Eternal Deception!

As the moon sank and the stars faded, a thin mist drifted outside the East Courtyard of the outer sect of Tian Yuan Star Observation Manor. Multicolored birds appeared and vanished within it, their calls clear and melodious.

The disciples who rose one after another acted as though they had not heard, as if the place where the birds wandered were cut off from the world.

In a dilapidated courtyard, a fairy played the qin. Her slender jade fingers swept across the strings, radiating ten thousand streams of light that rippled layer upon layer into the heavens.

Countless birds circled the flowing radiance. As Han Yu Rou played the final notes, the qin music surged like a sea, and the sky-spanning radiance thundered, weaving into a colossal musical symbol that erupted with terrifying five-colored divine light!

Within that immense, boundless musical symbol, a Five-Colored Phoenix suddenly burst forth with a thunderous roar, trailing Five-Colored Immortal Radiance.

"Jiujiu!"

The phoenix spread its wings and soared across the sky. Its cry became immortal music, transforming the courtyard until it displayed visions of all kinds of rare spirit birds.

It was a scene of a phoenix surrounded by a hundred birds, making Han Yu Rou seem like a celestial maiden of the larks. Her snow-white gauze dress danced in the wind, and sacred radiance suffused her entire body.

Most striking of all was her snow-white, delicate spine, engraved with intricate patterns that splashed forth dazzling halos.

In a trance, her spine seemed like a slumbering heavenly phoenix. It steamed and cried, as if it wanted to spread its wings and fly out, piercing the firmament!

Behind Han Yu Rou, an even larger phoenix image slowly emerged. It seemed to have been reborn from nirvana, entrusted to the void and making her appear even more breathtakingly talented.

"Lao Zheng, what do you think of my granddaughter's Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix?"

Inside the room, Old Han sat before a simple table and chairs, boasting proudly. From time to time, he took various natural treasures out of his spatial treasure.

There were Golden Mushrooms, Golden Branch Jade Leaf, Volcanic Wonder Lotus, Supreme Jade Marrow, Purple Spirit Bamboo Shoots, Abyssal Sea Spirit Fish, and more.

There were over a hundred ingredients inside and out—things ordinary people had never even heard of. No one knew how long Old Han had collected them. There were even more precious Four-Colored Multi-Treasure Turtles, Phoenix Blood Chickens, Golden Crow Ducks, and the like.

Old Han was like a farmer, cleaning these rare ingredients. "I say, Lao Zheng, my granddaughter isn't even twenty yet, and she's already a heaven's favorite famous throughout the Abyss Realm. Given time, she'll surely become a great figure."

"Ah, and there's more. Even the Dao Yang Furnace is close to her. Tell me, isn't she formidable?"

Old Huang could not be bothered with Old Han's boasting. He was busy inside the room. The hundred or so cooking implements hanging on the wall flashed with Bright Moon Light as he wielded them.

Old Huang's culinary skill had already returned to simplicity. With the Supreme Spirit Cauldron provided by Old Han, he drew in earth-vein fire, moonlight, and star radiance of its own accord to cook these precious ingredients.

"By the way, Lao Zheng, how have you been lately? I, on the other hand, have been terribly busy, traveling the world with my granddaughter every day. Along the way, who knows how many mighty figures have wanted to take her as a disciple."

"Guess what? None of them were good enough. They had no qualifications to nurture a True Phoenix Body!"

Han Yu Rou was still playing. She had already changed through dozens of melodies, and she was now somewhat flustered. The more Old Han praised her, the more frightened she became.

She had never heard Old Han praise her like this in her entire life. Had the old man gone mad? This was also the first time she had heard Old Han prattle on without stopping.

"I'm Lao Zheng..."

"Bang!"

Old Huang slammed the cleaver hard into the chopping board and said impatiently, "Little San, where did you go? Come and lend me a hand."

Old Huang's voice carried outside the courtyard. At that moment, Lei San was squatting on the ground and questioning his life. Where had the courtyard gone? Why was it nowhere to be seen?

Fortunately, when Old Huang's voice reached him, Lei San spotted the courtyard gate in the mist. He hurried inside and froze when he saw the woman playing the qin.

