A Conspiracy, The Gathering Storm

"Ah... well..." Hei Jian's question left Qi Yuan completely dumbfounded. He looked at Hei Jian and said softly, "With an aura and bearing as refined as mine, how could I lay eggs?" Ziyuan Feng shot Qi Yuan a sideways glance. *With an aura and bearing as refined as yours, how did you adapt the Ancestral Blood Art to make someone lay eggs in the first place?* "You didn't cultivate the Ancestral Blood Art you handed over to Bing Jian?" Hei Jian asked, surprise evident in his voice. "No," Qi Yuan shook his head. "Cultivation arts vary from person to person. The Ancestral Blood Art Bing Jian cultivates suits him best, but not me." "You cultivate a different version of the Ancestral Blood Art?" Hei Jian asked once more, his estimation of Blood Robe rising yet again. It seemed Blood Robe's creation of the Ancestral Blood Art had not been a mere flash of inspiration. He possessed another version of the Ancestral Blood Art. "Yeah," Qi Yuan nodded, then looked at Hei Jian. "The Ancestral Blood Art I practice is rather unconventional. It's only suited for me, not anyone else." Qi Yuan was telling the truth. The Ancestral Blood Art he modified specifically for himself could only be cultivated by him alone. Hearing this, Hei Jian's expression grew solemn, and he said no more. Just then, a sudden transmission entered Hei Jian's ear, causing a sharp gleam to erupt in his eyes. "Let's go!" ... Hei Jian and Ziyuan Feng departed in a hurry, as though some major event had occurred. Qi Yuan returned to his immortal cave to take stock of his gains from this outing. "Not bad. Aside from the Human Sovereign Banner advancing a step further, I obtained several hundred more divine arts." After a moment's thought, Qi Yuan passed these divine arts to Ning Tao and Canary. Reflecting briefly, he entered the Gate of Ultimate Principle once again. The scene shifted abruptly. Boundless, brilliant auras rippled and diffused like a galaxy. Every single one of these auras was that of an ultimate principle. Upon seeing Qi Yuan arrive, the innate deities who had been observing the ultimate principles within the Gate of Ultimate Principle rose one after another to bow. "Greetings, Master!" These innate deities were all Qi Yuan's Divine Infants. Qi Yuan rarely had the time to personally observe ultimate principles in the Gate of Ultimate Principle. Therefore, he sent his Divine Infants in to observe them, saving himself time. Among them, quite a few Divine Infants were specifically tasked with observing the Great Ultimate Principles of Taihuang Palace, while others watched those of Guiyu Heaven. "How is it going?" Qi Yuan asked. Old Geezer Shenlei shrugged, a grin spreading across his face. "You definitely won't believe this: the ultimate principle comprehended by Guiyu Heaven's Banner Lord actually pertains to lightning arts." Refining the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was an art of supreme yin and supreme malice, completely the opposite of purely righteous, purely unyielding lightning arts. "Could it be yin lightning?" Qi Yuan asked curiously. "Taihuan Polar Pivot Thunder, an Earth-grade ultimate principle. With a calm mind and focused spirit, a single gathering of divine thought can imprison heaven and earth, soul, and physical body, subjecting them to a baptism of lightning with terrifying might," Old Geezer Shenlei said, his gaze solemn. "Imprison?" Qi Yuan mused. "Good thing I didn't go to Ghost Pass for a sneak attack. With the formidable might of a Great Ultimate Principle, if he used an attack like that, I probably wouldn't even have been able to enter my Purple Mansion." Qi Yuan's trump card was that with a mere thought, he could retreat into his Purple Mansion at any time. Yet that was not omnipotent. The Great Ultimate Principles of the world possessed all manner of terrifying, unfathomable powers. This caught Qi Yuan quite off guard—there were even some where a glare could make someone pregnant. For instance, the Abyss Lord of White Dragon Abyss: his Great Ultimate Principle was that with a single glance, the target would become pregnant with an entity bearing his own bloodline. That sent a chill down Qi Yuan's spine. No wonder White Dragon Abyss had previously invited Heavenly Venerable Mochi to join them and even offered to revere Heavenly Venerable