palace.

Li Nianfan invented Xiangqi for them to learn how to deal with Defense Spell, so that they would improve in understanding Defense Spell. Moreover, the gaming console contained all sorts of variety in Defense Spell.

"We followed the expert. Half a month of being around the expert is sufficient enough to figure out the weakness of this spell!"

"The expert is truly a person that is good at miraculous inventions. Garbage could be turned to precious treasures around him."

The Fire Phoenix nodded and agreed. Then, she said, "This spell must be some kind of Absorption Defense Spell. It will automatically absorb Immortal Qi. Once it was damaged, it will recover on its own. And the recovery is very speedy. That's why it looks so undamaged."

Flames danced around her. She had fire in her eyes, "All we have to do is break its roots. It will be easy to break this spell by then!"

Daji said, "Listen to me, everyone. Although I didn't fully figure out the spell yet, I can cast an opposite spell to remove all the Immortal Qi. It will greatly reduce its recovery properties!"

"Let's begin! The Master always wanted to visit the Heavenly Palace!"

"We must try our best to become experts!"

...

At the Cool Breeze Gorge.

Li Nianfan was traveling on his Deluxe Merit Cloud with Black and White Impermanence on his side. They became temporary tour guides. The General of the Bloody Sea and Shura Ghost General were cautious of each other. They were resting, healing, and fighting with their eyes.

The huge gorge was split in half. The split was not neat, it was wonky and disorderly. It kind of looked like the teeth of a huge beast, it looked terrifying.

The cleft was deep. Li Nianfan did not expect to see a curvy river at the bottom of the cleft.

The river was flowing and it was clear. There were pebbles on the sides. The sides of the cleft grew a lot of moss and medical herbs. It was a beautiful oasis.

Dragon saw the river and was instantly thrilled. She ran over there and took off her shoes. She kicked and splashed the water, "Ah, so nice and cool. The water must be from the icebergs."

Black Impermanence nodded, "That's right. It flowed from the Jade Snow Mountain on the Northside."

'Truly a Carp Demon. So playful in the water.'

Li Nianfan laughed and looked around. He asked curiously, "White, where is the Death Note?"

White Impermanence replied, "Mr. Li, it hasn't reappeared yet."

Nanan thought it was weird, she asked, "Haven't reappeared yet? Then how do you know it's here?"

"Not long ago, an odd phenomenon occurred. We got a feeling that it must be the Death Note."

White Impermanence paused and continued, "Usually, the realm will have changes when rare treasures appear again. Previously at the Underworld, a lot of ultimate treasures do not want to appear. They will only appear when they want to."

Black Impermanence said coyly, "The realm will give birth to the treasures when the treasures want to reappear again."

"Then do you know when the Death Note will appear?" Li Nianfan was a realist. He directly asked the most important question.

Black and White Impermanence frowned at the same time. They mumbled, "That... Not sure."

Li Nianfan had to say, "Odd phenomenon already occurred. What is the realm waiting for? The treasure should reappear now."

"Buzz!"

As soon as Li Nianfan said that, The realm suddenly changed. Airwaves moved in the air.

A weird aura filled the air. Thin layers of gray mist appeared out of thin air.

'This... Reappeared?!'

Black and White Impermanence were baffled. They looked at each other with a cluster of emotions.

'Is it a coincidence?'

'Most probably not. After all... the expert did not want to wait any longer. Will the Death Note dare to delay its appearance?'

'I already refrain myself by not directly appearing in the expert's hands.'

"Boom!"

Then, something erupted in the Cool Breeze Gorge!

A huge book appeared in a weird way.

The book was a huge projection. It was not very thick, it seemed thin. The cover of the book was blue. It was minimalistic and antique. The book figure slowly spun around.

Ghost energy surrounded the book like a circling mist.

Li Nianfan looked at the book, he was pleasantly surprised, "The Death Note reappeared?"

"Yeah... Yes."

"What are we waiting for? Hurry up and check it out." Li Nianfan went towards it.

Soon, they were at the deepest part of the Cool Breeze Gorge. It was a small intersection where the rivers meet.

The rivers flowed into an average-sized pond. The pond was gleaming. At the center of the pond, a book that looked like the projection floated on the water!

The book was protected by a halo, it was waterproof. It seemed to be bobbing on the water.

They looked at the cover of the book and saw the title at the top right corner. It had three clear words, 'The Death Note'!

"Is that the Death Note?" Li Nianfan subconsciously licked his lips. He finally saw the legendary item.

"Roar!"

Someone roared amongst the crowd.

A ferocious ghost looked maniacal, it leaped towards the Death Note!

However, a black beam attacked the ghost before it could be near it. The ferocious ghost vanished with a poof in the blink of an eye. It was as if that did not happen at all.

At that moment, all the ghosts who could not wait to go after it suddenly settled down.

The General of the Bloody Sea burst out laughing and said, "Shura, it seems like your minions love to die for no reason!"

Shura Ghost General sounded calm, "Such an idiot. It died for good reason. It did not deserve to be my minion."

White Impermanence became the temporary explainer. He smiled and said, "For an Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure like that to resurface, it is still connected to the powers of the realm. Thus, it is not stable yet. Going after it would be like a moth drawn to a flame."

Li Nianfan nodded and silently stared at the Death Note.

Suddenly, the Death Note slowly opened.

It flipped its pages. A black swirl appeared in the sky, overwhelming everyone with its wild winds. They could hardly breathe.

They saw visible thin threads shooting at the Death Note from all sides. The threads merged into the Death Note.

A thread signified a life.

There were too many names. Names flashed by. Li Nianfan could not see clearly. His eyes were hurting and he felt dizzy.

It was as if I was looking at a computer working at high speed. He could not keep up.

'Obviously the Death Note reappeared. It needs to re-record all the information of the people to start working again."

'Fair enough. It would be unrealistic to rely on handwriting.'

Li Nianfan had to say, "It's so similar to a computer. Downloading and storing data."

Black and White Impermanence looked like they did not understand a single word. They could only force a smile at the side and go along with it.

There were too many lives in the realm. The Death Note collected information fast but it had no signs of slowing down. Information kept pouring in. It was endless.

As time went on, the sky had turned dark. It would naturally be boring if they kept staring at the Death Note. Li Nianfan had run out of patience.

However, the Onis and the ghosts were still intrigued and interested. He did not know how they did it.

Li Nianfan invited the Black and White Impermanence and a few Onis to drink some wine. Then, they also ate dinner. Li Nianfan yawned and picked a spot to rest for the night.

Nanan roughly dug a hole in the canyon. Dragon made a water shield for Li Nianfan.

"That Deluxe Merit Saint finally left."

Backo was instantly overjoyed in his dark hiding spot. He exclaimed, "He is too scary. We cannot mess with him! Lord Demon, I'll knock him unconscious and drag him away so he doesn't get in our way."

"Come back here now!"

Lord Demon was livid. He dragged Backo and lifted him by the nape. He forcefully shook him, "What are you carrying in that brain of yours? How can you be so stupid?! You knew he is a Deluxe Merit Saint and you wanted to knock him unconscious?! How badly do you want to die?!"

Backo reflected for a long while and finally realized. Then, he looked relieved, "You are right, Lord Demon."

Lord Demon helplessly brushed it off. He was mentally exhausted, "Alright. Say less. Move and plan. Remember, exclude that Deluxe Merit Saint to ensure safety. We don't want to touch him."

"Don't worry, Lord Demon."

Chapter 330

'Don't worry my *ss.'

Lord Demon felt like his minion was unreliable. He decided to do it himself because he was doubtful.

After all, the Deluxe Merit bigshot was at the side. He had to be careful. If they accidentally hurt the Deluxe Merit bigshot, it would be a huge problem. The worst-case scenario was that their future generations would be affected too.

'Can't be messed with!'

Lord Demon glanced at that cave. He immediately set up a defense shield over that area to avoid accidentally injuring the bigshot.

'The story unfolds...'

Dragon and Nana noticed that Li Nianfan fell asleep. They sneakily crawled out from the cave.

They went back to the pond again. The ghosts and Onis were still there.

Black and White Impermanence noticed them, they respectfully asked at the same time, "Ladies, is your brother... asleep?"

Nanan nodded and replied, "Yeah. Brother has a disciplined schedule. Mainly because it is too boring here."

"It's our fault." White Impermanence shook his head and smiled bitterly. Then, he said, "But it's kind of inappropriate to have a performance show here."

Black Impermanence also said in a helpless voice, "Yeah, the vibe is not appropriate." 𝒍𝓲𝙗𝒓𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝙘𝒐𝓶

"We know."

Nanan and Dragon nodded and stared at the nearby wine gourd. They quickly ran over.

"We can finally drink!"

They hurriedly poured themselves a small cup of wine and chugged it down. They blushed. 'Ah, so wonderful...'

'This is how it's supposed to be.'

'Bad brother, he keeps saying that little kids are not allowed to drink alcohol. We can only take tiny sips. So torturous.'

'We are not kids anymore.'

Dragon happily drank the wine. Her red tail poked out from behind, wagging with rhythm. She looked at Black and White Impermanence and asked, "Drinks?"

"We..."

Black and White Impermanence gulped. In the end, they replied, "Never mind. We feel like it's not okay."

They naturally wanted to drink. However, they already had plenty on the way here. Although Li Nianfan purposefully left the wine gourd before he left and told them it was for them to drink, they did not dare to be so uncourteous. They knew they did not deserve it.

It was also a respect for the expert.

Moreover, the expert simply left his Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. That signified his trust for the others. They wanted to cry from feeling touched.

Nanan clumsily poured with the wine gourd that was as big as her head. She suddenly asked, "Sister Dragon, is this wine gourd the Purple Golden Gourd in 'Journey to the West'?"

Dragon looked closer as if she discovered a whole new world, "Hm? Might be. I remember that my brother took extra care when he planted it. It must be extraordinary."

Nanan picked up the gourd and pointed it at everyone. She seemed to be looking for a target.

"Yikes—"

Black and White Impermanence were petrified. Their high hats were stiffened. They almost knelt on the spot. They hurriedly begged, "Ladies, please. Don't play around with that stuff. Something bad will happen."

Nanan asked curiously, "Black and White uncles, is this really the Purple Golden Gourd? The one that can entrap people inside?"

"From its appearance, it most probably is. However, I heard that a lot of Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure no longer exists."

Black Impermanence paused and continued, "But for someone like the expert, his actions were reasonably unpredictable."

Nanan mumbled, "It's rare that my brother left this gourd. We don't have a lot of chances. To him, it's just a wine bottle. We have to try this on someone now."

"Haha— The Lord Demon has arrived!"

A strong voice recklessly yelled and laughed maniacally.

'Demons?'

The General of the Bloody Sea and Shura Ghost General furrowed their brows at the same time.

They glared over. It was apparently an unwelcome foe.

Backo and Amon slowly walked out behind Lord Demon. They had a few demonic cultivators with them too.

The General of the Bloody Sea asked in an unfriendly tone, "We defeated Demons years ago, you all were forced to cower in your shells like a tortoise. Why are you all active again? Aren't you scared of death?"

"Haha, you're so naïve!"

Lord Demon scoffed and laughed. He mocked, "Do you really think we Demons hide because we are afraid of you? Our Lord Demon God is invincible. We only hid to avoid the big tribulation!"

Black Impermanence frowned. He asked disbelievingly, "You all knew the big tribulation ahead of time?"

"That's right. We are well-prepared. Buddhism was at its peak at that time, they became the first ones to take the shot."

Lord Demon sneered, "A lot of people knew that. However, the big tribulation is kind of unavoidable!"

The General of the Bloody Sea asked, "What do you want this time?"

"We naturally want to be the majority!"

Lord Demon had a red glare in his eyes. He said in a buzzing voice, "After the realms split, it's every species for themselves. Humans are the majority but they are getting weaker. Our demonic religion can replace Buddhism as the number one religion. We can control the Humans and become the leaders of a new era!"

"Ha, are you joking?"

The tension was high but Black and White Impermanence had to laugh. They mocked, "Humans are everything. Goddess Nuwa created Humans. Do you think she molded them for fun? It is already fated."

The General of the Bloody Sea also spoke up, "Monsters and Demons all had human forms so who do you think is the majority of the realm? It is an unchangeable fact!"

Lord Demon said eerily, "We Demons have our ways to change that. This is a meaningless conversation, hand over the Death Note!"

Shura Ghost General who was silent the whole time said coldly, "The Death Note is unrelated to living creatures. Scram!"

"Haha, I already knew this would happen. If so, don't fault me for taking it by force!" Lord Demon expectedly used his powers. A black bull figure formed behind him and ran towards them.

"Bam!"

Every step it took made the ground shake.

It was on purpose. It wanted to threaten them by making itself appear more powerful.

"Yeah right, you? Die!"

The General of the Bloody Sea and Shura Ghost General attacked at the same time. The Bloody Spear slashed through the night sky like a rainbow. A black whip followed suit like a venomous snake. They attacked the Lord Demon!

"Attack!"

Black and White Impermanence also attacked with their mourning staff. The Onis behind them also tossed out soul chains like a spider web at the Lord Demon!

The tsunami-like attack came at Lord Demon. However, he did not run or dodge. He reached out, grabbed the Bloody Spear in one hand, and the Soul Whip in the other. He was uninjured!

However, endless chains locked on him in the blink of an eye.

He chuckled and shook his body. The chains broke instantly!

Then, he clapped hard to create a strong wind. The jet-black-ink-like wind was unstoppable. Everyone including the General of the Bloody Sea all fell back.

"I had a Demonic Seal Spell set up here. Even Daluo Golden Immortals would be powerless here in this trap. Any resistance is useless!"

Lord Demon was very pleased, "This spell is given by the Lord Demon God to ensure the success of this mission!"

Lord Demon suddenly looked stiff when he mentioned that. After all, the usually unstoppable Demons suddenly faced a lot of troubles. They would fail at each mission. It really pissed them off.

They felt like someone was against them.

Therefore, all their missions were more carefully planned out. They had to ensure it.

It was embarrassing. It seemed like... ever since the Demons were back, they had not once succeeded.

'This time, I, the Lord Demon, will have the first victory for the Demons. Haha!'

Lord Demon grinned harder at the thought of that.

The General of the Bloody Sea had a cold gaze. He held his Bloody Spear tightly, "What do you want the Death Note for?"

"We naturally have to be prepared. We'll have the Death Note for sure!"

Lord Demon continued, "Let me tell you something, Demons should be the majority of the realm. Lord Demon God made a deal with God. Be against it would be against Fate! I suggest you all cooperate."

"Be against Fate?"

Nanan was intrigued. She hurriedly asked, "Fighting Demons meant being against Fate?"

"That's right!" Lord Demon looked at Nanan. He had a friendly smile. He said, "Little girl, being against Fate will not end well. So join us as soon as you can. Moreover, talk some sense into that Deluxe Merit brother of yours. Don't trouble us."

Nanan was instantly excited.

She remembered that Brother Nianfan wanted to be against Fate. That was her chance to help her Brother Nianfan.

She rolled her eyes and picked up the wine gourd. She pointed it at Lord Demon and asked, "Lord Demon, can you allow me to call your name?"

Lord Demon stuck his chest up and said generously, "Ha, why not? Say it all you want!"

"Lord Demon!"

"Yeah!"

"Swoosh—"

Lord Demon and the black bull behind him unwillingly levitated. They kept shrinking and were sucked into the gourd.

Chapter 331

Oh no! Lord Demon was gone?

Backo and Amon who were following behind the Lord Demon were dumbfounded.

They rubbed their eyes and stared at the spot where the Lord Demon vanished. There was nothing left.

He was still standing there like a big stone. How did he vanish just like that?

They looked at Nanan, perplexed.

However, Nanan already turned the gourd at them, the black hole of the gourd seemed bottomless, very intimidating.

Anxiously, all of their hair stood up all over, there were chills all over as they dared not to move.

"If I call your names, would you answer?"

All of the demons shook their heads in unison, "Not at all, not at all."

"Gasp..."

The bunch who spoke were arranged in a row. Their bodies rose into the air and were quickly sucked into the gourd.

They were shocked and angry, they said they would not, and yet Nanan still sucked them! How mean!

By then, only the dumbfounded Amon and Backo were left out there.

They were so terrified that they forgot to answer her. Meanwhile, they turned blood-less out of fear, their originally darkened face had turned pale like a paper, their heads buzzing.

Nanan looked at the gourd perplexed, she hit it twice, ready to open her mouth again.

Backo and Amon were so terrified. Both their feet were running off the ground, they used up all of their potential to turn and run away.

They did not bother riding on the clouds, it did not take long before they ran out of sight.

Nanan could not help saying, "This gourd really does not suck in those who did not answer? The loophole is quite disturbing."

Disturbing? Once you call someone, the person must not answer back. This was disturbing! Everyone would be caught off guard and unexpected!

This Purple Golden Gourd was indeed powerful!

Of course, the crowd only dared to complain in their minds, they still had to agree with Nanan on the surface, "Miss Nana is so right!"

Even the General of the Bloody Sea and the Shura Ghost General had fears looking at the gourd.

"Whatever!"

Shura Ghost General stood out, he had black armor all over him without showing his face. His eyes looked complicated, "Since the expert indirectly saved my life just now, I won't fight a duel with you."

He looked at the General of Bloody Sea, "I'm leaving now! From now onward, I'll quit the Underworld. The next time we meet, we'll be enemies!"

The General of the Bloody Sea sank his face, he said with a serious tone, "Shura, you're not turning back yet?"

"What's there to turn back for? Look at what's left in the Underworld? There's nothing, it's almost like a destroyed sect. I'm going out to form my own sect!" Shura Ghost General scoffed, he walked away, "Let's go!"

The General of the Bloody Sea clenched his fists. He forced himself to repress his urge to fight him, he stared at the Death Note that was still retrieving information and went blank.

With that, it was already the next morning.

Li Nianfan woke up in the cave. Although the environment of this campsite was not too good, he did not have high expectations either. Furthermore, he had a few glasses of wine before sleep, which should have helped in his sleep, and thus he had a good sleep.

He woke up and walked out from the cave.

He looked in the direction of the Death Note right away.

There was no change. Just like a game, it had been loading throughout the night and still loading.

Li Nianfan walked to the side of the cave, he looked down the cliff and smiled slightly. Some clouds flew toward him and gathered below his feet gradually.

Having a cloud was so cool!

Gradually, he landed by the side of the pond. He raised an eyebrow and realized half the amount of people had gone missing.

He asked suspiciously, "The enemy left?"

White Impermanence said, "Something happened last night, they must have thought it through."

Li Nianfan nodded, "Sigh, that's good. That saves us some trouble."

He received the wine gourd from Nanan, he smiled, "Nanan, Dragon, I hope you both did not drink from here secretly?"

Nanan shook her head feeling rather scared, "No...Nope."

"Ha-ha-ha!" Li Nianfan smiled and shook his head. Instantly, he frowned and asked suspiciously, "Why is the wine so much stronger? Did you all add things into it?"

Dragon's eyes were rather sad, "Is it? No way."

Li Nianfan listed the wine gourd and looked into it. He smacked the wine gourd, "Whatever, it's much stronger, can't drink it in the morning, I'll have breakfast first."

Meanwhile, a faint hint of black Qi flew out from the wine gourd. It then flew outward rapidly.

Black and White Impermanence's faces jolted. They were about to take action, but the General of the Bloody Sea pulled them back, he shook his head.

He covered the wine gourd. There was nothing to eat here, he could only have some fruits as breakfast.

Li Nianfan picked up an apple, and he looked at them. He hesitated for a while and then said, "Brothers, want to have breakfast?"

Black and White Impermanence rejected painfully, "Mr. Li, as the Onis, we haven't had breakfast for long."

Of course Li Nianfan would not believe them. They were being humble, he smiled and continued, "Sigh, it's just a breakfast, let's have it together. My fruits taste okay, have a bite if you don't mind."

"This..." Black and White Impermanence gulped.

Of course they did not mind. It was just that they felt that they were not good enough to have those.

"Alright, stop being so polite. I didn't bring much this time round, but I brought a lot of food." As he smiled, Li Nianfan took out a bag, there were so many fruits inside. He handed the bag to them both, "Hand out the fruits in here to the fellow Onis. Try out my home-grown fruits."

"Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Li." White Impermanence accepted them shamelessly.

He carefully held on to the bag and started giving them out to the Onis.

The Onis involuntarily surrounded them both, they all stared at the bag of fruits and cautiously received them from Black Impermanence.

The fruits were different. Some had oranges and some had apples, but every one had one.

Li Nianfan saw it all and could not help smiling.

As these little ghosts were the ones that might end up helping him, as long as he bribed them today, they might be able to return him favors in the future. In fact, they might even become colleagues in the future, there was no harm in becoming friends with them.

However, the Onis did not think in this way at all!

They held onto the fruits. Not only their hands, their entire bodies were shaking.

Spiritual Root Immortal Fruits! These were the Spiritual Root Immortal Fruits!

Let alone now, let alone eating, even in the past, people of their ranking were unable to even touch on these fruits! And yet, the expert was giving these out to them without asking for anything in return?

What state of mind was that? How generous!

What were we in front of the expert? We were not even like ants! Probably like the air!

And yet he was willing to give us the Spiritual Root Immortal Fruits? How did we deserve that? We dared not to take them!

So touched! Wa...so touching!

Some emotional Onis had already started to secretly wipe off their tears.

On the other hand,

Amon and Backo turned back to have a look, feeling terrified. They let out a long relief and wiped off their cold sweat as they continued to escape in clouds.

Backo said suddenly, "Amon, I want to quit. I'm quite scared."

Amon did not speak. After staying quiet for a while, he said bitterly, "I didn't expect that after all these years, the ordinary realm now has become so scary!"

Thinking back, since their arrival, they had been through too many unbelievable things. First the appearance of a Human Sovereign, it was as if a miracle, they somehow won a victory in the battlefield. With difficulty, they finally saved Yureka, and yet little did they expect her to have become a spy. She even established Buddhism which worked against the Underworld. Swiftly later, they pulled out the Lord Demon, just as they were about to win, they still failed!

No that the Lord Demon was out, just as he was about to act cool, he responded to the little girl and was then sucked into a gourd.

So strange, so illogical!

Unknowingly, they had become the witness of the fall of the Demons. How sad! It was just like a dream!

Thinking deeper, this was such a dangerous world, hiding away would be the safest bet.

Finally, Amon suggested, "Why don't we...go home for now?"

Backo corrected him, "Do you have any misunderstanding? This is called...go home for good!"

Meanwhile, there was a black figure chasing after them rapidly from the back. It had turned into a black shadow without turning back. It was escaping from something, as if the back of its buttock was giving off smoke!

When this figure saw Backo and Amon, it braked abruptly. It quickly recomposed itself and gently coughed. It then said calmly, "Amon and Backo, stay there!"

Amon and Backo jolted, they looked back and called out strangely, "Lord...Lord Demon?"

Amon almost could not believe his own eyes, "Lord Demon, why do you look like this?"

The Lord Demon was so strong in the past, just like a bull. Yet, now he was skinny like the skeleton, his body way smaller. If it was not for the horns on his head, they would not have recognized him.

"Ha-ha, although the gourd is an Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure, so scary that it would suck in the world, it's still not powerful enough to tie me down." The Lord Demon laughed wildly. He then sighed, "Since it's powerful, in order to escape, I paid a price. It took away all of my essence, I lost a lot."

Backo and Amon were shocked. They said, sounding impressed, "Lord Demon is indeed powerful, you even managed to escape from there!"

"Ha-ha, it's nothing. However, since we failed, we need to go back and re-discuss with my Lord." The Lord Demon smiled coldly, "Let's go."

Cool Breeze Gorge.

"Munch! Munch!"

Along with some loud munching, the fruit feast went to an end.

Around the same time, the strange sight of the Death Note gradually stopped. When the last strand went into the Death note, the entire space seemed to have halted, while a strange Qi was gradually spreading out.

One could see that in the surroundings of the Death Note, there was a Black and White Qi rising. They were entangled in one another, growing longer as if they were alive, forming the majestic sight of Yin and Yang entangled.

When the Yin and Yang Qi gradually sank into the Death Note, this strange sight vanished. From the outside, this note looked like an extremely ordinary and simple note.

The General of the Bloody Sea marched forward to the middle of the pond. He reached out and carefully held on to the Death Note. He then staggered backward. 𝒍𝓲𝒃𝙧𝓮𝙖𝒅.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Li Nianfan quietly lifted his foot and slowly approached him. He wanted to glimpse at it, he was curious.

The content was different from what Li Nianfan expected. It was blank.

However, as the General of the Bloody Sea wiped it, the originally blank Death Note started to show one name after another.

White Impermanence explained, "Mr. Li, these are the people who will die in the next hour."

Li Nianfan nodded, only then he started to read it obviously.

As an Ultimate Treasure of the world, this Death Note controlled life and death. Naturally, this was different from the other notes, through power, one could make it show different deaths in different hours, or directly search up for a specific name.

Nanan said with anticipation, "Can you search up Zhang Yue?"

Li Nianfan halted, he just realized that the actual name of Auntie Zhang was Zhang Yue, she was the mother of Nanan.

"No problem!"

White Impermanence agreed quickly. With a point of finger on the note, words on it reappeared.

[Zhang Yue. F. Thirty-Two Years. Seventy-Two Years of Life. Death: Sleep.]

Nanan's face changed, she could not help asking, "Only seventy two years? I gave my mother an elixir!"

White Impermanence smiled bitterly, "Just because she had an elixir so she will die from sleep. If not, she will die from illness. In some ways, you have already helped your mother to change her fate once. This illness is gone but you can't extend her lifespan."

Nanan frowned.

Li Nianfan asked strangely, "Will the content on the Death Note change?"

"The Death Note is just a brief direction, it's not definite." White Impermanence explained, "If the ordinary man gained an opportunity to start cultivating, or ate the elixirs to extend life, this would be considered as changing fate. Furthermore, there's the possibility of a premature death, which is caused by natural and manmade disasters. Some might commit suicide, ending their own lives. Those that don't comply with this note will be considered as special cases, the Underworld will make special arrangements for course, these were quite rare. Most of the people would follow the direction appointed by this Death Note."

Li Nianfan understood and nodded, the Death Note was not as powerful as he imagined it to be. However, upon another thought, this made more sense. If it could accurately determine one's life, it would be too shocking and unrealistic.

Li Nianfan said to Nanan, "Nanan, life and death are fated, don't get too upset."

Nanan's nose twitched, "This is simple, I will find an elixir to extend life for my mother to ingest."

"Ha-ha, that's too much trouble." Black Impermanence smiled, he lifted his finger and drew a small word by Zhang Yue's name. "She has done many goods, she gets thirty extra years of life."

Following that, a line of words appeared by Zhang Yue's name: [Tu Jiu. Twenty-Three. Fifty-Six Years of Life. Death: Battle.]

Black Impermanence wrote by the side: [Killing others heartlessly. Minus thirty years of life.]

Black Impermanence smiled, "Therefore, there's evidence and sources. One plus and one minus is not complicated. If not, it will take some effort."

Li Nianfan started with his eyes wide open.

He wanted to take back his thought: This Death Note...was so powerful! So powerful!

This was the benefit of knowing people from the Underworld!

Nanan said happily, "Thank you, Uncle Black."

Black Impermanence smiled, "Ha-ha-ha, it's a small matter. I merely made a remark just now. Once I get back, I will make changes with the judge's pen and it will be done!"

LI Nianfan said, "With that, this Tu Jiu guy will only have three years left to live?"

White Impermanence said, "This man did more evil than good, he killed countless people, there's no harm in him dying. Although the Underworld takes charge of the Death Note, we don't joke around things, if not we will face consequences."

"That's well." Li Nianfan instantly felt no pressure, he then asked out of curiosity, "Can you check me out?"

"I can try." Black Impermanence pointed to the Death Note. It showed a blank page, nothing came out.

However, this was expected by them all. It would be strange for it to show something.

Before Li Nianfan could ask, White Impermanence explained, "Mr. Li, there are too many ordinary people in the ordinary realm, when it gets overloaded, the name will vanish from the note. This does not mean the person won't die, it's just that there are too many variables that the Death Note cannot predict."

Li Nianfan thought about it. He drank the blood of the phoenix, he did so many good things. Most importantly, he transgressed here, it was not weird for the Death Note to not have his record.

The General of the Bloody Sea said, "Mr. Li, now that we got our hands on the Death Note, we should get back to the Underworld. When you're free, please come over to the Underworld for a visit, we will treat you well."

Li Nianfan smiled, "Ha-ha-ha, sure thing. I do want to go on a trip. I've been out for a long time, so I should get home, too."

"Goodbye, Mr. Li!"

"Goodbye!"

...

Immortal Land. Ice Palace.

"Crack!"

Under the unstoppable attack of the crowd, the ice pillar finally showed a crack. Swiftly after, the crack grew bigger with a terrifying speed.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, with a loud "crack", the ice pillar collapses like a snow slide!

Ziye showed a look of delight. She said in awe, "Immortal Daji and Immortal Phoenix are so powerful! It actually cracked!"

Xiao Chengfeng stroked his beard, he said proudly, "Ha-ha-ha, this shell can withstand my one hundred and eight swords, it finally broke!"

However, before everyone could feel the joy, the glow sealed by the ice pillar lashed down all over, engulfing everyone. Covered in brilliance, everyone vanished on the spot!

Chapter 332

This felt like Immortalizing from the ordinary realm to the Immortal Land, transgressing to another dimension.

Of course, that was only an example. The truth was that the Heavenly Temple was located way above, higher than the sky. It was the so-called Above the Sky!

When they reappeared, the crowd came before the main gate.

The gate was heavy and ancient. However, it was broken. Almost half of it had turned into broken stones, fallen onto the ground. The other half was still hanging up there. There were two words showing: Southern Sky.

Ziye was instantly very emotional. She seemed nostalgic as she quickly marched forward. She said with a trembling voice, "Southern Sky Gate..."

Linzhu, the Immortal who only cared about the food, finally showed some sadness. She looked at the broken gate, a layer of mist appeared in her eyes.

Urchin sighed gently. Back then, he came to the Southern Sky Gate. However, he was not powerful enough back then, he could only look at it from afar. He remembered that back then, there were soldiers guarding the gate with countless stars rotating around it. It was so glorious and eye-catching. One would want to worship the gate by looking at it from afar.

And now, he was standing right in front of it. It was nothing like the past.

The others were not as emotional. However, when they saw the sight behind the gate, they could not help looking shocked.

Looking ahead, there was a grand temple with unlimited thick clouds below. This temple was surrounded by clouds and a golden glow, as if glowing from within the clouds.

As if one was making this up, among this limitless glow, the temple seemed to have something flying above it, all over the place. There were hints of colorful clouds hidden, with strange sights happening from time to time.

Ye Liuyun's eyes turned red. He could not help saying, "It's the Heavenly Temple indeed, so majestic!"

Through the Southern Sky Gate, there was a long bridge connecting one into the temple. The bridge had a golden phoenix, unicorn and bearded dragon engraved on. There was some colorful Qi hovering above the bridge, making up a majestic sight.

Xiao Chengfeng could not help saying, "Brother Urchin, is this your Sect engraved on the bridge?"

Urchin stroked his beard and said with a proud smile, "Ha-ha, the dragon, unicorn and phoenix were regarded as the first Divine Beasts. We symbolize peace and authority. Our symbols are not allowed to be engraved on any ordinary place. This Heavenly Gate is important enough to earn the right to engrave the symbol of dragons, this is to help them higher their standards."

The long bridge was arched. The middle was the highest point. Standing in the middle point, one could see the sight of the entire Heavenly Temple.

It was not then when they noticed that there was a river below the bridge. A stream of Star River twinkling under the bridge. The river was azure blue in color, different from the ordinary river. It blended in with the sky. The river surrounded the temple, thus one had to enter the temple from one of the four gates.

Daji looked around and said, "There are thirty-three temples in total."

Ziye nodded, "Exactly, in fact, there are thirty-three temples in addition to the seventy-two pavilions."

She could not help walking quicker, as if she could not wait to get to the front of the temple.

Walking away from the bridge, there was a white jade giant pillar. A jade unicorn was engraved on it, built upon the clouds, looking powerful.

Walking along the aisle, everything was exquisitely made. Built upon the clouds, one could almost see the realm below as one was walking down the aisle.

The first temple to the left had a glowing board stating: Wu Hao Temple.

Walking forward, it was the front of Yao Chi Temple. The main hall was the Rainbow Seven Pavilion, while the back hall was Tossiya Palace...

The crowd saw that each of the temples were locked up. Even though they were curious, they did not push open the doors.

Ziye looked at the familiar surroundings, she was uneasy, "I want to go to the Seven Pavilion, to see if my six sisters are still there."

However, just as the crowd was about to walk forward, the originally calm Heavenly Temple had a wild wind blowing. The surrounding clouds changed as well, the temple that stayed calmed for however many years started changing.

"Who are you!"

Along with that, a fierce scoff was heard, followed by two figures marching over.

The two of them had golden armors and helmets on. They had halberds, stepping on the golden clouds, they exude an air of authority as if they were the guards of the Heavenly Temple.

Ziye frowned, she asked, "Who are you all?"

One of them had a stern look on, his voice growling like thunder, "We're the Heavenly Guards! They guard the Heavenly Temple! Speak! Why did you all get in?"

Ziye scoffed coldly, "Nonsense! I've never seen you all before! You're not the Heavenly Guards!"

"Ha-ha, you're the one that got away?" The other slightly chubbier guard scoffed coldly, "We're the new Heavenly Guards of the new era! The Heavenly Temple is permanently sealed, it won't appear anymore! Any trespasser shall be killed!"

With that said, the two guards got in action. They held onto their weapons and attacked the group of them.

In their surroundings, the force of Law rushed over, forming a rippling long river circulating. Swiftly after, the air felt twisted, giving one the sense of feeling unreal.

This feeling was strange, triggered by the Law, away from the usual life and death.

Urchin's face changed, he said with a hoarse voice, "Two Daluo Golden Immortals?!"

So Daluo Golden Immortals still exist in the world. However, they hid in those corners unknown to the public.

Linzhu hurriedly took out her lead, she tossed it in front, "Clear!"

The leaf flew in the air, forming a gigantic leaf shield, trapping the two Heavenly Guards.

The two Heavenly Guards lifted their hands in unison, they attacked with their weapons in hand.

"Crack!"

They stabbed through the leaf.

Linzhu scoffed, and she quickly made another gesture.

The leaf spread into countless smaller leaves. They surrounded the two guards like countless butterflies flying in the air, trapping them.

"Small things are giving out glow, eh?"

A scoff was heard coming from the inside of the leaves. With a loud noise, a flame came out from within, burning down the leaves into ashes.

Linzhu's hand waved it off. The leaves went back to her hand, but there were some burnt leaves among them. They were significantly weakened and harmed.

"Spit!"

She opened her mouth and spat out blood.

"Take them down!"

The two Heavenly Guards were like the Gods from above, they held on the weapons and launched toward them.

Ye Liuyun gulped, his pupils dilated and growled, "Everyone, take action!"

Vroom!

He had a similar flame circling around him, roaring like a dragon, soaring to the sky.

Xiao Chengfeng plucked out his sword, the Sword Qi rushed to the sky, covering up the daylight. 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝓶

The wings of the Fire Phoenix stretched out. With the in the center, the Phoenix Fire spread out all over. Instantly, the world had been transformed into an ocean of flame.

While Daji tilted her hand and removed the Xuan Water Bracelet. Layers of Guanyin Immortal Water rushed out. Instead of forming a river, they formed an endless silky rain like the needles, shooting down at the two Heavenly Guards.

However, the two guards merely lifted their hands. The flaming long dragon turned around, forming layers of swirling flame. Instantly, they spread into the surrounding area.

Ye Liuyun's flame was engulfed by their fame, the Phoenix Fire did not last long before being engulfed.

This flame was way too powerful, as if nothing could get away from it. It was able to turn everything into ashes.

Facing such a flame, the crowd had to hide away, trying not to touch the flame by being super cautious.

"Samadhi Real Fire!"

Fire Phoenix's face was extremely heavy.

Although the Taiyi Golden Immortal was one realm away from becoming a Daluo Golden Immortal, the difference in power was huge and massive.

One could only get rid of the Five Decays after becoming a Daluo Golden Immortal, to stay beyond the reincarnation and live as long as the world. This was the key to why Daluo Golden Immortal was so much more powerful.

Two Heavenly Guards were glaring down angrily from above, they were very serious, "Dragon, phoenix, nine-tailed and the people of the temple, you're all so evil! Are you not surrendering yet?"

"Go!"

Daji scoffed in a low voice, the Xuan Water Bracelet was spinning rapidly, turning into angry waves like a water python. They formed circles after circles around the two guards before freezing into ice.

The crowd did not hesitate, they flew toward the Southern Sky Gate.

Facing the Daluo Golden Immortal, and there were two of them! There was no way they could fight them!

In the Heavenly Temple, there were actually two Daluo Golden Immortals guarding? This was way beyond their imagination!

"Ping!"

The ice suddenly cracked open. Samadhi Real Fire lashed out, upon touching the Xuanyuan Water, it lost its colors and fell onto the ground.

"Where are you all going!?"

The two Heavenly Guards scoffed and flew after them. They were flying so rapidly, they broke the law of speed and chased after them.

Their flame lashed out like a dragon after the crowd!

Fire Phoenix and Daji gritted their teeth and touched on the amulets in front of their chests.

Instantly, a layer of shield appeared. When the Samadhi Fire touched on the shield, a sizzling sound was heard.

The jade amulet vibrated and gradually rose up in the air. They got out of the necklace and hung in the air.

"What a powerful treasure amulet. The power of defense is beyond the Superior Heavenly Spiritual Treasure!"

The two Heavenly Guards were surprised. The flame was becoming more aggressive, it circled around their weapons and attacked the amulets!

"Go!"

The crowd did not stop, they had arrived at the Southern Sky Gate.

The amulets turned dull abruptly, they vibrated in the air but still perfectly slowed down the two Daluo Golden Immortals.

The crowd took a look back in fear. They jumped down from the Southern Sky Gate all at once.

Chapter 333

The crowd followed the pillar and crossed the river at the quickest speed.

It did not take long before they arrived back on the ground.

Fire Phoenix retrieved the wings on her back, "It seems that the two could only stay in the Heavenly Temple, they did not come out."

Xiao Chengfeng could not help smiling, "Daluo Golden Immortals can be held back? What a joke!"

Meanwhile, two rays of light gradually landed from the sky. They fell in front of Daji and Fire Phoenix.

Those were the two amulets.

Daji raised her hand to receive the amulet.

"Crack."

A crack appeared on the amulet, it was broken.

Her beautiful eyes showed a hint of shock. She caressed the crack and her eyes were filled with pain.

This was a gift handmade to her by her master, she even touched it cautiously. Now that it was cracked, her heart was bleeding.

There was a layer of mist in her eyes, her delicate hand held on the amulet, as she exuded an air of frost. 𝓵𝓲𝓫𝒓𝓮𝙖𝓭.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Linzhu shrunk her neck, she said in a low voice, "Miss Daji, calm down!"

Daji looked at the sky, she sighed, "I just feel sorry for my master."

Ye Liuyun smiled, "Now that the Heavenly Temple is open, Mr. Li must be very pleased."

"Exactly," Urchin nodded, he said with terror, "It's just that we didn't expect the Heavenly Temple to be guarded by the Daluo Golden Immortals. This is too terrifying."

Those were the Daluo Golden Immortals, they lived beyond death. Even in the past, there were only a few Daluo Golden Immortals guarding the Heavenly Temple.

Xiao Chengfeng could not help saying, "They sealed the Heavenly Temple for the Absolute Era. Is there an aim to make sure there's no God?"

"This is a difficult matter." Ziye frowned deeply, she sighed, "What's the goal of achieving an Absolute Era? To make the cultivating realm go downhill? Who benefits from this?"

The more they tried to understand, the more they realized how intimidating the opponent was.

Originally, everyone thought the last catastrophe was a predetermined disaster. However, after what happened, they suddenly had a feeling that there was a very scary power controlling and causing the catastrophe.

This was so terrifying.

After all, the destruction of the previous catastrophe was too powerful. The number of Gods killed were too many, the entire world was affected!

"A plot...a chess plot!"

Urchin shook his head, "This is the actual play of the world like a chess board. Luckily I have the expert supporting me as I fight, if not, I won't even know how I died."

Ye Liuyun could not help nodding, "Yes, if it wasn't for the expert, we would never have touched this chess board. We'll have to see what experts do next, we must make the best chess pieces!"

Daji caressed the little fox in his chest, and she said, "I should go home."

The crowd said instantly, "Miss Daji, Miss Fire Phoenix, goodbye."

"Goodbye."

...

Ordinary realm.

A golden cloud was floating nonchalantly in the sky. On top of the cloud, two children were sitting cross legged, playing the Gaming Console prepared by Li Nianfan.

Li Nianfan stood on the cloud, looking down at the sight of the Immortal Realm from above.

Meanwhile, he flinched as he changed the direction of the cloud and went in another direction.

If he was riding on someone else's cloud, it would not have been as convenient. However, now that he had his own cloud, he could go anywhere as he pleased, and stopped anywhere as he pleased. How great!

He landed on a tall mountain. There was a massive hole on the mountain like a chimney, there was a heated smoke coming out. There were many burnt black stones around the hope. This mountain was different from the rest.

This land was desolated with no living plants.

"So, there's a volcano in the Immortal Realm. That's normal."

Li Nianfan smiled, he stood by the hole and looked down.

Inside, there was a layer of red magma flowing slowly. There were some bubbles from time to time, giving out smoke and steam.

"This volcano should be calm in the short term and would not erupt." Li Nianfan observed and stated.

Even though it was calm for now, standing by the entrance of the volcano was still very dangerous. Since there was powder by the entrance, it was slippery. One could accidentally trip into the entrance and lose his precious life.

However, this danger was nothing to Li Nianfan.

Li Nianfan walked around the entrance of the volcano, he observed from the above.

Nanan asked curiously, "Brother Nianfan, what are you looking for?"

Li Nianfan smiled, "Sulfur. I suddenly thought of something interesting, if I make it, you all will like it very much."

Nanan and Dragon were perplexed, "Sulfur? What's that?"

Li Nianfan was looking as he spoke, "You don't have to know, you just have to know it's a type of thing."

Soon, his eyes lit up. He saw some yellow powder on the stones, there were even some faint yellow crystals.

Nanan went over curiously. Instantly, she frowned, "Argh, this thing is smelly."

"Sulfur does indeed have some strange smell." Li Nianfan nodded, "Alright, it's about time. Let's go back, you all will be impressed in no time."

Li Nianfan drove the cloud, he continued his journey home with Nanan and Dragon.

As for sulfur, the familiar usage was either medicine or to make gunpowder.

Li Nianfan did not intend to make gunpowder in the Immortal Realm, he wanted to make some fireworks.

Making fireworks was not difficult for Li Nianfan, as long as he had enough materials, he could make them. As for the colors of the fireworks, they were either orange or green in color.

These materials were not hard to gather.

He wondered if Daji and Fire Phoenix were back. If he could finish making the fireworks before they come home, it would be a pleasant surprise.

Li Nianfan smiled, he came up with the ideas of making it in his mind.

In the afternoon, the familiar Fallen Immortal Mountain appeared in sight. Li Nianfan stood on the clouds, he saw his familiar four-part architecture from above.

With that, he landed on it.

Instantly, Xiao Bai walked over to welcome him, "My master, welcome home."

Li Nianfan smiled, "Xiao Bai, long time no see. How's home?"

"Everything is well at home, it's the same familiar scent." Xiao Bai said as it displayed the result, "My master, look, here are the eggs produced by the chicken recently. The number and quality are not bad."

Li Nianfan looked over and nodded with satisfaction, "Wow, it's not bad."

The few firefinch by the corner instantly raised up their heads, "Cheep..."

"My master, have a look." Xiao Bai came to another wooden bucket, "The milk in here is freshly squeezed recently. I'm using them to make yogurt."

Li Nianfan laughed, "Can, can. Xiao Bai is really my Golden Butler!"

"Right, are Daji all back?"

Xiao Bai shook its head, "Not yet."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded, he could not help feeling worried.

In the road of cultivation, dangers were everywhere. Although Daji was led by Fire Phoenix, Li Nianfan knew that this place was the world after the Journey to the West. In the mythology, the phoenix was not as powerful. How unsteady!

After all, he had an undefeatable golden touch, the one and only in the world.

"Whatever, not going to think about it anymore."

Li Nianfan shook his head, he continued, "Nanan, Dragon, we have been out for long, it's time to cultivate. I'm going to start making fireworks, don't disturb me. Xiao Bai, fry a few dishes and some peanuts. Let's have some wine for dinner."

Originally, Li Nianfan still wanted to make some fireworks. However, he felt somehow lazy. He then decided to lay on the chair, shaking nonchalantly.

He might as well take a rest first.

After going on a trip, he realized that his home was the most comforting.

Time gradually passed. Three days had gone by.

Today, Li Nianfan was sitting in the yard, sipping his tea. He was thoroughly relaxed.

Meanwhile, there was knocking coming from the door.

"Mr. Li, we're back."

"Click!"

The door was opened.

Xiao Bai opened the door. When Daji walked inside, she saw Li Nianfan standing by the door, he was looking at her with a smile.

Her eyes had a layer of mist, she was emotional. She half-jogged toward him and launched into his arms.

"Mr. Li, long time no see."

Li Nianfan hugged Daji, he snuggled his head in between her neck and hair, sniffing her scent. Instantly, he felt so refreshed and cool. Other than her scent, her touch was even more ideal. As if it was softer than the little fox.

"Daji, long time no see."

As they said, a little parting was better than the newly wed. This was the perfect scenario.

"Hmph!"

A slight scoff came from the side. Fire Phoenix coldly turned over, she walked away from the two of them and sat alone on the stone stool in the yard.

Li Nianfan looked at Daji from head to bottom, he smiled, "Daji has become prettier. What did you learn?"

"Mr. Li, look." Daji raised her hand and opened her palm. With that, a crystal ice lotus gradually appeared. It was spinning on top of the palm, very beautiful.

"Clever!"

Li Nianfan's lips curled up. He also opened up his palm, "Daji, look at what is this."

On top of his palm, a golden lotus gradually appeared. It was similar to Daji's but in an eye-catching gold. It had golden light spinning on it, overwhelming the snow lotus of Daji's.

"This, this is..."

Daji's pupils dilated. She could not help covering her mouth with her hand. Her beautiful eyes widened. She was so adorable.

Fire Phoenix was stunned. She was originally sitting but now she stood up. She stared at the golden lotus in shock, her flaming lips could not help gasping.

Me...Merit?

This was her first time seeing Merit!

This was the Merits! Something that even the Saint would chase after. Once they were powerful enough, Merits were something not to be missed. One could even say that the Merits were the ultimate goal of the Gods.

Daji asked blankly, "Mr. Li, you're...you're not an ordinary man anymore?"

"I'm still an ordinary man, but I'm an unusual ordinary man." Li Nianfan smiled proudly, with a flick of his thought, countless Merit appeared and lit up the four-part architecture. They gathered into a Merit cloud and rose up in the air.

"How is it? Am I handsome?"

"Gulp." Daji and Fire Phoenix gulped at the same time. Although they knew how powerful Li Nianfan was, suddenly seeing this sight was still very shocking.

Fire Phoenix could not help asking, "Mr. Li, what happened?"

"It's a long story, but my golden finger...hmm, I'm lucky. It's not bad." Of course Li Nianfan could not say that he cultivated in order to catch up to Daji, he could only simply conclude, "After you all left, I went on a trip. I met some friends from the Underworld, I was going to cultivate in order self-defense, little did I expect to have cultivated this. I heard them say, "this is Deluxe Merit Saint, it sounds impressive."

Daji and Fire Phoenix exchanged a look.

They were good at extracting keywords from what Li Nianfan said.

Self-defense, to defend himself.

It seemed that the expert did not like to be attacked or targeted, so he gave himself a Deluxe Merit Saint title to live in peace.

So powerful, so in the style of the expert.

As for how this Merit came, it was unimportant. The expert could easily make a gesture and the Merit would come voluntarily.

Daji narrowed her eyes, and she praised sincerely, "Mr. Li, you're...so powerful."

"Yeah, and now I have my cloud." Li Nianfan was in a great mood, he asked, "What about you two? How's the trip?"

Daji pursed her lips, her eyes became duller.

Li Nianfan raised his eyebrows, "What is it?"

Daji took out the amulet, she said with guilt, "Mr. Li, I was unable to keep the amulet you made me safe."

"I thought it was something more!" Li Nianfan let out a sigh, he looked at the broken amulet, "You accidentally broke it during a fight, yeah? It's a small matter, I'll make you a new one."

"Thank you, Mr. Li." Daji was still not quite pleased, she was full of guilt. She felt that the meaning of it would be different. After all, the first would always be different.

Li Nianfan said, "Alright, be happy. At night, I'll show you a big treasure. I can guarantee that you will be happy!"

The master's big treasure?

As expected, Daji was interested. She sniffed, "Mr. Li, what is it?"

Li Nianfan smiled mysteriously, "Secret."

Time passed like water, the slightly chilly autumn wind came with the night.

In the sky, the clear and arched moon hung on top, the surrounding stars were packed all over.

Li Nianfan took out the prepared fireworks and placed them on the empty ground in the yard.

The outside of the fireworks was a big wooden box. Li Nianfan did not make the effort to wrap it up, one could see one after another empty tubes facing the sky, it was a unique sight.

Nanan, Dragon, Daji, Fire Phoenix and even Blackie gathered around. In fact, even the firefinch and the Five-Color Sacred Cow heard about it, they were ready to witness the so-called big treasure.

In the pond of the backyard, the golden old dragon gradually came out to the surface of the water.

Li Nianfan met the curious eyes of the crowd. He said, "Daji, you're about to witness the miracle!"

With that, he swung his hand, "Lighter, light on!"

The Dragon Fire Pearl that was put by the fire wire spat out a ring of fire.

"Sizz..."

The fire wire was burning, sparkling in the dark.

The spark was stretching into the box.

"Ping!"

The sudden loud ring scared everyone. They saw a light source shooting up into the sky, it was getting higher.

Out of the blue, another "ping" exploded. As if the flower was blooming, it opened up into countless sparkles in the sky. The sparkles were huge, almost covering up the entire sky. It was as if many flowers were blooming in the sky. However, it only lasted for a second, the darkness returned swiftly.

"Ping!"

Swiftly after, another explosion.

"Ping! Ping! Ping!"

The fireworks rushed up the sky, picking up the rhythm. They exploded in the sky one after another, lighting up the night sky beautifully, completely covering up the stars and the moon.

No matter if it was the ordinary men or the cultivators, even the demons all looked up at the sky. They stared at the exploding fireworks in the sky blankly, they were all shocked and in awe.

Heavenly Temple.

The two Heavenly Guard were guarding the Southern Sky Gate, their eyes cold and suspicious.

"Didn't expect someone to be able to unseal the Heavenly Temple. It's unexpected!"

"What a pity that we didn't manage to keep them. We've been here for so long, how rare it is for us to have visitors. I thought we could play them for longer."

"Guarding this place is so tiring!" One of them shook his head, he sighed, "Back then, the Heavenly Temple was so lively. Back then, I was still a small Heavenly Guard. Who'd have expected this."

The other said, "There's no other way. We've gained so much, of course we must pay the price. Being able to live forever is not bad."

Meanwhile, they raised their eyebrows. In unison, they had a shocking feeling, their hair all over them stood up, as if something terrifying was about to happen.

They sensed something with the corner of their eyes. They could not help lowering their heads.

Hmm?

They were stunned.

They saw a bright light rushing up to the sky, the source was from the ordinary realm. It somehow crossed the dimension and rushed right into them.

What was that?

As they were shocked, the light source came at an eerily rapid speed. It rushed into here and targeted one of their buttocks.

"Bam!"

Following a loud "ping", it exploded!

Chapter 334

"A-Whoo!"

The Heavenly Guard jumped up instantly. His face had gone green with a grimace, howling out loud.

He wanted to cover his buttock, but as his hands touched it, he felt a sharp pain so painful that he could not do anything about it.

The other Heavenly Guard watched blankly, he was perplexed as he watched his colleague's buttock crack open. The flesh exploded so shockingly, even he felt his pain.

That was the body of a Daluo Golden Immortal! Once they reached the Daluo realm, they lived past the reincarnation. Their bodies blended in with the Law and would not die or vanish.

And now, his buttock was cracked open?

If he did not see with his own eyes, he would not have believed it.

The firelight was such a terrifying existence!

He could not help shivering, his hands and feet were chilly.

This was not the place to stay for any longer.

With that thought, he felt a sharp pain coming from his buttock, swiftly after...

"Ping!"

"A-whu..."

The powerful and high-above Daluo Golden Immortal, left behind a pool of blood.

The other Heavenly Guard was more calm, but he still growled angrily, "Who's it? Who attacked us? How shameless!"

"So evil and insidious! Come out if you dare!"

"Phew..."

Along with a long pulling sound, ten or so firelights instantly shot up from the ordinary realm.

The firelights lit up the night sky beautifully, dazzling the eyes of the two Heavenly Guards.

"Gaso...Me!"

The two Heavenly Guards were terrified. Their scalps numb with their hairs standing up. They were like the ants on the hot pot, having no idea what to do. They wanted to run away, but realized that this firelight was too terrifying as if they would locate the target. Even their movement was already restricted.

Watching that the firelight was getting closer, targeting their buttocks, they felt despair. They covered their buttocks with both hands, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please let me go!"

"Ping!"

The heavy and beautiful fireworks exploded in the sky, the colorful sparkles overlapping one another. They formed countless blooming flowers, adding beautiful lights to this single-colored night sky.

Li Nianfan looked at the fireworks and said instantly, "Daji, how's it? Beautiful?"

"Mr. Li, beautiful. Too beautiful!" Daji looked up at the sky, her beautiful eyes dazzled by the sparkling fireworks above. She could clearly see that there were two suffering figures jumping away from the fireworks like the clowns.

'Mr. Li knew everything. He is helping me!'

Tears rolled down from her eyes to her cheeks. Daji blinked away her tears, she was dazzled by the show.

Beautiful, so beautiful. This was definitely the most beautiful sight in the world!

Not only beautiful, it was even more touching.

By the side, Fire Phoenix looked at the sky without blinking. She secretly touched on her amulet that was also cracked, and she then secretly looked at Li Nianfan with Daji. Her flaming red eyes looked complicated.

Suddenly, her thoughts fluttered. Now that the phoenix family was doing so bad, she was the only phoenix left. Since the expert had lived past the ordinary, everything on his was the essence of Heaven. If only she could have a child with him.

Instantly, her face flushed so red, even redder than her hair! She quickly slapped her cheeks and cautiously looked at Li Nianfan. Her eyes were flickering.

She must not think this way, no way! The expert was so powerful, he might be able to read minds! This was blasphemy!

At the Ice Palace.

Ziye stood on the glacier. She was watching this majestic view from the Immortal Land, she had tears rolling down.

The expert was using his own way to open up the access to the gate of the Heavenly Temple.

Layers of fireworks almost exploded in front of her. The dazzling beauty made her feel as if she had gone back very far away. Back then, she liked to go to the roof of the Seven Pavilion, to watch the beautiful Sister Zixia like an ocean while talking to her.

She always thought that the most beautiful sight in the world was Zixia at that moment. However, she now had seen another beautiful sight, a more beautiful sight than the one in her memory.

"Seventh Princess, Ice...Gla...Glacier..."

Xinghe stood behind ZIye. Meanwhile, his face changed, his long beard shaking vigorously below his mouth. His entire body had stiffened while his soul was wildly trembling as if every cell of his were moving. He was unable to speak.

He pointed in a direction, showing that the glacier had signs of melting. As the fireworks exploded, some cracks were seen on the glacier. Swiftly after, the entire Ice Palace started to shake up vigorously.

"Clack! Clack! Clack!"

The crack was getting bigger, the ice melted into water. Some even vaporized in the air instantly.

"Bam!"

Suddenly, the Ice Palace that Ziye was standing on collapsed. Leaving behind the crusted ice all over.

Ziye floated in the air, her face was filled with excitement.

"Ping! Ping! Ping!"

The fireworks continued with a loud cracking sound.

The ice was melting, showing the original land covered by the glacier. When the sun rises tomorrow, the Ice Palace will be completely melted. This showed that the seal was...melted!

Tonight was meant to be an extraordinary night.

The fireworks lit up the end of the sky, attracting the attention of many.

The lively and beautiful fireworks seemed to be celebrating the arrival of a new era.

In the Dragon Palace.

Urchin was located on the East Sea, there were many prawn knights behind him. They were all looking up and worshiping the fireworks.

"Heavenly Palace...is now coming back!"

Urchin said in awe. The Dragon family did not have a good relationship with the Heavenly Temple. However, now that his old friends and old enemies were coming back, he felt delighted. This symbolized the arrival of a new era.

Urchin straightened his face, he said solemnly, "Follow me, worship the expert!"

Behind him, the prawn knights followed him, they all bowed deeply at the direction of the fireworks.

"Prawns soldiers, go get lobsters! Crab soldiers, go pick some big crabs, the best ones! Train their meat well. I'll bring them over to the expert one day."

...

Immortal Land. Zhu Sea.

This was also a sacred land, but this was not a sect.

Linzhu was sitting on a pillar, she was shaking her legs in the air happily as she watched the fireworks from afar. She was also munching on the orange one petal at a time, her eyes squinting from the smile.

"Yeah! I get to play in the Heavenly Temple soon!"

... 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝒓𝙚𝒂𝓭.𝓬𝒐𝓶

Underworld.

Black and White Impermanence stuck out their heads. Similarly, they were looking at the direction of the fireworks and bowed deeply. They should pick a day to visit the Heavenly Palace.

...

The fireworks gradually ended. The world soon regained its peace while the night sky returned.

However, the majestic sight was already deeply implanted into the heads of the people. It even went in their souls, making it impossible to remember forever.

Under the quiet night sky, a small dot suddenly appeared. It fell from the sky slowly.

It was a snowflake.

A white snowflake. Soon it filled up the night sky, and it started snowing.

Few snowflakes landed on Li Nianfan's cheeks, the coldness made him realize, "It's Winter already. The snow came earlier this year."

He looked at Daji and halted, "Daji, why did you cry?"

Daji quickly wiped off her tears, she went into the arms of Li Nianfan and closed her eyes. She said sincerely, "The fireworks are too beautiful, I can't help. Waa...Mr. Li, you're too kind to me."

"Don't be silly, if I'm not kind to you, who would I be kind to?"

LI Nianfan smiled and ruffled her head. As expected, any woman would be swept off their feet by this romantic gesture.

"Alright, don't cry. It's snowing, hurry up and go in for a rest."

Daji bit her lips, she was so touched that she had to say embarrassingly, "Mr. Li, why not...tonight, let me please..."

Suddenly, Fire Phoenix said, "Sister Daji, we'll sleep together tonight."

Right away, she pulled Daji away and into her room.

Li Nianfan stood on the same spot, looking at the two women walking into the room blankly. He felt that he had...missed something?

Chapter 335

On the next day. The sky turned bright earlier than usual.

Li Nianfan opened the door, he could not help from squinting. It was too bright.

The snow was not only earlier, it came at a large amount, too. Throughout the night, the pile of snow had gathered outside. The sunlight reflected off the large surface of snow, making the day even brighter than usual.

The ground, wall and trees were covered in silver.

"Good morning, my master." Xiao Bai was clearing up the accumulated snow diligently. It said to Li Nianfan, "Breakfast is ready, it's soy milk with dough sticks."

"Good job, Xiao Bai." Li Nianfan smiled and nodded.

Soy milk and dough sticks was a combination that he liked. On a winter morning, having a sip of hot soy milk was so enjoyable. Xiao Bai remembered it, thus whenever it snowed, Xiao Bai would prepare this combination.

After spending so long in the Immortal Realm, Li Nianfan had been through quite a lot of snowy days.

Xiao Bai said like a human, "You're too kind, being able to serve my master is Xiao Bai's blessing."

Li Nianfan had a thought, he could not help riding on the cloud and rose up. He gazed at the land in the air.

It was a world covered in snow. The peaks of the mountains were covered in white, while the rest of the world had a white carpet on. What a sight!

After admiring the snow sight for a while, Li Nianfan landed from the air.

Meanwhile, Daji and Fire Phoenix walked out of the room.

Daji's eyes seemed rather angry, she did not want to speak to Fire Phoenix. After all, her plan was ruined by the phoenix last night, resulting in her missing out so much! How frustrating!

Li Nianfan asked, "Daji, good morning. Why do you look tired? Did you not have a good sleep?"

"Mr. Li, good morning." Daji pursed her lips, "It's so difficult to sleep with Sister Phoenix, I won't sleep with her anymore."

Fire Phoenix could not help talking back, "Hmph! I'm the victim! You like to scratch me when sleeping!"

Daji said instantly, "No! You bite!"

"Ha-ha-ha." Li Nianfan was entertained. The two of them sleeping together last night must have been interesting.

He called out to the room, "Dragon, Nanan, wake up for breakfast."

"Okay, brother. Coming!"

Dragon and Nana quickly put on their clothes and walked out from the bedroom.

When they saw the sight of snow outside, their eyes sparkled as they cried in joy. How much they wished to jump into the snow and roll around.

Li Nianfan already brought out the piping hot soya milk. "Alright, after breakfast we will build a snowman."

Dragon and Nana were even more excited, "Really? Yeah!"

This was the first snow this year, and it was big. Thus he decided to let Nanan and Dragon have a day off, to play with them. The entire afternoon went with a joyful atmosphere.

And the result of the afternoon was the addition of two cute snowmen on the two sides of the four-part architecture.

"Alright, time to prepare lunch." Li Nianfan had a plan, he smiled, "Nanan, Dragon, you're in charge of picking the vegetables from the back. Today is cold, it's best for a hotpot."

Meanwhile, below the mountain.

Three figures landed from the sky. Swiftly after, they started walking up the mountain.

"Clack..."

Their feet stood on the thickening accumulation of snow and let out the sound. They stood into the snow leaving some footprints behind.

They were Gu Xirou, Payne and Gu Changqing.

Last night, they noticed the fireworks, too. With shock, they only then realized the fireworks were sent out from the Fallen Immortal Mountain. Instantly, they guessed that the expert had come home, thus they prepared to pay him a visit.

Gu Changqing had a huge black mountain goat on his shoulder, it was not dead yet, it was still weakly breathing.

This was not an ordinary black mountain goat, it was the Lord of all the black mountain goats. The Lord of Black Mountain Goat. They joined forces to kill it from the Immortal Land.

Since they knew that the expert liked wild meat, they intentionally found some wild meat from the Immortal Land. They even caught a few demons like the Tiger Demon, Leopard Demon or Wolf Demon, they interrogated these demons to find out which wild meat had the best texture.

The answer in unison was the black mountain goat meat.

After searching for a long time, they finally found this Black Mountain Goat Demon with a lot of effort. This was the most they could do for the expert, they did it with sincerity.

Actually, they caught this Black Mountain Goat Demon a few days ago. However, when they visited the expert, they realized that he was not home. Thus they had been growing it until now, feeding it and keeping it fit.

Gu Xirou said, "Giving this to the expert seems not good enough, but we don't have any other way."

Gu Changing nodded, "Unfortunately the treasures on us are limited, if not we can bring them all out to exchange some treasures for the expert in the black market."

Payne said, "Anyhow, we need to think of more ideas."

As they spoke, they had arrived at the four-part architecture.

They saw the two snowmen by the door instantly. They knew that the expert was actually home!

As they walked past the snowmen, their hearts were beating wildly.

The things held on by the snowmen, the woods put in their bodies were all Spiritual Roots. Not only that, the decorations on them were all Deluxe Spiritual Treasure. Even the carrot on their noses were the Spiritual Root Immortal Fruits!

In fact, one of the snowmen had a handkerchief on its head. It was a Heavenly Spiritual Treasure.

To state it bluntly, the worth of this snowman was higher than the three of them added on!

Who would have believed them if they said that the snowmen were luckier than them! How embarrassing!

Payne and the other two felt bitterly embarrassed.

However, in the next moment, they were captivated by the golden light on the snowman's hand. Their pupils dilated as they let out a look of disbelief.

"Me...Me...Merit?" Payne opened his eyes wide, his lips chapped. His throat went dry, he was unable to speak from shock.

On the other hand of the snowman, there was a golden lotus. It was so enchanting with a golden glow circulating. It was a Merit Lotus!

Washes of sacredness rushed toward the three of them.

Even though the Merit Lotus was not big, this amount of Merit was unable to be gathered by the entire life of an Immortal. In fact, most of them did not even have the rights to come close to the Merit!

Showing off wealth was suddenly so insignificant here. The expert was showing off Merit!

Who else could do such a thing other than the expert? 𝘭𝘪𝑏𝑟ℯ𝒶𝑑.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Luckily the three of them were well-trained. They were able to regain their composure quickly, pressing down their shock.

Gu Changqing walked forward and politely knocked on the door three times.

"May I know if Mr. Li is home?"

"Click."

The door was opened.

Xiao Bai looked out from the inside, "Hello, please come in."

"Thank you."

Payne and the other two gradually walked out. Gu Changqing carried the Black Mountain Goat and carefully placed it on an empty ground.

Li Nianfan had a tray in his hands, there were some smaller dishes prepared for the hotpot. When he saw the goat, he could not help saying, "You all brought in your food to dine here?"

Gu Xirou hastily said politely, "Mr. LI, this black mountain goat is famous for its meat. We happened to have hunted one, so we brought it over."

"You're so thoughtful. This came at the right time. We happen to lack mutton here." Li Nianfan did not hesitate, he said directly, "Mutton is the best to eat during winter. Xiao Bai, hurry, since we still have time, sort it out and make some lamb roll. This is a must for the hotpot!"

Chapter 336

Instantly, Xiao Bai carried the black mountain goat to the side.

"The black mountain goat is still alive, this is so evil, you should have ended its suffering earlier." Xiao Bai said as it smacked on the head of the goat who was struggling.

The black mountain goat died peacefully.

Xiao Bai then nodded, "Well, this is not bad. It's still fresh."

With that, it started pulling out its fur. Xiao Bai was good at this, it did not take long before the floor was covered in a layer of black wool. The black mountain goat became bald.

"What pure wool! It can make some warm clothes." Li Nianfan could not help sighing. "If it's not for my appetite, I'd have grown this goat. After all, the fur comes off quickly and unlimitedly."

Payne said hastily, "If you need it, we could go and catch a few more overs."

"No need, I'm just saying." Li Nianfan smiled and shook his head, "After all, I don't need so much wool. I don't supply clothes anyway, just a small amount is enough."

As he spoke, the soup of the hotpot was prepared.

It was nothing fancy, just the usual two-colored one. To Li Nianfan, the flavors of hotpot were either spicy or non spicy. The other flavors did not make that much of a difference.

The two contrasting soup bases made Payne and the group look rather intrigued. There were two different soup bases in there with a clear and curved line. It looked very mysterious.

After putting the soup on top of the heat, the temperature went up while the soup started to boil. The bubbles were rippling like two Yin and Yang fish swimming and entangling.

The crowd was shocked. The expert was clearly using the Law of Yin Yang to steam the food!

The expert was indeed so particular about the food. They sniffed at the fragrance coming from the soup base, their fingers could not help moving. They were in luck today!

"Please have a seat first, we need to wait slightly longer."

Gu Xirou sat down, her face changed as she was about to ask a question, "Mr. Li, when we came in, I noticed there were two golden lotuses..."

"Ha-ha-ha, mentioning this, it's delightful!"

Li Nianfan could not help smiling. A golden light appeared on top of his head. There was a golden light shining on top of his head. It formed one circle after another, exuding an air of sacredness. It made Li Nianfan appear in a very majestic light, making it hard for one to look him in the eye.

Payne and the group were just about to sit, instantly they jumped up. How they wished to remove their jaws!

This...

Merit! So many Merits!

"During the trip, I was lucky enough to have learned to cultivate the Deluxe Merit, I can call you all brothers now." Li Nianfan showed off with satisfaction. He felt good about himself while remaining calm on the surface, "Come, have a seat. It's not a big deal."

Lucky? Not a big deal?

If they did not know that the expert could basically do anything, they would have collapsed!

Payne was the first to snap back to reality, he said in fear, "Mr. Li is a Deluxe Merit Saint. You calling us brothers is looking at us too highly!"

He was an expert! How would they ever earn the rights to be called his "brothers"? Was it not obvious? The expert could simply give out the Deluxe Merit so effortlessly!

Gu Xirou and Gu Changqing greeted, "Congratulations to Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan waved it off, he smiled, "This is merely to make my life more convenient. Don't be too shocked, treat me like the past. The hotpot is ready soon, let's start."

Convenient? How could a Deluxe Merit Saint not be convenient?

"Oh, okay."

Payne and the two nodded, they looked at the hotpot but felt as if they did not know how to start. This thing...how shall they eat it?

There were quite many dishes on the table, but they were mostly raw.

"Everyone, just pick the food you prefer and dip it in the soup. It won't take long before you can start eating." Li Nianfan performed a demonstration.

"I see."

The three of them instantly understood. They said with respect, "This way of eating is so mysterious and convenient!"

"Just cook what you eat, it makes sense. What a feast!"

"Compared to the usual way of eating, everyone sharing the same pot brings us closer to each other. This is the beauty of life. This hotpot is wonderful!"

The three of them added onto one another, how they wished to worship this hotpot! The final conclusion: Mr. Li was indeed a genius, he even invented the hotpot!

Li Nianfan could not help smiling, he said, "These are unimportant. The key is that it's delicious. It warms us up."

All three of them nodded, "Mr. Li is right."

During the meal, everyone gathered around it. They were indeed happily blended in, especially with the mist coming up from the pot, and the sense of anticipation given off by the pot, they had a different dining experience.

Having hotpot was not merely the delicious taste, it was the ambient. If not, why would they call it a tragedy when someone had a hotpot all by himself.

"Gulp!"

There were bubbles coming out from the bottom of the pot. In the spicy half, the red chili oil was boiling. It looked scary but made one want to taste it. Compared to the ordinary half of the other side, the spicy side was more tempting.

What Li Nianfan did not expect was that after tasting the spicy side, Gu Xirou and the two fell in love with the spicy base. The heat and the spice blended in, resulting in them making a sizzling sound due to the heat and spice. Her mouth opened and closed, her face flushing bright red.

However, they were the Immortals. They were unafraid of having spicy food and thus they could eat all they wanted. How admirable!

As they were enjoying the feast, Xiao Bai walked out with the tray, it called out, "Lamb roll is coming!"

"Wow! The meat is here!" Nanan was instantly happy, she cried out happily, "Put it here, put it here."

The red and white lamb meat was thinly and equally cut into rolls. They were neatly placed on the plate. The way Xiao Bai cut the meat was so professional. They looked clean and refreshing, even if it was raw, it made one want to eat it right away.

Since the hotpot was used to cook raw ingredients, therefore the raw ingredients had to be carefully chosen. Especially the colors, they had to be particular about the colors, they had to be neatly presented, looking clean and clear.

"Lamb rolls are the best and most nutritious food to have in the winter. One meal of lamb keeps you warm for three days." Li Nianfan reached out his chopsticks and picked up a roll. He then placed it into the spicy base and boiled it. He said, "The lamb roll goes best with the spicy sauce. Furthermore, the roll is thinly cut, you only have to count to seven in your heart and then it's ready to eat. If not, it'll be too old, affecting its texture."

However, what Li Nianfan found strange was that he noticed Payne was not interested in the meat. In fact, he was more interested in the vegetables. His main target seemed to be put on the...chives!

Although he was subtle about it, he would pick up some other vegetables, but he would not miss out on the plate of chives! The chives were finishing, and they were all eaten by Payne alone. It was hard not to notice... 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Li Nianfan did not ask, seeing that Xiao Bai was making more lamb rolls, he had to attend to him personally. He smiled, "Brother Payne likes to eat chives, please wait for a moment. I'll harvest some more."

Payne stood up hurriedly, he said sounding embarrassed, "Mr. Li, no need. I feel bad."

Li Nianfan smiled, "You're my guest, there's nothing to feel bad about. Furthermore, these chives don't cost anything. They grow so rapidly, coming off one batch after another."

With that said, he stood up and walked to the backyard.

Gu Changqing looked at Payne strangely. Why did he not know that his Sect Master liked to eat chives? There were so many vegetables in there, why did he only have the chives?

Seeing that there was a chive floating in the pot, out of curiosity, he reached out his chopsticks and picked it up. He wanted to try it.

As the chive went into his mouth, the taste was indeed good. Of course, that was not the key.

Every food prepared by the expert was nothing ordinary. They all had shocking benefits.

Gu Changqing was tasting it carefully, he gradually let out a shocking look. He could feel his stomach burning, making his body warm. This sense of warmth was different from the warmth of a hot spring. It was coming from within, especially the lower stomach which felt like burning.

Instantly, he understood. His eyes widened as if he had discovered a new land! He stared at his Sect Master, "Sect Master, you, you..."

Payne's old face flushed red. He straightened his face and scoffed, "What? Do you think the expert is harvesting the chives for me? Didn't you catch on to the deeper meanings in his words?"

Payne not only perfectly changed the topic, he even spoke with a hint of anger and accusation.

"Deeper meanings? What deeper meanings?"

Not only Gu Changqing, the others looked at Payne, too.

Daji said, "What deeper meanings did my master have?"

"Miss Daji, you don't know." Payne stood up hastily and said with a polite tone, "The gourd seed that Immortal Gu gave to the expert, and the...Gaming Console, we got them from a black shop."

"Black shop?" Daji raised an eyebrow, she seemed interested.

The gourd seed gave out an Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Gourd. While that Gaming Console had many powers in it. They were very helpful, who would have thought that they came from such a place.

Payne nodded, "Yeah, this black shop is to trade items. Two of these were exchanged with the fruits given to us by the expert."

"What's there to do with what my master is implying?"

"Immortal Daji, when I came in, the expert talked about wool. He said how it can grow more after shaving. He then talked about the chives, harvesting one batch after another." Payne paused and continued, "He's clearly hinting at the black shop. Think about it, if we keep on bringing things over, we will get some good things from there all the time. Wouldn't it be just like the chives? One batch after another, if we keep on repeating this, there would be so many treasures!"

Chapter 337

The crowd nodded with realization. "Indeed, he's harvesting the chives. It's a good idea."

"Bring us along, bring us!" Nanan and Dragin's eyes were sparkling. They realized there was such a fun thing and instantly they wanted to take part.

Daji said, "There's no hurry. Since the chives are right there, in order to harvest it perfectly, we will take part, too."

Payne nodded hurriedly. He wanted to say yes ten thousand times, "Yes! We will listen to Immortal Daji."

He was extremely pleased. His speculation earned the approval of Immortal Daji, this was equivalent to pleasing the expert!

Meanwhile, Li Nianfan already harvested a pile of chives and walked over. He even had a small basket in his hands filled with all green chives.

He smiled, "Since Brother Payne likes to eat chives, I harvested more for you to bring home."

Paune was so touched that he had tears in his eyes, he said hastily, "Thank you, Mr. Li. I'm so touched!"

Li Nianfan smiled it off, "It's a small matter. I tell you, you need to cut the chives off wildly. The harsher the better, so that they grow faster."

Payne said instantly, "I see, thank you for your knowledge."

The others took note of it, too. In conclusion, they had to be harsh when it came to chives.

The hotpot meal was taken in a lively atmosphere. This was also Li Nianfan's first hotpot meal this winter, it was quite remarkable. After all, this hotpot was eaten with the Immortals, a phoenix and some demons. It was so lively, like a multicultural meal.

Payne wiped his lips and said sincerely, "This is too delicious. Thank you so much for hosting us, Mr. Li."

Gu Xirou had fallen deeply in love with the hotpot. She said, "I've lived for so long and never had thought about this way of eating. Mr. Li, can I eat like this after going back?"

"Ha-ha-ha, Immortal Gu, this is a redundant question. Hotpot is just a way of eating, of course you may dine in this way." Li Nianfan could not help saying, he continued, "Oh right, if you like hotpot, you may bring back some hotpot soup base, it'd be more convenient when you eat."

"Mr. Li, this is...too kind."

Payne and the two were embarrassed. Of course these were all treasures, and they were too embarrassed to keep. Here, every flower and plant was a treasure. Especially now that they had eaten the hotpot, this meal was more precious than the cultivation they had. After all, many of the understandings did not come easily through cultivation.

"Don't b shy, it's not a treasure anyway. Hold it." Li Nianfan waved it off, he looked at Gu Changqing and asked curiously, "Oh right, Brother Gu. Do you know how the battle is going? I've been away and did not follow up with it for some time."

"It's more calm now. After blocking the last attack from the Southern Barbarians, Xia Kingdom had been having the upper hand with many victories. Now that it's in the stage of counterattacking. I heard that somehow, Tu Jiu's body is suddenly going downhill, as if he got really ill. Their combat power has been lowering since then." Gu Changqing paused, he continued, "The Demons are tamed by Buddhism, they have less actions lately."

Li Nianfan let out a look of shock, "Buddhism is doing so well?"

He was shocked. Buddhism was spread out by Yuecha, while Yuecha learned about Buddhism from him. He even gave her a Diamond Sutra. It was established so soon?

Is Buddhism so well-accepted in this realm?

Suddenly, Li Nianfan thought of another point. This realm was meant to be the legendary world, so of course there must be Buddhism, as well as Buddha. How did they all disappear? After the Journey to the West, unless Buddhism vanished? That was scary.

Gu Changqing smiled, "Mr. Li, the spreading of Buddhism has some surprising elements. Recently, there are rumors about the appearance of the Underworld. Many ghosts and demons went to the ordinary realm, causing some disasters. Since the Buddhists have the Buddhist Light, they could resist against the ghosts. With the Buddhists monks walking around the world, it is much easier to recruit."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded, he was curious. How did Yucha cultivate the Buddhist Light? Was it the Diamond Sutra that he gave her? Perhaps it had some power in it? That seemed impossible.

After all, Yuecha was an Immortal, she had a high starting power. Thus creating some effects out of the Diamond Sutra did make sense.

No matter what, this Diamond Sutra was a sutra, giving it to her was considered as returning to the rightful owner.

Payne continued, "Mr. Li, since Buddhism was started by the Immortal, the basics have surpassed the ordinary sects. Now that it is growing bigger, I heard that they're preparing to host a ceremony."

He left out one sentence: Buddhism is supported by the expert, with the Luck Treasure, even if they had to obey some of the rules. Being able to fly within a short period of time was something ordinary.

Li Nianfan could not help saying, "Perhaps it will be quite powerful." 𝘭𝒾𝑏𝑟𝑒𝒶𝒹.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Payne nodded, "Yeah, perhaps quite a number of Immortals would be invited."

"Another big event!"

The crowd chatted for a while before Payne and the two stood up to bid him farewell. With Li Nianfan insisting, they finally accepted the chives and base soup.

The weight of those ingredients felt so heavy, how were these chives and base soup? These were sincerity given to us by the expert!

Payne and the two tried so hard to hold back their tears, they said politely, "Mr. Li, sorry to have disturbed you today. Goodbye."

"Alright, goodbye."

...

Upon walking out from the four part architecture, the three of them finally could not hold it any longer. Tears fell like a waterfall, with waves formed as the water rushed down their cheeks. They were so emotional that their shoulders were trembling.

Payne said with a touched and hoarse voice, "Waa...the expert is too kind to us. He's looking at small figures like us!"

Gu Xirou said, "I heard that many legendary bigshots are all high above. They don't have friends and live a lonely life. The reason being their standards being too high. However, the expert's realm is way higher than those other bigshots, he's willing to become an ordinary man, to treat everything with an ordinary heart. He treats us like a friend! However...our status is too low, how did we deserve this!"

Gu Changqing said, "Although the expert treats us well, we have to be clear about where we stand. We're just a chess piece, our value of existence is to help the expert clear some troubles!"

Payne agreed right away, "You're right, you're my disciple after all! This is what we must get out of this!"

Gu Changqing suddenly looked at his Sect Master, and then at the chives, he let out a strange look, "Sect Master, you're eating these chives, could it be that you...hmm, you try to strengthen your physique?"

Payne's face dropped, he coughed gently, "You don't understand my pain!"

He continued unnaturally, "Cultivators like myself have a heart of asking. The longer we live, the higher cultivation we get, the heart of asking will thicken. Gradually, we will reach the realm of having no feeling, with no emotion toward many things. These chives happened to be able to help me regain the feelings I once had."

Gu Changqing said, "Sect Master, you don't have to explain, I understand."

Payne scoffed, "Understand your ars*! I've lived for more than ten thousand years, I've white hair and beard all over, do you know...my pain?"

"Shut up, you two!" Gu Xirou scoffed at them and eyed Payne with a disgusted look, she said, "We'll go back to the Immortal Land and harvest some, let's see how our chives are growing."

Payne remained a very calm look, he said, "You two go on, I have some conflicts with Bamboo, I need to please her."

...

After sending out Payne and the two, the piece resumed. Of course he was not washing the dishes, he did not give the task to Xiao Bai either. He asked Dragon and Nana to wash them all.

He had to be more strict to the children, to tame them down.

"Alright, didn't you know the two spells? It's just washing some dishes, how hard can it be?" Li Nianfan looked at their wrongful faces, he could not help smiling, "Hurry, after washing I'll bring you all to the Fallen Town!"

They had gone on a trip for so long, he wondered if the Fallen Town had any change.

Nanan and Dragon were instantly energized, they were excited, "Really? Yeah! We'll wash them right away!"

Half an hour later, they simply cleaned up and went in the direction of the Fallen Town.

Since Li Nianfan could drive the wind, the journey took way less time. However, he kept a low profile and landed outside the Fallen Town before walking toward it.

Upon entering the town, Li Nianfan could not help frowning and letting out a strange look.

Compared to the usual liveliness, the town was apparently more empty today. On the street, only a few people were walking. It was an empty town!

Nanan could not help saying, "What is it? Where's my mother? She likes to hang around here most of the time."

Li Nianfan's small red bird on his shoulder went up and flew around in the air. After spinning around, it went back on him.

Fire Phoenix said calmly, "Most people are gathered in the town center."

Li Nianfan was instantly interested. "So all of them had gone to the town center. Let's go, we'll check it out."

Instantly, the group of them fastened their pace.

As they were approaching the center, more and more people appeared, along with some noise. It was very lively.

"Mr. Li, you came." As they approached the outside of the circle, a familiar voice was heard. It was the fishmonger,

Little Fish sat on the fishmonger's shoulder, she was looking ahead with curiosity. Seeing that it was Li Nianfan, she said in a small voice, "Hello, brother, hello sisters."

Li Nianfan smiled and nodded. He handed an orange over, "Hello, Little Fish, have an orange?"

Little Fish said instantly, "Thank you, brother."

The fishmonger said, "Mr. Li, you really went out? I was worried about you, glad that you made it back safely."

Li Nianfan smiled and shook his head, "Ha-ha-ha, what danger could I possibly encounter? Thank you."

The fishmonger could not help saying, "Mr. Li, there are many ghosts and demons around these days, it's good that you made it back."

In the Immortal Realm, ordinary people had to be extremely cautious when traveling.

"Fishmonger, what is happening?" Li Nianfan asked with curiosity.

"Speaking of which, it's quite mysterious." The fishmonger built up the suspense before continuing, "Recently, some literary bigshots, as well as some well-renowned people have been having dreams sent by the ghosts in the Underworld. Some even received dreams sent to them by their ancestors. They asked the people to build a City God Temple and worship God. This is so that the rain and wind can be stabilized, and the people can live safely.

"Dreams? City God Temple?" Li Nianfan let out a thoughtful look. The Underworld was working so quickly, they had started on it.

The fishmonger nodded, "Yeah, even the Emperor of the Ganlong Immortal Dynasty came in person. He wants to build the City God Temple here. However, they seem to be discussing something, therefore everyone rushed over here to worship the City God, to pray together."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded.

He looked at the packed crowd in front, he naturally wanted to go over. As he was hesitating whether or not to drive his cloud over, he was worried that this might shock the crowd and make him stand out.

"Mr. Li!"

Among the crowd, a surprised voice rang in the air. It was the owner of the breakfast stall.

He squeezed out of the crowd with difficulty, he called out loudly, "Everyone, please make way, make way for Mr. Li. Don't we need someone to write? Who else in the Fallen Town is more capable and suitable than Mr. Li?"

As he spoke, he and the fishmonger helped Li Nianfan to open up a space, "Mr. Li, hurry up. I heard that you're not around recently, if not someone would have come up for you."

When the crowd heard that it was Mr. Li, they instantly made way for him.

"If Mr. Li is back, of course he's the most suitable candidate."

"Ha-ha-ha, what a coincidence that Mr. Li is back. We don't have to keep thinking!"

"I tell you all, Mr. Li's writing is the best! With his words, the City God will be pleased."

"Hurry, what're you standing there for, make way!"

Although Li Nianfan did not live in the Fallen Town, his reputation was well known. With his capability, even though he had only shown a little in public, it was already very impressive in the eyes of the ordinary.

Walking ahead, Li Nianfan gradually saw the temple in front. By the look of it, it seemed to have been remodeled. It was simple and majestic, with nineteen stairs below, it looked solemn.

On the top of the temple, there was a board. The base was black in color, with three golden words engraved on it: City God Temple.

Below the temple, Li Nianfan saw many familiar faces.

The Holy Emperor, Luo Shiyu, Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang. One could say that the most reputable people that the Fallen Town had seen were all here.

When they saw Li Nianfan, they were instantly nervous with their faces straightened. Quickly, they made way for him and personally went down to welcome him. They walked in a hurry.

Chapter 338

The Holy Emperor was uneasy. He explained right away, "Mr. Li, we didn't know you're back, that's why we did not invite you over."

Li Nianfan smiled, "I came back not long ago, I happened to make it on time. Don't feel bad, Holy Emperor."

The Holy Emperor was less concerned after that, but his face was still flushing red. How he wished to slap himself on the face.

Even though he knew the expert was not home, he should have checked again the night before building the City God Temple. Who would know if the expert came home? He was so insincere! Sigh!

"Greetings to Mr. Li."

Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang bowed at Li Nianfan.

The two of them were extremely excited. Their bodies straightened as they bowed a ninety degree bow at him.

One was the Human Sovereign, the other a well-reputable scholar. They sincerely respected Li Nianfan, it was not fake, it came from the heart.

Zhou Yunwu said with excitement, "Mr. Li, I'd like to thank you on behalf of all my people!"

Meng Junliang added, "Mr. Li, I'd like to thank you on behalf of all the scholars."

With the status of them both in the ordinary realm, they naturally received the dream sent out by the Underworld. And the dreams were personally sent out by bigshots like Black and White Impermanence. They were told that the City God Temple was established by an expert.

Mentioning expert, Mr. Li was the first person that came to mind. Therefore, they asked around and found out that it was indeed Mr. Li!

Immediately, their admiration for Li Nianfan reached the peak. Most importantly, the establishing of a City God Temple was very beneficial to both Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang.

One was to help the people live in peace, the other was to give hope to the current scholars.

If the scholars were able to manage the people, and then loved and respected by them, the scholars could then be recognised by the Underworld after death and become the local City God. This was something to anticipate!

Anyhow, the City God Temple was a bridge between the ordinary realm and the Underworld, a win-win solution!

Li Nianfan waved his hand, "Alright, don't thank me, I merely provided an idea."

The Holy Emperor said, "Mr. Li, you came at the right time. You are the most rightful candidate to enroll for this Fallen Town."

They were discussing who should be the one inscribing. This was a big matter, not only the ordinary men, these words had to be used to communicate with the Underworld. This was a big matter!

The truth was that no matter who was the one inscribing, they were unhappy about it. It seemed as if they were discussing, the truth was that they were arguing.

Meng Junliang handed the brush to Li Nianfan, he said, "Mr. Li, here's your pen. I'll prepare the ink for you!"

Li Nianfan did not deny. With his current status, he did have the rights to inscribe. With that, he received the brush and stood by a side.

The board was made, the City God Temple only lacked an inscription. However, the inscription was very important, it was the front of the City God Temple, it had to be meaningful not only to the ordinary but also the Underworld.

The words had to be powerful and meaningful.

Li Nianfan looked at the City God Temple behind him, and then down at the crowd before him.

There were too many people around, rows after rows. However, they all fell silent all at once, staring at Li Nian Fan.

Li Nianfan met the sincere gaze of the people and took in a deep breath. He looked up at the sky far away.

He saw that the sky and the ground was joined by the white snow from afar. Further down, he wondered how the mirror-like Clear Moon Lake was doing. 𝙡𝙞𝒃𝓻𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝒎

He was standing high enough to look at the lake and the mountain behind. Since this was the City God Temple, it would be lit up by the lights even at night, taking on the responsibility of helping the city people.

He shall write about it!

The paper was prepared and placed on the table.

Li Nianfan gradually landed the brush on the table.

Since this was formal, he did not write fast. His font was lightly casual but very neat. However, there was a strange Insight coming from within, catching one's attention with it.

The crowd below did not see the words, but they saw Li Nianfan. They could feel that he was being refreshing and elegant, every stroke and movement made him seem more carefree as if a light layer was surrounding him, very sacred. The City God Temple had somehow turned into his backdrop, one had to resist from worshiping him.

On the stage, Meng Junliang and the rest stared at the paper deadly. They could feel as if every word was alive and filled with intention.

Especially Meng Junliang. This was not the first time he saw Li Nianfan write, he had decided to learn from Li Nianfan forever. However, every time he saw him write, he would have new realizations, always feeling more ignorant and guilty as he watched.

Would he ever achieve such a miracle? Even one word of such level would be sufficient!

[Eight hundred miles of lake and mountains made the sight, one hundred thousand fireworks returned here.]

The last word...done!

"Vroom!"

Ripples were sent out between the sky and ground, as if some Laws were being forced to change. A strong and powerful pressure crashed down from above, almost solidifying the space around them.

The ordinary men only felt suffocated, while the cultivators felt their hairs standing up, they were terrified.

They looked at the sky in unison while trembling with their eyes opening wide.

They saw that a bright golden light fell down from the sky. Unknown of its source, it was traveling at a rapid speed, directly crashing into the City God Temple!

Instantly, the City God Temple which looked ordinary was covered in this layer of golden light, very eye-catching and so bright that it hurt the eyes to look at.

Luck!

Luck from Above!

Similar to when the Human Sovereign and Scholar was appointed, similar to when Buddhism was established. The wash of Luck reappeared, this time...the City God Temple was established!

The overwhelming Luck flooded all around them, covering the entire Fallen Town with a layer of golden glow. Of course the ordinary men did not see this strange sight, but all the cultivators suffocated at the same time, they almost fainted.

They actually witnessed this one in a million year-worth of majestic sight!

Meanwhile, in the Underworld.

Meng Po stood in the main hall, with Black and White Impermanence by her sides. Many Onis were caught up with work, sending out dreams to many people.

Meng Po held the Death Note, she placed it on a platform and said, "The Death Note has the power to determine life and death, it's like a guide. Now that it returns to the Underworld, it will bring us more convenience in the future."

Black and White Impermanence said, "Unfortunately we still don't have enough Onis in here, even when it's from time to time, we don't have enough Onis to send out."

Meng Po sighed, she asked, "How are the dreams sending out?"

"Popo, many places in the ordinary realm have started establishing City God Temple. However...this was never done before..." White Impermanence halted, he said bitterly, "Now that we don't seem to...have the rights to officiate them."

In the past, the Underworld could officiate the temples, they could appoint the officials and their duties, as well as managing the temples. However, now that the Underworld was destroyed, many responsibilities were restricted, even if they wanted to officiate the City God Temple, they would not get the approval.

Therefore, it would make the City God Temple rather useless.

For example, the Underworld used to be an approved organization by Heaven. It had authority. However, now they apparently did not. They were now functioning like an ordinary Sect in the ordinary realm. This had to do with the system and the lack of system involved.

After all, once the City God Temples were established, they needed Onis to guard in the ordinary realm. However, if they did not gain approval, the Onis could not guard the temples, as they could not stay in the ordinary realm for long.

Meanwhile, the entire Underworld jolted vigorously!

A golden glow crashed onto the Underworld without prior warning. This golden glow was so thick and strong, covering each and every corner of the Underworld. The covered surface looked like the lotus blooming, with huge changes made in the Underworld.

The Death Note placed on the platform was shone by the golden light. The originally black surface was gradually turning into gold. By its side, the brush gradually floated, the point of the brush had turned from black to golden!

The golden light continued to shine, spreading from the main hall to the other halls in the Underworld.

"Hwa-la!"

Other than the Styx, there was another sound of water coming from the Underworld. The stream sounded quick, as if the splashing of a waterfall, the sound of water splashing was heard by the crowd one time after another.

This familiar sound made many of the Onis jolted, as if their souls would leave their bodies. They had a surprised and delighted look on, they became transfixed.

White Impermanence stuttered and trembled, "Po...Popo, that...is that...the sound of Acheron?"

"It's Acheron, definitely the sound of Acheron!" Meng Po was more excited than anyone. She had tears in her eyes, "I've heard the sound of Acheron for countless years, it won't be wrong. The Acheron is starting to flow again!"

She flew over rapidly, traveling toward the outskirts of the Underworld.

Here, the rippling stream of Acheron was flowing. The originally dead Acheron was now gradually coming back alive, letting out a golden glow like the sun. It poured down while lightning up the entire Acheron

Acheron was the so-called Ninth River. The home of the dead.

After death, the soul would be sent to the Acheron and stay there for a while. The soul would then be referred to as reincarnate. Ever since the catastrophe, the Acheron dried out and thus the souls had to be sent to the angry Styx.

Many Onis stood by the Acheron, they looked at the Acheron with a perplexed look. Suddenly, they felt as if this was a dream, as if...everything was coming back.

Meanwhile, by the side of the Acheron, rows of dried out flowers with only their rhizomes left suddenly came back alive. They were blooming one after another.

Higan Flowers!

The Higan Flowers were bright red like fire, as if tainted by fresh blood. They bloomed batch after batch, as if rolling out a carpet on the ground.

"Higan Flowers, Higan Flower! Flowers without leaves, leaves grew without flowers. The flowers and leaves depend on one another, forever and ever." Meng Po mumbled in a low voice, "Beautiful, so beautiful!"

"Vroom!"

Above the Acheron, the broken bridge from not far away started letting out a growl, as if a rainbow was hanging above, the broken stones were starting to re-join bit by bit, as if time was going backward!

Chapter 339

"Naihe Bridge! It's the Naihe Bridge!" Meng Po looked at the bridge, her lips trembling as her body was involuntarily drawn to it.

Naihe Bridge was a very simple bridge, it was built in the shape of a bridge with no handle by the sides. Since there was no handle by the sides, the person walking on it had to be even more cautious. They dared not to push around, once they fell, they would have to bathe in the Acheron again.

Meng Po gradually walked over, she saw that by the front of the Naihe Bridge, the stone board that was originally covered in soil was gradually rising up. On the board, two words were printed in an ancient blood ink: Naihe Bridge!

She squinted her eyes, her body bent as she gradually walked toward the bridge.

Standing on the highest point on the bridge, she could take in the entire view of the Acheron.

One would walk on the Neihe Bridge, gaze over the Acheron, recall one's past before drinking a bowl of Meng Po soup and then depart.

The golden sun was like the warming sun during the winter, the broken Underworld where the glow shone on was able to be brought back to life gradually.

When the Onus saw this sight, they could not help tearing up, they were all wailing painfully.

Black Impermanence stuttered, "Popo, this golden glow is...is Luck."

"Yeah, it's Luck! Luck actually came back to my Underworld!" Meng Po said in awe.

"Popo, I found it. These Merits came from the City God Temple of the Fallen Town. It's, it's..." White Impermanence called out with so much excitement in his eyes, "It's the expert inscribing for the City God Temple! The expert is officiating the City God Temple, thus even Heaven verified it!"

"I guessed it, I guessed it!" Meng Po smiled with tears rolling down, she was extremely happy, "At the final moment of my Underworld's corruption, Luck came back. We received genuine help from the expert!"

At the moment that the golden glow was just about to vanish, it illuminated the two stone sculptures on the door of the Underworld.

"Hwa-la!"

The stone sculptures started to crack, pieces of crushed stones fell off gradually. The face of a horse and the head of a cow appeared.

It did not take long before their eyes started to move. They looked perplexed.

Black and White Impermanence flew over instantly, they called out with excitement, "Cow Head, Horse Face!"

"Old Black, Old White?"

The Cow Horse jolted, their pupils dilated as if they had a wild dream. They rubbed their eyes in unison, "What's the matter? What happened? I remember, I remember...that we were forever sealed."

"Am I dreaming?"

The Cow Horse had tears in their eyes, they were surprised. They thought that they would be sealed forever, it would be a lie if they said they were not scared. However, they held onto their fear and faced the fact that they would be sealed!

Now that they came back alive, they were still scared by the thought of being sealed for so long!

White Impermanence hugged the Cow Horse and said with excitement, "Ha-ha-ha, it's good that you're back, as long as you're back."

"Welcome back, however now that the Underworld is pretty wasted, we're all so worried. Now that you're back, you all have lots to do, ha-ha-ha..." Black Impermanence smiled.

The Cow Horse grinned, "Pretty wasted? We like it!"

...

In front of the City God Temple, Li Nianfan retrieved the brush and stood upright.

The winter chill was very cold, a gust of wind blew by, blowing on the hair of the crowd. The paper rested on the table, similarly blown by the wind.

The paper was light but very stable, as if this wind would never dare to blow it away.

LI Nianfan looked it up and down before nodding with satisfaction. He asked, " I'm quite nervous to sign for the City God Temple. What do you all think about this?"

The Holy Emperor did not hesitate as he blurted out, "Good words, so good! Mr. Li is indeed a genius!"

"Mr. Li is the only person in the world who could write such words. These words would be able to be passed on for a thousand years!"

"Mr. Li is a genius, the blessing of the people and the entire civilization!"

The crowd understood the seriousness of this matter, they did not bootlick too far out. However, they praised sincerely, and this made Li Nianfan laugh out loud.

"Ha-ha-ha, nevermind about passing this on for a thousand years. I don't have this ability."

"This realm of Mr. Li is so admirable!"

"I'm guilty of myself, I'm so guilty!"

The crowd used this chance to bootlick once again.

The Holy Emperor and Zhou Yunwu each cautiously held on one side of the paper. They politely presented it to the crowd.

"Eight hundred miles of lake and mountains made the sight, one hundred thousand fireworks returned here."

Many people read it out loud, instantly bursting into a loud applause.

What was so impressive about this was that it gave off a realm. Even with no cultural background, one could still feel its power by listening to it.

These words instantly earned the applause of everyone, they were all in awe of Li Nianfan's ability!

"Mr. Li is still alive. I think the City God should be Mr. Li. He's the pride of our Fallen Town!"

"Yeah, that's right! Who could be as capable and perfect as Mr. Li! I 've no concern if Mr. Li acts as the City God!"

"I beg Mr. Li to be the City God!"

"Stop!" Luo Shiyu instantly stood out, "Shut up!"

Zhou Yunwu and the Holy Emperor were shocked, too. They scoffed, "Nonsense! Don't be rude!"

How daring of these people! How could they compare the expert to a mere City God? These bunch of people were so shockingly ignorant and daring!

Li Nianfan looked awkward. These bunch of people did it out of kindness, but only a dead man could become the City God. If they begged him to become one, were they not begging him to die?

Even though he was touched, he was not quite pleased.

He coughed gently, "Cough, cough. Let it go. They don't mean it the bad way."

Meng Junliang said, "Mr. Li, I'll ask them to put up the paper, it will be placed on the pillar of the City God Temple."

The Holy Emperor nodded, "Yeah, be careful. It has to be carefully done, I'll ask some cultivators to work on it."

Li Nianfan smiled, "You all decided, I just happened to be here, I should go now."

The crowd instantly said, "We'll walk you."

Inside the City God Temple, Black and White Impermanence's phantoms gradually appeared. They both looked at the back of Li Nianfan and bowed politely.

Li Nianfan did not leave the Fallen Town, instead he went to the east side to look at the old tree.

After not seeing it for long, the old tree's speed of growth had gone beyond Li Nianfan's expectation. It grew over the height of one man. Furthermore, the half-dead stems below the tree had been gradually replaced by the new ones.

The branches grew upright, looking different from the ordinary trees. Even though it was now winter, there were some jade green leaves on top, covered by a thin layer of white snow on the branches.

Li Nianfan was not surprised, he smiled, "Old tree, long time no see. You've indeed changed, you even grew leaves in the winter."

"Hwa-la!"

The branches shook, the layer of white snow on them flew in the air as if a fairy was splashing down the snow. The snow swirled down from above, making it seem so romantic and beautiful.

Of course, this was not by coincidence.

"Old tree, you're quite naughty." Li Nianfan smiled as he patted the old tree. If he brought a girl here, it would be a perfect chance to impress her.

After chatting a few words with the old tree, Li Nianfan bid it farewell.

After coming back from the trip, catching up with the old tree was a must-do.

Dragon lowered her head sadly, she pouted and said in a low voice, "Brother, are we going back so soon?"

She felt that she had just come out, she did not get to play around. It was simply walking around for one round, how meaningless!

Nanan could not help nodding, she said, "Yeah, the City God Temple is so lively, how fun! Let's go back there!"

"Of course we can't go back to the City God Temple." Li Nianfan raised both of his hands and each ruffled Nanan and Dragin's tiny heads, "I caught their attention back there, if I stayed there, both parties would get awkward. In fact, leaving right away was the best option. This is so that I can maintain my impression."

Nanan and Dragon half-understood him, he seemed upset.

Li Nianfan had a thought, he instantly said, "It's still early, why don't we make a trip to the Clear Moon Lake? We could admire the lake in winter."

Now that he had a cloud, he could fly quickly. It was much quicker to get there compared to when he had to walk there by foot.

"Sure, great!" Nanan and Dragon nodded instantly.

Dragon's eyes looked around, she asked, "Brother, would you like to visit my house?"

"Your house?" Li Nianfan could not help his eyes from lighting up. He felt that this was not a bad idea, "Where's your house?"

"My house is not far from the Clear Moon Lake. It's at the bottom of the sea." Nanan promoted quickly, she pleaded, "My house is very beautiful and fun, come, come!"

Li Nianfan was getting more interested, he said, "Bottom of the sea? That's not bad, but I'm afraid that the Merit doesn't shield me from the water."

"Brother, shielding water is simple, Water Shielding Pearl doesn't cost any!" Dragon was very happy, she was extremely excited as she pestered, "Waste no more time, hurry up. Be my guest!"

Li Nianfan looked at Daji and asked, "Daji, what do you say?"

"I'll listen to Mr. Li." Daji hooked her arm around Li Nianfan's arm, she leaned onto him, looking like a husband and wife.

"Ha-ha-ha, let's go and admire the world underwater!" Li Nianfan laughed.

A golden cloud appeared below his feet and they raced toward the Clear Moon Lake with speed.

It merely took a few minutes before they arrived at the lake side.

Other than the accumulated snow by the side of the lake, the entire Clear Moon Lake did not have any change. The large surface of the lake was calm like usual. It was not frozen, when the wind blew, the surface would form a layer of wrinkles.

Dragon took out an almost transparent blue pearl and casted a spell on it. Instantly, a glow came out from the pearl and made it turn gradually in the air before slowly sinking into the water.

As the pearl went in, the originally calm lake water opened up to each side, forming an empty path in the middle. The area was not small, it was a sphere with the radius of five meters

"Brother, let's go!" Dragon waved at him, she then drove the light and jumped into the water.

Li Nianfan smiled and followed behind her in the clouds.

Upon entering the water, Li Nianfan looked at the undersea world. Suddenly, he recalled the feeling of visiting an aquarium in his previous realm. Of course, this felt way better than that.

The water of the Clear Moon Lake was very clear, especially the water at the bottom of the lake, which was very clear and clean. Other than some occasional waves, it looked like back on the ground. Looking ahead, the entire underwater world was lit up.

This beauty was different from the land. It even touched on Li Nianfan's feelings.

As they went deeper, more fishes started to appear. They were in all different colors and sizes, surrounding the crowd with curiosity for one around before escaping rapidly.

They could see the mud and rocks at the bottom. The green seaweeds on the mud, swaying in waves.

Li Nianfan could not help walking to the end of the emptied path, he reached out his hand.

Instantly, a wash of chilling feeling was sent all over his body through his hand. The wave swirled around his hand as if it was alive.

Li Nianfan quickly retrieved his hand and put it inside his clothes to keep warm. "So cold."

Meanwhile, something caught his eyes. He looked at the mud and cried out with delight, "hairy crabs?"

Daji made a wave accordingly. The hairy crab that curled up in the mud was surrounded by the water. It was then pulled toward the crowd.

It raised up its two big pliers and looked at the crowd uneasily.

"Wow, what a big hairy crab!" Li Nianfan's eyes sparkled, he could not help licking his lips, "The hairy crab in this season is the most delicious!"

Dragon frowned, "Is this edible? It's too far from the seafood I eat."

"You don't know. Hairy crabs have nice meat, their taste is very unique! You all will be the first to eat hairy crab in this Immortal Realm!" Li Nianfan said with excitement, he continued, "How could I forget about the hairy crab? Now that I remember, I'm craving for one!"

"Mr. Li, there's another!" Daji said as she raised her hand and easily captured another one.

"Nicely done!" Li Nianfan smiled, "Don't hurry, let's capture more. If we're visiting Dragon's house, we can't show up empty handed. If we bring over some hairy crabs, I think Brother Urchin won't say no."

...

Meanwhile, at the East Sea Dragon Palace.

Inside the main hall, an elderly with messy hair was standing. The elderly had a pair of dragon horns on his hair, but one of the two was broken. He seemed pale, mad and anxious.

Urchin marched over quickly. When he saw this old man, his face changed, "Brother Yun, why do you look like this?"

"Brother Urchin, the Dragon King of the Southern Sea, Urwu has betrayed the dragon family. I used up my last breath to come here to warn you!"

Urban groped on Urchin and said with a painful voice, he instantly coughed out blood. He took a deep breath and said, "My Dragons of the Northern Sea vanished during the catastrophe. The Dragons of the Southern Sea colluded with the demons, resulting in the entire dragon family to be badly harmed during the catastrophe. Now that I'm not doing well, the dragon family relies on you!"

Urchin's face sank down, "Urwu betrayed the dragon family?!"

"Cough, cough, cough!" Urban almost had a seizure, he held on Urchin and said with a hoarse voice, "I won't make it, you have to be careful."

Meanwhile, a big carp wiggled in rapidly.

"Urgent! Urgent!"

"What is it?"

"Princess said that the expert is coming, she asked me to rush over to let you prepare."

Urban waved it off, "Ask them to leave, leave right away. Didn't you see that us two brothers are catching up? This is the last moment of my life, how could anyone disturb me? Nobody can disturb us!"

"The expert is coming?" Urchin jumped up abruptly. His eyes widened as his face was filled with excitement and uneasiness.

"Make the arrangement! We must prepare well!" He started to pace around the main hall. Suddenly, he looked up at the dumbfounded Uryu and said, "Brother Yun, how unfortunate. A special guest is coming, please accept my apologies for not being able to host you. Why don't you leave first?"

"Spit!"

Urban spat out another mouthful of blood, he pointed at Urchin with his trembling finger. He was unable to believe what he heard with his own ears, he was deeply offended.

He sobbed, "You've changed. You've all changed!"

Chapter 340

Urchin said, "Alright, stop spitting out loud. Somehow, hurry and clean up the blood stains here. Don't dirty the eyes of the expert."

"You must be a fake Urchin!" Uryun was so agitated and painful, "Or else you're betraying the dragon family just like the Southern Sea Dragon King! My dragon family is...dead!"

"Dead your ars*!" Urchin scoffed, he said, "I don't have time to explain to you now, the expert is likely to arrive soon. We don't have time!"

He wasted no time, he threw down order after order to make arrangements.

Meanwhile, he suddenly thought of something. In a hurry, he ran to the gate of the Dragon Palace. The board had [Eastern Sea Dragon Palace] printed on.

Instantly, he had an idea.

No way, the expert gave him the role of a carp demon. This board...had to be changed!

"Someone, hurry!"

Urchin was so anxious, he asked his staff to come over, "Bring down this board, change it to the Eastern Sea Carp Palace. Hurry!"

Uryun was watching them all by the side. Instantly, he understood, "Crazy! You have gone crazy!"

Urchin continued to make other arrangements, "Right, these prawns and crabs are dismissed. Hurry! Bring in the carp demons. Ask more carps to come over. Seafoods! Prepare more seafood!"

These preparations had beads of sweat rolling down Urchin's forehead. He then let out a long relief and looked at Ryun.

By then, Urban was already half-laid on the stone by the corner in silence. He was sighing from time to time, while coughing out blood. His vision was blurry with tears in his aged eyes.

"My dragon family is dying. Some betrayed, some had gone crazy. There's no more help, no more hope. Let me die in peace."

"Brother Uryun, you can't lay there. If the expert sees you, how inelegant!" Urchin walked over gradually.

Uryun did not even want to look at Urchin, he mumbled, "Don't come over. If you're still my brother, let me enjoy the last moment of silence."

Urchin smiled, he said, "I won't play with you. Now that's a big matter. Come, let's talk. Who knows, you might not have to die."

"Might not have to die?" Urban smiled painfully, he shook his head, "Brother Urchin, I don't know who this expert you mentioned is, I also don't know if you've actually gone crazy or not. What I know is that I won't live for long. As a dragon, we have a strong vitality, of course we're unafraid of ordinary illness. However, I've got the Dragon Killer Poison, there's no antidote in the world!"

"Dragon Killer Poison?" Urchin's face went wild. His originally relaxed mood had instantly fallen to the pit. He gazed at You deeply and finally sighed, "Who knows, perhaps...there's a chance?"

Meanwhile, Li Nianfan arrived at the Eastern Sea with a big basket of crabs.

Li Nianfan had not been to the actual underwater in his previous realm. However, he felt that underwater in the Immortal Realm was more interesting than his precious realm.

There were so many demons with no lack of huge beasts! The variety of sea life was an eye-opener to Li Nianfan. Furthermore, there were so many colorful corals as well as countless seaweeds and shellfish. They all gave Li Nianfan a different experience.

There were all kinds of glowing living things underwater. Throughout the journey, there were some palm-sized pearls by the side of the path, contributing to the overall sight and experience.

Let alone the bunch of mermaids swimming toward Li Nianfan.

Dragon was leading the way in front with enthusiasm, "Brother, we're arriving soon."

It did not take long before a palace appeared in front.

With just a look, the outlook of the palace made one feel shocked.

How luxurious, how grand!

It made Li Nianfan feel as if he was visiting a wealthy family. 𝘭𝒾𝒷𝓇𝘦𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝓂

He knew that Dragin's family was a big carp family, they supplied seafood. However, he did not expect them to be doing so well. They even built their own palace underwater!

He was expecting to be hosted in some cave underwater.

It was just that his poor conditions had restricted his imagination!

The entire palace seemed to have been carved out with crystal. There were a few crystal pillars supporting it, reflecting the majestic light. On the outer layer of the crystal, there was a layer of gold, along with some glowing pearls equally placed outside the palace.

On the outside of the palace, groups of carps were swimming happily, almost covering up the entire palace. There were red carps, green carps and all kinds of carps. They were letting out bubbles in their mouths, very lively.

Li Nianfan cried out in his head: the Crap Demon family was indeed a massive family!

He looked up and saw that at the top of the palace there was a gigantic board: [Eastern Sea Carp Fish Palace].

Urchin was already waiting for them by the gate, Uryun was behind him.

Urchin walked toward them, "Mr. Li, sorry to have made you come all the way! Please forgive me."

Li Nianfan smiled, "Brother Urchin, you're doing so well, I didn't expect your palace to be so luxurious!"

"Ha-ha, it was passed down by my ancestor." Urchin said so with his mouth, but his eyes were fixed on the Merit Cloud below Li Nianfan's feet.

How could he call him luxurious? The cloud under his feet was so many times more luxurious than the palace!

Urchin introduced, "Mr. Li, this is my elder brother, his name is Uryun."

LI Nianfan instantly said, "Nice to meet you, nice to meet you."

Uryun's face was still considered calm. He had heard a lot of information from Urchin. Although he was shocked, he was dying and thus his heart was calm like water. He was not too shocked. However, when he saw Li Nianfan coming over with that eye-burning golden cloud below his feet, he still could not help feeling excited.

"Greetings to Mr. Li, cough, cough, cough."

Li Nianfan frowned, "Brother Urchin, you're brother..."

Urchin said instantly, "He had a fight and was wounded."

"But he's coughing out blood."

"It's nothing, I'm fine. Perhaps the lungs are cracked, it's okay." Urban waved it off calmly, he smiled as he licked away the blood by the corner of his lips. "I wasn't able to hold it, sorry to have embarrassed myself in front of you."

Li Nianfan was shocked, the demons' vitality was quite strong!

He smiled politely as he took out the crabs, he said, "Brother Urchin, I didn't bring over anything, I happened to see these on the way here, so I picked them up for you."

"These are...crabs?"

Li Nianfan nodded, "Yeah, they taste delicious. I wonder if Brother Urchin had tried this before?"

"No, I haven't. Is this delicious?" Urchin halted slightly, he quickly continued, "If Mr. Li said it's delicious, then it's delicious."

Li Nianfan smiled, "Of course I won't lie to you. To be honest, I'm craving it. Why don't we try it later?"

"Of course! If Mr. Li wants to eat them, I'll ask them to prepare right away!" Urchin was delighted, he nodded diligently. He made way and invited, "Mr. Li, please come in."

Dragon was already hopping around the palace, she chirped happily, "Brother, come on in!"

Li Nianfan stepped inside the palace. He was instantly shocked by how luxurious it was. This time he was not shocked by the decoration, it was the people!

By two sides of the palace, there were Clam Demons, they were all female with a thick clam shell behind them. The shell was opened with the shape of a human in the middle.

Their bodies were very skinny, their long legs showing out from the shell. Standing on the ground, their bellies were showing. Their faces delicate, their cheeks and necks were decorated with small pearls, a very lovely sight.

Their thick shells and the delicate Clam Demons did not look alike. One could foresee that once they were in danger, the Clam Demons would hide inside their shells and close them up.

Other than the Clam Demons, there were other kinds of fish demons, they were bringing up all kinds of alcohol and fruits.

Urchin made a gesture, instantly a Clam Demon walked over. He handed her the crabs, "Hurry up, ask them to make some dishes to welcome Mr. Li!"

The Clam Demon received the crabs, her delicate face looked perplexed as she said in a soft voice, "Do we have to cut open these crabs? Or to boil them?"

Li Nianfan said, "No need. Just steam the entire crab. You don't need any seasoning as well, it's simple."

"Do as Mr. Li said, hurry!"

Chapter 341

Ao Cheng hurriedly brought Li Nianfan to the palace and said, "Mr. Li, please, have a seat."

The material of the furniture in the palace was extraordinary. They were all made from special ocean wood or carved from rocks. They were glistening and sparkly.

Li Nianfan truly understood the saying, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'.

There were not a lot of things in the ocean but they had a lot of sparkly items and a lot of seafood.

Everyone sat down. Li Nianfan casually picked up a crystal glass at a table and examined it.

The crystal glass was small, dainty, and smooth to the touch. There was some translucent alcohol in it. There were ripples in the alcohol as it emitted a nice aroma.

Li Nianfan sniffed it gently, then drank it in one go.

He smacked his lips. He realized the alcohol was not strong and it had hints of sweetness. It was considered decent alcohol.

Ao Cheng said, "Mr. Li, my wine's far off from yours, I hope you don't mind."

"You're too courteous, Brother Ao Cheng. This wine's a rare and beautiful brew," said Li Nianfan. They both knew Ao Cheng was not wrong, but he could not say it as it was. It would also be inappropriate for him to take out his wine.

Clap!

Ao Cheng clapped gently.

A lot of clam demons and Sirens immediately rushed in. They gathered at an empty spot of the palace and started to perform hard.

The Sirens were as skinny as water snakes. They looked nimble as they were swaying and dancing in the water, their bodies as light as the rippling water.

The instruments were minimalistic. A few clam demons were blowing on snail shells by the side. It was quite enjoyable.

Li Nianfan watched the performance and felt sentimental. Previously, he had watched the performance by the female ghosts. It was interesting that he was now watching a performance by the Sirens.

Female ghosts were humans in the past, so their performance was humane. However, the Sirens were different. Li Nianfan thought it was exotic.

The performances of the oceanic kind were splendid. The clam demons danced, the dolphins and the sharks performed tricks as an interlude, which was followed by an interactive performance from a whale.

Li Nianfan cheered internally. It was worth the trip.

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Brother Ao Cheng, is the Carp family so powerful across the ocean?"

"Um..."

Ao Cheng was stumped for a moment. He quickly formed his sentence and said, "Mr. Li... It's mainly because of our ancestors. As the popular saying goes, 'The carp has leaped through the dragon's gate'. Our ancestors were real Dragons."

"I see." Li Nianfan would understand that. It was like a cultivator who had an Immortal ancestor. Cultivators without an Immortal ancestor were not on the same level as a cultivator with an Immortal ancestor.

Carp Demons were related to Dragons. No wonder they were living lavishly.

Li Nianfan raised his glass and said, "Let me pre-celebrate your future as a Dragon then, Brother Ao Cheng."

In Ao Cheng's ears, that sentence hit differently. He was emotional hearing that. 'The expert's willing to change our status. He's about to define us as Dragons!'

He was already a Dragon. However, he needed the expert to feel that way, too.

The expert was willing to see him as a Dragon. He felt an odd sense of accomplishment. It was as if he was a child receiving approval from his parents. Anyone could tell a child that he was brilliant, but he would not think much about it. If a parent told the child that he was brilliant, then he was truly brilliant.

'My recent behavior must've pleased the expert.'

Ao Cheng felt touched, he even wanted to cry. He said in a serious tone, "Don't worry, Mr. Li. I'll work hard to become a Dragon soon!"

Suddenly, a clam demon walked in. "King, the crabs are ready."

Ao Cheng hurriedly said, "Quickly serve it. Serve Mr. Li first."

Soon, a bunch of Sirens dressed in pastel chiffon clothes and had their hair up walked in. They had scales of different colors on their bodies. Apparently, they were different Siren species.

They had small plates in their hands with red crabs on them. The crabs died with their pincers pointing upward.

Li Nianfan said, "I forgot to tell you. When steaming crabs, you need to tie the crab up for firmer meat. It would taste better."

Ao Cheng instantly frowned. He hurriedly said, "Mr. Li, I'm so sorry about that. The servants didn't know that. I'll have them redo it."

"No need for such trouble, it's just a small technique. Be mindful next time." Li Nianfan simply shrugged it off. Then, he focused on the crab.

His first thought was, 'What a nice fat crab!

'Look at that big strong claw. Look at that wide back. Look at those thick and pointy hairs. In my past realm, this would be considered a hairy crab of the best quality!'

He picked it up. It was bigger than his palm.

However, it was not tied up as Li Nianfan said. Because of that, the shell of the crab was slightly raised and the texture of the meat was affected. For a perfectionist like Li Nianfan, it was slightly imperfect.

It was not a big deal.

Li Nianfan took out the seasoning that he carried with him. It was not a complicated blend, just vinegar and some ginger. He smiled at everyone and said, "The crab's better with vinegar."

Ao Cheng replied, "I... I see."

Everyone looked at their crabs and did not know where to start. They could only watch Li Nianfan at the side and follow what he was doing.

Thankfully, they were a smart bunch. They were fast learners.

Crack, crack!

They all started to crack their crab shells.

Everyone soon realized that underneath the hard crab shell was snow-white meat. They were shocked at how much tender meat was hidden underneath the strong shell. Moreover, it was steamed without any seasoning but it had a nice aroma. They did not expect that at all.

Ao Cheng copied Li Nianfan. He dipped the crab meat in vinegar and ate it slowly.

First, his taste palette was instigated by the sour vinegar. Then, the tender crab meat was bouncing in his mouth. The wonderful flavor of the crab meat exploded and overpowered everything else. There was not a lot of crab meat but the strong aroma was there. It almost took over his senses.

Soft yet bouncy. Fresh yet delicate. The aroma was long-lasting and it was delicious!

'How could 'yum' even begin to describe it?'

"Delicious!"

Ao Cheng widened his eyes and looked at the crab leg in his hand. He was in disbelief.

"Who would've thought that such a delicacy was right here this whole time?!" He took a deep breath. He suddenly felt like his years of living were a waste. He was such a failure.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "That's not it. If you crack open the shell, the crab butter of the male crabs and the crab roe of the female crabs are the best."

"How can it be so delicious?!" Ao Yun was also astounded. He felt his worldview turn upside down.

He suddenly felt miserable. He started to tear up.

'Why? Why let me taste such delicacies before I die?'

It was happiness and torture at the same time. He had missed out on multiple delicacies before his death. He realized now that it was not just one missed opportunity. That was the worst pain in his life.

He had only one thought in his mind, 'Eat. I have to eat as much as I can to repay myself before I die!'

Daji peeled open a crab leg and fed it to Li Nianfan. She said softly, "I peeled this for you."

Li Nianfan opened his mouth and ate it. He said, pleased, "Yum, delicious. That's so nice of you, Daji."

Daji smiled and said, "Hehe, thanks. Let me peel a crab claw for you."

"Brother, check this out." Dragon cast a spell. Water ripples were formed out of thin air. Then, the crab shell was easily separated from the crab meat. Li Nianfan looked at the white crab meat and felt envious.

'Legendary skill. That's a legendary skill for eating crabs!'

He was in awe. A lot of people wished they could eat mouthfuls of crab meat in one go.

However, Dragon was not going to share. She opened her little mouth and instantly devoured the crab meat. Her small cheeks were puffed up. She looked at Li Nianfan, waiting to be complimented.

Li Nianfan looked at his crab. He instantly felt like it was not as delicious anymore.

However, he still said, "Crab meat is delicious because of the deshelling process. If you don't remove the shell bit by bit with your hands, the crab meat won't taste as good."

Then, he continued to focus on deshelling his crab.

Ao Cheng and the others who were about to deshell their crabs with their powers instantly stopped in silence. They followed Li Nianfan. They calmly deshelled their crabs bit by bit with their hands.

Deshelling was a boring process. However, everyone soon realized they were more focused when they were deshelling. They even grew calmer gradually.

There were only two simple thoughts in their minds. One of them was to deshell it, the other was to eat it.

They subconsciously became arrogant as their powers grew because they could achieve things easily. It caused them to lose focus. They also lacked discipline in their minds because they could do a lot of things with ease.

However, they suddenly reclaimed themselves. They felt as if they had safely returned to the shore.

'This isn't just deshelling, this is clearly training our mentality!'

'The expert's truly the expert. His state of mind makes us sweat. No wonder he can do anything. He's talented and can blend in as an ordinary man.'

'If it were us, we would've been arrogant and endlessly snobby. How can we be ordinary people?'

'A lesson learned from an expert's enough to benefit us for a lifetime!'

Everyone cheered internally.

The oceanic performance continued.

Li Nianfan was surprised that a bunch of seafood was on the stage.

The Australian Lobster, King Crab, Squid, Salmon, and more. There were a lot of performers, but they did not dance. They joyfully swam around instead. They seemed to be displaying themselves.

"Mr. Li, this is the Seafood Get Together Show. It's a performance we personally prepared for you."

Ao Cheng smiled and continued, "They're the elites of seafood. Their meat is top-notch. Mr. Li, if you have your eyes on any of them, you can just tell me. You can bring it home to make a nice meal. That'd be nice, right? If you want, you can bring it all back with you."

"Thanks for everything, Brother Ao Cheng."

"Oh yeah, the hairy crab's such a delicacy. We can't let it go to waste!" Ao Cheng suddenly recalled something. He ordered his minions, "Minions, hurry up and get the Hairy Crab Demon King. Tell him to pick a few fat and juicy hairy crabs as soon as he can. Also, list the hairy crab as a delicacy of the Carp Palace. Raise them well from now on."

Then, everyone changed the topic. They started to comment on the seafood performers. They were discussing which part of their bodies would taste better.

Cough!

Suddenly, Ao Yun coughed again. He could not stop coughing, and he ended up coughing up a lot of blood.

He forced himself to say, "Excuse me. My bad, my bad."

Li Nianfan noticed that Ao Yun's blood was slightly dark. The damage to his organs must be extreme. He could not help but say, "Brother Ao Cheng, I'm afraid your brother's injury isn't looking good." 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝙧𝓮𝒂𝒅.𝙘𝓸𝒎

Ao Cheng sighed and shook his head. "Mr. Li, to be honest, my brother's been poisoned. I'm afraid this might be his last moments."

'It can't be helped?

'Ao Cheng and his brother are going to let it be?'

Li Nianfan stared at Ao Yun for a while. He did not see any signs of poisoning. He asked in a weird tone, "Do you mind if I check your pulse?"

Ao Cheng immediately said, "No, we don't mind at all. Feel free to do so, Mr. Li!"

He was naturally excited. He looked at him with devotion.

Soon, Li Nianfan put his hand away and frowned. As expected, he could not detect anything except for a weak pulse.

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "What poison was it?"

Ao Cheng replied, "Poison from a demonic bug that likes to suck on blood, flesh, and powers. Once it's in the body, it'll be like a bone parasite. It'll never be full until it completely devours a person from the inside."

"A bug like that exists?" Li Nianfan was shocked. That was beyond his medical expertise. He could not help him.

'It's normal. After all, even Immortals can't do anything about it.'

Li Nianfan asked, "Is there no way to force the bug out?"

"Impossible. The bug sucks on flesh and blood. The blood and the powers between the heart and the abdomen are the tastiest. So, it'll always stay there. If we remove it by force or attack it, Ao Yun will be injured."

Ao Cheng paused, then said, "As the parasite feeds, the host will gradually become weaker. The immune system will no longer be as strong as before. His wounds won't heal and it'll only become worse until he reaches a painful death."

It was like a virus in the past realm, feeding on the host until the host died weakly.

Ao Yun had a huge injury, but he would recover in no time if only he was not poisoned. However, the poison prevented him from healing and the bug was feeding on his blood and powers. A situation like that was truly hopeless.

Ao Cheng noticed that Li Nianfan was silent. He felt miserable.

He never doubted the abilities of the expert. He knew that the expert was not willing to help.

'It isn't unusual. It's not something to complain about or blame him.'

All hope disappeared from Ao Yun's eyes. He smiled and said in a carefree tone, "Haha, I've been ready for my death ever since I was poisoned. I can still live for a while. To be able to eat such a delicacy like the hairy crab before my death makes it all worth it. So what if I die? I'm content."

'Parasite bug...likes to devour blood and powers.'

Li Nianfan suddenly had an idea. He groaned for a moment and suddenly said, "Actually... There is a way, but I don't know if it'll work or not."

Chapter 342

'There's a way!'

Ao Cheng and Ao Yun felt their hearts racing. They looked overjoyed. They automatically ignored whatever Li Nianfan had to say next.

'The expert says there's a way, which means it's going to be good. How could he be unsure if it'd work or not? He's being too humble.'

Ao Cheng gulped. He nervously asked, "May I know what you had in mind, Mr. Li?"

"The method...is a bit, um, weird."

Li Nianfan hesitated. He had thought of the idea all of a sudden. It had nothing to do with medical methods and it was very weird. He already regretted speaking about it.

"Mr. Li, just say it, it's alright. I'll go along with it as best as I can!" Ao Yun immediately had the desire to live again. He saw hope, even his eyes were beaming.

Li Nianfan was silent for a moment. He could only say, "Actually, my method is...to grill it!"

"Grill?" Everyone was taken aback. They had weird expressions on their faces.

Ao Yun was baffled. 'Perhaps the expert thinks I'll die for sure. Is he going to roast and eat me after I die?'

"Mr. Li, this...grilling seems inappropriate."

Ao Cheng fell into deep thought. He quickly formed his sentence and then ripped Ao Yun's clothes open. With his chest exposed, they saw a bump between his heart and the abdomen. The bump was slightly pulsating as if it was breathing.

Ao Cheng analyzed and said, "The demonic bug's leeching around here. It's controlling the heart and the abdomen area. Plus, it's violent in nature. It's currently stuck here, but if it senses any movement, it'll attack like crazy and swallow the heart whole along with his powers!"

The body of an Immortal was strong and powerful. They could survive even if half of their bodies were disabled. Usually, they could easily slice their bodies open to retrieve a bug. However, the method was not useful on the Dragon Killer Poison Bug.

The bug would allow an Immortal to live for a while if they did not do anything about it. However, if one tried to attack it, it would easily kill the host in an instant. Even a Dragon was not an exception.

"Of course, I know it's not that simple. I'm not too knowledgeable about this situation either, but I'm just offering a hypothesis."

Li Nianfan shook his head and continued, "This bug's a pain to deal with because of its leeching area. It leeches at the most delicious part of the body. If we can create a more delicious area, will it be lured over to that area?"

'This...'

Everyone fell into deep thought. 'Why does it sound like...it could actually work?!'

Ao Yun said, "Then, Mr. Li, the grill you speak of is..."

Li Nianfan replied, "What I meant was... Choose a body part and I'll grill it into something delicious. Thus, the demonic bug will probably be attracted to the smell and hopefully, it'll swim over to eat the meat."

Daji finished his sentence, "Then, we'll cut it off cleanly along with the bug!"

"This...this..."

Ao Cheng and Ao Yun's eyes were wide. They were shocked by the odd idea.

'You can do that?!'

It was slightly ridiculous but it also seemed to be a sensible method.

'The expert's truly an expert. He can even think of such weird ideas.'

Ao Cheng licked his lips and said, "Mr. Li, I'm afraid only you can execute a method like that."

The Dragon Killer Poison Bug was too difficult to deal with. Once it leaked onto a host, it would be restless until the host died. Nothing could make it move an inch.

Absolute temptation was required to attract the Dragon Killer Poison Bug. They had tried the delicacies made by Li Nianfan and knew that his cooking was one-of-a-kind. If it could make them lose control, it might be able to tempt the Dragon Killer Poison Bug.

"Probably." Li Nianfan looked at Ao Yun and said, "This is just a theory. As for execution, it's all up to your will."

Ao Yun bit down and said, "I'll die either way. I trust you, Mr. Li!"

Sizzle!

At the side, the Fire Phoenix quickly cast a spell as soon as he said it. Red hot flames appeared out of thin air.

The Fire Phoenix said in an indifferent yet slightly merry voice, "Pick a body part. Grill it nicely."

Ao Yun looked at the Fire Phoenix with anger and sadness on his face. 'This vigilante. This is an act of public revenge for a private grudge.'

The Fire Phoenix smirked, "What are you looking at? Remember to pick a good part. If the meat isn't good enough, the demonic bug might not be tempted. If you can't tempt it, you might have to choose another body part to grill."

The Dragons and the Phoenixes had a grudge-filled history since the beginning of time. Although it was washed away by the passage of time, it was still a very enjoyable experience to taunt each other.

By the way, Ao Cheng suggested, "Brother Ao Yun, how about the tail? I think tail meat's the most tender part of the body. It must be delicious."

Ao Yun was pissed. "Shut up! We'll have to chop it off in the end. If my tail's cut off, would I still be a...carp?"

He hesitated for a while then put out his arm. He rolled up his sleeve and said, "Come on!

"It's just an arm. I can grow it back after a few thousand years."

"Nice and tough!" Li Nianfan complemented. "Guan Yu once scraped his bones to remove the toxins. Now, we have Ao Yun grilling his arm to remove a bug. What a legendary story! Please, put your arm over the fire."

Ao Yun looked at the Phoenix fire that was burning in front of him. He flinched.

'Never in my dreams have I once thought that one day I'd willingly grill my arm with Phoenix Fire. What a shame, I'm a shame to the Dragon kind!'

He teared up and put his arm over the fire. He jumped.

Li Nianfan had already taken out his barbeque seasoning. He looked serious.

He had a small brush in his hand. He dipped it in oil and brushed it on his arm. "Quick, turn your arm. Make sure the meat's evenly grilled.

"Don't use force. Relax. Yes, loosen your grip. Ensure the texture of the meat's good.

"Your powers. Transfer your powers to your arm and into the meat. The demonic bug might be more tempted."

Li Nianfan focused on grilling while teaching Ao Yun the techniques of how to cook himself more deliciously.

Gradually, Ao Yun had a red arm.

Sizzle—

Oil started to seep out, covering his arm. It was glistening. Meanwhile, oil started to drip into the fire, causing a nice sizzle.

Gulp.

"Brother Ao Cheng, you seem to be gulping."

"Nonsense, it's not me. I'd never!" Ao Cheng protested loudly with a straight face but the saliva at the corner of his mouth kept dripping out.

Gulp!

Gulp!

Gulp!

There were a lot of gulps. Everyone looked calm and innocent but their gulps exposed them.

Aside from everyone in the room, the clam demons outside of the room were also acting weird. They started to peek inside with saliva dripping from their mouths.

"You! You all..."

Ao Yun was flushed from anger and embarrassment. He hid his head inside his shirt as if he were an ostrich. He was too shameful.

Then, he started to gulp like crazy, too. He had too much saliva in his mouth so the gulping sounds were pretty obvious.

Ao Cheng had to say, "Brother Ao Yun, stop hiding. We heard it. It's your arm anyway. You can eat it if you want to."

Ao Yun was still hiding like an ostrich. He said weakly, "Excuse me, I didn't expect my meat to smell so good. Boohoo, I'm too embarrassed to live..."

"The meat's almost done." His meat did smell good, even Li Nianfan did not expect that. 'Carp Demon meat smells this good?'

"Add some cumin. Perfect," he said while sprinkling a layer of cumin on the meat like a pro.

Fume!

Instantly, the aroma of the meat was heightened like a tsunami, covering everyone and everything.

The entire palace was an ocean of aroma. Endless sea creatures came over because of the delicious smell. They surrounded and crowded the place.

Ao Cheng was trying his best to stop Dragon. He yelled, "Dragon, calm down, calm down! That is your Uncle Ao Yun, you can't eat him!"

Daji was also pulling on a Dragon who had stars in her eyes.

"Boohoo, Sister Daji, just one bite, just let me have one bite!"

Nanan had waterfall-like saliva dripping from her mouth. She was hungry. "Brother Nianfan, we can't keep it since it's cooked. How about we cut it and share it?"

Ao Cheng noticed that a lot of sea creatures were appearing. He did not look happy at all. He scolded, "What are you all doing? Hurry up and scream! Are you all trying to commit treason just for food?!"

The Dragon Killer Poison Bug moved slightly. It jolted and started to breathe heavily.

Then, it squiggled and started to move toward the arm.

It was careful at first, but then it was lured away by the delicious smell. It had one word in its mind, 'eat'. It started to sprint toward the arm at high speed!

Chapter 343

The demonic bug was fast. Clearly, it could not wait anymore. They could not see it but they could feel its excitement.

It was lured to the arm and was ready to eat up.

The Fire Phoenix focused and turned the fire into a sharp knife. A red light flashed.

Slash!

Ao Yun's arm was chopped off cleanly. It flew out.

They could see the long black bug in the delicious-smelling arm. It was like a giant leech.

It was engulfed in delicacy. It felt as if it's

bug life was worth it. Blood and powers were lousy compared to this meat. 'This is what a bug life's supposed to be!'

Daji calmly glanced at it. Then, she used her powers. White crystal-like ice attacked the arm, freezing it into an ice sculpture.

Splat! It fell to the ground.

The ice sculpture was very hard. It was not even damaged when it fell to the ground, it even glistened. However, the splat sound sounded cruel to everyone.

"Delicious food, my delicious food!" Nanan and Dragon stared at that arm and instantly burst into tears.

The others felt like their hearts were empty. It was as if someone had wasted a rare treasure.

"My arm, my delicious arm!"

Ao Yun was also out of it. He felt extremely emotional. He went over to hug his detached limb, examining it.

'Too tragic. First, it was grilled over a fire. It smelled so delicious. Then, it was immediately turned into ice. My arm has been through too much.'

The air still smelled like delicious grilled meat. It was unreal.

Li Nianfan could not refrain from comforting Nanan and Dragon. He laughed and said, "Why are you crying? That's Brother Ao Yun's arm, you can't eat it. Moreover, the arm has a demonic bug in it. You still want to eat that?"

Nanan sobbed and wiped her saliva away. "But...it smells too good."

Ao Yun stood up and genuinely thanked him, "Mr. Li, thank you so much. My life is saved. Thank you for your generosity, if you need anything in the future, feel free to let me know!"

"It's not a big deal." Li Nianfan smiled then asked curiously, "Brother Ao Yun, aren't you hurting?"

Ao Yun smiled and replied, "I was distracted by the smell just now so I didn't realize it. It hurts a little now, but I was mentally prepared. I can handle it."

He cast a spell on his wound as he spoke. Ripples formed on the tips of his fingers. Then, they attached themselves to the wound and formed a water shield.

Li Nianfan did not understand the purpose of the water shield, but he knew that it was the right thing for him to do.

He saluted and said, "Brother Ao Cheng, it's getting late. We should go."

"Mr. Li, why don't you stay the night? Let me treat you well as the host." Ao Cheng naturally tried his best to make him stay. He said with sincerity, "We have a lot of sea creatures, and there are a lot of performances and entertainment for you, Mr. Li. The beautiful views of the ocean are countless. Fish and prawns are everywhere. Why don't you stay and stroll around?"

Li Nianfan groaned for a moment. He smiled and replied, "No thanks. Thank you for everything, Brother Ao Cheng."

"Fine," said Ao Cheng. "Mr. Li, I prepared some seafood for you, as well as the hairy crabs. Please, don't reject it. If you want to eat seafood in the future, just inform Dragon. We have a lot of seafood here!"

"Haha, alright!" Li Nianfan accepted it.

They chatted for a while. Then, Li Nianfan and the others left the Carp Palace.

Ao Cheng and Ao Yun stood at the door to see them off.

"The expert...is truly an absolute expert!"

Ao Yun sounded sentimental. "That was the Dragon Killer Poison Bug. For millions of years, no one could cure a poison like that. He removed it in such a mysterious way. He simply made a miracle! I'm afraid no one would believe us if this gets out."

Ao Cheng brushed his beard and laughed. "Ha, why the fuss? Did that scare you? The expert's unimaginable. It's the blessing of the Dragon kind to be able to befriend him!"

"My arm...was worth chopping!"

Ao Yun suddenly caressed his rock-solid arm. "This is the arm that was personally grilled by the expert. The Dragon Killer Poison Bug's so lucky. It was frozen with my delicious arm, what a breakthrough! I have to frame this and display it at my place. Who would dare to disrespect me now? Haha..."

Ao Cheng looked at that arm and said with envy, "Your West Ocean Dragon Palace is gone. How can you laugh?"

Speaking of that topic, Ao Yun suddenly sounded like he was in pain. He said in a low voice, "The Dragon Door reappeared this time. I was thrilled at first. Who would've thought the South Ocean Dragon King would be a traitor to the Dragons? I was poisoned. However, I have even worse news."

Ao Cheng arched his eyebrow. "What news?"

Ao Yun replied, "The South Ocean Old Dragon King didn't die after the big tribulation! That old scum with a dark heart!"

Ao Cheng had a change in his facial expression. He kind of smirked as he said, "Brother Ao Yun, speaking of that, I have to tell you a huge secret."

"Secret?"

Ao Cheng looked at Ao Yun mysteriously. Then, he said smugly, "Not to flex but the Old Dragon King of my East Ocean...is also alive! Haha, envious, right?"

...

Li Nianfan strolled around in the ocean. He suddenly felt like his worldview was expanded. His life was interesting and colorful.

'Now, this is a proper journey. Such a leisurely life. This is the life of an Immortal.'

It was dark out when he got back to the four-part architecture. The sky was covered with flickering stars. There was a thin veil of mist beneath the starlight.

At the Above Immortal Realm.

The Ice Palace was no longer there. The ice melted in a day and grass grew on the land. Everything smelled like flowers.

Ziye looked at the familiar yet unknown sight. She felt conflicted. She looked up at the sky with excitement and nervousness.

She sighed and said, "Now that the Underworld has reappeared, I wonder when the Heavenly Palace can return."

Taoist Xinghe was standing behind her as he said respectfully, "Seventh Princess, the expert's moves are starting to show. The realm's changing. The Heavenly Palace will return sooner or later!"

"Hopefully," said Ziye softly. She floated along the sky pillar and was back at the Southern Sky Gate again.

The two Daluo Golden Immortals were nowhere to be seen. No one stopped her either.

She stepped into the Southern Sky Gate. She was quick-paced because she was familiar with the place. She easily found her way to the Palace of the Seven Princesses.

Ziye took a deep breath and calmed down. She pushed the door open and walked in.

The room was very tidy.

So tidy that it surprised Ziye.

She stood outside for a long while. It was as if she was brought back to a time where nothing had changed.

She walked in and made a turn at the end of the living room, passing through a circular door carved out of wood. The five figures that suddenly appeared made her jolt.

The five figures were sitting at different places in the room. Some were playing the zither, some were drinking tea, and some were smiling. If they were not stone statues, it would have been a beautiful sight to behold.

"Big sister, Third Sister, Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, Sixth Sister!" Ziye exclaimed. She hurriedly jogged over and hugged the stone statues. She burst into tears.

Taoist Xinghe sighed at the sight. He was also tearing up.

He did not interrupt Ziye. Instead, he silently backed away, walking alone in the Heavenly Palace.

In the Yue Lao Pavillion, an elder had red strings in one hand and clay in the other. He, too, was turned to stone. The Love and Fate Abacus were also turned into stone.

Two stone statues of children sat next to Dan Furnace at the Rossiya Temple. They were holding fans and seemed to be chatting with each other.

In the Lingxiao Palace, the Throne of the Jade Emperor was also turned to stone. No one was on it. Beneath it were some stone statues. They seemed to be attending a gathering.

The entire Heavenly Palace was deserted and creepy.

Taoist Xinghe passed by the Lingxiao Palace and went to the edge of the observatory. He looked upon the dark sky and searched for the star that he used to be in charge of. He could not hold it in anymore. Tears streamed down his face.

Time passed, days went by.

Li Nianfan was living a peaceful and leisurely life. Nothing much changed apart from his mindset.

He was unrestricted. He could fly, and he had the protection of his Deluxe Merit Flesh. His connections were wide and were still expanding. He felt like he could go anywhere in the Immortal Realm. His life was far more entertaining than before.

The Holy Emperor came on the fifth day after the City God Temple was built. He came along with an elder and a general. However, they came as souls so they could naturally be chummy.

The elder was quite famous around the area. The general was a fearless leader that died on the battlefield. They were the first civil servants and war generals of the Fallen Town City Castle.

They were chosen. They came here instantly to report to Li Nianfan. They told Li Nianfan everything including their life achievements. They were clearly there for his approval.

The Underworld respected Li Nianfan, so naturally, he would not be picky. He would go along with it and give a nice speech as long as the candidates were decent.

At the same time, Li Nianfan got information about the outside world from the Holy Emperor.

Zhou Yunwu was busy ruling the humans. Meng Junliang was working hard at creating schools. Yuecha was successful in preaching Buddhism while Gu Xirou seemed to be scheming. Ao Cheng seemed to be busy, too. Li Nianfan guessed he was probably working hard on becoming a Dragon.

Oh yeah, Ziye and the others said they were going to rebuild the Heavenly Palace. He wondered how their progress was.

In conclusion, everyone seemed to be busy working hard on achieving their goals. He was a bit of a useless bum in comparison.

"What a bunch of hard-working people!" Li Nianfan laid in his rocking chair. He was lying on top of a silky green wolf king's hide. He also had a gray bear fur blanket on top of him. He was enjoying the warmth even in the winter.

Daji was feeding him fruits at his side. His life was endlessly joyful.

Li Nianfan smirked and said, "Good. Wait until they become super bigshots, I won't have to do the work anymore."

On the same day in a familiar place at the Above Immortal Realm.

A masked fox slowly appeared. She leaped into the city and kept walking.

The little fox looked around, wagging its nine tails. She would look back from time to time. She seemed anxious.

Soon, she was at a store in the depths of the black market.

The store was still the same. It was dark inside. A black curtain draped over it creepily.

'I can't act like I'm too used to this. I have to act like I'm troubled and anxious.' The little fox recalled the instructions her sister gave her. She stopped in her tracks when she reached the door. Then, she turned around and ran away. Then, she ran back again and stood at the door, seemingly hesitant.

She repeated that three times before leaping in.

The figure hidden in the dark grew impatient from that. He instantly said with a hoarse voice, "Are you here to trade?"

The little fox nodded.

"Been here before?"

The little fox shook her head.

"You're the Nine-Tailed Fox, can't you speak?" The hoarse voice paused for a moment. Then, it continued, "Who would've thought that I would be able to see a Nine-Tailed Fox? Alright, show me your items."

A weak light started to shine in the room. The elder felt a déjà vu.

The little fox waved her paw and a small bucket immediately appeared in front of her. The bucket was filled with milk. There was also a bundle of chives.

"Milk and chives?"

The elder was stumped for a moment. Then, he exclaimed, "Milk from the Five-Colored Sacred Cow! Nice, it's a wonderful item!"

Then, he picked up the bundle of chives out of curiosity. He observed it for a while and sniffed it. He instantly realized, "Spiritual Plant? The chives are Spiritual Plants?!"

He was beyond shocked. 'The orange I received previously was a Spiritual Fruit, too. How do we have a Spiritual Plant version of chives now? The realm has changed, something's off!'

All Spiritual Plants had extraordinary properties.

He could not help but nibble on the chives. He carefully nibbled it and closed his eyes to enjoy it.

Soon, the old man blushed. He suddenly opened his eyes and said in a pleasantly surprised tone, "This is good stuff. These chives are rare and precious!"

He looked at the little fox, "These two items are rare. What do you want in exchange?"

The little fox replied meekly, "I'm looking for a Spiritual Item from the eldritch eras."

"Spiritual Items from the eldritch eras again?"

The elder felt his heart thumping. He was sensitive about that phrase. That was the third time he encountered a situation like that in such a short time. Most importantly, something would happen every time.

He clapped and a brocade box instantly appeared in front of the little fox. A decent yet uneven gold ball was in the box. It seemed ancient and mysterious.

"You can feel the aura in this. It's an item from the eldritch eras and it's extremely valuable." The elder smiled and said, "Where did you get the chives from? Tell me and I'll give you another Spiritual Item from the eldritch eras!"

"I won't tell you!" The little fox panicked and ran away. She leaped away quickly.

The elder looked at the little fox and fell into deep thought.

"Clearly, the fox knows where the chives came from! The chives are far too extraordinary, I have to get some!"

The elder sounded determined but he felt like something was off. He thought about it and said, "I feel like something's going against me. Could this be related to my previous two encounters? Third time's the charm, I won't let tragedy reoccur! I'll do it myself this time just to be safe!"

Chapter 344

The little fox leaped and hopped away quickly. Her nine tails seemed to be rubbing against the clouds. She was feeling quite merry.

Soon, she blended in with the faraway mountains.

Her eyes flickered. She seemed to be talking to herself, "Here comes the chives, here comes the chives!"

She was about to leap into another hill when three figures suddenly swooped in and surrounded the little fox.

"Cultivator, please, wait!"

The three figures were three Real Immortals. They were cool and powerful. They had friendly smiles on their faces.

One of them said, "We're very interested in the chives you brought us, cultivator. As long as you tell us the source, we'll ensure your safety and we'll give you lots of benefits!"

The little fox stood on her hind legs. She looked up at three cultivators riding on clouds. Her black eyes sparkled.

"Stop joking, cultivators. We've been waiting for you for a long time!"

Along with a soft chuckle, Gu Yuan, Gu Xirou, Pei An, Ding Xiaozhu, and the others quickly surrounded the three cultivators. The six powerful cultivators ambushed them.

Those three cultivators were calm. They did not appear to be frantic. They looked up at the cultivators that had appeared out of nowhere.

"Haha, I guessed it. Someone's indeed against us!"

They heard a burst of loud laughter. The elder from the black market store rode in on some clouds along with two Golden Immortals behind him. He felt like an emperor walking in, dismissively looking at everyone with a cold smirk.

He carefully examined Gu Xirou and Gu Yuan and he instantly realized something. He yelled, "It's you guys! I knew it, I knew it! You guys are scheming on me, Ma Yunming. This time, I'll capture you all! Haha..."

Gu Xirou and the others looked at the elder calmly, too. They were cool. Some were even smirking.

'Huh?'

Ma Yunming felt his heart thumping. He had a bad feeling.

"Capture us all? Have you asked for permission from the sword in my hand?!"

Xiao Chengfeng stepped on a sword. His demeanor was cool, his robes were flowing behind him, and his gaze was sharp. He stared at the elder.

Then, Ao Cheng, Ziye, the Fire Phoenix, and Daji revealed themselves.

The aura in the air changed. The place was filled with the Power of Law. Too many powerful cultivators had appeared at the same time. It was wicked.

Ma Yunming froze in place. He jolted and went blank. He could not believe what was happening.

'Taiyi... Golden Immortals.

'So, so many Taiyi Golden Immortals! I've never seen so many Taiyi Golden Immortals in my life!

'Did I just trespass a nest of Taiyi Golden Immortals?

'Is this necessary? I'm just an owner of a small black market store. Do they have to bully me to this extent?'

He was dumbfounded. He looked up and felt his skin crawl. 'Scary, it's too scary! Not even nightmares can compare to this.'

After a while of feeling dizzy, he plopped to the ground, headfirst.

Cold sweat formed on his forehead. He forced a friendly smile and said while trembling, "This is a misunderstanding, this is all a misunderstanding. I... I... I'm just a store owner, everyone. This isn't necessary, it's really not necessary!"

The little fox sneered and scolded, "It's a black market store!"

"I was wrong, I was wrong. Please, don't kill me, bigshots."

The elder knelt on the ground and bowed down. He begged on all fours, "My business is legit. The trades are fair. I was just curious about the odd items. I shouldn't have thought twice about it. Bigshots, please, spare me."

Ao Cheng asked, "What else do you have on you? It better be a Spiritual Item from the eldritch eras."

"Nothing, I don't have anything else."

The shop owner cried, "Spiritual Items from the eldritch eras are already rare. It all depends on luck, too. My only three items were traded away to you guys. My most valuable possession as of now is an Intermediate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. Feel free to take it."

He took out a gold shield as he spoke. It was most probably a defense Spiritual Treasure.

Xiao Chengfeng was pleasantly surprised. "Woohoo, an Intermediate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. How luxurious of you."

The corners of Ma Yunming's mouth twitched. He hurriedly said, "I've been at the Above Immortal Realm for a long time. Treasures are rare but I did get some nice items over the years."

Daji asked, "Where did you get the items from the eldritch eras?"

Ma Yunming replied, "I have someone who works for me that can seek treasure, often at Immortal Relics. That's how I got some treasures."

He hurriedly added, "If you want Spiritual Treasures from the eldritch eras, we'll do our best to help you search for it."

Daji nodded, "I don't see why not."

"Actually..." 𝑙𝘪𝑏𝓇𝑒𝑎𝒹.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Ma Yunming saw hope for survival. He was immediately thrilled. He hurriedly continued, "Everyone, if you have more chives like that, I can help you out secretly. I can trade for the Spiritual Items with the chives. Most Immortals would be willing to trade because the chives...are useful to Immortals!"

Gu Xirou was surprised. "Oh? They'd be willing to trade?"

"Yes, a lot of Spiritual Treasure's ancient. Most of them got it by luck but have no idea how to use them. They're also unaware of its value." Ma Yunming groaned for a moment and said indirectly, "The chives...are attractive!"

Immortals lived for too long. Hence, they were also bored. Otherwise, there would not be so many Immortals who would dress themselves up to look like cool elders.

They had lost their passion. The chives could help them regain their passion for cultivation!

The chives would be popular once it was out!

Ziye said, "If that's the case, it's a great plan."

She was hoping to gather a lot of Spiritual Items and Spiritual Treasures from the eldritch eras. The eldritch eras were far away but the items were related to the Heavenly Palace.

Daji said coldly, "We don't want your Heavenly Spiritual Treasures. We hope you won't let us down. If you offer us a good trade, we'll reward you."

Ma Yunming was exhilarated. He hurriedly thanked them, "Thank you, superior Immortals! Thank you for having mercy on me, wise Immortals! I'll do my best in your honor. I won't disappoint you all."

Gu Xirou looked at Pei An and said, "Cultivator Pei, you have a lot of chives. Give some up."

"This..." Pei An looked troubled and in pain. Then, he turned to look at Ding Xiaozhu. He quietly said, "Bamboo, look... This..."

Ding Xiaozhu sighed softly. Hesitantly, she picked out two bundles of chives. She thought about it and tossed a bundle at Ma Yunming. "We don't have many chives left. Take this."

Xiao Chengfeng was confused. "Huh? Cultivator Pei, why did you let cultivator Ding keep your chives?"

Pei An coughed softly. He replied, "You've been single for all eternity. You wouldn't get it."

...

Ma Yunming excitedly rushed back to the store with the chives. He opened the door and was back in business.

Soon, a cool white-robed elder with a horsetail whisk in hand slowly walked in.

The elder looked around carefully at first. Then, he hesitated before walking into the shop nervously.

Ma Yunming followed his usual routine. He slowly walked out with chives.

"Cultivator, do you want some chives?

"Cultivation is fleeting. Joy could be right in front of you. Why not seize it? These chives can bring you absolute joy."

Soon, the elder walked out of the store as a satisfied customer. He quickly left.

A while later, a beautiful lady in a palace costume walked in. She had her hair up and was incredibly well-dressed. Her ribbons flowed in the wind. She looked cool and gorgeous.

He followed his usual routine again.

Ma Yunming slowly appeared. He smiled and asked, "I wonder if you have a companion, Goddess?"

The beautiful lady in the palace costume frowned. She asked in an unfriendly tone, "Why's that any of your business? Are you trying to hit on me or something?"

Ma Yunming took out the chives. "I wanted to ask your companion if he wanted some chives?"

Soon, the beautiful lady merrily walked out of the store. She looked excited as she left in a hurry.

Chapter 345

At the four-part architecture.

Li Nianfan was holding a Chinese ceramic cup with tea in it. He used the cup's lid to push away the tea leaves that were floating on the surface of the tea. Then, he gently blew on it before taking a sip.

He said sentimentally, "It's best to drink hot tea during the cold winter. Goodbye ice popsicles and soda."

Of course, that did not apply to the two brats, Nanan and Dragon. They were happily sucking on their ice pops.

Suddenly, the Dragon seemed to recall something. She said, "Brother, the gourd vine in the backyard sprouted another gourd."

"Oh, really?"

Li Nianfan put down his teacup and walked to the backyard.

"It really grew!" He smirked. He approached it and saw a gold gourd hanging on a gourd vine.

The golden gleam reflected under the sunlight. Its size was about the same as the Purple Golden Gourd that was hanging on his waist. However, their appearances were different. The Golden Gourd looked fantastic. It looked like an accessory made from pure gold.

Li Nianfan picked it up and held it in his hands. He felt like it was weightless.

"This gourd vine's awesome at growing gourds. I wonder if it's some kind of amazing Spiritual Plant."

Li Nianfan suddenly had a thought. "This was a seed given to me by Goddess Gu. It makes sense if the gourds are extraordinary. It looks cool, but it's probably not that powerful."

Li Nianfan went back to the four-part architecture. He wondered what he could do with the Golden Gourd.

Creak.

The door of the four-part architecture swung open.

Daji and the Fire Phoenix walked in quietly.

Li Nianfan had to laugh. "You two. Snuck out to play outside this early in the morning?"

"Hehe, we brought you something."

Daji smiled beautifully. Then, she lifted her hand and out came a gold rock. She passed it to Li Nianfan.

"Gold?" Li Nianfan was slightly taken aback. He took the rock and examined it in his hand.

"It's quite heavy. More dense than gold!" Li Nianfan arched his eyebrow and turned the rock over in his hand. He looked at it closely under the sunlight.

The surface of the rock was very smooth. There were no sharp edges but it was not even either. The edges were a little crooked and uneven. However, it was not disorderly. It was quite nice to look at.

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Where did you get this from?"

Daji replied, "It looked interesting so we traded it with someone."

"It's indeed interesting. I don't know if this rock's natural or man-made." Li Nianfan smiled and nodded. "It's very intriguing."

He put the rock aside and said, "Daji, I noticed that ever since you started to cultivate, you can't stay put anymore."

Daji blushed slightly. She replied coyly, "I just wanted to do more things that would entertain you."

"Haha, it's natural. I myself can't stay put either." Li Nianfan laughed. "No one likes staying at the same spot once they're capable. It'd be awful if we just remained here in the four-part architecture."

Transportation in the Immortal Realm was poorly developed and dangerous. Previously, he was an ordinary man so he could only stay in one spot. He only moved around the four-part architecture, the Clear Moon Lake, and the Fallen Town. However, he was one of those people with a cloud vehicle now, so he obviously could not stay put.

Speaking of that, Li Nianfan felt blessed to have Deluxe Merit Flesh. Otherwise, Daji would be forced to stay with him in his tiny four-part architecture. He felt like it would be wrong.

Daji hurriedly said, "The four-part architecture's the best place in the entire realm. I'm willing to stay here until I die. I'd be happy to!"

She sounded very sincere and honest.

Dragon and Nana jumped. They thought Li Nianfan was going to chase her out. They teared up and ran to hug his legs. "Us too. Brother's four-part architecture's a hundred times better than anywhere else in the realm! We won't go out so recklessly anymore!"

"What silly nonsense." Li Nianfan was entertained. He was also touched. He scratched their noses and said while smiling, "How can our tiny four-part architecture compare to the vast realm? Even a canary will be depressed when trapped inside a cage, right?"

He stood up and continued, "Actually, I can't be tamed either. How about we all go on a trip together?"

He felt like an ordinary person with a car. If an ordinary person did not have a car, they would only stick to one place. However, once they did, it would be convenient to go around visiting different places. How could he stay put?

"Go out? Really?!"

Nanan and Dragon were instantly energetic again. They smiled widely.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Let me think of where we should go."

He always waited for guests to visit him in the past. Now, he could go visit them. At that moment, he realized the importance of connection. He could go to a lot of places if he had the right connections. He could also go visit an old friend.

He did not want to go to the Carp Palace because he had already visited it recently. The Ganlong Immortal Dynasty was too close by. He still had...the Linxian Palace, Azure Ville, or the Xia Kingdom.

"Oh yeah, let's go to the Xia Kingdom! Let's have a spontaneous trip."

Li Nianfan had a spark in his eyes. "Let's see how Zhou Yunwu's handling the country. And Meng Junliang, too. Didn't he open up a school? I have to check it out!"

Moreover, the Xia Kingdom was the kingdom of humans. Li Nianfan was more familiar with the locals.

Dragon and Nana don't care where they are going. They nodded without a second thought. "Alright, alright."

Daji also smiled and said, "It's all up to you."

"Let's go then." Li Nianfan started to form a cloud with his Deluxe Merit Light. "Come on up. Get on my cloud, let's fly."

The golden cloud floated away from the four-part architecture and beamed towards the horizon.

Li Nianfan naturally could not mistreat his close friends. His golden cloud was as huge as a house. Everyone could lay down on it and there would still be enough space.

He could do whatever he wanted because he had Deluxe Merit.

Li Nianfan had an idea on the cloud. He smiled and asked, "Daji, you gave me a gold rock. I have a Golden Gourd here. It must be fate. Do you like this gourd?"

Daji looked at the Golden Gourd. She was in awe. She could feel how important the gourd was. She replied, "I do."

Li Nianfan smiled. "As long as you like it, it's yours."

"This..." Daji was surprised. She took the gourd and said in a touched tone, "Thank—thank you."

She had pretty eyes. They were squinted from smiling. She suddenly looked a lot softer and feminine. Li Nianfan instantly felt his heart race.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Why so courteous?"

He paused for a moment before he continued, "Alright. Since we're bored, how about we play a game I just invented?"

Li Nianfan took out a deck of wooden cards. The wooden cards were thin and refined. It was not made from hardwood. Instead, it was soft and bendable. It felt nice to the touch. 𝓵𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙚𝒂𝙙.𝓬𝒐𝒎

Everyone knew Li Nianfan was working on that over the last few days. However, they could not tell what he was making. They guessed it was extraordinary.

Nanan asked curiously, "Brother Nianfan, what game is that?"

She looked at the wooden cards and noticed the strange patterns carved on them. She did not understand it at all.

Li Nianfan smiled and replied, "Poker, an easy game. You'll learn it after one go."

He felt helpless.

Li Nianfan never had a worthy opponent when he played chess. Daji could accompany him but she was not good enough for him to take her seriously. It was a pain for him so he had to invent a new game. Hence, the birth of Poker.

Due to limited materials, making poker cards was much more complex than making chess pieces. However, he finally finished it.

Soon, the golden cloud was filled with playful laughter.

The cloud was not fast nor slow. Half an hour had passed by when they arrived at the Xia Kingdom. Li Nianfan parked his cloud outside the city to avoid attention. Then, he walked into the city.

The Xia Kingdom was completely different from when he last visited. It was busier than ever.

The last time Li Nianfan was at the Xia Kingdom, the entire city was dead silent because it was affected by the plague and the war. People were fleeing from the city, and no one else entered the city at that time. Everyone looked hopeless then.

The weather was cold but the crowd was still bustling. Moreover, you could tell from their gazes that they loved their country very much. You could tell they were excited about the future from their conversations.

Soldiers stood along the city wall. However, there were just a few of them. They stood guard on simple order. Cultivators flew by from time to time in the sky. They were quite familiar with the Xia Kingdom.

Even the city door had been renovated. It looked opulent with its doors wide open, guarded by a guard on each side. People could easily go into the city after some basic questioning.

They entered the city. The streets were bustling, and the sides of the road were filled with stalls. It was crowded.

The crowdedness was different from Fallen Town. The stalls were not random. Most of them were stores. It was much more organized and tidy. The streets were clean and easy to pass through, probably because they had a 'city manager' type of person in charge of the streets.

Li Nianfan nodded continuously on the way. He had to compliment, "That Zhou Yunwu's ruling over this place quite nicely."

The Xia Kingdom made Li Nianfan feel like it was a big city in the Immortal Realm. It was bustling and successful.

Li Nianfan paused. He looked interested as he said, "Xia Kingdom Bookstore? A bookstore in the Immortal Realm? I wonder what it's like."

He smiled and walked into the bookstore.

The bookstore was not huge. The owner of the bookstore was an elder with half-white hair. He was brushing his beard with his hand while reading a book. He was living a leisurely life.

He noticed Li Nianfan and the others. He smiled and greeted them, "Welcome, everyone. May I know if you're interested in purchasing some books or reading them?"

Li Nianfan replied, "Just looking around."

He noticed that a lot of people were reading books while sitting on the floor. They were obsessed.

The bookstore made Li Nianfan feel like it was a public library. He wondered if the owner could profit from this store.

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Elder, you let others read books for free. Aren't you worried that people will just read them without buying?"

"Haha, I'm not worried."

The elder smiled and said, "Only the locals can stay here long enough to read. Now that the Xia Kingdom's bustling, there's a continuous crowd. They don't have the time to spend all day reading here. Therefore, most can only buy my books. And I promise, whoever reads my books will most probably be willing to pay for it."

'Who would've thought that this was the elder's business strategy? Free at first, pay later. Awesome.'

Li Nianfan arched his eyebrow. "So confident?"

"Of course. My books are good quality!" The elder smiled. "You guys must be outsiders, right? Let me show you around."

The elder looked old but was very energetic. He showed Li Nianfan over to a bookshelf.

There were a lot of repetitive books on the bookshelf. There was not much variety.

"Sir, look at this one. 'Journey to the West', written by Wu Cheng'en, a cultured Immortal. How else was he able to write such a magnificent story of Gods and Monsters?

"And this, 'Divine Farmer's Herbal Classics'. This Divine Farmer's a living Saint. He's rescued countless lives. If it wasn't for him, the Xia Kingdom wouldn't be this successful. It'd be a dead city by now! Buy this book. It's beneficial and super worth it!"

"I don't need to introduce this one, the 'Jiang's Six Secret Teachings'. Written by a legendary anonymous person. This was the key to our victory in war. Buy this for kids to study and they'll become a general in the future!

"And this, 'West Journey Record' written by the army advisor of the Xia Kingdom. All his revelations and knowledge are here. It's a good read."

...

The elder was extra proud of the books. He excitedly introduced them. Perhaps he always introduced them to everyone who visited the store. He had an admiring glint in his eyes.

Li Nianfan sighed in relief. He noticed that the books on the bookshelf were mostly related to himself. He retold the stories, and Meng Junliang probably shared a more refined version based on his stories. Either way, Meng Junliang did as he was told to. He did not mention his name and used an anonymous pen name. It was a nice move.

The elder finally sighed and said, "These books saved the Xia Kingdom. They saved the people! They are the basis of our knowledge!"

Li Nianfan nodded understandingly. He exclaimed, "Elder, what a nice speech."

The elder added, "Do you want to buy a few books, sir? I can give you a discount."

"Ha, no thanks." Li Nianfan shook his head.

The elder was instantly baffled. He did not expect Li Nianfan to reject his offer.

He was dumbfounded as he said, "Sir, it's good morale to respect your elders. I'm already so old, and my mouth has gone dry from the speech. That's hard work on my side. You're troubling me if you don't buy some."

"Elder, I'm just joking," laughed Li Nianfan. He then said, "Give me a set of these books. I like supporting original publications."

"That's very generous and wise of you, sir! I knew you were extraordinary at first sight!"

The elder was instantly energetic. He excitedly started to pack up the books.

Li Nianfan accepted the books as souvenirs. He was about to leave.

Suddenly, another elder walked in. He said to the bookstore elder, "Old Man Lin, school's almost over. Let's go to pick up our grandchildren!"

The bookstore owner smiled happily and said, "Let's go, let's go together."

"Yo, someone purchased a lot of books from you," teased the elder. Then, he looked at Li Nianfan and jumped. He looked at Li Nianfan and the others who were leaving the store, completely baffled.

The bookstore owner frowned. "Old Man Sun, what's wrong with you?"

"It's him. That's him. I'm sure that's him!"

Old Man Sun hurriedly rushed out. He looked and searched amongst the crowd.

"Who is he?"

"That's the Divine Farmer! I'm sure of it. At that time, right here, my son was about to be captured for quarantine but I wouldn't allow it. He was the one who appeared!" Old Man Sun teared up from being emotional. He mumbled, "He told me he wasn't an Immortal. He's an ordinary man, but he cured...the plague!"

"Are you sure you recognized the right person?"

Old Man Lin widened his eyes. He had goosebumps all over. He looked in the direction where Li Nianfan disappeared as if he was a frozen statue. He felt regretful and emotional. "I talked to the Divine Farmer. I accepted money from the savior. I... Yikes!"

Chapter 346

Li Nianfan continued to head to the city center once he left the bookstore.

It was busier than the Fallen Town. Li Nianfan noticed a very important factor as to why it was so. It was because of the school.

A lot of people came here to send their kids to school. Some of them were even cultivators. Apart from that, Li Nianfan also saw a lot of monks.

He continued forward. There was a City God Temple with many people inside it.

They were almost at the city center. They would arrive at the school and the Xia Kingdom Palace soon.

They stood outside the school and listened to the teachings and readings that were going on inside the classrooms. Through the window, they saw a bunch of kids looking up at Meng Junliang as he was teaching. Li Nianfan had to smile at such a sight.

Meng Junliang sensed something while he was teaching. He turned and looked. He was instantly overjoyed. He subtly bowed at Li Nianfan and continued with his lecture.

The class ended earlier than usual because the teacher did not delay the class any further. The kids were excited, acting like birds flying out of their cage. They cheered joyfully.

Meng Junliang walked over and said respectfully, "Greetings from Junliang to Mr. Li!"

Li Nianfan had to compliment him, "The Xia Kingdom truly changed a lot. It's absolutely successful now. Seems like you and King Zhou made a lot of effort."

Meng Junliang hurriedly said, "It's all because of your good teachings, sir."

He was not being humble. He was speaking from the heart.

"Nah, executing the ideas is harder than coming up with them," Li Nianfan shrugged it off. He smiled and said, "We've been bored recently so we decided to go out and about. Pardon the disturbance."

"Not at all, not at all!" Meng Junliang shook his head continuously. "Your visit is a blessing for the Xia Kingdom, sir. Please, follow me."

Meng Junliang felt like he was a student presenting his work to the teacher.

It was much more convenient with Meng Junliang as a tour guide.

"Mr. Li, this is the General Training Class." Meng Junliang introduced class after class. He brought everyone to a yard and said, "The students here are older in comparison, and they study war strategies daily. At the same time, we train them to fight and grow stronger. The students with good performances are promising future generals."

Li Nianfan nodded. "Nice job."

They could hear the sounds of people yelling before they even reached the class. They sounded legit.

"The students are probably going through battlefield training at this time." Meng Junliang smiled while he waved. A soldier immediately made way for them.

The soldier was quiet. He had dark skin and a knife scar on his face. He was respectful towards Meng Junliang.

The training field was huge. The kids were about the same age as Nanan, which was why Nanan was so intrigued. She observed thrillingly.

However, she had to chuckle and laugh after a while.

Li Nianfan slapped the back of her head.

Slap!

"What are you laughing at? So disrespectful."

"I can't help it." Nanan rubbed her head and pouted. "Their training's too basic. I thought it was ridiculous."

"It's simple but effective. We soldiers naturally don't go for glamorous spells like cultivators do!" said the soldier with the scar. He sounded pissed. He did not like what Nanan said.

Nanan scrunched her nose. She immediately debated, "I'm not talking about spells. If I was an ordinary girl, none of you could defeat me either."

The soldier with the scar did not look happy at all. He sneered, "This set of moves come from the cumulative experiences of our countless soldiers that fought in the bloody battlefield. Cultivators without spells are like tigers without teeth. How would you match up with us?"

He was mindful of Meng Junliang so he was already being polite about it. Otherwise, he would have blown his top off. In other words, he was not convinced at all.

He was mad. 'How could the army advisor bring someone like that in here? This is one of the most important places in the Xia Kingdom. The bigshots of the kingdom can come in anytime but outsiders are forbidden.'

Suddenly, Meng Junliang said, "Lin Hu, apologize!"

His voice was not loud but it sounded like he meant it without hesitation. His voice was low. Anyone who knew Meng Junliang knew that he was truly angry.

"I..." Lin Hu looked like he was wronged. However, he still saluted and bowed. "I'm sorry!"

Li Nianfan also said, "Nanan, you should quickly apologize to General Lin, too."

Nanan also did not want to apologize. Still, she said, "Sorry."

Then, she quietly told Li Nianfan, "But brother, they're indeed poorly trained. It's far from what you've taught me."

Li Nianfan shook his head. "This is the basic respect between people! Remember to be kind, don't be that rude ever again."

Nanan had special training. She learned more about fighting strategies than spell strategies.

Li Nianfan taught her some martial arts skills. It was not comparable with learning spells but it was suitable for Nanan. It should be useful for her to learn it. 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝙧𝓮𝒂𝒅.𝙘𝓸𝒎

"Oh." Nanan drooped her head and batted her eyes.

They could not stay at the General Training Class after that small dispute. Meng Junliang brought them to the palace.

Meng Junliang felt guilty and said in a regretful tone, "Mr. Li, soldiers are usually straightforward and reckless. I truly am sorry for offending you."

Li Nianfan shook his head. "You don't have to apologize. It's Nanan's fault."

Meng Junliang continued, "Mr. Li, I've already ordered someone to inform King Zhou. He should be here soon."

Li Nianfan said, "King Zhou must be busy right now. It's not necessary."

Meng Junliang said without hesitation, "No, your arrival of the utmost importance, Mr. Li."

Meanwhile, at the palace.

Zhou Yunwu was standing in front of a sandbox. By the side were the generals and advisors. They were discussing the opposing strategy against the Southern brutes.

Next to the sandbox was a map of the Xia Kingdom. They had separated the city areas and marked down the general situation.

They analyzed the war as if they were attending a morning meeting to discuss politics. They were busy.

It was of national importance. Normally, no one could simply disturb them.

Zhou Yunwu was frowning hard. He looked very tired. He yelled in a low and frustrated voice, "Half a month. It's been half a month. This is what you all can give me?!"

An elder looked troubled. He slightly pursed his lips and said softly, "King, the situation of the city's too vague and broad. Population, food, money, family. Even the traffic of visitors is incalculable in such a short amount of time."

Zhou Yunwu stopped him with a wave. "What about the situation on the frontlines? It's also been half a month, there are no more reports! Not only that, it seems that our attacks have turned into defense. What's going on with that?"

A general said in a helpless tone, "King, the more we go on, the longer the war will be delayed. It's truly to our disadvantage. Also, we have to attack and send troops for defense. It's a bit hard to focus on both sides."

Zhou Yunwu glared at everyone. He rubbed his temples and asked, "These problems are the same old problems. Does anyone here know how to solve it?"

Everyone went silent.

Huff—

Zhou Yunwu sighed. He plopped on the bench and said, exhausted, "As the saying goes, 'it's easy to attack a city, it's hard to defend a city, it's even harder to manage a city, and it's the hardest to rule a country'! It's indeed so, it's indeed so!"

It was naturally harder to rule as his country expanded. There were too many issues at hand. They could not solve the issues without more issues coming up.

Zhou Yunwu felt his mind was in disorder. He did not know how to deal with it at all.

"Think. Think about it. No one will step out of this room until we reach a solution today!"

Suddenly, a soldier ran in. He broke the tension in the air. "Report.

"King, the army advisor sent me to deliver a message. He says that Mr. Li's here."

Everyone frowned. They felt like they had been disturbed.

Only Zhou Yunwu stood up suddenly. He exclaimed, "Mr. Li's here? I have to go greet him!"

Then, he was ready to go out. He ignored everyone in the room.

"This..." Everyone was stumped. Mainly because of the way Zhou Yunwu was acting. They felt as if he smelled like a bootlicker.

That was not a good sign.

An elder had to go and stop him. "King, it's a crucial time for our country right now. I think we should place importance on the big picture. Now that we're all here to discuss something serious, any guests, even the important ones, should be held off until later."

"Agreed, Your Highness," someone immediately agreed. "Now that the Xia Kingdom's considered a successful country, we are like the sun in the sky. Even Immortals have to impress you, Your Highness. There's no need to personally greet whoever that visits, no matter how important they are."

"Your Highness, you represent the humans. Please, be mindful of your image."

...

"Ugh, what do you all know?!" Zhou Yunwu glared at everyone and scoffed. He left.

Chapter 347

The last time Li Nianfan came by, he did not take his time to properly stroll around. He could do it much more leisurely now.

Moreover, the Xia Kingdom Palace had obviously been renovated. It was much more luxurious.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps. Then, he saw Zhou Yunwu rushing over. He instantly smiled when he saw Li Nianfan. He saluted and said, "Greetings from Yunwu to Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan also saluted, "King Zhou."

Zhou Yunwu genuinely said, "Previously, the Xia Kingdom was a disaster and I couldn't properly show you around, Mr. Li. I always felt guilty about that. Now that you're here, I have to show you proper hospitality."

Then, Zhou Yunwu showed Li Nianfan around the palace. He had a friendly attitude. The workers and maids of the palace all glanced at them weirdly. They wondered who they were.

They knew that King Zhou would never bow down to anyone. He had the aura of a king. He came up with the theory of being an elite even as an ordinary person. He had never acted like that before.

Humble. That was the word. He had never acted humble before!

They went to the back of the palace, then went for a stroll around the jail to gain knowledge. Then, they went to the back garden. They leisurely strolled around the entire Xia Kingdom Palace.

Zhou Yunwu introduced various things as they walked while he explained all the happenings of the Xia Kingdom. He mainly talked about the happy citizens and the positive state of the country.

He was a king but he felt as if he was a reporter. Li Nianfan said, "Nice job." Zhou Yunwu was instantly overjoyed by that.

Everyone went to the back garden. The garden was filled with flowers. There were pavilions and terraces there. There was also a small bridge with a flowy river underneath. A few huge Koi fishes leaped and swam around.

Li Nianfan was enjoying the view. He smiled at Dragon and said, "Dragon, look. It's your kind."

Dragon rolled her eyes in response. Nanan was chuckling at the side.

Meng Junliang looked at Zhou Yunwu behind him. He had to step forward and ask quietly, "King, aren't you facing a lot of issues recently? Why are you only reporting the positive things but not the worries?"

"Mr. Li has already helped us enough. How can I ask him to help us with everything?" Zhou Yunwu shook his head and continued. "Since the expert gave me the important task, I have to be responsible for it! I have to do as the expert wishes. I can't talk about issues every time I speak."

Meng Junliang went silent.

He understood what he meant.

Zhou Yunwu said, "Mr. Li, we've been walking a lot. Let's sit down and rest. I'll have someone make some tea."

"Alright," nodded Li Nianfan.

Nanan was impatient at the side. She said, "Brother Nianfan, I want to go out and look around."

Nanan and Dragon were not a tad bit interested in what Zhou Yunwu and Li Nianfan were talking about. They were already bored.

Li Nianfan could tell. He smiled and said, "Go. Stay out of trouble."

Zhou Yunwu hurriedly called for a maid. He said with seriousness, "Take the two ladies out for a good spin. Remember, don't mistreat them in any way!"

Everyone sat down. Zhou Yunwu gulped. He asked excitedly, "Sir, what do you think of the Xia Kingdom now?"

"The citizens are peaceful and happy. The country's successful and bustling. It's very good."

Li Nianfan smiled but he paused to say, "However...something's lacking."

Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang were both dumbfounded. They looked confused.

The Xia Kingdom was indeed facing an issue, but they were still considered the best city in the Immortal Realm. How could something be lacking?

Zhou Yunwu said with a serious face, "Please, teach me, Mr. Li." 𝘭𝘪𝘣𝑟𝘦𝘢𝒹.𝘤𝑜𝓂

"Ha, it's not something serious. It's just that it lacks entertainment." Li Nianfan smiled. "When superficial things have been perfected in life, only entertainment could make it a more satisfying life."

He was half-joking but it was also a fact.

Entertainment could rule the world sometimes.

"Entertainment?" Meng Junliang and Zhou Yunwu fell into deep thought. They were both smart, so they noticed the meaning behind his statement.

Meng Junliang had to ask, "But...how should we improve on entertainment?"

"With this, poker cards!" Li Nianfan once again took out the poker cards.

The cards were freshly made so Li Nianfan loved taking them out. It was one of his rare entertainment projects.

Li Nianfan smirked harder when he saw how confused Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang looked. "Say less. Let me teach you both how to play. Fancy a round?"

"I dare not request it but it has at each moment been my own wish."

Instantly, a Human Sovereign, an army advisor, and a Deluxe Merit Saint gathered around to play poker...

Outside of the back garden.

A bunch of chancellors waited there. They were mostly old men. They looked inside bafflingly.

Suddenly, a palace maid walked out from the back garden.

They immediately surrounded her. They were anxious from curiosity.

"How is it? What's the king doing in there with the army advisor?"

That palace maid flinched. She said in a trembling voice, "They are...killing it at poker in there."

"Killing poker?" Everyone was stunned. They looked at each other with confusion and shock.

"Who's Poker? I want to kill him too just by hearing his name."

"How can the king do such a tedious task himself? Who's this Poker? We should be the ones to kill him."

"I know!" An old chancellor suddenly looked like he realized something. He started to deduce, "Wasn't the king going to greet an important guest? That's most probably it. Poker must be the name of that important guest!"

"That makes a lot of sense now."

"Makes sense, most probably the case."

"Good job, kill that disturber!"

The chancellors brushed their beards and smiled proudly. The king had gone off the bootlicker route. That was worth celebrating.

"You're all mistaken." That palace maid shivered at the side. She almost teared up. She said meekly, "Poker's a type of game. The king and the guest are 'killing it' at the game."

"Game? They're playing a game?"

"What a lousy choice! The Xia Kingdom's going through such a crucial time that will affect the future of our country, and he chooses to play poker?"

"He lost his mind to games!"

The chancellors looked miserable. They were in pain and they wanted to risk their lives by going in to stop the king.

"Sigh, the king's important guest is truly...going to affect the future of the Xia Kingdom!"

An old chancellor suddenly sighed. He could not stop shaking his head. He sighed and said, "I did some questioning on the way. Do you guys know that the king wasn't acting like a king at all? He was mindful of whatever that important guest had to say, and was extremely humble. Most workers even thought he was the fake king, an imposter!"

"Really? He must be cursed or under a spell! The king isn't behaving like a king. That would be the doom of the Xia Kingdom!"

"What about the army advisor? What's the army advisor doing? Is he under a spell, too?"

"The army advisor? Don't even mention him!"

A general walked over with grief on his face. He said with a teary face, "Not long ago, the army advisor brought that important guest to the General Training Class. They...they...boohoo..."

Everyone was out of it. "They what? Spit it out!"

"They mocked the training of our General Training Class. General Lin spoke out of defense. Guess what? The army advisor ordered him to apologize!"

"What? Really?!"

"Mistake. That's a mistake!"

"That person will be the downfall of our Xia Kingdom!"

The chancellors teared up. Some of them were weeping from being emotional, they felt miserable.

"This can't go on any longer. Everyone, please, follow me to talk some sense into them!"

"That's right. This can't go on. Let's go together. So what if we die?!"

Everyone agreed and walked towards the back garden.

Clang!

A row of soldiers pulled out their swords at the same time. Their swords were shiny and sharp.

"The king's greeting a guest. Trespassers will be killed!"

'This...'

"Well, we can wait. It appears that this can go on, we don't have to rush."

"True, so true!"

...

"Pair of threes."

"Nope."

"Pass."

Li Nianfan placed his final card. "A four. Sorry, I won again."

