The Rules Within the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, The Future Xian’er Witnessed

## 674: Nether and Pagoda — Who Is the True Successor of Demonic Arts? (Subscribe Please)

After leaving the Mortal One, Gu Changge did not head to Peach Village, nor did he return home.

Instead, he first went to the headquarters of the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion, found Bai Lian’er—who had now broken through to the Sacred Emperor Realm—and gave her a few instructions.

Even now, in terms of assassination missions, the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion had yet to completely supplant the two old-established assassin organizations, Nether and Pagoda.

So he had to step in and intervene personally.

However, these two assassin organizations, Nether and Pagoda, were hidden extremely deep, and the methods of contact between their respective assassins were rather peculiar.

If one could not find their contact locations, it was very difficult to root them out completely.

Moreover, the headquarters of these two forces were said to be hidden within some Overworld, having evaded the vengeance and pursuit of countless enemies for innumerable years.

Even the Immortal Forces and Longevity Families were extremely wary of them.

At the peak of Nether and Pagoda’s power, no small number of True Daoists had died at their hands.

Gu Changge felt that among the foundations of these two forces, there were certainly Remnant Immortals holding down the fort. With the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion’s current strength, if it truly clashed head-on with them, there would only be a dead end.

The Nephrite Breeze Pavilion’s rapid rise had already made it a thorn in the side, a splinter in the flesh, of Nether and Pagoda.

During this period, those two had been trying every possible method to locate its headquarters and destroy it.

“Although the Alliance of Thousand Merchants has been providing intelligence to the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion during this time, greatly increasing our assassination success rate, the foundations of Nether and Pagoda run too deep to be underestimated. Many of our people have already been assassinated by them, dying in the midst of missions.”

“Because of them, I have already lost quite a few young seeds.”

Bai Lian’er wore a long black dress, her features bewitching, her skin like ice and bones like snow, her face exceptionally fair and delicate, her skin lustrous and soul-captivating.

She stood before Gu Changge, a trace of vexation in her words.

As long as they could find where Nether and Pagoda were located, annihilating them would not be difficult—but the hard part was finding their headquarters.

Gu Changge set down his cup, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

After all, he was the true master behind the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion.

Since they were blocking his path, he naturally had to act and crush them.

“I’ve already sent people to investigate the location of their headquarters, but there is still not the slightest clue or lead.” Bai Lian’er was quite troubled by this as well.

Her strength was still far too lacking compared to the true Lord of Hell and the Lord of Pagoda.

So even if she found traces of them, it would be difficult to do anything. She could only report these matters to Gu Changge and let him figure out a solution.

“Nether and Pagoda being able to hide for so many years is not without reason, but I refuse to believe they can hide for a lifetime.”

Gu Changge shook his head, planning to have Xi Yin’s side keep a closer watch.

In addition, Ah Da and numerous True Daoist puppets had already been dispatched by him to begin working together with Bai Lian’er’s subordinates to probe for the contact points of these two forces.

Afterward, he sent people to fetch Bai Lian’er’s junior brother and her father Bai Kun, to have them divine the location of the Celestial Path.

Regarding news of the Celestial Path, Gu Changge still had no leads whatsoever—he could only try his luck blindly, like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse.

The Beyond was incomparably vast, its heavens boundless and endless, as if countless ancient worlds and star domains had been stacked and interwoven together.

Even those whose cultivation reached the heavens and pierced the earth could never hope to reach the far shore of the Beyond; even exhausting an entire lifetime, they could not cross this boundless territory.

Therefore, no one knew what lay in the deepest depths of the Beyond, or in its most remote edges.

For ordinary Cultivators, even spending their entire lives, they could hardly leave the star domain of their birth.

Were it not for the great Transportation Arrays built in ancient times between the major star domains...

The time required just to traverse between star domains alone would consume the lifetimes of many Cultivators.

At the same time, within the Ashen Immortal Star Domain, where the Immortal Dao Alliance was located—

An incomparably massive Ancient Battleship, its surface radiating light that soared to the heavens, Divine Chains of Order flowing across it, was crushing through the sky like a terrifying mountain, carrying numerous goods as it traversed the starry space.

This was a cargo ship of the Immortal Dao Alliance, bearing cultivation resources offered up during this period by the many dependent forces and orthodoxies.

As the absolute overlord of the Ashen Immortal Star Domain and even the surrounding star domains, the Immortal Dao Alliance’s heritage stretched across numerous epochs.

In ancient times, there was even an ancient being known as the Ashen Immortal who founded the Immortal Dao Alliance here, holding sway over all directions and ruling the Eight Wastelands.

This was a powerful force that had produced a True Immortal, its foundations unfathomably deep—even ordinary Immortal Orthodoxies were unwilling to provoke it lightly.

Moreover, the Immortal Dao Alliance’s roots were intertwined below, with many ancient clans and sects depending on it—pull one hair and the whole body moves.

And at this very moment, in the northwestern direction of this Ancient Battleship, there was a stretch of towers, palaces, and Buddhist pagodas, divine light gleaming brilliantly, magnificent and grand beyond compare.

A tall young man in blue robes was walking over, surrounded by a crowd of young male and female Cultivators.

His features were refined and clean, his gaze clear, with occasional threads of golden light flashing through his eyes and vanishing. Even his hair seemed draped in hazy radiance, his whole person exuding an aura of transcendent grace.

One with heaven and earth, in harmony with Natural Dao Principles, his state of mind serene—even his walking and breathing seemed to carry a certain special Dao rhythm.

Many of the older generation figures in the surroundings, upon seeing this blue-robed man, could not help but feel a chill in their hearts, their expressions shifting slightly as they stepped aside.

As the Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance, although the blue-robed Lan Yifei before them kept a low profile...

Within this Ashen Immortal Star Domain, there was no one who did not know of him.

He rarely made a move, but each time he did, it carried extraordinary significance.

Some time ago, someone had even seen him venture deep into an abandoned star domain and subdue a Quasi-Sacred Emperor Realm ferocious beast as a mount.

One must know that among the current younger generation, aside from Gu Changge, the strongest in cultivation were merely at the Sacred Lord Realm level.

And those were ancient freaks, possessing special bloodlines, sealed away since ancient times.

Among the contemporary prodigies, few could be found with Sacred Lord Realm strength.

Lan Yifei’s physique was extremely special and mysterious—almost no one knew of it.

They only understood that he seemed able to borrow the power of all things between heaven and earth, endlessly and inexhaustibly—one could say he stood in an invincible position from the very start.

Even when facing enemies he could not contend against, he could find ways to retreat unscathed.

It was said that this shipment of the Immortal Dao Alliance’s goods was being escorted under the Chosen One’s personal responsibility.

Who knew what exactly was in the cargo, that the sect would value it so highly.

On the Ancient Battleship, a Cultivator of the Immortal Dao Alliance watched Lan Yifei walk past with his many junior brothers and sisters, and could not help but speak in a low voice.

(Begging for flowers, 0)

The Ancient Battleship carried not only people of the Immortal Dao Alliance, but also other forces and orthodoxies, along with many others.

However, aside from the Immortal Dao Alliance’s people, no one else dared approach the area of the ship responsible for escorting the cargo—they could only speculate endlessly in their hearts.

“Thanks to Senior Brother Lan, otherwise we never would have discovered such a huge mining area this time—within it there was actually Mysterious Jade Immortal Marrow several million years old.”

“If we can successfully escort this batch of Mysterious Jade Immortal Marrow back to the sect, it will be a great merit for us all. We’ll definitely be commended by the Elders and the Sect Master.”

Lan Yifei’s group walked toward the depths of the Ancient Battleship.

The many junior brothers and sisters beside him heard the discussions of the crowd in the distance, and one of them could not help but speak with a smile, appearing extremely excited.

Hearing this, the others also trembled with excitement, admiration showing in their eyes.

After all, Mysterious Jade Immortal Marrow was an immortal treasure born only within Mysterious Jade—even a single drop could help a Cultivator cleanse their marrow and refine their bones, greatly increasing their cultivation.

Even many older-generation existences would come to blows over a single drop of Mysterious Jade Immortal Marrow.

“This great merit is not mine alone. Without the help of all my junior brothers and sisters, we would never have found where the Mysterious Jade Immortal Marrow lay.”

