Half a day later, at the ruins of Mengmu Dayan, a skull slowly rose into the air. The next moment, boundless cosmic vital energy surged toward it. The skull began to fade, gradually forming a human silhouette.
“I’ll turn your universe to dust and devour you two vermin inch by inch, or else…” the silhouette’s voice was venomous, tinged with madness.
“How do you plan to do that?” a calm voice interrupted.
The skull, barely formed into a human shape, didn’t even ask who spoke before fading rapidly, as if about to vanish.
But the next moment, his form solidified again, even more substantial than before, soon condensing into a robust, naked man. Clearly, his escape plan had failed, and someone had forced him back.
“You pretended to leave, then sneaked back, using the Heavenly Mechanism Disk to lock this space?” the man said, now clad in coarse linen robes.
As he spoke, two figures blocked his path—one in front, one behind. It was Mo Wuji and Lan Xiaobu, who had left not long ago.
Mo Wuji said coolly, “We did plan to leave, but the threat you pose was too great, so we returned.”
Initially, Mo Wuji and Lan Xiaobu had intended to depart. But after leaving Mengmu Dayan, both felt uneasy. For an entire sect to frantically pursue a single task, it couldn’t be trivial. Worse, a persistent sense of unease gnawed at them, prompting them to return using the Seven Realms Stone.
Lan Xiaobu’s words had misled the linen-robed man into thinking they’d truly left, causing him to reveal himself. Otherwise, even if Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji knew he was here, they’d have struggled to catch him. Unlike the stationary warehouse, he could have fled before they locked onto him.
Seeing the linen-robed man, both felt relieved they’d made the right choice. Had they left, the consequences could have been dire. Their earlier unease was proof.
“Let me guess, you’re Lou Wuchen, the founding ancestor of Mengmu Dayan?” Lan Xiaobu said casually, sizing up the linen-robed man.
The man stared coldly at Lan Xiaobu, “I am Lou Wuchen, but not Mengmu Dayan’s founding ancestor. You should know that even if you kill me, you’ll face endless pursuit. Your universe will be reduced to dust. You dare act because you don’t understand Mengmu Dayan’s true power.”
Lan Xiaobu chuckled, “If we kill you now, who’d know it was us? When we reach the Fourth Step, we’ll destroy all of Mengmu Dayan’s lairs. What can you do then?”
Lou Wuchen froze. Indeed, if he died now, Mengmu Dayan might not know. These two, despite their low cultivation, possessed extraordinary treasures—Cosmic Mill, Heavenly Mechanism Disk, Wheel of Time…
Wait, why couldn’t he leave this space? Even with such treasures locking it, they shouldn’t be able to trap him, Lou Wuchen.
“Lou Wuchen, was Mengmu Dayan’s secretive scheme to help you break into the Fifth Step by stripping the fortune and dao laws of several universes, including Haoyuan?” Mo Wuji asked.
Lou Wuchen took a deep breath, “You’re clever. If I weren’t injured, with your paltry skills, I could kill ten thousand of you with a single slap. Now, I want to know how you locked this space, preventing my escape.”
Fifth Step? Hah, as if Lou Wuchen would be limited to that.
Lan Xiaobu looked at him, “A blue-robed enforcer slipped away from me before, which was humiliating. This time, you’re not going anywhere. Tell me, who injured you, and where are they now? I’ll give you a quick end, maybe even a chance at reincarnation.”
As a Fourth Step powerhouse, Lou Wuchen’s injuries suggested an opponent of terrifying strength.
Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji didn’t assume the one who injured Lou Wuchen was their ally. Far from it.
If it were an ally, they wouldn’t have used Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji to distract Mengmu Dayan. Killing Lou Wuchen meant they’d likely face another Fourth Step powerhouse next.
Lou Wuchen, injured and trapped, was one thing. Another Fourth Step might not be so easy.
“Answer my question, and I’ll tell you,” Lou Wuchen said, his tone softening. Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji could kill him, but stopping his reincarnation? That was a pipe dream.
