"Who are you?"
Sun and Wang arrived together with Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong. For a moment, Xu Ke felt dazed and thought they were his descendants.
But he quickly reacted.
Given the conditions of the empire's small world, which lacked spiritual energy, it was impossible for cultivators of such a realm to be born there.
Xu Ke's profound gaze immediately fell upon the two of them.
Sun Erlang saluted with neither arrogance nor humility and said, "By the order of my master, we have come to invite Senior to meet him."
"Hmm?"
Xu Ke was somewhat surprised.
He had not expected that there were still people in this world who remembered him.
After Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong transmitted the recent encounters of the empire, Xu Ke's expression grew increasingly grave.
"Someone who knows about me and possesses such capability? Who is it?"
Vague figures flashed through his mind, but he excluded them one by one.
He glanced almost imperцепtibly at the decayed wooden coffin behind him. Xu Ke originally wanted to refuse their invitation.
But…
Xu Ke's gaze lingered for a moment on Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong.
These Asian Actresses Are Driving the Whole World Crazy!Open
He then let out a soft sigh.
They had clearly known his location yet still brought Qing and Hong along. The implied threat was self-evident. Although he had avoided them for a thousand years without meeting them, it had been out of necessity. How could Xu Ke be a heartless and unrighteous person who could watch them suffer helplessly?
Thinking of this, Xu Ke shook his head slightly. "I can go with you for a trip. But I have a few conditions."
Sun Erlang quickly replied, "Senior, please speak freely."
"First, one of you two must stay in my place on this mountain peak. Before I return, no matter what happens, you must not leave early. To guard against any unforeseen events, I will set up restrictions." Xu Ke said slowly.
"This…" Upon hearing this strange request, Sun Erlang hesitated.
"No problem. I will sit here in Senior's place." Wang Xuanba, however, patted his chest and agreed.
Sun Erlang knew that his brother, after cultivating the technique passed down by their master, could transform into countless forms like a strange beast. Even if the body were completely destroyed, it would not have much impact. He therefore did not stop him.
Xu Ke nodded and continued, "Second, after I leave this small world with you, no one is allowed to approach within ten zhang. Otherwise, do not blame this old man for being ruthless."
Xu Ke glanced at Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong emphasizing his tone.
Clearly, this "anyone" included Qing and Hong as well.
Sun Erlang felt a chill in his heart but still nodded in agreement.
"As for the last point…"
Xu Ke said to Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong, "If I show any signs of abnormality, kill me. Do not hesitate for even a moment."
As he spoke, a wooden sword no larger than a palm appeared in Xu Ke's hand at some point.
He extended his hand, and the wooden sword flew to Xiao Qing on its own.
Xiao Qing was completely stunned.
But seeing Xu Ke's aged yet extremely resolute face, which looked exactly like the expression he had when he insisted on leaving the empire back then.
Tears shimmered in her eyes, yet Xiao Qing said nothing more and softly agreed.
"Alright."
Xiao Qing gripped the wooden sword tightly in her palm while carefully listening to Xu Ke's voice transmission explaining how to use the wooden sword.
Once everything was settled, Xu Ke looked toward Sun and Wang.
Seeing Xu Ke so solemn, Sun Erlang and Wang Xuanba did not dare to be negligent. "Does Senior have any other instructions?"
"Wait here for a moment and stay farther away."
The two men and two beasts did not understand why. They exchanged a glance but obediently flew far away from the abrupt stone mountain where Xu Ke stood.
Xu Ke pressed his right hand on the mountain peak and exerted slight force.
The stone mountain, the heavens and earth, and even the entire world trembled slightly in that instant.
It seemed as if sharp, venomous curses rang out, or perhaps it was merely an illusion.
After the shaking subsided, the small world seemed somewhat different from before.
Yet Sun Erlang and the others could not see exactly where the difference lay.
Xu Ke slowly stood up, looked at Wang Xuanba, and stamped his right foot.
Wang Xuanba signaled Sun Erlang to rest assured, then flew over to Xu Ke's side.
"Sit down."
Xu Ke moved his foot away, revealing a deeply sunken area on the ground at the mountain peak.
Wang Xuanba sat down with a plop.
"It might hurt a little, but you won't die."
Xu Ke flew into the air at this moment and said slowly.
The instant he flew out of the range of that towering stone mountain, Wang Xuanba let out a miserable cry.
It was as if some heavy object had suddenly pressed down on him. Caught off guard, his back was directly flattened against the ground.
The continuous sounds of bones being crushed and ground rang out without pause.
"Xuanba?!" Sun Erlang cried out in alarm.