"Again, again!" Zhou Yunwu felt extremely aggrieved. He could not accept that he always lost in such a lousy way.

He had to look at Meng Junliang. "Army advisor, why do I feel like your mind's somewhere else?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm thinking of something. I've lost focus." Meng Junliang had a frown the whole time he was staring at the cards. He felt like he missed out on an important factor but he did not know what it was.

'What is it exactly?'

He was dumbfounded. He watched Li Nianfan shuffle the cards and distribute them. Then, he picked up the cards and stared at the numbers on the cards in a daze.

Zhou Yunwu teased, "Army advisor, you're the starter of this round. What are you going blank for? Don't tell me you haven't memorized all the numbers on the cards?"

'Numbers?

'Oh yeah, numbers!'

Meng Junliang jolted as if he was woken up from a dream. He stared at the numbers on the poker cards with wide eyes.

He recalled Li Nianfan's teaching of the tutorial of the game.

'This is one, this is two, this is three...'

"This—this is..."

He started to tremble to his core. He had goosebumps all over. He almost scratched his scalp off.

Bam!

He stood up all of a sudden. The chair that he sat on flew away and fell over.

"Simplified numbers! Of course, to calculate our population, food, and everything else. Why don't we calculate them with simplified numbers? It's clear and easy to understand. Even elders and children can easily identify them!"

It was as if he was introduced to a whole new world. His lips were trembling and he was flushed. He said in a trembling voice, "Why didn't I think of it? Why didn't I think of that before?! A legendary idea, this is a legendary touch!"

His voice was hoarse and high-pitched. Zhou Yunwu was also astounded at that idea. He felt his heart thump.

Bam!

The chair that Zhou Yunwu sat on also flew away. He stuttered, "Army...Army advisor, you... What did you say? Come again?"

Meng Junliang said in an excited tone, "King, these are simplified numbers. If we apply this method to our calculations, it'll be much more simple and easier!"

"Yeah, simplified numbers. This is a blessing for the Xia Kingdom!" Zhou Yunwu could not help being emotional. He felt as if a huge opportunity was waving at him. He hurriedly took a deep breath and faced Li Nianfan. He bowed with the utmost respect, he was extremely devoted and genuine. He thanked him, "Thank you so much, Mr. Li. You have blessed the people again!"

Meng Junliang also placed his hand on his waist and bowed deeply. "Sir, I see that we aren't just playing games. You're clearly trying to give us advice! Pardon me for being slow-minded. I just realized it now. I truly am embarrassed about that! Thanks for everything you've taught me, Mr. Li!"

'What are you embarrassed about? I'm the one that's embarrassed!

'I just wanted to play poker in peace.'

Li Nianfan bafflingly looked at the two trouble-minded humans. He moved his lips but no words came out. In the end, he could only say, "Nicely done, my beloved students! As long as you get it!"

'Fine. Since he already bowed and thanked me, I can only pretend to be cool in this awkward situation.'

Zhou Yunwu said with respect, "Mr. Li, you're truly talented. You can think of such an idea. You invented a new numbering system. We have to pass it on for generations."

Meng Junliang also suggested, "Mr. Li, the numbers should have a name. Why don't we name it after you?"

"No!" Li Nianfan immediately raised his hand to stop him. "Call it Arabic numbers. It's nice and catchy."

"Arabian...numbers?"

Meng Junliang and Zhou Yunwu were stunned. Then, they nodded at the same time. "Good name. It sounds deep and mysterious but also catchy. So good, Mr. Li! Even the names you come up with are unique."

"Alright, settle down." Li Nianfan waved it off. He felt like the two humans were jokers. He had to laugh, "You think that's all for Arabian numbers?"

"There's more?" Zhou Yunwu was intrigued. He said with respect, "Please, teach me, Mr. Li."

"Sit. Sit down, let's learn it slowly."

Li Nianfan gestured for them to sit. Then, he said, "Daji, take out our pen and paper."

He started writing.

"Let me teach you basic addition and subtraction. Look carefully at this. One plus one equals two."

"One plus one equals two?" Meng Junliang frowned and fell deep into thought. He was confused. "Why so? I don't get it."

"This is a symbol, it's for calculation conveniences..."

"I see. One plus one equals two. I finally learned it."

...

"Next, let me teach you the Nine-Nine Multiplication Table. Memorize it with me."

...

After an hour, the cheeks of Meng Junliang and Zhou Yunwu were numb because their jaws were on the floor for the entire hour.

As Li Nianfan ended his lecture, their minds were blown. They felt as if a magical door opened for them.

"Eureka, revelation! Mr. Li, your explanations are the words of a Saint!"

Zhou Yunwu was extremely emotional. His entire body was shivering. The method taught by Li Nianfan was enough to change the Xia Kingdom entirely. It was a blessing for the people!

"Indescribable. That's indescribable!" Meng Junliang did not know what to do. In the end, his legs gave in. He knelt to the ground and said, "Only being on all fours can express my admiration towards you, Mr. Li!"

'He can't be blamed for acting like that.

'As the saying goes, 'having heard the way in the morning, one may die content in the evening'.'

Meng Junliang was an educated man. He always looked for knowledge. Li Nianfan showed him a whole new field of knowledge. If it was not for Li Nianfan, he would have never heard of such a thing. He owed Li Nianfan for the blessing!

He was behaving like that because he got too emotional. He was worshiping the knowledge that Li Nianfan showed him.

Li Nianfan helped Meng Junliang up. He smiled and said, "Alright, settle down. This is just a new field of study. Call it Mathematics from now on. It's important. Let the kids learn it. Focus on practicing!"

Meng Junliang and Zhou Yunwu nodded with seriousness at the same time. "For sure. For sure!"

Chapter 348

Meanwhile,

At the General Training Class.

Nanan and Dragon reappeared with cheekiness in their eyes.

The general with the scar, Lin Hu, did not want to see them at all. However, he had orders to not offend them. So, he could only ignore them and pretend that they were not there.

"They're just two immature brats. I don't have to be mad at them. I don't want to be so angry that I hurt myself."

Lin Hu comforted himself. He instantly felt much better. He was in a better mood.

However, before he could smile about it, the two brats smugly walked over to the training field.

Nanan had her head up as she looked down on everyone. She slowly stepped forwards while everyone was staring at her. Her voice was like a child's as she said, "I can back up my statement. I don't want people to underestimate me. I also don't want my Brother Nianfan to be looked down on! I said I could take on all of you, I meant it. Fight me!"

The training field went silent. The kids looked at that girl with ever-changing facial expressions. 𝑙𝘪𝑏𝓇𝑒𝑎𝒹.𝘤𝑜𝘮

They heard about what happened earlier so they were naturally pissed.

Lin Hu frowned. "Little girl, what are you trying to do?"

"I'm not up to anything. I just want to show you that I'm not bluffing!"

"No spells?"

"No need for that."

"You're the guest of the king. I can't be responsible for hurting you."

"Hurt me? I think you're still dreaming. Stop delaying, come on and finish it."

"Okay! I have to change my impression of you just because you dared to come back here!" complimented Lin Hu. Then, he yelled at everyone, "You've been underestimated by a little girl, what do you do?!"

"Fight!" yelled everyone.

Lin Hu nodded with satisfaction. "Good, use that energy. On my mark, fight!"

"Go!"

The bunch of kids sprinted at Nanan with seriousness.

Nanan took it more seriously, too. She stepped forward and bent down slightly. She lifted her arms and was ready to attack.

Her attacks were fast and clean. Her opponents won in numbers but they were useless. Their moves were also clumsy and weak in comparison.

Bam!

She knocked them all out in one go.

Soon, everyone in the training field was unconscious. The kids who previously looked enraged were groaning on the ground.

"This... This... This..."

Lin Hu was stunned. He felt thunderstruck. He could not believe his eyes.

He was watching from the side. Everything became very real to him. That was why he was so shocked. He was petrified.

Nanan did not have complex moves. However, the combination of her moves made her agile. She looked good while fighting. She was clearly different from the kids who only knew how to yell and punch.

He hated to admit it but he had to. The kids...were not on her level.

He recalled what Nanan previously said. He initially thought that she was mocking them. It appeared that she was merely telling the truth.

"You really didn't use any spells. Then...what was that?"

Lin Hu stood there, bewildered as he mumbled, "I'm too shallow. I'm too shallow!"

"That was... Kungfu!" Nanan stood up straight while she answered his question.

"Kungfu?" Lin Hu remembered that word in his heart. His eyes were slightly red. He asked, his voice trembling from excitement, "Can...ordinary people learn it?"

Nanan wheezed and thought about it. "Brother Nianfan said this was something to learn for a healthy and strong body. Even ordinary people can learn it."

Plop!

Lin Hu plopped to the floor without a second thought. He looked hopeful and begged in a sincere voice, "Please, teach me, lady!"

...

Meng Junliang and Zhou Yunwu quickly walked out from the back garden. They looked emotional and excited.

'Arabian numbers. Plus, minus, multiply, and divide. What incredible inventions.'

They could not wait to tell everyone about that so they had to momentarily excuse themselves from Li Nianfan.

The chancellors were crying and discussing what to do next. They suddenly saw their king and the army advisor walking out from the back garden. They instantly jolted and walked up to them.

"Your Highness, you finally came out. If this goes on any longer, I'll have to commit suicide to prove a point!"

"Your Highness, please, wake up. Don't be fooled by others."

"Army advisor, how can you mess around along with the King? The Xia Kingdom's at risk!"

Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang could tell what they were up to. They looked at each other and sneered internally. They glanced at them quietly.

Zhou Yunwu scolded them in a low voice, "Guards, who said they'd die to prove a point? Pass him a sword!"

Instant silence.

"What did I say before I left? I said none of you knew anything! Got it?"

Zhou Yunwu scolded them with a cruel voice, "Do you know who visited us today? If Mr. Li had a bad tolerance, what you all did today would be considered treason! Sinning with death penalties! I'm not going to lie to you, if Mr. Li's slightly displeased because of you, you'll all be killed!"

Everyone flinched and went cold. They could tell he was being serious. He was not joking.

An elder had to ask, "Your Highness, who's that person that could make you act like this?"

"That person..."

Zhou Yunwu took a deep breath and said, "Is the savior of the entire Xia Kingdom. The Xia Kingdom's the way it is now because he gave it a new life, and it also became successful because of him! To me, he's the masterful savior!"

Everyone was stunned by that comment. It was beyond them. Their ears were ringing from that.

"I'm not going to keep talking about this. Mr. Li must have come here because he knew about the problems of the Xia Kingdom. He came here to give us advice."

Meng Junliang stepped out and said, "The Xia Kingdom's successful but not perfect in any way. We're like a huge blank canvas. We don't know where to start. However, one of our biggest issues can be solved. Please, have a look, everyone..."

He took out the paper Li Nianfan scribbled on and carefully laid it out in front of everyone.

"Stop, don't reach for it! Don't touch it! Don't touch that cursed thing, kill it!"

Everyone quickly retracted and looked at the paper out of curiosity. They saw a bunch of symbols that they did not understand. They all frowned and looked miserable. They sighed. 'This is it? It's over. They're indeed under a spell, they're cursed!'

"Listen up, this is a brand new technique. It's also a brand new era!" Meng Junliang sounded serious. "Listen to me carefully!"

Half an hour later, the chancellors started to fall deep into thought.

Someone started to gasp after half an hour.

After another hour, half of the chancellors had wide eyes. They gasped.

Another half an hour later.

Gasp—

Only a few of them still looked confused. The others were amazed as they gasped at the same time.

"I can't believe it. Awesome, truly awesome."

"One plus one equals two. Nice, nice!"

"If we use this system, everything related to the city can be easily understood on sight!"

"Moreover, it's closely related to the lives of the people. It's widely beneficial for future developments. The success of our Xia Kingdom's upon us!"

"That important guest...thought of this idea? Legend. He's a true legend!"

Everyone was instantly convinced. They were in awe and could not calm down.

"But, Your Highness..."

A general stepped forward. He felt hurt by not being intelligent so he said angrily, "Even if this guy's a genius, he still mocked us at the General Training Class. I truly can't tolerate that!"

"Report."

A soldier ran over quickly. His face was flushed from running and he had tears in the corners of his eyes.

"Report for the King. Good news, great news!"

The soldier was stuttering. He said in a trembling voice, "That little girl has a legendary skill known as Kungfu. Ordinary people can learn it. It makes our soldiers fight better. They'll be able to take on ten opponents at a time! General Lin Hu's currently begging the little girl to teach him. He sent me to pass on the message for his apology. He said that he was uneducated and too shallow!"

Yikes—

"Kungfu? Fight ten opponents?"

"She wasn't bluffing!"

"If we learn Kung Fu, we'll be able to attack and defend. Our big issue has once again been solved!"

"This person...is magnificent. Magnificent!"

"It's the Xia Kingdom's blessing to befriend that person. I previously spoke out of disrespect. I was wrong!"

"Your Highness, we can't mistreat such a person. What do you think about me? I'm absolutely humble and polite. I can be quiet at the side, too. I'm the right person to accompany you."

"Your Highness, why are you still standing here? Hurry up and accompany him. Don't act boastfully!"

Chapter 349

Li Nianfan wanted to stay in the Xia Kingdom.

For him, the Xia Kingdom was like a big city of humans. Their lives were convenient and happening. Moreover, the people were all friendly and nice. Zhou Yunwu, Meng Junliang, and even the chancellors were all humble. They would stop and salute him. It was very suitable for him to stay.

He did not stay at the Carp Palace because first of all, that was the bottom of the ocean. He was not used to it. Second of all, it felt awkward and uncomfortable. Thirdly, no one could accompany him.

Humans were creatures of the community after all.

Li Nianfan could not deny that he was a simple man. He was far from that isolated lifestyle. He very much enjoyed crowded places. 𝑙𝑖𝘣𝓇𝑒𝒶𝘥.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Zhou Yunwu realized that the expert was interested in staying. He gave him a huge house in the city center without hesitation. He did not send palace maids and servants over because he knew that would be a bad idea. However, he did send a lot of silver to him. Li Nianfan was just going to stay for a few days but it was the honor of the Xia Kingdom.

Li Nianfan accepted the house. It was nice.

He stayed for ten days.

Li Nianfan stayed in the mountains for five years. That was his first stay in a successful city. He instantly felt different.

The Xia Kingdom was successful. There were cultivators that slew demons and there were Buddhists who helped lost souls by preaching. The guards also warded off thieves. The city management was much safer than the previous years.

It reminded Li Nianfan of the Tang Dynasty in 'Journey to the West'. The humans had been living lavishly by then. However...since the realm was a legendary fantasy realm, how did it end up like that?

Li Nianfan had to think about it.

Buddhism was gone, the Heavenly Palace was gone. The Underworld recently reappeared. It seemed like most people, including the cultivators, had no knowledge of their history when he was reciting his stories.

He could see that the realm was too far into the future of his familiar fantasy realm. Most people forgot about that part of history.

'Most likely a million years after 'Journey to the West'.' Li Nianfan analyzed in his mind, 'Buddhism was most likely destroyed by Demons. As for the Heavenly Palace and the Underworld... Weirdly, they faced problems. Also, do Saints exist in this realm? What about Goddess Nuwa, primates, or Gods?'

Li Nianfan had to piece it together. After all, he had to be familiar with his surroundings. A familiar worldview was an important factor to not end up like Xiao Bai. He would have missed out on a lot of opportunities.

There was no harm in knowing more.

A loud bell could be heard early in the morning.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The bell rang three times. The echoes were clear. The source of the sounds was from the Buddhist temple of the Xia Kingdom.

Li Nianfan was not sure if he was thinking too much but he felt like the whole city was livelier.

The lively crowd started to go in two directions. One went to the temple, the other went to the city door.

"What are Buddhists up to?" Li Nianfan did not pay attention to the outside world so he did not know what was going on. However, he wanted to join the crowd. "Let's go, Daji. Let's check it out."

The bells were probably a reminder for an official event. Everyone was waiting for it.

"Brother Nianfan."

Nanan and Dragon were both wearing armor. They walked over smugly. Clanging sounds could be heard.

They were too small so their armors were too big for them. They looked kind of funny in the big armors. They had two rows of soldiers behind them. Li Nianfan had to laugh.

The armors were given to them by the General Training Class. Ever since Nanan promised to teach them Kungfu, the soldiers of the Xia Kingdom were overjoyed. They worshiped her and appointed her the title of a general.

Nanan was having the time of her life with her new title.

Lin Hu hurriedly saluted Li Nianfan. He said with respect, "Greetings to Mr. Li, Lady Daji."

"Morning, General Lin." Li Nianfan nodded. Then, he asked Nanan, "Why are you out today? Aren't you supposed to teach Kung Fu at the General Training Class?"

"It's so crowded outside so I snuck out to check it out," Nanan pouted and said. "Also, I just taught them the Lightning Fast Five Stroke Combo. It's not easy to learn. Let them practice for a while."

Then, she curiously followed the crowd with Dragon.

She had a spark in her eyes. "Candied Haws!"

Nanan and Dragon immediately ran over to buy some Candied Haws.

They were adorable but they were wearing armor. The old man that sold Candied Haws was baffled. He almost turned around and ran.

The two armored kids happily licked their Candied Haws. It was an odd sight. Li Nianfan shook his head and laughed awkwardly.

After a while, more people came, but nothing seemed to be happening.

Someone familiar walked in.

"Greetings from Junliang to Mr. Li."

"Morning, Brother Meng," saluted Li Nianfan. He asked curiously, "Do you know what's happening? Why is it so crowded?"

Meng Junliang replied, "Mr. Li, if my information is accurate, a Buddha has arrived."

"Buddha?" Li Nianfan was taken aback. He was slightly weirded out. 'Awesome, they have a living Buddha.'

"Yeah, I heard that a person's kind and can influence others to be kind. Even mountain tigers were affected by that Buddha. They stopped hurting others. Cultivators once thought he was talented. They took him as a student, taught him cultivation, but realized he was average. There was nothing special about him."

Meng Junliang paused before he continued, "Then, he was discovered by Buddhists. This person converted to Buddhism and became an elite. He became a Buddha afterward."

"Seems like a talented genius," nodded Li Nianfan. He was shocked but not surprised.

Talented people could be found anywhere, especially in the Immortal Realm.

Nanan's small mouth was open. "Wow, so many people waiting for the Buddha. What a grand event."

"Buddhism can be influential. A lot of people resonate with it. They're willing to believe in Buddhism." Meng Junliang studied Buddhism before.

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Is the Xia Kingdom going to accept Buddhism?"

"We aren't against it, but we won't convert to Buddhism." Meng Junliang shook his head. "The Buddha must be here to invite the King for a Buddhism event or something. But the King will surely reject their offer. At most, he'll just send someone over."

'Wow, he even set up the plot.'

Li Nianfan was intrigued. He could believe that was going to happen.

Zhou Yunwu had his Xia Kingdom, Meng Junliang had his Dao, Yuecha had Buddhism. They were three different concepts. They seemed related but they were not. The three concepts existed because of him. They were starting to turn on each other.

It was going to be interesting.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "That's because the Xia Kingdom isn't opposed to the concept of Buddhism. However, it'd be a different case to openly support it. Therefore, the Xia Kingdom's going for the neutral route."

In reality, Buddhism was beneficial for the Xia Kingdom.

"Right on, Mr. Li." Meng Junliang nodded. "Now we have Demons and Buddhists. One of them is vengeful, evil, greedy, and competitive. The other one's all about peace, no distractions or desires, and to kill them with kindness. These two religions are naturally opposed to each other."

When people have different mentalities, they would debate. However, if their ideologies were complete opposites, they did not need to debate. They would just fight.

Suddenly, Buddhist hymns could be heard from afar.

They looked over at the horizon. They saw a shiny bald head at first. It was very bright.

Then, they saw a monk with a shawl on. He was very young.

He did the Namaste gesture with his eyes closed. He was wearing a pair of shoes made from bamboo. He slowly walked over.

'That's so anticlimactic, boo!'

Creak!

The temple door suddenly opened. A row of monks walked out, looking serious and strict. They stood at the city door to welcome him.

They waited for the Buddha to walk over. Then, they said at the same time, "Amitabha."

A chancellor hidden amongst the crowd stepped out with two servants. He smiled, "Welcome, Buddha. Pardon us for the simple greeting."

"Amitabha," said the Buddha. He did not say anything else.

The chancellor smiled and led the way, "Ha, the King's already waiting for you at the palace. Please, follow me."

Nanan and Dragon had been waiting for a long time. They instantly felt disappointed. "Huh? That's it? How boring."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "It's boring for you but not for his fans."

"Let's go, it's more fun to train those soldiers."

Meng Junliang watched as the Buddha left. He did not look like he wanted to go greet him.

He invited Li Nianfan, "Mr. Li, do you want to go to the palace?"

Li Nianfan nodded and smiled. "I was just about to."

"Please."

Zhou Yunwu was sitting on the throne when they arrived at the palace. He was greeting the Buddha. They looked like they were getting along.

"Mr. Li, army advisor, you guys have arrived. Please, have a seat."

Zhou Yunwu hurriedly greeted them. He stood up from his throne and walked over.

The Buddha looked at Li Nianfan and Daji with shock in his eyes. They looked ordinary but their auras were immaculate. He knew they were extraordinary.

'That red sparrow, too. Although it's a sparrow, it is giving off a regal vibe.'

He had to ask, "I wonder, you're..."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "My name's Li Nianfan. Greetings to the Buddha."

"You're Mr. Li!" The Buddha stood up and did the Namaste gesture. He said with respect and caution, "Mr. Li, you can just call me Jiese."

'Jiese?'

Li Nianfan, Zhou Yunwu, and Meng Junliang were all stunned.

Very few people knew the Buddha's name. He most probably kept it a secret because it differed too much from his image.

After all, it caught them off guard that a living Buddha had a name like that.

Thankfully, everyone knew to be polite. They did not burst out laughing and create an awkward situation.

Li Nianfan placed his hands together to do the Namaste gesture and said, "Nice to meet you, Jiese."

Chapter 350

Jiese looked calm on the surface.

However, he felt very awkward deep down.

He possessed the Law of Gaze. Li Nianfan and the others looked normal on the surface but he could feel that they were secretly making fun of him.

'Whatever. Fine. Thankfully, I don't care much for my image.'

Jiese explained, "Buddhism requires resistance to desires and temptations. At first, there'll be a lot of temptations that will test you along the way. Therefore, I gave myself the name."

Zhou Yunwu nodded with seriousness, "Understandable. Jiese, you're quite handsome. Although you shaved your head, your handsome face still stands out. Understandably, you gave yourself a silly name to avoid temptations."

"Amitabha. A handsome flesh only brings me trouble."

Jiese shut his eyes and chanted Buddhist scriptures. He invited, "I came here today to invite King Zhou to our Religious Ceremony. It's located at the Wanshan Ridge in the West. It's now known as the Spiritual Mountain."

He looked at Li Nianfan and also invited him, "Mr. Li, we Buddhists are indebted to you. We hope you could visit us."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "I have nothing to do anyway, I'll go check it out."

Jiese was overjoyed. He hurriedly said, "We'll be ready to welcome you then."

Zhou Yunwu said, "Jiese, Buddhism's in the far West. Please, forgive me for being unable to show up. However, I'll be sending a representative to pay our respects."

Jiese tried to convince him, "We've invited all sorts of cultivation sects for the ceremony, and a lot of Immortals from the Above Immortal Realm will be there. Even Immortals of the Underworld will be showing up. It's a rare ceremony and it'll be such a shame that you can't show up, King Zhou. If you think the location's too far, we'll send someone over to escort you there."

Zhou Yunwu shook his head and said, "No need for that. I'm too busy managing the Xia Kingdom. I'm afraid I'll have to miss out on it."

"Too bad." Jiese did the Namaste gesture. "If that's the case, I shall stay here for a few days. Sorry for the disturbance. Maybe you should reconsider, King Zhou."

Li Nianfan felt a déjà vu when he heard that sentence.

In translation, he meant, 'If you don't say yes, I'll be staying here and I'm not going to leave.'

'Who knew the Buddha was the scoundrel type?'

Zhou Yunwu gestured to him to leave. "Please, Jiese."

Jiese left.

After a short while, a soldier frantically ran in. Something was off. "King, the Buddha went to the Red Brothel."

Red Brothel?

'That's a brothel.'

Li Nianfan sneakily said, "Daji, you should go back with the Fire Phoenix first. I have something to discuss with King Zhou and Junliang."

Daji nodded obediently. "Okay."

Daji left. The three guys did not need to say anything, they looked at each other and headed towards the Red Brothel.

At the Red Brothel.

The brothel was full of beautiful and seductive ladies.

Li Nianfan and the others arrived. As expected, Jiese the monk was already surrounded by a bunch of prostitutes.

"What a handsome monk. Why are you just standing by the door? We sisters want to preach your 'sermon'."

"Our lives are hard. How about we have a heart-to-heart conversation? We won't charge you."

"Yeah, we don't have to talk about expense, let's just talk about 'dispense'."

...

Jiese was not affected by such vulgar statements. He was surrounded but he did not care. He still chanted Buddhist scriptures.

It had to be said. Jiese was indeed a handsome monk. The ladies for the Red Brothel fancied his shiny bald head.

Classic Jiese. He was not tempted by the prostitutes that offered to service him for free.

Zhou Yunwu gave some orders, and a row of soldiers immediately chimed in to arrest the ladies.

Jiese was saved. He stepped out with colorful lipstick stains on his face.

He looked serious. "Your Highness, you don't need to do that next time."

"I'm trying to help you." 𝓁𝘪𝑏𝑟ℯ𝒶𝑑.𝑐ℴ𝘮

"You don't understand. I'm undergoing temptation training. I don't need to be saved."

Jiese placed his hands together to do the Namaste gesture and said, "My name's Jiese. The meaning of my name implies trouble in my life. I have to train myself to be free of temptation before trouble arrives."

He sounded sincere but no one could tell if he was telling the truth.

Jiese warned, "Don't do that next time."

Zhou Yunwu replied, "Excuse me, sorry for disturbing you."

Li Nianfan curiously observed Jiese. 'Won't he hurt his body if this goes on?'

For the next few days, Jiese would head towards the Red Brothel. He would not go in. Instead, he just stood by the door. Every time he went, he would be swarmed by ladies.

Those seductive ladies would go and tease that emotionless monk. They would not get bored of it.

Li Nianfan always watched from afar. Not because he was jealous, but because he was surprised by how well he could control himself.

'Jiese, are you free from temptation once you're impotent?

'Truly a Buddha. What a legend!'

On the sixth day, Jiese did not show up at the brothel. He opened the temple door and sat on a high tower. He announced to the public that he was going to preach Buddhism.

Moreover, he was willing to accept constructive criticism. He was going to convince the public with Buddhism.

The Xia Kingdom was once again lively. A lot of people went to visit the temple. The temple was crowded and they were busier than ever.

Cultivators, chancellors, and students were driven by their curiosity. They also visited the temple and were all convinced by Jiese.

Li Nianfan smiled and asked, "Aren't you going too, Junliang?"

Meng Junliang replied, "Sir, people like us are stubborn with our ideologies. I won't be easily swayed by words. I know my place in the realm. There's no reason to go and debate."

"But that monk's converting your people. You're not going to do anything about it?"

Meng Junliang replied, "He's staying here like a scoundrel just for King Zhou to accept his invitation to the ceremony at the Spiritual Mountain. If I show up, I'll only make it worse. I don't want to go along with his wishes."

They stood on a high tower and observed everything from above. They did not get bored of observing daily.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Jesse had not started the debate on that day. He was preaching Buddhism at the tower. A red figure flashed by in the air and landed in the temple. It was a lady in red clothes.

Her eyes were pretty and her teeth were white. She had snow-white skin and flaming red clothes. She looked like a white rose engulfed in flames. She wore golden bells on her wrist, and with a flick of her wrist, chimes could be heard.

The chiming of the bells was not loud. However, it caught the attention of Jiese the monk. He suddenly stopped in his tracks.

That young lady looked at the Buddha with her beautiful eyes. She smirked, "Jiese Monk, I finally found you!"

Chapter 351

Jiese, the monk's face that had remained unchanged for 10,000 years, jolted. Looking unruffled, he clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha, may I know what brought you here?"

The beautiful eyes of the woman in red stared at Jiese. She was half-smiling when she said, "As you said."

Jiese let out an apparent sigh of relief. He made a gesture and said, "If so, please, take a seat."

Above the high tower, Meng Junliang smiled. "The time has arrived for the monk."

"Junliang, you don't seem surprised." Li Nianfan looked at him strangely. There was a glint in his eyes as he asked, "Did you find this woman?"

"Ha-ha-ha, Mr. Li, you're so observant. Indeed, I attracted her to come here. However, this is the monk's own fate." Meng Junliang laughed. He seemed very pleased.

It was strange for Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang to not react to being locked in the Xia Kingdom by the Jiese for so long. It seemed that they started making preparations earlier on.

Before Li Nianfan asked, Meng Junliang said, "Since Jiese always spoke about Jaise, we decided to get to him this way. Starting from the west, they went to the places he passed by. He was a handsome monk who liked to go to the brothels. This feature of his helped him stand out from the rest. Quite a lot of information about him was circulating."

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Tell me."

"The woman's the daughter of the Yun family in Qingzhou City. Her name is Yun Yiyi. When she was deeply wounded, Jiese helped her. Jiese saw her naked body, and yet, he calmed down and prayed whole-heartedly. So what if he had seen her body? He said such things to comfort Yun Yiyi."

Meng Junliang halted. Then, he shook his head and smiled, "She's an understanding lady, she didn't hold it against him. However...on the second day after the two parted, Yun Yiyi bumped into Jiese who claimed to be cultivating outside the brothel. Mr. Li, do you think this was a coincidence?"

Li Nianfan shook his head and smiled. "Obviously not."

"Yun Yiyi was straightforward. She does things passionately, and she's daring enough to love and hate openly. On the spot, she spilled everything that Jiese did. Following that, she had asked people around her to capture Jiese right away." Meng Junliang spoke as the grin on his face widened. "Unfortunately, the monk escaped. If not, he might have slept with the lady."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded.

He looked at Jiese. One had to admit that his look was very handsome. If he had an ugly appearance, one would ask him to leave. However, with his good look, things became easier for him.

Li Nianfan mocked, "It seems that his name's quite apt. Jiese stands for an unavoidable sexual crime. Guess it's true. Seems like he won't be able to get away this time."

He looked at the temple to continue watching the exciting drama.

Yun Yiyi stared at Jiese. She asked, "Will you marry a wife?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Lust will make one's face sink and dry out. It's detrimental to my practice. I'm a Buddhist and I mustn't have anything to do with it."

Yun Yiyi continued asking, "What's the benefit of becoming a Buddhist?"

"There are eight sufferings in life—suffering from birth, old age, illness, death, parting, resentment, hatred, and unpleasantness. Becoming a Buddhist can help one transcend sufferings and bring about beneficial results," Jiese halted. Then, he advised, "Madam's caught up with these eight sufferings. Do pray from time to time to learn to let go."

"Ha-ha, monk, you're wrong!" Yun Yiyi smiled slightly. "I'm not suffering at all. In fact, I'm living in bliss! In life, sweetness comes after bitterness. Wealth follows poverty. You advise others to let go, but you have no idea that these are the excitements in life. Everyone lives by these eight sufferings, and everyone feels these sufferings. It's only when we understand these eight sufferings that we're able to hold it up and let it go, following the natural cycle!"

Li Nianfan let out an impressed look. He could not help saying in awe, "Wonderful! This lady knows it!"

"What she said is the true nature of the practice." Meng Junliang was stunned, too.

He intentionally attracted Yun Yiyi to come over so she could confront Jiese and make him leave sooner. Who would have thought that this woman was so sharp that she could debate with the monk?

The monk raised his eyebrows as he mumbled, "Strange."

He clasped his palms together and said, "Madam, you're too obsessed. If you don't let go, you'll get too caught up by the eight sufferings and never detach from them again."

"Obsession's an excuse. You're obviously running away!" Yun Yiyi stood up, her red clothes flowing in the air. "The eight sufferings in life are a must. Instead of finding ways to let go, why not face them and learn from them? You must know it yourself, if not you wouldn't try to cultivate in front of a brothel. If you want to learn it this way, I volunteer to be your partner. No matter how it ends up, I won't regret it. However, the truth is you don't dare to!"

Jiese clasped his palms. "Amitabha."

Yun Yiyi walked toward Jiese. She said in a gentle tone, "A monk doesn't lie. Tell me, am I pretty?"

After a long moment of silence, Jiese said in a low voice, "I lost."

Many monks in the temple went forward right away. They surrounded Jiese. They were not attacking him. They were protecting him.

In fact, they stared at Yun Yiyi with unsettled feelings. This woman was like a monster, how scary!

A monk said, "Today's debate has ended, please, go home! Our temple's closing their doors."

"Hmph!" Yun Yiyi scoffed. She glanced at Jiese and turned into a ball of light to leave.

An audience who were waiting for the drama wore looks of dissatisfaction. They started gossiping about the drama. They did not even care about who won or lost the debate.

With no doubt, from tomorrow onward, countless versions of this rumor would have spread around the town. The number of books in the bookstore would increase as well.

Meng Junliang let out a satisfied smile. "Jiese should be leaving tomorrow."

Li Nianfan watched this drama. He felt pleased as he said, "I should leave tomorrow as well."

Meng Junliang asked, "Mr. Li's going to the mountain with Jiese?"

"Probably, I like drama."

Meng Junliang admired Li Nianfan for being able to live a life and play around in this mortal realm. He could enjoy himself watching the clouds rising and falling, how admirable!

This was probably the joy of being capable and free.

The next day.

Li Nianfan and the rest gathered at the main hall of the Xia Kingdom.

It was no surprise when Jesse showed up early in the morning. Although he seemed calm on the surface, one could notice that his footsteps were anxious and out of control.

He arrived and did not even chant his signature 'Amitabha'. Instead, he said right away, "Greetings to the King, Mr. Li. I've stayed here and troubled you all for long enough. I'm here to bid you all farewell."

Zhou Yunwu was shocked. He tried to keep him there, feeling reluctant to let him leave. "You're in a hurry? Why don't you stay for a few days longer? I was going to watch your talk in person."

"No, no. The time's up. The time to part has come." Jiese clasped his palms and said calmly, "Goodbye everyone. No need to send me off."

With that said, he lifted his feet and was ready to leave. He was running away!

However, a red ball of light rushed over in a hurry. A voice scoffed from afar, "Jiese, stay where you are!"

Jesse had a bitter face. He sighed in a low voice, "What a disaster!"

In the next moment, Yun Yiyi's figure gradually appeared in front of the crowd. She looked at Jaise with satisfaction. "This time, you can't get away. Be good, go back with me and get married."

Jesse took a deep breath. He finally dared to speak. "Miss Yun, we can't get married."

"Why?"

"I need to remain rigorous in my beliefs."

Yun Yiyi's eyes sparkled. "Alright, you can keep your beliefs, and I'll keep mine. There's no conflict!"

Jesse's face turned blank. "Don't you come over, don't force me to make a move on you!"

"Cough, cough, Miss Yun," Meng Junliang said. He asked, "I watched Miss Yun's debate yesterday. It was shocking. I wonder, where do you cultivate?"

Yun Yiyi had to stop her attack.

Jiese let out a long sigh of relief. He put on his robes and clasped his hands. He remained formal as he spoke, "I'm curious, too. When did Miss Yun's understanding become so high?"

"Nonsense! My understanding has always been high!" Yun Yiyi smiled pleasantly. After a moment of hesitation, a lotus leaf appeared in her hand. "I won't keep this from you all any longer. It's probably because of this lotus leaf. If I didn't try to get hold of it, I wouldn't have wounded myself and let this monk have the benefits."

Jiese clasped his palms together. "Amitabha."

These four syllables contained his extremely complicated feelings. He was almost trembling. He did not explode on the spot. It was apparent that he was still able to withstand it.

Meng Junliang watched for a very long time. Finally, he concluded, "A unique lotus leaf."

Jesse's voice turned serious, "This lotus leaf's probably some kind of precious treasure. It contains a deep Insight that can help one to breakthrough within a short time. However...it has some bad elements in it."

Yun Yiyi glared at him. "Are you saying it's fated to be with your Buddha?"

Jiese fell silent for a while. "It's best if I pray for it." 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

"Ew!" Yun Yiyi scoffed and instantly kept the lotus carefully.

After all, Jiese was no longer in a hurry to leave. He looked at Li Nianfan and bowed politely, asking the question that most concerned him, "Mr. Li, I'd like to ask about your current views on the establishment of doctrines."

He viewed it as a drama.

Li Nianfan scoffed at him in his heart as he started thinking of an answer.

He could feel the crowd resting their attention on him as they wore their humble expressions.

Zhou Yunwu, Meng Junliang, and Jiese could all be considered his pupils at some point in their lives. It made sense for them to seek his advice. By the side, Daji, Nanan, and Dragon were looking at him in admiration.

As for Yun Yiyi, she looked at him suspiciously.

He had to put on an act with all seriousness.

After all, this would affect his image in the heart of the crowd. If he answered wrongly, it would be an embarrassment.

At this moment, Li Nianfan had to sign in awe. Luckily, he had just revised another mythology not long ago. Now was the time to refer to it.

Since he had told them about 'Journey to the West' and 'Investiture of the Gods', it did not matter if he told them another one.

"The so-called doctrines have their own strengths. We can't tell who's right or who's wrong. What matters is the meaning of existence," Li Nianfan said.

Even though it was his first sentence, the crowd looked like they were deep in thought as they all nodded.

Swiftly after, Li Nianfan continued asking, "Let me ask you this. There're so many cultivators in the world. Where does the first cultivating sect come from?"

This question was met with silence.

Everyone jolted. They felt a lightning bolt strike their brains. The sudden flash of light dumbfounded them.

Right! Where did the first cultivating sect come from?

The ancient times! This was most likely related to ancient times!

Meng Junliang quickly reacted. He said sincerely, "I beg Mr. Li to teach me."

"This is related to a story from a very long time ago." Li Nianfan smiled. He said, "Actually, in the very beginning, the world had three religious groups. One of them taught the people through passing on the way to cultivate. The second one explained the laws of the world. The third served to falsify the existing teachings and was meant to find a purpose for all living beings. These three religious groups didn't get along well, but each of them had their own unique values."

That was it.

Everyone had looks of realization. Who would have thought that there were already different religions since ancient times?

The start of cultivation was passed on by that person.

The expert was indeed an expert. This story should be from the most ancient of times.

Terrifying. How long had he lived!

Jiese was stunned. He asked, sounding concerned, "Why wasn't Buddhism around?"

"Buddhism appeared much later on. The goal of the religion was to ask the people to let go and direct them to kindness. There are other goals as well, such as the existence of hell or sacrificing oneself for reincarnation."

Li Nianfan halted. Then, he said with a serious tone, "However, do keep in mind that the person establishing these religions could have their own intentions. However, the establishment of religious groups is fair. The goal is to make the world a better place and help the world to develop."

Everyone was caught up by what he said. They did not expect to be able to learn something so fascinating. They were very excited as they said, "Thank you for your teaching."

The more they thought about it, the more excited they were.

Apparently, these religious groups had been washed out by the passing of time. As the development of the world was going downhill, the expert appeared. He merely used a very gentle way along with a smile to wake up everything. He did not even have to establish the religion himself.

What realm was this existence!

Seeing that the crowd did not speak for a long time, it was evident they were all caught up in his story. Li Nianfan knew that he earned their admiration once again.

Now, he could use his charmer with ease. First, it was his Deluxe Merit. Then, his stories, along with his knowledge of the world before coming to this realm. With these three things, he had no problem living at ease in this realm.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Alright, the story has ended."

This story was very roughly ended. He had left many details out. However, since Li Nianfan said it had ended, the crowd did not ask anymore.

They earned a lot by listening.

Li Nianfan looked at Jesus and asked, "Jiese, you're going back to the Spiritual Mountain? Mind if I travel with you?"

Jiese hastily clapped his palms together. He lowered his head and said, "Amitabha, being able to travel with Mr. Li's my pleasure."

By the side, Yun Yiyi pouted. She was upset.

She had planned to force Jiese to marry her. With that, her plan seemed to be ruined.

Chapter 352

After parting with Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang, Li Nianfan and the rest embarked on their journey.

The destination was the Spiritual Land Mountain.

Since they were not in a hurry, they did not travel on clouds. Li Nianfan walked with Jiese. They walked and killed monsters on the way there.

The view on the way was slightly different from the last time. Back then, Li Nianfan was new to this place, and he was either rushing or traveling by cloud to the destination. Now that he had Jiese as his tour guide, it was much better.

Even the smoke on the way had increased. The bald head of the monk was not only a good light bulb, it was also very useful. When they passed by some small villages, the villagers treated the monk friendlier than usual.

However, since Yun Yiyi was there, Li Nianfan was unable to see how Jiese would actually behave. What a pity.

Meanwhile, the crowd was having a good time on the mountain. Other than Jiese, each of them had a skewer with some rabbit meat in hand. They roasted the meat above a campfire.

After spending some time together, Yun Yiyi soon realized what kind of expert Li Nianfan was. For example, the skewer in his hand was an Immortal Item. It might as well be one of the coolest Immortal Items. Yet, he used it as a skewer.

She was not aware of those in the past. After getting ahold of his fruits and wine, she felt embarrassed. Luckily, Li Nianfan was very friendly, so she did not embarrass herself too badly.

She was no longer talking about capturing Jiese back with her to get married in front of Li Nianfan.

Sizz...

The white rabbit had been skinned. It was now red and thoroughly burnt. Its fats were oozing out as the meat's aroma wafted in the air.

Li Nianfan smiled, "Just add some cumin and it'll be ready."

Everyone stared at the roasted rabbit in hand. They were all wearing looks of anticipation.

All except Jiese.

He was facing the crowd with his back, his palms clasped together. He seemed to be praying. However, his trembling body made it apparent that he was not happy about it.

When the meat's aroma reached its peak, he stood up and everyone heard a loud gulp. He said with a hoarse voice, "I'll go get some greens."

With that said, he turned into light and went away. In the air, some saliva was dripping silently.

It did not take long before he came back. He had a round bowl in hand. There was some food inside the bowl.

Jiese smiled and said, "I'm quite lucky. I found some meat this time around."

Nanan could not help asking, "Monk, I thought you don't eat meat?"

She pouted. She did not seem happy. The meat prepared by Li Nianfan was so delicious and yet, the monk did not eat it. In fact, he went away to find his own food? How rude!

Li Nianfan smiled, "Nanan, there are three types of meat that the monk doesn't eat. They don't eat animals that are killed, they cannot smell food that had been killed and those that were killed with intentions. The fact that Jiese was able to resist the temptation of such delicious food is quite admirable."

Jiese nodded and sighed. "Mr. Li's right. This meal smells too delicious. It's such a pity that I don't have the blessing to taste it."

Dragon widened her eyes. She instantly looked up to Jaise. She spoke in awe, "You're able to resist the food prepared by Brother Nianfan! You're inhuman!"

Munch! Munch!

She spoke while chewing the rabbit meat. Her mouth opened and closed as oil coated her lips. One could tell how delicious the food was just by watching her eat.

A test!

This was obviously a test of his practice.

He had to withstand it! He had to be a desire-less monk!

Jiese gulped. He walked to the side in silence and lowered his head. He started to eat his own food.

The taste of his food was ordinary. Even with the aroma of their food, Jiese was able to use his imagination to help with his food.

"What good is there in becoming a monk?" Yun Yiyi leaned toward him. She hesitated before handing an orange to him. "Here, I'm full."

Jiese halted for a second. "I can still eat the orange from Mr. Li."

Yun Yiyi scoffed, "I know, but how's this enough for you? On the way, when we ate meat, you refused. When we drank, you refused. Do you know how many opportunities you've missed? My cultivation will exceed yours soon."

"Thank you, benefactress." Jiese accepted the orange.

Yun Yiyi frowned. "Benefactress? It sounds so bad."

Jiese said, "Miss Yun, although the lotus leaf can speed up one's understanding, it's very eerie. I think you shouldn't use it too often."

Yun Yiyi looked around. Then, she said, "You want it? Sure, once you marry me, I can give you anything you want."

"Amitabha." Jesse had a serious look. "Miss Yun only likes me because I'm handsome. If it wasn't for my looks, would you still like me?"

"Yes."

"Whatever you like about me, I will change."

"I admire your dedication."

Jiese was speechless.

After filling up, the crowd continued their journey. They had seen many places and people. If there was a temple, they would even spend a night there because of Jiese.

That day, the crowd was rushing.

By a dark corner, a few dark figures appeared.

One of the figures was extremely huge. It was lying in the valley. Its body was able to fill up the entire valley. As it gradually opened its gigantic eyes, it said, "They're here."

Hwa-la!

On its body, a layer of dark green flame started burning. Then, it gradually stood up.

It had a lion's head, antler horns, tiger eyes, dragon scales, and an oxtail all in one. However, the color of its body was as dark as ink.

"Phoenix, Nine-tailed Fox, and the Dragon. Ha-ha. It's been so many years, who'd have thought that we, the four beasts, could gather together?" Its tone was quite harsh and mocking.

By the side, a dark figure gradually spoke, "As Lord Demon said, you'll take charge of the rest of them, but the Buddhist must die!"

This black figure was as skinny as a stick. Its eyes were sunken. It had some severe malnutrition. Undoubtedly, he was the Big Lord Demon.

"Ha-ha."

Black Kirin glared at Big Lord Demon. He could not help scoffing. Obviously, this was not his first time seeing him, but whenever he saw the Big Lord Demon looking this way, he could not help but laugh.

He remembered how powerful the Big Lord Demon used to be. Its body was better than any demon.

Black Kirin suggested, "I think you should change your name to the Scrawny Lord Demon."

The Big Lord Demon looked troubled. He was angry but did not dare to complain. "They have a Purple Golden Gourd. My essence was sucked away by them. I'm unlikely to get fat again. You should be careful."

"I've been rewarded with the shadow of the River Map Chart. They're nothing in comparison to that," Black Kirin said with pride. The dark green flame was boiling around him, ready to attack anytime. He sighed and said helplessly, "Things were going according to plan. Why did so many changes happen all of a sudden?"

The Big Lord Demon shook his head. He analyzed and said, "I'm not sure, Lord Demon told me about the arrangement. The humans should be getting weaker while the demons like us would rule them. The smaller demons were supposed to vanish while you guys become the Demon Lords. The Immortals would decrease, leaving only the stronger ones. They will become the rulers of the entire world."

"Unless one of us changed." Black Kirin's tone was unfriendly. He shut his mouth and used mind control to pass this on, "Could it be Dao Zu? His shrewdness is too deep. He's always been calculative, everyone has been trapped by him!"

"Probably not," the Big Demon King replied using mind control. "Lord Demon said that after the Absolute Era, it would be the Age of Decadence. This was the general trend, even Dao Zhu was pushing for it. He even trapped the other Saints and disciples. It's unlikely that he betrayed us at this time."

"Then, what's the reason?" Black Kirin looked at Big Lord Demon.

"You're doubting us? Are you crazy! It's even unlikely that it's us! This matter's beneficial for us, so unless we've gone crazy, would we make a Human Sovereign, Buddhism, and Confucianism appear? All of these are beneficial for the human race!" The Big Lord Demon's eyes glinted. He continued, "Unfortunately, the demon race is being restricted. We can only use the demon men to move around in the ordinary realm. If not, we could've gotten hold of more information."

"Hmph, perhaps someone wanted to get everything for himself? Or some lucky survivor counterattacked before death?" Black Kirin's brows furrowed. He could not help saying, "As I've suggested back then, we should vanquish all of the humans and destroy the bridge to Immortalization completely. This is the safest way. The Absolute Era's too gentle."

Big Lord Demon said, "It's too late to say anything now. We need to get things back on track

"This isn't too difficult. How many survivors are there in the world left to fight with us? We just have to obliterate all the variables!" Black Kirin scoffed coldly, its eyes filled with violence and arrogance. Its four hoofs rose to the air with black auspicious clouds. "Sit back and watch how I'm going to make you all proud. Hmph!"

"Wait up!" The Big Lord Demon suddenly said.

"Hmm?" Black Kirin was disturbed. It seemed displeased.

"I think I've left something out. Wait up, let me think." The Big Lord Demon panicked. He frowned, "The gourd's really bad. Perhaps it sucked out my wisdom? I can't think all of a sudden."

"Never mind, take your time to think. You can tell me when I get back, I'll go first!"

Chapter 353

The Big Lord Demon watched as the Black Kirin left. His mouth moved. He wanted to cry out, but he could not think of the reason. He hesitated.

He looked at Black Kirin leaving arrogantly.

Sigh. What was it? Why did he feel that what he had to say was related to Black Kirin's life?

Li Nianfan and the rest were walking casually as if nothing had changed. Everything was very calm.

Suddenly, the sky that was still clear darkened.

The dark night had fallen as if the sky was weighing down on them. Not only that, many twinkling stars appeared in the sky.

Li Nianfan halted. He looked up at the sky.

The stars were extremely bright. They were brighter than the ordinary stars. Surrounded by the stars, it no longer felt like nighttime. Instead, it felt as if he was standing under the galaxy, blending in with the blinking stars around him.

There were blinking lights that were glowing between the stars, acting as a bridge between the stars that joined the twinkling dots together.

Along with himself, the world around him seemed to have expanded a few times. They seemed to have entered another spacious world.

It was beautiful, but apparently dangerous.

"This...we're trapped?" Li Nianfan raised his brows. He found it hard to believe.

If they were being robbed, it should not look like this.

On the way, someone tried to rob them. Some demons had also tried to block them. They had come across many things, but they had not seen such a big scene.

He had been a good citizen and did not leave his house often. He had not done anything to offend anyone. Why would someone trap him?

Perhaps they found the wrong person?

"Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha..."

In the next moment, a burst of wild laughter was heard coming from the starry night. Following that, the stars in the sky started to connect with one another. It did not take long before a starry image of a gigantic Kirin was formed.

"Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha..."

The laughter did not stop. Nobody knew how long it was trying to hold its laughter. It was so loud, it seemed as if the Kirin was losing control.

Dragon frowned and covered her ears. She almost cried. "What a disgusting laugh."

The laughter stopped abruptly.

"It's been too long." Black Kirin's voice was hoarse and low. "It's been so many years. Nobody has ever dared to call my laughter disgusting. You're a dragon indeed, annoying as usual!

"Since you don't like it, I'll have to laugh more. Small ones, join me!"

"Ha-ha-ha..."

Instantly, other than the laughter of the Black Kirin, there was laughter coming from everywhere in the sky. They were all demons.

By Li Nianfan's shoulder, the Fire Phoenix spread out her wings and her body enlarged. She turned into a flaming phoenix and rushed into the sky. Along with a huge flame, she was ready to engulf the entire starry night.

"Shut up!"

Her red eyes seemed like they were burning. She was surprised. "Kirin? You're still alive?"

"Of course, we're alive. Are you surprised?" Black Kirin scoffed coldly. "The reason we stayed hidden was to wait for the arrival of a new era. Unfortunately, there's an obstacle. I came here today to clear it."

The Fire Phoenix was sharp enough to understand what the Black Kirin meant. She asked, "So, the Kirins were involved in the previous worldly catastrophe?"

"Ha-ha, it seems you've forgotten too many things." Black Kirin smiled. He was covered by the stars, his body emitting an eye-catching brilliance. He exuded a powerful air.

"Right, during the last catastrophe, the phoenixes were slaughtered. You should've all vanished. It seems that you're the only phoenix left, having been reborn with the Real Spirit. You only have some fragments of memories left."

Black Kirin continued to explain, "In the last catastrophe, we were indeed involved. The Kirins have always been the most powerful beings in the world. After the catastrophe, the Dragons and Phoenixes vanished, ending up badly while the Kirins got back on our feet!"

The Fire Phoenix's brows furrowed. Her wings were spread out showing no traces of flames. The body of Black Kirin was covered in a bright red flame. The flame was fierce and wildly boiling.

"Don't bother. In here, you can't even touch me." The stars in the sky connected with one another. Instantly, they formed other Kirins that looked exactly the same. They were all over the sky.

The group of Kirins had the same movements. They stood in the air, looking at the crowd.

Their mocking voice resonated in the air, "You're all lucky to have survived. Today, I'll wipe you all out on behalf of the Lord Demon!"

Sizz!

A flash of light shot out from the sky, forming a lightning pillar between the sky and the ground.

The Fire Phoenix's wings spread out again. The same flame rushed upward and fell from above. It crashed into the lightning pillar. The two did not make any sound as if they were not fighting one another.

However, in the next moment, the stars started to circulate. The pillar was suddenly expanding. Its speed and power were very strong, and it easily disappeared, only to charge at the Fire Phoenix.

The Fire Phoenix stretched out her wings and tried to shield herself from them.

However, swiftly after, another lightning pillar shot toward Fire Phoenix from the sky.

There were many stars there. There was no safe spot at all.

Black Kirin seemed to be enjoying the feeling of winning. The lightning pillar was like a gun, shooting at the Fire Phoenix. Even though the flame of the Fire Phoenix was strong, it could not withstand this sky-full of stars.

Jiese, Dragon, and the rest could only watch. They wanted to help but could not. This level of fighting was beyond them.

Daji stayed by Li Nianfan's side without moving as her eyes stared at the starry sky.

Li Nianfan looked up at the sky. This was no longer his first time witnessing a fight. What he cared about was the news he heard.

It seemed that the world became this way due to the catastrophe they mentioned. Furthermore, it seemed that this catastrophe's goal was to return the world into nothingness.

Other than the dragons and phoenixes, the victims included countless Immortals and demons. Even the Underworld and Heavenly Temple were damaged by this catastrophe. One could tell how scary it was.

According to the stories he was familiar with along with his innovative thinking, Li Nianfan easily concluded.

Behind each catastrophe was the calculation of the Saints. The Saints' calculations were closely related to the world.

The dragons and phoenixes were in trouble and the witches had been defeated. Nuwa created human beings as the main characters of the world. The 'Journey to the West' promoted Buddhism, while the 'Investiture of the Gods' established the Heavenly Temple but weakened the disciples of the Saints.

This catastrophe's destructiveness was extremely scary. It was a big wipe-out that degenerated the entire world.

Li Nianfan had a thought. Exactly, it degenerated!

According to what the Kirin said, many beings vanished except the Kirin family. They were powerful like the King!

If so, the main goal of the catastrophe was to degenerate the world. With that, the stronger ones could survive, and the powerful survivors would easily take charge of the world!

How ambitious! However, nobody knew who was behind all of these.

Meanwhile, Daji's eyes focused slightly.

With a spell, the Xuanying Immortal Water of the Xuan Water Bracelet gathered into a water dragon. The water dragon gradually condensed and formed into an iced dragon, exuding an extreme chill. With a flick of its tail, it rose to the sky toward one of the stars.

Sizz!

Instantly, a lighting pillar lashed out from the surrounding stars, stabbing the ice dragon from all directions.

Black Kirin's voice was heard, "This is a formation formed using the Lord Emperor's River Map Chart. How dare you think of breaking it down? What a joke!"

Li Nianfan's heart sank. He said, "River Map Chart? Could this be the legendary ultimate formation of the Zhou Heavenly Stars?"

The River Map Chart was a record of all the mountains, rivers, and land of the world. It also contained the Zhou Heavenly Stars Formation. The power of the stars could be used by the people. Thus, the more people there were, the more they could borrow the power of the stars and become more powerful.

"Wow!" Black Kirin seemed to have just noticed the ant below its feet. It looked at Li Nianfan in shock. "Ordinary man? Who'd have thought that an ordinary man would know about the Zhou Heavenly Stars Formation? An ordinary man!"

Li Nianfan was trying to get more information out. "The Zhou Heavenly Stars Formation is the ultimate treasure of the Lord Emperor Jun. Were you referring to the Lord Emperor Jun?"

"Did you even know about Emperor Jun?" Black Kirin was shocked. It stared at Li Nianfan with disbelief from left to right, up to down. Finally, he came up with the conclusion that he was a mysterious ordinary man.

However mysterious he was, he was still an ordinary man.

Black Kirin did not care. "Ha-ha, Emperor Jun's dead. Now, the Lord Emperor's the leader of all Kirins! Right, why am I speaking to you?" Black Kirin realized and said with anger. "Ants don't have the right to speak to someone like me. Argh! Formation! Go!"

Vroom!

Among the starry sky, all the stars suddenly became even brighter. Their dazzling brilliance formed a gigantic screen lashing downward. Each ray of light was solid like a pillar, connecting the sky with the ground. The entire world had turned into an ocean of light.

Meanwhile, the temperature started to rise during the day.

Black Kirin laughed wildly. "Ha-ha-ha, watch me melt you all! Are you hot now?"

"Brother Kirin!"

Meanwhile, a panicked voice came from behind. It was the Big Lord Demon rushing over rapidly.

Black Kirin halted. "What is it?"

"That very important matter, I finally recalled..."

Black Kirin was impatient. "That's it? Wait until I kill them first!"

"Please, stop! Listen to me, that ordinary man's a Deluxe Merit Saint!"

Black Kirin's head buzzed. "That ordinary man's a what?"

"Deluxe Merit Saint!"

"What Saint?"

"Deluxe Merit Saint!"

"Who's the Deluxe Merit Saint?"

Vroom!

He was answered by a thick pillar and blue and black lightning.

This lightning was too terrifying. The moment the strike landed, the entire world almost halted. Looking from afar, that was not lightning at all. It seemed like a crack in the sky.

It was too terrifying. It contained a shocking destructiveness that was spreading out. The flowers and grass within the radius instantly died out all at once.

Zhou Heavenly Stars Formation was like a piece of paper. It instantly cracked up. Black Kirin did not even manage to make a sound before falling from the air. The other demons were instantly vaporized without even a fur left behind.

Big Lord Demon was still rushing in this direction. Meanwhile, he abruptly turned around, all his hair standing up. Without a doubt, he turned and ran away at a way quicker speed.

Too terrifying, too cruel!

Although he had become scrawny, compared to how Black Kirin ended up, he was too lucky.

With that, he ran ten thousand miles away in one breath to calm down slightly.

Meanwhile, by his chest, a black stone gradually floated in the air. It had black smoke circulating around it, condensing into a black skeleton.

Big Lord Demon quickly greeted, "Greetings to Lord Demon."

The black skeleton asked, "How's it going?"

Big Lord Demon stuttered, "There are some challenges. Black Kirin's probably dead."

"What?" The black skeleton was so shocked that its jaw dropped to the floor.

"It hasn't even been that long but Black Kirin's already dead?"

Big Lord Demon bit his tongue. "He offended a Deluxe Merit Saint..."

"So stupid! Why can't he be more careful?" The black skeleton shook its head. "Whatever, I didn't think he's that smart anyway. The Kirins are in fact unreliable!"

After a moment, the skeleton said in a low voice, "Luckily we have a backup plan. Now that the Lord Demon God's getting involved, the setup's complete. You only have to do as I tell you."

...

The formation vanished, the brightness resumed.

Li Nianfan and the rest looked over. Not far away from them, a dark green Kirin was laying on the ground. It was not moving as green smoke was coming out of its body.

Walking closer, they saw that by the corner of its eyes, there were some stubborn tears. It seemed so sad.

'How can he forget such an important matter about the Deluxe Merit Saint? I don't believe him!

'He's framing me intentionally!

'I'm not giving in! I died an unjustified death!'

Li Nianfan merely sighed. "I do feel a little hot, but you're probably burnt."

Chapter 354

Dragon's eyes sparkled. She sniffed through her nose. "Brother, I can smell it. It's meat."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Ha-ha, I can smell it, too. This is the meat of a Kirin, the texture must be quite good."

His tone was very emotional. This Kirin seemed to have dried itself out. Li Nianfan had not done anything and he had already died.

Who would have thought that he would have the pleasure of eating Kirin meat? He wondered what it tasted like.

In this cultivating realm, he had tasted some Immortal Beasts. Now, he was about to taste Kirin meat. This trip was worth it!

"Don't touch it first. I need to do some planning. This Kirin isn't small, and we must make use of all of its meat!" Li Nianfan warned them. Then, he started planning. "It's a pity that I don't have experience eating Kirin meat. I'll need some time to work things out. However, looking at its flesh, the thigh can be roasted. As for the back, I can braise it with some sauce. Wow, its tail's delicate! It can be made into a soup, too!"

Black Kirin laid by the side, as tears rolled out of its blank eyes continuously.

'How cruel! How cruel!

'He actually wants to cook me in parts!'

The Kirin guessed its destiny. It would not take long before it was turned into a dish. No, a few dishes...and a soup.

It was an elder of the Kirins! A well-respected elder! It had lived countless years, born to be the lord of the world.

'My flesh isn't delicious. Please, let me go.'

Li Nianfan was still planning, while Daji stood by the side of the Black Kirin. A glow gradually engulfed the Black Kirin.

Black Kirin's pupils dilated. Its eyes were filled with a deep shock and surprise.

It wanted to struggle but realized that it was unable to do so.

"This... This is...the Sucking Gourd?!"

He was thoroughly shocked and in extreme despair. It noticed the golden gourd in Dad's hand

"The Sucking Gourd's made from a gourd by Saintess Nuwa. However...why is it with her? Unacceptable, unacceptable! Not only is my flesh about to be eaten, they're not even letting my divine consciousness go!"

In the next moment, a flash of light flew out from between its brows and went into the golden gourd.

'Although the gourd's different, in the end, I still can't escape my destiny of being sucked into the gourd.' This was its final thought before entering the gourd.

Li Nianfan gradually stood up and smiled. "Alright, we don't have to worry about food for the rest of the journey."

"We don't have to." Yun Yiyi looked at Jiese. She continued, "Jiese, this is Kirin meat. Aren't you going to taste it? Perhaps it'll be good for your cultivation? Why are you so obsessed with becoming a monk?"

Jiese clapped his palms together. "I chose this path."

Nanan could not help mumbling, "Aren't you a Buddha? Why has it become a path now?"

"Ha-ha-ha..."

Li Nianfan could not help smiling by the side. He said, "A path is an abstract concept. The path to heaven is impermanent and ruthless. Many changes can be affected by many things and yet, still free from external factors. There's no good and evil, no right and wrong, no gratitude and resentment. The Immortal path's a path, the demonic path's a path, the evil path's a path. Therefore, Buddhism's naturally a path, too."

The faces of the crowd moved. They felt their heads go blank and clear up. There seemed to be a humming sound and they had goosebumps all over.

Swiftly after, their pores opened up as if they were in a hot spring. They felt warmth all over with an unspeakable comfort.

At this moment, their understanding of the path was like a skyrocketing rocket, rising vigorously. They were able to look at the path with wisdom. In the past, the path had been a blurry concept to them and they were unable to fathom it. However, they could see it more clearly now.

The expert was pointing it out to them!

"Mr. Li, your words are like drums in the early morning. You've widened your understanding and I've learned many things from you. You're a man with wisdom!" Jiese said with his palms together. He said politely, "Please, allow me to kneel in front of you."

Li Nianfan waved it off nonchalantly, "Jiese, you're too polite. I was just casually speaking."

Li Nianfan did feel good about it. The things he said were perfect for him to act cool. Perhaps this was the benefit of reading!

Yun Yiyi bit her lip. She could not help asking, "Mr. Li, do you think a Buddhist could get married?"

Of course, she knew the importance of his words. She wanted Jiese to get rid of this idea. However hard she tried to talk him out of it, Jiese would not change his mind. If Li Nianfan could convince him, however strong-willed Jiese was, he would surely listen.

Li Nianfan did not give a direct answer. He was thinking.

He knew what Yun Yiyi's intention was, and he did want to see the two of them get together.

Yun Yiyin loved and hated with a passion. Although she seemed as if she did not care, she had been keeping a close eye on Jiese. While Jiese did have the same thinking, he did not dare to use Yun Yiyi as a target to cultivate his lack of desire. He tried to avoid talking to her.

They had true love!

For a Buddhist, although Li Nianfan did not have first-hand experience, he did know quite a lot.

Jiese did this to prevent his heart from being tainted. A Buddhist was most afraid of being tainted by the seven feelings and six desires. They could destroy one's chastity and lead to severe outcomes. 𝘭𝒾𝒷𝓇𝘦𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Li Nianfan had to consider both sides. On one hand, was the feelings between the two of them, and on the other was Jesse's cultivation.

This was quite complicated.

Yun Yiyi looked at Li Nianfan with anticipation. Jiese clapped his palms together and closed his eyes gently.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Jiese, the so-called eight sufferings in Buddhism, have you experienced them?"

Jiese answered, "I've avoided them all. I've never experienced them."

Li Nianfan asked, "Do you know where Buddha comes from?"

"I don't." Jesse's face changed. He looked at Li Nianfan, waiting for an answer.

Li Nianfan continued, "Buddhism didn't come from nothing. Even Buddha didn't start off being a Buddha. He went through nine reincarnations. It was because he had experienced all sorts of pain in life that he was able to understand the pain and live past it. If you haven't even experienced the eight pains and avoided them whenever you can, you haven't actually cultivated properly. If you don't live, how would you know what pain is?"

Jiese was stunned. His eyes widened. In his head, he kept repeating the words Li Nianfan said.

'If you don't live, how would you know what pain is?'

Right! He only knew about the eight pains in life but had not been through them. Everything was merely words.

Li Nianfan merely reminded him with one sentence, but he started to think more about it.

For example, why would ordinary people believe in Buddhism? This was because they had been through the eight sufferings in life. They wanted relief, but what about himself?

As a Buddhist, he had not even been through the eight sufferings. He probably did not feel as deeply as the ordinary men.

"Amitabha." Jesse's face could not help but change. Ever since he became a monk, he had been repressing his emotions. Yet, he was now incredibly emotional.

Gradually, his usual calm state of mind started to change in big waves.

"I...I've been enlightened!" He knelt on both knees and started bowing at Li Nianfan.

"As long as you understand."

Li Nianfan let out a sigh of relief. He did not speak clearly, and he merely used another way to remind him. It was still Jaise deciding for himself and it had nothing to do with Li Nianfan.

Yun Yiyi was thoroughly impressed by Li Nianfan.

Look at him. What was an expert? He was an expert!

The way he spoke was so respectable!

Yun Yiyi said with excitement, "Jiese, you're going to marry me."

"Now that Buddhism has just started, the demons are acting wildly. It isn't the time to live with suffering yet." Jiese did not reject her. He then said, "Once everything has stabilized, I'll marry you if you're willing to wait."

Yun Yiyi was delighted. She raised her hand to touch Jesse's bald head. "Monk, of course, I'll wait for you!"

"Congratulations to Miss Yun. It's finally a happy ending." Daji's eyes were filled with admiration.

She looked at Li Nianfan with her beautiful eyes while weighing her thoughts. Did she have to be braver like Yun Yiyi?

However...the gap between her and Li Nianfan was way too big! He was so unreachable, like a star in the sky.

Sigh, if only she could get closer to him.

After going through this, the atmosphere between them became more joyful. The meat of the Kirin naturally became the ideal reward for celebration.

The crowd was having a Kirin feast. From the braised Kirin to the deep-fried scales, then to the stewed Kirin tail. It was a big feast. Of course, it was very delicious.

For the rest of the journey, there were no accidents. Out of boredom, Li Nianfan decided to take out the golden rock and rub it in his palm.

Chapter 355

This golden rock was brought back by Daji not long ago as a souvenir. In return, Li Nianfan gave her the golden gourd.

The surface of it was not bad. It was quite moist. Unfortunately, it was not a regular shape. There was no point keeping it. Li Nianfan was prepared to use his palms to mold it into something rounder.

The golden rock was quite eye-catching. Jiese was attracted by it as it caught his eye. Instantly, he halted. His eyes widened in shock. "This is...the relic?"

Li Nianfan looked at Jaise strangely. "The relic of Buddhism? This is it?"

He handed it to Jiese.

Jiese received the rock. He sized it up in his palm. He was frowning deeply.

"Doesn't seem like it."

He was suspicious. "I've never seen a relic before. I've read about it in scriptures. If it's a relic, it shouldn't be this ordinary. It should be harder."

Li Nianfan nodded. He thought the same as well.

This was a magical world, so a relic must at least glow. However bad it was, it should at least have some glow circulating it. The relic should not be easily destroyed, but this stone did not seem very hard.

Unless it was intentionally hiding its features. In fact, it might be making itself look less hard.

However...this was somewhat impossible.

Li Nianfan took the relic back from Jaise. Seeing that Jesse was staring at the golden rock in his hand with some longing, Li Nianfan could not help smiling.

Mentioning a relic, he recalled that he could use this golden rock to carve out a golden Buddha. Now that he was friends with Jiese and Yun Yiyi, he could be considered as their matchmaker. Hence, he should give them a gift.

A golden Buddha would be quite suitable.

Li Nianfan weighed the golden rock in hand. Under the sunlight, its size was suitable and it had some patterns on the surface. Although the size was not regular, one could carve out a Buddha statue from it. He felt that it was suitable.

He got into action.

He took out a carving knife and tried to make a dent on the rock. It did not take a lot of effort.

"Ha-ha, it's not so hard indeed!" Li Nianfan smiled.

Jiese smiled, too. However, his smile was forced. It was more of a painful smile as he had to watch the rock go under the knife.

He could vaguely feel that the element in this stone was somehow in sync with his elements.

Was this a relic? He felt that this stone was pretending.

"Amitabha."

Jiese felt complicated. Finally, his lips twitched as he prayed to calm his unsettled heart.

The journey with the expert had always been a test for him. He thought he was able to repress his seven emotions and six desires, but with just one dish of the expert or two sentences from him, or even an item from him, his heart was moved.

Was this the expert?

It did not take long before the relic was dented and stabbed by Li Nianfan. It had marks all over.

Jiese looked away from the relic. He could not take it any longer.

For the rest of the journey, Li Nianfan finally found something to do. Whenever he felt like it, he would take out the rock and carve it. Gradually, it started to reveal a shape.

In the beginning, Jiese would not look at it. However, at one point, he accidentally saw Li Nianfan carving and he was very shocked. He could feel that with every carve executed on the stone, there was a Buddha glow along with a True Buddha surrounding the relic. The thickening Buddha glow was stabbing his eyes.

Furthermore, as the relic in Li Nianfan's hand was formed into a shape, the glow became more significant. There was even an urge to worship the statue. It seemed that it was no longer a statue but an actual Buddha!

Just by watching from the side, the gust of True Buddha was able to enter his body, rapidly improving his understanding of Buddhism.

After his meal, Li Nianfan took out the carving knife as usual and started carving.

Jiese sat up accordingly on his knees. His palms were clasped together as he faced the statue. He was looking serious and formal.

"It's almost done, this is probably the last session." Li Nianfan smiled. He had the statue in hand. Although it was not complete yet, the face of a meditating Buddha had appeared with a golden glow around it. Although it was not big, it exuded a memorable Qi that was hard to miss. 𝘭𝘪𝘣𝑟𝘦𝘢𝒹.𝘤𝑜𝓂

"You watch me carve every day. What do you think about this statue?"

Jiese said sincerely, "Mr. Li's very skilled. You've done wonders on this. It seems as if Buddha actually resurfaced, how stunning!"

"Ha-ha-ha, you're a good bootlicker, but you're quite right, it's not easy." Li Nianfan smiled happily. Then, he said in a playful tone, "Are you about to say that this item is destined to be with you?"

Jiese looked down and said, "Indeed."

Li Nianfan said effortlessly, "Have it, then."

Jiese jumped. He looked up at Li Nianfan with a look of disbelief and anticipation.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course," Li Nianfan said calmly. "If not, why would I carve out a Buddha? I was a half-matchmaker for you and Miss Yun. Of course, I have to give you something."

Jiese gulped. His determined Buddha heart was moved. In his eyes, there were tears.

He was emotional and mostly touched.

He put his palms together and closed his eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Li."

Yun Yiyi was very happy. She bowed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Li."

"It's a small matter, don't be too polite." Li Nianfan waved it off. After a moment, he asked curiously, "Jiese, have you heard anything about why Buddhism was destroyed in the past?"

Li Nianfan really wanted to find out what happened after the 'Journey to the West'. The catastrophe was quite powerful.

Most importantly, he was quite scared. He wanted to know what was behind all these.

From the previous attack, he could tell that the people behind this were not letting it go yet. It was likely for them to suddenly appear and wipe out these troublemakers. It was apparent that he was surrounded by a bunch of troublemakers!

He had close relations to the dragon, phoenix, and Buddhism. He even gave away the scripture. However, he did not expect Yuecha to be able to attract a bunch of people who would shave their heads based on the Diamond Sutra.

Thinking closely, he did have good relations with the Underworld. There were also a bunch of Immortals who were ready to rebuild the Heavenly Temple.

Gasp...

Were these bunch not troublemakers?

He thought he was ensuring his safety by becoming friends with these people. Somehow, he got himself in danger! Now that he looked back, he realized how terrifying it was!

If it was not for his Deluxe Merit and being surrounded by powerful people, if it was not for them being friendly and on good terms with him, Li Nianfan would cut all contact with them and hide away with Daji.

He was a small and insignificant ordinary man, it was not good to attract attention.

"I did hear something," Jiese said in an unhurried tone. "The concept of Buddhism contrasted the Demons. In the previous catastrophe, the Demons prospered and became so unbelievably powerful. They destroyed Buddhism right away and intended to rule the world. However, they were repressed."

"That's it? Anything else?"

"I don't gossip."

"Isn't the Lawless of Demons dead? Why are the demons so powerful still?" Li Nianfan frowned. He looked at the Fire Phoenix and asked, "Immortal Phoenix, have you really forgotten things regarding the catastrophe?"

The Fire Phoenix shook her head. After a moment of thought, she said, "However, I can deduce that the Demons and Kirins were involved in pushing the catastrophe. Their goal was to restrict the Spiritual cultivation in the world and reduce power so that they could become the most powerful and thus rule the world."

"As I thought." Li Nianfan halted for a moment, then asked the question he was most concerned about, "What's the upper limit of my Deluxe Merit?"

"Upper limit?" The Fire Phoenix halted. She understood what Li Nianfan meant. Her lips twitched slightly and she said, "According to what I see, it should be the...limit."

Li Nianfan grinned. "Be precise."

The Fire Phoenix quickly composed her thoughts and concluded weakly, "According to what I do know, nobody should be able to touch you at all."

"So, I'm safe?"

"Yeah...very...safe."

"Then, I'm less worried." Li Nianfan let out a relaxing smile. Once he could verify his safety, he was unafraid of things getting out of hand. He could even get his popcorn ready as he watched.

The Fire Phoenix was on the verge of collapsing.

'Bigshot, stop messing around. What's the point of asking me these questions?

'You're not only safe, it'd be a blessing to all if you let others be safe.'

The rest of them tried not to make a sound and pretended as if they did not see anything.

The better the expert's temper, the more tiring it was for them to act along with him.

Right, if he was so powerful and could only treat life as a game, perhaps this was the minimal joy he could get from living. It was painful to be an expert.

Meanwhile, Li Nianfan made the last stroke. He smiled, "Here, it's ready."

Everyone looked over.

In the next moment, everyone jolted. They felt their souls jolting and getting sucked in.

In Li Nianfan's palm, a golden Buddha was looking formal with no emotion on his face. His eyes were half-opened and there was an unlimited Buddha glow lashing out at them. The Buddha was concealed within the golden rock. The pattern of the rock had become the best backdrop, perfectly portraying the solemnity of the Buddha.

In the eyes of the crowd, there was a golden glow lashing out in the air, completely engulfing the entire statue. The originally small statue was gradually becoming bigger and more glorious. Soon, it was as tall as the sky as if it was bigger than everything in the world.

Swiftly after, the crowd felt their scalps itching. They watched the Buddha actually moving.

His half-opened eyes gradually looked up. The eyes were opened.

At that moment, winds and clouds were moving. A golden glow was all over the place, covering the ground, clouds, and skies with a layer of gold. They could even hear chanting in their ears, along with a boundless and powerful Qi, strongly pressing onto the crowd. They had cold sweat all over and did not dare to move at all.

"What, stunned? This statue's acceptable I hope." Li Nianfan's voice pulled the crowd back to reality.

All the illusions vanished. There was only a statue in golden light. It seemed as if everything from before was merely hallucinations.

However, the crowd was unable to calm down for a long time. They were unable to hold it. Their hearts were beating rapidly.

The Fire Phoenix and Daji exchanged a look. They were more shocked than anyone because they had seen a Daluo Golden Immortal before. They knew.

The Qi of this Buddha was definitely beyond a Daluo Golden Immortal's, far beyond that!

What was the realm above Daluo Golden Immortal? Li Nianfan...actually carved out a Buddha?

Yun Yiyi covered her mouth. She stuttered, "This is...too...too majestic."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Of course. After all, it's a gift for you two. Of course, I have to put in some effort."

Only some effort?

The expert was always so humble and caught them off guard.

Jiese put his palms together and said sincerely, "Amitabha."

"Jiese, I can't give this to you yet." Li Nianfan smiled. He handed the Buddha to Yun Yiyi and said playfully, "I'll let Miss Yun keep it. She'll give it to you when she pleases."

Yun Yiyi quickly accepted the statue. She was delighted. "Thank you, Mr. Li."

Jesse's eyes moved with the statue. He quickly said to Yun Yiyi politely, "Amitabha, I shall be polite to you."

Yun Yiyi wrinkled her nose, and she said happily, "I don't want you to be polite. I want you to be rude."

Jiese halted. He did not understand. "Does Miss Yun mean you want me to snatch it from you?"

"No need to snatch it, force me." Yun Yiyi saw that Jiese was confused. She could not help saying, "Whatever, say some sweet words to me."

"I'm dumb, I don't know how."

"What do you know?"

"Why don't I pray for you?"

Li Nianfan almost burst out laughing. Even his shoulders were shaking. He was very amused.

Perhaps this was the romance of a monk.

He loved her, so he prayed for her.

...

The crowd continued to move forward. Yun Yiyi was very joyful. She was dressed in red and became the most active one in the group. Her energy level was even beyond Dragon and Nanan's.

Yun Yiyi looked ahead and said, "Mr. Li, it's Qingyun City ahead. Why don't you take a seat at my house?"

So, she was getting closer to home!

Li Nianfan smiled. "Sure."

Yun Yiyi turned to look at Jiese. She smirked and said, "Jiese, you parted without a goodbye last time. You must seek forgiveness from my parents this time."

Jiese wore a complicated expression as if thinking of something embarrassing in the past.

Yun Yiyi took out the statue. "Behave well and this statue will belong to you!"

Jiese put his palms together. "Amitabha, I had the intention to visit anyway."

Meanwhile, a group of people walked over from the other side. There were a few cultivators in the group. They had average cultivation, and they walked as they spoke in shock.

"Sigh, if we didn't pass by Qingyun City, we wouldn't have known that the Yun family was destroyed! This is unbelievable!

"Yeah, the Yun family's the number one family in Qingyun City. They even have late-combination cultivators. I wonder who's so powerful."

"I pass by Qingyun City often, the Yun family has a good reputation. Although they're big, they never used their power to bully others or act arrogantly. Why did they end up like this?"

"A few powerful ones probably joined forces to get hold of a powerful treasure."

"They died wrongfully."

"Not much choice. That's how the world works, it's unreasonable."

Chapter 356

Vroom!

Yun Yiyi marched ahead. Her body had turned into a shadow, appearing by the side of the group. Her eyes were red and she was exuding a tornado, forming into a wild windshield that was crashing toward the group!

The powerful tornado was like a giant terrifying curtain, covering the group completely. Their hair was blown by the wind. They could not even open their eyes. The cold wind was painful to the skin and it made it difficult for them to breathe.

Yun Yiyi's eyes were full of disbelief. She scoffed, "What did you say? What about the Yun family?!"

"Miss...Yun Yiyi."

Someone recognized Yun Yiyi. He was blown by the wild wind, with his eyes squinting and his body like rootless duckweed. He was hugging a tree while swaying to the wind.

He was shocked and bitter. Thinking quickly, he stuttered, "Yun family's fine. We were speaking nonsense. Please, don't take it seriously!"

The wild wind instantly vanished.

Yun Yiyi stared into the air blankly. She was standing there as if she had lost her soul. She was in red.

The group was so terrified that they crawled away. "Farewell, farewell!"

"Sister Yun..."

Nanan bit her lip. Her eyes were red. She felt for her.

Back then, when the Golden Lotus Sect was vanquished, the sadness she felt was beyond words. If it was not for her mother and the support from Brother Nianfan, she would not have known what to do.

Yun Yiyi's family was just destroyed! That was way worse!

Yun Yiyi faced the crowd with her back. She waved and a golden light shot out.

Jiese received it. It was the statue of the golden Buddha.

"Have the statue."

With that said, she turned into a red light and flew away. There were some tears left in the air.

She was about to find out whether the news was true.

There was merely one last hint of impossible hope.

Li Nianfan and the rest did not have to speak any further. They followed behind her.

Qingyun City was a prosperous city. It was a big and majestic city with many convenient shops and necessities. There was even a green mountain in the area that was rumored to have Spiritual Roots.

The most unique thing about this city was that it was one of the rare cities with cultivators and ordinary men living together. Of course, this would become a trend in the future.

There were three main families in the city—they were all cultivating families. The Yun family was one of them.

The crowd followed Yun Yiyi into Qingyun City. They went to a house.

In front of the red wooden door, a board with the word 'Yun' was on the ground and broken into two.

"Quick, bring these out."

Noises were coming from the house. Many people were carrying boxes, going in and out in a hurry. They neglected Yun Yiyi.

In the air, some cultivators were watching the drama.

Li Nianfan was standing not far away. He looked at Yun Yiyi's figure and could not help sighing. He shook his head.

Meanwhile, Yun Yiyi stood in front of her house as if she was an outsider. Her house was no longer warm. There was only a bitter chill left.

Ding!

Meanwhile, a green bracelet fell from a box. It fell in front of Yun Yiyi. It was covered in dust and vaguely glowing.

Yun Yiyi looked at the bracelet blankly. She had tears rolling down her cheeks like a broken string of pearls.

This bracelet was her first gift when she had first started cultivating. She was an active child and her parents gave this bracelet to her. It was good for blocking wind and making the body more agile.

From then on, she grew very interested in wind-related spells.

The two men trying to move the stuff jolted. They picked up the bracelet and smiled. They secretly kept it. "It's a small treasure and should be worth some money. We earned it!"

Nanan frowned. She scoffed, "Hey, what rights do you have to move things out from someone else's house?"

"Ha-ha, where did this little doll come from? How innocent!"

"The Yun family's over. Their things have no owner. The main items are given out to the other families. So, it's natural for the smaller families like us to get some of the smaller items."

"Go go go, go to the other side."

Sizz!

Two wind knives flew past the two men's necks.

Instantly, they jolted. Not knowing what just happened, blood squirted out from their necks and fell to the ground.

"Amitabha." Jiese put his palms together and closed his eyes.

"Sister Yun, you..." Nanan saw that Yun Yiyi's eyes were red. She was stunned and staggered a few steps backward. She could feel that Yun Yiyi had a violent Qi awakening inside her.

"Where did the noise come from?"

Inside the house, a woman in a yellow dress came out. It was a beautiful lady with an unpleasant look on her face. She scoffed, "This place will belong to my Chen family. Don't cause a scene!"

She saw Yun Yiyi, who was in a red dress, standing by the door right away.

"Yun Yiyi? You actually came back?" The beautiful woman was not shocked. She was delighted. She smiled coldly, "Someone, come and take her down!"

"Die!"

Yun Yiyi's voice was low and hoarse. She did not even cast a spell. With a gesture, countless wind knives flew out. It was so shocking that it covered the world as the knives darted toward the woman!

The woman's face turned pale. She was surprised. She quickly cast a spell and a wave was formed in front of her.

Whoosh!

The wind knives pierced through the wave and were not affected at all. They attacked the woman right away. They were so destructive that the woman lost her calm and staggered backward in a panic.

Meanwhile, there was a faint glow on the body of the woman. Her belt was a shield treasure, forming into a curved shield and saving her life.

"Someone, come right away!" the woman called out sharply, terrified. She turned into light and flew to the sky. She pointed at Yun Yiyi and yelled in a loud voice, "She's Yun Yiyi! The treasure of the Yun family's probably now with her! Kill her, quick!"

This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake. Instantly, ripples were everywhere.

Countless eyes locked onto Yun Yiyi. It was full of shock and greed. With countless Qi, a lot of cultivators went forward. They started surrounding her, ready to attack.

"Miss Yun."

An elder with half of his hair turned white appeared in the air. He had an item in hand. His white robes were flowing in the air. He looked like an Immortal and spoke with a calm face. "As one of the three main families in Qingyun City, I send my condolences to what happened to the Yun family. However, this happened because of the treasure. This item brings misfortune and isn't a blessing. I hope Miss Yun will hand it out."

"Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha..."

Yun Yiyi's face could not help changing. She ended up laughing mockingly, wildly.

Her body rose in the air gradually. There was a strong tornado around her like a dragon rushing up. She was in the center. With a bright red flash, the wild wind blew vigorously in the air like flames. Her long hair was flowing in the air. One could not even see her face clearly.

"The item's indeed with me. Come and get it if you're unafraid of death!"

Her voice rang along with the wind, resonating in the air.

The places touched by the wind became a mess. It all happened at a very rapid speed. Many ordinary people were unable to resist it and they were all blown away. Even the cultivators could feel a terrifying pressure arriving. They gave their all to resist it.

"Amitabha."

Jesse had a Buddha glow around him. He gradually took a step forward. The ordinary men that were being blown away instantly had a layer of glow on their back. This was so that they would be able to land on the ground safely instead of dying.

"Distraction Realm?"

The elder and the woman looked at the wild Yun Yiyi with shock. They found it unbelievable.

If they remembered correctly, Yun Yiyi was only a Yuan Ying realm. They had not seen her in a while but she had already gone past Out of Aperture and went directly into the Distraction Realm!

This speed was shocking and never been heard of before!

The treasure! It must have been related to the treasure!

Vroom!

From somewhere in the city, another gust of Qi rose into the sky. A flaming long snake shot up and went toward Yun Yiyi.

The flaming snake crashed into the swirling wind dragon around Yin Yiyi. It was instantly broken and turned into a brilliant flame. Along with the wind, it surrounded Yun Yiyi.

The wind and the flames were alternating and forming a flaming pillar that shot up into the sky. They were swirling at a high speed. It was a majestic sight. 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝒓𝙚𝒂𝓭.𝓬𝒐𝓶

"Miss Yun's indeed gifted. You've grown so much within such a short time. I'm impressed, impressed!" an elder with white hair said. However, he had a bright red robe on and a red fan in hand. His eyes glinted with darkness.

Furthermore, more and more cultivators appeared. They were glaring at Yun Yiyi with ill intentions.

Chapter 357

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Someone said, "Miss Yun. You're the only person left from the Yun family. We don't want to make it hard for you. Give us the treasure and you shall live."

Yun Yiyi glared at them coldly. Her tone was filled with violence as she said, "My family was destroyed partly because of you. Today, none of you shall live!"

Vroom!

The intensity of Qi around her strengthened. In the wind around her, there was a groaning of the dragon. The wind started to change in colors, engulfing her. The flames entangling the wind instantly dissipated and blended in with the wind knives, turning into flaming wind knives! They were lashing out in all directions.

Sizz!

Like a cannonball, they lashed out continuously, covering up the world.

Sizz!

Those cultivators who had no power and who were merely watching the drama were instantly slashed by the knives. They had flames all over their bodies. Before they could moan, they had already died and vanished.

The surrounding buildings were severely destroyed as well. Everything was a mess.

"She's a demonic woman! Kill her for the sake of everyone!"

The elder with a whisk squinted. He waved the whisk in hand and instantly, countless white strings lashed out like snakes, circling Yun Yiyi!

The elder with a fan gently waved the fan. Instantly, there was a glow. Three gigantic flaming dragons launched at the wind knives!

The others attacked as well. Instantly, spells were all over the sky flying in all directions. Wind, fire, and thunder were flashing, causing different effects.

Nanan was watching with excitement with her little fists clenched up. She stared at the battlefield and asked through gritted teeth, "Brother Nianfan, do we help out? Sister Yun's so sad."

Dragon nodded. She added, "Yeah, this bunch of people are so mean!"

Li Nianfan only wanted to watch. He felt that these effects were so amazing. He asked, "How likely is it for Miss Yun to win this?"

"In theory, it's quite difficult." Daji analyzed. "She's only in the Distraction Realm but the attacking crowd consists of two Combination realm cultivators. It's not easy for her to have endured the fight up until now."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded. He sighed and said, "Let her let out her rage. Watch closely. If she can't take it anymore, go and help her out."

He watched the battle as Yun Yiyi moved in red. She exuded a strong temperament in the windy air. She no longer had a smile on her face.

The carefree look of her in red was unlikely to be seen again after today.

It took merely half an hour for her to look completely different from the person she was before.

Humans could be so weak and vulnerable.

Meanwhile, fresh blood oozed from the corner of her lips. However, they curled up into a mocking smile. She raised her hand and a lotus leaf appeared, glowing strangely. At that moment, the world seemed to have stopped.

"If you want to know what treasure it is, I'll show you!" Yun Yiyi's eyes turned so dark as she exuded an air of extreme chill around her. Her tone was dark, totally unlike herself. It was a high-above scoffing tone.

The lotus moved slightly, its rhizome had turned black.

Vroom!

The wind around Yun Yiyi not only powered up, they even turned into black wind, swirling outward!

The black wind was like knives, cutting through everything they touched. The roof had turned into powder and vanished into thin air. The spells all around her were instantly cleared out!

Dragon asked with curiosity, "Brother Nianfan, what if they can't hold it anymore?" 𝘭𝑖𝒷𝓇𝘦𝘢𝒹.𝑐𝘰𝘮

Li Nianfan touched his nose, "Erm...just pretend as if you didn't see it."

"This... This is..."

The bunch of cultivators looked shocked. They wanted to escape but the speed of the wind was too quick. Once they were touched by the wind, they instantly died and vanished without a trace.

The faces of the two elders in the Combination realm sank. They were terrified and wanted to run away.

Meanwhile, Yun Yiyi's red dress was even redder, like blood. With a point of a finger, two black swirling winds lashed out at an extremely quick speed.

The two elders looked shocked as the black engulfed them. They vanished along with it.

"Cra...crazy!"

The woman and many other cultivators felt their scalps almost cracking open. They almost could not believe their eyes. They were so terrified that they felt their souls leaving their bodies.

These were two cultivators in their Combination realm. Yet, they died just like that! That was completely out of everyone's imagination.

However, Yun Yiyi did not give them time to think at all. She exuded an air of frost so violent as if they were in solid form.

The attacking cultivators were soon all wiped out!

Yun Yiyi floated in the air as she glared at the ground. Her chills were so strong that nobody dared to meet her eyes.

Her violence was as unstable as boiling water. With a wave, she floated toward a family.

The family was instantly terrified. They knelt on the ground. "Miss...Miss Yun."

"How did my family die?" Yun Yiyi's voice was so calm that it was terrifying.

