Carry On, I Took a Wrong Turn

Inside Heaven and Earth Cave. A youthful voice echoed. "The sun in the sky has undergone yet another anomaly. I wonder if this is... a blessing or a curse." A seductive female voice chuckled softly. "It involves a clash between Great Venerables at the very least. We had best not waste our worry over things so beyond us. "We ought to consider whether we've applied ourselves over these years, and whether we have opened another divine aperture." "Venerable Youqing remains as amusing as ever," an aged voice remarked. "Let us not speak of such painful matters again." These three were none other than the three Yin Gods of the Eastern Lands, as well as the organizers of the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle. Of course, the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle was practically run entirely by Venerable Yeqiong. The other two never took part in the affair, and the presences conversing right now were merely avatars. Their true bodies had long entered deep, secluded slumber to open divine apertures. "In another half month, the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle will conclude, and the gates to Wangyue Continent will open. "I wonder... whether we will be able to claim a place for ourselves on Wangyue Continent," the seductive female voice said, tinged with a peculiar sorrow. "The Moluo Clan... is simply too formidable," the aged voice lamented. "Without borrowing the strength of other Yin Gods, we stand no chance against them." The youthful voice cut in, "Seek aid from other Yin Gods? That would be handing Wangyue Continent over on a silver platter. Out of the question!" "Yet the Moluo Clan possesses mighty experts of the Second Step of Sky Treading!" the aged voice reminded them. At the mention of the Second Step of Sky Treading, the remaining Yin Gods fell silent. They were all at the First Step of Sky Treading, having opened only a scattering of divine apertures. Before a Yin God of the Second Step, they were completely outmatched. Just then, the seductive female voice spoke up. "I heard that some time ago, a Blood-Robed Sword God annihilated the Palace of Light. "The fallout from that battle that spilled out of the Void Realm was extraordinary. "This indicates a clash of the Second Step level took place within the Void Realm. "Could this Blood-Robed Sword God be at the Second Step?" "He is not. He possesses no divinity whatsoever; he is not a Yin God." "Could it be that he also possesses a powerful Yin God Dharma artifact?" The female voice grew covetous. "Why doesn't this old man have a Yin God Dharma artifact of his own?!" the aged voice grumbled. Before reaching the Second Step of Sky Treading, a Yin God's own divine spiritual power was barely enough to open divine apertures; who would waste it to condense a Yin God Dharma artifact? "If only that Blood-Robed Sword God dies on Wangyue Continent," the seductive woman laughed. "Then I could pick up that Yin God Dharma artifact." "Keep daydreaming. Do you really think the Moluo Clan would leave a Yin God Dharma artifact behind?" "Yeqiong, you sent the Blood-Robed Sword God into Wangyue Continent. What a profound scheme." "This Venerable did not scheme against him. He wished to enter Wangyue Continent himself, and I merely granted his modest wish. If he dies there, it is hardly my fault," the youthful voice declared with high and mighty righteousness. ... Undercurrents surged across the Eastern Lands. Meanwhile, in tiny Great Shang, things were far from peaceful. True Monarch Kumu, Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect, had been sick with worry over recent days. With Mu Kong dead on the grounds of the Divine Light Sect, the Red Sword Sect would have even more cause to make trouble for them. Though that Supreme Elder of the Red Sword Sect had yet to recover from his heavy injuries, he was nonetheless a Purple Mansion expert. Purple Mansion and Divine Infant existed on fundamentally different tiers, just as Yin Gods and Purple Mansion stood worlds apart. The sect-protecting grand array had already been activated, prepared to face the Supreme Elder of the Red Sword Sect whenever he arrived. Just at that moment, a terrifying aura swept across the firmament. True Monarch Kumu's expression shifted slightly. "Purple Mansion?" The elders and deacons of the Divine Light Sect grew grim as well. "He actually came!" "It's over... the Divine Light Sect is finished!" "No, wait, it's not just one—there are two Purple Mansions!" Feeling the two mighty auras, True Monarch Kumu plunged into utter despair. A single Purple Mansion could effortlessly annihilate the Divine Light Sect, let alone two. That shameless old dog from the Red Sword Sect had actually brought backup? Utterly despicable! "Sect Master, let us fight them to the death!" a Golden Core elder cried out in indignation. "Defend the sect to our dying breath!" Throughout the sect, unity burned fierce and unyielding. Outside the sect gates, Meishan and Xu Yeli exchanged baffled glances. "Did we come to the wrong place?" "I don't think so." "Then why does it feel like they're treating us as mortal enemies?" Neither understood what was going on. In the end, both voiced their greetings: "Meishan of the Blood-Robed Alliance comes to pay respects to the Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect!" "Xu Yeli of the Blood-Robed Alliance comes to pay respects to the Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect!" Their voices billowed through the protective grand array, ringing straight into the ears of every disciple and elder within the Divine Light Sect. The elders and disciples looked at one another in confusion. "The Blood-Robed Alliance? What is that?" "What's going on? Isn't it the Red Sword Sect?" True Monarch Kumu was thoroughly bewildered, and Elder Xuanchong was equally at a loss. The elders flew before the mountain gates and peered outside. Surprise sprang into True Monarch Kumu's eyes. The auras radiating from the two elderly men before them were deep and vast as oceans. The one in the lead, in particular, was clearly no ordinary Purple Mansion. What had brought such mighty figures to the Divine Light Sect? "Are you the Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect?" Meishan looked toward True Monarch Kumu. Even facing a mere Divine Infant, his manner was remarkably gentle. After all, this was an elder of the Blood-Robed Sword God. "Junior Kumu, Sect Master of the Divine Light Sect, greets the two seniors. May I ask what brings you here?" True Monarch Kumu inquired, full of confusion. "Our Blood-Robed Alliance's Alliance Leader has a gift to present to you," Meishan said. A purple-gold gourd appeared in his palm. Facing the Divine Light Sect's protective array, the gourd met no resistance whatsoever, passing right through into the sect and coming to rest in True Monarch Kumu's hands. "The Purple Gold Gourd?" Looking at the familiar gourd, shock flared in True Monarch Kumu's eyes. This was the lost supreme treasure of his Wood Clan! For a thousand years, he had never laid eyes upon his clan's supreme treasure! Yet now, it was right before him! Elder Xuanchong also stared fixedly at the Purple Gold Gourd. The rest of the sect was completely lost, not understanding why the Sect Master and Elder Xuanchong were reacting with such overwhelming emotion. True Monarch Kumu trembled with excitement, cradling the supreme treasure as memories of the past surfaced in his mind. Yet as he stared at it, a trace of doubt flitted through his thoughts. The Purple Gold Gourd had been listed as a reward for the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll. How could it appear here? All at once, he remembered Qi Yuan and Kang Fulu. Regarding his true identity and the supreme treasure, he had only ever told those two. Now that the treasure had returned, it had to be connected to them! Which one was it? True Monarch Kumu eliminated Kang Fulu first. After all, Kang Fulu was his son-in-law, and he knew precisely what the man was capable of. Only Ruan Yixi's disciple, Qi Yuan, remained utterly inscrutable to him. Innumerable thoughts raced through his mind. Could it be that Qi Yuan, that pretty boy, caught the eye of the Blood-Robed Alliance's Alliance Leader? He had to admit, True Monarch Kumu found this entirely plausible. Though Qi Yuan was far from serious, he was extraordinarily handsome, ranked tenth among the Ten Beauties of Great Shang in private rankings. Had his personality not been so bizarre, he probably could have claimed first place. It was well within reason that an esteemed senior had taken a fancy to him and claimed him as a Dao companion. Qi Yuan had sacrificed far too much for him... True Monarch Kumu felt deeply moved. Were these the two subordinates Jiang Lingsu had mentioned? If so, it all made sense. True Monarch Kumu asked, "May I ask the seniors... is the Blood-Robed Alliance's Alliance Leader a man or a woman?" "A man, naturally." True Monarch Kumu's expression froze, and his inner gratitude swelled beyond words. Qi Yuan's sacrifice... was truly immense. "The Alliance Leader also said that you are his elder, and that he has received much care from you. He has another gift to present to you," Meishan continued. True Monarch Kumu stared blankly. Elder? Care? Had all his assumptions been wrong? Did he actually know the Alliance Leader of the Blood-Robed Alliance? Could it be...? As for the gift, he gave it no further thought. At that moment, a smile touched Meishan's eyes. "Take a look, who might this be?" With a flick of Xu Yeli's hand, a figure tumbled onto the grounds of the Divine Light Sect. "A Purple Mansion!" "That's a Purple Mansion?" The figure's aura was withered, bound tightly by an Immortal-Binding Rope, but any Divine Infant could tell with a single glance that this was indeed a Purple Mansion expert! A Purple Mansion expert, bound by a Dharma artifact and tossed before them like a dead dog—how could they not be stunned? After all, this was the first time in their lives they had ever seen a Purple Mansion from such close range. When Elder Xuanchong's eyes caught the bound cultivator's face, his heart skipped a beat, and a tidal wave of emotions surged forth. "Hong Lian... you old dog!" The person before them was none other than that old dog Hong Lian! The very man who had forced the Sacred Empress to her death, slaughtered the Wood Clan, and butchered his entire family and race! How could he ever forget that face? Night after night, that arrogant, disdainful face had haunted his dreams! True Monarch Kumu's excitement was not a fraction weaker than Xuanchong's. He stared