Xu Yangyi coldly watched the old man. “Great changes are coming to the Clearcloud Realm soon. Seriously, Fellow Daoist, you still have the mind to fight to the death over the Clearcloud Realm? You really are worry-free.”

Everyone understood very well what Moonless wanted to do. Moonless knew that Xu Yangyi had already figured out his thoughts, a straightforward removals of masks, all pretenses shed. He used practical action to tell Xu Yangyi that he had to last say here! Even if they left this Lesser Thousand Realm together, the distribution of the treasure bowl that was the Clearcloud Realm wouldn’t tolerate Xu Yangyi’s say in the matter!

“If we don’t team up now, will we wait for death?” Xu Yangyi sneered as he took a step forward. “Look all around you. If we don’t go now, are we going to wait until this damn thing eats us up?”

Moonless didn’t utter a word. After a long time, he gritted his teeth and said, “Man proposes, but heaven disposes… Fellow Daoist actually being able to cultivate in the Clearcloud Realm was truly beyond my expectations.”

“I only ask a word.” Likewise, he took a step forward and stared head-on into Xu Yangyi’s eyes. “Did Fellow Daoist truly find the return path?”

Xu Yangyi didn’t reply, observing the other as he pondered. Moonless mumbled under his breath for a few seconds, and raised his head and said, “I… have a secret art that uses one’s essence blood to temporarily carry out this realm’s Star Position. But, this art requires two Foundation Establishment cultivators to carry out. And…”

He didn’t continue speaking. Xu Yangyi understood as well.

Moonless… was absolutely unwilling to deliver such a treasure bowl as the Clearcloud Realm!

With the Star Position delivered, who would it be presented to?

Once any of “Inside’s” old ancestors arrived themselves, this place would immediately change masters! This wasn’t a barren and desolate Lesser Thousand Realm without civilization, but rather a treasure bowl with over a billion inhabitants, their development of science, technology, and culture quite good!

Who could be resigned to an outcome like this?

Who would be willing?

“It should be you,” Moonless said coldly and licked his lips.

“The exit path is in the Final 10,000 Miles. However, there’s extreme danger.” Xu Yangyi didn’t avoid the subject, calm. “If Fellow Daoist wants to go, then go. If you don’t go though, there’s no way I’m activating the Star Position with you.”

There was no need to say more. What was touched upon was to be left alone. Both their gazes were like swords, clashing in the air. Anyone could see the desire in their eyes.

As long as they could make it out alive… 

Even if the odds were only 10%, they were both willing to gamble!

“Very clever…” Moonless gnashed his teeth as he laughed, “It just so happens… that I forgot that divine ability…”

“Other business will be put off for discussion in the future.”

Without wasted words, they glanced at each other and rushed directly to the Post Horse Station!

In the sky, two silver lines pointed straight to the government hub, and the surrounding wind surged. Yet the vicinity of the Post Horse Station was already an armory of firearms! Countless guns were aimed at the air!

The duo didn’t take the slightest notice and charged over, fast as lightning. A symphony of ear-piercing gunfire welcomed them.

Bang bang bang!

 The sound of gunfire was like rain. However, Moonless’s following command for them to scram caused everyone to fly away! Their bullets didn’t so much as enter the area ten meters around Xu Yangyi and Moonless!

Boom!

 The pair were like artillery shells and rushed directly to the top floor. They stopped at a heavily guarded door.

Although their expressions were dreadfully tensed, numerous black-clothed bodyguards stood at the door with exceptional firmness. Dozens of guns aimed at the two cultivators.

“A pack of trash…” Moonless chuckled coldly through gritted his teeth, five fingers flashing with golden light.

Granted that the Wind Edge Technique was the lowest divine ability, through the hands of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was still enough to leave corpses strewn everywhere in this place!

But just as he was about to act, Xu Yangyi finally pulled him back.

“Why bother?” Xu Yangyi took a step forward. “Notify the chairman and the premier. Tell them that Master Xu has come to visit, and… that I know the truth behind the Reaper’s Scythe.”

No one moved.

