When Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji left Anluo Heavenly City, it was in chaos, with fighting everywhere, mainly triggered by the falling leaves of the Cosmic Tree. But upon their return, the city had surprisingly restored order.
The cultivator army of the Central Heavenly Court was maintaining stability in Anluo Heavenly City, as if nothing had happened, returning to its previous state.
“Ku Yichi greets Friend Mo and Friend Lan,” Ku Yichi hurriedly approached to welcome Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji almost as soon as they stepped into the city.
Clearly, the stabilization of Anluo Heavenly City was likely due to this Heavenly Emperor Ku.
Ku Yichi’s heart was uneasy. He was all too aware of Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji’s formidable combat strength. Despite all being at the Seventh Step of the Great Dao, he, the so-called top figure below the Dao Ancestors, probably couldn’t last a dozen breaths against them.
“Where’s Di Lan?” Lan Xiaobu asked.
Though Ku Yichi hadn’t witnessed the battle between Di Lan, Lan Xiaobu, and Mo Wuji, he knew that Dao Ancestor Di Lan had been reduced to just a primordial spirit. This made him as cautious as a grandson. If even Dao Ancestor Di Lan couldn’t contend with these two, any attempt by Ku Yichi to resist would be suicidal.
Moreover, he held little respect for Dao Ancestor Di Lan. Even without this incident of Di Lan’s physical body being destroyed, Ku Yichi planned to eliminate Di Lan once he reached the Eighth Step of the Great Dao.
In Ku Yichi’s vision, the Great Cosmos should develop under his guidance, not be divided into ten worlds. After dealing with Di Lan, he would slowly unify the Great Cosmos.
But now, with Di Lan already half-dead without his intervention, Ku Yichi began to doubt whether his grand ambitions were mere illusions. As long as Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji lived, his grand plan might remain just a fantasy.
Even if he reached the Eighth Step, would Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji not do the same? When they were at the Seventh Step, he was already far behind. If they reached the Eighth Step, what could he, Ku Yichi, use to compete with them?
“Dao Ancestor’s physical body was shattered, and he’s gone into seclusion to heal. I truly don’t know where he went,” Ku Yichi said, unconcerned about Di Lan’s fate. He knew the Central Heavenly Court was now under his control, and the last people he could afford to offend were the two before him.
If he knew where Di Lan was, he wouldn’t hesitate to betray him.
Lan Xiaobu said calmly, “The Great Cosmos is about to face great changes. Be prepared. We’re here today to use the teleportation array to the Weiju World. Is there a direct array to Weiju World?”
Inter-world teleportation arrays in the Great Cosmos were rarely used. They were only frequently activated during the Eternal Life Conference due to the high cost of each use.
Since it was Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji requesting the array, Ku Yichi didn’t dare say there wasn’t one. He quickly replied, “Yes, yes, please follow me, Friends.”
There were many teleportation arrays in the Central World’s teleportation plaza, but Lan Xiaobu noticed there was no array to the Great Desolation World. He immediately asked, “Why isn’t there a teleportation array to the Great Desolation World?”
Ku Yichi hurriedly answered, “The Dao Ancestor of the Great Desolation World is somewhat domineering, and there were some misunderstandings with our Central World, so no teleportation array was ever established.”
“Wait…” Just as Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji were about to step into the teleportation array to the Weiju World, a figure rushed out from another array, their voice arriving before they did.
Mo Wuji and Lan Xiaobu stopped, recognizing the newcomer as Pei Qionghu, the Heavenly Emperor of the Jicheng World’s Heavenly Court.
During the Eternal Life Conference, Di Lan had tried to scheme against Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji but ended up being outmaneuvered by them. In the end, among Di Lan’s side, only Ling Zhuzhen from the Jicheng World remained unscathed.
The others, like Xing Jia, Quan, Lin Jie, and even Di Lan himself, had their physical bodies destroyed. Quan, merely losing his legs, was relatively fortunate.
Lan Xiaobu had initially viewed Pei Qionghu favorably, but after Pei coveted the Great Cosmos Technique in his possession, Lan Xiaobu knew they could never be friends. The Great Cosmos Technique had nothing to do with Pei Qionghu, and even if it did, Lan Xiaobu would never hand over such a Dao technique.
