Chapter 288: "I'm the Family Head, and You Still Call Me Shadow?"

Chapter 288: "I'm the Family Head, and You Still Call Me Shadow?"

"I'm done speaking."

After a few thousand breaths, Bai Jia Jiuzhu let out a long sigh, "The matter is as simple as this. She has been dead for many years. Back then, I didn't know why a Celestial Maiden would take an interest in me. I wasn't even the head of the Bai family at the time; I was just a branch disciple who wasn't well-received within the family."

"Perhaps it's because I had the bearing of an emperor, despite my tattered clothes."

As he spoke, a surge of grandeur filled Bai Jia Jiuzhu, but upon seeing Fat Dragon's gaze, he shrank back and fell silent.

"I understand."

Chen Qiu nodded slightly without speaking, but his eyes narrowed in confusion. According to Bai Jia Jiuzhu, a Celestial Maiden was a product of the Immortal Realm, somewhat similar to the "Celestial Beauty Rankings" in a Fourth Tier Continent, a heavenly gift.

Bai Jia Jiuzhu couldn't explain it clearly.

After all, he was from a Third Rank Continent, and it was impossible for him to know too much about a Fifth Rank Immortal World.

It's a pity that they couldn't contact Badan now; otherwise, they could have asked him about the Celestial Maiden.

Moreover, possessing the first night of a Celestial Maiden would grant them the red entry "Celestial Maiden First Night," significantly boosting their luck, equivalent to constantly activating a strand of Prideful Mortal Luck. This was a little too perverted, to be honest. He was quite moved by this Celestial Maiden.

However, if this was the case, one could imagine that the Celestial Maiden's situation in the Immortal Realm wouldn't be too pleasant. Like him, she was like Tang Monk's meat, desired by everyone.

Chen Qiu shook his head and didn't think further. Instead, he spoke softly.

"Alright, everyone has already set off. We shouldn't delay any longer. Let's move on to the next continent."

Bai Jia Jiuzhu had already found several continents currently experiencing Netherworld Collapse. He planned to keep the disturbance to a minimum and try to gather some Soul of Shadows' Fortune, even though it was risky. It was impossible to avoid risks altogether.

There were countless risky things in this world.

Cultivation could lead to deviation, and entering the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm could also result in death. Even if one did nothing and stayed at home, they might still be affected by powerful battles.

If one was worried about risks, they might as well do nothing and commit suicide, seeking survival in the Netherworld.

But even in the Netherworld, there was a risk of continental collapse.

Living meant making decisions amidst various risks.

One could only be extra careful.

On the other side—

Qu Gui had led a group of Mock Heaven Sect disciples to a brand-new First Rank Continent, whose name was unknown. They landed outside a temple in the city.

It was a dilapidated temple, and inside stood a statue of a Deceptive Buddha, which looked rather eerie.

With a big belly, left palm open, and right hand holding a string of Buddha Beads, but none of the beads were lit up, all dim and lifeless.

They had just been teleported beside this Deceptive Buddha.

"Hey."

Qu Gui, feeling at home, looked at the Deceptive Buddha and smiled, "It seems like it hasn't opened yet. If you need anything, brother, just say the word. I can bring you thousands of civilians in minutes to sacrifice or whatever you need; it's all small matters."

The Deceptive Buddha, which had been as still as a statue and had no intention of speaking, couldn't help but open its eyes upon hearing Qu Gui's words and examined him, "Mo Zu might have said something that made you misunderstand the Deceptive Buddha. We never slaughter living beings."

"You'd better not cause trouble, or you'll ruin my cultivation."

Who was the real evil deity?

"I know, I know."

Qu Gui grinned, "I was just joking. From now on, brother, you'll need to be more accommodating. If you need anything, feel free to tell me. Although I may not be able to help, I can at least be a listener."

After saying this,

He signaled the remaining Mock Heaven Sect disciples to enter the city to gather intelligence about this continent.

Including Qu Gui and the other Mock Heaven Sect disciples, they were all quite excited.

After all, being able to freely explore a new continent was undoubtedly more interesting than staying in the Celestial Palace to cultivate, although cultivation was necessary. Traveling was also essential, not to mention that they had always been supported by Chen Qiu and hadn't contributed much to the Mock Heaven Sect. They felt a bit embarrassed.

They were eager to wait for enemies to come so they could have a chance to showcase their skills.

But they couldn't defeat strong enemies.