fixedly at Hong Lian, his heart flooded with shock, vindication, and disbelief. "The Alliance Leader said that this man is entirely at your disposal. "We must return shortly to report back to the Blood-Robed Alliance. "To avoid any mishaps, why not execute Hong Lian publicly right now?" Meishan suggested. A public execution—a beheading assembly. After all, with a vendetta as deep as the sea, how could an easy death satisfy such hatred? Beheading assemblies were a common spectacle in the Canglan Realm. True Monarch Kumu looked toward Meishan and Xu Yeli and bowed deeply. "Thank you both, and our deepest gratitude to the Alliance Leader of the Blood-Robed Alliance!" He had no idea who the Alliance Leader was, but the man was undeniably tied to Qi Yuan, perhaps even... He turned toward Hong Lian, hatred bursting from his gaze. He wanted nothing more than to eat his flesh and gnaw his bones. Half an hour later. The beheading assembly commenced. True Monarch Kumu looked grave and solemn. Hong Lian lay like a dead dog, his eyes filled with terror. "If you kill me, Shuixian Continent will go to war with Cuiyun Continent!" he struggled, desperate to survive. More than anything, he refused to die at the hands of a weak Divine Infant. Many elders and disciples of the Divine Light Sect looked on in awe. After all, they had never seen a Purple Mansion in their entire lives. To have their first look be at a Purple Mansion about to be beheaded—how extraordinary was that? Longsword in hand, True Monarch Kumu prepared to sever the head with a single stroke and avenge his clan. Right at that moment, another terrifying aura swept over the area. "Daring to kill my disciple—how bold of the Divine Light Sect!" "It seems I haven't shown myself in so long that the name of a Purple Mansion carries no weight anymore!" "Today, not a dog or chicken in the Divine Light Sect shall know peace!" A mighty Purple Mansion figure clad in a brown robe manifested outside the Divine Light Sect, fury plastered across his face. He looked toward True Monarch Kumu, then froze. Because he saw a bound Purple Mansion. That bound Purple Mansion possessed a dense and profound aura, clearly that of a middle Purple Mansion cultivator. How could such a powerful expert be tied up here? He was completely dumbfounded. And just then, an impassioned shout rang out: "The auspicious hour has arrived! Sacrifice! Slay!" At that cry, the longsword in True Monarch Kumu's hand shone with radiant light. *Schwing!* With a single downward slice, Hong Lian's fine head tumbled free, rolling across the ground. His divine soul, suppressed by the immortal rope, slowly dissipated into nothingness. Only then did the others turn their gazes toward the brown-robed old man. The old man hovered in the air, his mind completely numb. What had he just witnessed? A middle Purple Mansion mighty expert had just been beheaded by the Divine Light Sect? Had he come to the wrong place, or was he still dreaming? "Carry on... I took a wrong turn..." The situation was far too bizarre; better to run first. Yet right then, a gentle voice called out from behind him, "Daoist friend, please stay your steps." The brown-robed old man's body stiffened violently. Late... Purple Mansion! ... Half a month slipped by in the blink of an eye. "Hmm, progress on the Golden Core Great Dao is quite pleasing. As for the accumulated True Solar Fire... is it enough to swallow a star now?" Qi Yuan pondered. After some thought, he decided it was better to hoard a bit more. After all, devouring a star was nothing like devouring a planet. The two were fundamentally different. Moreover, if he remembered correctly, the stars surrounding him were all larger than he was. He had devoured over a dozen planets, but compared to those stars, the gap was still immense. "If I gather a bit more True Solar Fire and swallow a star in one go, I should be able to defeat Venerable Yeqiong, right?" Qi Yuan mused. "Until I swallow a new star, I must keep a low profile." Qi Yuan felt he was still too weak. "Alas, why is my Golden Core in another world? If it were in this world, I would dare charge straight at a Yang God!" Of course, Qi Yuan was only joking. Without knowing how strong a Yang God truly was, he wouldn't rashly go picking fights with one. "Alliance Leader!" the Court Master of Yunzhong Court called from outside the hall. Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "The Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle is over?" "Yes, it has concluded, and Wangyue Continent has opened." The Court Master of Yunzhong Court entered the hall. Qi Yuan was delighted. "Let's go. I'm heading to Wangyue Continent." The Court Master of Yunzhong Court wore a grave expression. "The situation in Wangyue Continent is completely unknown. Apart from the three Venerables, I fear no one knows what has happened inside. "If the Alliance Leader enters recklessly, it could be perilous. Wouldn't it be better to send a few juniors inside to scout ahead first?" At present, the only Yin God foundation Cuiyun Continent possessed was the Blood-Robed Sword God. If anything happened to the Blood-Robed Sword God, none of them, the Purple Mansions, would stand a chance against the looming tribulation. "You make a lot of sense," Qi Yuan nodded. "If Venerable Yeqiong tries to ambush me, I'd take a