‘Since I’m already here, I might as well stay and have a look…’

He paused, glancing to the side. With the help of several Earth Immortals, craftsmen were constructing a magnificent high platform, which was already beginning to take shape. A deep, inscrutable look filled his eyes.

…

「The Current World.」

Zhou Xiaotong blinked her large, glistening eyes, curiously watching the trembling Grandpa Li before her.

Yang Jian, however, furrowed his brow and asked,

“Fellow Daoist Li, what in the world is wrong?”

Li Changgeng snapped back to his senses, his forehead beaded with cold sweat. He forced a bitter smile and said,

“Erlang, there is something you don’t know. This Lu Zi…”

He stared at the plaque of the Lu Temple, his expression turning grave.

“This Lu Zi… he’s none other than the Supreme Profound Clarity.”

Yang Jian’s expression changed drastically.

Zhou Xiaotong tilted her head curiously.

“Supreme… what? What is that…?”

Before she could finish, Yang Jian clamped a hand over her mouth, temporarily sealing the little girl’s six senses. He then asked with great solemnity,

“Taibai, you cannot be joking about this…”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Li Changgeng forced a smile, his long beard trembling. His gaze unfocused as he drifted into a memory, and he continued,

“I still remember it. Li Jing and I noticed a disturbance in the Human World, so we both descended to the Lower Realm to investigate. That’s when we met this Lu Zi and discovered he was of the Supreme’s Direct Lineage… We just didn’t think much of it at the time. Or rather, we never imagined what would come later.”

Yang Jian’s expression grew solemn as well. ‘Lu Zi is an incarnation of the Supreme Profound Clarity?’

‘Why would he establish a temple in this era?’

‘This era has a clear break in its history, an impassable chasm cutting across the river of Years…’

They had been traveling through remote mountains, avoiding contact with people and paying no mind to the technology of the Current World. Naturally, they were unaware of the major incident that had occurred in East Sea City a few days prior.

After a moment’s thought, he asked,

“Taibai, when you met the Supreme Profound Clarity, did he give you any trouble?”

“No, he didn’t.”

Li Changgeng recalled,

“I still remember it vividly. It was during the Spring and Autumn Years, in the Qin Palace. If I recall correctly, the man who would become the First Emperor was there as well, though he was just a boy… Lu Zi and I exchanged a few words, and he…”

As he recalled their conversation, he suddenly froze as if struck by lightning, standing stunned in place.

“What is it?” Yang Jian asked, intrigued.

Li Changgeng gasped for breath, his eyes filled with a terror unlike any he had ever shown. A tremor ran through him, from his spine to every pore, to the very tips of his hair!

After a long moment, Li Changgeng spoke in a daze.

“I remember now. Lu Zi—or rather, the Supreme Profound Clarity—said something to me.”

“What did he say?” Yang Jian asked.

Li Changgeng stammered his reply, his expression dazed and horrified.

“He said… He said my curiosity was too strong, and that it was no wonder I would be trapped in Gouxian Town!”

The moment he finished, it was as if a bomb went off in Yang Jian’s head, leaving it ringing!

His eyes widened, and his breathing grew ragged.

“The Supreme Profound Clarity… is an Emperor at the Eternal level?!”

The Eternal Realm, also known as Daluo, is the Seventh Step on the path of cultivation. It is above the Celestial Realms and below the Dao Fruit Realm.

This realm is the only one beneath the Dao Fruit that allows one to freely traverse the river of time. Once something is proven, it is an Eternal Proof; once something is gained, it is gained for eternity. For those at this level, the past and present are one and the same!

Li Changgeng shook his head, completely bewildered, and spoke as if in a dream.

“It’s not surprising that the Supreme Profound Clarity is at the Eternal, or Daluo, Realm. That’s to be expected. What I fear is…”

“What I fear is, how could he know about Gouxian Town? Does this mean… the Supreme Profound Clarity is watching us right now? Looking down upon us?”

Yang Jian’s scalp prickled with terror. The two of them stood frozen, staring at each other in blank dismay. Involuntarily, they both looked up at the boundless firmament, overcome by the feeling that somewhere above the sky, beyond the river of Years and the cosmos itself, a pair of immense, cold eyes was fixed upon them.

A deep chill filled their hearts.

