The founding of the Heavenly Star Pavilion was like a massive stone cast into the stagnant waters of the Blood-Baleful Wasteland, its ripples swiftly spreading far beyond.
Greenstone Valley, the top floor of the Many Treasures Pavilion.
Inspector Jin Sheng stood before the window with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression dark and still as water. He held a jade slip that had just arrived through a secret art, detailing Black Wind Mountain's change of ownership, Blood Skull's submission, and the recent activities of the newly established "Heavenly Star Pavilion."
"Shattered Blood Skull's divine ability with a flick of his finger, cured his chronic affliction with a single thought... reorganized his former followers, purged the surrounding area, and even... improved the environment and fostered spiritual energy?" Jin Sheng quietly repeated the key points from the jade slip, his face darkening with each one. Every piece of information far exceeded his expectations.
The ability to improve the environment, in particular, was nothing short of defying heaven in the Primordial Realm, where resources were depleted and the Great Dao was incomplete! Even the Sacred Emperor Palace would need to expend vast resources and enlist its finest experts to purify the baleful energy in a region. It could never be done so effortlessly.
"Ye Chen... just who are you?" A cold gleam flashed in Jin Sheng's eyes. "Someone from beyond this world? Or the heir to some ancient legacy hidden from the world, one even the Sacred Emperor Palace has never recorded?"
He felt events rapidly slipping beyond his control. He had originally assumed they were merely a somewhat troublesome band of "outsiders" or exiles. Now, it seemed they might conceal unimaginable secrets and power. Not only was their strength formidable, but they possessed methods he could not comprehend.
"My lord, should we..." Behind him, Jin Wu drew a hand across his throat, his eyes vicious. He still brooded over the humiliation he had suffered at Ye Chen's hands.
"Fool!" Jin Sheng wheeled around and snapped, "Anyone who can subdue Blood Skull so easily must be at least in the Void Insight realm! Perhaps even higher! If we act rashly, do you want to get every last one of us killed?!"
Jin Wu lowered his head under the reprimand, not daring to say another word.
Jin Sheng drew a deep breath, suppressing his irritation and a trace of unease. As an Inspector, his duty was to uphold the Sacred Emperor Palace's interests and authority here, not to make a potentially overwhelming enemy for it.
"Pass down my orders. Pull our people back and suspend all investigations into the Heavenly Star Pavilion for now. Under no circumstances are we to clash with them," Jin Sheng ordered gravely. "Also, submit all intelligence from this area to His Majesty the Sacred Emperor and the Heavenwatch Office immediately, under the highest level of secrecy!"
He had to report this new variable as quickly as possible and leave the decision to the Sacred Emperor and those old monsters. Until he received clear instructions, he chose to stay clear of the enemy's edge.
"Yes!" Though unwilling, Jin Wu understood what was at stake and left to carry out his orders.
Jin Sheng looked toward Black Wind Mountain once more, his gaze complicated. He knew that the balance of power in the Blood-Baleful Wasteland, and perhaps even the entire Primordial World, might be turned upside down by the appearance of this mysterious "Young Master Ye."
The Blood Demon Sect, the Western Blood Sea Demon Domain.
Deep within a magnificent palace built from countless bones, a blood pool churned beneath towering Demonic Aura.
A figure dressed in dark red robes, face concealed in the shadow of a hood, listened to the report of a bat-shaped demonic beast formed from blood. In a harsh, grating voice, the demonic beast relayed the news of Black Wind Mountain's change of ownership and the founding of the Heavenly Star Pavilion.
"Oh? They can purify baleful energy and foster spiritual energy?" A rasping voice like scraping metal came from beneath the hood, carrying a hint of amusement and... greed. "Interesting. It seems a few more amusing insects have come to the Primordial Realm. Watch them and uncover the source of that purification method. If it proves useful... seize it."
With a flash of bloody light, the blood bat dissolved into a wisp of smoke.
The Heavenly Sword Pavilion, the Azure Cloud Mountains in the east.
Within a simple yet imposing stone hall atop the main summit, Cloudrise Peak.
