Han Imperial Dynasty, land of the living, Six Paths Immortal Firmament:
When Gu Hai entered the flawed immortal firmament, he lost his connection with the Han Imperial Dynasty.
Boom!
With a loud noise, the Han Imperial Dynasty’s boundless blessings scattered.
The once prosperous blessings vanished in an instant.
If it were another dynasty, chaos would have broken out. The scattering of blessings signified the emperor’s demise, a terrifying event that would cause panic among the people and officials.
But in Borderless Heavenly Capital…
The common people glanced at the sky, lowered their heads, and continued with their own affairs.
Continued with their own affairs?
The spies from various factions in Borderless Heavenly Capital were perplexed. What’s going on?
Your dynasty’s blessings have scattered, yet you seem unaffected?
The spies from various factions were initially excited, but they soon came to their senses as if splashed with a bucket of cold water.
The common people were utterly indifferent. They did worry for a moment, but their confidence in Gu Hai was strong. Moreover, this was not the first time the blessings had scattered.
This was already the third time, and the people had become inured to it. There was no need to worry; the blessings would return again after a while.
Gu Qin gathered the ministers and soothed their concerns.
Although the officials were worried, they had grown bolder after experiencing the previous two instances. They carried on with their day, not taking it seriously.
After appeasing the Han Nation’s citizenry, Gu Qin took several important officials to visit Chen Xianer.
“Imperial Mother, don’t worry. Father will be fine!” Gu Han rea.s.sured Chen Xianer with concern.
Chen Xianer nodded. “I know. I can sense him, but the connection seems unstable, as if he has left the Six Paths Immortal Firmament!”
“Oh?” The others were taken aback.
“Alright, be more attentive during this time! Don’t let others take advantage of the situation while Husband is not here!” Chen Xianer instructed.
“Yes!” everyone responded.
“Send a message to Chiyou; let him know that Husband is safe and that there’s no need to worry!” Chen Xianer ordered.
“Yes!”
------
Indeed, when the news reached the Nine Li Imperial Dynasty, Chiyou’s face immediately darkened. He wanted to rush over, but Chen Xianer’s message soon arrived.
“Gu Han, are you sure your father is unharmed?” Chiyou asked coldly, looking at the zither puppet.
On the other end, Gu Han replied solemnly, “Father must have encountered another mysterious event, but Mother said that Father is safe. Nine Li Imperial Emperor, please rest a.s.sured!”
Chiyou nodded.
The Nine Li Imperial Dynasty took no action, and the Han Imperial Dynasty continued functioning as usual. However, the blessings’ sudden scattering attracted the attention of major factions throughout the Divine Continent.
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Xuanyuan City, Huang Heavenly Dynasty:
“Mister Cangjie, how did Gu Hai disappear?” Ji Dihong asked in confusion.
It was as if Gu Hai had vanished, just like when he traveled to eight hundred thousand years in the past.
Cangjie shook his head. “Based on my divination, Gu Hai’s last appearance was in the Yellow Springs Sea. I’ve never explored that place, but it must hold some great secrets. However, Dahong has already gone there, so Your Holy Eminence shouldn’t worry!”
Ji Dihong nodded.
“I have a report!”
A guard suddenly entered the study.
“Reporting to Your Holy Eminence, an envoy claiming to be from the Heavenly Demon Holy Land seeks an audience with Your Holy Eminence!” the guard announced respectfully.
Ji Dihong narrowed his eyes. “The Heavenly Demon Holy Land? Ah, it seems Number Four has arrived!”
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The flawed immortal firmament:
Gu Hai glanced at the Lifespan Veritable Sect disciples in the distance, his brows slightly furrowed. Dealing with them was not difficult, but these fanatical believers could be troublesome and would delay him.
“Alright, Unborn Man, lead the way. We will head over immediately!” Gu Hai said solemnly.
“Yes!” The Unborn Man nodded.
