Chapter 117: A Thousand Years

A hundred miles away, on the peak of a green mountain, stood a dashing man wearing a tawny Dharma robe. A faint, inscrutable smile always seemed to linger at the corners of his mouth, and the two eyebrow-like whiskers above his lips lent him an air of unrestrained elegance.

Beside him stood the white-clad Niu Lianhua, whose appearance matched his name—a man exuding an aura of romantic charm. He spoke, “Third Uncle, it seems that Nan Luo still has some tricks up his sleeve. The title of ‘First Star Lord of the Heavenly Court’ is not entirely unearned.”

“Heh, and why would you believe in this ‘First Star Lord’ title? Still, given his current level of cultivation, he could barely be called such,” the mustachioed man replied with a soft chuckle, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

“I only wonder if he can handle this current predicament. If he fails, wouldn't it ruin Father’s grand plan?” Niu Lianhua asked, his peach-blossom eyes filled with concern.

“Heh, I was worried too, but after seeing the sword arts and the cultivation of the Great Dao of the Five Elements he just displayed, my worries seem superfluous.” He paused, then added, “Eldest Brother once said that although humans have short lifespans, they possess innate Dao bodies and sharp intellects. If they can embark on the path of cultivation, they are among the most gifted creatures in heaven and earth. Seeing Nan Luo achieve this much in less than a century, it is clear that humanity is indeed extraordinary…”

“I disagree with you, Third Uncle. While humans possess innate Dao bodies and avoid the need for transformation or awakening like our demon kin, their inherent intelligence is far superior. Yet, very few humans manage to transcend the limitations of their lifespan within a hundred years. Furthermore, it is much harder for humans to enter the path of cultivation. Most importantly, they lack those who attained the Great Dao at the dawn of creation; without anyone to pass down the teachings, they can never ascend to the highest ranks of existence.”

“Lianhua, you underestimate them. Perhaps you underestimate all living beings in this world. The Great Dao is everywhere. As long as one has the opportunity and the grasp to seize it, one can comprehend the Great Dao at any moment.”

The man in white, who had introduced himself as Niu Lianhua to Bei Ling, smiled noncommittally. He clearly remained unconvinced but said nothing more.

***

Green Sperm-Seed’s face was ashen. He had never imagined Nan Luo was this powerful; in his eyes, Nan Luo had been at most a notch or two above him. Later, hearing from Old Ancestor Golden Light that Nan Luo had used a secret technique to merge with the spiritual veins of the mountains and was no longer beneath those in the Dao Realm, he had felt fortunate that he hadn't rashly attacked when he heard Nan Luo’s training had gone awry at Falling Spirit Cave.

But in the blink of an eye, the demon kings of every mountain within a thousand miles were dead. They hadn't even possessed the strength to resist; even those who sensed the danger and wished to flee were unable to do so.

The moment the Azure Color Sword was unsheathed, he had felt an icy chill in his heart, as if submerged in frigid water. His thoughts seemed to freeze, unable to function. Only upon reflection did he understand why so many demon kings had stood there waiting for death without a hint of resistance. He also realized that if he hadn't been standing far enough from Falling Spirit Mountain, he would have died just as inexplicably.

Green Sperm-Seed glanced at Old Ancestor Golden Light and the Eagle Tribe King, only to find their faces as cold as water. There was no sign of surprise; it was as if everything had been expected.

Old Ancestor Golden Light chuckled, “I never thought his comprehension of the Dao would be this profound. Although he has not yet stepped into the Dao Realm, he is not far off.”

“Old Ancestor, look, Nan Luo is still so formidable. It seems the Pulse-Severing Formation has had no effect. With the spiritual energy currently in the mountain’s veins, his magical power is no less than that of someone in the Dao Realm,” Green Sperm-Seed said, frowning. He realized he had not only provoked someone he shouldn't have, but had also poked a hornet's nest. The two men beside him, whether the Old Ancestor or the Eagle King, seemed to have their own agendas, appearing unfathomable.

“Heh, cutting off the spiritual veins with the Eight Directions Pulse-Severing Formation is only one purpose. Another wonderful use is the silent and invisible absorption of the spiritual energy from those veins. We need only wait; the spiritual veins of Falling Spirit Mountain will surely be drained within forty-nine days.”

Green Sperm-Seed’s heart sank. They hadn't told him about this secondary effect. Did they do it on purpose, or did they simply not value him at all? He mused on this, while his face displayed a look of relief. He laughed loudly, “It seems everything is under the control of the Old Ancestor and the Eagle King. Nan Luo is surely doomed this time.”