Mochi as lord back then—they had wanted him to get pregnant! If Qi Yuan were in the realm of Great Ultimate Reason, he could neutralize these ultimate principle killer moves. However, his Absolute Adaptation and Do As One Pleases were still in their nascent stages. "All lightning attributes under heaven are under your control. Would you have a chance... to stall the Banner Lord's ultimate principle killer move?" Qi Yuan looked at Old Geezer Shenlei, asking seriously. "Brat, you think way too highly of me! No matter how well I control lightning, I'm only a Yang God in the Heavenly Position Realm!" Old Geezer Shenlei's beard twitched and trembled. Qi Yuan gave him an extra glance. "Old geezer, you're not cutting it." Old Geezer Shenlei's face flushed crimson instantly. "Who's not cutting it?! Put the Gate of Ultimate Principle inside the Star Palace and give me half a month. I'll halt that Banner Lord's killer move for two breaths!" The Star Palace Old Geezer Shenlei referred to was actually the place where Qi Yuan's Stellar Golden Core resided—that unknown universe. For every day that passed in Qi Yuan's region, a hundred years passed in the Star Palace. Such a time dilation was truly terrifying. It had also given Qi Yuan the idea of exploiting this bug. If he placed the interior of the Gate of Ultimate Principle into that universe and had his Divine Infants analyze the ultimate principles within it, he would be able to grasp almost all the ultimate principles of the Sixth Heaven thoroughly within several hundred thousand days. However, bugs were not that easy to exploit. Placing the other end of the Gate of Ultimate Principle in the Star Palace was fine. Yet placing it and its entire interior completely into another universe was a huge problem. Every single breath of time exacted an immense drain on Qi Yuan. All of his Divine Infants would have to exert themselves. Furthermore, his Myriad Dao Martial God cultivation and his own personal strength would also be occupied. His overall strength would plummet down to the Mythological realm. If he bumped into a Yang God, he could easily kick the bucket. Only by moving the Gate of Ultimate Principle entirely back would this debuff disappear. "Half a month?" Qi Yuan pondered. There were some risks, but it was generally fine. As long as Qi Yuan turtled up, nothing would happen. "Half a month it is! Let's do it!" As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained. "Wait until I set up a few arrangements before we begin," Qi Yuan said. "Fine. Notify this old man whenever you're ready." Old Geezer Shenlei's figure faded away, vanishing from sight. Just then, another Divine Infant appeared to report on work progress. "So the old man's Great Ultimate Principle is this..." After some contemplation, Qi Yuan stepped out of the Gate of Ultimate Principle. To hold up the Gate of Ultimate Principle in that other universe, he needed to make preparations—preferably by not stepping outside his door at all. During this period, he would be at his weakest. After considering it, Qi Yuan continuously laid down formations. Still feeling unsafe, he designed various backup measures. After busying himself for over a dozen days, Qi Yuan suddenly slapped his forehead. "Am I being too cautious? After over ten days of setting up formations, didn't nothing happen anyway?" Qi Yuan felt deep regret. Had he known, he would have reloaded to the moment he returned and sent Old Geezer Shenlei straight in to comprehend it. By now, according to the timeline, Old Geezer Shenlei would have already finished. With everything prepared, Qi Yuan began transferring the Gate of Ultimate Principle into that universe. About an hour later, Qi Yuan's aura plummeted. "I'm way too weak right now. I'd better avoid going out as much as possible lately. If I run into a wild dog, it might turn into a fight to the death!" Just as Qi Yuan was thinking this, a boisterous, carefree voice rang out: "Blood Robe, open the door!" Hearing that familiar voice, Qi Yuan knew Big Sis Ox Horn had arrived. "What is it?" Qi Yuan stopped arranging formations and looked outside. "You're not dead?" Big Sis Ox Horn swaggered into the cave abode, flopped down casually onto the ground, and dropped that shocker of an opening line. "I'm living much better than you." Qi Yuan felt his blood pressure rise