The main problem was that he could not see Han Yu Rou. He was standing amid the clouds and mist. While he was still confused, he ran into the inner room. "Grandpa Huang, why have you gotten up to cook? This is unbelievable. If Fusheng finds out, he'll definitely chew me out."

"Who's this old fellow? Can't you see my Grandpa Huang is sick and still has to cook for you?" Lei San glared at Old Han with bull's eyes and pointed at him.

Han Yu Rou's expression turned slightly cold. She was just about to walk over and suppress Lei San when Old Han suddenly stood up. Thunderlight flashed wildly in his pupils as he stared at Lei San, who had turned and was walking toward the kitchen.

"Who told you to get up? Keep playing!"

Old Han's face was incomparably solemn. He stared at the dark-faced, foolish giant helping Huang Tiancheng, then could not help walking inside and inspecting him from every angle. The more he looked, the more alarmed he became.

"After searching high and low, I found it without the slightest effort."

Old Han's body trembled faintly. This was an Innate Thunder Body? And he was even a servant helping Huang Tiancheng?

Old Han instantly became honest. Though the True Phoenix Body was peerless beneath heaven, it was not suited to inheriting his legacy. The Innate Thunder Body was different, because he possessed the same constitution!

Looking at Lei San, Old Han faintly saw his former self. His gaze burned with excitement as he made scattered conversation with Lei San. Lei San, however, had some prejudice against him and ignored him with a stiff expression.

Instead, Lei San found Huang Tiancheng's movements strange. He was remarkably nimble, as though he had grown decades younger. Unable to hold back, Lei San asked, "Grandpa Huang, has your illness been cured?"

"Ahem. I gave him a Fire Dragon Pill, which suppressed the Cold Poison!" Old Han proudly seized the opportunity to speak. This was a supreme star pill refined by the Dao Yang Furnace, specially made for his use!

"Fire Dragon Pill? What kind of pill is that?" Lei San had never heard of it, but he still lowered his head and said, "Thank you."

"It's nothing, nothing. I still have five Fire Dragon Pills here. They'll be enough to let him hold on for two or three years."

Lei San cast a sidelong glance at Old Han. Could this old thing not talk properly?

"I say, Lao Zheng, we haven't seen each other in so many years, yet you've become less talkative." Old Han asked warmly.

"Will waiting for food shut your mouth? Little San, see him out." Huang Tiancheng frowned.

Han Yu Rou's eyes gleamed brightly as she looked at Huang Tiancheng's stooped back. It was hard to connect him with the Big Dipper of Mount Tai of the Spirit Chef World.

Han Yu Rou knew a little about Huang Tiancheng. She also knew that he was an incomparably terrifying Rogue Cultivator, solitary by nature and as elusive as a divine dragon, showing its head but not its tail.

She had also heard that Old Han had come to invite him to cook out of admiration, but Huang Tiancheng had bluntly refused to cook for a star official, enraging Old Han.

In the end, they fought for three days and three nights, and thus became close friends. It truly was a strange tale.

"Two stubborn old men with half their bodies already in the grave, what are they showing off to each other for?"

Han Yu Rou muttered inwardly. She had seen the old men fight before. It looked ordinary, but in truth, even the stars in the heavens trembled.

At that moment, Old Han sighed and walked out of the kitchen. Ten whole years—he had finally found his hiding place, yet his heart was growing increasingly guilt-ridden toward his old friend.

The cause was that if he had not invited Huang Tiancheng to open the Zhou Dynasty Remains back then, and if Huang Tiancheng had not encountered Cold Abyss Poison during the process, how could he have fallen into his current state?

"Oh, right, Lao Zheng, you've heard of the Forbidden Path, haven't you?" Old Han stood outside the kitchen with his head drooping, like a subordinate reporting his work.

Han Yu Rou wanted to laugh when she saw this. Old Han was desperately trying to start a conversation. He was dragging this and that into the discussion simply because he wanted to speak face-to-face with Huang Tiancheng.

Old Huang's gaze narrowed slightly. "I'm not some lofty star official. Why are you asking me about this?"

"Did you see the Starry Sky Phenomenon a few days ago? It should have been caused by an outstanding member of the Forbidden Path lineage breaking through into the Other Shore Realm."

