The Eastern Sea region, Purple Mansion Continent.
This was a renowned blessed land of the Primordial World, where spiritual energy swirled and immortal cranes soared in flocks.
As the abode of the newly appointed Head of Male Immortals, Purple Mansion Continent was especially lively at the moment. Countless rogue cultivators came and went, either to pay their respects or pledge themselves to his service. It was quite a sight, with myriads of immortals flocking to pay homage.
But deep inside the grandest Pure Yang Hall, the atmosphere was chillingly grim.
East King Duke sat on the Pure Yang Throne, a symbol of power, clutching the Dragon Head Cane so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. His normally imposing face was now twisted slightly with envy and hatred.
Being publicly humiliated by the Western trio outside Purple Sky Palace, even getting a face full of exhaust fumes, had become a nightmare he couldn't shake.
Whenever he closed his eyes, he could almost hear Tongtian's mocking laughter and see Taiyuan's indifferent gaze.
He couldn't swallow this insult.
"The Western Lands... Taiyuan..."
East King Duke gritted his teeth as he muttered the name, a venomous glint in his eyes.
Just then, the strange fluctuations he had sensed earlier, coming from the Western Lands, made him even more uneasy.
That was chaos energy!
Why should a miserable backwater like that have such an extraordinary phenomenon?
"Liuguang."
East King Duke's voice rang out in a low growl.
In the shadows of the hall, black mist slowly gathered, taking the shape of a lean, sinister-looking Daoist in gray robes.
Daoist Liuguang was at the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm. His true form was a mutated Shadow Yao, and he excelled at stealth, infiltration, poisoning, and assassination. He was the most covert blade at East King Duke's disposal.
"Your subordinate is here." Daoist Liuguang bowed, his voice hoarse.
"Go to the Western Lands."
East King Duke's eyes were cold as he casually tossed him a jade bottle glowing with a ghostly green light. "Find out what's going on at Mount Sumeru. If some treasure has truly appeared, you know what to do."
Daoist Liuguang took the bottle. Feeling the poisonous aura within, potent enough to make even him shudder, he curled his lips into a cruel smile.
Nine Nether Bone-Corroding Poison.
Even a single drop could rot the body of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal and damage his primordial spirit.
"If there's no treasure..." East King Duke's tone shifted, turning ominous. "Then pour this poison into the source of their spiritual leyline. Since they like pretending to be wealthy, I'll make sure their pitiful little holdings rot away in the mud!"
Daoist Liuguang accepted the order. With a flash, he dissolved into black mist once more.
He left Purple Mansion Continent and sped westward.
Truthfully, Daoist Liuguang felt a little disdainful.
In his view, what could possibly be found in a barren place like the Western Lands? Lord East King Duke was giving those three upstarts far too much credit.
"Hmph, sending me to handle this dirty work."
As he flew, Daoist Liuguang looked down at the increasingly desolate land below and grumbled inwardly. "Once I get there, I'll toss out a little poison, destroy a few mountains, and call it a day. Nobody will care if a place that poor gets wrecked."
With that sense of superiority, he crossed half the Primordial World.
At last.
The towering outline of Mount Sumeru appeared at the edge of his vision.
From the outside, it was just as the rumors described: shrouded in a layer of gray mist and looking lifeless.
"Sure is a miserable backwater."
Daoist Liuguang scoffed and used his innate divine ability, Shadow Escape. His whole body became a faint shadow, silently slipping through the outermost layer of mist.
However.
The moment he truly entered Mount Sumeru's territory,
the sight before him struck like a thunderbolt, shattering everything he thought he knew.
"Wh-where is this?"
Daoist Liuguang stood there in a daze, rubbing his eyes. He even wondered whether he'd fallen for some advanced illusion technique.
Where was the barren wasteland?
As far as the eye could see, auspicious radiance filled the land, and rosy clouds blazed in every direction.
The ground beneath his feet wasn't soil, but a sacred earth that glimmered faintly and brimmed with the vitality of creation.
Just stepping on it sent a warm current rushing from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Even his cultivation, stagnant for ages, stirred slightly.
Then he looked to the side.
A winding stream burbled past, its crystal-clear water radiating enticing spiritual energy.
The creatures swimming in it weren't ordinary fish or shrimp. They were little dragonfish, their bodies covered in golden scales and horns sprouting from their heads!
"Th-those are Dragon Seeds?"
Daoist Liuguang swallowed. Spiritual creatures with true dragon blood were a rare sight even in the East Sea, yet here they were... just ornamental fish?
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
But the next moment, his gaze settled on a clump of seemingly nondescript "weeds" by the roadside.
The leaves were the color of purple Ganoderma, marked with naturally formed cloud patterns and exuding a captivating medicinal fragrance.
"A Ten... Ten Thousand Year Purple Ganoderma?!"
Daoist Liuguang's voice went shrill.
An elixir of this caliber would be kept in the central medicinal garden of Purple Mansion Continent, under the watchful eye of dedicated guards.
But here,
it was growing casually by the roadside. Half of it had even been bitten off by a Spirit Rabbit that had just passed by, as if it were a snack.
"What a waste! What an utter waste!"
Daoist Liuguang's heart bled, and a feeling known as "resentment of the rich" instantly took over his mind.
Why?
Why did a poor place like this have so many treasures?
It had to be fake! It had to be an illusion!
"Hmph, real or not, once I unleash the Nine Nether Bone-Corroding Poison, we'll see how you keep up the act!"
A ruthless glint flashed in Daoist Liuguang's eyes. He wanted to destroy this place and wipe out every last one of the things that made him so insanely jealous!
He found a secluded corner and took out the deadly poison East King Duke had given him.
It was extremely potent. It smoked when it hit the ground, leaving not a blade of grass alive.
"Die!"
Daoist Liuguang sneered, pulled out the stopper, and poured the bottle of poison onto the soil beside the clump of Ten Thousand Year Purple Ganoderma.
Hiss—
The poison did indeed make a faint sound as it hit the ground.
Daoist Liuguang waited eagerly for the toxic fumes to spread and the plants around him to wither.
But—
One breath passed.
Then two.
The Ganoderma still swayed gracefully. In fact, its leaves looked even greener.
As for the poison on the ground...
The luminous soil stirred slightly, like something digesting a meal. It wasn't corroded at all. Instead, it quickly wrapped around the poison, breaking it down and purifying it.
In the blink of an eye, the poison vanished without a trace. The soil even burped, releasing a wisp of pure spiritual energy.
"Th-this is impossible!"
Daoist Liuguang was utterly devastated.
This was deadly poison even Grand Luo Golden Immortals had to fear!
It couldn't even poison the soil here?
What was this soil made of? Had an Innate Spiritual Treasure come to life?
As he crouched there, staring at the unharmed soil and questioning his existence,
a shadow silently fell over him.
"Hey, you over there!"
A gruff voice, edged with irritation, suddenly sounded behind him. "What are you doing skulking around?"
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