Chapter 92: Three Thousand Lives as a Favor

Suddenly, Nan Luo realized that their expedition against the Houtu tribe was no different from marching to their own deaths. The mere presence of Kuafu left the first celestial army of Heaven feeling helpless and powerless. At this level of battle, mere numbers meant nothing; although the difference between celestial immortals and divine beings was only a single rank, the spells and magical treasures of countless celestial soldiers struck Kuafu like snowflakes drifting down, radiant and beautiful to behold, yet utterly incapable of causing him any harm.

The sorcery and refining techniques of the Wu clan were indeed unparalleled under heaven and earth, their corporeal bodies forged to unimaginable strength. Beiling suddenly appeared before Nan Luo, her delicate face flushed with excitement, a blood-red hue tinging her pupils.

"This top-tier Great Wu is truly formidable. Today, I will see whether my Spirit-Devouring magic can break his manifestation of Heaven and Earth." Without waiting for Nan Luo to reply, she transformed into a streak of blood and vanished into the void.

Her blood-shadow did not hide itself, but rather flickered through the void like a reflection on water, weaving in and out around Kuafu like a crimson veil submerged in the depths. In an instant, she appeared and vanished around him, elusive as silk in water.

As Beiling engaged Kuafu, the others scattered across the sky, their spells slowed as if affected by Kuafu’s presence. This expedition was Heaven’s first true show of force against those who refused submission.

Yet, those who had joined Heaven so early were generally not highly cultivated; few had truly achieved divine powers and entered the realm of gods, most lingered at the peak of the celestial immortal stage. Many had originally cultivated in the mountains beneath Mount Buzhou, hoping that an early entry into Heaven might bring benefit. Some who had entered the divine realm had not comprehended any powerful divine abilities, so though they were technically gods, their strength paled compared to someone like Kuafu, who possessed profound divine powers at the peak of the god realm.

"Form the array..."

Siming, seeing that their side could not so much as touch Kuafu, remembered the formation he had previously dismissed. He had never fought a Wu Great Wu himself, only witnessed Nan Luo’s battle with two Great Wu, from which Nan Luo escaped unscathed.

Since then, he had compared himself with Nan Luo, believing that although the Wu clan was formidable, he might not be inferior to their Great Wu. But now, faced with a true Great Wu, he felt the overwhelming power of their divine arts and their ability to resist all spells and treasures. A sense of helplessness welled up inside him.

At his words, the others snapped out of their daze, starry light rising from their bodies as the formation took shape in an instant.

The formation was not complex; rather, it was exceedingly simple, its sole purpose to focus their scattered spiritual power. Too complex a formation could not be established instantly.

Starry light connected those scattered across the sky, weaving into a blue net that enclosed Kuafu within.

Once the net was formed, Beiling vanished, appearing again beside Nan Luo.

She snorted softly, "Trying to trap me in there as well? Not a chance. None of these people are worth anything..." Nan Luo showed no expression, quietly watching. Beiling muttered to herself that, given the chance, she would devour all their spiritual energy.

Watching Kuafu trapped within the formation, Nan Luo thought: if others tried such a formation on him, he would never allow himself to be trapped. He would escape instantly and cut down his foes one by one.

Just then, Kuafu stabbed his pitch-black wooden staff into the air. Immediately, boundless clouds surged toward the staff, enveloping all those who had trapped him.

Nan Luo stood motionless. Beiling glanced back at him, then gathered her dark hair and laughed.

The black clouds grew thicker, like ink, billowing endlessly. Angry shouts, roars, and beast cries echoed from within.

After a while, a voice emerged from the black clouds.

"Nan Luo, you stand by while we are trapped, refusing to help. How will you answer to the Celestial Emperor?"

A streak of white light shot from the black clouds, racing away to the distant sky.

Beiling, hearing this, narrowed her eyes, blood-light flickering as she looked back—only to find Nan Luo had vanished.

A metallic ring echoed from afar.

Beiling, surprised by Nan Luo’s disappearance, looked toward the horizon. She saw a bisected corpse falling from the heights, blood spattering through the air.

Nan Luo, meanwhile, appeared once more at her side, calm and composed. Beiling’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him, saying, "I only wanted to kill him, yet you beat me to it. Hehe..."

Nan Luo smiled lightly. The black clouds dissipated, and Kuafu emerged, still gripping his black staff, standing steadily in the void—serene, without a hint of hostility or bloodlust.

The thousands who had been there were gone; Nan Luo showed no surprise, quietly watching, his face giving nothing away.

"I repeat: you carry half a drop of Wu blood. You are half Wu yourself; leave Heaven, and my clan will ensure your safety." Kuafu spoke with his usual calm, steady demeanor.

"I wish to leave Heaven, but I cannot. Perhaps you do not know—I killed Zhaomian. You and I are alike in our own way. Consider this encounter a gift to you. If I return someday, it will be as enemies, blade to blade." Nan Luo spoke quietly, ignoring Beiling, took her hand, and vanished into the void.

