Chapter 58

Dead silence hung over the wasteland.

The group stood there rigidly, wishing with all their might that they had never set foot in this place. At first, the Pei siblings had merely been surprised, but upon hearing that title, they felt as though they had been struck by lightning.

Pei Yang trembled all over. Glancing at the rather familiar-looking man, he finally remembered where he had met him.

His expression instantly turned bizarre to the extreme.

This?!

Wasn’t this the senior from Cloud-End Peak last time?!

This man was actually the Zhaohua Immortal Venerable?! The very Sword God whose name shook the nine realms?!

As disciples under the Sect Master, the siblings interacted with the Chongyun Immortal Venerable on a daily basis. They were no strangers to Sacred Realm powerhouses, nor were they as fearful of them as ordinary cultivators.

Yet, recalling the numerous legends surrounding the man before them, and then thinking back to that night when this person spoke with their cousin, adopting that particular posture and demeanor—

Pei Xun’s elbow dug into her brother’s ribs, jolting him out of his daze.

Pei Yang gave a sharp start.

Let’s not talk about that night.

Just looking at the scene before them was already absurd beyond measure.

"Greetings, Grand Uncle-Master," Pei Xun greeted in a low voice, then stepped forward two paces. "Zhenzhen..."

Su Zhen had already collected herself.

In truth, the scene before her hadn't truly flustered her; she was still troubled by the answer she had failed to obtain.

She silently stood up and stepped aside, only to see Xiao Yu still sitting there, casting a somewhat aggrieved gaze in her direction.

Su Zhen: "..."

Su Zhen extended a hand.

Xiao Yu righteously grasped it, allowing himself to be "pulled" up.

The expressions of those around them had twisted to the extreme, yet the two of them paid it no mind whatsoever.

Su Zhen attempted to shake off his grip, but he held on with a death grip. Helpless for the moment, she simply gave up trying and went straight to the point: "Why have my cousin and cousin-brother come to the Void Realm?"

With that, she looked toward the other cultivators and nodded slightly.

Logically speaking, they could all be considered her senior martial siblings, and she ought to have been more deferential, but at this moment, no one had the leisure to mind such trifles.

Aside from the Zhaohua Immortal Venerable standing right there, they had all noticed that Su Zhen’s cultivation realm seemed to have already surpassed their own.

"We were merely carrying out a sect mission. We’ve already entered several minor worlds and sensed your spiritual pressure while passing through here, so we came to take a look."

Pei Yang gritted his teeth. "You didn't even say a word before leaving, you wretch! Anyone who didn't know better would have thought you’d died somewhere!"

Su Zhen was taken aback. "When we last exchanged messages, I should have told you that I was going out on a trip."

"Who could have known you wouldn't return for over a dozen years?!" Pei Yang raged. "And you never said you were coming to the Void Realm either!"

Su Zhen sighed. "Fine, I truly didn't realize so much time had passed. That was my fault..."

"No," Xiao Yu said indifferently. "Immortal Lord Pei may scold me; it was I who brought her here."

Pei Yang: "..."

He remembered this person purely because of those few conversational lines from that night. This man seemed well-acquainted with his cousin, and at the time, he even seemed to claim he was the Yuchen Immortal Venerable’s grand-uncle?

Wait, wasn't he indeed his grand-uncle?!

And the fellow hadn't been lying at all.

Pei Yang lowered his gaze slightly. "I meant no offense, I was merely worried for my cousin."

Even though a certain Immortal Venerable had been pinned to the ground just a moment prior, it did little to diminish the reverence and terror in their hearts. He adopted a respectful posture almost instinctively.

The remaining cultivators held their breath like cicadas in winter, not daring to make the slightest sound.

Or rather, precisely because they had witnessed such a spectacle, they were all the more terrified now.

"Zhenzhen," Pei Xun stepped forward and took her cousin’s hand. "You’ve broken through to the Heavenly Immortal Realm."

As an Earth Immortal Realm cultivator herself, she could already sense that the other woman surpassed her, which made her statement certain.

Su Zhen grasped her cousin’s hand in return. "Yes, but I have no plans to return to the sect anytime soon. We can talk about that later."

The two sisters exchanged a glance.

Pei Xun immediately understood that her cousin was hinting she bore no Demon God covenant seal. "There’s no rush for that. You’ve already graduated from apprenticeship anyway."

The present scene was far too bizarre. Between Su Zhen’s rapid breakthrough in realm and the horrifying spectacle from moments ago, none of them knew which matter to question first.

Besides, if it were anyone else, they might have stepped forward to jest and banter, but this was the Zhaohua Immortal Venerable.

Leaving aside his stern, majestic, and unapproachable aura—

Even if it were the Chongyun Immortal Venerable, no one would dare speak casually in such a situation.

