《Eternal Villain: I can enslave Reality!》


 Chapter 1 1: The Villain

    ?"What in the world...?"

    A young man opened his eyes, only to have a confused expression stered all over his face.

    There was a girl''s face right before his eyes. The girl appeared to be in her early twenties yet possessed peerless beauty that could charm anyone in this world.

    However, currently Xu Shan didn''t care about her beauty. His mind was already in chaos about the sudden change of surroundings.

    At that moment, the girl''s eyes were closed. Her gentle breathing sound could be heard in the silent room as her chest rose and fell rhythmically.

    Xu Shan was already surprised to find the girl right before his eyes that it took him some time to realize his own weird position.

    At the moment, he was right above the girl whose clothes were a little disheveled. The girl was sleeping on the bed while he was just above her, with only a few inches of gap between their bodies.

    His face was so close to her that it felt as if he was just about to kiss her before he came to his senses.

    He quickly lowered his gaze, checking himself. It was only when he made sure that he was still wearing his clothes that he rxed a little. He confirmed that he still hadn''t done anything to the girl, as they were both adequately clothed.

    However, now was not the time for him to rx. He didn''t make any sudden movements as he was worried that he would wake the girl and end up facing a disaster. First, he wanted to know just where he was! And how did he end up in this situation?

    As far as he could remember, he was still in the hospital, where he was having a hard time breathing. The beeping sounds of the machines could be heard loud and clear.

    At the time, he knew that he wasn''t going to live longer. He also understood it was probably hisst day. He had lived most of his life with a strange sickness that troubled even the best of doctors. Throughout the years, his body kept getting weaker and weaker until he couldn''t even get off the bed anymore.

    For thest five years, he had been living in the hospital, waiting for a miracle. He knew this day was inevitable when the doctors couldn''t even detect what was wrong with him. In fact, he had been prepared for his death for a long time. The only thing that worried him was his father.

    His mother died a long time ago. And now his father only had him, and he was also going to leave. He tried his best to stay awake even though his body was telling him to sleep so that this pain could be over. He still wanted to see his father onest time before dying.

    The most famous doctors in the country were trying their best to keep him alive.

    The doctors wouldn''t have tried this hard for any ordinary person. However, he was different. His father was the wealthiest man in the world and also the owner of the best hospital where he was staying.

    Unfortunately, it wasn''t long before the entire world turned dark for him, and the pain finally subsided.

    He thought this was the end of it. However, here he was... As soon as he felt some sensation in his body, he opened his eyes, only to find apletely different environment. He wasn''t in the hospital anymore. Moreover, his body wasn''t in pain.

    What was even more bizarre was that there was a girl under him! He didn''t notice it initially, not now that he looked carefully, he could see that the girl''s hands and legs were tied as well.

    He looked around, carefully observing his surroundings. The room was big... In fact, it was even bigger than the best room in their mansion, despite the fact that his mansion used to be the most expensive in the world. The room also looked somewhat ancient, as if it wasn''t from the modern era.

    The room was decorated really well. Many treasured paintings could be seen hanging on the wall that Xu Shen had never seen in his life. However, one nce at them, and it was evident that they were made by great masters.

    The room was like a room of some Royal. Details of gold and silver could be seen all around the room as well as plenty of treasures.

    "I''m sure I had died. Then I woke up here. Don''t tell me the things that I only read in the books really happen... I''m in another world?"

    Throughout the five years that he was in the hospital, Xu Shan couldn''t do much due to his weak body. His stay inside the hospital was very boring. Other than the time that was spent on doctors trying to treat him through various means, he spent most of his time on his hobbies.

    As for his hobbies, there weren''t a few either. He was a painter himself. Even with his weak body, he could still use his paintings to distract himself from his own situation. He also had another hobby that was rted to music.

    Whenever it was raining outside, he could often be seen with a guitar in his hand, ying strings that could charm anyone.

    He also had a habit of reading various fantasy novels to escape from his mundane life. Through these characters of the novels, he could at least imagine a new world and live a new life, even though imaginary.

    He never expected that there was a possibility of something like that happening to him. In fact, he still found it hard to believe, wondering if he was still dreaming.

    He pinched his cheeks to make sure he wasn''t dreaming, only to feel pain. He became sure he wasn''t dreaming.

    "This really isn''t a dream, then... Is this girl a real princess?" Xu Shan frowned. "Am I going to die on my first day in this world for trying to do something with the Princess?"

    He had a really bad feeling about this. Not wanting to wake up the girl, he carefully moved back, eventually getting off the bed without making much noise.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "This guy... He really didn''t have anything good in his mind when he snuck in, did he? If anyone sees me here, I''ll be dead!"

    Xu Shan quickly turned around. He wanted to leave this ce as soon as he could, not intending to get caught. It was only after reaching a safe ce that he could try to figure out his own situation and find out what kind of a world this was. It certainly wasn''t earth!

    He carefully opened the door in his direction before peeking outside.

    Outside the room, there was a hallway that wasn''t any less luxurious than the room itself! There were nts decorating the hallway. The nts were ones that he had never seen before. The vases were also clearly made from pure silver!

    Fortunately, the hallway was empty, which allowed Xu Shan an opportunity to sneak outside. He was also slightly surprised that the room of a Royal wasn''t being guarded. He even wondered if he was wrong about this being a room of a royal. However, now wasn''t the time to think about it!

    He stepped outside the room and silently closed the door behind him to not make any noise.

    He sighed in relief after closing his door. However, his face instantly turned pale as he heard footsteps right behind him! It was as if someone had appeared behind him like a ghost which should''ve been impossible for an ordinary human!

    His legs froze. He was caught. He didn''t know what his punishment was going to be. He couldn''t just tell them that he had nothing to do with the girl inside and that he had just received this body!

    While thinking about a good excuse that could at least save his life, he slowly turned around.

    As he turned around, he noticed a dark-haired man who was in histe thirties. The man had an intimidating Armor around his body that looked as if it could face a rain of thousands of arrows and still stay unscratched!

    For some reason, the man gave him an iprehensible feeling as if he was strong enough to destroy multiple countries back on earth, all alone!

    The man also carried a sword on his back. However, Xu Shan could only see the sword''s hilt from where he stood.

    Standing before the man, Xu Shan felt like he was standing before a majestic mountain! The man gave him a feeling as if he was no less than a god, possessing strength that was impossible for even the strongest of human beings on earth!

    Xu Shan rubbed his neck, feeling a chill run down his spine. He could already imagine his head rolling on the ground when the man found out what ''he'' did to the girl inside.

    The man''s sharp eyes looked at Xu Shan expressionlessly.

    Xu Shan clenched his fist. Even when he was sure that he was going to die, he still wanted to try onest time and give an excuse.

    Xu Shan took a deep breath, opening his lips.

    Thud~

    Before he could even speak a word, the god-like man dropped to his knees, yelling, "Third Prince!"

    ''Third Prince?'' Xu Shan closed his mouth abruptly, stunned. He didn''t say anything, realizing that the situation was somewhat different than he expected. Maybe he wasn''t in trouble after all!

    He finally realized that maybe he wasn''t in the body of a pervert. It was his room! He was the Prince! That meant the man before him was one of his guards as well!

    ''No wonder he is respectful. However, what about the girl? Who is she, then? Why did I tie her up? Something doesn''t feel right!''

    While Xu Shan was still lost in his thoughts, the man before him spoke, "Your Highness, I''ve dealt with all the witnesses as per yourmand. Every witness that saw you take the unconscious Saintess of the Celestial Pce has been killed! Now no one knows that the Saintess was drugged and kidnapped by you!"

    The dark-haired man didn''t even raise his head as he spoke. It was as if the man who was strong enough to kill Xu Shan with a single p was scared of him!

    "Now, the Celestial Pce can''t have any evidence that we were involved. However, I still suggest that you don''t keep her alive for long."

    "We still don''t know if the Celestial Pce has any artifacts to locate their Saintess. By tomorrow, they might find out that their Saintess has been kidnapped. If they use a treasure and find out that she''s in this Pce, it''ll be quite troublesome. Once our involvement is discovered, the Celestial Pce will do anything to kill you!"

    "After you''re done ying with the Saintess, you should kill her. Tomorrow morning, I''ll take her body outside the Empire and bury it."

    Since the dark-haired man didn''t look at Xu Shan''s face, he didn''t know just what kind of strange expressions the young man had.

    He didn''t realize that Xu Shan''s face waspletely nk in disbelief. Just when he thought that the man he possessed was probably not a bad guy, he found out that it was much worse!  He was not a good guy at all. He was a... Viin! A viin who had just kidnapped a Saintess of Celestial Pce?!

 Chapter 2 2: The Price

    ?There was a long period of silence where Xu Shan didn''t know how to react. He just stood in silence, frowning.

    The middle-aged man known as Zi Huang sneakily looked up, wondering why the young prince wasn''t speaking at all. Even though the young man before him didn''t have a single trace of celestial aura, unlike the other prodigies, he was much scarier than others!

    Despite being the third prince, his status was even higher than the Crown Prince after all! No one knew why that was the case, but he was the child most doted upon by the Great Emperor of the Eternal Dynasty!

    Despite all his evil deeds that the Emperor knew about, the Emperor never once scolded him. Some said that the Emperor was just too forgiving to the evil prince. However, there were also some who felt that there was more than met the eyes. It was as if...even the Emperor was scared of scolding the Prince at times.

    The middle-aged man even wondered if he had made some mistake that upset the Prince. He had no idea that it wasn''t that he did something wrong. It was that the Prince himself was frozen after hearing his own deeds.

    Currently, Xu Shan had no idea just why his transmigration had to be in this body. However, now that he was here, he had no choice but to y along. He didn''t know anything about this world. If the people realized that his soul had taken over their Prince, it could easily be a disaster.

    Unfortunately, he didn''t even know how their Prince would''ve reacted in this situation. However, based on his personality, Xu Shan could only imagine the Prince to be a cold-blooded man who wouldn''t bother talking to a mere guard, only treating them like ves.

    "Hmm." Hezily nodded like a great prince who was looking at a small ant. He went back inside the room and closed the door behind him.

    Zi Huang didn''t notice anything unusual about the Prince. He was so worried about his own fate that he didn''t have time to notice anything peculiar about the Prince. It was only after the third prince left that he sighed in relief.

    "It looks like I was overthinking things. I didn''t offend him."

    His figure disappeared in the silence of the night like a ghost. It was unclear where he was going next.

    ....

    Back inside the room, Xu Shan stood with his back resting against the door as if he was worried that the middle-aged warrior was going to push the door open and rush inside.

    Before his eyes was a beautifuldy with her hands and legs tied, lying on the bed. Until recently, he thought she was just sleeping peacefully. It was only now that he realized that she was drugged!

    The Third Prince was certainly nning to do something to her before killing her. However, for some reason, his ns went awry, and Xu Shan ended up in his body.

    After ensuring there were no movements outside the room, Xu Shan finally lowered his guard. He rubbed the back of his neck, walking closer to the bed.

    "Who would''ve expected that after lying in bed for five years, the first time I could move freely, I would end up falling into this obvious death trap!"

    "The girl is from Celestial Pce. I''ve no idea what that ce is, but the way that guard reacted, it certainly isn''t any less influential than the Dynasty where ''my father'' rules. If that weren''t the case, the guard wouldn''t be so hasty about getting rid of the woman."

    "But what can I even do in this situation? Sooner orter, the woman will open her eyes. No matter what, I can''t free her either. I can''t just tell her that I identally drugged and kidnapped her."

    "If I freed her, she would certainly inform the Celestial Pce about everything, and I''ll be dead. After a long time, I got an opportunity to freely move. I don''t really want to die for a stranger."

    His mind was really conflicted. On one end, he couldn''t get himself to kill her for no reason. On the other end, he couldn''t let her leave either. However, he couldn''t keep her imprisoned either.

    With what the guard said, the Celestial Pce had a way to locate her. As soon as they received news about her disappearance the next day, they were going to use their method to locate her present location and find her.

    Xu Shan paced back and forth in the room, lost in thoughts.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Should I just run away from the Pce and start a life with a new identity? That''s not a solution either. The Celestial Pce would certainly find me even if I left the Dynasty. Even the Dynasty might find out that I''m a fake."

    "Or you could just kill her. Isn''t that much simpler?"

    While Xu Shan was talking to himself, he heard a mysterious voice. The voice was sweet and melodious as if it belonged to a fairy. However, the young man didn''t have time to think about that. He was more surprised to find that someone else was here already! Was his identity already exposed?

    Stunned, he looked toward the source of the voice.

    "Who are you?" Not too far from him, he saw a woman standing with her back resting against the wall.

    The woman had a slender face and a charming figure that was wrapped tightly in a ck dress. However, what stunned Xu Shan the most was that the woman wasn''t a human!

    There were two wings behind the girl! The ck wings behind the girl weren''t made of feathers. Instead, they were made from some mysterious energy that even made him feel a chill run down his spine! It was as if he was going to die if he touched it!

    "Of course, I''m the one who saved your life," the mysterious woman smirked. However, for some strange reason, her voice came from right beside him. It was as if she was whispering right in his ears.

    Stunned, he turned around to find the dark-clothed woman standing right beside him! As for the one who was standing before the wall, she had disappeared!

    The woman''s long ck hair that came down to her waist revealed a tint of red at times. However, her smile was something that was absolutely mesmerizing, as if she was a demoness with the beauty of an angel.

    "You saved my life?" Xu Shan frowned, raising his brows. ''What did she mean by that?''

    The woman didn''t respond right away. She simply pointed toward Xu Shan''s left hand.

    "It''s better if you find it out yourself. Don''t worry though. We''ll be meeting more often than you''d like... After all, you''re the one who needs to pay the price for his wish..."

    Even as the mysterious woman disappeared, her words could still be heard echoing in the room. "Did he really think his life was enough for a life��"

    A hint of apparent mocking could be heard in the mysterious woman''s voice.

    As the woman disappeared, silence returned to the massive room where more than twenty king-sized beds could easily be amodated.

    Xu Shan was standing in silence, looking at his left hand. He didn''t know why, but there was just something mysterious about the silver ring in his left hand. As soon as he thought about the ring after the woman''s reminder, he was able to look inside the ring!

    It was as if there was a mysterious space inside the ring! The space wasn''t too small. However, it wasn''t too big either. The space was only five meters long and five meters wide, having a height of only three meters.

    The mysterious space only had two items inside, which made it look awfully empty, especially when those two things were so small!

    One of those two things was a modern-looking journal, something he could easily find back on earth. The second thing was slightly different. It was a ck book with no name on it.

    Not only was there nothing written on the ck book, but it was also made of some strange material.

    It definitely wasn''t something one could find on Earth! What was even more bizarre was that he could sense a simr feelinging from the Book that he sensed from the mysterious dark-haired woman��

 Chapter 3 3: A Desire That Went Against The Law Of Nature!

    ?It was unclear just what it was about that book, but it seemed like something that shouldn''t have existed. It was the kind of feeling that he received from that book.

    Xu Shan didn''t know how to bring those two items out of the space. It was his first time using a Spatial Storage Ring, even though he had read a lot about it in the books.

    He tried testing something. He still remembered how the space opened up when he thought about it. That meant his mind was the key.

    He focused on the Journal first as he was still somewhat hesitant about the ck book.

    His thoughts focused on the ordinary-looking journal as he thought about bringing it out of the storage space.

    Miraculously, it worked! The journal appeared in his hand out of nowhere, as if it was no longer an Illusory thing butpletely real.

    Xu Shan closed the storage space for now, focusing entirely on the journal in his hands.

    From the looks of it, the journal wasn''t new. He could already see some wear and tear in the corner of the journal''s cover. It was probably used by someone for a really long time.

    Moreover, since that strange woman told him the answers he sought were inside the ring, he believed she was talking about the journal.

    Xu Shan didn''t worry about anyone entering his room out of nowhere. With how scared the guard was acting before, he was sure that people in the Castle were scared of him. They wouldn''t be stupid enough to barge inside the room without his permission, which allowed him some privacy for the time being.

    He walked to the nearby chair. His heart was filled with uncertainty about what he was going to find. At times, he even felt as if he had seen a simr journal before. He just couldn''t recall where.

    He sat down on the chair. Straightening his back, he calmed his heart before opening the Journal.

    As soon as he opened the journal, he couldn''t help but frown. He had only read the first word, yet he recognized the writing! It was the writing of his father! There was no doubt about it! This journal belonged to his father!

    With the sudden realization, Xu Shan no longer hesitated and started going through the journal.

    The journal started with his father writing down the date. However, what followed was enough to shock the young man.

    In the journal, the first entry itself was something that sounded incredulous. If his father had told someone, instead of writing it down, people would''ve called him crazy! However, after what happened to him, Xu Shan wasn''t in any position to doubt his father!

    In the journal, his father wrote about finding a mysterious ck book. Reading that, Xu Shan couldn''t help but think back to the ck book that was inside his storage ring!

    Xu Shan was reading the entry of his father. However, even though it was just words, he could still feel his father''s excitement when he wrote about his wishing true!

    As for what the first wish was... It was obviously wealth!

    Xu Shan still remembered that just six or seven years ago, his family used to be poor. They could barely afford to send him to school, let alone maintain other expenses.

    However, it wasn''t long after that something strange happened. It was revealed that one of the wealthiest men in the world had died suddenly, and in his will, his entire property was given to Xu Shan''s father! That''s when his family suddenly became the richest out of nowhere!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan always wondered about the rtionship between his father and that wealthy man. He wasn''t the only one who wondered about that. Many thought that the wealthy man was some unknown family member of his father, so people didn''t think much of it.

    The entry date in the journal matched the timing perfectly, so much so that Xu Shan didn''t even know how to react! He finally realized just why they became the wealthiest family out of nowhere!

    Unfortunately, the happiness didn''tst long, and many more tragedies followed soon after.

    Within one week, his mother went crazy. She was forced to be admitted to a mental asylum.

    As Xu Shan read more, his face became white like a thin sheet of paper. The happiness that his father experienced changed into a grim disaster! It was only then that his father realized that the Book of Desires was more than met the eyes.

    His father tried to use the Book of Desires again, writing a wish for his wife to recover. Unfortunately, that wish wasn''t granted.

    Even the Book of Desires had limitations. It couldn''t change the after-effects of a previous wish. One couldn''t just erase the price with another desire.

    Only those wishes which didn''t affect the previous price were granted.

    Just as his father was going through mental torment over his helplessness, he received the news that his mother had killed herself in the mental asylum.

    Xu Shan still remembered hearing that news which almost broke him that day. He didn''t know that everything that he and his family went through was caused due to a deal with the devil!

    He could feel his body tremble with anger. His family was destroyed! His father wanted happiness in the form of money! However, in exchange for happiness, he had to pay with happiness! For material happiness, he paid back with familial happiness!

    It wasn''t long after that Xu Shan developed a strange sickness. Because of that, for five years, he had to stay in the hospital. His father had all the money in the world, yet he couldn''t save his life.

    Year after year, Xu Shan watched all hopes being crushed as he realized that he was going to die soon. The doctors didn''t even recognize what was wrong with him after all.

    ording to the journal, his father had already stopped using that ck Book around that time, promising himself that he was never going to use it.

    He ced all his hopes on the doctors, bringing the most outstanding doctors from around the world to help his son. In his father''s eyes, this sickness was caused by the book, so it couldn''t be healed with the book.

    Unfortunately, the doctors failed. In the end, just as Xu Shan was at death''s door, taking hisst breath, his father broke his promise and picked up the ck Book again, ready to sacrifice his life in exchange for his son''s life!

    His father didn''t know if the wish was going to be epted by the ck book or not. However, no matter how slim the chance, he had to grasp it! Since his son couldn''t be healed due to the cost of his previous payment, he changed his wish!

    Instead of wishing for just a simple healing of his son, he wished for something else! Something much more grand!

    He didn''t know if that wish was going to be epted, but he didn''t let the small me of hope inside his heart extinguish and wrote hisst desire... A desire that came at the cost of his own life... A desire that went against thews of the universe... A desire that changed everything!

 Chapter 4 4: First Time It Was Granted...

    ?Xu Shan''s lips were numb, and his eyes were moist. His face was pale white.

    He couldn''t believe that his father had gone through so much. Even as he opened his eyes in this strange new world, he still hoped that his father was going to live a long and happy life.

    However, reading thest entry in the journal, he couldn''t move for a long time. It was as if his body was frozen while he looked at thest words of his father.

    A single tear fell on the journal.

    He slowly closed the book and remained still, unmoving. His mind was chaotic, and he couldn''t even calm his heart down. The life that he currently had... It was exchanged with the life of his father! If he died, it meant his father''s sacrifice was wasted!

    He couldn''t let that happen! No matter what the situation, he couldn''t let his father''s life go to waste! No matter what, he had to live! He had to keep living on! It didn''t matter if it was the Celestial Pce or the Eternal Dynasty; no one was allowed to threaten his life!

    Xu Shan was so lost that he didn''t even realize that at the moment, he was tightly hugging the old journal, keeping it close to his heart while tears kept falling. His mother was dead. His father was dead... Only he was alive!

    If anyone on the outside had seen Xu Shan crying at the moment, it was impossible to even imagine just what kind ofmotion it would''ve caused!

    Xu Shan was the ruthless third prince of the Dynasty, who was said to be a being of no emotions! However, that person right now was no different than an ordinary broken human.

    After a long time, Xu Shan calmed down. His body had grown numb. His eyes were almost dry as he made a promise to himself that this was thest time he was going to cry. He had to be a new person... He had to be the ruthless Third Prince!

    "Looks like you''ve made up your mind." An amusedughter was heard in the room.

    Xu Shan looked to his left, noticing the same woman who had two beautiful wings behind her. Her long ck hair cascading like a waterfall made her look like a beauty that could mesmerize anyone. However, Xu Shan didn''t seem as respectful to her as before.

    His eyes were calm and serene, quite different from the eyes of the young man from before, who was scared about being killed at any moment.

    "Are you rted to the ck Book?"

    The girl could only smile in response. Her beautiful smile on that jade-like face made it appear as if the entire surrounding had suddenly be more pleasant. However, Xu Shan''s face was still expressionless.

    He couldn''t forget how the book forced his entire family to be destroyed.

    "Have you never heard the saying? Don''t me the weapon. me the person who used it."

    The woman was still as carefree as before. It was as if she was an existence that stood above all... Like a goddess untouched by even the smallest speck of dust.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It was clear what she was saying. She was implying that the Book couldn''t be med for his father''s greed. To use the Book, one had to be prepared to pay back an equivalent cost, if not more!

    "Why don''t you open the book and read the first page first." The dark-haired woman''s melodious voice fell in Xu Shan''s ears. However, not long after, she nced at the girl on the bed. An amused smile spread across her lips as if she had noticed something interesting. However, she didn''t say anything.

    She just walked over to a different chair and sat downfortably, closing her eyes as if she was simply resting.

    Xu Shan didn''t know just who... Or what that mysterious woman was. However, one thing he was certain about. He couldn''t resist the woman if he tried to fight her. Let alone him; even the great warrior from before didn''t appear to be a match for her.

    Strangely, at the same time, he also felt as if the woman was linked to the ck Book. Why else would they both have apletely identical aura?!

    Since he had read so many books in his past life, he even wondered if the girl before him was a spirit of the ck Book. However, there was no way for him to confirm his suspicions.

    For now, he could only check the ck Book. Just opening the book didn''t require any price after all. It was only when he desired something and wrote down his desire that he would''ve had to pay...

    Xu Shan sent the journal back to the storage space. That was the only ce where he could keep it safe after all. The journal belonged to his father. In a way, it was hisst inheritance from his father other than his own life. He couldn''t lose that journal.

    After keeping the journal back, he brought out the Mysterious ck Book. He didn''t know why, but it felt really strange as he held the book in his hand. It was as if there was a subconscious feeling deep within his heart that he was the ruler of this world. All it took was one wish, and he could get anything he wanted!

    However, he quickly dropped this thought. He couldn''t let the journal influence him! He calmed down his breathing.

    "You''re not half bad." The dark-haired woman nced at Xu Shan from the corner of her eyes. Only an interested smile could be seen on her lips.

    "Unfortunately, humans are fickle creatures... I wonder how long you''ll be able to control your desires... I do hope that you can show me something different though..."

    Strangely enough, even though the woman didn''t lower her voice when she spoke, her words didn''t reach Xu Shan.

    "I''m quite interested to see just what your future holds... After all, many people made wishes simr to your father''sst wishes. However, it was the first time it was granted..."

    "I do wonder just what changes you can show me... Will you be the man who rises above destiny or someone who gets devoured by his own greed? We shall see..."

    After speaking, the woman closed her eyes once again as if she hadn''t opened them at all.

 Chapter 5 5: Memories

    ?While the dark-haired woman appeared as if she didn''t care about anything in the world, Xu Shan had already opened the ck book.

    What greeted his sight at the first page slightly surprised him. It wasn''t a nk page or a page on which someone had written their wishes. Instead, it was something quite different.

    There were indeed certain words on the first page. However, those words appeared really special. The characters were unique, and Xu Shan was certain he hadn''t seen such characters like that before in his life. The strange characters also appeared to have a life of their own!

    He didn''t know why, but even though he had never seen such weird characters in his life, he was able to understand them perfectly!

    Thebination of these unknown characters made up multiple sentences that described something akin to the rules of the mysterious book.

    One of the rules was as he had read in his father''s journal! It was that no wish could change the oue or the cost associated with the previous wish.

    Another rule was that there were some rare wishes that couldn''t be granted if they went against the naturalws of the universe.

    For example, wishes that asked for the destruction of the entire universe or such couldn''t be granted since, no matter what, no one could afford an equivalent exchange for that. Those wishes had astronomical costs which were impossible for anyone to afford.

    It was all about an equal exchange! No one knew where the book came from. However, it was undeniable that it was an existence that transcended thews of the universe...

    One after another, Xu Shan went through all the rules. After reading the rules, he understood that the Book couldn''t really be med either.

    The book clearly mentioned how dangerous it could be and how the aftermath was hard to handle if one wasn''t careful. Despite that, his father''s first wish was already big enough without a single care in the world.

    Even though he didn''t want to me his father for his greed, he also couldn''t me the book entirely. It was the job of the devil to lure the human. It was the fault of the humans if they were swayed even after knowing everything.

    Xu Shan clenched his fists. He was on the verge of exploding with unwillingness and anger. He couldn''t really me anyone for their family''s misery at all. His father also paid the price already...

    Only he knew how he managed to calm his shaking heart. The book was the greatest blessing that one could ever hope for. However, it was also a curse.

    After reading the rules, he turned the page to check what the other users of the book had wished for. However, what surprised him was that the other pages werepletely nk! It was as if all the previous wishes written in the book were erased.

    He didn''t know if it was because no one was allowed to read the others'' wishes or if the book erased them when the previous owners died.

    He nced in the direction of the dark-haired woman, wondering if he should ask her. However, after noticing her sitting silently with her eyes closed, he swallowed his words and didn''t ask.

    It didn''t matter how the book was used in the past. What mattered was how he was going to use it now!

    For now, he closed the book and sent it back to his storage ring, leaving this matter forter. For now, he had another problem to handle. He didn''t know just what kind of a world this was since he had no memories of the person he possessed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    What was worse was that he had a Saintess in his captivity, and he didn''t have much time to deal with the matter.

    After thinking for some time, he finally turned his attention to the dark-haired woman.

    "What is your name?"

    The woman opened her eyes, which looked calm like the sea without a single chaotic wave.

    "I never needed a name. However, throughout the years, I''ve been called by various names. For me, a name is insignificant."

    Xu Shan frowned but remainedposed. "Are you the Spirit of the Book?"

    A beautiful smile blossomed on the dark-haired woman''s face, making her look as if she was an existence that transcended the limits of what humans called beauty...

    "You don''t need to know what I am. You should instead be concerned about how you''re going to deal with the trouble you''re in." As she spoke, she casually nced at the woman on the bed.

    Understanding her meaning, Xu Shan let out a sigh. "Couldn''t you have sent me to this body a few days earlier? You pushed me straight into this volcano, and now you''re asking me how I''m going to swim and get out?"

    Even though he looked somewhat frustrated and defeated, he had no intention of giving up.

    After five years, he finally gained this opportunity thanks to his father''s sacrifice. No Saintess could take this opportunity from him.

    "What do you think are the chances that the Celestial Pce can really locate her to this ce?"

    "A hundred percent." The dark-haired woman answered within any dy as if it was a matter of fact. "You''re lucky they don''t know she''d been kidnapped."

    Xu Shan scratched the back of his head. He still had no idea what kind of force the Celestial Pce or the Eternal Dynasty was. However, it was clear that no one wanted this conflict.

    "It would''ve been better if I had the memories of this guy. At least, I wouldn''t be this ignorant."

    "Why don''t you wish for his memories? You might even wish to possess all the knowledge in this world? The book will certainly grant that, given that you are willing to pay the price."

    Xu Shan didn''t know if the dark-haired woman was serious or just teasing him. However, what she said did make sense. He didn''t want all the knowledge in the world as he didn''t even want to think about the kind of price he would''ve had to pay.

    However, the memories of the third prince were certainly an option! It wasn''t something too extraordinary, so the price shouldn''t have been much. However, he knew it was risky.

 Chapter 6 6: I Wonder How He Would React Once He Finds Out...

    ?"Can you tell me the cost I must pay if I ask for his memories?" After pondering for a long time, he asked.

    "Who knows? Why don''t you try and find out?"

    It was unclear if the woman really couldn''t tell him or if she just didn''t want to. In any case, Xu Shan knew that those memories were too crucial for him!

    Those memories were the key to his perfect impersonation in the future. If this world had treasures to locate a person that easily, then it could also have a treasure to check if the body was possessed by someone.

    He couldn''t leave a single w in his impersonation. Since the Emperor chose to ignore all the crimes of his third son, that meant he cherished his son a lot.

    Xu Shan didn''t even want to imagine just what kind of rage that Emperor was going to show once he found out that his son was already dead and his body was now possessed by another soul!

    Even though he didn''t want to use the Book, he also knew that he really had no choice in the matter. The Celestial Pce could be his enemy in the future. Only the Eternal Dynasty could protect him. These memories were well worth it!

    As for the price... Even though he didn''t know what price he had to pay, he didn''t think it could be anything significant. He wasn''t asking for wealth, or strength of gods after all! He was only asking for a single person''s memories.

    Unfortunately, as he thought up to this point, his face turned pale as he realized something!

    "Wait! Memories for memories? Don''t tell me I will lose my memories if I ask for the Third Prince''s memories?"

    He hadn''t thought of that before. However, now that he thought about it, he felt a chill run down his spine. If it was really as he guessed, then the consequences were way worse than he thought!

    He couldn''t take that risk, no matter what! If he lost his memories, wasn''t it no different than his current self dying?

    Even though he had the idea of using the Book to regain the memories, he swiftly discarded the idea as cold beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Even though he was brave, he was still a human from earth who had only been in this world for a few hours.

    As if realizing what the young man was concerned about, the dark-haired woman opened her cherry lips and said, "You''re thinking too much. You won''t lose your memories. No current wish can change the oue or the cost of the previous wish."

    "It also applies to the cost," she further rified. "Due to your father''sst wish, your memories are also protected. As for what your father''sst wish really was... I can''t tell you yet."

    "You can''t tell me what it was?" Xu Shan went silent for a moment, pondering over her words. It was as if there was really something special about his father''sst wish.

    Until now, he only thought that his father asked for his son''s life in exchange for his life; however, the wish appeared to be something more than that!

    He also remembered the dark-haired woman''s words from before that he also needed to pay for his father''sst wish since his father''s life wasn''t enough for that! This made him really curious as to what that wish even was. And what was the cost that he already owed the book?<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He didn''t know why, but he had a feeling that it wasn''t going to be long before he found out. He still had to pay for it, after all!

    He lightly shook his head. Now wasn''t the time to think about that. Now that he was relieved that his memories were safe, he could use the Book of Desires.

    Even though he still wondered what the cost was, as long as it wasn''t his memory, it was fine. In any case, he didn''t have much to lose. He didn''t have any loved ones left. So he was alone and certainly was more bold.

    If he had his mother or father with him, he would''ve still hesitated, worried about dragging them into this mess. However, as long as the consequences were rted to him, he was fine.

    He was convinced that as long as he regained the memories of the Third Prince, he could have more ways to protect himself!

    He knew that it was risky. However, currently, he was stuck between a rock and a hard ce, and this was the only way out!

    After a short time, he pulled out the Book of Desires and ced that over the stone table in front of him while pulling the chair closer to the table.

    He didn''t realize that the dark-haired woman in the distance was looking at him with great interest. It was clear that she approved of his actions. She already knew that this was the best bet! Currently, Xu Shan needed these memories the most after all.

    Even if he hadn''t asked for it, she still would''ve reminded him about it.

    ''It''s good that he''s decisive yet not greedy, unlike his father. Instead of asking for treasures, or strength beyond his means, he went with the easier choice, limiting the variables for him. Maybe he really can achieve something great...''

    Xu Shan didn''t realize that he had managed to gain a little approval from the dark-haired woman.

    ''As for the price of these memories... I wonder how he would react once he finds out...?''

    The woman kept her focus on Xu Shan as the young man brought out the Book of Desires! It was the first time he was going to use the Book after all! It was his first desire! It was also what was about to start his journey on the path of no return...

    ....

    While the dark-haired woman observed the young man in the distance; outside the Royal Pce, multiple figures appeared.

    The group was led by a woman whose strength couldn''t be underestimated at all. In fact, just her aura alone was suffocating, as if people could be crushed just by her aura alone! Her face was cold as she looked at the Pce of the Third Prince before her.

 Chapter 7 7: Celestial Warrior

    ?A woman stood at the entrance of the Third Prince''s Pce. Her long silver hair came down to her waist behind her back, creating a stark contrast with her abyss-like deep ck eyes.

    The woman was clearly a beauty that could bring the downfall of kingdoms. However, currently, no one was even daring to look her in the eyes. Just the aura around her was suffocating enough.

    The woman had donned golden armor as if she wasn''t a princess but a great warrior who could slice people in half with a single swing of her Sword.

    No one dared to underestimate her. However, the reason she could afford to be arrogant in front of the tyrannical Third Prince''s Pce had nothing to do with her strength! Instead, it was because of her identity!

    The guards of the Third Prince''s Pce looked at the silver-haired woman with awkward expressions. It was as if she had put them in a dangerous position bying here.

    This wasn''t the first time she hade here either. Every time she came here, they would be the ones to suffer after all! They always had to tread on a thin rope whenever she came here.

    "Lady Rouyin, what brought you here at this time?"

    A calm voice came as the Pce gates opened. A man walked out from within the castle.

    The man had also donned an Armor. Moreover, his aura was even stronger than the silver-haireddy outside. Despite that, he was still respectful to her, and there wasn''t a single guard who didn''t understand why!

    "Lord Zi!" All the Pce guards respectfully greeted the man.

    The man was the protector of the Third Prince and also the captain of the guards who were responsible for the security of the third prince and this Pce.

    In fact, only a few people knew that the protector of the Third Prince assigned by the Emperor was even stronger than the Protector of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince!

    The Third Prince was much different from the other Princes. Not only did he have no interest in the working of the Dynasty, but he also didn''t have many friends. In his Pce, the third prince didn''t even have a single maid!

    Other than the Royal Guards, who were personally selected by the Third Prince and the chef, no one else lived in the majestic pce.

    "I''m here to meet the Third Prince."

    The woman called Rouyin directly responded without any hesitation.

    Zi Huang raised his head, ncing at the beautiful moon in the sky. It was almost midnight which made her sudden visit even more strange.

    "Lady Rouyin, I would have to ask for your apology. But your trip seems to be wasted. The Third Prince isn''t in the Pce."

    Even though her sudden visit at this time surprised Zi Huang, he clearly understood why she selected this time.

    Other than the Royal Family, there were also four powerful ns in the Eternal Dynasty that possessed immense strength and wealth! They were known as the four great ns of the Dynasty.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They were the Chen n, the Yan n, the Lin n, and the Wei n. Even though the four great ns were much weaker than the Royal Family, they still couldn''t be underestimated as they had produced many great Celestial Warriors throughout the years!

    Thedy before him was called Chen Rouyin, and she was the little princess of the Chen n. She was the youngest daughter of the Chen Family Patriarch.

    However, there was another identity that she possessed which was the real reason that everyone was scared of her. She was the Fiancee of the Third Prince!

    Even though she had never met the third prince, their marriage was said to be decided when the Third Prince was very young.

    Unfortunately, as the third prince grew up, many things changed. His personality was more than ideal for the world.

    The Third Prince could not absorb even the slightest of Celestial Aura of the world and was unable to step on the path of bing a Celestial Warrior. What was worse was that he didn''t awaken a Celestial Spirit that many great prodigies awakened at the age of ten.

    As if that wasn''t enough of a tragedy, the Third Prince''s fate was even worse!

    In this world, there were many people who weren''t born with an innate Celestial Spirit. However, they still had other ways! The world also had something called the Worldly Spirits that were born in this world.

    The ones who couldn''t awaken the innate Celestial Spirit could still follow the second-best path... Which was to capture a worldly spirit and absorb it inside their body. That way, they could still use the Worldly Spirit and its abilities in the future.

    The Emperor searched far and wide and captured many precious Worldly Spirits, including weapon spirits, beast spirits, or even some special spirits like nt spirits and more. Unfortunately, for some reason, the Third Prince couldn''t absorb that either!

    It was as if the Third Prince was cursed and was destined to be a mortal! While all the other prodigies became Celestial Warriors thanks to the Celestial and Worldly Spirits, the Third Prince couldn''t do much. He was still a mere mortal.

    ....

    Back inside his room, Xu Shan had finished writing the wish in the book. Even though he felt a massive headache following his wish turning golden in the book, he did feel some foreign memories rush inside his head!

    There were so many memories that he couldn''t even go through all of them at once. He started with the recent memories that could answer his current questions. Just as he expected, the world wasn''t ordinary like earth!

    Through these memories, he came to know that the world was known as the Celestial Realm! He could only find one word to describe this ce... Heavenly!

    In this world, humans could gain powers that were beyond their means, thanks to the Celestial Spirits and Worldly Spirits.

    He also realized how the strength of a Celestial Warrior was ssified in this world. It started with the realm of Celestial Warrior that differentiated between an ordinary person and someone who had stepped on the path of the Celestial!

    After the Celestial Warrior Realm, the next Realm was Celestial General, followed by Earth Celestial, Sky Celestial, and Heavenly Celestial!

    Thanks to these memories, he finally realized just how dangerous this world was! A celestial warrior could kill an ordinary person like him with a simple wave of their hand after all! If he didn''t have the identity of the Third Prince and his guards, he could only imagine how many times he would''ve died by now!

 Chapter 8 8: Ive Been Looking For You

    ?He also realized that the guard that he had seen before was named Zi Huang, who was a Peak Earth Celestial assigned to him by his father.

    Through these memories, he also learned about all the things that the Third Prince did in the past. He couldn''t help but realize that he had underestimated the Third Prince.

    Despite being a mere mortal without a shred of Celestial Aura, the Third Prince was arrogant and an egoist who didn''t hesitate for even a single second when it came to killing the ones who offended him!

    There was a reason he was called a ruthless Tyrant, after all. Once there was a great force in the Eternal Dynasty that offended him over a small matter. The next day, the force waspletely wiped out! Not a single person was left alive!

    The Third Prince had killed so many people that even Xu Shan was stunned, wondering how one person could kill so many. Throughout these years, a saying had appeared in the Eternal Dynasty that it was better to offend the Emperor than offending the Tyrannical Third Prince!

    Even though the Third Prince wasn''t a Celestial Warrior, many Celestial Warriors feared him!

    There was another thing that surprised Xu Shan. No matter how bad Xu Shan was, he never forced a woman, which greatly exceeded his expectations. Let alone forcing a woman, he never even visited a brothel or brought a girl to his Pce! It wasn''t wrong to say that the Third Prince was still pure in that regard.

    Kidnapping the Saintess of the Celestial Pce was the first time he had done something like that. And that too because something happened between them.

    It all started a few hours ago before Xu Shan entered this body. The Third Prince was sitting in the private room of the most expensive restaurant in the Royal City, eating.

    It was around that time when he heard the voice of a womaning from the nearby room. The woman was talking about him... In fact, it was less like talking about him and more like she was insulting him, calling him the greatest scourge in the Celestial Realm.

    At the same time, another girl in her room mentioned that the Third Prince was said to be really handsome, and despite his ruthless nature, manydies in the Dynasty still dreamt of bing his wife.

    In response to that, the Saintess mockingly replied, "Handsome? Even if he were thest man on earth, I wouldn''t let him touch me. In fact, I would rather die than get close to him! Who knows, one day I might kill him personally to cleanse this world!"

    It was that statement that started it all, angering the Third Prince.

    The Third Prince was furious and wanted to kill her right there. However, at that time, Zi Huang informed him about the person''s identity in the next room.

    He didn''t want the Third Prince to offend the Celestial Pce�� at least not openly. At that time, the Third Prince went silent. In the end, he still didn''t give up.

    This was the oue! All the allies of the Saintess in the restaurant were killed. Everyone who saw the Third Prince there was also killed! As for the Saintess... She was kidnapped and brought here before she could even send any information to the Celestial ce.

    Xu Shan frowned after he learned of the matter. No matter how things came to this point, it was still a problem that he had to solve.

    As for the other memories, he had no time to go through them at the time. For now, he only went through the memories regarding what kind of world this was or why the Saintess was here.

    "That''s it! I think I found a solution!" Xu Shan stood up suddenly, thinking of something. "Keep an eye on the Saintess. I''ll be right back!"

    He left the room. Unlikest time, he was more confident in dealing with Zi Huang now. He still didn''t realize that there was another person waiting for him at the entrance of the Pce.

    *

    "Can''t youe up with a new excuse?" Chen Rouyin squinted her eyes as she heard Zi Huang say that the third prince wasn''t there.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It wasn''t the first time she hade here to meet Xu Shan. It also wasn''t the first time she was given this excuse. In fact, ever since she heard about her engagement with the Third Prince, she decided to meet the Third Prince to break the engagement personally!

    How could a useless person, who had nothing to rely on other than his father''s authority and prestige, be her husband?

    She was one of the most talented in her generation in the Chen n! She was only twenty, and she had already be a Celestial General! Her Celestial Spirit was also a special Celestial Spirit! Meanwhile, the Third Prince was nothing but a title! How could she ept to marry him?!

    Her n couldn''t break off the engagement since the Royal Family was involved, which prompted her to take action personally!

    Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, she wasn''t able to meet the Third Prince. Let alone meet him, she wasn''t even able to enter his Pce.

    Even though she was from the Chen n, she couldn''t just barge inside the Pce of a Royal either. No matter how useless Xu Shan was in her eyes, he still represented the Royal Dignity!

    This was also the reason she came in the middle of the night this time. During the day, Xu Shan could give the excuse that he wasn''t in the Pce. However, where else could he be in the middle of the night, other than his Pce?!

    Unfortunately, she was still given the same excuse even at this time, which made her blood boil.

    "Lady Rouyin, please don''t make things difficult for me. It''s not good for ady to visit someone''s house at thiste hour, lest some rumors spread. Please return."

    No matter what, Zi Huang couldn''t let her enter. He already knew the Third Prince''s stance on the matter. He was already very irritated by this Chen Rouyin.

    The Third Prince had already told him that he had no interest in meeting this hard-headed girl. Zi Huang also didn''t want the girl to meet the Third Prince since he was worried that he would kill her one day after she offended him!

    He was not only stopping her for the Third Prince but also for her own sake since the Third Prince couldn''t care less about the Four Great ns.

    Chen Rouyin''s face turned red in anger. Even at this time, she was being treated like this. No matter what, this time, she had made up her mind that she was going to meet the Third Prince, no matter what!

    Her expression darkened as she reached out her hand toward her sword. No matter what, even if she had to cause a huge uproar this time, she wasn''t going to leave! She had made up her mind! Moreover, she was sure Zi Huang wasn''t going to kill her!

    She already knew Zi Huang''s strength. That''s why she also brought a Peak Earth Celestial from her n with her this time! She didn''t intend to make this a peaceful night for the Third Prince.

    Zi Huang noticed her actions. His face also darkened. He was about to advise the youngdy against doing anything stupid. However, before he could speak, he froze in ce, turning around as he heard a familiar voice.

    "Zi Huang. So here you are. I''ve been looking for you inside." A young person stepped out of the castle, covered in beautiful ck royal attire.

    Even though the man didn''t have a single trace of celestial aura around his body, his appearance was still enough to stun the others, especially the Royal Guards.

    They couldn''t help but sigh. Now that the Third Prince was here... Things had turned from bad to worse! If the Third Prince was angry because of Chen Rouyin, he was certainly going tomand them to kill her... They couldn''t ignore hismands either!

    They couldn''t help but look at Chen Rouyin in pity as if the four great families were soon going to be three great families!

 Chapter 9 9: That Pest?

    ?Xu Shan stepped out of the castle. So far, no one knew about the fact that he had kidnapped the Saintess of Celestial Pce. However, there was still one thing he needed to prepare for. For which he needed Zi Huang''s help.

    Unfortunately, unlike before, Zi Huang didn''t appear as soon as he left the room.

    From the memories, he also came to know that only Zi Huang was allowed toe to the floor where he stayed. Most of the other guards remained on the lower floors.

    Even though he had gone through the basic memories, it was still the first time he had personally explored the Pce while looking for Zi Huang. The castle looked so empty. It was so big, but there weren''t many people who stayed there.

    It was only when he went to the lower floor that he sensed some movement outside the castle.

    Currently, Xu Shan stood at the entrance of the castle. Even though he was slightly surprised to find almost all the guards gathered in a single ce, there was not a single ripple of emotion on his face.

    "Your Highness!" All the Guards respectfully greeted the Third Prince. They knew how costly negligence could be!

    Xu Shan had more confidence in dealing with the guards since he now knew what the Third Prince''s personality was like. He didn''t react to the greeting as if the guards were beneath his attention.

    Instead, he nced at the silver-haired woman who stood before his guards. The woman didn''t look much older than him. It was as if she hadn''t even turned twenty yet. However, he could feel her aura.

    With his improved understanding, it wasn''t hard to guess that she was very strong. What surprised him even more was that the woman held a sharp sword in her hand as if she was ready for a battle.

    Behind the women, there were more people. It was as if she hade with a group. Xu Shan tried his best, but even through the Third Prince''s memories, he didn''t recognize that woman.

    For a moment, he even wondered if the Celestial Pce already knew about what he did and sent people here.

    As soon as Xu Shan came out of the Pce, there wasplete silence! Even Chen Rouyin was stunned. She hadn''t expected that the Third Prince would actuallye out personally!

    Moreover, she also didn''t understand why, but she felt a strange kind of pressure as she looked at the Third Prince. She didn''t know what that feeling was. However, it was as if she was being stared at by an ancient beast...

    She had never personally met the Third Prince, so it was her first time seeing him. However, he was just an ordinary person with no celestial aura. She couldn''t understand why she had that dangerous feeling when she looked at the Third Prince. It was some kind of invisible pressure.

    "You finally decided to show yourself."

    Chen Rouyin didn''t let that strange feeling affect her goals. Now that the Third Prince was outside, it was time for her to end the matter and discuss breaking off the engagement with him personally.

    However, her expression turned unsightly as Xu Shanpletely ignored her words. He didn''t even bother looking at her for more than a few seconds before shifting his attention to Zi Huang.

    It was the first time Chen Rouyin felt that someone was looking down on her. She also couldn''t help but feel somewhat embarrassed.

    "Who is she?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan had a better understanding of the Third Prince and how he looked down on everyone other than himself. Even though Xu Shan didn''t like some characteristics of the Third Prince, he certainly had some good points about himself as well.

    Instead of talking to Chen Rouyin, he directly asked Zi Huang about her identity.

    Zi Huang didn''t dy in his answer either, directly telling Xu Shan. "She''s Chen Rouyin, from the Chen n."

    "That pest?" Xu Shan eximed subconsciously. However, no matter how far Chen Rouyin was, she managed to hear what he said. Her face turned red. Not only was this guy ignoring her, but he also called her a pest.

    However, she didn''t know that it wasn''t Xu Shan''s fault either. This was the name that the Third Prince had given her in his memories. The Third Prince always felt that Chen Rouyin was like a pest who kepting to her castle to bug him.

    In fact, he was already thinking about teaching her a lesson the next time she came here.

    For the Third Prince, his engagement was just a joke. He never took it seriously. In fact, hepletely ignored it. That''s why he didn''t even bother meeting with Chen Rouyin whenever she came to the Pce. For him, meeting Chen Rouyin was just a waste of his time.

    In his eyes, there was no engagement. He didn''t even acknowledge its existence.

    "Third Prince, what is the meaning of this?! Are you insulting me?" Chen Rouyin still controlled her anger. If it were someone else who said this about her, she would''ve already beaten them ck and blue. However, it was a littleplicated with a Royal Prince.

    Contrary to the reactions of people from the Chen n, the guards of the Third Prince and Zi Huang werepletely unaffected. All of them already knew the name that the Third Prince had given to thedy of the Chen n.

    .....

    Xu Shan didn''t know that at the same time, the dark-haired woman in his room was standing near the window, looking straight at him. She had a strange expression on her face as if she was lost in some thoughts.

    "It looks like he hasn''t realized yet... The cost of these memories... It''s slowly setting in..."

    ....

    Xu Shan himself was slightly surprised that he said that name out loud. Even he didn''t know why this was happening, but there was a subtle sense of arrogance that had seeped deep within his heart now.

    It was as if he couldn''t consider anyone else as his equal, let alone talk to them in such a manner. Even he didn''t realize why this was happening. It was a very subtle change, yet it caught his attention.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if this was something to do with his current wish. He had only asked for memories from the Third Prince.

    However, he had a feeling that it wasn''t just the memories that he received but certain characteristics as well, which he couldn''t get rid of. It was as if it was his innate nature.

    "Stop ignoring me!" Chen Rouyin couldn''t take it anymore. From the start to the end, Xu Shan hadn''t spoken a single word to her. Her fists were tightly clenched.

 Chapter 10 10: Assassination

    ?Even the Elders of other ns never ignored her like that, let alone an ordinary person who hadn''t even awakened a Celestial Spirit! She was one of the few geniuses who had be a Celestial General in just over two years after awakening her Celestial Spirit!

    Xu Shan frowned, finally turning his attention to Chen Rouyin. He didn''t even realize that there was already a certain sense of displeasure deep within his heart. He was already stressed about the changes in him and the Celestial Pce while this girl came to him, troubling him for no reason.

    He had already given that girl a lot of room to retreat�� at least as much as he could without revealing that he wasn''t the Third Prince. However, she was still holding onto her Sword.

    If he still didn''t do anything, his identity as the Third Prince could very well be suspected. If it was the real Third Prince, he would''ve alreadymanded his men to kill her without caring about the n behind her.

    For him, his own identity and safety was paramount. The girl came here at this time, and that too with her men. It was certainly going overboard. It wouldn''t have been ignored by the Third Prince.

    He just had to get into the character and remind everyone why the Third Prince was feared so much! If not, it would''ve been suspicious.

    However, he also had to do it in such a way that it didn''t bring him too much trouble in the future.

    He didn''t even feel as if it was hard to act like that. It was as if he subconsciously wanted to do that in reality and not just act!

    "You''re still ignoring me?!" Chen Rouyin was trying her hardest to remain calm, even after she was ignored constantly.

    However, the more Xu Shan ignored him, the worse she felt. It reached a point where she couldn''t help but raise her sword, pointing it at the Third Prince as she spoke.

    Xu Shan calmly nced at the girl''s Sword before him. However, there was not a single shred of respect in his eyes.

    At the moment, no one could see it, but there was a subtle shadow of a star deep within his left eye that was barely noticeable by anyone.

    In fact, even the Third Prince, or anyone around him hadn''t known about that!

    "Zi Huang, what''s the punishment for trying to assassinate a Prince?"

    The Third Prince asked, still focused on Chen Rouyin who aimed her Sword at him even though she didn''t really intend to attack.

    Chen Rouyin felt her heart skip a beat. She didn''t know why, but she had a very bad feeling about this! Why would Xu Shan suddenly ask that question out of nowhere?!

    "There''s only one punishment. Death." Zi Huang replied. Even he wondered why the Third Prince suddenly asked that question.

    ''Could it be��?'' He couldn''t help but think of a possibility which sent a chill down his spine.

    "Good. Kill everyone that Lady Rouyin brought with her and capture her. After that, send a letter to father. Tell him that Chen Rouyin brought her people in the middle of the night to assassinate me."

    "Then send a simr letter to the Chen n. Tell them toe to my father''s pce personally and tell us why we shouldn''t kill their precious daughter."

    Hearing Xu Shan''smand, there was not a single person who didn''t feel a chill deep within their hearts, especially the people brought by Chen Rouyin! Their faces turned as pale as a thin sheet of paper.

    Even though they had heard about how ruthless the Prince was, they hadn''t thought that he would go to this extent. They were from one of the four great ns! Their Patriarch was the General of the Eternal Dynasty, protecting the Dynasty throughout the years!

    When they came here, they didn''t think that Xu Shan would dare to touch them! However, reality felt like a p on their faces!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Even though Xu Shan wanted to act the role of the Third Prince and didn''t want to be too extreme, he just didn''t know why, but subconsciously, he was even more extreme than he himself wanted to be! It was as if there was something really wrong about him. However, when he said those words, it felt really good.

    As if there was something within himself that was satisfied! This feeling�� for some reason, he even felt that he had somehow be a little stronger now when he didn''t restrict his actions!

    He didn''t notice, but the subtle shadow of the star in his left eyes became a little less illusory and slightly more real at the moment.

    For some strange reason, the thought of having someone killed didn''t feel wrong or disgusting at the moment. Generally, he would''ve been horrified tomand someone to be killed. However, for some reason, he was perfectly calm, as if he wasmanding for some ants to be killed.

    "Y-you!" Chen Rouyin''s face went pale at the moment as she subconsciously lowered her sword. She hadn''t thought that Xu Shan would go this far, not even giving face to her n!

    "What assassination?! I came here to ask you a question! I just brought my men with me for safety!" She eximed. However, her voice seemingly fell on deaf ears.

    There was not a single ripple of emotion on Xu Shan''s face as he calmly looked at Chen Rouyin, the little princess of the Chen n! In fact, he was already being very considerate by notmanding his men to kill her. If it was the real Third Prince, themand might''ve been a little different.

    The royal guards didn''t dy in executing themand anymore. They surrounded the people that Chen Rouyin brought with her.

    Chen Rouyin''s face turned red in anger. "Don''t push me!"

    She couldn''t take it anymore and raised her Sword. A fight started between the group that Chen Rouyin brought with her and the Royal Guards.

    She wanted to fight her way out of here. If she was caught, things could''ve been really bad. First, she wanted to go back to her n and tell the Elders that she was innocent.

    She didn''t believe the Royal Army would chase after her there. However, if she was caught here and sent to the Emperor''s Pce as a prisoner, the oue was very uncertain. At best, her n would''ve had to pay a lot to calm down the anger of the Emperor so he could free her.

    Not only that, but it would''ve also weakened the foundation of her own n in the Dynasty! Everyone knew how the Emperor treated his third son after all!

    She realized that she had really underestimated the craziness of the Third Prince when she came here! He was even more crazy than the rumors!

    Even though she brought some powerful men from the Chen n with her, including someone who had simr strength to Zi Huang, she was still stunned to find that it was her side that was at a disadvantage!

    The Royal Guards were in a simr celestial realm to her men. However, they were well trained. Their strength couldn''t be defined by their Celestial Realm! If they were weak, they wouldn''t have been allowed to guard the most precious son of the Emperor after all!

    Standing at the entrance, Xu Shan watched the battle calmly. It was his first time seeing a battle between the Celestial Warriors. It wasn''t wrong to say that he was fighting a battle between gods. Each of their attacks was about to destroy cities!

    Unfortunately, more than the battle, he was concerned about his own changes. He really wanted to go back to his room and ask the mysterious woman about this sudden change! Was it because of the cost of his wish? Or was it something else?

    He could feel himself change a little!

    Even as he watched people being killed right before his eyes, he didn''t find it strange. It was as if it was very normal. Through the Third Prince''s memories, he was sure that it was also what the Third Prince often felt.

    In fact, it was wrong to say that the Third Prince had developed a ruthless personality as he grew up. Instead, it was much more urate to say that the Third Prince also suffered with this strange phenomenon... Something that felt uncontroble!

 Chapter 11 11: Book Of Death

    ?....

    The Celestial Realm was filled with many miraculous things. However, as it was prosperousnd, it also had its own power structure

    Many great forces could often be seen fighting over various resources and treasures. It was about their future growth after all.

    However, there were some special forces that had long surpassed that! Those forces were known as the epitome of power and authority! They were true overlords. It was said that offending people from those forces was no less than courting death!

    Even families that had flourished for thousands of years could have been destroyed in a single day as long as they offended these supreme forces.

    Amongst the top forces in the Celestial Realm, the Celestial Pce was a name that could never be forgotten.

    The Celestial Pce was simr to a sect that was filled with many talented people from all around the world. In fact, there were many people who were willing to do anything for a single opportunity to be a member of the Celestial Pce. Unfortunately, it wasn''t easy to join.

    Let alone join the Celestial Pce; others couldn''t even reach the entrance!

    Far away from the borders of the Eternal Dynasty, a floating Ind could often be seen in the sky! The floating ind was surrounded by a mysterious fog throughout the year, which made it impossible to see through the ind.

    Despite that, many people knew what the Ind signified! That Ind was where the Celestial Pce was established millions of years ago!

    If one wanted to go to the Ind, they had to be able to fly or at least possess a treasure that could help them fly. Not only that, but they also had to pass through the mysterious fog. One wrong step and that strange fog was enough to devour a person''s body and soul!

    It was because of this Floating Ind that the Celestial Pce was so hard to approach. Only the members of the Celestial Pce could easily pass through the fog to enter or leave the Ind.

    It was also said that the ind had a great defense. Even a powerful Earth Celestial couldn''t break through their defense. Moreover, even if someone broke through their defense, it wouldn''t have made any difference.

    The Celestial Pce was filled with powerful warriors that could tten countries with a single attack after all!

    Only some undying Dynasties like the Eternal Dynasty, the Sky Dynasty, and such couldpare to the Celestial Pce when it came to overall strength!

    Anyone who saw the mysterious floating ind could only shake their heads, full of envy in their eyes!

    The Floating Ind spanned for hundreds of kilometers. And in the center of the Ind, there existed a majestic pce that was no less exotic than the Royal ces of various great Dynasties!

    Just the pce alone was spread over two hundred kilometers! It was impossible to see the entire pce in a few nces! It was said that the Pce contained an entirely closed world inside!

    Currently, deep within the Celestial Pce, there was a mansion that spanned over two hundred meters. However, not many people were allowed to approach the mansion.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Let alone the mansion; just the area, in general, was forbidden because it was where the core members of the Celestial Pce were assigned their mansions!

    The Saintess of the Celestial Pce also had a mansion in this ce, which belonged to her alone! If one was to consider the youngsters of the Celestial Pce, it wasn''t wrong to say that the Saintess had the highest position!

    Not only did she have a rare Celestial Spirit, but she also had a special physique that wasn''t seen in over ten thousand years. That''s also why the Celestial Pce ced so much importance on her, giving her all the resources that she could need.

    At the moment, in the mansion of the Saintess, a young man was sitting on the bed. His expressions were grim, and he could often be seen frowning.

    The young man was in his early twenties. Even though he wasn''t as well known as the Saintess, he was still one of the strongest youngsters in the Celestial Pce!

    He also had another identity. He was the elder brother of the Saintess of Celestial Pce. He was Yu Ming. That was also why he was allowed to stay in this mansion.

    Currently, the man had a deep frown on his face as he looked at a gray book in his hand...

    The book had a mysterious aura around it. It was nothing like anything he ever saw before! In fact, even the greatest treasure of the Celestial Pce paled inparison to this book.

    If Xu Shan were here, he would''ve been slightly surprised to see the book. It was somewhat simr to his Book of Desires. It was also Nameless and had a powerful aura. However, at the same time, it was also very different. The aura of this book waspletely different from the Book of Desires!

    It was as if the two books had a simr origin but were quite different at their core.

    "Book of Death?" Yu Ming softly muttered. He had already gone through this book and understood a few things about it. However, he was still finding it hard to believe.

    It wasn''t long since he returned from the outside. He had only gone for exploration in a newly discovered ruin. It was also there that he found this book. Because he felt the book was special, he brought it back. However, when he read the first page of the book, he found it really hard to believe!

    "I can kill anyone as long as I write their true name with their blood in this book, but one of my loved ones will also die with that person? Can this be real? It doesn''t look like it''s a joke. The aura of this book isn''t fake. But, still..."

    When he brought the book back with him, he thought it would have some heavenly skill written inside, or information about some mythical worldly spirit. However, the reality waspletely beyond his expectations.

    "Even if it''s true, I can''t use it! It''s impossible! If I have an enemy, I''ll kill them with my own hands! Why would I use this book and sacrifice my loved ones?! Never!"

    Yu Ming''s hands trembled slightly as he closed the gray book. If he weren''t worried that others might find it and try using it, he would''ve already tossed the book away! However, just to keep the book secure, he kept it in his storage ring carefully!

    After keeping the mysterious book in his storage ring, he wiped the sweat on his forehead before gulping down some water.

    "I wonder when Fei''er will be back," he muttered, thinking about his little sister, who had also left a few weeks ago.

 Chapter 12 12: Someone Much Scarier

    ?....

    Xu Shan stood at the entrance of his Pce, watching the battle, looking a bit bored. In fact, it was wrong to even call it a battle. The people that Chen Rouyin brought with her were being dominated by his Royal Guards.

    It was as if the people she brought were kids who were trying to stop an elephant with bare hands. It didn''t take long before almost all of them were killed by his guards, leaving only Chen Rouyin, whose face was ashen now!

    Since she hadn''t met Xu Shan and only heard rumors about him, she never truly imagined just how scary that guy could be.

    Since Xu Shan didn''t go against the Four Great Families in the past, she thought that he was still considerate about their strength and wasn''t going to take any drastic steps, even if she went a little overboard.

    She didn''t realize that the reason Xu Shan didn''t go against the four major ns wasn''t because he was worried about them! Instead, it was because the four great ns always avoided him as if he was a walking gue. Let alone offending him; they even avoided the area he went to!

    Now that all her guards were killed, Chen Rouyin stopped resisting. Her sword dropped to the ground as she clenched her fists tightly, looking at the bodies of her people all around her.

    She had already realized that she couldn''t get back to her n tonight. She could only surrender if she didn''t want to die! She couldn''t help but feel a gut-wrenching regret over his decision toe here and be forceful!

    Now that all the people she brought with her were dead, she naturally didn''t have any witnesses that could prove that Xu Shan took the lead to attack them first. She wasn''t stupid enough to think about his guards siding with her. It was clear that they were going to lie for the Prince if it came to that.

    Her body was visibly trembling. It was unclear if it was because she was scared or because she was angry.

    "Tie her hands and keep an eye on her," Xu Shan told his guards before shifting his attention to Zi Huang. "Come with me."

    Zi Huang nodded and followed after the Third Prince. He naturally didn''t find anything different about him. On the other hand, the other guards tied the hands of Chen Rouyin, who had stopped resisting.

    Xu Shan stopped inside the castle, facing Zi Huang. From here, no other guards could hear what he was about to say.

    "I want you to personally take Chen Rouyin to the Royal Pce. However, escorting her is only secondary. Your primary purpose is to bring something back! I want you to tell Father that I want an Aura Ring urgently."

    "An Aura Ring?" Zi Huang clearly understood what that ring was. However, he also knew that there were only two such rings with the Eternal Dynasty Royal Family.

    The rings were very precious as they were made from a special gem that was almost impossible to find. The ring could help a person hide from all sorts of probing! Its main purpose was to help a person hide. Even though the ring didn''t turn a person invisible, if one wore the ring, no one could trace them no matter which treasure was used!

    Zi Huang couldn''t help but wonder why the Third Prince was asking for that ring. Was he trying to use it on the Saintess to ensure the Celestial Pce couldn''t trace her? Even though he had his suspicions, he couldn''t ask any questions.

    Even though the ring was precious, he was sure that the Eternal Emperor was going to hand over a ring from the treasury since it was the Third Prince who was asking for it.

    Zi Huang told the guards to increase the mansion''s security until he returned.

    After preparing everything, he left with Chen Rouyin, who was ring at Xu Shan. If looks could kill, the Xu Shan would''ve already been dead!

    Xu Shan didn''t care about Chen Rouyin. His mind was already in chaos because of everything he experienced today regarding the subtle change in his personality... Especially the strange inner feeling.

    Chen Rouyin was insignificant to the Third Prince, and it was the same for him. He was sure that his father was going to let her live. However, the Chen n would''ve had to bleed a lot for that.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan didn''t care about that though. It was for his father and the Chen n to worry about.

    He also had another reason for going with this n as well. Chen Rouyin came to his Pce and was caught attempting to assassinate him. The news was going to spread sooner orter.

    He was sure that many people were going to see through his tricks, and that''s precisely what he wanted! He made it so obvious intentionally!

    This way, even if the people from the Celestial Pce came to investigate their Saintess'' disappearance from this city, they weren''t going to dare investigate his Pce, worried that he was going to use them as well.

    Even the Celestial Pce would''ve had to be careful and not get caught in an usation like that. This was anotheryer of protection he cast for himself.

    After telling the guards to clean up the Entrance of his Pce, he entered the Castle and went back to his room.

    ��.

    The Third Prince''s room waspletely silent. The Saintess was still unconscious on the bed. However, her face was starting to regain some color, as if it wasn''t going to be long before she woke up.

    "If you''re still wondering if you should kill her or not, I suggest you don''t."

    While Xu Shan was gazing at the girl on the bed, the mysterious dark-haired woman approached.

    She had stayed inside the room and hadn''t left. Even though Xu Shan wondered if she really was the spirit of the Book of Desires, he couldn''t find an answer.

    "Why do you say so?" He still remembered that when the dark-haired woman first appeared, she told him that killing the Saintess was the best solution.

    He couldn''t help but wonder just what happened in thest half an hour for her to change her mind.

    "Just a thought." The dark-haired woman smiled, not saying much. It was clear that she knew something but wasn''t willing to tell him.

    Xu Shan frowned, silently gazing at the girl on the bed. The identity of the Saintess was special. It was also clear that she had many secrets. In fact, even Xu Shan wasn''t sure if he should kill her or not.

    He had a feeling that the death of the Third Prince was what allowed him to take possession of this body.

    Initially, he thought that the Third Prince died because the Book of Desires killed him to make room for his soul. However, he also couldn''t ignore the possibility that he died because of the Saintess.

    He already knew that the dark-haired woman wasn''t going to tell him which of the two possibilities was the truth.

    "Why is my personality changing?"

    For the time being, he ignored the Saintess and focused on the main topic that had been guing his mind. He could feel that his personality had changed, and it changed very abruptly.

    He was still Xu Shan from the earth. However, at the same time, he felt as if he was someone else as well! Someone much more dangerous and scary than the previous Third Prince could ever hope to be!

 Chapter 13 13: Devouring

    ?Even though a huge battle had ended outside the pce, the bedroom of the Third Prince waspletely silent. Even if one were to ce their ears on the door and listen carefully, they wouldn''t have heard anything.

    It was because after Xu Shan''s question, the woman before him didn''t answer at all. Instead, she looked back at him as if she was observing something on his face.

    The shadow of a star was still somewhat visible in the depths of his left eye, even though it was faint.

    "Your Celestial Spirit is showing signs of waking up. It might be because of that." After a long time, the dark-haired woman finally responded. She wanted to say something else as well; however, after hesitating for a little, she stopped and didn''t speak.

    "My Celestial Spirit?"

    As Xu Shan had the memories of the Third Prince, he naturally understood what a Celestial Spirit was. In fact, it wasn''t wrong to say that a Celestial Spirit was something that almost everyone desired. Unfortunately, one could only be born with it and not snatch it from others.

    In that regard, the Celestial Spirits differed significantly from Worldly Spirits, which could be captured and absorbed to gain abilities. A Celestial Spirit had its own consciousness and intelligence!

    A person could only awaken a Celestial Spirit before turning ten. After that, a Celestial Spirit was nurtured inside their body until they turned eighteen! It was only after they turned eighteen that a Celestial Spirit was said to beplete, granting its abilities to the host.

    Xu Shan could only frown in response, doubting her words. He was awakening his Celestial Spirit? That was impossible. The Third Prince didn''t have a Star Symbol on his body when he was ten! Even now, he had no Star Sign that he could think of!

    A star sign was a symbol of a person awakening a Celestial Spirit! It was something that people dreamt of! However, most people had their star signs on the back of their hands, or in some rare cases, on their neck or chest.

    However, there had never been a case where a Star Sign had appeared within the depths of someone''s eyes. That''s why no one knew about it, including the Third Prince.

    For everyone, the Third Prince was a person without a Celestial Spirit. However, the reality was quite different. It was just that his Star Sign wasn''t seen by anyone yet!

    Most people partially awakened their Celestial Spirit at the age of ten, receiving their Star Mark, whichpletely awakened at the age of eighteen. It was after that point that they could start condensing the Celestial Aura inside their bodies and utilize the abilities of their Celestial Spirits.

    "You don''t believe me, do you?" The dark-haired woman smiled, but she didn''t try to convince Xu Shan. She already knew that Xu Shan had a Celestial Spirit. She also knew what kind of Celestial Spirit it was, even though it hadn''t awakenedpletely!

    Generally, a Star Spirit waspletely awakened by the time a person turned eighteen! However, the Third Prince was already twenty years old, and his Star Spirit was still in the process ofpletion, which only showed just how different it was from any other Celestial Spirits.

    Xu Shan knew that the woman before him had no reason to lie about that. It didn''t matter to her if he had a Celestial Spirit or not. However, he still couldn''t understand how it was possible. There was no Star Mark on his body that he could think of.

    "I believe you. But where is my Star Mark?" In the end, he directly asked the woman before him.

    If he really had a Celestial Spirit, he must''ve had a Star Mark that was visible. He had already seen his body. It was also checked by others when the Third Prince was younger to make sure that he didn''t have a Star Mark.

    "If I really have the Celestial Spirit, I should have a Star Mark. However, it remained undetected throughout the years. Despite that, you noticed it instantly. In that case, it should be visible! It''s just that no one noticed it!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan walked closer to the mirror in the distance. He decided to believe the dark-haired woman for the time being.

    As he stepped before the mirror, his primary attention was on his face. He still hadn''t forgotten how the woman observed his face before saying that he had a Celestial Spirit!

    Xu Shan checked his face thoroughly, from his cheeks to his ears to his tongue. However, he couldn''t find the Star Sign.

    In the end, he decided to ask the woman directly. However, just as he was about to turn around, he stopped and thought of something. There was something he still hadn''t checked! His eyes!

    Thinking of this point, he moved closer to the mirror and looked carefully deep inside his eyes.

    It was only now that his face revealed a look of surprise. He finally saw it! No matter how faint it was, from this closeness, he was able to see the Star Sign in the depths of his deep blue eyes!

    "No wonder others didn''t find it..."

    Even though he was surprised, he was also somewhat ted! He had a Celestial Spirit! That meant he didn''t have to be a mortal! He didn''t have topletely rely on the Dynasty! Instead, the Dynasty and the Book of Desires could be his additional strength!

    "What''s my Celestial Spirit?" He turned around as his long hair fluttered with the gentle wind. "It hasn''t even awakenedpletely, yet it can influence my personality?"

    "Not only that, but I think it''s also because of this Celestial Spirit that my body couldn''t absorb any Worldly Spirits! Others thought that the Third Prince had a cursed physique, but it was because of this Celestial Spirit?!"

    He was really curious about what kind of Celestial Spirit it was. However, he knew that it was impossible to find that until itpletely awakened.

    "Celestial Spirit of Devouring."

    Just as Xu Shan was thinking that he''ll have to wait a long time to find out what kind of Celestial Spirit it was, he heard the beautiful yet aloof voice of the dark-haired woman echoing in the room.

    He could also sense a little surprise in the woman''s tone. It was as if she was also a little surprised.

    "That should be the Celestial Spirit of the Third Prince that you inherited. As for what your own Celestial Spirit will be, I''ve no idea for now."

    "My Celestial Spirit and the Third Prince''s Celestial Spirit? You mean there''s another one?"

    Xu Shan clearly hadn''t expected that. In this world, no one had two Celestial Spirits, let two in which one was a Supreme Celestial Spirit like the Celestial Spirit of Devouring!

    At best, people had one Celestial Spirit and a few Worldly Spirits. But two Celestial Spirits? One could only dream! For a moment, he even wondered if he misunderstood the dark-haired woman''s words.

 Chapter 14 14: Either Itll Swallow You, Or Youll Devour It All!

    ?As if realizing what Xu Shan was thinking about, the dark-haired woman smiled. "A Celestial Spirit is attached to a person''s soul. It has nothing to do with the body."

    She further continued, ignoring the confused expressions of Xu Shan. "The Third Prince''s Celestial Spirit is yours since you''ve merged with him. However, your real soul from the earth ispletely new to this world. It also counts as apletely new entity."

    "That''s why you should be getting another Celestial Spirit soon. As for what your second Celestial Spirit will be..." She shrugged. "I guess we''ll only know when the timees."

    "A Celestial Spirit that was attached to the Third Prince''s Soul? Why didn''t it affect my personality right away then?!"

    He remembered that his personality only started changing after he left his room. Before that, he still feltpletely normal. No matter what, he had a hunch that it was rted to the book.

    "Isn''t that because of your wish?" The dark-robed woman didn''t even try to hide anything. "If you receive his memories, of course, you should also receive his problems..."

    Hearing her words, Xu Shan understood everything! So this was the cost he had to pay! He had to share his soul with the Third Prince''s Celestial Spirit!

    The Third Prince became known as a Crazy Tyrant all because this Celestial Spirit decayed his morality! It was the biggest influence on the Third Prince and his biggest problem.

    Initially, Xu Shan didn''t have to worry about that Celestial Spirit since his soul was different. He was free from the influence of the Celestial Spirit of Devouring, even though he couldn''t use it either.

    However, as soon as he opened his soul for those memories, the Book sent one more thing to his soul... The Celestial Spirit of Devouring! Living with this Demonic Celestial Spirit... That was the cost he paid for those memories!

    For others, it might be a blessing to think that he received a unique Celestial Spirit. However, for him, it was quite different. Now that he knew that he was also going to receive another Celestial Spirit, he would''ve been fine even without the Celestial Spirit of Devouring!

    He initially didn''t have to carry the burden of the Celestial Spirit of Devouring. However, now things had be much more troublesome.

    He couldn''t help but nce at the dark-robed woman next to him as if this was what she wanted. The idea to receive the memories was given to him by her as well! He had a feeling that she wanted him to receive this Celestial Spirit. As for the reason, he still didn''t know.

    When he was thinking about regaining the Third Prince''s memories, his biggest worry was losing himself in the process. Even though it didn''t happen like he worried it would, the oue wasn''t much different.

    He was still himself, but his innate nature... It had changed. And it was what happened when his Celestial Spirit of Devouring wasn''t evenpletely awake yet!

    He couldn''t help but wonder what was going to happen when this Celestial Spiritpletely awakened! Was he going to lose all his emotions? Or could he control that Celestial Spirit?

    There was another thing he worried about... It was his second Celestial Spirit. He couldn''t help but wonder if his second Celestial Spirit was going to be destroyed by his first Celestial Spirit if it was too weak? There were too many questions left.

    "Why does it feel like I''m stuck in quicksand? The more I try to get out of it, the more I''m caught?" He muttered, ncing at the dark-haired woman next to him who pretended not to hear him.

    Whenever he tried to solve one problem, he realized that two more were waiting for him. This was a real headache for him!

    "This entire world is a quicksand. Either you''ll get swallowed by it, or you''ll devour it all! It depends on you..." The woman''s voice echoed in the room as her figure turned illusory before she disappeared entirely.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    For quite some time, Xu Shan remained standing in his ce, thinking back to the dark-robed woman''s words.

    "Either I''ll be swallowed by it, or I''ll devour it all?" He repeated those vague words.

    ....

    The Emperor''s Pce was the most majestic pce in the entire Eternal Dynasty! In fact, even whenpared to the Celestial Pce on the floating ind, it didn''t pale inparison.

    No matter who saw the Pce, they were left in a daze for a long time. The Emperor''s Pce was so majestic yet so beautiful... It was like gods lived inside this ce!

    Even though the Prince''s Pces were luxurious, they could never bepared to the Pce where the Emperor of the Eternal Dynasty lived!

    It was said that simr to the Celestial Pce, the Emperor''s Pce also had a small world inside! It was as if it contained a different space inside, which separated it from the Celestial Realm!

    The Pce had vast fields that were filled with rare herbs that were hard to find in the Celestial Realm! It was said that there were even some rare herbs that were over a million years old and couldpletely heal a person who was on the verge of death!

    There were even many herbs that could expand a person''s lifespan by up to a hundred years each!

    There wasn''t just the herb garden inside the Emperor''s Pce but also a training field, covering an area as vast as a Kingdom!

    Millions of Royal Soldiers trained inside the training field every day, just waiting for the day when they would be called for a battle!

    The soldiers were filled with vitality and strength! There was not one person amongst those millions of soldiers who was not a Celestial Warrior! It was enough to show how much strength the Eternal Dynasty hid behind the surface!

    This was also the reason that no other Dynasty dared to even think about attacking the Eternal Dynasty.

    Currently, the Emperor of the Eternal Dynasty was sitting on a majestic throne that was made from Rare Celestial Stones. Just the aura of the Emperor alone was enough to suppress everyone inside the Royal Pce.

    Not one person dared to speak to the Emperor until they were asked to speak.

    However, even the Emperor was currently frowning.

    There was a woman before him. Her hands were tied, and she was sitting on her knees. Obviously, the Emperor recognized her. She was the granddaughter of the Eternal Dynasty''s Great General and also the daughter of the current Chen n Patriarch.

    At the moment, the woman was sitting on her knees like a prisoner. Next to her was Zi Huang, who was also on his knees respectfully.

 Chapter 15 15: Before Your Hands Can Even Reach My Neck, Your Head Will Roll!

    ?....

    "You look so harmless when you''re sleeping so peacefully."

    Xu Shan sat on the bed, looking at the unconscious Saintess. Ever since the dark-haired woman disappeared, he was left alone with the Saintess, lost in thought.

    "Could you really be the one who killed him?" It appeared as if he was talking to himself, still wondering how the real Third Prince actually died. "Or was it your Celestial Spirit?"

    There were many mysteries in this world when it came to Celestial Spirits. There were also many people who Awakened Celestial Spirits that had never appeared before, for example, his own Celestial Spirit of Devouring.

    "Umm..."

    Xu Shan raised his brows, hearing the Saintess making a sound. It was as if she was close to waking up.

    The Saintess of the Celestial Pce was well known all around the world. However, only the people of the Celestial Pce knew that her real name was Yu Fei. Moreover, even in the Celestial Pce, the number of people who knew what kind of Celestial Spirit she had could be counted with a single hand.

    She had barely turned twenty years old, and she was close to bing an Earth Celestial, which was the same realm where Xu Shan''s Royal Guard Zi Huang was.

    Xu Shan understood just how much trouble this girl could be. When he first came to this world, he really hesitated about killing people. However, he could feel changes in himself...changes that he didn''t like.

    He couldn''t help but look at his slightly pale hands.

    ''As expected, I don''t feel anything at the thought of killing someone. The Celestial Spirit of Devouring... Just what exactly are you?''

    While he was slightly distracted, the Saintess finally opened her eyes, only to be stunned at the realization that she wasn''t in the restaurant anymore.

    Moreover, she could feel that her hands and legs were tied, which shocked her. Thest thing she remembered was that she was eating in the restaurant and the next thing she knew�� the world turnedpletely dark! She knew she had been poisoned!

    Even though her hands and legs were tied, it wasn''t enough to stop her, especially now that she was awake! She was already a 9th-grade Celestial General after all! Just a little force and the chains that tied her hands and legs broke apart.

    The Saintess sat up while a frown developed on her face as she noticed Xu Shan standing beside the bed with his hands behind his back.

    "You''re the one who drugged me?" Her eyes observed her surroundings. Her face darkened as she realized that she was in someone''s bedroom. On top, her hands and legs were tied previously, which made her think of a lot of things!

    A trace of killing intent shed in her eyes as if she was going to kill the man before her if she didn''t get a satisfactory answer!

    Even though her Sword and other treasures were missing, she could see that the man before her was a mortal. She didn''t need weapons to kill an insect!

    Fortunately, she still had clothes on her body and knew that nothing had truly happened. Otherwise, she wouldn''t even wait to ask a question!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I would advise you to drop your thoughts about killing me. Otherwise, before your hands can even reach my neck, your head will roll on the ground."

    Generally, Xu Shan would''ve been pretty scared to face the killing intent of a Celestial General. However, ever since his innate nature changed, for some reason, he lost his ability to feel fear at all, along with some other senses.

    At times he even wondered if he could still feel sadness and happiness or not. He was still the previous Xu Shan, but his emotions weren''t in his control anymore, if he had any left. Only his thoughts were still the same old; however, even they were slowly getting corrupted.

    Yu Fei''s brows arched as her frown deepened. She couldn''t feel anyone else in this room. That''s why she didn''t understand why this mortal before her was so confident? Unless there was an Earth Celestial or a Sky Celestial hiding in this room to protect him?

    As she thought of the possibility, her face became even more solemn. She realized that not many people could afford a luxurious room like this.

    The man before her was definitely an heir of one of the four Major ns of the Eternal Dynasty or even a Royal Family member! Since she hadn''t seen the Third Prince before, she couldn''t directly recognize him. Even she didn''t believe that the Third Prince would be stupid enough to kidnap her.

    "Who are you?"

    "Thest man on earth," Xu Shanzily answered, thinking back to the words the Saintess had spoken in the restaurant about the Third Prince. "The viin that you wanted to kill with your own hands."

    Even though there was no smile on Xu Shan''s face, Yu Fei could feel that those words were filled with taunts!

    At this point, it wasn''t hard for her to recognize who the person before her was! She also gained a rough understanding as to why he made a move against her. However, what she didn''t understand was why she was still alive?

    She slowly moved back, getting off the bed and onto her feet.

    "Where are my friends?" She asked.

    Since she knew that the man before her was the Third Prince, she couldn''t ignore the possibility that someone was really hiding in the room. Why else would the Third Prince be so confident and unafraid in this situation?!

    "They went on a long vacation. I doubt you''ll see them in the future. They might just settle in the ce they went to, after all."

    "You killed them?" Yu Fei''s body was visibly trembling as if she found it really hard to control her anger. If she wasn''t worried that someone was hiding in the darkness, she would''ve already crushed the Third Prince''s throat.

    "Me?" Xu Shan shrugged as hezily turned around as if he didn''t even take her presence seriously. "I''m but a weak human without a Celestial Spirit. Do you really think I can kill people?"

    The Saintess clenched her fists. Throughout her conversation, she had been trying to find where the Royal Guards were hiding. However, until now, she had no idea.

    "Be careful of this man. He is dangerous." While the Saintess was trying to find a way to get close to Xu Shan without getting killed by the hidden expert, she heard a voice in her head that appeared to havee from the depths of her soul.

 Chapter 16 16: Dangerous

    ?Yu Fei didn''t reveal any surprise on her face, as if it wasn''t the first time she heard that child-like voice. She wasn''t the only person who had heard such voices either!

    It was the voice of a Celestial Spirit! A Celestial Spirit had its own consciousness and intelligence. Once a Celestial Spiritpletely awakened, they could talk to their host and help them independently when needed.

    However, it wasn''t often that a Celestial Spirit was scared of others!

    Even though a Celestial Spirit had consciousness, they weren''t scared of being killed. Even when the opponents were much stronger than their hosts, they still helped their hosts with all they had.

    It was the first time that Yu Fei felt fear in the voice of her Celestial Spirit! Moreover, it was a fear that her Celestial Spirit felt from a Mortal!

    Throughout the years, Yu Fei fought many battles, and she had faced many enemies. There were many asions when she was on the verge of death. However, her Celestial Spirit never behaved like that! It was the first time for her as well, which slightly surprised her.

    ''What is so dangerous about him? Isn''t he just a Mortal? If anything, we need to worry about the Sky Celestial hiding in the room. We need to find an escape route first. If I can take the Third Prince hostage, our chances of escape will be much higher!''

    ''After we get out of the Pce, I''ll be able to contact the Celestial ce!''

    Yu Fei didn''t understand why her Celestial Spirit was scared. Her Celestial Spirit was a grade nine Celestial Spirit which was the highest grade! If anything, it was the strongest tier Celestial Spirit. So why should it be scared?

    "When you were unconscious, he tried to touch you. I used everything I had to attack him." The child-like voice echoed in her head again. "It should''ve killed any ordinary person. Even a Celestial General would''ve been gravely injured. However, he waspletely fine!"

    Yu Fei wasn''t a stranger to the skill that her Celestial Spirit talked about. It was her strongest skill, and it really should''ve killed the Third Prince even if he was as strong as her, or at least he should''ve been heavily injured.

    However, looking at his condition, she could see that he was perfectly fine. If she hadn''t heard it directly from her Celestial Spirit, she would''ve thought that it was a lie.

    "Not only is he fine, but he also feels more dangerous now! As if... As if there''s something inside him now that is warning me... warning me to stay away..."

    The child-like Celestial Spirit was really concerned. Even she didn''t know what that feeling was. However, it was a fear that came from deep within... As if it was something that shouldn''t exist at all!

    Xu Shan could see Yu Fei''s expressions changing constantly. It was quite different from how she was behaving previously.

    "Your Celestial Spirit is really talkative, isn''t it?"

    His words echoed in the room, stunning the Saintess and even her Celestial Spirit. For a moment, they even wondered if Xu Shan could hear their thoughts!

    They didn''t realize that it wasn''t that he could hear them. It was just that her facial expressions and sudden silence made it evident that she was talking to someone. The only thing she could talk to was her Celestial Spirit, as all her items and treasures had already been taken away.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan couldn''t help but wonder just what that Celestial Spirit was talking about. He had a few guesses of his own already.

    "I must say, when your Celestial Spirit attacked me, it did tickle me a little. Your Celestial Spirit isn''t half bad."

    Xu Shan didn''t know if the Third Prince died because of the Saintess. However, if that was the case, then it was definitely because her Celestial Spirit was a rare type, and it had attacked the Third Prince.

    Since he had no evidence, he could only test it and hope that Yu Fei''s expressions could give some information away.

    Just as he expected, the Saintess went silent. Her frown deepened, yet she didn''t question him. It was clear she knew what he was talking about.

    ''I see. So my guess was right. Her Celestial Spirit must be a rare one. I wonder what it can really do and what its limitations are?''

    More than her Celestial Spirit, he was concerned about why the dark-haired woman told him to not kill the Saintess. Was she worried that he would die if the Celestial Spirit attacked? It didn''t seem that simple. If that was the case, he could''ve just asked the other guards to kill her.

    No matter how strong her Celestial Spirit was, she couldn''t kill so many powerful guards. Her death was inevitable.

    ''Then what is so special about her?'' Xu Shan was really intrigued.

    "Do you know the consequences of kidnapping me? Do you think the Eternal Dynasty will be able to protect you?"

    Ultimately, Yu Fei dropped the idea of taking Xu Shan hostage. Even though that was the easier option, but because of the warning of her Celestial Spirit, she didn''t take action. She could also see that something wasn''t right about the Third Prince. He wasn''t like how a mortal should be!

    "When ites to protecting, the Eternal Dynasty is still better than the Celestial Pce, won''t you say so? After all, I''m not the one trying to find a way out of someone else''s bedroom."

    Yu Fei''s face twitched as she grew more and more irritated. It was as if Xu Shan had a response ready for everything.

    Not only did he not worry about her threat, but he used her words as a foundation tounch an insult back at the Celestial ce! Before this, she had never met someone so brazen.

    She had heard that the Third Prince was crazy. He was a thoughtless person who didn''t think about anything and only relied on the Eternal Dynasty tomit many evil deeds.

    Now that she saw him personally, she was convinced that he really was crazy. However, she didn''t agree with him being a thoughtless person. If anything, he appeared to be someone who already had everything under his control.

    It was as if he expected this scene to take ce exactly like he had nned! From the flow of the conversation to the insults, threats, and even her conversation with her Celestial Spirit... It was as if all of them were nned by him in such a way that she could realize just what danger she was in!

 Chapter 17 17: As Useless As The Existence Of Celestial Palace

    ?"What do you want from me?"

    Currently, this was the biggest question in Yu Fei''s mind. The man before her had kidnapped her. However, he didn''t kill her, even when he had an opportunity. This didn''t make sense to her.

    Moreover, she wasn''t naive enough to think that the Third Prince had a change of heart and somehow suddenly awakened his morality.

    "Information."

    Xu Shan only spoke one word in response.

    In reality, he didn''t want much from the woman. She was more of a headache than anything, especially her Celestial Spirit which was dangerous. However, he couldn''t tell her that he only left her alive because a mysterious spirit told him to.

    No matter how he ended up in this situation, he had to use it to his advantage! And what better advantage than to know his future enemies through her?!

    What the worldcked the most now was information about the Celestial Pce. Only very little was known about them. No one knew what their exact strength was, or what secrets the Celestial Pce hid from the world.

    No matter why the Saintess was in his room, now that she was here, he had already be an enemy of the Celestial Pce even if he didn''t want to.

    He could kill her but that didn''t mean the Celestial Pce wasn''t going to find out about him in the future. Killing the Saintess and sending the body outside the Empire wasn''t the answer either after all.

    Once someone located her body near the Eternal Dynasty, it wasn''t hard to guess who could be behind it!

    Many people knew the Saintess was in the Royal Capital. If the next morning, her body was found outside the Dynasty, no matter how stupid the Celestial Pce was, it would be too obvious that a great force was behind this. No one else could send the Saintess out of the Dynasty in such a short time.

    There were only a few powers in the Eternal Dynasty and with his reputation, her death was going to be pinned to him!

    That''s why his initial n was to first hide the Saintess''s aura with the Aura Ring. That way, no one could locate her exact whereabouts.

    Moreover, after a few weeks, even if she was killed outside the Dynasty, no one could link that to the Eternal Dynasty. A few weeks were enough for even a normal bandit to reach the borders of the Dynasty after all!

    Even though that was his initial n, he also understood that it wasn''t perfect. The mes of this incident were going to reach him, no matter what he did! It was only a matter of time.

    He was already fated to go against the Celestial Pce and he didn''t have any second thoughts about it. So before the Celestial Pce came to him, he wanted to deal with them!

    If someone else had known that a man who hadn''t even awakened his Celestial Spirit wanted to destroy the Celestial Pce, they would''ve thought that he had gone crazy.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In fact, even Xu Shan knew how hard this task was. If it was his old self, he would''ve been cursing himself for having such a dangerous thought. All his thoughts would''ve been chaotic, making him sweat by now. However, it was different now.

    His face didn''t have even a single ripple of emotion as he thought of such a thing. His thoughts were clear and concise. He didn''t know how he was going to do it, but that didn''t matter.

    He had received this new life in exchange for his father''s life. No matter who it was that threatened his life, he wasn''t going to let it go, even if it meant destroying the entire Celestial Pce!

    "You want information?" The Saintess asked, slightly taken aback. However, it made sense to her. If he was after some information, it made sense that he kept her alive.

    But what information did he want? That was the main question in her mind. For some reason, she had a really bad feeling about this.

    "What information do you want?" Her expressions became solemn. She hoped that it wasn''t what she thought it was.

    Unfortunately, her face only darkened when she heard Xu Shan''s following words. "I want information about the Celestial Pce. I want to know everything that you know... Not a single detail should be missing."

    "You''re asking me to betray the Celestial Pce?" Killing intent shed in Yu Fei''s eyes.

    The Celestial Pce was her home! She was born inside the Celestial Pce! Her parents gave their lives to protect that ce! She couldn''t even bear the thought of betraying the Celestial Pce just to save her life.

    Xu Shan waspletely unaffected by her killing intent, despite being a mortal. He didn''t know why, but just as he was starting to feel ufortable under her killing intent, a strange feeling came from his heart.

    It was a strange strength that made himpletely unaffected by the killing intent. It was as if it was devouring this extremely weak killing intent around him while mockingly asking, ''How dare it show such weak tricks before the Monarch!''

    "Betrayal is a strong word, isn''t it?" Xu Shan ignored her killing intent and continued, "I just have a heart that seeks knowledge. I want to know more about the fascinating Celestial Pce. I mean no harm."

    "Do you think I will believe you?"

    Yu Fei wasn''t scared of death, if it was to protect her home. She had spent all her life there. Her elder brother stayed there as well, along with all the Elders who taught her everything she knew. Even if there was a small chance that it might risk their safety, she wasn''t willing to do it!

    "Do you think you can stop me?" Xu Shan calmly asked in return. "Either you''ll tell me willingly, or I''ll have to ask someone to use Soul Search on you. The only difference is that thetter would be so painful that it''d make you wish you were dead."

    "Oh right, before you think about killing yourself, remember... Even when you''re dead, we can still use Soul Search upto five minutes after your death. So your actions will be as useless as the existence of the Celestial Pce."

    Xu Shan didn''t give even a single moment for Yu Fei to gather her thoughts as he kept cutting off all her paths without even moving a single finger.

 Chapter 18 18: Third Princes Birth

    ?....

    Back in the Emperor''s Pce, the atmosphere was really heavy. No one dared to move at all, only taking subtle nces at the Emperor''s face, wondering what he might be thinking about.

    Before the Emperor stood the Patriarch of the Chen Family, who was also the son of the Eastern General of the Eternal Dynasty!

    It was said that amongst the four Generals of the Eternal Dynasty, the Eastern General was the second strongest! In fact, even in the entire Eternal Dynasty, his strength was near the peak!

    Since his father was guarding the Eastern Border, the Patriarch of the Chen Family, Chen Huo, came here personally after receiving the Emperor''s orders.

    It waste at night when he came home after dealing with some official matters, only to find out that his daughter had been missing!

    Thest clue they had about her was that she went with her guards to the Third Prince''s Pce.

    As soon as Chen Huo heard about it, his heart skipped a beat. He had a bad feeling about it! He sent his most trusted men to bring his foolish daughter back before she did something truly stupid.

    Unfortunately, it was toote as it was also around that time when a Royal Guard came with the Emperor''s Degree, telling the Chen Family Patriarch to report to the Royal Pce right away!

    As soon as Chen Huo saw this decree, his face darkened as he realized that he was already toote.

    He asked the Royal Guard about what had transpired. Unfortunately, the Royal Guard didn''t give much information since he himself didn''t know much. All he knew was that Chen Rouyin was brought to the Royal Pce by the Third Prince''s Head Protector as if she was a prisoner!

    As soon as Chen Huo heard it, he understood that what he was most worried about had happened! He immediately rushed to the Royal Pce!

    By the time he reached the Royal Pce of the Emperor, Zi Huang had already left with the aura ring.

    No matter how precious the aura ring was, the Emperor didn''t refuse since it was a request from his third son! He didn''t even ask why his son needed the ring.

    It wasn''t long after Zi Huang left that the Chen Family Patriarch arrived!

    It was only when he stood in the majestic Royal Hall that he was informed about what had transpired!

    "Assassination Attempt?" No matter if it was true or not, this usation was too dangerous! It was a crime worthy of the death penalty! In fact, even if he had tried to assassinate a Royal, he would''ve been killed as well, let alone his daughter!

    He nced at his daughter, who was sitting on her knees with her head down. She wanted to yell out loud that she was innocent! Unfortunately, she neither had the courage nor the opportunity!

    She couldn''t even raise her head before the mighty aura of the Emperor, who was said to be the strongest person in the Eternal Dynasty! Even her grandfather''s strength paled inparison to the Emperor!

    Moreover, even if she could somehow tell the truth, who was going to believe her? Even her father wouldn''t openly say that he believed her since saying that would mean that he thought the Royal Guards and the Third Prince were lying!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In the end, they could only hope for mercy and try to avoid the Cmity called the Third Prince next time!

    "Your father asked me to engage his granddaughter with my Third Son. Even without asking my son, I agreed. Is this what I agreed for? So your daughter could try to kill my Third Son?"

    The Emperor''s aura was like a mountain! Despite being a patriarch of the Chen Family, even Chen Huo was struggling under this aura!

    "Your Majesty, mercy! My daughter is foolish! I would make sure she wouldn''t even dare to think about it in the future! Please have mercy on her!"

    Chen Huo didn''t show any dignity of the Patriarch of one of the four great families! What was his dignity worth before the Emperor?!

    Not only did he scold his own daughter, but he also begged for forgiveness without even offering an exnation! He was wise enough to ept everything as his daughter''s fault!

    This was also what Xu Shan thought would happen when he sent Chen Rouyin to the Royal Pce as well. Not only that, but he also expected the iing rewards. As for what those rewards were exactly, he wasn''t sure at that time!

    "As a token of my sincerest apology and to ask for the Third Prince''s forgiveness, I would like to offer half the Alchemy Shops that the Chen Family runs in the Capital to the Third Prince! I''ll also personally go to him with my daughter to apologize! Please give us a chance to repent!"

    Chen Huo did as best as he could, all to make the Emperor calm his anger and free his daughter!

    The Emperor was also slightly surprised at thepensation offered by Chen Huo. The Alchemy Business made up to twenty percent of the Chen Family''s total ie! Half of that was ten percent of their total ie, which wasn''t small by any means!

    Hearing this, the Emperor''s gaze slightly softened. He was somewhat happy with Chen Huo''s attitude. He was a wise man who knew how to deal with the situation.

    Moreover, it wasn''t as if he personally wanted to kill the precious heir of the Chen Family either. That wasn''t good for the future growth of the Empire.

    "This is thest time I''ll forgive this! If it happens next time, then..."

    The Emperor didn''t finish his sentence, but everyone understood his meaning. The Third Prince was his reverse scale!

    Unfortunately, no one understood why he favored his useless Third Son so much! Almost everyone thought that Chen Rouyin was innocent, but the Emperor didn''t care when it came to his Third Son!

    The Emperor''s attitude toward his Third Son had been the biggest mystery for many people! In fact, not a single person knew why it was the case!

    It was said that the Third Prince''s mother was an ordinary concubine of the Emperor who didn''t have any family backing her. Moreover, she was said to have died during childbirth. As if it wasn''t strange enough, the people who delivered the Third Prince also died the same night!

    Other than the Emperor, no one who witnessed the Third Prince''s birth was left alive!

 Chapter 19 19: Im Not A Villain After All

    ?....

    Yu Fei remained standing silently. Her mind was nk. This was the first time she had experienced a situation where she wasn''t in control.

    She couldn''t agree with Xu Shan''s demand. However, she couldn''t say no either since the oue was the same.

    If she said yes, she felt as if she was betraying her home. But if she said no and her soul was searched after her death, it was even worse for the Celestial Pce since even more secrets would''ve been revealed!

    No matter what, the only idea she coulde up with was to kill Xu Shan first. Unfortunately, that was even harder since she was made to believe that there was a Sky Celestial Guard hiding in the room. At least she had initiative now. But if she attacked, that initiative was going to be lost.

    "You can take your time. I''m not in a hurry. I''ll give you two days to think about it. I''m not a Viin after all." Xu Shan''s calm voice echoed in the room. Still, for some reason, Yu Fei felt a chill run down her spine as she heard him, especially hisst sentence.

    Even though Xu Shan threatened the Saintess with Soul Search, if possible, he didn''t want to resort to that. It was mainly because there were only a few people in the Dynasty who could search a person''s soul! Moreover, all those people worked for his Father.

    For now, even his father didn''t know about the Saintess of Celestial Pce being his captive. If possible, he wanted to keep it a secret even from his father.

    Also, even if he told his father and got the help of the Seniors who could use Soul Search, there was no guarantee that those people weren''t going to leak the informationter.

    If they sold this information to the Celestial Pce, their rewards would''ve been astronomical. Moreover, the Celestial Pce was also able to protect them after they became a traitor to the Dynasty.

    If possible, Xu Shan wanted to eliminate as many variables as possible. If the Saintess agreed on her own, it was perfect!

    "For the next two days, you''ll be my prisoner. You''ll stay in this room with me. Also, if you tried to take a step out of this room without my permission or do anything sneaky, even I might not be able to save you."

    Xu Shan''s calm andposed behavior made the Saintess unable to doubt his words. Even though he expected it, he was a little surprised at how well it went.

    In reality, there was no Sky Celestial hiding in the room. In fact, he was all alone here with the Saintess. Unfortunately, the Saintess didn''t know it and misunderstood his confidence which was precisely what he wanted.

    With that fear, the Saintess restrained herself without him having to do anything.

    Even though Xu Shan relied on a bluff, it wasn''t as if he hadn''t prepared anything in advance. He already had a backup in case his n didn''t go as he wanted. Fortunately, things progressed smoothly.

    After finishing his warning, Xu Shan didn''t stay in the room anymore. He stepped out.

    With a clicking sound, the door closed. Only the Saintess was left in the room.

    Yu Fei sat on the bed, resting her face in her palms. She felt lost, not knowing what to do.

    The more freedom she received from Xu Shan, the more she felt that she had to behave since it meant Xu Shan had a powerful warrior to keep an eye on her! Why else would he behave like that and even leave her free?

    ....<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan walked in the hallway, rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand while stretching his neck. Even though he hadn''t moved much, he still felt a little tired. He had to be wary of the girl all the time, not showing a single w!

    In fact, if he weren''t worried about this information leaking, he would''ve already asked his father to send a Sky Celestial to guard this ce.

    At the moment, only Zi Huang and a rare few of the Third Prince''s trusted guards knew about the Saintess. The Third Prince had trained them in such a way that even if they died, they weren''t going to betray him!

    Even if the Emperor personally asked them to go against the Third Prince, they wouldn''t have done it! That''s also why the Third Prince felt so safe with them.

    "The Celestial Pce is powerful. There are only two ways to engage it. One is to use an equally strong force to attack it. If they are attacked, they won''t have time to worry about their Saintess."

    "Unfortunately, the only force that I can influence is the Eternal Dynasty. Even if I can somehow convince the Third Prince''s father to attack the Celestial Pce, it''s not beneficial. It''ll only make them more suspicious about my involvement."

    "Once the war between the Celestial Pce and the Eternal Dynasty starts, the use of assassins will begin as well. The Celestial Pce will target all the Princes then, especially me, the most favored son of the Emperor who attacked them!"

    Walking in the empty hallways, Xu Shan kept thinking to himself. The entire ce was so silent that other than his own thoughts, he could only hear the sound of his footsteps.

    "Using the Eternal Dynasty against the Celestial Pce will backfire. It''ll be really stupid to do it. That leaves only two other ways. First... Destroying the Celestial Pce from the inside. But that''ll take too much work. And the other... Making it so that another Dynasty attacks the Celestial Pce!"

    The Third Prince stopped in the middle of the hallway, gazing at the wall on the left. On the wall, there was a map that depicted the Eternal Dynasty and some neighboring Dynasties.

    His attention was especially attracted to thend in the north of the Eternal Dynasty.

    "Land of Chaos?"

    Land of Chaos... From what he could recall, it was the name given to the Maelstrom Dynasty by everyone.

    The Maelstrom Dynasty was said to be one of the strongest Dynasties on the continent but also one of the most chaotic!

    It was thend where there were no rules! Only thew of strength was supreme! The Dynasty wasn''t ruled by the Royal Family. In fact, the Maelstrom Dynasty didn''t have a Royal Family in the first ce!

    Only the strongest person in the Land of Chaos had the right to Rule the Maelstrom Dynasty!

    Moreover, every three years, the strongest person in the Land of Chaos could challenge the Ruler of the Maelstrom Dynasty for the throne! As long as the person won, they could be the new Ruler!

    Unfortunately, for thest ten years, no one had seeded in the Challenges! For thest ten years, no one had been able to defeat Empress Xin, the true Overlord of the North!

    Empress Xin was not only the strongest person in the entire Maelstrom Dynasty, but there were also rumors that she was the prettiestdy in thend! Even though Empress Xin was in her mid-thirties, but it was said that she looked like she was still in her early twenties!

    After looking at her beautiful face and perfect figure, no one could''ve associated her with the ruthless overlord of the North!

 Chapter 20 20: Awakening Third Princes Celestial Spirit

    ?"Empress Xin..." Xu Shan muttered, looking at the top most part of the wall, which depicted the Land of Chaos on the map.

    He was in deep thoughts. Unfortunately, he could only shake his head in disappointment near the end.

    "She would''ve been such a perfect help for this. Unfortunately, with my current strength, I don''t think I can even get to her. Moreover, my identity will be useless there as well. The Maelstrom Dynasty doesn''t really have a good rtionship with the Eternal Dynasty..."

    "I wonder if I just wish for the Celestial Pce to be destroyed through the Book of Desires, how much will I be charged?" He mused to himself. However, it was only a thought. He wasn''t foolish enough to do it. If possible, he didn''t want to use the Book of Desires. That was his main strength!

    Also, it wasn''t as if he didn''t believe in himself. He came from earth and read as many books as possible. His mind and his thoughts were already very different from the others. It''s just that his personality was too light in the past to put that knowledge to good use.

    "Hun...gry..."

    Xu Shan stood before the map, lost in thoughts, when he heard a strange voice that stunned him!

    The voice appeared to belong to a little boy who was around ten or twelve years old. However, that boy didn''t know how to speak properly yet. His words were somewhat broken, like his pronunciation. It was as if the boy knew speech, yet he had no experience.

    Xu Shan quickly turned around. However, the hallway was empty as far as his eyes could see! There was no one there other than himself! The voice felt as if it hade from right next to him, but no one could be found.

    At this point, there were only two possibilities for him. One was that it was a ghost! And the second was that it was... His Celestial Spirit!

    Xu Shan couldn''t see it, but in his left eye, the shadow of the star, which was illusory and blurry until recently, was now even more clear! In fact, it was so clear that everyone could see it as long as they looked into his eyes!

    It was as if there was a literal Star Mark imprinted on his eyes... A Star Mark that was more mysterious than anything!

    Usually, a Star Mark was graded in nine grades in Celestial Realm! The first-grade Celestial Spirit was apanied by a first-grade Star Mark which was the lowest! The Star Mark had a small star in the middle of the Sign.

    As for the Nine Star Celestial Spirit... It was the highest grade that was apanied by a Nine-Star Celestial Mark! Inside the Nine-Star Celestial Mark, nine smaller stars could clearly be seen.

    Strangely enough, Xu Shan''s Star Mark didn''t match any known criteria! Not only was it not on his hands or his shoulders, but it also didn''t have one or nine smaller stars inside!

    If one were to look carefully inside his left eye''s Star Mark, they would''ve found something impossible! Xu Shan''s Star Mark seemed to have infinite smaller stars deep inside as if his Star contained an entire gxy inside it! It was as if his Celestial Spirit had devoured everything in its path... Including all the Stars!

    "Hu...n...gry..."

    The Child-like voice once again came. Xu Shan also felt somewhat bizarre hearing that voice. It was as if he had heard that voice before today as well... many times!

    For some reason, he couldn''t remember where. It definitely wasn''t in the Third Prince''s memories! It wasn''t in his memories of Earth either! Then where?

    Another strange thing was that his Celestial Spirit was trying to tell him that it was hungry. But he had never heard about such a thing happening!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Usually, a Celestial Spirit didn''t need to eat. The Celestial Spirit could only grow stronger by slowly absorbing the Celestial Aura from the air. However, his Celestial Spirit was clearly trying to tell it that it was hungry!

    "I''ve never heard or read about a Celestial Spirit being hungry. Is it because it just awakened? But even if that was the case, there should''ve been some information about it when others awakened their Celestial Spirits! Moreover, what does a Celestial Spirit even eat?!"

    Xu Shan could only scratch the back of his head. His Celestial Spirit wasn''t absorbing the Celestial Aura. It also couldn''t eat human food? Then what?

    "It woke up faster than I expected."

    While Xu Shan was in a conundrum, he heard a voice that made him somewhat relieved! The Book Spirit was here!

    "And here I thought I wouldn''t need to see your face anytime soon." The dark-haired woman smiled.

    She moved closer to Xu Shan, so close that Xu Shan could feel her warm breath brushing against his face. Her sweet scent was also different from the perfumes on earth. It was even better.

    The dark-haired woman''s lips were barely an inch away from Xu Shan''s lips. However, she didn''t seem to have noticed. She was carefully looking at the Star Mark in Xu Shan''s left eye.

    After a long time, she finally moved back, giving Xu Shan some room to breathe.

    "As expected... It''s that..." She muttered as if talking to herself. "I don''t know if I should say that you''re lucky, or unlucky. Then again, that''s been the theme with you."

    "Who should I thank for that?" Xu Shan sarcastically asked, as if ming her. She was the Spirit of the Book of Desires in his eyes. It all started with her. Even the Celestial Spirit of Devouring came from her idea of asking for memories.

    "Thank your father for that." The Dark Haired woman chuckled. "Who told him to be so ambitious with hisst wish?"

    "Ambitious?" Xu Shan asked.

    "Instead of thinking about the past, you should think about the present. Your Celestial Spirit has awakened. It''s good for you since it means that you can start your journey to be stronger!" The woman calmly responded, subtly changing the topic.

    However, she didn''t stop there. "That''s also the bad news. As you might''ve already guessed, your Celestial Spirit is different from the rest... And it''s hungry. If you don''t feed it for a long time, even I don''t know what kind of changes will ur."

    "What do I feed it?"

    Even though the Celestial Spirit seemed troublesome, he was the Third Prince! There was nothing he couldn''t afford! He onlycked knowledge about what to feed it. But now, thanks to the Book Spirit, that problem was solved as well!

    "What to feed it?" The corners of the woman''s lips crept up as if she was imagining what kind of reaction Xu Shan would have to her answer.

 Chapter 21 21: Now I Feel Like A Villain!

    ?....

    The distant sun started setting as a new day passed away in the blink of an eye, apanied by some gentle yet cold wind that signaled that Winter was near.

    A beautiful moon hung in the sky. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible to see it as the moon was hidden behind dark clouds.

    Yu Fei was sitting in Xu Shan''s room. For some reason, she felt as if she was suffocating in the room. It was so silent that it was torturous.

    She didn''t try to leave the room the entire day, always remaining suspicious of her surroundings.

    Initially, she was still holding out hope that the Celestial Pce was going to locate her whereabouts as soon as they found out that she had been missing.

    Unfortunately, her hopes were soon crushed when early in the morning, Xu Shan returned to the room and ced the Aura Ring around her ring finger. She had no idea where he received that ring from, but she did understand its purpose.

    It was a ring that could hide her aura, making it impossible for anyone to locate her through any detection method. What was even worse was that she couldn''t take off the Aura Ring herself.

    Only the person who ced the Aura Ring on her fingers could take it off. Either that, or she needed the help of a Sky Celestial to take off that ring. Unfortunately, both options were impossible to achieve.

    The only thing that was worth any constion was that she didn''t have to see Xu Shan''s face the entire day! Besides the few moments he spent inside the room in the morning when cing the ring on her finger, he hadn''t been in the room at all. In fact, she hadn''t seen Xu Shan since the morning.

    She could still remember how solemn he looked in the morning when he returned, as if something was troubling him. Finding him so troubled was somewhat pleasing to Yu Fei since it meant he couldn''t pay attention to her.

    She really hoped that his troubles were because the Celestial Pce sent some people here. Unfortunately, she couldn''t be sure.

    What was even more surprising to her was that Xu Shan didn''t make things too difficult for her. In fact, he had been treating her like a guest. In the morning, a delicious breakfast was delivered to her room. It was the same for lunch.

    Despite that, Yu Fei still didn''t want to tell him anything.

    "He gave me two days. One day is almost over, leaving only a little more than one day..."

    Ever since she heard what Xu Shan wanted from her, she had been having a headache. Her head was throbbing. It was the first instance in her life where she felt so helpless.

    She couldn''t help but think about her elder brother, who always used to tell her that the outside world was more dangerous than she ever imagined. Unfortunately, she never believed him. She always had faith in her strength and the reputation of the Celestial Pce!

    She had no idea that the first time she came out of the Celestial Pce to explore the world, she was going to suffer so badly. She was scared, yet she tried to remain strong.

    ****

    Currently, in another room of the castle, Xu Shan was sitting on a chair in a dimly lit room. His expressions were solemn as he gazed at an unconscious young man near his feet.

    Zi Huang stood in the distance with his hands behind his back. He was slightly confused, but he didn''t show it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Right next to Xu Shan, the Book Spirit stood with an intrigued smile on her face.

    "Is the dinner delivered to the Saintess?" Xu Shan''s calm voice fell in Zi Huang''s ears.

    Zi Huang nodded. "Just as you wanted."

    "Good. You can leave."

    Zi Huang silently turned around and left the room, not forgetting to close the door behind him.

    He was really curious about what the Third Prince was going to do with the young man. He still remembered the morning. He had just returned from the Emperor''s Pce with the items.

    For some reason, he felt as if he heard Xu Shan talking to thin air. However, he didn''t think too much about that.

    It was only when Xu Shan gave him a strangemand that he wondered just what was happening!

    "I wonder why His Highness asked me to go out and capture a young prodigy with at least a Five-star Celestial Spirit." He had so many questions, but he just did as he was told.

    When he returned with the young prodigy after carefully kidnapping one, he thought that he would find out the Third Prince''s purpose, but he was still in as much darkness as he was in the morning.

    "It''s not easy to find prodigies with five-star or higher-grade Celestial Spirits. Every single one of them has been recruited by strong sects or the four major families. This time I was lucky to find one. That too, one who had reached the second grade of Celestial General Realm."

    While Zi Huang was talking to himself as he walked in the long empty hallways, Xu Shan finally moved.

    He gazed at the Star Mark of the unconscious young man. The Star Mark had five smaller stars inside the Star Mark, which showed that he had a Five-Star Celestial Spirit, which was not weak by any means.

    In fact, people with Five Star or higher grade Celestial Spirits were said to be prodigies that were cherished by almost every force!

    "This time, I really feel like a Viin." Xu Shan softly muttered before cing his palm over the Star Mark of the young man.

    "Feast!"

    He had no idea if his Celestial Spirit could understand him yet, or not. However, he was sick of hearing the Celestial Spirit saying only one word all day... ''Hungry!''

    He also noticed one more thing this time. The hungrier his Celestial Spirit was, the worse he felt! It was as if both of them were directly connected!

    Even though the Celestial Spirit of Devouring didn''t respond, Xu Shan could feel that it was awake! A strange, mysterious power surged in the depths of his soul.

    Xu Shan felt as if his entire body was filled with this strange power! A dark celestial aura covered his right hand that was ced over the five-star Celestial Mark!

 Chapter 22 22: Becoming A Celestial Warrior

    ?The face of the unconscious young man started turning pale as if his entire body was in pain.

    At the same time, Xu Shan felt as if his body was greedily absorbing the Celestial Aura of the man!

    This was a strange yet wonderful feeling. It felt as if he was bing stronger!

    The five-star Celestial Spirit of the young man tried to resist. However, its resistance meant nothing to the Celestial Spirit of Devouring! It was as if an ant was trying to forcefully stop a grand chariot!

    The five-star Celestial Spirit was devouredpletely by Xu Shan''s Celestial Spirit! The Star Mark in his left eye also became a little more solid!

    Inside his Star Mark, there were already infinite little stars. However, no one noticed that one more small little star appeared inside his Celestial Star Mark!

    The entire process only took less than five minutes before it was over!

    Xu Shan sat back on the chair. His face was filled with amazement! Even he hadn''t expected this!

    Initially, a Celestial Spirit could help a person absorb Celestial Aura from nature so that a Celestial Warrior could slowly gather to be stronger! However, his Celestial Spirit workedpletely differently!

    The usual method was slow. However, the higher the Grade of the Celestial Spirit, the higher this speed! Unfortunately, even a Grade Nine Celestial Spirit was only fast enough to make a person jump from a mortal to a Grade one Celestial Warrior in one week at the fastest!

    Completely contrary to themon sense of this World, Xu Shan had already jumped from a mortal to a Grade Seven Celestial Warrior in an instant!

    Not only did his Celestial Spirit devour the young man''s Five Star Celestial Spirit, but it also devoured all the Celestial Aura of the young man. It purified all the Celestial Aura that it devoured from the young man and turned it into Xu Shan''s Celestial Aura, making him be a Grade Seven Celestial Warrior in one fell swoop.

    The unconscious man, on the other hand, became aplete mortal! Not only did he lose his Five Star Celestial Spirit, but also all his strength!

    "You didn''t tell me that this will make me stronger." Xu Shan turned to the Book Spirit next to him as he felt the strange strength that his body was brimming with.

    He felt as if he could leave a small crater on the concrete floor with just one punch!

    Even though he wasn''t as strong as Yu Fei, who was ninth Grade Celestial General, with his cheat, he didn''t think it would take him long to catch up.

    "Maybe I really can use the Land of Chaos to my advantage..."

    Previously, he was a mortal. No matter how much he wanted to use the Maelstrom Dynasty to his benefit against the Celestial Pce, it was impossible with his strength!

    However, with how he was, this was now possible! Moreover, this was also what he had to do!

    ording to what the Book Spirit told him, his Celestial Spirit only devoured Five Star or higher Celestial Spirit, as if lower grade Celestial Spirits weren''t delicious enough!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Unfortunately, that''s also what was so troublesome! The Eternal Dynasty wasn''t very peaceful. He could take a few Five Star Celestial Spirit prodigies, but that wasn''t a long-term solution.

    If five-star Prodigies went missing, within a week, the entire Dynasty was going to be alert. Moreover, it wasn''t as if it was easy to kidnap five-star Celestial Warriors, even for Zi Huang! Those prodigies were precious to their forces after all! Most of them were protected!

    On the contrary, thend of Chaos had no rules! It wasn''t as if the Land of Chaoscked talented prodigies either! When he thought about it, that was the perfect hunting ground to feed his Celestial Spirit while also bing stronger!

    Moreover, along the way, he could also think of a way to use the Land of Chaos against the Celestial Pce!

    Previously, he had to rely on his father''s strength which wasn''t too reliable since it came with many restrictions. He couldn''t reveal his secrets to the others. This secret was too dangerous after all.

    Currently, he didn''t have enough strength. He still had to tread carefully, at least until he was strong enough!

    "I also need to do something about my Star Mark. It''s too attention-grabbing in my left eye."

    "Isn''t it simple? Use an eye patch." The Book Spirit suggested, only to have Xu Shan give her a weird look. There was no way in hell that he was going to wear an eye patch!

    If his father found out about his eyepatch, he was going to send all the Doctors of the Royal Pce to make sure he was fine.

    Wearing an eye patch was like telling the entire world that there was something wrong with his left eye. Moreover, he didn''t want to wear an eye patch in the first ce since it looked stupid.

    When he was in the pce, he didn''t need to worry about his guards seeing his Celestial Mark. His guards were absolutely loyal to him.

    As for Yu Fei, it wasn''t as if he was nning to let her leave anytime soon. The crime of kidnapping the Saintess of the Celestial Pce was quite serious after all. So even if she saw, it didn''t matter. If anything, it was going to make her behave even more.

    "There are many unique skills for the Celestial Warriors that they can use with just a little bit of their Celestial Aura. There must be something amongst those skills that I can use. Maybe I should ask Zi Huang to get me one that can help me hide the Celestial Mark in my eyes."

    Xu Shan stepped out of the room. He called some guards and told them to ''deal'' with the young man inside the room, before he departed.

    ****

    Back in his bedroom, Yu Fei had just finished her dinner. However, it was only now that she started to realize that something was wrong.

    Her head was dizzy, and her face was flushed red. She looked at the empty tes before her, realizing something.

    "Xu Shan, you bastard!" Her roar filled the entire room.

 Chapter 23 23: Xinren

    ?****

    A single person''s footsteps resounded in the dimly lit hallway. Xu Shan walked in the lead, apanied by the Book Spirit.

    The dark-haired woman still looked the same as before, but her wings weren''t present anymore. It was as if she had made them disappear, finding them somewhat unnecessary indoors.

    In any case, she only revealed them in the first ce to make it easier for Xu Shan to believe her exnation.

    "You keep appearing and disappearing. Where do you even go when you disappear?" Xu Shan calmly asked.

    "Don''t tell me you miss me when I leave?"

    A melodiousughter resounded in the hallway, making the dark-haired woman appear even more charming. Unfortunately, other than Xu Shan, no one else could see her like that.

    "As if!" Xu Shan rolled his eyes. Since he had been with the Book Spirit for quite some time now, he had realized that she wasn''t a serious person at all.

    If one was to go just by the looks, she appeared as if she was some cold queen that came down from heaven. However, only when she talked to him it was clear that she was like a child who loved talking! Maybe because there weren''t many opportunities for her to talk to people.

    His father''s journal didn''t mention any Book Spirit. His father learned everything himself. From that point, Xu Shan was clear that it wasn''t often that the Book Spirit coulde out and talk to their hosts.

    He wasn''t sure if he was an exception because he had something special or because of the unknownst wish of his father. No matter what, he still felt somewhat relieved that he had the Book Spirit to help him navigate through the various secrets of the book.

    "That reminds me. It''s very inconvenient that you don''t have a name, especially when you''re not here. Do you have a name that you want me to call you when I need you?" Xu Shan asked.

    Even though it wasn''t noticeable, he had been matching his pace with the dark-haired woman''s pace, intentionally walking slower.

    The dark-haired woman appeared to be lost in some thoughts. She didn''t answer right away, as if she herself couldn''t recall a name that she ever liked.

    In fact, as far as she remembered, she didn''t leave the Book of Desires in the past. So most of the names that she received were associated with the Book herself!

    Most of the time, people only cursed her, which she didn''t mind. She just found it amusing.

    When people first got the book, they were often full of praise, especially when their greedy wishes were fulfilled. However, when they had to pay, all of them behaved as if she was a demon who had ruined their lives.

    She never told anyone to use the Book, yet all the me was hers. It wasn''t as if she could change the rules of the book. She was just a Book Spirit and not the maker of the Book!

    Through the centuries, all she received was hate from people. With time, she also started losing interest and faith in the hosts of the book, as it was the same cycle again and again.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It wasn''t until Xu Shan''s father''sst wish that eventually forced her toe out. Even then, she didn''t expect anything to change. She was sure that the young man was also going to hate her and curse her when he knew about what happened to his family and the involvement of the book.

    She was already prepared to be hated when she came out.

    However, to her surprise, the reality was somewhat different. Even though Xu Shan was sad about what happened to his family, he didn''t hate her. He understood the core principle of the book! It was that the book didn''t force anyone! It was just how it was made to work!

    Not only did Xu Shan not hate her, but he also often talked to her as if the two were friends and allies.

    For a person who had been all alone for thousands of years, witnessing only greed and hate, Xu Shan was a change that took her by surprise.

    She didn''t even realize when it happened, but she started hoping that things would always stay like that... For an eternity!

    She silently nced at Xu Shan, who was walking next to her. She had already noticed how considerate Xu Shan was being by intentionally slowing down his pace instead of telling her to walk faster.

    She didn''t even realize what that strange feeling inside her was, but she felt happy...

    "How about you give me a name?" She asked as she turned her head to the other side, not looking at Xu Shan anymore.

    "Are you sure? I''m very bad at names. If you insist, then don''t hate me if you don''t like the name I came up with."

    "I won''t hate you." The dark-haired woman shook her head lightly.

    Xu Shan didn''t speak anymore. The entire ce turned silent as he started thinking about a name. There were thousands of names in his mind, yet it was hard toe up with one on the spot.

    "Xinren." After a brief pause, he finally articted one word.

    "Xinren?" The dark-haired woman gazed in Xu Shan''s direction.

    "Where Ie from, it means something simr to faith, or trust." Xu Shan exined. "With the kind of situation I''m in, I can only trust you in this entire world. Though I do hope that you won''t break this trust."

    "If you don''t like the name, I''ll think of something elseter." Seeing the dark-haired woman not respond, Xu Shan felt as if she didn''t like the name. Then again, he had already told her that he was bad at naming.

    "No, I like it." The dark-haired woman revealed a beautiful smile, nodding her head like a little child. "I am Xinren."

    Looking at Xinren''s smile, Xu Shan didn''t know why, but he felt as if the smile was different from her previous smiles. It was as if it came straight from the depths of her soul.

 Chapter 24 24: Youre Welcome!

    ?****

    Xu Shan reached his bedroom, which was being guarded by two guards.

    Usually, he never let any guardse near his room. However, since the Saintess was inside, he left two here just to make sure that nothing went wrong! Even though he had made the little girl behave initially, that didn''t mean he really gave her free rein in his pce.

    Seeing Xu Shan return, the two guards bowed respectfully before they took a few steps back, clearing the path for him.

    Xu Shan pushed the door open and walked inside the room.

    As soon as he entered the room, he was greeted by a strange yet expected sight. Yu Fei was weakly sitting on the bed. Her face was red in anger, yet her body waspletely weak!

    In fact, even Xu Shan could kill her at this point if he wanted since the Saintess couldn''t use even a single trace of her Celestial Aura.

    As the door closed, the Saintess opened her eyes, noticing movements inside the room.

    As soon as she saw Xu Shan at the entrance, her anger rose again.

    "I will kill you!" The Saintess roared in anger. "You drugged me again!"

    "Really? You lookpletely fine to me though," Xu Shan responded, not reacting much.

    He walked to the nearby chair and sat down, simply observing the little girl on the bed. Everything had gone ording to his n.

    Even though Xu Shan didn''t know how the Saintess'' Celestial Spirit worked, one thing he was sure about was that her Celestial Spirit couldn''t protect her from drugs. If that were the case, she wouldn''t have been caught thest time.

    That small detail was also what gave him this little idea.

    "Did you like the food? My chef worked extra hard to make food for you."

    The Saintess felt like coughing out blood as she heard Xu Shan''s shameless words! He was talking as if he wanted her to praise the food after all this!

    "You despicable man! You''ll die at my hands one day!" The pale-faced Saintess eximed! She was so angry that if she wasn''t so weak now, she would''ve already rushed and attacked Xu Shan without caring about her life and death.

    " Saintess, you really overestimate yourself, don''t you?" Xu Shan asked without a single ripple of emotion on his face. "If you were that capable, you wouldn''t have fallen for the same trick twice."

    He didn''t take her threat seriously. It wasn''t as if she didn''t want to kill him before. In fact, she wanted to kill him even before she was kidnapped. So a little taunt didn''t matter much.

    "Anyway, if you want to give some credit, the recipe for dinner came from me. You''re wee."

    Xinren stood behind Xu Shan, shaking her head lightly. If she didn''t know any better, she would''ve thought that Xu Shan wanted to kill the Saintess by angering her to death!

    "If you want to know the recipe, I don''t mind sharing," Xu Shan further continued. "I went through a lot of effort to create this recipe after all."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "First, the Star Heart Grass... A rare herb that even the Eternal Dynasty doesn''t have enough stock of. I''m sure you''ve already heard about it. The heavenly herb that purifies the heart and makes it impossible for a person to lie for a day after consumption."

    Hearing the name, Yu Fei''s face went pale. She had heard about that herb, and its effect was exactly the same as Xu Shan described. She couldn''t understand why he would use that herb on her now?

    He had given her two days of time to think about her decision. So why did he have to drug her now? Unless...

    She realized that she had been tricked! Xu Shan lied to her about giving her two days! In fact, he only said that so that for the next two days, she would lower her guard!

    Since Yu Fei felt that she was safe for two days, she didn''t take enough precautions!

    Moreover, she also understood that everything that happened today was nned! The delicious breakfast and lunch werepletely fine. She had checked the food before eating, after all! Since there was nothing wrong with breakfast and lunch, she thought it was the same case for dinner and wasn''t careful!

    Another subtle trick that Xu Shan yed was to note to the room at all! He made it seem that he was concerned about something and busy! This way, Yu Fei lowered her guards even more! Since Xu Shan was busy, he didn''t have time to y any tricks... Or so she thought!

    It was only now that she realized how wrong she was! Even after knowing how dangerous and cunning Xu Shan was, she still underestimated him!

    "The second ingredient... a Ninth Grade Item called Celestial Poison. A poison that makes it impossible for you to use any Celestial Aura for a month. In other words, wee to being a mortal."

    "A single strain of the poison is almost impossible to find. Whenever it is avable in auctions, it''s sold for a sky high price. Even the Eternal Dynasty only had one strain. And that''s used on you. Aren''t I a good host?"

    "You!" Yu Fei clenched her fist. She couldn''t believe he had used a poison like that! Even the Celestial Pce didn''t have that poison!

    It was said that in the entire world, there were only three or four such strains of this mysterious poison! The only w in this poison was that it only worked on Celestial Warriors and Celestial Generals. An Earth Celestial or a Sky Celestial was immune to it.

    If that weren''t the case, this poison would''ve been even more expensive since it was almost impossible to detect this poison! If this wasn''t useless against Earth Celestial and above, it could''ve easily been used to weaken the powerful warriors to a level where they could easily be killed.

    "Andstly... Dream Grass..." Xu Shan stated, not caring about this chaotic the Saintess'' mind was.

    "Unfortunately, the Dream Grass only takes effect two hours after consumption. I don''t think I need to tell you what it does, do I?"

    Even though Yu Fei heard the first two ingredients, she still wasn''t as scared as she became when she heard thest ingredient.

    Even if the Starr Heart Grass made it impossible for her to lie, she could still stay silent! Even if the poison weakened her, she could still prevent Xu Shan from getting what he wanted, by not answering him!

    However, the Dream Grass was a drug that wasmonly avable! It only worked on people that couldn''t use Celestial Aura, making them feel as if they were in a dream, unable to control their actions.

    When she was in that delirious state, she didn''t believe that she could still have this level of self-control over her words!

    Her face instantly went pale! With how she was now, she couldn''t keep any secrets!

 Chapter 25 25: Royal Decree

    ?.....

    The moon shone brightly in the dark sky, casting a silver glow over thendscape while stars twinkled like diamonds around it, forming constetions and patterns.

    After an interrogation thatsted for over three hours, Xu Shan had arrived on the roof, sitting alone under the moonlight, lost in some thoughts.

    Through Yu Fei, he received a lot of information. Under the drug''s effects, the girl couldn''t keep her mouth shut, and at times, she even told him things that he didn''t ask.

    Unfortunately, the information he received didn''t paint a rosy picture of the Celestial Pce. It was more dangerous than he initially thought.

    Just approaching the Celestial Pce was hard in itself, let alone the rest. Thanks to the Saintess, at least he knew about the things he had to be careful about, but he was still clear that there were still many secrets that even the Saintess wouldn''t have known.

    No matter how high her position in the Celestial Pce was, she was still a junior after all.

    "Why did it have to be so troublesome?" Gazing at the beautiful moon in the sky, Xu Shan muttered as if talking to himself.

    It hadn''t even been a week since he came to this world, yet he was already walking on a thin rope, trying to find the correct path that didn''t end in his eventual death.

    The air was cool and crisp, and a gentle breeze stirred the leaves of the trees in the nearby garden, creating some rustling noise.

    He remained on the roof under the clear moonlit sky, not even realizing when he eventually fell asleep. Even though he wasn''t able to show it, his head was under a lot of stress. He wasn''t able to rest at all, having to think about everything so as to not make any mistakes.

    ....

    "...ness."

    Xu Shan frowned slightly as the first ray of sunlight fell on his face. At the same time, he also heard something. The voice was not clear initially, but as he came out of his slumber, the voice became clearer.

    "Your Highness..." The voice came again.

    Xu Shan opened his eyes, noticing his surroundings. He was still on the roof. However, now that he had some sleep, he did feel a little better and less tired.

    He sat up, rubbing his eyes lightly as his surroundings were somewhat bright and his vision blurry.

    "Zi Huang?" He noticed the man in the distance who was respectfully standing. There was a scroll in the man''s hand that appeared like the scrolls in which Royal Decrees were sent.

    "What are you doing here?" He stood up, patting his clothes lightly. Even though he just woke up, there was still a royal dignified aura around him.

    "There''s a decree from the Emperor. There is an event at the Royal Pce tonight. He wants you to attend it as well," Zi Huang exined. "The other Princes and Princesses should be there as well."

    "I don''t have time for such meaningless gatherings." Xu Shan waved his hand lightly as he started walking towards the stairs to go down. "Tell them I can''t attend."

    Xu Shan had no interest in attending the Royal Events at the moment. He had to prepare for his trip to the Land of Chaos as well, after all.

    In any case, he knew that almost everyone in the Royal Pce hated him, other than his father. In fact, the other Princes would''ve been much happier if he had died.

    The Third Prince also knew all that. If it wasn''t for the Emperor''s protection, he was sure that the other Princes would''ve already sent people to kill him. That''s why the Third Prince never used to pay any attention to them.

    He didn''t care about the other Royals. As for such events, the Third Prince had never attended them, so Xu Shan didn''t feel awkward rejecting them.

    "I''m afraid it won''t be easy this time." Zi Huang let out a sigh. "This time, His Majesty has issued a Royal Decree. I''m afraid it''s impossible to ignore it."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "The Royal Decree?" Xu Shan frowned, stopping in his tricks.

    ''So I was right. That scroll is a Royal Decree.''

    As far as he remembered, the Emperor had never issued a Royal Decree to invite him in the past. This was certainly more troublesome since ignoring the Royal Decree was no different than disrespecting the Royal Ancestors.

    Even though he was supposed to be the Emperor''s favorite, he couldn''t ignore that.

    "I don''t understand. Why would he issue a Royal Decree to invite me?"

    "It''s not just you. This time, His Majesty issued simr decrees for all four Great Family Heads and the Princes. This has never happened before." Zi Huang eximed.

    Even he had no clear idea as to why this decree was issued. Why did the Emperor want everyone at the Pce? And that too, so suddenly?

    ''Is this rted to the disappearance of the Saintess? This will be quite a headache if it''s true. But to use a Royal Decree just for Celestial Pce? That seems unlikely.''

    ''Even though the Celestial Pce is strong, it''s not to the extent that the Emperor will reveal a weakness to please them. But then what could it be?''

    For a long time, there was only silence as Xu Shan lost himself in thoughts. Zi Huang didn''t dare to disturb him either.

    "Is there a way for you to get more information about this?" After some time, Xu Shan finally came to his senses and asked.

    Unfortunately, Zi Huang could only shake his head in response. "I already tried. It''s unlikely that we''ll find out what it''s about until you actually go there in the evening."

    "So troublesome. Fine. Prepare the carriage. I''ll go to the Royal Pce tonight!" In the end, Xu Shan had no choice either. No matter what it was about, he still had to go to the Royal Pce.

    "That reminds me, did you get what I asked? I can''t let anyone in the Royal Pce see my eyes."

    "Ah, yes. I got it." Zi Huang nodded respectfully before handing over another scroll to Xu Shan. "This is a skill that doesn''t have many uses. It can only be used to change the color of your eyes by creating anotheryer on top that can''t be noticed by others."

    "Change eye color?" Xu Shan took the scroll, but he didn''t open it right away.

    Zi Huang further exined, "If you use this to recreate the original color of your eyes, the Star Mark would be hidden inside the newyer, hiding it from the others at the gathering while also making your eyes look natural."

    "Hmm." Xu Shan didn''t react much and simply went downstairs with the scroll.

    Since he had already used his bedroom as the prison of the Saintess, he used another room for himself. It was in that room where he sat on the bed, studying the scroll carefully.

    Since the skill that he received wasn''t an offensive or defensive skill that could be used in battle, it was much easier to learn. In fact, it only took Xu Shan half an hour to seed.

    After checking his eyes in the mirror to make sure that nothing was wrong, he finally sighed in relief. Everything was going smoothly for now. Unfortunately, he still had no idea what was going to happen tonight.

    ....

    Time passed really fast, and it was already evening. Xu Shan told his guards to keep an eye on the Saintess, who was no different than a mortal, for the next one month. It was much easier to hold her back now.

    After arranging everything in his Pce, he left with Zi Huang. A Royal Carriage was already waiting at the entrance of his Pce for him!

 Chapter 26 26: Advantages Of A Bad Reputation

    ?....

    The Royal Carriage passed through the roads. Even though evening was a time when roads were supposed to have many people and carriages, but at the moment, the streets appeared to be mostly empty.

    In fact, by now, many people knew that there was some kind of event in the Royal Pce that was going to be attended by many great existences of the Dynasty.

    It was because of that, so few people were outside. They didn''t want to identally offend any noble by blocking their path.

    The other roads were still working somewhat normally, but the path that led from the Third Prince''s Pce to the Royal Pce was so empty that not even a single person could be seen!

    "I must say, sometimes it''s really beneficial to have a bad reputation. Don''t you think so?" Xu Shan was sitting inside the carriage, gazing at the empty streets outside, when he suddenly asked.

    Next to him, a woman was sitting. Unfortunately, that woman could only be seen by him.

    As for Zi Huang, he couldn''t sit in the carriage next to a Royal like Xu Shan. He was on a horse that led the path in front of the Third Prince''s carriage.

    ....

    The Royal Pce, where the Emperor resided, was really lively tonight. Many carriages could be seen outside the Pce, bearing the insignia of the Four Great Families.

    The four great families were majestic and dignified to the others. However, when it came to the Royal Decree, even they didn''t dare dy. They didn''t want to bete. In fact, some of them even arrived before the time mentioned in the Royal Decree.

    Some Royal Carriages could also be seen, asionally stopping before the Royal Pce as the Princes and the Princesses arrived one after another. Unlike the Third Prince, the other Royals were very diligent, even if it was just for show.

    In fact, the Third Prince was thest person to arrive amongst everyone who was invited.

    The Third Prince''s carriage stopped before the Royal Pce. The Royal Eunuch who was responsible for weing the guests personally opened the doors of Xu Shan''s carriage, weing him.

    Xu Shan stepped out of the carriage,nding on the ground where not a single speck of dust could be seen, despite so many carriages arriving one after another in thest few hours!

    He nced at the Royal Pce. His expression didn''t reveal it, but he was slightly amazed. He had seen the Emperor''s Pce in the Third Prince''s memories, but watching it with his own eyes was apletely different experience.

    "Can you tell me what''s the event in the Royal Pce? Why were we all invited so suddenly?" Xu Shan asked the Eunuch while following him inside the pce.

    "Ah, it''s because there''s a special guest that came to the Dynasty today. His Majesty just wanted to wee the guest properly as the host."

    Since everyone was already there, the Eunuch directly told the Third Prince. "The only reason the others weren''t informed about it before was because His Majesty didn''t want the news to spread since the guest''s identity was somewhat special."

    ''Don''t tell me my guess about the Celestial Pce sending people here was true? But still, for father to throw a wee like this? Could it be that their leader personally came?'' Xu Shan couldn''t help but frown.

    He passed through the entrance of the Royal Pce with the Eunuch, feeling as if he had passed through a strange spatial barrier that led to a different world. However, now wasn''t the time to be amazed by the mysteries of this world.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Who is that guest? For my father to go this far? Did I overestimate the Eternal Dynasty?"

    "Oh, it''s because the guest holds a simr position as your father," the Eunuch responded.

    "Simr position as my father?" Xu Shan directly wanted to ask if it was the Leader of the Celestial Pce, but if they were indeed here to investigate their Saintess, it could be too suspicious if he directly guessed their arrival.

    "You''ll know soon." The Eunuch smiled in response. "Anyway, we are already there. From this point on, you can go alone."

    He stopped before a Spatial Portal. Since the Royal Pce was so enormous, it wasn''t feasible for servants and guests to walk all the way. That''s why the Emperor had created these Spatial Portals at different ces to make the journey shorter for the others.

    Xu Shan wanted to ask more questions from the Eunuch, but there was no time. After pointing him toward the portal, the Eunuch disappeared.

    ''Even he''s as strong as Zi Huang. Who would''ve guessed...'' Xu Shan shook his head lightly before he entered the spatial portal.

    Even if it was the Celestial Pce head, so what? They couldn''t do anything to him. As for letting them search his pce, no way in hell was he going to let that happen, even if he had to take some drastic steps.

    .....

    Passing through the spatial cracks was a really unique experience. Even though itsted for only a brief moment, it felt as if an eternity had passed inside the Spatial Cracks when he came out.

    At the same time, he also felt that his Celestial Spirit of Devouring had woken up on its own when he was inside the Spatial Cracks, Devouring some of the spatial elements. Unfortunately, his strength didn''t increase.

    As Xu Shan came out of the Spatial Portal, he found himself in the Royal Hall!

    The Royal Hall was a splendid sight to behold. It was a vast chamber with high ceilings and ornate decorations. The walls were covered with tapestries and paintings that depicted the history and glory of the Dynasty.

    The floor was made of polished marble and iid with gold and precious stones. The hall was illuminated by hundreds of candles that hung from borate chandeliers. The Royal Hall exuded an aura of elegance, power, and majesty!

    It was so huge that it could easily amodate over ten thousand people! Even with hundreds of guests present in the Royal Hall, it still looked so empty.

    Not a single one of those guests was a weak person. Amongst the guests, he saw many people from the Four Great ns. At the same time, he also saw Chen Rouyin in the distance, who was ring at him as if she wanted to bite him to death.

    Xu Shan shifted his attention from the other ns to the Royals at the far end of the hall, who each had a ss of wine in their hands.

    Moreover, each of the Royal Princes and Princesses was apanied by many people who wanted to get close to them. In fact, even Chen Rouyin was standing with the Eldest Princess.

    The hall that was filled with chatter suddenly went silent as everyone noticed the Third Prince near the Spatial Portal!

 Chapter 27 27: Open Threat

    ?Everyone''s attention was on the Third Prince, whose reputation was of a troublemaker in the entire Dynasty. In fact, no one thought that he was going to be well-behaved, even in this situation.

    The long period of silence looked somewhat awkward. Unlike the other Princes, no one dared to get close to the Third Prince, as if he was a walking cmity that could destroy anyone who got close to him.

    The long period of silence was eventually broken by a calm yet dignified voice that could be heard clearly in this silence.

    "Third Brother, you''re here. It''s good to see you finally taking our father''s invitation seriously."

    Xu Shan raised his head, looking at the source of the voice. It didn''t take him long to recognize the person who had spoken. It was a chubby young man in histe twenties who was d in a Royal Robe.

    His hair was jet ck, just like his eyes. However, on the back of his left hand, a Seventh Grade Star Mark was visible.

    Generally, Xu Shan wanted to avoid unnecessary attention, but with his identity, the most suspicious thing would''ve been for him to not create any trouble.

    "Second Brother." Hezily responded, walking closer to the far end of the hallway where the other Princes were staying.

    "You''ve gotten even bigger. Shouldn''t you start dieting? I don''t want to watch you die of a heart attack at such a young age. It would be such a pity if you couldn''t attend First Brother''s coronation and died before that."

    His words clearly revealed the carefree attitude that didn''t care about anyone around him. In fact, it made the others in the hall even more taken aback.

    The Third Prince clearly didn''t show any respect. Moreover, he pressed all the pain points of the Second Prince, who had always wanted to be the next Emperor.

    The second prince wasn''t the Crown Prince, but his ambitions for the throne weren''t hidden from anyone. That''s why he''d beenpeting with the First Prince.

    The Second Prince''s face turned somewhat ugly in anger. In his mind, he was cursing Xu Shan for talking ill of him, but he didn''t show it on his face.

    He could onlyugh in response, hiding his true face behind his calm exterior. "Hahaha, it''s good to see Third Brother being so concerned about me."

    "Don''t worry about me though. I''m sure I''ll live a long life. The same can''t be said about you though. I heard you''ve made a lot of enemies. You should really be careful, third brother. The world is much more cruel and dangerous than you can imagine."

    As he spoke, he seriously tried to hide the killing intent in his voice, but it was noticed by Xu Shan.

    Even though the Third Prince didn''t have any interest in the throne or the crown but because he was the favorite of the Emperor, all the Princes were concerned that he might just convince the Emperor to give him the throne one day. None of them wanted to see that day!

    Xu Shan stopped before the Second Prince, with only an arm''s distance between the two.

    "Do you think the hypocrites who dream day and night about killing me can actually do it?

    He ced his hand on the shoulder of the Second Prince, looking into his eyes.

    "Who knows, I might just be waiting for them to take action so that I can get an opportunity to stab a Sword right through their heart openly?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Second Prince didn''t know why it was, but as soon as Xu Shan ced his hand on his shoulders, he felt an innate sense of fear deep within, as if he could die anytime.

    He subconsciously took a few steps back without even realizing it. It was only when he came out of his daze that he realized that his forehead was covered in sweat.

    It wasn''t just the Second Prince who was momentarily frozen. Even the Crown Prince, who was standing not too far from them, heard those words clearly. It was as if the words were targeted toward them in the form of a threat.

    He didn''t show any reaction and just brought his ss of wine close to his lips, taking a sip before he continued talking with the heirs of the influential ns who had gathered around him.

    In the distance, Chen Rouyin subconsciously moved behind the Eldest Princess. She hadn''t forgotten what happened a few days ago when she went to meet the Third Prince. And to hear such an open threat from him in this ce, she couldn''t help but shudder.

    The hall once again returned to silence. This time, no one spoke, worried that they might attract the attention of the cmity that didn''t even hesitate in threatening the second prince in such a manner.

    The vast hall was so silent that if one were to close their eyes, they would''ve thought that there was no one there.

    Xu Shan didn''t pay attention to the others. He had achieved his purpose. He simply picked up a ss of wine and started waiting to see who the guest was.

    The long silence was broken by the sound of therge metallic doors opening.

    Xu Shan turned to the door like the rest. There, he noticed his father, looking just as majestic as always.

    His father''s aura was nothing like he had ever felt before. It was like his father was brimming with strength. Even he didn''t know how strong his father was. However, he had heard that his father was one of the rare few Heavenly Celestials in the entire continent!

    His father wasn''t walking alone this time. He was apanied by another person.

    Surprisingly, the person next to him wasn''t very old. In fact, it was a man who looked to be in histe twenties only. Despite his young age, the man had a Royal Aura around him that didn''t pale inparison to his father.

    Even though the two had a huge difference in strength, they both had simr temperament of a monarch!

    The young man was dressed in ck, but his clothes were slightly different than his father''s.

    While his father wore an ancient Royal Robe made from the most expensive materials, the young man next to him wore something that reminded Xu Shan of the official attire of military generals back on earth.

    The clothes weren''tpletely identical, but there were a few simrities. From the shoulders of the young man''s clothes, a green dragon robe was draping down, moving as he walked.

    His short ck hairplimented his deep blue eyes under the lights in the Royal Hall.

    Xu Shan didn''t know if it was his misconception, but he felt as if the young man was asionally looking at him.

    While Xu Shan was thinking about it, he heard Xinren''s voice next to him. "This shouldn''t be��."

 Chapter 28 28: Fascinating Eyes

    ?"What shouldn''t be?" Xu Shan asked, keeping his voice low. "Did you also feel that something is wrong with him?"

    "I feel a familiar aura on him." Xinren frowned.

    "Familiar aura?" Xu Shan asked, but before he could continue further questioning, he heard his father''s voice.

    His father was standing in the distance, taking a good look at everyone. It wasn''t often that everyone was invited to the Royal Pce after all.

    The Emperor didn''t take much time with his speech, only introducing the young man beside him. However, the identity of the young man was what stunned everyone in the hall!

    Initially, only a few people knew who the guest was, but when the rest found out, the reaction was quite big. Even Xu Shan was taken aback, not expecting it!

    In this world, there were only a few Great Empires like the Eternal Dynasty! Each of the Great Empires controlled vastnd and resources. Thousands of smaller kingdoms were also under these Great Empires!

    One such Empire was the Qin Dynasty which was on the western side of the Eternal Dynasty. Generally, the Qin Dynasty and Eternal Dynasty had nothing to do with each other.

    While the Sky Dynasty was something akin to an enemy to the Eternal Dynasty, the Qin Dynasty had always been neutral, not interfering in matters of other Dynasties.

    However, that all changed around five years ago when the Emperor died suddenly! No one knew the cause of death; however, news of such a big event clearly spread in nearby Dynasties since the previous Emperor was only in his mid-fifties when he died!

    There were many rumors at the time. Some rumors stated that the Emperor was murdered by a Prince for the throne, while others stated that the Emperor was assassinated by his enemies. No one knew the truth, but everyone knew what had happened after that!

    After the Emperor passed away, the Qin Dynasty was in a very dire state! All the powerful ns in the Qin Dynasty started a rebellion to take control of the Empire!

    In fact, the situation was so bad that more than seventy percent of thend was under the control of the rebels who received help from other Dynasties in secret!

    At that time, no one expected the Qin Dynasty to survive! However, just when it was looking at if everything was over, things started changing! It was also around that time when a name started rising... Qin Ye.

    Qin Ye was the seventh prince of the Qin Dynasty. For most of his life, he had been very unremarkable, not attracting any attention. However, he suddenly rose to prominence when the Dynasty needed him the most!

    In less than two years, the young man, who was only in his early twenties, turned the situation around! Under his leadership, not only did the Empire regain control over their lostnd, but all the rebels were killed!

    No matter what n the rebels came up with; they couldn''t seed! At that time, there were even rumors that Qin Ye could see the future or he was a master strategist who could predict anything!

    Under his lead, the Empire didn''t lose a single battle! While the rebels had a hundred times more soldiers than the Qin Empire, the Empire still won!

    It was also around that time when all the other Princes and Princesses suddenly died! Some thought it was the work of rebels, but many believed it was done by Qin Ye personally! Still, no one dared to question him!

    After ending the rebellion, Qin Ye rose to the throne, bing the new Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. He also executed all the rebels, including their wives and children!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He excelled in strategies and studying his enemy. However, he was also just as ruthless in dealing with his enemies!

    Xu Shan was slightly taken back to find out that the young man in the distance was the Emperor of Qin Dynasty Qin Ye himself!

    The dark-haired man smiled. "Looks like many people know me in the Eternal Dynasty. I hope only for good reasons."

    "Of course. Who wouldn''t appreciate a talented young man like you." The Eternal Emperorughed. "Oh, let me introduce you to my sons."

    The Qin Dynasty had always been neutral, staying out of the business of the other Dynasties. However, the Eternal Emperor was surprised when he received a request from the Qin Dynasty mentioning that the Emperor of Qin wanted to visit the Royal Capital!

    This was a perfect opportunity for the two Dynasties to get closer. Moreover, the Eternal Emperor was already very impressed with the young man next to him, who was an expert in war strategies.

    He believed that as long as he could bring the Qin Dynasty into working together with the Eternal Dynasty, it was beneficial for both of them. That''s also why he tossed such a heavy wee at such short notice.

    The Eternal Emperor gestured for all the Princes and Princesses toe closer and introduce themselves to Qin Ye. Even though his children were of a simr age to Qin Ye, the Emperor knew all too well that they weren''t as talented as him.

    The first prince was the first to step forward, respectfully offering a toast to the Emperor of Qin. He didn''t forget to praise Qin Ye''s impressive feat, attempting to get closer to him.

    Qin Ye also talked nicely, not showing any rudeness at all.

    One after another, the Princes came and introduced themselves, greeting Qin Ye.

    It was the same for all the Princesses who were slightly fascinated by the Emperor of Qin, who looked so handsome yet was so powerful and talented! He was already on an equal footing with their father in position after all!

    "Shan''er, what are you doing there? Come here."

    Unlike the other Princes, Xu Shan hadn''t gone forward at all. He was standing in the back,zily drinking his wine while ignoring the entire bootlicking fiasco by his royal brothers that was taking ce right before his eyes.

    Xu Shan wanted to avoid this since the Third Prince would''ve done the same. However, now that his father specifically called him by name, he couldn''t ignore this anymore.

    He understood that there was something wrong with the man. As for what, that was the question in his mind.

    He didn''t show any strange emotions and calmly stepped forward.

    "I''m the Third Prince, Xu Shan. Nice to meet you." He casually spoke.

    "Prince Xu Shan. I heard you''re also very popr in the Dynasty." Qin Ye smiled. "I must say, your eyes are really fascinating. As if they''re hiding a lot of secrets��."

 Chapter 29 29: A Battle Between Fate And Desires!

    ?Xu Shan was slightly taken aback by the sudden response, talking about his eyes. He was sure that even his father couldn''t see his Star Mark. However, this also didn''t appear like a coincidence that Qin Ye was suddenly talking about his eyes...as if he knew something.

    "Emperor Qin also has a lot of secrets it seems. I wonder if all your siblings were just as talented as you. What a pity that they all mysteriously died when it was time for you to ascend the throne."

    Xu Shan didn''t like the feeling of talking to the man in front of him. However, he didn''t hold back either, even if he was sure that his father was going to scold him for talking like that.

    Strangely enough, his father did show a surprised reaction after hearing Xu Shan''s words, but he still didn''t be angry.

    Xu Shan took a subtle nce at his father, who was really as the rumors stated. No matter what, his eyes didn''t reveal even a trace of anger when it came to Xu Shan.

    Instead, there was a strange emotion that made Xu Shan feel as if he could see a trace of fear towards him in the Emperor''s eyes. He wasn''t sure if it was his misconception or something.

    "Emperor Qin,e. I''ll introduce you to others." The Emperor chimed in before telling Xu Shan to go back and enjoy with the rest.

    Qin Ye had an amused look on his face as he took a careful nce at Xu Shan, revealing a calm smile.

    "It was nice to meet you, young man. I hope we''ll have more such meetings in the future."

    Emperor Qin directed some words to Xu Shan before he followed Emperor Qin, who took him to introduce to the other important people in the Empire.

    Along the way, the two Emperors could be heard talking about the situation in the Land of Chaos. Unfortunately, Xu Shan couldn''t hear clearly what they were talking about.

    Holding his wine ss in his hands, he walked back to his table. Today, it was a celebration to wee the Emperor of another Dynasty. There were hundreds of tables in the Royal Hall, with five chairs around each table for people to rest and enjoy theing feast.

    After the Eternal Emperor introduced Qin Ye to the others, the celebration finally began. The servants brought many delicious dishes, serving at each table, starting from the main table where two Emperors and their advisors were sitting.

    Amongst all the tables, there was only one where only one person was sitting, leaving the other four nearby chairs empty. Or at least that''s what it looked like since no one could see that in the chair right next to him, Xinren was sitting.

    After an hour passed away, the celebration was finally over. The two Emperors left the Royal Hall first.

    Xu Shan also stood up to leave. However, before he could take a single step, he saw Chen Rouyin stop next to him. She wasn''t alone either, as her father was with her this time.

    "Prince Shen, I wanted to apologize to you for my daughter''s mistakest time." The middle-aged man ced a golden token on the table before Xu Shan. "As a small token of apology, I wanted to offer you my Alchemy Businesses in the Capital. I hope you can forgive my daughter and forget what happened."

    Xu Shan had expected the Chen Family to pay the Royal Family to clear their name. However, he hadn''t expected that the gift was going to be given to him directly. Moreover, the gift was quite precious as well.

    It was even more surprising since he was sure that Chen Rouyin had already told her father what had happened. Despite knowing that, the man could still look at the bigger picture, which was surprising.

    "I hope that in the future, she won''t go to another person''s house in the middle of the night with her guards and try to start a fight. Not everyone is as kind as me." In response, Xu Shan nodded. He picked up the golden token before leaving the Royal Hall.

    Chen Rouyin''s lips twitched uncontrobly as she watched Xu Shan leave. She couldn''t help but curse him in her mind!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''If you are a kind person, then there is no bad person in the world!

    ****

    Xu Shan left the Royal Pce, entering his Carriage, which was already waiting outside. Zi Huang opened the doors for him, letting him walk inside the carriage without putting any effort.

    At that moment, Qin Ye stood near the window in the room that was assigned to him. Through the window, he was watching Xu Shan''s carriage being driven away.

    "Fate... It''s so fickle..." He muttered, tightening his grip around the green book in his right hand.

    ****

    "Tell me who that man was!"

    Xu Shan sat in the carriage with Xinren. Now that he wasn''t in a public ce, he didn''t need to control his curiosity. He directly asked.

    "I don''t know his real identity, but I felt a familiar presence on him. Destiny... It felt like Destiny..." Xinren responded, breaking the silence.

    "Destiny?" Xu Shan frowned. He didn''t understand what she meant.

    "Book of Destiny," Xinren let out, ncing out the window at the Royal Pce in the distance that was still visible. "If what I think is true, then that man knows too much. He has seen the future. We have to find a way to kill him. He''s too dangerous."

    "Book of Destiny? You mean something like that Book of Desires?" Xu Shan hadn''t expected there to be another godly book. However, it also didn''t sound crazy. What could be crazier than a book that could grant any desires?

    "It is very different from the Book of Desires. Book of Destiny allows a person to look into the future in exchange for sacrificing their lifespans." Xinren snapped her fingers, creating an illusion of a green book floating before them.

    "Book of Destiny is much weaker than Book of Desires in what it can do. That''s why the cost one has to pay to use it is also low. The farther you look into the future, the more you sacrifice your lifespan until you eventually run out and die."

    "I didn''t expect it to be in the Celestial Realm. And that too, with that man."

    Xu Shan looked at Xinren weirdly. "You''re telling me that we need to kill a person who can see the future? Isn''t it easier said than done? Though it does exin why he never lost a war."

    "Does that mean he also knows about me possessing the Book of Desires?" he frowned, having a bad feeling about this.

    Until now, he had already made something like the Celestial Pce his enemy, but now there was also the Qin Dynasty that was even worse.

    It was as if a battle had begun between him and Qin Ye�� a battle where he needed to defy destiny�� a battle between Fate and Desires!

 Chapter 30 30: He Knew

    ?"I''m not sure if he knows about you possessing one. I can''t read his mind." Xinren rolled her eyes. "I only know what I told you. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine."

    After a brief moment of silence, she further continued, "What I do know is that he has already used the Book of Destiny to peek into the future at least once."

    "I guessed as much," Xu Shan responded. "The way he turned the tide in the Qin Dynasty during the rebellion. It would''ve been impossible unless he had seen the future. Now the question is; how far did he see at that time?"

    "Even though the loss of lifespan isn''t as scary in the short term, but still, he wouldn''t be stupid enough to waste his lifespan like that. Every action of his changes the future that he saw after all."

    Even though initially he was taken aback by the appearance of Qin Ye, now that he had calmly thought about it, that guy wasn''t invincible!

    Just like he was concerned about using the Book of Desires, Qin Ye must''ve been hesitant about using the Book of Destiny unnecessarily. That was where his opportunity lied. He just had to fool the destiny!

    He closed his eyes, not talking anymore. He also told Xinren not to speak and give him time to consider the situation from all perspectives, so he didn''t miss anything.

    Throughout the journey back, he kept thinking about the man''s action in suddenly approaching him. At the same time, something seemed amiss.

    "If he knew about the Book of Desires, he wouldn''t have been naive enough to show himself so openly." After a long period of silence, Xu Shan finally voiced his thoughts.

    "If I was in his ce and I knew about a person who possessed the Book of Desires, instead of making my presence known to that person, I would''ve moved in the dark and sent assassins that couldn''t be traced back to me in case that person survived and wanted revenge."

    He nced to his left in the direction of Xinren, who appeared to be listening to him carefully. "You said the Book of Desires is stronger than the Book of Destiny?"

    Xinren nodded in response. "Book of Destiny can only be described as an auxiliary help. Even though it can act as a guide, other than that, it''s useless, and one has to do everything themselves. However, the Book of Desires is different. It can be actively used to do almost anything."

    "Onest question... Can the Book of Destiny predict the future of the Book of Desires?" Xu Shan further asked.

    Xinren didn''t understand why he was asking the question. She only shook her head lightly.

    "If that were the case, the previous owner of Book of Destiny would''ve known where the Book of Desires was going to appear, especially those old monsters. They would''ve done anything to get the Book of Desires."

