An Anxious Qi Yuan; The Ultra-Grand Plan Takes Shape!

The phantom of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner had been personally set up by the Banner Lord. With layer upon layer of barriers, it was supposed to be nearly impossible for the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary to infiltrate. Even if he forced his way in, the barriers should have triggered an immediate alarm and suppressed him on the spot. That way, the Yang God Heavenly Venerables stationed at Ghost Pass would be prepared in advance and wouldn't be caught off guard when the emissary attacked. Yet to everyone's dismay, those barriers and early warnings proved utterly useless. Only after the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary had slain an Ultimate Principle Yang God Heavenly Venerable did the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner give a sluggish warning, alerting them to the fact that he had snuck inside. In the end, after striking down another unfortunate Yang God, the emissary sauntered away with effortless poise. To put it mildly... Guiyu Heaven was thoroughly humiliated. How could they possibly deal with such a slippery Human Sovereign Hall Emissary? The envoy from Taihuang Palace looked on with deep apprehension. "Ghost Pass is no longer safe." He scanned his surroundings, feeling as though every stretch of the void was fraught with peril, as if that Human Sovereign Hall Emissary could materialize at any given moment. To be frank, he wanted nothing more than to return to Taihuang Palace. The other Yang God Heavenly Venerables concealed themselves in the void, not daring to reveal their physical bodies, leaving only ethereal, disembodied voices drifting through the air. "If even the phantom of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner is useless..." "Remaining here makes us no better than lambs to the slaughter!" These Yang God Heavenly Venerables had stood aloof for centuries, bathing in glory for their entire lives. When had they ever been reduced to such trembling terror? That Human Sovereign Hall Emissary was simply not human. Even an ordinary Great Ultimate Principle Yang God possessing such prowess would never dare rashly infiltrate the core territory of a Sixth Heaven Sacred Ground, lest they be trapped and sealed away. Yet through raw slaughter, this emissary had terrorized Guiyu Heaven's Yang God Heavenly Venerables to the bone. How long had it been? The emissary had already slain nine Yang God Heavenly Venerables—one of whom was Fengshuai from Black Demon Abyss, and another an Ultimate Principle Yang God! That was an Ultimate Principle Yang God, cut down as easily as breathing! Didn't this mean that aside from Great Ultimate Principles, not a single Yang God in Guiyu Heaven could guarantee their own survival? Qi Yuan alone had struck terror into the heart of all Guiyu Heaven. Just then, a cold, vast voice echoed across the heavens. "The flaw within the phantom of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner has been identified by this seat. "This time, it was my negligence!" The voice of the Guiyu Heaven Banner Lord rang out, though his true body remained seated deep within Guiyu Heaven itself. Powerhouses at his realm rarely detached their true bodies from their sacred grounds without grave reason. Just as with the White Dragon Abyss Lord whom Qi Yuan had seen some time ago, that, too, had merely been an incarnation rather than the Lord's true form. Hearing the Banner Lord's words, the gathered Yang God Heavenly Venerables did not place their trust in him quite as readily as they had the first time. In truth, quite a few were deeply skeptical. Of course, their emotional intelligence was far higher than Qi Yuan's; even if they harbored doubts, none would openly voice them and strip the Banner Lord of face. If the Banner Lord had already admitted his mistake, what else could be done? Could the deceased Yang God Heavenly Venerables be considered anything other than unlucky? "The kin and clans of the Yang God Heavenly Venerables who fell in battle in recent days shall enjoy first-class privileges within Guiyu Heaven. "This seat shall also bestow a portion of Yang God Bequests upon these clans." This time, the Banner Lord was truly paying a steep price. If he did not offer compensation, the resentment within Guiyu Heaven would boil over to a degree that even he would struggle to suppress. "The Banner Lord is truly benevolent!" The Yang God