Old Undying of the Yun Lan Sect

Yunlan Mountain, within the Life and Death Gate.

An aged figure sat cross-legged atop a massive boulder, over ten zhang wide. The surrounding area was an empty expanse, with an unbroken stretch of Yin Mountains in the distance.

"Break!" Though the old man was advanced in years, he was full of vigor. When he opened his eyes, they seemed to flash with wind blades.

"Rumble!" An overwhelming aura far surpassing that of a Nine-Star Dou Emperor surged from the old man's body. The enormous boulder beneath him shattered into rubble, which was swept up by that aura and flung into the distance.

"Three-Star Dou Zong!" A figure entirely concealed beneath a black robe appeared from the darkness, revealing a trace of coldness toward Yun Shan. Clearly, he was somewhat dissatisfied.

"Protector." Yun Shan, however, treated the black-robed man before him with extreme respect, for it was with this man's help that he had broken through to Dou Zong.

"Your lifespan was originally nearing its end. I was the one who helped you break through to Dou Zong. You'd best serve me well, or I won't be able to answer to those above." The black-robed man did not even look at Yun Shan as he spoke coldly, as though he had bestowed an immense favor upon him.

What sort of force was Soul Hall? Even if it was merely a branch hall, even if he was only a Protector within that branch hall, he still had every right to be arrogant.

With the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Zong, crushing Yun Shan would be no harder than crushing an ant.

After Dou Zong, every star was the difference of an entire mountain. Both Dou Qi intensity and actual strength were worlds apart. Dealing with Yun Shan was not much harder for him than dealing with a Dou Emperor was for a Dou Zong.

It was precisely because Yun Shan feared the black-robed man's strength that he acted like a subordinate. Though he appeared meek and deferential now, he had no idea how many times he had cursed this man inwardly.

These two were Yun Shan, the eighth-generation Sect Master of the Yun Lan Sect, and a Protector from a Soul Hall branch hall.

"I'll be leaving first. You must annex the Gama Empire quickly." The black-robed man nodded and let out two strange, sinister chuckles.

"If you fail to complete your task, not even your soul will remain. You will be placed over the fires of Soul Hall and burned for all eternity."

Yun Shan felt every hair on his body stand on end. Cold sweat nearly dripped down as he hastily agreed.

The black-robed man left the space with disdain. If conquering a country did not require so many hands, he would not have gone around developing forces everywhere.

Destroying a country required only one person, but governing one required all kinds of talent.

Yun Shan's gaze turned cold. With a sweep of his sleeve, he left the Life and Death Gate.

"Damn Soul Hall."

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. It turned out that while the people of Soul Hall had helped him break through to Dou Zong, they had also planted restrictive seals within him.

Naturally, he was unwilling to let his life be controlled by others.

Outside the Life and Death Gate, two Dou Ling Rank disciples in their thirties stood guard. The moment Yun Shan emerged, they were about to stop him and question him.

"O-Old Sect Master?!" The two disciples stared at the figure walking out. They froze for a moment before becoming overjoyed.

"Sect Master, you've emerged from seclusion?!" Hearing the commotion, Fourth Elder hurriedly flew over from the tent where he was stationed not far away.

Yun Shan first showed a trace of displeasure at the two disciples. Only when he saw Fourth Elder flying over did he smile.

"Yun Nan, I never expected that you had also broken through to Dou Wang." A hint of gratification appeared on Yun Shan's face as he patted Fourth Elder's shoulder.

"Ten years! It's been more than ten years since we last met, Old Sect Master!" Fourth Elder's eyes brimmed with tears as he recalled the days when Yun Shan had led them into battle throughout the Gama Empire.

Yun Shan nodded. A trace of emotion and reminiscence flashed through his eyes.

"Where is Yun Er? Where is she?" Finally, Yun Shan asked Yun Nan. Yun Yun was his most talented disciple. Now that she had taken over as Sect Master, he had not seen her in a long time.

"The Sect Master is resting. She only recently returned from outside, and it seems she left the Gama Empire," Yun Nan reported honestly and respectfully.

Yun Shan was somewhat puzzled and stroked his beard in thought.

"What did Yun Er leave the Gama Empire for?"

"Was she injured?" Yun Shan turned back and asked Yun Nan in a low voice.

"Reporting to Old Sect Master, Sect Master Yun Yun was not injured."

Hearing Yun Nan's words, Yun Shan relaxed slightly. Then, a surge of lofty ambition rose within him.

"That old fellow Jia Xing Tian has no hope of breaking through. Now that I have broken through to Dou Zong, it is time to annex the Gama Empire." Yun Shan burst into laughter, no longer able to suppress his ambition. If not for the Soul Hall Protector, he would not have remained in seclusion for so long. Otherwise, he would already be standing atop the walls of the Gama Imperial Capital, watching the sun.

"Congratulations, Ancestor."

Yun Nan was overjoyed, and both his hands trembled. The Yun Lan Sect was finally going to reclaim its former glory under Sect Master Yun Shan.

Yun Ku and Yun Zhi, the two Dou Ling brothers guarding the Life and Death Gate's forbidden grounds, hurriedly knelt and offered their congratulations to Yun Shan as well.

"Guard the Life and Death Gate's forbidden grounds properly. This old man will go see Yun Er." Yun Shan was in high spirits. Without making any particular move, he simply stepped through the air. With each step, ripples spread through space.

Yun Nan's eyes were filled with fervor. He then spread his Dou Qi Wings and followed behind.

"Is this the realm of Dou Zong?!" Below, Yun Ku and Yun Zhi watched Yun Shan's back with burning desire in their eyes.