As for weak enemies, the last time they went to the Heaven-reaching Continent, a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator came to rob them. They felt excited and rubbed their hands, preparing for a big fight. Still, they didn't get a chance as the sect master directly used a fusion killing art, obliterating the robber completely.

It perfectly illustrated the meaning of a lion chasing a rabbit, yet using full strength.

Now, it was their chance.

Strong enemies didn't need them, and weak enemies didn't need them either. They had to think about their purpose in existing. Now that they finally had a task, they naturally rubbed their hands, ready to make some achievements.

It was the least they could do to make up for the spiritual stones they had consumed during this time.

At the very least, when they returned to Daxia Kingdom in the future, they could tell their clansmen about their adventures outside, instead of saying they had been cultivating all the time. It would be too embarrassing to say they had followed the sect master all the way to the peak.

On Scholar's side, he had also successfully arrived at a new continent.

"This time, it's a brand-new beginning."

It was also a temple.

Scholar took out three incense sticks from his pocket, lit them, and placed them in front of the Deceptive Buddha beside him. Then, he turned to his short brother with hairy cheeks, who was standing next to him, and said softly, "As the second and third elders of the Mock Heaven Sect, we also need to make some achievements."

The younger brother, who was following Scholar, didn't speak but nodded silently.

He hadn't spoken in a long time.

The last time he spoke was probably in the Daxia Kingdom's small world, during a bonfire party with Qiu and the others.

Scholar understood his younger brother's situation and didn't say much. Instead, he turned to the other Mock Heaven Sect disciples beside him and smiled, "Everyone, let's give it our all."

"He named his team 'I Have One Sword'.

Perhaps it had been too long since he last fought, as many had forgotten that he was a Sword Cultivator who had comprehended his own Sword Intention, a talented and powerful cultivator whom Qiu had once praised as superior to the Seventh Prince of Daxia.

Of course, his strength was nothing remarkable within the Mock Heaven Sect.

But in the First Rank Continent, it was a different story.

Hmph.

It was time to show these Celestial Prodigies of the First Rank Continent the true meaning of 'I Have One Sword'!

The Unending Continent, a lower-tier continent of the Second Tier Vast Continent, witnessed some unexpected visitors during the twilight hours.

Within a mountain range spanning tens of thousands of miles, a towering cliff stood tall, reaching into the clouds like a straight sword. Perched atop this cliff was the residence of a family known as the Wang Family.

High in the sky, Chen Qiu and his group gazed down upon this family as Bai Jia Jiuzhu, the head of the White Family, introduced them from mid-air.

"The Nether Collapse Entrance to the Unending Continent's Nether Realm is located within this Wang Family. They are one of the top powers in the Unending Continent. They started as a small family, but later produced an extraordinary genius who completed two milestone tasks and ascended to the Second Tier Vast Continent. During the subsequent battle for the throne, this genius even became the King of the Unending Continent!"

"And then?"

"After that, before the final battle for the sole throne, this genius disappeared without a trace. Like the other contenders for the throne, he likely committed suicide to escape to the Nether Realm." Bai Jia Jiuzhu's expression became complicated as he said, "After all, Master Chen, your formidable presence was truly terrifying back then."

Those who could contend for the throne were all bold and courageous. How could they possibly commit suicide just because their enemies were stronger?

They should at least give it a try, shouldn't they?

How could they know if they could defeat their opponents without a fight? Everyone seemed to have some hidden cards up their sleeves, but in the battle for the throne of the Vast Continent, almost all eleven kings unanimously chose to commit suicide and avoid the fight.

When the power gap is too vast, there's no need to test it.

Committing suicide early on might allow one to preserve their soul and survive in the Nether Realm. If they fought, their soul would be annihilated.

"I understand."

Chen Qiu nodded and then looked at Bai Jia Jiuzhu with a hint of curiosity, "The Wang Family must have kept the discovery of the Nether Collapse Entrance a secret. How did your White Family's intelligence network uncover such confidential information?"

"Well..."

Bai Jia Jiuzhu seemed a bit embarrassed, "The White Family regularly assesses rising Celestial Prodigies. If we believe they possess the strength to reach the Third Rank Continent, we make arrangements in advance to ensure we have absolute control over them when they arrive."

"This person later renamed himself 'Xian Yi'."

"Xian Yi was one of the Celestial Prodigies we assessed and found promising, so we had people infiltrate his home in the First Rank Continent."

"It was only after Xian Yi's ascension that the Wang Family began to rise."

"And it was through this person that we learned about the recent Nether Collapse and the entrance being located within the Wang Family."

". . ."

