Chapter 301: Heavenly Envoy from Beyond the Heavens and Great Sun Demon Art

Gu Mo reached out, and a relic flew into his hand.

At that moment, Gu Mo could clearly sense that the "Source Qi" of the Reincarnation Mirror had entered this relic.

However, the strange thing was that the material of the relic was not on the same level as the "Source Qi"; at most, it was comparable to the divine weapons circulating in the martial arts world of their time. Theoretically, the relic should not be able to contain the "Source Qi." In fact, it wasn't sealed; the "Source Qi" simply remained obediently within the relic.

"What's going on?" Gu Mo wondered.

Gu Chundong, standing nearby, asked, "Brother, what is it?"

Gu Mo then briefly explained to Gu Chundong that the "Source Qi" had entered the relic. Gu Chundong knew about Source Qi because last year in Mobei, after Gu Mo learned about the concept, he had explained it to her upon his return. Gu Mo's "Qi of Regularity" was also a type of "Source Qi," so he could articulate this concept clearly, and Gu Chundong naturally understood its significance.

Hearing Gu Mo's confusion, Gu Chundong said, "Brother, isn't that quite easy to understand?"

"How so?" Gu Mo asked.

Gu Chundong looked at the relic and said, "Think about it, why has the Reincarnation Mirror always stayed at Daguangming Temple and actively sought out the Buddhist Son? Although the Buddhist Son is merely a 'tray' for the Reincarnation Mirror, it's undeniable that the Buddhist Son must possess something that attracts it. This relic was left behind by a Buddhist Son after his nirvana; it must retain his characteristics from life. It might not have much appeal to the complete Reincarnation Mirror, but it's perfectly normal for it to attract this small bit of the Reincarnation Mirror's Source Qi!"

Gu Mo nodded slightly, saying, "What you said truly makes sense. This really is a direction for thought and research. I'm just wondering now, when Master Liansheng insisted on giving me this relic, did he foresee today's events, or something that will happen in the future?"

Gu Chundong said, "Aren't you planning to visit Daguangming Temple in the latter half of the year? You can just ask Master Liansheng then."

"Hmm." Gu Mo nodded, put away the relic, and turned to leave. The group then took Princess Chengyang, Li Li, back to the princess's mansion.

Afterward, Su Ziyou took over the area with his men, while Ye Jinglan hurried off to dispatch the Imperial City Guard to maintain order for the night. Although he didn't fully understand how mud figures could be identical to real people, he could still guess that many people in Chang'an would "encounter ghosts" tonight, which would certainly cause widespread panic and chaos.

Although Ye Jinglan was the Vice Minister of Justice, he was about to be transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the Imperial Guard as a Grand General and was currently in the process of handover. Therefore, during this period, to ensure the smooth progress of the Crown Prince Investiture Ceremony, he was in charge of Chang'an's public security.

And indeed, it did not surprise Ye Jinglan. Ghostly incidents occurred in many parts of Chang'an, turning the normally quiet late night into a noisy one, causing considerable confusion. People everywhere screamed in terror, whether in common neighborhoods or the mansions of high officials and nobles. Even in the imperial palace, some people suddenly turned into mud figures, disturbing even Emperor Qian.

Fortunately, Ye Jinglan reacted very quickly and soon controlled the chaos, preventing it from spreading further. However, this night was destined to be a sleepless night and a lifelong nightmare for many.

Meanwhile, at the Court of State Ceremonies (Honglu Temple).

Princess Xiao Ziyin of Chu was awakened by the noise. Realizing it wasn't ordinary chaos, she immediately got out of bed, put on an outer garment, and went to the door, asking, "What's happening? Why is it so noisy?"

The maid on night duty at the door quickly replied, "Reporting to Your Highness, it's said... it's a haunting!"

Xiao Ziyin frowned, opened the door, and asked in confusion, "What haunting?"