Yun Shan was in an excellent mood, so he did not deliberately speed up. Instead, he allowed everyone to see him standing in the air. Yun Nan, flying after him on Dou Qi wings, caught up but did not dare overstep his bounds. He remained slightly behind Yun Shan and followed at his back.

"That is..."

"There's someone in the sky!"

"No Dou Qi Wings! How is that possible?!" Waves of astonished cries rang out. Most came from Yun Lan Sect disciples. Some of the sect's older members saw Yun Shan walking through the air and seemed to realize something. Then, upon seeing that familiar figure, they could not help but grow agitated. Countless words rose to their lips, yet none could be spoken.

"That figure... seems to be..."

"There's no mistake!"

"It's the previous Sect Master, Sect Master Yun Shan!"

"Ancestor has emerged from seclusion!"

Disciples and stewards at the Dou Shi and Great Dou Shi levels erupted into excitement. Quite a few elderly elders were so thrilled that they even tore out strands of their beards.

Seeing this, Yun Shan smiled proudly. Even Yun Nan, following at his side, looked honored by the association.

A stream of wind-attributed azure Dou Qi suddenly rose from the Yun Lan Sect's main hall. A figure shot into the sky, flapped the Dou Qi Wings behind her back, and arrived before Yun Shan.

"Teacher!" As the Sect Master, Yun Yun's information naturally was not so limited. Upon learning that her teacher had emerged from seclusion, she was the first to come greet Yun Shan.

"Not bad. You're already a Four-Star Dou Emperor." Seeing Yun Yun's mature and noble bearing, Yun Shan was deeply gratified. Back when Yun Yun had just broken through to Dou Emperor, he had arranged for her to become Sect Master, placing every burden upon her shoulders.

"It seems that despite the sect's countless affairs, you have not neglected your cultivation." Yun Shan spoke with satisfaction. At the time, with his lifespan nearing its end, he had no choice but to enter closed-door seclusion in a desperate attempt to break through. Yun Yun, still young and inexperienced, had directly taken over the Yun Lan Sect's authority.

"It was all thanks to First Elder Yun Leng and Third Elder's assistance." Yun Yun showed a trace of embarrassment and brushed back the hair by her ear. Over the years, she had done her utmost for the sect, but she was far inferior to First Elder Yun Leng and Third Elder, who had centered their lives and everything else around sect affairs.

"Hm? Didn't that brat Yun Fan help you handle the affairs?" Yun Shan, who had been in a fine mood, immediately became displeased.

The Yun Fan he spoke of was the eldest disciple of his senior brother. He was now one hundred and fifty-seven years old and possessed Dou Wang strength. He was the Yun Lan Sect's Second Elder.

Hearing that only the "First Elder and Third Elder" had contributed, Yun Shan naturally grew angry. Could it be that over these ten years, that brat Yun Fan had made no contribution to the Yun Lan Sect? He was being far too presumptuous!

Hearing Yun Shan's words, Yun Yun immediately understood her teacher's meaning and said somewhat awkwardly.

"No, Third Elder has done very well. Senior Brother Yun Fan is now the Yun Lan Sect's Third Elder."

Yun Yun then briefly told Yun Shan about several of the more important recent events. Only after listening to her account did Yun Shan understand the general situation.

A year ago, he had joined the Yun Lan Sect as a disciple at the age of twenty-one, possessing Four-Star Dou Ling strength.

Then, in just half a year, he had become a Seven Star Dou Wang and assumed the position of Second Elder.

Now, he was already a Dou Emperor of at least Four Stars...

Each of these shocking pieces of news shook Yun Shan to the core. After letting out a breath, Yun Shan finally said to Yun Yun,

"Well done, Yun Er. You successfully won over a Dou Emperor expert. That means our Yun Lan Sect now has three experts at or above the Dou Emperor level." Yun Shan spoke seriously to Yun Yun, sparing no praise.

One had to know that throughout Yun Shan's entire life, he had encountered fewer than twenty Dou Emperors. This showed just how scarce Dou Emperors were in the Gama Empire.

The last time Yun Yun had seen Zhang Tian, he had possessed the strength of a Two-Star Dou Emperor. When she saw him again afterward, she discovered that she could no longer discern his realm.

That detached, transcendent aura of a true expert had genuinely drawn Yun Yun in. She rarely saw Zhang Tian stir his emotions over others, as though he held no one in his eyes.

Facing two Dou Emperors, he showed no fear at all, fighting one against two and killing Lu Man and the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor.

Facing the remnant soul of a Dou Zun in the mysterious valley, he had beaten that old ghost until its soul scattered and vanished.

Facing the Seven Star Dou Zong Sect Master of the Shang Qing Spring Sect, he still did not retreat before the boundless savage might of the ancient Saint Weapon, the Dao Rule Ruler. His hand seals surged, shaking mountains and seas!

"Perhaps we can make good use of him and allow our Yun Lan Sect to grow even stronger." Yun Shan smiled. A Dou Emperor was a powerful source of aid.

Unfortunately, he did not know Zhang Tian's true strength. A Seven Star Dou Zong had been utterly unable to fight back against him. Yun Shan would never have regarded Zhang Tian as merely a Dou Emperor otherwise.

After all, in the Original Work, he had been killed by Xiao Yan, a mere Dou Wang.

Hearing her teacher's words, Yun Yun opened her mouth, wanting to say something. How could they make use of Zhang Tian? But seeing her teacher laughing heartily, she did not dare interrupt. She could only remain silent.