The female Saint of the Yang Kingdom had long secluded herself within the Ancestral Temple, contemplating in silence and avoiding contact with others.
Aside from appearing at coronation ceremonies of past emperors, she almost never intervened in worldly affairs, this was a fact known to all.
When Wen Zhai came this time, though he felt confident because of the Elixir of Immortality, he did not truly expect Lady Wangshu to appear in person.
After all, aside from having once met her by chance as a child, when he foolishly wandered into the Ancestral Temple, saw her a few times, and received some pointers, their relationship could hardly be called close.
Though he referred to Lady Wangshu as "Grandmother," it was only because her seniority was so exalted that no conventional title seemed adequate.
Additionally, the direct royal bloodline wished to preserve its irreplaceable link to her, so a vague familial term was all they could use.
In truth, for a Saint who was at least two thousand years old, Wen Zhai was just one among countless juniors, at most a slightly more likable one.
Therefore, now that she had appeared and spoken first, even Wen Zhai, who had weathered decades of storms and cultivated an unwavering heart, couldn't suppress the surge of joy that welled up inside him.
He had not informed his elder brother, the current Emperor Wen Xiantong before coming here and stepping into the Rui'an Prefecture Ancestral Temple.
His intentions could not be any clearer.
If Lady Wangshu intended to stay neutral, she should have remained silent.
If she supported the current royal authority, she should have scolded Wen Zhai and ordered him to leave the temple and Rui'an Prefecture, immediately.
But she chose to appear and ask.
Did that mean... she favored Wen Zhai, this junior she had once guided?
Whether intentional or not, this gesture caused the long-buried ambition in Wen Zhai's heart to rise wildly, nearly uncontrollable in his ecstasy.
Prostrating himself to the ground, his voice trembled:
"The Elixir of Immortality, which even Ji Chengtian was willing to chase across a Saint's reincarnation cycle to obtain... is now in Zangfeng Prefecture of the Yang Kingdom, and soon, it will be mine!"
Lady Wangshu's hand rested atop Wen Zhai's head. Her touch was cool. She fell silent for a moment.
"The Elixir of Immortality... so that's it."
The Saint sighed.
"And what do you plan to do once you obtain it?"
Wen Zhai dared not raise his head. He took a deep breath and replied:
"I've heard the tales, how the founding Emperor of Yang Kingdom, our Taizu, fought with his own life to carve out this realm. Ten years on horseback, one man and one steed, driving back the sixteen southern barbarian kingdoms across three thousand li, establishing a border that spans ten thousand!"
"I once followed his footsteps in the army for decades, measuring that vast frontier myself, sketching each and every stele he erected!"
"Even the vicious and savage Blood Affliction Sect from the southern barbarians, whenever they saw one of those steles, would drop their weapons and flee without exception!"
His voice rang out like a drum, echoing with vigor, completely unlike that of an aged man:
"This is the awe-inspiring power carved out by our Taizu's unmatched Divine Ability!"
Lady Wangshu's voice softened, tinged with memory:
"Indeed... he was a true hero."
Wen Zhai continued:
"Among all the steles Taizu left behind, the most famous is the final one, the Mountain and River Stele, because he personally inscribed it with his own hand."
"He wrote a grand vow upon it: 'May the mountains and rivers endure in peace, and the world know tranquility.'"
Lady Wangshu remained silent.
The hand atop Wen Zhai's head had already left, he didn't know when.
"And yet..."
Wen Zhai slowly raised his head, each word landing heavy like stone:
"Two thousand years of wind and rain later, the inscription remains, but the mountains and rivers have changed, and the world has not found peace!"
"Even with Taizu's unmatched Divine Ability... he only lived eight hundred years."
"The lifespan dictated by Heaven is the shackle of all beings, no one can defy it."
"But now, with the Elixir of Immortality resurfacing... it is a true opportunity! To overturn fate itself, it may not be impossible..."