Lan Yifei shook his head gently with a smile, extremely humble. He looked utterly transcendent—even as he walked, there was an indescribable Dao rhythm about him, making it impossible to ignore his presence.

“Senior Brother is truly too modest. If you hadn’t held back the guardian beast of that mining area, how could we have ventured deep inside?”

“Without you, we would probably have long since perished in the mouth of that guardian beast.”

However, the crowd did not agree with Lan Yifei’s words at all—their speech was full of praise, along with some lingering fear.

Hearing this, Lan Yifei still shook his head gently, appearing quite indifferent, not taking the matter to heart.

Afterward, he parted ways with the group and headed toward the courtyard where he usually cultivated. This entire area was filled with towers and palaces, much like a small city.

Even as the Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance, his residence looked extremely plain and simple, with only a few slender bamboos as decoration.

“Who is it?”

However, the very instant Lan Yifei returned to his courtyard, his brows suddenly furrowed slightly, and then he asked without betraying any emotion.

At the same time, an inexplicable mana fluctuation rose from his body, and threads of heaven-and-earth rules surged forth, permeating every corner of the surroundings.

In just an instant, this place seemed to have endless runes interweaving, great swathes of order churning, the killing intent terrifying.

“As expected of the True Dao Source Physique—naturally in harmony with the Dao, one with heaven and earth, with astonishing perception. When you hunted me down back then, I was nearly killed by you.”

“Did you ever imagine that I would survive that great calamity?”

A calm, indifferent voice rang out, neither male nor female, making it impossible even to discern the direction it came from.

“It’s you—the Successor of Demonic Arts?”

Hearing this voice, Lan Yifei seemed somewhat surprised. He raised an eyebrow, then shook his head. “No, it’s you, but you are not the Successor of Demonic Arts. Who exactly is the true Successor of Demonic Arts? He wouldn’t be as weak as you.”

## 675: Hatred Born of Love, Su Qingge’s Scheme (Subscribe Please)

“Speak. Who exactly are you? Or are you merely a chess piece the true Successor of Demonic Arts uses to deceive the eyes and ears of others?”

“Even if you survived that calamity, you cannot possibly be my match now. You managed to escape back then—do you really think you’ll have such good luck again today?”

In the quiet courtyard, Lan Yifei stood with his hands clasped behind his back, speaking indifferently, his entire body seeming to surge with endless radiance.

He was incomparably confident. He did not turn around, but his face carried a calm smile, as if he had already concluded that the newcomer could not be his match.

As the possessor of the True Dao Source Physique—an extremely mysterious physique that had appeared only a handful of times in the Beyond since ancient times—

He indeed had the right to such confidence.

This physique was naturally in harmony with the Dao; even at birth, a Dao Source was born within the body, allowing one to draw upon the power of all things in heaven and earth.

As long as the divine soul endured, the mana would never run dry—truly inexhaustible, innately standing in an invincible position.

Even when facing opponents far stronger than himself, he had the means to protect himself and escape, never worrying about falling.

Previously, somehow or other, news of his possession of the True Dao Source Physique had accidentally leaked out.

Then, during one of his outings, he had encountered an assassination attempt by the Successor of Demonic Arts.

Originally, due to the many rumors, Lan Yifei was extremely wary of the Successor of Demonic Arts, understanding that his Source was exceedingly rare and precious.

If word got out, it would surely draw the covetousness of the Successor of Demonic Arts.

So during that encounter with the Successor of Demonic Arts’ attack, he had already prepared to fight to the death.

But—he never, ever expected that he had greatly overestimated the strength of the Successor of Demonic Arts who came to kill him.

The opponent’s cultivation was actually a whole level lower than his own.

Facing such an opponent, Lan Yifei still ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dared not be too careless—after all, a person’s reputation precedes them like a tree’s shadow.

Among the younger generation of the Beyond, who would not tremble when facing the Successor of Demonic Arts?

But in the battle that followed, he discovered that this so-called Successor of Demonic Arts was not as terrifying as the outside rumors made out.

The opponent’s methods were indeed tricky and bizarre, impossible to guard against, but they had not reached the level of being able to easily sweep through the younger generation.

After all, in Lan Yifei’s ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠view, the Successor of Demonic Arts was the only person who had escaped with his life from Gu Changge’s hands multiple times.

How could such a figure be simple? In the vast Beyond, who had the confidence to retreat unscathed from Gu Changge’s hands and keep their life?

Yet the Successor of Demonic Arts had done it.

Just thinking about it made one’s scalp tingle and hair stand on end.

However, he, holding such thoughts at the time, quickly discovered he was wrong again.

This Successor of Demonic Arts who dared to attack him seemed to finally realize the situation was wrong and began to retreat, intending to flee far away.

Lan Yifei understood that it was because he had been too low-key, never displaying powerful strength to the outside world, that the Successor of Demonic Arts had grown careless and underestimated him.

So he gave chase without hesitation, and what followed held no surprises.

After a round of fighting, this Successor of Demonic Arts who had stirred up storms across the heavens of the Beyond was no match for him, fleeing all the way and nearly being slain by him.

In the end, the opponent fled to the borders of the domain where Devil Mountain was located, and Lan Yifei, wary of the fearsome demoness in red whose vicious might resounded there, also stopped and let the matter drop.

Afterward, when Lan Yifei returned to the sect, the more he thought about it, the more something felt wrong. He felt that the Successor of Demonic Arts who had attacked him should have been a fake, or a substitute—not the true body.

If it had been the true Successor of Demonic Arts, he would probably have been killed long ago.

After all, before the true Successor of Demonic Arts, no matter what physique one had, all were prey.

Since ancient times, there had never been a case of so-called prey escaping the hands of the Hunters.

Although Lan Yifei was confident in his own strength, that did not mean he was blindly arrogant.

His low-profile cultivation over the years, never making a great name for himself in the outside world, was also for this reason.

Thinking it over carefully later, he increasingly felt that he had accidentally stumbled upon a heaven-shaking great secret.

He had never publicized this matter—not even telling the Elders or his shifu.

Until today, when that Successor of Demonic Arts he considered a fake actually appeared once more, intending to take revenge on him.

This made Lan Yifei find it quite laughable.

However, what he wanted to know more was whether the true Successor of Demonic Arts stood behind this person.

And who exactly was that true Successor of Demonic Arts?

“I may not be able to kill you this time, but I will take your Source.”

The cold, calm voice remained indistinguishable between male and female, revealing only a chilling killing intent that made one shiver involuntarily.

The courtyard was extremely quiet and serene, with a small bridge over babbling water, artificial mountains and pavilions arranged in artful disorder.

Were it not for the astonishing killing intent permeating the air, this place would have seemed exceptionally elegant.

His thoughts returning, Lan Yifei unhurriedly turned around, looking toward the source of the voice.

“Then you’re welcome to try. I’d very much like to know what progress you’ve made over these past few months.”

“However, what I want to know more is who exactly you are.” He spoke indifferently, appearing extremely composed and at ease.

This place had already been laid with an Inescapable Net by him, divine runes connecting heaven and earth, linking rules and order.

Even a fly could not hope to escape.

For the opponent to barge in so boldly and fearlessly like this truly struck him as laughable.

“Who I am is not important. What’s important is that today, you die.”

The voice in the shadows remained cold and waveless, seemingly devoid of the slightest emotion.

With those words, a terrifying black gale swept forth, carrying waves of Grand Runes, killing toward Lan Yifei ahead.

## 675: Hatred Born of Love, Su Qingge’s Scheme (Subscribe Please) 4/7

This was a world-shaking killing strike, containing a dreadful sound of the Great Dao, enough to shatter a Cultivator’s divine soul and annihilate all tangible things.

However, Lan Yifei seemed to have sensed this killing strike long in advance, raising an eyebrow.

Then, boundless radiance burst forth beneath his feet, condensing into a massive mountain of runes that blocked this world-shaking killing strike.

As the possessor of the True Dao Source Physique, naturally one with the Dao, standing beneath heaven and earth, he was the darling of this world—his mana inexhaustible, sufficient to suppress all things.

He could sense that the opponent’s strength had improved considerably compared to several months ago. Most likely, during the time spent recovering from injuries, the opponent had received guidance from some great figure.