…

「The Ancient Spring and Autumn Period.」

“Hee hee hee…”

The Drought Demon wandered step by step across mountains and rivers. Wherever she passed, great fires consumed the mountains, rivers boiled away into mist, and a scorching radiance baked the Earth, annihilating all life.

She toyed with the remnant soul in her hand and giggled.

“I’m going to your capital city! I’ll burn the whole place to ashes, how about that?”

Tormented by the searing flames to the point of wishing for death, the remnant soul first roared and cursed hysterically. Soon, however, it withered, its tone shifting to one of desperate pleading.

“G-Great… Upper God, I beg you, please spare the people… Please…”

“Oh?”

The Drought Demon smiled sweetly, her laugh like tinkling bells.

“So now you know how to beg? You were cursing me so fiercely a moment ago… Hmm, that’s not sincere enough. Kneel in my palm and say it again.”

Enduring the flames that seared its True Spirit, the remnant soul of the City Lord prostrated itself in the Drought Demon’s palm without hesitation and pleaded,

“Upper God, I beg you to spare the innocent people… I beg you…”

The Drought Demon smiled with satisfaction.

“I have heard your plea…”

“But… I’m not listening.”

With that, she burst into laughter and quickened her pace, speeding toward Yong City. The remnant soul in her grasp grew frantic. It continued to beg desperately, all while enduring the excruciating pain of its burning soul.

But it received no answer.

When the hazy silhouette of Yong City appeared in the distance, the remnant soul despaired. It curled up in the Drought Demon’s palm, silently enduring the scorching flames, its heart bleeding with anguish.

He didn’t dare to look. He couldn’t bear to see the people wailing in agony, couldn’t bear to watch the tragic sight of the old and young, women and children, all burned to ash.

The Drought Demon quickened her pace once more, so much that Black and White Impermanence, following behind, could barely keep up. A moment later, Yong City was close at hand. A terrifying wave of flame, like a massive tidal wave, surged toward the city.

But in the next instant, mystical sigils flared to life above Yong City, blocking the terrifying wave of flame.

The Drought Demon pursed her lips and laughed mockingly.

“Such pointless resistance…”

She stepped elegantly into the air, rising high above to look down upon the magnificent city. Her gaze fell upon a high platform within the walls, one that was nearly complete.

“Oh? Have they finally come to their senses? Do they wish to pay tribute to the heavens and worship the gods?”

The Drought Demon’s expression darkened, but the remnant soul in her palm grew excited. It spoke with difficulty, its voice halting.

“Upper God, the Ruler of the State has built a Sacrificial Altar! You… you can no longer…”

“Who says I can’t?”

The Drought Demon cut him off, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“The Sacrificial Altar is built, but the rite has not yet been performed. So it doesn’t count. Now watch closely. Watch how I turn this entire city into kindling!”

As she spoke, the Drought Demon, wreathed in roaring flames and the light of a thousand suns, plummeted toward Yong City like a meteor!

The remnant soul let out a hysterical wail. Far behind them, Black and White Impermanence exchanged a glance, and both sighed as if they could already see the tragic outcome: the entire great city melting and collapsing, tens of millions of people incinerated.

Black Impermanence shook his head and said,

“I wonder if the Drought Demon will burn all their souls to nothing this time… She’s truly audacious, not at all afraid of provoking the wrath of the Great Powers within the Human Race.”

White Impermanence sighed softly.

“She acts on a Decree from the Western Celestial Court. Who would dare stop her? Who would dare to make a move against her…?”

No sooner had he spoken than the situation changed abruptly.

Under the stunned gazes of Black and White Impermanence, just as the meteor-like Drought Demon was about to crash into the city,

The thundering of war drums suddenly erupted from within Yong City, followed by battle cries that shook the heavens.

And with the drums and the cries, an old man in his twilight years emerged from the city. Step by step, he ascended into the sky to face the descending, meteor-like Drought Demon head-on.

“He wants to stop the Drought Demon?” Black Impermanence said in surprise, then shook his head. “A mantis trying to stop a chariot…”

He hadn’t even finished speaking.

The old man suspended in the sky raised a hand and slapped the Drought Demon, sending her flying. A fiery meteor shot across the horizon, smashing into a great mountain a hundred li from the city and causing it to collapse!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep