The Two Supremes Pay a Visit!
Huo Ling'er, Yu Qishui, and the others were all stunned.
They immediately went out together to greet their guests.
An old man in a long robe stood before them. His presence was as imposing as a mountain, his aura deep and powerful. He spoke up. "Hong Xuan, representing the Taiyan Holy Land, offers congratulations on the new Fire Emperor's ascension."
Supreme Hong Xuan wasn't arrogant. He brought his hands together in greeting.
The other visitor was a Daoist holding a horsetail whisk, dressed in a Taiji robe and carrying an air of transcendence. He smiled as well. "The empress truly has a remarkable bearing."
He was none other than Luoming Supreme.
"You're both too kind."
"Please, come in."
Huo Ling'er gestured for them to enter.
The group walked into the great hall.
"Fire Emperor, we won't beat around the bush. We've come this time because we'd like to meet that senior!"
As soon as they entered the hall, Luoming spoke up. "Our two Holy Lands have confirmed that the Evil God's emissary descended upon the Southern Fire Kingdom a few days ago."
"The Evil God came into being when a Supreme failed to prove the Dao and was trapped by his inner demons. Though he never proved the Dao, he can still be called an Evil Immortal. Across the Profound Heaven Realm, I fear only that senior can deal with him."
At this, Huo Ling'er's brows furrowed slightly.
"Moreover, the Evil God's appearance this time is most likely because something deep in the Cangli Mountain Range is attracting him."
"That thing was also the reason Lihuo Supreme turned into a Demon Venerable!"
The two made no attempt to hide anything.
"If our guess is right, Lihuo Demon Venerable was merely the weakest one driven by that thing."
Luoming was deeply concerned. "If the other beings in the Cangli Mountain Range awaken as demons, it will be a catastrophe for the entire Southern Domain—and even the whole Profound Heaven Realm. That's why our two Holy Lands want to join forces with that senior."
"Whether it's the Evil God or the thing deep in the Cangli Mountain Range, neither will be easy to deal with."
Huo Ling'er, Yu Qishui, and the others fell into thought.
"I once thought Senior Li's goal was the Evil God. Now it seems the world in Senior Li's eyes is far beyond anything we can imagine!"
Yu Qishui spoke gravely.
A power that could turn a Supreme into a demon, and a thing that even the Evil God coveted...
The chess game Senior Li was playing was truly set on a scale far too high and vast for them to fathom.
They were only ants, able to glimpse a single scale and half a claw!
Their expressions were complicated.
"I believe all of this is within Senior Li's grasp. But we should still go pay him a visit. Now that the Fire Kingdom has been taken, it's time to go pay our respects."
Yu Qishui looked at Huo Ling'er.
Huo Ling'er nodded as well. Everything today had been granted by Senior Li. Their great undertaking was complete. Even if Senior Li didn't care, they should still go pay their respects!
"In that case, we'll take the two of you to pay a visit to Senior Li. Whether he chooses to see you will depend on fate..."
At that moment.
A flying ship arrived outside the Cangli Mountain Range.
"As expected of the place where the Old Ancestor proved the Dao. From a glance, it looks like a hidden dragon slumbering, with who knows how many secrets buried within!"
Two women were aboard the Imperial Sky Ship.
One was a girl of only fifteen or sixteen, with bright, lively eyes and an air of spirited cleverness.
She had a square pack on her back, with her drawing board inside.
"Big Sister, I heard a Demon Venerable appeared here not long ago. Can we really retrieve what the Old Ancestor left behind?"
The girl sounded worried.
The older girl looked around twenty. She had a graceful figure, breathtaking beauty, and an ethereal air. A Jiaowei Qin was strapped to her back. She smiled faintly and said,
"Ziling, you're the most talented person in our Three Absolutes Holy Land. If anyone in this world can obtain what the Old Ancestor left behind, it must be you."
The Imperial Sky Ship continued onward. Today, they planned to circle the outskirts.
"I heard the Demon Venerable who appeared here was crushed to death by a painting, made by a being who surpassed the Supremes. I wonder what kind of painting could have such power!"
