In the Heavenly Domain void.
Lord Saint Yang was being supported by a group of Heavenly Domain Immortal Officials. Bleeding from his seven orifices, his face was ashen, his spirit broken, presenting an utterly wretched sight.
He had been scared out of his wits by Gu Qingfeng, his mind scattered and unable to coalesce, his consciousness somewhat blurred. The words Gu Qingfeng had spoken—'settle your affairs, then come to die'—kept echoing relentlessly in his mind. Suddenly.
A sharp shout pierced his ears.
"Lord Saint Yang!
Why are you not following our plan!"
The voice was like a thunderclap on a clear day, deafening and shocking, yet also like a sudden enlightenment, causing the dazed Lord Saint Yang to jolt violently.
He knew this voice belonged to an elder from Dan-Ding Valley, the North Altar Immortal King.
For days, the reason he had dared to ride the Great Sun Dragon Carriage and mobilize forces everywhere to search for Gu Qingfeng's traces was precisely because he relied on the backing of the Longevity Pavilion.
"What are you afraid of!"
The voice of the North Altar Immortal King came again. Lord Saint Yang opened his mouth but did not know how to respond—or more accurately, he had no face to answer.
"Have you forgotten how that criminal disciple surnamed Gu killed your most beloved disciple back then? Forgotten how he utterly humiliated you?
Do you not want to take revenge and wash away your disgrace!"
"No!"
Lord Saint Yang's face flushed red as he shouted back with fierce emotion: "I have not forgotten!
I will never forget!"
"Since you haven't forgotten, then pull yourself together! This king has said, this is the perfect opportunity to eradicate You Di, the only chance. If you miss this opportunity, your vengeance will never be achieved, your disgrace will never be cleansed!"
"This old man will pull himself together!
I will also act according to the plan!
What about you all!"
"Set your mind at ease. As long as you raise the call, this king, representing Dan-Ding Valley, will respond immediately. And so will True Martial Immortal Realm, Bright Moon Immortal Realm, the Illusory World Clan, the Gulan Clan, the Golden Wheel Immortal Realm…
All will step forward and respond. Moreover…" The North Altar Immortal King added: "Do not forget, those who wish to force the Nine Heavens to act and eradicate You Di this time are not limited to us. There are many, many others. More than half of the Thirty-Six Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands will pressure the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao to act. There are even Holy Lands, Forbidden Lands, including the terrifying powerhouses from the Gui Xu."
Lord Saint Yang responded: "Perhaps more than half of the Thirty-Six Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands will pressure the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao to act, but their goal is different from ours. They merely wish to incite conflict between You Di and the Nine Heavens, whereas I want You Di dead beyond reincarnation!"
"You are correct. Their goal is indeed different from ours. However, as long as the Nine Heavens are incited to act against You Di, they will inevitably spare no cost to eradicate him. You should know this king would not deceive you. If I were deceiving you, our Dan-Ding Valley would not have mobilized our entire force this time!"
Lord Saint Yang knew the North Altar Immortal King was not lying to him. It wasn't just because Dan-Ding Valley had mobilized in full force this time, but also because the news his disciple, the Jade Toad Immortal King, and his grand-disciple, the Morning Sun Immortal Lord, had brought back from the Nine Heavens was the same: once the Nine Heavens decided to act against You Di, they would inevitably spare no cost to eradicate him.
From his disciple, the Jade Toad Immortal King, he had learned that the situation within the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao was currently split—half insisted on eradicating You Di, while the other half wished to negotiate peace with him. Over this issue, the two factions of the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao had been arguing for a very, very long time.
"Lord Saint Yang, you need not have too many concerns. As long as we act according to our plan, the Nine Heavens will inevitably act against You Di. This is certain. Our Patriarch has said, all we lack now is momentum. As long as we build up the momentum for crusading against You Di here in the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, our Patriarch can use this as justification in the Nine Heavens to eradicate You Di. Others who wish to oppose will be useless."
"Good!
This old man knows what to do now."
"Excellent!
Truly worthy of being Lord Saint Yang. However, what you need to do now is inform your disciples and old subordinates, make them stand united with you. Do not let a disgraceful scene like just now happen again!"
"Immortal King, rest assured. This old man will not let the shameful incident from earlier repeat itself!"
Having regained his composure, Lord Saint Yang shook his sleeves. As he raised his hand, a flash of light passed, and the blood from his mouth, ears, and nose vanished instantly. The man who had been utterly broken moments ago now appeared spirited and sharp-eyed in the blink of an eye.
On Blackwater Mountain.
Gu Qingfeng was completely unaware of the plans of Lord Saint Yang and the others. He continued to embrace Lady Blackwater, being intimate and affectionate. Holding the Dragon-Cauldron fine wine, he drank several cups and asked: "What kind of wine is this stuff?"
"Wine to help Brother Youdi get in the mood, of course."
"Get in the mood?"
Gu Qingfeng asked, puzzled: "What mood?"
Lady Blackwater nestled in Gu Qingfeng's arms, smiling seductively: "Guess."
"It couldn't be… wine to aid in *that* kind of mood, could it?"
"Hehehe…" Lady Blackwater's laugh was particularly enchanting. "Brother Youdi guessed right. Why don't we go and do *that* right now?
How about it?"
"Now?
Now won't do."
"Why not?"
Lady Blackwater's delicate jade-like hand had, at some point, already slipped into Gu Qingfeng's chest, her fingertips tracing lightly. Her eyes, filled with a provocative, resentful look, said: "Does Brother Youdi not want this servant?"
"Wanting is one thing, but we have to finish the proper business first. What if we're right in the middle of getting excited and trouble comes knocking?"
"I wonder what trouble Brother Youdi is referring to."
"A whole pile of trouble from the heavens above and the earth below."
"Hehe…
Since these are troubles for Brother Youdi, why not just kill them?
Wouldn't killing them settle everything once and for all?"
"Kill them?"
Gu Qingfeng laughed: "Big sister, you think too highly of me, don't you?"
"What?
Does Brother Youdi lack confidence in himself, or does he lack the courage?"
"I lack both confidence and courage."
"Hehe…
Brother Youdi must not deceive this servant."
"How would I dare deceive you?"
"If Brother Youdi lacks the courage, then why show yourself?
Wouldn't hiding be better?"
"What kind of talk is that? You think I wanted to show myself?
Isn't it because you were here constantly tempting me?"
"Hehehehe…
So it seems Brother Youdi has given this servant a tremendous favor today."
"Of course."
"If… if the troubles from the heavens above and the earth below want to kill Brother Youdi, what then?"
"What then? Deal with it when it comes."
"Hehe, Brother Youdi really knows how to joke. This servant does not want you to die."
"Really or fake?"
Gu Qingfeng looked down at Lady Blackwater in his arms: "I feel like you came today precisely to take my little life."
"Brother Youdi, this servant likes you so much, how could I bear to kill you? Moreover, this servant still remembers the promise you made to me back then."
"What promise?"
"Has Brother Youdi forgotten?
The promise you made to this servant at the foot of Blackwater Mountain back then."
"Is there such a thing?
I don't remember."
Gu Qingfeng thought very seriously for a moment, then shook his head: "You must have remembered wrong. I've never been to Blackwater Mountain before."
"Brother Youdi really knows how to act shamelessly…
Fortunately, there is a witness present today who can prove the promise Brother Youdi made to this servant."