Returning from the Immortal World

A while later, Supreme Pristine Spring arrived before Tang Xiu and said with a bow, “After a discussion, the decision all the elders of the Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect arrived at is to join the Great Tang Empire. As long as you honor the arrangement you mentioned previously, our Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect is willing to integrate with your empire and serve you.”

Tang Xiu narrowed his eyes and asked, “Do you wish to know why I took the risk of offending the Everlasting Palace and made such a huge fuss by bringing a huge entourage to save your Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect?”

Supreme Pristine Spring answered, “This has indeed perplexed me till now. I hope you can dispel my doubts, Great Tang Heavenly Emperor.”

Tang Xiu smiled faintly. “My wife can be considered the disciple of your Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect’s Dao Master Guai. If you wish to know my real identity, summon Dao Master Guai over here.”

Supreme Pristine Spring was taken aback and asked in disbelief, “All the disciples of my Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect are men. Where would we have a female disciple?”

Tang Xiu smiled faintly. “You’ll know once you summon Dao Master Guai.”

A few moments later, Dao Master Guai, riddled with injuries, flew over towards Supreme Pristine Spring and Tang Xiu. He revealed a slightly excited expression on his face when he saw Tang Xiu and greeted him respectfully. “Greeting to you, Star… Great Tang Heavenly Emperor.”

Tang Xiu smiled faintly. “You’re my wife’s teacher and someone on the same side as us, so there’s no need for such courtesy. Help me explain things now.”

Dao Master Guai revealed a slight smile on his face and said, “Grand Elder, we both have ascended to the Immortal World from Earth, and before my ascension, I left an inheritance behind there, which landed in the hands of Great Tang Heavenly Emperor. Hence, she can also be considered a member of our Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect.”

Supreme Pristine Spring came to a sudden realization and gazed somewhat peculiarly at Tang Xiu as he asked, “Great Tang Heavenly Emperor, your wife ascended to the Immortal World from Earth?”

Tang Xiu smiled faintly. “I also ascended from Earth, and the tens of thousands of cultivators of my Great Tang Empire have all come from Earth as well. You could even say that Earth is my origin for my ascension to Godhood. Supreme Pristine Spring, which dynasty did you ascend from? What was your name when you were back on Earth?”

Supreme Pristine Spring replied with a smile, “I ascended to the Immortal World in 479 B.C., and from what I recall, the official name of the state was Lu back then. As for my name, I went by the clan name of Kong and the given name of Qiu, while my courtesy name was Zhongni.”

“Master Kong?” Tang Xiu cried out with alarm.

Supreme Pristine Spring asked in amazement, “You actually know me, Great Tang Heavenly Emperor?”

Tang Xiu was left between laughter and tears as he replied, “All Chinese people on Earth are aware of your name. You have been venerated as the founder of Confucianism by countless people of China for the past five thousand years and are hailed as a great philosopher and educator. Tsk… I never expected that I’d get to meet such a great personage of the past.”

Supreme Pristine Spring smiled and said, “These are events of the past from when I was still an ordinary person, so they aren’t worth mentioning.”

Tang Xiu sent him a voice transmission, “Supreme Pristine Spring, remember my former title. Star Cultivation Great Emperor of the Vermilion Bird Holy Sect.”

“You are…” Supreme Pristine Spring’s pupils contracted, and a glimmer of disbelief flashed past his eyes. He cried out in alarm, almost as if he had seen a ghost, “Didn’t you perish in soul and flesh?”

Tang Xiu sent him another voice transmission, “Don’t divulge this as I’m only willing to tell you this because you are already a Supreme. However, you must remember that my enemies are the Inner Pill Sect and the Everlasting Palace. I didn’t die and merely started anew once again. My purpose in founding the Great Tang Empire is to exterminate the Inner Pill Sect and the Everlasting Palace, as well as the Myriad Sword Sect…”

Supreme Pristine Spring realized his intentions and looked at Tang Xiu even more respectfully. He then bowed towards him once again and said, “Henceforth, you’re the person our Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect will serve, Your Majesty. All members of the Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect will address you in this manner from now on.”

“Alright!” Tang Xiu patted his shoulder and said, “The identities of your Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect’s disciples are too sensitive right now. Hence, I need all of you to enter my Heavenly Abode, so I can take you to the Great Tang Empire. Also, I need all the members of the Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect to cultivate in seclusion for the next 300 years and not appear in any region of the Immortal World. 300 years later is the time when we go into battle against the Inner Pill Sect and the Everlasting Palace.”

Two days later, Tang Xiu and Eagle made their way towards the immortal domains of the Great Tang Empire, while the others resided within the Heavenly Abode. A few days after they had left, a piece of information began spreading through the entire Immortal World like wildfire.

The entire Pristine Immortal Confucianist Sect seemed to have disappeared, sect and all, and the Sect Master of the Myriad Sword Sect, Northsword Bel Espion, had perished in battle along with tens of thousands of experts from the Myriad Sword Sect and a few dozens from the Everlasting Palace.

Immediately afterward, the leader of the remaining six Perfected Golden Immortals of the Myriad Sword Sect, Supreme Lord Windsword, declared that the Myriad Sword Sect was closing its doors for the next thousand years and wouldn’t get involved in the matters of the Immortal World for that duration. Over the next six months, tens of thousands of the Myriad Sword Sect’s disciples began disappearing one after the other, leaving no trace behind. Even the sect grounds of the Myriad Sword Sect had become desolate and empty, bereft of the shadow of even a single person.