But thinking of defeating him was still far too naive.

“You are not my match. Tell me who the true Successor of Demonic Arts is, and perhaps I can consider sparing you, leaving you your life.”

Lan Yifei said indifferently.

Su Qingge, who had remained hidden in the shadows without revealing herself, furrowed her delicate brows upon hearing this, feeling that matters were still quite thorny.

She had thought that after this period in Devil Mountain, having received guidance from Chan Hongyi—the demoness in red, the ancestral founder of the Demonic Arts lineage—her cultivation had deepened considerably, enough to come take Lan Yifei’s Source and exact her revenge.

But Lan Yifei’s strength was still formidable. It seemed she was not the only one...

who had been improving.

In the Beyond of today, practically every member of the younger generation was racking their brains for every possible method, all in hopes of catching up to that man’s footsteps.

“The true Successor of Demonic Arts... so even you think I’m a fake?”

Su Qingge spoke coldly. Thinking of how, all this time, she had been deceived by Gu Changge, manipulated in the palm of his hand without ever realizing it, a trace of viciousness and hatred could not help but surface in her eyes.

She understood that her hatred for Gu Changge was, to some extent, due to Chan Hongyi’s influence.

If Chan Hongyi had not told her, she feared that even today she would still be kept in the dark by Gu Changge, still believing that she herself was the true Successor of Demonic Arts.

While he was the leader of the righteous path, the current leading figure of the Beyond, his immortal radiance dazzling, blazing like the midday sun, his brilliance eclipsing all ages... The deeper her love had been back then, the deeper her hatred now ran after learning the truth.

After leaving Mount Wan, she had once considered finding Gu Changge and asking him about all of this.

But what Su Qingge feared even more was seeing the moment Gu Changge tore off his gentle, refined mask, revealing those cold, emotionless eyes.

Back then, it was he who had brought her up from the Overworld, letting her gradually come to understand this world.

It could even be said without exaggeration that without Gu Changge, there would be no her of today.

It was Gu Changge who had single-handedly shaped who she now was.

The person who had once given her boundless hope and warmth—after tearing away that layer of false mask, all that remained was endless coldness and cruelty.

“So it seems you only just realized that you’re a fake Successor of Demonic Arts. In other words, all this time, you’ve been taking the blame for this venerable one.”

Lan Yifei seemed to find this matter utterly hilarious, his eyes filled with undisguised mockery and ridicule.

A chill flashed through Su Qingge’s eyes. “Words are useless. Today I will take your Source.”

Seeing that Su Qingge, hidden in the shadows, was about to strike again, Lan Yifei’s expression also turned cold. “You don’t know what’s good for you. Do you really think that with this bit of strength, you can compare to the true Successor of Demonic Arts? You want to kill me? Just you?”

His words struck right at her sore spot. Su Qingge’s face grew even colder, her slender hands clenched tight, terrifying baleful aura coiling around her.

She understood that after fusing with her other soul, her state of mind was no longer as tranquil and serene as before.

In daily life, many things would trigger an unimaginably murderous, vicious intent within her heart.

“It seems you’re nothing but a pitiful chess piece too, and you don’t even know who the true Successor of Demonic Arts is.”

Lan Yifei shook his head, then let out a cold laugh.

Su Qingge’s expression sank. She found it hard to refute this. Although she now understood it was already too late, what Lan Yifei said was an indisputable fact.

In Gu Changge’s eyes, she was perhaps nothing more than such a chess piece.

“I know who he is.”

Su Qingge’s expression returned to calm indifference as she spoke again from the shadows.

“You know?”

Lan Yifei’s face froze, then, seemingly unable to believe it, he asked in a deep voice, “How am I supposed to trust you?”

Not just him—probably no one in the entire Beyond today didn’t want to know who the true Successor of Demonic Arts really was.

For a moment, an irrepressible excitement surged in his heart. Perhaps after witnessing Su Qingge’s methods, he now had a clearer understanding of his own strength.

Obscure and unknown for twenty years, then emerging to shake the world in a single day.

If this true Successor of Demonic Arts were exposed by his hand, then all his years of keeping a low profile and enduring in silence would no longer be necessary.

A sharp gleam flashed in Lan Yifei’s eyes, his emotions surging as countless thoughts raced through his mind at once.

“Of course I know. To me, he is my enemy.”

Su Qingge said indifferently, then stated her terms. “I know you want to know who he is too. So the two of us can actually make a deal. I’ll tell you everything you want to know, and you, in your capacity as the Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance, will collect physique Sources for me.”

Hearing this, Lan Yifei sneered, appearing quite disdainful. “You really are fearless. If I want to know these things, can’t I just kill you and use Soul Search? Why would I need to make a deal with you?”

He was no fool. Once the matter of collecting Sources was exposed, even the Immortal Dao Alliance wouldn’t be able to protect him.

“Since I dared to show myself here, I’m not worried that you can kill me.”

“If you don’t agree, then I’ll add another condition—I’ll impart to you the Immortal-Demonic Arts that I know.”

Su Qingge seemed unsurprised by Lan Yifei’s reaction. The corners of her mouth curled into a cold smile as she continued speaking indifferently.

Since Gu Changge used her as a chess piece, why couldn’t she learn from Gu Changge and use others as her own pieces?

Hearing these words, even someone with Lan Yifei’s composure suddenly fell silent, his brows furrowing tightly, clearly struggling.

True, all the various forces and orthodoxies of the Beyond loathed the Successor of Demonic Arts to the bone, wishing they could utterly annihilate him.

But if the Demonic Arts were to fall into their own hands, who could truly remain unmoved?

Su Qingge watched his expression, unsurprised, and said nothing.

The courtyard fell into dead silence for a time. After what seemed like a full incense stick’s worth of time, Lan Yifei’s expression finally recovered.

“Fine. I agree.”

He nodded. Deep in his eyes, something like wildfire burned and spread, then quickly settled back down into calm confidence.

Seeing him like this, Su Qingge sneered inwardly, though her face showed no change.

Even if Lan Yifei learned that Gu Changge was the true Successor of Demonic Arts, what could he do about it?

Would he dare to confront him, or investigate and pursue the matter?

The outcome would be nothing more than cultivating the Demonic Arts, drawing Gu Changge’s attention, and then becoming the new scapegoat.

Su Qingge was not the least bit surprised that Lan Yifei would agree to her terms.

Faced with the Taboo Demonic Arts, even those ancient beings would burn with greed; it was impossible to remain indifferent.

Lan Yifei was, after all, only of the younger generation. No matter how calm and confident he appeared, he could not conceal the ambition in his heart.

The terror of the Taboo Demonic Arts was enough to make the entire Beyond wary of it—how could he possibly resist?

“This is the first half of the Taboo Demonic Arts. I can pass it to you first.”

“The latter half, I will naturally hand over to you when the time is ripe. On this point, you can rest assured.”

Su Qingge spoke indifferently. With a light wave of her slender hand, a hazy black light, like a seed, drifted toward him.

At the sight, a sharp gleam flashed through Lan Yifei’s eyes. He did not fully trust her in his heart, and only after carefully examining the seed did he nod.

He worried that Su Qingge had tampered with this black seed in some way.

However, it seemed Su Qingge was quite sincere about this and had not intended to harm him, so he relaxed slightly.

Closing his eyes and absorbing the black seed, Lan Yifei’s whole body shook. He suddenly felt as if a great enlightenment had dawned on him, as though he had pushed open the door to an entirely new world, leaving his heart surging with excitement.

“Then who exactly is the true Successor of Demonic Arts?” Still, he had not forgotten this matter and asked again.

The true Successor of Demonic Arts—that was his real goal.

Lan Yifei even had a feeling that perhaps even Su Qingge herself did not possess the complete Taboo Demonic Arts.

Hearing this, Su Qingge glanced at Lan Yifei, seemingly quite disdainful, and said indifferently, “Your patience is lacking. As for the identity of the Successor of Demonic Arts, I will tell you sooner or later.”

Hearing this, Lan Yifei did not press further. After all, he too needed to show his own sincerity.

“Fine. Since you want Sources, I do happen to know of a place where you can devour them.”

“Due east of the Azure Immortal Sky Domain lies the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds. Practically every day, prodigies from various worlds come there to slaughter one another. You might be able to enter it.”

