Chapter 313: "They All Call Me a Lackey of the Heavenly Dao."

Chapter 313: "They All Call Me a Lackey of the Heavenly Dao."

One day later.

In a wasteland on the Jiang Taiping Continent, all members of the Mocking Heaven Sect gathered around a bonfire, creating a lively atmosphere. After all, many of them had been acting alone, and apart from Chen Qiu, they hadn't seen each other in years.

Especially since they usually traveled separately.

Now that they were together, they had plenty to talk about, such as interesting stories from their travels, memorable events, and some peculiar ones.

Meanwhile, in the sky.

Countless thunder tribulations had condensed into a tangible form, and after a full day, they continued to pour in, although the incoming tribulations were now much weaker, like they had just been born. But they were there.

".

Chen Qiu looked up at the tribulations above, pursed his lips, and didn't say much. He had originally planned to wait until after crossing the tribulations to start the bonfire party, but who would've known that this tribulation, which seemed almost ready to strike, would linger for so long without falling.

Judging by the situation, it seemed like it would take another day or two. He couldn't be bothered to wait, so he decided to start the bonfire party right away.

This tribulation was extraordinary.

It startled the entire Jiang Taiping Continent; almost everyone felt the terrifying pressure. The Jiang Taiping Continent was relatively prone to thunder tribulations, and many cultivators had crossed them, as most practitioners were quite powerful. As a result, the number of tribulation crossers was higher than usual.

But.

In the history of the Jiang Taiping Continent, there had never been a tribulation of this magnitude in so many years, and it even felt like it could tear the entire continent apart. Hence, no one dared to come and watch the spectacle, instead choosing to stay as far away as possible, fearing they might get caught in it.

At the same time, they wondered who this powerful figure was and where they came from.

As for Chen Qiu, he wasn't too fazed by this tribulation. Although it was grand, he didn't feel the life-or-death threat that he had experienced during his previous tribulation crossing in the Vast Continent.

In other words, this tribulation couldn't pose much danger to him at the moment.

Perhaps this was because the tribulation had been gathering for so long. Obviously, the tribulation clouds were aware that this level of power might not threaten Chen Qiu, so they kept condensing, hoping to pose some threat to him.

This bonfire party wasn't just for the Mocking Heaven Sect disciples; some old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time were also invited.

For example, the Deceptive Buddha, Millstone, from the Demon Clan, Badan from the Maan Clan, and the Bai Family Patriarch from the Heaven-reaching Continent.

These people were mostly his business partners, and his appearance would strengthen their trust and confidence in him, making future collaborations smoother. In short, he needed to show them that he was alive and well.

"Chen Qiu."

Holding a wine cup, the Deceptive Buddha walked over with a sigh, "Next time, could you please not do installments? If it weren't for the second elder of your Mocking Heaven Sect giving me a strand of Soul Fortune, you wouldn't be seeing me now."

"The reputation of our Demon Clan's credibility is well-known. Even if you pay in full, we won't slack off before the deadline."

".

Chen Qiu's mouth twitched slightly, then he said sincerely, "It's not an installment; it's just that I really didn't have it at the time. You know, this thing isn't easy to come by."

"Senior."

After a brief chat with the Deceptive Buddha, Chen Qiu noticed the Bai Family Patriarch approaching with a troubled expression, holding a wine cup. He walked up, his face changing from gloomy to sunny, and whispered in Chen Qiu's ear, "Senior, can we have a private chat on the side?"

Chen Qiu's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he nodded and led the Bai Family Patriarch away from the bonfire party to a quieter place. Then he spoke first, "Didn't Bai Pingling explain? Those two Celestial Virtuosos of your family sought death themselves. We couldn't stop them. I..."

"It's not about that."

The Bai Family Patriarch shook his head, "Pingling told me everything. Those two went to their deaths on their own, especially the female cultivator. She didn't listen to your advice and even confidently believed her choice was right. Such a provocative act towards a senior like you... even if she didn't die, I would still send her to you to be dealt with as you see fit."

"I'm already grateful that Pingling made it back alive, and it's all thanks to you."

"Moreover, Pingling told me that you're willing to keep him by your side to serve you. That's a great honor for our Bai Family. I came to find you about another important matter. Do you know someone named Jiang Buying?"

