Just as three drops of golden blood appeared, the Dao laws instantly filled the heavens and the earth, the Great Dao resounded unceasingly, all paths submitted, and golden light descended from the heavens.
This was Emperor Blood!
A single drop could instantly slay a Quasi-Emperor!
A single drop could shatter a star domain!
"Great Transformation of the Cosmos!"
Hua Yunfei’s expression remained indifferent as cracks appeared on his physical body. Being this close, even he found it extremely difficult to withstand the suppression of the Emperor Blood’s Dao laws!
Anyone else at such close range would have been instantly ground into dust!
He attempted to use spatial divine powers to pull the Emperor Blood into his Purple Mansion Cave Heaven.
It was completely useless!
Emperor Blood was the blood of a Great Emperor, imbued with divinity and swirling with Emperor Dao laws. No one could pull it into their Purple Mansion Cave Heaven.
"Can't you prepare a bottle for me?" Hua Yunfei said with a hint of annoyance.
[Understood!]
An archaic jade bottle appeared, pulling the three drops of Emperor Blood inside, and the heavens and earth instantly returned to calm.
Hua Yunfei also reined in his aura, storing the archaic jade bottle inside his Purple Mansion Cave Heaven.
"Be a bit sharper next time. Don't make me criticize you!"
[………]
"Right, I've already taken the disciple. What about the reward? Didn't you say there was a master-disciple quest? I've completed it, so where's the reward?"
[Didn't the host reject it? You were unwilling to do the quest!]
"Rejecting it was my business. Now that the disciple has been taken, you must hand over the appropriate reward! Is there no reason left in the world??"
[Are you really talking about reason?]
[Host, to be honest, if I were human, I'd definitely beat you to a pulp!]
"Still got an attitude?"
[Ding, master-disciple quest completed. Distributing master-disciple reward now.]
[Ding, congratulations to the host for obtaining: the *Celestial Emperor Scripture* and the *Taiyi Sword Art*.]
"The *Celestial Emperor Scripture*?"
Hua Yunfei raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.
The Celestial Emperor was not a special realm; they shared the exact same realm as human Great Emperors.
Yet since ancient times, very few had ever been called Celestial Emperors!
That title was earned through fierce combat!
Within the Emperor Realm, they stood like a pyramid!
The *Celestial Emperor Scripture* and the *Taiyi Sword Art* materialized in his hands.
Hua Yunfei put away the *Taiyi Sword Art*; his current cultivation techniques and divine powers were temporarily sufficient, and he had no interest in practicing others.
"To think this is the exclusive technique of the Ancient Desolate Holy Body! This *Celestial Emperor Scripture* was compiled by an Ancient Desolate Holy Body who became a Great Emperor!"
Hua Yunfei found it absurd. In the history of the Big Dipper Star Field, had there ever been a precedent of a Holy Body achieving Emperorhood?
Almost immediately, the plot felt strangely familiar!
An Ancient Desolate Holy Body becoming a Great Emperor?
It felt like he had seen this somewhere before!
"I can give the *Celestial Emperor Scripture* to Ye Bufan to cultivate. This should be the technique that suits him best!"
Hua Yunfei waved his hand and released Ye Bufan.
Ye Bufan looked utterly bewildered, gazing at Hua Yunfei without a clue: "Master, what happened?"
"Nothing, we're heading back to the sect."
Without further explanation, Hua Yunfei continued to fly with Ye Bufan in tow, heading toward the Kaoshan Sect.
"Rumble..."
After all, Ye Bufan was still a mortal. After a full day of flying, his stomach was already rumbling with hunger.
"Have some fruit to tide you over."
Hua Yunfei produced a Ginseng Fruit and handed it to Ye Bufan.
"Master, you'd better take me to get a bowl of noodles instead. I won't eat the fruit."
Ye Bufan could tell the Ginseng Fruit was immensely precious. Since he was still just a mortal, he couldn't bear to waste such a treasure.
"Very well. As your master, I haven't eaten noodles in a long time either. I'll take advantage of you this once and enjoy it."
With that, Hua Yunfei waved his sleeve, enveloping Ye Bufan. Their speed surged dramatically as they hurtled toward the nearest ancient city.
Luoyang City.
This could be considered a relatively remote ancient city in the desolate state of Huangzhou. It spanned tens of thousands of miles, yet its population was only a few hundred million.
The two ordered four bowls of shredded pork and pickled mustard green noodles.