Lan Yifei’s gaze shifted slightly as he spoke. From his robes he produced an ancient token bearing the two characters “Dao Xian” and handed it to Su Qingge.

The Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was a general term; in truth, the worlds involved were countless, far more than a hundred.

Some of those worlds were subordinate Overworlds of the various orthodoxies of the Beyond, their domains equally vast and boundless, having given birth to numerous prodigies and even supreme figures.

And the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was precisely such a place, dedicated to letting the prodigies of various worlds slaughter one another, fighting for the qualification to join the orthodox forces of the Beyond.

If one could stand out in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, not only would one be valued by the orthodox forces of the Beyond and taken directly into their ranks,

one could also bring glory to the sect or clan behind them—a carp leaping over the dragon gate, ascending to the heavens in a single bound.

So even though the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was incomparably brutal, with countless prodigies dying within it—truly beyond number—

every single day, cultivators from the Overworld still passed through the cross-realm Transportation Arrays to go there, to slaughter and temper themselves.

Moreover, the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds held numerous fortuitous opportunities: stone steles left by supreme experts of ancient eras, as well as lost divine scriptures, imperial texts, and immortal arts.

Even among the successors of the various immortal orthodoxies of the Beyond, quite a few had once fallen within the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, unable to match some of the terrifying monsters within.

After all, every so often, those Overworlds would give birth to unimaginable monsters, carrying the Fortuity of an entire world, sweeping forward like a broken bamboo, unstoppable by anyone.

“Anyone else who wants to enter the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds must undergo inspection at the All-Encompassing Border City. But this is my identity token. You can enter with it, and no one will probe into your origins.”

Seeing that Su Qingge seemed somewhat puzzled, Lan Yifei smiled faintly and explained.

He was no fool; he would not directly gather prodigy Sources for Su Qingge himself. After all, doing so would always leave traces, which would be disadvantageous to him.

Su Qingge pondered briefly, then agreed, accepting the token before her figure swiftly vanished from the place.

She knew this token definitely contained a divine sense imprint left by Lan Yifei, which could track her movements.

So after leaving the courtyard, she wrapped the token in magic power and sealed it inside her storage ring.

The Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was extremely far from here. Even crossing through the various Transportation Arrays, she would need nearly a month’s time.

She wanted to step across the threshold of the Sacred Lord Realm before the next time she saw Gu Changge. At least then she would have the qualification to stand before him and demand answers about everything over the years.

Half a year from now, he would wed his fiancée, Yue Mingkong.

Su Qingge took a deep breath, calming her heart.

She had actually caught wind of some rumors: the progenitor of the Demonic Arts lineage, the demoness in red Chan Hongyi, might make a move at that grand wedding.

Whether she would go to wreck it or to attend the ceremony, she did not know.

In the courtyard, sensing Su Qingge’s actions, Lan Yifei was not surprised, but he had no time to dwell on such matters.

Right now he only wanted to properly study that half of the Taboo Demonic Arts. Everything else could be set aside for now.

That black seed contained an extremely mysterious cultivation art, the scope of which even somewhat overturned his imagination and understanding.

But Lan Yifei felt that as long as he studied it thoroughly, it would surely greatly increase his strength, letting him sweep aside the many overlords of the younger generation.

Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion.

Gu Changge had Bai Lian’er’s father, Bai Kun, and his disciple Bai Hua deduce the location of the Celestial Path.

The result did not exceed his expectations.

Both of them suffered considerable backlash, especially Bai Kun, who was already blind and now nearly perished.

Had Gu Changge not intervened at the critical moment, blurring this patch of heavenly secrets for him and severing the Dao injury, he would absolutely have died miserably on the spot.

As for Bai Hua, because he bore the Heaven’s Physique, the backlash he suffered was considerably less.

However, the clues they deduced were also extremely vague—only that the Celestial Path was connected to a certain tree.

As for what tree that was, he did not know. He directly spat blood and passed out, and when he finally awoke, seven days had already passed.

Gu Changge guessed that the tree might be the Tree of Epoch. When the Epoch Dao Fruit ripened and the rules of heaven and earth fully converged, only then would the Celestial Path appear.

As for where the Celestial Path would appear, that was yet another unknown.

“The matter of the Celestial Path can be set aside for now. But Nether and Pagoda must be dealt with first.” Gu Changge turned his thoughts to another matter. Before leaving the Beyond, he had to annihilate these two forces, or they would affect his subsequent plans.

Finally, he thought of Bai Hua again. As the bearer of the Heaven’s Physique, he inherently possessed the ability to spy upon heavenly secrets.

If it could be combined with his Hongmeng Purple Mirror, perhaps something could be deduced, allowing him to find the hiding places of Nether and Pagoda.

The Hongmeng Purple Mirror was, after all, an immortal treasure with the power of deduction. Back then, it was precisely because Bai Kun coveted this treasure that he invited his own calamity of death.

Gu Changge felt that the Heaven’s Physique combined with this treasure might produce unexpected results.

“Pagoda, Nether—I refuse to believe you can keep hiding.”

Gu Changge shook his head and sent someone to summon Bai Hua.

Soon, Bai Hua, freshly recovered from his heavy injuries, was brought before Gu Changge under Bai Lian’er’s escort.

Compared to before, Bai Hua still wore the same fearful expression toward Gu Changge. His features were delicate, his build average, his skin an abnormal pallor.

Because of deducing the location of the Celestial Path, he and Bai Kun had suffered heavy injuries, though compared to Bai Kun, his injuries could be considered negligible.

“Young Master Changge, you were looking for me?”

Bai Hua stood before Gu Changge, his voice trembling slightly. He still could not forget being imprisoned by Gu Changge some time ago.

Moreover, just seven days ago, Gu Changge had sought out his master to help deduce the Celestial Path.

One must know that in the art of divination and deduction, the greatest taboo was deducing matters related to the Heavenly Path and the word “immortal,” for doing so would invite misfortune and backlash.

The reason his master Bai Kun’s eyes had gone blind was precisely because he had glimpsed things he should not have seen.

“Of the Great Dao’s fifty, Heaven derives forty-nine, and man escapes with the one.”

And what they often glimpsed was precisely that escaped “one.”

This “one” often contained unimaginably unfathomable strangeness and great peril.

So when Bai Kun deduced the Celestial Path, he was nearly struck dead by that bolt of “one” lightning.

“I want you to help me deduce one more thing.” Gu Changge glanced at Bai Hua and said casually.

He could tell that Bai Hua’s condition had already fully recovered. The reason he put on this pale, weak appearance was nothing more than an act for his benefit.

Hearing this, Bai Hua’s face showed some fear and dread, but mostly unease.

After all, if even Gu Changge did not know something and needed him to deduce it, one could imagine what sort of matter it must be.

With the slightest carelessness, the outcome would absolutely be being smashed to pieces, body and Dao perishing together, form and spirit both annihilated.

“You needn’t worry. This matter is not as dangerous as deducing the Celestial Path. Moreover, I will bring out a Supreme Treasure to assist you.”

Gu Changge saw through Bai Hua’s worries and smiled faintly.

Off to the side, Bai Lian’er stood with arms crossed, watching coldly, wanting to know Gu Changge’s purpose in summoning Bai Hua.

And the moment Gu Changge finished speaking, hazy radiance spread from within his sleeves, followed by astonishing purple light interweaving.

It was as if a vast starry domain was transforming within, with scenes of Hongmeng flowing, chaos first opening, and the primordial beginning transforming into the profound.

This aura made Bai Hua’s expression change. His eyes widened in disbelief, and he could not help crying out, “This is... the immortal treasure my master deduced back then!”

How could he forget? Back then, when his master Bai Kun was still the mastermind behind Bandit Thirteen of the Chaotic Star Territory—

if not for having deduced this object and giving in to greed, how would Bandit Thirteen have later been annihilated by Gu Changge?

Dazzling purple light spread out, like an ancient divine stone bobbing up and down, wreathed in dense purple Hongmeng qi.

It was a majestic aura as heavy as the heavens themselves, abundant and vast, dazzling and eye-catching, making it impossible to look away.

“What astonishing profound intent.”

It was also Bai Lian’er’s first time seeing this object, and she could not help but exclaim.