“How you waste your time explaining,” Moonless laughed darkly again. As he waved out for the second time, an extremely calm voice ultimately rang out from behind the closed door in front of them.

“Masters, please come in.”

Moonless coldly snorted, and the door opened freely of the wind. He took a step forward and dashed in. Inside the room, figures suddenly fluttered in the air. Several seconds later, he was already candidly sitting down on a sofa at the corner of the room where a group of spirit-masters were lying down.

Xu Yangyi slowly walked in and did a brief scan of the room. There were at least twenty spirit-masters standing, all of them high rank.

In the middle was the State of Shangchen’s chairman and premier. Their hands were held behind them. Although they were mortals, their bearings were exceptional as they looked at Xu Yangyi and Moonless.

There was no joy or anger. Perhaps they understood very well, regardless of anger or joy, the fact was that multiple layers of defense weren’t able to impede the two spirit-masters. In less than three minutes, defensive line after defensive line had been breached. This fact stood before them provokingly.

“No need for unnecessary words.” Xu Yangyi casually waved. “His behavior is unrelated to mine. I only want to tell everyone that I know how to make this black cloud disappear.”

With one word, everyone present, including the spirit-masters who were clutching their bellies and vomiting blood, snapped their heads up. They fixed Xu Yangyi with their eyes, and even the composed chairman and premier couldn’t restrain the rapid rising and falling of their chests!

Honor and reputation were important, but the calamity of the nation’s destruction confronted them! Everything could be laid down!

No one whatsoever had foreseen that the Spirit Addiction outbreak would so violent! As the final bell tolled, no one knew where the black tide came from. Right now, someone finally stood out!

In contrast to this… barging into the chairman’s office just now was totally unimportant!

“Please!” Without a moment’s hesitation, the State of Shangchen’s Chairman Yu Fangsu stepped forward himself and made an inviting gesture. While he was around sixty years old, he had a full head of black hair.

For the nation’s commander to show respect here and now, everyone in the room, including the premier, didn’t feel this action to be inappropriate!

In Shangchen’s state council conference room, there were ten state leaders. All of them were present, and the chairman and premier were presiding over the meeting. Without wasted words, they swiftly realized Xu Yangyi’s intent.

Thirty minutes later, each person’s complexion was completely different from each other.

Through long experience in bureaucracy, they were no longer excited by great billows. Nonetheless, they couldn’t fathom Xu Yangyi’s words!

Earth… Apex cultivators!

Here in their realm, a demon of unparalleled terror was sealed!

But now… this hair-raising breach… had opened!

Still, they weren’t alone in their pale complexions. Moonless was the same!

The name of this so-called “apex Earth cultivator” couldn’t be hidden from him by any respect.

Great Sage Sun! Sun Wukong! The Buddha of Triumphant Battle!

Unexpectedly, the monster had been sealed by the Great Sage!

Who was the beast?

Unable to restrain his emotions, Moonless’s hand was already clenched in a death grip. 

Was it the Nine-Headed Insect? The Nine Holies Primordial Spirit? The Azure Ox-Spirit?

[1]

He simply dared not continue thinking!

“Fellow Daoist…” Moonless’s eyes were somewhat flushed red. The Clearcloud Realm… Journey to the West, these two things were like a viper plunging its fangs into his heart. He was rendered completely dumb by this matter!

But in less than a second, a terrible qi suddenly erupted from him! Golden-yellow qi overturned everything in the office, everyone! And while the chairman, premier, and everyone else dared to be angry, they dared not believe this information laid before them!

Realization suddenly dawned on Moonless as he ascertained the deep meaning within Xu Yangyi’s words!

“IS IT TRUE?!?!?!” This time, his eyes were completely bloodshot, and his voice was raspy. He unexpectedly grabbed onto Xu Yangyi by the collar, his countenance slightly distorted. “Fellow Daoist Wolfbane… do you vow… that all you’ve said is true! All of it is true!!!”

Everyone else quietly stood up but then sat back down in silence. They all understood their situation. If the men before them were willing, not a single person here would survive!

“Yes.” Xu Yangyi coolly swatted away the other’s hand. “Vow? Why?”

