Almost at the moment when Zuo Wu You shouted out those words, the dark figure hovering above the mansion seemed to sense something as he abruptly turned his head towards their direction.
In an instant, the figure darted towards them, his figure flickering soundlessly like a ghost until he landed directly in front of Yang Kai and Zuo Wu You, a mere 30 metres away.
The newcomer stared fixedly at the spot where Yang Kai and Zuo Wu You stood, his dark eyes scrutinising them with a hint of suspicion in the shadows.
Under the blessing of Thunder Shadow’s Innate Divine Ability, Yang Kai and Zuo Wu You too stared at the newcomer.
Unfortunately, his face was obscured by a black robe and hood, shrouding him in mystery.
After a moment of gazing, the man found nothing and vanished again, returning to the skies above the mansion.
Without hesitation, he threw a punch towards the ground, unleashing a barrage of fist shadows that, along with his Immortal Ascension Boundary power, turned the entire mansion into dust instantly.
However, he soon noticed something was amiss because, according to his perception, the entire manor was completely lifeless, devoid of any vitality.
He withdrew his fist and landed to investigate, but found nothing.
Moments later, he disappeared once again with a cold snort.
An hour later, Yang Kai and Zuo Wu You appeared in a forest 50 kilometres away from the mansion, feeling that this location was safe enough.
Maintaining Thunder Shadow’s Innate Divine Ability for a long time had taken a toll on Yang Kai, whose face had turned slightly pale. Zuo Wu You, on the other hand, seemed to have lost his Soul, his eyes going blank.
The situation was unfolding exactly as Yang Kai had feared, heading towards the worst possible outcome.
After restoring himself for a moment, Yang Kai asked, “Did you recognise who it was?”
Zuo Wu You turned to look at him, shaking his head slowly, “I couldn’t see his face clearly, but with that kind of power, he must be an Order Lord.”
“He was cautious, though, never activating his Divine Sense.” Divine Sense was an extremely unique power, and each person’s Divine Sense fluctuations were unique. If that person had activated his Divine Sense just now, Zuo Wu You would have been able to recognise him.
Unfortunately, their attacker had not done so throughout the entire process.
“One’s facial features can be concealed by Divine Sense, but not their physique. Among the Eight Orders, which Order Lord do you think resembles our target the most?” Yang Kai asked again.
Zuo Wu You thought for a moment and said, “The Order Lords of the Fire and Lake Valley Orders are the only women among the eight. The Mountain Order Lord is obese, and Wind Order Lord is old and hunched. It shouldn’t be any of them. As for the remaining four Order Lords, they are similar in build. If the person we are looking for intends to conceal their tracks, their physique will also be disguised.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Very good. Our target is now reduced by half.”
Zuo Wu You said hesitantly, “But it is still difficult to determine which one of them it is.”
“Everything happens for a reason. When you sent the message that the Holy Son had been found, we were then plotted against. From a different perspective, what was the purpose of their actions? What benefits do they gain?” Yang Kai questioned.
“Purpose? Benefits?” Zuo Wu You followed Yang Kai’s train of thought and fell into deep contemplation.
Yang Kai asked, “Chu An He did not appear to have already joined the Black Ink Cult. Before Xue Ji killed him, he shouted that he was willing to join. If he was already a member of the Black Ink Cult, he would not have reacted that way. Could it be that one of the Order Lords has already been tainted by Black Ink Strength and secretly joined the Black Ink Cult?”
“That’s impossible!” Zuo Wu You firmly rejected the idea, “Brother Yang, you are not aware that the first-generation Saintess of the Spirit Religion not only passed down the prophecy of the Holy Son, but also left behind a Secret Technique. This Secret Technique has no other purpose but to identify whether someone has been contaminated by Black Ink Strength and to dispel it from them. Every time an upper-echelon member of the religion at the Immortal Ascension Boundary returns from outside, the current Saintess will use that Secret Technique to check them. Over the years, there have indeed been some spies from the Black Ink Cult trying to infiltrate Dawn City, but no problems have ever arisen among the upper echelons, who are in the Immortal Ascension Boundary.”
Yang Kai suddenly realised, “You mean the Purifying Heart Secret Technique you mentioned before?”
When Chu An He was slandering them as spies from the Black Ink Cult, Zuo Wu You claimed that he could face their Saintess directly and prove his innocence by having her perform the Purifying Heart Secret Technique on him.
At that time, Yang Kai didn’t take it seriously, but now it seemed that the Purifying Heart Secret Technique passed down by the first-generation Saintess of Spirit Religion was indeed profound and mysterious. If this Secret Technique could only identify whether someone had been contaminated by Black Ink Strength, it wouldn’t be that surprising; however, the fact that it could also dispel Black Ink Strength was truly astonishing.
After all, the Human Race of this era only had one way to dispel Black Ink Strength, which was with Purifying Light. Purifying Black Ink Pills could only prevent corruption when still effective, but they could not dispel Black Ink Strength once it had taken hold.
“Indeed,” Zuo Wu You nodded, “It is the highest secret of our Religion, and only the Saintesses of past generations have the ability to perform it.”
“If they did not join the Black Ink Cult, then there must be some other reason,” Yang Kai pondered, “Although I don’t know the specific reason, my appearance must have affected the interests of some people. But how could I, an unknown nobody, affect the interests of those people… Only being the Holy Son could explain it.”
Zuo Wu You understood and asked, “But Brother Yang, the Holy Son of our Spirit Religion emerged in secret 10 years ago, which is apparently a known fact among the high-ranking members. Even if I informed them about you, they would only think that someone is impersonating the Holy Son and at most send someone to bring you back to investigate. Why would they intercept the message and try to kill you in secret?”
Yang Kai looked at him with deep meaning, “What do you think?”
Zuo Wu You met his gaze, and suddenly a horrifying thought surged in his heart, causing sweat to break out on his forehead, “Brother Yang, are you saying… that the Holy Son is fake?”
“I didn’t say that,” Yang Kai replied sarcastically.
Zuo Wu You seemed to not have heard him, his face suddenly showing a look of enlightenment, “So that’s how it is. If that’s really the case, then everything makes sense. Someone arranged a fake Holy Son 10 years ago, keeping it secret and hidden from all the higher-ups of the Spirit Religion, obtaining their approval and making everyone believe that he was the real Holy Son. But only the Mastermind knew he was a fake. So, when I reported your news back to Spirit Religion, it aroused their murderous intent, and they even went so far as to personally take action to kill you!”
At this point, Zuo Wu You was quite excited, “Brother Yang, does that mean you are the real Holy Son?”
Yang Kai sighed, “I just want to meet your Saintess. As for anything else, I have no other thoughts.”
“No, you are the Holy Son, the one prophesied by the first-generation Saintess. There’s no doubt about it!” Zuo Wu You insisted, and then added eagerly, “But someone has planted a fake Holy Son in the Spirit Religion, even deceiving all the higher-ups. This matter concerns the foundation of Spirit Religion and must be exposed!”
“Do you have any evidence?” Yang Kai asked him.
Zuo Wu You shook his head.
“If there’s no evidence, no one would believe you even if you had the opportunity to meet the Saintess and those Order Lords to inform them about this,” he said.
“But someone has to make them aware of this, whether they believe it or not! The Order Lords are all shrewd strategists; once they become suspicious, the truth will eventually come to light. I’m just worried about our current situation. We’ve already caught the attention of the person behind the scenes. It’s probably wishful thinking to try to enter the city.”
“Entering the city won’t be a problem,” Yang Kai said calmly, “Have you forgotten what you arranged before?”
Zuo Wu You was stunned, only then remembering the orders he had given to his subordinates earlier. He suddenly realised, “So Brother Yang planned this all along.”
At this moment, he understood why Yang Kai instructed him to give those orders. It seemed that he had anticipated the current situation from the start.
“We’ll enter the city at dawn. Let’s rest for a while first,” Yang Kai said.
“En.”
Dawn City was still bustling under the cover of the night; it was the headquarters of the Light Spirit Religion and the most prosperous city in this independent World. Even at midnight, pedestrians were still streaming through the streets.
Beneath the glamour and bustle though, a message spread like a wildfire throughout the city.
The Holy Son had appeared and would enter the city tomorrow!
The prophecy left by the first-generation Saintess had been circulating for countless years. All the members of the Light Spirit Religion were looking forward to the arrival of the Holy Son who could save the World and end the war.
But, for countless years, the Holy Son had not appeared, and no one knew when or if he would ever reveal himself.
Until tonight, when the news began to spread from tea houses and taverns, quickly spreading in all directions at an uncontrollable speed.
Within half a night, everyone in Dawn City had heard the news.
Countless followers were filled with joy and excitement.
At the centre of the city, the bright Holy Temple, the foundation of the Spirit Religion, was the largest and tallest building.
After midnight, countless Immortal Ascension Boundary Masters were summoned, and many high-ranking members of the Light Spirit Religion gathered together!
In the centre of the Main Hall, a veiled woman with a stunning figure sat upon a throne, holding a white jade sceptre.
This woman was none other than the Saintess of the Light Spirit Religion!
Below the Saintess, the Eight Order Lords were arranged on both sides, while beneath them were the various Protectors and Elders.
More than 100 people had been gathered, all of them Immortal Ascension Masters. Despite the large number of people, the hall was silent.
After a long while, the Saintess finally spoke, “You have all heard about the news, haven’t you?”
Everyone responded in agreement, “We have heard.”
“We have gathered here tonight to discuss how to handle this situation!” The Saintess continued.
A Protector stepped forward immediately and exclaimed in excitement, “The Holy Son has appeared, fulfilling the prophecy passed down by the first-generation Saintess! This is a blessing for our Spirit Religion! I believe that we should immediately arrange for people to receive him and prevent the Black Ink Cult from taking advantage of the situation!”
A large group of people immediately echoed their agreement, saying that this was the correct course of action.
The Saintess raised her hand, and the noisy hall immediately became quiet. She then gently spoke, “Unfortunately, some things have been kept secret for many years that must now come to light. Only the Eight Order Lords present here know about this secret, which is related to the Holy Son. Listen first before making any plans.”
She then turned to the oldest of the eight Order Lords, saying, “Lord Si Kong, please inform everyone.”
The Saintess called upon someone, and from among the Eight Order Lords, an old man with a hunched back stepped forward. He turned and looked down, coughed into his fist, and spoke, “Let it be known to all that Spirit Religion’s Holy Son has secretly emerged 10 years ago. He has been cultivating and honing himself in the Holy Temple ever since!”
The entire hall fell into silence, followed by a huge uproar.
Everyone gazed at the Wind Order Lord in disbelief. Many were trying to digest this sudden revelation, while others raised their voices in inquiry.
“Order Lord Si Kong, how could we not have known that the Holy Son had already been born?”
“Holy Saintess, is it true that the Holy Son appeared 10 years ago?”
“Who is the Holy Son? What is his cultivation now?”
…..
Among those present in the Grand Hall at this moment were the high-ranking members of the Spirit Religion, all of whom were elites in the Immortal Ascension Boundary with qualifications to know many of the Religion’s secrets. Yet, it was only now that they were learning there were things within the Spirit Religion that they were completely unaware of.
Si Kong Nan raised his hand slightly to quiet down the clamour, and then continued, “10 years ago, this Old Master went out on a mission and was besieged by the Masters of the Black Ink Cult. I had no choice but to hide under a cliff to heal my injuries. During that time, a young man fell from the sky and landed in front of me. The young man’s cultivation was still shallow at that time, but he survived the fall from the cliff. So, after I healed, I brought him back to the Spirit Religion.”
Then, Si Kong Nan paused briefly, allowing the crowd to digest what he had just said.
Someone murmured softly, “There will come a day when the sky cracks open, and a person descends from above, igniting the brilliance of light and tearing through the darkness to defeat the ultimate enemy!” He looked around and raised his voice, filled with excitement, “Isn’t this fulfilling the prophecy left by the first Saintess?”
“Indeed, indeed. Surviving a fall from a towering cliff must mean this child has great blessings!”
“He must be the Holy Son!”
“No, wait. The falling of the young man from the sky does align with the prophecy, but the prophecy also mentions the sky cracking open. How do we interpret that?”
Si Kong Nan seemed to have anticipated this question and explained slowly, “You all may not know this, but I was hiding in a location known as Heaven’s Border at that time!”
The person who asked the question suddenly realised, “So that’s how it is.”