One bowl for Hua Yunfei, three bowls for Ye Bufan.
They ate with great relish.
Having been in this world for a century, Hua Yunfei hadn't eaten mortal food in a very long time.
At his level of cultivation, he had long since practiced penury, needing no sustenance at all.
Still, eating occasionally provided a rather pleasant experience.
...
"Heed-heed-heed..."
A deafening, demonic sound rolled down from the high heavens, instantly echoing across the entire Luoyang City.
"This deity's cultivation has reached a stage where it urgently needs some supplements. You ants shall serve as this deity's blood-sacrifice!"
A towering fiend, tens of thousands of miles in size, materialized above Luoyang City.
The demon was entirely crimson, shaped like a majestic lion, yet it possessed eight ox heads. It was precisely one of these heads that had just spoken.
"What's going on?"
"A monster! It's a monster!"
"Why is there a monster in Luoyang City? Run for your lives, everyone!"
"Are there any mighty experts resting in Luoyang City? Quickly, someone invite them out to exterminate this demon!"
Incredulous, the crowd stared up at the monster in the skies. Their expressions gradually morphed into terror, plunging them into panicked chaos!
Mortals and cultivators alike abandoned whatever they were holding, their faces filled with panic as they scattered in all directions, desperately trying to bolt out of Luoyang City to save their lives!
"Hurry out of the city!"
Within Luoyang City, several minor immortal cultivation families, knowing they were no match, gathered their assets with the utmost speed and fled toward the outer reaches of Luoyang City.
Even the people from the Luoyang City Lord's Mansion had fled!
In the frantic scramble, some people were even trampled to death!
"Heed-heed-heed!"
The blood-red fiend let out a wild laugh, supremely arrogant, staring down with sadistic appreciation at the fleeing crowd below.
"Tremble! Shiver! Before this deity's might, obediently let yourselves be devoured and become my blood-sacrifice!"
The blood-demon's eight ox heads roared in unison, making the heavens rumble. The sound waves rolled like thunder, and the weak mortals in the city were almost instantly shaken to death, blood bleeding from their seven orifices.
Cultivators with slightly lower cultivation bases also found it hard to resist, blood spilling from their mouths and noses!
"Where did this bug come from?"
An abrupt voice rang out beside the blood-red fiend's ear.
The blood-red fiend looked over in surprise, parting his mouth in a grin: "Looks like a hero looking to play savior has arrived!"
Chapter Nine: Great Hero, spare my life, this deity will serve you as a beast of burden.
"Kid, what did you just call this deity?"
The blood-red fiend sneered, staring with utter disdain at the two figures before him.
He was in high spirits; so much blood-sacrifice would be enough to feed him for a very long time.
Moreover, he had a particular fetish—he especially loved watching ants struggle in front of him, wearing expressions of agony!
Seeing the despair on the faces of ants brought him immense gratification!
It felt fantastic!
Hua Yunfei stood with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face. He glanced briefly at the blood-red fiend and said, "Bufan, how would you like this demon as a mount?"
Ye Bufan glanced at the blood-red fiend and frowned: "Too ugly. Riding it out might be a bit embarrassing, wouldn't it?"
"Haha!"
"Indeed!"
"If we ride it back, we might be laughed to death by those mischievous Senior Uncles—especially Senior Uncle Tianji, he's the least serious of them all."
Hua Yunfei chuckled softly. "Since you find it ugly, then slaughter it!"
"As you command, Master."
Ye Bufan had absolute confidence in Hua Yunfei's strength.
"Kid, this deity asked you a question, did you not hear me?"
Being ignored caused the blood-red fiend's eight ox heads to roar in fury, their voices shaking like thunder. A patch of dark clouds actually drifted over the sky, rumbling with thunder in response to his bursting anger!
He possessed the cultivation of the Celestial Realm; a single word or action of his could mobilize the power of heaven and earth!
Yet this young man before him dared to ignore him, which utterly displeased him.
Hua Yunfei said, "You compare the people of Luoyang City to ants, but in my eyes, you too are nothing more than an ant. I can kill you with the raise of a hand!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand.
Enraged to the point of laughter, the blood-red fiend let out a harsh bark, and a bolt of lightning instantly plunged from the depths of the dark clouds, striking straight toward Ye Bufan!
He didn't attack Hua Yunfei; instead, he wanted to make him experience the agony of losing someone important!
Once the young man lost his present composure, the fiend would humiliate him properly!