huge loss." The Court Master of Yunzhong Court smiled. "Shall I make the arrangements now?" "Why arrange for anyone else? Won't I do just fine?" Qi Yuan's facial features shifted drastically, and his crimson robe morphed into black attire. "I was originally an Origin Core cultivator all along. Pretending to be a Purple Mansion before you all was just a disguise; now I've simply returned to my true form. "A mere Origin Core entering inside—surely no one will pay me any attention, right?" The Court Master of Yunzhong Court fell silent, entirely at a loss for words. ... At the entrance to Wangyue Continent. Prodigies gathered in great numbers. The top nineteen individuals on the Heavenly Pride Roll were all assembled here. Gu Xiaoyao stood in black robes. Having achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, he had indisputably claimed first place in this edition of the Heavenly Pride Roll. True Monarch Dazhi stood where he was, eyes closed, dozing off. Jiang Ya stood among the crowd as well, her expression serene. Xu Tongchen's eyes, meanwhile, burned with sharp intensity. With the Palace of Light wiped out, he had ceased hiding his abilities, incinerating all opposition with True Solar Fire to break into the top twenty. "Where is the last person? When will he arrive? I would love to see which prodigy dared pull strings to sneak in," a woman from Shuixian Continent remarked, mockery dripping from her voice. She ranked third on the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll, her mastery of water techniques vastly superior to the average cultivator; prodigies ranked twentieth to thirtieth were not even worth a single exchange against her. The gathered prodigies looked toward Ling Jiao with wary eyes. Ling Jiao had good reason to be proud. First, her talent was exceptional. Second, she hailed from Shuiyun Palace, which possessed a Yin God Dharma artifact. Third, her mother was the most beloved youngest daughter of a Yin God from the Northern Lands. She was a prodigy born with a silver spoon in her mouth. "Apologies, apologies, I'm a bit late." Right then, a voice drifted over. Everyone turned to look, only to see a "portly" figure of a man. The man wore layer upon layer of Dharma robes; at a glance, there were several dozen layers. Every single Dharma robe appeared extraordinarily precious. Upon his head rested a dragon crown, obscuring his face and preventing anyone from seeing his features. Most absurd of all, he had turtle shells strapped to both his back and chest. In his hands, he carried an assortment of bags and parcels. "I arrived a bit late, so let me treat everyone to steamed buns and soy milk." This "portly" figure was, naturally, Qi Yuan. For his venture into Wangyue Continent, he had made extensive preparations, piling on countless defensive Dharma robes, lined beneath with an immense array of talismans. Until he devoured a second star, Qi Yuan had resolved to turn over a new leaf and keep a low profile. The first step was disguising his identity so Venerable Yeqiong wouldn't recognize him. Because of this, he had arrived a bit later than the others. Of course, it wasn't actually late, as there was still some time before the entrance to Wangyue Continent would truly open. Steamed buns and soy milk slipped from his hands, floating toward the gathered prodigies. The other nineteen prodigies looked at one another and caught the buns and milk. Only Ling Jiao let out a cold snort, sweeping her hand to knock the buns and soy milk to the ground. Qi Yuan looked at Ling Jiao with a face full of self-reproach. "Sigh, I assumed everyone liked sweet soy milk just like me, so I bought sweet. "Who knew you preferred savory? Had I known, I would have bought savory for you." Ling Jiao glared at Qi Yuan, her eyes laden with contempt. "I wondered who it was that pulled strings, but it turns out to be a spineless coward who doesn't even dare show his true face." Doubt lingered in her mind. Had the Blood-Robed Sword God not come? The man before her showed none of an expert's bearing; he certainly wasn't the Blood-Robed Sword God. Then who was he? She had to find out who was entering Wangyue Continent in the Blood-Robed Sword God's place. This was the task her mother had assigned to her. That was precisely why she had gone out of her way to pick a quarrel with Qi Yuan. The other prodigies watched Qi Yuan with curious expressions. Only Xu Tongchen's face twisted into an odd grimace, not daring to look toward Qi Yuan. "How haven't I shown my true face? Isn't it just that I'm wearing a few extra layers of clothes? "Aren't you wearing clothes too? How can you say I'm hiding my face? "Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! "How about this: you take off a layer, and I'll take off a layer, and we'll both show our true faces?" Qi Yuan suggested in all seriousness. Ling Jiao's expression shifted. How many layers was she wearing? This man had on several dozen! Shameless! The other prodigies watched the spectacle with relish. Just then, True Monarch Dazhi, munching on a steamed bun, spoke up: "I think what this brother says makes sense. Strip together." "Humph!" Ling Jiao snorted coldly and said nothing more. In her heart, she firmly noted Qi Yuan down. Her earlier provocation had been at her mother's behest. Now, a real grudge had been forged!