Outside the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect.

Great Emperor Daqing was seated cross-legged within a palace. After seeing the endless fury on the ashen-faced Zither Demon Jiuyao, he said indifferently, “Don’t let the anger get to your head. Have you still not realized that an invisible adversary is targeting our Inner Pill Sect and Everlasting Palace secretly?”

Zither Demon Jiuyao expressed his fury. “Since you have realized it, why don’t you tell me who is so reckless to actually dare provoke our two elite sects?”

Great Emperor Daqing said, “It’s not just provocation. They have already begun targeting us. Do you know how many powerhouses our two sects have lost within the past one hundred years?”

Zither Demon Jiuyao replied in an enraged voice, “What’s the point in counting them? My Everlasting Palace has lost more than half of our powerhouses, and even my… Supreme Myriad Thunder got killed by someone.”

Great Emperor Daqing said, “Although the casualties of Golden Immortals and Perfected Golden Immortals that my Inner Pill Sect has suffered hasn’t passed the halfway mark, we have had a lot of them too. Hence, it’s of utmost importance that we find the string-puller acting behind the scenes and fully understand what kind of forces they possess by any means. We can then deal with them and put an end to the source of all these troubles.”

Zither Demon Jiuyao regained his composure and asked calmly, “Did you ever think that perhaps this string-puller has some relation to the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect or the enigmatic Four Sacred Palaces?”

Great Emperor Daqing said, “It shouldn’t be the Four Sacred Palaces. Although the Four Sacred Palaces are pretty enigmatic, I have already figured out their history after investigating them for so many years.”

Zither Demon Jiuyao asked in amazement, “You have figured out their history? Who are they, and just where are they located? And why are they helping the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect?”

Great Emperor Daqing stated, “The Four Sacred Palaces actually have a deep link with the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect and were actually a single body a hundred thousand years ago. I don’t need to tell which force was the strongest in the Immortal World back then, right? So, you shouldn’t find it strange when I say that the current Palace Master of the Four Sacred Palaces is Sky Exterminator Old Beggar.”

Zither Demon Jiuyao’s expression changed, and a murderous look appeared on his face as he said gloomily, “So, it was actually that old fool. Tell me, where are the Four Sacred Palaces?”

Great Emperor Daqing shook his head. “I haven’t been able to find its exact location, but it shouldn’t be within the Immortal World and is probably inside some heavenly realm in the far corners of the Immortal World. Don’t worry, though, since we will annihilate them the moment my Inner Pill Sect discovers their exact location.”

Zither Demon Jiuyao stated gloomily, “The Four Sacred Palaces have brought us huge losses over these past few hundred years. We have to find their location and exterminate them at all costs.”

Great Emperor Daqing looked at the continent that was the base of the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect and sneered. “It won’t just be the Four Sacred Palaces. We will also eliminate the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect as well. If I haven’t guessed it wrong, the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect will only be able to hold on for another thousand years, and the instant that moment arrives is when they perish.”

Great Emperor Daqing’s expression changed all of a sudden, prompting him and Zither Demon Jiuyao to disappear and appear before the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect’s protection array momentarily.

“Who is it?” Great Emperor Daqing observed the two figures approaching them and asked loudly.

Apotheon Bella let out a burst of peal-like laughter. At the same time, Sablefiend Scorpio, who had reached the Supremacy Stage just recently, laughed out loudly. Then, Apotheon Bella said the following words, “Great Emperor Daqing, Zither Demon Jiuyao, it’s good that you two are actually here. It seems like our luck is pretty good! We hope that you can remain here forever, right until we bombard your immortal bodies and crush your immortal souls.”

Great Emperor Daqing took his immortal saber out when he saw the two female Supremes appear and swung his saber at the two of them.

“I’m Apotheon Bella. I request you to open the grand formation so we can enter the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect.” Apotheon Bella grabbed Sablefiend Scorpio and used her light wings to their limits to evade Great Emperor Daqing’s fierce attack. Then, she rushed inside the protection array of the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect.

Star Tears looked at Apotheon Bella and Sablefiend Scorpio and said immediately, “Sect Master, they are on our side. Allow them inside quickly.”

Supreme Star Soul showed no hesitation at all. Apotheon Bella had assisted their Vermillion Bird Holy Sect several times over the past several hundred years, so she was absolutely trustworthy. As for the other Supreme, although he didn’t know her, she had accompanied Apotheon Bella here, so he felt relieved after hearing Star Tears’ words.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Apotheon Bella and Sablefiend Scorpio sensed the small gap that had appeared in the protection array and rushed inside with lightning-quick movements to arrive before Supreme Star Soul and Star Tears momentarily.

“Who arrived?”

Supreme Star Radiance came rushing over from a distance and appeared before everyone quickly.

“Greetings to you, Supreme Star Radiance.” Apotheon Bella and Sablefiend Scorpio knew that Supreme Star Radiance had very high seniority, so they greeted him immediately.

Supreme Star Radiance revealed an excited expression after seeing Apotheon Bella and sighed. “Apotheon Bella, we have been looking forward to seeing you arrive for a long time now, unlike your battles outside. All of us have engraved the aid you have provided our Vermillion Bird Holy Sect over the past several hundred years in the depths of our hearts.”

Apotheon Bella answered respectfully, “You’re embarrassing me, Supreme Star Radiance. It’s something I should have done.”

Saying so, she looked towards Supreme Star Soul and revealed a somewhat hesitant expression on her beautiful face.