“So it’s Heavenly Emperor Pei. What does the Heavenly Emperor want with me?” Lan Xiaobu asked calmly.
Pei Qionghu knew that once he learned Lan Xiaobu possessed the Great Cosmos Technique, a falling out was inevitable. He hadn’t expected Lan Xiaobu to become so powerful so quickly, nor that Mo Wuji, Lan Xiaobu’s friend, would be equally formidable.
Even Dao Ancestors were no match for them, let alone him, Pei Qionghu.
“Friend Lan, Friend Mo, please save our Dao Ancestor,” Pei Qionghu said, bowing respectfully.
Even Di Lan was puzzled. With Mo Wuji and Lan Xiaobu here, who could Ling Zhuzhen need saving from? At the Eternal Life Conference, aside from Yang Tian, Di Lan was likely the strongest Dao Ancestor, followed by Ling Zhuzhen. Only Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji could suppress Ling Zhuzhen.
Mo Wuji said calmly, “As far as I know, Ling Zhuzhen is very shrewd and extremely strong, plus he’s a Dao Ancestor of a world. Does he need us to save him?”
Mo Wuji didn’t mention that, strictly speaking, they were enemies with Ling Zhuzhen. To seek their help was a desperate move. Still, he was curious who could suppress Ling Zhuzhen.
Pei Qionghu calmed himself, took a breath, and said, “During the Eternal Life Conference, the Jicheng World was invaded by an unknown race. This race leaves no survivors, slaughtering mercilessly. If the Eternal Life Conference hadn’t ended prematurely, not only the Jicheng World but many others in the Great Cosmos might have been razed by this race. After our Dao Ancestor returned to Jicheng World, he was immediately besieged by several of them. If not for Ling Dao Ancestor using the grand array, he might already be dead…”
Mo Wuji and Lan Xiaobu exchanged a glance, not expecting the Tianmeng people to have already acted, rather than still preparing.
Clearly, Ou Ping’s escape was pure luck. Had he not encountered Shi Changxing and then them, he would have been silently eliminated by the Tianmeng people.
Di Lan was stunned. A race other than humans invading a world in the Great Cosmos?
Seeing Mo Wuji and Lan Xiaobu remain silent, Pei Qionghu said urgently, “You must believe me. A powerful race has truly invaded our Jicheng World, and they have many strong fighters. If Jicheng World falls, other worlds will be next.”
Di Lan said uncertainly, “Friend Pei, isn’t this a bit far-fetched? In the Great Cosmos, even if there are disputes between worlds, they’re internal human affairs. With the demon and divine races weakened, only the human race stands tall in the Great Cosmos. You’re saying a race can wipe out human worlds? Even I find that hard to believe.”
Pei Qionghu grew more anxious and suddenly pulled out a crystal ball. “Look at this, and you’ll understand.”
The crystal ball was activated, revealing images of ruins with countless human cultivators reduced to bones…
The footage was fragmented. After the bones, an army of human-faced, beast-bodied creatures resembling demons rushed into a Dao city. In just half an incense stick’s time, the city’s defensive array was torn apart, and blood splattered through the air…
Pei Qionghu’s voice trembled with fear. “I didn’t dare approach. Among that group, at least three or four were no weaker than me, and I saw where the Dao Ancestor was trapped. Each of those powerhouses was no less than a Dao Ancestor. If not for the Dao Ancestor using Jicheng World’s grand array, I wouldn’t have come to seek help.”
“What are these things?” Ku Yichi stared at the crystal ball in shock, muttering to himself.
“They’re the Tianmeng people. They likely planned to seize human territories during the Eternal Life Conference of the ten major worlds. They didn’t expect the conference to end before it fully began. Otherwise, they might have succeeded,” Mo Wuji said, frowning.
If the Eternal Life Conference hadn’t been disrupted, everyone would still be there. Even if cultivators outside learned of the Tianmeng invasion, what could they do? By the time the conference ended centuries later, it would be too late.
“Tianmeng people?” Di Lan and Pei Qionghu asked in confusion, feeling as though they’d heard the term before but couldn’t quite recall.