the moment he saw Big Sis Ox Horn. "I thought you died in the Huayue curious land," Big Sis Ox Horn said casually. "Sigh, it took you so long just to deal with those prodigies. Seems the gap between you and that person from Taihuang Palace... is pretty big." "Doesn't matter. I'm young," Qi Yuan said earnestly. According to the Leibus comparison method, he far surpassed that person from Taihuang Palace. However, Qi Yuan was modest and kept it to himself. Just then, Big Sis Ox Horn blinked. "Did you see that mysterious hall emissary? Is he handsome?" Not long ago, a Yang God Heavenly Venerable of Guiyu Heaven had been slain by the hall emissary of the Human Sovereign Hall. That incident had sent shockwaves through both Guiyu Heaven and Black Demon Abyss. It was fair to say that currently across both sacred lands, whether among prodigy disciples or Yang God Heavenly Venerables, the topic most discussed was that mysterious hall emissary. Everyone was intensely curious about his identity. Unlike Guiyu Heaven, who gnashed their teeth in hatred toward the mysterious hall emissary, Black Demon Abyss viewed him practically as a deity. After all, slaying an enemy Yang God and then calmly strolling away after taking a strike from a Great Ultimate Principle head-on was enough to spark wild reverence and daydreams in the hearts of young cultivators. "Very handsome. Just as handsome as me." When it came to looks, Qi Yuan did not practice modesty. Big Sis Ox Horn gave Qi Yuan a look. "I believe you're just as handsome, but... temperament and bearing? Hehe." Ziyuan Daxue giggled slyly, her tone thick with sarcasm. Though she had never seen the mysterious emissary of the Human Sovereign Hall, she had heard descriptions: clad in blood armor, standing like a god of slaughter stepping out of hell, chilling and terrifying. As for Blood Robe... handsome he was, but the moment he opened his mouth, the illusion shattered. Ziyuan Daxue had often thought that if Blood Robe were frozen in ice, he would pass as a peerless, drop-dead gorgeous man. But the moment he was let loose—sorry, zero aura left. "What do you mean by that?!" Qi Yuan caught the snark in her tone. "Nothing." Ziyuan Daxue dropped her smirk, reached up to pluck the mushroom from her mouth, and popped another one in. After finishing it, Big Sis Ox Horn spoke: "Don't you have a bunch of Bing Jian's eggs here? I was thinking, why not team up with me, copy what happened at the Huayue curious land, provoke Guiyu Heaven's prodigies into coming out, and earn some merit points?" Qi Yuan did not lack merit points, but Ziyuan Daxue did. Without even thinking, Qi Yuan shook his head. "That is not the conduct of a gentleman. I'm not going." Right now, his strength was rock-bottom. He had already resolved not to step out the door for half a month. Ziyuan Daxue glared at him. "Shameless! Why weren't you a gentleman before?" "All things change. The past me was too young, but now I recognize my mistakes," Qi Yuan remarked casually. Hearing this, Ziyuan Daxue pressed no further. Instead, she leaned into Qi Yuan's ear and whispered, "Those ice eggs... you didn't lay them, did you? With Bing Jian's talent, there's no way he could lay eggs of that caliber!" Hearing this, Qi Yuan got agitated. "How can you slander an innocent man out of thin air?!" He genuinely panicked. He hadn't laid the egg, but he had engineered it! "Let me take a look at the Ancestral Blood Art. I'm really curious." Ziyuan Daxue held out her hand, anticipation written across her face. Presently, this modified version of the Ancestral Blood Art was circulating within Black Demon Abyss, but only among Yang God Heavenly Venerables; Ziyuan Daxue had yet to obtain it. "What, you want to lay eggs too?" Qi Yuan casually waved his hand, tossing a jade slip to Ziyuan Daxue. "Relax, big sis has moral integrity! I will resolutely never lay an egg!" Ziyuan Daxue took the Ancestral Blood Art and began reading it attentively. To give credit where it was due, when Ziyuan Daxue was focused and serious about something, she had quite an enchanting, charming allure. As she read the modified Ancestral Blood Art, astonishment deepened in her eyes with every line. "I suddenly feel like my moral integrity isn't worth a dime," she muttered, greed flashing in her eyes. The temptation to grow stronger was simply