Yin Qingcheng couldn’t accept it.
Why?
Why was this happening?
The Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor — a weakling from the First Heaven, a being that Lu Ye had already slain!
She had directly tried to refine it using the Heartless Immortal Scripture, yet that power remained unmoved, completely ignoring her efforts to purify it. Instead, it clung to her soul, forcefully attempting to replace her.
It was as if this power was an unbreakable rule, a law of the universe, allowing for no resistance.
In that moment, Yin Qingcheng felt a sliver of relief.
At least she wasn’t Yue Hongling.
If Yue Hongling, with her Dauntless Dao, had to endure such a parasitic assault, her Dao would likely crack.
Yin Qingcheng took a deep breath.
Her hand, for what felt like the hundredth time, rested on the Three-Life Stone.
“Crack... crack... crack...”
The sound of shattering echoed continuously.
The entire Three-Life Stone was on the verge of turning to dust. Judging by its current state, it could only withstand one more use at most.
The Master of the Three-Life River was on the brink of madness, scouring the world for any sign of the Three-Life Stone.
The Three-Life Stone was her life-bound artifact. If it truly shattered, she would be severely injured, something she could never allow to happen.
Who?
Who the hell stole her Three-Life Stone?
The thief had severed the connection between the stone and her using a secret technique. But as the stone continued to break apart, its desperate cries for help grew louder.
She was getting closer to finding it.
...
Lu Ye moved on to his next tribulation point.
Inside the Human Emperor Banner, Jiang Die’s expression was twisted, dark purple energy swirling around her body.
Suddenly, her soul stiffened slightly.
A vivid memory fragment appeared in Jiang Die’s mind.
The Jiang Clan.
“Husband, the Patriarch has returned from the outer domain. Let’s go greet him together,” Jiang Die said excitedly.
The Jiang Clan’s Patriarch was named Jiang Wuyai. In the past, he had reached the status of a Quasi-Emperor. Though he had failed to overcome the Emperor Tribulation, he had survived — a testament to his terrifying strength.
However, after failing his tribulation, he disappeared for a long time.
Now, he was finally back.
The Jiang Clan would once again have a peerless powerhouse in their midst, and their status in the Seventh Heaven would rise dramatically.
In truth, many Quasi-Emperors could have ascended to the Eighth Heaven, but due ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ to their overwhelming power, they were able to forcefully remain in the Seventh Heaven, despite the limitations placed by the Nine Heavens’ Great Saints.
This allowed them to slightly mitigate the Emperor Tribulation’s power.
Of course, this was just a rumor — no one had ever confirmed it.
The Jiang Clan, possessing two Emperor Weapons, was already considered a top-tier force in the Seventh Heaven.
But some factions not only had Emperor Weapons but also boasted Quasi-Emperors.
A Quasi-Emperor wielding an Emperor Weapon? The power they could unleash would be far greater than that of any common ruler.
Therefore, the return of a Quasi-Emperor was undoubtedly a cause for celebration.
Lu Ye didn’t think much of it. He followed Jiang Die.
In the past, Jiang Die had been diligent in her cultivation, always striving to improve herself. Although she wasn’t particularly close to Lu Ye and seemed somewhat guarded around him, everything else was fine.
They arrived at the Jiang Clan’s main hall.
At the very top sat an imposing old man with a head full of white hair and a kind, benevolent smile.
He looked at the assembled Jiang Clan members, his eyes gleaming with joy.
“Hahaha! I’ve finally recovered from my injuries and returned. To see so many talented members of my Jiang Clan fills me with great delight,” Jiang Wuyai said, laughing heartily.
“Congratulations on your recovery, Patriarch!”
“Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!”
Jiang Wuyai waved his hand, and in an instant, colorful radiance enveloped the hall. Everyone present felt warmth surge through their bodies, as though their Dao comprehension had grown by three percent.
“This is some Primordial Dao Radiance that I stumbled upon. It’s useless to me, so I’ll give it to all of you!”
“Thank you, Patriarch!”
“Patriarch, now that you’re back, will you be leaving again?” Jiang Tianming asked.
