CHAPTER 459: CHAPTER 459: DON’T BELIEVE IN RUMORS OR SPREAD THEM

Ancient Country.

A Sect called the Wuji Sect arrived in Heaven Martial.

The Wuji Sect took over the City of Extinction.

The Wuji Sect pillaged Fairy Valley.

The Wuji Sect devastated Fairy Valley.

The Wuji Sect stole Star Sea’s spaceship.

In front of the He Family, the Wuji Sect abducted their young talent, He Yitian, who, it was said, practiced an Ancient Skill and achieved Divinity Transformation.

A tremor ran through the Ancient Country, but calm soon returned. A six-character summary emerged: "Don’t believe rumors, don’t spread rumors."

What power could be so formidable? To even obliterate Fairy Valley? Must be a joke, right?

They couldn’t quite believe it.

A few days later, another piece of news spread: Chen Pingping of the Wuji Sect intended to forge a Heaven Tao Divine Weapon.

Star Sea: "..."

Ancient Country: "..."

Various great powers: "..."

This was a Heaven Tao Divine Weapon, not Sacred Soldiers, nor Emperor Weapons. Once activated, it was akin to a Great Emperor taking action.

Yu Changfeng of Fairy Valley had also tried once before and met with a dismal defeat. Reportedly, the calamitous tribulation from that attempt had struck for several months on end.

Who would have thought that, after tens of thousands of years, another fool would appear.

「Deep in the Star Sea.」

Luo Yu’s eyes shone as he gazed in the direction of the City of Extinction. After a long moment, he turned to the Elder behind him. "Elder, please open the gate to the forbidden area."

The Elder’s expression grew solemn. "Have you thought this through?"

"For the Fairy, I want to try," Luo Yu said, recalling the scene when Star Sea’s experts had charged into the City of Extinction.

That person held a Quasi-Emperor Weapon. Although his cultivation realm was insufficient, he remained unruffled and very calm. He then stepped out of the City of Extinction to face Yang Wuzong.

Bear in mind, Yang Wuzong was an expert at the late stage of the Saint Realm!

What empowered him? Luo Yu couldn’t figure it out.

The experts from Star Sea had retreated in disgrace, each harboring frustration. He was no different, especially knowing the Fairy was still in Fairy Valley... well, it should be called the Wuji Sect now.

Luo Yu felt uneasy. He decided to enter the forbidden area to undergo the cleansing of his ancestors. If he could return alive, his cultivation would soar. At that time, he would personally slay Chen Pingping and bring the Fairy back.

If not, then it was fate.

...

「Inside the Imperial City of the Ancient Country.」

Several young people in extraordinary attire were gathered in a manor, discussing the news about the City of Extinction.

However, when the little black dog was mentioned, everyone turned their attention to a woman in blue.

"I witnessed it," the woman in blue said. "A little black dog, standing upright on its hind legs, unleashed a powerful Sword Dao attack that intimidated thirteen Saint Realm experts from Fairy Valley."

The scene had been terrifying and had left countless people in shock.

"Is the Wuji Sect actually that powerful?" someone asked.

"Perhaps very strong, or perhaps very weak," the woman in blue responded. This was because, since the Wuji Sect’s arrival in the Southern Diaspora and its takeover of the City of Extinction, not many of its members had actually been seen. It was repeatedly just one or two individuals.

But the woman in blue had to admit that Chen Pingping was indeed very strong, even more powerful than she had imagined.

Gu Mang spoke up, "What realm is he in?"

"He didn’t take action," the woman in blue shook her head. "But... I speculate that he is at least a Lord of the fifth layer."

This cultivation level was on par with those peerless geniuses.

Another man said, "I guess he’s the only truly formidable one in the entire Wuji Sect; the others are likely unremarkable."

No one denied or contradicted this statement. Indeed, up to now, not many from the Wuji Sect had emerged. Perhaps Chen Pingping was indeed the strongest among them.

Gu Mang continued, "Did they really swallow up Fairy Valley?"

"Yes!" the woman in blue replied.

"..."

"However, many were present when it happened. They said that Yu Changfeng, the first-generation ancestor of Fairy Valley, emerged alive and gave an order," the woman in blue continued. "Only then was Fairy Valley forced to merge with the Wuji Sect, and everyone had to obey Chen Pingping."

"That sounds so fake."

"Indeed, quite fake."

"Did Fairy Valley’s upper echelons believe it too?" Gu Mang was astonished.

At that time, the scene had stunned everyone, including Fairy Valley’s upper echelons. But reflecting on it now, the sentiment was different.

However, Fairy Valley was, after all, a superpower. The idea that it would fall and be merged into the Wuji Sect just because of a single command... wasn’t that utterly preposterous?

Someone else spoke up, "It’s said that twenty Saint Realm martial artists came from Star Sea, even that old fellow Yang Wuzong was among them. How could they possibly have been defeated?"

Failing to defeat Fairy Valley was understandable; after all, that was Fairy Valley’s territory. But they couldn’t even defeat the Wuji Sect? That was harder to believe.