Only then would he feel true ecstasy!
"Very well!"
"I've seen people courting death, but never someone courting death quite like this!"
"You shall be the first to witness the imperial might of the Chaos Clock!"
Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, Hua Yunfei flicked his wrist and produced the Chaos Clock.
"Hiss... What the fuck... did I see that right?"
Upon laying eyes on the Chaos Clock in Hua Yunfei's hand, the blood-red fiend's expression shifted drastically.
His massive body shook violently, as if struck by lightning!
His eight pairs of ox eyes bulged wide, his mouth agape, his jaw practically hitting the ground.
An Emperor Weapon?!
Was that fucking an Emperor Weapon?!
What the fuck, how could an Emperor Weapon be pulled out of a Purple Mansion Cave Heaven?
Had he been secluded for too long? Had the world changed? Could Emperor Weapons now be casually controlled and stored inside one's body?!
"Esteemed one... let's talk this over nicely..."
"No wait, Great Hero, spare my life! This deity is willing to serve you as a beast of burden, and..."
BOOM!
Boundless imperial might, vast and endless, with chaos energy as thick as clouds. Golden Dao light cascaded from the edge of the sky, divine beast manifestations roared, and faintly, a majestic figure materialized.
In an instant, the blood-red fiend was swept by a beam of Imperial Light.
ARGHHH!!
Accompanied by a miserable scream, the blood-red fiend's colossal body instantly turned to fine ash under the Imperial Light!
"A Great Emperor!"
"The Great Emperor has manifested!"
Down in the city, everyone instantly dropped to their knees, weeping bitterly with ecstatic expressions, offering their heartfelt thanks to the Great Emperor for saving their lives!
Mortals, cultivators, every single person was offering devout gratitude!
The Great Emperor was revered by all!
Hua Yunfei put away the Chaos Clock and cast a glance over Luoyang City.
His pupils turned golden, and a sacred majesty surfaced. In a flash, a mighty force shot forth from his eyes.
Everyone in Luoyang City was enveloped by this mighty force.
Their expressions gradually grew hazy and blank, and then they all collapsed onto the ground, losing consciousness—including Ye Bufan by his side.
Everyone's recent memories were cleanly sliced away.
Knowing too much did no good for them!
...
In the Eastern Wasteland, deep within the Primordial Sacred Land and the Sun and Moon Divine Cult, some ancient antiques opened their eyes once more, staring in the direction of Luoyang City.
Their gazes held doubt and astonishment.
"Imperial might has appeared in the desolate state of Huangzhou once more. Someone used that Supreme Emperor Weapon from last time to attack an enemy!"
In the Central State, deep within numerous sacred lands, powerful divine senses swept outward, asking their respective Holy Lords about the origin of this unfamiliar Supreme Emperor Weapon!
"The Eastern Wasteland actually hides a third Supreme Emperor Weapon. Do the Primordial Sacred Land and the Sun and Moon Divine Cult possess such grand ambitions? Are they trying to stir up trouble, or is there someone else behind this?"
...
Kaoshan Sect.
Having spent two days leading Ye Bufan along, Hua Yunfei finally returned to the Kaoshan Sect.
From afar, one could see seven super immortal peaks piercing straight into the clouds.
Immortal mist drifted ethereally, seas of clouds filled the skies, powerful disciples flew past on swords, and groups of female disciples traveled together in leisure.
The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful.
"This place is no worse than the Daoyi Immortal Sect. It truly lives up to its name as the Kaoshan Sect. I've always wanted to come take a look, but it was just too far!" Ye Bufan sighed.
Although Hua Yunfei outwardly possessed the cultivation of the Celestial Realm, without using teleportation arrays, the journey still took three days. For anyone else, it would likely have taken a month or more to arrive.
All of this was Hua Yunfei's deliberate effort to let Ye Bufan experience the feeling of a powerhouse and stimulate the pride belonging to the Ancient Desolate Holy Body hidden deep within him.
His goal was to make surpassing himself the boy's future target.
"Your master is the Peak Master of Daoyuan Peak, one of the seven peaks of the Kaoshan Sect. You are my eldest disciple, and from this day forward, you have the freedom to enter and leave Daoyuan Peak at will—making you only the third person to possess this privilege."
The first had been his father, Hua Cangqiong.
The second had been his bad-tempered mother.
"Thank you, Master! Bufan will certainly not let you down!"
"Haha, with that confidence, your master is already happy. Come, let's go home!"
