Mandate of Heaven? The Fall of Divine Descent?

Night fell once more. Inside the inn, Qi Yuan gazed at his returning drone with a complicated expression. "Still nothing. Still can't find her." The Earth-rank weapon wielders exploring the ruins returned one after another, and the news they brought was uniform: none had caught sight of Shen Lingxuan. Qi Yuan had also dispatched numerous drones deep into the ruins, looping a broadcast searching for Shen Lingxuan. At the time, those drones had disguised themselves as moths, giving quite a fright to many of the weapon wielders. Yet even with the drones, Qi Yuan had failed to locate her. It was as if Shen Lingxuan had completely vanished into thin air. "Could it be that I'm just not allowed to mount her right now?" "Or is this game terrified of adult content getting censored?" "Come on, I'm a shareholder!" Qi Yuan was speechless. Was there really a problem with a dignified shareholder secretly setting up a private server to indulge in some mature plotlines? "Everyone... get out here, right now!" Just then, a booming bellow shook the air as the suffocating pressure belonging to a Heaven-rank weapon wielder flooded the inn. Within the inn, the resting Earth-rank weapon wielders all turned pale. "What happened?" "That's Master Duokong!" "A Heaven-rank weapon wielder?" The Earth-rank weapon wielders lounging in the inn exchanged startled glances, murmuring in distress. "Master Duokong, whatever is the matter?" a top-tier grandmaster asked tentatively. Outside the inn, three Heaven-rank weapon wielders hovered in the air, rolling with murderous malice. The leader, Master Duokong, wore an emerald robe and had a white bone hairpin thrust sideways through his hair, looking every bit like an evil cultivator. Three Heaven-rank weapon wielders exerted an overwhelming pressure upon the Earth-rank weapon wielders inside. Any single one of the three possessed the strength to effortlessly flatten this den of thieves. "The three of us ventured into the ruins and discovered an artifact embryo within the lair of a Heaven-rank guiling. Only by joining forces did we manage to slay the beast, yet right at that moment, a male Earth-rank weapon wielder struck, snatching the embryo away!" Fury burned in Master Duokong's eyes. "He specializes in speed, and as the three of us were held up by other guiling, he slipped away." "This old man suspects he is currently hiding inside this inn," another Heaven-rank weapon wielder rasped, his voice harsh and gravelly. "Every single one of you, come out and surrender your storage artifacts for our inspection!" Hearing this, the patrons inside grimaced. Though Master Duokong claimed an Earth-rank weapon wielder had stolen their artifact embryo, everyone knew it was just as likely a fabrication. Perhaps the three had simply spotted an Earth-rank cultivator who had acquired the embryo legitimately, and greed had taken hold. Regardless, that Earth-rank weapon wielder was now trapped within the inn. To the bystanders, that man's life was practically forfeit. At that moment, in a corner of the inn, Wang Chunting's expression was dark as storm clouds. *Curse them! They were clearly the ones trying to rob me!* Keeping his head down, he glanced furtively in all directions, hoping to spot a blind spot to slip away. Yet the three Heaven-rank weapon wielders had long achieved Harmony with Heaven and Earth. The perimeter was sealed tight as an iron drum; escape was impossible. "Master, this humble woman's storage artifact contains private belongings not meant for prying eyes. The one who snatched the embryo was a man; could this humble woman perhaps be excused from the search?" a female Earth-rank weapon wielder pleaded. "Hmph! How do you prove you're a woman? What if you're in league with him, and he hid the artifact embryo inside your storage artifact?" a short-haired old man barked gruffly. Murderous intent flashed through Master Duokong's eyes. "If anyone refuses to come out or refuses to hand over their storage artifact, then... this old man will show no mercy and strike to kill!" Bloodlust saturated the air, turning the atmosphere heavy and stifling. "Step outside this instant, or death is your only path!" Master Duokong threatened. At once, the Earth-rank weapon wielders in the inn began shuffling toward the exit. Wang Chunting's heart pounded, though he forced a nonchalant facade. *It's over. Am I truly doomed to die here today?