The Qin Clan Makes a Move, the Lower Realm Trembles

Upper Thousand Provinces, Xuanming Realm.

Northern Region.

At the bottom of Xuantian Cliff, where blood-colored mist permeated the air, a Three-Leaf Dao Grass grew silently within a crevice in the rock. Its three crystal-clear leaves emitted a faint spiritual glow.

The bottom of the cliff was shrouded in strange miasma year-round; ordinary cultivators could not muster even a shred of spiritual power here.

Therefore, it was also known as Death Cliff.

Because no one dared to set foot here, and coupled with the fact that Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures could usually conceal themselves, this spiritual herb had been able to grow safely until now.

"Lord Blood Hand, it truly is the legendary Heavenly Fortune Creation Fruit!" A black-robed cultivator knelt on the ground, his voice trembling with excitement. "I wonder who was so blind as to fail to recognize such a supreme treasure, taking only a few leaves."

"But we owe them thanks for that."

"As long as you consume it, your path to becoming an Emperor will be even more certain. Given time, you will surely ascend to become the number one person in the Xuanming Realm!"

The middle-aged man known as "Lord Blood Hand" stood with his hands behind his back, his scarlet robe billowing despite the lack of wind.

His face was sinister, with a hideous scar across his left eye, and he radiated a suffocating pressure—

Blood Hand Yama, the hegemon of the Northern Region of the Xuanming Realm, a quasi-Emperor cultivator.

He had once slaughtered three major sects single-handedly, his fierce reputation renowned far and wide.

"Hmph, if I hadn't been forced to hide at the bottom of this cliff after being besieged, I never would have discovered it."

"After guarding it for two years, I have finally waited for it to ripen." Greed flashed in Blood Hand Yama's eyes. "Pass down the order: seal off a hundred-mile radius around Xuantian Cliff. Anyone who trespasses—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the sky suddenly darkened.

Twelve black shadows streaked across the sky like meteors, and in an instant, they stood atop the cliff.

They wore uniform black battle armor, with a gold-bordered black character embroidered on their shoulders: "Qin."

Each of them possessed an aura that was restrained yet bone-chilling.

"Who goes there!" Blood Hand Yama shouted sharply, blood-colored mist surging around him. "This is my territory, retreat at once—"

"Noisy."

The leader of the black shadows spoke indifferently and waved a hand casually.

"Boom!"

Blood Hand Yama was struck as if by lightning. He flew backward, slamming heavily into the cliff wall and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

He discovered with horror that his cultivation at the peak of the Quasi-Emperor realm was as fragile as paper against this casual strike!

"The Qin Clan is conducting business; all unrelated parties, withdraw at once!"

The Qin Clan!

While there were naturally branch families of the Qin Clan within the Xuanming Realm of the Upper Thousand Provinces, these people would never have guessed that the few before them actually hailed from the higher-level Ten Directions Immortal Court.

Members of the Qin Clan's main lineage.

However, even for a branch family, the mere mention of the name Qin was enough to intimidate countless people.

"M-My lords, spare me!" Blood Hand Yama, disregarding his injuries, scrambled to his knees and prostrated himself. "This lowly one was blind and failed to recognize Mount Tai; I did not know the envoys of the Qin Clan had arrived!"

As soon as the words "Qin Clan" were uttered, the cultivators behind him instantly turned pale. They knelt in unison, their foreheads pressed firmly against the ground, not daring to lift them even an inch.

The dark figures were accustomed to such reactions.

The leader walked straight toward the Three-Leaf Dao Grass, carefully parting the roots, and sure enough, discovered the Heavenly Fortune Creation Fruit hidden beneath.

He dug it out along with its root system and placed it into a specially crafted jade box.

The hands of the Qin Clan Shadow Guard leader trembled slightly as he held the jade box; the Heavenly Fortune Creation Fruit inside shimmered with a chaotic halo.

He recalled the Ninth Young Master's nonchalant instruction before their departure—"Retrieve the Heavenly Fortune Creation Fruit." At this moment, every word rang in his heart like a thunderclap—so the cliff bottom truly hid a treasure unseen in ten thousand years!

After all, the Heavenly Fortune Creation Fruit had been extinct for ten millennia.

Yet, the rhythm of the Heavenly Dao emanating from his fingertips could not be faked.

The innate Dao patterns flowing across the surface of the fruit were the very characteristics described in ancient texts as "one fruit, one creation."