Heavenly Venerables of Guiyu Heaven were somewhat surprised. Compensating the fallen had never been a tradition in Guiyu Heaven. Guiyu Heaven was an orthodox wicked sect through and through; whenever a Yang God Heavenly Venerable perished, their accumulated resources would instantly be carved up and devoured. "This seat knows precisely where the loophole in the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner lies, and I have personally repaired it," the Banner Lord stated calmly. The Heavenly Venerables present forced strained smiles onto their faces. "We are grateful for the Banner Lord's trouble." Naturally, they dared not say anything more. Many of their gazes shifted toward the Taihuang Palace envoy. Sensing their eyes on him, the envoy shuddered and hurriedly spoke up, "Banner Lord, would your venerable self perhaps check again to see if there are any other loopholes? If another oversight remains and the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary invades once more..." What the other Heavenly Venerables dared not say, the Taihuang Palace envoy voiced on their behalf. A heavy silence descended over the void. After several breaths of tense anticipation from the crowd, the vast voice boomed once again. "This time, this seat shall have one-third of the true body of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner descend here to shelter all of you!" This time, he had spared no expense. The phantoms and avatars he had deployed previously, while mighty, inflicted negligible damage on the banner's true body even if destroyed. This time, however, he was dispatching the actual artifact. Hearing this, the hearts of the remaining Yang God Heavenly Venerables finally settled. "Our thanks to the Banner Lord!" At this moment, their lingering worries completely vanished. With one-third of the true Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner presiding over Ghost Pass, its security was virtually equivalent to Guiyu Heaven itself. Naturally, it was still inferior to the core of Guiyu Heaven. After all, Guiyu Heaven was defended not merely by the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, but also by other Creation Treasures that together forged an impenetrable bulwark. *** Inside Demon Pass, the air was clamorous with noise. Bing Jian, Ziyuan Daxue, Ziyuan Xiaolu, and other young paragons wore expressions laden with worry. Gathered together, they remained silent. At a time like this, they were merely spectators, powerless to alter their own fates. From the deep palace ahead, the bickering of Yang God Heavenly Venerables echoed incessantly. Ziyuan Daxue spread her hands, her eyes filled with helplessness. "Well, the Linya Molt hasn't even begun, but looking at this commotion, our Black Demon Abyss is about to split up!" Word that the Abyss Lord had softened his stance and yielded to Taihuang Palace had already spread. This shocked many Yang God Heavenly Venerables and caught these young paragons completely off guard. "Cowering before the fight even begins—Black Demon Abyss has truly dropped a colossal embarrassment this time!" one paragon could not help grumbling. "Sigh, let us not excessively misinterpret the Abyss Lord. His venerable self must be acting for the sake of the greater picture. "Avoiding war is always better than charging blindly into one! "Otherwise, when the time comes, how many of us from the various branches will end up dead?" another paragon countered earnestly. He had no objections to yielding to Taihuang Palace. "Will bowing our heads really keep us out of the fight? By then, won't we just become Taihuang Palace's dogs, biting whoever they tell us to bite?" An Xunlu said resentfully. "Following Taihuang Palace at least guarantees we end up on the winning side of the Linya Molt. What happens to those who oppose Taihuang Palace?" that youth challenged in return. At that moment, Bing Jian suddenly spoke. "Do you think Taihuang Palace will accept our surrender just like that? Is this matter... really that simple?" At these words, the paragons' expressions hardened, an ominous premonition creeping into their hearts. Given Taihuang Palace's overbearing nature, how could they so easily accept Black Demon Abyss's capitulation? After all, several branches within Black Demon Abyss held deep-seated grudges against Taihuang Palace. "Let us not maliciously speculate on groundless, hypothetical matters. I believe the Abyss Lord prioritizes the greater good and will not