Chen Qiu's expression turned slightly peculiar as he glanced at Fat Dragon and the others around him. Most of the members of the Mock Heaven Sect were those he had brought from the Daxia Kingdom, with the exception of a few like the Skyaxe Sect Master, who had joined along the way, and the maids that Xiong Gao had found.

If there was an infiltrator, it was most likely one of the maids.

"Impossible!"

Bai Jia Jiuzhu quickly explained, "Master Chen, rest assured. The White Family has not placed anyone around you. We regularly assess Celestial Prodigies from lower-tier continents, but your rise was so rapid that we hadn't even started a new round of assessments before you had already become a powerhouse."

"Mhm."

Chen Qiu nodded and didn't say anything further. He continued to look down at the Wang Family below, knowing that a direct intrusion would cause too much commotion. He planned to sneak in quietly, ensuring minimal disturbance.

With his cultivation, he could use invisibility techniques without anyone detecting him.

His cultivation was far superior.

Xiong Gao, upon hearing the conversation between the two, had a glint of malice flash in his eyes. How could he have forgotten about this? When selecting the maids, he had only considered their personalities, appearances, and figures, neglecting to thoroughly investigate their backgrounds. If there was an infiltrator from another power, it would be entirely his fault. This was unacceptable! He must conduct a thorough review once they returned!

Chen Qiu placed Bai Jia Jiuzhu, Xiong Gao, and the others into a miniature world and proceeded alone, using invisibility techniques to head towards the Wang Family below.

The Wang Family residence was bustling with activity.

Colorful lanterns adorned the place, resembling a wedding celebration. Everyone wore joyful smiles, and the front gate was bustling with people coming and going. However, it seemed that this wedding banquet had not invited any outsiders, and only members of the Wang Family were present.

This was rather odd; who would have a wedding without inviting guests?

But Chen Qiu's purpose for this trip was not related to the wedding. According to Bai Jia Jiuzhu's intelligence, the Nether Collapse Entrance was located in the dry well in the backyard, and it had been active for more than a day. It was estimated that the entrance would close in another day or two, so he had to act quickly.

"Congratulations on the wedding!"

"Haha, congratulations on the wedding!"

Amidst the joyous greetings, Chen Qiu, leaning on the Heavenly Umbrella, strolled through the area as if he were invisible, heading straight for the backyard. No one could sense his presence.

After passing through the lively front hall, he reached the backyard, which was slightly quieter.

Next to the dry well was a hot spring, where a woman was bathing naked, her voluptuous body on full display in the steamy mist. By the hot spring were some undergarments and a wedding dress, indicating that this woman was likely the bride-to-be.

". . ."

Chen Qiu glanced around casually and then quietly made his way to the dry well, looking down.

As expected, the bottom of the well was filled with swirling Heavenly Dao power, and a light circle resembling a teleportation gate could be seen with the naked eye, identical to the one he had seen beneath the Dwarf Clan.

On that day, the Netherworld entrance of the Dwarf Clan was also located within a dry well.

And here, it was the same.

Could it be that the Netherworld really favored collapsing into dry wells?

Just then, Chen Qiu frowned and looked down at his dantian, where a word entry was engraved. Suddenly, he remembered something that made it seem difficult for him to maintain a low profile.

---

Word Entry Name: Death and Burial

Entry Rank: Blue

Entry Effect: When you die, a heavenly phenomenon will envelop the entire Unending Continent to send you off.

---

This was an entry he had obtained long ago, and its effect was simple. Once he died and entered the Netherworld, a heavenly phenomenon would envelop the entire Unending Continent, and a Heavenly Dao Edict would resound.

In such a situation, being low-key was out of the question.

It was like holding a lantern to go to the toilet, making everything crystal clear.

The only way to remain low-key was to self-destruct this entry.

The problem was, he was a sentimental person. Although this entry wasn't of much use to him, it had been with him for a long time, accompanying him since the First Rank Continent. It had witnessed the highlights of his life, and he was reluctant to self-destruct it.

Furthermore, every time he ascended the Heavenly Dao Edict, he gained benefits. He had an entry that increased his cultivation speed each time he ascended the edict.

He also believed that there would definitely be tasks or challenges in the future related to ascending the Heavenly Dao Edict a certain number of times. Accumulating more now could only be beneficial.

However, this went against his original intention of staying low-key. He couldn't even infiltrate with his feathers; he might as well release his pressure and force his way in.

As he hesitated, a crisp voice suddenly sounded beside him.

"Is it beautiful?"