If one were to look up while standing in the depths of Heaven’s Border, the gap formed by the cliffs on both sides did indeed resemble a crack in the sky.
All had fallen into place!
The scene of the young man descending from the sky matched the prophecy left behind by the first-generation Saintess. It was truly the sign of the Holy Son’s birth!
Si Kong Nan continued, “As you all suspected, when I saved that young man and brought him back to Spirit Religion, Saintess gathered a few Order Lords and opened the sealed land.”
“What happened next?” Someone asked, though they already knew the outcome would surely be good, they couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.
Si Kong Nan replied, “He passed the test left by the first-generation Saintess!”
“He is undoubtedly the Holy Son!”
“Hahaha, so the Holy Son has already emerged 10 years ago! After waiting for so many years, we finally have him!”
“Now those bastards from the Black Ink Cult shall suffer!”
…..
Allowing the crowd to express their excitement for a moment, Si Kong Nan continued, “After 10 years of cultivation, the Holy Son has shown unparalleled talent and potential. When I saved him, he had just begun his cultivation not long ago; however, now his strength surpasses any of the Order Lords.”
Upon hearing this, the people in the Grand Hall were all shocked.
The Eight Order Lords of Spirit Religion, as well as the Eight Chapter Masters of the Black Ink Cult, were all the most outstanding elites in this World; however, they had been cultivating for many years, ranging from dozens to over 100 years to reach their current height.
Yet, the Holy Son achieved this in just 10 years. He truly was the legendary saviour!
Such a person might be able to break the limits of the Martial Dao in this independent World and sweep away the demons of the Black Ink Cult with his great strength.
“The Holy Son’s cultivation has reached a bottleneck, though. Originally, we planned to announce the matter of the Holy Son and officially introduce him to the World after some time, but we didn’t expect such an incident to happen at this critical moment,” Si Kong Nan furrowed his brow.
Immediately, someone indignantly shouted, “Since the Holy Son has already emerged and passed the test left by the first-generation Saintess, his identity is undoubtedly confirmed. Therefore, the one who claims to be the Holy Son and has not yet entered the city must be a fake!”
“The Black Ink Cult’s methods are as despicable as ever! Over the years, they have repeatedly tried to infiltrate our Spirit Religion using signs of the prophecy, but they have never succeeded! It seems like they haven’t learned their lesson!”
Someone stepped forward and cupped his fist, “Holy Saintess, Order Lords, please allow me to lead my men out of the city to slay the imposter who dares to insult our Spirit Religion. Let his death serve as a warning!”
Not only did multiple people speak in that manner, but several others also stepped forward, demanding to lead troops out of the city and intercept the impostor pretending to be the Holy Son.
The Fire Order Lord, however, snorted disdainfully, “If the news hadn’t leaked, we could have just killed him, but now that it has spread throughout the entire city, all the followers are eagerly anticipating his arrival. How do we explain it to the followers if you murder him now?”
A Protector immediately objected, “But that Holy Son is a fake!”
The Fire Order Lord replied, “Those present may know that he is a fake, but what about the ordinary followers? They know nothing. All they know is the legendary saviour is supposed to arrive in the city tomorrow!”
The Mountain Order Lord patted his plump belly and chuckled, “Indeed, we can’t kill him just like that, or it will have a huge negative impact.” He paused for a moment and squinted his eyes slightly, “Have any of you ever thought about how this news was leaked?”
He turned his head to look at a woman among the Eight Order Lords, “Lake Order’s Sister Guan, you are in charge of intelligence inside and outside the Spirit Religion. Have you investigated this matter?”
The Lake Order Lord, Guan Miao Zhu, nodded, “As soon as the news spread, I sent people to investigate. The source of this news came from Zuo Wu You, a Deacon from the Thunder Order. It seems that he discovered the Holy Son while performing a mission outside and brought him back. He then gathered a group of people outside the city and had them spread the news, which caused the whole city to know about it.”
“Thunder Order’s Zuo Wu You!” The Mountain Order Lord pondered for a moment, “I vaguely recall hearing that name before.” He turned to the Thunder Order Lord and continued, “If I’m not mistaken, Zuo Wu You has a good aptitude and was likely to ascend to the Immortal Ascension Boundary sooner or later.”
The Thunder Order Lord replied indifferently, “Why do you care so much about the people under my command, fatty?”
The Mountain Order Lord chuckled, “We are all adherents of the Spirit Religion. As the Order Lord of one of the Orders, shouldn’t I show some concern about budding talents?”
“Enough, haven’t you poached enough elite disciples from my Order in recent years? I warn you, don’t even think about laying a hand on my disciples.”
The Mountain Order Lord wore a distressed expression, “I have no choice. Mountain Order is responsible for charging into the fray, and we always suffer losses whenever we clash with the Black Ink Cult. We need to find a way to constantly replenish our manpower.”
Thunder Order Lord snorted, “Zuo Wu You is indeed under my Thunder Order. He is an orphan who grew up in the Spirit Religion and has always been loyal to it. Plus, he is a straightforward and bold person. I was planning to promote him to the rank of Protector after he broke through to the Immortal Ascension Boundary. He shouldn’t have any problems unless he’s been tainted by Black Ink Strength and had his nature twisted.”
The Fire Order Lord added, “I also have some impression of Zuo Wu You. He doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would engage in schemes and tricks.”
“So, it must be the fake Holy Son who had Zuo Wu You gather those people and spread the news.”
“Why would he do that?”
Everyone looked puzzled. If he was a fake, why would he have the audacity to make this matter widely known? Wasn’t he afraid of being confronted?
Suddenly, a man rushed in from outside, greeting the Saintess and the various Order Lords before approaching the Fire Order Lord’s side and whispering a few words in her ear.
The Fire Order Lord’s face turned cold as she asked, “Are you sure?”
The man cupped his fists and replied, “I saw it with my own eyes!”
The Fire Order Lord then nodded lightly in response and waved her hand, dismissing the man.
“What’s going on?” Asked the Mountain Order Lord.
The Fire Order Lord turned around to bow to the Saintess who was seated above and said, “Saintess, upon receiving the news, I sent someone to the mansion outside the city where Zuo Wu You was rumoured to be staying to capture him and the fake Holy Son before they could escape; however, it seems that someone has beaten us to it, and the mansion has already been destroyed.”
The Mountain Order Lord raised his brow, greatly surprised, “Someone attacked them in secret?”
Above, the Saintess asked, “What about Zuo Wu You and the fake Holy Son?”
“That estate is now a ruin, but there was no blood or signs of a struggle. It seems that Zuo Wu You and the fake Holy Son moved to a different location in advance,” the Fire Order Lord replied.
“Oh?” The Earth Order Lord, who had been silent all this time, slowly opened his eyes and a playful smile appeared on his face, “This is interesting. A fake Holy Son not only spread the news of his arrival in the city tomorrow but also anticipated danger and moved to a new hiding place. This fellow is not simple.”
“But who tried to kill him?” Someone asked.
“Regardless of who it was, it seems that the fake Holy Son’s understood his current circumstances are not safe. That’s why he spread the news and made his situation known to everyone, so that those who wanted to act against him had to do so cautiously to avoid harming the innocent! Since that’s the case, he will definitely enter the city tomorrow! No matter who he is or why he is impersonating the Holy Son, as long as he enters the city, we can capture him and interrogate him!”
The Order Lords discussed back and forth and quickly came to a conclusion.
However, it was puzzling why Zuo Wu You and the fake Holy Son had aroused the inexplicable murderous intent of an unknown Master outside the city. It was unclear who they had offended.
“How much time is left until dawn?” The Saintess asked from her throne.
“Less than an hour, Lady Saintess,” someone replied.
The Saintess nodded and said, “In that case, Order Lord Li, Order Lord Ma.”
Fire Order Lord Li Fei Yu and Mountain Order Lord Ma Cheng Ze immediately stepped forward and said in unison, “Reporting.”
The Saintess then commanded, “You two go to the city gate and wait for Zuo Wu You and the fake Holy Son to show up. Then bring them to me.”
“Yes!” The two of them responded simultaneously and quickly left the Grand Hall.
In the vast Dawn City, there were 16 city gates. Although there were rumours that the Holy Son would enter the city tomorrow, nobody knew which gate he would come through.
Before dawn, countless disciples gathered outside the 16 city gates, eagerly waiting for the arrival of the Holy Son.
The Fire and Mountain Orders dispatched their top Masters and laid out an inescapable net within a radius of 50 kilometres centred on Dawn City, so any slight disturbance would be detected immediately.
Inside a teahouse, Ma Cheng Ze and Li Fei Yu sat across from each other, sipping fragrant tea.
Ma Cheng Ze was a plump man with a rotund belly, always smiling and appearing amiable. Even strangers found it difficult to harbour any ill feelings towards him, but those who knew him well were aware that his friendly exterior was just a front.
Among the Eight Orders of the Light Spirit Religion, the Mountain Order was responsible for leading the charge in battle, always at the forefront when attacking the Black Ink Cult’s strongholds. It could be said that the Mountain Order was made up of a group of fearless warriors, willing to give their lives for the cause.
So how would it be possible that their Order Lord was a simple and amiable person?
Ma Cheng Ze held a teacup in his hand, squinting his eyes as he watched the pretty women strolling down the street. Sometimes, he even whistled at them, drawing angry glares from the women.
Li Fei Yu sat calmly across from him, her icy expression resembling a statue and her eyes closed in meditation.
“Junior Sister Yu,” Ma Cheng Ze suddenly said, “Where do you think this fake Holy Son will enter the city from?”
Li Fei Yu kept her eyes closed as she replied calmly, “It doesn’t matter which direction he enters from. As long as he shows himself, he won’t be able to leave.”
Ma Cheng Ze questioned, “With such thorough arrangements, he certainly won’t be able to do so, but why would a fake Holy Son dare to act so boldly? Who has he offended to attract an assassination attempt from an Order Lord?”
Suddenly, Li Fei Yu snapped her eyes open, sharply staring at him.
Ma Cheng Ze shrugged, “Did I say something wrong?”
“Where did you get this information?” Li Fei Yu asked coldly.
She had never mentioned anything about an Order Lord making a move in the Grand Hall.
Ma Cheng Ze replied with a chuckle, “I can’t tell you that. Haha, I have my own ways.”
Upon hearing that, Li Fei Yu coldly snorted, “Damn fatty, all you need to do is charge ahead. How dare you plant your people in my Fire Order?”
The information about the mansion outside the city was obtained by the Fire Order, all of which had been blocked off. Everyone now only knew what Li Fei Yu said in the Grand Hall, but Ma Cheng Ze knew some of the hidden details. Obviously, these were leaked to him by someone else.
Ma Cheng Ze immediately clarified, “I didn’t do that. Don’t make unfounded claims. I, Old Ma, always recruit people openly from various Orders, I never act in the shadows.”
Li Fei Yu only stared at him for a while before saying, “I hope so.”
Ma Cheng Ze continued to ask, “There are only eight Order Lords. Who do you think it could be?”
Li Fei Yu turned her head and looked out the window, casually changing the subject, “I think he will enter the city from one of the three gates in the east.”
“Oh?” Ma Cheng Ze raised an eyebrow, “Just because the mansion is in the east? If that fake Holy Son chose to spread the news throughout the city to avoid potential risks, it means that he is wary of the high-ranking members of the Religion. How is it possible for such a cautious person like him to enter the city from the gates in the east? He must have already moved in another direction.”
Li Fei Yu couldn’t be bothered to explain her thinking.
Ma Cheng Ze talked to himself for a while, then continued to whistle at the pretty girls passing by outside the window.
Li Fei Yu’s expression abruptly changed and she took out a communication bead.
At the same time, Ma Cheng Ze also took out his own communication bead.
The two of them checked the message that was transmitted, followed by Ma Cheng Ze’s expression darkening, “He really came from the east! How bold is this person?”
Li Fei Yu stood up and said calmly, “If he wasn’t bold, he wouldn’t have chosen to enter the city at all.”
Ma Cheng Ze was slightly startled, but nodded after he gave it some thought, “You’re right.”
“Let’s go.”
The two of them flew out of the teahouse, heading towards the east of the city.
The Holy Son had already appeared in the direction of the second gate in the east, escorted by Immortal Ascension Realm Masters from the Mountain and Fire Orders.
He was about to enter the city!