".

Chen Qiu examined the Bai Family Patriarch from head to toe without expression, then spoke softly after a moment of silence, "I know. How do you know him? Did he come to you?"

"Yes."

The Bai Family Patriarch nodded with a bitter expression, "He claimed to be Jiang Young Master and seemed well-informed about you being trapped in a secret realm. He came to our Bai Family some time ago and took my daughter, who had just recovered from Immortal Cancer, to the Immortal Realm."

"He specifically asked that if you wanted to save her after getting out, you should go to the Fifth Rank Immortal Plane, the Tide Immortal Plane."

"He will wait for you in the Tide Immortal Plane for a hundred years, and if you go there in the near future, you can also see him at the Ascension Assembly in the Tide Immortal Plane."

"I couldn't stop him; his cultivation is much higher than mine."

"I didn't want to tell you about this matter. It's not worth it for you to personally walk into a trap set up by him for a weak woman. But after thinking about it, I shouldn't make decisions for you, so I decided to tell you."

"No matter what decision you make, I will support and agree with it.

Chen Qiu didn't speak up immediately. After a brief pause, he gently patted the shoulder of the Bai Family Patriarch and said, "I understand. Your daughter won't die for the time being. I'll go to the Immortal Realm in a while, and if possible, I'll try to bring your daughter back."

He was truly hesitant to make such a promise.

Jiang Buying.

That was a Celestial Path Lackey from thirty thousand years ago. What did it mean to be a Celestial Path Lackey? Although it sounded like an insult, in reality, only those from the Twelfth Rank Immortal Plane had the qualifications to become a Celestial Path Lackey thirty thousand years ago.

Others who wanted to be a Celestial Path Lackey didn't have the qualifications.

From this perspective, these four words could be seen as a proof of experience and strength, and there was nothing wrong with that.

A figure who became famous thirty thousand years ago, although they had lost their physical body and suffered a great loss in strength, it was unlikely that Chen Qiu could resist them. Therefore, he had no confidence in rescuing the Bai Family's daughter and could only try his best.

This person was one of the most troublesome Celestial Path Lackeys for the Mock Heaven Sect, so difficult to kill that they had to use a method of covering the area with Immortal Slaying Talismans to grind him to death. But even so, he managed to escape.

This enemy might be the strongest opponent Chen Qiu had ever faced.

"Alright."

Chen Qiu patted the Bai Family Patriarch's shoulder again, "Let me prepare you in advance. This person is very powerful, far beyond me, a major figure from a high-rank Immortal Realm. I'm not very confident about bringing your daughter back alive, but whether I succeed or not, I will give you an answer."

The Bai Family Patriarch managed a bitter smile and nodded, remaining silent. He had resigned himself to his daughter's fate, and if she died like this, it would be for the best.

After all, his daughter had suffered a lot in this life.

She had barely survived the Immortal Cancer, only to be specifically targeted for kidnapping by a major figure from a high-rank Immortal Realm. Even if she survived this tribulation, the next one might be even more severe. Her life had been too bitter, and perhaps it would be a relief if she died now.

"Alright, let's head back to the bonfire."

As Chen Qiu and the Bai Family Patriarch returned to the bonfire, Badan squatted down and said in a loud voice, "Senior, it's been a long time since we last met. It's wonderful to see you again, and your cultivation has advanced so quickly. In just seven years, you've advanced from the fourth layer of Body Fusion to the seventh layer of Tribulation Transcending. You're only three steps away from becoming an Immortal!"

"It's three steps away," Chen Qiu corrected Badan.

Ignoring Chen Qiu's correction, Badan spoke in a serious tone, "Recently, there's a major event in the Immortal Realm—the Ascension Assembly. Many influential figures will attend, and I can take you there, Senior."

"Ascension Assembly?"

Chen Qiu raised his eyebrows, as this was the second time he had heard these three words. After some thought, he asked, "What is this Ascension Assembly about?"

"Well,"

Badan summarized what he wanted to say in his mind before beginning to explain earnestly, "The Ascension Assembly is a special regional event of the Celestial Dao, held once every ten thousand years. Many people will never enter the Ascension Assembly in their lifetime, and some may not have even heard of these three words."