    "I see. In that case, my guess is most likely urate. He doesn''t know as much as I thought he did. He came here targeting the Third Prince and not me..."

    Xu Shan felt somewhat relieved, realizing the situation was much better than it could''ve been. Since Qin Ye was so overconfident in the fate that he read, he made many mistakes without even realizing it.

    Even though it looked as if Xu Shan was in the open while Qin Ye was hiding in the dark, treating him as an ant, the reality was much different.

    "What do you mean?" Xinren asked, slightly intrigued.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Since she was connected to Xu Shan, she could at least hear his thoughts in the past. However, ever since he awakened the Celestial Spirit of Devouring, she couldn''t know what he was thinking.

    "I''m not sure when Qin Ye received the Book of Destiny. However, from what I can guess, it was way before the rebellion. He had always been hiding from the others, not showing any extraordinary traits. Whenever he received the Book of Destiny, he had already seen the future!"

    "If I''m not wrong, he already knew about his father''s death in the future and the rebellion! Or maybe he himself killed his father to make sure the rebellion that he saw in the Book of Destiny happened much sooner!"

    "The rebellion was the perfect time for him to take care of everyone, from the enemies of the Royal Family that could make his future position in the Dynasty unstable to his own siblings who could''ve contended for the throne."

    The more Xu Shan talked, the more impressed he felt. He had a feeling that Qin Ye was more patient than he thought.

    As the carriage went back toward his Pce, the roads were once again empty, giving him a very lonely view of the City streets. However, he still kept his gaze out the window, as if even though he was looking at the empty streets, his vision was looking much farther...

    "He must know that the future changes constantly once he gets involved. That''s why he probably didn''t look much farther into the future until he ascended the throne."

    "However, once he ascended, he tried to look much farther than he had ever looked before. At least, that''s what I would''ve done. He looked as far as possible until he found the point where he felt like he might have to intervene to change the future."

    Hiszy gaze moved back to Xinren, who was slightly taken aback at how many things Xu Shan had managed to find out.

    Although she knew that he was only guessing while keeping himself in Qin Ye''s ce, but everything he said didn''t feel far from the truth. At least, that''s what a wise person would''ve done.

    "Can you guess what that point was?" Xu Shan calmly asked. From his gaze, it was clear that he already knew the answer yet wanted Xinren to say it.

    "You?" Xinren responded with some uncertainty. "That point was you?"

    "Wrong." Xu Shan shook his head lightly. "That point where he decided to intervene wasn''t me."

    Xinren frowned, even more confused. "Then what?"

    "It was the Third Prince." Xu Shan appeared somewhat amused, as if he found it interesting. "I only came here a few days ago. The Qin Dynasty sent a letter asking my father''s permission for their visit at least a week ago. What does that tell us? It''s that I''m not the target."

    "Since the Book of Destiny can''t see the future of the Book of Desires, it most certainly can''t see the changes the Book of Desires can suddenly cause in the future thanks to the wishes. Desires... They are what defy destiny!"

    "The Book of Destiny saw the future. But it didn''t see the future with me since I wasn''t even here at that time. Since I didn''t even exist, my actions couldn''t be predicted. What the Book of Destiny saw was the future with the Third Prince!"

 Chapter 31 31: He Wants To Play? Ill Give Him Something To Play With!

    ?"Third Prince''s future?" Xinren''s eyes lit up as she realized what Xu Shan was implying!

    Currently, Qin Ye didn''t know about the fact that the Third Prince had a different soul! He didn''t know about the Book of Desires either! That meant he came here purely for the Third Prince... The master of the Celestial Spirit of Devouring!

    "Even if I hadn''te to this world, the Third Prince would''ve awakened his Celestial Spirit. However, once he did, he would''ve been like a bloodthirsty dragon, craving for Strength!"

    "I''m not sure what kind of a future he would''ve had, but it was certainly scary enough that Qin Ye decided to intervene before the Third Prince had a chance to get stronger and be a threat."

    "Even destiny was helpless once a person was strong enough to shatter their own destiny after all! A person like that wouldn''t have allowed someone like the Third Prince to be stronger."

    Xu Shan hadn''t even reached his pce yet, but he had already guessed what Qin Ye was like. "He''s truly a fool..."

    "Why do you think he''s a fool?" Xinren''s melodious voice came in response. Even if she believed every single word of Xu Shan''s assumption to be urate, that didn''t make it appear as if Qin Ye was a fool.

    "Of course. If not, fool, what shall I call him? If I were in his ce, I would''ve killed the target as soon as possible, not taking any risks. Unfortunately, he isn''t going to do that."

    "And how can you be sure that he won''t try to kill you tonight?" Xinren inquired. However, she wasn''t asking because she thought Xu Shan was wrong. If anything, she had a feeling that he was very reliable. She was just genuinely curious.

    "Eyes... As he said, a person''s eyes hide many secrets. Unfortunately, his eyes failed to hide his arrogance."

    "No matter how much he tried to hide it with his attitude, but his eyes can''t lie. He looked at me less like a threat that needed to be killed immediately and more like his entertainment. That''s what irritated me even more. I have a feeling that I know what he''s nning."

    "He won''t kill me tonight, but he''s probably already set a trap and is just waiting now."

    "He saw the future, and he knows the approximate time when I be a threat to him. It''s clear he won''t let me live up to that point."

    As Xu Shan thought up to this point, his expression slightly darkened. "If I''m not wrong, to make things entertaining, he will use another trick... Something that I wanted to avoid!"

    "And what trick is that?" Xinren straightened her back, moving closer to Xu Shan, not even realizing how close she was to him.

    "Celestial Pce." Xu Shan sighed, feeling a headacheing. "He knows the Third Prince kidnapped the Saintess. He''ll use the Celestial Pce against me while simply watching the show. If I''m not wrong, he probably already informed the Celestial Pce secretly."

    "Of course, it''s only my assumption. However, I have a feeling that I''m not far from the truth."

    "I thought I had time to deal with the matters of the Celestial Pce, but this guy''s appearance messed up everything! Even if I had killed the Saintess, it wouldn''t have helped much. He already knows the ce where the Third Prince buried the Saintessst time."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Even if I had changed the location, he could just use the Book of Destiny to find that location and pin the me on me, hitting two birds with one stone. He would''ve pushed me at death''s door while also weakening my backing... The Eternal Dynasty."

    "If he''s not too stupid, he came to the Eternal Dynasty precisely for this reason. Instead of assassinating me, he wants to watch me die at others'' hands, right before his eyes."

    "You know what''s even more irritating?" He rubbed the back of his neck as if he was trying to relieve a stiff neck. It was surprising that he could still keep a calm face.

    "What?"

    "He''ll use this opportunity to act righteous!" Xu Shan let out, rolling his eyes. "He''ll act surprised to discover that Saintess is killed after finding her body. And then, he would''ve sided with the Celestial Pce in the name of justice."

    "Throw Sky Dynasty in the mix as well, and the Eternal Dynasty would''ve been attacked from three sides. Meanwhile, my naive father still thinks Qin Ye came here for cooperation with the Eternal Dynasty."

    Even though he wanted it all to be just him overthinking, the risks were too significant if it wasn''t. He could only move further, believing that he was right. He didn''t want to doubt himself now and then regret itter! In this world, his life was more important than anything!

    The carriage finally reached his pce and stopped at the entrance. This time, Xu Shan didn''t wait for others to open the carriage for him.

    He opened the door himself and stepped out, silently entering his pce. "Well, since he wants to y a game of chess with me, I hope he won''t me me for responding in kind."

    His fists were tightly clenched. Unfortunately, the guards didn''t notice. Only Xinren followed behind him, noticing his fists. It was clear that he was feeling somewhat hesitant. She didn''t know what he wanted to do, but for him to hesitate so much, it couldn''t be simple.

    Xu Shan pushed the door of his new bedroom open and entered with Xinren, closing the door behind him.

    He didn''t even spend a single moment to rest after a long journey. He simply took off his robe and all the unnecessary essories that he had to wear as a Prince, tossing them all on the bed before he walked to a nearby chair, pulling a table closer.

    "Wait, are you...?" Xinren was slightly surprised, realizing what he was about to do.

    Xu Shan didn''t reply. "That guy wants to y with me? I''ll give him something to y with..."

    A pitch-ck book appeared in his hands, apanied by an intimidating aura.

    Xu Shan opened the book, flipping the pages and going past the page on which hisst wish was written.

    Firmly holding the pen between his fingers and his thumb, he started writing��

 Chapter 32 32: Losing

    ?****

    The clock struck twelve. The world was silent as the moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale light over thendscape.

    The world was at peace; at least, it appeared like that on the surface. However, the reality was somewhat different.

    Under the all-epassing darkness, a mysterious shadow could asionally be seen on the roofs of houses. However, none could even catch a glimpse of the shadow with how fast it was moving.

    The shadow soon appeared in avishly furnished room where a young man was sitting with a ss of wine in his hand as if appreciating the beautiful view outside.

    The shadow silently appeared behind the young man.

    "Did you deliver the message?" The young man asked before taking a sip from his ss.

    "An anonymous letter has been delivered as per instructions. Everything has been mentioned. ording to the information, the Celestial Pce already sent some people." The shadow''s voice echoed in the room, sounding cold yet feminine.

    The man didn''t respond. He simply nodded without even bothering to nce back. The shadow behind him also disappeared in the darkness of the night as if it was never there in the first ce.

    ****

    In another ce in the Royal City of the Eternal Dynasty, a young man was sitting on the roof right under the moonlight. It was the second consecutive night where Xu Shan ended up on the roof.

    For some reason, he felt morefortable under the moonlight, as if it was something soothing... This was the only time where he could feel relief... The only time when he didn''t want to constantly scheme and worry about the future.

    He rested his head on a pillow, just watching the stars twinkling like diamonds in the sky while the cool and crisp air brushed against his skin.

    "It should be winter soon. What a pity that there hasn''t been any snowfall in the Eternal Dynasty."

    "Do you like snowfall?" Xinren appeared next to him.

    "I do... Or at least I think I do. However, I can''t exactly remember why?" Xu Shan replied. There was some uncertainty in his voice. "It feels as if I forgot something important."

    Whenever he tried to think about it, he could only see a blurry shadow, as if there was a shroud on his memories.

    "Is this the price this time?" He calmly asked. If it was the old him, his reaction might''ve been much stronger. However, currently, only a trace of sadness was visible in his eyes.

    Xinren only looked at him, but she didn''t say anything.

    "If I''ve already paid the price, you should be able to tell me." Xu Shan''s calm voice broke the silent yet solemn atmosphere. "Tell me what I sacrificed this time?"

    Physically he was perfectly fine. However, he could still feel that something was wrong. As if there was something really important that he couldn''t remember at all... Something which was very dear to his heart.

    Who was that blurry shadow that he asionally thought about? Why couldn''t he remember? There were many questions in his mind, but even he felt slightly scared about trying to find the answer.

    Despite not knowing, his heart felt some strange yet inexplicable sadness.

    "It''ll be even more painful if I tell you. So it''s better that you don''t know. This is the price for yourst wish... An exchange..." Xinren also nced at the moon hanging high in the sky.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    She had a feeling that if Xu Shan knew what price he had to pay, he never would''ve written that specific wish. Unfortunately, it wasn''t as if he had any other choice either.

    Xu Shan couldn''t directly target Qin Ye because Qin Ye was the holder of the book of destiny. Even if he could use the Book of Desires to directly mess with him, the price wasn''t something he thought he could afford currently.

    Thus, he went with another option that he thought was more suitable to deal with Qin Ye!

    Qin Ye had set an borate trap for him, not realizing that what Xu Shan nned was something even crazier.

    The silent night passed away. In the end, Xu Shan fell asleep without receiving an answer.

    "Would he hate me if he knew the price he paid?" Sitting next to Xu Shan, Xinren could be seen talking to herself.

    Even though she was a Book Spirit and wasn''t allowed to interfere in the decision of the host, but if she knew what he was writing, she thought that she could''ve at least tried to convince him to think of another method. Unfortunately, by the time she came to her senses, Xu Shan had already finished writing.

    Xinren stood up and walked to the edge of the roof, looking over at the beautiful city around her. However, she couldn''t appreciate the scene.

    Initially, she didn''t get attached to any host. However, because Xu Shan had be something akin to a friend to her in such a short time, even she felt somewhat bad for him.

    "He came to this world with nothing but his memories of Earth. And amongst those memories, his most cherished memories were of his father and his mother..."

    She nced back at the sleeping face of the young man in the distance.

    "The childhood that he spent in a poor yet loving household... Those were what he cherished the most."

    "But now... That''s what he sacrificed. I can''t tell him that. I can''t tell him that he lost all the memories of his mother and his childhood... The memories that he can never recover as if those things never existed in the first ce."

    In the end, she walked back and sat next to Xu Shan, just silently sitting there throughout the night.

    ****

    Early in the morning, Xu Shan finally woke up from his slumber, noticing Xinren sitting next to him with her arms around her knees, as if she was a child who was curiously looking at him.

    "Do I have something on my face?" Xu Shan stood up, yawning. Whenever he slept under the moonlight, his body always felt so refreshed.

    "Of course, there''s something on your face." Xinren also stood up. Unlike him, she didn''t need to sleep to feel refreshed. Since she was a Book Spirit, she didn''t require any sleep. Let alone require, she couldn''t sleep even if she wanted to.

    All her life, she wanted to experience dreams... Unfortunately, she never could. She could only watch as the other humans slept and dreamed.

    "Did you have a good dream?" she asked, changing the topic.

    "I''m not sure. I can''t remember." Xu Shan calmly replied as he stretched his arms, gazing at the City in the distance, which looked even more beautiful with the sun rising in the distance.

    "Anyway, we should get ready. If I''m not wrong, the Celestial Pce will pay us a visit soon. All the pieces are in ce. This should be getting fun soon."

 Chapter 33 33: Even If You Want To Die;

    ?Qin Ye didn''t stay with the Eternal Emperor all day. In the morning, he had some discussions with the Emperor, as if he was seriously there to get some agreement on trade and cooperation between the two Empires.

    Meanwhile, in the afternoon, he went into the city like a proper guest who just wanted to see the culture of the Dynasty.

    The Eternal Emperor sent some people to escort Qin Ye and to make sure that no one disrespected their guests. Unfortunately, he didn''t realize that the people he sent with Qin Ye couldn''t keep up with him at all.

    If he wanted, Qin Ye could lose the people easily. However, he didn''t do it. Instead, he carefully maintained his speed to make sure that the people sent by the Emperor could see him all the time. He was supposed to be an innocent spectator after all.

    He walked through the City, entering multiple shops along the way and even doing some light shopping. For the most part, he looked like a perfect guest. He was kind, and there was not a single trace of arrogance in him despite holding such a high position.

    What was even more surprising were the guards of Qin Ye. They were elite guards who weren''t walking with him but were following him in the silence without revealing themselves. His guards were so well trained that even some warriors of the Eternal Dynasty were slightly impressed.

    In fact, some even felt that Qin Ye''s guards were simr to assassins who were hard to spot.

    "They should be here soon." Along the way, Qin Ye kept looking around.

    He had no destination in his mind. He was just randomly roaming the streets, waiting for the right opportunity when the guests were going to arrive in the city. It was soon going to be the time for chaos... Something which he could enjoy!

    After roaming the streets for nearly three hours, he suddenly stopped in the middle of the road, frowning. He could sense some powerful presenceing from the distance!

    The aura of those people was different from the aura of the Dynasty Warriors. They were clearly not from the Dynasty.

    It might have been hard for even Qin Ye to guess their identity. However, since he was the one who nned it all, he knew everything! The ones who wereing this time were the Elders of the Celestial Pce!

    Instead of sending a stronger disciple, the Celestial Pce directly sent some Elders to deal with the matter, which showed just how important Yu Fei was to them. In fact, Qin Ye wouldn''t have been surprised even if the Master of the Celestial Pce had personallye here!

    "The Celestial Pce must''ve given these Elders the authority to investigate. Since it''s just an investigation, the Pce Master didn''te right away. However, I''m sure he must''ve given these Elders something that could help them contact him in case of emergency!"

    " I''ll make sure to drag him into this mess. How else would it be fun!"

    There was an amused smirk spread across Qin Ye''s face. Everything was ording to n!

    He quickly wiped that smirk off his face before turning around, looking at Eternal Dynasty soldiers. "Do you also sense these auras? It looks like there are more guests. I''ll go ahead and check!"

    Qin Ye disappeared from the middle of the streets, going in the direction of the Third Prince''s Pce, where these auras wereing from. Since he was a spectator, of course, he had to be there. How else could he act righteous and fan the mes?!

    ****

    Xu Shan finished absorbing another person''s Celestial Spirit. Just as he had expected, it was getting harder and harder for Qin Ye to find people with five-star or higher grade celestial Spirits that could be brought here without being noticed.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In fact, it was just the second time Zi Huang had seeded, and even then, he was almost caught!

    Thanks to the second person, Xu Shan''s Celestial Aura became even denser. He jumped straight from the Seventh Grade Celestial Warrior to Third Grade Celestial General!

    Now he and the Saintess of the Celestial Pce were in the same realm. While he was a Third Grade Celestial General, Yu Fei was a peak ninth-grade Celestial General, just one step away from bing an Earth Celestial.

    After absorbing the Celestial Spiritpletely, Xu Shan left the room.

    "Deal with the mess inside the room." He told his guards without much emotion on his face. However, just as he finished, he sensed something.

    In fact, not just him; almost everyone in the vicinity sensed it! A heavy pressure descended from the sky as if a mountain was pushing down on everyone''s shoulders!

    Even Zi Huang felt somewhat taken aback! These auras... Whoever it was, they were too powerful! However, for these people to act so brazenly in this ce, he wondered if these people didn''t fear death!

    No matter how strong they were, unless they were someone like the Pce Master of the Celestial Pce, they shouldn''t have dared to be so arrogant, especially toward the favorite son of the Emperor!

    "Your Highness, please stay inside. I''ll check outside!" Zi Huang carefully told the Third Prince, worried that the young prince was going to ignore his caution once again and arrogantly walk out of the Pce in anger.

    "No need to worry. I will apany you."

    Xu Shan already expected these people toe here. In fact, he already knew that they were going to act so arrogantly. He was waiting for them.

    No matter how arrogant, they weren''t going to attack him directly! Even if the Celestial Pce Master were here, he would''ve acted cautiously because of his father.

    "It''s finally time for checkmate..." With his hands behind his back, Xu Shan walked out of his pce, looking at the sky.

    In the sky, there were five people standing! All five had a suffocating aura that made ordinary people feel like they could die just by looking at them! In fact, in the sky, these people looked like gods.

    Unfortunately for them, Xu Shan''s expressions had no fluctuations. He wasn''t affected by their auras in the least, thanks to his Celestial Spirit''s protection.

    "Your clothes... You are from the Celestial Pce?!" Zi Huang felt his blood turn cold as he finally saw who these people were! The Celestial Pce was already here, sooner than he could ever have expected!

    He didn''t even know how they found out about this ce since the Saintess'' aura was hidden entirely. Something didn''t add up.

    While the Elders of the Celestial Pce were standing in the air outside the Pce, the Saintess who was kidnapped and drugged was inside her room in the pce.

    "Are you five tired of your lives? Even if you want to die, whye to the Eternal Dynasty for it?" Unlike Zi Huang, Xu Shan was as carefree as always.

 Chapter 34 34: Come Down Or Else

    ?The Elders were taken aback by the level of disrespect they were witnessing. Being in their positions at the Celestial Pce afforded them great respect and they had interacted with countless geniuses. Even the most exceptional among them had always shown deference when in their presence.

    Even when they left the Celestial Pce in the past, they were still held in high regard akin to deities. However, instead of showing respect towards them, Xu Shan had a condescending tone as if he was admonishing children!

    One of the Elders lifted his eyebrows and spoke in a cold tone, "Do you know who you''re speaking to?"

    Xu Shan retorted sharply, "I am aware of your identity. Your attire suggests that you belong to the Celestial Pce. However, I am least bothered about who you are. I would still advise you toe down yourself, if you don''t want to regret itter."

    "Hoh? Regret?"

    The Elders were already enraged since they had received the information that Xu Shan killed their Saintess! They came here to verify this but not only was Xu Shan not epting his wrongs as soon as he saw them, but he was even threatening them?

    "Very well. Let us see how you''ll make us regret our actions," The Elder sarcastically sneered. The idea of a mere child trying to threaten them wasughable to them. However, their anger simmered beneath the surface.

    Xu Shan kept his calm demeanor, but he was secretly ted by the response he received. It was precisely the reaction he was hoping for. He had deliberately provoked these individuals, as it was all part of his well-thought-out n!

    Xu Shan took a step back, speaking with a hint ofziness, "I never said I would do anything."

    The group of five Elders furrowed their brows in utter bewilderment. They exchanged perplexed nces with one another,pletely at a loss for words. Suddenly, a wave of unyielding force cascaded down from above, causing their onceposed expressions to pale in shock.

    The Elders looked pale and rmed as they nced at one another. Suddenly, an intense aura descended upon them, causing them to lose their bnce and fall to the ground.

    Xu Shan gazed in astonishment as a crater materialized before him. At the center of the crater, he noticed the Elders kneeling down. However, what amused him was the sight of blood trickling down their lips and the instability of their aura.

    ''As expected of father. He knows everything that''s happening in the Royal City. Even while remaining in the Royal Pce, he brought these people down.''

    Xu Shan''s lips curled up with satisfaction. The Elders weren''t worth his father''s personal involvement. But that was not what Xu Shan truly desired. He wanted topel his father toe here, and he had taken the first step towards that goal.

    The next move was certainly slightly daring. Nheless, he believed that he would seed in this endeavor. Regardless, he was determined to execute his n.

    He moved closer to the edge of the crater. "You look better like that."

    Despite their injuries, the five Elders rose to their feet fueled by a mix of fury and embarrassment. Deep within, they were aware of the culprit behind their assault, but they were helpless to retaliate. The Emperor''s unexpected intervention had caught them off guard, leaving them with no recourse to challenge his authority.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    One of the five Elders gazed at the sky and shouted, "The death of our Saintess was caused by your son! Instead of taking action against him, you have the audacity tounch an attack on us? Have you not considered the consequences of your actions? Do you believe the Celestial Pce has no power?!"

    The Elder''s voice boomed throughout the city, echoing far and wide. It seemed as though everyone heard his words. However, despite themotion, the Eternal Emperor remained indifferent. To him, the people were insignificant like ants. As long as they posed no real threat to his son, he paid them no mind.

    He had observed their arrival in the City from the beginning. Although he had not taken any action at that time, he was surprised by theirck of respect for the Dynasty. Their audacity even led them to provoke his son, as if they were in their own territory. This behavior was unexpected and uneptable.

    The First Elder''s speech came to a halt as footsteps were heard approaching from the back.

    Qin Ye emerged, his eyes widening in surprise at the scene before him. "What is happening here?! Why are you fighting?"

    The Elders turned to the direction of the voice, taken aback by its unexpected source. They recognized Qin Ye, having met him previously. However, unknown to them, Qin Ye was also the one who had sent the anonymous letter.

    "Oh, Emperor Qin!" The First Elder addressed respectfully. He then proceeded to exin that their Saintess was missing and suspected Xu Shan to be the perpetrator. The elders also revealed that a reliable witness had sent them a letter detailing the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the Saintess.

    After conducting a thorough investigation, the Elders were already able to verify the majority of the information contained in the letter. It was confirmed that a massacre had urred in the restaurant on the specified date, resulting in the deaths of many individuals.

    Initially, it was believed that a mentally unstable Celestial Warrior was responsible for the tragedy. However, the letter explicitly named the actual perpetrator.

    "Oh? Do you have any proof other than the letter? Have you found the body?" Qin Ye asked solemnly.

    He was already aware of the location of the body and had shared this information with the Celestial Pce. He was confident that they had discovered the body along with Xu Shan''s energy imprint on it. By posing this question, he had provided them with an opportunity to use the tform he prepared to expose Xu Shan.

    "This..." The Elders momentarily went silent, ncing at each other.

    Qin Ye was surprised by their reaction. He sensed that something was off. Instead of confirming that they had found the body with Xu Shan''s aura on it, they exchanged uneasy nces. This raised a red g for Qin Ye, as he had a gut feeling that something was amiss.

    "Have you found the body where the letter mentioned?" he asked again.

    "We didn''t find the body." In the end, the First Elder spoke with some hesitation.

    "Impossible..." Qin Ye was so surprised that he subconsciously blurred out.

 Chapter 35 35: Injured Third Prince

    ?"Impossible!" Qin Ye subconsciously blurted out.

    However, as soon as he noticed that everyone was looking at him, including Xu Shan, he closed his mouth. He was sure that Xu Shan''s father was also observing the situation.

    Moreover, he was also sure that the Emperor had already sent over ten of his Generals! They had already surrounded them from all sides!

    Even the Celestial Pce Elders couldn''t leave this ce alive if they couldn''t prove that Xu Shan had done what they used him of!

    The unsettling sensation he experienced stemmed from the fact that the future he had anticipated had been altered unexpectedly. It left him with a sense of unease, almost as if someone had been ying a game with him.

    He found himself in an unusual state of uncertainty, which was rare for him as he preferred to have a clear understanding and strategy for everything.

    He was desperate to use the Book of Destiny and determine whether any changes had urred. It was a matter of safety for him, but he couldn''t find the opportunity to use the book in this moment. He couldn''t just leave.

    "I mean, it''s ''impossible'' for Xu Shan to have done it!" Qin Ye rified right away. "If the letter is wrong about the ce where you''ll find the body, how can you believe it?!"

    Confused and frustrated, he couldn''tprehend why the events had changed like that despite hisck of interference during that time.

    ''This can''t be. It''ll be such a wasted opportunity if I don''t do anything.''

    "The disappearance of the Saintess is a significant issue that cannot be ignored. If she could be harmed, it raises concerns about the safety of everyone else in this world. We must conduct a thorough investigation to fully understand the situation." He then took a moment to gather his thoughts andpose himself. Or at least that''s the impression he wanted to give everyone!

    Even though he didn''t know what had changed, it was still fine! He could still control the situation even without knowing the exact future!

    "Prince Shan, I''m sure the Celestial Pce is restless. No matter how much I believe you, they will always be suspicious. It might affect the rtionship between the two ces." He innocently shifted his attention to the Third Prince as if he had another idea!

    No matter how this future changed, he believed he could still get it right on track! He had thousands of methods to expose Xu Shan.

    "How about we make sure that this seed of suspicion is destroyed forever, proving your innocence?"

    "And how will you do that?" Xu Shan asked. He was somewhat curious what trick Qin Ye was going to use next.

    Xu Shan had meticulously nned every aspect, leaving no room for errors. However, he still found it amusing to witness Emperor Qin''s attempts to trap him, despite failing in his initial n.

    He wanted to relish the moment until it was time to bring the matter to a close. In fact, he was really curious as to what kind of twisted expressions Qin Ye was going to reveal at the end.

    ''Struggle... struggle as much as you can. Since you''ve targeted me, I''ll make sure the Qin Dynasty disappears from this world, using your own n!''

    Xu Shan didn''t reveal his true thoughts on his face. "And how do you want me to prove my innocence?"

    "Why not try Star Heart Grass? It has the power to prevent one from lying. You could eat it and prove your innocence," Qin Ye suggested with a reassuring smile. "I believe you are innocent, so let''s put an end to this situation today."

    Xu Shan was somewhat impressed at how fast this guy came up with a new n. Then again, he had already expected something like this. There was no way he would''ve forgotten about the herb he used on Yu Fei.

    Usually, a prince could easily lie and no one would''ve dared to use him of lying, in fear of offending the Royals. That''s also why Chen Rouyin hadn''t eaten the Seven Star Grass to prove her innocence.

    If her father had failed to protect her by paying a heavy price, only then would she have asked for something like this at thest resort. However, even then, she was sure that the Emperor wasn''t going to give her an opportunity to use the grass. How could the Emperor watch his son be proven a liar?

    It was useless for Chen Rouyin to demand something like that. However, with Qin Ye personally asking while pretending to be on Xu Shan''s side... It was almost impossible to reject.

    "And what if I don''t?" Xu Shan asked, frowning. "Why should I care what they think? They''re not worth a single de of grass in my garden."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You should tell them to leave or I''ll kill them myself!" Xu Shan arrogantly stated, aiming his Sword at the Elders.

    The Elders were ovee with indignation and their emotions were beyond their control. In their rage, they resolved to teach Xu Shan a lesson!

    Even if they were to be punished by the Emperorter on, they couldn''t take the arrogance of this person.

    However, they also knew they couldn''t seriously hurt him! They didn''t have a death wish!

    The First Elder exuded a strong energy that seemed to be directed at Xu Shan. His intention was simply to nudge the young man backward and demonstrate the gap in their skill levels, without causing any actual harm.

    However, the moment the first Elder emanated his aura, his countenance turned pale due to what he witnessed!

    He had only used a weak aura to push back Xu Shan a few steps. However, for some reason, Xu Shan shot back, coughing out a mouthful of blood as if he was attacked by a full strength attack that was intended to kill him.

    "Your Highness!" Zi Huang eximed with horror. He couldn''t believe that these people actually had the audacity to target Xu Shan.

    He swiftly soared forward, catching Xu Shan carefully in his embrace. Xu Shan''splexion had turned pale and blood was trickling down his lips.

    "W-what?" The First Elder''s mind went nk! He hadn''t done it! How could Xu Shan fly back like that? It wasn''t because of his attack! Instead, it was as if Xu Shan had nned it!

    As he thought of it, his face lost all color. "Wait, he is pre-"

    Swiss ~

    Without warning, a swift arc of a sword descended and sliced the First Elder''s body in half, spilling blood on the ground as he crumpled to the floor.

    The ten generals, who had been in hiding, were taken aback by the unexpected attack on the prince and finally emerged from their hiding ces.

    In fact, initially, even the ten Generals didn''t want to interfere. They were also hoping that Xu Shan might be in the wrong so that he could be dealt withter. They long hated the Third Prince for his past deeds.

    Unfortunately, thanks to the Emperor, they couldn''t do anything. Despite being dispatched to this location, they held back and refrained from revealing their presence. It was almost as if they were observing from afar, patiently waiting for the Celestial Pce to provide concrete evidence of Xu Shan''s wrongdoing.

    Regrettably, due to Xu Shan''s grave injuries, they were left with no other option but to reveal themselves and take action, lest they incur the wrath of the Emperor.

    As soon as they came out, they killed the First Elder!

    After the death of the First Elder, the remaining Elfers were gripped with fear and promptly transmitted a message to the Celestial Pce Master.

    The Master of the Celestial Pce was left astonished as soon as the message was conveyed. One of their esteemed Elders had been mercilessly killed in such a short span of time.

    He split open the void and entered right away.

    A new void appeared in front of Xu Shan''s pce, and the Celestial Pce Master finally emerged from within it.

    As Xu Shan stood there, another void suddenly appeared beside him. A middle-aged man emerged from it, his expression filled with worry for Xu Shan. It was none other than the Emperor of Eternal Dynasty!

    At the moment, the overlords of two Dynasties and one Supreme Pce were all at the same ce! Just as Xu Shan wanted, he had managed to drag all of them here!

    Everything was in ce now!

 Chapter 36 36: I Will

    ?As soon as his father arrived, Xu Shan coughed up yet another mouthful of blood. His face looked as pale as a sheet of thin paper, indicating that he was truly injured.

    The Eternal Emperor grabbed Xu Shan''s wrist, checking if there were any internal injuries that could be life threatening. Fortunately, there was nothing like that.

    Still, without hesitation, he produced the most valuable healing pill in the Dynasty and gave it to Xu Shan, despite the fact that his injuries were not severe.

    Xu Shan knew what that pill was. Since he hurt himself on his own, he knew that the damage he took wasn''t serious.

    Despite the fact that an average healing pill would have sufficed in his recovery, the Emperor still presented him with the most valuable pill avable, suggesting perhaps an underlying apprehension towards potentialplications.

    Xu Shan couldn''t help but feel perplexed by the Emperor''s behavior towards him. The way his father treated him seemed to be in stark contrast to how he interacted with his other sons. Xu Shan couldn''t shake off the strange feeling that lingered within him.

    Initially, he might''ve thought that it was because the Emperor knew how about his Celestial Spirit and how precious it was. But that was impossible and didn''t make sense.

    The manifestation of the Celestial Spirit in the Third Prince didn''t happen until he reached the age of ten, and even then, it was not perceivable by anyone else. Meanwhile, the Emperor had been showing unfavorable treatment towards him since his birth.

    Slightly curious, Xu Shan took the healing pill without hesitation and ced it in his mouth.

    As anticipated, the healing pill worked wonders! Despite sustaining a minor injury, he was impressed by the pill''s ability to fully heal him within seconds, exhibiting a remarkable potency.

    Meanwhile, the Celestial ce Master observed the remains of the First Elder''s body, which had been cleanly severed in two. This confirmed the reports delivered by his trusted Elders.

    His fists instinctively clenched. Not only was his daughter missing, but these people were making the search even more difficult with their behavior.

    He looked up towards his left and briefly nced at Emperor Qin, then returned his gaze to Emperor Xu.

    His icy stare and stoic expression belied the fury brewing within him, particrly when his gazended on Xu Shan, rumored to be responsible for his daughter''s death. An intangible force emanated from him like a violent tempest, enveloping his surroundings in an icy chill, as though dragging them into a frigid abyss.

    The Eternal Emperor stepped in front of Xu Shan, blocking him from Celestial Pce Master''s view.

    In a serious tone, he asked the Celestial Pce Master, "Do you have a death wish? If you even think about harming my son, you will regret it for generations toe."

    The Eternal Emperor''s reaction to the situation was not that of pacification but rather one of fury. The attempted harm to Xu Shan by these individuals was not something he was willing to tolerate. While he had no desire for conflict with the Celestial Pce, he certainly wasn''t intimidated by them either.

    In fact, if a fight started here, he was already prepared to raze the Celestial Pce to the ground!

    "I think you two should calm down. This is just a misunderstanding. We can solve this with dialogue!" Unlike the two men who were furious, Qin Ye was pleased! This was just the situation he wanted!

    He positioned himself in the middle of the two Overlords, with the intention of further igniting the situation. He directed their attention towards Xu Shan.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I don''t want to see a fight between the Eternal Dynasty and the Celestial Pce since millions of innocent people will end up paying the price for the war! So we should solve this misunderstanding first!"

    "Misunderstanding?! They took the life of someone from the Celestial Pce! This is no mere misunderstanding," eximed the Celestial Pce Master, his voice infused with indignation.

    "Your men attacked the Third Prince first. If I was in his ce, I would''ve done the same." Qin Ye responded. He didn''t want to appear biased, so he could righteously side with the Celestial Pce when Xu Shan''s truth was exposed!

    "If you want to fight them for such an unjust reason, then I''m afraid the Qin Dynasty will have to side with the Eternal Dynasty if a war starts!" Despite being soft-spoken, his demeanor reflected a sense of assuredness that resonated with all those around him.

    The individuals belonging to the Eternal Dynasty were amazed by Qin Ye''s words and hailed him as a just and fair person. Even Zi Huang was of the opinion that Qin Ye was a kind individual who had the capability to aid their Prince.

    However, just as he was thanking Qin Ye in his mind, the Young Emperor of the Qin Dynasty continued.

    "However, as I was saying before... If what your people said about Xu Shan being involved in the disappearance of your daughter is true, then I''ll make sure that justice is served, even if I have to offend the Eternal Dynasty!"

    A serene smile spread across his face as he nced over at Xu Shan. "However I am sure that it won''te to that. I have trust in Prince Shan. There is no way he would''ve done something like that. And to prove that, he will use Seven Star Heart Grass right here!"

    "Isn''t that right, Prince Shan?" he asked. The others couldn''t see what his true thoughts were, but he couldn''t hide it from Xu Shan who knew everything.

    He first sided with the Eternal Dynasty, all to help the Celestial Pce indirectly. He took one step back only to take two steps forward.

    "Looks like he really doesn''t want to let you see the sun tomorrow." Xinren couldn''t help but shake her head lightly. "He''s getting so impatient yet he''s able to maintain that fake persona."

    "That..."

    How could it be hidden from the Eternal Emperor that Xu Shan was indeed behind the kidnapping of the Saintess. He was also sure that Xu Shan had already killed her with his personality. He couldn''t let him be tested like that.

    If he fought the Celestial Pce Master now, he could still send them back. In any case, it wasn''t as if they weren''t going to fight after finding out about the truth. No matter what, the war was inevitable since he wasn''t going to give up on the Third Prince!

    By taking preemptive action, he could at least prevent the truth from outright getting out!

    "This wo-"

    "Very well. I''ll take the Seven Star Grass," Xu Shan dered firmly, interrupting his father''s stern rejection.

    The Emperor was taken aback by his response, revealing a rare expression of shock.

    Qin Ye was surprised by the ease with which the young man agreed. He had anticipated some pushback but was taken aback by theck of any resistance. This suddenpliance left him with a feeling that something was not quite right.

 Chapter 37 37: Is That What You Wanted?

    ?Seeing ack of resistance, even the Celestial Pce Master was surprised. He had been observing Xu Shan since the start. However, the man showed no fear or hesitation. Even when he was asked to use the herb that would make him unable to tell a lie for a day, he was still willing!

    Upon witnessing this, the Celestial Pce Master felt some hesitancy. Was he truly guiltless? Were they misguided in their assumption based on an anonymous letter?

    As he dwelled on the matter, his uneasiness grew. The possibility that Xu Shan was falsely used troubled him. If that was the case, then the Celestial Pce''s actions would be unjustified. On the other hand, if Xu Shan was actually innocent, it would mean the Celestial Pce had made a mistake. This realization only added to his difort.

    Furthermore, he was aware that the location referenced in the letter had no bodies buried there!

    When he had heard that, he was slightly relieved since it meant that there was a chance that the person who wrote the letter had made a mistake. However, if the letter was purely a lie, then that meant someone was scheming against them!

    He was uncertain about how he would handle the situation if Xu Shan was proven to be innocent. It was evident that someone had plotted against them by drafting the letter, with the intention of causing conflict between the Eternal Dynasty and Celestial Pce.

    He wasn''t sure who would benefit from the situation. Despite his suspicions, he couldn''t bring himself to doubt Qin Ye, who had been maintaining a neutral stance and attempting to prevent any fights from breaking out.

    The Master of the Celestial Pce had limited time to ponder over the matter. Nevertheless, it was imperative for him to test if Xu Shan was truly innocence.

    From his storage ring, he brought out the Seven Star Herb. The Herb was mostly useless since it didn''t work on an Earth Celestial and above. However, for someone like Xu Shan, it was more than enough.

    The intervention of the Emperor persisted as he prevented Xu Shan from taking the herb from the Celestial Pce Master. It appeared that the Emperor was concerned about the possibility of the herb being tainted with poison.

    He brought the herb personally and confirmed its authenticity with the Celestial Pce Master before handing it over to his son.

    He was unaware of his son''s ns and found himself helpless as his son had already given his consent. Despite the uncertainty, he was determined to ensure his son''s safety and was willing to do whatever it took to protect him.

    As a precautionary measure, he instructed his personal guards to ensure Xu Shan''s safety in case of any potential altercation.

    "Would you like to confirm if it''s genuine or not?" Xu Shan asked, as she threw the herb over to Qin Ye.

    Qin Ye examined the herb with a furrowed brow, but could not detect any visible defects.

    "Xu Shan, I believe in your innocence. You''ll be cleared of all charges," he calmly said, handing back the herb. "It''s perfectly safe for you to consume."

    Xu Shan wasted no time and ingested the Seven Star Herb. Although not particrly delectable, it did not taste repulsive either. After he ate the herb, everyone waited for a few minutes to give enough time for the herb to take effect.

    "You can ask any question. As long as it''s about your so-called Saintess, I''ll answer. But if you ask about my personal life, then..." Xu Shan didn''t finish his sentence before hezily stooped.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Where is my daughter?!" Celestial Pce Master was so impatient that he didn''t even ask if Xu Shan was behind her kidnapping or not. Instead, he directly asked her whereabouts.

    Xu Shan replied, "She is currently inside my pce."

    "What?" The Celestial Pce Master was stunned. When Xu Shan confidently ate the herb, he thought he was innocent. However, the guy literally confessed right away?!

    Xu Shan reiterated that the Saintess was present within the Pce, unmoved by the Celestial Pce Master''s cold expression.

    Through the corners of his eyes, he could see the subtle smirk on Qin Ye''s face. It was as if he had seeded.

    "What?! You really have her inside?! You were truly the one who kidnapped her?! Qin Ye eximed in shock. "I had so much faith in you. To think that you would be like this! Toy hands on the Saintess of Celestial Pce...?"

    Even the Celestial Pce Master had bloodshot eyes. He had heard many rumors about Xu Shan. The thought of his daughter being with that scoundrel for two days drained the color from his face, and he couldn''t help but imagine the worst.

    The Eternal Emperor sighed. When Xu Shan confidently epted to be tested, he expected something different. He could only me himself for thinking too much.

    With determination etched on his face, he gripped his hand into a tight fist, a silent signal to his generals to prepare for action.

    "Who said I kidnapped her?" Xu Shan asked in return. "I didn''t kidnap her. I didn''t do it myself, and I didn''t have anyone else do it for me either. Aren''t you making that up on your own?!"

    "I just said she''s inside my Pce. Why would you straight assume that I kidnapped her?" Xu Shan stretched his arms. It was finally time to pull the curtains and send Qin Ye straight to hell from heaven.

    Celestial Pce Master grew silent. Xu Shan didn''t kidnap his daughter? If he said that, then it was true. He was under the effect of the herb after all. However, how did that make sense? Why was his daughter in his Pce then?

    On the other hand, the Eternal Emperor knew what Xu Shan did, so he was even more shocked. How was it possible for Xu Shan to lie under the effect of the herb?

    "Was that your intention all along, Emperor Qin? Did you truly desire for something to happen to her so desperately?"

    Qin Ye''s face contorted in confusion.

    "What are you trying to say? Why would I even consider that?" he asked. How was it possible for him to lie? And why did he appear so different suddenlypared to how he behaved before! He had a really bad feeling about this. It was as if he was stuck in a web��

 Chapter 38 38: I Wont Give You The Chance To Grow

    ?"Why did you do it?" Xu Shan asked. He remained next to his father, maintaining a safe distance from Qin Ye.

    He knew he wasn''t strong enough to face these people with himself at the moment. However, he wasn''t scared either. He was just worried that Qin Ye might go crazy and attack him after the reveal.

    Qin Ye furrowed his brow in confusion.

    "What do you mean?" he queried, wondering if Xu Shan had somehow found out about his past schemes against them. It seemed unlikely - even his closest confidants were not privy to his every move.

    "Why did you try to kill the Saintess and me me?" Xu Shan asked in a straightforward manner. It was only now that Qin Ye felt even more stunned. This guy... Was he trying to shift the me?

    Qin Ye didn''t reveal anything suspicious on his face, maintaining his calm. By now, he was sure that Xu Shan could lie and wanted to get out of this mess.

    "I must admit, I am impressed by your ability to be able to lie while under the influence of Seven Star Grass. I''m not sure how you managed it, but it''s quite remarkable."

    The man could only regard Xu Shan with a sense of pity, as if he believed the young man was still beneath him. ''Did you really think that merely lying under the influence would result in your innocence being proven? You''re quite naive.''

    "Is this also a lie that you were behind that letter to the Celestial Pce?" Xu Shan asked. "Emperor Qin, I guess you have be very bored after the war within your Dynasty ended. You''ve been craving war."

    "However, to think that you would use such a scheme to start a war against the Eternal Dynasty...? You even tried to kill the Saintess, all so you could achieve your goals while acting righteous? Am I right?"

    The Celestial Pce Master was at a loss for words. He was taken aback by the sudden information he had received. The conflicting ounts provided by the two parties left him in a state of confusion. The possibility of Qin Ye''s involvement in the matter was so rming that it left the Celestial Pce Master stunned.

    His gaze involuntarily drifted towards Qin Ye, wondering if his presence here was a mere coincidence or something nned.

    Even the Eternal Emperor appeared to be deeply concerned, as he frowned intensely. Although he knew that his son was at fault, he couldn''t understand why he was trying to shift the me onto Qin Ye. It left him wondering what was truly going on.

    "Young man, I would advise you to think about your next words wisely." Qin Ye''s face darkened. "Just because you have your father''s backing doesn''t mean you can spout any lie!"

    "Here I was trying to help you sincerely but to think that you would throw the me at me instead!!" No matter what, Qin Ye was still the Emperor. He hade here with his best guards since he paid more attention to his safety than anything else.

    Moreover, he had also prepared some things for emergencies. He wasn''t worried even if Xu Shan''s father tried to fight him. However, he didn''t believe the situation could deteriorate to that level. The Celestial Pce Master was never going to believe such nonsense!

    "Let''s just believe your nonsense for a second and say that I was behind it. Do you have any proof?" he asked. "The Saintess is inside your Pce. This city is yours. And I just came to this city yesterday while the Saintess disappeared a few days ago. No matter how you try to spin it, lies don''t be true!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Moreover, just because you tried to toss the me to me, now I''mpletely sure that you did it!" He didn''t hesitate to speak his mind, moving closer to the Celestial Pce Master. "I only me myself for trusting you to be innocent!"

    Beneath the pale moonlight, the three overlords stood apart from one another, the air thickening with an unspoken tension that hung heavily between them.

    The peaceful ambiance was abruptly disturbed soon after when the loud creak of the pce gate echoed through the surroundings.

    The focus of everyone''s attention shifted towards the gate without them realizing it. Over there, a woman appeared, donning a stunning blue dress.

    With her perfectplexion, she appeared as though royalty. Despite a hint of apprehension on her features, her tearful gaze fixed firmly upon the Celestial Pce Master.

    "Fei''er!" The Pce Master eximed in a mixture of shock and relief as he hurriedly appeared next to Yu Fei at the Pce entrance, tightly embracing his daughter.

    He had been extremely anxious about his daughter''s well-being, particrly after receiving news of her passing. Seeing her safe and alive brought immense joy to his heart.

    "Father!" Yu Fei embraced her father tightly, her tears cascading down her cheeks. She had been confident in her abilities before venturing out into the world from the Celestial Pce, but she never anticipated facing such perilous situations so soon.

    After so long, she found sce in her father''s presence. She was reassured that she had weathered the storm and was now secure.

    "I''m sorry! I''m sorry! I''m so weak! I''m sorry for not listening to you!" Yu Fei sobbed uncontrobly, revealing her inner turmoil.

    "Don''t worry! I''m here! I''ll let nothing happen to you! I''ll kill the bastard who did it to you, even if he''s the son of heaven!" The Celestial Pce Master spoke, feeling so bad that his daughter had to go through so many things.

    As soon as he saw his daughter, he assessed her condition. He observed that she appeared to be under the influence of some drugs which had weakened her. However, apart from that, she looked fine and didn''t seem to be in any difort or pain. Her face bore no signs of injuries.

    Fortunately, it was easy for someone like him to break the effects. He ced his palm on the head of his daughter, breaking the restriction on her strength.

    In contrast, the expression on the face of the Eternal Emperor was grim, suggesting that the truth could no longer remain concealed.

    Even Xu Shan had a frown which wasn''t hidden from Qin Ye who finally regained his smirk.

    ''Even if you manage to deceive everyone under the influence of the Herb, your fate remains the same - death! Your struggles are futile. I won''t give you the opportunity to grow in this lifetime.''

 Chapter 39 39: Pulling The Rug From Under The Feet

    ?"I''m so d that you''re still alive! Your father was so scared!" Qin Ye saidpassionately. "As your father said, no one can harm you now! We''ve already caught the culprit!"

    Yu Fai lifted her head and gazed at Qin Ye in the distance. His gentle, mellifluous voice blended perfectly with his extremely handsome appearance, emanating an Overlord-like aura.

    As he caught Yu Fei''s gaze, he shed a warm smile. But he was surprised to see her tremble instead.

    The daughter of the Celestial Pce Master trembled with fear and her eyes betrayed her emotions, even catching the attention of her father who couldn''t help but turn back to check on her.

    At the same time, his daughter tightly held onto his long sleeves, as if she was scared.

    In the distance, there were three people standing. The Eternal Emperor, Xu Shan and Qin Ye. However, where his daughter was gazing, there was only Xu Shan at the front. And a few meters behind him, there was Qin Ye.

    "So that boy is really the one who hurt you?" The Pce Master''s fists clenched tightly. For his brave daughter to look so scared, he could only worry about what she went through. At the moment, he hated Xu Shan even more! It was clear that he had tortured her.

    "So you really did hurt my daughter!" The Celestial Pce Master didn''t care anymore.

    He created a rift behind him to send his daughter back through it before turning to face his opponent, fully prepared to engage with the Eternal Emperor.

    He was determined to unleash his full potential, regardless of the consequences, even if it meant challenging the might of the powerful monarch. There was no turning back until he had avenged his daughter by killing Xu Shan!

    The Eternal Emperor also opened a void to send his son back.

    Suddenly, in the midst of the field, Xu Shan''s voice echoed with a trace of emotion. "This is what I get for trying to help you - you ask your own father to kill me."

    Yu Fei appeared taken aback and perplexed. It dawned on her that her father was referring to Xu Shan.

    "Father, stop!" She eximed, not entering the void!

    "He didn''t hurt me! He saved me!" She spoke, calming down a little.

    At first, she was quite shaken. However, after a little while, she seemed to have recovered significantly. This wasrgely due to her father removing the constraints on her physical abilities, allowing her to regain her strong and confident demeanor.

    She lifted her hand and pointed in Xu Shan''s direction. But by then, Xu Shan had already stepped aside, creating an open space.

    The revtion was suddenly crystal clear. The usatory finger was not aimed at him, but at Qin Ye!

    "She-" she attempted to speak, but once again the fear inside her caused her body to quiver.

    With great struggle, she started speaking.

    ****<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    [One day ago]

    Xu Shan finished writing his wish in the Book of Desires. Xinren couldn''t even read it in time. It was only when he finished that she moved next to him, noticing what he had written.

    As she went through the wish, she was slightly surprised. "This... This is what you want to do?!"

    Xu Shan closed the dark book with a sense of calmness, its pages now transformed to a golden hue indicating that his wish had been granted. He neatly ced the book into his storage ring and reclined back in his chair to rx.

    "Correct. As long as everything goes ording to n, this will be the final blow to his downfall," Xu Shan affirmed. "My priority now is to ensure that my father and the Celestial Pce Master are there to prevent any possible escape."

    "Memory maniption..." Xinren couldn''t help but shake her head lightly. She was certainly surprised at how thorough Xu Shan was.

    A minor alteration had been made to Yu Fei''s memories of the restaurant incident. The recollection no longer involved his men drugging her; instead, the memory had been revised to depict unidentified individuals, dressed in Qin Dynasty clothing, as the culprits responsible for the murder of everyone present and Yu Fei''s subsequent abduction.

    As an added touch, Xu Shan also added a part in the memories where those guards took Xinren to a ce.

    There Qin Ye met her, and very conveniently exined ''his'' entire n about how ''he'' wanted both Celestial Pce and Eternal Dynasty to fight so he could control both when they were at their weakest!

    Qin Ye subjected her to brutal torture, at times leaving deep knife marks on her face and skin. Eventually, he grew tired of her and ordered his guards to dispose of her by killing and burying her in an undisclosed location.

    Moreover, as a finishing touch, Xu Shan made it so that he just happened to find her after she escaped from the Qin Ye''s guards. And like the hero he was, he offered her some of the most expensive healing potions he had to heal all her wounds while allowing her to stay in his pce until she recoveredpletely.

    Qin Ye wanted him to y the viin before the Celestial Pce Master. He wanted to reveal his true nature in front of everyone while using Yu Fei. However, Xu Shan used the opportunity he created to frame him instead.

    He had already created enough evidence. First, he was able to devour the effects of the Seven Star Herb thanks to his Celestial Spirit which allowed him to lie openly. And secondly, there was Yu Fei who no one could prove as a liar!

    ****

    [Present time]

    Yu Fei can vividly recall the scars on her face and body, along with the excruciating pain that caused her to tremble with fear.

    She didn''t know that such a thing never happened. She had never suffered through such a torture and it was just a false memory!

    Qin Ye waspletely baffled by the turn of events. It felt like he had been invited to a party, only to find the rug suddenly yanked out from under him just as he was about to take a seat of honor.

    He couldn''t help but look at Xu Shan! He didn''t know how Xu Shan did it. However, things were as bad as they could be.

    As he looked at Xu Shan, he observed a devilish grin on the young man''s face that was only visible to him. It seemed as though he was staring at his prey like a predator.

 Chapter 40 40: Yu Fei; A Ticking Time Bomb

    ?****

    "Are you still upset about what happened back here?"

    Three hours had psed since Yu Fei''s usation against Qin Ye. The pce had resumed its quiet ambiance. However, Xu Shan seemed visibly irritated, tugging on his fingers as thoughmenting over something.

    Despite the food being ced on the table in front of him, he hadn''t taken a single bite.

    "I made a big mistake this time... I underestimated him. I might''ve created an even bigger mess for me." Xu Shan''s frustrated voice echoed in the dining hall where he sat alone with Xinren.

    "I never expected my father and Celestial Pce Master to be so useless. Even after I presented everything to them on a silver tter, but to still receive this oue... They are so useless!"

    Hours had passed since everyone departed, but Xu Shan was still in a state of unrest. Despite his meticulous nning, there was an unforeseen factor that disrupted his arrangements.

    Even in his wildest assumptions, he hadn''t expected that Qin Ye would be able to escape from right under the nose of the Celestial Pce Master and his father.

    Qin Ye quickly became aware of the situation as soon as Yu Fei leveled usations against him. He had sensed that this was a trap and he found himself in a precarious position. Staying any longer in the Eternal Dynasty would only increase the level of danger he faced.

    His disappearance was as enigmatic as the rare escape treasure he possessed. Despite being constantly under scrutiny in the Eternal Dynasty, he managed to slip away from anyone''s notice.

    It was unclear how he did it, but everyone was sure that he had returned to the Qin Dynasty somehow.

    Later on, the Celestial Pce Master acknowledged his mistake and took responsibility for it. Despite his prominent status, he humbly apologized to Xu Shan and even bestowed upon him a valuable treasure as a gesture of reconciliation before departing.

    Xu Shan didn''t care about the treasure. He had thought that Qin Ye was going to die for sure. Not many people could escape from two Overlords after all. Unfortunately, in the end, it didn''t happen as he had expected.

    "Even if you couldn''t kill Qin Ye, at least the Celestial Pce isn''t a threat to you anymore. Isn''t that good in itself for the time being? That was your biggest concern, after all."

    Unlike Xu Shan, Xinren wasn''t so pessimistic. In her eyes, even though things didn''t progress as nned, the oue was still favorable.

    "Your thoughts are too simplistic. Not only did the Celestial Pce trouble not get resolved, but it became even worse now. I feel a headacheing!"

    Xu Shan ced his head on the table in frustration. He couldn''t believe how useless the two leaders were. All his carefully-constructed ns were now in shambles, and his problems had escted to a new level.

    "What do you mean?"

    After deceiving the Celestial Pce Master and tampering with Yu Fei''s memories, one could assume that Xu Shan was no longer considered an enemy. However, Xu Shan''s recent statement regarding the increased danger of the Celestial Pce raised Xinren''s confusion.

    "Are you worried that her memories might return?" She asked after a brief moment of silence. "If that''s your concern, then you should stop worrying. That''s something achieved through the Book of Desires. It''s impossible for her to recover her memories."

    "That''s not my concern." Xu Shan lifted his head and let out a deep sigh, feeling exhausted. Eventually, he got up from his seat and pushed the chair back. He didn''t feel like eating at all.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Then what''s troubling you?" asked Xinren, as she trailed after Xu Shan, who had left the dining hall.

    "Are you forgetting her Celestial Spirit that can talk to her?" Amidst the sound of his footsteps in the long empty hallways, Xu Shan spoke.

    "Wait... That...?" Xinren''s face revealed a look of realization. It was something she hadpletely forgotten about.

    A Celestial Spirit was a distinct, individual consciousness that existed within a person. While connected to their host, it also possessed a sense of autonomy.

    "Just because I manipted her memories, it doesn''t mean her Celestial Spirit doesn''t know everything that happened here. Her Celestial Spirit knows the truth! And it''s only a matter of time before she tells Yu Fei the moment it wakes up."

    Even though Yu Fei''s father had broken the restriction on her strength, her Celestial Spirit remained affected by the drugs and was forced to sleep for a month. Throughout that time, Yu Fei was able to utilize her own strength, but was unable tomunicate with or awaken her Celestial Spirit.

    Since Xu Shan knew about that, it was also why he had nned such a thing.

    His initial n was to have the Celestial Pce Master kill Qin Ye! After that, the Qin Dynasty would''ve waged a war on the Celestial Pce for revenge! It was the perfect opportunity for the two forces to be pushed to the brink of war and carnage!

    Moreover, in that case, even if after a month Yu Fei had been informed about the truth by her Celestial Spirit, it wouldn''t have mattered! It wasn''t as if after a month-long war, the Celestial Pce Master could just suddenly stop it by saying he was manipted.

    Moreover, if he tried to turn his swords toward the Eternal Dynasty, the Eternal Dynasty could''ve joined the Qin Dynasty to finish the job.

    This way, all his problems would''ve been solved in one fell stroke. At the same time, the Qin Dynasty would''ve been forced to be their allies in the end after suffering through the longsting battle against the Celestial Pce.

    In fact, Xu Shan had also nned to help his father take over the Qin Dynasty when it was at its weakest.

    Regrettably, despite his best endeavors, his hard work didn''t materialize as the Celestial Pce Master proved to be unhelpful. To add to his predicament, Yu Fei was now a potential threat to him, akin to a ticking time bomb.

    "Urgh, did I really make a mistake by trusting them to be useful? That old man is so useless, it wouldn''t be surprising if the Celestial Pce is destroyed under his rule!"

    Ever since he was reborn into this new world, he had rarely felt this angry! He had everyone right where he wanted and still everything was screwed up!

    Now Qin Ye knew how dangerous Xu Shan was. It was clear that he was never going to make the same mistake in the future.

    Xu Shan understood that it was going to be even harder to deal with Qin Ye now!

    "One month... What can I do in one month?" Xu Shan appeared preupied and somewhat unsettled as if he was lost in thought. He realized that several factors were beyond his control now, causing him to feel uneasy. Despite this difort, he knew he couldn''t let the situation persist unresolved.

    "I guess the only option is for me to enter the tiger''s den! I need to enter the Celestial Pce and destroy it from within before they find out the truth! Or at least I must make sure the war happens as soon as possible!"

    Xu Shan''s frustration reached its peak, and a sudden thud echoed through the hallway as he hit the wall with all his might, leaving a small but noticeable mark on the stone surface.

 Chapter 41 41: A Power Beyond

    ?****

    "Why can''t I see anything?!"

    A voice filled with frustration resounded throughout the bedroom of the Qin Dynasty''s Emperor.

    Qin Ye sat on the edge of his bed, clutching the Book of Destiny tightly. Ever since his return, he couldn''t shake off the feeling of uneasiness. This was the first instance where things didn''t go ording to his n. The future that he had envisioned through the Book had failed him, leaving him feeling uncertain and unnerved.

    Upon his return to the Dynasty, he instructed all the Generals to fortify the Dynasty''s defense.

    He knew that thanks to Xu Shan, he had offended the Celestial Pce and the Eternal Dynasty. Fortunately, the Eternal Dynasty couldn''t attack him since they were held down by their enemy state, Sky Dynasty in the east.

    Even if they believed that he schemed against them, at best they were going to treat him unfavorably but the chances of an attack was almost negligible unless they wanted to fight two Empires on both sides.

    The only headache for him was the Celestial Pce. The Celestial Pce Master believed that he tried to kill his daughter. Even though the Celestial Pce didn''t have a massive armyparable to a Dynasty, they had some really powerful warriors.

    He didn''t know just what the Celestial Pce was going to do next.

    As he attempted to glimpse into the future, he realized that his life was slipping away at an rming rate. To add to his perplexity, the future remained hazy and indistinct. It was almost as if even the Book of Destiny could not foretell whaty ahead for Xu Shan!

    He was shown multiple versions of reality... In one of those versions, the Celestial Pce took one month to prepare for the war on the Qin Dynasty. However, just as they were about to attack, Yu Fei stopped them and told them that her memories had been manipted!

    In that version, Xu Shan was caught in the Celestial Pce and killed!

    In his vision of the future, he witnessed a scenario where the Saintess was unfortunately killed, and he was wrongly used of the heinous act. This led to a devastating war against the Qin Dynasty, which swept across the region within a few months.

    The singr simrity among those multiple future scenarios was Xu Shan''s presence in the Celestial Pce in the uing month. However, the reasons behind the unpredictability of those futures beyond that point remained unclear to him.

    It seemed like there was an extraordinary force that could even surpass the limitations of time, an inexplicable power that could elude the constraints of fate that was helping Xu Shan hide his true fate.

    He attempted to gain insight into Xu Shan''s future using the Book of Destiny, but every time he attempted to do so, he was met with a powerful force that prevented him from seeing anything.

    "Something is helping that guy! Something that isparable or even superior to the Book of Destiny!" Qin Ye frowned, closing the book. "Can he also see the future? If that''s the case, it''ll be very troublesome."

    "In any case, I can''t let him seed! In the next one month, I must protect Yu Fei! Only in the future that she is alive will the war be prevented!"

    After sending the book back to his storage ring, Qin Ye called for his shadow guards and gave them a very peculiar set of instructions.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    After he finished, he sent the Shadow Guards away.

    ****

    [One dayter]

    "I''m surprised the Emperor gave you the permission to leave with how scared he is, about you getting hurt."

    In the distance, a brilliant sun rose, but even though it was already afternoon, Xu Shan continued to wear warm, thick clothing. Nheless, his royal ensemble upheld its dignified appearance.

    The wind tousled his hair as he rode atop the magnificent Gryphon. The creature''s awe-inspiring size was impossible to ignore - a single wing alone spanned over seven meters!

    The Gryphon alone was enough to carry tens of people on its back. However, currently, there were only two people sitting on it. Xu Shan sat on the lead, right next to Xinren that only he could see.

    Just a few meters behind, a second Gryphon flew carrying a Sky Celestial from the Eternal Dynasty. He had been personally assigned by the Emperor to ensure the safety of the Prince as he ventured beyond the Dynasty''s borders.

    The majestic monster beast that possessed the head and wings of the Eagle and the body of the Lion was known to be the exclusive beast, symbolizing the Royal Family of the Eternal Dynasty!

    It was widely known across the continent that the appearance of a Gryphon signified the presence of a member of the Eternal Dynasty Royal Family.

    Xu Shan''s Gryphon was not only visually appealing, but also incredibly powerful. As a matter of fact, it wasparable in strength to a Sky Celestial. Its strength was so impressive that it could easily overpower all of Xu Shan''s former guards.

    At first, Xu Shan had nned to embark on a quiet journey, with the possibility of concealing his true identity upon arriving at the Celestial Pce. However, before he could depart, his father summoned him.

    At first, his father advised him against leaving the Eternal Dynasty at the moment. But Xu Shan persisted, and with some persuasion, his father eventually acquiesced with a few conditions.

    It was that Xu Shan had to take a strong guard, appointed by him who could protect him in case of danger. Another condition was that Xu Shan was to tell him in advance where he was going to go!

    It was thanks to that, Xu Shan couldn''t bring any of his trusted guards with him. He also had to travel in a more high profile manner because his father wanted him to travel through the air using the Gryphons. The shorter the travel time, the safer it was!

    Despite his reluctance to bring someone who worked closely with his father, Xu Shan knew he couldn''t refuse. With only a month remaining, he didn''t want to waste any more time being confined within the Eternal Dynasty, unable to venture out.

    "With the kind of guard he assigned, it''s not surprising that he gave me the permission," Xu Shan responded, taking a casual nce behind him. "I wonder if I can find an opportunity this time��"

 Chapter 42 42: The Executioner...

    ?In the Eternal Dynasty, there were several powerful Generals who had the ability to conquer multiple kingdoms effortlessly. Out of them, the top four strongest Generals had already achieved the Heavenly Celestial Realm, making them almost invincible.

    The Empire dispatched each of its four great generals to one of the four borders, assigning them the duty to safeguard the region.

    Among the remaining Generals, many were at the peak of Sky Celestial Realm. But there was one in particr who stood out and was favored by the Emperor for his trustworthiness, strength and talent!

    General Ye Han... An orphan whose potential was noticed by the Eternal Emperor! His father personally sent him to the army to train!

    Ye Han attributed his rise to power and all his sess to the Eternal Emperor''s help, and thus felt a deep sense of loyalty toward him.

    Ye Han was also one of the most talented Generals in recent years. Usually, even many geniuses couldn''t touch the Heavenly Celestial Realm their entire lives. There were only a rare few who could reach that Realm and even they took them a few hundred years.

    However, Ye Han was different. He was only a little over fifty years old, and he was already on the verge of bing the Heavenly Celestial!

    Even Xu Shan was slightly surprised that his father sent someone like him. At the same time, another bizarre thought crossed his mind. He couldn''t help but wonder just how much his strength would''ve grown if he was able to absorb Ye Han''s strength.

    Unfortunately, that was impossible. He could only slowly progress. Moreover, even if he could somehow find a way to kill Ye Han, it wasn''t useful. His body wasn''t strong enough to absorb that kind of strength.

    He didn''t want to die just because he absorbed strength beyond his limit! The difference between an early Celestial General and a peak Sky Celestial was too much. Moreover, it was more useful to have Ye Han with him.

    Since he was no longer concealing his identity when traveling to the Celestial Pce, it was beneficial to have someone who could provide protection in the event of an emergency.

    "Looks like we might be dyed a little." While Xu Shan was lost in thoughts, he heard Xinren''s voice.

    He came out of his daze and focused ahead. "Hmm? A storm?"

    As he scanned the horizon, he could see that the weather conditions were extremely harsh in the distance with asional bolts of lightning illuminating the sky. The storm seemed to be covering a vast area with no sign of abating.

    Passing through the storm was no less than suicidal!

    "Strange. I''ve checked the maps before leaving. There shouldn''t have been a region with storms."

    He signaled the Gryphon to slow down and waited for Ye Han to approach, seeking his advice.

    Ye Han stopped next to him.

    "Is this normal?" Xu Shan inquired, ncing to his right. However, without even waiting for an answer, he already knew. Ye Han''s expressions were also of someone who was slightly surprised.

    "It''s not unusual for the weather to behave in a peculiar manner. Although it may not seem like a typical urrence, we shouldn''t regard it as beingpletely out of the ordinary." Ye Han suggested, "Perhaps it would be best to hold off on proceeding for now and wait until the storm subsides."

    Upon observing the vast area covered by the storm, he realized the risks of proceeding through it. Although they could have taken a longer route to circumvent the storm, it would have resulted in an unnecessary waste of time.

    It was much better to wait for the storm to pass through. The time wasted was simr in both situations. The only difference was that if they waited for the storm to pass through, they could use that time to rest. Even the Gryphons were getting tired after the nonstop flight for thest twenty hours.

    "Is there a ce nearby where we can wait for the storm to pass through?" Xu Shan asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "We should be near the Esti Kingdom. It''s under the Eternal Dynasty so we should be able to rest there without any trouble. I''ll lead you there."

    ****

    Ye Han veered Xu Shan towards a new route. But, after half an hour of their departure, a pair of individuals emerged from the midst of the storm.

    "As expected, they fell for it." One of the Shadow Guards stated, revealing an amused smirk. "The assassination would be quite smooth this time."

    "Don''t underestimate the target! He''s the most doted child of the Emperor. It won''t be as easy as you expect. We can''t afford to make even a single mistake," cautioned another Shadow Guard while frowning. "We need to be especially wary of the person who''s traveling with him."

    "You know that person?" The first shadow guard asked. "He didn''t look like one of the four great generals of the Eternal Dynasty."

    "He''s not one of the four great generals. However, he isn''t much weaker than them either. He has already ughtered many Sky Celestials in thest war between the Eternal Dynasty and Sky Dynasty, making a name for himself," The Second Shadow guard responded, still lost in some thought.

    He further added, "You must''ve heard his nickname back home as well. The Executioner..."

    Since Qin Ye was well aware of thepanions that Xu Shan would have during his trip, he had meticulously nned every detail. He carefully selected three peak Sky Celestials to carry out the assassination, and set up numerous traps to ensure their sess.

    Since he failedst time, he made sure that he wasn''t going to fail this time. He had to save Yu Fei! And for that, he needed to have Xu Shan killed before he even reached the Celestial Pce!

    Furthermore, in the event that Xu Shan did indeed make it to the Celestial Pce, he had already made preparations. He was determined to leave no room for Xu Shan to escape his grasp this time.

    ****

    The Esti Kingdom was among the many kingdoms that thrived during the reign of the Eternal Dynasty. Despite its mediocre strength inparison to other kingdoms, Esti was and of abundance, blessed with numerous natural resources.

    The Esti Kingdom was currently Celebrating the 60th birthday celebration of their King, having no idea that the Emperor''s favorite son was about to enter their Kingdom!

    The arrangements for the celebratory feast had been finalized and all the invitees had joined in to express their wishes for the King''s well-being on his birthday.

    The guards were standing at the entrance of the pce, feeling jealous that they couldn''t attend a celebration like that.

    Their focus was solely on the celebration that they had overlooked safety measures. Nheless, nobody had the audacity to attempt intruding the Royal Pce.

    Unbeknownst to the guards, there was another disturbance urring within the Royal Pce.

    The hall had suddenly gonepletely silent, for reasonspletely unrted to Xu Shan and Ye Han, who hadn''t arrived yet.

    "What?"

    The hush in the hall was abruptly interrupted by a series of gasps of surprise. However, a majority of the people present in the hall didn''t express shock but rather had mocking expressions on their faces as they gazed at a young man who appeared to be shabbily dressed.

 Chapter 43 43: Do You Think Youre Some Prince?

    ?"From this point, we should leave the Gryphons behind. It''ll be too eye-catching if wend like this."

    Ye Han brought their ascent to a halt as they arrived above the Capital of Esti Kingdom.

    He disembarked from the Gryphon and gracefully hovered mid-air, exhibiting a perception of unrestrained movement akin to walking or even soaring in the air.

    He reached out his hand toward Xu Shan who couldn''t fly without external help.

    As Xu Shan grasped Ye Han''s hand, an inexplicable force surged through his body. It was a peculiar sensation that lightened his weight and instilled a feeling of weightlessness. This phenomenon was so intense that he almost felt capable of walking through the air.

    "With my aura, you should be able to fly for a couple of minutes. This is enough for us tond." Ye Han retracted his hands.

    Xu Shan was quite curious about how Ye Han had managed to help him fly. Yet, it didn''t seem to be a mere skill, rather something more profound, like the work of a Celestial Spirit!

    He didn''t question it and got off the Gryphon as well. He had no idea about what Celestial Spirit Ye Han possessed, but it was quite intriguing for him.

    Ye Han produced an Eternal Dynasty token, featuring an intricately carved Gryphon symbol. Despite its modest size, the token boasted a remarkable capability - it could serve as a receptacle for living creatures, essentially functioning as a form of storage.

    Both the Gryphons entered the small token, that had a vast space inside which was suitable for the Gryphons.

    ****

    The guards stationed at the entrance of the Royal Pce were engaged in a casual conversation, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. Their attention was quickly piqued upon the sound of footsteps approaching them, prompting them to stop mid-conversation and cast a quick nce towards the source of the sound.

    Not too far from them, they saw two people advancing closer to the pce. The first person to catch their attention was a youthful-looking man who seemed to be no older than twenty. Following closely behind him was another gentleman, who appeared to be in his early thirties.

    The guards could not detect any distinct presence from the neers. It appeared as if they were ordinary humans. Nevertheless, their attire was far from ordinary. The guards even perceived that their clothing was more opulent than that of the royals from Esti Kingdom who participated in the celebration.

    It was peculiar to note that the two individuals did not make their entrance invish carriages. In fact, they were spotted traversing on foot as though limited by financial constraints, which appeared to contradict their attire.

    "Who are they? To walk here like a peasant? They didn''t even bring any gifts either. Are they really some big shots? Doesn''t seem like it! But their clothes..." One of the guards frowned.

    "Maybe they stole those clothes from somewhere? Whatever, we just need to check if they possess invitations."

    The two guards stepped forward, creating something akin to a cross with their spears, blocking the path.

    "Halt! Identify yourself and show your invitation!" The guard eximed as if he was looking down on the two ''mortals'' before his eyes.

    "Invitation?" Xu Shan couldn''t help but smile. "I didn''t know we needed an invitation to meet the King. How about you pass a message to your King from us? He should allow us in."

    "Huh? Who the hell do you think you are? Do you think you''re some Prince or something?!" The guard scolded. "I don''t know where you found those nice clothes from, but that doesn''t matter! If you don''t have an invitation, then scram back to where you came from!"

    "Sigh, it''s not the first time some idiots came here to eat free food!" Another guard rolled his eyes in disgust.

    Xu Shan was quite amused at the reaction of the guards. Even though he hadn''t told them who he was, but to have that condescending attitude right from the start was quite strange.

    He couldn''t help but take a nce at Ye Han behind him. "It''s not often that there are people who call us an idiot right at our faces."

    "What a pity that I''m not important enough to receive an invitation from the King." He further added, being somewhat sarcastic.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "It''s good that you know your worth! Now leave this ce before we break your legs and toss you out. We''re already in a bad mood!"

    The guards were so frustrated that they weren''t in the team that was assigned inside the castle to maintain security!

    That team could enjoy and even eat various delicacies secretly. Meanwhile they were here, talking with some poor idiots who thought they could sneak inside.

    "Is that so...?" Xu Shan''s smile didn''t diminish. However, the look in his eyes was slightly different.

    ****

    The King was seated on his throne in the Royal Pce, surrounded by offerings from various influential ns. In celebration of his birthday, these gifts ranged from priceless herbs with a millennium-long history to revered artworks and artifacts from ancient times.

    At first, the Royal Pce was filled with the sound of joy and festivities. But soon, the mood shifted and a sense of solemnity descended upon the atmosphere.

    No one inside the n didn''t know how it happened but a shabbily dressed young man managed to get inside the Royal Hall without being detected!

    Adding to the situation, the man didn''t attempt to conceal his identity. Instead, he boldly presented himself to the king while holding a letter in his hand.

    The King who was initially in a good mood was stunned as he read the letter! He couldn''t help but nce at his daughter before ncing back at the man.

    "Preposterous! Who do you think you are?!" The King roared, mming his fists on the armrest of his chair!

    "I do not consider myself anyone of importance. Nevertheless, this letter was entrusted to my grandfather by Your Majesty''s father in gratitude for my grandfather saving his life. Within this letter, the previous King had arranged for his eldest granddaughter to be betrothed to me."

    The young man appeared disinterested as he spoke. It was as if he had beenpelled to be in this location, marrying someone he did not know, and was simply fulfilling the obligation of his engagement.

    Upon hearing the contents of the letter and its apanying details, gasps of shock filled the pce hall. However, this initial shock quickly gave way to a chorus of mocking and insults.

    "Engagement with the Eldest Princess? Does this idiot not know how many geniuses want to marry the first beauty of our Dynasty?!"

    "He really overestimates himself! To think that a pig wants to marry a swan! Hahaha!"

    "Who knows if that letter is even true or not. Maybe he forged it!"

    There is no way to verify if the letter was truly authored by thete King, as his passing urred prior to the letter''s emergence.

    "He doesn''t even have a single trace of celestial aura! What a useless man! He must be dreaming!"

    The derisive remarks persisted, as it was widely understood that the King would never approve of a person deemed to be a waste as a suitable match for his beloved daughter.

    As the crowd ridiculed the young man, a sudden glimmer flickered in his eyes, apanied by a hint of frustration. Despite beingbeled as ipetent by the masses, they had no understanding of his true capabilities.

    If it wasn''t for the promise of his grandfather, he would''ve already left this ce in anger.

    The circumstances seemed to be against him at that moment. Nheless, at that very moment, the Eldest Princess stood up!

 Chapter 44 44: Kings Nightmare

    ?"I shall honor my grandfather''s promise and ept this engagement," dered the Eldest Princess, rising to her feet and speaking with her signature melodic yet cold tone.

    Although she spoke about epting the engagement, there was no hint of any emotion in her gaze toward the young man standing before her.

    Unlike the people here, her father and she knew that the letter wasn''t a lie. In fact, her grandfather had already told them before dying that he had arranged her engagement with a young genius.

    She and her father didn''t take that statement seriously since no one came forward with the engagement letter all this time.

    However, just as they were starting to forget that matter, someone came forward. Furthermore, she discovered that the individual in question had no trace of Celestial Aura which left her feeling very let down that her grandfather had selected such an ipetent person for her.

    Despite the strong negative emotions she was experiencing, she found herself unable to reject her grandfather''s promise. Throughout her life, she had been closer to her grandfather than she ever was to her own father. Her grandfather had imparted all of his knowledge to her and had been her greatest teacher.

    Even though her future husband was useless, she still decided to keep the promise. Nevertheless, she had firmly resolved that their marriage would be in name only. She was determined not to allow any man, even him, to distract her from hermitment to her pursuit of strength!

    One announcement... A single announcement from the Princess stunned everyone who had been mocking the young man!

    No matter how useless that man was, if he became the princess''s husband, his standing was something that they couldn''tpare to!

    A number of youngsters within the party were feeling envious of the Royal Family''s useless son-inw. At the same time, some influential individuals who sought to arrange a marriage between their own son and the Princess were attempting to provide justifications to influence her decision so she wouldn''t marry the man!

    Regrettably, their efforts were unsessful in convincing her to alter her decision.

    Even the King let out a deep sigh, unable toprehend why his father had chosen such an ipetent man for his daughter. The King''s frustration towards the young man continued to grow.

    "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked his daughter. "You know, you can have any genius you want to marry in the future. But to select him...?"

    " If it''s the sin of breaking your grandfather''s promise that you''re worried about, they let me carry the sin of breaking this promise. I can''t let you suffer all your life like this!"

    "Father... It doesn''t matter." The Princess stood straight, facing her father. "I already wasn''t nning to marry in this life. It doesn''t matter if a man like him uses the title of my husband in the future. It doesn''t change anything."

    The shabbily dressed young man could only scratch the back of his head in frustration. He couldn''t help but wonder just how many times he was called useless in thest half an hour!

    ''These idiots, they don''t know anything! If I''m useless, then all these people are beyond useless! Whatever, there''s no need to show my real skills to these short sighted people! Moreover, once I''m married, my task should bepleted!''

    The young man stood idly in ce, his hands leisurely tucked behind his back and no words escaping his lips.

    The King''s disappointment was palpable as he watched his birthday celebration morph into an unexpected turn of events. Originally intended as a day of rejoicing, the presence of the individual before him had transformed the asion into a farce, therebypromising the dignity of the Royal Family.

    "Alright! I''ll listen to my daughter and fulfill the promise that my father made!" The King spoke with clenched teeth. With each word, he felt his heart aching for his daughter.

    "After two weeks, my daughter will turn twenty! That will be the day of her marriage!" He said, ncing at the man in the center of the hall. "That''s enough for today! Everyone can leave n-"

    Bang~

    Frustrated, the King decided to end the Celebration right there. However, before he could finish speaking, a booming sound resounded in the hall as the doors were forced open.

    Following the door opening, two bodies flew inside the hall,nding on the floor.

    From the looks of those two people were both the guards that were assigned the duty at the front gate. However, currently they were growling in pain!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Their legs were turned in such an angle that shouldn''t have been possible! It was clear that someone had broken their legs before tossing them inside.

    The King was stunned that someone would dare provoke him like that.

    "Who dares?!"

    He was already frustrated about Ji Yang''s unexpected arrival to propose marriage to his daughter. And now, there was somebody else attempting to agitate him further?!

    "I am perplexed by the King''s sudden fury," remarked the speaker as the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. Two individuals strolled inside the grand hall with an unhurried pace, seemingly unperturbed by the gravity of the situation.

    Xu Shan turned to Ye Han and asked, "Do you think our gifts were not to his liking?"

    As he entered the Royal Hall, his calm voice betrayed no hint of anxiety. He remainedposed, his confident demeanor unshaken in the presence of the many influential figures around him. His unwavering gaze revealed no trace of fear or trepidation.

    The King''s face twisted with concern as he surveyed the Royal Hall. Despite the fact that only two individuals had entered, there was something peculiar about them that he couldn''t quite put his finger on. It was as though he was unable to see through them, leaving him with a deepening sense of unease.

    Xu Shan appeared to be a handsome young man who couldn''t harm even a small animal. Yet, his eyes held an inscrutable depth that sent shivers down the King''s spine, as if he had emerged from the depths of hell itself.

    The King couldn''t help but feel even more fear towards the man standing behind Xu Shan as he finally recognized him.

    As soon as the Emperor saw the person behind Xu Shan, his legs started trembling. His feet turned weak ''T-the Executioner...?''

    It wasn''t often that the King showed such fear. Even though Ye Han didn''t reveal a single trace of his aura, as if he was a mere mortal, the King knew the terror of that man!

    A few years ago, the Eternal Dynasty and the Sky Dynasty were at war! Since Esti Kingdom was under the Eternal Dynasty, they also sent some soldiers and supplies to support the Eternal Dynasty.

    At that time, the current King had also gone there, to see the situation of the battle! And what he saw there was still fresh in his mind!

    The man that was calmly walking behind Xu Shan was like the demon of the battlefield, covered in blood with multiple Sky Celestials lying dead next to him!

    That fear... It was still fresh in the King''s mind!

    ''T-they are from the Eternal Dynasty? W-why would they be here?''

    He was terrified of Ye Han. However, the image of Ye Han trailing behind Xu Shan like a devoted subordinate made him even more frightened, causing his face to turn even whiter.

    The fact that the Executioner was walking behind the young man signifies that the young man was definitely a high ranking Prince of the Eternal Dynasty''s royal family.

    ''Don''t tell me my guards somehow offended these demons?! Is today the day the Kingdom is going to be destroyed?!''

    The individuals present did not identify Xu Shan and Ye Han, unlike the King.

    "Who are you?! How dare you interrupt His Majesty''s celebration!"

    As everyone was still reeling from the shock, a confident young man stepped forward with a strong sense of justice. He seemed determined to win the affection of the Princess and sway her from marrying Ji Yang. His confidence and presumed charm were apparent in his demeanor.

    However, no one even saw how it happened but the next moment, the young man''s head rolled on the ground. Neither Xu Shan, nor Ye Han had moved!

 Chapter 45 45: Just How Many Of You Are There?

    ?Watching the youngster''s head fall, King Wu was even more shaken. He was sure that this was the work of the Executioner, but he didn''t even manage to see how he did it!

    It was evident that the guy was scarier than he had expected!

    Ye Han''s gaze betrayed no hint of emotion. To the rest of the hall, he appeared like an icy figure devoid of feeling, merely following Xu Shan. It was only Xu Shan and the Emperor who had witnessed glimpses of Ye Han''s softer side.

    Xu Shan cast a quick look at the lifeless body lying at his feet. He was already aware of Ye Han''s formidable abilities, yet witnessing them in action never failed to amaze him.

    "This-"

    The guards were filled with terror as they pondered the circumstances surrounding the young man''s death, seemingly at the hands of the two trespassers.

    Despite their apprehension, they knew they couldn''t simply abandon their posts without risking severe punishment - even death - at the hands of the King. They steeled themselves to carry out their duties, their fear still palpable despite their efforts to remain stoic.

    Despite their trembling hands, the guards bravely raised their weapons and positioned themselves between Xu Shan and the King.

    "You fools, sto-" the King eximed, but before he could even finish, all his guards dropped to the ground. A simr phenomenon took ce. No one saw how it happened, but all the guards had their bodies split in half, falling to the ground.

    Throughout the time, Xu Shan hadn''t stopped walking at his unhurried pace.

    "I think I can finally see why my father pays so much attention to you." He spoke, momentarily ncing at Ye Han, as if none of what happened had mattered to him.

    The eldest princess''plexion turned pale. She was fixated on bing more powerful; however, she had never encountered any violent scenes in her life. Witnessing such a sight was a new and terrifying experience for her, stirring up a feeling of fear that she had never felt before.

    As she was the Princess, she didn''t experience any fear all her life. People only fawned over her and her security was always maintained since no one had the guts to try to harm a Royal.

    Her life had been sheltered so far, but now, she got a glimpse of how scary the world could be, and a shiver ran down her spine. As she nervously held her hands, one could see a faint tremble.

    Everyone at the birthday celebration was equally perplexed. Although they were among the most powerful individuals in the Kingdom, they couldn''t discern Ye Han''s movements, let aloneprehend how the guards had met their demise.

    They were certain that acting rashly would lead them to suffer the same consequences as the guards, leaving them feeling helpless.

    "Apologies for making your floor dirty." Xu Shan''s voice pierced through the eerie silence of the room.

    He strolled past the poorly attired youth in the hallway, scarcely giving him a nce. Unless someone impeded his way, there seemed no reason to divert his attention.

    As he passed by Ji Yang, he couldn''t help but overhear Xinren''s bewildered tone. "Another one? It doesn''t seem to add up. What in the world is going on?"

    ''What another one?'' Xu Shan asked through his thoughts.

    "I feel another familiar aura, this timeing from the guy you just walked past." Xinren appeared next to Xu Shan. The evident perplexity disyed on her face suggested that something was amiss and she was struggling toprehend it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Another Familiar Aura?'' Xu Shan frowned, stopping in his tracks. ''You know, whenever you say that, it means only bad news for me. Don''t tell me it''s another book. Just how many of you are there in total?''

    As he conversed with Xinren, he felt the urge to nce back and scrutinize the young man he had just crossed paths with. Nevertheless, he suppressed his inquisitiveness, for he had no knowledge about the individual or his capabilities at the moment.

    "Y-young Lord!" The King saw Xu Shan standing silently with a frown on his face. It was as if his soul had left his body as soon as he saw that. His guards had already offended the two guests.

    Upon observing Xu Shan''s expressions, the thought crossed his mind that the young man might be contemting the destruction of the kingdom.

    If the Dynasty wanted them to be destroyed, they didn''t even need to take action personally. As long as words spread that the Esti Kingdom had offended them, then to curry their favor, the nearby Kingdoms would''ve done the work of destroying Esti.

    The King hurried over to Xu Shan, momentarily forgetting his regal demeanor. In that moment, he was as humble as a loyal servant before his master.

    "Young Lord, I should''ve killed the guards who dared to offend you! It''s my negligence to allow these bastards to work for me! If you want, please punish me! Let my family and my Kingdom live!"

    Xu Shan snapped out of his daze upon hearing King Wu''s imploring tone. He sensed a hint of desperation in the king''s voice and realized that this guy was close to tears.

    "I''m not a viin. Why would I kill anyone?" Xu Shan replied, cing his hand on the King''s shoulder.

    If anyone other than Xu Shan had touched the King in such a way, the consequences would have been severe. However, under Ye Han''s protection, no one in the Kingdom would even dare toy a finger on Xu Shan.

    "Anyway, you don''t have to worry." Xu Shan finally started walking again. If he wanted to take a good look at the young man again, there was only one seat from where it was possible without raising suspicions.

    He walked past the King.

    The King raised his head, taken aback. These guys killed his guards without giving it a second thought. Were they really not going to do anything else? He couldn''t help but nce back at Xu Shan who appeared to be going where his daughter was standing.

    ''Did he take a liking to my daughter? Is that why he let us live?'' the King was stunned at the thought. If his daughter could marry into the Royal Family of the Eternal Dynasty, that was like reaching straight to heaven from the ground in one step!

    Regrettably, the sense of anticipation he felt rapidly dissipated once he realized that Xu Shan paid no attention to his daughter. It became apparent that his focus was solely on reaching his intended destination, which happened to be the throne.

    The throne of the Esti Kingdom was a symbol of great importance, representing the dignity and power of their ruler. Traditionally, only the King was allowed to sit upon it. However, despite this protocol, a man approached the throne and boldly took a seat as if he were the monarch himself, showing no hesitance or regard for the kingdom''s customs.

    Ye Han stood next to the throne. Even though his only job was to protect Xu Shan, he was also here to make sure that no one dared to trample the dignity of the Eternal Dynasty! A Prince couldn''t be stopped by mere guards, let alone ones who dared to raise their weapons at him!

    Now that Xu Shan was sitting on the throne, he had a better view of the entire Royal Hall. He could finally see the young man.

    While Xu Shan was observing him, he noticed that Ji Yang had an ugly expression on his face as he looked nkly in the air before him. This kind of reaction was strange. It was as if Ji Yang was carefully reading something before him in the empty air.

 Chapter 46 46: Book Of Truth

    ?''Interesting... For him to be looking so carefully at nothingness. There must be something that I can''t see but only he can. And it''s definitely not a Book Spirit...''

    As Xu Shan discreetly observed the young man, he caught sight of Ji Yang tapping the empty air with his hand.

    The movement was swift and nonchnt, seeming to indicate that Ji Yang thought no one was watching him. Despite this, Xu Shan''s keen attention did not miss the action.

    ''His actions... How peculiar... It''s as if there''s a window screen before him... Could it be a System, simr to those fantasy books? But isn''t he supposed to have a book ording to Xinren? How could he have a System?''

    Xu Shan chose to remain quiet for the moment, as his interest in Ji Yang only grew stronger. However, he wisely decided not to rush in blindly, knowing that it would be foolish to engage with an unknown opponent without first understanding their capabilities.

    "You can stand." He told the King who was still on his knees. "It''s your birthday celebration. It''s not right to make you sit on your knees. In any case, it''s us who came uninvited."

    "How is that even possible? You''re always wee here! After all, this entire Kingdom is yours!" The King eximed with a ttering expression.

    Since Xu Shan wasn''t ming him for what happened, it was clear that he wasn''t going to hurt them! But still, what happened next depended on their actions! They had to make sure to not make any mistakes before the two guests!

    Upon hearing her father''s words, the Princess found herself taken aback. She couldn''t deny that these two individuals exuded strength that she couldn''t even imagine, but was her father truly nning on handing over the entire Kingdom to them?

    ''What is father thinking? The Kingdom is under the Eternal Dynasty! If they find out what Father said today, won''t they be angry? No matter how strong these two are, they can''t stand before the Eternal Dynasty!'' She couldn''t help but wonder just what her father was thinking about.

    "Oh? It appears that you already recognize me?" Xu Shan asked, slightly amused. However, he was sure that the Third Prince hadn''t left the Royal City of the Eternal Dynasty.

    It was impossible for anyone to recognise him, especially since he wasn''t wearing anything that could help someone identify him! He hadn''t even shown any identification.

    "Ah, I see how it is. You recognized him." Noticing the King ncing at Ye Han repeatedly, Xu Shan finally realized how their identity was exposed so soon.

    "Y-yes. I had the pleasure of seeing the Lord behind you on the battlefield a few years ago. For him to follow behind you can only mean that you''re from there..." The King was careful with his words. He didn''t say anything that could reveal the identity of these two people.

    At the same time, he also made sure that they understood that he knew who they were. He didn''t want them to think that he was just a coward who was going to give control of his kingdom to anyone just because he was scared.

    If the Eternal Dynasty believed that, it would''ve been a disaster for him after all! The Dynasty wouldn''t want a subordinate Kingdom to be in control of such a coward who could betray them in face of strength in the future!

    "It''s good that you know." Xu Shan nodded. He wasn''t interested in revealing his identity either. "We were en-route to our intended destination, but encountered a significant thunderstorm on the way. Therefore, we made the decision to stop and temporarily rest in your Kingdom."

    "O-of course! Young Lord is always wee toe here! It''s our blessing that you consider our small Kingdom worthy of your stay!" The King finally sighed in relief. He finally understood their intentions.

    He summoned his most reliable aides and asked them to make arrangements for the finest amodation in the entire Pce, where the two guests could rx and refresh themselves.

    He went to great lengths to ensure that the amodations for the two lords were of the highest quality, so much so that he even warned his subordinates that any shoring in the preparation of the rooms would not be tolerated. He made it clear that the rooms of the two lords should surpass even his own in terms offort and luxury.

    Xu Shan didn''t pay attention to the room''s preparation and instead focused on listening to Xinren''s exnation, fully engrossed in the discussion with his eyes closed. Some people even thought that he had dozed off on the throne, but nobody dared to interrupt him.

    "Although I don''t remember many things from the past, but there are a few auras that I can still recognise. And the young man has a familiar one. It''s definitely another book... The Book of Truth."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''The Book of Truth? Is it dangerous?'' Xu Shan inquired. It didn''t sound like something dangerous. However, no books that were on a simr level to the Book of Desires could be that simple.

    "I don''t know about it being dangerous, but it''s certainly very special. As for your previous question... There should be a total of seven heavenly books that I can recall, excluding the Book of Desires. However, ording to the heavenlyws, no two books are supposed to be in the same world."

    " All those books should''ve been in different nes. So it doesn''t make sense that the Book of Destiny is in this realm as well! I thought it was just an exception, but to think that there''s another one... It doesn''t make sense at all!"

    Xinren expressed his concern with a somber tone. She understood the immense potential of each book to bestow incredible power to its holder, provided they were wielded skillfully. The seven books were symbolic representations of Heaven''s Blessings bestowed upon an individual.

    Unlike the Seven Heavenly Books, the Book of Desires was different. The Book of Desires didn''t signify Heaven''s Blessing. On the contrary, the Book of Desires had no rtion to Heaven at all!

    Even she couldn''t remember who had created the Book of Desires, since her memories were fragmented and her control over the Book was limited. However, one thing was certain... The Book of Desires was something that almost everyone wanted yet at the same time, almost everyone hated!

    Just the fact that Xu Shan possessed the Book of Desires that could destroy reality itself was dangerous in itself. As the seven books started appearing in this ne, the chances of this truth being exposed became higher!

    The holders of the other books weren''t friends after all. If anything, they wouldn''t have thought twice before killing Xu Shan if the truth about what he possessed was exposed!

    Moreover, even if the truth remained hidden, just the fact that he possessed the Celestial Spirit of Devouring alone was enough to make him the enemy of everyone in this world!

    No matter what, the stronger his enemies became, the more dangerous it was for him!

    ''I can''t let them be stronger. It''ll only be more dangerous in the future if that happens. The Book of Destiny and the Book of Truth... These two are the weakest of the seven. However, if the other five are also in this ne, it''ll be even more dangerous!''

    Xinren felt a real headacheing. In fact, even she didn''t understand just how it was all possible. Why were other books here? Why did the Book of Desires select this world to send Xu Shan into? Why did he have the Celestial Spirit of Devouring? So many questions flooded her head.

    ****

    In the distance, Ji Yang looked even more concerned.

    He was surrounded by several semi-transparent screens, all disying the same thing.

    [Error: Information can''t be essed]

    [Error: Information can''t be essed]

    He had tried to see through the young man on the throne. However, the only thing he received were these strange errors that had never happened before!

    [Warning: Extreme Threat to life detected! Emergency Quest has been issued!]

    While he was lost in thoughts about what went wrong, another screen appeared.

 Chapter 47 47: Fool

    ?Xu Shan sat on the throne, attentively listening to Xinren''s exnation. However, with each passing moment, his headache only seemed to intensify with the information he was receiving.

    He was informed that although the Book of Truth may not possess substantial strength on its own, its ability to empower its possessor ranked among the top three among the seven books.

    The Book of Truth allowed the host to see through the eternal truth, hidden in the depths of the unknown.

    The Book of Truth held knowledge of a vast array of secrets regarding the world, including the enigmatic locations of valuable treasures of the highest order.

    The reason it was called most useful for a person was because the cost of using the Book wasn''t as significant. Unlike the other books, the Book of Truth didn''t ask for anything in return. Instead, the Book had a yful nature.

    It didn''t directly tell the host anything, other than giving some brief descriptions about the things that the host wanted to find out. However, it did asionally give out tasks to the host toplete in exchange for information about the whereabouts of certain mysterious treasures and skills in the world.

    All the tasks that the Book of Truth gave were rted to the host''s nature and needs.

    ''Isn''t that just a system?'' Xu Shan frowned, after hearing the exnation. ''Don''t tell me the first writer of the System Genre had the Book of Truth?''

    The System he encountered was simr to what he had read about on earth, except for one distinct feature. Unlike what he expected, the Book did not immediately materialize rewards. Instead, it guided the host towards the promised reward but only after sessfullypleting the assigned task.

    "For the Book of Truth to be so yful, let me guess... It has a Book Spirit?" he asked.

    Strangely enough, to his surprise, Xinren shook her head. "Only two of the seven Books have a Book Spirit. Those two are also the most dangerous. I really hope that they aren''t in this world..."

    ''And here I was, worried about what kind of Book he had... If it''s the Book of Truth, then it can''t make him stronger out of thin air. There''s no need to go the extra step with this one...''

    Xu Shan opened his eyes, ncing at Ye Han. He called Ye Han closer, telling him to cast a sound proof barrier.

    Ye Han felt a hint of curiosity, yet he followed the instructions and erected a protective shield around them, ensuring that their conversation couldn''t be overheard by anyone outside the barrier.

    "The young man in white who stands in the middle of the hall... Can you see through his strength?" Xu Shan asked.

    Ye Han didn''t even need to look back. He had already seen through everyone when he stepped in the main hall.

    The youthful man had caught his eye, despite his unkempt appearance. He was merely in his early twenties, yet had already ascended to the pinnacle of the Celestial General Realm. His strength wasparable to that of the Saintess of Celestial Pce.

    Despite Ji Yang''s attempt to conceal his Celestial Aura using a valuable treasure, it proved to be ineffective in front of Ye Han. The ploy may have sessfully deceived the King and others present, but not him.

    "Peak of Celestial General..." He responded.

    "Hmm?" Xu Shan was slightly intrigued. Even though this was quite powerful in itself, but when one had a cheat like a System, this was nothing. It made him feel that Ji Yang only found the Book of Truth recently.

    Xu Shan had learned from his past mistakes and was more cautious this time. He didn''t want to repeat what had happened with Qin Ye. Despite Ji Yang being much weaker than Ye Han, Xu Shan knew that Qin Ye was also no match for his own father yet he had escaped.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He was uncertain if the young man possessed any means of escape. He gave some distinct directions to Ye Han before telling him to cancel the barrier.

    Ye Han was quite intrigued but he didn''t ask too many questions.

    *****

    While Xu Shan had already made up his mind, Ji Yang also finished reading through his emergency Quest which made his face even uglier.

    [Warning: Extreme Threat to life detected! The chances of survival are close to none!Emergency Quest has been issued]

    [Quest Title: Bluffmaster]

    [Quest Details: Your secret is exposed and you''ve been targeted. Escaping is impossible. Please bluff your way out of the situation and survive]

    [Reward: Emperor''s Sword]

    Even though the Book of Truth was special, even it couldn''t create something out of nothing. It was as if even it couldn''t find a way out of this situation, not expecting something like that to happen.

    On Xu Shan''s instructions, the space was already sealed around the pce. But even if the space wasn''t sealed, there was no way Ji Yang would escape since he didn''t really have a treasure that could help him escape from the pursuit of such powerful people.

    There were many escape treasures in this world. However, Ji Yang wasn''t strong enough to reach them. That was also why the Book of Truth didn''t give him any such quest in the past. And now, it was toote.

    Ji Yang found himself at a loss as he scratched the back of his head in frustration. It was clear to him that the individual mentioned by the system was none other than Xu Shan. Yet, he couldn''te up with a n to deceive Xu Shan if thetter already had knowledge of his secret.

    "It looks like you already know about me." Ji Yang could only take a step forward, even though he was slightly scared. He had to fool Xu Shan at any cost!

    In the silent hall, only his voice could be heard.

    "Simrly, I know everything about you." He bluffed. "You can try killing me, but that would only force my hand to use something that I really don''t want to. It''ll end up hurting all of us. So if you don''t want to die with me, you better stop."

    He had be quite adept at deception, having had many asions to utilize this skill before. He owed much to the Book of Truth, which had granted him this skill in the past as a reward. He had be virtually impervious to discovery, as his lies were so artfully crafted.

    Xu Shan''s response was dyed, but his eyes revealed interest. He had anticipated the scrutiny of the Book of Truth, as it possessed the ability to prate into the depths of one''s being.

    However, he found it difficult to discern the truthfulness of Ji Yang''s words, even though they appeared to be believable. Despite being threatened, Xu Shan remained unfazed and didn''t show any signs of concern.

    Instead, he only showed an amused smirk. "Fool."

 Chapter 48 48: Corruption; System

    ?Initially, Xu Shan was still worried about Ji Yang possessing some treasure that could help him escape.

    Even with sealing the space, he wasn''t confident enough that he could catch Ji Yang if he had a treasure like that. What happened with Qin Yest time really gave a heavy blow to his reckless confidence. However, the situation was different now.

    The fury of the King was evident as he perceived Ji Yang''s audacity in speaking to Xu Shan in such a manner. But before he could intervene, Xu Shan raised his hand to signal everyone to remain quiet.

    "It looks like even that secret of yours can''t see through everything..." Xu Shan felt as if a lot of his worries had eased at that moment. "If you had stayed silent, I might''ve been apprehensive about my actions. However, you made my work easier by speaking."

    His biggest worry was that he didn''t know if Ji Yang could escape. However, if Ji Yang really had something like that, he would''ve already escaped instead of approaching him and exposing the fact that he knew everything.

    It just convinced Xu Shan that this guy had no treasure that could help him escape. As for the statement about him possessing some treasure that could destroy this entire ce and kill both of them, it didn''t matter even if it was true. He had many life saving treasures that he received from his father before leaving home.

    "You know what the biggest weakness of such a treasure is?" Xu Shan asked, taking a step closer to Ji Yang.

    "You don''t trust me? Do you really want to risk your life to test my words? I promise you, we''ll both die together!" Ji Yang stated, subconsciously taking a step backward.

    "The biggest problem of a treasure like that is..." Xu Shan continued, as if he didn''t even hear the young man''s words.

    When he came here, he hadn''t expected to find another book here, and that too in possession of such a weak person. Qin Ye was at least an Overlord, who had an entire Empire under his control. However, this guy was nothing!

    Xu Shan didn''t know if he could use the Book of Truth after killing the young man, but just the possibility itself was incredible.

    "It''s that dead people can''t use them..." Xu Shan finally finished his sentence.

    Ji Yang''s pupils dted as he sensed an icy sensation trickling down his back. In the blink of an eye, he was engulfed by a frigid aura.

    [Warning!]

    [Warning!]

    Multiple screens popped up beside him but before he could even react, an invisible de passed through his neck, taking his head along with it.

    The lifeless body of the young man dropped to the ground. Even as his head fell on the ground, his eyes remained open. He already knew that it was dangerous when his system gave him this task. But to think that even with his bluffing, he would fail like that... Even in his death, he couldn''t believe it!

    Xu Shan kept the body and the head in his storage ring. No matter what, the guy was one with Heaven''s Blessing. He wanted to devour this guy, and even take the Book of Truth but he couldn''t show the others.

    "Lead me to the room. I''m tired." After taking the body, he stood up andzily stated, as if he was getting really sleepy.

    The people in the hall were really curious about what secret the two were talking about, but none dared to pry further.

    The King personally led Xu Shan to his room. In his mind, he was blessing his luck! The young man who came to marry his daughter was dead! That meant he didn''t need to marry his daughter and his father''s promise wasn''t broken either!

    Moreover, it also meant that his daughter could try to approach Xu Shan! Even though he was sure that his daughter who was obsessed with nothing but attention wasn''t capable of something like that. She wasn''t like the alluring women who knew how to attract a man. But he still didn''t give up hope.

    As they walked down the hallway, he went on about his daughter''s exceptional abilities, and also subtly hinted that she was currently single. He seemed eager for Xu Shan to show some interest in her. Despite this, Xu Shan remained impassive, giving nothing away.

    Xu Shan didn''t pay attention to what the person was saying. He was instead filled with excitement! It was his first experience of sessfully eliminating a book holder, and fortune favored him by providing an easy target. He was eager to reach his room and find the Book of Truth.

    Under the watchful eye of the King, Xu Shan was led to his room which had been carefully prepared to provide him with afortable stay. Meanwhile, Ye Han was assigned to the room adjacent to Xu Shan''s.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The King showed Xu Shan his room, stopping outside. However, before Xu Shan could enter, the King finally asked the question. "Your Highness, which Prince of the Eternal Dynasty are you?"

    "Third." Xu Shan spoke only one word before entering the room, closing the door behind him.

    The king remained the only one standing outside. Prior to this moment, he had only heard harsh reports about the third prince''s ruthless behavior. However, after witnessing what urred earlier, he realized that while some of the rumors held the truth, they did notpletely capture the prince''s character.

    Regardless of the situation, the Third Prince refrained from ming them. Surprisingly, he appeared far from the savage creature as described in rumors, rather, he disyed an air of calcted intelligence akin to that of a skilled predator.

    Xu Shan closed the door and activated a special tool he had obtained from his father under the guise of needing privacy. This device ensured that even Ye Han was unable to peer into his room.

    After sealing the room, he finally brought out Ji Yang''s body.

    Before devouring him, he took the ring from the young man. What he was more interested in, was the Book of Truth!

    Oddly enough, the Book was not located within the storage ring. Despite thoroughly searching the young man, the Book could not be found.

    "Urgh, where is it? Where is that book?" He asked in frustration as he finally started using his Celestial Spirit to devour the young man.

    Ji Yang had reached the pinnacle of the Celestial General Realm, and his pure celestial aura had a tremendous impact on Xu Shan''s strength. Thanks to this influence, Xu Shan rose to the seventh stage of the same realm with ease. However, his attention was fixed on the emptiness in front of him. His eyes revealed great surprise.

    As soon as he had finished devouring Ji Yang''s soul, a blood red screen appeared before him.

    [Warning: Connection with the host disconnected]

    [Warning: Corruption Detected]

    [Shutting Down]

    [Error: Shutdown not possible]

    [Corruption Detected! Corruption Detected! Consciousness is being erased. Knowledge Sea is being stolen]

    [Emergency Shutdown Activated]

    [Error: Corruption increased]

    [Error: Emergency Shutdown not permitted]

    [Error! Error! Error!]

    Thousands of blood red error prompts opened up before Xu Shan. It was clear that the system was struggling against something as soon as he absorbed it. It was as if the System didn''t want to allow him ess, but a strange force was corrupting that system into something new!

    He didn''t even understand what was happening when the Desires came out of his storage ring on its own, sending a mysterious energy in his body.

    As the mysterious energy entered his body, the error prompts only increased! The corruption stats increased as well, at a much faster pace!

    The screen which was blood red started turning pitch ck, as if ck blood was infiltrating the system!

 Chapter 49 49: Demonic Heart

    ?Xu Shan was utterly perplexed by the events that had transpired. The emergence of the Book of Desires from within his storage ring and the sudden appearance of the System after he used the Celestial Spirit of Devouring had left him questioning everything.

    The meaning behind the Corruption was another puzzle he couldn''t seem to solve.

    He wanted to call out Xinren to ask her, but no matter how many times he called her, she didn''t appear, as if she just couldn''te out for the time being.

    The error screens kept multiplying, as if they were struggling against the so-called Corruption, only to fail. Before long, all the screens turned pitch ck, disappearing at once with onest flicker.

    The Error screens, which made Xu Shan feel a headache, suddenly disappeared, as if everything that he saw was nothing more than a dream.

    As for the Book of Desires, it transformed into glimmering particles of light and returned to his storage ring once more.

    Xu Shan remained standing in his ce with a frown on his face. He hadn''t found the Book of Truth and the system screen also appeared to be bugged. He felt as if it waspletely destroyed, disappearing in the end. However, he couldn''t be convinced about it. Something didn''t feel right.

    He had lost track of time as he remained lost in thought, trying to make sense of the situation. However, his efforts were in vain as nothing seemed to add up or make any sense.

    Just when he was on the brink of losing interest, the screen suddenly flickered back to life! The once brightly lit screen was now shrouded inplete darkness, save for a single message scrawled as if written in blood.

    [Fragments Collected: One out of Nine]

    The appearance of the system screen had drastically changed from thest time he saw it. Gone were the shades of red and sky blue, instead, it was nowpletely ck.

    Strangely enough, there was an odd sense of familiarity that he couldn''t quite put his finger on. It was reminiscent of the feeling he got when he fully awakened the Celestial Spirit of Devouring.

    Though he couldn''t see it, the Star Mark in his left eye appeared darker and more pronounced. Despite his best efforts, his skill struggled to conceal it. Thankfully, his skill still managed to function and hide it, albeit barely.

    "Fragments Collected? One out of Nine?" Xu Shan reiterated what he had seen on the dark system screen. However, instead of finding rity, his mind was overwhelmed with a slew of further queries.

    He had no idea what this system was talking about. What were these fragments that it talked about?

    Even in Ji Yang''s ring, there wasn''t anything special, other than a few ordinary gold coins. In fact, that ring didn''t even have any skill books or treasures. Ji Yang was probably the poorest Heaven''s Chosen.

    "The only collection that I can think of are these damn books. With the system, I probably received the Book of Truth without realizing. That could''ve exined what that one means. However, that''s certainly not it. There are seven of them ording to Xinren. So that can''t be it."

    He sighed in frustration and rubbed his forehead while sitting on the bed. He felt overwhelmed by the numerous tasks at hand, leaving him with no time to ponder over such mysteries.

    With a simple gesture, he effortlessly removed the ck screen from view. It was almost as though he had an innate understanding of how to manipte it. Though he couldn''t quite exin it, he simply trusted his instincts and acted ordingly.

    "One of nine, huh..." He reclined on the bed and shielded his eyes with both hands. "Just what''s going on in the world."

    Not too long ago, he lived in a world where discussing such imaginative concepts would have been met with skepticism or dismissed as crazy or childish eighth grade syndrome.

    However, now he found himself immersed in a world full of enigmas. Even his own understanding of himself was limited, as he had to adapt and learn as he went along.

    "Wait a minute... Shouldn''t the Book of Truth be able to see through me?"

    He raised his right hand lightly. "Tell me about myself."

    As he finished speaking, another screen appeared before him, this time muchrger in size.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ======================

    ? Name: Xu Shan

    ? Age: Twenty

    ? Physique: ???

    ? Innate Nature: ??? (Partially awakened)

    ? Celestial Realm: Ninth Stage Celestial General

    ? First Celestial Spirit: Devouring ( Partially Awakened)

    ? Second Celestial Spirit: ???

    ? Innate Ability: Devour, Demonic Heart, ???

    ? Learned skills: Minor Disguise, Cloud Steps

    ? Fragments Collected: One out of Nine

    =========================

    Seeing the status screen, Xu Shan couldn''t help but sigh. There were so many question marks, that even he felt frustrated seeing them.

    He didn''t understand why those question marks were there in the first ce. Was that because even the Book of Truth couldn''t see through them entirely? Or was something else the case?

    Despite so many details being missing, he still managed to get some useful insight from the information, mainly about his innate skills.

    For a while, he had been fascinated by the mystery of his increasingly distant demeanor. As soon as he stumbled upon the reference to Demonic Heart in his innate abilities, he couldn''t shake off the inkling that it might have yed a part in his personality change.

    "The Book of Truth can see that I have a second Celestial Spirit. However, even it can''t see through it entirely, only resulting in those question marks. Strange..."

    ****

    Under the cover of darkness, three Shadow Generals from the Qin Dynasty emerged outside the Royal Pce, without being noticed.

    It seemed as though they had been biding their time, waiting for the flurry of guests to depart and the atmosphere to quieten. Atst, they made their move.

    The three dispersed, moving towards distinct directions to encircle the Pce from different angles. Upon arriving at their designated locations, they proceeded to pull out pitch ck gs and ced them on the ground.

    The three gs showed signs of wear and tear, giving the impression of being quite old and fragile. Yet, an eerie sensation emanated from them, emitting a ghostly force that enveloped them in a murky green glow.

    Upon cement, the three spectral gs seamlessly synchronized, casting a shadow that converged into a magnificent formation, engulfing the entirety of the Pce.

    "Let''s see how you survive today, little brat!"

 Chapter 50 50: Puppet

    ?"Father, you can''t be serious! You want me to go to his room at night?!"

    A loud and shocked voice of the Princess echoed in the room. However, there was no one in the room other than the King himself. No one else could have heard her.

    "I know you only want to pursue strength. However, this is an opportunity that we won''t get again! You know how hard it is to get near the Royals of the Eternal Dynasty!" The King sighed. Even he didn''t want to do it this way, but he didn''t want to lose this opportunity either.

    If the Third Prince were to fall in love with his daughter and they were to marry, the reputation and influence of the Esti Kingdom would soar to new heights, ensuring that no future threats could harm them.

    Even though it was for the sake of the Esti Kingdom, that wasn''t the only reason. His daughter''s goal was to be stronger and who else could help her reach that goal but the Dynasty which had all the precious resources one might need!

    "Even if you want me to get close to a Prince, did he have to be the one?!" The Princess frowned. Initially, she didn''t know who Xu Shan was. However, when her father told her the truth, she was stunned. Even she had heard about the infamous Third Prince!

    "I don''t want to get close to that monster! If you want me to get close to the Dynasty, shouldn''t I try to get close to the First or the Second Prince? They have the chance of bing the future Emperor!"

    To her, the Third Prince held no significant status, merely a mortal with no real power or authority. Even in the Royal Hall, it was his guard who took charge of all actions. In her opinion, he was merely an individual who relied on external assistance to assert himself.

    Initially, she had thought that since Xu Shan was being followed by a person like Ye Han, he might be a talented individual who wasn''t showing his skills. However, when she heard that he was the Infamous Third Prince, all her hopes were crushed. He was just a useless man, no different from Ji Yang who was killed!

    "Do you think the First and the Second Prince are going toe to this rundown ce?" The King frowned, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "You might not even be able to see their face all your life."

    "Moreover, the third prince is more favored by the Emperor than the First and Second Prince. Almost everyone knows that. So it''s still not certain who will get the throne. It''s just that the Third Prince isn''t interested in the politics of the throne!" he further exined.

    "After you make him fall for you, you can manipte him into desiring the throne! You can also do whatever you want, with his name. If you can manipte him enough, who knows, you might have a ve who bes the Emperor of the Eternal Dynasty!"

    As he spoke on, his breaths grew quicker, betraying a glint of avarice in his gaze. Both the First and Second Prince exuded strength, and their aspirations were in for all to see. It was impossible to manipte or control them.

    However, Xu Shan was just a little brat who was a mere mortal without even a Celestial Spirit. Moreover, he was just a boy, running aimlessly. He was perfect for them to control and make their puppet!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The King had thought long and hard about it. It was their chance to take over the entire Dynasty after all, bing the true Overlord! All they had to do was to control Xu Shan and manipte the Emperor''s love for his third child!

    The Princess was slightly taken aback by the greed she noticed on her father''s face. However, the goal wasn''t far from what she wanted! She wanted strength... Strength to be invincible in this world!

    If she could use the Eternal Dynasty, she could get any resource that she wanted... Things that even geniuses with Nine Star Celestial Spirits couldn''t receive! Moreover, if she became the true master of the Eternal Dynasty through Xu Shan, wasn''t it even better?

    Although she didn''t disy it outwardly, a hint of greed had crept into her heart, causing her to partially align with her father''s beliefs.

    In the end, she nodded her head. "I''ll do it! I''ll make that little brat fall for me to an extent where he''d be willing to give up his life to protect me!"

    Her fists were tightly clenched. Even though she never paid attention to matters between men and women, she knew everything there was to know. She also knew that her looks were her biggest weapon against Xu Shan and she was confident in her looks!

    Even though she acted as if she didn''t notice, she knew that almost every youngster, and even some seniors looked at her with lustful eyes, wanting to make her theirs! She didn''t believe her looks were going to fail her now!

    She took a deep breath. After finding out about which room Xu Shan was in, she left the room and went straight for the young prince.

    As she entered the hallway leading to Xu Shan''s room, an unexpected urrence took ce. The surroundings quickly turned pitch-ck, leaving her with no vision. In addition, her thoughts felt muddled, as if she were under the influence of a spell.

    She heard inexplicable voices in her mind that urged her to kill Xu Shan. The intensity of these voices was so overwhelming that it made her feel as though she was losing her sanity.

    She wasn''t the only one who experienced this phenomenon. Almost everyone, from the lowest of servants to the King went through the same. It was as if some devilish energy was taking control of their body,manding them to kill Xu Shan and Ye Han.

    There were only two people in the entire pce who weren''t affected by this. They were Xu Shan and Ye Han. It was unclear if they were just immune to it, or they were specifically not targeted, so as to not make them suspicious.

    One thing was for certain... Almost everyone in the Pce wanted to kill Xu Shan!

 Chapter 51 51: Dignity Of A Monarch

    ?While Xu Shan was lying on the bed, waiting for Xinren to appear before him. However, something quite different happened.

    An inky-ck screen materialized before his eyes once more. Unlike before, it was not apanied by a message. Instead, it seemed to present a task or challenge, much like a quest in a game.

    Xu Shan gazed at the text, which was written in a blood-red hue. The characters seemed to possess an otherworldly force, one that he recognized all too well. Although the system he had obtained was a gift from the Book of Truth, it appeared as though the book no longer possessed any control over the system.

    Instead, the system itself was corrupted by his Demonic Nature, changingpletely from what it was supposed to be.

    [Quest: Dignity of a Monarch]

    [Description: A Monarch can''t always rely on external help! Kill the three men who came to kill you, without any external help and establish your Dignity before your subordinate!]

    [Quest Duration: Three Hours]

    [Reward: Celestial Lotus]

    Xu Shan went through the quest, only to be intrigued. He was here simply to rest, having no idea that there was someone here to kill him. Even though he was alert, this sudden information was still surprising.

    "It looks like Qin Ye is getting impatient..." Xu Shan sat up, stretching his neck, feeling somewhat tired already.

    It hadn''t been long since he Awakened his Celestial Spirit. He also hadn''t learned many offensive skills since he had to leave the Royal City to take care of the Saintess. However, to think that he had to kill enemies personally...

    He was sure that Qin Ye wasn''t stupid. If he actually knew his route and where he was going to rest, then it was clear that he also knew about Ye Han''s existence. It wasn''t hard to guess that the people he sent were at least Sky Celestials.

    If people knew that he was asked to kill three Sky Celestials while only being a peak Celestial General, they would''ve certainly called him an idiot or even crazy to even consider this quest. However, it was different for Xu Shan.

    He could easily abandon the Quest and ask for Ye Han''s help. However, he didn''t want to do that! He knew what the reward meant! The Celestial Lotus was something that was impossible to find, even by his family!

    It was said that there were none in existence anymore! A Celestial Lotus was something that was able to nourish a person''s soul, amplifying their Celestial Spirit. However, its main use was to aid in the awakening of a Celestial Spirit!

    This was precisely what he needed! He didn''t know when his second Celestial Spirit was going to awaken. It might be a week, or even decades! He didn''t want to have to wait for it, especially since every bit of help was useful for him.

    Moreover, he was also curious to meet his second Celestial Spirit, wanting to see just which Celestial Spirit it was, that hadn''t been devoured by his first Celestial Spirit either!

    Another reason he needed the Celestial Lotus was to help his Celestial Spirit of Devouring to grow up. Currently, his first Celestial Spirit only had the intelligence of a two or three year old child... A child who only knew when it was hungry and nothing else.

    With the help of the Celestial Lotus, he also wanted to make his Celestial Spirit grow faster, at least to give it more intelligence. Only then could it help him by granting more innate skills.

    "This kind of reward is something that I can''t miss..." Xu Shan walked to the window, gazing outside. "However, to kill three Sky Celestials is easier said than done."

    "Ye Han had killed three peak Sky Celestials at the same time and it instantly made him famous. However, I''m not him."

    He opened the window, letting fresh aire in.

    Despite the darkness of the night, the moon cast a bright and illuminating light on thend below. Still, it wasn''t easy to see outside.

    Xu Shan didn''t know where the three people were hiding. It was highly possible that they were hiding inside the Pce itself, advancing toward his room. However, he couldn''t just wait for their arrival.

    He used Cloud Steps and jumped out the window. Even though he couldn''t fly or walk in the air with Cloud Steps, it still made it easier for him to jump out from great heights by momentarily making his body lighter.

    ****

    While Xu Shan left the room, Ye Han had no idea about it. Xu Shan had used a privacy treasure, which made it impossible for even Ye Han to see his movements.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    However, since Ye Han didn''t sense any movements outside the room from strangers, it was clear that nothing was wrong yet.

    He sat on the bed, meditating peacefully. No one knew where the Prince was going to go. And even if someone knew, it was impossible for them to do anything at such short notice, so he felt it was safe.

    He didn''t know that there were people who could predict Xu Shan''s movement roughly.

    Only half an hour had passed since Ye Han entered meditation but he suddenly opened his eyes, feeling a flurry of footsteps in the hallway. He could also sense some killing intent.

    Frowning, he opened his eyes and stopped his meditation.

    He didn''t know why people wanted to kill them but it didn''t matter. Whoever revealed killing intent toward a Prince of the Dynasty had to be killed!

    He got off the bed, brandishing his sword that he hadn''t revealed before.

    He opened the door, stepping outside, expecting to meet assassins. However, as he looked at the people before him, even he was taken aback. They weren''t assassins! Instead, they were ordinary people in the castle! Even the King and the Princess were in the group!

    All of those people had nk eyes, as if they were lifeless beings who only moved on instinct. It was clear that there was someone who was controlling their mind!

    ****

    Xu Shan walked outside the Pce, trying to make sense of the situation. Since he had a treasure received from his father, even the greatest of warriors couldn''t sense his movements through their divine senses, unless they were looking straight at him.

    ording to the quest, he was to kill three people himself, without asking for help. He knew it was impossible to kill those people while remaining in his room. Moreover, if he moved in the hallways to find them, it was easy to locate him since the hallway wasn''t wide enough.

    That''s why he came up with a new n. He was to simply leave. Since the quest gave him three hours, that meant those people were going to attempt to kill him soon.

    "It''s clear. They''ll definitely go to my room. And when they don''t find me there, they''ll probably look everywhere. In the end, they''ll leave the Pce in failure. That''s when I should be able to know who those three are."

    To finish the quest he had to find the enemies and he already nned how to find them. However, while he was walking outside the pce, simply waiting for movement, he noticed someone in the distance.

    It was a man dressed in ck, hiding his face with a mask. However, Xu Shan remembered those clothes!

    "Qin Ye''s shadow guard!"

    The Shadow Guard stood stoically behind a worn g, keeping watch over the pce without any movement or disturbance.

    "What is that ck g?" Xu Shan asked. The g appeared tattered, but it had an aura of a treasure that wasn''t simple.

    As he asked the question, a ck screen opened up before him.

    ============

    ? Name: g of Three Death Ghosts

    ? Description: A divine treasure that contains a three g set, created by an unknown devil. It can be used to establish a formation that controls people within its range into following the g Master''smands!

    ? Limitations: Can''t be used to control people with Grade Six or Higher Celestial Spirits.

    ==============

    Going through the description, Xu Shan couldn''t help but reveal a devilish smile.

 Chapter 52 52: Unwilling

    ?The biggest problem he had was where to find those people. However, to think that he was going to find one of them so easily was even beyond his expectations.

    With the description of the g formation, he was even more clear about things. These people didn''t directly attack. Instead, they used others to first make the situation chaotic.

    As the gs required a team of three individuals to operate, it was clear that the other two team members were in close proximity.

    However, before taking action, he decided to survey the entire surrounding and locate the other two individuals.

    As anticipated, the other two Shadow Guards were standing proudly behind their respective gs as well.

    After realizing where everyone was, Xu Shan finally took action.

    Thanks to his father''s treasure, he possessed the ability to remain concealed from even the Sky Celestials, as long as they weren''t directly looking at him or he made any sudden noise. Moreover, his proficiency in the technique of Cloud Steps served to bnce out most of his shorings.

    As he skillfully utilized the Cloud Steps technique to approach the Shadow General from behind, his body became eerily light, like a delicate leaf floating in the wind. Not a single sound could be heard from his footsteps.

    He brandished a dagger, gripping it tightly as he strode towards the Sky Celestial who seemed to be the focus of his attention at the Pce.

    With a determined look on his face, Xu Shan lifted his dagger high and took aim at the Shadow General''s neck. With all his strength, he thrust the dagger forward, determined to strike a fatal blow.

    Swiss~

    The dagger went straight through, yet Xu Shan didn''t feel a hint of resistance. His weapon seemed to glide effortlessly through the man''s skin. However, something felt amiss.

    The elusive Shadow General had vanished without a trace. His swift stabbing motion only seemed to have grazed an after image.

    Xu Shan was startled and quickly turned around, a feeling of dread washing over him. He had believed that he could defeat a Sky Celestial with a surprise attack. However, he realized that it was much harder than he had anticipated.

    The Shadow General reacted instantly to the sensation of a cold de on the back of his neck, moving quickly to avoid whatever danger loomed behind him. Despite Xu Shan''s rapid movements, he was no match for the lightning-fast reflexes of a highly skilled Sky Celestial with expertise in a multitude of movement techniques.

    Xu Shan''s demeanor changed slightly as he turned to see who was behind him. His face grew somber at the sight of the Shadow General standing there, absentmindedly rubbing the back of his neck.

    A slight scrape was apparent on the nape of his neck, apanied by a faint trickle of blood. Nheless, the injury was not severe.

    "And here I thought that it was going to be harder to kill a Prince. To think that you would personallye to your death. I wonder if I should thank you."

    The Shadow Guard appeared to belittle Xu Shan for his perceived weakness andck of intelligence. But despite his outward confidence, the Shadow Guard''s own heart raced as he felt a twinge of difort on his neck.

    He realized that if he had been even a fraction slower to react, he might not have survived the attack. Though he was visibly shaken, he managed to maintain hisposure and not reveal his fear.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In fact, even now he couldn''t believe that he was so close to death.

    Since he knew that Xu Shan was a mere mortal, he became convinced that he must have been aided by some sort of powerful treasure that allowed him to conceal his presence.

    "I was nning to sneak inside and kill you while those idiots kept your guard body..." The Shadow Guard raided his hand. "There''s no need for that anymore."

    Energy with a dark celestial shade coalesced around his hand, taking the shape of a sword.

    Despite being made purely of Celestial Aura, his sword was just as powerful as any treasure sword, if not more so. In fact, it was sharper than many, with the ability to effortlessly slice a metal door in half with an evil grace.

    Xu Shan remained silent, his faceposed, but his eyes revealed his true feelings.

    He had assumed that he could exploit theirck of awareness to his advantage. Unfortunately, his attempt had backfired, and he found himself in the midst of a direct confrontation. This was not the scenario he had anticipated or desired.

    Despite the fact that there was only one Shadow Guard before him, the difference in strength could not be disregarded. Even at his prime, he had doubts about his ability to defeat a Shadow Guard in a fight.

    Despite his worries, now that he was in this situation, he couldn''t back off. It wasn''t as if this guy was going to allow him to leave. His only option appeared to be using the Book of Desires, but that was also unlikely in this situation.

    Deep within, he couldn''t help but wonder if this was how long his journey was going tost. He clenched his fist, not willing to ept it! He knew he was weak! That''s why he had been using other people to handle urgent matters that could threaten him.

    However, even with this weakness, he didn''t want to ept death! His father had sacrificed his life to give him this life!

    In the end, he simply raised the dagger, getting in position. Even though he was weak, he wanted to survive! His will to survive was stronger than anything he possessed! Even if he could forget himself, this desire to survive was something he wasn''t going to forget!

    "Oh? You want to fight even in this situation?" The Shadow Guard couldn''t help butugh. He wasn''t in any hurry. Ye Han was still inside the pce, taking care of the ones who had lost their minds!

    Moreover, ording to Ye Han, Xu Shan was still in his room so the First Shadows Guard didn''t think that the guy was going to appear here.

    In addition, he chose not to disclose Xu Shan''s presence to the other Shadow Guards, as he wished to im all the credit for himself!

    He knew how much importance Emperor Qin paid to Xu Shan. If he was the one who managed to kill him all alone, then it was an achievement worth celebrating! He didn''t want to share this achievement with anyone else.

    "Even though I have plenty of time, I will be kind enough to put you out of your misery right away!"

    The Shadow Guard finally moved, not wasting a single moment.

 Chapter 53 53: Are You Sure You Can Survive After Knowing?

    ?Xu Shan''s vision was suddenly interrupted by the sh of a Shadow Sword that seemed to be aimed directly at his neck.

    The Shadow Guard''s movement was so fast, that the young prince failed to even properly see his movements. All he could discern were faint shadow outlines in the background. The power disparity between the two was significant, as was the difference in theirbat expertise.

    The Shadow Guard didn''t go easy on him, just because he was a youngster who was supposed to be a mortal. Instead, he used his full strength right from the initial attack. It was a simr principle to assassins, which was to kill the opponent in one stroke, without taking any risks.

    Unable to see anything, Xu Shan only moved on instinct, raising his dagger, to protect his neck.

    Even he didn''t understand why he felt that his neck was going to be attacked, but he didn''t have time to think about it.

    nk~

    A metallic sound resounded as his dagger actually managed to block the shadow sword! Even though his dagger looked ordinary, it was still a Sky Grade Treasure that he received from his father.

    Despite their durability, the ordinary daggers would have already broken in the face of such an attack but his dagger was different.

    Unfortunately, although the dagger waspletely fine, it alone wasn''t enough to bridge the gap in strength between the two sides.

    Xu Shan managed to avoid a direct hit to his vital organs, but the force of the impact was still so great that it caused his body to be thrown backward.

    He experienced a sudden and intense impact, as if a truck had hit him, sending him reeling to the ground. His hands shook uncontrobly as he struggled to regain his bnce. The battle before him seemed insurmountable from the outset, leaving him with little hope of victory, or even survival.

    On the other side, even the Shadow Guard was stunned to see that Xu Shan actually managed to block his attack!

    "I guess even as a mortal, you''re still a Prince of a Dynasty. It really isn''t easy to crush you, is it?" The Shadow Guard raised the shadow sword once again before moving like lightning.

    He swung his sword once again, intending to cut Xu Shan in two.

    As Xu Shan rose to his feet, another strike came his way, and he had no choice but to rely on his instincts once again. However, this time the Shadow Guard anticipated this and changed the sword''s direction at thest moment.

    While Xu Shan was able to defend himself to a considerable degree, he ultimately couldn''t escape unscathed. The shadow sword cut through his clothing and left a deep gash on his chest, which bled profusely and turned the cloth a vivid shade of scarlet.

    Fortunately, Xu Shan was able to dodge at the veryst moment; otherwise, the injury would have been much more severe.

    Hended in the distance. His face was already pale. His clothes were tattered, and already covered in blood. Even his breathing was heavy.

    Despite being alive, the pain was unbearable and impossible for him to ignore. It felt like his skin was on fire while being incessantly bitten by poisonous ants.

    He could only bite his lower lip to make sure that he didn''t lose himself in the pain.

    "You survived again... For a mortal, you''re really quite talented." The Shadow Guard waved his sword lightly, letting Xu Shan''s blood drops fall to the ground. It was as if he was worried that the young man''s blood was going to dirty his Sword.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "However, even with that talent, you''re nothing special at all. I don''t understand why His Majesty considers you such a threat." He shook his head lightly. "Is there a secret between you two?"

    "If you tell me that secret, I might give you an even quicker and painless death!"

    The Shadow Guard was quite confused why Qin Ye wanted Xu Shan dead. It certainly wasn''t because of any treasures that Xu Shan possessed. If that was the case, then Qin Ye would''ve told him to bring back the treasure after killing the young man. That only meant Xu Shan had another secret.

    Even though it wasn''t his ce to inquire into Qin Ye''s matters, his curiosity got the best of him. In any case, if he killed Xu Shan, Qin Ye wasn''t going to know that he already knew that secret.

    Xu Shan held the dagger firmly, as if his life was on the line. He didn''t speak anything since dying faster wasn''t as interesting a proposition to him as the Shadow Guard thought.

    His mind was still distracted by the pain. He was surprised that he was still conscious. He could only guess that it was because his body was more durable after he became stronger.

    "It... Hurts..."

    While Xu Shan was still looking for an opportunity to kill the Shadow Guard, he heard a strange voice in his head.

    ''You''re finally up.'' Xu Shan thought, recognising that voice. It was the voice of his Celestial Spirit of Devouring which had fallen asleep after hest feasted on Ji Yang.

    He didn''t expect that even his Celestial Spirit was able to feel his pain. Usually, a Celestial Spirit couldn''t feel the physical pain of their host, and only spiritual pain.

    ''Well, it''s good that you''re awake, since this might be ourst moment together. However, I still don''t have any intention to die anytime soon.''

    He raised his head, gazing at the Shadow Guard who was still waiting for his response.

    "You want my secret? Are you sure you will be able to survive after knowing it?"

    The Shadow Guard frowned in response. "You don''t need to be concerned about it. Just tell me what that secret is!"

    Xu Shan took a deep breath. There was slight hesitation on his face. His lips slightly opened as he started speaking, "It''s about-"

    However, his eyes suddenly lit up in the middle of his sentence. "You''re finally here! Kill him!''

    The Shadow Guard froze in ce. Since he wasn''t controlling the g formation now, he didn''t know what was happening inside the pce. Seeing Xu Shan''s response, his face went pale. It meant Ye Han was here.

    He immediately turned around, swinging his shadow sword.

    With a swift motion of his sword, an arc of dense Celestial Energy shot out into the darkness, aimed at Ye Han with the intention of exploiting the situation to his advantage.

    Unfortunately, as soon as he turned around, his expressions became ugly!

 Chapter 54 54: One Long Night

    ?The Shadow Guard was intimidated by Ye Han, particrly after learning that he was referred to as the Executioner. Ye Han''s immense power positioned him in the upper ranks, even within the Eternal Dynasty.

    Consequently, he aimed to exploit the circumstances byunching a sudden attack on Ye Han whom he suspected to be behind him.

    Unfortunately, it was only when he turned around that he realized that he was naive. There was no one behind him! His attack only hit empty air. It was clear that Xu Shan had lied to him.

    His face was filled with anger. However, before he could even turn around, he felt a cold de rush against his skin.

    He immediately moved again, feeling as if he was standing at the death''s door.

    Xu Shan didn''t target his back. Instead, he once again went straight for his neck, as if he didn''t even want to give him a second chance. In fact, this time he had moved as soon as the Shadow Guard turned around to attack, taking advantage of the perfect opportunity.

    The Shadow Guard moved again, dodging at thest moment. Hended in the distance, ring at Xu Shan with open hostility. However, his face went from hostile to pale within a single second, as he realized that he wasn''t fast enough this time.

    Thest time, he had escaped with only a minor scratch. However, this time, it was different. In fact, he could already see that Xu Shan didn''t have a dagger in his hand anymore!

    Instead, the young prince''s dagger was now deep within his neck. It took a moment for the pain and the realization to set in.

    The Shadow Guard''s body quivered uncontrobly as he instinctively brought his hand to his throat, feeling the cold steel of a dagger piercing through his skin. With a sickening awareness, he knew that the lethal weapon had already prated all the way to his neck, leaving him gasping for breath.

    Repeatedly, he tried to speak yet nothing escaped from his lips. His entire being went feeble, as though all his vigor had drained away at once.

    The dagger possessed a unique ability to immobilize an opponent upon delivering a fatal blow. Even the skilled Shadow Guard was unable to resist this debilitating effect, making him unable to even mount ast resistance.

    "You wanted to know my secret?" Xu Shan touched his bleeding chest which was still hurting, albeit not as bad as before. "You wanted to know why Qin Ye wants me dead?"

    As Xu Shan approached with calm and measured steps, his movements echoed loudly in the silence. The Shadow Guard, rendered immobile, could only watch as the prince drew near. Despite his fury, his gaze alone was powerless to harm the Prince.

    "He wants me dead, not because I know some secret of his..." Xu Shan pulled out another dagger, which was quite simr to the previous dagger, having the same grade.

    "Instead, he wants me dead because..." He came to a halt in front of the Shadow Guard, pressing the pointed edge of his dagger against the center of the guard''s forehead.

    "... because he''s scared of me!" Xu Shan exerted pressure on the dagger, delivering the fatal strike as it pierced through the shadow guard''s forehead, dealing the final blow.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Shadow Guard''s pupils trembled as the dagger passed through his skull before his eyes lost their shine. He never expected that he would die in this mission, and that too, not in the hands of Ye Han but at the hands of a young man who was barely twenty years old!

    Despite having more physical strength, he ultimately lost the battle of intelligence. Despite his efforts to not underestimate his opponent, he still made the same mistake in the end.

    After the shadow guard died, Xu Shan also dropped to the ground, huffing. He was exhausted. In fact, even moving his hands was a struggle for him. On top of that, he had already lost plenty of blood. Only he knew how he managed tost till the end of the battle.

    "Little guy, looks like we survive one more day."

    He took out a herb from his storage ring, and ced it in his mouth, letting the healing effects take ce.

    If he wanted, he could''ve taken that herb right at the start, but that was dangerous. He wanted the enemy to think that he was wounded, and unable to do anything to him. If he had tried to heal himself, he was sure the Shadow Guard would''ve acted even more fiercely.

    Even though his wounds were heavy, the healing herb that he brought with him was able to mitigate the damage to some extent. His bleeding finally stopped and his wounds also started healing slowly.

    "We went through so much effort. However, I''m never underestimating a Shadow Guard again! I need more strength!"

    He ced his hand on the chest of the shadow guard, speaking calmly. "Feast!"

    His Celestial Spirit, that was already awake because of getting hurt, revealed an excited hymn, as it greedily started absorbing the strength of a Sky Celestial!

    Xu Shan initially had reservations about absorbing a Sky Celestial''s strength because it posed a significant risk at his current level of strength. However, he ultimately made the decision to do so because he recognized his limitations and did not wish to put himself in danger during future encounters.

    With this battle, he realized that he was too weak! If the Shadow Guard hadn''t fallen for his trick, then he would''ve already been dead!

    He never wanted to be in a situation like this ever again! And to make sure it never happened again, he needed strength, even if it came with some risks.

    Arge amount of celestial energy started flooding inside his body. Unfortunately, the energy was so powerful that he soon started frowning!

    The energy was too powerful for his current self! His veins were bulged, as his entire body felt extreme pain. It was as if the energy was so violent and turbulent for his weak body, that it could easily kill him!

    He clenched his teeth, bearing the pain. However, he didn''t take off his hands yet! He couldn''t since it could only cause him even more bacsh! He only knew one thing! It was going to be one long night, filled with uncertainty.

 Chapter 55 55: Celestial Core

    ?Xu Shan''s breathing became faster and faster as his temperature rose.

    As he struggled under the weight of the overwhelming energy coursing through him, it felt like his very being was engulfed in scorching moltenva.

    At the same time, his strength also kept rising. He was already a peak Celestial General before killing the Shadow General, but his strength only increased more!

    First Grade Earth Celestial...

    Second Grade Earth Celestial...

    Third Grade Earth Celestial...

    Fourth Grade Earth Celestial...

    The more his strength rose under the immense Celestial Energy of a Sky Celestial, the more burden his body was ced under.

    He was in so much pain, that he wanted to yell at the top of his lungs. However since he didn''t want to alert everyone, he clenched his teeth, preventing himself from yelling in pain.

    His lips bled, being bitten tightly by him to distract himself. Unfortunately, it wasn''t as effective as he thought.

    His eyes were bloodshot while his face became paler with each passing second. It was as if he was on the verge of death. The strength of a Sky Celestial was too violent.

    Fifth Grade Earth Celestial...

    Sixth Grade Earth Celestial...

    Seventh Grade Earth Celestial...

    "No more!" Xu Shan felt that his body was at its limit. A little more, and he could actually die. Unfortunately, he couldn''t stop either. He was stuck in a situation where he could neither advance, nor retreat!

    He slightly regretted his decision of being hasty. However, it was toote to regret.

    Eighth Grade Earth Celestial...

    "Stop!" He clenched his teeth, punching the ground with his left hand, again and again.

    His fists had started feeding because of constant punches but the violent energy still hadn''t calmed down.

    Xu Shan''s entire body was brimming with energy, a little too much for his ownfort. Cracks started developing on his skin, as if his body had started breaking apart.

    His mind was slowly getting clouded. The feeling of pain was overwhelming. Even his vision became somewhat blurry as his eyes werepletely blood red. It was as if the entire world was painted red for him.

    Ninth Grade Earth Celestial...

    While Xu Shan struggled toe to terms with the violent energy inside his body, more kepting.

    The burden had exceeded what he expected initially. It was as if his entire body was slowly breaking apart as cracks on his skin kept developing even more, covering his entire face.

    In the end, he couldn''t take it anymore. Even if it was at the cost of a bacsh, he decided to forcefully cut the connection.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Unfortunately, he soon found out that he couldn''t even do that. His right hand just refused to move! In such pain, he couldn''t even feel his right hand, let alone use it!

    His left hand''s punches on the ground intensified, to the extent that some of his bones in his fist were visible, tainted in blood red color.

    To survive a Sky Celestial, only to die like this... Xu Shan couldn''t help but feel that it was a really pitiful way to die!

    Since he couldn''t do anything anymore, he only closed his eyes. Even if it meant certain death, he was going to die fighting! He was going to take all the energy, even if he died!

    "Enough..." A childish voice fell in Xu Shan''s ears. The Star Mark in his left eye became even clearer and more visible. In fact, the Star Mark was now shining slightly, so much so that even when someone stood fifty feet away from him, they could still see his Star Mark.

    What was even stranger was that the voice of his Celestial Spirit... It appeared to be a little older now!

    If previously his Celestial Spirit sounded like a two or three year old child who only knew how to speak when it was hungry, then now it sounded like a six or seven year old boy.

    As soon as Xu Shan heard that voice, all the pain that he was feeling disappeared in an instant, as if it was never there!

    A dark aura enveloped his body, shielding and safeguarding it. Instantly, his skin began to repair the cracks that had once marred it.

    The Celestial Energy absorption didn''t stop! However, that Celestial Energy didn''t nourish Xu Shan''s body! Instead, it gathered in a small core near his heart.

    That way, even though his strength stopped growing from this energy; but in that way, his body was also protected from the eminent destruction!

    The energy gathered into the small core near his heart, condensing and bing smaller and smaller.

    Xu Shan didn''t understand what that core was. It wasn''t his strength, but it wasn''t much different either. He felt some connection with that core.

    After ten minutes, the energy absorption finally ended! The core also became more powerful!

    The Celestial Core near his heart was even denser now. Even though it didn''t have the strength of a Peak Earth Celestial as Xu Shan had already absorbed lots of it, it still had the strengthparable to the reserves of an Initial Stage Sky Celestial!

    It was Xu Shan''s first time feeling that core inside him. He didn''t know what that thing was. Fortunately, he wasn''t helpless in this situation!

    He had something that could answer him!

    He took off his hands from the body of the Shadow Guard, finally sighing in relief. He had survived once again from this scary situation! Just as he expected, tonight was really long.

    He touched his cheeks that felt normal now. However, he could still remember what it felt like to have those cracks in his skin. It was a pain that was a part of him now, one that he could never forget.

    If possible, he just wanted to stop here and rest. Unfortunately, he didn''t have time.

    He kept the body of the Shadow Guard in his storage ring, before taking off his clothes.

    At the same time, he didn''t forget to ask the Book of Truth about the Small Core near his Demonic Heart.

    A screen opened up before him. While Xu Shan wiped the blood off his skin, he went through the information.

 Chapter 56 56: Caught

    ?Xu Shan wiped the blood off his body. Even though most of his wounds had healed, a light scar was still left behind in his chest, that was still not entirely healed.

    As his old clothes were torn, he brought out new clothes and changed into them, since even though his treasure could hide his location, his scent and his aura, it couldn''t hide the scent of blood.

    Unlike before, he didn''t take the Shadow Guards lightly.

    At the same time, he also went through the information about the strange core that appeared inside his body.

    The screen that appeared before him described the core in great detail, some of which even surprised him personally.

    "This..." After reading through the end, Xu Shan appeared somewhat taken aback. It was as if he came to know something about himself that even he didn''t know previously.

    He found out that he was very different from others. While the other Celestial Warriors could use their Celestial Spirit to absorb the Celestial Aura from nature to recover the strength they exhausted in battle, it was different for him.

    Since he had been busy and didn''t really need to use this method previously, he didn''t really test it, but now that he went through the screen, he was stunned!

    His Celestial Spirit of Devouring couldn''t help him recover his spent energy in a way that other Celestial Spirits could. Instead, it could only plunder from others!

    Even a Celestial Warrior exhausted himself during a battle, they could still slowly regain their strength amidst the battle. However, it was different for him. That''s where the Celestial Core came into y!

    His Celestial Core was his energy reserve in essence. If he exhausted himself by overusing his strength, he could still use what he previously stored in his Celestial Core to recover at a faster pace.

    Even though his Celestial Spirit couldn''t do what other Celestial Spirits could, but it also did something to make up for it.

    The Celestial Core was like a ckhole that could absorb the purest Celestial Aura that was beyond Xu Shan''s limit to absorb. This allowed him to devour others'' strength, without worrying about his own safety.

    Even though the strength he stored in the Celestial Core didn''t increase his Celestial Cultivation, but it had many other benefits.

    First, the Celestial Core allowed him to use strength beyond his limits for a brief moment, allowing him to exhaust all Celestial energy stored in the Celestial Core at once, to use an attack that went above and beyond his limit!

    Unfortunately, he could only use that method once since it involved him exhausting all his Celestial Core strength at once,pletely emptying it. However, Xu Shan never really used to n it in a fight, unless his life was on the line.

    Using an attack like that also ced a lot of burden on his body as well.

    "This saves me some trouble," Xu Shan muttered, closing the screen.

    Previously, he was still concerned that the strength of the other two Sky Celestials was going to go to waste since he couldn''t absorb anymore anytime soon, since his body was already under a lot of burden with his sudden strength increase by a major realm.

    In fact, he doesn''t think he could absorb anything anytime soon, without hurting himself in the process.

    Fortunately, with the Celestial Core, he could just absorb that strength as his reserve. His Celestial Cultivation would have remained the same, but it was still beneficial to him to have some reserves since he couldn''t just absorb anything from nature itself.

    Xu Shan picked both his daggers from the group. He had already cleaned both of them.

    He finally moved, going to his next target.

    ****

    Inside the Royal Pce, Ye Han was quite frustrated. Almost everyone in the Royal Pce came attacking him. Even the King was included in that.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    If he wanted, he could''ve killed all of them with a single swing of his sword. However, the Esti Kingdom was a subordinate of the Eternal Dynasty. Killing the King and creating a political turmoil was just an unnecessary headache that he didn''t want to deal with, especially since he knew that these people weren''t in their right mind.

    Instead of dealing life threatening attacks, he kept knocking out the nobles, including the Princess and the King.

    For a person like him, knocking these people out was much harder than simply killing them. However, he still went with that method. He wanted to deal with the pawns first toter find the masterminds behind this attack.

    After knocking out the King and a few other important officials that he had seen in the celebration previously, Ye Han kicked their unconscious bodies away.

    Even though he couldn''t kill them, that didn''t mean he couldn''t hurt them.

    The King, his daughter, and the other Nobles were still lucky that they just received some kicks! The rest of the people behind them weren''t so lucky.

    After dealing with the important people, Ye Han finally had more free hand.

    He simply raised his de, swinging his sword once.

    A condensed arc of energy shot out from his sword, covering the entire hallway! Everyone who was still standing was split in two halves, falling to the ground. The entire hallway was painted blood red!

    After dealing with the immediate trouble, Ye Han turned toward Xu Shan''s room. He was slightly surprised that even after all thismotion, Xu Shan didn''te out.

    He stepped closer to Xu Shan''s room, knocking a few times, just to make sure that everything was fine.

    His expressions became a bit more serious as he didn''t receive any response. In the end, he knocked once more. However, the oue was still the same. There was no response, even when he called out multiple times.

    In the end, Ye Han decided to simply force his way inside to check. Xu Shan''s safety was his responsibility after all.

    With a light push, he broke the locked door, which opened.

    Ye Han walked inside the room, however strangely enough, there was not a single person there!

    At the same time, he could see that the window was open! His expressions immediately turned solemn as he cursed before flying out the window in a hurry to find Xu Shan.

    "This..."

    Ye Han flew high in the sky, getting a clearer view of his surroundings. However, what he saw made his expressions change even more!

    He could see signs of battle. There were blood marks on the ground but no bodies. However, it was clear that some people were killed in those two different directions around the pce.

    Even though he couldn''t guess the strength of the people who died, or if they were friends or foes; however, looking at the torn gs near those ces, it was clear that they were the ones behind this attack! He recognized this g formation as well.

    At the same time, he also saw a third g in the distance! That was also the most shocking sight! Unlike the first two spots, this time he clearly saw the person who was killed!

    He could still feel the aura of the Third Shadow Guard! It was a peak Sky Celestials! That meant the other two people who died were also the ones who maintained these g formation! They were also Sky Celestials!

    However, what was strange was that the man had two daggers, one stabbed in his chest and the other on the back of his neck!

    At initial nce, it appeared to be the work of an experienced assassin. However, there was no assassin there. Instead, Xu Shan was sitting near the body. His breathing was still hurried, as if he had just gone through a battle!

 Chapter 57 57: A Misunderstanding Beyond

    ?Xu Shan sat on the ground, finally finishing the third and thest shadow guard. Killing the first shadow guard was the hardest. The second was also slightly hard. However, killing the third and thest one wasparatively easier for him, as if he was the weakest of the three!

    After dealing with the third guard, he sat on the ground and ced another healing herb in his mouth. He had finally dealt with the quest! Even he couldn''t believe it that he had killed three Peak Celestials in one night!

    Even though most of it was thanks to his sneak attacks, and unfair battle tactics, but it was still an achievement that felt surreal.

    Still, he knew that if the three Shadow Guards fought with him properly, there was no way he would''ve won! And that was the case when these guards weren''t even as strong as Ye Han. He could only guess how strong Ye Han was, inparison.

    ording to his expectations, even if he used a sneak attack on Ye Han, he would''ve still failed. He needed more strength!

    He reached out his hand, to absorb the strength of thest shadow guard in his Celestial Core. However, just as he was about to touch the man, his hand came to a half as he felt a presence above him!

    The presence was subtle, yet it felt vaguely familiar.

    Frowning, Xu Shan raised his head up, only to notice Ye Han in the sky, looking in his direction.

    Xu Shan was taken aback, not expecting Ye Han there. He didn''t know how much Ye Han had seen!

    Was he there since the beginning, watching everything only to make his presence known now? Or did he really just arrive now? If it was the former, it was dangerous, since it meant that Ye Han now knew about his Celestial Spirit. However, if it was thetter, then there was still some chance.

    If Ye Han just arrived now, that meant he only saw Xu Shan kill a Shadow Guard with a sneak attack. At best, he could guess that he was a Celestial Warrior who kept this a secret from others throughout the years. However, that was better than having him know about the Celestial Spirit.

    Xu Shan knew what the fear of the unknown could cause a person to behave like! He knew that in Ye Han''s eyes, he was a person who didn''t care about anyone else. Once he found out that he could steal others'' strength, even he was going to be his enemy, worried that his next target was going to be him!

    Perhaps Ye Han could assassinate him and make it seem as if it was done by the Shadow Guards.

    Xu Shan retracted his hand, standing up. Since he had just gone through a battle, his disguise was already over. The Star Mark was clearly visible in his left eye, noticed by Ye Han.

    Ye Han''s expressions were unnatural. He used to think that the Third Prince was a mere mortal, who only relied on his family to bully the weak! However, what he sawpletely turned his assumption upside down!

    The young man managed to kill three Sky Celestials in such a short time? Even from the knife wounds, it was clear that he used some sneaky methods, but it didn''t change the fact that he seeded!

    ording to Ye Han, none of the Princes were this capable! Amongst the younger generation, there were very few people who could achieve something like this!

    Ye Han''s face was covered in a frown, as he wondered why Xu Shan hid it from everyone, if he was really that talented? Also, why was his Star Mark in his left eye, unlike on his hands.

    He didn''t think that Xu Shan could hide this secret so effectively on his own. That made him think that it was because of the Emperor!

    Ye Han thought that it was the Emperor who helped his son hide his talents, worried about him being targeted! When he thought about this all being the Emperor''s n, the corner of his lips crept up.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He had always wondered why the Eternal Emperor favored the Third Prince so much. However, now that he saw what the Young Prince was capable of, he finally understood.

    He didn''t know that even the Emperor didn''t know about Xu Shan being a Celestial Warrior yet. It was all his misconception to give the credit to the Emperor. However, this also saved Xu Shan some trouble.

    He slowly came down,nding before Xu Shan. Even though he didn''t say it outright, but his gaze was different now.

    Previously, he used to be indifferent towards Xu Shan, as if he wouldn''t even get close to him if it wasn''t for the Emperor''s orders. However, now his expressions appeared to be full of intrigue and praise.

    "No wonder His Majesty dotes on you so much. So you were a Celestial Warrior." He finally spoke.

    Previously, he used to be quite frustrated. For him, the Eternal Emperor was a god who granted him a new life! And the Eternal Dynasty was his home! He only wanted to see what was good for the Eternal Dynasty.

    Unfortunately, he was quite unimpressed with every Prince. He always used to think that the next generation was very ordinary. That often made him worry about the future of the Eternal Dynasty.

    In his eyes, there wasn''t a worthy sessor who could help lead the Eternal Dynasty in a world filled with geniuses like Qin Ye and the son of Master of Celestial Pce.

    Now that he saw something interesting with his own eyes, the worries deep within his heart went down a light.

    "Don''t worry. I understand His Majesty told you to hide this secret." He went down on one knee, finally showing some respect like this to a Prince that he rarely showed. "As Heavens as my witness, I take an oath! I will never talk about this secret as long as I am alive!"

    Xu Shan couldn''t help but frown. From his expressions, it didn''t look like he knew the secret of his Celestial Spirit. At best, he knew that he was a Celestial Warrior who was talented in Assassination.

    "Good. Forget everything that you saw today," Xu Shan nodded. "Don''t ever tell anyone about my Assassination Type Celestial Spirit."

    He intentionally mentioned some wrong information, while carefully observing Ye Han''s expressions.

    Ye Han appeared to believe him, since there was no way for a young man to sessfully assassinate three Sky Celestials!

    An Assassin n Celestial Spirit was also one of the most dangerous Celestial Spirits, so he understood the Emperor''s actions even more.

    Moreover, in his eyes, he had somehow formed another misunderstanding!

    There was no way for such a genius to be so ruthless in the Dynasty while never revealing his secret! That meant, everything he did in the Dynasty, all his actions since his childhood were nothing but an act to fool the world!

    His eyes revealed even more amazement as he thought that he had found out a secret of the Dynasty that the Emperor hadn''t told him, despite trusting him! He also didn''t want to mention this to the Emperor, worried that the Emperor might be upset that this secret was revealed.

 Chapter 58 58: Someone Needs To Take Responsibility

    ?Xu Shan was somewhat relieved that his secret was still protected, at least for now. He still didn''t want to experience the moment where that secret was exposed.

    He kept the body of the third Shadow Guard in his storage ring as he couldn''t devour it for the time being, especially when he was in the presence of Ye Han.

    He also started picking up the three gs, storing them safely. The g formation had many ws as it needed three people to use it and couldn''t control people with powerful Celestial Spirits, but it was still a treasure.

    Even though he didn''t see himself using that in the future, he still brought the gs with him before going back inside the castle.

    As Xu Shan walked back towards his room, he passed through the bloody hallways that showed the aftermath of Ye Han''s battle.

    "Did you kill everyone?" Xu Shan asked, walking carefully to avoid staining his clothes with blood.

    "Excluding the King and some Royals. They are merely unconscious," Ye Han calmly responded, pointing in the distance where the King was lying on the ground in an ufortable position.

    It was only when he looked at the King that he turned his head slightly, "Maybe also with a few broken ribs..."

    "Give them some healing pills when they wake up," Xu Shan stated before reaching the entrance of the room, not sparing a single nce at the King or his unconscious daughter.

    He simply went back inside the room. Now that he had dealt with everything, he finally wanted to get some sleep. As for the reward for this quest, he left that forter. In any case, he couldn''t leave now to collect that reward since he had to solve the mess with Celestial Pce first.

    "It''s strange. Xinren still didn''t appear. Did something happen to her?" Closing the door from the inside, he fell on the bed, holding the Book of Desires in his hand firmly.

    ****

    Early in the morning, the sun started rising in the sky, casting a warm glow over the horizon. Even Xu Shan''s room was bright enough, getting warmer.

    Xu Shan slowly opened his eyes, realizing that he had only slept for a few hours, but he felt refreshed nheless.

    With a groan, he got up from the bed and stretched his tired muscles. He looked at the book in his hand. He didn''t even realize when he had fallen asleepst night, still having the Book of Desires in his embrace.

    He kept the Book back in his storage ring before getting up. Even though it was still only six in the morning, he could still hear some noises outside his room.

    Curious, he walked closer to the door and opened it, only to catch a strange sight.

    All the Nobles were sitting on their knees before his room, and that group included the King and the Princess as well.

    Justst night, the King was thinking about controlling the Third Prince. However, everything had turned dark at that time. When he came to his senses, he felt that many of his bones were broken while he was lying on his stomach in the hallway.

    He wasn''t alone either. His daughter and everyone else was there as well, in a simr condition.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    His initial thoughts were that Xu Shan found out about their scheme to make him their puppet and that''s why they were in this situation. However, when Ye Han noticed people getting up, he gave some minor healing herbs that weren''t as precious as the healing herbs that Xu Shan carried with him.

    Ye Han told the King everything that happened, including the fact that they tried to kill the Third Prince.

    As soon as the King heard it, his face went pale. He could finally understand why most of the hallway was painted red after just one night!

    He could only bless his lucky stars that he was still alive. However, this matter wasn''t to be taken lightly.

    Just to get forgiveness from the Third Prince, he had been sitting on his knees in front of Xu Shan''s room ever since he woke up. The other Nobles also did the same.

    Initially, his daughter didn''t want to put on an embarrassing disy but in the end, she also gave in and dropped to her knees.

    As soon as Xu Shan opened the room, all the Nobles raided their heads. The King was the first, asking for forgiveness and speaking about how their bodies weren''t under their control. The other Nobles followed suit.

    "I know. You weren''t under your control. However, does that change the fact that you tried to kill a Prince?" Xu Shan frowned. Even though he wanted to let the King live, he had his own reasons.

    "I wanted to wait for you all to wake up, before deciding what to do with you. Should I have you all executed publicly? Someone needs to take responsibility, don''t you think so?"

    Even though he asked something akin to a question, the King''s face was already as white as a in sheet of paper.

    His heart skipped a beat. He could already see his head rolling on the ground after execution and Xu Shan certainly had the authority and strength to do something like that, thanks to Ye Han.

    In his eyes, the question of Xu Shan was more than just a question. It was something akin to an order, telling that it was going to happen!

    He couldn''t help but look in the direction of his daughter, with aplicated look, as if he was looking at her thest time. He couldn''t help but pat his daughter''s head once before turning back to Xu Shan.

    "I''ll take the responsibility! I''ll atone for my sins! Please let my daughter live!" The King mmed his head on the ground with full force.

    Seeing that sudden reaction, even Xu Shan was taken aback. The King used such force that his entire skull was broken on the spot and he ended up dying!

    Xu Shan was stunned by the extreme reaction. Was the fear of the Eternal Dynasty really that strong?

    He only wanted the King to give him some benefits in return for everything that happenedst night. But to think that the King would directly kill himself?! That level of fear...?

    He couldn''t help but nce at Ye Han, who was still perfectly calm, as if he expected this already.

    The young princess couldn''t even react for a long time, watching her father bleed. It was only after a long time, that she finally reacted, screaming at the top of her lungs, "Father!"

