In the vast expanse of Qingming, along the border between Yong and Pei Provinces.

Two female cultivators strolled leisurely, ascending a mountain side by side.

The Daoist nun’s face was obscured, like drifting clouds, uncertain and ethereal.

Her robe, the color of mist and water, depicted layered immortal mountains, numbering ten thousand.

She was none other than Wu Zhou, one of the rare fourteenth realm Great Cultivators, who had participated in the previous riverside council.

Beside her followed a young woman of captivating beauty, adorned with an emperor’s crown and a yellow dragon robe.

This was Zhu Xuan, the current Emperor of the Fish Talisman Dynasty of Yong Province. In Qingming, it was not uncommon for women to ascend the throne and inherit the mantle.

A purple swallow perched on Zhu Xuan’s shoulder, while a golden fish, shimmering between reality and illusion, circled her. It had already sprouted two genuine dragon whiskers.

Among scaled creatures, the goldfish; among feathered creatures, the purple swallow. Both were regarded as minor deities within their respective categories, making it relatively easier for them to attain spiritual form. It was said that if they reached the pinnacle of the Great Dao, the former could undergo a carp-dragon transformation, with the fortune to become a true dragon, while the latter could molt and transform into the legendary “Vermilion Bird.” The former were relatively numerous, but the latter were exceedingly rare.

The two were “mountain climbing” together.

However, this mountain was a submerged range located deep within a great river.

Truly, the vastness of Qingming was boundless and unfathomable, and the sun and moon illuminated terraces of gold and silver.

And the shrines to mountain gods were constructed underwater, a unique spectacle found only in Qingming.

Flying pavilions with painted eaves glowed with iridescent clouds.

At the summit of the mountain, where the terrain dipped slightly, forming a basin-like shape known colloquially as the “washbasin,” was located a mountain god shrine, nicknamed the “vanity.”

It seemed that Sun Huaizhong had once traveled here, and these two monikers were first coined by this old abbot of the Profound Capital Temple, quickly spreading throughout several provinces.

This old abbot was practically a walking gazetteer of the landscapes of Qingming.

Wu Zhou smiled and asked, “I heard that Lu the Third promised you that he would bring a Chief Guardian for your Fish Talisman Dynasty?”

Zhu Xuan nodded, “So the position has remained vacant all these years. Now that Sect Leader Lu has returned to the White Jade Capital, he should give me an explanation. At least give me a rough timeframe, otherwise, dragging it on like this isn’t ideal.”

It seemed that anyone familiar with Lu Chen wouldn’t dwell on the identity and cultivation level of the Third Master of the White Jade Capital.

Wu Zhou laughed, “Is your Yong Province about to produce a second true dragon?”

In the vast realm of Haoran, the True Dragon King Zhu already existed.

Qingming was a realm of nine mountains and one body of water, and the abundance of water essence was far from comparable to Haoran, making it difficult to produce or nurture true dragons.

Because of the Ascension Battle, when rewards were bestowed, almost all of the cultivated Jiaolong were left in the Haoran realm, which possessed the Four Seas, to establish dragon palaces in the seas. Countless water mansions were created in the great rivers, lakes, and ponds, responsible for the movement of clouds and the dispensation of rain.

Zhu Xuan said, “I dare not harbor such extravagant hopes.”

Wu Zhou reminded her, “You can try to get Qi Gu. His Martial Luck blessing after his breakthrough isn’t much, the main thing is that Thief King Wang Yuanlu, his Great Dao is promising. If you can successfully win over Qi Gu, with his relationship with Wang Yuanlu, it might be a buy-one-get-one-free deal.”

It was clear that Qi Gu and Wang Yuanlu were both people who valued old relationships. If Qi Gu served as the royal guardian of the Fish Talisman Zhu Clan, and Wang Yuanlu followed, serving as the abbot of a Ten Directions Jungle Temple somewhere within the realm, it would be equivalent to having two great arms to assist the thriving Fish Talisman Dynasty.

Zhu Xuan frowned, “But Qi Gu is being evasive. He’s clearly tempted, but he still won’t give a definitive answer, saying he wants to return to his hometown of Wuling Prefecture first.”