abandon any of our branches!" the young cultivator retorted. Just then, a languid voice drifted over as a handsome man in blood-red robes appeared. "Even if the Abyss Lord yields, the matter of Taihuang Palace seizing my private property is far from over!" The newcomer was naturally Qi Yuan. "What did Taihuang Palace steal from you?" An Xunlu could not resist asking. Qi Yuan did not bother answering her, knowing she possessed a terrible gossiping habit. At this time, Ziyuan Daxue looked over at Qi Yuan. "Blood Robe, where on earth have you been lately? Big Sister wanted to treat you to the latest delicious mushrooms I developed in Ziyuan Heaven, but I couldn't track you down anywhere." "It's a secret," Qi Yuan said, casting a glance at Ziyuan Xiaolu. Ziyuan Xiaolu's fair face flushed crimson in an instant, her heart pounding frantically like a startled fawn. She was the only one who knew Senior Brother Blood Robe had gone to Tiankun Curious Land; even Senior Sister Daxue had been kept in the dark. A sweet flutter of being uniquely favored blossomed within her chest. "Sigh, our Black Demon Abyss has truly fallen. A massive powerhouse like ours can't even compare to a single Human Sovereign Hall Emissary. "Standing alone against Guiyu Heaven, the emissary dared to march in solo, slaughtering Yang Gods like dogs, while we in Black Demon Abyss... are reduced to this..." Horned Sis lamented. Suddenly, she glanced at Qi Yuan. "I must say, you do share a certain resemblance with that Human Sovereign Hall Emissary." Qi Yuan's heart tightened slightly, his guard rising. Could it be that his disguise was so poor even someone as careless as Horned Sis could see through it? "How so?" Qi Yuan could not help asking. "You're both equally lawless," Ziyuan Daxue chuckled. Her meaning was obvious: Blood Robe was constantly babbling about how that figure in Taihuang Palace was his mortal enemy whom he had to suppress. Such audacity was truly on par with the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary. "Big Sister is waiting for your good news so I can become your concubine!" Ziyuan Daxue winked playfully at Qi Yuan. Beside them, Ziyuan Xiaolu grew anxious upon hearing this. Why was Ziyuan Daxue suddenly becoming his concubine? What about her? Before she could find the words to speak, An Xunlu's sharp tongue cut in. "The Human Sovereign Hall Emissary actually went to Ghost Pass to slay Yang Gods. What right does Blood Robe have to be mentioned in the same breath as that exalted figure? All he has is a sharp mouth!" "Hey, An Xunlu, why are you tarnishing my innocence out of thin air? You've never kissed me, so how would you know how sharp my mouth is?" Qi Yuan said defensively. An Xunlu choked in fury, flushed red and breathless, entirely at a loss for words. Then, as if struck by a thought, Qi Yuan suddenly asked, "Is Hei Jian's mouth sharp?" An Xunlu's face instantly turned bright red, though a strange, sweet delight mysteriously bubbled up in her heart. "What... what nonsense are you babbling!" Qi Yuan stretched lazily and glanced toward Bing Jian, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes. "Why are you hiding your strength?" Bing Jian, who had been sitting as still as Mount Tai, stiffened. "How did you see through it?" Then, realization dawned upon him. The Ancestral Blood Art he was cultivating had been bestowed by Blood Robe, and having just broken through into the Yang God Heavenly Venerable realm, his aura had yet to fully stabilize. It was only natural for Blood Robe to notice. Bing Jian made no attempt to hide it, calmly transmitting his voice, "Junior Brother Blood Robe, you have to help me keep this secret. The reason I'm doing this, hehe, is to make a stunning debut!" Having broken through to the Yang God Heavenly Venerable realm, Bing Jian indulged in the petty thrill of calling him Junior Brother Blood Robe. If he didn't do it now, it would be too late once Blood Robe ascended to the Yang God realm. "My lips are sealed, don't worry," Qi Yuan transmitted back. Bing Jian continued, pride surging in his gaze. "Once the Linya Molt begins, Taihuang Palace will initiate the Tour of the Heavens. According to precedent, no matter how deeply any Yang God conceals themselves, starlight will infuse their body. When that time comes, tsk tsk..." When the moment arrived, he would invite a gathering of close friends. Suddenly, brilliant starlight would burst from his body. All his friends would be dumbfounded