Old Han said, "I say, you've stayed here for so long. Have you noticed anyone in the Star Gazing Manor secretly practicing it?"

Old Huang's body stiffened, and the kitchen knife in his hand trembled slightly. The Starry Sky Phenomenon had been brought forth by the Forbidden Path? And it had even been detected by the Star Palace? They had even mobilized troops to Black River to suppress it.

"How could this be? I harmed Fusheng. I actually harmed Fusheng!"

Huang Tiancheng's face was deathly pale. But in the blink of an eye, he remembered that the soul imprint he had left on Swallowing Moon was still there. That meant Fusheng had not yet met with disaster!

Old Huang forcibly suppressed his surging fury and said coldly, "You people from the Heavenly Star Manor tightly seal away all information related to the Forbidden Path. You even burned all the cultivation scriptures. How could I dare come into contact with or study the Contemplation Method?"

"It's not that the relevant information was deliberately sealed away. It's just that breaking through to the Other Shore and triggering a Starry Sky Phenomenon is as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. It's no wonder you didn't know!" Old Han answered.

Huang Tiancheng's mood sank to the absolute depths. This meant that Fusheng had reached an exceedingly terrifying height!

That made him blame and torment himself. He had no idea what the so-called Starry Sky Phenomenon was!

He suddenly gnashed his teeth and brought the kitchen knife crashing down onto the chopping board. In a cold voice, he said, "You people forbid mortals from cultivating, yet your own untalented descendants cultivate more diligently than dogs. What kind of madness is this?"

"Lao Zheng, you!"

Old Han's expression changed drastically. Those words were too harsh.

"What do you mean, 'you'? Am I wrong? What Forbidden Demons? Mortals cultivating are demons, while mortals from your clans cultivating are legitimate? What kind of dogshit world is this?"

Huang Tiancheng was furious beyond measure. He wished he could raise his kitchen knife, smash apart the Star Palace, and slaughter every enforcer in Black River!

"Lao Zheng, you've gone too far!"

Han Yi was enraged. He had just been about to step toward the kitchen when he sighed and withdrew his foot. "Why are you saying all this? Can't we avoid these topics?"

"What kind of great man was the Extraordinary? You have no right to define his disciples as demons." Huang Tiancheng replied coldly.

Han Yu Rou's expression went pale. If these words spread, it would not merely be treasonous—they would be enough to condemn the Nine Clans!

Yet she was somewhat bewildered, because Han Yu Rou did not know that members of their clan also belonged to the Contemplation Method system...

Old Han was furious. What kind of insane nonsense was Huang Tiancheng spouting?

And after tens of thousands of years, cultivating the Contemplation Method was considered demonic? This was already supreme truth!

This ideology had even taken root so deeply that who would dare question the truth?

Yet Huang Tiancheng was now refuting it so forcefully, even calling the Extraordinary a great man?

Old Han's expression shifted between dark and light. What had Huang Tiancheng experienced all these years to have completely rewritten his understanding?

"You old corpse, can you stop saying this!" Old Han was burning with anger.

"That's right. Some truths hurt the ears. The children don't know the inside story, but surely you do!" Huang Tiancheng sneered. He had witnessed Chen Fusheng's rise with his own eyes, and he was utterly certain that this was a magnificent cultivation system!

Han Yu Rou was shocked and pricked up her ears to eavesdrop.

What was going on? What immemorial secret was hidden in all this?

"That's enough! What could I know? Stop talking!" Old Han grew increasingly furious. The waters involved here were too deep, and he did not want to discuss them.

Huang Tiancheng still wanted to continue, but Han Yi had searched for him for ten years, all for the sake of his treasure!

Huang Tiancheng decided to bring out the treasure and have Han Yi rescue Chen Fusheng.

Of course, the risk was extremely high, because he did not dare gamble on whether Han Yi would sell Chen Fusheng out!

What did friendship count for?

Throughout the various branches of the Heavenly Star Manor, destroying all those related to the Contemplation Method was a supreme mission, an inviolable iron law!

Who would dare defy it or offer protection?

"Bang!"

All of a sudden, a ragged young man burst in, wielding a greatsword that seethed with star-force matter as he tore through layer upon layer of confusion.