The maid was about to speak when footsteps were heard from outside the courtyard. A person carrying a lantern rushed in; it was Chen Zhaorong, Xiao Ziyin's personal female official.

Chen Zhaorong walked up to Xiao Ziyin, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Highness, Master Dabe has asked to see you."

Xiao Ziyin asked, "What's wrong?"

Chen Zhaorong's expression was grave as she said, "Master Dabe, I fear he is about to enter nirvana."

Xiao Ziyin's heart jolted, and she immediately started walking, asking as she went, "What exactly happened? Wasn't he perfectly fine during the day? Why is he entering nirvana now?"

Xiao Ziyin felt an inexplicable surge of anger and genuine distress. It wasn't because she had any deep emotional connection with Master Dabe, but because, for the state of Chu, the cost invested in Master Dabe was now too high. Their state of Chu had already suffered a great loss by exchanging over a thousand cavalry prisoners of war for Master Dabe. After all, their original plan was for Master Dabe to die in prison, but the Qian court had outmaneuvered them, leaving them with a hidden loss. However, despite the loss, they had at least gotten Master Dabe back, hoping to use this favor to gain goodwill and influence with the Buddhist faction in Chu. But now, if Master Dabe truly died right after being released from prison, their efforts would be in vain. They would have paid the transaction cost without gaining any favor, purely a wasted effort. Furthermore, conspiracy theories might even arise within the country.

Noticing Xiao Ziyin's displeased expression, Chen Zhaorong quickly recounted the events in detail: "Just now, Honglu Temple was haunted... no, to be precise, the entire city of Chang'an is haunted. In many places, people suddenly turned into a puddle of mud. Some became entirely mud, some were left with only bones, some with half a head... it was extraordinarily terrifying. Two people at Honglu Temple were affected: one was left with only a leg, and the other with only a head, both suddenly turned into mud.

"Master Dabe was the first witness to discover those two people in Honglu Temple turning into mud. Then, he returned to his room, packed all his belongings, and then asked me to invite you, saying that he was about to enter nirvana."

Xiao Ziyin asked in confusion, "Was he scared?"

"It doesn't seem like it," Chen Zhaorong said. "I observed Master Dabe's expression; it was calm. Far from being scared, he seemed relieved. Since his release at noon today, Master Dabe had been deeply troubled, constantly muttering about his profound sins. But now, he seems to have come to terms with it!"

Xiao Ziyin frowned. She deeply understood the great terror between life and death. Master Dabe's reaction perfectly matched the demeanor of someone at their end.

Soon, Xiao Ziyin arrived at the courtyard where Master Dabe was staying. From afar, she heard Master Dabe chanting scriptures while tapping a wooden fish.

Entering the courtyard, she saw Master Dabe sitting cross-legged on the floor in the main hall. An oil lamp burned beside him, and a wooden fish lay before him, which he was gently tapping.

"Divine Monk!" Xiao Ziyin stepped through the door, bowing respectfully.

Master Dabe put down the wooden fish mallet, still maintaining his cross-legged posture. With hands pressed together, he calmly said, "I deeply apologize for troubling Your Highness to come here so late at night. However, I am about to enter nirvana, and there are some words I wish to convey to Your Highness."

Xiao Ziyin said, "Divine Monk, your health is good, and the seal on your dantian has been removed. You will recover soon. How can you enter nirvana?"

Master Dabe said unhurriedly, "Your Highness, for the past two decades, I did not know myself. I believed myself to be Dabe. Only at this moment do I truly understand karma and recognize my true self."

Xiao Ziyin asked in confusion, "What do you mean? Divine Monk, are you not Master Dabe?"

Master Dabe gently shook his head, saying, "I am Dabe, but Dabe is not me. The karma here is beyond explanation. It is simply that the shackles have been undone today, and it is naturally time for this monk to return to where I belong. However, I feel guilty for having caused Your Royal Highness and His Imperial Majesty such worry and expense without providing any return. Therefore, before entering nirvana, I wish to offer Your Highness a few words of advice."