Compared to the Azure God Dynasty of Bing Province, whether in national strength or in the top combat power of Daoist officials, the Fish Talisman Zhu Clan was still far behind. After all, Yong Province was just a small province with a weak foundation, somewhat similar to the Treasure Bottle Continent in Haoran. Many things were like performing a ritual in a snail shell. Fortunately, the Grand Yin Ancestor had returned to her old place. In this way, Yong Province was equal to having a fourteenth realm cultivator guarding the mountains and rivers.

The reason Wu Zhou favored the Fish Talisman Dynasty so much was that this place was once her cultivation ground, although it had long become a ruin. Furthermore, the first immortal artifact she refined was the Fish Talisman Dynasty’s national treasure. Wu Zhou gifted it to the founding emperor of the Fish Talisman Zhu Clan, a man of great talent and strategy, who could be considered half her Dao companion. Finally, Wu Zhou was optimistic about Zhu Xuan’s Great Dao achievements. At a hundred years of Dao age, she was already an immortal. If Zhu Xuan was given another four or five hundred years, and another opportunity, she would have the chance to ascend, and mayhaps, it would be the exalted Dragon Ascension, with a person and a dragon simultaneously attaining enlightenment. When that happened, the national strength of the Fish Talisman Dynasty would be something to behold, so Wu Zhou was willing to re-establish her Daoist site in Yong Province.

For a Qi Refiner to enter the legendary fourteenth realm and become enlightened, the path of cultivation that followed would become very… awkward, and boring.

Wu Zhou smiled, “Everything depends on human effort.”

Zhu Xuan nodded, “Do your best and leave the rest to fate.”

Wu Zhou casually said, “If I were you, I would simply travel incognito and follow them to the Azure God Dynasty, just as a way to relax and see the world.”

Zhu Xuan said helplessly, “I have that idea, but unfortunately, I really can’t get away.”

The great affairs of a nation lie in sacrifice and war. Yong Province was small, and the Fish Talisman Zhu Clan was the only strong power, so after Zhu Xuan ascended the throne, there were few wars. However, the matter of fasts and sacrifices was truly exhausting and required utmost care, because there were many kinds of sacrifices and complex rituals. In addition to the sacrifices to heaven and earth, there were also sacrifices to water, to mountain gods, etc. The gods of heaven, human ghosts, and earthly deities, as well as many mountain spirits, all needed to be venerated. In addition, there were also the grand gold and jade fasts held every few years. Because Zhu Xuan was a new emperor with shallow qualifications, she could not temporarily entrust these things to outsiders, so at least three months of the year were spent in fasting sacrifices, or on the way to fasting sacrifices. Especially recently, the entire Fish Talisman Dynasty was fully preparing for a rare universal fast, offering sacrifices to as many as three thousand six hundred divine positions. They would invite national and even provincial scriptures, high-ranking Daoist officials, and abbots of various Daoist temples to the capital to participate in the grand event. She, the female emperor Zhu Xuan, who serves as the main officiant, needed to do everything herself, so she cannot get away. Fortunately, the previous emperor abdicated the throne to her after she reached the immortal realm.

Wu Zhou joked, “Your Fish Talisman Dynasty lacks an elegant minister who can allow the monarch to rule by doing nothing.”

The elegant minister Yao Qing was indeed a chief minister that any emperor would dream of.
Nearing the mountain’s apex, Wu Zhou suddenly halted, her eyes narrowed as she gazed skyward. Through the Great Salvation Water Curtain, her vision stretched towards the northernmost height.

Wu Zhou inexplicably uttered words akin to astronomical jargon, “The Dipper constellation, a celestial sphere; the beginning, end, and crucial moments may be found therein.”

As a Daoist official, especially a sovereign of a kingdom, and one who frequently presided over sacrifices, Zhu Xuan was naturally familiar with such matters. Following Wu Zhou’s gaze, she looked towards the Ziwei Enclosure, which, according to legend, had its stars dimmed considerably compared to ten thousand years prior.

