Chapter 61: The First Emperor’s Message

After Zhang Xiao received the set of robes handed over by Xia Tan and stored them in his Bone Ring, he made his way alone to the meditation chamber. After all, this chamber in the manor was personally constructed by Zhang Xiao when he had first taken residence here, so he was intimately familiar with it. He settled himself in a cross-legged position within the chamber.

Zhang Xiao retrieved a crystal vial from the Bone Ring. Inside, a cluster of silver light flickered, occasionally emitting thin bolts of lightning. Seeing this, a tinge of reluctance arose in his heart. He remembered how he had exchanged three hundred jars of Burning Fire Knife for three clusters of exotic flames. Among them, the wind attribute flame from the Assassin’s Guild and the wood attribute flame from the Alchemist’s Guild were precious, yet they paled in comparison to the thunder attribute flame he now held.

With the aid of the wind and wood attribute flames, Zhang Xiao had once broken through to the Nascent Soul stage in one fell swoop, advancing his Seven Transformations Profound Heaven Technique to the eighth level. Initially, he intended to preserve the thunder attribute flame until he reached the fourteenth level of the same cultivation method, hoping to find divine beast armor fragments or feathers related to thunder attributes. Then, with the help of the thunder flame, he could perfect the second transformation. But now, Zhang Xiao found it necessary to adjust his plans.

He tapped the crystal vial lightly. The once flawless vessel shattered instantly. Freed from the crystal’s confinement, the wild thunderstorm erupted from the flame cluster before his eyes. Lightning bolts struck him repeatedly, yet they could not harm a single hair on his body.

At his current physical state, Zhang Xiao was a monster among monsters. Even heavenly tribulations could not faze him. “Swiftly!” he commanded, his palm reaching out to grasp the thunder flame in midair. Streams of pure Yang energy wrapped tightly around the raging flame.

Forming seals with his fingers, Zhang Xiao inserted talismanic symbols into the thunder flame. Suddenly, the flame trembled violently, releasing strands of hair-thin lightning that burrowed into his body. Unlike other exotic flames, the thunder attribute lightning began to inflict intense destruction within him upon entry. The thunder flame was one of the most ferocious forces in the world.

Though Zhang Xiao had reached the Nascent Soul’s initial phase, he could not yet fully command such celestial power. Gritting his teeth, he activated the Seven Transformations Profound Heaven Technique and began cultivating with fierce determination.

Twenty days passed in the blink of an eye. Sitting cross-legged in the meditation chamber, Zhang Xiao gazed at the thunder flame, now shrunk to less than half its original size. With repeated gestures, streams of pure Yang energy instantly enveloped the flame. Under his control, the essence of the Yang energy coalesced into a sealed jade bottle, which he carefully pocketed.

Rising with resolute strides, Zhang Xiao prepared to leave. Though his cultivation remained at the Nascent Soul’s initial phase, his Nascent Soul was now stable and unified with his spirit. He was but one step away from entering the middle stage of Nascent Soul. The Seven Transformations Profound Heaven Technique had advanced to the tenth level. Though no extraordinary abilities had manifested, his mystical turtle transformation had grown far more formidable.

However, as Zhang Xiao pushed open the secret chamber’s door, he was momentarily taken aback. Ni Weilán was seated right at the entrance, evidently having waited for him to emerge. Seeing him step out, she hurried forward, pleading, “Please, don’t go. Just for Lan Fang’s sake, can you stay?”

Zhang Xiao shook his head with a bitter smile. “This isn’t just about Lan Fang anymore. The path of cultivation demands braving the winds and waves. Lan Fang is my love, but if I give up and hide away because of her, my Dao heart will bear an indelible scar forever. So whether for Lan Fang or for myself, I must go to Kunlun.”

Without warning, Ni Weilán produced a silver needle from her hand and swiftly plunged it into Zhang Xiao’s back. “No matter what, I won’t let you go,” she declared fiercely. The silver needle was no ordinary weapon but a seventh-grade magical treasure known as the Azure Roaming Needle, capable of piercing protective spiritual energy. Upon entry, it would shatter the opponent’s mind and spirit, rendering them powerless to resist.

Though Ni Weilán knew Zhang Xiao might hate her afterward—or even kill her—she did not care. But things rarely went as simply as expected. Zhang Xiao’s body trembled, and a scorching heat radiated from the needle. Ni Weilán recoiled in alarm.

The needle embedded in Zhang Xiao’s back instantly dissolved into a swirl of silver water. The boiling pure Yang energy exploded outward, hurling Ni Weilán across the chamber. Before she could rise, Zhang Xiao pointed a finger at her brow. Darkness clouded her vision, and she lost consciousness.