Xiao Ziyin bowed and said, "Divine Monk, please speak."

Master Dabe said, "First, the Beyond Heavens are not entirely trustworthy. Inner demons truly exist, but the Beyond Heavens did not inform us truthfully. Second, a few days ago in prison, I met a young benefactor named Gu Mo, said to be the foremost master in the world today. The moment this Benefactor Gu saw me, he could discern my karma, which indicates that his realm has already surpassed the peak of the human world. Do not offend him without a complete strategy."

Xiao Ziyin's expression subtly changed as she asked, "Does the Divine Monk mean that Gu Mo might have already achieved the Ascended Realm?"

Master Dabe slowly replied, "It is certain."

Xiao Ziyin's face grew very solemn.

Master Dabe continued, "Finally, after my death, please have my body sent to Daguangming Temple. Furthermore, remember to instruct Liansheng: fate is determined by heaven, do not force it. You must know that seeing is a cause, hearing is a cause, doing is a cause, and not hearing, not asking, not caring is also a cause. In these circumstances, weigh things for yourself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Master Dabe gently closed his eyes, then his head slumped, and he lost his breath, thus entering nirvana.

Xiao Ziyin stood up, clasped her hands together, bowed to Master Dabe, and then walked out of the room.

Chen Zhaorong, who was waiting at the door, immediately came forward and asked, "Your Highness? Master Dabe..."

"He has entered nirvana," Xiao Ziyin said calmly. "However, what he just said was rather mystical. I'm not entirely sure why he suddenly let go of his sorrows and entered nirvana, but it's not that important. What's important is his final instruction."

Xiao Ziyin then recounted the three points Master Dabe had entrusted.

After listening, Chen Zhaorong began to analyze, saying, "At noon yesterday, when Master Dabe first came out, he mentioned losing a memory while speaking about the past two decades. Now, for Master Dabe to confirm the existence of inner demons at his final moment means that he must have recovered that memory. Perhaps the Master Dabe of twenty years ago had indeed encountered inner demons, and it was likely a moment of qi deviation that led to him harming thousands of Qian people. Knowing his profound sins, he did not resist; otherwise, the Qian court could not have captured Master Dabe."

Xiao Ziyin nodded slightly, saying, "Since Master Dabe could confirm the real existence of inner demons, it suggests that twenty years ago, he must have already possessed the power of the Ascended Realm and encountered inner demons. Indeed, the Qian state would not have been capable of capturing a cultivator who had mastered the power of the Ascended Realm."

Chen Zhaorong said, "Therefore, the third instruction, telling Liansheng not to force things, is very likely related to ascension. Daguangming Temple probably holds the method for achieving ascension, and he was likely worried that Master Liansheng would follow his old path."

Xiao Ziyin nodded slightly, saying, "In that case, after I return, I truly must have a good talk with Master Liansheng. The Master Dabe of yesteryear almost caused chaos in Chang'an. Now, Master Liansheng is in our Chu state; we cannot allow him to act recklessly!"

Chen Zhaorong bowed and said, "Your Highness's foresight is excellent. This indeed is a significant hidden danger."

Xiao Ziyin said solemnly, "However, when it comes to threats, it's still Gu Mo. According to Master Dabe, it's confirmed that Gu Mo has reached the Ascended Realm. Although we had speculated before, now that it's truly confirmed, I still cannot control this fear."

Chen Zhaorong softly asked, "Your Highness, the Ascended Realm is only a thin line away from the top Grandmasters on the Martial Arts Ranking. Is the threat really that great?"

Xiao Ziyin nodded slightly, saying, "Even masters like Su Qianqiu, or Jiang Ruoxu in the past, or Gu Mo who previously cut through the Moon Worship Cult and the imperial palace in Jiang, no matter how powerful, they are ultimately still human. They are subject to the suppression of battle qi and the suppression of human nature. Although powerful, they are not to the extent that a state cannot deal with them.