and utterly stunned. Then he would casually flick his sleeves and say with nonchalant calm, "Oh my, to think I broke through into the Yang God Heavenly Venerable realm without even realizing it." He had replayed this scene countless times in his mind, just waiting for the Tour of the Heavens to drop everyone's jaws. Hearing this, Qi Yuan instantly felt a creeping sense of crisis. Lately, his right eyelid had been twitching occasionally. Could it be... because of this? "Will every single Yang God be forced to reveal their form?" Qi Yuan asked uneasily. "The Tour of the Heavens is governed by the will of the immortal realm. As long as a Yang God has breathed the air of the Sixth Heaven, they cannot hide." Hearing this, Qi Yuan grew distressed. "If I exhale all the air right now... is it still in time?" Bing Jian shot Qi Yuan a bewildered look. "Could it be that you've stepped into the Yang God Heavenly Venerable realm?" "No, not yet," Qi Yuan answered truthfully. Bing Jian let out a sigh of relief. Good. Before the Linya Molt began, he was still the most dazzling prodigy around. "If you aren't a Yang God, the tour naturally won't detect you." "But... what if a Purple Mansion cultivator possesses an astral projection in the Astral Realm equivalent to that of a Yang God? Would that be detected?" Qi Yuan pressed. He was growing genuinely anxious. "This..." Bing Jian was rendered completely speechless. He dearly wanted to pry open Blood Robe's skull and ask: Junior Brother Blood Robe, why don't you think carefully about what kind of absurd question you're asking? What on earth did he mean by a Purple Mansion cultivator possessing the astral projection of a Yang God? "Ahem, that... perhaps, probably, maybe?" Bing Jian pondered for a moment before replying, "If this Purple Mansion cultivator possesses the combat prowess of a Yang God, they cannot escape the Tour of the Heavens." In the Sixth Heaven, there were terrifying entities that lacked astral projections yet wielded combat strength on par with Yang God Heavenly Venerables. During the Tour of the Heavens, the starlight would shine upon those terrifying creatures just the same. "Can hiding inside a curious land avoid it?" Qi Yuan asked. "No." "I'm done for." A heavy sense of impending doom suddenly washed over Qi Yuan. Severing the voice transmission, he sank into deep contemplation, his mind reeling. After an unknown amount of time, Qi Yuan said in a grave voice, "Taihuang Palace has gone too far. Not only did they seize my private property, but they are also infringing on my privacy! They truly have no respect for an ordinary Purple Mansion cultivator like me!" "If you were just a Purple Mansion, Big Sister wouldn't take you seriously either!" Ziyuan Daxue burst into laughter. Qi Yuan paid her no heed. Remembering something, he blurted out, "No, it's going to rain, I need to go home and bring in the laundry." With that, he hurried away in a rush. He needed to put his brilliant brain to work and figure out how to counter the Tour of the Heavens. As it stood, his raw strength was still far too inferior compared to Taihuang Palace. There were too many people here; it was detrimental to the operation of his brilliant mind. Blood Robe's hasty departure drew the attention of several young paragons. Bing Jian watched Blood Robe's retreating figure, lost in thought. "Was there something wrong with what I said... or could it be..." Suddenly, a mysterious suspicion arose in his heart. Could it be that a Yang God Heavenly Venerable was hiding at Blood Robe's side? Could it really be...? *** Inside his cave dwelling, Qi Yuan paced about anxiously like an ant on a hot pan. "I knew from an early age that the world was fraught with hardships!" "I shouldn't have gone to bed so early last night, or I wouldn't have been hit with this bolt from the blue!" "What a pity the game still needs considerable time to load. Otherwise, I could just dive into the game—could that fellow from Taihuang Palace possibly crawl into the game to hit me?" "It seems the Grand Plan is yet to be completed, and I must formulate an Ultra-Grand Plan!" Qi Yuan pondered furiously. His brilliant brain whirred at full throttle. He was already hammering out the intricate details of the Ultra-Grand Plan. Roughly half an hour later, Qi Yuan let out a long breath of relief. "The Ultra-Grand Plan is complete. As expected, once a man is pushed into a corner, his potential is boundless!" Qi Yuan muttered to himself. Right