This news quickly spread. The disciples gathered at the east gate were extremely excited, and after receiving the news, those gathered at the other gates began rushing over as fast as they could, wanting to catch a glimpse of the Holy Son’s glory. For a while, all of Dawn City was like a giant beast awakening from its slumber, causing great commotion.
The number of disciples gathering at the eastern gates continued to grow, and even with the help of the two Orders, it was difficult to control the situation.
It wasn’t until the arrival of the two Order Lords, Ma Cheng Ze and Li Fei Yu, that the commotion barely calmed down.
Fatty Ma wiped the sweat from his forehead and said to Li Fei Yu, “Junior Sister Yu, this situation is getting out of control.”
He had led his people into battle countless times without so much as a frown, even when faced with mountains of swords and seas of fire. Killing or being killed was all there was to it.
However, they were not facing an enemy now, but the disciples of their own Spirit Religion, which made things much trickier.
The prophecy left by the first-generation Saintess had been passed down for countless years and was deeply ingrained in the hearts of every disciple; everyone knew that the day the Holy Son was born would signal the end of all suffering.
The lower disciples and common folk all wanted to catch a glimpse of this saviour, and now with the current situation, everyone was rushing over. The eastern gate was already overcrowded and was only becoming more congested.
The Spirit Religion could certainly take some tough measures to disperse the crowds, but with so many onlookers, doing so might just cause more chaos.
This would not be good for the foundation of the Spirit Religion.
Ma Cheng Ze had a headache and felt that he had been given a difficult task. He said through clenched teeth, “If only we could spread the news that the real Holy Son had already emerged and let the people know this one is a fake.”
Li Fei Yu also looked serious as she murmured, “No one thought the situation would develop like this.”
There were two reasons why the news of the true Holy Son’s appearance was not revealed. Firstly, by entering the city, the fake Holy Son had effectively handed over the initiative to the Spirit Religion. Once he was in the city, they could decide whether to kill him or keep him with a single thought, so there was no need to leak such important information in advance.
Secondly, keeping the true Holy Son a secret for so many years made it difficult to persuade the disciples at this critical moment.
In addition, the authorities were also deeply concerned about the events that had befallen the imposter.
Who would show murderous intent towards a fake and secretly take action against him?
They had originally intended to let nature take its course, but they never expected the disciples to be this enthusiastic about it.
“Do you think he planned this all along?” Ma Cheng Ze suddenly asked.
Li Fei Yu seemed to not hear him as she remained silent for a long time before finally saying, “We can only find a way to resolve the situation now; otherwise, if all of the disciples gathered here and someone took advantage of them, there will surely be chaos!”
“Just look at these people. Each and every one of them is devout to the extreme. If you drive them away now, not allowing them to see the Holy Son’s appearance, they will probably fight you to the death!”
“Who said we won’t let them see him?” Li Fei Yu scoffed, “Since they want to see him so badly, let them. He’s just a fake anyway. Letting the disciples gather to observe him won’t damage the reputation of our Spirit Religion.”
“Do you have a plan?” Ma Cheng Ze’s eyes lit up.
Li Fei Yu didn’t respond but instead waved to a cultivator from the Lake Order who came over immediately. She gave him some instructions, and he nodded repeatedly before leaving quickly.
Ma Cheng Ze listened to the instructions and gave Li Fei Yu a big thumbs up, “What a great plan! I admire you, Junior Sister Li. The ones in charge of gathering information sure are quick-witted.”
…
30 kilometres outside the Eastern Second Gate, Yang Kai and Zuo Wu You flew straight towards Dawn City’s direction. Surrounding them were numerous elites from the Light Spirit Religion that were ‘protecting’ them from all sides, not leaving their side at all.
These people were part of the search team sent out to look for these two, so after finding them, they stuck with them all the way.
More and more people joined the group as they went.
When he saw this, Zuo Wu You became completely relieved and had nothing but admiration for Yang Kai.
With the protection of so many Spirit Religion elites, the person behind the scenes could no longer act recklessly, and all it took was the release of some information, which could almost be said to have been effortless.
They quickly arrived at the city. From afar, Zuo Wu You and Yang Kai could see the crowded people outside the city.
“Why are there so many people?” Yang Kai couldn’t help but be surprised.
Zuo Wu You pondered for a moment before sighing, “The people of the world have suffered for a long time under the threat of Black Ink Strength. With the emergence of the Holy Son, hope has arrived. They probably all came to witness the glory of the Holy Son.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly.
After a moment, under the gaze of many eyes, Yang Kai and Zuo Wu You landed outside the city gate.
A cold-looking woman and a friendly-faced fatty walked towards them. Zuo Wu You’s expression changed slightly when he saw them and quickly transmitted their identities to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai nodded imperceptibly in response.
As they approached, the fatty smiled and said, “Little Friend, you’ve been through a lot on the way.”
Yang Kai smiled and responded, “Thanks to Brother Zuo’s care, it has been a smooth journey.”
Ma Cheng Ze raised an eyebrow slightly and praised, “Zuo Wu You is indeed remarkable.”
Meanwhile, Zuo Wu You stepped forward to pay his respects, “Greetings, Order Lord Ma, Order Lord Li!”
Ma Cheng Ze patted him on the shoulder, “You’ve done a great job this time. The appearance of the Holy Son is a great joy for my Spirit Religion. After the matter is settled, it will ultimately be your credit.”
Zuo Wu You bowed his head low, “It is my duty, and I dare not take credit.”
“Good,” Ma Cheng Ze nodded, “Go with Order Lord Li, she has something to ask you.”
Zuo Wu You looked up at Yang Kai and replied after seeing him nod, “Yes!”
Then, Li Fei Yu led Zuo Wu You to one side.
Ma Cheng Ze waved his hand and immediately someone brought two spirited horses forward. He gestured, “Little Friend, please. There is still a journey to the Holy Temple.”
Although Yang Kai was a little puzzled, he went along with it and mounted the horse.
Ma Cheng Ze rode on the other horse, leading him towards the city. On the way, the bustling crowd automatically parted to make way for them.
Dawn City was the holy city of the Light Spirit Religion, and every street was wide and spacious; however, these thoroughfares, which could normally allow four to five carriages to pass by simultaneously, were filled with people today.
Two horses entered the city through one of the eastern gates, followed by many Masters from the Spirit Religion, but all eyes were on a particular young man on horseback.
Their gazes were filled with sincerity and admiration.
Meanwhile, Ma Cheng Ze and Yang Kai chatted while riding side-by-side.
“Whose idea was it?” Asked Yang Kai all of a sudden.
“What do you mean?” Ma Cheng Ze didn’t understand the other man.
Yang Kai pointed at the people on both sides.
Only then did Ma Cheng Ze realise what Yang Kai meant. He looked around and leaned close to him before whispering, “They’re the Order Lord’s disciples from the Fire Order. Please be patient, Little Friend. They just want to know what you look like. Everything will be fine after this.”
“Alright,” Yang Kai nodded.
He could feel that these people were looking expectantly at him.
Although it had been several days since he arrived in this World, he had only been wandering around the wilderness with Zuo Wu You. He had heard about the current affairs, but he hadn’t had a chance to see much for himself.
It wasn’t until he looked at these gazes that he realised what Zuo Wu You meant by the people in this World having suffered a long time because of the Black Ink Cult.
After the news of the Holy Son entering the city spread, all the disciples in Dawn City came over to take a look at him. To prevent any turmoil, Li Fei Yu had planned a route so that Ma Cheng Ze could lead Yang Kai to head straight to the Holy Temple.
The disciples who wanted to have a look at the Holy Son could wait patiently on both sides of the road; that way, not only could they prevent any potential danger, but they could also fulfil the disciples’ wishes. It was like killing two birds with one stone.
Ma Cheng Ze stayed by Yang Kai’s side so that he could escort the man to the Holy Temple and find out more about his background; however, he didn’t want to ask any questions at that moment. Regardless of whether the Holy Son beside him was fake, the fervent gazes around him were real.
“Please save us, Holy Son…” someone all of a sudden said.
It was nothing more than a murmur at first, but the words spread like wildfire among the crowd.
In just several breaths of time, all of them started shouting, “Please save us, Holy Son!”
Wherever Yang Kai went, all the disciples fell to their knees and pressed their heads against the ground.
Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling sorrowful, for the sight before his eyes reminded him of the situation the Human Race was facing.
The first-generation Saintess had left behind a prophecy that a Holy Son would save all of them one day, but who knows how long they would have to wait? After all, none of the Humans from the 3,000 Worlds was able to save them.
Ma Cheng Ze turned to look at Yang Kai. For some reason, he seemed to detect a form of invisible power descending upon this young man.
As he recalled some ancient rumours, his expression changed.
Li Fei Yu let the Holy Son enter the city on horseback so that the disciples could take a look at him, but it seemed to have caused some unexpected consequences.
At the thought of this, Ma Cheng Ze quickly fished out a communication bead and sent a message to the Holy Temple.
Meanwhile, the Order Lords of the Spirit Religion were waiting in the Holy Temple. The Order Lord of the Heaven Order fished out his communication bead and had a look, his expression soon turning solemn.
“What happened?” Asked the Saintess upon noticing his anomaly.
The Heaven Order Lord stepped forward and narrated to her about Li Fei Yu’s arrangements and the disciples gathering around the eastern ward.
Upon hearing this, the Saintess nodded, “Order Lord Li has done a good job. Is there anything wrong?”
The Heaven Order Lord then explained, “We seem to have underestimated the influence of the first Saintess’ prophecy on the disciples. Now, the fake Holy Son has gathered popular support among the people, and he seems to have acquired the blessing of the World’s Will.”
Upon hearing that, everyone in the room was shocked.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Where did you get the news from?”
“Does it even need explaining? Since Fatty Ma is by his side, he’s certainly the one who sent me the message.”
“What should we do, then?”
All of them descended into chaos, not knowing how to proceed.
The Order Lords were naturally not sincere about welcoming the fake Holy Son to the city. They planned to find out the purpose of his visit and look into his background after they secured him in the Grand Hall.
They didn’t need to make a fuss just because someone pretended to be the Holy Son.
However, none of them had expected that they were lifting a rock only to drop it on their foot. If the fake Holy Son gained popular support and the blessing of the World’s Will, that would be problematic, for that honour belonged to the real Holy Son.
Some of them didn’t believe the Heaven Order Lord, so they released their Divine Senses and looked into the matter. Upon closer inspection though, they realised it was indeed the case. For some reason, the fake Holy Son was shrouded in a layer of invisible and mysterious power, which seemed to be a manifestation of the World itself.
Many of them started sweating, thinking that the incident was preposterous.
“Our plan isn’t working,” announced the Heaven Order Lord with a solemn expression. Since this person had obtained the blessing of the World’s Will, regardless of whether he was a fake Holy Son, those from the Spirit Religion could no longer handle him as they pleased.
“We can only play it by ear and find out his background first,” suggested an Order Lord.
“The real Holy Son has already appeared. Other than the authority figures, the rest are not aware of it. In that case, we’d better not expose him first.”
“That’s the only thing we can do.”
After a quick discussion, the Order Lords soon came up with a solution and turned to look at the Saintess, who nodded, “It’s agreed on, then.”
Meanwhile, Yang Kai and Ma Cheng Ze were moving forward on horseback through the holy city.
All of a sudden, a petite figure dashed out from the crowd. An agile Ma Cheng Ze tightened the reins and stopped the person with his other hand.
Upon closer look, he realised the person was a young kid, perhaps five or six years old.
Although the person was a young kid, he was quite bold. He ignored Ma Cheng Ze and stared fixedly at Yang Kai as he asked in a clear voice, “Are you the Holy Son?”
Seeing that the young kid was adorable, Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I don’t know if I’m the Holy Son. We will only find out after the Order Lords and the Saintess examine me.”
Ma Cheng Ze was initially worried that Yang Kai would claim to be the Holy Son, so upon hearing these words, he was relieved.
“You must not be the Holy Son, then,” said the young kid.
“Oh? Why?” Yang Kai was puzzled.
The young kid pulled a face and said, “Because I hated you the moment I saw you.”
Upon finishing his words, he dashed back into the crowd. In that direction, a woman snapped, “Smelly brat, stop causing trouble! What nonsense did you just say?”
The young kid snorted and replied, “I just hate him!”
Yang Kai traced the voice and saw a woman running after the naughty child.