With that, the two landed before the majestic mountain gates of the Kaoshan Sect.
Entering the Kaoshan Sect through the front gates was a strict sect rule.
Hua Yunfei intended to abide by it; he truly regarded the Kaoshan Sect as his home.
The duty elder at the front gates immediately stood up upon seeing Hua Yunfei, offering a salute: "Greetings, Realized Person Daoyuan. Realized Person, this is...?"
"My disciple!"
"Oh? Congratulations, congratulations! The various Peak Masters and the Sect Master will surely be overjoyed!"
The duty elder looked at Ye Bufan and produced a Purple Mansion Realm dharma artifact sword. "This old elder doesn't have anything good on him, so don't mind it."
A welcome gift.
Before Ye Bufan could speak, Hua Yunfei smiled. "Thank you, Elder Shi."
"Thank you, Elder Shi." Ye Bufan held the sword with both hands, offering a sincere expression of gratitude.
A Purple Mansion Realm dharma artifact was something used by Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, worth a king's ransom. Gifting such a thing to a mere mortal made it exceptionally precious.
Back at the Daoyi Immortal Sect, let alone a welcome gift, even the gate-guarding elders wouldn't spare him a straight glance.
Touched within, Ye Bufan secretly etched Elder Shi's appearance into his memory.
"Don't mention it. Go on ahead, Realized Person Daoyuan. The Sect Master and the others will probably be coming to congratulate you shortly."
Nodding slightly, Hua Yunfei was just about to return to his peak when he suddenly turned his gaze toward the sky behind them.
Elder Shi noticed it as well, frowning as he fixed his gaze outward.
A shooting star came hurtling straight down toward the Kaoshan Sect's mountain gates. As it drew closer, it turned out to be a human figure.
That was... Realized Person Tianji!
At this moment, Realized Person Tianji’s complexion was a dark reddish hue, his body covered in cracks as if he were about to shatter into pieces. His left arm had been torn off, and there was a clear, bleeding hole right through his abdomen!
He was heavily injured and on the verge of death!
"Tianji Peak Master!"
Elder Shi was originally an elder of Tianji Peak, and it just happened to be his turn on duty today. Seeing his own peak master injured to such a state, he was struck with utter panic.
Hua Yunfei waved his hand, projecting a gentle wave of spiritual energy to catch Realized Person Tianji.
Elder Shi hurried over to support him. At this moment, Tianji's consciousness was slipping, his eyes half-closed as he hovered on the brink of fainting.
He gathered his final shred of strength and shouted: "Fuck me, there's an assassin!"
Hua Yunfei: "......"
Elder Shi: "......"
Ye Bufan: "......"
Chapter Ten: Realized Person Tianji's Agony
Having said that, Realized Person Tianji pointed downward. "Cover me up, I'm dying of humiliation."
Hua Yunfei took a look and saw that Realized Person Tianji's buttocks had also been poked through with a hole.
This is...
Holy crap!
He got cornholed!
Elder Shi almost cried, yet at the same time he was on the verge of laughing out loud, the hands supporting Realized Person Tianji shaking uncontrollably.
He was holding it in with extreme difficulty.
Ye Bufan exercised fierce self-control. A peak master being ambushed was a very serious matter.
He couldn't laugh!
He had to be polite!
"Ahem."
Hua Yunfei tried his best not to look at Realized Person Tianji's backside, channeling a massive amount of spiritual energy into Tianji's body to help stabilize his injuries.
Afterward, he retrieved a set of clothes and covered up his rear.
He looked toward Elder Shi: "Do not let anyone else know about this matter. Senior Uncle Tianji cares deeply about his face."
Elder Shi nodded very readily; he was someone who kept his mouth shut tight!
Realized Person Tianji used all his remaining strength to press the clothing against his backside, glaring at Hua Yunfei. "Take me to see the Sect Master. If I don't kill that son of a bitch, I'll shave my head and become a monk!"
His tone was filled with grief and indignation, carrying a sob.
"Go summon the Peak Masters of the four peaks to the Kaoshan Peak assembly hall!"
Hua Yunfei hauled Realized Person Tianji and Ye Bufan, flying straight toward Kaoshan Peak, while Elder Shi sprinted toward the summits of the four peaks to invite the various peak masters.
"What... what happened to his backside?"
Seeing Realized Person Tianji lying facedown on the bed, Realized Person Yuntian had originally been furious, but upon lifting the clothes to take a look, he froze completely.