at that moment, the space-time around him abruptly froze. Qi Yuan knew that Ancestor Ziyuan, who loved playing with localized time-stops, had arrived once again. "Old man, you're here?" Armed with the confidence of his Ultra-Grand Plan, Qi Yuan had regained his usual composure. Ancestor Ziyuan was not particularly tall or burly; in terms of sheer height, he was even shorter than Qi Yuan. He looked at Qi Yuan with a complicated expression. "You should already know about the Abyss Lord yielding to Taihuang Palace." "Yeah," Qi Yuan nodded. If he had been somewhat worried before, he was now far calmer with his Ultra-Grand Plan in place. "Sigh, the waters run deep here. In this Linya Molt... our Black Demon Abyss will likely lose a Great Ultimate Principle in battle," Ancestor Ziyuan sighed. "Old man, you're such a good person, the one dying definitely won't be you." Hearing this, a rare smile surfaced on Ancestor Ziyuan's face. Even so, he looked at Qi Yuan and said, "You brat, are you truly not planning to get the White Dragon Abyss Lord pregnant? If you knocked her up, this old man would pack up Ziyuan Heaven and join you two, rather than staying in Black Demon Abyss to swallow this foul mist!" Ancestor Ziyuan's purpose in coming here was to try persuading Qi Yuan once more. If he had merely scented a whiff of conspiracy before, the conspiracy had now descended in full force. Several ancestors of Black Demon Abyss felt their own survival threatened. Ancestor Ziyuan could also sense the dark clouds gathering overhead. "Old man, that White Dragon Abyss Lord gets people pregnant just by looking at them. "If I fell for her, we'd inevitably stare lovingly into each other's eyes, and if I got pregnant... how am I supposed to give birth to the child? "Speak no more of this. And besides, you're a junior, yet you're meddling in your senior's affairs—this is turning heaven and earth upside down!" Qi Yuan scoffed. Ancestor Ziyuan did not take offense at Qi Yuan's words. After a moment of contemplation, he said slowly, "Once we withdraw from Ghost Pass, you stay put in Ziyuan Heaven and don't go anywhere." Ziyuan Heaven was his home turf, the place where his combat strength was at its absolute peak. "Old man, your courage is too small. During this Linya Molt, I'll cover you!" Qi Yuan patted his chest, brimming with confidence. "You brat..." Ancestor Ziyuan chuckled. "It's the thought that counts." Remembering something, he added, "During this period, avoid interacting with Hei Jian as much as possible. If the Abyss Lord summons you, simply refuse to go. If any trouble arises, contact me!" The conspiracy from last time had become quite clear by now. Between Hei Jian and the Abyss Lord, at least one of them was the mastermind. Or perhaps both were behind it. "Understood," Qi Yuan replied. With Ancestor Ziyuan's departure, Qi Yuan was once again left alone in the cave dwelling. "Before executing the Ultra-Grand Plan, I must forge the Human Sovereign Banner. "Taihuang Palace has more than one powerhouse. The Ultra-Grand Plan is a one-off measure that can hardly be reused, so I need to boost my strength a bit." Qi Yuan looked out into the distance, his eyes settling calmly on the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner. "What a pity that I'm still too weak right now. If I were stronger, charging straight into Guiyu Heaven's home base would be the real jackpot!" Qi Yuan pondered. With the Linya Molt imminent, the Tour of the Heavens would soon arrive. He could not afford to waste any more time. "The Banner Lord's avatar has been hiding in Ghost Pass all along. It seems I can't go on a killing spree inside this time; I can only snatch the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner away." This left Qi Yuan somewhat disappointed. Previously, he would have had the patience to wait for the Banner Lord to leave before entering. Now, however, he had to save time. Swiftly enhancing his own strength and forging an offensive Creation Treasure was the true path forward. Without further hesitation, his figure vanished into thin air. *** Roughly half a day later. Ominous clouds blanketed Ghost Pass. Heavenly Venerable Guizui, Heavenly Venerable Guiyuan, and several other Great Ultimate Principles remained concealed within the void. This time, the Banner Lord had not only brought forth the true body of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, but had also formulated a scheme to heavily injure