Wu Yao

Artificially drumming up grand momentum during a founding ceremony was a very common practice. Be it Great Qian, Great Yu, or even Great Xia, all of them had stirred up quite a commotion during their founding ceremonies. If one were to trace the origin, it went all the way back to when the Ninefold Immortal ascended to immortality. Therefore, neither Yun Zhi nor Jiang Ping'an had paid much mind to the matter of the founding ceremony. Little did they expect that Wu Yao would use the founding ceremony as an opportunity to undergo his Immortal Ascension Tribulation. Originally, Nightmare Supreme had relied on being a half-immortal, thinking that even if he had been defeated on that one occasion by Wu Yao and the Imperial Preceptor, so what? He still had the chance to make a comeback. Yet he had never imagined that Wu Yao might have become an immortal. Even the mere possibility that Wu Yao had ascended was enough to make him beat a retreat, not daring to even test the waters. Testing him would only give Wu Yao an opportunity to turn around and capture him, which hardly justified the risk. He was far better off slumbering in secret, collecting different dreams across various eras to ultimately attain immortality himself. Unfortunately, his journey had been cut short midway; he had ended up a prisoner, unable to even keep his physical body. "Wu Yao became an immortal?" Eldest Senior Sister was somewhat perplexed. If this was true, it raised another question: The half-immortals had slumbered until now to awaken because their lifespans were running out, but an immortal's lifespan was infinite; there was no need to slumber. If Wu Yao had attained immortality, how could he have stood by and watched Great Yu perish, replaced by Great Xia? One had to know that in the late Great Yu era, the strongest cultivator was Void Supreme, locked in the cell next door. There had not been a single immortal. With absolute strength, Wu Yao could certainly have prolonged the Great Yu Dynasty's lifespan. Yet he had not done so. Why? To refrain from acting even under those circumstances meant he undoubtedly harbored some scheme; it was just that for the moment, no one knew what Wu Yao's objective was. An immortal lurking in the shadows was terrible news for Great Xia. The two half-immortals before them were already capable of turning Great Xia upside down, to say nothing of an immortal. "What Dao fruit did Wu Yao possess?" Now that Wu Yao was considered an enemy lurking in the dark, they needed to know both themselves and their foe before formulating further plans. "I don't know what his Dao fruit was; I only know his rudimentary Dao fruit," Nightmare Supreme answered truthfully. "Tell me." "His rudimentary Dao fruit was called the rudimentary Displacement Dao fruit. You can understand it as equivalent exchange or sacrificial offering. Through exchange, he could obtain tangible things, such as dharma treasures, spiritual plants, or a single powerful attack. He could also exchange for intangible things, such as fate and karma. It was very complicated to use." "Once it became a full Dao fruit, I don't know to what extent he could take it." "What techniques did Wu Yao possess?" "He knew far too many techniques—a dazzling array of flashy tricks. Even when he entered a dream, he could rely on those moves to trade blows with me for several rounds. For example, the Qimen Liujia Art, which could command ghosts and gods, perform rituals to exorcise spirits, and divine past, present, and future." "For example, Upright Without Shadow: entering an incorporeal state that renders all attacks ineffective, an effect comparable to reaching mastery in the Flawless Immortal Physique." "There were also the Six Buddhist Supernatural Powers. I remember him using the Heavenly Eye, the Heavenly Ear, and the Divine Foot among them. Whether he knew the other three, I couldn't say." "Oh right, right! He could also deploy the Immortal Exterminating Sword Formation. Once unleashed, any living being covered by the sword formation would involuntarily submit beneath it. Even I accidentally fell victim to that move once—it was exceptionally formidable." "They say this sword formation drew inspiration from the techniques of ancient immortals, with an astonishingly illustrious origin." Eldest Senior Sister: "..." *** In the outside world, news of the battle that had occurred in Chunjiang City was spreading across the cultivation world at a terrifying speed. Chunjiang City vanishing into thin air and reappearing was a fact that could not be concealed. The appearance of two ancient Supremes