Journey to Northern Darkness

On the third day after Di Jun's visit, Taiyi finally left the Sun Palace.

It was not that he was deliberately avoiding anyone. He simply needed time to sort through the tangled threads in his mind. The Chaos Bell needed baleful energy, he had to visit Pangu Hall, and he also needed to meet that old fellow Kunpeng—the position of Demon Master had been vacant for so long that someone had to fill it. Bai Ze had mentioned more than once that the Heavenly Court lacked someone capable of overseeing the bigger picture. There were certain tasks Bai Ze could not bring himself to handle.

Kunpeng was suitable.

That old bastard was vicious, slippery, and not burdened by the scruples of a righteous gentleman. Taiyi thought that there could be no one more suitable for dirty work.

The question was, how should he invite him?

Taiyi stood on the terrace behind the Sun Palace, watching the sea of clouds churn below. The wind was fierce, making his robes snap loudly. He pondered for a long while before suddenly smiling—why invite him? Since when had Eastern Emperor Taiyi needed to "invite" anyone to do anything?

Once he figured that out, he felt much more at ease. He turned and returned to his chambers to change. Not into court robes, but a simple set of fitted black clothes. The fabric was excellent, woven from Golden Crow threads mixed with Northern Darkness cold silkworm silk, impervious to water and fire. He hung the two jade pendants at his waist—a Golden Crow and an eagle, both satisfyingly heavy.

When he pushed open the door, the Demon Guard on duty froze for a moment. "Your Majesty is going out?"

"Yes, I'm making a trip to Northern Darkness." Taiyi did not stop walking. "No need to follow me."

The Demon Guard opened his mouth, but swallowed his words before they came out. Only after watching Taiyi's back vanish at the end of the corridor did he mutter quietly, "Northern Darkness? That godforsaken place..."

Taiyi did not hear him, and even if he had, he would not have cared. He left the Sun Palace without passing through the South Heaven Gate, instead leaping directly from the terrace. The wind shrieked past his ears. After falling hundreds of zhang, he twisted in midair and became a golden streak of light, shooting north.

Northern Darkness lay at the extreme north of the Great Wilderness, far from the Heavenly Court. Taiyi did not fly quickly, allowing himself time to think. This trip was not merely about recruiting someone—it was about weighing that old fellow's worth, and weighing his own standing as well.

After flying for most of the day, the scenery around him began to change.

The sea of clouds gradually thinned, revealing a vast ice field below. White. White everywhere. White ice, white snow, white so bright it hurt the eyes. The temperature plummeted, and every breath instantly froze into frost. Taiyi activated his protective true fire, golden flames circulating around him and keeping the cold at bay.

After another hour of flight, a range of ice mountains appeared ahead.

The mountains were ink-black, like mysterious ice frozen for ten thousand years, exceptionally glaring against the white ice field. Black mist coiled between the peaks, so dense it seemed impossible to disperse, carrying an eerie and deathly stillness. Taiyi stopped in midair and narrowed his eyes—deep within the mist, he could vaguely make out the outline of a palace, also black, blending into the ice mountains.

He had hidden it well enough.

Taiyi cleared his throat and sent his voice out wrapped in spiritual power. "Eastern Emperor Taiyi has come to pay a visit."

His voice echoed among the ice mountains, producing a string of reverberations. After roughly ten breaths, an aged laugh came from deep within the mist. "Hehe... Eastern Emperor Your Majesty honors this old man with his presence. I failed to welcome you from afar. Forgive me, forgive me."

As the words fell, the black mist parted to either side, revealing a passage.

Taiyi did not stand on ceremony. With a flicker, he entered. The passage twisted and turned, while the mist on either side flowed slowly as though alive. After flying a hundred zhang, his view suddenly opened up—

It was a palace.

It had been carved entirely from black mysterious ice, ancient in style and somewhat plain. A man stood in the open space before the hall, dressed in a dark green Daoist robe and leaning on a withered wooden staff. His body was hunched, and his face lay hidden in shadow.

Kunpeng.

Taiyi landed and withdrew his flight technique. The two stood ten zhang apart, staring at each other without either speaking first.

