Chapter 556: Shocking the Underworld, Exchanging Intelligence

Chapter 556: Shocking the Underworld, Exchanging Intelligence

"Although you are the master of this realm, your power is currently too dispersed and stretched thin. If I were any other master of a minor realm, I would indeed be trapped by you. But I am not so easily confined."

Without a hint of panic, Xu Yan's figure suddenly appeared before a distant blood-red light, and his sword intent, capable of extinguishing all existence, emerged.

Divine Ability: Ultimate Sword!

With a single strike of his sword, the blood light, akin to a blood membrane, was instantly cleaved open, creating an escape route. Xu Yan seized this opportunity and fled before the blood light could recover.

"What a sharp and overpowering sword strike!"

The Lord of the Underworld's expression turned solemn.

It was this sword strike's sharpness and its overwhelming intent to extinguish all that allowed Xu Yan to break through with a single tap and escape.

Never before had there been such a powerful sword technique in the Tai Cang realm.

"No wonder you are so confident. You indeed have the qualifications to be so. If it were those useless masters of the Temple, they would have no means to deal with you. But unfortunately for you, it is I whom you face!"

The Lord of the Underworld's expression grew more solemn.

"I'll say it again. Leave her behind, and I will act as if I never encountered you."

Xu Yan's expression turned grave; at this moment, he dared not be careless. The Lord of the Underworld was, after all, one of the seven major realm masters and a formidable opponent who had created his own realm.

Compared to the Master of the Unchanging Temple, Mu Zhu, calling him a pseudo-realm master would not be an exaggeration.

"You, the Lord of the Underworld, possess such strength that you can suppress my Tai Cang realm single-handedly. How powerful are you, then? And yet, he was defeated. How formidable is the master of the Unchanging Temple?"

Xu Yan sighed, but then he chuckled and said, "If it were the Tai Cang realm, with my current strength, I would likely have no chance of escape. But against you, Lord of the Underworld, it's still not enough."

The Lord of the Underworld's face turned gloomy instantly. "If you insist on seeking death, I will gladly oblige!"

"Hey, try catching me first," Xu Yan said with a smile, enveloping Ming Yu as he vanished from his original spot.

Divine Ability: Erase All Traces!

The Lord of the Underworld's expression turned solemn, and his figure also vanished without a trace, although Xu Yan had fled far away silently and without a trace. Nevertheless, as a realm master, the Lord of the Underworld could naturally track Xu Yan's escape direction.

Xu Yan demonstrated the Erase All Traces divine ability as he fled through the Unchanging Realm, with the Lord of the Underworld in hot pursuit.

"Underworld, I'm curious. How did you come to join the Unchanging Temple, and why did they accept you, a realm master?" Xu Yan asked curiously as he fled.

The Lord of the Underworld did not respond; his expression only grew gloomier, and his speed suddenly increased, a faint blood-red light emanating from his body.

"You won't catch me," Xu Yan said nonchalantly, his speed also increasing to maintain a safe distance from the Lord of the Underworld's interception range.

"During that great battle long ago, how did the Tai Cang realm fall, and how did you survive? Why did the master of the Unchanging Temple take you in?" Xu Yan continued to ask.

The Lord of the Underworld's speed surged again, but he found that Xu Yan similarly increased his speed, maintaining a safe distance between them.

This meant that Xu Yan was also not using his full strength.

"I've noticed that the aura of the realm seems to have disappeared from your body. Are you no longer a pure realm master? Did you abandon your aura, or was it taken from you?" Xu Yan asked calmly as he continued his escape.

The Lord of the Underworld's face grew increasingly gloomy.

Suddenly, a blood-colored radiance surged from the Lord of the Underworld's body, and his figure vanished. At the same time, faint ripples appeared from all directions in the Unchanging Realm, causing the violent spiritual energy and unchanging qi to freeze momentarily.

At the same time, Xu Yan's figure also disappeared from his original spot and reappeared elsewhere. However, he soon vanished again, and a force of nature reverberated through the Unchanging Realm.

Whoosh!

The violent spiritual energy and unchanging qi transformed into a landscape of mountains and rivers. This landscape exuded an overwhelming sharpness and emitted a dazzling sword radiance that illuminated the Unchanging Realm.

Under the illumination of the sword radiance, the faint ripples were slightly stagnant for a moment!

When the Lord of the Underworld and Xu Yan's figures reappeared, the distance between them remained unchanged.

However, the looks they exchanged now carried a hint of gravity.

"This is not the Tai Cang martial way!" the Lord of the Underworld said in a deep voice.

"I never said I cultivated the Tai Cang martial way," Xu Yan smiled.

During that brief moment, Xu Yan had almost been blocked by the Lord of the Underworld, and he couldn't help but marvel at the latter's strength.

This was the first time he had encountered such a formidable opponent who had nearly prevented his escape.