Chen Qiu furrowed his brows slightly and turned around. The woman who had been in the hot spring pool was now fully dressed, standing there with her eyes fixed on him. She asked calmly, "How is it?"

Impossible.

With his cultivation, how could someone from the First Rank Continent see through his tracks?

For a moment, he even had the urge to kill and silence her. Otherwise, if word got out that Chen Qiu enjoyed using invisibility techniques to peep at women bathing, his reputation would be utterly ruined.

It would leave an indelible stain on his glorious life.

He didn't hold himself to high moral standards, but he felt that this was a bit distasteful.

Just then—

Before Chen Qiu could react, a voice filled with apologies sounded in his ear, and a ragged old man suddenly appeared, floating in mid-air. "The girl's figure is indeed excellent, but I didn't stare," he said with a dry laugh.

". . ."

Chen Qiu was speechless for a moment. He hadn't expected someone else to be using invisibility techniques nearby. To ensure complete concealment, he had only used invisibility, not even extending his divine sense, for fear of alerting others. He hadn't anticipated that someone else was hiding there besides him.

However, the girl didn't even glance at the old man. She continued calmly, "Everyone, come out. These games are pointless. If you keep hiding, our cooperation ends here."

As her words fell, the entire backyard seemed to explode.

People jumped down from trees, emerged from the hot spring pool, crawled out from under the millstone in the courtyard, and even appeared from behind the fake mountain. In total, there were thirteen people hiding in the corners, admiring the beauty's bath.

"Sigh."

Chen Qiu heaved a soft sigh, feeling a bit helpless. He didn't care about whether these people were peeping or not; he just wanted to enter the Netherworld. Since he hadn't decided yet, he sat by the well, thinking it over before making a decision.

He needed a coin.

Either decision was fine, and a coin could help him make the choice, as he had a touch of choice anxiety disorder.

Just then—

The middle-aged man who had emerged from the hot spring pool spoke earnestly, "Miss, you misunderstand us. Everything in this world follows natural laws. Any beast with fangs is naturally adept at offense."

"And any beast with scales is naturally adept at defense."

"This is the natural law. Since you were born with such beauty, it's meant for others to admire. If we don't look, we're going against the natural law, which is illogical, isn't it?"

"Hehe."

The girl coldly laughed, "Does the natural law allow you to destroy a continent? Just like how you destroyed the Pingxi Continent?"

"That's not right."

The old man by the well spoke seriously, "Who lives on the First Rank Continent? It's the poor and suffering. For them, living is a torment. We are helping them find relief from their pain."

"Look at these people; almost all of them will never be able to reach the Second Rank Continent in this life. They don't even know of its existence. To them, this continent is their entire world."

"It's like living in a cage, unaware of the vastness of the outside world."

"Moreover..."

"The collapse of this continent is inevitable; we just slightly accelerated the process."

". . ."

Chen Qiu, who had been brooding with his head down, waiting for these people to leave, slowly lifted his head at the sound of their conversation. He stared indifferently at the group, having inadvertently overheard something extraordinary.

The Pingxi Continent was destroyed by humans?

To destroy a First Rank Continent, one would need to be at least from the Immortal World. Could these people have come from there? Chen Qiu also disagreed with their claims.

Who told you that everyone living on the First Rank Continent is miserable? Perhaps poverty is real, but life is still full of flavor and joy. Why should they die?

"Alright, alright."

The old man, who seemed to be the leader, snapped his fingers and said, "We don't have time to waste. Don't throw a tantrum at a time like this. We will do as we promised, but we need to finish dealing with this continent quickly and then hurry to the Profound Heaven Continent."

"That's the order from above."

"We must destroy the twelve lower continents of the Vast Continent within five years. The task is urgent and time is running out."

Chen Qiu, who was standing by and witnessing all of this, suddenly laughed. Good, they were even planning to destroy the Profound Heaven Continent. Although he didn't know which force from the Immortal Realm these people belonged to, he didn't want to attract powerful enemies before even entering the Immortal Realm.

But the Profound Heaven Continent was, after all, his hometown.

He couldn't just stand by and watch as the Profound Heaven Continent was destroyed. Moreover, the Daxia Kingdom was affiliated with the Profound Heaven Continent. If it were to be destroyed, the Daxia Kingdom would also be wiped out. His emotional attachment to the Daxia Kingdom was deep, as he had lived there for a full thousand years.

The conversation among these people didn't seem to have a clear focus.