"The Yunlan Sect, Luochen Sect, Tianhu Sect, and Xingyue Sect joined forces," one of the younger men said with a trembling voice. He quickly added, "It has nothing to do with us."

Yun Yiyi's ice-cold face remained the same. "How did the news of the Yun family getting hold of a treasure spread out?"

"It's...it's..."

Whoosh!

Yun Yiyi made a gesture. A tornado instantly engulfed the group of people like thousands of knives, completely wiping out the entire family.

It only took a little effort to turn the originally prosperous Qingyun City into hell in the ordinary realm. There were dead bodies everywhere. Everyone was trembling and they did not dare to breathe loudly.

However, Yun Yiyi still did not stop. She marched forward and appeared before another family.

"Miss Yun, we don't know anything. This has nothing to do with us!"

Yun Yiyi did not speak as her hair flowed in the air. She could not hold back her violence and was ready to kill them.

"Amitabha."

Jiese, whose eyes were closed, finally walked forward to block her. "Miss Yun, that's enough. Every crime has a source. This family's innocent, don't get trapped too deeply and let your desires control you!"

"Jiese, I can't marry you!"

This was the first sentence Yun Yiyi said. She was shaking all over and her eyes darkened as she exuded an air of violence. However, her tone was strangely calm.

"In merely an instance, I lost everything that I owned. Who can tell me why?"

She was glowing in red as her eyes had a cold chill in them again.

"My Yun family has always been friendly and kind for generations. This bunch of people benefited from our kindness. Half their lives belong to my Yun family! Now that my family has been violently destroyed, they're keeping themselves out of it without trying to help? I'm merely trying to take back what they owe us! Get out of my way!"

She waved her hand, and instantly, countless wind knives appeared. They rushed forward, leaving Jiese alone as they killed the others.

Jesse had no emotion on his face. He exuded a golden Buddha glow that spread to his surroundings. He was blocking the wind knives.

"Miss Yun, this family did make a mistake, but they don't have to die. Let go." Li Nianfan could not help suggesting as he walked over with the crowd.

"Mr. Li, humans are heartless creatures who don't return favors. Even if you save them today, they won't remember your kindness. Who knows, they might even harm you in return!" Yun Yiyi suddenly smiled. She looked at Jiese and said pitifully, "This is how humans are. How're you going to save them? Why not just kill them all? Kill them until they're scared and terrified. Only when they're all afraid of you, will they stop harming others!"

Jiese frowned and said, "Miss Yun, you're in too deep."

"Ha-ha, as Mr. Li said, Buddhism's a path, Demonic practice is also a path. Now that I'm forced to take this path, I have no choice!"

With that, Yun Yiyi looked at the crowd and took a step backward. With a turn, she turned into a red orb of light and flew away. Crystal water droplets were floating in the air.

Sigh.

Li Nianfan shook his head and sighed. He felt sympathy for Yun Yiyi. He was instantly emotional.

He witnessed a kind and energetic young lady turning into this.

"Amitabha."

Jiese chanted and gradually walked to the street. He sat on his knees as a golden glow circled him. A wave of sacred Qi rushed into the sky, covering the Qingyun City.

As the golden glow shone down, one could see with their naked eye that the souls were coming out. Following that, a powerful suction was felt, sucking all the souls toward Jiese.

"If I don't save them, it'd be a crime. Not killing the demons is yet another crime. I should be responsible for this wrongdoing."

With that said, the golden glow was gradually absorbed back into his body along with the souls, mixed together in Jiese's body.

"Jiese, you..."

Li Nianfan was stunned. He felt that this was not the way to do it.

"I'm calming the souls that died with hatred and grudge. I'm paying the debt, Mr. Li, don't worry," Jiese clasped his palms together and said calmly.

How could he not be worried? He sucked in so many souls, they would feel so bad!

Furthermore, the debt he mentioned. Was he paying his own debt or Yun Yiyi's debts? Li Nianfan did not understand, but he could vaguely guess.

"If I was more stubborn, I could've gotten that lotus," Jiese said with regret.

Daji said, "The lotus is indeed problematic. The rhizome actually turned black."

"In the beginning, I already sensed that there was a terrifying demonic power coming from the depths of the lotus leaf. It seems to be a demonic treasure. Unfortunately, it's now too late to say it," Jiese halted.

Suddenly, he said, "Mr. Li, perhaps I won't be able to go to the Spiritual Mountain with you."

Li Nianfan instantly waved it off, "Don't worry, we'll go ourselves. Do what you need to do."

"Everyone, goodbye for now." Jiese lowered his head and bowed. He then headed in Yun Yiyi's direction.

Li Nianfan and the rest looked at the direction he went toward for a long time without speaking.

Nanan and Dragon were sobbing, their tears streaming from their eyes.

Daji and Fire Phoenix did not feel too good. They had become friends along the journey. Seeing that they were about to have a happy ending when this abrupt change happened, they somewhat felt as if they were involved in the story.

Li Nianfan looked around and realized that everyone was looking at them with an uneasy look. He could not help shaking his head.

He walked out and approached the gate of the Yun family. He said to the crowd, "Fix this board and hang it back up. If not, when she comes back again, nobody will save you all."

The crowd was too scared to speak. They simply nodded with understanding. "It must be, it must be. Thank you for reminding us."

Walking out from Qingyun City with the pair missing, the team was less joyful than before. The crowd was rushing through the journey without speaking as much.

Dragon bit her finger and cried. She said innocently, "Brother Jiese went over, is he trying to stop Sister Yun?"

Li Nianfan shook his head. "Obviously not, perhaps it's just like before. He's going to pay Miss Yun's debt."

"What'd be the result?" Nanan was more concerned.

"A body can only contain one soul. Jiese used his body as a container, and the souls that he sucked bore a lot of hatred and grudges. If there was an accident, he won't make it," the Fire Phoenix said calmly and coldly as usual. However, there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Huh? He'd die?" Dragon's tears increased. It became a stream as she spoke with sympathy, "Brother, can you help him?"

Li Nianfan could not help rolling his eyes. "I'm an ordinary man with Deluxe Merit. How can I help? With an ax?"

He clicked his tongue and said, "However, the sight of the souls did remind me of something. If his soul went to the Underworld, I can go over to look for Black and White Impermanence. Since we're friends, perhaps they can help out."

This was the benefit of having many friends. Death was no longer scary since he had friends in the Underworld.

Dragon wailed softly. She was surprised. "Right, wow, brother! You're so clever!"

For the rest of the journey, nobody made any more delays. They traveled on clouds and soon arrived before the Spiritual Mountain.

There were many mountains there as well as an ocean with waves, rippling over and over.

Looking from afar, it looked like the statue of a Buddha either lying, reclining, or sitting. Although the location was not ideal, it caused no harm to the cultivators. The atmosphere was alright. One had to admit that Yuecha was good at picking locations.

Upon arriving, lights were flying in the air. Those who came were bigshots from all over. They all exuded a strong temperament. Someone was riding on a gigantic owl. As it flapped its wings, the owl hooted loudly as if afraid that the others did not know it was an owl.

Someone was riding on a luxurious horse carriage. With horses pulling it, it was shining with a gorgeous and incomparable glow.

Those who attended this gathering naturally showed off their wealth. This was their public image. If they came in normal lights, they would look bad.

Li Nianfan looked from afar and mumbled, "It seems that we can't walk anymore."

The temple was located in the deep end of the Spiritual Mountain. Facing the mountains, it was impossible to climb each mountain on foot.

"Sit tight, the plane's about to fly!"

He smiled without making any movement. The Deluxe Merit automatically popped out like a tsunami. They gathered into a gigantic golden cloud that was so eye-catching and bright. The crowd was gradually lifted off the ground.

Instantly, they stabbed the eyes of countless people...

Chapter 358

In the air, shadows were passing by. Many of them did not know one another. When they exchanged looks, they would judge each other's appearances and compare.

Meanwhile, an elder was sitting on the back of a flaming bull. He was drinking beer and looking like he was challenging the others that were passing by. He had a smile on his face.

Below his buttock was a flaming bull with wildfire. Its four hooves were running, not on clouds but flames!

With every step, the air shook with a loud sound. Furthermore, flames were lashing out in the surrounding area. Its speed was not only quick, but it was also spraying fire. Its temperament was very shocking, and it was definitely a rare sight in the air.

The elder looked down on the others. He said proudly, "In terms of flying, who can be more eye-catching than I?"

Meanwhile, the flaming bull suddenly widened its eyes. It said in shock, "Master, someone's traveling on golden clouds up ahead. How are they doing it?"

"What? Clouds? Golden?"

The elder was stunned. He looked down and almost jumped. His scalp was itching and he almost dropped his drink.

"Gasp...that's Deluxe Merit! This...this...this...how's there such a big Deluxe Merit Cloud?!"

He had blood in his eyes. He growled, "Flaming bull, quick, turn off your flames! Don't let your flames touch any part of those clouds! Not even a flint! Quick, turn it off! Slow down! Change direction, we'll go the other way round!"

This was happening all over the sky.

They were all peacefully showing off their wealth. However, they all started retreating, even reigning in their temperaments. They were afraid of offending this Deluxe Merit Saint and causing a misunderstanding.

Those riding on Spiritual Beasts instantly sealed their beasts' mouths. If they growled too loudly and hurt the ears of the Deluxe Merit Saint, they would be destroyed!

On the way, Li Nianfan and the rest faced no obstacle. Everyone made way for them and quietly left.

As they said, nobody would compete when he used his merits!

Li Nianfan nodded at the crowd, satisfied with how they were making way for him.

After passing mountain after mountain, they saw a golden light in front. It formed a light pillar shooting up into the sky. Vaguely, one could hear the chanting of a sutra, calming one's soul.

Moving forward, on top of a tall mountain, there were some temples. Each tower was built in gold. A golden glow was shining from within the architecture.

The mountain was made into stairs. At the lowest steps, there was a big golden door. Two monks were guarding it while greeting the visitors.

The steps stretched from the bottom, all the way up to the top of the tall mountain. Every nine steps, there would be two monks on each side with their palms clasped together. Their eyes were closed while they kept on praying.

They seemed like they were asking the visitors to 'step up'.

The temples were very eye-catching. However, upon Li Nianfan's arrival, he took away all of the attention.

Compared to the Deluxe Merit Clouds, these golden temples were instantly not as good. Not only were the Deluxe Merit Clouds more apparent, they even had a type of temperament.

In comparison, the gold of the temples was duller and cheaper looking.

"We unintentionally stole the attention, how embarrassing." Li Nianfan felt embarrassed. As he landed, a figure in the clouds landed before him. It was Yuecha.

She clasped her palms together and said, "Greetings to Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan smiled, "Tara Yuecha, long time no see. You're the main host this time. Why did you come out alone?"

"Mr. Li's here, and one of you is more important than everything else." Yuecha looked sincere. "No matter what it takes, Yuecha must come out to greet you in person."

She made a gesture and said, "Mr. Li doesn't have to climb the stairs. Please, just fly into the temple."

So, she came to make way for him!

Li Nianfan nodded and followed Yureka as they flew into the temple.

Below them, those who were climbing the stairs had to look up. Watching the golden clouds floating above their heads, it was as if they were thinking, 'We're different...'

On the way, Li Nianfan thought for a while and finally said, "Tara Yuecha, I met a monk recently. However...he couldn't make it."

Yuecha halted and asked, "Did something happen?"

Li Nianfan merely sighed. He told her the story and finally shook his head. "The most difficult thing in the world is emotions. Nobody can get involved. They'll have to work it out themselves."

Li Nianfan wanted to help, but as an outsider, he was unable to step in. If he insisted on helping, it would have a negative effect as well. He could only step to the side to think of a solution.

He had watched many romantic movies in his past. Now that this happened, he did not even know how to come up with a comforting sentence. Chicken Soup was never enough when needed.

"Amitabha." Yuecha's tone sounded complicated.

She continued, "Jiese's unable to get past this catastrophe."

Following that, Yuecha fell silent as if she was thinking of something.

Soon, the crowd arrived at the main hall. The hall was spacious and it was glowing in gold. There were no extra decorations, only a few pillars supporting the hall. Monks were welcoming the crowd.

There were quite a lot of visitors. It seemed that Buddhism was well-respected. Since the religion had spread to a wide area, they were higher up than the Sects. This was an independent religion.

Of course, Li Nianfan did not pay close attention to all these visitors. He simply glanced at them. However, he was very eye-catching. It was difficult for him not to attract attention to himself. Soon, many familiar faces gathered around him.

Ziye, Immortal Lin Zhu, Xiao Chengfeng, Pei An, Gu Changqing, along with his grandson were all invited. They had arrived earlier on. They made a pact when they saw Li Nianfan here. They walked over to greet him, "Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan smiled in return. "Ha-ha-ha, so you all came as well."

Yuecha suggested, "Mr. Li, why don't I arrange a room for all of us to catch up."

Li Nianfan nodded. "Good idea."

Soon, the crowd left the main hall and went to a room in the back hall.

Everyone looked strange. It was not until Li Nianfan had left that they dared to start discussing.

"What was that? How does anyone have so much Deluxe Merit? Where did he gain so much Deluxe Merit!"

"I've lived for a long time and this is the first time I've seen a Deluxe Merit Saint."

"How unfair. I always save ordinary men from demons. Why don't they give me some?"

"Most importantly, he's an ordinary man. How can an ordinary man gain so much Deluxe Merit?"

"Perhaps he saved the world in his previous life?"

...

Li Nianfan did not have time to care about the shocked and gossiping crowd. He followed Yureka to a quiet room.

The room was different from the golden hall outside. It exuded a sandalwood scent. It felt like someone's home. There were wooden chairs and tables in the room which instantly made Li Nianfan feel at ease.

He had seen so much gold that it hurt his eyes. Ordinary settings suited him more.

"Mr. Li, please, have a seat," Yuecha invited sincerely. Then, she asked for tea to be served. 𝑙𝒾𝘣𝘳𝑒𝒶𝒹.𝑐𝘰𝓂

Compared to the others, Yucca's place was quite disappointing to Li Nianfan. Whether it was the Underworld, the Carp Palace, or the Xia Kingdom, there were always some beautiful ghosts, some stunning Clam Demons, or alluring palace ladies. They were all alluring and beautiful, making one's experience memorable.

Here, however, there were only a bunch of bald monks. Their heads were so shiny that they even reflected light.

It seemed that the Buddhism religion was not suitable to be a good host.

Li Nianfan made a mental note. In his future tour, he would change places to visit.

Other than the bad servers, the food was bad, too. It was a table full of vegetarian dishes—plain and tasteless.

"Yuecha, I have no choice but to say it," Pei And could not help saying. "Since we're all friends, if you're too poor, you can tell us. These dishes just aren't presentable."

Most importantly, the expert was here! He was so high above! How could she serve him these dishes?

"My Buddhism does eat poorly indeed." Yuecha was slightly embarrassed. She said bitterly, "However, we planted these ourselves in the temple. We also collected the Spiritual Fruits from the surrounding area. The taste should be okay."

Immortal Linzhu, being the foodie that she was, did not speak. She picked up a green vegetable and put it into her mouth.

"Argh, mm..."

Her mouth moved a few times and instantly, her pupils dilated. She was stunned.

Her mouth pouted, and with a sound, the vegetable flew out from her mouth.

"Oh, no! Oh, no..." She was crying, leaning onto Ziye.

She was even slapping her own mouth with regret. She said listlessly, "I've lived for so long, but I've never eaten something so disgusting before. The vegetable's...poisonous! I can't live anymore!"

Everyone quietly retracted their chopsticks. They looked at Immortal Linzhu with respect.

'Thank you, Sister, for testing it out for us.'

Ziye was speechless. She said in a low voice, "Alright, get up! Can poison even kill you?"

"Disgusting food is the most poisonous drug to me in the world. Only good food can save me now." Immortal Linzhu hugged Ziye. She asked sincerely, "Sister Ziye, I know you still have an orange. Save me, save me!"

"Ha-ha-ha, what a foodie." Li Nianfan could not help smiling and shaking his head.

"The one thing I don't lack is good food. On the way here, I did get some Kirin meat. You're in luck!"

With that, he made a wave and two Kirin thighs appeared on the table.

Since there was too much Kirin meat, to store them conveniently, Li Nianfan preserved the meat like cured bacon. Who would have thought that it would taste surprisingly good?

The cured meat did not have much of a smell and it was more of a self-contained texture. Everyone looked at the meat with sparkling eyes. The food presented by the expert was surely the most enjoyable in the world.

"Wow, thank you, Mr. Li!"

Immortal Linzhu did not hold back. Her eyes lit up as she launched herself to grab onto one of the two thighs. She started munching away alone.

The others were stunned and stared at her blankly.

What was that? There were only two thighs. She took one whole thigh for herself? How selfish!?

"Quick!" Ziye knew Immortal Linzhu well enough. She pestered, "Don't daydream, we must distribute the remaining thigh quickly. If not, she might start eating this as well when she's done with hers!"

"What, so fierce? What are we waiting for!?"

"Quick! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

The crowd no longer looked like Immortals. They looked like robbers, more energetic than when they were distributing Spiritual Treasures. They stared at the meat as their cheeks flushed red.

With one bite, the crowd was instantly won over by the texture. They could not help closing their eyes to enjoy it.

Immortal Linzhu instantly felt the poison in her body being cleared out. She stuffed the food into her mouth. Her words were muffled as she said, "Kirin meat's indeed different! I haven't tasted Kirin meat all these years!"

"Ha-ha-ha, this Kirin's a stupid one. It looked so arrogant at first, but in the end, it was burnt by its own thunder," Nanan said. She retold the story with laughter.

The others were eating while listening engagingly. They all laughed in the end.

Except for Yureka.

She was eating happily with the crowd. However, she quietly put down the meat in her hand. She then spat out the meat from her mouth. She pouted and had tears in her eyes.

She almost collapsed.

Why could they not just eat quietly? Why did they have to mention that? Why could they not let her eat happily?

The meat was already in her mouth and now she had to spit it out!

Was there something more painful in life than this?

Immortal Linzhu stared at the piece of meat. She gulped and said, "Eh? Tara Yuecha, why aren't you eating it?"

Yeucha said bitterly, "I can only eat meat if I don't know how it was killed. I heard the killing process, I..."

Immortal Linzhu was excited. She cut her off, "Wonderful, if you're not eating it, I'll eat it!"

Yuecha was speechless.

"Amitabha."

Following that, the crowd was munching on Kirin meat happily. Only Yuecha was sadly munching on her vegetables.

After the meal, everyone looked relaxed and happy.

Xiao Chengfeng wiped his mouth and started to show off, "Mr. Li, how dare the Kirin attack you. That's because I wasn't there. If I was, I'd have killed it with one sword!"

The crowd naturally neglected his arrogant claims.

Ziye frowned and said, "The last major catastrophe was related to the Kirin family. Even back in the ancient times, we only heard about Dragons and Phoenixes. We rarely heard about Kirins. They had stayed hidden for long enough."

Immortal Linzhu was licking the thigh that no longer had any meat left as she spoke, "I thought all Kirins were killed long ago."

Li Nianfan suddenly said, "If I'm not mistaken, the Kirin family was involved with the 'Investiture of the Gods'."

Ziye's face straightened right away. She said, "Please, do tell us more."

"There was a Godly Beast mentioned in the 'Investiture of the Gods' with the name Four-Wrongs. You'd probably remember. Four-Wrongs was the mistress of Kirin."

Chapter 359

The 'Investiture of the Gods' was a story told by Li Nianfan. Everyone was familiar with it. Ziye even revised it from time to time. After all, this was the story of how the Heavenly Temple appeared.

However, this matter was not mentioned in the story. The crowd was shocked.

"Four-Wrongs was the mistress of the Kirin?"

"Should...be." Li Nianfan was not too sure. The story was quite complex, so he was not sure if the story was actually similar to what happened in this realm.

After pausing, he continued, "It's a long story. When the sky and the ground were separated, there were four innate elements—earth, water, fire, and wind. They stabilized the space. The four elements then turned into Godly Beasts gradually. First, the Dragons, then the Phoenixes, and the Kirins. They took care of the ground, ocean, and sky. They controlled the order of everything."

"And then?"

The Fire Phoenix looked at Li Nianfan, her voice trembling.

Even Dragon stared at Li Nianfan without blinking. Her big eyes were filled with the desire for knowledge.

She had always wanted to ask her ancestor about the story of the ancient times. However, he would not tell her no matter what. He was afraid of attracting unnecessary trouble.

To her, her brother Li Nianfan was the best. He could speak and scold anyone as he pleased. Heaven never came up to him for trouble.

This was the history of the Dragons, Phoenixes, and Kirins!

"Then..." Li Nianfan halted. He said, "The three families were in luck. They reached their peak. To snatch control, they broke out into a fight. The fight made the world dark. The sun and moon were dull. The war caused a mess everywhere. The Spirituals vanished."

Dragon opened her mouth wide in shock. She stared with disbelief. "So clever..."

Her sacred ancestor back home actually had such a glorious history?

"Of course, they were clever. They were beasts that were as old as the world." Li Nianfan returned to the actual topic, "The three families were in a mess, getting hurt and causing troubles. They were punished by Heaven and Luck decreased. From the peak to the pit. To keep their Luck, the Kirin family made his mistress, Four-Wrongs, get involved with the 'Investiture of the Gods' to become Jiang Ziya's pet. With that, whenever Kirins appeared, there was an auspicious ambition."

"I see." Everyone had looks of realization. They were also shocked.

Although the story was short, the world portrayed in the story was not one that they had heard of. They did not dare to think of an even more ambitious world!

Ziye took a deep breath and said, "The Kirin family's so powerful, no wonder they're so ambitious. It seems that after the 'Investiture of the Gods', they didn't reappear. So, they bribed the Demons."

Li Nianfan looked at Ziye. He suddenly asked curiously, "Immortal Ziye, you said you're all rebuilding the Heavenly Temple? How's the progress?"

Ziye did not want to hide it. She said, "Mr. Li, we've found the Heavenly Temple."

"Found the Heavenly Temple?" Li Nianfan halted. He was shocked.

Who would have thought that he would receive such shocking news with a simple question?

That was the Heavenly Temple! It actually appeared?

So, Immortals like the Emperor, Empress, Taishang Elder, and Yue Lao were still there?

He looked at Ziye and felt his heart racing uncontrollably. He verified, "You found the Heavenly Palace?"

Ziye nodded. She then hesitated for a moment. Finally, she decided to admit to him, "Mr. Li, I'm actually one of the seven adopted daughters of the Empress of the Heavenly Temple. I didn't mean to keep it from you, I'm sorry."

Li Nianfan halted. Although he was surprised, he gave a smaller reaction. He could tell that Ziye's temperament was different from the other Immortals.

"The seven adopted daughters... So, you're one of the Seven Fairies?"

Ziye nodded weakly.

That was good.

He actually met one of the Seven Fairies? And became friends with her?

Li Nianfan stared at Ziye. He wanted to ask if Ziye knew Dong Yong but he did not do so.

He recalled that when he heard about the Immortals, he even thought about whether the Seven Fairies would come down from the sky. Who would have thought that he actually met one!

Li Nianfan was staring at Ziye, causing her to blush as she became shy. She wondered if she should look away politely or meet his eyes.

Li Nianfan snapped back to reality and asked, "What Immortals are there in the Heavenly Temple?"

Ziye nodded. She then shook her head looking upset.

She said in a low voice, "In the past, yes. Now...the Immortals in the Heavenly Temple are all sealed."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded. He was not surprised. After all, there were not many who had survived the catastrophe.

He could not help thinking.

What kind of cultivational realm had he come to? There was clearly a big wipe-out. Perhaps it was the final stage of the mythology?

If this went on, he suspected that even the cultivators would vanish. By then, only ordinary people would be left in the world. And then...they would evolve again and finally arrive at the science era?

Wow! Unlikely!

Li Nianfan shook off his thoughts. He felt like he was overthinking things.

Whether it was true or not, it had nothing to do with him. He only had to live in the present.

He licked his lips and could not help asking, "Then...can I pay a visit?"

This was the Heavenly Temple. Since he was here, of course, he had to visit it!

Under Li Nianfan's gaze, Ziye nodded and said, "Of course. Mr. Li's a Deluxe Merit Saint. You may go anywhere."

Li Nianfan was delighted. "Wonderful, how great!"

After briefly catching up, Yuecha enthusiastically suggested showing the crowd around the Spiritual Mountain.

Li Nianfan accepted.

With the detailed tour, Li Nianfan instantly knew more about the Spiritual Mountain. Furthermore, since Yuecha wanted to impress Li Nianfan, she even told them her future plans and ambitions.

The Spiritual Mountain...was way bigger than their imagination!

Among those mountains, each mountain would have a golden temple according to Yuecha's plan. They would look different, adding on to the tall mountain and reaching up to the white clouds. This place would become a Buddhist Country.

This goal was indeed ambitious. Li Nianfan looked at the boundless mountains and found it difficult to imagine how grand it would look like. Perhaps it will be the era of Buddhism soon!

Right until then, the development of Buddhism had gone on track. There were more and more disciples. Inside the temples, there were many monks and meditators. Furthermore, each of them was a cultivator of high ranking. They had surpassed any ordinary sect!

Meanwhile, the crowd arrived at the backyard. The backyard was filled with trees unaffected by the season. They were thick and well-grown. Strangely, the leaves were yellow. As they were blown away by the wind, they fell to the ground in slow motion, covering the ground with a thick layer of leaves.

In the yard, a young monk was sweeping the floor with a broom taller than himself. He was slowly sweeping the floor full of leaves.

Nanan found it funny and she could not help laughing. "Little monk, will you ever finish sweeping this way?"

The young monk stopped. He saw the crowd and instantly put down the broom to run over. "Yes, I will. Brother Jesse told me that when I'm done sweeping them all, he'll be back by then."

Nanan smiled and said, "Little monk, you're so foolish. He was messing with you."

"You lie!" the young monk said with a serious face. He spoke up for his brother, "Brother Jiese never messes around!"

Nanan pouted and said, "Your brother isn't a proper monk anyway."

The crowd had walked with Jiese for part of the journey. They knew about his temperament. In some ways, he was indeed not a proper monk.

Yuecha said, "Alright, Jiechi, hurry up and greet the guests."

"Amitabha, greetings to everyone." Jiechi clasped his palms and looked serious. He then looked at Yucca with anticipation, "Tara, is Brother Jaise back yet?"

Yeucha answered, "You haven't finished sweeping the leaves. Of course, he isn't back yet."

"Oh." Jiechi lowered his head with disappointment. He turned back and went back to sweeping.

Yuecha looked at the little monk and introduced, "He's an orphan. Someone put him at our door of the West Mountain Temple. His Buddha understood no less than Jaise. He doesn't have any major obstacles in life, but he has 'fool' written in his heart."

Li Nianfan nodded. "So, you're making him sweep the floor in hopes of easing his foolishness?"

"Mr. Li's right. Indeed." Yuecha nodded. "Jiese brought him in, the two have a close bond."

Li Nianfan looked at the yard. He could feel that the little monk and the trees made a perfect drawing. The sight would calm one's heart down.

Suddenly, he saw a tree by the side door. It was as tall as a human. The tree was thick with triangular-shaped leaves. They were jade green, contrasting with the yellow maple leaves.

He said, "That's a bodhi tree?"

Yuecha said, "Yeah, I remember Mr. Li mentioned that this tree's related to Buddha. So, I planted them all over the place."

"It's indeed a mystery."

Following that, the crowd stayed in the Spiritual Mountain.

On the fourth day, Yuecha invented the crowd early in the morning. The ceremony was about to start.

Ring, ring, ring...

The clock rang nine times.

Many monks had made preparations early in the morning. They were all standing at their designated spots. They had their palms facing inward, looking formal.

Li Nianfan and the rest were on top of the square. They were the witnesses and did not have to do anything. In simple words, they came here to make up for the numbers and to make the ceremony look better. They could even help promote this ceremony after going home.

After all, witnessing it and quietly helping to establish it was completely two different things.

Many monks were well-prepared. They were ready for all the procedures. Yeucha started by declaring words of gratitude.

On a mountain not far away, hundreds of black shadows quietly gathered. The Big Lord Demon was taking the lead, his eyes squinting in the direction of the temples. His eyes were filled with violence.

Big Lord Demon scoffed coldly with excitement, "Ha-ha, Lord Demon God's wise. With this attack, Buddhism might as well vanish and never come back again!"

By his side, a demon agreed instantly, "Even back in the days when Buddhists were everywhere with Buddha guarding it, we still managed to wipe it out completely. Now, this is nothing, not even a small dish!"

"Well said!" Big Lord Demon looked at the demon feeling impressed. "What's your name?"

The demon was excited. He answered, "My name's Moyun."

"You're not bad. You're much stronger than Backo and Amon." Big Lord Demon was very pleased. He complained, "They were too terrified to come to the ordinary realm again! Cowards!"

Moyun nodded instantly, "Lord Demon's right. We've always been undefeatable! We have nothing to fear!"

"Ha-ha-ha, nothing to fear! Well said. We're on the same page! We need more promising demons like you!" Big Lord Demon was even more pleased.

Moyun was very excited. He could not wait much longer to impress Lord Demon. "Lord Demon, what are we waiting for? Let's go and clear them out!"

"Wait! Are you crazy?!"

Big Lord Demon pulled Moyun back. He frowned, "Didn't you see the Deluxe Merit Saint facing us? Come, follow me to find another way to attack."

Instantly, hundreds of black shadows went into action, flying from this mountain to the opposite mountain.

"Lord Demon, let's go!" Moyun started again. He was so excited that he could attack in the next moment.

"Okay, the demons aren't afraid of anything! It's time for us to show our power!" Big Lord Demon squinted his eyes. He scoffed, "Get ready, follow me..."

Meanwhile, Yucca's speech was almost at the end.

"Here, I'd like to thank a person with all sincerity. He's Mr. Li. He's the one who inspired me to establish Buddhism. Without him, there'd be no Yuecha today. Please, join me as I invite him over to initiate the ceremony!"

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Applause.

LI Nianfan was stunned. He stood up bitterly. Who would have thought that he would have a chance to perform on this occasion?

"Wait up!"

Big Lord Demon was terrified. He panicked and asked them to stop.

"The Deluxe Merit Saint went up to initiate the ceremony. I, the Lord Demon, am willing to show him some respect. Let's attack after he leaves."

Li Nianfan received the pair of scissors and did not look nervous. He smiled at the audience and said, "Thank you, Tara Yuecha, for inviting me over. I'll initiate now." 𝘭𝑖𝑏𝘳ℯ𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝘮

With that, the red cloth on the board was cut. Four words were shown, 'West Sky Spiritual Mountain'.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Another round of applause.

The ceremony was about to finish.

After Li Nianfan had cut off the cloth, he did not go back to his spot. In fact, he stood on the other side.

Big Lord Demon growled through his gritted teeth, "Everyone, follow me. We're changing directions!"

Chapter 360

Yuecha started to make the final speech.

"I now announce, from today onward, Buddhism will be officially established!"

All of the monks put their palms together. "Amitabha."

"Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha..."

Along with a burst of wild laughter, hundreds of black shadows suddenly rushed out violently. Instantly, there were dark clouds everywhere. A dark pressure weighed on them. It was terrifying.

Although Big Lord Demon had lost a lot of weight, his laughter was still quite powerful, exuding a powerful Qi. He scoffed coldly, "Buddhism's established? What a funny thought. I, Big Lord Demon, shall be the first to disagree!"

"It's the demons!"

"The demons came! I knew they'd come to cause trouble!"

"This is the Big Lord Demon of the demons? His size is different from what I expected."

The crowd was shocked. They looked up at the sky uneasily. They staggered backward to keep a safe distance.

Yuecha's face sank. "Be ready to welcome the demons!"

"Amitabha!"

Many of the monks instantly rose into the sky. They remained formal with a golden glow all over, repressing the world with their glow as if facing their greatest enemy.

There were more monks than demons. Instantly, the demons were outnumbered and surrounded.

Yuecha remained calm as she glared at Big Lord Demon. She said in a low voice, "Today's our ceremony, we don't wish to kill. Please, leave. If not, don't blame me if I get involved!"

She did not want to fight today. They were at temple gates. Killing here would affect their cultivation.

"You want to intimidate me? Ha-ha-ha, you're not awake yet! You bunch of Buddhists are fake people! How dare you host such a big ceremony! What a joke!" Big Lord Demon looked at Yucca mockingly. He took out a crystal ball and made a gesture. Instantly, there was a glow all over as a phantom appeared in the sky.

"Today, I'll show you all the true color of Buddhism!"

In the next moment, the glow transformed into a projection. The main character was Yuecha.

The projected Yuecha was very different from the current Yureka. She was dressed in black leather and had a cold face. She even looked violent with no hint of emotion. She was mass killing!

It merely took a while before a lot of lives were taken away by her. The entire scene was too violent to watch with countless lives getting hurt.

Other than her, there were many other demons in the world.

There was a change in the scene, and Yuecha was seen seducing the ordinary people with demonic spirits everywhere. She was so oppressive while forcing the people to join the demons.

"De—demons?"

"Oh, god! Tara Yuecha used to be a demon?"

"This...how's that possible?!"

"She's such a big demon and yet she established Buddhism. What religion is this?"

Apart from the others, Li Nianfan was similarly shocked. Although he knew Yuecha was a demon in the past, he did not expect her to be so violent. She killed countless lives!

No wonder they said that Immortals and Demons were not to be one. Every sect wanted to join forces to seal the demons away. This meant that they had caused a lot of harm in the past!

As for those monks, their faces changed. They all stared at the projection with wide eyes. They could not believe that was their Tara Yuecha. They felt like collapsing!

Many monks even grew demons in their hearts. Their eyes went blank and they started walking around like zombies. They started walking around blankly, doubting lives.

"Yuecha was a demon of my kind. She led the demons and attacked the ordinary realm three times. Finally, she was sealed inside the Azure Ville!" The Big Demon King walked over arrogantly, accusing Yuusha of her crimes. "She committed many crimes and treated humans like grass. Not even like a pig or dog! What right does she have to live in the world? Today, I, Big Demon King, am going to kill this mega demon for the sake of everyone!"

The crowd listened and nodded in agreement. However, they felt that something was not right.

"Indeed, I have sinned in the past." 𝘭𝒾𝑏𝑟𝑒𝒶𝒹.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Yuecha had her palms facing one another. She closed her eyes and said eventually, "Once Buddhism's established, I'll finish my deed. I'll wait for my punishment and reincarnate a hundred times to become a Buddha to pay my debt from the last generation."

"Ha-ha, only in the past?" Big Demon King laughed again, "Everyone, I'll show you what Buddhism's currently doing!" He waved and the scene changed again!

LI Nianfan squinted. The person shown was someone familiar to him. It was Yun Yiyi.

Compared to the past, her cultivation seemed to have improved a lot. Around her, there was red and black mist circling her as if there were two streams. The crossing of two streams gave one the feeling of an evil and wicked temperament.

She was standing before a village. Her red dress was covered in fresh blood. On her face, there were bloodstains all over. Her face was extremely cold and her eyes full of violence like a beast. Whether she was meeting an ordinary man or a cultivator, she would attack them no matter what.

In the blink of an eye, the village had been turned into hell.

"This woman's Yun Yiyi, and she's a Buddhist. Everyone, look at what she's doing?" Big Lord Demon scoffed painfully. "She's already destroyed three major Sects. Even the cities related to the Sects couldn't escape from her murderous knives. She's killing everyone heartlessly. She's inhuman!"

After Yun Yiyi left, a monk with his palms pressed together walked out quietly. He was on his knees, using his body to suck in the souls that were mourning. It was the exchange between a darkened wind and a Buddhist glow.

Jesse's face was twitching. Inside his body, there seemed to be countless living things trying to come out. They were bulging from his body. One could only see how much he was hurting.

"Waa..." Nanan and Dragon cried. "Brother, we should've helped Sister Yun back then."

The Fire Phoenix said, "An outsider cannot help in this matter unless someone can turn back time to stop this tragedy from happening."

Li Nianfan nodded and sighed. "Or perhaps we could wipe out Yun Yiyi's memory, make her forget the hatred. That's even more violent!"

He frowned slightly. Weighing the causes and effects, he soon realized the key.

The lotus was indeed a demonic item. It affected Yun Yiyi's rationality. Yun Yiyi's family was framed and killed by the demons. The goal was to make Yun Yiyi demonic. Jiese would become unlucky as a result.

This was the first time he experienced danger in this cultivating realm. The demons had too many plots, playing with their chess pieces. How terrifying!

The demons were not only cruel, they even attacked Buddhism. They even knew about attacking one's heart. He had made adequate preparation for this day!

He could not help sighing. "So...this is a plot of the demons."

The projection vanished. Big Lord Demon smiled mockingly and said, "Did you see? That was a Buddhist monk!"

Silence. Many of the monks had nothing to say. They clasped their palms together and prayed in deep pain.

Big Lord Demon said, "If you're not a monk, I'll be kind and let you off. Go to the side!"

Instantly, most of the cultivators hid away.

Big Demon Lord was paying close attention to Li Nianfan. Seeing that this Deluxe Merit Saint did not move, he frowned. He could not help reminding the other demons, "The Deluxe Merit Saint's over there. Never go near him. Stay away from him as far as possible. Don't use the group attack. If we touch any part of him, we'll be dead!"

With that said, he scoffed, "Small ones, kill them all!"

Vroom!

Instantly, Demon Qi rushed into the sky. In the sky, a mask of a black ghost was formed. Its mouth was open as if it was ready to eat up the entire Buddhism religion in the next instance.

The faces of many monks turned pale. They staggered backward in fear.

They had lost their calm a long time ago. By then, they were on the verge of collapsing. They did not even have the heart to resist. They were perplexed and terrified.

Buddhism was probably going to be established the same day it ended.

Xiao Chengfeng tightened his grip on the longsword in his hand. He was waiting for instructions. He asked, "Mr. Li, what do we do?"

Li Nianfan signed hopelessly. "It seems that there's no choice but to get involved."

The demons were everywhere. They had to stop the demons no matter what.

"Wait, you all must protect me," he reminded the crowd with a worried tone. After all, he could get hurt and killed.

In the next moment, the Deluxe Merit Cloud gradually helped him rise up. The golden glow around him was enhanced. He had turned into a golden man.

The golden glow was too thick, spreading out almost everywhere. The world had turned into a golden swirl. However, it did not stop. The golden glow was still swirling and formed a pillar that rose into the sky. The surrounding mountains had turned into gold. Everything was transformed into a golden ocean.

Everyone, including Ziye and the rest, was stunned.

Although they knew Li Nianfan was a Deluxe Merit Saint, they did not expect his Deluxe Merit to be so powerful.

Too much, too thick!

The thickness of this Deluxe Merit was beyond anyone's level. It was extremely terrifying.

Even a simple glance of it was able to terrify everyone. Everyone felt like running away.

The crowd did not dare to breathe. They were scared that a slight breath that accidentally blew against the Deluxe Merit Saint's hair would get them killed!

Big Lord Demon was stunned. His mouth had formed an 'O' shape. He turned into a sculpture, trembling. He was in despair.

Li Nianfan unleashed all of his power. He formed a path with his Deluxe Merit, making way for the rest to escape.

He scoffed with justice, "Stop it!"

...

At the same time, at the peak of a mountain.

The Xingyue Sect was covered in blood. There were dead bodies everywhere. It was a cruel sight.

Jiese knelt in the center of it all. The blood had tainted his robes. Souls were struggling everywhere. Just like the ripples, they were sucked into his body.

"Hmph!"

He groaned and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. He had bloody tears coming out of his eyes.

If one were to get closer to him, one could hear the howling of souls coming from within his body. Constantly hearing those howls would turn one crazy!

Jiese's body was scrawny. He stood up and staggered as if he was thoroughly harmed.

On his chest, the statue of the golden Buddha was glowing. There was a Buddha's glow coming out from his body.

If it was not for this Buddha statue, he would not have made it this far. He would have died a long time ago.

Meanwhile, a gust of wind blew by.

A red figure gradually walked out. Her eyelids were as still as water. She looked at Jiese and said, "Jiese, if you can suck in people's souls, return the souls of those who killed my Yun family back to me!"

Chapter 361

Jiese said, "Lady Yun, they're dead. Their souls are no longer your concern. Someone will punish them for their sins. I can't give it to you."

Yun Yiyi asked, "How so?"

Jiese replied, "The eighteenth level of Hell."

"I had more faith in punishing them myself! Are you going to give the souls to me?"

Jiese did not reply.

There was a dark glint in her eyes. She was vividly cold towards Jiese. In the end, she scoffed and was about to leave.

Jiese stopped her. He said, "Lady Yun, it's time to let go since your enemy's already defeated!"

Yun Yiyi looked lost. She appeared to be misguided. Then, she went cold again. She said tragically, "How am I supposed to let go? Who can understand my pain? The world hurts me, I want everyone to feel the same pain, too!"

"Stop it. Ask yourself, will that make you happy?"

Jiese looked at Yun Yiyi. They were like two people standing on two huge mountaintops with white clouds floating around. They stared at each other.

"Myself?" Yun Yiyi looked at Jiese with an ironic gaze. "I killed so many people, including Buddhists. Before they died, they still waited for the Buddha to save them. Did the Buddha come? Faith is just a foolish trick, it can't save anyone!"

Jiese chanted Buddhist scriptures silently. "But faith can save itself. I beg of you, stop the killing. Just stop it. Okay?"

Yun Yiyi looked at Jiese. She was slightly out of it.

Jiese slowly walked forward and reached out. He looked at Yun Yiyi and said, "I can still marry you. Give me that Lotus Leaf as a dowry?"

Yun Yiyi started to breathe fast. Her first reaction was joyous. She dazedly handed over the Lotus Leaf to Jiese.

The Lotus Leaf had already turned black. It shined in an evil light.

Just when Jiese was about to receive the Lotus Leaf, it started to shine brightly with jet-black light. A cold and cruel voice could be heard from within it, "Want me? Dream on!"

That Lotus Leaf melted into her palm. Then, a jet-black arm suddenly grew out from the back of Yun Yiyi like a venomous snake. Jiese was not ready for that attack and the arm pierced through his chest. He flew away like a cannonball!

"This Buddha's something else. He can even force me to attack him!"

Yun Yiyi was speaking but it did not sound like her. Her voice was mixed with an unknown voice. It sounded extremely creepy.

The Lotus Leaf multiplied underneath her feet. Black Lotus flowers slowly bloomed and held her up.

She started to emit an extremely creepy and terrifying aura. She levitated over to Jiese.

Jiese at that moment had crashed into a wall. His chest had a wound as huge as the mouth of a bowl. Blood flowed out like crazy.

Many souls inside him found an opening in his wound. They opened their mouths wide and howled tragically. They were ready to exit.

However, they could only make it out halfway through. The rest of their forms were tightly locked inside Jiese.

"Oh? Not dead yet?"

'Yun Yiyi' looked at Jiese mysteriously. "Then, you shall be the fertilizer of the Black Lotus."

She waved and the Black Lotus instantly shined with a dark light. It attacked Jiese.

Just when the black light was about to touch Jiese, a golden light slowly appeared and formed a shield.

The golden light was not intense. On the contrary, it was very subtle.

It easily blocked out the black light.

Gold and black were natural enemies in color. They were completely different and could not be mixed together.

The souls were sucked back into Jiese. His wound healed itself but instead of flesh, it was with golden paint.

Jiese reopened his eyes. He looked at that Black Lotus. Her body was as light as a feather. She was levitating. "Is that... The... Destructive Black Lotus?"

Yuecha had already told Jiese all about the 'Journey to the West' stories. He was familiar with it, too. Therefore, Jiese was able to recognize it at first glance.

"Yo, you're quite knowledgeable."

Yun Yiyi grinned. "This Immortal Item was born with the realm, and it's an Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure which can destroy realms. Lord Demon Lawless used this lotus to destroy Buddhism that year. And now, Lord Demon God has given it to me!"

Jiese asked in a low voice, "Who are you?"

"I'm the new Lord Demon!" Lord Demon's voice echoed. It was cruel and cold.

Jiese said, "This is between us, come out from her body."

Lord Demon laughed out loud. "Haha, why should I? Come on, come on, this is your lover. Are you going to attack her?"

"Amitabha."

Jiese did the Namaste gesture and shined brightly. His majestic golden light shined and spread. There was a golden halo ring behind him!

Suddenly, Buddhist light took over the realm. It looked like a golden egg from afar.

The intensity of the Buddhist light made Lord Demon unhappy. The Lord Demon waved and spun the Destructive Black Lotus. Demonic flames appeared, forming a long black dragon!

Black and the gold were having a stand-off!

"How... How's this possible?!"

Lord Demon had wide eyes. She was in disbelief.

The Lord Demon did not expect that the puny monk could withstand the power of the Destructive Black Lotus.

It was...impossible!

She asked, "What kind of treasure do you have on you?!"

Jiese did not reply. He slowly raised his arm. Buddhist light poured out and formed a huge dragon. "Heavenly Dragon!"

Roar!

The golden dragon was too huge. Its dragon head covered the sun in the sky. It was as big as a village. It opened its mouth and devoured the Lord Demon!

From afar, it looked like a huge dragon chewing a ball of black smoke!

The Lord Demon became serious. She raised her arm and said, "Black Demonic Dragon!"

Roar!

Another huge dragon also soared to the sky. It was made from black smoke with the lotus spinning around it. It was entangled with the golden dragon!

Kaboom!

At that moment, the realm flashed!

Nothing was visible for thousands of miles!

Everyone looked up and saw the symphony of gold and black light in the sky. They heard rumbles coming from afar. It was a rare and odd sight to behold!

The Buddhist light and demonic energy became sky pillars. It looked extremely terrifying in the air, even the Above Immortal Realm sensed that.

Buzz!

A big golden door slowly appeared out of thin air. Then, it opened and revealed a holy light!

The Heavenly Gates were opened!

Soon, the golden door frame started to split apart, revealing a crack. Then, the crack grew larger. The Heavenly Gates did not appear for long. It shattered like a mirror along with a 'clang'.

At that moment, some sort of block in the realm was suddenly lifted. The bridge to Immortality was completely connected to the Immortal Realm. The limitations of the Absolute Era were shattered. Immortal Qi started to pour in.

"Amitabha." Jiese levitated. His whole body was covered in gold. He placed his hands together to do the Namaste gesture. The Buddhist lights around him were like flashlights. It kept flickering, utterly sparkly and shiny. "Since you won't come out, I shall beat you until you come out!"

Boom!

The sculpture of the golden Buddha in his embrace slowly melted into Jiese. It was endlessly powerful. Buddhist hymns could be heard out of nowhere.

An enormous figure of the golden Buddha appeared behind him. Jiese was sitting crossed-legged but he looked holy with his Namaste gesture. People would stop on sight. They might even worship him.

Buzz.

The aura of the place started to become chaotic.

Jiese sat on the chest of the giant Buddha while chanting something. The giant Buddha slowly raised his palm.

The palm was way too huge. It covered the sky and attacked the Lord Demon!

"Jiese, would you really attack me?" This time, it was purely the voice of Yun Yiyi. She sounded pitiful like a beggar.

However, Jiese ignored it. The palm went toward the Lord Demon.

"Nice one, monk! You would even kill your wife!"

'Yun Yiyi' squinted. The Destructive Black Lotus spun like crazy. The Lotus Leaf expanded and closed in. It wrapped her up. Waves of dark energy turned into countless huge snakes. It attacked the Buddha's Hand!

The Buddha Hand landed and demolished the black snakes. It was like a huge mountain crashing into a black lotus!

Boom!

The horrifying explosion turned everything into dust. The high mountain underneath their feet did not stand a chance. It was wiped out before it could crumble. The surrounding mountains were the same.

The forest was also gone. The earth cracked and crumbled. A horrifying bottomless pit was formed!

The smoke and dust faded. The scary phenomenon also vanished. Two bodies laid on the ground next to the bottomless pit.

One of them wore red clothes. The other one had a shiny bald head.

Cough!

Jiese had a lifeless gaze. His shawl was completely torn. He stood up with all his might and walked towards Yun Yiyi.

He fell over and crawled toward her, inch by inch.

Yun Yiyi weakly laid on the ground. She silently looked at Jiese. Tears were streaming out from her eyes. They were both done with fighting.

Yun Yiyi smiled palely. "Monk, it turns out you can be sweet sometimes."

Jiese laid with Yun Yiyi. "It's all over now."

"Yeah, over. It's so unfair." Yun Yiyi said in a low voice, "I was wrong."

Jiese slowly raised his arm. A few howling ghosts appeared on his palm.

"Didn't you want to see what happened to those people who hurt your family? I will make my body a living hell and let them suffer in the eighteenth level of Hell!" Jiese looked down. "Why...would I think it's fair to begin with?"

"Are you still a monk, then?"

"I think therefore I am."

"That's it. That's quite nice."

"Yeah... Quite nice."

Their conversation gradually faded into silence.

A black figure and a white figure slowly appeared in the bottomless pit.

They were wearing high hats with mourning staff in their hands. Their hands were slightly trembling. They moved forward.

"Black, how about you go first? I'll be at the back to cover you."

"Lies! Why don't you go instead?" Black and White Impermanence bickered. "Who fought here exactly? Are they really dead or pretending to be dead?!"

"Sigh, it's so hard to be an Oni!"

The two of them anxiously peeked their heads out from the bottomless pit. They did so with a lot of courage.

They glanced nervously and noticed the two bodies.

"No way, they did this?"

White Impermanence gulped. He floated over slowly and gradually became shocked. "This... This is... The monk's body has a huge amount of souls. He trained his body to be a container of souls?!"

"How's this possible? How are we supposed to do our jobs?" Black Impermanence was also stunned. Then, he widened his eyes as if he remembered something. He exclaimed, "A bald monk, a lady in red. White! Do you remember what the expert told us to do?"

"Oh yeah, the expert told us to take notice of a bald monk and a lady in red. He wants us to pay attention to their situation, this is clearly important to him!" White Impermanence was enlightened. "That's alright!"

"Let's go, be careful. Take them back to the Underworld."

...

At the Demon Realm.

"Oof!"

The Lord Demon on the throne suddenly jolted and groaned.

His pupils were like copper coins in his widened eyes. He had bloodshot eyes. He looked shocked, more so discontent. A small stream of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

"How is this possible? How is this possible?!"

He was enraged as if he went through the most horrifying incident. His body trembled as his aura weakened like crazy. He was going to die soon!

"How can someone so powerful exist? Who is it exactly? He used a small monk helper and was able to kill me in an impossible way? Even the Destructive Black Lotus can't stop him, who is he exactly?!

"I haven't shown up yet, and I'm about to die? That's too cruel!

"Lord Demon God, save me. This is so unfair!"

Lord Demon slowly rested in peace.

Amon and Backo were guarding the door. They looked utterly calm, they might even be a little bit happy.

Ever since the countless failures, they have already lost their confidence. They did not dare to go to the horrifying Immortal Realm ever again. All they wanted to do was to peacefully stay at the Demon Realm. It was nice to spend their time casually.

Hence, they ended up being guards.

Suddenly, they frowned at the same time and looked at each other. They sensed the confusion in the eyes of each other.

"What's going on? Did the aura of the Lord Demon suddenly vanish?"

"I feel it too. The Lord Demon seems to be very aggravated. Then, all of a sudden, nothing."

They looked at the door. They had no idea what happened.

Amon felt slightly puzzled. "The Lord Demon said he was going to cause havoc in the Immortal Realm with the Destructive Black Lotus. He ordered us to guard the door and not allow anyone to disturb him. Nothing's going to happen to him, right?"

Backo gently stepped closer. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Lord Demon, are you alright?"

Silence.

Knock knock!

He knocked harder.

"Lord Demon, are you in there?"

Still no response.

Creak.

Backo and Amon carefully pushed the door open together. They immediately saw Lord Demon sitting on the throne. They were scared senseless. They fell to the floor.

However, Lord Demon did not scold them. That was unexpected. The Lord Demon stared ahead lifelessly with his coin-like eyes. He seemed to be frozen in place.

Backo gulped. "Lord... Lord Demon?"

They looked up and realized the Lord Demon was bleeding from his mouth!

They hurriedly stepped forward to inspect.

They were instantly mind blown after the inspection. They went blank and completely lost their ability to think.

They stopped breathing and functioning. They fell backward, almost scared to death. 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝓻𝒆𝓪𝙙.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"This... This... This... The Lord Demon's dead?"

"The Immortal Realm! It must be the doings of the people in the Immortal Realm. Too scary. They can kill while being in their own territories. Boohoo, are they going to spare us a path to live?"

Chapter 362

At the Spiritual Mountain.

It was already an ocean.

However, the ocean was gold.

The sky, mountains, land, and everyone in it were covered in a layer of gold.

Everyone bathed in the ocean of gold with blank minds. They were in a daze.

'Who am I?'

'Where am I?'

'What am I doing?'

They kept asking themselves that. They tried hard to recall what they were doing.

They had to because their Insights were on the brink of collapsing.

'Deluxe Merit, so much Deluxe Merit. Anyone would lose their minds over it. Life's so unfair!'

Li Nianfan glanced at everyone for their reaction. He had to nod in satisfaction. He was pleased with himself. It was the pleasure of being cool.

'Who would've thought that I, an ordinary man, can flex in front of all these bigshots? All thanks to my golden touch.'

It took courage for him to show up, too. He wanted to ensure no one dared to fight so he used his powers. Although it was harmless, the powerful aura was still one-of-a-kind. It instantly stopped everyone in their tracks.

The way he yelled 'stop' was strong and confident. It echoed in the ears of the Demons like a rumble of thunder. They did not dare to move.

The Big Lord Demon snapped out of it. He instantly went cold and felt his skin crawl. He was scared senseless. He yelled nervously, "Stop, all of you stop it! Drop your weapons, don't use your powers. Don't hurt anyone by accident!"

Then, to be safe, he added, "Back up, all of you back up!"

The Demons instantly backed up.

The Big Lord Demon calmed his quivering heart. He tried to sound friendly and said, "Sir, this is the grudge between us Demons and Buddhists. It's none of your concern, sir. Please, don't interfere."

"The Demonic Religion causes havoc and makes the people suffer. How can I stand by and watch as a human? Which is why I'll kill every single one of you, including whatever Lord Demon you got, even if it costs me my cultivation!"

Li Nianfan smiled. He put his foot down for justice. After all, he could be reckless since he had the protection of his Deluxe Merit Flesh. He could do whatever he wanted!

"Sir, you saw what Buddhism did just now. They're all a bunch of fascists. Don't be fooled by them!" Big Lord Demon forcefully repressed his anger.

Li Nianfan looked indifferent. He said, "Enough. I see through your cheap tricks with my wise eyes. You're obviously framing them! You'll have to step over my dead body if you want to destroy Buddhism!"

Big Lord Demon was troubled. "Sir, you're troubling us!"

'Step over your dead body?

'By then, the Demons would already be extinct before Buddhism could be destroyed.'

He went silent for a while. He had an idea and flicked his wrist. Out came a black dagger.

He clenched his jaw and looked like he was in pain. He said, "Sir, this is an Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. This dagger's attack is incredibly powerful and it's indestructible. It can also corrupt souls. It's a rare and precious treasure. Please, leave us be, sir."

Li Nianfan was baffled.

'This Big Lord Demon's something else, he knows bribery.'

"What are you doing? Are you looking down on me? This is an insult!" Li Nianfan said in a serious tone. "If you don't leave, don't blame me for lying down on the ground!"

"No, please, don't. Let's talk this out."

Big Lord Demon jumped. He looked troubled. In the end, he sighed softly and backed away.

The Demons frowned. They asked dazedly, "Lord Demon, what should we do?"

"Sigh. This Deluxe Merit Saint's such a pot-stirrer. Can't he just play by the rules and let us fight fairly?

"This is too much. He went too far."

"Lord Demon!"

Suddenly, Moyun spoke up with an unhappy face. He sounded sacrificial, "Let me have a go at it!"

Big Lord Demon was puzzled. "Go? Where are you going?"

"I'll go die with that Deluxe Merit Saint!" Moyun looked righteous with a sanctified light on his face. He said slowly, "I'm just an ordinary man. I can totally kill him. I'll die with them but for the Demons, it's worth it!"

He was about to step out and sprint toward Li Nianfan. "Goodbye, everyone. I won't be back!" 𝑙𝑖𝘣𝓇𝑒𝒶𝘥.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Come back here!"

Big Lord Demon had cold sweat all over. Thankfully, he was fast and agile enough. He tackled him and was shocked and angry. He gave two big slaps to Moyun before he said anything.

"Is something wrong with your brain?!"

Big Lord Demon was baffled. He said coldly, "You'll kill the Deluxe Merit Saint for Demons but we Demons will all die because of karma! You stupid fool, you pig-head!"

Moyun did not get it yet. He said stubbornly, "I'm responsible for my own actions. I'll be the one to kill him, what does it have to do with the Demons?"

"Who got this fool to work beside me?"

The Big Lord Demon was dumbfounded. He was so livid that he was even entertained at one point. "Come on, hurry up and drag him out of here. Oh yeah, for safety precautions, lock him up first for a hundred... No, wait, for a thousand years."

Moyun found it unfathomable. He cried while he got dragged away. He sobbed, "Big Lord Demon, why would you treat me like this..."

"Sigh, don't let fools be your teammates. They can easily jeopardize things!" Big Lord Demon sighed and groaned. He took out a black hexagon crystal in his hand. He cast a spell and the black crystal started to shine.

He decided to contact Lord Demon and asked for his opinion.

Buzz, buzz, buzz.

'Huh? Why's it taking so long? Perhaps Lord Demon's away at the moment?'

Suddenly, the black crystal shined.

Big Lord Demon instantly looked alive. He said, "Lord Demon, we have an emergency here."

However, all he heard was frantic breathing coming from the black crystal.

The panting lasted for a while. Then, he heard Amon's frantic voice, "Big Lord Demon, bad news, Lord Demon's dead!"

"What?"

Big Lord Demon looked around. He thought he was hallucinating.

Then, he heard Backo sobbing, "Dead... Lord Demon's really dead! Big Lord Demon, hurry up and come back. It's too scary!"

'Dead... Dead?'

The bad news struck him like lightning. Big Lord Demon was stunned.

Backo and Amon would not dare to lie.

He quivered and had a cold sweat. He yelled, "Everyone, listen to my orders! Retreat to the Demon Realm as fast as possible! Hurry up, hurry up!"

Fume!

Hundreds of Demons immediately soared to the sky. They were threatening as they came and quick as they went. They did not say goodbye to anyone. They disappeared into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

'How should we put this? It's kind of sudden.'

Everyone bafflingly looked in the direction where they disappeared. They could not understand why.

Xiao Chengfeng said smugly, "They ran fast. Otherwise, I would've killed them all with my sword!"

No one replied. They pretended they did not hear what he said.

Yuecha stood up and did the Namaste gesture. She bowed at Li Nianfan with respect, "Amitabha, thanks for the help, Mr. Li. You saved Buddhism."

Li Nianfan shrugged it off, "The Demons weren't good anyway. Helping you all would be helping myself. It's not a big deal."

Yuecha continued, "Mr. Li, I'm indebted to you for my conversion, for your advice, preachings, and for saving my life. I'm forever grateful to you. I'm afraid I won't be able to repay you in my lifetime."

Li Nianfan could tell what she meant by that. He arched his eyebrow, "Tara Yuecha, you..."

"Don't call me Tara Yuecha anymore. My sins are heavy. I can't give a bad name to Buddhism." Yuecha paused and continued, "It's not appropriate for my body to live in this realm. I can die in peace now that I have set up Buddhism. I shall disintegrate to wipe out the dirty stain in Buddhism."

Li Nianfan asked, "Buddhism isn't strong enough. Tara Yuecha, aren't you worried that Buddhism would be bullied if you leave?"

"It's all up to Fate."

Yuecha bowed at Li Nianfan again. Then, she slowly levitated above the temple.

"I know that my sins are unforgivable. Today, I'm willing to disintegrate to pay for my sins. Please, witness it, everyone!"

She sat crossed-legged and soon after, she was engulfed in golden flames while everyone watched.

Chapter 363

Golden flames danced in the air. Soon, Yucca's figure slowly disappeared. Then, the golden flames died out. Nothing was left. It was as if nothing happened.

The scene was silent. A breeze blew by.

"Amitabha."

Every monk did the Namaste gesture and silently chanted Buddhist scriptures.

The death of Yuecha did enlighten the Buddhists.

"Sigh, lost a friend again." Li Nianfan shook his head. He felt sentimental.

He experienced more things as he approached more cultivators. He learned various lessons in the Immortal Realm. He did hear about these things before but there was a difference when it was a personal experience.

Most of the time, other people had chosen their paths. Even capable friends could not help them out at all.

Cultivators were sometimes fickle. They did act like how Immortals should act.

That was the review of Li Nianfan. In other words, cultivators around him were friendly.

'Yuecha's death meant that she must be in the Underworld. I'll visit when I'm free so I can ensure she'll reincarnate nicely,' thought Li Nianfan. He could only help her with that.

The Grand Ceremony of Buddhism ended nicely. It was not perfect but it was a nice ending.

Yuecha was gone. The Buddha was gone. Buddhism was in a very awkward state. Lots of guests left. The incident would probably be the talk of the town for a long while.

Li Nianfan and the others did not leave.

Buddhism was unstable. So, he stayed to take care of things.

Thankfully, the monks were mentally stable. Nothing bad happened. However, it was dead quiet at the scene and everyone looked kind of lost.

Li Nianfan could not do anything about that. The Buddhists had to make it through that obstacle by themselves.

He stayed for three days before he was ready to leave.

Before he left, he went to the Buddhist backyard. He wanted to chat with Jiechi. The little monk was the only monk he was familiar with at that point.

A sky full of fallen leaves flew into the backyard. He saw a little figure holding a broom from afar. He was leaning on the broom, sleeping from exhaustion.

He was mumbling in his sleep. It was very funny and cute.

Li Nianfan walked closer and heard his mumbles.

"Master Yuecha, Senior Jiese, I don't believe that you two are Demons. You two will come back, right?

"I'll work hard to sweep the floor and clean up the leaves. Come back once I'm done cleaning, alright?

"I have new understandings in Buddhism, I don't know who I can talk to about it."

Li Nianfan smiled bitterly. He did not wake him up.

'He suffered such pain at such a young age. How terrible.'

He shook his head and was ready to leave.

Suddenly, he saw a row of words in the corner of his eye. It was carved into the stone next to the Bodhi Tree.

"The body as a Bodhi Tree, the heart as a mirror stand. Frequently wipe it and clean it, don't let it be dusty."

Li Nianfan was amazed. He turned to look at the sleepy little monk in awe.

'This is...his new understanding of Buddhism from sweeping the floor?

'This is legit. It's too bad he's not a straight-A student.'

He looked around and picked up a branch. He smirked and wrote another poem next to that poem.

'There's no Bodhi Tree; nor a mirror stand. Since all is void, where can the dust alight?'

"Little monk, bye."

Li Nianfan spoke softly and then slowly walked out from the backyard.

An hour later.

There was a 'smack' sound.

The broom fell to the floor. The little monk also fell on his face with an 'ouch' sound.

"Bah!"

He spat out the leaves in his mouth and rubbed his bald head. He woke up.

"Yikes, how did I fall asleep? I have to quickly sweep the floor so that Master and Senior can come back sooner!"

He picked up the broom. Then, he was slightly surprised to see the new writings.

"Huh? Who wrote this?"

He bent down and read it slowly.

He was awestruck after reading it. His mouth hung open as his mind wandered.

"This... This... This wisdom..."

He gulped and sat crossed-legged underneath the Bodhi Tree. He kept looking back and forth at the two poems. "Wise. So much wiser than mine."

The previous poem highlighted wiping away a stubborn mindset and reflecting internally to constantly be pure. Li Nianfan's poem was much better. He expressed it clearly. There was no stubborn mindset to begin with so why the constant need to clean and wipe?

It was deep and direct.

"The leaves in the backyard are nothing but my stubborn task. I keep being stubborn, and the leaves keep falling. All I had to do was let go of my stubbornness and these leaves will naturally be gone."

He looked enlightened. He did the Namaste gesture and shut his eyes. Buddhist light slowly formed around him as a halo also appeared behind him. His already-shiny-bald-head was shinier. He was in a state of transcendence.

Leaves danced around Jiechi along with the wind. Then, it slowly vanished in the air.

The dead leaves on the floor started to sway before slowly vanishing...

Meanwhile, Li Nianfan and the others left the Spiritual Mountain. They rode on clouds to a large city.

The city had a City God Temple.

A lot of people worshiped the statues inside the City God Temple.

The statue in the middle was an elder with a goatee and a round hat. He looked friendly.

Immortals would notice that as people lit the incense sticks, the smoke would fly to the sky. Then, a mysterious force would enter the statue.

That was the power of incense wishes. Once incense wishes were accumulated to a certain point, it would be considered as Deluxe Merit for faith. This was why the souls of the City God Temple could exist in the Immortal Realm for a long while.

Li Nianfan headed in. The soul in the statue came out from its vessel to salute Li Nianfan. Then, he gesturally hinted and floated to the back.

Li Nianfan and the others followed. They went to a side room in the backyard.

The elder greeted Li Nianfan, "Greetings to Mr. Li. I'm Zhu Chengming of the Fallen Flower City God Temple. Greetings to everyone."

"Greetings to City God Zhu," saluted Li Nianfan. Then, he said, "I'm here to disturb you again, City God Zhu. So sorry about that."

Previously, he requested City God Zhu to pass the message about Yun Yiyi and Jiese to the Underworld.

"You're too courteous, Mr. Li. I'm able to become a City God all because of you."

City God Zhu sounded sincere. He was able to become a City God so his manners were naturally on point. He continued, "Mr. Li, Black and White Impermanence Sires sent me a message. They said they found a monk and a lady in red. They're in the Underworld right now. However, they aren't sure if they're who you're looking for."

Li Nianfan was stunned. It was unacceptable. He asked in shock, "At the Underworld? They're dead?"

City God Zhu nodded, "It appears so."

Sigh...

Li Nianfan sighed and frowned. He then said, "Can I trouble you to inform the Impermanence Sires, City God Zhu? I...want to go to the Underworld."

His Deluxe Merit Flesh allowed him to soar through the skies and go beneath the land. He would like to check out the legendary Underworld. More importantly, he wanted to see if he could help Jiese, Yun Yiyi, and Yureka.

"Please, wait just a minute, Mr. Li. I'll contact the Black and White Impermanence Sires now," replied City God Zhu. Then, he left.

He was back after fifteen minutes. A black figure and a white figure followed him.

Black and White Impermanence were both expressionless. They saw Li Nianfan and smiled. They said in a friendly tone, "Mr. Li." 𝑙𝘪𝑏𝓇ℯ𝑎𝒹.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Li Nianfan also smiled and said, "Greetings to the Black and White Impermanence Sires."

"Zhu already told us everything. Mr. Li, you're more than welcome to visit our Underworld." White Impermanence paused. Then, he said, "But I'm afraid it's not appropriate for a lot of people to enter since the Underworld's an important land and it's not stable yet."

He looked at the bunch behind Li Nianfan.

'This insult... Hm, kind of obvious.'

Ziye suddenly spoke up, "Sires, long time no see."

"You're..." Black and White Impermanence looked at Ziye and suddenly jolted. They were shocked and pleasantly surprised. They said, "Goddess Ziye? You... You..."

Ziye smiled and nodded, "It's me."

"If it's the Seventh Princess, the Underworld naturally welcomes you," White Impermanence smiled and nodded. Then, he once again looked at everyone else.

Immortal Linzhu shook her head, "I won't be going. There's no delicious food in the Underworld anyway."

Pei An and the others were very friendly. They smiled and saluted the Black and White Impermanence. "We won't be intruding."

Those two were the Death Gods. The cultivators would die eventually so they had to give in.

Black and White Impermanence looked at Xiao Chengfeng.

Xiao Chengfeng raised his eyebrow. He was instantly unhappy. "What's the meaning of this? I'm not worthy enough to enter the Underworld, too?"

Pei An and Gu Yuan knew he was about to talk nonsense again. They hurriedly dragged him away.

"Do you know who I am? I'm that sword cultivator who's well-respected by three million sword cultivators in the Above Immortal Realm! The Underworld will have to respect me!" Xiao Chengfeng struggled. "Let go of me!"

"Sorry, there's no sword cultivator in our Underworld," Black Impermanence smirked coldly. Then, he very naturally changed his facial expression when he was talking to Li Nianfan. He said in a friendly manner, "Mr. Li, shall we depart now?"

"Yeah, apologies for the trouble, Sires."

"Not at all. Not a problem at all."

Black and White Impermanence waved it off. Then, they raised their arms at the same time and cast a spell. Ripples formed in the air. Soon, a jet-black door appeared in front of everyone.

"Mr. Li, please."

Black and White Impermanence led the way. They stepped into the door.

It was creepily cold the minute they stepped into the door.

It felt like being out on a summer day and suddenly walking into a cold room with an air-conditioner.

His eyes were slightly unfocused. He looked again and saw a huge river in front of him. The river was flowing strongly and was muddy yellow. Everyone stood on the side. They could feel water vapor in their face and could hear the loud waves.

The river was wide and gushing!

Li Nianfan did not expect that the process to enter the Underworld was nothing but a door. He truly felt like he just entered a room from another room.

He was instantly awestruck by the river in front of him.

The Underworld was dim like a constant sunset. The sky was red. It was kind of overwhelming and depressing.

Li Nianfan licked his lip. He exclaimed, "Is this...the Acheron?"

"It's the Acheron," White Impermanence nodded and introduced. "This is where the souls belong after death. Usually, the souls in the Acheron are lost ghosts. Only the souls who manage to find the Naihe Bridge and successfully reincarnate can get rid of their ghost identities."

"I see." Li Nianfan looked over. He saw fiery red patches on the other side of the Acheron. Those were Higan Flowers, and they were swaying as if they were giving direction.

Li Nianfan suddenly arched his eyebrow. He realized something. "Why aren't there any other ghosts here?"

Black Impermanence replied, "Mr. Li, this is a path for Onis only. The ordinary ghosts are elsewhere."

'So, this is an express lane.'

Li Nianfan nodded. He learned something new.

To be honest, the path of the Acheron was very boring. It was a dim realm, only the gushing river and the beautiful red Higan Flowers were entertaining.

Thankfully, the express lane was fast. Soon, they saw a bridge at the front. A long row of human figures was moving on the bridge.

As they got closer, they could see that it was a bunch of ghosts lining up on the bridge. They looked exhausted and depressed. They stood in line with uneasiness.

Apart from humans, there were a lot of souls from various animals. The number of souls was huge.

Onis with uniforms handled them. They were managing the order by surrounding them.

There was a huge stone near the bridge. 'Naihe Bridge' was carved into the stone in blood red.

"It's indeed Naihe Bridge." Li Nianfan was emotional because that was the famous Naihe Bridge. He did not expect that he would be able to stand at the bridge as a living human, as a mere visitor.

'Too bad I can't flex this to anybody.

'Sigh, it's so lonely to be in a different realm.'

He looked over and saw an old granny with a face full of wrinkles. The granny was slightly hunched over. She smiled and scooped soup for the souls to drink.

She saw Li Nianfan and instantly smiled in a friendly manner. She nodded as a friendly way to say hi.

Li Nianfan smiled awkwardly in response. He looked at the soup and felt a shiver in his heart. He quickly looked away.

'That soup...isn't good. Must not drink it.'

"No, I don't want it!" Suddenly, they heard a desperate voice.

The voice was from a middle-aged man. He looked fully terrified. He finally snapped when Meng Po gave him the soup. He was shaking all over and was ready to run.

However, he was stopped by Onis before he could make a run for it. He was held down in place.

"Fella, are you trying to cause a scene here?" an Oni smirked coldly. He threatened, "Drink up. Otherwise, we'll punish you on your way to reincarnation!"

"No, please, I want to cooperate, too. But the soup's too terrible, the taste...blergh!"

The middle-aged man almost cried. "Blergh! I can't stand it. This is considered my last meal, can it be something not awful tasting?"

"Drink this soup, I guarantee you that you'll forget what tastes awful." The two Onis smiled. They were used to a situation like that. They easily forced the middle-aged man to drink every drop of the soup.

The middle-aged man struggled and trembled like crazy. His face was twisted as if he was in agony.

However, he soon stopped struggling.

The middle-aged man was numb in his expression. He lifelessly looked at the front with dead eyes. He forgot about everything as he quietly floated over the Naihe Bridge.

Yikes—

Li Nianfan gasped. His skin was crawling. He was frightened by what happened.

'Scary, too scary!

'Thankfully, I'm not in line. Thank God!'

Chapter 364

Li Nianfan was slightly scared. He asked in a frightened voice, "Really no problems in doing that?"

"It's just the taste. It's a bit awful but there's nothing wrong with it." White Impermanence shook his head and then said, "Can't be helped. The Meng Po Soup tastes like that. There's a nice saying in the Immortal Realm, 'forgetting is in itself a painful thing'. Why's it painful? Because the Meng Po Soup's a pain to drink."

The corner of Li Nianfan's mouth twitched. 'Where did he freaking hear this lousy saying from?

'If they knew that forgetting was a painful thing to do, they should've made the soup tastier. They should've at least made it acceptable.'

They passed through the Naihe Bridge and arrived on the other side of the Acheron. He could see a lot of Onis guarding the place. He followed Black and White Impermanence and was soon at the door of the main hall. There was a huge sign on it, with 'The Underworld' written in big fonts.

The door was wide open. It was dark and hollow like a cave. It looked like a deadly beast that would devour anything. It was frightening to look at.

'This is the real Underworld.'

They stepped in. There were no Immortal Realm lights, but there was a creepy dim green light. The surrounding walls were not made from materials, they were uneven rocks. It was as if the Underworld was made from carving a big hole in a rock.

The layout of the place was very simple and ugly. There was nothing much except for the little streams and huge rocks. However, there were a lot of little doors all around it. Ghosts kept coming in and out of them. Some of them floated here on their own. Some of them were arrested and escorted by Onis.

White Impermanence automatically became the tour guide, "Mr. Li, these ghosts are being sent to their specific locations based on their situations before their deaths. Some drank the Meng Po Soup and were going to reincarnate. Some were going to Hell. Or perhaps, they were being sent for judgment."

Li Nianfan nodded. He was basically standing at a hub.

He asked, "Can I trouble you Sires to help me look for Yuecha, Jiese, and Yun Yiyi?"

Black Impermanence smiled and replied, "Mr. Li, you already informed us before. These three are with the Yama."

Li Nianfan slightly raised his eyebrow. "They drank the Meng Po Soup?"

"No, no!" Black Impermanence shook his head continuously. He hurriedly said, "Mr. Li, since you already informed us about them, how could we let them drink the Meng Po Soup? However...their situations were abnormal."

Li Nianfan was stumped. He asked curiously, "What situation?"

White Impermanence replied in a troubled voice, "I don't know how that monk did it. He made his body into a vessel and contained tons of ghosts and souls. His body was like an enigma. He was still in deep sleep. So was the lady named Yun Yiyi. Her body went through some sort of transformation. The two of them won't wake up, and it seems we can't do anything about it either."

'What's going on with those two? Even the Underworld can't do anything?'

Li Nianfan was shocked. "Really?"

They immediately entered a door at the center. They walked for a while and came to the main hall.

They could hear the sound of someone striking a table before they got to the door.

Bam!

Then, they heard a cold and strict voice, "Sinner Qin Luyun. You're a liar and a fraud. You've indirectly caused the deaths of two innocent people for no reason. You shall walk the animal route, be a dog in your next life!"

"I didn't do anything seriously evil, I don't think it's fair!"

"You dare say that? Adding one more sin for you. Drag him out, be a pig in your next life. Your reward is a bowl of Meng Po Soup."

Soon, an Oni walked out with a lost soul, passing by everyone.

Li Nianfan had no sympathy for sinners like that. He entered the main hall and saw the General of the Bloody Sea. He was holding the Death Note and was acting as a temporary judge.

He saw Li Nianfan and immediately smiled. "Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan saluted, "Greetings to the General."

The General of the Bloody Sea knew why he came by. He did not delay the conversation. With a wave, an Oni immediately brought someone in.

Yuecha looked confused at first. Then, she looked like she realized what was going on once she saw Li Nianfan. She smiled awkwardly and said, "Mr. Li, who would've thought we'd see each other so soon?"

Li Nianfan smiled and nodded in response. He looked at Jiese and Yun Yiyi.

They were lying on the floor. They were not in ghost form yet. Their bodies were perfectly fine. They did not look like they were injured at all.

The weird part was that Jiese had a golden halo. It was shimmery and shiny, unlike Yun Yiyi. She had a sparkly black halo.

Li Nianfan could not tell what was going on. He just thought it was very odd. 𝓵𝒊𝒃𝙧𝙚𝒂𝓭.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He had to ask, "When will they wake up?"

White Impermanence shook his head and said, "I can't say for sure. They might be in a coma forever if we don't have a solution. Of course, maybe a miracle will happen. Maybe in the next moment, they will..."

He stopped in his tracks halfway through his sentence. He widened his eyes in disbelief.

'This... This... This...

'They woke up?!'

White Impermanence gulped. His face hurt.

Everyone simultaneously looked at Li Nianfan in awe. They saw that he looked surprised, too. The corners of their mouths twitched at that.

'Bigshot, you're such a good actor. We were just waiting for your arrival to help us the whole time, right?

'You obviously did this, right?'

Jiese had an intense golden light. The light suddenly soared to the sky. They could visibly see countless howling souls in the golden light.

The souls were also helpless in the Underworld. They could not get out of Jiese.

Yun Yiyi had an intense darkness, too. She levitated and formed a weird spiral.

"This is..."

The General of the Bloody Sea had wide round eyes. His mouth was wide and round, too. He dazedly moved forward.

He kind of figured something out. He was astounded and excited at the same time.

At that moment, the Underworld was covered by a powerful aura. The creepy part was that they heard buzzing out of nowhere.

Buzz!

A horrifying airwave exploded with Jiese as the center. A golden light dragon soared to the sky and became a light pillar. It almost pierced through the Underworld.

Everyone in the Underworld saw the sky pillar, including the ones outside and the ones at the Naihe Bridge. They were shocked.

They felt fearful looking at the pillar. They hurriedly looked away. They did not dare to move.

Gradually, a figure of a pagoda slowly appeared in the light pillar. It spun slowly.

It was about a hundred and eight meters tall. Eighteen layers in total!

Meng Po was in disbelief. She trembled all over as she said, "The...the eighteen levels of Hell!"

Kaboom!

Another strong aura appeared.

Next to the golden light was an intense dark light. The darkness formed a black lotus that slowly spun. A groundbreaking aura was emitted.

Soon, the black lotus started to spin fast. It became a bottomless spiral. The jet-black spiral was like a wormhole.

Splat!

The ladle Meng Po was holding dropped into the pot of soup. Her brain seemed to lose the ability to think. She had existed for countless years, yet her state of mind was instantly shattered at that moment. If it were not for the many strangers around her, she probably would have danced and cheered.

"Reincarnation! That's the Reincarnation! The Destructive Black Lotus represents destruction. A new life usually follows after destruction. The expert used the Destructive Black Lotus as a base to patch up the Reincarnation. This is...too, totally incredible!"

The Reincarnation and the eighteen layers of Hell were damaged. The Underworld seemed to be running properly on the surface, but deep down they could not solve the two huge issues. However, the Reincarnation and the eighteen layers of Hell were now fixed. The Underworld was whole again.

Meng Po kept mumbling, "I knew it. The visit of the expert is a sure blessing!"

Chapter 365

Inside the Yama Main Hall.

Everyone was shocked, including Li Nianfan.

Although, to everyone else, he was just pretending to be shocked.

Gradually, the pagoda solidified. An overwhelmingly powerful aura was emitted. Everyone felt like they could not breathe.

Li Nianfan suddenly said, "Jiese's body..."

Jiese turned golden. He started to become transparent, too. It was as if he was made with gold crystals. The light of the pagoda shone. In the end, his body was absorbed into the pagoda.

It was the same for Yun Yiyi. Her body spun as the Black Lotus melted into the odd spiral.

Fume—

Then, the golden pagoda and the black spiral beamed in different directions!

Kaboom!

The earth exploded. The entire Underworld shook.

Black and White Impermanence, the General of the Bloody Sea, and Meng Po felt their hearts racing like crazy. They all thought of a possibility. They started breathing heavily. They wanted nothing more than to rush over and confirm it.

It landed!

The eighteen layers of Hell and the Reincarnation landed in the Underworld!

'Awesome. The Underworld's now stable!'

They had all their facilities in check.

However, the expert was next to them. Li Nianfan did not move, so they had to contain their excitement and go along with it. They could not be rude.

They stood in place. Jiese and Yun Yiyi floated in the air as ghosts. They both looked lost. Finally, they snapped out of it after a long while.

Yun Yiyi saw Jiese and instantly smiled. "Jiese, are we in the Underworld?"

Jiese nodded, "Amitabha. Most probably."

"Haha, Jiese. You're a ghost now, you don't need 'Amitabha' anymore," laughed Li Nianfan.

"Mr. Li!"

Yun Yiyi and Jiese instantly felt at ease. They hurriedly floated over, "Lady Daji, Lady Fire Phoenix."

Nanan put her hands up and reminded everyone, "Us, too. Nanan and Dragon!"

Jiese hurriedly said, "Sorry for being impolite."

He did not expect to see familiar faces in the Underworld. It was a pleasant surprise.

However, he saw Yuecha. He jolted. He said in disbelief, "Tara Yuecha, you..."

Yuecha said, "I was a Demon before I died. It's good that I'm dead, otherwise, Buddhism would have a bad name."

Jiese did the Namaste gesture and said in a tragic tone, "Amitabha."

Li Nianfan said at the side, "Jiese, I didn't expect that you and Lady Yun would die. How did you two die exactly? Also, did you know what you two just did? How did you do that? That was amazing. To describe it in one word, awesome!"

'How did they do it? You're pretending like you don't know?'

Everyone froze in place. They tried their best to control themselves. It was hard to endure.

Jiese was turning purple in the face. Buddhists should not call other people out on their lies. He wondered if he should break that rule.

Yun Yiyi coughed softly and said, "Um... An odd occurrence. Jiese and I fought each other to death."

Li Nianfan said, "Your odd occurrence is so powerful."

White Impermanence nodded and agreed, "Indeed powerful. Definitely one-of-a-kind!"

Black Impermanence went along with it, too. "You two are blessed! But I'm afraid your odd occurrence is related to the Underworld, our shattered eighteen layers of Hell and Reincarnation are back on track."

"So, that's what those two things are," nodded Li Nianfan.

'It seems like the expert's trying hard to pretend that it has nothing to do with him.'

'Since the bigshot's pretending, we have to go along with it.'

If the bigshot suddenly pointed at a pig and said it was a dog, then the pig was a dog. Whoever said it was a pig, they would fight them.

"Yeah... Yeah." The General of the Bloody Sea smiled. He asked, "Mr. Li, do you want to take a look?"

Li Nianfan was interested, "I can?"

"Sure, of course," Black and White Impermanence immediately nodded. "To be honest, we can't wait either."

Li Nianfan laughed, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."

"Here, here!"

The General of the Bloody Sea led the way. Everyone walked out from the Yama Main Hall. They went back to the hub and stood in front of a door at the side.

The General of the Bloody Sea stopped in his tracks. He was very nervous. He felt fearful, like reaching home after a long time and fearing that it would all be for nothing.

After a long while, he took a deep breath and entered the room.

They all walked in as well. Li Nianfan felt overwhelmed. There were clanging sounds out of thin air, and a burning heat from the floor. They felt anxious.

They were standing on a narrow bridge!

Underneath the bridge was hot molten lava!

The golden lava slowly flowed and created waves of fire. It was blinding because the Underworld was dim and gloomy... Scary!

Li Nianfan had not compared lava before. However, he had a feeling that the lava was more than a hundred times scarier than volcano lava!

There was a pagoda in the lava, underneath the bridge. The pagoda had eighteen layers. It was extremely huge, and it looked like the pagoda figure they saw earlier.

The pagoda was connected to the bridge and the four walls with metal ropes that were thicker than people. The bridge swayed in the air.

They could see what was happening inside the pagoda from the bridge. All sorts of weird and scary torture devices were in there. Some rooms looked like kitchens full of boiling oil. They could also see a mountain full of knives and a sea made of fire.

Li Nianfan looked at it from afar. He felt visually impacted. He suddenly felt like he was puny. If he had to describe it, it was astounding, majestic, and very scary!

"Eighteen layers of Hell. It's the eighteen layers of Hell! It's back, it's really back!"

Black and White Impermanence and a lot of Onis were awestruck by the sight. They were emotional and they teared up. They almost cried in a river.

For countless years, they came here and saw nothing but a wasteland.

The lava used to be cold rocks. The pagoda used to be what was left of it. They felt cold and miserable. However...

Things had changed!

The wasteland became the true eighteen layers of Hell!

They were all thinking of the previous wasteland, so it impacted their emotions harder. They wanted to not cry but it was too hard to endure.

The General of the Bloody Sea looked at Li Nianfan from behind. He had nothing but respect for the man.

'He can easily change realms. Even the Destructive Black Lotus can be transformed in the eyes of the expert.

'The eighteen layers of Hell and Reincarnation are probably toys in his eyes.'

Anybody with his level of abilities would have treated the world as an insect. Only the expert would deny taking credit for it.

'Why?

'He's clearly trying to be more approachable with others!

'Once the expert admits he's awesome, he'd be so high up. How could we be his bootlickers by then? He would be unapproachable.

'His level of thinking is so far above us. It's indescribable.'

"Oh yeah," said the General of the Bloody Sea. He suddenly had an idea and felt like he had to perform for all the big shots. He said, "Previously, the eighteen layers of Hell were destroyed. A lot of evil ghosts didn't get the punishment they deserve. I could put them in here. What do you think, Mr. Li?"

Li Nianfan smiled. "You should do as you need, General."

"Onis, bring them up!"

Soon, a bunch of Onis walked over with a batch of evil ghosts with cuffs on their wrists and legs.

A lot of the evil ghosts were from the previous Bloody Sea. They looked extremely disgusting and horrid. They were scary to look at.

They also struggled and roared.

A lot of ghosts begged and screamed in agony. However, it was too late to regret their actions.

The General of the Bloody Sea looked harsh. "Ha, you all are lucky to be the first batch of the new eighteen layers of Hell. Have fun!"

Every Oni was assigned their tasks under his orders. They sent the ghosts to different levels of Hell.

Li Nianfan was perfectly fine. He did not enjoy looking at torture so he soon lost interest.

Jiese, Yuecha, and Yun Yiyi had complicated facial expressions. They looked frightened because they felt like they could not escape the fate of Hell. They felt weak.

The General of the Bloody Sea noticed that Li Nianfan was not interested. He asked, "How about we check out the Reincarnation area?"

Li Nianfan nodded, "If that's possible, that'd be nice."

He visited most of the Underworld. The trip was pretty worth it.

Reincarnation was naturally an important land of the Underworld. It was very important so there were a lot of Onis guarding the area.

Li Nianfan followed the General of the Bloody Sea to the Reincarnation area. He realized that there were as many ghosts there as there were on the Naihe Bridge. The same long rows of ghosts.

Through the express lane, they were soon at the front row.

They saw a huge wheel. The wheel was like a huge windmill, spinning slowly.

There were six parts on the wheel with six different wormholes. They looked like they could suck the souls out of their eyes. They felt dizzy just looking at it.

The six black holes could be put in two groups—the group on the left and the group on the right. A curved Yin and Yang line separated the two groups in the middle.

"So, this is what the Six Wheels of Reincarnation look like."

Li Nianfan gained knowledge again. "The left and right parts represent... Yin and Yang?"

White Impermanence nodded. He replied, "In a way, yes. It's more commonly known as good and evil."

Li Nianfan nodded and stared at two figures in front of the wheel.

The two figures were eye-catching. Li Nianfan instantly recognized them on sight. They were the Ox-Head and Horse-Face for sure.

They guarded the area and scratched their ears. They seemed to be anxious.

The Ox-Head and Horse-Face immediately came over when they saw Li Nianfan and the others. They looked excited.

Horse-Face could not wait to say, "General, what happened in our Underworld? Staying put to guard this area's inhumane. This is torture for us."

"Exactly! When can we get more helpers out here?!" shouted the Ox-Head. Then, he exclaimed, "The Wheel of Reincarnation has started to spin again. The effectiveness of Reincarnation is going to increase. All we lack are helpers!

"You're troubling us brutes by letting us decide the Reincarnation routes of the ghosts. It's more tiring than fighting!"

"Stop complaining. Who isn't tired like a single dad or a single mom around here? I worked in multiple positions. Did I say anything about it?"

The General of the Bloody Sea interrupted the two complainers. He moved aside and glared at Ox-Head and Horse-Face. He threw them hints like crazy. Then, he said in a serious tone, "These are the important guests of the Underworld. This is Mr. Li. Hurry up and greet them properly!"

'Mr. Li?'

'That expert!'

Ox-Head and Horse-Face instantly jolted. They were nervous and excited. They felt like they were meeting their idol.

They knew they were able to break their seal all because of the expert! He was the golden bigshot of the Underworld.

'No wonder there was such a hassle just now. Even the Wheel of Reincarnation was fixed. It's because the expert has arrived!'

'Blessing of the Underworld. This is a blessing of the Underworld!'

"Mr. Li, I'm Ox-Head. Welcome to the Underworld."

"Mr. Li, I'm Horse-Face. Next time you're here in the Underworld, I've got your back!"

Li Nianfan saluted. He smiled and asked, "Pleasure to meet you two. Are you two... judging for Reincarnation?"

"Yeah. Are you interested, Mr. Li?" Ox-Head and Horse-Face lit up. They quickly jogged over. "Mr. Li, let me show you how it's done."

They immediately raised their hands and out came a small book. It was the Death Note. A calligraphy brush appeared on the other hand.

He said in a professional tone, "Next."

A dog ghost slowly walked over. Woof!

"Look, Mr. Li," said Ox-Head as he put the Death Note in front of Li Nianfan. "This indicates the judgment for the dog."

"Loyal guard dog died defending its owner. Can be reincarnated as a Human."

The word 'can' implied that Reincarnation was all based on the decisions of Ox-Head and Horse-Face.

Ox-Head picked up the brush and drew a tick on it. The Wheel of Reincarnation spun. One of the black holes sucked the soul of that dog.

"Next."

A student appeared. He did not do much because he drank the Meng Po Soup. His mind was like a baby's.

"Look again, Mr. Li." Ox-Head kept it true. "This is the judgment of the Death Note. The small row of words at the side here are the comments and suggestions of the City Gods."

"Kind-hearted, helpful, rule-abider. A good person. Should be reincarnated as a Human."

The comments of the City Gods stated, 'This person is kind. I Like to read books. However, he felt like life was painful. Physically and mentally exhausted. Did not want to reincarnate as a Human, would rather be a fish.'

