A Twist of Fate, a Revelation of Cause

Xu Ying sighed inwardly, knowing he had no chance of escape. Zhou Qiyun, the Zhou Family's ancestor, was a legendary figure, the most powerful being in the world today.

There was no way he could escape from him.

He felt a sense of absurdity. Zhou Qiyun, the Zhou Family's ancestor, was a snake catcher from over three hundred years ago. He had stumbled into Qin Yan Cave while catching a strange snake and obtained the Ni Wan Palace's inheritance.

Three hundred years later, Xu Ying, another snake catcher, also entered Qin Yan Cave because of a strange snake.

In the unseen currents of fate, a mysterious connection linked them.

Zhou Qiyun waved his hand gently, and five Bull Demons floated silently to the side. Rain Granny, enduring her pain, struggled to her feet and stood respectfully, not daring to speak.

Xu Ying felt a strange power surge through him, and the Bean Soldier Technique he had cast was instantly undone. His body returned to normal. Yuan Qi also regained his original physique.

Zhou Qiyun approached Xu Ying, examining him from head to toe. "You opened the Ni Wan Secret Treasury but didn't cultivate his techniques? That's right. The scriptures he left in the Ni Wan Palace, I took what I could and burned what I couldn't. Therefore, you didn't receive his inheritance."

Xu Ying was slightly taken aback.

This was undoubtedly a disgraceful act, yet Zhou Qiyun spoke of it so openly, as if it were a matter of honorable villainy.

"Senior Zhou, why did you burn the Ni Wan Palace master's life's work back then?" Xu Ying asked.

Zhou Qiyun walked ahead, saying calmly, "Back then, I entered Qin Yan Cave to catch a strange snake and accidentally found a stone chamber. I received the Ni Wan Palace master's inheritance. Overjoyed, I kowtowed to the skeleton and became his disciple, thinking my future would be brilliant and I wouldn't have to be a snake catcher anymore. But there were too many scriptures in the stone chamber, countless volumes of martial arts and divine abilities. I couldn't take them all, and I didn't want to leave them for future generations, nor did I want anyone else to come here and learn the same methods as me. So, I hardened my heart and burned everything I couldn't take!"

Xu Ying frowned slightly, following closely behind him.

Zhou Qiyun smiled, clearly not believing he had done anything wrong. Instead, he seemed quite proud of his actions.

He walked at a leisurely pace and continued, "I knew Qin Yan Cave was of great importance. If people found out there was a Ni Wan Palace Cave Heaven here with a mysterious inheritance, they would likely follow the clues and find me. So, I left behind a scroll of scripture and a gourd of elixirs."

Xu Ying's heart trembled, and he exclaimed, "The gourd of elixirs that Yuan Qi's grandfather found was left by you!"

"Yuan Qi's grandfather?"

Zhou Qiyun looked at Yuan Qi with surprise. "You are the grandson of that strange snake? Hahaha, our ancestor-grandson relationship is quite deep."

Yuan Qi's heart also trembled, and he cried out, "You were the one chasing my grandfather, forcing him into Qin Yan Cave? My grandfather often mentioned you when he was alive, saying that without you, a snake catcher, he would never have discovered the cave in Qin Yan Cave, nor would he have become a demon."

Zhou Qiyun smiled and said, "Your grandfather becoming a demon was my doing. The Ni Wan Palace master left many elixirs and divine medicines in the stone chamber to help me build my foundation and cultivate. So, I left a gourd of elixirs for the strange snake that led me here. After consuming the elixirs, that strange snake would awaken its intelligence. I remember the scripture I left him was called the Great Sun Guiding Technique, one of the few demon race techniques among the Ni Wan Palace master's collection."

Yuan Qi quickly added, "The Great Sun Guiding Technique also includes a martial arts technique called the Elephant Strength Bull Demon Fist!"

Zhou Qiyun thought for a moment and said, "There should be that martial arts method. I had ulterior motives then. I thought that if I could find this place, others certainly could too. If they discovered the Ni Wan Palace master's treasure in my hands, they would undoubtedly try everything to get rid of me and take the treasure. Heh heh, so I gave that strange snake the elixirs and the Great Sun Guiding Technique."

Yuan Qi still didn't understand, but Xu Ying caught on. "Senior Zhou, that's a clever plan. Even if others found this place, they would assume the strange snake obtained the Ni Wan Palace master's inheritance. They would think the Ni Wan Palace master's inheritance was nothing special and wouldn't investigate further."

As he said this, Yuan Qi suddenly realized and shouted, "You framed my grandfather!"

Zhou Qiyun said calmly, "If I hadn't left that gourd of elixirs and techniques, would there be a you later?"

Yuan Qi fell silent.

Xu Ying inquired, "Senior Zhou, how old were you then?"