He didn't want to wait any longer for their meaningless exchange to continue. In an instant, his sleeves surged, and his Divine Sense instantly enveloped the entire Wang Family. Although there was no trace of spiritual energy fluctuations in the courtyard, he had already forcefully brought everyone into his Miniature World.

Among this group, only the old man had Body Fusion Cultivation, while the others had only Essence Refinement Cultivation, and the woman even had only Golden Core Cultivation.

They were not worthy opponents in his eyes.

After bringing them to the Miniature World, Chen Qiu separated them into batches and turned to Bai Jia Jiuzhu, "What's the name of the person you planted in the Wang Family? I need to find out some things from him. Pingxi Continent was destroyed by human hands, and it was done by this group."

He then turned to look at Xiong Gao.

"I need to know all the detailed information about this group. I'm leaving the interrogation to you. Can you handle it?"

"I guarantee the completion of the task."

Xiong Gao replied solemnly.

At this moment, Bai Jia Jiuzhu also understood the importance of the situation and couldn't afford to expose his Shadow identity. He immediately took out a portrait of a man from his pocket and handed it to Chen Qiu, "His name is Wang Yi. He was adopted by the Wang Family 700 years ago and has now become the Patriarch of the Wang Family."

". . ."

Chen Qiu paused for a moment, took the portrait, and looked at Bai Jia Jiuzhu without expression, "Can this even be called a Shadow?"

"That..."

Bai Jia Jiuzhu spoke in a small voice, feeling a little embarrassed, "We provide some assistance to Shadows who perform exceptionally, helping them reach higher positions so that they can play a greater role."

"Hmm."

Chen Qiu took the portrait, "I'll go out and ask him about the situation. There's something odd about the Wang Family. Xiong Gao, I'm leaving this matter in your hands."

Without further ado, he quickly left the Miniature World.

His Divine Sense rapidly enveloped the entire Wang Family, and the pressure leaked out without restraint, pinning everyone to the ground, unable to move. He soon found the old man from the portrait.

In the Wang Family's Ancestral Hall.

A middle-aged man was kneeling in a pool of blood, apparently having just finished burning incense. However, a dagger was stabbed into his back, and he was already lifeless.

Dead.

This man was the Patriarch of the Wang Family, Bai Jia Jiuzhu's Shadow. But at this moment, he was dead in the Ancestral Hall, apparently having been killed not long ago, probably just before Chen Qiu arrived at the Wang Family.

Moreover, he was killed by someone he trusted.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been stabbed in the back.

As a cultivator, he wouldn't have allowed a stranger to get so close to his back.

Chen Qiu approached and examined the body, and after confirming that there was no chance of revival, he brought all the members of the Wang Family into the Miniature World. He had to find out how Pingxi Continent was destroyed by humans, how it was done, and which force was behind it.

The Profound Heaven Continent was a place he had to protect.

And so, this force had become an existence that he must eradicate.

In the Miniature World.

These 13 people, including the young woman, were placed in 14 separate caves. At this moment, Xiong Gao, full of excitement and enthusiasm, strode into one of the caves, followed by his personal maid, who carried two large boxes.

He, Xiong Gao, happened to have read many books about torture methods in his previous life, and he knew quite a few medieval torture techniques.

His favorite was still the medieval torture methods.

They were effective enough.

But he had never had the opportunity to use them. Recently, when the master of the manor entered seclusion, he suddenly had a strange idea and realized that the Mock Heaven Sect didn't have a dedicated interrogation method. So, he created many torture devices, thinking that they might come in handy someday.

He never expected the opportunity to come so soon.

"Let me go! Do you know who I am? You've eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard. How dare you..."

The old man, bound to the copper pillar, was extremely angry and cursed loudly. However, with his cultivation sealed, he couldn't break free.

Then, he opened his box with satisfaction.

"During this time, I made dozens of torture devices. Based on their power, I categorized them from First Rank to Twelfth Rank. It's like following local customs."

"Hehe."

The old man on the copper pillar couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Are you trying to make an old man like me laugh? I've gone through countless hardships and cultivated to the Body Integration Period. I've faced all kinds of trials and endured all kinds of pain. Do you think I would be afraid of this?"

"Afraid of these mortal methods?"

"Don't be impatient."

Xiong Gao seriously took out a cloth and stuffed it into the old man's mouth. Then, he took out a small pill from the box, "This is an external medicine that dissolves in blood. I had it specially made by Xing Dou. Its effect is to make the body more sensitive, increasing sensitivity by about tenfold."

"This is a good thing."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end