The Fallen Sage Tree was extremely far from the Chaos River, but Lan Xiaobu’s Seven Realms Stone, traveling along the riverbed, moved at an astonishing speed.
Du Bu couldn’t help but say, “At this pace, even if Mengmu Great Derivation knows we’re heading to the Fallen Sage Tree, they couldn’t possibly get there faster than us.”
Mo Wuji shook his head. “If they truly guess we’re going to the Fallen Sage Tree, they have countless ways to arrive before us. Their speed would definitely outpace ours.”
For an organisation like Mengmu Great Derivation, Mo Wuji wouldn’t believe they didn’t have teleportation arrays set up in these well-known realms.
After a moment of silence, Qi Manwei suddenly said, “I still think we should go to the Hundred Zero Universe. It’s a mid-tier universe where we can all improve our strength. Even if we’re discovered, the Hundred Zero Universe is so vast they’d never catch us.”
Seemingly influenced by Qi Manwei’s words, Mo Wuji frowned and began to ponder. The Yellow-Robed Enforcer who placed an imprint on him and tracked him from the Chaos River Void Market to the Chaos River didn’t do so because Mo Wuji had exposed his tracks or because the enforcer’s divine abilities were overwhelmingly powerful…
There was another possibility: the enforcer had an extraordinarily sharp intuition. Just like Mo Wuji himself, who often had a Great Dao sense during life-or-death moments. If the enforcer had sensed they might go to the Chaos River Void Market and waited there in advance, it wasn’t impossible.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so easy for an ordinary cultivator to place an imprint on Mo Wuji.
Thinking of this, Mo Wuji suddenly wondered if choosing the Fallen Sage Tree was the right decision. There’s a saying about hiding in plain sight—when everyone assumes they wouldn’t go to the Hundred Zero Universe, what if they did just that?
As Mo Wuji considered this, Lan Xiaobu spoke up, “Wuji, I just sensed many cultivators heading in the same direction, all in teams. Some groups have twenty or so people, others five or six. Are they going to that Great Derivation Realm you inquired about?”
“Probably,” Mo Wuji replied, then suddenly thought of something. “They say they’re tracking us to the Great Derivation Realm, but we don’t even know where it is.” What if they went to the Great Derivation Realm too?
Lan Xiaobu laughed heartily, “Wuji, let’s go to the Great Derivation Realm. What do you think?”
Seeing that Lan Xiaobu had the same idea, Mo Wuji was about to agree when Zhuo Heng urgently interjected, “We absolutely can’t go to the Great Derivation Realm. Mengmu Great Derivation definitely has people following these groups. Going there would be like walking right into their hands. Never mind whether these people can even find the Great Derivation Realm—if they do, it’ll be a massive battle. Mengmu Great Derivation guards the Great Derivation Realm with utmost vigilance. How could they allow others to enter?”
“No, we should go to the Great Derivation Realm,” Mo Wuji said without hesitation.
Lan Xiaobu chimed in, “Right, the Great Derivation Realm it is. For those without disguise techniques, we’ll provide some.”
With that, Lan Xiaobu inscribed several disguise techniques. Whether it was the Heavenly Dipper or Earthly Fiend transformations, they originated from the Great Wilderness Universe. Though it was a low-tier universe, divine abilities had no hierarchy.
In this vast expanse, there were likely similar disguise techniques, but Lan Xiaobu guessed that lower-tier cultivators like Zhuo Heng would rarely have access to them.
Even in the Great Wilderness Universe, only sage disciples or those connected to them could access disguise techniques.
…
A day later, another team of cultivators appeared above the Chaos River. Amid the numerous teams searching for the Great Derivation Realm, this group of seven was unremarkable—not the largest, nor the smallest.
The teams weren’t entirely isolated; they chatted as they traveled. Lan Xiaobu’s group soon formed an alliance with a smaller team.
The captain of this team, Gong Qin, had six members. Gong Qin was talkative and had considerable strength, being at the Derivation Realm.
From Gong Qin, Lan Xiaobu and the others learned much about the mass migration toward the Great Derivation Realm. Beyond discussing the Great Derivation Realm, they also shared cultivation insights, discovering that these discussions greatly benefited their respective Great Daos.
