The Heavenly Poison Saint knew that betraying Guan Yuxue now could lead to a grim fate later. But not betraying her meant a grim fate right now. So, upon hearing Tai Chuan’s words, he didn’t hesitate, “She didn’t kill Dubu. Dubu is managing the Great Derivation Realm for her. The Great Derivation Realm has been refined by her and is now her ring.”
Tai Chuan turned to Fang Zhiqian, “Big Brother, let’s grab them and leave now. We’ll settle Sister Qingshan’s score later.”
Big Brother? Fang Zhiqian froze. He couldn’t handle being called that. Tai Chuan was Lan Xiaobu’s beast companion—why would it call him Big Brother?
Before Fang Zhiqian could process this, Tai Chuan had already swept up the Heavenly Poison Saint and Guan Yuxue, and in the next moment, they were inside Lan Xiaobu’s Cosmic Dimension Model.
“Tai Chuan, we need to leave now. Someone’s coming,” Fang Zhiqian said, unable to think further. Their earlier commotion entering Yanshue Peak had clearly alerted the True Derivation Holy Dao. If surrounded, he wouldn’t even have a chance to activate the teleportation talisman.
Tai Chuan spat out a teleportation talisman, “Big Brother, we’ll meet at the usual place.”
As it spoke, Tai Chuan activated the talisman. With powerful auras closing in, Fang Zhiqian didn’t dare linger, grabbing his own talisman and activating it. Two beams of light whisked Tai Chuan and Fang Zhiqian away.
They didn’t land in the same place. Fang Zhiqian, well aware of the True Derivation Holy Dao’s fearsome power, immediately fled as soon as he touched ground, aiming to escape its pursuit range.
After landing, Tai Chuan activated another irregular escape talisman Lan Xiaobu had given it, designed to prevent anyone from tracing its spacetime image.
“Boss Bu, that Fang guy definitely fled far away. I bet he won’t come back—a real ingrate,” Tai Chuan grumbled indignantly after landing via the escape talisman.
Lan Xiaobu’s figure appeared abruptly beside Tai Chuan, chuckling, “Let’s go. I’d be worried if he came back.”
With that, he sent Tai Chuan into the Longevity Realm and vanished using an irregular escape technique. Since Fang Zhiqian was the scapegoat, the further he fled with the blame, the better. Why would he stay close?
In Anluo Heavenly City, at the Emperor White Dao Pool.
This was the grandest venue for hosting guests in the Central World. Even the lowest-grade lotus flowers were saintly treasures surpassing divine materials. Here, one could feel their strength steadily rising without cultivating, with the universe’s Dao principles so clear they seemed almost tangible.
Higher-grade lotuses transformed into seats flowing with Dao charm, nearly all occupied now.
Guan Chong sat among the top ten seats, but despite a sixth-step Great Dao expert speaking eloquently nearby, he was distracted.
He had thought Heavenly Emperor Ku Yichi summoned him only to discuss the Immortality Conference. Unexpectedly, after negotiating conference details with various sect leaders, Ku Yichi proposed a Dao discussion at the Emperor White Dao Pool.
Dao discussions weren’t a one- or two-day affair, but Guan Chong couldn’t leave early. Though his status was high, several others outranked him—seven or eight, at least. Leaving without notice wasn’t an option.
After over ten days of discussion, Guan Chong couldn’t hold back. He sent a message to Guan Yuxue, urging her to come to Anluo Heavenly City. Sending a message during a Dao discussion was impolite, but he couldn’t wait.
Most noticed his action. Given his status as a True Derivation Holy Dao saint, no one commented.
As the Heavenly Emperor and host, Ku Yichi frowned slightly. A Dao discussion demanded focus and sincerity. Sending a message mid-discussion disrespected both the speakers and him as the host.
Less than half a day after Guan Chong’s message, a True Derivation Holy Dao disciple burst into the Emperor White Dao Pool, tearing through its restrictions.
“Outrageous!” Ku Yichi, unable to contain his anger, snapped. True Derivation Holy Dao might be a top sect, but this was too disrespectful to him as Heavenly Emperor.