Wait.

Pei Yang imagined their sect master and his cousin assuming the exact posture they had just witnessed, and his vision immediately went black. He hastily wiped those images from his mind and decided to abandon thought entirely.

"So, from the time you last sent me a message until before you entered the Void Realm, only a little over a dozen years have passed in the human realm?"

Su Zhen had no idea what her cousin was pondering, but she was quite satisfied with this answer.

One must know that the Void Realm comprised three thousand minor worlds, each with differing space-time rules. Some flowed faster than the human realm, some slower, while others constantly shifted.

She did not wish to emerge only to find that three hundred years had passed, as many things might become rather too late by then.

Pei Yang nodded with a complex expression. "Indeed."

Su Zhen mused, "Any fresh news?"

The other cultivators were silently backing away, wishing they could burrow into the ground and flee. Hearing this, however, one of them couldn't help but look up at her with a deeply emotional gaze.

Pei Xun sighed. "The Shen family was completely wiped out, right after you killed Shen Du. Shen Du’s master died as well..."

Su Zhen blinked. "Surely no one thinks I did it?"

"No, Palace Master Yinfeng of the Wuri Palace issued a statement saying her sect had produced such beasts..." Pei Yang gave a light cough. "Her exact words were: 'Since they were my disciples and grand-disciples, it was my negligence. Rather, I must thank Immortal Lord Su for stepping forth to purge the sect on my behalf.'"

Pei Xun added, "Not only that, she even wished to apologize to you. Because the Shen family colluded with the Soul-Devouring Cult to hire assassins for murder, had she come out of seclusion two days earlier, you wouldn't have been ambushed by the Blood God Emissary."

Everyone's gaze fell once more upon Su Zhen's face.

"Mm," Su Zhen said with utter nonchalance. "I did run into them, and then I killed her. Clearly, the Palace Master intended to elevate my renown; I shall thank her another day."

"That must have happened before you entered the Void Realm, right?" Pei Yang muttered. "Every single emissary of the Soul-Devouring Cult is above the Earth Immortal Realm..."

Su Zhen calmly looked back at the crowd. "Yes, I killed someone above my own realm again."

The cultivators of the Lingxiao Peak held their breath. Even if some wore suspicious expressions, none dared to voice any interrogation.

After all, she was now in the Heavenly Immortal Realm. Given her age, this was completely unheard of. Since that was the case, the fact that she had previously managed to slay an Earth Immortal Realm demonic cultivator didn't seem so strange anymore.

After a brief silence, the Pei siblings stated that their mission was completed and planned to leave the Void Realm, then asked what their cousin intended to do next.

Su Zhen glanced at Xiao Yu and merely said she still had matters to attend to.

The siblings' expressions turned instantly peculiar.

Pei Yang blurted out, "Must you two do this right here? Won't this plane collapse before long?"

Pei Xun pulled her brother back. "What nonsense are you spouting? Grand Uncle-Master Xiao is right here; how could he possibly be unable to control it?"

Su Zhen was left speechless, trailing off as she turned to look at the man beside her.

Xiao Yu frowned slightly, looking somewhat repressed and still trapped deep in thought. He cared nothing for anything happening around him and naturally paid no heed to their conversation.

Su Zhen massaged her temples. "My cousin truly needn't worry. In a minor world like this, halting time is no difficult feat, nor is it the first time. If you have business, go on ahead."

"Not the first time?!"

Pei Yang’s expression twisted further. "How are the two of you... What kind of amusement is this..."

Pei Xun dragged him away. Before leaving, she warned, "Zhenzhen, we ran into a group of Supreme Ascension Sect cultivators earlier. Judging by their route, they might be heading this way as well."

She glanced briefly at Xiao Yu. "Though Senior Xiao is here and all matters will surely be secure, I must still warn you: that junior martial sister of yours is with them."

She knew these things couldn't escape the Zhaohua Immortal Venerable’s divine sense, but unsure whether Xiao Yu cared about such details, she offered a reminder anyway.

Su Zhen, who had previously lacked interest, froze at these words. "Xie Changfeng is among that group as well?"

Pei Xun nodded. "...You know him?"

Su Zhen cared nothing for the surrounding eavesdroppers. "He is a member of the demon race."

An uproar broke out among the cultivators.

Xie Changfeng had just broken through to the Earth Immortal Realm. As a disciple of a renowned major sect, his prominence was at its peak. Among the figures on the Five Domains Wind and Cloud Rankings, none were currently more famous than him.

"Junior Sister Su, such words cannot be spoken lightly," one man said hastily. "After all, he is..."

Su Zhen cut him off. "If I had told you he was a demonic cultivator before I killed Shen Du, would you have said those exact same words to me?"