Gently brushing away the strands of hair from Ni Weilán’s face, Zhang Xiao murmured, “Foolish girl, I’m sorry for ruining one of your treasures. Let this Shuiyue Sword make up for it.” From the Bone Ring, he withdrew an eighth-grade flying sword. Though not the highest grade, it was perfectly suited to Ni Weilán’s cultivation method. He placed it lightly in her hand before turning and striding out of the chamber.

“Back out again. Looks like that girl didn’t persuade you,” a voice said sharply. Zhang Xiao’s eyes narrowed as he looked up to see a man in white robes with a blue sash.

Few could surprise Zhang Xiao, but this man was one of them—Wu Anjun Bai Qi. What shocked Zhang Xiao most was that Bai Qi’s strength had reached the Nascent Soul stage. Smiling faintly at Zhang Xiao’s astonishment, Bai Qi said, “Don’t be surprised. The Maoshan Sect and the Ten Thousand Demons Cult didn’t hand the Tai’a Divine Sword to Emperor Qin for nothing. The sword enhances national power, and the stronger our nation grows, the stronger we old Qin people become.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiao relaxed. He wasn’t worried since Bai Qi never acted without a solid plan. If he had come to see him now, it must be for an important reason. Zhang Xiao wanted to see what confidence Bai Qi had to persuade him.

Chuckling, Zhang Xiao teased, “So, you came to stop me too? I don’t recall the butcher Bai Qi, who’s killed millions, ever playing the diplomat.”

Bai Qi smiled. “I’m not here as a diplomat—that’s Li Si’s role. I’m not here to persuade you either. Emperor Qin sent me with two messages.”

“Two messages?” Zhang Xiao was momentarily puzzled, unsure of what Bai Qi was up to. Bai Qi then tossed a small storage pouch to him. “I don’t know if this will help, but here—take it.”

Zhang Xiao scanned the contents and his face lit up with joy. Inside were exactly twenty crystal yuan pearls.

Bai Qi then imitated Emperor Qin’s voice: “Kid, if you can beat them, then beat them hard. But once it’s done, hide far away. I won’t clean up your mess. If you can’t win and die, I’ll grant you an honorable tomb. If you run, I’ll give you a vacation to go play nice with the Hong Sect. When your cultivation reaches the Integration stage, come back.”

Zhang Xiao couldn’t help but laugh at the emperor’s words, which hardly sounded majestic. Yet, he secretly admired such a straightforward ruler.

“The thirty crystal yuan in your hand are the maximum amount Emperor Qin can easily allocate. Any more and it would attract Maoshan Sect’s attention. So, are they useful?” Bai Qi asked.

Zhang Xiao smiled. “Useful? Of course they are.”

Seeing this, Bai Qi nodded and produced a wine gourd from behind him. “What I said earlier was from Emperor Qin. What I’m about to say now is from me. In my life, few have earned my respect, but I truly respect you. The Heavenly Shift happened not long ago, and you’ve already reached this point—standing alone against the nine great sects. Such courage commands respect. Cheers!”

He then tilted his head back and drank heartily. Zhang Xiao was not to be outdone; he pulled out a jar of Burning Fire Knife wine, tore it open, and drank alongside him.

After finishing his wine, Bai Qi turned and strode away. Zhang Xiao, seeing him off, had no desire to meet Xia Tan and Xia Cheng at this moment. His journey ahead was fraught with uncertainty and peril; there was no need for sentimentality.

With a swipe of his palm through the void, a spatial rift appeared before him. Glancing once more at the scenery around the manor, Zhang Xiao stepped into the rift without looking back.

Kunlun—the source of all Chinese mythology—had been celebrated from the age of Pangu’s creation of the world and the primeval era. The Daoist Three Pure Ones, Nüwa creating humanity, Hou Yi shooting down the suns, the Queen Mother of the West, and the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan all spoke of Kunlun.

After the Celestial Shift, Kunlun Sea stretched endlessly. The towering Kunlun Main Peak rose into the clouds, a sight mortals could only look upon in awe. Yet today was different. Colorful clouds and red sun rays supported the Kunlun Sea, and the usually shrouded Kunlun Main Peak finally unveiled itself, revealing an intoxicating landscape.

The main peak pierced the sky, surrounded by eighteen smaller floating peaks. These peaks were adorned with golden jade pavilions, connected by rainbow bridges, making the entire scene resemble a fairyland.

Pairs of Kunlun disciples soared down from the main peak on magical treasures, weaving bridges of rainbow light. Many female disciples scattered flower petals in the air. All this was no coincidence—it was the grand celebration of Zhang Yifan, the Kunlun Sect leader.

Teams of people began to arrive—both righteous and demonic forces. The second-generation leaders of the eight great sects came, each accompanied by elite disciples who had earned great renown. These followers confidently strode onto the rainbow bridges.

“Master Yuan Yi of the Maoshan Sect has arrived!” a sharp shout rang out. Eighteen winged celestial horses pulled a massive carriage riding the rainbow clouds toward the assembly.