Chapter 1005: Heaven Shows Two Suns

The Jade Pavilion was located deep within the Black Dream Spirit Continent. Yue Cang was always cautious, especially now that he was in a period of continuous growth. There was no need to take risks outside, and the depths of the Black Wilds were relatively the safest place. Yet, Yue Cang felt increasingly uneasy.

On a peak deep within the Black Wilds, Shen Jie sat cross-legged, facing the wind. Suddenly, he seemed to hear something. He opened his eyes, stood up, took a step towards the cliff, and slowly descended into the valley. Bypassing the illusory formation, he arrived before the Jade Pavilion.

"What are your orders, Honored Master?"

Shen Jie bowed respectfully, awaiting the Honored Master's words from within the pavilion.

The Jade Pavilion's door slowly opened, revealing Yue Cang sitting cross-legged in the first-floor hall.

"Shen Jie, what do you believe is the greatest impediment to our success? Speak your mind freely; do not hesitate."

Shen Jie looked up at Yue Cang and answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Only Ji Yuan!"

Yue Cang squinted, observing Shen Jie.

"Only Ji Yuan?"

Shen Jie nodded, his expression serene.

"Aside from Ji Yuan, nothing else warrants concern. Honored Master, did you not previously state that he has likely reached a cultivation level where he can touch and influence the Heavenly Dao? In this world, all so-called grand masters will eventually meet their own destruction; only he poses a true threat!"

Shen Jie's knowledge was incomplete; he understood that his Honored Master could influence the rules of the Heavenly Dao, but he mistakenly believed such power could be attained through rigorous cultivation. Nevertheless, the essence of his statement was not lost on Yue Cang.

"Indeed, Ji Yuan consistently defies expectations. He has remained profoundly hidden for many years; even I was nearly fooled by him at our first encounter. His cultivation transcends what modern cultivators can comprehend, and it remains unclear how much of his power he has recovered..."

Yue Cang rose from his seat and slowly emerged from the Jade Pavilion. As he did, Shen Jie respectfully stepped aside, backing away gradually, observing his Honored Master, who stood with hands clasped behind his back, gazing up at the sun.

"For many years, Ji Yuan has appeared in various corners of the world, his actions highly suspicious. Now, the first clues are surfacing, and the matter of the Yellow Springs is undoubtedly of paramount importance. He likely intends to recreate heaven and earth and become its supreme master!"

Shen Jie looked up in stunned horror. He had already held a high estimation of Ji Yuan, but he had never conceived of such audacious ambition. No, it wasn't madness, but rather a profound confidence, for at such an incomprehensible realm, actions are never without purpose, and only those who share that level of understanding could grasp their true implications.

"Honored Master..."

Yue Cang's gaze returned to Shen Jie, who stood beside him.

"We await the collapse of heaven and earth, and it is likely that Ji Yuan awaits that very same moment. How truly lamentable! All beings in this world, all cultivators across every realm, regard Ji Yuan as a true immortal of the righteous path. How utterly pathetic..."

Yue Cang, Shen Jie, and several other entities had speculated on Ji Yuan's true intentions multiple times, especially after sustaining several setbacks.

After it became almost certain that Ji Yuan also wielded control over the Heavenly Dao, it was undeniable that he fully understood the consequences of the dragon race's "wilderness reclamation" on the Ying clan. Setting aside the fact that the impending cosmic collapse would directly impact them, even recalling the Dragon Transformation Banquet, Ji Yuan must have seen through Lian Ping'er all along. Her earnest recounting of ancient matters was clearly a jest to Ji Yuan, yet he deliberately allowed her to escape, indicating his willingness to fuel the unfolding events.

While it was widely known that Ji Yuan shared a bond with the Ying clan dragons, it now appeared to have been little more than a game to him. If this was his attitude towards the Ying clan, then others were surely even more inconsequential.

Shen Jie bowed his head slightly, offering a deferential remark.