With her current discernment, she could naturally tell this object was extraordinary, with traces of the Dao gathering and interweaving upon it.

“Young Master Changge, you mean... you want me to use this object to perform the deduction?”

Bai Hua swallowed hard, his gaze equally unable to tear away from the Hongmeng Purple Mirror, his voice carrying trembling disbelief.

He dared not harbor any greed. In this world, entertaining thoughts about Gu Changge’s possessions—was that not courting death?

“I believe you should be able to do it.” Gu Changge nodded slightly.

Bai Hua took a deep breath, striving to calm his state of mind, and immediately guaranteed, “Young Master Changge, rest assured. As long as I have this object, no matter the matter, I dare to divine and deduce it.”

Faced with such a Supreme Treasure, especially one related to the lineage of deduction, how could he not be moved?

Moreover, if he could make use of this treasure, it would greatly benefit his cultivation of the Dao.

Afterward, Bai Lian’er gave orders to specially clear out an area for Bai Hua, and all the cultivators and living beings among the surrounding mountain peaks were sent away.

The Purple Scripture hovered in the air, letting down strands of purple qi like a bright mirror, capable of reflecting all the heavens and myriad worlds.

Bai Hua made all his preparations, stood beneath it with a solemn expression, pressed his palms together, and chanted incantations under his breath.

Ancient characters, as if possessing some strange power, radiated brilliant light and manifested all around his body.

In an instant, the heavenly secrets of this place seemed to blur, suddenly becoming murky and unclear, as tribulation clouds swept in from afar, thick and majestic.

Terrifying lightning interwove, and even ancient palaces and towers were reflected within—unimaginable, as if they could come crashing down at any moment.

Even with Bai Lian’er’s current cultivation, she felt waves of heart palpitations and unease.

“The places where Pagoda and Nether hide themselves... are they truly this difficult to divine?”

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. She had already learned what Gu Changge wanted Bai Hua to divine.

This was also the problem that had troubled her all this time.

If Bai Hua could truly resolve this trouble, it would spare her a great deal of worry.

However, Nether and Pagoda had hidden themselves for countless years, and none of the great forces or Dao traditions could find their whereabouts.

Could Bai Hua really succeed?

Looking at Gu Changge on the other side, his expression calm as if he stood apart from the world, Bai Lian’er gently shook her head and set the thought aside.

The next moment, as several brilliant purple rays burst forth from the Purple Scripture, dense power of causality emerged, transforming into thousands of silvery threads that extended into the void.

A terrifying bolt of heavenly thunder pierced through the sky, thick as a mountain ridge, and came crashing down, heading straight for Bai Hua below.

Bai Hua’s expression shifted slightly, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He was at the critical moment of his divination and simply had no time to dodge the bolt.

But at that moment, a strange fluctuation suddenly emerged from his body, as if instantly erasing his aura from this world.

The thunderbolt that had been about to strike him dissolved like smoke, dissipating into thin air.

As if it had never existed at all.

“So this is the wonder of the Heaven’s Physique—it can obscure the heavenly secrets.”

Noticing this scene, Gu Changge nodded with sudden understanding.

“I... I saw it!”

At that moment, Bai Hua shouted excitedly. His eyes had turned completely white, blood streaming down from them—a horrifying sight.

Yet he seemed not to feel it at all, his eyes wide open and unblinking, as if he had witnessed something astonishing.

After saying this, Bai Hua let out a muffled groan, his whole body trembling, then vomited blood and white foam before passing out cold.

“It seems there’s news of Nether and Pagoda.”

Seeing this, Gu Changge revealed a smile.

The Battlefield of Hundred Worlds lay directly east of the Ashen Immortal Star Domain, vast beyond measure, filled with countless mountain ranges and ancient stars—a primordial wilderness.

Numerous terrifying ferocious beasts let out heaven-shaking roars, causing distant stars to tremble as if about to fall.

Looking down from high above, one could see boundless mist and endless baleful qi blowing in from afar, blotting out the sky. In some places, ghastly white bones were visible—some human, some from other races—impossible to distinguish.

Here, fortune and danger coexisted. There were Transcendent techniques left behind by ancient sages, as well as stone steles and stone forests carved by Sacred Realm and Sacred Emperor Realm beings, recording the insights from their cultivation.

Some cultivators had even found Imperial Scriptures passed down by Emperor Realm existences here.

However, to enter the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, one had to pass through the All-Encompassing Border City and obtain permission from the patrol guards. Only after being cleared could one step inside.

The Battlefield of Hundred Worlds gathered the elites of countless Lower Realms—it could be said to be the best place for the various Dao traditions and forces of the Beyond to absorb fresh blood.

Some successors of great sects also came here to find followers or servants.

But chaos and slaughter would forever be the primary colors of the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds.

This place was less a battlefield and more a breeding ground the Beyond used to raise venomous gu.

The Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was divided into six great regions, each containing many cities, but they were all hostile to one another.

Rumor had it that the rulers of the six regions had decreed mutual enmity—peaceful coexistence was forbidden.

Therefore, any cultivator arriving from outside, without powerful backing, had to join one of the six regions and prepare to make enemies of the other five.

This was even more true for the cultivators and beings who came through the Transportation Arrays from the Lower Realms—they had no choice at all.

If they refused to join any region, they could only wander the outskirts or be killed by cultivators within the six regions.

Every hundred years, the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds held a grand competition, selecting young prodigies from the various Lower Realms.

The top-ranked prodigies and forces would receive extremely generous rewards.

So even knowing the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was a place of no return, the Lower Realms tirelessly cultivated young seeds to send here to fight and struggle.

At the gate of the Border City on the eastern edge of the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, many cultivators and beings had now gathered, waiting for the patrol guards at the gate to inspect them before being allowed through.

The aura of these beings was clearly different from the native creatures of the Beyond. Their faces bore shock and disbelief as they stood there, extremely restless and unable to remain calm.

Around them followed elders and teachers, but their expressions were not much better, as if they too were seeing such a sight for the first time. In this vast and boundless universe, a magnificent giant city stood before them, grand beyond imagination, with dragon roars and phoenix cries echoing forth, stretching across the stars and moon, eternal and indestructible through the ages.

Everyone gazed at this ancient city from afar. It possessed a vast, primordial grandeur, flowing with immortal power, able to endure alongside the world itself.

“So this is the first city one must enter for the Hundred Worlds War?”

Many young beings revealed astonished expressions, murmuring to themselves.

It was magnificent and mysterious—not situated on any planet, but suspended directly in the cosmic starry sky, bathed in endless starlight, a tremendous visual impact.

It covered an enormous area, its walls like mountain ranges stretching endlessly, its towers tall and grand, as if standing at the very edge of heaven and earth.

The thick, heavy gates stood closed, as if they could hold back armies of thousands and all the tribulations since ancient times.

“These beings all came from the Lower Realms? They really do look lowly.”

“Their cultivation is so weak. Once they enter the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, they’ll just be marching to their deaths.”

“After all, they’re from the Lower Realms. This is probably their first time in the Beyond.”

In other directions, many cultivators and beings of the Beyond looked at this group arriving from the Lower Realms, all shaking their heads slightly, their gazes condescending and detached, filled with disdain.

The cost of a Transportation Array crossing from the Lower Realms to the Beyond was terrifyingly high, so only a tiny number could be brought each time. Even for those sects and forces, it was a grievous drain requiring a long time to recover from.

Moreover, after arriving in the Beyond, they still carried the aura of the Lower Realms, which greatly hindered their cultivation—it would take a long time to cleanse.

Unless the great forces and Dao traditions intervened to help them. 678 The Chosen One’s Decree and the Realm’s Fortuity, the power in the shadows—please subscribe.

The All-Encompassing Border City stood at the edge of heaven and earth, incomparably towering, as if it could prop up this universe.

The place was bustling beyond measure, a boiling sea of noise, with tens of thousands of cultivators gathered.

Some came from the various domains of the Beyond; others were young seeds following their sects through the cross-realm Transportation Arrays, arriving in the Beyond for the first time.

The two groups clustered separately, not mixing, as if a clear line divided them, neither interfering with the other.

The Beyond cultivators were mostly arrogant and aloof, looking down on these prodigies from the Lower Realms, not believing them worthy of standing beside them.