The four of them soared into the sky, shooting far away in a certain direction.
“This world seems incredibly vast.” Gu Hai frowned.
With their strength, they flew extremely fast. However, they had been flying for two hours already, yet all they saw was an endless expanse.
“This flawed immortal firmament was created in a one-to-one ratio with the Six Paths Immortal Firmament!” the Unborn Man explained.
“Oh? One-to-one ratio?” Gu Hai’s expression s.h.i.+fted.
“Yes, Wanyu said that after eight hundred thousand years of inheritance, the population of the flawed immortal firmament has already reached one percent of the Six Paths Immortal Firmament’s,” the Unborn Man said.
“One percent? That means counting in trillions?” Gu Hai’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes!” The Unborn Man nodded.
“You mentioned earlier that Wanyu said this. You didn’t explain it clearly last time. What secrets does Long Wanyu hold?” Gu Hai looked at the Unborn Man.
Long Shenying nodded while showing a solemn expression. “Does my father, Long Zhanguo, know something too? Why did he dote on Long Wanyu so much in the past? Even when she was disrespectful to the emperor, my father turned a blind eye. He let her act freely without consequences, even for such grave offenses as lying to the sovereign. It’s so strange because my father is usually a very stern person!”
Long Zhanguo’s indulgence towards Long Wanyu had reached an outrageous level—to the point where no one dared to offend Long Wanyu. Even when Long Wanyu insulted Long Zhanguo as an “old fogey,” he did not get angry.
“Haha! Of course, Long Zhanguo couldn’t get angry!” the Unborn Man suddenly chuckled.
“Also, when Wanyu was injured, Long Zhanguo said Lady Houtu would definitely save her. Why?” Gu Hai asked in a deep voice.
The Unborn Man paused for a moment before looking at Gu Hai. “Your Reverence showed a strange expression when I mentioned it to Your Reverence the last time. Haven’t you already guessed?”
“I need you to say it.” Gu Hai neither confirmed nor denied.
The Unborn Man nodded. “Wanyu? Your Reverence guessed correctly. Wanyu is actually the reincarnation of the previous Heaven, Cang!”
[TL Note: The word for Heaven can mean sky. Cang can mean a bluish-gray color. When combined with the word for Heaven, it refers to the vast blue sky or heaven (G.o.d).]
“Cang? What?! When the Six Paths Immortal opposed Heaven, he was opposing Long Wanyu’s past life?” the Mosquito Daoist exclaimed.
“The previous Heaven? No wonder! No wonder my father showed her so much favor. No matter how reckless or rude she was, he never got angry!” Long Shenying was astonished.
“The previous Heaven? Didn’t the Six Paths Veritable Lord kill her in the void?” Gu Hai frowned.
“While the Six Paths Veritable Lord did indeed kill Heaven Cang, she didn’t go down without a fight. The Six Paths Veritable Lord exterminated her completely, annihilating her souls. However, Heaven Cang was reborn in another form, losing everything from her previous life. Nonetheless, being reborn in this life is already enough!” the Unborn Man affirmed.
Long Shenying, the Mosquito Daoist, and Gu Hai felt deeply shocked.
“That’s why you didn’t want to reveal her ident.i.ty in the Six Paths Immortal Firmament?” Gu Hai said in a solemn tone.
“Yes, although the Six Paths Immortal is currently in a state of healing slumber, his ears might be anywhere. I dared not casually reveal it. Furthermore, when Lady Houtu learned of Wanyu’s ident.i.ty, she didn’t hesitate to bring Wanyu to this flawed immortal firmament!” the Unborn Man explained.
“This flawed immortal firmament was created by the Six Paths Veritable Lord, so why…?” Gu Hai frowned.
“It was created by the Six Paths Veritable Lord, but he abandoned it and didn’t even leave his consciousness here!” the Unborn Man affirmed.
“Oh?”