“Even my master-ancestor Daomaster Ancientpine wouldn’t make me take a vow. Who do you think you are?”

“You betrayed your master’s sect.” Moonless reared his head back and laughed mirthlessly. His voice like an owl, he continuously hooted in laughter. “Otherwise, with Daomaster Ancientpine’s honor, how could you not be protected? But… this isn’t important… This isn’t important! Hahahaha!”

BOOM!!!

 As if he’d gone mad, a ray of golden qi streaked directly to the ceiling from the top of his head! The ceiling crashed loudly and collapsed. Like a lunatic, he stood in a pile of silt, and roared with crazed laughter. “Immortals… Immortals exist!!! In this world… there are immortals!!!”

“A handful of yellow earth after a hundred years, predestined reincarnation… Now, there’s actually hope… there’s actually hope!!!”

“Earth… I… must return! No…” His head spun around, and his chest heaved up and down as he nailed Xu Yangyi with his gaze. “This time, I 

must

 go!”

Xu Yangyi coldly watched Moonless. He’d known earlier how great the shock of these words would be to the cultivation world. Regardless, Moonless’s present state was even more excited than he’d imagined!

This wasn’t merely the path leading to Earth… 

This… was furthermore an unsolved mystery that the cultivation world had searched millennia for!

Where were the immortals?!

If one could hear the Dao in the morning, then they could die fulfilled in the dusk of the evening!

[2]

“Have all of Shangchen’s high spirit-masters and state-magi come with me.” Xu Yangyi stood up and scanned all of Shangchen’s leaders with an unquestionable gaze. Their eyes met his in caution.

The vice premier, vice chairman, members of the political consultative conference, the discipline inspection commission… after he ran his eyes over each person, he said lowly, “Get ready to set out immediately.”

“Master Xu,” the premier said in a deep voice, “we can be considered to have a meeting of fate. I know you aren’t one to make trouble without reason, but I still want to know… what are these spirit-masters’ odds of survival?”

The chairman kept quiet. The premier’s question was well asked. If these spirit-masters died, what influence would the State of Shangchen still have on the international stage?

“You all seem to be mistaking something…” Amidst his wild laughter, Moonless lowered his head and looked at Shangchen’s officials as if they were rabbits. “Right now, none of you have room to bargain!”

“Follow us, or else… I’ll send you all on your way here!”

There was hope for immortals! What did he even care about drenching his hand in blood!

If partaking in bloodshed’s fill could grant one longevity equal to the heavens, then he wouldn’t care about exterminating the entire realm’s inhabitants!

Xu Yangyi slightly furrowed his brows. “I’ll leave behind a magik artifact. It can be used ten times. Slaying another nation’s state-magi isn’t a problem.”

“But…”

“No buts.” Xu Yangyi finally stood up and smiled faintly. “Everyone… do you really think I’m so easy to deal with?”

“Could it be… you really think I don’t risk killing all of you?” His gaze was like a blade, no longer restrained. “Obey, or… your country will be destroyed.”

Boom!

 Just as his voice fell, his left hand lightly waved out, and a purple fire-dragon snarled into existence! It made a ten-meter-wide hole in the premier’s office! A vast smog of black smoke lingered in the air.

From their seats, everyone dumbly looked at the large hole that exposed the black sky. In their hearts, they understood at last.

They’d always believed that among these two, one played the hero and the other villain. They’d used the government’s way of thinking to consider cultivators. They’d believed there was margin for discussion in such a simple black-and-white trick. However, they were gravely mistaken this time!

[3]

There would be no discussion!

They had to go!

If Shangchen’s spirit-masters didn’t go, the state would be destroyed now!

1. These are creatures that Sun Wukong met throughout his travels. These are their names in Chinese if you want to look them up: 九頭蟲. 九聖元靈. 青牛精.

2. This passage originates from

The Analects of Confucius

, specifically from one of Confucius’s disciples.

3. “One played the hero and the other the villain”. In Chinese idioms describing roles/archetypes usually call back to Chinese opera. In this situation, the hero is a “singing red mask”, and the villain is the “singing black mask”. Mask colors have different connotations in Chinese opera.

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