Ziling's beautiful, youthful face brimmed with longing. "Sister Nan Feng, what kind of person could paint something like that?"
Nan Feng smiled. "There's no need to envy anyone. Painting is one of the pillars of our Three Absolutes Holy Land. Even if the one who killed the Demon Venerable was an Immortal, our Three Absolutes Holy Land wouldn't be any weaker than him."
"First, focus on bringing your painting skills to the peak of the Profound level."
Ziling's mouth fell open. "Oh!"
Then she stuck out her tongue and muttered, "It'd be wonderful if we could meet that Immortal who's skilled at painting. Watching an Immortal paint would be much better than looking at all those old relics in the Holy Land..."
The ship continued onward.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, Nan Feng suddenly sensed something. "What power is up ahead? The flying ship doesn't dare approach!"
She went to the front of the ship and gazed into the distance.
They were riding a Spirit-grade Flying Ship from the Three Absolutes Holy Land. It had been made from the bones of various powerful ferocious beasts, and had already developed a trace of a nascent spirit!
It could sense fortune and avoid calamity!
Nan Feng immediately communicated with the spirit, but all she got in reply was a broken string of words: "Great terror... Cannot approach..."
The spirit hadn't yet matured, so its ability to communicate was limited.
"If even a Spirit-grade Flying Ship doesn't dare go forward, there must be something extraordinary up ahead!"
Nan Feng's pretty face turned grave. "And this is only the outskirts of the Cangli Mountain Range... No wonder even the Old Ancestor nearly died nine times before making it through this Forbidden Land!"
"Let's turn back."
She prepared to leave.
"No, no!"
At that moment, Ziling stared ahead. A look of intense excitement appeared on her exquisite face. "It's not danger!"
"It's the Dao Rhyme of the Sacred Brush... There's Dao Rhyme from the Sacred Brush up ahead, soaring straight into the heavens... It's so powerful!"
She spoke excitedly. "Sister Nan Feng, I want to go take a look. There's an unparalleled master painting up ahead!"
Nan Feng's beautiful face froze.
A master painting? The Dao Rhyme of a brush soaring straight into the heavens?
How was that possible!
To affect a Spirit-grade Flying Ship from so far away, just how terrifying must that Dao Rhyme be?
Unless the Three Absolutes Old Ancestor had come back to life, how could anyone do such a thing?
"Sister, let's hurry over! Come on!"
Ziling tugged at Nan Feng's hand.
Nan Feng hesitated.
Ziling's talent in the Way of Painting was rare across the Profound Heaven Realm, and her sensitivity to the art was unmatched throughout the sect.
Since she said there was an unparalleled master painting up ahead, there was probably some truth to it.
But going forward without a second thought was too dangerous.
Even if it really was an unparalleled master, who knew what kind of being that master was? Good or evil?
"Fine. We came to the Cangli Mountain Range knowing it would be full of dangers. One more won't make much difference!"
"Spirit, fly low, and show the being up ahead the proper respect!"
The ship began to descend.
Soon, they drew close.
As they got closer, Nan Feng and Ziling no longer needed the spirit's warning. They both felt the impact of the Great Dao!
There was a mountain peak ahead. It looked like an ordinary mountain, yet it was now shrouded in boundless Dao Rhyme.
In truth, this Dao Rhyme was gentle, without the slightest hint of killing intent or menace. But they were far too weak.
When faced with a divine dragon, even if they knew it didn't notice them at all, ants would still tremble and cower!
"Ziling, are you sure you want to go?"
Nan Feng was more uneasy than ever. They were already very close to that being.
But Ziling's big eyes now shone with an unusual light. She nodded again and again.
"Mm-hmm! Just getting close has made the painting secret art inside me start working on its own. This is the Great Dao calling to me. If I can go up and take a look—even just once—I won't regret it, even if I die!"
She was utterly devoted to the Way of Painting!
At this, Nan Feng clenched her teeth. "All right. Let's go take a look!"
At last, they slowly climbed the mountain and reached the summit.
A scene before them instantly seized the sisters' attention, leaving them spellbound in an instant!
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