He thought to himself, “I don’t care what your plans are, but if you intend to snatch the Demon Moon Mirror as well, don’t blame me for using the Great King’s treasure against you.” Remembering the power of the artifact the Great King had described—*“This treasure has infinite power; those struck face the peril of a scattered soul, and even I cannot heal them. Do not use it lightly unless life is at stake”*—he steeled himself.

After that sword strike, the world fell silent, leaving only the mountain filled with the corpses of demons.

Qingqing suddenly realized that her master was no longer the youth who sat on a blue stone, practicing diligently day and night.

Suddenly, an earthen-yellow path appeared at her feet, stretching into the mountain. As she stepped onto it, it felt as firm as the earth itself. Before she could take a second step, the path brought her instantly into the Falling Spirit Cave.

The cave was quiet and dim. Nan Luo sat motionless, eyes closed, his hair neatly combed and tied behind his head. His green Dharma robe appeared to have been tidied as well.

“Master!” Qingqing called out softly, frowning. She recalled the woman in the Kunlun Mountains saying her master was dying. She had thought it was just the siege, but now she realized her master might truly be in trouble. It was no wonder he had sent that woman to the Kunlun Mountains to find the Taiji Palace.

“Qingqing, heh, you have succeeded in your transformation. It is good that you have transformed, good that you have come,” Nan Luo’s gentle voice came from the void. He sounded happy—perhaps the happiest he had been since his entrapment.

Qingqing looked at his motionless body and whispered, “Master, your body?”

“Heh, my body is fine. I have simply been plotted against by the Heavenly Emperor and lost my freedom…” Nan Luo said, his words gentle and calm. One could not detect a trace of the heaven-shaking killing intent or the tyrannical power that had felled thousands of beings with a single stroke.

Qingqing did not quite believe him. She remembered the year Nan Luo had returned to the Taiji Palace, kneeling in the wind and snow for three days and nights before leaving in disappointment. She imagined that if her master weren't truly helpless, he would never have sent that woman to seek out his own master at Kunlun.

Moreover, if Nan Luo had been plotted against by the Heavenly Emperor, given the current might of the Heavenly Court, how many people in this world were even worth the Emperor’s schemes? And if one were targeted by the Emperor, how difficult must it be to escape?

She couldn't help but say, “Master, I met a woman in the Kunlun Mountains. She said, Master, you…”

“Said I was dying, right? That is just like her; she likes to exaggerate everything,” Nan Luo smiled.

“Yes!”

“And her? Did she say where she was going?” In Nan Luo’s view, since Bei Ling had gone to the Kunlun Mountains and met Qingqing, she must have been the one to tell Qingqing where he was, and she had likely departed afterward.

Qingqing knew whom Nan Luo meant. She was silent for a moment, then said, “She was captured by the people of the Yuxu Palace…”

The void fell silent. Qingqing looked at Nan Luo’s unchanging face and felt as if his expression had darkened. She didn't know if it was an illusion, but she felt a chilling aura permeate the air and couldn't help but shiver.

After a long while, Nan Luo’s voice came from the void: “Captured by the Yuxu Palace? I told her her personality would eventually lead to trouble. I wonder who from the Yuxu Palace took action to capture her.”

His voice was faint, devoid of any special emotional fluctuation, as if he were hearing news about a stranger. Qingqing suddenly felt a sense of injustice for that woman. She did not agree with the style of that strange, demonic woman, but that woman had gone to Kunlun for her master’s sake and had been captured because of it.

Qingqing clearly felt that the woman had become frantic upon hearing that the Taiji Palace had vanished years ago, which was why she had used the lives of thousands of beings to force the Master of Profound Truth to appear. That was what had attracted the attention of the Yuxu Palace. Hearing Nan Luo’s indifferent tone, she felt a sense of unfairness but said nothing, only recounting how she had met Bei Ling and the woman’s attempt to force the Master of Profound Truth to appear.

“How was she captured?” Nan Luo’s voice asked sharply.

“She was dueling with the Great Immortal Guangcheng of the Yuxu Palace when someone suddenly ambushed her. She was severely wounded and eventually captured.”

Guangchengzi was very famous in the Kunlun region, so most people knew him, but Qingqing did not recognize the person who had appeared afterward. However, that person had spoken a sentence at the end, which revealed his name.

“Do you know the name of the person who wounded her?” Nan Luo pressed.

“He said he was Huang Long, a disciple under the Primordial Venerable of the Yuxu Palace,” Qingqing replied, watching Nan Luo’s motionless form.

Then, Nan Luo’s voice echoed like a murmur: “Yuxu Palace… Huang Long… Great Immortal Guangcheng…”

Nan Luo recalled the year he had spent climbing those nine thousand nine hundred and ninety steps, only to be denied entry and told they were no longer accepting disciples… and then, he was gifted a copy of *The General Outline of Yuxu Magic*.