"Honored Master, your heart is benevolent and compassionate towards all beings. Yet, the sins of humanity are long past redemption, and the destruction of heaven and earth might well be a form of release. But should Ji Yuan succeed, then true damnation would befall us all!"

Yue Cang's expression, however, did not soften at the compliment; instead, it grew even more severe.

"Precisely. Ji Yuan is indeed the foremost and gravest threat to our ambitions. Yet, he is too profoundly hidden, and confronting him is exceedingly perilous. Even I would not be assured of victory if I were to act personally. But if Ji Yuan remains, we risk ultimate failure. We must formulate an infallible strategy, Shen Jie."

"At your command!"

"Undertake a journey for me..."

Yue Cang conveyed a whispered message to Shen Jie, who nodded and swiftly departed. Only after exiting the valley did he take flight. It was at this point that Shen Jie's true inner turmoil became apparent, his teeth clenched in a grimace of intense rage.

'Ji Yuan! Ji Yuan! You harmed my brethren and slew my master! I will risk everything to tear you to shreds, obliterating your very form and spirit!'

Despite his intense hatred for Ji Yuan, Shen Jie knew that his own power was utterly insufficient to threaten him. Furthermore, the Honored Master had remarked that Ji Yuan treated the world as a game, regarding all beings as mere playthings. Though appearing benevolent and righteous to mortals, he was, in fact, cold and ruthless, using all living things as pawns. Ji Yuan also sought to overturn the cosmos and subvert heaven and earth; the difference was that the Honored Master and his allies aimed for transcendence, while Ji Yuan's ambition was undoubtedly far grander.

In the current cosmic climate, such a person would increasingly reveal their true nature, standing at the zenith and surveying the mortal realm. The earlier shifts in the celestial river might also have been an unspeakable omen.

For someone like Ji Yuan, who stood at the absolute pinnacle, manipulating all beings and creation with ease, there was nothing he genuinely cared about and no inherent weakness. The only thing he truly valued was the authority of the Heavenly Dao, and perhaps that very authority was also his sole vulnerability.

Moreover, almost all major powers were currently within Ji Yuan's grasp. Shen Jie, having cultivated to his current realm, was, of course, exceptionally intelligent. He knew it was utterly impossible for him to confront Ji Yuan, and he even understood that his revered Honored Master was unlikely to succeed, otherwise, they wouldn't have been avoiding Ji Yuan like a plague for the past few years. However, this did not mean that Ji Yuan was truly invincible.

Though reluctant, Shen Jie profoundly understood that his own power was entirely insufficient to avenge his master and fellow disciples. Only the Supremes could act. He needed to make them realize that, in order to achieve transcendence beyond the ultimate Dao, Ji Yuan was an insurmountable obstacle. Even if they wished to avoid Ji Yuan, he would proactively seek them out.

At present, the few grand strategists were all located within the Black Wilds, not far from each other. In less than two days, following Shen Jie's notification, the remaining strategists, including Yue Cang, converged in an uninhabited valley deep within the Black Wilds.

Yue Cang was dressed like an immortal sage. Xiang Liu, slender and elegantly clad, appeared as a refined Confucian scholar. Yayu wore a rough demonic hide, resembling a primal hunter from a secluded land. The Fiend Demon was merely a indistinct black shadow. Were Ji Yuan present, he would undoubtedly be astonished, for Hou had not truly perished but had also appeared there, though seemingly the weakest among the group.

The group arrived almost simultaneously, descending from various directions onto a flat expanse in the valley.

"Yue Cang, why have you summoned us? Is there something of great importance?"

Xiang Liu fanned himself with a folding fan, took a few steps, and posed the question. Yue Cang then looked at the other four, his expression solemn as he spoke.

"Did any of you hear an arrogant laugh earlier?"

Xiang Liu narrowed his eyes, the Fiend Demon's shadow stirred, and surprisingly, it was Hou who spoke first.

"I heard it; it was Ji Yuan's voice."