Only after the jade box vanished into a spatial ripple did the tense backs of the Shadow Guards relax slightly.

Someone could not help but mutter in a low voice, "Even a treasure hidden in a place like this could not escape the Young Master's discerning eyes... he truly might possess the ability to foresee the future!"

"Silence!" The leader glared at the speaker. "The Ninth Young Master's divine abilities are vast; how can we mere subordinates speculate on them?"

As they were discussing this.

"My lords!" Blood Hand Yama, not daring to wipe the blood from his lips, hurriedly pulled a brocade pouch from his robes. "This is a 'Ten-Thousand Year Blood Ganoderma' that I have cherished. While it is not as precious as the Heavenly Fortune Creation Fruit, it is still a rare item. Please, my lords, accept it!"

The leader of the dark figures glanced at it, a look of disdain crossing his face. "You dare bring out such trash? Keep it for yourself."

Blood Hand Yama dared not show anger, instead kowtowing repeatedly. "It is my honor to serve the Qin Clan! I wonder if you lords require a guide? I know this area like the back of my hand—"

"No need," the leader interrupted. "We have other tasks."

Before the words had even faded, the twelve figures soared into the sky, vanishing into the horizon in an instant, leaving the crowd of cultivators at the bottom of the cliff standing there, dumbstruck.

"My Lord... are we just going to let them leave like that?" the black-robed cultivator asked, unwilling to accept the outcome.

These were Quasi-Emperors!

Weren't Quasi-Emperors supposed to be invincible?

How were they acting like dogs?

"Shut your mouth!" Blood Hand Yama backhanded the man, sending him flying while spitting blood. His eyes were filled with mockery.

"The Qin Clan of the Xuanming Realm's Central Region is impressive enough, right? But as far as I know, that is merely a branch of the Qin Clan! The true Qin Clan lineage sits in the legendary Heaven Above Heaven. They are a behemoth that even the Heavenly Dao must give way to!"

His cold, sinister gaze swept across the crowd, his voice carrying a bone-chilling frost:

"Today, they only took the spiritual herbs to give you and me face. If they were truly provoked..." Blood Hand Yama suddenly gave a ferocious grin. He curled his fingers into a Five-Finger Claw and swiped at the air; a mountain in the distance instantly shattered into dust.

"Annihilation? That would be the most merciful way to die!"

Having said that, he looked toward the direction where the Qin Clan envoys had departed, his heart still racing, his eyes filled with awe.

"It doesn't matter that we lost the supreme treasure. The world is vast, but life is the most important thing."

"To be alive is already a stroke of great fortune..."

Lower Thousand Provinces, Canglan Sea Realm.

Northern Region, Qinglan Holy Land.

At the peak of the cloud-shrouded mountains, the bells of the Qinglan Holy Land rang out long and clear.

On the white jade-paved plaza, hundreds of disciples stood in neat rows, their expressions solemn.

Kneeling in the front row was a young girl dressed in a plain white dress. She appeared to be about thirteen or fourteen years old, with skin like cream and features as delicate as a painting.

She kept her head bowed, appearing respectful, but her peripheral vision constantly darted toward the middle-aged man beside her—the Third Elder of the Qinglan Holy Land, her master, Mo Qianjue.

"Qiyue, focus," Mo Qianjue transmitted his voice, a warm smile on his face. "A great figure is arriving today; do not lose your decorum."

Yin Qiyue nodded gently, though she sneered inwardly.

It had been three years since he brought her to the sect.

In these three years, not only had she secured her position as the Holy Maiden through her heaven-defying talent, but she had also long since discovered the true face of this "benevolent master"—

The senior sisters who had mysteriously disappeared, the shrill, miserable screams that echoed in the dead of night, and the scent of blood that drifted from her master's room from time to time... all of these pointed to a terrifying truth.

He recruits female disciples on a massive scale, appearing benevolent on the surface, but in reality, he is secretly cultivating an Evil Art!

"Even I am nothing more than a Cauldron he keeps. Though I bear the title of Saintess and possess a noble status, in reality, the moment I reach maturity is the moment he will harvest me, reducing me to a mere object for his carnal desires."

If I could only take advantage of today's opportunity... she calculated to herself, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her robe.

Suddenly, the clouds in the sky surged, and nine streaks of golden light tore through the air!

"Welcome, Immortals!"

The Sect Master of the Holy Land shouted loudly, being the first to kneel and prostrate himself.