* Anxiety clawed at his chest. Yet right at that moment, a lazy voice rang out from within the inn. "You'll kill me just because I don't come out?" The voice was remarkably young and pleasant to the ear. Master Duokong narrowed his eyes, somewhat taken aback. Before he could speak, the short-tempered, short-haired old man roared at the top of his lungs, "Refuse to come out, and you die!" The gathered Earth-rank weapon wielders quailed at the exchange. Some recognized the voice as Qi Yuan's—the man who had slain Idle Cloud Elder in a single strike. His combat strength was absolute top tier even among the greatest grandmasters. Still, he was not a Heaven-rank weapon wielder after all. How could he dare— Yet before their thoughts could finish, three beams of sword light slashed out from the inn. "The sole purpose of people like you existing in this world is to provoke everyone as much as possible, so that when you die today, everyone can laugh with relief, maximizing the dramatic payoff." Qi Yuan had plagiarized another line. As the words fell, terrifying sword light flashed. The three Heaven-rank weapon wielders flinched slightly. Only when the power of heaven and earth surged around them did their confidence return. Yet in the very next instant, something occurred that filled them with sheer terror. The power of heaven and earth under their command receded like an ebbing tide. The terrifying sword light surged forward, impossibly sharp. "No—!" Wretched screams tore through the air as three corpses plummeted from the sky. With a single sword strike, three Heaven-rank weapon wielders fell with laughable ease, as if they were mere impostors. *Hiss!* The surrounding Earth-rank weapon wielders sucked in sharp breaths, their faces pale with utter disbelief. Wang Chunting's eyes went wide, his breath catching in his throat. *Three Heaven-rank weapon wielders... just died like that?* He felt like a man who had escaped the wolf's jaws only to stumble straight into a tiger's den. Just then, a tall, slender silhouette appeared at an open window. "The game balance really is terrible." "They're just minor bosses meant to be swatted aside, so why give them so many lines?" "Zero aura." Qi Yuan's voice was placid. He looked upon the three corpses no differently than he would look upon crushed ants. Seeing this, the Earth-rank weapon wielders trembled like leaves, not daring to utter a single peep. Wang Chunting froze stiffly, a flurry of panic racing through his mind. If this senior wanted the artifact embryo... what should he do? Could he even preserve his life? "Stop sucking in cold air and go wash up for bed. It's the middle of the night; don't disrupt my rest." Having said his piece, Qi Yuan shut the window. After a few dozen breaths, Qi Yuan's eyes suddenly lit up. "No wonder the plot went this way—I've stepped into Harmony with Heaven and Earth!" Having slain numerous Heaven-rank weapon wielders in the Curious Domain, Qi Yuan had accumulated an immense ocean of experience and devoured a vast amount of Harmony with Heaven and Earth. Now, casually slaying three more had pushed his accumulated Harmony over the threshold, propelling him past level 120. "Level 135 already." "Combat power... hasn't changed much. Heaven-rank weapon wielders are still one-shot kills." "Still... my raw strength has increased quite a bit. If I went back to Blue Star to haul construction materials, wouldn't I make several thousand bucks a day?" Qi Yuan muttered to himself. "What a shame Shen Lingxuan can't see her useless matrilocal husband possessing such tremendous strength now. "I'll take another trip to Tianzong tomorrow. If she still isn't there, I'll just head to Rakshasa Country first." The countdown for roleplaying the blind implement master was nearing its end. He was about to go blind. He couldn't very well mount Shen Lingxuan blind, could he? Since roleplaying