too overwhelming. For an immortal, what was the big deal about laying an egg? "Sigh, our Black Demon Abyss will probably have to be renamed Black Egg Abyss in the future!" Ziyuan Daxue couldn't help sighing in lament. Right at that moment, the space and time of the surrounding world froze in an instant. Ziyuan Daxue remained frozen in her posture, completely motionless. Qi Yuan knew that old fellow Ancestor Ziyuan had arrived. Whenever he made an appearance, the flow of time and space in the surroundings came to a standstill. "You're back. Good, very good." Ancestor Ziyuan appeared with a bright smile on his face, looking rather pleased with himself. "What's got you so happy?" Qi Yuan asked. "Nothing." Ancestor Ziyuan stroked his beard, inwardly bursting with pride. When Blood Robe returned, he hadn't come to see him immediately because he had been diligently cultivating the modified Ancestral Blood Art. After all, he had told everyone else that Blood Robe had presented it as filial piety to him long ago. If he didn't produce results early on, wouldn't he become a laughingstock? During this time, he had worked especially hard and finally achieved success in his cultivation, condensing an egg and completing a divine shedding. Only then did he come to see Qi Yuan. "I didn't expect you, kid, to possess such high talent, actually modifying the Ancestral Blood Art. By presenting the art to Black Demon Abyss through Bing Jian, the higher-ups remember your kindness and are preparing to bestow a large number of Yang God gifts upon you," Ancestor Ziyuan said. "I don't want Yang God gifts," Qi Yuan said hurriedly. Yang God gifts were virtually useless to him. "This old man knew you wouldn't care for Yang God gifts, so I argued strongly with those old fellows and exchanged them for ten drops of... Black Demon Ancestral Blood." Ancestor Ziyuan chuckled, clapping his hands as a porcelain bottle materialized. Seeing the Black Demon Ancestral Blood, Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "Old man, you really know me best." What Qi Yuan lacked most was Black Demon Ancestral Blood. Some time ago, he had dispatched his Divine Infants to search for Black Demon Ancestral Blood using intelligent micro-reconnaissance bugs, swiftly cultivating the Ancestral Blood Art to the twelfth layer. Now, however, his progress had stalled again. Because he was out of Black Demon Ancestral Blood. With these ten drops, he could take another small step forward. Of course, he was still far from the thirteenth layer. He needed much more Black Demon Ancestral Blood. When the time came, his Myriad Dao Martial God cultivation would rival that of a Great Ultimate Principle. Just then, Ancestor Ziyuan continued, "However, this old man still kept ten portions of Yang God gifts for you. Conveniently, you are to marry Yue Nü Jin Li in the near future. These ten portions will allow the two of you to securely step into the realm of Yang God Heavenly Venerable, so that you can watch each other's backs down the road." "Thanks a lot, old man." Qi Yuan accepted the Black Demon Ancestral Blood and Yang God gifts, his eyes gleaming. "Modifying the Ancestral Blood Art is worth this much? If I modify another new one, can I trade it for more Black Demon Ancestral Blood?" Ten drops were not enough to propel him straight to the thirteenth layer. He needed more. Ancestor Ziyuan shook his head. "Kid, you're dreaming. Setting aside how difficult it is to modify the Ancestral Blood Art, Black Demon Ancestral Blood is a consumable. This old man had to throw away all shame just to plead for ten drops. If you want more, not a chance!" Hearing this, Qi Yuan felt somewhat disappointed. "Sigh, Black Demon Ancestral Blood... my poor white moonlight. Even after it died, I couldn't even collect its blood!" Qi Yuan lamented. Ancestor Ziyuan ignored Qi Yuan's whining. At that moment, Qi Yuan recalled something and said softly, "Old man, you've been taking care of me like I'm your grandfather all this time, so I prepared a gift for you." "Get lost!" Ancestor Ziyuan cursed angrily, yet he felt warm and pleased inside. His previous dissatisfaction over Qi Yuan not giving him the modified Ancestral Blood Art first vanished into thin air. "What gift? If it's too ordinary, this old man will just leave it in my storage pouch to gather dust," Ancestor