Zhou Qiyun looked at him and said, "About your age."

Xu Ying sighed, "I don't have your meticulous mind, to be able to think of so many things in such a short time. Senior, you think too deeply and too far ahead."

Zhou Qiyun sighed, "Later, I realized I was being overly cautious. No one went to Qin Yan Cave, and no one cared about a snake becoming a snake demon. I gradually rose to prominence in Lingling, and by the time I came of age at four years old, I was already the foremost person in Yongzhou."

Ahead, a dilapidated temple came into view. Xu Ying looked and his heart skipped a beat; it was Shuikou Temple.

At this moment, Shuikou Temple was no longer on the original large crack but had moved thirty miles south!

Xu Ying's heart lurched. "This dilapidated temple is moving towards Mount Wu Wang! It seems the White-robed Nuo Immortal likely knows I live on Mount Wu Wang, but he doesn't know that Mount Wu Wang has already suffered the Disaster of Wu Wang!"

Zhou Qiyun walked straight towards Shuikou Temple and continued, "I opened the Eighth Cave Heaven when I was fifty-seven years old. The eighth layer of the secret treasury had already been opened by me. At that time, I was the most eye-catching new star of Nuo Method in the Divine Land. Emperor Mingxiao of Zhidao met me, patted my head, and praised me as a versatile genius. I was proficient in everything, truly worthy of that title."

Xu Ying's heart surged. A genius recognized by everyone in the world was indeed worthy of pride.

Zhou Qiyun walked into the gate of Shuikou Temple. The temple now was no longer a world outside and another world inside, but an ordinary temple, indistinguishable from any other.

"I opened the eighth layer of the secret treasury at fifty-seven, but it wasn't until I was one hundred and forty-three years old that I opened the ninth layer. The world said I, this versatile genius, had exhausted my talent, mocking and shaming me. However, the reason I didn't break through for so long was that I saw the trap left by the Ni Wan Palace master in the techniques." Zhou Qiyun walked directly into the central hall, a look of sadness on his face.

Xu Ying frowned slightly and asked, "A trap? What trap?"

He suddenly thought of his own experience opening the Ni Wan Secret Treasury and immediately realized, "Senior Zhou, did the Ni Wan Palace master help you open the Ni Wan Secret Treasury?"

Zhou Qiyun reached the central hall of Shuikou Temple and flicked his sleeve. The space immediately vibrated, and the central hall and the vibrating space were pushed aside!

The space shook violently, thunder roared, and constant rumbling ensued. The space was squeezed out with rolling thunder and fire, and infinite energy erupted!

Xu Ying watched with a pounding heart as the other world hidden within Shuikou Temple was opened by Zhou Qiyun. The Five Sacred Mountains and a grand temple came into view!

"The Zhou Family's ancestor is so formidable!" Yuan Qi exclaimed.

Rain Granny glared fiercely at the large snake. Yuan Qi retorted, "Keep staring, and I'll have A Ying's bull whip lash you!"

Rain Granny shivered and glanced fearfully at the five Bull Demons behind Xu Ying.

Xu Ying looked around. The world within the dilapidated temple was very different from his last visit. The giant stones suspended in the sky were gone, and the large masses of flesh waving vascular tentacles had also disappeared.

However, on the five immortal mountains, crimson flesh was writhing. Some thick muscle lines climbed the mountainsides like bloody pythons, seemingly still growing.

Xu Ying's heart grew solemn. "This Evil Nuo Immortal has definitely devoured more people's flesh! After being eaten by that person, he's trying to plunder others' flesh. He wants to be reborn!"

Zhou Qiyun's feet generated clouds, lifting everyone into the air. He leisurely walked towards the grand temple nestled between the Five Sacred Mountains and said, "In the stone chamber, when I kowtowed to the Ni Wan Palace master's remains, the skeleton suddenly raised its hand and pointed at my forehead. This finger opened my Ni Wan Secret Treasury. This was indeed a trap. I realized this when I opened the fifth level of the Ni Wan Palace. So, I destroyed the five cave heavens and started cultivating again. I almost died because of it."

Xu Ying withdrew his gaze, both shocked and impressed. He praised, "Senior is a person of great courage, great perseverance, and great wisdom. Opening five levels of the secret treasury and cultivating five great cave heavens was already an extraordinary achievement, enough to be appointed a military governor. Yet, you destroyed them and cultivated them back. Your talent is truly astonishing!"

Zhou Qiyun said, "You've also opened the Ni Wan Secret Treasury. Did he point at your brow when you were kowtowing to that corpse, opening your secret treasury?"

Xu Ying shook his head, "Why would I kowtow to him? I can open the Ni Wan Secret Treasury myself, why would I need to ask for help?"