Beside him, Ma Cheng Ze guffawed, “Young kids like him can be mischievous. Please don’t mind it.”
Yang Kai nodded and looked in that direction again, but the woman and the young kid were nowhere to be seen.
As they moved along the 30-kilometre street, the disciples on both sides knelt and offered their prayers. All of them in the holy city were hoping for the Holy Son to save them from their suffering.
The loud voices were the will of many thousands of people. Although the Holy Temple was protected by a Spirit Array, the Order Lords of the Spirit Religion could still hear the people clearly.
The procession soon arrived at the Holy Temple, and after they were given permission to enter, Ma Cheng Ze led Yang Kai to head to the Grand Hall that represented the Light Spirit Religion’s foundation.
Many people had gathered on both sides of the hall as they studied Yang Kai.
Without sparing them a glance, Yang Kai stepped forward and stared fixedly at the woman in front of him.
He had come to this place to meet this woman; after all.
Since the woman was veiled, he was unable to see her face, so he secretly activated the Demon Eye of Annihilation to see through all the pretence, but his attempt was actually futile.
The veil was just an ordinary accessory without any mysterious power, so the Demon Eye of Annihilation proved useless in this situation.
“I’ve brought him here, Holy Saintess.”
Ma Cheng Ze saluted the woman before proceeding to his spot.
The Saintess nodded, then frowned at Yang Kai.
She could feel that since the young man entered the hall, he had been staring fixedly at her, as though he was examining her, which made her displeased.
Since she became the Saintess, no one had ever dared to look at her like this.
Just as she parted her lips to say something, the young man spoke all of a sudden, “I have a request to ask of you, Holy Saintess. Please agree to it.”
Yang Kai stood there confidently and said those words nonchalantly, as though he had come all the way to this place for that request.
Many people in the hall furrowed their brows, thinking that even though the fake Holy Son was weak, he was quite arrogant. Not only did he not salute the Saintess, but he even had the guts to come up with a demand.
Fortunately, the Saintess was a mild-tempered person. Although she was displeased with Yang Kai’s attitude and actions, she still nodded and asked gently, “What’s the matter?”
Yang Kai replied, “Please take off your veil.”
Upon hearing that, the hall broke into a commotion.
Someone roared, “How dare you be so rude to the Saintess!”
Not just anyone could see the Saintess’ face. Only a small number of the Spirit Religion’s Order Lords had seen the Saintess’ face before, so it was inconceivable that a nobody like Yang Kai even had the audacity to make such a request.
“Are you here to humiliate us, you Brat?”
All of them started criticizing Yang Kai as they activated their Divine Senses and mounted pressure on him.
No True Element Boundary Master could ever bear such pressure; however, they were soon shocked by what was going on. The young man, who was supposed to be taught a lesson by them, just stood there in silence. The pressure of the Divine Senses didn’t seem to affect him one bit, as though it was merely a breeze that had been whisked by him.
He only stared fixedly at the Saintess.
On the other hand, the Saintess felt slightly at ease, for she didn’t see any malicious intent or promiscuity behind the young man’s gaze. She raised her hand to appease the angry crowd and asked puzzledly, “Why do you want me to take off my veil?”
Yang Kai replied seriously, “I’d like to verify a speculation I have.”
“Is the speculation very important?”
“It will affect the happiness of the people and the safety of the World.”
While the Saintess was speechless, everyone in the hall broke into laughter.
“Although you’re young, you’re pretty arrogant.”
“We’ve been trying to save the World, but there hasn’t been much progress over the years. How dare a True Element Boundary brat like you boast shamelessly?”
“Let him speak. I haven’t heard a joke that is funnier than this for a long time.”
Yang Kai ignored the commotion in the Grand Hall and looked at the Saintess, awaiting her reply in silence.
After a long time, the veiled woman said, “I don’t mind taking off my veil, but…”
The commotion stopped abruptly as all of their necks seemed to have been grabbed by invisible hands as they looked dazedly at the woman.
None of them expected the Saintess to agree to this kind of ridiculous request.
Yang Kai said with a smile, “It seems that there’s a condition.”
“Indeed,” the Saintess nodded matter-of-factly, “Since you’ve brought forward a demand, I naturally have to come up with one as well.”
Yang Kai replied solemnly, “Please tell me.”
The Saintess went on to say softly, “Zuo Wu You has reported that you are the Holy Son, and the timing and circumstances of your appearance matches the prophecy; however, it is hard to tell whether you are indeed the Holy Son. When the first Saintess made her prophecy, she also left behind a test for the Holy Son.”
Yang Kai’s expression changed as he realised the woman’s intentions, “Do you want me to go through the test?”
“Yes.”
His expression turned awkward at that instant.
According to Chu An He, the true Holy Son had actually appeared 10 years ago. All the Spirit Religion’s higher-ups had acknowledged the incident. In other words, the Holy Son must’ve passed the test, and his identity had been verified.
Therefore, from the Spirit Religion’s perspective, Yang Kai must be a fake for claiming to be the Holy Son.
Despite that, the Saintess still wanted him to go through the test, which was a perplexing idea.
Yang Kai swept a glance over the Order Lords in the front row and realised that they appeared shocked. Apparently, they didn’t expect the Saintess to come up with such a demand.
[How interesting. They obviously didn’t discuss it before. The Saintess must’ve improvised.]
In that case, Yang Kai could only think of one possibility.
The Saintess must be certain that he couldn’t pass the test, and when that happened, she naturally wouldn’t have to fulfil his request as well.
After giving it some thought, Yang Kai said, “No problem. Do we start now?”
The Saintess shook her head, “The test is in a sealed land, and it takes some time to open it. You can go and get some rest. When we are ready, we will inform you about it.”
Following that, she said to Ma Cheng Ze, “Order Lord Ma, please help settle him down.”
Ma Cheng Ze stepped forward and replied, “Yes.”
Then, he beckoned to Yang Kai, “Please come with me, Little Friend.”
Yang Kai took another look at the Saintess and cupped his fist before leaving the place.
After he was gone, an Order Lord asked, “Holy Saintess, why did you ask him to head to the sealed land and go through the test?”
The Saintess explained, “Since he has the people’s support and the blessing of the World’s Will, we can’t handle him as we please, nor can we expose him. In that case, I’ve decided to let him go to the sealed land where the first Saintess had left behind the test. Only the real Holy Son can pass the test.”
Someone finally realised the Saintess’ intentions as he said, “Since he’s a sham, there’s no way he can pass the test. By then, we’ll have a reason for dealing with him.”
The Saintess nodded, “That’s indeed my plan.”
“Holy Saintess is wise!”
…..
While moving forward alongside Ma Cheng Ze in the Holy Temple, Yang Kai suddenly asked, “Old Ma, since I’m a person who appeared out of nowhere, shouldn’t you all be looking into my background first? Why did the Saintess ask me to head to the sealed land?”
“What did you just call me!?” Ma Cheng Ze stopped in his tracks and looked at him in shock.
“Old Ma. What’s wrong with that?”
Ma Cheng Ze was so exasperated that he laughed, “What’s wrong with that!? This King is an Order Lord as well as a Peak Immortal Ascension Boundary Master. Even if you don’t want to call me Senior, you’re supposed to call me Order Lord Ma at the very least.”
“I’ll call you Order Lord Ma, then,” Yang Kai decided to oblige. Since he was significantly more powerful, he couldn’t bring himself to call the other man ‘Senior’, but calling him by his title wasn’t an issue.
Ma Cheng Ze shot him a glare and continued walking forward, “I’m not supposed to tell you anything, but for some reason, this King is fond of you, so I’ll let you know a few things. We don’t have to look into your background. If you can pass the test, you’ll be the Holy Son; however, if you fail the test, you’ll die. In that case, your background no longer matters.”
After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai said, “You have a point.” Then, he changed the topic all of a sudden, “Have you seen the Saintess’ face before?”
Ma Cheng Ze shook his head, “Brat, you don’t look like a licentious man, so why are you curious about the Saintess’ appearance?”
Yang Kai replied seriously, “I already explained back in the Grand Hall earlier.”
“Your speculation that has something to do with the people’s happiness and the world’s safety?” Asked Ma Cheng Ze while turning to look at him.
In response, Yang Kai nodded slightly.
Ma Cheng Ze decided to ignore him as he stopped in his tracks and pointed at the building in front of him, “You’ll stay here. When we’re ready, we’ll summon you to the sealed land. Call out to the servants if you need anything; otherwise, just stay in your room.”
Upon finishing his words, he turned around and left.
After the man was gone, Yang Kai stepped into the courtyard and saw that some servants were already waiting. After making a few arrangements, he entered his room and got some rest.
Although those from the Spirit Religion believed that he was a fake, they didn’t mistreat him. The place he stayed had a terrific environment, and there were more than 10 servants to serve him.
However, Yang Kai wasn’t in the mood to enjoy anything. In his room, he sat down with his legs crossed and started cultivating.
After he acquired the people’s support and the blessing of the World’s Will while moving along the 30-kilometre street, he felt that he had a vague connection with this independent World.
His suppressed power began to stir as well.
There were Immortal Ascension Masters in this World, but for some reason, after his arrival, he was reduced to the True Element Boundary.
He wanted to try whether he could break through the suppression. Even if he couldn’t fully restore his power, it would be wonderful if he could make it to the Immortal Ascension Boundary.
After some hard work though, his attempt still failed.
He felt that there was a layer of invisible shackles that stopped him from fully activating his power.
“Where is this place?” Asked a voice all of a sudden.
“You finally connected?” An elated Yang Kai grabbed the jade pendant around his neck.
This thing was given to him by Wu Kuang when he entered the Space-Time River. The jade pendant contained a wisp of Wu Kuang’s Soul; however, it fell silent after entering this place. Over the past few days, Yang Kai had been nurturing the jade pendant with his Spiritual Energy and finally, he was able to connect with Wu Kuang.
“This place is strange,” Wu Kuang said.
“Yeah,” Yang Kai replied, “I still haven’t figured out the mystery behind this world. Why is there such a place in Mu’s Space-Time River? Do you know anything?”
“Nope. Mu left behind something in the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, but I never managed to figure out what that is. I doubt even Cang and the others have any idea.”
Just like what Wu Kuang said, if not for the fact that Black Ink Strength in the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction surged all of a sudden, he wouldn’t have noticed the trump card that Mu had left behind.
Despite that, he had no idea what it was; therefore, he left a thread of his consciousness by Yang Kai’s side to explore the mystery.
“That will be troublesome, then,” Yang Kai knitted his brows together.
“Wait a bit,” Wu Kuang sounded surprised, as though he had discovered something, “Something’s happening!”
“What do you mean?” Yang Kai appeared excited.
“I have no idea, but whatever it is, it’s like a faint guidance,” Wu Kuang replied.
Yang Kai realised something at that moment. Wu Kuang was in charge of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. Supposedly, he was able to detect everything inside the restriction. It was thanks to this advantage that he was able to protect the Suppressing Black Ink Army.
Presently, he had detected something; however, with the Space-Time River getting in the way, it was difficult to interpret it clearly.
“Where’s the direction pointing at?” Yang Kai asked.
“Somewhere in the city, but not this place.”
“Let’s go and have a look.” Saying so, Yang Kai activated Thunder Shadow’s Innate Divine Ability to conceal his figure and aura.
…..
In the deepest part of the Holy Temple, a beautiful woman was waiting in a Grand Hall.
Just then, someone was heard saying from outside, “Order Lord Li would like to see you, Holy Saintess.”
The woman lifted her head and said, “Let her in.”
“Yes.”
A while later, the Order Lord of the Fire Order entered the place and saluted the woman, “Greetings, Holy Saintess.”
The Saintess raised her hand with a smile, “Please drop the formalities, Order Lord Li. Have you found anything?”
“Yes, Holy Saintess.”
Just as Li Fei Yu was ready to report, the Saintess stopped her by saying, “Wait a moment.”
She fished out a piece of jade and infused her energy into it. In an instant, the Grand Hall was covered in a Spirit Array, ensuring that no one could eavesdrop on their conversation.
After the Grand Array was activated, the Saintess stopped pretending to be serious as she took Li Fei Yu’s hands and sat down. Then, she said with a smile, “You’ve worked hard, Big Sister Li. What have you found?”
Li Fei Yu put on a helpless smile. Although the Saintess was a mild-tempered person, she had to appear authoritative in front of others. Only she knew what the Saintess was like in private.