"But the Ascended Realm is different. They disregard battle qi. Theoretically, they are like legendary immortals; human power cannot even harm them. You haven't seen an Ascended Realm cultivator, but I've seen those two divine envoys from the Beyond Heavens. In the human world, Ascended Realm cultivators are virtually immortal and indestructible. And Gu Mo is an Ascended Realm cultivator who seems to have no restrictions whatsoever. As long as he doesn't go to our Great Chu imperial city and clash with the two Venerables, I can't think of any way to suppress him. Whether it's an army of ten thousand or a million, they are non-existent before him. Do you still think the threat isn't great?"

Chen Zhaorong's heart sank, asking, "Then what should we do?"

Xiao Ziyin spread her hands helplessly, saying, "What else can I do? I've known for a long time that Gu Mo would definitely be our Great Chu's biggest threat. I've been writing letters to that girl Gu Chundong every few days to befriend her, hoping to become her sister-in-law. But that girl, all she does is constantly talk about finding a sister-in-law, yet after all this time, she hasn't managed to convince Gu Mo to marry. What else can I do? We can't defeat him in battle, and a honey trap is useless... Oh, by the way, I heard that Gu Mo now has an incredibly beautiful woman by his side, named Hongyi. Some gossips are even saying that woman is the most beautiful in the world, yet Gu Mo actually uses such a beautiful woman as a maidservant; it's simply outrageous!"

As she spoke, Xiao Ziyin sighed, "The honey trap won't work. As for pursuing a romantic connection, we are people of Chu, inherently disadvantaged compared to Qian. Moreover, the Qian Emperor and his civil and military officials are all currently revering Gu Mo; we have no advantage whatsoever. Forget it, I'll inform the Emperor that Gu Mo is an Ascended Realm cultivator and let him worry about it. I can't think of any solutions."

Chen Zhaorong sighed, saying, "This subordinate will prepare the secret letter to inform His Majesty immediately."

As Xiao Ziyin walked, she added, "Carefully preserve Master Dabe's body. Now that Gu Mo is in Chang'an, tell all our people to stay put and do nothing. We don't understand the Ascended Realm and cannot know what methods they possess, so let everyone be quiet!"

Chang'an was gripped by a haunting frenzy. Even with vigorous suppression by the court, the effect was minimal. After all, there weren't just one or two haunting incidents that night, but over three hundred, occurring throughout Chang'an. For a time, various rumors spread throughout the city, many even pointing directly at the upcoming Crown Prince Investiture Ceremony, suggesting that Crown Prince-to-be Li Zhongqing was lacking in virtue and that this was a divine punishment.

When this series of rumors emerged, the court naturally suppressed them vigorously, cracking down hard, causing Chang'an to instantly fall into a state of extreme anxiety. However, there were no rumors within the imperial court itself, because the very next day, during the morning court session, Gu Mo personally appeared in the imperial hall and explained to all civil and military officials that evil cultivators were at work. It didn't matter how many officials believed it or didn't, because no one openly questioned Gu Mo, which effectively meant everyone silently agreed. As for the rumors, as long as there was no turmoil within the court, and it was just popular gossip, it wouldn't cause too much disturbance. Under the court's iron-fisted suppression, the haunting craze passed in just a few days.

Meanwhile, a secret letter from Chang'an had arrived at the imperial palace in Shangjing, the capital of Chu, appearing before Emperor Xiao Zhaolin.

In the Imperial Study, Xiao Zhaolin received the secret letter from the head of the Hidden Guards, Night Owl, opened it, and began to read. His expression quickly turned grave. He then stood up, left the Imperial Study, and went to an inconspicuous pavilion in the imperial city.

Xiao Zhaolin approached the door, gently knocked, and respectfully said, "Disciple Xiao Zhaolin requests an audience with the two Venerables."