Ming Yu's eyebrows furrowed deeply, and a look of astonishment appeared in his eyes. "If it isn't the Tai Cang martial way, could it be...?"

Suddenly, his voice paused, and he shook his head. "Impossible. Did Tai Cang leave some sort of backup plan?"

At this moment, Ming Yu realized that some unknown changes must have occurred in the Tai Cang realm, changes that even the Unchanging Temple could not control.

It was because of these unforeseen circumstances that a monster like Xu Yan was born.

Despite being weaker than himself, Xu Yan's profound and mysterious martial arts and monstrous talent had allowed him to escape time and time again, despite Ming Yu's relentless pursuit.

"Why do you think this is Tai Cang's backup plan?" Xu Yan smiled faintly and said, "Ming Yu, you cannot keep me here. Since we have met by chance, why don't we exchange some intelligence? I'll tell you about the changes in the Tai Cang realm, and you can tell me some secrets of the Unchanging Temple. It's a fair trade, and neither of us loses out."

Ming Yu let out a cold laugh. "I can see the changes in the Tai Cang realm for myself. There's no need for us to exchange anything. Moreover, do you really think I can't do anything to you?"

"Ming Yu, I know you haven't used your full strength yet, but do you think I don't have any tricks up my sleeve? The reason I dared to face you is that I am confident in my abilities. As for you going to the Tai Cang realm yourself, do you dare? Are you certain that there is no one in Tai Cang who can suppress you?" Xu Yan's smile widened as he realized that encountering Ming Yu was a good thing.

Moreover, from Ming Yu's attitude, it seemed that he was not truly dedicated to the interests of the Unchanging Temple.

"Ming Yu, perhaps through this exchange, you can gain some information that will help you escape your current predicament and even further your progress. I, Xu Yan, have cultivated for less than a hundred years and have already achieved such strength. Moreover, I am confident that surpassing you is not a difficult task."

"Think it over carefully. Exchanging intelligence between us is a fair deal, and we can each get what we need." Xu Yan's body glowed as he intentionally revealed his true age.

Ming Yu's expression turned astonished, his face filled with disbelief.

Xu Yan had cultivated for less than a hundred years, and yet he possessed such formidable strength. The word "monster" could no longer describe him. At this moment, Ming Yu truly believed that Xu Yan could surpass him!

Ming Yu took a deep breath and stopped in his tracks, no longer pursuing Xu Yan. There was no need for it!

He believed that Xu Yan's confidence stemmed from having sufficient trump cards up his sleeve, ensuring his escape from Ming Yu's grasp. Continuing the pursuit would only be asking for trouble.

Xu Yan also halted, but he maintained a safe distance from Ming Yu, ready to react to any of Ming Yu's moves.

"Then let's exchange intelligence. Does the Tai Cang realm have a new ruler?" Ming Yu asked in a deep voice.

"As I said before, Tai Cang is now history. The present is the era of the Great Wilderness. The Great Wilderness has no ruler, but it has the Mandate of Heaven!" Xu Yan's answer took Ming Yu by surprise. At this moment, he truly began to take Xu Yan seriously. Tai Cang had indeed become a thing of the past, although the realm remained the same.

From Xu Yan's answer, Ming Yu realized the crux of the issue. The Great Wilderness had no ruler, but it had the Mandate of Heaven!

What exactly was the Mandate of Heaven?

"What is the Mandate of Heaven? What do you mean by it?" Ming Yu asked, his expression grave.

He had a hunch that the Mandate of Heaven held great importance for the realm. It had brought about changes that had transformed the Tai Cang realm into history and ushered in a new era.

"It's your turn to answer my question now." Xu Yan chose not to explain the concept of the Mandate of Heaven but instead smiled and prompted Ming Yu to respond.

"Go on," Ming Yu said, taking a deep breath. Although Xu Yan was much weaker than him, Ming Yu did not dare to be complacent or arrogant, nor did he carry himself with the air of a ruler.

"Where is the Unchanging Temple located?" Xu Yan thought for a moment before asking.

"The Unchanging Temple doesn't have a fixed location. It has always been drifting in the Unchanging Land, and now it's slowly approaching the... Great Wilderness realm," Ming Yu replied in a low voice.

Xu Yan nodded. "When will the Unchanging Temple get close to the Great Wilderness? When will they make their move?"

"They won't approach the Great Wilderness for the time being. They're waiting for the right opportunity. They will make their move when the time is ripe, but I'm not sure when that will be," Ming Yu answered without hesitation. "As for my question, Mu Zhu manipulated the true spirits to enter the Great Wilderness and enhance its energy. Did he fail?"

At this moment, Ming Yu suddenly recalled Mu Zhu's premature attempt to invade the Great Wilderness. His goal had been to control the realm, enhance its energy, and make certain preparations by consuming the realm before the next cycle began.

With Xu Yan's extraordinary strength and the emergence of the "Mandate of Heaven" in the Great Wilderness, it was highly likely that Mu Zhu had failed.