Qingqing suddenly remembered that when Bei Ling was taken away, she had shouted the location of Falling Spirit Mountain to her, seemingly with a specific purpose. *“She must have wanted me to tell Master that she had been captured, hoping Master would go to save her,”* Qingqing thought.

“Is she… badly hurt?”

“Vomiting blood, pale, unable to flee, her energy chaotic,” Qingqing replied quickly, recalling Bei Ling’s state.

The void fell silent again. After a while, Nan Luo’s voice drifted out: “Hmm, as long as she is not dead!”

Qingqing wanted to shout that all of this had happened because of him, and how could he be so devoid of concern? But before she could speak, Nan Luo added, “Did they say how they would deal with her?”

“They said they would press her beneath the steps in front of the Yuxu Palace to reflect on her transgressions for a thousand years. If she truly repents after a millennium, they will release her,” Qingqing said quickly, as if to voice all of Bei Ling’s grievances. She held little affection for Bei Ling, but knowing the woman’s fate was tied to her master, she felt an injustice that Nan Luo seemed so indifferent. She felt she had understood the look in Bei Ling’s eyes when she was captured—that she had hoped for rescue.

“Beneath the steps of the Yuxu Palace, to reflect on her transgressions… Heh, reflection? It might be good for her temperament, so she doesn't go around killing people and swallowing spiritual energy, ignoring everyone in the world.”

“Master, you shouldn't say that,” Qingqing interjected.

Nan Luo seemed stunned for a moment, then laughed, “Heh, Qingqing has grown up. Sigh, then what do you think Master should do?”

Qingqing was stunned. *Yes, Master is trapped here; what can he do?* Yet she still felt his attitude shouldn't be so casual. She felt disappointment that he showed no anger.

She took a breath and said, somewhat stifled, “Master, can you tell me her name?”

It took a long time before Nan Luo replied, “She… is called Bei Ling.” After a moment, he added, “She is a Demon General under my command.”

Nan Luo’s voice seemed ethereal, yet Qingqing felt his emotion. That phrase, *“a Demon General under my command,”* was said with absolute firmness, as if it were a declaration.

Qingqing felt she understood his thoughts and felt a flicker of joy. Nan Luo then asked, “Qingqing, where did you get that banana leaf fan?”

Qingqing blew on the small green leaf in her hand, and it instantly grew to the size of a standard fan. Gently waving it, she said, “Is this green fan called a banana leaf fan? I found it on the blue stone where Master sat to teach me the Dao.”

“Oh, is that so? Heh, this is your opportunity. Cultivate it well; do not lose it.”

Qingqing nodded.

“Heh, you have called me Master for so long, but I have yet to teach you any magic or supernatural powers. What do you wish to learn?”

“I want to learn…”

Nan Luo began to teach the Dao while surrounded by strong enemies, as if he had forgotten they lurked in the shadows and remained oblivious to the eight altars that were incessantly devouring the Taiyin spiritual veins.

The demons of Falling Spirit Mountain were now in a frenzy of excitement. Nan Luo’s image had become infinitely grand in their hearts. So many demon kings had come with the force to level the mountain, only to fall beneath their leader’s sword in the blink of an eye.

For the invading demon kings, this was a disaster. But for the demons of Falling Spirit Mountain, it was a feast of spoils.

The black bear in the cave found a glowing, cold mace overflowing with spiritual energy. It was heavy, and as he swung it, it seemed to possess the power to shatter mountains. He laughed, “Haha, from today on, I, the Black Bear, have a magical treasure! Haha…” He pondered, thinking he needed a more impressive name. He turned to the giant flower snake beside him and said, “From today on, I shall be called Black Wind.”

The flower snake asked, “Black… Black… Wind… what does that mean?”

“Black represents myself—I cannot forget my roots. Wind represents the hope that one day I will have the majesty of our Great King,” the black bear said proudly.

The Morning Mist tribe lay between the Falling Spirit Mountain range and the Soul-Burial Mountain. These days had been the hardest for them, and Quan Shi had considered relocating the tribe.

However, Quan Yin stopped him, arguing that no matter where they moved, they would not escape the harassment of the mountain demons. Fortunately, the demons seemed restrained and did not come down to harass the tribe. Even the occasional small demon was easily dealt with by Quan Yin.

This brought her relief, but while the tribe worried about the demons, she worried about Nan Luo. She felt these demons had come for him.

Her concern was still heavy in her heart when danger suddenly descended upon her.

A gust of black wind, a black banner, and a dwarf suddenly appeared before Quan Yin.

An intense sense of danger gripped her heart!