Wind swept over from the ice field, carrying fine shards of ice that crackled against their protective spiritual light. Kunpeng finally moved. He slowly raised his head, revealing a gaunt and sinister face. A smile was piled on his face, but it looked fake, all skin and no warmth.

"Your Majesty has come from afar," Kunpeng said in a hoarse voice. "Why not enter the hall for a cup of tea? Northern Darkness is barren and has nothing good to offer, only some aged ice soul tea that is barely drinkable."

"No need." Taiyi waved a hand. "I'll leave after saying what I came to say."

"Oh?" Kunpeng's smile did not change. "What instructions does Your Majesty have?"

"I'm asking you to come out of seclusion." Taiyi spoke bluntly. "The Heavenly Court needs a Demon Master. You'll take the position."

His words were so forceful that even an old fox like Kunpeng was stunned for a moment. The old man narrowed his eyes and looked Taiyi up and down, as though weighing how much truth lay in those words. "Your Majesty must be joking. This old man has grown used to idleness. I've been holed up in Northern Darkness for so many years that even my bones have decayed. How could I possibly bear the weighty duty of Demon Master?"

"You can." Taiyi took a step forward. "If I say you can, then you can."

The smile on Kunpeng's face faded somewhat. "Your Majesty is... forcing the unwilling?"

"I suppose I am." Taiyi admitted it openly.

The atmosphere froze.

The cold wind blew harder, sweeping powdery snow from the ground and lashing it against their faces with stinging force. Kunpeng leaned on his staff, hunching even further, as though the wind might blow him over. But Taiyi knew that the old bastard was putting on an act.

Pretending to be weak, pretending to be old, pretending to be detached from worldly affairs.

What kind of decent man could survive in a hellhole like Northern Darkness and still turn his abode into an impregnable fortress?

"Your Majesty," Kunpeng began slowly, stretching out his words, "this old man is advanced in years and cannot endure much turmoil. The Heavenly Court... its waters run too deep. These old bones of mine fear they cannot wade through them."

"Even if you can't, you still have to." Taiyi's voice turned cold. "I'm not discussing this with you."

There was a threat in those words.

The smile vanished completely from Kunpeng's face. He raised his head, and a flash of cold light passed through his narrow eyes like a snake hunting in the night. "Your Majesty intends... to use power to oppress others?"

"What if I do?"

"Hehe..." Kunpeng laughed. This time, there was no falsehood in it, only chilliness. "Though Your Majesty is powerful, this old man is still a Quasi-Saint. If we truly tear off all pretenses, who wins and who loses remains to be seen."

At last, he had shown his hand.

Taiyi sneered inwardly, but his expression became even calmer. "Then let's find out."

The moment the words fell, he moved.

He did not charge forward. Instead, he abruptly retreated while raising his right hand—the phantom of the Chaos Bell appeared behind him. The bell trembled, and invisible ripples spread outward. Wherever they passed, space froze inch by inch.

Time-Space Stasis!

Though it was only in its infancy and covered merely ten zhang, those ten zhang happened to encompass Kunpeng.

Kunpeng's expression changed.

He clearly had not expected Taiyi to get serious from the start, much less employ a spatial-temporal divine ability. He tried to evade in haste, but the surrounding space had become sticky as glue, slowing his movements by more than a beat.

That moment of delay was enough.

Taiyi formed a seal with his left hand. The ball of Chaos True Sun Fire in his dantian suddenly exploded, transforming into countless fine threads that surged from his palm. The threads intertwined and twisted in midair, instantly forming a giant flaming hand that clawed down at Kunpeng's head!

The attack was terrifyingly fast.

Less than half a breath passed from the activation of Time-Space Stasis to the formation of the flaming hand. Kunpeng was a Quasi-Saint after all. Though startled, he did not panic. He struck his withered staff against the ground, and billowing black qi surged from around him. The qi was freezing to the bone. When it collided with the flaming hand, it hissed and steamed, raising a vast cloud of white mist.

The mist spread, obscuring their vision.

Taiyi narrowed his eyes and spread out his divine sense. Within the mist, Kunpeng's aura had vanished—not because he had fled, but because he had hidden himself. Concealment and escape techniques were what this old bastard did best.

"Trifling tricks."

Taiyi snorted, and the phantom of the Chaos Bell trembled once more.