Immediately, the door opened by itself.

Inside were ordinary tables, chairs, and benches. However, the moment Xiao Zhaolin stepped inside, the imperial city landscape outside the door was suddenly isolated by a layer of soft, glowing light. What was inside was not the sight seen from the outside, but a valley filled with faint azure mist – iridescent blue streams flowed between jagged rocks, and ancient plum trees with jade-colored blossoms grew along the banks. As the petals fell, they condensed into tiny points of light in mid-air, as if someone had crushed the Milky Way and scattered it among the plants. Even though he had been there many times, Xiao Zhaolin still found it amazing. Because that pavilion was originally just an ordinary pavilion, and even now, it still appeared to be an ordinary pavilion. But that was the sight upon actively entering. If one were invited inside, they would find that the moment they stepped into the pavilion, they would enter this mysterious valley. Just as it was when he first stumbled upon it years ago.

He walked forward and soon heard the sound of flowing water from a small stream. In the center of the stream was a large bluestone, with two old men sitting on either side, a chessboard between them, engaged in a game. This game of chess had been going on for several years. From the first time Xiao Zhaolin came here, these two had been playing chess. Now, eight years had passed, and this game was still unfinished.

The old man on the left wore a coarse hemp robe, his silver-white beard reaching his knees, each strand seemingly covered in morning dew. He held an ink-jade chess piece, and as he placed it, a clear zither-like sound spread from the board. This man was called Master Chen. The old man on the right wore a moon-white Daoist robe, his hair tied with only a bamboo hairpin. He was frowning, staring intently at the chessboard. This man was named Master Qiu.

"Disciple greets the two Venerables." In the eyes of the world, Xiao Zhaolin was an awe-inspiring and domineering young supreme ruler, decisive and contemptuous of all under heaven. Yet, before these two old men, he was extremely respectful. Because these two, like the divine maiden who assisted Emperor Gaozu of Chu in founding the nation 190 years ago, came from the Beyond Heavens. They descended to the mortal realm specifically to fulfill the mandate of heaven and help Chu unify the world. Over the years, Chu's rapid development was inseparable from Emperor Xiao Zhaolin's brilliant and martial leadership, but Xiao Zhaolin, in turn, could not have done it without the help of these two divine envoys.

Master Qiu asked, "Has Your Majesty encountered some trouble, appearing so suddenly?"

Xiao Zhaolin nodded slightly, saying, "Venerables, a cultivator of the Ascended Realm has appeared in Qian. This disciple fears changes in the war!"

Both Master Qiu and Master Chen were slightly startled. They put down their chess pieces, exchanged glances, and saw confusion in each other's eyes.

Then, Master Chen chuckled softly, saying, "Brother Qiu, you are deeply versed in the Way of Heaven's Mandate. Pray tell, has Qian's heavenly mandate changed in this era?"

Immediately, Master Qiu placed a chess piece on the board and stared at it for a long time, frowning deeply. "Strange, the heavenly mandate hasn't changed. Qian's national fortune has reached its end; it shouldn't be able to produce an Ascended Realm cultivator."

Master Chen looked at Xiao Zhaolin and asked, "Your Majesty, is the news accurate?"

Xiao Zhaolin nodded, saying, "Absolutely true. That person is Gu Mo, the foremost master in the world today."

Master Qiu said solemnly, "So it is this person. Then it's not surprising. This person's fate is somewhat strange. Originally, it was a fate of mediocrity, but then it suddenly changed drastically. He must have awakened his past life's wisdom and become a fated one. His fate also became blurred. Theoretically, with Qian's current national fortune, let alone producing an Ascended One, even the foremost master in the world should not appear in Qian. However, this person's fate is special, outside the general trend of the present age. It's not surprising that he can reach the Ascended Realm!"

