Deep inside a treacherous rift valley of the Nether Realm.

"Senior Sister, be careful. Let's avoid speaking if we can."

Figures with jet-black wings drifted through the air. These fiendish beings did not have particularly strong auras, only barely reaching the Primordial Immortal Realm, and their foundations could not compare to those of Primordial Immortals outside the Nether Realm.

Most of them were yin cultivators—cultivators tainted by the turbid breath of the Nether Realm. They themselves could not pursue high realms; it was rare for them to even reach the Heavenly Immortal Realm.

On the other hand, their breakthroughs came far more quickly than those who cultivated with pure qi. As long as it could strengthen them, they would use any method, no matter the cost. In a way, that was its own kind of balance.

At a corner of the rift valley, two common venomous insects clung to cracks between the rocks, quietly observing everything in their surroundings.

After being out for so many years, not having a few shapeshifting techniques... would be pretty embarrassing.

Having cultivated for so long, Mu Wanxuan had long surpassed her dear junior brother in terms of divine abilities and spells—at least in number.

The Great Dao of Creation held an extremely high status within the Three Realms.

Lin Feiyao had followed Qinghua for several thousand years. Unfortunately, even after being accepted as a formal disciple, her cultivation level had not improved much.

Only when Qinghua lectured Mu Wanxuan and allowed Lin Feiyao to listen at the side did she gain tremendous benefits and eventually grasp the Dao of Life. Such was the advantage of having a powerful being as a master.

Several of such figures supported and guarded Wang Sheng during his three hundred years of striving toward the Golden Immortal Realm. Had he been given more time, with their guidance, he could have risen to the top in one swift leap. Unfortunately, at the time, he had been constantly on the run and was always on the verge of exposure.

Feng Jiu's "prophecy" had forced him into a miserable flight.

Meanwhile, in the past, Lin Feiyao had not even dared to think about immortality. In that sense, she was far better off than a certain sword cultivator who had reached the Golden Immortal Realm yet somehow failed to attain immortality.

The two remained hidden here, watching as more and more unaffiliated cultivators, yin cultivators, and ghost cultivators gathered in the rift valley. Within a few days, their numbers had grown to several thousand.

"Senior Sister, they're definitely gathering to stir up trouble."

With a hint of ferocity, Mu Wanxuan answered decisively, "Annihilate them!"

Lin Feiyao smiled bitterly. "We can't alert them, Senior Sister. We're here to gather information."

"Mm..." After a moment's hesitation, Mu Wanxuan instructed, "Send word."

Lin Feiyao immediately understood. "Alright."

The two quietly retreated and slipped away without a trace. Before long, they returned to the city where they had settled down.

Their objective was clear. Since they did not want to alert the enemy, their best option was to report the situation as soon as possible.

Before coming here, Xu Zongliang had given them a pouch with instructions for various situations and reminders on what to watch out for.

The enemies who had gathered in the rift valley were only a small part of the bigger plan. Knowing they were assembling and preparing to act was already valuable enough.

A few days later, in the duo's simple courtyard, two wooden windows were pushed open. The graceful Mu Wanxuan leaned against the frame, gazing through the courtyard's protective barrier at the dim, oppressive sky that made it impossible to tell day and night apart.

She idly twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, a faint trace of melancholy resting on her increasingly serene face. It had been quite a long time since she last saw her junior brother.

"Miss him."

Lin Feiyao handled the task of delivering messages. Mu Wanxuan had never been good at dealing with people.

The mark on her forehead had become fully distinct, her true spirit complete. Moreover, with the Great Dao of Life's guidance, she had already reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm.

She now aimed for the Grand Dao Golden Immortal Realm, which meant one's Dao had reached perfection. No longer bound by the Great Dao, they were free to wander beyond the Three Realms. Of course, they still couldn't be reckless since heavenly punishment existed.

Mu Wanxuan only had to follow Qinghua's guidance and fully embrace the Dao of Life, which suited her extremely well. For as long as she did, she would eventually find herself just one step away from the Grand Dao Golden Immortal Realm.

However, to reach that realm, she first had to fully comprehend the Dao of Life, which would take a very long time.

Her beloved junior brother was the perfect example of it. Although she had already made him hers, she still could not understand what he was thinking at any given moment.

The same could be said for her Great Dao of Life. After all, she had simply borrowed it. It was a rare shortcut, but even if she reached the Grand Dao Golden Immortal Realm, she could not truly be called a great divine-ability user.

At most, she would be considered a pseudo-mighty figure. Becoming a true powerhouse required not only cultivation and Dao realm, but also accumulation of experience and resources.

That meant even more time.

Still, reaching such heights within ten thousand years was already extraordinary in the endless space. Anyone would gladly choose this path—aside from two special cases.

One of the cases was a mighty figure who had chosen to reincarnate and cultivate anew because they were dissatisfied with their Dao. The other was Haotian, who had been scheming against the sacred spirit.