The woman in blue said, "At that time, Fairy Valley had already merged with the Wuji Sect. Furthermore, all of Fairy Valley’s upper echelon were under Chen Pingping’s command. Additionally, the three powers of the City of Extinction blocked Yang Wuzong. Coupled with Chen Pingping somehow acquiring a Quasi-Emperor Weapon, Star Sea was forced to retreat in defeat."

"..."

"Yang Wuzong lost because his Quasi-Emperor Weapon was incomplete, while the one in Chen Pingping’s hand was intact. Once it was fully activated, it was uncertain who was stronger or weaker," the woman in blue sighed. "Besides, with Fairy Valley’s top brass watching menacingly, Star Sea didn’t dare act rashly!"

The Wuji Sect’s overall strength might be questionable, but she had to admit that Chen Pingping was a talent.

After much discussion, the room quieted down.

No one spoke; they were all digesting the news about the Wuji Sect and Chen Pingping, though it was all unrelated to them.

After a long while...

Gu Mang said, "The Wind Cloud List is about to be restarted soon."

It was a ranking list for the younger generation. All who made it onto the list were peerless geniuses, each reigning supreme over their own domain.

Honor, fame, invincibility, conquest—almost everything young people desired could be found through the Wind Cloud List. Thus, each time it commenced, it signified the dawn of a brutal and terrifying new era.

This was their second reason for convening here.

The woman in blue was moved. "You’re going to participate?"

"I want to try..." Gu Mang’s eyes blazed with fervor.

"But within your Gu family’s imperial household, there is another..." the woman in blue trailed off.

Another Divine Body. That person was far stronger than Gu Mang.

If Gu Mang were to participate and fail, it wouldn’t be a major issue. However, if he reached a certain level of prominence, he would inevitably encounter that Divine Body from the Gu family’s imperial household. At that point, would he yield, or would he fight?

"The Maiden of the Purple Mansion will also participate!" the woman in blue sighed. "Could you bring yourself to strike her?"

"We won’t encounter each other," Gu Mang said, his gaze resolute.

"Even if you don’t meet her, there are still others within the Ancient Country’s territory..."

"Stop talking," Gu Mang cut her off, his emotions somewhat agitated. "If they can participate, why can’t I?"

Because you are different from them, the woman in blue thought silently.

For someone abandoned by the imperial family to return to such a competitive arena—it wasn’t merely a matter of courage, but more about the difficult choices he would face.

She said nothing further, as she saw the determination in Gu Mang’s eyes, and could only sigh for him.

"You still have other options. You don’t necessarily have to prove yourself on the Wind Cloud List," a man nearby said bluntly.

"Alchemy?" Gu Mang laughed self-deprecatingly. "I hate Alchemy."

Once upon a time, he had been a genius in Alchemy.

...

「Outside the City of Extinction, in the ancient town.」

After teaching Guang Xiaoyu the art of Cultivating Demon, the Sword Saint decided to travel the continent and left that very day.

Even as Guang Xiaoyu repeatedly tried to detain him, "Senior? Are you really not considering joining the Wuji Sect?"

"Get lost!" the Sword Saint cursed, his face dark. "You and your Senior Brother are cut from the same cloth! For heaven’s sake, have some shame!"

"Ahem... Our Wuji Sect offers excellent benefits and conditions," she said earnestly. "Upon joining, you receive Cultivation Techniques, Spirit Pills, and Divine Weapons. Really, Senior, I think you should consider it."

The Sword Saint didn’t look back, cursing as he walked further away.

In the courtyard, only Zhu Menting and Guang Xiaoyu remained.

She blinked and suddenly smiled. "Young man, our Wuji Sect is very inclusive. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Demon cultivator. Would you like to consider joining?"

Zhu Menting was utterly baffled.

"Upon joining, you get Cultivation Techniques, Spirit Pills, and Divine Weapons," Guang Xiaoyu coaxed. "Plus, this young lady herself will personally guide your cultivation. How about that?"

"Miss, please excuse me," he said, deciding to leave.

It wasn’t because her Senior Brother was exceedingly powerful, nor was it due to the Sword Saint. It was because of what happened when the two of them discussed Cultivating Demon.

For every two points the Sword Saint made, Guang Xiaoyu would counter with eight.

What did that imply? In other words, while the Sword Saint merely proposed theories and general methods, Guang Xiaoyu would immediately articulate precisely how to cultivate, detailing every single step.

He was dumbfounded. Even the elders in his family couldn’t achieve such a level of understanding.

Is she really a Demon Seed? Are you sure she’s not the Demon Emperor?

Moreover, that cow in the courtyard would occasionally glance at him. Each time, a chill ran down his spine, as if he were being targeted by a ferocious beast.

Zhu Menting felt that he couldn’t stay here any longer.

"Don’t you want to kill me anymore?" Guang Xiaoyu smiled. "Don’t you desire the Demon Seed any longer? Then stay! Only by remaining in the Wuji Sect will you have the chance to kill me!"

"Why are you even more garrulous than the elders in my family?" Zhu Menting wiped cold sweat from his brow, gravely suspecting this girl was using some kind of Ask Demon Skill on him.