“Ziwei faces the Great Horn, the Emperor’s pole is aligned. The Celestial Market stands in between, suspending connecting lines to the earth.”

The Ziwei Enclosure, situated at the center of the northern sky with the North Star as its axis, is surrounded by formations of stars, resembling protective barriers, with two bows joining to form a fortified enclosure.

Legend has it that the operations of the celestial deities, the creations of the universe, and the interplay of Yin and Yang once occurred within this palace, hence the name “Purple Palace.”

Wu Zhou continued her ascent, smiling faintly, “The Two Capitals Mountain, the Great Tide Sect, coupled with the vassal peaks established by the two sects, interconnected, and then add a certain individual, and it becomes a coincidence, coincidences piling upon coincidences. The most coincidental of all, of course, is the kind that resembles a perfect match made by the heavens.”

“The celestial phenomena are revealing themselves. That lass, Zhaoge, has laid out quite the grand scheme.”

Zhu Xuan’s heart stirred, and she frowned, “So that’s why Xu Jun had to… die once back then? Something akin to becoming a god in the form of a ghost spirit? Could all of this be a plot devised by Zhaoge and the Two Capitals Mountain?”

Wu Zhou chuckled, “Perhaps Zhaoge had planned this from the beginning, perhaps she stumbled upon it by chance, or more likely, she saw an opportunity during her seclusion that allowed her to capitalize on the situation. Maybe her chance for Dao harmonization lies not within herself, but in a certain opportune moment in time. These are just conjectures; I’m not skilled in divination. You can ask that Sect Leader Lu yourself the next time you meet him, as he has always been proficient in this art.”

If the process is disregarded and only the results are considered, the Red and Yellow Domains, and the sovereign will be pleased. The Great Tide Sect and the Two Capitals Mountain, originally mortal enemies, have put aside their past grievances and are cooperating sincerely, which is undoubtedly a win-win situation. Xu Jun, holding the position of leader of both sects, has reaped immense benefits.

“When the Purple Palace is harmonious and upright, it will attract phoenixes and generate songs of praise.” This refers to that marriage alliance, the union of Zhaoge, the female founder of Two Capitals Mountain, and Xu Jun. The female Daoist Zhaoge would certainly not busy herself for nothing.

“When the stars of the Purple Palace are prosperous, good fortune will follow, and inner assistance will be strong.” This is undoubtedly referring to the present Two Capitals Mountain and the Great Tide Sect. Once merged, their power will be unstoppable. Should the banners of the Purple Palace stand upright, it signifies the Emperor’s emergence, personally leading his armies. Subsequently, the Purple Palace opening wide signifies the outbreak of war throughout the land.

Wu Zhou stated, “We cultivators have many things to do besides breaking through realms. Especially when cultivation hits a wall, and we can’t break through a bottleneck, we always need to find something to do. Like me, this time I left my seclusion and ended up here.”

The Three Teachings as one—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, along with the Military School. With the scattering of the ancestral teachings of the Three Schools, and the waxing and waning of influence, the rise of the Military School is an unstoppable trend.

From the invasion of the Barren Wastelands into the Vast Expanse, to the Vast Expanse’s counterattack against the Barren Wastelands, isn’t the current Qingming Fourteen Provinces a scene of turmoil and chaos? Perhaps with just a few sparks, it could ignite a prairie fire.

Regardless of who wins or loses in a war that sweeps the land, who ultimately benefits?

Naturally, it is that small group of enlightened individuals hiding behind the scenes, outside the ancestral grounds of the Military School, who reap the rewards and usurp the fortune.

In fact, within the Military School, there exists an invisible struggle for the Great Dao.

Therefore, when the sages of the Central Earth Confucian Temple, using “flawless merits” as a reason, changed the positions of the seventy-two generals accompanying the sacrifices in the Martial Temple, it was not merely the sentimentality of scholars, but had far-reaching significance.

If Zhou Mi had a hidden plan… no, it is certain that this guy has left behind something in the mortal realm, then there are several possibilities: to assist the already ascended Zhou Mi, coordinating from above and below, working together from inside and out.

