“Brother Cebai, have you heard of a guy named Qu Peng?” Lan Xiaobu asked.
Cebai Huisheng laughed at the mention of Qu Peng. “Looks like you know about that character too. He’s quite lucky. They say even his mother didn’t obtain the Great Cosmos Technique, but he did…”
“He got the Great Cosmos Technique?” Lan Xiaobu asked, puzzled, his tone full of doubt. How could Qu Peng have obtained it? Lan Xiaobu had it himself.
“Let me explain,” Cebai Huisheng said with a smile. “Your phrasing is correct—he *obtained* it, not *mastered* it. By the way, you know Qu Peng is Zang Qionghua’s son, right?”
Lan Xiaobu gave a wry smile. “I suspected as much, but wasn’t sure.”
Cebai Huisheng nodded. “Qu Peng is indeed her son. His talent is terrifying. In less than a hundred thousand years, he reached the fourth step of the Great Dao, then the fifth, his path practically unobstructed…”
Lan Xiaobu thought to himself, *Less than a hundred thousand years to the fourth step? Does that make me a genius too?* He knew Mo Wuji hadn’t cultivated for that long either. Lan Xiaobu was now at the fifth step, and Mo Wuji was likely close to it.
“It’s a pity he missed a golden opportunity. Years ago, a chaotic region in the Great Cosmos birthed a post-chaotic treasure, the Cosmic Mill…” Cebai Huisheng continued.
Lan Xiaobu interrupted, surprised. “Brother Cebai, the Cosmic Mill is a post-chaotic treasure? I thought it was a cosmos-opening treasure.”
He was certain no one knew better than him—the Cosmic Mill was his, fully refined, and undeniably a cosmos-opening treasure. If he’d been carrying a post-chaotic supreme treasure without knowing, he’d have no business cultivating.
Cebai Huisheng said firmly, “I can assure you, the Cosmic Mill is a post-chaotic supreme treasure, not a cosmos-opening one. When it emerged, Qu Peng seized it. He extracted the Great Cosmos Technique from it…”
Cebai Huisheng sneered. “But he had the luck, not the fate. He only glimpsed the technique with his divine sense, not studying it, before someone stole the Mill. The thief, a woman named Rong Qianyun, wasn’t particularly strong, but her father-in-law is Pei Qionghu, Emperor of Jicheng Heavenly Court.
Qu Peng, backed by powerful forces, had no qualms. Seeing Rong Qianyun take the Mill, he killed her outright. Their struggle caused the Mill, a supreme treasure, to break free and vanish into the void. But the Mill’s Heart fell back into the chaos due to their fight.”
Lan Xiaobu understood. The Cosmic Mill must have lost its Heart, dropping to a cosmos-opening treasure.
“The Mill escaped the Great Cosmos, and only Qu Peng could likely find it, having held it and seen the Great Cosmos Technique. But the matter didn’t end there. Rong Qianyun’s death enraged Pei Qionghu. She was pregnant when Qu Peng killed her—how could Pei let it go?” Cebai Huisheng sighed. “Only Qu Peng could escape such a fate. Anyone else would’ve been torn apart. Though Zang Qionghua is strong, she wouldn’t dare confront Pei. So she sent Qu Peng fleeing beyond the Great Cosmos’s vast expanse, likely chasing the Mill. He escaped, but the enmity between Burial Dao Sect and Jicheng Heavenly Court remains. Without Emperor Yan of Fanhe Heavenly Court’s protection, Burial Dao Sect would’ve been wiped out by Pei.”
Lan Xiaobu fell silent. He suspected Qu Peng was gravely injured during his escape, possibly by Pei Qionghu’s pursuit, and ended up trapped in the Burial Dao Abyss, quietly building his forces. Unfortunately, just as he gained traction, Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji killed him.
No wonder Qu Peng had so many treasures—he was Burial Dao Sect’s young master.
“Fanhe Heavenly Court’s emperor is quite loyal, risking offense to another world’s emperor for a mere Qu Peng,” Lan Xiaobu remarked.
Cebai Huisheng scoffed. “You think it’s that simple? Truth is, Qu Peng is likely the illegitimate son of Zang Qionghua and Yan. I heard Zang excels in dual cultivation techniques. Why else do you think Qu Beige fell out with her?”
Lan Xiaobu was enlightened. Cebai Huisheng had some explosive gossip. If he met Zang Qionghua and she sought revenge for her son, he’d have leverage.
Poor Emperor Yan—both his sons were killed. Yin Yuan by Xinghe Mo, and Qu Peng by him and Mo Wuji.
“Thanks, Brother Cebai. This is very useful. The auction’s starting soon, so I’ll set up my booth. Anything you need me to bid for?” Lan Xiaobu asked.
He needed the Heavenly Poison Heart, expecting fierce competition, so he had to prepare. In a place like Anluo Heavenly City, items like the Heart and supreme dao veins sparked intense bidding.
Cebai Huisheng waved it off. “No need. I have two booth tickets and aim to buy the Chaos Nirvana Heart, essential for my seventh-step breakthrough. I won’t miss it.”
“Good. I’m after the Heavenly Poison Heart,” Lan Xiaobu shared.
He regretted not killing Chong Jiu at Jinluo Tower and looting her world. It would’ve given him ample high-grade dao veins and crystals to compete for the Heart.
…
Chong Jiu, whom Lan Xiaobu had in mind, was no longer in Anluo Heavenly City. She was hiding in a wilderness billions of miles away.
After Lan Xiaobu’s attack dropped her from the seventh to the sixth step, even Guan Chong knew she’d likely never recover. But she believed she had one chance—to ambush someone named Xinghe Mo.
Killing Xinghe Mo and seizing his supreme dao vein and Hongmeng Dao Seed could restore her strength and give her a shot at the eighth step.
She’d planned to come with Guan Chong, but after Lan Xiaobu shattered her dao foundation, she couldn’t let this opportunity pass. Upon getting the news, she quietly left Anluo Heavenly City to set up the ambush.
Half a month passed. A cyan Moon Falcon swooped from the void, landing in her hand and speaking, “Venerable Master, we’ve confirmed he’ll pass here in two days.”
“Good. Wait nearby. If this succeeds, I’ll step down as Venerable Master and train you. With your talent, reaching my level isn’t impossible. Hit the fifth step, and I’ll pass the title to you,” Chong Jiu said slowly.
Besides being True Derivation Saint Dao’s Saint Master, she was the Venerable Master of the Moon Falcon clan. Her intelligence came from billions of falcons.
…
Meanwhile, a silver shuttle sped through the air. On its deck stood a hemp-robed youth—Mo Wuji, who’d parted ways with Lan Xiaobu.
Though on the shuttle, Mo Wuji knew he was being watched. Years ago, he’d sensed something off, recently discovering his trackers were falcons. Initially, he thought they were someone’s pets, but observation showed they acted independently.
Their eyesight was terrifying, spotting him from a thousand miles—true clairvoyants. He’d killed many, but it was futile; their numbers were vast and scattered. Constantly scanning with divine sense was impractical, so he let them trail him.
Mo Wuji knew the only way to stop them was to eliminate their master.
He sensed that opportunity was near. For the past day or two, no falcons watched him, signaling the final move was coming.
