Lan Xiaobu smiled, “Friend Kuang, you head to the Dayan Realm to cultivate in seclusion first, Wuji and I will stay here to refine the barrier.”
Without waiting for the Heavenly Poison Sage to refuse, he proactively took out the Seven Realm Stone.
“Very well, thank you, Brother Lan, thank you, Brother Mo,” the Heavenly Poison Sage naturally didn’t object, he’d already wanted to go to the Dayan Realm. After thanking Mo Wuji and Lan Xiaobu, he unhesitatingly teleported to the Dayan Realm via Lan Xiaobu’s Seven Realm Stone.
“That guy’s no good, not as honest as Old Ou,” Lan Xiaobu grumbled after the Heavenly Poison Sage was gone.
Mo Wuji nodded, “Indeed, if that task had been Old Ou’s, he’d have burned his essence blood or something to give Qin Qingtian a hit. Just now, if the Heavenly Poison Sage had delayed Qin Qingtian even for one or two breaths, Qin Qingtian absolutely couldn’t have escaped using his Golden Cicada Shell-Shedding Technique.”
Qin Qingtian’s escape technique involved abandoning his physical body, letting his primordial spirit flee. Normally, the Heavenly Poison Sage couldn’t stop him, and he believed he couldn’t either, but he never considered helping to block Qin Qingtian. Had he been willing to expend some essence blood or vitality, he could have delayed him.
Yet the Heavenly Poison Sage didn’t even think of burning his essence blood to stall Qin Qingtian, so Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji felt he wasn’t worth partnering with, and they had no intention of letting him cultivate here. It wasn’t because their Great Path was clear during cultivation, but because they’d use top-grade Dao veins.
Cultivating with top-grade Dao veins would skyrocket the Heavenly Poison Sage’s strength.
“Should we take this chance to seize the Qin Tian Ancient Road?” the Dayan Realm asked.
Mo Wuji shook his head, “I feel the Qin Tian Ancient Road isn’t that simple, and Qin Qingtian hasn’t been dealt with yet. Better we cultivate in seclusion here, we can act once we’re stronger, anyway, Qin Qingtian definitely can’t take the Qin Tian Ancient Road now.”
The Dayan Realm agreed there was no rush, so the two began setting up their seclusion site.
Mo Wuji and the Dayan Realm embedded half a top-grade Dao vein, then each set up a small array, starting to frantically boost their strength in the Mo Lan Universe.
They didn’t call Ou Ping because he’d been severely injured earlier and was now recovering his body with a Dao Foundation Saint Fruit. Only after his body was restored could he repair the Dao foundation damaged by failing to achieve the Seventh Step, then they’d summon him.
As for Qi Manwei and others, cultivating in the Dayan Realm’s environment was better than the Mo Lan Universe, so there was no need for them to return.
Hong Qiong Jian and the Dayan Realm chose to pursue the Seventh Step in the Mo Lan Universe, first because the cosmic rules here were highly refined, and second, as the universe named after them, achieving the Dao here would deepen their fusion with the Mo Lan Universe.
After Qin Qingtian nearly wiped out all cultivators in the Hao Yuan Universe, he didn’t continue refining it, puzzling those in the know. Not only did he not refine the Hao Yuan Universe, he even ignored the Qin family rebuilding the Tuo Pan Cloud Peak there, leaving everyone baffled.
Still, no one dared venture to the Hao Yuan Universe.
Some had warned that Qin Qingtian’s men would destroy the Hao Yuan Universe, but only a minority believed it, most cultivators went their own way. The result? Qin Qingtian did eradicate everyone in the Hao Yuan Universe.
So, despite not refining the Hao Yuan Universe and allowing the Qin family to rebuild, people grew more suspicious. Centuries later, a rumour spread that Qin Qingtian would eventually return to refine and take the Hao Yuan Universe.
Meng Mu paused, certain that the Dayan Realm and Mo Wuji hadn’t taken her seriously, so they didn’t pursue her.
Before, she’d have scoffed and confronted them directly. But now, she felt a strange relief. Having witnessed Hong Qiong Jian and the Dayan Realm’s terror, a deep-rooted notion took hold, she was no match for them.
Hong Qiong exhaled, knowing this wasn’t just her issue, but Qin Qingtian’s.
She’d partnered with Qin Qingtian, only to be toyed with in his palm. Though he’d said he wouldn’t harm her, her instincts told her he wouldn’t let her go easily. His schemes and methods instilled a fear and dread in her, making her feel that as long as Hong Qiong Jian didn’t release her, she’d never escape.
Yet Qin Qingtian, who’d planted such a terrifying seed in her, had no resistance against Mo Wuji and the Dayan Realm. He was thoroughly outmanoeuvred, every step, every technique, calculated by them.