He inhaled deeply, then declared with an expressionless face words that bordered on treason:
"My brother is nothing but a soft, idle fool who sits and reaps what others have sown!"
"For decades I fought wars, reclaimed lost territories stolen for over a thousand years, for the Yang Kingdom! And what has he done?"
"He sat high on the court's throne, enjoying comfort and luxury, accomplishing nothing!"
"And when I grew old, I had to relinquish my military command, swallow my ambitions, and pretend to be some debauched, wine-soaked old coward, just to keep my life!"
Wen Zhai lifted his head passionately. After decades, he finally saw her face again, this "Grandmother Wangshu" of his youth.
She wore mourning-white robes, only black and white upon her body. On her head was a soft white veil draped down to her back, adorned beneath the brim with a lifelike black silk flower.
Beneath the veil, a serene, elegant face, eyes lowered, gazed calmly at the junior before her.
This was the female Saint of the Yang Kingdom:
Lady Wangshu.
Rumored to be the consort of the founding emperor, she had never once left the Ancestral Temple since, keeping vigil for Taizu's tomb.
Memories stirred in Wen Zhai's mind, fuzzy impressions from childhood suddenly sharpened.
Back then, his father had brought both him and his brother Wen Xiantong to the temple for a ritual. Out of mischief, he wandered deep into the halls and saw a woman in mourning white robes before an ancestral tablet.
Unaware of propriety, he had called out "Big Sister."
The woman turned. Her expression seemed dazed and she spoke a sentence..
Wen Zhai had long forgotten the words. All he remembered was being punished afterward, made to face the wall in repentance for an entire year.
But now, suddenly, he remembered.
"You really do resemble him."
Lady Wangshu sighed.
Wen Zhai held his breath.
He knew that after saying what he had just said, there would be no turning back.
But he was gambling.
Gambling that the reason Lady Wangshu had remained in Yang Kingdom... was not out of loyalty to the nation, nor to the throne, nor for status..
But for the wish of one man.
The flicker of emotion in her gaze lasted only a moment. She raised her hand and said calmly:
"Rise."
"Tell me, where is the Elixir of Immortality?"
Wen Zhai stood, eyes blazing:
"Zangfeng Prefecture."
He offered no further explanation about who Chen Kuang was or the involved details.
Even if Lady Wangshu rarely left the temple and avoided worldly matters, anything within the Yang Kingdom's borders... could not escape her knowing.
But just then, Wen Zhai's expression suddenly changed.
In his perception, Han Shan and Tong Shi, his two deathsworn agents, had abruptly vanished from his connection.
This... this is impossible!
That Chen Kuang, who faked his death and fled was now completely alone and even if his cultivation had not fallen, was only at the Tower Ascension Realm.
How could he kill two Grandmasters?!
Could someone else be helping him?!
Wen Zhai's face darkened.
He thought of Jiang Wuya, whom he had left behind at the prince's manor.
That old Taoist... was indeed suspicious. There was no way he would hand over the Elixir's location so easily.
Lady Wangshu, observing the shift in his expression, said:
"Little grandson, I do not leave this temple. I can help you once, and only once. The rest... is up to you."
Wen Zhai composed himself and bowed deeply:
"Many thanks, Grandmother Wangshu."
The woman in mourning white stepped forward, passing Wen Zhai and crossing the temple's threshold, stopping beneath the wide eaves.
Wen Zhai was surprised.
Though still within the temple grounds, this was perhaps the first time in a thousand years that she had taken a step outside her usual place.
Lady Wangshu looked up at the starry night sky above.
"Two stars are missing..."
She murmured suddenly.
Wen Zhai froze, then understood and asked incredulously:
"Two stars... in the sky, are gone?"
Lady Wangshu nodded, whispering to herself:
"Even the seemingly eternal firmament of stars... is not everlasting."
Wen Zhai's heart trembled in awe.
The stars above were countless, numbering in the tens of thousands... yet in the Saint's eyes, even they could be counted?