At present, only Wang Sheng and a few powerful beings on their side knew that Haotian was an external devil.

By the window, Mu Wanxuan took out a scroll and held it in her hands, quietly reading.

Such was her nature. No matter how dangerous her surroundings were, even if the world seemed on the verge of collapse, she could still calm down and focus on her own affairs.

Time passed in a blur, yet in cultivation, she never felt it slipping away.

At times, Mu Wanxuan would let her thoughts wander. She feared that the passage of time would wear down her feelings—feared that her longing for Wang Sheng would fade.

In truth, her worries were unnecessary. She thought of him every moment, making it almost impossible to forget him.

On the contrary, it was only that after being apart for so long that her longing had deepened into desire. Her reason restrained it, sealing it away within yearning. It waited for the moment they would meet again to surge forth.

How strange.

Mu Wanxuan narrowed her eyes and smiled softly. Her long lashes fluttered gently.

It is a pity my Old Wang isn't here.

Lin Feiyao appeared outside the courtyard and slipped through the array.

Mu Wanxuan put away her scroll and immediately stepped forward. "What's wrong?"

"Don't worry, Senior Sister. The message has been delivered to Hostess Su's people. It is not wise for us to act rashly now. We might as well stay here and wait, then follow the Star Deity's orders."

Mu Wanxuan considered it briefly. She then instructed, "Follow them."

Lin Feiyao frowned. "We have not encountered any powerful figures yet. If we run into one, we could be exposed."

Mu Wanxuan fell into thought, then quickly came up with a plan. She gestured and spoke in short phrases. After explaining it to Lin Feiyao, the two proceeded with their next move.

If unrest broke out in the Nether Realm at this time, its target would certainly be the Six-Path Wheel of Reincarnation.

With that in mind, Mu Wanxuan brought Lin Feiyao to a major Nether Realm city not far from Fengdu City.

Mu Wanxuan spent her days cultivating in their residence, often lost in thought, while Lin Feiyao ran tirelessly across the area, gathering information, probing for intelligence, and keeping watch for any suspicious gatherings.

In the end, the credit was shared between them...

Mu Wanxuan's judgment proved correct. In less than two months, countless yin cultivators from all directions gathered at Fengdu City.

They deliberately avoided the various cities and villages of the Nether Realm, yet the vigilant Lin Feiyao still discovered them.

The information was sent out in time, giving their side more room to respond.

The Nether Realm was not like a unified nation. Over the past hundred thousand years, Fengdu City had lost control over most of the other cities.

Now, nearly half of those cities were secretly involved in the enemy's activities.

Without any early warning, Fengdu City could have been caught completely off guard.

In truth, more than ten days before Mu Wanxuan and Lin Feiyao acted, the Nether Realm's authorities and their own intelligence network had already traced the movements of these yin cultivators.

Even so, their efforts still held great value, and it showed several months later.

***

At a lakeside villa in the Hua Republic.

Because of the effects of the Time-Cycle Grand Array, by the time Wang Sheng received news from the outside about the Nether Realm, the events had already unfolded.

The second wave of unrest in the Nether Realm had arrived as expected.

Unlike the first, this upheaval involved yin cultivators and unaffiliated cultivators gathering from all over the Nether Realm to assault the outer regions of Fengdu City.

They were unable to inflict serious damage. The Nether Realm's ghost soldiers launched a counterattack, stopping the uprising within half a month. However, after this so-called yin-cultivator uprising, the entire realm fell into panic and was plunged into chaos.

The report specifically highlighted his senior sister's outstanding performance during the unrest.

After some thought, he decided that although she was his Daoist partner, he was still the nominal leader of their side and should reward her accordingly.

Wang Sheng proceeded to write six hundred words outlining follow-up measures for the Nether Realm.

He then wrote a one-thousand-six-hundred-word commendation praising Mu Wanxuan's intelligence and courage. Afterward, he had Ling Sheng deliver it to Chun Yangzi.

Upon reading it, Chun Yangzi sighed in admiration.

It seems the student has surpassed the master. On the path of doting on my wife, I find myself far behind. Lesson learned. Ahem, back to the matter at hand.

A hidden force was clearly orchestrating the unrest in the Nether Realm. Their goal was simple: the Six-Path Wheel of Reincarnation.

Their side's top figure, Emperor Qinghua, was already hiding in Fengdu City.

Within the Nether Realm, his Dao of Death was even more active, allowing him to draw in yin and baleful qi endlessly. It made him almost unassailable.

Hence, to prevent their forces from being wiped out in one strike, only Qinghua and a portion of less critical combat forces remained in the Nether Realm to provide support.

In addition, many powerful beings had already gathered in Fengdu City, making it extremely difficult to be captured.

Wang Sheng calculated the time and wondered whether this conflict outside could continue for a few thousand more years.

Having accepted the Great Dao of Creation, he also wanted to join in and perhaps take the chance to see Mu Wanxuan.

Of course, the latter was his main objective.