Having suffered a severe defeat at Ji Yuan's hands, Hou naturally had a profound, perhaps even the deepest, impression of Ji Yuan's voice. Aside from him, even Yue Cang had only exchanged a few words with Ji Yuan. Hou was now essentially half-dead, surviving through a method akin to "corpse liberation" by parasitizing a dragon-corpse worm. Thus, though he had appeared to be slain, his true spirit had merely found a new host elsewhere.

In this light, had Hou truly revived earlier by acquiring phoenix true blood, he might well have been directly slain by Ji Yuan during their last encounter.

"Oh? So that was Ji Yuan? My dear Ping'er was indeed lost to him, wasn't she?"

Xiang Liu unfurled his folding fan, narrowed his eyes, fanning himself twice, while Yue Cang at his side sneered.

"Xiang Liu, you're not contemplating confronting Ji Yuan alone, are you? Don't say I didn't warn you: Zhu Yan has very likely already fallen by his hand."

"Heh heh heh... I am not like certain others, who are neither human, ghost, nor corpse, clinging to life with multiple existences. Why would I be so foolish as to seek trouble with Ji Yuan?"

Hou calmly looked up at Xiang Liu.

"Xiang Liu, your people on Immortal Cloud Island did not fall because of me. Ji Yuan was clearly targeting them regardless; they wouldn't have survived with or without my involvement."

"Enough, Yue Cang, speak quickly. You are well aware of how precious time is now, are you not?"

Yayu spoke coldly, and the others remained silent.

Yue Cang looked up at the sky, then redirected his gaze to the others present.

"Gentlemen, I fear we have long been ensnared in Ji Yuan's grand design. We have few significant pieces to maneuver, and even fewer that can truly alter the situation. Though we are aware of our predestined course, how could Ji Yuan not be?"

Yue Cang did not prolong the suspense, turning to the group and declaring.

"Although the optimal moment has not yet arrived, to truly disrupt the cosmic chessboard, we can deploy our most significant piece!"

"Are you suggesting...?" "Now?"

"That's too soon!"

Yue Cang let out a short laugh.

"Ha, too early? It is precisely for the element of surprise! How else can we unsettle Ji Yuan and exploit his weaknesses? Moreover, deploying this piece will significantly restore our vital energy, granting us greater confidence to seize the perfect moment and eliminate Ji Yuan in a single move. Once Ji Yuan is gone, who among the common beings of this world can possibly stand against us?"

Xiang Liu's face twisted into a cold sneer.

"Hmph, hmph, that's quite the calculation you've made. If we recover our vital energy, won't Ji Yuan do the same?"

"Ho ho ho... Not entirely accurate. I believe Yue Cang is right. With Ji Yuan involved, nothing is ever truly foolproof. The fact that he is currently stronger than us also suggests his recovery is more advanced than ours. Once this piece is played, while Ji Yuan will also regain vital energy, his ultimate potential, in comparison, will be inferior to ours. He is but one individual; no matter his strength, he will be no match for the five of us combined!"

As soon as Hou finished speaking, silence descended upon the group, and each saw a look of affirmation in the others' eyes.

Three days later, at dawn, as the sun rose, Ji Yuan, deep in meditation, seemed to hear a distant drumbeat, which abruptly roused him. He swiftly exited the main hall of the Daoist temple and lightly leaped to the summit of Yanxia Peak.

Standing atop the massive rock at the peak, Ji Yuan first gazed eastward, where the fiery red morning sun had just begun to ascend. Then, he turned his attention further southeast.

In that direction, astonishingly, another sun, visible to the naked eye, was slowly ascending.

"Two suns in the sky?"

Ji Yuan noted the sun's position, then quickly performed a calculation with his fingers, a look of profound surprise emerging on his face.

"The Black Wilds!"

Observing the second sun once more, its emitted light was not intense, yet the solar energy within it was incredibly potent, and this energy caused a disturbing restlessness of mind.