“The Six Paths Veritable Lord killed Heaven Cang in the void. Therefore, he also worried that if he left the Six Paths Immortal Firmament, someone might kill him. Hence, he has no intention of leaving the Six Paths Immortal Firmament. Furthermore, this flawed immortal firmament will eventually crumble and disappear into the void, so he never paid attention to it. He never cared!” the Unborn Man explained.
“Heaven Cang? The Immortal? No wonder Long Zhanguo strangely showed her such respect, and Lady Houtu used to be her divine envoy. That’s why they were so concerned!” the Mosquito Daoist exclaimed in shock.
“Has Wanyu completely recovered from her injuries?” Gu Hai looked at the Unborn Man.
“She has fully recovered. She has been staying here to restore her past cultivation!” the Unborn Man explained.
“Good!” Gu Hai breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.
“They are right in the cardinal center position of this immortal firmament. But—” The Unborn Man pointed in the distance, but Gu Hai interrupted him.
Buzz!
Gu Hai stopped in midair.
Whoos.h.!.+ Whoos.h.!.+ Whoos.h.!.+
The others also came to a halt.
“Your Reverence, what’s wrong?” Long Shenying asked in confusion.
Gu Hai’s face darkened as the Life Ender Saber within him trembled again, reacting to something that made it furious.
The Bone Deity?
There was no need to guess; Gu Hai knew for sure that it must be sensing the Bone Deity.
The Life Ender Saber was originally the Bone Ancestor. After severe damage and near destruction during the Bone Deity’s rebellion, it harbored a deep hatred towards the Bone Deity. Naturally, it felt incensed upon sensing the Bone Deity, its mortal enemy.
Chang Ming had previously sent a message that a large number of skeletons had come to investigate after Gu Hai left. This showed that the Bone Deity could also sense the Life Ender Saber.
Is the Bone Deity targeting us?
Will we draw the Bone Deity over if we meet Wanyu now? What if something goes wrong and Wanqing and Wanyu get harmed? Gu Hai would be consumed by guilt if that happened.
“Your Reverence, what’s wrong? Wanqing and the others are just ahead!” the Unborn Man asked in confusion.
Gu Hai shook his head and suddenly opened his heavenly eye.
As the heavenly eye opened, Gu Hai looked towards a distant battlefield, following the sensation from the Life Ender Saber.
Buzz!
Countless skeletons were arranged in battle formations, engaged in a pitched battle with the sects of the flawed immortal firmament.
Numerous skeletons surrounded a ma.s.sive throne, and a black-robed skeleton sat on that throne. A faint blue light emanated from beneath his hood, while a billowing black aura enveloped his body, tainting the sky.
When Gu Hai’s gaze landed on the Bone Deity on the throne, the Bone Deity turned his head and looked at Gu Hai.
The two locked gazes across the distance, recognizing each other.
“Bone Ancestor?” the Bone Deity on the throne said in a deep voice.
Gu Hai’s expression turned stony. “Bone Deity?”
The Bone Deity seemed interested in the ongoing war. Although he wanted to come over, he ultimately remained seated on the throne.
As Gu Hai contemplated whether to go over, his heavenly eye suddenly picked up a familiar voice.
“Initially, I refused to sing for you skeletons. I won’t sing just because you ask. However, you adore me so much? Since you’re so eager to hear my song, I’ll reluctantly sing one for you. It’s an impromptu creation called Skeleton, You Are Not Cute.”
This unusually loud voice from the battlefield confused the skeleton army. Where did this fool come from?
He wants to sing despite the grave situation? Who wants to hear you sing?
“Kill!” The skeletal army paid no attention and charged towards the source of the voice.
Gu Hai “heard” the voice from a distance, and a chill ran down his spine. Skeleton, You Are Not Cute?
Just the t.i.tle of the song gave Gu Hai gooseb.u.mps. What would the singing be like?
“Ensnaring Performance? Is he going to sing again?” Gu Hai’s face froze.