the matrilocal husband had stalled, he might as well switch to roleplaying Divine Descent and journey to Rakshasa Country. "God-rank weapon wielders..." Qi Yuan's gaze turned pensive. According to his deductions, converting a God-rank weapon wielder to other universes would roughly equate to a powerhouse at the Yin God realm. In the Canglan Realm, a full-power strike from a Yin God could wipe an entire imperial capital off the face of the earth. And that meant total annihilation—every living creature, the soil, the bedrock, all erased. Qi Yuan himself had needed to form a Stellar Golden Core before defeating the Palace of Light. Here, in this embryonic universe, God-rank weapon wielders did not display quite that scale of cosmic destruction. Yet compared to Heaven-rank weapon wielders, God-rank weapon wielders truly loomed majestic as gods! No matter how strong a Heaven-rank weapon wielder became, they merely drew upon the power of heaven and earth within a few dozen meters. A single punch could affect only a tiny radius—they couldn't shake mountains, split the earth, or alter the terrain. At most, a single sword strike could fell a building. God-rank weapon wielders were entirely different: they could lift high mountains in their palms, cleave rivers with a single stroke, and single-handedly hold off an army of ten thousand! Against such immense might, Heaven-rank weapon wielders stood no chance at all. "Right now, outside of the Divine Descent state, if I were to clash with a God-rank weapon wielder, I'd probably... shatter on contact." Even with the Heaven-Cleaving Sword-Drawing Technique, Tyrannical Strength, Dying Radiance, and the endless fountain of vitality granted as the final boon from roleplaying the kitchen knife... The moment he collided head-on with a God-rank weapon wielder, he would likely be ground straight into powder. "There are several God-rank weapon wielders in Rakshasa Country. Looks like I'll need to tread carefully and try not to bump into them." In terms of raw power and combat stats, Qi Yuan still lagged far behind God-rank weapon wielders. Most likely, only by taking his roleplay of Divine Descent a step further could he bridge that gap. His sole advantages against a God-rank weapon wielder lay in his uncanny methods, his outstanding speed, and the durable body granted by the kitchen knife. "So as long as I don't clash head-on, I should be fine against an ordinary God-rank weapon wielder. "Unless they just keep hurling massive mountains at my head." "Besides, why fear God-rank weapon wielders?" "I'm still advancing. What about them?" That night, the people inside the inn spent the hours on edge, terrified to draw a loud breath. In fact, none dared to sleep, petrified that their snoring might disturb Qi Yuan. After all, this was an existence who casually slaughtered three Heaven-rank weapon wielders over a disagreement. In the dead of night, several patrons slipped out under cover of darkness, completely unwilling to linger a moment longer. Wang Chunting tossed and turned, ultimately slipping out into the night as well. *No, I have to get out of the State of Ning!* *** Tianzong. "The sect has been sealed for so long. When will this end?" "Alas, if a Heaven-rank weapon wielder is truly enraged, can we really resist?" "If you ask me, we should just hand Senior Sister Shen over. I hear the one who took an interest in her is a prince of Rakshasa Country. "Rakshasa Country is an empire watched over by God-rank weapon wielders!" "Mind your tongue! If an elder overhears you, you'll be sent to the back mountain for hard labor!" "Is what I said wrong? For her to drag all of us down is simply foolish!" the male disciple grumbled. "Hmph! Slandering a true disciple—slap your own mouth!" A willful young woman's voice suddenly cut in. The male disciple's face flushed and paled in turn, filled with dread. "Senior Sister Ye Zhen..." Though Ye Zhen belonged to Tiangong Hall, she was also a disciple of Tianzong. While not a true disciple, her status was vastly higher than that of this loose-lipped male disciple. Once the nearby disciple finished slapping his own mouth, Ye Zhen and her