The people from the Lower Realms understood this in their hearts but dared not show any displeasure.

The younger generation especially clenched their fists in humiliation, desperately suppressing the emotions in their hearts.

In the Lower Realms, they had all been the finest of their generation, capable of sweeping their peers invincible, unmatched within their sects.

But upon arriving in the Beyond, their radiance dimmed, and they became lost in the crowd.

Any random young prodigy around them had a more terrifying aura than theirs.

This frustrated them deeply, their Dao Hearts wavering.

Still, some quickly recovered, telling themselves inwardly that they were no worse than the prodigies of the Beyond.

It was only a difference of birth. As long as they achieved good results in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, they could naturally join the immortal Dao traditions, obtain longevity techniques, and roam the world unchallenged.

“We are no weaker than anyone else.”

They said this to themselves in their hearts.

“Elder, is our goal this time to obtain the Life Changing Decree, or to seize the Realm’s Fortuity within the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds?”

Meanwhile, among the crowd from the Lower Realms,

a handsome youth in green robes was asking an elderly man with an aged face and long white beard beside him.

The youth looked only fifteen or sixteen, of medium build, but possessed a temperament that was hard to ignore.

With fine features and an extraordinary bearing, the way his eyes moved gave one the impression of firmness and great potential.

Though his strength fell short of the prodigies of the Beyond’s various races, among the Lower Realm prodigies he stood out conspicuously, a cut above the rest.

The many young men and women traveling with him looked at him with unusual gazes, seemingly somewhat wary.

The Third Elder the youth addressed frowned at his words, seemingly rather apprehensive.

He glanced left and right before saying in a low voice, “Don’t mention this matter for now. Until we enter the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, do not speak of the Realm’s Fortuity.”

The youth frowned, somewhat puzzled, but didn’t press further, only habitually touching his nose.

“Lu Ming, my father instructed us on this matter. We’d best not let word leak out.”

At that moment, a breathtakingly beautiful young woman in a long red dress, with snow-white delicate skin and a slender, graceful figure, seemed to overhear and walked over, her red lips parting slightly as she spoke softly.

“The Sect Master said so.”

The youth named Lu Ming was taken aback, but he didn’t doubt the girl’s words.

After all, the beautiful girl before him was the daughter of the Sect Master of the Mysterious Rainbow Sect, the sect he belonged to.

In terms of status, in the world they came from, she was nobility beyond compare.

The world behind them was called the Blue Flood Ancient World, which had four overlord-level forces and sects.

The Mysterious Rainbow Sect was one of them.

Including him, the young disciples the Mysterious Rainbow Sect sent to the Beyond this time numbered fewer than ten, but all were the finest of their generation in that world.

The girl Xue Yan was fairly close to him, so she was unlikely to speak carelessly at a time like this.

“The Hundred Worlds War isn’t just about competing for the Life Changing Decree—it seems we must also fight over the Realm’s Fortuity.”

The youth Lu Ming murmured inwardly, his gaze turning toward that towering, ancient, terrifying Divine City with complicated emotions.

The Life Changing Decree was a reward obtained by achieving a ranking in the Hundred Worlds War. With it, they could join the Dao traditions and sects of the Beyond.

As for the Realm’s Fortuity, it concerned the evolution and development, the rise and decline, of the world they came from.

Not just their world—every other world would fight for it by any means necessary, sparing no cost.

The Realm’s Fortuity was controlled by the immortal Dao traditions and Longevity Families of the Beyond.

If they didn’t want the world behind them to collapse, they had to find a way to seize the Realm’s Fortuity to maintain stability for the coming millions of years.

This gu-breeding-like method was also meant to make the Lower Realms devour one another, in hopes of selecting the strongest gu king.

“The prodigies the Blue Flood Ancient World sent this time don’t look like much. Not a single one seems capable of fighting.”

“Perfect—we can settle our old grudges with them during this Hundred Worlds War.”

In another direction, many young prodigies from another ancient world had fixed their eyes on this side.

The ancient worlds were not on good terms with one another, and because of the Hundred Worlds War especially, they regarded each other as mortal enemies, irreconcilable as fire and water, wishing they could annihilate each other right here.

Of course, this situation wasn’t directed solely at the Blue Flood Ancient World.

Once the prodigies of all ancient worlds entered the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, their lives and deaths were no longer their own.

Unless a Dao tradition of the Beyond took a liking to them and accepted them early, they would all face endless slaughter.

“Everyone who wants to enter the city, come over here! Whether you’re from the Lower Realms or anywhere else, get over here and obediently submit to inspection!”

At that moment, the patrol guards at the Border City gate suddenly looked over and spoke.

Their voices were extremely cold, containing a certain Dao rhythm that made everyone’s blood and qi churn.

Those with weaker cultivation nearly lost their footing and almost fell to the ground.

These patrol guards all wore Dark Iron Battle Armor, their figures tall and burly, riding ferocious beast mounts, wielding heavenly blades and Heavenly Daggers, their killing aura soaring to the heavens, their strength unfathomable.

Even some Sacred Realm cultivators dared not say much, not daring to offend these patrol guards, only obediently following the rules of this place.

“These people are terrifying. Even the elders of our sect probably aren’t their match—they’d be cut down with a single slash.”

“I feel like a single glance from them could shatter our souls.”

Many Lower Realm prodigies turned pale. It was their first time in the Beyond and their first time encountering such terrifying patrol guards.

They felt their very souls trembling, fear rising from the depths of their hearts.

“Someday, I hope we can be as powerful as them.”

Lu Ming, Xue Yan, and the others from the Blue Flood Ancient World likewise dared not say much, only honestly following behind the crowd, waiting for the patrol guards at the gate to inspect and question them about their origins.

Never mind the Lower Realm cultivators—at this moment, even many from the Beyond had to do the same, terrified of offending these patrol guards.

Because these patrol guards represented the rules of the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, and behind them stood the support of various immortal forces—who would dare underestimate them?

At that moment, a commotion suddenly arose among the patrol guards conducting inspections on the other side, seemingly quite shocked.

A patrol guard riding an enormous heavenly wolf stood before a figure wearing a bamboo hat, face covered by a black cloth.

Seeing the token the figure presented, he seemed momentarily ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unsure how to handle it.

“Since he holds a Chosen One’s Decree, there’s no need for inspection. Let him through.”

Hearing the commotion, a tall man who looked like a commander among the patrol guards walked over.

He glanced at the token to verify its authenticity, then said indifferently.

The Battlefield of Hundred Worlds had existed to this day with the shadows of many forces and Dao traditions behind it.

Since the other party came bearing a Chosen One’s Decree, it surely meant they acted on some Chosen One’s orders, so they naturally wouldn’t ask questions.

This scene left everyone before the Border City utterly astonished.

Only a few understood what a Chosen One’s Decree meant, their gazes somewhat envious, but they dared not say anything.

Apart from the successors of the great sects, everyone else entering the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was basically a rogue cultivator without sect or school, hoping to try their luck inside.

Something like a Chosen One’s Decree existed only in the hands of the great sects’ successors—ordinary people could never come into contact with one.

“That person must be some great figure—to enter without even being inspected.”

“A Chosen One’s Decree... what is that?”

Lu Ming, Xue Yan, and the others noticed this scene and were equally astonished, speculating about the identity of that black-clad figure.

It was their first time in the Beyond, and nearly everything filled them with wonder.

But they also understood that a figure like that was probably not of the same world as them.

Roar—

Just as all the cultivators before the Border City were shocked by the Chosen One’s Decree and speculating about the black-clad figure’s identity,

deep in the distant sky, beneath the cosmos, the stars trembled, and a heaven-shaking dragon’s roar suddenly rang out, incomparably clear and piercing, nearly rupturing everyone’s eardrums.

Azure Dragons like mountain ranges stretched across the sky, crushing past the stars, making the surrounding heaven and earth tremble.

And the terrifying pressure was like ancient ferocious beasts reviving, their might world-shaking, about to sweep across the land and shatter the void.

These Azure Dragons each had cultivation at the Sacred Lord Realm, their bodies alone like thick mountain ranges.

Behind them, they pulled a resplendent carriage of gold and jade, radiant with immortal light, sweeping across the sky unbridled and unrestrained, crossing over the walls of the Border City and descending toward its depths.