"As the name suggests, the Ascension Assembly is about ascending to immortality."

"This event is held simultaneously in every Immortal Realm. It will be a significant day for all Immortal Realms. All influential figures from the Fifth Rank Immortal Realm with a cultivation base at the Celestial Immortal stage, even at the first layer, are eligible to attend this banquet."

"There are many small challenges inside, mostly for entertainment, but the rewards for completing them are not low."

"Additionally, there are many great opportunities."

"For example, the 'Ascension Card.' If one obtains this opportunity, their cultivation will directly increase by three small realms without any cost. If it's an eight-layer small realm, it will only increase to the peak of the realm and won't overflow into the next great realm."

"Another example is the 'Immortal Mansion,' a unique cultivation method for Mortal Immortals."

"The unique cultivation method for Earth Immortals is the 'Immortal Mount.'"

"The unique cultivation method for Celestial Immortals is the 'Immortal World.'"

"There will be many higher-grade, latest model, and more powerful Immortal Mansions, Immortal Mounts, and Immortal Worlds, as well as extremely rare Rank-Up Stones to upgrade these methods."

"Furthermore, the banquet will have many Spirit Fruits. Eating them can directly increase one's cultivation progress, but one must be careful not to overeat, as the body may not be able to digest them, and overconsumption can lead to death."

"There are also Spirit Fruits that can directly increase one's progress in the Sword Dao, Alchemy Dao, and more."

"The greatest opportunity is the true ascension to immortality!"

Badan spoke seriously, "The realm after the Peak Celestial Immortal is the True Immortal. In a normal banquet, the greatest opportunity is when a Peak Celestial Immortal obtains this opportunity and breaks through to the True Immortal stage in front of everyone."

"Senior, my goal this time is this opportunity, and many others also have the same goal. This Ascension Assembly will be lively, and the struggle will be intense. Many people will surely die."

"I wonder if Senior wants to join in the excitement."

".

Chen Qiu remained silent. He didn't know Jiang Buying's current cultivation level, but regardless, he had to attend this Ascension Assembly. However, before that, he needed to make a trip to the House of Wei, as they still owed him 1.7 billion Spirit Stones. With this amount of Spirit Stones, he could activate more Celestial Immortal-level Sword Cultivator Puppets, which would give him more confidence when attending the Ascension Assembly.

"Oh, that's right." With this thought, he looked up at Badan and asked, "Do you know of a place called the Wei Wangfu in the Fifth Rank Immortal Realm?"

"Of course I do," Badan replied, his eyes slightly dazed. "The master of Wei Wangfu is an old friend of mine. During the war with the Demon Race, he even helped me out. Do you know him, Senior Chen Qiu?"

". . ."

After a brief pause, Senior Chen Qiu nodded slightly. "I guess you could say we're old acquaintances. I have some business with him. Could you tell me the exact location of Wei Wangfu? I'll go to the Immortal Realm later to catch up with him."

Since Badan was friends with Wei Wang, this matter became a bit tricky.

However, with 1.7 billion spirit stones at stake, he had no choice but to deal with it.

These 1.7 billion spirit stones were crucial to him, not only for the Ascension Assembly but also for his cultivation resources for a long time to come. If Wei Wang was reasonable, he would let him take the spirit stones and spare his life, all for the sake of their friendship.

But if Wei Wang was stubborn, then it would be a different story.

Badan's mind raced for a moment before he suddenly realized and smiled, showing his teeth. "I understand, Senior. I'll give you her address right now."

Logically speaking, Senior Chen Qiu had never been to the Fifth Rank Immortal Realm, the Tide Immortal Plane, so how did he know about Wei Wangfu? Wei Wangfu was just a minor power in the Fifth Rank Immortal Realm, not very famous, and yet Senior Chen Qiu claimed to be an old acquaintance.

There could only be one reason—he knew that Wei Wang was a fairy, and over the years, he had gone to the lower-rank Immortal Realms to repay favors.

It seemed that Senior Chen Qiu might be the one who had received Wei Wang's favor.

In that case, it was like a family connection. Should he tell Wei Wang this good news or not? Badan found himself in a dilemma.

"This is interesting."