 Chapter 59 59: A Pity Indeed...

    ?Xu Shan could only rub the back of his neck, revealing a frustrated expression.

    If the King hadn''t died instantly, he could''ve at least tried to save the life of that idiot, but it was impossible now.

    The Princess''s eyes were filled with tears. Even though she was only looking to be stronger all her life, but she still loved her father the most in her life! Justst night, they were talking about increasing the influence of their Kingdom, and now he was dead?!

    She still couldn''t believe it! They weren''t the ones who wanted to kill the Prince. However, Xu Shan still killed her father! At least that''s what it looked like to her!

    Her eyes were filled with hatred and killing intent as she cried on her father''s chest. Unfortunately, she also knew that she couldn''t do anything to the Third Prince for now.

    However, this hatred of killing her father... She had noted it down. Even though she wasn''t strong, she still made an oath to herself that she was going to kill the Third Prince, no matter how long it took! She wanted to give him the most painful death possible!

    Xu Shan on the other hand, watched her cry. Internally, he was cursing the King for being stupid. However, at the same time, he was also thinking about something.

    Even though he hadn''t killed the King, for many people, it was because of him that the King died. He was already sure that he had cast a deep seed of hatred in the hearts of many people already.

    "How many people know what happened herest night?" he asked Ye Han, thinking of something.

    "Everyone who knows is already here. All the servants and everyone else was killedst night, and everyone else hasn''t moved from this ce since they woke up," Ye Han responded, slightly curious why Xu Shan was asking this question.

    "What a pity..." Xu Shan muttered, shaking his head lightly. He only wanted some benefits in this ce, but things had gonepletely contrary to his expectations.

    He wanted to ensure that there was no potential threat lurking behind his back. He already knew what happened when a person was underestimated, since that was what led those Mighty Shadow Guards to their death. He didn''t want to make the same mistake.

    "Pity?" Ye Han inquired, intrigued. Was Xu Shan really thinking that it was a pity that the King was dead?! But with his carefree personality, it didn''t make sense.

    "Yeah, a pity that three assassins snuck insidest night, and killed all the Nobles here. A pity indeed..." He spoke vaguely before going back inside his room, closing the door.

    Ye Han''s eyes revealed a look of realization. Even though the King killed himself, it could give birth to some unnecessary hatred toward the Eternal Dynasty in the Kingdom. So the only solution was to take care of the problems at their root.

    Since no one outside knew what happened here, then even if everyone here was killed, no one was going to know. If anything, they could me the assassins. They had no reason to kill the Nobles after all.

    Despite being young, Xu Shan wasn''t arrogant, meticulously taking care of all loose hands.

    The Princess also realized the meaning behind Xu Shan''s statement. She couldn''t help but raise her head, revealing a look of fear.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    She was actually thinking about biding her time, waiting for an opportunity to kill Xu Shan in the future. However,she didn''t think the man was so ruthless!

    "You-" she eximed, but before she could even finish her sentence, a sword shed before her eyes. Her eyes dimmed as she dropped to the ground, not believing that she was actually dying here.

    Standing inside his room, Xu Shan heard screamsing from outside. However, his eyes didn''t show even the slightest of remorse.

    In this world, even a weak mortal had an opportunity to be a god. Moreover he already had enough enemies already. No matter how unlikely, he didn''t want to take the risk of leaving behind a slow poison that could kill him.

    "A pity indeed..." He stood before the window, looking at the sun rising in the distance. He really didn''t think that he would have to do something like this.

    However, for some strange reason, his heart was at peace. He didn''t feel bad in the slightest. If anything, he was even more calm than he was in the past when he first killed a person.

    The noisesing from outside soon stopped as everything returned to peace.

    There was a knock on Xu Shan''s room. After Xu Shan gave permission to enter, the door opened and Ye Han stepped inside.

    "I''ve dealt with everyone," Ye Han answered. Even though he had killed so many people, his clothes were still spotless clean. There was not a single trace of his aura.

    Even though Xu Shan also hid his aura, but he used a treasure from the Eternal Dynasty. Unlike him, Ye Han was truly capable, not needing any treasure to hide his aura.

    "No one is left in the Pce?" Xu Shan asked in response. "It would be a headache if some rat escaped and spread this information."

    "I''ve searched the entire Pce already," Ye Han answered. Even he knew that it was better to take care of problems at their roots.

    Even if Xu Shan hadn''t asked him to do it, he was already about to suggest that he kill everyone here ever since the King died. However, to his pleasant surprise, Xu Shan spoke the same, which intrigued him even more.

    He was sure that Xu Shan had leadership qualities. A leader had to be ruthless when needed after all.

    "Good. Unfortunately this mess dyed us a little." Xu Shan couldn''t help but sigh. "Reveal the information about the assassins killing everyone in the Pce."

    Xu Shan nned to leave early in the morning. However, he couldn''t leave this Kingdom in such a mess. He had to personally take care of this mess that he indirectly created.

 Chapter 60 60: Something Amiss

    ?News of a tragic incident at the Pce began to spread throughout the day. It was reported that all Nobles in the pce had been killed by unknown assassins. Sadly, only the Prince of the Eternal Dynasty emerged unscathed.

    Initially met with some doubt, the news was eventually epted by many who came to the realization that the King had indeed passed away.

    The news of a Prince from the Eternal Dynasty staying in the Kingdom also brought widespread attention and awareness among the people.

    Numerous individuals expressed their gratitude towards the Third Prince as it was reported that his guard sessfully eliminated the assassins. Without their prompt action, the Assassins would have evaded capture.

    In the evening, Xu Shan invited all the remaining Noble to the Royal Pce to select the next King and avoid any potential civil conflict. This enabled him to ensure the next King''s loyalty to him, thereby exerting indirect control over the Kingdom.

    The King''s little brother, who had lost the session war in his early years to his elder brother was eventually selected as the next King to seed the throne, and to lead this Kingdom.

    Xu Shan quickly restored stability to the Kingdom in a single day, with assistance from Ye Han. Additionally, they sent a message to the Dynasty regarding the attempted assassination.

    He also took the opportunity to explore the Royal Pce in search of intriguing treasures from the King''s treasury. Regrettably, the majority of the treasures did not measure up to those held by the Empire.

    Xu Shan carefully selected a few valuable treasures and rare herbs, storing them away in his collection.

    It was in the night where he finally felt as if they could finally lead.

    The new King stood at the entrance, demonstrating his respect. Several nobles apanied him, casting their eyes upon two Gryphons in the distance, feeling a sense of apprehension.

    They had only heard rumors of the extraordinary creatures belonging to the Eternal Dynasty, but now they were face-to-face with them for the first time. The sheer power emanating from the beasts was overwhelming, as if a colossal mountain was pressing down on them, instilling a sense of imminent danger.

    With Xu Shan perched atop the regal winged creature, soaring in the sky, Ye Han trailed closely behind on the Second Gryphon. The stormy weather that had impeded their journey had subsided, paving the way for their arrival at the Celestial Pce.

    ....

    The shadows of the Celestial Pce were cast over a young man with dark hair as he stood before a door, knocking softly. He waited outside the chamber, his patience a testament to his respect for whoevery beyond.

    Yu Ming had been making several attempts to meet his father over the past few days after learning that his sister was brought back from outside and punished.

    Unfortunately, it was hard for him to meet with his father in recent days, especially since his father appeared to be preparing for a war.

    Over the past few days, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of elders on high alert, and some adjustments have been made to the security around the Celestial Pce.

    Regrettably, no one was forting with information, leaving him in the dark about what had urred. All he was aware of was that the situation arose upon his father''s return with his sister.

    He initially wanted to meet his sister, but he wasn''t even allowed to do that, since his sister was punished to spend three months in seclusion at the Western Cliff, which was an area reserved for punishment.

    essing the Western Cliff proved to be an insurmountable challenge for him due to the presence of a unique barrier that surrounded the area. One could only gain entry or exit with a specific token granted by the Pce Master.

    After numerous attempts, he eventually seeded in setting up a meeting with his father in order to gain rity on the current situation.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Enter." A calm yetposed voice came from inside.

    Yu Ming entered the grand hall, taking his first step into its majestic expanse.

    It has been a long time since hest met his father. Nevertheless, on this particr asion, his father appeared noticeably agitated, unlike his usualposed demeanor. It was apparent that he was preupied with some distressing matter, even during their meeting.

    "Father, it''s been a while," Yu Ming said, bowing to show respect.

    "Yes, it has. I see that you''ve grown stronger. Not bad," his father replied with a slight nod. "I heard you''ve been trying to meet me for quite some time. You''re here because of Fei?"

    Yu Mind nodded in response. It was already so obvious what he wanted, that he wasn''t surprised that his father managed to guess.

    "I heard that you''ve locked her in the Western Cliff for three months. I wanted to know why that way? Just what happened when she was outside?! For her to be punished like that..."

    Yu Ming knew that his father loved his sister more than him. So for him to punish his sister, he had a really bad feeling about this.

    His father or any elder hadn''t told him that his sister had gone missing recently, so he had no idea at all.

    The Pce Master let out a weary sigh, deliberating whether or not to share a piece of information with his son that might not be essential for him to know. After some contemtion, he decided to disclose it anyway.

    He told his son about how Yu Fei was kidnapped and poisoned.

    Yu Ming was shocked to hear about what had happened to his sister. The thought of her being in harm''s way gave him a cold shiver. Though he was concerned about her safety when she left without him, he never imagined that anyone would actually try to harm her given her position.

    His sister was young but she had sufficient strength after all. She was quite strong, although not as strong as him.

    As his father continued to recount the events, Yu Ming couldn''t shake the feeling that there was something wrong with this.

    Qin Ye schemed against them to make the Celestial Pce and Eternal Dynasty go to war? Why would he do that? If he wanted to hurt the Eternal Dynasty, all he had to do was work with the Sky Dynasty which already had enmity with the Eternal Dynasty.

    He had received a great deal of information regarding Emperor Qin and his dynasty. It was widely known that the Qin Dynasty and the Celestial Pce had established a positive rtionship in the past.

    From what he knew, Qin Ye was quite clever, who never made mistakes. How was it possible that his sister was able to escape from him, especially after hearing his ns?

    And even if she escaped, how did Qin Ye not know about this? If that was the case, a smart man would''ve dropped his n, or at least made sure that the Celestial Pce didn''t get involved until they found his sister. So why would they send the Celestial Pce a letter?

    There appeared to be many ws that didn''t make sense, especially when associated with someone smart like Qin Ye.

    However, these were the words of his sister. So he also couldn''t think of it as her lying. But still, something was amiss... As if they were all being manipted by someone��

 Chapter 61 61: Crashing The Selection

    ?"Father, don''t you think that something feels wrong?" In the end, Yu Ming spoke out his thoughts before his father.

    "I know what you''re thinking about. But I''ve already checked. I made Fei take herbs that don''t allow her to lie. Her words still remained the same," the middle aged man on the seat replied.

    Even though he also felt something was amiss, but there was not much to doubt.

    "But..."

    "That''s enough. If that''s all you want to talk about, then you can leave. I still have many things to attend to."

    The young man tried speaking but before he could even finish his sentence, the Pce Master cut his words.

    He also felt that his son might be trying to side with Qin Ye because he had spent a lot of time in the Qin Dynasty, when he recently went out of the Pce to explore a tomb that he had discovered in the Qin Dynasty. It felt as if his mind was biased towards Qin Ye.

    Yu Ming closed his mouth, not finishing his sentence. He just looked at his father, momentarily. It was clear that his father was angry at the Qin Dynasty and wasn''t thinking seriously.

    There were still many things that didn''t make sense, especially regarding all the strange herbs that Yu Fei was supposedly fed. Unfortunately, since his father didn''t want to listen, he couldn''t force either.

    He could only watch as his father stood up, leaving directly, as if this was the end of the conversation.

    A void opened behind his father, which his father entered, disappearing. Only Yu Ming was left behind in that ce, carrying a thoughtful look on his face.

    After a moment, he decided to take matters into his own hands and investigate the truth himself.

    When he went to explore the tomb recently, he had heard quite a few bad things about the Third Prince of the Eternal Dynasty. It was really suspicious that a person like that suddenly gained some righteousness and saved his sister for no reason but to help her.

    He was sure that it had something to do with Xu Shan. As for what, and to what extent, he didn''t know.

    "Third Prince Xu Shan and Emperor Qin Ye... Just what game are you two ying amongst yourselves? Since you two decided to involve my sister, I''ll have to involve myself as well..." he muttered, turning around and silently leaving as well.

    ****

    The Celestial Ind was a beautiful ind, floating high in the sky, covered by mist all year round.

    There were even many rumors that the ind was once the sacred ce of the Immortals, and only those who were blessed with their favor could step onto it. It was also because of the strange rumor that the Celestial Pce became even more famous.

    Throughout the entire year, many people tried to enter the Celestial Pce since there was a rule. It was that if a person managed tond on the Celestial Ind without the help of any Celestial Pce members, then they could be selected as the Celestial Pce Core Disciples, jumping straight to the upper echelon amongst the disciples.

    Unfortunately, no one was able to achieve this, other than a rare few people in history. That''s why the Celestial Pce used another member to select Disciples.

    Throughout the years, there were over a hundred Celestial Pce Elders who were sent outside to explore the entire continent in search of talented youngsters every five years.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Each elder was given hundred participation tokens that they could give to potential candidates. The tokens were what allowed the youngsters to take part in the Selection Test of the Celestial Pce which was held every five years.

    In total, ten thousand people were allowed to take this test every five years, all being the top candidates with the highest potential who weren''t a part of any high ranking organization which wasparable to the Celestial Pce.

    No matter how talented a Prince of a Dynasty was, the Celestial Pce couldn''t ask him to be a disciple since that person probably had the support of a Dynasty which was close in strength.

    Instead, the Celestial Pce preferred independent candidates who were free from the influence of any external organizations. This ensured that their disciples were loyal to the Pce above all else and could be trusted with their most important secrets.

    Today happened to be the end of those five years, where the Celestial Pce was to hold the Disciple Selection Ceremony.

    The Majestic Floating Ind could be seen high in the sky, but on the ground under the Floating Ind, over ten thousand people had already gathered, each holding a token firmly in their hands which was granted to them by one of the Elders of the Celestial Pce who saw potential in them.

    In the distance, close to Ten Elders were sitting on chairs, next to each other, waiting to start the test.

    Each of the Elders was assigned one test each, and at the end of ten tests, the final thousand people were named, who would be the real disciples of the mysterious Celestial Pce.

    Other than the Elders, there were also multiple guards from the Celestial Pce who were standing all around, maintaining security and order in the ce.

    Despite there being so many people, the ce was filled with silence. Not a single whisper could be heard.

    Amongst the ten thousand people, many people had before friends on their long journeys to this ce. However even those friends behaved like strangers in this ce, maintaining absolute silence.

    In the eyes of all the disciples of the Celestial Pce, a desire to reach the Floating Ind could be seen. It didn''t matter if a person came from a humble background or an influential family... As long as they could be a disciple here, they knew that they were going to reach the skies right away!

    After the elders finished discussing amongst themselves, the tests finally began. The candidates showcased their unique skills and abilities while going through tests that were made to judge their talents, battle tactics, Celestial Spirits and even soul power and quick thinking abilities.

    It was as if the tests were prepared keeping a person''s all round skills in mind.

    Every candidate was trying to impress the Ten Elders with their prowess. Some disyed unparalleled mastery in martial arts, while others exhibited exceptional intelligence and knowledge about the world. It was a grueling process, but the candidates remained determined to prove themselves worthy of being chosen.

    As the tests progressed, the challenges became even tougher. But the candidates did not falter and kept pushing themselves to their limits. Some even discovered new abilities within themselves as they faced their fears and conquered them. It was a true test of strength and resilience, and only the best would emerge victorious.

    The Elders observed the candidates closely and noted their performance in each task.

    There were already some candidates that managed to attract the attention of most of the Elders, to the point that they already started arguing about who was going to take them as disciples before the tests could even end!

    At around the same time, one of the candidates noticed a strange flying creature in the distance, which looked tiny initially, yet only getting bigger as it drew closer. However, when it reached closer, its powerful aura management surprised even the Elders.

    There were two Gryphonsing in their direction!

 Chapter 62 62: You Really Overestimate

    ?"So that''s the famous Floating Ind of the Celestial Pce..." Xu Shanmented, looking at the majestic ind in the air that was surrounded by a strange mist all around.

    He had heard a lot about this ce, especially since he was actively trying to find information about this ce.

    As per the information he received, the mysterious fog was a result of an ancient protective formation that existed on the Celestial Ind even before the establishment of the Celestial Pce.

    It was said that the Founder of the Celestial Pce had identally ended up entering the mist to hide from some enemies that were chasing after him. Moreover, with some great luck, he managed to pass through the restriction and enter the Celestial Ind.

    He spent around fifty years on the Celestial Ind, not daring to take a single step outside, worried about getting killed by his enemies in the outside world.

    During those fifty years, he trained on the Celestial Ind which was filled with many rare ancient treasures and inheritances that allowed him to be stronger.

    Eventually, the Celestial Pce Ancestor found the core of the Ancient Formation that protected the Ind and managed to gainplete control over it.

    Since he had grown stronger thanks to all the inheritances of supreme experts from the ancient era, he confidently stepped out of the Celestial Ind and killed all his enemies, stunning the entire world at that time!

    After killing all his enemies, he established the Celestial Pce on the Ind, creating a ce that couldpete with the Ancient Dynasties of the Celestial Realm!

    Throughout the years, only the Celestial Pce Masters were made to know the method to control the mysterious protective formation of the Celestial Ind. Only they could grant ess to a person to enter or leave the Ind.

    This Protective Formation was also what kept the Celestial Pce safe throughout the years, since this was their biggest weapon. If not for this impossible-to-break formation, the Celestial Pce would''ve been destroyed before it could even grow up to be the behemoth it currently was.

    Sitting atop the Gryphon, Xu Shan looked at the fog with great curiosity. It was unclear just what he was thinking about, however a frown could clearly be seen on his face.

    As he grew, he also noticed arge group that had gathered on the ground. There were close to ten thousand people and all of them appeared to be looking into his direction.

    ****

    "Are those the Gryphons of the Eternal Dynasty?" One of the Elders muttered, standing up. A trace of anger shed before his eyes. He had already heard what happened in the Eternal Dynasty and how some of their Elders were killed in the Eternal Dynasty.

    Most of the Elders revealed a look of hostility while the disciples revealed a look of intrigue. It was the first time for most of them to see the strange beast that was said to be exclusively controlled by the Royal Pce of the Ancient Eternal Dynasty.

    It was said that a Gryphon was usually a beast that couldn''t be tamed. Throughout the years, many people outside the Eternal Dynasty found young Gryphons and tried to tame them. However, the Gryphons were usually so stubborn that they killed themselves rather than being tamed.

    No one knew how the Royal Pce of the Eternal Dynasty was able to do it, or what kind of methods they used.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan was already nning on calling out some of the Elders from the Celestial Ind since only they could bring him inside the Celestial Ind. However, to find out that there were some Elders who were already outside... It made things easier for him.

    The two Gryphons started descending from the sky, getting closer to the arena where the Elders and all the disciples had gathered.

    The two Gryphons soonnded on the ground, only a few meters away from the Elders who were gathered together, as if prepared for every unexpected situation, especially when they sensed the strength of Ye Han who apanied Xu Shan.

    They weren''t sure if they could face him even if they all worked together, after all. The Celestial Pce had many Elders.

    Amongst them, there were stronger Elders who had already broken through to the Heavenly Celestial Realm. However, those Elders were the core of the Celestial Pce. They weren''t sent out for a mere Disciple Selection Ceremony.

    Amongst all the Elders of the Celestial Pce, the weakest ten were sent outside this time. However, even standing before Ye Han, the Elders still stood their ground. They had already sent a message to the Great Elder.

    "To think that a Royal from the Eternal Dynasty also came here to be a disciple of the Celestial Pce... The Celestial Pce is incredible!" One of the youngsters eximed.

    Even though he tried to keep his voice low, but in his excitement, it was loud enough for many disciples to hear.

    In fact, these words even fell in Xu Shan''s ears.

    "That''s right! We must give it our all to be a disciple of the Celestial Pce!" Another disciple chimed in.

    As soon as the rumor about Xu Shan''s intentions started spreading, many youngsters were excited, thinking that they had made the best choice of their lives bying here! If they could be a disciple here, they could beparable to a Prince of an Ancient Dynasty after all!

    Even the Elders were stunned. Was that really the case? He came here to be a disciple? They all looked at each other, slightly taken aback.

    In the end, one of the Eldersughed. "Not bad! Unfortunately, we can''t ept you as a disciple. You should go back!"

    The Celestial Pce already had a rule that they didn''t ept anyone who was rted to another Ancient Force. Even though the Elders felt that it was a pity to reject Xu Shan, they had no choice.

    Xu Shan couldn''t help but frown in response. "I think you''re misunderstanding something. I''m not here to be a disciple of the Celestial Pce."

    "As for the fact that you can''t ept me as a disciple of the Celestial Pce...." He took a brief pause, gazing at the floating ind in the sky. "Even if you could, I''m not the least bit interested. You really overestimate the Celestial Pce��"

 Chapter 63 63: Traitor

    ?The Elders red at Xu Shan. Even though it wasn''t obvious, they felt that the young man was insulting the Celestial Pce.

    They all thought that Xu Shan was a bit too arrogant. However they also realized his identity. There was only one person who matched his description... The Third Prince of the Ancient Eternal Dynasty.

    If it wasn''t for Ye Han standing right behind Xu Shan, the Elders felt that they would''ve already pped some sense into the young man.

    "Big words... For a useless man."

    Just as the Elders were about to speak, a sharp voice came from a distance. The voice seemingly belonged to a young woman.

    Xu Shan couldn''t help but nce at the source of that voice, noticing a red haired woman standing there. Even though he didn''t recognize that woman, he felt as if her eyes contained anger and hatred for him.

    The woman was around the same age as him. However, her strength was not weak. She was only a Peak Stage Celestial General.

    Even though that strength wasn''tparable to him, but it was already very good for her age since it wasparable to the Saintes of the Celestial ce.

    The other youngsters also looked at the woman, taken aback. For someone to talk to an Ancient Dynasty Prince in that time... It was shocking. However, they also knew that she was probably one of the only few who could talk to him like that.

    The woman was one of the rare few youngsters who was already selected by the Celestial Pce as a disciple before all the tests were even over, since she showed immense talent and skills in the initial tests already.

    Since she was already a disciple of the Celestial Pce now, it was clear that the Celestial Pce was going to protect her so she didn''t need to worry about the Eternal Dynasty.

    Hearing the red haired girl''s response, the Elders also revealed a smile. Since they were much older than Xu Shan, they couldn''t talk like that to him.

    They had to maintain their dignity as the Elders and not bicker with a young brat. However, the girl was different since she was the same age as him. Her words only impressed the Elders who thought that it was the right decision.

    "Do I know you?" Xu Shan asked, slightly curious. It was the first time that he was meeting her... At least as far as he could remember. So it didn''t make sense for her eyes to reveal such immense hatred for him.

    On the other hand, it was Ye Han, whose eyes revealed a lot of surprise as he noticed a strange tattoo on the neck of the young woman.

    "Are you from the Worden Tribe?" Ye Han chimed in, taking a few guesses from that tattoo itself.

    The Worden Tribe was the only Tribe in which every member had such tattoos on their necks.

    "Worden Tribe?" Xu Shan also revealed a look of understanding. Finally it made sense to him. "So you''re from that traitorous tribe?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    From what he saw in the Third Prince''s memories, the Worden Tribe was a tribe that used to live in the Eternal Dynasty. However, the Tribe got into some conflict with the Third Prince.

    The very next day, the entire tribe was exterminated by the orders of the Third Prince. And to justify the aftermath, it was dered that the Worden Tribe were traitors who were working for the Sky Dynasty.

    Even though Xu Shan had no hand in what happened, that didn''t change the fact that he was the Third Prince now and he had to stay in thisne till the end. He couldn''t just say that the tribe wasn''t traitors, as that could only affect his own reputation and the Eternal Dynasty adversely.

    "And here I thought all those traitors were eliminated..." He couldn''t help but shake his head in pity. "Looks like one rat managed to escape."

    He nced at Ye Han before continuing, "And that''s why it''s important to take care of problems at the root."

    "You!" Yei, the woman with fiery red hair, tightly clenched her teeth, creating an audible grinding sound.

    Her fists were clenched so tightly that her palms had started bleeding already.

    The only reason she had managed to survive that onught was because she wasn''t in the Eternal Dynasty when her n was wiped out.

    She felt crushed when she found out that her entire n was killed! She wanted to rush back right then to kill that Third Prince who led their n to this dead end. She knew all too well that her n wasn''t a traitor after all.

    Unfortunately, it was impossible for her to kill a Prince with the kind of security he had. That''s why she never returned to the Eternal Dynasty. She went from ce to ce, trying to find ways to be strong enough to one day have her revenge!

    It was easy for her to kill the Third Prince who was a mortal. However she needed strength to pass through everyone who was protecting the Third Prince.

    For a long time, she even forgot about life and death, entering many ancient tombs in search of strength. Fortunately, she also managed to receive a great warrior''s inheritance in one of those tombs.

    She was only a little over twenty years old, but thanks to the inheritance, her talent had improved to the point where she was already a Peak Celestial General. Unfortunately, that wasn''t enough! She needed more strength!

    That''s when she was scouted by an Elder of the Celestial Pce who gave her a participation token for the disciple election exams.

    She knew that this was a perfect opportunity for her. If she could join the Celestial Pce, the path ahead of her would''ve been much more stable! The Celestial Pce was said to beparable to the Eternal Dynasty after all!

    She came to the selection with great hopes and she also managed to get selection in the middle of the exams, bing an official disciple!

    Everything was going well, until he came... The person she hated the most! Fortunately, now she didn''t have to be scared! She was officially a disciple of the Celestial Pce and even he couldn''t do anything to her here!

 Chapter 64 64: We Will Accept

    ?Xu Shan couldn''t help but find this a little frustrating. He wasn''t sure how many people in this world were there who wanted revenge from him. In that way, the previous Third Prince had left him a lot of such headaches.

    The way this woman was speaking to him, he was sure that she already had the backing of the Celestial Pce. He had read through many such temtes in hisst life..

    "I assume she''s already selected as a disciple of the Celestial Pce?" he asked,zily ncing at the Elders as if the red haired woman wasn''t even worth his attention.

    "That''s right. She''s a disciple of the Pce." The leading Elder smiled. He and many other Elders already hated Xu Shah because of the death of some of their elders in the Eternal Dynasty.

    There was no way they were going to allow him to do as he pleased here. In fact, even if she wasn''t the disciple of the Celestial Pce, after her behavior, they would''ve still epted her and provided her protection.

    Hearing the response, Xu Shan only smiled. However, that calm smile hid multiple secrets behind it. "Is that so..."

    He finally turned his attention to Yei, who was clenching her fist.

    "Do you want to kill me?" he asked the young woman, slightly amused.

    "You think you can survive for an eternity just by relying on your guards and your backing?" Yei asked in return, controlling her rage. She didn''t directly ept that she wanted to kill him, but it was evident for everyone who saw her that she was filled with bloodlust.

    "That''s true... Surviving in this world is quite hard indeed," Xu Shan nodded, as if thinking seriously. "Especially for traitors. I think I remember the Worden Tribe. I personally killed the Patriarch after all his n was exterminated..."

    As Xu Shan spoke, he stepped closer to the youngdy, as if provoking her into attacking him. "He was quite stubborn. So it was fun to watch him cry in pain. You wouldn''t happen to be his daughter, would you?"

    Yei could insult Xu Shan with the backing of the Celestial Pce. However, she wasn''t strong enough to kill him, especially with Ye Han standing in the distance. However, she was still raging with bloodlust, as she heard his words. It was proving to be hard for her to control herself.

    In fact, she even thought about suddenly attacking and killing Xu Shan when he got closer, without giving Ye Han any chance to react.

    Even if she was killed after killing Xu Shan, she didn''t think she would''ve regretted it. However, if possible, she wanted to be stronger and wipe Xu Shan''s entire n right before his eyes before killing him in the end. When she was that strong, she didn''t have to worry about being killed!

    "Yei! That''s enough! Back off!" The Elder abruptly chimed in, worried that she might actually attack Xu Shan. No matter how much they hated him, they couldn''t have an official disciple kill a Prince of an Ancient Dynasty.

    Hearing the sudden shout of the Elder, Yei came to her senses, nodding. However, her bleeding hands were clearly visible as blood droplets fell on the ground. Only she knew how much willpower it took to resist the urge to kill that bastard.

    ''What a pity...'' Xu Shan nced at the Elder who had interrupted. However, he still had other ways to make her take action.

    No matter what, he wasn''t going to leave behind any insect that might be a dragon in the future ande back to kill him!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He turned to the Elders. "Are you worried that it''ll be bad for the Celestial Pce if I''m killed here?"

    "How about this..." He took a brief pause, before continuing, "I''ll ept a life and death duel with that traitor. If I''m dead, it''ll be mine and only mine fault. The Dynasty wouldn''t find problems with you and even Ye Han wouldn''t interrupt."

    As he spoke, his calm smile never left his face which slightly surprised the Elders. Xu Shan was a mortal so what gave him the confidence to ept a life and death battle? Was he overestimating himself? Or was he bluffing, believing that they weren''t going to ept this challenge?

    Most of the Elders believed that it was thetter. He just wanted to show off before the other Disciples gathered here that the Celestial Pce couldn''t do anything even after he separated himself from the Eternal Dynasty!

    Unfortunately, even though the Elders knew that Xu Shan was bluffing, they didn''t take the bait. They couldn''t let any harme to Xu Shan in this ce, at least not death.

    "We would have to reject your offer. This is a Disciple Selection Ceremony, not your personal yground," the Elder responded.

    Xu Shan finally frowned. Even after he gave them such a nice opportunity, they still didn''t take it. Was the fear of the Eternal Dynasty really so high?

    "I must say, the Elders who died in the Eternal Dynasty had more courage at least." In the end, he sighed, ncing once more at Yei. It didn''t matter if he couldn''t kill her in this ne.

    The two of them were going to be inside the Celestial Pce soon. He had all the time in the world. It was just a pity that he couldn''t kill her right now.

    "Since the Third Prince is so interested in having a life and death battle, we shall ept."

    Just as Xu Shan turned around, disappointed, a calm voice came from the distance. The voice sounded like it belonged to a young man, but it was brimming with power.

    He couldn''t help but raise his head, looking at the sky. Two more people had arrived. One of them was an old man, who was even stronger than Ye Han! It was a Heavenly Celestial, on par with the Generals of the Eternal Pce!

    Next to him stood a young man. The man didn''t look much old, as if he was only in his early twenties. However, he was flying without any external support! That man was a Sky Celestial!

    He wasn''t as strong as Ye Han, only being in the second stage of Sky Celestial, slightly stronger than Xu Shan. However, for that thing age, this strength couldn''t be ignored.

    The two people clearly had a significant identity, especially the old man. From what he knew, Heavenly Celestial Warriors were known as the Great Elders of the Celestial ce, just under the Pce Master.

    While Xu Shan was thinking who these two people were, a ck screen appeared before him, only having one sentence on it.

    [A fragment has been detected nearby]

 Chapter 65 65: Unravel

    ?''A fragment?''

    Xu Shan curiously looked at the two people in the sky. He still wasn''tpletely sure what those fragments were.

    He had initially thought that they were the Books of Heaven but ording to Xinren, there were only seven books. That''s why he was suspicious if those Fragments were actually the books since there were nine Fragments.

    He wanted to ask Xinren about it. However, he hadn''t seen her ever since he killed Ji Yang back in the Esti Kingdom. She hadn''t shown up even once after that. He was slightly concerned if something happened to her. However, he couldn''t do anything about that.

    ''Which of the two has the Fragment? The older one is stronger while the younger one has more potential...''

    All he knew was that there was a fragment with one of the two people that had just arrived. He was more prone to believe that it was the young man who had the fragment since thest person who had it was also a young man. However, that was just his guess for the time being.

    "It looks like people from the Celestial Pce have a bad habit of standing above people''s heads?" Xu Shan asked, gazing at the two people who were still in the sky. It was the same for the Elders who had arrived in the Eternal Dynastyst time.

    The young man in the sky didn''t show much reaction. It was as if he was just observing Xu Shan, trying to see through his behavior. However, for some reason, he also felt as if Xu Shan was looking at him like a predator. It was just a subconscious feeling he had.

    From what he had seen, that behavior wasn''t like a good man who would go out of his way to save people, especially someone from the Celestial Pce.

    In any case, hended on the ground with the Great Elder right next to him.

    "I am no one important," Yu Ming responded, staying one step behind the Great Elder. However, from his gaze, it was clear that his words were a lie. "I am just a disciple of the Celestial Pce who happened to be apanying the Great Elder."

    "May I ask what brought you here today?" The Great Elder took the lead, asking Xu Shan''s purpose in his sudden arrival.

    Even though he didn''t use any of his aura, just his words alone gave a feeling of suppression to everyone present there.

    Most of the disciples lowered their heads, as if feeling that their eyes were heavy just by watching a supreme existence like the Great Elder of the Celestial Pce.

    In fact, even Xu Shan felt the strange phenomenon yet he managed to resist it, directly looking at the Great Elder, not revealing even the slightest of difort.

    Deep inside, he understood that if the fragment was with the old man, then it was close to impossible for him to retrieve it. He could only hope that the young man had it.

    "I''m here on my father''s orders," Xu Shan answered. His own identity wasn''t significant enough yet, that could allow him to enter the Celestial Pce. So he could only borrow the name of his father.

    "What orders?" The Great Elder inquired. Even Yu Ming paid attention.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan smiled, taking a nce at Yu Ming. "I''m to meet the father of this ''not so important'' person and discuss an alliance between the Eternal Dynasty and the Celestial Pce against the Qin Dynasty."

    This was the excuse he decided to go with, to gain an entry. In any case, he didn''t really have any interest in this alliance. He just wanted to use this as an excuse to enter and then leave after his work was done.

    As for fighting in the war with the Celestial Pce, the Eternal Dynasty had no need to enter this mess and suffer losses for themselves when they could just be like a hunter waiting for their two prey to fight and weaken themselves.

    Hearing the response, Yu Ming revealed a frown. He could feel sarcasm in Xu Shan''s words. It was clear that the man had figured out his identity already.

    He didn''t know how Xu Shan managed to guess it. He had a feeling that it was because he came with the Great Elders which no ordinary disciples could do.

    There were only two possibilities in that case. One was that the young man was a disciple of the Great Elder and the second was that he was the son of the Pce Master who had more freedom than anyone else.

    Usually, a person would''ve gone with the first possibility. However, from the way the Great Elder looked at Yu Ming, it was clear that they weren''t master and disciple, which only left one possibility.

    Yu Ming opened his lips, as if to speak something. However, before he could even articte one word, Xu Shan chimed in. "However, before we do that, I remember you saying that you''ll allow this life and death battle?"

    "That''s right. If that''s what you want." Yu Ming nodded. In any case, it was demanded by Xu Shan himself and even his own guard was a witness. So this had nothing to do with the Celestial Pce.

    Even if Xu Shan died, they didn''t bear any responsibility. At best, they could just abandon the red haired woman in the end.

    There was another reason he wanted to see this battle. It was to see just what secrets this young man had!

    His behavior definitely didn''t match that of a Mortal. No mortal would''ve fought with a Celestial General in sane mind. Was it really a bluff? Or was this guy hiding a secret that no one knew? Was he a Celestial Warrior? Yu Ming wanted to see through Xu Shan''s every secret through this battle!

    If Xu Shan actually turned out to be a Celestial Warrior who hid his identity from everyone else, then that was going to prove that he was a really cunning man, and maybe even behind what happened with his sister!

    He believed he could unravel many secrets with his fight.

    Xu Shan gazed at Yu Ming, as if being able to see through his thoughts. For him, it wasn''t hard to see that Yu Ming was suspicious of him and he could also guess why. However, that didn''t change anything.

    He had no enmity with those two people, but because one of those two had the fragment that he needed, he couldn''t let them be.

    He had already nned everything as soon as he saw the two new guests arrive.

 Chapter 66 66: Heavens Blessing

    ?Both sides had agreed to the life and death battle. Since Ye Han already knew Xu Shan''s strength, he didn''t have to worry about his death. However, he was curious about something else.

    He clearly knew that Xu Shan wasn''t sent here to negotiate any alliance. So why did he lie? Just what was his goal ining here?

    Another thing that confused him was this battle. Why did Xu Shan agree to this battle? He had kept his strength a secret all this time, so why was he willing to reveal it so suddenly? The more he tried to make sense of the situation, the more confused he became.

    A battle arena was already prepared in the ce even before Xu Shan''s arrival since thest test was supposed to be a battle between the candidates. However, none of the Elders had imagined that this stage was going to see a life or death battle between an official disciple of the Celestial Pce and a Prince of an Ancient Dynasty.

    On one side of the stage stood Xu Shan. He only had one weapon in his hand, a small dagger that appeared to be quite ordinary. However, the Great Elder could see that the dagger wasn''t simple.

    All the Candidates in the selection exams were quite interested in the battle that was toe. However, they could only watch from a distance as none of them were allowed toe within a hundred meter radius of the stage.

    Even Ye Han, the Great Elder and Yu Ming stood far away from the stage, as if to ensure that no one could interrupt the battle in the middle.

    Yu Ming didn''t even nce at the red haired girl who was challenging Xu Shan. His entire focus remained on the Third Prince as if he didn''t want to miss even a single detail.

    "On the count of three, the battle will start!" The Great Elder''s loud voice echoed.

    High in the sky, even the Pce Master of the Celestial Pce hade out to witness this battle. Although, he didn''t reveal himself so even Xu Shan or Ye Han didn''t know about it. Other Great Elders stood next to the Celestial Pce Master.

    "A mortal challenging a peak Celestial General. Does the young man have a death wish?" One of the Great Generals asked, shaking his head. "This battle shouldn''t have been allowed. Even though it''s a life and death battle urring with permission from both sides, it''ll still be troublesome when the young brat dies."

    The Celestial Pce Master didn''t respond right away. His calm gaze observed Xu Shan. He had felt that the young man was arrogant even when he first saw him in the Eternal Dynasty. However, that man certainly wasn''t stupid.

    There was not even a trace of fear on his face, as if he didn''t even consider his challenger a threat to his life. That gave the Pce Master a feeling that there was something he had to rely on.

    "One..." The Great Elder next to Yu Ming started the count.

    The red haired woman held her Sword firmly, ready to separate the young man''s head in a single strike! She couldn''t believe that she got the chance to kill him so soon. Although she thought that it was a pity to give him such an easy death, but she didn''t want to give others a chance to intervene and save him!

    "Two..."

    Xu Shanzily remained in his ce, as if he was standing in a garden and not in a battle arena. Even the dagger in his hand wasn''t aimed. He just held itzily.

    "Three!" The Great Elder finished the count, signaling the start of the battle.

    As soon as the battle began, Yei''s powerful aura burst out as she dashed ahead like lightning.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Within a blink of an eye, she appeared right before Xu Shan, swinging her Sword with all her might while roaring, "Die!"

    Her sword passed through Xu Shan''s neck. However, it was at that moment, she realized that something was wrong! Even when her sword passed through his throat, she didn''t feel any resistance. It was as if her Sword passed through empty air.

    At the same time, her face went pale as she felt a terrifying pain in her chest. She lowered her head, noticing a daggering out of her chest. It had pierced from her back.

    The Xu Shan who stood before her disappeared, turning into smoke. At the same time, the real Xu Shan appeared behind her. In one of his hands was the dagger that had stabbed the red haired woman.

    On his other hand, there was a small piece of paper which was slowly burning. There were some strange patterns carved on the paper that were previously golden but had now turned pitch ck, as if they had been exhausted.

    "A Talisman?" The Celestial Pce Master frowned. Even Yu Ming was taken aback. A Talisman of this grade wasn''t something that anyone could possess.

    It was very hard to create a talisman of this level. Even the best talisman master could only make one or two talismans of such a grade in a year!

    Yu Ming thought that Xu Shan was a Celestial Warrior who hid from the world and that he was going to see the truth today! Unfortunately, Xu Shan didn''t give him an opportunity. He didn''t use any Celestial Aura. He just used a Talisman that any mortal could use.

    It was a short range teleportation talisman which also left an afterimage behind to confuse the enemy.

    Blood trickled out of the red haired woman''s lips as Xu Shan twisted the knife in her heart. After that, he released the exhausted talisman which turned into smoke before he wrapped his arms around the young woman''s neck, as if he was gently hugging her from behind.

    He brought his lips closer to the ears of the young woman who was still in disbelief. Usually, even when she was wounded so seriously, she could at least counterattack onest time, dying with Xu Shan. However, for some reason, her entire body felt like it was paralyzed, making it impossible for her to even resist.

    "You and I have no enmity. However, I''ve seen enough such revenge temtes to know better than to give you time to grow." Xu Shan''s soft whispers fell into the ears of the young woman. "I can''t take any risk. So for my safety, rest in peace..."

    He released the woman after finishing what he had to say. He pulled out the dagger, letting the woman fall into her knees. Her chest bled as she dropped to the ground. Her lifeless eyes still remained open even as she died.

    Standing on the stage, Xu Shan watched the lifeless woman. There were multiple thoughts in his head.

    Right then, the ck screen of the Book of Truth appeared before him.

    [You''ve killed another person with Heaven''s Blessing. You''ve umted Negative Karma]

    [Current Negative Karma: 20]

 Chapter 67 67: Burn The Entire World Down!

    ?''Negative Karma?''

    Xu Shan''s eyes were fixated on the screen before him, a look of intense interest apparent on his face. Though to others, it may have seemed like he was staring nkly at the lifeless body of the woman on the screen.

    ''What is negative karma?'' He asked in his mind.

    The previous text vanished from the screen in front of him, and in its ce, the screen disyed the response to his inquiry.

    [Negative Karma]

    [Certain individuals are blessed by Heaven the moment they are born, or throughout their lives. They are akin the children of heaven, destined for great things. The more you kill them, the more of heaven''s anger you attract]

    ''So I''m supposed to stay still and watch these people kill me instead?'' Xu Shan rolled his eyes, taking a subtle nce at the sky above.

    He knew that the so-called heroes were blessed with great luck. However, even he didn''t know that killing them offended thews of heaven and attracted something like this.

    However, he didn''t care one bit about it. If the Heavenly Laws were already so unfair that they didn''t even want him to fight back against its children, then he was going to kill even more of them! He didn''t care one bit about whose anger he attracted.

    ''What happens when my Negative Karma increases?'' he asked again, slightly curious. It wasn''t as if the Heavenly Laws could directly kill him. If that was possible, he would''ve been killed already. Even the Heavenly Laws were bound by thews of the universe. They couldn''t interfere to that extent.

    [Results Unknown]

    The Book of Truth came up with a nk answer, as if even it wasn''t sure.

    On the other hand, Xu Shan had some thoughts of his own. He considered the possibility of his luck being reduced by the heavenlyws. Or the other Children of Destiny being attracted to him to kill him because of Negative Karma. However, that also made him think of something else.

    ''As a viin who goes around killing people of great destiny, do I even have any luck left?'' Xu Shan thought, frowning.

    So far, he had only seen bad luck as quite a few of his schemes had fallen apart. He kept meeting trouble after trouble. As for everything good that happened, it was because of his own hard work, other than the one time where he coincidentally found Ji Yang in the Esti Kingdom.

    In the end, the concept of Negative Karma was quite unknown to him, so he didn''t think much. If he wanted to be ready for everything, there was only one way! He had to be strong... Strong enough to the extent that even the Heavenly Laws would''ve needed to think twice before acting against him.

    As for the Negative Karma... He didn''t intentionally go around killing Children of Destiny. Instead, he only killed the ones who were his enemies!

    It didn''t matter how many Children of Destiny he had to kill. Even if he had to wipe out an entire kingdom filled with them, he wouldn''t have felt remorse. His life was more precious than anything else.

    He had to be stronger and for that, he knew he had to get to the Celestial Lotus and awaken his second Celestial Spirit! Thanks to the Book of Truth, he knew the location of the Celestial Lotus! He had made up his mind to find the Celestial Lotus after dealing with Yu Fei.

    He casually waved his hand, making the screen disappear before raising his head, only to find everyone else looking at him.

    Amongst the youngsters who hade to participate in the trial, there were many disgusted gazes. As if they felt that it was unfair for Xu Shan to use a high grade treasure in a battle like that. However, those people didn''t look at Xu Shan directly, not wanting to catch his attention.

    "I didn''t expect you to have such a talisman." Yu Mingmented, noticing Xu Shan looking at him.

    Even though he wasn''t able to see Xu Shan''s skills, after this battle, he found him even more iprehensible. If he was really a Celestial Warrior, then he was really good at hiding it, to the point that he was even willing to waste such a precious talisman.

    It was almost impossible for him to read Xu Shan. However, one thing was certain for him. This guy wasn''t someone who would save a person like his sister. Whatever happened to his sister was deeply rted to him. However, he had no evidence. This was just his gut feeling.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Since we''re done here, shall we go to the Celestial Pce?" Xu Shan asked, stepping forward. "I still have to discuss an alliance with your father."

    "Young Prince, it''s not that I''m looking down on you but do you really have the authority to discuss such an important matter?" The Great Elder asked, frowning. It was quite suspicious that the Eternal Dynasty sent a young man for such an important alliance.

    "I have enough authority." Xu Shan calmly responded, not reacting much. He didn''t even give a second nce to the lifeless woman on the ground as he walked down the stage.

    In the end, the Celestial Pce also had no reason to reject him. They agreed to allow him to enter the Celestial Pce. In the end, the Great Elder led Xu Shan and Ye Han.

    Ye Han had already shrouded Xu Shan in his Celestial Energy to help him fly. The two guests from the Eternal Dynasty closely followed behind the Great Elder and Yu Ming.

    The strange mist that was surrounding the Celestial Ind moved aside, as if clearing a path for them to enter. Without it, it was impossible for even a Heavenly Celestial tond on the Celestial Ind safely.

    Xu Shan passed through the mist. Even though the mist had moved aside, he could still feel the strange yet destructive energy emanating from the nearby mist. This mist was definitely dangerous! Fortunately, he was being led inside, which made things a bit easier for him.

    ****

    "Did you find the whereabouts of the Celestial Lotus?"

    In a faraway ce, a calm yet cold voice resounded. A woman could be seen sitting on the throne, holding a man in his early thirties by his neck.

    While the man''s throat was in the woman''s hand, his body kept shriveling up, as if all his strength and his blood was being devoured. Moreover, the man''s strength was instead bing the strength of the woman who had a Pitch ck Book lying on herp.

    Unfortunately, that small bit of strength was like throwing a bucket of water in the sea since the woman was already shrouded in the aura of a Heavenly Celestial! If anything, her aura was even stronger than the Eternal Emperor!

    After the woman finished consuming the strength of the man who was also a Heavenly Celestial, she tossed his lifeless body aside, shifting his attention to an old man who was sitting on his knees in the distance.

    The old man didn''t look phased, as if it was a scene that he had seen many times before.

    If Xu Shan was here and used the Book of Truth to see through the woman, he would''ve been taken aback. The woman''s negative karma was in the thousands already!

    "The Tower of Divination prophesied that the Celestial Lotus will bloom in a Lower World. It should bloom in two months. Unfortunately, that news appears to have been leaked by someone..." The old man stated, slightly sweating as if worried for his life.

    "Many powerful ns of the Divine Realm are preparing to descend to that Lower Realm to take the Celestial Lotus."

    In the universe, there were many lower worlds. They contained much weaker Celestial Aura and bing stronger in those worlds was harder than climbing the sky itself.

    In fact, it was extremely rare to find a single Sky Celestial in a lower world.

    On the other hand, there were two Upper Realms. One was the Celestial Realm where Xu Shan resided. As for the second, it was the Divine Realm... The ce where this meeting was taking ce!

    The woman who appeared to be in herte twenties, revealed a frown. "I don''t care who is going. Kill everyone if you have to. I want the Celestial Lotus at any cost! Either bring me that, or I''ll take your head instead."

    "Burn the entire lower realm down if you have to, but I want that Celestial Lotus!" She further stated. Even though her eyes were calm, the old man felt as if he was drowning in the sea of suffering, almost to the point where he felt like he could die at any second.

 Chapter 68 68: Mission

    ?"It looks like we won''t be meeting the Pce Master anytime soon." Ye Han checked the guest house where the two of them were supposed to stay in the Celestial Pce.

    Fortunately, in his checking, he didn''t find any traps. Even though the house wasn''t luxurious like the one where Xu Shan used to stay, it was not bad either. It had enough room and space for the two of them to stay herefortably.

    "Of course we won''t. It would''ve been off if the Pce Master would''ve decided to meet us as soon as we arrived. Even though he''s most probably not just in the least, he still has to maintain the dignity of the Pce Master and pretend to be busy."

    Xu Shan was sitting on the bed, not having much of a reaction, as if he already expected that. In any case, even he didn''t want to meet the guy so soon. He had nned to stay here for a few days, at least until he found the whereabouts of Yu Fei.

    After bringing them to the Celestial Ind, the Great Elder brought the two of them to the guest house, telling them to stay here until they were invited.

    Even though he made it appear as if it was normal, Xu Shan knew that they were probably observing him.

    After a brief pause, he stood up, walking toward a nearby shelf. There, he could see a vase, which had a few fresh flowers as if used for decoration. In fact, he had noticed simr decorations in every room.

    Xu Shan stopped in front of the flowers and gently touched them. "What an unpleasant smell."

    He picked up the vase and walked over to the window, tossing it outside. At the same time, he told Ye Han to toss the other cases as well, telling him that he didn''t like flowers or nts in his room.

    Ye Han knew that it wasn''t true. Which made him think that something else was going on with these flowers.

    He picked up all the flower vases, and tossed them outside, not caring in the least. All the nts and flowers that were used as a decoration in the house were removed, not leaving a single trade behind.

    *****

    In another room, Yu Ming had quite an unpleasant expression on his face.

    "Did he find out?" he muttered, as if talking to himself. "Or was it a coincidence?"

    Many thoughts flooded in his mind. Only a few people knew what his Celestial Spirit actually was, so the chances of Xu Shan knowing about that should''ve been none. Only his father and his sister knew about that after all.

    His Celestial Spirit was one that allowed him to control the nts. He could use them to attack and defend himself. However, another use of that Celestial Spirit was for spying.

    nts were everywhere, after all! As long as he was within a certain range, he could share senses with the nts, thanks to his Celestial Spirit, which allowed him to hear everything that the nts heard.

    This was also a skill that allowed him to survive many unexpected situations in the past. This was also why he brought Xu Shan to a guest house which was arranged with nts everywhere, so he could hear his conversations.

    Unfortunately, before he could hear anything of significance, Xu Shan tossed all the nts outside, as if he knew about it, which made Yu Ming very confused.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ****

    Back in his room, Xu Shan closed the window after tossing out all the nts from the room. Even though Yu Ming didn''t expect this, Xu Shan already knew about his Celestial Spirit.

    This was amongst the information he received when he had interrogated Yu Fei when she was under the influence of drugs.

    He had always felt that Yu Ming''s Celestial Spirit was very impressive. Not only was it rare, but it was the highest grade, a Nine Star Celestial Spirit.

    After closing the window, Xu Shan brought out another treasure sealing the space around him and Ye Han. As long as the conversation took ce in this room, no one could hear it.

    After sealing the space, Xu Shan''s expressions turned somewhat serious as he nced at Ye Han. "I know you were only sent here as my guard, but there''s something that I need your help with. The future of the Eternal Dynasty might depend on it."

    Ye Han already realized that this trip wasn''t as simple as Xu Shan had initially made it out to be. He also had a clue as to what it was about since it was right after the incident with Yu Fei. He had a feeling that it had something to do with her.

    His suspicions were soon confirmed as he heard Xu Shan''s next words.

    "I want you to find the whereabouts of Yu Fei without being discovered."

    Initially, he wasing here in disguise, like a normal disciple. That way, he would''ve had more freedom to move around. However, now that wasn''t possible. And because of his identity, there was a lot of attention on him. He couldn''t carelessly make any moves at the start.

    Fortunately, he knew what Ye Han was capable of. So he directly asked for his help. At the same time, Xu Shan had also undertaken another goal while he was here! However, that was forter. It was too soon to do anything else this early.

    "Can you do it?" he asked, standing near the window, looking at the beautiful field outside that was filled with beautiful flowers.

    "You want to kill her while making sure that the Qin Dynasty is med?" Ye Han asked directly.

    If Xu Shan didn''t have any ulterior motive, he could''ve directly told the Great Elder that he wanted to meet Yu Fei. However, it was dangerous. If she died soon after he asked her whereabouts openly, then it came across as really suspicious so he didn''t n on directly asking.

    Instead, he wanted to be subtle this time. There was no room for mistake since they were in someone else''s territory. Even his father couldn''t save him if something went wrong.

    Xu Shan didn''t answer Ye Han''s question. He simply nced back. The answer was clear in his eyes.

    "I''ll find her." Ye Han nodded. He had already seen Yu Fei before the Third Prince''s Pce, so he knew her aura. He felt that tracing her wasn''t hard. The only problem was doing so without being detected.

 Chapter 69 69: Danger Under The Moonlight

    ?****

    Xu Shan lied on the bed. His eyes were closed but he was still awake. He didn''t know why, but he had a bad feeling. It was as if he was missing something... Something that he hadn''t taken into consideration.

    He wasn''t entirely sure if the second fragment was also a book or not. And if it was another Heavenly Book, then what was its specialty? He felt as if he was ying a game of chess while being blindfolded.

    "Xinren... Come on. Where exactly did you go?" He muttered to himself. Xinren was his biggest support at the start.

    Not only did she teach her about the Book of Desires, but she was also the person who was able to tell him about the specialty of the books that the others possessed since she was a Book Spirit herself. However, she hadn''t appeared before him for a long time.

    He didn''t even know if something had happened to her. Her absence was quite troublesome for him, since she was one of his biggest advantages in this.

    "I don''t know where you are. But I hope that you''re safe and return soon..."

    Throughout the night, he tried to sleep, not making any moves on the first day itself. However, he couldn''t sleep at all. Instead, he was wide awake.

    In the end, unable to sleep, he stood up. He donned his Royal Robe over his shoulders before walking out of the guest house.

    The sky above it looked just as beautiful as it looked from the Eternal Dynasty. However, it was quite different from what he experienced back on earth from the hospital window.

    He wasn''t sure if it was because he wasn''t stuck in a hospital bed. But the feeling of freedom made this atmosphere even more tranquil.

    The beautiful moon was shining high in the sky. The stars were twinkling like shining jewels on the dark canvas of the sky.

    He took a deep breath and looked around, experiencing a feeling of peace and tranquility. Even with all the headache that he had, this ce wasn''t half bad.

    He nced back, looking at the roof of the guest house where Ye Han was sitting. He didn''t ask Ye Han why he was sitting there, since he already knew.

    Ye Han was trying to sense the aura of Yu Fei to locate her rough whereabouts. Unfortunately, he couldn''t find her.

    In the end, he jumped down the roof, as soon as he noticed Xu Shan. He didn''t say anything since there was a risk of being spied on. He only shook his head lightly.

    At the same time, he sent a mental transmission that only Xu Shan could hear.

    "I can''t sense her aura anywhere. She''s probably somewhere that''s protected by a powerful barrier,parable to the misty formation around the Celestial Ind."

    Xu Shan didn''t react much. He had somewhat expected that this wasn''t going to be easy. Fortunately, he had more time here.

    Thanks to the Book of Truth, he knew that the Celestial Lotus was going to bloom in a lower world in two months. Just the journey there alone took a little over a month.

    There was also more preparation that he needed to do before that. In total, he had already reserved one and a half month for that.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    That left him with close to fifteen days in this ce to deal with the Saintess, which was more than enough ording to him. He also believed that he could drag the negotiations for a week or so.

    In any case, he couldn''t miss the Celestial Lotus. Even though the authority of the Eternal Dynasty was good for him and kept him safe, that wasn''t his own strength. He wanted to be stronger himself, so that his life didn''t depend on external factors.

    For that, he needed to awaken his second Celestial Spirit as soon as possible, and the Celestial Lotus was the shortcut needed for that!

    What was even better was that the Celestial Lotus was in the power world. He didn''t have to worry about many things in the lower world. Or so he thought.

    "Take a walk with me. It''s getting boring inside the room." He didn''t talk about Yu Fei, as if that matter didn''t concern him in the least.

    Instead, he simply walked through the beautiful garden before him, followed by Ye Han next to him.

    Even though they were told to stay in the guest house, they weren''t prisoners that couldn''t move freely.

    Xu Shan also didn''t care about such rules if there were any. He was just taking a walk while observing the Celestial Pce after all. What was the worst they could use him of? Even though he was a guest, he wasn''t an ordinary guest after all.

    The Celestial Pce looked beautiful under the moonlight. It was as if this ce was made to appear like some Moon Pce.

    Not only could the Celestial Pce absorb the energy of the moon, but it also used that energy to strengthen the protective formations in the surroundings.

    It was also said that the members of the Celestial Pce were the children blessed by the Moon Goddess. Even though it was a rumor, it was enough to show how connected this ce was to the Moon.

    "This ce is quite big..." Xu Shanmented, walking on the empty streets. In the middle of the night, most of the disciples of the Celestial Pce were in their rooms, either training or sleeping.

    Moreover, not a single guard could be seen in the surroundings, even though Xu Shan was sure that they were nearby, keeping an eye on him. He didn''t care though. He had no intentions for the night.

    ****

    Reflection Peak was the ce where most of the disciples who did something wrong were sent to think about their wrongs and cultivate in seclusion.

    The entire mountain was surrounded by another powerful barrier, which made it impossible for anyone to enter this ce, without the permission of the Pce Master.

    However, there were a few people who had the permission to enter this ce. One of them was a disciple of the Great Elder. She was responsible for delivering the food to Yu Fei, who had been in the peak for over a month.

    As the young female disciples got closer to the mountain, a small opening appeared on the barrier, sending the token in the girl''s pocket.

    The girl was carrying food in her hand, and appeared to be quite innocent. However, there was a strange look in her eyes.

 Chapter 70 70: Big Change

    ?Xu Shan walked through most of the Celestial Pce, as if trying to memorize all the paths for the future. Unfortunately, it wasn''t easy since he didn''t have any guide who could tell him more about these ces, so he could only rely on his guesses.

    The ce was bigger than he expected. In fact, at the rate he was moving, he didn''t think he could even see the whole ce in one night. However, there was another reason he did that. He wanted Ye Han to walk with him, so that he could sense if Yu Fei was nearby or not.

    Unfortunately, even as they took an hour-long walk, it didn''t change anything. In the end, Xu Shan went back.

    ****

    Early in the morning, Xu Shan stood up with the sound of knocking on the door. After getting dressed, he walked to the door where Ye Han was already present.

    On his instructions, Ye Han opened the door, only to be greeted by a new disciple of the Celestial Pce.

    From the attire of the young woman before them, she appeared like an inner disciple. Her strength wasn''t bad either.

    "I am here to escort you to the Pce Master." The young woman said. She wasn''t too friendly but she wasn''t too distant either. It was as if she was just here to perform her duty and nothing else.

    However, deep within her eyes, it was clear that she wasn''t fond of these two guests, especially since she heard that they had already killed an Official Disciple of the Celestial Pce and a few Elder.

    She didn''t even understand why the Celestial Pce Master didn''t just kill them on the spot.

    Xu Shan left his house, following the young woman. He had expected to meet the Pce Master today. However, he didn''t expect it to be this early in the morning, when the sun had just started rising.

    "What is your name?" Xu Shan asked the woman, ncing at the Seven Star Celestial Spirit Mark on the back of her left hand.

    "Ajin." The woman replied, keeping her reply short. It was as if she had no intention of speaking more than she had to.

    "You appear to have an unfavorable opinion of us. Is there a particr reason?" Xu Shan further asked. It wasn''t hidden from him after all.

    "Not at all." The woman shook her head. However, she didn''t exin herself. She was just here to escort these guys and not to make friends.

    "To think we would receive this treatment in this ce, even after we saved their Saintess." Xu Shan nced at Ye Han, sighing. "Why does everyone treat me like a devil, even though I''m so kind and righteous."

    Walking behind him, Ye Han couldn''t help but smile in response. However, he didn''tment.

    As Xu Shan walked through the streets in the Celestial Pce, the surroundings looked more livelypared to when he came here in the middle of the night.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Many disciples could be seen in the surroundings. Some were average in talent while others were much more talented. There were even a few that managed to attract Xu Shan''s attention.

    The ce looked like a proper sect. Some disciples were talking about their training. There were others who had just received some missions from the Pce and were looking for people to work with.

    Along the way, he also saw many Disciples who were selling pills that they created through alchemy.

    Along the way, many people nced in his direction since he was a mere mortal who didn''t have any Celestial Mark. Moreover, he didn''t even wear the robes that the Celestial Pce provided to its disciples to differentiate between outer disciples, inner disciples and core Disciples.

    It was clear that he was an outsider and they had only heard about one such outsider who recently came here! The Third Prince of the Eternal Dynasty.

    Along the way, there were many unfriendly gazes that were cast on him as more and more people realized his identity.

    Xu Shan didn''t pay them much attention. He simply told Ye Han to mark the people with Six Star or higher grade Celestial Spirit along the way, so that they could locate them if needed.

    Xu Shan was eventually brought before the Celestial Pce Master. Inside a majestic hall that appeared like the Royal Hall of his father, the Celestial Pce Master was sitting on the throne.

    Usually, people were supposed to go down on one knee before him when in the audience, but Xu Shan and his guard didn''t. They weren''t ordinary guests after all. They represented the Eternal Dynasty in official capacity... At least that''s what Xu Shan made them believe.

    "To think that we would meet so soon after the recent incident in the Dynasty..." The Pce Master spoke. Even though his voice was calm and free from any emotional turmoil, it still enacted some pressure on Xu Shan, as if he was standing before a god!

    This pressure was simr in strength to his father''s aura. The only difference was that he had grown ustomed to his father''s aura but this aura here felt slightly ufortable.

    Xu Shan maintained his calm exterior. "Pleased to meet you as well, Pce Master. My father sent his greetings. He said he would love to meet you again in the future if possible.''

    The Pce Master smiled at the mention of the Eternal Emperor. He retracted his aura, slightly impressed that the man had managed to keep his calm.

    "It seems that the rumors about you being a weak tyrant were unfounded. You appear to be quite talented. What a pity that you don''t have a Celestial Spirit..."

    Xu Shan didn''t respond. He had already ensured that even the Heavenly Celestials couldn''t see his Star Mark. And as far as his aura was concerned, thanks to his Devouring Spirit, it was impossible for anyone to sense his aura unless he wanted them to.

    On the Pce Master''smand, Xu Shan took his seat. Ye Han stood behind him and the negotiations began.

    While Negotiations on a potential alliance was going on inside the Celestial Pce between two of the biggest forces in the continent, another big change was taking ce outside, that neither Xu Shan, nor the Celestial Pce expected.

 Chapter 71 71: Negotiations

    ?The Meeting thatsted for close to three hours was finally over. Unfortunately, no agreement could be reached in the meeting since Xu Shan had no intention to actually work with the Celestial Pce.

    He intentionally put forth conditions that were impossible for the Pce Master to agree with. At the same time, he left some room for negotiations.

    After three long hours of discussions, even the Celestial Pce Master felt a headacheing. In the end, the first meeting ended. The second meeting was assigned to tomorrow morning, to give both sides the chance to think more about it.

    Xu Shan left the meeting hall, stretching his arms as if he was extremely tired. It wasn''t easy to talk so much nonsense in one session, while also not making the other person suspicious about his intentions. Fortunately, he was quite an intellectual back on earth, so he had some understanding.

    This time, the Celestial Pce Master actually assigned one of his men to show their guests around, as if he was worried about a new conflict arising if some disciple misbehaved with Xu Shan. That guy had already killed a disciple after all.

    As it was still early in the morning, there were many people outside, which created more opportunities for Xu Shan toe into conflict with others, unlikest night when no one was outside.

    The personal guard of the Celestial Pce Master was assigned as Xu Shah''s temporary escort to show him around.

    Even though Xu Shan had already seen most of the cesst night, it was much easier with the help of a guide who was professional, unlike the Great Elder.

    The Pce Master''s personal guard walked in the lead. With his presence, not many Disciples dared to misbehave. If anything, they were behaving a bit too nicely, as if they were scared of the Pce Master''s guard who wouldn''t hesitate in expelling them.

    Even though the person was only a guard of the Pce Master, he had enough authority to even execute people. However, he never did so. At most, he only expelled people who did wrong.

    "This is the Sacred Hall of the Celestial Pce. It''s the ce where the previous Pce Master''s are buried. Only the Pce Master and Elders are allowed to enter that ce. If someone else enters, even by mistake, they are to be executed."

    The Secret Guard kept introducing all the important ces of the Celestial Pce. However, more than introducing, it was as if he was informing Xu Shan about all the ces that were forbidden for Xu Shan to enter, which was almost every important ce in the Pce!

    "That''s the Library which contains all the precious skills of the Celestial Pce. It''s also one of the most secure ces in the Celestial Pce, filled with traps and personally guarded by a Great Elder.''

    ....

    "Here is the Treasure Hall, where we have artisans who create all the weapons that the Celestial Pce members use. Only a Pce Member can buy itself from this ce, and that too, by using the contribution points they received after finishing missions."

    The Guard kept showing Xu Shan around and with him, no one created any trouble for the young prince.

    There were many ces that Xu Shan wasn''t allowed to enter as an outsider. However, there was one ce where he was actually allowed to enter.

    It was known as the Training Hall of the Celestial Pce where various disciples challenged and fought each other, with their treasures on the line.

    In the training hall battles, there were not many rules. In fact, one could even cripple their opponent. However, killing was forbidden! Moreover, before each battle, permission of both participants was needed.

    This was also the ce that Xu Shan found quite interesting, since he could finally see the official Disciples of the Celestial Pce who had trained here for years.

    Moreover, this was also a ce where he could see talented disciples.

    In the Training Hall, there was also a leaderboard which ranked the top disciples ording to their undefeated streaks in the battle.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The top person in the list was Yu Ming, who had an undefeated streak of over a thousand fights.

    It was said that he hadn''t lost a single battle ever since he started training in his early years. Moreover, he was said to only ept challenges from people who were either in the same realm as him, or one realm higher.

    The difference between the first and the second rank was so vast that it was quite amusing. While the first rank had an undefeated streak of over a thousand, the second rank only had a few hundred undefeated streak.

    ''He''s really not half bad. Is it because of the Book that he possesses? Now I''m getting even more curious about what book he possesses, if the second fragment actually means a book.''

    Throughout the way, many people looked at Xu Shan but no one misbehaved. However, now that he was in the Training Arena, many people were interested in challenging him.

    If they could defeat the Prince who insulted the Celestial Pce fairly, their reputation was going to climb even higher. By fairly, they meant officially though.

    They didn''t care if he was just a mortal. For them, it was fair for them to fight mortals since this mortal wasn''t an ordinary person. He had already defeated an official disciple, no matter how new that disciple was.

    Even Xu Shan could notice what all these people were thinking about. However, for now, he had no interest in them.

    He turned to leave, to see the other ces. However, before he could leave, a young man in his mid twenties blocked his path.

    "I want to challenge you to a battle!" The young man eximed. Even though he wasn''t a top disciple in the training hall ranking, he wasn''t weak either. He already had a twenty win streak.

    "Not interested." Xu Shan shrugged. These weak guys weren''t worth his attention.

    All these people had some benefits in defeating him since he was rich and not strong, ording to them. However, he didn''t have any benefits.

    Watching Xu Shan leave, the young man was taken aback.

    "So the Third Prince of the Eternal Dynasty is a coward!" His loud voice echoed in the training hall, as if he was intentionally speaking loudly.

    "Of course he''s a coward. Didn''t you hear? He only won one battle, and that too through cheating and using a Talisman." Another mocking voice came, filled withughter.

    "In real fights, of course he''ll be scared of getting thrashed. He probably ran out of ways to cheat!" Another young man said.

    These people were already furious at Xu Shan. It was partially because he had offended the Celestial Pce by killing a disciple and supposedly mocking them. However, the main reason was because they were jealous!

    While they were training every day for measly bits of resources, Xu Shan had ess to everything, despite being a useless mortal who couldn''t even sense Aura. It was evident that their jealousy got the best of them.

    Even the Pce Master''s Guard didn''t say anything in this instance. It was normal for people to challenge others after all.

    Xu Shan on the other hand slowed down.

 Chapter 72 72: Movements

    ?Xu Shan slowed down, ncing back at the young man who had been trying to provoke him. It was clear to him what the guy was trying. However, instead of being angry, he looked quite calm.

    "I only join fights where I''m allowed to kill," he stated.

    Even though his tone was calm, the youngsters couldn''t help but feel a bit taken aback, as Xu Shan nced at them. It was as if a predator was looking at them. It was a strange feeling that even they couldn''t understand.

    "If you''re interested, you''re always wee to visit the Eternal Dynasty. I''d be more than happy to y around."

    Lightly waving his hand, the young Prince left the Training Hall amidst the watchful eyes.

    This ce was fun, but it was useless since there was a rule that no one was allowed to be killed, which meant that there wasn''t much of a consequence.

    The Shadow Guard of the Pce Master also left the Training Hall. His face appeared as if he was thinking about something.

    From what he had heard, Xu Shan was said to be an impulsive man who was easy to provoke. It was also what happened when he previously killed people. So for him to reach so calmly came as a surprise. However, he didn''t dwell on that thought for long.

    The Celestial Pce was huge. However, Xu Shan wasn''t bored. Instead, he was carefully memorizing all the ces. More than anything, he was trying to guess where the core of the protective mist formation could be.

    So far, he only had one guess, that it was in the Sacred Hall. Even though he was advised against entering that ce, he was quite curious.

    Another suspicious ce was the mountain in the distance, which stood out more than the rest of the ces.

    The mountain was even more prominent in the middle of the day, with a vast barrier covering the entire ce. Even though the mountain was very far away from him, he could still feel the aura of the mountain barrier.

    ording to Xu Shan, the formation core also had the potential to be on the mountain, since it wasn''t an easy ce to ess. At least that''s what he thought, until the mountain was introduced.

    "That''s the Mountain we call Sce Mountain," the Guard introduced. "The disciples of the Pce whomitted a mistake but not a mistake big enough to be expelled are sent there to spend their time in istion to think about their mistakes. Sometimes, that''s also the ce where people go to train with the Pce Master''s permission."

    Initially, Xu Shan felt that the mountain had a high potential to have the Core of the Formation. However, after knowing that the ce was used for problem children of the Pce, that appeared unlikely.

    Still, he couldn''t help but suggest, "I''m quite interested in that mountain. Would it be possible for me to enter and look around?"

    "I''m afraid that''s not possible. It''ll only disturb the others on the mountain," the guard replied.

    After showing Xu Shah around the Pce, he left the two people back in the guest house to rest.

    Xu Shan went to the isted room with Ye Han, casting protection around him.

    Heid down on the bedzily, asking, "Where do you think the core of their protective formation is? Their Sacred Hall or the Sce Mountain?"

    "Undoubtedly the Sacred Hall," Ye Han said without a second thought. "There were a lot of powerful auras that I felt there. Even though it was impossible to see through that ce, it gave me a simr feeling to what I felt from the mist outside."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I felt the same." Xu Shan nodded. "I think it''s impossible to enter that ce as we are now, unless we have a death wish. So we should leave that forter. For now, we need to focus on something else. Something much more important."

    ****

    The second day also passed without much happening. Even during the night, there were no movements from Xu Shan.

    Moreover, after two days, the number of people who were assigned to spy on him had also been reduced, since the suspicions on him had reduced for many people. At the same time, the frustrating negotiation continued.

    Xu Shan made no move in the meantime, at least not until the fourth night when he left the house alone, as if once again along for a walk.

    By now, there was only one person assigned to trail Xu Shan. Seeing him leave, the person followed silently, without being detected. He was quite curious as to where this young man was going.

    Unfortunately, Xu Shan only walked around insignificant ces, as if taking a random walk. After walking in circles, he returned back to the guest house, yawning.

    He entered the house and closed the room from inside. He was greeted with Ye Han, who appeared to be waiting there for him already.

    "Did you seed?" he asked.

    "In your room," Ye Han responded as he led him to the room.

    As he opened the door of Xu Shan''s bedroom, a young man could be seen, lying on the ground, unconscious.

    "No one saw you?" Xu Shan asked, stepping closer to the young man on the ground.

    "Since most of the guards were distracted by you, it was quite easy for me to sneak around," Ye Han answered.

    "That''s good. Wake him up. It''s time we find out where that girl is being kept."

    Ye Han ced his finger on the young man''s forehead, waking him up right away.

    As soon as the young man opened his eyes, he was taken aback to find the face of Xu Shan before him! He was an Inner Disciple who was responsible for many things in the Celestial Pce.

    He was also a personal disciple of the Elders. However, for him to suddenly wake up in this ce, he realized that something was wrong.

    He immediately used his aura with his voice, calling for help as soon as he woke up. Unfortunately, the room was already isted using a treasure so no voice could get out. Only voices from outside could be heard inside. His calls for help went unnoticed.

    Despite that, strangely enough, there were sudden yet heavy knocks on the main door at that exact moment. it was as if someone was trying to break the door open if it wasn''t opened soon. It slightly alerted Xu Shan, making him frown heavily.

 Chapter 73 73: Killing Intent

    ?****

    The young man called for help, but his calls went unanswered.

    Xu Shan was quite frustrated by his constant screams. He raised his right foot, stomping on the knees of the man, almost crushing it. Fortunately, he controlled his strength. However, the pain was still too much for the young man, making him scream even louder.

    "If you don''t want both your legs to be broken, close your mouth." Xu Shan''s voice fell in the ears of the man as he once again raised his foot.

    Seeing his gesture, the man was quite scared. For some reason, his strength was sealed. All his treasures were taken away by Ye Han as well. And by now, it was clear that no one outside could hear him, or they would''ve already barged inside.

    In the end, he was scared and closed his mouth, even when his face was covered in tears.

    Xu Shan grabbed the cor of the man, raising him in the air. "I only have two questions for you. Answer them honestly, and you''ll survive. Lie, and I''ll find someone else to answer... But you won''t be alive to see that."

    "My first question! Where is Yu Fei?!" Xu Shan''s eyes appeared calm, but the young man felt as if he was able to see through the depths of his soul. It was as if he could hide nothing from the beast before him!

    To survive, he offered no resistance. He spoke, slightly stuttering, "S-sce Mountain! She''s sent there to reflect! No one knows why, or for how long."

    "Sce Mountain?" Ye Han frowned, hearing the response. "No wonder I couldn''t feel her aura. It must be the barrier that''s stopping it."

    "The barrier doesn''t matter. Not that we know where she is, that makes things easier," Xu Shan responded.

    The young man didn''t know what the two wanted from Yu Fei, but he had a really bad feeling about this. Unfortunately, he couldn''t do anything.

    "My second andst question. Where is the core of the Mist Formation that protects the Ind?"

    Even though he had a rough guess already, it was always better to make sure.

    The man was taken aback as he heard the question. "I-i don''t know. No one other than the Patriarch and Great Elders know that. I''m not lying! I swear on my life! That''s all I know!"

    The young man was quite scared, realizing that the two guests weren''t just here as guests. They had much bigger goals. However, for his own survival, he was even willing to sell the Celestial Pce to its enemies.

    Xu Shan didn''t think that the guy was lying. Even though he asked the question, he already expected the answer to be unknown.

    The Formation Core was the most precious thing for the Celestial Pce which protected them for thousands of years. There was no way that its information was going to be public knowledge.

    He opened his lips to say something, but right then, a frown developed on his face, as he heard heavy knocks on the door.

    The young man''s eyes lit up. Did that mean the Celestial Pce found out about his kidnapping? His eyes revealed that he was quite relieved.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    However, his expressions soon changed when he felt a strange feeling.

    It was as if all his strength was being sucked dry.

    "W-what are you doing?" He panicked, struggling fiercely. However, now that his strength was at its weakest, his Seventh Stage Celestial General Realm strength was nothing.

    Before long, his entire body lost all its strength. His Celestial Mark disappeared, along with all his aura.

    Xu Shan crushed the neck of the man, killing him right there since he couldn''t store people who were alive in his storage ring.

    Even though Ye Han stood in the back, he didn''t see what Xu Shan did. He only saw it as the Prince killing a person, since Xu Shan intentionally stood at an angle which made it impossible for him to see the young man''s Celestial Spirit Mark disappearing.

    Moreover, since his strength was already sealed, even as his aura was sucked dry, it was impossible for Ye Han to sense.

    ''It only increased my attention a tiny bit. What a pity...''

    After taking care of the young man, who was the only evidence against him at the moment, Xu Shan left the room, apanied by Ye Han.

    "Are you really sure that you avoided all the people and nts on your way back?" Xu Shan asked Ye Han just to be sure.

    He was mostly sure that it was possible for Ye to be caught since he had lent his precious treasure to Ye Han temporarily to achieve this task sessfully.

    That treasure made it impossible for a person''s presence to be sensed, unless they were looking at him directly or felt traces of killing intent.

    Ye Han nodded. There was no chance that he had messed up. He used quite a precious treasure after all, and kept all precautions in his mind.

    "Why are these idiots so hyper?" Xu Shan reached the main entrance. The door was opened by Ye Han, while Xu Shan stood in the back.

    However, as soon as the door opened, he saw a fisting straight, surrounded by a Celestial Aura. Unfortunately, the strength behind that attack wasn''t enough to even phase Ye Han. It was only an attack of a First Stage Sky Celestial.

    Ye Han could easily respond with blunt force, but as he saw the face of the person who had attacked, he simply dodged the fist before grabbing the wrist of the young man to stop his fist.

    The young man was Yu Ming, the son of the Pce Master after all.

    "Young Friend, may I ask what you''re doing attacking us out of nowhere?'' Xu Shan frowned, noticing the Great Elder standing outside. A few other Elders could also be seen nearby. The situation appeared quite troublesome.

    "Return my sister!" Yu Ming roared, revealing clear killing intent!

 Chapter 74 74: Shall We Start Then?

    ?"Your Sister?" Xu Shan frowned, slightly taken aback. Why was this guy looking for his sister here? They hadn''t even started executing their n after all.

    "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" he continued. "Why would we have your sister? We haven''t even seen her ever since we came here. Please leave. We don''t have time for your nonsense."

    It would''ve at least made sense if they were here for the guy they kidnapped. However, they were looking for someone that wasn''t here in the first ce. It didn''t make sense.

    However, for the Elders of the Celestial Pce to be here, Xu Shan had a feeling that something had gone awfully wrong. Either that, or they were lying.

    No matter which of the two it was, it gave him a feeling of Qin Ye being involved somehow.

    Yu Ming''s expression turned dark. He loved his little sister the most in this world. That''s why, he had been trying so hard to convince his father to let him go meet her at least once.

    After such a long time, he was finally granted permission from his father to meet Yu Fei. However, as soon as he reached there, he was taken aback! His sister was nowhere to be found on the entire mountain!

    Moreover, there weren''t any signs of resistance or battle either. It was as if his sister had just.... disappeared.

    In the entire Celestial ce, there were only two outsiders! Their sudden arrival to this ce soon after his sister was brought back was already suspicious. The long stretching negotiations were even more suspicious, and now his sister had gone missing!

    Everything hinted toward it being the work of Xu Shan! Despite all this, it was still only a suspicion. However, there was one more piece of evidence that convinced him even more!

    There was only one person who was allowed ess to the Sce Mountain. It was the disciple of a great elder who was responsible for bringing food on the Sce Mountain for his sister. However, that disciple was also missing!

    It was clear that his sister''s disappearance had something to do with that Disciple. What was even worse was that, ording to other disciples, that particr disciple was often seening toward this guest house before her disappearance!

    There was no way that this could be a coincidence! What happened to his sister previously was already a mystery, but Xu Shan''s involvement made things even worse.

    Hearing Xu Shan''s firm rejection, Yu Ming''s expressions turned dark. At the moment, he didn''t care about anything else!

    "Search the entire house! Destroy this ce if you have to, but find my sister!" He roared in rage, as ifmanding under Elders.

    Usually, it was disrespectful to talk to Elders at this time, but Yu Ming didn''t care. The Elders also didn''t make it an issue and got to work, entering the guest house.

    Xu Shan only frowned, but didn''t try to stop them. He wanted to see just who exactly was behind this. If it was the Qin Dynasty, then Yi Fei was probably already taken out of the Celestial Pce. And if it was the Celestial Pce, then they were mysteriously going to find Yu Fei in the guest house and me them.

    Xu Shan didn''t worry about being med. Since he had nned to destroy the protective formation before evening here, he had already made sufficient preparation. However, before doing anything, he wanted to see just what these people were aiming for.

    Even though his face didn''t reveal anything, his heart wasn''t the same. Because of his Demonic Heart''s influence, he was already filled with an urge to destroy the Entire Celestial Pce, killing every single person who was present on this Ind.

    While the search was going on in the house, Xu Shan stepped out of the house, standing in the open with his hands behind his back, as if he was just a spectator.

    Ye Han stood next to him, prepared for everything that was toe. Even now, the Pce Master hadn''t shown himself. However, themotion was so big, that it had alerted many disciples of the Celestial Pce.

    In the distance, many disciples had already gathered, watching themotion. They were curious about what had happened. However, they also felt happy that the Celestial Pce was showing Xu Shan his ce! This made all of them feel quite pleased, since they already hated the Third Prince.

    "Should I send a message to the Emperor?" Ye Han brought his lips closer to Xu Shan, asking.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He was curious if he should ask for the Eternal Emperor toe here personally.

    Xu Shan shook his head. "No need to get him involved. I''ve everything that I need. It just depends on what they do now. Will they solve this peacefully? Or will they force my hand and regret for as long as they live..."

    His expressions didn''t reveal a single trade of fear, as if he didn''t even know the meaning of fear. Even when there were so many Elders here, Xu Shan stood firmly as if he wasn''t a Prince but the Emperor himself!

    After a long and thorough search, the Elders came out, with disappointment on their faces.

    They shook their heads, as if informing Yu Ming that they didn''t find anything.

    In the end, Yu Ming''s expressions twisted even more, making him re at Xu Shan.

    "Hand over your spatial rings. Let us check what''s inside!" he eximed.

    "Young man, don''t go too far," Ye Han chimed in. A person''s spatial ring was said to be his life, containing many precious treasures or secrets. Moreover, since Xu Shan was a Prince of the Eternal Dynasty, it was even worse to ask him for his ring!

    "The first time I''m seeing a person so eager for his sister''s death," Xu Shanmented, shaking his head lightly. "Since you are asking to check our rings, doesn''t that mean you think that your sister is already dead and her body is in our rings?"

    "You! Give your rings!" Yu Ming clenched his fist, asking once again. However, Xu Shan showed no reaction.

    In the end, Yu Ming decided to use force as he rushed ahead.

    Ye Han also reacted right away, but before he could help Xu Shan, he was pushed away by the Great Elder who kept him busy. If these guys weren''t handing over their rings nicely, they could only force them. This matter concerned the Saintess after all!

    While Ye Han was kept busy by the Great Elder, Yu Ming was free to take the ring from Xu Shan. However, before that, he felt like knocking a few teeth of the arrogant man for scheming against his sister!

    He tightened his fist, only holding back enough strength so he didn''t kill Xu Shan.

    Now that there wasn''t anyone to stop him on Xu Shan''s side, he was free to beat the heck out of him and get a confession.

    Within the blink of an eye, he appeared before Xu Shan, and punched, targeting Xu Shan''s handsome face.

    Xu Shan didn''t even flinch though, even as the fist came for him. Since his Celestial Spirit was in his eye, every movement was crystal clear to him, no matter how fast.

    Just as his fist was about to make contact with Xu Shan, his fist stopped. Yu Ming''s face was filled with shock and confusion!

    Xu Shan had stopped his fist, grabbing it directly. Moreover, that strength... It wasn''t any less than him!

    Just as he was in shock, Xu Shah''s fist came in response, directly connecting to Yu Ming''s face, sending him flying back.

    Xu Shan patted his clothes lightly, as if more worried about his clothes getting dirty instead. Since things hade to this point, they couldn''t me him anymore. They could only me themselves for going this far!

    "Shall we start then?" he asked, revealing a calm smile.

 Chapter 75 75: Beginning Of The End

    ?"Shall we start then?" he asked, revealing a calm smile.

    Three talisman papers burned in his left hand, slowly turning to dust. Initially, everyone was stunned by Xu Shan''s sudden counter. However, it didn''t take long for them to notice three Talismans in his left hand.

    The talismans were made in high quality talisman paper. However, the patterns that were carved on the talisman were nothing that they had ever seen before.

    It was like apletely unknown talisman. However, since it belonged to a Prince, it made Elders feel that the Eternal Dynasty had progressed a lot in talismans.

    They didn''t realize that the talisman waspletely useless. Xu Shan had simply used high quality talisman paper to carve a random pattern.

    Since he was not interested in revealing that he was a Celestial Warrior, he used the Talismans as an excuse. It was also for a moment like this that he had used a real top grade talisman in the disciple selection ceremony in his fight.

    From this point on, the credit for his sudden increase in strength belonged to the Talismans, giving him free reign. What was even better was that no one could sense his Celestial Energy now, unless he wanted them to, all thanks to his Celestial Spirit growing a little.

    As soon as all the Talisman Paper burned, Xu Shan disappeared.

    Yu Ming was taken back by the sudden attack, falling on the ground. However, he quickly managed to control himself, pushing his body up quickly.

    Unfortunately for him, even though Xu Shan was slightly weaker in terms of Celestial Aura, but his high grade Celestial Spirit made up for the difference.

    As soon as Yu Ming regained his bnce, a dagger stabbed in his shoulder, pushing him back again.

    The Elders were taken aback, reacting slowly. However, by the time they reacted, it was toote.

    Xu Shan appeared behind Yu Ming, holding both his hands. He crushed Yu Ming''s hands, before stomping on his back, thrashing the young man who hadn''t expected it in the least.

    Xu Shan ced the top of his dagger on the head of the young man. A little movement and the young saint was going to be killed!

    All the Elders froze in ce. Even Ye Han hadn''t expected Xu Shan controlling the situation so fast. In an instant, he had broken the control that the Celestial Pce had over them.

    "As I said, shall we start?" Xu Shan repeated the same question again. However, this time, he was looking in a particr direction, above him.

    Following his question, a man appeared in the sky, revealing himself. He was the Pce Master of the Celestial Pce. Even though he had arrived as soon as Xu Shan attacked his son, he hadn''t shown himself since if he did, then it wasn''t a matter of children but the entire Eternal Dynasty was going to get involved.

    However, even he hadn''t expected that his son was going to fail in a frontal confrontation. What made him even more wary were those talismans!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Eternal Dynasty had talismans that could temporary give a mortal enough strength to face people like his son? That was information that he couldn''t ignore.

    If the Eternal Dynasty could really create such Talismans, that meant they had an unending supply of warriors to fight wars for them, since even the armies made from mortals could deal damage to Celestial Warriors in that case.

    That kind of strength alerted him, at the same time, making him concerned. If that was really the case, then a war with the Eternal Dynasty was thest thing he wanted.

    "Do you know what you''re doing?" The Celestial Pce Master asked, frowning.

    "I know. I''m executing the person who tried to attack me, as per the Royal Law of my homnd!" Xu Shan responded calmly. "What do you think?".

    "This ce isn''t your homnd. If you killed my son, do you know the consequences you''ll have to face?" The Celestial Pce Master calmly asked. He didn''t do anything too drastic, since he knew how stubborn this young man could be. His son''s life was in Xu Shan''s hands.

    "A threat is thest thing that''ll work on me, Pce Master." Xu Shan''s face was covered in a devilish grin, as if his Demonic Heart hadpletely taken over temporarily, wanting him to create chaos and kill!

    However, there was more to what he thought. Even though he didn''t want to go this far, things had be troublesome. Since those people insisted on seeing his rings, it came as a headache, since he had the dead body of one of their disciples in his ring.

    Even though the body wasn''t the person they were looking for, it still wasn''t something he could show them.

    Unfortunately, it didn''t look as if these people were going to give up either. Because of that, Xu Shan decided to push forward his n, which he had kept reserved for when he was going to leave!

    When Ye Han left the guest house secretly to kidnap a disciple that they could interrogate a few hours ago, he had another purpose! If anything,ing back with a disciple was only secondary. The primary aim was to gain control!

    Moreover, it looked as if he had achieved that purpose. Xu Shan could feel a subtle connection with Three Ghost gs that Ye Han had nted in three different corners of the Celestial Ind, increasing the control range!

    Usually, Three Ghost gs required three people to control them. However, that wasn''t the only method. The reason it needed three people was because it needed the strength of three sixth grade or higher Celestial Spirits to maintain.

    However, Xu Shah had something much stronger! His Celestial Spirit had a grade that he couldn''t even count, which gave him more control.

    Qin Ye sent people with the Three Ghost gs to kill him. However, Xu Shan decided to use that reward to his own advantage!

    Even the Pce Master didn''t know, but the Disciples with low tier Celestial Spirits slowly started losing control of their thoughts, entering the control of Xu Shan. There was only one thought in their minds as they all left their courtyards.

    This was where the downfall of the Celestial ce began, all because of a so-called mortal��

 Chapter 76 76: Its Time For The Celestial Palace

    ?"If you hurt my son, do you think you''ll be able to leave this ce? Even your father won''t be able to save you in that case."

    The Celestial Pce Master had a dark expression on his face. First his daughter went missing, and now his son''s life was in danger as well. He wanted to save his son at any cost.

    Xu Shan didn''t respond to the question of the Celestial Pce Master. Instead, he simply nced at Ye Han in the back.

    "Leave and inform my father about what happened here!" He told Ye Han. "If the Celestial Pce thinks it can test me, then I''d be happy to apany them till the end."

    Ye Han frowned, but in the end, he nodded. He brought out a teleportation Talisman that could be used for instantly traveling a thousand miles.

    The formation of mist made it impossible for anyone to reach the Celestial Ind. Nevertheless, it proved ineffective in preventing the use of treasures to depart from the ind.

    Ye Han used the Teleportation Talisman, disappearing right before the eyes of the Celestial Pce Master who was deeply frowning. It was unclear just what the Pce Master was thinking, but he wasn''t happy with the development in the least.

    Ye Han disappeared, taking Xu Shan''s treasure with him, which helped him hide his aura. However, others didn''t know about it. In the eyes of the others, Ye Han had already escaped. However, only Xu Shan knew that it was only a diversion.

    In reality, Ye Han didn''t actually leave the floating ind. Instead, he hid his aura and appeared on another end of the Ind.

    The Talisman could help someone teleport a thousand miles in an instant, but it could also be used for a much shorter range, after all.

    While Xu Shan kept the Elders and the Pce Master distracted, Ye Han gained free reign.

    Xu Shan forcefully took Yu Ming''s storage ring and immediately checked its contents to see if the Book was inside.

    Unfortunately, he only grew disappointed as he couldn''t see any book in the storage ring at all.

    "You are testing my patience. Free my son and we can talk! I promise no one will hurt you!" The Pce Master once again tried to talk. If Xu Shan wasn''t holding his son hostage, he could''ve done more.

    "Talk? Talk about what? You want to check my storage rings? Sure, I''ll give you all an opportunity." Xu Shan grabbed Yu Ming by his throat, still keeping his dagger aimed. Even though Yu Ming could struggle, he didn''t, keeping his eyes on the dagger.

    He still couldn''t believe how he was caught so easily. He felt angry at himself for ending up in this situation instead of being careful from the start!

    "If you''re so confident, check my ring! If you find your daughter''s body in my ring, my life will be yours! However, if you don''t find her body, your son''s life will be mine!"

    He took off his storage ring, tossing it on the ground. "Go ahead! Check!"

    Even though his ring had the body of a Celestial Pce disciple, he didn''t worry. He was convinced that the Pce Master wasn''t going to take him up on his offer, after all!

    Just as he expected, the Pce Master frowned, ncing at the storage ring on the ground. However, he didn''t pick up the ring.

    "Do you want to check?" Xu Shan further asked, ncing at Yu Ming this time, tightening his grip a little.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ****

    While Xu Shan kept everyone engaged, thousands of Celestial Pce Disciples had gathered outside the Sacred Hall.

    Amongst those people, there were also a few outer elders involved, who lost their control. The door of the Sacred Hall was forcefully opened, as multiple people rushed inside.

    Amongst the people who rushed inside, there were a few people who could even use their Celestial Spirits to hide.

    The Elders who were always inside the Sacred Hall were taken aback by the sudden change. They were furious. All of them came out of their Seclusion. They didn''t even ask why these people were here and directly started killing everyone who entered the Sacred Hall.

    However, there was another person who entered. Thousands of Celestial Disciples were simply bait! The real n involved Ye Han after all.

    Xu Shan used the same scheme that the Shadow Guards had used. While the Shadow Guards used people as bait to keep Ye Han busy, he used the bait to keep Elders busy.

    Thanks to that, Ye Han easily entered the Sacred Hall, undetected.

    Slowly, yet carefully, he went inside the Sacred Hall, to enter the true depths of the ce that was supposed to hold the core of the Protective Formation.

    "This should be the ce..." In the end, Ye Han stopped before a metallic door, which was covered in multiple protective formations.

    "Isn''t it time you show yourself?" he asked, as if noticing something. He wasn''t alone here. Amongst all the Elders, there was one who hadn''t moved to stop the intruders!

    A white bearded man appeared before the door, holding no weapon in his hand.

    He was one of the Great Elders of the Celestial Pce. He was in the initial stages of the Heavenly Celestial Realm, while Ye Han was still one step away from reaching that stage.

    Despite that, Ye Han didn''t feel hesitant. It had been a long time since he used his full strength. Even when he was held back by the Great Elder outside, it was only because he didn''t actually think about getting past him. It wasn''t because he couldn''t!

    Even though he still wasn''t a Heavenly Celestial, there was a reason he was called the Executioner of the Battlefield!

    "You shouldn''t have stayed behind..." Ye Han frowned.

    He used the treasure that he received from Xu Shan to create an isted field in the area to make sure that his chaotic aura couldn''t be sensed by the Pce Master who was being kept busy. If the Pce Master found out, it was all over!

    "The Younger Generation will always surpass the older." The old man sighed. "Unfortunately, this old man can''t allow you to pass through. Return and I''ll let you leave. If you don''t, I''ll have no choice but to kill you..."

    "I''m afraid I can''t take your offer. The hands that reached the cors of a Royal shall be cut! It''s time for the Celestial Pce to fall..." Ye Han pulled out a bloody Sword. As soon as he held that sword, his entire aura changed. His pupils turned blood red, as if he was a demon!

 Chapter 77 77: God Of Battlefield

    ?The old man''s face turned grim. "It seems like you''ve made up your mind then. I''ll have to get my hands dirty then..."

    As he spoke, he drew his own sword and took up a battle stance. The sh of two powerful auras filled the air, signaling the beginning of a battle that was to decide the future of the Celestial Pce.

    Even though the Great Elder of the Celestial Pce was much older than Ye Han, as he held the Sword, his eyes looked like they were craving a battle.

    He had spent most of his life in the Sacred Hall, not leaving at all. The protection of the Formation Core was a responsibility that had been on his shoulders.

    However, because he had been in this ce all this time, he had grown somewhat disappointed, since he didn''t have any opportunities to use his strength. Moreover, for the entire Celestial Pce, he was already considered dead. It was no different for him than being imprisoned here.

    It was the first time in a long while that there was a person here who wanted to fight him.

    Even though he wasn''t the strongest amongst all the Great Elders, his strength also wasn''t something that could be ignored by a person from the younger generation.

    The old man moved, as if almost disappearing into thin air. For a normal person, it was impossible to even see him. However, Ye Han''s blood red eyes seemed to catch the trace of the old man. He raised his sharp sword, blocking the old man''s sword.

    As the metallic sound resounded in the air, the force of the impact was enough to make Ye Han move a few steps back. On the other hand, the old man remained still as he continued attacking.

    Ye Han was somewhat surprised by the old man''s strength. However, that still wasn''t enough to make him concerned.

    He gathered all his energy. A blood red aura surrounded his sharp sword, making his Sword shine in a blood red hue.

    Ye Han responded to the man with strength of his own.

    Initially, the man thought this was a battle which was going to be over soon. However, he was taken aback when he was met with resistance. Especially the blood red Sword that made him feel as if he was going to be in danger if the sword even touched him in the slightest.

    The old man''s body once again disappeared as he created some distance before attacking with his sword aura.

    Boom~

    A powerful explosion took ce. However, to his surprise, Ye Han remained unharmed. Instead, it was as if he had sliced his sword aura with his sword!

    Even his clothes were perfectly fine, despite the explosion. What was even worse was that Ye Han also used a speed that wasparable to his own, if not much higher. Another disadvantage that the old man had was that he couldn''t sense Ye Han''s aura, as if a treasure was being used to hide it.

    He couldn''t rely on his spiritual sense in this battle at all.

    The battle between the two Warlords was so powerful that even the walls that were made from special material in the hall started breaking apart.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Even the figures of the two people couldn''t be seen, and only the sparks created from their swords could be seen from ce to ce asionally, as if it was a battle between two gods who had surpassed the limits of mortals.

    In the end, the old man was even more taken aback. Initially, he had an advantage. However, as the battle went on for long, that advantage had decreased to an extent where it was non-existent. It was as if the longer this battle went on, the stronger Ye Han became, as if he was made for battle.

    At this rate, the Great Elder wasn''t confident he could stop Ye Han for longer. The only choice he had was to somehow inform the Pce Master.

    As he fought, he kept looking for opportunities to leave. Unfortunately, it was hard for him to show his back to an enemy, especially an enemy that was this dangerous.

    After some time, the old man roared in pain, seeing his left arm falling to the ground. He had only seen his own blood fly in the air as his arm was cut by Ye Han.

    The pain he felt was more than it should''ve been, as if the red aura of Ye Han''s Sword was capable enough of increasing the pain that one felt from the wounds.

    This was the old man''s first time being at a loss. On the other hand, Ye Han appeared emotionless, as if he was in a zone where he could only see his enemy and the ways to kill him!

    The old man couldn''t take it anymore. If he doesn''t escape, he was going to die! He didn''t have any courage left, especially now that he had lost his arm!

    Without a second thought, he started flying above, to get out of the Sacred Hall.

    "Just a little more!" He eximed, reaching close to the roof. However, just as his hands were merely a few inches away from touching the roof of the Sacred Hall, he froze in ce.

    His face turned nk, before changing into a horrified expression. A thin blood red line spread across all his body from top to bottom, as if dividing him into two equal halves.

    The old man''s body split into two halves, as if sliced from the middle. And both halves fell on the ground. He had made the biggest mistake of his life by revealing his back toward Ye Han who had started enjoying the battle!

    Even until his death, he couldn''t believe what had just happened. Finally he realized why the Executioner of the Battlefield was so dreaded by even Heaven Grade Celestials!

    After taking care of the old man, Ye Han remained in his ce, as if somewhat disappointed that the battle was over so soon. However, after a few seconds, he realized that he wasn''t on a battlefield! He was on a mission.

    He turned to the special door in the distance, which was thest obstruction in his path.

    "All obstructions are to be removed!" He raised his blood red Sword high in the sky, before bringing it down.

    A vibrant red beam of light burst forth, colliding with a door that had been shielded by various protective enchantments. Despite these defenses, they shattered like fragile shards of ss upon impact. The formidable door itself also sumbed to the force of the assault with a single blow.

    Ye Han kept the sword back, entering the core of the Sacred Hall, the most precious ce in the Celestial Ind.

 Chapter 78 78: Fishing In Chaos

    ?"My son made a mistake. Release him. I will investigate my daughter''s disappearance properly without any bias!" The Pce Master told Xu Shan who still had his dagger perfectly aligned.

    Xu Shan didn''t show much reaction. However, on the inside, he was happy. Everything was in ce, and now only thest part of the y was left to execute... Achieving the goals without getting his own hands dirty.

    "Since you''re talking in a nicer tone, I''ll listen to this once. However, if you act as if I''m a prisoner once again, then there won''t be a reason for the Celestial Pce to exist anymore. In any case, my father should be here soon."

    Xu Shan took off his dagger, as he appeared as if he was about to free Yu Ming.

    However, right at that time, a couple of outer Elders brushed out, suddenly pulling their swords. One of the elders targeted Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan looked taken aback, as he dodged right away. However, even as he dodged to the best of his abilities, the Sword left a deep wound on his right arm. Fortunately, the wound wasn''t deep enough to reach his bones.

    At the same time, many Disciples also rushed to the field mindlessly.

    The Pce Master was taken aback by the sudden change. Just as everything was over, his side attacked Xu Shan? He didn''t understand why it was happening. However, he couldn''t let Xu Shan die in this ce or the Eternal Emperor was going to me him!

    The Pce Master swiftly reacted, casting a barrier around Xu Shan, who had fallen to the ground. The barrier appeared just at the right time, as it appeared as if Xu Shan would''ve been stabbed if the Pce Master was just a secondte!

    However, just as the Pce Master was to stop everyone else, his eyes widened.

    His son... His son was lying on the ground, and multiple wounds were stabbed in his body, one piercing right through his chest. Multiple Elders were standing around him. However, they were all outer elders who had weak Celestial Spirits.

    While he was distracted in saving Xu Shan, these people had killed his son?! He couldn''t believe his eyes.

    Initially, he thought that the Pce Members attacked Xu Shan because they hated him for being an outsider and threatening them. However, they targeted his son as well?

    The Pce Master roared in rage as a terrifying pressure descended over everyone, forcing everyone to kneel on the ground.

    Blood could also be seening out of the eyes and noses of the weaker members, as they were met with the terrifying pressure.

    Fortunately since Xu Shan was under the barrier of the Celestial Pce Master, he wasn''t affected by the barrier.

    He just sat on the ground, seemingly confused about this entire situation. However, deep within, he was quite pleased with the oue.

    Now he had done everything he could. All he had to do was wait... Wait for the Celestial Pce Master toe to a conclusion.

    Someone had attempted to kill him, and the Pce Master''s son. That meant the people didn''t work for the Eternal Dynasty. Nor did they work for the Celestial Pce.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    If one was to think carefully, the answer was quite obvious, especially when the Celestial Pce Master was going to find the treasure of the Qin Dynasty, the three Evil gs spread around the ind.

    Even though he felt bad that he had to abandon such a nice treasure, for the time being, it was the necessary sacrifice.

    With that, Xu Shan ced two safety mechanisms for himself. First, everyone knew who the three gs belonged to. So the evidence was there.

    Secondly, everyone knew that the gs needed three people to work. On the other hand, Xu Shan only came here with one more person, so he couldn''t do anything with it.

    Andstly, amongst the two people, one had already left long ago. He had created a foolproof web this time.

    The only problem was that he didn''t find the book in Yu Ming''s ring. However, he didn''t take any risks by leaving him alive. Now this enmity between the Celestial Pce and the Qin Dynasty had reached the next level.

    This way, he had made it so that the Celestial Pce was going to attack the Qin Dynasty right away. However, he needed one more push...

    A turtle which resided in its shell was going to hesitate. However, if he took away their shall, then instead of being a sitting duck for the taking, the Celestial Pce had no choice but to be more actively take out their enemies.

    ''Thest blow...'' Xu Shan kept his eyes on the ce Master whonded on the ground next to his son. He tried his best to heal his son. Unfortunately, he couldn''t do anything. It was toote! His son''s heartbeat had stopped.

    As soon as the Celestial Pce Master realized it, he couldn''t help but roar in rage.

    However, as he was roaring in anger, things became even worse.

    Three entire Celestial Ind started trembling, as an explosive voice was heart. The mist around the Celestial Ind started dispersing for the first time in history.

    The Pce Master froze in ce, looking in the direction of the Sacred Hall. "Don''t tell me..."

    Even though he was still in pain about his son, things had be even worse. He flew high in the sky, shooting straight toward the Sacred Hall.

    Unfortunately, as soon as he reached there, he only saw dead disciples. The Elders were still present there, who were supposed to protect the sacred hall. However, even they looked confused.

    While they were dealing with the intruders, they heard an explosion. They felt as if their souls had left their bodies, since they realized what this implied.

    Unfortunately for them, Ye Han had already used a thousand mile talisman, actually leaving the Celestial Pce this time, to bring the Eternal Emperor. It was told to make the chaos even more chaotic.

 Chapter 79 79: Father Is Here...

    ?The Celestial Pce Masternded inside the Sacred Hall which was painted red in blood.

    Many of the walls had cracks. Some werepletely broken. Seeing the sight, the Celestial Pce Master was taken aback.

    His aura uncontrobly red, making all the Elders tremble. All the Elders that were supposed to protect the Sacred Hall went down on their knees in fear.

    However, the Pce Maste didn''t have time to think about them. He rushed out, going to the core region of the Sacred Hall, where the core of the mist formation was supposed to be protected.

    However, as soon as he reached his destination, he was taken aback. The protective door waspletely broken, and buried under the rubble.

    He also noticed the Great Elder who was supposed to protect the ce. The Great Elder''s body was cleanly cut in two halves, making it evident that the enemy was too powerful for him.

    He also noticed the hand of the Great Elder lying in the distance. The battle looked horrible. However, since he hadn''t sensed that battle before, it made him understand that a great power was behind that attack.

    He entered the central region of the Sacred Hall, clenching his fist tightly.

    The core of the formation waspletely broken. Moreover, all the pieces of the formation were stolen, leaving nothing but a deep crater on the ground where the core of the formation used to be.

    The Pce Master''s aura red even more. This wasn''t just an attack on his son. Instead, this was an attack on the entire Celestial Pce.

    It was also clear that whoever attacked then had used their own people to get that additional advantage. It wasn''t the work of one person.

    The Pce Master flew high in the sky, covering the entire Celestial Ind in his spiritual sense to find the true culprit. Unfortunately, he couldn''t find a single person.

    It was clear that the person who did it had already escaped. Moreover, not a single trace of that person was left behind either.

    However, the Pce Master did sense something surprising. He noticed three slightly torn gs that were surrounded by a ghastly aura. All three gs were ced in three different corners of the Celestial Ind.

    Looking at those gs, the Pce Master seemingly understood everything! It was clear that the attack was by the Qin Dynasty, who was concerned about a war. So they made the first strike to weaken them!

    Moreover, the Pce Master didn''t find it suspicious that the three gs were left behind. In his mind, it was because the enemies didn''t have time to recover the gs before his arrival. As soon as they seeded in destroying the mist Formation, they escaped.

    The Pce Master appeared before each of the gs one by one, pulling that out of the ground. His face appeared to be filled with rage, as if he wanted to destroy everyone and everything.

    Since the Qin Dynasty used the gs and schemed so thoroughly, it also made him believe that they tried to frame Xu Shan again.

    The reason a Disciple managed to kidnap his daughter was because they were under the control of the gs of the Qin Dynasty. Moreover, the reason that person was often seen near the guest house that Xu Shan was staying in was to frame him and create a conflict between the Eternal Dynasty and the Celestial Pce.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    If Xu Shan knew that the Pce Master was already justifying all his actions in his mind, he would''ve been quite pleased. Everything was going the way he wanted.

    The war was pushed forward. Now even if Yu Fei found out the truth after three weeks, she couldn''t do anything! The war was going to end by then!

    Xu Shan was still standing, protected by the barrier of the Celestial Pce Master, while all the other Elders and disciples captured the ones who had lost their minds because of the Ghostly gs.

    In the meantime, Xu Shan picked up the storage ring which still contained the evidence of him killing a Celestial Pce disciple. However, no one was going to dare to ask him to show that ring now.

    Xu Shan wore the storage ring around his finger, while ncing at the lifeless body of Yu Ming.

    There was no book in the ring of the man. Moreover, even as he killed Yu Ming, he didn''t receive any negative karma, which made him slightly surprised. He hadn''t recovered the so-called second fragment either.

    ''Is it with the Great Elder who was with Yu Ming when the two first appeared? But he seems too old to be a child of destiny. Then what went wrong? What am I missing?''

    Xu Shan yed with the ring, ignoring the chaos around him. He didn''t celebrate that his n had seeded. Instead, he had even more things to think about now.

    He had to make sure that the Qin Dynasty was destroyed in three weeks. However, he couldn''t stay here to watch the war either. He had to leave to retrieve the Celestial Lotus to awaken his second Celestial Spirit.

    Unfortunately, he didn''t want to leave. Qin Ye wasn''t a person to fall easily, especially since he could see the future as it changed.

    If possible, he wanted to be present for the entire duration of theing war to take care of any mishaps.

    "It would''ve been much better if I could be at both ces together. But that''s not it... Do I really have no choice but to believe that these old ones won''t screw up even if I''ve prepared everything for them already..."

    After the two Heavenly Celestials failedst time in capturing Qin Ye, he had lost quite a bit of faith in them. So he wasn''t that confident anymore.

    He scratched the back of his head, letting out a sigh. "I guess I''ll have to make more preparations so they don''t screw up, before leaving."

    While Xu Shan was thinking to himself, the Celestial Pce Master returned, holding three ghostly gs in his hands. His gazended on his lifeless son. However, as he was about to move, he stopped.

    He looked up, sensing a scary and frightening aura, as a void opened above their head.

    "Father is here..." Xu Shan raised his head as well.

 Chapter 80 80: Far Above

    ?A terrifying aura covered the entire Celestial Ind.

    The people on the Celestial Ind were already under lots of pressure because of their Pce Master''s aura, but as soon as this new aura appeared, it became even harder for them to breathe.

    This new aura was not weaker than the pressure of their Pce Master at all. If anything, it only looked stronger since it was felt with bloodlust.

    The Eternal Emperor hadn''t arrived alone either. Multiple voids opened up all around the Celestial Ind, from where the strongest Generals of the Eternal Dynasty stepped out, all of them being a Heavenly Celestial!

    It was as if the entire Celestial Ind was surrounded by gods. Behind the Eternal Emperor, there was Ye Han, and another General.

    The Celestial Pce Master was already very upset, after everything that happened. However, he realized that things had only gotten worse, now that the Eternal Emperor was here.

    The Eternal Emperor nced at Xu Shan, who appeared to be done. A look of relief shed in his eyes.

    He waved his hand. The barrier that was cast by the Celestial Pce Master around his son broke in an instant.

    Xu Shan felt as if his body was suddenly floating in the air. He rose in the sky, ending right next to his Father.

    "That''s why I told you to not leave the Dynasty. The world is dangerous." He held the wrist of his son, checking if he was fine, while talking to him.

    From the calm way he was talking, it didn''t appear as if he was in someone else''s territory where a battle could start at any time.

    However, for some reason, Xu Shan had a strange feeling. It was as if the Emperor was a little too concerned... He even felt as if the Emperor was very scared when he rushed here. That''s why his breathing still wasn''tpletely calm.

    The more he saw the behavior of the Eternal Emperor, the more confused he became. Just why? Xu Shan was sure that if another son was here, then the Eternal Emperor wouldn''t have been like this. Even if the Crown Prince had died, he would''ve been angry, but not scared like this.

    If possible, he would''ve liked to ask the man directly. Unfortunately, that wasn''t possible.

    "Can we talk?" The Celestial Pce Master asked, calming himself. Now that the protective barrier was broken, they were wide open to any attacks. He didn''t want to fall into the trap set by the Qin Dynasty.

    "There has been a misunderstanding. We''ve all fallen for the trap of the Qin Dynasty, likest time. Even my son has died, while your son was attacked by people who were under the effect of this..."

    The Pce Master tossed the three Ghost gs on the ground, bringing everyone''s attention to it.

    "The Ghost gs? Isn''t that the treasure of the Qin Dynasty that can help them control a few weaklings?" The General behind the Eternal Emperormented, frowning.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    On the other hand, the Eternal Emperor looked into the distance, noticing how much loss the Celestial Pce had suffered. He also noticed Yu Ming''s lifeless body on the ground. And the presence of the three gs... It certainly painted a different picture.

    "He''s telling the truth." While the Eternal Emperor was thinking, Xu Shanmented.

    After destroying everything in this ce, he now intended to help the Pce Master and in return, win his favor and remove thest shreds of suspicion.

    He told his father what had happened, since his father was more prone to believe him. Moreover, he didn''t forget to mention that the Pce Master protected him when he was attacked.

    As he spoke, he wasn''t loud. Since he was sure that even if he spoke in his normal tone, the Celestial Pce Master could hear him.

    Just as he expected, the Celestial Pce Master felt some gratitude toward Xu Shan. Even though they had behaved so badly with him before, in the end, he had saved so many lives by preventing this battle.

    The Eternal Emperor revealed a look of understanding. Even though he knew there was probably more to this story than he was told, he didn''t ask about it.

    He raised his hand, gesturing all his Generals to stop. They weren''t going to attack the Celestial Pce.

    Instead, hended on the ground with everyone else, retreating his aura. He walked closer to Yu Ming, checking his nerves. Unfortunately, even he couldn''t find any traces of life.

    "I suppose we need to talk about what happened in private, after you bury your son." He walked with his hands behind his back, maintaining a Monarch''s dignity. Even though he had retracted his aura, still people didn''t dare look at him, as if they were scared of offending this god.

    The Celestial Pce Master nced at his son onest time. He picked up his lifeless son. Yu Ming''s body felt weightless, but his presence was still heavy in the air. The Celestial Pce Master closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then started walking away with slow and steady steps.

    He didn''t forget to tell the Great Elder to escort the Emperor to the main hall.

    Xu Shan also followed his father, taking a subtle nce at Ye Han, as if praising him for the good work.

    Ye Han could only scratch the back of his head. It was the first time he hid something from the Emperor. However, since it was all to destroy the Dynasty''s enemies, he went along with it.

    While Xu Shan followed his son, multiple Generals from the Eternal Dynasty followed them.

    The Celestial Pce members who used to detect Xu Shan previously, didn''t even raise their heads. They had realized that Xu Shan was someone that they didn''t even have the right to be jealous of. He was someone far above them.

    The kind of strength that the Eternal Dynasty possessed was scary. It wasn''t called one of the few surviving Ancient Dynasties for no reason after all��

 Chapter 81 81: We Are Willing

    The Celestial Pce Master brought the lifeless body of his son with him.

    His son''s body was lying on the ground in the ce where all the core members of the Celestial Pce used to be buried. However, the man still couldn''t bring him up to bury his son.

    He sat on his knees, facing the lifeless body of his son. Even though he didn''t show much reaction previously in front of everyone else, but now that he was all alone, his eyes were wet, and bloodshot.

    He was constantly ming himself for his son''s death, thinking that he could''ve protected his son if he had been more careful.

    He reached out and gently caressed his son''s hair, muttering silent apologies that he knew could never be heard. The man stayed by his son''s side all night, unwilling to leave him alone in the dark.

    Even though the Eternal Emperor and the others were waiting for him in this time of emergency, it was as if he hadpletely forgotten about that entirely.

    It was only after a long time, that he finally closed his eyes, preparing to bury his son.

    ****

    It was early in the morning when the Celestial Pce Master left the ce where his son''s body was buried, his heart heavy with grief.

    He knew he had to return to his duties. He had lost his son, but his daughter was still alive! Moreover, the future of the Celestial Pce rested on his shoulders. He couldn''t lose himself now.

    As he stepped out of the Sce Mountain, he could feel the eyes of the pce guards on him, but he didn''t acknowledge their presence. Instead, he made his way to the Main Pce where the guests were supposed to be waiting.

    He knew that the Eternal Emperor wasn''t going to be angry because of his dys. For people like them who had lived such a long life, a single night was nothing.

    When he reached the main ce, he could see the look of relief in the eyes of all the Elders, who had been worried all night. The Eternal Emperor and the strongest warriors of the Eternal Dynasty were inside the Main Pce after all.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of everything," the Celestial Pce Mastermented, clenching his fists tightly. "The ones who made us suffer... I''ll make sure that they''ll regret messing with the Celestial Pce, even if I have to turn the entire world upside down!"

    As he spoke, he looked in a particr direction, that happened to be the one where the Qin Dynasty was at.

    ****

    Back in the Qin Dynasty, Qin Ye was sittingfortably on his throne with a ss of wine in his hand.

    There was an amused smirk on his lips, as if he was quite pleased. Even though he was upset when he found out that his n to kill Xu Shan had failed. However, his second n had seeded.

    He had prevented Xu Shan from killing the Saintess. He just received the information that his people had sessfully taken the Saintess from the Celestial Pce, while also leaving some clues to make it appear that Xu Shan was behind the disappearance.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Now he just had to watch the chaos unfold.

    Qin Ye took another sip of his wine, as if the wine tasted even sweeter than it usually did.

    "I don''t know how you managed to spoil my previous ns. However, when you go against destiny, you''ll always fail, Little Prince."

    Qin Ye was in the best of his moods. Usually, everything went ording to his n ever since he received the Book of Destiny. He had won the Qin Dynasty''s throne even when he wasn''t anywhere in the race for the crown initially.

    He had taken care of all the rebels and solved all the problems that were impossible to solve ording to others. He had even gained the title of a Genius Tactician. However, there was only one time when he had lost... And it was when he went against Xu Shan. That had hurt his ego.

    However, finally he felt that things were back on this track.

    "You really thought you could stand against me? I''m the hero of this story, little prince. You''re only fated to be a stepping stone in my journey. And I won''t let anything change that, especially not the resistance of a little ant like you..."

    With a calm smile on his face, he brought out the Book of Destiny, thinking of peeking at the changed future once again to see the futuredownfall of the Eternal Dynasty.

    He opened the Book of Destiny, which immediately took away more of his remaining lifespan. However, he didn''t care.

    Unfortunately, as he saw the future, the smile on his face disappeared immediately, changing into a heavy frown. His fists tightened.

    "Impossible! Just why is he still..."

    The future he had hoped for was not what he saw. The Eternal Dynasty was not going to fall as easily as he thought. Instead, the future that he saw was the same as before... Where the Celestial Pce attacked the Qin Dynasty. The only difference was that the attack came even sooner.

    "Arghh!" His rageful roar echoed in the entire Royal Pce, which even alerted his Shadow Guards.

    They had rarely seen their Emperor this angry! The person who was like a god to them with everything under his control was roaring like a wild beast in rage.

    The Shadow Guards quickly assembled outside his chamber and waited for hismand.

    Qin Ye took a deep breath andposed himself before ordering them to summon his Generals for an emergency meeting.

    Instead of bing better, things had simply gotten way worse at this point. They had no other choice but to go to war, and win this war, crushing everyone just like they crushed the rebels in the past.

    "Also deliver the message to the Sky Dynasty!" Qin Ye eximed. "Tell them that we are willing to work with them!"

 Chapter 82 82: The Two Tacticians

    One dayter...

    A powerfulughter echoed in the Royal Pce of the Sky Dynasty which was the only Dynasty that was openly hostile toward the Eternal Dynasty.

    They had already gone to a few wars. In fact, even Ye Han received the title of Executioner in a war with the Sky Dynasty, where he killed many Generals of the Sky Dynasty, all alone.

    The Sky Dynasty suffered multiple losses. However, they also inflicted some heavy losses for the Eternal Dynasty. Even though there was currently no war, the tension was still there.

    Everyone knew that it was only a matter of time before the two Ancient Dynasties were going to enter a war.

    "Your Majesty, did something good happen?" One of the Ministers in the Royal Court asked, after seeing the Emperorugh so heartily.

    "Something good did indeed happen!" The Sky Emperormented, barely controlling hisughter. "We are going to war with the Eternal Dynasty! This time, we will destroy that ce, taking over it!"

    "The Eternal Dynasty?" Many of the Ministers felt somewhat hesitant.

    The Eternal Dynasty was as strong as them, if not more. Going to war with them was not a good idea since none of the two could win a war like that.

    However, there were also some Ministers who grew excited! Many amongst them had lost their loved ones in thest great war, and they med it on the Eternal Dynasty.

    In fact, throughout the years, they had been waiting for an opportunity to have revenge!

    In fact, they weren''t the only ones who had lost someone dear to them. The Sky Emperor had also lost a son in that war, who was the Crown Prince at that time.

    The enmity wasn''t something that could be forgotten.

    "Your Majesty, why this sudden decision?" A loyal Minister asked.

    Until recently, the Sky Emperor didn''t appear to be thinking about officially going to a war. So it was intriguing as to what suddenly changed.

    The Sky Emperor smirked, "I received a message from the Qin Dynasty. They are willing to support us in this war, as long as we start it right away"

    "The Qin Dynasty? Haven''t they always been neutral?" A Great General of the Sky Dynasty asked, stunned. "If they really support us, then we''ll definitely be able to destroy the Eternal Dynasty!"

    "Exactly! This is a great opportunity to get rid of these bastards!" Another Generalmented. "The Qin Dynasty is known for their treasures and their Emperor, who''s a genius Tactician!"

    "Even if they don''t send their armies to support us, even if they send some of their treasures, and ns made by their Emperor, we might be able to end the war in a short time without much losses!"

    The Ministers were still apprehensive before. However, as soon as they heard that the Qin Dynasty was supporting them in this war, even they grew excited. This wasn''t an opportunity that they could miss.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Instead of always worrying about being attacked by the Eternal Dynasty, it was better to take the lead when they had a chance. Moreover, they had all heard about the achievements of Qin Ye, which gave them even more confidence.

    Almost everyone in the Royal Court was in support of this war.

    ****

    On the other hand, inside the Celestial Pce, another scene was taking ce.

    Xu Shan had some for the fake negotiations. However, with the arrival of the Eternal Emperor, real negotiations started taking ce!

    Since Qin Ye supposedly tried to kill Xu Shan as well, the Eternal Emperor knew that he couldn''t leave the matter as it was. If someone had happened to Xu Shan, he didn''t even know how he would''ve handled the aftermath!

    The Qin Dynasty allied with the Sky Dynasty. At the same time, the Eternal Dynasty allied with the Celestial Pce. The war was on the horizon yet the world was still unaware.

    Not a single person knew that theing great war that involved four great powers of the Celestial Realm was all caused by one person... The so-called Tyrant Prince who had no skulls and talents!

    Standing in the back, Xu Shan heard all the negotiation with a calm expression on his face. However, he didn''t forget to suggest some things whenever he thought that the n was somewhat wrong.

    The Celestial Pce Master was somewhat annoyed that Xu Shan kept intervening while the conversation was between two Heavenly Celestials. However, as he remembered that Xu Shan had spoken in support of him previously, he kept his calm.

    "So you''re saying we shouldn''t attack the Qin Dynasty together? Why not? Wouldn''t that be faster if we do?" the Celestial Pce Master asked.

    "Do you think the Qin Dynasty wouldn''t have known that? I think you''re missing another piece of the puzzle that the Qin Dynasty can use," Xu Shan replied, cing his finger on a certain part of the map that was ced on the table.

    "The Sky Dynasty?" Eternal Emperor and the Celestial Pce Master, both spoke at the same time.

    "That''s right. If I''m not wrong, the Sky Dynasty will be the most important piece in this puzzle. If we don''t take it into consideration, it''ll be a disaster."

    Xu Shan didn''t want there to be any mistakes this time. He didn''t have much time after all. He had to leave the Celestial Realm in two weeks if he didn''t want to bete in retrieving the Celestial Lotus, which was going to bloom soon!

    That was the only reason why he was actively involved in making the n.

    The War between four great powers, all came down to the ns made by two youngsters. On one hand, it was the tactic of Xu Shan that took into consideration the skills of Qin Ye. On the other side, there were the ns of Qin Ye.

    No one knew what storm these ns were going to bring to the Celestial Realm. Even Xu Shan wasn''t sure if he could actually achieve the impossible.

 Chapter 83 83: Commander Xu Shan

    ****

    An unknown amount of time had passed since Yu Ming''s body was buried in the Sacred Sanctum on the Sce Mountain where every family member of the Yu Family was buried, including all the previous Pce Masters.

    It was apletely isted ce. And not many people could reach this ce, since only people with the Yu Family''s Bloodline could reach this ce.

    Many great ancestors of the Celestial Pce were buried in this ce, who used to be the strongest warriors of their time at a time. It was said that their strength wasn''t weaker than the overlords of the Celestial Realm at all.

    The reason Celestial Pce had risen so much, was greatly thanks to their efforts as well.

    The Sanctum was often unchanging and silent. However, something was changing here at the moment.

    Yu Ming''s body was lying lifelessly. He had no storage rings or treasures on his body. However, despite that, there was a strange aura surrounding him.

    A pitch ck light was covering his entire body. The pitch ck light gathered above Yu Ming, condensing into a pitch ck book that floated above his head.

    Unfortunately, there was no one here to be able to see that change. No one knew what changes the Sanctum was going through.

    ****

    In another ce, the discussion and the nned strategy waspleted. The Celestial Pce Master was somewhat unconvinced, since most of the ideas that they adopted were given to them by Xu Shan.

    He couldn''t find any ws in those ns, but he still felt a little awkward that he was letting a youngster influence the ns to such an extent.

    Unfortunately for him, throughout the meeting, the Eternal Emperor maintained a calm expression on his face, as if he was willing to let Xu Shan y around. In any case, he didn''t worry about anything. He had faith in his strength.

    Surprisingly, many strange decisions were also taken in that meeting which no one knew about. And one such decision was something that the Celestial Pce Master still couldn''t believe he approved.

    ording to what was agreed upon, the Celestial Pce wasn''t going to attack the Qin Dynasty! Not all of them, at least.

    The Celestial Pce forces were to be split in two. It was the same case for the Eternal Pce forces. And thus, four smaller armies were created.

    However, what was truly crazy was that the control of two of these four forces was handed over to Xu Shan! For some reason, the Eternal Emperor ced a lot of trust in his son.

    The Celestial Pce Master really wanted to say no to this. Unfortunately, the n that Xu Shan came up with, left him no room. However, he still made sure to get the First Great Elder of the Celestial Pce to enter Xu Shan''s team.

    Xu Shan didn''t have strength. However, the thinking abilities that he revealed were enough to make him amander. On the other hand, the First Elder of the Celestial Pce, and Ye Han were the deputymanders of the two forces.

    What was even more shocking was that the two forces that Xu Shan asked for, were the weakest out of the four that were created!

    Even though the n appeared to make sense, the Celestial Pce Master was still convinced that something was amiss. That''s why he assigned the First Great Elder to apany Xu Shan to keep an eye on him, and keep reporting back to him.

    On the other hand, the Eternal Emperor assigned Ye Han to Xu Shan''s forces for the same reason, along with making sure that Xu Shan was protected at all cost!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In fact, strangely enough, without Xu Shan''s knowledge, he had also assigned some great Generals to keep Xu Shan safe, without revealing themselves.

    Their purpose wasn''t to get involved in the war, but only to protect Xu Shan, whenever his life was in danger.

    ****

    "Are you sure you want to move forward with this n?"

    It was midnight. Xu Shan was walking in the Celestial Pce, apanying his father.

    Now that his father was here, and he was allied with the Celestial Pce, he had all the ess that he could''ve asked for. There were no Celestial Pce people keeping an eye on him anymore.

    Moreover, now there was no Disciple in the Celestial Pce who even dared to look down on Xu Shan. If anything, even the Great Elders of the Celestial Pce had to be careful when talking to Xu Shan, since they had seen how much the Eternal Emperor favored the Third Son of his.

    There were already rumors about this, but they realized that the rumors had underestimated the Emperor''s love towards his son.

    Xu Shan nodded in response to his father''s question.

    "This is the only way we will win that war against him," Xu Shan spoke. Initially, he didn''t want to reveal his skills or that would''ve made his father suspicious.

    However, he had no choice. He couldn''t take the risk anymore since his future was on the line! He had to end this war within two weeks and then leave to retrieve the Celestial Lotus!

    He couldn''t leave this to his Father and the Celestial Pce Master. Since Qin Ye had the Book of Destiny, he could always realize their ns.

    The only thing that countered the Book of Destiny, was his Book of Desires. Even though Qin Ye could still see the future, but Xu Shan was a variable. And this variable was what he was nning to use to win this war!

    He was sure that only he could defeat Emperor Qin in the Celestial Realm!

    The Eternal Emperor gazed at his son for quite some time, but didn''t speak anything.

    In fact, Xu Shan already expected him to ask about his sudden changes. However, the Eternal Emperor didn''t ask anything.

    He already knew that Qin Ye wasn''t the one who had kidnapped the Saintess in the Eternal Dynasty. It was his son at that time. However, he didn''t ask about that either.

    Even Xu Shan wanted to ask him why he wasn''t asking any questions. However, he remained silent as well, as if they had an understanding of some kind.

    "If there are any dangers, just retreat. Don''t risk your life..." The Emperormented.

    Xu Shan smiled in response, nodding. Everything he was doing was to survive. Everyone who had enmity with him, everyone who could be a threat in the future for him, everyone who wanted him dead....he wanted to remove all of them while they were still weak!

    In this life, he only had one goal... To survive!

 Chapter 84 84: Once And For All

    The Central Continent stood as thergest of the three continents in the Celestial Realm.

    Not only was the Central Continent thergest, but it also boasted the most powerful forces. Rumors circted that even a single faction from the Central Continent could easily conquer the other two continents, often referred to as the less developed regions within the Celestial Realm.

    Amongst the various Dynasties in the Central Continent, the Eternal Dynasty was at the heart of it. It was said that the Eternal Dynasty was the oldest.

    However, at the moment, the Eternal Dynasty was preparing for a battle with two other Dynasties that it shared the border with.

    On the Western Side of the Eternal Dynasty was the Qin Dynasty. On the Eastern Side was the Sky Dynasty.

    Everywhere, a tense atmosphere could be seen since the Sky Dynasty had already started attacking the Eastern Border with their forces.

    The Sky Dynasty showed a relentless determination to advance their agenda, seemingly leaving destruction in their wake. Soon after, reports spread quickly that the Eastern Border had fallen, resulting in the loss of the General responsible for its defense.

    The news spread like fire. Usually, the two dynasties were at a stalemate. That''s why a sudden change like this was scary. Even many big ns of the Eternal Dynasty were alert.

    Moreover, it all happened when the Eternal Emperor and the others were in the Celestial Pce.

    In a short period of time, a province previously under the rule of the Eternal Dynasty was overtaken by the Sky Dynasty. Their advancement was aided by the support given by the Qin Dynasty.

    The other provinces of the Eternal Dynasty scrambled to prepare for the invasion. The generals drew up battle ns while the soldiers sharpened their weapons.

    At the same time, they all kept contacting the Royal City for support! Unfortunately, in the absence of the Eternal Emperor, every process became a bit slower.

    Fortunately, the wait wasn''t long! The Eternal Emperor returned to the Royal City. And he wasn''t alone either! He came with the Celestial Pce Master!

    The floating ind that appeared above the Eternal Dynasty stunned almost everyone! Initially, they thought that the Celestial Pce had also joined in on the invasion.

    Fortunately, the people calmed down when they saw the Eternal Dynasty Generalsing down from the Celestial Ind.

    Almost all the Generals could be seen scrambling to prepare their armies as per the n. The attack came so fast, that it took even the Eternal Emperor by surprise.

    The Eternal Emperor was now even more convinced that Xu Shan was correct to see that they had to take care of the Sky Dynasty first.

    As the Emperor stepped into the Royal Court, his presence brought a sense of relief to all the Ministers who had been anxiously waiting for his arrival. With their strongest warriors back, the Ministers could now shift their attention to fighting the Sky Dynasty.

    The Celestial Pce Master also entered the Royal Court, walking right next to him. However, what surprised the Ministers even more was that Xu Shan was walking in the center, almost on the same footing as the others.

    Even the Great Elders of the Celestial Pce and the Generals of the Eternal Dynasty had stopped at the entrance, but Xu Shan entered freely.

    "Third Prince, this isn''t the ce for you to y around. We are to have a serious meeting. Please wait outside." In the end, the Royal Advisor of the Eternal Dynasty couldn''t control his urge and spoke out.

    Xu Shan nced back at the old man. He neither looked angry nor happy. If anything, he waspletely expressionless. However, for some reason, the Royal Advisor felt intimidated.

    He looked at the Eternal Emperor. However, the Eternal Emperor only gestured for him to sit down and not worry about such minor matters.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The other Ministers also remained silent and didn''t speak. The more told they wasted, the more of theirnd was going to fall into the hands of the Sky Dynasty. Moreover, they didn''t even know that the Sky Dynasty wasn''t the only thing for them to worry about.

    The Eternal Emperor sat on the throne. However, two more seats were arranged this time, one left to him and one on the right.

    To everyone''s surprise, Xu Shan sat on one of the two seats.

    All the Ministers were taken aback. Did the Emperor already decide on who the next Emperor was going to be? They all thought the same question. However, for them to select someone like Xu Shan, they all felt ufortable. Unfortunately, none could intervene in the Emperor''s choice.

    ****

    After only half an hour, all the Ministers came out. However, they were all in disbelief, as if they had all lost hope. The Empire''s fall was inevitable.

    "No one can save this Empire anymore! To think that His Majesty would treat this like a game. To send the Third Prince as the Commander to stop the entire force of the Sky Dynasty?"

    "Exactly. I don''t know what he''s thinking. He loves the Third Prince. But what never made him do something like this. Now that even the Celestial Pce is supporting us, we had such a great chance!"

    Most of the Ministers were talking badly amongst themselves. They couldn''t speak before the Emperor and had to eventually agree to the decision. However, when they were out, they all showed their discontent.

    Because of that, the news spread through the entire Royal City!

    The same topic was on everyone''s lips! It was that Xu Shan was going to lead the army to the Eastern Border.

    This news immediately created amotion in the entire Royal City. Even the Four Great ns found it hard to believe it. However, they were soon able to verify it!

    Another news that they received was that the army that was being sent with Xu Shan wasn''t the strongest army of the Eternal Dynasty. If anything, it was much weaker.

    Even the Soldiers couldn''t believe it. They felt as if they were being sent straight to their death!

    No matter how optimistic they were, they were all hopeless, unable to understand what the Emperor was thinking. However, there were also some people who realized that something big was happening.

    Even if they justified Xu Shan being made amander because the Emperor loved him, that didn''t exin why the Celestial Pce also supported this decision!

    Not only did the Celestial Pce giveplete support, but they also assigned half their army under the control of Xu Shan!

    ****

    The next day, before the sun even started rising, multiple ancient battleships took off from the Royal Pce. In the leading ship was Xu Shan, gazing in the distance.

    On one side of him was Ye Han, while on the other side was the Great Elder of the Celestial Pce.

    Xu Shan reached out his hand toward the rising sun in the distance as if grabbing it in his palm.

    "And so it begins... Two weeks... I shall end this once and for all."

 Chapter 85 85: My Humanity? Is There Even Any Left?

    Xu Shan was standing at the forefront of the Ancient Battleship in the lead.

    Usually, the ship was supposed to be in the middle of the forces, under the most protection. However, he didn''t care about that.

    He stood silently, with his arms folded around his chest, as he saw massive fires in the distance.

    "Are the Sky Dynasty forces so deep in your territory already?" The Great Elder of the Celestial Pce asked, looking at the burning City in the distance.

    "That''s not the work of the Sky Dynasty army..." Xu Shan responded, not revealing much reaction.

    "It''s not?" The Great Elder asked once again.

    "Bandits," Ye Han nodded. "Now that the armies are sent away, the bandits saw that opportunity and took advantage. This probably isn''t the only City that is burning."

    "Shouldn''t the Empire do something to stop this?" The Great Elder inquired.

    "We aren''t a charity," Xu Shanzily responded, even as he kept his eyes on the burning City. "We neither have the time, nor the resources to stop something like this, that''s spread all around the Empire."

    After a brief moment of silence, he turned around and walked back to his room.

    "Just as I heard, that guy has no emotions." Watching Xu Shan leave, the Great Elder could only make a shortment, shaking his head lightly.

    "He''s not wrong. That is the reaction that a Monarch should have." Ye Han chimed in, gazing at the distant mes. "Even if we can save the cities in our path from these bandits, how many more cities will be burned all around the Empire?"

    He further added, "If we''rete, things will only be worse. So our one and only mission is to win this war and then kill all those bandits!"

    The Great Elder also became silent as he heard the response. For him, it was hard to see cities being burned. However, it was also true that the more they dyed ending this war, the more cities were going to burn.

    It was a hard situation to bnce. They could either keep their eyes on their bigger goal or suffer more losses by focusing on shorter goals.

    ....

    The room that was assigned to Xu Shan was the best room in the ancient battleship. It was in the most secure ce. Even the corridor that led to this ce was heavily guarded.

    Only Ye Han was allowed toe to this ce without his permission.

    Entering his room, Xu Shan picked up a ss of water and jumped it down before taking a seat.

    "The bait is in ce... I wonder if you''ll take the bait..." He muttered, holding a dark book in his hand.

    "What bait are you talking about?"

    Just as Xu Shan was about to open the Book of Desires, he heard a beautiful voiceing from behind him.

    Xu Shan didn''t often reveal many genuine expressions. However, as soon as he heard that voice, he actually was pleasantly surprised.

    "Xinren?"

    The sound of the chair pushed back filled the room as Xu Shan stood up, turning around.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As he turned around, he saw a beautiful woman standing behind him. Her face looked somewhat tired, as if she hadn''t slept for quite a while. However, other than that, she was perfectly fine.

    "Where did you disappear to? And what''s with that look?" Xu Shan asked, shooting multiple questions at once.

    It had been a long time since the Book Spirit stopped contacting him. He had always been curious and somewhat concerned about her. She had been his guide and one of his biggest help, after all.

    "Enough thinking about me. I''m fine. Where are we though?"

    For some reason, Xinren didn''t answer. Instead, she just looked out the window, seeing the beautiful sky outside. It was clear they were in the air.

    "And what were you trying to do? Were you going to make another wish?''

    Xu Shan scratched the back of his head. "We are on our way to lead a war."

    Xu Shan exined everything to Xinren that she had missed ever since she disappeared, including how they ended up in this war.

    It was only after he finished exining that he walked back to his chair. "And that''s why I need to have some backup... If I seed, the Book of Destiny will be mine. And if I lose, well... We''ll just have to prevent that, won''t we?"

    He opened the Book of Desires, opening the first nk page he found.

    Unlike before, Xinren stood behind him this time.

    She wanted to see just what he was going to write. He couldn''t make the wish too grand; that could affect the natural bnce to a great extent since the cost was going to be too much for him to pay as he was now. However, he also had to make it impactful.

    Xu Shan took a deep breath, picking up the pen.

    However, before he even started writing, he nced at Xinren. "I know that I''m starting to rely too much on it. But this is the only way. We are against someone who can see the future after all..."

    "You''ve changed," Xinren muttered. "You used to be someone scared of the consequences. But now, you aren''t even thinking about them."

    "Who says I''m not scared?" Xu Shan smiled in response. "However, what I''m more scared of is dying."

    "So you''ll continue relying on the Book, even if it means losing your humanity slowly?" Xinren inquired.

    In response, Xu Shan onlyughed.

    After a long time, he stoppedughing, ncing out the window with a look of reminiscence in his eyes.

    "My humanity... Is there even any left now?" he asked. His voice sounded as if he was someone who was living in sce and istion, watching him lose slowly.

    He lowered his gaze, looking at his hands.

    "My hands are already covered in more blood than they should. I don''t even flinch when I kill, or abandon an entire city that''s burning, only to reach my goal. Am I still a human?"

    "I lost my humanity long ago..." He shook his head lightly before picking up the pen. He started writing.

 Chapter 86 86: Cost Of Death

    After a few seconds, Xu Shan finished writing his wish.

    Even though he could''ve asked for things that could change the entire world, he was still very careful. The Book of Desires was a double edged sword. He was careful in what he asked for.

    After he finished writing, the words that he had written turned golden.

    It was only then, that he closed the Book and rxed on the chair. "Now that you''re here, can you tell me what''s the cost this time that I''ll have to pay?"

    Xinren was still silent. However, just as Xu Shan was about to speak again, she answered, "Death.... Death is the cost..."

    Her response made Xu Shan frown. "What do you mean death? Wasn''t it an equivalent exchange? Whose death?"

    Xinren rubbed the back of her neck with her left hand, letting out a tired sigh. "It''s still an equivalent exchange. The cost is something that you need to pay. At the same time, it''s not something you''ll pay... But someone else..."

    "Can you be more clear?" Xu Shan frowned.

    Xinren ced her hand on Xu Shan''s shoulder. "I think it''s better if you know this one. The first person that you truly fall in love with... The cost is the life of that person. As soon as you fail in true love for the first time, that person will die, and you can''t change that fate."

    Xu Shan went silent in response. For some time, he didn''t react. However, he finally realized why this was an equivalent exchange...

    "With this Demonic Heart, can I even fall in love?" After a long time, he shook his head lightly. "It''s impossible. This cost... I''ll never have to pay."

    After some time,he opened his eyes, and stood up. He kept the Book of Desires in his storage ring, before going to bed to rest.

    Even as hey on the bed, he didn''t fall asleep. Instead, he kept talking to Xinren about his exact ns for this war, which even his father and the Celestial Pce Master didn''t know.

    However, he didn''t say his ns out loud with words. Instead, he used his thoughts to talk to Xinren.

    ****

    Xu Shan was in the Commanding Ship, with the Two Deputy Generals. However, there were many important people in the army that weren''t on this ship.

    All four Great Families hade with the armies to defend the Empire. In one such ship in the back was the Chen Family, one of the Four Great Families in the Empire.

    It was also the same family which was extorted by Xu Shan, because their daughter tried to intrude on his pce in the middle of the night.

    Because of that, not only did the Chen Family have to pay a lot, but the engagement had also broken. Because of that, its influence had fallen to the bottom of the Four Families.

    They were nning to use this war to regain some reputation.

    While the other families sent their Elders and others for this war, the Chen Family sent their main forces. In fact, even the Patriarch Chen Huo came personally.

    However, there was another reason for him toe. One of the Four Strongest Generals of the Empire was his father! And he was guarding the Eastern Border.

    Since the Eastern Border that was being protected by his father had fallen, it brought when more insults and angers directed at them. Chen Huo was even more sad that his father was killed while guarding the Eastern Border.

    It was not only to regain some of the lost reputation that he came, but also for revenge.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Even though he didn''t have faith in Xu Shan''s abilities to lead, but he knew that Ye Han was more than capable. It made him think that Xu Shan was onlymander of the army in name. While the real leader was Ye Han.

    While the Chen Family Patriarch was on the deck, looking down at the burning city in the distance, he had thoughts about stopping and helping.

    However, to his surprise, there were no instructions from the Commanding Ship, as if telling them that they weren''t allowed to get down. It was as if they were ignoring the burning City.

    "Free me this instant! Argh!"

    Just as he was thinking about asking them about it, he heard a girl''s voiceing from behind him.

    His eyes twitched uncontrobly. "Don''t tell me..."

    As he turned around, his face dropped! He saw his daughter Chen Rouyin on the ship. Her hand was being held by one of the Elders who brought her to the deck.

    "She was found hiding in the ship! Your daughter really has no sense, does she?" The Elder of the Chen n asked, rolling his eyes.

    "You! Did you think this is a yground? Why are you here?" Chen Huo inquired, furiously.

    To his surprise, Chen Rouyin wasn''t scared. If anything, she appeared even more stubborn. "Grandfather is already dead! And you''re going to the war. I can''t just sit back! I''m also strong! I can help!"

    "You can help?" Chen Huo''s lips twitched. He looked around at the multiple battleships that were carrying the greatest warriors of the Eternal Dynasty and the Celestial Pce and there he had a little brat who was telling him that she could help him?!

    "Do you think this is a joke? The ce is dangerous. Even I''m not sure if I''ll be able to return alive, let alone you!"

    Chen Rouyin didn''t respond. However, she was still stubborn. In any case, she couldn''t he sent back now that they were already this far.

    "Argh, you are to stay at the ship and not get involved in the war! You understood?!" The middle aged man asked, giving up.

    Chen Rouyin nodded. However, she soon noticed a ming red hue in the distance. "Why aren''t we going down to help the City? Don''t tell me others can''t see it?"

    Chen Huo didn''t have the answer to this question himself. He could only look at the Commanding Ship.

    "Don''t tell me you''re seriously going to abandon people in need, because the Emperor assigned that lying tyrant as themander who doesn''t care about human lives?!" The girl asked once again, realizing what was happening.

    "We should help them! This is our duty! They are the people of the Empire as well!" she further insisted. Even though the City was still far, but she could see some movement inside. There were still signs of life.

    It wasn''t just her who thought that. Even her father was thinking about the same thing, without her needing to ask. However, it wasn''t that easy.

    "What''s there to hesitate? We can save them inless than half an hour! Does our so-calledmander think that the lives of those people aren''t worth his half an hour?!" Chen Rouyin further eximed.

    She already had a fiery personality, but she also hated Xu Shan after what happenedst time, which made her even more easily frustrated. She couldn''t believe that the strongest army of the Empire was abandoning their own citizens!

    "Argh!" The Chen Family Patriarch scratched the back of his head. Even he felt a headacheing.

 Chapter 87 87: Go Down And Help

    In the end, he was persuaded to help the City. "I''ll go talk to them. Let''s see why they aren''t helping the citizens."

    The Patriarch of the Chen n flew to the Commanding Ship. However, it wasn''t easy for him to get to the ship, since it was heavily protected because of Xu Shan''s presence.

    In fact, he wasn''t even allowed tond on the Commanding Ship without permission.

    One of the guards went to inform Xu Shan that Chen Huo intended to meet him. The same information was also delivered to the Great Elder and Ye Han.

    Xu Shan had almost fallen asleep when he received this news. In the end, he had to get up, even though he felt somewhat irritated.

    "These guys don''t even let me rest."

    He donned his Royal Robe, before leaving the room, apanied by Xinren.

    As he stepped on the dock, he noticed Ye Han and the Great Elder present there. The two of them were standing together with Chen Huo, who was finally allowed tond.

    His arrival attracted the attention of all three of them.

    "What do you need?" The Young Prince asked, stepping closer.

    "I''m here to ask, why aren''t we descending to help the City? I''m sure you can also see that innocent people are dying!" Chen Huo eximed, pointing at the burning City in the distance.

    His voice became louder without him even realizing, as if there was still some irritation deep within him, rted to what Xu Shan did to their family.

    "If you want to help, go down and help them," Xu Shanzilymented. "While you''re at it, go help other cities as well. I assign this duty to you. You can leave now. Leave the war to us. You y the hero instead."

    "What?" Chen Huo frowned, taken aback. "What do you think you''re saying?"

    "Leave. I don''t have time to pay attention to your childish demands. I''ll grant them." Xu Shan waved his hand, as he started leaving, rubbing his eyes as if he actually was sleepy at the moment.

    Chen Huo was marily frozen. He had to join the war! That was his own goal!

    "Your army is already weak! Do you think you can even have the slightest chance of victory if I leave?"

    In the end, Chen Huo couldn''t help but counter.

    Xu Shan stopped in his tracks. However, he didn''t turn around. Instead, he burst intoughter. He only shook his head lightly, before he continued walking away.

    "Leave before I am forced to remove you. And if you fail to finish the duty I assigned you, then you''ll be considered a traitor to the throne. So better pay attention to your own situation, rather than mine."

    Xu Shan''s voice echoed in the surroundings as he disappeared from the view, not even bothering.

    He already knew how to end this war. If he really wanted a big army, he could''ve asked that from his father. There was a reason he took the two weakest armies of the four with him.

    Even if his army became weaker, he didn''t care. He had everything that he needed. Moreover, he didn''t need people in this army who questioned his decision.

    At least the Great Elder and Ye Han listened to him. Even though the Great Elder might show some discontent at times, he wasn''t going to go against him. That much Xu Shan was certain.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    On the other hand, Chen Huo had the arrogance of the Patriarch of one of the Four Great ns in the Eternal Dynasty. If there was one variable in this army, it was Chen Huo.

    Moreover, Xu Shan had already offended them in the past. He felt ufortable with them watching his back. If anything, he was already trying to think of a way to get them to leave. And this came as an opportunity.

    This was also partially why he refused to descend to help the city. He was hoping that Chen Huo was going to step forward and then he could assign this responsibility to him.

    Chen Huo watched Xu Shan leave. His fists were tightly clenched. However, in the end, he couldn''t go against the decision.

    He looked at Ye Han who he thought was the realmander. However, Ye Han also shook his head lightly, as if implying he couldn''t help them.

    Now that the Chen n was assigned a duty, they couldn''t do anything.

    "I must join this war! I have to take revenge for my father!" He eximed.

    "Are you saying you''ll go against the decision of the Leader of this Army?" Ye Han frowned, revealing a trade of killing intent.

    Even though Chen n was one of the four great ns, but now that the only Heavenly Celestial that was in their family, the Eastern General had died, their fall was inevitable.

    That''s also why they were so eager to earn merits.

    Chen Huo could clearly feel the killing intent. In the end, he turned around to leave. He was convinced that there was no chance this army was going to win in his absence, even with Ye Han.

    If anything, he subconsciously wished for the absolute destruction of this army so that the Emperor coulde to his senses and stop taking it as a game.

    He left the Commanding Ship, returning to the ships that were under the control of his n.

    As soon as hended on the ship, hemanded his people that they were descending!

    His sudden instructions surprised many people on the ship. On the other hand, Chen Rouyin nodded in satisfaction.

    "It looks like I was right. Xu Shan isn''t the one in control. If he was, he never would''ve changed his mind. This is much better."

    Hearing his daughter''s words, Chen Huo''s lips twitched uncontrobly.

    Only he knew who was in real control. In just an instant, all his misconceptions had been cleared.

    "The others aren''t going down. Only the Chen n will focus on the rescue," he told his daughter, before rifying everything that happened.

    He didn''t realize that hearing his words, his daughter revealed some unnatural expressions.

    "W-wait. We can''t leave the main army! We need to get them to help as well!" She insisted firmly. "T-this isn''t good if we do it alone!"

    "Why are you reacting so strangely? Weren''t you the one who wanted us to go down in the first ce?" Chen Huo frowned, finally noticing something odd.

 Chapter 88 88: The Heavenly Storm

    "We need to stay with the main army. We need to contribute to the war! How can we be left behind? The Empire can''t win without our help! You need to convince them toe down with us!" The girl eximed.

    Even though it was surprising to see his daughter getting so involved suddenly, Chen Huo overlooked it. Even he wanted their n to rise through this war after all.

    "Do you think I didn''t try? The Third Prince isn''t the one to listen. If I try more, it''ll only make things worse. The best we can do is save the cities and then join the war!"

    He patted the head of his daughter, before leaving to instruct his men further.

    As he left, the innocent look in Chen Rouyin''s eyes disappeared, revealing a look of malice as she looked toward themanding ship.

    Unfortunately, no one was there to see that.

    ****

    Back on the Commanding Ship, Xu Shan once again returned to his bed.

    "Chen Huo isn''t an idiot. He''s a typical righteous fool. His biggest w is that he is easily influenced because of his daughter. To think that the little girl snuck inside the ship..."

    He closed his eyes, carrying multiple thoughts in his head. However, he was so tired that he didn''t even realize when he fell asleep.

    ****

    The Ships of the Chen n separated from the Royal Army as they started descending.

    While the Chen nnded around the city and started their rescue operation, killing the bandits, the Royal Army continued on their way.

    And thus, Xu Shan''s already small army became even smaller. However, he didn''t seem to care. If anything, he was sleeping peacefully like a child who rarely had a sleep like this.

    Despite the danger that still lingered in the air, Xu Shan knew that he could trust Xinren to wake him up in case there was any danger to his life.

    In Xinren''s absence, he had to be careful all the time, since he was the most vulnerable when he was sleeping. But now, he didn''t have to worry about that.

    He could finally let his guard down and trust someone else to protect him for once. However, deep down, Xu Shan was still somewhat scared that this newfound trust and safety was only a temporary illusion.

    He knew that he couldn''t rely on it forever and that he still had a long way to go before he could truly feel safe in this world.

    But for now, he was grateful for the reprieve and the chance to finally breathe a little easier.

    ****

    The lightning storm outside the majestic ck castle was unlike any other. The sky was pitch ck, and the only source of light came from the blinding shes of lightning that lit up the entire sky. The thunder was so loud that it shook the castle walls and made the windows rattle in their frames.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Inside the castle, the residents huddled together in fear. They could hear the wind howling outside, and the rain pounding against the castle walls. It was as if the elements had turned against them, and they were powerless to stop it.

    The candles flickered and danced in the strong gusts of wind that seeped through the cracks in the walls. The eerie shadows cast by the flickering mes only added to the sense of foreboding that hung heavy in the air.

    Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree, causing it to splinter and crack in half. The people inside the castle could hear the deafening sound of the tree falling to the ground outside, and they knew that the storm was getting worse.

    The castle was old and grand, with towering turrets and a moat that surrounded it on all sides. But despite its imposing size, the castle was no match for the fury of the storm.

    As the storm continued to rage outside, a wedding ceremony seemed to be taking ce inside. However, none looked happy in the wedding ceremony. If anything, everyone had a trace of fear in their eyes.

    The atmosphere was grim. There were guards all around the castle, alert for a battle at any moment.

    What was surprising was that all the Guards were Heavenly Celestials. However, all of them appeared terrified, as if they weren''t confident enough either.

    But the lightning continued to strike, illuminating the castle and the surrounding countryside in a bright, blinding light.

    Within the frightening lightning storm, a figure appeared in the distant sky.

    The figure was dressed in all ck. It appeared to be a man, with long ck hair.

    He had a handsome face, and a perfect body as if he had descended straight from heaven. However, his aura was something that could make anyone tremble!

    Both his eyescked a single trace of emotions. However, What caught even more attention was that the man had a Celestial Spirit Mark in his left eye.

    His cold eyes looked at the castle in the distance as fierce lightning kept crackling all around him. However, it was as if even the lightning was scared of him, avoiding him!

    As soon as the man appeared, a terrifying aura engulfed thousands of miles of area.

    People inside the castle revealed fear as their faces turned pale. Even the bride and the groom were marily frozen.

    All the Heavenly Celestials rushed out of the Castle. Their expressions were so grim, making it appear as if they were facing a monster!

    Over twenty Peak Heavenly Celestials surrounded the man in the dark robe. However, before they could even attack, they felt a cold hand around their neck, as if they were being choked.

    And that was when the man in the center hadn''t even moved, but only nced in their direction.

    All the Heavenly Celestials tried to struggle, but they couldn''t. They felt as if they were losing their life energy and their strength, turning older with each passing second.

    The man''s eyes seemed to glow brighter, and the pressure around their necks intensified.

 Chapter 89 89: You Think This Shall Be Enough?

    The dark haired man didn''t even nce at the people around him.

    Everyone who hade out to attack him had turned to dust, without even being able to offer the slightest of resistance.

    His body floated toward the castle,nding at the entrance. However, as soon as hended, a formation started shining around him.

    A heavy pressure descended over his body, as thousands of shackles came out of the ground, wrapping all around him.

    The shackles were so powerful that even a Peak Celestial couldn''t break them.

    Not only did the shackles keep him in his ce, but they also weakened him.

    "You think this shall be enough?" The man''s cold voice echoed in the surroundings, even falling in the ears of the people inside the castle.

    He raised his right foot, even against all the resistance of the Shackles. It was as if the man didn''t want to give up.

    The Celestial Star Mark in his eyes started shining.

    An illusion appeared behind the man, appearing to be another man. However, the man behind him had long white hair. Even though he looked young, but his eyes were blood red. And there were demon-like wingsing out of his back.

    On the neck of the man, there was a tattoo, which appeared simr to the Celestial Star Mark in the dark haired man''s eyes, epassing the entire gxy within.

    The dark haired man raised his foot. It was as if his strength had increased multiple times, now that he used his Celestial Spirit.

    He raised his right foot, even against all the resistance of the shackles.

    He stomped with all his strength. The formation under his feet shattered. At the same time, the entire pce and the surroundings started trembling as if there was an earthquake!

    All the shackles broke apart instantly, unable to resist the strength. The dark haired men stomped the door, entering the castle.

    With each step that he took, tens people inside the castle died, including servants and the others.

    The bride stood at the end of the hall. She stepped before her lover, as if trying to be his shield.

    The dark haired man disappeared. The next minute, he appeared before the woman. His hand grabbed the throat of the woman, raising her in the air.

    ****

    Xu Shan woke up from his sleep, covered in sweat.

    He didn''t know why, but his entire dream was so bizarre. It felt more realistic than anything, as if he was watching reality!

    He experienced the strange dream from the perspective of the Dark Haired man, as if he was reliving something!

    "Are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?" Next to Xu Shan, Xinren asked. She didn''t know why he appeared to be somewhat scared.

    "A nightmare? I''m not sure what it really was..." Xu Shan closed his eyes, wiping his face off the sweat.

    He could still feel that strange sensation in his hand... The sensation of grabbing the throat of that woman.

    He gazed at his hand nkly. It was hard for him to get that scene out of his mind.

    He got off the bed, pushing the nket aside.

    He entered the shower to calm his head with cold water brushing against his skin.

    After taking a shower for half an hour, he finally came out, drying his hair with a title.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Usually, he often forgot what he dreamt within a few minutes of waking up. But this dream, he couldn''t forget.

    He didn''t know who the two people were, who were getting married. Why was he so angry? Just what was happening there. However, one thing was certain. He wasn''t himself.

    "I had only one Celestial Spirit in that dream. Was that the alternate reality that the real Third Prince went through?"

    As he came out, he was thinking to himself about the entire situation.

    "Even if it''s the future of the other reality, but still, who were those two people? And what was that ce?"

    He got dressed while his mind was clouded. For the time being, he stopped thinking about it. However, he made sure to keep an eye open for those two people.

    Whoever those two were, they were definitely rted to him in one way or another. He had to be careful about them, whenever he found them.

    After getting dressed, he left his room. Even though he had a strange dream, he felt very refreshed. It was as if his body was brimming with strength.

    He got back to the deck. As he nced back, he could see that the ships of the Chen Family had already left. He didn''t seem to care much about it.

    They were already getting closer to the event lines within their territory. Almost all the Warriors in the Royal Army were eager for theing battle. They all wanted to defend their homnds against this intrusion.

    However, they were somewhat apprehensive as well. Even the Eastern General who was known to be invincible had died in the hands of the enemies. On the other hand, their general was only a youngster now, who didn''t have a good reputation at all.

    "We are almost there." Ye Hanmented, noticing the enemies in the distance. Sounds of battle could be heard loud and clear, even though they still hadn''t reached the battlefield.

    However, it was clear that the Eternal Dynasty wasn''t in any good condition.

    The forces of the Sky Dynasty had attacked, but unlike before, their forces weren''t merged into one. Instead, they were split up, all taking a different route of invasion.

    Moreover, for some reason, they always had an advantage.

    "Tell our men to get ready. We will take back control of the Estel Kingdom first!" Xu Shanmanded all the Generals.

    All Generals looked at him with someprehension but after noticing the nce of Ye Han, they agreed.

    After telling all his men to fight properly, telling them the n, Xu Shan walked back inside his room, as if he was going to rest.

    If anything, he also handed over the temporary emergencymand to Ye Han while he was in rest. And no one was allowed to disturb him either.

    In the eyes of the others, this was the best thing since Xu Shan wasn''t going to interfere in the main battle. Even though they thought the Young Prince was so useless that even at a time like this, he was more worried about rest. However, they were happy.

    Ye Han on the other hand thought differently. He knew that Xu Shan wasn''t a person like that. If anything, he felt that the young man had something else nned that he didn''t tell any of them yet.

    Unfortunately, he didn''t have time to think about it. He trusted the young prince.

    He took over themand. Even though he followed Xu Shan''s strategy, but his experience on the battlefield gave him an additional advantage.

    He had battlefieldmon sense that he gained after fighting multiple wars.