Kuafu stood for a long while, his silhouette seeming to merge with the sky.

Nan Luo, holding Beiling’s hand, did not immediately return to Heaven. Instead, he paused atop a mountain, gazing silently at the distant horizon.

Beiling held up the hand Nan Luo had grasped, examining it against the light. Her slender fingers were as flawless white jade, almost translucent. She frowned, as if trying to sense some difference.

She looked at her own hand, then at Nan Luo’s, then at Nan Luo himself, before finally tucking her hand back into her pale blue sleeve.

She paid no mind to Nan Luo’s contemplative mood, instead complaining, "I didn’t even get to ask Kuafu whether he ate those people or did something else. You dragged me away, and now I’ll never know."

Nan Luo turned to her, smiling, "No, he didn’t eat them. He refined them into the black clouds—those clouds are the black robe he wears."

"You could see through those clouds?" Beiling asked, surprised. She herself had tried with all her might but could not penetrate their depths, and was astonished that Nan Luo could.

"Hehe, I possess a mirror that reveals all under heaven and earth, observes the myriad worlds, and justifies my title as Star Lord," Nan Luo replied with a faint smile.

Beiling studied him for a while, but did not ask to see the mirror. Instead, she suddenly said, "You killed someone from Heaven—aren’t you planning to return?"

Nan Luo stood silently, giving no answer. She continued, "Perhaps it’s just as well. From today, let’s roam the wilderness together. It won’t be long before we’re famous across the land."

"I must return to Heaven," Nan Luo said, gazing at the sky with a sigh.

"Then why did you do what you did?" Beiling asked, puzzled, her waist-length hair drifting on the wind, the sun setting in the sky and painting the world with a faint red glow.

"Hehe, some things cannot be explained. No matter how much one cultivates, no matter how calm the heart, some matters cannot be controlled." Nan Luo turned, his gaze distant. Before Beiling could reply, he said, "Come, let’s return to Heaven and report." With that, he vanished into the void.

Beiling’s hand, hidden in her pale blue sleeve, moved slightly; yet she stood still, raising the hand Nan Luo had grasped and gazing at it, the sunset casting a red blush upon her jade-like skin.

A gust of wind swept by, her waist-length black hair flowing in the air, and then she too vanished.

Within Heaven, Nan Luo and Beiling stood quietly in the Hall of Stars.

Di Jun smiled faintly at Nan Luo, while Taiyi scrutinized him from head to toe.

"I must admit I misjudged you, boy. To have the audacity to hand over Heaven’s soldiers as a favor and then return so boldly! Do you think I, Taiyi, am incapable of killing?"

Nan Luo’s actions were immediately known to Di Jun and Taiyi upon his return; perhaps they had watched the battle unfold in detail.

Taiyi spoke in a normal tone, but his words carried a mountainous pressure. Beiling felt a surge of tension, her magic power raging within, her black hair swirling.

She stood beside Nan Luo, unmoving, her slender neck raised proudly and without fear.

Nan Luo replied, "I dare not. They were simply defeated and killed by the enemy."

"And Siming? He was cut in two by your sword," the Eastern Emperor said, standing before Nan Luo, exuding a powerful aura from his earth-yellow robe.

"He had a brother who tormented my clan for decades, slaughtering countless of my people. He would surely seek vengeance, so I killed him," Nan Luo said calmly, showing not the slightest hint of weakness.

Di Jun sat quietly, listening, seemingly lost in thought, paying no heed to Taiyi’s interrogation.

"If I ordered you now to kill Kuafu and bring me his head, could you do it?" Taiyi asked, turning away from Nan Luo.

"Hehe, Eastern Emperor, you overestimate me. I have cultivated for only twenty years—I cannot hope to slay a top-tier Great Wu," Nan Luo replied with a gentle smile.

Beiling was astonished by Nan Luo’s demeanor; he had changed dramatically, even more so than before their return to Heaven. She realized only now that, over these days, he had been transforming day by day.

He could now speak with calm confidence before the Celestial Emperor and the Eastern Emperor, without the slightest sign of weakness.

Taiyi laughed heartily, turning back, "Kuafu may be the Wu clan’s first Great Wu, but your divine arts are not weak. If you show your full strength, you may not be far behind. In the future, you may well kill him. Kuafu’s fate is yours to claim."

Nan Luo hurriedly agreed, knowing his life was spared. As he prepared to take his leave, Di Jun spoke:

"Heaven has just been founded—not just anyone may enter. Those who died are gone, but Heaven’s reputation must not be tarnished. Tell me, what should Heaven do now?"

Di Jun, clad in robes adorned with the stars of the cosmos, his eyes like the night sky, spoke softly, yet Nan Luo sensed a chilling murderous intent. Suddenly, he felt Di Jun was even more terrifying than Taiyi.