The two teams eventually linked their ships, traveling at the same speed since no one could go faster until they found the Great Derivation Realm.
Half a month later, Lan Xiaobu grew impatient and steered the conversation back to the search. “Brother Gong, we’re following other teams, but who’s actually leading the way?”
Gong Qin chuckled, “Naturally, it’s the ones who killed Mengmu Great Derivation’s enforcers. They’re moving fast. Some among us can secretly track them, so as long as we follow the crowd, we won’t go wrong.”
Lan Xiaobu laughed inwardly. He was right here—how could he be leading the way? Not to mention knowing where the Great Derivation Realm was, he only learned its name after Mo Wuji mentioned it.
“There’s still a long way to go, but everyone should stay alert. When we get close to the Great Derivation Realm, the pace will pick up. At that point, we just charge forward—the earlier we enter, the greater the rewards,” a female cultivator from Gong Qin’s team interjected.
Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji exchanged a glance, both aware someone was using them to lure these eager cultivators to a specific location. Where, and for what purpose, they didn’t know.
“Wuji, what do you think this person’s up to? Should we keep going like this?” Lan Xiaobu asked via transmission.
“I feel this direction might actually lead to the Great Derivation Realm,” Mo Wuji replied.
Lan Xiaobu immediately said, “Could it be Mengmu Great Derivation’s rival? They found the Great Derivation Realm but couldn’t break through Mengmu’s blockade, so they’re inviting more people to act as cannon fodder?”
Mo Wuji nodded. “That’s the logical guess. Anyone who can challenge Mengmu Great Derivation isn’t ordinary.”
As they spoke, shouts rang out in the distance, followed by intense Dao charm fluctuations laced with killing intent.
A fight? Lan Xiaobu said in confusion, “We’re all heading to the Great Derivation Realm to seek the Dao. We haven’t even found it—why fight now?”
Gong Qin’s expression shifted slightly. “I just got a message. Mengmu Great Derivation’s people are blocking the way ahead, saying there’s a chance the ones who killed their enforcers are among us. They’re checking everyone.”
Lan Xiaobu’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly realised this was just Mengmu Great Derivation’s excuse. He and Mo Wuji had only decided to go to the Great Derivation Realm on a whim. If Mengmu knew even that, they wouldn’t still be unable to find them.
Mo Wuji chuckled, “Is Mengmu Great Derivation that impressive? That’s only in the Haoyuan Universe. This is the Chaos River, the Chaos River Holy Alliance’s territory. We’re just going to the Great Derivation Realm—on what grounds are they blocking our path? Come on, I refuse to believe this. I’m going to see what gives them the right to stop us and check everyone. Are they the lords of the universe or what?”
“Right, this is too overbearing!” Mo Wuji’s indignant voice was loud, and many overheard him, immediately echoing his sentiments.
Though everyone feared Mengmu Great Derivation, their blatant obstruction was clearly blocking others’ Great Dao. For a cultivator, having their Dao impeded could drive them to do anything.
Spurred on, Mo Wuji seemed emboldened, urging the ship to charge forward.
Seeing Mo Wuji and Lan Xiaobu’s ship speed up, Gong Qin accelerated to follow, and others joined in.
The ships came to a halt before a blocking array. A group of Mengmu Great Derivation enforcers stood in front, including over a dozen Yellow-Robed Enforcers and three Green-Robed Enforcers.
The teams heading to the Great Derivation Realm were all stopped here. One ship’s deck bore bloodstains, unclear whether Mengmu’s people had killed someone or someone was injured.
“Your Mengmu Great Derivation’s reputation is well-known, but this is the Chaos River. It’s not right for you to block others’ paths,” Mo Wuji stepped forward, pointing at the group and reprimanding them sternly.
“Who are you to defy Mengmu Great Derivation?” a Yellow-Robed Enforcer stared coldly at Mo Wuji.
Mo Wuji laughed, “I’m just an ordinary cultivator. You can bully me, suppress me, but you absolutely cannot block my Great Dao. Those who block my Dao—kill them, that’s all.”
“Right, those who block my Dao—kill them!” Many began to echo, their fear of Mengmu Great Derivation tempered by the fact that blocking their Dao was intolerable. For a cultivator, nothing was more sacred than their path.