Lady Wangshu raised her hand, brushing past the black silk flower at her temple, and grasped the edge of her flowing white veil.
She lifted it into the air, casting it skyward.
The white silk fluttered with the wind and unfurled in midair, transforming into a vast map.
It was a map of the Yang Kingdom.
Wen Zhai narrowed his eyes and looked upward, discovering that the map unfolding before him was not only completely accurate compared to the detailed one he had obtained recently, but in fact, far more comprehensive and refined.
And as he focused his mind to examine it further, he found that the map's Mountain and River contours rose and fell in vivid detail, as if they truly existed in three dimensions before him.
Looking more closely, he could see every single tree, every flying bird and walking beast, every person, even each falling leaf and scattered stone, all distinct and unmistakable.
The Mountains and Rivers, Heaven and Earth, all operated according to their natural rhythms.
The life of the mortal world had been miniaturized into this map of worldly affairs.
This, this was no mere map..
This was the Yang Kingdom itself!
A shock surged through Wen Zhai's heart.
He immediately turned toward the location of Zangfeng Prefecture, and saw the ruins of the Xuni Pavillion...
Just as he tried to look closer, a sudden, searing pain exploded in his head.
He let out a muffled groan as his vision went black and heat surged through his eyes and nasal cavity, blood began to pour out.
Startled, Wen Zhai staggered back several steps, quickly closed his eyes, and dared not look again.
Lady Wangshu spoke:
"This realm, compared to the last time I viewed it, three hundred years ago, has indeed recovered much. If one day you can return it to its original state, you will have surpassed a hundred generations of emperors."
She extended her finger and gently tapped the air, her fingertip pointed directly at Zangfeng Prefecture on the map.
The woman in white mourning robes softly parted her lips and uttered a divine word:
"Seal."
In an instant, all lights within Zangfeng Prefecture were extinguished.
On the massive map, only this region sank into complete darkness.
And yet, at the very borders of Zangfeng Prefecture, a ring of golden light traced itself, encircling the entire prefecture like a cage.
...
Meanwhile...
In Chen Kuang's mind, that ancient sword born from the "Song of Weed-Cutting"was forged entirely of pure killing intent and Vicious Qi.
Within the domain of the divine consciousness, it was nearly unstoppable.
Back then, when paired with the fleetingly comprehended "Vajra Bodhi," Chen Kuang had projected his consciousness outward, and with this sword, he had gravely injured Bai Fen, leaving him a madman.
And now, with Han Shan and Tong Shi discarding their bodies and attempting to annihilate Chen Kuang's spirit directly, Chen Kuang could only respond with respect.
Han Shan's sword, formed from his own spiritual will, pierced into Chen Kuang's brow.
In the next moment, it collided with the tip of the suddenly materialized Killing Sword.
The two blades clashed point-to-point, and within just a breath of confrontation, cracks appeared on Han Shan's sword.
"Crack..."
A faint shattering sound rang out.
"Hummmmmm-"
The Killing Sword vibrated with greater excitement, its hum rising into a sharp whine, as waves of Vicious Qi rolled outward in visible ripples.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
Wherever the aura passed, water split apart while trees and grass were severed clean in half.
Chen Kuang sensed a thrill of joy from the sword like never before.
Yes, true joy!
He had never noticed it before, but now he realized: this sword... had preferences.
Apparently, in its "territory," clashing directly against another divine consciousness was a form of sheer bliss.
It delighted in destroying others.
But for those facing the Killing Sword... the experience was far less delightful.
Neither Han Shan nor Tong Shi were cultivators who specialized in spiritual power.
As the Killing Sword advanced like a hurricane, Han Shan finally realized the danger, but not only did he not retreat, he held his ground.
A deathsworn... fears no death.
Han Shan's sword will surged, cold as frost, sharp as snow. It struck Chen Kuang, instantly freezing half of his body.
Even the river around him froze over in a breath.