“I’ve discovered many things,” as Li Fei Yu recalled the information she had gathered, she fell into a dazed state.
After they entered the city, Ma Cheng Ze stayed by Yang Kai’s side while she left with Zuo Wu You. As the Fire Order Lord, she was responsible for gathering information; therefore, she had many things to ask Zuo Wu You.
That was the reason she didn’t show up in the Grand Hall earlier.
“I’m all ears,” the Saintess seemed interested.
Li Fei Yu replied, “According to Zuo Wu You, he came across Yang Kai by chance. At that time, their whereabouts had been exposed as they were hunted down by the Black Ink Cult…”
She related to the Saintess the information she had learned from Zuo Wu You. When the Saintess heard that despite being a True Element Boundary Master, Yang Kai was able to kill Yan Peng, injure Xue Ji, and even repel the Earth Chapter Master, a myriad of expressions came over her.
“Are you sure about that, Big Sister Li? How is he so powerful when he’s only a True Element Boundary cultivator?” Asked the Saintess.
“There’s no problem with Zuo Wu You, so everything he has said must be true. All of those things happened,” Li Fei Yu let out a sigh. When she heard about those incidents at that time, she couldn’t believe her ears either.
“There’s another thing that’s worth our attention,” Li Fei Yu said.
“What is it?”
“Several days ago, Zuo Wu You sent a message back to the Spirit Religion to ask for some Masters to assist him, but someone managed to intercept it. As such, we were not aware of the incident until recently. When they reached a town where it would take a person one day to reach the Holy City, they were besieged by Chu An He and some others.”
“Chu An He?” The Saintess squinted her eyes, “If my memory serves me right, he’s under the Earth Order.”
“Yes.”
“No ordinary person could intercept Zuo Wu You’s message that was meant to ask for emergency assistance.”
“I can do that, as can the other Order Lords.”
“Has ‘that’ person finally revealed their true colours?” The Saintess snorted, “That would explain why Yang Kai and Zuo Wu You were forced to announce that the Holy Son would be entering the city the next day. They wanted to protect themselves by making everything public.”
“Indeed.”
“If we look at the outcome, they succeeded. Zuo Wu You isn’t that clever, so it must be Yang Kai’s idea,” the Saintess speculated.
“I heard that he acquired the people’s support and the blessing of the World’s Will while heading to the Holy Temple,” said Li Fei Yu suddenly. As the Fire Order Lord, she had a natural advantage when it came to gathering information. Although she wasn’t there to witness Yang Kai entering the city, her subordinates constantly updated her about what was going on.
“En,” the Saintess nodded, “That’s what I find most inconceivable.”
“Holy Saintess, is he…”
Without answering her question, the Saintess rose from her chair and said, “Big Sister Li, I have to leave the temple.”
Hearing that, Li Fei Yu put on a helpless expression.
The Saintess took her hands, “I’m not going out to have fun. There’s a serious matter I have to attend to.”
“That’s the excuse you use every time,” Li Fei Yu shot her a glare, but she still agreed to it, “You have to come back before the break of dawn.”
“Don’t worry,” the Saintess nodded. Saying so, she fished out something from her Space Ring. It was a mask that was as thin as a cicada’s wings.
Li Fei Yu took the mask and carefully placed it over the Saintess’ face. Her movements were skilful, so it was obviously not her first time doing this.
A moment later, two identical faces exchanged glances. Even the moles on the corners of their mouths were in the exact same spot. It was as though one of them was the other’s reflection in the mirror.
Following that, they traded their clothes.
Li Fei Yu took the Saintess’ white jade sceptre and let out a sigh before having a seat.
Across from her, the Saintess sported the same face as hers and smiled cheekily.
Li Fei Yu then activated the sceptre and dispelled the Grand Array.
After that, the Saintess said, “Holy Saintess, I’ll take my leave.” Her voice sounded just like Li Fei Yu’s too.
Then, she went on to say in her own voice, “Good work, Order Lord Li. Since it’s late now, you’d best get some rest.”
Following that, she turned around and stepped out of the Grand Hall before leaving the Holy Temple.
…..
Dawn City was even lovelier tonight than it was during the daytime. All the people in the restaurants were talking about the Holy Son entering the city that day and the prophecy that the first Saintess had left behind. They all looked joyful, as though they were in the midst of a huge festival.
Yang Kai moved around the city following Wu Kuang’s directions.
As he walked along the crowded streets, he soon arrived somewhere quieter.
Even in a Holy City like Dawn City, there was inequality. The rich lived in luxurious houses in the city centre with servants at their beck-and-call and bottles of wine to drink all day while the poor were forced to live in the periphery of the city.
With that said, it was still the Spirit Religion’s Holy City. Even though there was inequality, the poor wouldn’t be starving or have no clothes to wear. With the Spirit Religion’s help, they were able to put food on the table despite their hardship.
Presently, Yang Kai sported a different face.
He had many artifacts in his Space Ring that he could use to disguise himself. He had collected such items when he was weak in the past. Many people had seen his face in the morning, so if he showed up with his real face, everyone in the city would be aware of his presence.
At that moment, he looked like an innocent young man. It was the kind of face commonly seen in the city.
As he looked around, he realised many low-rise houses were neatly built in the Holy City’s periphery where many people lived.
Some kids were seen having fun.
Someone was praying to a statue in front of his house. The statue was made from wood, and it was roughly 25 centimetres tall; however, the face wasn’t carved.
Yang Kai listened to the person and heard him praying for the Holy Son to save them.
The Holy Son’s statues were in front of many houses, with incense sticks’ traces showing that they were frequently prayed to.
“Are you sure it’s here?” Yang Kai frowned as he whispered to Wu Kuang.
“I think so,” Wu Kuang replied.
“You think so?” Yang Kai arched his brow.
Wu Kuang explained, “My connection with my main body is fuzzy thanks to the Space-Time River, so the guidance I’m feeling isn’t clear. Let’s look around.”
A helpless Yang Kai could only walk around the place.
He had no idea what Wu Kuang had detected, but since it was from his main body, it must be very important.
However, his actions soon alerted others.
This wasn’t a prosperous place, so there were rarely new faces. The neighbours were familiar with each other, so a stranger’s arrival would naturally catch many people’s attention, especially when this person kept looking around.
As such, Yang Kai had to stay away from the crowd.
Under a banyan tree in a certain corner, many people gathered together to unwind.
When Yang Kai walked past them, he suddenly detected something and looked at them. A figure emerged from the crowd and beckoned to him, “You’re finally here.”
When Yang Kai made out the person’s face, he was rooted to the spot.
Wu Kuang also called out in surprise as he said, “I didn’t expect to see her here!”
“Do you know this guy, Lady Sixth?” Asked an old man curiously.
The woman called Lady Sixth nodded with a smile, “He’s an old acquaintance.”
Saying so, she moved away from the crowd and walked up to Yang Kai before dipping her head, “Please come with me. It must’ve been tiring for you.”
Although she looked like an ordinary person, her clear gaze seemed able to see through all illusions and make out Yang Kai’s real face.
Yang Kai bowed his head, “Good.”
Lady Sixth then led him to head in a particular direction.
After they were gone, the people under the banyan tree started talking among themselves.
A person sighed, “It must’ve been difficult for Lady Sixth. Although she’s pretty mature, she still isn’t married.”
Another person said, “It can’t be helped. There’s someone she has to take care of, so it’s hard for her to get married.”
“She just can’t leave Little Eleventh behind,” said someone who knew a thing or two, “Two years ago, a matchmaker introduced her to a man. That guy was rich and handsome; moreover, he was from the Spirit Religion. He said that as long as she was willing to give Little Eleventh to another family, he would marry her. However, Lady Sixth refused.”
“Little Eleventh is truly pitiful. His parents perished after he was born. After Lady Sixth discovered him, she brought him back and raised him. Although they call each other Sister and Brother, they’re more like Mother and Son. No Mother in the world would have the heart to dump her child.”
They sighed at the same time, feeling sorry for what Lady Sixth had gone through.
“It’s all the Black Ink Cult’s fault. They’re the reason that many families are destroyed. If not for them, Little Eleventh wouldn’t have been an orphan, and Lady Sixth would’ve gotten married.”
“Since we’ve found the Holy Son, he’ll bring an end to our suffering sooner or later!”
All of them then started praying with sincere expressions.
Yang Kai followed ‘Lady Sixth’ to somewhere remote while feeling astonished deep within.
He didn’t expect that the guidance Wu Kuang felt from his body would lead to this.
“Lady Sixth…” Wu Kuang’s voice sounded in Yang Kai’s mind, “Oh, she’s the sixth oldest among the 10. No wonder she calls herself Lady Sixth.”
“What about you?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
Wu Kuang explained, “Shi and I are different. In Shi’s case, he’s ranked eighth.”
“Then, what’s going on with this ‘Little Eleventh’?”
“I have no idea,” Wu Kuang replied, “The Soul Shi left behind wasn’t complete when it reached the 3,000 Worlds, so I didn’t inherit everything.”
Yang Kai nodded and fell silent.
Soon, they arrived at a simple-looking house. Despite that, there was still a yard surrounded by fences. In the yard, clothes that belonged to a woman and a child were hung there to dry.
Lady Sixth pushed the door open and entered the house, followed by Yang Kai as he looked around.
The decorations inside the house were simple. The place looked just like any house that a poor family would live in.
Lady Sixth lit up the oil lamp and told Yang Kai to have a seat. As the lamplight swayed, she poured a cup of tea for him, “I only have some tea in the house. Please don’t mind it.”
Yang Kai rose from the chair and took the cup before saluting the woman, “Junior Yang Kai greets Senior Mu!”
The Lady Sixth before his eyes was none other than Mu.
Yang Kai had seen Mu before. It was when the Human Army first crusaded to the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. They were in a perilous situation, and Mo was about to break free, but at the last moment, the hidden hand that Mu had left behind was activated. At that time, a burst of energy was released and transformed into a sacred figure that embraced the Black Ink Ocean and eventually made Mo fall asleep.
At that time, all the Humans on the battlefield bore witness to the legendary woman.
She was so stunning that no one would forget about her after setting their eyes on her once; therefore, when the woman called out to Yang Kai after he arrived at this place, he instantly recognised her.
She was Mu, one of the 10 Martial Ancestors, the strongest among them.
It was thanks to her that the Humans were still safe for now.
The hidden hand she had activated back then hadn’t been used up yet. It was a gargantuan Space-Time River hovering in the void that was hidden in the deepest part of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. Anyone would be awestruck when they saw that Space-Time River.
The guidance that Wu Kuang’s body was indicating must’ve come from Mu. Due to the Space-Time River, the message wasn’t clear; therefore, the thread of consciousness by Yang Kai’s side had no idea what was going on as well. Wu Kuang could only lead Yang Kai to this place, and he finally realised everything upon seeing Mu.
“No need for formalities,” Mu raised her hand as she looked at Yang Kai’s chest and smiled, “We haven’t met for ages, Little Eighth.”
It seemed that not only could she see through Yang Kai’s disguise, but she could also detect Wu Kuang’s thread of consciousness in the jade pendant.
Wu Kuang’s voice sounded in Yang Kai’s mind just then, “Tell her I’m not Shi.”
Before Yang Kai could even say anything, Mu nodded, “I know. I already expected this kind of outcome the moment you made that decision back then. If I was present, I would have dissuaded you from doing that; but now, it seems that the outcome isn’t too terrible.”
In the past, to break through the Open Heaven Realm and explore a higher Martial Dao, Shi was willing to sacrifice himself to strengthen the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. He only left behind a trace of his Soul so that he could escape from the restriction and be reborn. After so many years, Yang Kai brought him back to the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction to protect the place.
Fortunately, his reincarnation was successful. He was now Wu Kuang, but sadly, he still hadn’t achieved the goal that he had set in his previous life.
“Can you hear my voice?” Wu Kuang was astounded. Now, he was just a thread of consciousness that stayed in the jade pendant. Apart from talking to Yang Kai, he couldn’t do much of anything else; therefore, it surprised him that Mu could hear his voice.
“Yes,” Mu replied with a smile, “By the way, I’m Mu, but I’m also not Mu.”
A puzzled Yang Kai said, “I don’t understand, Senior.”
Mu took a seat and motioned for Yang Kai to sit down as well.
After giving it some thought, she said, “I know you have many questions. Let me think where I should begin.”