For example, Zhou Mi might have left behind a hidden clone in the mortal realm, either a swordsman, to ensure a chance to enter the Fourteenth Realm of a pure swordsman in the future, or a Military School cultivator capable of muddling through, and then all the… other possibilities.

After all, no one can truly guess Zhou Mi’s thoughts.

However, the path of the swordsman yields the most benefits, but also carries the greatest risks, because the Vast Expanse has lost one of its most accomplished figures, but the Xuan Capital Temple of the Qingming Heavens has gained a swordsman, Bai Ye.

What a Bai Ye!

He has twice stopped the flow of the river, blocking Zhou Mi’s path with his own strength.

Zhu Xuan sincerely asked, “Is there anything I can do for you, senior?”

Wu Zhou chuckled softly.

Zhu Xuan realized she had spoken out of turn.

What she could do, how could Wu Zhou not be able to do?

Wu Zhou smiled and pinched Zhu Xuan’s cheek, saying, “I appreciate the sentiment.”

Zhu Xuan hesitated to speak.

Wu Zhou shook her head, “You won’t give that ‘Battle Breaker’, and I won’t ask for it.”

Previously, when Zhu Xuan recruited Qi Gu as a retainer, she offered to take this divine weapon from the royal treasury and lend it to Qi Gu for three hundred years.

In fact, this divine weapon was once a token of love, personally given by Wu Zhou to the founding emperor of the Fish Symbol Dynasty in her early years.

Wu Zhou needed to collect divine weapons to continue her Dao harmonization, the more the better, but she had no interest in this one.

Currently, in the Qingming Heavens, there are a total of eighteen divine weapon relics recorded and verifiable, including the “Battle Breaker.”

These are all hard-won treasures. Only a very few divine weapons were left in the Qingming Heavens during the ascent to the heavens. Most of them were excavated by White Jade Capital immortals who ventured far beyond the heavens, from the ancient battlefield ruins, the places where the corpses of the gods turned into stars, or retrieved from the shattered secret realms of the long river of time.

Among them, the two with the highest rank, one is treasured in the Azure Cloud Pavilion of White Jade Capital, an ancient armor sealed for thousands of years.

The other is on Wu Zhou’s body, or rather, she herself is it, because to be precise, this object has long been part of her Dao harmonization.

When she was young and practicing Dao, she coincidentally obtained a part of the innate divine power of one of the twelve high-ranking ancient gods, the “Creator.”

The number of semi-immortal weapons personally forged and tempered by Wu Zhou has long exceeded double-digits. This is just the number verified by the peak cultivators of the Qingming Heavens. As for the number of immortal weapons, only Wu Zhou herself knows the exact number, and the outside world can only make wild guesses.

Therefore, Wu Zhou is the undisputed number one refiner in several heavens.
That year, attending the wedding banquet of Xu Jun and Chaoge, sitting at the main table, Wu Zhou had subtly inquired with Yu Dou, but was directly refused.

The conditions Wu Zhou offered could hardly be considered insincere. As long as the Jade Cloud Pavilion (碧云楼) yielded that suit of armor for her to refine, she would assist White Jade Capital (白玉京) in resolving a future hidden peril. As for which continent or individual this peril concerned, White Jade Capital could decide. Just a word from them, and she would help eliminate the threat, sparing no cost.

But that Daoist Second (道老二) was unmoved.

Most likely, it would be gifted to that closed-door disciple of Dao Ancestor, with the Daoist name of “Mountain Green” (山青), as a congratulatory gift for taking charge of some city or pavilion in the future.

Later, among the fifteen traceable divine weapons, there was the blade belonging to Wu Shuangjiang (吳霜降) of the Age-Ending Palace (歲除宮), a relic from the ancient execution ground, named “Decisive Execution” (斬勘).

That she gained nothing from Yu Dou’s side wasn’t entirely unexpected. White Jade Capital was vast and influential, and Daoist Second possessed such a temperament. Yet, Wu Zhou frowned slightly. If Daoist Second rejecting the deal was reasonable, why did the Age-Ending Palace act in the same manner?