"Boom!"
Chen Kuang let out a low shout, his hands formed seals, and a white lotus bloomed from his brow. Six layers of force burst forth, shattering the frost.
But his arms were blasted apart on the spot, shards of muscle and frozen blood scattered into the air.
"Swish!"
In the next instant, his arms reformed and healed anew.
Han Shan had already plunged half of his soul into Chen Kuang's body, his divine soul was now riddled with cracks.
On the other side, Tong Shi had delivered a punch at Chen Kuang from behind, but pain exploded in his fist, causing him to roar in fury, his face twisted in agony.
What had pierced into his fist was none other than a "Sword of Intent", derived from the Killing Sword itself, a hidden strike, venomous and treacherous, that drilled directly into Tong Shi's divine soul, stirring chaos within.
Tong Shi, overwhelmed by the pain, snarled and raised his other fist to strike again.
"Pffft!"
Chen Kuang failed to block it, vomiting a mouthful of blood and yet his eyes burned brighter than ever, his killing intent surging to its peak.
He drew in a deep breath:
"DIE FOR ME!!"
At this moment, Chen Kuang, Han Shan, and Tong Shi were all practically overlapped, like glitched shadows colliding in a single frame of existence.
Even as deathsworn Grandmasters, the intensity of the spiritual battlefield was savage beyond imagination.
In this hurricane, Chen Kuang felt like a reed stalk in a gale, tossed and bent in all directions.
The only thing holding him together was the Killing Sword.
With bloodshot eyes, he forced himself to recall the previously experienced illusion, falling into the murderous trance, where a thousand armies charged at him...
And he had only one thing left to do:
Draw. The. Sword.
Suddenly, a faint voice echoed in his mind.
He thought it was his imagination, but it wasn't.
His pupils contracted sharply as he realized: it was the Killing Sword, responding to him!
"Draw... the sword..."
The voice rang out again in his divine sea.
Chen Kuang inhaled deeply.
Back when he first started cultivating, he hadn't understood this sword's nature. But now, he knew.
This was no mere weapon.
It was an immensely powerful divine technique for spirit cultivation!
His divine soul's strength, greatly bolstered by his transmigrator origin, was still not nearly enough to wield such a weapon.
The true reason he could, was because of the "Wither-Bloom Sword Manual".
The more he killed, the more viscous Qi he cultivated and the stronger his divine soul became.
Chen Kuang grew more convinced, Huo Hengxuan was no ordinary old man.
The two techniques he had given him, one for body, one for soul, were both peerless.
His thoughts tightened.
At some point, he realized.. that a sword had appeared in his hand.
The Killing Sword, drawn directly from his divine sea!
He swung it instinctively.
Right in front of him, Han Shan's half-formed divine soul hung frozen in midair.
Han Shan's mouth opened, as if to shout, to question, but it didn't matter anymore.
As the sword sliced through him, Han Shan's soul was split into two, then dissolved like mist.
Tong Shi never got the chance to throw another punch either.
He too, was scattered into mist.
The Killing Sword vanished from Chen Kuang's hand.
And, he too, collapsed into the water pit, gasping for air.
"Huff..."
Sitting there, he looked up and was suddenly stunned.
"Invincible Before the Divine," the passive that had just been active, was now gone.
And his cultivation... had not recovered.
His body felt hollow, not a trace of Spiritual Energy remained.
"No... not just me!"
"Even the surrounding area, there's no Spiritual Energy left at all!"
His pupils shrank as an intense sense of dread gripped his heart.
He tried to circulate his Qi but failed.
The entire world around him had become a spiritual vacuum. Not even a wisp of energy existed around him.
Chen Kuang's expression darkened, he slowly lifted his gaze toward the sky.
And then he saw it, across the heavens:
A single, unimaginably massive finger, like a divine pillar, pierced the stars and parted the clouds, descending from the firmament, and pressing down on Zangfeng Prefecture.