In a fleeting instant where no one could tell how long time had passed, everything began to move again as if it had never been still. The sound of rain striking the ground continued as before, as though the missing moment had been nothing more than an illusion.
Long Yantian and Lin Taiji, who had stood frozen like corpses just moments ago, were now able to move normally again. But the instant their awareness returned, sweat poured over their bodies.
Their bodies trembled slightly beyond their control, their hearts pounding so fast it felt as if they might burst from their chests. Even though they did not know what had happened, their high level instincts screamed a warning about the danger that had just passed.
Lin Taiji took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before lifting her head to look for Zhang Wen.
What she saw made her freeze.
Amid the falling rain, Zhang Wen was floating in the air, accompanied by three bright red droplets slowly rotating around him.
But what was even more shocking was that there were three Zhang Wens standing around the droplets. Each figure precisely controlled one droplet, delicate waves of power spreading outward in faint ripples.
Long Yantian, whose senses were extremely sensitive to smell and sound, frowned immediately.
He smelled a faint scent of blood mixed within the red droplets, and in the silence he could hear faint screams like the cries of souls being crushed before disappearing forever.
Just that brief and faint sound alone made the hair all over his body stand on end.
Fub!
A thin spatial crack opened, and another Zhang Wen stepped out calmly from within.
Both of them turned to look at once, but what they saw was still a man wearing a black mask and pure white robes just like before, with no difference to distinguish between them.
Lin Taiji spoke.
"Where did that light figure from earlier go"
The real Zhang Wen smiled faintly.
"He left. But honestly he was quite easy to talk to."
His tone was simple as if speaking about something ordinary, yet it made both of them feel a slight chill.
After that Zhang Wen took out the Heaven Splitting Umbrella and flicked it lightly. The space beside him opened.
Mu Ling, the Holy Maiden of the Sword Mountain Sect, floated out unconscious. Her body was supported by spiritual power and remained suspended in the air.
On the other side, the three red droplets had been fully refined. The power within them was calm and unfathomably deep. The three Emperor Phoenix Flame Pills had been used as the foundational structure, giving each droplet perfect stability.
The three clones began to dissolve into fine droplets before flowing back into Zhang Wen's true body along with the three red droplets.
Lin Taiji fell silent, her gaze fixed on the three red droplets without blinking.
Long Yantian was filled with confusion. Even though he knew these were far from ordinary, he could not perceive their true essence.
Zhang Wen spoke calmly.
"If you become Great Emperors, what would your status be within your forces"
Long Yantian answered immediately.
"Stepping into that realm is not easy. Many dragons spend their entire lives without being able to form even a fragment of their own law. But if I succeed, my Red Dragon bloodline would likely become the top candidate to lead the entire dragon clan."
Lin Taiji followed.
"As for me, I would likely become the supreme elder or an ancestor of the sacred land. As for the position of leader, unless there is a truly special circumstance, only someone who was once a Holy Maiden can hold it."
Zhang Wen frowned slightly.
"So you were not a Holy Maiden before"
Lin Taiji shook her head.
"No. I rose directly to become an elder."
Zhang Wen nodded lightly before snapping his fingers. Two black and white droplets floated above his fingertips, a strange power circulating between them in perfect balance.
Zhang Wen continued.
"These droplets will allow you to attain enlightenment. During that time, try to form your own laws and break through to the Great Emperor realm. I will leave a clone behind to ensure your safety."
Long Yantian accepted the droplet in a daze. It felt extremely ordinary, yet at the same time unfathomably profound. The two sensations conflicted so strongly that he could not describe it.
Lin Taiji's eyes trembled slightly. In her vision, this droplet was a gateway to endless possibilities, and an excitement she had not felt in thousands of years quietly ignited within her heart.
Long Yantian and Lin Taiji looked at each other briefly before separating in different directions to find quiet places within the curtain of rain.