Ox-Head was stumped. He rubbed his horn. "This is a difficult case. There's nothing much to go on and not a lot of bonus to the personality. The student could only be reincarnated into a normal household. They didn't specify what type of fish they wanted to be either."

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Can we find out what type of books he liked to read?"

"Not hard to find out." Ox-Head did his thing. Two more words appeared, 'Original publishing'.

Li Nianfan instantly respected that. He said, "This could be a bonus."

"Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Li. I thought so, too!"

Ox-Head circled the words and added, "Shall be reincarnated into a rich family. A happy life with money and success. Death by old age while sleeping."

Chapter 366

Li Nianfan was taken aback. "You can...simply change it?"

Ox-Head replied humbly, "Just small adjustments. Not that different. I can't change a pig into a dog."

'You just changed someone's reincarnation from being born into a normal household to a rich household. You call that a small adjustment?'

'That's more different than changing a pig into a dog!

'Authorities who don't understand the suffering of the common people!'

Li Nianfan changed his mind about the adjudgement position.

'Such a cool job. I can't believe Ox-Head and Horse-Face would complain about it. How dare they?

'They're blessed without knowing it. I feel so envious.'

Li Nianfan was glad that he was close with the Underworld. It was great that his afterlife would be nice.

He noticed that Jiese and the others had not spoken in a long while. They looked sad wearing their frowns. They could almost write the word 'worry' on their faces. They did not even dare to speak.

He instantly had an idea. He asked, "Brother Ox, tell me honestly. For these three people, how would you judge them?"

"This..."

Ox-Head looked at Yucca and the others. He felt troubled. Then, he said softly, "Two of them killed innocent lives, another one illegally trapped souls. Those are huge sins. They might not be able to reincarnate."

That meant that they were going to the eighteen levels of Hell.

Yun Yiyi went pale. She smiled awkwardly and said, "Mr. Li, I deserve the punishment. You don't have to beg for me."

Suddenly, Jiese spoke up, "I followed her the whole time. I could've stopped her but never did. The karma of Lady Yun should be mine."

Li Nianfan hurriedly interrupted the couple that was about to go all lovey-dovey. "Brother Ox, um... Can you give them a pass?"

"Theoretically, I can't," replied Ox-Head. The word 'theoretically' was crucial. As expected, the Ox said, "However, for these three, one of them set up Buddhism, one of them restored Hell, and the other fixed the Wheel of Reincarnation. These are huge achievements. I could plead for them."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "That's great news!"

'So-called pleading. The judgment is decided by Ox-Head the entire time.'

He immediately took out his wine gourd and poured him a drink. "Oh yeah, Brother Ox, Brother Horse, this is our first time meeting. You haven't tried my homemade brew. It's not as good as Immortal Wine but it tastes nice. Please, try it."

"Mr. Li, don't be a stranger. We don't need this hospitality because we're close friends now, right?" Ox-Head and Horse-Face said. However, their eyes were fixated on the drinks, almost popping out of their skulls.

Black and White Impermanence had not stopped bragging about how powerful the expert was since they were back. They mostly mentioned his delicious food and wine. They said it was a hundred times better than the so-called ambrosia!

Every time Ox-Head and Horse-Face heard about it, they would salivate hard and would feel hungry. They wanted nothing more but to taste it!

'Is this the expert's beautiful wine?'

They sniffed. 'Wow, what a nice smell!'

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Precisely because we're close, I have to treat you to a drink. Don't be courteous with me."

Ox-Head and Horse-Face gulped hard. "Thank you then."

They could not wait. They took the wine glass and drank it.

"Ah—"

Beautiful wine. It was indeed beautiful wine!

They smacked their lips. The flavor was delicious and it was also beneficial for their cultivation. The wine...was from another realm.

Ox-Head and Horse-Face were instantly astounded. They respected the expert even more. They could not believe that they were back in the Underworld tasting such beautiful wine. It was unfathomable. They would not even dream of it.

Li Nianfan held the wine gourd. He smiled and said, "Come on, there's another glass of wine after this one."

He did not just pour wine for Ox-Head and Horse-Face. Black and White Impermanence and the others by the side got a glass each, too. Even the Ones who stood guard had their own glasses.

The Onis were already glancing in his direction. They thought they could sneak closer to smell the beautiful wine aroma. They did not expect to get a glass of wine for free. They were instantly surprised and continuously thanked him.

As for the line of ghosts, they could only watch them pitifully.

Suddenly, an elder protested, "Why don't we get some? Spare us a drop."

"Huh?"

Ox-Head was surprised. "This old man has such a clear state of mind. What's going on?"

Horse-Face waved, "Looks like someone's intelligence is still intact. Drag him out and reward him with another bowl of Meng Po Soup."

Everyone enjoyed the beautiful grape wine. They were instantly in a better mood.

Ox-Head's cheeks were flushed. He joyfully patted his chest and said, "Mr. Li, these three are your friends, which means they're my friends, too. It's not much but I'm good at helping out my friends. You can count on me!"

He immediately raised his hand. The Death Note gleamed.

The information about Yuecha appeared first.

"Demon. Killed countless lives. A massive sinner. Should go to the sixteenth layer of Hell for three thousand years before being reincarnated as a pig."

'That's too scary. Imagine spending three thousand years in the sixteenth layer of Hell and then reincarnating as a Pig.'

"Piece of cake." Ox-Head smiled and put the brush in his mouth to wet it with his saliva. He started to write.

"This person is regretful of past actions and created Buddhism. Guided others to be kind. Did good karma. Temporarily abolish the punishment in Hell. To be confirmed."

Ox-Head scratched his head and said, "Mr. Li, the Hell punishment has been removed. As for Reincarnation, I'm afraid it would be a tragic life, and she might not be human."

"Thank you so much," said Yuecha genuinely. She paused and said, "Can you let me reincarnate into a boy?"

It seemed like she wanted to become a monk in the next life.

"Haha, easy." Ox-Head smiled and wrote 'Guy, male, man'.

Next up were Jiese and Yun Yiyi. They both looked nervous.

As expected, the punishment for their sins were as harsh as Yuecha's.

Ox-Head smiled. "You two are easier to deal with. Plus, we're grateful for what you two have done for the Underworld. This will be a piece of cake."

Yun Yiyi asked excitedly, "Can you make sure we're a married couple in the next life?"

Ox-Head replied, "I can but since you both have sinned, you're destined to have troubles in your next lives."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "No worries. As long as they have a good ending in the end."

Ox-Head did not say anything else since Li Nianfan spoke up. He wrote, "Okay... Let me try."

"Relationship troubles. Every trouble they face will be harsh and brutal. An unsuccessful relationship, as if Fate keeps stopping them. However..."

Ox-Head reread the sentence. In the end, he just wrote the two words, 'Happy ending'.

'Damn, I don't care anymore. I have written down the main plot. Fate shall do as it pleases for the specific details.

'I'm not very educated. I can only help you two this much.'

Yun Yiyi was immediately happy. She said, "Thanks, Sire Ox."

Black and White Impermanence noticed that they were done. They smiled and said, "Alright, you all can go reincarnate after drinking the Meng Po Soup."

Yuecha and the others looked at each other. They all bowed at Li Nianfan at the same time. They did not speak because words could not express their gratitude towards him.

Li Nianfan laughed."Alright, you should be thanking the Sires of the Underworld. Live well in your next life."

He pursed his lip. He felt like something was off about that sentence.

Black and White Impermanence led the way. "Please, follow us."

Yuecha and the others naturally used the express lane of the Underworld. They did not need to line up.

They were back at the Naihe Bridge. The old granny who scooped soup was still there. She looked friendly.

She smiled at everyone as she scooped three big bowls of soup for Yuecha and the others. "Don't be courteous, drink up."

She looked at Li Nianfan and the others again. She smiled and asked, "Guests, do you want some?"

"Hell no!" Nanan and Dragon jumped and hid behind Li Nianfan.

Ziye had to say, "Granny, stop joking."

She smiled. She remembered that the granny would always ask her that question to scare her when she used to visit the Underworld.

"Ha, it's Little Ziye." Meng Po looked kind and caring. "It's been a lot of years since I last saw you. How's the Heavenly Palace?"

Ziye looked troubled. She opened her mouth and was ready to tell Meng Po about the Heavenly Palace situation, hoping to get a solution.

"Blergh!"

Yun Yiyi suddenly vomited. She took the bowl and sniffed it when she was not ready yet. She immediately felt her stomach twist. She looked horrified.

'Smelly and stinky. I'll die if I drink this...thingy, right?'

She looked at Yuecha and Jiese again. The two of them had closed their eyes. They seemed to be chanting Buddhist scriptures. However, their hands that were holding the bowls were trembling.

Yun Yiyi hurriedly apologized, "Sorry, I just feel a bit... Blergh!"

Li Nianfan had to say, "Um... Granny, can I add some seasoning to the soup? To better the flavor." 𝑙𝒾𝒷𝘳𝑒𝑎𝒹.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Meng Po smiled and said, "If you have some, you can try adding it into the pot, Mr. Li."

"Okay." Li Nianfan took out a seasoning packet that he had brought with him. He tore it open and poured half of it into the pot.

Meng Po stirred for a short while. Then, it emitted an odd aroma. The nervous ghosts suddenly scrunched up their noses. They looked at the Meng Po Soup weirdly. They might even be excited to try it.

Black and White Impermanence's gazes were fixed on the pot of Meng Po Soup, too. They had to lick their lips.

White Impermanence had to ask, "Mr. Li, what did you put in there? It smells so good!"

"Chicken essence and cumin. These two things can better flavor and smell for anything."

White Impermanence was awestruck. "Goodness, chicken essence? That's a legendary item!"

Black Impermanence looked mystified and wanted to know everything. "What kind of chicken produced this essence? I have to capture some chicken."

Meng Po started to scoop soup for the ghosts and souls again.

A middle-aged man had a bowl of Meng Po Soup in his hand but he did not drink it.

An Oni looked unhappy at that. He scolded, "What? We already made it better for you, why don't you drink it? Hurry up!"

The ghost looked like he was in pain. He said, "You don't know this, Sire. I'm in love with a girl. Our groundbreaking love is more solid than gold. The memories of us being together have been deeply etched into my mind. I once promised her that I'd never forget her."

The Oni frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that one bowl of Meng Po Soup...may not be enough."

"You daring punk! You're just trying to scam us for another bowl!"

The Oni had seen through his schemes. He waved, "Fellas, give him the original version of the Meng Po Soup. Let him have it!"

Chapter 367

Yuecha and the others quickly thanked Li Nianfan again. Yun Yiyi was leaning on Jesus. They stood at the bridge to look at the view. They were publically lovey-dovey for a while before they were satisfied. They drank the Meng Po Soup and went to reincarnate.

Li Nianfan looked sentimental as they left. That goodbye was final. He wondered if he would ever see them again. Even if he did, they would not recognize each other anymore.

Black and White Impermanence moved their heads closer to the pot. They gulped and asked, "Granny, this Meng Po Soup... Would there be any issues if we drink it?"

Meng Po gave them a friendly smile and said, "Nope. Don't delay, hurry up and drink it."

Black and White Impermanence were instantly disinterested. They moved away from the pot and said, "It doesn't matter. We have self-control."

Li Nianfan looked at Meng Po. He did not expect the old granny to be so evil.

"Little Ziye, how's the Heavenly Palace?"

Meng Po put down the ladle and simply passed it to an Oni. She wiped her hands and said, "Let's go. Everyone, why don't we find a place to sit? Have a chat with granny, okay?"

Li Nianfan nodded. "Sorry to intrude."

Everyone was about to head out. The Oni who took the ladle finally caved into temptation and tried the soup.

Black and White Impermanence were instantly intrigued. They stared at the Oni excitedly and asked, "How is it?"

The Oni smacked his lips. He looked at Black and White Impermanence in a daze. Then, he scrunched his nose up and said, "Huh? Why's there a pot of soup here? It looks delicious."

Slurp!

A moment later.

"Huh? Why's there a pot of soup here? It looks delicious."

Slurp!

"Huh? Why's there a pot of soup here? It looks delicious."

...

"Stop drinking it. Your brain will melt if you keep drinking."

Black and White Impermanence hurriedly stopped him. "Guards, drag him away. This comrade caved in to temptation in the end. Send him away to reincarnate."

An excellent Oni dragged him away in the blink of an eye. He left peacefully while thinking of that pot of soup.

They went back to the main hall. Female ghosts immediately served them tea.

Li Nianfan naturally did not drink it. After the Meng Po Soup incident, he made a mental note to himself that he should not eat or drink...the food from the Underworld.

He took out the wine gourd and a lot of fruits. "Drink my wine, everyone. Fruits, too. I also brought tea leaves, it tastes quite nice."

"Mr. Li, I feel sorry about this," the General of the Bloody Sea apologized while he stood up to respectfully take the stuff from Li Nianfan. "You're a guest of the Underworld but I troubled you to bring your own food and wine. It's a sin, it's our fault!"

"Mr. Li, there's a serious lack of food in the Underworld. After the catastrophe, we... Sigh, let's not mention it." White Impermanence shrugged it off. "Anyhow, thank you so much for your food. We'll shamelessly take it."

"Shameless," scoffed Nanan. She also poked her tongue out at Black and White Impermanence. "Hehe..."

"Nanan, don't be rude." Li Nianfan hurriedly smacked some sense into her. He ruffled her head. The little brat did not understand the importance of civilized manners yet. It would be bad if she offended the Sires.

Everyone drank wine, ate fruits, and chatted. They were bonding.

Finally, the conversation was back on the main topic.

Meng Po enjoyed the tea made by Li Nianfan. She instantly felt comfortable. Even the wrinkles on her face went away. She asked again, "Little Ziye, how many people are left in the Heavenly Palace?"

"Not much." Ziye shook her head. "That year, I was the youngest. My sisters and everyone else protected me. Luckily, I survived the catastrophe. Not long ago, I had the chance to return to the Heavenly Palace but I realized...everyone had been turned to stone."

Her voice became hoarse when she talked about it. Tears were in her eyes.

"As expected." Meng Po sighed. She calmed herself down and said, "The Primordial Spirits have been sealed, permanently. It's not hard to guess who's able to do that."

Ziye was utterly nervous. She asked the most important question, "Are they salvable?"

"Too difficult." Meng Po unconsciously looked at Li Nianfan. If the expert was willing to help, they would eventually be saved. For example, Ox-Head and Horse-Face were unsealed because of the expert. They got lucky.

But of course, she could not say it.

"If I was still at my prime, I could've woken them up with the power of Reincarnation. It would take a long time though." Meng Po sighed softly before she continued, "I'm just glad that it's just a seal. It means they're still alive and we have a chance to save them."

Ziye sighed in relief when she heard that they were alive. It was considered good news. They could find a solution.

Li Nianfan listened to their conversation. He was intrigued. He remembered that in the legendary stories, a part of Meng Po's soul was split from the Houtu Empress. 'What if... Really?'

He had to ask, "Granny, may I know if you're the Virtuous Houtu?"

Meng Po shook her head and smiled awkwardly, "Mr. Li, as Reincarnation was shattered, the Virtuous Houtu no longer exists."

'She really was the Virtuous Houtu!'

Li Nianfan jolted. He was riled up because he was with a famous Saint!

He was prepared to meet the bigshots in his legendary stories but he did not expect to meet one so sudden.

Black and White Impermanence were famous, too, but they were just errand-runners, the cameos of the fantasy realm. It felt different to meet a main character.

Li Nianfan went serious and said, "Houtu Empress, you sacrificed yourself for Reincarnation and blessed countless spirits and souls. No one would dare forget it! I respect you!"

Among all the Saints, Li Nianfan was only impressed by two of them. One of them was Houtu Empress, the other was Goddess Nuwa.

They were also the only two female Saints amongst all the Saints.

It was not an exaggeration to say that Li Nianfan grew up listening to stories of how Goddess Nuwa patched the sky and how she made humans with clay. The Humans were forever indebted to her generosity. Even Wukong was born from the stone left by Goddess Nuwa.

As for the Houtu Empress, she was one of the main characters. In the end, she had sacrificed herself for the sake of continuing Reincarnation. She also left a deep impression on Li Nianfan. Those two were his idols.

"That's an exaggeration, Mr. Li," chuckled Meng Po. She humbly waved it off but she could not stop smiling.

She could tell that Li Nianfan genuinely respected her. It was hard not to be happy after receiving such a great comment from the expert. The expert understood her!

However, when Li Nianfan said his next sentence, she truly felt an unexpected sting in her heart.

"Houtu Empress, you must have endless Deluxe Merit!"

Meng Po gradually stopped smiling.

'Endless my foot.

'If this sentence was said by someone else, I would've believed it. But to come from you? That's just mean.

'You have the Deluxe Merit Flesh. My Deluxe Merit compared to yours is like a strand of hair. You complimented me so much just to show off in the end. I want to cry, this is bullying!'

It was as if a rich guy told the hardworking worker, "Wow, you're so hardworking and you earned five hundred dollars. Awesome, I respect that."

Then, the rich guy ate a meal worth more than five hundred dollars...

'Was it even a compliment? 𝒍𝓲𝙗𝒓𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝙘𝒐𝓶

'No. I can't think about it anymore. My heart hurts.'

Ziye was more concerned with the Heavenly Palace. She continued to ask, "Granny, what happened during the catastrophe?"

Meng Po sounded sentimental. She slowly said, "About the catastrophe, I wasn't planning to talk about it. However, the Underworld's now back on track. I don't have to hide these things anymore. It's going to be a long story."

Everyone went serious. They listened attentively.

Meng Po picked up the kettle and refilled her cup of tea. Then, she slowly sipped on the tea and enjoyed it. Once she was satisfied with the suspense she had created, she put down her teacup and started the story.

"Buddhism was destroyed in the first place because someone incredible suddenly appeared in the realm. He was more powerful than the Saints!"

Meng Po looked scared. She took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "This person also caused the First Tribulation of the Dragons and the Phoenixes, His name was Luohou. He's on the same level as the Buddha."

The Fire Phoenix slightly furrowed her brows. She asked, "He caused the First Tribulation of the Dragons and the Phoenixes?"

She had to look at Li Nianfan. Not long ago, Li Nianfan talked about the First Tribulation of the Dragons and the Phoenixes in his stories. He claimed that the First Tribulation was caused by war among the three species. The two stories did not add up.

"Don't look at me, Houtu Empress is indeed right." Li Nianfan shrugged. "The fight of the three species was the main reason, but secretly, Luohou was the one who instigated it. Luohou was sneaky and wanted nothing more than to cause havoc. It was beneficial to him that more people died."

Li Nianfan finally pieced together the last plot piece when he heard the name Luohu. Demons were created by Luohou. Lawless seemed powerful but in reality, he was just a chess piece for Luohou.

He remembered that Luohou had two famous items. One of them was the God Killing Spear. The other one was the Destructive Black Lotus. He was a bigshot in the same era as Hongjun.

Meng Po was excited. She asked, "Mr. Li, you know Luohu? What exactly is he?"

She was an ancestor but she only appeared after the realms split. She did not know what happened.

Li Nianfan groaned for a moment. He pursed his lips and replied, "I...will have to start from when the realms split apart. Of course, this is just a story I heard. The accuracy of it is yet to be confirmed."

"We get it." Everyone nodded at the same time. They had oranges in their hands. They were excited to listen to his stories while eating them.

'The expert's going to start storytime. Take notes, everybody.'

'The splitting of the realms, how majestic!'

Everyone slowed their breaths down as their hearts clenched.

Meng Po was more excited than the others. That was probably the story of her father! She did not expect that the expert was from the same era as her father. No, perhaps he was someone more ancient than her father!

'Scary, terrifying!'

Li Nianfan cleared his throat. He said, "So, the world was still in chaos before the realms were split apart. The chaos birthed three thousand Demon Gods. Each Demon God represented a power!

"Pangu, Luohou, and Hongjun were amongst the three thousand Demon Gods. One day, Pangu, with the Power of Law, achieved maximum cultivation. He was planning to split the realms apart to create a new world. He wanted to level up his cultivation. However, it was opposed by all the other Demon Gods," Li Nianfan said casually. He did not speak in a dramatic tone. However, everyone could not help but visualize it. They were immersed in the scary story.

Li Nianfan continued, "Pangu was powerful. When he split the realms apart, he was attacked by the other three thousand Demon Gods, but he single-handedly killed most of them!"

Meng Po asked nervously, "Mr. Li, what happened next?"

Li Nianfan shook his head and said with pity, "It was too bad that Pangu was exhausted. He could only choose to transform his body into a part of the new world. His mind created the mountains, lands, lakes, and oceans. His Primordial Spirit transformed into the Three Qings, which are also the three Saints. His body and blood transformed into the Twelves Ancestors, one of which was the Houtu Empress. The rest was transformed into countless Heavenly Spiritual Treasures."

Aside from Meng Po, everyone's eyes were wide. They felt their skin crawl and had goosebumps all over.

They had to look around. Everything around them was created by Pangu. They had the utmost respect for him while also being fearful.

'Splitting the realms and creating all sorts of lives. What an incredible existence!'

"The realm was created...by a person." Nanan gasped. She looked awestruck. "That's so awesome."

"Pangu was naturally powerful. His abilities, state of mind, and personality were awesome. You could say he was born to create realms. It's a pity that..."

"What?"

"It's a pity that someone exploited his work." Li Nianfan shrugged it off. He was slightly emotional as he said, "Pangu created a new world by sacrificing his body. The new world was like a newborn baby. The three thousand Demon Gods were not all dead yet, so, of course, they started to fight for power to rule the world."

Meng Po felt her heart sink. She realized something. She asked in a low voice, "Mr. Li, are you referring to Hongjun and Luohou?"

"Not just Hongjun and Luohou. However, I guess only the two of them managed to live until now," Li Nianfan said as he nodded. "Hongjun is the bigger winner. He cultivated into a Buddha."

Meng Po scolded, "That's the result of stealing father's work. He's just a thief! It's a shame that I didn't know that in the past. Otherwise, I would've fought him!"

She felt sad when she thought of her brothers. Back when it was the prime age of the Twelve Ancestors, she could have fought him. However...she had nothing left.

Li Nianfan said, "It's normal that you didn't know about it. He didn't dare to let you all know. He also tried to weaken your powers. After all, you're all made from Pangu. A reincarnation of Pangu."

Meng Po's eyes widened at that. She was mind blown. She sat in place, dumbfounded.

Usually, the words of an outsider could snap a person out of it!

"The First Tribulation of the Dragons and the Phoenixes, the Cultivators and Demons War, and the Power Seal Tribulation. I get it now, I see!"

All the creatures, including Dragons, Phoenixes, cultivators, or even Demons were transformed from Pangu. Hongjun schemed, instigating the Pangu reincarnations to kill each other. They weakened each other and Hongjun simply waited to collect the benefits.

In the end, he successfully did it.

Not only did he succeed, he also took in the Three Qings as his disciples so he could have all the power to himself. It implied that he basically stole everything created by Pangu!

Chapter 368

Meng Po frowned. She looked helpless and sad. "Damn!"

Everyone else looked shocked with wide eyes and opened mouths. They could not snap out of it.

They felt like they had just heard something incredible.

They still had not figured out what happened in between the stories yet but... He split the realms apart, created a new world, and got knocked off by others. The phrase 'secret villain' described Hongjun the best. They truly felt the harsh and cruel reality of the world.

'Too scary!'

'The fights between big shots are too scary!'

The Fire Phoenix had a complex look. She thought the Dragons, Phoenixes, and Kirins were the natural-born species of the realm. She did not expect that in the end, they were all chess pieces. Even her ancestors were tricked.

Her ancestors were one with Heaven. Did he rule Heaven at that time?

Li Nianfan continued, "Hongjun was against every species made by Pangu. However, the world was transformed from Pangu and it isn't perfect. Therefore, regardless of the Three Kings, or your Reincarnation, it maintains the world. It's the foundation that keeps the world running. He can't kill you all to extinction."

Moreover, Heaven was not perfect either. Hongjun had no choice but to go along with it because he did not want to be limited. He did not want to lose his freedom.

Everyone nodded simultaneously. They looked like they gained some knowledge. "I see."

"Alright, that's the end of the story," said Li Nianfan. He looked at Meng Po.

That was a hint... It was her turn to tell her story.

Li Nianfan was curious as to how the catastrophe happened.

Meng Po took the hint. She said, "Thanks, Mr. Li, for telling the story. You helped me understand a lot. Otherwise, I'm afraid I still would've been fooled until the day I die. Let me finish my story from earlier...

"After Buddhism was wiped out. Hongjun gathered everyone and had a meeting at the Zixiao Palace. The future was discussed. Six words summarized their discussion, 'Heaven is failing, the Absolute Era'!"

'Heaven is failing' meant that Heaven had limited resources or abilities. There would be more limits and troubles.

The meaning of 'the Absolute Era' spoke for itself.

Li Nianfan frowned and thought about the six words. In other words, it probably meant that the world was about to go downhill, informing everyone to be prepared.

He mumbled, "Incoming chaos..."

Meng Po sighed and said, "Yeah, once the news got out, it caused chaos indeed."

Dragon was puzzled. "Brother, what's the meaning of those six words? Why would it cause chaos?"

Li Nianfan explained, "The actual scheme...was to affect the minds. Once the minds of the people were messed up, everything else would be messed up, too. Hence, chaos ensued."

He was used to the modern world so he knew that words in themselves had power!

It was very scary!

Naturally, any ordinary person had no power in saying that. However, it was said by a bigshot so it was impactful.

It was like hearing a super billionaire say the economy was failing in a very formal and public event. Naturally, it would cause chaos in the stock market.

How badly could words affect the results?

Everyone would quote the super billionaire and follow him. Everyone would do something about it, especially the other bigshots. They would want to protect themselves. Thus, chaos would ensue.

Meng Po nodded. "His words made everyone anxious, especially the Heavenly Palace and the Underworld. Every species and sect were scared."

'No wonder.

'No wonder it was named the Absolute Era. Anyone could publically harm the Underworld and the Heavenly Palace. We even had internal problems.

'A lot of bigshots had that mentality where they'd rather sacrifice other cultivators than their own. They wiped out the other sects to ensure the safety of their own sects.

'Hongjun! Truly Hongjun!

'It wasn't even a conspiracy. He just sat there and watched it all unfold. He tricked everyone with his words.

'Of course, maybe he meant it when he said that it was going to be the Absolute Era. However, he was most probably trying to instigate things.

'The rest is history. There must be all sorts of scheming, fighting, and tribulations after that.

'However...'

Li Nianfan frowned and started to think.

'Hongjun would be the biggest winner if nothing unexpected happened. What's in it for him?

'More straightforwardly, is it beneficial for him to rule the world?

'The plans of a bigshot aren't that shallow.

'What was Luohou's role in the story then? There's no way he wasn't connected to Hongjun.

'There's a second possibility but it's a stretch. Perhaps Hongjun was never scheming. Perhaps he was just sitting there, chilling and not participating.

'Whatever. I won't think about it anymore, what does it have to do with me anyway?

'I have the golden touch and I'm a Deluxe Merit Saint. Who would try to hurt me? As for my capabilities, I'm just an ordinary man. I can't do anything and I'm not a threat to the big shots.

'I'll just be a nice guest. Live life leisurely in a simple way.'

Dragon and Nana were kind of confused. The others were shocked. They gasped.

Meng Po sighed softly. She said, "Thankfully, after the catastrophe, our Underworld managed to get back on track again. However, it's a shame that we lack workers. It's a troubling concern!"

She glanced at Li Nianfan. She was trying to find out if the expert had anyone to recommend. They would hire them for sure. After all, the expert single-handedly brought back the Underworld. They wished the expert could recommend someone.

In that case, the Underworld would have a closer bond with the expert.

Li Nianfan did not say anything.

He could not interfere with those kinds of matters, especially the hiring of workers. It was the privacy of the expert. He could not intervene unless it was necessary.

It was a pity that their friends were not dead yet. Otherwise, they could have told them, "Go ahead and die. Our Underworld's hiring. Say hi and we'll get you a position."

Everyone finally figured out what started the catastrophe. They felt emotional.

Ziye looked down. She felt like it was now harder to revive the Heavenly Palace. She was in a daze and she did not know what to do.

White Impermanence said invitingly, "Mr. Li, it's getting late. How about you stay at the Underworld for a few days? We'll provide you with the best service and the most comfortable place of stay."

'Yeah right, service and nice environment in the Underworld? 𝙡𝙞𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝓸𝓶

'I can accept the female ghosts. They might be ghosts and they're beautiful. But a comfortable place to stay...? How can it be comfortable?

'I don't have weird likings like staying in the Underworld.'

Li Nianfan shook his head and smiled without hesitation. He said, "Ha, thanks for the consideration, but I'm not used to sleeping in the Underworld."

"Too bad." Black and White Impermanence shook their heads.

Li Nianfan stood up. He saluted and said, "Thanks for everything today, everyone. I shall leave now."

He visited the Underworld and gained a lot of knowledge. He also perfectly helped Yuecha and the others. It was all thanks to his cultivator friends.

The General of the Bloody Sea laughed and said, "You're welcome, Mr. Li. Our Underworld isn't much, but one of our best qualities is our hospitality for our guests."

Meng Po said passionately, "Mr. Li, you're welcome to swing by next time!"

After a while of chatting, Black and White Impermanence opened the Underworld Gates and they returned to the Immortal Realm.

It was much easier to return from the Underworld because they could use any one of the City God Temples as a location. They were directly brought back to the City God Temple of the Fallen Town.

It was fast and convenient. Li Nianfan had a new idea.

That was a Teleportation Spell. If he was ever in a hurry to go somewhere, he could just use the Underworld as a transit. It would be far more convenient.

Of course, it was just a thought. He would never do that.

Soon, it was nighttime.

The Fallen Town's City God received a message. He was waiting at the City God Temple.

He was an elder named Zhou. He said with respect, "Greetings to the Impermanence Sires, greetings to Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan had heard of the elder before. He smiled and said, "Hello, Elder Zhou."

Black and White Impermanence nodded. They hinted at the elder with a polite warning, "Fallen Town's a beautiful place. You were able to become a City God here. Your future's bright, so keep up the good work! Don't relax! Otherwise, we'll make your life a living Hell!"

They sent a clear message for the elderly. The expert stayed nearby, and he personally created the Fallen Town's City God Temple. It was a place of Luck. If they could, Black and White Impermanence would have pushed the elder out and become the City Gods themselves.

"Yes, I got it." The Fallen Town's City God kept nodding with seriousness.

White Impermanence was taken aback by something. He said, "Yo, it's late at night but it's still so crowded here."

The Fallen Town's City God smiled awkwardly. He shook his head and said, "No, Impermanence Sires. We ran into a big problem around here."

Li Nianfan frowned. He asked, "What happened?"

"Sigh, we can't fish at the nearby lakes!"

The Fallen Town's City God was troubled. "Not sure what happened but there are always Demons fighting in the ocean and the lakes. Every time we go out to fish, we'd see crabs and lobsters as tall as half a human fighting each other. They'd turn the tides and cause a lot of water-related disasters for us. The people are helpless so they've been coming to beg for my help. However, I'm not that great of a cultivator. I can't do anything about it either."

Chapter 369

"The Demons are fighting?" Everyone was shocked.

Black and White Impermanence were slightly curious. They asked, "Usually, big battles are related to war. How did this happen? What did the sea creature do?"

Small fights erupting among the demons were unavoidable. However, group battles were quite rare.

The Fallen Town's City God smiled awkwardly and shook his head. "That's not all. The water-related disasters are worse. Although there wasn't a tsunami, a lot of nearby places were flooded. The fishermen's boats can't sail out to fish for sure."

White Impermanence nodded and said, "These things indeed can't be helped. I'm afraid you'll have to rely on the other cultivators for help."

The Fallen Town's City God said, "Cultivators tried to help but they were soon chased away. I'm afraid this isn't an easy case."

Black and White Impermanence frowned. "This... Something's wrong. There's most probably an internal fight under the sea."

They were deities of the Underworld. Hence, they were only concerned with the Underworld and the ghosts. They did not care much about water-related disasters, and they could not help either.

Li Nianfan smiled and saluted, "Thanks for the escort, Impermanence Sires. Do you want to have a drink at my place?"

"No, no, Mr. Li. We shall leave. If you need anything at all, just contact us through any City God Temple. Feel free to do so, you don't have to be courteous with us," Black and White Impermanence saluted.

They could tell that Li Nianfan was just trying to sound polite. They wanted to drink but they had to be considerate.

Li Nianfan said in a pitiful tone, "Too bad then. Next time, next time!"

They walked out from the City God Temple. Li Nianfan looked at Dragon. He asked curiously, "Dragon, do you know what's going on? Has this happened before?"

Dragon had a rich family in the Eastern Sea. They had endless seafood. They must be affected by the underwater war.

Dragon tilted her head. She seemed to be thinking with her little head. Then, she shook her head. She worriedly said, "No, but my father should be fine, right? If he's there, how would the Eastern Sea be in chaos?"

She knew that her father would not allow that to happen. After all, the expert was living nearby. Allowing this to happen would affect the expert.

Li Nianfan said, "Let's go check it out. It won't take long anyway. It'll also satisfy my curiosity."

He yawned and repressed his sleepiness. He rode on his clouds with everyone else on it. They headed to the Clear Moon Lake.

He had a disciplined routine, but that was the first time he stayed up late. He was not used to it.

However, he had to check it out for Dragon's sake and for the nearby surroundings.

Soon, a golden cloud appeared at the Clear Moon Lake.

The Clear Moon Lake was quiet under the moonlight. The color of the water was darker than the land. It looked like a bottomless lake. The soft ripples reflected under the moonlight.

The surface of the lake was very calm and quiet.

They continued forward. Suddenly, they saw a sudden commotion at the lake. Two figures jumped out of the lake with their claws up high. They were having a standoff.

Li Nianfan focused and saw a big Hairy Crab Demon and a Flower Crab Demon. The two Crab Demons were significantly larger than usual, especially their claws. Their claws were trained to be huge. It was almost larger than their bodies. Moreover, they were shiny and sharp with jagged teeth.

'If they pinch me with those... I don't dare to imagine it.'

Li Nianfan licked his lips. He secretly said, "Such a big claw. Must be filled with meat. It'd definitely be more satisfying than biting on a drumstick."

Dragon said, "Brother, the opponent of that Hairy Crab's not from the Eastern Sea. I've never even seen it before."

"That's a Flower Crab." Li Nianfan analyzed. "It seems the foreign Demons are fighting the local Demons."

They ignored the two Demons that were fighting with their claws while salivating. They continued forward.

They were soon at the sea.

It was much noisier than at the Clear Moon Lake. They could hear waves splashing from afar. The waves kept splashing with each moment. Waves as high as three meters would appear from time to time. It was highly unusual.

Soon, a body was washed up ashore by the waves.

It was the dead body of a huge King Crab. Although it was dead, it was still fresh.

Li Nianfan said in a pained voice, "Get it out of the water, we can still eat it. Don't let it die in vain."

Nanan said at the side, "I know, I know, this is called making death worth it!"

The tides grew stronger as they got closer. The dead bodies of the sea creatures started to increase. There were so many bodies that Li Nianfan did not even have the time to pick all of them. He only picked up the big ones. As for the little ones, he could only let them be.

Meanwhile, they witnessed all sorts of seafood battles.

The battle of the Australian Lobster and the Shrimp. The battle of the Salmon and the Tuna. The battle of the Squid and the Cuttlefish...

It was the battle of the seafood. The sea was in turmoil from all their stirring. Li Nianfan felt very hungry watching them. He could not help but imagine that the sea was a big pot of soup. 'This pot of seafood soup...delicious and fresh!'

Daji suddenly pointed in a direction and said, "Look at that fish. It's so colorful."

Li Nianfan was also surprised. He exclaimed, "Yo, that's a Saddle Grouper. And it's a Demon!"

The fish was huge. It was covered in yellow dots with obvious black stripes. It was an extremely expensive fish in his past realm. Ordinary people could not afford it, especially when it was that huge.

It wiggled its tail in the sea, swimming incredibly fast as it kept changing its course. It shot a strong water pillar against a King Crab. The King Crab was hit, causing it to faint in the water.

"Its squirting skill's so powerful!"

Li Nianfan exclaimed. Then, he added, "This fish would be delicious as sashimi."

"I'll get it right away!" Dragon raised her arm and cast a spell. A water ball instantly entrapped the Saddle Grouper. It slowly rose to the air.

The Saddle Grouper was being boastful at that moment. Then, it suddenly noticed that it had been lifted above the water's surface and was still rising in the air. It looked bewildered.

'When did I learn how to fly?'

Nanan noticed something, too. She said, "Brother Nianfan, look over there. That crab's super huge!"

"That's the Red King Crab." Li Nianfan was like a walking encyclopedia. He simply introduced, "This crab's one of the biggest crabs in the world. It's a fighter, but of course, its delicious meat is at the top of the list."

Dragon said, "Can't miss out on that. Get it!"

"Wow, that fish's full of spikes."

"Get it."

"Wow..."

"Get it."

Everyone went ahead catching the seafood as Li Nianfan introduced the various meats of all sorts of seafood.

The seafood battle suddenly became a delicious seafood auction. In the end, the Seafood Demons noticed them. They panicked and did not dare to fight with all their might anymore. They were scared of being noticed.

Li Nianfan suddenly snapped out of it. "Oh yeah, we aren't here for seafood."

Daji and the others stopped searching. Daji said, "This situation's highly unnatural. Demons from other regions likely invaded the Eastern Sea. And...the battle's still ongoing."

Boom!

Suddenly, they heard an explosion from afar. A water pillar soared to the sky like a giant dragon. It was hundreds of meters tall. The surface of the water shook as the waves gushed like crazy.

Boom! Boom!

Several explosions followed the first. It caused huge splashes in the sea.

Splash!

The sea was affected by that. Angry waves overlapped with one another.

Dragon hurriedly said, "That's my father fighting with someone."

"We have to go check it out."

Li Nianfan looked serious. At that point, it would eventually cause a tsunami and it might affect the Fallen Town.

Everyone sped up and headed toward the direction of the explosions.

Daji cast a spell. A blue light shield was formed around everyone.

As they got closer, the Demons started to look different. They saw Demons with human parts. Some Demons even flew into the air, wanting to attack Li Nianfan and the others.

However, they were either turned to ice pops or burned to ash before they could get close. It was inevitable.

Meanwhile, at the border of the sea.

A black hole formed in the deep central part of the sea.

The black hole was huge and extremely creepy. It overlapped with the seawater but it did not blend in with the sea. Nothing was covering it either. It was oddly embedded in the sea.

If one were to look closely, one would realize that the black hole had a pearl lying in it. A light blue pearl spun slowly with a shiny gleam.

Two figures stood before the black hole. They were slightly panting while looking serious.

They were Ao Cheng and Ao Yun.

Two figures stood in front of them. One of them was an elder with not much hair. His hair was white. He had a single horn on his forehead. He placed his hands behind him and looked at Ao Cheng and Ao Yun calmly.

The other figure was a middle-aged man. His face was gaunt with a coldness to it. He slightly raised his eyebrow and smirked, "Incredible, so incredible. Ao Yun, you're not dead yet?"

They thought their mission would be a success. They even thought they could have easily killed the Eastern Sea Dragon King. However, they did not expect the sudden change.

Ao Yun was not dead!

The Dragon Killer Poison Bug had been untreatable for countless years. Ao Yun did lose an arm. However, his survival could be described as miraculous.

"You Dragon scums aren't dead yet, so how can I die?"

Ao Yun coldly stared at them. He looked angry. He lifted his remaining arm and out came a Purple Golden Hammer. Electrical current was coursing through it.

Ao Cheng questioned them in a deep voice, "Ao Feng, why did you betray the Dragon king?"

"You're all too ignorant. We Southern Sea Dragons didn't betray you. We're simply going along with the future, fighting for the survival of the Dragon kind," Ao Feng said and shook his head. Then, he said, "If I were to be like you guys, we'd all be dead in the end. Us Southern Sea Dragons being alive is better than the extinction of all Dragons."

Ao Yun mockingly laughed and said, "You betrayed your own kind to survive. Do you have no shame? You'd be better off dead."

"You're a royal prince. Aren't you embarrassed by what you said?" Ao Cheng saw through it all. "You Southern Sea Dragons just want to rule the sea for yourselves."

Ao Feng said confidently, "There's no use for talking. Move, I might spare your lives."

Ao Cheng looked serious. He yelled, "The Sea Eye has been protected by the Dragons for generations. Are you crazy? How dare you?!"

"Protect? Have you two lost your minds? The realm has changed. What's worth protecting?"

Ao Feng sounded pissed. Then, he said in a low and condescending voice, "Ao Cheng, Ao Yun, don't say I didn't give you a chance. The realm's very different from what it once was. This is the Dragons' chance to rise to the top again! This Dragon Soul Pearl given to us by our ancestors is our chance!"

Ao Yun said with seriousness, "Once the Dragon Soul Pearl's gone, the Sea Eye would lose control. Endless seawater would spread to the land. It would drown half of the realm. People will suffer. Do you think we'll allow it?"

"Ridiculous. We're Dragons. Why should we protect the weak Humans?" Ao Feng looked at Ao Yun and Ao Cheng with contempt. "The Heavenly Palace is gone. The realm won't look out for us, and nobody would care if our people are all killed! The Southern Sea Dragons will have the Dragon Soul Pearl!"

The elder at the side said, "Prince, we've already wasted a lot of time. There's no use talking to them."

"Ha, anyone who gets in my way will die!" Ao Feng growled and reached out with his hands. A crystal spear immediately appeared in it.

The spear launched forth like a dragon. It immediately caused endless waves. A giant water dragon appeared.

Ao Yun leaped to the air with his Purple Golden Hammer. Electricity surrounded him and attacked the water dragon on its head.

Kaboom!

Countless strikes of lightning went towards Ao Feng and that elder!

Roar!

The elder sneered. He transformed into a hundred-meter-long Black Dragon. It looked cold and prestigious. He flicked his tail and the sea was instantly turned over.

Its huge claws lashed at Ao Yun while its tail flicked toward Ao Cheng!

Ao Cheng and Ao Yun had no choice. They also transformed into Dragons. They roared and fought the elder.

The three Dragons spun around in the sea. They flew out of the sea without casting spells. Their bodies clashed and affected everything else around them.

Explosions ensued.

Black Dragon said, "Prince, I'll delay them. You go get the Dragon Soul Pearl!"

"Yeah, right. You?" Ao Cheng scoffed and flicked his tail. He was going to attack Ao Feng.

The Black Dragon opened its mouth and out came a golden mark. The golden mark expanded, and soon, it was the size of a mountain. It separated the seawater, weighing down on Ao Cheng!

Ao Cheng was blocked by that attack. He was also stuck and could not move.

Ao Yun did not look happy at all. He wanted to stop Ao Feng but was busy with the Black Dragon.

Ao Feng sneered at Ao Yun and Ao Cheng. He walked freely towards the Sea Eye like a champion. Soon, he was in front of the light blue pearl.

Ao Cheng was very nervous. He scolded, "Ao Feng, think about it. Once you get it out, the consequences would be unbearable! You can't take it, you really can't take it. Stop, listen to me!"

It was a serious sin to upset the expert!

Of course, Ao Feng did not care.

"Humans have been the elites for so many years. It's time they stop being the main focus. Today, I, Ao Feng, will take the pearl and drown the Humans! Dragons will rise again. This will be a legendary moment in Dragon history. It'll be passed down for generations to come."

He looked excited. He grinned and reached out without hesitation. His arm transformed into a Dragon claw and he took the Dragon Soul Pearl.

"No—"

Ao Cheng and Ao Yun looked horrified. They used all their powers to get rid of the Black Dragon. They swam toward the Sea Eye as fast as they could.

Ao Cheng said in a pained tone, "Brother Yun, goodbye. I'll block the Sea Eye with my body. The Dragons are going to rely on you from now on."

"What nonsense are you talking about? I'm fatter than you. I'm naturally the better choice to block the Sea Eye. Move aside, don't get in my way!"

"Fat?! You only have one arm, how are you going to block it? Hurry up and move!"

The two Dragons did not budge. They surrounded the black hole and were ready to die.

Ao Feng held the Dragon Soul Pearl and mockingly laughed at Ao Cheng and Ao Yun. "So touching, you two fools. Hahaha..."

However, his laughter gradually froze and sounded awkward. Then, it vanished.

He stared at the Sea Eye, then looked at the Dragon Soul Pearl in his hand. He looked confused.

'Sea Eye, buddy, what's going on with you?

'Where's the tsunami as promised?

'Is it broken?'

Ao Feng and Ao Yun laid on top of the Sea Eye. They were also stumped. They all looked at each other.

'Perhaps this is a fake Sea Eye, or maybe...that's a fake Dragon Soul Pearl?'

Chapter 370

Suddenly, the sea was slowly split into two. A path was revealed.

At the end of the path was a golden light. Ao Cheng and Ao Yun were taken aback. They widened their Dragon eyes and opened their mouths. They stared at it dumbfoundedly.

'That... That's...'

Their hearts started to tremble.

They were too familiar with the golden light. It was like early morning sunlight that slashed through the dark night. It appeared suddenly.

Ao Cheng and Ao Yun rubbed their eyes and looked again. They instantly felt a warmth in their hearts. They teared up.

'He's here. The expert's here!'

Ao Feng and the Black Dragon were stumped. They also stared at the golden light with wide eyes. They felt like it was an incoming enemy.

'Deluxe Merit?

'Someone rode in on a Deluxe Merit Cloud?'

They were utterly confused. They expected someone would own Deluxe Merit in the Immortal Realm. 'But... So, what?

'Would the Sea Eye be threatened by Deluxe Merit when it explodes? Obviously not.'

Ao Feng had to shake the Dragon Soul Pearl in his hand. He triple-confirmed that it was real. The Sea Eye was also real.

'Why won't it work? Is it out of water?

'It doesn't make sense.'

Li Nianfan arrived and saw the three Dragons.

A ferocious Black Dragon stared at him. Two other Dragons were lying on a black hole. They were also staring at him.

A middle-aged man stood by the side with a big pearl bead in his hand. The smile on his face seemed awkward. He must be the one who laughed out loud previously.

"Cover me!" Li Nianfan backed away as he reminded everyone.

It was the first time he saw Dragons but he was used to the Immortal Realm so he was not too scared and shocked.

It was obvious that they were fighting.

The battle stopped because Li Nianfan suddenly arrived.

The two Dragons who laid on the Sea Eye leaped up and transformed back into Ao Cheng and Ao Yun. They saluted Li Nianfan and said, "Mr. Li."

"Brother Ao." Li Nianfan sighed in relief. Then, he groaned for a moment. He said, "You two are Dragons, right?"

Their family name was Ao. That was the name of Dragons in legendary stories. Li Nianfan pretended not to notice it before, but he just saw them in their Dragon forms so he was able to confirm his theory.

'They're Dragons, why would they claim to be Carp Demons? What kind of weird hobby is that?'

"Yes... We're Dragons," stuttered Ao Cheng. Then, he sighed and said, "But it's not wrong to say that we're Carps. Apart from the ancestral Dragons, most Dragons were Carps who leaped through the Dragon Door. We don't want to admit it but our origins can be traced back to a Carp."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded. He was familiar with the story.

The story of the Carp leaping through the Dragon Door. It was a gift from the Dragons. The Dragons realized that the Carps were highly compatible with their bloodline. They wanted to increase the Dragon population so they blessed a Carp, helping it transform into a Dragon.

It was also common among Kirins and Phoenixes.

After all, those three species were extremely powerful. They were born from the realm, which was why they were difficult to populate. They had to do that to prevent extinction and continue their bloodline.

'Otherwise, why would Dragons in legendary stories be so weak?

'Nezha learned a few tricks and was able to conquer the Third Prince of the Dragons. The Dragon Kings were practically useless.

'Ancestral Dragons were very powerful. They only became weak because of this.'

Li Nianfan was instantly impressed by Ao Cheng.

'He was already a Dragon but he didn't forget his roots. He was humble and identified himself as a Carp. How amazing, not a lot of people can do that.

'If it was anybody else, they wouldn't admit that they were a Carp. Any mention of being a Carp would be unacceptable to them.'

"Nonsense!" Ao Feng shouted by the side. He looked at Ao Cheng with contempt and scolded, "We're Dragons. How can we be compared to puny Carps? Your words are blasphemous! You don't deserve to call yourself a Dragon!"

Li Nianfan looked at Ao Feng. He was the opposite example.

Ao Cheng sneered and said calmly, "Ignorant fool. You know nothing!"

"I know nothing? Haha..."

Ao Feng was so angry that he started to laugh like he heard the funniest joke. "Ao Cheng, are you serious? As a person... No, wait, as a Dragon, coming from Carps are in the past. A Dragon's a Dragon! You keep looking back to the past, which is why you're destined to be a failure!

"We Southern Sea Dragons always want more. This Dragon Soul Pearl's the first step to our improvement! Just you wait, we'll become the true ancestral Dragons soon!"

"Ha, ignorant," Ao Cheng said the same thing. "You know nothing!"

He watched Ao Feng brag with calmness in his eyes. He almost wanted to laugh.

'There are some things that I can't tell you to your face. Don't mention being a Carp, even if I was an Earthworm, my future's still brighter than yours!

'Do you know who this is beside me? Our real ancestral Dragon's staying in his backyard.

'The expert's right in front of you but you don't recognize him. On top of that, you're even bragging. Sigh, ridiculous. Ignorance is such a scary thing.'

The Black Dragon transformed into human form and landed next to Ao Feng. He reminded him in a low voice, "Prince, stop wasting time with them. We got the Dragon Soul Pearl. Time to split!"

He felt mentally exhausted.

He was looking at Daji, the Fire Phoenix, and Ziye, alarmed. He could tell from their aura that they were Taiyi Golden Immortals. They were in serious danger.

'You're not running. Instead, you have time to brag about your future. Are you out of your mind?'

Ao Feng finally caught on. His face fell and he silently nodded. "You're right.

"Ao Cheng, go ahead and be a Carp Demon. We won't stay around to entertain you anymore!"

He sneered while transforming into a Dragon. He swam away along with the elder.

"Where are you going?" Ao Cheng and Ao Yun yelled at the same time. They also transformed into Dragons and chased after them.

Ziye furrowed her brows. She soared to the air and shouted, "Mr. Li, the Sea Eye's very important. I'll go and help!"

"I'll go, too!" The Fire Phoenix flapped her wings and flew at full speed!

She could finally fight a Dragon. She was overjoyed and very excited.

Daji did not go. She stayed with Li Nianfan.

Li Nianfan also followed them but he was slow. He kept a safe distance at all times. "Daji, let's find a safe and nice spot to watch the battle."

Kaboom!

The four Dragons soared out from the sea. They caused a huge wave. Huge splashes were made. It was a majestic sight along with the Dragons.

Roar!

The Dragons struggled and crashed into each other. They spat out all sorts of spells with their mouths. The sea was turned into a chaotic battlefield.

The people and the cultivators could hear explosions and roars from miles away. It made them uneasy and anxious.

"Ao Cheng, you dare attack us?" Ao Feng did not look happy at all. He nervously swerved and said, "My father's still alive and he's a Daluo Golden Immortal. You dare hurt me?!"

Ao Cheng smiled coldly. He slapped him in the face with his tail, "Mentioning daddy because you can't win against me? The Dragon Ancestor's still alive. Should I mention the Ancestor, too?"

Ao Feng scolded, "I'm being serious! What nonsense are you talking about?"

'The Dragon Ancestor's alive? You think I'd believe that nonsense?'

Suddenly, a light slashed through the sky with a shriek. It went straight to Ao Feng!

Ziye said in a cold voice, "Put down the Dragon Soul Pearl!"

Ao Feng kept finding chances to escape. "Ha, no way!"

"Just kill them!" The Fire Phoenix had a rope in her hand. She tossed it at them and the rope slithered towards them like a snake. It elongated, reaching for Ao Feng.

Ao Feng was instantly scared into a deranged state. He exclaimed, "The Immortal Trap Rope?!"

The Black Dragon puffed up its body and knocked the Immortal Trap Rope away. It used its Dragon body and blocked everyone.

It spat out a big golden mark. The mark formed a huge mountain that fell on everyone.

The Black Dragon yelled, "Prince, go. Leave me!"

"Alright, good luck. I'll come back and avenge you!"

The voice seemed to come from a faraway distance. The Black Dragon turned to look and realized Ao Feng had already fled. Ao Feng wagged his tail without looking back.

Suddenly, the Black Dragon felt wronged. Misery flashed through his eyes. He looked at everyone and expanded his body. His power started to boil as he yelled, "You're not going to succeed even if I die!"

"Come on, come at me! I'm going to self-implode! Haha—" He struggled and roared, puffing up into a ball.

He bit down with determination, feeling righteous with his last shred of dignity and pride.

'Dragons... Shall not be slaves!'

The Black Dragon glanced at everyone. All of a sudden, the golden light appeared. He instantly felt his heart thump.

He took a deep breath and went over with his ball-like body. He told Li Nianfan, "Sir, I'm going to self-implode. It'll be a mighty explosion. How about...you step further aside?"

Li Nianfan shook his head and suggested with kindness, "No, don't self-implode. It'd be a waste of your body of Dragon meat, right? Look on the bright side, don't be so extreme."

The Black Dragon turned purple. He shivered and almost spat out blood. In the end, he deflated like a balloon.

He accepted his fate with tears streaming down his face, "Fine. Please, make it fast..."

Chapter 371

The Black Dragon's request was satisfied. He soon died peacefully with no pain.

Li Nianfan looked at Ao Cheng and asked curiously, "Brother Ao Cheng, are you guys in the middle of an internal conflict?"

"Sorry to have embarrassed ourselves. I only found out recently that they betrayed us after the major catastrophe. As a result, all four seas were severely harmed."

Ao Cheng shook his head bitterly. He continued, "Unfortunately, they still took the Dragon Soul Pearl. Perhaps it's going to get troublesome in the future." He frowned. He was anxious.

Dragon's eyes flashed. She said innocently, "Father, what's the Dragon Soul Pearl for?"

"As you saw, there's a black hole under the water, the Sea Eye. It's known as the Eye of the four-seas!" Ao Cheng halted. Then, he continued, "There's boundless seawater inside the Sea Eye. Once it loses control, the seawater will flood the entire world. The villagers would be in pain and vanish while the Dragon Soul Pearl will be used to control the Sea Eye."

"So terrifying?" Li Nianfan's face instantly changed. He could not help looking at the sea. "Wasn't the Dragon Soul Pearl taken away? Why doesn't the Sea Eye have any reaction?"

Perhaps there was a delay?

"This..." Ao Cheng cautiously looked at Li Nianfan. "Perhaps...the Sea Eye has been calmed and doesn't need to be controlled."

He knew well enough that the reason it did not explode was purely because of the expert.

A Deluxe Merit Saint was able to make the Sea Eye behave this way, but...was the expert merely a Deluxe Merit Saint? Maybe that was just the surface.

With the expert around, just a word from him was able to make the entire world listen!

Li Nianfan let out a sigh of relief. "That's great! Hopefully, this Sea Eye could remain stable to make everyone less worried."

Ao Cheng had a look of delight in his eyes. With this sentence from the expert, he felt that 80 percent of the problem was solved. This was more effective than any treasure!

The expert's words were like gold. Since he said it had to be stable, then it had to be stable. Would the Sea Eye dare to mess things up? Obviously not!

"The problem with the Sea Eye isn't big." Ao Yun let out a sigh of relief. He said with a worried tone, "However, the Dragon Soul Pearl contains too much power. If they have it in hand, they'd use it to cause major problems."

Back then, besides the dragon family, countless bigshots were tossed into the Sea Eye since ancient times to calm the Sea Eye. Since the Dragon Soul Pearl had gathered so much energy from the bigshots, its power was incredibly shocking.

The Southern Sea Dragon Family had snatched the Dragon Soul Pearl. Their intention was too scary!

Li Nianfan could not help them. He could only comfort them by saying, "The ship at the dock will be right. There'll be a way."

"Hopefully what you say comes true," Ao Chen nodded. He added, "Mr. Li, thank you for coming in time today. If not, Brother Ao Yun would've been in trouble."

Ao Yu nodded and said sincerely, "Yeah, Mr. Li, you saved my life once again."

"It's just a coincidence. Furthermore, I merely came for the excitement. They're the ones who helped you." Li Nianfan pointed at the Fire Phoenix and Ziye.

Instantly, Ao Chen and Ao Yun said in unison, "Thank you Immortal Fire Phoenix, Princess Ziye."

Ziye waved, "It's okay, it's nothing."

Ao Chen invited, "It's quite late now, why don't you all stay a night at my place? I've picked some hairy crabs recently. Their meat is top-graded."

LI Nianfan smiled and shook his head and said, "It's okay. It doesn't take too long to go back."

"I shall go back to the Heavenly Temple," Ziye said as she shook her head, too. She sighed as she had been thinking of ways to unseal it but still had no clue. Her brows furrowed with worry.

Li Nianfan could not help comforting her, "Immortal Ziye, now that you've found the Heavenly Temple, you'll eventually find ways to unseal it. Since you've already waited for so long, why hurry?"

Ziye was instantly relieved. She seemed to have understood it. She said, "Thank you, Mr. Li, for pointing this out. I was too close-minded."

Recently, she had not felt too secure. She had been blaming herself and being anxiously absent-minded. To an Immortal, this was a terrifying thing.

If she was unable to wake up, there would be some obstacles in her cultivation. Perhaps she might die with just a thought.

However, after Li Nianfan had pointed it out, she instantly had cold sweat all over her body.

Ao Chen quickly arranged for some hairy crabs for Li Nianfan to bring home.

Li Nianfan did not resist. He thanked him and left.

His trip to the sea did make him some gains. Apart from all kinds of seafood, there was even dragon meat along with those huge hairy crabs. He did not have to go out for a long time.

On the way back, they were not in a rush. They were slowly enjoying the sea breeze in the air.

Li Nianfan could not help saying, "Unknowingly, this trip has taken us almost three months."

This was the longest time Li Nianfan had been away from home after his trip to this realm. He traveled the furthest this time.

Daji looked at Li Nianfan. She asked, "Mr. Li, are you...happy?"

Li Nianfan looked at Daji. He asked with a smile, "What about you?"

Daji's eyes sparkled like water as she said gently, "As long as I'm with Mr. Li, I'll be happy."

"Hahaha, me, too."

Under the moonlight, Li Nianfan reached out to hold Dad's hand.

Her hand was gentle and small. In his hand, it felt as if it was boneless. Furthermore, compared to Daji's cold temperament and her cold spells, her hand was surprisingly warm.

Li Nianfan did not intend to do anything. However, just from holding her hand, he felt like he was unable to let her go. Suddenly, he felt very at ease.

He could not help looking at Daji. He saw her cheeks blushing, her tiny head slightly lowered like a mimosa, unable to be touched.

Daji already looked very beautiful. With the night sky as her background along with the gentle waves behind her, she was like an Immortal under the moon. It seemed almost as if she was glowing, looking extremely beautiful.

Li Nianfan was amused. He had a playful thought. He held Daji's hand and gently kissed her on her palm.

Muack!

Daji instantly moaned softly. She could not help herself from leaning toward Li Nianfan slightly.

The Fire Phoenix, Dragon, and Nanan were watching even though they knew they should not be watching. They had no emotion on their faces and did not look at them too obviously. It seemed as if they did not know anything.

Li Nianfan was playing with Daji. He was amused and yet, he said with a serious tone, "This trip is indeed quite joyful, and we did go through quite some things."

They arrived at the Xia Kingdom first. They then went to a Buddhist temple, and then to the Underworld. They even went to the East Sea.

On the way, they met some obstacles and witnessed the fight between Buddhism and Demons. There was even an internal conflict between the dragons. They had been through the death of friends and learned more about the catastrophe.

There were many gains and many emotions.

"Hmm." Daji's voice was slow. She was absent-minded and a little startled.

"This world..." Li Nianfan took a deep breath and suddenly did not know what to do.

This was the world similar to the familiar mythology he used to read about. Meanwhile, this was also a dangerous place with mutual murderous plotting—a world full of violence.

Daji asked, concerned, "Mr. Li, what about this world?"

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Nothing, I just feel that some unity would be ideal. Now that it's quite chaotic, it's not going on the right track."

He felt that after the major catastrophe, many heroes were fighting internally and externally. They had no more restraint.

Most importantly, Jiese and Yun Yiyi died. Li Nianfan was deeply touched. Earlier on, Ao Chen almost died as well.

He thought about his journey and how the Kirin attacked them. It seemed that everyone around him was under attack.

This was unsettling.

If this did not happen around him, he would not have felt it. However, now that it happened in front of him, it felt different again.

Daji said, "Mr. Li, this day isn't too far away."

Li Nianfan smiled. "Hopefully. I'm merely expressing my feelings. The sky's getting dark. Let's hurry and go home and rest."

He looked at Daji. He was moved.

He and Daji had finally gotten closer. His chance of a successful confession would be a hundred percent!

However...this was not the era for that. Confessing was too 'low'. There was no boyfriend or girlfriend. He might as well propose right away!

He was prepared to pick a suitable time to propose to Daji.

He genuinely hoped their wedding would be...as formal and grand as possible.

After all, he did know quite some people. Furthermore, each of them was a bigshot. He would invite them all.

Meanwhile...

Ziye went back to the Heavenly Temple.

She stood on the Heavenly Bridge for a long time, staring blankly. Inside the Heavenly Temple, there was no glow but a vast silence.

Finally, she sighed. "I shouldn't come here before finding a solution."

Every time she came here, she would be emotional and hurt.

The expert was right. She had waited all these years. Now that the Heavenly Temple resurfaced, there was no fear in waiting.

Not to hurry, not to hurry.

She calmed her heart. She walked off the bridge and went past the buildings. She was ready to greet her sister in the Rainbow Seven Pavilion. She would not be visiting them often in the future.

However, when she arrived at the Seven Rainbow Pavilion, her pupils dilated. She remained transfixed on the spot. Her face was changing constantly from excitement to unease. Even her breathing became rapid.

Before she left, she intentionally removed a hairpin and placed it between the doors. However, the hairpin had...disappeared!

Click!

Anxiously, she pushed the door open to enter. There were tears in her eyes as she ran around quickly. Finally, she stopped in front of the stone statues of the five sisters.

Her voice was trembling with anticipation as she said, "Second Sister, is that you?"

Chapter 372

Ziye stood in the hall. She was looking around anxiously, like a child who suddenly heard from her family when she was feeling hopeless.

"Second Sister, you must be here. Come out and meet me." Ziye's voice was soft but determined.

"Since my return, I realized that everything here's too familiar. Be it my sisters or the other Immortals, they look the same as they once had. Obviously, they didn't look like this when getting sealed. You fixed them, right?"

There was only silence around her.

"The tables, chairs, and set-up are all the same as before. The hobbies of us sisters, like Big Sister who liked to play the zither and Fourth Sister who liked to play the lute only you knew about those. You put them in their happiest state," Ziye said gradually. She did not know if her Second Sister was here. She looked like she was talking to herself.

"I secretly put my hairpin between the doors. You took it, right? I know it's you. If you're here, why's it so hard to come out and meet me?"

As she finished speaking, her face froze. She turned into pieces of purple leaves and disappeared. When she reappeared, she was on a platform on the rooftop of the pavilion.

Here, a woman in an orange dress was standing. On her delicate face, two streams of tears were rolling down. There was a ribbon at the end of her dress that looked like a tail flowing in the night wind. She looked as if she could be blown away at any moment.

Compared to Ziye, she appeared even more mature and formal, cold and elegant.

Ziye looked delighted. She called out with surprise, "Second Sister!"

The Second Sister looked at Ziye, her eyes filled with love and gentleness. "Seventh Sister, you've grown up so much! You even pulled a trick on me!"

"Second Sister, if you weren't sealed, why didn't you look for me?" Ziye looked at the Second Sister, feeling hurt. Her eyes were filled with doubts.

The Second Sister shook her head and sighed. "Silly, so what if we meet? I'm lucky to be able to come to the Heavenly Temple from time to time. I can't have any interaction with the outside world to avoid any unnecessary trouble."

Ziye continued asking, "Where have you been living all these years?"

The Second Sister hesitated for a moment. She said, "Actually... I've been with the Empress."

"Empress is still here?" Ziye was surprised. She asked, "Wait, I didn't mean that. What I meant was, the Empress is still alive? No, what I meant..."

"Alright, I know what you mean." The Second Sister shook her head and smiled. She continued, "The Empress and Emperor were following Dao Zu around. Since they had many good deeds, they can't get in trouble. They're merely forbidden."

Ziye bit her lip and said, "I met Houtu Empress and I learned a lot regarding the catastrophe. Dao Zu..."

"Alright. This matter seems to have other reasons behind it, don't talk about it." The Second Sister cut her off. "My element is a Nepenthes. The Empress intentionally saved me to be with her in hopes of forgetting her worries. It's apparent that she doesn't want to get involved in this matter anymore."

"What other reasons?"

"I don't know. I heard from the Empress that the world changed abruptly. Dao Zu didn't have a choice."

Ziye did not dwell on the surface questions. She said, "Second Sister, let's think of a way. Perhaps it won't take long before we rebuild Heavenly Temple since we have the Empress."

Her eyes sparkled with excitement on her face. Her tone consisted of something known as hope.

"So innocent, how's that easy?" The Second Sister shook her head bitterly. She said, "However, you were able to unseal the Heavenly Temple. I was shocked. How did you do it?"

"Second Sister, do you know that the Underworld's now completed? This is all because we met an expert."

"The Underworld's completed?" The Second Sister frowned. "That's unexpected."

Ziye continued. As if she was a child showing her treasure to her senior, she said in a mysterious tone, "Second Sister, did you get Flat Peaches from staying with the Empress?"

The Second Sister shook her head. She could not help rolling her eyes at Ziye. "Do you think times are as they were? Many Heavenly Spiritual Plants had been mixed with impurities. Why? You have a craving?"

Ziye smiled and said, "I always have Spiritual Plants. Perhaps you're the one with cravings."

The Second Sister was speechless. "I think you're eating in your dreams every day."

"Hahaha, here, for you." Ziye grinned from ear to ear.

Suddenly she took out an orange and handed it to the Second Sister.

"What's this? An orange?" The Second Sister frowned. She received the orange from Ziye with a strange look. "This orange...are you telling me this is a Spiritual Fruit?"

She peeled the orange skin and saw that the orange was clear like jade without impurity. Each piece was regularly sized. The presentation of it was far better than those fruits back in the Heavenly Temple.

"Oranges can actually grow this way?" The Second Sister felt as if she was learning something new.

She gradually plucked out a piece and placed it in her mouth elegantly. She chewed gently with her lips closed.

Along with a gentle bite, the rich juice of the orange seemed as if it was unleashed, shooting out suddenly and flying into each corner of her mouth.

Eventually, a golden yellow liquid gradually oozed out from the corner of her lips. However, she had no time to wipe it off.

This was because a sour and sweet taste had exploded inside her mouth. The wonderful taste, the sourness with sweetness, had triggered her taste buds. She lost her ability to think momentarily.

"This...this is actually...Spiritual Fruit? And it's so delicious?" Her eyes widened. She was not forcing more fruit into her mouth. She pursed her lips and carefully tasted them.

Although the Flat Peaches back in the days were Heavenly Spiritual Plant, their taste could not come close to this orange!

To be blunt, she had lived so long and had not eaten such delicious food. This had refreshed her understanding of good food.

Ziye was watching by the side. The Second Sister had always been a calm person with a cold and elegant temperament. Ziye thought she could watch the Second Sister lose her composure. She would then record it with a Picture Pearl to blackmail her in the future. Thus, she was...rather disappointed.

However, having her usually elegant Second Sister acting this way already showed how powerful this orange was.

The Second Sister looked at the Picture Pearl in Ziye's hand and quickly stuck her tongue out to lick away the remaining orange juice. She warned, "What are you trying to do?"

"Nothing, just wanted to check if this Picture Pearl was broken or not." Ziye remained calm and kept the Picture Pearl.

The Second Sister asked with a serious tone, "This orange...was given to you by the expert you mentioned?"

"Indeed," Ziye nodded. She then said with excitement, "Second Sister, the expert's very powerful. It's beyond your imagination. I feel that if we serve him well, we'll get anything we want!"

To serve him well? Get anything they wanted?"

The Second Sister looked at Ziye differently. "You got this orange from serving him?"

Ziye nodded.

"My poor girl." The Second Sister ruffled Ziye's head with pity. She was quite emotional.

They were the Seven Fairies. They were not the actual daughters of Empress. They were adopted. They were once the high-above fairies, beautiful and elegant. They were called the Goddesses.

Yet now, the youngest Seventh Sister had to...serve a man for an orange.

Although...this orange was indeed an exquisite treasure.

With that in mind, she put another piece of fruit into her mouth.

"Right, I remember we had two Daluo Golden Immortals guarding the Heavenly Temple. Did they give you a hard time?"

"Not just a hard time, they called me useless and wanted to capture me." Ziye then smiled. "However, they were exploded by the expert's fireworks."

The Second Sister halted. "Fireworks? What treasure's that?"

Ziye said, "Listen, I'll tell you slowly..."

At the same time.

At the Southern Sea.

Ao Feng twisted his dragon body with an anxious look. Soon, he swam back to the Southern Sea Dragon Palace. After transforming back into a human form, he continued walking in.

Inside the Dragon palace, quite a crowd had gathered. One of them was an elder in black robes. They were having a meeting.

Seeing that Ao Feng had come back, he smiled and asked with concern, "Ao Feng, you're back? Did it go well? Eh? Where's the elder that went with you?"

Ao Feng looked pained. "Father, there were some changes. The elder won't be making it back."

The crowd frowned. They found it hard to believe. "What's the matter?"

Ao Feng said, "Ao Yun was poisoned but he didn't die. This wouldn't have affected the outcome, but...surprisingly, in the end, a few Taiyi Golden Immortals got involved. Even the Sea Eye had problems. It didn't shoot out any water!"

The elder frowned. There was a problem at the key moment?

"Did you bring back the Dragon Soul Pearl?"

Ao Feng took out the Dragon Soul Pearl and smiled. "It's back!"

"Good." The elder smiled and let out a long sigh of relief. He said in a low voice, "This matter was my fault. I should've sent more people. Recently, the situation has changed. Even the Lord Demon God Is dead!"

The crowd was shocked. They found it hard to believe. "Lord Demon God Is dead? Is this news...reliable?"

He was a Daluo Golden Immortal! Not just any ordinary Daluo Golden Immortal, he was at his peak!

"How did he die?" someone asked with confusion.

The Southern Sea Dragon King shook his head and said, "Cause of death was unknown. According to the rumors, he was sitting down before he suddenly died. The two demons guarding his room had been captured."

"There's such a death in the world?"

"Perhaps he took it hard and killed himself?"

"Other than a Saint, who else could do such a thing unknowingly?"

"Alright, we need to be more careful now that he's dead. Don't talk about this matter anymore!" the Southern Sea Dragon King declared. He said with a serious tone, "Now that many changes have been happening out of nowhere, we must be even more cautious in the future!"

The crowd nodded.

Ao Feng's heart sank. He said, "Dad, I heard from Ao Chen that the ancestor of dragons is still alive. Should I take that into account?"

"Ha, ridiculous!" the Southern Sea Dragon King shook his head. He scoffed, "Are you a pig? You believe this?"

Chapter 373

Inside the Heavenly Temple.

Ziye was still telling her Second Sister how powerful the expert was.

She was describing a fanciful world where words had power, where sun and moon passed by in the blink of an eye, where a single word could hold up everything. In her description, the expert was a creator. The so-called major catastrophe was nothing in front of the experts. As long as the expert was willing to, with just a word from him, the catastrophe would disperse automatically.

The Second Sister froze. She could not help thinking that Ziye was spouting mythology. However, it was so interesting, she was unwilling to cut it off.

"Do you still have an orange?" the Second Sister asked for the sixth time.

Ziye was excited. She had no choice but to reach inside her pocket...no more!

She could not help sighing and saying, "Are you here for the story or the oranges?"

"Both." In order not to let her Seventh Sister down, she added with an understanding tone, "Of course, it's mostly to listen to your story." 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝙧𝒆𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝙤𝙢

However, in the depths of her eyes, there was a flash of pity. She gulped.

Ziye smiled with satisfaction. She continued, "Sit down and listen to me. The main point is, do you know what the expert has in his backyard? Spiritual Roots! All Spiritual Roots! From tree leaves to the soil, there's nothing there that isn't a treasure! Even in the ancient times, these would be so rare, let alone now. The orange you had was just a low-grade fruit."

The Second Sister's mouth opened in shock. "So powerful? Are you sure you're not exaggerating?"

She had been waiting and was shocked. What Ziye said was so exaggerated. It was not that it was not true, it was just too unbelievable.

How could there be such a powerful being in this world?

"I'm not exaggerating!" Ziye shook her head. She added, "Right, when we dine at the expert's place, do you know what we use?"

The Second Sister frowned. She guessed, "What? Some treasures?"

"Ha-ha, treasures? Is that all you can imagine?" Ziye smiled coldly. She continued, "We used Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasures. There was a box full of forks, another box full of knives. Even the glasses for wine were Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasures!"

The Second Sister went quiet for a long while. Suddenly, she shook her head and said, "I feel that this is all either in your imagination or you're speaking gibberish!"

"I'm not making this up! My head's clear!" Ziye's tone sounded determined. She continued, "Do you remember the Golden Bees? Back when we wanted to eat the honey from the Golden Bees, we asked the gigantic Immortals to hunt for some but they were wounded severely. Even the milk of the Five Color Sacred Cow. When the Empress wanted to drink it, we had to exchange it for treasure. Those creatures have all become pets of the expert! Whether it's honey or milk, he can have as much as he wants!"

"So powerful?" The Second Sister thought she would not be shocked anymore, but she still could suppress the shock. "Aren't the Golden Bees and Five Color Sacred Cow known as unconquerable creatures?"

Ziye's eyes were glowing like some powder. "Ha-ha, there's no such thing as 'impossible' at the expert's place.

"Sigh, Second Sister, how're you still so calm?" Ziye pouted.

Was her story not shocking enough? Or did she not portray well? Why did the Second Sister not gasp?

She quietly kept the Picture Pearl. It was so difficult to capture the embarrassing moments of her Second Sister.

Big Sister was the best. If it was her, she would have jumped by now. She might even be so excited with no composure left.

"I'm not calm anymore." The Second Sister patted her chest. "If there's such a powerful person in the world, perhaps the world will be changed completely. I must go back to tell the Empress. However...what you said is true?" Second Sister asked again. "I admit that the orange is pretty good, but...this doesn't make me believe in all the absurd things you said. It isn't a joke."

"You still don't believe in me? I'm your Seventh Sister!" Ziye's eyes widened. She looked as if she was wrongly accused.

She jumped up. The Second Sister's calm and elegant temperament had agitated her. Ziye had to prove it to her today!

"You just wait! I'll call for someone!" Ziye said and left on the cloud.

She flew out of the Heavenly Temple quickly. "Wait for me, don't leave!"

The Second Sister stood on the roof watching Ziye leave. She could not help smiling and shaking her head.

"This girl's just like before," she mumbled with a sense of familiarity.

All these years, this young lady had indeed grown up a lot. However, whenever she was with her sister, all her composure would be gone and she would become that young girl again.

She could not help smiling. This was a long-forgotten smile all these years.

She called out, "I'll wait for you, fly slow and safe."

Ziye flew out of the Heavenly Temple and went in one direction.

Recently, she had been selling chives with the rest. She knew the way well enough.

She drove her cloud and first went to the black market shop.

Meanwhile, inside the shop.

Ma Yunming had an old, worn-out thing resembling a scroll in his hand. He was stroking his beard and looking at it.

The outside of the scroll was broken and covered with dust. It was wrinkled and dull-looking. It could not be called 'ordinary' anymore. One could even call it 'trash'.

"Owner, this scroll is something we risked our lives to get from an ancient secret border. Don't get fooled by its worn-out appearance, it won't get harmed by water or fire. Nothing can harm it at all!"

In front of Ma Yunming were a couple. The man was an elder. He was promoting his treasure, "This is a treasure. Even a Golden Immortal's unable to open up this scroll!"

Ma Yunming tried and did not manage to open this scroll. Not even when he used his power to do so.

He instantly squinted, his eyes glowing as he said, "Not bad. Worth ten chives!"

"Are you serious? Only ten chives?" The elder did not seem pleased. "This treasure's definitely from ancient times. Look closely!"

"Ancient times?" Ma Yunming smiled coldly. "Who can use it? I've seen these things a lot. Even if it was from ancient times, it's likely that it cannot be used now. If it cannot be used, how's that different from trash? If you don't want to trade, you can keep it in hand and see who lives longer, you or the treasure."

"This...why don't you look at it again?" The elder said. "Two more chives and we can be friends."

Click!

Meanwhile, Ziye barged in. She said, "Brother Ma, don't sell the chives, follow me!"

"Okay," Ma Yunming nodded. He did not speak further. He knew his stance in front of her.

"Owner, don't do this. Why're you not selling?" The couple panicked.

"Ten chives, then. We'll trade."

"Trade what? Let me see." Ziye frowned and took the scroll. She looked it up and down and said, "What trash is this? It's only worth five chives. If not, we'll leave."

The couple exchanged a look. The woman held on to the elder and gritted her teeth. "We'll trade!"

After coming out of the black shop, Ma Yunming had a thought. He then realized and could not help admiring her, "Seventh Princess, how did you come up with this? This is a genius business strategy! I've been running this shop all my life but compared to you, I'm nothing!"

He learned something new. He would use this tactic more in the future. This was a genius tactic!

"What tactic? I really had a problem," Ziye said. "Bring me all the chives and hunt some demons. That'll show my Second Sister. You, come along, it's an opportunity."

"Opportunity?" Ma Yunming looked suspicious.

After spending so much time with this group of people, he sensed that they seemed to be working for a bigshot. Not right, 'working for' was too much. They were probably the bigshot's bootlickers!

They always referred to him as the 'expert' and would repeatedly say, 'Everything's done for the expert'.

He wondered who this expert was.

However, the man was able to provide these chives, oranges, and even honey from the Golden Bees. He must not be ordinary.

Ziye was in a rush. She called up Pei An and Gu Xirou.

"Immortal Ziye, it's so late. What's the matter?" Pei An asked.

"My Second Sister's here. Do you still have the hotpot sauce from the expert? Bring them to me, I want to show them to my Second Sister." Ziye was impatient. "Hurry, don't waste any time."

The crowd rushed toward the Heavenly Temple.

"Second Sister, I'm back."

When Ziye saw that her Second Sister was still at the same old spot, she flew over and placed the hotpot bowl down.

The Second Sister smiled and asked, "What now? You're making me a meal?"

Ziye smiled. "Yeah, I hope Second Sister can still keep your elegance later on."

The Second Sister looked behind Ziye. "They are..."

The three of them quickly said, "We're Pei An, Ma Yunming, and Gu Xirou. Greetings to the Second Princess."

"I'm Cheng Yi, greetings to everyone." Cheng Yi nodded at the crowd.

Ziye pestered, "Brother Pei, hurry up and bring out the hotpot sauce!"

"Alright."

Pei An brought out the hotpot sauce unwillingly.

He was unwilling to give this away. This was awarded to him by the expert! All this while, he was unwilling to eat it. He looked at the sauce every day and felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

Sigh, whatever. These were the two Princesses. Furthermore, to the expert, they were more important.

At least...they were still able to taste the hotpot together.

They set up the pot and fire. It was quick.

"Seventh Sister, this is..."

Cheng Yi looked at the red oil that coated the top of the soup broth. Her beautiful eyes were suspicious. She felt that this delicious food was rather violent. Was it edible?

"Hotpot, very yummy hotpot!" Ziye gulped and stared at the boiling soup. "The broth was given to us by the expert. It'll leave you wanting for more."

"Hotpot? This?"

In the beginning, Cheng Yi did not think she would like it. She felt that these people had been drugged by the expert.

However...as the broth started to boil, there was a fragrance beyond words floating into her nostrils. She had to admit that her saliva was secreting...

Ma Yunming's eyes wished they could pop out as he stared at the pot. It was apparent that he was conquered by this fragrance.

"This hotpot... How do we eat it? Is there a spoon? Do we drink it?"

"We use it to boil. Follow me, you'll eat it soon enough." Ziye picked up a slice of meat and put it inside the pot. She sighed as she did so. "Other than the broth, our materials and food here are nothing close to the expert's."

The expert had roulades, how delicious. What they were having was so rough!

The expert made it seem so easy and effortless, when they had to do it themselves, it was so difficult!

Perhaps this was the reason!

The crowd followed what Ziye did.

Soon, the first round of food was cooked.

Ma Yunming's neck elongated. He could not wait to pick up a slice of meat that was dripping with red oil. It looked very appetizing.

The moment he placed it inside his mouth, Ma Yunming merely chewed a few times before his pupils dilated. His entire face hardened.

This...this...

What was that inside his mouth?

Food could be so delicious?

Unbelievable! Life was a mystery!

He sensed that his mouth was already overwhelmed by the fragrance. The pores all over him opened up. The slightly spicy taste triggered his taste buds. This was a sensation he had never had before.

Not only was the taste delicious, but it was also more of a blending of all sensations!

What a hotpot! What a hotpot!

They cooked and ate on the spot. The pot was boiling and the taste was...extremely blissful!

He roughly chewed the meat in his mouth and could not help swallowing it. He felt the food slipping down his throat and into his stomach. How pleasant!

Swiftly after, he rose and picked up the second slice of meat and put it into his mouth.

Delicious! How delicious!

His eyes became watery. He wanted to cry. He felt like his life was complete.

Expert! He was really an expert!

'I, Ma Yunming, am incredibly lucky to have this opportunity to eat this hotpot!'

Cheng Yi could not resist the temptation any longer. She picked up a piece of meat and ate it.

The truth was, she still had some doubts about the red oil. She felt that this way of eating was inelegant.

However...when she chewed on the meat, she froze. The hotpot broth and the taste of the meat started spreading out in her mouth. As she chewed, the texture became even more ideal!

'Blissful!'

This word appeared in Cheng Yi's mind.

The long journey of cultivation would become dry and boring ultimately. Unknowingly, her standards had gone higher and the things she enjoyed became less. Although she had lived for a long time, there was no...fun.

However, the introduction to this hotpot was an exciting addition to her dry and boring life. She blushed and almost moaned.

She glanced at Ziye. The Picture Pearl was secretly placed by the side...

Her Seventh Sister!

She was lucky she held it in!

Cheng Yi looked at the pot again.

Boil! Boil! Boil!

Red oil bubbles were boiling.

The doubts she had had all vanished. No matter how she looked at it now, it looked very delicious.

Her face remained unchanged, but the truth was that her movements had become quicker. Her rate of chewing had increased. She even became impatient.

No way. The people around her had even stood up to dig meat out from the pot. She was losing out!

"Seventh Sister, you're an adult now. As a Princess, where's your image? Look at you, you have so much meat in your bowl. Why don't you quickly put down the meat in your hand?"

Chapter 374

The next day.

The sky had brightened up.

Li Nianfan woke up later than usual. After all, he had stayed up late the previous night.

Click.

He opened the door and stretched in the direction of the sun while yawning. What a refreshing morning!

"Mr. Li, good morning."

"Brother Nianfan, good morning."

In the yard, Daji and the rest were busy. They all had smiles on their faces. They were in a good mood.

"Wow, you all seem happy. What're you preparing to do?" Li Nianfan looked at them and realized that they were all busy around the kitchen.

Daji had a ball of dough in her hands as if she was making buns. Nanan and Dragon were kneading the flour by the side, adding water into the dough from time to time. They were busy but seemed very happy.

Even the Fire Phoenix felt embarrassed to do nothing. She was holding a knife while cutting the meat.

Chop! Chop! Chop!

She looked stunning dressed in red. However, she held onto the knife, cutting the meat violently. She constructed a very beautiful sight for the eyes.

Blackie and Xiao Bai had nothing to do.

Blackie laid by the rockery while sunbathing under the morning sun. He seemed lonely with a displeased look.

'Master went away for so long without bringing me. Waa... I'm not happy.

'Hmph! I didn't do anything. I took the time to go to the Immortal Realm and ruled all the Dog Demons there and became their Lord. It was quite fun.'

Xiao Bai stood by the side like a sculpture.

It met Li Nianfan's eyes and explained, as if it was wrong, "Master, listen to me. It wasn't me who got lazy. They were the ones asking to make breakfast themselves."

Daji smiled and said, "Mr. Li, although the food you make is delicious, we can't just eat and do nothing. We'll work hard to make you a meal."

A plump bun appeared in her hand. She said, "Mr. Li, how's my bun?"

Li Nianfan laughed. "Ha-ha-ha, delicious, it'll be delicious!"

He felt pleased. Perhaps this was the feeling of home.

Nanan said instantly, "Brother, the dough's made by Sister Dragin and I."

Her face and nose were covered in flour, looking adorable and joyful. Both of her hands were coated with sticky flour that had stuck all over her sleeves.

Dragon looked similar. The two kids were mostly playing instead of making the dough.

Li Nianfan looked away and saw the meat under the Fire Phoenix's knife. He could not help raising an eyebrow. "This...this is...dragon meat?"

"Hmm!"

"Actually...cutting it too hard would affect the texture of the meat," Li Nianfan suggested.

He felt that the Fire Phoenix was seeking revenge. Being an old dragon was not easy. 'He's already dead and yet you're chopping his dead body like that? How inhuman!'

"I'm getting revenge!" Fire Phoenix emphasized the words.

Li Nianfan did not try to talk her out of it. He looked around and said, "Xiao Bai, you go and prepare the hairy crab. Pick out the yellow stuff to make crab buns."

Xiao Bai nodded instantly. "Okay, my master."

Li Nianfan said, "Dragon, you can only eat the crab bun."

"Oh, okay, brother." Dragon nodded understandingly.

After all, dragon meat was similar to hers. Although in the cultivational realm it was normal to eat your own species, for the demons, eating your own species would increase your power. However, Li Nianfan wanted to avoid this from happening.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Don't worry, the crab bun's definitely more delicious than the dragon meat."

"Really?" Dragon's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Li Nianfan nodded, "Really!"

Meanwhile, Daji was excited. "Mr. Li, the first batch of buns are ready."

"Argh, have a look, I want to eat it!" Nanan and Dragon were excited. Even the Fire Phoenix who was cutting the meat had to stop her movements. She looked at the steamer with eyes filled with excitement.

"Open the lid!"

Daji opened the steamer. The crowd frowned and halted. They looked bitter. 𝓵𝙞𝓫𝒓𝙚𝓪𝓭.𝒄𝓸𝓶

They saw that in the steamer, those buns were no longer buns. They had exploded. Some lucky buns had only exploded halfway and were still edible. Those unlucky ones had juices coming out and were completely open. They were no longer in shape.

Daji pursed her lips. She almost wanted to cry. She said sadly, "How could it be? They looked fine when I put them in just now."

Daji looked like she was cooking for the first time. The bigger the expectation, the bigger the disappointment.

Furthermore, Daji really wanted to impress Li Nianfan. She was working on becoming a good wife. She even organized this group to make breakfast. She could not accept what just happened.

"That's because the dough for noodles and buns are different."

Li Nianfan smiled and touched Daji's nose. "There's nothing to feel bad about. It's actually quite hard to make buns. Since it's your first time, it's already quite impressive to have made these."

As he spoke, he reached out to take out an almost-perfect-looking bun from the steamer. After blowing on it, he bit into it.

To be honest, the texture of the bun was not good. It was not bouncy and it was rather dense. The shape was strange as well.

If he was not careful, the juice would ooze out.

"Hmm, yummy!" Li Nianfan was nodding as he ate. Soon, he finished the bun.

Luckily, they did not put any condiments. Thus, the taste was not too strange. The original taste of the dragon meat and the flour had a good foundation, so it was not as bad.

Daji looked better but did not seem too pleased. She felt embarrassed and looked down on herself.

Li Nianfan waved, "Alright, nothing's learned without a teacher. Let me teach you all."

He walked to Dragon and Nana and kneaded the flour. He shook his head and said, "Kneading is different. You need to add water to the flour accordingly. Also, during the kneading of the flour, pressure's not the main thing. Gentleness needs to be considered, too."

He spoke as he demonstrated it to them, his movements slow.

The crowd looked at his actions and did not find it hard. They felt like they were having a vision when watching. However, when they tried to recall what they saw, they would realize that they had forgotten the previous movement.

Path Scar!

There were three thousand years of paths. Everything had its own path.

The expert's cooking was in its own path!

No wonder the expert's food was way beyond the standards of delicious food. By using Spiritual Roots as vegetables and using ordinary materials to cook, even an ordinary man would live longer or even become a cultivator after eating his cooking.

Furthermore, there were three thousand years of paths!

Just by watching him, it was very beneficial to the crowd!

As the saying went, 'it was not to be said but felt'.

Everyone was clever. They stopped watching Li Nianfan's movements and emptied their minds to feel it.

Around Li Nianfan's body, there was a gentle and soft light. Meanwhile, the crowd was affected. They felt as if they were sitting in a rocket shooting upward.

Nanan's cultivation was the lowest. She felt the deepest, her small face was blushing in red.

She was only in the Combination realm. If she was an ordinary cultivator, she would not have been able to hold up this terrifying Insight and would have to take a few steps backward.

However, she was different. She had the Power of Devour to enlarge her limit a few times bigger!

"This isn't so bad!"

Li Nianfan smiled. He gently pulled the dough in front of the people.

Instantly, with everyone watching, he pulled out a long string and used force to toss it in the air. The string was tossed up and pulled back again. As if being hit by the string, the crowd's worldview had changed completely.

Li Nianfan had a nostalgic look in his eyes. He could not help sighing as he said, "Back then, to learn this, I had to stay up for three days and nights. I had to drag the string so long for three rounds to pass. It's painful to...be a chef!"

Li Nianfan shook his head. He then tossed it in the air and smiled. "Nanan, go and catch it!"

"Alright, Brother Nianfan!"

Nanan instantly caught the other end of the string.

The bouncy string had a nice texture. She felt a deep and gentle energy going into her body. Between Li Nianfan and Nana was a long string of flour bouncing energetically.

Every time it jumped, it let out an unlimited glow surrounding the crowd.

Even with Nanan's Power of Devour, she was unable to digest these deep and thick Insights.

This was because it was too much and too deep!

It was like a child drinking a river's worth of water.

"Hmm," Nanan moaned. She was unable to control her restlessness, as if something was about to spurt out.

As if...she was about to have a Cross Tribulation!

Chapter 375

Nanan took a deep breath to calm down her restlessness. She did not dare to suck in the surrounding Insights anymore.

Li Nianfan smiled. "If the dough can be made this way, it's considered pretty good."

Considered pretty good?

Was there another way to communicate with him?

The crowd chose not to talk back. They chose silence.

"We'll make the buns following that!"

Li Nianfan raised his hand to pluck out a white and soft piece of dough from the bigger ball of dough. No wonder the children liked to play. The stickiness and bounciness were indeed quite a good touch to the hands.

He pinched at the dough and squeezed it.