    ****

    On the other hand, Xu Shan returned to his room. He didn''t lock the door, since he knew that only Ye Han could enter.

    �Ѧ���d�� n?��a| ��om He brought out a mask that covered his full face. On top, he wore a cloak, as if making it impossible for anyone to recognise him.

    After that, he ced a letter on his table for Ye Han, before bringing out a thousand mile teleportation talisman.

 Chapter 90 90: Hope

    Xu Shan used the thousand mile teleportation talisman, disappearing from themanding ship.

    His long cloak fluttered with the wind as he appeared a thousand miles away from the Eternal Dynasty Fleet.

    He had also stopped using his Celestial Spirit to hide his aura now. He also stopped his disguise.

    Even though no one should see his face, but a Celestial Star Mark was clearly visible in his left eyes for anyone to see if they looked carefully.

    He also carried two sharp daggers with him, as he appeared in the center of Estel Kingdom.

    It was time for the Third Prince to disappear, and the Reaper of the Battlefield to make his appearance.

    The soldiers of the Sky Dynasty were busy fighting with the army that the Estel Kingdom had temporarily formed to resist the invasion.

    The Estel Kingdom soldiers had almost started to lose their morale as cities after cities kept falling. Whenever a city fell at the hands of the Sky Dynasty, there was nothing more left than blood, destruction and corpses in the wake.

    Now only the Royal City was left, and it was only a matter of time before it was to fall.

    The King of Estel Kingdom stood near the window, observing the battle. He was scared for his life, but he didn''t run away. It was as if he was prepared to die for his kingdom.

    Instead, he nced at the horses in the distance, on which his daughter and his wife were escaping.

    Only two guards were assigned with them, since they didn''t want to attract the attention of the Sky Dynasty. Moreover, they were also in disguise, not appearing like a princess or a queen at all.

    The Queen''s face was full of tears. She had tried everything she could to convince her husband to escape with her. However, he didn''t.

    The Queen asionally kept looking back at the castle, feeling broken. The Kingdom was so peaceful. No one could have expected that it was going to fall like that. Even the Princess had a pale face.

    However, as the Queen and his daughter escaped the Royal City of Estel which was on the verge of copse, they noticed something in the distance!

    "That is..." The Queen raised her head, frowning.

    Even the Princess was taken aback! It took her some time to realize what had happened. In fact, she didn''t even believe if she was imagining things or if it was an illusion.

    "The Royal Army! The Empire is here!" An excited voice echoed in the surroundings.

    It was only when the Captain of the Guards that was apanying them eximed that the two women were convinced it wasn''t a dream!

    The Royal Army was finally here!

    Not only them, but even the King back in the Royal Pce saw the massive fleet in the distance!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    His eyes had lost all hope. However, his hopes were once again ignited! His nk eyes regained their shine.

    The Soldiers of the Estel Kingdom also started gaining more confidence, roaring proudly! The Empire''s reinforcement was here!

    While the Estel Kingdom was excited, the Sky Empire''s forces weren''t scared either.

    After they killed the Eastern Emperor, their confidence was at their peak. Moreover, they had other help as well.

    The army that attacked the Estel Kingdom was the Third Army of the Sky Empire which divided its invasion forces in three armies.

    Even though the Third Army wasn''t the strongest, it wasn''t weak either. Moreover, it was a special army since it was beingmanded by the Third Prince of the Sky Dynasty!

    In thest war, the Crown Prince of the Sky Dynasty was killed. After which, the Second Prince became the Crown Prince. This time, the Emperor didn''t send the Crown Prince. Instead he sent his Third Son and his Eldest Daughter to this war!

    His Third Son was given themand of the Third Army. On the other hand, his Eldest Princess wasmanding the Second Army, which was even stronger.

    As for the First Army, it was beingmanded by the Great General of the Sky Dynasty.

    Strangely enough, the most damage that was done to the Eternal Dynasty came from the hands of the Second Army.

    "So they finally decided to show up." In a distant Ancient Ship, the Third Prince of the Sky Dynasty stood.

    He was already in his early thirties. Even though he wasn''t the most talented of the Emperor''s sons when it came to Celestial Cultivator, he was still a Peak Sky Celestial already.

    The Third Prince of the Sky Dynasty was known as Ming Yan. He had always been a cunningand greedy man at heart, and had devised a n to capitalize on the chaos to increase his strength and his influence so that he could be the Crown Prince instead of his Elder Brother. This was his opportunity.

    "Just like that person said... The EternalDynasty came at the right time." The Prince of the Sky Dynastyughed. "I wonder how surprised they''ll be when the people they came to protect turn against them..."

    Right outside the Royal Pce of Estel Kingdom, the Queen and the Princess were excited now that the reinforcement was here. However, they still weren''t allowed to stop.

    The Captain of the Guards who apanied them was responsible to take them to a safe ce, in the nearby kingdom.

    To go there, he went through the forest with the queen and the Princess, not even taking official routes, worried that there might be enemies there.

    The four horses faced through the forest. The Queen and the Princess had to tightly hold on to the reins, as the horses galloped at full speed. The sound of tree branches breaking under the horses'' hoofs echoed through the quiet forest.

    Moving at such speed, they didn''t expect any traps to already be waiting for them. They missed a thin rope that was rising a few meters above the ground, tied to two trees at other ends.

    It was a very precise trap, as if someone knew exactly what route they were going to take.

 Chapter 91 91: We Can Spare A Few Hours

    The King of Estel Kingdom was brave and loyal. He wasn''t scared of his own death. However, he loved his wife and his daughter more than his life, enough to betray the Eternal Dynasty if their lives were on line.

    Even he knew that this was his weakness. That''s why the first thing he did was send his wife and his daughter away.

    Unfortunately, deep in the forest outside the Royal City, all four horses tripped over the ropes, falling on the ground.

    The King''s wife and daughter tumbled off their horses and onto the forest floor, with the King''s daughter hitting her head on a rock. Her head started bleeding.

    Even the Captain of the Guards fell off the horse. However, he quickly stood up, pulling out his sword, realizing that they had fallen for a trap.

    Unfortunately, it was toote. Multiple arrows came out from every direction, impaling his body. An arrow passed through his throat,ing out from the other side.

    His eyes opened wide as a small hole was visible on his throat. Blood trickled down his entire body. He dropped to his knees, unable to understand just what was happening.

    The second guard was also killed in a simr manner, as multipleughter resounded in the forest.

    The attackers emerged from the trees, revealing themselves to be a group of archers dressed in green. They appeared to be highly skilled and efficient, leaving no chance for the guards to defend themselves.

    However, one thing was certainly from their attire. All of them were from the Sky Dynasty, who had been waiting there for quite some time.

    "I wonder if our master can see the future. For him to know exactly when and where they were going to pass through!"

    The leader of the teamughed. He seeded in this mission. In essence, he had contributed the most in this war.

    "Now that his wife and his daughter are under our control, I''ll see how loyal he can be! Will he watch his wife and his daughter be executed openly? Or will he sell his loyalty and his soul to save his own family!" another guardughed.

    "Is there even a question? He won''t even hesitate to side with us and backstabbed the Eternal Dynasty Forces. Their faces would certainly be worth seeing. it''s only a matter of time before the Eternal Dynasty disappears from this world!"

    The Captain of the Sky Dynasty team stepped closer to the queen who had picked up a sword of the guards.

    "I would rather die than be my husband''s weakness!" She turned the sword toward herself. However, before she could even kill herself, her wrist was grabbed by the dark haired man, who crushed her wrist, making the sword fall on the ground.

    The man called Sei,ughed heartily, before grabbing the queen by her hair. "Your life belongs to us! And if you think otherwise, then you''re in for a surprise."

    "And if you still don''t act like a nice little prisoner, I won''t mind letting my men y around with you a little!" he further stated.

    He picked his lips, observing the Queen from top to bottom. "I only need to take you back alive, after all. Everything else...''

    The Queen couldn''t help but tremble, feeling a chill run down her spine. It was as if someone had dumped freezing water over her. Her body even refused to move in fear as she looked at all the men around her looking at her with greedy eyes.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "C-captain, I''ve never tasted a queen. Should we really?" One of the guardsughed.

    "That''s right. We don''t get an opportunity like this often! Of course, we''ll let you go first!" Another guard revealed a devilish smirk.

    On the other hand, the Queen was trembling even more.

    Even though Sei didn''t initially have any intentions of ying around with the queen, and just spoke about it to threaten her, but now that he thought about it, he really couldn''t help but feel the urge, especially when he observed her beautiful figure more carefully.

    Even though the queen was in herte forties, but she still looked as if she was just in her early thirties. She had a mature charm.

    On the other hand, the Princess was in her early twenties, and she could also be called one of the kingdom destroying beauties.

    He realized that he really wasn''t going to get a chance like this again. The more he thought about it, the more he seemed to agree.

    In the end, he nodded, letting out a pervertedughter. "Alright guys, I guess we can spare a few hours!"

    He stepped closer to the Queen, who dragged her body back, as if scared of the monster that wasing toward her. Unfortunately, she couldn''t.

    Before long, Sei grabbed the Queen by her throat, raising her in the air.

    "If you want your daughter to live, then don''t resist. If anything, you should enjoy. I promise I''ll let you taste heaven, much better than your old husband could..." He whispered in her ears before tossing her on the soft grass.

    The Queen had her whole face covered in tears. She couldn''t even kill herself. And if she did something, her daughter''s life was going to be in danger.

    He brought his face closer to the Queen''s lips who felt disgusted. However, she could only close her eyes.

    However, just as the man''s lips were about to touch her lips, he stopped.

    His face lost all its color as he looked down, feeling blooding out of his chest. A dagger was stabbed in his back, making him lose all his strength.

    The man lost all his strength. He opened his lips, trying to speak. However, before he could, he felt a cold hand grab the back of his neck.

    Within the next second, his body rose in the air, before being smashed on the ground.

    His entire face was disfigured, covered in blood.

    Lying on the ground, the man could barely see from his blood covered eyes. However, what he saw scared him even more!

 Chapter 92 92: Spy

    All his men were lying on the ground, lifeless! He still couldn''t believe that his men were killed so easily and he didn''t even find out about it.

    As he was in disbelief, a kicknded on his chest, sending him flying away.

    He hit the distant tree with a loud thud, and his breath was knocked out of him. Struggling to catch his breath, he realized that he waspletely at the mercy of his attacker.

    Fortunately, he was finally able to see the person who attacked him. However, it was no different than seeing no one. The man didn''t reveal his face. If anything, he had a mask on his face that covered hisplete face.

    He didn''t have any symbols on his attires that made it impossible to know just who he worked for, if anyone.

    "W-who are you? Why are you attacking me?!" Sei asked, spitting some ck blood next to him.

    "If you''re working for the Kingdom or the Eternal Dynasty, then it''s a waste! Work for the Sky Dynasty! I''ll get you everything you want! I''ll even rmend you to get a supreme position and all the treasures that you can ever want!"

    Sei didn''t know why, but he felt really scared of the man, especially the Star Mark in his eyes that he had never seen before. The man''s aura wasn''t strong, only at the peak of the Earth Celestial, but he was much scarier than his strength suggested.

    Xu Shan nced at the Queen and the Princess in the distance. Both of them were looking at him with fear as well. However, he didn''t care.

    He walked closer to Sei, who was still barely alive. He grabbed Sei by his throat, before dragging him away with him.

    Xu Shan disappeared in the forest, right before the eyes of the Queen and the Princess. And his direction appeared to be the battlefield!

    The Queen still couldn''t believe what just happened. However, her eyes revealed a look of relief. She hugged her chest tightly, still trembling.

    She wanted to thank the person, but she couldn''t gather the courage until the mysterious man disappeared.

    It was only after a long time that she stood up. She rushed to her daughter to help her up, before both of them walked back to the horses.

    She climbed the horse with her daughter. No matter what, she knew this ce was still dangerous. She had to escape! She really didn''t want to fall into enemy hands!

    However, deep in her heart, she was forever grateful for that savior of hers. Even her daughter was fascinated. Even though her head was bleeding and her vision was blurry, but Xu Shan''s figure was deeply imprinted in her heart.

    She really hoped that she could meet him again to thank him. Even though she only saw Xu Shan''s eyes for a short moment, she had a feeling that the man wasn''t much older than her either.

    To have that level of strength at a young age, that only showed how talented he was. And he was also kind and loyal to the Dynasty! Even before the allure of treasures from the Sky Dynasty, he didn''t give it a second thought.

    The Princess didn''t know that she had already fallen for Xu Shan, without even knowing who he was or what he looked like.

    ****<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Far away from the forest, Xu Shan left the body of Sei behind. He had already sucked all his strength. That''s the reason he dragged him with him.

    Thanks to that, he had broken through to the second stage of the Sky Celestial Realm!

    "The battlefield is such a nice ce to hunt. Isn''t that so?" he asked, as his horse rode through the forest. His long cloak fluttered with the wind inside the forest.

    "Did you know about the Sky Dynasty''s n? Or was it just a coincidence that we ended up there?" Xinren asked Xu Shan, sitting behind him.

    "To defeat an enemy, first, you need to know the enemy. That''s why I made that wish..." Xu Shan smiled, bringing out a small sphere from his pocket.

    He sent a small trace of his aura in the sphere, activating it, before speaking, "Your information helped a lot. Good work."

    ****

    Far away from the battlefield of the Estel Kingdom, there was the Qin Dynasty. So far, the Qin Dynasty had been fairly peaceful, at least from citizens'' point of view. However, only the higher ups knew the truth.

    Back inside the Royal Pce of the Qin Dynasty, the Empress was sitting in her bedroom, with a small sphere in her hand.

    She nodded as soon as she heard a man''s voice. "I have more information..."

    The Empress of the Qin Dynasty had been the childhood sweetheart of Qin Ye. Both of them grew up together. They loved each other the most.

    If there was one person that Qin Ye cared about, it was his wife. That''s why he was so protective of her, never allowing her to leave the pce. However, that didn''t mean he loved her more than his life.

    Only Qin Ye knew that if his life was on the line, then he wasn''t going to hesitate for longer before sacrificing his wife

    On the other hand, the Empress was different. If her life could save her husband''s life, she would''ve sacrificed herself in an instant. She loved him even more than her life!

    She was also someone who was often with her husband whenever strategy meetings were held!

    That''s why Xu Shan used her to his advantage. A General might''ve been fooled by Qin Ye for a moment, but not his wife.

    That''s why Xu Shan used the Book of Desires to manipte the love of Qin Ye. He turned his wife into a traitor, who was only going to listen to him, even to the point that she became a spy for him!

    Since a wish couldn''t be reversed, it was no different than Xu Shan killing the lover of another Book Holder, which came at a simr cost for him.

    However, since he didn''t love anyone, or n to fall in love, Xu Shab didn''t care about that cost.

 Chapter 93 93: Ill Show You Something

    ****

    "He can see the future. So to win against him, I can only use my own cheating." Xu Shanmented, as he left the forest.

    By now, he understood that the Book of Destiny couldn''t see the changes caused because of the Book of Desires.

    That''s the only reason why he used the Book to get him a spy. If he had used money, or other treasures, it would''ve easily been caught.

    Xu Shan entered the Royal City of Estel, which was already caught in a great battle.

    It appeared to only be a matter of time before this ce was going to fall. However, he didn''t stay there.

    Xu Shan only had one goal. It was to pass through the City.

    Since he was a stranger, and not revealing his face, even the Soldiers of the Estel Kingdom tried to stop him.

    Unfortunately for them, he wasn''t in any mood to stop. Whoever tried to get in his path died, and their strength was stolen by him, leaving only their lifeless bodies behind.

    He didn''t have to hide himself anymore! If anything, he felt even more free!

    With every passing hour, his strength increased even more. Soon, news started spreading that there was a masked person who was killing people of both sides in the Royal City of Estel.

    Unfortunately, by then, Xu Shan had already left the Royal City.

    It was also the time when the Royal Army of the Eternal Dynasty reached the city.

    Slowly, yet steadily, the tides of battle started changing. Before long, the entire Royal City was protected.

    Strangely enough, the Sky Dynasty warriors didn''t fight. Instead, they simply retreated for the time being.

    Back in the Battleship of the Sky Dynasty, the Third Prince was pacing back and forth in frustration!

    "Those idiots, why aren''t they back with the queen yet! Argh, they are dying my ns!"

    The ship of the Prince was protected by many powerful warriors, which made it impossible for anyone to sneak inside. In fact, it wasn''t easy for even Xu Shan to enter that ce.

    Fortunately, he didn''t n on entering that ce either. His intentions were something else.

    ****

    Ye Han stepped out of the Ship,nding before the Royal Pce of Estel.

    The Great Elder and the other Generals of the Dynasty also stepped down. Only Xu Shan was nowhere to be found. However, no one cared much about him.

    They let him rest back at the ship. It was better if they kept him away from the battles after all, since the ships were safer.

    The King of Estel personally came to wee the guests from the Dynasty. His eyes were filled with gratitude for the reinforcements. The Royal City was saved, and it was just as he thought that everything was over!

    While he was weing the guests, his eyes revealed a surprise as he saw his wife and his daughter in the back.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He rushed to his wife and his daughter, hugging them tightly.

    Initially, he was worried that his family was going to be caught so he sent them away. But how that reinforcement was here, he felt d that his family was back as well.

    The King brought all the guests inside. For now, the battle was over, at least in the Royal City. Even though the main forces of the Sky Dynasty were still waiting not far away from them, the King felt much safer now.

    "Are you themander of the Royal Army, senior?" The King asked. Even though Ye Han was younger than him, he still addressed him as a great senior.

    "I am not themander. Themander is the Third Prince of the Dynasty, who is back at the ship."

    "The Third Prince?" The King''s expressions momentarily faltered. He had heard a lot about that guy after all.

    Fortunately, he was an experienced man and controlled his expressions soon after.

    "Why isn''t His Highnessing out? I would love to wee him as well."

    Ye Han shook his head lightly. "For his protection, he will be staying on the ship."

    Even though the King didn''t reveal anything, deep inside, he couldn''t help but sneer, thinking that Xu Shan was a coward.

    However, he knew better than to disrespect the Third Prince in front of his people. "I see. Please extend my warmest wee to him. We will make sure to provide everything they need during their stay."

    Even the Princess looked down on the Third Prince of the Dynasty. Compared to the person who saved her, the cowardly Third Prince of the Eternal Dynasty only appeared like mud on the streets.

    She didn''t realize that the person she thought to be a coward was correctly far away from the Royal City.

    Xu Shan was in the next City, where many battleships could be seen in the sky. This was where the main forces of the Third Army were waiting.

    This city used to belong to the Estel Kingdom. It was thergest city after the Royal City of Estel. However, now it hadpletely fallen under the control of the Sky Dynasty.

    Xu Shan managed to sneak inside the city, which was brimming with Soldiers of the Sky Dynasty. Although the Sky Dynasty destroyed every city in their path, but there were often cities that they left as that were, to use as their temporary bases along the way.

    This city happened to be one of them.

    The Citizens had already given up on any hope. No one resisted the Sky Dynasty, realizing that they were going to die if they even tried. If anything, most people had gradually adjusted to this life.

    On the other hand, there were also many people who were scared and didn''t even leave their houses.

    Walking through the messy city, Xu Shan asionally nced at the battleships in the sky.

    "It won''t be easy to get there. Unless you use the Book again," Xinren suggested.

    However, to her surprise, Xu Shan shook his head. "I have no intention of using my Desires, unless it''s absolutely urgent."

    As Xu Shan spoke, he remembered the scene that he had seen in his dream. For some reason, seeing that made him slightly concerned about his own future, making him even more careful.

    "And as far as getting there is concerned, just watch. I''ll show you something��"

 Chapter 94 94: Im The Spectator

    Xu Shan remained in his mask, which brought some unwanted attention to him. However, most of the people ignored him. They couldn''t sense any aura from Xu Shan, which made them think that he was nothing more than a mere mortal.

    "Since they use this city as a base, there must be some high profile people from the Sky Dynasty that can be seen here. We just need to find one. And I can only think of two ces to find them."

    Xu Shan kept observing his surroundings, trying to find a specific location. It was as if he was trying to memorize something.

    "And those two ces are?" Xinren inquired.

    "A bar, and a brothel." Xu Shanmented, shaking his head lightly.

    "There is one..." He soon noticed a bar in the distance, where he could see quite a few Sky Dynasty Soldiers.

    "Found it."

    He walked to the bar, and pushed the door open. Inside the bar, no locals could be seen, if one was to exclude the staff.

    The entire ce was brimming with people from the Sky Dynasty, who had quite a unique ent.

    As Xu Shan entered the ce, quite a lot of attention ended up on him. Most of the people here appeared to be drunk, but their auras weren''t weak.

    Xu Shan could see hundreds of Earth Celestials, and over ten Sky Celestials. Unfortunately, none of them seemed suitable. However, he soon noticed something.

    There was a very faint aura that he could feel. It was the aura of a Heavenly Celestial. The aura didn''t belong to any person here. However, it seemed to being from a private room.

    As he focused more on that aura, he realized that there wasn''t just one person. There were two Heavenly Celestials there!

    Even Ye Han wasn''t a Heavenly Celestial yet! A Heavenly Celestial was the most important part of every Dynasty, since it was quite hard for a person to reach that level.

    All the Heavenly Celestials were considered to be the supreme beings in this world. If two of them were here, Xu Shan was convinced that they were part of themanding ship.

    "Looks like we''re on luck," hemented, as he smiled behind his mask.

    "Isn''t it risky to approach them? Even though you''re a 6th Stage Sky Celestial now, but there''s quite a lot of difference between you and them! A single mistake and you''ll end up dying. Even a thousand mile talisman won''t be able to help you in escaping."

    Xinren couldn''t help but warn Xu Shan. Even though she didn''t know what exactly the young man was nning, but she knew that it was risky.

    Xu Shan didn''t react. He didn''t walk toward the private room. Instead, he walked toward one of the tables.

    None of the tables were empty, but there was one in which only a Sky Celestial Realm Warrior of the Sky Dynasty was sitting alone.

    The white haired man raised his head, frowning, as he observed the man before him, who seemed to be hiding his face. He was surprised that a mortal even dared to sit next to him.

    "Leave before I cut you in two halves," the man warned Xu Shan, not being friendly in the least.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan didn''t react. He only brought out a gold coin, cing it on the table, before telling the waitress to bring some wine for him.

    The white haired man nced at the gold coin, frowning. This was the gold coin of the Qin Dynasty. Moreover, it had a royal seal. It was impossible for an ordinary person to obtain that coin.

    And this guy was using that coin to pay in a bar? His expressions were worth seeing.

    "Who are you?" The man asked, frowning.

    "Before I tell you who I am, tell those two brats in that room to drag their asses here!" Xu Shanzily responded. His eyes were cold, as if he was quite disappointed.

    "Idiots who can''t even finish a simple mission, and they have time to enjoy drinking?!" he further added.

    "A simple mission? Idiots?" The white haired man was slightly scared.

    He knew that in the private rooms were two Generals of the Third Army. They were strong enough to tten this city in an instant. For the man before him, who didn''t have a single trace of aura, to insult them like this? Just who was this guy?

    "W-who are you?" The man tried speaking, still somewhat hesitant and suspicious. However, right then, Xu Shan moved his hand.

    A dagger appeared in his hand, which he stabbed right in the forehead of the man before him.

    He picked up the jar of wine next to him, before standing up, kicking the man whose eyes were still wide open in disbelief.

    The white haired man flew back. His vision turned dark, even before his body crashed on the gates of the private room, flying inside.

    All the other Sky Dynasty soldiers stood up, pulling out their weapons. As ifpletely ignoring them, Xu Shanzily drank the wine from the jug, before stepping toward the private room whose door was broken.

    The two Generals of the Sky Dynasty were furious, watching the lifeless body of their own man. Their auras red, as they watched an arrogant masked maning toward them.

    However, to their surprise, even the Heavenly Celestial Auras didn''t phase Xu Shan, who appeared nothing more than a mortal.

    Xu Shan continued walking towards the private room, unfazed by themotion he had just caused.

    Both the Generals stood up.

    "Identity yourself before I crush that smug skull of yours!" One of the Generals stated.

    Usually, he would''ve killed Xu Shan right away. However, he was more intrigued about the man who was so arrogant and unphased before them.

    This gave them an iprehensible feeling.

    "I''m the spectator... Who is disappointed at what I saw... I never expected the Sky Dynasty to be so useless. Or is it just the army under the Third Prince that''s the useless one? In any case, your mistakes are very costly!"

 Chapter 95 95: Gift

    "A spectator? Our mistake?" The Generals frowned, looking at each other. Both of them had no idea what Xu Shan was talking about. However, as they were confused, they noticed a single coin, rolling on the ground.

    The coin belonged to the Qin Dynasty.

    As soon as the two Generals saw the coin, and looked back to Xu Shan''s words, their eyes revealed a look of understanding.

    For the person to be so arrogant before them, that could only mean one thing! He was with their allies, the Qin Dynasty!

    So far, the Qin Dynasty hasn''t sent any soldiers. They only sent their initial ns, along with treasures to execute their ns. However, it did make sense that they had someone watching over them.

    If one of the ns failed, it would''ve made sense that the person was forced to reveal himself and was angry.

    "You were given a simple task! Kidnap the Queen and her daughter and kill the army of the Eternal Dynasty! But your men couldn''t even pull that off! It makes us wonder if allying with you was even worth it!"

    Xu Shan''s tone appeared as if he was chiding them. However, to everyone''s surprise, the Generals weren''t reacting. They were just taking all the scolding.

    If anything, their mind was still distracted by what they heard! The n about kidnapping the queen of the Estel Kingdom... Only the Qin Dynasty and the Sky Dynasty higher ups knew about it!

    This was supposed to be the moment for the Third Army to shine! Not ording to the man before them, the n had failed?

    "Looking at how you two idiots were enjoying this ce, I suppose you didn''t even know the n failed? Truly useless!"

    Xu Shan walked closer to the lifeless soldier who was lying right before the two Generals, not caring about getting close to the Generals he had just scolded.

    He grabbed the dagger that was stabbed on the lifeless body. He pulled out the dagger, and wiped the blood from that man''s clothes before keeping the dagger safe.

    From start to finish, his words showed no ws. However, with just words, it would''ve been hard to prove his identity. That''s why, he used his overconfident stature to distract them so they couldn''t even have time to doubt him.

    "In that case, I suppose your Prince doesn''t know about it as well? No wonder he wasn''t selected as the Crown Prince."

    The masked man lightly shook his head, before turning around. "I suppose it''s better to give up on the Third Army. I should rather watch over the Second Army instead. They should be more capable!"

    Xu Shan turned to leave. Watching him leave, the two Generals finally sprung into action.

    "Wait a minute! Please give us one more chance! We will correct our mistakes! We''ll definitely wipe the Eternal Dynasty Army!"

    Xu Shan stopped in his tracks. "The Qin Dynasty doesn''t give a person second chances. That''s why you were given only one n, and no backup ns."

    He waved his hand, as he continued walking away.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    However, just as he was about to step out of the bar which was filled with guards, one of the Generals called out.

    "Wait! Just one chance! Please talk to our Prince! If you can help him, he might have a chance of bing the Crown Prince! We''ll pay you with whatever you want when that happens!"

    "Just onest chance!" The Second General also eximed.

    Initially, they could''ve at least been more suspicious. However, since Xu Shan didn''t seem to have any intention of even bothering with them, it made them feel that he wasn''t trying to scam them. The thought didn''t even cross their mind.

    What was worse was that Xu Shan was leaving in such urgency that this didn''t even give them much time to think about it.

    Xu Shan stopped right at the threshold of the Bar, before ncing back. His cold eyes gazed at both the Generals.

    "What can you offer me that the Eldest Princess won''t?" Xu Shan asked. However, behind his mask, his lips had curved into a smile.

    "I''m just supposed to be a Spectator. The only reason I acted was because you frustrated me so much with your ignorance. However, if you really want me to help you, what can you offer me that the others can''t?" he continued with his question. "You have twenty minutes to find an answer to that question."

    As he finished, he walked back to one of the empty seats. He ced another Qin Dynasty gold coin on the table, before telling the waitress to bring more wine.

    The Waitress was marily frozen. From what she heard, the person before her had an even higher position than the Two Generals, who appeared like gods to her.

    She knew she couldn''t make any mistakes. She hastily brought more jars of wine, personally serving Xu Shan.

    At the same time, the two Generals quickly brought out a beautiful gem to contact the Prince.

    In reality, themanders of all three armies had an orb that allowed them to contact Qin Ye in times of emergencies.

    However, as soon as the Third Prince of the Sky Dynasty heard that their mistake caused the n to fail, he didn''t have any courage to contact Qin Ye.

    Fortunately, he also found out that Qin Ye wasn''t informed about this failure yet. This made him feel that the Spectator from the Qin Dynasty was hisst lifeline.

    If Qin Ye found out that he had failed, then this news was going to reach the Sky Dynasty Emperor, which was going to be a heavy blow for his dreams of bing the Crown Prince.

    No matter what, he had to destroy Eternal Dynasty Forces here before this news spread! And to make sure the news didn''t reach Qin Ye, he first had to make the Spectator loyal to him!

    "Bring him to me! Tell him that I have a perfect gift to show our sincerity to him!" The Third Prince of the Sky Dynasty hastily eximed, as he continued pacing back and forth in his room.

 Chapter 96 96: Place Where You Belong

    "Your Highness, are you thinking about giving that thing to him?" One of the Generals that was loyal to the Third Prince asked, slightly hesitant.

    "Do we have any other choice? No matter what I have to do, I won''t lose to my sister and my Elder brother! This war... It''s my opportunity! And I''ll definitely prove myself! No one can stop me from reaching my goals!"

    The Second Prince was the Crown Prince of the Sky Dynasty, more favored by the Emperor. At the same time, the Eldest Princess was said to be the strongest amongst all of the Emperor''s children. Both of them had people that were only loyal to them.

    Even though the Third Prince didn''t have as much influence as his two elder siblings, he had some forces of his own, thanks to his mother who was a part of the strongest family in the Sky Dynasty.

    It was only because of his mother''s influence that he was still said to be in the race of the throne with the Second Prince and the Eldest Princess!

    However, thepetition between the siblings was not just about having loyal followers or powerful allies, but also about their own capabilities and strengths as leaders.

    No matter what, he didn''t want to lose this race since losing it was worse than death for him!

    Despite the pressure, he was determined to prove himself and show that he was worthy of ruling the dynasty. This was his only opportunity. Even if he had to give up his most precious treasures for victory, he was willing.

    ****

    Back in the bar, Xu Shan was watching the revered nces from the soldiers of the Sky Dynasty.

    "If they find your real identity, I wonder just how amusing their expressions would be..." Xinren sat next to Xu Shan,ughing. "I didn''t know this was so easy to fool people."

    "When one is in distress, their mind stops working. They believe what they want to believe, to get out of the problem. I just used this opportunity," Xu Shan told Xinren, using his thoughts. "Now it''s only a matter of time."

    Just as he finished, he heard footsteps behind him.

    "And so theye." He patted his clothes, before adjusting his mask properly, before standing up.

    "I guess you have your answer by now?" he asked the two Generals who stood before him.

    "Our Prince has decided. He said that he would be willing to give you the Seed of Chaos, if you help him."

    "Seed of Chaos?" Xu Shan was genuinely shocked within his heart.

    He had certainly heard what Seed of Chaos was! It was said that having a Seed of Chaos was like having a second life! It was something that almost everyone wanted! However, no one knew where it actually was!

    There were also many rumored uses of the Seed of Chaos, but no one knew which of those rumors were true. One thing was for certain! A Seed of Chaos wasn''t something that one could buy with money!

    There were said to be only a handful of them in existence after all!

    There were only rumors from time to time about its whereabouts! He was pleasantly surprised to hear that the Seed of Chaos was with the Prince of Sky Dynasty. If he could actually get the Seed of Chaos, then this was a perfect opportunity!

    His heart was filled with greed. However, he maintained his calm.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He finally had the opportunity that he needed, but it came with an extra benefit that he hadn''t expected. He had ess to the Commanding Ship, and he was being paid for that ess!

    It was as if a human was inviting a wild tiger into their house, and at the same time, paying them toe and destroy everything that belonged to them!

    The two Generals brought Xu Shan out of the house.

    One of the two Generals brought out a small gem from his pocket. He sent a trace of his aura, which was verified by the stone. A formation circle appeared around the two Generals and Xu Shan.

    The next moment, the space around them started distorting. Everything turned white.

    Within a blink of an eye, their surroundings had changed.

    Xu Shan found himself standing inside the Ship of the Sky Dynasty, where every important decision was being taken!

    Around him, he could feel many terrifying auras. It was a dangerous ce, where a single mistake was going to cause his death.

    From a single nce, it appeared as if this army wasn''t weaker at all. No one could have guessed that it was the weakest of the three s

    Sky Dynasty Armies.

    Even in this ce, he maintained his calm. There was not a single trace of fear in his eyes. Moreover, he made it impossible for anyone to sense his auras, which made the others also somewhat hesitant.

    No one knew just how old he was, or how strong he actually was. From an initial nce, they felt that Xu Shan was very young. However, they couldn''t be sure about that.

    A man who could hide his aura so well could certainly make himself seem young. He was supposed to be a Spectator after all, who was there to keep an eye on them, without them realizing.

    "You''re finally here! I''ve been waiting to meet a great man such as yourself!"

    The Third Prince of the Sky Dynasty stepped closer, carrying two sses of wine in his hand, since he had heard that Xu Shan liked it.

    Xu Shan raised an eyebrow in surprise, but he quickly regained his calmposure.

    "It is an honor to receive such kindness from Your Highness," he replied with a small smile. "However, I''m afraid that I can''t ept any drinks. I''ve had enough."

    The Prince awkwardly pulled back the sses, not revealing any displeasure. He gave both the sses to his servant.

    "In that case, shall we get back to the negotiations?" The Sky Dynasty Prince asked. "Can you really help me get the crown?"

    Xu Shan smiled. "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to get you to the ce where you belong��"

 Chapter 97 97: Deal With The Devil!

    ****

    "So you want to be the Crown Prince." Sitting around a round table, Xu Shan asked the Third Prince of the Sky Dynasty, who was sitting in front of him.

    Even though the Third Prince had sent all the Generals back, Xu Shan could still feel that there were still some guards who were present in this room.

    Moreover, there were many safety mechanisms here. The space in this ce was also sealed, making it impossible for him to escape using a treasured Talisman.

    This ce was the worst ce if he wanted to kill the Third Prince. However, he had no intention of killing such a nice puppet.

    From the face of the Third Prince, it was clear that he was too hasty in his desire for the Crown. Because of that, he was quite easy to control.

    Finding a puppet like this wasn''t easy. This was also the reason he selected the Estel Kingdom as the battlefield for his army,pared to the other two battle zones. His main goal was to approach the Third Prince.

    Unlike him, the Eldest Princess of the Sky Dynasty was much harder to fool, from what he had heard about her. At the same time,controlling the First Army was even more impossible.

    "That''s right! No matter the cost, I''m willing to pay it! I just want the throne that rightfully belongs to me!" The Third Prince grimaced.

    Behind his mask, Xu Shan didn''t react much. On one side, he was also a Third Prince. He knew that rightfully, the throne was given to the Elder, unless the Elder was ipetent. In his eyes, the Third Prince appeared more ipetent than the second.

    In the Eternal Dynasty, he could''ve had the throne whenever he wanted, using his father''s preference of him. However, he didn''t want the throne, thinking that it was useless for him.

    On the other hand, there was this guy who was willing to go to any extent to get the Throne.

    "Do you think you''ll get the Crown if you win this battle?" Xu Shan asked, shaking his head lightly. "This won''t change much. You don''t know who''s leading the army of the Eternal Dynasty!"

    "Who? Isn''t it Ye Han?" Ming Yan frowned. He knew that the army was going to arrive, thanks to the information from the Qin Dynasty. However, that information clearly mentioned that the army was led by Ye Han.

    "Wrong." Xu Shan let out a sigh. "Even your Ye Han came with the army, but themander is someone else."

    "Who?"

    "Third Prince of the Eternal Dynasty, Xu Shan," Xu Shan answered. "I''m sure you already heard about that fool? Do you think you''ll get much credit even if you defeat a weak army being led by a fool?"

    Ming Yan''s frown deepened. He already knew that the army of the Eternal Dynasty wasn''t the strongest. However, he still had hope that he could achieve some merits.

    However, now that he heard Xu Shan, his eyes showed some uncertainty.

    While Ming Yan was confused, Xu Shan took the opportunity to manipte him even further.

    "Even if you defeat a weak army led by a fool, at best you''ll get some praise but not enough achievements to make you the Crown Prince."

    "When this war ends, your Elder Brother will be the Emperor. And I''m sure he also knows your ambitions. What do you think he''ll do when he bes the Emperor?" Xu Shan asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ming Yan raised his head. His heart had started beating faster, as if he was able to see the future. "He''ll kill me."

    "Exactly. Now he doesn''t do anything because he doesn''t have any power and because your mother''s family is influential. But when he bes the Emperor, that will be the end of yours and every power you hold!"

    "Since you''re paying me with something that I was looking for, I''m advising you out of the kindness of my heart. You should stop being naive and think about your future seriously! There is only one way for you to be the Emperor!"

    Xu Shan calmly spoke, not revealing any greed or emotion in his voice. However, his words were like magic for Ming Yan.

    Ming Yan didn''t even know when, but he had started to rely on the stranger that he just met.

    "What way?" Ming Yan asked, grimly.

    "Kill them!" Xu Shan stated,zily. Behind his mask, a smile crept up his lips. "Take them out so that you''re the only choice left!"

    "Take them out? You mean my brother?" Ming Yan revealed a trace of astonishment.

    It wasn''t as if he hadn''t thought about this, but he knew that it was impossible. The Crown Prince was safely staying in the Royal City of the Sky Dynasty. He hadn''t even joined the war!

    And in the Royal City, he was heavily protected as well! It was almost impossible to kill him.

    "Not just your brother..." Xu Shan stepped up, calmly walking closer to Ming Yan.

    The guards who were hiding in the room became alert, but they didn''t reveal themselves. They only kept their eyes on Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan stopped before Ming Yan, cing his hand on the shoulders of the Third Prince.

    He brought his lips closer to the ears of Ming Yan, and whispered, "You need to kill your Elder Sister, and your Elder Brother... That''s the only way you can protect your future."

    Xu Shan''s words were like Devil''s Whispers. Ming Yan couldn''t ignore them. If anything, there was some allure in those words that attracted him as well.

    "If you listen to me and do as I say, I can promise that within ten days, I''ll have you be the Crown Prince..."

    He took a few steps back, before reaching out his hands to shake Ming Yan''s hands.

    "So, what do you say, Third Prince? Do you want my help?"

    Ming Yan''s heart was racing. However, he knew that he wanted this! This was his only option to get the throne!

    He reached out his hand, shaking Xu Shan''s hands, not realizing that he was making a deal with the devil...

 Chapter 98 98: The Invincible Princess

    In the Estel Kingdom, there was a magnificent banquet being held.

    After a long war where many people died, there were finally some moments of peace and happiness. They had managed to survive!

    Even though the Estel Kingdom had already lost many cities, they were still happy that now they had some hope of sess.

    With the backup from the Dynasty, it was only a matter of time before they managed to recapture all their stories.

    Since the Sky Dynasty didn''t attack them after retreating, this made them believe even more that the Sky Dynasty was now scared!

    The Banquet was attended by many Generals from the Eternal Dynasty. Even though Ye Han and the Great Elder didn''t want to waste their time on the banquet, they couldn''t say no either.

    The people of the Royal City were living in fear of death for a long time, unsure if they could even see the next day. This celebration was also an opportunity for the King of the Estel Kingdom to make the citizens calm down, and send a signal that the kingdom was still strong.

    They needed time for further preparation of their assault on the Sky Dynasty forces as well.

    In the Banquet, many influential people from the Eternal Dynasty were present. Even the King had to be respectful to Ye Han and the Generals from the Eternal Dynasty, let alone the rest.

    Amongst the influential people in the Eternal Dynasty Army that had arrived, there was only one person who was still absent from the banquet.

    It was the person who was said to bemanding the army, Third Prince Xu Shan.

    The King asked a few more times to invite the Prince. Unfortunately, Ye Han rejected all the suggestions.

    It wasn''t because he didn''t want to invite Xu Shan. Instead, it was because he already found out that Xu Shan had escaped.

    When hest went to check on Xu Shan in his room, he saw that the young prince wasn''t there. There was only one letter there, which mentioned that he was going outside, to take care of some important matters.

    Xu Shan insisted that Ye Han had to take themand of the army in his absence, and make sure that no one found out about his absence!

    At the same time, he also left some secret instructions for Ye Han, that no one else was supposed to know about.

    That''s why Ye Han made many excuses to make sure that Xu Shan didn''t have to appear.

    Fortunately, he had a great excuse. Xu Shan was themander of the army, but he was still young.

    Ye Han used security as an excuse to make sure that no one found it suspicious that Xu Shan wasn''t showing himself.

    He made Xu Shan appear like the strategist of the army, and not the warrior who was to directly fight. It wasn''t hard to make anyone believe that, since they all knew that Xu Shan was a mortal who didn''t have a trace of Celestial Aura at all.

    However, there was barely anyone who even believed that Xu Shan was the strategist, other than Ye Han and the Great Elder of the Celestial Pce.

    Only those two knew just what kind of mind the so-called Young Prince had, when it came to such things!

    As for the others, they only thought that Ye Han was saying that for the sake of it. They all believed that Xu Shan was nothing more than a burden.

    It even made the King of Estel Kingdom feel bad for Ye Han, since the man had to carry such a burden because of the Emperor''s favoritism.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Since Xu Shan didn''t appear at the banquet, the rumors about him only became worse. However, even if he was here, it was impossible for him to care about more rumors, especially with the kind of reputation he already had.

    Ye Han drank a few sses of the precious wine, even the Kingdom didn''t possess in high quantity. The King had brought out his most precious wine for this asion.

    The banquet was also attended by one more person, who Xu Shan would''ve found very interesting if he was here...

    ****

    While everyone in the Estel Kingdom was celebrating their first victory, the architect of this victory was walking with the Prince of the Sky Dynasty.

    "Are you sure this will work? If I''m caught, I''ll be directly executed!" Ming Yan asked, with slight hesitation.

    "Don''t worry. Someone else will take me for it." Xu Shan patted the shoulders of the Young Prince.

    "You just have to listen to me. Arrange a meeting with your Elder Sister. After that, I''ll handle the rest. I promise, within ten days, you''ll be the next Crown Prince, and maybe even the new Emperor..."

    Ming Yan scratched the back of his head, but in the end, he agreed.

    The greed of the crown had already infiltrated deep in his heart. And it was further increased because of Xu Shan''s alluring words.

    Ming Yan took the matter into his own hands. For some reason, he had started trusting Xu Shan so much that there was not a shred of doubt in his mind.

    Even when he sent a message to his Elder Sister who led the Second Army, he was apanied by Xu Shan, who had told him exactly what to say.

    ****

    A dark haired young woman, donning a majestic armor, was sitting, with some papers in her hands.

    She seemed to be seriously going through the documents.

    Not too far from her, there was a sword that was coveredpletely in blood. The blood on the Sword appeared to have dried, but the woman didn''t clean it.

    This was the blood of the Southern General of the Eternal Dynasty, who was the Ancestor of the Chen n!

    The person who killed the Southern General, who was said to be invincible, was none other than the Eldest Princess of the Sky Dynasty.

    No one knew the exact ex

    tent of her strength. But people were more scared of her than they were of the Commander of the First Army!

    The woman ced the papers down, sending the jade that was hanging around her neck, shining.

    She ced her hand on the beautiful green jade, receiving the message.

 Chapter 99 99: Alone

    Ming Yu, the fierce Eldest Princess of the Sky Dynasty was said to be the most talented amongst the Emperor''s Children. It was said that if she wasn''t a girl, she would''ve already been selected for the Throne.

    Unfortunately, the Sky Dynasty only selected the male heirs for the crown.

    Despite not even having a chance for the throne, Ming Yu worked for the Dynasty, not caring. It was as if she just wanted to pursue strength above everything else, not caring about the reigns of a Dynasty.

    In any case, the current Crown Prince was her dear brother, who she cherished the most. On the other hand, Third Prince Ming Yan was from a different mother, which was why she wasn''t that close to him.

    It was also because of that realm, she felt really strange to receive a sudden message from Ming Yan out of nowhere.

    "He wants to meet at a time like this?" She couldn''t help but ponder the meaning of this.

    However, in the end, she agreed.

    ****

    "She agreed to meet me. I can go meet her whenever I want. But are you sure that it''ll work?" Ming Yan asked Xu Shan, still somewhat hesitant.

    "If you don''t think it''ll work, then you don''t have to follow the n," Xu Shan responded. "You can just wait for your brother to be the Emperor."

    Xu Shan wasfortably sitting on the throne, ying with his reward that was given to him in advance.

    Everything was moving smoothly. Moreover, thanks to his informant in the Sky Dynasty, Xu Shan had managed to confirm that Qin Ye was still unaware about any changes in the future.

    That was to be expected as well, since he couldn''t actively check the new future everytime. It came at the cost of his own life after all.

    So unless he was informed of some problems in the n, from the Sky Dynasty''s side, the chances of him checking anytime soon were unlikely.

    p��nd��---no��?1,��o�� As for the information from Sky Dynasty about the problem, Xu Shan already cut off that source!

    Because of his presence here, Ming Yan didn''t inform the Qin Dynasty or Sky Dynasty about the changes in n.

    Just to be safe, Xu Shan even messed a little with themunication orb that Ming Yan had, allowing him to contact the Qin Dynasty. Because of that, Ming Yan couldn''t inform Qin Dynasty even if he wanted. However, the young prince didn''t know anything about it.

    Despite preparing everything, Xu Shan knew that he had to act fast if he wanted to avoid any unnecessary troubles that could pop up in the future.

    "I-i trust you..." Ming Yan eximed.

    ording to the n he was told, they were going to poison the Princess, and me it on someone else. That way, the Princess was going to fall, which was going to force the Crown Prince toe lead the Second Army personally. And that was the opportunity to kill him.

    At least that''s the n he thought was...

    "We can leave at any time. But is it right to leave the battlefield for so long? What if the enemies attack our forces?" Ming Yan further inquired.

    "Don''t worry. The Eternal Dynasty won''t be attacking. It''s all ording to Emperor Qin''s estimates. They''ll be more concerned with stabilizing the situation in the Royal City first. We have time."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ****

    Back in the Royal Pce of the Estel Kingdom, the King had an uncertain expression on his face, as he eximed in an unnatural tone.

    "What do you mean we won''t be attacking and recapturing the other cities?"

    Not just him, but the other Ministers were also stunned. Now was the right time for them to counter and take back the cities that they had lost. But they weren''t going to do that? Why? He couldn''t understand.

    Ye Han sat silently, in a different throne. His expressions didn''t falter. Even he didn''t know why they weren''t attacking. However, he just did as he was informed in the letter by Xu Shan.

    ording to the letter, they were to stay still for the time being.

    "We will take the cities back when the timees. However, now isn''t the time."

    He simply spoke one sentence before standing up. "We still need a few more preparations that will take a few more days."

    After speaking, he walked out of the Royal Court of the Kingdom, returning to the Ship.

    However, when he was on the ship, he gazed in the distant sky, muttering to himself, "I wonder what you''re trying to do. But I''m quite curious..."

    ****

    "Argh, Why are there so many cities that are in trouble? At this rate, we''ll never be free to join the battlefield!"

    Chen Hao appeared quite frustrated. He had been saving various cities from the bandits that tried to take advantage of the situation. However, there was no end to it! It was as if this was a problem all over the Dynasty now that they were at the war.

    He thought it was only to be the problem of one or two cities and that they could go to the battlefield soon, but there was no end at sight.

    If there was one person who was more frustrated than him, it was his daughter Chen Rouyin.

    "Father, there is no end to it! We should leave and join the main battlefield instead! The Imperial Army might need us!"

    For some reason, she appeared even more impatient, even though she was the first person to ask for this.

    "Do you think we can leave at this point? We asked for this and we have to do this!" Chen Huo retorted.

    "What about me?I can join the Imperial Army and ask them to allow us back?!" She asked, as her eyes revealed a strange glint which she soon hid.

    Chen Huo shook his head. "I''m not letting you go to the battlefield alone. It''s too dangerous!"

    He simply didn''t even listen to his daughter, only sending her back. However, he didn''t know that his daughter was more insistent.

    While he was busy elsewhere, his daughter secretly snuck out of the ship, advancing alone toward the battlefield.

 Chapter 100 100: Take Off The Mask

    ****

    It was the day of the Meeting between the twomanders of the Sky Dynasty''s second and third armies: Third Prince Ming Yan and the Eldest Princess Ming Yu.

    The meeting was supposed to take ce at the ship of Ming Yu, which was in the Southern Parts of the Eternal Dynasty, trying to break through the defence of the strongest Kingdom under the Eternal Dynasty.

    Unfortunately, even for Ming Yu, it wasn''t easy to break through this defence. However, she knew that it was only a matter of time, so she wasn''t in any hurry.

    Ming Yan came to this ce, apanied by three Generals, and Xu Shan.

    Usually, no outsider was even allowed to get close to the Commanding Ship of the Second Army where the Eldest Princess stayed, but since Xu Shan was apanying Ming Yan, he was able to enter.

    One of the General who sided with Ming Yu came to wee the Third Prince. He was quite curious about the identity of Xu Shan, who was hiding his face behind a mask.

    However, on Ming Yan''s insistence that Xu Shan was a trusted subordinate from his mother''s side, the General didn''t ask more.

    He simply brought everyone inside the ship.

    eaglesnov?1,��o�� ****

    Walking inside the majestic ship, Xu Shan was able to notice quite a few powerful auras that were still hidden.

    This army was certainly stronger than what Ming Yan had. However, the difference wasn''t too much.

    If anything, Xu Shan was more surprising by the Kingdom that had managed to hold this army back.

    He had read quite a lot about the Kingdom, to get a better understanding. His entire n had rested on the shoulders of the Yetel Kingdom, and their ability to hold the Second Army back, until he managed to execute his n.

    Fortunately, the Kingdom hadn''t failed him. Here he was, at the most crucial step on the Downfall of the Sky Dynasty.

    The Princess is waiting for you inside.

    The General brought Ming Yan to a certain section of the ship.

    Xu Shan walked past multipleyers of guards, just to reach this section. However, even in the hallway itself, he could see many Peak Sky Celestials.

    If he wanted, he could''ve killed all of them, but the problem was the General who was leading them.

    "The Eldest Princess is waiting inside. Also, I''m afraid that you''ll have to go alone from this point. The others must wait outside."

    The Second Army General stopped outside a door, which was protected by multiple protective Formations.

    It wasn''t impossible for a Heavenly Celestial to break them, but it was easy either. It was something that would''ve taken a lot of time, just to break the door, which was enough time for the other guards to rush to this ce.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Are you asking me to go alone without my guards?" Prince Ming Yan frowned. "That''s impossible. What if my life is in danger?!"

    No matter what, he wanted to bring at least Xu Shan with him, to make sure nothing went wrong.

    "That won''t happen. This is the safest ce Your Highness will ever be in. I assure you, that with the Princess, your life is insured!" The white haired General confirmed.

    Ming Yan opened his lips to retort. However, before he could even articte one word, a voice came from inside the room.

    "Your cowardly habit hasn''t changed. Do you really think your sister will hurt you?"

    The voice appeared beautiful, but it was also filled with some mysterious power. Xu Shan could feel a trace of arrogance and dignity in the tone. It was clear that the woman looked down on Ming Yan.

    However, as far as the strength was concerned, she wasn''t weak either. Even though Xu Shan hadn''t seen the woman before, but from what he could feel, she was definitely a Heavenly Celestial, even stronger than him.

    "If you don''t have any ulterior motives, then at least allow me to bring my strategist inside. You know I came here to discuss something important," Ming Yan responded, facing the door. He wasn''t the one to give up either.

    "Oh? A strategist? Fine. You can bring him with you, if you''re that eager. I also want to see what you have to talk about, to suddenly contact me out of nowhere..."

    The white haired old man opened the door. Now that the Princess agreed, he also didn''t create much problem.

    The Generals that Ming Yan brought with him stayed outside. On the other hand, Xu Shan entered the room, apanying Ming Yan.

    As soon as the two of them entered, the door behind them closed. At the same time, a barrier was enacted near the door, which made it impossible for anything that was discussed inside to be heard by others outside!

    Taking his first step inside the ce, Xu Shan was somewhat surprised. This ce wasn''t actually a room but an entire garden, filled with beautiful flowers and nts.

    In the middle of the garden, there was a straight path that led to the center, where there was a small stage floating in the middle of a crystal clear pond.

    On the stage, there was the Eldest Princess of the Sky Dynasty, sitting around the table. Not too far from her, that was a bloody sword.

    Ming Yan nced at Xu Shan, but spoke no words. He simply walked towards the central tform.

    Xu Shan remained one step behind Ming Yan. Now that he was here, he could clear feel the aura of the Princes.

    She wasn''t much old. In fact, if one was to go by the looks alone, she was only in her twenties. However, from her aura, it was clear that she was stronger than Ye Han at least.

    "Why is your strategist hiding his face? Isn''t it bad manners to hide their faces before a Royal?" As Xu Shan and Ming Yan came closer, Ming Yu spoke with an intrigued gaze.

    "Remove that mask... Let me see what the so called strategist of my brother looks like..''

 Chapter 101 101: The Poison

    Xu Shan nced at the Princess in the distance. She was sitting around a table. Two cups were ced before her, one for her and one for her brother that she was supposed to meet.

    There was also a teapot with some fresh tea. However, before they could even approach the table, she asked Xu Shan to show his face.

    Even Ming Yan was curious about Xu Shan''s face. However, he hadn''t asked in fear of offending the envoy.

    He thought that Xu Shan had some scar or something on his face, which made him use the mask.

    "What are you thinking about? Don''t tell me you''re going to hide your face, even now?" The Princess asked again.

    "Why shall I hide?" Xu Shan responded, cing his fingers around his mask. "However, the question shall be, can you afford to see my face?"

    The Princess frowned in response. "Are you saying that I can''t afford to see your face? You''re quite brave, aren''t you?"

    She finally stood up, grabbing the sword that was lying next to her.

    Her figure flickered. The next moment, she appeared right before Xu Shan, the tip of her Sword resting against Xu Shan''s throat.

    "Thest person to be that arrogant towards me was the Southern General of the Eternal Dynasty. Now his blood graces the de of my sword. So..." She took a brief pause. "Would you like to rephrase your words?"

    "It looks like my guess was right. The Princess really wants to assassinate the Third Prince, and is looking for an excuse..." Xu Shan smiled behind his mask. "Though I also wonder, will you be able to afford attacking me? Your dear brother might find it difficult to stabilize the situation in the Royal City after your actions..."

    Hearing his words, Ming Yan also frowned. Was that true? If not, why was she so eager to raise her sword against his men? This made him internally furious.

    "You think I care?" Ming Yu pushed the sword very lightly, leaving a small cut in Xu Shan''s throat.

    Xu Shan didn''t flinch, maintaining his smile. "Ah, I see. You''re truly a free spirit. But I hope you have more reason to attack me than simply for the thrill of it."

    "You''re quite boring, aren''t you? Though I''m still curious as to who''s behind that mask." Ming Yu pulled back the sword.

    She reached out her hand to take off Xu Shan''s mask herself.

    "That''s enough."

    Just as her fingers were about to touch Xu Shan''s mask, Ming Yan intervened. He grabbed the wrist of Ming Yu, stopping her.

    He had been quite upset that he was being ignored. It was as if Ming Yu was doing it intentionally to show him that he was insignificant.

    "I don''t have much time to waste. So can we get to the main topic and start this meeting?"

    He released her wrist. In any case, he knew that this was going to be herst day, so he wasn''t worried about offending her and her future retaliation.

    Ming Yu revealed a surprised nce.

    "Alright." She turned serious. "Let me see what is the important thing that you''re here to talk about. However, I also hope you''re not here to waste my time."

    She finally stopped paying attention to Xu Shan for the time being and turned back, walking back to the table.

    Xu Shan touched the small cut around his neck, which wasn''t deep enough to make him bleed.

    Behind his mask, he was quite intrigued about that woman. However, so far, it was expected.

    Even if she had insisted on taking off his mask it was still fine. He had prepared for that as well.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Ming Yan sat before the Princess on the table. On the other hand, Xu Shan stood behind him, calmly.

    The tea pot floated on its own, and the tea was served.

    "Now speak." The Princess put her sword on the table, before picking up the cup.

    Ming Yan also picked up the cup, taking one sip, before speaking. "It''s about the war."

    "The n of the Qin Dynasty has gone off track. Nothing went as the Qin Dynasty suggested on our side. And now the entire Eternal Dynasty army is there. So if we don''t want to lose this war, I need your help."

    Ming Yan spoke, maintaining his calm. He just had to drag this enough.

    The Princess listened carefully, her eyes narrowing, considering the information. "What kind of help?" she asked, setting her own cup down.

    "Your army. I need the help of your army, to destroy the Dynasty''s forces."

    As he spoke, he didn''t once nce at Xu Shan, havingplete faith in him. The n was already informed to him after all.

    ording to the n, Xu Shan was going to poison the drinks before the meeting even started.

    Initially, he didn''t know how Xu Shan was able to achieve that task. However, the masked man simply said that he had a treasure to achieve that. Because of that, Xu Shan also gave Ming Yan the antidote in advance.

    The meeting kept progressing as Ming Yan and Ming Yu discussed the specifics. Xu Shan also intervened whenever he had to, ying his role well.

    Ming Yan simply waited for Ming Yu to die. However, for some reason, he noticed that something was wrong.

    His body was getting warmer. At first, it felt like his misconception. However, soon he realized that he wasn''t imagining it.

    It soon became much harder for him to breathe. Not a single word came out of his mouth as he started gasping for breath.

    In disbelief, he looked at Xu Shan. His sister was still fine and instead, he was the one who was poisoned!

    He didn''t realize that Xu Shan really had no way to poison the tea. The only poison he used was in the so-called antidote that he fed Ming Yan.

    "Y-your Highness?"

    Ming Yan looked in disbelief, unable to speak anything as Xu Shan pretended to be concerned.

    The Young Prince wasn''t even able to move a single finger of his, unable to even call for help!

    Xu Shan ced his hands around Ming Yan''s shoulder. "What happened to you? Is the tea poisoned? The Princess poisoned you?"

    Ming Yu on the other hand didn''t understand a single thing. She was sure that the tea wasn''t poisoned since she drank the same. She couldn''t help but wonder if this was a trick of her brother? Was this the reason he came here?

    However, he didn''t look like he was acting! It was as if he really was about to die!

    "Eat this fast!" She pulled out her most precious healing pill, giving it to Ming Yan.

    While she was distracted in trying to save her brother, to avoid any future problems, her sword was left behind.

 Chapter 102 102: Were The Same

    She fed the healing pill to Ming Yan, whose face had gone pale. It was as if he was trying to say anything, but not a single word came out of his mouth.

    e��glesn?��el The Princess didn''t know that no healing pill was able to help Ming Yan.

    As she ced the pill in her brother''s mouth, she started sending some of her purest aura to make the pill work faster.

    Unfortunately, just as she started, she noticed that Xu Shan wasn''t next to the Prince.

    She didn''t know why, but she had a really bad feeling about it! She hastily stood up, reaching out her hand toward her Sword, only to feel a sudden gush of killing intent!

    Her Sword wasn''t in its ce either. Instead, it was now in Xu Shan''s hands.

    The sword rushed toward her. In such a short notice, she couldn''t avoid the attack. She hastily used a protective talisman.

    Shatter~

    Unfortunately for her, the barrier that was cast using the Talisman shattered instantly, not providing the slightest of protection.

    The woman lowered her gaze in disbelief, noticing her own Sword that had stabbed deep in her heart.

    "As I asked before..." Xu Shan ced his left hand over his mask, removing it right before the Princess, "... Can you afford to see my face?"

    "Oh and one more thing..." He twisted the sword inside the chest of the woman, who coughed out a mouthful of blood.

    He didn''t forget to use his dagger to paralyze her either. He didn''t want to risk a counter attack, no matter how unlikely it was.

    The so-called goddess of the battlefield was nothing more than a helpless girl before him now.

    Xu Shan stepped closer to the woman, grabbing her by the throat. He raised her in the air, bringing her face closer to his.

    He brought his lips closer to her ears before speaking, "We''re quite simr, aren''t we? Thest person who was arrogant before me... Now her blood will grace a sword as well..."

    "You''re..." The Woman tried speaking. She had seen the portraits of all the important people in the Eternal Dynasty and she recognized the person who was before her.

    It was none other than the Prince of the Eternal Dynasty.... The Prince that was considered nothing more than a joke in the continent!

    Unfortunately, before she could finish her sentence, she felt something strange. It was as if all her Celestial Aura was being sucked dry!

    Xu Shan''s left eyes started shining, revealing a bright Celestial Mark, which was nothing like she had ever seen before.

    "Thanks for the feast..." Xu Shan watched the Princess die right before his eyes, as he absorbed all her strength!

    He finally broke through the first stage of Heavenly Celestial Rank, bing the youngest person to possess this strength.

    However, even with this strength, he wasn''t confident that he could face Ye Han. Currently, he had strength, but what hecked was experience and skills! So far, he had been relying on his enemies underestimating me but he knew that he couldn''t rely on it.

    He took the storage ring of the Princess and explored through it, taking everything that he found worth interest.

    He did the same with Ming Yan, who had also died. His head was lying on the table,pletely pale.

    ''As expected of the Royal Children, they really possess some nice items.''

    Xu Shan took everything that he liked for himself, before cing the rings back on the fingers of his enemies after wiping any signs that he had taken the ring. After that, he got to work.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He ced the lifeless body of the Princess on the ground. Not too far from her, he ced the body of the Third Prince.

    He opened the teapot and ced some poison inside it, now that no one was here to stop him.

    He made the site appear quite interesting, making it look as if the Princess poisoned the Prince, but the brave Prince still fought back, taking advantage of the Princess who underestimated him to kill her!

    As a final touch, he ced the Princess'' Sword in Ming Yan''s hands.

    "I should thank the two of you, for killing each other and causing a Civil War in the Sky Dynasty..." Xu Shan smiled as he brought a body from his storage ring.

    He changed his clothes, cing his mask on the new body, to give that dead person his identity. He also made the person wear the same clothes as him.

    It would''ve been surprising if the Strategist had survived such a chaotic situation after all.

    After dealing with everything, Xu Shan finally brought out the Communication Orb of the Third Prince that he wasn''t able to use.

    He used the Prince''s hands to activate themunication orb before sending a message in the Prince''s voice, telling all his men that he was poisoned by Ming Yan!

    Not just his men, but the message also reached Ming Yan''s mother''s family in the Royal Capital! This was just the start of the fire that Xu Shan had lit! And now it was told to watch the entire Sky Dynasty burn!

    ****

    Standing outside the room, the Generals that Ming Yan brought with him also saw the message!

    Their faces turned pale in disbelief.

    "You traitors!" The Two Generals eximed in pain, as they started attacking the door to break inside and help their Prince.

    Unfortunately, the Generals of the Second Army still didn''t know anything. They saw the two Generals try to break in, and acted to stop them.

    And thus, a battle started between the Generals of both sides!

    The Generals knew that they were alone. However, they didn''t hesitate. One of them held the others back for the time being, while the other kept trying to break the door!

    At the same time, the two Generals also send a message to the Third Army, telling them toe here and destroy the Second Army!

    They worked for Ming Yan''s mother''s family! If anything happened to their Third Prince, they didn''t know what they were going to exin!

    The Third Army had already received Ming Yan''s message before receiving the message of the Generals. They didn''t need to think much to realize what had happened! They were betrayed and backstabbed!

    They couldn''t believe that just because of the throne''s greed of her brother, the Princess was going to put aside themon benefits of the Sky Dynasty and attack their own!

    The Third Army sent a message to all their members, including the ones who were in the city, recalling all of them!

    The forces of the Third Army finally departed from the Estel Kingdom territory, advancing toward another destination.

    The spies of the Estel Kingdom were surprised to see the Sky Dynasty forces retreat!

    They immediately sent a message to their people.

 Chapter 103 103: Civil War

    "They are leaving?" The King of Estel Kingdom eximed in surprise, as soon as he received the message from his spy.

    His eyes were filled in disbelief. Let alone not attacking them, instead they were leaving?

    "Isn''t that a good thing? Now that the Eternal Dynasty sent their army, those guys got scared and are leaving! We should take advantage of the situation and attack them while they''re retreating!"

    Unlike the King, the Ministers had already started celebrating and making a n of action on what to do next.

    The King simply remained on his throne, frowning. Something didn''t feel right. How was it possible for them to be scared so easily? If it was so easy to scare them, those people wouldn''t have dared to attack in the first ce.

    At the same time, Ye Han was standing on top of the Royal Castle, looking in the distance.

    There was a letter in his hand, which he had already read a few times. He appeared to be pleasantly surprised.

    Even though the Sky Dynasty Army changed their direction, he didn''t share after them. It was as if he was nothing more than a spectator.

    "I''ve no idea how he did it..." He muttered, seemingly confused and impressed at the same time.

    ****

    As soon as the door of the secret room was broken open, the Generals that apanied Ming Yan rushed inside.

    To stop them, the Generals of the Second Army also rushed inside, not noticing that there was one person hiding right near the entrance, covering his entire aura.

    The Generals of both sides were more distracted by the Central tform which was covered in blood.

    As they rushed toward the Central tform, Xu Shan took the opportunity to leave the ce.

    By now, he had changed his clothes. He calmly walked toward the exit, not paying attention to anything else, as if there was nothing out of ce for him.

    At times, he saw people rushing toward the Central Area of the ship. However, no one had the time to pay attention to him.

    He used his Divine Consciousness to cover the entire ship. Now that he was a Heavenly Celestial, the area he could cover in his Divine Consciousness had increased by a lot as well.

    Thanks to that, he was able to see exactly what this ship contained. There were some areas which resisted his Divine Sense. It was clear that those ces had something special.

    Instead of leaving directly, Xu Shan had another intention. Now that the situation was already chaotic, it was the perfect time to muddy the water!

    He directly walked towards the Areas that were restricted to his Divine Sense, bringing out his daggers.

    He also used a new mask. However, this time, he used a different type of mask. His entire body was covered in a ck cloak.

    As he approached the restricted areas, he felt an invisible force pushing against him, trying to block his way. But Xu Shan was determined and used his daggers. He shrouded his daggers in the Devouring Energy, before swinging them to slice the barrier like it was a thin sheet of paper.

    Along the way, he saw many guards who were guarding the hallway. However, all those guards so far had been quite weak, since all the Generals had already rushed to the Central Area of the Ship.

    Xu Shan''s figure flickered through the hallway, as his daggers danced with the wind.

    With each movement, bodies kept dropping around him. He didn''t slow down, quite intrigued as to what he was going to find.

    There were two such restricted areas in the ship. Since he himself was a Royal from an Ancient Dynasty, he knew what those two areas could be.

    One of them was the core of the ship, which was the power source. And the other was the ce where most of the treasures and weapons were kept, that were in reserve for the war!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Unfortunately, he didn''t know which of the two restricted zones was which. He only had enough time to see one of the two!

    He passed through the long andplicated hallway, which was marked with various traps.

    Fortunately, beforeing, he had taken some things from the two Royal Children of the Sky Dynasty, which granted him some ess.

    As he approached the door to the restricted area, he was filled with curiosity. Fortunately, he didn''t need to break the door.

    As if feeling the presence of the Princess''smanding token, the door unlocked on its own.

    ****

    Twenty minutester, Xu Shan appeared on the ground, far away from the Commanding Ship.

    There was a small stone fragment in his hands which wasn''t very useful to him. However, to the Command Ship, it was very important since it was from the main source of power for their ship.

    The Generals of the Second Army had killed the Generals from the Third Army after the two sides found theirmanders dead.

    The battle was fierce, causing a lot of damage to the ship already.

    Unfortunately, the two Generals were outnumbered and had no chance at all! One of them died inside the ship, while the other barely managed to escape with heavy injuries.

    Even though the General escaped, he was still chased by the Warriors from the Second Army.

    Since the General of the Third Army was heavily injured, he knew that he couldn''t survive for long. However, he also knew that he was the only person who was alive who saw the entire scene.

    He knew that if he died, the truth was probably going to be buried by the Second Army.

    Even at hisdy brief, he sent a message to everyone, about what he saw!

    In his message, he didn''t forget to mention that Ming Yan was positioned by the Princess. However, before dying, he fought back and managed to kill the Princess!

    Within a short time, this news spread everywhere, rming even the Sky Dynasty Royal Pce.

    The one who was the most furious was Ming Yan''s mother! In this world, she loved her son the most, who was her only son!

    She was fine even if her son wasn''t given the throne! But now, these people... For their dirty politics they even killed her only son! She was heartbroken and furious.

    In her anger, she stopped caring about everything! She had to have her revenge!

    A civil war was on the horizon in the Royal Pce as the Empress contacted her family, telling them to kill the Crown Prince, no matter what!

    Her family was already the strongest family in the Sky Dynasty, not too far from the Royal Family. That''s also why even the Royal Pce was considerate of her. However, times have be much worse now!

    The entire war with the Sky Dynasty was pushed back! All three armies were called back by the Sky Dynasty, to protect the Royal Pce!

    Unfortunately, the Second and the Third Army couldn''t even return as the Third Army wasmanded by the Empress that they were loyal to! They weremanded to destroy the Second Army which was loyal to the Princess and her Brother!

    The Empress was burning in rage, as she lost everything! She had decided to bathe the Royal City in Blood, until she destroyed the Crown Prince and everyone who was loyal to him!

 Chapter 104 104: Poison

    ....

    e��glesn?��el "What is going on?" Qin Ye was frowning, sitting on his throne.

    Two days had passed, and he had finally received information from the Sky Dynasty. And the information wasn''t something that made him happy. If anything, it stunned him.

    He had given the Sky Dynasty everything that they needed, including all the ns that he came up with, after seeing the future. There was no way for his ns to fail. The Eternal Dynasty should''ve been struggling to even resist.

    However, for some reason, everything had gone south! ording to the new information, instead of fighting the Eternal Dynasty, the Sky Dynasty was busy amongst themselves.

    In thest two days, the Second and the Third Army had a fierce fight amongst themselves.

    Both the armies suffered massive losses, but none fell back.

    In the battle thatsted for two days and two nights, the Second Army was victorious and the Third Army waspletely annihted.

    Unfortunately, the Second Army also suffered many losses. They had also lost the Princess who was theirmander.

    The Kingdom of the Eternal Dynasty took advantage of the situation to mount an attack. Moreover, it was at that time, the Army of the Eternal Dynasty that was supposed to be under Xu Shan came from the other side, blocking all escape routes of the Second Army!

    Within a matter of hours, all the remnants of the Second Army were also destroyed!

    The Eternal Dynasty had wiped out two thirds of the Sky Dynasty Forces, while suffering the least losses.

    By the time Chen Rouyin reached the battlefield to join the Eternal Dynasty Army, she was also stunned to see that the war... In which her Grandfather lost his life, was over so soon!

    Initially, she couldn''t even believe her eyes. However, the sight of Carnage didn''t lie!

    She could see Ye Han standing on the deck of the ship, looking down at the carnage before him. This battle had finally ended!

    Now the Sky Dynasty only had one army left... Their strongest Army. However, the First Army had returned to the Sky Dynasty, which was under even more chaos recently!

    Many ns had risen against the Crown Prince, siding with the n of Ming Yan''s mother!

    They had only one demand! Kill the Crown Prince, and everything was going to stop! Unfortunately for them, the Emperor was also in a tough spot. He couldn''t fall back and show weakness.

    Even though his own wife stood on the other side, he still had to maintain his stance! He gave it his all!

    Chen Rouyin''s mother sent the best Assassins of her n to kill the Crown Prince.

    Unfortunately for her, all the assassins that she sent were killed. The situation in the Royal Capital was bing even more tense!

    As soon as Qin Ye found out everything, his mind was filled with confusion! How could all this happen? How could his n fall apart to this extent in just two days?!

    He didn''t know why, but his thoughts only went to one person... Xu Shan! However, he still didn''t know how that man achieved so much in just two days! It should''ve been impossible!

    "Argh, if it wasn''t for his identity, I would''ve killed him myself! I shouldn''t have gone easy at him in the start! I should''ve killed him first, and then thought about the aftermath!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Qin Ye eximed in frustration, as his fists tightened.

    He could already see his hands trembling. He had been seeing the future so many times ever since he came across Xu Shan, that he had already Sacrificed a lot of his life span.

    His body was already showing signs that he was getting closer to his limit... The end of his total life span.

    Initially, he thought that seeing the future once or twice was enough for him to deal with this matter. However, he didn''t know why, but whatever future he saw... Didn''t materialize as he wished!

    It was as if there was some invisible force that was changing the future in a way that he couldn''t see! And he was convinced it had something to do with Xu Shan!

    He resisted the urge to use the Book of Destiny for the time being. Instead, he stood up, and left the Royal Hall.

    He went to a room in the pce that was being guarded by his Shadow Warriors! He opened the door, and entered the room alone.

    "How is her condition? Did she remember the truth?" he asked an old man, who was inside the room.

    Not too far from him, there was a girlying on the bed, as if she was sound asleep.

    "Ah... this..." For some reason, the old man was covered in sweat. His eyes revealed traces of fear, as if he didn''t know how to respond.

    Qin Ye noticed his fear, which slightly intrigued him. The old man didn''t reveal any expressions like this usually. It was as if he hadmitted some mistake.

    "What happened?" Qin Ye frowned, taking a nce at Yu Fei on the bed. However, it was only when he looked at her carefully that he noticed something strange!

    The woman wasn''t breathing!

    His expressions darkened, as he rushed to the Saintess of the Celestial Pce. However, no matter how he checked, he couldn''t see any signs of life!

    The next moment, his figure flickered as he appeared before the old man, grabbing him by his throat.

    His voice became much heavier as he asked, "Speak! What did you do?!"

    "I-i didn''t do anything! When I came here to give her the medicine, she was already... dead. There are signs of poison..."

    The old manmented, slightly stuttering.

    The man''s grip tightened as he growled, "Poison?! Who would dare do such a thing?!"

    "Only you were allowed to enter the room! Are you saying someone else entered the room and poisoned her without the guards noticing?!"

    "There was one more person who entered the room..." the old man replied, with some hesitation.

    "Who?!" Qin Ye asked, failing to control his aura.

 Chapter 105 105: Divide And Rule

    ****

    "Who could''ve thought that you''ll bring the downfall of the Sky Dynasty this easily," Xinrenughed. She was quite cheerful as she apanied Xu Shan. "Divide and Rule, you called it?"

    Two days had passed since Ming Yan was killed, and Xu Shan was already far away from the battlefield.

    He was already near the Royal City of the Sky Dynasty, which was surrounded by a Cavalry of Powerful Warriors.

    It was as if the entire city was sealed. Not a single person was allowed to enter the Royal City which was already fortified.

    "Divide and Rule... A lesson that the historyback on earth taught everyone..." Xu Shan replied, walking with calm steps. "It''s the method used in the past on earth. Well, not just in the past. I guess it''s still being used in the modern era, just in a different way."

    "I just borrowed that method for a little bit, after realizing the inner conflict of the Sky Dynasty. And this war came as a perfect opportunity. Now all I need to do is collect my harvest."

    He gazed at the Majestic Royal City in the distance. His face was still covered in a mask. However, his aura was very different now. He wasn''t hiding his aura at all, as he approached the Royal City of the Sky Dynasty.

    "Hmm?" Suddenly, he pulled out a small crystal sphere from his pocket, feeling it activate.

    "You killed her?" he asked, as if he was using the orb tomunicate with someone. There was a frown on his face.

    He simply asked the woman to keep an eye on Yu Fei for the time being, since he still had some uses for her. However, to his surprise, she acted on her own.

    On the other side of the Communication Orb, a woman was sitting on her bed, nodding. "Yes. I sent my maid to poison her. She should be dead by now."

    Initially, Xu Shan only desired to make her his spy. However, even he didn''t expect that she was going to fall to this extent, even doing things that he didn''t ask, thinking it''ll help him. It was as if she was now obsessed with him.

    "I heard he wanted to use that girl against you! So I took this opportunity to kill her!" She further stated.

    Xu Shan''s frown deepened, as he scratched the back of his head. His eyes revealed some frustration since he knew that this was the end of his spy''s usefulness.

    There was no way Qin Ye wasn''t going to find out about her being behind all this!

    He knew that the young Emperor should''ve already been suspicious by now if there was a spy amongst them and now this... There was no way he wasn''t going to know.

    Xu Shan rubbed the back of his neck, shaking his head. As he was about to speak something, he heard pping sounds.

    The Empress also turned around, noticing multiple people in her room that previously weren''t there. She didn''t even know how they could enter without her knowing!

    However, the person who caught her most attention was Qin Ye, who was standingzily with his back resting against the wall, pping.

    "And here I thought, there was no way you could be a spy..." After pping for a long time, he finally spoke.

    He stepped closer to the Empress who was frozen in fear.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As soon as the Empress saw Qin Ye stopping near her, she pulled out a dagger and rushed ahead. The smallmunication orb fell on the bed.

    Qin Ye didn''t even flinch. He caught the Empress''s wrist mid-air and with the other hand, he carefully took the dagger away from her grip.

    "To think that even you would betray me one day?" His fingers brushed against the cheeks of the Empress... the only woman he ever loved.

    Unfortunately, the face of the Empress showed no signs of familiarity. It was as if she was apletely different person now.

    eaglesnov?1,��o�� Qin Ye released her wrist.

    "How did you fall so far?" he asked softly, sadness etched on his face.

    The Empress sneered at him and straightened her clothes. "Stop talking as if you know me! If you want to help me, then just die! If anything, her eyes only revealed a look of craving for the crystal orb in the distance.

    Qin Ye let out a sigh, observing the woman before him once again, as if etching her in his memories onest time.

    Aftering to a decision, he suddenly grabbed his wife''s throat and lifted her off the ground before he reached for the crystal orb with his other hand.

    The iridescent Crystal Orb hovered effortlessly before finallying to rest in the palms of the youthful Emperor.

    "Xu Shan, I suppose?" he asked, struggling really hard to not crush the orb in his hand.

    "Emperor Qin, it''s nice to make your acquaintance." On the other side, Xu Shan smiled. "I guess I should thank you for kidnapping the Saintess?"

    "Do you think you can survive for long like this?" Qin Ye asked. Since he couldn''t crush themunication orb, his fists around the throat of his wife kept getting tighter.

    "Shouldn''t you be worrying about yourself instead? How much lifespan do you even have left, to y around with that book?" Xu Shanzily asked.

    Even as he talked, he finally came closer to the entrance of the Sky Dynasty Royal City.

    Hearing him suddenly mention his biggest secret, Qin Ye froze on the spot. His grip weakened, and his wife dropped to her knees, breathing heavily as if she had just escaped death!

    He didn''t know how Xu Shan knew about this book! How was this possible?!

    "How do you know about it?!" he asked, as his aura fluttered uncontrobly, sending his guards flying back.

    Even the Empress who was on her knees, couldn''t resist that aura. Her skin broke apart, as her body disintegrated before that aura, until nothing was left of her!

    The entire room was in a mess, as a fierce killing intent built up.

 Chapter 106 106: Survive

    "Enough of this hide and seek! Enough of this ying around! You want to kill me? Thene here! I''ll find you an opportunity!" Qin Ye eximed, as his frustration reached the peak!

    "Oh my, I was only guessing, but it looks like you really don''t have much of a lifespan left to sacrifice, do you?"

    Xu Shan held a dagger in his right hand and themunication orb in his left. His eyes revealed a look of understanding.

    Qin Ye was the person who was more into these games, after all. For him to stop and directly ask for them to meet... It was clear that he didn''t have much use of the Book left. Either that, or he was bluffing.

    However, Xu Shan had a feeling that this wasn''t a bluff!

    "Don''t worry. I am in a hurry as well. I''ll definitelye to you. But first, you should try to survive what''s toe..."Xu Shan smiled as he kept thebination orb in his pocket

    He rushed toward the Cavalry which was guarding the entrance to the Royal City of the Sky Dynasty.

    *****

    "Find a way to survive?" Qin Ye frowned, repeating the words of Xu Shan.

    However, right then, he heard a loud roaring in the sky. The barrier that was erected over the Royal City was split apart.

    Usually it was impossible for a person to break the Barrier that easily. Even though the barrier wasn''t as strong as the barrier around the Celestial Pce, it was still formidable.

    The only way to break the barrier was to know the weakest point of the barrier that covered the entire city! And there were only a few people who knew about that weak point.

    Qin Ye had already killed all of them, to protect this secret... everyone except one person!

    He looked at the empty spot before him, where his wife was previously sitting. His face twisted as he realized how this information leaked!

    His fists tightened.

    As soon as the barrier around the Royal City broke, the void opened up in the sky, and two tall figures stepped out of the void.

    One of the two was the Celestial Pce Master. As for the other, it was none other than Xu Shan''s father!

    Qin Ye looked out the window, as his face darkened.

    ****

    The grandeur of the Royal City of Sky Dynasty was a sight to behold. Its towering walls loomed over the vast expanse ofnd, casting a majestic shadow that added to its charm and allure.

    Protected by a formidable cavalry, it was a fortress that withstood countless sieges. Now that the city was under a civil war, most of the forces were busy inside!

    However, many Generals from the First Army were at the entrance of the Royal City to safeguard it, hiding in the shadows.

    It was only when they sensed the aura of another Heavenly Celestial, they came out of the void, revealing themselves in the sky.

    With the morning sun casting a golden glow across the sky, Xu Shan found herself standing just a short distance from the entrance of the Royal City.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The sound of galloping hooves grew louder as the cavalry of the Sky Dynasty approached. d in gleaming armor and wielding deadly spears, the cavalrymen exuded an air of invincibility. Even the weakest amongst them was a Peak Sky Celestial!

    "No one is allowed here! Identify yourself or we''ll be forced to kill you!" The Leader of the Cavalry, a Heavenly Celestial, spoke.

    The Leader had just finished speaking. However, right then, he felt a wave of killing intent wash over him.

    A dagger flew toward him, tossed by Xu Shan. His figure flickered, as he avoided the dagger.

    Unfortunately, it was only when he dodged that he heard a painful groaning from behind him.

    A shadow came to light, revealing itself to be one of the Generals of the Sky Dynasty, who was standing behind the leader of the Cavalry. The dagger had prated his skull.

    "As I just told an old friend, I don''t have much free time. So let''s not waste it with introductions!"

    He raised his right hand, tossing a small crystal in the air, that he had asked from his father.

    As soon as the crystal flew in the air, it burst into specks of light.

    The specks of light flew high in the sky, before gathering into a circle, opening a spatial portal.

    "Enemies!" The Leader of the Sky Dynasty Cavalry roared.

    One of the Heavenly Celestials of the Sky Dynasty flew toward the sky, to destroy the portal before it could be big enough for ships to pass through.

    Even though the portal was currently only big enough for one person to add through, but through the portal, the Sky Dynasty Generals could see multiple majestic ships of the Eternal Dynasty on the other side.

    The Heavenly Celestials raised his ancient spear, gathering all his strength in the spear before tossing it toward the spatial portal to destroy it!

    At the same time, the first wave of horsemen charged towards Xu Shan, their steeds thundering beneath them.

    Swift as a falcon, Xu Shan dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a spear aimed at his heart.

    With lightning reflexes, he lunged forward, his dagger finding its mark. A spray of crimson erupted as the cavalryman fell from his horse, his body hitting the ground with a thud.

    As he killed the person, he was able to use his dagger itself to absorb their strength, to be even stronger!

    The sh of steel and the thunder of hooves filled the air as the battle raged on. Xu Shan weaved through the chaos, his movements fluid and precise.

    He relied on agility and speed, ducking and rolling to evade the cavalry''s onught. His dagger became an extension of his arm, a deadly extension that struck with lethal uracy.

    ****

    At the same time, high in the sky, the spear of the Heavenly Celestial was about to hit the spatial portal.

    However, before it could guy, a blood red sword came out of the spatial portal, being held by a towering figure.

 Chapter 107 107: Different Times

    The sword swung, like it was the sword of a god. A deafening sound resounded as the blood red sword and the spear shed.

    Fortunately, the spear was blocked! The spear flew back to its master!

    The Heavenly Celestial of the Sky Dynasty grabbed the spear, ring at the person who stood before the spatial portal, as if guarding it.

    "We will meet again..." The Heavenly Celestial, who was the fifth strongest General in the Sky Dynasty frowned, recognizing the figure in the distance.

    "Executioner!" Multiple voices echoed at the same time! The person who had just arrived was none other than Ye Han!

    Even though Ye Han was someone who hadn''t yet broken through to the Heavenly Celestial, he was more popr in the Sky Dynasty than even the Heavenly Celestials of the Eternal Dynasty, since his strength wasn''t defined by his realm!

    Only the ones who had seen Ye Han on the battlefieldst time knew just what kind of terror that person could bring, especially when his eyes used to turn blood red...

    The Fifth General still remembered the time he had met Ye Han on the battlefield. He knew he couldn''t take Ye Han lightly.

    "You''re... The one who ran away?" Ye Han tilted his head sideways, seemingly recognizing the man before him.

    The middle aged man felt his face twitch, as he heard Ye Han''s words.

    "Times are different! I''m much stronger than I used to be! While you''re still the same! You''ll be the one dying today!"

    "Today, we shall witness the execution of the so-called Executioner!" Another Heavenly Celestial rose in the air.

    However, Ye Han didn''t even frown. If anything, his eyes revealed a trace of the crazy excitement. He didn''t even remember how long it had been, since he went all out!

    Ye Han grabbed his Sword firmly.

    "Enough talking! We can''t let the portalplete! You hold him back! I''ll destroy the portal!" Another Heavenly Celestial spoke, noticing the postal getting bigger.

    No matter what, they couldn''t allow the army of the Eternal Dynasty to pass through

    "I''m afraid I can''t allow you to break the portal." A calm yet serene voice came out from within the portal. Right then, another person stepped out of the portal, patting his clothes as if he didn''t like even a single speck of dirt on them.

    The person who came out of the portal was the Great Elder of the Celestial Pce. His long white beard made him appear old, but his body was still brimming with strength!

    ****

    While a battle was brewing high in the sky, another battle had already started back on the ground, with the masked man!

    The Great Elder of the Celestial Pce didn''t know who the masked person was. He only knew that it was someone from the Eternal Dynasty. For him, the real Xu Shan was still on the main ship after all!

    On the other hand, Ye Han had a clear idea as to who the masked person was! He was the architect of this war, the misunderstood third Prince.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    One by one, the Warriors of the Sky Dynasty fell before Xu Shan''s prowess. His strikes were calcted, finding gaps in the armor or aiming for vulnerable spots. It was as if he was really an assassin.

    Along the way to the Sky Dynasty, Xu Shan had spent a lot of his time trying to learn some new Celestial Skills, mostly focusing on his agility!

    He was the person who cared the most about his life, which made him focus more on his speed, so that he could at least escape if one day, the situation was beyond his control.

    Even though he slowly absorbed the strength of the Sky Dynasty warriors before everyone, not no one was able to notice anything!

    The Star Mark in his eyes only kept getting denser as he stole more and more Celestial Spirits.

    The cavalry, initially confident in their numerical advantage, soon found themselves in disarray. Xu Shan''s relentless assault unnerved them, shaking theirposure.

    Mounted on his horse, the captain of the cavalry charged towards Xu Shan, his eyes zing with determination.

    With amanding presence, he sought to restore order and bring down Xu Shan.

    In response, Xu Shan only smirked. He was starting to enjoy it! This was like his training session, since most of the powerful warriors were distracted by Ye Han and the Great Elder.

    At the same time, it was going to take time before the Emperor sent reinforcements here. This was the perfect opportunity for him.

    As the captain of the Cavalry closed in, Xu Shan''s movements became more fluid, almost dance-like. He anticipated every swing of the captain''s sword and countered with impable precision.

    With each sh of des, Xu Shan''s confidence grew, fueling his relentless pursuit of victory.

    The duel between Xu Shan and the captain became the center of attention. The ng of their weapons echoed through the air, a symphony of battle.

    The captain''s strikes were strong and deliberate, but Xu Shan''s agility and cunning allowed him to parry and counter with deadly uracy. The fight was a testament to the indomitable spirit of a lone warrior against overwhelming odds.

    Time seemed to slow as Xu Shan seized an opening. With a swift feint, he drew the captain of the cavalry off bnce, leaving him vulnerable.

    In one swift motion, Xu Shan''s dagger found its mark, piercing through the captain''s armor and ending his reign as the guardian of the entrance. The cavalry, witnessing the fall of their leader, faltered. Their morale crumbled like a castle made of sand.

    Amidst the chaos and confusion, Xu Shan stood tall, his chest heaving with exertion. The once formidable cavalry now scattered, their formation broken. One after another, the remaining members were also being killed by Xu Shan.

    The entrance to the Royal City of Sky Dynastyy open, its gates beckoning Xu Shan forward.

    As the dust settled, Xu Shan''s gaze lingered on the sky,where another battle had started. This was the first time he saw Ye Han fight like that.

    With a deep breath, he stepped over the fallen bodies and strode into the Royal City, his single dagger still clutched tightly in his hand. His journey was far from over.

 Chapter 108 108: Demonic Sword

    The Emperor of the Sky Dynasty was inside the Royal Pce. His second son, the Crown Prince was with him.

    The Crown Prince didn''t say anything. However, he looked really down. He cherished his sister a lot. His sister was older than him, and also someone who cared for him the most. With his sister around, he always used to feel confident.

    His sister was brave and righteous in his eyes. He knew that she wasn''t a person who would poison Ming Yan. She had no need to do it after all, since Ming Yan wasn''t the Crown Prince.

    In his eyes, it was Ming Yan who tried to kill his sister. However, he still couldn''t understand why Ming Yan died then? There was no way he would''ve killed himself, just to mess with everyone else!

    It was as if there was another hand at y here!

    He wasn''t the only one who thought that either. The Sky Dynasty Emperor had the same thought.

    Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to convey his thoughts, he couldn''t quench the third for revenge from Ming Yan''s mother who was now even more angry to see her husband still siding with the Crown Prince!

    It was as if all the cordialities were broken.

    In their internal conflict, so many Warriors had died, on both sides!

    Fortunately, the situation was somewhat under control as soon as the First Army returned.

    Within a single day of their return, the First Army killed everyone who took part in this so-called rebellion!

    In just a single day, multiple powerful ns had disappeared from the Sky Dynasty!

    Even the n of Ming Yan''s mother was defeated. However, that n was also what caused the most damage to the First Army.

    The First Army, which consisted of the strongest Warriors of the Sky Dynasty, had lost almost seventy percent of their forces in their fight with the Ye n that belonged to Ming Yan''s mother!

    Only about thirty percent of the First Army was left! Even though the Rebellion had almost ended, the losses of the Sky Dynasty were too many to count, and it was when they didn''t even know that the Second and the Third Armies were already annihted!

    The Empress, and her father were sitting on their knees, before the Sky Emperor. Both their hands were tied behind their back, as they were kept on their knees.

    The Emperor looked at his wife, who had caused so much damage to him. His eyes revealed no love. Instead, there was only anger and frustration on his face.

    "You rebelled against the Dynasty, despite being a part of the Royalty! You harmed our citizens in your quest for revenge, without even trying to find out the truth. And you tried to assassinate the Next Monarch of the Dynasty! All these are crimes worth Execution! Do you ept your crimes?!"

    The Emperor asked, gazing at the old man and the middle aged woman who were on their knees before him.

    The Royal Court was filled with the remaining Heavenly Celestials from the first army. The Generals were still shaking their heads. This was such a perfect opportunity for them to take their revenge on the Eternal Dynasty, but because of their own men, they lost the opportunity!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Not only that, but they had also lost so many of their people in the process. It was only their loss, no matter what the oue.

    "Crime?" Ming Yan''s mother red at the Emperor. "You ask me that question while keeping a Criminal next to you? They assassinated my only son! If that''s not a crime, then how did what I do be a Crime?!"

    The Emperor rubbed his forehead in frustration. "I''ve heard enough of it. Execute them!"

    Hismand filled the entire Royal Court. It was as if he didn''t care about it anymore and just wanted it to be over with. He had many wives already and he didn''t care about one who tried to go against him!

    The Royal Executioner stepped forward, and raised his sword.

    However, just as the Emperor was about tomand him to do it, the ground started trembling as a loud explosion resounded.

    The deafening sound made even the Emperor and the Heavenly Generals stunned.

    Outside the Royal City, a giant crater could be seen on the ground!

    Above the crater, Ye Han stood with a devilish grin on his lips. His Sword still had some remnant aura, as if he had just attacked.

    Two Heavenly Celestials had tried to dy him. However, one of them was already missing. Only his blood could be seen in the center of the crater. As for the second Heaven Celestial, he was standing right at the edge of the crater. One of his arms was missing as well!

    In the distance, Xu Shan observed the battle with an intrigued gaze. This kind of strength was surprising even to him.

    It wasn''t a strength that a Sky Celestial was supposed to possess! This strength... It didn''t appear normal at all.

    "Ye Han... Just who are you...?" Xu Shah muttered, gazing at the giant crater on the ground.

    The more he came to know the people around him, the more stunned he became. First, there was the father who doted on him a little too much... To an extent that wasn''t normal.

    Then there was Ye Han, a person who was said to be found by the Emperor around twenty years ago, right around the time Xu Shan was born.

    Xu Shan couldn''t help but feel that something was amiss, but he just couldn''t put a finger on it.

    Ye Han wasn''t the only person who was revealing his strength either. The Great Elder of the Celestial Pce was also doing a great job, protecting the Spatial Portal until it wasplete!

    If Ye Han was like the Demonic Sword that shed down at heaven, then the Great Elder of the Celestial Pce was like a shield who had a really high defense. Bothpliment each other well.

 Chapter 109 109: Ye Han; The Unknown

    While everyone was distracted by Ye Han and the Great Elder, more and more Heavenly Celestials kept stepping out of the Spatial Portal.

    With everyone distracted, Xu Shan took the opportunity to step inside the Royal City. However, this time, he didn''t try to catch any attention.

    He walked calmly, trying to avoid any Warriors of the Sky Dynasty. However, even if he came across any, he simply killed them and got rid of their bodies, since they were nothingpared to what he faced outside the entrance.

    As Xu Shan was walking toward the Royal Pce of the Sky Dynasty, he sensed an aura that was as strong as the aura of his father, ring up from the direction of the Royal Pce.

    Multiple Generals of the First Army flew out of the Pce, getting information about the attack outside the city. However, they weren''t alone!

    When Xu Shan looked up, he saw the Emperor''s figure fly past him. The Emperor was personally taking action.

    Even though Xu Shan expected something like this, it was soon too soon. He couldn''t help but wonder if Ye Han was going to be able to buy more time.

    Now that most of the Heavenly Celestials left to take care of the intruders outside, only a rare few powerful people were left back inside the Royal Pce.

    A powerful barrier was erected around the Royal Pce, but it wasn''t even close to the strength that the Celestial Pce had.

    Moreover, this barrier used Celestial Energy to work. And Celestial Energy was nothing more than food for Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan ced his hand on the barrier, slowly devouring the energy of the barrier.

    As the energy of the barrier was devoured, an opening appeared in the barrier where Xu Shan had touched.

    He passed through the opening, getting across the barrier. Now there was nothing standing between him and the Royal Pce.

    He patted his clothes, as if he was irritated that some dust had gathered on his clothes.

    "Sky Dynasty... A fool''s paradise... Let''s get the game started..."

    Firmly holding his dagger, he stepped inside the Pce.

    For the next ten minutes, there were no soundsing from inside. There was not a single scream. However, if one were to enter the Pce, they would''ve found multiple bodies of the guards neatly lying on the ground, as if they were killed without even having a chance to scream.

    ****

    Back outside the Royal City, Ye Han still maintained a smile, even though there were some deep Sword wounds on his chest.

    It was as if he was a person who lived for the battlefield! This was the ce where he felt trulyfortable.

    It didn''t take long before he sensed a burst of powerful auras approaching him. It was clear to him as to who wasing to wee him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "To think that they give so much importance to us."

    He nced in the direction where Xu Shan had left. "In any case, since he isn''t here now, I guess I can use a little..."

    Ye Han''s aura red as well. His eyes turned into a darker shade of red. It was as if his aura was zing around his body.

    The aura didn''t appear to belong to a Sky Celestial either! If anything, it was much closer to the aura of the Emperor of the Sky Dynasty.

    If Xu Shan was here, he would''vebeen stunned to see Ye Han possess so much strength.

    Even the Great Elder of Celestial Pce was stunned! He couldn''t make sense of it! Was Ye Han using some forbidden skill to increase his strength temporarily at heavy cost for him in the future? Or was he always this strong and had hidden his strength in the past?

    He had always wondered why a Sky Celestial was so famous in all the Ancient Dynasties, but he finally understood to some extent. Ye Han was strong... It was an understatement.

    In the back, the Spatial Portal was almostpleted. However, at that moment, a bright beam of energy came from the direction of the Sky Emperor, destroying everything in its path!

    Even an ordinary Heavenly Celestial couldn''t defend themselves. They could only avoid this attack, if they didn''t want to die. However, if Ye Han dodged, it was going to mean that the Portal was going to be destroyed!

    In any case, Ye Han wasn''t interested in dodging the attack as well. His blood red eyes revealed even more craze.

    He raised his Sword, which was covered in blood red mes, shing down.

    The Sword aura burst forth from the de, forming a zing vortex. It collided with the destructive energy head-on, causing a deafening explosion that shook the heavens and the earth.

    The two forces shed for an instant, and then the energy wave swept across the sky with an unstoppable momentum. Ye Han was like a demon god, fighting fiercely against the Sky Emperor''s wrath.

    Even the Sky Emperor revealed a look of shock, as he looked nkly at Ye Han.

    "Who are you?!" He asked, grimly. "You... You aren''t a Heavenly Celestial. You are..."

    Ye Han''s devilish smirk widened. It gave the Sky Emperor a really bad feeling about this.

    Even the Great Elder was looking at Ye Han in a daze. Just who was this young man really? Why was the Sky Emperor stunned?

    As each second passed, the Sky Emperor''s face became paler and paler. Unfortunately, even he knew that there was no running back.

    If he escaped, even if he seeded, the Sky Dynasty was going to be destroyed! Moreover, it was even more dangerous for him to run, since he was attacked from behind, he couldn''t protect himself that well.

    The other Generals of the Sky Dynasty also looked in confusion. They knew how strong their Emperor''s attack was! Even the Eternal Emperor wouldn''t have been able to deal with it so easily. So how was this young man able to do it? Just who really was he?!

 Chapter 110 110: So Called Son

    Xu Shan waspletely unaware of what was happening in the Qin Dynasty, as he delved deeper into the Royal Pce of the Sky Dynasty. Blood kept dropping down from his dagger.

    He couldn''t afford to draw too much attention to himself. But as he turned a corner, he found himself face to face with the Sky Emperor''s most loyal guards. They drew their swords and charged at him, ready to defend their ruler at any cost. But Xu Shan was prepared for this.

    He was finally outside the Royal Court, where thest remnants of Royals were present.

    He pushed the door open and stepped inside the Royal Hall.

    As soon as he entered, he saw the Empress and her father on their knees, in shackles. It was as if they could be executed at any time.

    There were also some guards, keeping an eye on them, along with the Crown Prince sitting on the throne.

    ****

    The Sky Dynasty''s Emperor was frozen in ce marily. When he had sensed that the Eternal Emperor didn''t personallye here, he was wondering if he was being underestimated.

    However, now his thoughts had changed entirely. It was clear that the Eternal Dynasty''s Emperor didn''te here because he didn''t need to!

    Ye Han ced his hand on the back of his neck, stretching his head around, as if his body had gottenzy in recent years.

    ****

    In the Qin Dynasty, the Eternal Emperor and the Celestial Pce Master came out of the Spatial Portal, after all the defense of the ce was broken.

    Qin Ye''s expressions were as ugly as they could be, since the two Emperors didn''te alone.

    Another Portal opened behind them and a fleet of ships came out.

    Now that their protective barrier was broken, the war was directly brought to their own doors.

    Qin Ye stepped out of the castle, walking in the air to stand in the distance from the Eternal Emperor and Celestial ce Master.

    "Hand over my daughter and I might give you an easy death! If you don''t, I''ll destroy this city along with you!"

    "Pce Master, you can''t see the reality because you''ve already been manipted. The person who wants to harm you isn''t me. Instead, you''re siding with the people who are behind all this!"

    Qin Ye still tried to tell the truth to the Celestial Pce Master. Unfortunately, at this point, there was no way the Pce Master was going to listen.

    His divine consciousness spread out, searching the entire Royal Pce. It didn''t take him long to find his daughter inside the Pce!

    His figure disappeared, appearing inside the Royal Pce, right next to his daughter. However, it was only when he came close to his daughter that he realized she wasn''t breathing!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Panic rising within him, he tried to revive her with previous herbs, but to no avail. She was long dead and there was no way to bring her back! His panicked eyes went nk.

    It wasn''t long ago that he lost his son, and now even his daughter was gone! His blood was burning as a terrifying aura spread out from his body!

    ....

    Outside the Royal Pce, Qin Ye was standing with a frown. He knew that he was in the worst position he could be.

    "Are you really sure you want to help that boy in his schemes?" he asked the Eternal Emperor. "Do you think those people will praise you for how well you took care of him? Can''t you see, they''ve already abandoned him! Why do you want to ruin your Dynasty over him?!"

    The Eternal Emperor''s expressions shifted to some extent. He was taken aback. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?!"

    His eyes showed an unnatural surprise, as his aura red up.

    "You don''t have to pretend. I have seen everything... Including where that ''son'' of yours came from, and what disaster that so-called ''Son'' can cause!" Qin Ye eximed, gazing calmly. "If you want to avoid that catastrophe, then instead of siding with him, help me kill him. If not, it might be toote!"

    As Qin Ye spoke, his words seemed to contain a vast experience, as if he had really seen everything. However, at the same time, he also mixed some minor lies in his words.

    The Eternal Emperor frowned. He opened his lips to say something, but before he could finish, a bright beam of celestial energy came from the distance.

    It didn''te for the Eternal Emperor but the target appeared to be Qin Ye instead.

    "I really should''ve killed him personally when I had the chance..." Qin Ye sighed, before he brought a small crystal out of his pocket. As soon as he crushed that crystal, a beautiful shield appeared around him.

    As the beam of celestial energy crashed on the shield, the shield trembled. However, most of the attack was either absorbed by the shield, or deflected away.

    Qin Ye gritted his teeth as he witnessed the power of the attack. He knew he had to act fast and get out of here. The shield couldn''tst long.

    However, before leaving, he nced at the Eternal Emperor. "It''s a pity that I have no choice. I wanted to deal with this matter between me and him personally. But I suppose now that I''ve lost everything, I should instead leave... But not before leaving a gift for him behind..."

    "I wonder what kind of Chaos it''ll be, when information about him reaches that ce... Many people would be interested in that, wouldn''t they?"

    He brought out a small talisman that he had found in an Ancient Tomb. And right before the eyes of the Two Emperors, he crushed the talisman.

    Smoke filled the area around him.

    The Eternal Emperor made the smoke disperse, only to feel some remnant of chaotic spatial energy behind. Qin Ye had left.

    Moreover, that spatial energy was more powerful than anything. It meant the Teleportation Talisman he used wasn''t used to travel within the Celestial Realm. Instead, he had broken through the boundaries of the Celestial Realm.

 Chapter 111 111: Ye Hans Viciousness

    "Who are you? What are you doing here?!"

    The Young Prince stood up, as soon as he saw Xu Shan entering. He didn''t understand how Xu Shan even managed to get inside!

    However, noticing the blood dripping down the dagger, the Crown Prince frowned. It was clear that the man before him wasn''t a friend.

    The guards also noticed him. They rushed forward to attack.

    Xu Shan also prepared. However, right then, the entire mansion trembled as a small section of the roof broke.

    A bloody figure fell in the middle of the mention. However, that person didn''t have a head on their body! It was a headless body.

    All the bones on the chest of the person had broken apart, as if someone really powerful had kicked that person.

    Seeing that figure, even Xu Shan was frowning. That headless person was wearing the same clothes that he had seen on the Emperor of the Sky Dynasty. The physique of the person was also simr!

    Xu Shan raised his head, looking at the broken section of the roof. It was clear that this person before him was the Sky Dynasty Emperor.

    He wasn''t the only person who had noticed it. Even the Crown Prince, the Empress and all the Guards had noticed the same. All their eyes revealed a look of fear.

    Outside the Royal City, Ye Han was still calmly standing. His body was burning with a terrifying aura that made it impossible for people to even look at him.

    He was holding his bloody sword in his right hand. However, in his left hand was the head of the Sky Dynasty Emperor...

    The Emperor''s eyes were still open, even as he died. His lifeless eyes were looking into nothingness.

    Ye Han took a deep breath and threw the head away.

    With a cold and indifferent look on his face, he nced at the other people around him, who had seen everything!

    In the next moment, multiple lights shed in the surroundings and everyone who had seen what he did, had their bodies split in two halves.

    Even the Great Elder was cut in two halves. Until the end, his eyes couldn''t believe what he saw! Not only did Ye Han kill the Emperor of the Sky Dynasty, but he killed all the witnesses as well, including people on his own side!

    Multiple bodies dropped to the ground as blood sshed everywhere.

    Ye Han kept the Sword back and tied his long waving hair into a ponytail. His aura started calming down.

    His blood red eyes slowly returned to normal but this entire process appeared to be very painful for him.

    It was also now that the Spatial Portal was finallypleted and the Ships finally came out of the Portal!

    Multiple Sky Dynasty ships had surrounded the Sky Dynasty Royal City!

    ****

    Qin Ye had used the Ancient Teleportation Portal, to escape from the Celestial Realm. However, unlike what others thought, he didn''t go to any usual ce to hide.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Instead, he went to the Lower Realm, one of the multiple smaller and weaker realms.

    For the people of thousands of Lower Realms, the people of the Upper Realm were like gods. Unfortunately, because of the natural restrictions on the Lower Realm, it was much harder for people to gather their Celestial Aura.

    A person who could be an Earthly Celestial in ten years in the Upper Realm could take twenty or even thirty years in the Lower Realm.

    Even the strongest person in the Lower Realm was only a Sky Celestial. These were the easiest ces for Qin Ye to ess.

    A void opened up high in the sky in one of the multiple Lower Realms. A figure shot out from the void, crashing on the ground.

    Qin Ye''s face waspletely pale as he pushed himself up. He was even coughing out blood. Usually the special barrier to protect himself against those attacks had taken a heavy toll on him. However, he was still safe.

    He pushed his frail body up, and sat on the ground, to recover his strength. At the same time, he decided to use something that he wanted to avoid in the past.

    He used a forbidden method that he managed to learn in one of the futures that he had seen. In the future, this method was used by someone else.

    It was used by that person to inform someone about Xu Shan. Unfortunately, by that time, it was toote. The strength of Xu Shan had reached a level that it was hard to do anything against him. However, that was at least twenty years into the future in what he had seen!

    At the present moment, the future was uncertain, but the method was still usable.

    He used his own blood to create a circle on the ground before him, and carved an ancient pattern on the circle.

    As the formation circle waspleted, amunication was established between Qin Ye and someone else.

    "He is alive..." He spoke, as soon as themunication was established, speaking the exact words he had seen in the future.

    He further continued speaking...

    ....

    The Sky Dynasty had fallen! At the same time, the Qin Dynasty had also fallen! In one day, two of the most Ancient Dynasties had fallen at the hands of the Eternal Dynasty.

    As the information spread out, not a single person was able to believe it in the Celestial Realm. At first, almost everyone thought that this was a joke. However, soon, everyone realized that this wasn''t a lie!

    The Eternal Dynasty had taken over the Qin Dynasty and the Sky Dynasty, tripling their strength in essence.

    Even though there was still some resistance about this takeover, the resistance was effortlessly crushed by the Eternal Dynasty Forces.

    Since Xu Shan took the weakest forces with him, most of the stronger forces of the Eternal Dynasty were unharmed.

    Many people had died at the war with the Sky Dynasty specifically! The Eternal Dynasty had lost over seven Heavenly Celestials! And the Celestial Pce lost four Heavenly Celestials and their Great Elder!

    No one knew that those people hadn''t died at the hands of the Sky Dynasty Emperor, but at the hands of Ye Han.

    No one could even find their bodies, which were destroyedpletely in the battle!

 Chapter 112 112: The Laughingstock

    The Dynasty Prince of the Sky Dynasty was also found dead, along with the Empress and the others inside the Royal Pce.

    There were some people who reported seeing a masked person entering and exiting the Royal Pce, covered in blood. However, no one knew who that person was!

    In the events that took ce, two main questions had risen. Who was the masked person? And who killed the Sky Dynasty Emperor?

    The most confused person was the Celestial Pce Master. The n that Xu Shan had told them was nothing even close to that.

    Everything that happened was just too coincident andpletely contrary to the n. However, somehow it appeared as if the Xu Shan''s forces had been really lucky that the Sky Dynasty started fighting amongst themselves for no reason.

    Because of this, no one gave credit to Xu Shan. If anything, Xu Shan only received mockery since some of the Soldiers leaked the news that Xu Shan did nothing but hide inside the ship all day, and all the actions were taken by Ye Han.

    Xu Shan had be aughingstock for being so cowardly that he didn''t even dare leave his room. However, none of the people dared to talk about him in the open, worried about the wrath of the Eternal Dynasty.

    Despite all that, the end result was the victory of the Eternal Pce. However, the Celestial Pce Master wasn''t in the mood to celebrate. He had lost both his children. This victory had no meaning for him anymore.

    After the battles were over, and the Sky Dynasty''s Royal Pce was under their control, there was an atmosphere of Celebration!

    Xu Shan was finally seen on the deck, donning his royal attire that had not a single speck of dust.

    He had a ss of wine in his hand, as he looked in the distance.

    As far as the eyes could see, it was theirnd now! Unfortunately, even though the area under their control increased, their strength had weakened.

    "It''s going to be hard controlling the two Dynasties, even now. These two Dynasties might end up bing like the Land of Chaos in the end..." He took a sip of his wine, before speaking, as if he was talking to himself.

    He could see that most of the soldiers were scared of him. None of them even met his gaze. However, it was also clear that none of them truly respected him.

    They still thought that he was nothing more than a Mortal.

    For the time being, Xu Shan returned to the Royal Pce of the Eternal Dynasty, after leaving some of the ships behind in the Sky Dynasty to take care of any problems.

    Along the way, his ships passed through the Estel Kingdom, where the King personally came out to congratte them.

    The King of Estel was apanied by his daughter and his wife, along with important ministers!

    There was a wave of happiness everywhere in the Eternal Dynasty! All the people who had suffered because of being attacked by the Sky Dynasty were cheering. However, many people had also lost their lives, so under this happiness, some grief was clearly visible.

    "Greetings to the Third Prince. It''s a pleasure to finally see you!" The King maintained some respect on his face, even though there wasn''t any in his heart.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shanzily nodded. "It''s a pleasure to meet you as well. However, we are in a hurry. So if you would..."

    He made a light gesture, implying that the King should go back and stop blocking their path.

    The King who wanted to invite them for celebration felt a little awkward and embarrassed at Xu Shan''s bluntness. However, he didn''t show it.

    "Hahaha, of course. You must be tired after such a fierce war!"

    Deep inside, he was mocking Xu Shan for not doing a single thing. On the other hand, he had even more respect for Ye Han, who was the realmander in his eyes.

    "If you ever get an opportunity, please visit our Kingdom. It would be our pleasure to host you again!" The King said, before he slowly retreated.

    He didn''t know that his daughter had a strange glint in her eyes. Even though Xu Shan had used a heavier voice when he was disguised, she still found some simrities when he spoke just now.

    Moreover, now that she looked carefully, Xu Shan''s figure was also identical to the person who had ''saved'' them.

    Her head was filled with many thoughts as she followed her father. However, she didn''t speak any of it. The entire Dynasty knew that the Third Prince was a mortal! If he was really the person who saved them, that meant everything known about him was a lie!

    It made her believe that the Eternal Dynasty''s Royal Family probably wanted to keep it a secret! She thought that if she spoke about it carelessly, she might bring a disaster to the Estel Kingdom.

    She didn''t even dare to look back at Xu Shan a second time to not make him suspicious.

    The Ships of the Eternal Dynasty passed through the Estel Kingdom.

    Along the way, they passed through many more Kingdoms and each of them was filled with cheers. Kings of all those Kingdoms that were under the Eternal Dynasty came out to wee the army that passed through their territory on their way back.

    ****

    "You''re finally back!"

    Chen Rouyin returned to her father''s ship, which was also on the way back. Now that the war was over, most of the Dynasty had started regaining peace.

    The army was finally free to take care of those bandits that tried to take advantage of the situation! Within three days, the situation under the Dynasty was in control. Most of the bandits were killed and the rest went into hiding.

    Chen Rouyin nodded in response to her father''s question. However, her eyes were still in somewhat of a daze.

    She still couldn''t see what she saw before��

 Chapter 113 113: If I Was Him

    ****

    The Ships finally returned to the Royal City of the Eternal Dynasty.

    Almost every soldier was happy that they hade back home. They had survived the war, which was supposed to be much fiercer! And they were victorious, despite having amander who never showed his face!

    Unlike the Soldiers, Xu Shan didn''t look happy. He had already received the information that Qin Ye managed to escape again. However, even though he was disappointed, he was still calm.

    Even though Qin Ye escaped, he had lost all his influence and control. The Qin Dynasty was no more! Now all he had to do was find that little rat who was in hiding, and he knew a way.

    He had a small crystal sphere in his hand that he appeared to be ying with. It was the same crystal that he used tomunicate with Qin Yest time.

    Since thest time Qin Ye managed to escape his father, he had already expected something simr like this to happen. That''s why he had already prepared something in advance to help him find Qin Ye whenever he wanted.

    However, before that, he knew he had to do something else!

    A lot of time had passed! Soon, it was the time for the Celestial Lotus to bloom in the Lower World. If he didn''t get the Celestial Lotus on going, it was going to either and it was going to bloom again a thousand yearster.

    While the Soldiers and Ye Han first returned to the Royal Pce in the center of the Royal City, Xu Shan went down first. He had no interest in going to the Royal Pce.

    He already told Ye Han what to tell his father. Even if Ye Han didn''t do as he asked, and told the truth, that didn''t matter either.

    Ye Han brought Xu Shan to the entrance of his mansion before leaving to meet the Emperor at the Pce.

    Xu Shan stood before his mansion, which was still just as isted as before. Not a single citizen could be seen here to wee him.

    However, his Loyal Guards were still there, doing their duty.

    All of them gracefully weed Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan entered the mansion and went straight to his bedroom. Even though the ship had luxurious rooms, there was just a different kind of inner peace to be at his home.

    As soon as he entered the room, he took off the robe and other heavy items before dropping to the bed. He fell asleep right away.

    He knew that the Dynasty still had many problems to solve because of the aftermath of this battle, but that had nothing to do with him. He had already given them a gift.

    It had been such a long time since he could finally sleep in peace! Most of his problems were gone!

    The book holders that he came across were dead! Only Qin Ye was left. However, even he had left the Celestial Realm, hiding in some random lower realm.

    Even though he didn''t order it, Yu Fei was also dead so he was also free of worrying constantly about her exposing the truth. Finally most of the puzzle pieces had fallen into ce and everything was as it should be... At least for the time being.

    Yet there was a lingering feeling in the back of his mind that something was amiss.

    He couldn''t shake off the feeling that there was still something he was missing, some loose end that he had neglected to tie up. He couldn''t help but wonder if his past mighte back to haunt him in unforeseen ways.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    With that fleeting thought, he entered the slumber, not caring about anything else for now.

    In the evening, a Royal Banquet was held, where every important person was invited!

    Unfortunately, the Celestial Pce Master didn''t attend. Not a single person from the Celestial Pce attended. Instead, now that their cooperation was over, the Celestial Pce left... They didn''t even wait for the banquet.

    Most of the Princes of the Eternal Dynasty attended the Banquet. They were all gleeful, thinking how they were going to rule such vastnd if they became the Emperor.

    Even some other Dynasties sent their envoys to congratte the Eternal Dynasty! There was not a single influential power who hadn''t sent anyone to congratte and to try to maintain a good rtionship with the Eternal Dynasty.

    Only the Land of Chaos and the Maelstrom Dynasty didn''t send anyone. They didn''t care who ruled over what, or what kind of rtionship others wanted with them. They only believed in thew of the jungle.

    Another person whose presence was missed was the so-calledmander, Xu Shan.

    "What a pity. The Star of the Party is missing... Themander of the Army that took over the Sky Dynasty," a young man spoke. He was the heir from another powerful force. However, it was clear that his words were only for ttery.

    He was in a conversation with the Second Prince of the Eternal Dynasty.

    "What do you mean? Isn''t the Commander already here?" The Second Princeughed, pointing at Ye Han in the distance who was talking with the Eternal Emperor and other guests.

    "I heard the Commander was the Third Prince?" The young man asked. "Am I wrong?

    "Hahaha, are you talking about my little brother? Father just sent him there to gain experience. He didn''t have any active role in it. Unfortunately, my little brother didn''t take advantage of this opportunity and only remained in hiding."

    One of the Princess nearbyughed. "Exactly. He has be aughingstock. Even I would''ve been much braver if I was in his ce!"

    While the Elders avoided this topic, many youngsters talked about it, especially since the Princes of the Eternal Dynasty were also not holding back.

    The Elders also heard such things, but they ignored it.

    "I thought these were only rumors! Looks like it''s true. He was really hiding all that time. No wonder he doesn''t show himself." Another Arrogant Youngster spoke, being a Prince of another Dynasty, which had stayed neutral in all the wars.

    "And here I thought, I''ll get to meet a genius. Looks like I was expecting too much, toe here personally," he further added.

    Instead of trying to stop the red haired man from mocking their brother, the Second Princeughed.

    The first prince also revealed an amused smirk. The more they ruined the reputation of their brother with this, the more they could secure the throne in the future. They also thought that their father was disappointed in Xu Shan as well, so they didn''t hold back.

    "If I was him, I wouldn''t have shown my face either!" The First Prince spoke. However, right then, the metallic door opened.

    A young man walked inside the Royal Hall, yawning as if he was still feeling a little sleepy.

 Chapter 114 114: Arrival Of Unexpected

    Xu Shan stepped inside the Royal Hall, which was filled with many important people from all over the Celestial Realm.

    His hair was unkempt and his eyes looked sleepy, as if he was peacefully sleeping when he was disturbed and told toe here. He rubbed the back of his head, before stretching his arms.

    "Is he..."

    Many people looked at Xu Shan, the young man who matched the description of the Third Prince. However, looking at how he had entered, without even properly being prepared, many people had started judging him.

    While walking inside, Xu Shan picked up a ss of wine from the tray of one of the servants, finishing it in one gulp before cing the ss back and picking another one.

    The young man who had just been mocking Xu Shan stepped before him, asking, "You''re the Third Prince?"

    Xu Shan didn''t answer. He was already sleepy, and in a frustrated mood. If possible, he just wanted to sleep all day and night, since he was to leave for the Lower Realm for Celestial Lotus tomorrow. However, instead of that, he had to be here now.

    Xu Shan raised his right hand, gesturing for the young man to stop wasting his time.

    The young man''s face twitched. "Aren''t you being too disrespectful?"

    "Do you deserve my respect?" Xu Shan asked, seemingly confused. "Who are you again?"

    "I''m the Crown Prince of Lestia." The young man proudly dered.

    There were very few Ancient Dynasties in the Celestial Realm. And now that two were destroyed, even fewer were left. Lestia was one of them, just like the Maelstrom Dynasty in the Land of Chaos.

    Xu Shan raised an eyebrow at the young man''s title.

    "Interesting," he muttered. "I heard that Lestia was in decline. I didn''t realize it hade to this. Even you can be a Crown Prince?"

    The Prince''s face grew red with anger. "You! If you weren''t a mortal, I would''ve challenged you to a Duel!"

    "Yeah, yeah." Xu Shanzily stated, ignoring the man. He simply walked past the Prince of Lestia.

    Firstly, he already had a reputation like that. So he has to maintain that. And secondly, he was already too frustrated to deal with such people.

    He walked straight to his father, not even caring about the Prince of Lestia.

    He respectfully greeted his Father, who was standing with other important people.

    The Eternal Emperor nodded to the greeting, before introducing him to the other important people in the party. It was as if Xu Shan was the star of the party.

    After half an hour of spending time at the banquet, Xu Shan finally asked for a leave.

    "Oh yeah, Shan''er." As Xu Shan was leaving, the Emperor called for him. "You should move into the Royal Pce from tomorrow. It''ll be safer."

    Xu Shan nced back. However, he didn''t nod.

    He had no interest in moving back for the time being, especially since he was leaving this ce soon.

    Many eyes were on Xu Shan, even when the young prince left. The Prince of Lestia was especially frustrated.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Don''t worry. He doesn''t have manners. When I get the throne in the future, I''ll teach him some manners for you," the Second Prince told the Prince of Lestia, trying to gain support.

    Both the Princes were trying to make contacts in the Banquet since it wasn''t often that so many important people had gathered under one roof.

    Unlike them, Xu Shan paid it no mind. In his eyes, most of the people here were too weak.

    He stepped out of the Royal Pce, looking at the beautiful moon in the sky. "Finally I''m free of this hassle! Never again shall I go to such a celebration. It''s so tiring."

    He stepped toward his Royal Carriage, the door of which was already open.

    However, just as he was about to step inside the Carriage, he stopped. His face developed a frown as he sensed something strange.

    The surroundings had suddenly be much colder... It was almost freezing!

    This sudden change in weather was bizarre and didn''t appear to be natural at all.

    He didn''t know why, but he had a bad feeling about this!

    He stepped back and raised his head, looking at the sky which was suddenly clouded.

    The roars of thunder could be heard clearly in the sky as if a thunder storm was brewing.

    The sky had darkened as the storm clouds continued gathering, and the air became colder and heavier with the scent of rain.

    The first drops fell like bullets, pounding against the ground and bouncing back up in a spray of mist.

    The wind picked up, howling through the trees and whipping up dust and debris. The lightning shed, illuminating the sky in a brilliant disy of light and color.

    The thunder boomed, shaking the ground beneath Xu Shan''s feet and rattling the windows in their frames.

    Xu Shan stood in the rain, frowning. He didn''t enter his carriage yet. His sleep was long gone and he waspletely serious now.

    As the storm intensified, the rain came down harder and faster, turning streets into rivers and flooding basements.

    The wind grew stronger, bending trees and tearing branches from their trunks. The lightning struck closer and closer, illuminating the darkness with blinding shes of light.

    And then, as suddenly as it began, a spatial crack developed in the sky. The spatial crack kept getting bigger as if the space itself was being destroyed!

    Inside the Banquet, the ss of wine in Ye Han''s hands dropped. His eyes turned blood red as he disappeared, amidst the banquet as if he sensed something!

    Even the Eternal Emperor and the other Overlords sensed something!

    Outside the Royal Pce, the spatial crack in the sky kept getting wider. Two hands came out of the spatial crack, spreading the spatial crack faster, as if the person these hands belonged to, was trying to forcefully break the boundaries of this world!

    "You need to leave!" Ye Han appeared next to Xu Shan. However, his entire aura was different now!

 Chapter 115 115: Connection

    As Ye Han spoke, he pulled out a small crystal and crushed it. Another portal opened up, this time right behind Xu Shan.

    "Why do I have to leave?" Xu Shan asked, confused.

    However, Ye Han didn''t answer him. Ye Han ced his hand on Xu Shan''s chest, gently pushing him inside the portal behind him.

    Xu Shan didn''t expect it. With the slightest push, he was sent inside the spatial portal.

    However, even as his body fell in the spatial portal, his eyes were in the sky. He finally saw a personing out of the portal... A person dressed in all ck.

    Xu Shan''s eyes revealed a look of shock as he saw that person. The portal he was pushed inside, closed on its own. Ye Han didn''t enter it after him.

    However, Xu Shan still heard Ye Han''s voice as he fell. "I''ll catch up. Until then... Survive!"

    The other end of the spatial portal opened in one of the Multiple Lower Realms far away from the Celestial Realm.

    Xu Shan''s figure fell out of the spatial portal in the sky. After sending him out, the spatial portal exploded within itself, leaving no trail behind!

    The Celestial Mark in Xu Shan''s eyes shone brightly. His Heavenly Realm aura spread out. However, as soon as his aura came out, he felt a pain course through his entire body as a lightning bolt fell straight on him, from the sky.

    It was as if it was Heaven''s Punishments for him to try and use strength beyond the limits of this world.

    Xu Shan roared in pain, being directly hit by the lighting bolt. He had finally realized that he was in the Lower Realms!

    Even as his body was trembling with pain, he knew he had to bnce himself.

    He adjusted his position in the air, even as he fell. Fortunately, he was able to do that on time and didn''t crash straight on his hand.

    A crater developed under his group as he finallynded. A loud booming noise also spread out.

    Xu Shan felt the unstable energy flowing all around him. He dropped to his butt, feeling exhausted.

    However, his mind was still on the person that he had seening out of the spatial crack! He couldn''t believe it was that person!

    At first, he thought it was going to be Qin Ye, trying onest time. However, the reality was different. It wasn''t Qin Ye, or any other Book Holder... It was the person he had seen in one of his dreams!

    It was the same person whose wedding he had crashed in his dream, and the same person who he was almost about to kill!

    "Who is he?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan didn''t remember meeting that person in this life, at least not in reality! He also had no interaction with that person, so he didn''t understand why Ye Han told him to escape! Just what was the rtionship between him and that guy, whose strength... He couldn''t even measure!

    Moreover, another strange thing was Ye Han! When Ye Han sent him inside the spatial portal, he noticed that Ye Han was actually much stronger... Even stronger than the Eternal Emperor!

    He finally understood why the Sky Emperor died! Ye Han had given him an excuse that they used some ancient formation to trap and kill the Sky Emperor but it was clear now, that wasn''t the truth!

    The peace that he had finally received to some extent, was snatched from him. And now he had even more questions. Just who was Ye Han actually? If he was that strong, why was he working under the Eternal Emperor? And who was the man that came out of the spatial crack?

    And the biggest question in his head was, how was he connected to all this!

    "Are you alright?" Xinren reached out her hand to help Xu Shan up.

    "You know who that guy was?" Xu Shan asked, not taking the hands of the Book Spirit before him.

    Xinren shook her head. "I don''t. All I know is that he was very strong... Strong beyond your imagination!"

    "Can Ye Han and the others win against him?" Xu Shan asked, finally taking the hands of Xinren even though he still didn''t believe that she told him everything that she knew.

    Xinren looked at the sky. She lightly shook her head. "Unlikely... We should take this time and go to the Celestial Lotus. You should be prepared for everything."

    Xu Shan nodded. He was quite curious about what was happening in the Celestial Realm. If that person was there for him, was he going to leave after not finding him? Or was he going to destroy everything? Was the Eternal Dynasty going to disappear? There were many questions in his head as he thought about what was happening back there.

    However, he had no intention of finding his way back now. No matter who it was, they weren''t more important than his life.

    As for the person who came out of the Spatial Crack... Xu Shan left that matter forter since he wasn''t strong enough to do anything to that guy for now. First, he needed to find more information about that guy, and about their rtionship!

    "What are the chances that we are lucky and out of hundreds of Lower Worlds, we are sent to the one with the Celestial Lotus?"Xinren asked Xu Shan, walking behind him as they left to find out where exactly they were.

    "Unlikely..." Xu Shan shook his head. "We are in the wrong world. However, it really would''ve been perfect if we were on the right Lower Realm."

    "How do you know we aren''t in the right ce?"

    "The Book of Truth... It just issued me a quest to get to the right Lower Realm before the Celestial Lotus matures... That can only mean we are in the wrong ce.."

    "We need to get to the right ce and we don''t have much time... But before that, we need to find out where exactly we are...."

 Chapter 116 116: Even I Can Kill Him

    ****

    "Are you sure we are going to find that herb on this mountain?"

    A group of youngsters were walking up the mountain. Along the way, they came across many fierce beasts, but thanks to their cooperation, they were able to take care of the beasts before much harm coulde to them.

    The person leading the group was a young man, seemingly only in his early twenties.

    He didn''t appear very strong. If anything, the young man looked like a schr who used his brain more than his hands.

    In fact, the young man often went to the back, whenever a fight started. He didn''t take part in a single battle.

    "Of course it is true! This idiot found that herb in the Mountain and like a good little boy, he told everything to me!" A young girlughed, hugging the arm of the bulky man sweetly.

    The face of the frail man in the lead twisted as he heard the words of the woman behind him. His fists were tightly clenched but he didn''t say anything.

    He still couldn''t believe it. The woman he loved the most, would do something like that!

    "Hahaha, of course he would do it! Who would be able to avoid your charm, sweetheart." The bulky manughed heartily, wrapping his arms around the waist of the woman tightly. "He didn''t even know that you had already be mine by then!"

    "Brother Duan is much better than that useless guy who can''t even cultivate! The herbs are a waste in his hand! I still can''t believe that he''s your cousin!" The woman smiled like a cute little kitten as her face turned red, noticing where the bulky man''s hands moved.

    The frail looking man clenched his teeth, identally biting his lips and making them bleed.

    Unlike everyone else here, he was much weaker. He couldn''t gather any Celestial Aura. He also hadn''t awakened any Celestial Spirit!

    On the other hand, the bulky man was very famous in the entire Kingdom! In the Kingdom, he was one of the only few youngsters who had managed to awaken a Three Star Celestial Spirit. It was said that his future was bright!

    Even though the frail looking man was from the same n, he was neglected and despised for being useless.

    The frail looking man was called Duan Mu. He was someone who was very famous when he was little. He started speaking at the age of two, started writing at the age of five, and startedposing poems at the age of eight.

    He was said to be a genius but it all changed when he failed to awaken his Celestial Spirit at all.

    Without strength, he was no different than a dog who could be killed at any time by these people. He didn''t think that the Duan n was even going to care if he actually died here. If anything, they would be happy that the embarrassment of the n was gone.

    Even when he was despised, he still didn''t care. But now... He felt disgusted at himself for being so weak! He couldn''t help but curse heaven for being so unfair to him.

    With time, he came to despise Heaven themselves, ready to sell his soul to the Devil if he could gain some strength in exchange.

    "Remember, Duan Mu! If I find out that you lied to us, or tried to fool us, it won''t be good for you! If we don''t get the herb, then I''ll make sure that even your body couldn''t be found for your mother to bury you properly! Who knows, I might beat that bit*h to death as well in anger!"

    The Bulky Man''s voice became deeper, and he sounded serious as well.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You!" The Frail looking young man called Duan Mu turned around, his eyes revealed a trace of killing intent.

    However, the next moment, a palmnded on his face, sending him flying!

    "How dare you look at Brother Duan Yang like that?!"

    Duan Mu''s eyes trembled in disbelief to the point that he even forgot the physical pain! He was pped by none other than the woman he did everything for!

    Not only did she abandon him for a more powerful person, but she didn''t show any remorse either!

    "Duan Mu, it looks like you still live in the past, when you were considered a Genius. But don''t forget, you''re nothing now. I can crush you like an ant! So be a good dog and sniff out that herb for me, if you want your and your mother''s safety!"

    The Bulky Man ced his foot on the head of Duan Mu, but he didn''t apply any pressure, worried he might crack the young man''s skull!

    Duan Mu clenched his fist, but he didn''t resist.

    "We are nearby. Only a few minutes." For the life of his mother, he gave up his dignity and his pride as well.

    "That''s like my good dog!" Duan Yang took off his foot, nodding in satisfaction.

    Duan Mu stood up. He didn''t even pat his clothes that were covered in dirt. His eyes were lifeless as he walked toward the destination.

    He didn''t realize that the pendant that he never took off, had started shining a little.

    Duan Mu led everyone to the destination where he saw that precious herb!

    "We found it!" Duan Yang eximed. However, his face revealed a look of surprise as he noticed another person who was right next to the herb.

    It was a young man, whose long dark hair fluttered with the wind. Duan Yang and the others couldn''t see the face of that man.

    "To think that I would find something like this in a lower world... These ces are really untapped treasure troves," Xu Shan reached out his hand to pick up the herb.

    When he was on his way to find more about this world, he came across this herb and just stopped to take it.

    "Stop right there!" The girl next to Duan Yang eximed with authority, as if she was talking to a ve. "If you don''t want to die, take your hands off right now!"

    "Huh?" Xu Shan frowned. He turned around, ncing at the ground of youngsters behind him.

    "A Star Mark?! He''s a Celestial Warrior as well? But why is his Star Mark in his eyes?" One of the youngsters eximed in surprise.

    "So what if he has a Star Mark? Can''t you see it''s just One Star? Moreover, I can''t sense his aura! He''s pathetic! Don''t tell me you''re scared of him with Brother Duan around! Even I can kill that guy with a single p!" The young woman scoffed.

 Chapter 117 117: That Leaves One

    "Is this girl an idiot?" Xu Shan wondered, ncing at Xinren next to him.

    He wasn''t hiding his aura. And he wasn''t hiding his Star Mark either. Despite that, these people were acting like that before him? This made him somewhat confused.

    He didn''t realize that the people before him were too weak to even sense his aura, that was like a terrifying torrent wrapped around him.

    Moreover, since he was somewhat restricted by the Heavenly Laws of the Lower Realm, his aura was further restricted. Only a few powerful people in the Lower Realm could actually sense his Celestial Aura, at least until he didn''t actively use his strength to fight.

    "Did he call me an idiot?" The girl''s face turned red in embarrassment. She couldn''t believe that even a pathetic man was calling her an idiot.

    "Little Brat, it''s good to be confident but too much confidence can get you killed," Duan Yang finally chimed in.

    Xu Shan was much younger than him so that also made him feel that the man before him couldn''t be a threat.

    Xu Shan shook his head lightly. These people were too ignorant.

    He reached out his hand toward the Herb to pick it up.

    Seeing him being ignored, Duan Yang''s face also twitched.

    "You thief, trying to take what is ours!"

    The girl noticed Duan Yang''s expressions. To get even more of his favor, she took action, dashing ahead.

    Her fists clenched tightly as she appeared next to Xu Shan, punching with all her strength.

    She didn''t hold back her strength either, as if she didn''t want to leave him alive either.

    Duan Yangughed, knowing that it was over for the man who didn''t know his ce.

    Even Duan Mu marily closed his eyes. He still couldn''t believe that the woman was so vicious. She could''ve just stopped the man, but she was actually trying to kill him without giving him any chance.

    The youngsters behind Duan Yang alsoughed. However, theirughter didn''tst for long.

    Suddenly, there wasplete silence... as if the world was shrouded in ayer of silence.

    Duan Mu also found the silence strange. He opened his eyes, only to first see Duan Yang and his followers, all of whom were stunned.

    He slowly turned in the other direction where Xu Shan had finally plucked the herb. However, what shocked Duan Mu the most was the woman.

    She was standing still as if she was a statue. Her clothes werepletely covered in blood. Thin red lines spread all across her body.

    Even at the moment, her eyes were trembling. She couldn''t even speak anything as her lifeless body dropped to the ground with a thud.

    Xu Shan kept the herb in his storage ring, before finally ncing at thedy behind him.

    The Woman couldn''t feel Xu Shan''s aura since she was so weak. However, as she got close to him, she realized that something was wrong.

    Before her fist could even touch Xu Shan, her body froze. It was as if there was a mysterious force which restricted her, making her unable to even touch Xu Shan.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Not only could she not move forward, but she also couldn''t fly back. She could only watch the torrent of aura rip her body apart slowly.

    Even as she dropped to the ground, her eyes remained open, as if asking for help from the others. Unfortunately, no one moved.

    With how easily Xu Shan killed her, it was clear to everyone that they were wrong about him. The man''s strength... Was beyond their imagination. He killed people without even moving! That was something that only the Patriarch of the Duan n or people stronger than him could do!

    "I-i..." Duan Yang momentarily froze. However, he nced at his followers. He thought of something. He had to escape. However, for that, he had to create a distraction!

    He sent a mental transmission to his followers, ''This guy must''ve used some treasure! Treasures like that can''t be used repeatedly! He must''ve been exhausted! Or else he would''ve killed us all!''

    ''If we can take his treasure, we''ll be richer than the Royal Family! On the count of three, we will all attack him!''

    He gave his instructions to his followers.

    Fortunately for him, his followers fell for his trick.

    As soon as Duan Yang finished his count, his followers rushed toward Xu Shan.

    On the other hand, Duan Yang also started running. However, the direction he was running was different from others! He was running away from Xu Shan at his maximum speed.

    By the time his followers realized that they were fooled and used like distraction, it was toote. They only saw a blinding light sh before their eyes. The next moment, their heads rolled on the ground.

    Duan Yang could feel his heart thumping in fear. At any cost, he wanted to get out of this ce. He didn''t want to die.

    However, it didn''t take long before his feet froze as he found the young man standing before him.

    He could only see the Star Mark shining brightly in Xu Shan''s eyes. Duan Yang couldn''t help but feel as if he was caught by a Demon!

    The next moment, his neck was grabbed by Xu Shan.

    "Why doesn''t this world allow me to be at peace?" Xu Shan asked, shaking his head lightly. "Why is it that annoying flies like you never know their ce?"

    "W-what do you want?! I can give you anything! I can find you as much money as you want! My n is rich! We can give you anything you want! Just let me live! I promise I won''t look for revenge! I''ll be absolutely loyal to you!"

    Duan Mu struggled in Xu Shan''s hands. Moreover, it was only now that he was so close to Xu Shan that he finally saw that Star Mark clearly!

    From the first nce, it looked like it was a One Star Celestial Spirit! However, when he looked carefully, he could see millions of Stars inside that one star, which made him even more scared!

    "A promise? Aren''t they made just to be broken? Also, I''m afraid there''s nothing you or your n can offer me." Xu Shan stated, as he walked back to the same ce where they had met, while still holding Duan Ming by his throat.

    "Since you want the herb, you can wait there for it to grow again.''

    Duan Yang''s face was pale as Xu Shan tightened his grip.

    He crushed his throat, and tossed the body of the young man right to the ce where the herb used to be.

    "And that leaves one..." Xu Shan turned to Duan Mu who hadn''t moved an inch.

 Chapter 118 118: This Devil Wants Only One Thing!

    With everyone else dead, there was only one person left... It was Duan Mu, the person who was the weakest in the group. He was also the person who hadn''t shown even the slightest of hostility toward him. However, that wasn''t enough for Xu Shan to leave a witness.

    Surprisingly enough, Duan Mu hadn''t tried to escape. Instead, he was sitting on his knees, looking at the dead bodies of the girl and Duan Yang. Instead of sadness, his eyes contained a hint of happiness, as if he was truly pleased that this happened.

    "Thank you!" He told Xu Shan and it seemingly came from his heart.

    "Thank me for what? Do you think I''ll let you live?" Xu Shan asked, seemingly intrigued.

    The young man shook his head lightly. However, the gratefulness didn''t disappear from his face.

    "I was going to die here anyway. Because of you, at least I died after all my grievances are over," the man spoke, lowering his gaze.

    His voice was somewhat down.

    "If they had left after killing me, they would''ve made the life of my mother a living hell. You did me a favor by killing them, and I won''t hesitate for a single second if you take my life right now!" He further stated, surprising Xu Shan.

    "In any case, if I go back alive, it''ll only make them more suspicious of me and think I had a hand in it... That will be bad for my mother... Instead of troubling her, I would rather die here. No one will miss the presence of a weak person like me anyway..."

    Xu Shan was quite curious as he heard the man. He could see a palm imprint on the right cheek of the man. It was clear that he was pped not long ago. His lips were still bleeding, so it wasn''t light either.

    "If you''re saying that for sympathy, then it won''t work for me."

    Xu Shan stepped closer to the young man, and reached out his hand.

    The young man closed his eyes. Even though he was prepared for death, his body was still trembling. He couldn''t even keep his eyes open.

    Xu Shan''s fingers were about to touch the young man, but right then, he felt a current course through his body which made him retreat his hand.

    Xu Shan frowned, observing the young man from head to toe.

    It was evident that the man didn''t have strength at all. He wasn''t taking any treasure to hide his aura. That meant what stopped him just now was another treasure.

    Even if he had a treasure to protect him, how could there be a treasure in the Lower Realm which could affect him? And why was a treasure like that in the possession of a young man who didn''t have the slightest of strength?

    Xu Shan took a step back, his eyes falling on the beautiful green pendant around the young man''s neck.

    Even though the treasure could provide some resistance, but it hadn''tpletely activated. If Xu Shan wanted, he could use his strength to still kill Duan Mu. However, for that, he had to use strength beyond the limit of the Lower Realm.

    However, more than the limit, he was curious about Duan Mu.

    ''A young man, with no strength but a mysterious treasure, bullied by others... Why does it sound like a hero''s temte?''

    Xu Shan grew even more intrigued about the pendant. He reached out his hand to take the pendant even if he had to go against Heaven and break the Limits of the Lower Realm!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He grabbed the pendant. The beautiful green pendant started resisting fiercely. Unfortunately, since it wasn''tpletely activated, it couldn''t even provide enough resistance.

    However, to Xu Shan''s surprise, the pendant started breaking apart. It was as if the pendant had a life of its own, where it was willing to be destroyed but not be taken by others.

    This made Xu Shan even more intrigued. It was as if Duan Mu was the only person who could possess it.

    There weren''t many treasures with Spirituality like this! Even his precious daggers hadn''t reached a point like that.

    In the end, Xu Shan took his hands off before the pendant could actually destroy itself.

    As soon as Xu Shan took his hands off, the pendant stopped.

    ''A child of heaven who hasn''t started his journey yet... Interesting...'' Xu Shan smiled, gazing at the young man before him. ''This can be fun...''

    "You said your mother is weak and you don''t want to trouble her?" Xu Shan asked, taking a few steps back. "What about your Father?"

    "Huh?" Duan Mu opened his eyes, surprised that he was still alive.

    However, his face dropped when he thought about the question.

    "My father..." He touched the pendant, as if thinking of the past. "I''ve never seen my father. He abandoned my mother and me before I was even born..."

    ''As expected, this pendantes from his father. For him to have something like this, he definitely isn''t from the Lower Realm. I can''t even find a treasure like this in the Celestial Realm easily...''

    Xu Shan nodded. Even though he had already guessed everything, he still asked Duan Mu for his life history.

    "I see... So you want strength." After hearing everything, Xu Shan smiled. "I can give you the strength you''re craving for. But the question is, what can you give me in return?"

    Even though he asked Duan Mu what he could give, Xu Shan already had an answer as to what he wanted from the young man.

    Most of the Children of Heaven had already started their journey. However, Duan Mu was still like an unopened book, one that hated Heaven! This was a unique opportunity for him to try something... To get a loyal dog... A dog that could bite the loyal dogs of Heaven for him!

    Moreover, it was only a matter of time before that pendant was going to activate and provide the cheat to Duan Mu. At that time, Xu Shan wanted to haveplete control of him...

    Killing Duan Mu like this was a waste. He first had to show the man the privileges that came with being a Viin... He had to turn the son of heaven into the son of the devil! And he had a n as to how he was going to do it.

    He was quite looking forward to it as well... It was his new pet project...

    "What can I offer you? Someone as strong as you, should already have everything?" Duan Mu raised his head.

    Xu Shan ced his hand on the head of Duan Mu, before speaking, "Since heaven refused to help you, you can only make a deal with the devil. And this devil wants only one thing from you��"

 Chapter 119 119: Slave

    "What can I give you?" The young man raised his head.

    He was ready to do anything to gain strength. He had already seen all the dark side of this world. He understood that without strength, he couldn''t even protect himself, let alone protect others.

    If he had strength, then he wouldn''t have been treated like this! His mother wouldn''t have suffered to an extent where even the servants of the n talked back to her!

    He had gone through the suffering of the weak. He wanted to leave that behind, and be stronger! And if the man before her was able to give him strength, then he was willing to do anything, even selling his soul.

    "Be my ve... I don''t want to give you strength only to have you stab me in the back... So you shall be my loyal dog, that I can kill if you ever try to betray me!"

    Xu Shan knew how dangerous these Children of Heaven could be once they grew up. They were often more willing to die than to surrender! However, Duan Mu was different!

    Duan Mu''s face was slightly taken aback. However, he had seen Xu Shan''s strength. Even the Patriarch of their n didn''t have that strength! Moreover, Xu Shan was this strong while being so young, so it was unimaginable as to how strong he was going to be in the future.

    Duan Mu didn''t even think about it for long, before nodding. Currently, his life had no value. He wasn''t even qualified enough to be a ve of a person this strong. However, now he had that opportunity!

    Even though he had to give his life in the hands of this man, but so what? This man had saved his life! This life of his already belonged to him, who could kill him whenever he wanted!

    If he could exchange this useless life in exchange for strength and the support of a person this strong, then it was worth it!

    She nced at the woman in the distance, and Duan Yang. His face was still aching, as he remembered that p and the foot on his face!

    He never wanted to suffer through humiliation like that!

    "I am willing!" With clenched teeth, he spoke. His eyes were filled with determination, as if he was unafraid of death!

    Xu Shan smiled in response. The Son of Heaven, who was destined to be the hero standing against evil... Now he was going to be a loyal dog of the person of a so-called viin...

    He packed his hand on Duan Mu''s head. "Good Boy."

    "It''ll be painful since I''ll be taking the core of your soul for our contract. If you betray me, it shall be destroyed and you''ll die the most painful death, never to reincarnate again!" He eximed. "No matter what happens next, don''t resist!"

    Duan Mu clenched his teeth, as he nodded. He had made up his mind! He was willing to be a loyal dog, as long as he could be strong! He was ready for this deal with the Devil!

    "Argh!" Only a few seconds had passed before Duan Mu started screaming in pain. It was as if his soul was being sliced apart. However, he remembered Xu Shan''s instructions and didn''t resist, letting him take that soul fragment!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Finally, after what felt like hours, the pain subsided and Duan Mu opened his eyes. He looked around and realized that he was lying on the soft grass. His face was still pale and his own body was aching.

    Standing up, he looked around. All the bodies of the people had disappeared. There were no dead bodies here. If there weren''t broken trees and blood in the surroundings, he could''ve thought that he had dreamt all that.

    "Looks like you''re finally awake." A voice came from behind him.

    He turned around, noticing Xu Shan sitting with his back resting against a tree, eating a small fruit.

    Duan Mu was once again shocked. He remembered seeing that fruit in an ancient book. It was said to be one of the most precious fruits that strengthened a person''s body. However, this fruit was impossible to find in this world!

    It was said that this fruit could only be found in the Upper Realms, where Immortals were said to reside.

    "You are... From the Upper Realm?" he asked, standing up. However, his body was so weak that he stumbled and fell on the ground as soon as he stood up.

    "Your body is still weak. Here." Xu Shan tossed another simr fruit toward Duan Mu.

    This fruit was rare in Lower Realm but he had plenty of such things in his storage, especially since he had robbed multiple treasuries in thest war.

    Duan Mu caught the fruit, sitting on his knees. He was stunned to be holding the legendary Fruit. He couldn''t believe that the fruit was given to him so easily.

    "I don''t treat my servants badly. However, if you ever thought about betraying me, or going against an order, then you might see the other side of me as well, which I feel you won''t like to see..."

    Xu Shan took another bite of the fruit, before closing his eyes.

    He had to go to the World where the Celestial Lotus was going to bloom and he only had a little over a week left to get to that ce. However, he first had to calcte when that world was.

    Fortunately, now that he knew where he was, it was a little easier to calcte with the Book of Truth. However, even that calction was going to take at least two days, giving him only four dayster.

    Duan Mu took a bite from the fruit that was given to him by Xu Shan.

    He felt his entire body brimming with a trace of celestial energy, even though he didn''t have a Celestial Spirit. However, there was something strange.

    Most people absorbed their Celestial Energy in a core, even when they ate these fruits. However, the energy that was entering his body was being split apart in two parts.

 Chapter 120 120: Half Human

    The energy that entered Duan Mu''s body was divided into two distinct parts. One half of that energy was being absorbed in his flesh, instead of creating a core.

    At the same time, the other half of the energy simply disappeared! Even Duan Mu didn''t know where it went. However, Xu Shan was observing everything carefully.

    He noticed where the other half of the energy went. It didn''t stay inside the body of Duan Mu at all. Instead, it was absorbed by the pendant of the young man.

    ''That pendant is taking his energy. Is that why he hadn''t managed to awaken any Celestial Spirit? No, it''s not because of the pendant. It''s also not because he isn''t talented. Instead, it''s something else...''

    ''His Celestial Energy is starting to gather in his flesh... Just what is he?''

    These fruits had only a minute effect on Celestial Warriors, to the extent it could make them a little stronger. However, its effect on Duan Mu waspletely against Xu Shan''s expectations.

    "It is beyondmon sense established for humans," he muttered. However, as he spoke up to this point, he frowned. "Beyondmon sense for humans but what if he isn''t...pletely a human?"

    He turned to Xinren, before asking, "Do you know anything about a species that can use Celestial Aura through their flesh?"

    Xinren heard the question and didn''t answer right away. Even she appeared to be thinking about something.

    "Looks like you know something about it?" Xu Shan spoke, getting a rough idea from her expressions. "What is he...?"

    "A species that can use and store Celestial Aurapletely in their flesh... There are only two that I know about..." Xinren replied.

    "And they are?" Xu Shan inquired.

    "One is the Demons, but they live in the Abyss and never show themselves... They can use the Energy of Abyss in their heart like humans can use Celestial Energy. However, the Demons can also use the Celestial Energy. They can store it in their Physique..."

    Xinren started exining everything that she knew. However, even she found it surprising. Was there really a half demon living in a Lower Realm?

    "And the second?" Xu Shan asked, taking a nce at Duan Mu, who was eating the fruit carefully, as if it was the most precious gift that he had received in his life.

    Xinren responded, "The second are Titans... But I thought they went extinct, so it''s unlikely for the boy to be one... It''s almost impossible."

    "There''s a saying back on earth. It''s that nothing is impossible. That saying is even more true in this crazy universe where we can destroy mountains with a finger... Maybe a Titan survived?" Xu Shan suggested. "However, what are those Titans in the first ce?"

    "They were the Rulers of the universe... Their rulested for an eternity; however, they were said to be very ruthless, like tyrants," Xinren replied.

    She further continued, remembering the past, "However, that also became a cause of their downfall since, in their arrogance, they offended someone they shouldn''t have. It didn''t take them long to go from being the overlords of the universe to being extinct.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "A species which ruled over the entire universe? Is there really someone they couldn''t offend? Who was it?" Xu Shan asked, getting even more intrigued. Just what kind of person was it? His mind was filled with lots of questions.

    Unfortunately, Xinren didn''t answer. She shook her head lightly. "There are some things that even I can''t talk about."

    Xu Shan didn''t force her either. However, he still remained curious just who that person was? And why was it that even the Spirit of the Book of Desires scared of that person?

    He turned his attention back on Duan Mu. "His mother is a human. That means his father was either a demon or a titan? What a temte for a Son of Heaven... He could''ve been a big threat in the future if I hadn''t met him here..."

    "No matter who his father is, it means something is changing. If his father is a Demon, that means the Demons have starteding out of the Abyss? But why? And if his father is a Titan, that''s even worse... It means the Tyrants are still alive..."

    He could only scratch the back of his head, thinking about it. He had so many problems already. He didn''t even know who the person was that attacked the Upper Realm before he escaped, and now there were even more secretsing out.

    "Should I buy a small ind and spend my life in peace there? This is getting too messy." He asked jokingly. However, even he knew that it wasn''t feasible.

    In this World, even if he didn''t go to the problem himself, the problem was going to find him. If he wasn''t on top of the problem, then the problem was going to crush him sooner orter.

    "Why does it look so hard for an honest, kind and righteous person like me to have a safe life?" He shook his head lightly, taking a bite from the fruit in his hand.

    At the same time, he tossed another fruit to Duan Mu, who had just finished the one he was given.

    It didn''t matter who Duan Mu''s father was. What mattered now was that he was his ve. And now all he had to do was make sure that the young man''s loyalty was innate. And he had an idea for that.

    "After you finish eating, you should be able to walk. Take me to your n. I have grown bored of this Forest."

    "Y-yes." Duan Mu respectfully replied, as if he was talking to his boss.

    After he finished speaking, he stood up. He could feel that his body was somewhat stronger.

    On Xu Shan''s instructions, he tried punching a tree.

    Boom~

    Even though he couldn''t break the tree with his punch, his fist still managed to leave a one inch deep fist mark on the tree, whereas it used to be impossible for him to even leave a scratch on the tree before.

 Chapter 121 121: Ancestor

    "This..." Duan Mu looked at Gabriel in surprise.

    Even he found it hard to believe that he had be stronger without even doing anything. Was a single mysterious fruit so miraculous? His eyes revealed a desire to have even more.

    "This is just the beginning," Xu Shan told the young man, who led him out of the forest.

    Duan Mu didn''t doubt Xu Shan at all! Instead, he was happy that he got this opportunity. Because of Xu Shan, now he had an opportunity that he never would''ve had otherwise.

    Now he could finally protect his mother! He didn''t have to live like a coward!

    Along the way, Xu Shan gave the young man another fruit.

    Throughout their journey, Xu Shan asked many questions to understand more about the family conditions of Duan Mu.

    ording to Duan Mu, the closest city to this forest was Celestia City. It was the second biggest city in the Qelian Kingdom, right after the Royal City.

    Celestia City had three major families and the Duan Family was one of them.

    Xu Shan listened intently as Duan Mu shared the information he possessed.

    Despite their wealth and power, the Duan Family had many enemies and rivals who continuously plotted against them. However, he didn''t have any favorable impression of the Duan n either.

    If it wasn''t because his mother was associated with the Duan n, he would''ve left the n a long time ago with his mother.

    "The n knows that I left with Duan Yang. If they find out that you killed him, then they might..."

    "Are you saying that I should be afraid?" Xu Shan smiled, finding the young man''s worries amazing.

    "N-no." Duan Mu stuttered. He knew that Xu Shan was strong. However, he was still worried. He knew just how many defensive formations his n hadid out. And then strength of the n Patriarch wasn''t anything to scoff at either.

    However, he didn''t realize that he was still undereating Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan didn''tment anymore. He didn''t have any interest in the n either. Instead, he only had one goal of going to the Duan n. And that was to remove everyst bit of attachment Duan Mu had from anyone, while making him corrupt to the point that he was broken.

    He knew that Duan Mu still had a light in his dark life, and it was his mother. It was the motivation that would''ve made him walk down the path of a hero, vanquishing all evil in the future. However, he had decided to remove that weakness and use that for his own advantage.

    ....

    Xu Shan stepped inside Celestia City with Duan Mu.

    The city was beautiful, but itcked a lotpared to even the most average cities in the Celestial Realm. However, the City had a unique charm of its own.

    Xu Shan noticed that the people in Celestia City were living a simple life, devoid of any extravagance or luxury. But, they seemed content with what they had and were going about their daily lives with a smile on their faces. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The people of the City were very weak, at least in his eyes. However, the city wasn''tpletely peaceful either.

    Xu Shan took his first step inside the city, not knowing just what storm he had caused.

    His aura couldn''t be sensed by Duan Mu and the people of his level, because of the restriction. However, his aura was still like a fierce storm that covered the entire city.

    The most powerful people that resided in the city were alerted at the slightest trace of that aura.

    The Patriarch of the Three Major ns were covered in sweat. They didn''t know who had arrived, but they were covered in sweat! That aura... It was stronger than anything that they ever felt.

    Even the Master of the Treasure Pavilion and the Head of the Alchemist Association were alerted.

    It was as if a god had arrived! They all knew what this meant! This aura... It couldn''t belong to a person from the Lower Realm! It made them realize that someone from the Upper Realm had descended!

    It wasn''t easy to enter the Lower Realm from the Upper Realm either. Only very powerful beings in the Upper Realm could do it.

    Multiple people rushed out of their houses. Five of the strongest people in Celestia City flew out to wee the guest in order to not identally offend him!

    However, as they came closer to the entrance of the City, they realized that the aura was even stronger than they expected! The person who had arrived... He was much scarier than they expected!

    Many people saw the Patriarchs of various ns flying in urgency. However, as they reached closer to the entrance, theynded on the ground and ran instead. It was as if they didn''t want to offend the expert by flying to him.

    Almost everyone in the city was stunned at the sight. Five powerful beings in the Celestia City were walking together, solemnly as if they were scared.

    However, they weren''t alone. Not long after, the Ancestors of Various ns, who hadn''t shown themselves for hundreds of years, had appeared as well.

    It was as if all the Ancient Beings of the Celestia City were out together.

    The people in the middle of the street moved aside, not daring to be in the path of these god-like beings.

    ****

    At the entrance of the Celestia City, Xu Shan had just entered, seeing the sights around him as he followed Duan Mu.

    His attire was the attire of the Royal Prince of the Eternal Dynasty. However, not a single person in this power world could recognise his clothes or what the Royal Symbol on his beautiful red robe was.

    Xu Shan noticed a few auras of Sky Celestialsing toward him. For people of this Lower World, reaching Sky Celestial Realm was already an achievement. That was the level of the strongest people in the Lower Realms.

    All Sky Celestials in the Lower Realm only dreamt of one thing. It was to break through to the Heavenly Celestial Realm so they could ascend to the Celestial Realm, but that was an almost impossible dream.

    "A-ancestor?! Even the Ancestor came out?!" Duan Mu eximed.

 Chapter 122 122: Dark Future

    "Did they find out?" Duan Mu eximed with concern, noticing people on the streets move aside to clear the path of the Ancestors of the Three n, who were followed by the Patriarchs.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if all these people were here to kill Xu Shan, realizing how dangerous he was.

    Even though Duan Mu knew that Xu Shan was stronger than his Patriarch, even he wasn''t sure what was going to happen if all the Ancestors fought together.

    Duan Mu slowed down, as his feet started hesitating. However, noticing the calm expressions of Xu Shan, he didn''t stop either. He had faith in Xu Shan.

    And even if they were to die here, he was willing to die first! He had sworn loyalty to Xu Shan. He couldn''t be scared now!

    He stepped before Xu Shan, as if trying to hide the young man behind him.

    Xu Shan ced his hand on Duan Mu''s shoulder. He was pleased to see that the dog knew how to protect its master, but he didn''t need protection. He moved Duan Mu aside, before taking a step forward, observing the Ancestors.

    His eyes revealed a look of disappointment. These people weren''t even close to being at the Peak of Sky Celestial Realm. They were even weaker than he expected. Even the Ancestors were only at the Third Stage of Sky Celestial Realm when their lifespan was almost over.

    The people who had cleared the streets for the Experts of the various ns were looking at Xu Shan and Duan Mu like idiots, to still be standing in the middle of the road and not moving aside. But the two of them didn''t seem to care about the bystanders'' gazes.

    The Ancestors were also stunned. When they felt this aura, they didn''t expect such a powerful person to be this young! Moreover, the attire of the man was also peculiar to them.

    They didn''t know what his identity was, but they recognised the symbol on the robe of Xu Shan. It was the Symbol of an Ancient force in the Celestial Realm. It wasn''t their first time seeing this symbol.

    While bystanders were expecting the three Ancestors to kill Xu Shan in one strike for blocking their path, their eyes were opened wide when they saw all the Ancestors going down on one knee instead, respectfully greeting the young man!

    The other experts also did the same. Unlike the bystanders, these people could feel just what kind of Nightmare Xu Shan was!

    He was so strong at such a young age that it was unclear just what kind of achievement he was going to have in the future!