A narrow blade, “Decisive Execution,” not of particularly high grade, and Wu Shuangjiang herself had no use for it. Why was she unwilling to agree? Was she going to let it gather dust within the Age-Ending Palace?

Previously, Wu Zhou had secretly visited the Stork Pavilion (鸛雀樓), offering what she considered an extremely sincere deal, yet it still fell through.

Wu Zhou had performed some grand deductions, but none could bypass “Wu Shuangjiang.” Clearly, the other party was deliberately obstructing her path.

After all, in the art of calculation and deduction, Wu Zhou admitted she was not particularly skilled, merely a novice.

The strangest aspect of these divine weapons was that cultivators found it extremely difficult to refine them. The most typical example was the four immortal swords that birthed spirits. Even Yu Dou, as high in cultivation as he was, could only make them acknowledge him as master, but could never truly refine them into objects of inherent life.

If a cultivator was fortunate enough to obtain a divine weapon, and their cultivation level wasn’t high enough, or their Daoist heart wasn’t firm enough, their temperament would easily shift, subtly changing with the weapon’s innate divine powers. Eventually, it would be like a cuckoo occupying the nest, leading to disaster. At best, it would damage the very foundation of their Great Dao; at worst, they would become afflicted with Qi Deviation, losing their minds, their temperament drastically altered, leading to an extreme. For instance, they could become excessively bloodthirsty and uncontrollably so. In the history of the Azure Vault (青冥天下), there were nearly twenty such unheralded disasters with clear records in White Jade Capital alone.

But the most peculiar thing was that if a pure martial artist obtained one, it was like a tiger gaining wings, easy to use and with almost no aftereffects. It could even temper the physique, somewhat like a natal flying sword for a swordsman, naturally complementary.

Lin Jiangxian (林江仙) of Ru Continent (汝州), Hardship Peak (閏月峰) and Bai Ou (白藕), the female national preceptor of Bing Continent (并州).

These three summit realm martial artists, the top three grandmasters of the world’s martial arts, each possessed a divine weapon.

It seemed that Jiang Zhaomo (姜照磨) of the Violet Qi Pavilion (紫氣樓) also had a divine weapon of ordinary grade, an old item from his previous incarnation.

Conversely, cultivators wielding divine weapons had to be extremely careful.

There was once a Great Cultivator of the Ascending Realm (飛升境), who nearly opened the barrier prohibition of the Extra-Celestial Heavens completely while wielding a divine weapon, enough to become a passage for the Extra-Celestial Demons to reach the Azure Vault.

Yu Dou, leaving White Jade Capital to travel the world with his sword, almost beheaded this Great Cultivator.

It was the Grand Master (大掌教) himself who intervened, stopping both sides and patching up the hole, then bringing the old cultivator back to Green Emerald City (青翠城) in White Jade Capital. Following the Grand Master’s guidance for hundreds of years, he finally managed to restore a clear Daoist heart, later serving as the City Lord of Divine Firmament City (神霄城).

The Grand Master, Kou Ming (寇名), once served as the Gatekeeper of Hangu Pass (函谷令). In his early years, when the Dao Ancestor rode an ox through the pass, Kou Ming observed the celestial phenomena at night and discerned the secrets of heaven.

Legend has it that the Dao Ancestor imparted five thousand words, and Kou Ming annotated a scripture called “Scripture of Western Ascension” (西升經), revered as the foremost scripture by the Louguan School (樓觀派).

Wu Zhou smiled, “It’s possible I’ll make a trip to the Desolate Wilds (蠻荒天下).”

“There, there’s an old codger who just woke up not long ago. Unfortunately, he’s engaged in a potential Great Dao contention with me.”

Wu Zhou took out a lotus leaf cup, filling it with overflowing wine, its fragrance permeating the air. She didn’t rush to drink it, but gently twisted it, a hint of sadness in her eyes, and mocked herself, “Looking back at the complete severance of old friends, few remain with whom I can reminisce.”

The previous City Lord of Divine Firmament City, the old cultivator who almost caused a great disaster, was named Yao Kejiu (姚可久), with the Daoist name “Emulating Antiquity” (擬古).