“Azure Dragons pulling a carriage... could it be that one?”

“Why would that one come to the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds? Besides him, no one in the Beyond would dare put on such a grand display.”

At this moment, nearly all the cultivators and beings couldn’t help but feel their legs go weak, about to kneel down,

bowing in worship toward those colossal creatures.

Even Sacred Realm cultivators felt dread rise within them, their expressions changing drastically.

They knew how terrifying those Azure Dragons were, but what was even more terrifying was the identity of the person seated within that forbidden carriage.

To actually have such dreadful fierce beasts pulling his carriage—just who was inside that golden carriage?

It was too horrifying.

All the living beings of the Overworld felt the humbling emotion of being mere ants; their faces turned pale, and shadows of dread filled their hearts.

Just one of the fierce beasts pulling the carriage, in their eyes, would be enough to slaughter every single person here.

If it appeared in the worlds they originally came from, it would absolutely bring catastrophic destruction.

And yet now, it had actually been reduced to a mere tool for pulling a carriage.

For a time, their hearts were filled with trepidation and horror—unimaginable, inconceivable.

Judging from the expressions of these people, they should know who was inside.

To barge into the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds so brazenly, yet these patrol guards pretended to know nothing about it, and even seemed quite fearful of it.

Lu Ming, Xue Yan, and the others also felt their scalps tingle. They had only just arrived in the Beyond on their first day, and already they were witnessing such a terrifying scene.

A shadow of fear hung over everyone’s hearts. They could not forget that these patrol guards had not acted this way before.

In front of the World-Suppressing City, flight was forbidden. No matter who it was, anyone who dared break the rules would be making an enemy of the entire Battlefield of Hundred Worlds.

Yet the other party had barged in so brazenly before everyone’s eyes, utterly unscrupulous.

These patrol guards simply did not dare ask too much or interfere—they even pretended not to know.

This made the crowd of Overworld cultivators and beings feel their mouths go dry; for the first time, they understood what true might and dominance really meant.

Perhaps in the eyes of such a figure, they and the ancient worlds behind them were truly no different from nothing at all.

Why?

Why would he come to the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds? Could it be he caught wind of something? No, that shouldn’t be...

A black-clad figure wearing a bamboo hat, her face veiled in black cloth, now seemed to stand frozen in place just like everyone else.

The jade hands beneath her sleeves clenched involuntarily. She never expected that after rushing to the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, she would actually run into Gu Changge here.

In the vast Beyond, there was probably no one else like Changge, who traveled about with Azure Dragons pulling his carriage.

So now, whenever anyone saw Azure Dragons pulling a carriage across the sky, almost every cultivator and living being would immediately connect it to him.

Moreover, Su Qingge had, after all, spent a considerable amount of time with Gu Changge.

Even separated by such a great distance, she could be certain that the person seated within was absolutely Gu Changge.

It was just that Su Qingge couldn’t figure it out—with the wedding date fast approaching, why would Gu Changge appear at the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds...

Outside the World-Suppressing City, the passage of the Azure Dragon-drawn carriage caused a massive uproar, and the various persons in charge within the city also received the news at once, greatly shocked.

The Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was divided into six great districts, clearly demarcated, mutually hostile, fighting to the death.

But that did not mean the masters behind these ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠six districts were enemies.

On the contrary, in secret they frequently communicated, and their relations were rather close.

Gu Changge had suddenly appeared here—what exactly was his purpose?

In an underground palace where the light was extremely dim, an emaciated old man dressed in black robes, his face somewhat sinister, was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself.

The underground palace was piled with heaps of white bones; even the steps were built from crystalline skulls, flowing with a hazy radiance.

All around the palace, many black shadows knelt prostrate, an indescribable killing intent interweaving and spreading.

“Someone, go notify the other nine Palace Lords. Tell them to stay alert and not let any word leak out.”

“I keep feeling that the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion is inextricably linked to Gu Changge. Otherwise, why would they repeatedly obtain so much information and ruin so many of our plans?”

The emaciated old man’s gaze was cold and sinister as he waved his large hand, instructing the many figures hidden in the darkness.

Because of Gu Changge’s appearance, undercurrents began surging throughout the entire Battlefield of Hundred Worlds.

Regarding this matter, the masters behind the six districts all frowned in silence, each speculating about Changge’s purpose in coming.

In their view, with Changge’s current might and status, he had practically already stood at the very peak of the Beyond, with no one able to compare.

Could there be something in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds that Changge wanted? Something that would actually make him appear here in person?

Selecting suitable followers? Or techniques and divine abilities? Or perhaps some divine treasure of heaven and earth?

On the surface, the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds had six great masters who seemed to control everything.

In truth, even they were working on behalf of others.

The ones truly controlling the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds were several immortal orthodoxies, with foundations of unfathomable depth, and the domains involved were vast beyond measure.

There were some matters they dared not inquire too deeply into, fearing they would invite a fatal disaster.

“They say Young Master Changge has personally come to the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds. Do you think he might be here to select followers?”

“That sounds unlikely. After all, for Young Master Changge, he only needs to say one word, and probably every prodigy in the entire Beyond would move at his call. Why would he come here to select followers?”

“In my opinion, he’s probably looking for some person or some thing.”

The cultivators and beings in every ancient city had already received the news and rumors, and were discussing it everywhere.

In the streets and alleys, and even in the pavilions and palaces, voices of discussion were everywhere.

After all, in the current Beyond, no one’s limelight could surpass Gu Changge’s.

Even the True Daoist ancestors of the various clans had to bow their heads before him; ordinary cultivators probably couldn’t even stand steadily in his presence.

His every move naturally stirred up countless winds and clouds.

Meanwhile, in the east of the six districts, within Vermilion Bird Hall,

inside an extremely magnificent palace.

“Reporting to you, Young Master, the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds is divided into six districts, named Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, Nether Luo, and Heavenly...”

“Each hall has a total of one hundred and eight cities, all hostile to one another, attacking each other, fighting over resources, wealth, and women. A great war breaks out practically every month.”

“Slaughter and chaos have always been the principles upheld by the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds. If anyone fails to follow this rule, they will be executed by the patrol guards of the various cities.”

“Once, a figure named Dugu Huo emerged in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, who nearly broke the rules of the Battlefield single-handedly. But in the end, he was still besieged and killed by the combined experts of the various halls.”

“For all these years, this place has been quite stable. Those cultivators who come from the Overworld dare not violate the rules here even more; they can only honestly fight and kill, becoming fresh blood for the various halls.”

An extremely portly middle-aged man, wearing a fawning, ingratiating smile, stood before Gu Changge and reported respectfully.

He was the branch manager of the Alliance of Thousand Merchants in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, responsible for the transactions here, and his cultivation was at the Sacred King Realm.

In the eyes of outsiders, he was extremely mysterious and rarely showed himself, merely arranging various matters from behind the scenes, keeping everything in perfect order.

Even the great figures of the various halls found it difficult to request an audience with him. After all, he controlled a merchant network, and the power behind him was extremely terrifying.

Not to mention, for the entire Beyond, the Alliance of Thousand Merchants stretched across all directions, connecting the heavens, its influence immense—even immortal forces dared not casually make an enemy of it.

Beside the portly man stood a charming young girl, wearing a soft yellow long dress, her skin delicate and fair, her eyes large, her hair like clouds, exuding a hint of clever mischief.

She wore an extremely curious expression, standing on tiptoe, gazing at Gu Changge, who had his back to them inside the palace, sipping tea—her eyes filled with unconcealed admiration.

“So this is a fine place for raising gu. I actually never thought of this place before.”

Hearing this, Gu Changge set down the teacup in his hand and sighed softly, seemingly with some regret.

The reason he had rushed to the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds was naturally because the scenes Bai Hua had deduced with the Hongmeng Purple Mirror showed that clues about Pagoda and Nether were here.

After arriving, he sent people to investigate briefly, and sure enough, it was so.

Absorbing fresh blood could naturally replenish assassin seeds in an endless stream—this was the very foundation upon which Nether and Pagoda stood.

To cultivate killing intent from a young age, they even ordered the halls to be enemies, slaughtering each other day after day. What a fine method indeed.

Changge shook his head, his words seemingly rather sighing with emotion.