The man's face flushed red, unable to utter a single syllable in response.

Su Zhen sneered. "If you know nothing of the matter, keep your mouth shut."

The man dared not refute her further.

Even if the Zhaohua Immortal Venerable weren't present, her cultivation realm was superior to theirs.

Another man hesitated before speaking. "I actually heard rumors of this sort long ago..."

In other words, many accomplished young cultivators had been questioned regarding whether they were demonic cultivators or whether they had borrowed the power of Demon Gods.

Yet almost all of those rumors had later been proven false—mostly malicious speculations by mediocre individuals who suspected others because they themselves could not achieve such feats.

Xie Changfeng had experienced similar trials in the past.

Su Zhen sneered once more. "It was merely a play directed and acted by himself, meant to silence others early on."

The Pei siblings were slightly surprised, yet they didn't doubt their cousin's words for a moment.

They merely assumed the information came either from Xiao Yu, from some demon cultivator acquaintance of their cousin’s, or perhaps through a secret technique of the Thousand-Vehicles Sect capable of revealing bloodlines.

"Since that is the case..." Pei Yang mused, "He claimed his encounter with Liu Yunyao was purely coincidental. It seems that was not true?"

They were all aware of the Yuchen Immortal Venerable's departure from the sect. Most people assumed he had fallen into demonic corruption himself; now it seemed Liu Yunyao was likely problematic as well.

Su Zhen nodded and looked toward the others. "You may all take your leave."

The cultivators of Lingxiao Peak wore varied expressions. One of them couldn't help but ask, "If you cross paths, will Junior Sister Su take action against Xie Changfeng?"

Su Zhen folded her arms. "What do you think?"

Their expressions instantly turned magnificent. Some wanted to watch a good show, some hesitated with tangled emotions, while others wore faces full of disapproval. "If you offend the Supreme Ascension Sect, it is tantamount to antagonizing the Central Domain Immortal Palace."

If Xie Changfeng wasn't a demonic cultivator, Su Zhen attacking him would inevitably ruin the relationship between the two sects.

Furthermore, what if Xie Changfeng *was* a demonic cultivator, and the two Immortal Venerables of the Supreme Ascension Sect already knew? What if there were some transactions or other hidden secrets between them?

Even if the truth lay with the Heavenly Origin Sect in the end, they would still have offended two Sacred Realm powerhouses.

Who was to say the Chongyun Immortal Venerable wouldn't ascend one day, and the Zhaohua Immortal Venerable didn't care much for sect affairs? When that time came, wouldn't it be the ordinary disciples who suffered?

Su Zhen gave a derisive chuckle. "I knew it. If you stayed, you would only be a hindrance and get in my way. Therefore, I am not discussing this with you."

A green flash flickered at her fingertips, and the Startle-Sting materialized in her palm, spinning into a dazzling, weightless sword flower.

Su Zhen said leisurely, "I will count to five. Aside from my sister and brother, whoever remains here, I will kill. You are welcome to test whether I mean it."

Not mean it?

Who wouldn't believe her?!

Previously, she had heavily injured Jiang Wang on the arena stage, and that terrifying, horrifying scene was still fresh in everyone's memory. Back then, the two of hers had been on par in realm; right now, there was not a second Heavenly Immortal Realm cultivator here.

And that Shen Du was also famous far and wide, apprenticed to a Protector Elder of the Wuri Palace and born of the Northern Domain’s premier clan—yet she had killed him just like that, without even notifying the sect. Who else possessed such audacity and ruthlessness?!

The disciples of Lingxiao Peak scattered entirely. A few who didn't oppose her strike and merely wished to stay and watch the commotion were also frightened away by Su Zhen.

Only the Pei siblings remained.

Both of them looked at their cousin with complete composure, unfazed by the preceding events—clearly well-acquainted with Su Zhen’s temperament.

Pei Xun mused, "Is Zhenzhen planning to solo him?"

She figured her cousin likely didn't need her and her brother's assistance, especially since the Zhaohua Immortal Venerable was standing right there, looking entirely uninterested in intervening.

Su Zhen discarded her villainous imposing aura, her expression softening. "There are no outsiders here, so I'll speak plainly—"

Before she finished her first sentence, the siblings' expressions turned instantly subtle.

Though the twins possessed different personalities, at this exact moment, their expressions were shockingly uniform. They then turned simultaneously to look at the man standing behind their cousin.

The Zhaohua Immortal Venerable had been standing there the whole time, a stoic and cold indifference resting upon his handsome, sharp features, his azure eyes resembling frozen winter lakes.

His entire person radiated an aura that kept others thousands of miles away.

And then—

Upon hearing those words, the frost in his eyes shattered and melted. A smile rippled outward, transforming into shimmering, undulating water.