clashing fiercely made people's scalps tingle all the more. Formidable ancient figures recorded in history appearing in the flesh felt like time flowing backward, evoking a surreal sense of dislocation that drew immense attention. What was more, the Heavenly Court Cult's most mysterious leader, Cult Master Yun, had finally made a move. Fighting one against two, she had displayed power above that of a half-immortal! Cult Master Yun was actually an immortal! Although the immortal characteristic prevented everyone from remembering the details of the battle, memories of her appearance, her self-introduction, and her defeat of the two ancient Supremes remained intact. Throughout streets and alleys, teahouses and restaurants, every person with even a shred of cultivation was discussing the matter. Qinxin Restaurant was the largest establishment among several neighboring cities. It boasted a spiritual chef at the Nascent Soul stage, whose signature dish, "Breeze Ballad," possessed an exquisite flavor with an aroma that drifted for ten li. In the past, as soon as the dishes were served, diners would eagerly pick up their chopsticks to dig in. Yet today, even after the food arrived, the cultivators around the tables continued to heatedly discuss the events of Chunjiang City. "Have you heard about what happened in Chunjiang City? Something massive went down!" "Who doesn't know about Chunjiang City? Two half-immortals fought! Someone looked through the ancient records and confirmed that the two were none other than Nightmare Supreme and Void Supreme!" A cultivator who had not yet heard the news drew in a sharp breath upon hearing those names, not even noticing the food placed before him. "Good heavens, Nightmare Supreme is the very same Nightmare Supreme who brought down the Great Qian Dynasty?" "And Void Supreme is the one who fought our founding ancestor for the world?" "Those exact two! They moved Chunjiang City into another space, and then, for reasons unknown, started fighting each other. Even the veteran Tribulation Transcendence cultivator from the Qi Control Sect, Venerable Yiqi, was no match for them!" "Then which of them won?" The storyteller smiled and shook his head, refusing to go on. "Lend me your dharma treasure to play with for two days." The listener was burning with anticipation. He didn't want to lend his treasure, but he was desperate to hear the rest. After a moment's hesitation, he gritted his teeth and said, "I'll lend it!" "Neither of them won." "How is that possible?" "Why wouldn't it be? The Heavenly Court Cult intervened!" "Was it Heavenly Venerable Dou? The only one capable of halting a battle between two Supremes would be Heavenly Venerable Dou, who is suspected to be an immortal, right?" This time, the storytelling cultivator stopped teasing. "It was the Heavenly Court Cult's Cult Master Yun! Although details of the battle haven't gotten out, what's certain is that Cult Master Yun captured both Supremes alive!" The cultivators at the table were so flabbergasted by this revelation that their speech faltered: "H-how is that possible? Unless Cult Master Yun is... is..." "An immortal!" another companion chimed in. "Doesn't that mean the Heavenly Court Cult has two immortals?" A cultivator swallowed hard. "Good grief, as expected of an ancient faction. When they reveal an immortal, two emerge at once." "Tell me about it. People are already saying that the Heavenly Court Cult is truly the foremost power of the current age." In a corner, three diners leisurely enjoyed the signature dish, "Breeze Ballad," as though completely oblivious to the chatter around them. "Senior, are you satisfied with the meal?" Daoist Buyu asked cautiously, while Clan Head Jin beside him looked at Jiang Lianyi with eager anticipation. Jiang Lianyi dabbed her lips and offered a lukewarm critique: "Mediocre. Not as good as what I make." Daoist Buyu groaned inwardly. Ever since Jiang Lianyi had given them a beating, she had been following them around. They didn't dare give her the slip, nor did they dare chase her away. Their grand swindling enterprise hadn't conducted any business in ages. Among the three, Clan Head Jin was the only one truly astounded by the revelation that "Cult Master Yun is an immortal," but since Jiang Lianyi didn't care, he didn't dare act too concerned either. Jiang Lianyi had fought Yun Zhi to a draw, so how could she not know Yun Zhi's cultivation? "What a pity," she murmured. "I didn't tag along with Senior Brother Lu Yang back then, missing the chance to cross hands with the half-immortals of later generations."