Mingyu's curiosity deepened as he thought about the Wu Mo Celestial Realm once more. When it had collided with the Great Wilderness, could it have possibly failed to inflict any damage? Was there perhaps some hidden secret?

"When the Wu Mo Celestial Realm collided with the Great Wilderness, didn't it cause any turmoil? Are there any hidden secrets within this?"

"Now you're asking two questions," Xu Yan said with a smile. "Mu Zhu naturally failed, but he didn't die. As for the Wu Mo Celestial Realm, it has merged with the Great Wilderness and become its Yin Realm. Mei Wu and the others are now part of the Great Wilderness."

At this moment, Mingyu's curiosity about the changes in the Tai Cang Celestial Realm grew even stronger.

Yin Realm? What was that? How much had the Tai Cang Celestial Realm, now transformed into the Great Wilderness, changed? Mu Zhu truly failed, but why didn't he perish?

"What is the Yin Realm?" Mingyu asked eagerly.

"It's my turn to ask now," Xu Yan said, his smile radiant.

"Ask away," Mingyu said, his curiosity getting the better of him despite his frustration at having to comply.

"What is the strength of the Lord of the Unchanging God? Why were you, the Lord of the Underworld, accepted by the Unchanging God? I've heard that all living beings in the heavens and earth would be devoured by the Unchanging Temple."

Xu Yan asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. He wondered if Mingyu had betrayed the Tai Cang Celestial Realm during the great battle, which led to its downfall.

Ever since it became known that Mingyu was alive and had become a powerful figure in the Unchanging Temple, he wasn't the only one to harbor such suspicions.

"I don't know," Mingyu shook his head, his expression solemn. "I don't even know what he looks like exactly, nor can I fathom the extent of his strength. But I know that if he wanted to kill me, it wouldn't be difficult."

He sighed and continued, a hint of resignation in his voice, "You must have noticed that although I am the Lord of the Celestial Realm, the energy of the heavens and earth has disappeared from me.

"That was the price I paid. All the energy of the heavens and earth within me was extracted, and only then was I accepted by the Unchanging Temple. Someone must have pleaded on my behalf for me to be able to seek refuge there."

Before Xu Yan could ask, Mingyu let out a self-deprecating laugh. "You must be wondering if I betrayed Tai Cang back then, aren't you?"

Xu Yan nodded. "I'm not the only one who suspects that."

Mingyu fell silent for a moment, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Tai Cang was undoubtedly a great brother. Everyone knows that he suppressed me, but I've never resented him for it. After all, the fault was mine. I, Mingyu, am proud and rebellious, but I only respect Tai Cang.

"Back then, when I was suppressed, it was because my cultivation of the Blood Demon Path went awry and affected my sanity.

"Tai Cang suppressed me to help me resolve this issue. It was only then that my Blood Demon Path was truly perfected, and I no longer had to worry about my sanity being affected."

Xu Yan was taken aback. He had never expected that Mingyu's suppression had such a backstory.

It turned out that Mingyu's cultivation had gone awry, affecting his sanity and causing him to target the Lord of the Qingling Celestial Realm. Tai Cang had suppressed him to help resolve this issue.

"Among us six, who didn't respect Tai Cang? Wu Mo was even more arrogant and rebellious than I was. In front of Tai Cang, he didn't dare show the slightest disrespect. Our cultivation paths were all guided by Tai Cang.

"I've thought about it more than once—why was it us who lost? Only recently did I realize that our defeat was not unjust."

Mingyu seemed to be touched by a deep, hidden emotion. Without waiting for Xu Yan's question, he continued.

"That battle back then was even more intense than you can imagine."

Mingyu recalled, "The battles between the Lords of the Small Celestial Realms were already fierce, but what truly decided the outcome was the clash between us six and the Lords of the Unchanging Temple. Their numbers exceeded what we Small Celestial Lords could have imagined, even though they were pseudo-celestial lords..."

Xu Yan interrupted, unable to contain his curiosity any longer. "Why are they called pseudo-celestial lords?"

Mingyu smiled and explained, "They don't possess their own celestial realms, but they have similar Dao patterns to those held by true celestial lords, and they have also reached the level of celestial lords. So, aren't they pseudo-celestial lords?

"Actually, before the seven of us reached this level, the Unchanging Temple didn't refer to this level of strength as pseudo-celestial lords. Instead, they called it the Guardian Realm, indicating that the cultivator had the strength to become a guardian of the Unchanging Temple.

"It was only after the seven of us, the true celestial lords, appeared that this level of strength was defined as pseudo-celestial lords. After all, they don't possess their own celestial realms, hence the name.

"The Lords of the Unchanging Temple are indeed weaker than us, but they are stronger than the Small Celestial Lords. Now, they should be called Realm Lords.

"Before our battle with the Unchanging Temple, we had some interactions and tested each other's strength. It was during that time that this definition of strength levels came about."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end