Could Qin Qingtian really defeat such terrifying beings?
Hong Qiong took a deep breath, even feeling gratitude towards the Dayan Realm and Hong Qiong Jian for suppressing Qin Qingtian, otherwise, what would her fate be?
She’d never take this task again. Upon returning to Hong Qiong Dayan, she had two urgent priorities, first, sever all ties with the Great Dream Law she’d given, second, strive to achieve the Seventh Step.
Deep in her heart, a faint notion lingered, if Qin Qingtian and the Dayan Realm or Mo Wuji went to all-out war, she mustn’t get involved. These were the most terrifying people she’d ever seen, bar none. Not just their cunning, but their strength grew by the day. If, as Qin Qingtian said, they’d jumped from the Creation Realm to Sage Saint Realm in such a short time, by the time Qin Qingtian sent protectors against them again, they’d likely be in the Seventh Step Great Path.
The gap between Sage Saint Realm and Seventh Step Great Path was vast. If Hong Qiong Jian and Mo Wuji could suppress Qin Qingtian in the Sage Saint Realm, how much stronger would they be in the Seventh Step? She’d once thought their killing of Lou Wuchen was luck, but now she knew better.
“Friend Meng, we’re allies, yet you ignored me being besieged, that’s a bit unkind,” a faint voice came, followed by a red long blade slicing through the void, landing behind Meng Mu, it was the Si family.
“Qin Qingtian?” Meng Mu’s voice trembled, the Dayan Realm and Mo Wuji hadn’t killed him after all.
But she quickly calmed, she was a Seventh Step Great Path powerhouse, Qin Qingtian now lacked the Qin Tian Ancient Road, Tuo Pan Hall, and even his physical body, why should she fear him?
“You’re not wrong, if you’d helped me back then, I wouldn’t be in this state,” Qin Qingtian’s tone betrayed no emotion, but carried a deep displeasure.
Hong Qiong calmed herself, forcibly suppressing her fear of Qin Qingtian, and said coldly, “Qin Qingtian, which of my promises to you did I fail to keep? And which of your promises to me did you honour?”
Hong Qiong Jian’s voice came from the red blade again, “Let’s forget the past, I wasn’t entirely blameless. But now I have a new plan, I guarantee this time we can take those two down.”
Meng Mu said flatly, “You want me to keep helping you reclaim your Qin Tian Ancient Road? Sorry, I’m not interested.”
Qin Qingtian’s voice grew colder, “Do you believe I can use your law to forcibly pull you into the Qin Tian Ancient Road?”
At this, Meng Mu’s heart skipped a beat, she knew it was possible, if she were truly dragged into the Qin Tian Ancient Road by her Great Dream Law, she’d be finished.
No, if Qin Qingtian could’ve done that before, he certainly couldn’t now. Without a physical body, his primordial spirit and soul were gravely injured, teetering on collapse.
The Dayan Realm and Hong Qiong Jian’s strength surpassed Qin Qingtian’s by far, and they didn’t fear the Si family’s Qin Qingtian. Why should she, a Seventh Step, fear this near-dead Qin Qingtian before her?
Meng Mu realised her fear of Qin Qingtian was ingrained, still causing such dread. With this thought, she frantically circulated her Great Path, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood, her Great Dream domain instantly condensing, enveloping the surrounding void.
“I’d like to see how you’ll drag me into your Hong Qiong Jian Road. Worst case, I’ll sever my own Great Path foundation. Hong Qiong Jian, from now on, you walk your path, I walk mine, if you dare entangle me again, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I have two helpers by my side, one message, and they’ll be here instantly,” Meng Mu’s tone grew sharp.
Hong Qiong Jian’s heart sank, he’d planted a seed of fear in Meng Mu, but the Dayan Realm and Hong Qiong Jian’s actions had reduced him to a beaten dog. This diminished Meng Mu’s fear, and she might sever it entirely.
In that moment, Qin Qingtian knew he’d miscalculated, Meng Mu was a Seventh Step Great Path powerhouse and a Great Dream Law cultivator, capable of cutting through this nightmare. In his current gravely injured state, it was only natural she’d break free of his control.
With a snort, he said, “For the sake of our past alliance, I won’t bother with you, after all, we’re the true allies. If I held a grudge, it’d only delight the Dayan Realm and Mo Wuji. If you’re unwilling to join, so be it, I can handle those two ants myself.”
With that, Qin Qingtian’s form flickered, vanishing instantly.
Meng Mu stood stunned, then her heart surged with wild joy, she’d guessed right, Hong Qiong Jian no longer had the power to act against her. She clenched her fists, her Dao heart seeming to recover bit by bit. After all, she’d just directly confronted Qin Qingtian, and he could do nothing to her.
