The image that appeared was unmistakably the Heavenly Prison, the dimensional dungeon within the Dimensional Magic Cube.
Chambers flickered in and out of view—and within one of them stood a familiar figure.
He exuded an innate arrogance, one that came from his very bones, flowed through his bloodline, and echoed from the depths of his soul.
"Long Aotian!!"
That figure was none other than Long Aotian. He had once been suppressed and imprisoned by Yi Tianxing himself. Yet now, he remained trapped within the Heavenly Prison. From the very beginning, this prison had never offered a real chance of escape.
"It's Long Aotian! Back then, it was His Majesty who personally sealed him away. I never thought I'd see him again."
"He's alive? That man's still alive?! They say that after leaving the initial safe chambers of the Heavenly Prison, every room is a death trap. Even if you find another safe chamber, it won't remain safe for long. It's a terrifying set of rules."
"To still be alive… that's unbelievable. He really isn't just anyone. No wonder he dared to challenge the Emperor back then. He truly is extraordinary."
Many bounty hunters who had seen Long Aotian in the past were filled with shock and even a reluctant sense of admiration. Surviving this long in the Heavenly Prison was no small feat.
Within the chamber, Long Aotian was alert, his sharp gaze scanning his surroundings.
This was a new chamber, and he knew immediately: not a safe one.
Suddenly, divine radiance erupted—threads of divine light intertwined, forming a massive light net descending from above. The air shimmered as space itself was shredded into tiny fragments.
It was like a net of lasers—yet not composed of lasers, but of deadly divine rays.
The lethality of this light net was beyond question.Even body refinement cultivators would be sliced to pieces.
"Heh, this trick again? I, Long Aotian, have never feared it. Shrink!"
With a sneer, Long Aotian's body began to shrink rapidly, visible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, he was no larger than a thumb.
He stood motionless as the divine light net descended, passing harmlessly through the gaps around him.
Aperture: Size
Divine Power: Great Freedom in Size (大小如意) ★
Once mastered, this divine power allowed the user to freely alter the size of their physical body at will—enlarging or shrinking at a moment's notice. However, while the body changed, the internal strength remained completely intact.
With the trap avoided, a wisp of dark karma was drawn from Long Aotian's body. This was his remaining karmic burden.
As it was removed, a white vortex suddenly manifested before him.
"Haha! I, Long Aotian, have finally found the way out! I'm done with this damned place!"
Recognizing the vortex as a portal to the outside world, Long Aotian burst into crazed laughter:
"Tremble, mortals! I, Long Aotian, have returned!"
With that, he dove into the vortex and vanished.
All across the Skyhawk Plains, an awkward silence fell. Many felt as if flocks of crows had just flown overhead.
"That bastard... now that he's out, the world is in for chaos."
Yi Tianxing couldn't help but shake his head in frustration.
Long Aotian, strictly speaking, wasn't truly evil—just insufferably arrogant. While he did carry karmic burden, it wasn't enormous. Over the years in the Heavenly Prison, most of it had been drawn out.
The last wisp had just been removed. With no karma left, the Heavenly Prison could no longer contain him. Hence, the white vortex appeared and released him.
Naturally, the teleportation was random—there was no way to predict where he would end up. Not even Yi Tianxing could track it. Long Aotian had become, legally speaking, "innocent."
And to think, the "Heaven-Slaying Sword Canon" had originally come from Long Aotian.
"Let's just hope we don't cross paths again. Still, he's one of the Human Race's own elites."
Yi Tianxing sighed. With a wave of his hand, the floating image vanished.
"Sweep the battlefield. Cleanse the Skyhawk Grasslands. Arrest every Hu man—send them all to the Heavenly Prison."
"Divine Raven Legion, follow me to Jixiang Temple."
The Nine-Dragon Imperial Chariot rose into the sky, heading toward the location of Jixiang Temple. Behind it, 100,000 Fire Raven troops followed close, their passage painting the sky crimson.
Jixiang Temple was also on the Skyhawk Plains. It stood atop Jixiang Mountain, a sacred site worshipped by countless commoners as a holy mountain. People prayed, made offerings, and sought spiritual solace there.
Even from a great distance, the towering mountain was clearly visible.
Before long, they arrived at its base.
The entire mountain was shrouded in golden light, surrounded by mystical golden clouds, giving it an almost divine presence. One could faintly hear sutras being chanted from the mountain peaks.
At the foot of the mountain, lush farmlands stretched across the plains. Various grains and even spiritual rice were cultivated there.
And yet, the countless human peasants toiling in the fields—at least a million of them—all seemed like soulless husks, more like walking corpses.
"Disgusting!"
Zhuge Liang's face twisted in fury. The people had been spiritually enslaved by the monks of Jixiang Temple.
"Indeed, disgusting. These monks produce nothing, preach fake compassion, and practice despicable selfishness—sacrificing others to elevate themselves. That's their so-called path of cultivation," said Xu Shu.
"Amitabha. I am Dharma Master Fayuan. I greet His Majesty the Emperor."
A smiling middle-aged lama stood at the mountain's base, greeting Yi Tianxing.
"Why doesn't the Living Buddha come greet me himself?" Yi Tianxing asked with a sneer.
"Your Majesty, the Living Buddha has announced that Jixiang Temple will seal itself for ten years. During this period, the gates will remain shut. The million peasants below may be handed to you as recompense. Jixiang Temple wishes to withdraw from worldly affairs and seeks peace with the Great Yi Dynasty."
Sealing the mountain?
Yi Tianxing looked up. The mountain exuded powerful Daoist resonance. Golden light enveloped the peaks, and ethereal scriptures flowed within the radiance.
This was a powerful barrier, a formation that had already been activated. Jixiang Mountain seemed to be slowly vanishing, hidden from the world.
This was Mountain Sealing—a deliberate severing from the mortal realm.
Much like a Heavenly Dao Seal, it cut the location off from the outside world.
However, unlike a divine seal, this could be undone at will. If the temple wished, they could unseal themselves and reappear in the world at any time.
Such a move was a recognized gesture of withdrawal. In Jianghu tradition, it was akin to a master "washing their hands of the martial world." Once done, they were no longer to be harassed.
Any faction that pursued a sealed sect would draw widespread condemnation and hostility.
Jixiang Temple's actions were clear—they had withdrawn. If the Great Yi pursued vengeance now, it would harm their reputation in the eyes of other sects and major powers.
"Very well. But do you think you can escape so easily?"
Yi Tianxing's eyes narrowed. Then he ordered:
"Take away all the peasants. Seize all supplies and resources."
"Issue this decree: Within the Great Yi Dynasty, Jixiang Temple is banned from preaching or receiving incense offerings.
Worship of Buddha is prohibited. Violators will face severe punishment."
Each word fell like a hammer. Dharma Master Fayuan's face went pale. By the end, he was trembling.
The command was nothing less than cutting off Jixiang Temple's roots. No incense, no believers—total annihilation within Great Yi territory.
"Let's go!"
With a wave, the Nine-Dragon Chariot took off into the sky.
In the void, the Sea Dragon King and others watched with complex expressions.
"The Emperor's methods are too overbearing and ruthless. This will force Jixiang Temple into a corner—it may well lead to war," said Ao Qi.
"Even better," Ao Lie replied. "The more chaos within the Sea Regions, the better. The Great Yi is growing too fast. Disrupting them now plays in our favor."