He simply picked some dragon meat with his agile fingers. Without moving that much, a bun was made. The entire movement flowed smoothly. It was a pleasing sight to watch.

Each movement was flowing with Insights.

Nanan was standing by the side. Since she was drawn by the path, her consciousness went blank. She was unable to hold it back anymore and she instantly went into the Interrogation of Insights.

To her, the Interrogation of Insights was not a problem at all because she had too many Insights around her. There were too many Insights around that there was nothing to be interrogated about. She went into a blank state.

It was like a kindergarten teacher testing a pupil who was sitting for a doctorate exam. When the two met, they were perplexed. What was there to be interrogated about? Who was testing who?

What a mess!

Li Nianfan's movement was quick and fluent. He pinched the dough and a bun was made. With another pinch, another bun was made. Each of them was rounded and regularly shaped. They were delicately made.

Following that, the buns were put in rows and placed into the steamer.

After clapping his hands, he said, "That's it, all we'll have to do now is to eat!"

Dragon's eyes sparkled like stars. She admired him so much. She cried out with joy, "Brother, you're so clever! You managed to make buns with only one hand!"

She did not expect the seemingly simple buns to be quite difficult to make. Li Nianfan made them so effortlessly, even the process of making the buns was full of Insights. Dragon almost wanted to worship him.

This was the actual expert! He looked so professional while making the buns. Could a Saint do that? Could they make buns, too?

The children's admiration made him feel satisfied.

Li Nianfan smiled humbly with delight. "It's a small trick, not to be mentioned about."

Vroom!

Without any warning, a dark cloud appeared in the sky. Instantly, the sky became dark and unstable.

Even though it was early in the morning, the surroundings had darkened. 𝒍𝙞𝙗𝒓𝒆𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Hwa-la!

Among the dark clouds, lightning struck like a dancing silver snake. It cracked the sky, making the sky flash brightly.

The lightning was thick and powerful. Even though they were only looking at it, the crowd felt their scalps go numb.

"A thunderstorm?"

Li Nianfan looked up at the sky. He could not help frowning.

What happened? Why so sudden?

"Brother Nianfan..."

Nanan pulled on Li Nianfan's sleeve and said in a small voice, "I'm about to enter my Cross Tribulation."

"Cross Tribulation, so soon?"

Li Nianfan halted. He knew about the cultivation realm well enough to know that the Cross Tribulation was the highest realm here. However, this was not the right time to make a fuss about this matter. He was mostly worried.

"Are you confident?" He looked at Nanan seriously. He looked at the Fire Phoenix and asked, "Can someone help in Cross Tribulation?"

"Brother, don't worry. I'll be fine, no problem." Nanan sighed and smiled.

She then turned into light and flew out. She said with an effortless voice, "I'm about to Cross Tribulate!"

"Be careful!" Li Nianfan reminded her and rode on his cloud. He chased after her while keeping a safe distance. He was going to watch.

Vroom!

He followed behind Nanan as more and more clouds gathered as if there was a black blanket in the sky. However, this blanket was short and only covered the sky above Nanan. Looking from afar, it looked strange.

If he looked closely, he would not be able to smile.

This was because, among the not-too-big patches of dark clouds, there was a skinny and dense strike of lightning like a silver snake. It was playing among the clouds, producing fear in one's heart.

Compared to the Natural Tribulation, Nanan was only a child.

She was too young!

However, she did not seem weak at all. Her small figure floated up into the sky. She looked up with her eyes sparkling. Her small figure exuded a fearless temperament.

Li Nianfan was flying far away. When he saw her, he suddenly felt that Nanan seemed to have...grown up!

She was the little girl who was usually by his side, the girl who acted and behaved like a child. However, after leaving her home to cultivate and after going through so many accidents, she had seen more of the world with Li Nianfan. How could she still be a small child?

"A young eagle...will fly toward the sky anyhow," Li Nianfan mumbled to himself. "Unknowingly, Nanan has become so powerful. This makes sense, though. She's creative and even invented some kind of Power of Devour. She must be the one in a million genius!"

Dragon started to boast. She said, "Brother, I'm even more powerful. I've reached the realm of an Immortal!"

"Ha-ha-ha, Dragon's also a one-in-a-million kind of genius." Li Nianfan smiled and nodded. "I'll need you all to protect me in the future."

"Hmm!" Dragon nodded seriously.

"Come on!" Nanan scoffed loudly suddenly. She exuded a powerful temperament. She reached her hands out and a black swirling hole appeared on top of her head. A strange suction force spread to her surroundings.

Sizz!

The clouds felt challenged. The lightning started to gather up. Their Qi had reached the peak as well.

Following that, along with a loud sound, a bolt of lightning struck and lit up the sky. It went straight for Nanan's black swirl that was above her head.

Bam!

The lightning was swirling in the black hole. It did not take long before it was sucked in.

"Hmm?"

Nanan could not help frowning. This Natural Tribulation...so weak...

The look of it seemed powerful, but...so weak. It made her feel as if it was...acting.

The Natural Tribulation was indeed too weak. She engulfed the Spiritual Qi of the Natural Tribulation. Instantly, she felt her power increasing greatly, making way more improvements than her usual cultivation.

She could not help tilting her little head. She yelled out at the sky, feeling unsatisfied, "It's so weak, can you give me something stronger?"

Vroom!

The clouds rolled in as if they were responding to her.

In the next moment, another lightning bolt fell from the sky, making an eye-catching crack that left an imprint in the sky for a long while.

The power was three times more than the previous one.

"It can still be stronger!" Nanan sucked it in again. The sky was instantly stabilized. "I feel that it can be five times stronger."

Vroom! The clouds responded again.

In the next instance, the third lightning struck. The power was not more or less...it was exactly five times more!

Instantly, Nanan was assured that this Natural Tribulation was acting accordingly to the needs of its clients. How professional!

The rest of them were dumbfounded. Did the Natural Tribulation become so friendly over the years?

How was this Natural Tribulation? To Nanan, this was obviously a free opportunity!

'Ding! Sister, our opportunity has arrived. Please, come out and collect your Natural Tribulation.'

The Natural Tribulation was active, and it took care of its client's feelings.

Vroom! 'How do you feel?'

Nanan nodded. "It's still okay, come again!"

Another lightning bolt struck Nanan's body accordingly. Without any exception, they were all sucked in by Nanan without wasting anything.

Her temperament was getting stronger each time. Since she had spent so much time around Li Nianfan, she did not have to digest them for them to be taken in. Her power was increasing from early-Cross Tribulation to Mid-Cross Tribulation right away.

"Clever! I didn't expect Nanan to be so powerful!"

Li Nianfan could not help feeling astonished. "It's like she's using the Natural Tribulation to take a bath, and using the thunder as her shower. Perhaps she really is a genius, how powerful!"

Daji and the Fire Phoenix could not help rolling their eyes at Li Nianfan.

'Bigshot, could you be less pretentious? Who's the powerful one here? Your ability to lie with your eyes open is too advanced!

'If you open your mouth, the Natural Tribulation would come to your mouth and offer itself to you as a meal, let alone showering with the Natural Tribulation. It would even make itself taste better, do you believe me?'

With that, Nanan had easily passed nine lightning strikes without any accident.

The clouds started to spread out, making some noise.

Vroom! 'Please, leave a review.'

Nanan's small face flushed red. Her cultivation had reached the late-Cross Tribulation. She went back to them in light and looked at Li Nianfan with excitement, "Brother Nianfan, I've succeeded! This Natural Tribulation isn't bad at all. It's gentle and it helped improve my power."

Her powerful temperament had disappeared. By then, she had turned into an energetic child again.

"Clever! So clever! This is great!"

Li Nianfan ruffled her head and did not say anything else. To him, Nanan was a child he watched grow up. Even if she Immortalized and became undefeatable, she would still be a child to him, let alone Cross Tribulating.

He smiled and said, "Hurry up and go back. The buns should be ready by now."

"Right, Cross Tribulating makes me hungry. Let's go home and have some buns."

Even though it was a terrifying tribulation, it looked more like a professional delivery guy who had gone back after delivering the powerful and filling meal.

When they went back to the four-part architecture, steam was coming out from the steamer. The timing was just right.

Just like the saying, 'In ancient times, warm wine was used to ease the city.' Now that they had steamed buns after the Natural Tribulation, it came just at the right time!

When he lifted the lid, the heat escaped with the scent, spreading all over. Instantly, it triggered one's appetite.

Other than the scent, the appearance of the buns was even more ideal. They were shaped like plump white snow, good to the touch. Having one in hand would please one's senses.

Even after poking it with a finger, it would bounce back up. Its elasticity made it look alive.

"Mr. Li, your buns are too beautiful."

Compared to what they had, Li Nianfan's buns instantly won the admiration from everyone. Daji even decided to practice harder for her buns to look better.

What a filling meal.

Li Nianfan did not plan any activity nor did he prepare to go out. He carried his chair over to the side of the fire and asked the Fire Phoenix to light a fire as a heater.

He sat in the chair and laid back languidly as he stretched.

Hmm, how relaxing!

Days with no work were so chill!

The only thing lacking was entertainment. Actually, there was some entertainment. It was just that they were not advanced enough.

Li Nianfan started to relax his mind and recall the female Onis from the Underworld and the dancing Clam Demons from the sea.

He concluded that other than their looks, be it their dancing or choreography or their sense of rhythm, they were bad!

The dancing of Immortals should be something pleasing to watch. Even though the hardware looked good, the software was bad and it did not look good overall.

Li Nianfan could not help imagining what it would be like if there was an Immortal dancing in front of him with another woman playing an instrument while also singing a few songs. It would be the best thing in life!

Ew! He had gone backward! He had gone backward!

Li Nianfan quickly changed his mindset. It was my fault for not having a phone. If he had a phone, he could use his phone to read a novel or even watch some beautiful ladies dance! This should be the right thing for a man to do!

Unknowingly, his mind went blank gradually as he dozed off.

Daji gently placed a blanket over Li Nianfan before walking to the backyard.

When she got to the backyard, she took out the golden gourd and examined it in her hand.

The Fire Phoenix looked at the gourd and asked, "This gourd can suck in demons' consciousness?"

"Yeah," Daji nodded. "I think this is the Sucking Gourd that was mentioned by Mr. Li in the 'Investiture of the Gods', the one used by Empress Nuwa. It can be used to gather all of the demons in the world."

The Fire Phoenix had a hint of admiration in her eyes. She could not help saying, "Mr. Li's so nice to you."

"Yeah, without Mr. Li, I'd still be a tiny fox by now." Daji looked nostalgic and sweet. She then smiled and said, "No, I'd actually be dead..."

The Fire Phoenix looked at Daji and asked, "What are you prepared to do?"

"Mr. Li said this world's messed up. Of course, we need to solve his problems!" Daji squinted as she smiled happily while speaking with a determined tone. "Mr. Li fixed the Heavenly Temple and Underworld to ease up the chaos in the world. We're still in need of a Lord Demon, so I'll arrange for one!"

The Fire Phoenix pursed her lips. After a moment, she said almost unwillingly, "I, on behalf of the Phoenix family, support you...a fox!"

Since the birth of the world, Dragons, Phoenixes, and Kirins were the major figures. Lord Emperor Jun and Emperor East were born as the Lord Demon. The Nine-tailed Fox was nowhere close to it. However, now that she was with the expert, nobody could say no.

"Thank you for your support, Sister Fire Phoenix." Daji smiled. She raised her hand to gently rub the golden gourd.

Instantly, a glowing light appeared. By the entrance of the gourd, smoke floated, forming phantoms of a kirin and a dragon.

They looked at Daji in unison and scowled. "How despicable! So what if you've got a Sucking Gourd? Don't think you can get a hold of our hearts after getting our consciousness. We won't give in even if we're dead!"

Chapter 376

A Black Kirin and a Black Dragon were formed in the air. Although they were now criminals, they still had the dignity of being ancient beasts. They looked at the crowd coldly.

Meanwhile, their noses moved. Their eyes turned around and could not help looking at the bun in Nanan's hand.

There was such a fragrant bun in the world? What was it made of? Impossible! They were born with the world and yet they had never tasted it.

Black Dragon scoffed, "Ha-ha, they're trying to tempt us with good food? How innocent!"

Black Kirin scoffed as he retrieved the saliva oozed out, "I might only consider it if there are at least a hundred thousand buns."

Nanan stuffed the bun into her mouth. It bulged up as she looked at the Black Dragon and said in a muffled tone, "This bun is made with your dragon meat."

"My meat tastes so yummy?" Black Dragon was shocked as if he just knew about himself. He looked at his body with only its Primordial Spirit left. He regretted it.

'Unfortunately, I didn't taste it myself before others had it.'

Daji looked at them and said calmly, "Now that the world's messed up, my master wants to recreate the order of the people, demons, and immortals. However, he doesn't like to kill, so from now onward, I'll be in charge of the demons. If you surrender to me, you don't have to die."

If the master was to do it, of course, he would not even need to speak. A sneeze from him would destroy all species. Since he had chosen not to show his cultivation, obviously he was trying to remove himself from the scene and merely act as a spectator. He wanted the others to do the work for him.

Thus, Daji could not let her master down!

Attacking Kirins and Dragons was too unrealistic since they were too powerful. Therefore, Daji was using the wisest way.

As the one closest to Li Nianfan, other than constantly being baptized by his words and actions, she had heard many of his ideas. The sentence Li Nianfan repeated most frequently was, 'Don't use violence to solve problems'.

Master did not like violence and did not like to use his power. Or else, why would he keep pretending to be an ordinary man?

"Surrender to you? Ha-ha, who are you kidding?"

"A mere Nine-tailed Fox trying to be the Lord Demon? Most importantly, a small fox with a master? Who are you? You're insulting the entire demon race!"

"Nonsense! Absolute nonsense! And what did she say? Don't want to use force? And she expects us to surrender to her?"

"Perhaps she thinks by capturing the two of us, she could rule the world?"

Black Kirin and Black Dragon start insulting Daji. Since they were beyond dead, they were arrogant as usual. They did not look weak and seemed powerful as usual.

"Little fox, listen to me. If you're not the one dreaming, your master's the one dreaming." Black Dragon smiled.

He put on a senior expert kind of look as he said with pride, "The reason I was caught by you was due to an accident. Let me let you in on a secret. During the major catastrophe, only my Southern Sea Dragon Family was kept alive. It's just a matter of time before we rule the entire ocean. Furthermore, I'm already beyond life and death. I've become a Daluo Golden Immortal. Now that I have the Dragon Soul Pearl, I can bring back the glory of dragons like the past. What do you have to rule the demons? Your nine tails?"

"Your Southern Sea isn't too bad, but compared to my Kirin family, you're still behind." Black Kirin smiled and fixed his posture. He put on a flying pose with one hand in the air and said arrogantly, "My Kirin family's the winner of the catastrophe. However...that's not it! Good things will turn bad, bad things will turn good! After the catastrophe, a genius appeared in my Kirin family, known as the Kiriner. He was born with everything and with extra powers. Kiriner will be something in the future. However... I'm not done yet! Back then, when the Kirins started to turn bad, Kiriner turned into a Kirin Cliff. However, his soul was left behind... My Kiriner not only woke up under the cliff, he even inherited the entire Kirin family. Even a Daluo Golden Immortal's nothing in front of Kiriner. He's the pride of my family!"

At the end, Black Kirin was so excited. He was shaking, his eyes squinting. It was as if he had seen his Kirins in glory with tears in his eyes.

Black Dragon mocked, "Hah, how would a mere junior compete with a Southern Sea Dragon King like me?"

"What do you know?" Do you know how talented my Kiriner is?"

"You know nothing! Do you know how powerful my Dragon Soul Pearl is?"

"Do you know how hard my Kiriner works?"

...

The two were getting more and more agitated. The two spirits were already fighting. If it was not for their lack of power, they would have fought properly.

"Ha-ha, you two have no idea what power is!" Dragon scoffed with a smirk. Her small body was filled with arrogance as she said proudly, "Dragon Soul Pearl? Soul of the Kirin? That's it? Do you know what we have here? My dragon family's..."

Whoop!

Meanwhile, a golden carp fish suddenly jumped out of the pond in the heart of the backyard. It caused ripples that did not match with its figure. It landed back into the pond and then jumped out again and again

Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

"Eh? What an active carp fish." Black Kirin stared at the fish blankly and sighed. "Its meat must be muscular."

Dragon swallowed back what she wanted to say. However, she was not finished. She said, "Whatever, this is a big secret. I promised to keep it a secret so I can't tell you all."

Inside the pond, the golden carp let out a sigh of relief. Its eyes were looking emotional. "Luckily, I warned her in time. If not I would've been exposed. How dangerous, how dangerous."

Black Dragon and Black Kirin merely scoffed. They stopped fighting for a moment and looked at Daji.

"Do you still think you can rule all of the demons?" Black Kirin scoffed coldly. "Give up the thought. We won't surrender to you. It's impossible for the kirins to surrender to you!"

"Little fox, back then, my dragon family didn't even show respect to Dao Zu. Your master's nobody to us. It's impossible for us to surrender, if you want to kill us, go ahead!" Black Dragon's tone was full of determination. His tone was cold and harsh.

Sizz!

Without any warning, countless flashing strings appeared and circled the Black Dragon and Black Kirin. The strings were pulling and stretching them out.

The dragon and kirin were dumbfounded. They were pulled into an embarrassing pose hanging in the air. They were unable to move.

There was a playful voice coming from the forest. "These two don't even know who they are, this should be the correct pose for them to speak to you." 𝒍𝒊𝙗𝓻𝒆𝓪𝙙.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"What're you doing? How dare a small Tree Demon insult us?"

Black Dragon and Kirin were both struggling and trying to move. They scoffed around angrily. With just a glance, their bodies jolted. How they wished they could pluck out their eyes.

The strings tying them down was...Spiritual Root!?

And the Tree Demons around them...they were all Spiritual Roots!?

There were apples, oranges, pears, and other fruits hanging on the trees. Under the sunlight, the fruits seemed so tempting and delicious. They were glowing.

They gasped and almost went crazy.

"Spiritual Roots and Immortal Fruits!? Am I hallucinating? Kirin, have a look, quick! Are those Spiritual Roots tying us down?" Black Dragon called out with disbelief, his voice becoming squeaky.

"Shut up!"

Black Kirin's eyes popped out. He started looking around. He did not notice earlier, but with just a glance, his entire face grimaced out of shock. His Primordial Spirit started shaking vigorously and almost collapsed.

His voice shivered as he stuttered, "This...this is..."

The Fire Phoenix had a smile on her lips. She said, "This is the backyard of our master. The place where he plants and grows some chickens."

"Plants and grows some chickens?"

Here?

Black Dragon and Black Kirin felt their heads buzzing. Everything in sight was making them gasp with their last breath.

Even the Flat Peach Garden of the Heavenly Temple back in the days was nowhere close to this place. Even the house of the saints was probably not as luxurious as this place.

Black Dragon took in a deep breath. He had a look of respect in his eyes. He said, "What's the matter with this Spiritual Root? Aren't these fruits? How did they become Spiritual Root?"

Daji smiled and said, "The realm of my master has gone way past your ability to understand. Turning something ordinary into extraordinary is something very normal. Even grass could be turned into a Spiritual Root here, let alone fruits!"

Black Kirin shook his head with disbelief. "This is impossible!"

Although he said so, the look of shock on his face showed that he believed what he heard.

The Tree Demons were moving and twisting around. The sound resonated again, "We were all ordinary fruit trees. We only managed to become Spiritual Roots thanks to our master. It's your blessing to be able to work for our master."

Black Kirin and Black Dragon exchanged a look. They felt their hearts sinking. They were perplexed. The resistance they had earlier had completely vanished.

If everything they said was true, this master was too terrifying. The so-called Southern Sea Dragon King and Kiriner were insignificant.

Black Kirin had a straight look on as he said seriously, "My kirins are as old as the world. Since I'm one of them, my life belongs to them, alive or dead. If you want me to work against my family as a spy, you must tell me, what are the benefits?"

Black Dragon nodded. "What he said!"

Chapter 377

Sizz!

Suddenly, a shadow slipped past and turned into a strong whip, whipping the buttocks of the Black Dragon and Black Kirin.

Bam!

Their Primordial Spirits instantly jolted as they wailed uncontrollably.

Black Dragon was in so much pain that his body softened like a small snake having a seizure. He scoffed, "How're you so inconsiderate? Why do you suddenly beat people up?"

The Tree Demons smiled coldly and said, "Being able to work for our master's blessing. How dare you ask for benefits?"

Many Tree Demons had raised their branches. They tangled around Black Kirin and Black Dragon's bodies, especially around the buttocks. Many branches had gathered and were moving energetically. They seemed to be ready to take action.

Black Kirin watched with terror, extremely terrified. He felt that he was completely helpless as he asked, shivering, "Please, let's talk it out. A man moves his mouth and not his hands!"

"Little fox, why don't we talk calmly? There's no need to do this." Black Dragon looked at the tree branches cautiously. He was very anxious. "Or just be more gentle!"

"You and your families can only be considered as the unofficial staff of my master. As for your future, it depends on how you perform." Daji looked at them and continued coldly, "As for the benefits? A simple piece of trash from my master would be the greatest benefit you'll ever have! I promise."

After a moment of hesitation, Black Kirin sighed heavily. "Whatever! Who'd have thought that there's such an expert in the world? I'm not betraying my family this time, I'm saving them from danger. Perhaps this would be an opportunity for my family. Hopefully, many years later, my family will understand!"

Black Dragon nodded. "I share the same thoughts as Black Kirin."

"Not using any power was for your sake. After all, you won't be able to take it when my master gets mad. Your Primordial Spirits are inside the Sucking Gourd. I hope you can behave." Daji nodded and made a gesture.

The golden gourd started to glow. By the side, the gourd vine was moving with the wind. The soil on the ground rose gradually, circling Black Kirin and Black Dragon.

The soil was merely some gravel on the ground, nothing significant. However, with just some gravel, one turned into two, two into three. They gathered up and rushed into the spirits of Black Kirin and Black Dragon. They started condensing.

Black Kirin and Black Dragon were perplexed. They were able to make sense later on with their widened eyes. They looked at their bodies.

"This is...Nine Heaven Breathing Soil!?"

They already knew that this yard was nothing ordinary. However, they did not notice the soil. Little did they expect the soil to be of the Nine Heaven Breathing Soil!

This was the soil used by Nuwa to make humans! The Nine Heaven Breathing Soil! The reason why humans became the masters of all beings, the leader of all creatures, was due to them being molded with the Nine Heaven Breathing Soil! This was the greatest opportunity of all time!

Scary, so terrifying!

How was this a backyard? This was a mini-condensed world of all the powerful essences in the world!

"Are you sure your master made this yard?" Black Kirin found it hard to believe. "Perhaps...he was lucky and stumbled across some ancient cave?"

Bam!

The almost-boiling Tree Demons finally found the chance to raise the branches and heavily slapped their buttocks. This was for them to learn what pain was!

"How dare you doubt our master, you shall be punished!"

"Ouch!"

Black Dragon felt his buttocks burning painfully. His face was twisted and he could not help crying out loud, "He was the one doubting the master! Why am I punished as well?"

"There's nothing to protest, your thinking must be the same as his. I know."

With the Nine Heaven Breathing Soil along with the help of the Sucking Gourd, their flesh quickly gathered up.

Daji waved it off, "Alright, hurry up and go back. I'll contact you through the gourd."

Black Kirin and Black Dragon were perplexed. "Okay, goodbye!"

Instantly, they went away into the clouds.

Black Kirin chased after Black Dragon. He asked, "Brother Black Dragon, where are you heading?"

Black Dragon sighed. "The master of the small fox is probably a powerful figure. We cannot offend him. Now that our Primordial Spirits are controlled by them, we can only do what they say."

"Have you thought that perhaps the changes in the world are related to their so-called master?" Black Kirin had a serious look on. He started analyzing, "The so-called expert wants to put the humans, gods, and demons in order. It's unlikely that they're only ruling us, the demons. They must've started somewhere else as well. Now that many restrictions have been broken, the Heavenly Temple and Underworld have changed. These...are too much of a coincidence. No one ordinary could've done this."

He looked at Black Dragon and saw that he was biting his own arm. Black Kirin jolted and asked, perplexed, "What are you doing?"

Black Dragon jolted as well. He quickly covered up his bleeding arm as if nothing had happened and said, "Idiot! If I don't injure myself, the rest might suspect me. Although it's a good thing that I've recovered, I...must injure myself! Don't mind me!"

Black Kirin said, "I see, I see. I thought you were trying to eat yourself."

"Nonsense! I'm not!" Black Dragon scoffed and said, "Alright, let's talk next time. Goodbye!"

He wiggled his tail and shot downward. With a big whoosh, he vanished into the sea without a trace.

"Hmm? How strange! Isn't my meat supposed to taste nice? Why does it taste so bad? Perhaps the Nine Heaven Breathing Soil affected my texture? Or maybe I'm only delicious when made into buns?"

Black Dragon was swimming quickly in the ocean. After entering the Southern Sea, he went straight to the Dragon Palace. Soon, he gained the attention of the others.

The prawns and crabs soldiers were stunned. "You, you are...Elder Ao Shu?"

Ao Shu panted and said urgently, "Hurry up and pass it on to the Dragon King. I, Ao Shu, am blessed and survived this incident!"

Soon, a dragon family with horns on their heads swam out. When they saw Ao Shu, they were extremely shocked.

Ao Feng marched over and cried angrily, "Elder Ao Shu, who did it? Who did this to you! How dare they hurt you so badly!?"

The crowd did not dare to look at him. They mourned, "How cruel, so cruel! You don't even have a complete body. Each part of your body has a patch of meat missing. Who did this!?"

"Even one of your dragon horns is missing, who's so cruel?"

Ao Feng was filled with guilt. He said, "Elder Ao Shu, I've wronged you. I shouldn't have left you behind!"

Ao Shu instantly said, "Prince, please, don't say that. Being able to sacrifice for the dragon family is my worth and my pride!"

"Well said!"

Meanwhile, the Southern Sea Dragon King spoke. He went over and hugged Ao Shu. His eyes were filled with pity. "Ao Shu, you've been wronged."

Ao Shu replied, "Dragon King, I'm alright!"

The Southern Sea Dragon King smiled coldly. "As long as you're back! We've got hold of the Dragon Soul Pearl. Also, I've gotten better at controlling it. Once I've mastered it, nobody in the world would be able to stop me! I'll take revenge for you!"

Ao Shu tried to explain with tears in his eyes, "Dragon King, the reason I escaped was..."

Southern Sea Dragon King instantly cut him off. "You don't have to explain. As long as you're back!"

Ao Shu was perplexed.

He prepared a long speech along the way with a nice plot of his life-threatening escape. It was a tearful plot! And yet, the Dragon King cut him off?

"No, I think it's better if I say it." Ao Shu fought for a chance to perform.

"No need, the process is unimportant, only the result counts!" The Southern Sea Dragon King laughed and declared arrogantly, "Hurry up and prepare a batch of top-grade seafood. Tonight, we're hosting a feast to celebrate Ao Shu's survival!"

On the other side, Black Kirin went back to the Kirin Cliff.

He was stunned when he was outside the gate.

He saw Big Lord Demon speaking to the Kirin family. He was looking guilty as he kept apologizing.

The two exchanged a look and were instantly stunned.

Big Lord Demon was dumbfounded. He thought he was hallucinating. He cried out with disbelief, "You're still alive?!" 𝑙𝑖𝑏𝓇𝘦𝑎𝒹.𝑐𝑜𝓂

By the side, the Kirin family was equally shocked. From the tower, a cry of delight was heard, "Uncle!"

"Kiriner!"

Black Kirin called out with excitement. He walked forward and said politely, "Greetings to the Demon King!"

"Uncle, no need to be polite." The Demon King walked toward him with excitement. "It's really you! The demons came and said that you were framed and died. I didn't believe them!"

Big Lord Demon was stunned for a moment before saying, "Demon King, this thing's tricky. I saw it with my eyes that he wasn't going to make it! The truth is that...this man before us has a problem!"

"Big Lord Demon, the demons have a problem!"

Black Kirin suddenly cried with anger, "I was indeed framed! I was framed by the demons! They baited me to attack a Deluxe Saint and I ended up getting hurt. Luckily, I was blessed and survived. The demons have a problem. They want to hurt our Kirin family!"

"Really?" The Demon King looked at the Big Lord Demon. He did not seem friendly.

Big Lord Demon was shocked. He quickly shook his head, "I'm not!"

Black Kirin continued, "Why didn't you tell me there was a Deluxe Merit Saint?"

"I...this...I forgot."

Instantly...an uproar!

"As cultivators, our brains are good. How could you forget about this?"

"A problem! The demons have a big problem!"

"Luckily, Black Kirin has come back and revealed the true color of Big Lord Demon!"

Big Lord Demon panicked. His eyes were glowing red as he said, "Listen to me, I really forgot, the reason being..."

Demon King waved and scorned coldly, "Surround him!"

"What now?" Big Lord Demon and the demons behind him looked terrified. They warned, "Unless, you're trying to challenge us?"

"How dare you frame my Uncle! You're not to be forgiven!" Demon King narrowed his eyes and declared, "We, the Kirin family with me taking the lead, will be undefeatable! Now that Lord Demon God Is dead, what are you all?"

Big Lord Demon took a step backward quietly. He said, "Demon King, your Uncle has a problem. You're not attacking him but attacking us?"

Black Kirin did not change his look. He said, "Demon King, I can explain."

"Uncle, no need to explain," the Demon King cut him off. He scoffed at Big Lord Demon, "What a joke. If I don't believe my Uncle, you want me to believe you?"

He scoffed and a powerful temperament exploded. He growled, "Kirins, listen up. Attack!"

...

At the same time.

Somewhere in the world.

The mountain was green and the water was clear. Not only was there a stream with water, there was also a pavilion. It was a beautiful place.

It gave off an unreal feeling, looking as if it was a painting.

Meanwhile, a ripple was made in the sky as if it was water. Following that, a jade-like leg gradually stepped out of it. It was then followed by a jade and lotus-like arm.

A long dress gradually appeared in the air. The dress was flowing in the air as Cheng Yi walked out of the ripple.

She had a big pot in her hand, hugged closely to her small figure. The pot had a red packet in it—it was the hotpot sauce.

On the other hand, she had a wooden bucket. It was filled with all kinds of meat and vegetables.

She was looking excited as she walked over...

Chapter 378

Walking down this painting-like world, a cottage appeared not far away.

It was an ordinary cottage. However, it complemented its surroundings, making it seem very homely.

Cheng Yi held on to a pile of things, walking toward the cottage.

Outside the cottage, around a few hundred meters away from it, there was a man with a goatee and a crown on his head. He was wearing a brown robe, standing by the stream. Both of his hands were behind his back. He looked worried but put on a calm look as he looked at the stream as if nothing was wrong.

Cheng Yi walked over with excitement. When she saw the man, she fixed her composure and quickly fixed the pot in her arms. She greeted, "Greetings to the Jade Emperor."

"Alright, how many times have I told you, don't mind the gesture." The man waved it off and smiled. "Did you find anything on this trip?"

Cheng Yi could not help smiling. "This time, I met my Seventh Sister."

"Seventh Sister?" The man halted and asked with a strange tone, "How did you two meet? You managed to get out of the Heavenly Temple or did she manage to get in?"

"Cheng Yi, don't talk to him. Come over here!"

Suddenly, a voice was heard. The man and Cheng Yi halted.

"Jade Emperor, I'll leave you here."

"Cough, cough, go on." The man waved without changing his expression at all.

Before the cottage, there was a pavilion. A woman with her hair down in a golden robe was sitting there.

The first impression of this woman was that she was elegant, noble, and well-behaved. She looked similar to Cheng Yi. In other words, Cheng Yi learned her behavior and mannerisms from this woman.

Other than those, the woman looked beautiful, but would not let anyone even think of having her. She exuded a motherly temperament—generous and respectable.

Cheng Yi lowered her head and greeted politely, "Greetings to the Empress."

The Empress smiled and nodded. "Sit!"

Cheng Yi sat and asked in a small voice, "Empress, you're having conflicts with the Jade Emperor again?"

She felt tired. She had not left for too long, and yet they had started fighting...again?

Over the years, they had a major fight every three days and a smaller fight every two days. Cheng Yi could never understand how there could be so many things to argue about.

"Hmph!" The Empress scoffed. "I was about to win the chess game, but he used a dirty trick to beat me at the end! How heartless!"

Cheng Yi looked at the chess game set up. She looked from left to right and still could not make out how the Empress 'was about to win'. Sigh...it was a horrible loss!

Oh, Jade Emperor. Why did he not let the Empress win?

Cheng Yi could not help recalling, 'Right, the last argument was caused by the Jade Emperor letting the Empress win!'

As the Empress said, 'With my skills, why would I need you to let me win? Do you look down on me?'

Sigh...the Empress was difficult to deal with.

"Alright, let's not talk about this." The Empress pointed a finger and the chessboard disappeared. She then looked at Cheng Yi and said, "Cheng Yi, you met Ziye? Where did you see her?"

The Jade Emperor was still staring at the stream. He seemed to have turned into a sculpture but his ears were listening carefully.

Cheng Yi said instantly, "Empress, we met in the Heavenly Temple. Seventh Sister unsealed the seal of the Heavenly Temple."

"Unsealed the seal?" The Empress frowned. She could not help shaking her head and sighed. "This silly girl's stubborn. Fighting against the bigger force will get her in trouble. Did you try to talk her out of it? To ask her to stop?"

"All these years, Seventh Sister has grown up a lot." Cheng Yi paused and said, "This time, we talked for a long while. She said an expert appeared in the world. The changes of the world are caused by this expert. He not only formed Buddhism, but he also appointed a Human Sovereign. He even rebuilt the Underworld."

Silence.

The Empress was perplexed. The Jade Emperor was dumbfounded.

After a long while, the Empress took a deep breath and asked with a serious tone, "Are you sure this is true?"

Cheng Yi nodded. She continued, "Seventh Sister isn't joking. Furthermore...the two Daluo Golden Immortals guarding the Heavenly Temple were vanquished by this expert."

The Empress had a serious look. "Right, with your Seventh Sister's ability, she's unable to fight a Daluo Golden Immortal. Perhaps some changes have actually occurred."

She could not help looking at the Jade Emperor, wanting to discuss it. The Jade Emperor looked at her at the same time. However, seeing her, his face sank and he scoffed arrogantly. He looked away.

He mumbled to himself, "If this is true, the expert's quite powerful."

The Jade Emperor could not help shaking his head and smiling bitterly, now that the Empress had no choice but to speak to him.

They were thinking about it at the same time. Who was it that had so much power to do such things?

"Right. Empress, Seventh Sister gave these to you!"

Cheng Yi said as she placed down the pot in her hand. She slowly laid out the things on the table.

The Empress saw her movement. She could not help smiling and shaking her head. "Look at you, you're the most mature one out of them all. Why would you mess around with your Seventh Sister? Why did you bring these back here?"

Actually, the Empress already noticed these the moment Cheng Yi got back.

She thought it was something good since Cheng Yi did not mind about her image and carried these back. That had never happened before. However, when she saw what these things were, the Empress was rather disappointed. 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

These were merely some meat and vegetables. What good did they have?

She was the Empress of the Heavenly Temple, how would she be impressed by these things?

The Empress looked at the meat again. She could not help frowning and shaking her head. She looked down on these items.

Ever since becoming the Empress, she had never tasted any ordinary food. She was used to having Spiritual Roots as food. Even the drinks had to be ambrosia. Meat was impossible. It was too low-level. She was used to having some Dragon Liver and Essence of Phoenix but she got bored of these as well.

"Empress, these are food that my sister earned from the expert. They call it a hotpot. It's the best food I've ever eaten," Cheng Yi said as she set up the pot and lit a fire.

The Empress could not help shaking her head with disbelief. "Unless this is all the expert's eating?"

Instantly, she thought lowly of the expert. An expert who ate these would not be too powerful anyway.

After all, even an ordinary Immortal had no appetite, let alone Saints. If they found some Immortal Fruits, they would eat them. If not, they would not need to eat. The so-called food was for ordinary men.

"Empress, this hotpot's delicious. It's a one-of-a-kind pleasure."

Cheng Yi spoke highly of the hotpot. She gulped with anticipation as she said, "Empress, you've been trapped here for so long, you must be bored. I know you feel bitter, so you must try this hotpot. It'll bring back the joy of life!"

The Empress halted. She suddenly felt emotional as she said with a confused tone, "You silly girl, why would you say such emotional things? I've lived for countless years. There's no more difference between life and death to me. There's no joy in being alive anymore."

Cheng Yi had been accompanying the Empress around, so she knew the Empress well enough to know what she would resonate with.

The Emperor had been noticing them while stroking his beard. He smiled and shook his head, "Sigh, Cheng Yi, to us, everything's dry and boring. You brought over this food to make our life more exciting. I thank you for your effort, but...forget about eating this. The Empress and I are well-restrained, we're not people who would be tempted by good food."

Cheng Yi tried to convince them, "Just give it a try. This hot pot is yummy, perhaps you might like it?"

The Empress was helpless. She smiled lovingly and said, "Alright, since you and your Seventh Sister insisted, let's give it a try. I'm watching by the side."

The Jade Emperor and the Empress sighed quietly. They shook their heads.

They could not help raising their heads, looking around with sadness in their eyes.

No matter how beautiful the scenery was, this was a small place. They had lived there for more than ten thousand years without leaving. They had grown bored of it. It was similar to being sealed in this place.

They could not see the scenery outside nor could they touch the outside world. If someone did not have enough restraint, they would have gone crazy.

They both knew why they would argue from time to time. They did this to make their lives more interesting. If not...their lives would be so dry.

However...this hotpot was unable to excite them.

Ziye was so innocent. The expert she met was probably not reliable. She should be warned before the expert stole from her. Who knew, she might have been framed.

Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!

As she was thinking, the red broth in the pot was boiling with bubbles. A source of heat rushed up and spread out.

The heat turned into smoke. The smoke floated to the Jade Emperor and Empress. Their bodies jolted as their lips turned dry. They started salivating.

This taste...

Fragrant! What a fragrance beyond imagination!

They looked at the pot at the same time. Since it was boiling, bubbles were popping out. Inside the pot, there were all kinds of condiments inside. The oil and fats were on the top layer. By the looks of it, it looked different from properly prepared delicious food.

However, the seemingly simple outlook of the food contained so much fragrance. It piqued one's appetite.

That was it! That was hunger!

The Empress and the Jade Emperor took a deep breath at the same time. They suppressed their panic and agitation.

It had been too many years since they last felt hunger. It was so long ago, when they first tasted Flat Peaches. They were curious about the Flat Peaches and after tasting the Flat Peaches, it felt... meh!

Who would have thought that after countless years, they still had hunger and appetite? Furthermore, this was different than the previous time. This time, it was through the fragrance that triggered the most basic hunger and appetite.

Just like someone who was hungry and who felt like eating. Hunger was a problem, but this problem was also a source of happiness for some people.

Since Immortalization, they have lost too many problems. At the same time, they also lost their easily satisfied desires!

That original desire came back! They wanted...to cry.

The Jade Emperor and Empress did not resist this feeling. In fact, they became more drawn to it.

Uncontrollably, their breathing started to speed up. Their chests moved more with the intention of sniffing more of this fragrance. It smelt so good! Even the smell of it made one feel loved.

The Empress could not help looking at the pot while exuding an air of motherly temperament. She sat there as if she was not moved by this fragrance, while her eyes stared at Cheng Yi's spoon blankly as she scooped out the roulade and vegetables from the pot elegantly.

Cheng Yi laughed to herself as she filled up the bowl before the Empress. She continued to persuade them, "Empress, just do it for the sake of Seventh Sister and me. Why not give it a try?"

The Empress hesitated for a moment before fixing her clothes. She maintained her image and said calmly, "Whatever, since you've filled up my bowl, I'll give it a try."

Gulp!

Suddenly, a loud gulp was heard.

The Jade Emperor's face grimaced. He awkwardly turned over and faced them with his back. He quickly coughed to cover up.

Cough, cough!

Cheng Yi instantly realized. She ran over to pull the Jade Emperor over as she said, "Jade Emperor, there's too much hotpot, let's eat."

The Jade Emperor's expression remained the same as he sat down. He rolled up his sleeves and said, "Since you insisted, I won't say no to you, then."

Chapter 379

They had a hotpot meal with smoke all over. Their faces had flushed red and they were enjoying it with pleasure.

Of course, the Empress and Jade Emperor maintained their images. Even before the good food, they did not lose their calm. They remained elegant and expensive. They only ate the food Cheng Yi had scooped into their bowls while making a face as if they were doing her a favor.

Halfway in, the Empress suddenly said, "Jade Emperor, do you taste something?"

"What?"

The Jade Emperor who was munching halted. He reached his chopsticks into the hot to stir the broth.

"Other than being delicious, what else is there in the pot?"

The Empress's face sank. She scoffed, "Stop fooling around. It's the Path!"

Cheng Yi was perplexed. She could not help asking, "There's a...Path in there?"

"Indeed." The Jade Emperor put another piece of meat into his mouth. After munching for a moment, his face turned serious as he said, "There are three thousand Paths. Eating's related to the prolonging of thousands of thousands of lives. Thus, it's Wisdom. Back then, the Food God in the Heavenly Temple took this Path. However, compared to this hotpot, the Path of the Food God must've been wrong. He turned the food into trash."

Cheng Yi and the Empress's faces sank. They quietly put down the chopsticks in hand.

The Empress's eyes glared at him as she scoffed, "Jade Emperor! Put down your chopsticks. You're not allowed to eat anymore!"

"Don't, it's my fault," the Jade Emperor pleaded without caring for his image anymore. He then changed the topic and analyzed, "The so-called Food Path, although it's not as destructive as the other three thousand Paths, it's still a very...very terrifying Wisdom."

Cheng Yi halted. She did not feel anything though.

She asked with curiosity, "How terrifying?"

The Jade Emperor squinted his eyes and said, "How do you feel when you're having the hotpot?"

Cheng Yi tried her best to recall. "Very satisfied, very blissful, and...like..."

The Empress added, "Do you feel that the person making the food is someone nice? Someone you want to get closer to, or even become friends with?"

"Yes, it seems to be it." Cheng Yi opened her eyes wide. She cried out in shock, "What you meant was that eating this will affect one's thinking?"

"This is only a small part of it."

The Jade Emperor shook his head as he continued, "The reason behind this is because the person making the food is kind-hearted. Therefore, the Wisdom in the food is not harmful and is friendly. However...if the food made by this person contained violence, although the taste would be the same, those eating it would turn cruel. If the food contained desire, those eating it would become the puppets of the chef!"

Cheng Yi gasped with disbelief, "So scary!?"

"Scarier than that! This Path could directly affect one's Insights!" the Empress said with a complex tone. "Eating has always been the basic desire of everyone. Once this desire is enlarged, one would agree to do anything to eat it! This person's Insights are so terrifying and powerful that if he did anything, the Jade Emperor and I would've been harmed."

The Jade Emperor nodded. "Indeed, my Insights are nothing in front of this person. I can be easily attacked. I wonder if the Saints back in the days were even able to resist him."

Clap!

The meat in Cheng Yi's hand fell on the floor. Her scalp was itching. "This...this...this..."

She knew that the expert Ziye met was extraordinary. However, her knowledge had restricted her imagination. After hearing what the Jade Emperor and Empress analyzed, she was shocked to find out that eating had such Wisdom. Her heart was beating rapidly.

"Don't worry, we can tell that this person is friendly. It's not only harmless, it's actually beneficial to us." The Jade Emperor laughed as he picked up another piece of meat.

The Empress was shocked. "Who would've thought that someone in this world could actually gain so much Food Path? Since when did we have such a Saint in the world?"

Cheng Yi remained stunned for a very long time. After a while, she said, biting her tongue, "Empress, that's not all about this expert."

The Empress was curious. "Why do you say so?"

"I heard from Ziye..."

Instantly, Cheng Yi repeated what Ziye said to her. She thought Ziye was exaggerating things before but now she believed her.

As Cheng Yi spoke, the Jade Emperor and the Empress's faces were constantly changing. They were moved and did not see it coming. They felt their hair standing and finally gasped.

Gasp... 𝙡𝓲𝒃𝓻𝓮𝙖𝒅.𝙘𝓸𝒎

He easily became a Deluxe Merit Saint, vanquished the Calamitous Black Lotus into reincarnation, and the Buddha statue he carved became the eighteen levels of Hell. He appointed a Human Sovereign, used fireworks to defeat two Daluo Golden Immortals, and the most terrifying part of all was his backyard and boxes full of Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasures!

All of these thoroughly moved both the Jade Emperor and Empress. Even though they had special identities and experiences, they never dared to dream about these even in their dreams. These were too unrealistic to even think about.

These were no longer Food Paths, this was doing anything he felt like doing!

The Empress gasped and stood up instantly. She asked with a trembling voice, "Are you sure his backyard is full of Spiritual Roots? The oranges and apples had become Spiritual Roots?!"

Cheng Yi nodded. "Indeed, Seventh Sister gave me a few oranges, they're definitely Spiritual Roots!"

The Empress looked at the Jade Emperor. She tried her best to cover it but her voice was still shaking, "Jade Emperor, do you think Dao Zu could turn things into Spiritual Roots?"

"Apparently not!" The Jade Emperor shook his head. He stood up and started walking. He was not calm anymore. "Spiritual Roots were made by nature. They came with the world. In other words, they were made when Pangu opened up and made the world. Unless...this man's like God Pangu and he can create lives!"

In other words...a figure as Godly as Pangu had arrived in this Prehistoric World?

Terrifying. Strange!

The three exchanged looks. None of them spoke. They were trying to digest the shock in them.

Even the Empress was stunned and perplexed. She said, "Jade Emperor, where's...Dao Zu? Does he know about this?"

The Jade Emperor shook his head. "As you know, he hasn't come back after leaving five years ago. We lost contact."

The Empress asked caringly, "Did your Seventh Sister speak of how close she is to the expert? She's a silly girl. I hope she didn't offend him."

"Seventh Sister claims to have a good relationship with the expert. She didn't offend him." Cheng Yi shook her head. She halted and asked, "However, I heard from Seventh Sister that the expert has a particular interest in seeds. He even asked her to look out for some for him. He wanted to plant it in his backyard."

"Special seeds? I do have them!" The Empress did not hesitate to flip her wrist. Two seeds appeared in her hands. She had a nostalgic look on as she said, "These are the Flat Peach and Yellow Plum seeds. If the expert wants it, hurry and send them over."

Cheng Yi halted. She hesitated and said, "Empress, these..."

She knew that the Empress would zone out staring at these seeds from time to time. These seeds contained her memories and meant a lot to her.

The Empress waved it off, willing to give them out. She pestered, "There's nothing to hesitate. There aren't many chances for us to help an expert like him. It's a privilege to give him something. Hurry up and bring this to your Seventh Sister!"

"Yes!" Cheng Yi nodded and left with the seeds.

Seeing that Cheng Yi had left, the Jade Emperor and Empress exchanged a look. They were equally shocked.

The Empress could not help saying, "It's a big thing. The expert Ziye met is probably going to turn the world upside down."

"Changing the world...it could be a blessing or a disaster." The Jade Emperor sighed and sat down again. He looked at the hotpot.

"The meat's ready. Don't waste the vegetables. Hmm? There are some chives. I need to try them."

...

Time passed like water. Five days had passed.

At the Fallen Immortal Mountain.

Early in the morning.

Li Nianfan woke up early like usual. When he opened his bedroom door and saw the lively scene in his yard, he could not help smiling and shaking his head.

Daji was making buns with the rest of them.

Recently, they had decided to wake up early in the morning to master the art of making buns.

They did make some improvements, a big improvement indeed. At least on the surface level, the appearance of the buns was alright.

"Brother, brother, look at this!"

When Dragon saw that Li Nianfan had come out, her eyes sparkled as she ran over with a small dough. She cried out with excitement, "Guess what this is?"

The dough in her hand was not shaped like a bun. She decided to roll it into another shape.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "This is a small snake."

"Dragon! It's a dragon!" Dragon protested. "Look, it has four legs!"

"Brother Nianfan, look at mine!" Nanan walked over with another dough.

Li Nianfan shook his head. He said honestly, "It's not right. At least I've never seen anyone's face as flat as this."

With that, he glanced at the steamer and noticed that they had not steamed the buns. He let out a sigh of relief as he said, "We haven't been to the Fallen Town for a long time. Why don't we get breakfast there?"

Recently they had been having buns made by Daji and all for breakfasts. Although they were not too bad, they were not too good either. The taste had never changed. Most importantly, they had been eating the same thing for so many days. Li Nianfan needed a change.

Dragon was confused. "To the Fallen Town? I was going to steam this small dragon. I wonder what it tastes like."

Nanan nodded, "Yeah, I want to try making my mini-man, too!"

"Yeah, the ones you made won't taste good anyway. When we come home, I'll teach you all how to make them." Li Nianfan smiled and ruffled their heads. "If Nuwa was like you all back then when molding the humans, perhaps the humans would end up looking like demons."

Chapter 380

After walking out from the four-part architecture, they did not choose to fly. They walked instead.

The Immortals did not treat time the same way. They flew from place to place and never stopped to admire the view. When would they feel the change in the world?

After all the flying around, Li Nianfan realized the surroundings had become greener.

Although they were not jade green, some green sprouts were coming out. The originally bald tree branches started to have some greens.

"How long did it take? It's Spring already?" Li Nianfan was perplexed. His ears were ringing with the rustling of the leaves on the ground. He was walking in snow not long ago, but in the blink of an eye, it was already Spring?

Right, he went on the trip and three months had passed...

"As the saying goes, 'winter's here, how far can spring be?'" Li Nianfan sighed as he admired the view around him. Although it was not yet spring, there was already the fragrance of soil blended with flowers and plants. Since it was early in the morning, there was dew on the flowers, moistening the air while making one feeling refreshed.

The thought of spring made one feel refreshed. This was the right season for vacation.

Soon, the Fallen Town was in front of them. Upon entering the town, it was livelier than usual. Along the streets, there were more stools than usual with smoke and heat in the air.

Li Nianfan went straight to the breakfast stall. Only then did he realize that behind the stall, two shops were undergoing renovations and changing in shape.

Seeing that the owner was pleased, LI Nianfan smiled, "Owner, you're upgrading your store?"

"Yo, Mr. Li!" When the owner saw them, he smiled. He quickly prepared a table for them and greeted, "All thanks to you! You haven't been here lately, been busy? Here, have a seat!"

'I went to the Underworld and admired the eighteen levels of Hell and the Door of Reincarnation.'

Of course, Li Nianfan kept this to himself. He would have scared off the owner if he said it out loud.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Went on a trip."

"Another trip?" The owner asked with admiration. He said genuinely, "I'm so jealous of Mr. Li, living so freely and not restrained by anything."

The world was big, so the owner wanted to explore as well.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "What, you want to go out as well? Let me tell you, the outside world's interesting. You walk a little bit and demons are jumping out to scare you!"

The owner shrunk his head in fear. He shook his head bitterly and said, "Ha-ha, I don't have what it takes to be out. I knew Mr. Li wasn't any ordinary man.

"Here, Mr. Li, your buns and Tofu Pudding."

Li Nianfan looked at the buns and smiled. "Owner, let me tell you a new way of making buns."

The owner's eyes sparkled. He said with excitement, "Please, teach me."

The reason his stall was doing great was all due to Li Nianfan's teaching. The information provided by Li Nianfan was never ordinary.

Li Nianfan smiled, "At the Clear Moon Lake, there's a species that has a shell and eight legs. It's known as the Hairy Crab. You only have to steam it and remove its shell. You can then use its meat to make buns. The taste is fantastic."

He told this to the owner so he could make it the next time he came. After all, he did not want to make his own breakfast every day.

The owner listened carefully. He asked, "Does the thing have large pincers?"

Li Nianfan nodded. "Indeed, it does."

The owner did not doubt him at all. He said sincerely, "Thank you for your pointers. I didn't know that it was edible. I'll find a chance to try it."

To thank Li Nianfan for providing such information, the owner gave them another free batch of buns. He also waived the bill.

Li Nianfan thanked him. Although this was only a small pointer, it was surely a priceless pointer to the owner.

As he was about to leave, the owner suddenly thought of something. He said, "Right, I heard that there will be some activities on New Year's Day. It seems that some cultivators are organizing a big event, so join us!"

"The cultivators celebrating New Year's Day?" Li Nianfan was startled.

"Has this happened before?"

"Never heard of it. It's usually the ordinary people celebrating New Year with cultivators joining occasionally. I've never heard of the cultivators organizing New Year's events. I wonder what they're up to." The owner shook his head with a hint of anticipation in his eyes and he could not help saying, "I'm guessing it'll be quite lively. I don't know where it'll happen though. Mr. Li, you're always out. Do take part if you're interested."

Li Nianfan looked at his look of anticipation and he could not help saying, "Who knows, it could be held in the Fallen Town."

The owner shook his head bitterly. "Impossible, why would the cultivators pick a town with ordinary men? They would at least pick a prosperous land!"

Nanan pouted beside him. She could not help mumbling, "Hmph! What festival is that? Is it as entertaining as a television?"

Bam!

Li Niainfan's face darkened. He slapped Nanan's head and said, "You're always watching television. I'm punishing you. No television for three days!"

The television was one of the few entertainments for Li Nianfan. To him, making up his own shows was quite boring. However, to Nanan and the rest, this was an other-worldly object, very shocking!

Li Nianfan was trying to keep Nanan and Dragon from boredom. He would play some cartoons for them. However, it went out of hand instantly. These two young girls were addicted to it. They begged him to let them watch television every day.

It was not just them. Even Daji and the Fire Phoenix were acting the same. Li Nianfan did not know if he was making it up in his head, but he somehow felt that the chicken he was raising also watched the television from behind them.

Right, this realm had no entertainment. This bunch of people could get addicted to listening to stories, what more watching television?

"Oh." Nanan pouted. She agreed unwillingly.

Dragon asked with anticipation, "Brother, what about me? I'm fine, right?"

"You, too! No television for three days!"

Instantly, the smile on Dragon's face vanished. She was upset as well.

The crowd walked around before returning to the four-part architecture.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the Fallen Immoral Mountain, two clouds arrived one after another.

Gu Xirou saw the other party. She greeted hastily, "Greetings to Princess Ziye."

She then said to Qin Manyun beside her, "Manyun, this is the Seventh Princess of the Heavenly Temple. Say hi."

Qin Manyun instantly greeted, "Greetings to the Seventh Princess."

"Oh, Immortal Gu. Hello." Ziye greeted me back. She asked, "You're here for Mr. Li?"

"Yeah." Gu Xirou nodded. She said, "My disciple thought of an idea. We came here to invite Mr. Li."

"Oh?" Ziye looked at Qin Manyun.

Gu Xirou continued, "Seventh Princess, my disciple met the expert a long time ago. I met the expert all because of her."

"I see." Ziye's face became serious. Her attitude toward Qin Manyun had changed. "So, you probably know the expert quite well?"

"I won't say quite well, just a little of what he likes." Qin Manyun stopped for a moment before saying, "The expert's power's beyond speculation. He lives as if it's all a game. However, he's calm and friendly. He doesn't like to win or be competitive. Therefore...if he treats life as a game, he just likes interesting activities. The truth is, I had the privilege of attending a few events with the expert and he seemed pleased."

"You're right, the expert..." Ziye thought of the things Cheng Yi said to her. She had a look of terror in her eyes. However, she took back what she was about to say. "The expert's way beyond this world. He's reached the realm of doing whatever he pleases. We can't anticipate his moves, but we must remember one thing, we can't upset him! What do you plan to do?"

"The expert taught us two divine pieces and we haven't performed it for him. It's almost New Year, and we want to use this opportunity to host a festival. We'll prepare many exciting activities and invite the expert over." Qin Manyun paused. She then continued, "The reason we came this time is to find out what the expert thinks about it. If he's happy with it, we'll start inviting people."

"This idea is good." Ziye smiled and nodded. She said, "If we're performing for the expert, it has to be carefully planned. Count me in, we'll organize it well!"

Gu Xirou and Qin Manyun smiled and said, "With the Seventh Princess joining, this festival would be massive!"

Gu Xirou asked, "Right, may I know what's the reason the Seventh Princess is visiting the expert?"

Ziye replied, "Doesn't the expert like to collect seeds? I brought over the seeds of the Flat Peach and Yellow Plum. I hope the expert likes it."

Flat Peach?

Yellow Plum?

She was indeed the Seventh Princess! How wealthy! She even had such seeds!

Gu Xirou and Qin Manyun felt their eyes popping out. They were excited.

They did not know much about the Yellow Plum, but the name of the Flat Peach was like thunder to the ears. How shocking!

Especially Qin Manyun. She remembered when she first heard of the 'Journey to the West'. The Flat Peaches left a deep impression on her, especially their effects. She felt that these fruits were beyond her reach. And yet, the seed appeared before her. It was like a child who grew up listening to the stories of the Immortals and finally meeting an Immortal. How unreal!

Everything happened because of the expert. Without the expert, Immortalizing would still be an issue, let alone getting this close to the seeds!

Gu Xirou licked her lips as she asked, "This...Seventh Princess, will eating a Flat Peach make one live forever?"

"Yes!" Ziye smiled, her tone playful to excite Qin Manyun and Gu Xirou. However, she continued, "If you keep eating and have enough of them, you will!"

The last sentence instantly helped Qin Manyun and Gu Xirou to calm down.

When Ziye saw their expressions, she could not help saying, "The Flat Peaches can help the ordinary to get rid of their mortal shells and Immortalize right away. Furthermore, it has the benefits of longevity. They can slow down the Five Decays of the Immortals but only delay it. If not, the Flat Peach Festival only needs to be held once. Why would they need to hold one every three thousand years?" 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝙧𝒆𝙖𝓭.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The world had its order, so did the lifespan of beings. How could it get easier?

Gu Xirou and Qin Manyun nodded. They understood and cried out with astonishment, "It's very impressive!"

To the Immortals, the Five Decays was a very terrifying disaster. The mention of it was already very terrifying. Many Immortals would do crazy things to live longer. This showed the importance of Flat Peaches.

After all...the lives of the Immortals were too precious!

Gu Xirou could not help asking, "How long can it prolong one's life?"

Ziye smiled and said, "As the 'Journey to the West' said, the number of years it takes to ripen is the number of years it adds to one's lifespan."

Gu Xirou and Qin Manyun learned something new.

As they spoke, the four-part architecture gradually appeared in sight. They straightened their faces and had a serious look on. They stopped talking.

Chapter 381

That place was like where Lord Pangu lived!

'The mountain shall be known as...the best Saintly Mountain and the blessed sacred land from now on!'

Ziye thought to herself. Qin Manyun took a deep breath and stepped forward. She carefully raised her hand and knocked three times on the door. 𝓁𝑖𝑏𝑟𝘦𝒶𝘥.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"May I know if Mr. Li's home?"

"Guests? I'll go answer the door!"

Tap tap.

Creak.

Dragon opened the door. She had flour on her face—looking like a messy cutie. She looked at everyone outside and smiled. "Hey, it's Sister Ziye. Please, come in."

Ziye and Gu Xirou smiled at the same time. "Hello, Dragon."

Then, they stepped into the four-part architecture. They saw the busy people in the yard. White flour was floating in the air. The floor was also covered in white flour. It looked like a mess.

Li Nianfan and the others were kneading dough. They added water to the flour and they had all sorts of stuff to knead the dough with on the table.

Xiao Bai had hands like a vacuum machine, chasing after loose flour and cleaning up the place.

Ziye and the others had imagined countless scenarios when they walked in the door, except for a scenario like that. When they saw the house full of flour, the corners of their mouths unconsciously twitched.

'That's not flour, that's incomprehensible Luck!'

If cultivators, or even Immortals, were there to see all that flour, they would have lost control as if they had discovered some ultimate treasure. Then, they would do anything to gather it.

'Are they playing with Luck? Luxurious, too luxurious!'

They looked at Daji and the others. They seemed alright. It seemed like they did not think it was wasteful.

'Forget the expert. Since when were you girls so carelessly lavish, too?'

Huff!

Qin Manyun breathed fast. She noticed that some flour was floating in front of her. She silently turned her mouth into an 'O' to suck the flour in.

'Suck it in as much as I can. Rich people don't understand the desires of the poor. It'd be a shame to waste it!'

Li Nianfan saw the guests and instantly smiled. He said, "Yo, Lady Manyun's also here. I haven't seen you in a while."

Qin Manyun hurriedly saluted and bowed, "Yeah. Greetings to Mr. Li."

Gu Xirou and Ziye also hurriedly said, "Mr. Li, sorry to intrude."

Li Nianfan smiled. "Ha, there's nothing to intrude. It's a bit messy at the moment. Sorry about that."

"No...not at all." Gu Xirou sounded a bit anguished.

'You should feel sorry for us instead. We've never seen a messy house caused by excessive Luck. We truly learned something new this time.'

Li Nianfan said, "Sit, have a seat. Xiao Bai, turn off the vacuum machine mode. Hurry up and serve tea to the guests."

"Yes, my noble Master."

Xiao Bai immediately went off to make tea.

Ziye and the others looked to where Li Nianfan was standing. They looked at the dough on the table.

Their hearts raced on sight. They felt as if the dough was lively, or like it would come alive at any moment. However, the feeling disappeared when they looked closely. It still felt extraordinary.

There were puppets and all sorts of animals on the table. Li Nianfan and the others made them from kneading dough. However, it was easy to differentiate. After all, the dough kneaded by the others was too ugly. Not only were they ugly, they were tragic to look at compared to what Li Nianfan made. The difference was too obvious.

Ziye stared closely at a puppet kneaded by Li Nianfan. She could only detect a hint of powerful aura from it. It meant that her level was still too low. She was not worthy enough to understand the wisdom within it.

The dough must have contained some sort of wisdom, and it was far beyond Ziye's comprehension. The Insights from his dough were way higher than the others. It was subtle and mysterious. It seemed like the expert was not trying to preach. It was more like...a creation!

'Perhaps this dough is a kind of...super powerful Spiritual Treasure?'

Ziye guessed in her mind. Suddenly, Li Nianfan casually placed the puppet dough into the steamer. He steamed it...

Li Nianfan noticed that Ziye was dumbfounded while she was looking at the steamer. He had to laugh as he asked, "Goddess Ziye, what are you looking at? Do you like this puppet dough?"

Ziye snapped out of it. She hurriedly replied, "Mr. Li, that puppet dough's well-made. I unconsciously had to look at it."

Li Nianfan laughed. He shook his head and said, "Actually, it tastes better than it looks. Goddess Ziye, if you like it, I'll give some to you later."

Xiao Bai came over with a tray to serve them tea as well as a fruit platter. "Please, enjoy, guests."

The three of them thanked it at the same time, "Thanks, Xiao Bai."

They looked slightly ashamed. They were embarrassed to receive free food and drinks.

Daji took out her handkerchief and carefully wiped Li Nianfan's hand. The two of them walked together and sat down.

Li Nianfan smiled and asked, "Is there any reason why you're all here?"

Qin Manyun put her words together and said, "Mr. Li, I'm here to invite you to an end-of-the-year event hosted by cultivators."

Li Nianfan had a realization. He asked, intrigued, "Ha, what a coincidence. I just heard someone talking about this today. Since when did cultivators start getting interested in end-of-the-year events?"

Qin Manyun saw that Li Nianfan had laughed. It seemed like he was not against it. She was immediately thrilled. She said, "Actually...We just did. It's lonely being cultivators so we wanted to gather and create some events. It just so happens to be the end of the year, so we're just doing it together."

She paused, bit her lip, and said, "Apart from battles, we have dance performances. I will be performing with my zither, too."

"You'll be performing on stage, too?"

Li Nianfan looked at Qin Manyun weirdly. She was quite prestigious. It seemed like the event would be very formal if she was going to show up and perform.

Qin Manyun nodded. She asked excitedly, "Mr. Li, are you going to come? I practiced hard on 'Ambush' and 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Since Lady Manyun already said so, it makes no sense if I don't go."

Qin Manyun and Gu Xirou were overjoyed. They hurriedly said, "We'll pick you up for the event, then."

Li Nianfan laughed. He said smugly, "No need to do so. I don't need to rely on the skyship anymore."

Ziye silently sighed at the side. She felt lonely.

If the Seven Princesses were together, they could perform a set of dances for the expert. However, it was just her. She could not present the performance on her own.

She lightly flicked her wrist and out came two seeds in her hand. She spoke, "Mr. Li, I heard you were looking for special fruit trees to fill up your backyard. I found these two seeds by accident. How about you take a look?"

"Oh? Let me see."

Li Nianfan was instantly interested. He took the seeds from Ziye and carefully observed them.

The two seeds were not that different in sizes. They were plump. However, one was smoother, the other one had deep patterns and small holes on it. They looked kind of dry. They appeared to have been out in the wild for quite some time.

Thankfully, the environment was nice at the Immortal Realm. There were Spiritual Qi everywhere. If the seeds were placed in the past realm, they would have dried out and died a long time ago.

"Good seeds. These are good seeds!"

Li Nianfan carefully touched them and smiled. "This one's a Peach, and this one's a Plum. Both are good seeds. Goddess Ziye, thank you so much."

'So the Flat Peach is called a Peach and the Yellow Plums called a Plum. I see.'

"You're welcome, Mr. Li. I can't plant this...Peach seed and this Plum seed anyway, so I may as well give it to you."

"You gave it to the right person then. I'm a certified farmer after all. It's not hard to plant these seeds!" Li Nianfan laughed. "Once I harvest the fruits, I'll give them to you, Goddess Ziye."

'Planting Spiritual Herbs, Flat Peaches, and Yellow Plums. Is there anybody else in the world who could do something that cool?

'Yet...you merely referred to yourself as a certified farmer?

'The expert's truly the expert. Even his cool act is beyond us.'

Ziye was excited but at the same time, she felt her emotions were being relentlessly attacked. She kept smiling. "Ha, thanks, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan put the seeds aside. He was planning to plant them later. He suddenly had a thought and asked curiously, "Oh, yeah. How's the Heavenly Palace?"

Her face dropped at the mention of that. Ziye sighed and said, "No progress at all. But fortunately, I saw my Second Sister."

"Your Second Sister?" Li Nianfan was slightly surprised. He thought to himself, 'Her Second Sister would be the Second Princess?

'Awesome. Why isn't she here? It'd be great to meet more legendary characters.'

Ziye automatically answered his question. She said, "Yes, but she was confined. She can't leave the Heavenly Palace yet."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded. Then, he asked, "Can we go to the Heavenly Palace?"

Li Nianfan only asked casually but Ziye's heart clenched hearing that. Her heart started beating frantically. She was excited and anxious. She was thinking a lot and could not control her breathing.

'The expert's starting to take an interest in the Heavenly Palace. If he went over, there might be a chance for everyone to wake up.'

Previously, Ziye did not dare to guess what Li Nianfan was thinking. Therefore, she never asked him to do anything. However, the expert himself brought up the Heavenly Palace. That was a different case.

Deep down, she knew that she could never think of a solution on her own. Even the Jade Emperor and Empress of the Heavenly Palace could not do anything. It was an unsolvable issue. The only hope lied with the expert.

However... Could she directly ask the expert for help? Obviously not. If she asked for help, she would not receive it. She would probably also be dead.

At that moment, Ziye wanted to cry. She did not know how it would end but it would be a huge blessing if the expert was at the Heavenly Palace. After all, there was a prior example—the Underworld. 'Maybe the expert will rebuild the Heavenly Palace if he's in a good mood?'

Her mind was running fast. She hurriedly calmed her overturned heart. However, her voice was still shaky. She said, slightly nervous, "Of course, you can. Mr. Li, if you want, I can bring you all there right now. The Heavenly Palace isn't that different from the eldritch eras."

Li Nianfan was thrilled. "Really? Can we go to the Heavenly Palace?"

Ziye almost begged him. She kept nodding, "Yes, you absolutely can."

Li Nianfan looked at Daji. "Daji, how about it? How about we...have a stroll at the Heavenly Palace?"

Daji smiled and said, "I'll follow you if you want to go."

"We've been to the Underworld, so of course, we can't miss out on the Heavenly Palace! We must go. We must go!"

Li Nianfan looked excited. He was thrilled.

That was the Heavenly Palace. In the past realm, the Heavenly Palace was an important place in every legendary story. It was also the holiest and most mysterious place. The story of 'Havoc in the Heavenly Palace' won the hearts of countless teens.

He was...about to visit the Heavenly Palace.

Chapter 382

"Mr. Li, shall we depart...now?" Ziye took a deep breath. She was irrecoverably nervous.

"No rush. I'll deal with some things first. Please, wait for a moment."

Li Nianfan smiled. He looked at the hot steamer and said, "Oh, yeah. Goddess Ziye, if you like my puppet dough, I should give this steamer to you. Xiao Bai, help Goddess Ziye pack it up."

It was common courtesy. Since Goddess Ziye gave him two seeds, he had to be polite and give something back.

Then, he took the two seeds into the storage room and started to cause a commotion while looking for something.

Soon, he walked out of the storage room with a small container. He slowly walked towards the backyard.

Ziye and the others looked at the small container. It had translucent liquid inside. It seemed ordinary but everyone felt their hearts race.

They could not forget about that.

'That's the growth serum. It must be the growth serum!'

Extraordinary people could look ordinary. The same could be said for treasures.

The growth serum looked like ordinary water. However... It was a legendary liquid that defied the laws of nature.

'Awesome.

'We'd probably be eating peaches and plums in no time.'

Everyone sat and waited. After a while, Li Nianfan walked out from the backyard. He satisfyingly smiled and said, "Alright, shall we...depart?"

Ziye suddenly stood up. She could not contain her excitement. She smiled and said, "Yeah, anytime."

Li Nianfan felt sentimental that he was able to befriend such a kind Seventh Princess.

Then, everyone rode on clouds and slowly rose to the sky.

Ziye became the tour guide. She said, "Mr. Li, I stay at the Ice Palace in the Above Immortal Realm. That's also where the Heavenly Gates of the Heavenly Palace is at. Later, we'll pick an intersection route from the Immortal Realm. We can go directly from there."

"Whatever you decide, Goddess Ziye."

Li Nianfan smiled. He stepped on a golden cloud and flew in a direction.

He looked up to the sky as he rose. The sky was like a blanket, slowly descending upon him. He was curious where the Above Immortal Realm was at.

However, before he could observe anything closely, he felt a movement in the air. It was like bursting through ripples after resurfacing from beneath the water. They swam past an invisible border and peeked their heads out in the Above Immortal Realm.

They arrived at a vast field when they reappeared again.

The land was filled with grass and flowers. There were forests in the distance filled mostly with small trees.

Li Nianfan was slightly startled. He asked, "We're here? We don't need to fly anymore?"

Ziye said, "No need. The Heavenly Gates are gone. The restriction between the three realms is basically gone. Great cultivators can easily pass between the three realms now."

"Yo, awesome. This is much more convenient. Good, good."

Li Nianfan remembered when the Immortals would be struck by lightning whenever they went to the Immortal Realm. The lightning was not useful or effective but they still had to be struck. Transcending to the Above Immortal Realm also seemed difficult. It was much more convenient now that the bridge was wide open.

Everyone else silently glanced at Li Nianfan. They pursued their lips to stop themselves from cursing him out. 𝑙𝑖𝘣𝓇𝑒𝒶𝘥.𝑐ℴ𝑚

'Of course, you think it's good. The realm became like this because of you, right?'

'Are you trying to compliment yourself?'

Ziye coughed and interrupted Li Nianfan and said, "Mr. Li, the Heavenly Palace is up there."

"Up there?" Li Nianfan looked up in surprise. "Are we going to reach outer space?"

The clouds continued to rise.

He did not feel any obstacles at that time. He looked up at the sky and saw thick clouds. The clouds were as huge as an ocean. It was endless!

They passed through the clouds and opened their eyes again. They arrived in front of a huge gate.

The gate was broken. Only two pillars and half a sign were left.

Li Nianfan was slightly startled. "Southern Sky Gate?"

They walked into the Southern Sky Gate and stepped on the bridge above the Sky River. He looked at the palace amongst the clouds with a complex gaze. He had arrived at the Heavenly Palace.

Li Nianfan shook his head and said, "It looks like how I imagined it to be but something's off. It isn't majestic enough."

The Heavenly Palace was beautiful and had clouds as paths. The basics were there but there was no Immortal Qi and magical phenomenon. The Heavenly Palace was very quiet. It was different from what he expected.

Buzz!

Suddenly, the quiet buildings beamed strands of light. The lifeless palace instantly became a light source. The Heavenly Palace was shining brightly.

The light beamed into thin air and formed a magical phenomenon. The Heavenly Palace became a holy and opulent place.

Splash!

The water of the Star River started to flow. There were no waves. Instead, in the river were endless stars.

The stars sparkled, decorating the river water. The colorful Star River was eye-catching.

Dang!

Immortal Music played softly from afar. A sky full of sunset halos shined. Then, a Rainbow Bridge appeared from South to North. Cranes were flying around the rainbow.

It was shiny, prestigious, and regal. Immortal Qi surrounded the palace as Immortal Music echoed.

The palace was like a pearl covered in dust, dust that was suddenly blown away.

"This...this is..."

Ziye, who was next to Li Nianfan, instantly widened her eyes. She gasped. She was so excited that she had goosebumps. It was as if she was back at the original Heavenly Palace.

She always felt like the Heavenly Palace would have hope if she brought the expert. She did not expect the nice surprises to come so early. A comment from the expert revived the lifeless Heavenly Palace.

Actually, the entire Heavenly Palace was a Spiritual Treasure. It was born from the realm. It was a Demon Palace at first, which Hongjun gave to the Jade Emperor. Then, it became the Heavenly Palace. After the catastrophe, the treasure ceased to function. It did not shine anymore and it would not be activated.

However, the expert arrived. 'Did it start to present itself like crazy to impress the expert?'

"Haha, I knew it. This is how the Heavenly Palace should look like." Li Nianfan was slightly surprised. Then, he had to ask, "This Heavenly Palace is so prideful. What if it became like that because I said something just now?"

Ziye felt her skin crawl because Li Nianfan showed off. She forced herself to reply, "Ha-ha... Stop joking, Mr. Li. Of course, n—not."

A beautiful orange figure flew in their direction from afar. She looked startled by the sudden lights in the Heavenly Palace. She was excited and in disbelief.

'What's going on?

'The Heavenly Palace is back in business?'

She quickly flew to the Southern Sky Gate and saw her Seventh Sister. Then, her heart instantly raced when she saw that her Seventh Sister was carefully standing next to a man. Her skin crawled. She almost turned around to flee.

'It's him, it's that guy!

'No wonder the lifeless Heavenly Palace works again.

'Come on, Seventh Sister. Shouldn't you warn me before bringing the expert here? At least let me be mentally prepared!'

She felt uneasy. However, she noticed that Li Nianfan had seen her, so she could only force herself to go.

'Time for an improvisation test.'

The girl with the orange dress remained calm. She flew in gracefully like a beautiful Goddess. She glided in with her slim arms in the air as her orange dress blew in the wind. She waved and out came a halo around her. She was holy, graceful, and prestigious...

"Seventh Sister."

She gracefully landed in front of everyone. She slightly bowed, smiled, and asked, "You brought guests today?"

"Second Sister," greeted Ziye. Then, she introduced her to Li Nianfan. "Mr. Li, this is my Second Sister. Her name is Cheng Yi."

'She's indeed the Second Princess. I finally got to see her in person.'

Li Nianfan already guessed who she was. He hurriedly saluted and smiled, "Greetings to Goddess Cheng Yi."

Cheng Yi bowed politely at Li Nianfan. "Mr. Li, I heard about you from Zi. You are the great Deluxe Merit Saint so just call me Cheng."

'This lady is truly Ziye's sister. Ziye feels like a bit of a brat compared to her sibling.'

Li Nianfan did not mind bonding with her. He nodded and said, "Lady Cheng."

Ziye at the side hurriedly said, "Oh yeah, Mr. Li, you can call me Zi from now on, too. Otherwise, it'd be too formal."

Li Nianfan smiled. "Ha, okay then."

"I didn't know we'll be having guests today so I didn't prepare much, so sorry about that," Cheng Yi said while moving aside. "How about I bring you to look at the Heavenly Palace's view, Mr. Li?"

"Nice."

Li Nianfan nodded and followed Cheng Yi. They walked on the cloud path. Rainbow lights illuminated the path when they glided across it. They seemed to be reminding everyone that they were at the Heavenly Palace.

He smiled and said, "It's much better with the lights, everything's shiny and bright."

Cheng Yi smiled and said, "As long as you like it, Mr. Li."

The Heavenly Palace was big. Most of the buildings were connected with cloud bridges, or they needed to fly on clouds to get there. The layout was very interesting.

Li Nianfan visited a lot of the palaces out of curiosity. He realized that the people inside were turned to stone. They looked peaceful.

Cheng Yi brought Li Nianfan to a wide and high tower. She said, "Mr. Li, this is the observatory. There are a lot of observatories in the Heavenly Palace but the view here's the best."

It was evening and the sun was setting. A red cloud covered the sky and spread to the horizon.

The Heavenly Palace was called the Heavenly Palace because it was high up in the sky and they could look down upon the realms.

They could see the split realms from afar. The sky was separated—one part was a fiery sunset, and the other was a night sky.

For Li Nianfan, that was the endless universe.

Multiple stars and galaxies were aligned with the Heavenly Palace. They shined and glimmered, sometimes bright, sometimes dark. Sometimes they were far, sometimes they were near. A cool silver sphere hung high in the sky. Li Nianfan did not need an introduction to know that it must be the moon. It was also the legendary Moon Palace.

At that moment, nothing was out of reach.

Plucking the stars from the sky was no longer just a rumor.

Chapter 383

Li Nianfan stood on the high tower and fully felt the benefits of being an Immortal.

The view was truly scattered with stars like chess pieces on a board!

The vast galaxy was just a chess piece.

Immortals at that time could probably move the infinite stars around. Although they had limitations, it's still exciting to think about it.'

Li Nianfan asked, "Lady Zi, can the galaxy be manipulated?"

"Yes. There are managers for the stars. Some were born with the galaxy, and some were assigned by the Heavenly Palace. They control the movement of the stars, the time, and the changes of the four seasons."

Ziye paused, then said, "Taoist Xinghe's one of them."

Li Nianfan thought of it when he first met Taoist Xinghe. He was surprised. "Yo, that's awesome for Brother Taoist. Which one is he in charge of?"

Ziye lifted her hand. She was about to point it out. She looked for it for a long while and said awkwardly, "It's a bit far and a bit small. And a bit dim. Can't see it from here..."

"Ha, I understand."

Li Nianfan laughed. He looked at the intersection of the realm and the universe again. They were star-crossed, it was extremely beautiful.

Cheng Yi smiled and said, "Mr. Li, this is just the sunset. The sunrise is more beautiful. The morning sun will pass through the Heavenly Palace."

"So exciting," nodded Li Nianfan. Then, he looked around and said, "Truly the Heavenly Palace. It's such a great place."

Cheng Yi was thrilled to hear that, she even blushed. She felt like she understood what the expert really meant. She hurriedly said in a trembling voice, "Mr. Li, if you want, you can pick a palace to stay at."

Ziye also hurriedly said, "Yeah, Mr. Li. There are a lot of empty palaces. My Second Sister and I can pick out the best one for you."

Li Nianfan smiled and waved it off, "Haha, no thanks. I'm just a nobody and I'm an ordinary man. How could I stay at the Heavenly Palace? I'm not worthy! Thanks for the generosity."

Cheng Yi and Ziye secretly sighed at the same time. 'The expert's supposed to like it, why did he reject us? If the expert truly liked the Heavenly Palace, the future of the Heavenly Palace would be secured. Sigh, we failed to promote the Heavenly Palace. What a miss!'

Cheng Yi continued to introduce the place. She pointed at a nearby palace and said, "Mr. Li, this is our Palace of the Seven Princesses."

Li Nianfan immediately smiled. "The Palace of the Seven Princesses is located nicely, and it's next to the observatory."

"Hehe, we like to watch the view. We were just favored by the Empress," said Cheng Yi. She led the way and walked towards the Palace of the Seven Princesses. "Mr. Li, how about you visit my Palace of the Seven Princesses?"

"Alright."

Li Nianfan nodded. They entered the Palace of the Seven Princesses. It was a classic room for young ladies. It was fresh and elegant and very tidy inside. It smelled a bit like incense candles and perfume. At that moment, Li Nianfan suddenly realized something. He said, "I'm a man. It's not appropriate for me to be in your room, right?"

Cheng Yi pursed her lips and chuckled. "Mr. Li, no need to be a stranger. We sisters don't care about that much. If it wasn't for the fact that five of my sisters are still sealed, we could've performed for you, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan waved it off. He smiled troublingly and said, "Stop joking, Lady Cheng. I'm not worthy. How can I let the Seven Princesses perform for me?"

Then, everyone saw the five other Princesses that ended up as statues. They were still smiling and they seemed to be chatting. Cheng Yi and Ziye stopped talking at the same time. They silently sighed and looked down.

Nanan and Dragon stopped looking so curious. They said with sympathy, "Brother Nianfan, they're so pitiful."

"There'll be a way as long as they're alive," comforted Li Nianfan. Then, he asked curiously, "Lady Zi, is the Jade Emperor and the Empress also sealed?"

Ziye shook her head and replied, "No. For all these years, Second Sister has been with the Jade Emperor and Empress. However, they're stuck somewhere."

'The Jade Emperor and Empress are here? They're major bigshots.'

Li Nianfan nodded, he was slightly weirded out. He was also unavoidably excited.

He focused and noticed a scroll on the table. He picked it up and inspected it in his hand.

"What's this?"

Ziye and Cheng Yi were stumped at the same time. They stuttered as they struggled to answer the question.

The scroll was previously traded from Ma Yunming with chives. They could not open it and could not damage it. Cheng Yi was studying it earlier. She simply placed it on the table because of the sudden change in the Heavenly Palace.

While they were stumped, Li Nianfan tugged the scroll. Then, he easily pulled it open, leaving them dumbfounded.

The first thing he saw in the scroll was the mountains and rivers. The ink on the scroll was already dried out. The painting scroll was long and filled up with contents.

Apart from the mountains and rivers, there were a lot of animals and all sorts of plants.

The old painting started to gleam as he opened it. A powerful and endless aura started to knock them in the face. Everyone felt their hearts thump as they felt a fearful respect.

'This—this is...'

Cheng Yi astoundingly looked at the painting with her pretty eyes. She suddenly widened her eyes and breathed fast. She unconsciously tightened her grip because she was overly excited. The veins on her hand slightly popped up.

'The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting!

'That's definitely The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting!'

She was with the Empress for a long time. The Empress always told her stories of the eldritch realms because she was overly bored. It included stories of Spiritual Treasures. The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting was one of the most important ones!

The painting was an Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure but its function was extremely unique. The painting was about a scene from a prehistoric world. It was a scenery painting. It had everything in it. Also...the painting was alive!

The painting could change its scenery however its master desired. It could also absorb someone into the painting and trap them in there like a vessel.

Out of all the Spiritual Treasures, Cheng Yi was most impressed by The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting. Not because of any fancy reasons. It was just because the painting could save the Empress and the Jade Emperor!

The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting was also a seal that could trap people in it. If she placed the Empress and the Jade Emperor inside the painting, then brought it out, she could save the Empress and the Jade Emperor from being trapped, right?

The possibility of that...was high!

She dreamt of that scenario countless times all those years. She knew that it was nearly impossible to get The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting after the catastrophe. However...she did not expect that the painting would appear in front of her in the most incredible way without any warning. It was unreal.

She had to look at Li Nianfan. Thoughts were running in her mind. She did not know how to describe how she felt at all. She was irrecoverably impressed by the expert.

'Truly the expert. He did it so easily for something that was impossible for me. He succeeds at everything without trying hard. The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting automatically appeared in front of him.'

"This is a hodgepodge of landscape paintings." Li Nianfan finally opened the whole scroll. He looked at it for a while and gave his review. "Good painting!"

He curiously looked at Ziye and Cheng Yi. He asked, "This painting's incredible. It has a lot going on. I wonder who painted it?"

The painting was an Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. It recorded everything from the prehistoric world. It was born within the realm. It could not have been painted by someone.

Her mind was running fast. She quickly thought of how to answer that question.

Cheng Yi forced a smile and replied, "Don't know. We just...think that it's a good painting so we kept it."

"I see." Li Nianfan nodded understandingly. He groaned for a moment and said, "No wonder. The painting dried out for too long. There are already a lot of damages. It makes me want to paint. I wonder if I could fix it?"

It was pretty easy to understand what that meant. Everyone jolted.

'The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting was damaged. Is Mr. Li going to perfect it with a brush?'

'Can he do that?'

"Of course, y—you...can," Cheng Yi stuttered. She could not be blamed. Even the Empress would fumble in front of such an expert. It was hard to maintain calm even if she was mentally prepared. The expert constantly turned her worldview upside down. It was hard not to be shocked by that!

There was nothing he could not do that they could think of.

She hurriedly said, "Seventh Sister, hurry up and prepare the brushes and inks for Mr. Li to paint."

"No need for all that trouble. I brought my own brush and ink. Daji, help me grind the ink."

"Yes."

Then, Li Nianfan placed the scroll on a long table. He held his brush and started to inspect the painting.

He did not rush to paint because it was not his painting. He was just going to retouch the original painting. He had to think like the original artist. Otherwise, the painting would end up mismatched and sloppy.

The others did not dare to breathe. They felt like they were witnessing a miraculous moment. Everything and everyone, including Saints, would not dream of that miraculous moment!

Li Nianfan smirked while they started. Then, he started to paint...

Some of the mountains were blurry, Li Nianfan sketched its sides with ink. There was a missing spot at the lake, so Li Nianfan painted a swimming fish in it. His brushstrokes were gentle as if it was dancing on the painting scroll. It was a sight to behold.

Li Nianfan retouched the painting. Everyone noticed that The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting started to change. The initial still painting seemed to be alive and flowing.

A mysterious aura was emitted from The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting. They felt as if they were in a mountain forest where the mountain was high and steep, and the sky had a sun and a moon at the same time. Then, they felt as if they were immersed in the river, waves splashing over them as fishes swam freely. Then, they imagined a starry night, feeling the vastness of the universe...

The vast universe, the mountains, the rivers, the lands, the light, the sun, the moon, the stars, the flowers, the grass, the trees, the animals, and all the living beings birthed in the realm. Everything was in place. It was as if the painting was a real land of mountains and rivers.

Everyone stared at the ever-changing painting without blinking. They almost lost themselves in it.

"Done!" Suddenly, Li Nianfan finished painting. Everyone snapped out of it.

They looked at the painting scroll again. The mysterious feeling had vanished. However, the painting was way better than before. They were not sure if they imagined it but they felt like the painting looked newer, too.

'He did it. The expert painted the Ultimate Heavenly Treasure!'

'Terrifying, horrifying!'

Li Nianfan satisfyingly looked at his work. He smiled and asked, "How is it?"

Cheng Yi gulped. She replied, "Mr. Li, your painting skills are truly beyond. This is too beautiful, too majestic. Cheng's impressed from the bottom of her heart."

Li Nianfan laughed. 'Look, my talents impressed the Second Princess.'

He immediately said with humbleness, "Hey, it's just some tricks. I'm not trying to brag or anything, but even though I don't know how to cultivate, I still know a lot of odd tricks."

'Of course, we know you're not trying to brag. Not only were you not bragging, you were overly humble.'

'You call that an odd trick?'

'You call that not knowing how to cultivate?'

'Can you please stop attacking us? Let us be useless losers in peace.'

Li Nianfan put the painting scroll aside. Then, he gave it to Cheng Yi. "Here."

"Thank... Thanks." Cheng Yi did not reject it. She took the painting scroll and bowed at Li Nianfan.

She gripped The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting in her hand. It felt unreal.

The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting was too important to her. It was so important that it was unreal to her.

The painting might help the Empress and the Jade Emperor. She would also be able to leave the Heavenly Palace!

They got the painting, opened the painting, and repaired the painting because of the expert!

If it was not for the expert, they would have been desperately helpless in whichever of those three steps. However, the expert easily solved them.

Cheng Yi looked at Li Nianfan. He had a casual facial expression. She suddenly teared up and almost cried.

'The expert might not mind it but I have to remember this!' She could not repay his generosity. If it was not for the taboo of the expert, she would have knelt and thanked him without hesitation.

Cheng Yi wanted to do more for the expert, as long as the expert was happy. She said with respect, "Mr... Mr. Li, let me take you elsewhere to visit."

"Thanks, Lady Cheng." Li Nianfan smiled and nodded. He groaned for a moment and asked curiously, "Oh, yeah, where's the famous Flat Peach Garden? Can you bring us there?"

Cheng Yi immediately smiled and said, "Of course. Please, follow me, Mr. Li."

The Flat Peach Garden was behind the palaces. It was huge and fenced with jade-like snow. There were refined windows on the walls. The only entrance was a wonderful red door.

A sign was hung on top of the door. Three golden words were on the sign—'Flat Peach Garden'.

Creak.

Cheng Yi pushed the door open and entered.

Li Nianfan looked over and was baffled. There was nothing in the garden, only an empty land. Even the grass and flowers were gone. A few Goddesses had baskets in their hands. They were graceful and they were laughing but they were also turned into stone statues.

Cheng Yi said, "After the catastrophe, all Spiritual Plants were wiped out. I heard from the Empress that it was hard to raise Immortals in the Absolute Era. It was even harder to raise Spiritual Plants. Hence why they were wiped out."

"Sigh, too bad. This is the legendary Flat Peach!" Li Nianfan looked like he was in pain for a moment. He sighed, "How can it be gone just like that? I want to eat one! I also want to become an Immortal!"

Everyone had to glance at him. No one spoke because they did not know how to reply.

'Sorry, we can't go along with this performance of yours.'

'What are you acting pitiful for?!'

'Tell me what's in your backyard again?'

Chapter 384

Li Nianfan looked at the empty Flat Peach Garden and then he looked at Ziye and Cheng Yi. He suddenly had an idea. He asked without thinking, "Did that monkey steal peaches here?"

Cheng Yi was stumped at first. Then, she smiled and nodded. "Yeah." 𝙡𝓲𝒃𝓻𝓮𝙖𝒅.𝙘𝓸𝒎

Li Nianfan continued to ask, "He targeted you all?"

Ziye scrunched her nose in response. "Hmph, that monkey's too naughty. We were freshly transformed back then. Otherwise, how could we be easily defeated by him?"

Li Nianfan asked what everyone was thinking about, "Did he do anything else once he targeted you all?"

"Anything else?" Cheng Yi thought about it. She shook her head and replied, "What's more important than eating the Flat Peaches?"

Ziye also shook her head. "Nothing else, I assume."

Li Nianfan did not change his facial expression. He nodded understandingly. "True, nothing's more important than eating peaches."

"Brother, brother."

Suddenly, Dragon tugged on Li Nianfan. She looked up at Li Nianfan and said coyly, "I know how to revive the stone statues!"