Xiao Zhaolin bowed and said, "Two Venerables, this disciple does not care about fate. This disciple is only worried that Gu Mo will hinder this disciple's path to unifying the world. I implore the two Venerables to teach me!"

Master Chen waved his hand, saying, "Your Majesty, you can rest assured. The heavenly mandate for this era lies with Chu. Unifying the world is the great trend, and no one can change it. You need not worry. As for Gu Mo, we will have a way to deal with him."

Xiao Zhaolin said, "Two Venerables, this disciple is truly worried. As an emperor, facing such a situation, I lack a sense of security. Therefore, this disciple dares to ask the two Venerables to bestow a method to help this disciple break through to the Ascended Realm!"

"Unsuitable," Master Qiu waved his hand and said, "Your Majesty, an Ascended One means breaking free from the heavenly mandate. Therefore, no emperor throughout history has ever achieved the Ascended Realm, because an emperor bears the heavenly mandate, carries the national fortune, and the nine-five fate. It is impossible to achieve the Ascended Realm. Once achieved, there will be unforeseeable consequences."

Master Chen also said, "Your Majesty, your cultivation has reached the peak of the human realm. In the entire world, those who can be your match are few. As for Gu Mo, that exception, Master Qiu and I will deal with him ourselves. You do not need to worry at all; simply manage state affairs well."

Xiao Zhaolin said nothing more, bowed, and said, "This disciple understands. This disciple takes his leave!"

Master Chen nodded slightly, then continued playing chess with Master Qiu.

As Xiao Zhaolin left, both Master Chen and Master Qiu, who had been composedly playing chess, put down their pieces. The calm expression was gone from their faces, especially Master Qiu, who directly threw his piece into the chess jar and angrily said, "What is the Inner Demon doing? Why is an Ascended Realm cultivator appearing? Is it deliberately making things difficult for us?"

Master Chen quickly placated him, "Brother Qiu, don't rush. You and I have never offended the Inner Demon. Perhaps it is allowing an Ascended One to remain in the mortal world to vent its dissatisfaction. Back then, God promised it nine hundred years of free roaming, but now after only seven hundred years, it is being told to return. It must be dissatisfied."

Master Qiu angrily said, "Its dissatisfaction, what does it have to do with us? We are just following orders. Doesn't it know how much impact allowing an Ascended One to remain in the mortal world has on us? We dare not show ourselves casually. If we become tainted by mortal power, we won't be able to return. Is it trying to harm us?"

Master Chen thought for a moment and said, "Don't panic, don't panic. I'll find time to contact the Inner Demon and ask about the situation. Perhaps it's a misunderstanding?"

Master Qiu sneered, "What misunderstanding could there be? Could it be that Gu Mo is so strong that the Inner Demon doesn't dare provoke him? He's just an Ascended Realm cultivator; the Inner Demon could crush him with one finger. What misunderstanding could there be?"

Master Chen quickly said, "Let's ask first. If it really intends to trouble us, we can at most risk being punished by God and report it. If it doesn't make things easy for us, we won't make things easy for it!"

"Alright, you go ask!" Master Qiu calmed down slightly and added, "Brother Chen, this Xiao Zhaolin kid, when he came to see us today, it wasn't just to talk about the Ascended Realm cultivator. I think he was more like probing. He probably knows something!"

Master Chen said, "That's normal. This child has extraordinary talent and is a born sage, with innate double pupils, capable of discerning many secrets. It's only a matter of time before he discovers that his cultivation method has been tampered with by us, preventing him from achieving the Ascended Realm. Today, his probing intent was very clear."

Master Qiu said, "That kid probably won't be convinced. Will he go look for that... what's his name... the foremost master in the world..."

"Gu Mo."

"Yes," Master Qiu said, "Do you think he might secretly seek cooperation with Gu Mo?"

"No," Master Chen said, "Xiao Zhaolin is very proud. He wouldn't humble himself before that Gu Mo. After all, he has grand ambitions to unify the world and make everyone submit. He won't seek cooperation with Gu Mo; he will only try to break through himself and then defeat Gu Mo honorably."