Yang Kai suggested, “Senior, why don’t you start with this World and yourself?”
Mu glanced at him and said with a smile, “It seems like you’ve noticed something.”
“Hey, what have you found?” Wu Kuang asked.
Yang Kai shook his head, “It’s just some unfounded speculation.”
Hearing that, Wu Kuang fell silent.
After a moment of silence, Mu said, “Since you’re able to enter this place, it shows that you’ve condensed your Space-Time River. I call it the Space-Time River, but I’m not sure about you.”
Yang Kai replied, “Just like you, I call it the Space-Time River too. It seems that you’ve also been inspired by the Infinite River in the Universe Furnace, Senior.”
“En,” Mu nodded, “The Infinite River in the Universe Furnace has many secrets. I had the chance to explore it back then. Fortunately, I managed to condense all the necessary Dao Strengths and nurture my own Space-Time River.”
“Before arriving at this place, I was stopped by an invisible barrier, but I was allowed to pass very soon. Was it a test you had left behind?”
“Yes. Only when a person who has condensed their Space-Time River appears will they have the right to enter this place. Otherwise, it’ll be pointless.”
Only now did Yang Kai realise what happened. Previously, he was stopped by the invisible barrier, but he was soon allowed to pass. He initially thought that the barrier had acknowledged his identity as a Human; but now, it seemed that it had nothing to do with his Race. Instead, it was because of his Space-Time River.
After all, even though he was born to be a Human, he was now a Pureblood Dragon.
“When Heaven and Earth split apart, Chaos was divided into Yin and Yang, which transformed into Five Elements, which then gave rise to 10,000 Grand Daos. Eventually, everything returns to Chaos. That is the Grand Daos’ greatest truth, but also its biggest secret. It is where everything belongs. Chaos is eternal,” Mu explained gently.
Several kids ran past the house just then, and someone was heard bawling his eyes out. It seemed that he had been bullied.
“I used all my cultivation and left behind my Space-Time River in the deepest part of the Grand Restriction to protect the Universe Worlds here, so that they could live their lives peacefully. Many years have passed since then.”
Yang Kai’s expression changed, “Senior, do you mean that the Primordial World and all the living creatures in here are real?”
“Of course,” Mu nodded. “This world was born when Heaven and Earth split apart. It took many years for this World to become what it is today; however, due to the weak World Principles, the cultivators here are not very powerful.”
“Why is this World inside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction? Moreover, there seems to be a deeper meaning behind this World’s name,” Yang Kai asked, perplexedly.
Mu looked at him and smiled, “It’s called the Primordial World because it was the first Universe World to appear when Heaven and Earth split apart. This is also where Mo was born.”
Hearing that, Yang Kai was astonished.
Just then, Wu Kuang said, “Oh, I finally recall it now. The reason they set up the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction in this place back then was because the Primordial World was here. The core of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction is the Primordial World!”
“Because a powerful existence like Mo was born here, all the resources were used up. As a result, the Martial Dao in this World became very weak,” Mu explained, “In fact, when Heaven and Earth split apart, Mo wasn’t the only one who was born here.”
Yang Kai said, “Both the Primordial Darkness and Light appeared together.”
“Did Little Eighth tell you this?” Mu glanced at him.
Yang Kai replied, “I met Senior Cang before. When your trump card was activated back then, you must’ve seen him as well.”
Mu shook her head, “Like I said, Mu and I are different.”
She repeated what she had said before, but Yang Kai still didn’t understand her.
“The Primordial World gave birth to the Primordial Light as well as the Primordial Darkness. The Primordial Light was the very first light as well as the congregation of all things wonderful, but it left this Universe World as soon as it was born, and no one knows where it went. Nevertheless, the Darkness remained in this place and bore the loneliness and coldness over the years. Eventually, Mo was born; therefore, we had thought about looking for the Primordial Light to destroy its dark power. Unfortunately, by all accounts, it is simply a light, so how are we supposed to find it? Left with no choice, we decided to build the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction here to suppress Mo.”
In truth, the original Primordial Light no longer existed.
After it left the Primordial World, it split off the Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer; then, it crashed into a primitive Universe World and turned into countless Divine Spirits. That was how the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land was born.
As for the essence of the Primordial Light’s true body, it transformed into a Human woman, and her Bloodline was then passed down over the generations.
Regardless of how powerful these descendants became though, they could never truly restore the Primordial Light.
Mu went on to say, “However, the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction can’t resolve the problem. Mo’s Black Ink Strength is growing stronger by the breath. There will come a day when the restriction will no longer be able to suppress it; therefore, Mu left behind some trump cards in the restriction, and I am one of them.”
After a pause, she continued, “The fact that I’ve awakened shows that Mu’s hidden hand has been activated, and things have reached the most critical point. As such, I founded Light Spirit Religion in this Universe World and left behind a prophecy.”
Yang Kai realised something, “I see, you’re the first-generation Saintess of the Light Spirit Religion.”
Previously, he speculated that Light Spirit Religion must have something to do with Mu’s trump card; therefore, he followed Zuo Wu You to Dawn City, and when he saw the Saintess, he requested to see her face. Although he knew that it was unlikely to be the case, he had to verify it. Much to his surprise, instead of agreeing to his request, the Saintess asked him to go through a test.
As such, the whole thing had been put off.
In the end, Yang Kai came across Mu in the outskirts of the city.
Since the Martial Dao in this World was weak, the cultivators didn’t enjoy a long life; therefore, it was impossible for Mu to remain the Saintess forever. She had to step down from her position and ‘disappear’.
Countless years had passed, and there were many Saintesses before the current one.
Yang Kai said, “Senior, you keep saying that you’re not Mu. Who are you, then? There’s nothing wrong with your aura, vitality, or sentience, nor do you look like a Soul Avatar or a Soul Clone. You appear to be a real Human.”
Mu replied with a smile, “I’m certainly a Human, but I’m just a shadow of a part of Mu’s life.”
“A shadow?” Yang Kai asked puzzledly.
Mu looked seriously at him and nodded, “It seems that even though you’ve condensed your Space-Time River, you haven’t discovered the river’s true secrets.”
With a solemn expression, Yang Kai said, “Please enlighten me, Senior.”
The person before his eyes had condensed her Space-Time River much earlier than Yang Kai did, and her mastery over the Grand Daos was also significantly better. Moreover, her Space-Time River was colossal. If their Space-Time Rivers were put together, it was like the difference between a strand of grass and a tree.
Mu continued, “Although the Space-Time River is condensed from Dao Strengths, it’s mainly composed of the Time and Space Dao Strengths. Time and Space are the biggest secrets of the Universe and govern over everything. Everyone has their own Space-Time River, but rarely can anyone condense it.”
Following a pause, she continued, “The moment a person is born, their Space-Time River begins to flow and continues to do so until the end of their life. In the end, the river returns to Chaos. Their strength and duration of their life is determined by their Space-Time River, and therefore, everyone’s Space-Time River is different. This is Mu’s Space-Time River!”
Saying so, she gently waved her hand. Even though she didn’t have any cultivation, a mini version of Mu’s Space-Time River appeared following her movements, swirling around in the air like a water snake.
Then, she lifted her hand and grabbed something from the river, after which she spread her palm and said, “This is a particular part of her life.”
There was a vague figure that resembled Mu standing on her palm.
A flabbergasted Yang Kai looked at Mu in disbelief, “Is this what you meant when you said you are a shadow of Mu?”
Mu nodded, “It seems that you understand now.” She waved her hand as the figure and the Space-Time River disappeared at the same time.
“Therefore, I am not Mu. I am just the shadow of a part of her life.”
At that moment, Yang Kai was too stunned to speak. What he had just witnessed was beyond his imagination, and he wasn’t able to come to his senses for a long time.
If Mu had not demonstrated it before his eyes, Yang Kai would never have expected this to be the Space-Time River’s real secret.
Although he was astounded, his gaze was filled with excitement as he asked, “Senior, are Space and Time the river’s biggest secrets?”
Mu nodded with a smile, “Given your aptitude, you’d have figured it out sooner or later; however, since Mu’s hidden hand has been activated, there’s no time for you to sit and contemplate it.”
The person before Yang Kai’s eyes was just the shadow of a part of Mu’s long life, hence why she repeatedly said that she was Mu, but also not her.
Yang Kai had never expected that someone in the Universe could pull off such an amazing feat. He was still trying to make sense of everything.
He felt that Mu indeed lived up to her name as the strongest Martial Ancestor. Her cultivation and mastery over the Grand Daos were probably significantly better than the rest.
At this point, Mu’s identity was clear, and the Primordial World’s secret was right before Yang Kai’s eyes. This was where Mo was born as well as the Core of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction; therefore, it was critically important.
Yang Kai suppressed the undulating emotions in his heart and asked, “Given your power, were you not able to destroy Mo in the past?”
Although Mu was powerful, she could only suppress and seal Mo in this place using the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. That was why Yang Kai was astounded.
In other words, Mo was tremendously powerful.
Without answering his question, Mu said, “In truth, Mo isn’t fundamentally evil.”
Yang Kai responded, “Yes, I know.”
Mu seemed to be walking down memory lane as she continued, “Since you’ve met Cang before, you must’ve heard him talking about Mo.”
“Senior Cang did tell me some things back then. I know that the 10 of you and Mo were friends, but you fell out at a later time.”
Mu replied with a smile, “That’s not entirely true. It’s just that we’re on opposing sides. When the Primordial Light was born, Darkness was as well, which gradually nurtured some sentience and gave birth to Mo. Although it had gone through years of loneliness, it wasn’t bitter after it was born. Its understanding was blank, just like a newborn baby. At that time, the other nine and I had long comprehended the Open Heaven Realm Method under the World Tree’s enlightenment. Following the rise of the Human Race, we defeated the Monster Race and earned our glory in that era. However, Mo’s appearance made that glory short-lived.”
She then explained, “Living beings are inherently curious. After Mo gained sentience, it had the desire to explore the unknown. When it arrived at any Universe World, the originally peaceful World would fall under its rule; after all, Black Ink Strength was irresistibly corruptive for weaker living beings, and Mo was unable to restrain its power. It didn’t even realise that it was supposed to restrain itself. When all the living creatures in any Universe World submitted to it, it no longer felt lonely and helpless. That was already a horrendous start for a child. It started spreading its power to more Universe Worlds, just like a naughty kid trying to show off its talent to gain attention and acknowledgement.”
Following a long pause, seemingly a little hesitant, she continued, “Then… it came across us one day. With the 10 of us being so powerful, we were naturally immune to Black Ink Strength. That made Mo even more curious about us, and we started coming into contact with each other. Although we knew it wasn’t fundamentally malicious, its power was a disaster to the Universe. Eventually, we decided to make a move; however, at that time, Mo was already significantly more powerful than when it had just been born. Even if the 10 of us had joined forces, we would still be unable to destroy it; as such, we could only build the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction to suppress and seal it. Mo realised our intentions, so it summoned all of its followers to counterattack at the end. That is the origin of the war that has lasted for millions of years, continuing to this day.”
Upon hearing Mu’s narration, Yang Kai was left sighing; after all, the feud between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan that had been ongoing since the Late Ancient Era was nothing more than a farce caused by a naughty child.
Unfortunately, that ‘farce’ had lasted for millions of years when everything was accounted for, and countless Humans had lost their lives fighting it.
A long time later, Yang Kai sighed again, “Its very existence is a sin.”
“Although it’s cruel to say that, it’s true,” Mu agreed with him.
“You said that Mo’s Black Ink Strength increases as time passes. Does it know how to cultivate?” Yang Kai asked.
Mu shook her head, “It was born when Heaven and Earth split apart, so it doesn’t need to cultivate. The darkness of all living beings is its source of energy; therefore, after it acquired sentience and left the Primordial World, it was able to occupy many Universe Worlds and increase its power.”
Yang Kai was shocked, “The darkness of living beings?”
“Craftiness, betrayal, bloodthirstiness, cruelty, malevolence, resentment, slaughter… All forms of negativity strengthen its power.”
“How does that work?” Yang Kai asked perplexedly.
“No one can explain it,” Mu replied grimly, “The Primordial Light left immediately after it was born, leaving the darkness to bear the loneliness and coldness on its own. People love the light and loathe the dark; however, darkness is born because there is light. Therefore, the darkness can derive energy from the people’s dark side and grow.”