“Fine,” Lan Xiaobu said, opening his hand. A vast, shadowy outline faintly appeared at the edge of Lou Wuchen’s divine sense.
“Cosmic Dimensional Model?” Lou Wuchen’s expression shifted. He couldn’t fathom why Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji had so many extraordinary treasures.
Suddenly, he seemed to realize something, his voice trembling, “You raided Mengmu Dayan’s warehouse?”
As a Fourth Step powerhouse, Lou Wuchen knew what someone with both the Cosmic Dimensional Model and Seven Realms Stone could do. Even an idiot with those treasures could enter Mengmu Dayan’s warehouse.
And Lou Wuchen knew exactly what was in that warehouse. Dao veins and dao-grade treasures were the least of it. The most valuable included Xirang and seven or eight other treasures, including the coveted Dayan Cauldron core.
Everyone thought he was Mengmu Dayan’s founding ancestor, but he was merely one of many in the universes Mengmu Dayan controlled. Because of this, he couldn’t even access the warehouse.
The warehouse’s contents had a grand purpose. Mengmu Dayan had ten such warehouses, with Haoyuan Universe’s being one. The Xirang alone was invaluable. If it was lost, even if Lou Wuchen reincarnated, he couldn’t bear the responsibility.
The more he thought, the more alarmed he became. Without hesitation, he prepared to dissolve his body for reincarnation to report this.
But as his dao rhythms gathered, binding dao laws locked the space around him.
“What, after I showed you the treasure trapping you, you break your word and try to dissolve?” Lan Xiaobu’s mocking voice rang out.
“I’ll talk. His name is Kuang Can, a Fourth Step powerhouse. Now, let me reincarnate…” Lou Wuchen blurted out urgently.
Lan Xiaobu said unhurriedly, “No rush. You’ve said too little. We need more.”
Lou Wuchen knew if he didn’t clarify, he risked being eternally trapped in the Cosmic Dimensional Model. In another place, he might escape, but in the Model, it was impossible unless Lan Xiaobu died, allowing him to claim it. Did he believe Lan Xiaobu would die? Not even Lou Wuchen himself thought so.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself, “If I didn’t cultivate Great Dream dao laws, I’d have died countless times at Kuang Can’s hands. He’s the strongest Fourth Step in this vast expanse, known as the Heavenly Poison Saint. He has another identity, known only to me.”
“What identity?” Lan Xiaobu couldn’t help asking.
Lou Wuchen said slowly, “He’s the realm master of Bai Ling Universe, controlling it. Outside, he calls himself Bai Ling Saint, but that’s nonsense.”
The realm master of Bai Ling Universe? Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji exchanged glances, finally understanding the source of their unease after leaving. It wasn’t Lou Wuchen but Kuang Can, the Heavenly Poison Saint. Without this information, they might have died unaware.
“Is Kuang Can also injured?” Mo Wuji asked immediately.
Lou Wuchen said proudly, “Injuring me like this, he’s not much better off. If I’m right, he’s likely healing in the Dayan Realm.”
Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji realized why no one had stopped them from clearing Bai Ling Universe—Kuang Can was injured, healing just like Lou Wuchen.
“I heard anyone can enter Bai Ling Universe, but cultivation is restricted there…” Lan Xiaobu said.
Lou Wuchen sneered, “Anyone can enter? You think that’s a good thing? Kuang Can’s strength grows because strong cultivators go there to stabilize his dao. Who goes to Bai Ling Universe weak? Those reaching its depths are the strongest of the strong, perfect for Kuang Can’s ambitions, as he too aims for the Fifth Step. And why is Bai Ling Universe empty? It once had billions, but where are they now? All used for Kuang Can’s cultivation.”
“So that’s it,” Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji said in unison, understanding why Kuang Can lured strong cultivators to the Dayan Realm.
“This bastard’s ruthlessness matches this scum,” Lan Xiaobu sighed, gesturing at Lou Wuchen.
