“Brother Ming.”
As Xu Ming stepped out of the courtyard, he immediately heard the voices of Li Han and the others.
They had been waiting at the gates of the Xu residence since early morning.
Xu Ming smiled. “Here to see me off?”
“Of course,” Li Han replied with a grin. “Today, Brother Ming is heading to the Rootless Secret Realm. We had to come and send you off properly.”
“Brother Xu, I made some breakfast for you,” Hu Tao stepped forward, handing over a food box.
“Thanks.” Xu Ming smiled. “Let’s go. I’ll eat on the way.”
With his friends seeing him off, Xu Ming arrived at the gates of the Princess’s residence. When Wu Yanhan saw her old companions, she was momentarily stunned—she hadn’t expected them to come see her off.
Walking down the bustling street with Xu Ming and the others, Wu Yanhan felt as if she had returned to those years when they used to take on missions together.
At the gates of the imperial palace, their friends could go no further.
Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan clasped their fists in salute to the three of them before stepping inside.
By now, the other eight chosen disciples of the Wu Kingdom had also arrived.
The Wu Emperor hosted a farewell banquet for the ten of them.
“Open the gate!”
Before the hour of Chen (7-9 AM) had even arrived, the emperor’s commanding voice rang out.
Ten cultivators from the Skywatching Division stepped forward, forming intricate hand seals to connect with the Dao.
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The Wu Emperor then swept his hand through the air. Above the palace, a massive golden dragon descended, hurling itself toward a rift in space.
In an instant, a twisted portal materialized before them.
“May you all bring glory to the Wu Kingdom! May the nation’s fortune shine ever brighter!”
The emperor raised his cup, his deep, resonant voice echoing through the grand halls of the imperial palace.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” The ten of them responded in unison, downing their wine in one gulp.
—
In the imperial capital of the Wanxiang Kingdom, Bai Li Bing, dressed in dragon robes, stood in the palace, gazing at the five young elites of the Wanxiang Kingdom.
It wasn’t only human cultivators who could enter the Rootless Secret Realm—demons were allowed as well. However, the allocation of demon spots was entirely at the discretion of a certain ancient ancestor of the Southern Demon Kingdoms.
This demon was of an extremely high seniority and cultivation level, commanding the respect of almost all the nations in the Southern Demon Kingdoms.
However, despite the constant infighting among the Southern Demon Kingdoms nations, this ancestor had always turned a blind eye, never interfering in their struggles.
Rumors circulated that this demon ancestor had long since perished, and that the so-called “ancestral decrees” originating from the Endmountain were merely the work of his disciples using his name.
Others speculated that the ancestor had already reached the peak of the Ascension Realm and was just one step away from the legendary Lost Two Realms. They believed he was still in seclusion, attempting to take that final step.
Still, some claimed that this ancestor had already entered the fabled Two Realms but had refrained from taking action—because a certain Sage in the Central Plains had also reached the Lost Two Realms. Thus, neither had made a move.
Regardless of the truth, no demon kingdom in the Southern Demon Lands dared to defy this ancestor’s authority. No one was willing to test whether he was truly dead.
Those who attempted to infiltrate Endmountain in search of information never lived to tell the tale—the ancestor himself didn’t even need to act; his disciples would kill them before they got close.
But this time, when the Rootless Secret Realm was set to open, the message sent to the thousands of demon nations in the south contained more than just the allocation of entry spots.
A single command was issued—
Kill Yang Yang, the top-ranked genius of the Qingyun Rankings, and Xu Ming, the second-ranked.
Both the human and demon factions had always sought to eliminate the rising stars on the Qingyun Rankings to prevent the enemy from developing powerful cultivators. After all, if these young talents faded into mediocrity, it wouldn’t matter. But if they grew into towering giants, they would become a massive threat.
Dealing with such individuals later would cost a hundred or even a thousand times more effort than eliminating them early.
Yet, in all these years, the Endmountain Ancestor had never personally issued a decree to target anyone on the Qingyun Rankings.
Which meant... perhaps he had glimpsed something through the mysteries of fate.
If these two were allowed to grow unchecked, they could one day become a dire threat to the entire demon race.
“Go now,” Bai Li Bing said to the young warriors before her. “And come back alive.”
Dressed in the imperial robes of the Wanxiang Kingdom, Bai Li Bing addressed the five demon disciples before her.
“Yes, Your Majesty! We will return with the heads of Yang Yang and Xu Ming!”
The gathered cultivators cupped their fists toward Bai Li Bing in salute before turning and stepping into the twisted portal.
As she watched the swirling gateway, Bai Li Bing clenched her fists tightly. “Xu Ming, you’d better not die in the Rootless Secret Realm.”
—
In Jubei City, atop a northern mountain range—what was once a vast stretch of untouched wilderness—trees had been felled, towering buildings were beginning to rise among the rugged peaks, and various mystical arrays were being meticulously arranged.
Disciples of the Mohist School, soldiers of the Wu Kingdom, and skilled craftsmen moved busily through the mountain range.
Though everything was still under construction, there was no doubt that within a year or two, this place would transform into an immortal sect shrouded in ethereal mist.
This place was the reborn Tianxuan Sect.
When Wangxuan first arrived in Jubei City with the sect’s remaining disciples, the officials of Beiliang Prefecture had already selected the perfect location for the sect’s reconstruction. Not only that, but they had also provided a workforce of Mohist cultivators, craftsmen, and laborers, along with an abundance of building materials and formation components.
Wangxuan barely had to lift a finger—the Wu Kingdom had practically gifted her a brand-new sect.
The sheer scale of their support left her no room to refuse. In the end, she could only accept this favor from the Wu Kingdom.
Now that the sect was secure, Wangxuan sent four of her most promising disciples to the Rootless Secret Realm.
“This journey will be dangerous. Be cautious at all times, and no matter what happens, do not act recklessly,” Wangxuan instructed them.
“Master, don’t worry,” Qin Qingwan said with a smile. “Tianxuan Sect may not be what it once was, but we are not weak.”
“Just come back alive.” Wangxuan gazed at the disciples. “Go now. I’ll be waiting for your good news.”
“Yes!” The four bowed respectfully before stepping into the distorted portal.
Watching as her sect’s most promising young talents vanished before her eyes, Wangxuan withdrew her gaze and flew toward the main peak.
At the entrance of her courtyard, a Wu Kingdom official stood waiting.
“Sect Master Wangxuan, a letter for you.” The official greeted her with a polite bow.
“A letter? From whom?” Wangxuan asked.
The official smiled. “From our Wu Kingdom’s top scholar, sent from the imperial capital.”
Wangxuan was momentarily stunned. She took the envelope, and the official, having completed his task, excused himself and departed.
Stepping inside her courtyard, Wangxuan carefully opened the letter.
She read it, word by word.
When she finished, she set the paper down, gazing up at the drifting clouds in the sky.
A familiar figure appeared in her mind—that young man from years past.
With a soft sigh, she murmured, “It seems I owe him another favor.”