Outside, it was daytime.
Upon entering the Crippled Old Village, a terrifying power immediately transformed the place into night, obscuring the sun, moon, and stars.
This time, the armless middle-aged man and others had already anticipated Chen Jiuyang's arrival. They waited for him in the vast, boundless forest, carrying enormous, bizarre stone statues.
Chen Jiuyang crossed the great river, and boundless darkness surged towards him. In an instant, he saw the armless middle-aged man holding a massive, bizarre stone statue above his head.
Upon landing, Chen Jiuyang cupped his fists and said, "Greetings, senior."
The armless middle-aged man was not surprised that Chen Jiuyang could guess he was a past inheritor of the Human Emperor's Path.
Seeing Chen Jiuyang approach, the ordinary-looking, plainly dressed armless middle-aged man calmly asked, "How much do you know?"
"My first tribulation, senior, was the abduction of my wife and daughter by the Five Great Sacred Lands, who are preparing to initiate the 'Ascension' plan. The date is set for August 8th, and the location is Kunlun," Chen Jiuyang said, bowing and cupping his fists. "I implore you to help me rescue my wife and daughter!"
"The Human Emperor's Path is destined for three tribulations and nine calamities, clashing with immortals," the armless middle-aged man said with a weathered voice.
"However, with only my intervention, I can only escort you into Kunlun, but I cannot rescue your wife and daughter. You will need other assistance."
"The Five Great Sacred Lands, calling themselves the Immortal Alliance, are lofty and supreme, but in reality, they are no better than pigs and dogs," Chen Jiuyang declared, his hatred and resolve unhidden in his eyes.
"I have decided to enter the Demonic Path and take control of it."
The armless middle-aged man nodded slowly, his voice ancient, and said,
"Entering the Demonic Path is a good choice. Do you have a guide? Otherwise, you will not be able to reach those at the Ancestor level."
Chen Jiuyang replied truthfully, "I have a confidante, who is the Holy Maiden of the Han clan, a true demon of the current Demonic Path."
The armless middle-aged man then glanced at the saber at Chen Jiuyang's waist. "So it's Yan Sheng. It's been a long time, and I almost forgot. Then you shall enter the Demonic Path and find someone at the Ancestor level to explain the truth."
"Only then will you have a seventy percent chance of rescuing your wife and daughter."
"But once you enter the Demonic Path, you must accept its karma, and it will be difficult to escape the suffering of the mortal world."
Chen Jiuyang's eyes were resolute. "Regardless of the cost, I will rescue my wife and daughter and exact sufficient revenge on those pigs and dogs of the Five Great Sacred Lands!"
The armless middle-aged man's expression remained unperturbed. "In that case, come find me on August 7th."
...
Qingzhu Town.
A small house by the roadside.
Although Chen Jiuyang had resigned from his position and the Yao family had been wiped out, ordinary people were unaware of the truth, and their lives were unaffected.
Even Chen Jiuyang, if not for the transaction with the forbidden zone using the Pure Yang Jade Pendant, would likely never have known the truth, only being able to deduce that Yao Zixuan was in Kunlun.
He would have foolishly believed he could rescue his wife and daughter by breaking through to the Imperial Path and attacking Kunlun.
Upon learning the news, Monk Puhui immediately rushed to Qingzhu Town.
On the evening of June 17th.
Monk Puhui had been waiting for a day.
A figure walked across the river.
"Amitabha," Monk Puhui greeted Chen Jiuyang with a Buddhist salutation.
Before Chen Jiuyang created the Yuan Dao within the Human Emperor's Path, Monk Puhui could sense that Chen Jiuyang possessed great destiny. However, after the Yuan Dao, he could no longer do so.
Everything was precise and traceable.
Monk Puhui looked at Chen Jiuyang and said, "Benefactor Chen, please accept my condolences. After much thought, I have decided to teach you the 'Book of Changes.' Your cultivation is higher than mine, and your destiny is profound. Perhaps you can use the 'Book of Changes' to deduce the whereabouts of the culprit and your esteemed wife."