"I… I'm fine!" A hand stretched out from the body that had almost become a flattened meat patty.
It waved weakly toward Sun Er'lang.
"It's just… it really hurts a bit."
Xu Ke pointed lightly at Wang Xuanba. "Let's go. I said he won't die."
Wang Xuanba's pressure seemed to ease slightly, and he barely managed to raise his head again.
Seeing this, Sun Er'lang took a deep breath. Without hesitation, he led the way forward together with Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong.
Xu Ke followed closely behind.
Like Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong, Sun Erlang secretly observed Xu Ke from behind.
When Xu Ke had been sitting, the seemingly decayed coffin on his back had not been very noticeable.
But whether it was Sun Erlang's illusion or not, ever since they left the small world, that coffin seemed to become increasingly intact.
Its shape was also slowly growing larger.
It was as if…
Something could emerge from inside at any moment.
Combined with the three strange conditions Xu Ke had mentioned earlier, an uneasy feeling quietly rose in Sun Erlang's heart.
Even more so, indistinct low murmuring sounds reached his ears.
Just as Sun Erlang could not help but listen, a cool, icy sensation suddenly arose in his heart on its own.
The noise in his ears vanished instantly, replaced by Xu Ke's low warning.
"Do not pay attention to those strange voices."
Sun Erlang immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
He prided himself on having a strong will and had even experienced another real lifetime in the simulated world of the Dao Deviation Stone in the Taiyan Sect.
Yet centuries of experience proved so fragile before those eerie sounds and nearly collapsed in an instant.
"If not for the Immortal Heart Mantra personally taught by Master, I fear I would have suffered."
"This Xu Ke…"
Sun Erlang dared not look at Xu Ke or the coffin on his back any longer. He simply focused his mind and quickened his pace.
Before long, the group traversed the long void path and arrived outside the Great Qi small world.
"Huh?"
This time, the one who let out a sound of surprise and uncertainty was Xu Ke.
Sun Erlang turned back and saw that, for some unknown reason, the coffin on Xu Ke's back had once again become decayed and smaller.
It was almost no different from the one in the world where Xu Ke had originally been.
All citizens of Great Qi in the Holy Capital had already been notified in advance and had returned to their homes.
The vast city was empty, with only a straight, void path specially opened for Xu Ke leading directly to the Holy Emperor's throne.
"Master is already waiting for Senior." Sun Erlang said respectfully.
No further guidance was needed.
Ever since arriving here, Xu Ke had already sensed that omnipresent, powerful aura that enveloped the entire small world like the great sun in the sky.
It far surpassed ordinary Dao Integration realm.
It even exerted a certain degree of suppression on the Xuanhuang evil thought sealed within the coffin on his back.
What surprised Xu Ke even more was that he vaguely detected a trace of familiarity within this aura.
But…
"How is that possible?"
With three parts doubt, three parts unease, and a hint of hidden excitement in his heart, Xu Ke finally entered the Holy Emperor's seat.
After clearly seeing the figure seated above, Xu Ke felt a slight relief in his heart.
At the same time, a few traces of disappointment flashed through him.
"I was overthinking. How could it be the already deceased Mister Bai?"
Forcing down the distracting thoughts in his mind, Xu Ke focused and carefully observed this legendary Faceless Holy Emperor of Great Qi.
Or rather, the Heavenly Mandate Holy Emperor.
At the same time, Li Ping was also observing Xu Ke.
And the coffin behind him.
Li Ping naturally saw far more than Sun Erlang.
What he saw was not decayed wood, but a faintly visible transparent pale figure.
The figure possessed the most handsome appearance in the world, yet it was paired with an expression full of venom and evil.
Li Ping sensed that the urging from the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao had descended once again.
And it had become even more intense.
Meanwhile, the pale Xuanhuang evil thought seemed to sense something as well.
It suddenly raised its head and stared fixedly at Li Ping.
In response, the coffin on Xu Ke's back began to shake violently.
Loud banging sounds echoed continuously within the tall holy hall.
"You…"
Xu Ke suddenly became alert.
His figure retreated explosively as a rotating wheel illusion appeared above his head.
The golden wheel spun rapidly, and images of countless ferocious beasts along with roaring sounds emerged from it.
He attempted to suppress the vibrating coffin.
Yet the Xuanhuang evil thought's struggle grew unprecedentedly fierce.
Only when Holy Emperor Li Ping's heart stirred and the [Heaven and Earth, Myriad Spirits—All Living Beings Refine the Soul] in the Great Qi small world began to circulate slightly, concealing the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, did the Xuanhuang evil thought, having lost its connection to its other half, gradually quiet down.