Ziyuan asked. "It's this..." Qi Yuan produced a jade slip and handed it to Ancestor Ziyuan. Ancestor Ziyuan took the jade slip and probed his divine soul into it. His expression turned rapt, then astonished, and finally... he drew a deep breath. His face held delight, shock, and a faint hint of bitterness. "Good stuff! Good stuff! Truly good stuff!" Ancestor Ziyuan marveled repeatedly, looking at Blood Robe. "I specifically tailored this to your constitution recently. Isn't it way better than Ice Egg's Ancestral Blood Art?" Qi Yuan said. After receiving so much Black Demon Ancestral Blood from Ancestor Ziyuan, Qi Yuan felt a bit bad. Granted, it was only natural for Ancestor Ziyuan to give him blood and show filial care, but one still ought to leak a few good things to the junior, right? "Bing Jian's Ancestral Blood Art is just mediocre; this is the one suited for you," Qi Yuan said, then eyed Ancestor Ziyuan. "Old man, you didn't secretly cultivate the Bing Jian version behind my back, did you?" Ancestor Ziyuan's eyes went wide. "How could this old man cultivate an Ancestral Blood Art that lays eggs?! I am a mighty Great Ultimate Principle expert—I have dignity!" As he spoke, he secretly crushed his egg to powder. "That's good, then." Qi Yuan nodded. "Don't go wandering outside lately. Things are chaotic out there," Ancestor Ziyuan cautioned, remembering something. "Oh? What happened?" Qi Yuan asked. "The Human Sovereign Hall has emerged. Their motives are unfathomable, and no one knows their origin," Ancestor Ziyuan said warily. He even suspected the Human Sovereign Hall was an ancient entity from long ago. "Anything else?" Qi Yuan couldn't care less about the Human Sovereign Hall, since that was just his sockpuppet. "Recently... a Heaven Beyond Heaven belonging to Guiyu Heaven connected to a curious land, and vast amounts of Black Demon Ancestral Blood were discovered inside." At the mention of this, Ancestor Ziyuan's expression turned grave. Heaven Beyond Heaven was an unknown, unpioneered realm. It contained many curious lands. Generally speaking, when Yang Gods arranged duels, they would choose to fight in a Heaven Beyond Heaven. Black Demon Abyss had its own Heavens Beyond Heaven as well; when Great Ultimate Principles pioneered a Heaven Beyond Heaven and incorporated it into the Sixth Heaven, it could become part of their faction's territory. Now, vast amounts of Black Demon Ancestral Blood had been found in Guiyu Heaven's Heaven Beyond Heaven. To Black Demon Abyss, this was an absolute monumental event. "What a coincidence. Couldn't it be a trap?" Qi Yuan asked. Black Demon Abyss had just gone to war with Guiyu Heaven, and suddenly a massive cache of Black Demon Ancestral Blood was found in Guiyu Heaven's Heaven Beyond Heaven? "It's an open conspiracy," Ancestor Ziyuan said flatly. Evidently, the upper echelons of Black Demon Abyss also knew this was Guiyu Heaven's scheme. Guiyu Heaven had collected a large amount of Black Demon Ancestral Blood long ago, waiting for this exact moment to bait Black Demon Abyss onto the hook. Qi Yuan pondered. "Could it be you're all going to seize it?" Qi Yuan recalled how Hei Jian's expression had shifted slightly upon receiving a transmission before leaving the Huayue curious land. Thinking about it now, it must have been about this. "The total amount of Black Demon Ancestral Blood in the world is finite; every drop used is one drop fewer. Currently, Guiyu Heaven has stationed two Great Ultimate Principles there to corrupt the Black Demon Ancestral Blood. If they succeed, then... those nearly ten thousand drops of Black Demon Ancestral Blood... will go to waste." Ancestor Ziyuan's heart ached terribly as he spoke. Qi Yuan drew a deep breath. "Nearly ten thousand drops of Black Demon Ancestral Blood? Even I'm tempted." If he got his hands on all of that Black Demon Ancestral Blood, he was confident he could reach the fourteenth layer of the Ancestral Blood Art within a year. "We don't have much time left. If we cannot take back the Black Demon Ancestral Blood within a month, it will be completely corrupted," Ancestor Ziyuan said, his gaze deep. "This time, this old man will make a move." As he spoke, he glanced at Blood Robe. If Blood Robe hadn't needed vast quantities of Black Demon Ancestral Blood, there would have been at most