companions slowly walked on. A lingering wisp of worry hung over Ye Zhen's brow. "*Sigh*, I can only act tough before ordinary disciples." "Sister Ye Zhen, those people are simply too much," Jiang Yunxi said. During this time, she had departed Yeshan Lake upon receiving an invitation to Tianzong, having just arrived today. Tianzong's invitation to Jiang Yunxi carried at least some intention of borrowing external influence. "That Rakshasa prince is utterly detestable! Sister Lingxuan clearly has a husband, yet he still wants to abduct her! "If the God of Judgment were still around, what prince? He'd be dead just like that Third Prince!" Jiang Yunxi loved historical chronicles and legends, so naturally she had heard the tale of *The Silk-Washing Maiden Slays the Third Prince with Her Sword*. "We can only blame our own weakness," Ye Zhen sighed wistfully. "In this matter, aside from Tianzong being able to exert some effort, the Shen family is powerless. As for Sister Lingxuan's husband, he's even less to be relied upon." "How wonderful it would be if the God of Judgment were still alive. Such things definitely wouldn't happen," Jiang Yunxi lamented. "Go back and ask your father, ask the emperor of the State of Ning, whether they'd be willing to have a God of Judgment hanging over their heads," Ye Zhen said flatly. Hearing that, Jiang Yunxi fell silent. Right then, a voice suddenly reverberated across the entirety of Tianzong. "Is Shen Lingxuan here?" The voice rolled like thunder, audible to every living soul across the sect. "Who is that?" "Has a Heaven-rank weapon wielder from Rakshasa Country attacked?" Within Tianzong, over a dozen silhouettes took to the sky. Leading them was an old man in Daoist robes, gripping a dharma sword, with white hair and the ruddy complexion of youth. A dark scowl crossed his features. "Senior of Rakshasa Country, Lingxuan is a disciple of our Tianzong. There is no precedent whatsoever for her to become another's handmaiden! "Lingxuan has already departed Tianzong. If Senior wishes to find her, please seek elsewhere." The Daoist Head of Tianzong held his sword aloft, his voice soft, yet his tone utterly resolute. The other Earth-rank weapon wielders flew up as well, staring at the visitor with troubled expressions. "You misunderstand; I am not from Rakshasa Country. "As the saying goes, all beings are equal. Why would I make Shen Lingxuan my servant?" Qi Yuan spoke with serene composure, carrying himself with effortless grace. "You aren't from Rakshasa Country?" "Who are you?" The Earth-rank weapon wielders were astonished. Bellowing so loudly that the entire sect heard, arriving specifically for Shen Lingxuan, and radiating an aura that clearly warned of a Heaven-rank weapon wielder... Just then, Wang Qingyi's eyes went wide. "You're... Qi Yuan?" Utter incredulity covered her face. Wasn't Qi Yuan an ordinary mortal? How could he suddenly possess such a terrifying aura? "Who is Qi Yuan?" "Elder Wang, you know him?" The surrounding Tianzong elders looked on in astonishment and wary respect. Elder Wang actually knew this Heaven-rank weapon wielder who had appeared out of nowhere. "He is... Lingxuan's husband..." "What? That matrilocal..." One elder blurted out before hastily clamping a hand over his mouth, not daring to finish. The gathered elders stared at Qi Yuan. In the distance, Ye Zhen and Jiang Yunxi also scrutinized him—one with a bizarre expression, the other with wide curiosity. "You're actually a Heaven-rank weapon wielder? You... aren't even twenty, are you?" The Daoist Head of Tianzong looked on in utter shock. He had never seen such a young Heaven-rank weapon wielder. No, he had never even seen an Earth-rank that young! The surrounding elders were equally stunned. After all, they had all heard of Shen Lingxuan's marriage, and had felt deeply that her fate was tragic and unjust. Yet now, Shen Lingxuan's husband had suddenly turned out to be a Heaven-rank weapon wielder? How could they not be shaken to their cores? "Good, good, marvelous!" the Daoist Head of Tianzong exclaimed, suddenly invigorated. "As a Heaven-rank weapon wielder, you possess the strength to protect