“I won’t leave again. I will stay and make another attempt to attain the Emperor’s Throne. Perhaps in a few years, I may succeed,” Jiang Wuyai said confidently.
“That’s wonderful!”
Jiang Tianming was overjoyed. Finally, the Jiang Clan would have a Quasi-Emperor to protect them.
“Oh, right. Patriarch, this is Lu Ye, the Jiang Clan’s son-in-law. Despite his young age, he has already reached the peak of the Great Dao Realm. His future is limitless. I wanted to introduce him to you,” Jiang Tianming said with a smile.
Yes, in Lu Ye’s previous life, he had a good relationship with the Jiang Clan.
In this life, he had utterly destroyed them.
“Not bad. Truly a promising young man. Which Dao have you chosen?” Jiang Wuyai asked.
“Patriarch, it is the Invincible Dao,” Jiang Tianming replied.
Yes, Lu Ye’s path had shifted from the Dao of Protection to the Invincible Dao.
“The Invincible Dao? Hahahaha! An Invincible Dao, is it?”
Jiang Wuyai laughed loudly, then promptly lost interest in Lu Ye.
Invincible Dao?
An Invincible Dao only became truly invincible when one ascended to the Emperor’s Throne. Otherwise, it was just a meaningless title.
“While I was recovering, I gained new insights into the Great Void Technique. The Great Void Technique is extremely difficult to cultivate, and as the Jiang Clan’s most powerful divine art, it is a disgrace that so few have successfully mastered it,” Jiang Wuyai said, his eyes sweeping over the crowd.
“So, after much effort, I have finally found a shortcut to mastering the Great Void Technique. Would any of you like to learn it?” Jiang Wuyai asked with a genial smile.
“Patriarch, is there truly a shortcut to mastering the Great Void Technique?” Jiang Tianming asked, ecstatic.
“Indeed!”
Lu Ye raised an eyebrow.
A shortcut to the Great Void Technique? He had already mastered it, yet he had never heard of such a thing.
But he kept silent and listened.
Jiang Tianming, still somewhat cautious, hesitated.
“Patriarch, it’s not that we don’t believe you. The Great Void Technique is too important to the Jiang Clan to risk being overheard by outsiders. Perhaps we should use the Void Mirror to scan the surroundings first to ensure no one is eavesdropping?”
Jiang Wuyai’s expression faltered for a moment.
Then, he chuckled.
“Naturally. Go ahead and scan.”
Jiang Tianming breathed a sigh of relief. If Jiang Wuyai agreed to the scan, then he likely wasn’t an imposter.
The Void Mirror was brought forth. Radiant light burst from it, enveloping the area and reflecting everything within.
Jiang Wuyai stood calmly, allowing the mirror to scan him. The image in the mirror remained unchanged — it was still Jiang Wuyai, without any abnormalities.
The light from the Void Mirror dissipated.
Jiang Tianming was now completely at ease.
“Patriarch, please transmit the technique!”
“Patriarch, please transmit the technique!”
The Jiang Clan members all requested in unison.
“He is not a member of the Jiang Clan. He can leave,” Jiang Wuyai said, pointing to Lu Ye.
Lu Ye...
“Patriarch, he has already mastered the Great Void Technique. There is no need for him to leave,” Jiang Die said hastily.
Jiang Wuyai’s brow twitched.
“The Jiang Clan’s Great Void Technique... how could it have been taught to an outsider?”
“Patriarch, Lu Ye isn’t an outsider. He is the Jiang Clan’s son-in-law.”
“Patriarch, Lu Ye has done much for the Jiang Clan. He mastered the Great Void Technique by chance. Since he already knows it, it should be fine for him to stay,” Jiang Tianming added.
In his view, Lu Ye had limitless potential. Driving him away now would only create a rift. Besides, he had already learned the technique, so what harm was there in letting him stay?
Jiang Wuyai hesitated.
Fine.
A mere cultivator of the Invincible Dao who had coincidentally learned the Great Void Technique? There was no way he could see through Jiang Wuyai’s true intentions.