“Saint Guan, someone infiltrated the True Derivation Holy Dao and abducted Guan Yuxue…” the disciple said urgently, panting heavily.
Messages couldn’t enter the Emperor White Dao Pool during a discussion, except by powerhouses like Guan Chong. This disciple had clearly burned Dao essence to rush here.
“What?” Guan Chong stood abruptly, unable to believe it. Someone dared infiltrate the True Derivation Holy Dao and abduct Yuxue in the Central World? How was that possible?
Ku Yichi, about to erupt, also asked in disbelief, “Are you sure?”
The Holy Sword Palace’s destruction was understandable—it was barely a first-tier sect, common in the Central World. But the True Derivation Holy Dao? It rivalled the Heavenly Court. Without a Dao Ancestor, the Central Heavenly Court couldn’t suppress it.
Someone infiltrating and abducting a saint’s granddaughter was far graver than the destruction of the Great Ice Palace or Holy Sword Palace. The Great Universe’s unspoken rules held because everyone knew who set them. Abducting Guan Yuxue broke those rules. What was next? Declaring war on top sects like the True Derivation Holy Dao? Destroying it like the Holy Sword Palace?
If the True Derivation Holy Dao fell, the Great Universe would descend into chaos, with sects ignoring the Heavenly Court. Even a Dao Ancestor might not quell it.
“Heavenly Emperor, I must return to the True Derivation Holy Dao and need to borrow your teleportation array,” Guan Chong said urgently, still unclear on the details.
Ku Yichi replied without hesitation, “The Central Heavenly Court must investigate. Saint Guan, I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll check it out too,” said a short, stout man, Li Jie, the Broken Ruins Saint Envoy of the Broken Ruins Holy Dao, a sixth-step Great Dao expert.
“We’ll go too,” several others stood.
Someone infiltrating the True Derivation Holy Dao and abducting a key figure was no small matter. Those present were either major players or sect leaders. If it happened to the True Derivation Holy Dao today, who was next? The Central World seemed unstable, and they needed to understand what was happening.
Using the teleportation array, they arrived at Yanshue Peak in less than an incense stick’s time.
The peak’s perimeter was already guarded by True Derivation Holy Dao disciples, awaiting their saint’s return. When Guan Chong arrived with the Heavenly Emperor’s group, another True Derivation Holy Dao saint, Yueyan Dao Saint Zhong Jiu, had also returned.
The True Derivation Holy Dao’s four Daos—Yue, Yong, Da, and Huang—each had a saint. Rarely did they gather, but today, two were present due to the incident’s severity. If the other two hadn’t been unable to return, all four might have convened.
“Brother Chong, this isn’t simple,” Zhong Jiu, who arrived earlier, said, waiting for Guan Chong without entering Yanshue Peak.
Guan Chong nodded, his tone laced with killing intent, “Whoever dares touch my True Derivation Holy Dao is seeking death.”
He led the way into Yanshue Peak, the others following.
There were no signs of combat, but residual domain auras lingered.
“There are four domain auras: Yuxue’s, Heavenly Poison’s, and two others from the intruders. One of them…” Zhong Jiu paused, looking puzzled at Guan Chong, “is from the Curse Great Dao? And there’s the chaos unicorn’s aura. What’s going on?”
Guan Chong, sensing the four auras, turned to Ku Yichi, “Emperor Ku, why is there a Curse Great Dao principle here?”
Ku Yichi was equally puzzled. He had spared Fang Zhiqian, but even with the Sacred Soul Wood, Fang Zhiqian would need tens of thousands of years to recover. As a key pawn, this development confused him.
Guan Chong’s words carried suspicion, as Ku Yichi had destroyed the Cursed Dao City and its Curse Great Dao expert.
Da Suoxi, the Central World’s Right Pivot Saint Minister, caught Guan Chong’s implication and interjected, “The intruders left less than half a day ago. Using spacetime retracing now could perfectly reveal what happened.”