At this moment, Xu Ke, who had tried for a while and discovered he could not fly out no matter what, also gave up his futile efforts.
He stared coldly at Li Ping. "Who exactly are you?"
By now, how could Xu Ke not realize that this Holy Emperor had come for the sealed Xuanhuang evil thought?
"Who am I…"
Li Ping paused slightly. "That is actually not important. What is important is that it is time to return things to their rightful owner."
Xu Ke's expression changed drastically. "Return things to their rightful owner?"
"Back then, Mister Bai failed to fulfill the Heavenly Dao's entrustment and even sealed a portion of the Heavenly Dao's power. Now I shall correct the chaos and return the Dao to Heaven." Although Li Ping's voice was not loud, it echoed continuously throughout the Holy Emperor's seat.
These words struck Xu Ke's ears like a thunderclap.
"What did you say?!"
Having lived so long and witnessed many bizarre events in the past, Xu Ke had never been this shocked before.
"Blocking is not as good as guiding. Sealing is only a temporary measure. The longer it is suppressed, the fiercer the backlash will be when it breaks free one day. Did Mister Bai not teach you this principle?"
"How much longer can you hold on?"
Li Ping did not give Xu Ke any time to react and continued to shake his mind without pause.
Cold sweat dripped from Xu Ke's forehead.
"You are…" he asked with disbelief.
"The Xuanhuang Great Celestial Venerable?"
The moment these words were spoken, the air inside the Holy Emperor's throne seemed to freeze.
After a brief silence, Li Ping gave a soft chuckle.
"No."
This answer clearly exceeded Xu Ke's expectations, and he immediately fell into confusion.
"After Mister Bai's betrayal, do you think the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao would still trust cultivators?"
Li Ping's tone was enigmatic.
"I am not the Xuanhuang Celestial Venerable."
"I am the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao itself."
As Li Ping spoke, he rose abruptly from the Holy Emperor's seat.
In an instant, his figure seemed to expand infinitely.
Like a giant standing tall between heaven and earth, it filled Xu Ke's entire field of vision.
The already overwhelmingly powerful aura on Li Ping erupted once more and climbed higher.
The concealment of the Myriad Spirits Great Formation vanished, and Li Ping borrowed the power of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao.
For the sake of its other sealed half, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao was unprecedentedly generous this time.
A faint crack appeared in the sky above the Great Qi small world.
It was a sign that the entire world had been stretched to its limit.
If not for the fact that, over these years, Great Qi had been elevated considerably under Li Ping's management and its upper limit far exceeded that of ordinary small worlds.
It would probably have been directly burst apart by this.
Although it appeared completely powerless before the Immortal Ancestor and the True Immortal of the Immortal Ruins.
In reality, with the current Xuanhuang Realm having fused with many remnants of immortal cultivation worlds.
The power of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao was actually not much weaker than when it had been complete in the beginning.
Strength and weakness are relative.
At this moment, in Xu Ke's eyes, he seemed to see once again that graceful figure from back then, whose every movement carried the rhythm and will of heaven and earth.
The favor of heaven and earth was added entirely to his body.
But what was different was that Mister Bai had been gentle and refined.
While the figure before him now…
Was domineering and majestic.
It inspired fear and conviction.
In a trance, Xu Ke recalled Mister Bai's instructions from back then.
"On the matter of whether to leave, I hold a different opinion from this consciousness."
"I do not think I am wrong, nor do I consider it a betrayal."
"I am merely seeking a better way to save the world."
"Xu Ke, if possible, please help me watch over it."
"I believe that one day, it will understand."
...
At that time, Xu Ke had not understood Mister Bai's words.
Over these several thousand years, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao consciousness separated by Mister Bai had not only failed to understand but had instead developed in an increasingly extreme direction.
Not only had the conveyed thoughts and curses grown more and more venomous.
It had even begun to influence any existence that approached it.
The small world where Xu Ke resided, which was used to seal the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao consciousness, had slowly lost its vitality and turned completely into a barren gobi desert.
His own body had also aged far more than under normal circumstances.
Right up until today, Xu Ke had thought that he would ultimately meet the fate of being devoured by the evil thought.
He had never expected…
"So this is what Mister Bai meant by 'understanding'?"
"It is merely the other half, the main body, that has understood."
Xu Ke could not help but think this way.
"Hand it over to me."
Just as Xu Ke's thoughts were in turmoil, Li Ping spoke again.
This jolted Xu Ke out of his deep contemplation.
He involuntarily took a step back. The golden wheel continued to suppress the decayed wooden coffin.