He and figures like Gao Gu (高孤) of Earth Lung Mountain (地肺山) were White Jade Capital’s external Daoist officials of the same generation.

Both Divine Firmament City and the Dark Capital Temple (玄都觀) possessed a peach orchard.

Yao Kejiu was also one of the very few White Jade Capital Daoist officials who could befriend Sun Huaizhong (孫懷中) of the Dark Capital Temple.

Yao Kejiu was not from the direct lineage of White Jade Capital, belonging to those who joined White Jade Capital midway.

He had committed a great mistake.

If not for the Grand Master Kou Ming’s intervention, he would have already died by Yu Dou’s sword, and there would have been no chance for him to atone for his mistakes.

Kou Ming brought Yao Kejiu, who had fallen into Qi Deviation, back to the Green Emerald City Daoist temple. Afterwards, Yao Kejiu’s appointment as City Lord of Divine Firmament City drew no small amount of criticism.

Because they didn’t trust Yao Kejiu, or rather, they didn’t trust the Daoist heart of this Ascending Realm cultivator, some even suspected that this White Jade Capital City Lord, with the Daoist name “Emulating Antiquity,” was no different from an Extra-Celestial Demon, only suppressed by the Grand Master.

Therefore, for many years, many White Jade Capital Daoist officials held a negative view of the entire Divine Firmament City, watching coldly, as if waiting for Yao Kejiu to make another mistake.

The old Daoist slowly accumulated merit, finally clearing his debts from the ledger that only the three Grand Masters of White Jade Capital could view.

Wiped clean.

That day, the old Daoist left White Jade Capital alone, going to a common tavern in his distant hometown to treat himself to a drink, drinking alone.

Like an ordinary commoner, silently working hard to repay debts for many years, free of debt, he could finally drink to his heart’s content. The ease after the bitterness was indescribable to outsiders. The old man drank the cheap tavern wine, like a fish in water, leisurely, as if he had never been so relaxed since he began cultivating.

Outside the tavern, rain poured. The old Daoist drank while turning his head to look outside, as if watching a rain battle.

With a righteous body and upright conduct, all evils cease.

The old man looked content, repeatedly chanting two words, “Heart-Homeland, Heart-Homeland.”

One after another, three people walked into the shop from the rain, sitting at the same table with the old Daoist, drinking together.

One was Sun Huaizhong, one was Lu Chen (陸沉), and the other was Gao Gu.

The three had not arranged it beforehand, arriving as if by coincidence.

Just enough to fill a wine table.

Perhaps cultivators have more than just cultivation matters.
In the end, Yao Kejiu chose to go to the Sword Qi Great Wall, answering the call of one of the three Sage Rulers seated in the heavens.

He never returned.

Perhaps he never intended to.

A solitary journey far from home is like a relocation, where one leaves with empty hands, yet carries the entire homeland away within their heart.

Wu Zhou and Zhu Xuan, walking together, reached the “Washbasin” at the summit, and saw a small, exquisite stone arch bridge spanning the stream. This unassuming bridge bore a grand name: Returning Dragon Bridge.

Across the bridge stood the Mountain God Shrine, heavily guarded by the Fish Talisman Dynasty. It was constructed to the highest specifications, its roof covered in jade-green glazed tiles, capable of holding clouds, resembling piled snow, yet slowly flowing. The vermillion gates were magnificent, like solidified, radiant sunlight, touched with cinnabar. With imposing structure and firm foundation, the shrine controlled the water veins of the vast rivers, holding the power of life and death, the temple deity governing fortune and misfortune in all directions.

Beside the shrine stood an ancient camphor tree, extraordinarily mystical. It was a hundred zhang tall with a ten-chi girth, ancient wood holding the sun and moon, its roots deep and hollow with age. Its branches and leaves were lush and spread out like a canopy, with mystical foxes and dark apes using the tree as their cultivation ground.

Wu Zhou glanced up at the camphor tree and sighed softly. “Returning here, returning to old age; it’s the same for both people and trees.”

