Lan Xiaobu decided to use the directional teleportation talisman to see where it would take him.
Even if he was teleported to the Tianmeng Clan’s stronghold, Lan Xiaobu was confident he could escape with ease. To be safe, he crafted a Wuxu Bow using his own materials. Though his bow was clearly inferior to Hui Zhi’s, Lan Xiaobu was certain that, combined with the true Wuxu Arrow in his hand, it could lock onto any eighth-step Great Dao expert.
Activating the talisman, powerful spatial principles instantly swept Lan Xiaobu away, vanishing from his original spot.
The spatial rules shifted continuously, leaving Lan Xiaobu increasingly astonished. This talisman utilised spatial principles far more thoroughly than any he had crafted, effectively compressing the entire space into a mere one-zhang radius. Within this teleportation rule, he could move freely within that range without leaving a trace.
As soon as Lan Xiaobu landed, he transformed into a strand of heaven-and-earth rules, extending his divine sense. He quickly realised he was in a plaza paved with Tianyu crystal stones, surrounded by Tianmeng Clan guards, confirming this was their territory.
The plaza was encircled by lush spirit-gathering divine bamboo, and a ten-zhang-wide, smooth avenue stretched from the plaza’s edge. Lan Xiaobu cautiously extended his divine sense along the avenue but was blocked by a restriction.
He decided not to probe further with his divine sense and instead planned to enter the restricted area to investigate. Whether or not this was the Tianmeng Clan’s stronghold, someone here surely knew how they could effortlessly cross worlds to fight.
With no freakishly strong figures like Hui Zhi around, as long as he was cautious, he wouldn’t be detected. Lan Xiaobu was about to swiftly cross the plaza as a strand of rules to see where it led.
But then he changed his mind. Hui Zhi, heavily injured and having lost both arms, would surely seek a place to heal and restore his strength immediately. Even someone as selfish as Hui Zhi, or Lan Xiaobu himself if he were injured, would prioritise secluded recovery. Hui Zhi informing the Tianmeng Clan of his injuries was unthinkable, and the teleportation talisman in his ring? Even if Hui Zhi remembered it, he wouldn’t care, let alone warn the Tianmeng Clan that Lan Xiaobu might use it to come here.
Firstly, whether Lan Xiaobu came or not was irrelevant to Hui Zhi. Lan Xiaobu reckoned Hui Zhi and the Tianmeng Clan were merely bound by mutual interests, not deeply loyal to each other. In Hui Zhi’s eyes, Lan Xiaobu likely wouldn’t dare use the talisman to come here, would he?
Even if he did, this was still Tianmeng Clan territory.
With this in mind, Lan Xiaobu didn’t hesitate and decisively shapeshifted into Hui Zhi’s appearance. He wondered if Hui Zhi would spit blood if he knew his items were stolen and his identity was being used by Lan Xiaobu.
As expected, the moment Hui Zhi’s form appeared in the plaza’s centre, several Tianmeng Clan guards hurried over.
“We pay our respects to the Great Dream Dao Ancestor,” the guards, clearly recognising Hui Zhi, immediately bowed.
Lan Xiaobu clutched his chest, coughed a few times, wiped a trace of blood from his mouth, and mimicked Hui Zhi’s voice, “Take me inside quickly, I’m injured.”
In Lan Xiaobu’s judgement, even if Hui Zhi came here, he’d need someone to guide him. In other words, if this were his own territory, he wouldn’t grant full access to a mere temporary ally.
“Please follow me, Dao Ancestor,” a guard said respectfully.
Lan Xiaobu breathed a sigh of relief, his judgement correct. Led by the guard, they swiftly crossed the wide avenue and arrived at a restricted barrier.
Lan Xiaobu’s divine sense examined the restriction. Without even needing his cosmic dimensional model, he cracked the entry method in just a dozen breaths.
The guard didn’t enter but knocked on the restriction. Moments later, it opened, revealing a white building that looked like a yurt from the outside. Lan Xiaobu couldn’t see what was inside.
This reminded him of the venue for the Eternal Life Conference, which seemed similar, suggesting the Cosmic Tree’s influence here.