At that moment, in a cave mansion in the Fifth Rank Immortal Realm, the Tide Immortal Plane, Jiang Buying sat on a stone chair, his face filled with astonishment as he looked up and down at the Bai Family's young lady, who was curled up in the corner, her eyes filled with terror, and her arms protectively crossed over her chest. He couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"Don't worry, I won't touch you. In my eyes, you have no allure at all."

"If you knew what I've been through, you'd understand that even a woman's beauty is less valuable to me than a dog's tail grass. Only when you've experienced a high enough realm will you comprehend the true meaning of life."

"I'm just curious. You're just an ordinary mortal, yet you've contracted the Immortal Cancer, a heavenly illness that only immortals can get."

"Unless..."

"Unless the Heavenly Dao is specifically targeting you?"

"But—"

Jiang Buying examined the girl before him, tilting his head as a puzzled and strange look appeared in his eyes. "But I can't see anything special about you that would make the Heavenly Dao pay a high price to target you when it awakens."

"Everything about you is ordinary, to the point where you could strip naked and stand on the street, and no one would claim you."

"You're even less special than a stray cat I met in the Immortal Realm yesterday."

"That cat has lived for seventeen lifetimes. It's more unique than you, and it's quite interesting that a stray cat with no spiritual energy can live for so long. The most interesting part is that when I tried to kill her, she didn't even bother to look at me directly. She just glanced at me and continued basking lazily in the sun."

"To be honest..."

"That attitude of hers, disregarding her own life, reminds me of some not-so-pleasant memories. Once upon a time, there was a group of people who completely ignored death and could even resurrect infinitely. No matter how many times you killed them, they would reappear before you after a while."

Unconsciously, Jiang Buying's thoughts drifted to the past, and his expression became somewhat dazed as he muttered, "But that was a long time ago. Thankfully, it's all over now. However, I learned some interesting things from them."

"They called me a lackey of the Heavenly Dao."

"But if you didn't serve as a lackey, you'd die. They could afford to be so defiant because they could resurrect. We, on the other hand, can't resurrect. What choice do we have?"

"But in the end, they couldn't resurrect either. I wonder if they still had that defiance when they faced true death."

Soon—

Jiang Buying snapped out of his thoughts and put on a standard smile as he looked at the girl before him. "Sorry for thinking out loud. You know, if you've been imprisoned for a long time, you'll find that the only way to combat loneliness is to indulge in wild thoughts."

"You create various storylines in your mind to pass the time."

"Especially when you're in extreme pain and unable to cultivate."

"Of course, all that is in the past. I try not to think about those painful memories, but you know, they sometimes pop into your mind uncontrollably, forcing you to relive those painful moments."

The Bai Family's young lady, her face filled with fear, couldn't understand what the man in front of her was saying. She could only feel the chilling coldness in his smile, and she curled up in the corner, covering her mouth to suppress any sounds, her eyes filled with despair.

She didn't say anything about letting her go, as she knew it was pointless.

She quietly waited for her death.

Perhaps, just as this man had said, she was a heaven-jealous one, destined to die. If she didn't die now, she would eventually meet her end.

"Hmm."

Jiang Buying, sitting on the stone chair, scratched his head in boredom. "You don't seem very talkative. You know, if you're locked up in a space for a long time, you have to constantly talk to yourself to maintain your language skills."

"If you don't leave now, by the time you come out after several years, you might find it difficult to even communicate with people."

"I just thought of something interesting."

"If you are the one Heaven Jealous One, then it means there's something about you, some quality or trait, that terrifies the Heavenly Dao. It forced the Heavenly Dao to partially awaken and consciously act against you."

"But if I forcefully protect you, what can you do when the Heavenly Dao partially awakens?"

"It seems a bit blasphemous, but the Heavenly Dao is not fully awake yet. If I secretly speak these blasphemous words, no one should know, right?"

"Although I can't see anything special about you, the fact that you, as an ordinary human, can contract Immortal Cancer is enough to show that the Heavenly Dao detests you. Your very existence is so clear that even the sleeping Heavenly Dao can sense it."

"You should know that even the remnants of Mock Heaven Sect, who are in a deep slumber, have not been sensed by the Heavenly Dao, and they didn't contract Immortal Cancer. Instead, you were the one sensed, which means your danger level is higher than that of the Mock Heaven Sect's remnants in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao."