    "Wee to the Lower Realm, Senior!'' the Ancestors eximed.

    One of them said, "It''s our luck that we had the opportunity to meet someone like you!"

    Seeing their reactions, even Duan Mu was stunned. He was expecting a war, but the Ancestors didn''t even dare offer resistance. Instead they were offering Xu Shan a greeting like he was their master!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "If Senior doesn''t mind, may we ask if we can be of any help to Senior? I might not be talented enough to even be a servant of senior, but if you need me to do anything, I''ll be willing to walk in fire for you!"

    One after another, all the Ancestors talked to Xu Shan, trying to get acquainted with such a strong person and establish some goodwill. They all wanted to get close to Xu Shan.

    If they could win Xu Shan''s support, then let alone the power in the Celestia City or this Kingdom, they could even be the Ruler of this entire world!

    They knew that not a single person could go against Xu Shan in the Lower Realm. Moreover, the clothes of Xu Shan were something that a Prince should wear. It was clear that even in the Upper World, he held a really high position. How else was he this strong at such a young age.

    They even wondered if he was the child of some overlord in the Celestial Realm. No matter what, they had to win the favor of Xu Shan!

    Unlike the other Ancestors, the Duan n Ancestor looked very pleased as he noticed Duan Mu standing behind Xu Shan. It was clear that Duan Mu was close to Xu Shan, which gave them an additional advantage.

    The Ancestor of Duan n didn''t know just what kind of behavior his n had with Duan Mu.

    Unlike him, the Patriarch of the Duan n wasn''t happy. He knew that his n didn''t favor Duan Mu, after he failed in awakening a Celestial Spirit. He didn''t know just what kind of grudge Duan Mu still held against the n.

    He really hoped that Duan Mu could look at the bigger picture and not ask Xu Shan to harm his own n.

    "I see that Senior has already met Duan Mu of our n. The Child is really lucky to be in thepany of Senior. Why don''t youe to our n to rest for a little?" Duan n Ancestor asked.

    The other ns also offered the same, albeit feeling a little jealous that the young man from Duan n was close to Xu Shan. They cursed their own youngsters for not getting this opportunity and being useless!

    Xu Shan had multiple offers on where he could rest. However, he already had a purpose ining here, and for that purpose, he had only one choice.

    "Since the young one is from the Duan n, I shall stay at the Duan n for a while and rest...." Xu Shan took the offer of the Duan n, ncing at Duan Mu.

    Duan n Ancestor happily escorted Xu Shan back to the Duan n while announcing that they were going to throw a banquet tonight in Xu Shan''s honor!

    Neither Duan Mu, nor the Duan n knew what kind of Chaos was waiting for them. If they knew, both of them would''ve cursed this meeting for an eternity��

 Chapter 123 123: Nothing But A Pawn

    The Duan n Ancestor was excited as soon as Xu Shan agreed to his invitation to stay at their house. This allowed them an added advantage over the other. And for that, he was really grateful to Duan Mu.

    He had already decided to reward Duan Mu heavily, including giving his mother a really high position in the n.

    He didn''t know how people behaved with him. If they knew, he would even be willing to kill all those people himself, just to please Duan Mu.

    The Duan n Patriarch stood in the back, with his head down. He didn''t even think about the fact that his son Duan Yang was nowhere to be found.

    The Duan n Ancestorughed heartily, as he invited the Ancestors of the other Major ns to attend the banquet at night.

    Xu Shan walked next to the Duan n Ancestor as he continued on his journey towards the Mansion of the n.

    The other Ancestors only watched them leave, with an ugly expression on their faces. However, they still hadn''t given up. They could see that Xu Shan was still a young man! So what if the Duan n had a lead?

    They still had many talented people in their ns. There was nock of beautifuldies from the direct Bloodline.

    All the n Ancestors returned to their n to prepare to attend the banquet of the Duan n! They left no stone unturned to select the most talented and beautiful heirs from their direct Bloodline to win Xu Shan''s favor in the banquet.

    Before the Ancestor brought Xu Shan to the n mansion, the Patriarch of the n had already reached there, informing every n member that a very important guest wasing and no one was allowed to offend that guest!

    It was the first time the n members had seen the Patriarch so scared.

    ****

    Xu Shan entered the n, only to be greeted by most of the Duan n Members, as if he was some kind returning to his kingdom after winning a war.

    Dressed in luxurious robes, Xu Shan observed everyone in the surroundings. His attention was mainly on Duan Mu, since he wanted to see just who his mother was.

    It wasn''t hard either since the Duan n Patriarch had kept Duan Mu''s mother next to him, like she was also on equal footing to him.

    "Mother!" Duan Mu''s eyes became a bit wet. Just a few hours ago, he didn''t even know if he could return alive... Even his mother''s life was in danger. However, now the entire n was giving so much importance to his mother.

    He nced at Xu Shan, feeling eternally grateful. In this entire world, no one had done so much for him.

    "Go and spend some time with your mother. I''ll be resting until the banquet..." Xu Shan told Duan Mu, revealing apassionate smile.

    As soon as he mentioned resting, the n Ancestor personally brought Xu Shan to the most luxurious courtyard where he could rest.

    "Senior, if you need anything, please tell that to the servants outside. I''ll be right here to personally do any task you may need done!" The Ancestor of the Duan n eximed, before he left to prepare for the banquet to make sure that nothing wascking at night. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He had to show the entire city and beyond that he was weing a guest who was so incredible.

    Xu Shanzily nodded, before he closed the door.

    He walked to the bed and sat down. However, he wasn''t in the mood to rest either.

    He raised his right hand, bringing out three tattered ck gs.

    He had given up on these gs to bring down the Celestial Pce. However, when he wasing up with a strategy to win the war, he used some excuse to ask for this treasure from the Celestial Pce Master and these three gs came back to him.

    "Are you really going to do it?" Xinren asked, sitting next to Xu Shan. "I don''t see a need to go that far."

    Xu Shan ced the three gs aside, before lying down on the bed.

    "Do you think it''s too much?" Xu Shan asked. Personally, he didn''t feel much emotion anymore. It was even worse than it used to be in the past.

    In his mind, there were only benefits and losses. There was no right or wrong when it came to things that could give him benefits.

    "He''s always loyal to you. Then why...?" Xinren asked, slightly curious.

    It wasn''t that she was feeling pity or going soft. However, she was genuinely curious as to why they were doing something so unnecessary.

    "You underestimate a Child of Destiny..." Xu Shan shook his head lightly. "I can''t leave anything that mighte back to harm me in the future, even if it''s the thing most precious to him."

    "I don''t need a friend... I don''t need apanion... I don''t need a nice guy who might resist my ns... What I need is a sword... A Sword that is broken to the extent where it doesn''t differentiate between right or wrong... A Sword that''s broken even more than me..."

    Xu Shan closed his eyes. The entire room turned silent for a little while.

    The silence was broken when Xu Shan further spoke, "I might be called a demon or a monster, but so what? I became one the moment I inherited this role... I already have so much blood on my hands... What''s one more going to do to me?"

    "Andstly... I want him to walk in the darkness with me. For that, I need to get rid of his light... How else can I awaken the monster hidden deep inside him?"

    Xinren silently heard Xu Shan''s words. She could only nod at the end. However, she also had a feeling that it had something to do with the fact that Xu Shan didn''t have any knowledge of his mother because of the cost...

    He had forgotten what it was like for a person to have a mother and lose her... To him, Duan Mu''s mother was nothing but a pawn... And he knew how to use that pawn to break a heropletely...

 Chapter 124 124: Long Night

    Everyone in the Duan n was busy in preparations for the banquet. At the same time, the Duan n Patriarch personally went to meet Duan Mu who was with his mother.

    Meeting the young man and his mother, the first thing he did was apologize for the behavior of the n toward them. At the same time, he thanked Duan Mu for now saying anything about it to Xu Shan.

    He didn''t know that Xu Shan was already informed about everything, but he intentionally didn''t do anything about it.

    After making sure that Duan Mu didn''t hold any grudge against them, the Patriarch of the n sighed in relief.

    He left some rare herbs with Duan Mu as a gesture of gratitude before finally leaving the room.

    He walked back to the room where he was to next meet the Ancestor of the n about how to use the influence of Xu Shan during the banquet to establish themselves as the supreme power of this world.

    "That idiot son of mine still didn''t return. Just where did that idiot go?" He wondered, walking toward the meeting room, feeling as if his son Duan Yang was missing a great opportunity.

    Many people could be seen entering and leaving the Duan n Mansion as the preparations continued.

    Within a few hours, everyone in the City knew about the fact that a supreme expert had arrived from the Upper Realm and was resting in the Duan n Mansion.

    That information spread even faster, since many people wanted to see what this expert looked like.

    Some said it was an old man, who had a head full of white hair while others said it was a middle aged man who had a scar on his face. There were many rumors floating around.

    This news wasn''t contained to the City either! The Alchemy Pce and the Treasure Pavillion sent the information to their Main Branch to get further instructions.

    The information also reached the Royal Family of the Kingdom!

    The King personally left his Pce without dying a single second since he wanted to reach Celestia City before the evening!

    His information was even more urate than the others and he knew that the supreme expert was only in his early twenties.

    That''s why, he even brought his daughter with him. Even if his daughter became a concubine of a person like that, then it was a great opportunity for her.

    He wasn''t the only person who had this idea. Despite the short notice, many great people were on their way to attend the banquet and meet the expert.

    While Duan n was busy making arrangements for potentially weing thousands of guests, they didn''t notice that their guest of honor wasn''t in his room at all.

    Xu Shan had disappeared from the room and no one even noticed it.

    His figure appeared in three different corners of the city, at a safe distance from the Duan n Mansion where he arranged the three tattered gs in a proper arrangement to cover the Mansion in its effect without having the risk of the gs being detected.

    After he arranged all three gs, he returned to the room that was assigned to him, like a ghost. It was as if he had never left at all. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Duan Mu was in his room, eating with his mother, not knowing much about what was going to happen.

    "He saved my life... I owe him everything. He''s the only person I can trust... The only person who didn''t treat me like an insect... And now, it''s because of him that we receive the respect we deserve! Now you won''t have to worry about anything! I''ll give you the happiest life possible!"

    Duan Mu was telling his mother everything, especially how Xu Shan saved his life. However, he hid the fact that he had given a piece of his soul to Xu Shan, with which his life could be controlled.

    His mother ced her hand over Duan Mu''s head gently. "Your father always used to say that there are no free lunches in this world. I don''t know why, but I feel that you should maintain some distance from him."

    "Why would a god like him pay attention to you? It can''t be because of pity..." The woman spoke, taking a nce at the ne of Duan Mu.

    It was as if she knew something about the pendant and the secret behind it, but she didn''t tell her son.

    Duan Mu''s face turned dark as he heard his mother mention her father.

    "Don''t ever mention him again! I have no father!" He stood up and started leaving.

    The woman revealed a look of sadness in her eyes. She wanted to tell her son everything, but she knew it wasn''t the right time.

    However, she was also suspicious of Xu Shan''s motives in approaching her son. Did he know the secret? Or was it really just a coincidence?

    As she watched her son leave in anger, she clenched her fist.

    Hearing the door m, she closed her eyes. The room returned to the usual silence.

    "You may me your father for leaving you, but if you knew the truth... That person who arrived... I don''t feel good. He isn''t a good person. It''s like he wears a mask of a nice person to hide the real darkness inside him..."

    She softly muttered to herself, but no one was here to listen to her. She also knew that her son wasn''t going to believe her. However, she had to protect her son at any cost, from all evil!

    "I know I promised you that I won''t tell him the truth before it''s time, but I can''t keep that promise. I have to tell him... So he understands that he''s not nobody... Only when he knows his true value can he know the evil motives of others in approaching him..."

    She made up her mind that she was going to tell Duan Mu the truth... she couldn''t let him get closer to Xu Shan, who had an aura of darkness around him that not many people could see...

    ****

    The long awaited night arrived, and all the guests started arriving one after another. It was the first time the Celestia City was hosting so many important people from all over the continent.

    The strongest people from all around the continent had rushed over as soon as they got the news. Moreover, despite being so powerful and influential, almost every person was humble, even before the servants of the Duan n, which was said to be close to the supreme expert!

    Everyone also brought the best gift they could find at such short notice. No one knew how long this night was truly going to be.

 Chapter 125 125: True Nature

    The night was dark and quiet. The stars twinkled in the sky, casting a faint glow over the surroundings. A soft breeze rustled the leaves on the trees, creating a soothing melody. The only sound was the distant hooting of an owl.

    While the outside was so peaceful, the Duan n was bustling with activity.

    All the guests had arrived. Most of the influential people were already there, getting weed by the Duan n Members, who were keen on getting acquainted with these people as well.

    Most of the Experts from the continent came with their direct heir. Most came with daughters, while there were some who came with their young sons, hoping that their sons could be a follower of the Expert from the Upper Realm.

    The people from the Lower Realm couldn''t enter the Upper Realm, unless they broke through the Heavenly Celestial Realm. However, it was almost impossible for them to reach that point.

    In thest thousand years, not a single person came even close to that. However, there was also another method of entering the Upper Realm, and it was if they were taken by someone from the Upper Realm.

    Most people wanted their youngsters to attract Xu Shan''s attention with their talents so he could take them with him.

    The young girls who came with their fathers, or the Ancestors of their ns were nervous. They had never seen Xu Shan but they had to win his heart.

    As they looked around, they only saw the most beautiful and talented girls in the continent, which made them even more concerned.

    "When is Senioring?" The King of the Small Kingdom asked the Patriarch of the Duan n.

    The others nearby were also curious. However, they were very respectful. One had to treat even the servants with respect because of their master.

    "Senior wille when he wants to. Just wait." The Patriarch of the Duan n responded calmly, shaking his head.

    However, around that time, the door opened. A young man stepped inside the massive hall.

    Everyone''s attention fell on Xu Shan.

    The youngsters didn''t find anything special in the young man, other than the fact that he had a One Star Celestial Spirit symbol on his left eye. However, he appeared weak.

    The youngsters shook their heads, as they stopped paying attention, thinking it was just another guest. However, they soon noticed that their Elders nearby were frozen in ce.

    Almost all of them went down on one knee, including various Kings, as if they were weing gods. It was an instinct that they couldn''t do anything about. Just the aura of Xu Shan alone was scary.

    Xu Shan silently walked towards the throne that was especially ced for him, without saying a word. His every step caused the ground to shake, while his eyes swept over the great hall, as if assessing everything.

    Meeting all these people was only a waste of his time, but he needed to y around a little.

    Duan Mu remained with Xu Shan, ever since he left his mother. However, he still kept thinking about what his mother said.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    No matter what, he couldn''t think that his mother was right. He knew that Xu Shan was ruthless since he saw him kill people before. However, he also remembered that Xu Shan didn''t kill them right away. He talked to them first, telling them to leave.

    He only killed them when they didn''t take his advice and attacked him.

    In his eyes, even if Xu Shan was evil, he wasn''t unreasonable! For him, his own n members were much more evil, who covered themselves in a cloak of being a righteous person while doing evil deeds.

    On the other hand, Xu Shan showed his true nature proudly, not hiding anything... At least that''s what he thought.

    The celebration started, and many people introduced themselves while praising Xu Shan and telling him that they were willing to do anything for him.

    It was no different than most of the powers swearing their loyalty to Xu Shan. They also introduced their juniors.

    Later, a fighting arena was also arranged for the youngsters of various ns to fight each other and show their skills before Xu Shan.

    Even Xu Shan understood why they were doing it. However, in his eyes, all these people were quite untalented. He already found the perfect person to take with him... A person that could be his biggest weapon in the future.

    "I haven''t seen your mother. Is she noting?" Xu Shan asked Duan Mu after some time.

    Duan Mu shook his head. "Mother rarely attends these events. I hope you can forgive her for not being here."

    He was partially d as well that his mother wasn''t here since he knew what she thought of Xu Shan. She didn''t want her to identally reveal her true thoughts.

    "Your mother seemed like a nice person. I would like to talk to her before we leave," Xu Shan stated, before turning his attention to the arena in the front.

    The youngster on the tform who won the fight was good and talented by the standards of this world. However, Xu Shan knew that even the worst Disciple of the Celestial Pce in the same realm as him could wipe the floor with his face without any trouble.

    As Xu Shan paid attention to the arena, no one noticed that the Patriarch of the Duan n had disappeared.

    He left the ce, without informing anyone. No one even noticed that his eyes appeared somewhat nk as well, as if something was wrong with him.

    And the direction he was going toward was the Courtyard where Duan Mu''s mother resided.

    Many guards saw him going in that direction, but no one found it suspicious. He was the Patriarch of the n and he could go anywhere at any time, without any trouble.

    The Patriarch stopped before the door of the middle aged woman''s courtyard. He knocked on the door, which was soon opened by Duan Mu''s mother��

 Chapter 126 126: Restless

    Duan Mu''s mother opened the door, only to find the Patriarch of the Duan n at her doorstep.

    Initially, she thought that he came here to insist that she attend the ceremony with others. However, for some reason, she noticed something strange.

    The man''s eyes appeared somewhat nk, as he gazed at her strangely.

    "You..." She tried speaking, but before she could finish, the Patriarch grabbed her throat, before pushing her inside the room.

    With his other hand, he closed the door behind him.

    ****

    Xu Shan closed his eyes momentarily. His mind didn''t have many thoughts, even though he knew that he should''ve had some thoughts about what he was doing.

    After a brief pause, he opened his eyes and nced at Duan Mu.

    For some reason, Duan Mu felt a little ufortable. Even the young man didn''t understand why he was suddenly feeling so restless. It was as if his heart was trying to tell him something, making him restless. Unfortunately, he couldn''t understand.

    "Is something wrong?" Xu Shan asked the young man, maintaining his calm smile. "Or is it that you also want to join the battles?"

    "Join the battle?" Duan Mu asked, looking at the arena. Most talented youngsters of various ns were showing their skills in battle against each other.

    He could only shake his head, knowing that he wasn''t strong enough to take part in the arena.

    "I am not strong enough to face anyone amongst them."

    Xu Shan didn''tment. He also knew that Duan Mu wasn''t strong, but it was only a matter of time before he became stronger. He was a Child of Heaven with a precious Bloodline.

    "Let me help you a little. Show them what you''re capable of," Xu Shan nodded. He brought out a small pendant that he had robbed from the Sky Dynasty treasury.

    "Wear it." He handed over the bracelet to Duan Mu.

    Duan Mu held the bracelet in condition, but eventually, he wore the pendant.

    However, right around the time he wore the pendant, a loud Explosion resounded that shook the entire Duan n.

    Hearing the Explosion, the battles were stopped. All the Elders in the arena stood up from their seats, looking in the direction of the Explosion.

    Even Duan Mu was momentarily frozen, since the location this Explosion came from was his home! No other courtyard was in that direction.

    For a moment, his face turned pale. Without thinking, he started running in that direction, hoping that his mother was safe!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Watching the young man leave, Xu Shan stood up. His long yet beautiful robe fluttered with the wind as his emotionless eyes looked in the direction of the Explosion.

    He remembered the moment when he was keeping an eye on the entire Duan n while cing the gs outside to make sure no one noticed him.

    It was at that time, he heard Duan Mu''s mother talking about him with her son. He had heard every single word of hers, which made him even more convinced of his decision on what he had to do.

    He would''ve preferred to capture the woman and interrogate her, since she knew something about Duan Mu''s secret. However, he also couldn''t spoil everything over his curiosity.

    After a brief pause, he followed Duan Mu in calm steps, being in no hurry at all.

    Duan Mu was the first person to reach the site of the explosion, along with some guards. And what he saw made his soul tremble.

    His home... It was burning. Most of his home was destroyed!

    Inside the zing house, he saw a figure, whose back was facing him. The figure was shrouded in a barrier that protected him from the mes.

    On the man''s feet, there was a lifeless half burned body, lying on the ground. Most of the woman''s body was burned in mes but looking at her, Duan Mu was convinced that she was his mother!

    "Just because your trash son got closer to the Senior, you think you can be arrogant before me? You were nothing more than an ant for me to crush! Even with the Senior''s help, your son will always be trash!"

    As the man spoke, he raised his foot and stomped the skull of the woman under his foot.

    Duan Mu felt his soul tremble. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming, but it wasn''t a dream! His mother was killed right before his eyes, and by none other than the Patriarch of his own n, who pretended to be so nice previously.

    Duan Mu had thought that everything was going to be fine in the n, but it only revealed how naive he was! His trust was betrayed!

    "You!" The Duan n Ancestor also arrived at that moment. His face went pale as he saw what had happened.

    It was as if someone had pulled the carpet from under his feet. Until now, he was so happy. Their n''s rise was confirmed. But now... He wasn''t even sure if they could live, all because of his son!

    The other guests also arrived one after another. They didn''t understand what was happening, so they simply stayed out of the matter. However, they had a feeling that something serious had happened.

    "Huh?" Duan Jin was standing amidst the fire, protected by his barrier amidst the effect of the Ghostly Banner Effect. However, right around that time, he was sent out of the effects.

    Duan Jin came out of his daze. He was immediately confused as to why he was standing in the burning courtyard. However, as he looked at his feet, his heart skipped a beat and his face turned pale.

    He immediately looked behind, only to find out that everyone was here! He didn''t understand what happened and how he ended up here. It was as if someone had erased his memories of thest hour.

    "I-i didn''t-" he tried exining. However, before he could even finish, a heavy mountain-like pressure descended on his body.

 Chapter 127 127: Seeing The World For What It Is

    His body dropped to his knees unwillingly with such force that even his knees cracked as a crater developed under his feet.

    At the same time, footsteps resounded in the distance. A young man with emotionless cold eyes had arrived.

    Xu Shan finally arrived at the ce. With a single wave of his hand, the mes stopped and Duan Jin dropped to his knees.

    He stepped closer to the lifeless body on the ground, revealing a frown.

    Duan Jin tried speaking to exin his side. However, to his surprise, he found out that he couldn''t even open his mouth! It was as if there was a strange power stopping him from speaking.

    In disbelief, he looked at Xu Shan. His pupils trembled! There was only one person who could do something like this! His heart was filled with dread as he realized that it was Xu Shan who made him kill Duan Mu''s mother!

    While Duan Jin was stunned with what he thought, Xu Shan was also internally surprised that even after all this, Duan Mu hadn''t gone crazy, which was against his expectations. It was as if the young man had lost his sense of self, where he didn''t even want to believe that it actually happened.

    He nced at Duan Mu and everyone else in that ce. Even the guests were trembling under his gaze, even though they had nothing to do with this matter.

    However, to their surprise, Xu Shan didn''t do anything. He just turned around, and walked closer to Duan Mu.

    "I won''t interfere in your matter. If you want revenge, do it yourself." As he spoke, he transferred some of his aura inside the Bracelet that he had given to Duan Mu.

    The Bracelet was a cursed item, yet only a few people knew about its existence. The Bracelet had many uses. However, its most important use was to amplify the negative emotions of a person, as soon as even the slightest of Celestial Energy was used on it.

    "If you think about having your revenge, then do it. But if you don''t want to, then leave with me right away."

    Xu Shan also brought out a treasure Sword that he had taken from the Sky Dynasty treasury.

    He turned the de of the Sword toward the ground, and stabbed it. Leaving the sword near Duan Mu''s feet, Xu Shan walked away.

    If the young man still couldn''t do it, then Xu Shan knew that he was going to be really disappointed by his performance.

    After leaving the sword, Xu Shan left... However, he didn''t go too far, as if he was waiting for a nice show tomence.

    The Duan n Patriarch kept trying to speak while looking toward his father with a pleading gaze, hoping that he''ll notice the abnormality.

    Fortunately, it worked as well. The Duan n Ancestor did notice something strange. Why wasn''t his son speaking anything?

    However, before he could try asking his son why he did it, he felt a dark aura... An aura that he never sensed before!

    The Sky was covered in clouds as the thundering roars intensified in the sky, as if Heaven was grieving.

    As Xu Shan sat on a throne in the distance, at a safe distance away from everyone else, he felt a water droplet fall over his head. However, his face had a calm smile now, since he also sensed that dark aura.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Let''s see what you''re capable of, my little toy." He snapped his fingers, casting a barrier above his head which protected him from the rain.

    The other n''s members also stepped back, signifying that they had nothing to do with the Duan n.

    Xu Shan''s words had already convinced them that he didn''t want anything to do with the Duan n.

    They also stepped back, abandoning the Duan n. Only the Duan n Members were left there.

    Duan n Ancestor looked in the direction where he sensed that dark aura. He could only see Duan Mu there.

    The young man who previously didn''t even have the slightest of aura was looking strange. Something appeared different about him as he looked at the body of his mother in the distance.

    Duan Mu''s eyes were filled with an indescribable emotion as he watched his mother''s body. It was as if he was finallying to terms with the fact that this wasn''t a dream. This was the reality... He wasn''t hallucinating.

    Many negative thoughts filled up his head as tears kept trickling down his cheeks. It was as if his heart was slowly dying.

    The world was unfair... Everything was unfair!

    Multiple memories of his childhood shed before his eyes. No matter what he went through, his mother was always there for him. She was the only sce he had in this dark world who kept him from breaking, no matter what the circumstances were. However, now... Even she was taken by the cruel fate!

    Slowly, his multiple thoughts converged into only a single thought! Kill!

    He reached out his hand, grabbing the hilt of the sword before him. He pulled out the Sword.

    The strange pendant around his neck also started shining brightly, as if reacting to his strong emotions.

    "Wait!" The Duan n Ancestor had a bad feeling as he watched Xu Shan stepping closer to his son.

    He stepped in the middle, to stop Xu Shan. "I''m sure my son can''t be stupid enough to kill your mother! There must be something behind it! Let me talk to him! Calm your anger, young man! We are all your family! Think about your family!"

    "Did you think about my family?" Duan Mu''s cold response came, as if he had finally broken off all his shackles of attachment. The only link between him and the n was his mother.

    As for why his mother was killed, he already had a reason! It was because the Duan n Patriarch suspected his hand behind his son''s death. But since he couldn''t harm him, he targeted his mother!

    "Finally, you''re starting to see the world for what it is..." Xu Shan rested one leg over the other, as he watched with great interest.

    At the same time, he knew that there was arge difference in strength between the two sides. Even with his cheat, Duan Mu was no match for them, so Xu Shan proved a little more help.

 Chapter 128 128: Demon

    "Allow me to offer my assistance," Xu Shan said, a disarming smile gracing his lips as his voice resonated through the tense atmosphere.

    "No one is allowed to use strength beyond the Realm of a Celestial Warrior. If you go beyond, I''ll kill you myself."

    A warning echoed through the air, spoken without explicitly naming anyone, but it was evident that Duan Mu and the members of the Duan n were the intended audience.

    Duan Mu was said to be a mortal, but he was much stronger than one, especially after eating so many Celestial Fruits. However, he still couldn''t close the distance in strength between them.

    For that, Xu Shan personally ced a rule where the Duan n couldn''t use strength beyond his means to handle, which was the Initial Realm of the Celestial Cultivation.

    "On the other hand, if you only use the strength of a Celestial Warrior, then I won''t interfere, even if you kill the little guy."

    With that, he nted a seed for the Duan n. They could either be killed by Duan Mu, or kill him, but he wasn''t going to intervene as long as they yed by the Rules.

    The Duan n Ancestor felt something wrong with these rules. He knew Duan Mu was a mortal. Even if someone only used the Initial Stage of Cultivation, they could still easily kill him. This didn''t make sense.

    On the other hand, the other n Heads also watched with great interest, wondering just what Xu Shan was actually looking for? Was he abandoning the young man for his entertainment? Or was it something more?

    They hoped it was the former. If Xu Shan abandoned the young man, that meant their youngsters could have a chance of getting close to him.

    "Young Man, stop right there. We can talk. There''s still some questions." Duan n Ancestor insisted, as he sent some of the guards to hold Duan Mu back, so they wouldn''t harm him."I promise I''ll get you an exnation!"

    Since Duan Mu didn''t look like he was in his right mind, the Ancestor only tried to restrict him so he couldn''t do anything stupid.

    Aftermanding his men, he turned toward his son to check just what was wrong with him.

    However, only a few seconds after he turned around, he heard a painful cry.

    He turned around to find Duan Mu stepping forward. Next to him, three guards of the Duan n were lying on the ground, lifeless.

    Their heads were separated from their bodies while his sword was covered in blood.

    The Ancestor''s face darkened. Meanwhile, Xu Shan''s interest peaked. He could feel that the pendant of the young man was activating.

    Something was changing about Duan Mu. His frail and weak body was bing somewhatrger. His eyes also turned pitch ck as a strange character appeared on his left shoulder.

    "Did you recognise that Character on his shoulders?" Xu Shan asked Xinren. However, Xinren shook her head in response. Even she didn''t know what that mark was.

    However, as soon as the Mark appeared, the pendant around Duan Mu''s chest started developing cracks.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    His strength also increased, almost doubling in an instant.

    "Titan... So I was right." Xinrenmented after some time, noticing the characteristics of Duan Mu, who was slightly taller now.

    His body was also shrouded in a strange aura that was dominating. Even Xu Shan felt slightly ufortable under that aura, as if it had some suppressing characteristics.

    For this aura to even make someone as strong as him ufortable, he was quite interested. Just how strong was a fully grown Titan? This was really a special weapon...

    More and more n Members of the Duan n tried to stop Duan Mu. Even though Xu Shan said that he wouldn''t intervene even if they killed Duan Mu, they couldn''t believe that entirely so they tried to not harm the young man as much as possible.

    Unfortunately, it was impossible. For some reason, not only was Duan Mu stronger, but it was as if he was able to see their movements. It was as if he could see a few moments into the future to see their moves.

    Most of the n Members saw a blood red Sword sh before their eyes as they died in the most painful way.

    There was another member of the Duan n who was frozen in ce after Duan Mu appeared right before him.

    In his fear and confusion, the man used all his strength to protect his life.

    An Energy st was created by him, which sent Duan Mu flying back, coughing blood. However, as soon as he did so, his body exploded into a thousand pieces.

    Almost everyone instinctively looked at Xu Shan, who was stillfortably sitting.

    In the distance, Duan Munded on the ground. Some of his bones were broken in the attack, but he was like a wild beast who had lost his sanity and sense of pain.

    He once again rushed. And this time, he didn''t hold back anymore. It was as if all he could see was blood. No matter who was before him, they were killed.

    He didn''t care if it was his uncle, his aunt or his cousins!

    In the end, even the Duan n Ancestor was shaken to his core, watching all his n members die while all the guests were watching from a distance like it was an entertainment show.

    He hoped for his n to be the strongest n thanks to Xu Shan and Duan Mu. But instead, his n was almost on the verge of being destroyed.

    The more the sword killed, the sharper it was bing. Every stroke from the sword was able to break the space apart...

    In the distance, Duan Jin had tears in his eyes as he struggled to speak to tell the truth, but no words came out of his mouth. He could only look at Xu Shan with trembling pupils.

    He couldn''t understand why this man was doing this?! Why was he destroying their n after they treated him with such respect? Just what kind of demon was that guy?

 Chapter 129 129: Cheating

    Xu Shan watched everything with great interest, as if trying to show just where the limit of the young man was.

    In the end, the Ancestor of the Stein n personally acted, since he couldn''t watch most of his n members dying. However, he made sure to restrict his strength to the specified level.

    He tried to make sure that he didn''t kill Duan Mu, but at the same time, he was sure that if there was a need for that, he would do that. He couldn''t just sit back and die. He could only hope that Xu Shan was going to keep his promise.

    The Duan n Ancestor could fly, but because of the restriction, he could only run to Duan Mu.

    Because of the intensifying rain, the entire floor was covered in water that sshed as the Duan n Ancestor''s figure moved like lightning.

    However, to his surprise, Duan Mu was able to see through his movements as well, which stunned him even more. At thest moment, he slowed down and dodged Duan Mu''s Sword to the side.

    He appeared behind the young man who had stopped thinking and was working only on his instincts.

    The old man ced his hand over Duan Mu''s head, and smashed his face on the ground. "That''s enough! Calm down now!"

    The impact of his hit was enough to break an ordinary man''s skull, or at least harm them seriously. However, even in such pain, Duan Mu didn''t show any reaction.

    He turned his wrist in such a motion that his sword was facing his back. Without even looking back, he thrust the sword behind, even at the cost of breaking his arm.

    Duan n Ancestor was stunned by the ruthless nature of the young man. He jumped back at thest moment, avoiding the sword.

    At the other end, Duan Mu stood up. His right arm was broken and his face was bleeding, yet his face was emotionless, as if he couldn''t think of anything other than the thought that he had to kill these people!

    The bracelet worked in a simr manner, but more importantly, it was his Bloodline which was starting to awaken.

    "Not bad. I can see why those people Ruled over the universe once upon a time. They were quite ruthless to themselves..." Xu Shan rubbed his chin, not missing even the slightest of the young man''s movements.

    "He doesn''t even know that his mother is still alive. What a pitiful child."Xinren shook her head lightly.

    In response, Xu Shan smiled. "How would he go crazy if he knew that she was alive? Won''t that be a waste?"

    As he spoke, he looked at the small sphere in his hand, with which he was ying. For others, it was just a gem that was akin to a toy. However, only Xu Shan knew that it was another Treasure on the same level as Duan Mu''s pendant.

    It was a treasure that was the most important treasure of the Sky Dynasty. It had a spirit of its own. No one could control the Treasure Spirit as long as the master of the treasure was alive.

    Fortunately, unlike Duan Mu''s pendant, the treasure spirit of this sphere wasn''t one to destroy itself after the death of its former master.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The small sphere had many uses, but the most important use for Duan Mu was that it could be used as a prison in certain circumstances.

    And currently, this prison had only one person inside... It was Duan Mu''s mother, who Xu Shan left alive, to get some answers from her.

    When he heard her talkingabout telling the past to Duan Mu, he understood that he had to take her out of the picture, but she was also important for him to keep alive.

    This was also the reason that the lifeless woman''s face and half her body was burned. It was so no one could recognise her. Moreover, it wasn''t hard for him to find someone with a simr physique to take her ce.

    While a son fought for revenge for her mother,Xu Shan kept ying with the small spherical crystal, while spectating the battle before him.

    Duan Mu was strong now, but the Duan n Ancestor was more experienced. Even after having his strength be restricted, he still wasn''t falling behind. He was able to hold Duan Mu back, giving a proper fight.

    Moreover, at the speed Duan Mu was taking damage, Xu Shan realized that he was still too inexperienced and it was only a matter of time before he lost.

    The Duan n Ancestor finally brought out a sword of his own. He could see that Duan Mu was about to lose soon. He just had to hold him back a little longer, and avoid getting hurt.

    He nted his feet firmly to the ground, ready to hurt Duan Mu a little more. He decided to take off Duan Mu''s hand that was holding onto the sword, with his sharp Sword.

    He watched Duan Muing close to him. He raised his sword, pushing some of his Celestial Aura inside the sword.

    The old man swung his Sword.

    sh ~

    Strangely enough, everyone saw the old man suddenly stop his attack, which stunned almost all guests. At the same time, Duan Mu''s Sword didn''t hold back, stabbing through the chest of the old man.

    Blood trickled down the old man''s lips as he looked down at his chest, before ncing at Xu Shan in disbelief.

    Most people were focused on the battle and didn''t see anything. However, there was one person who saw what happened. He also looked at Xu Shan in surprise.

    It was the Master of the Alchemy Pavillion. He clearly saw that just as the Duan n Ancestor was about to attack Duan Mu to cut his arms, a Sword made purely of Celestial Energy appeared above the Duan n Patriarch.

    Seeing a Sword over the head of his son, the Duan n Ancestor was momentarily frozen, which allowed Duan Mu to kill him...

    He was clear who made that Sword to interfere��

 Chapter 130 130: Heaven Of Alchemy

    The Duan n Ancestor was killed, which destroyed the foundation of the entire n.

    The Patriarch of the n watched his father die with tears in his eyes. He couldn''t believe he let a demon like Xu Shan in his house! He was clear as to who was behind all this.

    Duan Mu stepped toward the Duan n Patriarch. The other members of the n didn''t dare to stop him anymore. Instead, they ran away to save their lives, abandoning the n itself.

    Unfortunately for them, as soon as they started running away, they attracted the attention of Duan Mu, who wasn''t in his right mind.

    One after another, bodies kept falling on the ground. All the guests hade to watch a celebration but they only watched a ughter.

    After destroying everyone from the Duan n, Duan Mu only had one person remaining. It was the Duan n Patriarch.

    He appeared before the middle aged man, cing the tip of his Sword on the forehead of the man.

    "Mmmm!" The man looked at him with pleading eyes, as if saying he was innocent but no one was there to protect him.

    With a single thrust of the sword, the n Patriarch lost the light in his eyes.

    His eyes slowly closed, as blood trickled down his forehead.

    Duan Mu killed everyone in his n with his own hands, walking the path of bing a demon!

    After killing everyone, he took his hands off the Sword, dropping to his knees.

    "Arghhh!" He roared at the top of his lungs, looking at the raining sky. The rain slowly washed the blood on the ground but even it couldn''t erase the signs of the destruction that just happened here.

    Xu Shan stood up. He appeared next to the young man, nning his hand on his shoulder.

    Duan Mu was crying, but his years were mixing with the rain that washed over his face, making it impossible to differentiate between the two. His roars continued.

    Xu Shan ced his hand on the hilt of the sword, and pulled it out, before keeping it back with him. He also took off the bracelet.

    Xu Shanmented, ncing at the lifeless body in the distance, "Sometimes, being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself."

    "There are no truly good or bad people in this world. The so-called good people won''t hesitate in stabbing you if given the opportunity..."

    Duan Mu raised his head, ncing at Xu Shan. His voice had turned hoarse from all the roaring. However, his eyes appeared much darker at the moment. There was another crack on his pendant.

    His previously naive face looked much different. It was much colder, since he had tasted blood for the first time in his life. That feeling was deeply etched in his bones.

    Hearing Xu Shan''s words, he couldn''t help but me himself. Xu Shan had indeed asked him if he should destroy the entire n once but it was him, who had rejected.

    He still thought that although his n had behaved badly, they were still his family and they had also done many good things for them, like giving shelter to his mother when she needed it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Moreover, he couldn''t get himself to be the reason behind his entire n''s destruction. But now...he really regretted that decision.

    For the rest of the night, Xu Shan helped Duan Mu bury the body of the ''mother'' properly. At the same time, he let the guests handle the body of the n members who were killed.

    Since the Duan n didn''t have anything worth his interest, he let the guest ns take anything they wanted from the n''s treasury, not taking a single thing. For him, everything in the n treasury was a waste of space.

    Moreover, it was also around that time, he finally calcted the coordinates of the Lower Level World where the Celestial Lotus was going to bloom.

    While all the guests were still waiting for Xu Shan, after cleaning the entire hall from the bodies, Xu Shan had already left the world with Duan Mu, who became much more silent, thinking that his mother was actually dead.

    However, just before Xu Shan left the world, he saw a notification screen before him.

    [You have changed the fate of a Child of Destiny, making him walk the path of evil. You''ve attracted Heaven''s Wrath. You''ve received more Negative Karma]

    ''More Negative Karma?'' Xu Shan thought, revealing a devilish smile. ''This is just the beginning. Let''s see how much more Negative Karma you can give me...''

    He stepped inside the spatial portal, followed by Duan Mu, who was carrying a heavy sword on his back. His clothes were different, being much darker.

    While Xu Shan was in his ordinary Royal attire, Duan Mu was donning a ck ordinary robe. The tattoo that had appeared on his left shoulder was still present, but it was hidden by his clothes.

    ****

    Yizen was a Lower Realm world which was very unremarkable in most aspects. Even amongst the lower realms, its strength was considered to be the weakest.

    The people of this world didn''t focus on chasing after strength. Instead, they only focused on Alchemy. This world was known as the Heaven of Alchemy.

    It was said that amongst the Lower Worlds, the Alchemy Knowledge of Yizen was the best!

    However, not even the greatest of Alchemists of this world knew that a great treasure like the Celestial Lotus had appeared in this world, and it was going to mature soon enough. Moreover, the information about this had already reached some powerful people in the Divine Realm.

    The day was like any other in the greatest sect of Yizen.

    Knock~

    Constant knocking resounded before one of the rooms in the Outer Part of the Sect.

    "Aria, wake up. How long are you going to sleep? We need to go and gather the herbs from Dragon Mountain. Don''t forget our mission."

    Unfortunately, no one opened the door.

    In the confines of the chamber, the figure of a youthfuldy was lying upon the bed. Her body was burning, as if she had a fever. She was covered in sweat, as she twisted and turned in bed, revealing some fear on her face, even as she was asleep.

 Chapter 131 131: Step Toward The Future

    "Get your hands off me!" The woman roared as she opened her eyes.

    Her breathing was fast, as her heart kept thumping as if it was going to jump out of her chest.

    The young man outside the door was shocked as he heard Aria''s scream. He was momentarily frozen, thinking someone was inside, hurting Aria.

    Without a second thought, he kicked the door open, before rushing inside.

    However, as he entered, he realized that Aria was all alone. There was no one else in the room. Her clothes were drenched in blood, and her face was filled with fear.

    Her eyes were nk, as Aria herself looked at her surroundings in confusion.

    She hastily looked at her wrists. There were no shackles there. She pped herself, surprising the man at the entrance of the room.

    "This isn''t a hallucination..." She muttered, nkly. The surroundings were familiar to her. She had been in this room in the past. However, that was a long time ago ording to her.

    She nced at the man in the distance, whose face revealed a look of familiarity.

    "You are... Ayeze?" She asked, frowning. Realizing that, a crazy thought shed in her head.

    She hastily got off the bed, and rushed toward the mirror, ncing at her own reflection.

    Seeing her reflection, she was in even more disbelief. "W-what year is it?"

    "What are you talking about? Did you have a nightmare? Wash your face and get ready. We need to go to Dragon Mountain! If weplete this mission, we''ll be Inner Disciples! We can''t waste this opportunity!"

    "Dragon Mountain? Inner Disciple?" Aria dropped to her knees. Tears kept trickling down her cheeks.

    She could still feel her hand tremble as she thought about everything she went through. There wasn''t a single moment where she didn''t wish for death. She didn''t think she was ever going to be free. However now everything was over, in a way that she never could''ve expected!

    ''I am back... I am back in time! All those awful things haven''t happened yet! This is a gift from Heaven! This time, I won''t make the same mistake!''

    Her fists were tightly clenched and tears continued to stream down her face.

    "Xu Shan... I''ll make this life a living hell for you!" The woman muttered. However, her words were iprehensible amidst her sobbing.

    "Did you say something?!" Ayeze asked, unable to hear clearly what the girl said. However, he felt as if he heard a name.

    "Nothing..." Aria stood up, wiping her tears. She didn''t have time to cry! Ifshe wanted to change the future, she first had to change the present, and she knew exactly how to do it!

    She took a deep breath andposed herself. "We are going to Dragon Mountain. Give me a few minutes. I''ll get ready."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Hurry up. We are alreadyte." Ayeze stepped out of the room, scratching the back of his head, wondering why Aria was acting so weirdly suddenly.

    Ayeze closed the door, and stood outside to guard, since he had broken the lock of the door to get an entry.

    Inside the room, Aria took off her clothes, and went to take a shower. She couldn''t remember how long it had been since she took a shower, at least where she came from.

    "Dragon Mountain...the Celestial Lotus..." She spoke, but no one was there to listen to her. "To change the future, I''ll need that."

    While in the shower, she kept talking to herself as she remembered everything important that she knew.

    Even she herself couldn''t believe how her soul had traveled back in time, but this was her biggest weapon! It was the secrets that she knew about the world, thanks to the people she was in contact with.

    In herst life, around this time, she went to Dragon Mountain, collected herbs and returned, without going any deeper.

    However, it was only when the people from the Divine Realm came down after a few days, the entire world came to find out that in the depths of the Dragon Mountain was the Celestial Lotus!

    At that time, there was lots of bloodshed, even amongst the various factions of the Divine Realm, in which weak people from this world couldn''t even think about taking part.

    However, that was also the time where she got the biggest opportunity of her life, which started her journey in the world of supreme beings.

    However, now she had decided to change the future for herself! She had lived for thousands of years in the future. She had already be a being with strength that the people here couldn''t even imagine.

    Even no one in the Divine Realm was able to stand before her! However, despite all that strength, there was one mountain she could never surpass...the mountain which became her nightmare...a man whose existence defied all logic!

    This time, she didn''t need anyone''s help! With her past knowledge, she had everything she needed to be stronger in a much shorter time, so that the tragedy of herst life wasn''t going to repeat itself!

    This time, she decided to go to the Depths of the Dragon Mountain and be the first person who took the Celestial Lotus.

    The Celestial Lotus couldn''t help her much since she already awakened her Celestial Spirit. However, its true value was in something else, which only the people from the higher realms knew.

    She got dressed after getting out of the shower, and quickly left the Sect with Ayeze... taking her first step towards her goals.

    In another part of the world, a giant portal opened in the sky, from which multiple Ancient Ships from the Divine Realm came out!

    In another corner of the World, a smaller portal opened from which two young men stepped out...

    "So this is the world which holds my Celestial Lotus..." Xu Shanmented, seeing the notification screen appear before him which verified that he was in the right world this time!

    For most of the people in the world, the world was very peaceful. However, no one knew that this was just the silence before the storm��

 Chapter 132 132: Not Good People

    A woman walked inside the Dragon Mountain, followed by a young man, who held his Sword, always ready for battle.

    Dragon Mountain was close to the strongest Alchemy Sect in the world. And the two people were the Outer Disciples of the Sect. Both of them knew how dangerous this ce was, especially the woman whose consciousness hade back in time from the future.

    She knew better than anyone else just what kind of ce the Dragon Mountain was. It was said that at the peak of the Dragon Mountain, there lived a real dragon that even the Master of their Sect wasn''t able to defeat.

    For their mission, the two people only had to gather some herbs from the outer zone of the mountain, to be Inner Disciples. However, even the outer zone was filled with monsters that were threatening to the people of their level.

    "Walk behind me and stay close. From this area, it''s the zone of the Blizzard Wolves." The man took the lead, carefully observing his surroundings.

    However, not long after, he noticed the marks on the ground.

    The foot marks definitely didn''t belong to the Wolves, since they were much bigger.

    "Be careful, there might be some other kind of creature lurking around," the man warned as he raised his sword.

    They continued walking with caution until they found the herbs they were looking for. Fortunately, none of them came across any beasts along the way.

    That even surprised the man, since they didn''t even see the Bizzard Wolf that were known to lurk in the outer zone. It was as if all the weaker beasts were hiding for some reason.

    However, he didn''t think much about it. He picked the herbs, excited. The mission waspleted.

    "We can go back now." He said after standing up. However, as he turned around, he was stunned. Aria wasn''t anywhere to be found!

    "Aria!"

    He looked around, calling out her name, but there was no response. A sudden wave of panic washed over him. What if something had happened to her? He knew he had to find her quickly.

    However, Dragon Mountain was a dangerous ce. He didn''t believe Aria was stupid enough to go further when there was no reason to.

    He searched in the nearby area for the young girl, but he didn''t find her anywhere. There were no footsteps of beasts nearby, which made him sure that no beast took her.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if she went back without telling him. However, still he searched for a little longer, before ultimately he turned around and decided to go back to check if she already left.

    He didn''t realize that the woman hadn''t left the mountain. Instead, she had intentionally separated from them, advancing toward the peak of the Mountain. She knew exactly where the Celestial Lotus was.

    Unfortunately, she wasn''t the only one.

    Multiple Giant Ships were also advancing toward the Dragon Mountain, faster than the speed of light.

    Even though it was a lower world and even a single ship was enough to destroy it, for some reason, an entire army came down from the Divine Realm this time, to make sure that there was no mistake.

    However, before them, there was a much smaller group which reached the foot of the Mountain.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "The Dragon Mountain... Not a bad ce for the Celestial Lotus..."

    Even though it took him some time, Xu Shan finally reached the Celestial Lotus.

    However, as soon as he reached there, he saw Ayezeing out of the forest at the foot of the mountain.

    Ayeze also looked at the two young men in the distance who were being stopped by the guards from the Sect at the foot of the mountain.

    At the moment, the Dragon Mountain was under the sect and only the people from the Sect were able to enter with permission for missions.

    The guards of the Sect stopped Xu Shan and Duan Mu from entering, telling them to go back.

    However, what Ayeze saw next made him horrified. He didn''t even see how Duan Mu moved, but the next moment, all the guards were lying on the ground, bleeding.

    Duan Mu appeared much different than before. There was not a single hesitation on his face when killing someone. Moreover, he had grown quite strong, at least he was now able to take out the guards without going all out.

    Xu Shan stepped forward with his hands behind his back, not paying attention to the guards.

    He noticed Ayeze who hid behind a tree instantly. However, he ignored the young man. He had to get to the top of the Mountain first.

    Initially he nned to fly straight to the top of the Mountain. However, for some reason, he noticed that there was some restriction around the mountain which made it impossible for him to fly straight to the top.

    If he wasn''t restricted by the Laws of the Lower Realm, he could''ve broken the restriction of the mountain easily, but it was too much work now.

    Instead, he decided to walk to the top.

    With calm steps, he started climbing the mountain. However, even as he walked at a calm pace, his movement was still so fast that Ayeze could only see his reflection.

    After the two youngsters left, Ayeze came out of his hiding, stunned. "Just who were those two?"

    He could still fear his hands trembling in fear. Even though he didn''t see Xu Shan attack, but he could only imagine how strong the man was, who was being followed by someone as strong as Duan Mu.

    For someone in the weakest lower realm, the strength Duan Mu showed was beyond his understanding. Moreover, that was when he didn''t have a Celestial Spirit at all!

    Ayeze couldn''t help but wonder what kind of training and cultivation techniques Duan Mu underwent to attain such power. Moreover, he was also confused as to why these people were here?

    "I must tell the Sect Master! They don''t look like good people! Whatever they are here for... It''s not good news!"

    The man spoke out loud before he started running. However, as soon as he took his first step, he froze, feeling someone''s presence behind him.

 Chapter 133 133: Warning Of A Dragon

    "I''ve seen what ''good people'' are like. I have no interest in being good anymore..."

    A young yet intimidating voice came from behind, which stunned Ayeze. However, before he could even turn around to see who it was, a Sword passed through his back,ing out of his chest.

    As the Sword was pulled back, blood gushed out of his chest, before his body eventually dropped to the ground, weak.

    Standing behind Ayeze was a tall figure cloaked in darkness.

    "I can''t allow you to inform anyone who might disturb Master''s work," the figure spoke with a chilling tone before disappearing into the shadows once again.

    ****

    Aria kept climbing the mountain to the best of her abilities. However, she was still weak, and unable to face any of the stronger beasts.

    Because of that realm, she tried to avoid all the beasts as much as possible. Fortunately, her experience was more than enough, granting her high survival ability.

    "I must hurry. It won''t be long before the ones from the Divine Realm arrive! I need to take the Celestial Lotus before them!" Her figure kept rushing through the mountain, without stopping.

    Even as it was getting hard for her to breathe at high altitude, she continued her climb.

    Unlike her, there was another person on the mountain. However, the young man didn''t avoid any beast. Instead, he kept annihting every beast that tried to attack him, effortlessly.

    His speed was much faster than Aria, allowing him to reach much closer to the woman in no time. However, since both of them wereing from different sides of the mountain, the two didn''t cross each other''s path as they raced to the top.

    After merely ten minutes, Xu Shan arrived at the top of the Mountain, expecting to see the frozen pond where the Celestial Lotus was supposed to grow. However, the entire mountain top was covered in snow, as far as the eyes could see.

    The snowstorm was so fierce that it was difficult to see anything in front of him, even for him. The Restrictions of the Mountain also restricted the range of his Divine Sense to merely ten meters.

    Usually, there was a saying around the Celestial Lotus that it could only be found by those who possessed a pure heart. However, Xu Shan didn''t believe in those rumors.

    "They say one needs a pure heart? Who could have a purer heart than me." He jokinglymented as he entered the snowstorm, apanied by Xinren who only rolled her eyes in response to him.

    "Be careful. I feel some danger..." She reminded Xu Shan, since he was under heavy restrictions on the mountain.

    Xu Shan ignored her warning, believing that his strength was enough to handle any danger. In any case, it was impossible to return empty handed.

    As they walked deeper into the mountain, the snow became thicker and the wind grew stronger. Visibility was reduced to only a few meters and the silence made their footsteps sound like echoes.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    At the center of the mountain peak, there existed a small pond, only a few meters wide. The pond was surrounded by rocks, and the ice on the surface was so thin that it could fall under even a child''s weight. However, right next to the point, there existed a giant figure that was impossible to clearly be seen in the mist.

    Many people knew that there existed a Dragon on the Mountain Peak. However, not many people knew what that Dragon looked like, or exactly how strong it was. Almost no one had ever seen the Dragon and lived to tell the tale, which was why even the strongest avoided going to the Mountain Peak.

    There were only a handful of people who actually knew that the Dragon was called the Ice Dragon, who was said to be an ancient being who once came down from the Upper Realm.

    No one knew just what kind of monster it was that managed to scare an ancient dragon to the point where it had to escape to a lower Realm, but no one dared ask either.

    At the moment, the Snow Dragon slowly raised its head, revealing its beautiful blue eyes that shone brightly, as if able to see through the mist and snow. The Snow Dragon felt a presence that made it alert as well. It wasn''t an ordinary person.

    The Snow Dragon nced at the Celestial Lotus, which was yet to mature.

    He had been waiting here for so long for the Celestial Lotus to mature. He couldn''t let anyone else take it.

    The Snow Dragon stood up, letting out a loud roar that shook the entire mountain, as if issuing a warning.

    However, in another ce, Xu Shan heard the roar. Instead of taking the warning, he felt relieved.

    It was getting hard to find the location of the Celestial Lotus. However, he had read enough about a world like this to know that such precious treasures were often guarded by a powerful beast.

    If there really was a powerful beast who had such an intimidating roar, there was no way it was anywhere other than the location of the Celestial Lotus.

    "Found it." Instead of retreating, Xu Shan increased his speed.

    "Human, you ignore my warning?!" The Dragon spoke in the humannguage, as its wings opened wide.

    Its voice spread far and wide, even reaching the foot of the mountain.

    "A human? There''s someone else there already?" Aria eximed, wondering who the Dragon was talking to. She was still mid way so she was sure it definitely wasn''t her. She couldn''t help but wonder if the people from the Divine Realm were already here.

    "This might be my opportunity! While they fight the Dragon, I can steal the Celestial Lotus!" She eximed as she rushed even faster, not willing to miss this opportunity.

    She still didn''t know that the person on the top of the mountain was the man of her nightmares, who had already changed most of the past by arriving here.

 Chapter 134 134: Courting Death

    A powerful gust of cold wind suddenly blew down from the mountains as the Snow Dragon''s wings spread. The temperature dropped dramatically.

    The giant dragon rose in the air. Even with its giant body, each of its movements was so fast and light that in the blink of an eye, he had appeared before Xu Shan.

    In the cold mist that shrouded the entire surroundings, Xu Shan could see a vague figure of a giant creature in the sky. With each p of its wings, terrifying cold winds rushed out, pushing Xu Shan back.

    His entire body started freezing, getting covered in a thinyer of ice that became thicker, as if the Dragon was freezing Xu Shan without even doing anything.

    Still trying to climb the mountain, Aria kept shivering as the surroundings became cold. A thinyer of ice gathered all over her body, making her shiver.

    She forced herself to go against the cold winds, to reach the top of the mountain before the battle was over.

    She was also slightly confused. ording to her memories, the battle between the Snow Dragon and the Envoys from the Divine Realm was supposed to be muchter, in which the Dragon was eventually going to be killed, but not before inflicting heavy damages on the people from the Divine Realm.

    It was a battle thatsted for two days from what she remembered. What could''ve pushed the battle forward, she didn''t have time to think.

    At the foot of the Mountain, Duan Mu gazed toward the sky, feeling the surroundings getting colder. He also wanted to follow Xu Shan to the peak, but he wasmanded to stay at the foot of the mountain to make sure no one coulde up to disturb.

    His eyes showed some concern for Xu Shan.

    ****

    Xu Shan was covered in a thickyer of Ice, as if he was a sculpture.

    High in the sky, the Dragon scoffed in an arrogant voice, "You should''ve turned back while you still had the opportunity!"

    "Is that so? You''re not as strong as I thought." A seemingly young voice came in response.

    The voice was muffled and not loud, but the Snow Dragon was stible to hear due to his sensitive ears. He was surprised to see that Xu Shan was still alive. However, his surprise only increased when he saw cracks develop all around the ice sculpture.

    He felt that Xu Shan had used some kind of skill to weaken the ice from inside, and he knew he had to act quickly. The Snow Dragon gathered all his strength and prepared to strike.

    He raised his sharp ws, as his giant figure flickered. The next moment, he appeared before Xu Shan, bringing his sharp ws down.

    Behind a single swing of his w, was a power strong enough to break an ordinary mountain, let alone a human.

    His ws came down, like a god''s punishment, intending to destroy all evil from this world.

    The Snow Dragon''s sharp eyes were filled with arrogance and anger. However, he still didn''t take Xu Shan seriously. In his eyes, he was already a dead man walking, who was to die in a few moments.

    Bang~<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Powerful wind sted out in all directions, following a loud impact which made the entire mountain tremble.

    However, instead of looking happy, the Snow Dragon appeared to be in disbelief.

    His w was still a few feet above the ground. Moreover, under him there was no ice statue!

    All the iceyer had broken, and a human was standing under him. With a single hand, the human managed to stop his ws, which could destroy an entire mountain!

    Arge crater could be seen on the gigantic iceyer under Xu Shan''s feet. However, his figure stood tall in the middle of that crater, with only one hand raised in the sky, stopping the ws of the Dragon.

    "You''re not from the Lower Realm, are you?" Xu Shan said. Even though he appeared like an ant before the majestic dragon in size, there was not a single shred of fear on his face. Instead, he looked intrigued.

    Back on earth, he used to read so much about the Dragons. However, it was his first time seeing one in reality.

    "Be my mount, and I shall let you live..." Xu Shan told the Dragon. However, his words only worked to infuriate the Dragon even more.

    Its eyes zed with fury, and it let out a deafening roar that sent shockwaves through the air. Xu Shan stood his ground, undeterred by the Dragon''s disy of power and dominance.

    The temperature turned even lower as the Dragon flew back, preparing to make arge-scale attack. He had enough of going easy on this strange human. However, to his surprise, he wasn''t able to fly back!

    Xu Shan was firmly holding onto his ws, nting his feet firmly on the ground. It was as if the young man became a mountain that was impossible to shake.

    Even as the Dragon fiercely used his wings, he couldn''t move back.

    "You''re courting death!" The Snow Dragon roared, as the sky started turning even darker.

    The cold mist had surrounded the entire sky, making it impossible for the sun to be seen.

    Xu Shan remained unfazed by the dragon''s threats and only tightened his grip, calmly responding, "My offer is still valid. I hope you won''t make me kill you..."

    "Enough!" The Dragon''s eyes shone in a beautiful blue color. Thousands of ice spears appeared all around Xu Shan, made purely from the destructive ice energy of the Snow Dragon.

    ****

    In another part of the Mountain, Aria finally reached the top of the mountain when she felt the entire mountain tremble. She could still hear the loud battle noises. It was clear to her that the battle between the two sides had started.

    Unfortunately, she couldn''t see anything in the blizzard. She couldn''t even see just where the Dragon was fighting, or who it was fighting against. She didn''t care either, since she trusted the history she knew, not realizing that her history was someone else''s future that was already in pieces.

 Chapter 135 135: The Invincible Dragon

    The sound of battleing from the distance kept getting more and more intense. There was not a single moment where the entire mountain wasn''t trembling because of the impact.

    Even the thickyer of ice on the mountain started melting and breaking apart, causing multiple avnches. Fortunately, there were no viges or cities near the Dragon Mountain to be caught in the avnches.

    There was only Duan Mu, standing at the foot of the Mountain, watching a massiveyer of show sliding down, bing bigger with each passing second.

    "Someone as strong as you is hiding in the Lower Realm? May I ask why that is the case?" Xu Shan regained his bnce,nding in the distance.

    His clothes were a little tattered, but for the most part, he remained unharmed. On the other hand, the Show Dragon was in a much worse condition.

    He didn''t know where this man came from, but he felt quite threatened by the two daggers of Xu Shan. With each wound, he felt as if his speed was getting slow, like the daggers had some poison in them.

    "You''re very rxed for a person who''s about to die here!" The Dragon roared.

    "I would never be rxed if there was even the slightest chance of my death here. Unfortunately, you''re not quite there yet." Xu Shan rushed ahead like lightning. "You''re just a big target practice for me!"

    "Is that so?!" The Dragon coldly asked. However, instead of flying towards Xu Shan, he flew back high in the sky.

    "Escaping will not save you!" Xu Shan smashed his foot on the ground, jumping high up, sting the snow on the ground in every direction.

    However, as he reached near the Snow Dragon in the sky, he was stunned to see that the Dragon became smaller!

    Not only did he be smaller, but his physique also changed, bing something much closer to a humanoid figure.

    Within a few seconds, he changed into a human-like being, with two draconian wings protruding from his back.

    The Snow Dragon has skin as fair as snow, however, contrarily his eyes were pitch ck.

    The huge Target had suddenly be as small as it could be, which made Xu Shan miss his attack.

    On the other hand, the Snow Dragon''s long silver hair fluttered with the wind as his figure disappeared.

    Now that he had turned into a human form, his speed became many times faster.

    In an instant, he appeared behind Xu Shan. His body came swinging,nding a kick on the back of Xu Shan''s neck.

    The terrifying impact of the kick sent Xu Shan flying into the blizzard. However, the Snow Dragon didn''t give Xu Shan an opportunity to rx.

    His figure once again disappeared as he appeared in the middle of the Snow Blizzard, right before Xu Shan.

    His sharp ws grabbed Xu Shan by his throat, immediately smashing the young man on the ground.

    The loud Explosive Noise was so powerful, that it was heard far and wide.

    Duan Mu had managed to protect himself from the avnche when he heard the loud Explosion. The core of the mountain itself had started to crack apart, from the impact of the attack.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In another part of the mountain, Aria had finally reached the Celestial Pond. Her entire body was deathly pale, and she kept shivering, as if she was going to freeze to death at any moment. However, she finally had what she wanted in her sight.

    In the middle of the Celestial Pond, she could see a beautiful Celestial Lotus. The Celestial Lotus was said to be the most beautiful flower known to mankind. Just being in its presence gave a serene feeling to people nearby.

    "This time, I will change the future! I won''t let the same tragedy ur again!" Aria''s fists tightened. She raised her head, ncing at the sky with her beautiful blue eyes. "This time, I will save you!"

    Taking a deep breath, Aria stepped forward onto the frozen surface of the Celestial Pond. One misstep could result in her falling through the thin ice, but the thought of the Celestial Lotus spurred her on. It was the key to her unlocking her true Destiny!

    The air was cold, and her breath was visible in front of her. Aria closed her eyes, focusing her mind on the task. Slowly, she raised her hands, and a gentle blue light shone from her palms. She began to chant, and the light intensified, spreading across the pond.

    As she changed some unknown words, a thinyer of Protective barrier appeared around her skin.

    The Celestial Lotus was an item that was rare for even the Upper Realm. It wasn''t easy for someone to pick up this powerful flower. Even in the Upper Realm, not many people knew how to pluck this flower, since it had been centuries since something like this wasst seen.

    However, she came from the future and knew the entire Process.

    After covering her body with a protectiveyer, she stepped forward, cing her fingers around the Celestial Lotus.

    The overwhelming pure energy of the Celestial Lotus came crashing. However, the thinyer of barrier around the girl protected her.

    The Celestial Lotus was something that defied anymon sense in this world. It couldn''t be kept in any spatial storage item, and if it wasn''t used within ten days after it matured, it died on its own.

    Moreover, there was only a two day window of plucking the Celestial Lotus after it matured.

    "It''s still not mature..." Aria frowned, just as she was about to pick up the Celestial Lotus. "It''s so close... Hurry up!"

    She retracted her hand, waiting nervously, praying for it to mature soon before the fight reached this area.

    ****

    In another part of the freezing mountain, a middle aged man with two draconian wings behind his back stood proudly, looking down at the young man in the center of a deep crater before him.

    Xu Shan''s breathing was quite heavy, and there was blood in the corner of his lips.

    It should''ve been impossible for even a powerful monster to survive an attack like this, but despite all that, he appeared to be still alive.

    Xu Shan remained on the ground, gathering his breath. He didn''t expect the Dragon to be so fast after changing his form.

    "That hurt..." Xu Shan sat up, even after all that, rubbing the back of his neck. "You''re much better than I thought. Now I want you even more as my mount!

    Seeing the young man sit up, the silver haired man was even more stunned. He frowned as he stepped closer. "Looks like you won''t stay dead unless I crush that skull of yours!"

 Chapter 136 136: Contract

    As Xu Shan moved his head, he could hear some cracking noise around his neck. The impact of the attack had caught him by surprise, but in thest few weeks, his body had only grown physically stronger.

    Despite that, his body was still in a lot of pain, even though he didn''t show it.

    Ignoring Xu Shan''s reaction, the Dragon''s figure flickered. His speed was just as fast as he appeared before the young man, grabbing him by his skull.

    However, to his surprise, his hand only caught what appeared like an after image. The young man who was lying on the ground until now had disappeared.

    The Draconian Man didn''t even see how Xu Shan moved. It was as if he just... disappeared into thin air.

    The Dragon was stunned at the speed that the young man showed in response. However, before he could react, he felt a cold hand grab onto his neck.

    Before he could do anything, his body was tossed toward the sky.

    The Draconian Man used his majestic wings to bnce his body in the sky, coldly looking down. For some reason, he couldn''t see any change in Xu Shan''s aura.

    However, he still remembered the frightening increase in that young man''s strength for that fraction of a second when he moved. It was to the point that it even made him scared for a little.

    To think that a human scared him, the Dragon felt even more humiliated.

    "Instead of looking at me, you should probably look above you... That thing is neverte..." Xu Shan pointed towards the sky, standing in such a position that the Dragon was right above him.

    "That thing...?" The Dragon frowned, slowly raising his head. However, as soon as he looked up, his face turned pale, revealing a frightened expression.

    "Heaven''s punis-"

    Pitch ck lightning came crashing down from the sky. Before the Dragon could even think about dodging, the ck lightning hit the Draconian, like a punishment from the Heaven.

    "Arghh!" He roared in pain. Most of his skin was burned as lightning cursed through its pale white body, making him feel like he was paralyzed.

    The Dragon''s eyes dimmed as the ck lightning dissipated, leaving only the smell of burnt flesh in the air.

    Xu Shan took a few steps back as theDragon''s body fell straight to the ground with a loud noise.

    However, the lighting in the sky still hadn''t dissipated. It gathered once again in the sky.

    He was clear that the lightning wasn''t going to stop until it struck him. And the longer it went on, the stronger this was going to be.

    "Even though temporarily, I did break through this world''s limit. Give it your best shot..."

    However, as he spoke, he didn''t forget to hold the hand of the Dragon who still couldn''t move.

    The majestic lighting bolt fell once again, looking to destroy every sinner.

    Xu Shan stood bravely under lightning, donning no protective item.

    He clenched his teeth as lightning struck him. However, he didn''t once cry in pain.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    On the other hand, the Snow Dragon roared even louder. "Stop! I beg you, stop!"

    As Xu Shan held onto him, he felt the same pain as Xu Shan. However, it was even more painful for someone like him.

    It was to the point that he started to feel that death was better than this pain.

    Fortunately, now that the lightning managed to punish Xu Shan, it stopped.

    Xu Shan dropped to one knee, momentarily feeling weaker. On the other hand, the Dragon couldn''t even move, feeling half dead.

    "Well, that was fun. Should we try again?" The young man gazed at the Draconian Man next to him, asking with a teasing voice.

    "Just who... are you?" The silver haired man asked Xu Shan, gazing with lifeless eyes.

    He understood why that Heavenly Punishment came. It came from Xu Shan. That made him understand that the strength that Xu Shan had shown him previously was only the strength that he was allowed to use here. In reality, his strength was much stronger.

    For the Heavenly Punishment to be this strong, it could only mean that his strength was at least at the peak of the Upper Realm, which should''ve been impossible for the young man.

    "Enough talking." Xu Shan sat down morefortably next to the helpless dragon.

    He pulled out the Dagger, cing it on the throat of the silver haired man. "Will you be my Contracted Beast, or will you be a corpse forever to be buried in this mountain?"

    The silver haired man was the most helpless he had ever been. He couldn''t even escape, since his entire body refused to listen to him. Two Heavenly Punishments were too much for him, especially in his humanoid form.

    Even if Xu Shan was stronger, he would have fought him longer, with a chance to win. However, he underestimated the young man so much that he didn''t even see the Heavenly Punishmenting.

    His eyes revealed some anger, but also helplessness.

    "I will take your silence as a yes." Xu Shan smiled in response. This was the best oue for him to control the dragon without cutting some of its limbs in anger during a long stretched battle.

    "To think that a day like this would evere for me..." The silver haired man muttered in disbelief. However, he didn''t say no.

    Anything was better for him than to lose his life. If he had even the slightest chance to fight back, he could''ve taken that, but he didn''t even have that. He could only agree to bing a Servant of the human, even though he felt that he was defeating using schemes and cheating.

    "I will be your contracted Beast... Take off that dagger..." He finally epted.

    Xu Shan removed the dagger, and kept them back in his storage. He used an ordinary de instead to slice his finger a little, making it bleed.

    He used his own blood to carve a contract seal on the forehead of the Silver Haired Draconian, which could only work as long as the Snow Dragon actually didn''t resist the contract even the slightest.

    "You should pray that the contract doesn''t fail."

    ****

    While Xu Shan was trying to establish a contract with the Snow Dragon, Aira was looking in their direction, unable to feel any battle noises anymore.

 Chapter 137 137: Pendant Space

    Seeing the sound of battle suddenly stop, Aira started to have a bad feeling about it. She didn''t know why, but there was an intense feeling in her heart that something was wrong.

    Unfortunately for her, the Celestial Lotus still hadn''t matured. Taking it now was no different than making itpletely useless.

    "Hurry up! Please mature fast!" She kept repeating, ring at the Celestial Lotus.

    The woman clenched her fist in frustration. However, she couldn''t give up aftering so far.

    "Huh?"

    Suddenly she felt a gust of winding from the distance. Something big wasing! She looked in that direction, noticing a giant blurry figure that was getting bigger.

    Because of the white mist, she couldn''t seeproperly, but from that size, it was clear who it was!

    "The Snow Dragon?! How did it end the battle so soon? This shouldn''t have happened! Unless, the ones he fought weren''t from the Divine Realm!"

    With the thought, her face went pale. She hastily retreated as fast as she could, but no matter how fast she was, she couldn''t leave before the Dragon''s arrival.

    To avoid being seen, she hid behind a frozen tree in the distance.

    She didn''t know who the Dragon won against, but they clearly weren''t from the Divine Realm! She was sure about that. That meant that the people from Divine Realm were soon to arrive in this ce!

    She just had to remain hidden until then, and take the Lotus as soon as the Dragon left... Or at least that''s what she thought.

    However, when the Snow Dragon finallynded on the ground, her face went slightly pale. She felt a chill run down her spine.

    She could see a figure standing above the giant body of the Snow Dragon.

    ''Why?! Why is he here?!'' Aira''s face was as pale as a thin sheet of paper, noticing the man that she never would''ve expected to see here!

    It went against all she knew! In her memories, this man hadn''te down to get the Celestial Lotus! Let alonee down, he shouldn''t even be strong enough to defeat the Snow Dragon at this period in time!

    After the Dragonnded on the ground, the young mannded on the ground.

    He was quite d that the Snow Dragon came to him. Without him, it would''ve been much harder for him to find the Celestial Lotus, especially since his Divine Consciousness was quite restricted on the top of the mountain.

    While he could cover hundreds of meters when he was on the foot of the mountain, but at the top, his consciousness couldn''t cover more than a few meters.

    Only he knew how long it would''ve taken for him to find this ce blindly.

    "So this is the much longed after, Celestial Lotus..." Xu Shan nced at the flower in the middle of the frozen pond. "What a pity. It''s not mature yet."

    "If it was mature, do you think I would''ve left it until now?" The Snow Dragon scoffed as he slowly transformed into his humanoid form once again.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Even Aira didn''t know that the Snow Dragon on the mountain was able to transform, since ording to her knowledge, he never revealed this ability when he fought and diedst time.

    ''Why is the Dragon not attacking him and instead led this demon here?'' Aira wondered, frowning.

    Not only did the Dragon carry Xu Shan, but he was also talking in a respectful manner, which felt odd for a being that powerful. Unfortunately she couldn''t ask him directly.

    Let alone ask the dragon, the woman didn''t even have the courage toe out from behind the tree as that nightmarish human was standing next to him.

    "How long until it matures?" Xu Shan asked the Snow Dragon.

    "Should be one day." The humanoid dragon sat down. His body still felt the aftereffect of the lightning strike.

    Xu Shan also couldn''t do anything about it. He also sat down, and started waiting. It was only a matter of time after all.

    ....

    The Peak of the Mountain was still. There was no battle anymore. Feeling the calm, Duan Mu wondered if Xu Shan actually won. He really wanted to go check.

    However, he controlled himself. Instead of going up, he remained down and continued practicing his sword. He knew he was still weak... Even after so many precious fruits, his strength was still limited.

    That was why he relied on his Sword, trying to master the skill that Xu Shan taught him.

    However, even now, his Sword movements were a little unpolished, as if he was a Novice who was trying to learn the Sword.

    As he swung his sword, his figure appeared as if he was performing a sword dance on the snow, improving with each passing second.

    The pendant around his neck also continued shining. However, in the middle, a mysterious force came out of the pendant. Duan Mu''s body disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace behind. Only the marks of his footsteps were still left behind, which were soon buried in the snow as well.

    Duan Mu soon found himself in an unknown space. It was as if he was in a small room, which was only a few meters wide and a few meters long. However, the strange part was that the room had no walls. Instead of walls, there was only pitch ck darkness that acted as the wall.

    "Where am I?" He frowned. He raised his Sword, shing it down, thinking that he was caught in some trap illusion formation.

    A bright red arc of light left his sword, striking at the walls made of darkness. However, to his surprise, not only were the walls not destroyed, but the attack bounced back instead,ing straight for him.

    "This..." Duan Mu raised his Sword, blocking his attack. Even then, he was forced a few steps back.

    "You are weaker than I expected."

    While Duan Mu was still confused, a voice fell in his ears, as if someone was whispering from behind him.

    He turned around, raising his Sword. However, what he saw next stunned him.

 Chapter 138 138: Mature

    Duan Mu was taken aback to see just who it was that was speaking. The one who talked like a human wasn''t one. Instead, behind him, there was a small cat, having stark white fur.

    The fat appeared to be quite chubby, but the shocking part was that it was standing on two feet.

    "What are you?" Duan Mu asked, looking at the strange being. "Another Illusion?"

    "Not only are you weak, but you''re quite stupid as well, aren''t you? To think that you would be my new owner... Just how far has this Bloodline fallen?" The Cat shook its head.

    Its figure flickered as it appeared above Duan Mu, lightning hitting the young man''s head with a stick. "Does it still look like an illusion?"

    "Neither this ce is an illusion, nor am I."

    Duan Mu swung its Sword toward the cat. Even if it wasn''t an illusion, it was still highly suspicious. However, to his surprise, the cat grabbed the de of his Sword, making it impossible for him to even move an inch.

    "Your confidence and temper doesn''t match your strength at all." The cat let out a sigh, before it appeared back in its usual ce, sitting downfortably.

    "Anyways, you don''t need to get so hyper. I don''t mean any harm. I can''t hurt you even if I wanted to. I''m nothing but a treasure spirit that''s bound to you," the cat responded as it pped its little paws.

    Duan Mu found himself sitting before the cat, as if a mysterious force brought him to his knees.

    "You can either be scared of me and not believe a single thing I''ll be telling you, or you can take me seriously. Thetter is more beneficial to you, because that''s the only way someone like you can truly utilize the full potential of that bloodline."

    Duan Mu frowned, still feeling a little suspicious. However, he had a feeling that if the cat wanted to, it could kill him. He decided to listen, at least until he managed to grasp the entire situation.

    "Tell me everything!" He spoke to the car.

    ****

    "Tell me everything!" Xu Shanmanded Duan Mu''s mother at the same time.

    Since the Celestial Lotus was yet to mature, hedecided to use the time to interrogate Duan Mu''s mother to understand more secrets rted to the young boy... Especially the secrets that she was about to tell him, before Xu Shan had her kidnapped.

    Leaving the Snow Dragon outside to take care of the Celestial Lotus and his body, Duan Mu sent his consciousness inside the Storage Sphere where he kept Duan Mu''s mother.

    "I was right. You really had ulterior motives behind approaching him!" The middle aged woman red back at the young man before her.

    "Ulterior motives? Isn''t that too harsh now?" Xu Shan responded, revealing an innocent smile. "I''m just trying to help him achieve his full potential..."

    "By making him your servant?" The woman retorted.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "It was either that, or his death. Don''t you think I''ve been rather merciful to your son so far?" Xu Shan stepped closer to the woman. "If I hadn''t met him, he would''ve been buried in that forest by others. I saved his life. Is it wrong to say that his life belongs to me now?"

    "Anyways, I am not here to talk to you about my actions. Nothing I say will change your mind about this ''demon'' after all. Though I''m rather curious about one thing..." He stated.

    The woman frowned, looking in the cold eyes of the young man before her. "I''m not going to tell him anything! You can kill me if you want, but you won''t get any answers!"

    "Sigh... At least hear the question..." Xu Shan didn''t mind her tone.

    The woman didn''t even bother looking in his direction. She didn''t fear death either. She just closed her eyes. There was nothing she had to talk to him about. Helping him was thest thing she wanted to do.

    However, what Xu Shan said next made her open her eyes wide.

    The man asked only one question. "What do you think will happen if others find out that he''s the son of a Titan?"

    "You!" The woman stood up, shocked. Her eyes widened in surprise. She couldn''t believe Xu Shan knew what her son was.

    Xu Shan remained calm. However, her reaction had already confirmed that he was right.

    "I know you care about your son... And his death is thest thing I want. However, you have no idea what kind of things were in his destiny..."

    His cold tone turned slightly warm and genuine as he continued, "He was nothing more than a pawn for Heaven. And I know what life would''ve been like for people like him. In the end, either he would''ve lived a life full of regrets or he would''ve died."

    "No matter what, destiny would''ve brought him on crossroads with me sooner orter. I just want the two of us to live, not bing a pawn of fate. Is that wrong? Does that make me the devil? If it does, then It doesn''t matter. If I need to be one to fulfill the wish of my father, then I''m fully willing."

    "I hope you won''t be stubborn and help me as well. It would be much better for your son to be a friend rather than being an enemy of mine. I''ll give you time to think about it."

    As he finished speaking, he left the woman behind, and disappeared. His consciousness returned to his body once again.

    Even Xu Shan himself was getting quite tired, with all the constant thinking. He already had so much to think about, with the missing Books of Fate and their hosts, who were destined to be his enemy.

    So far, he had been lucky in finding them when they were weak. However, he knew there were still many Book Owners that he had no idea about. With each passing second, things were only getting more and more risky for him.

    On top, he was gathering Negative Karma one after another, still having no idea just what this thing did.

    "It matured!" The Snow Dragon suddenly eximed, bringing Xu Shan out of his daze.

 Chapter 139 139: Danger

    The Snow Dragon''s words made Xu Shan turn to the Celestial Lotus right away. The Celestial Lotus had finally matured after the long wait.

    Xu Shan stood up, not intending to dy it anymore. After a long time, the Celestial Lotus was finally within his reach, and ready to be taken. With that, he was one step closer to awakening his second Celestial Spirit, after which he wanted to return to the Celestial Realm.

    Aria watched the man she hated the most getting closer to the Celestial Lotus. Her fists tightened. She wanted to stop him. She was fine with anyone else taking the Celestial Lotus but not Xu Shan.

    There was only one way to stop him and that was to dy him until the people from the Divine Realm arrived. She knew that Xu Shan didn''t know her at this point in time, so she could step forward with an excuse to dy him.

    Unfortunately, she still couldn''t gather courage to step forward. There was an inherent fear deep inside her heart.

    Xu Shan stepped on the frozen pond. With each second, he stepped closer to the Celestial Lotus. Unlike Aria who was physically weak, he didn''t cast any barrier around his body.

    After he became a Heavenly Celestial, his body had be stronger by a lot, which Aria couldn''tpare with at the moment.

    Xu Shan stopped after reaching in the middle of the pond. The Snow Dragon looked with envious eyes.

    If Xu Shan had arrived on the mountain a littlete, he could''ve consumed the Celestial Lotus which could''ve helped him evolve further. Unfortunately, it was all for naught. He could only watch with jealousy.

    In fact, his jealousy was so much that he even closed his eyes, not intending to look at all.

    Xu Shan went down on one knee. He knew the method to take the Celestial Lotus thanks to the Book of Truth. A pure white aura shrouded his right armpletely.

    He reached out his right hand to finally take the Celestial Lotus. His long journey was finally over... Or so he thought.

    Just as his fingers were about to touch the Celestial Lotus, he felt a sense of danger. He had never felt anything like that. Thest time he felt something even close to this was when the sky was split open in the Celestial Realm.

    It was a sense of danger that made his blood run cold. Unfortunately, before he could react, a blood red beam passed through his back,ing out from his chest, leaving a hole behind.

    He lowered his gaze, looking at his blessing chest as a trail of blood trickled down his lips.

    The sense of danger still wasn''t gone. Even in his weakened condition, Xu Shan turned around, only to see a group of people in the distance.

    The man in the lead was an old man, whose strength appeared to be even stronger. The worldlyws twisted and turned around the man''s figure. Even the sky started thundering, as if a heavenly punishment was about to fall on the man for using strength beyond the limits of this world.

    Right before his eyes, the Heavenly Punishment fell on the old man''s body. The old man took the lightning, without even flinching. He wasn''t affected in the least, as if he had some treasure which protected him against punishment of this proportion.

    Xu Shan''s clothes were covered in blood. His body felt weak, and even his vision was getting affected. However, he still didn''t fall to his knees. He didn''t know who these people were. He had never seen them in the Celestial Realm but they definitely weren''t from the Lower Realm either.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He brought out some of the healing pills that he brought from the Celestial Realm, and ced them in his mouth.

    "Huh?"

    His face revealed a surprise. Even after eating the most precious pills, his wound wasn''t healing. If anything, the pain he felt only increased, as if there was a Poison that had spread inside his body after that attack.

    That poison reacted even more fiercely with the healing pills. The poison spread throughout Xu Shan''s blood. The spread of poison was associated with a terrifying pain.

    Pitch ck nerves could be seen through Xu Shan''s skin. Let alone fight back, he couldn''t even raise a finger as his body finally fell to his knees.

    His entire face revealed the pain that he was feeling. However, more than anything, he was in disbelief.

    He was restricted by the Mountain which restricted his Divine Consciousness from seeing his surroundings. However, it was still shocking that enemies could get this close without him knowing.

    His eyes nced at the Snow Dragon in the distance. He was restricted by the Dragon shouldn''t have been. He should''ve sensed them, unless these people had something which prevented that as well!

    Unlike him, the Snow Dragon wasn''t hurt. However,there was a made purely from Celestial Energy over his body, which kept him restricted to his ce.

    If he had his eyes open before he was attacked, he could''ve avoided it but because of Xu Shan, even he had lowered his guards. By the time he opened his eyes, it was toote.

    "To think that you were hiding in this ce after you escaped from the Divine Realm..." The old man nced at the Snow Dragon who was fiercely struggling to get free of the.

    "I''ll deal with this traitor after I get what I''m here for..." Hemented as he walked toward the Celestial Pond.

    He stepped on the frozen pond, walking up to Xu Shan. However, he didn''t stop before the man, as if the guy wasn''t worth his attention. He was as good as dead with the poison.

    The ck nerves even became visible all over Xu Shan''s face which was as pale as a thin sheet of paper.

    The old man walked past Xu Shan, only stopping before the Celestial Lotus.

    Right before Xu Shan''s eyes, he picked up the Celestial Lotus and kept it in a special container which was precisely made for a Celestial Lotus.

    He carried the container in his hand as he got off the Frozen Pond and approached the Snow Dragon.

 Chapter 140 140: Something Dangerous

    "To think that I would hit two targets at once. Her Majesty would be quite pleased. Not only did I get the Celestial Lotus for her but I also caught the traitor!"

    The old man raised his hand, creating a Sword made purely from his Celestial Aura.

    Once again Heavenly Punishment fell from the sky as the world''s limits were crossed. However, even as the lightning fell on the old man, he didn''t flinch.

    He brought the Sword shing down. The Snow Dragon watched the sworde down.

    The Snow Dragon''s eyes gazed at Xu Shan as the Sword sliced through its head which rolled on the ground. The Snow Dragon was killed right before Xu Shan''s eyes.

    Watching the Snow Dragon die, Xu Shan felt something. He didn''t know how long it had been since his heart felt something. He didn''t know if it was because he was connected to the Snow Dragon through an ancient contract, but that feeling made him feel a strange feeling.

    After killing the Snow Dragon, the man still didn''t stop. He sliced through the Snow Dragon''s skin, turning his ours white skin into bloody red.

    After cutting the skin, he stabbed his hand inside the Dragon''s body, pulling out the heart as if he was talking that as evidence with him.

    Taking the heart, the old man turned and left with his group, without ncing back at Xu Shan. He didn''t pay attention to Aria who was hiding behind the tree as if wasting even a single second more on those people was a waste of time.

    Xu Shan could only watch the people leave as the poison spread all through his body. He couldn''t even move his lips, let alone speak.

    His lips turned darker as his vision became blurry. The view of the people disappeared. His body lost all its strength as he finally dropped on the cold snow.

    Seeing the sight from a distance, Aria''s face revealed a glee. Instead of feeling bad for the young man, she felt extremely grateful to the people from the Divine Realm for punishing Xu Shan to this extent.

    However, even in this condition, Aria didn''t feel safe. She couldn''t rx until she watched the man die with her own eyes! She knew just what kind of existence he had the potential of bing. She wasn''t overconfident.

    Now that Xu Shan couldn''t even move, she brought out a knife. She had to kill him herself, especially when he was so helpless. Finally she could kill the person who made her life a living hell!

    ****

    Xu Shan lied on the ground. His blood had mostly converted to poison that was destroying his body from inside. He couldn''t even move a single finger. It was as if he could only watch himself die and nothing more.

    The pain was so much that he didn''t even realize when he lost consciousness, falling into slumber that he had a feeling he was never going to wake up from.

    After spreading through his entire body, the poison finally started taking over his mind, soul and his heart. He had never been as helpless as he was now.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Clenching the knife firmly in her hand, Aria finally came out from behind the tree, slowly approaching Xu Shan.

    Her heart was still filled with fear like never before. Each step was like a thousand steps for her as she kept worrying that the man was going to wake up and the past was going to repeat again. She was the only one who had seen that sight of Xu Shan after all.

    The woman kept stepping closer to Xu Shan until she was merely half a meter away from him. She held the knife with both her hands.

    However, before she could attack, she froze in ce as she watched the show melt from under Xu Shan. His body was getting warm. Not only the snow under him, but the snow in the surroundings was also melting and disappearing into thin air.

    The woman''s face turned pale as she felt her skin breaking apart as well. This was a sight that she remembered all too well.

    Her fear took over her heart as she realized what it was! This was what made Xu Shan so scary in the future she remembered! This was Devouring!

    She immediately jumped back. However, it was as if there was a domain which was established. Inside the Domain, everything was being devoured, including the snow, the body of the Snow Dragon and even the skin of the woman.

    As the snow under Xu Shan melted, his body was submerged in the frozen pond. However, water couldn''t touch him even as his body kept falling. Whatever water came in contact with him disappeared.

    The woman kept stepping back, alert as she watched the Domain of devouring increase. It was clear that Xu Shan wasn''t dead! If anything, something inside him was waking up.

    It was clear to her that if she stayed here for long, she might be devoured as well, especially since even the body of the Snow Dragon wasn''t immune.

    For now, she dropped her ns and turned around, running to the best of her abilities! She had to catch up to the people from the Divine Realm and tell them what was happening so they could return and kill him!

    The woman ran down the freedom mountain, not slowing down for even a second. She couldn''t bete! She had to catch up with those people at all costs!

    On the other hand, Xu Shan''s body kept falling deep in the frozen pond. His mind was sleeping, but his breathing was stable.

    However, even as he was unconscious, there was a voice in her head which kept saying, "It hurts!"

    The ck nerves around his body slowly started disappearing as a mysterious force started devouring all the Poison inside his body which was preventing the healing pull from acting up.

    With each passing second, the poison that had spread through Xu Shan''s entire body started being devoured, only leaving the healing pill''s effects behind.

    The bleeding wound on his chest, which had turned the water around him red, had slowly started healing as well. However, the Devouring didn''t stop! The Domain only kept increasing as if it wasn''t going to stop until it devoured the entire mountain!

 Chapter 141 141: Threat

    The woman ran down the mountain, without stopping, yet she was unable to catch up to the people from the Divine Realm who were traveling down much faster, even though it appeared as if they were simply strolling.

    The people from the Divine Realm stopped as they reached the bottom of the mountain, away from the spatial restrictions of the mountain.

    The old man clenched his fist, opening a small portal before him back to the Divine Realm, unaware that the person he thought to be dead was still alive.

    By the time Aria finally caught up to them, she only saw the back of thest person, who stepped inside the portal in front of her eyes. She rushed toward the Portal, jumping to enter as well. However, before she could even touch it, the portal closed.

    Aria fell on the ground, unable to even touch the portal. The people who could take advantage of the situation to kill Xu Shan were gone.

    She knew her capabilities and knew that she couldn''t kill him either. Let alone kill him, she couldn''t even get close to the person in the first ce.

    The only thing she could do was to leave this ce before Xu Shan woke up.

    Her cold eyes looked towards the peak of the mountain. Her mind kept telling her that she had to leave but her heart kept telling her to kill that bastard who ruined her life.

    In the end, she decided to listen to his heart. She was very weak at the end of the day. The first thing she had to do was gather strength, using her vast knowledge. At the same time, she also wanted to find her old allies.

    She inhaled deeply, and with aposed heart, bolted forward without a backward nce.

    ****

    Xu Shany in the center of a crater, his blood-stained clothes clinging tightly to his body. Oddly, there were no wounds or injuries on his body, and hisplexion looked healthy contrary to his prior pale appearance.

    Simrly, his breathing was also stable. Looking at him, no one could have said that just a short time ago he was gravely injured. It was as if he was peacefully sleeping and nothing more.

    If there was something even more shocking, it was the fact that the Snow Mountain hadpletely disappeared now. Not a single trace of the mountain or the snow could be seen in that ce, as if it waspletely devoured.

    The news about the Giant Mountain''s disappearance spread like fire, making many powerful people from this Domaine to this ce.

    Amongst them was the Sect Master of the strongest nearby sect in this world.

    For the time being, not a single person dared to enter too deep into this area, wondering if the mountain was destroyed by the Dragon because he was furious about something. Or was there an even more dangerous beast?

    It was only when the Sect Master of the Strongest Sect arrived that the group finally had the courage to enter the area.

    The old sect master was in the least, but even he couldn''t believe the level of destruction. Even if he wanted, he could''ve destroyed even the smallest part of the mountain, yet there was someone or something who destroyed the entire mountain, without leaving any trace behind.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He could only imagine just how strong that person was.

    As the old man reached near the area where the center of the mountain used to be, he grew even more stunned.

    There was a deep crater before his eyes, and in the center of that crater was a young man, whose chest was covered in blood.

    The man''s attire also didn''t look ordinary. And what was even more shocking was the ring that the young man was wearing.

    They were clearly storage rings, and of the highest quality that he had ever seen! These rings weren''t something that could be afforded by an ordinary person.

    Even he himself didn''t have a single ring that was as previous, meanwhile the boy had many more precious rings on his fingers. He didn''t know who this man was, but that man was clearly still alive.

    "How can that young man survive a destruction of this level?" Another person asked, also noticing that Xu Shan was breathing.

    The Sect Master brushed his fingers through his long white beard, thinking about something.

    "Unless... He is the one who caused this destruction?" The Sect Master spoke his thoughts out loud. Those rings, the destruction and the fact that the man had blood on his chest yet was still rtively unharmed.... That could only signal one thing to him.

    Hearing the old man''s words, all the people nearby took cold breaths.

    "How can that be? He''s barely twenty from what I can see!" The Sect Master of a Smaller Alchemic Sect responded. However, in the back of his mind, even he found that thought to be crazy. If the young boy was really behind it, then he was really a monster!

    "If that''s the case, we should kill him! What if he wakes up and starts attacking everyone else? We can''t let such a dangerous person roam freely!" A middle aged person eximed, revealing some fear.

    If a person like this could tten an entire mountain and kill the Guardian of the Mountain, then what was to stop him if one day he decided to destroy them all? Could they really take that risk?

    The white bearded man frowned at the suggestion, but the response from the others was quite different. Hearing the warning from the middle aged man, the others also started voicing their opinion. They were all scared of the unknown!

    If they could take out this threat while the young boy was still out cold, this was the perfect opportunity for them. It was better than regretting itter.

    "He''s right! He''s too dangerous! We should kill him!"

    "Kill him!"

    One after another, more and more people started demanding that. Most of them even pulled out any weapon that they had, and stepped forward themselves to take care of this, thinking about the dangers.

 Chapter 142 142: Celestial Form

    "Stop!" Watching the situation get out of control, the Sect Master personally interfered, appearing between Xu Shan and the people.

    "Why are you stopping us? Are you saying you''ll be able to stop him if he decides to kill everyone after waking up? The Guardian of the Mountain never harmed anyone!" The middle aged man eximed.

    "It wasn''t wrong to say that the Guardian of the Mountain was the Guardian of this world! However, that Guardian is gone now, maybe trying to stop this guy!" he further chimed in, trying to convince the Sect Master. "If that doesn''t prove that this guy is bad news for everyone, then what does?"

    "The Guardian put his life on the line to give us this one opportunity where this guy is weakened. Are we to waste that opportunity?!"

    He ced his hand on the Sect Master''s shoulders, gently pushing him aside as he walked past.

    The middle aged man reached closer to Xu Shan.

    ****

    Next to Xu Shan, Xinren kept trying to wake him up. However, since this was the first time his Celestial Spirit of Devouring hadpletely awakened, it put a lot of burden on Xu Shan''s mind.

    In fact, he didn''t even know what was happening in the outside world.

    If anything, he was inside his own consciousness, which was a very unfamiliar ce.

    It appeared like the Royal Throne room, but it was much bigger than he had seen at the Royal Pce of his father.

    There were many doors, each potentially leading to a different ce. However, all the doors were closed, and sealed with chains all around them.

    Other than the doors, the only thing that the ce had was a throne, which was over hundreds of feet tall, as if it was made for a Giant.

    Seated on the throne, there was a young man, who appeared to be even younger than himself. That person had simr facial features as him, yet he appeared different

    Unlike the calm andposed aura around Xu Shan, the person on the throne had a chaotic and destructive aura.

    Xu Shan looked around, observing this unfamiliar ce.

    "Am I dead?" He asked, stepping toward the closest door to him. However, as soon as his fingers touched the door, a mysterious force pushed him back with such force that he flew back, crashing on the distant wall.

    However, for some reason, it didn''t hurt him physically. It was as if this wasn''t his physical body. He did feel pain, but physically he waspletely fine.

    The person on the throne was mostly silent, but every once in a while, he was saying a single sentence, "It hurts..."

    When Xu Shan heard that sentence, he realized that this wasn''t the first time he had heard something like this! It was a simr voice that he heard when his Celestial Spirit first awakened and helped him! This was the voice of his Celestial Spirit.

    "The person on the throne is my Celestial Spirit?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He realized that his Celestial Spirit had taken a form simr to him, which was a very rare ability for a Celestial Spirit to do. Most of the time, Celestial Spirits only appeared inside one''s consciousness in the form of a small speck of light.

    Even the strongest known Celestial Spirit had only manifested in the form of a small wisp of mes, yet his Celestial Spirit had manifested in a form simr to him!

    Xu Shan stepped closer to the Celestial Spirit on the throne. In the endless silence, he could hear nothing but the sound of his footsteps.

    However, there was a strange feeling in his heart, as if there was something else he had to do.

    "...up..."

    "Huh?" As he was halfway through the hall, getting closer to the throne, he felt as if he heard something... A vague and unclear voice, that came from every direction.

    "Wake..."

    The voice came again, this time more coherent.

    "Wake up!" He heard a loud shout, feeling as if someone hit his face with a forceful p.

    The world around him disappeared, reced by the darkness. He could finally feel his physical body again.

    He slowly opened his eyes, noticing the face of Xinren in front of him.

    "Do you think killing him will be the end of it?" He heard another voice, sounding like it belonged to an old man.

    Next to Xu Shan was a middle aged man with a knife in his hand. His back faced Xu Shan while he turned toward the Sect Master. "What do you mean?"

    "You say that he is dangerous, but what makes you think that killing him would be better? Do you know anything about him or where hees from? What if you kill him, and the force behind himes to attack us?!" The Sect Master eximed at the top of his lungs.

    Just the ring on Xu Shan''s fingers alone was enough to show that he didn''t belong to this world. And the world he came from, was not only more resourceful than theirs, but also much stronger!

    "Who is to know that we killed him? He came to fight the Guardian of the Mountain and he died in that battle! Why would the force behind him think otherwise? Will they think weak people like us could kill him?" The middle aged man scoffed.

    For some reason, the Sect Master didn''t reply. His face turned pale, but he couldn''t say anything. He wasn''t the only one who froze in ce.

    The middle aged man thought that they were stunned by his smart retort. With no one to stop him, he turned around to finish his task.

    However, as soon as he turned around, his legs went limp. The knife fell on the ground. Behind him was the young man that he wanted to kill, but the man was not only awake, but looking straight in his eyes.

    "I-i..." The middle aged man stuttered. The others who had a weapon in their hands also stepped back, hiding their weapons.

 Chapter 143 143: Reborn

    Xu Shan gazed in the eyes of the middle aged man, whose legs went limp. The middle aged man fell to his knees, unable to even run. He thought that this was where he was going to die.

    However, to his surprise, Xu Shan didn''t pay attention to him. Leaving the middle aged man behind, Xu Shan started walking away, frowning.

    The people here were so weak that he could kill them whenever he wanted, but that wasn''t needed, as he had more important things to do!

    He had to get that Celestial Lotus back, no matter what! Moreover, he also had to find out where Duan Mu went! Since he had a soul fragment of Duan Mu, he knew that the man was alive! However, for some reason, he couldn''t locate that guy, as if he was in some special or restricted space.

    The people in Xu Shan''s path instinctively stepped aside, clearing a path for him to leave. Even the Sect Master stood silent. He wanted to approach Xu Shan, but seeing the frown on the young man''s face, he didn''t dare.

    "How long was I sleeping?" Xu Shan asked Xinren, who followed closely behind.

    The people watched him talk to himself, thinking something was wrong with his brain. However, they were relieved that he didn''t seem to have any intention of attacking them.

    "A little over a day," Xinren answered, as she described everything that happened from the moment he lost consciousness, including how the mountain was destroyed.

    That whole incident slightly surprised Xu Shan. Even though he could feel some traces of his decay aura in the surroundings, but he still thought that the mountain was destroyed by the people from the Divine Realm before they left.

    As he thought about those people, his blood was boiling. He didn''t know much about the Divine Realm, other than the fact that it was somewhat simr to the Celestial Realm, albeit much stronger.

    That was the extent of information he had. In fact, if those people hadn''t mentioned where they were from, he probably wouldn''t have known who they were, or where they were from.

    Not only did they attack from behind, but they actually tried to kill him! But what angered him even more was that they killed the Snow Dragon, who he established a contract with!

    The way they did it, right before his eyes was also irritating. He still remembered their gaze, that was looking down on him like he was an insect.

    No matter what, he couldn''t forget that insulting gaze.

    "Are you really going to go after them? Those people... They are dangerous. And the one above them must be even more dangerous!" Xinren warned Xu Shan.

    She knew how strong Xu Shan was. However, she also knew that those people were stronger. She had a good understanding in that regard. She was clear that even if that old man hadn''t attacked him from behind, the chances of Xu Shan''s victory in a straight battle was still close to none.

    "They took what belongs to me..." Xu Shan replied.

    "But they are-"

    Xinren tried speaking, but Xu Shan cut her sentence in the middle as his tone became colder. "They took what belongs to me!"

    He had gone through so much to get the Celestial Lotus. It was almost impossible to find another Celestial Lotus with how rare that thing was. No matter what, he had to take it back, before it was used!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Are you going to use the Book then?" Xinren asked, frowning.

    However, Xu Shan didn''t reply. He stopped in a certain part of the area, where the footing of the mountain used to be.

    "This is thest ce where I can trace Duan Mu''s aura. There''s nothing from this point on..." He closed his eyes, using the soul fragment but he still couldn''t find anything. It was as if the young man just disappeared from this point on.

    "Do you think he found out the truth and ran away?" Xinren asked.

    "Maybe, but it''s unlikely," Xu Shan replied with a grim expression. "He knows I can kill him whenever I want, with his Soul Frag-"

    "Huh?"

    Xu Shan''s expressions suddenly twisted, as he felt his connection with Duan Mu suddenly being cut! Not only was that connection cut, but even the Soul Fragment that was with him disappeared! The Soul Fragment was destroyed!

    Every hold he had on Duan Mu was gone in an instant!

    ****

    Inside the small space, Duan Mu was sitting in a meditative position. His eyes were closed, yet there was a mysterious aura surrounding him, as he kept chanting the words that were taught by the strange cat!

    "Good. Only by destroying your mortal soul can you awaken your real soul! Destroy the old to create the new! Free yourself from all the worldly shackles and be reborn anew!" The Cat eximed, even after knowing that Duan Mu couldn''t hear it.

    The Mysterious Cat had a cunning grin on its face as it watched Duan Mu. It was unclear what was on its mind.

    As Duan Mu kept chanting the words, not only did his soul awaken, but his body was also getting stronger physically. He started awakening more and more of his father''s Bloodline, slowly Abandoning his human Bloodline!

    He was willing to do anything in exchange for strength! He was willing to abandon anything! The more he awakened his Bloodline, the more the space around them became bigger.

    "Like father, like son..." The Cat muttered, smirking. "This time, no one would be able to stop us!"

    ****

    Xu Shan was left stubbed, as the fragment of Duan Mu''s soul was destroyed, as if the young man had died.

    At the same time, his contract with Duan Mu also became invalid. However, he had a feeling that it wasn''t that simple...

    Within a short time, he lost two contracts! He lost the Snow Dragon and now Duan Mu had disappeared as well. He had a really bad feeling about that.

 Chapter 144 144: Card To Play

    "Are you alright?" Xinren asked Xu Shan, who appeared to be lost in some deep thought.

    Hearing Xinren''s voice, he shook his head lightly. Even though he was still wondering about it, he didn''t reveal that on his face.

    There was nothing he could do about Duan Mu. Even with a fragment of his soul, he wasn''t able to locate him. And now, that fragment of the soul was gone as well, as if the man he knew had died.

    Not only did Duan Mu not help him in the least by warning him about the intruders on the mountain, but he was gone as well.

    "It doesn''t matter. If he''s dead, then so be it. But if he''s alive, then sooner orter..." Clenching his fist, Xu Shan left the area.

    It was easy for him to travel to lower realms by calcting their spatial coordinates. However, it was different to enter the Upper Realm.

    First of all, he didn''t even know where the Divine Realm actually was. And even if he knew, entering that ce was easier said than done.

    His first thought went to the Book of Truth. If there was anything that could help him, it was that. Unfortunately, the Book of Truth couldn''t help him either.

    There was only one strange message that popped up before him.

    [Interference Detected... Unable to locate.]

    Something kept interfering whenever he tried to locate the Divine Realm. It was like there was something that had shrouded the Divine Realm, protecting it from prying eyes.

    In the end, Xu Shan dropped the n. To get to the Divine Realm, he had to find a way himself. And he had to do that soon, before it was toote.

    He nced back at Xinren, but in the end, he shook his head. Xinren didn''t know much about this world, at least not more than he did. If she knew, she would''ve already told him.

    "We need to get back to the Celestial Realm first, and ask my father..." Xu Shan decided. He initially wanted to be stronger and then return for his safety but with the Celestial Lotus gone, he had no other choice but to take the risk.

    It had been over a week since he escaped from the Celestial Realm, and he wasn''t clear if the problem was solved or not.

    "Wait there, Young Master!"

    As he was about to leave, he heard a voice calling for him from behind.

    Xu Shan turned around, noticing the old man who was the only person that was trying to stop the people who were trying to kill him..The person was quite strong by this world''s standards.

    "What do you need?" Xu Shan asked the old man, frowning.

    "I-i need your help. Please help me save my daughter!" The old man dropped to his knees before the young man.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Even though he was the best Alchemist in this world, and quite strong, but even he couldn''t do what Xu Shan could do. There was an inherent difference between the two, based on where they came from

    Xu Shan looked weirdly at the old man. In the end, he didn''t even answer. He simply turned around, ignoring the old man.

    He started walking away. He wasn''t a good Samaritan and he had no interest in being one. The more time he wasted, the higher were the chances of the Celestial Lotus being lost forever.

    As the old man raised his head, he noticed that Xu Shan wasn''t even willing to listen.

    "I-i will give you anything you need in return! Just help me with this once! You''ll forever be my savior!" The old man roared.

    However, Xu Shan once again didn''t pay any attention.

    "I have no interest in being someone''s savior. I have things of my own to do. I still need to find the Divine Realm! Find someone else to help yourself!" Xu Shan retorted, waving his hand, without ncing back

    "Divine Realm? I know where the Divine Realm is!" the old man eximed, rushing after Xu Shan, who had started creating a portal before him.

    However, hearing the old man''s words, Xu Shan stopped in his tracks. He turned around.

    "Do you know what you''ll go through if you''re lying to me?!" He asked the old man.

    "I am not lying! If you help my daughter, I''ll help you in return! I''m the only person in this entire ce who knows where the Divine Realm is! Not only do I know where it is, I have a way to get you to the Divine Realm!"

    The old man stood his ground firmly. His eyes stern, as if he wasn''t lying.

    "You already told me so much. What''s to stop me from forcing the answer out of you?!" Xu Shan asked, revealing an intrigued look.

    He had so many ways to get answers out of the old man, even if he refused. So he was quite curious why the old man thought that he could get help in return.

    "I-i know you can torture me, or search my soul! However, I''m prepared for it! If you try any of those ways, my soul will be destroyed on its own! You''ll never get your answers. Even if you search this entire world, you''ll never know the way!" The old man eximed.

    "I don''t know you. I don''t know what kind of person you are. However, I know that you are strong ande from the upper realm. Since you don''t know where the Divine Realm is, that means youe from the Celestial Realm instead! Only you can save my daughter!"

    "I tried everything to save her, but I failed. But then I saw you. If you help me, I shall do everything you ask me to do! I will be your dog and your servant! I don''t care what I have to do, as long as you save my daughter!"

    The old man was firm in his stance. He was clear that Xu Shan couldn''t get the answers he wanted, unless he was willing. So he had a card to y.

 Chapter 145 145: Rare Constitution

    Initially, he thought that he had to beg the man, but now that he knew what Xu Shan needed, he was sure that he could convince him.

    "I think we should help," Xinren told Xu Shan. "Going back to the Celestial Realm is dangerous right now. If we can get answers right here, then it would be much faster.''

    Xu Shan also agreed with her. However, he didn''t like the feeling of someone forcing him to do what they wanted, in exchange for something he needed.

    Unfortunately, time was of the essence. If he could save that girl in exchange for a way to get to Divine Realm, then it seemed worth his time.

    "How can I help your daughter?" He asked, passively agreeing.

    The old man''s eyes revealed a glint of happiness. He had lost hope of saving his daughter, but now he finally had a way.

    "Come with me..." the old man said as he flew back towards his sect with the young man.

    Xu Shan was brought back to the most prosperous Sect of this world. Most of the Alchemists of this world resided in this ce. Many youngsters could be seen, selling medicinal herbs along the way. Even more people could be seen buying.

    The Sect appeared quite ordinary. However, along the way, Xu Shan noticed that something appeared different about this sect.

    There was a barrier that he passed through. However, the barrier didn''t stop anyone from entering or exiting. Which made the purpose of the barrier very unclear.

    Moreover, ording to the Sect Master, this barrier wasn''t cast by him or anyone in the sect. Instead, this barrier was cast by people much stronger than him... The people of Divine Realm.

    ording to him, this wasn''t the first time that people from the Divine Realm arrived here. If anything, amongst most of the lower realm worlds, this world had highest contact with the Divine Realm.

    That was because of the Ancestor of the Sect Master.

    "Thousands of years ago, a powerful person from the Divine Realm ended up in this realm, injured. It was quite simr to how you appeared. The only difference is that you weren''t injured," the old man exined, as hended at the entrance of a majestic building within the sect.

    "By sheer coincidence, that person was discovered by our Ancestor, who helped that man survive, through the knowledge of his alchemy."

    "The man from the Divine Realm was so grateful, that he offered to take our Ancestor with him to the Divine Realm. While my Ancestor helped him medically, he helped our Ancestor, making him stronger. And in the end, he took him to the Divine Realm."

    "Since then, we have had no contact with him. However, just a few years ago, his descendants came. Apparently my ancestor established his own sect in the Divine Realm,pletely forgetting about us."

    "What does that have to do with me helping your daughter?" Xu Shan frowned. He felt as if the old man was just wasting his time by talking about useless things.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The old man scratched the back of his head. "It has everything to do with my daughter. Because the reason they came here was for my daughter..."

    As the man spoke, he stopped before a certain room. He opened the door of the room, revealing an empty bedroom inside.

    In the room, there were some portraits of the old man, along with some portraits of his daughter, who appeared to be of simr age to Xu Shan.

    The room appeared as if no one lived here for years. The old man stopped before the portrait of her daughter, raising his head.

    "I don''t know how they found out about the rare constitution of my daughter..." He spoke, letting out a sigh. "They said something about the Tower of Divination, from where they received this information."

    "Tower of Divination?" Xu Shan repeated, wondering if the reason they found out about the Celestial Lotus was because of that as well.

    Otherwise, there should''ve been no way for that information to spread to the Divine Realm, so easily. Especially when even the people of this world didn''t know about the Celestial Lotus.

    "So the descendants of your ancestor took your daughter?" Xu Shan asked, taking a guess with the information he had.

    The people of Divine Realm paid to attend to the people of lower realms. It was the same for the Celestial Realm. People of lower worlds were like ants to them. There was no way they were going to wait for the permission from the girl or her father.

    The old man let out a sigh, nodding. "They took her to the Divine Realm. The help I wanted... It was for you to save my daughter from her cruel fate..."

    "I said I''ll tell you a way to get to the Divine Realm if you help my daughter. However, I really can''t use that bait to ask for help. Since, you have to go there to save her in the first ce..."

    "I can''t stop you, if you were to just ignore my request after getting there. However, I beg you.... As a man, I''ve never bowed before anyone. However, I''m willing to even fall to your feet... This is a father''s pleading... Please save my daughter''s life..."

    As the man spoke, he fell to his knees, and started hitting his head on the ground, near Xu Shan''s feet.

    For a person with his dignity, falling to someone''s knees was worse than death. However, for his daughter, he was willing to even go that far.

    Xu Shan was surprised himself. He thought he had to help her to find a path to get to the Divine Realm. However, he actually didn''t need to do that. The man was going to tell him the path, as long as he agreed, even if he were to lie.

    Xu Shan nced at the portrait of the girl on the wall. The woman was beautiful... In fact, she was even more beautiful than the girls in the Celestial Realm. On top, she had a rare constitution.

    However, for some reason, even as he saw the man kowtowing to him, he couldn''t feel pity. His heart was still as empty as ever��

 Chapter 146 146: Saint Of Tower

    "Can you really trust me?" Xu Shan asked, looking at the bloody forehead of the man.

    The old man looked up, as blood trickled down his forehead. He didn''t have the answer to that question himself. He could only send Xu Shan to the Divine Realm. However, he couldn''t force him to help him.

    What Xu Shan did after reaching the Divine Realm was up to him, and no one else. It was quite likely that he wasn''t going to care in the least after getting there.

    Fortunately, he had a method. That''s the reason he was even willing to take this risk.

    He raised his hand, revealing a small golden bracelet.

    Xu Shan nced at the bracelet in the man''s hand. To his surprise, he could feel a spirit in the bracelet as well. It was a spiritual treasure!

    "Once you wear that bracelet, I''ll believe that you''ll save her..." The old man stated. "This bracelet is connected to her. It can only be worn, but it can''t be taken off. Not without a drop of blood from my daughter..."

    "And what happens if I can''t take it off?" Xu Shan asked, picking up the bracelet with curiosity.

    "If you can''t take it off within a month after wearing it... You''ll die." The old man stood up. He wiped the blood off his forehead from his sleeves.

    Xu Shan frowned. "So this is what gave you the confidence that you can tie me to help you?"

    "What if she dies before I can save her? Won''t I be screwed in that case?"

    "Don''t worry. They won''t kill her, at least not yet. And if she is killed, the bracelet will open on its own. So you will be safe..." The old man exined.

    Xu Shan didn''t face any risks, ording to him. At least as long as he was able to save his daughter within a month. However, there were also ws to his n.

    He didn''t want to antagonize Xu Shan, since all that guy needed to do to be free was to either kill his daughter within a month, or just take her blood!

    That''s why, he made it out as a request, going as far as to bow his head. He thought that if Xu Shan went to his daughter, then saving her was child''s y for him.

    If he could have that much mercy, then it was worth it. In any case, it was better than the fate that the people above had nned for his daughter.

    Xu Shan nced at Xinren. However, in the end, he wore the bracelet in front of the old man.

    As soon as he wore the bracelet, the bracelet tightened around his wrist to the point that he couldn''t even move it in the slightest.

    The old man''s face brightened, as he repeatedly thanked Xu Shan.

    He hastily rushed toward the bookshelf. Xu Shan was in a hurry to go to the Divine Realm. However, he was in even more of a hurry.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He pushed the shelf aside, revealing a door that was hidden by the shelf. He used a special key to open the door, and led Xu Shan inside, where a Spatial Formation still existed.

    "This is the spatial formation that the person from the Divine Realm created when he took my Ancestor with him! We''ve maintained that Formation. However, we never used it, since we aren''t strong enough to travel through the spatial barriers. However, it''s different if it''s you!"

    The old man closed the door behind him.

    Xu Shan was amazed at how intricate the formation was. This was much moreplicated. He was sure that he couldn''t make something like this, no matter how hard he tried.

    A formation like this could be activated with Spirit Stones. The old man brought a few high grade spirit stones that he had kept safe, and ced them in all formation points.

    Xu Shan walked inside the spatial formation, standing in the center.The formation started shining, filling the entire hall in light.

    Xu Shan could see the old man on his knees, with his head lowered. He was saying something, but Xu Shan couldn''t hear. Still, he was clear that the man was again begging him.

    The spatial formationtook all the energy from the Spirit Stones, trying to open a passage. However, Xinren felt that the formation didn''t have enough energy for this to work.

    Even Xu Shan felt that. He brought a few spirit stones of his own, and crushed them inside the formation. The additional energy finally helped the formation.

    A blinding light shed. And by the time it disappeared, Xu Shan was also gone.

    The old man remained on his knees, watching the empty space. "Please save her from that fate..."

    ****

    The Divine Realm...a world that was far away from the Celestial Realm. Unlike the Celestial Realm, the Divine Realm had only one Major Kingdom.

    However, it also had some more prominent forces, like the Tower of Divination, whose Divination never went wrong! Fortunately, the Tower of Divination never involved themselves in the war of influence. They only focused on Divinations.

    There were also times when some Divination was auctioned at the sky high price, like the information about the Celestial Lotus.

    The atmosphere inside the Tower of Divination was always calm. The Divine Saints had made so many Divinations through their lives, yet not a single divination of theirs had ever failed.

    However, correctly, there was one Divine Saint who was sitting in the central hall of the Tower of Divination, trying to Divine the next important event in the future of this world.

    Most of the time, it was easy for him to see the future, as he was the oldest Divine Saint. Even the Queen of the Divine Realm had to treat him with respect.

    However, at the moment, the old Saint was sitting in a meditative position. His entire body was covered in sweat, which was a rare sight.

 Chapter 147 147: Disaster

    The other saints watched him in surprise. Seeing the Head Saint struggle so much, they all wondered just what was the future that he was seeing! Just what could be so scary that even the Divine Saint was covered in sweat.

    However, they didn''t realize that it wasn''t what the Head Saint saw, but what he didn''t see.

    The Head Saint couldn''t see anything. It was as if there was a scary darkness that had shrouded the entire Divine Realm, which made it impossible for him to see through it.

    The more he tried to see through the Darkness, the more he felt as if he was going to be swallowed by that darkness.

    After a long struggle, he managed to take a glimpse through that dark shroud. It was unclear what he saw, but at that exact moment, his heart stopped.

    The Head Saint dropped on the ground, stunning all the other Saints. They rushed to him, scared. However, as soon as they checked him, they were frozen in fear. The Head Saint had died!

    Just until the morning, he was perfectly fine. However, when he tried to see through the future, he died so suddenly. It made all Saints worry just what the future was! Just what did their Head Saint see? Just what was the future that even the Leader of the Tower of Divination had died!

    The news of the Head Saint''s death spread like wildfire, causing panic and unrest among the people of the Tower!

    The Tower of Divination was known for its urate predictions, but with the sudden demise of their leader, the future seemed uncertain and foreboding.

    Quickly, a sessor was selected for the position of the Saint, who decided to see through the future to see just what it was that the previous Head Saint saw.

    However, after a short time, the new Head Saint also stopped, drenched in sweat.

    "What did you see?" The others asked him. However, the new Head Saint was silent. It was as if he was still in shock.

    After a long time, he raised his head. "Nothing... I saw nothing but darkness. I felt as if I was going to die if I tried to see through that darkness."

    The other Saints looked at each other''s faces. They didn''t know what to think of it. It was clear that something foreboding was going to happen soon.

    The Head Saint nced at the ground next to him, where a name was carved. It was said that the previous Head Saint had carved that name with his nails right before dying.

    The only clue they had was that one name... "Meiying..."

    "Search the entire Divine Realm! Find out everyone with that name!" The Head Saintmanded.

    The future that they saw was somewhat rted to that name. As for what that rtion was, they didn''t know.

    ****

    A Spatial Portal opened in the middle of nowhere. A young man stepped out of the portal, feeling the fresh air brush against his skin.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The world had a beautiful sky that was even brighter than the sky of the Celestial Realm. The air also felt a little different.

    For some reason, Xu Shan felt slightly ufortable here. Even he didn''t understand why that was. It was as if he didn''t like this ce at all.

    "Yan Meiying... I still have a month to find you. First, I need to recover my Celestial Lotus..." Xu Shan muttered, observing the barren surroundings.

    He spread out his Divine Sense. To his surprise, the range that he could cover was even bigger.

    Now that he wasn''t in the lower Realm, there was no restriction on his body and strength. He could finally use his full strength, without Heavenly Punishments falling over him, everytime he did.

    In the vast barrennd, but a single de of ss could be seen. There were only a few beasts in the surroundings, who could be seen roaming. However, even those beasts were very far away.

    Xu Shan could see signs of destruction and some rubble that had been buried under the soil all this time.

    It was as if there used to be a massive structure here, which was destroyed by someone thousands of years ago.

    From what he could guess, this used to be the ce where the man who had created the Teleportation Formation in the Lower World lived.

    It was clear that he brought the old man here, and taught him everything, before letting him leave to establish his own n.

    It was unclear just how this ce was destroyed, but thousands of years was a long time. It was enough time for dynasties to rise and fall. So it wasn''t surprising to him.

    He rose in the air, and left in search of someone. The only thing he knew about the people who stole his Celestial Lotus was that they talked about some Queen of Divine Realm. He didn''t know how many queens were here, but no matter how many they were, he had to take his Celestial Lotus back.

    To find the queen, first he had to find a person, who could give him information about this ce.

    Flying over the vastndscapes of the Divine Realm, he searched for any signs of life. Fortunately, it didn''t take him long to find a human carriage.

    The carriage was being escorted by some guards, and it clearly belonged to someone from an important n. All the guards had weapons, and appeared quite strong.

    Xu Shan knew that approaching them might make them suspicious, but this was the first group he had seen after arriving here. He didn''t even know if he was flying in the right direction or wrong. The Divine Realm was much bigger than the Celestial Realm.

    Slowly, hended on the ground before the carriage. The guards immediately became alert.

    Xu Shan raised his palms to show that he meant no harm. "I apologize for startling you. I''m just a traveler passing through. If you could answer a few questions of mine, I''ll be on my way."

 Chapter 148 148: Spectator

    "Down on your knees!" The guards became extremely alert, getting down from their horses while pointing their swords at Xu Shan.

    "How did you find our travel route? Who sent you here?" The Leader of the Guards coldly asked.

    He didn''t believe that there happened to be a man who was lost in a ce like that. If anything, it appeared to be a trick by him to get close to them.

    They had intentionally taken such a barren and roundabout way to get to their destination, just for the safety of the person inside the Carriage! Not a single person should''ve been here, let alone someone who was lost!

    "Huh?" Xu Shan tilted his head sideways, confused. Were these people mistaking him for someone else? Why would he have any ulterior motives here!

    "On your knees!" The Leader of the Guards coldly instructed again. "If you move even a little, we will be forced to take your life!"

    "Forced to take my life?" Xu Shan asked, slightly intrigued. Even though he wasn''t leaking his aura, these people were still a light too confident.

    However, it wasn''t surprising either. Almost all the guards were Heavenly Celestials, just like him. Albeit they were in the initial stages while he was at the peak.

    Still, for even the weakest guard to be a Heavenly Celestial, he was really curious as to who was inside the carriage?

    "As I said, I have no intention of getting close to you. If you could just answer me one thing, I''ll be on my way."

    To show his support, he even took a few steps back, keeping his hands raised above his head. However, he didn''t follow the instructions of dropping to his knees.

    The guard raised an eyebrow. He looked around at his surroundings, as if looking for something. If Xu Shan was actually an enemy, that meant their route was leaked. So there was no way he was going to be the only person here!

    However, he didn''t feel any other presence either. As far as his eyes could see, there was no one else. He wondered if it was really a coincidence?

    "What is your destination? Ask!" He told Xu Shan. He didn''t lower his guard. He was ready to take Xu Shan out, with even the slightest suspicious movement from him.

    "I''m looking for the Qu-" Xu Shan spoke, but before he could even finish his sentence, he noticed some movement under the ground.

    Unlike him, the Guards appeared to bepletely unaware. It was as if their perception wasn''t strong enough yet.

    Suddenly, multiple spears came out of the ground, impaling the guards. The Captain of the Guards reacted at thest moment, dodging swiftly. However, even he was scratched by the spear.

    Most of the Guards were killed, with only a few managing to survive. Unfortunately, the ones who survived didn''t have a good expression on their faces.

    "Heh, to think that some of you would still be able to survive!"

    Multiple dark figures came out of the ground, holding the Spears. All of their bodies were covered in ck, with their faces hidden behind masks.

    It was impossible to see their faces. If anything, other than their murderous eyes, nothing else was visible.

    "You!" The Captain of the Guards nced at Xu Shan, as his anger red.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In his eyes, he was trickled. Xu Shan was actually with these people! He dyed them, while they arranged themselves to attack. This was an borate plot ording to him.

    On the other hand, Xu Shan shrugged. He had no idea that this was going to happen. This time, he waspletely innocent.

    Only four guards had managed to survive, including the Captain of the Guards who was the strongest in his group.

    However, there were over ten assassins there, making it an extremely hard battle to survive.

    The Captain of the Guards nced toward the Carriage. His fist tightened. No matter what, he had to protect that carriage! The person inside that Carriage couldn''t be allowed to die! It was his responsibility!

    "How much were you paid for this? We will pay you double, if you stop right now!" The Captain spoke.

    "Hahaha!" The Assassin Leaderughed in response. "I apologize, but once we take on a task, we can''t return without finishing it. It doesn''t matter how much you pay."

    "However, I can allow you to buy your own life, since our mission has nothing to do with you. But that also depends on how much you can offer!" he eximed.

    "And what is your mission?!" The Captain of the Guards asked.

    The Assassin cackled, ncing at the carriage. "Don''t pretend as if you don''t know what we are here for."

    "Enough talking. If you have something that can make me interested, I shall let you run away. But if you can''t, you will die here!"

    The Captain of the Guards took a deep breath."Just like you can''t abandon your mission, I can''t run away from my responsibility. You''ll have to walk over my dead body to get to that carriage!"

    He tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword.

    "With pleasure..." The Leader of the Assassinughed.

    All the assassins moved, with multiple assassins attacking a single guard. However, the Captain of the Guards was only being attacked by one person! The Leader of the Assassins didn''t want anyone''s help.

    The battle began, and it didn''t look like it was going well for the Guards. Within a few minutes, the remaining guards were killed as well.

    It was clear that the Assassins were stronger. They were also in arger number. Only the Captain of the Guards had managed to hold on, fighting fiercely with the Assassins.

    The sound of a Sword colliding with a spear echoed in the surroundings, as the battle raged on, slowly destroying the surroundings.

    The Captain of the Guards was slowly being pushed back, as the wounds around his body increased. However, even the Assassin wasn''t unharmed, as the Sword sliced through, cutting the mask of the Assassin in half, while leaving a scar on his face.

    Throughout everything, Xu Shan simply watched like a spectator.

 Chapter 149 149: I Dont Like Schemes

    The wound on his face further infuriated the Leader of the Assassins.

    "You said I need to walk over your dead body?! That won''t be needed!There won''t even be a dead body for me to walk over! I''ll destroy you!" He roared.

    Far away from the battle, Xu Shan simply watched everything like a spectator. He just waited for the victor, to ask for directions. This battle had nothing to do with them. It was a cruel world. He had no reason to involve himself in other people''s problems.

    Unfortunately, the Assassins thought otherwise. For the Guards, Xu Shan was with the Assassins. However, for the assassins, he was with the guards. For both of them, he was the enemy.

    After killing all the remaining guards, all the assassins turned their attention to Xu Shan...

    Xu Shan was still focused on the battle between the Leader of Assassins and the Captain of the Guards, which was getting even more intense.

    If these two were in the Celestial Realm, they would''ve been very well known, and maybe leaders of some powerful group. However, here, one person was a mere guard, and another an assassin.

    "Huh?" Suddenly, Xu Shan felt some killing intent being directed toward him.

    He looked back, seeing a sharp spearing straight for his head.

    His figure flickered, leaving an after image behind.

    The spear passed through his afterimage, while Xu Shan appeared a few meters to the left.

    "Aren''t you targeting the wrong person?" Xu Shan asked, with his hands behind his back. "Well, while I have your attention, could you help me with some directions?"

    The Assassins were initially surprised by Xu Shan''s speed, but seeing him talk to them like that, they felt as if he was mocking them.

    "You have a sharp tongue!" The Assassins rushed together, attacking Xu Shan.

    However, Xu Shan once again disappeared. He appeared above the carriage in the distance.

    "You people have some real anger issues. You should do something about that, before I start helping you with that..."

    Hefortably sat above the carriage, looking at the assassins in the distance.

    Even the Captain of the Guards and the Leader of the Assassins noticed the movement of Xu Shan, even while they were busy in their own battles. The Captain of the Guards frowned, wondering why Xu Shan was fighting his own people?

    It made him realize that maybe he was wrong and Xu Shan was actually not an enemy. Not only was he not an Enemy, but he could be their biggest asset!

    Even though Xu Shan hadn''t fought yet, just his speed alone was enough to reveal that he wasn''t weak.

    "Please protect the carriage! If we survive this ordeal, we''ll reward you heavily!" The Captain of the Guards roared at the top of his lungs, directing his word to Xu Shan.

    "Huh?" Xu Shan raised his head, looking at the Captain of the Guards in the sky.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He didn''t need any rewards. He only wanted directions, and he didn''t need to help anyone for that.

    Unfortunately, the words of the man convinced the Assassins that Xu Shan was with them. This was also what the man wanted. He wanted to drag Xu Shan into this conflict, after realizing that he was skillful.

    Even Xu Shan realized what he was trying to do. It was a cunning trick indeed.

    "No one can stop us today!" The Leader of the Assassins eximed.

    He also issued hismands to his men, "Kill that man at any cost!"

    Xu Shan scratched the back of his head, before his figure disappeared again. He appeared high in the sky, right behind the Captain of the Guards, who was stunned. Even the Leader of the Assassins was taken aback. That speed certainly didn''t fall behind inparison to theirs.

    Before the Captain of the Guards could understand what was happening, he felt a cold hand on the back of his neck, gripping him tightly.

    In the next second, his body came crashing down. His face was thrashed on the rocky surface, making his face bleed.

    After smashing his head on the ground, Xu Shan once again raised him up, before speaking, "I don''t like when others scheme against me."

    In the distance, all the Assassins were taken aback as well. Wasn''t this guy supposed to be working for the Captain of the Guards? Why was he beating his own boss? Did they have some disagreement?

    Xu Shan tossed the man back.

    The Captain of the Guards pushed his body up. His face was covered in blood, which he wiped with his sleeves. His eyes looked at Xu Shan in disbelief and anger.

    Xu Shan didn''t notice that there was a pair of eyes, looking at him from inside the carriage.

    The Leader of the Assassins alsonded on the ground, frowning heavily.

    "Who are you?" The Captain of the Guards and the Leader of the Assassins asked at the same time.

    As they both finished speaking, they looked at each other, realizing that the other person didn''t know either. Xu Shan didn''t work with either of them.

    Moreover, Xu Shan was very young, yet his strength wasn''t weaker than them. A youngster who was this capable... There were only a few people like that in the Divine Realm, and all belonged to ces that they couldn''t even hope to approach!

    If Xu Shan was one of those people, then hurting him was no different than signing their own death sentence!

    "It doesn''t matter who I am," Xu Shan said. "I just want some directions! Answer my question and I''ll be on my way. Then you two can continue ying around, and it won''t have anything to do with me!"

    The Captain of the Guards gulped heavily. If he could convince Xu Shan to help them, then they could survive this ordeal. However, if that guy left, then it was only a matter of time before he was dead.

    He could fight the Leader of the Assassins, but when other Assassins were toe help, then he stood no chance! He knew he had toe up with a n!

 Chapter 150 150: I Still Help

    "I-i will help you! I will take you anywhere you want to go!" The Captain of the Guards spoke unconditionally, starting with trying to apologize for previously trying to drag him in this mess.

    However, he didn''t stop there. "But if we don''t kill them, it won''t be good for anyone! The Assassins are from the Shadow Temple! Now that you''ve seen one of their faces, they won''t let you live! No one whoes across them is allowed to live! This is their rule!"

    "They might pretend to work with you and let you leave, but they''ll tell their higher ups about you. You''ll be the most wanted person for the Shadow Temple! Your life will never be the same if you don''t kill them now!"

    Seeing Xu Shan uninterested, the man further continued, "You might be strong enough to survive the Assassins here, but they are the weakest in their group! Even you can''t survive when the strongestes after you!"

    "Even the Divine Queen herself hadn''t been able to eradicate the Shadow Temple! That should be enough for you to know their might!"

    The man kept trying to persuade Xu Shan. However, he didn''t use the same old trick like offering him a reward, since that previously failed. He instead showed him that it was necessary for him as well. It could affect his future, making powerful enemies for him.

    "Divine Queen?" Xu Shan frowned. "How many queens are there in this world?"

    Hearing Xu Shan''s question, the Captain of the Guards became even more confused. Previously, he thought that Xu Shan was one of the prodigies from those reclusive great powers of the Divine Realm, but his questions didn''t give that impression.

    It was fine if he didn''t know about the Shadow Temple, but he didn''t know about their queen either? It was as if this was his first time here!

    "T-there is only one Queen in the Divine Realm," the Captain of the Guards exined.

    While he was feeling confused, the Leader of the Assassins sighed in relief. He initially thought that he had offended someone with a great backing, but it was now getting clear for him that Xu Shan didn''t have any backing here.

    If he had that, he would''ve already had enough knowledge about this world. In fact, he was also convinced that Xu Shan wasn''t from the Divine Realm. Even the most reclusive ns of the world knew about the Ruthless Queen.

    It was said that one was allowed to offend the heavens for once, but offending the Queen was not. A single wrong word before the queen meant death! A single mistake before her, meant death.

    Amongst the Divine Beings in this world, the Divine Queen reigned supreme, ruling over the only Empire.

    Once upon a time, there also used to be more Empires here, but when the Divine Queen started conquering them, none could stand in her path! None could bear her wrath! She was like a terrifying storm.

    Wherever she passed through, there was nothing left but carnage and destruction. For most people, just her name alone was enough

    People would tremble in fear at the mere mention of her name, afraid of incurring her wrath. She was unstoppable, an eternal force that seemed to have no weaknesses.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Leader of the Assassins had made up his mind. He didn''t have to worry about anyone backing the kid before him. He could take him out. No witnesses were allowed to be left.

    "He is lying. We have no such rules!" The Leader of the Assassin eximed. "Why would we chase someone over such a simple reason? We aren''t that free. So don''t worry. Ask me where you want to go. I''ll tell you the directions and then you can go."

    As the man spoke, he subtly gestured to his man, hiding it from Xu Shan''s eyes. His gestures were clear. They had to take advantage of the moment when Xu Shan was distracted to kill him.

    The Assassins who were in the distance nodded. One of them grabbed his spears firmly, turning into a shadow.

    "Also, you are quite talented. If you want to join us, I might be able to rmend you to the Shadow Temple. You would like it a lot. You''ll rise from earth to sky in a single step!" The Leader of the Assassin spoke.

    Xu Shan rubbed his forehead. "I''m grateful for the offer, but I have other matters to attend to. Also, one more thing. As I said before..."

    "I don''t like to be schemed against." A dagger appeared in Xu Shan''s hand. He turned around abruptly at the same time as the Assassin came out of his shadow.

    The Assassin''s eyes widened. He had juste out of the shadow to attack, but before he could evennd properly, a dagger stabbed his chest.

    At the same time, another dagger appeared in Xu Shan''s other hand, which he tossed straight at the Leader of the Assassins.

    The Leader of the Assassins dodged the dagger but stumbled back in shock as Xu Shan approached him with a menacing look.

    Even as he dodged the attack, he felt his legs trembled. It was only then he noticed that the dagger had left a small scratch on his body. He couldn''tpletely avoid it.

    "You!" The other Assassins attacked together.

    Xu Shan smiled grimly and threw himself into the fight, his movements fluid and precise as he took down each Assassin one by one. He wasn''t interested in associating himself with the matters of these people. However, when it came to his own life, he finally stopped holding back.

    The Captain of the Guards was initially shocked when Xu Shan mmed him. That speed was almost equal to him. However, he was even more stunned now.

    He couldn''t even see Xu Shan''s shadow now! It was clear that the speed he showed previously wasn''t even his full speed. The Assassins were like ignorant prey. Meanwhile, Xu Shan was the real Assassin here.

 Chapter 151 151: Vast Lands

    After a long time, the Leader of the Guards was finally able to see Xu Shan, who appeared back at his original spot. However, at the same time, all the other assassins dropped to the ground, bleeding.

    There was not a speck of blood on his clothes, which appeared to be spotless.

    Xu Shan nced at the Leader of the Assassins who gulped down. However, for some reason, he felt his body getting weaker.

    He wanted to run, but he knew that he couldn''t escape with the kind of speed that Xu Shan had shown.

    "L-let me go. And I''ll treat it as if this never happened!" He eximed, slowly stepping back.

    Xu Shan didn''t reply. He simply stepped closer to thest Assassin standing.

    "You might not know this, but my Soul is connected to the Shadow Temple! If you kill me, they''ll know it right away! They''ll also be able to see my memories! They''ll know everything about you! Your life will be a living hell!"

    "Hmm?" Xu Shan was slightly surprised by this information. However, at the same time, he looked at the Assassin as if he was looking at an idiot who told him all his secrets.

    He appeared before the Leader of the Assassin. "You''re right. It will be distracting if some assassins are after me, especially since I have something urgent to do. Thank you for reminding me."

    He ced his hand over the head of the Leader of Assassins. The Assassin had his eyes widened, realizing what Xu Shan was trying to do. However, before he could react, a dagger stabbed his chest.

    The dagger intentionally missed his vitals to make sure he didn''t die. However, it still left a grave wound, activating the dagger''s effect. The Assassin felt his body being paralyzed. He couldn''t move.

    He only watched in horror, as Xu Shan searched through his soul, in the most reckless way possible. A Soul Search was risky, even if one was extremely careful. However, Xu Shan was even worse, since he wasn''t being careful in the least.

    The Assassin screamed internally, feeling as his memories and thoughts were exposed. At the same time, his mind felt as if it was breaking apart.

    After a few moments, Xu Shan took off his hands. The Leader of the Assassins dropped to the ground. His eyes were nk as he drooled. His mind waspletely destroyed in the soul search, destroying all his memories in the process. However, not before Xu Shan read those memories.

    Unfortunately, there wasn''t much information. Even a strong person like the man before him was just a pawn for the Shadow Temple. He wasn''t a core member, or even someone who knew where their base was.

    All the orders he received through one of the Internal Members of the Shadow Temple. Other than that, there was no information.

    Xu Shan rubbed the back of his neck. It made him realize that the Shadow Temple was truly deep, where even someone strong like this person wasn''t an internal member. If they came after him, it was a very big inconvenience.

    However, now that he had destroyed the memories of this man, there was nothing to worry about even if he killed him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He picked up his other dagger from the ground before finally dealing the finishing blow. Thest of the Assassin also dropped to the ground, without making the slightest sound.

    He wiped the blood from his dagger before keeping it back.

    "That leaves you..." He turned to the Leader of the Guards, who was also the only person left in the group.

    The Leader of the Guards immediately dropped to his knees. "Thank you! Thank you so much! You saved me! As I promised before, I shall personally lead you to where you want to go... But can I please request something?"

    "I don''t need you to lead me. Just answer my questions. What were you speaking about the Divine Queen? Tell me everything you know about her."

    "This... Are you really not from our world?" The Leader of the Guards asked. However, after noticing the cold look of Xu Shan, he closed his mouth.

    He started exining, "The Divine Queen is theruler of the only Empire that exists in the Divine Realm. She is, ah, very scary. Almost everyone is scared of her. She is known to be the strongest person in the Divine Realm. However, there are said to be a few more people who canpare with her in strength."

    The man continued speaking, as he walked around, gathering the bodies of his men to give them a proper burial.

    "Currently, the ce where we are standing, alsoes under the borders of her Empire. However, her Empire is so vast that it''s not surprising. It spans more than half the Divine Realm."

    "Even if you fly at your fastest speed, it will take you around six months to get from one end of the Empire to the other. This ce is the Southern Lands. The City where she stays is in the Central area..."

    ''''So three months of journey? That''s too much. By that time, she might use the Celestial Lotus already. This is a mess...'' Xu Shan frowned. However, he soon thought of something.

    "Is there any faster way to get there?" he asked the man.

    "Faster way? There is one. You might be able to get there within a week. However that method involves using the Portal Points spread throughout the Empire. Not only is it very expensive to use them, but you need an identification to use them," the man replied.

    He was now certain that Xu Shan wasn''t from here, which meant he didn''t have any identification. Still, he wondered why he wanted to meet the Divine Queen, whom he didn''t even know about until a short time ago.

    "Identification..." Xu Shan muttered. It appeared easier to just sneak inside, but that was also very risky.

    "I can help you with that." While Xu Shan was lost in thoughts, the door of the Carriage opened.

 Chapter 152 152: Cunning

    The door of the carriage opened, and a person stepped out.

    "I can help you with that..." A voice fell in Xu Shan''s ears, making him divert his attention towards the carriage.

    There, he saw the person who was so vehemently being protected by the guards. Surprisingly, it was a little girl, who appeared to be eleven or twelve years old.

    Behind the girl was a woman, who appeared to be her maid. However, the maid was even stronger than the Leader of the Guards. It was as if she was thestyer of protection.

    Xu Shan found it strange that even when the Leader of the Guards was taken down, the Maid hadn''t revealed herself. It was as if she wasn''t willing to leave the side of the little girl, even if the man was to die protecting her.

    The Maid looked at Xu Shan with a little wariness. Her eyes were alert, as if she didn''t trust Xu Shan entirely.

    On the other hand, Xu Shan was more focused on the young girl, who was being protected by these people. On her left hand, he could see Mark of a Celestial Spirit. However, her Celestial Spirit Mark was somewhat different.

    It was very faded, and had only one star, which was the weakest grade. Usually, big families often abandoned weaklings like her, or at least stopped paying attention to them. However, she was not only being protected, but also being targeted by the Shadow Temple.

    "Oh? And how can you help me?" Xu Shan asked, as he casually took a step closer to the girl.

    The maid frowned, and stepped forward. Her hand went straight to the hilt of her sword. However, before she could even touch her sword, she noticed Xu Shan disappear.

    The woman felt a cold de against her throat as a man''s whispers fell in her ears, Trust me. You don''t want to do that."

    The next moment, Xu Shan appeared back in his original ce, keeping his dagger back. "Shall we continue?"

    The maid frowned, but she lowered her hand and didn''t pull out her weapon.

    "Good girl. So where was I? Oh right. How can you help me?" Xu Shan asked the little girl innocently.

    Strangely enough, the girl didn''t reveal fear. Instead, her face was usually calm, as if she wasn''t worried about death.

    "I heard that you want to go to the Central Region. As Uncle Xi said, you need identification for that. But it''s hard to get identification in your case. But with my help, it should be easier. My family can help you with that," the girl exined.

    "And what do you want in exchange?" Xu Shan asked.

    The little girl shook her head lightly. "You saved my life. Consider that my gratitude. So, are you willing toe with us?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan maintained his calm expressions. However, he was slightly impressed. Even though the girl said she didn''t want anything, he could read her like a nk sheet of paper. She was very cunning.... probably even more cunning than everyone thought her to be.

    She was calm and kind on the surface, but deep inside, she was something else entirely. Even though she said she didn''t want anything in exchange, she was basically using him as a guard in exchange for the identification.

    If he wanted the Identification Token that could help him at the teleportation points, he had to travel with her, while also ensuring her safety.

    "Not bad," hemented, as if talking to himself. However, in the end, he agreed. This was the fastest way indeed. He couldn''t just fight all the way to Central City.

    He didn''t even know how many Teleportation Points he had to cross. With an identification token, it became much easier. Moreover, he had a feeling that Identification Token wasn''t just needed for Teleportation. Sooner orter, there could be other uses for it.

    "I will apany you," he stated as he stepped closer to her. However, as he was next to her, he brought his lips close to her ears. "However, I would prefer it if you''re more honest with your thoughts next time. As I told the others, I don''t like to be yed with."

    He walked past the girl and entered the carriage, which remained unharmed throughout the entire ordeal.

    The little girl didn''t react, even as she noticed her maid curious as to what Xu Shan was talking about.

    She maintained her innocent smile, as she held the maid''s hand. She walked back to the carriage.

    Xu Shan entered the carriage. The carriage appeared big from outside. However, it was even bigger from the inside, utilizing a different space inside.

    It was as if there was a big room inside the carriage, which was around five meters wide, and nine meters long. The room had a bed, a few chairs, a table, and many more items that one could need for a rxing journey. It was like a big luxurious room on wheels.

    Xu Shan sat on the couch. The girl and the maid sat on the bed, curiously looking at Xu Shan''s back.

    Xu Shan sat still, with his eyes closed, as if he was lost in some deep thought. However, none knew that he was talking to someone in his mind.

    In a new world, the only ally that he could truly talk to was Xinren. Other than her, he couldn''t tell anyone his true thoughts, since he didn''t trust anyone. However, he did miss people from back home, especially Ye Han.

    Amongst the people that apanied him, he only felt that Ye Han was trustworthy to some extent. Even though he wasn''tpletely honest with Ye Han, he could at least tell him some of his ns and ask for help.

    The carriage traveled through theplicated yet barren roads. Fortunately, for the rest of the way, there were no attacks. It was as if the Shadow Temple didn''t arrange anything in case of failure, since they didn''t expect to fail.

    After a long journey, the Carriage finally reached the destination, apanied by the Leader of the Guards who was the only guard still alive.

 Chapter 153 153: Identity

    Along the way, Xu Shan came to know a lot of things about this world, thanks to the maid and the little girl.

    He didn''t know how much of their words he could trust, but most of what they said appeared feasible.

    ording to them, their destination was one of the main cities in the southern end of the Unified Kingdom. It was known as Yanxia City.

    The city was considered to be the five most important cities in the Kingdom. Branches of all main central organizations could be found in Yanxia.

    Since the city was so far from Central City, it had an entire army situated to protect this city from potential enemies.

    ording to the little girl, her name was Yunxi, and she was the daughter of a small n in Yanxia. Although her n wasn''t the strongest in the city, it still held some contacts which could help Xu Shan in achieving his goals.

    Xu Shan found that a little suspicious. Why did an organization like the Shadow Temple target a girl of such a small n?

    However, the little girl didn''t offer any exnation on that.

    Instead, she changed the topic by asking Xu Shan why he wanted to go to Central City and where he was from. However, Xu Shan didn''t answer her.

    ....

    The Carriage reached Yanxia. The guards at the entrance stopped the carriage to check it. However, the Maid stepped out of the carriage.

    "We are from Yanxia," the maid informed. However, at the same time, she revealed a small token, but only for a brief moment.

    Seeing the token, the guards were momentarily frozen. They immediately closed their mouths.

    "Are we allowed to pass?" She asked.

    The guards repeatedly nodded their heads, stepping aside. They didn''t check the carriage at all, letting it pass through.

    The Maid returned to the carriage, which soon entered the City. Even though Xu Shan didn''t leave the Carriage, he noticed everything with his Divine Sense. He didn''t know what token the maid showed, but the reaction of the guards appeared strange.

    That definitely wasn''t the reaction that could be shown for a mere maid of a small n. This made him even more interested in the little girl. He had a feeling that she didn''t tell him the entire truth.

    As the carriage passed through the bustling streets, Xu Shan couldn''t help but ponder on the mysterious girl''s true identity.

    However, he was sure that asking that question was useless, since she wasn''t going to answer.

    He knew that he couldn''t let his guard down around her, as there was something peculiar about her presence that he couldn''t quite put his finger on.

    The only thing he was certain about, was that she didn''t want to hurt him. He couldn''t feel even the slightest of hostility so far.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He looked out the window from the carriage, observing the bustling streets. Even though it wasn''t the Royal City, it was still so luxurious. Just the main road itself was over seventy meters wide, yet it appeared to be bustling.

    He could also see some guards out on patrol. The Guards belonged to the Royal Army, and had a Phoenix Symbol on their chests, which slightlyplimented their ming red attire.

    There were many high profile shops along the way, which were selling extremely precious treasures. Unfortunately, none of it could attract his attention. That was the case for the most part. However, just as he was about to take his attention off, he felt his heart skip a beat.

    He didn''t know why, but he saw something which made him feel as if he absolutely needed it at any cost.

    "Stop the carriage!" hemanded. However, without even waiting for the carriage to stop, he opened the door and jumped outside.

    At the same time, another carriage happened to move past. However, Xu Shan used his footsteps, gracefully avoiding being hit by the other carriage.

    The carriage which almost hit Xu Shan also stopped in the distance.

    "Are you blind or something?" The Carriage Driver scolded, furiously. "If you want to die, then die elsewhere!"

    Xu Shan didn''t care about being scolded. Instead, he crossed the road, ending up before the shop which attracted his attention.

    In the shop, there were many precious artifacts. Each of those artifacts was worth a lot of money, and was a dream for many ordinary people. However, Xu Shan didn''t look at those shining artifacts.

    Instead, he looked at something in the corner, which had attracted his attention. He entered the shop.

    Yunxi also stepped out of the carriage, which came to a halt. It was the second time in the entire journey that she had stepped out. However, seeing that girl, almost all the guards on the street were stunned.

    Even the Guards with the Phoenix Symbol on their chest were taken aback. They all went down on their knees, only standing up when the girl gestured for them to stop.

    She also gestured for them to remain silent and keep doing what they were doing. After that, she followed the path taken by Xu Shan and entered the shop, wondering what he was looking for.

    All the Royal Army guards looked at each other, gulping down, but they decided to forget what they saw. If the girl didn''t want to be acknowledged, they couldn''t do anything. They could only y their part. The Guards continued on their way.

    Inside the shop, Xu Shan stood before a very old and neglected item in the corner of the shop. It wasn''t even cleaned properly, and was simply gathering dust.

    On the other hand, all the expensive items were spotlessly clean.

    Before him, on the corner of the shelf was a small Sword. The Sword was half broken. And the remaining de of it was also extremely rusted.

    What truly attracted Xu Shan was the symbol carved on the hilt of the Sword. It was a Star Symbol, which was extremely identity to his Star Sign in his left eye, which he often kept hidden.

 Chapter 154 154: Rich History

    While Xu Shan was looking at the broken sword, the Shopkeeper kept his eyes on him.

    In fact, the shopkeeper himself was slightly surprised. This was his shop, but it was his first time seeing that old rusted sword. He was convinced that the broken sword was never there thest time he saw it.

    He scratched the back of his head, wondering if he was getting old and forgetful. There was no way something like that would appear out of nowhere.

    "Must be some worker who ced it there," he thought, finding a justification.

    Still, the Shopkeeper couldn''t shake off the feeling that there was something strange. It was weird that Xu Shan had gone straight for that broken rusty sword, instead of all the shiny and powerful artifacts.

    Nevertheless, amidst all the peculiarity, he made the conscious choice to focus on his benefits only. If he could sell that old Sword, then it was only good for him, even if he had to lie a little.

    "Dear Customer, I must say, you have really good eyes for antiques, unlike many others," the Shopkeeperughed, as he approached Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan nced back at the shopkeeper, who appeared quite round. The man had sharp eyes, and a bald head, with an egg-like shape.

    "Humpty Dumpty?" Xu Shan asked, remembering the old characters from back on earth.

    "What?" The Shopkeeper appeared confused, with the strange response.

    Xu Shan shook his head in response. "Nothing. How much is this broken Sword worth?"

    He didn''t know what this Sword was, or why it had a familiar Star Mark on the hilt, but it made Xu Shan want to buy it, no matter what.

    "Hehe, don''t worry, Dear Customer. Our shop is known for its honesty and fair pricing. You''ll definitely get the best price."

    The Shopkeeper gently touched the Sword. However, feeling his fingers brush against the rust, he pulled his hand back, wiping it with his clothes.

    "Cough, this Sword might look old, but it has a rich history. Thousands of years ago, this sword was owned by the Great General who was famous all throughout the continent. It is considered an invaluable item."

    "However, you look like a really nice person, so I might be willing to give you some discount."

    Xu Shan frowned, realizing what the shopkeeper was trying to pull. However, he didn''t highlight it. Fighting this guy was going to alert all the guards outside which was counterproductive.

    "How much for this Sword?" he asked again.

    "Three Thousand Imperial Gold!" The Shopkeeper eximed. Even though he tried to hide his greed, it was clearly visible on his face.

    The item that even a trash collector wouldn''t have taken was priced at Three Thousand Imperial Gold Coins, which was the cost of one of the most expensive artifacts in the shop.

    Xu Shan didn''t know how much three Thousand Imperial Gold Coins of this world were worth. However, he had managed to collect quite a few Gold Coins from the Assassins that he had killed.

    Despite that, he only had five hundred Gold Coins.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "My dear friend, aren''t you being too greedy right now?" he asked the Shopkeeper. "If you don''t want me to buy, then so be it."

    He turned around, and started leaving. However, he expected the old man to stop him at any moment. This was the art of bargaining that he had learned back on earth.

    More than he wanted to buy the item, the Shopkeeper wanted to sell it. Seeing Xu Shan turn around, the Shopkeeper was momentarily taken aback.

    He raised his hand to call out to Xu Shan to stop him. However, before even a single word coulde out of his mouth, he heard a voice, "I will pay for that."

    Even Xu Shan was taken aback, noticing the little girl at the entrance of the Shop. The Shopkeeper was excited. He had managed to sell even trash at such an expensive price. He felt quite proud as well.

    "Hahaha, Young Lady, you definitely know the worth of this sword. Not bad." He momentarily forgot about Xu Shan and approached the girl who appeared to be from a wealthy family.

    The Maid also entered the shop, following her.

    "Pay him the money," Yunxi told her Maid, who nodded.

    "Come with me. Since it''s a lot of money, you should count it properly." The maid grabbed the Shopkeeper''s wrist and dragged him to the counter.

    Xu Shan didn''t even thank Yunxi for the help. He had saved her life. That was more than enough for a payback.

    Instead, he turned to the rusted Sword, which he felt some connection with.

    "I''m quite curious. What''s so special about this sword? Do you know who it belonged to?" The little girl stepped closer to Xu Shan, asking with curiosity. No matter what, she couldn''t see anything special in it.

    "There''s nothing special. I just like collecting antique looking things," Xu Shanzily replied.

    In the meantime, the Shopkeeper came out. His body was covered in sweat, and his head remained down. It was unclear what he went through. However, he felt different.

    Yunxi smiled at the Shopkeeper. "Was the payment correct?"

    "Y-yes. Not a single coin is missing." The Shopkeeper lowered his head with great respect. "It was my pleasure doing business with you. That sword is yours now."

    Xu Shan noticed the fear in the old man''s voice. It was slowly getting confirmed that the little girl''s identity wasn''t as simple as she imed. However, if he could use that, then it didn''t matter for now.

    Until she was his ''friend'', it was fine. And if she decided to be his enemy, then that was to be seen.

    For now, he reached out his hand and picked up the rusted broken Sword.

    The sword appeared to be made from the most ordinary iron that was used by mortal soldiers in lower realms to create their weapons. It looked so fragile that it appeared as if it could shatter into a thousand pieces at any given moment.

 Chapter 155 155: Kill Her

    "Do you know where the other half of the de would be?" Xu Shan asked the Shopkeeper.

    The Shopkeeper shook his head. He didn''t even know who put this sword here, let alone where the other half of the sword was. However, what he was certain was that he couldn''t afford to offend the man, thanks to who he was apanied by.

    "I only have that half. As for the other half, I doubt it can ever be discovered, except by great luck," he exined. "The Sword appears to be broken in a battle, a long time ago. The lower half of the de might probably be buried under some battlefield."

    Xu Shan gazed at the broken sword. As soon as he held the sword in his hand, he felt a strange feeling. Unfortunately, he didn''t understand what that feeling was. It wasfortable, yet it made him feel a little sad, as if he could feel pain.

    He usually wasn''t able to feel much of any emotion. However, when he held that sword, he felt something. It was one of the few rare times when he felt something emotionally.

    He kept the Sword in his storage ring. And that feeling swiftly disappeared, returning him to his usual self.

    He pulled out the sword again, before looking at Xinren, wondering if she knew anything about that Sword. However, she also appeared to be confused.

    Even the Book of Truth didn''t give much of a description, other than calling it a broken sword of an unknown origin.

    He kept the Sword in his storage ring for thest time. He didn''t want to think about that here.

    After keeping the sword back, he turned around. "Let''s get going."

    "Don''t you want to buy anything else here? I can help you if you need something?" The young girl suggested, only to receive a rejection.

    "I don''t need anything else." Even though the items here were high quality, no other weapon attracted his attention.

    When it came to qualify, his twin daggers were already peak quality, with a special effect of paralysis that he quite preferred.

    He walked towards the exit with the young girl following him closely. She walked back to the Carriage that was already waiting for them at the entrance.

    As they rode away from the city, the young girl kept asking Xu Shan multiple questions. However, the core of all her questions was about his strength.

    It was clear to her that Xu Shan wasn''t from the Divine Realm. Which meant that he came from the Lower Realm. That made her wonder just how he became so strong at such a young age.

    There were quite a few youngsters who were as strong as Xu Shan in the Divine Realm. The Ancient Families had to exhaust so many of their resources to help their heirs be stronger.

    If one were to estimate, it was clear that each ancient Family utilized more resources than what could be found in multiple Lower Worldsbined. And despite all that, their heirs were much older than Xu Shan, and appeared to be slightly weaker.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Coming from the Lower Realm, how did you get that strong?" She asked. "Do you have some secrets?"

    She couldn''t see Xu Shan''s Celestial Spirit Mark. However, even if it was the Highest Seven Star Mark, this speed should''ve been impossible.

    "We all have our secrets, including you. Am I wrong?" Xu Shan asked in return. "I saved your life. You''ll get me an identification token along with the map. That''s the only cooperation we have. Don''t dig more than you have to."

    The Little Girl rolled her eyes. She tried acting cute, and used every way possible to ask him. However, she didn''t receive any answers. It was as if Xu Shan didn''t have any interest in replying.

    "For you to be in such a hurry to get to the Capital, and being so secretive... Is it rted to the Celestial Lotus?" The girl asked after a brief pause. "That''s the only thing that makes sense."

    Xu Shan was slightly surprised. However, before he could react, the girl continued, "Recently there was news that a Celestial Lotus was discovered in a Lower World. And the forces of the Kingdom brought it back."

    "It is just quite a coincidence that someone else came from the Lower Realm at around the same time, and is in such a hurry to get to the Central Capital. It''s as if that certain someone is worried that what he''s after will be used if he''ste."

    As the girl spoke, she didn''t forget to keep an eye on Xu Shan''s expressions.

    Xu Shan remained calm. He was slightly surprised that the girl managed to guess so much. He didn''t know if she was taking a shot in the darkness or if she was certain.

    "Who are you?" he asked.

    "As I told you, I''m only someone from a small n in this city. That''s not a lie," the girl replied. "However, if you''re actually after the Celestial Lotus, then I am also someone who can help you in getting what you want."

    "Leaving aside, if you can even help me or not. Just why would you want to help me in the first ce?" Xu Shan asked the little girl, who still maintained that she was part of a small n in this city.

    Xu Shan was certain that even if she told him the truth, that was only a partial truth. Even if she was a member of a small n here, she definitely had another identity.

    "There is no free gift in this world. Everything has a hidden cost associated with it. Assuming that I''m actually after the Celestial Lotus, why would you help me? Especially since helping me means going against your Queen?"

    It was the question that made him confused. It was clear that the girl had an ulterior motive.

    The young girl heaved a deep breath, casting a quick glimpse out the window at the bustling streets outside. "Because the Queen... She is my sister. I only want one thing in return for my help..."

    After a brief pause, she stated in a heavy time, "... Kill her."

 Chapter 156 156: First Time

    Xu Shan was quite surprised to hear that the Divine Queen was Yunxi''s sister. However, he didn''t even have the time to ask anything when she told him her request to kill the Divine Queen.

    This thing became moreplicated for him. He knew that her identity wasn''t simple, especially when the guards behaved at the entrance of the City. However, he never expected her identity to be so unique, which raised even more questions.

    If this girl was the sister of the Queen, who ruled over most of the Divine Realm, then why were her guards so weak?

    Even outer members of the Shadow Temple were able to kill her guards, which shouldn''t have happened.

    "Why do you want to kill your own sister? And why should I help you? Isn''t it easier for me to steal the Lotus,pared to fighting and killing? Why would I take your help?"

    Xu Shan had so many questions in his mind, especially regarding the new identity of the woman.

    Yunxi shrugged. "You can try. However, you will never get the Celestial Lotus without my help. Also, even if you somehow found your way in, but you won''t be able to steal it, since my sister probably keeps it with her. The only way to get it back would be to..."

    "...to kill her," Xu Shan finished her sentence.