There was a natural arrogance in his words.

Zhou Qiyun looked at him with surprise, and after a moment, continued, "The trap I'm talking about is a trap within the cultivation technique. Once the secret treasury is opened, it's very difficult to unleash its power without the corresponding cultivation technique. When I was fifty-eight, I was preparing to break through to the ninth layer of the secret treasury when I suddenly sensed this flaw, and broke out in a cold sweat."

At this moment, they had arrived at the great temple. The temple gates were wide open, and the wind and rain raged outside. The waterfall had become exceptionally terrifying, with the myriad divine abilities hidden within it in a state of imminent eruption!

There were also several hundred deities, seven to eight zhang tall, standing before the gates, exuding a murderous aura. Incense Qi swirled around them, and the sound of countless people chanting was like thunder!

Through the open gates of the great temple, they saw the White-robed Nuo Immortal seated before the immortal hall, his white hair flying, immortal light like swords encircling him, as if facing a great enemy!

He had sensed this powerful enemy the moment Zhou Qiyun stepped into the dilapidated temple. Knowing that this person's strength was extremely high and that he meant trouble, he had already laid a trap of heavenly nets and earthly snares before the great temple, waiting for Zhou Qiyun and the others to arrive!

Zhou Qiyun ignored the grand display and bowed slightly to Xu Ying, "My apologies."

With that, his figure floated up, as if transforming into a ray of immortal light, passing through the erupting waterfall and the hundreds of divine beings that were about to attack!

The next moment, his figure appeared inside the great temple, before the immortal hall!

Before the White-robed Nuo Immortal Chen Mianzhu could even stand up, Zhou Qiyun pointed a finger at his brow. Instantly, the skin sac behind him exploded, his essence and energy leaked out, and he quickly shriveled, turning into an deflated human skin that drifted backward!

"Slap!"

The human skin hung on the wall of the immortal hall, stuck tightly to it!

Xu Ying's heart skipped a beat. At this moment, the sound of the great bell came, "A Ying, this person is too strong! With that one finger, he shattered the resentment of the Evil Nuo Immortal and completely annihilated him!"

At this moment, Zhou Qiyun seemed to sense something unusual and turned to look at Xu Ying.

The great bell said sternly, "He sensed me!"

Xu Ying's heart also tightened. He walked forward with a smile. Just as he reached the front of the great temple, he suddenly saw the hidden scenery of the waterfall, which contained the manifestations of the Great Dao, disintegrate. The foreheads of the hundreds of majestic deities exploded with a "bang, bang!"

Before Xu Ying could even reach the temple gates, everything had already settled.

"I only saw his figure flash past like lightning just now, but I didn't see when he made his move to shatter all of this." He was utterly astonished.

"This Evil Nuo Immortal is also a pitiable person."

Zhou Qiyun, with his back to Xu Ying, stood in the hall of the immortal hall, hands behind his back, looking up at the human skin nailed to the wall, waiting for Xu Ying to approach. He said, "I sensed a great flaw in the Nu Master's cultivation technique, but he didn't. As a result, he hid in the hidden scenery sublimation ground and was taken advantage of, completely consumed. Heh, he was outmatched and died as he deserved!"

Xu Ying came up behind him and exclaimed, "You mean to say that the Nuo Method of this Nuo Immortal contained a trap, which led to him being eaten? But who could have known about the trap in his cultivation technique?"

As he said this, he suddenly realized.

The one who knew about the trap in the cultivation technique was naturally the one who created it!

Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He suddenly thought of the inheritance of the Ni Wan Palace master. If he opened the secret treasury with the remains of the Ni Wan Palace master and then cultivated the Ni Wan Palace master's cultivation technique, wouldn't that be equivalent to jumping into a trap and handing his life over to the other party?

Zhou Qiyun beckoned, and the human skin floated down.

He examined the human skin carefully and said, "Do you know how I jumped out of the trap of the Ni Wan Palace inheritance?"

Xu Ying was about to shake his head when a flash of inspiration struck him, "Demonic arts! No, it's a Qi Refiner's cultivation technique!"

Zhou Qiyun looked up at him in surprise, his eyes twitching. After a moment, he said, "You're so smart that it suddenly makes me want to kill you. I don't like seeing people smarter than me."

He paused and continued along Xu Ying's line of thought, "That's right, it's a Qi Refiner's cultivation technique. After I discovered the trap, I pondered for a long time but could never find a solution. For a full eighty-six years, I traveled everywhere, searching for traces of Nuo Immortals. In those eighty-six years, I found the hidden scenery sublimation grounds of seventeen Nuo Immortals."

He let out a breath and his expression was calm, "They all died in their own sublimation grounds, without exception. Heh, this so-called ascension to the inner small immortal realm is just a joke!"