Chen Jiuyang looked at Monk Puhui with a gentle gaze. After the incident, Monk Puhui was the first to offer him assistance and provide something useful.
The "Book of Changes" was a secret transmission of Shaolin Temple, and Monk Puhui had been hunted by Shaolin Temple for decades for stealing it.
Chen Jiuyang patted Monk Puhui's shoulder and said, "Thank you. I already know where my wife and daughter are and who the culprit is. Master, there is no need to teach me the 'Book of Changes.'"
The deductive and divinatory abilities of the "Book of Changes" were powerful, but if he accepted it from Monk Puhui, he would incur a great karmic debt with Buddhism.
Monk Puhui showed a flicker of surprise, then could only recite, "Amitabha."
"Since Master has come, please stay and witness a good show."
Chen Jiuyang's eyes were deep and chilling as he led Monk Puhui towards the small house.
Seeing Chen Jiuyang return, Chen Fengge and Han Peiling, the two Venerable Realm ancestors, their eyes lit up.
Before they could speak, Chen Jiuyang said, "Two Ancestors, please invite those at the Ancestor level behind you to come here. Some matters need to be decided."
Chen Fengge and Han Peiling frowned slightly, but they nodded and sent messages to the Chen family's Shu Mountain and the Han clan's Demonic Path, respectively.
Chen Jiuyang, with his Heavenly Realm cultivation, ordering those at the Ancestor level to come here was undoubtedly presumptuous, something even they dared not do.
However, Chen Jiuyang's peerless talent gave him the capital for such a demand.
Then, Chen Jiuyang called Deng Zun over. "Go invite the few Madam and Elder Lin."
"Yes, Young Master."
Deng Zun nodded and headed towards the Lin family's manor.
Chen Jiuyang then said to Fang Bahua, "Go invite the forty-six Marquises of Feng Province and my master, Marquis Feng Han."
Inside the house, Ji Lengyue was already at home. Seeing Chen Jiuyang return and noticing that he was summoning many people, she came to his side and asked, "Jiuyang, have you found any clues?"
Chen Jiuyang gently held her hand, his expression calm and soft. "Some matters need to be decided. You will know shortly."
Half a day later, over a hundred people had gathered outside the small house by the roadside.
Chen Jiuyang's relatives, close allies, and subordinates were all assembled there.
Two streams of light, one white and one black, flew rapidly from the sky and landed outside the small house.
The ancestor of the Shu Mountain Chen family, dressed in ancient noble robes, cultivated the Immortal Path and was at the Nascent Soul stage.
The ancestor of the Han clan's Demonic Path, also in ancient noble robes, cultivated the Immortal Path and was similarly at the Nascent Soul stage.
Even in ancient times, cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage were powerful beings who could govern a region, with lifespans of thousands of years.
"Greetings, Ancestors," Chen Fengge and Han Peiling respectfully addressed the two ancestors.
"Greetings, Great Ancestors," Chen Biandao, Granny Han, and Qiu Yihan also addressed them.
Before the alliance between mortals and immortals, there was a trend for a long-standing lineage not to cultivate solely in martial arts or the immortal path, but to cultivate both simultaneously.
However, the immortal path offered a longer lifespan, making it more suitable for managing a lineage.
"Good, good, truly a fine prospect," the Chen family ancestor and the Han clan ancestor observed Chen Jiuyang, each showing a smile.
Chen Biandao looked at Chen Jiuyang and said, "Jiuyang, now that the Great Ancestors have arrived, you can state your arrangements and matters in front of everyone."
Chen Jiuyang first looked at the forty-six Marquises and Marquis Feng Han. "I plan to leave Feng Province and join a faction. If you all remain, our camaraderie and interests will persist, and the profits from the pharmaceutical company will remain unchanged."
"If you accompany me, I will ensure you reach the Heavenly Realm, and even the Venerable Realm."
As his words fell, Chen Jiuyang was finally about to raise the banner of rebellion!
Many people's hearts trembled.