Chapter 44: The Eternal Evergreen Immortal Turtle

    Wen Zhongyong stood beside Sima Ting, slightly shorter in stature.

    "According to our inside sources, this may be related to a certain individual. Last year, Empress Jin Li took a treasure from the royal treasury named Linglong Yuxi."

    "This treasure?" Chancellor Sima Ting was surprised.

    This treasure, a natural pair, allowed its two holders to communicate with each other. But it was limited to these two people, which was inferior to modern communication artifacts.

    "According to our inside sources, Empress Jin Li has been communicating with a mysterious person through Linglong Yuxi. The breakthrough of Lady Qin to the imperial level might be attributed to this person!" Wen Zhongyong shared his judgment.

    Sima Ting''s forehead furrowed more deeply, clearly showing his anger. Most palace maids were Sima Ting''s people, making it easy to obtain this information. Furthermore, when Jin Li mentioned Qi Yuan''s name during her time in the Xuanyuan Forbidden Zone, or occasionally muttered "Qi Yuan" in her chambers, it was only natural for such information to leak out.

    "How dare they ruin my plans! Have you identified this person?"

    Wen Zhongyong shook his head. "The other half of Linglong Yuxi vanished a thousand years ago."

    "Can we speculate about this person''s identity?" Sima Ting asked. "To help Lady Qin break through to the imperial level, this person must not be simple!"

    Sima Ting had many enemies. Even within the Tianyun Sacred Sect, he had foes. Now, someone was aiding Empress Jin Li and causing him trouble, possibly targeting either him or the Tianyun Sacred Sect.

    The Tianyun Sacred Sect was the foremost sect of the human race, revered as a holy land by over a dozen human nations. Located in the far north, the sect both safeguarded human fortunes and kept the great demons of the demon race at bay. The Tianyun Sacred Sect stood aloof like celestial beings. However, in recent years, they began to meddle in worldly royal affairs.

    Sima Ting could be considered a pawn of the Tianyun Sacred Sect. Other countries were also gradually being devoured by the sect. Besides the Tianyun Sacred Sect, there were many other sects within the human race, many of which banded together to resist the sect.

    A plain-looking young man crawled out of a brothel, appearing relaxed and carefree.

    "A journey of dust, a journey of beauty is far better," he mused.

    The young man''s ordinary appearance would make him unremarkable on the street. Yet, if his identity were revealed, it would shock everyone—he was the Tianyun Supreme Master!

    "Three thousand years, and I can finally leave Tianyun Mountain for three hundred miles. Not bad," the Supreme Master thought. Three thousand years ago, a drop of blood had awakened his intelligence, transforming him from a land turtle into human form with eternal life. The blood had given him many secret techniques and knowledge, but at the cost of being unable to leave Tianyun Mountain. He cultivated in seclusion year after year, making slow progress due to his poor aptitude. It took him five hundred years to reach the imperial level and another fifteen hundred to become an unparalleled emperor. Twenty years ago, he reached the legendary celestial realm.

    Despite his low aptitude, his survival instincts were sharp, often outlasting his enemies and then celebrating over their graves. He founded the Tianyun Sacred Sect, becoming its supreme master, while his elders remained unaware that each generation of supreme masters was just his various disguises.

    As he strolled, he hummed a tune. "Indeed, I was too timid before. Stirring up the thousand-year war between humans and demons, feeding on the blood and qi of the fallen, my progress was slow. Controlling the fortunes of the human race and demon bloodlines is the true path!"

    Feeling his power surge, the Supreme Master lamented his poor aptitude. According to the secret techniques of the immortal blood, inciting wars provided him the blood and qi necessary for his gradual advancement. Human and demon races were naturally opposed, and it took little effort to manipulate them from the shadows. Yet, with his rapid power growth, he sought a more extreme method.

    Thus, he devised the most potent and sinister technique: the national fortune blood sacrifice. He sent the Ruler of Nation to various countries to absorb their fortunes. In sixty years, the ritual would be complete, and he would sacrifice the human and demon races, transcending to become the true ruler of Wangyue Continent.

    Reflecting on his life, the Supreme Master felt proud. His life, though arduous, was ultimately successful—low profile yet victorious, and becoming powerful late in life.

    "I once bowed to the powerful, and now I stir the winds with a word. No matter how talented you are, you too will become dust and a joke," he mused. "The eternal evergreen immortal turtle has finally come into its own today!"

    Often frequenting brothels, the Supreme Master hummed his tunes, though his literacy was poor, and his verses lacked proper structure. As he prepared to return to the sect for another seclusion, a crow flew overhead, bringing bad luck. With a flick, the crow died instantly.

    Feeling a sudden dread, the Supreme Master decided, "No more roaming outside! No more brothels either." He made an uncharacteristic decision against his usual habits.