"Ah, Jiang Buying suddenly realized with a start and scratched the back of his head in regret. 'In that case, I shouldn't have tied you up. I should have handed you over to the Mock Heaven Sect. You might become a very important pawn in their hands.'"

"But with the current strength of the remnants of the Mock Heaven Sect, it's very likely they can't protect you at all."

"But I can't keep protecting you forever. I can do it now, but when the Heavenly Dao partially awakens, I'll have to cut ties with you. Let me think, is there a way for you to survive until the Heavenly Dao's partial awakening while also completely severing our connection?"

"If the Mock Heaven Sect can really use you as a tool..."

"That would indeed be a joyous occasion."

"Ah, but I must tie you up. After all, Chen Qiu must like you; otherwise, he wouldn't give you something like the Yin Emperor's Fortune. I also need to regain my body, which is very important. If I don't restore my full power soon, I won't even have the qualifications to appear on the upcoming stage."

"At that time, not only will I not be a Celestial Path Lackey, but even if I wanted to be one, I won't have the chance."

Jiang Buying's thoughts were in disarray, and he crouched on the stone bench, agitated and scratching his hair randomly.

Crouched in the corner, Miss Bai's tears stopped. She could now confirm one thing—the young master Jiang before her had indeed been imprisoned for a long time, and it was evident that his mind was no longer sound.

From the moment he captured her, this man had been talking to himself. Even without anyone responding, he could continue his monologue for a long time.

His speech and thought process were chaotic, jumping from one topic to another. He often contradicted himself, clearly exhibiting signs of mental instability.

Moreover, many of the things he mentioned were things she had never heard of before, like "Celestial Path Lackey" and "Heavenly Dao's partial awakening."

This man claimed to have lived for over fifty thousand years, but how was that possible? It was said that the longest-living person's lifespan didn't exceed thirty thousand years. How could someone live for fifty thousand years?

No wonder he went crazy.

Anyone who lived for fifty thousand years would probably go insane.

Perhaps it's not madness but rather a liberation from illusions, no longer willing to adapt to this world with a facade. Instead, they shed all pretense and face this damn world with their true selves.

In Jiang Taiping Continent, Badan couldn't hold it in any longer and decided to inform Duke Wei in the Immortal World's House of Wei about the news ahead of time.

Your old acquaintance, Chen Qiu of the Mock Heaven Sect, will be coming to the Immortal World to find you soon.

".

At that moment, Duke Wei, currently in the Immortal World's House of Wei, was startled. She never expected that Chen Qiu would specifically ask for her by name. After all, she and Chen Qiu had never had any interactions.

Their only connection—

was the Favor Repayment Blessing, left behind by a Mock Heaven Sect member with the alias "Playful Young Master" thirty thousand years ago. However, something must have happened thirty thousand years ago, because...

only they, the fairies, remembered this.

They remembered the Mock Heaven Sect.

Apart from their memories, no other source of information mentioned the Mock Heaven Sect. The once renowned "Mock Heaven Sect" throughout the Immortal World suddenly vanished from everyone's memories overnight.

It was as if an indifferent hand had erased all information about the Mock Heaven Sect.

And now, the current master of the Mock Heaven Sect, Chen Qiu, specifically asked for her by name despite having no prior interactions. There could only be one reason for this.

That is...

the Mock Heaven Sect member, "Playful Young Master," didn't set up the Favor Repayment Blessing on a whim. Instead, they, the fairies, were a backup plan left behind by the Mock Heaven Sect.

Now, it was time to activate this backup plan.

Otherwise, there was no explaining why only the fairies' memories of the Mock Heaven Sect remained intact and why Chen Qiu specifically asked for her by name.

After connecting these dots, Duke Wei's eyes flashed with fear, and an idea of running away suddenly sprang to mind. It didn't take deep thought to know who could make the Mock Heaven Sect disappear from everyone's minds overnight.

And she, this backup plan about to be activated, was meant to deal with that person.

She was truly afraid and terrified to face that person. Even when the Qi Sect posed a great threat, she had never felt this level of fear. This time, she was genuinely scared!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end