All this was giving Yang Kai a headache. Just as he was ready to say something, he suddenly realised a problem, “Since the Primordial World is the Core of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, the people’s dark side in this independent world…”
Mu nodded, “Just like what you think, even though Mo has been suppressed and sealed, it is still growing by the breath. As such, there will come a day when the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction will shatter. In truth, if not for the fact that Mu’s trump card has been activated, the restriction would’ve been destroyed by now.”
Yang Kai took a deep breath, “So, we mustn’t delay any further. If we want to settle Mo, we have to deal with it quickly.”
Wu Kuang’s voice sounded just then, “But it’s an extremely difficult thing to do.”
Even when the 10 Martial Ancestors were still alive, they were unable to destroy Mo. Could the Humans in present times achieve that goal? The Humans had been fighting against the Black Ink Clan for countless years and had finally regained control of the 3,000 Worlds before mounting a second crusade to the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. If they failed again this time though, they would be doomed.
Yang Kai glanced at Mu and asked seriously, “What’s the hidden hand you’ve left behind? Please make it clear to me, Senior!”
The trump card wasn’t just about making Mo fall asleep; otherwise, Mu wouldn’t have left behind her Space-Time River and the shadow of herself to lead Wu Kuang and him to this place.
Perhaps Mu still had other arrangements, which were the hope for the Human Race.
She had just said that by the time she awakened in this World, Mu’s trump card must’ve been activated, and things had reached the most critical moment.
As expected, Mu went on to explain, “Back then, the 10 built the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction and suppressed and sealed Mo in this place. Only Mu then entered the deepest part of the restriction to look at what was going on before leaving behind some arrangements. This is one of them. There’s no doubt it’s hard to destroy Mo, but the existence of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction shows that it can be sealed; therefore, when the hidden hand was activated, putting Mo to sleep, Mu cut apart its Source into 3,000 pieces and sealed them up inside her Space-Time River.”
After a moment of silence, she continued, “This World is where the suppression started. You must head to the Profound Source Gate which is where Mo’s Source piece is sealed. It is also the place where Mo was born. You just have to refine the gate and suppress the Source piece sealed there. That way, the crisis in this World will be solved, and Mo will be weakened.”
“This World?” Yang Kai sensitively detected something.
“Just like what I said, when Mo was put to sleep, Mu cut up its Source into 3,000 pieces and sealed them up in her Space-Time River. She did so by separating them among 3,000 Universe Worlds in her Space-Time River. As long as you can suppress and seal all the pieces, Mo will fall into a state of deep sleep for all eternity.”
“Such an amazing method!” Yang Kai exclaimed, “But there are too many Universe Worlds!”
Mu let out a sigh, “It can’t be helped, for no single Universe World is powerful enough to suppress Mo. Additionally, Mo has hidden the Profound Source Gates in secret locations. When the ten of us were still alive, we were not aware of it. It wasn’t until Mu looked into the Grand Restriction at the most critical moment that she realised it. With that as the foundation, she left behind some arrangements in a hurry.”
She then instructed, “Once you begin, you must act quickly. That’s because every time you suppress and seal a piece of its Source, you’ll be alerting Mo. The more times you do it, the greater the chances are of Mo waking up. Once it awakens, it will immediately retrieve all the available pieces, and Mu’s arrangements won’t be able to stop it. When that happens, you’ll have to directly deal with Mo.”
Upon hearing her explanation, Yang Kai said, “In other words, as long as I’m swift enough to seal as many pieces as possible, it will have less power to retrieve.”
“That’s right.”
“But it will awaken eventually, so it’s impossible for me to make use of the Profound Source Gates to suppress and seal Mo completely.”
“You can do that by defeating it!” Mu gave him some encouragement.
Yang Kai responded with a helpless smile. Even if he was able to seal many Source pieces and significantly weaken Mo, the latter was still a powerful being, not to mention that Mo had countless Black Ink Clan soldiers.
As such, how was he supposed to defeat Mo?
All the same, he now had a clear direction at the very least.
It was a good start; after all, even when the Humans went on their second crusade, they had no idea how to defeat Mo.
“If I’m not mistaken, the Profound Source Gate in this World must be in the Black Ink Cult’s control,” Yang Kai said.
Mu nodded, “There are countless people in this World, and their darkness has led Black Ink Strength to stream out from the Profound Source Gate. That’s how the Black Ink Cult was born. The Black Ink Cult is indeed in control of the Profound Source Gate, and it is their most important Restricted Area.”
Yang Kai said meditatively, “In other words, if I want to refine the gate, I have to deal with the Black Ink Cult first…” He looked at Mu with a frustrated expression, “Senior, since you made such impeccable arrangements, why didn’t you take control of the Profound Source Gate instead of letting other people have it?”
Mu shook her head, “Due to some reasons, I’m unable to go near the gate.”
“You could’ve asked those from Light Spirit Religion to protect the gate.”
Mu explained, “Whoever is sent to protect the gate will be corrupted by Black Ink Strength; therefore, the birth of the Black Ink Cult was inevitable. Apart from the Primordial World, all the Universe Worlds you’re going to visit will have Mo’s lackeys. If you want to suppress and seal the Source pieces, you have to deal with those lackeys first.”
“Every Universe World has different Principles, so the obstacles you face will be different too. With acquiring the World’s Will as the prerequisite, you have to defeat the enemies present and suppress Mo’s Source pieces. Mu has left behind her shadows in all the Universe Worlds where Mo’s Source pieces have been sealed, so you won’t be completely on your own.”
“That’s indeed some good news,” Yang Kai said joyfully, “All the same, I have to settle the Source piece in the Primordial World first; however, since I’m only a True Element Boundary Master now, I don’t have sufficient power to deal with this.”
Mu nodded, “Yes, you need an increase in your power. Also, you need a helper. Oh, she’s here.”
Saying so, Mu turned to look at the door.
Yang Kai noticed someone approaching them under the moonlight.
A moment later, a slender figure stepped into the house. As they exchanged glances, the person was shocked, clearly not expecting a stranger to be there. What was more, the stranger was a man. She was rooted to the spot.
Yang Kai was surprised as well, for the person was the Fire Order Lord from Light Spirit Religion, Li Fei Yu.
Although he had some speculations, he turned to look inquisitively at Mu.
“Come on in,” Mu beckoned to the woman.
Li Fei Yu stepped forward and saluted Mu, “Greetings, Madam.”
Then, she glanced at Yang Kai, “Who is this?”
Mu said with a smile, “No disguises are needed here. Let’s show each other your real faces.”
Yang Kai and Li Fei Yu were astounded, clearly not expecting that both of them had put on some disguise.
Since Mu had said so though, they had to oblige.
Yang Kai ran his hand across his face and revealed himself. Across from him, Li Fei Yu also took off the mask that was as thin as a cicada’s wings.
As they exchanged glances, Yang Kai appeared doubtful, for he had never met this woman before. Although he had no idea who she was, he found her image somewhat familiar.
“It’s you!” On the other hand, the woman appeared excited, “I didn’t expect this!”
Realising something, she turned to look at Mu with a pleasantly surprised expression, “Madam, is he the real Holy Son?” She spoke in her real voice this time.
Mu nodded, “Yes, he’s the real Holy Son.”
At that instant, Yang Kai put on a helpless smile. Although he had never seen the woman’s face before, he had heard her voice some time ago; therefore, he could immediately recognise her.
He cupped his fist and said, “Greetings, Holy Saintess!”
It surprised him that the person pretending to be Li Fei Yu was the Light Spirit Religion’s Saintess whom he had met in the morning.
He didn’t expect the woman to disguise herself as Li Fei Yu and come to this place in secret, which was interesting in and of itself.
The Saintess explained, “I formed some speculations when I heard that he had the people’s support and the blessing of the World’s Will; therefore, I wanted to verify it with you, Madam. Now, there’s no need for that.”
If anyone else had said Yang Kai was the Holy Son, she would’ve looked into the matter; however, since the woman before her eyes had said so, she wouldn’t doubt her.
That was because this woman had founded the Light Spirit Religion and left behind the prophecy. She was the first-generation Saintess.
“Does the Saintess work for you, Senior?” Yang Kai asked while looking at Mu.
Hearing that, Mu nodded, “I’ve been secretly nurturing and supporting every Saintess over the generations; after all, this position is very important, so I can’t let outsiders take over it.”
Since the Martial Dao in this World was weak, the cultivators generally didn’t enjoy a long life; therefore, Mu had to feign her death and step down from her position as the first Saintess. Otherwise, she could’ve been the Saintess until now.
“What about the Eight Order Lords?” Yang Kai asked.
The Saintess explained, “Big Sister Li is one of us. Both of us were candidates to be the next Saintess back then. In the end, Madam let me become the Saintess while Big Sister Li took over the Fire Order. No one interferes in the process of selecting the other Order Lords.”
Upon hearing her explanation, Yang Kai said, “In that case, are you aware that the Holy Son you are currently nurturing is a sham?”
With Mu behind the Saintess, the existence of the Holy Son shouldn’t be a mystery; however, before Yang Kai’s arrival, there was already a Holy Son that the Spirit Religion had been hiding from the public. Although the so-called Holy Son had passed the ‘test’, his identity was still up in the air.
As expected, the Saintess nodded, “Yes, but the matter is slightly complicated. Moreover, that person might not be aware that he’s a fake Holy Son. He’s most likely being used.”
“What do you mean?”
The Saintess explained, “Madam left behind a prophecy and a test back then. When the chosen one was discovered, the circumstances really did match the prophecy, and he also passed the test; therefore, the others believed that he was the true Holy Son. Although I knew he wasn’t, I couldn’t expose it at that time.”
“Is someone behind all of this?” Yang Kai realised the crux of the matter.
In response, the Saintess nodded.
“Do you know who the person is?” Yang Kai asked.
The Saintess shook her head, “Big Sister Li and I have been looking into the matter for years; although we have some clues, we’re not certain who the mastermind is.”
Yang Kai said, “This person is quite good at concealing himself. It’s no wonder that when Zuo Wu You and I were on our way to the Holy City, we were besieged by those from the Spirit Religion. An Order Lord even tried killing us back at the manor.”
“The person who plotted against the two of you is undoubtedly the hidden mastermind,” remarked the Saintess.
“Has that person sided with Black Ink Cult?”
“I don’t think so,” replied the Saintess, “Every time an Order Lord comes back from the outside, I inspect them with the Purifying Heart Secret Technique to ensure that they haven’t been corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Therefore, the person is probably not part of the Black Ink Cult.”
“Why has this person done such a thing, then?” Yang Kai was perplexed.
“It’s because the person craves greater power,” the Saintess smiled helplessly, “He must be an important figure, but ultimately, I am the leader. As such, he probably wants more influence; after all, in the Spirit Religion’s doctrine, the Holy Son is the true saviour. As long as he can control the Holy Son, he’ll effectively be in charge of the Spirit Religion.”
After hearing her explanation, Yang Kai recalled what Mu had said earlier and muttered under his breath, “Crafitness, malevolence, greed… The dark side of Human nature.”
The darkness in living beings could help increase Black Ink Strength and strengthen Mo’s power.
As long as Humans were Humans, things wouldn’t always be positive. Where light existed, so did darkness.
The Saintess continued, “In the past, I didn’t expose the lie to prevent the Spirit Religion from splintering; however, since the real Holy Son is here, the phoney no longer has to exist.”
“What do you plan on doing?”
The Saintess replied, “That person is still cultivating, and such a matter cannot be rushed. It’s common for an impatient person to suffer from cultivation dissonance and pass away.”
Despite her soft voice, her words were merciless. Yang Kai couldn’t help but take a second look at her. Certainly, a person who could be the Saintess wouldn’t be a naïve pushover.
After giving it some thought though, Yang Kai shook his head, “You just said that the person might not be aware that he’s a fake Holy Son and has probably been fooled. Since he’s innocent, there’s no reason for us to kill him. The mastermind is at fault.”
The Saintess nodded, “In that case, we should get to the mastermind. Big Sister Li and I have some suspects on our list. The fake Holy Son was brought back by Si Kong Nan from the Wind Order in the past, but the person who tried to kill you, Chu An He, worked for Luo Yun Gong of the Earth Order. On the other hand, the Lake Order Lord, Guan Miao Zhu, is also a suspect. These are just our suspicions, and we don’t have any evidence.”