From his words, Nan Luo understood that this group had simply been brought in to make up numbers, not true experts—hence this attack on the Houtu tribe.

Though Di Jun and Taiyi cared little for these people, it was still a Heaven expedition, watched by countless eyes across the world.

This question made Nan Luo wonder if he must journey again to the Houtu tribe, ostensibly to preserve Heaven’s dignity, but in truth to risk his life, explaining the death of Siming to all under heaven...

Nan Luo bowed his head. "I do not know; I await the Celestial Emperor’s command."

"Hehe, rest assured. The world’s view will change entirely by tomorrow. I will not send you alone to slay Kuafu—the Houtu tribe retreated as soon as you left. From today, you will follow the Eastern Emperor, watching closely. The Houtu tribe is insignificant. Heaven is newly formed and needs a team of divine beasts to pull its chariot. Dragons from the Dragon Palace are perfect."

Taiyi laughed, domineering and resolute.

Nan Luo was shocked—Di Jun intended to capture nine true dragons for his chariot, an extraordinary undertaking. If he succeeded, the world would be shaken.

Once, the Dragon Palace’s power was unmatched. Though the Dragon King had fallen, many dragon sons remained, and true dragons with inherited power were not scarce. Yet Di Jun wanted nine true dragons, merely as chariot beasts.

What kind of chariot would require such awe-inspiring creatures? What kind of power would it possess?

Nan Luo’s heart quaked, but he showed nothing, responding swiftly after a brief pause.

He understood—Heaven was truly preparing for action. The earlier battle with the Wu clan was likely a warning to those casually sending clan members to Heaven’s ranks.

It was also a test of the Wu clan’s attitude, the greatest power under heaven.

As for those people’s lives, Di Jun and Taiyi cared not. Nan Luo wondered what cultivation level would make them pay heed—perhaps someone like the demon god Bai Ze? Yet Bai Ze’s whereabouts were unknown; since Bai Ze entered Heaven, Nan Luo had not seen him.

Outside the Hall of Stars, Nan Luo looked at Beiling and asked, "Why did you return to Heaven with me? You know I stood by as those people were killed by Kuafu, and I slew Siming myself—I may well die. Why did you follow me back? I left first precisely to give you a reason to leave, but you returned anyway. Why?"

"Nothing much. I said before I wanted to play in Heaven, and I haven’t played enough yet," Beiling replied with a mischievous laugh.

"And when the Celestial Emperor offered to make you a Star Lord, why didn’t you accept?"

"What’s the point in being a Star Lord? Once you take the post, you can’t leave as you wish. Much better to be your subordinate—come and go as I please."

Nan Luo smiled, saying nothing more. He never tried to fathom her peculiar thinking.

The two stood in the plaza before Heaven, gazing at the star-filled sky. Beiling’s black hair drifted in the wind; clad in white, she seemed ethereal.

"To think nothing happened at all—you must have guessed this outcome," Beiling said with a smile.

"Hehe, there are countless great powers under heaven; how could a mere human who has cultivated for just a few decades become Heaven’s first Star Lord? The real experts simply haven’t come. Even some demon kings would not catch the eye of the Celestial Emperor and the Eastern Emperor. Others are sent by powerful elders in their clans, merely as token support, not truly pledging themselves to Heaven. Sending these people to attack the Wu clan was likely to test the Wu clan’s attitude toward Heaven."

Nan Luo stood atop Mount Buzhou, gazing over the world. Only then did he realize he could see through many things.

A crescent moon crossed the sky, shrouding Nan Luo and Beiling’s figures in misty light. Their shadows stretched long, as if merging into one.

That night, Nan Luo and Beiling spoke at length.

He was not a talkative man, but whether moved by the setting or his own mood, he recounted all his experiences—from childhood, to being captured by the Third Prince of the Eagles and sent to Cang Mang, the dreamlike feeling of flying through the air, the shame and despair of imprisonment, and the joy of escaping after falling from the wind.

He spoke of his days wandering the mountains with Master Yangli, the events in the Undying Palace of Phoenix Mountain, six years of silent waiting in the Tai Chi Palace of Kunlun Mountain before earning the status of a registered disciple.

...

Nan Luo had never shared these things before—not in the Yangping tribe, nor even in passing, except as brief anecdotes.

Beiling listened quietly, free of demonic or bloodthirsty aura, serene and tranquil.

She did not speak, but often looked up at Nan Luo, her eyes shining with a strange light.

After finishing, Nan Luo felt hollow inside and regretted speaking. He quickly added, "Don’t repeat this to anyone." No sooner had he said it than he regretted it more; with her personality, if he hadn’t emphasized it, she might have forgotten immediately, but now she would surely remember. Besides, who would she tell, and who would care to hear his rambling tales?

Beiling laughed joyfully and nodded quickly, "Mm, I won’t tell anyone."

Her look made Nan Luo uneasy, and he turned away, refusing to meet her gaze.