Although he understood the origins of the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds’ existence, destroying Nether and Pagoda so simply was still not very possible.

Moreover, if he directly exposed his intentions, it would only startle the snake in the grass.

He planned to sweep away all obstacles before the wedding date, which included annihilating those two ancient assassin organizations, Nether and Pagoda.

At their peak, they had once assassinated True Daoists, and even Immortals—their foundations were no small matter.

The portly man’s expression changed slightly. He was a core figure of the Alliance of Thousand Merchants and understood that Gu Changge was the true master behind the Alliance of Thousand Merchants today.

So even though he knew the words Gu Changge spoke contained unimaginable information, he dared not ask a single question, and could only stand honestly with hands hanging down, awaiting instructions.

“During this period, I plan to stay here.”

Gu Changge was not worried about the portly man leaking anything, and glanced at him casually as he spoke.

“Young Master, rest assured, your subordinate has already arranged everything properly.” The portly man’s expression turned solemn as he guaranteed.

Gu Changge nodded and waved his hand, intending for him to withdraw.

However, the portly man glanced with some difficulty at the charming girl beside him, seemingly hesitating, then gritted his teeth and said, “Young Master, this is your subordinate’s little daughter, Qing’er. She has always admired you greatly, and she grew up here since childhood.”

“Could the arrangements for your daily life during this period be entrusted to her? She is very familiar with all one hundred and eight cities of the six halls of the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, and can handle many matters for you.”

The charming girl named Qing’er also widened her eyes at these words, her jade hands clenched tight, her heart...

In this Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, she could be called a young lady of the highest standing, bar none.

Even the masters behind the six halls had to give face to the Alliance of Thousand Merchants.

As the portly man’s daughter, she could walk sideways through the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, and no one dared offend her.

Yet she still wanted to serve Gu Changge—this matter was even something she had taken the initiative to ask of the portly man herself.

Changge seemed not to have expected the portly man to say this either. He raised an eyebrow slightly and looked the girl named Qing’er up and down.

“Familiar with the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds?”

“Then you may stay for now.”

He did not consider it for too long, merely glanced at her once before withdrawing his gaze, nodding slightly.

It just so happened that he had only just arrived at the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds and was short on hands at his side. This girl looked clever and quick-witted, and should save him some trouble.

Seeing Gu Changge agree, Qing’er also revealed an expression of wild joy, her voice even trembling somewhat as she said, “Thank you... thank you, Young Master. Qing’er will definitely not disappoint you.”

By the end of her words, she was somewhat incoherent.

The portly man was also so shocked that his eyes widened, astonished beyond belief. He had thought Gu Changge would refuse. After all, with Gu Changge’s status, what manner of goddess had he not seen in this world?

To serve him, one would at least need to be a Saintess or goddess of a Cult of Immortality.

By what merit could his daughter Qing’er catch his eye?

He had even worried before whether saying this would incur Gu Changge’s blame.

“Tell me about the rules of this gu-raising in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds. I’m quite interested in seeing it.”

Afterward, once the portly man had respectfully departed, Gu Changge looked at the somewhat restless girl Qing’er and chuckled lightly.

“The gu-raising rules?”

Qing’er pursed her lips, then realized that what Gu Changge was referring to should be the matter of the various halls ordering mutual slaughter.

To cultivators of the outside world, such rules would indeed be regarded as raising gu.

However, she had grown up in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds since childhood and was already extremely familiar with it.

Her expression straightened slightly, and then she began to explain and introduce it to Gu Changge.

“Every month, the one hundred and eight cities of the various halls sound their horns. All cultivators and beings who have joined the halls must participate in this slaughter; otherwise, before the battle begins, they will be executed in advance and used as a blood sacrifice for the banners.”

“Only neutral forces can be exempted from this.”

“After young cultivators join the various halls, they all begin the struggle for world fortune. Even within the same hall, it is the same—they slaughter each other, and only the strongest survive.”

“After entering the various halls, each of them carries a Points Token, which accumulates points based on the cultivation level of those they kill.”

“And every day, in the Battle Arena deep within each hall, deathmatches take place. Among the spectating cultivators, there are those who specialize in gambling on the fights, those who go to watch the excitement, and also those from outside who come specifically to select slaves or followers.”

“Battle Arena, Points Token...” Gu Changge nodded, somewhat enlightened.

After Qing’er’s introduction, he now had some understanding of the rules of this place.

It sounded rather like a survival game—every cultivator who set foot here became something like points, and only the one with the highest points could walk out alive.

Moreover, the points within the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds could even circulate as currency within the cities of the various halls, exchanged for all kinds of techniques, divine abilities, and even pills and weapons.

This also fit the methods by which assassin organizations cultivated young seeds—except these cultivators were all completely unaware of it.

“Going by what you say, tonight there will also be deathmatches in Vermilion Bird Hall?”

Changge asked with some interest.

Qing’er nodded and said, “In reply to you, Young Master, of Vermilion Bird Hall’s one hundred and eight cities, practically every city holds deathmatches.”

“However, the main city where we are now has a larger Battle Arena, and more cultivators come. The cultivators participating in the deathmatches also earn more points.”

“Mm, then tonight I’d quite like to go see these so-called deathmatches.” Gu Changge revealed a faint smile.

He felt that behind these deathmatch arenas, there were forces controlling them. As long as he followed the vine, he could eventually find where Nether and Pagoda were hiding.

“Young Master wants to go? Then I’ll arrange it right away.”

Qing’er was quite surprised at his words. She had thought Gu Changge was merely somewhat interested in it; she hadn’t expected he would actually want to go watch.

Having grown up in the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds since childhood, she had long since grown accustomed to these brutally cruel deathmatch scenes and found nothing unusual about them.

And just as Gu Changge was at the Battlefield of Hundred Worlds, planning to find where Nether and Pagoda were located,

on a certain radiant island brimming with immortal qi, billions of li away,

a slender, green-clad girl with a face as pure and beautiful as an immortal’s stood somewhat dazed, staring in disbelief at the spirit pool before her, wreathed in curling mist.

“This is the Lake of Rebirth. It can glimpse the past and probe the future... You only need to silently recite in your heart the things you know, and it will reveal them.”

A Big Red Bird, looking somewhat balder than before, stood beside the green-clad girl, seemingly shaking its head with a sigh.

Though its voice sounded very childish, like a little girl’s, it carried itself in such a manner...

“I passed your trial?”

However, the green-clad girl seemed not to have recovered from the earlier events, murmuring to herself.

Her originally ethereal, immortal-like expression now looked somewhat dazed.

It was all because she had believed Big Red’s nonsense back then and was tricked by it all the way to this extremely remote little island, who knows how far from the center of the Beyond.

And on this little island, there were actually all kinds of terrifying Array Patterns and Restrictions left behind, as well as dreadful trials set up who knows how long ago.

To pass through these trials and return to where she came from, she had failed who knows how many times, and in between had nearly encountered mortal danger.

And so, after a very long time, she finally passed these trials by the skin of her teeth, broke through those Restrictions and Array Patterns, and could leave safely.

That said, the benefits of doing so were considerable—both her cultivation and her comprehension had improved greatly.

The green-clad girl even felt that once she left, she could go challenge a certain detestable fellow, suppress him into the ground, and make him never dare bully her again.

“Stop spacing out. This Lake of Rebirth is about to dissipate. Is there really nothing you want to see?”

The Big Red Bird looked at the green-clad girl with an expression of utter disdain, glancing at her sideways and urging her to hurry up and look into the spirit pool.

“The Lake of Rebirth... is this real?”

“Just by reciting it in my heart, I can see the past or the future?”

The green-clad girl wore a half-believing, half-doubting expression, her crystalline eyes like glazed glass turning toward the spirit pool before her.

She soon gently closed her eyes and silently contemplated the future in her heart. Compared to the past, she actually wanted more to know what the future would be like.

As the green-clad girl closed her eyes, ripples began to spread across the Lake of Rebirth.

Immediately after, the originally clear water suddenly became translucent and crystalline, like an Ancient Mirror capable of reflecting past, present, and future.

Sensing this fluctuation, the green-clad girl opened her eyes, full of anticipation.

But when she saw the scene within, her entire body was struck as if by lightning, her face turning pale, seemingly unable to believe it.