the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary. The Banner Lord had deliberately left a flaw within the banner. The moment the emissary infiltrated, these Great Ultimate Principles would coordinate with the Banner Lord to launch a thunderous, coordinated strike! Even if they could not slay or seal the emissary, severely wounding him would still count as a victory. Otherwise, where would Guiyu Heaven's reputation lie? Wouldn't the other sacred grounds of the Sixth Heaven mock them relentlessly? "He's here!" Suddenly, the Creation Treasure in Heavenly Venerable Guizui's hand fluctuated. This time, all their attention and arrangements were focused on the deliberate opening the Banner Lord had left. Consequently, the moment the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary appeared, they detected him immediately. Though they could not see his figure, they knew their target had arrived. "Hmph, this time, we will ensure he leaves battered and broken!" "How could our Guiyu Heaven suffer the same loss three times in a row!" Heavenly Venerables Guizui and Guiyuan brimmed with fierce momentum, their hearts awash with killing intent. Just then, another Great Ultimate Principle spoke up, "What if our trap fails to work and he breaks into Ghost Pass once more?" A hint of worry lined his face. This Human Sovereign Hall Emissary was simply too bizarre and unpredictable; anything could happen where he was concerned. "With the Banner Lord intervening personally, the moment he enters, he will suffer a thunderous blow!" "All the Yang God Heavenly Venerables of Ghost Pass are gathered in one place right now. Even if he manages to break in, it will be impossible for him to secure a kill. There is no need to fear!" The three Great Ultimate Principles conversed via voice transmission. As for the Banner Lord's avatar, it remained submerged in the void, without leaking the faintest wisp of aura. Suddenly, Heavenly Venerable Guizui narrowed his eyes. "He has reached the opening!" Heavenly Venerable Guiyuan's nerves strung taut. "The moment he steps in, we—" They grew anxious. Yet the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary simply stood still at the opening, showing no inclination to enter. This caused both Guizui and Guiyuan to hesitate. "Could he have noticed our ambush?" Heavenly Venerable Guizui murmured in doubt. "Impossible! He'll only assume it's his own keen eye spotting an oversight!" Heavenly Venerable Guiyuan insisted, anxiously watching through the Creation Treasure. "It seems he intends to linger at this opening for a while, making sure there is no danger before entering." "Indeed, this is a contest of patience!" The three Great Ultimate Principles lay in wait, holding their tongues as they monitored the fluctuations of the Creation Treasure. To their minds, the emissary would surely probe for a long time before taking the plunge. However... before even a hundred breaths had elapsed... A voice filled with sheer delight suddenly echoed across all of Ghost Pass. "Thank you, nature, for your bountiful gift—what a magnificent Human Sovereign Banner!" The moment the words fell, right before the horrified eyes of the three Great Ultimate Principles, the offensive Creation Treasure that anchored Guiyu Heaven—the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner—shook violently! All three Great Ultimate Principles were completely dumbfounded, their faces frozen in utter disbelief. Or rather, this was a scenario they had never even dared to imagine. With a violent yank from the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary, that one-third portion of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner's true body vanished on the spot! Ghost Pass was rocked to its core. The three Great Ultimate Principles' minds went completely blank. Right then, an enraged, frantic roar tore through the heavens. "Insolent brat, how dare you!" A terrifyingly apocalyptic strike slammed downward, whipping up endless tempestuous winds. One could only imagine how furious and frantic the owner of that voice was. "Bye-bye to you!" Qi Yuan's figure vanished once more, and with him went the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner. On this day, the Sixth Heaven was shaken! One-third of Guiyu Heaven's offensive Creation Treasure, the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, had been brazenly plundered! This was an offensive Creation Treasure, the very foundation of a Sacred Ground!