a twenty percent chance he would step into this Guiyu Heaven plot. Yet now, he voluntarily chose to join the battle. Ancestor Ziyuan looked at Qi Yuan. "If this old man meets with misfortune this time and suffers severe injuries, you... immediately go see Ziyuan Tan. He will escort you to the Moon Goddess Palace." Ziyuan Tan was one of the few Ultimate Principle Yang Gods of Ziyuan Heaven. "That serious?" Qi Yuan was surprised. Ancestor Ziyuan chuckled. "Just overthinking things. Rest assured, with this old man's strength, unless an Exalted Venerable takes action personally, no one can keep me trapped. Even if the Banner Lord acts himself, he can at most wound me; he cannot kill me!" Ancestor Ziyuan was full of confidence. The gap within the realm of Great Ultimate Reason was both vast and minute. Within the third tier of Great Ultimate Reason, opponents could not even scratch him. Even if the Banner Lord took action personally, he could merely injure him. Besides, the Banner Lord would not easily make a move. Therefore, stepping into this enemy scheme himself, he did so with the mindset that at worst he would suffer an injury. Previously, he had possessed some worries. Now, with the new Ancestral Blood Art gifted by Blood Robe, his confidence was through the roof. Even if injured, he could recover swiftly relying on this cultivation art. Qi Yuan nodded. Such a monumental clash was not something a puny Purple Mansion cultivator like him could meddle in. Perhaps those Great Ultimate Principles had already discussed it dozens of times. "Right, old man, doesn't our Black Demon Abyss have an internal traitor? I know who the traitor is—it's Heavenly Venerable Fengshuai," Qi Yuan said after some thought, passing his discovery on to Ancestor Ziyuan. "Fengshuai?" Ancestor Ziyuan frowned. "Fengshuai of Yinhun Heaven..." He did not ask how Qi Yuan knew, merely falling into contemplation. "This old man has noted it. For this month, try not to leave. If this old man is injured, you just go to the Moon Goddess Palace." Ancestor Ziyuan gave another word of caution, and his figure dissipated in that instant. Inside the cave abode, Qi Yuan looked at the dazed Ziyuan Daxue with a calm expression. It seemed that in half a month's time, he would have to meddle in this brewing storm. That was nearly ten thousand drops of Black Demon Ancestral Blood, after all. ... In an unknown place. Two divine senses communicated in hushed tones. "You're actually willing to invest such a fortune? This is two thousand drops of Black Demon Ancestral Blood," a vast voice said, laced with astonishment. If Ancestor Ziyuan were here, he would recognize this speaker as the Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven. "As long as this succeeds, these two thousand drops will return to my hands anyway. What harm is there?" an androgynous voice replied. This time, rather than calling it a plot by Guiyu Heaven against Black Demon Abyss, it was more accurate to say... it was a joint plot between a traitor inside Black Demon Abyss and Guiyu Heaven. "Who on earth are you? In our Black Demon Abyss, of those capable of bringing out two thousand drops in one go... I cannot fathom who you could be." A wary glint appeared in the eyes of the Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven. He knew the person before him was an acquaintance, but could not discern their true identity. To be able to produce two thousand drops of Black Demon Ancestral Blood was utterly terrifying. Of course, if two thousand drops hadn't been produced, it couldn't have been disguised as nearly ten thousand drops, nor could it have baited the Great Ultimate Principles of Black Demon Abyss into acting. "My identity is not important. What matters is... our goals are both for our own interests," the androgynous voice said faintly. "With the Linya Molt descending, even as Great Ultimate Principles, we must consider our own way out. Are you sure you won't join Taihuang Palace with me?" the Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven asked probe-like. Within Black Demon Abyss, Yinhun Heaven had the best relationship with Taihuang Palace. Yinhun Heaven was also at war with the Moon Goddess Palace. "No," the androgynous voice refused. "In that case... I'll take this credit. Ancestor Ziyuan's... blood, the life of a Great Ultimate