The pavilion master, Lingyun Sword Emperor, was discussing matters with several elders. He was a middle-aged man of upright bearing in blue robes, with a lean, refined face and eyes whose gentleness held boundless sharpness. A communication jade slip floated before him, giving off a faint glow.
"The Heavenly Star Pavilion... Ye Chen..." Lingyun Sword Emperor murmured the name, his brows drawing together slightly. "To subdue Blood Skull and purge the surrounding area in so little time, this young man must possess extraordinary strength and methods. More remarkable still, someone under his command can improve the environment. That is a deed of immeasurable merit. But... his origins are far too mysterious. Whether he is friend or foe remains unknown."
An elder with a stern face said gravely, "Pavilion Master, the Sacred Emperor Palace presses us harder by the day, while the Blood Demon Sect watches us like a tiger eyeing its prey. Our pavilion is in a difficult position. This Heavenly Star Pavilion has risen suddenly, its strength and intentions unknown. It may introduce dangerous changes. We must be on our guard."
Another, more mild-mannered elder said, "Perhaps... it could also be an opportunity. If this young man truly harbors goodwill and can improve the wasteland's environment, that would be a blessing for all living beings in our Primordial Realm. Perhaps we could try making contact?"
Lingyun Sword Emperor considered this for a moment before saying slowly, "That girl Qingxue sent word the day before yesterday. She has safely reached the Northern Border, and the Mystic Maiden Palace has agreed to consider lending aid. That is already a stroke of fortune amid our misfortunes. As for the Heavenly Star Pavilion... we will watch for now. Instruct our disciples not to clash with their people unless necessary. When Qingxue returns, she may bring more information about this young man."
The Heavenly Star Pavilion, Black Wind Mountain.
Ye Chen seemed utterly unconcerned with the undercurrents his presence had stirred in the outside world. He presided over the cave abode formerly known as the Blood Skull Cave, now renamed "Chen Hall," spending most of his time reading the books, miscellaneous accounts, and legends about the Primordial Realm collected by Ye Xiaoshan and the Blood Skull Steward.
He was cramming the basic knowledge of this realm while also trying to piece together its history and the truth behind its "incomplete Great Dao" from those fragmented accounts.
"The Primordial Era... the ancient war between gods and devils... the heavens tilted to the northwest, the earth sank in the southeast... the Great Dao collapsed, the spiritual essence scattered..." Ye Chen closed an ancient hide-bound book, his eyes thoughtful. Though these ancient legends were often exaggerated and steeped in myth, their core seemed to point to a primordial war that had brought cataclysmic changes to the world.
"Young Master," Ye Xiaoshan said as he hurried over excitedly, holding a newly drawn route map of the Demon-Burying Abyss. "Based on the changes in the strength of the remnant page's resonance, and our observations of the Demonic Aura flowing around the abyss's entrance over the past few days, I'm fairly certain the third piece—or rather, a larger fragment—is most likely in the Demon-Burying Abyss's 'Ancient Battlefield Core Zone'! But the Demonic Aura is densest there, and the pressure strongest. I'm afraid..."
Ye Chen took the map, studied the heavily marked area that seemed to radiate danger, and nodded. "Understood. Make preparations. In three days, I'll visit the Demon-Burying Abyss myself."
"Young Master, you intend to go personally?" Ye Yun's brows creased slightly at this. "That place is extraordinarily perilous. Please let me scout the route first."
"It's fine." Ye Chen waved a hand. "There are places and things whose full nature cannot be glimpsed without being there in person. Besides..."
He rose and walked to the entrance of Chen Hall, gazing at the distant abyss shrouded in Demonic Aura, his eyes as deep as a sea of stars.
"Risk and opportunity often exist side by side. Fear risk, and you will never so much as touch the outline of opportunity. Since the Demon-Burying Abyss is connected to this realm's origins and bound to this remnant page by countless threads, how could I let fear of danger halt my steps?"
His voice was calm, yet it carried an unwavering resolve and confidence that would forge ahead without hesitation. It was the assurance born of absolute strength, and also of an unceasing desire to explore the unknown.
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