Within the Dark Void, Dao God Tufeng and the mountain master of Heavenly King Mountain fled frantically.
Neither had passed the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations, making them among the weaker of the Dao Gods.
Faced with a Dao Lord, getting entangled meant certain death.
At this moment, the two exhausted every technique at their disposal to escape.
Fortunately, the Dark Void was intricate and bewildering; even a Dao Lord would find it arduous to track them down.
"Too strong... That Dao Lord is no ordinary Dao Lord!" Dao God Tufeng said, lingering dread clinging to his voice.
His physical body had been completely obliterated and only just recongealed within the Dark Void.
His surviving true spirit remained dim.
"She has been striking more and more frequently," the mountain master of Heavenly King Mountain remarked.
The Dao Lord lurking within the Abandoned Land seemed uniquely hostile toward Nine Heavens Divine Palace and the Heavenly God who backed it.
However, the Abandoned Land was far too convoluted. Even someone as formidable as the Heavenly God found it nearly impossible to pinpoint her.
"The more she exposes herself, the greater the danger she faces. His Majesty Heavenly God has held back from striking against her all this time probably... because he is waiting for a single lethal blow," the mountain master speculated.
In truth, practically anyone privy to these affairs shared that deduction.
"Our purge of the Abandoned Land isn't finished yet. What should we do?" Dao God Tufeng asked.
Thoughts of retreat had crept into his mind.
If they crossed paths with that Dao Lord again, they would surely perish.
"Rest assured, she definitely won't dare attack a second time. We are safe," the mountain master said with conviction. "Only a few little vermin remain. If we proceed with utmost caution, we can finish the purge and depart."
Purging the Abandoned Land was a task entrusted to them by the Heavenly God, so it naturally had to be completed.
Otherwise, the more living beings swallowed by the Abandoned Land, the greater the terror that would eventually unfold.
Dao God Tufeng nodded in agreement with the mountain master's decision. "Once this affair concludes, I intend to cultivate the Dao of the Dark Void."
This ordeal had made him keenly aware of how fragile even a Dao God could be.
When confronted with a Dao Lord or Dao Gods who had weathered the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations, survival was practically an impossibility.
Life-preserving methods took precedence over all else.
For a Dao God, fleeing into the Dark Void was the safest recourse.
"What use would that be? Back then, there was a Dao God named Dao God Youqian who excelled above all others in the Dao of the Dark Void, possessing peerless escaping arts. In the end, he offended Nine Heavens Divine Palace—and didn't he still end up meeting an obscure end?" the mountain master couldn't help pointing out.
Hearing that, Dao God Tufeng sighed with wistful resignation.
It was true: no matter how many escape methods one possessed, it was futile.
Offend truly transcendent powerhouses, and they held myriad ways to wipe you out.
They could even travel back into your past, obliterating you while you were still weak and defenseless.
To counter measures like that, one needed to have at least overcome One Calamity and One Tribulation—or attained the realm of a Dao Lord.
"Let's move." The mountain master swept his sleeve, and both men stepped out from the Dark Void.
Though they still bore injuries and their strength had waned considerably, crushing the ruthless figures in the Abandoned Land who were not even Dao Gods was hardly more difficult than swatting flies.
"The world ahead possesses an unusual aura. There might be prisoners within," Dao God Tufeng said.
The mountain master nodded.
Without a wasted breath, Dao God Tufeng pressed down with a colossal palm.
In an instant, the worldly laws stretched taut like strings.
The massive world below seemed reduced to a marionette ensnared in threads.
Against vermin like that, why would a second strike ever be necessary?
Yet right then, an unexpected voice chimed in.
"You two walk far too slowly."
"Looks to me like your legs are just too short."
"How about I perform limb-lengthening surgery on you?"
"Otherwise, if you ever go on blind dates back on our Blue Star, you'll be thoroughly discriminated against."
Clad in a crimson robe, Qi Yuan materialized. His handsome face carried an easygoing indolence, graced by a bright smile that made him resemble a completely harmless boy next door.
Of course, had he donned shorts and a pair of flip-flops, the vibe would have matched even better.
The moment they laid eyes upon him, Dao God Tufeng and the mountain master froze, their hearts trembling in unison.
"You are... Qi Yuan?" the mountain master blurted out.
He had committed the names of all the dangerous figures slated for this purge to memory.
Qi Yuan was an inexplicable God Lord, suspected to have ties to Myriad Gods Mountain.
None of that mattered—setting foot into the Abandoned Land sealed one's fate to die.
Yet now, the aura radiating from Qi Yuan was not that of a God Lord at all.
Could he be... an ancient monster in disguise?
Without an ounce of hesitation, before they could even exchange a glance, the mountain master and Dao God Tufeng slipped back into the Dark Void with well-practiced ease.
Though they had not yet traded blows and could not gauge the depths of Qi Yuan's power... preserving their lives was paramount.
"Oh my, what are you two short-legged fellows running for?"
"How about this: I'll do the operation free of charge!"
"Short on cash?"
"Just hand over your phone!"
As the true spirits of the two Dao Gods bolted through the Dark Void, Qi Yuan's voice gave hot pursuit from behind.
Deep within the Dark Void, astonishment painted the mountain master's face.
"This is the Dark Void! How could he possibly catch up?"
The Dark Void was bewilderingly complex.
A hair's breadth of deviation could cast one millions of li off course.
With him and Dao God Tufeng fleeing in tandem, not even an entering Dao Lord should have been able to overtake them.
"Because my legs are long!" Qi Yuan hoisted his robe slightly, showing off his long legs as he stepped directly into the path of Dao God Tufeng and the mountain master.
The expressions on their faces twisted violently.
To their horror, they discovered that the environment within the Dark Void had altered drastically, their forward path cleanly intercepted by the man before them.
One had to understand that not even a Dao Lord could accomplish such a feat.
His mastery and comprehension of the Dark Void... was downright terrifying.
"Who on earth are you?" the mountain master demanded, his aura surging to its peak as he prepared to strike at any moment.
"Me...? Didn't you already call out my name?" Qi Yuan replied placidly. "I am Qi Yuan—the very wanted criminal on your list. I've finally waited you out."
The faces of the two Dao Gods shifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions, words failing them.
"Don't be afraid. I'm not a villain like you two; I am a truly good person."
"Can't you see? You came all this way to kill me, yet I'm still willing to perform surgery on you for free, just to give you longer legs so you can walk faster."
"That way, if there's a next Cycle, perhaps you'll be able to run quicker and die even faster."
Qi Yuan's words were a rambling mess, leaving both the mountain master and Dao God Tufeng utterly bewildered.
At this point, the mountain master could only relent and say, "Excellency, we are purging the Abandoned Land under the explicit orders of the Heavenly God. Since you are a fellow traveler on the great path, why not return with us to Heavenly King Mountain? This old man will personally take action to help you unravel the Curse of Sinking upon you."
He opted to soften his stance while invoking the name of the Heavenly God to deter Qi Yuan.
After all, the Heavenly God's prestige commanded dread even from Dao Gods who had survived the Three Calamities and Three Tribulations.
"Oh? You're from Nine Heavens Divine Palace?" Qi Yuan murmured. "That makes sense. Aside from that little fellow, the Heavenly God, who else would constantly fuss over the Abandoned Land whether there was anything going on or not?"
Hearing that, Dao God Tufeng and the mountain master felt their hearts lurch violently, as though they had just heard something beyond belief.
This madman actually called His Majesty Heavenly God... a little fellow!
Just who was he?
A dense wave of bewilderment washed over them, followed swiftly by sheer despair.
They were finished!
Chapter 627