Principle, will draw back the curtains on this Linya Molt!" A crazed fanaticism crept into the voice of the Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven. With the Root Demon Blood, Ancestor Ziyuan was doomed to die this time. "Sigh. Whenever chaotic times arise, formidable figures emerge in droves. Who knows when this Linya Molt will end," the androgynous voice sighed, an air of uncertainty toward the future in their tone. The eyes of the Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven turned dark and profound. "Speaking of which, what do you think of that soul emissary of the Human Sovereign Hall?" "Mysterious, unknown. Not an ultimate principle, yet possessing unfathomable abilities. Guiyu Heaven has quite the headache on their hands..." the androgynous voice answered. A murderous gleam flashed in the eyes of the Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven. "Such an unstable element should be slain immediately once the Linya Molt begins!" The other side fell silent, giving no reply. The Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven continued muttering to himself, "Hmph, he thinks he can stay hidden, unaware that... once the Linya Molt begins, Taihuang Palace will inspect all heavens. Every Yang God will have nowhere to hide. No matter how deeply they conceal themselves, they will be exposed!" Every time the Linya Molt began, many Yang Gods went into hiding, hoping to avoid the Linya Molt. Thus, the tradition of inspecting all heavens had been established. Even if one hid inside a curious land, there was no hiding. Whoever possessed Yang God strength would shine like starlight, known to all under heaven. Concealing one's strength was completely futile. The Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven intended to defect to Taihuang Palace, so he harbored immense malice toward an uncertain factor like the Human Sovereign Hall. ... Within Demon Pass. Hei Jian stood clad in a white robe, his gaze profound. Normally, his demeanor was refined, calm, and composed. Yet recently, a deep, persistent worry lingered in his eyes at all times. "Senior Brother Ziyuan, who do you think betrayed Black Demon Abyss? Old Five?" Old Five was the Ancestor of Yinhun Heaven. Ancestor Ziyuan's expression was tranquil. "No idea. Whomever betrays it has nothing to do with me." If this had happened earlier, Old Five's betrayal might have angered him. After what had happened last time, however, he had grown thoroughly disappointed in their master. A while back, when he mentioned that Blood Robe was to marry the Yue Nü of the Moon Goddess Palace, he had been met with opposition from many of his fellow senior and junior brothers. They all argued that the Moon Goddess Palace was hostile toward Taihuang Palace, and for Blood Robe to marry the Yue Nü now was quite unwise. Back then, Ancestor Ziyuan had laid down an ultimatum: The marriage was happening, no matter what. If they were unwilling, his Ziyuan Heaven would withdraw from Black Demon Abyss so as not to burden Black Demon Abyss. Only then had the matter not been vetoed. Toward Black Demon Abyss, Ancestor Ziyuan's affection had grown colder, and his disappointment deeper. Hearing Ancestor Ziyuan's reply, Hei Jian understood where his heart lay and felt a pang of sorrow. Presently, Black Demon Abyss was fractured and riddled with flaws. "Aside from Old Five, perhaps there are others lurking in the shadows. When we go to Guiyu Heaven this time to seize the Black Demon Ancestral Blood, we must exercise extreme caution. If things turn against us, we can abandon the Black Demon Ancestral Blood at any moment," Hei Jian said seriously. He had deep feelings for Black Demon Abyss and did not wish to see it fall apart. Ancestor Ziyuan nodded, saying no more. At their level of cultivation, plots and conspiracies were largely meaningless; everything came down purely to raw strength. For instance, this time, the enemy made no secret of it being a plot—they hadn't even bothered disguising it properly—yet he still had to step into it and force his way through. As for whether the conspiracy succeeded, it depended entirely on the combat power of both sides! Reaching their level, all were brimming with absolute confidence, never believing they could suffer a catastrophic defeat. A minor loss was of little consequence anyway.