Lingxuan! Quickly, take Lingxuan and leave the State of Ning!" An ordinary Heaven-rank weapon wielder was naturally no match for the veteran Heaven-rank cultivators of Rakshasa Country, but it was enough to escort Lingxuan to safety so she wouldn't remain in such perilous, passive straits. "I came here merely to ask if Lingxuan had returned. I searched all across Shiwanshanjue and couldn't find her," Qi Yuan said disappointedly. Hearing this, the Daoist Head coughed awkwardly, his expression shifting. "*Ahem*... This old man does not know." Shen Lingxuan had left in total secrecy this time, leaving behind neither a location nor a means of contact, specifically to prevent Rakshasa Country from tracking her. "Even you can't reach her?" Qi Yuan's disappointment deepened. It seemed his roleplay as the matrilocal husband would have to be put on pause. He would head to Rakshasa Country to farm some roleplay progress for Divine Descent. "Senior, please remain as a guest of Tianzong. Our entire sect will spare no effort to locate Lingxuan," the Daoist Head offered. If Qi Yuan stayed and took command of the founding Daoist Head's implement, even Rakshasa Country's Heaven-rank weapon wielders would find the defensive formation nearly impossible to breach. "No need. Since I can't find her, I must take my leave. "Oh, right. If you see Shen Lingxuan, tell her... I've gone to Rakshasa Country, and after that, I'll likely head to Divine Wood Abyss," Qi Yuan said calmly. A woman would not hinder his footsteps. Since he couldn't roleplay the matrilocal husband, he would roleplay Divine Descent. "Rakshasa Country?" The Daoist Head's face changed. "Why would Senior go to Rakshasa Country? Isn't that walking straight into the tiger's maw?" "What walking into the tiger's maw? I'm going... to demand an explanation." Qi Yuan's voice was placid. Rakshasa Country: their god was returning! "Senior, please reconsider!" The Daoist Head assumed Qi Yuan was acting out of fury over Shen Lingxuan's plight. Rakshasa Country did not merely boast Heaven-rank weapon wielders; they even had God-rank figures. "Reconsider what?" Qi Yuan chuckled, perfectly relaxed. "You don't need to keep the mountain sealed anymore either." "If we unseal it and Rakshasa Country's Heaven-rank weapon wielders invade..." an elder muttered. "Don't worry, that won't happen. Those dozen-odd Heaven-rank weapon wielders from Rakshasa Country were all slain by me!" "What?" The elders stood dazed, wondering if their ears had deceived them. "In Shiwanshanjue, I killed them all," Qi Yuan stated indifferently, a gentle smile gracing his face, yet tinged with a faint air of detachment. "They were all killed by my young master! If you don't believe it, you can ask Tu Sihai or Wang Dao..." Chen Kangbao piped up haughtily. As he spoke, he even produced several bundles of hair. "See this? All cut from the heads of those Heaven-rank weapon wielders! I'm planning to make a broom out of them," Chen Kangbao announced proudly. The breaths of the numerous Earth-rank weapon wielders turned ragged. They stared at the hair, faces plastered with utter shock. Qi Yuan had killed... those dozen-odd Heaven-rank weapon wielders from Rakshasa Country? How could that be possible? Yet the aura on that hair was undeniably... that of Heaven-rank weapon wielders. In particular, the golden hair was unmistakable; aside from that particular Heaven-rank cultivator from Rakshasa Country, practically no one in the State of Ning possessed such hair. "Well then, everyone, until next time. Bye-bye." Without lingering for a single moment, Qi Yuan vanished alongside Chen Kangbao, leaving behind a crowd stunned into silence. The figures faded, but the wind continued to howl. After who knew how long, an elder murmured, "Did someone just come by?" "Yes." "The matrilocal husband? Qi Yuan?" "Yes." "A Heaven-rank weapon wielder?" "Mhm... and he killed the Heaven-rank weapon wielders of Rakshasa Country." "Looks like I'm still half-asleep. Better go back to bed," the elder mumbled. In the distance, Ye Zhen stared at the empty space, the shock in her heart refusing to dissipate. After a long silence, she narrowed her eyes and murmured, "Those two... where have I seen them before?" "Sister Ye Zhen, you feel it too?... I feel like I've seen them both somewhere before as well!" *** *The morning sun rises upon the fading night, as the bright moon ascends with the tide.