"Master, this is..."
Taiyi's pupils contracted sharply, and his entire body shook.
His master had actually discovered the Ruthless One's Lineage within the Yaoguang Holy Land long ago.
But, alone and outnumbered, he had raised no alarm. Instead, he had quietly left the holy land and retired here in seclusion.
"On this journey, you must be extremely cautious. Do not readily reveal your sun sacred body or the Sun True Scripture, lest you draw those people's attention too soon!"
"With your talent and the complete inheritance of the Sun True Scripture, I believe that, given enough time, even if that person truly cultivates a heaven-defying demonic art, he could never match you in a battle at the same realm..."
Danyangzi gazed at Taiyi.
His somewhat clouded eyes held boundless hope. "If you grow strong enough one day to take charge of the Yaoguang Holy Land, you must purge the demons, evil cultivators, and every hidden undercurrent within it!"
"Then I could smile even in the depths of the underworld!"
"Yes, I will do everything in my power!" Taiyi answered earnestly.
He packed his belongings and bowed to his master repeatedly.
The next instant, an irresistible force transported him out of the cave abode, far away from the place.
With his lifespan at its end, Danyangzi sealed the cave abode completely, entombing himself within.
Far in the distance, a vast surge of divine power emanated from deep within the mountains.
The earth rumbled and shook incessantly.
It was enough to make anyone pale in horror.
"Farewell, Master!"
With a complicated look in his eyes, Taiyi let out a soft sigh.
His master had indeed long been a lamp with its oil exhausted, his life at its end.
Only to teach Taiyi and fulfill their bond as master and disciple had he struggled to hold on until now.
Otherwise, he might have passed away in meditation long ago.
"Roar-" Just then...
An enormous dark shape shimmered with an intimidating black radiance.
It suddenly lunged at him from behind.
"Courting death!"
Taiyi's gaze turned cold.
His entire body shone as divine power surged.
Without even turning his head, he casually swept out a blazing beam of holy light.
The sacred, dazzling beam instantly pierced the giant snake's supposedly indestructible skull.
"Boom..." Its enormous head burst apart like a watermelon, sending torrents of blood and shattered bone flying.
But the blazing radiance mercilessly burned them away, purifying every last trace.
Only the enormous body remained.
It crashed to the ground.
The solitary figure stood there for a long time.
Taiyi had felt sorrow over Danyangzi's passing.
Gradually, his low spirits recovered.
"Huh?" He turned around and raised an eyebrow.
He recognized the Demon Beast that had just ambushed him. It was none other than the enormous Black-Armored Giant Snake he had encountered before—the one fighting a fierce white tiger when he had exploited the opening to snatch a rare spirit medicine from its jaws.
Afterward, he had asked Danyangzi and confirmed that the spirit medicine was a rare nine-leaf jade flower, which grew just one new leaf every hundred years.
With all nine leaves present, it had clearly been at least nine hundred years old.
Moreover, it would take another five hundred years before it fully matured and bloomed.
The rich fragrance that nine-leaf jade flower had given off back then suggested that it might truly bloom in another month or two.
Yet he had uprooted it prematurely and gobbled it down like an ox chewing peonies.
It had been something of a waste.
"Enemies really do meet on narrow roads..." Taiyi's expression remained calm.
Looking at the enormous, bloodied snake carcass, he said lightly, "Unfortunately, today is nothing like yesterday!"
He did not hesitate.
He chopped the enormous snake carcass into pieces.
Without ceremony, he also swallowed its enormous gallbladder and refined its abundant essence.
He set aside two sections of the snake, skinned them, removed their sinews and internal organs, and gave them a quick wash.
Then he built a fire right there and leisurely began roasting them.
He did not waste the remaining snake meat, either.
He stored all of it away.
Chapter 13: Yanxia Cave Heaven? What's So Great About It?
"Crackle, pop..."
Less than half an hour later...
The aroma of meat drifted through the forest.
It drew the covetous attention of many wild beasts, including large predators that could already be considered Demon Beasts.
But they were cowed by the faint trace of his aura that Taiyi deliberately released.
All of them turned tail and fled in fright, not daring to approach.
Over the past year, he had practically stopped needing food.
Either Danyangzi had him consume the various rare spirit medicines he had collected to temper his foundations...
Or he directly refined pure source, or absorbed the essence of heaven and earth to replenish himself. He had barely eaten any actual food.
Now that the opportunity had presented itself, he naturally had to indulge his appetite.
"Mmm, it's missing a few seasonings, but after long years of arduous cultivation, the flesh of Demon Beasts like this generally contains astonishing energy. It really does smell delicious..."
The aroma filled his nostrils.
Taiyi polished off the golden roasted meat in no time.
Streams of vital essence flowed into his limbs and throughout his body, leaving him utterly at ease.
"Once I gather some seasonings, I could make a pot of Snake Meat Tonic Soup!"
Taiyi smiled.
The Treasure Box Danyangzi had left him...
Contained the lifetime collection of this Supreme Elder of the Yaoguang Holy Land.
Besides hundreds of thousands of jin of source and all manner of rare, precious materials...
It also held a great many Spirit-Communicating Magical Artifacts he had once forged or collected, including even a replica of the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Cauldron.
The large black cauldron Taiyi had previously used for medicinal baths was a replica of the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Cauldron that Danyangzi had created centuries ago, spending tremendous time and effort gathering countless rare materials.
Never mind comparing it to an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon like the genuine Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Cauldron, or even an Inherited Saint Weapon-it could not match a King Divine Weapon.
Even so, its power was astonishing and could not be underestimated.
A cauldron like that was clearly perfect for making soup.
If Danyangzi had not passed away, who knew how he would have felt upon learning that his Personal Disciple intended to use the replica of the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Cauldron he had painstakingly forged for cooking soup?
"Whoosh..."
The next instant...
Taiyi rose straight into the air.
He transformed into a divine rainbow and streaked toward the horizon.
"Have you heard? The Wang Family has taken over all the Li Family's properties!"
"The Wang Family is no good either, but the Li Family really got its karmic retribution!"
"They deserved it! They relied on having clansmen cultivating in Yanxia Cave Heaven to prey on the townsfolk, throw their weight around, and commit every evil imaginable. Everyone had been furious with them for ages!"
"Who could have imagined that Old Man Jiang's family had such an impressive background..."
"Apparently, they belong to some Desolate Ancient Jiang Family. After those powerful young people wiped out the Li Family, they went to Yanxia Cave Heaven to demand an explanation and killed the murderers of his son and daughter-in-law, one by one."
"What a pity. The Li Family is gone, but now there's a Wang Family that's even worse!"
After several consecutive days of travel...
As he passed through a bustling little town...
Taiyi paused when he heard the townsfolk's discussions. "Oh? The Desolate Ancient Jiang Family?"
More than a year had passed since he had arrived on Beidou aboard the Nine Dragons Pulling a Coffin, awakened his sun sacred body, and begun cultivating.
Barring any surprises, the Demon Emperor's Tomb should have already appeared half a year ago.
Even if he headed there now, he would most likely be a step too late.
Besides, to find the legendary supreme treasure of the Eastern Wasteland, the Desolate Pagoda, the great figures of undying powers such as the Ji Family, Jiang Family, and Yaoguang Holy Land had recklessly insisted on exploring the Demon Emperor's yin tomb.
A terrifying death trap might already have been unleashed there.
Naturally, he would not head to the Primordial Ruins to join the commotion and waste his efforts.
Before you continue