    "That''s right," Yunxi nodded. Her gaze lowered, resting on her faded Star Mark. "kill her."

    "With my knowledge, and your skills, you might stand a chance. If you kill her, we both get what we want. Isn''t that a win-win situation?" she asked.

    "And how are you sure that I''ll be able to kill her? Just because I killed a few assassins? You should know that your sister would be nowhere as weak as them." Xu Shan knew how hard it was to fight people like her.

    It was too much work, and it carried too much risk. He didn''t like doing things where he wasn''t hundred percent convinced of sess.

    In his mind, fighting the Queen in a straightforward manner was foolish and risky. It was even more dangerous when done in the Central Capital.

    "You can forget about the Celestial Lotus then. And I will forget about my goals. I waited for so long. I can wait even longer. But you...can you afford to wait? Within a few weeks, she would use the Celestial Lotus. It will be gone forever."

    The girlzily sat, as if ending the conversation right there. She wasn''t the only one who wanted this. Moreover, she knew that Xu Shan needed it more. He was in a race against time, unlike her.

    "Tell me everything you know about your sister and why you want her dead." Xu Shan didn''t show any urgency. In his mind, the girl next to him was too young to scheme against him.

    At worst, he could just search his soul to get all the knowledge that she held. However, if possible, he wanted to avoid that, since she could potentially be of more help. First, he needed to see just how much help she could be.

    "Why do I hate her..." Yunxi repeated, but she didn''t speak. However, Xu Shan noticed that her eyes subconsciously fell to her faded Celestial Mark.

    He was about to speak, but before he could say anything, the Maid spoke, "We are there."

    She opened the door, being the first to step out to check the surroundings. It was only after she made sure that it was safe, she called Yunxi out.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Yunxi stepped out, but as she walked past Xu Shan, a single sentence came out of her mouth. "She took everything from me, and I want her life in return!"

    "I feel like we''re caught in some family feud." Xinren told Xu Shan.

    "I feel the same," Xu Shan agreed. "However, this might be beneficial in the end."

    He stepped out of the Carriage. The mansion where the carriage stopped was big, and covered arge area. However,pared to the various ns he saw along the way, this really appeared very small.

    This n was established in the Eastern end of the city, far away from the central zone where most of the big ns in the city were established.

    In fact, the n didn''t appear to be in good condition either. There was only one guard at the entrance, and even he appeared to be asleep. No one was here to wee Yunxi.

    The maid opened the door of the n. It was only now that the guard woke up from the creaking noise.

    "Who are you?" he asked. His eyes revealed confusion as he didn''t recognise Yunxi or the others. Also, there were rarely times when guests visited.

    "State your purpose!"

    "I''m home," Yunxi responded with a calm smile. "I''m here to meet my Grandfather."

    "Who is your Grandfather?" The guard asked, frowning. He remembered all heirs of the n. However, he never saw Yunxi.

    "Your Patriarch," Yunxi stated as she stepped inside.

    The guard was taken aback. He still tried to stop her, only to stop when he felt the cold blood of the maid against his throat.

    "Your guard didn''t recognise you. How long has it been since youst came here?" Xu Shan followed the little girl.

    "It''s the first time I''ming here since I was born," Yunxi answered. "My mother lived in this ce all her life, until she met my father and left with him."

    "She thought it would be a beautiful life. Little did she know..." Yunxi stopped mid sentence. She took a deep breath, calming her emotions. It was rare that she lost her emotions.

    "First time in your life? Let me guess, your sister kicked you out?" Xu Shan asked, taking a random guess.

    Being assigned such weak guards, being sent to this deste n, and the hatred in Yunxi''s heart. It all signaled only one thing.

    Yunxi nced back at him but she neither confirmed nor denied.

 Chapter 157 157: Double Spirit

    Xu Shan didn''t follow Yunxi deeper into the n. He let her go ahead. However, he did keep his eyes on her using his Divine Consciousness.

    His Divine Consciousness shrouded the entire n Premises. He was able to see everything, from the hidden rooms where people were getting intimate while getting worried about getting caught to the ces where shady deals were taking ce by corrupt elders.

    He had more or less understood the entire structure of this n. The n was quite poor. Even though it had a few treasures, but they weren''t significant.

    Their n was going downhill, which was quite surprising considering the fact that one of their inws was the father of the Divine Queen.

    Not only did they not have much wealth, but their security was also quite pathetic, as if they knew that they didn''t have anything worth robbing left anymore.

    Compared to the major ns in even smaller cities, this n was in quite a pathetic condition. It was to the point where he didn''t have faith that they could help him get the identification that he needed.

    Fortunately, there was the girl called Yunxi. Even if she was banished by the Divine Queen, she still had a lineage that made it impossible for people topletely ignore her.

    "Are you not going to follow your boss inside?" Xu Shan asked the maid, who surprisingly stayed behind with him, as if to keep her eyes on him.

    "I don''t need to. There is no threat to her in there," the maid answered, remaining calm.

    However, after a moment of silence, when Xu Shan started leaving to explore the surroundings, the maid finally spoke, "Please help her."

    "Did you say something?" Xu Shan looked back.

    "I said please help her. She might not say it openly, but she really needs your help. For the world, the Queen might be a warrior goddess, but for Lady Yunxi, she is nothing more than a viin," The maid spoke.

    "Oh?" Xu Shan grew intrigued. "borate."

    The maid sighed deeply. She looked at the clear sky above.

    "The sky today is so clear. However, it was much different on the day when Lady Yunxi was born. The sky was covered in beautiful clouds, with the only light in the entire Empire shining on the Royal Pce towards the room where Lady Yunxi was born."

    "It was a phenomenon that was never seen before, throughout history. However, it was considered to be a phenomenon where even Heaven granted its blessing to the newborn. Many great people came to the Royal Pce to see Lady Yunxi, including the Leader of the Tower of Prophecies."

    "Heavenly Blessing?" Xu Shan was even more invested. He had never heard about that happening, at least ever since he transmigrated here. He had only read that in the books.

    Even then, he knew what it implied. Yunxi was born with Divine Luck, destined for some great cause of Heaven. It was as if even Heavens came down to wee her birth.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Strangely enough, Xu Shan couldn''t sense any of that greatness from the little girl now. If anything, she was more ordinary than even the most ordinary person in this world.

    Without her identity, she was nothing. Even her Star Sign was strange and faded. It created a much different image than a Heaven''s Blessed.

    But Xu Shan knew better than to underestimate the power of fate and destiny. He had seen it time and time again, how the smallest, most unassuming people could rise to greatness and change the course of history.

    Perhaps Yunxi''s greatness was hidden, waiting to be unlocked. Only time could tell what her true destiny held. For now, he couldn''t see that greatness.

    "I know what you''re thinking. How did she fall so much? It is mostly because of the Tower of Prophecy..." The maidmented.

    She had been working in the pce for a long time. She worked as a maid for Yunxi''s mother as well, seeing everything first hand.

    "A prophecy that she was going to bring the downfall of the Royal Family. At that time, the prophecies of the Tower had never failed. Everyone who ignored those prophecies suffered a lot."

    "The girl who was thought to be blessed by the Heaven... She was soon the most hated person in the Royal Pce and even outside, thought to be a seed of destruction."

    "From the moment she was born, she never saw a single happy day, where she didn''t receive curses, or where people didn''t wish for her death! However, the King... He loved both his daughters so much."

    ording to the maid, even as the Tower of Prophecy suggested the King to kill the girl, he vehemently rejected them. Instead, he slowly started to cut his ties with the Tower of Prophecy.

    The Tower Priests also didn''t insist too much. If the King wanted to suffer, they were going to let him. They just left the Kingdom altogether, before the fateful day could arrive.

    For the next few years, Yunxi grew up, cherished and loved by her parents yet hated by the citizens who loved their King and were worried about his future. The prophecy had spread everywhere after all.

    With all that, there was one person who didn''t like it in the least. It was the first wife of the King, and the mother of the current queen. She thought the King was putting his and their life in danger. Unfortunately, her words fell on deaf ears.

    Because so much attention was on Yunxi, the King focused more on her as well, rarely having time for his Eldest Daughter.

    While the Eldest Daughter was talented, she never received due appreciation. On the other hand, Yunxi was a genius.

    While the Eldest learned to read and write at a young age, the youngest learned that even easier. When it came to knowledge, or sword fight skills, Yunxi always proved to be superior.

    While the eldest awakened a Six Star Celestial Spirit, Yunxi awakened something that was never seen before... She awakened two Seven Star Celestial Spirits at the same time.

 Chapter 158 158: Changes

    With time, the people started getting swayed by her talent, wondering if the prophecy could be wrong. However, as the outsiders'' opinion changed, the Eldest Daughter and the Queen also changed.

    Each time she was defeated, she hated Yunxi even more. The seed of hatred had been nted in her heart by her mother, and it was constantly watered by the fact that Yunxi was so good at everything, always receiving all the attention of their father.

    The Eldest Daughter felt left behind... She felt abandoned. She felt that it was unfair. Why did Heaven bless her sister who was said to bring their Downfall? Why didn''t Heaven bless her, who deserved it even more! Why her sister and not her?

    The equation between the two sisters had slowly changed. It became even worse with time. The Eldest daughter started fading in the background, never making any appearances. It was as if she had abandoned the Royal Family.

    In fact, she left the Royal Family, disappearing into the unknown. The Royal Family searched for her everywhere but she was never discovered.

    After a few years, the Eldest Daughter finally returned, appearing even more mature than ever. For the most part, no one could find anything peculiar about her, yet everyone felt a strange feeling from her.

    At that time, Yunxi was twelve years old.

    "For the next few days, everything was peaceful. The Eldest Princess had returned. The King was happy and even tossed a celebration in the entire Kingdom. Albeit, he didn''t know that the Eldest Princess was different now... Very different."

    "Different how?" Xu Shan asked the maid.

    "She appeared... Cold and detached. Everyone thought it was because she lived alone. They didn''t think seriously about it, until..."

    "Until...?"

    "A few days after that, Lady Yunxi was found unconscious in her room. Both her Celestial Spirits had disappeared. Her Star Signs were also destroyed, as if someone had swallowed her Celestial Spirit."

    "Only some faded useless marks were left on her arm. She lost her Celestial Spirits, but she also lost all her fighting skills and all other talents."

    As the maid spoke, even she found it hard to believe that this was the reality and not simply a figment of her imagination. If she hadn''t seen with her own eyes, even she would''ve found it hard to believe that this was the reality.

    Yunxi was the living proof that this happened.

    "Even though Lady Yunxi appears to be twelve years old, she is actually much older... After that day, she hadn''t just lost her talents but also her ability to age. She had been twelve for so long. Albeit, she can never get older, forever stuck as a child."

    The maid spoke a lot, but Xu Shan was still mostly focused on just one sentence... The Celestial Spirit... It was taken. It was quite simr to his own Ability of Devouring!

    The only difference was that he couldn''t devour anyone''s talents... At least not yet. Moreover, whenever he devoured someone''s Celestial Spirit, no faded Celestial Mark was left behind. His Celestial Spirit devoured everything, leaving no trace behind.

    Something was different about this incident...

    "Are you listening?" The maid asked, finding Xu Shan lost in some thought.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Xu Shan snapped back to reality and nodded, "Huh? Ah, yes. Continue."

    The maid further recounted how this incident shocked everyone in the Royal Family, especially the King who personally stayed with Yunxi for three days when she was unconscious.

    After Yunxi regained her consciousness, she was finally able to recount what had happened.

    "ording to Lady Yunxi, the one who did it was none other than her own Elder sister who came to her room to meet her. The youngdy said that the Eldest Lady did it, using some ck demonic book. She said she felt like she was being devoured whole..."

    "Seeing the youngdy in this condition, I still remember that scene vividly. She was in such a trauma that she was trembling as she recounted what happened. She had lost everything she had!"

    "A ck book that could devour someone''s talent and Spirits?" Xu Shan turned to Xinren, realizing that things were even more serious than he thought.

    If his guess was right, it was one of the Celestial Books. However, he didn''t remember Xinren ever mentioning a Celestial Book that could devour? Something still didn''t match up.

    In the meantime, the maid continued with her story. "Hearing everything, the King was so furious. He went to ask for an exnation from the Eldest Princess."

    "That day, everything changed in the Empire. The Eldest Princess was too strong. The King was imprisoned. Yunxi''s mother was also imprisoned. The Ministers loyal to the King were killed by the Eldest Princess as she took over the reigns of the Empire!"

    "The Prophecy was right! Lady Yunxi did cause the downfall, but not in a way that everyone expected. All she did was unknowingly be the cause of someone else''s jealousy."

    "Many Citizens revolted against it. However, all of them were either executed or sent to mines. The Eldest Princess was now the queen and she didn''t stop there."

    "If anything, that was just the beginning of her conquest. And the result is what you see today. As far as one can go, all thendes under the domain of this Kingdom... A Kingdom that she rules."

    "There are only a few organizations which remain out of her jurisdiction, like the Tower of Prophecy, Shadow Hall, and some Ancient Families. Everything else... is hers."

    "And that is just the beginning. With the Celestial Lotus in her grasp..."

    The more she spoke, the more she intrigued Xu Shan. First the Heaven''s Blessing, then the Book, and now the Celestial Lotus.

    For some reason, Xu Shan felt that the Queen was simr to him. However, at the same time, she was different.

    They were both ruthless, even when it came to someone close. However, he didn''t have any greed for the Kingdom or to control the entirend. He didn''t want to rule. That was a waste of time ording to him. However, that appeared to be the goal of the Queen... Or at least a step of her goal.

    "How does the Celestial Lotus fit into all this?" Xu Shan asked.

 Chapter 159 159: He Left

    "How does the Celestial Lotus fit into all this?"

    "She had been looking for the Celestial Lotus for as long as I can recall," the maid replied. "And finally, she has it now. This isn''t good for anyone."

    The maid who was usually very calm revealed a few traces of fear as she thought about what the future could entail for them.

    "You came here for the Celestial Lotus. Please take it! If you can''t take it, destroy it! But don''t let her have it! If she does..."

    "What will happen if she does?" Xu Shan grew even more confused. The Celestial Lotus was only useful in awakening the Celestial Spirit of a person.

    Other than that, it also had a few minor effects, but none so big that they could make people tremble in fear. It wasn''t a weapon of mass destruction. It was a nt, after all.

    In the back of his mind, he even wondered if the girl was exaggerating at this point.

    The Maid knew that Xu Shan was doubting her. It also made sense for her. Why would he trust her to that extent? The knowledge about the Celestial Lotus was limited for most people.

    She ced her finger on her storage ring, making a small scroll appear in her hand.

    "You are curious about what will happen if she seeds? Here." She handed over the scroll to Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan held the scroll which appeared so old that it could be torn with even the slightest of force.

    The paper was yellowish and had already developed a few cracks that showed signs that the long passage of time had left on it.

    He carefully opened the scroll. Xinren also moved closer to him, curious as to what was written on the scroll.

    After opening the scroll, Xu Shan went through the words.

    As he went through the scroll, reading each line carefully, his eyes initially revealed uncertainty.

    His uncertainty developed into a frown. He nced at Xinren next to him before turning back to the scroll.

    His expressions became somewhat dark as he finally finished reading through the scroll. He had to control his strength a lot to make sure he didn''t tear apart the scroll.

    It was the first time for him reading the information mentioned in the scroll. With the age of the scroll, it definitely wasn''t something that the maid or Yunxi could''ve made up.

    This was an authentic artifact of a forgotten era, knowledge that had gone extinct in the Celestial Realm as well as in the Divine Realm.

    "Where did you find this scroll?" he asked the Maid, scrolling it carefully.

    "I stole it from the Queen''s Chamber." The maid lowered her head. She still remembered how scared she was when she was stealing it.

    She always had to look over her shoulders to make sure that the Queen wasn''t there. A single mistake would''ve sent her to her death.

    "Who else did you tell about this? Does that little girl know?" He asked, taking a momentary nce toward the mansion in the distance.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Maid shook her head in response. "She doesn''t. Initially, I wasn''t going to tell her. Because, the farther she stayed from this, the better it was for her. But with your appearance, it''s clear that she isn''t going to stay back."

    ''Your appearance has ignited her hope. Now even if you don''t help, she would probably still go forward with it. And in the end, it''ll be a disaster."

    "Why are you telling this to me then?" Xu Shan inquired.

    "I don''t know if you will help her or not. However, I wanted you to know this before you decide. Because this... It affects you more than it affects the Young Lady... Not just because of the Celestial Lotus but because of what that leads to," the maid replied. "The rest... It''s for you to decide."

    After she finished everything she had to say, she turned and entered the mansion to catch up to Yunxi. The one reason she stayed with Xu Shan was to tell him about this. From this point on, everything depended on him.

    Xu Shan watched the maid leave. The scroll remained in his hand, held in his firm grip that kept getting tighter.

    He looked in the distant horizon. "The Divine Queen... What a hassle."

    He didn''t finish his sentence. He kept the scroll in his storage ring and turned around, leaving the n Premises.

    ....

    After half an hour, Yunxi came out of the building. She was apanied by the Patriarch of the n.

    Initially, when Yunxi''s mother left the n, the Patriarch was furious that she ignored hermands. However, through the years of sce, his anger had calmed down.

    Now seeing his granddaughter return, he only had love in his eyes. She was his blood. When she needed his help, how could he say no. This was her n as well and it was always going to be.

    "Even though our n has fallen a lot, we still hold enough influence to help your friend get an identification. Don''t worry about that." The Patriarchughed, as he patted his granddaughter''s head.

    There was no arrogance in him. The n wasn''t rich, but throughout this adversity, they had one advantage!

    All the snakes who were with the n for their own benefits had long left. Only the trusted people, who cared more about family than their own ambitions, had stayed behind.

    Through this ruin, their n was even more closely knit now. They were more like a proper family now, where no one was selfish.

    "Thank you." Yunxi thanked the old man.

    As she stepped out of the building, she pointed in the direction where she had left Xu Shan.

    "He''s right the-"

    She stepped mid sentence, noticing an empty spot. She turned to her maid, asking, "Where is he?"

    The maid sighed. She understood that she should''ve kept her expectations down. "He left... And I doubt he will be returning��"

 Chapter 160 160: Not The User, But The Weapon

    "What are your thoughts on this?"

    Xu Shan walked through the crowded streets, talking to Xinren. His voice was so low that other than Xinren, no one could hear him.

    "Any thoughts on the so-called Book? That didn''t match the descriptions of the Books you gave me. Is that maid bluffing about the book? Or there''s something you''re hiding from me?"

    At the moment, he also remembered the time when he had received the Book of Truth. It showed that he collected one of the Nine Pieces.

    If that one piece signified a book, that made him think that there were not seven but nine books. But there was something wrong about that as well.

    Why would a Heavenly Book be written in the destiny of a person like the Divine Queen? Especially since she used it against the person cherished by the Heavenly Law?

    As if that wasn''t strange enough, the information rted to the Celestial Lotus came as an even bigger surprise.

    ording to the Maid, the Celestial Lotus wasn''t just a herb that could be used to awaken the Celestial Spirit of a person. It could also be used as an energy source to power a formation...

    In the document, there was a design of a formation... A wed design which was iplete. Some pieces of the scroll were scratched off, making it impossible to decipher the coreponents of the formation.

    Xu Shan had a feeling that this was the work of the Divine Queen. If that was true, then it exined why she was so crazy for the Celestial Lotus.

    ording to the Scroll, the Celestial Lotus had some seeds inside. Most people only used their petals to awaken Celestial Spirits. The seeds were tossed away for the most part, since no use could be found for them.

    Unfortunately, this scroll mentioned an use. The seeds were ced at the core points of the Giant Formation. They were what established the link between the formation, the Queen and everyone else!

    So far, he hadn''t had any personal enmity with the Queen, other than the fact that she indirectly stole something from him. However, thinking about what her sess could mean, he didn''t want to let it happen.

    His goal was simple. It was to have a safe life, where no one could threaten him. That meant protecting himself from the so-called children of destiny, who coulde after him because of his book.

    For now, he was confused about what the Divine Queen was. From her personality and her actions, she appeared to be a bad person. Yet, the Book and her journey so far meant she had great luck, surpassing even the Heaven''s Chosen.

    "Why do you look less worried and more excited?" Xinren asked Xu Shan, noticing that amidst all that worry, his eyes revealed a greedy shine.

    "Am I?" Xu Shan asked, revealing a subtle smile on his lips. Within dangers, there were always

    The Formation was dangerous for him, but that was only when used by others. This was an evil n, which ruined the lives of many. That''s why the maid either wanted to stop the Queen or hide somewhere.

    The maid was right. Xu Shan didn''t care about people. He wasn''t a good person and by definition didn''t care about the lives of people in this world. However what really interested him was the formation itself.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He didn''t want to stop the formation from activating. Instead, he wanted to be there himself in her ce! He wanted to be the one who used it for himself!

    "Don''t tell me you want to..." Xinren spoke, frowning.

    "It''s not the weapon that is wrong. It''s the person using that weapon. This is a weapon I need!" Xu Shan answered. "If this formation actually works, it would be really amusing."

    "A formation to cover arge scale area by your ability... An amplifying formation that can cover this entire world! What a fascinating formation," he spoke, talking to himself.

    If his words were heard by others, they would''ve called him crazy to even think that it was possible. However, Xu Shan had a feeling that this smoke wasn''t without mes!

    "She wants to devour the Celestial Spirits of everyone in this world, with that book and the formation. But I can also do the same, if I was in her ce. If I could devour every Celestial Spirit in this world, then... Just the thought alone is exciting!"

    "It''s not going to be that easy. That woman... From what I heard, you can''t defeat her. You''re strong, but you''re not that strong yet," Xinren chimed in. "If you want to face her, you would need to be stronger!"

    "I was thinking about the same thing." Instead of showing worries, Xu Shan still remained calm. He had already considered this, and thought of a solution. That''s the reason he left the n mansion.

    He was a walking cheat when it came to bing stronger. He was a predator in one of the main cities of the Divine Dynasty which was filled with prey.

    As he finished speaking, he disappeared like a shadow.

    The sun had started setting, casting a warm golden glow across the city streets.

    The city appeared even more beautiful under the warm glow from the setting sun. However, in this beautiful city, no one noticed that there were people who had started disappearing.

    Even the Royal Guards who were patrolling the city remained unaware. In fact, even some guards had disappeared, yet no one was alerted as many guards roamed alone, choosing to be away from the groups.

    For them, this was a safe City after all. No one could be crazy enough to attack them, or so they thought.

    Bodies inside Xu Shan''s rings kept increasing as he killed the powerful warriors in the city. Despite that, for some reason, he wasn''t happy.

    He stood in a dark valley in the Street, with a guard lying on his feet. The Guard''s Celestial Spirit was devoured and his Star Sign was missing. Yet Xu Shan appeared distressed.

    "What is happening?" He asked Xinren, his expressions darkening.

 Chapter 161 161: I Want This Entire World

    "What is happening?" Xu Shan asked, seemingly confused.

    It had been such a long time. He had stolen the strength and Celestial Spirit of so many people. In fact, he even reached the peak of Heavenly Celestial Realm in a short time. But after that, something appeared wrong.

    It was as if there was a thinyer of barrier preventing him. He wasn''t able to cross the threshold of the Heavenly Celestial into the next Realm

    Every time he stole the strength of someone, it was like cing one drop of water in a giant pool, attempting to fill it.

    By now, he believed he should''ve broken through, surpassing the limits where his father in this world and every other peak warrior in the Celestial Realm was stuck.

    Unfortunately, that''s not what happened. No matter how much he stole, it was insignificant.

    "Just how much Celestial Energy does the next Realm need? Or am I doing something wrong? Why isn''t it working?" He asked, his frustration clearly written on his face.

    In his frustration, he forgot to control his voice. Some guards outside the alley heard someone. Curious, they came towards the Alley to check.

    "What are you doing there?!"

    Two Royal Guards arrived before the alley. Even though the alley was dark, they could still see clearly.

    "Isn''t that the guy who was with the little princess?" One of the guards asked, remembering Xu Shan.

    "That''s correct." The other guard agreed. However, right then, he noticed something which made his face be ashen.

    At Xu Shan''s feet, there was a lifeless body. And the body belonged to one of the Guards, which became evident with his attire.

    "You... You killed him?!" The Guard asked.

    He didn''t care if Xu Shan knew the little princess. Killing a Royal Guard was a crime worthy of instant execution, no matter who did it as long as it wasn''t a Royalty! This was the rules of the Divine Queen herself.

    They didn''t ask for his surrender and directly attacked.

    Xu Shan was already frustrated. Hearing the two guards scream, his temper red even more.

    ....

    Within a blink of an eye, the two guards went silent. They grabbed their throat, feeling a thin line of blood slowly spread out.

    They tried to alert others, but no words came out of their mouths. As thest resort, they crushed a token to alert the Royal Guards about their position and that there was an emergency.

    Their bodies dropped to the ground. Blood rushed out, covering the floor around them.

    "You look much better silent." Xu Shan ced his hand on both their heads. "Now let''s see if two changes anything."

    He absorbed both their Celestial Spirits at once, devouring them thoroughly. Even though it put a lot of stress on his body, he didn''t care. He wanted to break through! He didn''t like the feeling of being restricted.

    If it was not enough energy that was blocking him from breaking through the barrier, he wanted to break that with force.

    The pain was enough for his nerves to be clearly visible and stressed. Yet, he didn''t care. His Star Mark in his left eye shone even more brightly.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    In the end, he finally seeded in Devouring two Celestial Spirits at the same time.

    "Arghh!" In the end, he roared in frustration.

    It wasn''t often where he was so upset or angry. This was the trait of the original Xu Shan of this world, which had slowly seeped into current Xu Shan.

    Despite devouring two Celestial Spirits of Royal Guards, he still couldn''t break through. That thinyer of restriction was still there.

    "Why?! Why?! What is going wrong?!" He turned to Xinren. However, right then, he heard more footsteps rushing in his direction.

    It wasn''t just a small group either. Over fifty Royal Guards were rushing toward him, getting the distress signal through their army tokens.

    In the end, he decided to regain hisposure. If he engaged an entire batch of the Royal Guards, then it was all going to be for nothing.

    His figure disappeared through the dark alley, before the Guards reached there. He didn''t forget to take all three bodies with him.

    The Royal Guards were stunned to find a pool of blood in the alley, but no bodies were found.

    Near the pool of blood, they also saw the crushed royal army token. It was clear who this blood belonged to.

    All the guards were highly trained. They didn''t remain idle, waiting formands. Instead, they instantly dispersed.

    No matter how careful Xu Shan was, his aura traces were still left behind, something that the guards decided to trace.

    ....

    Moving through the shadows, Xu Shan appeared in another corner of the City, sitting on the roof of one of the buildings, looking over the city.

    "Now tell me. What is stopping me from breaking through?" Xu Shan asked Xinren. "And don''t you dare tell me that you don''t know. If you don''t know, then who will?!"

    "I think it''s as you already noticed. The Celestial Energy... It''s not enough." Xinren answered. "To break through, you need an immense amount of Celestial Energy. A monumental task, which is almost impossible to achieve because the gap between the two realms is just that big."

    Xinren further rified, It''s even worse for you. Because your Celestial Spirit is such a high tier, the amount of Celestial Energy you need is even higher... So high that..."

    "So high that ten won''t be enough?" Xu Shan asked.

    Xinren shook her head.

    "Hundred?" Xu Shan asked.

    Xinren once again shook her head. "Unlikely."

    "What about every single life form in this world?" Xu Shan asked, gazing at the beautiful night sky.

    "Are you thinking about using the Formation of the Queen?" Xinren asked.

    "I think I finally understand why she is so interested in using that formation. Looks like we both have the same goals... If I can''t break through with my own skills, then I would rather steal this breakthrough!" Xu Shan dered, reaching out his hand toward the sky, as if he was to grab the moon itself.

 Chapter 162 162: Busy Night

    Yunxi sat under the moonlight, gazing at the stars.

    The maid told her that Xu Shan ran away after finding out how dangerous it was going to be. Even now, the maid didn''t tell Yunxi anything about the n of his Elder Sister.

    She didn''t want Yunxi to take stress and risk her life to stop her sister. Even with Xu Shan''s help, it was unlikely that they were ever going to seed. If anything, she was happy with the oue since she subconsciously wanted this to happen.

    Deep down, the reason she told Xu Shan the truth was because she wanted him to understand how dangerous it was, and return to where he came from.

    She didn''t realize that not only did Xu Shan not run away, but he was even more excited. He didn''t care about this world. However, he did see this world as a fuel for his growth. He didn''t feel bad in the least either.

    Xu Shan sat on the roof. He had made up his mind. He was going to take everything from the Divine Queen. If she was a viin in the lives of other people, he was going to be the viin in her life.

    He had to snatch everything that she had gathered, and use it for himself! He had to take back the Celestial Lotus and awaken his second Celestial Spirit,while also taking her formation.

    It was a monumental task, which was easier said than done.

    He stood up to return to Yunxi. In her mind, she was using him. However, she didn''t realize that he was the one using her.

    The small bracelet was tightly wrapped around his wrist, as if reminding him that he had another task to finish. But there was still a lot of time for that.

    Just as he turned to leave, he noticed the Royal Guards appearing behind him. Not just behind him, but next to him as well. It was as if they had surrounded him from all sides.

    Even with the slightest of aura traces, they had managed to locate him. The Divine World was indeed different from the other ces.

    "Can I help you?" Xu Shan asked the guards, even though he knew that they were here because they knew he killed the other guards.

    "I''m afraid only you can help us. And there is only one help that we need from you..." The guard replied.

    "And that would be?" Xu Shan asked, revealing an intrigued smile.

    "That would be your death. You have killed the Royal Guards. The punishment is Execution!" The guard said, raising his sword.

    "I killed the Royal Guards? I''m not a weak teenager? How can I kill anyone? Are you saying that the Royal Guards are so useless that they can be killed by weak teenagers?" Xu Shan shook his head lightly.

    "You''re probably mistaken. I have killed no one. I just came out to bask under the moonlight," he further added. "Now if you would excuse me,I have a n to be at."

    He turned to leave, waving his hand. However, just as he took a step, a dangerous beam of energy flew past him, cutting a single thread of his hair, as if warning him that he was going to be killed if he moved.

    "The only reason you''re still alive is because we need answers from you! Why did you kill them? What was your purpose? And why were you with the Youngest Princess?" The red haired man, donned in a majestic Royal Armor eximed.

    "If you answer honestly, I shall promise you that your death will be painless and Swift."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The Armor over his body was different from the Armor of other guards. It was clear that he was in a much higher position than the other guards, maybe even a General or a City Lord.

    "As I said, I haven''t killed anyone." Xu Shan faced the red haired man, who was twice his size. "But if you still want to me me, then I will y along."

    Daggers appeared in his hand.

    "So you aren''t going to talk?" The red haired man asked.

    He waved his fingerszily."Kill him."

    As the red-haired manmanded his guards to attack, Xu Shan swiftly moved into action.

    With a flick of his wrist, the daggers in his hands spun through the air, expertly finding their mark. One guard after another fell to the ground, their life forces extinguished by Xu Shan''s deadly precision.

    The remaining guards were momentarily taken aback by the ease with which Xu Shan killed theirrades. It was as if he didn''t n to leave in the first ce. He has always been ready to strike back, or maybe even strike first.

    Sensing their hesitation, Xu Shan''s lips curled into a smirk as he took a step forward. The energy around him crackled, filling the air with an electrifying tension.

    "Killing you all is useless. I just wanted to return and rest, instead of wasting time. But if you insist, then so be it."

    With a sudden burst of speed, Xu Shanunched himself toward the guards. His movements were a blur as he evaded their attacks with grace and precision.

    His daggers danced through the air, finding their marks with deadly uracy. The sh of metal echoed through the night.

    The red-haired man, the one who had ordered Xu Shan''s execution, watched in surprise as his highly trained guards fell one by one.

    ....

    The sun had started rising in the distance when Xu Shan returned to the mansion of the small n where Yunxi was resting.

    He was exhausted, and had a few traces of blood on his clothes.

    As he entered the n, he went straight into the shower, without even having to ask anyone where it was. He had already scanned this entire n before.

    As light spread across the city, many people were stunned. There was chatter everywhere. Hundreds of Royal Guards were found dead, all around the city. There were marks of battle through the entire city, yet no one knew who did it.

    Amongst the dead, one was the City Lord himself!

 Chapter 163 163: Seal

    The City Lord was killed and most of the Royal Army staying in the city was wiped, which sent tremors through the entire city.

    Most of the citizens were in fear, refusing to leave home. The streets that were crowded previously were now mostly empty.

    Almost half the shops weren''t even opened since people lived in a lot of uncertainty.

    On the other hand, the person who did all this waspletely carefree as he stepped out of the shower. His hair was still somewhat wet.

    As soon as he stepped out of the shower, he noticed Yunxi sitting In the distance. She appeared somewhat distracted, lost in her own thoughts.

    "Why are you looking so down?" Xu Shan asked as he draped a beautiful red cloak over his shoulders.

    Yunxi heard a familiar voice. Taken aback, she raised her head. Her eyes widened, as she caught a glimpse of Xu Shan.

    "You are... still here?" She asked, stunned.

    Xu Shan had left and didn''t return all night. Followed by her maid''s words, she thought that he was scared and ran away.

    "Why won''t I be here? Did you forget you promised me something?" Xu Shan asked, rolling his eyes. "Now hurry up and get me a token. We should be leaving soon."

    Yunxi didn''t know why, but as Xu Shan talked about leaving, his eyes revealed a strange emotion. It was different when he previously talked about retrieving the Celestial Lotus. He now looked... More eager. It was as if he was more serious, unlike before.

    Yunxi blinked in surprise, trying to process. His sudden change in demeanor caught her off guard. She had expected him to be hesitant or frightened after knowing everything about her sister. But he was nothing like that. But instead, he seemed resolute and determined.

    "I will get everything you need." It didn''t matter what it was. She was pleased that he was willing to work with her.

    She stood up and went to her grandfather, telling him that she was going forward with her request.

    After a few minutes, Yunxi''s grandfather came out. He met with Xu Shan, and asked some minor questions, only making sure that Xu Shan didn''t have any ulterior motives towards his granddaughter.

    After the conversation, he left the n to get Xu Shan''s identification from the City Lord, not realizing that the man was long dead. Even Xu Shan wasn''t aware that only the City Lord could give identification passes.

    Fortunately, the old man was very trustworthy. Even though his n had fallen, but he was still somewhat close to the City Lord''s Family

    Along the way, he came across the news about what happenedst time, which stunned him. However, he couldn''t link that terrifying incident with Xu Shan, who was an ordinary young man that came from the lower world.

    He still went to the City Lord''s Mansion, to offer his condolences, only to realize that many other big ns were already there for the same.

    There was a discussion taking ce there, in which the wife of the City Lord was busy, not having time to meet him. He was also informed that the entire city was sealed,and no identification was going to be issued.

    If anything, all the houses were going to be searched for anyone suspicious. In fact, the search had already begun.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The old man returned, quite disappointed that he wasn''t able to fulfill his granddaughter''s request, but the timing was just wrong. With so much happening, it was certainly unlikely. He still tried and failed.

    He soon returned to his n, only to be surprised at the sight of the City Guards, who were standing before the entrance of his n.

    The search of the entire city has begun, starting from the outer parts of the City.

    The City Guards rushed inside the n at the same time as the old man stepped out of his carriage.

    He entered his n and watched the city guards spreading out in all directions.

    They were checking every single person inside the n, along with their identification which noted down their affiliation and their identity, along with all the locations they''ve been to in thest thirty hours.

    Unfortunately for them, since so much time had passed from the moment those people died, all the energy traces had disappeared, leaving nothing behind.

    Xu Shan was standing at the balcony, looking toward the entrance, from where the City guards rushed inside.

    Initially, he wondered if the old man had betrayed him, but then he soon understood that it wasn''t the case. The old man entered right after and appeared just as confused.

    The City Guards rushed inside the n. They were about to enter the section of the n where Xu Shan was staying, only to stop at the sight of Yunxi.

    Yunxi revealed her identity, which stunned the guards. They immediately went down to their knees. People outside the Royal City still didn''t know that Yunxi was banished. In their eyes, she was still the youngest princess.

    "What are you all doing here? Why are you creating a ruckus in my home?" She asked. The maid stood next to her.

    The guards respectfully informed her about the incidents which took cest night. They had marily stopped the search, and gathered at a single ce before Yunxi.

    "The City Lord is killed? The Royal Guards too?" Yunxi revealed a shock. "Was it the work of the Shadow Hall?"

    In her eyes, only the Shadow Hall was brazen enough to kill the Royal Guards in suchrge numbers, which was akin to challenging the authority of her crazy sister.

    The Guards shook their heads. "The signs point to something else. It is the work of a single person, who used a short weapon... something like knives or daggers."

    "This doesn''t look like the work of the Shadow Hall. Also, along with the Royal Guards who died, many prominent people in the city are also missing. Everyone is just as confused. That''s why the Temporary City Lord asked us to search every ce."

    The Guard was as respectful as he could be. It was as if the City Lord himself was standing before him.

    Hearing about a single person and a dagger, Yunxi felt her heart tremble for a short moment. She resisted the urge to look in Xu Shan''s direction.

 Chapter 164 164: Found It

    ?

    Unlike her, the maid couldn''t control herself, as she subconsciously looked toward the balcony above, where a young man was standing, sipping tea casually.

    Xu Shan was casually watching the scene as if it had nothing to do with him.

    The young man''s gaze met the maid. Xu Shan revealed a smile, as if he knew the question in her eyes.

    "I understand. It''s important to find people whomitted such a horrible crime. However, searching here would only be a waste of time. No one here would ever do this. And you know why."

    Yunxi couldn''t let these people continue their search. In the end, she told them to leave, and search elsewhere.

    The Guards also agreed. They had no other choice. Moreover, they weren''t the Royal Guards. They were ordinary Guards who belonged to the City Lord''s Mansions. They didn''t know the equation in the Royal Family, nor did they dare to investigate.

    They couldn''t see any reason for Yunxi to hide the killer who attacked the army of her own Sister''s Empire.

    They swiftly turned around, and continued their search in other houses in the area.

    After the guards left, Xu Shan jumped down the balcony.

    Hended on the ground, with the tea cup still in his hand. Even as he jumped down, not a single drop of tea had fallen down.

    "Was it your work?" Yunxi asked Xu Shan.

    All signs pointed at it being his work. The killer was strong enough to take out the Royal Guards. He used daggers as well.

    Another sign was that Xu Shan was missing the entire night, and that''s when this happened.

    "Do I look like someone who can kill people?" Xu Shan asked innocently, patting the hair of Yunxi like she was a little child. "You shouldn''t defame me, little brat."

    Even though Yunxi was technically older than him, in his eyes, she was still a child, mentally and physically.

    "Your grandfather is here. Get the identification and then we''re leaving," he told the girl, only to notice the disappointed gaze of the old man.

    "There won''t be any identification. The City is under a lockdown. And this lockdown won''t be lifting anytime soon," the old man answered.

    He further stated, "Maybe people from the Royal Pce will being here to investigate personally. They will assign a new City Lord, and only then new Identifications will be issued."

    Yunxi rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache.

    "It''s all the fault of that killer. If only he hadn''t killed the City Lord, there was still hope," the old man exined, letting out a tired sigh. He felt bad that he couldn''t fulfill the only request from his granddaughter.

    In response to his words, Yunxi looked at Xu Shan. She knew all too well who did it. It was as if Xu Shan hit an ax on his own foot.

    Xu Shan was also taken aback. He didn''t have time to waste in this city, waiting for an investigation! He had to be in the Royal City!

    "Is there no other way?" he asked.

    The old man shook his head. "You can only wait. It should all be over in a few weeks."

    "A few weeks is toote. This won''t work," Xu Shan muttered, walking back and forth, thinking to himself.

    There were only two options for him at the start. Either love stealthily after getting identity, or force his way through the teleportation portals.

    He had selected the former method because it was caster, but in the end, he was brought back to the same ce where he had to choose again.

    This time, the second option was faster, albeit more dangerous. Despite that, he made up his mind. He had to leave at any cost.

    For the rest of the day, he spent his time with the old man and Yunxi, where he gathered all the information about the City, including where the Teleportation Point was, and what kind of security it had.

    He also asked the consequences of forcing his way through.

    "No one who tried to sneak in, or force their way in had managed to survive. I can''t let my granddaughter go through this!" The old man sternly refused.

    "She won''t be taking any risk. She''ll be passing before me, using proper means. After that, I will force my way. Even if I fail, it won''t affect you two."

    Xu Shan rified. In the entire group, only he was the person who didn''t have the proper method to pass through the checks. The others didn''t have this problem.

    Hearing that, the old man sighed in relief. However, he soon thought of another problem.

    "Even if you force your way past the guards, you can''t leave. The Teleportation Point should''ve been sealed by now. To activate, you''d need the City Lord''s Seal."

    "City Lord''s Seal?" Xu Shan frowned.

    He raised his hand. From his storage ring, multiple rare items fell onto the table.

    He asked, "Which one of these is the seal?"

    "Huh? This... This..." The old man froze. His face turned pale, looking at Xu Shan.

    All the items that were ced on the table were taken from the City Lord after he killed him.

    There was the Sword of the City Lord. The Token of the City Lord, along with the Seal of the City Lord. At the same time, there was also a bag which had coins of this world, that the City Lord always carried with him for emergencies.

    Unlike the old man, Yunxi wasn''t surprised.

    "So much for the man being defamed," she sarcastically stated, amazed at Xu Shan who previously lied without a single hesitation.

    "Y-you... why do you have that?" The old man asked. He had a thought in his mind, but he refused to believe me.

    Xu Shan was the person who everyone was looking for?! This young man who was barely twenty years old was the one who took out the Royal Army and the City Lord together?

    "Would you believe me if I say I found these on the streets during my morning walk?" Xu Shan asked in return.

 Chapter 165 165: Violence Is The Answer

    ?

    The Old Man looked at Xu Shan strangely. He wanted to scream, ''Only a fool would believe you!''

    Fortunately, he controlled his urges. It was clear that Xu Shan killed them. Either that, or he was associated with the killer. In any case, he felt scared.

    If anyone found out about the items on the table at the moment, it was disastrous for him and his n!

    He nervously looked around, making sure that there were no gaps in the wall from where someone could be spying. He also cast a barrier in the surroundings, to further iste this ce.

    His face was covered in sweat. He looked at his granddaughter. His face made it appear as if he wanted to cry, but no tears came out of his eyes.

    "Didn''t you say he was from a lower world?" He asked his granddaughter, covering his face in his palm.

    He used to think that it was a simple request where his granddaughter wanted some identification for a new friend from the lower world that she found. Who would''ve thought that her little friend was going to turn this entire city upside down in less than one day.

    "Are you alright?" Xu Shan asked the old man, whose drum-like heartbeat could be heard by everyone in the room.

    The old man took a deep breath, slowly removing his hand from his face and revealing hisashen face.

    "I''m... fine," he admitted, his voice wavering with worries.

    He really felt scared for the future, especially with the kind ofpany his granddaughter was in now. He couldn''t even be heavy handed with Xu Shan, now that he knew just what the young man was capable of.

    Even in his peak, he couldn''t kill the City Lord of this city, meanwhile this young man killed him and the Royal Guards.

    "You need to leave. Once the group from the Royal City arrives here to investigate, you''ll be caught. Along with you, my n will be destroyed as well. Before that happens, you need to escape!" The old man spoke, carefully gauging Xu Shan''s expressions.

    Xu Shan was amused how the man was just reiterating what he said, as if he was saying something new.

    "Tell me which is the City Lord''s Seal, and how I can use that. I have no interest in staying in this city either."

    The old man reached out his trembling hand, cing his finger over a small item that was made from a strange gem. It had the shape of a coin, but it wasn''t currently. The coin had the royal seal, and the name of the City was carved under it.

    "This is the token, but even with it, it will be hard to escape. The portal is in the center of the City, heavily guarded by the guards, especially now," the old man chimed in. "Instead of taking the portal, you should go to another major city and try to get identification there."

    Unfortunately, Xu Shan didn''t care about his words. He had already wasted a lot of time in this mess, taking the advice of the little girl.

    Now he was going to use his own method... The method that these people would''ve called too cruel. He was going to follow the method of a true viin.

    He kept all the items back in his storage ring, before he stood up.

    "I will handle the rest myself."

    He left the little girl behind. Since she had no benefit to him, he decided to leave her behind, telling her to get to the Royal City on her own. He didn''t want to carry a burden, especially since he was in a hurry and had all the information that he could need.

    He left the room early in the afternoon after breaking the seal.

    Stepping out of the room, he waspletely calm, as if he was just going or for a stroll. No one in the n knew what he was going to do.

    After a short moment, his figure disappeared.

    He appeared on the roof of a tall building, looking in the direction of the central area of the City, which was heavily guarded. It was as if there was a guard standing every ten meters.

    The entire city hade to a halt. All the borders were sealed as well, with even heavier deployment there.

    Xu Shan took off his red robe, and kept it in the storage ring. Instead, he brought out a pitch ck cloak that he donned over him.

    Following that, he brought two ck gloves, wearing one on each of his hands.

    Atst, he brought out a mask...the same mask which he used when he had personally joined the war while hiding his identity.

    He wore the mask on his face, before covering his hair under the hood, making it impossible for anything but his eyes to be seen.

    Atst, he pulled out two daggers, keeping them at hand.

    "I just wanted to leave this city. If you want to me anyone, me yourself for blocking my path."

    His figure flickered, as he moved like a shadow toward the Central part of the City.

    However, he didn''t go towards the location of the sealed portal, which was the most guarded ce, especially since the City Lord''s mansion had realized that items of the City Lord were missing.

    Instead, his direction appeared to be the City Lord''s Mansion itself.

    Unlike the Portal, the City Lord''s Mansion had a lower number of guards, since no one thought that after killing the City Lord, the killer was going to go there.

    It was even more unlikely since all the big n leaders and the strongest people in the city were in the mansion, offering their condolences.

    At this point in time, this was thest ce that anyone expected to be attacked, which allowed them to distribute the guards elsewhere.

    They didn''t realize that the limited number of guards that were assigned to protect the mansion were dropping to the ground, one after another. A masked figure advanced towards the Mansion.

 Chapter 166 166: I Wish I Didnt

    ?

    The number of guards in the surroundings kept going down. The guards were killed before they could even realize what was going on.

    It was especially worse for the guards who were alone. A trail of blood was left in Xu Shan''s wake. Fortunately, before anyone could notice that something was wrong, he reached the mansion.

    Instead of going through the main door, he used his dagger to cut the window and create an opening.

    The ss fell inside the mansion, shattering into hundreds of pieces.

    In the hallway where the ss fell, a servant was carrying some bottles of wine in his hand to deliver to the meeting room when he saw the window ss falling before him, breaking.

    At the moment, he was frozen, not even reacting. His pupils shrunk when he noticed a masked man jump inside.

    He subconsciously stepped back, noticing blood dripping down the daggers of the masked man. However, as he was about to run, a dagger came flying at him, hitting straight in the middle of his forehead.

    Blood trickled down the forehead of the man. The wine bottles fell from his hand. However, before the bottles could fall, Xu Shan appeared in front of him.

    He grabbed one of the bottles, letting the rest fall and shatter at his feet.

    Keeping the wine bottle in his left hand, he pulled out the dagger from the man''s forehead.

    The man dropped to the ground, his eyes remained open wide, even as he took hisst breath.

    Xu Shan raised his mask a little and took a long sip of the wine before tossing the bottle away.

    He arranged his mask and continued deeper into the City Lord''s Pce.

    Unlike the small n, the City Lord''s Pce had a lot more precautions. The Divine Sense could only cover up to a few meters, which made it impossible to look through the pce.

    Fortunately, despite being unable to see through the whole pce, he had a rough idea as to where everyone else was. Yunxi''s grandfather hade to the mansion many times. He knew quite a lot about this pce.

    Thanks to the old man''s help, Xu Shan had a rough idea.

    He navigated through thebyrinthine corridors. Every now and then, he heard the distant sound of footsteps or the hushed conversations of the pce staff, which he ignored.

    It was only when he came across the guards that he took action, taking them out.

    As Xu Shan reached the central courtyard, he noticed a group of guards gathered near the entrance of the meeting room.

    They seemed to be discussing something, their voices filled with tension.

    Seeing the number of guards here, it became evident that the people he was looking for were on the other side of the door.

    Drawing upon his training and experience, Xu Shan devised a n. He picked up a small pebble from the ground and tossed it in a direction away from the meeting room.

    The guards, distracted by the noise, immediately turned their attention towards the sound. They went to check, and make sure the premise was secure, since no one else was allowed here. This gave Xu Shan the opportunity he needed.

    Swift as a shadow, he darted across the courtyard, his footsteps silent and his body blending seamlessly with the darkness.

    He could hear the muffled voices of several people, including the City Lord''s wife, discussing matters of great importance. The urgency in their tone made Xu Shan quite amazed, since they were talking about finding the killers at any cost.

    The guards who chased after the sound soon realized that something was wrong. Other than the initial noise, there was no further movement.

    They soon thought of something and rushed back.

    Taking a deep breath, Xu Shan pushed open the door and stepped into the room. The door closed behind him, before the guards returned.

    The upants turned their heads in surprise, their eyes widening as they saw the masked intruder standing before them.

    The City Lord''s Wife, a wise and respected figure, was the first to recover from the shock. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the strange attire of the intruder, who carried a dagger in each hand.

    "Who are you? How dare you barge inside?" An old man stood up, mming the table before him.

    "I thought I should show myself to make things easier for you. You''ve been looking for me after all," Xu Shan answered. His voice remained heavy, yet gave no hint of his actual age. It was as if behind the mask was a middle aged man.

    "Looking for you?" The City Lord''s wife frowned. "You are...?"

    Even in her wildest dreams, she didn''t think that the killer of her husband was going to show himself before her.

    Xu Shan raised his hand, bringing a small coin out of his pocket, which had the seal of the City Lord. He flipped the coin, as if doing a toss or ying with it.

    Seeing the City Lord''s token in the hand of the masked person, almost everyone was momentarily frozen. There was not a single person in the hall who didn''t recognise it.

    The other members of the meeting, though initially taken aback by Xu Shan''s sudden appearance, quickly realized the gravity of the situation.

    Before them was the person who wiped out most of the Royal Army ced in this city, along with the City Lord himself. And now he was right before them?

    Let alone the fact that he managed to get inside undetected, but just his courage alone was stunning.

    "Were you missing death so much that you decided toe for it yourself?" A dark haired man asked. His face had some wrinkles, highlighting his old age. Yet, he wasn''t weak. If anything, he was the strongest here. He was the Patriarch of a Major n in this city.

    Xu Shan stood tall, undeterred by the old man''s intimidating presence. He maintained a calm demeanor.

    "I wish I didn''t have toe here myself," Xu Shan answered. "It''s been such a hassle after all. Unfortunately, you people made things unnecessarily hard for me."

 Chapter 167: Greed

    Chapter 167: Greed

    "Why can''t you people allow me to have an easy life?"Xu Shan asked the group before him.

    "Absurd!" The old man roared, unable to even react to Xu Shan''s audacity. He came to their city and killed their people, including the City Lord, and now he was asking them why they didn''t leave him alone?

    Either the man before them was crazy, or he was taunting them.

    Everyone present here was important! They were either heads of the Major ns in the city, or they were wealthy businessmen. None of them were weak. Yet the man before them was being so audacious before them, as if they were insects who kept troubling him.

    One of the old men couldn''t take it anymore. He didn''t like Xu Shan''s tone. Moreover, if he could take the killer of the City Lord down, then it was something to be proud of. What better ce to show off and earn some credits than this?

    He tossed the chair away and rushed towards Xu Shan, reaching out his hand to grab Xu Shan''s throat and smash his head on the ground to show him his rightful ce.

    The other guests remained in their ce, watching the old man attack.

    "See? You can''t allow me to have a peaceful life." Xu Shan sighed.

    The old man''s hand passed through his neck but he didn''t feel anything. It was as if what he touched was just an afterimage

    Instead, the old man felt a cold hand wrap around his throat. Before he could react, his view changed. The roof appeared before his eyes as he felt his feet rising in the air.

    His bnce was broken and the next moment, a loud thud was heard. The floor cracked as the back of the old man''s head smashed against the hard floor, making him cough blood.

    "See? The world doesn''t let me be a good person. And then they call me a viin," Xu Shanmented, sighing as if he had been wronged.

    "Am i right?" He raised his head and asked the others. However, right then, he thrust his dagger down.

    Blood sshed everywhere, some of which fell on his mask and clothes, but he didn''t care.

    "Last night, it was the Guards and the City Lord who attacked me, and tonight you people. What a pitiful life I have..."

    He stood up after wiping the blood on his dagger from the old man''s clothes.

    Hearing the masked man mention her husband and how he killed him, the City Lord''s wife felt rage fill her heart.

    She was temporarily City Lord after her husband''s death, yet the only thing she could think about was revenge.

    "You think no one here can kill you?" she asked. "You think you are a god?!"

    "Am I god?" Xu Shan repeated the question. It was as if he really thought about that question.

    "Not... yet," came his response, his voice tinged with desire.

    The City Lord''s wife gazed at Xu Shan with great disgust.Her fists tightened in rage to the point where she wanted to rip him apart.

    "Kill him!" Her cold voice spread through the entire hall. "Whoever kills him will be the next City Lord!"

    23:21

    Hearing her words, the eyes of everyone there lit up. The position kills him will be the next City Lord!"

    Hearing her words, the eyes of everyone there lit up. The position of a City Lord was iparable to any treasure, especially since it was one of the top five cities in the Kingdom!

    Bing the City Lord of this ce meant special rights and authority, along with the right to approach the Divine Queen directly!

    Usually the previous City Lord''s wife was to be the next City Lord, but if she willingly gave this position away, then it was a legal transfer!

    Even the Head of the Major ns had their eyes filled with greed.

    The atmosphere in the hall became charged with anticipation and greed. The guests, driven by their ambitions, eyed Xu Shan with a newfound determination.

    They saw him not only as an obstacle but also as a stepping stone to their ultimate goals.To them, Xu Shan wasn''t just an enemy. Instead, he was a key... A key to a treasure trove inside which was the Throne of the City Lord!

    Xu Shan, masked and unfazed by the sudden turn of events, looked at the crowd before him.

    "A contest for power and authority? A contest for a position that will soon be worth nothing?" he asked, remembering what the Divine Queen had nned for this world.

    The City Lord''s wife clenched her fists, her eyes burning with anger and defiance. "Scared? You, who killed my husband and wreaked havoc in our city?!"

    As the tension reached its peak in the grand hall, a sudden wave of malevolence filled the air.The atmosphere crackled with suppressed energy as over twenty powerful cultivators, all from major ns, prepared to unleash their wrath upon him.

    "Enough of your nonsense! Today I shall take revenge for the innocent lives you took! I shall rid the world of evil!" Without a moment''s hesitation, the first man lunged forward, a surge of fierce energy emanating from his clenched fists.

    Xu Shan''s movements were a blur as he sidestepped the attack, his agility and speed surpassing that of his opponents.

    "You will rid the world of evil? With what strength?" Xu Shan mockingly asked.

    In a whirlwind of motion, Xu Shan retaliated with lethal precision. A swift kick to the first cultivator''s abdomen sent him crashing into a nearby pir, the impact causing the stone structure to crumble.

    Blood sprayed through the air as the man gasped for breath, his body wracked with pain.

    Before he could stand up, Xu Shan appeared before him, stomping on the skull of the man, crushing it under his feet, leaving only a gruesome sight.

    The remaining cultivators, witnessing the brutal defeat of theirrade, exchanged nces filled with a mix of determination and caution.

    Undeterred by the disy of Xu Shan''s power, they unleashed their most devastating techniques, intent on overwhelming the masked man.

 Chapter 168: Demand

    Chapter 168: Demand

    Bolts of lightning crackled, fire erupted, and gusts of wind swirled in a chaotic disy of prowess. But Xu Shan''s movements were a dance of fluidity and precision, his body weaving through the onught of attacks with uncanny grace.

    With a swipe of his hand, he summoned a gust of wind to redirect a torrent of mes, creating a barrier of swirling elements that shielded him from harm.

    In the midst of the chaos, he struck with calcted ferocity, his fists and feet delivering devastating blows that shattered bones and sent bodies flying.

    The hall echoed with the agonized cries of the defeated cultivators. Xu Shan''s eyes burned with excitement as he engaged each opponent with a calcted strategy, exploiting their weaknesses and turning their own attacks against them.

    Even though he couldn''t break through to the next level after the Heavenly Celestial, it was the same for these people.

    At the same level, he was much more lethal, especially when standing before these inexperienced people, who felt like cannon fodder to him.

    One by one, the cultivators fell, their bodies battered and broken. The once formidable assembly of powerhouses nowy defeated at Xu Shan''s feet, their arrogance shattered and their confidence reduced to dust.

    Blood spilled everywhere as the hall was filled with dead bodies.

    The room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the heavy breathing of Xu Shan, his body covered in bruises and bloodstains. Despite the odds, he stood tall, gazing at the City Lord''s wife who was the only person still left alive.

    He had also left her alive for a specific reason. She was the entire reason for his arrival here after all.

    A hushed whisper of disbelief swept through the City Lord''s wife, her expressions a mix of fear, disbelief and terror. She still couldn''t believe what she had witnessed.

    If it wasn''t for the dead bodies lying at her feet, she would''ve found it hard to believe her eyes as well, thinking she was hallucinating.

    As Xu Shan stood amidst the fallen cultivators, his gaze swept over to the woman in the distance who stepped back subconsciously, falling over the chair.

    The Guards stood outside the doors, not realizing what just happened inside the hall. Xu Shan had used his own Treasure to make sure that the sound didn''t leak outside. He didn''t want any interference while he dealt with these people.

    He walked over to the table, going through dead bodies of the most influential people in the City. The entire floor had turned red.

    He pulled a chair back, and sat down with his leg resting over the table.

    "Looks like your puppets are dead. Are you going to attack me personally now?" he asked the City Lord''s wife.

    The woman frowned, wondering why this guy killed everyone except her. There was no way that he left her because she was a woman or because he was merciful.

    "What do you want from me?" The woman asked with clenched teeth. She felt furious that she had to negotiate with the killer of She couldn''t afford to die here. She had her children to think about as well. She thought that with the help of the people in the room, her husband. However, she also knew she had no choice.

    She couldn''t afford to die here. She had her children to think about as well. She thought that with the help of the people in the room, she could have Xu Shan killed. Unfortunately, they all proved to be useless.

    Xu Shan revealed a smile. "That''s why I love talking to intelligent people. I came here because I had some business with you. If you had epted nicely, these poor people wouldn''t have to die, would they?"

    "What do you want?!" The woman repeated the question, her tone getting louder and colder.

    However, as soon as he finished speaking, she noticed Xu Shan disappear. In the next moment, she felt a hand behind her head.

    Before she could react, her face was smacked on the table. The table shattered from the impact.

    Xu Shan raised her head, letting out a sigh. He used a handkerchief to wipe the blood from the woman''s face.

    "Apologies. I just lose my temper when people talk to me in that tone," Xu Shan whispered in the ears of the woman. "I hope you''ll be more careful from now on."

    In the next moment, he appeared back on the chair on the other first to leave the hall. She told the guards to leave this ce and patrol outside.

    side of the broken table.

    The woman red at Xu Shan. She ced a healing pill in her mouth, letting her gruesome face heal. If gazes could kill, Xu Shan would''ve been dead a thousand times.

    But Xu Shan remained unfazed, his expression calm andposed. "Now, shall we discuss our business?"

    ****

    Half an hourter, the door of the hall opened. The Woman was the first to leave the hall. She told the guards to leave this ce and patrol outside.

    The guards didn''t resist. Even though the woman appeared somewhat unnatural, the guards didn''t find it strange. She had lost her husband after all. They couldn''t even think what might have happened in such a short time.

    All the guards left respectfully, not realizing that the hall was filled with blood and bodies at the moment. Not a single thing was intact.

    After the guards left, Xu Shan stepped out of the room. His clothes were once again spotless, just like his mask. He closed the door of the hall behind him, and followed the woman towards a certain section of the Pce.

    The woman held her fists tightly, but she didn''t do anything stupid. She had a feeling that resisting was stupid, since Xu Shan could target her childrenter in anger.

    She brought Xu Shan to a certain section of the Mansion, where a small crystal was ced, which came from the Royal Capital.

    This crystal was used by the City Lord''s Mansion for creation of identifications that could be used to use teleportation points throughout the entire Kingdom.

    Usually, there was a special team to operate this since the City Lord couldn''t waste his time on this. However, that team was sent back since the identification process was stopped.

    However, the woman had no choice but to personally handle this since this was Xu Shan''s first demand.

 Chapter 169: Too Late

    Chapter 169: Too Late

    Using the Crystal, the City Lord''s wife personally created the Identification Badge for Xu Shan. The Badge held the false details that Xu Shan forced her to use.

    With the Badge in hand, Xu Shan now had the means to enter restricted areas within the Teleportation Zones all throughout the Kingdom. In fact, he made his badge one of the highest tiers, so that he could pass through many unnecessary troubles along the way.

    The Woman thought about trying something to make trouble for Xu Shan. However, she dropped the idea and didn''t mess with the badge, at least not to the extent that he could notice.

    The only thing she did was to leave a small thread in his badge which she couldter use to locate him. Even with the knowledge, it was impossible to locate that tracing thread in the badge.

    "I did as you asked. You can leave now," she told Xu Shan.

    "We''re only halfway done. Aren''t you going to escort me?" Xu Shan asked, ying with the badge in his hand.

    He didn''t want to go through more unnecessary battles. What could be better than to have the City Lord''s wife escort him.

    The woman red at Xu Shan but didn''t say anything. In her mind, she was cursing him.

    ''You want me to escort you? I will. But let''s see how far you can run! With that badge, I''ll be able to locate you! Just wait!''

    The woman clenched her fist as she left the room. However, as soon as she stepped out, she was taken aback by a shattering noise.

    She turned around, only to find the pieces of the Royal Crystal flying in every direction. Xu Shan destroyed the only link of the Royal Capital with this city.

    After destroying the giant crystal, Xu Shan picked up a small piece and kept that in his storage like a memento.

    He also left the hall, and walked next to the City Lord''s wife.

    Along the way, many people saw the woman escorting a masked man. They were taken aback, but the women gave some excuses.

    Xu Shan stepped out of the Pce, and walked calmly, as if he was not in any hurry. There were many guards around him, yet he waspletely safe.

    The Woman entered the Carriage outside the pce and told the driver to take them to the Portal Zone.

    At the same time, a maid entered the central hall. A loud scream filled the hallway. The maid fell on the ground, stunned at the sight inside.

    She hastily alerted all the Guards that she could find, realizing that their mistress was in danger!

    Slowly, all the guards came to know what happened. The dead bodies of the Servants and the Guards were also discovered along the way.

    It didn''t take them long to realize that the masked man wasn''t a friend of the City Lord''s wife. Instead, she was taken hostage!

    The City Guards climbed on the horses and rushed in the direction where the carriage went. They had a feeling that they knew where the killer was trying to go!

    ****

    The City Lord''s Mansion was a powerful authority in the city. No one stopped the carriage after seeing the symbol. If anything, everyone moved out of their way to clear the path.

    The carriage raced through the streets, without slowing down.

    In a short time, the carriage finally reached the Portal Zone, which was the most secure zone in the entire city.

    The Carriage stopped. From this point on, the carriage wasn''t allowed to go forward.

    The Woman stepped out of the carriage. The Guards lowered their vignce after seeing that it was the City Lord''s wife.

    They cleared the path for her, with only fifty meters of distance between the woman and the Portal

    Xu Shan also stepped out, standing right beside the woman. The Guards were initially surprised, curious as to who that guy was.

    Usually, no person was allowed to enter the Portal Zone if they hid their face.

    "He is someone from the Royal Capital. He will be leaving today, so I came to escort our guest myself," the woman said. However, her words didn''t match her expressions. Unfortunately, she couldn''t be too clear about the reality.

    The guards nodded in understanding. If the guy was an important aid to the queen, then he definitely deserved the City Lord apanying him.

    They respectfully greeted Xu Shan, who walked towards the center of the Portal with the Woman.

    He handed over the City Lord''s token to the woman, letting her activate the portal which was sealed previously.

    The woman clenched her teeth, but did as she was told, even if that meant helping the killer of her husband.

    She used the City Lord''s token and her authority to once again unseal the portal. A Spatial Portal opened before the two of them, big enough for three or four people to enter simultaneously.

    "That''s like a good girl," Xu Shan whispered in the woman''s ears. However, he didn''t enter the portal which was only a few steps away from him.

    "Stop! Don''t let him enter!"

    Multiple City Guards arrived on the horses, with urgency written on their faces.

    Xu Shan smirked behind his mask. "Toote."

    He grabbed the woman by her throat, before he stepped behind, entering the portal, disappearing inside.

    The woman was taken aback as she was also dragged inside the spatial portal. She didn''t expect Xu Shan to drag her with him as well. She had a really bad feeling about this.

    The guards rushed behind them to the portal, entering at the same time. Unfortunately, while inside the Spatial Portal, Xu Shan pulled out his dagger.

    Right as he was on the verge of leaving the portal, he sliced the space around him, damaging this particr spatial portal.

    The spatial portal exploded in itself. Xu Shan flew out of the portal. However, since he was already about to exit, he only fell out of the portal near his destination.

    On the other hand, the guards were dispersed in random locations along the way, some even dying in the process.

    Only the City Lord''s wife fell out with Xu Shan, falling merely meters away from him.

 Chapter 170: Memories

    Chapter 170: Memories

    Xu Shan quickly regained his footing, his eyes narrowing as he nced at the City Lord''s wife lying on the ground nearby.

    Ignoring her for the moment, he assessed his surroundings and noticed they had emerged in a dense forest. He was sure that he wasn''t far from the nearest city. Moreover, the Guards were also long lost. They had no chance of reaching him with the Portal being destroyed.

    In that way, he had also cut off the Royal Army''s approach to the City and the information from there. He had bought more time.

    The woman groaned in pain as she struggled to get up.

    Xu Shan approached her, his expression devoid of any sympathy.

    Fear flickered in the woman''s eyes, but she managed to push herself to her feet, holding her injured arm.

    "You won''t get away with this," she hissed through gritted teeth. "The Kingdom will hunt you down, and justice will be served."

    Xu Shan merely chuckled in response, finding amusement in her futile defiance.

    "We''ll see about that," he taunted. "But for now, I have more pressing matters to attend to."

    Without another word, Xu Shan stepped closer to the woman.

    "You promised you would let me live if I listened to you!" The woman was taken aback, seeing the daggers appear in Xu Shan''s eyes.

    "Aren''t promises meant to be broken?" Xu Shan asked, as he ced his hand over the woman''s head. "I could never leave you alive, since you know a little too much about my new identity."

    "Also, I have to get something else from you as well... Myst demand..."

    The woman looked at Xu Shan with a horrified expression. Before she could react, she felt a strange power invade her mind and her memories.

    Within a moment, the silent surroundings were filled with the painful cries as the woman wreathed in pain. It was as if her mind was breaking apart slowly.

    Xu Shan watched with a cold detachment as the woman''s screams filled the surroundings, her desperate pleas falling on deaf ears.

    The power coursing through her was extracting every piece of information, every tiny detail that could potentially jeopardize Xu Shan''s newly acquired identity. He didn''t care if he broke the woman in the process.

    "Interesting..." After ten minutes, Xu Shan took his hands off. The Woman dropped on the ground, her eyespletely nk.

    "Cunning indeed," Xu Shan muttered, looking at the woman. Even though she didn''t use any obvious tricks, she had left some clear scheme in ce for detecting him.

    Fortunately, now that he had her memories, he knew how to take care of such things.

    "Since you fulfilled all three of my desires, I will grant you freedom... True freedom."

    He used the dagger, giving the woman a swift death, freeing the woman from the pain of shattered consciousness.

    Xu Shan wiped the blood off the dagger, his expression unchanged. He knew that this was just one of many decisions he would have to make in order to protect his interests from those who sought his death.

    He used the Devouring on the woman''s Celestial Spirit, before leaving her behind.

    He turned toward the nearest city. With a proper Identification Badge, and no obstruction from the previous City guards, he had a great opportunity to finish his journey soon.

    ....

    The sun was beginning its descent, casting long shadows across the ruggedndscape as Xu Shan set out towards the nearest city. It had been quite some time since he had seen another human being, and the solitude was starting to feel strange.

    He was going in the direction to the next City, but the path waspletely empty. Along the way, he didn''t see a single carriage.

    He wasn''t sure if it was because the City he came from was sealed or some other reason.

    As he trudged along the narrow path, the sounds of rustling leaves and chirping birds provided the onlypanionship.

    The forest grew dense around him, and an eerie silence settled in.

    Xu Shan''s senses sharpened as a faint growl reached his ears. He stopped in his tracks. The growl grew louder, apanied by a low snarl that sent shivers down her spine.

    Out of the underbrush, a pack of hideous creatures emerged. They had the body of wolves but the heads of reptiles, with sharp fangs and piercing yellow eyes. Xu Shan recognized them as the dreaded Snarlws, known for their ferocity and relentless pursuit of prey.

    They were quite well known beasts in the memories of the City Lord''s wife.

    "You''re at the wrong ce at the wrong time," Xu Shan spoke. "However, I have a feeling that you won''t understand what I''m saying."

    The Snarlws circled him, their saliva-drenched fangs glistening in the fading light. Their eyes locked onto Xu Shan, hunger burning in their gaze.

    Without warning, the first Snarlw lunged at him, ws shing through the air. Xu Shan reacted swiftly, sidestepping the attack and swinging her dagger in a wide arc.

    The weapon connected with a sickening thud, slicing through the creature''s skull and sending it sprawling to the ground. But there was no time for celebration as another Snarlw lunged at him from behind.

    Xu Shan twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the attack, and spun around, bringing his dagger crashing down on the creature''s spine. It let out a bone-chilling screech before copsing in a heap. The remaining Snarlws circled closer, their snarls growing more frenzied.

    Completely calm, Xu Shan charged forward, meeting the oing assault head-on. He parried and dodged, his dagger bing an extension of his body. With each blow, he felt a surge of energy and determination.

    He fought with precision and agility, striking at vulnerable spots whenever she could. Moreover, with each strike he felt like he was devouring some of their strength.

    Yet, the Snarlws were relentless in their pursuit. Their attacks

    were savage and coordinated, testing Xu Shan''s every move. One managed to sink its teeth into his arm, buthis skin proved so hard that his sharp fangs couldn''t even enter deep enough.

 Chapter 171: Give me one reason

    Chapter 171: Give me one reason

    Xu Shan swiftly retaliated, smashing its skull with a brutal strike.

    One after another, the Beasts kept falling on the ground. It was as if the predators had met an even bigger predator.

    As thest Snarlw fell, silence descended upon the clearing. Xu Shan stood among the defeated creatures, chest heaving with exertion.

    He gazed at the leader of the Pack who was lying lifelessly. Around the neck of the beast, he noticed a small gem, hanging by a thread as if it was a ne.

    That gem was only around the neck of the leader of the wild beasts which made Xu Shan intrigued. There was no way that this beast was someone''s pet. But it was also clear that it couldn''t wear a pendant on its own.

    Xu Shan stepped closer to the Beast, and took off the pendant, observing the beautiful blue gem carefully.

    From what he remembered in the woman''s memories, these beasts rarely left the forest. Moreover, they were never seen near the main passage that led to the City.

    It was strange to find them attacking him on the main route.

    From the small gem, Xu Shan could feel a very unique form of energy. It wasn''t offensive or defensive. Instead, it was something else. It was like this energy was trying to invade his consciousness.

    Since his mental defenses were strong, this thing had no effect on him, but he had a clear understanding as to why those strange beasts attacked him. Someone was controlling their pack leader and had them attack.

    However, he also knew that no one should''ve known about his arrival here. And if they really knew him, they should''ve known that this beast was useless against him. It was clear that this trap wasn''t for him. Either that, or it was a trap for him by someone who didn''t understand him.

    Xu Shan''s mind raced with possibilities. Who could have orchestrated such an borate trap? And more importantly, why? Could it be a coincidence, or was there a deeper plot at y?

    As he pondered these questions, Xu Shan couldn''t shake off the feeling that he was being watched. It was a strange feeling.

    Resolving to find answers, Xu Shan decided to follow the trail left by the Snarlws. He wantedto make sure that he wasn''t missing something important.

    As he ventured deeper into the nearby forest, the atmosphere grew more foreboding, and an unsettling presence lingered in the air.

    A few minutes passed as Xu Shan moved stealthily through the undergrowth, his senses honed to their maximum. Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught his attention. He froze, noticing a figure darting between the trees ahead.

    Without hesitation, Xu Shan gave chase, his steps silent and swift. The figure was agile, but Xu Shan continued his pursuit with ease. As he closed in, he recognized the person��a woman, d in dark, form-fitting attire, her face obscured by a mask.

    The woman nced back, her eyes widening with surprise as she realized she was being pursued. Her steps faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained herposure and quickened her pace. Xu Shan knew he had to catch her, to get answers.

    The chase led them through a maze of towering trees, the canopy above blotting out the fading light of day. Xu Shan closed the distance, his instincts telling him that this encounter was important.

    He initially wanted to see where the woman was trying to get to. That''s why he didn''t catch her right away. Unfortunately, soon it became clear that she was just running away without any destination.

    Finally, with a burst of speed, Xu Shan lunged forward and tackled the woman to the ground.

    The woman struggled fiercely, her moves precise and calcted. It was evident she was skilled inbat. Unfortunately, she couldn''t gain an upper hand against Xu Shan.

    "Who sent you? What is the meaning of that attack?" Xu Shan demanded, his voice filled with curiosity as well as anger.

    The woman''s eyes flickered with defiance, but also a hint of desperation. "You''re mistaken. I had nothing to do with those creatures. I''ve been tracking them, trying to understand their sudden aggression."

    "Recently, those beasts started attacking all the merchants passing through the main route, which created lots of troubles for us. That''s why I came to check myself!" the woman eximed. "I sensed a powerful aura in this forest, and I thought it might be rted to their behavior."

    Xu Shan studied her, searching for any signs of deception. There yet.

    "If that''s the case, then why were you running? Why not approach was a genuineness in her voice and a sincerity in her eyes. Perhaps she was telling the truth, but he couldn''t let his guard down just yet.

    "If that''s the case, then why were you running? Why not approach me openly?" Xu Shan questioned, tightening his grip on her throat, making her gasp for breath.

    The woman grimaced, her voice tinged with frustration. "I thought you were behind the beasts and wereing to kill me after finding out that I was trying to find clues! I had to ensure you were not a threat before revealing myself."

    "Moreover, the feeling you give me is even more dangerous than the beasts. He couldn''t risk getting caught!"

    Xu Shan''s grip didn''t loosen even though his suspicion waned a little. He observed her carefully, searching for any signs of deception.

    "What is your name?" he asked, his tone more measured, while removing her mask, revealing a face framed by dark, cascading hair.

    "I am Lin Xia, a member of the Merchant Union, tasked with safeguarding the interest of our Union," the woman answered, her eyes filled with unwillingness.

    "Merchant Union?" Xu Shan frowned. "Even if I were to believe you, but isn''t it easier to search your soul to get the answers I need? Give me a reason to keep you alive. If you can''te up with a good enough reason, then..."

    The woman''s face paled as she heard his words. Even after knowing everything, the man still didn''t want to let her live? Her eyes filled with a trace of fear.

 Chapter 172 172: Heirloom

    ?

    "A reason to keep me alive?" The woman stuttered. "I-i can pay you for my life! I have money!"

    As the woman finished, she felt Xu Shan''s grip tighten around her throat. It was clear that he wasn''t convinced and this was his way of warning her.

    Gasping for breath, the woman desperately tried to gather her thoughts. She racked her brain for anything else that could convince Xu Shan not to kill her. Because from his expressions, it didn''t appear as if he was joking.

    "I-i can offer you my body!" As she was unable to think of something, she blurted out whatever came to her mind.

    Her eyes closed as tears trickled down the corner of her eyes. She wasn''t someone important. She only had a little bit of money that she had gathered as her life savings but even that wasn''t convincing. The only other thing that she had left was her body.

    Although she hated her immensely for this and was scared, she still went through and offered herself.

    Xu Shan watched the woman struggle to offer anything worthwhile. He didn''t care about money. He already had lots of money that he received from the City Lord. As for her body, he wasn''t the least bit interested in it.

    He thought that she could maybe offer something worthwhile his time, only to be disappointed.

    "What do you know about this crystal?" Xu Shan asked the woman, raising the pendant he had taken from the dead leader of the beasts.

    At the same time, he released the throat of the woman. Killing her was indeed much swifter, but it was also very bothersome, especially since she was of more use alive. The only reason he threatened her was to see if she had anything worthwhile to offer.

    The woman coughed and gasped for air, grateful for the sudden release of pressure around her throat. She took a moment topose herself, wiping away the tears from her cheeks as she tried to steady her trembling voice.

    Her mind was still very clouded, especially since Xu Shan released her after she offered him her body. She didn''t know if that was his intention. Did he really ept her offer? Was he really after her body?

    "I-it is my first time. P-please be gentle..." She stuttered, as she slowly started removing her top.

    "What the...?" Xu Shan froze for a moment, before flicking the forehead of the youngdy.

    "Ouch!" The woman rubbed her forehead, groaning in pain.

    "If you waste my time any more, then next time it''ll be a dagger and not just my finger," Xu Shan warned the woman. "Tell me everything you know about this crystal."

    The woman rubbed her eyes that were somewhat blurry. She wondered if he really was not after her body? He only wanted her to answer his questions? Or did he want to leave her body forter at night when he was free? Many thoughts confused her.

    However, for now, she shifted her attention to the pendant in Xu Shan''s hands. She tried taking the pendant from him to see from closer, but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

    The pendant had no effect on his mind. But he knew that the woman was mentally very weak.

    "It can control your mind. Don''t touch it," he warned the woman who was even more stunned.

    "Control someone''s mind? Where did you get this? Don''t tell me you got it from the..."

    "From the beasts," Xu Shan finished her sentence. "Someone was using this to control them."

    The woman grimaced. She observed the pendant from closer without touching it. Sometimes, she was even moved in Xu Shan''s arms, not realizing where she was.

    She waspletely immersed in observing the pendant in his hand from every direction.

    "It can''t be. This is impossible!" the woman eximed, taken aback.

    Xu Shan looked at her in surprise. He didn''t have much hope from her, but it appeared as if she knew what it was.

    "It''s from the Royal Family!" the woman eximed. "But what would it be doing in a ce like this?"

    "Royal Family?" Xu Shan questioned, his curiosity piqued.

    The woman nodded, her eyes glimmering with a mix of shock and surprise. "Yes, the pendant is a symbol of the royal lineage. It has been passed down through the generations as a treasured heir. I can''t be wrong!"

    "A mind controlling pendant was passed down from generations?" Xu Shan found it hard to believe. If that was the case, someone would''ve noticed long ago.

    "This shouldn''t have had mind controlling abilities! It was an ordinary gem! I remember seeing this in the portraits of the King! No Ancient King is ever portrayed without this Pendant!" The woman stated.

    She was really into history. Seeing a pendant that held such historical importance, she was so excited that she couldn''t even control herself. This was a precious part of history which could be the most expensive item ever sold if it showed up at auction!

    In her excitement, she reached out her hand, snatching the pendant from Xu Shan''s hand, holding it tightly in her hand

    However, as soon as she held the pendant, her expressions turned stale.

    "You killed my precious pets!" Her entire visage changed, as her voice turned heavy, as if someone else was speaking through her. "I don''t know who you are, but I will find you!"

    "Why wait forter? Why note to me right now? Unless you''re scared?" Xu Shan asked. He didn''t expect that the owner of the pendant would be able to talk through humans they controlled.

    He wasn''t even sure if the person who was speaking was rted to the Divine Queen or someone who worked under her. Was this trap of beasts really set up for him? He was sure it wasn''t that simple.

    The Divine Queen should''ve been busy arranging that formation in the Royal City. She wouldn''t be wasting time here.

    The person on the other side didn''t reply. However, Xu Shan felt a sense of danger at the moment. He had a really bad feeling about this. He jumped back, noticing the pendant shining brightly.

 Chapter 173 173: Second Meeting

    ?

    A terrifying energy rushed out of the pendant, flooding inside the body of the woman.

    Her face turned pale. She reached out her hand toward Xu Shan as if begging for help, but no words came out of her mouth.

    Her body started bloating from the sudden energy inside her body going berserker.

    Xu Shan used all he had. He brought out a protective treasure, and even cast a shield before him, as he moved back as fast as he could.

    Boom~

    An explosive sound shook the entire forest, as a person exploded in the center of the forest. The explosion covered a hundred kilometers wide area, destroying everything in its path. Trees disintegrated in the massive cloud of mes as the temperature increased to a terrifying degree.

    Xu Shan was thrown back by the force of the explosion, his protective shield barely managing to withstand the impact.

    As he crashed into a nearby tree, he felt the searing heat scorch his skin and the shockwave rattled his bones. The deafening roar of the explosion echoed through the forest, drowning out all other sounds.

    Coughing and struggling to catch his breath, Xu Shan slowly rose to his feet, his body aching from the impact. Fortunately, he wasn''t seriously wounded. It was only his clothes that were destroyed by the sudden explosion.

    Standing up, he surveyed the devastation around him, his eyes looking at the absolute destruction around him. The once lush and vibrant forest had been reduced to a charred wastnd. The trees that had once stood tall and proud were now nothing but ckened stumps.

    Amidst the destruction, he saw the remnants of the woman''s body scattered in all directions. It was a grisly sight, one that even made him shake his head.

    As the dust settled and the mes subsided, Xu Shan cautiously made his way through the destendscape, stepping over the debris and burnt remnants. The Explosion had surpassed his expectations. There was more to this than he had initially anticipated.

    This kind of explosion shouldn''t have been possible if it was an ordinary artifact. Even the strongest artifacts in the Celestial Realm didn''t have this kind of explosive power.

    Searching for any clues or remnants of the pendant, hebed through the wreckage. But to his disappointment, he found nothing.

    The explosion had obliterated everything, leaving no trace of the item or any answers to his questions. Frustration gnawed at him as he realized he was back to square one. The only thing he knew was the voice of the person who talked through the woman.

    Thanks to the woman, he also knew that this was rted to the Queen as well. He just didn''t know in what way.

    With a heavy sigh, Xu Shan decided to leave the ce. All the clues here were erased for the time being.

    He needed to gather his thoughts, reassess the situation, and perhaps find the answer in the Royal Capital itself.

    The destruction caused by the explosion had caught the attention of others, and he knew it wouldn''t be long before someone from the next City came investigating.

    As he made his way back from the devastated forest, Xu Shan couldn''t help but reflect on the events that had unfolded. The woman''s offer, the revtion about the pendant''s origin, and the subsequent explosion had left him with more questions than answers.

    Who was behind this? What was their motive? Was it truly a coincidence that those beasts attacked him? If he wasn''t the Target of those beasts, then who was?

    "I thought the pendant was a controlling device. But it was more than that. It was a bomb that could kill even a peak Heavenly Celestial when in close proximity."

    When he thought that the beasts weren''t for him, he hadn''t thought that they had ways to potentially kill him. This changed the entirendscape. This made it possible that the beasts were there for him in the first ce!

    If not for him, then definitely someone like him... Someone strong and dangerous, that the killer didn''t want to approach personally either.

    "Are they really on my trail?"

    As Xu Shan emerged from the decimated forest. Finally, the hot temperature had started returning to normal as he crossed the threshold of the Explosion.

    The road ahead was treacherous, and he knew he had to stay vignt. Little did he know that the path he had embarked upon was filled with even more peril and dark secrets waiting to be unveiled. The hunt for the truth had only just begun.

    ****

    Half an hourter, Xu Shan finally saw a glimpse of the next City. Along the way, he had also seen many flying figures going in the direction he came from. It was evident that they were going to investigate the Explosion that could definitely be felt at this ce.

    As he entered the city, the bustling streets greeted him with a mix of curiosity and rm. Many people here appeared cautious. They were all talking about the explosive noise they heard recently, along with the sudden earthquake that shook the entire city.

    Unfortunately, none of them actually knew what that was about.

    Instead of wasting time with the people, Xu Shan directly went to the Portal Point of the City. He knew all the points he had to take to reach the Royal City, thanks to the stolen memories.

    Near the Teleportation Point, he showed his identification badge. And after the authenticity was verified, he was allowed to pass through. Everything was much easier since the people didn''t know what had happened in the previous City.

    He entered the Teleportation Portal, reaching the City connected to the thread. He advanced from one point in the next City to the other for the right destination point. However, as he was on the way, he stopped, noticing a grouping out of the Portal that he was to take.

    It was a group of five, where every person was a High Ranking Heavenly Celestial. Moreover, they all had a Robe which had the Royal Symbol. Even their weapons had the Royal Symbol, different from the Royal Army members.

    Their presence alone was more heavy than anything he ever felt in this city. It was very close to the presence of the old man who had attacked him in the Alchemy World.

 Chapter 174 174: Royal City Of Spies

    ?

    The people were wearing the same attire as the old man who attacked him from the back. Moreover, their strength was also simr, if not stronger. Xu Shan had a feeling that he knew the purpose of these people.

    The information about the City Lord being killed was already transferred before he destroyed theirmunication device. These people were most probably sent by the Royal Capital to check.

    The Generals didn''t even try to hide their Suppressing Aura, as if they were showing their dignity to everyone who saw them. They were highlighting the difference between ordinary people and them.

    Most of the ordinary people felt suffocated, as if Death was staring at them. They couldn''t even raise their heads. On the other hand, the Cultivators also felt a burden on their shoulders which forced them to their knees.

    The Generals didn''t show it on their expressionless faces, but it was clear that they enjoyed the feeling of superiority. At the moment, only a few people were free of the pressure.

    One of them was the City Lord of this ce, and the others were the Guards who were there to protect the Portal. None realized it but there was one more person who was unaffected by the pressure.

    In the distance, Xu Shan stood with his eyes focused on the General. However, it was only for a moment. He didn''t want to fight them yet. However, he didn''t want to go down to his knees before these people to satisfy their ego either.

    Instead, he simply disappeared from view like a ghost.

    "Hmm?" One of the Generals couldn''t help but nce in his direction, seeing an empty spot.

    "Did something happen?" The other General wondered, looking in the same direction.

    "It''s nothing. I just thought I saw someone there..." The First General shook his head lightly. They talked with the City Lord for a few seconds, while the people in the surroundings kept suffering under their aura.

    After finishing the discussion, they were escorted by the City Lord toward the other portal to connect them further.

    Xu Shan reappeared a few meters away from where he had vanished, his presence undetected by the Generals.

    He watched as they were escorted by the City Lord, their Suppressing Aura dissipating with their departure. The weight that had burdened the people around him had lifted, and the atmosphere began to return to normal.

    Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Xu Shan realized that the arrival of these Generals confirmed his suspicions. The Royal Capital had indeed sent them to investigate the death of the City Lord. Their purpose was clear: to ascertain what had transpired.

    Unfortunately, they were in for a surprise along the way. The Last Portal was already destroyed, which meant they had to take the long route, dying their journey by a few days.

    Moreover, the City was already inmotion by this time, since their temporary City Lord was also kidnapped right before everyone. Now everyone knew that the killer had already left, which meant there was nothing to search in the city anymore.

    Shaking his head in amusement, he stopped thinking about the Generals and continued towards the Portal they had arrived from. It just meant he was on the right path on his journey to the Royal City.

    Once again, his high tier identity worked, granting him instant ess to the portal without any dys.

    From one point to another, he took multiple teleportation points, without a single moment for resting. And finally, he reached thest portal, from which could send him to the Royal City.

    He had traveled half the continent within a few days, a journey which otherwise would have taken weeks.

    As Xu Shan stepped through the portal, he found himself in a bustling city square, finally reaching his destination.

    The Royal City was a sight to behold, with its towering buildings, grand architecture, and the constant hum of activity. The air was filled with a sense of anticipation and ambition, as people from all walks of life pursued their dreams and ambitions in the capital.

    This was also the City of strong. Most of the strongest Celestial Warriors in this world lived here, since this was the most prosperous city, filled with treasures and opportunities for them. Even the Divine Queen herself lived in this city.

    Her Royal Pce was a sight to behold, which could be seen from every part of the City, as if always reminding the Citizens that their queen was always watching them and protecting this city from threats.

    Xu Shan blended into the crowd effortlessly, his nondescript appearance allowing him to pass unnoticed. He decided to take some time to observe his surroundings and gather information.

    He could already see how hard it was to approach the Royal Pce. There were multipleyers of checking along the way. No one could sneak inside either, since there were barriers that could alert of any unfamiliar presence that passed through them.

    It was said that even the Leader of the Shadow Hall couldn''t have passed through this without being detected. And destroying these formations was also impossible, since they were directly connected to the Divine Queen.

    This city... It wasn''t just a city. It was the Domain the Divine Queen. Everything in this city was within her control. Even for Xu Shan, it was almost impossible to reach the Pce.

    The city''s residents were loyal and devoted to the Divine Queen, and they firmly believed in her ability to protect and guide them. And indeed, under her reign, the city prospered in every aspect, from its flourishing economy to its harmonious society.

    That was why he couldn''t even approach any citizen to inquire about the Royal City. All the citizens here were no different than the fanatics of the Divine Queen.

    It was as if every Citizen here was her spy, which made it impossible to gather any information here. He knew that he had to be careful for the time being.

    However, he didn''t realize that his presence was already noticed by someone.

    ....

    "The person who destroyed the Crystal... He reached the city..." A furious voice could be heard in a dark room.

 Chapter 175 175: Fortress

    ?

    Xu Shan arrived in the Royal City which was the centre of power for the Divine Realm. This was also the biggest city in the entire continent that was only ruled by one Empire.

    Even though Xu Shan had justnded in the city, he could already see many gazes from strangers. Those subtle gazes were filled with suspicions, which was often the case for strangers.

    Usually, most guards didn''t check the identity of people who arrived from a portal since it was checked at the time of entry in a portal. However, in the Royal City, the Royal Guards directly under the Divine Queen checked once more, and even more thoroughly.

    Initially, Xu Shan had some suspicions that he might get caught if a thorough checking was to take ce. Fortunately, no ws were discovered and he was allowed to pass through the guards.

    In the city, his first objective was to look for a ce to stay, since he was going to live here for some time. There was a lot for him to learn before making his move.

    As he knew that most of the people here were fanatically loyal to the queen, he didn''t even think about asking any questions from them.

    Instead, he decided to use Soul Search on someer, possibly a Royal Guard since they were more knowledgeable.

    The Royal Guards here knew a lot about the security mechanisms and inner workings of the City. They at least knew more than the wife of a distant City Lord far away from the Royal City.

    As he walked in the city, his eyes kept observing his surroundings. The security in the Royal City was even more strict. The number of Royal Guards was even higher than anything he ever saw before.

    Every thirty metres, he could see one Royal Guard, not moving from their position. Moreover, all the Royal Guards were strong.

    Peak Heavenly Celestial was an ordinary sight in the city. Xu Shan could see hundreds of them on the street alone. It was understandable why the security was so strict, since an unsupervised battle within the city could harm the City a lot.

    The Guards were everywhere to maintain peace. If one even tried a fight, the party which attacked first was executed without any questions being asked. This was one of the rules of the City, along with a few which were even stricter.

    If anyone was caught talking bad about the Queen or spreading rumours about the Royal Family, they were publicly executed, along with everyone in their family.

    Soul Search was no different than killing the target. In a city that was so strictly guarded, day and night, Xu Shan wasn''t sure if he could even kill a person without being caught.

    "There is just no w in their security. It''s like every single inch of the City is covered by the guards. Just what is this ce?" Xu Shan thought in his mind, talking to Xun next to him.

    "Not just what you see. There are also formations that are watching everyone. I can feel it..." Xun replied, being even more sensitive to Celestial Energy than Xu Shan.

    "This entire City... It''s a fortress," she further stated. "That makes me wonder... If the City itself is so secure, just how secure would the pce be? It seems almost impossible for you to enter that ce, unless..."

    "Unless I use the Book?" Xu Shanpleted her sentence, before sarcastically stating, "Are you some kind of saleswoman or something? Don''t tell me you get Royalty every time I use it."

    He was in the Divine Realm. And the Queen''s fate was more impactful. Even making a minor change in destiny rted to her with his wishes was going toe at a heavy cost, which he really wanted to avoid.

    "If only I got Royalty. I would''ve been so rich," Xunughed, remembering all the time the Book was used by people in the past.

    She remembered how the Book was used by hundreds of people throughout the years. All those people that had left their mark on history in one way or another, but they all had one thing inmon. They didn''t stop when they should''ve.

    They came to rely too much on the Book, bing greedy with time. And in the end, they all had a tragic fate at the cost of their wishes. All their fates were tragic.

    Xu Shan continued walking through the city streets, lost in deep contemtion. He knew that the power of the Book was immense, but he was also aware of the dangers it posed.

    As he pondered the situation, Xun''s voice interrupted his thoughts. "Though you''re right about one thing. The Divine Queen''s destiny is intertwined with destiny and luck of this entire realm. Any changes you make using the Book of Desires woulde at a much heavier cost than usual."

    "I know," he replied with a sigh. " I came here with the intention of observing, learning, and understanding the situation before making any decisions. Unless needed, I will only be relying on myself."

    He stopped one person in the city, and asked them the direction for the nearest inn. Since it was a normal question, he didn''t have to be too careful.

    After getting directions, he went straight to the nearest hotel. Money wasn''t an issue, and he booked the most luxurious room in the inn for the entire week directly.

    The inn owner inquired about Xu Shan''s intentions of arriving in the city and other relevant details, which was duly recorded on a form.

    Xu Shan had already thought about all the stories, and told the Inn Owner a story about him being a businessman, here to look for business opportunities.

    The Owner didn''t find him suspicious, at least from how Xu Shan behaved like a newly rich youngster who inherited their family''s immense wealth and didn''t know what to do with it.

    He had seen many people like that, who came to the Royal City, thinking that they could be the next big businessman.

    "Onest question..." Just as Xu Shan went through all the answers to questions that he had known about, the Inn Owner further spoke, throwing him off his train of thoughts.

 Chapter 176 176: Necessary Commotion

    ?

    "Is there anyone you know within the city?"The Owner of the Inn asked.

    "None that I can recall," Xu Shan replied, before casually asking, "Do I need to know someone?"

    The man took a long nce, before noting thisst detail. "It''s fine. Here is the key to your room."

    The man gave the key to Xu Shan and let a worker show him his room.

    Xu Shan didn''t know why, but he couldn''t help but feel that something was off. Still, he followed the worker in the Inn to the room that was on the top floor.

    Only when Xu Shan left, the Inn Owner noted down hisst answer, at the top of the form. He handed the form to a worker and instructed him to deliver this as soon as possible.

    ....

    Curiosity gnawed at Xu Shan as he settled into the room. He couldn''t shake the feeling that there was more to this Inn than met the eye.

    He searched the entire room, to make sure that no one else was here, and no secret formations were ced here. Even though he found nothing suspicious, he still couldn''t help but feel that way.

    Xu Shan''s thoughts were still preupied with the strange encounter at the inn, but he couldn''t put his finger on what made him so uneasy.

    As he stared out the window at the bustling streets, he noticed a peculiar figure moving through the crowd. It was a hooded man, his face obscured by shadows.

    The man had a piece of paper in his hand as he moved hastily. Usually, most people on the streets didn''t care about the man. However, Xu Shan was different since he could see a glimpse of what was in the paper even from such a distance.

    The piece of paper was the same form which the Inn Owner had filled. However, on top of the paper, something new was written. There was one word, which wasrger than the others and it was right at the top.

    It was, "No."

    From what he had known through the memories, the forms were mostly formality and all of them were sent together in the morning. Which made those isted incidents even more strange. Why was the Inn Owner in such a hurry?

    Another strange thing was that the hooded man wasn''t going in the right direction either.

    "Xun, can you follow him and see where he''s going?" Xu Shan asked the Book Spirit next to him, only for her to shake her head. "I can follow him, but I can''t go too far from you. If his destination is far, I would fail and would have to return..."

    "I guess I''ll do it myself." Xu Shan opened the window, and jumped out.

    Hended gracefully on the ground below and blended into the crowd, keeping a safe distance from the hooded man. The streets were busy, but the man seemed to move with a purpose, weaving through the throngs of people as he nced around carefully.

    Xu Shan tried to maintain his distance while keeping the man in sight, careful not to arouse any suspicion.

    The hooded man led Xu Shan through the bustling city, turning down narrow alleyways and sidestreets, as if he didn''t want to be followed.

    Xu Shan''s curiosity grew with each twist and turn, and he became even more determined to find out what was going on.

    Eventually, they arrived at an inconspicuous building on the outskirts of the city. The hooded man knocked on the door, and after a brief exchange with someone inside, he was let in. Xu Shan stayed back, still hidden from view.

    Deciding to investigate further, Xu Shan looked around for an alternate entry point. He noticed an old window on the side of the building, and with a careful climb, he managed to slip inside without drawing any attention.

    The interior of the house was dimly lit, and he could hear muffled voicesing from a nearby room. Stealthily, Xu Shan approached the door, trying to make out the conversation inside.

    "Not bad..." one voice said, sounding familiar to Xu Shan.

    "He might be lying or pretending not to know anyone. We can''t afford any loose ends," another voice replied, sending a frown on Xu Shan''s face.

    It was the Inn Owner''s voice but Xu Shan was sure that he had seen the Inn Owner back at the inn. How could he be here? And even if he was, why would he send the form to himself using a person? It appeared more as if the man had a simr voice, or was rted to the Inn Owner.

    The voices were too hushed, and it was apparent that they were speaking in code to protect the secrecy of their conversation. Moreover, something seemed to be interfering with all Divine Senses in the house, making it even harder to listen.

    "How many days will he be staying?" One person asked.

    "More than we need," the person, who was handed over the Form, replied after going through all the details.

    "He will be upying one of the suites for a long time, but we should still be careful. We can''t fail. We''re very close... Any failure now would be disastrous," the person added, tapping their finger thoughtfully against the table.

    The more Xu Shan heard, the more he grew interested in their conversation. It was clear that these people were after him. However, he didn''t know why.

    From their conversation, it appeared as if their goal was something bigger than just him. It didn''t look like they knew about him killing a City Lord and more.

    Xu Shan couldn''t shake off the feeling that he was somehow connected to theirrger n, but instead of worrying about it, he felt pleased as the corner of his lips curved.

    He felt as if he could use them instead... In a city that was so tightly controlled, what he needed the most were just the people who could create somemotion in his stead.

 Chapter 177 177: Running Out Of Time

    ?

    The men in the room finished their conversation. Their footsteps came closer towards the door.

    The group stepped out of the room, not realizing that someone was right there just a few seconds ago. Fortunately, Xu Shan stepped out of the room at the right time.

    Xu Shan left the area and reached the inner area of the City, mixing with the crowd. The guards were different now, as if their shift had changed and different guards took their ce.

    Unfortunately, the guards were still so disciplined that they didn''t give any opportunity to Xu Shan to kill one. Even when the shifts were changed, the guards left together in groups, entering the Central area which Xu Shan wasn''t allowed to enter.

    While the Inner Area of the City was luxurious, the Central Area was even more secure with all the famous ns having a building there. All the Royal Guards also lived there. That ce was like a new world within the world itself.

    Unfortunately, that area had a barrier and entering it was almost impossible even for him, unless he broke the barrier.

    Casually, Xu Shan walked as close to the barrier as possible to observe just how strong it was and if he was to break it, how long it was going to take.

    To get to the queen, this barrier was his first obstruction. He could fool the portal points at this point, but his Identity Token wasn''t going to work on this barrier.

    The people who were given the permission to live in the central area were given a different pass.

    Moreover, in exchange for that pass, they were tied to a special rule. They were never allowed to leave the Royal City, no matter how urgent it was.

    It was a rule made to make sure these passes didn''t fall into wrong hands, since the Shadow Hall was still running rampant outside the Royal City.

    "This is going to be harder than I thought, especially since time is running out." After observing the barrier briefly, Xu Shan turned around, preparing to leave so as to not raise too much suspicion.

    However, as soon as he turned around, he froze. His eyes inadvertently went down to the bracelet in his hand that was given to him in the World of Alchemy.

    The bracelet had started shining on its own at the moment, which was only supposed to happen when his target was nearby. Xu Shan also felt the bracelet being attracted to something. Andthis attraction wasing from a direction that he never expected.

    Frowning, he looked towards the barrier behind him, resisting the bracelet trying to pull him in a certain direction.

    "She is alive... And she is in the Central Area as well. Is this a blessing or a curse?" He wondered.

    Since the girl was in the Central Area as well, that made things slightly convenient for him since he didn''t have to go around looking for her all over the continent. On the other hand, this was also a headache since both his targets were in the same area.

    ....

    At the same time, inside the Central Area, there existed a n. The Luo n spread for hundreds of thousands of miles. Although this was arge area, it wasn''t even one percent of the Central Zone.

    The n had hundreds of thousands of guards that were, each strong enough to destroy a lower world alone. However, the Real Members of the n were even stronger.

    It was said that the Great Elder of the n was the first person who supported the current Divine Queen when she took over the kingdom from her parents. He even supported her war.

    Thanks to his right decisions, the n got many benefits along the way, soon bing one of the biggest ns in the Royal City.

    Thanks to their closeness to the Royal Family, no one tried to offend them which allowed the n to grow to such an extent, even using crooked methods. The Queen simply ignored their actions since the Luo n knew their limits and never went overboard.

    Inside the grand, opulent halls of the n, a sense of power and prestige lingered in the air. The Great Elder, Luo Zhan, sat on a magnificent throne adorned with intricate designs and precious gems.

    He was an elderly man with a strong presence, his eyes sharp as if they could pierce through any deception. Beside him stood a middle aged man.

    Although the middle aged man was the current Patriarch of the n, that was only in name.

    In reality, the true power behind the Luo n was the Great Elder, Luo Zhan. The current Patriarch, Luo Jin, was merely a puppet figurehead, and he knew it.

    He had once been a promising warrior, but his potential was suppressed, and he was relegated to this position of authority by the Great Elder''s maniption.

    "What''s happening with the Girl? Did she break through?" The Grand Elder asked the Patriarch of the n. Even though he didn''t name the girl he was talking about, Luo Jin understood clearly.

    Luo Jin looked nervously at Luo Zhan. "Since we threatened her with her family members'' lives, she has been listening to everything we say. We used many precious resources, even injecting her with elixirs. Thanks to that, her growth has been going really well."

    "Soon, she would break through the Heavenly Celestial. However, since we forcefully strengthened her, her vitality has greatly decreased. It''ll get even worse when she breaks through the Heavenly Celestial. She won''t be able to live for more than a few days."

    The old man simply smirked in response.

    "Who cares about her life and death. All I need is for her to survive one night after she breaks through." He licked his lips, thinking of something.

    "Thanks to her Physique, once I sleep with her, I''ll be able to take all her Celestial Aura without harming my vitality. Thanks to that, I would definitely break through to the next level before the Divine Queen! Then this entire world will be mine!"

    He nced at the Patriarch of the n. "I am running out of patience. So do it faster! The more we dy, the more we risk the Queen finding out about it. That demoness is the only one who can threaten us."

 Chapter 178 178:Unease

    ?

    Late at night, Xu Shan returned to the inn. As he entered the inn, the Inn Owner was taken aback. He had never seen the young man leave.

    He scratched the back of his head, wondering if he was distracted by someone or just didn''t notice when Xu Shan had left.

    "Dear Guest, did you go out for a walk at thiste hour?" he asked Xu Shan.

    "I went out to get some fresh air. I must say, this city is very beautiful. Even though it''s my first time here, everything I''ve seen so far pales inparison." Xu Shan stopped before the Inn Owner, not revealing anything suspicious at all.

    "That is true." The Inn Owner innocently smiled. "This is a beautiful ce for sure."

    Xu Shan nodded in agreement before telling the Inn Owner that he was tired after a long walk and went straight to his room.

    As soon as he left, the smile on the Inn Owner''s face disappeared. He still didn''t understand how he didn''t notice when the young man left, since he had always been here.

    In the end, he could only drop the thought as it was clear that the man before him wasn''t suspicious in the least.

    ****

    It was two in the night. It was the time where most of the people in the city slept peacefully, under the embrace of the darkness of night.

    However, even at thiste hour, a group of people was secretly meeting the Inn Owner inside the Main Hall.

    "Is everything prepared?" The Inn Owners asked the people who covered their faces with a mask.

    "It is. Even though we wanted to take some time to observe him, it''s better to get it done fast," one of the masked people replied, his voice soundingpletely identical to the Inn Owner.

    The Inn Owner nodded. Even if they had brought the n forward a little, that didn''t change much. They could still take care of it easily.

    The man they were targeting didn''t have any friends or rtives in the city, and his strength wasn''t extraordinary either. Moreover, if he was targeted when he was sleeping, then it made things even easier.

    Still, even after all that, the Inn Owner still felt a sense of unease deep in his heart. Even he didn''t understand what that feeling was. It was as if there was a deep feeling in his heart which was telling him to not go forward with the n.

    His feelings were all over the ce. It wasn''t the first time he did this, but it was the first time he felt like this.

    In the end, he couldn''tpletely ignore his feelings. "Should we... dy the n? Ah, I think we should take more time to observe him."

    "Huh? After we went all this way, you want us to cancel? Have you lost your mind?" Another person scoffed in response. "What''s there to even think about? It''s an easy target which is rare toe by."

    The Inn Owners brother also nodded. "Dying it anymore would be a waste of time. As per the n, we only need one more. After today, we should have enough."

    The other masked people also agreed. In the end, the Inn Owner also agreed, suppressing his unease.

    With a heavy heart, he knew that the n had to continue. They had invested too much time and resources to back out now.

    The Inn Owner also ced a mask over his face. His calm and gentle eyes slowly turned into cold blooded as if they were the eyes of a professional assassin.

    He ced his palm over a small formation that was hidden behind the desk. As soon as his handnded on the formation, it started shining.

    A simr formation was activated in all the rooms of the inn. Slowly, a strange odorless gas began to seep out from the formation, gradually filling the rooms.

    The inn''s unsuspecting guests were unaware of the danger thaty before them. The gas slowly filled all the rooms, putting all the guests who were in sleep into an even deeper sleep.

    Thanks to the sleeping gas, the Guests couldn''t wake up before the morning and they weren''t even going to remember what just happened.

    "Everything is ready," the Inn Owner said. "Now all that''s left is to take him."

    The group of masked men, including the Inn Owner, gathered quietly, their breaths masked by the stillness of the night.

    They made their way up the stairs. Even though all the guests were in deep sleep, they didn''t get careless. Their footsteps werepletely silent, as if they had had years of training. Each of them carried an aura of darkness and ruthlessness, ready to carry out the task at hand.

    The Inn Owner stopped before the room that was assigned to Xu Shan. He brought out the second key of the room, and slowly opened the door.

    Inside the room wasplete silence, filled with the mysterious gas. However, the gas didn''t affect the masked men.

    As they entered the room, their eyes darted around, searching for Xu Shan''s figure. They found him lying on the bed, seemingly sleeping peacefully.

    His calm expression and a slow heartbeat made them certain that he was truly asleep under the effect of the gas.

    The Inn Owner stepped forward, still feeling a lingering unease in his heart. He had done simr tasks before, but this time, something felt off. If anything, that strange feeling was even stronger now that he was here, as if telling him to run as far as he could.

    He dismissed the thoughts, attributing it to thete hour and his own anxiousness. He motioned for the others to stay vignt and approached Xu Shan.

    Just as the Inn Owner reached out to grab Xu Shan, hepletely froze. His hand didn''t move even an inch forward.

    "What are you doing? Stop wasting time!" The Inn Owner''s brother frowned, watching his brother stop.

 Chapter 179 179: Unlike Me

    ?

    The other masked man stepped forward, frustrated at all the dys. However, as he stepped closer, even his footsteps stopped.

    The man on the bed who appeared to be peacefully sleeping was awake. His eyes were opened,zily ncing at them as if mocking them.

    "How are you still awake?" The Inn Owner stuttered. The gas was strong enough to even put the strongest person in the Royal City to sleep, yet Xu Shan waspletely unfazed.

    "And here I was wondering what tricks you were going to use. You can''t imagine my disappointment," Xu Shan''s calm voice fell in everyone''s ears,as hezily stood up, yawning.

    Even when there were so many assassins in the room, he appearedpletely uncaring.

    Xu Shan''s nonchnt demeanor infuriated the masked men, but they were too shocked to react immediately.

    "I know you are wondering how I managed to stay awake," Xu Shan said, stretching his arms leisurely. "Well, let''s just say I have my ways. Now, if you don''t mind, would one of you be kind enough to bring some tea for me?"

    The Inn Owner''s brother couldn''t hold his frustration any longer. "Enough of this! We won''t be fooled by your act any longer. So what if you are awake? That''s the extent of the help you can get from your tricks."

    "Even if you''re awake, everyone else in this inn is deep asleep. No one wille to help you even if you scream at the top of your lungs!" the second Assassin stated. "It would''ve been less painful for you if you had kept pretending to be asleep!"

    With a swift motion, he unsheathed a hidden dagger and lunged at Xu Shan. However, to his utter surprise, Xu Shan effortlessly avoided the attack, almost as if he had known it wasing.

    Before the masked man could regain his bnce, Xu Shan''s hand shot forward, striking a precise pressure point on his neck.

    The masked man''s body froze, and he dropped to the ground, unconscious. The other masked men, seeing theirrade defeated so easily, hesitated for a moment, but then they all rushed towards Xu Shan, their weapons at the ready.

    Xu Shan, however, remained calm andposed. He moved like a shadow, gracefully avoiding the attacks and striking back with precision. It was evident that he was highly skilled in martial arts, and each of his movements seemed effortless and calcted.

    Despite their initial advantage in numbers, the masked men found themselves struggling to keep up with Xu Shan''s agility and speed. One by one, they fell, either knocked out or disarmed.

    Strangely enough, Xu Shan didn''t kill a single person in the group, even though they had attacked him. It was as if he still had more use for them.

    The Inn Owner was cursing himself in his mind for not realizing that this was a trap. He finally understood that it wasn''t his intuition that was wrong. Instead, it was their stubbornness to not dy the n which was wrong.

    He understood clearly that Xu Shan wasn''t a merchant. Everything he said in the application was a lie! There was no way an ordinary merchant could take down the Assassins so easily.

    Unfortunately, it was toote to regret now. In the end, he himself tried to attack from the side when Xu Shan was distracted. ,

    He swiftly approached Xu Shan with a small Dagger behind him, but before he could even get close, he saw Xu Shan looking in his direction. A devilish smile appeared on his face.

    The Inn Owner felt his heart skip a bit as he dropped all the ns to attack. Instead, he ran toward the door.

    It was Xu Shan who picked up a dagger of the Assassins and tossed it back. The dagger stabbed straight in the Inn Owner''s left leg, making him fall with a thud before he could even reach the door.

    With all the masked men defeated, Xu Shan turned his attention back to the Inn Owner. The Inn Owner was now trembling, fear written all over his face.

    "Please... spare me," he pleaded. "Don''t kill me!"

    Xu Shan sat before the Inn Owner who was lying on the ground, blood rushing out of his legs, painting his pants red.

    "Don''t kill you?" he asked the Middle aged man, slowly removing the Inn Owner''s mask. "I wasn''t nning to. You are still of you to me."

    The Inn Owner''s face waspletely pale. Pain was clearly visible on his face.

    "W-what do you want?!" The Inn Owner asked. His intuition was again warning him. It was an even stronger feeling, as if he was being stared at by a snake.

    "I want the same thing that you want," Xu Shanughed in response, standing up. He walked back to the bed where he sat with one leg resting over the other.

    "I like your n quite a lot, and I want you to seed in it. However, I can''t sacrifice myself for your n. Take another guest from the Inn, and execute the n tonight. If you can''t, you can have one of the two fates..."

    The Inn Owner didn''t even want to ask what. He already had a sense of doom. What he really wondered about was how Xu Shan knew so much about their n. He wondered if the young man before him could read his mind or if he could see the future.

    Even though the old man didn''t ask, Xu Shan still told the middle aged man. "The first fate is that I''ll kill you myself if there''s a dy. And the second fate is that I''ll tie you and drag you to the Divine Queen to tell her everything about you."

    " I have a feeling that you would want to avoid that at all cost, because I heard she is quite ruthless when ites to killing people, unlike a kind person like me. Your death won''t be peaceful if she''s the one deciding how to deal with you."

 Chapter 180 180: Rebel

    Chapter180 180: Rebel

    "Y-you want to work with us?" The Inn Owner asked, stuttering in disbelief. Firstly, he didn''t understand why Xu Shan knew about their n.

    Even if he knew, it was surprising that wanted to work with them instead of exposing them to the Royal Guards and getting rewarded?

    "Who are you?" he asked.

    "You don''t need to know who I am," Xu Shan replied, as a knowing smile appeared on his face. "What you need to know is that I like your n. I won''t expose you. Instead, I''ll help you. So move forward with your n! And let this city burn!"

    The inn owner''s skepticism began to fade as Xu Shan''s confident demeanor began to win him over. He was even more convinced that Xu Shan wasn''t bluffing. From the young man''sst sentence, it was clear that he really knew their n.

    The Inn Owner nodded. To work with Xu Shan was better than dying.

    "Since we''re on the same page, you can drag your friends back. I won''t see you out." Resting one leg over the other, Xu Shanid on the bedfortably.

    The Inn Owner didn''t reply. He simply stood up, and carried the unconscious men out of the room, one after the other.

    "Oh, and onest thing before you leave..."As the man shifted thest unconscious man outside, he heard Xu Shan''s voice again.

    "You have one day only. If you can''t put your n in motion before midnight tomorrow, then I''ll go to the Queen and expose everything. So don''t waste your time."

    "Just one day, but..." The Inn Owner grew stunned. "The preparations can''t bepleted in one day. It takes at least five days after all the ''ingredients'' are collected."

    "That''s why we needed a person who didn''t have any family in the city, to not raise any suspicions when they went missing for five days."

    "Isn''t your only problem the source for energy that takes five days to gather? Use this."

    Xu Shan tossed a small scale to the Inn Owner.

    The Inn Owner caught the thing and then looked at Xu Shan, stunned. "Dragon Source...? Where did you find it?"

    However, seeing Xu Shan''s expressions, he closed his mouth. It was clear that the man wasn''t going to answer.

    "With this, we should be able to finish it by tomorrow! No, we definitely will!" The Inn Owner had excitement in his eyes. He didn''t have to be that careful anymore in his selection.

    With the Dragon Source at hand, their n could be executed in a short time. He felt grateful to Xu Shan, thanking him repeatedly before closing the door.

    The man then helped the other Assassins wake up.

    "Where are we? What happened to the battle?" The Inn Owner''s brother woke up, prepared to fight, only to find no signs of Xu Shan.

    The Inn Owner told his brother and the other Assassins everything after they woke up.

    "A dragon source?" The men looked at the scale in the Inn Owner''s hands, realizing that it wasn''t a dream or a lie. This was a real dragon stone! All of them felt greatly excited.

    With no time constraints, they all got to work. Instead of Xu Shan''s room, they invaded every room at the inn, and kidnapped the sleeping guests.

    It was unclear how they did it, but they transferred all the people to the outer part of the City, in an underground hall.

    The ce wasn''t far from the House where Xu Shan found them and heard their n. But what was more surprising was that this ce was underground.

    The underground hall was huge. Over five hundred people were lying on the ground at some strange formation points that covered the entire ce. All of them were alive, yet kept unconscious.

    The men only needed one more person to fill all the nodes, not instead of one, they got many more. At some nodes, they ced two people. Finally, all the nodes were filled and the only thing that was left was to activate the formation, which was usually going to take five days even with all their strength, but with the Dragon Source, things were different.

    With shine in his eyes, the Inn Owner ced the Dragon Source at the core of the formation and activated it.

    "We have waited so long for this moment. Finally it''s here!" The Inn Owner spoke, looking at the strange formation starting to shine.

    As soon as the formation activated, a Demonic Energy rushed out of the formation, slowly invading all the unconscious people.

    With more and more Demonic energy entering their bodies, the bodies started changing. They became bigger. Scales started appearing on their skin, and at times bones should be seening out of their bodies.

    It was a gruesome sight, yet no one was screaming, as if the unconscious people couldn''t even feel anything.

    ****

    "Tomorrow will be quite explosive. What a time to be in this city," Xu Shanmented, lying on his bed with his eyes closed. At the moment, he was the only person in the entire inn.

    "Do you think they would seed? Shouldn''t you have followed them to make sure they didn''t mess up?" Sitting next to him, Xun asked.

    "If I was to follow them, they would''ve been even more suspicious of my purpose. I''ll leave it to them. I have a feeling that they won''t fail. More than me, they want to seed," Xu Shan answered.

    When he arrived in this city, he didn''t expect there to be rebel forces who supported the Previous King and hated the current Queen. Let alone him, even the Second Princess didn''t know about this. It was a good discovery.

    He didn''t really think about helping these people. At the end of the day, his goal was only the Queen''s formation. But to get to that, he needed a distraction. And these rebels were the pawns for him.

    While the Rebel forces looked forward to the future where they would kill the evil Queen, Xu Shanfortably fell asleep.

 Chapter 181 181: Artificial Demons

    Chapter181 181: Artificial Demons

    In the Divine Realm, a bustling city known as the city where the Divine Queen lived, stood as a symbol of glory and supremacy.

    However, on this fateful day, dark clouds gathered overhead, and an eerie silence fell upon the city. The usually vibrant streets now felt cold, and the grand City stood shrouded in an ominous darkness.

    Even the Immortal Guards felt that something was wrong. They didn''t know why, but they felt a chilling sensation that they rarely felt before. It was as if their senses were warning them of danger.

    They looked around, failing to understand just what this feeling was.

    While everyone was looking at the dark sky, they all felt the earth tremble.

    It was as if this was an earthquake. Ground split apart all around the Royal City, and from the ground, came the Demonic Beings.

    The first demon emerged from the ruined ground. It was unlike anything the Immortal Cultivators had ever encountered before.

    Standing over ten feet tall, with razor-sharp ws and crimson eyes, it exuded an aura of malevolence that sent shivers down the bravest cultivators'' spines.

    For some reason, they also felt a familiar aura from those demons.

    Within moments, more demons poured out of the portal, each more terrifying than thest. Within seconds, over a hundred of these monstrous creatures now roamed the streets, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Buildings crumbled under their relentless assault, and the once vibrant cityscape was reduced to ruins.

    The Demons killed humans and Cultivators alike, destroying everything in their path, as they rushed toward the barrier of the Core City. To make things difficult for everyone, the Demons wereing from every side, as if they had surrounded the core City.

    The way they were killing people indiscriminately, it was clear that they didn''t have much intelligence. However, for them to still be so organized, the Immortal Guards felt that there was someone controlling them.

    They didn''t know if it was a demon or a human. One thing was certain. They had to stop these Demons if they didn''t want the City to be destroyed.

    Amidst the chaos, Immortal Cultivators rushed to defend their beloved city and perform their duties. Dressed in magnificent robes and wielding powerful artifacts, they disyed their strength. However, even their formidable abilities were barely enough to hold back the onught of demons.

    In the heart of the battle, Xue Lan, a young cultivator with fierce determination in her eyes, stood her ground against a group of demon brutes.

    She channeled her Celestial Energy, a radiant glow enveloping her body, and unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts that danced through the air. Though her attacks were potent, the demons proved relentless, striking back with savage ferocity.

    Even her strongest attack didn''t leave a single wound on the Demon. The Demon appeared right before her, swinging his giant ws to rip the woman apart.

    The Woman flew back, but the Demon moved fast. The woman knew that she couldn''t avoid the attack. She brought her hands together to create a temporary shield.

    The force of the Demon''s strike hit the woman''s shield with a thunderous impact. The shield shattered in an instant. The woman simply closed her eyes as soon as the shield crumbled, but at that exact month, she felt a hand on her shoulders.

    Someone pulled her back by her shoulder, appeared in front of her.

    The Woman fell in the back, stunned. When she came to her senses, she stood up and looked toward the Demon. She could see a man standing before the Demon.

    "General Xue!" The woman eximed, stunned. The man who had just protected her was the youngest General of the Royal Army. At the young age of thirty, he had be a General in the Royal Army. It was said that even the Queen paid quite a lot of attention to him.

    "These things aren''t something you can stop! Help others evacuate this area!" The General spoke.

    The young woman nodded. Usually, she couldn''t even see a man as great as him, but at the moment, the man was standing right before her andmanding him.

    She doesn''t know why, but with the man''s involvement, she felt that these Demons were going to be ughtered now! She felt safe in Xue''s presence.

    "Right away!" She eximed as she turned around, but at that exact moment, she froze.

    "Hu-" she couldn''t even make a proper noise before she felt the entire world turn upside down. A w sliced through her body. Blood sttered everywhere. The woman dropped to the ground, lifelessly.

    "You!" General Xue was taken aback. He was barely holding one Demon back, but now another one was here?

    "Just my luck," Xue sighed, shaking his head.

    With his left hand, he used a Sword to block the ws of the First Demon. At the same time, he brought out another Sword. He used a sword with each hand, willing to face both the Demons together.

    Someone had to hold them back since the other Guards were busy fighting other Demons.

    He didn''t realize that at the moment, not far from him, a person was sitting.

    On a distant roof, Xu Shan sat on the roof of the Inn, watching the destruction. He had a ss of wine in his hand, taking small sips as if savoring the taste. He neither felt happy nor sad. It was all a means to an end.

    His eyes were focused on General Xue, who was fighting alone.

    He expected the Demons created by the Rebel group to be strong, but this had surpassed even his expectations. It was much better than he expected.

    "I couldn''t have asked for anything better. I must say, they didn''t disappoint me," hemented.

    "Are you going to get involved?" Xun asked Xu Shan.

    The Demons were powerful and with each passing second, they went closer to the barrier of the core City. Moreover, the Warriors of the Core City weren''t prepared yet, since the barrier prevented them from feeling the dark aura as well. Thanks to the Barrier, their response was also dyed.

 Chapter 182 182: Involved

    Chapter182 182: Involved

    " These Demons are strong, but at the end of the day, they aren''t real demons. They are artificially created. If they were real demons, their strength would''ve been stronger than the Divine Queen herself."

    Xu Shan ced the ss of wine to the side, before standing up. He patted the dust off his clothes. "Of course I''ll have to get involved."

    ....

    Elsewhere, a group of cultivators attempted to protect the civilians, urging them to evacuate to safety. But the demons were relentless, and they seemed to target the weak with particr malice. Amidst the chaos, a mother clutched her child tightly, her eyes filled with terror as a demon closed in on them.

    Just as the demon lunged forward, a sh of silver caught its attention. Another powerful cultivator, her robes billowing in the wind, swiftly intercepted the attack, shing her sword against the demon''s wed hand. Her eyes zed with determination as she shielded the mother and her child from harm.

    It was clear that this cultivator possessed extraordinary strength and skill, yet the difference in strength of the Demon was evident.

    With each strike of her sword, she sent waves of energy rippling through the air, pushing the demon back. The mother and her child watched in awe and relief, their faith in humanity renewed.

    Summoning her strength, Lan leaped through the air, intercepting the demon just in time.

    She traded blows with the creature, her determination matched only by her will to protect the innocent. More Immortal Cultivators joined her in the battle, and together, they formed a formidable wall of defense around the vulnerable civilians.

    Over ten Cultivators were stopping a single demon while the woman ran away, holding her child tightly.

    As the day wore on, the city''s resistance showed no sign of faltering, but neither did the demons'' onught. The Immortal Cultivators were pushed to their limits, their resources strained as they attempted to subdue the relentless invaders.

    The energy of the Cultivation World hummed with tension, the sh between god-like beings reverberating across thend.

    Unfortunately, in the meantime, quite a lot of Demons had reached the barrier. Every other Celestial Warrior outside was busy in battles with the rest of the feelings.

    Just seventy percent of the demons had managed to hold back all the Guards in the Outer Zone, bringing the City to its knees. Moreover, not a single Demon was killed so far. Only a few had received significant wounds.

    The other thirty percent of the Demons stood before the barrier. Using their fists, they started attacking the barrier. Their strength made the barrier flicker with each passing second. No matter how strong the barrier was, but under the constant attack, it was clear that it couldn''tst long.

    Amidst a destendscape, the ground trembled with an ominous energy as two towering demons emerged faced Xue. While tens of Celestial Guards were needed to hold back a single Demon, Xue was holding back two alone.

    The eyes of Demons glowed with a malevolence that sent chills down everyone''s spine, and their colossal forms exuded a palpable aura of darkness.

    As the demons bellowed in challenge, Xue''s robes fluttered with a gust of his Qi. He drew his gleaming swords, their de crackling with electricity, and a confident smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.

    "Let''s see if you''re as strong as you appear!"

    His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins, as he faced the monstrous adversaries before him.

    Without a moment''s hesitation, Xue unleashed his power. He channeled his Celestial Energy, and the air around him shimmered with an otherworldly glow. In a blur of motion, he darted towards the demons, his movements as swift as a striking serpent.

    The first demon swung its massive w at him, but Xue expertly dodged the attack, his agility allowing him to evade the crushing blow.

    With a graceful spin, he counterattacked, his sword singing through the air. Arcs of lightning danced along its edge, slicing through the demon''s tough hide and drawing forth a roar of agony.

    A two inch deep wound was left on the Demon''s chest, but to Xue''s surprise, the wound healed right before his eyes.

    Xue was taken aback by the strange discovery. Not only were these beings strong, but they also had such powerful healing? He didn''t understand just where these people came from, without the City having any idea.

    It was as if they just appeared inside the city, out of thin air. He was clear that someone had helped these things invade but at the moment, he didn''t have time to think about that. He grabbed his Swords firmly.

    "Your healing isn''t bad. Though I really wonder if you''ll be able to regrow your head!" Xue revealed an intent to fight.

    The Demon let out a low growl. With a swift movement, it lunged towards Xue, allowing its instincts to guide its every strike. As the battle raged on, he noticed that no matter how grievous his injuries, the beings seemed to quickly mend themselves, their wounds magically closing.

    Xue tried to take off the head of one of the Demons, but it was proving to be much harder since the second demon kept interfering. He was sure he could''ve killed a Demon if the second demon wasn''t here, or if someone was here to hold the second demon back.

    The second demon lunged at him, its ferocity matched only by its hunger for destruction. It summoned dark tendrils of energy from the ground, attempting to ensnare Xue in a sinister trap.

    "You keep irritating me!" Xue roared, furiously, as he moved back to avoid the Second Demon''s attack while keeping an eye on the first Demon.

    "You look like you could use some help." While Xue was getting frustrated, he heard an aloof voice.

    Turning his head, Xue saw a man standing in the distance, with his back resting against a wall, as if he was enjoying a spectacle.

    The General looked at Xu Shan in confusion.

 Chapter 183 183: Cant ask for more

    Chapter183 183: Can''t ask for more

    The General was quite taken aback to find another person here, especially since he didn''t sense when Xu Shan even arrived here.

    "I don''t know about help, but if you can hold the other back for a few minutes, I can definitely end them both," General Xue told Xu Shan, his lips twitching in frustration.

    For Xu Shan to be able to approach him so easily, he was convinced that Xu Shan wasn''t weak. And even after all that, he was simply watching from the sidelines, waiting to be asked for health.

    It felt like arrogance and selfishness to the General, but he didn''t have time to pay attention to it. At the moment, he could use all the help he could need.

    "Since you asked so nicely," Xu Shan pulled out his daggers, approaching the General who was fighting the Two Demons.

    The General swung his sword, sending one of the Demons back by a few steps, but he still didn''t have a moment to rx. The other Demon attacked him.

    The First Demon also attacked him. For some reason, both the Demons ignored Xu Shan who wasing closer.

    The Demon swung his ws.

    "Can''t you-" the General spoke in frustration as he raised his other sword to block the second attack, but before he could finish, he saw Xu Shan appear before the Second Demon, blocking the attack with his dagger. Sparks flew everywhere.

    With a swift and calcted move, Xu Shan countered the Demon''s strike and unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes, forcing the creature to retreat.

    Meanwhile, the General used this momentary distraction to deliver a powerful blow to the First Demon, sending it crashing to the ground. The battle continued as the two men fought against the Demons, with their backs against each other.

    Seeing Xu Shan''s strength, General Xue finally felt that the situation in this ce was somewhat under control.

    With only one Demon to face, he could easily take care of it.

    He raised both his swords. A zing me started burning on the mes while the General used his Celestial Energy. At the same time, an Illusory Celestial Spirit appeared next to him, made purely from mes, having a humanoid figure.

    "It''s time for you to return to hell!" General Xue eximed, watching the Demon running towards him.

    Putting his all behind his attack, the General brought his swords shing down. A destructive wave of energy was unleashed, cutting through the air with incredible force.

    The mes from the Illusory Celestial Spirit intensified, enveloping the Demon in a fiery inferno.

    The Demon couldn''t even roar as his body split in two halves. The attack finally dealt enough damage to pass through all its physical defense.

    Even as the General used this much strength and felt tired, he knew that the battle wasn''t over. Now he had to take care of the other Demon who was being held back by Xu Shan.

    "I''ll help you," he spoke as he turned around, but at that exact moment, he froze in ce.

    His pupils trembled in disbelief as he lowered his eyes, looking at a dagger that had stabbed straight into his heart.

    A fair hand was holding on to the dagger. It was Xu Shan''s hand, whose eyes had no shred of pity.

    "You already helped me enough. I can''t ask for more," Xu Shan''s cold voice fell in the man''s ears.

    General Xue raised his hand. Even though his body was under the paralysis effect of the dagger, he still managedto raise his hand, grabbing Xu Shan''s throat. Unfortunately, as soon as his hand touched Xu Shan''s throat, he swung his other Dagger.

    An arm flew off in the air, falling in the distance. General Xue roared like a wounded beast, his voice mixed with pain and fury.

    Blood spurted from his severed arm, staining the ground crimson. Despite the excruciating pain coursing through his body, he couldn''t do anything.

    He could only watch as Xu Shan ced his hand on his forehead, "It''s nothing personal..."

    Xu Shan ced his hand on the man''s head, and used the Soul Search. Usually, it would''ve been impossible to search the soul of such a powerful person without being considerably stronger, but with the effect of poison and his already strained psyche, it became a lot easier.

    The man''s mind was in chaos which made the attack feasible. Xu Shan delved deeper into the man''s memories, searching for the information he needed.

    The man felt even more pain. He could roar in pain, but there was no one here to listen. At the same time, the Demon had also stopped attacking, and it was walking toward the barrier as well, leaving the two men behind.

    Thanks to his connection with the Inn Owner and the people behind this,Xu Shan was quite safe from these Demons. On the other hand, he took some extra steps as well.

    The Dragon Source he used for the Formation was bound to him, which made the Demons feel a connection to him, and not attack him as long as he stopped attacking them. They didn''t have enough mental aptitude to remember friendship or enmity.

    As Xu Shan finished searching the Soul of the man, he was taken aback. The man had a really interesting life. Even though he couldn''t be considered a child of destiny, but his aptitude was supreme. That''s why he had managed to reach such a level.

    Xu Shan wanted to read the memories of an ordinary soldier to understand the workings of the core City, but to his surprise, he found a General who knew much more.

    In the General''s memories, Xu Shan even saw the face of the Divine Queen, who the General had met a few times.

    "As expected, you didn''t disappoint me," Xu Shan spoke, as he took off his hands. The General simply dropped to his knees, his eyes nk.

    He was still bleeding, but he didn''t make a noise as if he couldn''t even feel it.

 Chapter 184 184: Purpose

    <h4>Chapter 184 Chapter 184: Purpose</h4>

    Xu Shan took a step back, gazing at the wounded General on the ground.

    The man who was filled with fighting intent...the man who rose to such a high position at such a young age... The man who received envy and worship from many citizens of the Divine Kingdom... The man who held his ground even against two artificial demons... He appeared so weak now.

    He was lying on the ground, not even knowing who he was.

    If given time or proper help, he could still be healed, but Xu Shan had no intention of helping him.

    He grabbed the man by his throat and entered an empty nearby building, disappearing from the open street.

    After ten minutes, he stepped out of the building. Back inside the building, the lifeless body of General Xue was lying on the ground. What was more peculiar was that his Celestial Spirit Mark of highest grade was missing now.

    "Is it just my misconception or I''m really starting to feel the taste of the Celestial Spirits?" Xu Shan wondered.

    He had noticed it quite some time ago, but whenever he devoured a high tier Celestial Spirit, he could feel a special kind of taste. The taste was nothing like he ever felt before.

    Every devoured spirit had a taste of its own. The only thingmon was that all those tastes were good and made him crave more.

    With a quick nce, Xu Shan noticed that the other Demon had left and was making its way towards the barrier of the Core City. But that was none of his concern anymore. Gathering his energy, Xu Shan flew towards the Demon. He had a small token he took from General Xue, along with some of his blood.

    At this moment, he didn''t need the barrier to be broken anymore, but themotion was still good for him.

    Along the way, he saw some people engaged in battle with the second Demon. Unfortunately, the warriors this time were much weaker than General Xue, which made them have a hard time.

    The City was as chaotic as it could be. And it became even worse since most of the Generals were out of the City. Some of them went to investigate the City where Xu Shan killed the City Lord while others went on trail of the Shadow Tower.

    Only a few were left in the core City area. Fortunately, by now they all sensed themotion outside, especially as the barrier around the city started cracking apart.

    The Generals still in the core region felt the strange aura seeping through the barriers in the cracks.

    They stepped out of their residences, only to find Guards rushing toward them, to alert them about what was happening outside.

    The Generals were quickly informed that the city was under attack by known beings.

    The Generals couldn''t understand how the City was invaded so easily. How did these beings enter the City? And more importantly, they felt furious that the Royal Guards failed to stop these beings from reaching the core barrier.

    They gathered together, exchanging concerned nces.

    Another General was inside the Royal Pce, having an audience with the Queen. The woman on the throne appeared to sense something, but she didn''t speak. It was as if she didn''t care about such small things, at least not to the point of personally getting involved.

    A Guard opened the door, intending to inform the Queen, but the woman on the throne gestured him to stop right where he was.

    "Tell the other Generals to handle it. If they can''t even handle this much, tell them to have an audience with me so I can personally kill them!" The Divine Queenzily spoke.

    The Guard respectfully stepped back, his back covered in sweat. He respectfully closed the door.

    The General who was on one knee before the Divine Queen was the same person who had attacked Xu Shan from behind, in the world of Alchemy. Even he appeared unphased about what was happening outside,pletely ignoring the constant earthquakes.

    He didn''t even dare to raise his head before the Divine Queen. In this world, there was only one person he was scared of, and that was the woman on the throne.

    "How''s the preparation?" the Woman asked,zily ying with a small crystal sphere in her hand.

    Not too far from the throne, there was an Ice Dragon Heart, ced like a decoration. It was the heart of the Dragon that had betrayed the kingdom a long time ago. It was the same Dragon that Xu Shan had tamed.

    The Dragon was killed right before Xu Shan''s eyes and he couldn''t do anything. Its heart was brought back to the Divine Realm by the General along with the Celestial Lotus.

    "The preparations are moving smoothly. The Formation is almostpleted, as per your instructions. But, as I don''t know what that formation is for, I can''t check if everything is done correctly or not," the General spoke.

    He still remembered the moment when the Divine Queen simply gave him the exterior of a random formation and told him to finish its creation. He had asked what that formation was for, since what the Queen gave him was something akin to an outer shell.

    The Divine Queen kept the core pattern to herself, which made all the difference.?Because of that, not a single person knew what that formation was for.

    When the General had asked her about the purpose of this formation, he still remembered her scary gaze. At that moment, he felt as if he was going to be killed if he didn''t stop. From that moment, he never asked again.

    "Just do the task I gave you. As for its purpose, all of you will know soon," the Divine?Queen spoke, as she looked over her loyal General with an air of invincibility around her.

    The General could sense that there was somethingrger at y, and he trusted that the Divine Queen had her reasons for keeping the core pattern a secret. With unwavering loyalty, he nodded.

 Chapter 185 185: Destiny Devourer

    ?

    The Generals outside were informed that the city was under attack. They were already about to leave when a guard came running, conveying the Queen''s words about how they were going to be killed if they didn''t sessfully deal with this matter fast.

    Hearing those words, the Guards started sweating. They rushed towards the barrier that had cracked beyond limit.

    They witnessed the chaotic scene outside. Unfortunately, as they reached the ce, the barrier broke right before their eyes, shattering entirely.

    The chaos escted as the barrier shattered, and the Demons flooded into the core City.

    The Generals felt a headacheing. They didn''t know how they were going to exin this. They couldn''t even protect the barrier on time, letting the Demons enter the Core Region.

    Even though they werete, they weren''t ipetent. All of them reacted fast. Even though the Number of Demons was higher than their numbers, but most of them decided to face multiple demons.

    They fought fiercely, overwhelming the Demons by their sheer power. Albeit the healing of the Demons made it harder. Buildings were destroyed, and the streets were stained with blood as the battle raged on, with many in the core area dying as a coteral damage of the battle.

    Amidst the chaos, Xu Shan observed the unfolding mayhem with a hint of amusement in his eyes. He had achieved his goal - to create a diversion and breach the core City''s barrier.

    "It''s a pity that I can''t use the pass of the General. But then again, there are more ces I can use it on." He yed with the pass he had taken from General Xue, before keeping it in his pocket.

    Now, he had no further interest in the Demons nor the City. He calmly turned away from the scene, his footsteps taking him towards the core of the City.

    As Xu Shan made his way towards the core of the City, he noticed the ns'' outer members joining the battle to show support, while the higher-ranking beings of the ns remained indifferent.

    A sense of disdain flickered across his face as he passed them by. He knew that these outer members were just pawns, and their disy of support was merely a show of face for their respective ns.

    On the other hand, the important beings of the n didn''t step out, as if this was beneath them. Another reason they didn''te out was because they believed the Generals were going to handle it themselves.

    It was nothing more than a waste of time if they were to leave, only for the battle to end by the time they got there. They didn''t take the enemies seriously.

    As he ventured deeper into the City, his eyes remained on the Pce in the distance. At the moment, this was the perfect opportunity to sneak inside, especially since most of the Royal Guards were busy outside, no time to keep an eye on people entering or leaving the core City.

    Meanwhile, back at the broken barrier, the Generals continued to fight valiantly against the relentless Demon horde. Though outnumbered, their experience and battle-hardened skills gave them an edge.

    They didn''t know that the Queen was looking at them. The Queen, standing on the balcony, observed the battle from the castle.

    "To think that they would struggle against these weak things," she muttered. "Such wastes."

    The Generals were slowly defeating the Demons, but not in an effective manner. The damage to the City was too much.

    Seeing that damage, the Queen also couldn''t stay idle, since her formation was spread throughout the core region of the City. Any damage could spoil the entire thing, forcing her to start from scratch.

    She had thought that the Generals would at least bepetent enough to know that they had to bring the Demons outside the core region, but she understood she overestimated them.

    She rose in the air, flying towards the border of the core City and Outer Zone.

    In a blink of an eye, she appeared high in the sky. Feeling her presence, the Generals looked up. They could feel that she was angry.

    Not just them, but the Demons also looked up. Even though they were turned into artificial demons, at their core, they still had the instincts of a human. They felt threatened.

    Before anyone could react, close to hundred Heavenly Swords appeared high in the sky. Every single Sword was over five meters long, made from the Celestial Energy.

    Xu Shan stopped in his tracks, looking at the woman in the sky. The Woman held a ck book in her hand. Just a single nce at her, and Xu Shan knew who that woman was.

    The sky trembled as the hundred Heavenly Swords descended upon the chaotic battlefield, their des glimmering with an eerie ck aura.

    The Demons and Generals below were paralyzed by the overwhelming pressure emanating from the Queen''s powerful attack.

    The Queen''s eyes gleamed with fury as she shouted, her voice echoing across the City, "You ipetent fools! I entrusted the protection of this City to you, and yet you let it be overrun by these abominations!"

    The Generals knew they had angered the Queen. They could only keep their heads down in regret. Fortunately, the Woman had no intention of attacking them.

    Demons were not so fortunate. Many of them were caught in the onught and were obliterated on the spot.

    Xu Shan, witnessing the carnage from afar. This was the strength of the Divine Queen, the woman who stood at the peak of the Divine World.

    He tried observing the Divine Queen with the Book of Truth, but because the woman had a book as well, it didn''t work. The interference was just too much.

    All he could see was the basic information.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Species: Mixed

    Strength: Half Step Immortal Celestial

    Special Trait: Hated by the Heaven, Destiny Devourer

    Warning: Don''t approach. Danger!

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    As the Queen continued her relentless assault from above, Xu Shan slipped into the shadows, making his way stealthily toward the Pce.

 Chapter 186 186: Who?

    ?

    Back on the battlefield, the Generals finally managed to find a momentary respite as the Divine Queen took over the battle, starting his onught.

    She didn''t need a tactical n. Her strength was brutal, a sight that most people had never seen. All the citizens watched the Swords falling from the sky, as if it was a punishment from heaven itself.

    The Demons that appeared invincible to the ordinary citizens were nowpletely helpless, overwhelmed by the sheer force and power of the Divine Queen''s onught.

    The humans who were wounded, the humans who were hiding, the humans who had lost their loved ones to the demons, everyone looked up. Some had tears of happiness in their eyes, looking at the Divine Queen as their God and Protector.

    Others stood in awe, their faith and hope rekindled, believing that maybe, just maybe, this Nightmare was soon going to be over.

    The Demons had a strong skin and a healing skill, yet it was all useless at the moment.

    Every Single Demon fell on the ground, cut in two halves because of the Giant Swords.

    The Demons could neither run, nor protect themselves. One of the Demons reached out his hand to block the Sword of Aura. Unfortunately, his hand was sliced off and the Demon let out a blood-curdling scream of roar and despair. His roar didn''tst long as the sword sliced his head next.

    Within seconds, everything was over. Even the Guards could only watch in awe.

    Feeling the Divine Queen''s aura that could be felt over the entire city, the Various ns Leaders were shocked.

    "That woman went there herself?"

    The Leaders couldn''t believe that the woman went there herself. They had intentionally sent their ordinary n members to aid the Royal Guards because they didn''t think this was beyond the control of the Royal Guards.

    But now the entire situation was different. The Queen herself went there, which only showed how much she paid attention to this matter. They could only imagine how angry she was going to be if she was there and saw that ordinary n members were sent there.

    The Leaders, Elders and even the Ancestors of various ns flew out, rushing as fast as they could be. They knew that the Queen''s presence meant that the situation had escted to a dire level.

    Even they were scared to face her anger.

    As the Leaders of various ns arrived at the ce, they were greeted with a sight of absolute devastation. Many of the buildings were destroyed in the ce, and death could be felt in the air. It was worse than they expected.

    The bodies of the Demons were lying everywhere, with not a single one of them left alive.

    All the Leaders looked at the Queen who stood tall, her robe gleaming in the sunlight, radiating power. However, her attention wasn''t on them. She wasn''t even looking in their direction even though it was evident that she had sensed then.

    The n Leaders looked in the direction where the Queen was looking. In that area, not many people were present. Even the number of dead bodies in that zone was really low. The body of a Demon was lying there.

    The way that Demon died was different from the way all other demons died, which made it certain that there was another person who killed one of those demons. It was clear that someone had stopped the Demon, giving people an opportunity to escape.

    They really wondered who killed him. If the Demons were so strong that the Divine Queen had toe out, then they really wondered who did it.

    The n Leaders hesitated a little before approaching the Queen to respectfully greet her, hoping that she wasn''t angry at them.

    They flew closer, but instead of looking at that, the Divine Queen still looked in the same direction. There was a frown on her face.

    The n Leaders stopped next to her. They opened their lips to greet her, but before they could utter a single word, she flew away. Her speed was something that they couldn''t evenpare. It was as if she just disappeared.

    They looked all around, trying to find her. But in the end, they only found her next to the Demon''s body in the ce she was looking at.

    She wasn''t looking at the Demon though. It was clear for her who had killed that Demon, but something else caught her attention.

    She stepped inside the nearby abandoned building. The n Leaders just looked from the distance, unable to grasp what was happening to her. This time, they didn''t follow after her.

    Inside the building, the Divine Queen stood in silence, looking at the body of a young man. The man was her General. She also remembered him a little as he was somewhat talented.

    Usually, she wasn''t one to frown if a General had died as that only meant they were weak and couldn''t defeat their enemy. But her attention was on the left arm of the man at the moment.

    Since she saw the man before, she knew that he had a high grade Celestial Spirit and his Spirit Mark was on his left hand. However, at the moment, his left hand waspletely nk.

    Frowning, she stepped closer. She ced the man, trying to see through his memories. Usually, it was impossible to see the memories of a person if they died, but that didn''t deter her.

    She ced her hand on the forehead of the Young General. The ck book in her hand shone mysteriously. After a few seconds, she stepped back, still frowning.

    She could see the memories of a dead person, but that didn''t work here either. The General''s mind was already destroyed with Soul Search before he was killed, which left no memories at all. Moreover, too much time had passed since he died, and couldn''t be helped.

    "Who...?" She pondered, her eyes remained fixated on the left arm of the man.

 Chapter 187 187: Equations

    <h4>Chapter 187 Chapter 187: Equations</h4>

    The ability of stealing someone''s Celestial Spirit was something she had. She could steal someone''s Celestial Spirit with the Book that she always carried, and that''s why she knew just how strong this ability was.

    Even when she used the book and stole someone''s Celestial Spirit, she couldn''t erase their soul mark. She could only erase the Stars in their Celestial Spirit Marks. At best their marks were left a little faded, but in your case, the entire mark had disappeared.

    It was as if someone devoured the entire Celestial Spirit which even she couldn''t do. Some unknown person possessed an ability, simr to what the mysterious book granted her! And that person was watching the City at the moment, remainingpletely under her radar.

    For a moment, she thought if it was another heaven''s chosen.

    In her life, she hade across multiple Children of Destiny, and she had killed almost all of them, attracting Heavenly Oath Wrath. Her negative karma was already in the hundreds of thousands.

    She was the demon that had destroyed the fate of this world by cutting the journey of these heroes short. So it made her think if it was really about a person like that.

    She seriously considered the possibility, but in the end, she brushed that thought off her mind. A Heaven''s Chosen wasn''t supposed to have such a Demonic Power, even if it was to kill her.

    "Who are you...?" She asked as she turned around. "Is this really just a coincidence that you''re here at this time? Or do you know more than you should?"

    Her expressions were quite serious. Her n was already in motion and the Formation was about to bepleted. She also had the Celestial Lotus.

    Usually, a Celestial Lotus would''ve been destroyed after a few days if it wasn''t stored carefully or used right away, but she already had a method prepared.

    Everything was on thest stage and the appearance of someone like this at this moment made her concerned for the first time in a long while. She pondered if he knew about the Grand Formation and her goals.

    "There''s no way for anyone else to know... But there are many things in this world that defymon sense. I can''t stay under the assumption that the person won''t know about it. I must increase the security around the Formation."

    The Divine Queen stepped out of the building. Her mysterious force carried the lifeless body of Xue in the air behind her.

    Seeing the body behind her, the n Leaders were even more shocked. Theynded next to the Queen. A General had also died in this? They never could''ve expected an oue like that.

    Since the Demons were dead, the Citizens had alsoe out. Seeing the dead body of General Xue, they fell to their knees. If they were alive at the moment, it was all because of him. They couldn''t believe that their Savior had died at the hands of a Demon.

    Only the ones who were close to the body knew that it wasn''t the case. The wound on his chest wasn''t from the Demons. It was made from a dagger... A sharp dagger.

    Mixed in the crowd was also the Inn''s Owner. He came to see the fall of the City and the Death of the Queen, but he didn''t expect an oue like this.

    Even the Artificial Demons failed before her. Let alone fail, they couldn''t even stand a single second before her.

    Their hearts were shaking. This was the person they had to kill to free their Kingdom!

    His eyesnded on General Xue. Noticing the dagger wound on the man''s chest, his pupils trembled. It hadn''t been long since he saw a dagger user who defeated all of them without even making any noise. He had a feeling that the same person killed General Xue!

    What they and their Demons failed to do, was done by the stranger.

    ''Just who is he?!'' He frowned, but deep in his heart, he felt ted. Xu Shan had killed a General and he was definitely destined to sh with the queen. Their demons failed, but that didn''t mean the n was over. They could still work with that man and help him kill the queen.

    Unfortunately, he still didn''t know just what Xu Shan''s real goal was. He thought that Xu Shan wanted to take Revenge on the Queen as well. The Queen hadmitted many atrocities throughout the world after all. He really hoped that it was that case but in the back of his mind, there was another thought.

    What if Xu Shan wanted to take out the Divine Queen only to take over the Empire for himself. If that was the case, was he any different than the Queen? To that question, he convinced himself that the answer was yes.

    Even if Xu Shan took over the Empire, it was better than the Divine Queen who had the blood of her family in her own hand. The Rebels hated the Queen the most in the world. For them, literally anyone was better than the Queen to rule over the Empire.

    Moreover, Xu Shan wasn''t an indiscriminate killer. He was convinced of that when Xu Shan let them live even after they all tried to kill him. That showed that the man wasn''t?just a rageful person who was killed without reason.

    ****

    While the Inn Owner was going through many unclear emotions, Xu Shan walked past the areas that were usually heavily guarded.

    As he moved further, he sensed his bracelet react, particrly when he walked past a certain n estate.

    The estate was huge, spread for hundreds of acres, with lush gardens and intricate architecture.

    He looked at the estate, realizing that the girl he had to save was in the estate, and she was still alive. Still, he didn''t enter the n. He had something more important to do.

    He dashed past the n and continued towards the Royal Pce.

 Chapter 188 188: A Present

    ?

    The Royal Pce... It was a grand and majestic structure that looked over the city. It was ced in the centre of the Core Area of the City.

    It was a ce where only the strongest of the strong were allowed to enter. Many people in the Kingdom dreamt of one day meeting the Queen and working for her.

    This was also the ce where Xue was robbed of her Celestial Spirit and the previous king entrapped in the cer.

    As the sunlight reflected off the pce''s glistening towers, the pce appeared like it was a pce from heaven.

    Xu Shan came closer to the Pce. Unfortunately, this ce was very secure. Along the way, he hadn''t seen guards as all of them had left the core area to deal with the Demons, but it was different for the pce guards.

    Even though the entire city was void of the Guards, the Pce was still heavily guarded, with each of the guards being strong.

    Xu Shan circled the Pce Premises to find the weakest point in the defensive line to take advantage of.

    After carefully analysing the situation, he noticed a slight gap in the eastern side of the pce where the guards appeared to be more rxed and less attentive. This appeared to be the weakest security point. All he had to do was take out the guards and enter the pce.

    That also made sense. None of the Guards here thought that someone could dare to enter the Royal Pce. Only dumb people could have a n like that ording to them. Even the biggest enemies of the Queen never dared toe to this ce.

    With the terror that the Queen struck in her enemies'' heart, almost everyone knew that defeating her was impossible, especially in her pce, which was under her absolute control work formations, most of which were unfamiliar to even the ones who created those formations on the Queen''s instructions.

    Xu Shan brought out a ck mask, and ced it over his head, only his deep eyes visible through the map. His long hair elegantly came falling behind her.

    With each step he took, his ck robe elegantly swished behind him, blending seamlessly with the shadows of the pce corridors.

    The daggers that took the life of GeneralXue merely a few minutes ago, appeared in his hands. They didn''t have a single trace of blood.

    He knew that the slightest mistake could spoil everything, but he was determined to seed. He moved with calcted steps, making sure to stay in the shadows and avoid the guards'' line of sight.

    The guards at the weak point seemed oblivious to his presence, their attention likely dulled by the false sense of security within the pce walls.

    Xu Shan silently approached the first guard, his daggers gleaming in the dim light. With swift precision, his dagger sliced through the guard before he could raise an rm.

    This red line appeared on the Guard''s throat. He grabbed his bleeding through but he couldn''t let a single word out.

    As the guard fell to the ground without a sound, Xu Shan''s confidence grew. He moved to the next guard, his movements fluid and graceful. One by one, he killed the guards, making sure to do so silently and swiftly. He knew that his window of opportunity was limited.

    With all the guards at the weak point taken out, Xu Shan took a moment to catch his breath. He knew that the hardest part was yet toe�� infiltrating the pce itself. He nced at the imposing entrance, its grandeur matched only by the challenge it posed.

    General Xue had entered the pce a few times but he only had limited knowledge. He only knew where the Throne Room was, where he met with the Queen. Other than that, his knowledge was also iplete.

    Other than the memories of General Xue, the other thing that Xu Shan had was the information given to him by the Sister of the Divine Queen.

    With a determined resolve, he slipped through the entrance and entered the pce''s opulent halls. The intricate tapestries, borate chandeliers, and polished marble floors were a stark contrast to the shadows he had been navigating just moments ago.

    Despite all the extravagant interior, Xu Shan felt that the Pce appeared quite ordinary, especially from inside the Pce. Comparable to the ces he had seen, this ce didn''t impress him in the least, especially for being the Royal Pce of the only Kingdom in the Divine Realm.

    He followed thebyrinthine corridors, his ears attuned to the slightest sounds. As he approached the heart of the pce, he knew that he was getting closer to his ultimate goal.

    Along the way, he came acrossmany Servants in the Pce. Albeit, this time he didn''t care about hiding.

    Those who came across found themselves on the ground before they could even make a sound. After killing them, he didn''t leave a single body behind. He kept the bodies in his storage ring.

    Along the way, he came across the turn that was supposed to take him towards the Cer where the King and other powerful enemies were trapped. Looking in the direction, a smile spread across his lips.

    He had already seen the Queen kill the Demons. It was only a matter of time before she was toe back.

    He thought about giving her a weing present. He had a feeling that these people couldn''t kill her. She was quite strong, but they could at least keep her busy until he found the Celestial Lotus.

    He was strong, but not to the point that he could face the Divine Queen, especially after all the Celestial Spirits she had absorbed. The only method to get stronger in a shorter time was to awaken his Second Celestial Spirit, but he needed time to find the Celestial Lotus.

    Xu Shan''s deep eyes scanned his surroundings, taking a turn towards the Prison Cells. His demeanor calm andposed.

 Chapter 189 189: Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 189 Chapter 189: Freedom</h4>

    Xu Shan''s heart raced as he stepped into the opulent but ominous pce. Dim torches lined the corridor, casting flickering shadows on the marble walls.

    He knew that this ce was a fortress of treachery, but he had a mission toplete: rescue the prisoners and create a distraction that would enable him to handle other matters.

    His keen eyes scanned the surroundings, detecting minute irregrities in the otherwise wless floor.

    With each step, he gauged the pressure points and avoided pressure tes, mindful of any hidden mechanisms. He had learned about the traps meticulously, but reality was always more formidable than ns.

    As Xu Shan advanced cautiously, a faint click echoed in the corridor. His pulse quickened as he looked down, realizing that he had triggered a trap.

    Spikes made purely from dark energy shot out from the walls, narrowly missing him. Frowning, he continued onward, feeling the urgency.

    A series of chambersy ahead, each more treacherous than thest. In one room, a grid of dark aura crisscrossed the space, the patterns intricate and lethal. With a deep breath, Xu Shan used a polished piece of metal from his utility belt to reveal the dark aura'' paths, his body contorting gracefully as he navigated through the perilous maze.

    In another chamber, the floor seemed to be covered in harmless tiles, each adorned with intricate symbols. Knowing better than to underestimate the pce''s cunning architects, Xu Shan used a cloth to wipe away the dust, revealing faint discolorations on certain tiles.

    He memorized the safe path and stepped carefully, muscles tense, ready to leap away at the slightest hint of danger.

    The passage led him to a grand hall with towering statues lining the sides. His heart remained calm as he recognized the statues'' purpose..

    Swiftly deducing their mechanism, Xu Shan hurled a handful of pebbles toward the statues, skillfully avoiding the pressure tes and activating the sentinels. The room erupted into chaos as the massive stone figures started shooting bolts of fire at each other.

    Seizing the opportunity, Xu Shan sprinted through the chaos, his lithe form moving like a shadow. He reached a massive door intricately carved with runes that seemed to shift and change.

    "Just how much protection does this ce have? What is the Queen so worried about, for making so many protection mechanisms? Just what is she hiding here?"

    Focusing his mind, he deciphered the riddle hidden within the runes, reciting the answer under his breath. With a low rumble, the door swung open to reveal a spiraling staircase descending into darkness.

    The dungeon below was damp and gloomy, the air heavy with the scent of despair. The sight of the prisoners, huddled in their cells, spurred Xu Shan onward.

    Using his dagger, Xu Shan sliced the bars of the Prison, freeing the prisoners in the first cell.

    Xu Shan didn''t speak a single word to them about why he freed them. He didn''t even care which cells had the King and which had ordinary prisoners. He was nning to free everyone. The more people there were, the more chaos there was going to be.

    He swiftly freed them and moved over to the next cell.

    One after another, he kept freeing the prisoners. The deeper he went into the cer, the more he felt something. There was a strange aura that felt familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.

    Moreover, the aura of the prisoners was also getting stronger. More powerful prisoners were kept in the deeper cells.

    They were the warriors who had troubled even the Queen during her conquest. They included the top Generals of the Empires that she took over one after another.

    There were also many Kings who were known for their strength and talent throughout. But in a long time, no one had heard of those Kings. All of them were kept in the cells. More importantly, many leaders of the Shadow Tower were kept in the cells.

    It was said that no one actually knew just how many people were in the cells or who they actually were.

    No one knew why the Queen didn''t kill them directly, instead of keeping them in the cells. Some said that it was because she didn''t want them to have a quick and easy death. She wanted to torture them.

    However, Xu Shan knew the answer. He knew that the Queen only kept them alive because they were of use to her. It was all because of the formation that she was creating. If she killed these people, that was a loss for her.

    With the Formation, she could absorb everything from them, even what she couldn''t absorb through the book alone. They were like the sacrifices prepared by her for her end goal. That''s the only reason she kept them alive.

    By freeing them, Xu Shan clearly messed with her goals.

    As the freed prisoners slipped away into thebyrinthine pce, Xu Shan continued going deeper and deeper into the cell.

    Soon, he was freeing the powerful generals who looked at him in confusion. They were sure he wasn''t working with the queen. She didn''t need to use such tricks for them.

    "Who are you?" One of the Generals asked.

    "If you have time to ask these questions, then you also have the time to free more people. Don''t waste time."

    Xu Shan''s voice carried a sense of urgency and determination, urging the generals to follow his lead.

    Usually, the general would''ve been furious to see a youngster talk to them like this, but at the moment, they knew that he was right.

    As they were free from the shackles, they were able to use their strength.

    Together, they navigated the dimly lit corridors, unlocking cell after cell and liberating the captives who had been unjustly imprisoned. As the numbers gr

    ew, so did the momentum of their rebellion.

    With the help of Generals, Xu Shan freed more and more people. His speed also increased.

    He left most of the cells to the Generals and rushed to the deepest area.

 Chapter 190 190: Third Cell

    <h4>Chapter 190 Chapter 190: Third Cell</h4>

    Most of the Prisoners that were freed didn''t work together. Even though they had amon enemy, they were still part of different factions.

    Most of the independent prisoners rushed out of the Cer Area without caring about others a single bit. They didn''t care if others were free or not. More than that, they were worried about the Queen who might return.

    Even though they hated her to the core, they knew that they couldn''t do anything. They left that for others to handle and escaped.

    On the other hand, the upright Warriors from Various Abolished Kingdoms stayed behind. Unlike the ones who escaped, they were wiser. They knew that strength was in numbers. The only way they could survive was if they freed every single Prisoner and worked together.