Throughout the entire Qinglan Holy Land, from the highest elders down to the lowest servants, everyone knelt in unison, their foreheads pressed firmly against the ground.

Yin Qiyue stole a glance and saw nine Golden Armored Cultivators standing in mid-air, their auras incomparably powerful.

On their shoulders, they all bore an embroidery: a black character on a gold background—"Qin."

Although these Golden Armored Cultivators were not as suffocating as the group of men in black from the Xuanming Realm, the pressure radiating from their bodies was still like an abyss or a vast sea, causing everyone present to unconsciously lighten their breath.

It was a sensation that made one's entire body sting just by making eye contact.

It was a suffocating feeling, as if they could wipe the entire Holy Land off the face of the earth with a mere wave of their hands.

"All members of the Qinglan Holy Land, hear my command!" The voice of the lead Golden Armored Cultivator was like thunder. "By the decree of His Highness, we have come specifically to find someone!"

The Sect Master looked up, trembling. "I do not know who the Immortals are looking for? This humble one will certainly cooperate with all my might!"

The two Golden Armored Cultivators ignored him, instead exchanging a glance.

One of them took out a jade slip. "Do the conditions match?"

The other scanned the crowd below for a moment, then took out another jade slip. "Qinglan Holy Land, Qingshi Town. This should be the right place."

"Is the daughter of the Yin Clan present?"

Yin Qiyue shuddered, looking up in a daze.

She had never imagined that such important figures would be coming for her!

"Qiyue, answer them quickly!" Mo Qianjue urged anxiously, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.

"Disciple... Yin Qiyue is here." Yin Qiyue rose slowly, her voice trembling slightly with nervousness.

"Yin Qiyue?"

"We are looking for the daughter of the Yin Clan." The Golden Armored Cultivator frowned. "Answer yes or no."

I am the only daughter of the Yin Clan; it must be me.

In her nervousness, Yin Qiyue had no time to overthink it and hurriedly replied, "Yes!"

The Golden Armored Cultivator's gaze swept over her like lightning, and he gave a slight nod. "Where is Mo Qianjue?"

Mo Qianjue's face lit up with joy, and he hurried forward. "I am here! I wonder, Immortal—"

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, Mo Qianjue's body suddenly exploded, flesh and blood flying everywhere!

The entire scene fell into a deathly silence.

Yin Qiyue's eyes widened, and she stood frozen in place.

That master who was as powerful as a god in her eyes, that nightmare that had kept her from sleeping at night... just died like that?

In the blink of an eye, he had been reduced to a pulp of meat.

He hadn't even left behind a final word?

"His Highness has decreed the execution of Mo Qianjue." The Golden Armored Cultivator withdrew his palm, his tone as indifferent as if he had merely swatted a mosquito. "Mission accomplished."

Having said that, the group prepared to leave.

"Wait!" Yin Qiyue suddenly shouted, her voice sharp with agitation. "Who is that... that Highness? Why did he save me?"

"Save you?"

A scoff rang out immediately.

"You are nothing but an ant from the lower realm; don't flatter yourself."

"His Highness has his own reasons for today's events."

The Golden Armored Cultivator glanced back at her as he spoke. "As for who His Highness is, you have no need to know." He paused, his tone filled with condescending pity. "You only need to know that he is a big shot you could not reach even if you cultivated for a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand lifetimes."

A golden light flashed, and the nine figures vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the chaotic mess and the stunned members of the Holy Land.

Yin Qiyue stumbled backward and collapsed to the ground.

She stared at Mo Qianjue's mangled corpse, feeling as if everything were a dream.

The fear that had clung to her like a bone-deep rot for three years had just... been lifted?

"That Highness..." she muttered to herself, a tempest raging in her heart. "What kind of existence is he?"

The Sect Master and the others finally regained their senses and crowded around her. "Qiyue, when did you come to know such a big shot?"

"Why did these lords kill Elder Mo?"

"Could it be that Elder Mo caused some kind of trouble?"

"What exactly is your identity..."

The various inquiries from those around her were noisy, but Yin Qiyue turned a deaf ear to them all.

She looked up at the sky.

The clouds she had only been able to see in the past had suddenly transformed into an endless firmament.

The sky was unexpectedly vast.

It was boundless, stretching beyond the reach of her sight.

Immediately, an unprecedentedly bold idea took root and sprouted in her heart—

She wanted to meet this mysterious lord and offer her thanks in person.