Boundless Heavenly Venerate.
This is...
His chrysanthemum got poked to pieces!
Realized Person Yuntian felt a sudden chill in his lower extremities, instantly clamping his legs shut as an angry expression crossed his face: "Who harmed my junior brother? The methods are actually this vicious?!"
Aside from Hua Yunfei, the peak masters of the various peaks had all once been talented disciples of the Kaoshan Sect, naturally addressing one another as senior and junior brothers.
Realized Person Tianji had been on the verge of passing out, but upon hearing Realized Person Yuntian's words, he fiercely grabbed the latter's hand, crying out miserably: "Sect Master Senior Brother, Junior Brother is in agony! They bullied me too much, how could they do this to me?"
"Indeed, it looks agonizing! It hurts just looking at it!" Realized Person Yuntian glanced sideways at Tianji's lower half and agreed.
Even his own backside began radiating a series of chills.
Hua Yunfei internally marveled as well; using such a method truly made the assailant a petty villain.
To a cultivator with a strong sense of self-esteem, this was critical-strike damage—an absolute insult.
"Sect Master! What happened to Junior Brother?"
Realized Person Gouyuan was the first to arrive, his expression anxious.
He and Realized Person Tianji had the closest relationship, having played together since their youth.
"Pfft, hahaha..."
Lifting the clothes to reveal the bloody hole right in the middle of the backside, Realized Person Gouyuan burst out laughing.
Meeting Realized Person Tianji's murderous glare, he forced himself to stop, though his body was still trembling, occasionally letting out bursts of snickering sounds.
"What a fair-weather friend!" Realized Person Tianji wailed, nearly bursting into tears.
By the time Realized Person Xiashen, Realized Person Wuji, and Realized Person Dishen arrived, they first expressed concern for Tianji's injuries, channeling magical power to help him recover—only to discover Realized Person Gouyuan still trembling uncontrollably in the corner.
Realized Person Xiashen’s pretty face tightened as she spoke up: "A peak master went out and was ambushed, nearly perishing, and you seem rather happy about it? Can you be a bit more serious!"
Realized Person Wuji had the fiercest temper. Hearing this, he immediately chimed in: "Indeed, Junior Sister is right, this is too much. How can Senior Brother be so utterly lacking in a sense of propriety?"
Realized Person Dishen, usually a man of few words, nodded in agreement.
"Alright, alright!"
Realized Person Yuntian stepped forward to mediate, then, seemingly unintentionally, lifted the clothing covering Realized Person Tianji's backside and said: "Let us first stabilize Junior Brother's injuries. He seems to have been poisoned, so we must purge the poison from him first."
Realized Person Tianji's complexion was a dark reddish hue—the hallmark sign of toxins entering the body.
"Why is there a hole in his backside?"
Realized Person Wuji asked in confusion, stepping forward to take a closer look. His expression gradually turned bizarre, and he walked off to the side, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably upward.
Realized Person Dishen had sharp eyes and spotted it instantly. He let out a soft cough, pretending not to see it, though the corners of his mouth slowly curled upward as well.
Realized Person Xiashen’s expression froze, a trace of awkwardness flashing across her pretty face. She turned around and snapped: "Sect Master Senior Brother, you're being so inappropriate!"
Purging poison—what need was there to pull back the clothes? He was definitely doing it on purpose!
Old scoundrel!
Realized Person Yuntian gave an awkward laugh and covered the clothing back over.
By then, Realized Person Tianji had already passed out from pure humiliation.
Little did he expect that compared to his actual wounds, his backside was what truly caught the attention of these old fogies.
Hua Yunfei spoke up: "I happen to have a medicinal pill here, accidentally obtained during my recent trip out. Once Senior Uncle Tianji ingests it, he should be able to recover good as new."
As he spoke, he produced a sacred pill. It was grayish-white, radiating a halo of light, and cloud-like patterns were actually visible on the surface of the pill body!
Realized Person Yuntian cried out in pleasant surprise: "A sacred pill possessing pill clouds—it can be called supreme quality. Using such a pill merely to treat such a minor injury is far too extravagant."
With that, Realized Person Yuntian took the sacred pill and tucked it away into his Purple Mansion Cave Heaven. "Let us first use our magical power to stabilize Junior Brother's injuries, and then feed him some slightly lower-grade pills. If all else fails, this sacred pill can be used to keep his life hanging by a thread."