Without needing Da Suoxi’s reminder, Guan Chong had already begun retracing spacetime.
With his strength, and given that only half a day had passed, Guan Chong completed the spacetime retrace in just over ten breaths. The images clearly showed Fang Zhiqian rushing up Yanshue Peak with Tai Chuan, subduing Guan Yuxue and the Heavenly Poison Saint. Their conversation was crystal clear: Tai Chuan called Fang Zhiqian “Big Brother,” and Fang Zhiqian boldly admitted to destroying the Holy Sword Palace and hijacking the Listen Dao Ship.
“Good, good. A mere ant practicing the Curse Dao dares to act against my True Derivation Holy Dao,” Guan Chong said, his voice dripping with killing intent, belying the “good” in his words.
Li Jie, the stout Broken Ruins Saint Envoy, said sharply, “No wonder my Broken Ruins Holy Dao’s ship was silently hijacked. This man caused havoc in the Cursed Dao City back then, and we didn’t pursue him. Yet he dared to target my Broken Ruins Holy Dao. Truly seeking death.”
More eyes turned to Ku Yichi. As the Heavenly Emperor representing the Central Heavenly Court, he was still investigating the Holy Sword Palace’s destruction. The Great Ice Palace’s fall was one thing—Shi Changxing was responsible, and not even the Central Heavenly Court could challenge him unless a Dao Ancestor intervened. But the Great Ice Palace lacked the clout to summon a Dao Ancestor for vengeance.
The Holy Sword Palace case might not have been urgent for Ku Yichi, as investigations take time. But Fang Zhiqian committing crimes in the True Derivation Holy Dao was suspicious. He had once ruled the Cursed Dao City, which wasn’t called that before its destruction. It was a thriving Dao city until its inhabitants were slaughtered by curse principles, provoking the Central Heavenly Court. Ku Yichi personally destroyed it. Logically, Fang Zhiqian, its ruler, should have been killed. Yet now, he was brazenly committing crimes in the True Derivation Holy Dao.
“Emperor Ku, what do you say about this?” Zhong Jiu, the Yueyan Dao Saint of the True Derivation Holy Dao, asked directly.
Other sects might hesitate to question Ku Yichi so openly, but the True Derivation Holy Dao had no such qualms. This matter clearly involved Fang Zhiqian—could he deny it?
Ku Yichi was inwardly cursing his luck. Fang Zhiqian was a key piece he’d left in play, meant to be used tens of thousands of years later. How had he been exposed so soon? More critically, how had he regained his strength? Judging by the lingering saintly domain, Fang Zhiqian’s power was no less than before—possibly even stronger, heading toward the seventh step.
He had kept Fang Zhiqian to clean up his messes and take the blame. Now, before Ku Yichi even needed him, the scapegoat was causing trouble, and he was still in the dark.
“Emperor Ku, you must explain this,” Li Jie from the Broken Ruins Holy Dao pressed, unable to hold back.
Ku Yichi took a deep breath, pushing aside other thoughts, and clasped his fists toward Guan Chong, “Saint Guan, I’ll take full responsibility. I’m puzzled—I killed Fang Zhiqian myself, yet he’s reappeared, his Dao undiminished. This is my oversight. I’ll issue a Heavenly Court kill order upon my return.”
Da Suoxi, the Right Pivot Saint Minister, quickly added, “Emperor, this isn’t the first time such things have happened. These old monsters have reincarnation methods. Fang Zhiqian, practicing the Curse Great Dao, killed countless innocents in the Cursed Dao City and amassed numerous top-tier treasures. If a remnant soul survived and revived using one, it’s not impossible.”
Da Suoxi was clearly covering for Ku Yichi, and his explanation wasn’t implausible. Killing a top-tier expert like Fang Zhiqian without specific methods was indeed difficult.
Hearing this, both Guan Chong and Li Jie fell silent. Without direct evidence linking Ku Yichi, confronting the Central Heavenly Court openly wasn’t feasible, even if such evidence existed.
“This may be tricky. Fang Zhiqian likely knows Shi Changxing. Otherwise, how could he have the chaos unicorn, which even recognizes him as its master?” a saint who had joined the Emperor White Dao Pool discussion said worriedly.
Ku Yichi had been concerned about this. If Fang Zhiqian was close to Shi Changxing, even finding him wouldn’t guarantee capture.