Xiao Yu looked down at the person before him with a gaze of unbelievable gentleness and focus, as though the rest of the world had vanished into nothingness.

Pei Yang nearly felt his scalp go numb.

He had witnessed many deeply affectionate couples, but rarely had he seen anyone display such a demeanor.

Su Zhen continued, "I am merely testing him. I have my own plans and am not afraid of alerting the enemy, though I don't expect him to perish here just yet."

Pausing for a moment, she added, "This person is no ordinary member of the demon race..."

Xiao Yu had previously filled her in on some of the original plot points. Perhaps because certain elements involved the rules of this realm and were inconvenient to state outright, the explanations had been somewhat fragmented.

Su Zhen turned her head as she spoke. "Senior?"

Xiao Yu had already reined in his previous expression, looking quite composed now. "He is a bloodline descendant of a Demon God."

The Pei siblings were both greatly shocked.

"What?"

Su Zhen was also somewhat surprised. "Why didn't you mention that earlier?"

"Did I not? Very well, perhaps I didn't make it clear that time—"

Most members of the demon race were merely vassals of the Demon Gods, capable of utilizing the same source of power. Demon God bloodline descendants, however, were their actual progeny, sharing a much deeper connection with the Demon Gods.

Because of this blood tie, Demon Gods could even descend directly into them; they were akin to walking incarnations of Demon Gods in the mortal world.

Demon Gods were not ordinary living beings, nor were they quite like the rest of the demon race. Their bloodline descendants could come into being through various methods.

"Xie Changfeng's father was considered a wealthy young master. He liked children, but unfortunately suffered from a physical ailment, having been diagnosed early on in life as fated never to have progeny."

Xiao Yu said casually, "The doctor said he wouldn't live past thirty either, growing increasingly frail with age and plagued by pain. At a moment when life had lost all flavor, a Demon God entered his dreams—"

Su Zhen softly drew in a breath, having already roughly guessed the sequel. "The Demon God of Flowing Brilliance seems to adore those chronically ill and trapped in despair."

"Indeed. Old Xie conceived through induction, and a few days later, his chest was sliced open to extract the child from his stomach before he died."

"Mm."

Su Zhen had guessed as much. "I've seen many similar records in the sect's secret vaults, except that what gets pulled out... usually doesn't look much like an ordinary infant at first."

That was putting it mildly; the reality was far bloodier and more terrifying.

The Pei siblings wore inscrutable expressions, having lost all inclination to ponder the origin of the Thousand-Vehicles Sect’s secret vault.

Pei Yang furrowed his brow. "You truly intend to cross swords with him? Demon God bloodline descendants are not easy to deal with. He claims to be in the Earth Immortal Realm now, but in reality, it's likely higher."

"Of course it's higher. That's why I said I'm merely testing him. Otherwise, even if I killed him here, he would simply revive in the Demon Realm in the blink of an eye, which would be pointless."

Su Zhen had tangled with such entities before and would neither excessively underestimate nor overestimate her opponent. "Descendants of Demon Gods are all like this. I know what I'm doing."

Pei Yang ceased trying to persuade her, exchanging a glance with his sister.

Su Zhen had made this decision entirely on her own, without consulting a single soul—including the Zhaohua Immortal Venerable standing behind her, nor did Xiao Yu show the slightest intention of interfering.

There wasn't a trace of worry in his eyes either; he seemed to place absolute trust in his cousin.

"...Xie Changfeng is not a rash person. Having maintained his disguise for years, he won't reveal any flaws until the critical moment."

If one wished to force him to show his true capabilities, it was equivalent to unmasking his identity, which would be no simple task.

"Indeed," Su Zhen smiled. "But he will inevitably find an excuse to separate himself from the other Supreme Ascension Sect cultivators, so as not to disturb his time with Liu Yunyao. As long as he arrives shortly, I have a way. We'll simply put on a show."

"Should be doable?" Pei Xun said uncertainly. "Their route matches ours, but traveling with someone of Liu Yunyao's cultivation level slows their pace considerably."

The Void Realm was constructed from three thousand minor worlds strung together; in the short term, the spatial layout and arrangement of the realms did not shift drastically.

Su Zhen turned back to look at Xiao Yu. "Well?"

Xiao Yu nodded slightly. "Big cousin is right. They are already very close and can arrive in two minutes."

Su Zhen: "..."

That form of address rolled off his tongue far too naturally, leaving the other two momentarily unresponsive.

Immediately afterward, Pei Xun's eyes widened in shock.

"Huh?"

Pei Yang also raised his head in alarm, as if a sudden thought had struck him.

"Y-You... That night at Cloud-End Peak, the Immortal Venerable called me brother—so you were already plotting this back then?!"