This tree was highly renowned in the Azure Billow Heaven, for it was said that though this ten-thousand-year-old camphor had never developed sentience, it governed the fortunes of the four continents. Felling it could reveal omens of good or ill for the continents.

The camphor tree branched into four limbs, each governing the fate of a continent. If four guardian warriors were to chop at the branches with axes, and the branch regrew, the continent would be blessed. If the branch failed to heal for many years, unable to return to its original state, then the ruler of that continent would be ailing, indicating hidden dangers within its lands, prompting the rulers to issue edicts of self-reproach. But if, by chance, a branch could not recover for years on end, that continent would perish!

This time, the Fish Talisman Dynasty, with the ruler Zhu Xuan acting as the chief priest, was holding a Universal Grand Offering, the highest-level Taoist ritual. This was essentially a “passport,” allowing them to legitimately inspect the fortunes of the Fish Talisman Dynasty, Yong Continent, and even the four continents of the world.

Although this mountain and the shrine fell within the Fish Talisman Dynasty’s territory, and the Zhu family should be able to handle the old camphor tree as they saw fit, in reality, the two previous emperors of the Fish Talisman Dynasty, reigning for five hundred and three hundred years respectively, a total of eight hundred years, had never held a Universal Grand Offering. There were two key reasons, one internal and one external. The former was that both emperors “felt unworthy” and dared not lightly reveal the secrets of heaven, for offering sacrifices where one was not meant to was called licentious sacrifice, which brought no blessings, only misfortune. The latter, the so-called external pressure, was of course the need for the Fish Talisman Zhu family to consider the White Jade Capital’s opinion.

Wu Zhou asked, “How many branches do you plan to cut?”

Cutting just one branch of the old camphor would be no problem; whatever fortune or misfortune befell them would be their own doing. But if they cut two branches, for example, adding the branch representing Pei Continent, and if that branch regrew, then all would be well. But if the branch failed to heal, how would the hundreds of emperors and rulers of Pei Continent handle themselves? Would they truly issue edicts of self-reproach? But was the issue truly just a matter of issuing an edict? If, by some unfortunate chance, the worst outcome occurred, would the Taoist officials of Pei Continent not fly into a rage? Everyone would be on edge, hidden currents would surge, and even if there were no issues originally, they might create problems out of thin air.

Zhu Xuan said with unwavering determination, “Cut all four branches.”

Wu Zhou took the lead, walking onto the stone bridge, leaning against the bridge railing, slowly sipping wine from her cup. She glanced at the young woman beside her, a great beauty, naturally charming.

Yet seemingly frivolous, her spirit was pure as snow.

She was truly like a younger version of herself.

Fearless and without restraint.

It should be known that in the previous riverside council, among the fourteenth realm Grand cultivators, Wu Zhou was the first to propose going beyond the heavens to eliminate Zhou Mi.

The Azure Billow Heaven’s top combat power had never been dominated by men.

Besides Wu Zhou, whose Daoist name was “Taiyin,” her appearance had already confirmed the external speculations that she had already entered the fourteenth realm.

The first deputy city lord of the Nanhua City of the White Jade Capital, always respectfully called Madam Wei, her Daoist name “Zi Xu,” was the foremost female Yuanjun of the Azure Billow Heaven.

There was also the female cultivator of the Xuandu Temple who had been in secluded cultivation for a long time, Wangsun, whose Daoist name was “Kong Shan.” Before the rise of her fellow disciple, Sun Huaizhong, she was undoubtedly the leader of the Taoist sword immortal lineage.

And the founding ancestor of the Liangjing Mountain, Chao Ge, whose Daoist name was “Fu Kan.”

In addition, among the top ten martial artists in the world, besides Bai Ou, there were two women, though their rankings and achievements were not as high or prominent as Bai Ou’s.

And after Bai Ou entered the top ten, she would deliberately avoid challenging female martial artists each time she sought to test her skills.

Wu Zhou held a lotus leaf cup, gently twirling it, her eyes narrowed as she looked towards the shrine.

If Wu Zhou was not mistaken, one of the figures from that shocking “Co-Execution” event of the past was now within that shrine.