Guan Chong snorted, “Even if it’s Shi Changxing, he can’t disregard justice and abduct my granddaughter from my True Derivation Holy Dao.”
In saying this, he conveniently forgot how he’d disregarded justice by violating and killing Yi Qingshan, then selling Qi Manwei and Tai Chuan.
Not wanting to provoke Shi Changxing now, Ku Yichi changed the subject, “They left using irregular teleportation. With our abilities, we should be able to trace their teleportation point.”
“Yes, let’s go now—we might catch them,” Guan Chong, previously too enraged to think clearly, seized on Ku Yichi’s suggestion to trace them.
The powerhouses easily located Tai Chuan’s teleportation point, but the trail ended there. Tai Chuan had used an irregular escape talisman, leaving chaotic spatial fluctuations that even a Dao Ancestor couldn’t trace.
Fortunately, retracing Fang Zhiqian’s path brought a surprise: he hadn’t used an irregular escape talisman.
Without one, his escape left traces, giving these experts a chance to find him.
“I find it odd. Why did Fang Zhiqian’s beast companion use an irregular escape talisman, but he didn’t?” Feng Jietian, the Central World’s Saint Inspectorate Chief, asked skeptically.
Li Jie said coldly, “What’s strange? Fang Zhiqian never intended to hide. Why else would he admit in the True Derivation Holy Dao that he destroyed the Holy Sword Palace?”
“There’s something we’re missing. From any angle, Fang Zhiqian shouldn’t have admitted to destroying the Holy Sword Palace and the Listen Dao Ship,” Feng Jietian said, sensing something off as the Saint Inspectorate Chief.
Guan Chong said coolly, “He used only curse principles here, just as he did when slaughtering countless Holy Sword Palace cultivators. In the Central World, find me another who practices the Great Curse Technique. Since you can’t, what’s there to figure out? Back in the Cursed Dao City, when he massacred millions, did he hide it?”
Many powerhouses disdain hiding their actions, as it’s tied to their Dao heart. Guan Chong’s explanation was somewhat plausible.
“Besides curse principles, he used the Great Destruction, Great Severing, and Great Annihilation Techniques at the Holy Sword Palace. I’ve heard of Fang Zhiqian—he shouldn’t have such capabilities,” Feng Jietian countered. Without Ku Yichi present, he wouldn’t have dared argue, but with the Heavenly Emperor here, his words would be noted.
Guan Chong said coldly, “If you were Fang Zhiqian and killed millions in a Dao city, you might also acquire various origin divine abilities.”
Though Feng Jietian knew this was unlikely, he couldn’t argue further, as it was theoretically possible.
At the same time, Fang Zhiqian, frantically fleeing, realized the truth. Tai Chuan calling him “Big Brother” was for the spacetime retrace—to make him the perfect scapegoat.
He was helpless. Until he reached the seventh step, he had to bear the blame. Unsure if Lan Xiaobu had placed a Dao intent imprint on him, he didn’t dare defy him yet.
Mid-escape, an uneasy feeling grew. He realized Guan Chong, a seventh-step expert, could trace any slight trail he left.
As his unease intensified, Fang Zhiqian was certain he’d be caught if he didn’t act. Even if he revealed Lan Xiaobu, he couldn’t escape. With Ku Yichi’s methods, letting him go would be surprising.
Realizing this, Fang Zhiqian stopped fleeing and veered toward a chaotic region.
To survive, he had to enter the chaotic region. There, he had a slim chance; otherwise, he had none.
The moment he entered, Fang Zhiqian understood: Lan Xiaobu had planned for him to flee there. With Lan Xiaobu’s cunning, he must have known Fang Zhiqian would be pursued after leaving the True Derivation Holy Dao. Yet, Fang Zhiqian knew that even if he could redo it, aware of Lan Xiaobu’s scheme, he’d still follow it. He didn’t want to die, especially now with a chance to reach the seventh step.
Dealing with someone as calculating as Lan Xiaobu, Fang Zhiqian would rather take a loss than continue if he confirmed no Dao intent imprint was on him.
“No need to pursue—he’s entered the chaotic region,” Ku Yichi stopped first. He and the other seventh-step experts knew catching Fang Zhiqian was now impossible.