Clang—

The bell's chime was clear and resonant, carrying a vast righteous majesty. Wherever the soundwaves passed, the mist instantly collapsed, revealing Kunpeng hidden within. The old man's face was somewhat pale. Clearly, he had suffered a minor loss in that exchange.

"Your Majesty possesses impressive methods." Kunpeng leaned on his staff and caught his breath. "To force back a Quasi-Saint at the peak of the Great Luo realm—worthy indeed of Eastern Emperor Taiyi."

It sounded like praise, but Taiyi heard the probing beneath it. He withdrew the flaming hand, while the phantom of the Chaos Bell hovered above his head. "Enough nonsense. I'll ask you one last time—will you come out of seclusion or not?"

Kunpeng stared at him, then at the bell, his gaze flickering uncertainly. He was weighing his options—if they fought head-on, he was confident he could win, but victory would come at a cost. Moreover, if he truly offended Eastern Emperor Taiyi beyond reconciliation, life would become difficult for him in the Heavenly Court.

Yet he was unwilling to submit so easily.

"Your Majesty," Kunpeng said in a different tone, one carrying a hint of negotiation, "this old man can come out of seclusion. But I have one condition."

"Speak."

"The Heavenly Court's Great Zhou Heavenly Stars Formation," Kunpeng said word by word. "This old man wishes to study it."

Taiyi raised an eyebrow.

This old bastard had quite the appetite. The Great Zhou Heavenly Stars Formation was the foundation of the Heavenly Court. Apart from him and Di Jun, even Bai Ze only understood its surface. Kunpeng wanted to study it, clearly intending to learn the Heavenly Court's true capabilities so he could gain leverage later.

"Fine." Taiyi agreed. "But you may only study the outer formations. You are not qualified to touch the core formation nodes."

Kunpeng smiled. This time, his smile was more sincere. "Deal."

The two exchanged a glance and each withdrew their divine abilities. The frozen space around them resumed flowing, and the rising white mist gradually dispersed. The ice field was still the same ice field, the ice mountains still the same ice mountains, as though their brief clash had never happened.

"When does Your Majesty require this old man to assume office?" Kunpeng asked.

"Three days from now," Taiyi said. "Come to the Heavenly Court first and familiarize yourself with it."

"Very well." Kunpeng nodded, then paused before adding, "Your Majesty's visit to Northern Darkness today was likely not solely to ask this old man to come out of seclusion, was it?"

Taiyi glanced at him. "Why do you say that?"

"Though this old man resides in Northern Darkness, I still know a little of the Great Wilderness's affairs." Kunpeng spoke unhurriedly. "Your Majesty has... changed quite a bit recently."

There was meaning behind those words.

Taiyi's expression did not change. "People change."

"Yes." Kunpeng smiled. "But changing too quickly tends to make people suspicious. Does Your Majesty not think so?"

The two stared at each other for another moment.

Taiyi suddenly smiled as well. "Demon Master, you worry too much. Changed or not, I am still Eastern Emperor Taiyi. The Eastern Emperor of the Heavenly Court, the Eastern Emperor of the Demon Race."

The words sounded grand and proper, but the meaning was clear—my affairs are none of your concern.

Kunpeng wisely did not press further. Leaning on his staff, he stepped aside to make way. "Travel safely, Your Majesty. Three days from now, this old man will report to the Heavenly Court."

Taiyi nodded and turned to leave, only to stop again. "Oh, right."

"What further instructions does Your Majesty have?"

"Once you reach the Heavenly Court, behave yourself." Taiyi did not look back. "I brought you in to work, not to stir up trouble. Understand?"

Kunpeng bowed. "This old man understands."

Taiyi said no more. With a flicker, he transformed into a golden streak of light and soared into the sky, vanishing above the boundless ice field in the blink of an eye.

Watching the direction in which he disappeared, Kunpeng's smile gradually faded. He stood there leaning on his staff for a long time without moving. The cold wind whipped his dark green Daoist robe, making it snap loudly.

"Eastern Emperor Taiyi..." he murmured, his eyes shifting between light and shadow. "Have you truly changed, or have you... become someone else?"

The ice field gave no answer.

Only the wind howled, as though responding—and as though mocking him.