Ziye and Cheng Yi jolted. They asked excitedly, "What is it?"

Dragon and Nana raised their hands at the same time. They made a fuss and said, "Be a being of light!"

Smack!

Li Nianfan felt embarrassed. He smacked Dragon and Nana on their heads. "Shut up, little brats. What nonsense, read the room."

He hurriedly chuckled awkwardly. He apologized to Ziye and Cheng Yi, "Lady Cheng, Lady Zi, sorry about that. These two have been watching too much television. They don't know what they're talking about."

He decided to make Nanan and Dragon watch less television when they get back. They were becoming foolish from that.

Nanan and Dragon rubbed on their heads and pouted. They mumbled, "It's true though. As long as we believe, we can become a being of light, too."

Li Nianfan smiled coldly. "Ha, I believe that there will be no more television to watch when you go back!"

Cheng Yi looked serious. She asked excitedly, "That... Mr. Li, what's the meaning of 'become a being of light'?"

'Can this situation be joked about?'

Li Nianfan truly did not know how to explain. He could only reply, "Cough, it's nothing. Don't mind it, Lady Cheng. Um... It's getting late, we should go back now."

Cheng Yi and Ziye looked disappointed. However, they noticed that the expert did not want to tell them more, so they did not dare to question it. They said, "It's late. How about my Seventh Sister and I prepare a palace for you? Stay the night, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan shook his head and saluted, "No thanks. I won't be disturbing you all. Farewell."

"Safe journey, Mr. Li. Come again next time."

...

Cheng Yi and Ziye watched Li Nianfan leave. They could not calm down.

Especially Cheng Yi. She was holding on to The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting tightly. Her voice was shaky as she said excitedly, "Seventh Sister, wait for me here. I'll go and try to see if I can bring the Jade Emperor and the Empress back."

She instantly leaped and was gone with the wind.

Somewhere in outer space.

Cheng Yi quickly walked in with ripples following behind her.

Tap tap!

She could not maintain her gracefulness anymore. She breathed fast and walked quickly.

The Empress and the Jade Emperor were in a good mood that day.

They did not fight either. They walked together like a lovely couple.

The Empress scolded, "Cheng, why the rush? Didn't I tell you that you have to be mindful of who you are? You have to be poised and graceful. What's the use of rushing?"

"You're right, Empress."

Cheng Yi nodded. Then, she could not wait to ask, "Empress, if I have The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting. Am I able to get you out of here?"

"The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting?"

The Empress was stumped at first. Then, she said, "That painting is the essence of how the prehistoric world looked like. If we do have the painting, it would help us escape. However...the realm's broken and I'm afraid this painting no longer exists."

The Jade Emperor also nodded. He said, "Yeah, Cheng. I know you're always trying to help us escape, just like your Seventh Sister. You were always hopeful, too, but...it's too hard. This is beyond all of us, so stop trying and let it be."

The Jade Emperor and the Empress were greater cultivators than the Seventh Princess. Hence, they knew how serious the catastrophe was. They could see it, they could feel the despair and fear. Sometimes, giving up was a relief. It would be nice if they kept giving up.

He paused. Then, he added, "Remember to bring more of those chives next time. The Empress and I are stuck here. It's nice that we finally have something we like to eat."

Cheng Yi took out the painting scroll in her hand and said, "But... I think I have The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting in my hand."

The Empress and the Jade Emperor ridiculed her and shook their heads at the same time. "Impossible. You thought wrong."

'No wonder the girl was in such a rush just now, she recognized the wrong treasure. The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting is too eldritch. Even if it still exists, how could it possibly end up in your hands?'

However, they watched Cheng Yi open the painting scroll slowly. They were bewildered at the same time. Their facial expressions and their gazes froze in place.

"Let me see, let me see!"

They rushed to take the painting scroll. They did not dare to caress the painting as they inspected it without blinking.

They felt the pulse of the painting scroll and that overflowing mysterious aura. The Jade Emperor and the Empress felt their hearts race. The Empress said with a shivering voice, "The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting! It's The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting!"

They were stuck at the same place every day. They looked at the same view for years. It would be a lie to say they did not wish to leave.

The appearance of The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting was way too valuable to them. It was their ticket for survival!

The Empress looked at Cheng Yi with disbelief. She asked in shock, "Cheng, honestly, where...did you get this painting?"

Cheng Yi smiled and replied, "I got it from the expert."

"No wonder... The expert gave it to you," nodded the Jade Emperor. Then, he asked in disbelief, "He was willing to give this treasure to you?"

Cheng Yi pursed her lips. She said weakly, "Actually... The painting's just a normal painting in the eyes of the expert, and it was already damaged. It lost its power. The expert retouched it by painting on it and fixed the painting."

"What?!"

The Jade Emperor and the Empress almost jumped. They had their jaws on the floor as they gasped.

"This is just a normal painting to the expert?"

"The expert painted on The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting?"

They stood in place. They were baffled.

They felt like their minds were buzzing and they had entered a whole new world.

'So... He can do that.'

"An expert, an ultimate expert!" The Jade Emperor widened his eyes in extreme shock. He was surprised, respectful, and nervous all at the same time. He said in a trembling voice, "I can confirm it. He can do such an incredible task, he must be someone on the same level as Pangu!"

The Empress asked, "Did you give the Flat Peach seed and the Yellow Plum seed to the expert?"

Cheng Yi nodded. "I did. I heard from Seventh Sister that the expert seems to be pleased."

The Empress instantly smiled. "Great, the expert must have felt our sincerity so he was willing to give us The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting. He's helping us to escape."

"It must be. It most probably is."

The Jade Emperor nodded in agreement and said with sentimentality, "The expert played around in the realm for joy. He was willing to help us all because he was in a good mood. It's greatly beneficial to us! You have to know, I was just a kid sitting next to the Buddha back then. To put it nicely, the pawns close to the expert are more valuable than me, the Jade Emperor!"

The Jade Emperor and the Empress looked at each other. They looked excited and anxious. They knew how great it was to be close to the bigshot. They could not calm down.

'That's the bigshot who surpassed the Buddha, and as powerful as Lord Pangu!'

"You and Zi did a nice job for befriending such a bigshot. Nicely done!"

The Empress took a deep breath. Then, she said with seriousness, "What else did the expert tell you? Tell us everything in detail so we can provide better services for the expert!"

Cheng Yi immediately started the story. "So, the expert suddenly wanted to visit today, so he followed Seventh Sister to the Heavenly Palace..."

The Jade Emperor and the Empress had their ears up. They listened attentively. They did not dare to miss a word.

When they heard about the automatic reboot of the Heavenly Palace to welcome the expert, they were not surprised. They nodded. 'Seems like the Heavenly Palace isn't stupid, quite observant.'

However, when they heard about how the expert complimented the Heavenly Palace, the Jade Emperor suddenly frowned. He sighed and said, "Cheng, you didn't handle this properly."

Cheng Yi jolted. "What is it?"

The Jade Emperor said, "The expert likes to travel around the three realms, so you have to give the expert a palace. You also should've given him the most majestic one with the best location. You failed to give it to him... Sigh."

Cheng Yi said with regret, "I wanted to but I was rejected by the expert."

"You still didn't understand what the expert meant by that!"

The Jade Emperor shook his head. Then, he said, "How did the expert reject you? He said he wasn't worthy. That meant he wasn't an Immortal yet. Was the hint not obvious enough? We have to give him a title before we can give him a palace!"

The Empress was intrigued. "Do you mean we have to give the expert a job?"

"Careful of your words, careful of your words! What were you thinking? How can I be the Jade Emperor if the expert works here? Are you trying to kill me?!"

The Jade Emperor went pale in an instant. He hurriedly said, "We can't give him a job. Since the expert's a Deluxe Merit Saint, we can give him the official title of the Deluxe Merit Saint. Once we give him a respectable title, we could've given him a worthy palace, right?"

Chapter 385

The Empress nodded in agreement. "Truly the Jade Emperor. You're detail-minded and have great ideas. You're right."

"Sigh, why didn't I think of it at that time? The expert must be so disappointed in me."

Cheng Yi frowned. She wished she could turn back time. She missed that opportunity. What a waste, what a shame!

"It's still fixable. Wait for future opportunities to give the expert a palace," said the Jade Emperor. Then, he asked, "What next?"

"Then, we brought the expert to the Seventh Princess Palace. The expert painted The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting. Then, we visited the Flat Peach Garden..."

Cheng Yi seemed to recall something. She suddenly went serious. Even her voice changed. She said with uncertainty, "I think I heard the solution to remove the seal."

"What?"

The Empress and the Jade Emperor suddenly stared at Cheng Yi. "Are you sure?"

Cheng Yi shook her head. "I'm not sure."

She paused and continued, "The solution wasn't said by the expert. A kid next to the expert simply said it, but they seemed to be fooling around. They were also scolded and punished by the expert."

The Jade Emperor was intrigued. "You heard something?"

"I think it's something like...becoming a being of light?" Cheng Yi frowned. She could not figure out what it meant.

"Become a being of light..."

The Jade Emperor and the Empress fell into deep thought. They could not figure it out either. However, their facial expressions gradually became serious.

They looked at each other and took a deep breath. They said, "Cheng, it might be the solution!"

The Empress said softly, "Anyone who stayed with the expert would know a lot of things under his influence. The casual words of that kid must be because they noticed something from the expert. Too bad the expert won't allow them to speak more of it."

The Jade Emperor nodded and said, "The Empress and I were also servants for the Buddha back in the days. Although we just served tea, we still had a greater advantage than any genius who worked a hundred times harder than us. They couldn't compare to us!"

Then, he warned, "Remember, don't offend the expert in any way. The same goes for those around the expert!"

"Of course, I know that."

Cheng Yi nodded. Then, she asked, "What should we do, then? How about we start from the two kids, ask them for the specific meaning?"

"No! Scrap that idea right now!"

The Jade Emperor hurriedly stopped her. He said nervously, "If you do that, where's your respect toward the expert? The expert's plan is the most important thing. You being so calculative will displease the expert."

Cheng Yi immediately realized. She hurriedly said, "You're right, Emperor."

The Empress waved it off. She said, "Forget it. We shall pick a nice day to visit him ourselves. We should check out the Heavenly Palace first."

The Jade Emperor immediately said with excitement, "Haha, you're right, Empress. Let's hurry up and leave this lousy place. I can't wait."

...

It was late at night when they returned from the Heavenly Palace to the four-part architecture.

Li Nianfan yawned and said goodbye to everyone. Then, he went back to his room to sleep.

After half an hour, Daji and the Fire Phoenix slowly crept out of their room. They ensured they would not disturb him so they looked at each other and started walking outside.

Daji waved and summoned a little fox from the woods. She hugged the little fox.

Then, the little fox gently looked up and said quietly, "I already gave the orders. The operation starts now."

The name of the operation was... Real Spy Operation!

It was an easy and direct operation.

The operation involved a spy in the mix. Then, it would gradually convert and take in a second spy, and then a third...

Once they had a spy of every species, they could easily overpower them.

The little fox nudged her head at Daji. She changed into a comfortable position in Daji's embrace. She asked with enjoyment, "Sister, where are we going?"

Daji petted the little fox. She smiled and said, "On the way to becoming the Demon King."

The little fox relaxed and moved her ears. She immediately said with admiration, "Wow, sister's so awesome."

Daji lifted her by the tail. She had to frown and ask, "Alright, stop acting cute. Why haven't you been immortalized?"

"Immortalization is so dangerous. I heard that eight out of ten people die from the lightning tribulation when they're immortalized. I think it's quite nice to be a fox, I don't think I'll be immortalized." The little fox was kind of scared. She did not dare to look at Daji.

"That won't do."

Daji frowned harder. "I'm here, so you'll successfully immortalize. Also, we have the Master. Even the tribulations will lessen for you."

The little fox flinched. "Just in case. More importantly, I like being a fox."

Daji was annoyed. However, it was not the time to speak about that. She said, "I'll deal with you later!"

The Fire Phoenix at the side asked, "Just the two of us?"

Daji replied, "I also called Ao Cheng just in case. We'll meet up later."

The Fire Phoenix had to say, "It's a bit too safe."

"It's important. Our opponent's a Taiyi Golden Immortal after all. They must have a lot of tricks to defend their lives. We have to ensure safety and avoid mistakes."

They chatted on the way there. Daji and the Fire Phoenix stood on clouds and traveled toward the faraway horizon.

Meanwhile,

Two figures snuck out of the Dragon Palace. They peeked around and made sure no one was alarmed.

They were Ao Feng and Ao Shu.

"Elder Ao Shu, what kind of opportunity is it exactly? Stop playing riddles, I'm truly itching from curiosity," rushed Ao Feng. His eyes were sparkly with excitement.

Ao Shu smiled and said mysteriously, "Don't worry, Prince. Would I lie to you? That day, I was being hunted and I ran for my life. But, I also got lucky from the disaster. I passed by a secret border and found a great opportunity! I'm only willing to share it with you. You didn't tell anyone, right?"

Ao Feng immediately said, "Do I look that foolish to you? What opportunity is it? Tell me!"

Ao Shu reached into his pouch.

Out came an orange in his hand. "Take a look. What is this?"

"An orange, right?" Ao Feng looked closer and slowly realized it was extraordinary. He was about to reach for it to take it when Ao Shu hurriedly put the orange aside. "You saw, right? This orange is a Spiritual Fruit!"

"It's a Spiritual Fruit?!" Ao Feng was bewildered. He looked jealous. "Elder Ao Shu, did you find a Spiritual Plant that grows oranges like that?!"

Ao Shu nodded. "Ha, that's right."

Ao Feng widened his eyes. He was excited and also full of regret. He said with shame, "Elder Ao Shu, I'm truly sorry! That day, I left you behind. Now, you found an opportunity and the first thing you thought of is to share it with me. I'm ashamed!"

Ao Shu slightly teared up from that. He said with affection, "Prince, don't say that! You're the future of the Southern Sea Dragons. I'm willing to do it for you no matter what!"

Ao Feng was teary from being emotional. He was touched. He said, "Elder Ao Shu, don't say anything anymore. From now on, you're my foster father!"

"Alright, Feng. Let's not delay. Hurry up and come with me."

"Yeah, you're right, father. We can't let others get to it first!"

They immediately sped up and swam further.

After an hour, they arrived at a small island. Then, they slowly came out from the water.

"Father, are we there yet?" Ao Feng was flushed from excitement. It was as if he could already see the Spiritual Plant.

Ao Shu nodded, "Yeah, Feng. We're here."

"Then what are we waiting for? Spiritual Plant, here I come!"

Ao Feng yelled and burst out from the sea. He caused a huge splash. Then, he jolted and realized he was trapped in an ambush.

The four cultivators levitated in the air in a square. He landed right in the middle of the ambush. His smile instantly faded away.

Daji had the little fox in her arms. She looked cold. The Fire Phoenix smirked mockingly. Her long red hair flowed with the wind. Ao Cheng and Ao Yun were on standby, ready to attack.

Ao Feng was alarmed and he instantly yelled. He dived back into the sea, "Father, there's an ambush! Retreat!"

Kaboom!

However, when he dived back into the sea, the seawater exploded. A terrifying aura formed a tornado and burst into the sky. He was pushed out from the sea by a strong force as he groaned.

Then, Ao Shu teared up as he blocked his path to the sea. He said, "Feng, I'm sorry. Father disappointed you."

Ao Feng was mind blown. He could not understand what was going on. He yelled in disbelief, "Father! Why?!"

Ao Shu replied, "Feng, I'm doing what's good for you!"

"How can you say that? You're clearly trying to kill me!"

Ao Feng shook and transformed into a Black Dragon. He roared and turned around. He was ready to escape.

He knew what he had to do. He knew that it was impossible to win against them but he still had hope to escape.

"Did we say you could leave?"

The Fire Phoenix licked her red lips. She waved and the Immortal Trap Rope shot out like a snake. It went towards Ao Feng.

Ao Feng knew how powerful the Immortal Trap Rope was. He frantically turned around and spat out an emerald green dragon scale. The scale grew with the wind and turned into a Dragon Scale Shield. It shined and stopped the Immortal Trap Rope.

Just when he was about to sprint, a giant handprint landed on him like a mountain!

He heard Ao Shu say, "Feng, father suggests you quit."

Spurt!

Ao Feng did not take the hit. However, he was panicking and he was livid. He spat out blood from anger.

Ao Cheng and Ao Yun attacked at the same time. Huge waves surrounded Ao Feng and turned into a water ball in the blink of an eye, trapping Ao Feng inside it. He struggled but he could not escape.

Daji took out the Golden Gourd and cast a spell. Light instantly beamed on Ao Feng as it forcefully absorbed his spirit.

The Fire Phoenix took out an orange at the side and simply tossed it to Ao Shu. "Here, this is your reward."

Ao Shu immediately said, "Thanks, Goddess Fire Phoenix."

Ao Feng saw that from within the water ball. He glared hard. He could not believe what was happening in front of him at all. His voice was extremely agonized when he said, "Ao Shu, you sold me out for an orange?!"

"Feng, I did this for your own good. You'll understand why in the future."

"Nah! Aren't you ashamed? You animal! You're the embarrassment of the Southern Sea Dragons!"

Suddenly, two Kirins casually walked over and saw the scene. They stopped in their tracks and watched with shock.

One of the Kirins panicked. "Not good, Elder Kirin. Something isn't right! The opportunity you speak of has been taken by someone else."

"Don't panic. As long as you know what to do, we'll still have opportunities." Then, the Elder Kirin immediately attacked the Kirin without any warning.

Bam!

The Kirin was knocked over without any warning. It landed near Daji and the others. 𝑙𝘪𝒷𝓇𝑒𝑎𝑑.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Ao Cheng and the others smiled coldly. The tension was in the air.

The Kirin was horrified. It looked at the Elder Kirin in disbelief. "Elder Kirin, you...you..."

"I'm a spy!"

...

On that day.

A cloud flew in and landed gently at the bottom of the Fallen Immortal Mountain.

Then, four figures slowly appeared. It was the Jade Emperor and the others.

They hesitated for a long while and finally decided to visit the expert as a family.

Mainly because they needed to know how to break the seal. They could not take it anymore so they rushed here.

Ziye had to ask, "Empress, do you think the expert will tell us the solution?"

The Empress shook her head. "I don't know. Let's try as best as we can. Did you bring the items I told you to prepare?"

Ziye nodded. She smiled and said, "I did. It's a great idea, Empress, giving the Rainbow Garment as a gift."

The Rainbow Garment was made from clouds in the sky. Not just any ordinary clouds, it was made from clouds that were shined on by the first rainbow in thousands of years. Then, it was carefully weaved by Goddesses. Although it was not a Spiritual Treasure, it was still beautiful, luxurious, and regal. It was a sign of status to wear the beautiful garment. It could even accentuate gracefulness.

Girls could ignore their defense skills or whatever, but they could not ignore their beauty. Therefore... The Rainbow Garment was a legendary item that attracted girls. No one could resist it.

The Empress brought out the treasured Rainbow Garment without hesitation after knowing about Li Nianfan. On top of that, she took out four sets. One for Daji, one for the Fire Phoenix, one for Nanan, and one for Dragon!

"Ha, this is a reverse tactic. The expert wouldn't be impressed by whatever we give him, but we can please those around him. That's halfway to success." The Jade Emperor smiled. "I thought of that idea!"

"Wise idea, Emperor."

Chapter 386

The four of them arrived at the four-part architecture while they chatted. They all tensed up and hurriedly composed themselves. They reminded themselves and adjusted their attitudes. They were cautious.

Ziye walked forward and knocked three times on the door with respect.

"Coming."

Li Nianfan could be heard. Then, with a 'creak', he peeked his head out from the door.

"Huh? Lady Zi, Lady Cheng?"

Li Nianfan looked weirdly at the visitors. Then, he said with shock, "Lady Cheng, you're able to leave the Heavenly Palace?"

He then looked at the man and the woman behind them and felt his heart thump. Their auras felt extraordinary so he guessed who they were.

They did not look old but their eyes were filled with stories and they had a regal vibe. They must be someone of high status. Ziye and Cheng Yi were like their servants.

Cheng Yi smiled and said, "Mr. Li, we got lucky. We were able to get out of the trap. This is the Jade Emperor and Empress."

'They really are the Jade Emperor and Empress!

'These two bigshots also escaped? And why are they here?

'Awesome. It's only been a few days and they managed to escape together.

'I have to be steady. The bigger the bigshot, the less humble I need to act. Otherwise, I will be looked down upon by the big shots. I'm the Deluxe Merit Saint, what am I afraid of?'

Li Nianfan widened his eyes. His mind was running fast. Then, he took a deep breath and said, "Rare guests, what rare guests. Greetings from Li Nianfan to the Jade Emperor and Empress. Please, come in."

"We'll be intruding then," saluted the Jade Emperor. Then, he said with seriousness, "Greetings from Hao Tian to the Deluxe Merit Saint."

Li Nianfan was startled. He immediately said, "Emperor, you're too courteous."

The Jade Emperor said, "Mr. Li, a Deluxe Merit Saint, has never appeared before. You're approved by the realm. You're on the same level as I am."

Li Nianfan felt ashamed of himself. He said in embarrassment, "I just got lucky. I don't deserve it, and I didn't do anything to help the realm at all. I got all the Deluxe Merit out of nowhere. I was confused, too."

Li Nianfan was being honest. He wanted to say it was just because of his golden touch.

The Jade Emperor and the Empress went silent.

Before they arrived, Ziye and Cheng Yi reminded them thrice that the expert loved to play-pretend, and that it would hurt especially when he would say something significant so casually. Although they were warned, they still felt hurt when it happened.

'You already made the Human Sovereign, changed the realm, rebuilt the Underworld, and started to fix the Heavenly Palace. What do you mean you didn't do anything to help the realm?

'No one allows you to be this humble!

'You're confused about having Deluxe Merit?

'I want to be that kind of confused, too. Instead, I truly am freaking confused!'

The Emperor calmed his broken heart. He smiled and said, "Ha, no matter what, Mr. Li, you should be respected by everyone in the realm since you're the Deluxe Merit Saint."

"That's an over compliment," laughed Li Nianfan. He instantly felt more comfortable with the Jade Emperor.

'People with high status are truly different. They know how to socialize and be approachable. They're nice to get along with.'

He immediately showed them into the house. He shouted, "Xiao Bai, important guests are here. Hurry up, bring out the new milk tea and some fruit plates."

"Yes, my Master," said Xiao Bai.

Li Nianfan continued, "Sit. Come on, sit. My place is lousy compared to the Heavenly Palace. Please, forgive it."

"Ha, no, not at all," the Empress and the Jade Emperor waved it off at the same time. They slightly freaked out.

'You have a house full of Spiritual Treasures. Even the chairs under our butts are made from Spiritual Plants. My throne, the throne of the Jade Emperor, isn't even as luxurious as this. You're telling me this is lousy?

'How can the Heavenly Palace compare?! You must be joking.'

Soon, Xiao Bai came out with a tray of milk teas and fruits.

Compared to the wine and tea, the milk tea looked impure. It was too intense and it was not transparent. It had a bright color and seemed to be boiling hot.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "This time, it's grape-flavored. It's a bit sour, I hope everyone can get used to it."

The Empress took the milk tea. It was warm. She smiled and said, "Mr. Li, Zi never stopped complimenting the delicious food here. We'll like it for sure."

Then, she looked at the straw in the cup. It was a thick straw. It looked great. She sucked on it.

The aroma of the milk tea instantly surprised her. A smooth sensation that she never felt before coated the tip of her tongue. The texture was velvety smooth as it flowed into her mouth. Every drop was delicious and intense in flavor. It played with her taste palette.

It was hard to imagine that something so delicious could exist in the realm. It was extremely delicious.

Then, she had to suck on the straw twice.

The second time, she sucked a little harder than the first. A solid item was suddenly sucked into her mouth. It was soft and slippery. It tasted sour and sweet.

She bit on it and realized it was a grape.

Not just any ordinary grape. It was a Spiritual Fruit!

The Empress jolted. She was pleasantly surprised like she hit the jackpot.

'Delicious. More importantly... Extremely valuable!'

If she placed this milk tea together with the Flat Peaches, the Empress had no doubt most people would choose the milk tea.

'Good tea, good grapes, good milk!'

Li Nianfan observed their facial expressions. He noticed that they were pleasantly surprised and instantly knew they liked it. He smiled and asked, "How's the taste?"

The Jade Emperor genuinely said, "Delicious. To be honest, I've been the Jade Emperor for countless years, but I've never eaten anything this delicious before. Mr. Li, you're truly talented!"

The Empress smiled and said, "If only we knew you earlier, Mr. Li. We could've asked for your expert advice before my Flat Peach Ceremony."

Li Nianfan was in a great mood. "Haha, as long as you like it. Don't just drink the milk tea, have some fruits. They're freshly plucked from my backyard, absolutely fresh."

The Jade Emperor and Empress nodded at the same time.

They felt kind of awkward looking at how he treated his guests.

Back when the Heavenly Palace was at its prime, they only treated important guests with ambrosia. Compared to the expert, they did poorly!

'Why am I the Lord of the Heavenly Palace? I should just spend my days here and eat free food. What a tough life I have!'

Everyone got along well. The Empress threw Ziye a look. Ziye instantly understood it and took out the Rainbow Garments. She said, "Mr. Li, this is a token of appreciation from the Heavenly Palace. Please, accept it."

Li Nianfan looked at the clothes. He was kind of surprised.

The four sets of garments were shining. Two were small, and two were large. The colors seemed to be changing with the light, like a rainbow in the sky. It felt soft and light. Anyone could tell the clothes were extraordinary and expensive.

Aesthetically, it looked extremely cool.

Expensive, beautiful, and high-end were not enough to describe those garments.

The first reaction of Li Nianfan was to reject it. He shook his head and said, "It's too rare and expensive, I can't take it."

Cheng Yi said, "Mr. Li, these are just clothes. They aren't even considered Spiritual Treasures, so they're not that rare. Also, they suit Lady Daji and the others very well. I bet they'll like it."

Li Nianfan raised his brow and looked at Daji and the others.

Daji looked at the Rainbow Garment calmly. Although she was calm, she kept staring at it. That meant something was up. The acting skills of the Fire Phoenix were not as good as Daji. Her eyes were filled with admiration. Nanan and Dragon were different. They astoundingly widened their eyes. Their mouths mouthed 'wow'. You could tell that they wanted to touch the garments.

'Women... So troublesome!'

"This..." Li Nianfan struggled. He could not accept any rewards without doing anything. It was easy to accept things but it felt wrong.

He had an idea. He asked probingly, "You're too courteous but may I ask if there's anything I need to do?"

The Empress sighed and replied, "Mr. Li, you're too smart. We did have something we wanted your help with."

"Mr. Li, Zi and Cheng previously heard about the solution to remove the seal from your kids..." the Jade Emperor gulped. He asked nervously, "May I know what the solution is?"

The Jade Emperor and the others did not dare to breathe. They avoided eye contact and did not dare to look at Li Nianfan. Seconds passed by like years. Their hair stood on end as they waited for his reply.

They thought about it a lot and finally decided it was best to be straightforward.

"This..."

Li Nianfan looked like he realized something. Then, he felt troubled. He had to glare at Nanan and Dragon.

'These two immature brats! They spoke nonsense and now they've caused me trouble.'

The solution to remove the Heavenly Palace seal was naturally very important to the Jade Emperor and the Empress. No wonder they came to visit and even prepared expensive gifts.

'But the problem is... The 'solution' is nonsense!'

He forced himself to smile as he said, "To be honest, the kids were just talking nonsense, you can't take them seriously. I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Cheng Yi clenched her small fist. She anxiously looked at Li Nianfan and said, "Mr. Li, no matter what it is, we're willing to try it."

Sigh...

Li Nianfan had no choice. He groaned for a moment and said, "Actually, this solution... It... Nanan, you and Dragon did this. Tell them yourselves!"

It was too idiotic. He could not say it. He blamed it on Nanan and Dragon.

Nanan and Dragon could not wait. They instantly chimed in.

"Sister Cheng Yi, there's only one way to revive the stone statues, which is to become a being a light!"

"Yeah, as long as everyone believes in the Immortals, there will be light!"

"The world fell into darkness because a lot of people don't believe in Immortals anymore."

...

Li Nianfan painfully shut his eyes. He pretended he did not hear anything.

However, the Jade Emperor and the others were very serious. Their eyes widened as they breathed harder. Then, their faces were flushed from excitement.

They looked like they realized something, as if someone woke them up.

"I see, I see!"

The Jade Emperor kept nodding. He looked like he had learned something. He exclaimed in a trembling voice, "Nice, what a nice idea!"

Chapter 387

'Nice?

'Nice how?'

Li Nianfan thought he heard it wrong.

He opened his eyes. He saw the Jade Emperor and the others standing from excitement. They all looked like they were hopeful.

'No way, do you really think there's nothing wrong with the solution? Are you serious?'

The Jade Emperor analyzed, "It's just like how the markings of the realm got wiped out when the Heavenly Palace ceased. If everyone knows the Heavenly Palace is still here and believes in the Heavenly Palace, we'll have Deluxe Merit from the Faith of the people. We can use it to break the seal!"

The Empress kept nodding. She said with understanding, "That's right, it's a great plan. Why didn't we think of it before?"

'Awesome. We got this!'

They were irrecoverably excited. 'The expert's truly the expert. This hard situation is just a small case to him, he easily found the solution. If it were us, we won't even know how long it'll take before we can think of that!'

Li Nianfan had to gently cough. He said, "Everyone, I think you should all calm down."

The Jade Emperor and the others instantly jolted. They hurriedly stopped smiling and adjusted their attitudes. 'How could we forget our composers in front of the expert? We shouldn't have done that!'

They hurriedly sat back down with caution. "Sorry about that."

Li Nianfan saw how excited they were, and they were convinced that it would work. He did not want to say anything that would hurt them, so he asked, "What do you all think about the solution?"

The Jade Emperor said, "It's spot on. It'll probably work!"

Li Nianfan nodded and asked, "What are you planning to do then?"

"Um..." The Jade Emperor was stumped. He looked confused. He had to look at the Empress and ask, "Empress, what do you think?"

The Empress slightly frowned and groaned. She said, "Since we need the people to believe in the Immortals of the Heavenly Palace, the most important thing would be to spread the news."

Soon, the four of them looked at each other. They were a bit clueless.

They knew the solution but when it came down to specifics, they did not know what to do.

'How?'

The Jade Emperor and the Empress fell into deep thought. They frowned. 'Are we going to give out flyers on the streets?'

Ziye at the side said, "It's kind of like preaching... The Buddhists would know what to do, maybe we should pay them a visit?"

Cheng Yi suggested at the side, "We can also ask for help from the Underworld."

At that moment, they realized that Humans were very important. The Humans were directly related to the Deluxe Merit they needed. They were truly the elites of the realm.

Li Nianfan noticed that they looked troubled. He hesitated for a moment and finally said, "If you're sure that you want to carry on with this solution, I might be able to help."

He did not know whether it would work. However, since everyone made up their minds to accept the solution, Li Nianfan felt like he had to help. After all, the Jade Emperor and the Empress were so courteous. He should do something for them, too.

"You have methods, Mr. Li?" The Jade Emperor was overjoyed. He hurriedly saluted and said, "Please, teach me, Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "It's not that deep, but I'm an ordinary man after all. I'm more familiar with ordinary people."

Everyone nodded in agreement. If the bigshot said he was an ordinary man, then an ordinary man he was.

Li Nianfan structured his sentence and said, "Um... If you want to let the people know about the Heavenly Palace, let the people be familiar with it. The best way to do so is through stories. Stories will be passed on. It's best to create a household tale." 𝓵𝒊𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝒅.𝓬𝓸𝙢

"Household tale?"

Ziye had a thought. She asked without thinking, "Mr. Li, do you mean like 'Journey to the West' kind of story?"

"You could say that," nodded Li Nianfan.

Cheng Yi asked curiously, "But... 'Journey to the West' is already well-known. Why aren't there any signs of the Heavenly Palace's revival?"

"I think it might be because of the characters. 'Journey to the West' simplifies the Heavenly Palace in the story. The main focus is on Wukong. It's not quite powerful enough." Li Nianfan put it nicely. Truthfully, the 'Journey to the West' TV series also focused on Wukong.

"Hmph, if it wasn't for the orders from the Buddha, I wouldn't have backed down and gone along with it!" The Jade Emperor and the Empress did not look happy at all. Their Flat Peach Ceremony was ruined and it was a huge embarrassment for the Heavenly Palace.

Li Nianfan instantly looked curious. He asked casually, "Can you tell me the details?"

"Back then, the Buddha was fighting with Luohou. Luohou ruined the Western areas, which caused the Westside to be poor. The people didn't have faith. Jie Yin and Zhun Ti made up their minds to help the people in the West to have faith again. Therefore, they gained Deluxe Merit and were able to become Saints."

The Jade Emperor reminisced. He continued, "It could be said that the Deluxe Merit was borrowed from the realm. The two Western Saints wanted to fulfill their wishes as soon as possible, so they did anything they could. Their methods were too extreme, but the people were indeed poor, so the Buddha naturally helped them. During the investitures of the Gods, the Heavenly Palace gained the most benefits. The Western religion did not benefit as much as we did. During the journey to the West, the West got to improve and grow speedily!"

Li Nianfan nodded. He knew about the legendary stories but he did not know the context. He learned something new.

The Empress smiled and said, "It's a shame that the West was destroyed by Luohou in the end. That is how it goes. There's no smoke without fire. I can only say that karma has its own ways."

"I see."

Li Nianfan nodded. He paused, then said, "I think that if we want the people to believe in the Heavenly Palace, the important focus shouldn't be on the Heavenly Palace. It should be on the characters instead!"

"Characters?"

The Jade Emperor and the others looked confused. They felt like they could learn something new with each moment around the expert. They asked, "Why so?"

Li Nianfan smiled and replied, "People only recognize one thing. The fastest way for people to recognize something is through characters. You can list out the characters in the Heavenly Palace and choose the ones that can best represent the Heavenly Palace. It's better if they went through struggles, and it's even better if they have a tragic backstory. Then, make it a household tale. People will have a deep impression on the Heavenly Palace by then."

"Choose representative characters of the Heavenly Palace?" The Jade Emperor immediately went serious. He asked, "Mr. Li, what do you think about me and the Empress? We served the Buddha for countless years and we slew a lot of evil Demons. We're the Jade Emperor and Empress of the Heavenly Palace. I would say that leaves quite an impression."

"Obviously not."

Li Nianfan shook his head without hesitation. "You two did leave an alright impression. But that's not the point. There's no emotional backstory, no tear-jerking incidents. The character development's poor, it won't leave an impression on the people. It'll be doomed to fail."

The Jade Emperor and the others struggled to think of anyone.

Li Nianfan decided to give them some hints. He said, "You can think of more examples around you, especially the ones with a romantic story."

The Jade Emperor and the others started to recall their memories. Some incidents were similar to legendary stories. Li Nianfan had not heard of them, but they were not a big deal. Li Nianfan also realized that the Seventh Princess, Ziye, had not met Dong Yong yet. She had not experienced The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl love story.

Maybe it had not happened yet, or maybe there was a mix-up with reality and the legendary stories, but it was none of his business.

Suddenly, the Empress had an idea. She said, "Jade Emperor, do you remember your sister and..."

"This... Really? It's a shame in our family." The Jade Emperor looked troubled. He looked at Li Nianfan and said, "Back then, my sister, Yao Ji, married an ordinary man and gave birth to a son and a daughter. Their names are Yang Jian and Yang Chan. Years later, Yang Chan also married an ordinary man and gave birth to a son."

The Jade Emperor sighed heavily. It was hard for him!

His sister and his niece both liked ordinary men. Their tastes in men were troubling. He did not see it coming.

"What about you guys? Didn't you stop them?" Li Nianfan cared more for that question.

"Of course, we did. We also fought. They don't see that I'm just looking out for them."

The Jade Emperor sighed. Then, he said, "I understand the mind of an Immortal. Back then, the Buddha created marriage that was all about Yin and Yang, all about harmony. It's just the way it is. How can an Immortal and an ordinary person last forever? They don't have the same bodies! Years will pass by in the blink of an eye. You haven't even enjoyed it yet and that part will already be old and useless."

Li Nianfan processed that phrase and felt like the Jade Emperor made a dirty joke.

His point of view was quite fascinating.

Li Nianfan felt like an Immortal should not be with an ordinary person because one would grow old and die. Their ages were not compatible. However, the Jade Emperor had a different angle, he considered 'that' part of compatibility.

'What did he experience to have such a unique state of mind?'

However, Li Nianfan confirmed that there were mix-ups in legendary stories and reality. The Jade Emperor was not as extreme in opposing their love as how the legendary stories described. Nothing bad happened to his sister. Every problem she faced was reasonable.

The Jade Emperor was a Lord, and he was the student of the Buddha. His sister fell in love with an ordinary man, so he had to oppose it. However, he was not as violent as described. No idiot would attack his sister either.

"This is a nice setting. There's an ordinary man in the story so it's relatable. But it still won't work, there aren't enough obstacles."

Li Nianfan started to help them fill in the story. "You should oppose their love strongly, send someone to hunt him down. Then, banish your sister or your niece to the ends of the world. Let them go through struggles..."

Li Nianfan told the story while everyone went serious because he was talking about them. They could fully immerse themselves in the stories, it was fascinating.

A Goddess and an ordinary man fell in love because of a coincidental meeting. Their love was opposed. In the end, they had a happy ending. Li Nianfan finished the story without thinking about it.

By the end of the story, Cheng Yi and Ziye had tears streaming down their faces. Their shoulders slightly trembled from the sobbing. Their romantic teenage girl hearts were enslaved by the tragic love story.

Nanan and Dragon were also touched. They said with sympathy, "I feel like this love story's more touching than Sister Yiyi and Jesse's love story."

Li Nianfan analyzed, "Because this story has three parts. The happiness when they were in love, the pain when they were separated, and the hard work they did to get back that happiness. Plus, the emotional incidents along the story make people feel something."

The Jade Emperor snapped out from the story. He started to question his life. "I can't believe I'm such an animal."

Li Nianfan said awkwardly, "It's necessary to add in some opposing elements in the story. If you feel like it's inappropriate, we can change it, Jade Emperor."

The Jade Emperor said, "No need. It's indeed a good story. It's also your hard work, Mr. Li. We can't waste it."

Li Nianfan added, "Apart from that, we need to have positive stories, too. Like how the Jade Emperor saved the people from Demons, or how he supervised the realm and made sure everything was alright..."

Everyone listened closely with a serious face. They were fearful with respect. They felt like they could fully immerse themselves in his stories. They did not grow impatient at all. Subconsciously, they also learned a lot.

They chatted. The sky turned dark before they realized it.

Li Nianfan ate an orange that Daji passed to him. Then, he smiled and said, "There's something more important than the story!"

The Jade Emperor naturally saluted and said with respect, "Please, teach me, Mr. Li."

That was the eighth time he did that.

The honorable Jade Emperor was like a repetitive machine.

"Stories exist in people's hearts but they aren't convincing enough. The best deal is for them to see it!"

Li Nianfan held his chin and groaned for a moment. "That requires a live performance. We need a script and proper actors. The location should be suitable, too. Goddess Gu Xirou invited me to an end-of-the-year cultivators event last time. Maybe you should use that as a reference."

Ziye was instantly intrigued. "Can we use the end-of-the-year event?"

Li Nianfan shook his head. "It's a cultivators' event. How many ordinary people will be there? It won't be powerful enough."

"We can invite more Humans!" said the Empress. She chimed in, "We can change the event into an ordinary end-of-the-year event. What do you think, Mr. Li?"

"That...could work!"

Li Nianfan nodded. He was suddenly looking forward to the event. It would probably be nice and crowded.

He had to suggest, "We have an audience. As for the performance script... How about I write it for you?"

Chapter 388

The Jade Emperor and the others immediately said, "Thank you so much."

Li Nianfan smiled. He had too many legendary stories in his mind, any one of them could be turned into a script. However, he had very few stories that could be an impressionable performance.

"Your performance will be different from the usual performance. You have to bring out your acting skills." Li Nianfan paused. He said, "This story is The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl..."

He immediately told the story. As expected, everyone cried again.

Everyone had to present the story well.

Li Nianfan asked, "Oh, are there any objections on the 'hairpin transforming into the galaxy' part? Are we able to do that?"

The Empress was slightly stumped. She asked, "Objections? It's not hard. Why would we object to it? Is there anything we need to take notice of?"

'Alright, I see that being weak and puny limits my imagination.

'They can transform any galaxy at will. 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝙧𝙚𝓪𝒅.𝒄𝒐𝓶

'Immortals are awesome!'

Li Nianfan was super envious. He coughed softly, "No, I was just asking. Nevermind."

The Jade Emperor stood up and said, "Mr. Li, thanks for solving our problems. It's getting late, we won't disturb your rest anymore. Goodbye."

Li Nianfan also stood up. He smiled and saluted, "Safe travels."

He paused. He smiled and said, "Oh yeah, if the plan is confirmed, let me know. I can check out how the event will be prepared and decorated. I'll also participate."

Li Nianfan was not surprised that the Jade Emperor and Empress would easily decide to change the end-of-the-year event. Who in their right mind would oppose the two bigshots?

The Jade Emperor immediately said, "Don't worry, Mr. Li. We will, we will!"

They walked out of the four-part architecture. The Jade Emperor and the others naturally did not need to rest. They rushed to the Linxian Palace.

Soon, they were on top of the Linxian Palace.

The Linxian Palace at that moment was still bustling.

Music could be heard, too. A lot of disciples gathered at the field in unison. They had zithers in front of them. They worked hard to practice. The zither music was like a fresh summer breeze. It was very enjoyable.

Gu Xirou, Yao Mengji, and Qin Manyun supervised and directed them at the side. They all looked serious. They were responsible for choosing and eliminating the candidates. While they were giving directions and advice, they would also point out what was lacking.

Yao Mengji could be heard. He said with seriousness, "Be aware, this event has to be greater than a cultivator battle event! It's a great honor for you to be able to perform for a bigshot!"

"Work hard. Ensure that nothing goes wrong when you're on stage. Be attentive!" said Gu Xirou at the side. "This is a legendary tune given to us by the expert. This is his trust in us! We can't let it go to waste!"

Suddenly, Qin Manyun shouted, "Change the music!"

Jam, jam!

The disciples lifted their hands at the same time. They plucked the zither strings with their fingers and the music turned serious. Tension filled the air.

Ziye flew in from afar. She smiled and greeted, "Goddess Gu, it's so late and you're still rehearsing."

Gu Xirou, Yao Mengji, and Qin Manyun were startled at the same time. Then, they all flew to the air and welcomed her.

"Don't stop, continue with your practice. I want to see your effort!" Gu Xirou scolded. Then, she greeted Ziye, "Goddess Ziye, why are you here at this hour?"

She looked at the Jade Emperor and the others. She instantly felt overwhelmed. A terrifying aura came over her and she could not breathe. It was as if she was an ordinary person meeting the King. She instantly looked horrified.

Ziye smiled and said, "Don't panic, Goddess Gu. They're the Jade Emperor and Empress. This is my sister. They escaped because the expert helped."

Gu Xirou and the others panicked harder. They hurriedly bowed and said, "Greetings to the Emperor and the Empress!"

They were the Lords of the Heavenly Palace. They were in charge of all the Immortals, and they were bigshots who had a Flat Peach Garden. Although things were not like what it once was, it was still unimaginable for them.

If ordinary cultivators got on their good side, they would be instantly successful.

"No need to be so courteous," said the Empress gently. She gracefully glanced at the band. She said, "The music of this cultivation sect is so extraordinary. The tunes are so fresh."

Gu Xirou said, "Empress, the two songs, 'High Mountains and Flowing Rivers', and 'Ambush', were all given by the expert. We got lucky."

"I see. No wonder." The Jade Emperor and Empress nodded understandingly. They said, "It's your blessing to be given something by an expert. It's the expert's approval and your breakthrough."

"You're right, Empress. We're truly lucky."

Goddess Gu asked carefully, "Emperor, Empress, do you want to have a seat in our sect?"

The Jade Emperor nodded. "Sure. We have business to discuss, too."

Everyone sat in place. Gu Xirou looked agonized. She clenched her jaw and decided to bring out the most valuable treasure in the Linxian Palace.

It was...the limited fruits and tea given by the expert.

"Ha, we just got back from the expert's place. You don't have to do that, Goddess Gu." The Empress immediately laughed. Then, she asked, "I heard from Zi that you guys are planning the end-of-the-year event for the expert?"

Gu Xirou nodded, "Yes, Empress!"

The Empress said, "We just got some assignments from the expert. We plan to change the end-of-the-year event, so we came here to discuss it."

"Feel free to say so, Empress." Gu Xirou and the others instantly sat up straight. They did not dare object to anything that relates to the expert and the Jade Emperor.

Everyone immediately started to present and discuss their opinions. They all looked serious. The aura was very tense, too. It was very strict and serious, as if they were having a meeting about a realm-changing war.

Finally, the Empress concluded, "Firstly, the previous end-of-the-year event was too low class. Most performers were ordinary cultivators. It isn't enough, and we have to improve it. I'll be handling that. Secondly, the final performance will be a performance from the Heavenly Palace. The performance has to be well-planned. Thirdly, the location. The expert suggests we do it in the Immortal Realm."

"The location part was neglected on our side."

Yao Mengji sighed. He suddenly started to reflect. "The expert lives as an ordinary man. The end-of-the-year event originated from Humans, too. We should've held it in the Immortal Realm. It was truly a bad choice on our part!"

Gu Xirou asked, "Mengji, where do you think we should have the event?"

Yao Mengji replied, "Naturally somewhere with Immortals. I think we can choose somewhere near the Fallen Town, but not at the Fallen Immortal Mountain because that's the expert's peaceful home. We can't allow anything to go wrong there."

Ziye nodded and said, "It's a nice suggestion, and it shouldn't be hard for people like us to create a performance space near the Fallen Town. What do you think, Emperor?"

The Jade Emperor nodded and smiled, "Yes. And the expert said that he wanted to participate in the event decorations. Setting it nearby would be convenient for the expert."

"The expert wants to participate in the event decorations?" Gu Xirou was pleasantly surprised. She hurriedly said, "We have to prepare it well then! It'd be best if we can see some results by tomorrow!"

"So, we confirmed our initial planning. We shall see what the expert has to say in the future." The Empress smiled and said, "We won't be delaying you. We'll contact the others and create a variety of performances."

"Farewell, Emperor, Empress."

They left the Linxian Palace. The Jade Emperor and the others headed straight to the Eastern Sea.

"What? An end-of-the-year event for the expert?!"

Ao Cheng widened his eyes and jumped up from his throne. "Such a big event. Why didn't you tell me sooner? You have to count me in. My sea creatures are ordinary except when it comes to performing. We're born naturals."

"Tortoise Chancellor, Tortoise Chancellor!" Ao Cheng could not wait to start planning. "Spread my orders. Gather for an emergency sea meeting. Clam Demons, Mermaids, and Snake Demons should all be candidates for singing and dance performances!"

Ao Yun glared from the side. He had to sigh.

'My Western Sea Dragons are gone. Otherwise, I would've planned a good performance for the expert, too.'

Then, the Jade Emperor and the Empress visited the trusty Human Sovereign.

At that time, Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang were discussing the end-of-the-year event. They were choosing and eliminating various performances. At the same time, they were thinking of how to invite the expert to attend the event.

They suddenly received the news and immediately scrapped their initial plan. They passionately joined in.

...

That night was fated to be a non-peaceful night.

Big Lord Demon was kneeling somewhere facing a dark hole.

He had injuries all over. Even his face was slightly disfigured. He cried, "I don't mean to disturb you, Lord Demon God. However... Lord Demon's dead. The Kirins were boastful, they dared to attack us! The realm's changing, and the Demons are in danger. Please, give us some advice, Lord Demon God."

The Demons quietly waited for a response.

However... It was silent.

"The Lord Demon God's an expert sleeper. We called several times but there are no signs of him waking up."

Big Lord Demon sighed. He stood up and said, "Let's go. We failed again. The Lord Demon God's still in his slumber."

Suddenly, a Demon disciple rushed in. "Big Lord Demon, there are Asura people outside that came to visit."

Big Lord Demon raised his eyebrow. "Bring them to the lobby."

Soon, he arrived at the lobby. A lady in a red dress stood at the center. She smiled as she looked at Big Lord Demon. She said, "The Lord Demon's dead. Big Lord Demon is now the leader of the Demons. Congratulations."

Big Lord Demon looked defensive. He said coldly, "No need! You came from the Bloody Sea, what do you need?"

The lady in the red dress moved closer and wrapped her thin arms around Big Lord Demon. She said seductively, "Please, Big Lord Demon... Borrow us your spear!"

Chapter 389

Big Lord Demon backed up. He did not look happy at all. He alarmingly shook his head and said, "No way! This spear is the basis of the Demons. We won't lend it to others!"

The lady in red smiled and said, "Those were the words of Lord Demon. Lord Demon's dead now, so you get to decide who borrows it. Moreover... Borrowing us the spear is beneficial for both of us."

Big Lord Demon sounded determined, "I get to decide, and I still decide not to lend it to you!"

He furrowed his brow. He had to sigh because he could not make up his mind.

That was a moment that showed the importance of good leadership. Back then, no matter what the Asura kind had to say, Lord Demon would confidently reject them. Even if Lord Demon God was in deep slumber, Lord Demon would never allow the Asura kind to become powerful.

However...things had changed. More importantly, Lord Demon passed away too suddenly. He did not even leave his will. It was a troubling situation for Big Lord Demon.

"Big Lord Demon, the situation now is detrimental for you Demons!"

The lady in red chuckled. She said, "Demons are supposed to rise when Buddhism falls. You finally waited till the day came but now, you have all these unnecessary changes. All these failures, even your Lord Demon died for no reason. What else can you do next?"

The simple question left Big Lord Demon stumped.

The lady in red noticed that Big Lord Demon did not respond. She continued, "So... How about you borrow the God Killing Spear to us Asuras. Help us remove the seal of our Master. We can change things around. It'll be good for both of us."

Big Lord Demon hesitated. "What's in it for the Demons if we free your Master?"

"My Master's acquainted with your Lord Demon God. We'll help you out if you run into trouble. Also...the people that the Demons aren't able to attack, we're able to!"

The lady in red paused. Then, she said, "This is the best solution by far. You Demons have Lord Demon God. Are you seriously worried that the Asura kind will attack the Demons?"

Big Lord Demon felt conflicted. His mind was running in circles. In the end, he nodded and said, "Okay. You made quite some sense! But I need you to help us attack the Kirins!"

The Demons were weak at the moment. He had a grudge with the Kirins, too. He also had no other choice.

The lady in red naturally agreed. She asked, "Hehe, of course. Where's the spear?"

"This is an important matter. Follow me."

...

The next day.

The warm sun peeked its head out from the clouds and chased away the darkness. Light was brought to the realm.

It was early in the morning. Ziye visited Li Nianfan to invite him for the event preparations.

The end-of-the-year event was located at the Eastside. It was a huge space. When Li Nianfan arrived, the venue had been cleared up. The roads were clean and tidy. A lot of familiar faces had gathered there, too. They were rehearsing in an orderly manner.

They all hurriedly greeted Li Nianfan when they saw him.

Cheng Yi passed him a golden piece of paper with tidy words printed on it. "Mr. Li, we followed your suggestion. I've listed the performances here."

Li Nianfan looked at the performance list with curiosity. The others tensed up. They nervously observed his facial expression. They were afraid that the expert would not be impressed by the performances.

There were not many performances, just eight in total. However, Li Nianfan knew that there was a ninth performance, the final performance.

"The first performance... Pageant Performance of the Three Sea Beauties." Li Nianfan looked at Ao Cheng. He smiled and said, "Brother Ao, this is the performance you prepared, right?"

"You know us so well, Mr. Li. It is," Ao Cheng said in response. Then, he said, "I brought the performers. We can show it to you now, Mr. Li."

He gestured with a wave and twenty figures jogged over. They were all ladies of the sea and they looked extremely beautiful. They were chosen beauties of the sea, too. They looked very anxious because they knew they were being assessed by the bigshot.

Ao Cheng said with seriousness, "Put some effort into the performance."

The twenty sea ladies immediately went into formation and started to dance.

The three species of sea ladies had different styles. However, their bodies were extremely great. Their dances were light and seductive, plus they were wearing very little clothing. It was fantastic to look at. They were truly the three beauties of the sea.

He had to say that the dance formation was a killer performance. If it appeared in his past realm, the performance would have gone viral on the Internet for sure.

However... Li Nianfan frowned.

He did not speak. He waited until the dance performance was over. Then, he said, "Brother Ao Cheng, I think this performance of yours is slightly inappropriate."

Ao Cheng instantly focused. He hurriedly asked, "Mr. Li, are there any dissatisfactions? Or are you displeased with someone among the performers?"

"The performance is good, the performers are beautiful, too. It's just the setting that's unsuitable."

Li Nianfan paused. He said, "Your performance should be focused on showcasing the sea people. It's not supposed to please the crowd. I think you can change your performance into a Sea People Showcase. You have beauty, but you also need strength."

The performance was a public show. To put it more straightforwardly, it was vulgar. Li Nianfan felt like Ao Cheng misunderstood what a public performance was. It was eye-catching, but would the people like it?

Ao Cheng immediately promised, "Don't worry, Mr. Li. I'll improve it."

"The second performance, a zither performance. 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'.

"The third performance, Water and Fire Battle."

Then, Li Nianfan watched the performances according to the performance list. He gave some suggestions and advice from time to time.

Truthfully, the performances were flawless for the Immortal Realm that lacked entertainment, especially when the crowd was ordinary people. Each performance was fantastic. Unless it was a misdirected performance like Ao Cheng's, Li Nianfan had nothing much to comment on.

Suddenly, several figures flew in from the Fallen Town's direction. Black and White Impermanence led the way. They looked flustered.

"Mr. Li, Emperor, Empress."

Black and White Impermanence said straightforwardly, "Why didn't you guys tell us about the big end-of-the-year event? If we weren't informed by the Fallen Town's City God Temple, we would've missed this."

White Impermanence moved aside. He introduced, "Mr. Li, look at the ghosts behind me, what do you think? They can all sing and dance. We found out about the event and instantly picked them. Count us on that performance list."

Li Nianfan looked at the pale-faced ghosts. He smiled awkwardly and said, "Brother White, ghosts and Humans don't go well together. This...is unsuitable. It really can't be helped."

The audience would be full of ordinary people. The ghosts were willing to perform for the ordinary people, but would the ordinary people dare to watch?

The thought of it was chilling.

"Mr. Li, don't reject us so quickly. The ghosts of the Underworld are very talented." Black Impermanence hurriedly tried to fix it. He pushed out a ghost and said, "Perform a beheading for Mr. Li."

The ghost immediately plucked his head off without a second word.

Li Nianfan was a knowledgeable man but he was frightened by that unexpected action.

Black Impermanence continued, "And this too, perform a tongue trick."

Another ghost stepped out and opened her mouth. A bloody tongue fell out and rolled to the floor.

Black Impermanence was proud of it. "How is it? These performances are fresh, right? It'll entertain the people for sure."

Li Nianfan shut his eyes. He did not dare to look.

'This is a performance event, not a horror movie theater.'

The Jade Emperor noticed that Li Nianfan did not look well. He hurriedly gestured, "Drag them away, hurry up and drag them away! What is this?"

Black Impermanence still said, "If it's not acceptable, we can improve it. Please, give us a chance."

Li Nianfan said, "No more chances. I think you guys have misunderstood what a performance is more than Brother Ao Cheng did. It's not suitable, it's really not. This isn't for you."

He was worried that if he allowed the Underworld to participate, a bunch of audiences would pass away with terror.

Black and White Impermanence looked down. They sighed and felt like they could not help the expert. 'Perhaps we ghosts just don't have performing talents in us?'

Suddenly, Li Nianfan thought of something. He said, "Emperor, Empress, I suddenly thought of something. Even if the end-of-the-year event is grand, it would only attract the nearby Humans to come watch it, right?"

The Jade Emperor was helpless about that. "Indeed so."

Li Nianfan asked, "Then, can we use spells to set up a television in each area so that other people from other cities could watch it?"

"Television?" The Jade Emperor and Empress did not understand. 𝓁𝑖𝘣𝑟𝘦𝘢𝒹.𝑐ℴ𝘮

Li Nianfan explained, "Our performances here could be projected to other areas at the same time."

The Jade Emperor and Empress jumped. They instantly understood it. They immediately had new ideas, followed by a joyful feeling.

"We can! We can do that with our powers!" The Jade Emperor immediately smiled. Then, he laughed and exclaimed, "In that case, we could save time and effort. We can get a lot of people to believe in the Heavenly Palace in a short amount of time! Nice, this is too nice! My powers are capable of doing so, why didn't I think of it?"

They could achieve their desired effect in one night when it originally needed hundreds of years.

The original ten thousand audiences could instantly become millions of audiences.

The Empress was also excited. She hurriedly thanked the expert, "Mr. Li, your idea is too important for the Heavenly Palace. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Empress. It was just a thought."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "I only thought of it because I saw Black and White Impermanence. A lot of places have City God Temples now. The effect of projecting the event through City God Temples must be fantastic. However, I'm afraid we'll have to trouble the Underworld."

Black and White Impermanence instantly turned their frowns upside down. They said, "No trouble at all. Don't worry, Mr. Li. We got this."

Chapter 390

A month passed by in the blink of an eye.

Li Nianfan lived leisurely. He was the director of the Heavenly Palace, the Sea kind, the Underworld, and the Humans. He was responsible for giving directions. Even in front of all the big shots, it was an easy job for someone with his talents. He would return to the four-part architecture at night to rest. He would go to the venue and direct in the daytime. He would chat with the Jade Emperor and the others while he was free. It was nice.

Li Nianfan also felt vain whenever the actors would listen to his directions attentively.

It was hard to imagine that he came this far without noticing it. He must be considered a big shot in the realm.

Li Nianfan discovered interesting stories of the legendary characters through the many chats. He also had a clearer picture of the situation.

In conclusion, it was a replacement of an era.

To quote Wukong, "The Jade Emperor title takes turns, it's my turn this year."

The realm was changing. Hidden forces or ambitious people had appeared. Some liked to live in peace. They wished everyone could be happy. Some liked to see the world burn so they could benefit from it.

The Jade Emperor, the Underworld, and the Dragons became 'species of the past' who wanted to bring back their glory days. The opposers were 'defenders of the new era' who wanted to change the realm.

In other words, once they eliminated the Jade Emperor and the others, they could rule the world.

Li Nianfan had to say, "The situation in the realm still can't differ from battles."

He unconsciously befriended all the 'past bigshots'. Hence, he already chose sides without considering it. However, he was not worried.

First of all, Li Nianfan felt like the Jade Emperor was trustworthy. Combining his knowledge of the legendary stories, no one was more powerful than the Jade Emperor apart from the Saints. The Empress was also the second most powerful being in the realm. They were students of the Buddha. As for Houtu Empress in the Underworld, she was also quite powerful.

Moreover, he was a Deluxe Merit Saint. His defense was great. He could just sit by and watch.

Everyone drank alcohol at the venue.

The news of the event was out. Immortals promised that it would be good and everyone was exhilarated. The Fallen Town was bustling. However, the event venue was still on lockdown so no one dared to trespass. They were all very excited.

The Jade Emperor nodded and agreed, "You're right, Mr. Li. Since the beginning of time, the realm was always filled with battles among various species of clans. That's how the catastrophe started."

Zhou Yunwu also said, "It's too hard to avoid war. It's almost impossible."

He was the Human Sovereign. He only experienced a fraction of the war from the prehistoric world. Even Humans fought internally. It could not be helped. Li Nianfan had already let it be. Wars and battles were a constant occurrence. He cared more about protecting himself. He asked, "Emperor, do you know any powerful beings that still exist in this realm?"

The Jade Emperor groaned for a moment. He shook his head and sighed softly, "I'm not sure. After the catastrophe, Dao Zu said that those who were stronger than Daluo Golden Immortals would not be in the Immortal Realm anymore. Then, everyone either hid or they were sealed. But now... The Absolute Era seems to be over. I've been sealed for so many years, I'm not sure who's still alive."

Li Nianfan frowned. It was a difficult situation. There could be a lot of Saints, and there should be a lot of Daluo Golden Immortals.

He could confirm the enemies. The Demons, the Southern Sea Dragons, and the Kirins. The three clans were hard to deal with.

The Demons were more troubling. Their main target is the Demons. They also had Luohu as their powerful and terrifying boss.

The Southern Sea Dragons had something called the Dragon Soul Pearl. It seemed to be a legendary treasure that would make them instantly powerful. Kind of like those ultimate bosses in his past realm novels. Maybe they would be the biggest threat.

The Kirins were unpredictable. He did not know how powerful they were but they were one of the strongest species in the realm. They must be difficult to deal with.

Suddenly, two figures flew in from afar. They were tall and buff and had an ox head and a horse face. They were easily identifiable.

Their voices were hoarse and ferocious. They bowed at everyone and greeted, "Greetings to Mr. Li, the Jade Emperor, and the Empress."

Then, they looked at the table behind everyone. They stared at it and almost salivated.

Black Impermanence said, "Brother Ox, Brother Horse, why aren't you guys guarding the Reincarnation area? What are you doing here?" 𝘭𝑖𝑏𝘳ℯ𝑎𝑑.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Ox-Head glared. He moo-ed angrily and said, "That's easy for you to say. Why don't you go and guard the Reincarnation area?"

"Black and White Impermanence, you two spend all day eating good food and drinking nice booze, living a leisurely life while we brothers work hard at the Underworld. Won't your conscience hurt?" Horse-Face pointed at Black and White Impermanence. He yelled and scolded, "Look at my sexy horse mane, it's almost bald!"

He said while brushing out his little braid. His hair flowed in the wind.

They felt bitter. Their jobs were already hard, but it was tougher to see Black and White Impermanence living so lavishly. They endured it for too long. They thought of the delicious food and finally snuck out from the Underworld.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Guys, take a seat since you're here."

"Thanks, Mr. Li. We'll be intruding then." Ox-Head and Horse-Face were instantly overjoyed. They did not try to be courteous either. They took a glass of wine after sitting down. "Sorry to intrude. We'll punish ourselves with a glass of wine."

Then, they drank it in one go. Ox-Head and Horse-Face instantly squinted in enjoyment.

'Nice, this is a nice life.'

Li Nianfan smiled and asked, "You two snuck out without permission. Will everything be alright?"

"It's fine. We trained some Onis recently. They know what to do. As long as it's not an emergency, they'll be fine."

Ox-Head looked at Meng Junliang. He said, "Mr. Meng, I know you're a teacher, too. You have to prep these students and make sure they're ready. We'll be waiting for their job applications down there."

Horse-Face also said, "King Zhou, Mr. Meng, we're workers of the Underworld. Hence, we have to give you a heads-up."

Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang said at the same time, "We appreciate further details."

"The realm works by its own laws. For an ordinary man, death and sickness are the natural paths of life. But for someone of your status, you can naturally elongate your life using cultivators' medicine. It's just a temporary fix, but if you forcefully try to buy more time, it'll be recorded on the Death Note. Unless you transcend into cultivation, it'd be... considered as bad karma."

Horse-Face paused. He continued, "All living beings will die. They have the chance to be hired by us. If they forcefully try to prolong their lives, they'll become sinners. Not only would we not hire them, but they'll also be punished for their crimes."

Black Impermanence was a straightforward speaker. He said, "The Underworld and the City God Temples are in desperate need of staff. We have a lot of open positions. It's an opportunity. You guys should talk some sense into those keen on being hired. Tell them to stop enduring and living. Hurry up and come to us!"

Zhou Yunwu and Meng Junliang felt awkward. They fake-smiled and saluted, "I see."

Ox-Head and Horse-Face raised their glasses again and said, "Cheers to King Zhou and Mr. Meng then!"

Li Nianfan noticed that they were much more relaxed. He smiled curiously and asked, "Is the Underworld back on track now?"

"It's all thanks to you, Mr. Li. Let me tell you, the City God Temples were a genius idea. Otherwise, it wouldn't be easy for us." Ox-Head and Horse-Face were grateful. They raised their glasses again and said, "We're two buff dudes and we're not good at sentimental words. All our thanks are in the wine. Cheers to Mr. Li!"

Li Nianfan finally realized that the ox and the horse were here to get free drinks. They had raised their glasses thrice in three sentences.

Ox-Head put down his glass and rubbed his head. He said, "By the way, the Styx of the Underworld is starting to wreak havoc again. Those Asuras are up to something. I'm afraid bad things are going to happen."

The Jade Emperor was intrigued. "The Styx?"

Li Nianfan was intrigued, too. He was familiar with the Styx. It was as famous as the Acheron.

In the legendary stories, the Styx was transformed from a puddle of blood. The blood puddle was from the body of Pangu. More importantly, it gave birth to a Deity named Styx Laozu. He had two Ultimate Heavenly Swords and they were named Yuan Tu and Abi. There was a saying that the Bloody Sea would not dry out and the Styx would not die.

If the saying was true, Styx Laozu was most probably alive.

The Styx was also most probably...their villain.

'Alright, we were just thinking about who might still be alive. Now comes a super-powerful Deity.

'Oh yeah, apart from the Styx Laozu, the Styx also birthed Liuchi Mosquito Taoist. He was also a bad*ss character. It was a shame that he sucked away three of the Golden Lotuses from the Saint.'

He was also most probably...a villain.

There were too many big shots. Each of them could destroy realms. No wonder the tribulations and disasters kept happening.

Ox-Head looked serious as he said, "Back then, the Underworld was ruined. We had no choice but to throw the countless ghosts into the Styx. Now that the Underworld's slowly recovering, the Styx is uncooperative."

The Empress frowned. She said in a deep voice, "Styx Laozu tried to imitate Goddess Nuwa so he could become a Saint. He created the Asuras in the end. The Asuras are a bunch of ghosts who'd devour anything. It seems like they're starting to cause trouble."

The Jade Emperor became worried when they talked about the situation. "I wonder if we can revive the Heavenly Palace."

"It depends."

Everyone lined up and chatted. Half a month passed by in the blink of an eye.

The highly anticipated end-of-the-year event...began.

Chapter 391

On that day, the sky was slightly darker. The entire event was packed with people. The line that was queuing up for the show had filled the entire space. The people were even shoving and nudging each other to the entrance of the Eastern city, blocking up the gates of the city.

Some of them gave up and chose to watch the show from the City God Temple of the Fallen Town. Yet, when they arrived at the City God Temple, they realized it was also jam-packed with people. There was not even a tiny space for them to squeeze in.

It was a pity for the City God who brought a few of his underlings to control the order of the situation.

He was being kind by advising the crowd with a loud voice, "Everyone, please, stop pushing around. Listen to me, the projection this time is personally done by Houtu Empress, and it's very huge, just like the moon in the sky. You guys will be able to view it from any place in the Fallen Town. You all don't have to come to my temple and squeeze here to get a place." Amongst the crowd, a sudden shriek was heard all of a sudden, "I'm not buying it! Everyone, follow me and rush into the temple! Let's squeeze ourselves into the City God Temple!"

Then, a group of people started causing a commotion among the crowd. "Let's go!"

However, very soon, this group of people ceased their actions because the show that they had anticipated did not show up. Instead, they became mysteriously quiet. Even the people around them shifted their attention over to this group of people. They were staring hard at them, giving them goosebumps.

"Why are you guys looking at me? Rush into the temple! We need to act fast!"

"City God, this is the person who wants to squeeze into the City God Temple!"

"Over here, too. This person also wants to do the same thing." "This guy, too!"

Then, people from a few spots started pointing out the culprits who were causing the commotion simultaneously. Besides, they were also putting up a disdainful expression and keeping their distance, causing that group of people to be terrified and feel utterly embarrassed.

The City God immediately waved his hand. "Someone dragged this group of people out of here."

The Onis who were hiding in the shadows showed up soon and led the group of people out of the scene.

The City God smiled with his eyes squinted and stood on top of the City God Temple. He then said, "Thank you, everyone. What I said earlier was indeed the truth. You guys will be able to see it from any location within the Fallen Town. So, there's no need for you guys to squeeze around."

The crowd immediately replied with a smile.

"City God, we all believe in your words."

"Hehe, one look and we knew that group of people aren't good people. They even thought of squeezing into the City God Temple till things went out of order. City God, you shouldn't easily forgive them." "Naive! Does he think he'll be able to influence our relationship with the City God? Do they think we're fools by causing such a commotion?"

In the meantime.

Those Onis were escorting the souls of the group of people and arrived at Underworld. Black and White Impermanence had long ago been waiting there.

The Oni reported, "Sire, this group of people were already dead but their souls are still sealed in their physiques, just like a puppet. We've checked their corpses and realized their necks had markings of being bitten by some bugs."

"I already know about this matter." Bai Wuchang nodded his head, with his face darkened. "There are still a few places in the Immortal Realm where such a similar incident occurred as well. Who's the one plotting a scheme in my Underworld?".

Hei Wuchang put on a dark expression and said coldly, "It's a problem if they're plotting a scheme in the Underworld. I'm just afraid they're targeting the expert, and if his mood is affected, that's going to cause huge trouble!"

Bai Wuchang said with gratitude, "Thank god the expert reminded us to get into good terms with the crowd. From the crowd, we got to know that the City God has received good remarks. Or else, if there really was a commotion, it'll be hard to resolve it.

"There'll be more advantages than disadvantages if we heed to the expert's advice." Hei Wuchang burst into laughter. Then, he said seriously, "Send someone to reinforce the patrol, especially nearby the Fallen Town. don't let a single bug slip through!" "Roger!"

In the Immortal Realm.

Apart from the huge crowd of people beneath, there were numerous sparkling stars in the sky. They looked like sparkling meteors flying through the night sky.

People were riding on jet clouds, and others riding along with their swords to the scene. Some even rode on spiritual boats and came to a halt mid-air, enjoying the show carefreely from the top.

As the first-ever entertainment activity within the Immortal Realm at such a grand scale, with also great Immortals participating in the act, it was beyond imagination just how much that show would be welcomed. Even those Elders who usually stayed within the caves also rushed out to attend the event.

There were some enemies who had not seen each other for thousands of years that bumped into each other once again at that moment. They immediately put on their fighting stances and brawled.

Apart from human beings, it also included the demon races.

At the East entrance of Fallen Town, the old Locust tree that was initially more than a human's height started growing taller after its trunk trembled faintly. Very soon, its height was beyond 10 meters, and there was a group of elderly and children of the Fallen Town sitting on the branches. They were all putting on a smiley face and were looking down curiously.

Then, the demons came to join the event as well.

Lord Demon had two demon servants flanking both his sides. They mingled amongst the human crowd and shouldered along with the group.

One of the demon servants was being cautious and looked at the surroundings. Then, he said softly, "Lord Demon, do you have any plans for this event?"

Lord Demon was stunned. "What plan?"

"The plan to conquer the human race!" The demon servant's eyes were sparkling, and he added, "This is a rare chance for us. There are so many humans right here. If they can all progress into demons, we'll gain tremendously."

"Since when do we have so many plans? This time, we're just here to watch the event, that's all."

Lord Demon frowned and was very unhappy. "Entertainment remains to be entertainment. Work is work. You've got to know the lines between them. Aren't you feeling even tired at all? Besides, there are so many powerhouses right here. I'd advised you two to be more careful about concealing yourself. If we're spotted, I'll definitely choose to run away, and I won't be able to save you two." It was at that moment, amongst the layers of clouds from far away, a few outlines suddenly showed up. In the meantime, a majestic aura like a waterfall came raining down. It was mainly targeting those groups of humans that were floating mid-air.

Xiao Chengfeng, Ao Cheng, Ao Yun, Pei An, and the others gradually revealed their figures mid-air. They all had straight faces and carried out their job to maintain peace.

Xiao Chengfeng faced the surroundings and expressed his respect, then said happily, "Attention everyone. I, Xiao Chengfeng, will be taking full responsibility for this year's public safety for the end-of-year event. Everyone, please spare me some face and not cause any trouble. To those who have personal grudges against others, please, back off a hundred thousand miles away and settle your issues outside. Also...no one's allowed to float mid-air within thousands of meters!"

Very soon, the lights from the surroundings went further away, one after another.

"Thank you. Thank you for everyone's cooperation!" Xiao Chengfeng suddenly felt proud and had a delighted expression. That was the peak moment of his entire lifetime. He then continued to add on, "If there's an accident, everyone, please shout out for my name at the very first instance. Please, recognize carefully, the Sword Immortal, Xiao Chengfeng. Three million sword Immortals from above have to be humble when they see me!"

At the most front row of the crowd, the person occupying the golden seat to enjoy the event, Li Nianfan, lifted his head to look at Xiao Chengfeng who was telling lies despite being awkward. He could not help but let the corner of his mouth curl into a smile.

The Jade Emperor who was beside him could not tolerate it and said while laughing, "Mr. Li, this friend of yours is quite interesting."

Li Nianfan said, "I guess trying to act smart is what a Sword Immortal's good at."

The Jade Emperor continued saying with a smile, "His spiritual cultivation is quite good as well. He could easily surpass the Heavenly Guards of my Heavenly Palace." Li Nianfan raised his brows. "Your Highness, are you already planning on developing the Heavenly Palace?" "Just as a precaution. I'll eventually need to accept talented people if I want to develop it," the Jade Emperor said with a smile. "This person really loves acting smart which in fact, is quite beneficial in building up the image of the Heavenly Palace."

Speaking of it, the Jade Emperor was facing Li Nianfan with utmost gratitude as he said, "Lately, this is all thanks to you, Mr. Li. It is as you had said. You've implanted a great image of the Heavenly Palace in the minds of all humans. In just more than one month, you've managed to spread the fame of the Heavenly Palace. Adding on to tonight's performance, it'll be pretty easy to make everyone believe in the existence of the Heavenly Palace!"

Within half a month, apart from arranging the performance schedule, Li Nianfan had also specifically arranged for other line ups. He intended to fill the hearts of all humans with the fame of the Heavenly Palace. With that, only the image of the Heavenly Palace would be embedded in their minds.

First of all, it would be about spreading some fiction regarding the Heavenly Palace. With the Xia Kingdom promoting it with all their means, stories of the Heavenly Palace would be well known by everyone. The characters within the Heavenly Palace were getting well known as well. Next up, they even allowed the dragons to display their ulterior skills under the name of the Heavenly Palace, and this allowed many mortals in many areas to 'coincidentally' notice their existence.

One event after another made everyone hold on to their breath as they witnessed it. Also, those stories, some of them were made up while some were modified according to true stories. However, all of them were very attractive and logical. Some even made the Jade Emperor, who was a person involved in the story, fail to identify which of them was fake.

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Setting up the image of Heavenly Palace is very important."

The Jade Emperor put on a straight face and said sternly, "That's a given. Remember what's the slogan of my Heavenly Palace? 'The dominance of the heavens'. If I lose my face, then what's the meaning of being alive?"

Yet, at that moment, there was a babble of talk coming from behind the mortals...

"Why isn't the show starting? If I knew this would happen, I should've brought my Lotus Lantern that I've treasured along." "You're also reading Lotus Lantern? Chen Xiang really is too pitiful. His great uncle's the Jade Emperor, his uncle is God Jiro. Both of them are so powerful, yet they want to kill him."

"I know, right? These two people are too cruel. They're far worse than a beast!" Another person from beside added, "Let me tell you this, the book titled 'How To Cultivate by the Jade Emperor' is a great book to read. That book describes the Jade Emperor going through ninety-nine lifetimes of being a good person before becoming the Jade Emperor. However, in every life cycle he went through, he'd also wet his bed till the age of ten years old. Hahaha..."

"There's such a thing? Indeed the Jade Emperor. What a great skill of wetting his bed."

Li Nianfan remained silent. So did the Jade Emperor.

Both of them looked at each other. Jade Emperor let out a soft cough and with a usual expression, he waved his hand and said, " Actually, my temperament is quite tame. I don't emphasize my personal image. It's just a trivial matter." Li Nianfan praised while replying, "Your Highness, you're truly generous. You're very open-minded." Clatter!

At that moment, the stage straight ahead that was entirely carved from crystals suddenly flashed with an eye-catching ray. Following that, those Luminous Pearls surrounding the stage that were bigger than a human's head also started to beam brightly, casting rays in all directions.

Everyone's heart was beating fast. They were all looking forward to it and kept staring at it.

In the Underworld, there was a pearl placed in front of Meng Po. The situation of the stage was being reflected on it.

Her eyes glittered seriously, yet the corner of her mouth was curled into a smile. She raised her hands and made a gesture, casting a spell. Then, she pointed at the pearl.

It was just a brief moment, but those within the City God Temple were feeling scared. Then, in the sky above the City God Temple, a huge item appeared, floating in the air. It was displaying the image of the stage.

Du du du... The loud sound of conches suddenly appeared, and it hyped everyone up. It came with an indescribable force, making the crowd that was waiting for a long time suddenly feel energetic.

The sound of the conches was accompanied by a weird tempo, making those who heard it feel more hyped up. As for Li Nianfan, he was silently saying it within him, following the tempo, 'Surging tide of cross-strait, rise and fall with the waves...'

The magnificent opening song was able to immediately bring up the emotions, alerting everyone. 'Don't tell me this isn't as great as watching those pretty ladies dancing around?'

Following the music, a few figures of the Sea Race started to appear on stage. Apart from the pretty ladies from the Sea Race, there were also lots of strong men holding onto steel forks in their hands. They presented their strengths through their performance.

Even though they had watched it plenty of times during the rehearsal, the Jade Emperor and a few other people were still mesmerized when watching it. This performance...is way too interesting. Talented people indeed know a lot of skills. There are too many things that are worthwhile for us to learn from them. Instead of just being together, if we don't have a strong mentality, we'll be shameful because we're not as good as others, and ultimately, we'll isolate ourselves from the world.'

At that moment, regardless of the location, as long as it was within the area where the performance was being displayed, it was dead silent. At every corner of the City God Temple, the crowd that was watching were lifting their heads to watch the show with a blank face, as if they had opened up the door to a brand new world.

Each performance ended, one after another. Li Nianfan was also watching very seriously, enjoying the fruits of his hard work.

Without him realizing it, eight performances were done. When it was announced that the performances had come to an end, the crowd of people snapped out of it like being awakened from their dreams. Each of them had an expression as if they had yet to get enough of it.

No doubt, this year's end-of-year event would definitely be the most exciting one in the history of mortals. Also, it would be the most energetic event for the Immortal Realm and Immortal Land.

'We were just starting to get into the good part, and it's already finished?' Just when everyone was feeling let down, a domineering voice of a lady was suddenly heard from the sky, "Weaver Girl, do you admit to your crime?"

Then, two bright lights appeared, forming a beam of light that accurately pointed at a designated corner amidst the crowd. It was just like a spotlight, and outlines of a male and female figure appeared.

The camera of the live broadcast also turned accordingly and fixated on the male and female.

Just when everyone was lost in their thoughts, wind and clouds suddenly gathered together. The wind was strong with the sound of a phoenix and tens of thousands of birds coming forth. A golden outline slowly appeared in the sky. The face was not visible yet, but a prestigious aura rushed over them, making everyone want to worship that outline. The Weaver Girl, who appeared to be Ziye, immediately got down on her knees. "Greetings from Weaver Girl to the Empress."

"Hmph, how dare you. As a Goddess, to be in love with a mortal? You're committing a grave crime, and you can't be forgiven!" After saying that, she lifted her hand and waved. She immediately grabbed the Weaver Girl and headed to the sky. The Cowherd, who was transformed by Cheng Yi, immediately shrieked pitifully, "Weaver Girl!"

Li Nianfan was commenting deep in his heart. 'This is aggravating. Their expressions are way too aggravating. I guess they won't be able to obtain the S card.'

Moo!

Yet at that moment, an ox suddenly came rushing to them from far away. Its eyes were overflowing with tears. It was crying after being beaten up. "Cowherd, I'm that ox that you reared. I've already cultivated to become a demon. To repay my debts to you, please, hurry and ride me. We'll chase after Weaver Girl!"

Then, Cowherd rode the ox, rushing up into the sky as they chased after them. "You're just a mortal, yet you have the courage to chase after us?" The Empress smiled coldly. She took off her hairpin and lifted her hand to wave. Her mana was endless. Under the attention of the crowd, that hairpin had become a galaxy. In the meantime, with the force of the stars spinning around them, the two stars were moving in the sky at a speed visible to the naked eye. At the two edges of the galaxy, Weaver Girl and Cowherd were both trapped in those two stars.

The stars that were held in the Empress's hands were not accompanied by any elements of the performance. It was all a genuine act. Not only Li Nianfan was stunned, the mortals and the cultivators were also dumbfounded when they watched it play out.

That made their minds replay a single phrase, 'This is concrete evidence. The Empress really exists in this world. The Heavenly Palace really exists!'

"You've committed a crime stated in Heaven's laws. Today, I shall make the galaxy as a border, and entrapping the both of you forever in this area. You two will never meet again!"

Chapter 392

The Empress's voice was very resonant and it echoed throughout the entire space. Adding on to the galaxy forming in the sky, it gave the mortals a very overwhelming feeling.

During this time, after being influenced by so many stories of the Heavenly Palace, everyone was starting to believe in the existence of the Heavenly Palace. At this moment, such an incident that took place in the form of a storytelling scene was embroidered deep in the hearts of the crowd.

Naturally, that was one of the considerations that Li Nianfan took.

'If both the Jade Emperor and Empress were to just stand up and reveal their identities flat out, I don't think anyone would buy it. Taking into account the Heavenly laws, the characters, and the stories that make up this incident will be much more persuasive. Besides, humans are naturally more inclined to such gossip and will rather choose to believe this incident is genuine.'

Broom!

At that moment, there was a weird commotion suddenly heard coming from the sky from far away. There was a golden light appearing out of the blue moon, shining throughout the entire sky. It was as if a star suddenly lightened up in the sky and was sparkling.

The Jade Emperor, who was initially sitting beside Li Nianfan, suddenly changed his expression drastically. He looked in the direction where the place suddenly went bright. He got agitated and perturbed. He faced Li Nianfan, paid respect, and said, "Mr. Li, I think there's a reaction happening back in the Heavenly Palace. I've got to head back and have a look. I hereby take my leave."

'There really was a reaction?'

"They really become light?'

Li Nianfan had an astonished look and said with a smile, "This is good news. Your Highness, please, don't delay any further. Hurry and make your way back."

He thought deep in his heart that if the Heavenly Palace really succeeded in rebuilding, given his connections, he would be able to show up carefreely everywhere.

The Jade Emperor nodded his head. Then, he transformed into a gleam of light and vanished in a blink of an eye.

At that moment, in the Heavenly Palace.

The entire Heavenly Palace was shaking, and innumerable auspicious moments of extraordinary scenes kept showing up.

There were lots of rays of lights shooting up from the mortal realm to the sky, spreading to every corner.

The Empress, Ziye, and Cheng Yi had ended their show and had returned to the Heavenly Palace at the very first instance. Seeing such a scene made them unable to suppress the agitation they were having. They started running everywhere and opened up all the main entrances to the palace.

Those lights surrounded all the stone statues just like sunlight shining on the land.

The Jade Emperor revealed himself. He wore an anxious expression as he said, "What's the situation?"

"It seems a little bad."

The glint of agitation in the Empress's eyes seemed to have frozen up. She frowned, shook her head, and said, "Those halos surrounded the stone statues but it seems the two of them just can't fuse. Hence, there won't be any use to it."

The expression on the Jade Emperor also changed. However, his eyes became dark instead. He flipped his wrist and held onto a pagoda. That pagoda flew out and floated in the air. Halos were shining out of it in a certain direction!

Swoosh! 𝓁𝘪𝑏𝓇𝑒𝑎𝑑.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Red tides were starting to show up at the space which was initially empty. Then, a bloody red lotus blossomed, taking the shape of a shield, blocking the lights from the pagoda.

On top of the lotus, an outline of a Blood Shirt Taoist gradually showed up. He had a pair of mocking eyes and said with a hoarse voice, "Hao Tian, my friend who I haven't seen in a very long time. I don't think it's appropriate for you to make a move the moment we meet each other."

The Jade Emperor's expression became dark and said sternly, "Styx, this is the Heavenly Palace. It's not some random place where you can come and act atrociously. Better get the hell out of here!"

Styx Laozu burst into laughter and said mockingly, "Heavenly Palace? I almost didn't recognize it if you didn't mention it. Where are the Heavenly Soldiers and Heavenly Guards?"

His attention shifted over to the stone statues that were sealed, and he said with a smile, "Jade Emperor, Empress, you guys are way too naive. You guys won't succeed if you do all these because you guys lack the Heavenly Spirit!"

The Jade Emperor raised his brows and felt his heart sink to the bottom. "The Heavenly Spirit?"

"Hehe, I can't believe you're a disciple of Dao Zu when you don't even know about this."

Styx Laozu started bragging on his knowledge and said carefreely, "Of all the living things in this world, which of them doesn't take form from the Heavenly Spirit? The overwhelming presence like us were born along with the realm, and the demons were formed with the Spiritual Qi from the realm. Again for the humans, they're formed from the Nine Heaven Breathing Soil accumulated by Nuwa, adding on a layer of Heavenly Spirit. Everything needs the Heavenly Spirit!"

The Empress said, "How do you know about all these things?"

"Of course, I learned it from Nuwa on how to create humans when I created the Asuras." Styx Laozu smiled faintly. "But I, Styx, being born from the heavens, I'm naturally born with the Heavenly Spirit. Hence, I can create lives. Regarding this seal, I think you guys can just forget about breaking it. Hao Tian, you and I should join forces and make the Heaven and Earth realm in chaos again. Let my Asuras take over the humans. In the future, you'll still be able to be the Jade Emperor!"

The Jade Emperor's voice was deep and was still talking in a mockery manner, "Hehe, back in those years, you dreamed of learning from Nuwa Empress to create humans to become a Saint. After you failed at that, you're still dreaming of making the Asuras take over the humans and becoming the main protagonist in the Heaven and Earth realm, and then to take over the Saint's place?"

Styx Laozu's voice was accompanied by agitation, "This isn't just a dream but a very high possibility!" The Jade Emperor smiled coldly. "Hehe, a pile of tainted blood that forms into a living thing of disgust. Its very existence is not worth noting, and will never be the main protagonist."

Styx Laozu 's expression became dark and his eyes gleamed with a murderous aura. "Hao Tian, do you still think things are just like how they used to be? Back in those days, I, Styx, could only stay low when the Saints were interfering. I didn't dare plot too many schemes. Right now, you're not even the emperor. You don't even have the right to talk to me on equal footing!"

The Jade Emperor's eyes were also filled with rage. Both of them were overwhelming each other with their auras, yet no one simply took any action rashly.

Ziye and Cheng Yi looked at the stone statues around and sighed. 'In the end...we still failed?'

Shriek!

Following the sound of the door being pushed open, eager footsteps and a babble of whispering were heard. Under such circumstances, it was ear-piercing.

The Jade Emperor and the rest of the gang immediately shifted their attention to the source of the sound. Each of them were startled and their eyes gleamed in a way that they found it hard to believe.

Ziye immediately raised her hand and covered her mouth. The tears in her eyes immediately flowed out. "Big Sister, you guys...am I in a dream?"

Five ladies in long dresses of a variety of colors were in a daze and were glancing at the surroundings. They were also dumbfounded when they saw the people coming to them.

They immediately greeted each other politely simultaneously, "Greetings to Your Highness, Empress."

The Jade Emperor and Empress were also flustered at the delightful incident that suddenly appeared. They could not help but say with a smile, "Great, great, great!"

"This is impossible!" Styx Lao Tzu's eyes suddenly widened. He roared, finding it unbelievable, "Without the Heavenly Spirits, how did you guys recover?"

Suddenly, there was an outline of a white figure sticking out its head from the Palace of the Seven Princesses. Following that, the figure started hopping its way into the scene.

That outline was just the size of half a palm. It was a white little human, yet, it looked as if it had a soul in it. Under the gazes of the crowd, whose jaws were wide apart, the outline walked while somersaulting.

That outline was tiny yet it captured everyone's attention. All the lights that were coming from the mortal realm started surrounding the little man, following him into one of the palaces. Following that, they fused into a stone statue!

With the little man fusing into it, that stone statue was like snow from the winter encountering the sunlight from the summers. It started melting at a speed that the naked eyes could capture.

"This...this...this..."

Styx Laozu kept rubbing his eyes. Yet, he saw a white little man, one after another, slowly coming out from the door. It was as if they were even accompanied with children's laughter as they started hopping everywhere while heading to the Heavenly Palace.

"Flour?"

Styx Laozu felt as if his world had endured a shock. "This is impossible! What sort of flour is this that can create Heavenly Spirits? Besides...these flour figures are even being steamed beforehand?"

The Empress and the Jade Emperor were delighted and their hearts were thumping hard.

Ziye was looking at the little men instead. Her face went bright pink and said, "Aren't these the ones that the expert gifted to me some time ago? I noticed that these puppets looked extraordinary and hence, I was always reluctant to eat them. I put them in the Palace of the Seven Princesses. So, it turns out... they're Heavenly Spirits."

Ziye was feeling utterly grateful deep in her heart. Thank god she was not into eating like Immortal Linzhu. At the very least, she was able to control herself, or else currently...there would be no use crying over spilled milk.

The expert indeed did things in a very calm manner. There were many aspects in the creation of the universe that would be missed if they did not pay close attention to them. 'Thank god, thank god!' "So that's how it works." The Jade Emperor nodded his head and could not help but give Ziye a thumbs up. "Zi, you have matured a lot. If this happened long ago, I'm afraid things would've been screwed up terribly!" Within that space, Styx Laozu's eyes squinted drastically. While he was lifting his hand, a bloody red outline shot toward one of the puppets. 'No matter how you guys obtained these Heavenly Spirits, I'll just have to destroy everything!'

"Hmph!"

The Jade Emperor snorted as he had taken precautions a long time ago. The lights from that pagoda shielded those puppets.

Dang!

A sound was heard and it blocked off that bloody light. It turned out to be a very long black sword.

It was the Heavenly Spiritual Treasure, the Yuan Tu.

"The situation of the Heaven and Earth realm has been set. Hao Tian, you're going against the laws by rebuilding the Heavenly Palace. I advise you to stop whatever you're doing!"

Styx Lao Tzu's eyes were gleaming with a murderous glint. He spoke in an eager tone. He then raised his hand again and Abi was lifted as well. Together with the Yuan Tu, they both transformed into two murderous bloody lights, charging toward the group of puppets and hunting them down. The Jade Emperor remained calm and faced the situation with a composed emotion. The pagoda above his head let out a few lights and it formed an ultimate defense.

The eyes of Styx Laozu revealed a fierce gleam. He flicked his wrist and a black long spear appeared. Suddenly, the sky became dark and the layer of murderous aura formed into black clouds, engulfing the entire scene.