* Between Rakshasa Country and the State of Ning lay great mountains, wide rivers, and a vast expanse of sea. A large vessel cruised through the night. Qi Yuan leaned against the railing, gazing up at the scattered stars. "The matrilocal husband's roleplay progress has been steadily climbing lately, and now it's stuck at 90%." Ever since leaving Tianzong, the roleplay progress had grown continuously. Even when he did nothing, it kept rising. Qi Yuan guessed that word of him slaughtering Rakshasa Country's Heaven-rank weapon wielders had gradually spread throughout the State of Ning. The Shen family had almost certainly caught wind of it by now. The matrilocal husband's fame had spread under heaven. "Sure enough, no matter how timid the matrilocal husband Qi Yuan once was, deep down he still had a heart that yearned to show off. "Just making a brief flex at Tianzong bumped the progress by nearly thirty percent." At 30% progress, he had awakened the Heart of Implement Crafting; at 60%, he had awakened Yin-Yang White Fire; and at 90%, Qi Yuan had awakened... Faint Mandate of Heaven. "Does this Faint Mandate of Heaven... mean what I think it means? What does it actually represent?" Qi Yuan pondered. After awakening Faint Mandate of Heaven, he hadn't noticed any tangible difference in himself. "Hey, what is the Mandate of Heaven?" When encountering questions he didn't understand, back on Blue Star he could consult Baidu; here, he naturally turned to his online friend inside the Divine Wood Token. In particular, that operative from Thorn Blood knew an enormous amount, clearly an NPC designed specifically for exposition. "Why do you ask about that?" The Thorn Blood operative was online around the clock. "Speaking of the Mandate of Heaven, it's quite a mystical concept. Simply put, someone who bears the Mandate of Heaven enjoys greater favor from heaven and earth." "That sounds like a good thing." Favored by heaven and earth, one's fortune would improve, and cultivation would yield double the results with half the effort. "It is a good thing, and yet also a curse," the Thorn Blood operative remarked abruptly. "Do you know of Divine Descent?" "I do." "It was a divine artifact that bore the Mandate of Heaven. According to the records in the *Book of Qingshan*, its destruction had everything to do with that Mandate of Heaven." "Wasn't it Rakshasa Country that destroyed Divine Descent?" Qi Yuan asked. According to the information he currently possessed, Rakshasa Country had plotted against Divine Descent and brought about its ruin. "Hah! Divine Descent was a divine artifact at the peak of the Three Steps of Sky Treading, an entity that came within a hair's breadth of condensing a Divine Domain! How could mere Rakshasa Country possess the ability to bring down such an existence? "It was precisely because Divine Descent was cloaked in the Mandate of Heaven and tied to certain deep secrets that... it was destroyed. "As for the inner details, a small fry like me isn't privy to them. "If someday in the future I have the fortune to step into the seventh realm, perhaps I'll be qualified to know. "Though, with my meager aptitude... no point dreaming about it." "So... someone is keeping watch over the Mandate of Heaven?" "You could put it that way. If you happen to bear the Mandate of Heaven, you'd better conceal it well. Otherwise, who knows which day some mysterious powerhouse will suddenly descend and snuff you out." "Why kill those who bear the Mandate of Heaven?" Qi Yuan asked curiously. "Because... the Mandate of Heaven represents the acknowledgment of the world. Perhaps there are some who... fail to win the world's acknowledgment and lash out in bitter jealousy?" the Thorn Blood operative surmised. "Of course, these are just my personal speculations; don't take them as gospel." "Thanks for telling me so much. Once I reach Divine Wood Abyss, I'll treat you to steamed buns."