Yang Kai raised his hand and said, “To me, the mastermind behind all this isn’t important either. It is inevitable for Humans to harbour a dark side. As long as the mastermind hasn’t been corrupted by Black Ink Strength or sided with the Black Ink Cult, everything he’s been doing is simply to gain more power and influence, not to assist the enemy. Even if he is in control of the Holy Son and the Spirit Religion, he’ll still oppose the Black Ink Cult.”
“You have a point,” the Saintess nodded in agreement, “No Order Lord would ever be willing to side with Black Ink Cult and become their slave.”
“That’s right; therefore, we don’t have to find out who the mastermind is. Just let them be. We also don’t have to expose the fake Holy Son.”
The Saintess appeared surprised, “You mean…”
Yang Kai explained with a smile, “A while back, the reason I claimed to be the Holy Son and tried to enter the city was to verify some suspicions I had. Now that I’ve seen the person I need to see and found out everything I need to know, the Holy Son’s identity no longer matters to me. It can even be said that it will be easier for me to take action by hiding in the dark.”
The Saintess realised his intentions, “Do you want to remain in the shadows to monitor both the Spirit Religion and the Black Ink Cult?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Indeed.”
Suddenly, his expression turned solemn, “Time is running out, Holy Saintess. The fight against Black Ink isn’t just about the survival of this World, it will affect the wider Universe as well. As such, we have to destroy the Black Ink Cult as soon as we can.”
Hearing that, the Saintess put on a helpless smile, “The Spirit Religion and Black Ink Cult have been fighting each other for countless years; however, we’re equally matched. Although I’m the current Saintess, I can’t initiate a full-scale war against the Black Ink Cult on my own. I have to discuss it with the Eight Order Lords, and I need a reason to persuade them.”
“A reason…” Yang Kai muttered. As an idea sprang to mind, he clapped his hands, “Maybe we can make use of this incident.”
The Saintess’ interest was piqued, “What is it?”
Yang Kai said, “Didn’t you tell me to go through the test when we were in the Grand Hall?”
“Yes,” the Saintess nodded. At that time, she was doubtful, so she asked Yang Kai to take part in the test; after all, he had gained the people’s support and the blessing of the World’s Will, so they couldn’t deal with him as they pleased. However, if he couldn’t pass the test, he naturally wasn’t the real Holy Son. By then, they could do whatever they wanted.
To those who were not aware of the truth, since the real Holy Son had been discovered, there was no doubt Yang Kai was a phoney. As such, he couldn’t possibly pass the test.
In truth, the Saintess wanted to know if Yang Kai could pass the test as well; after all, she knew that the Holy Son that the Spirit Religion had been hiding from the public was fake.
Nevertheless, she was puzzled as to why Yang Kai brought up the test all of a sudden.
“Regardless of what the test is, I’ll fail eventually,” Yang Kai said solemnly, “In that case, I’ll be a phoney, and you’ll have to kill me; however, when I was entering the city, countless disciples came to welcome me, and I gained the people’s support. When everyone finds out that I’m not the Holy Son, the city will descend into chaos. By then, the Spirit Religion can introduce the Holy Son they’ve been hiding from the public to appease everyone. The disciples need a Holy Son, who that person is doesn’t matter.”
The Saintess nodded, “The Order Lords have been wanting to make that person known to the public, but I haven’t agreed to it since I was always doubtful.”
Yang Kai continued, “The Holy Son’s appearance is a big event, so the Spirit Religion can make use of this incident to launch a war against the Black Ink Cult. It also matches the prophecy.”
The Saintess soon realised his intentions, “That’s a good idea. It’s decided, then.”
The two of them then discussed some details, after which the Saintess put on her mask and left in a hurry.
Mu had only been listening to them in silence the entire time.
After the Saintess was gone, she finally spoke up, “As a True Element Boundary Master, you’re indeed not powerful enough to play a decisive role in the fight against the Black Ink Cult.”
Yang Kai said helplessly, “I’ve tried to break through, but there seems to be an invisible shackle stopping me from doing that. It must have something to do with the Principles here. Is this also a part of your trump card?”
Mu replied with a smile, “You’re the saviour, after all. Your existence in this independent World will easily arouse the hostility of Mo’s Source pieces; therefore, you’re not supposed to be too powerful when entering this world. However, it will be easier for you to take action at this point by having increased power.”
Saying so, she raised her hand and pointed at Yang Kai’s forehead.
Following that, Yang Kai’s figure shook all of a sudden. He felt that the shackle that had been restraining his cultivation shattered in an instant. His cultivation rapidly rose from the True Element Boundary to the Immortal Ascension Boundary. Soon, it reached the peak of the Immortal Ascension Boundary before stabilising.
Since he was a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Master before, being at the peak of the Immortal Ascension Boundary still felt quite weak to Yang Kai; nevertheless, it was the limit in this World. If his power continued to increase, it would cause an unwanted response from the World Principles.
Yang Kai felt the increased power and soon adapted to it. He then looked at Mu and asked, “Senior, can you lend me a helping hand as I deal with the Black Ink Cult?”
He initially thought that Mu would agree to it, but she shook her head, “There’s only so much I can do. You only have yourself to rely on from here.”
A perplexed Yang Kai asked, “Why is that?”
Although Mu’s shadow looked like an ordinary person, Yang Kai knew that she was pretty powerful as she was able to use such amazing methods. If he could get her help, it would be easy to destroy the Black Ink Cult and settle the problems in this independent World.
Much to his surprise, Mu rejected his request.
She simply explained, “I’m only a shadow, after all. There isn’t much power I can use, and after waiting and planning for so many years, the power in this shadow is about to run out.”
“I see,” Yang Kai didn’t doubt her, “I’m sorry for making such a request.”
He rose from the chair and cupped his fist, “I’ll take my leave now, Senior.”
Mu got up and saw him off.
Yang Kai suddenly recalled something when he reached the door, so he asked, “Senior, what’s the Spirit Religion’s test about?”
Mu replied with a smile, “Well, it’s just a simple thing. I had collected some Black Ink Strength and sealed it in that place back then. Anyone who isn’t the Holy Son will be corrupted by Black Ink Strength and turned into a Black Ink Disciple after entering that place, so whoever is acting as the current Holy Son naturally couldn’t have passed. Only the person I’ve acknowledged will get a Secret Technique before entering, so he’ll be immune to Black Ink Strength and be able to leave safely.”
Only then did Yang Kai understand what the test was about.
Mu was fully aware of who the real Holy Son was. As soon as the Holy Son appeared, she would contact him and let the current Saintess teach him the Secret Technique. By then, they could put on an act in front of the Spirit Religion’s Order Lords and get their acknowledgement.
“What about the fake, then? How did he pass the test?” Yang Kai frowned. Since one would need the Saintess to teach the Secret Technique to pass the test, how did that person manage to resist the invasion of Black Ink Strength?
Mu knew what was on his mind, so she shook her head, “It’s not like what you think.”
Yang Kai asked meditatively, “Have you been hiding something, Senior?”
After hesitating for a bit, Mu said, “The previous Saintess got together with the Thunder Order Lord and gave birth to a daughter in secret. Before her death, she passed down the Secret Technique to the Thunder Order Lord!”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai was astounded, “Have you always been aware that the Thunder Order Lord is the mastermind?”
Mu nodded gently, “Although I stay here most of the time, I’ve been paying close attention to the Spirit Religion’s affairs since I founded it. Just as you suspected, the Thunder Order Lord didn’t side with the Black Ink Cult, he did everything to gain greater power. Even if he manages to take control of the Spirit Religion, he’ll still oppose the Black Ink Cult. Of course, there’s also another reason that makes me reluctant to expose him.”
“What puts you in a tight spot, Senior?”
Mu glanced at him and replied, “The child that the previous Saintess gave birth to is the current Saintess!”
Yang Kai was startled for a moment before shaking his head, “Does her father want to take the power from her? That’s truly cruel.”
“No, he has no idea,” Mu said gently, “He doesn’t even know that he has a daughter. Of course, the current Saintess has no idea that the Thunder Order Lord is her father either.”
Yang Kai smiled helplessly, “Why is that? Didn’t the previous Saintess tell him about it?”
Mu explained, “I founded the Spirit Religion as the first Saintess. Although there isn’t any doctrine to speak of, they’ve developed many rules over the years. One of them is that the Saintess has to abstain from all forms of intimacy with men. The fact that the previous Saintess fell in love with the Thunder Order Lord was against the rules, and therefore, she was supposed to be executed. Even her child shouldn’t have been allowed to live. As such, she didn’t dare to let anyone find out about it, including that man.”
“I see,” Yang Kai put on a helpless expression, “Many people really have nothing better to do with themselves, so they like to set up a bunch of rules to show how important they are.”
Since the Thunder Order Lord was the current Saintess’ father as well as the mastermind behind the scenes, Mu wasn’t willing to expose him. Once he was exposed, the current Saintess would be put in a tight spot, and she might even have to step down from her position.
“So, after the previous Saintess passed down the Secret Technique to the Thunder Order Lord, he found a young man to pretend to be the Holy Son and let him appear in front of the Wind Order Lord, Si Kong Nan, at the right place and time. Then, Si Kong Nan brought the young man back to the Spirit Religion, and the Thunder Order Lord taught him the Secret Technique so that he could pass the test and become the Holy Son.”
“That’s not what happened,” Mu shook her head, “As far as I know, Si Kong Nan came across that young man by chance, it wasn’t the Thunder Order Lord’s doing. However, after the young man arrived at the Spirit Religion, they realised that he had excellent aptitude; therefore, Yu Dao Chi decided to teach him the Secret Technique. The young man was weak at that time, so he wasn’t aware of anything.”
After a pause, she continued, “Yu Dao Chi didn’t act solely for his own vested interests of course. Even though the prophecy has been around for many years, the Holy Son still hadn’t appeared. The people were starting to lose hope; therefore, he did such a thing to create a false sense of hope for the people.”
Yang Kai rubbed his forehead, “That’s ridiculous.”
He initially thought that it was a plot, but it turned out to be a series of coincidences mixed with some calculations and greed.
“Human nature has always been complicated, which is why Mo can grow so rapidly. If we had allowed it to derive power from the darkness in all Humans’ hearts instead of suppressing it with the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction over the years, Black Ink Strength would’ve filled the entire void by now.”
Mu then warned, “Now that you’re aware of this secret, you mustn’t tell anyone else about it.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I understand.”
He wasn’t interested in the petty conflicts and plots in this independent World. Now, he just wanted to find the Profound Source Gate and refine it so that he could suppress and seal Mo’s Source piece permanently.
“Good, I will take my leave,” Yang Kai cupped his fist and turned around to leave.
Just then, a young boy around the age of five or six years old ran towards him.
Yang Kai didn’t pay any attention to him; after all, when he was talking with Mu inside the house earlier, there were already many kids playing around outside.
Just as he was ready to step aside, the kid charged towards him with a furious expression.
Yang Kai raised a hand to stop the kid from crashing into him with his head. He then said with a smile, “Watch where you’re going, kid.”
The kid clenched his teeth and exerted more force, but he was unable to move forward. He then glared up at Yang Kai and yelled, “Let go of me!”
Yang Kai took a look at him and exclaimed, “It’s you!”
The kid was the one who blocked his way when he entered the city earlier today. He said that Yang Kai must not be the Holy Son because he loathed him.
Yang Kai was already aware of the kid’s audacity in the morning, and he experienced it again tonight.
“Let go of me!” Growled the kid. Due to his short arms though, he was unable to even reach Yang Kai, so he snapped, “Why are you in my house instead of sleeping in the middle of the night!?”
Hearing that, Yang Kai was shocked, “Do you live here?”
He turned to look at Mu, who smiled helplessly, “He’s an orphan, so I brought him back and took care of him.”
Yang Kai coughed and released him.
The kid immediately crashed into Yang Kai’s abdomen with his head before fleeing to hide behind Mu. Finding a reliable protector, he stuck out his head confidently and pulled a face at the evil intruder.
Yang Kai rubbed his abdomen and recalled what happened when he saw the kid in the morning.
At that time, the kid said something to him and ran away, after which a woman was heard chiding him.
In truth, Mu had seen Yang Kai from afar in the morning, but he didn’t pay attention to her.
It was at that moment that Mu became certain about Yang Kai’s identity, so she sent a faint guidance to Wu Kuang, who was in charge of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, leading Yang Kai here.