That long spear pierced its way straight into the Jade Emperor's pagoda, deflecting it a few meters away. The remaining wave of energy made the entire Heavenly Palace tremble like an earthquake, making the Seven Princesses unable to stand still.

Fortunately, it was at the Heavenly Palace. If it occurred in the mortal realm, perhaps everything within the tens of thousands of meters would have crumbled and turned into ashes.

After the first attack of the spear, Styx Laozu launched the second attack!

The Jade Emperor's expression became darker. He always doubted how Styx Laozu was able to free himself. After witnessing the God Killing Spear, everything finally came to light.

It was an easy feat to break the seal with the strength of the God Killing Spear.

Compared to the very first attack of the spear, the second attack was fiercer. The starry sky was being split up, forming a black furrow.

Yet, at that moment, a painting scroll suddenly appeared before the long spear. It unraveled itself and the land of mountains suddenly took form, forming into a little world on its own, blocking off the attack. However, with the attack of the long spear, the little world was still destroyed into bits and immediately vanished. The Land of Mountains and Rivers Painting was sent flying away. At a corner, the Seven Princesses were giving their best shot to launch their attacks on Styx Laozu. However, those attacks that landed on the red lotus did not even cause the slightest damage to it.

With the defense of the Twelfth Ranked Bloody Lotus, adding on to the attack of the God Killing Spear, there was no way to counter them. Even during the times of the Saints, he was the top fighter only second to the Saint.

Even though it was Styx Laozu alone, with the Jade Emperor and Empress joining forces, they barely managed to defend against him. Styx Laaozu threatened sternly, "Hao tian, if you insist on this, then don't blame it on me for starting a war against you guys and taking actions against the people of the Heavenly Palace!"

The Jade Emperor's expression changed drastically when he heard Styx Laozu's comment. He quickly said, "Zi, Cheng, you guys hurry and head toward the Immortal realm!"

Ziye and Cheng Yi dared not procrastinate. They brought along their siblings with them and headed to the Immortal realm. In the meantime, the crowd in the Immortal realm had gradually dispersed. They were still happily talking about the incident that occurred.

Two voices gradually appeared within the dark scenes. It was two old people with scrawny faces.

They looked in the direction of Li Nianfan. They licked their lips and then revealed a bloodthirsty smile.

"Remember, that man's a Deluxe Merit Saint. Don't ever touch him. As for other people's blood...suck it till the very last drop!"

"Hehehe, the dragons, the phoenix, the nine-tailed fox, there's just so much tasty blood. Today, I finally can enjoy a filling feast!"

"What do the dragons and phoenix even account of? When our ancestors ruled the world, we'll be able to enjoy it to the max throughout the entire world!"

"Attack!"

Their figures transformed into two mosquitoes and rushed forth. Two of them were divided into four, and then eight mosquitoes. The group of mosquitoes rushed toward Li Nianfan.

Buzzing sounds were heard.

The ear-piercing sounds erupted during that quiet night, bringing along a mysterious wave and making those people who heard it become absent-minded, including the Immortals.

At that moment, a weird transformation was going on in the area. It became utterly slow and quiet. Even their thought processes had become slow, too.

A bloodlust that originated from a strong current took over the scene, bringing along a murderous intent that made everyone's blood freeze. "Daluo Golden Immortal!"

"Natural Beasts!"

Daji and the others had very serious expressions on their faces. They released all the powers within them to a point that their eyes had turned into a deep blue color.

On top of Li Nianfan's shoulder, the Fire Phoenix gently extended its wings and there was a glint of fire emerging in her eyes. In the sky, the Seven Princesses who had witnessed the entire scene had expressions that changed for the worst. They increased their speed of landing on the land. Their long dresses flapped violently as they descended to the ground.

Cheng Yi and Ziye kept urging deep within their hearts, 'Hurry, hurry! We can't let this group of mosquitoes disturb the expert!' A buzzing sound was heard again!

Following then, the eyes of the group of mosquitoes had become bloody red as well. It became even more aggressive and more bloodthirsty.

'We're near, we're coming now!'

Whiff...

Suddenly, without any prior warning, something was sprayed at the group of mosquitoes. Those mosquitoes then circled in the air for a few rounds before dropping to the ground.

There were only two mosquitoes who barely hovered in the air. 'Dizzy. My head's spinning. Toxins. I think I'm...being poisoned.'

"Darn it. I was just starting to have a nice dream, and these irritating mosquitoes started showing up? What are you guys buzzing around for?"

Li Nianfan was holding onto an insecticide spray. He frowned slightly. Then, he said, astonished, "Oh my, these two mosquitoes have a tough life force. This insecticide of mine is known to kill all bugs and cockroaches with just a single spray, yet they managed to survive it."

Then, he lifted his hands again.

Whiff...

After spraying for some time, those two mosquitoes, along with the wind, slowly dropped to the ground, peacefully.

Chapter 393

"The world has suddenly become quiet and peaceful."

Li Nianfan felt utterly at ease. He slowly kept the bottle of insecticide and gave the item a five-star rating. 'It's indeed a good thing, high-quality stuff!

Daji and the rest closed their mouths that were slightly opened and took in a deep breath while composing their emotions.

Initially, they were mentally prepared to be engaged in a deadly battle. After all, those two were the Natural Beasts from the Daluo Golden Immortal realms! Natural Beasts could be classified as beasts of the same generation of dragons and phoenixes. When the realm was being formed, there would naturally be a bright side and a dark side. The Natural Beasts were born following the great disasters on land. They were naturally cruel and were also overwhelming

Daji, the Fire Phoenix, and the forces from the surroundings were at most just from the Taiyi Golden Immortal realms. If they were to be engaged in a deadly battle, the chances of them emerging as victors were slim.

'Mosquitoes...are difficult to handle.'

In the meantime, they did not hope for Li Nianfan to take any action. After all, the experts were very clear with the position they set for themselves. They would not take any action. With them being the Deluxe Merit Saints, they were not the slightest bit worried that others might attack them. They were just purely like guests looking at others from high above.

Despite feeling a pinch in their hearts, they were not so full of themselves to think that they had what it took to make the expert make an exception for them and that he would be willing to reveal some extraordinary skills. Yet, never would they expect that the situation that was presented before them would be cleared off so easily. 'He just randomly took an item and sprayed it once or twice. The opponents couldn't even defend against it and ended up just dropping onto the ground, dead.'

Daji said curiously, "Sir, what did you use to spray at the mosquitoes earlier?"

"It's just an insecticide. It's not some great item. The only effect it has is that it possesses a great destructive force against bugs."

Li Nianfan casually said, "These items were being piled up in the storeroom. It won't be used on usual days but lately, I realized there have been just way too many mosquitoes. Besides, I even took into consideration that I'll be disturbed by the mosquitos when I'm enjoying the show in an open area during the night. Hence, I thought I might as well bring it along. I didn't realize it would really come in handy."

'Again, it's the storeroom...'

Daji and the Fire Phoenix looked at each other.

'It really is an awesome storeroom. The items in it were being piled up by the expert like trash. Occasionally, he would just take out an item and that would be enough to stun the entire world. In the sky, the Seven Princesses who were initially still trying to land on the ground at high speed were petrified. They were frozen mid-air.

Especially the other five princesses, apart from Cheng Yi and Ziye. Their mouths formed an 'O' shape as if they had bumped into a ghost.

'Did the generation change after we've been sealed up for so many years? Why do I get the feeling that I can't seem to grasp the situation?'

Big Sister, who was wearing a red dress, glared at the scene. She snapped out of it suddenly and said, "Oh my god! After being sealed up for so long, I can't believe that my vision has deteriorated. I mistook the two mosquitoes from earlier as the Natural Beasts of the Daluo Golden Immortals. It really spooked me."

The fourth princess who was wearing a long green dress was blinking her eyes. She said, "I'm sorry, Big Sister. I think those two were indeed Natural Beasts." Big Sister was slightly stunned and added, "Then, it's still because my vision has deteriorated. I can't believe that the stuff that was being sprayed feels ordinary."

Ly's eyes continued to glitter. "About that... the stuff that was sprayed was indeed very ordinary..."

Big Sister felt like her mind was in a mess. She rearranged her statement before blurting it out, "A mortal holding onto an ordinary spray was able to defeat a Natural Beast from the Daluo Golden Immortal realm?"

The third princess, Huang, nodded her head. "I think, it's...that's the truth."

"Alright, enough talking!" Cheng spoke up. After the astonishment she had at the very beginning, she felt that it was just something that happened in their mindset.

She said cautiously, "That man's the expert who helped you guys get rid of the seals. Also, it's all thanks to this expert that the Emperor and Empress were able to escape! Using the spray to kill the Natural Beasts is only a basic operation. You guys should recompose yourself and later, make sure you don't simply go around speaking carefreely!"

"He's so awesome." The fifth princess, Qing, was astonished. Then, she said, "Suddenly, I found him very handsome!"

"Better mind your language!" Ziye quickly tapped Qing. "Better behave yourself when you're in front of the expert!"

The sixth princess, Lan, could not help but shrink her neck as she took two steps back. She said with a weak tone, "Seventh Sister, why don't you guys go ahead. With such an overwhelming being around, I... I'm afraid..."

k a deep breath and said, "The expert is just right ahead of us. If you return now, it's going to show how impolite you are. Let us all go and greet him. Remember, mind your image!"

After saying it, the seven people, with their colorful dresses swaying gracefully and with stances of fairies landing in the Immortal realm, flew toward Li Nianfan.

They were really eye-catching. Seven long dresses of a variety of colors, auras that solely belonged to the fairies, cold and gorgeous faces that always looked composed, soon attracted Li Nianfan's attention.

The seven of them landed along with the breeze, and said simultaneously, "Hong, Cheng, Huang... Greetings to Mr. Li."

Li Nianfan saw Cheng Yi and Ziye and he knew what had happened. "They must be here to report good news.' Hence, he said with a smile, "Congratulations to the Seven Princesses for breaking through the seal. This is great news."

He gazed at the Seven Princesses with a critical gaze. He had no comments for their appearance. Each of them had their advantages in their appearance. Besides, they were easily recognizable and could easily identify them according to the color of the dresses that they wore. At that moment, they were facing him with a smiley face and they were all glancing at him curiously.

Amongst them, there were two who left quite an impression on Li Nianfan. One of them was Huang, who was wearing a yellow dress. Her eyes were glittering as if they were very lively. When she noticed Li Nianfan looking in her direction, she even purposely batted her eyelids a few times. She had a very active personality. The other one was Lan. She came in later than the rest of them and was utterly cautious. She looked like a little girl who went outdoors following her elder sisters.

The wonderful experience of being surrounded by Seven Princesses should not be notified to other people.

Cheng Yi bowed and said with gratitude, "We still have to thank Mr. Li. If it wasn't for you, I'm afraid it would've been the end for us."

Li Nianfan waved his hand and said, "To tell the truth, I didn't help out much. I didn't even think that the solution of changing into lights would really be effective. I've learned something as well."

Cheng Yi and Ziye noticed that he did not mention the fact of him kneading the dough puppets. They got the expert's hint and did not speak anymore.

Ziye said sincerely, "No matter what happened, this time, Mr. Li has indeed helped us, the Heavenly Palace, a lot. You're the savior to us, the Heavenly Palace!"

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "It was all by a coincidence. As long as the Heavenly Palace has recovered."

Cheng Yi knew she should stop. She bowed and said with respect, "It's getting late. We shall not interrupt Mr. Li taking your rest. Once we've settled the issues with the Heavenly Palace, we'll come and pay our visit to express our gratitude."

Li Nianfan clasped his hands together in respect. "If that's the case, then fellow princesses, I hereby take my leave."

On the other hand, Styx Laozu retrieved his spear and stood upright. Seeing that he could not do any harm to the Jade Emperor and Empress, he blurted out a few ruthless lines and then left the scene.

His expression was dark, and soon, he arrived at a commotion. Further ahead, there was black fog. At that moment, the black fog was trembling, obviously displaying that it was in a foul mood.

Styx Laozu was feeling rather unpleasant within himself and snorted, "My Mosquito friend, what's wrong with you? I didn't ask for you to interfere when I'm brawling with Hao Tian and the Empress, but why is it that you seem to suffer a greater injury than me?".

The black fog gradually dispersed and within it came a slim outline of a figure draped with a black cloak over it. However, the black hat that it was wearing was concealing its face. Only the pair of eyes that were glowing a bloody red could be seen, along with the sharp teeth poking out from its mouth.

"The other two young mosquitoes that I formed are dead as well, and they both died in a very ridiculous manner!"

Her voice was clear and deep, accompanied by a sense of disbelief. "I witnessed their death. They were dead when Deluxe Merit Saint used that weird spray and sprayed them to death. They died immediately without even struggling."

Before she went to bed, she even purposely used up her blood to cultivate three young mosquitoes. She even made them grow stronger. She never thought that she would wake up from slumber only to find the three young mosquitoes dead without even making any contribution. 'I really have lost a lot.'

Styx Laozu raised his brows. "That spray must be at least a prestigious Heavenly Spiritual Treasure to be able to kill two Daluo Golden Immortals instantly. How is it that I haven't heard of such a treasure before?"

"That spray's very unusual. It was as if its very existence was to use it against me. It's very terrifying." The Mosquito Taoist was terrified. Under the cloak, her eyes kept glittering. That was also one of the reasons she did not dare to rashly take any actions. She was afraid she would just drop dead as such...

"You just lost a few of your lackeys. No big deal to it." Styx Laozu casually waved his hand. Then, he added, "Actually, in this mission, my intention was just to probe around. The Heavenly Palace being able to stand tall on its own was also beyond my expectation. It's obvious that apart from Jade Emperor and Empress, there are other factors to it. I'm afraid that a person's Spiritual Cultivation is much higher than ours."

The Mosquito Taoist said coldly, "Your probing cost me my only two young mosquitos!"

"This is also not what I wanted to happen." Styx Laozu paused for a moment and then started boasting, "This plan is definitely perfect as it included the Heavenly Palace, the Underworld, the dragons, and the phoenix. If it proceeds smoothly, it will bestow a great deal of damage to them, and even if the plan fails to work out, we get to know our enemies' abilities. We can probe around and see if there are other factors behind the scene that will influence the outcome of the battle."

The Mosquito Taoist said, "Hmph, so what are you preparing to do next?"

"Right now with the Heavenly Palace being reborn, many of the seals in the Heaven and Earth dimension will for sure be broken anytime. I believe there will be lots of people who can't tolerate loneliness and be reincarnated. When that time arrives, I'll take the initiative to help out more people to be reborn, join forces with many others, and strengthen myself!"

Styx Laozu giggled and continued saying, "There are lots of people who do not wish for the Heavenly Palace to be reestablished. I'll just need to instigate them from within. A miracle is bound to happen. That time, we'll just have to sit around and wait to collect our reward. Isn't that a perfect plan?"

In the Heavenly Palace, at Lingxiao Palace.

The Jade Emperor and Empress were continuously greeting the Immortals who just woke up.

They felt as if they were just snapped out of their dreams. After a brief moment of being in a daze, they were all astonished.

Then, all of them started saying politely, "Greetings from us to Your Highness and the Empress."

The Jade Emperor lifted his hand slightly and said sternly, "Everyone, you can skip the formalities."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

An old man with white hair was holding a horsetail whisk in his hand. On his forehead was a star that was shining. He immediately said, "You're being too kind, Your Highness. After so many years have passed, you still haven't forgotten a trivial Immortal like me. You're willing to take actions that defy Heaven's laws and break the seal for my sake. How should I repay you? I'm starting to feel guilty!"

As he was speaking, he was feeling utterly touched. He wiped off the tears at the corner of his eyes.

The other Immortals dared not procrastinate and immediately burst into tears and said sincerely, "Your Highness, you must have put in lots of effort to save us all. We'll all remember what you've done for us in our hearts forever and are willing to offer our lives to you!"

The Jade Emperor sat on the throne and looked at all the Immortals who had confused expressions on their faces and were feeling utterly guilty.

'You all have overly praised me.

'I didn't put in lots of effort. All I did was to be respectful to someone else during the right timing.

'I'm afraid this might sound like a joke.'

He retained his expression and said, "Everyone, you all don't have to behave in such a way. This time, you were able to recover thanks to an expert. This person's a very important person to me, and even more so, an important person to the Heavenly Palace!"

"There's such a person in this world?" Taibai Jinxing was shocked and quickly answered, "Then, what are we waiting for? Hurry up and invite this person into the palace and give him a rank!"

"Mind your words. Despite this person preferring to keep a low profile, this person appears to have a much higher status than me. Obviously, it's not a good idea to give him a position. I've thought of how I should deal with this."

The Jade Emperor's expression was serious as he said sternly, "Let me tell you all. From now onward, all of you should treat this expert with the utmost respect. The slightest disrespect will not be tolerated!"

"We will all heed your command!" All the Immortals exchanged looks with each other, feeling suspicious.

The Jade Emperor waved his hand and then opened up his palms. He faced the sky and said, "Alright, right now, the Heavenly Palace requires lots of helpers. I need to reestablish the official positions in the palace and redo the orders of Heavenly Palace! I hereby boldly summon... Tiandi Seal!"

A hush befell the scene.

The Jade Emperor's palms hovered above him, yet there was no reply.

The scene took an awkward turn.

As the saying went, 'a king would have to be acknowledged by the gods, and the gods would naturally need to be acknowledged by the heavens'. Despite the Jade Emperor gaining the position of a god, only by placing the seal could his position be officially recognized, and only then would he obtain the acknowledgment and blessings of Heaven. However...the Heavenly Palace was almost vanishing, and the Tiandi Seal was gone. 'Wouldn't the Heavenly Palace be the same as any ordinary powerful sect?'

None of the Immortals spoke a word and they had all lowered their heads. It was as if they knew nothing and chose to be an ostrich.

"Well... " Currently, in the Jade Emperor's heart, he could not help but feel embarrassed. "This is bad. Do you think it's time for the Jade Emperor to announce the dismissal of the Heavenly Palace?'

The Empress was standing beside him and a thought suddenly popped up in her mind. She whispered, "Jade Emperor, why don't you try using the expert's fame?"

The Jade Emperor's expression became slightly serious and after hesitating for a very long time. He gradually got up from the throne. With much caution, he bowed in the direction of the Fallen Immortal Mountain. "I, Hao Tian, am helpless. Today, I hereby boldly use the name of Mr. Li. Please, forgive my actions."

Following that, he returned to his seat and said with a straight face, "I hereby, with the name of Li Nianfan who is the Deluxe Merit Saint of the Immortal Realm, summon the Tiandi Seal!"

Broom!

A thunderbolt suddenly appeared in the sky. The lightning that took the shape of a zigzag struck through the heavens. The Immortal Realm trembled at the same time. Following that, a ray of light shot out from the confusion from far away, forming a seal that fused between the brows of the Jade Emperor!

"This...really is happening?"

The Immortals below the stage were stunned seeing the scene and could no longer act like an ostrich. They felt as if they were in a dream. Yet, all the Jade Emperor did was to announce a certain person's name, and the Tiandi Seal immediately revealed itself. 'This... won't it make him feel dissatisfied?'

It was as if a citizen was rushing to present a gift to an honorable person, not bothering whether or not the latter would even appreciate the gift as he thought that giving a present would be better than not doing it. 'Who the hell is this person? Is his name really that influential?'

Taibai Jinxing felt his body trembling. He said with a shaky voice, "Your... Highness, if I may boldly ask...is this person the expert...that you just mentioned earlier?" The Jade Emperor looked at everyone's surprised reaction. His mouth curled into a smile and said while nodding his head, "That's right."

"Slurp...a big shot. What a big shot!"

"Scary. This is just way too creepy!"

"No wonder he's able to break our seals. To be honest, I've already guessed that with just the Jade Emperor's abilities, this seal would never be able to break..."

"I've got the same thinking as you."

Chapter 394

At the Heavenly Palace.

The usual desertedness was gone. The lights were up and running. The workers were significantly lesser than before the catastrophe but they could manage. They started to work.

A few surviving guards held weapons and guarded the Heavenly River.

However, upon closer inspection, one would realize that they were all glancing toward the Southern Sky Gate from time to time. The guards and chancellors were all distracted.

Suddenly, a buff giant carrying a white jade pillar slowly walked over. He said in a hoarse voice, "Don't gather here at the Southern Sky Gate. Can you afford to disturb the Deluxe Merit Saint?"

An Immortal with a red hat on had to ask, "Juling Shen, how can you say that about us? If I recall correctly, you've already walked back and forth six times with this pillar, right? What are you doing? Morning exercise?" He wore a hat and had a pencil mustache. He also had red silk clothes that hugged his slightly chubby figure. His puffy stomach had a yellow word printed on it, 'Food'. He looked like a friendly fatty. Juling Shen felt exposed. He was instantly angry from embarrassment. "God of Cookery, aren't you supposed to be studying recipes in the kitchen? What are you doing here so early in the morning? You aren't doing your job!" The God of Cookery fiddled with his pencil mustache. "Says you! Hurry up and install the pillar of the Southern Sky Gate. Why are you going in circles?!"

Suddenly, a guard rushed in to report. His helmet was lopsided because he rushed too fast. He quickly said, "Stop talking! The Deluxe Merit Saint's here!"

"In your positions!"

Everyone immediately looked alive. They automatically rehearsed the scripts they had prepared for themselves.

A golden light slowly appeared from the faraway horizon. The golden light was utterly bright, as if it was the shiniest spot in the realm. It grew larger while everyone watched.

Slowly, Li Nianfan landed, stepping off the Deluxe Merit Cloud with the Seven Princesses surrounding him.

The Southern Sky Gate was still the same. Half of it was damaged. It seemed like no one repaired it yet.

He landed at the door and saw a buff guy with bushy eyebrows. He walked over with a sky pillar. Then, he put the pillar aside with a loud thud. He silently wiped the sweat off his forehead.

The buff guy turned around. He acted like it was a 'coincidence'. "Hey, the Seven Princesses are back. This must be the Deluxe Merit Saint. I'm Juling Shen, nice to meet you."

"So, you're Juling Shen. Hello."

Li Nianfan looked at the giant baldie in front of him. He was a legendary cannon fodder. Then, Li Nianfan asked, "Are you...fixing the Southern Sky Gate?" "You're so observant, Saint. You could tell instantly."

Juling Shen instantly grinned. Then, he lifted and carried the giant pillar again. He started to put it in place. He looked like a serious hard worker.

Li Nianfan nodded his head and complimented, "Truly, Juling Shen, you have such great strength." "That's an over compliment, Saint. You're the one who saved the entire Heavenly Palace. You're our savior. I only do the heavy lifting like moving stuff, it's nothing much."

Juling Shen prepared and rehearsed that speech for a long time so it sounded sincere. "If you ever need someone to move things, you can just come to me, Saint. I don't have a lot of hobbies, but I do like this job!"

Li Nianfan felt his passion. He smiled and said, "Thanks."

'Friendly guy. What a friendly Juling Shen.'

The other Immortals instantly felt awkward. They thought to themselves, 'I have to know how to act if I want to be successful in this realm!

'Sigh, what do I need my dignity for? What a burden!'

Suddenly, a red chubby figure flew in with hot buns in his hands. He sounded caring as he said, "Juling Shen, you worked all morning, you must be exhausted. Hurry up and eat some breakfast for some energy."

Juling Shen was startled for a moment. Then, he hurriedly said in a touched voice, "Really... Thank you so much!"

The God of Cookery sounded gentle. They had an intense bromance. "Hurry up and eat, don't be courteous."

'Friendly. What a friendly Heavenly Palace!'

Li Nianfan liked the Heavenly Palace even more.

Suddenly, the God of Cookery 'coincidentally' noticed Li Nianfan. He greeted, "I'm the God of Cookery. Greetings to the Deluxe Merit Saint."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Truly the God of Cookery. These are nice buns."

The God of Cookery immediately said, "No, no. I've heard about your cooking, Deluxe Merit Saint. I can only hope to achieve your level."

Li Nianfan felt like he found someone with a common hobby. He said, "Haha, we should cook together sometimes."

The God of Cookery instantly looked energetic. He was astounded by the pleasant surprise. He kept nodding. "Of course, for sure!"

The others looked at the God of Cookery with envy. The God of Cookery won the lottery just by that sentence. He was so lucky.

Juling Shen at the side looked jealous, too. 'Why just the God of Cookery? Can't you carry pillars with me, too?'

"Mr. Li, please, follow us. Your palace is next to the observatory from last time." Hong led the way. She was wearing a red dress. She sneakily glared at the nearby Immortals to warn them to behave themselves.

Li Nianfan saw a different Heavenly Palace. The energy was not the same as usual. Immortals flew by from time to time and they all seemed busy. However, they would stop by to greet them with friendliness when they saw Li Nianfan and the others.

Moreover, the Heavenly Palace became shinier. It looked good and there was more background music. A halo phenomenon accompanied the sounds of the rivers and fountains. It was much more high-class and beautiful.

Soon, they were at the observatory. Li Nianfan instantly saw something else constructed in the building. The purple rooftop was completely different from the other palaces. It was unique and visually impactful. The palace was three levels high and it seemed to be emitting halos. More importantly, it did not have any buildings and obstructions around it. It was right at the edge of the observatory, as if it was blended into the vast universe.

It felt like... A building made in the stars. It was mysterious, dreamy, and noble. If the building was in the past realm, it would be equivalent to a bungalow made in the center of the national forest protection area.

'How luxurious!'

Li Nianfan could see the sign of the palace as they got closer. 'Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint'.

He raised his eyebrow. He said, "I remember the last time I came here, there wasn't any building here, right?"

Cheng smiled and replied, "Mr. Li, we prepared this palace for you. Naturally, we built you a new one."

Meanwhile, the Jade Emperor and Empress walked in from afar. They smiled at Li Nianfan and said, "Mr. Li."

"Emperor, Empress," saluted Li Nianfan. Then, he had to say with sentimentality, "You guys are too kind. What did I do to deserve a specially built Immortal Palace here?"

'You overestimated us, expert. You should be asking 'what did we do to deserve this?' instead.

'The Heavenly Palace is made for you!

The Empress smiled and replied, "Mr. Li, you're the Deluxe Merit Saint. Our Heavenly Palace was able to be revived mostly because of you. You deserve this Immortal Palace."

Li Nianfan still shook his head. "It's inappropriate."

The Jade Emperor instantly felt his heart skip a beat. He went pale and hurriedly asked, "Mr. Li, are you unsatisfied with anything?"

"It's good here. But it's too good, I feel guilty accepting it." Li Nianfan looked at the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint. He paused and said, "I'm able to become the Deluxe Merit Saint based on pure luck. Helping the Heavenly Palace is a total coincidence, too. You really don't have to do this, Emperor and Empress."

The Jade Emperor and Empress noticed how genuine Li Nianfan looked. They moved their mouths but no words came out.

'We would've believed you if we didn't know that you forcefully robbed Deluxe Merit from the realm, and became the Deluxe Merit Saint on a whim. We would've believed what you just said if we didn't see you knead the puppet dough into a Heavenly Spirit.

'Expert, your acting's too realistic. You... You're making it hard for us to go along with it!

'Sigh, being around the expert isn't an easy job after all. It's so testing to the mind.'

The Seven Princesses were flustered. They were panicking and did not know what to do.

"That... Mr. Li." The Jade Emperor had to force himself to say something at important moments. "You're the Deluxe Merit Saint. That's the truth. No matter what, you truly are the Deluxe Merit Saint. Please, don't reject us."

"This..." Li Nianfan noticed that the Jade Emperor seemed to be tearing up. His genuine reaction made it hard to reject. He could only nod and say, "Alright."

Then, he helplessly shook his head and softly sighed. "You guys... I'm feeling embarrassed. I have the title of the Deluxe Merit Saint but I couldn't do anything. My Deluxe Merit Flesh is just a means of protection. It's not beneficial to others. Look at Juling Shen, at least he's carrying pillars. I am useless apart from having Deluxe Merit. I'm just an ordinary man, I can't do anything."

The Jade Emperor and the other looked at each other. They saw a bitter smile on each other's faces. The corners of their mouths kept twitching, too. 'Listen to that, is that the words of a person? He's killing us!' However, it was very fortunate that the expert accepted their offer.

Juling Shen who finished fixing the Southern Sky Gate came rushing in from afar. He was about to be near the expert so he could kiss up to him. 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝒓𝙚𝓪𝙙.𝒄𝒐𝙢

He suddenly heard the expert say his name. He instantly jolted. At first, he was in disbelief. It was daunting. Then, he was overjoyed. He grinned and smiled from ear to

ear.

"The expert said my name? The expert must be complimenting me! At least the expert remembered my name! That's good! That's good news! This is the peak of my life. My life starts from this moment."

The Jade Emperor did not dare to delay. He announced with seriousness, "Everyone, bear witness today. Mr. Li Nianfan's the first ever Deluxe Merit Saint of the realm. The Deluxe Merit Saint shall be respected by all!"

Buzz!

As the Jade Emperor said that, a seal of the realm flickered in between his brows. A row of words leaped out and projected in the air, then blended into the realm. It was like a figure of the holy orders. It was kind of like the official approval of the realm.

Li Nianfan was astounded at the sight. The orders formed by the Jade Emperor were much more high-end than the orders made in the Immortal Realm. He learned something new.

From now on, I'm a chancellor, right? And I appear to be some higher level...chancellor?'

The Jade Emperor saluted and congratulated, "Greetings from Hao Tian to the Deluxe Merit Saint!"

The surrounding Immortals did not dare to delay. They greeted in a formal tone, "Greetings to the Deluxe Merit Saint!"

"Alright. It's just a title. A real Deluxe Merit Saint would have actual abilities."

Li Nianfan waved it off. However, he then raised his eyebrow. There was a golden light in his eyes. He stared at the Jade Emperor and was curious about something.

The Jade Emperor tensed up. He asked anxiously, "Mr. Li, what... What's going on?"

"Don't move," said Li Nianfan. Then, he lifted his hand. Endless Deluxe Merit golden light poured out from his body. The intense golden light covered the place like a sea. It blinded everyone. They could hardly breathe.

They felt like a bunch of beggars that suddenly saw a billion dollars. It was an unimaginable sight.

'I'm able to look at so many Deluxe Merits, this life is worth it!'

Then, they stared at them. They were dumbfounded. Li Nianfan slightly pointed at the Jade Emperor.

Deluxe Merit instantly flowed towards the Jade Emperor like tap water. Some of it flowed towards the Empress. A smaller part of it flowed towards the dumbfounded Ziye and Cheng Yi.

The four of them looked at the pouring Deluxe Merit and felt thirsty. Their hearts were pounding at the highest rate and their pulses stopped.

'Deluxe Merit!'

'Oh my Lord, the expert rewarded us with Deluxe Merit!

Ziye and Cheng Yi did not know how to react. They screamed internally.

'Happiness came too suddenly!'

Suddenly, they heard the Empress's rushed voice, "Quick! Stop being in a daze. Hurry up and use the Deluxe Merits to make Immortal Items!"

Ziye and Cheng Yi snapped out of it.

Ziye hurriedly took off her hairpin. She transferred the Deluxe Merit to it. Cheng Yi transferred the Deluxe Merit to her orange ribbon that flowed in the wind.

The Jade Emperor held a three-foot-long sword. The Empress had a golden bracelet. She directed the golden Deluxe Merit light on it to create a weapon.

They were irrecoverably excited. They were flushed from excitement and could not control their smiles.

"The expert's too awesome. He blessed us with Deluxe Merit just because he wanted to! So capricious!'

The Deluxe Merit was too important. It had too many functions. A huge amount of Deluxe Merit was required to become a Saint. There were three common uses for Deluxe Merit. Firstly, it could improve powers. However, it was the most wasteful use for Deluxe Merit. They would only use it to improve their powers if they had to. Deluxe Merit was too hard to gain and there were many other ways to improve powers. Secondly, it could create a Deluxe Merit Body. The cost was expensive, and one would need to come up with ways to keep collecting Deluxe Merit. It was too difficult to achieve. A Deluxe Merit Body was not the same as a Deluxe Merit Flesh. However, once succeeded, it was a great defensive shield. It would be their first choice if they wanted their lives to be protected at all costs.

Thirdly, Deluxe Merit could create weapons!

It was the most functional use for Deluxe Merit, and it was also highly effective. Immortal Items were like the second in command for cultivators. It was too important to them. Once Deluxe Merit was merged with their items, the items would greatly improve and become a Deluxe Merit Treasure. If there was enough Deluxe Merit, it might even become a Deluxe Merit Ultimate Treasure. The power would be indescribable. They might even kill without the karma! They could perversely have zero consequences for their powers!

The Abi and Yuan Tu swords of Styx Laozu were Deluxe Merit Ultimate Treasure. They could kill people without karma. It was terrifying

Previously, the Jade Emperor and the Empress were defeated by the Styx Laozu because their weapons were weaker than his. However... Their items were finally improved. They were utterly excited.

The surrounding Immortals started with envy. They watched closely and almost drooled. Li Nianfan naturally noticed their reactions. He looked conflicted.

He felt kind of guilty.

Actually... The Jade Emperor and Empress earned the Deluxe Merit because they rebuilt the Heavenly Palace. The Heavenly Palace rewarded them the Deluxe Merit. However... He accidentally pointed at them with his finger. Causing them to think that he blessed them with the Deluxe Merit. In other words, he merely helped them to point it out. They were mistakenly grateful to him. And...if he wanted to, he could even take away their Deluxe Merit...

'Holy cow!

'I am such a shameless Deluxe Merit Saint...'

Chapter 395

At the Heavenly Palace.

The usual desertedness was gone. The lights were up and running. The workers were significantly lesser than before the catastrophe but they could manage. They started to work.

A few surviving guards held weapons and guarded the Heavenly River.

However, upon closer inspection, one would realize that they were all glancing toward the Southern Sky Gate from time to time. The guards and chancellors were all distracted.

Suddenly, a buff giant carrying a white jade pillar slowly walked over. He said in a hoarse voice, "Don't gather here at the Southern Sky Gate. Can you afford to disturb the Deluxe Merit Saint?"

An Immortal with a red hat on had to ask, "Juling Shen, how can you say that about us? If I recall correctly, you've already walked back and forth six times with this pillar, right? What are you doing? Morning exercise?"

He wore a hat and had a pencil mustache. He also had red silk clothes that hugged his slightly chubby figure. His puffy stomach had a yellow word printed on it, 'Food'. He looked like a friendly fatty.

Juling Shen felt exposed. He was instantly angry from embarrassment. "God of Cookery, aren't you supposed to be studying recipes in the kitchen? What are you doing here so early in the morning? You aren't doing your job!" The God of Cookery fiddled with his pencil mustache. "Says you! Hurry up and install the pillar of the Southern Sky Gate. Why are you going in circles?!"

Suddenly, a guard rushed in to report. His helmet was lopsided because he rushed too fast. He quickly said, "Stop talking! The Deluxe Merit Saint's here!"

"In your position!

Everyone immediately looked alive. They automatically rehearsed the scripts they had prepared for themselves.

A golden light slowly appeared from the faraway horizon. The golden light was utterly bright, as if it was the shiniest spot in the realm. It grew larger while everyone watched.

Slowly, Li Nianfan landed, stepping off the Deluxe Merit Cloud with the Seven Princesses surrounding him.

The Southern Sky Gate was still the same. Half of it was damaged. It seemed like no one repaired it yet. He landed at the door and saw a buff guy with bushy eyebrows. He walked over with a sky pillar. Then, he put the pillar aside with a loud thud. He silently wiped the sweat off his forehead.

The buff guy turned around. He acted like it was a 'coincidence'. "Hey, the Seven Princesses are back. This must be the Deluxe Merit Saint. I'm Juling Shen, nice to meet

you."

"So, you're Juling Shen. Hello."

Li Nianfan looked at the giant baldie in front of him. He was a legendary cannon fodder. Then, Li Nianfan asked, "Are you...fixing the Southern Sky Gate?"

"You're so observant, Saint. You could tell instantly."

Juling Shen instantly grinned. Then, he lifted and carried the giant pillar again. He started to put it in place. He looked like a serious hard worker.

Li Nianfan nodded his head and complimented, "Truly, Juling Shen, you have such great strength."

"That's an over compliment, Saint. You're the one who saved the entire Heavenly Palace. You're our savior. I only do the heavy lifting like moving stuff, it's nothing much."

Juling Shen prepared and rehearsed that speech for a long time so it sounded sincere. "If you ever need someone to move things, you can just come to me, Saint. I don't have a lot of hobbies, but I do like this job!"

Li Nianfan felt his passion. He smiled and said, "Thanks."

'Friendly guy. What a friendly Juling Shen.'

The other Immortals instantly felt awkward. They thought to themselves, 'I have to know how to act if I want to be successful in this realm!

'Sigh, what do I need my dignity for? What a burden!'

Suddenly, a red chubby figure flew in with hot buns in his hands. He sounded caring as he said, "Juling Shen, you worked all morning, you must be exhausted. Hurry up and eat some breakfast for some energy."

Juling Shen was startled for a moment. Then, he hurriedly said in a touched voice, "Really... Thank you so much!"

The God of Cookery sounded gentle. They had an intense bromance. "Hurry up and eat, don't be courteous."

'Friendly. What a friendly Heavenly Palace!'

Li Nianfan liked the Heavenly Palace even more.

Suddenly, the God of Cookery 'coincidentally' noticed Li Nianfan. He greeted, "I'm the God of Cookery. Greetings to the Deluxe Merit Saint."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "Truly the God of Cookery. These are nice buns." The God of Cookery immediately said, "No, no. I've heard about your cooking, Deluxe Merit Saint. I can only hope to achieve your level."

Li Nianfan felt like he found someone with a common hobby. He said, "Haha, we should cook together sometimes."

The God of Cookery instantly looked energetic. He was astounded by the pleasant surprise. He kept nodding. "Of course, for sure!" The others looked at the God of Cookery with envy. The God of Cookery won the lottery just by that sentence. He was so lucky.

Juling Shen at the side looked jealous, too. 'Why just the God of Cookery? Can't you carry pillars with me, too?'

"Mr. Li, please, follow us. Your palace is next to the observatory from last time." Hong led the way. She was wearing a red dress. She sneakily glared at the nearby Immortals to warn them to behave themselves.

Li Nianfan saw a different Heavenly Palace. The energy was not the same as usual. Immortals flew by from time to time and they all seemed busy. However, they would stop by to greet them with friendliness when they saw Li Nianfan and the others.

Moreover, the Heavenly Palace became shinier. It looked good and there was more background music. A halo phenomenon accompanied the sounds of the rivers and fountains. It was much more high-class and beautiful.

Soon, they were at the observatory. Li Nianfan instantly saw something else constructed in the building. The purple rooftop was completely different from the other palaces. It was unique and visually impactful. The palace was three levels high and it seemed to be emitting halos. More importantly, it did not have any buildings and obstructions around it. It was right at the edge of the observatory, as if it was blended into the vast universe.

It felt like... A building made in the stars. It was mysterious, dreamy, and noble.

If the building was in the past realm, it would be equivalent to a bungalow made in the center of the national forest protection area.

'How luxurious!'

Li Nianfan could see the sign of the palace as they got closer. 'Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint'.

He raised his eyebrow. He said, "I remember the last time I came here, there wasn't any building here, right?" Cheng smiled and replied, "Mr. Li, we prepared this palace for you. Naturally, we built you a new one."

Meanwhile, the Jade Emperor and Empress walked in from afar. They smiled at Li Nianfan and said, "Mr. Li."

"Emperor, Empress," saluted Li Nianfan. Then, he had to say with sentimentality, "You guys are too kind. What did I do to deserve a specially built Immortal Palace here?"

'You overestimated us, expert. You should be asking 'what did we do to deserve this?' instead.

'The Heavenly Palace is made for you!'

The Empress smiled and replied, "Mr. Li, you're the Deluxe Merit Saint. Our Heavenly Palace was able to be revived mostly because of you. You deserve this Immortal Palace."

Li Nianfan still shook his head. "It's inappropriate."

The Jade Emperor instantly felt his heart skip a beat. He went pale and hurriedly asked, "Mr. Li, are you unsatisfied with anything?" "It's good here. But it's too good, I feel guilty accepting it." Li Nianfan looked at the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint. He paused and said, "I'm able to become the Deluxe Merit Saint based on pure luck. Helping the Heavenly Palace is a total coincidence, too. You really don't have to do this, Emperor and Empress."

The Jade Emperor and Empress noticed how genuine Li Nianfan looked. They moved their mouths but no words came out.

'We would've believed you if we didn't know that you forcefully robbed Deluxe Merit from the realm, and became the Deluxe Merit Saint on a whim. We would've believed what you just said if we didn't see you knead the puppet dough into a Heavenly Spirit. 'Expert, your acting's too realistic. You... You're making it hard for us to go along with

it!

'Sigh, being around the expert isn't an easy job after all. It's so testing to the mind.'

The Seven Princesses were flustered. They were panicking and did not know what to do.

"That... Mr. Li." The Jade Emperor had to force himself to say something at important moments. "You're the Deluxe Merit Saint. That's the truth. No matter what, you truly are the Deluxe Merit Saint. Please, don't reject us."

"This..." Li Nianfan noticed that the Jade Emperor seemed to be tearing up. His genuine reaction made it hard to reject. He could only nod and say, "Alright."

Then, he helplessly shook his head and softly sighed. "You guys... I'm feeling embarrassed. I have the title of the Deluxe Merit Saint but I couldn't do anything. My Deluxe Merit Flesh is just a means of protection. It's not beneficial to others. Look at Juling Shen, at least he's carrying pillars. I am useless apart from having Deluxe Merit. I'm just an ordinary man, I can't do anything."

The Jade Emperor and the other looked at each other. They saw a bitter smile on each other's faces. The corners of their mouths kept twitching, too. 'Listen to that, is that the words of a person? He's killing us!

However, it was very fortunate that the expert accepted their offer.

Juling Shen who finished fixing the Southern Sky Gate came rushing in from afar. He was about to be near the expert so he could kiss up to him.

He suddenly heard the expert say his name. He instantly jolted. At first, he was in disbelief. It was daunting. Then, he was overjoyed. He grinned and smiled from ear to ear.

"The expert said my name? The expert must be complimenting me! At least the expert remembered my name! That's good! That's good news! This is the peak of my life. My life starts from this moment."

The Jade Emperor did not dare to delay. He announced with seriousness, "Everyone, bear witness today. Mr. Li Nianfan's the first ever Deluxe Merit Saint of the realm. The Deluxe Merit Saint shall be respected by all!"

Buzz!

As the Jade Emperor said that, a seal of the realm flickered in between his brows. A row of words leaped out and projected in the air, then blended into the realm. It was like a figure of the holy orders. It was kind of like the official approval of the realm.

Li Nianfan was astounded at the sight. The orders formed by the Jade Emperor were much more high-end than the orders made in the Immortal Realm. He learned something new.

'From now on, I'm a chancellor, right? And I appear to be some higher level...chancellor?'

The Jade Emperor saluted and congratulated, "Greetings from Hao Tian to the Deluxe Merit Saint!"

The surrounding Immortals did not dare to delay. They greeted in a formal tone, "Greetings to the Deluxe Merit Saint!" "Alright. It's just a title. A real Deluxe Merit Saint would have actual abilities."

Li Nianfan waved it off. However, he then raised his eyebrow. There was a golden light in his eyes. He stared at the Jade Emperor and was curious about something.

The Jade Emperor tensed up. He asked anxiously, "Mr. Li, what... What's going on?"

"Don't move," said Li Nianfan. Then, he lifted his hand. Endless Deluxe Merit golden light poured out from his body. The intense golden light covered the place like a sea. It blinded everyone. They could hardly breathe.

They felt like a bunch of beggars that suddenly saw a billion dollars. It was an unimaginable sight.

'I'm able to look at so many Deluxe Merits, this life is worth it!'

Then, they stared at them. They were dumbfounded. Li Nianfan slightly pointed at the Jade Emperor.

Deluxe Merit instantly flowed towards the Jade Emperor like tap water. Some of it flowed towards the Empress. A smaller part of it flowed towards the dumbfounded Ziye and Cheng Yi.

The four of them looked at the pouring Deluxe Merit and felt thirsty. Their hearts were pounding at the highest rate and their pulses stopped 'Deluxe Merit!'

'Oh my Lord, the expert rewarded us with Deluxe Merit!'

Ziye and Cheng Yi did not know how to react. They screamed internally.

'Happiness came too suddenly!'

Suddenly, they heard the Empress's rushed voice, "Quick! Stop being in a daze. Hurry up and use the Deluxe Merits to make Immortal Items!"

Ziye and Cheng Yi snapped out of it.

Ziye hurriedly took off her hairpin. She transferred the Deluxe Merit to it. Cheng Yi transferred the Deluxe Merit to her orange ribbon that flowed in the wind.

The Jade Emperor held a three-foot-long sword. The Empress had a golden bracelet. She directed the golden Deluxe Merit light on it to create a weapon.

They were irrecoverably excited. They were flushed from excitement and could not control their smiles.

'The expert's too awesome. He blessed us with Deluxe Merit just because he wanted to! So capricious! The Deluxe Merit was too important. It had too many functions. A huge amount of Deluxe Merit was required to become a Saint. There were three common uses for Deluxe Merit. Firstly, it could improve powers. However, it was the most wasteful use for Deluxe Merit. They would only use it to improve their powers if they had to. Deluxe Merit was too hard to gain and there were many other ways to improve powers.

Secondly, it could create a Deluxe Merit Body. The cost was expensive, and one would need to come up with ways to keep collecting Deluxe Merit. It was too difficult to achieve. A Deluxe Merit Body was not the same as a Deluxe Merit Flesh. However, once succeeded, it was a great defensive shield. It would be their first choice if they wanted their lives to be protected at all costs.

Thirdly, Deluxe Merit could create weapons!

It was the most functional use for Deluxe Merit, and it was also highly effective. Immortal Items were like the second in command for cultivators. It was too important to them. Once Deluxe Merit was merged with their items, the items would greatly improve and become a Deluxe Merit Treasure. If there was enough Deluxe Merit, it might even become a Deluxe Merit Ultimate Treasure. The power would be indescribable. They might even kill without the karma! They could perversely have zero consequences for their powers!

The Abi and Yuan Tu swords of Styx Laozu were Deluxe Merit Ultimate Treasure. They could kill people without karma. Previously, the Jade Emperor and the Empress were defeated by Styx Laozu because their weapons were weaker than his. However... Their items were finally improved. They were utterly excited.

The surrounding Immortals started with envy. They watched closely and almost drooled.

Li Nianfan naturally noticed their reactions. He looked conflicted.

He felt kind of guilty.

Actually... The Jade Emperor and Empress earned the Deluxe Merit because they rebuilt the Heavenly Palace. The Heavenly Palace rewarded them the Deluxe Merit. However... He accidentally pointed at them with his finger. Causing them to think that he blessed them with the Deluxe Merit.

In other words, he merely helped them to point it out. They were mistakenly grateful to him. And...if he wanted to, he could even take away their Deluxe Merit...

'Holy cow!

'I am such a shameless Deluxe Merit Saint...'𝘭𝒾𝑏𝓇𝘦𝒶𝘥.𝘤𝘰𝑚

Chapter 396

The more excited the Jade Emperor and the Empress were, the guiltier Li Nianfan felt.

'What's our slogan? No agent fees.

'The Jade Emperor and Empress don't know about this slogan. Otherwise...it'd be troublesome.

'Whatever. We're all friends here, I won't take away their Deluxe Merit...'

Soon, the phenomenon went away. However, everyone could not snap out of it. The Jade Emperor and Empress were excited. Those who did not earn the Deluxe Merit were more excited than they were. They were oddly proud! They were inspired by their heroes in front of them!

The Empress and the others genuinely thanked Li Nianfan. Their voices were shaky. "Thank you, Deluxe Merit Saint."

Li Nianfan waved it off. He smiled and replied, "Haha, no need to thank me. You guys rebuilt the Heavenly Palace, this is what you deserve."

Li Nianfan told the truth but they interpreted it differently.

'What kind of generosity is this? He blessed us with Deluxe Merit but made it sound so casual. Who else could do that in this realm?'

They finally understood why the expert decided to become the Deluxe Merit Saint. 'Did he really become the Deluxe Merit Saint to protect himself? Obviously not, he was doing it for us!

"The glory of the realms was hidden because of the Absolute Era, Deluxe Merit was nowhere to be seen. The expert must've been annoyed so he robbed the Deluxe Merit from the realm to share it with all of us! We...don't deserve it!'

The Jade Emperor and Empress looked at each other. They were both touched. They said with seriousness, "Mr. Li, say less! We understand!"

Cheng Yi at the side chimed in, "Mr. Li, you blessed us with such precious Deluxe Merit. It's so wonderful, we should thank you." "Cough, there's no need for that."

Li Nianfan scratched his nose. He said, "I'm not trying to brag or anything. I just feel that Deluxe Merit is nothing to me. I can grow Deluxe Merit even when I give it away. It would be a waste to keep Deluxe Merit. I can give you all a set of Deluxe Merits if you want."

'Grow Deluxe Merit?'

'What does it mean?'

Everyone was mystified. It was a simple sentence but their minds could not handle it. They went blank as their hearts thumped. They almost choked.

'It's too cruel. What a cruel sentence!'

'What are we supposed to say in a situation like this? What facial expressions should we respond with?'

Everyone felt numb in the face. They could not control their faces anymore.

'That's Deluxe Merit! Even Saints would be very careful with Deluxe Merit. How can the expert...grow Deluxe Merit?'

'I see... Being weak and puny limited my imagination.'

No one knew what to say to that. The Third Princess, Huang, blinked. She asked skittishly, "Um... Saint, can I have Deluxe Merit?" Li Nianfan looked at her. He shook his head, "Sorry, I don't see yours."

"Huang, stop messing around!" the Empress scolded. "What do you think Deluxe Merit is? It's only earned by people who helped the realm, you can't have it! You don't deserve it! You can't ask for it!"

The Jade Emperor winced at that. He also scolded in a low voice, "Huang, you shouldn't ask questions from now on. Quiet!" 'Deluxe Merit could be ours if the expert is willing to give it to us. How could she ask for it? So immature!

"No worries." Li Nianfan softly coughed. He slightly looked up and searched amongst everyone. However, he did not notice Deluxe Merit on everyone. It was just as the Empress said. Not everyone could have Deluxe Merit. Helping a granny across the street was not sufficient enough to earn Deluxe Merit. Deluxe Merit was earned mainly through their meaning for the realm.

Every Immortal jolted. They hurriedly stood up straight. They were terribly hopeful.

Suddenly, Li Nianfan raised his eyebrows. He smiled and said, "Juling Shen, come over here."

"Me... Me?" Juling Shen was puzzled. He saw that Li Nianfan nodded so he anxiously walked over. His buff body walked over with tiny steps. He was trying hard to control his footsteps.

He bafflingly asked, "Saint, do I have Deluxe Merit?"

Li Nianfan did not say anything. He lifted his finger and a strand of golden Deluxe Merit light slowly went toward Juling Shen. The size of the strand was not different from the Jade Emperor's. It was even thicker than Ziye's. However... Deluxe Merit was Deluxe Merit, everyone was jealous!

Juling Shen had wide, coin-like eyes. He was utterly excited. He was mystified by the sudden gift. He hurriedly took his two axes from his waist to create weapons with the Deluxe Merit.

His ax was an ordinary Deluxe Spiritual Treasure. However, after improving it with Deluxe Merit, it was improved tenfold on all attributes. It was almost as powerful as an Ultimate Spiritual Treasure.

Juling Shen inspected his two axes and almost dropped his jaw from laughing. Fortunately, he knew how to behave. He calmed down and thanked, "Thanks, Deluxe Merit Saint."

Li Nianfan casually waved it off, "Credits go to you for fixing the Southern Sky Gate. No need to thank me."

'Fixing...the Southern Sky Gate?

That counts too?!'

Even the Jade Emperor was taken aback. He glared and thought to himself, 'Damn! I should have gone to fix it, too. What a lucky guy!'

Juling Shen had his mouth wide open. He slapped his chest and said, "Lord Saint, I'm not trying to brag but I'm a professional at that! If you need me to do the heavy work, I'll handle it! Don't be courteous with me, feel free to request it!"

Li Nianfan nodded. Then, he turned around and looked at the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint. He said, "Who would've thought that I'd have abilities like that with the Deluxe Merit Saint title? It's interesting. Seems like I'm not completely useless after all." The Jade Emperor sneakily wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. The expert sure loves to joke.' He smiled apologetically and said, "You're useful and you're crucial!"

"So, this Immortal Palace of yours..."

The Jade Emperor hurriedly gestured and said, "Stop joking, Saint. This is your Immortal Palace. You truly deserve it. Please, please, feel free to enter!"

"Thanks, Jade Emperor," saluted Li Nianfan. He walked towards the palace.

Li Nianfan would be lying if he said he disliked the Immortal Palace. It was the place for Immortals and he could see the vast universe from there. It would be amazing to stay there.

He walked into the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint. The interior design was luxurious and opulent.

Everything was prepared for him. He could just check-in and stay there. The position of the rooms was nice, the ventilation was good. The Heavenly River could be seen passing through. He could see everything through the windows. There was an observatory in the attic, too. He could tell that the view during the nighttime would be tremendously majestic and beautiful.

'Everyone wanted lake view rooms or sea view rooms in my past realm. So, this should be considered as...a star gazing room? Or perhaps...a Heavenly River view room?'

Nanan and Dragon already started to play around in the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint.

The Jade Emperor did not want to disturb them any longer. He said goodbye and left with everyone else.

As they walked out from the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint, the Jade Emperor and Empress sighed in relief at the same time. They could finally relax. They were excited, anxious, shocked, and terrified.

The Jade Emperor said, "Phew—the expert finally accepted the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint."

The Empress asked the question in her mind, "Jade Emperor, the Deluxe Merit Saint title could sense and give Deluxe Merit to other people?"

"Ha, you haven't realized it yet. What happened to your usual intelligence?" The Jade Emperor smiled bitterly and shook his head. Then, he said, "How's that possible? The Deluxe Merit Saint is a custom title we created for the expert. There has never been a Deluxe Merit Saint before. How could it have such a powerful ability?"

"Then...then..."

"Think carefully of what the expert said."

The Jade Emperor paused and reminded, "The expert said, his Deluxe Merit isn't beneficial to others. He felt like his Deluxe Merit Saint title was useless, it was nothing to him."

The Empress widened her eyes. She said with disbelief, "So... The expert purely added the ability for himself?"

"What do you think?" The Jade Emperor sounded shocked. "For someone of his level, what can't he do? He could create a Deluxe Merit Saint ability at will. Does he even need a reason to do that?"

The Empress had to nod, "You make a lot of sense."

Cheng Yi groaned for a moment. She said, "Emperor, Empress, I think we've pleased the expert. That's why he was willing to let us have Deluxe Merit."

The Jade Emperor and the Empress fell in deep thought. "Oh?"

Cheng Yi analyzed, "The expert must be pleased with the title and the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint. But he wants to be honorable and well-deserving of it. So, he wouldn't have a title that was an empty front. He was in a good mood and decided to bless us on a whim and call it an ability. At the same time, he's rewarding us."

"You're...right!"

The Jade Emperor was joyous. "The expert does things based on his mood. We coincidentally made him happy. We did that because of luck. We're so lucky! If we gave up halfway, we would've missed out on this giant opportunity. This must also be a test of the expert." 𝙡𝙞𝒃𝓻𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝓬𝒐𝒎

The Empress took a deep breath. She said, "No matter what, it's a huge blessing from the expert. He blessed us with Deluxe Merit. We have to work harder! The reconstruction of the Heavenly Palace needs to be back on track, and we also have to quickly rebuild the three realms so that we can please the experts."

The Jade Emperor nodded. "True. There are a lot of things that need to be done at the Heavenly Palace. Work hard, everybody!"

Chapter 397

At the Immortal Realm, Fallen Immortal Mountain.

A few clouds floated by slowly in the air. Then, they landed at the four-part architecture.

Xiao Bai stood at the pavilion. Xiao Bai slightly bowed and said, "Welcome home, Master."

Li Nianfan looked around and asked curiously, "Xiao Bai, why is it only you at the house? Where's Blackie?"

"Went out to play, still not back yet."

Li Nianfan frowned. "I've neglected Blackie. Let Blackie have fun, as long as Blackie doesn't run into Demons."

He thought about it and realized he was always busy. He always left Blackie alone at home. However...it could not be helped. He was around a lot of Immortal bigshots. He could not let an ordinary dog accompany him. It was slightly inappropriate. "This metal gnocchi can speak!" exclaimed Juling Shen behind Li Nianfan. He looked at Xiao Bai with disbelief. He exclaimed, "Awesome, this metal piece has a conscience and it has shiny eyes. Unbelievable."

Xiao Bai turned to look at Juling Shen and said, "Buff guy, I'm a robot."

Juling Shen scratched his head. "You're not a robot. You're more like a robotic Demon."

"Juling Shen, please, shut your big mouth." Taibai Jinxing at the side softly coughed. If he could, he would slap Juling Shen twice on the face. 'Why are you talking nonsense? Who cares if Xiao Bai's a robot or a demon? Xiao Bai's someone important to the expert. How can you bear the consequences? You won't live long like this.'

Then, he looked at Li Nianfan and said, "Saint, feel free to order us around if you need anything to be moved."

Li Nianfan smiled and said, "It's just some daily household items. I don't need your help, I can just put them in the System Space and move it."

"Saint, how can that be?" Taibai Jinxing waved his horsetail whisk and said with seriousness. "You're officially moving. People who move would hire other people to move their stuff. It's tradition."

Juling Shen also nodded. He flexed his muscles and said, "Yeah, Saint. Don't be courteous with us, it's my hobby to help others move."

"Alright." Li Nianfan helplessly shook his head.

He was not surprised that Taibai Jinxing and Juling Shen were so friendly. His position was like an employer. He felt like he was not as powerful as someone with high status, but anyone sane would try to befriend him.

Xiao Bai at the side asked, "Master, you're moving? Are you bringing Xiao Bai?"

Li Nianfan casually replied, "I'm not moving. I have a new house. I'll stay over there occasionally."

He smiled and let Taibai Jinxing wait for a moment. He went to open the door of the storage room and walked in. Taibai Jinxing and Juling Shen stood outside the door. They silently observed everything in the four-part architecture. The house full of Spiritual Treasure astounded them. However, the thing that caught their attention the most was the Air Purifier and the Water Purifier.

Juling Shen carefully put his head closer to the Air Purifier. He inhaled the mist and instantly felt energized. His powers slightly improved!

Although it was slight, it was still incredible. Juling Shen felt like he could do nothing all day and just inhale the air from the Air Purifier. It was way better than his cultivation.

If he had one Air Purifier with him, his powers would be through the roof.

He was awestruck. "This is pure Immortal Qi. The effect is as good as an Immortal Dan!"

Taibai Jinxing was calm. He said quietly, "The Water Purifier could filter water into Spiritual Water, too. These two items could transform ordinary elements into Immortal elements. I'm sure they're Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasures. Alright, stop freaking out. Can you bear the consequences if you displease the expert?"

However, after a moment, he was stumped. Li Nianfan walked out from the storage room with a Water Purifier and an Air Purifier.

Taibai Jinxing thought he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Li Nianfan. Then, he looked at the misting purifiers in his hand. He felt puzzled.

He could not help but ask, baffled, "Saint, why... Do you have two of those?" 𝒍𝓲𝙗𝒓𝒆𝓪𝒅.𝙘𝒐𝓶

"Is it weird that I have two of these?" Li Nianfan thought it was funny. "Aren't these like chairs and tables? It's just daily household items, it's not worth a lot. I have a lot of these inside. I would have left them stacked in there if I wasn't moving."

Taibai Jinxing's mouth was open. No sound came out.

'Can we have a normal conversation?'

He screamed internally.

'That's an Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasure. Not worth a lot? Do you have a lot of these?

'You can count the amount of Ultimate Heavenly Spiritual Treasures you have? Did you manufacture it?'

Taibai Jinxing gradually calmed down and kept a poker face. He did not move.

Clang. Things were getting thrown out by Li Nianfan from the storage room. Pots, pans, ladles, bowls, and kitchen utensils. Each of them shined beautifully. 'Heavenly Spiritual Treasures! They're Superior Heavenly Spiritual Treasures!'

They...were either in a box or simply placed on the floor. They were thrown out like garbage.

"This... So many treasures! Can I even count them?'

Taibai Jinxing was stunned. Juling Shen rolled his eyes while his jaw was on the ground. He was thunderstruck.

He silently took the two axes on his waist and hid them away.

It was too embarrassing of a comparison!

His mind went off and he suddenly wanted to cry.

Not long ago, he was glad that the Saint blessed and rewarded him with Deluxe Merit. He was happy that his axes were improved. Back then...he was a happy guy. He was so excited that he showed off with his axes in front of everybody.

However, his two axes were just Inferior Deluxe Merit Treasures. He looked at the set of knives tossed out by the expert. 'From the small fruit knife to the big knife, which one isn't a Superior Heavenly Spiritual Treasure?

'So embarrassing!

'I'm sorry, I didn't know I was so poor.'

Taibai Jinxing at the side also silently put away his horsetail whisk.

The treasure he most valued was inferior to kitchen utensils. He felt... painfully jealous.

"Alright, almost done. I'll leave it like that first."

Li Nianfan walked out of the storage room and wiped his hands. Then, he said, "Oh yeah, Xiao Bai, prepare a hundred grams of fruits for me in the backyard. I'll bring some for convenience."

"Yes, my noble Master." Xiao Bai immediately went to the backyard.

Taibai Jinxing and Juling Shen learned something new from that.

'Spiritual Fruits can be calculated with grams. And it's...a hundred grams.'

Li Nianfan packed some eggs, jellos, and wine.

He was finally done packing after half an hour. "Alright. Xiao Bai, look after the house. I'll come back anytime," ordered Li Nianfan. They headed to the Heavenly Palace carrying luggage and bags.

Taibai Jinxing, Juling Shen, and two guards carried his things with caution. They did not dare to neglect it. They looked intensely serious as their hearts pounded. They held on tight.

'You might not believe it but I'm hugging a bunch of Heavenly Spiritual Treasures. I have a satchel of Spiritual Fruits on my back, too. I'm the cheapest thing on me right now.'

'I have never been this rich while hugging you

guys.'

Li Nianfan saw that the old man, Taibai Jinxing, was covered with bags. He felt bad but Taibai Jinxing insisted on carrying it for him so he let it be.

He was bored on the road. Li Nianfan asked curiously, "Oh yeah, Brother Chancellor, I noticed recently that the Immortals of the Heavenly Palace have been very busy. What are you all doing?"

"Saint, you don't know this. All these years, the world revolved around the realms. A lot of places lack management. Moreover, there were a lot of Demons in the three realms. Powerful Demons caused havoc everywhere. We're in desperate need of staff to defeat them."

Taibai Jinxing paused, then said, "We need staff at the Heavenly Palace, too. The Emperor's recruiting. At the same time, we're also searching for guards or generals that survived."

"I see, you guys are indeed busy." Li Nianfan nodded. It seemed like the Heavenly Palace had a thousand tasks to do.

He continued to ask curiously, "Who did you guys hire so far?"

It should be easy to hire people to work for the Heavenly Palace.

"Sigh, it's too difficult!"

Taibai Jinxing frowned. The star on his forehead was slightly scrunched from his frowning. He sighed and said, "The Heavenly Palace isn't the same nowadays. In the past, we could attract staff with Flat Peaches. But even so, those who are capable aren't that willing to join us. The Heavenly Palace has fallen, and it's not as famous as it once was! We can only hire those with average cultivation and capabilities."

"Really?"

Li Nianfan raised his eyebrow. However, it was normal once he thought about it.

To ordinary people, the Heavenly Palace was too high-end and mysterious. However, in the eyes of bigshots, the Heavenly Palace was not worth their time. Joining the Heavenly Palace meant restricting their freedom. Big shots naturally would not want to.

Chapter 398

Li Nianfan carefully thought about it and realized the phenomenon always existed.

The Heavenly Palace also could not hire anyone when they first started. They especially could not get experts to join them. Powerful experts were lovers of freedom. They were powerful and blessed by the realm and they were more into religion and education. No one cared about the Heavenly Palace.

Therefore, the Jade Emperor ran to Hongjun. He said that he needed assistance. In the end, it caused...the Investiture of the Gods!

The war was as bad as the catastrophe. A lot of Immortals became Chancellors of the Heavenly Palace. The Heavenly Palace was instantly filled with staff.

However, the Immortals of the Heavenly Palace were not all hard workers. For example, Nezha. She was like a top spy in the Heavenly Palace. She helped whoever was against the Heavenly Palace. Also, God Jiro. He would not listen to orders and would fight anyone powerful just to embarrass the Jade Emperor.

Those who were inferior to a Daluo Golden Immortal would be nicer because they relied on the Flat Peaches to extend their lives. However, they were also schemers. Most of them did their jobs with minimum effort. Some of them were spies working for other forces.

The Jade Emperor...seemed to have a hard job.

Li Nianfan had to look at the buff guy at the side. He was smiling while carrying the items.

Juling Shen seemed to be the most loyal worker in the entire Heavenly Palace. He was a nice himbo but he was usually the cannon fodder character. No matter how powerful the enemies were, he would defend the Heavenly Palace by charging at them...and getting beaten up.

Flat Peaches were gone. He could tell that the Heavenly Palace would not be successful in recruiting staff.

Most importantly, the people from the era were not aware. They did not realize the

Li Nianfan asked curiously, "What's the Jade Emperor going to do?" "We have three strategies so far."

Taibai Jinxing did not try to hide it. He said, "First, we gather the old staff of the Heavenly Palace. Second, we communicate with the Underworld and search for the guards or generals' lost souls. Third, we recruit new members. Ghost Immortals, Human Immortals, and even Earth Immortals could try out. If we don't have powerful candidates, we'll train the weak cultivators and go from there."

Li Nianfan nodded. "The strategy of playing it safe. This truly can't be rushed."

Li Nianfan thought to himself, 'The Heavenly Palace thinks too much. The Underworld's also understaffed. They won't allow Ghost Immortals to be candidates. Human Immortals are Humans that are immortalized. They could accept them. Earth Immortals are mostly mountain Demons. Normally, they could be in charge of the lands and the mountains. Those who perform well could be promoted into the Heavenly Palace."

Taibai Jinxing sighed and said, "It's hard to get good candidates!"

Li Nianfan thought of Xiao Chengfeng and Ye Liuyun. He had to say, "I can recommend some friends to the Heavenly Palace. But it's up to you guys on whether they can join or not."

Taibai Jinxing was instantly overjoyed. He said, "Saint, it'd be best if you could recommend some people to us. I'll personally invite them over to join us." 𝙡𝓲𝙗𝙧𝓮𝒂𝒅.𝙘𝓸𝒎

They arrived at the Southern Sky Gate while chatting.

They were carrying a lot of bags which instantly attracted the attention of the

the Deluxe Merit Saint to move. However, they did not expect so much stuff.

More importantly, the stuff in question looked like daily household items, but they were all Spiritual Treasures!

It was too terrifying, it showed them a whole new world.

"A rich guy moved in. A rich guy moved into our Heavenly Palace!"

The Immortals stared and remembered the shocking sight. "All the treasures combined in the entire Heavenly Palace aren't even worth his set of daily items. He just increased the value of the Heavenly Palace!"

"From my calculations, everyone in the Heavenly Palace is at the wealth level where we averagely have a Superior Heavenly Spiritual Treasure."

"Nonsense. My only set of Deluxe Spiritual Treasure would be leveled out. I have nothing now! Woe is me!"

Everyone watched them with complex gazes. Li Nianfan and the others slowly returned to the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint.

Li Nianfan did not expect that the Jade Emperor and Empress would be in the room. He also did not expect that they would be playing cards with Dragon and Nana. They were blushing, too. It seemed like they were having fun.

The four of them looked awkward when they saw that Li Nianfan had returned. They unwillingly stopped.

The Jade Emperor and Empress hurriedly stood up. They straightened up and looked serious.

Juling Shen and Taibai Jinxing had their heads buried in the bags. They pretended like they did not see or know anything. Li Nianfan told Nana and Dragon, "You two. No self-awareness once the Fire Phoenix is gone."

The Fire Phoenix was a Phoenix, and she was not fond of the Heavenly Palace. She said she was going to rule the Demons so she said goodbye and left. It was her ambition. Li Nianfan naturally did not stop her.

However, Daji and the little fox also followed her. The little fox was a Nine-Tailed Fox so it would be normal for her to follow the Fire Phoenix. Daji also followed her. Li Nianfan could only say that their sisterly bond was close.

'Last time, they were ambushed by the Kirins. It must be terribly difficult to rule the Demons. I hope everything goes well.'

Li Nianfan reminded them to be careful when they left, and if they ran into any situation, they should come to the Heavenly Palace. He was a person of status and connection at the Heavenly Palace, so it would be easy to protect them.

"Alright, leave the things here." Li Nianfan smiled at Juling Shen and the others. "Sorry for the trouble." "You're too courteous, Saint. This is just a small task." Everyone unwillingly put down the things. To be honest, this is the peak moment of my life. I wonder if I'll have the chance to touch treasure again.'

Taibai Jinxing and Juling Shen were suddenly aware of the Jade Emperor and Empress. They bowed and greeted, "Greetings to the Emperor and Empress."

The Jade Emperor waved it off with satisfaction, "Yeah, go on." He looked at the daily household items that Li Nianfan brought and winced. His eyes uncontrollably teared up.

'So luxurious. I've been with the Buddha and I've never seen such luxury.'

He suddenly felt...embarrassed for the things he prepared. He did not want to give it to Li Nianfan anymore.

However, he needed to. He could not do nothing

The Jade Emperor forced himself to flip his wrist. Out came a thin crystal-like armor. He smiled and said, "Saint, you've just become a part of the Heavenly Palace so you need a decent Immortal Item. This is the Dingshen Armor. It's made from an essential material. The four elements were used to create it. The defense of this armor is fantastic once you wear it. Please, don't mind it, Saint."

He said it casually but it did not change the fact that the armor was a Deluxe Spiritual Treasure.

The Jade Emperor and Empress considered it for a long while.

They felt like it was their best choice as a gift.

The expert was still an 'ordinary man', so he did not need weapons if he did not have any powers. However... The expert was wary of his safety, so they had to give him a defense armor suitable for ordinary people! Therefore, they searched the whole Heavenly Palace and found the Dingshen Armor. It was considered an automatic defense type of armor.

The armor was a precious treasure. However, compared to the daily household items, it was whack.

'No one pulls up with lousy gifts like I do...'

"Good item!"

Li Nianfan was overjoyed. Even his face was slightly flushed from excitement. He laughed and said, "Thank you, Emperor. This item's too good. I've been lacking this, thank you so much."

He was always concerned for his safety even though he had the Deluxe Merit Flesh. The Deluxe Merit Flesh was a slow defense. 'What use is the Deluxe Merit Flesh if it only reacts after I've been hurt? I can't rely on others to protect me all the time. This armor's too important.'

He felt protected with the armor. He was invincible and felt like he could go anywhere.

'The Jade Emperor's truly the Jade Emperor. He has endless treasures, any one of them's beneficial to me. Good, good!'

He did not expect that he would be bribed by others with gifts one day. It felt...very good.

The Jade Emperor noticed Li Nianfan was overjoyed. He sighed in relief and said awkwardly, "As long as you like it, Saint. You gave us so much Deluxe Merit, this armor's nothing."

"The expert's so odd. He has so much Heavenly Spiritual Treasure but he needs to pretend like he's happy. He's such a good actor, other people can never...

'This must be the legendary method-acting.'

Li Nianfan accepted the armor. He had to be concerned with the situation of the Heavenly Palace, so he asked, "Emperor, did you find any survivors of the past Heavenly Palace Immortals?"

"It's not that easy." The Jade Emperor shook his head and sighed. "The Heavenly Palace is responsible for supervising the three realms. We need too many staff, but right now...we're severely understaffed. It's hard!"

The Empress also nodded and said, "Yeah, I even sent out Cheng and the others to help out as best as they could."

Li Nianfan pouted. 'Yeah, right. Weren't you guys playing cards just now?'

He asked, "Did you contact the Sea Race or the Underworld?"

If he remembered correctly, the Sea Race and the Underworld were special departments of the Heavenly Palace. They were important roles in the three realms, after all.

Li Nianfan was planning to check if they had Deluxe Merit on them so he could reward them.

The Jade Emperor nodded and said, "Of course. There are a lot of ghosts in the Underworld, and the Sea Race is bustling, too. I'm going to borrow some of their staff resources to help out at the Heavenly Palace."

Li Nianfan looked at the Jade Emperor weirdly and thought to himself, 'Where did you get that confidence from? You think the Sea Race and the Underworld would help you out? According to my knowledge, they're both understaffed, too.'

Suddenly, Taibai Jinxing who left earlier came running back. His long white beard swayed from side to side, "Saint, Emperor, Empress, the people of the Underworld and the Sea are here."

The Jade Emperor smiled and said, "Right on

Li Nianfan nodded, "Yes, I want to meet my old friends."

Taibai Jinxing looked troubled. He quietly said, "But, Emperor, um... The Sea Race is being carried in..."

Chapter 399

Carried in?

Li Nianfan and the Jade Emperor were taken aback. Then, they walked out together.

Li Nianfan first thought of the internal fights. Maybe the Southern Sea Dragons used that Dragon Soul Pearl and fought them?

It was highly possible. Ao Cheng was most likely the side that was defeated.

He arrived at the Lingxiao Palace with the Jade Emperor.

A lot of Immortals were there to watch and gossip. Black and White Impermanence stood at the center of the palace. Ao Cheng stood at their side. He was fine, but Ao Yun silently laid on a stretcher. He looked terrible and he was drooling blood. He looked terribly injured.

'Ao Yun's hurt again? 'Huh? Why did I say 'again'?' "Brother Ao Cheng, Brother Ao Cheng..." Ao Yun laid there struggling to speak. He was using his last breath to talk.

Ao Cheng looked serious. He said, "Brother Yun, say it. I'm listening, I'm here with you."

"Help me get...get..." Ao Yun panted and pointed at Black and White Impermanence. "Help me get away from them. They're waiting for me to die."

Black and White Impermanence alarmingly moved away. "You and your bloody mouth. How dare you accuse us?"

Suddenly, Taibai Jinxing shouted to remind everyone, "Cough. Greetings from Taibai Jinxing to the Emperor and Empress."

Black and White Impermanence and Ao Cheng all snapped out of it. They bowed and said, "Greetings to the Emperor and Empress."

Then, they saw Li Nianfan. They smiled and saluted, "Mr. Li."

Juling Shen glared and scolded them, "What's with that attitude? This is our Deluxe Merit Saint. How impolite! Greet the Saint properly!'

Li Nianfan was pleased with Juling Shen. It was no fun hyping himself up on his own. He needed a hype man. Juling Shen created the perfect setup for his appearance. He smiled and casually said, "Hey, We're old friends here. Nevermind. The Deluxe Merit Saint is just a title."

He casually waved while he said that. A golden Deluxe Merit light immediately covered Black and White Impermanence and the others. They were soaked in the golden streams of Deluxe Merit.

Black and White Impermanence, Ao Cheng, and Ao Yun were taken aback. They were irrecoverably shocked. The pleasant surprise came out of nowhere. Then, they were overjoyed. They hurriedly accepted it. They were also kind of confused. "Deluxe Merit Saint... Saint?"

Li Nianfan casually replied, "I became the Deluxe Merit Saint. It appears that I can sense and give out Deluxe Merit. It's quite an interesting trick."

'Interesting trick?'

Black and White Impermanence and Ao Cheng felt their hearts thump. They were shocked, fearful, respectful, and confused. They placed all their emotions aside. 'Just bootlick! We know how it goes!'

They went serious and bowed at Li Nianfan with respect. They said in a genuine tone, "Thank you for the reward, Saint. We were ignorant just now. Please, forgive us, Saint."

"Quick, help me up."

Ao Yun struggled to the floor. "So I can bow to the Saint."

"Relax. We're old friends. We don't need to do all the courtesy stuff," laughed Li Nianfan. Then, he said, "You guys deserve the credits for helping to rebuild the Heavenly Palace. Plus, I can sense your usual Deluxe Merit. You deserved it, I just helped you get it."

"The generous Saint."

"Ol' wise Saint."

Black and White Impermanence and Ao Cheng inhaled, they looked like they were about to kiss up to Li Nianfan. Li Nianfan hurriedly stopped them, "Let's get back to business."

They stopped being bootlickers.

"Emperor, please, help us!"

Ao Cheng quickly stepped forward. He became totally different. He instantly teared up and cried, "My brother, Ao Yun, was the ruler of the Western Sea. He barely survived when the Western Sea was destroyed. He recently just started to heal from his wound. He felt better so he planned to go back and check out the Western Sea. Who knew that... The Western Sea had been colonized by an Evil Dragon. It also injured him. If my Brother Yun was bad at escaping, he would've been killed!"

"Boohoo—" Ao Yun sobbed hard at the side. He seemed to be hinting at something.

"Yeah, I know." Ao Cheng understood his hint. He said, outraged, "Once...once again, the Dragon Killer Poison Bug is planted in my Brother Yun's body. This is the second time my Brother Yun got poisoned. Poor him..."

"Evil Dragon dares to be so reckless?" The Jade Emperor frowned. He asked, "Ao Cheng, have you gone to settle such a problem?"

Ao Cheng looked awkward. He said, "According to Brother Yun, the Evil Dragon's hiding in the deep sea. The Evil Dragon has been there for who-knows-how-many years, it also has Spiritual Treasures and several Demon minions. I'm afraid Daluo Golden Immortals can't defeat it. So, I came here to the Heavenly Palace to request for help, Emperor. Please, help the Sea kind."

"Of course. We can't let this be!" The Jade Emperor looked calm but serious. He sounded sure but he was not feeling confident.

There were no generals in the Heavenly Palace that were Daluo Golden Immortals. Apart from the Jade Emperor and the Empress, the other Immortals were mostly civil servants. They could not handle it.

He looked at Black and White Impermanence and said, "The Underworld should be fine, right?"

Black Impermanence replied, "Emperor, there's havoc at the Styx. The Asura kind are constantly causing troubles. Also, there are a lot of evil spirits being born in the Immortal Realm. The Underworld...is understaffed!"

White Impermanence requested, "Emperor, we were hoping that you could lend us some staff resources."

"Borrow our staff?" said the Jade Emperor in a high-pitched voice. He did not expect that at all.

'What? I was planning to buy Dragons and the Underworld. I haven't asked yet and they've already requested for backup.' Li Nianfan showed an expectant smile at the side.

"You saw it, too. The Western Sea's in trouble, the Heavenly Palace is in urgent need of staff. Please, don't mention this request anymore."

The Jade Emperor waved it off. Then, he said, "The Underworld's the home for the dead. There are tons of talented people there. Use that time wisely to train some ghost staff."

Ao Cheng asked at the side, "I wonder, Emperor. When are you going to help us?"

"It's just defeating an Evil Dragon. We only need three days to deal with this problem!" The Jade Emperor said with confidence. "Ao Cheng, return and be ready with an army. My guards will meet with the Sea Race. We'll kill the Evil Dragon once and for all!"

Li Nianfan silently watched the Jade Emperor bluff. He did not say anything.

"Three days? You won't even be ready in thirty days.'

He was clear on the situation of the Heavenly Palace. They lacked generals and guards. They were going to lose the battle.

If the Heavenly Palace pulled up with a small army of people, it would be too funny. However... He could understand what the Jade Emperor was thinking.

The Heavenly Palace ran into a problem like that when it first started. He could not look too helpless, especially in front of the Dragons and the workers of the Underworld. He had to keep the Heavenly Palace's image up.

Ao Cheng did not doubt him. He immediately said, "Alright, I'll go back and get ready. We must avenge my Brother Yun!"

Then, he carried Ao Yun and was ready to leave.

"Ow!" Ao Yun struggled in agony. He wanted to live. He panted, "Brother Ao Cheng, me. Save me!"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot."

Ao Cheng put the stretcher down. He saluted at Li Nianfan and said, "Saint, please save Brother Yun...like last time."

"Barbeque again?"

Li Nianfan looked at the severed arm and felt bad for him. It was too pitiful, what a tragic fate.

"What body part do you choose?"

Ao Yun thought about it on the way here. He was flushed like he was pushing something out. Then, with a 'spurt', out came a tail from his butt. He lied there lifelessly because he was injured.

Ao Yun looked like he was in agony. He said with a tragic voice, "I can't lose another limb, take my tail..."

"Okay," nodded Li Nianfan. He was about to take out the seasoning.

"Wait." Ao Yun struggled to speak. He alarmingly looked at the surrounding crowd, "Take me somewhere with no one around. I don't want anyone to smell my tail. I don't want it to get eaten..."

The next day.

Li Nianfan stood at the attic of the palace. He did not look at the view. Instead, he was looking at the busy Immortals.

They were busy because they were preparing for battle. They were all sent out to distribute flyers no matter what their positions were. They tried their best to recruit people into the Heavenly Palace.

Juling Shen was training the guards. They were hardworking. Suddenly, Li Nianfan saw that the Jade Emperor was heading his way. So, he went downstairs. Li Nianfan smiled and asked, "Emperor, how are the preparations?"

"Don't even mention it." The Jade Emperor waved it off and sighed. "So far, we only have one general in the entire Heavenly Palace, Juling Shen. He's only a Taiyi Golden Immortal. We have seven Golden Immortals. The Tian Immortals and Real Immortals come up to less than five hundred in total." 𝙡𝙞𝓫𝙧𝙚𝓪𝒅.𝒄𝒐𝓶

He could not say the statistics out loud. How poor. Li Nianfan comforted him, "The Absolute Era made this incredibly hard. Times are different now, it's not that bad."

The Jade Emperor said, "Saint, you don't need to comfort me. Too few people responded to my Heavenly Palace. Now that it's the Absolute Era, powerful forces will only increase. I have to show them the power of the Heavenly Palace with this battle!"

He paused. Then, he said, "To be honest, Saint, I already thought of a strategy for this."

Li Nianfan was startled.

The Jade Emperor cast a spell and out came some of his conscience. Then, an intense power started to flow into the conscience. It gradually grew into a Human form under the light.

The Jade Emperor groaned and went pale. The Human figure transformed into a stranger, a middle-aged man who was sitting crossed-legged in front of Li Nianfan.

Chapter 400

The middle-aged man had a squared face. His brows and eyes were sharp. He wore white clothes and had his hair tied up with a hairpin. He looked like a cultivator. Li Nianfan had to admit, he was kind of handsome.

"An avatar?"

Li Nianfan was slightly taken aback. The middle-aged man did not look like the Jade Emperor at all but it was clearly a type of Clone Spell.

He noticed that the Jade Emperor had turned pale. He felt like it was not easy to do the Clone Spell.

'Wukong can make a lot of clones just by plucking his fur, right? This is afterward 'I have to ask because I don't understand.'

Li Nianfan asked, "Is it hard to clone yourself?"

"This isn't a normal clone. I separated a part of myself into an avatar. This is my Daluo Golden Immortal self."

The Jade Emperor was about to boast like he usually would. However, he thought about the expert and realized there was nothing to boast about. The expert could probably make multiple clones with his will. He instantly humbled himself.

"This clone is an avatar that has the powers of the original person. The more powerful it is, the more affected the original person will be."

The Jade Emperor paused and said, "If I clone myself normally and train the avatar to become a Daluo Golden Immortal, it wouldn't affect me as much. However, that would take a lot of time. It's too slow and it's unnecessary. It'd be meaningless."

The Jade Emperor was almost a Saint. He could separate a third of himself as his avatar. However, the risk was high. If the avatar was killed, it would be a huge loss for him.

was

They were being attacked by the Styx Laozu. The Jade Emperor obviously would not be so boastful just to risk his life. If he did everything himself, he would be easily defeated by others.

"I see," nodded Li Nianfan.

The Jade Emperor was irritated. "Just an Evil Dragon. It's more than enough to defeat it with my clone. Too bad the Heavenly Palace is understaffed. Otherwise, I wouldn't need to do it myself, right?"

He said that but Li Nianfan noticed his eyes lit up and sparkled. He was sighing but secretly, he was excited.

It was clear that...he could not wait to go outside and play.

The Jade Emperor told his clone, "From now on, your name's Taoist Taihua. Follow the instructions I gave you, go."

"I'll be going now." Taoist Taihua nodded at the two of them. Then, he got up and quietly flew out of the Palace of the Deluxe Merit Saint.

Li Nianfan raised his eyebrow. 'From the looks of it... It kind of feels scripted?'

As expected, he heard a commotion outside after a short while of drinking tea.

Then, Juling Shen could be heard at the Southern Sky Gate. "Who are you? How dare you trespass the Southern Sky Gate. Hurry up and leave, otherwise, I won't be so polite anymore!" "I came here because I heard that the Heavenly Palace is recruiting. May I know what Chancellor positions are available?"

Juling Shen replied, "Ha, you? You wish to become a Chancellor when you just got here? Let's talk if you can take my axe attacks

!"

"You are not a worthy opponent."

"What did you say? How dare you instigate me? Argh, take this!"

Then, fighting noises ensued.

Li Nianfan could imagine a defeated Juling Shen just from the noise.

Li Nianfan and the Jade Emperor looked at each other and slowly left the palace. They headed towards the Southern Sky Gate.

Taoist Taihua had a long sword behind him. He did not even use it. He conquered Juling Shen casually by pressing him down on the ground with his hand. He smiled calmly.

Juling Shen laid on the ground, stunned.

He suddenly saw Li Nianfan and the Jade Emperor. Motivation instantly overcame him. He stood up and picked up his ax on the floor. He looked menacing as he said, "That was my careless mistake. Let's battle again!

"Argh!"

His eyes were like coins. His giant body expanded and grew 16-feet-tall. His ax grew larger, too. He attacked Taoist Taihua!

His ax was powerful because of the Deluxe Merit. It could easily break Defense Spells. It was amazing.

"Only I can fight in the entire Heavenly Palace. Plus, I have the axes because of the Deluxe Merit Saint. I'm truly the invincible one of the Heavenly Palace.' Juling Shen thought too much. He was bruised and defeated afterwards.

"Saint, it's my time to shine. Excuse me."

The Jade Emperor whispered to Li Nianfan. Then, he went serious. His voice was like the rumbling thunder. He asked piously, "What happened here? This is the Heavenly Palace. How dare you cause a scene here?!"

"I'm Taoist Taihua. Greetings to the Jade Emperor."

"What's your business here?"

Then, Li Nianfan was stunned by what happened next.

Taoist Taihua and the Jade Emperor went back and forth to compliment each other. One complimented the Heavenly Palace and the Jade Emperor, the other complimented how great Taoist Taihua was.

Li Nianfan looked at the Jade Emperor, then he looked at Taoist Taihua. He realized that they both looked so natural. It was not awkward at all. They seemed to be getting better at acting, too.

'Awesome!'

A new height for complimenting himself. I learn something new every day. 𝓁𝘪𝒷𝘳ℯ𝘢𝑑.𝒸𝘰𝑚

'I think it should be called... self-complementing.'

He kind of knew what the Jade Emperor had been doing all those years of being sealed. The exquisite acting technique was impossible without years of training.

Finally, Taoist Taihua ran out of compliments. He started to switch the topic and said, "Emperor, please, allow me to join the Heavenly Palace and bring peace to the three realms!"

"Nice!" the Jade Emperor shouted and complimented. "The Heavenly Palace needs talents like you! Here are your orders, Taoist Taihua!"

"Yes!"

"There's a problem in the sea. I give you the temporary title of Lord Taoist Taihua. Lead three thousand guards to settle this problem. Once done, you'll be rewarded!"

The Jade Emperor flicked his wrist and out came the three-foot-long sword. He said in a clear and loud voice, "This sword is the Sun Sword. It's made from the essence of sun fire. I shall give this to you today to defend yourself against evil and to attack the Demons!"

Taoist Taihua was so touched that he teared up. He said, "Thanks for the trust, Emperor. I'll do my best or die trying!" 'I have goosebumps from watching this duo act.'

Every Immortal could tell something was off. They carefully observed. They did not know that Taoist Taihua was the clone of the Jade Emperor but they assumed they knew each other. They thought Taoist Taihua had connections.

Except for Juling Shen.

He held his axes and laid on the floor. He was scratching his head, looking puzzled.

'What's going on?

'New guy was able to lead an army to battle because they complimented each other?

'What does the Heavenly Palace need me for then?'

The Jade Emperor said, "Juling Shen, you're the second-in-command, help Taoist Taihua."

Juling Shen felt crossed. He said pitifully, "I... Yes!"

Gradually, everyone left. Juling Shen felt hurt. He clenched his jaw and went to train the guards. He was planning to find his ground again and become invincible!

Li Nianfan had nothing to do. He suddenly remembered that he had not checked out how the Immortals manage the realms. He instantly felt curious and was going to observe.

He had no goal in mind. He just walked along the halls and looked at the names of the Heavenly Palaces. If he was interested, he would go in and visit.

The breeze felt nice when he was walking on white clouds. Li Nianfan stopped and saw the Palace of the Finance Gods in front of him. He smiled and walked inside.

The palace was huge. There were no guards or students. It was empty inside. Most palaces were like that.

He kept walking and saw two people interacting with a mirror. Conversations could be heard.

The two people wore orange clothes. There was a golden Ingot on the back and a golden coin at the front. Li Nianfan did not expect the tacky costume.

He refrained from laughing. He did not make a sound either. He stopped walking and floated over slowly on a cloud.

He had to try out the Dingshen Armor. According to the Jade Emperor, the Dingshen Armor could also hide his presence and aura. Li Nianfan wanted to try it out.

He had been floating around those two for a while. He had to admit...the Dingsheng Armor was awesome!

'I'm an ordinary man flying around these Immortals. Don't they notice me?

'Cool. Awesome armor!'

Perhaps those two were too distracted by the 'television', too. Li Nianfan silently looked at the mirror. It seemed like they were looking at the Immortal Realm in the mirror.

The main character of the visuals was a middle-aged man. He looked cynical and arrogant as he was walking along the streets.

When he passed another middle-aged man, they bumped into each other. Then, he sneakily stole the wallet. "Haha, he did it again. That was the eighteenth time!"

One of the guys in the tacky costume laughed. He was very excited.

The other one hurriedly picked up a brush and wet it with his tongue. Then, he quickly took note, "Stole twenty-eight silver dollars in total. Take note. He won't be reincarnated as a person in the next life."

"Hmph, he's considered lucky. If he caused death because he stole silver, he'd be in Hell!" "Come on. Switch the channel."

They were both entertained. They were so into it that they still had not noticed Li Nianfan.

Cough!

Li Nianfan had no choice but to expose himself.

The two of them jumped. They went pale when they saw Li Nianfan. They almost slumped to the ground. They shivered after a while of being stunned. They hurriedly said with trembling voices, "Greetings from Cao Bao and Xiao Shen to the Deluxe Merit Saint."

They were extremely nervous. Their limbs were cold.

'How did such a bigshot appear to supervise our little palace? We aren't ready. This is so freaking shocking.'