    Even amongst the ones who stayed behind, the Kingdoms freed their own people and the Shadow Tower members freed their own people. They were willing to fight together, but all of them wanted to free their people at the earliest instead.

    Not caring about them a single bit, Xu Shan reached the depths of the Cell.

    Unlike the other cells, thest three cells were the most unique. No one could see through the metallic doors. There were no bars. It was like someone wanted to even cut off the ess of light for these people, making sure that they spent the rest of their lives in eternal darkness.

    Xu Shan stopped before the third floor, swinging his dagger to cut the lock. Unfortunately, the lock proved to be stronger than he anticipated.

    After several unsessful attempts, he decided to try a different approach.

    "It won''t break." As Xu Shan stepped back, a heavy voice came from within the first cell.

    "Is there a way to break the lock?" Xu Shan inquired, stepping closer to the cell.

    The person on the other side of the door didn''t reply. He remained seated with his back against the wall, looking at the darkness.

    "The Queen''s Blood," the person inside the Prison replied. "You can''t free me. Let alone get the Queen''s blood, even if you manage to get within five metres of her, I''d be surprised."

    "The Queen''s Blood?" Xu Shan repeated. His mind raced, thinking back to something.

    He brought out a small vial of blood from his spatial storage. It was the blood he gathered from the Queen''s sister to break the Restrictions on the Celestial Lotus, never expecting this was going toe in handy in this situation as well.

    He opened the vial, and dropped only a single drop on the lock to test.

    The blood fell on the lock. Even though it wasn''t the Queen''s Blood, it was still recognized as that. A clink resounded and the lock broke right before Xu Shan''s eyes.

    Even the person inside the Cell was taken aback to hear that sound. How could the person on the other side free him? How could he have the Queen''s blood? Was he working with the Queen? Was it a trap? Many questions floated in his head.

    As soon as Xu Shan opened the door, a figure stepped out. The figure belonged to an old man, whose hair had turned all white. The man was frail, being weakened a lot after all the time he spent in the cell.

    His hands were still shackled, which further restricted his abilities.

    The old man observed Xu Shan from top to bottom, before looking at the other end of the corridor. More and more prisoners were being freed from there.

    "Why do you have the Queen''s blood?" The old man asked Xu Shan, his eyes sharp enough to prate a person''s soul.

    "You don''t have to concern yourself with that. If you don''t like my help, you can get back in the cell. I''ll be happy to lock you again," Xu Shan retorted with sarcasm. He didn''t free the man from his shackles and moved to the other cell.

    He used the same trick, using a single blood droplet to break the lock.

    The second floor also opened. Unlike the old man''s cell, the 2nd cell felt even more dangerous. It was filled with such terrifying killing intent, that even Xu Shan felt threatened.

    "That''s the previous Shadow Tower Master," the old man told Xu Shan, gazing at the person in the cell.

    Unlike the old man, the person in the second cell still appeared young. Even with the Shackles around his hand that restricted his abilities and Celestial Spirit, he felt dangerous.

    It was as if the man had bathed in the sea of blood. He had killed so many people that the aura around him was heavy and filled with death and blood.

    Even after being freed, the Leader of the Shadow Tower didn''t stand up. He didn''t even open his eyes to see who freed him.

    "Don''t you want to leave?" Xu Shan asked the Shadow Tower Master.

    The Shadow Tower Master still didn''t open his eyes, as if he couldn''t hear Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan shook his head and stopped talking to the man. If he didn''t want to get out, then he couldn''t do anything. He just left the door open so the man could leave if he felt like it.

    After that, he moved over to the third cell. This was the cell from where he was receiving a familiar feeling. As Xu Shan approached the third cell, he noticed the faint glow of a dimly litntern emanating outside the third cell.

    "Who is in this cell?" he asked the white haired man who appeared to know a lot about the Prisoners here. If hel wasn''t wrong, the old man was none other than the previous King of this Dynasty. He was the father of the person who was known as the Divine Queen.

    The vicious woman didn''t even leave his father and locked him up.

    The white haired man shook his head. "I don''t know. I''m also curious."

    The old man also stepped closer to Xu Shan who used the Blood to open the third cell.

 Chapter 191 191: Divine

    <h4>Chapter 191 Chapter 191: Divine</h4>

    Inside the third cell, the sight that met their eyes was unlike anything they could have anticipated.

    A young woman sat there, surrounded by an aura of ethereal light. Her features held an otherworldly beauty, her eyes seemingly reflecting the stars themselves. The woman''s presence seemed to resonate with a sense of ancient power, a force that transcended time itself.

    Xu Shan''s breath caught in his throat as he stared at her, recognizing the piece of metal that was lying next to the woman. It was a rusted piece of sword, but it resonated with him. It was simr to another fragment that he had found in the city shop.

    He stepped inside the cell, waiting for the woman to open her eyes, but she showed no response. It was as if she couldn''t even sense him.

    Even the Divine Queen''s father was confused as to who the woman in the cell was. He had been the King before his daughter but even he hadn''t seen who was in this cell.

    The only thing he knew was that this cell was sealed for a long time. Even he didn''t know how long this cell was actually sealed for. Even though he could''ve opened the cell with his blood, he had never tried. But this time, he allowed Xu Shan to do it.

    "Who are you?" Xu Shan asked the woman, sitting on his knees before her.

    Unfortunately, he received no response from the woman. Moreover, even though the woman seemed to be filled with vitality, she didn''t appear to be breathing at all. It was as if she had long died.

    For a person who died long ago to still have such heavy vitality around them, Xu Shan could only wonder how strong they were at their peak. Just to be sure, he checked the woman''s pulse, cing his finger on the fairy-like woman''s fair skin.

    After a few seconds, he shook his head. "She''s dead."

    "As I thought. There''s no way someone could survive this long. If you hadn''t appeared for a few hundred years, even we..." the Divine Queen''s father spoke but didn''t finish his sentence.

    Xu Shan stood up and walked to the door. He gently pushed the only man out of the cell. "Give me some privacy."

    The King looked at the lifeless body of the prettiest woman he had ever seen, before shifting his gaze to Xu Shan. He couldn''t help but misunderstand the young man.

    "This... she is dead. With dead, doing that..." the man hesitated before speaking. "Once everything goes back to normal, how about I find you a living girl for you to solve your lus-"

    The man spoke, but he stopped mid sentence as he noticed Xu Shan re at him.

    "I''ll be performing herst rights. Get your mind out of the gutter!" Xu Shan scoffed, before closing the door from inside.

    To be sure that the others didn''t lock him inside, he made sure to leave Xun outside to alert him if they tried anything at all.

    After closing the door, he walked over to the divine lifeless body. "Your journey in this realm has ended, but you can still help me progress in my journey. I apologize for what I''m about to do."

    Xu Shan kept the piece of de in his storage ring before plundering every precious artifact that he could find.

    Most of the items from her were already taken by someone when this unknown woman was locked, but she still had some left, probably because the person who trapped her here didn''t find those artifacts worth his attention.

    Even though these artifacts weren''t important for the person who sealed this woman here, they were extremely useful for Xu Shan.

    After taking all the artifacts, his attention fell on the face of the woman. He had seen many beautiful women in his life, but the one before her was truly worthy to be called a fairy.

    He didn''t know how a person like her appeared in the Divine Realm or who trapped her, but both of these people were beyond his understanding for the time being.

    "Please grant me everything that you failed to take with you to your afterlife!" Xu Shan spoke, before cing his hand on the woman''s forehead.

    His Devouring Spirit became active and greedily started devouring every single bit of Celestial Aura that it could. Even though the woman had died a long time ago, her aura was still so strong. It was nothing like he ever felt before.

    Xu Shan was at the peak of Heavenly Celestials Realm and to break through to the Immortal Realm, the energy needed was colossal, especially for people of the Divine Realm. That''s why the Divine Queen came up with the idea to steal everyone else''s Celestial Aura.

    For herself, she was willing to sacrifice everyone else. Through the years, she had also absorbed the strength of hundreds of Heaven''s Chosen. Even though she gathered lots of Negative Karma, her strength also increased by a lot.

    The realm she was stronger than Xu Shan was because she had already surpassed the Heavenly Celestial Realm, but she was still short of the Immortal Realm.

    She was in the Half Step Immortal Realm, which made her the strongest person in the Divine Realm. Initially Xu Shan had nned to use his mind to take everything from the Divine Queen, but now he had another hope!

    With the endless amount of energy he was receiving, he had hope of surpassing the Heavenly Celestial and entering Half Step Immortal like the Divine Queen!

    His greed knew no bounds. He kept devouring and devouring while the Divine Aura around the woman decreased with each passing second.

    The Devouring Process continued, but in the middle, something strength happened. Xu Shan found his consciousness entering an entirely different realm.

    For that reason, he wasn''t alone either. Instead, the woman was also there with him. It was her consciousness and her eyes were open.

    The woman looked at Xu Shan.

 Chapter 192 192: Bittersweet

    ?

    The woman was believed to have died, but inexplicably, a part of her consciousness remained intact, albeit as a mere fragment.

    Not only did her consciousness exist, but it was strong enough to even draw Xu Shan inside.

    Within the depths of the woman''s consciousness, a void engulfed everything. Darkness prevailed, yet amidst this abyss, Xu Shan could see the woman.

    Her gaze met his, fixated upon his presence.

    "Who are you?" she asked, her voice barely audible, echoing through the dark void.

    "Even if I tell you my identity, Senior won''t be able to recognise me, since I''m not from the Divine Realm," Xu Shan answered. In the Divine Realm, his identity as the third prince of an Ancient Dynasty didn''t matter.

    "Senior should just know that I am not a bad person. I came to the Royal Family''s Prison to free some people. And that''s where I saw Senior, who had passed away."

    He didn''t tell her everything as there was no need to. It wasn''t because he was scared of her. No matter how strong she was in the past, now she only had a fragment of her consciousness left. There was nothing she could do to him.

    Furthermore, while his body continued to devour her essence, her remaining consciousness grew increasingly fragile. He could sense the very fabric of the environment beginning to fracture.

    "You''re not a bad person?" The woman asked, tilting her head to the side. Since her consciousness was already fragmented, she didn''t remember many things about her past.

    A lot of her memories were lost, and more were getting lost as time passed. It was only a matter of time before she was to stop existing.

    All she could remember was a man, who defeated her and sealed her in this prison. She didn''t even know why she fought that man, or who that man was.

    "Why do I find it hard to believe your words?" The woman pondered, stepping closer to Xu Shan. She didn''t care about the fact that cracks were developing in her surroundings.

    She stopped merely half a foot away from Xu Shan, looking deep in his eyes. "I don''t know who you are, but I do know that I''m about to disappear forever. You, meeting me here might be fate as well."

    "I can''t grant you any gifts, but there''s one thing I can give...."

    She reached out her hand, cing her fingers on Xu Shan''s cheeks. In her consciousness, her skills or her memories weren''t left. She also didn''t have any physical possessions that she could give thest person she was to see beforepletely disappearing.

    But there was still one thing she had left. It was her innate ability and also the reason her consciousness was so strong that it survived up to this point. She had the skills of divination.

    She could see a person''s future through touch. As a gift to Xu Shan, he decided to predict his future.

    Once she ced her hand on his cheeks, she closed her eyes. Xu Shan didn''t push her away.What was before her was consciousness and not a spirit. She couldn''t possess his body. And even if she could, his Celestial Spirit was going to kill her. So he didn''t worry about that.

    At most, he thought that she was giving him some skill.

    The woman remained motionless, keeping her eyes sealed shut. But after a brief passage of time, tears began to flow down her cheeks.

    After some time, she opened her eyes. Her tears didn''t stop as she looked at Xu Shan.

    "Why...?"

    "My fate?" Xu Shan frowned in response, unclear what she was talking about.

    The woman didn''t speak. She simply hugged him. Xu Shan could feel her pain and sorrow as he reluctantly put his arms around her without even realizing.

    He couldn''t quite exin why, but a peculiar sensation washed over him as he embraced her. It felt both distant and strangely familiar at the same time.

    The woman brought her lips closer to Xu Shan''s ears. Her tears still kept streaming down as she spoke only one small sentence to him.

    "Don''t do it."

    Xu Shan wanted to ask what she was telling him not to do, but before he could ask, he felt the body of the woman turn into specks of light, disappearing.

    Her consciousness was finally broken. Xu Shan was pushed out of the consciousness whichpletely shattered.

    He found himself back in his body. The devouring process waspleted by the time.

    Xu Shan''s eyes opened as he gazed upon the motionless figure of the woman lying in front of him. The powerful aura around her hadpletely dissipated.

    For some reason, Xu Shan felt a strange sense of sadness as he watched the woman''s body. She had died. Her consciousness was also destroyed and even her aura and Celestial Spirit was gone.

    He reached out his hand to touch the face of the woman, but he stopped as he heard the knock on the door.

    Xu Shan came to his senses. He sighed, wondering what this heavy sensation in his chest was. He stood up and kept the woman''s body in her storage ring, before walking back.

    He opened the door and stepped out. The Previous Emperor was standing outside.

    As Xu Shan looked around, he couldn''t find anyone other than the Emperor in the hall.

    "Everyone already ran away. By that time, the Pce must be in chaos," the Emperor informed Xu Shan, telling him to hurry as well.

    Other than those two, only one person was in that ce. And it was the Master of the Shadow Hall, who still didn''t leave his Cell.

    "Shouldn''t you run away as well? You realize you''ll get killed if the Empress sees you? Why are you still here?" Xu Shan asked, as he walked toward the exit of the cer.

    On the way, he walked past the cell of the Shadow Hall Master, which was left open by him. But the man still hadn''t moved.

    "This old man is already close to death. What will running away achieve?" The Emperor''s response came with a bittersweet chuckle.

 Chapter 193 193: Because You Cant

    ?

    Xu Shan left the underground floor, noticing many signs of destruction.

    It was clear that some of the people that were freed weren''t good people. They didn''t just try to find the Empress, but also killed everyone that they came across.

    Along the way, all the Guards were dead. Even the maids and servants were ughtered. Hallways were damaged, showing clear signs of battles.

    Xu Shan didn''t care about the lives of these people. If anything, this was exactly what he wanted. These people were going to keep the Empress when she returned, while he could finish what he was here for.

    If anything, more than the deaths of people in the Pce, he was concerned about the Woman in the Consciousness who was about to tell him something before she disappeared.

    After climbing the stairs, Xu Shan reached the first floor. With the entire pce in chaos and deaths everywhere, he didn''te across any guards on the way. His entire journey became much easier.

    As Xu Shan made his way towards the inner chambers, he could feel that he was getting closer to the Celestial Lotus. It was the same feeling that he had in the past when he was about to pick the Celestial Lotus.

    Thanks to this sensation, he didn''t even need to use his Divine Consciousness.

    ****

    Xu Shan stopped at the entrance of a particr room.

    "This ce...?" The Emperor behind him grew surprised.

    He had been wondering what the young man was looking for, but the search appeared to have stopped at this room.

    "You know this room?" Xu Shan asked.

    "This used to be my room," the old man replied. "If I''m not wrong, now this room probably belongs to-"

    "To the daughter who entrapped you. I see."

    It made more sense to him that this was the Empress'' room. She was certainly going to keep the Celestial Lotus in her room as this was supposed to be the most secure ce with her presence.

    Xu Shan extended his left hand, holding a dagger tightly within his grasp.

    Simultaneously, he skillfully conjured a protective barrier around himself, cautious of any potential traps that may have been set in the room.

    The door was pushed open. Xu Shan expected the room to be spotless, with not even a speck of dust. It was the room of the Empress after all. But the sight that greeted him was different.

    Inside the room, there were hundreds of bodies, gathered together. Moreover, all the bodies were fresh, as if they were recently killed in a brutal yet quick way.

    The worst part was that these bodies belonged to every person that he had freed from the Cer to keep the Empress distracted when she was to return!

    Every person who escaped from the Cells, except the old man behind him, was dead and their body was inside the room.

    The scent of blood was strong, filling the air, making it difficult for the old man to breathe. He had seen many cruel sights, but this made the old man feel like vomiting.

    Not too far from the bodies, there was a chair. And on the chair, a beautiful woman was sitting, having a ss of red wine in her hand, which she seemed to be enjoying.

    The woman''s back was facing Xu Shan, but that didn''t prevent him from recognising the Woman. It was the worst possible scenario for him.

    The person he wanted to keep away from the Pce... The person he created so many distractions from... The person who killed all the artificial demons... It was the Divine Empress!

    Let alone being kept busy outside, she was sitting on the chair,fortably, as if waiting for him.

    "Aren''t you going to enter?"

    Xu Shan was greeted by the soft ethereal sound of a woman''s voice. However, she disyed no interest in him, not even bothering to turn her gaze in his direction.

    On the wall before her, a mirror hung high, reflecting every scene that was taking ce in the Pce. In one of those scenes, the entrance of the room was also shown. Even without turning around, the woman could see everything.

    The old man stepped before Xu Shan, gesturing him to escape while he held his daughter back.

    Xu Shan ced his hand on the old man''s shoulder, moving him aside. The old man had been trapped for a long time. He was weak. Let alone holding his daughter back, it would''ve been surprising if he evensted more than a second in front of her.

    "And here I thought you''d attack me at first sight."

    Xu Shan stepped inside the room, sending his daggers back to the storage ring.

    "Who are you? And what is your purpose in creating thismotion in my Empire? First the City, and now the Pce? Give me one reason I should leave you alive."

    The woman''s voice remained emotionless as she asked Xu Shan. Even though she asked as if she was willing to listen to him, but Xu Shan was certain that it was only because she was curious about him. Once her curiosity was over, she was going to attack him.

    "Isn''t it wrong to use me for themotion without any evidence?" Xu Shan jokingly asked, walking closer to the Empress, like he was talking to an old friend.

    No one, who saw the tone with which they talked with each other, could''ve thought that these were two enemies who wanted to rip each other to shreds to remove uncertain factors.

    Hearing Xu Shan''s words, the woman was quite taken aback. Instead of begging her for forgiveness, he waspletely carefree.

    "Also since you asked me for a reason why you should let me live, how about I give you three instead?" Xu Shan stated.

    "The first reason, it''s because I had nothing to do with your Divine Realm. I was the first person to find the Celestial Lotus but your General attacked me from behind like a coward. The wrongs of a pet are their master''s responsibility. Shouldn''t you take this responsibility?"

    "And the second reason... It''s because our goals are independent of each other. What I want doesn''t affect your ns, and what you want doesn''t affect mine."

    "As for the third reason... It''s because you''re toote.If it was an hour earlier, you might''ve been able to kill me with ease. But now you aren''t capable of killing me. So if you don''t want to put your life on the line, you should keep that temper of yours in control."

 Chapter 194 194: The Day Where Everything Changed

    ?

    The Divine Empress remained seated, her crimson eyes fixed on Xu Shan as he boldly presented his reasons for her to spare his life. More than reasons to spare her life, his words felt like a threat.

    There was a long moment of silence in the room, broken only by the soft, almost melodious tinkling of the wine ss in her hand.

    "Three reasons," she finally spoke, her voice still devoid of emotion, "and yet, I am unconvinced."

    She further stated, "Your first reason is that you were attacked from behind? Will your enemy give you a warning before attacking you? If you couldn''t even protect yourself from my men, what gives you confidence to think that the Celestial Lotus belongs to you?"

    "You also said that our goals are different and don''t get in each other''s way? To know that your n doesn''t get in my way, you''ll have to know my n first. Should I take your words as you know my intentions?"

    The woman''s words contained clear killing intent. Even her father who stood behind Xu Shan went pale. The killing intent made him feel like he was pushed back into the battlefield stained with blood.

    The Divine Empress ced the wine ss on a small table beside her, finally standing up and turning her attention fully toward Xu Shan.

    Her beauty was ethereal, her presence otherworldly. Her long, obsidian hair cascaded down her back, framing her delicate features.

    Her piercing gaze held a sense of both wisdom and danger, as if she could see through Xu Shan''s every thought and n. The room seemed to grow still and silent.

    She leaned forward, her gaze intensifying. "And thirdly, it''s not the first time I''m being underestimated. Did you really think I''m incapable of dealing with you?''

    With a flick of her wrist, a glimmering, divine weapon materialized in her hand, which she aimed at Xu Shan. "Should we really see what you''re capable of?"

    "If you don''t want the City to be destroyed, I am fine with that," Xu Shan still replied in a carefree manner.

    Up until now, his aura had remained concealed. However, as he began to speak, he relinquished control over his aura, unleashing it like a swirling tornado that engulfed the entire room.

    The air grew heavy and charged with energy, crackling with an immense power that seemed to shake the very foundations of the Pce.

    This wasn''t the Strength of a Heavenly Celestial. Instead, it was the strength of a Half Step Immortal.

    It was the aura of a person who was just a single step away from surpassing the boundary of the Heavenly Celestial and bing a true immortal.

    In the entire Divine Realm, there was only one Half Step Immortal and that was the Divine Queen. To go from Peak Heavenly Celestial to Half Step Immortal was something that was a feat that couldn''t be achieved with just effort and talent alone.

    In the Divine Realm and the Celestial Realm, the Heavenly Laws didn''t allow a person to be an Immortal. That''s why, in thousands of years, not a single immortal had appeared.

    Until the appearance of the Divine Empress, achieving the status of an Immortal or even a Half Step Immortal had remained an elusive feat for all individuals.

    A Half Step Immortal was one whose Aura had started transforming to Immortal Aura. It was something that mortals couldn''t understand. Even Hundreds of Peak Heavenly Celestials could be killed by a Half Step Immortal.

    As for aplete Immortal, they could even destroy the entire Divine Realm with a flick of their fingers.

    It was because of her strength, the Divine Empress had managed to rule over this vast Empire. But her journey wasn''t easy. She was untalented, unlike her younger sister, always feeling overwhelmed.

    Because of that, she even ran away from the Pce in the past, traveling to farawaynds in search of strength. She went to Ancient Dungeons and many other Forbidden Lands, barely returning alive. But her strength still wasn''t enough.

    That was when her entire world changed. She discovered a Book... A Cursed Book that allowed her to achieve something that was said to be impossible. It was a book called the Book of Devouring.

    The Book allowed her to Devour the strength of the people she chose! Not only could she devour their strength, but she could also steal their talents

    From that moment onwards, she never looked back! She destroyed everything that stood in her path! She stole everything that she didn''t possess, be it strength or talent! She didn''t even leave her sister, destroying her talent and her Celestial Spirit.

    She took over the Pce and slowly the Entire Empire, even capturing her father and sealing him in the prison.

    Under her, the Empire achieved great heights. All other Empires that stood in her path of conquest were destroyed or conquered. Every forget that could threaten her was crushed! Only a few Organizations like the Shadow Hall managed to survive as they went into hiding.

    The Divine Empress became what she was, thanks to the ability of Devouring and the knowledge she received from the book. Even the Heaven''s Chosen couldn''t stand in her path as the book allowed her to discover and crush them.

    She had already forgotten how many Heaven''s Chosen she had killed. She didn''t believe anyone could threaten her, but in just a single day, her beliefs were shaken. Today was the day when she saw another person who could use Devouring as well.

    That made her heart tremble, a feeling she never thought she was going to feel ever since she found that book. Only one thing was in her favor. It was that the enemy had a weaker Cultivation, because he was still hiding and not fighting her openly.

    When she saw prisoners escaping, she was even more certain that the enemy was still weaker than her. Why else would he use such tactics? That''s why she grew confident and came here to wait for Xu Shan.

    She wanted to see the looks on his face when all his hopes were crushed, but she didn''t expect he was in the same realm as her. Her expressions were twisted.

    She didn''t realize that it was thanks to absorbing the strength from the mysterious woman in the prison, he managed to cross the threshold and be a Half Step Immortal, which gave him confidence to stand here.

 Chapter 195 195: Unconventional Deal

    ?

    "As I said before, I''m not here to fight. I just want to take something that belongs to me." Xu Shan wasn''t in a hurry to reveal all his cards.

    Even though he was in the same realm as the Divine Empress, there was no certainty how the battle was going to go, especially since she possessed the Book of Devouring.

    Xu Shan didn''t even know what that book was actually capable of, other than Devouring another person''s strength. He wasn''t in any hurry, especially since he had the initiative in his hands.

    Now that things had actuallye to this point, the only option was to be as strong as he could, before actually finishing the matters. There was still time before the Formation waspleted by the Queen.

    Fighting before that point was useless since he needed her toplete the formation.

    "I just want the Celestial Lotus and I''ll leave. Though I heard that you need their seeds, that doesn''t concern me. You can keep their seeds. As for what happens to this world, it''s also none of my concern."

    While Xu Shan subtly distanced himself, he dangled a tempting proposition in front of the Queen. He cleverly showed that he understood her intentions, yet managed to adopt a nonchnt demeanour as if it held no importance to him.

    The Divine Queen was also uncertain just what the young man before her was capable of. He had a simr ability to her, which made her wonder if he had a Book like hers as well.

    Doubts about the true nature of Xu Shan made her unsettled. She questioned whether engaging in a confrontation was the wisest approach, considering herck of knowledge about him.

    Time hade to a standstill, as the Queen weighed the risks and benefits of her next move. She was very close to her goals. Fighting at this point was very risky, especially since there was a chance that the Celestial Lotus was going to be destroyed in the battle.

    For decades, she had tirelessly searched for the Celestial Lotus. Now at the final step, she was determined not to take any unnecessary risks, considering the formation was on the verge ofpletion.

    "Alright. I will give you the Celestial Lotus."

    Ultimately, she managed to ovee her impulse to attack and tear Xu Shan apart, thanks to her rational thinking.

    Xu Shan couldn''t help but smirk, confident that he had finally won the battle. It was a battle of nerves and the Divine Queen lost the battle despite being so strong.

    With grace and elegance, the Divine Queen approached the Celestial Lotus, delicately retrieving its precious Seeds. These Seeds, enveloped in the radiant aura of the Queen, were carefully guarded.

    The rest of the Celestial Lotus floated closer to Xu Shan,nding in his hand.

    "You can leave now," the Queen told the young man while ncing at her father.

    In the past, she harboured intense animosity towards her father, but as time passed, her emotions evolved intoplete indifference. It was as though his presence held no significance in her life.

    Her father had be argely inconsequential figure at present. While he held limited sway within the Empire, his influence was confined to a handful of rebels who were notably weak.

    In no time at all, she would ascend to an unmatched supremacy, having devoured the entire world. There was nothing that could obstruct her path. All obstacles were mere trifles to her.

    Xu Shan held the Celestial Lotus in his hand, a long-awaited moment finallying to fruition. After enduring for so long, he had managed to reim what had been taken from him.

    The Empress looked at Xu Shan, as if she was wondering why he wasn''t leaving now that he had what he wanted.

    Xu Shan understood the meaning behind her look. He offered an exnation.

    "Carrying the Celestial Lotus back to my world would destroy a lot of its efficacy. So can I ask the Empress to give me a ce to stay?"

    The Divine Empress expressed her utter disbelief. "Could you possibly disy any more shamelessness? After sullying my pce by freeing the Rebels, you want me to give you a ce to stay?"

    "Yes." Xu Shan replied in a carefree manner, sitting on the Empress'' bed. "Though this room doesn''t look half bad. I wouldn''t mind staying here."

    "Are you testing my patience?" The Empress asked in disbelief.

    Xu Shan nonchntly shrugged her shoulders, while the Empress couldn''t help but palm her face in frustration.

    "Fine. There is an empty Mansion near our Pce. You will stay there. I''ll also assign a General to help you get aodated and with other things."

    "Sounds good." Xu Shan stood up. "I will be waiting outside for the General. By the way, if it''s possible, could you please send the General who visited the World of Alchemy? I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to have a brief conversation with him."

    "He isn''t in the City. I''ll send someone else. And if possible, don''t kill him like thest General of mine that you killed."

    Xu Shan understood why the Empress wanted them alive. It wasn''t that she cared about her generals. Instead, they were like her precious fuel resource that she wanted to use when devouring everything.

    The reason she appointed a General with him was solely to maintain close surveince on him, ensuring that there was constant oversight and supervision at all times.

    "You don''t have to worry about him being out of the city," Xu Shan said. "I''ll be waiting for him outside. Send him my way when he''s done giving you a brief. Oh right, his brief is also rted to me, so don''t be too harsh on him."

    Xu Shan stepped out of the room. At first, the Queen was perplexed by his words, unsure of their meaning. However, a feeling of familiarity washed over her as she sensed the presence of the Generals she had dispatched to investigate beyond the City''s borders.

    Among them was the General responsible for the attack on Xu Shan in the World of Alchemy.

 Chapter 196 196: Unique

    <h4>Chapter 196 Chapter 196: Unique</h4>

    The Previous Emperor looked at the lonely back of his daughter who was looking out the window. He couldn''t understand how they hade to this point, but it was toote to change things now.

    Sighing, he turned around and followed after Xu Shan since it didn''t look like his daughter was going to kill him. Moreover, Xu Shan was an opportunity for him.

    For him to stand before his daughter and leave alive, it showed him that the young man was stronger than he thought.

    "Just who are you? Did you know this was going to happen when you freed them?" the Emperor caught up to Xu Shan who was walking toward the exit.

    "If you''re talking about the deaths of every single person I freed, then yes. I expected something simr. But I didn''t think it was going to be this quick. I thought they''ll be able to buy me some time," Xu Shan answered honestly.

    Things went beyond his n, but fortunately, he was still fine. If he hadn''t found that mysterious woman''s body in the Cell, then he would''ve been dead by now.

    The remarkable presence of Celestial Aura within her body, even after the passage of countless millennia since her demise,pletely altered the course of events.

    As a result, it held no significance for him whether the n achieved its desired oue or not. However, he would have undoubtedly preferred it to seed.

    ''Everything happens for the best. It was a bluff that worked.'' Xu Shan thought, looking at the Celestial Lotus in his hand.

    He could feel his Bloodline being stimted, just by holding the Celestial Lotus. All he had to do was consume it and awaken his second Celestial Spirit.

    Xu Shan stepped out of the pce. Along the way, he hadn''t seen a single sign ofrge-scale battle. It was clear how effortless the Empress took down the people who had left the prison.

    She didn''t hesitate even a little when killing them. The Emperor didn''t notice it, but Xu Shan had seen the bodies in the room werepletely devoid of any trace of Celestial Aura.

    Not only did the Empress kill them, but she did so while devouring them.

    "Your daughter is quite unique." Xu Shanmented, looking back at the pce.

    Through the window, he could see the Empress looking at him.

    "Do you mean frightening?" The Emperor inquired with a sigh. "Even I am uncertain of how she transformed into that. She had been such a naive and innocent child in her early days."

    "No, I mean unique. She''s not as frightening as you think. At least not whenpared to..."

    Xu Shan didn''t speak further. When he thought up to this point, only one scene shed before his eyes. It was the man who had split through the space and sky to enter the Celestial Realm, which forced Xu Shan to escape.

    Xu Shan''s memory of the man''s presence remained vivid in his mind. However, when he encountered the Divine Empress, he realized the stark contrast between the two. The man''s aura outshone the Divine Queen, making her pale inparison.

    Xu Shan knew he couldn''t return until he became even stronger. At this point, just awakening his second Celestial Spirit wasn''t enough. He had to take everything the Divine Queen had! He had to devour this world!

    "Yo-" The Emperor uttered half a word but soon fell silent, shock shing in his eyes.

    In the distance, he could see the Generals of the Divine Empire that seemed to have returned from somewhere.

    Their aura was dominating, albeit weaker than the Divine Empress. But what shocked the former Emperor was that the Generals were bringing a little girl with them.

    That young girl walking next to them was unmistakably his younger daughter. Though her appearance may have changed slightly, he recognized her immediately. There was no doubt in his mind that it was her.

    The woman had shackles around her hands, following the Generals like a prisoner that was going to her execution. Behind the little girl was her maid, also shackled.

    "Yunxi?" the former Emperor eximed, rushing toward his daughter in the distance.

    During his time in the cell, he couldn''t help but imagine that his eldest daughter might have killed his youngest daughter by now. He had mentally prepared himself for the tragedy, but all sense ofposure evaporated the moment heid eyes on her.

    The General in the lead frowned, watching an unknown haggard man rushing toward them.

    The Divine Empress watched everything through the window, but she didn''t interfere. She just watched like a mere Spectator as her General raised his Sword, about to take her father''s head off. She felt no empathy for him.

    The General raised his Sword.

    "F-father?" Yunxi stuttered in disbelief. Just like her father thought she was dead, she also thought that he was dead.

    "Don''te closer!" She eximed, knowing the General was going to attack it her father didn''t stop.

    Unfortunately, it was toote for her father. The General swung his bright sword.

    A zing sh of steel tore through the air. The world around Yunxi seemed to freeze in that moment as she closed her eyes.

    As her eyes fluttered open, she found them immediately welling up with tears. Her heart froze in shock as she took in the sight before her. Her fathery on the ground but fortunately his head was still attached to his body.

    On the other hand, the General looked surprised. Something strange had happened. The man who was running towards him had suddenly fallen to the ground, missing the Sword. The timing was just too right which was strange.

    The General felt frustrated. He had a rule. Once his sword came out, it couldn''t go back in the sheath without drinking the blood of his target.

    He stepped closer to the haggard-looking man on the ground, aiming his Sword at the man''s back. His sword came thrusting down, only for the man to freeze as he saw a bloody handing out of his chest.

 Chapter 197 197: Fun To Be Attacked

    ?

    As the Sword descended towards the former Emperor, poised to strike, an unexpected turn of events unfolded.

    Out of nowhere, a stone hurtled through the air, colliding with the de of the Sword. This unexpected impact altered the trajectory of the weapon, causing it to veer off course and narrowly missing the Former Emperor''s throat.

    The General, having never witnessed it before, was now able to clearly observe the incident that had urred. A stone had obstructed his assault.

    This incident was not an isted urrence. There had been a prior incident where a stone had been hurled, striking the back of the Emperor''s knee. As a result, he had stumbled and fallen to the ground just moments before.

    He looked in the direction where the stone came from, only to see that cepletely empty. There was no one there.

    While he was distracted, another stone came flying, this time hitting him in the back of his head. A stone wasn''t an object that could hurt a General who was a peak Heavenly Celestial.

    Their skin was very hard, but for some strange reason, the attack hurt the General a lot, making him feel pain. Blood also trickled down the back of his head.

    "Who?!" the General roared, his aura descended. Everyone around him was suppressed by the Aura, falling to their knees. Only the other Generals remained immune to this pressure, albeit still feeling a little bit of it.

    "It''s not fun to be attacked from behind, is it?" A voice fell in the General''s ears as Xu Shan appeared next to him,pletely immune to the pressure.

    His hand rested on the General''s shoulder before the General could react.

    The General was another to punch Xu Shan''s face, but as soon as the young man''s hand rested on his shoulders, he fell to his knees, as if a mountain hade to rest on his shoulders.

    Even if it was a mountain, the General would''ve remained standing, but this weight was much more than that.

    The General raised his head in disbelief. He had only felt this strength once before. It came from the Divine Empress!

    Raising his head, he caught a glimpse of Xu Shan''s face. He found that face familiar, but he couldn''t remember just where exactly he saw that person. He even wondered if it was his misconception. He never could''ve forgotten seeing this person.

    "Who are you?!" the General asked. "Do you know where you are?! Attacking a General of the Empire right before the Royal Pce? Are you looking to challenge the Empire?"

    "Challenge the Empire?" Xu Shan smiled in response. "I have no interest in challenging the Empire."

    ''After all, you''re the precious resource that''ll be very useful to me...'' he thought, but didn''t voice his opinions.

    He hated the man on his knees. That man was responsible for attacking him from behind, almost leaving him for the dead! He was also responsible for killing the Ice Dragon, and also a partial reason that Xu Shan lost the Heaven''s Chosen that he brought as his servant.

    There was a lot that the old General had to answer for, not now wasn''t the time. Xu Shan took off his hand from the General''s shoulder, letting the General feel as if a heavy burden was removed.

    Xu Shan walked closer to the Former Emperor who was lying on the ground.

    "Old man, you''re so old yet your intelligence is so low. This is thest time I''m helping you."

    Without looking back, Xu Shan flicked his fingers. The shackles that were around Yunxi and her maid''s wrist were broken, falling to the ground.

    The two women looked at each other in disbelief. Yunxi couldn''t even believe that the person before her was Xu Shan.

    The man who was supposed to sneak inside the Royal City was walking so freely?! Not only was he walking freely, but he appeared to havee out of the Royal Pce.

    His strength was also something she didn''t expect. Xu Shan had easily brought down a General without even fighting. She couldn''t even see the upper limits of his strength. But looking at him, she felt as if she was looking at an endless Abyss.

    "Aren''t you going to meet your Empress? She''s waiting for you. And don''t worry about the girls. She won''t me you." Xu Shan told the Generals, moving away from their path.

    Although it was suspicious, but the General noticed that the Empress was looking at them through the window. If she still didn''t intervene, that meant that this was happening with her permission.

    All the Generals left Yunxi and her maid behind, and walked inside the Royal Pce to meet the Empress.

    In the meantime, Yunxi rushed to her father, helping him up. The maid, on the other hand, stopped next to Xu Shan.

    Was Xu Shan that strong from the beginning? Was he hiding his strength and pretending to be weaker when he met them? There were many questions in her eyes but she didn''t know where to start.

    To her amazement, she noticed the Celestial Lotus in Xu Shan''s other hand, indicating that he had aplished his objective. However, his ability to achieve it so quickly caught her off guard.

    *****

    No one knew what the Generals and the Empress discussed within the confines of the Royal Pce. But when the old General stepped out, his face showed his unwillingness.

    A flicker of anger shadowed the General''s eyes, betraying the fact that he recognized Xu Shan as the person he had encountered during the incident on Alchemy World.

    He never imagined that the man would not only survive his attack, but also make his way here and negotiate with the Empress on equal terms.

    " I''ll show you the ce you''ll be staying." The General''s voice held a thin veil of resentment as he led Xu Shan toward the Mansion at some distance from the Royal Pce where Xu Shan was to stay.

 Chapter 198 198: The New Guest

    ?

    In close proximity to the Royal Pce stood a grand mansion that had remained vacant for years. Its prime location sparked the interest of numerous ns who desired to acquire the mansion.

    Unfortunately for them, it belonged to the Royal Family so they didn''t dare to ask to buy it. The act of offering money to the Royal Family as a means of purchasing their property was seen as disrespectful, and nobody wished to be perceived as insulting to the Divine Empress.

    One fateful day, an intriguing piece of news circted throughout the Core Region of the Royal City, capturing the attention of nearly every n Head in the vicinity. ording to the news, the Mansion that was often empty, finally had a person living inside.

    The surprise didn''t stop there. Another news arrived simultaneously. It was said that the person staying in the Mansion was very special to the Empress, to the point that she had even sent her most trusted General to guard him.

    Many ns sent their men to investigate, wanting to know the identity of the mysterious person and the reason behind the Empress''s special attention. They had known the Divine Empress well enough to realize that she never did something without a reason.

    Rumors and spections began to spread like wildfire, with some suggesting that the person could be a long-lost rtive or even a secret lover of the Empress. As the ns delved deeper into the matter, they hoped to gain an advantage or secure an alliance with the Empress

    The ns investigated the identity of the person who was given the mansion, but even after all the research, they didn''t find anything significant. Thanks to a Royal General guarding the mansion, the men sent by various ns couldn''t do much.

    At most, they were only able to find out what the person looked like, thanks to the people who had seen Xu Shan.

    Every n received the same information, which talked about the fact that the man was a young man, who appeared to be in his early twenties. Moreover, the man was said to be handsome, which made the rumors about Xu Shan being the Empress'' lover seen more credible.

    There was another rumor, but no one believed that rumor. ording to the rumor, the guest who was staying in the new mansion was quite powerful. One person imed to see Xu Shan fighting the General who was guarding him, defeating him without any effort at all!

    "A man in his early twenties who was able to defeat that old monster?" One of the n Leadersughed at the absurdity of the rumor.

    "There''s no way for that to be true. If there was really someone this strong at such an age, he would''ve been well known already! This talent is even more frightening than the Empress. There''s no way for that person to remain unknown until now if he was really this strong."

    The man closed the letter which had the information that his men had managed to gather. He crushed the paper and tossed it aside.

    "It makes more sense to say that he''s a boy toy of the Empress. As for this rumor, who knows, it might be spread by the Royal Family itself, to make people stay away from him. Fear is the best protection after all, especially since our dear Empress has so many enemies."

    The man stood up, calling for the Elders of the n. Hemanded his Elders to prepare gifts, as they were going to greet the new guest and make a friendship.

    If he was really a lover of the Queen, then he was a perfect pawn to control the queen. As long as they could bring him to their side, it was beneficial to them.

    They weren''t the only ones who thought that. The same situation was taking ce in every n, including the n that was keeping the Girl from the Alchemy World hostage.

    All the major ns had started their preparation, and everyone wanted to do it easier than the other.

    ****

    While the ns were in a haste to approach Xu Shan, the young man hadpletely stopped caring about the outside world.

    The Mansion was huge yet beautiful. Thousands of people could live in the mansion with ease.

    Xu Shan didn''t live alone in the mansion.Yunxi, the former Emperor and the maid also lived in the mansion, while the General waited outside the mansion, like an ordinary guard.

    All the entrances and exits of the Mansion were under the watchful eyes of the Generals to make sure that Xu Shan couldn''t leave this ce without them finding out.

    Xu Shan had no intention of leaving. He finally had the Celestial Lotus in his hand. Instead of leaving, he wanted to use the Celestial Lotus to further boost his abilities.

    Xu Shan told the Former Emperor and his family to stay in the outer zone of the Mansion and not even try to go deeper. He even issued a threat, saying he was going to kill the person who broke the rule and disturbed him.

    After warning the three guests, he entered the depths of the Mansion, to find the best ce to awaken his second Celestial Spirit with the help of Celestial Lotus.

    He also used some treasures and created some protection and alerting formations.

    With his preparationsplete, Xu Shan entered a room that he had secured in every way possible. Even if it was the Divine Empress, she couldn''t easily enter the room without spending a significant amount of time.

    He ced the Celestial Lotus in the Center of the room and sat right before him. He closed his eyes and focused his mind, allowing him to tap into the vast energy of the Celestial Lotus and channel it into his body.

    As the energy surged through him, he could feel his spiritual aptitude heightening, his senses sharpening, and his abilities getting stronger, and at a fast pace.

    At the same time, he also felt a terrifying pain in his right eye. A crimson trickle ran down his right eye, resembling tears of blood.

 Chapter 199 199: Long Awakening

    ?

    Xu Shan felt a terrifying pain in his right eye. A crimson trickle ran down his left eye, resembling tears of blood.

    He clenched his teeth, enduring the excruciating agony. This was the price he had to pay for harnessing the power of the Celestial Lotus.

    Hours turned into days as Xu Shan remained in deep meditation, the Celestial Lotus continuing to pour its energy into him.

    Outside the mansion, the ns grew increasingly impatient, unaware of the intense transformation happening within.

    Many n Elders waited outside the mansion, trying to greet the new guest. Unfortunately, they weren''t allowed in. Let alone allowed in, but no one even came out to greet them. Even though they weren''t as strong as the Divine Empress, they were still part of prominent ns.

    This level of ignorance towards them made some of them furious. If it wasn''t for the Generals to guard the mansion, some of them would''ve barged inside already, with the intention of pping Xu Shan to death.

    Even the Generals were confused why Xu Shan didn''t want to meet them. They had conveyed the message to the people inside, only to get a response that Xu Shan had refused to meet them.

    The Generals didn''t know that Xu Shan hadn''t rejected the meeting. Instead, it was Yunxi who rejected the meeting. The reason she used the name of Xu Shan with the Generals was because she didn''t want them to be suspicious.

    Even Yunxi couldn''t get in contact with Xu Shan. If the Generals found out, it was certain that they were going to get suspicious and barge inside the mansion to check.

    Some ns felt so insted by the fact that they were made to wait so long, that they decided to simply turn around and return to their ns. There was no need for them to lower their dignity just for a toy of the Queen.

    There were still many ns who held on. The n Elders waited at the entrance of the mansion. It didn''t matter if it was a hot day or a cold night. They didn''t leave. They were assigned this duty by their n elders.

    They couldn''t leave this post without meeting Xu Shan. They had to show their sincerity to Xu Shan. The allure of controlling such a powerful individual was tempting, and they couldn''t afford to lose this opportunity to the other ns.

    Back inside the mansion, Xu Shan''s body began to emit a radiant glow. His spiritual power surged to new heights, and he could feel a second Celestial Spirit awakening within him.

    The process was very painful. Through the days, he had never once had a moment to test. At times, he even felt like he was going to faint from the pain, barely holding on thanks to his strong will.

    His right eye was burning, as if someone had stabbed a zing hot rod in his left eye. Yet amidst the excruciating pain, Xu Shan''s determination only grew stronger.

    The more painful it was, the stronger his second bloodline could be. If it was a weaker Celestial Spirit, it would''ve woken up by now. But even after so many days of torment, its awakening still wasn''tplete, which made him look forward to his Celestial Spirit.

    With every wave of agony, he reminded himself of the importance of this transformation. He couldn''t afford to back down now.

    As each day went by, Xu Shan''s aura grew stronger. Beads of sweat covered his exhausted body, and a faint, dried trail of blood could be seen on the right side of his face.

    ****

    "Just what is he doing? It''s been so long yet we haven''t seen him. Could something have happened to him? Should we check?"

    The Former Emperor asked, looking toward the empty hallway. It''s been a long time yet he hadn''t heard from Xu Shan. Moreover the people outside were getting impatient.

    Even the Generals felt like they were getting tired of dealing with the ns and could barge at any time to ask Xu Shan to meet the ns and be done with it.

    The Former Emperor didn''t know how long he could hold those people back. If it wasn''t for Xu Shan''s threat, he would''ve long gone in to check.

    "Could it be that he already left the Mansion, escaping from the back?" the maid subconsciously spoke, not controlling her voice.

    Even though she didn''t mean it in a malicious way, but the Former Emperor frowned at her words. He had a good impression of Xu Shan. The man could''ve abandoned them a long time ago, but he didn''t.

    In fact, if he wanted to leave, the Empress would''ve happily sent him away. There was no way he would''ve escaped in such a cowardly manner.

    "I''ll overlook this for now, but keep a leash on your words from now on," he warned the maid of his daughter. Although he was the weakest person in this mansion, he still had the Emperor''s dignity.

    "Father is right. Didn''t talk ill of our savior." Yunxi agreed with her father on this. She didn''t believe Xu Shan would escape, but her reason was different.

    The entire mansion was under surveince from outside. There was no way Xu Shan could''ve escaped without the Generals finding out.

    The City also had only one portal leaving out of it. He would''ve long been discovered if he had tried to leave. That meant he was still inside the mansion. The only question was, what was he doing?

    As the hours ticked by, the Former Emperor''s concerns manifested into reality. Abruptly, the General barged into the mansion, thrusting the door open with conviction, intent on having a conversation with Xu Shan.

    "Where is he?" he asked in an arrogant tone. He didn''t care if the person before him was the father of the Divine Empress. Since his daughter herself didn''t pay any attention to him, he also didn''t pay any respect.

    He didn''t even wait for the Emperor''s answer and entered the long corridor to find Xu Shan himself.

 Chapter 200 200: Humiliation

    <h4>Chapter 200 Chapter 200: Humiliation</h4>

    "Wait! How can you just barge in like this?!" The Former Emperor ran to stop the red haired General to prevent him from disturbing Xu Shan.

    Observing the deep concern etched on the man''s face, the General grew increasingly certain that something was wrong here.

    He couldn''t help but wonder: why had Xu Shan not shown up, and what motives fueled the relentless attempts to stop him from checking up on him? With a myriad of unanswered questions crowding his mind, the General grew impatient.

    "Touch me and I''ll kill you!" The General warned the Former Emperor, who froze in fear. Although he was the Former Emperor, but in this new generation, he had no influence. He didn''t even have the strength.

    Still, he gathered his courage, blocking the old man''s path. Even if he was to die, he couldn''t let the General pass through. He was more scared of Xu Shan than he was of the General.

    Even if he was killed while blocking the General, it didn''t matter. At least his daughter was going to survive. But if he let the man pass through and Xu Shan was angry, let alone him, even his daughter might be killed.

    He was certain that Xu Shan wasn''t joking when he said he would kill them if anyone disturbed him.

    "You''re so weak, I feel disgusted to even kill you!" The General grabbed the Emperor by his hair.

    Such disrespect had never been shown to the Emperor. It was worse than death for a man to be embarrassed like that. He was dragged through the floor with his hair in the General''s grasp.

    "What do you think you''re doing?!" Yunxi and the Maid rushed to the General.

    In the blink of an eye, both of them collided forcefully with the doors, blood trickling from their mouths.

    In their desperation, they had temporarily lost sight of the distinction that separated them from the General. They realized that without his permission, they were unable to evene close to him! The difference in strength was too much.

    With nothing more than a single wave of the General''s aura, they were forcefully propelled through the air. Such was the immense power that even the sturdy doors of the Mansion crumbled under the impact, expelling the two women who were now thrust onto the ground outside.

    The various n Elders who waited outside were taken aback, catching the strange sight. It was clear that a conflict was taking ce inside the mansion as two people from inside were sent flying out.

    They weren''t certain if it was a conflict between the guest of the Mansion and the General. But for Generals to behave so brazenly in the mansion, they were now certain that the rumors about Xu Shan''s strength were exaggerated.

    Not only that, they even started wondering if Xu Shan actually had any importance for the Empress. If he was really her lover, would a General really act like that? To observe the situation from closer, they moved closer to the Mansion''s entrance.

    Despite not entering the mansion, they were able to catch a glimpse inside as the doors were broken.

    They could see the General dragging a man by his hair, going deeper in the mansion. Some of the Elders recognized the man, quite stunned.

    It was the Former Emperor! They hadn''t expected to see this person here at all. Was this person the Guest to whom the mansion was assigned? Did the Empress finally have mercy on the old man and free him from the cells? Did he make some mistake to be treated like that now? They had lots of questions.

    Before long, the General abruptly veered to the left, vanishing from sight. In a surprising turn of events, he did not abandon the Former Emperor, but instead continued to drag him along, as if punishing him by destroying every single bit of dignity the Emperor had.

    ****

    The General moved forward, scanning his surroundings for signs of life to locate Xu Shan. Soon, he came across a protective barrier, which blocked his path.

    "A barrier!" he frowned, looking at the room on the other side. "So this is where he''s hiding? To set up such a barrier... That''s suspicious."

    The General wasn''t like others. He knew that Xu Shan wasn''t a lover of the Empress. He wasn''t a friend either. If anything, he was an enemy. That''s why he was assigned to this ce to make sure that the man didn''t go anywhere without him.

    "If it''s a barrier, then I just have to break it! Let''s see what you''re hiding!" The General finally released the Former Emperor, kicking his chest to send him flying away.

    The ex-emperor''s chest was brutally crushed by the attack, shattering countless bones and, unfortunately, causing a few to pierce his heart.

    When attacking, the General also didn''t expect this to happen, but he didn''t care. He didn''t even look at the Emperor in the back who was suffocating. His face went pale, his body trembling, as he reached out his hand to ask for help. Unfortunately, he couldn''t even speak.

    Ignoring his presence, the General defiantly brandished his prized Sword, prepared to shatter the obstructing barrier thaty ahead.

    Channeling his celestial energy, he concentrated all his might into the de. Steadying himself and firmly pressing his hand on the ground, heunched a forceful assault upon the obstruction.

    The General swung his sword forcefully against the translucent barrier, causing a powerful impact that reverberated throughout the Mansion.

    The sheer force of the attack was enough to make the entire structure tremble, while the wind unleashed by the strike pushed the General several steps backward.

    Much to his astonishment, though, the barrier remained unbroken. He couldn''t believe his eyes.

    This single attack was powerful enough to annihte an entire city with ease to the point that not a single life would''ve been left behind. But before this barrier, it was useless. Not even a scratch could be seen on the barrier.

    "I don''t believe I can''t break it! I refuse to believe it!" The General raised his attack, but before he could attack, he heard a creaking sounding from the other side of the barrier. The door opened.

 Chapter 201 201: Frightening Second Celestial Spirit!

    <h4>Chapter 201 Chapter 201: Frightening Second Celestial Spirit!</h4>

    ****

    A group of n Elders gathered outside the majestic mansion, anticipating what was about to unfold. Time seemed to stand still as a serene silence enveloped the atmosphere.

    They couldn''t hear anything inside. Many wanted to go on to check, but the Warriors of the Royal Army prevented them.

    Some soldiers also held Yunxi and her maid, who struggled fiercely to enter the mansion to save the Former Emperor. Unfortunately, the soldiers didn''t allow her to enter, at least not until their General returned, since it was the General who locked the twodies out.

    The silence was deafening. But that scary silence was soon broken by the sound of footsteps.

    The footsteps didn''t belong to just one person. There was another pair mixed in. All the n Eldersid attention to the hallway.

    Soon, they saw a person. It was the General! The General was finally back. However, for some reason, the n Elders felt that something was wrong.

    The General... His face was expressionless. He didn''t appear like himself. The n Elders didn''t understand what this feeling was, but the General didn''t appear like himself.

    Soon, another person came into sight, behind the General! It was a young man, seemingly in his early twenties.

    Although the n Elders had heard about the description of the young man who was staying in the mansion ording to the rumors, the young man behind the General didn''t match those description.

    The Young man''s age matched the description. He also looked handsome, with wless skin. But that''s where the simrities ended.

    The man''s hair was different from the description. The young man now had a beautiful shade of silver hair that appeared even more beautiful.

    His left eye was a dark shade of red, while his right eye held a dark shade, creating a contrast with his left pupil.

    What stunned the men was that within the man''s eyes, they could see a Star Sign! It was the Sign of a Celestial Spirit! What was truly shocking was that both his eyes had a mark like that! That implied he had two fully awakened Celestial Spirits!

    The men only saw a single star mark, which meant both his Celestial Spirits were weakest. But if they were to look carefully from close, they would have noticed that within that single star, multiple small stars were visible. The number of those small stars was so high that it was impossible to count!

    The man had two Celestial Spirits, but none of them were one star, contrary to what they thought.

    Behind Xu Shan, another person became visible. It was the Former Emperor. But the Former Emperor was covered in blood. He couldn''t even walk straight. He was limping.

    The Former Emperor was the only one who truly recognized the extraordinary fortune he had to survive. Moments before, he had nearly resigned himself to hopelessness. However, his gratitude was reserved solely for Xu Shan, whose intervention ultimately saved his life.

    Strangely, the Former Emperor also had a look of confusion on his face. He didn''t know what just happened previously.

    He thought that the General was going to ask Xu Shan some questions, or at least there was going to be a fight, but nothing like that happened. And what actually happened was unclear and didn''t make any sense to the Former Emperor.

    As the General emerged from the grand mansion, Xu Shan opted to stay behind, lingering just inside the entrance with his hands nonchntly tucked into his pockets.

    The General didn''t look at the n Elders. He just walked over to one of his soldiers. He didn''t say anything to the Soldier. He simply held the Sword of the Soldier from its hilt, and pulled it out.

    The Soldier stared at the General with a perplexed expression, unsure of why his Sword was required. Little did he know, the subsequent events would send shockwaves through all who witnessed it.

    The General took a few steps back, still looking expressionless. Before anyone could react, the General ced the sword over his throat, and swung the Sword!

    In front of everyone, the General decapitated himself! Blood sttered everywhere as one of the strongest warriors of the Empire died, just like that. He had killed himself!

    The General''s head rolled over, falling to the ground with his body. Silence fell over the crowd as they stood in disbelief, unable toprehend the magnitude of what they had just witnessed.

    Chaos ensued as panic and shock consumed the onlookers, unsure of how to react or make sense of the General''s inexplicable act of self-destruction. Word of the General''s gruesome demise quickly spread throughout the kingdom, leaving the people in a state of both mourning and utter shock.

    The word even reached the Royal Pce. No one understood why the General did that! One moment, he entered the mansion to talk to Xu Shan and when he came out, he killed himself! Almost everyone had a feeling that it was because of Xu Shan, but they didn''t understand how.

    How was a man able to force the General to kill himself like that?! Even if an invincible enemy was before them, the General would''ve fought to his death. He never would''ve killed himself like that! Fear wasn''t the answer!

    The strange sight made all the n Elders frightened. They didn''t know how Xu Shan did it, but they didn''t want to know either. They were so frightened that they slowly stepped back, moving away from the mansion.

    Xu Shan nced at the people who were leaving. He didn''t ask them to stop. Instead, he nced at the Soldiers who were keeping Yunxi hostage.

    His right eye shone for a brief moment. In the next second, the Soldiers removed his hand from Yunxi. Following that, he also did the same. He brought the sword close to his throat and took his life.

    Yunxi stood in disbelief as the soldier''s blood sshed all over her. She looked at Xu Shan. For the first time, she saw what seemed like a devilish smile on Xu Shan''s face, as if the man was enjoying the spectacle that he had created this time.

 Chapter 202 202: Too Evil

    <h4>Chapter 202 Chapter 202: Too Evil</h4>

    Xu Shan was enjoying the sight, ying with the Soldiers like they were merely his puppets.

    For the others, it was a situation that they couldn''t grasp. It was unclear how their reaction would''ve been to realize that this was just a test for Xu Shan. It was a test to see the usefulness of his new Celestial Spirit!

    Even Xu Shan hadn''t expected his second Celestial Spirit to be something like this. He hade up with a name for this Celestial Spirit. He called it... Absolute Control.

    Despite the immense pain he endured, at times even wishing for death, the end result proved to be unexpectedly satisfying.

    "How many days has it been?" Xu Shan asked the Former Emperor, who stood behind him.

    "I-it''s been..."

    Hearing the man''s response, Xu Shan frowned, looking at the bracelet on his wrist. He had felt that it had tightened, but he never expected that so many days had passed. There was only a limited time left before he had to fulfill his oath.

    "This thing is quite annoying for sure." He ced a finger on the bracelet, touching it lightly.

    His left eye shone briefly as he started devouring the Bracelet that signified the Heavenly Oath. The Bracelet was powerful enough to control even Heavenly Celestials and beings much stronger since it had the blessing from heaven, but Xu Shan didn''t like being controlled.

    Although he just had to fulfill his oath to remove the bracelet, but he didn''t want to go through the long process, especially now that his Celestial Spirit of Devouring had also evolved.

    The Celestial Lotus awakened his Celestial Spirit of Control, but it also strengthened his Celestial Spirit of Devouring.

    Xu Shan couldn''t be certain whether his other Spirit had grown stronger due to the influence of the Celestial Lotus, or if it was the result of the newfound synergy created by his new Celestial Spirit.

    With even stronger Devouring, he couldn''t just devour the Celestial Spirits and strengths of Warriors. He was also able to devour the Heavenly Laws, albeit to a very small extent.

    The bracelet retaliated to being devoured. The Heavenly Laws leaked out, but they were swiftly being devoured before they could harm Xu Shan.

    The sky grew darker, as if an anger was brewing in the heavens above. Amidst the unsettling atmosphere, the Divine Empress gracefully made her way to the balcony, her gaze fixed upon the troubled sky.

    The Sky waspletely covered in darkness, but in that darkness, some lightning could be seen shing. Within seconds, something came out of the Dark Clouds. It was a creature that was formed from the Heavenly Lightning, taking the shape of a Dragon.

    The Lightning Dragon flew through the sky, roaring like crazy. The Empress'' expressions darkened at the sight of the Dragon.

    It wasn''t the first time she had seen a Dragon like this. It was a punishment from Heaven. In fact, she even faced a punishment like that when he killed arge number of Heaven''s Chosen.

    The lightning was powerful. Even with the Book of Devouring, she had barely managed to survive that punishment. She had to spend over a week in recovery.

    However, even then, she didn''t stop hunting the Heaven''s Chosen. Despite that, the Lightning Punishment didn''te a second time. Even the Laws of Heaven were restricted by worlds.

    A Heavenly Punishment could only be sent once in an Upper World for a person. At least that''s what the Empress thought before. But seeing the Lightning Dragon in the sky made her have second thoughts. She wondered if it was the second Heavenly Punishment meant for her.

    She brought out the Book of Devouring. The pages of the Book pped open as the Empress prepared for the assault.

    She waited for the Dragon to attack her, but to her surprise, the Lightning Dragon didn''t even look at her. Even as the Dragon flew through the sky, his gaze was in another direction.

    She followed the Dragon''s gaze. Her gaze ended up on the mansion that she had gifted Xu Shan. Before the mansion, Xu Shan was standing. His attention on the Lightning Dragon in the sky.

    "It came for him? But how? How could he attract such hate from Heaven?!" The Divine Empress eximed in disbelief. She had to kill hundreds of Heaven''s Chosen, and after that the punishment came for her. But this man...

    nk~

    A cracking sound resounded. The bracelet of oath on Xu Shan''s wrist started cracking apart. Right before his eyes, the bracelet shattered, the Heavenly Laws absorbed by Xu Shan.

    The Heavenly Punishment finally fell from the sky as the Lightning Dragon came crashing down.

    "I''ll trust the Book of Truth this time..." Xu Shan muttered, as he raised both his hands towards the sky.

    With his second spirit awakening, it wasn''t just his first spirit that had be stronger. More of the Restrictions from the Book of Truth were removed. It was as if the Book had finally epted him as its master in aplete sense.

    A lot of information that previously would''ve been a bunch of question marks or unreadable text was now clear, especially about the Lightning Dragon.

    Xu Shan flew into the sky, not waiting for the Lightning Dragon toe to him. The bright lightning made many people close their eyes, unable to even look at the sky. But the Divine Empress was different.

    She was able to see clearly. And what she was was something even she didn''t believe! Xu Shan''s Celestial Spirit... It materialized behind him! And it was a sight that even sent a chill down her spine.

    The Divine Empress could only see Xu Shan''s Celestial Spirit for a second, and even that was enough to hurt her seriously. Blood came out from her nose, ears and eyes. Eventually, she was forced to look elsewhere!

    It was a sight she could never forget! A Celestial Spirit like that... She couldn''t believe it. If it was another powerful Celestial Spirit, she could''ve thought about stealing it with the Book of Devouring, but what she saw... She was certain that she was going to die if she even tried to absorb that Celestial Spirit! It was too evil��

 Chapter 203 203: Furious Heaven

    <h4>Chapter 203 Chapter 203: Furious Heaven</h4>

    The Lightning Dragon descended with an earth-shaking impact. Its immense size made Xu Shan appear minuscule inparison. The mere tooth of the Dragon wasrger than Xu Shan''s entire being.

    As Xu Shan stopped in the sky, facing the descending Dragon, his left eye started shining. It was as if all the Stars in his left eye hade to life!

    A simr illusion of the Celestial Stars appeared behind him, creating a strange ethereal pattern.

    It was as if the billions of smaller stars were creating aplex formation behind Xu Shan. It was a sight to behold, but unfortunately, no one other than Xu Shan could see it.

    The sky was so bright that even taking a short nce was impossible. The light of the stars and the light of the lightning dragon seemingly shed, making the sky even brighter.

    Even though it was night, the sky was as bright as it had never been. Even in the brightest of days, it wasn''t like this. Many residents of the Royal City were stunned, unaware as to what was happening

    One moment they saw a Dragon descend from the sky and the next moment, everything turned bright.

    Not just the Royal City, but people much farther away from the Royal City could also see this strange phenomena.

    Xu Shan took a deep breath. He was trusting the Book of Truth, but even then, he could feel how impressive the Lightning Dragon was. Just being in its present, he felt a cold sweat on his face. If possible, he didn''t want to face this so soon, but he had made up his mind!

    This was the time for him to Devour the Heavens!

    As the Celestial Star Formation waspleted, another mighty aura descended. A Shadow materialized before the Star Formation.

    Even the Divine Empress had only managed to catch a single glimpse of the Shadow before bleeding from all her orifices, soon taking her gaze off.

    The Shadow appeared quite identical to Xu Shan. The only difference was in the attire. The Shadow had a different set of clothes. And it was also muchrger... Almost the same size as the Dragon.

    "Don''t break my trust," Xu Shan nced at the screen in the corner of his view onest time, before raising his left hand.

    As if following his movements, the giant illusory figure behind him also raised its left hand.

    The Lightning Dragon roared even fiercely, as if it was furious at being challenged. Even though the Heavenly Punishment didn''t have much intelligence, he did have a certain set of feelings.

    The Lightning Dragon opened its mouth wide, intending to swallow Xu Shan and his shadow. Lightning strikes also fell from the sky, targeting Xu Shan.

    Unfortunately for the Lightning Dragon, none of those Lightning Strikes managed to hit Xu Shan, every single one being devoured by the Star Formation behind him.

    Xu Shan stood there, resolute, as the Lightning Dragon''s roars reverberated through the sky. The celestial stars behind him continued to shine, their brilliance seemingly growing stronger with each passing moment.

    As the Lightning Dragon lunged forward with its mighty jaws, Xu Shan and his shadow raised their right hands in unison as well.

    A surge of energy pulsed through Xu Shan''s body, coursing through the connection he had with his celestial shadow. It was as though they were two halves of the same entity, perfectly synchronized in their movements.

    With a determined expression, Xu Shan channeled his power into both his hands, causing the giant illusory figure to do the same.

    He could never have thought of a crazy n like this in the past, but things were different. He was going to devour the Lightning Dragon, and break through to the Immortal Realm at this moment!

    If there was one source of energy which wasparable to the lives of every existence in this world, it was the Heavenly Punishment before him!

    Moreover, if he were to devour the lives of the Upper Realm, he could enter the Immortal Realm, but with the Heavenly Dragon, not only could he enter the Immortal Realm, but he could also strengthen his body with the Heavenly Law.

    The sh between the Lightning Dragon and Xu Shan''s celestial shadow sent shockwaves across the sky. The heavens themselves seemed to tremble under the immense power being unleashed.

    Lightning strikes continued to rain down, but each one was effortlessly absorbed by the celestial star formation, further fueling Xu Shan''s strength.

    The Divine Empress and onlookers from the Royal City only heard the terrifying sounds, unable to even take a look. It was a battle of titanic proportions, a showdown between a human and a celestial beast. The very fabric of reality seemed to warp and twist around them as they shed.

    The Lightning Dragon''s head was grabbed by Xu Shan''s Celestial Spirit, which made it unable to move forward. Even worse for the Dragon was that the Celestial Spirit was devouring the Heavenly Aura of the Lightning Dragon.

    Xu Shan bit his lips, feeling a surge of energy entering his body. It was painful, to the point of overwhelming his mind. This was nothing like a small trace of heavenlyw on the bracelet. This was the Heavenly Aura that came straight from Heaven!

    Even with the Celestial Spirit, it wasn''t easy. Xu Shan could feel a burn on his hands even though he wasn''t touching the Lightning Dragon directly. His skin and flesh burned, making the bones of his hands visible, but he didn''t remove his hand!

    His Celestial Spirit depended on him, and he depended on it. If even a single point of this connection was broken, it could leave him alone to face the Lightning Dragon, and be heavily injured.

    As the battle raged on, Xu Shan''s left eye continued to shine with an otherworldly light, and the celestial stars behind him zed with an intensity that defied imagination.

    Fortunately, Xu Shan could see the Lightning Dragon weaken. It was working! He believed he truly could do it! His strength also kept increasing.

    Unfortunately, just as he was feeling happy, his face turned pale. He looked at the sky, hearing more roars.

    To his shock, three more Lightning Dragons descended from the sky! Heaven was truly furious.

 Chapter 204 204: Necessary Evil

    ?

    Xu Shan''s heart sank as he beheld the arrival of not one, but three additional Lightning Dragons. The heavens had indeed unleashed their wrath upon him, going beyond his expectations.

    With one Lightning Dragon, it was possible to devour it all. He could even devour three more, but not all at once!

    "What are my chances of Survival at the moment?" Xu Shan asked, as he kept devouring the first dragon.

    The Book of Truth activated, disying a screen before him. The screen flickered with data and calctions before settling on a number: 23.6%.

    The chances were higher than he expected, since he thought that there was no chance at all. He truly expected it to show a big zero, but it was beyond his expectations.

    Unfortunately, even though it wasn''t zero, it wasn''t looking very optimistic. And this was just the chance of his survival, not how he was going to end up.

    This chance included him being left half dead!

    "As I am right now, it is unlikely to survive," Xu Shan thought, his expressions darkening. "But..."

    He thought of something, and posed another question. "What are the chances if I were to break through?"

    [... Calcting... ]

    [If conditions of Evolution are achieved, the Chances of Survival are over 95 Percent]

    "Over 95 Percent?" Xu Shan muttered. "It''s just as I thought. If I  just devour this Lightning Dragon and achieve a breakthrough... But the problem is..."

    He looked at the other three Lightning Dragons. It was clear that they weren''t going to give him a chance to finish.

    His mind raced as he tried to think of a way. He had to dy the Lightning Dragons until he finished the first. As for how he could do that, he was unclear.

    The celestial shadow beside him continued to devour the first Lightning Dragon, and although it was weakening, the process was slow. The Celestial Energy in the Lightning Dragon was too high.

    Even as Xu Shan overburdened his body, it was still going to take some time.

    Lightning strikes continued to fall like rain, targeting Xu Shan and his celestial shadow relentlessly. Even some strikes fell on the City, destroying everything where they fell.

    Screams of people were buried under the roar of lightning, but the destruction was visible.

    Sweat poured down Xu Shan''s face, mixing with the rain of electric sparks. His left eye shone even brighter, and the celestial star formation behind him intensified its radiant disy. He knew he had to act fast, or he might not survive this onught.

    The heavenly aura he was devouring from the first Lightning Dragon was bolstering his strength, but he needed more! He needed a lot more!

    For a moment, he thought about using the Book of Desires to buy him some time, but he couldn''t even use the book as both his hands were engaged. If he took even a single hand off, this entire process would break, only for him to be hit by the first Lightning Punishment from Heaven.

    Another powerful lightning bolt fell from the sky, this time falling near the Royal Pce.

    Xu Shan nced in that direction, noticing the Divine Empress. Before the Pce, he also noticed many Generals of the Celestial Dynasty.

    "That''s it!" He eximed, thinking of something.

    Although it was almost about to break his mind, but that was nothing before his survival. He used the second Celestial Spirit on just asrge a scale.

    A Second Illusory image appeared behind him, but it wasn''t a humanoid image like his first Celestial Spirit.

    Instead, the Shadow of Second Celestial Spirit looked even more Demonic. It was just in the form of a single eye, which looked Demonic. The eye had multiple pupils, each having a blood red color. The eye had no emotion, and appeared as if it looked down on everyone.

    Xu Shan was willing to do anything for survival, no matter how bad it was. The aura of his Celestial Eye covered the entire city.

    Within seconds, hundreds of Celestial Warriors flew toward the sky, shocking many.

    The Current Empress, her father and even the Generals... They were all shocked at the sight. The people who were flying towards the sky weren''t particrly powerful.

    They were ordinary guards of the Dynasty, who were much weaker than a General. What no one understood was why these people were flying towards the sky?! This matter had nothing to do with them. Unless they had a death wish, they should''ve stayed away.

    The Empress couldn''t understand but Yunxi and her father felt that this situation was familiar. The lifeless expressions of these people were no different than the General that was controlled by Xu Shan previously.

    The Former Emperor didn''t understand what Xu Shan wanted. Did he think that these people could help him? But they were too weak for that. So what was his n?

    "Unless..." The Former Emperor thought of something, his expressions going pale.

    He realized what Xu Shan was nning! He wasn''t using these people to fight for him! Instead, he was using them as shields to dy the Dragons!

    The hundreds of Warriors split into three groups, all attacking the Dragons. This was thew with the Heavenly Punishment!

    As long as one interfered in the Divine Punishment, the Punishment was going to attack them first, and only after killing them was it going to attack the main target, and Xu Shan wanted to use this.

    He didn''t care if he had to sacrifice hundreds of people, or millions or every single person in the city! As long as it could buy him enough time, it was worth it.

    In a matter of seconds, the Lightning Dragons swiftly annihted the entire group of Warriors, leaving no trace of their existence. But before the lightning dragons could return to their Target, more Celestial Warriors came flying.

    He kept shoving the Warriors down the Dragons'' throat to keep them busy, soon running out of Guards of the Dynasty, but there were still more people.

 Chapter 205 205: Threshold

    <h4>Chapter 205 Chapter 205: Threshold</h4>

    The Former Emperor, watching from the pce, could hardly believe the lengths to which Xu Shan was willing to go for his own survival. It was a grim and desperate gambit, using the lives of countless individuals as pawns in his dangerous game against the celestial wrath.

    "This is too..." He spoke, seeing the sight before him. "...evil."

    His daughter watched the sight and even she was taken aback. She didn''t expect Xu Shan to do something like this. He was sacrificing innocent people. It couldn''t even be called a sacrifice. He was straight feeding those humans to the Lightning Dragons.

    She thought her sister was evil as her war of conquest took many lives. Her sister even ruined her Celestial Spirit and destroyed their family, but even she had never done something like this. It was no different than arge-scale execution!

    She couldn''t be certain as to who had a darker heart. Her sister that she hated the most in the world, or the person who had saved her father and helped her. Because that man''s current actions were different from the image that she had created for him in her mind.

    Xu Shan was covered in sweat as he continued to sacrifice the city''s guards, knowing that time was his most preciousmodity. His body was under heavy burden, but his life was on the line, so he couldn''t rx.

    With each wave of celestial warriors sent to dy the Lightning Dragons, he inched closer to his goal of devouring the first dragon and achieving a breakthrough. But he was also aware of the toll this strategy was taking on him, both mentally and emotionally.

    As the Lightning Dragons relentlessly pursued their prey, their colossal forms illuminated the darkened sky. The once-great city was now a battleground, a chaotic spectacle of destruction and sacrifice. The screams of the fallen warriors mixed with the roar of thunder and the crackle of lightning, creating a symphony of despair.

    Xu Shan''s left eye zed with an otherworldly intensity, drawing even more celestial energy from the first Lightning Dragon.

    He couldn''t afford to fail now, not aftering this far. The Book of Truth, suspended in the air beside him, continued to disy his dwindling chances of survival, a grim reminder of the stakes involved.

    The Divine Empress, Yunxi, watched in shock as the city''s guardians were offered up as sacrifices.

    The Lightning Dragon had arrived for Xu Shan. She didn''t know what he did to attract three of them, which broke all her understanding about the Heavenly Punishment.

    She was certain that the man in the sky wasn''t Heaven''s Chosen. But that also raised a question. Just what was he? And how was his growth so fast? Even she felt dread as she saw him now, certain that she couldn''t win if she were to fight him.

    She held the Book of Devouring tightly, for the first time in her life feeling fear.

    The question remained: would this sacrificial tactic be enough to dy the Lightning Dragons and allow Xu Shan toplete his devouring?

    More and more celestial warriors took to the sky, each group meeting a swift and tragic end at the hands of the relentless Lightning Dragons. Yet, Xu Shan''s determination never wavered. He knew that every precious second counted, and he would continue this grim dance with death until he could achieve the breakthrough he so desperately needed.

    Half an hour had passed and half the City poption was wiped out, but it wasn''t the end. Thousands of people took to the sky again.

    The Former Emperor had lost count as to how many lives were gone. A million? Ten million? Or a hundred million?

    Before long, Xu Shan finished devouring the First Lightning Dragon, his body brimming with every. Unfortunately, he still didn''t achieve a breakthrough. It was as if he was on the verge of a breakthrough, but still something wascking.

    "More! I need more!"

    His clothing was ripped in several ces, and his skin was badly burned, with some of his bones visible. Even blood trickled down his lips, his face remaining pale.

    He looked above, stopping one wage of attacks. Instead, he flew toward one of the Dragons directly.

    The Spirit of Devouring disappeared behind him, and so did the Spirit of Control. The people who attacked the Lightning Dragon came to their senses, albeit toote.

    When they gained their vision, they saw a fierce lightning Dragon before their eyes. Thest thing they saw was the Dragon''s open mouth and they were devoured.

    On the opposite end, Xu Shan soared through the air, effortlesslynding atop the Lightning Dragon which was busy devouring the humans that attacked him.

    Vibrant bolts of electricity surged through his body, causing him to grit his teeth in an effort to stifle any expression of difort.

    He ced his hand on the Dragon''s back, even as his body felt paralyzed because of Heaven''s Punishment.

    The devouring activated as soon as his hand touched the Lightning Dragon.

    Xu Shan felt his vision getting blurry as the lightning momentarily stopped his heart from beating

    With the people devoured, the Lightning Dragons once again turned to Xu Shan.

    The Dragon that he was trying to devour flew high, to make Xu Shan fall. Xu Shan barely held on to its body.

    Unfortunately, the other Lightning Dragons didn''t care that he was atop one of them. They were lifeless beings with only one goal.

    The other Lightning Dragon opened its mouth, shooting out a condensed beam of Heavenly Lightning.

    The beam struck Xu Shan directly, engulfing him in a blinding disy of crackling energy. Despite the intense pain, he summoned every ounce of his strength to withstand the assault. The first assault was something he survived, albeit barely.

    His left arm was missing, and there was not a single body part that wasn''t hurting.

    The Lightning Dragon opened its mouth again, repeating the same attack. Until the Dragons were killed, they were going to keep attacking.

    Xu Shan didn''t escape. He increased his devouring, feeling a crack through the barrier of breakthrough. Just a little more and he could have everything!

 Chapter 206 206: True Calamity

    ?

    Xu Shan intensified his relentless consumption, driven by an unwavering will to shatter the barrier to ultimate power.

    His once-sharp vision became a haze, and his senses dulled under the relentless assault of the Lightning Dragon.

    On the precipice of physical and mental copse, surrender was not an option. Every sacrifice, the city turned into a battlefield, and the lives lost had all led to this moment.

    The second Lightning Dragon poised itself for another devastating attack. Its immense maw crackled with the condensed, searing energy of pure power.

    With unyielding resolve, Xu Shan bellowed, his devouring pace elerating even as his body began to fracture under the immense strain.

    A beam of condensed  heavenly lightning shot out towards him. A loud boom resounded. No one saw what happened in the sky, but the Empress was certain that this was the end of Xu Shan.

    No matter how strong he was, even he couldn''t survive being hit by two straight attacks, especially after he was exhausted.

    However, to the astonishment of everyone watching, Xu Shan emerged from the smoke and rubble, his body emanating an even more intense aura of power.

    His skin already used to be wless, but at the moment, it looked even better. The scars and wounds that marred his body werepletely gone, reced by an ethereal glow that shimmered with every step he took.

    The Empress could hardly believe her eyes as she witnessed this seemingly divine transformation in Xu Shan.

    Not only had he survived being hit by the second divine punishment, but he was better than before, akin to being reborn.

    Xu Shan stood amidst the chaos, his newfound power radiating like a zing sun. His eyes, once clouded, now shone with an otherworldly intensity, reflecting the very essence of the universe.

    The second Lightning Dragon, having expended much of its energy, hesitated for a moment, as if uncertain how to proceed.

    But Xu Shan wasted no time. With a single graceful movement, he ascended into the air, defying gravity itself. The Empress and the spectators below could only watch in awe as he confronted the colossal beast.

    With a flick of his wrist, Xu Shan summoned an ethereal de of lightning, its edge sharp enough to cut through the very fabric of reality. With unparalleled precision, he sliced through the Lightning Dragon''s searing breath, dispersing it harmlessly.

    The dispersed energy was also absorbed directly in his body. The once-terrifying beasts trembled, their roars reduced to feeble cries.

    Xu Shan looked at the Heaven above. His voice now resonating with divine authority, echoed across the battlefield

    A smile spread across his lips. "Thank you for the gift."

    The Heavenly Punishment fell down because he had broken the Heavenly Taboo by trying to devour the Heavenly Energy, but that had proven to be a heaven sent for him.

    Not only had he broken through, but he did so with the Heavenly Energy, the purest form of Celestial Energy that was impossible to gather through normal means.

    The people of the city, who had witnessed so much destruction and loss watched in astonishment. The Empress herself was shocked to the point that she remained in daze.

    She didn''t even think that this was possible to break through by devouring Heavenly Punishment.

    Even with her book of Devouring, she was certain she couldn''t do it! Perhaps Xu Shan was the only one who could achieve a feat like this, which made her even more confused about his origin. Just who was that guy? Who was the person that even Heavens failed to kill despite sending three Heavenly Punishments in the span of an hour.

    The battle raged on, an epic sh of titanic forces. Lightning and thunder shed with Xu Shan''s newfound might, creating a cataclysmic spectacle that illuminated the darkened sky. But with each passing moment, it became evident that Xu Shan had transcended his previous limitations.

    The Lightning Dragons couldn''t harm him. On the contrary, they were devoured even faster, as if they were being toyed with.

    Xu Shan summoned storms and channeled the fury of nature itself. His attacks were swift and precise, his defense imprable. The second Lightning Dragon, once fearsome, found itself outmatched. .

    Within a few minutes, it waspletely devoured and became a part of Xu Shan.

    As the battle neared its climax, Xu Shan unleashed a final, devastating strike, a surge of energy so potent that it made the very heaven crack.

    The Third Lightning Dragon disintegrated into a cascade of brilliant sparks, its power vanquished and absorbed by Xu Shan.

    Constant cracking of lightning could be heard in the sky, but no other Lightning Dragon came down. There was a limit to this world and it seemed that the limit had been crossed. This was the end of the Heavenly Punishment.

    Although Xu Shan wanted to devour more, he could only control his urges. He wasn''t certain what he could face if those limits didn''t exist. He didn''t want to taste his luck at this moment.

    He hadn''t even consolidated his newfound power, which was going to take a long time in itself.

    He had just broken through the threshold of the Heavenly Celestial that was a dream for the Divine Empress. He had be the strongest person in the Divine Realm, to the point that his Celestial Spirit of Control could not even control the Divine Empress if he wanted.

    Xu Shan descended gracefully to the ground, his aura still zing with divine energy. The city that had borne witness to their struggle waspletely silent.

    Normally, they would''ve been celebrating that someone had saved this city from a cmity, but none of them were a fool. They knew that Xu Shan was the reason behind this cmity. Moreover, he had used the people of this city like his paws against their will, only to buy himself some time.

    Deep in their heart, no one considered him their hero. Some were even praying for him to fail and die in this cmity. He was the true Cmity instead.

 Chapter 207 207: Conditions

    ?

    Xu Shan survived the cmity, and he survived when no one thought that he could. He had faced multiple Heavenly Punishment yet he came out unscathed.

    Even the ones who didn''t know about him in the past, now knew what kind of existence he was. The n Leaders who were hiding inside their ns throughout the time also came out near the end, seeing Xu Shan break through the threshold.

    Although many people hated him for what he did, they couldn''t do anything to him. Some of them looked toward the Divine Empress, as if their eyes were pleading them to do justice.

    As Xu Shan looked at the former Emperor, he could clearly see the fear in the old man''s eyes, but he didn''t mind that fear. He only smiled in response.

    He walked closer to the Former Emperor who subconsciously took a few steps back.

    "Sometimes fear is good," Xu Shan told the old man, before walking past him.

    He didn''t look behind at the Former Emperor or even Yunxi. Instead, his thoughts were focused on the Divine Empress. There was so much he couldn''t do before, but with this breakthrough, a lot of doors had opened for him.

    He didn''t need the formation to break through anymore. With his breakthrough, his aura was the purest form of Heavenly Energy. Even if he devoured everyone here, it was no different than a drop in the ocean.

    The Divine Empress didn''t run. She knew that running away was impossible. Xu Shan could kill her if he wanted, before she could even escape.

    She stood her group on the balcony, watching Xu Shaning towards her.

    Xu Shan flew up,nding next to the Empress on the balcony.

    "To think that someone like you would be scared as well..." Xu Shanmented in amusement. He looked at the city from the balcony. "Looks like at the end of it, you''re not much different from the citizens you rule over."

    "What do you want from me?" The Divine Empress asked. "If you''re here to kill me, then be quick."

    "I''m not here to kill you," Xu Shan answered. "You''re of much more use to me alive than you''ll ever be dead. But that depends on your answer. I''m here to give you an opportunity."

    "If you can take it, you might live to reach much higher heights, and if you don''t take that opportunity, I might bury you ten feet under the ground."

    The Divine Empress paused, inhaling deeply. "What kind of opportunity are we talking about?"

    "The opportunity for you to break through the limits of Heavenly Celestial that you''ve always been dreaming of. I know about the secret formation you''re working on. And I''m not nning to stop you. You can devour anyone you want and achieve that breakthrough," Xu Shan told the Divine Empress.

    "You''re not that kind. So what do you want in exchange for it?"  The Divine Empress asked Xu Shan.

    The opportunity was indeed alluring to him, and she also understood that there wasn''t much loss to Xu Shan. Even if her formation seeded and she managed to break through, she could never be a threat to Xu Shan.

    Even in the same realm, she couldn''t defeat him. And now that he had devoured the Heavenly Punishment for his breakthrough, the difference between him and others in the same realm as him was toorge.

    Even though her breakthrough didn''t affect him, she was certain that he wasn''t going to give her this opportunity for no reason.

    The Citizens who were hoping for the Divine Empress to punish Xu Shan watched her standing next to Xu Shan, feeling disappointed. Even theirst hope was home. It was clear that the Empress wasn''t going to punish him.

    The Rebels who wanted the deaths were also taken aback. They thought Xu Shan was going to kill the Empress and free the Empire from her tyranny, but the reality was different.

    The n Leaders knew better than ordinary citizens. They knew that it wasn''t like that. The Empress herself was at the mercy of Xu Shan at this point. It was more like Xu Shan wasn''t punishing her.

    "I want two things from you in exchange," Xu Shan answered the Empress. He could grant the Empress what she wanted, only wanting two things in return.

    "And what are they?" The Empress asked.

    Xu Shan moved closer to the Empress, telling her the two things he wanted. Hearing his thoughts, the Divine Empress was taken aback. She looked at Xu Shan in disbelief.

    "Do you think I''ll agree?" she asked.

    As soon as she spoke, her mind went nk. In the next moment when she came back to her senses, she felt pain on her cheeks. Her palm also felt pain, as if she had pped herself with great force, without even realizing.

    "It doesn''t matter if you disagree," Xu Shanzily stated. "I can forcefully take what I want. It''ll just be more convenient if you agree."

    "Give me some time to think about it!" The Divine Empress remained hesitant, but also sacred. If Xu Shan could control her mind and actions, then it was truly futile but she still wanted to think about it.

    "Sure. You have three seconds. If you agree, then fine. If not..." Xu Shan stopped paying attention to the Divine Empress.

    He nced at the citizens who were looking in his direction, hating him. He waved his hand toward them, as if he was a beloved King who was greeting his people. However, he knew all too well that all these people were going to die soon. So even if they hated him a lot, it didn''t change anything.

    Although three seconds were too little, the Divine Empress made up her mind. Although the conditions were too much, but there was no choice.

    "I agree to your conditions!" she eximed.

    Hearing her response, Xu Shan couldn''t help butugh. This time, he wasn''t going to make the same mistake asst time. He had already thought of all the precautions.

 Chapter 208 208: Ninth Hall Master

    The City seemed to have returned to its usual state, giving off the impression of normalcy.

    Two days had passed since the tragic incident in which the poption of the City had halved. Even most of the Guards were killed. Fortunately, the City had recalled some Royal Guards who were stationed in other cities to maintain order.

    The citizens also didn''t create much trouble. There were asionally some protests by people who had lost their family in the incident, but the protests were immediately controlled, even if the use of brute force was needed.

    The repair work of many buildings had also started, with many artisans brought from other Cities. The buildings that were destroyed were constructed again.

    Most people tried to forget the recent incident, trying to think of it as a nightmare, but it was hard to forget.

    Two days had passed but no one had seen Xu Shan after that moment. Even the Empress wasn''t seen. Both of them stayed inside the Mansion, with the mansion being guarded by the Generals who had survived.

    No one understood what the two of them were doing inside, but there were many stories. Some rumours stated that Xu Shan was a lustful person and from thest two days, he had been ying with the Empress'' body to fulfil his desires, because of which no one was allowed to enter.

    Another rumour was that Xu Shan was torturing the Empress and the Empress wasn''t resisting because she wanted to protect the Dynasty and her citizens. Some people had sympathy for the Empress while others hated her.

    Amongst the rumours, there was only one thing that was confirmed. It was that the hierarchy of the World had changed. Now the epitome of strength was Xu Shan.

    Even the Shadow Hall which had always resisted the Empress was scared. Divine Empress was already scary enough, but another monster had appeared.

    Some voices started rising in the Shadow Hall, suggesting that they should surrender. There were also some hard headed people who still didn''t want to surrender.

    "Even if we surrender, do you think they''ll let us live?! That Empress is a bit*h! We''ve troubled her so much, she''ll kill us the moment we surrender!"

    "We won''t surrender to her! We''ll surrender to the man!" Another person suggested.

    "What if he agrees with her? Haven''t you heard that he''s in a rtionship with that bit*h? We can''t take risks on possibilities! Surrender is out of the question!"

    "What do you suggest? As you can already see, we don''t have many options left!"

    "There is one option! It''s that we stick to our n! We must assassinate them! That bit*h and her lover must be killed!" The First Hall Master suggested, killing intent shing in his eyes.

    "Easier said than done! Who here thinks he can assassinate that man? Didn''t you hear how strong he is?" The Second Hall Master refuted.

    "For an assassin, strength doesn''t matter! All that matters is one opportunity!" The First Hall Master eximed.

    "I agree with the First Hall Master," the Third Hall Master stated his opinion. "If there''s an opportunity, even an ant can kill a god, let alone us! We can either put our life on the line and surrender or we can risk it all! You all know which option I support!"

    Amongst the mine hall masters, four had sided with the First Hall Master while the other four sided with the Second Hall Master. In the end, the decision was left on thest person.

    The decisionnded on the Ninth Hall Master who was the youngest amongst them. It hadn''t even been half a year since the boy joined the Shadow Hall and he had already managed to grab the seat of a Hall Master with his strength.

    The Ninth Hall Master looked at everyone, his eyes clearly carrying a decision.

    "Surrender won''t work before that person. He''s an evil man, who can kill anyone that he considers a potential risk for him. You''ll be the first he kills if you go before him. So I agree with the First Hall Master. We shall assassinate him!"

    As the Ninth Hall Master spoke, his voice carried a hint of hatred.

    "Did you have an interaction with that man before?" One of the Hall Master asked, feeling as if the Ninth Hall Master had a personal enmity with Xu Shan.

    "It''s none of your concern. Tell me when the n is ready." The Ninth Hall Master stood up, leaving the meeting.

    It was already decided that they were going to assassinate the Queen and the new star of Divine Realm.

    ****

    While many citizens were wondering what Xu Shan was doing to the Empress, he stood next to the Divine Empress.

    Both of them were in the centre of the City, albeit underground.

    An entire city was created under the city that people considered the Royal City. But in this underground City, there were no houses.

    There was only a vast formation that could be seen spread around as far as the eyes could see. The formation was as big as the Core Region of the Royal City in size, but that wasn''t where it stopped. From that point on, the formation continued above the ground, connected through special points.

    It was certainly the work that took years to get to this point and even now, it was notplete.

    "How long until it''spleted?" Xu Shan asked the Divine Empress while observing the construction work continuing.

    "A week at most," the Divine Empress asked, slightly regretful.

    If this Formation waspleted a month ago, she could''ve already broken through to the Immortal Realm and left this ce before meeting this monster.

    Unfortunately, it was toote for now. Xu Shan had carved a ve seal on her soul. And this time, the seal was different.

    Since Xu Shan had already lost a servant he cast this seal on, he took extra precautions. This time, he modified the deal to consider the possibility of soul evolution.

    In case the seal was about to be erased by any means, it was going to destroy the entire soul of the person first. Even gods couldn''t wipe this seal.

 Chapter 209 209: Like a Master

    Chapter 209  209: Like a Master

    Even after a person''s death, this seal was going to exist. As long as a soulsted, this seal couldst.

    Not just the seal, but Xu Shan also took more steps. He carved a blood seal on the Empress'' back, connecting it to the Soul Seal. If even one link was broken, it meant certain death. He left nothing to chance this time.

    Thanks to the seal, the Divine Empress was forced to work for him. It was also one of the two things he wanted her to do in exchange for his help.

    As for the second thing, it was simply to take the Book of Devouring from her. But he left that forter since she still needed the Book to utilize the formation and achieve a breakthrough.

    "A week?" Xu Shan wanted to finish it faster so he could return to his world, but there was nothing he could do.

    The Divine Empress was in much more hurry than him about this formation after all.

    "A week it is." Xu Shan turned around and started leaving. The Divine Empress followed after him, only for him to stop her.

    "You don''t need to follow me."

    The Divine Empress nodded and stayed behind. Deep in her heart, she felt quiteplicated. On one end, she wanted to hate Xu Shan. But on the other hand, she was also impressed. She knew that if she was in his ce, she might have done even worse.

    Just leaving her alive was merciful enough.

    "I wonder what it would''ve been like if I had devoured his strength before." She mumbled under her breath, thinking out loud.

    "Your mind would''ve gone crazy. Because there are some things that you just can''t devour." Xu Shan''s voice came from the distance, shocking the Divine Empress.

    Her face went pale. He had heard her. But even after some time passed, Xu Shan didn''t return to punish her. Only then she rxed.

    ****

    Xu Shan left the Underground from the exit that connected to the Royal Pce. He had one week left, and during that one week, he had nothing better to do. Just thinking about theing week, he felt bored.

    He left the Mansion to take a breath of fresh air.

    The sun was shining brightly in the sky, warming his face as he strolled through the streets of the Core Zone of the Royal City.

    The fragrance of blooming flowers filled his senses, momentarily distracting him from his troubled thoughts. Most of the City was ruined during the cmity. However, the Core Region was repaired the fastest.

    At this point, no signs of damage could be seen. This ce was as good as new. As most of the Prominent ns were established in this ce, a lot of priority was given to this area.

    While Xu Shan was walking freely, many people saw him. At this point, there was not a single person who didn''t know him.

    Seeing him, even the members of the strongest ns were horrified, trying to avoid his gaze. Not even their n Head couldn''t afford to offend the young man, let alone them.

    Xu Shan intended to check out the outer area, but as he was only halfway through the core region when he stopped. A frown appeared on his face as he looked towards a particr mansion.

    This was the Mansion of the Luo n. The n didn''t have anything notable other than the fact that they were influential. It was the second-strongest n in the Empire. But what made Xu Shan pay attention to the n wasn''t their strength.

    Instead, he remembered that this was the same n where his Bracelet had signaled him. Although he devoured the bracelet and didn''t need to worry about heavenly punishment, but with nothing better to do, he decided to check things out.

    He approached the entrance of the n. The n Guards'' backs were drenched in sweat as they saw Xu Shan approaching them. Their legs were trembling and they could barely stand straight.

    "L-Lord Xu!" The Guards greeted Xu Shan, going down on one knee. They were treating Xu Shan no different than their master since it was said Xu Shan could control everyone''s actions if he wanted.

    One mistake and they could die at their own hands without even realizing anything.

    The Guards hastily opened the door.

    Usually, there was a protocol that no one was allowed to enter. If one wanted to enter, they had to wait outside until the Guards informed the Elder incharge of Security and got permission.

    However, only a fool could tell Xu Shan to wait.

    After opening the door, they stepped aside. They didn''t even dare to go inside to inform others if Xu Shan didn''tmand them.

    "Wise people," Xu Shan nced at the Guards, nodding in satisfaction. "Unfortunately, within a week..."

    Shaking his head, he walked past them. The entire world was going to be devoured in a week. It didn''t concern Xu Shan and he was in no ce to judge anyone for it since he was nning to do the same.

    If he already hadn''t broken through with an even better source, then he would''ve been using the formation instead. He wasn''t a hypocrite to act like a nice person who felt bad for these people.

    Inside the n Premise, most people hadn''t expected Xu Shan to arrive. Since his aura was hidden, most couldn''t even see him unless they looked at him directly. He hadpletely erased his presence.

    The first ce Xu Shan came across was the Training Grounds of the Luo n. The Training Grounds were between the main entrance and the n Mansion. The Training Ground was huge. Thousands of people could train or battle here at the same time.

    In fact, some of the members of the Luo n were already going through a practice battle at this point.

    Xu Shan quietly observed from the sidelines as the practitioners disyed their skills and techniques in perfect harmony. His sharp eyes quickly recognized the varying levels of talent among the participants, as some effortlessly dominated their opponents while others struggled to keep up.

    The level of talent in this ce was much higher than he saw in the Celestial Realm.

 Chapter 210 210: Me too

    Chapter 210  210: Me too

    The young members of the Luo n were not only highly skilled but also possessed abundant resources to enhance their development. The Luo n hadn''t left any stone unturned to strengthen itself throughout the years.

    Still, for some reason, Xu Shan received a strange feeling when he observed them. He wasn''t sure what it was, but there was a trace of some unknown energy inside their body. That trace was very faint and hard to notice.

    "Watch out!"

    While Xu Shan was observing that strange energy, he heard a shout.

    As he nced around, his attention was suddenly caught by an approaching stray attack. The attack was surprisingly weak,cking any real power to even register as a threat to him.

    "Dodge!" Many people also heard that shout.

    The person who was closest to Xu Shan noticed the unfamiliar man standing still even as the attack approached him.

    He thought Xu Shan was frozen in fear. At that moment, the man ran to Xu Shan to save him.

    Xu Shan watched the young man with an interesting expression. While the adults were scared of him, most of these youngsters were still unaware. They still hadn''t seen him clearly to deduce his identity.

    The young man stopped before Xu Shan, casting an Aura Shield, blocking the attack at thest moment. Even with the shield, he had only barely stopped the attack as he was pushed back a few steps. The shield also cracked.

    The young man named Luo Qi sighed in relief.

    He looked at another young man in the distance. "Can''t you train while being aware of your surroundings? He could''ve died from your stray attack!"

    "And?" In the distance, an arrogant looking young man scoffed. "Why should I care if he died? Look at the person. He froze in fear. You think our n needs a weakling like him?"

    Before the argument could increase, Luo Qi''s friends intervened. One of them grabbed his hand, pulling him aside. "Let it go. Luo Yan is the son of Patriarch. You can''t do anything about him."

    Watching Luo Yan being dragged away by the others, Luo Yan revealed a smug smirk. His identity was special. He could do anything without worrying about the consequences, as long as he didn''t go overboard.

    Luo Qi clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger rise within him. He knew he had to tread carefully, not wanting to bring trouble to himself or his family. But deep down, he couldn''t help but despise the arrogance of the young man before him.

    "Next time be careful," Luo Qi spoke before turning around.

    "You think you can tell me what I should do?" Just as he was about to leave and let it be, Luo Yan attacked again.

    Once again, the target was Xu Shan, as if he was taunting Luo Qi.

    "You!" Luo Qi felt his blood pressure rise. He once again stepped forward to help Xu Shan, blocking the attack. "You... Do you really want me to call the Enforcement Elder?"

    Luo Yan shrugged,ughing before condensing another attack.

    Seeing things escte, Luo Qi''s friends felt a headache. One of them rushed out to call the Elders. Although they knew that even the Elders weren''t going to offend Luo Yan, but at least this could stop this argument.

    "Let''s see how many times your shield can block my attack. It shall be good training indeed." Luo Yan condensed three dark energy spheres this time, attacking at the same time.

    Luo Qi cast a shield again at the same time, telling Xu Shan to leave since he wasn''t sure how long he could stop Luo Yan.

    Xu Shan scratched the back of his head. He had enough of observing. The man before him was starting to get on his nerves now.

    His figure disappeared.

    "Hahaha, the person you tried to help already escaped with an escape Talisman! So much for you being a hero for him!" Watching Xu Shan disappear, Luo Yanughed. However, he still didn''t n to stop his attack.

    He raised his right hand, all three of the dark energy spheresplete. But before he could finish attacking, he froze.

    He felt something pulling his hair. Before he could react, a sharp pain spread through his body. Behind him was Xu Shan, who raised Luo Yan with his hair, before mming the young man on the ground.

    "You!" Luo Yan fumed as he saw who it was.

    Before he could speak further, Xu Shan''s foot mmed on his left elbow, shattering it.

    A soul numbing scream escaped Luo Yan''s mouth, his eyes turning blood red.

    "I''ll kill you! Arghh!!!" Luo Yan roared, only to scream once more as Xu Shanpletely ripped his left arm out. Blood sttered everywhere, painting the ground a gruesome shade of red. Xu Shan stepped back, a sadistic grin spreading across his face as he watched Luo Yan writhing in agony.

    Amidst the overwhelming agony, Luo Yan''s mind became consumed by both physical and mental pain.

    Luo Qi was also frozen at sight. He thought Xu Shan was a coward who couldn''t protect himself, but that same coward was now ripping apart Luo Yan like a demon.

    "Stop! He''s the Patriarch''s son! You can''t kill him!" Luo Qi called out, trying to stop Xu Shan.

    He didn''t protect Xu Shan because he felt anything for him. He was just a righteous man who tried to stand up when he could and at this moment, he felt Luo Yan was being wronged.

    Although Luo Yan was in the wrong, but this punishment was already overboard since Xu Shan wasn''t harmed.

    The other youngsters in the training ground also told Xu Shan to stop, bringing their weapons to attack Xu Shan if he didn''t listen.

    Xu Shan nced at Luo Qi. He didn''t speak. He just tossed the torn arm of Luo Yan towards the young man before moving over to Luo Yan''s right arm.

    Xu Shan held Luo Yan''s right arm firmly. Horror was clear on Luo Yan''s face. He didn''t know why, but he couldn''t even stand up. He felt true horror at this long.

    "You love hurting others. What a coincidence... Me too." Xu Shan''s calm voice was like the devil''s whispers in Luo Yan''s ears.

 Chapter 211 211: The World isnt

    Chapter 211  211: The World isn''t

    "Arghhh!"

    Luo Yan''s right arm was also ripped, making him roar in agony.

    This time, Luo Qi couldn''t stand idle. He ran toward Xu Shan to stop him and save Luo Yan.

    Luo Shan nced at Luo Qi. Just a single nce and Luo Qi froze in ce, his body trembling. It was as if he had seen his death. His legs gave up, making him drop to his knees.

    He didn''t know who Xu Shan was, but the fear he felt at this point was something he never experienced before, even when he was before the Patriarch.

    "Stop right there! If you stop now, I''ll be merciful when granting you death!"

    Xu Shan had just pulled out Luo Yan''s right arm when he heard another shout. This time, it was slightly more powerful.

    Behind him, there was the Enforcement Elder of the Luo n, who was one of the three strongest experts of the n.

    The Enforcement Elder could only see Xu Shan''s back, unable to know who this person was. But it didn''t matter since he saw the condition of Luo Yan.

    Hearing the voice of the Enforcement Elder, Luo Yan finally felt safe. At least he was going to survive! He wanted to tell the elder to give Xu Shan the most brutal death, but he was still next to Xu Shan.

    He kept his mouth closed, waiting until he was next to the Enforcement Elder.

    "Elder, please save me!" He called out, his eyes filled with tears.

    "Don''t worry Yan''er! I''m here! With me here, even the gods won''t be able to harm you!" The Enforcement Elder called out, stepping closer to Xu Shan. With each step, he applied some pressure to make Xu Shan understood the difference in strength between them.

    "Even gods cannot harm him? What about Demons?" Xu Shan asked, finding the Enforcement Elder''s threat to be amusing.

    Just because of that threat, he changed his mind and decided to stop ying with the young man and give him a swifter death.

    Stomp~

    Right before the Enforcement Elder''s eyes, a foot stomped on the skull of Luo Yan, sending his body crashing into the ground with a sickening thud. His skull shattered.

    The Elder froze in ce. This crazy man had actually killed the son of n Head, right before his eyes! Even he couldn''t escape this responsibility!

    "You! I''ll kill you!" The Enforcement Elder stopped restricting his aura. A terrifying aura defended in the surroundings.

    All the youngsters in the arena were suppressed by the aura, coughing out blood and they dropped to their knees, unable to resist the pressure.

    Even the other Elders couldn''t resist the pressure. However, to the Enforcement Elder''s surprise, Xu Shan was still standing. He lookedpletely fine as well, as if he wasn''t affected by the pressure at all.

    The Enforcement Elder had a strange feeling about it. At this point, his heart was warning him! This whole situation... That person who had walked into their mansion without a single care in the world and killed an heir... It wasn''t normal. It was as if this man was confident in his strength.

    At this point, he thought of something, his pupils shrinking. "W-who are you?"

    There were a few people in the city who could be this carefree when killing an heir of the Luo n. They were the Hall Leaders of the Shadow Hall, the Leaders of the Major ns and the Divine Queen. And recently, there was one more person...

    Just the thought of the man before him being that person sent shivers down the Enforcement Elder''s spine. He would''ve preferred the Shadow Hall Leader or even the Queen to stand before him than that person...

    The youngsters who were barely resisting fainting under the pressure also felt strange. Why was the Enforcement Elder behaving so strange before a man who was barely twenty years old? Some of them had realized that the man wasn''t as simple as they thought.

    Xu Shan removed his foot from the puddle of blood. With a flick of his finger, he used his Celestial Aura to clean his shoes and his clothes, removing all the blood stains.

    "Much better. I hate blood," Xu Shan spoke, before turning around to face the Enforcement Elder.

    The Enforcement Elder finally saw Xu Shan''s face. It was as if his entire world had turned upside down. His legs buckled as he also dropped to his knees.

    This was the first time the youngsters of the Luo n had seen their Elder on their knees before another person. He didn''t do it even when he was with the Patriarch. The man who was known for being dignified, arrogant and strong was now weak and cowardly.

    "L-lord Xu!" The Enforcement Elder eximed, his voice trembling.

    "I''m quite curious to see what kind of death you''ll give me," Xu Shan spoke, his eyes carrying a tinge of amusement.

    "Y-you must be joking. I can never think about harming Lord Xu. If I had known it was you, I would''ve never spoken those words. I have immense respect for the Lord of Divine Realm!" The Enforcement Elder eximed.

    Many people had already guessed Xu Shan''s identity by now, and with the Enforcement Elder''s words, things became even more clear. The man before them was the person who had shaken the entire Divine Realm with his strength!

    "If it was Lord Xu, then I believe it was justified! How dare Luo Yan offend Lord Xu! If he was still alive, I would''ve killed that bastard with my own hands!" The Enforcement Elder went a step further, siding with Xu Shan.

    Even if he had ten times the courage, he couldn''t threaten the man before him.

    Xu Shan could only shake his head in disappointment.

    He didn''t even say anything and started leaving this ce. He still had to enter the mansion and find that girl. There was something really fascinating about this n, especially that trace of strange energy, which only the n Head could tell him about.

    As he was walking past Luo Qi, he stopped. He looked down at the man who was on his knees.

    "It''s good to help others, but you should be careful. This world isn''t as nice as you expect."

 Chapter 212 212: Stepping Stone

    Chapter 212  212: Stepping Stone

    The Enforcement Elder was scared to be near Xu Shan, but he also didn''t want to offend the young man anymore than he already did.

    He followed after Xu Shan to personally show him around. With the Enforcement Elder apanying him, no ce was off limits for him. It wasn''t as if they were off limits for someone like him before but this time, things became more efficient.

    "Where''s your n Head?" Xu Shan asked the Enforcement Elder as he took his first step inside the Mansion.

    "Ah, the Patriarch..." The Enforcement Elder was stunned for words. His sudden hesitation made Xu Shan feel that something was off.

    "He isn''t in the Mansion. He left the city to take care of some matters at a Branch Family in another city." After some time, the Enforcement Elder finally came up with an excuse.

    Xu Shan smiled in response.

    "You''re not particrly good at lying, are you?" he asked, without turning around.

    "I..." The Enforcement Elder was left speechless.

    Xu Shan didn''t bother waiting for an exnation. His Divine Sense spread out, covering the entire mansion. Now that the bracelet was gone, it was hard to locate the exact ce where the girl was kept, but it was only a matter of time.

    In the depths of the n Mansion, the old Ancestor of the Luo n sensed someone probing him. He grew furious that someone would try to probe him. To reach the brazen person lesson, he used a Divine Skill to destroy Xu Shan''s consciousness.

    It was only after he attacked that he realized what mistake he hadmitted. The Divine Consciousness was like a calm sea and his attack couldn''t cause a single ripple.

    He coughed out blood, getting hurt instead. In shock and disbelief, the old Ancestor stared at the nk space. His expressions grew dark as he wiped the blood off his lips. He wasn''t sure who had infiltrated their mansion, but he didn''t dare probe back.

    "Ancestor?!"  A concerned call came, the n Head noticing the Ancestor Coughing out blood.

    "There''s an intruder..." The Ancestor spoke, as he stood up. His body was brimming with strength, although he looked frail.

    "Go out and dy him!" he instructed the n Head. "Even if you have to sacrifice the entire n, don''t let him interfere! Once I finish this ritual, I''ll be able to lead the n to prosperity!"

    As he spoke, his gaze drifted towards the bed situated at a distance. Resting upon it was an unconscious girl.

    The n Head didn''t dare dy. This was the moment they had been preparing for a long time. At this moment, they couldn''t fail! Although he didn''t know who had intruded, but even if it was the Queen, he was willing to do anything to dy her.

    "Once Ancestor Ascends, why would I need to worry about that bitch!" The n Head mumbled as he left the hall, passing through the Ancient Formation that protected this hall.

    However, it was only after he left the hall that he thought of something. The Ancestral Formation was strong enough to prevent any Divine Conscious. So how did the enemy see through?

    "Unless that person has... ascended!" One face shed before his eyes. He could still dy the Divine Empress through various tactics, but if it was the person he was thinking about, then he was worried about it a lot.

    He realized that if this person had truly ascended, it meant they had reached a level of power that surpassed even the Ancestral Formation''s defenses. This sudden revtion sent a chill down his spine. He turned around to get back inside the formation to alert the Luo n Ancestor.

    As soon as he spun around, his body went rigid. All color drained from his face. The world seemed to flip on its axis... quite literally. His head slumped forward,ing to rest beside his still-standing body.

    The person who killed him, turned around. His finger touched the Ancient Formation, devouring it entirely. In the blink of an eye, the formation that could even stop Heavenly Celestials was gone.

    ****

    Inside the hall, the old man stepped closer to the bed. His clothes dropped to the ground, revealing his naked body covered with wrinkles.

    The room grew silent as the man climbed on the bed. He brought his fingers close to the girl, gently rubbing her cheeks.

    "After a long time, finally I''m going to ascend! I wanted to enjoy every moment of it, but it looks like I''ll have to hurry..."

    His fingers slid down, slowly unbuttoning the girl''s clothes.

    The girl started regaining her consciousness as she mumbled something. Feeling a touch, she opened her eyes, which were filled with fear.

    She tried to push the old man away, only to fail. Even though the old man looked frail and weak, he was still a Half Step Immortal that had stayed hidden from the Divine Queen. No one knew that the old man was still alive for hundreds of years.

    "Don''t resist. This is what your Special Physique was made for! To be a stepping stone for me to reach my goals faster!"

    The old man revealed a disgusting smile as he grabbed the wrists of the girl, moving them aside.

    The girl fiercely resisted, but a strange force held her in ce.

    The old man brought his lips closer to the girl''s lips, but before he could kiss her, he heard the door open.

    "You little brat, can''t you wait a little?" he asked, without even looking back. He thought it was the n Head.

    He didn''t receive a response. He could only hear footsteps getting closer to him, which made him feel that something was wrong. A sense of danger coursed through every fiber of the body.

    The old man felt an intense desire to nce behind him, yet an overwhelming sense of dread gripped him, making it seem as if his very life depended on not doing so.

    In his vast experience, he had learned to trust his instincts, as they had rarely let him down. And in this moment, those very instincts were screaming at him with an unparalleled urgency.

 Chapter 213 213: Unnecessary

    Chapter 213  213: Unnecessary

    "W-who are you?" the old man asked, still not daring to turn around. The fear on his face was evident, even to the young girl on the bed.

    She had been forcefully brought to this n, where she was forced to cultivate everyday. The n poured so many resources to get her to be a Heavenly Celestial in such a short time, even using treasures that harmed her life essence.

    Despite bing a Heavenly Celestial, her life span was even lower than an ordinary mortal. She understood that these people weren''t doing this for her. She expected her to be sacrificed, but she didn''t expect it to be this way.

    She was helpless, and realised that she was going to lose even thest precious thing to her. However, just as she had lost all hope, resisting fiercely, she saw the old man stop. The fear on his face was something she could never have expected.

    After living here for so long, she understood just what kind of position this old man held in this ce. He was the revered Ancestor, respected and feared by everyone who knew about him. In the entire n, he was the strongest person and the supreme authority.

    She didn''t know who it was that could make even this man scared. Initially, she thought that it was the Queen of this world that she heard so much about, but as he nced behind the old man, what she saw didn''t make sense.

    It wasn''t the Divine Queen. It wasn''t a woman at all. Instead, it was a man who looked even younger than her.

    She wondered if the old man mistook the person behind him to be someone else, because she couldn''t feel anything special from him.

    Unlike her, the old man was more experienced. Even with the slightest ripple in Xu Shan''s aura, he could feel the kind of person who stood behind him.

    He felt as if a sea of blood was behind him. He wasn''t even sure just how many lives one had to take to have this kind of aura.

    "Just an ordinary person, out on a short walk," Xu Shan answeredzily. His eyes roamed over to the girl under the old man, who was looking at her with strange eyes, as if asking him to help her.

    "It would be my honour to show Senior around. But before that, won''t the Senior want to have some fun?" The old man moved aside, freeing the girl, as if giving this opportunity to Xu Shan.

    "I didn''t know Senior wasing, or I would''ve weed you myself. Since it''s Senior''s first visit, I would like to give this woman to Senior." The old man stated, his expressions solemn. He still didn''t see Xu Shan''s face, but he already guessed who the person behind him was.

    There was only one person in the Celestial Realm who could give him a feeling like this. It was the person that even the Divine Queen had to bow to before.

    The woman on the bed was horrified even more. She had thought that Xu Shan could help her, but she was being handed over like a mere toy?

    "What''s so special about this girl?" Xu Shan asked the old man, although he already knew the answer.

    "Senior might be unaware, but this girl is very special. She has a Divine Physique. The person who sleeps with her can improve his talents but also get stronger,"

    "Interesting indeed. Not a bad gift. In that case, I shall be taking her with me." Xu Shan raised his finger,  letting the girl rise in the air.

    He didn''t kill the Ancestor. He had already made a loss by killing the n Head. It was too soon for the Ancestor to die, as he could be a good fuel for the formation. If he killed all stronger beings, the Divine Empress might fail to break through.

    As for the boost he could get from the girl, it was insignificant for him. With his Devouring, his talent had already surpassed the limits. As for his strength, it couldn''t gain much through her.

    The old man finally turned around, revealing a look of happiness in his eyes. With Xu Shan''s confirmation, he was certain that he was going to survive. The man behind him wasn''t going to kill him.

    "Thank you Senior!" The old man bowed before Xu Shan, trying his best to hide his displeasure and anger.

    Although Xu Shan could see that the old man was acting, it didn''t matter much. It was only a matter of time before the old man was going to be devoured thoroughly.

    Xu Shan left the hall after sending the girl to his personal Spatial Realm where he was already keeping the mother of a Heaven''s Chosen.

    The old man sighed in relief as he walked out with Xu Shan to escort him. On the way out, he saw the lifeless body of his Grandson who was the n Patriarch. His pupils twitched, but he didn''tin. His heart was filled with anger, but he kept that to himself.

    The woman was hisst chance to break through. With her gone, everything had gone to waste. In an instant, everything he worked so hard for was destroyed.

    Xu Shan left the Luo n. For the first time, many people in the Luo n saw their ancestor who was supposed to be dead. What was even more shocking was that their invincible ancestor was following Xu Shan like a servant.

    It was only after Xu Shan disappeared from his view that the Old Ancestor sighed in relief. It was only now that he roared at the top of his lungs, letting out all his indignation.

    ****

    Leaving the n, Xu Shan cut his trip short. For the time being, he left the Divine Realm and returned to the world of Alchemy.

    He found himself questioning his motives for saving the girl, especially since it wasn''t necessary. However, he couldn''t bear the thought of leaving a task unfinished. Despite not needing to, he ultimately chose to save her.

 Chapter 214 214: Twist of Fate

    Chapter 214  214: Twist of Fate

    The world of Alchemy wasn''t strong. Amongst the lower realm worlds, it could be said to be the weakest. However, it was also the most peaceful world with rarely anyrge scale conflicts.

    The alchemists in this realm focused on cultivating their internal energy and exploring the mysteries of Alchemy. Their harmonious coexistence allowed them to exchange knowledge freely and make remarkable advancements in the field of medicine.

    However, their peace had slowly started disappearing. As soon as the Frost Mountain was destroyed, and the Frost Dragon killed, this world had lost their guardian.

    It was the deterrent of the Guardian which had kept the other Lower Realms from getting greedy and targeting this world. But now, that deterrent was gone.

    Every day, many people from other lower realms arrived in the Realm of Alchemy, treating this world as their home where they could do anything they wanted. They had no fear anymore.

    Many ns from other worlds came and simply imprisoned the Alchemists and took them to their world to serve them.

    As the Alchemist had weak fighting prowess and no experience, they were like fish in a chopping block.

    Only the Major Alchemy Sects had managed to protect their people.

    These sects banded together to form an alliance to protect their people, but with the increased forces of the other world''s ns, it was only a matter of time beforeplete annihtion.

    The Sect Master of the Strongest Alchemy Sect was the leading voice in the Alliance. Not only was he the strongest amongst them when it came to fighting strength, but he was also the only Ninth Grade Alchemist.

    It was only thanks to his guidance that they were able to hold onto this point, but at the moment, even he seemed worried.

    The Sect Master had been strategizing day and night, searching for any chance at survival, but he couldn''t see any hope in sight.

    Every passing day, their defense line was falling back, thousands of their people dying every day.

    Although he acted strong in front of the others so that they would not lose their morale, he knew the reality.

    "There is no hope of survival." He looked at a small pill in his hand, which was the strongest poison that he had ever made.

    As an Alchemist, he hated poison. However now he himself made one. But this wasn''t for the enemies. He made this poison for himself. Instead of getting caught and being treated like a dog by the ns of the other World, he preferred death.

    "I am truly a coward." He let out a depreciatingugh as he shook his head in disappointment. Yet he epted his fate.

    He brought the pill closer to his lips, almost cing it in his mouth when he felt a sudden presence behind him.

    Stunned, he stood up. The pill falling on the ground.

    "It''s you!" His expressions changed from one of fear to that of great surprise. The man behind her was Xu Shan.

    He couldn''t help but feel as if Heaven had sent Xu Shan to help him. If there was one person who could solve their problem, it was Xu Shan.

    He hadn''t seen Xu Shan fight before but he still knew that the young man before him wasn''t an ordinary person.

    Momentarily, his thoughts shifted to the problem at hand, but he soon remembered where Xu Shan had gone, and what kind of help he asked of the young man in the past.

    "Did you..." The Old man wanted to ask about his daughter, but seeing Xu Shan return alone, his heart sank.

    The young man didn''t have the bracelet on his hand either, which could only mean that his daughter was dead.

    He felt broken inside, but he controlled his emotions. He couldn''t me the young man for that. Moreover, he needed Xu Shan''s help. Only he could turn the tides of this battle.

    Even though he knew what he had to do, he found it hard to speak, still thinking about his daughter.

    "With this, my promise ends," Xu Shan could already see what the old man was thinking. But he didn''t trouble the old man more. He waved his hand, a portal opening before him.  A young woman fell out of the portal, right on her knees.

    The old man was frozen in shock. She was still alive. Although he had controlled his emotions until now, but he couldn''t anymore.

    Tears started to stream down his face as he rushed to embrace his daughter. It had been years since theyst saw each other, and he never thought he would have the chance to see her again. A sense of relief engulfed him as he held her tightly in his arms.

    The girl also couldn''t believe it. She had thought that Xu Shan was the same as the Luo n Ancestor who was going to use her body, but to her disbelief, he didn''t do anything.

    He didn''t show any greed towards her physique and brought her straight back to her father.

    She couldn''t help but look back at Xu Shan, wondering just what kind of person this young man was. He was cruel to the point that he had annihted half the city in the Upper Realm.

    He was someone that even the strongest person in the Upper Realm was scared of. He was called the greatest evil to walk the Divine Realm, but in front of her eyes, that evil appeared different.

    Watching the old man hug his daughter, Xu Shan had finally kept his words. He kept the deal he made with the old man, and in essence, it hadn''t cost him much.

    After bringing the girl here, Xu Shan turned around, taking his leave silently.

    Hearing his footsteps getting distant, the old man came to her senses. He couldn''t let Xu Shan leave.

    "Wait!" He stood up, rushing to Xu Shan. He still needed his help.

    Xu Shan stopped, turning around with some curiosity.

 Chapter 215 215: Two weeks

    Chapter 215  215: Two weeks

    "If you leave now, we''ll all die," The old man eximed, cing all his hopes on Xu Shan.

    However, even as he talked about such a serious matter, Xu Shan didn''t show the slightest reaction.

    "And...?" he asked, seemingly confused as to why it should concern him.

    The old man was stumped for words. He soon came out of his daze, before he started exining the trouble that this Realm was facing, especially from the invaders.

    He talked about the despair that the people of this world faced with great detail, trying to ignite some sympathy in the heart of the man who didn''t show any reaction.

    He talked about the people who were dragged away against their wills, the families that were destroyed, lives that were lost.

    He described the pain and suffering inflicted upon the innocent, the anguish and desperation that filled their hearts every day.

    He didn''t want to paint a picture of hopelessness though, so he also shared stories of resilience and bravery.

    He spoke about the courageous individuals who stood up against the invaders, risking their lives for the greater good.

    He recounted tales of small victories and moments of unity, where the people were able to rally together to fight.

    "And you want me to help you?" Xu Shan asked, his thoughts impossible for anyone to guess just from his expressions alone.

    The old man didn''t reply in words. He dropped to his knees before Xu Shan, forgetting all about his dignity. His actions were enough to convey how desperate he was.

    Xu Shan could see it as well. However, it wasn''t as if he didn''t expect this. When he arrived in this world, he had already noticed the carnage which was enough for him to guess what had happened in his absence.

    Still, it didn''t concern him. In the vast universe, there were always wars. In every world, there were strong people oppressing the weak. If he wanted, he could end this war in an instant, but there was something else in his mind.

    He had two weeks of free time. He was only getting bored in the Divine Realm, so this was an interesting ce to be. But his entertainment wasn''t the reason he was letting this war go on. Instead, he had another important purpose.

    He had already discovered a few Holy Books, yet there were more whose whereabouts were unknown. And in a War of this scale, he had a feeling that something really interesting might happen.

    Often, in the face of adversity, the Sons of Destiny rose through the ranks, helped by the Blessings of Heaven they were born with. And an event like this was a great opportunity for such a thing.

    At least the possibility of a hero appearing and bing the hope of these people wasn''t non-existent. If he ended the war, then even if there was a so-called hero in this world, he wasn''t going to appear, which was no different than a wasted opportunity.

    If what he guessed came true, then he could benefit. He might even find another book. And if he didn''t appear, then it wasn''t a loss to him either, since this matter didn''t affect him.

    "Two weeks," Xu Shan uttered, his intent shrouded in ambiguity.

    "Two weeks?" The old man looked up, asking in confusion.

    "There''s a saying where I came from," Xu Shan spoke. "It says that God only helps those who help themselves. So two weeks... I''ll give you two weeks. If you can show me your resilience and survive for two weeks, then I will consider helping you."

    Although he was saying that he would help them, but the old man felt as if he was tossed straight into the abyss. Two weeks? It was hard for them to even survive one week, let alone two. By the time these two weeks were over, there was going to be nothing left for him to save.

    "We can''t survive two weeks. Even this ce would fall in the next few days. Most of our fighting force is destroyed, and the ones who are left can''t hold them back for long. With each passing day, the number of enemies keeps increasing!" The old man eximed.

    He didn''t understand why Xu Shan wanted to wait for two weeks. They were already fighting with their lives on the line. Was that not enough for him to understand how desperate they were? He wanted to watch them be massacred for two weeks?

    "I beg you!" He couldn''t ept Xu Shan''s conditions. The old man pleaded, his voice choked with desperation. "We need help now. Lives are being lost every day. Waiting is not an option anymore."

    In the distance, the young girl watched her father plead Xu Shan, yet the young man looked uninterested. It was as if they were ants for him and a battle between ants wasn''t worth his concern.

    Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized that their pleas fell on deaf ears. The person she had started considering as an angel turned out to be something else entirely.

    She couldn''t understand that man. One moment, he was the devil who frightened the Luo n Ancestor. The next moment, he was an angel who brought her home safely without putting a single finger on her.

    And now he was something in between... He wasn''t an angel to save them right away, but he wasn''t the demon to just leave, crushing their hopes.

    He seemed to have his own agenda, something that she couldn''t quite decipher. He carried himself with an air of mystery, leaving her confused about his true intentions.

    The old man ced his head on the ground, pleading Xu Shan. But there was only silence. After a long time, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

    With a shine in his eyes, he raised his head. It was only after he raised his head, he realized that it wasn''t Xu Shan consoling him. Instead, it was his daughter.

    As for Xu Shan, he was nowhere to be found.

    "He is gone..." The girl told her father, her eyes still wet. On the wall, two words were imprinted using the Celestial Energy.

    "Two Weeks...."

 Chapter 216 216: Infiltration

    Chapter 216  216: Infiltration

    The old man looked at the words on the wall, "Two Weeks."

    His heart was heavy with despair. It seemed that Xu Shan had vanished, leaving them with nothing but a glimmer of hope and a ticking clock.

    The young girl tried her best to console her father, her voice quivering as she said, "We must hold on for these two weeks, Father."

    "Survive two weeks?" The old man wore a smile tinged with self-deprecation. "If only it was that easy. When two weeks are over, nothing will be left here but the ruins. And even if we manage to somehow survive, what then?"

    "By two weeks, this whole world would be filled with those bastards. At the moment, their forces are weaker than they would be two weekster. What if he couldn''t defeat them at that time? All this seems like a false hope..."

    The old man even wondered if Xu Shan only gave them an excuse because he was scared and wasn''t capable of dealing with the enemies? He wondered if he overestimated Xu Shan.

    Sighing, he stood up. He felt pathetic that he had fallen at the feet of a cowardly person like that man. In his rage and anger, he made up his mind.

    "Even if death is in our fate, I will die fighting..."

    He crossed the poison pill under his foot, his eyes brimming with rage. He could die but not be embarrassed.

    "If we can survive two weeks, this war will be over..." The young girl spoke, but the old man didn''t listen to her.

    "Enough about that. You must''ve suffered a lot, didn''t you?" He felt bad for his daughter for everything she went through, but as a father, he couldn''t even protect her.

    Now that she was back, he wanted to give her a wee she deserved. Unfortunately, in this heavy atmosphere, it wasn''t possible.

    He wiped away his tears, and stood with a newfound determination. Even if it was just for his daughter, he was willing to give this war his all. They couldn''t afford to lose hope now. They needed to make the most of these two weeks, for their world and their people.

    ****

    As the days passed, the people of this besieged realm fought on with renewed vigor. Unfortunately, before the enemy forces, they kept losing every battle.

    With each battle, their numbers decreased even more. The people of this world had realized that they couldn''t defeat the enemies with their fighting skills. They needed something more.

    They rallied together. Most of the Major n Heads hade together at the Alchemy Sect.

    The Head of the Alchemy Sect didn''t tell them about the two weeks deal. He himself didn''t believe that Xu Shan was going to return even if they survived two weeks. He didn''t want to give them false hope.

    "We''re getting ughtered! Is fighting back even the right decision?! Should we just surrender? At least we can survive!" One of the Major n Heads put forth his thoughts.

    The room fell silent only to explode in chaos as the other n Members resisted the suggestion.

    "Surrender to be their loyal dogs? Those bastards killed my entire family! You want me to surrender to them? If you''re such a coward, then scream with your tail between your legs!"

    Another n Head chimed in. "Do you think that life would be better than death? You''ll be nothing more than a ve. I would rather choose my dignity over my life!"

    "But it''s not just your life on the line! How many lives are on the line, even you know! If I had to work as a ve to save millions of innocent lives, then I''m more than willing!"

    The group was split in two. One was the group that thought that surrender was better than unnecessary bloodshed as they weren''t going to win in the first ce. On the other hand, the other group was willing to die rather than surrender to the people who destroyed their world.

    The Alchemy Sect Head sat in silence, sighing. They were already weaker than the enemy and even with their limited strength, they had to suffer through infighting.

    "I have a n..." As the argument increased, the old man couldn''t stay silent.

    He stood up, using some of his aura to make everyone remember who the strongest person here was.

    All the n Members became silent, looking at the old man.

    "What n?" One of them asked.

    The old man turned solemn as he exined his n. "We are weaker than the enemy. We can''t protect ourselves. The more we defend, the weaker we be. So my n requires us to abandon defense and focus on attack."

    "Did you grow senile? How does that make sense? When we aren''t even strong enough to save ourselves, how can we be strong enough to attack? How many battles have we lost at this point?" The second strongest person in the room scoffed.

    "I know we are weak and can''t have a head on battle. But the attack I talk about doesn''t involve fighting on the battlefield," the old man spoke.

    The other n heads started paying even more attention. If not on the battlefield, then where?

    "I suggest that we create a different team...  Team of our best warriors that won''t fight on the enemy in our territory. Instead, it''ll use a different tactic. It''ll be an infiltration force. It will enter the territory controlled by the outsiders and try to assassinate their Strongest Warriors when they least expect it."

    "With this tactic, we can distract their attention and slow down their progression."

    Although he still didn''t trust that Xu Shan was going to return to help them, he still couldn''t forget that deal. If only he could dy for two weeks... It was worth the risk. And even if Xu Shan didn''t appear, at least they could harm the enemy before their deaths.

    His idea was simple yet it was risky, especially for the Warriors who were selected. However, this suggestion made the n Heads feel like this could work.

    Most of the n Heads agreed to try this tactic, especially since the old man gave some concession to the other side. He told the opposing faction that if he couldn''t show them results in the next two weeks, he would allow them to surrender.

    ****

    As the natives of this world were forming a n, Xu Shan was sitting in a tavern in a territory that was already taken over by the otherworldly forces.

 Chapter 217 217: Race of the strongest

    Chapter 217  217: Race of the strongest

    In recent days, Xu Shan discreetly observed the ongoing battles. As he had anticipated, the conflicts seemed to be heavily lopsided. The local inhabitants put up only a minor opposition, which proved to be insufficient.

    With each passing day, more and more kingdoms sumbed to the invaders'' control. It seemed as though there was a silent rivalry among different ns from another realm who were treating this conquest like a game.

    If those ns wanted, they could''ve directly attacked the main city and ended the war in a single day, but instead, they were taking their time, starting from the farthest point like it was a face between them to see which n was better.

    Xu Shan learned that there were four ns involved in the war, all originating from the same world. These four ns had many minor ns under them which worked like pawns for them in these battles.

    In fact, the four major ns didn''t even send their real forces. They only sent the minor ns under them, which were pawns for them while the four ns remained in their own world.

    It was done as they didn''t think this world was worth sending their true forces. Instead, they used it for another reason.

    This war was akin to a game of chess being yed between the four ns to see who could win at the end. And to lead the minor ns, the Major ns sent their heirs. As for those heirs, they rarely took part in the battles.

    They were only here tomand their ns under them and to have fun. A matter that involved the life and death of millions of people was just a training exercise for the juniors for the ns of the other world to see which n''s heir was better.

    This war, the ns could not only train their heir but also show their future generation''s might to the other three ns. Moreover, the winning n of the trial was going to receive the first right to choose from the Alchemists that were imprisoned at the main city.

    Xu Shan was also able to understand the rules of the game as he devoured the life and memories of one of the Warriors.

    ording to the rules, no one could directly attack the Main City. Each of the Four ns had started with one side on the farthest corner from the main city b

    The Xi n invaded from the Southern Side. The Yu n from the Northern Side, the Li n from the East and the Wei n from the West. With every passing day, all four of these ns were trying to reach the Main City while trying to secure as many cities as possible.

    The winning criteria wasn''t just taking over the main city. It was also about how many Alchemists they could capture and how many cities they could control. This was the only reason the ns were moving slower. They didn''t want to miss any Prisoners.

    At this moment, Alchemists were the most sought after people. In fact, the Four ns also provided rewards if any citizen of the captured City was to give up any information about the alchemists hiding in the city.

    Many citizens hated the intruders, but there were a lot more who were willing to expose the identity of all the Alchemists simply for rewards.

    Some people saw it as an opportunity to get into the good books of the intruders as it was clear that they were going to be the new rulers of this world. If they could get in the good grace of the foreign ns, they could have more benefits than just a few rewards.

    In the bar where Xu Shan was seated, an incident unfolded as an alchemist was apprehended mere moments ago. It was none other than the best friend of that Alchemist who brought the guards from the foreign ns to this bar and exposed the identity of that Alchemist.

    Xu Shan observed as the alchemist was apprehended, showing no signs of resistance. The Alchemist understood that it was futile to resist, considering the overwhelming power of the Guard.

    He simply looked at his friend with disbelief. He never expected that even his childhood friend would hand him over to the people who might kill him, all because of some greed.

    "You can''t me me. You would''ve done the same if you were in my ce." The man followed the Alchemist and the Guard, not a shred of regret on his face.

    This was not just a singr urrence, but rather a recurring theme observed across various cities. The pattern continued to unfold, with instances where friends, neighbors, and workers were the ones exposing the Alchemists. asionally, people were not exempt from this betrayal by their lovers.

    Just like that, two more days passed. And the conquest continued. Each of the four ns had caught tens of thousands of Alchemists and all were sent back to their world where their scores were being kept.

    Xu Shan simply observed and didn''t interfere. He was curious to see what the people from this world were going to do. Were they just going to ept their fate? Were they going to fight to death? Or were they going to find something that could even shock him.

    He was hoping for it to be thest option as until now, he hadn''t seen any person worth paying attention to. So far, no heroes had risen in the face of this adversity, which waspletely against his expectations.

    A few more days passed. And just like that, one week was over and the enemy forces were almost at the Main City. There were only a few cities left between the conquering forces and the Main Fortress City where the strongest n of this world was established.

    Xu Shan found this entire battle to be getting boring as this world wasn''t offering much resistance at all. Fortunately, on the eighth day it all changed... Something extraordinary happened that brought a smile to Xu Shan''s face.

 Chapter 218 218: War God

    Chapter 218  218: War God

    It was the eighth day of the two week time limit that was given to the leaders of this world by Xu Shan when something actually changed.

    News spread that in a single day, multiple leaders of the invading forces were assassinated. The attack wasn''t on one side either. Several high-ranking warriors from all four invading factions met their death at the ces where they could''ve least expected it.

    Following their deaths, all the cities where such incidents took ce were sealed, but still the invading forces couldn''t find the killers.

    On the ninth day, things became even worse as one of the heirs from Four ns was poisoned to death.  For many citizens of this world, this news made them realize that something big was going on. The warriors were attacking the invaders.

    Many wondered if they could actually force these invaders back. Although they were losing in frontal battles, their assassination was highly effective.

    Unfortunately, many were still certain that things were doomed to fail. There were only a limited number of people that could be assassinated before the enemy became cautious. The Millions of invaders couldn''t all be assasinated.

    While the assassination ce was proving to be somewhat effective, another good news was spreading that thanks to themotion in the ranks of invaders and the loss of many generals, the forces of this world had managed to win a few small battles.

    The most well noted one was the battle in the City of Arkel in the Southern Region. In the battles, many people made their names, but one stood out particrly well, which also attracted Xu Shan''s attention.

    "Don''t tell me you really believe the rumors. A mere youngster defeated the General of the Invading Forces and held back a force of thousands?"

    "I''m not lying! My cousin works for the Xi n and he said he heard it himself! The person actually held back a thousand people and even killed a General, using only a broken sword!"

    "ording to my cousin, that boy was almost on the verge of death after defeating the general but he still didn''t retreat. It was only when the allied forces arrived and repelled the remaining invaders that the person passed out. He''s already called the Young War God!''

    The news kept spreading in every region and even reached Xu Shan''s ears who heard with great interest.

    "Young War God."  With an amused look, Xu Shan took a sip of his wine, quite interested in the story. He wasn''t sure how true this story was, but if it was true, he found it worth investigating.

    The air within the bar was thick with the pungent aroma of burning incense and hushed conversations. Almost everyone in the bar was talking about the Young War Hero whose stories, some saying that it was just a false rumor while others trying to justify it.

    The atmosphere was shattered by the ominous tter of heavy boots against the cobblestone street. The tavern''s door was thrust open with an echoing creak, the barkeeper frozen in ce as a handful of stern guards stormed inside.

    Their ck silk robes bore the emblem of the Xi n from the invading forces, and their expressions brooked no dissent.

    With a swift kick, the door mmed against the wall, causing thenterns to sway dangerously.

    Looking at the guards, the people in the bar wentpletely silent. Even the weakest guard was an Earth Grade Celestial that could crush them with their aura alone.

    The people in the bar stood up in respect although the guards were from the invading forces while they were supposed to be the natives.

    The Guard in the lead looked at the faces of everyone in the bar, his eyes cold. They had all heard about the rumors that were being spread about their embarrassing defeat. They couldn''t let it go on, so they decided to use force to crush the rumor.

    "Kill them all and hang their heads in the city square to earn everyone against spreading any rumors!" The guard in the leadmanded.

    In the blink of an eye, the entire bar was filled with a terrifying aura as many treasure des were pulled out of their sheaths.

    Many wanted to beg for forgiveness or give excuses that they weren''t involved, but they didn''t have the chance. There were no screams as people were killed before they could even get the time to make noise. Only the sound of bodies falling to the ground could be heard.

    The people in the bar had no other escape as the guards were blocking the only exit.

    Even the person who was the first to spread this story in this bar couldn''t believe what he led himself into.  With a final, remorseful nce at the bar he had frequented for years, he took hisst breath.

    The patrons who had gathered to hear the stories were left with a haunting silence.

    Neither the guards, nor the people in the bar noticed that as soon as the ughter began, one person had already disappeared from the tavern.

    While the guards were finishing up inside the bar, Xu Shan, who had previously been listening to the story inside the tavern, was already outside. His hand carried a jar of wine, possibly the only in the bar that was still unstained with blood.

    As he walked through the streets, he still carried a sense of eerie calm. Despite the chaos that surrounded him, hisposure remained untouched.

    He could''ve saved the people inside the bar, but at the end of the day, that could only drag him in this mess.

    If he killed the Guards, the Xi n was only going to get more furious, thinking an enemy was in the city. In their anger, they were going to burn the entire city. If he fought them, he could easily solve this mess, but it was no different than being used by someone else in their war.

    And if he wasn''t to save the City at that time, then what difference did it make to save people in the bar. They were going to die with the City anyway. So it was just a waste of effort. This wasn''t his fight.

    The invaders still had their use and it was too soon to intervene.

    "The Young God of War. I hope you''re worth the effort of setting up this chess board."

 Chapter 219 219: Immense Fate

    <h4>Chapter 219 Chapter 219: Immense Fate</h4>

    The people of the Alchemist World had their hopes reignited when they won the first battle after hundreds of previous losses.

    Although the victory was small, in the endless darkness, this was the hope that many warriors had been waiting for. This victory made them realize that the intruders weren''t invincible. This victory gave them courage, and the one who was made the hero of the battle was a young man, named the Young God of War.

    Stories about the young man spread rapidly, people telling stories about how a single young man held back hundreds of warriors, without the slightest of fear.

    There were also many people who thought that the story was an exaggeration, but none could confirm it.

    Many people were curious about the true identity of the Young God of War, but the Martial Alliance kept his identity a secret. Not only that, they sent even more powerful warriors to protect the Young God of War.

    Even the Martial Alliance Leader personally invited the young man to the Central City to reward him, but the young man refused, saying he wanted to stay on the battlefield.

    Even the Generals that were leading the armies for the Martial Alliance felt proud of the young man. He wasn''t greedy or running after rewards. Instead, he was willing to fight for his people, even with his life on the line.

    In the army camp, the young man was given a tent to stay right next to the tent of the General of the Army.

    "Sigh, finally the old man left. Looks like you''ve attracted a lot of attention this time. It might not be all good."

    Inside the young man''s tent, a feminine voice was heard. However even the Guards standing at the entrance didn''t react, as if they couldn''t hear the voice.

    "Do you have to be that loud?" Inside the debt, a young man was sitting, cleaning his sword that had been with him when he fought. The Martial Alliance wanted to give him an even more luxurious sword, yet the man refused, only wanting to use this sword.

    "Why would I have to lower my voice? It''s not like anyone other than you can hear me." Next to the young man, a woman was sitting, yfully looking at him.

    The young man simply rolled his eyes in response. "Do what you want."

    "Are you trying to change the topic?" the woman asked, getting slightly serious. "Didn''t I tell you that you need to be more careful and not attract attention to yourself? You know it can be really dangerous."

    "Did you expect me to sit back and watch the entire town being wiped?" The young man retorted. "The people of this town helped me when I needed it. I couldn''t abandon them like this."

    "Moreover, why should I need to worry? I have you to protect me. And I also have..." the man briefly paused, not finishing his sentence.

    "You''re destined to be an Immortal. Do you really have to care about such mortals? There are billions of such mortals in every world. They are like insects, always growing in number. But you''re special," the woman sighed. "Your life is more valuable."

    The man didn''t respond. He stood up and kept the sword in the sheath on his back.

    "All lives are valuable. Not just mine. If I can save someone, why would I abandon them? What''s the benefit of having this strength if I''m to abandon everyone?" the young man spoke. "Although I didn''t want to enter this war, but now that I''ve entered it, I''ll finish it."

    He left the tent, taking his sword with him.

    Back inside the tent, the woman sighed. "If only you were a little more selfish and ruthless, it would''ve saved so much trouble."

    After some time, she stood up and followed after the young man, "But you''re right. With me around, I won''t let anyone kill you. Moreover, it''s not as if there''s someone in this world who can threaten your destiny. But still, what''s this strange feeling I keep having?''

    The dark haired woman apanied Yan Xu, staying right next to him. Although she wanted Yan Xu to avoid unnecessary attention, believing that it was a waste of time when he could be cultivating instead, but if he wanted to do something, she wasn''t going to stand in his path.

    Wherever Yan Xu Walked, the Warriors of the Martial Alliance greeted him. Although he was younger than them, but all of them held immense respect for him.

    "It''s the Young God of War!" Even the people of the town greeted Yan Xu with great love. While men wanted to be like him, women wished for him to just look in their direction at least once.

    Yan Xu smiled at the people of the town, greeting them back. The people were even more surprised by how humble this young man was, despite the strength he possessed.

    As Yan Xu walked towards the outskirts of the Town to practice his sword in preparation of the uing battle, he didn''t realize that someone was watching him with a different intention.

    Atop a distant building, Xu Shan was sittingzily, watching Yan Xu with great interest.

    "What do you think? Does he have it?" he asked.

    "I can''t feel its presence on him, but for some reason, I feel that something is extremely wrong with him. I just don''t know what," Xin responded with a heavy frown, surprised herself.

    She had thought that she was going to find another book this time, but she couldn''t sense the book at all. Yet, she found something even more shocking. The fate of Yan Xu was even stronger than anyone she had ever seen before.

    Even if she was tobine the fate of all heirs of the books she came across, if still wasn''t anythingparable to the young man, which she found quite strange.

    Moreover, she also felt that there was another presence around Yan Xu, but she couldn''t see it either.

    "I think you should be careful. I feel that he won''t be that simple. Moreover, it doesn''t look like he''s alone either. I feel another presence right beside him."

    "I know. I felt it as well. But for her to be able to hide from us... How interesting." Slowly, a smile crept up Xu Shan''s lips.

 Chapter 220 220: Book of Depravity

    Chapter 220  220: Book of Depravity

    Yan Xu was stopped at the Town Exit by the Warriors of the Martial Alliance who asked him where he was trying to go.

    On one end, they were worried about Yan Xu''s safety since he had lots of enemies who would have wanted to kill him. On the other hand, they were also worried that Yan Xu was never going to return.

    Although they were grateful to Yan Xu for protecting the town and praised him openly, but deep down, they were also somewhat distrustful. They couldn''t help but wonder how they were going to exin to the General if Yan Xu escaped the vige in fear of the enemies?

    "If you''re really interested in going out on a walk, how about I inform the General first? He can send a few guards to apany and protect you," the Guard further stated, trying to find an excuse to stop Yan Xu while he informed the Generals.

    "Are you sure that it''s for my security and not to keep a watch on me?" Yan Xu asked, his eyes narrowing. He wasn''t naive enough to not see through the words of these guards.

    Out of his own good will, he had decided to stay behind and protect this vige, yet the Martial Alliance didn''t trust him. He didn''t know if he shouldugh at their distrust or feel angry about it.

    "N-not at all. That wasn''t our intention!'' the Guard eximed, feeling frightened.

    It was as if they were stuck between a rock and a hard ce. Yan Xu was important in the eyes of their General. He was at least more important than them.

    If they angered Yan Xu, the General wasn''t even going to me him even if he killed them. And even if they survived offending Yan Xu, the General himself could kill them as a show of goodwill towards the young man.

    No matter what they decided, they were going to be at the receiving end of punishment.

    "P-please..." They stepped back, clearing Yan Xu''s path, allowing him to leave. Since they were going to die either way, they could only hope that Yan Xu wasn''t running away and that he was going to return.

    As Yan Xu walked away, a glimmer ofpassion flickered in his eyes, sensing their desperation. He paused for a moment, ncing back. "Don''t worry. I''m not running away. I''ll be back in an hour."

    After informing them, he departed, traveling as far as he could until he was far away from the town. He even made sure that none of the Guards had followed him in this ce.

    "Is it safe here?" he asked the woman who had apanied him.

    "We weren''t followed," the woman told Yan Xu, her divine consciousness covering arger range than Yan Xu could. However, no matter how far her divine sense could cover, it stillcked inparison to Xu Shan who had been keeping an eye on them, observing their action with great interest, without even moving from the town.

    Yan Xu nodded in satisfaction, knowing that they were safe for the time being. He took a moment to catch his breath.

    The woman, whose name was Li Mei, looked at Yan Xu with concern. "Are you alright, Yan Xu?"

    "I''m fine," Yan Xu answered as he pulled out his sword from the Scabbard. "We can start."

    His sword started burning in a blood red light, shrouded in his aura. He used the sword to carve a circle on the ground. The circle glowed with a golden hue, creating a protective barrier around them

    The golden barrier worked as another form of protection. Not only did itpletely erase their aura, but it was also impossible for any person to see them.

    Even if a normal person was to stand right next to the Barrier, they could neither see it, nor inside it. The barrier also served another purpose. No matter what happened inside the barrier, no disturbance of auras could be felt outside.

    Afterpleting the protective mechanisms, the man put the sword back in the sheath before putting the sheath aside as well.

    The storage ring in his finger started rising. A mattress came out of the ring, which was ced right in the middle.

    An old and seemingly half destroyed book also appeared in his left hand. The pages in the book kept turning on their own, until a page in the middle was opened on its own.

    The page was filled with words that only Yan Xu could read. However, the woman also knew the secret behind those words.

    Li Mei also canceled her shroud that had kept her invisible until now. If the people in the Martial Alliance were here to see her appear, they would''ve been shocked to realize that a woman had always been apanying Yan Xu and they couldn''t even sense her.

    The woman took a deep breath. Her clothes slid off her body, falling onto the ground. With apletely bare body, the woman stepped forward, sitting on her knees on the mattress.

    "How long do we have to keep doing it?" Yan Xu asked as he kept his attention on the book, asionally taking nces at thepletely naked body of the woman.

    "Until you be strong enough to not need my help," the woman replied, not even trying to cover her body.

    "You don''t have to take sneak peeks. It''s not like this is our first time doing it. It''s also not your first time using the Book of Depravity," she couldn''t help butugh, seeing Yan Xu.

    The young man before her had always been stern and serious, acting like an adult. Yet only in these moments could she see such expressions of the man.

    Yan Xu''s lips twitched, but he didn''t respond. Instead, this time he seriously focused on the Book of Depravity and started speaking the words written on the page.

    Although there were only a few words in the book, each word held some unknown strength, making him put a lot of strength behind each word.  After he finished reading the page, he watched the book turn into specks of light, being temporarily absorbed inside his body.

    Yan Xu also took off his clothes, stepping towards Li Mei.

 Chapter 221 221: Collision

    Chapter 221  221: Collision

    After three hours, the barrier still remained consistent. Yan Xu was lying on the mattress, with Lin Mei resting her head on his chest, her breathing slightly heavy.

    "You''ve grown even stronger. At this rate, it won''t be long before you''re able to apany me to that ce," Lin Mei said, looking towards the sky.

    "It''s all thanks to the Book of Depravity and your help," Yan Xu replied, wrapping his hands around Lin Mei''s waist. "Anyways, we should get going. The Martial Alliance might''ve already started searching for us."

    "Just a little longer. It feels sofortable." Lin Mei snuggled into Yan Xu''s arms.

    After staying like that for some time, Lin Mei gave Yan Xu a light peck on his lips before she stood up and started getting dressed.

    Yan Xu smiled at the affectionate gesture, feeling a warmth spread throughout his body. Although he was sometimes very stern to Lin Mei, in reality, he had already gotten quite fond of her.

    He also stood up and got dressed. After both of them were dressed, he ced his sword back on his back before canceling the barrier.

    Lin Mei also used her skill and went invisible so that no one could see her. This wasn''t just a means for her to have some privacy, but also a method for her to protect Yan Xu. When no one knew about her existence, she believed she could protect him more effectively.

    The two of them went back to the Town.

    ****

    Once Yan Xu returned, he noticed that the Martial Alliance Leader was scolding the guards at the entrance while ordering his men to search.

    "There''s no need to search. I''m back," Yan Xuzily said as he appeared next to the General. "I just went out to have some practice."

    "I''m so d you''re safe, but these are dangerous times. You should never go anywhere unprotected," the General reminded Yan Xu while keeping his tone respectful.

    "I will keep that in mind," Yan Xu nodded, even though he had no intention of following through.

    "Anyways, there''s some information from the informants. It says that the Invaders have started moving. Their target is this town."

    "What are their numbers?" Yan Xu asked, being apanied inside by the General.

    "Top many to count. Theirst defeat has rattled them. To erase their embarrassment, they''re nning topletely annihte this town. That''s why I was looking for you. I think we should retreat and abandon this town."

    The General, although quitepassionate, didn''t hesitate even the slightest at the thought of abandoning this town. For him, they couldn''t face an entire army. It was no different than sacrificing their people.

    Their tactic was to slowly harm the army at different battles. It wasn''t just to annihte the army. The General believed that a strategic guerri campaign would inflict significant damage on the opposing army while minimizing casualties on their own side.

    "You mean your n is to run away like a coward?" Yan Xu asked, directing a mocking nce towards the General.

    "You!" The General felt his face turn red in anger. "Don''t forget who you''re talking to! Do you think just because you defeated a few enemies, you can defeat them all?"

    " Let me tell you! The small force that attacked this time wasn''t even one percent of the Invaders strength! It didn''t include any of their powerful warriors. You''re looking to die if you want to stay behind! You''re a talented person! You don''t have to be so stubborn and waste your life!"

    The General thought that Yan Xu was just being idealistic because of his young age. He still tried to convince the young man.

    Unfortunately, all his words seemingly fell on deaf ears as Yan Xu remained stubborn. "You don''t have to worry about me. I''ll be fine. You can run and save your life. I''ll handle this town.''

    The General could only scratch the back of his head. "Urgh, fine!"

    He turned and walked away. However, his next action surprised Yan Xu.

    "What are you all doing? Start preparing for the uing battle! Even if we are to die, we''ll make sure to hurt those bastards where it matters the most!"

    The General didn''t order them to start preparing to leave. Instead, he was preparing for a battle to death.

    "It seems he''s not the coward I think he was," Yan Xu chuckled. "How surprised do you think he''ll be when I kill all the Invaders at that time?"

    "They might even start calling you a god." Lin Mei burst intoughter. "Since they can''t see me, they''ll think it''s all done by you as well."

    "Don''t interfere until I actually need you. This time, I want to test my limits. It''s been a long time since I found a challenging opponent like this," Yan Xu smirked as he turned towards his tent.

    However as he turned, his shoulders collided with another person who was walking in a different direction.

    Yan Xu looked back. "Can''t you watch where you''re walking?"

    However, as he turned around, he was stunned to find that there was no one there.

    "Who are you talking about?" Lin Mei asked, seemingly confused.

    "The person who bumped into me just now. Where did he go?" Yan Xu asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

    Lin Mei nced around, her eyes scanning the area before she shrugged. "No one bumped into you. Do you think I wouldn''t notice if someone did? Either you''re pulling my leg or you''re mistaken."

    "Mistaken? Am I really?" Frowning, Yan Xu muttered. It felt so real but he chose to believe Lin Mei. "I suppose."

    He stopped thinking about it and went back to his tent. He still had a lot of preparation to do for the uing battle. He wanted the world to see his true might in theing battle.

    "Did you sense it?" In the distance, Xu Shan appeared from the shadows, patting his shoulders.

    Xun nodded. "It''s the Book of Depravity. I can''t be wrong about it. No wonder it was so hard to detect."

 Chapter 222 222: Delicious

    <h4>Chapter 222 Chapter 222: Delicious</h4>

    "You talk as if I should know what that is. You''ll have to be more clear about that book. What''s it capable of? And how dangerous is it for me?"

    "It''s not particrly dangerous for you. It''s a growth type book, unlike the other books. All it does is help the person be stronger, faster than others by indulging in Depravity," Xin answered.

    "By indulging in Depravity, you mean...? No wonder he keeps a woman with her." Xu Shan understood quite a lot of things from Xin''s description. However, he still had a lot of questions. "Why would his fate be so much higher than the others in that case? It can''t be just because of the book like I thought before."

    "It''s most probably because of the woman who''s with him," Xin thought of a possibility. "I''m not sure what her identity is, but she''s most probably the reason behind his fate. Either that, or he has another treasure that''s even more important than the book."

    "How Peculiar..." Xu Shan disappeared, appearing back on the roof from where he could keep an eye on the entire town. "Looks like I''ll have to wait and see him put all his cards on the line. Good thing we have some nice toysing."

    Xu Shanzily rested on the roof, looking at the clouded sky. There were so many things about Yan Xu that he was curious about. He wanted to see every secret that the young man was hiding, but he didn''t want to risk anything without knowing everything about him.

    He didn''t want to lose the treasure in case it was connected to Yan Xu''s life, all because of his haste.

    ****

    For the next few days, Xu Shan simply watched the Martial Alliance prepare for the iing battle. The equation on the battlefield had changed after all.

    Thepetition between the four ns was stopped since one of the heirs had been hurt. Instead, the people inmand were furious about it and hadmanded their people to stop ying around and annihte everything.

    All four invading ns had joined their forces. Instead ofing from all four directions and allowing the Martial Alliance the advantage, they started working together.

    The invading fleet that was about to attack the Town had be even stronger as other three ns joined.

    The Martial Alliance also came to know of this information from their allies. The news frightened the Martial Alliance. With this, most of their tactics had be useless. None of them thought that the four ns would put aside all their differences and work together.

    The Martial Alliance understood that they couldn''t hold back anymore. Staying back was no different than weakening their own forces.

    The Pressure on the Alchemy Sect Ancestor was also increasing since his n had failed. He couldn''t wait for Xu Shan''s promised time.

    Instead of retreating and letting other cities be ruined, the Martial Alliance came to a decision. They were going to fight with all their force.

    The battle ce decided for thest stand was none other than the town which was being targeted by the Invaders.

    In thest few days, many Higher Ups from the Martial and Alchemy alliance arrived in the town. Multiple flying ships could be seen in the sky, the entire town being covered.

    Tens of thousands of Warriors of this world had arrived, prepared to die for the cause.

    "Looks like these people do know how to show off. Unfortunately, it''s not even close to enough for the kind of enemy they will be facing." Xu Shan looked at the covered sky, many Warriorsnding on the ground.

    "Aren''t you happy about that? The weaker they are, the more secrets that young man will have to reveal." Xin sat next to Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan simply smiled but didn''t answer. More than the boy, he wanted to see what Lin Mei was capable of. "I hope they won''t bore me.''

    Throughout thest few days, they had just been waiting. However, now things had started catching pace.

    Amongst the people whonded, he even noticed the Alchemy Sect Head who was now the Martial Alliance Leader. He hade with the girl that Xu Shan had saved from the divine realm.

    "That old man..." Xin looked at the Martial n head, rolling her eyes. "He made you save her, only to bring that girl to her inevitable death. What a waste."

    "If they were to lose, I suppose the oue wouldn''t have changed even if she had stayed behind. Moreover, in any case, she''s quite strong thanks to how much the Upper realm invested in her."

    Xu Shan closed his eyes, feeling the nice weather. He told Xin to wake him up if there was anything of interest, before falling asleep.

    ****

    The Martial Alliance Leaders met up with Yan Xu, treating him as best as possible. However, during the meeting, Yan Xu''s eyes repeatedly went to the girl next to the Martial Alliance Leader.

    The book in his inner pocket kept trembling, as if trying to tell him something.

    Seeing the girl, Yan Xu revealed a smile. "What a great find. Go think that there would be a physique that even the Book of Depravity will be excited about."

    "You''re truly lucky. That girl has a perfect physique for you to be stronger. She also has a good cultivation. It''s like someone had specially cultivated her for this. But now it''ll benefit you."

    Although Lin Mei was slightly jealous that Yan Xu was looking at the girl with greed, she wasn''t selfish and knew that it was only for Yan Xu''s benefits.

    No matter what a good physique the girl had, once Yan Xu slept with her, it would be useless. Unlike her, Lin Mei was different and fated to be when Yan Xu. She also had a bigger background that was about to shock everyone here if disclosed.

    "I would give it my all," Yan Xu told the Martial Alliance Leader, multiple meanings hidden underneath those words that the old man couldn''t understand.

 Chapter 223 233: False Love

    Chapter 223  233: False Love

    The Martial Alliance Leader nodded, not fully grasping the implications of Yan Xu''s words. He believed that Yan Xu was simply expressing his determination to fight and protect the town. Little did he know that Yan Xu''s true intentions were far more sinister.

    As the preparations for battle continued, Yan Xu made his move. Under the guise of training, he approached the girl with the physique suitable for Dual Cultivation. However, since he didn''t want to have a fallout with the Martial Alliance, he didn''t force her.

    Moreover, he was confident in his ability to charm any girl. He believed that it was easy for him to win her over. The book was even more effective when the woman was willing after all.

    He slowly tried to close the distance between the two while training her, even subtly touching her hands and waist in the name of correcting her posture while teaching her some decent moves.

    He was also slightly surprised to find out that the woman waspletely ignorant to battles. She didn''t have any fighting skills, which made him wonder how she even reached this level of cultivation. Then again, she was the daughter of the greatest alchemist of this world, so he thought it was just because of the pills.

    While everyone was preparing for the battle that was going to decide their fate, Yan Xu was spending time with the Martial Alliance Leader''s daughter.

    Seeing the two, many people understood that he was interested in the girl. They even found it to be a good couple, hoping to attend their wedding in case they were to survive theing battle.

    "Looks like your little brat has caught the attention of that guy. I should''ve brought my daughter as well. You''ve caught a good son-inw."

    Inside the High Level Meeting of Martial Alliance, many people congratted the Martial Alliance Leader while expressing their jealousy.

    However, the old man didn''t respond to the bemused words of the others. "For that, we''ll first have to survive the battle. Or we might all die on the battlefield instead of attending any wedding. This will be the end of this world."