Master Qiu said, "Then he won't have a chance. Even if he really finds a way to restore his cultivation method, with the national fortune tied to him, he won't be able to achieve the Ascended Realm. The vast national fortune is a heavy burden for the state. How can one ascend while carrying a nation? That kid probably just thinks we're limiting him; he won't believe what we say about emperors being unable to ascend."

Master Chen pondered for a moment, then said, "It doesn't matter. He is the most suitable emperor for us to support, but not one we absolutely must support. If he truly becomes disobedient, we'll just replace him with another emperor. At most, it's just wasting another ten or twenty years!"

On the other side, as Xiao Zhaolin stepped out of the valley, he found himself outside the inconspicuous pavilion in the imperial city, and the door that had been open was now closed.

He stood at the entrance, his eyes deepening, silent for a long while before slowly turning to leave.

Not long after, the head of the Hidden Guards, Night Owl, appeared beside Xiao Zhaolin and quietly asked, "Your Majesty, what did the two Venerables say?"

Xiao Zhaolin said in a low voice, "They still refuse to allow me to achieve the Ascended Realm."

Night Owl whispered, "Why is that? With the two Venerables' boundless abilities, helping you break through to the Ascended Realm shouldn't be difficult, should it?"

Xiao Zhaolin gave a mirthless smile and said, "It's that they won't let me achieve the Ascended Realm, not that I can't achieve it. Do you understand?"

Night Owl was slightly stunned and exclaimed, "Your Majesty, do you mean...?"

"Literal meaning," Xiao Zhaolin said coldly. "I just don't know if they are truly worried about the Ascended Realm affecting the heavenly mandate, or if they're afraid that the so-called heavenly mandate won't obey their commands."

Night Owl was greatly alarmed and said, "Your Majesty, be careful with your words..."

Xiao Zhaolin stopped speaking, waved his hand, and said, "You may leave first. I wish to be alone quietly. Do not let anyone disturb me!"

Afterward, Xiao Zhaolin returned to the Imperial Study and pulled out a book from the bookshelf—a very ordinary history book. However, as Xiao Zhaolin was reading, he suddenly slumped onto the table and fell asleep. In his dream, he entered a dojo where a young Daoist priest was lecturing, and he was the only listener.

The young Daoist walked up to Xiao Zhaolin and said, "Since you have come to see me voluntarily, it seems you have thought things through."

As he spoke, a yellowed ancient book appeared in the young Daoist's hand. On its cover were four large characters: "Great Sun Demonic Art."

Xiao Zhaolin asked, "I still wish to know, what price must one pay to cultivate the Great Sun Demonic Art?"

The young Daoist said, "I do not know. I am merely a book spirit. From the moment of my birth, I have had only one mission: to seek out a born sage." Speaking, the young Daoist smiled slightly and asked, "What do you desire?"

Xiao Zhaolin said, "I desire to unify the world, be unrivaled, and surpass the Ascended Realm."

The young Daoist said nothing more, simply smiling as he handed the yellowed ancient book to Xiao Zhaolin.

Xiao Zhaolin hesitated. It wasn't the first time he had seen the legendary Great Sun Demonic Art. However, he had always been skeptical of such good fortune falling from the sky; he surmised that cultivating the Great Sun Demonic Art would certainly come with a unique price. Therefore, he had never accepted the book.

But now...

"Gu Mo, Gu Mo, you truly have left me with no choice. In the future, I must defeat you honorably to settle this score!"

Immediately, Xiao Zhaolin took the Great Sun Demonic Art and began to read it. Although the book looked thick, it actually contained only thirty-six pages. The moment Xiao Zhaolin finished reading, he suddenly woke from his dream, and a cultivation manual called the "Great Sun Demonic Art" had appeared in his mind.