Azure Emperor

Golden Ao Island, the dojo of Three Immortals Island.

"Crack—"

The crisp shattering sound not only broke the jade talisman but also shattered Yun Xiao's heart.

Time seemed to stretch infinitely at this moment.

She gazed at the handful of powder in her fair palm. This was the jade talisman connected to her eldest brother Zhao Gongming's life. Now, it had turned into a pile of lifeless dust.

"Pfft—"

Under the pull of her heart and mind, Yun Xiao could no longer suppress the surging blood and qi. She spat out another mouthful of blood, staining the ground before her, a shocking sight.

"Big Brother!!!"

A mournful cry echoed throughout the entire dojo. What flowed from Yun Xiao's eyes were no longer tears, but two lines of blood, stark and stinging. Her world had collapsed at this moment.

"Big Sister!"

"Big Sister, don't scare us!"

Qiong Xiao and Bi Xiao supported the swaying Yun Xiao, one on each side, their faces already drained of color. They stared blankly at the pile of powder, their minds blank, unable to process the sudden, devastating news.

"No... it can't be..." Bi Xiao's lips trembled as she repeated these words over and over, as if doing so could negate the reality before them. "Big Brother is so powerful, he has the twenty-four Sea Calming Divine Beads protecting him. Who could kill him? This must be a mistake! It must be!"

Her words were filled with the madness of self-deception, yet the shattered jade talisman was like the cruelest slap, striking the faces of the three sisters.

Compared to Bi Xiao's breakdown, Qiong Xiao's reaction was even more intense.

A violent killing intent erupted from her, stirring the entire dojo into turmoil.

"Who was it!"

Qiong Xiao suddenly stood up, her fists clenched tightly, her fingernails digging deep into her palms. Blood dripped from between her fingers, yet she was oblivious.

"Who exactly killed my Big Brother!!" Her voice became sharp and piercing due to her extreme rage. "No matter who he is! I will find him! I will tear him to pieces! I will rip out his Primordial Spirit and burn it with Samadhi True Fire for a hundred thousand years!!"

The spiritual energy within the dojo became restless and agitated due to her fury. Flowers withered, and spiritual springs reversed their flow.

Among the three sisters, Yun Xiao, who had always been the most calm and composed, hailed as the foremost female immortal of the Intercepting Sect, now displayed an unprecedented stillness of death.

She did not cry out or roar.

She merely slowly pushed away the two sisters supporting her and then stood up straight.

Her face, a beauty that could overturn cities and nations, was now covered with a thick layer of frost, devoid of any warmth. Her eyes were hollow and filled with the air of death. The hatred contained within them seemed capable of dragging the entire Primordial Era into an endless winter.

"Big Sister..." Qiong Xiao and Bi Xiao looked at Yun Xiao like this, and an inexplicable fear gripped their hearts.

Yun Xiao did not speak. She simply took a step, and then another, walking with extraordinary steadiness towards the depths of the dojo.

Each of her footsteps felt like it was landing on Qiong Xiao and Bi Xiao's hearts, so heavy they could barely breathe.

At the end of the dojo stood an ancient stone platform. Upon it, a magical treasure lay quietly enshrined.

The treasure resembled a dou, its entire body a brilliant gold, inscribed with mystical Dao patterns, emanating an ancient aura from the primordial chaos.

This was the Innate Spiritual Treasure that the three sisters had obtained from the Treasure Distribution Rock, refined from a mass of chaotic energy from the initial judgment of the primordial heavens. It was the most destructive and karmic treasure in the entire Intercepting Sect, second only to their master's Four Immortal-Slaying Swords formation diagram.

The Primordial Golden Dou!

"Big Sister, what... what are you going to do?" Qiong Xiao's voice trembled slightly.

Bi Xiao's eyes widened as well. She knew exactly what her eldest sister intended to do. Using the Primordial Golden Dou—they understood perfectly what that entailed.

Yun Xiao walked to the stone platform, extended her still slightly trembling hand, and gently caressed the cold surface of the Primordial Golden Dou.

"I am going down the mountain."

Her voice finally rang out, calm, cold, and devoid of any human emotion. It was like eternal, unmelting profound ice.