“Please enter and take a seat, Dao Ancestor. The Four Dao Venerables will meet you as soon as they emerge from seclusion,” the guard said, standing aside, clearly not accompanying Lan Xiaobu inside.
Lan Xiaobu nodded, stepping boldly through the white building’s entrance without hesitation.
Everything outside was cut off. Upon entering, Lan Xiaobu’s eyes widened, finding himself in what resembled a guest room.
Seeing the other party sit, Lan Xiaobu also sat, sighing, “The Dao Venerable likely knows I’ve lost my items.”
Hui Zhi had prompted the Tianmeng Clan to deploy their million-strong ambush army, so he must have informed them.
Tu Liao nodded, “From your appearance, Dao Ancestor, did something go wrong while retrieving your items?”
Lan Xiaobu nodded, “I was ambushed by Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji. They had long predicted I’d come for them, waiting for me in the void plaza of Seven Cosmos Heaven. If not for some tricks up my sleeve, I wouldn’t be here today.”
“Mo Wuji has returned to the Great Universe too?” Tu Liao asked in shock, clearly unaware of Mo Wuji’s return, only knowing of Lan Xiaobu’s.
Lan Xiaobu nodded again, “Indeed, and their mastery of heaven-and-earth rules is almost terrifying. If I don’t step into the ninth step, I’m afraid I won’t dare face them again.”
Hearing this, Tu Liao realised Hui Zhi might be here to ask for help. Without hesitation, he said, “Please speak, Dao Ancestor. If there’s anything I, Tu Liao, can do, I’ll spare no effort.”
Though he said this, Tu Liao was weighing his options. Helping was fine, but if Hui Zhi’s request was too much, he’d reconsider.
Lan Xiaobu stood, clasping his fists to Tu Liao, “I wish to meet the Cosmic Tree. Otherwise, my Great Dao might stall here, unable to progress. If I can’t advance further, the next time I face those two, I’ll only have a dead end.”
Tu Liao stared at Lan Xiaobu in shock, speechless for a long while. Meet the Cosmic Tree? Impossible. Even he, Tu Liao, couldn’t see the Cosmic Tree at will. The Cosmic Tree wasn’t a vassal of the Tianmeng Clan; it was merely aiding them to eradicate the human race in the Great Universe.
Tu Liao fell silent, and Lan Xiaobu didn’t speak either, wanting to gauge whether Hui Zhi and Tu Liao’s partnership was flimsy or superficial.
After half an incense stick’s time, Tu Liao sighed, “It’s not that I won’t help, but even if I did, you couldn’t meet the Cosmic Tree Spirit.”
“Why not?” Lan Xiaobu blurted out. He was certain their partnership was paper-thin, and to gain their help, he’d need to offer something substantial.
“Because after Lan Xiaobu slaughtered millions of the Tianmeng Clan and Weiju World’s armies with a creation-level divine ability, the Cosmic Tree has decided to act. Otherwise, if this continues, the Tianmeng Clan might be wiped out again,” Tu Liao said truthfully.
Lan Xiaobu was genuinely shocked. The Cosmic Tree hadn’t acted directly before, only aiding the Tianmeng Clan, which was already excessive. If the Cosmic Tree itself intervened, what chance did the human cultivators have? The Cosmic Tree could simply seal the Great Universe’s heaven-and-earth rules, leaving human cultivators to be slaughtered.
Tu Liao continued, “The reason it hasn’t acted yet is that the Cosmic Tree Spirit is preparing to advance, and with figures like Lan Xiaobu and Mo Wuji, who ignore the Great Universe’s rules, posing a major threat, the Cosmic Tree lacks full confidence.”
Lan Xiaobu clasped his fists solemnly, “Fourth Dao Venerable, I must reach the ninth step of the Great Dao as soon as possible. Please assist me. Once the human race is eradicated, I, Hui Zhi, swear on my Great Dream Dao to stand by your side, to help you rule the Great Universe. If I break this oath, my Great Dream Dao will collapse immediately.”
Hearing this, Tu Liao was moved. If Hui Zhi sincerely joined him, he’d have a strong chance of controlling the Great Universe. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Brother Hui, I can only tell you how to find the Cosmic Tree Spirit. Whether you can gain its help, I’m powerless to influence.”