    Although he showed his tough exterior, he was slightly happy inside as well. His daughter had been taken at a young age. Since then, she''d been kept as a hostage by the upper realm. She hadn''t seen much happiness in her life until she was freed by Xu Shan.

    The old man felt that it was good if his daughter could open her heart and even if for a short period of time, could experience love.

    Thinking about the Girl''s past, he couldn''t help but think about Xu Shan, wondering where that being was.

    Xu Shan could solve their troubles with a flick of their finger, but he had refused to do so, instead opting for a promise of returning after a certain time. As long as they could survive until then, he was going to help them. Unfortunately, the old man knew that he didn''t have time to wait.

    If he was to wait, by the time Xu Shan returned, this world was going to be nothing but ruins. He didn''t realize that the person was right in his town, watching everything akin to a god from above.

    Outside the barracks, Yan Xu used his charm and charisma to win the girl over, seducing her with his words. While she was with him, she could often be seenughing. In that moment, the seriousness and the pain of her past couldn''t be found in her eyes.

    Minutes turned into hours, and Yan Xu and the girl grew closer. He showered her with affection and attention, making her believe that he truly cared for her.

    While the girl was sitting tired after practice, Yan Xu sat next to her, cing his hand over hers while pretending to not even realize it. The girl felt blood flush her cheeks as she looked into his eyes, feeling a connection she had never experienced before.

    "You know, it''s so crazy," Yan Xu said after some time.

    "What is crazy?" the woman asked, slightly curious as she wondered what Yan Xu was talking about.

    " It''s only been slightly over a day since we met, but I feel like I''ve known you all my life. The moment I spent with you, every single second felt so precious. I don''t know what the oue of the battle will be."

    The man took a brief pause before continuing, "I don''t even know if I''ll return alive, so I thought I should tell you right now. I''ve fallen for you and I know that''s crazy."

    Even Lin Mei who had been apanying him couldn''t help but roll her eyes. "As if she''ll be stupid enough to believe you this soon. You should''ve taken longer and built a bond first."

    Unfortunately, the girl next to Yan Xu couldn''t hear her.

    Contrary to Lin Mei''s expectations, the girl''s eyes didn''t reveal disgust at the confession. Instead, she was like a girl who had never expected this. Her heart was beating fast at this moment.

    She had never experienced love, except the love of her father. No one had ever made her feel important and needed like this.

    Yan Xu watched as a mix of emotions yed across the girl''s face - surprise, confusion, and a glimmer of hope. As their eyes met, she could sense a connection, a spark that seemed to transcendnguage and cultural differences.

    Yan Xu knew that this was the moment. He moved forward, ready to kiss her and take the next step. The woman also closed her eyes, expecting it.

    Unfortunately, the kiss she was expecting didn''te. Instead, she heard the sound of hasty footsteps.

    She opened her eyes, finding Yan Xu''s back facing her. He was looking in a particr direction, oing ships visible in the distant horizon.

    The Martial Alliance leaders could be seen running to various posts to inform everyone that the enemy was here.

    Yan Xu''s lips twitched at the timing.

 Chapter 224 224: Wish Granted

    Chapter 224  224: Wish Granted

    "Even after going through so much, that girl is still so naive. People like them don''t live long, no matter how many times one protects them." Xu Shanmented, seeing the Marital Alliance Leader''s daughter.

    It had barely been a day since they met, and she had already fallen for the guy. He found this kind of loveughable, maybe because he himself didn''t know what it was like to be in love.

    Yan Xu was frustrated with the interruption, but he couldn''t do anything about it. Moreover, he was confident in his victory and the future where he was going to devour the girl.

    "Find a safe ce. I''ll be back soon," he told the girl before running towards the Marital Alliance Leaders.

    The Enemy Ships in the distance were getting closer with each passing second.

    The Ships of the Marital Alliance were not only lower in numbers, but they were also less advanced. However, with no other choice, the Martial Alliance Membersnded on the flying ships.

    Even if the damage they could cause was small, it was still better than nothing.

    The Ships of the Martial Alliance got in formation. Over twenty ships had made the front line. Behind which, there were nine ships, all of which were boarded by one of the Martial Alliance Heads.

    Amongst the ninemanding ships, the center one was used by the Martial Alliance Leader, who was apanied by Yan Xu.

    "Are you scared?" The Martial Alliance Leader asked Yan Xu. This was the first time for the young man to be a part of such a battle.

    In fact, even for him this was the first time and he was feeling nervous and slightly scared. He could only imagine what Yan Xu must be feeling.

    "Why should I be scared?"

    To the Martial Alliance Leaders surprise, Yan Xu replied without a trace of fear. It made the old man wonder if Yan Xu was naive or simply brave.

    "We have only twenty-nine ships capable of fighting. Meanwhile, the Enemy has hundreds. No matter how brave I am,  I understand that this might be ourst day. You don''t need to hide. Sometimes, it''s good to be scared. Because it makes you fight harder for survival," the old man replied, thinking that Yan Xu was pretending.

    "In a battle, it''s rarely about how big an army is. It''s all about strength. A powerful person can wipe an army of millions with a flick of their fingers." Yan Xu bravely stated, his eyes focused on the distance.

    Hearing Yan Xu''sst sentence, the old man couldn''t help but imagine Xu Shan. He was the only person that fit the criteria. He was a being who could end this war in an instant.

    "So I am not scared. This battle will end in our victory. And I will prove my words with my actions!" Yan Xu stated. However, as if thinking of something, he nced at the old man. "But if it ends in our victory, will I be rewarded?"

    "If we can survive this war, I''ll reward you with anything within my means." Although the old man didn''t know why Yan Xu was so confident, but after his experience with Xu Shan, he had learned to never underestimate a person.

    "But I''m curious. what do you want from me?" he further asked.

    "I''ll tell you after our victory," Yan Xu vaguely replied, the answer clear in his mind. There was only one thing worth his interest. And it was the old man''s daughter.

    He was also confident that after seeing his might, the old man wasn''t going to break this promise even in his wildest dreams. One way or another, the woman was going to be his.

    As the Martial Alliance Ships neared the enemy ships, they noticed that the enemy ships had stopped. They weren''t moving forward.

    Instead, there was one person flying before the ships, his hand behind his back like he was waiting for the Marital Alliance.

    "You have crossed the line by hurting someone you shouldn''t have. For that crime, you deserve death! However, our Lords have decided to give you an opportunity!"

    The masked man spoke, his voice loud enough to reach everyone in the ships and even the distant town.

    The Martial Alliance Members looked at each other. None of them believed the invaders.

    They had seen their fair share of deception and false promises from outsiders before. However, the masked man continued, unmoved by their skepticism.

    "Hand over everyone who was responsible from nning to execution of the n that hurt our Young Lord! Their death will result in your lives, and you shall be granted an opportunity to surrender! I promise that those innocent people will be treated with respect. They''ll be granted freedom, only having to work for us."

    "However, if you don''t listen to our demands, all of you will be killed right here and right now! Don''t waste our goodwill! You only have ten minutes to decide!" The masked man stated, before turning around to return to his ship.

    "We don''t need to think about it! We will choose the third option, and that is to kill you all!"

    Before the Martial Alliance Leaders could even discuss the offer, a sharp voice came. All Martial Alliance Leaders looked at Yan Xu, who had spoken. However, none of them was angry. At this point, all of them had already prepared to fight till death, instead of bing ves of invaders.

    "That''s right! Even if we are to die, we will make sure that you don''t return unharmed either! We''ll make sure you can never forget about us!" Another Martial Alliance Member spoke, his voice filled with rage.

    The Masked Man turned around, his eyes squinting. "Instead of life, you people chose death. How foolish... However, your wish will be granted!"

    He raised his hand, summoning a powerful gust of wind that soon transformed into a sharp sword in his hand.

    At that moment, hundreds of masked men appeared next to him, all as strong as the Martial Alliance Leader.

 Chapter 225 225: Showoff

    <h4>Chapter 225 Chapter 225: Showoff</h4>

    The Martial Alliance members felt a chill run down their spines as they surveyed the formidable opponents standing before them, each more powerful than thest.

    The masked men radiated an aura of power that sent waves of fear through the Martial Alliance Ships.

    Yan Xu clenched his fists, determination burning brightly in his eyes. He had always thrived in challenging situations, and this was no exception.

    Initially, he had believed the situation might not be challenging enough. However, as he observed the other side, excitement coursed through him. The more dangerous it became, the greater the glory he could attain when he eventually saved them.

    Nevertheless, he understood the importance of timing. If the Martial Alliance did not experience the terror instilled by these people, they would not appreciate his assistance.

    "Prepare for battle!" the Martial Alliance Leader bellowed, rallying hisrades. "No matter what happens, we fight with every ounce of strength we possess! We will not allow them to defeat us without a fight!"

    The Martial Alliance Members drew their weapons, their bodies trembling under the immense pressure. Nevertheless, they followed themand.

    Theyprehended that the forting battle would be intense, but they were prepared to confront any challenge, even if it meant sacrificing their lives.

    The Martial Alliance Membersunched themselves off the ship, flying towards the masked warriors, intent on killing the strongest enemies on the opposing side.

    As the sh of swords and spears erupted, the battlefield transformed into a chaotic frenzy. The Martial Alliance Members fought with unwavering determination, showcasing their skills and training. However, it was evident that the other side exerted minimal effort inparison.

    It was as though the opposing force was merely toying with them.

    "This pitiful strength is what gave you such confidence? How disappointing!" the Leader of the masked men sighed after a few minutes.

    He raised his sword and bellowed, "It''s a waste of time! Retreat!"

    The men under hismand instantly withdrew, their speed leaving the Martial Alliance Members unable to prevent their escape. This further emphasized the gaping disparity in strength between the two sides.

    Some Martial Alliance Warriors interpreted the retreat as a sign of fear from the enemy. However, most of them knew better. They feared what prompted the retreat.

    Their worst fears materialized when the leader of the masked men swung his sword horizontally, unleashing a terrifying arc of aura that sliced through the air, growingrger with each passing second. In an instant, thousands of Martial Alliance Warriors were in, their limbs cascading from the sky as if it were raining blood.

    Even those who survived had barely evaded the attack.

    The surviving members exchanged horrified nces. Though the masked man possessed a cultivation levelparable to that of the Martial Alliance Leader, his strength surpassed anyparison.

    While the Martial Alliance Leader possessed formidable cultivation, his offensive capabilities were limited, much like the rest of them since they were alchemists. On the contrary, their enemies were skilled warriors.

    Despite mentally preparing themselves for death, witnessing the gruesome spectacle caused even the most resolute Martial Alliance members to hesitate.

    Gradually, they began to retreat, their movements driven by instinct and fear.

    The Martial Alliance members slowly started moving back, their steps faltering as fear gripped their hearts. The horrifying disy of power from the masked men had shattered their confidence and left them questioning their ability to ovee this formidable enemy.

    Even though the Martial Alliance Leader tried to motivate them, but it seemed to have lost its effect. Many of the warriorsnded on the ground, falling to their knees, begging to surrender, promising to work like ves for the invaders.

    Even some Martial Alliance Heads followed suit, offering their services to the invaders, fearing the oue of any dy.

    Seeing such a shameless disy of cowardice, the Martial Alliance Leader felt his blood boil.

    "How can you fall to your feet before the invaders? Have you lost your spine?! Is that kind of life better than death?" he asked.

    The Martial Alliance Members who had surrendered didn''t dare look up. They remained on the ground, pretending as if they didn''t hear anything.

    "Good decision," the leader of the Masked Men looked at the people on the ground. "However..."

    The Masked Men appeared behind the ones who had surrendered, slicing their throats. Blood sshed everywhere.

    "You missed the opportunity. You should''ve epted when I offered first." A cold voice echoed through the entire battlefield, telling everyone that it was toote to surrender. Everyone was going to die here.

    The ughter once again resumed. One after another, people kept dying and the number of Martial Alliance Members kept decreasing.

    Throughout the entire battle, only one Masked Man had died, and that too because three Martial Alliance Heads worked together to kill him. Even then, they didn''te outpletely unharmed.

    No Formations that were set in advance in this ce by the Martial Alliance, no traps, nothing worked for them.

    "No matter how much we fight, we can''t change our fate..." the Martial Alliance Leader muttered, seeing death all around him.

    He looked back at Yan Xu back on the ship, his eyes filled with regret towards his daughter and the young man. He wanted to tell the young man to run away and at least save his life. However, he didn''t.

    He had already given the poison to his daughter. In case they were to lose, he didn''t want his daughter to be caught either. There was no ce to hide in this world.

    ****

    "He''s quite shameless. He can end this war yet he''s just staying behind. I''m quite impressed. Is this truly a Heaven''s Child?"

    From a distance, Xu Shan watched like a spectator, observing Yan Xu who hadn''t moved in the least.

    "Aren''t you doing the same when you can end this war instantly?" Xinughed next to him.

    "Don''tpare me to that idiot. He''s just waiting so he could show off. And I''m waiting for him to show off," Xu Shan answered.

    However, as soon as he finished speaking, he straightened up, noticing Yan Xu move. "Looks like he''s starting."

 Chapter 226 226: Just the beginning

    Chapter 226  226: Just the beginning

    Yan Xu''s body erupted with a dazzling golden light, his aura skyrocketing to unimaginable heights. The air around him crackled with power as he unleashed his true strength, a force that surpassed many in the Martial Alliance.

    The remaining Martial Alliance members watched in confusion as Yan Xu soared into the sky.

    He knew that he couldn''t afford to hold anything back now. If he didn''t give everything he had, everyone here would be ughtered. It was just perfect timing for him to show off and get these people in his debt.

    Today, he wanted to be their savior, partially to save the town but majorly because he wanted the Martial Alliance leader''s daughter.

    "Evil like you don''t deserve to be alive!"

    With a swift movement, Yan Xu drew his sword and charged towards the masked leader, his every strike imbued with the power of his cultivation as well as some mysterious power.

    Seeing Yab Xu''s attack, even the Martial Alliance Leader was stunned. Although he had heard that Yan Xu saved the entire town in thest battle, but even he hadn''t seen this level of strength.

    Even when he arrived here, he had observed Yan Xu, not thinking that he was this strong. It was as if Yan Xu had intentionally suppressed his cultivation.

    Now that Yan Xu attacked, he didn''t hold anything back. With this, the Martial Alliance Leader could see that Yan Xu had almost simr cultivation to him, only slightly behind.

    However, the most shocking part was that the strength he was able to draw out far surpassed the cultivation level Yan Xu had.

    "Such bold words!" The Masked Leader eximed, his voice filled with a hint of mockery as he raised his sword. "An ant trying to stop a war chariot!"

    The sh of their swords reverberated through the battlefield, sending shockwaves that shattered the ground beneath them. Yan Xu''s attacks were relentless, each strike faster and more powerful than thest. He refused to back down, refusing to let worries ovee him.

    The masked leader, for the first time, showed signs of surprise. He had underestimated Yan Xu''s strength and determination. But he quickly recovered, his own attacks bing more fierce and calcted.

    The two warriors fought with an intensity that shook the heavens. Their swords shed, creating sparks that illuminated the darkened sky. The other masked men watched in silence, unable toprehend how Yan Xu was fighting on the same level as their leader.

    "You are talented! Not bad!" The Masked Leader eximed, blocking an attack. "Join our side and I''ll give you a respectable position!"

    "You can''t afford me!" Yan Xu eximed,a smirk spreading across his lips as he nced at the Martial Alliance Leader.

    "This much struggle should be enough as a show," he muttered as he decided to end the charade.

    "I won''t let you harm my people even if I have to use skills that require my life essence!" he roared, putting up an act while making sure that everyone heard him.

    Yan Xu''s sword began to emit a blinding golden light, an indication of the immense power he had tapped into. With a final surge of energy, Yan Xu unleashed a devastating strike, a wave of golden energy that obliterated everything in its path.

    The masked leader, caught off guard, was unable to defend against the attack. He was sent hurtling through the air, his mask shattering as he crashed to the ground.

    Yan Xu speared right before the Masked Leader. Without getting him a chance to even stand, he thrust the sword down, stabbing his chest.

    The remaining masked men looked on in shock and disbelief, their leader defeated by a single warrior of this weak world.

    But Yan Xu wasn''t finished. With the masked leader defeated, he turned his attention to the remaining masked men, his eyes filled with a devilish thirst.

    "It''s been a long time since I fought to my heart''s content. I''m going to enjoy it."

    The Martial Alliance members, who had been on the brink of defeat, felt a surge of hope through their veins. They had witnessed the power of Yan Xu firsthand.

    "Help Yan Xu!" The Martial Alliance Leader roared,manding his people.

    The warriors who had lost their fighting spirit once again gained motivation as they joined the battle again.

    With renewed vigor, they joined Yan Xu, rallying behind him as they charged towards the remaining masked men, leaving the more powerful enemies to Yan Xu.

    The tide of battle had shifted, and the Martial Alliance members fought with a newfound motivation, their attacks fueled by the belief that they could win.

    The battlefield once again erupted into chaos, but this time, it was the masked men who found themselves on the back foot. They fought desperately, but it was clear that the momentum was against them.

    One by one, the masked men fell, their bodies littering the battlefield. The Martial Alliance members pressed on.

    Yan Xu stood at the forefront, his sword still in hand, gazing at the invading ships in the distance.

    ....

    "And so the hero arrives to save the day." Xu Shan enjoyed the performance of Yan Xu, as if he was watching a y.

    "This is disappointing. With such an easy victory, will we even see that girl in action? Won''t it be a wasted opportunity?" Xin asked Xu Shan. She was more curious about the girl apanying Yan Xu.

    "Don''t worry. This is just the beginning. That kid probably has no idea who is inside those ships. This is about to be fun..."

    As Xu Shan finished, all the masked men were killed. Yan Xu was victorious, his next target the n ships and their heirs.

    However, before he could even take a single step forward, a powerful aura descended from the ships, momentarily even surprising Yan Xu.

    "No wonder you insects were able to harm my son. So you''re stronger than I expected." A mysterious voice came from inside the ship.

    A man came to sight on the deck, his aura like a tsunami, pressing down on everyone.

    He wasn''t alone either. He was apanied by many old men, only slightly weaker than him.

    "He is...?" Xin asked Xu Shan, curious about the man''s identity who was at the Peak of Celestial Cultivation that people of this lower world could ever achieve. In fact, he was even halfway through to the breakthrough.

 Chapter 227 227: Planning to kill

    Chapter 227  227: nning to kill

    "If I''m not wrong, this should be the Leader of one of the Invading ns. At first, this world was just a simplepetition for their younger generation for them. They didn''t even send their main forces," Xu Shan answered.

    "But when his son was hurt, his n had to suffer a lot of humiliation in the main world. In anger, he personally came here to annihte everyone."

    "How long have you known about his presence?" Xin inquired.

    "Did you forget that I have the Book of Knowledge? I''ve known since the ships arrived. Why else would I be looking forward to this battle," Xu Shanughed as he pulled out some snacks.

    Xin rolled her eyes at Xu Shan''s nonchnt attitude.

    "You''re always looking forward to battles, aren''t you?" she said, taking a seat beside him and grabbing a handful of snacks as well.

    As they watched the confrontation unfold, Yan Xu stood his ground, his eyes locked with the powerful man on the ship.

    Despite the overwhelming pressure, he didn''t back down.

    "He''s very powerful. He''s on apletely different level. It would be hard for you. Let me help." The girl next to Yan Xu could see the strength of the Man and the Elders behind him.

    "Don''t interfere! It''s my battle!" Yan Xu stopped the girl. Although the enemy was strong, but this was also an opportunity for him to truly test his limits. And if it truly got dangerous, the woman could interfere and help him.

    Yan Xu stepped forward, pointing his bloody sword at the man on the ship. "For me, you''re just another dead man walking!"

    The Leader of the Invading n chuckled darkly.

    "Bold words, little warrior. But do you truly believe you can defeat me?" he sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance.

    Without uttering another word, Yan Xu charged forward, his sword held high. He unleashed a flurry of attacks, each one fueled by his unwavering confidence. But the Leader of the Invading n effortlessly blocked every strike, his movements elegant and precise.

    Xin watched attentively, her eyes narrowing.

    "He''s good," shemented, impressed by Yan Xu''s skill. Even against someone as powerful as the Leader of the Invading n, Yan Xu didn''t falter.

    Xu Shan nodded in agreement. "He''s definitely surpassed his limits. But he''ll need more than just skill to defeat that man."

    "If this is all he has, then I''m going to be very disappointed," he said, his gaze focused on the battle.

    As the battle raged on, Yan Xu''s attacks grew fiercer.. He refused to give up, even as the Leader of the Invading n effortlessly countered his every move. But with each passing strike, Yan Xu seemed to grow stronger, his aura intensifying.

    Yan Xu stopped holding back as he started using skills that were not from this world. Some skills even used thews of heaven directly in the attack, shocking everyone who watched it.

    The Martial Alliance members, emboldened by Yan Xu''s disy of strength, looked in disbelief.

    Unfortunately, seeing the man''s strength, none of them could gather courage to even move, their bodies suppressed by his aura alone. The only person who could move to the battlefield was Yan Xu.

    "This is interesting," Xin remarked, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "That kid is putting up a good fight, but I wonder how long he can keep it up and when that girl will join."

    Xu Shan smirked.

    "We''ll find out soon enough," he replied cryptically.

    Just as it seemed like Yan Xu might actually have a chance at fighting back, the Leader of the Invading n unleashed a devastating attack.

    A wave of energy rippled through the battlefield, knocking back Yan Xu and the Martial Alliance members.

    "No matter how favored someone is by the Heaven, as long as they haven''t grown up entirely, they can easily be crushed by absolute strength," Xu Shan muttered. "It should be about time."

    Yan Xu, bloodied and battered, struggled to his feet. His body ached, but his resolve remained unbroken.

    "I won''t lose!" he shouted, his voice filled with defiance.

    But before he could make another move, a figure suddenly appeared beside him. It was the young woman who had been apanying him throughout the battle. Her eyes zed with anger directed at the man on the ship.

    "This is enough," she stopped Yan Xu from attacking. "You can''t take another attack. It''s wise to stop here."

    "You''re telling me to let that bastard leave?" Yan Xu roared, not willing to ept defeat.

    "He''s nning to kill you with the next attack. If I don''t stop you here, things would''ve gotten dangerous. As for letting him leave, did I say he was going to leave alive?" the woman asked as she decided to get involved.

    Everyone including the Martial Alliance Leader looked at the woman, confused about her identity. She had appeared right next to Yan Xu and it was clear they knew each other.

    Even the Enemy Leader couldn''t see through the strength of the woman. For him, she appeared no different than a mortal, but he felt a strange sense of danger from her.

    The Leader of the Invading n regarded her with a mixture of curiosity.

    "And who might you be, little girl?" he asked, his tone mocking.

    She didn''t answer his question. Instead, she unsheathed her own sword, the de emanating a faint blue glow. As she charged forward, her movements were fluid and precise, her strikesnding with deadly uracy.

    The battlefield fell into stunned silence as the young woman appeared right next to the Yun n Leader who couldn''t even move.

    The woman was so fast that by the time he came to his senses, the woman was behind him. He turned around, but only his body moved, his head still in the same position, slowly rolling down to the side.

    "Huh?" The man was left confused as the world turned upside down for him. His head rolled to the side, slowly falling on the ground, followed by his body.

 Chapter 228 228: After you?

    <h4>Chapter 228 Chapter 228: After you?</h4>

    Before he could even move, he was killed. And this was just the beginning.

    What followed next was absolute Massacre as the woman killed the n Leaders that Yun n Leader had brought him.

    Right before everyone, the ships were destroyed in a single strike, everyone killed in the blink of an eye.

    The Martial Alliance Leader stood frozen in ce as his gaze shifted between Yan Xu and the woman in the sky.

    He was sure that Yan Xu wasn''t an ordinary person to be this strong. But he had never expected that he was apanied by someone so powerful.

    The woman appeared to not even be thirty years old, yet she had already achieved this level of strength.

    The old man couldn''t help but think of the absurd possibility about the originals of the Woman and Yan Xu.

    For them to be this strong at such a young age, it couldn''t be a coincidence anymore, especially with the incredible methods and skills they used. The old man was certain that these people were rted to a powerful background, maybe even to the world of Immortals.

    Could they be descendants of ancient cultivators? Or perhaps they were reincarnations of powerful beings from a different realm? The Martial Alliance Leader''s mind raced with questions, but he knew that now was not the time for spection.

    Yan Xu, still recovering from his injuries, looked up at the woman.

    "There''s still so much gap..." he mumbled under his breath. "But it''s only a matter of time before I catch up and surpass her."

    The woman nodded, her expression softening as she looked back at Yan Xu.

    As the dust settled, the Martial Alliance members slowly regained their mobility. They stood in awe, staring at the woman in disbelief. She had single-handedly defeated the Leader of the Invading n and his forces, turning the tide of the battle in an instant.

    The Martial Alliance Leader approached Yan Xu and the woman, his eyes filled with gratitude. "I don''t know how to thank you both for what you''ve done. You have saved us all."

    Yan Xu smiled, his gaze still fixed on the woman. "We just did what we had to do. It was our duty to protect our people."

    Although the battle was over, but it was just the beginning of his n. He still had to maintain a persona since the next step was to conquer the daughter of the Martial n leader.

    The woman nodded in agreement. "It wasn''t much."

    The Martial Alliance Leader''s heart swelled with pride as he looked at the two young warriors. They had shown incredible bravery and strength. On the other hand, there was Xu Shah who simply left them to be killed with a bet.

    Although he was thankful to Xu Shan for saving his daughter, but when he looked at the woman, he was sure that she was more righteous. He even believed that she was stronger than Xu Shan.

    He felt even more grateful to her. Despite having the strength, she wasn''t arrogant.

    "I know I can never repay you. But even if you ask for my life, I won''t hesitate. You''ve saved us all." The Martial Alliance Leader lowered his head, expressing his gratitude.

    Yan Xu and the woman exchanged nces, their eyes filled with amusement that they didn''t express. They nodded in eptance, knowing that it was good to have the gratitude of this man since to use the book, Yan Xu couldn''t force his daughter.

    With the sun setting behind them, Yan Xu and the woman returned to the Town with the Martial Alliance Leader.

    The remaining Members were left behind to clean the battlefield and gather any treasure that might''ve been dropped.

    In the distance, Xu Shan remained silent, gazing at the woman. It was unclear what he was thinking about, but his expressions weren''t as calm.

    "That girl isn''t from a Lower World. That''s not the kind of strength someone from the Lower World can possess." Xin was also more fascinated by the Girl, especially her identity.

    "She''s not from the Celestial Realm. I would''ve known if there was someone like this there. As for the Divine Realm, if this girl was from there, that woman would''ve long devoured her," Xu Shan spoke, his gaze constant on the girl in the distance.

    Feeling a strange gaze on her, Lin Mei frowned. She didn''t know why, but for a long time, she had been feeling as if someone was looking at her. However, she couldn''t find the source of this strange feeling.

    "This girl isn''t from the Divine Realm or from the Celestial Realm. That means she''s from somewhere even higher..." Xu Shan sighed, ncing towards the sky. "The Land of Immortals has started to interfere..."

    "Are you going to kill her?" Xin asked. To kill Yan Xu, they had to go past Lin Mei. However, none of them knew what she was truly capable of. Even in the battle previously, she only used brute strength. It was unclear what kind of secrets she possessed.

    "I''m afraid it''s toote for that," Xu Shan frowned, noticing something.

    He stood up and opened a Spatial Portal. Before Xin could react, he grabbed her hand and entered the portal.

    In the blink of an eye, he appeared millions of miles away from the small town while also suppressing his aura entirely.

    Xin was confused about Xu Shan''s actions, but soon, she also noticed something.

    The sky had suddenly turned pitch ck, multiple portals opening in the sky above the battlefield.

    From the Portal, many Warriors coveted in Celestial Armor stepped out. In an instant, there were over a hundred Celestial Warriors, their Divine Sense spreading out.

    Every single one of these Celestial Warriors was an Immortal, stronger than Xu Shan when it came to cultivation.

    Alright Xu Shan was still confident that he could kill a few of them if there was a battle, but with so so many of them, he could''ve only escaped if they came after him.

    "Are they after you?" Xin asked Xu Shan.

 Chapter 229 229: Desire to bring

    Chapter 229 229: Desire to bring

    "If they were, do you think I would''ve been in this world? I would''ve long left," Xu Shan answered as he calmly looked into the distance. "Even with his suppressed aura, if I had stayed in the town, I''m certain they would''ve noticed me. But from this distance, it is harder, especially since I''m not their target."

    "If you''re not their target, then..." Xin looked at the location where these Immortal Warriors had appeared. "They''re after the girl?"

    She added, "Isn''t this for the best? If they kill the girl, it would be easy for us to take the boy."

    "You''re too optimistic. Why would you think they''re that girl''s enemy? I don''t sense any killing intent from them. It''s more likely that they''re Warriors of her family. This just confirms my assumption. She''s from the Land of Immortals. What a headache..."

    Xu Shan scratched the back of his head, feeling frustrated.

    The Celestial Warriors, after observing the surroundings, turned their attention to the Town. They were able to locate a particr aura that they had sensed whening here.

    All of themnded in the town, right before Lin Mei.

    All the Martial Alliance Members subconsciously dropped to their knees, suppressed by the pressure. Other than the woman, only Yan Xu remained standing, albeit barely. Even he struggled under pressure.

    Lin Mei spread out her aura, covering Yan Xu to free him from the pressure.

    "We finally found you." One of the Celestial Warriors spoke, looking at the young woman.

    "How did you find me?" Lin Mei asked, her expressions dark. "Did my brother also know where I am?"

    "We were searching for you on Patriarch''s instructions when we sensed your aura. We arrived here as soon as we sensed it. Do you have any idea how worried your father has been about you?" The Celestial Warrior asked.

    Although the woman held a high position in the n, he talked to her in an equal manner, his position simr.

    "I asked you a question. Was my brother with you?" Lin Mei asked, her expressions darkening. "Does he know I''m here?"

    "The young Lord wasn''t with us. He hadn''t been home in quite some time," the Celestial Warrior spoke, his expressions still like that of a block of stone. "However, it doesn''t matter. Patriarch''s instructions are absolute. We are to bring you back home."

    "He hadn''t been home? Where did he go?" The woman asked, her expressions shifting.

    From as long as she knew, her half brother had never left their hope. Even his teaching and training was all done at home. Despite that, he had surpassed many geniuses in the Land of Immortal.

    This was also why she felt confident enough in escaping, because she was certain her brother was never going to chase after her.

    Hearing that he had left, she wondered if he hade after her. But if that was the case, he should''ve been here. She was sure that if her brother was personally searching for her, he would''ve been here faster.

    It convinced her that her brother had a different reason. Unfortunately, that reason eluded her.

    "I''m afraid only the Patriarch knows. If you want an answer, that''s one more reason for you toe back," the Celestial Warrior spoke.

    Lin Mei nced at Yan Xu. She couldn''t refuse even if she wanted to. Now that the Celestial Warriors had located her, it was impossible for her to escape. And if she tried, they could kill Yan Xu. She didn''t want to risk it. Moreover, she was truly curious about her hateful brother''s whereabouts.

    "I will return with you," she agreed. "But I have one condition. I''ll bring a few people back with me."

    The Celestial Warriors didn''t react much. He simply nced at Yan Xu. "We can''t take anyone else back with us, especially someone lowly from this world."

    "In that case, I won''te with you either. Either you listen to me, or you fight me!" Lin Mei aimed her sword at the Celestia Warriors, knowing that they were never going to actually hurt them.

    The Celestial Warriors frowned. They could force the girl, but if she was to get hurt in the process, it was troublesome for them as well.

    They tried to convince Lin Mei but when she didn''t agree, they were left with no choice but to agree.

    "Understandable. We''ll take your servant with us."

    Yan Xu''s lips twitched, hearing him be addressed as a servant. However, he knew his limits and kept his head down.

    It was only in his mind that he was cursing them while remembering how theirdy was under this ''servant'' not long ago.

    Lin Mei smiled. "See, that wasn''t so difficult, was it? However, there''s one more person I''ll be taking back."

    She focused on the Martial Alliance Leader. "Senior, as you can see, I''m not from this lower world. My home is in this Land of Immortals. I''ve only been here to gain some experience."

    "Land of Immortals?" Martial Alliance Leader asked, his face turning white. If he thought that the Divine Realm was scary, then the Land of Immortals was apletely unreachable existence.

    One could only enter the world after bing immortal. Even the Leader of the Divine World dreamed of going there but she wanted strong enough yet.

    The Martial Alliance Leader had never felt so insignificant. He lowered his head even further.

    "You don''t have to lower your head. While I was here, I saw your daughter. And I believe she has some real talent. If shees with me, her talents would flourish with my help. One day, she would be able to be even stronger than the Celestial Warriors you see around me.''

    "That day, no invaders would even dare to attack this world. So would you allow her toe with us? I would feel very bad to see her talents getting wasted here."

    Lin Mei knew that because of her people finding her, the ns of Yan Xu were spoiled. She couldn''t waste this girl. She had to bring her with him so Yan Xu couldplete what he started.

 Chapter 230 230: Land Of Immortals

    <h4>Chapter 230 Chapter 230: Land Of Immortals</h4>

    The Martial Alliance Leader was stunned to hear the proposal. Without external help, one wouldn''t be able to enter the Land of Immortal despite working hard for a lifetime. This was an opportunity like never before for his daughter.

    Even in the past, her daughter was taken away from him. However, with Lin Mei, he was convinced that her daughter was going to be safe. If Lin Mei wanted, she could''ve forcefully taken his daughter. However, she didn''t force him and instead offered him a choice.

    The Martial Alliance Leader found Lin Mei to be kind andpassionate and full of sincerity.

    "I-it would be our pleasure. But I would like to ask my daughter about it first."

    "Please take your time," Lin Mei smiled like an angel. "But remember, we don''t have much time since I have to leave."

    The Martial Alliance Leader stood up and rushed to find his daughter.

    After finding his daughter, he told her everything that happened, including the offer he had received.

    "Brother Yan is also going?" His daughter asked, more interested in the fact that Yan Xu was leaving.

    "That''s right. Once he leaves, he might never return. But if you go with them, you''ll be able to learn from them and be stronger. And if I''m not wrong, you also like that boy, don''t you?" The Martial Alliance Leader smiled, patting his daughter''s head.

    The girl''s face turned red. "But if I leave, what about you?"

    "What about me?" The old man asked,ughing. "The war is over. I''ll just wait for you to be stronger and visit me in the future. As long as you''re happy, I''ll be happy. Moreover, sooner orter, you had to leave my home and find your own home. This might be that moment."

    "Father..." the girl''s eyes turned wet as she hugged her father. Also she wanted to be with her father, but she also knew that she was very weak. She had to be stronger so that in the future, no one could threaten their world.

    Moreover, she also wanted to be with Yan Xu who had already expressed that he liked her.

    In the end, she agreed to leave with Lin Mei,pletely unaware of how she was being fooled.

    Apanied by her father, she approached Lin Mei and Yan Xu, standing next to them.

    "You made the right decision. You will never regret it," Lin Mei held the girl''s hands like a cute elder sister.

    With everything ready, the Celestial Warriors shattered the space before them, opening a path to the Land of Immortals.

    They gestured for Lin Mei to enter with her friends.

    Once Lin Mei and her friends entered, the Celestial Warriors also entered. The space healed itself, the path of immortality closing.

    "That girl is still so foolish," Xinmented, seeing the portal closed.

    "Let her be. She won''t be the first or thest to foolishly fall in love. It''s her fate, and we can only leave her to it. However, I''m more interested in the foolishness of the father," Xu Shanughed, as if he was looking forward to something. "I wonder what kind of face he will make when he realizes."

    "Realize what?" Xin asked. "I''m afraid he''ll never know since the girl won''t be returning. And the old man will die happily, thinking she''s settled down in the Land of Immortals."

    "I''m not talking about that, little girl. Don''t tell me you don''t realize it either? You''re as foolish as that old man in this case."

    "What don''t I realize?" Xin asked, not understanding what Xu Shan was getting at.

    "Do you think the invasion is over?" Xu Shan asked, giving a hint before asking, "How many Major ns had invaded"

    "Four. What about them?" Xin asked, still finding it hard to understand.

    "And how many n Leaders died?" Xu Shan further asked.

    It was only now that Xin came to her senses. "That''s right. Only one died!"

    "Correct. The invasion is far from over," Xu Shan answered, seemingly amused. "In fact, it just got even more personal."

    The n Leader who died... Their n will send all their Elders and forces. Even the other Three n Leaders might personally arrive with their ns.

    Since a n Leader died here, they''d realize how dangerous this world is. And since they''ve already invaded it, an enmity has been established. They won''t leave this world be..."

    "Poor old man. He doesn''t even realize how big a thing he has missed. Are you going to help them?" Xin asked Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan had promised the old man that he''ll save this world if they managed to survive for a certain period of time. And they had done that.

    "What do you think?" Xu Shan asked, turning around. With a wave of his hand, he opened a Spatial Portal.

    "You will...?"

    "I won''t. Don''t tell me you take my promises seriously?" Xu Shan couldn''t help butugh as he entered the portal.

    He stepped out of the Portal in the Divine Realm.

    "I don''t have much time to waste in that small ce. Now that one of their leaders have been killed, the invaders would take their time in preparation before the next attack. And I don''t have time to wait for them to attack. I have more important things to do."

    "And even if I were to take my promise seriously, I said that if they survived, I''ll kill the forces in the world. The forces are already dead. So my promise is fulfilled in a way."

    Xin could only look at Xu Shan, rolling her eyes. Then again, this was the Xu Shan she knew. He wasn''t trapped by morality or obsessed with righteousness. He was someone who was about to let the entire Divine Realm be devoured. What difference did a lower world make?

    Xu Shan entered the Pce, followed by Xin, going to meet the Divine Queen. It was almost time for them to put the finishing touches to their final n.

    It was time for them to devour the life of this world so he could have another Celestial Immortal level servant to apany him when he entered the Land of Immortal.

 Chapter 231 231: Happy or pity

    Chapter 231  231: Happy or pity

    As soon as Xu Shan entered the Pce, he used his Divine Sense to search the entire ce. Unfortunately, the entire pce was empty, except for a few guards.

    "Did she go to check the preparations?" Pondering, he approached one of the Guards.

    "L-Lord." Seeing Xu Shan return, the Warrior Guard was taken aback. He immediately dropped to his knees, greeting the young man. However, the fear on his face was evident entirely.

    "Stop showing such a disgraceful appearance. I''m not going to kill you," Xu Shan told the man.

    "Where''s the Divine Queen?" he asked.

    The Guard seemed a bit hesitant. However, under Xu Shan''s gaze, he couldn''t keep anything hidden.

    "Her Majesty has gone out on a conquest."

    "A conquest? At a time like this? Did she go crazy?'' Xu Shan couldn''t believe that she would go out to wage a war, especially when she was so close to thepletion of the formation.

    In the end, all of these people were going to be dead when the formation waspleted. So it looked like a waste of time.

    "Who did she go to kill this time?" he further asked.

    "S-she..." The guard stuttered in response, his mouth barely opening in fear.

    "On second thoughts, it''s much easier if I find out myself." Xu Shan could only sigh in response as he ced his hand on the man''s head, using Soul Search.

    Within a few seconds, he was able to see through all the memories of the Guard and understood what took ce in this world when he wasn''t here.

    "Interesting. So there was an assassination attempt. How peculiar... The man who attacked... Isn''t he...?"

    Xu Shan turned around, leaving the Royal Pce. The guard who was soul searched remained on the ground, his eyes lifeless.

    Throughout the Guard''s memories, he was able to find out a lot of information. Once he had left, the Divine Queen was curious about his whereabouts but she focused on the formation.

    Because she was focusing on the formation, she needed someone to keep the other people in check so as to not cause any unnecessary trouble. For that reason, he selected a lookalike of Xu Shan.

    While the Divine Queen was underground, focusing onpletion of therge-scale formation, the fake Xu Shan asionally made an appearance, revealing himself at least once a day as he walked through the city.

    The Divine Queen thought that no one could dare to do anything unwise in Xu Shan''s presence since everyone in the city had seen his might. However, she hadn''t expected things to progress to this extent.

    On the fifth day when the fake Xu Shan went for a stroll, followed by some guards, there was an assassination attempt.

    The attack was swift. The Guards couldn''t even react as the assassin reached close to the fake Xu Shan, plunging the Heavenly Tier Dagger into his heart.

    Right before everyone''s eyes, the Heavenly Tier Weapon did its work and destroyed the soul, mind and body of the person that was attacked.

    Not only was the fake Xu Shan killed in front of everyone''s eyes, but also the guards who were apanying him were killed. Only a few guards managed to cowardly run away and escape. And the Guard he used soul search was one of them.

    Not only had that guard been there, but he had also seen a glimpse of the Assassin''s face. And through him, Xu Shan also saw the Assassin''s face which brought a smile to his face.

    "So the little dog that escaped my is back to bite its master? I don''t know if I should be happy or feel pity on him..."

    Not only did the assassin kill ''him'' in front of everyone in the city, but he also influenced the people of the City into rebelling against the queen.

    If the Divine Queen hadn''te out and killed all the rebels, the consequences would''ve been quite severe, especially if the pce was overtaken and the secret of underground formation was discovered.

    That day, the Divine Queen annihted many citizens who fell for the maniption of the Assassins.

    After killing the rebels, her anger still wasn''t over. She had a feeling that if she let them be, they were going to cause even more problems, especially now that they were under the impression that they were strong enough to kill Xu Shan.

    To eradicate the threats, the Queen herself went to the conquest of the Shadow Hall.

    "Duan Mu, oh Duan Mu. How can a descendant of Demons of Abyss be so foolish? Did you really think it was going to be this easy to kill your master?" Stopping outside the Pce, Xu Shan gazed at the sky.

    Duan Mu was the Son of Heaven that he had decided to make his servant. Unfortunately, when he was attacked by the Divine Realm and was in a long sleep, Duan Mu had disappeared, erasing all his control.

    Ever since then, Xu Shan was quite curious about the whereabouts of the young man. But he hadn''t expected that the man was going toe to this ce and show himself this easily.

    "No matter how far you run, at the end, you''ll end up before me. And then, I''ll make you experience a fate worse than death for betraying my trust!

    Xu Shan rose in the air. Although he didn''t know where the Shadow Hall was, he was able to locate the Divine Queen on whom he had nted a Soul Seal.

    He didn''t quite understand how the woman knew the location of the Shadow Hall for her to go after them, but at the end of the day, he had to follow her.

    He flew straight towards the Divine Empress, his speed faster than light itself. Within a few seconds, he had traveled through multiple cities, his speed faster than even using the Portal Gates.

    In less than ten seconds, he stopped, finally reaching his destination. He looked at the ground below him. The entire Earth was painted red in blood.

 Chapter 232 232: Prophecy

    Chapter 232232: Prophecy

    There were hundreds of bodies littered around, but none of them were that of an assassin. Instead, they looked more like the people of Prophecy Tower.

    "So that''s what she was after..." Xu Shan couldn''t help but shake his head, but also found her methods quite fascinating.

    "Why is she here? Shouldn''t she be attacking Shadow Hall if she was so angry?" Xin asked Xu Shan, confused about the woman''s actions.

    "That''s the thing. She can''t attack the Shadow Hall because she doesn''t know where they''re located. But she does know the location of the Prophecy Tower. So she''s just using her knowledge to her advantage," Xu Shan exined.

    "How?"

    "She is probably trying to force the prophecy tower to Divine the location of the Shadow Hall. Quite Interesting..."

    Xu Shannded at the entrance of the Prophecy Tower.

    Not long ago, there was a prophecy by the same tower about a certain disaster that was going to spread across the entire Divine Realm. And today, this same tower was facing a disaster.

    "The people who predict the fate of others, couldn''t predict their own fate. How ironic.''

    His hands behind his back, Xu Shan walked inside the Prophecy Tower.

    With every foot he took inside the tower, the floor beneath him kept getting darker like reacting to his nature. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Undeterred by the ominous atmosphere, Xu Shan continued his journey up the tower. Before long, he was standing on the highest floor.

    Along the way, he hade across many lifeless bodies. It was clear how angry the Divine Queen was. She didn''t even bother talking to them.

    What made her even more furious was that the Prophecy Tower hadn''t informed her of her fate rted to Xu Shan. If she had known better, she wouldn''t have ended up like this.

    Previously, she let the Divine Tower be, because she was focused on the formation. But now, her anger came out at once v

    "Looks like she''s letting out my anger on these people as well. How cute..." Xu Shan couldn''t help butugh.

    With his strengthened soul seal, the Divine Empress could never free herself. She was forever stuck with him. She couldn''t even harm him, so she could only let her anger out on others.

    As Xu Shan entered the inner sanctum on the top floor, he noticed the Divine Empress standing, her sword covered in blood.

    Many High Priests of the Prophecy Tower had been killed, only one left alive. And thatst one was also heavily injured.

    Thest priest was sitting in meditation, trying to use his Divination Skills to find the location of the Shadow Hall.

    He used his skills to locate the Shadow Hall that was supposed to be the den of the strongest Assassins in the world.

    "No wonder you were able to unite the Divine Realm into a single Dynasty. As expected of my servant."

    While the Divine Empress was focused on the old priest, she heard a man''s voice.

    She turned around, noticing Xu Shan behind him.

    "Since you''re here, I suppose you already know everything that happened?"

    Unlike the guard, the Divine Empress didn''t show much shock or fear. She already knew he was alive and was going to return. Moreover, since she already served him, she didn''t have to worry about him killing her.

    Xu Shan stepped closer to the Divine Empress, his fingers brushing against her throat until he was holding onto her threat.

    "That''s correct. And I don''t have to tell you how angry I was that you''re focusing on other things instead of the Formation." Xu Shan whispered in her ears. "What do you think I should do?"

    The Empress was momentarily surprised. With Xu Shan this close to her, she subconsciously felt a trace of fear. She didn''t know why she had forgotten that the man couldn''t be judged bymon sense.

    Still, she knew she wasn''t going to die. If Xu Shan wanted to kill her, he didn''t even have to move a finger to kill her. Just the soul seal was enough to kill her.

    "But because of this event, I found someone worth my interest as well. So this time, I''ll let you go." Before the Queen could even answer, Xu Shan released her throat, stepping back.

    The Woman sighed in relief, watching Xu Shan move back.

    "Now that I''m here, you can return to the Pce and focus on the formation. I''ll handle the matter of Shadow Hall," Xu Shan said.

    "But..." the Empress was surprised. Aftering this far, she was being told to go back without letting her kill the people she hated?

    "Do you have a problem with my decision?" Xu Shan asked, without even looking back at the Divine Empress.

    The Divine Emperor froze. "No problems. I''ll return."

    Clenching her fists, she turned around and left the bloody corridors of the Divination Tower, leaving Xu Shan behind.

    Although it was her revenge, it was taken over by Xu Shan. However, she knew that the formation was truly more important. She couldn''t leave it for too long.

    She returned to the Capital of the Dynasty, quite curious why Xu Shan was so interested in the shadow hall. Was it simply because he felt angry at the assassination attempt? Or was there something more?

    Unfortunately, no matter how much she wanted, only one person knew the answer. And it was Xu Shan himself.

    Xu Shan waited for the High Priest to finish his Divination, patiently.

    Fortunately, half an hourter, the High Priest finally opened his eyes.

    "Old man, looks like you didn''t fail." As the High Priest stood up, he heard a man''s voice behind him.

    Turning around, he was surprised to find the Empress'' absence. Instead, an unfamiliar man was there.

    Despite not seeing the man before, he felt as if the man was more frightening than the Woman. He couldn''t even see through the man. All he saw was an endless darkness and the threats of heavenly punishment circling his fate like a poisonous snake.

    It would''ve been impossible for a person to survive with this kind of heavenly curse on their fate. But the man lookedpletely unaffected.

 Chapter 233 233: Forbidden Forest

    Chapter 233 233: Forbidden Forest

    Xu Shan''s gaze fell upon the High Priest, his eyes filled with an indescribable aura of dominance. The High Priest couldn''t help but feel a shiver run down his spine, realizing that he was standing before someone far superior to him.

    "What did you find?" Xu Shan asked, his voice calm andposed.

    The High Priest hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering with fear.

    "I...I have divined the location of the Shadow Hall," he stammered, his voice barely audible.

    He couldn''t even ask about the identity of the man before him. He remembered how furious the Empress was. She was the most eager to find the address. But she wasn''t here anymore. That convinced him that even she didn''t dare to stay in the presence of this young man.

    Throughout thest few days, he had heard a lot about the situation of the Capital. He knew that in the present time, there was only one person who was capable of such a thing. The person who had made a name for himself in the shortest time.

    Xu Shan was young. Yet, he wasn''tparable to the most talented youngsters of the Divine Realm. He was in apletely different league of himself. Let alone beingparable to himself, even the strongest of adults weren''tparable to him.

    A smile tugged at the corners of Xu Shan''s lips as he stepped closer to the High Priest. "Are you scared of me?"

    "Don''t worry. If your information is proved to be right, I won''t harm you. But if it''s a lie..."

    Xu Shan didn''t finish his sentence but his words were enough to convey his message.

    "So where are those rats hiding?" he asked, his thoughts clear. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The High Priest took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "The Shadow Hall is located in the Forbidden Forest, deep within the Eastern Province," he revealed, his voice trembling. "It is a ce shrouded in darkness, hidden from the eyes of ordinary mortals."

    Xu Shan''s eyes gleamed with excitement as he heard the High Priest''s words. The Forbidden Forest was a treacherous and dangerous ce, filled with mythical creatures and unpredictability. It was the best ce to hide, so he could almost confirm the information.

    "Not a bad ce to hide," he said as he turned around and started leaving. "Though don''t forget what I said. If it turns out to be a lie, you won''t have a good time, no matter where you run off to."

    The High Priest nodded, relieved to be dismissed. Once Xu Shan left, he dropped to his knees, his legs getting weak. Only he knew how much of a struggle it was to stay standing in front of Xu Shan.

    Even though Xu Shan didn''t release any of his Celestial Aura, he could still feel a suppression that came from the soul itself.

    Xu Shan stepped out of the Tower, deep in thought. In the entire Divination Tower, only one person was left alive. And it was only a matter of time before he died as well.

    "I wonder if I should keep him safe. He mighte in handy in the future." He pondered, looking back at the Pce. "Too much work."

    Eventually, he dropped the thought.

    With a flick of his wrist, Xu Shan summoned a portal, a swirling vortex of energy appearing before him. Stepping through, he found himself standing on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, feeling the oppressive atmosphere surrounding him.

    The Forbidden Forest was not a ce to be taken lightly. It was said that it was a ce that could only be entered but not left. There were also many rumors about the ce having frightening beasts of supreme celestial cultivation.

    Since no one knew the truth about such rumors, many people tried to explore this region in the past, all dying in the process. Since then, this ce was considered a forbidden forest.

    Moreover since the Forbidden Forest was very far from the Divine Capital, the Divine Empress also didn''t bother much about it, her goals clear from the beginning.

    Precisely because this forest was such an ignored and isted piece ofnd, this also became the best ce for the Shadow Hall to establish itself when the Divine Queen came to power and unified all the Empires.

    The Shadow Hall, known for its covert operations and ndestine activities, saw the potential in the istion of the Forbidden Forest. They recognized the strategic advantage it provided for their operations, as it allowed them to remain hidden from prying eyes and maintain their secrecy.

    With the dense vegetation providing excellent cover, it became an ideal base for the assassin organization to carry out their missions across the various domains.

    Unfortunately, as scary as it might be for most people to enter this guest, Xu Shan didn''t reveal the slightest bit of concern. Instead, he seemed eager to enter.

    As he delved deeper into the forest, Xu Shan could sense the presence of powerful beings lurking in the shadows. The air crackled with an electric energy, and he could feel the eyes of unseen creatures watching his every move. But Xu Shan was undeterred.

    For most people, it would''ve been impossible to locate the Assassins, let alone even feel their presence. But for him, even the slightest trace of killing intent directed at him was too much.

    He acted as if he hadn''t noticed them as he kept going deeper. Minutes turned into hours as Xu Shan navigated through the treacherous terrain of the Forbidden Forest.

    The Assassins trailed after him, slowly surrounding him as they spread out while not even making the slightest sound. However, none of them attacked, as if waiting for something.

    Xu Shan also understood what they were waiting for. They were trained assassins, and they were even more dangerous at their own home, where they knew the terrain the best. With home advantage, they didn''t take any risks.

    "What are they waiting for? Shouldn''t they attack you?" Xinren asked Xu Shan, slowly following behind him. "Are they scared?"

 Chapter 234 234: Amiss

    Chapter234 234: Amiss

    "They''re waiting until Ie across some Beast. They probably want to attack me when I''m busy fending off the beasts of this forest. These people aren''t fools. But at the same time, they''re not very clever either. Though I do want to see the moment they realize how futile their strength is."

    Xu Shan kept moving forward. And just as he expected, he was soon in an area surrounded by Heaven Grade Beasts.

    This was a ce that even Assassins avoided while entering, not wanting to end up fighting the beasts and weakening the natural defense of this forest.

    As soon as Xu Shan stepped into the Domain, the Beasts caught his scent. The Beasts could feel an invader in their domain.

    Taking Xu Shan as a threat, the Heaven Grade Beasts roared and charged towards him with incredible speed and aggression. Xu Shan, however, remained calm and focused.

    Even before he broke through to the Heaven Realm, he wasn''t scared of the Heaven Grade Beasts, let alone now that he had reached the Immortal Celestial Realm.

    But still, to toy with the Assassins, he restricted his strength to the First Layer of Heavenly Celestial Realm, showing some struggle as he fought against the beasts.

    As Xu Shan gracefully dodged their attacks, his movements were like flowing water, but it wasn''t a speed that could shock the Assassins.

    When Xu Shan waspletely distracted by the beasts, the Assassins finally made a movement.

    "Now!" The Assassins jumped forward, striking with their daggers.

    However, as the Assassin''s dagger was about to touch Xu Shan, he just disappeared.

    "Huh?" The Assassin was stunned, but before he could react, the Beast leapt forward, tearing the distracted Assassin''s head off.

    Usually, the Beasts would have recognized the assassins, but Xu Shan had already made them go crazy in bloodlust as he corrupted their mind while fighting them.

    Not just one assassin, but all the Assassins were attacked by the Beasts.

    Even some who hadn''t attacked Xu Shan and were watching from a distance had no choice but to enter the battle to save their friends.

    Meanwhile Xu Shan simply watched from a distance like a spectator.

    "I hope you all have a good time. I''ll be taking my leave for now," Xu Shan called out, his voice reaching the assassins loud and clear.

    The Assassins were furious, falling into a trap. Unfortunately, they couldn''t show their backs to the beasts as that was no different than dying.

    With their backs against each other, the assassins fought even harder, desperate to find an escape route amidst the chaos. Unfortunately, none of them realized that this was theirst battle.

    Not caring about the Assassins, Xu Shan went further into the Forbidden Forest. No trap, enchantment or assassin was able to stop him. Everyone who became an obstruction for him, ended up dead.

    **** n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "You''re saying that he isn''t dead? How can you say that? We clearly saw you stabbing him and his body getting destroyed. Even an Immortal can survive an attack like that!"

    In the Meeting Hall at the highest floor of the Shadow Hall, a meeting between the Nine Hall Masters was taking ce. However the atmosphere was grim.

    "I thought a lot about it. But it just felt too easy. It shouldn''t have been that easy. I feel like something was wrong. That bastard can''t die that easily!" The Ninth Hall Master Duan Mu spoke, his expressions grim.

    He was the one assigned the task of killing Xu Shan. In fact, he chose that task personally because he wanted to kill Xu Shan personally.

    He was a weak mortal, always bullied by his n Members. At that time, it was Xu Shan who offered him a hand. He even took Xu Shan to his home as a guest.

    It wasn''t wrong to say that Xu Shan saved his life. However, that''s what he thought. It wasn''t until he awakened his father''s pendant that he realized the truth.

    Inside the keepsake, there was a small world of its own, a world that could fasten the progress of a Celestial Warrior. But that wasn''t all. There was also a Cat Spirit that was like a Senior to him, left by his father that he had never seen before.

    That Cat Spirit had told him the reality that he had never known. The Cat Spirit told him that Xu Shan was evil and he was the reason behind the death of his mother.

    The Cat Spirit also told him that the only reason Xu Shan acted like a nice person was because he knew about his Bloodline. That''s why he made the ve seal.

    The Cat Spirit broke the ve seal, freeing Duan Mu. From that moment on, Duan Mu had been dreaming of revenge.

    He had been training in the Inner Space of his father''s treasure, strengthening himself and awakening his Bloodline, albeit slowly. It was all because he wanted to have his revenge.

    He even came to the Divine Realm in search of more opportunities, and slowly became a member of the Shadow Hall. From the position of an ordinary member, he had managed to be one of the Nine Hall Masters in six months.

    He was not only the fastest to reach this position but also the youngest. He had earned the respect and admiration of his fellow members through his exceptional skill and strength.

    As the youngest Nine Hall Master, he proved that age was no barrier to sess in the Shadow Hall. However, he had never once forgotten his revenge. He wanted to wash his embarrassment through Xu Shan''s blood.

    The moment he found out that Xu Shan was also in the divine realm, he convinced the other Hall Masters to n an assassination. He was also assigned the one to lead this assassination.

    For that assassination, five out of the Nine Hall Masters had entered the Royal Capital where they observed the schedule of Xu Shan for four days before finally taking action on the fifth.

 Chapter 235 235: His life is mine

    Chapter235 235: His life is mine

    Duan Mu had personally dealt the finishing blow. At that moment, his heartbeat was so fast that he couldn''t think straight. After killing Xu Shan, he left with the other Shadow Hall Masters, not giving the Queen an opportunity to arrive and apprehend them.

    As an assassin, their first aim was to always retreat after a sessful or even failed assassination. They weren''t warriors and Duan Mu didn''t want to take risk either as his Demon Bloodline was still barely awake.

    Everything happened so fast that Duan Mu didn''t think much. But when he returned to the Shadow Hall and had a moment to think about it, he started noticing ws.

    Xu Shan was said to be strong enough to the point that even Heavenly Punishment couldn''t kill him. He was able to kill a Divine General with a single attack. He had even suppressed the Divine Queen. Did it truly make sense for him to not even be able to react to his attack?

    The reason he used a Heavenly Grade Artefact was because he had expected Xu Shan to reach fast. That''s why his goal wasn''t to stab his heart but even leaving a scratch behind was enough. However he had been able to stab, as if he had attacked a mortal.

    The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the man wasn''t Xu Shan. There was no way for it to be so simple.

    He even told his suspicions to the Cat Spirit in his Inner Space. And the Cat Spirit also agreed, telling him that if Xu Shan was as strong as he imed, then it was definitely suspicious.

    With each passing moment, Duan Mu felt worse at his failure. That''s why he approached the other Hall Masters and told them his theory. He wanted them toe to the Capital again to confirm if Xu Shan was actually dead or not.

    Unfortunately, none of the other Hall Masters appeared to take his concerns seriously. Many had seen Xu Shan being killed after all. They thought that Duan Mu was just overthinking.

    "If I''m overthinking or not, we''d know once we check for ourselves, won''t we?" he asked.

    The other Hall Masters remained unconvinced, dismissing Duan Mu''s request as unnecessary and a waste of time.

    "Do you even know what you''re asking? We''ve just killed the strongest person in this world. By now, even the Divine Queen would''ve been alert. Entering the capital at this time is no different than seeking useless sacrifices. I can''t ept that!"

    "You all... What if he''s actually alive?"

    "Stop worrying. There''s no way he''s alive! You''ve been thinking too much about unnecessary stuff. You should rest," the First Hall Master stated.

    "After the entire capital has calmed down, we''ll enter again, this time to assassinate the Queen herself. At that time, you can check your suspicions," the Second Hall Master suggested.

    None was eager to react so fast as they had just performed an assassination.

    "For an assassin, patience is the biggest weapon. The moment you make decisions in haste, you risk making mistakes that could cost your life," the Third Hall Master advised. "We must strategically n our next move and gather more information before taking any further action. Our goal is not only to eliminate our targets but also to ensure our own safety and sess in the long run."

    The conversation continued as the Hall Masters discussed various scenarios and potential strategies. Although none believed Xu Shan was alive, but all agreed that they needed to enter the Capital in the future to assassinate the Queen.

    Once the Queen was gone, the Dynasty could cease to exist and the Shadow Hall was to be the ruler of thend. Between them and their dream, only one woman was standing. Or so they thought.

    Disheartened, Duan Mu didn''t react. He made up his mind that he was going to go to the capital as soon as possible, even if he had to go secretly.

    He stood up. "You''re right. I''m tired. I''ll be going to have some rest."

    He turned around and started leaving.

    "Little Rat, are you not going to wee your Master?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Duan Mu was just about to step out of the Hall when he heard a loud voiceing from outside. His entire body momentarily froze as he recognized that voice. It was the voice of the person he hated the most! It was the voice of the person he wanted to kill!

    The other Hall Masters also frowned as they stood up. This was their base. How could someone enter this area and shout without a single care in the world.

    "Which fool doesn''t know the difference between life and death?" The Fifth Hall Master''s expressions darkened.

    Amongst the Nine Hall Masters, only Duan Mu had recognized the person.

    "His life is mine!" Duan Mu eximed as he pulled out the Heavenly Tier Soul Dagger that could take a life, even with the slightest scratch.

    "I will take his life myself!" he eximed as he disappeared, turning into mist.

    The remaining eight Hall Masters looked at each other in confusion. Duan Mu had never revealed such hate towards anyone until now. They could see that he hated this person to the bone. They were all curious about the identity of the person.

    Although Duan Mu had imed that he was going to handle it alone, the other Hall Masters couldn''t stay behind. They at least wanted to watch to prevent any mishaps. This was their base. They couldn''t let an enemy roam free.

    Duan Mu swiftly traversed the area, appearing outside the Shadow Hall. However, for some strange reason, he couldn''t feel any presence anymore. He was supposed to be an assassin who could erase his presence. But it felt as if Xu Shan was even more in control.

    "Did youe all the way to hide from me?!" Duan Mu roared, his heavy killing intent spreading out.

    "Hide? Such crass words. Looks like my little Servant had really changed in the little time I hadn''t been with him. I''ll have to teach him some manners." A voice came from all directions at once.

    "Come if you dare!" Duan Mu''s expressions remained dark, ready to strike at any moment.

    "Though now that I think about it, that''s someone even better to teach you manners. How about I introduce that person?" Xu Shan asked, hisughter irritating Duan Mu even more.

    Before long, Duan Mu heard footstepsing from the forest.

    Without thinking, Duan Mu rushed ahead, but the moment he saw clearly, his legs froze, his face turning ghastly white.

 Chapter 236 236: Mother

    Chapter 236  236: Mother

    ??Duan Mu rushed to attack the moment he sensed a movement. However, the moment he saw the person, his feet froze, his eyes widening in disbelief.

    In the distance stood a middle aged woman, her face showing slight traces of fear. Behind the woman, there stood Xu Shan, a calm smirk on his lips.

    "And here I thought, it would be a beautiful happy reunion," Xu Shan stated. "Why are you pointing a sword at your dear mother?"

    Duan Mu stood still, his eyes still finding it hard to believe. He even wondered if this was an illusion or a clone, but the moment he looked into his mother''s eyes, he could feel that she was real.

    All this time, he had thought that she was killed. And now she was standing before him.

    "Run away! Don''t care about m-" Before Duan Mu could reach, her mother eximed. However, before she could finish her sentence, Xu Shan waved his hand, closing the woman''s mouth with his aura.

    "Now now, that won''t do. If my dear friend runs away, won''t it be boring for them?" Xu Shan innocently stated, his meaningful nce resting on Duan Mu.

    Duan Mu clenched his fist, his mind filled with Chaos. He didn''t know how his mother was alive, but he wasn''t going to abandon her. He thought how he could free her, but it all seemed hard. Xu Shan was right next to her.

    Even if he attacked him, he could use his mother as a shield. And if he tried to free her first, he could kill her before he could even get close to him.

    "You''re hiding behind a woman? Are you even a man? Let her go and face me!" Duan Mu roared.

    In response, Xu Shan burst intoughter. Hisughter echoed in the forest.

    He looked at Duan Mu mockingly and said, "Why would I do something so troublesome? Did you really think your taunts would work?"

    Xu Shan''s words only fueled Duan Mu''s anger. The realization that his mother was being used as a pawn by this man made him even more determined to protect her.

    "If you won''t release her willingly, then I''ll just have to take her back by force."

    Duan Mu''s aura surged around him, crackling with energy. He raised his sword, the de gleaming in the sunlight. With a swift motion, he lunged towards Xu Shan, his sword aimed at his heart.

    Xu Shan didn''t respond. He simply created a dagger from his aura, cing it on the woman''s throat. "Are you sure about that?''

    Duan Mu stopped in his tracks, forcefully changing the direction of his attack as he couldn''t stop it.

    His sword came shing down, sending a powerful wave of celestial aura that left a thousand feet long trail in its wake.

    Xu Shan observed the trail of the attack, interest gleaming in his eyes. "Not bad. Looks like I was right. You had received that inheritance. No wonder you were able to break free of my control. But at the end of the day, with me is where you belong."

    Duan Mu clenched his teeth, his heart unwilling. However, his mother was the only family he had left. She was his everything. And now that he knew she was alive, he couldn''t abandon her.

    "What do you want from me?!" he asked, his voice cracking in anger.

    "Mmm! Mmmm!" His mother tried to speak, but she couldn''t even open her mouth. If she could open her mouth, she would''ve definitely told him to not listen to this demon. Yet she could see the love her son had for her. She knew that for her, he was going to sacrifice himself.

    She thought that she couldn''t let her son sacrifice himself for her. She clenched her teeth, thinking of a way.

    She knew that as long as she was in Xu Shan''s grasp, her son could never be free. However, she couldn''t escape from him either. And even if she somehow managed to get away from him, her son couldn''t escape while taking her.

    Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized that there was only one thing she could do to truly free her son. She nced at the dagger that Xu Shan had ced against her throat. There was only one way for her to free her son. And that was for her to die.

    As this realization dawned upon her, a surge of determination filled Duan Mu''s mother. She knew what she had to do, even if it meant sacrificing herself for her son''s freedom. With a steady gaze, she looked directly into Duan Mu''s eyes, silently conveying her decision.

    Duan Mu looked at his mother. Looking in her eyes, he had a bad feeling about this.

    Before Duan Mu could react, his mother swiftly moved forward even though there was almost no gap between her throat at the dagger.

    Duan Mu''s world shattered as he watched in horror, unable to reach his mother in time. Her sacrifice left him speechless, his heart aching with grief and guilt. He fell to his knees, nkly watching his mother in the distance.

    Xu Shan frowned as he watched the woman''s body drop to the group, the bloody dagger still in his hand.

    "What a fool. Even at this moment, she didn''t forget to create such unnecessary trouble for me." He looked at the woman''s body at his feet.

    Duan Mu''s sorrow turned into a burning rage. The grief and guilt transformed into a fierce anger to avenge his mother''s death. He rose to his feet, his eyes aze with an otherworldly fury.

    "You will pay for what you''ve done!" Duan Mu''s voice was filled with fury. He gripped his sword tightly, his hands trembling with a mix of grief and anger. The aura around him intensified, crackling with raw power.

    With a swift motion, Duan Muunched himself at Xu Shan, his strikes filled with the desire to take revenge for his mother. The forest became a battlefield as their swords shed, their movements a blur of speed and precision.

 Chapter 237 237: Why do I feel like trying?

    Chapter 237  237: Why do I feel like trying?

    ??Duan Mu fought with a ferocity he had never known before. Every strike was infused with the pain and rage he felt, channeling his emotions into each blow. Xu Shan, initiator taken aback by Duan Mu''s strength, kept up with the attacks.

    Duan Mu was strong, but he wasn''t any threat to him. If anything, he found it quite amusing that Duan Mu actually believed that he could kill him.

    At times, Xu Shan even pretended to struggle, giving Duan Mu hope, as if he enjoyed the pain of the man before him.

    The battle raged on, the sh of swords echoing through the forest. Duan Mu''s hate grew stronger with each passing moment. He fought not only for revenge but also to protect others from suffering the same fate as he did.

    In a final, decisive strike, Duan Mu unleashed all his energy, putting every bit of his strength behind it.

    A torrential storm of destructive aura surged forward, the sheer force of it causing the ground to shake and the trees to sway.

    Xu Shan, expressed his shock before the attack. Before he could even reach, the storm swallowed him. The force of his attack sent him flying backward, his body crashing into a tree with a bone-shattering impact.

    Duan Mu stood over Xu Shan, his chest heaving, his eyes filled with a mix of triumph and sorrow. He could avenge his mother''s death, but the pain of her loss still lingered in his heart.

    As he looked at his mother''s lifeless body, a single drop of tear trickled down his cheeks.

    "Mother, this is for you!" He raised his sword, thrusting it down towards Xu Shan''s chest.

    The sword passed through Xu Shan''s chest, making him cough blood as he looked at the young man in disbelief.

    Duan Mu pulled out the sword, stabbing it in Xu Shan''s chest again. Blood sshed all over his face and clothes yet he didn''t stop, as if he had already gone crazy and wanted topletely destroy the man''s body.

    The other Hall Leaders of the Shadow Hall also arrived, watching a bloody Duan Mu attack the man on the ground, his face beyond recognition.

    "Looks like we''rete. He already took care of it," one of the Hall Leaders muttered.

    They were curious to see who had cared toe to this ce. They all thought that it might be a strong enemy, but the reality disappointed them.

    "To think that a weak trash who couldn''t evenst for a few minutes will daree here alone. What a waste of time."

    "A waste of time indeed." A voice fell in the Hall Leaders ears as a man appeared behind them, cing his hands around the shoulders of the first and the second Hall Leader. "At least, he seems happy."

    The Hall Leaders frowned, thinking that one of the other hall leaders was getting too cozy with them.

    "I don''t think we''re this close." The First and the Second Hall Leaders both looked towards the man who had his hands around their shoulders.

    The moment they saw the man''s face, both of them were stunned, jumping back. It wasn''t one of the Hall Leaders. Instead, it was someone they had never expected to see here.

    They had seen Xu Shan''s portrait since assassinating him was their mission, but all of them thought he was already dead. What was even more surprising was that he was wearing the same clothes as the person who was getting stabbed by Duan Mu.

    "He has a talent for stabbing. Don''t you think so?" Xu Shan asked, revealing an amused smile as he gazed at Duan Mu who kept stabbing the person at his feet. "But I do wonder, what that poor shadow hall member did to my friend for him to hate him so much."

    All the Hall Leaders became alert, surrounding Xu Shan. Hearing themotion, Duan Mu also stopped, turning in their direction as he wiped the blood off his face.

    The moment Duan Mu''s eyes fell on Xu Shan, he was filled with disbelief. Didn''t he kill him just now? Then how was he...?

    In the distance, Xu Shan innocently waved his hands at Duan Mu.

    "Surprised to see me? Did you really think it would be that easy to kill your master?" Xu Shan taunted, a smirk ying on his lips.

    "You''re not my master!" Duan Mu roared like mad.

    Duan Mu''s mind was filled with confusion and disbelief. He couldn''tprehend how Xu Shan was still standing before him after the brutal attack he had unleashed.

    Xu Shan chuckled, his amusement evident. "You seem quite sad. How about I do something good for you?"

    He waved his hand, his figure disappearing. He appeared next to Duan Mu''s mother who was lying lifeless. It was only now that Duan Mu noticed that her bleeding had stopped and her wound hadpletely healed.

    Xu Shan rapped the shoulder of the woman, sending a trace of purifying energy in her body. The moment she cut herself, he had already started healing her while putting her to sleep as he wanted to see that rage of Duan Mu.

    Since the rage hadn''t disappointed him, he decided to end the y.

    He woke up Duan Mu''s mother, this time grabbing her by the throat as he raised her in the air.

    "You..." Duan Mu''s emotions were like a rollercoaster as he saw his mother open her eyes. She was alive, and looking just as confused.

    Duan Mu''s fists clenched tighter.

    "Enough games! Release my mother!" Duan Mu demanded, his voice also carrying a tone of pleading.

    "She came back to life once. But I wonder if she died now, will she be able toe back? Why do I feel like trying?" Xu Shan''s grip around her throat tightened.

    Although his mother was getting hurt, the one feeling pain was Duan Mu. It was as if Xu Shan waspletely toying with him, breaking his sanity.

    Duan Mu dropped to his knees, his eyes almost lifeless. "That''s enough. I will do anything you want. Just don''t hurt her!"

    He didn''t care about the inheritance. He didn''t care about his father''s legacy. All he wanted was his mother back.

    Xu Shan''s expression turned serious. "Good. This is enough games. It''s time to get serious. I won''t kill your mother, as long as you listen to me."

 Chapter 238 238: A Good Dog

    Chapter 238  238: A Good Dog

    ??Xu Shan sent Duan Mu''s mother to his inner world, making her disappear.

    "A good dog is one which returns to its owner." Xu Shan smiled, stepping towards Duan Mu who was on his knees, his fighting spirit almost broken.

    Duan Mu''s heart sank even further, his grief and anger threatening to consume him. But he refused to let his emotions cloud his judgment. For his mother, he was willing to do anything, even if it meant bing a ve.

    Xu Shan patted the head of Duan Mu like he was petting a pet.

    "You''ve made the right choice," Xu Shan said, his voice dripping with false kindness. "Once you prove your loyalty, your mother will return to you."

    Duan Mu clenched his fists, determined to endure whatever trialsy ahead, for the chance to be reunited with his beloved mother.

    "But before we do anything, there''s someone else I need to take care of..."

    He grabbed Duan Mu''s pendant that was an inheritance from his father, also carrying a Celestial Spirit instead.

    Duan Mi became restless as his inheritance was taken, but when he thought about his mother, he controlled himself. His fist tightened to the point they started bleeding.

    "Oh right, while I''m busy, would you be kind enough to take care of them? I did promise a girl that I will ''handle'' the Shadow Hall. You wouldn''t want an innocent person like me to break my promise, would you?"

    He walked past Duan Mu, slowly walking towards the exit of the forest, ying with the pendant.

    Duan Mu took a deep breath, looking at the other Shadow Hall Leaders. These people had given him shelter and an opportunity to have his revenge when he needed it the most. Yet now he had to kill them with his own hands.

    However, for his mother, he was willing to be the devil that bit the hand feeding him.

    "What is happening here? Why are you listening to him?"

    "You won''t be thinking about following hismands, will you?"

    The Eight Shadow Hall Leaders frowned, watching Duan Mu stepping towards them, holding his bloody sword.

    "We have no enmity. If you want to me anyone, me him..." Duan Mu spoke, his aura intensifying.

    Duan Mu stood alone in the heart of the Forbidden Forest, surrounded by the towering trees that seemed to whisper secrets in the wind as he faced the Eight Shadow Hall Leaders.

    As the Celestial Assassins with Heavenly Celestial Cultivation closed in on him, Duan Mu''s eyes narrowed. These eight people stood at the peak of this world''s cultivation. Although they weren''t as strong as the Divine Empire or Xu Shan, but when fighting together, their strength was nothing to scoff at.

    He knew that this battle would be his greatest challenge yet, but he was prepared to face it head-on.

    "So you have betrayed us. In that case, we can only..."

    The first Shadow Hall Leader, d in ck robes and wielding a gleaming silver de, lunged at Duan Mu with lightning speed.

    Duan Mu swiftly dodged the attack, his movements as graceful as a flowing river. With a swift counter strike, he unleashed a powerful burst of energy that sent the Shadow Hall Leader flying backward.

    But there was no time to celebrate this small victory. The remaining seven Shadow Hall Leaders closed in, attacking from all directions. It wasn''t a fair fight and no one expected it to be.

    Duan Mu''s senses heightened, his mind and body working in perfect harmony. He moved with incredible agility, parrying each strike with precision and delivering devastating blows of his own.

    The forest became a battleground, with the sh of weapons and the crackle of celestial energy echoing through the night. Duan Mu''s movements were a blur, his martial arts skills honed to perfection. He seamlessly transitioned from defense to offense, striking with deadly uracy.

    Despite the overwhelming odds, Duan Mu refused to be overwhelmed, even as many shes cut his flesh. He tapped into his bloodline, his desire to keep his mother safe fueling his every move.

    To everyone''s surprise, even when surrounded by so many shadow hall leaders, he still managed to kill a few.

    As the battle raged on, the Forbidden Forest seemed toe alive. The trees swayed in were destroyed with Duan Mu''s movements. The moonlight bathed him in its ethereal glow, lending him an otherworldly aura.

    One by one, the Shadow Hall Leaders fell before Duan Mu''s unstoppable onught. Their confidence wavered, their attacks bing more desperate. But Duan Mu remained steadfast, his focus unbreakable.

    Finally, thest Shadow Hall Leader stood before him, trembling with fear. He hadn''t expected that Duan Mu was this strong.

    "I am sorry..." Duan Mu spoke before attacking, putting thest bit of his power behind this attack.

    A single sword of his cut through the attack of the Eighth and the weakest Shadow Hall Leader, sending him sprawling to the ground.

    Duan Mu walked close to him, thrusting his Sword down, dealing the finishing blow.

    Breathing heavily, Duan Mu stood triumphant in the center of the Forbidden Forest. The battle was over, and he had emerged victorious. The celestial energy that had once crackled in the air now dissipated, leaving behind a calm stillness.

    ****

    While Duan Mu was fighting inside the Forest, Xu Shan stood outside the forbidden forest, the inheritance pendant in his hand.

    "How long are you going to hide inside?" he asked, ncing at the pendant.

    In thest, he had also tried to take the pendant, but there was a seal that only the inheritor with the bloodline could break.

    If he tried to forcefully break that, the entire pendant was going to shatter, which made him leave the pendant to Duan Mu. However, he hadn''t expected this pendant to sway Duan Mu.

    Fortunately, the pendant was already activated by Duan Mu which gave Xu Shan a free hand to do anything with it without worrying about breaking it.

    "Are you sure you want to force my hand?" Xu Shan asked as he received no response.

    A devilish smirk spread across his lips. "I hope you won''t me me in that case��"

 Chapter 239 239: Treasure Spirit

    Chapter 239  239: Treasure Spirit

    ??Xu Shan sent a trace of his aura inside the pendant, slowly filling the precious gem with his corrupt aura.

    Although the pendant was covered in a protective formation, it couldn''t stop the invasion of aura, especially since Duan Mu had already opened the seam once.

    The space inside the pendant became corrupt. Even the spirit inside the pendant wasn''t able to stop it. It could only watch the world inside the pendant crack. The sky split apart, revealing a dark void that consumed everything in its path.

    The Spirit simply watched the end of this precious ce that its master had created for his son. However, that same son had handed this over to Xu Shan.

    "Last time I didn''t do anything because you haven''t woken up entirely. But now that you''re awake, do you really think I''ll allow you to keep hiding?" Xu Shan asked, certain that the spirit within the pendant could hear him.

    "If I can''t have you, I would ratherpletely destroy you," he stated. "But do you think it will end with your destruction? Once this pendant is destroyed, the legacy of your master will forever be lost to this world."

    "Moreover, the fact that I failed to get this legacy might upset me as well. Who do you think will bear the brunt of my anger? The son of your master will be suffering even more, all because of you. But that''s none of my concern. I won''t be med for that, as it''ll be your fault."

    "You..." The Spirit inside the pendant loomed at the cracking sky of the world within the pendant, hearing the threat loud and clear.

    It was as if he wasn''t even allowed to die at peace. Xu Shan used Duan Mu''s mother to control him, and now he was using Duan Mu to control the treasure spirit. Even after knowing all that, the Treasure Spirit couldn''t help but fall into this trap.

    He had two choices. Either he could protect the legacy, even if it meant that the son of his creator was going to suffer a life worse than death. Or he could trade the legacy in exchange for the safety of Duan Mu.

    "You don''t have much time. Think clearly." Xu Shan stated as he noticed a small crack develop on the surface of the pendant.

    Within seconds after he finished speaking, Xu Shan felt the restriction around the pendant ease. It was a sign of surrender, seeing which Xu Shan burst intoughter.

    "Good decision."

    With the restrictionspletely gone, Xu Shan was able to send his physical body inside the pendant, simr to how Duan Mu was able to in the past.

    His physical body appeared in the world within the Pendant, a world created by a man from a special long forgotten by many.

    The world within the pendant was previously beautiful. However, at this moment, it was covered in darkness all around, cracks visible in the sky, all thanks to Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan stopped corrupting the world with his aura. And as he stopped, the world once again began healing, the cracks slowly closing as the eventual destruction of this world was halted.

    "What do you want from me?" Xu Shan was looking at the cracks in the sky heal when he heard a voice.

    He turned around. "I''m sure you know what I want."

    The moment he turned around, his face revealed a slight surprise. "Huh, you''re a cat spirit? I thought it''d be some old bearded man."

    "A bearded man?" The Cat Spirit asked, his eyes not hiding any trace of anger.

    "Don''t fret about that. Since I don''t have much time, I''ll tell you clearly. I want you to hand over theplete control over this world, and the legacy within. In exchange, I''ll promise you that Duan Mu shall live, and I''ll make sure this legacy never disappears."

    "And if I''m in a good mood, I might allow him toe here to learn from you as well."

    Xu Shan ced a deal on the table, making it as convincing as he could. He still hasn''t forgotten how the Spirit had turned Duan Mu against him in the past. He knew that the Cat Spirit wasn''t going to surrender this easily. Thus, he put a little lie on the table.

    He was sure that the Spirit would still be thinking about turning the tables on him. And it could only do that by training Duan Mu to be stronger, secretly. Xu Shan made the cat spirit consider the possibility of having time to train Duan Mu.

    He could also see some cunningness sh in the cat''s eyes. Instead of beingpletely destroyed, it was thinking about the future where it could outsmart him.

    The Cat Spirit also considered the risks in handing over the legacy. But it knew that without the right bloodline, most of this legacy was useless, so there wasn''t much harm in sharing it. The only beneficial thing for Xu Shan was this pendant and the world within, but it wasn''t very special either.

    The Cat Spirit didn''t have to think long about it. Although the deal looked beneficial towards Xu Shan, it could see that it was gaining more benefits.

    The Cat Spirit stood on two feet, raising its paws. Before it, a small core appeared. The Cat Spirit tossed the core towards Xu Shan.

    "I ept. But if you don''t keep your promise, I''ll destroy the world within!" The Cat Spirit warned Xu Shan who caught the core.

    Through the core, he had gained control over this world. Moreover, the core also contained some of the legacy.

    Xu Shan was certain that the Cat Spirit hadn''t shared the important parts of the legacy, but he didn''t dwell on it. He had already thought of everything.

    He took a step back to make the cat spirit think that it was the winner. However only he knew the extent of his nning. He had made a mistake in the past, but this time, he made sure to be extra careful, even if he had to be ruthless.

 Chapter 240 240: Night of pain

    Chapter 240  240: Night of pain

    ??After gainingplete possession of the Ancient Pendant, Xu Shan took advantage of the time dtion effect within the inner realm of the pendant to absorb the newfound knowledge.

    Although the Cat Spirit hadn''t shared theplete inheritance, Xu Shan had received a vast expanse of knowledge. The inheritance contained the knowledge about the Demon n of the ancient time, including the cultivation methods that the Demons used to set their foundation.

    Just the sheer principles used by the Demon n to set their foundations alone were vastly different from what human cultivators used. While the humans focused on their Spirits and the Celestial Aura, the Demons focused on their bloodline and their body.

    After going through the information, Xu Shan finally understood why the Cat Spirit wasn''t that hesitant about sharing this information. The strength of the Demon n mainly depended on how much of their ancestral bloodline they could awaken.

    Only with sufficient bloodline awakening could they practise each level of Demonic Cultivation. Since Xu Shan didn''t have the bloodline, it made all these methods useless for him. Even after learning them, he found no use of them.

    The only useful thing he received was the understanding principles behind Demonic Cultivation, which was useful for him to understand his own heavenlyws toprehend in the future. It was as if he had received a good reference point.

    Xu Shan opened his eyes after going through all the information. Although a day had passed in the inner world, not even an hour had passed outside.

    As Xu Shan opened his eyes, the Cat Spirit looked suspiciously. He had thought that Xu Shan was going to be angry after realising that this knowledge was useless, but to his surprise, the man before him appeared calm.

    "You can''t break your Heavenly Oath. Don''t forget what you promised me!" The Cat Spirit reminded Xu Shan

    Xu Shan only smiled in response. It wasn''t the first time he had broken a Heavenly Oath. A Heavenly Oath was thest thing for him to be worried about. Still, he also didn''t mind keeping up the promise as he had his own use for it.

    "I suppose I have no choice but to fulfil my promise." He nodded. "As I promised, I won''t kill him. And I''ll allow him to learn from you."

    The Cat Spirit didn''t know why but it felt like something was wrong with Xu Shan''s words, but he just couldn''t put his finger on it.

    Regardless, the Cat Spirit decided to continue with the n. "Very well. I will wait for him to return."

    With a flick of its tail, the Cat Spirit signalled the human to leave as it turned around, returning to the core of this inner world.

    "I won''t make you wait long." Xu Shanughed as his figure also disappeared.

    He appeared back in the real world. There were no signs of battle anymore, making him believe that the battle was long over.

    He heard footsteps within the forest,ing towards his directions. Before long, he noticed Duan Mu, his body covered in wounds. Even for him, it was hard to take out the eight shadow hall members, all alone. Fortunately, he had seeded.

    Fresh blood dripped from his sword as he stepped out, exhausted yet his eyes gleaming with a scary calmness.

    He stopped before Xu Shan, pointing his sword at him. "I did as you asked. Now, free my mother!"

    "Not yet. Didn''t I tell you I need two things from you before I can free her? The first thing was for you to kill them. As for the second..."

    Duan Mu frowned, looking at Xu Shan in full seriousness, wondering what he was going to say next. However, before speaking his next words, Xu Shan disappeared, appearing behind Duan Mu.

    Duan Mu felt his body freeze under heavy pressure. He couldn''t even move an inch as he felt a hand over his head.

    "As for the second, it''s for you to return where you belong," Xu Shan said.

    "Arghhh!" Duan Mu roared in pain, feeling his soul being ripped apart forcefully.

    Throughout the night, the entire forest was filled with painful cries. It was to the point that even wild beasts didn''t dare toe close to that area, instead only retreating in fear.

    The screams only stopped in the morning as Duan Mu passed out, his facepletely pale. He looked as if all his blood had dried, barely any left within his body.

    "When I gave you that freedom, you shouldn''t have taken advantage of my trust. Once you break my trust, you''ll never get it back." Xu Shan spoke, looking at Duan Mu who had passed out.

    "Then again, it was my mistake to give that trust to others. This time, I won''t make that mistake. I wanted you to be my sword that would aim at my enemies. But you became a sword that aimed at me. This time, I''ll truly mould you into a sword that will live for me and die for me!"

    This time, he showed no mercy. Hepletely erased the free will within Duan Mu, something that he didn''t even do with the Divine Empress.

    Xu Shan''s determination was fueled by his sense of betrayal. He believed that by stripping away Duan Mu''s free will, he could ensure unwavering loyalty and prevent any future betrayal. However, he didn''t just stop with theplete control of the young man''s mind.

    He further established his control by entrapping the soul of Duan Mu in a way that just a single thought of betrayal would lead the soul to be destroyed on its own. He went even one step farther by controlling the life and death of the boy with a single thought of his.

    And as ast resort, he ced a seed of absolute trust in the boy''s mind while erasing a lot of his memories. He made sure that even the Cat Spirit of the Demon n couldn''t free the boy from his control, not repeating his old mistakes.

    Once he finished, he opened a portal back to the Divine Empress'' Pce. He stepped inside the portal. Duan Mu''s body floated in the air, entering after him.

 Chapter 241 241: Second Thought

    Chapter 241  241: Second Thought

    ??Xu Shan stepped within the Pce of the Divine Empress. Duan Mu''s body followed behind him, floating lifelessly.

    "Take care of him." He told one of the servants, sending the body flying to that person.

    The servant thought that Duan Mu was already dead. But as he carried the young boy, he realised that the boy was still breathing. It was as if he was simply sleeping.

    The Servants carefully carried the boy to one of the rooms, not wanting to offend this demon god who brought him here.

    Theyid Duan Mu on afortable bed and gently covered him with a warm nket. None of them realised that the young boy was one of the strongest assassins that their Empress had personally gone to kill.

    Xu Shan appeared in the depths of the city where the Divine Empress was guiding her men towards thepletion of the Devouring Formation.

    From what Xu Shan could see, most of the formation was almostpleted. It was clear that the Divine Empress didn''t want to dy it either.

    "It looks like it''ll finish within a few hours." Xu Shan said.

    The Divine Empress was initially surprised as she heard the voiceing from behind her. It was especially the case since she hadn''t even felt his presence.

    Turning around, the Divine Empress saw Xu Shan standing there. "Since you''re here, I suppose you already destroyed the Shadow Hall?"

    "It''s a bit wasteful to kill them as it was inevitable, but I doubt it would affect your breakthrough," Xu Shan answered. There were too many lives in this world. And even though the Shadow Hall leaders had high cultivation, just a few of them couldn''t make much difference.

    "I''m not ming you. I would''ve done the same as well."

    The Divine Empress didn''t express her displeasure, even though Xu Shan had basically snatched her prey. She was wise enough to know what she had to say.

    In response, Xu Shan smiled. It was the intelligent people like her that could survive long enough in this cruel world. He felt it was a good decision to leave her alive.

    The Divine Empress shifted her attention back to the formation, with only a little amount of work left. Meanwhile, Xu Shan left the ce, leaving her to work.

    Xu Shan stood high in the sky, being able to see through most of the world. From that height, he saw many cities that were full of life. There were people going to work. There were Warriors who were patrolling the cities to protect the people.

    There were even some people who weremitting crimes in broad daylight. He was able to see many battles between the major ns of various cities, which led to many deaths.

    Everyone was working towards their benefits. ns were trying to gain more resources and influence. However, none realised how little time they had left. Even the strongest people in the Royal City had no clue as to what the Divine Empress was nning.

    Even the people who were working onpleting the formation didn''t know what the formation was for. Xu Shan observed everything, as if saving thest memories of this world that was soon going to disappear.

    He also noticed a few absences in the Royal City. The most prominent one was the Previous Emperor of this Dynasty, and the father of the Divine Empress. He wasn''t in the city anymore.

    It wasn''t just him, but his younger daughter was also gone with the Maid.

    Xu Shan didn''t have to think hard about it to know what happened. It was the maid who showed him about the ns of the Divine Empress. So it made sense she knew what the fate of this world was.

    "So she finally told others about it and decided to escape," Xu Shan muttered, feeling the spatial disturbance in the mansion that was assigned to them. Just from the spatial disturbance, he could track them. However, he didn''t bother.

    "It was a good decision on your part to not leak this information. Since you didn''t be an obstruction in my path, I shall let you be free."

    Xu Shan knew the maid wanted to save this destruction. While the Divine Empress'' little sister wanted revenge from her sister. That''s why they worked with him. However, when he switched sides, it became impossible for them to do anything.

    Although he didn''t react, he was slightly d that they had left this world. He gave them an opportunity to escape, and they took it.

    As for what kind of life they were going to have in the future, he didn''t care. By letting them escape and avoid an inevitable death, he had already paid them back for their help.

    After four hours passed, the formation was finallypleted. In the distance, the sun had also started setting in this world, possibly being thest sunset that many here were going to see.

    The Divine Empress stood on the balcony of her pce, looking at the sunset. She held a small crystal in her hand that was used to activate the formation. Moreover, all the Celestial Lotus seeds were also ced on their rightful ces.

    All that was left was for her to activate the formation and set the world down the path of destruction.

    "Are you having second thoughts?" Xu Shan''s voice fell in her ears. His voice was filled with slight amusement as he could see that the girl was slightly hesitant.

    He found it slightly funny that the girl who was known as a cruel person was having second thoughts when her goal was right before her eyes.

    "I''ve lived all my life in this world. This is where I was born. This is where I found my destiny, creating my Dynasty. This is where they became my citizens. And with my single decision, this will be thest day of the Divine Realm." The Divine Empress muttered.

    Although she had prepared herself for a long time, telling herself that this was the only way for her to grow, but when the moment was here, she started hesitating.

    Unlike Xu Shan who had lost most of his empathy for the cost of using the Book of Desires, she still had her emotions, no matter how much she had buried them.

 Chapter 242 242: Carnage

    Chapter 242  242: Carnage

    ??"It''s not easy, is it?" Xu Shan asked as he stood with the support of the wall,zily watching the girl.

    "All those people that you''ll kill... How many of them will be innocent people who haven''tmitted a single sin in their lives. How many of them will be people that you might''ve known or who helped you in one way or another."

    "This is the price of strength," he smiled as he continued. "Then again, it''s not the first time you''ve taken someone''s life and strength from them. With the kind of Heaven''s Wrath that you''ve gathered, it''s clear just what kind of people you''ve devoured."

    "So why are you hesitating? Did you hesitate when you stole your sister''s Celestial Spirit? Did you hesitate when you killed people in the past?"

    Xu Shan didn''t show any anger. Instead, he was enjoying this scene. It was as if he was testing her heart to see if she was really worth investing in.

    "I''ll leave the choice to you. You can cancel this n. And I won''t harm you for that. Since you won''t be of use to me, I will take the Book of Devouring from you, and free you from my control."

    "Or you can grasp this opportunity with your hands and take what you wanted for so long."

    "You can either live the life of a queen, who''s the strongest in this world. Or you can be the bringer of destruction and destroy everything with your own hands for something greater. The choice shall be yours."

    As Xu Shan finished telling her both the options, he went silent and simply observed from a distance.

    "What do you think she will do? Won''t it be a waste if she doesn''t do anything?" The Book Spirit asked Xu Shan, intrigued about the choice that the girl was going to make.

    Just like Xu Shan had to sacrifice something to get his desires fulfilled, the woman was caught in a simr choice. She had to sacrifice one thing for another.

    Xu Shan didn''t answer Xin. The calm smile remained on his lips. Most of the time, he was in the ce of the girl, having to make difficult choices. But now that he was just a spectator, he found it quite interesting.

    "Her decision is already made." Xu Shan told Xin, as if he wasn''t surprised in the least with the decision.

    Right before his eyes, the Divine Empress activated the formation. Although she was hesitant and thought that she might regret it in the future, she chose to sacrifice everything!

    For her goals, she chose to sacrifice the entire world, including the soldiers who fought for her and supported her.

    Once the formation activated, the entire sky of Divine Realm was filled with colorful lights, as if the world itself was crying over their fate.

    The devouring formation that was buried under the ground, spread out to cover the entire world.

    The ground trembled as the devouring formation''s power surged through the earth. The Divine Empress stood at the center, her eyes filled with strange emotions. There was no time to regret now. There was no looking back.

    She knew that her decision would have dire consequences, but she believed it was necessary to achieve her ultimate goal.

    As the formation expanded, it began to devour everything in its path. Buildings crumbled, forests withered, and even the very essence of life seemed to be consumed by its insatiable hunger. The once vibrant Divine Realm was slowly engulfed in darkness and chaos.

    Xu Shan watched with a mix of fascination and as the world around him crumbled. This was the first time he had seen therge-scale effect of devouring.

    Not only was the world being devoured, but also all the life forms. All their life essence and Cultivation was being drawn out of their body, moving straight to the Divine Empress through the group who stood at the center of the formation.

    Many powerful Cultivators dropped to their knees, feeling a sudden weakness.

    Xu Shan watched therge-scale destruction of the world, which was bing the foundation of the Divine Empress'' advent to immortality.

    Seeing how decisive she was, he found her worthy of his investment.  He had seen the potential within her, and now it was being realized as her aura started ring.

    The Book of Devouring absorbed all the celestial aura that it received from the formation. And after purifying it, sent it directly to her body.

    Unfortunately, although the aura was purified, it was still in suchrge quantities that the Divine Empress found it hard to absorb it all. She felt as if her body was breaking apart from within.

    "Can she even survive this?" Xin asked, seeing the tears of blooding out of the Divine Empress'' eyes.

    "Did you think I would allow her to die?" Xu Shan smiled. "She is mine now. Even heaven can''t take her without my permission."

    As the chaos raged on, Xu Shan approached the Divine Empress, his expression unreadable. He ced his hand on her back, slowly healing her body.

    While the terrifying amount of energy kept breaking her body, Xu Shan kept healing her. This process of destruction and creation continued, rebuilding the physique of the Divine Empress.

    With each passing second, her physical body became stronger. Her strength kept growing, until it finally reached the threshold of a breakthrough.

    The sky roared, heaven grieving for the destruction of life in this world. The Divine Tribtion started taking shape in the sky, trying to kill the woman before she could break through.

    Xu Shan looked at the sky, noticing the same old Lightning Dragons, although a bit weaker than what he had faced during his breakthrough.

    "Just when I was feeling that I needed more essence from heaven for myself."

    As if he was a beast who had seen his prey, Xu Shan flew straight towards the Lightning Dragons in the sky.

    The Lightning Dragons were here to kill the Divine Empress. However, as soon as they appeared, they became someone else''s target.

    While the Divine Empress devoured the world, Xu Shan devoured the Heavenly Tribtions, strengthening his Heavenly Lawprehension.

 Chapter 243 243: Your own answer

    Chapter 243  243: Your own answer

    ??Even the wrath of Heavenly Tribtion that directly targeted him in the past had proved futile. Meanwhile the tribtion that came for the Divine Empress was weaker inparison. Although it still posed a threat to her life, Xu Shan''s intervention allowed her to focus on her own task.

    As the Divine Empress continued to absorb the purified celestial aura, her body gradually adapted to the overwhelming energy. Her resilience increased, pushing the limits of mortality.

    Approaching the breakthrough point, the Heavenly Tribtions intensified in the sky, as if acknowledging her getting closer to the ascent towards immortality. The Lightning Dragons became fiercer,unching relentless attacks.

    However, before the lightning could reach the woman, Xu Shan emerged before it. He didn''t require the Book of Devouring to consume the wrath of Heaven; his evolved Celestial Spirit was sufficient.

    The sh between Xu Shan and the Lightning Dragons reverberated throughout the Divine Realm. Yet, the battle was short-lived as Xu Shan devoured both Lightning Dragons, further angering Heaven.

    The Heavenly Law seethed with fury, as if the sky itself roared, ready to unleash a punishment capable of obliterating the entire world in an instant.

    "Even Heaven must abide by its ownws, doesn''t it?" Xu Shan smiled, gazing at the clouded sky. It seemed as if he was taunting Heaven itself.

    "Will the Tribtion end like this?" he asked, his voice echoing across the realm.

    Even Xu Shan knew that the Heavenly Law couldn''t subject a weaker world to a stronger tribtion. Meanwhile the weak tribtions were pointless.

    Xu Shan relished on the taste of the Heavenly Lightning. Unfortunately, he had a feeling that even with his taunting, there was going to be no more Heavenly Lightning.

    Amidst the chaos and destruction, the Divine Empress felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards Xu Shan. Observing the strength behind the Tribtion and the energy she absorbed, she became certain that she would have died without his intervention.

    This experience surpassed her initial expectations. For a moment, she found sce in the fact that Xu Shan was there to protect her. She even contemted whether it was her destiny to encounter him, as if he was fated to be her savior.

    The world quivered under her power as she defied the boundaries of what was believed possible. She transcended the Heavenly Celestial Realm, entering the Realm of Immortality.

    Finally, she took the long-awaited step she had dreamed of. No longer a half-immortal, she had shattered the shackles of this world, bing a true Immortal. Unfortunately, her pursuit of strength came at a great cost.

    After the breakthrough, she stopped absorbing essence from the formation. As an immortal, she experienced her first flight, her body brimming with incredible strength.

    "So this is what it feels like! It''s amazing! I feel as though I can obliterate this world with just a flick of my finger!" she eximed, floating in the air before Xu Shan.

    At this moment, she no longer resembled the cruel queen. Instead, she resembled a child who had received the toy she had always yearned for, and that toy had exceeded her expectations.

    "What''s left to obliterate?" Xu Shan asked. "Do you see anything?"

    Frowning, the woman turned around. With the achievement of Immortality, her Divine Sense was able to cover arger distance.

    With her Divine Sense, she observed far and wide. Multiple cities within her Kingdom and beyond came into her sight and what she saw was nothing less than absolute carnage.

    For a long time, she couldn''t respond. Her eyes kept moving from one city to the other, but the scene was the same everywhere. Although she had already expected something like this, but now that she was actually seeing it with her own eyes, it was apletely different feeling.

    In the past, she held an obsession toward breaking through to immortality. Because of that obsession, she was able to bury many other thoughts. But now that the obsession was fulfilled, she wasing to terms with her actions.

    The happiness that she was feeling about her breakthrough had changed to a feeling of emptiness. Her heart felt cold.

    "This is what you created. The faster youe to terms with this, the easier it will be for you in the future." Xu Shan spoke as he flew back towards the pce.

    He left the Divine Empress back to her silence. As she stood there, gazing at the vastndscape before her, a wave of strange feelings washed over her.

    She looked at the back of Xu Shan, who was going farther with each passing moment.

    "How would you havee to terms with it?" She asked, her voice loud enough to reach him.

    "I''m not gued by that empathy or sadness that keeps you people tied down. So I might be the worst person to ask that question," Xu Shan answered as hended on the balcony that was already cracked.

    Even the entire Pce felt damaged, like it coulde crashing down with each passing second.

    "Moreover, even if I could feel anything, why would I feel for them?" he further asked. "They weren''t the citizens of my Empire. I barely even knew them."

    "For me, they were no different than any other being that I''ve killed in my life. And I won''t be hypocritical enough to say that I''m a good man. We''re not the same." Xu Shan waved his hand as he stepped inside the mansion.

    "I''ll wait for you for a day. After twenty-four hours, we''ll be leaving this world. You have twenty four hours to find your answers."

    Hisst few sentences fell in the Divine Empress'' ears. She stood there, stunned, as she watched him disappear into the pce.

    Xu Shan''s words echoed in her mind. She wondered if she was hypocritical like he mentioned. She didn''t feel anything when killing people that she considered enemies.

    She didn''t feel anything when killing strangers for her goals. But now that she killed her own people, she felt this strange sadness within her heart.

 Chapter 244 244: I thought I was...

    <h4>Chapter 244 Chapter 244: I thought I was...</h4>

    ?Xu Shan entered the mansion. Most of the world was in ruins with only a few people surviving. However, not even a single person inside the mansion was harmed.

    The single Guard that was inside the mansion was still alive. However, he was scared as he had seen out the window, realizing what had taken ce.

    He didn''t know if he was lucky to survive or unlucky to not receive a quick death since he didn''t know what was going to happen to him.

    "Is there a reason to be this scared?"

    While the guard was looking out the window, he heard Xu Shan''s voiceing from behind him.

    Stunned, he turned around to find Xu Shan. The young man was standing next to the unconscious Duan Mu.

    "You''ve done what I asked you to do. For that, I shall grant you freedom from this world." Xu Shan told the Guard.

    Hearing Xu Shan, the guard was even more scared.

    "N-no! Don''t kill me! I don''t want freedom from life!" The Guard dropped to his knees weakly, his eyes filled with tears.

    Xu Shan looked at the guard weirdly. He pointed behind the guard. "I''m talking about that, you idiot."

    Confused, the Guard looked behind, noticing a Spatial Portal.

    "This will lead you to a Lower World. With your strength, you should be able to get a really high position within that world. So scram." Xu Shan flicked his fingers, as if he was shooing away an animal.

    The Guard felt taken aback. He thought Xu Shan was going to free him from this world by killing him. They had killed billions of people after all. However, the reality was pleasantly surprising.

    "Are you going or should I change my mind?" Xu Shan asked.

    The Guard reacted hastily. He stood up and rushed inside the portal that led him to the same lower world that was going to invade the Alchemy World in the future.

    The people of that world were strong. But whenpared to a guard that was qualified enough to work at the Royal Pce of the Divine Realm, they weren''t that threatening.

    Xu Shan was sure that the Guard was going to rise like a phoenix in that world. As for how his small action was going to change the fate of those two worlds, he didn''t think about it.

    "To think that he really thought I would kill him," he muttered, shaking his head.

    He nced in the direction of Xin. "Did these people think I was a demon?"

    Xin rolled her eyes. "I wonder what would give them that impression."

    "Exactly. I thought I was quite nice. What weird people." Xu Shan sighed before shifting his attention to the task at hand.

    He ced his finger on Duan Mu''s forehead to check if the seal was working as he expected. In a short time, the seal had strengthened itself, infiltrating every being of Duan Mu''s existence without influencing his bloodline.

    Xu Shan nodded in satisfaction. The seal was perfect. After making sure that this time his puppet wasn''t going to misbehave, he sent a trace of his celestial energy inside Duan Mu, waking him up from his sleep.

    Duan Mu opened his eyes and felt a little hazy. His eyes didn''t have the same rity as they did in thest.

    As Duan Mu looked at Xu Shan, his eyes lit up. It was as if he had seen someone he respected the most.

    "How are you feeling?" Xu Shan asked the young man.

    Duan Mu sat up. "My head feels a little heavy."

    "It''s understandable. You were attacked by your bloodline after all. If it wasn''t for me arriving in time and protecting you, you would''ve been long dead." Xu Shan sighed, as if he was genuinely concerned about the young man''s safety.

    "Didn''t I tell you to be more careful? You realize that the Spirit keeps trying to mess with your mind and take control of your body? How could you still fall for its lies?" he further asked.

    "Just because it told you that you killed your father with your own hands, you started doubting yourself, giving that spirit a chance to control your mind! I really didn''t expect you to be this weak."

    "It is my fault, Master." Duan Mu lowered his head, feeling ashamed. He didn''t even realize that the core of his memories were changed entirely.

    In his new memories, the Cat Spirit was an evil spirit that was trapped by Duan Mu''s father in the pendant. The Cat Spirit was trying to stimte Duan Mu by telling him lies, trying to arouse his emotions so he could lose his mental defenses to the point that the Spirit could easily take over.

    "I thought that you''ll be able to control yourself and learn the knowledge from the Spirit that it stole from your father. I thought you could outsmart it. It seems I was wrong. From now on, you''re not allowed to enter this space."

    Xu Shan spoke whole, showing Duan Mu''s pendant in his hand.

    "No! I don''t want to fail you! Give me one more chance! This time, I won''t fall for his lies!" Duan Mu strongly reacted. He wasn''t worried about failing. Instead, he was more worried about disappointing Xu Shan.

    It was Xu Shan who found him when his family had abandoned him when he was just a year old. It was Xu Shan who protected him, helped him grow to this point. Xu Shan was his teacher. At least that''s what he thought, thanks to the new memories.

    At this point, Xu Shan''s approval was more important to him than his own life.

    "How can I trust that you won''t fail this time? You started doubting yourself over a small lie and fell to that point. What if the next time, the Spirit tells a bigger lie? What if it tells you stories that you might find real?" Xu Shan asked. Although in his face, there was clear concern. But he had selected his words carefully.

    Although he had sealed Duan Mu to the point that if he ever became a danger to him, Duan Mu was going to die. But he didn''t want to lose this guy.

 Chapter 245 245: Truth beneath lies

    <h4>Chapter 245 Chapter 245: Truth beneath lies</h4>

    Xu Shan''s objective was to shape Duan Mu into a formidable weapon that he could utilize without causing any risks.

    Achieving this went beyond relying solely on his control; he skillfully employed his words to ensure that Duan Mu would not be swayed by the Spirit''s influence.

    Fortunately, Xu Shan didn''t face significant challenges in attaining his goal. Duan Mu unquestioningly epted Xu Shan''s words, even forgetting the mother for whom he had sacrificed himself.

    With a determined fist and a firm resolve, Duan Mu acknowledged his mistake, vowing to be more cautious and resist the Cat Spirit''s seductive tactics. His determination to seed grew stronger, and he promised himself not to fail again.

    Observing Duan Mu''s enthusiasm, Xu Shan couldn''t help but let out a sigh.

    "You truly are stubborn," he remarked, rising from his seat and pacing back and forth, lost in deep contemtion. After a few minutes, Xu Shan finally halted, turning his gaze back to Duan Mu.

    "Alright, I will grant you one more opportunity," Xu Shan dered. "However, if I see any signs of you falling for that Demonic Spirit''s lies, I will intervene and prevent any further attempts."

    Excitedly, Duan Mu stood up and eximed, "I promise I won''t give you a reason to interfere!"

    He felt grateful for the chance to prove his worth to Xu Shan, and a sense of happiness washed over him.

    "Rest for a while and regain your strength," Xu Shan advised, cing the pendant back in his pocket before turning away.

    He had aplished his objectives. Now, his focus shifted to training Duan Mu to outsmart the Spirit, ensuring that his maniptive tactics remained unknown to it.

    He didn''t want any troubles in the process of Duan Mu gaining theplete inheritance.

    In any case, Xu Shan harbored no concerns about betrayal. With ownership of the pendant, he possessed the ability to monitor all urrences in the spiritual world. Nothing could escape his watchful perception.

    Over the next few hours, he allowed Duan Mu to test his abilities and recover. The process of erasing his memories had taken a toll on Duan Mu''s body after all.

    ....

    Meanwhile, in a different location, the Divine Empress wandered through the deste world she had single-handedly brought to ruin.

    Initially, she experienced remorse for the devastation she had caused. However, with each sight she encountered, she gradually came to terms with her actions.

    She acknowledged that the past could not be altered, and she refused to indulge in hypocritical beliefs. Recognizing her own ws, she epted her status as an evil being without attempting to deceive herself.

    Along the way, she had also noticed a few weak people who had survived. In every city, there were thousands of such people. They were so scared that they were all hiding, not even daring toe out.

    It was only when they saw their Queen that they came out of their hiding, not realizing that the Queen herself was behind it all.

    Unfortunately for them, the Divine Empress intentionally ignored them as she flew past. She knew she had no answers to give them. All the people that had survived, lost their loved ones because of her.

    After seeing such carnage, she had be even colder. After a certain point, nothing could cause her emotions to flicker. Nothing could phase her as she had already seen it all.

    Just halfway through her flight, she stopped. She realized what Xu Shan meant when he talked to her. Emotions were the biggest enemy of achievement. They made her weak and hypocritical.

    She had never hesitated in killing people when it came to reaching her goal. If she had been emotional and avoided it, she would''ve been no better than a weak ant.

    At this moment, the people of this world were at her mercy because they were weak. But she knew that she might have been at the mercy of other people if she hadn''t strived to be stronger.

    Instead of being up above, she would''ve been at the bottom, at the mercy of others. Her goal was only achieved through her ruthless means. And if she changed herself, it was only going to make everything she did in the past seem meaningless and wasted.

    She understood that in order to protect what she had gained, she had to continue down this path, until she was so strong that there was nothing else left to achieve in this world!

    Although it was a long journey, she had finallye to terms with her actions. She took a deep breath as she stopped flying, turning back towards the Royal City where Xu Shan was waiting for her.

    When she left the pce, she appeared very uncertain and lost. She didn''t have the dignity of the Ruthless Queen. But now that she was going back, she appeared to have returned to her old self.

    She buried the guilt deep in her heart, never intending to ept it.

    ....

    Xu Shan taught Duan Mu everything that he had to follow when meeting the Spirit. As for why he had to do that, he made up a story.

    He told Duan Mu that they had to fool the Spirit so it didn''t dy revealing the inheritance. And for that, he told Duan Mu to pretend that he hated him in front of the Spirit.

    He told Duan Mu to follow the lies that the Spirit had told himst time about Xu Shan betraying him and killing his family. He told Duan Mu his real past as a lie and made it believable as well.

    In the end, Duan Mu understood everything. He agreed to pretend while not actually believing any of this nonsense.

    It was only after making sure that everything was in ce, Xu Shan pulled out the pendant and removed the shroud covering it, which had prevented the Spirit from seeing anything happening in the main world.

    He finally activated the Spirit World within the Pendant, touching it with the young man''s forehead.

    As soon as the pendant touched him, Duan Mu disappeared within, returning to the Spirit World where his inheritance was waiting for him, along with the Spirit that truly cared for him.

 Chapter 246 246: Home

    Chapter 246  246: Home

    ??The next morning, the Divine Empress returned to the deste Royal City. She stepped inside the Pce that was covered in cracks. It was a miracle that the pce was still standing.

    She located Xu Shan within the Pce, finding him inside the bedroom that belonged to her. This was also the ce where she had first met him face to face.

    Xu Shan was lying in bedfortably with his eyes closed. He didn''t even bother to look towards the Divine Empress when she entered the room.

    Thinking that he was asleep, the Empress slowly moved back, letting him sleep. However, before she could leave the room, she heard Xu Shan''s voice.

    "You seem to be feeling better now."

    "How did you know?" she asked, frowning. Xu Shan didn''t even look at her after all.

    "If you weren''t, you wouldn''t have returned. Honestly, I was half expecting you to give up on everything and return to your family, asking for forgiveness," Xu Shan smiled as he sat up, his deep eyes finally ncing at the woman.

    "I must say, you haven''t disappointed me," he added.

    "What if I had left?" the woman asked.

    Xu Shan couldn''t help but burst intoughter. However, thatughter sent a chill down her spine. She could feel a heavy killing intent that made her feel suffocated.

    Xu Shan didn''t answer but she had already received her answer. If she had disappointed him, then her fate wasn''t going to be peaceful. She hadpletely forgotten what kind of entity this man was.

    She was slightly relieved that she hadn''t left. If she had, it would''ve been all for naught. Not only would she have been killed, but the same fate would''ve followed her family that she had helped escape without them realising.

    She had no doubt that Xu Shan could easily find them if he wanted. The only reason they were still alive was because he wanted it that way.

    "Are we going to the Heavenly Realm?" she asked Xu Shan. There was only one destination left for them to go. It was the realm beyond where true Immortals lived.

    The mere upper realm wasn''t worth their time as they had long surpassed its limits. This world could barely support her ascent to Immortal Realm, let alone to the realms beyond.

    "Certainly," Xu Shan affirmed. "But before that, there''s onest ce I want to go."

    As he spoke, a portal opened before him, connecting this world to the Celestial Realm.

    "What ce?" the woman asked, not understanding what could be more important than the heavenly realm. She was already looking forward to entering the world of immortals.

    She couldn''t understand how Xu Shan was so calm. If she was in his ce, she could''ve long gone there.

    "My home." Xu Shan''s words fell in the Divine Empress'' ears while his figure disappeared within the portal.

    "His... home...?" The Divine Empress muttered as she subconsciously stepped towards the portal.

    She didn''t understand just what kind of home Xu Shan had grown up inside. Just what kind of home could give birth to a demonic being like him? She was also curious about his family now, wondering if they were as abnormal as him.

    She also disappeared within the portal which soon disappeared.

    The pce that had barely stood intact, also came crashing down. The Royal Pce of the Divine Empire was left in ruins, just like the ruined world that had lost everything.

    Although the world had survived, the poption had dwindled to mere tens of thousands, all beings without any Cultivation left. The world had also lost its essence.

    At this moment, the world wasn''t an Upper Realm. It was even worse than a lower world. For years toe, none of the surviving people could achieve the slightest of cultivation.

    The world waspletely abandoned by Heaven.

    ....

    Xu Shan stepped out of the Spatial Portal, finally returning to his world. He was finally back to the Celestial Realm.

    Thest time he left, it wasn''t because of his own will. Instead, he was forced to leave to save his life. Until now, he didn''t know who the young man was that hade to take his life.

    He also didn''t know how a mere General under his father appeared to know that person. It should''ve been impossible since now Xu Shan was certain that the man was from the Realm of Immortals. He was from Heaven.

    At that time, Xu Shan wasn''t able to grasp the man''s strength from his aura. But now that he had touched the Immortal Celestial Realm, he had more rity.

    He was certain that the man was also in the Immortal Celestial Realm. As for which level in the realm, he didn''t know.

    He had a lot of questions when he was forcefully pushed into a middle realm world. Now that he was back, he wanted the answer to all those questions.

    He appeared near the Eternal Dynasty Borders, slightly cautious since he didn''t know the situation in this world. He treated this world as aplete stranger, not sure if he was going to be greeted by an enemy army or if that young man was still here or not.

    He didn''t care even if that man was here. However, he didn''t want to enter into a situation that was harmful for him, especially without gaining full understanding.

    Unfortunately, the moment he observed his surroundings, his expressions turned dark.

    Behind him, the Divine Empress also arrived. She appeared even more stunned than Xu Shan. "This is your home?"

    The sight before her was something she couldn''t have expected even in her wildest dreams. She had thought that her world was left in a bad condition, but this world... It was even worse.

    As far as she could see, there was absolute destruction. In her world, there were at least a few people alive in every city. But in this world, there were none. It was absolute carnage.

 Chapter 247 247: A New

    <h4>Chapter 247 Chapter 247: A New Chapter</h4>

    Xu Shan was taken aback by the sight that greeted him upon his return. The devastation before him far surpassed anything he could have expected to be waiting for him during his return.

    The once majestic Celestial Realm nowy in ruins, devoid of any signs of life. Cities that were once bustling with activity nowy in ruins, reduced to nothing but rubble and ashes.

    Having transmigrated into the body of the Third Prince of the Eternal Dynasty, Xu Shan didn''t have a strong emotional attachment to this world.

    He had spent very little time here and had no personal connections or friendships. However, despite thisck of personal investment, he couldn''t help but feel a surge of anger.

    It was evident that the person responsible for the destruction of the Celestial Realm was sending a clear message to him.

    They wanted him to understand that even a realm as powerful as the Celestial Realm could be brought to its knees. The destruction served as a reminder of the potential consequences he himself would face.

    Xu Shan''s face remained devoid of emotion, leaving the woman standing beside him perplexed. She couldn''t decipher his thoughts or intentions. However, before long, she felt a chilling sensation crawl down her spine.

    The heavy aura of killing intent permeated the entire realm, and its source was none other than Xu Shan himself.

    Despite both of them being in the firstyer of the Immortal Celestial Realm, she found herself suffocating under the sheer force of his killing intent. The vast disparity in strength between them became ringly evident.

    Though Xu Shan''s face remained unreadable, his intense killing intent conveyed his thoughts clearly. It also made the woman realise that the carnage that had befallen this ce was not of his doing.

    Fortunately, before the Divine Empress could be harmed, Xu Shan retracted his killing intent. In that moment, a wave of relief washed over the woman.

    "Are you alright?" she asked Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan nced at her, his face carrying a smile. She didn''t know why, but she found that smile very scary. It was as if that smile was hiding a lot of nightmares waiting to be reality.

    "I''m fine," he answered. "A friend left me a gift. I was just thinking about the return gift,"

    "Come, I''ll show you my home," he added as he flew towards the Royal City of Eternal Dynasty which was in an even worse condition.

    Following behind Xu Shan, the woman couldn''t help but wonder just what kind of existence Xu Shan offended.

    To cause a simr level of destruction, it was impossible for an ordinary being. Even the strongest person in the upper realm couldn''t cause this destruction.

    She was certain that this was caused by people from the Realm of Immortals. And it wasn''t the work of any normal person from there either.

    She hadn''t even entered the Heavenly Realm yet she already came to know that Xu Shan had powerful enemies in that ce. She didn''t know what the future held for her, but one thing was certain. She was stuck with Xu Shan.

    If she tried to leave, he was going to kill him. And if she didn''t, his enemies might kill her. At the end of the day, she made a choice.

    If dying was the only option left, she preferred a potential death in the future than a certain death in this moment.

    Xu Shan stepped at the ruins of what used to be the Royal Pce where his father lived. Not far from him, there were ruins of his own pce. Unfortunately, other than the ruins, nothing was left.

    He could also see some signs of battle. But for the most part, it was a one sided massacre.

    "My home." Xu Shan picked up a piece of stone on the ground, tossing it towards the Divine Empress. "It''s good, isn''t it?"

    The Divine Empress caught the stone, not knowing how to react.

    "Now that you''ve seen my home, we should get to our new destination." Xu Shan stood up, creating an aura sword.

    He used the sword to slice through space and time, cutting through the barrier that seperated the Upper Realm from the Immortal Realm.

    As he sliced through the space, a spatial crack opened. The Spatial Crack was wide enough for many people to enter. But slowly, the space was healing itself.

    Xu Shan observed the ruined world onest time. His mind still had many questions. Why were the people from the Heavenly Realm after him? Was it because they knew about the Book of Desires? Or was there something else?

    If it was about the Book of Desires, they wouldn''t have destroyed an entire world. It wasn''t something that could be done by a Heaven''s Chosen. Instead, it was only something that a Viin like him could do.

    He had a feeling that this wasn''t because of the Book of Desires. It was because of him. But why? That question kept troubling him. Why were they rted to him?

    He didn''t think much as the portal was getting smaller by the second. He stepped closer to the Divine Empress, cing his arms around her waist.

    Holding her, he entered the Spatial Crack, leaving behind his temporary home, not knowing if he was ever going to return to this godforsaken ce.

    Both him and the Divine Empress had lost their homes. One lost out because of her own ambitions to be stronger.

    Meanwhile the other lost his home twice. Once, because of death. As for the second time, it was at the hands of someone else.

    None of them had a ce to return to. All they had were their separate desires that made them walk down this path.

    At this moment, the Divine Empress didn''t realise just what kind of existence she was apanying and how that existence was going to turn the world upside down.

    The moment Xu Shan stepped into the Realm of Immortals, it started a new chapter in his life... A dark chapter that was something that the world wasn''t ready for��

 Chapter 248 248: Blessed by Heaven

    <h4>Chapter 248 Chapter 248: Blessed by Heaven</h4>

    Xu Shan and the Divine Empress emerged from the Spatial Crack into a breathtakingndscape.

    They found themselves in the Realm of Immortals, a realm that was unknown for most people. Many people had imagined what this ce was going to be like, but none was able to pass through the barrier of immortality to enter the realm.

    Thend possessed ethereal beauty and unparalleled power, at least in the ce where Xu Shan appeared.

    The sky was adorned with swirling clouds of vibrant colors, and magnificent mountains stretched as far as the eye could see.

    As they stood there, Xu Shan sensed a strong presence nearby. He turned his gaze towards a secluded valley, where a figure d in a robe of shimmering gold stood, radiating an aura of immense power.

    Simply looking at the man, Xu Shan had a feeling that the person was much stronger than him. Not just him, that person was stronger than the young man that had invaded his world.

    The man had a long white beard, his fingers were adorned with intricate golden rings, and his eyes sparkled with wisdom and kindness.

    The man was apanied by a group of youngsters. Although the youngsters weren''t even adults yet, they were already touching the threshold of the Immortal Celestial Realm Cultivation.

    "Grand Elder, I see some people there. They don''t have the attire of our sect. Weren''t outsiders not allowed here?" A young girl next to the old man asked, her eyes suspiciously looking at Xu Shan.

    "Could they be bad people, here to steal?" A young boy asked. "Just look at that man''s face! He doesn''t look like anything good!"

    The old man also paid attention to Xu Shan, his eyes paying great attention to the man. He could see the age of the two of them through.

    The woman next to Xu Shan didn''t catch his attention as she was already very old and had only reached the first stage of Immortal Celestial Realm. However, Xu Shan was different.

    Xu Shan hadn''t even turned twenty, yet he had already achieved the same realm as her. Moreover, he could also see that his cultivation wasn''t as simple as it seemed.

    The old man could feel a strange aura emanating from the young boy who appeared to be blessed by worldlyws. He didn''t know that Xu Shan wasn''t blessed. Instead, he had stolen this blessing with brute force.

    The old man was certain that Xu Shan was a talented genius. People like him were rare toe by, at least in this part of the world.

    As he tried to see through Xu Shan to see all his secrets, he felt shocked. Even with his strength, he failed to see what Celestial Spirit that boy possessed. Whenever he tried to see, all he saw was a mist that prevented him from seeing anything.

    "How peculiar," the Great Elder muttered.

    He walked towards Xu Shan and the Divine Empress with a mixture of curiosity and caution in his eyes. He was intrigued by Xu Shan''s presence and wanted to assess the situation firsthand. As he approached them, he greeted them with a respectful nod.

    "Greetings to the two friends," the Great Elder said, his voice filled with wisdom and kindness. "I am the Great Elder of Heaven Seeking Sect. This is thend of our sect which no outsider should''ve been able to enter."

    "May I ask who you are and how you came to be here?" he asked, his mind carrying a lot of questions.

    Xu Shan bowed respectfully and introduced himself, "I am Xu Shan, and this is my friend Lin Yu. It seems that something went wrong with our Spatial Talisman and we have inadvertently ended up in your ce."

    He didn''t know where he was. However, from the old man''s words, he came to understand that he was in the proximity of a sect. Since the old man was a member and very strong as well, it made Xu Shan believe that the sect wasn''t weak either.

    Although he would''ve preferred to end up at a different ce so that he could''ve gathered more information beforeing in contact with such high profile people, but with no other choice, he could only settle with the fate he was dealt with.

    He didn''t tell them that he came from a lower world. Instead, he told them a different story about how he used a teleportation talisman which brought him here for some reason.

    The Great Elder''s eyes sparkled with interest as he listened to Xu Shan''s words. He didn''t know how much truth was in the words of these people, but he had no easy way to find out.

    He could use some harsher methods to verify their words, but these people hadn''t tried to harm them. And they didn''t seem to have any bad intentions, so he let it go.

    If anything, he was more interested in Xu Shan. A young man who was blessed by the heaven, he was sure this guy wasn''t an ordinary person. He might even be a member of an Overlord Family.

    "Xu Shan." In his mind, he kept thinking about the name. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t think of any great family with thest name Xu.

    He thought of two possibilities. Either the man before him had given him a fake name to hide his identity, or he was not from this Kingdom as the great elder only knew the name of families within this Kingdom.

    "Can you tell me a way out of this ce?" Xu Shan asked, feeling many more powerful auras in the area. His presence was slowly getting noticed by more people from the sect.

    "I can tell you, but you won''t be able to leave on your own. This is a special realm within our sect. Only one of the Elders can take you out," the Great Elder exined. "How about it? For the time being, you can tag along with us. When we leave, I''ll take you with me."

    "But Great Elder?" The girl next to the Elder eximed. "They are outsiders. What if they''re lying? We should call the Enforcement Elder and let him take care of it!"

 Chapter 249 249: Quest

    <h4>Chapter 249 Chapter 249: Quest</h4>

    The Great Elder smiled kindly at the girl and said, "Xiao Mei, it is always important to showpassion and trust towards others, especially when they pose no harm."

    Although he didn''t know what Xu Shan''s identity was, he had a feeling that it was for their benefit to get a good rtionship with this guy, and if possible, have him join the sect and be a part of it.

    "Let us give them the benefit of the doubt for now. If they prove to be untrustworthy, we can always involve the Enforcement Elderter."

    Xu Shan appreciated the Great Elder''s understanding and replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Great Elder. We would be grateful for your guidance and assistance. We promise to abide by the rules and respect the customs of your sect for as long as we are within yournd."

    The Divine Empress nodded in agreement, expressing her affirmation as well. It was good for them to get along as well. She couldn''t even open her mouth before the old man, feeling heavy pressure. She was barely holding on.

    She didn''t understand how Xu Shan was still unphased before this pressure. Not only her, but even the old man was surprised. He hadn''t expected for Xu Shan to be able to speak under this pressure.

    In the end, he smiled as he retracted the pressure.

    "You are really good." He patted Xu Shan''s shoulder as he walked past them. "You can apany us."

    The other youngsters who had initially been suspicious of Xu Shan and Lin Yu started to soften their expressions, realising that their Great Elder had already made a decision. However, they still held a lot of suspicions.

    As they also walked past Xu Shan, the smile on his face finally disappeared, his thoughts iprehensible.

    He patted his shoulder where the old man had touched him, cleansing it with his aura.

    After taking a moment, he again softened his expressions, creating a fake persona as he also turned around and followed behind the old man.

    "May I ask where you''re going?" Xu Shan asked, walking behind the group of youngsters.

    Xin Mei clicked her tongue, casting an annoyed nce at Xu Shan.

    "Just because we allowed you to apany us, don''t forget your ce. You''re still an outsider. There''s no need for you to know anything! Just apany us silently until we leave, and stay behind us if you don''t want to die!" She eximed, looking down on Xu Shan.

    She didn''t trust Xu Shan even a single bit, even if the Great Elder had allowed him to apany them. If anything, she had been keeping an eye on him, just waiting for him to make a mistake.

    Xu Shan nced at the girl''s back. She was truly an arrogant being. But he couldn''t understand why she was so condescending. She was weaker than him after all.

    Even if she had all the skills of the Immortal Realm, she could defeat the Divine Empress despite her lower Cultivation, but it was different for him. His strength only grew stronger as he faced stronger beings.

    Although he didn''t have the skills from the Immortal Realm, he had two Celestial Spirits, both possessing a grade that was beyond this world''s understanding.

    In the end, Xu Shan let them be. If he was only here temporarily, it didn''t make sense to get into an argument.

    Instead, he focused on the surroundings. For the first time, he was able to pay attention to the beauty surrounding him.

    Magnificent mountains towered in the distance, their peaks glowing with a soft golden hue as the sun began to set. The air was crisp and filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, creating a tranquil atmosphere that soothed Xu Shan''s weary soul.

    Unfortunately, amidst that tranquillity, there felt something wrong. It was clear that these people weren''t here for walks. As they were apanied by the Great Elder of their sect, that left only a few options for Xu Shan to consider.

    Either they were here to train and face against some powerful beasts. Or they were here to look for a treasure. As for which of the two cases it was, he wasn''t certain.

    He simply followed the group, lost in own thoughts. asionally, the old man asked him a few questions, to which he answered with made up stories.

    After ten minutes passed, he sensed something that hadn''t happened for a long time. The Book of Knowledge appeared before him, in the form of a screen.

    It was after a long time that he finally saw the red screen again which had seemingly gone into a deep slumber.

    On the screen, some words took shape.

    [A New Quest has been issued to the Owner]

    [Take the first position]

    [Rewards: Unknown]

    [Time Duration: Unknown]

    "Huh?" Xu Shan frowned in response. Take the first position? In what? The Quest felt too vague for him.

    He didn''t understand what the mission was telling him to do. Take the first position in hunting? Take the first position in finding the treasure? If it was the case, he had a feeling that he was going to fail.

    If the people were here to hunt, they were going to be furious if he interfered. And if things escted, he might have to face the entire sect. On the other hand, if it meant taking the treasure for himself, that was even worse.

    He wasn''t sure if it was worth it, especially since the reward was also unknown.

    "The Book of Knowledge rarely issues quests after being able to glimpse through fate. If it gives you the quest, it must be important," Xinren told Xu Shan.

    As the Book of Knowledge was absorbed by the Book of Desires, she was also able to see the content of the screen.

    Xu Shan scratched the back of his head. He left it all for the situation. If it was something that was achievable, then even if he had to take some risks, he was willing to do it.

 Chapter 250 250: Dragon Pass

    <h4>Chapter 250 Chapter 250: Dragon Pass</h4>

    "We are almost there," one of the youngsters eximed after only half an hour of walking.

    He pointed towards the distant horizon as his voice resonated with a heavy fighting spirit. The other youngsters also looked excited as they looked into the distance.

    Xu Shan followed the direction of his gaze and noticed another group standing a few miles away. Among them stood an old man, exuding a strength that rivaled the old man leading this group.

    To his surprise, the other side also had a lot of youngsters. As his observation skills were better than the rest, he could see that the youngsters from the side were definitely stronger. Some were even suppressing their true cultivation.

    He opened his lips, but in the end, he dropped the thought of speaking anything. He was sure that the old man had noticed it as well. If he wasn''t saying anything, that meant there was no need to.

    Shortly, Xu Shan was within a hundred meters range of the other group.

    He could already hear theirughter, "Hahaha, those insects are here to get beaten this year as well."

    Xu Shan scratched the back of his head. "Don''t tell me you''re here for some battle?"

    Xin Mei red at Xu Shan. "Didn''t I tell you to focus on your own self?! Just stay behind silently and don''t interfere!"

    Xu Shan let out a sigh. He had no interest in interfering either. The only thing he was concerned about was the quest. He had to find out what these people were here for.

    "Don''t talk in that manner." The Great Elder chimed in. "Is that how you behave with our guests?"

    The Great Elder chided the young girl, as if he was standing up for Xu Shan. However, Xu Shan felt likeughing at the old man''s act.

    The girl had been talking in a simr manner throughout this journey, but the old man had pretended to not hear it. It was as if he waited until this point so he could appreciate him more.

    Xu Shan didn''t expose the old man and simply thanked him before asking, "Who are those people."

    "They are also members of our sect," the old man answered. "The man you see there is another Elder from our sect while the youngsters next to him are his disciples."

    "Why are they looking at you with such hostility?" Xu Shan changed his question.

    The old manughed in response. "It''s because we stand in their way to get thest Dragon Pass."

    "Last Dragon Pass?" Xu Shan frowned. This was why he first wanted to gather more information before meeting any powerful people from this world. He waspletely oblivious.

    "Were you living under a tree all this time?" Xin Mei eximed, revealing some shock while still looking down at him. "You don''t even know what the Dragon Pass is?"

    Xin Mei didn''t know if Xu Shan was being serious or messing with them. Meanwhile, the old man was even more convinced that Xu Shan wasn''t from their Kingdom.

    "A Dragon Pass is something issued by the Royal Family to every major sect in the Kingdom," the old man answered. "Every sect receives a number of them, based on the ranking of the sect."

    "Our sect also received a total of ten of them. Unfortunately, there are a total of Eleven Peaks in our sect, each being under a Grand Elder. The first none passes were taken by the first nine peaks, leaving only one."

    "As for which peak between our Eleventh Peak and their Tenth Peak gets thest pass has been decided through apetition between the disciples of the Two Peaks."

    As the old man spoke, there was some hint of disappointment within his eyes. The youngsters momentarily lowered their heads, ashamed at their past performance.

    "Don''t worry Grand Elder!" Xin Mei stepped forward, holding her head high. "We might have lost the past, but this time I''ll make sure that we win! I''ll bring thest Dragon Pass to our peak!"

    Xu Shan was able to understand what the old man was saying. However, he still didn''t understand what use that Dragon Pass held.

    Since the Quest screen asked him to take the first ce, it meant it wanted him to take the Dragon Pass? But why? What use did it hold?

    "Is the Dragon Pass a treasure?" Xu Shan asked.

    Xin Mei red at him. Not only was this guy not satisfied, but he kept asking questions.

    "Master, there''s no way he doesn''t know what a Dragon Pass is! I''m sure he''s trying to distract us at a time like this! He might even be someone nted by the Tenth Peak! It would make perfect sense why he was here exactly when we were about to arrive!"

    The old man flicked Xin Mei''s forehead. "Focus and don''t think about such nonsense."

    He didn''t know Xu Shan''s identity, but he knew the Grand Elder of the Tenth Sect. That guy was as overconfident as one could get. There was no way that he would pull such a stupid trick.

    He was certain that Xu Shan had told him the truth. He arrived here by ident and he was from another ce. This increased Xu Shan''s value even more.

    A talisman that could travel from one Kingdom to another... It was such a rare item that even the Royal Families only possessed a few of them!

    It made him think that Xu Shan was truly a big shot from a Higher Kingdom, or maybe he could even be a Royal who was trying to run away from his home.

    He hadpletely made up a backstory for Xu Shan in his mind as he nced at the Divine Empress. There was no way a powerful family would have her in their midst. She was too old to still be in the initial Immortal Celestial Realm!

    He believed that Xu Shan had fallen in love with that girl, but as she was pathetically weak and untalented, his family rejected it!

    To escape from his family that had vast influence, Xu Shan stole the Talisman from his family and ran with the Divine Empress.

    The story he assumed made perfect sense in his mind. It also made Xu Shan more valuable to him. It meant Xu Shan was the heir of a great family.

    Even if he ran away, he could return home in the future and be forgiven, inheriting all the power from his family. And if he was a Royal Heir, he could actually be the King!

    There were so many possibilities for Xu Shan in his eyes. The only thing he was certain about was that he had to maintain a good rtionship with him.

 Chapter 251 251: Clear Outcome

    Chapter 251  251: Clear Oue

    ??The Great Elder assumed that Xu Shan was from a powerful family from a farawaynd and had run away from his home. It made perfect sense for him that the young man didn''t know what a Dragon Pass was.

    "A Dragon Pass is something that allows you to enter the Royal Pce and attend the banquet of young prodigies," he exined to Xu Shan.

    Xu Shan looked at the old man weirdly. That was it? That was why everyone was fighting for this pass? All so they could attend a Royal Banquet?

    He had thought that the Dragon Pass was some treasure or rted to some ancient legacy which was able to prompt a quest for him.

    "I''m sure you don''t think highly of the Royal Banquet." The Grand Elder smiled, even more certain that Xu Shan was from a powerful family. He was even looking down on a royal banquet of this Kingdom.

    "For powerful families, there might not be anything special in this banquet, but for our Sects, this is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the Prince. It''s an opportunity that many people would die for."

    Xu Shan heard the Grand Elder, simply nodding. He was also a Prince in his world so he understood how ordinary people often tried to get close to the Royal Family.

    "That''s not all," the young girl behind the Elder chimed in. "It''s said the banquet this time is going to be different from every other banquet. The Emperor would personally be attending it! He might even teach a few things to the talented geniuses!"

    "The opportunity to directly learn from the Emperor who is the strongest person in the Kingdom... Even our Sect Master would have taken this opportunity if he was allowed to!''

    The youngsters looked excited as they talked about the Emperor. Xu Shan could see their fascination with the Ruler of thisnd. It was as if they were little children who were talking about their idol.

    ''A meeting with the Emperor, huh.'' Xu Shan remained silent as he thought about the new information he had gathered.

    If it was just about meeting the Prince, this banquet didn''t sound any specific. But when the Emperor got involved, everything became different. He wondered if the quest had anything to do with the Emperor.

    While he was lost in thoughts, the Grand Elder approached the Elder on the other side. Both of them greeted each other, but one side was clearly more smug and confident.

    "Since the oue is already clear, let''s get it over with." The Elder of the Eleventh Mountain stated.

    "You can''t be so certain about the oue. You might be in for a surprise this year," the Elder who came with Xu Shan replied, keeping a mild smile.

    "We will see..."

    As the two Elders agreed to start, they opened a portal bybining their forces, opening a doorway to another ce.

    None of the two exined anything to the youngsters who were already aware about what they had to do.

    The disciples of both the mountains entered the portal in their groups, burning with motivation.

    In the distance, Xu Shan watched everyone enter. Only he was left behind, but there was no way for him to enter. He wasn''t part of the sect.

    The portal soon closed after the two groups entered.

    One of the Elders brought out a small mirror that showed the list of names. The names belonged to everyone who had entered the Spatial Realm. In front of their names, their scores were written.

    None could see what was happening on the other side. All they could see was the score that the mirror revealed.

    The two elders asionally nced at the mirror as they waited for the result. Within ten minutes, the scores started rising, albeit very slowly.

    The Elder of the Tenth Mountain let out augh, seeing that most of the top ten ranking was dominated by his disciples.

    There were only two people from the eleventh mountain in the top ten. And the highest amongst them was Xin Mei, who was at the fifth ranking in the scoreboard.

    "So much for the overconfidence,"  Divine Empress scoffed, looking at the ranking of the girl who kept looking down on Xu Shan throughout the journey.

    "It looks like the oue is clear." Xu Shan also nodded. There was no way for the eleventh mountain to win if they maintained this speed.

    In any case, it didn''t matter to him. Even if they didn''t win, he wasn''t harmed in the least. The only problem was the quest which told him to rank first. How could he do that when he wasn''t even allowed to take part in it?

    In the end, he decided that this quest wasn''t serious. There was no way for him toplete it without making this entire sect his enemy.

    He decided to let go of the quest, standing in silence.

    "I don''t recognise seeing that young friend before. Is he a new disciple you took in?" The Elder of the Tenth Mountain was in a great mood as his disciples were performing as he expected.

    He didn''t even pay much attention to the score, and shifted his attention to the young man standing in the back.

    He couldn''t see through the young man. At times, the man felt like a Celestial Immortal realm cultivator and at other times, he felt like an ordinary mortal without the least bit of aura.

    "I suppose that''s not the case," the Tenth Elder answered his own question, without even waiting for the Eleventh Elder.

    "If he was your disciple, you would''ve sent him with the others. He''s the strongest out of the entire group after all. In fact, I doubt anyone from my group would be able to defeat him."

    The Eleventh Elder nodded. "He''s not my Disciple. He''s a guest of mine."

    "You brought an outsider to this ce?" The Tenth Elder frowned. "What were you thinking? Did you forget the rules?"

    "It''s nothing for you to worry about," the Eleventh Elder responded. "I remember the rules perfectly. I''ll personally exin to the Sect Leaderter."

    "If you say so," the Tenth Elder didn''t dwell on the topic, even though he was curious about Xu Shan who was quite young to possess this level of cultivation.

 Chapter 252 252: Payback

    Chapter 252  252: Payback

    ??Half an hour passed before the Portal opened again. A group of youngsters came out of the portal, bruised and battered.

    Not a single perSon among them was without injury. Yet, a distinct contrast was evident between the two groups.

    The members who had arrived with Xu Shan seemed to bear more severe wounds. Only a handful of them could walk steadily, while others leaned on theirpanions for support.

    "Looks like it''s our win this time as well." The Tenth Great Elderughed, as he patted the shoulder of the Eleventh Elder.

    The Eleventh Elder simply sighed. Although he had expected this oue, he still hoped that things could be different. The girl he was confident about, had only managed to get the third rank in the trials.

    The Tenth Elder walked over to his disciples. But instead of congratting them, he scolded them for not taking all of the top ten ranks for themselves. He told them that he was going to train them even more as he took them away.

    The disciples of the Eleventh Elder held their heads down. They had been so confident beforeing here, but they still failed.

    "If you all hadn''t dragged me down, I could''ve taken even a higher ranking!" Tears streamed down the eyes of Xin Mei who had taken the third rank.

    The other youngsters lowered their heads even more, feeling guilty over being weak. The trial was about hunting ancient beasts in the trial realm.

    While the other side was strong and free to move in the battlefield, they often found themselves in danger. To protect them, Xin Mei had no choice but to help them asionally which took time away from her own hunting, lowering her score.

    At first, Xin Mei thought that she could catch up to the score of the other side even if she helped her team. But near the end, she realized that the gap wasn''t decreasing.

    One of the youngsters stepped forward to apologize to her, but she didn''t spare any attention to them. She walked towards the Elder, apologizing to him for failing his trust.

    ''They are truly children. Getting so upset over such a small thing,'' Xu Shan thought, looking at the serious atmosphere. He could only shake his head at how pathetic the girl was being.

    Xin Mei noticed Xu Shan shaking his head. She was already upset, and seeing his reaction, she thought he was looking down on him.

    She couldn''t control her anger anymore. This time, she didn''t hold herself back and swung her right hand to p Xu Shan on the face.

    Seeing the girl attack Xu Shan, the Great Elder was shocked. But it was toote for him to stop her.

    He had already started thinking how he was going to apologize to Xu Shan and punish the girl, but in the next moment, his expressions froze.

    Xu Shan grabbed the girl''s wrist, stopping her hand before they could touch him. The girl was shocked at his reaction speed, but what happened next shocked everyone present there.

    A palmnded on the girl''s face, sending her flying into a distant tree.

    All the youngsters looked at Xu Shan in shock. The girl was the strongest amongst them, yet she was pped so easily?

    Even the Great Elder was surprised at Xu Shan''s speed which was much faster than someone at his realm should''ve possessed.

    "I''ll kill you!" The girl stood up, a trail of blooding down the corner of her lips. She pulled out her sword. This wasn''t just about punishing him anymore. She wanted to kill him!

    "That''s enough." The Grand Elder appeared behind the girl, cing her hand on the girl''s head. He sent a trace of his aura, putting the girl to sleep.

    Her killing intent disappeared as her eyes closed. She fell into the Elder''s arms.

    "I apologize for not teaching my disciple properly," the Great Elder apologized to Xu Shan as he picked up the girl.

    "It''s not your fault," Xu Shan replied.

    The Elder had expected him to apologize for hitting his disciple as well, but he said no such thing. It was as if the young man was making it clear that he wasn''t sorry for hitting her.

    "Since you''re done, can you take us out?" Xu Shan asked, bringing the old man to his senses.

    "Ah, yeah. I''ll take you out of here." The Elder nodded as he gestured for the other youngsters to follow him.

    He led them out of the secret realm that only the Elders could open.

    On the way back, the youngsters came close to Xu Shan, asking him how he became so strong at such a young age. They even apologized for looking down on him.

    Xu Shan didn''t pay attention to them. Instead, he was thinking about something else. The trial was over. The disciples of the Tenth Elder had taken the first and second ce. So why was it that the mission screen didn''t disappear?

    He wasn''t notified that he had failed. And the mission still existed, which made him realize that he might have misunderstood. The mission wasn''t about getting first rank in this trial of disciples.

    ''Then what could out be about?'' he wondered as he carefully went through the wordings of the quest again. But there were no clues.

    Sighing, he closed the system screen. If it was something he was going toe across that he could possibly do, he was willing. But he wasn''t going to go out of his way to find things he could get first rank in.

    The Elder reaches the other end of the first. He brought a token out of his storage ring and used his aura to activate the token, opening a path.

    "Once you pass through this portal, you''ll enter our Sect," the Elder told Xu Shan while standing in the back.

    He allowed his disciples and Xu Shan to exit first, before he entered the portal.

    ....

    Stepping out from the other side, Xu Shan appeared inside a grand sect of the Immortal Realm.

    It was the first time he properly sensed the dense aura of the immortal realm. His body felt refreshed immediately, but at the same time, he also felt slightly ufortable.

    He didn''t understand why, but as soon as he entered the true Immortal Realm, an urge inside him arose that made him want to kill someone.

 Chapter 253 253: Masters Daughter

    Chapter 253  253: Master''s Daughter

    ??"I know I told you that you''re free to leave the sect whenever you want, but until you''re in the sect, you''re a guest. Would you want to apany us to the Eleventh Mountain? I would love to introduce our Sect to you."

    The Grand Elder ced his hand on Xu Shan''s shoulder. "And if you like the sect, we can also provide you shelter and ept you into the sect."

    Xu Shan didn''t know what kind of misunderstanding the old man had about him. Not only was he not asking for his identity, but he was also offering him a ce to stay in the sect?

    He wasn''t sure if it was just because of the talent that the old man saw in him, or was something more at y.

    It was beneficial for him to stay in the sect and get more information about this world. However, he also understood that it was the most dangerous ce for him.

    He didn''t enter the Immortal Realm to have a good time. He came here to be stronger and the Devouring Spirit was the only way for him to be stronger.

    Cultivation was useless for him. He could only steal from the others. If he stayed in the sect, instead of getting stronger, he was only going to get weaker.

    He could try to devour disciples of the sect, but it was only a matter of time before suspicions were going to rise in him. He knew if that happened, he might even be killed.

    "I''ve already troubled you enough. I am afraid I can''t trouble you more. It''s best if I leave." Xu Shan told the old man.

    The Grand Elder frowned. He thought he could win over the man who had nowhere else to go. At any cost, he wanted to win over Xu Shan.

    "It''s no trouble. It would be great if we could have a talented disciple like you," he insisted.

    Xu Shan could see that the old man didn''t want to let him leave. If he still insisted, then the old man might even use force.

    For a moment, he thought if he should kill the old man when he was unaware. The killing urges within him became even stronger. He somehow suppressed those urges, maintaining his sanity.

    "I am highly grateful for you to lead us out of that ce. But as I said, I don''t think we can stay here. However, if therees a time, I''ll definitely repay the favor you have shown me."

    The old man looked at Xu Shan, his thoughts unclear. The young man was still insisting that he wanted to leave.

    The Great Elder didn''t know what to do. Did he have no other choice but to force this boy? But if he forced him, he was going to lose all the goodwill and couldn''t receive any favors.

    Xu Shan was the heir of some great family. He wanted to build a bond with Xu Shan so that he could also benefit when the young man returned to his rightful ce.

    But if he forced the guy, then Xu Shan might pretend to work with him while feeling hostile. And when he reached his family, he mighte back with his family''s warriors to have revenge.

    There was a lot of risk in forcing the young man.

    "I understand. If you want to leave, I won''t stop you." The Great Elder finally gave up. It was better to have a good bond between them even if they were far away, than to be close and have hostility.

    "Please take this." The Great Elder tossed away his token towards Xu Shan who caught it.

    "While you''re inside the Kingdom, this token mighte in handy for you. If you show it to someone, they will understand that you''re a friend of mine."

    Xu Shan gazed at the token. He didn''t understand why the old man was going so far for him, but it was only beneficial for him.

    The token could help him achieve much more while he was in the Kingdom. It could save him a lot of trouble.

    "I''ll always remember the help I''ve received from you." Xu Shan nodded as he kept the token in his storage ring.

    After bidding his farewell, he started flying away with the Divine Empress.

    "I hope you won''t forget this when you return to your family," the Great Elder muttered, watching Xu Shan''s figure disappear into the distant clouds.

    A smile spread across his lips as he looked forward to the time when he was going to meet the young man again. "Hopefully, by that time, you would have taken over your family."

    He sent the other disciples back to their courtyards while personally taking Xin Mei to her courtyard.

    He ced her on the bed before turning to leave.

    "The Sect Master''s daughter is fine. She''s just sleeping. You don''t have to inform him," he said before stepping out of the room.

    Two women d in ck stepped out of the shadows, checking to see if the Eleventh Elder was telling the truth.

    After making sure that she was fine, they disappeared again.

    *****

    "Wouldn''t it have been better to take his offer?" Flying next to Xu Shan, the Divine Empress asked.

    "If we could stay in the sect, we could''ve learned about this world more. We might have learned the higher ranking skills as well," she added. "Isn''t it better than running all over the ce?"

    "It''s not worth all the trouble that wille with bing a disciple at the sect," Xu Shan replied, not even entertaining the thought.

    "If you say so." The Divine Empress nodded. "But where are we going now?"

    They had no ce to stay, so she wasn''t sure where they were going to go. They didn''t even have the money of this world that they could use to rent a ce.

    "We''re going to the Royal Capital," Xu Shan informed the girl. "Don''t you want to take part in the Dragon Conference? What better ce than that to feast��"

 Chapter 254 254: Genius of Saint Family

    Chapter 254  254: Genius of Saint Family

    ??*****

    The Dragon Conference was an event held annually. It was an opportunity for many great ns to show off.

    It was also an opportunity for youngsters to get closer to the Royal Family. Many Sects had fierce fights between their disciples for the slots to attend the Dragon Conference.

    Although the Dragon Conference was still a few weeks away, the preparation in the Royal City had already begun. It wasn''t just to wee the Heirs of Various sects after all.

    This time, the Dragon Conference was special. It was said that the King was going to attend personally.

    If it was just the King, it would have been fine. But it was rumoured that someone from the Saint Family was also going to attend.

    In the Immortal World, there were many Kingdoms. And above the Kingdoms were Empires. There were many powerful beings living in the immortal world, but there were only a few powerful organizations.

    Almost everyone knew that this world had seven Holy Grounds. Five of them were Holy Sects. And two were great demon sects.

    They were the ideal ces that many dreamed of joining. But even now, no one knew how they could join a Holy Ground.

    It was the biggest mystery in the Immortal World as none had ever heard about the recruitment by a Holy Ground.

    Beyond the Seven Holy Grounds, there was also the Sword Mountain which was said to beparable to a Holy Ground.

    Andstly, there was a Saint Family. The Saint Family only had less than a hundred members, yet they wereparable to the Holy Ground or the Sword Mountain when it came to strength.

    The Saint Family was respected all over the Immortal World. Even the Holy Grounds treated them with respect.

    Many Empires and Kingdoms wanted to get into the good books of the Saint Family, but it was harder than climbing to heaven.

    Although no one knew how the Holy Grounds selected their disciples, there was wide consensus on one thing.

    It was that if the Saint Family wanted a member to join a Holy Ground, all the holy grounds would have formed a line to be selected.

    Many great ns wanted to bribe the holy sects to have their heirs selected. But instead, the Holy Sects would have bribed the Saint Family to send a member to be a part of their sect.

    It was easier to see a disciple of a Holy Ground than it was to see a member of the Saint Family who were said to be blessed by the gods.

    That was the prestige of the Saint Family.

    Along the way, Xu Shan had heard a lot about the Saint Family. And it was mainly because there was a rumour that a member of the Saint Family was going to make an appearance during the Dragon Conference.

    No one knew how true the rumor was. But just the mention of the Saint Family was enough to raise interest.

    Many nearby kingdoms had also started sending their spies to find out the reality about this rumor.

    Throughout the weeks, Xu Shan had stopped at various cities along the way. But everywhere, only the Saint Family was being discussed.

    Just to see a single glimpse of a Saint Family member, many people wanted to enter the Royal City.

    Xu Shan didn''t understand how a rumor like this spread. Did the Royal Family spread it themselves so everyone could know that they are able to invite people from the Saint Family?

    It made sense that they would want to promote it if this was actually happening. Because of that, Xu Shan also felt that there was some truth to the rumours.

    The only thing he didn''t understand was why? Why did someone from such an influential familying to this small Kingdom?

    He had managed to find out a lot of things about this Kingdom. Although it wasn''t a weak Kingdom, but it wasn''t strong either.

    It paled inparison to the Empires in the Central Region. It neither had great resources nor any well known treasures. So why?

    "I suppose it doesn''t matter. I also want to see what the genius of this world is like."

    Xu Shan had managed to enter the Royal City and find a room, thanks to the resources he had ''gathered'' along the way.

    As Xu Shan settled into his room in the Royal City, he couldn''t help but feel excitemen of the citizens, including the people who worked at the hotel. Everyone was looking forward to the Dragon Conference.

    The air in the city was filled with an electric energy, as people from all walks of life eagerly anticipated the uing Dragon Conference.

    As the days passed, Xu Shan explored the bustling streets of the Royal City with Divine Empress.

    Xu Shan''s inquiries led him to a local teahouse, where he hoped to gather more information about the Dragon Conference and the rumored presence of the Saint Family member.

    The teahouse was abuzz with conversations, and he overheard snippets of discussions about the uing event.

    Sitting at a corner table, Xu Shan sipped his tea and listened attentively.

    The teahouse patrons spoke of the Saint Family member that they believed was going to attend.

    Many imed that it was the heir of the Saint Family himself, who was said to be a reincarnation of the Heavenly Laws.

    It was said that ever since he was born, he had never once lost any battle. He was someone who could master a skill just by simply ncing at it once.

    He could also understand the mysteries of the world that should have been impossible without spending years.

    Andstly, there was also a rumor that said the Saint Family heir had broken through to Celestial Immortal Realm with the help of the Heavenly Tribtion which he absorbed with ease.

    While everyone used Celestial Energy, the Saint Family heir used the Heavenly Essence, a first for many.

    "What absurd rumor! How can someone break through with Heavenly Essence? It is impossible!"

    Many people also called it pure nonsense.

    Sitting in the back, Xu Shan was quite intrigued by the rumours. There was someone other than him who had used the Heavenly Essence to break through?

 Chapter 255 255: The same

    Chapter 255  255: The same

    ??He had managed to absorb the essence of Heaven thanks to his devouring skills. And that too was when he had angered Heaven.

    If it wasn''t for his Celestial Spirit, he would have died. But there was someone who had used Heavenly Laws to break through? And it was someone who was said to be almost the same age as him

    He was getting quite intrigued about this Saint Family. It wasn''t surprising that the Royal Family was going so far to wee them.

    Xu Shan looked forward to seeing what that person was like and if he could steal that man''s talent and strength.

    ....

    While Xu Shan was thinking about the heir of the Saint Family that was the talk of the town, the person in question was sitting under a waterfall.

    The pressure of the water was so high that it would have killed even an ordinary Celestial Immortal. But the young man looked unharmed.

    His skin was breaking apart by the pressure of the waterfall, but it was healing just as fast.

    After a long time, the bare chested man stood up and stepped away from the waterfall.

    A young servant gave him a towel and he dried himself off before putting on his robe.

    "Young Lord, are you really going to that deste Kingdom?" the young servant asked.

    Although the servant looked young, but even the servant was strong enough to annihte the small Kingdom in which Xu Shan was staying.

    "Do I need your permission for that?" The young man asked, his eyes narrowing.

    "I wouldn''t dare!" The young servant realized that she might have misspoke.

    "It''s just that you only recently returned to that lower world. What was it called... The Eternal Realm? Yeah, that''s it. You just returned from there. I thought you would be resting for a little."

    The young servant was responsible for all the needs of the heir of the Saint n. She was his personal maid.

    Although she was a maid, it didn''t mean she was poor. In fact, she was also an heir of a major n.

    However, the position of the personal maidservant of the young hair of the Saint n was something even more influential than being the Family Head of her n.

    In fact, just from the fact that she was a maidservant here, her family''s influence had increased throughout the world. Even the Holy Lands treated her family with respect.

    She didn''t take her position lightly either.

    "If there''s anything you need, I can have someone arranged for it. You won''t have to waste a trip to that deste Kingdom," she added.

    "I don''t need you to do things for me. I can do things myself." The young heir wore the robe, leaving the area.

    If Xu Shan was here, he might have recognised this man. This man was the same person who had invaded his world, forcing him to escape.

    This man was the same person who had destroyed his home, turning the Eternal Realm into a graveyard.

    The maid watched her young master leave. She didn''t understand why he was insisting on going to that distant Kingdom.

    On onemand, the Royal Family of that Kingdom would havee here, crawling on their knees. Did he really make friends there?

    She didn''t understand. But all she could do was follow her young master who could turn the tide of winds on his onemand.

    A few days passed.

    A majestic dragon could be seen flying across the sky above the Saint n territory. Almost everyone recognised that dragon as it was the mount of the Young Master of the n.

    ****

    The day of the Dragon Banquet drew near. The young men from various major ns in the Kingdom who had received an invitation token started arriving in the Royal City one after another.

    Amongst them, Xu Shan even saw the people who had the same attire as the Sect where he had first appeared in this world.

    The disciples of the tenth peak weren''t part of the group. But he did see the disciples that had faced them and won one of the tokens.

    Although the disciples of the Tenth Mountain hadn''t appeared, but the Elder was present. It was the same Elder who had given him some help, thanks to a misunderstanding.

    The Royal City had turned into a ce where all the major powers of the Kingdom had gathered. But none of them were rowdy.

    They knew how much importance the Royal Pce paid for this event, thanks to the guest who was going to arrive.

    Even as the sects were arrogant, they didn''t want to ruin such an asion. Even if they could survive the wrath of the Royal Family, they couldn''t if they identally offended the Saint Family.

    Other than the representatives from the sects of the Kingdom, Xu Shan also noticed some unknown people.

    They weren''t part of the sects and the young people that were part of those groups were much stronger than the youngsters of this Kingdom.

    They were also covered in high grade treasures. It wasn''t hard to find out that they belonged to the Holy Land.

    Even the Royal Family himself came to wee them.

    Even though the Holy Lands weren''t invited, but it didn''t matter to the Royal Family. If they could strike a good rtionship with the Holy Lands, it was only better for them in the long term.

    Only the Sword Mountain hadn''t sent any representatives for this event.

    .....

    The Dragon Banquet venue was a magnificent pce located in the heart of the Royal City. Its grandeur was unmatched, with towering pirs, intricate carvings, and shimmering golden ents.

    Inside the pce, the banquet hall was adorned withvish decorations. The air was filled with the aroma of exquisite delicacies, and the sound of lively conversations echoed throughout the hall.

    Xu Shan took a moment to soak in the atmosphere before making his way towards the gathering of young men.

    Although he didn''t have an invitation token, he had already taken care of it. It wasn''t hard for him to steal one in a crowd this huge.

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