"I will go and find out who killed my Big Brother."

She paused, then lifted the Primordial Golden Dou from the stone platform, holding it in her palm. The golden dou seemed to sense its mistress's mood, emitting low, resonant hums.

Yun Xiao turned around and looked at her two sisters. In her eyes, which were shedding tears of blood, was a madness that could incinerate the Nine Heavens.

"And then..."

"I will make his entire lineage pay for my Big Brother!"

The news of Sanxiao descending the mountain spread like a gale, instantly sweeping across Golden Ao Island.

As Yun Xiao, Qiong Xiao, and Bi Xiao, carrying overwhelming killing intent, walked out of the Three Immortals Island dojo and prepared to leave Golden Ao Island, the Intercepting Sect disciples who had rushed over had already surrounded the plaza outside Biyou Palace, making it impassable.

"Third Senior Sisters, where are you going?"

"Yes, Yun Xiao Senior Sister, what's wrong? Why is your killing intent so heavy?"

"What exactly happened?"

Led by Duobao Daoist, along with Golden Spirit Holy Mother, Wudang Holy Mother, Turtle Spirit Holy Mother, and the other Seven Attendant Immortals, as well as thousands of outer disciples, had gathered here, their faces filled with confusion and worry.

Sanxiao held a very high status within the Intercepting Sect and was well-liked. Yun Xiao, in particular, was dignified, steady, and possessed profound cultivation, making her an object of admiration for all disciples. Yet, their current appearance, like mourners in sackcloth and radiating murderous intent, had truly frightened everyone.

Bi Xiao, being the most impatient, looked at the crowd that had gathered and impatiently shouted, "Get out of the way! Don't block our path!"

"Junior Sister Bi Xiao, that is no way to speak!" Duobao Daoist frowned and stepped forward, bowing to Sanxiao. "Third Junior Sisters, whatever has happened, please tell us, so we may share your burden. Why are you so impulsive as to descend the mountain?"

Yun Xiao lifted her pale face and looked at the senior disciple brother of the Intercepting Sect before her, her voice hoarse as she spoke, "Senior Brother Duobao, my eldest brother... Senior Brother Gongming... he has fallen."

"What?!"

Yun Xiao's words exploded in the ears of all the Intercepting Sect disciples like a bolt from the blue.

The entire square instantly fell into dead silence.

Everyone's eyes widened, not daring to believe their ears.

"Senior Sister Yun Xiao, what... what did you say? Senior Brother Gongming he... he..." a disciple stammered, his voice trembling.

"This is impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"Senior Brother Gongming just defeated the Heavenly Origin Sect's Twelve Golden Immortals a few days ago, he was so mighty, how could he have fallen just like that?"

"Yeah! Senior Brother Gongming has the Sea Calming Divine Beads protecting him, who under a Saint could possibly kill him?"

After a brief silence, a clamor erupted.

All the Intercepting Sect disciples exploded, unable to and unwilling to accept this fact. Zhao Gongming was the pride of their outer sect, the God of War in their hearts, the only face and hope of the Intercepting Sect, with its myriad of immortals, during this Calamity!

His fall was a devastating blow to the morale of the entire Intercepting Sect!

Duobao Daoist's expression also turned extremely grim. He looked at Yun Xiao and asked in a deep voice, "Junior Sister Yun Xiao, is this matter absolutely true? How did you find out?"

Yun Xiao did not answer. She simply spread open her palm, revealing the powder that her Natal Jade Talisman had turned into before everyone.

Seeing this handful of powder, all voices of doubt disappeared.

Which Intercepting Sect disciple didn't recognize a Natal Jade Talisman? The talisman turning to ash, the Primordial Spirit dissipating, this was an undeniable fact.

"Big brother..."

"Senior Brother Gongming really..."

Grief and anger spread through the crowd like a plague. Many disciples who were close to Zhao Gongming couldn't help but have their eyes turn red.

Golden Spirit Holy Mother stepped forward, took Yun Xiao's cold hand, and asked urgently, "Junior Sister, do you know who did this?"

Yun Xiao shook her head, her eyes filled with unconcealable hatred. "I don't know. That's why we must go down the mountain and investigate until we uncover the truth!"