Zhang Wen's water clone silently followed them. Eyes formed from clear droplets reflected the cold light of the rain, carrying out its watch without speaking a single word.
Meanwhile, Zhang Wen's true body remained floating motionless in the rain. He looked at Mu Ling's still figure before speaking.
"Wake up. I know you are already awake."
A faint breath trembled slightly. Mu Ling's eyelids twitched before her voice rang out with anger.
"You… who exactly are you… where did the four elders go…"
Zhang Wen tilted his head slightly as if thinking before answering in a casual tone.
"You mean the four Saint Kings who came with you and attacked me without asking a single question at Sky Sword City? They have gone to rest… from this cruel world."
Those simple words made Mu Ling's eyes widen instantly.
She tried to move her neck to look at him but discovered that her body would not respond at all, as if it no longer belonged to her.
Zhang Wen smiled faintly before a red droplet floated above his fingertip. Without giving her any chance to question or resist, the droplet immediately floated into her mouth.
Then Zhang Wen continued.
"I am not a cruel person, but I am not exactly a good person either. I am just a bit cautious. When someone tries to harm me, I have to respond. And because I scare easily, I have to end all cycles of revenge before they even begin. That is all."
Suddenly Mu Ling's body shone with intense light. Vast power erupted from her like a volcano exploding.
Her cultivation surged wildly from Body Integration Level 8 straight into Nirvana.
Heavenly Cavern Level 9.
Saint Level 9.
The Laws of Sword and Lotus began condensing around her body. Multicolored lotus petals rotated together with a sharp sword intent ready to cut through everything. A fragment of a small rainbow colored world formed within her body.
Saint King Level 1.
Her power did not stop there.
Saint King Level 3.
…
…
Saint King Level 9.
Before breaking into Saint Emperor, forming a perfect small world within her body. The small world condensed from overlapping Laws of Sword and Lotus flawlessly and with overwhelming power.
Her strength continued to surge.
Saint Emperor Level 1.
…
Saint Emperor Level 5.
…
Saint Emperor Level 9.
Behind Mu Ling, countless shadows of the Law of Sword appeared. Thin, razor sharp lines permeated the air as if everything could be severed with a single thought.
Above her head, a sacred lotus slowly bloomed. Its petals rotated calmly, emitting a light that stilled the surrounding space.
The Law of Sword represented destruction. The Law of Lotus represented creation. When both laws were perfectly controlled, she stepped directly into the Half Emperor realm.
Her hair turned into a beautiful rainbow color, multicolored light reflecting through the rain. Her features became sharper and more beautiful, her figure perfect as if newly forged.
The aura she released was powerful and noble, causing the surrounding atmosphere to tremble.
Boom!!
Half Emperor Level 1.
…
Half Emperor Level 5.
…
Half Emperor Level 9.
Her power finally stabilized perfectly at Half Emperor Level 9.
Not long after, Mu Ling regained her senses. She lowered her head to look at her hands in disbelief before raising her head to look at Zhang Wen with extreme shock.
"You… what did you do to me…"
Just moments ago she had been like a dead person, yet with only a single red droplet everything had changed.
Despite her cultivation rising at such terrifying speed, her foundation was so stable that even the word perfect felt insufficient. Her small world had fused flawlessly, and there were no negative effects whatsoever that she could sense.
Zhang Wen smiled faintly as he looked at the information panel in his vision.
[Name: Mu Ling]
[Cultivation Level: Half Emperor Level 9]
[Special Body: Nine Colored Lotus Body (Sacred Rank)]
[Luck: Gold]
[Affinity: -99]
The Affinity value had risen from -100 to -99, but he did not care in the slightest. To him, that number held no meaning because it would return to -100 soon enough.
The surrounding space distorted, and the figures of the two vanished instantly. At the same time, two vast auras shot toward the sky within the curtain of rain. Long Yantian and Lin Taiji were entering their moment of enlightenment, their power quietly beginning to shake the heavens and the earth.