In a world where the Demon Realm and the Qingchu Continent, representing the Immortal Realm, coexist, and with no Sages appearing and Grand Unity cultivators in seclusion, the Golden Immortal realm stands as the pinnacle of combat power.
At this level, comprehending the essence of the Great Dao is a fundamental requirement. Cultivators themselves achieve a state of invulnerability to post-natal injuries, immunity to all malevolent forces, immortality, and eternal life alongside heaven and earth.
Indeed, every Golden Immortal is a formidable figure, capable of traversing the Qingchu Continent with impunity.
Yu Hu Tianzun, Bai Yin Chen, emerged ten thousand years ago. At the remarkably young age of less than a thousand years, she grasped the essence of the Great Dao, plucked the fruit of the Dao, and achieved Golden Immortal status. Seven thousand years later, she single-handedly wreaked havoc within the Star Luo Sect, a major sect second only to the Eight Great Sacred Lands, earning a fearsome reputation.
Had her actions not caused such a massive disturbance, alerting the ancestor of the Star Luo Sect, the sect itself might have been annihilated.
Following that battle, few on the Qingchu Continent remained unaware of Bai Yin Chen's might. Even in the dark and secluded Demon Realm, tales of her deeds were spread among demons.
The reason was simple: in the vast expanse of cultivation years, often spanning hundreds of thousands or millions of years, every Golden Immortal ancestor had accumulated millennia, or even hundreds of millennia, of experience. In contrast, a Golden Immortal at a thousand years old was exceptionally young.
Now, seven thousand years later, Bai Yin Chen had grown even stronger. Even Ji Ana, the Demon Lord who had just ascended to the Demon Lord realm (a level equivalent to a Golden Immortal in the Immortal Realm), felt a sense of apprehension.
Above the firmament, after shattering the Demon Abyss, Bai Yin Chen stood with her hands behind her back in the void. Her wine-red eyes flickered with the rise and fall of stars, reflecting visions of past and future, appearing unfathomable, as if everything was within her grasp.
Her gaze pierced through the endless void, crossing the barrier between the Demon Realm and the Immortal Realm, and settled upon Ji Ana Demon Lord. Her eyes held a faint threat: "I did not expect that even with the Demon Realm in such a state of ruin, a new Demon Lord could still emerge."
Upon hearing Bai Yin Chen's words, Ji Ana Demon Lord pursed her lips and said in a low voice, "I have heard of the might of Yu Hu Tianzun. However, to my knowledge, Qingqiu Kingdom is located in the Central Prefecture. Why are you interfering in the affairs of the Southern Domain today?"
"This insignificant Liberation Sect is merely a sect of the Qian Kingdom in a corner of the Southern Domain, and it is under the protection of the Heavenly Lan Sacred Land, one of the Eight Great Sacred Lands. None of the Heavenly Lan Sacred Land's immortals have intervened, so why are you obstructing me?"
Hearing this, Bai Yin Chen sneered, "The Heavenly Lan Sacred Land is aloof, holding the name of Sacred Land but shirking its responsibilities. I have long found them displeasing. They are merely a group of corrupt, cowardly individuals who fear death. How dare they call themselves the sacred path of immortals? Do you think I would fear them?"
"You truly dare to speak your mind!" Ji Ana Demon Lord was somewhat speechless.
Her previous words were merely an instinctive attempt to provoke, hoping to incite conflict between the Heavenly Lan Sacred Land and Yu Hu Tianzun. She hadn't expected Bai Yin Chen to fall for it so easily.
Bai Yin Chen suddenly let out a delicate laugh, like a green lotus blooming, stealing all the brilliance from heaven and earth. Though her smile was beautiful, it also held an indescribable mockery. "See? I've said so much, and they haven't even dared to make a peep."
"Yu Hu Tianzun, please mind your words!"
A majestic voice echoed through heaven and earth. Soon, a white-robed immortal, his form shifting from ethereal to solid, appeared at the other end of the shattered Demon Abyss. His aura was ethereal, and pure energy swirled around him.
His outward appearance was that of a young man in his late twenties, but his eyes held infinite vicissitudes, suggesting he had lived for countless millennia.
He looked at Yu Hu Tianzun, his face devoid of anger, instead displaying a detached indifference as if viewing all beings as mere ants. "The Liberation Sect privately harbored cultivators from the lower realms, thus inviting this demonic disaster. There is a natural order to all things; this is their retribution. Why should we, the Heavenly Lan, go against the will of heaven to protect them?"
Bai Yin Chen narrowed her eyes, appearing to ponder. After a moment, a look of realization dawned on her face. "I remember now. You seem to be the sixth generation Holy Son of the Heavenly Lan Sacred Land, Ye Wu Chen? The one I struck into oblivion seven thousand years ago?"
Having cultivated to the Golden Immortal realm, all past events could be recalled with a single thought; there was no such thing as forgetting. Bai Yin Chen's demeanor was clearly intended to humiliate him.
Ye Wu Chen remained calm, not showing anger. "I was inferior in skill, there is nothing more to say."
Bai Yin Chen mockingly retorted, "Ye Wu Chen, you speak of the predetermined order of heaven. By rights, you should have been killed by me ten thousand years ago. Yet, you ultimately relied on the sect's partial control over the authority of reincarnation to regain your life. Do you truly have the right to utter the word 'predetermined'?"
Ye Wu Chen's expression was impassive. "The decline of heavenly law is predetermined, the destruction of reincarnation is also predetermined, and the Heavenly Lan's control over the True Spirit Court is also predetermined. Fellow Daoist Bai, having reached Golden Immortal, can you not even see this?"
Bai Yin Chen said indifferently, "Then is my saving the Liberation Sect today also predetermined?"
Ye Wu Chen performed a Dao礼 (Daoist bow), "The Liberation Sect is fortunate to receive the favor and protection of Fellow Daoist Bai, thus avoiding this calamity. This is naturally predetermined!"
"Enough!" Bai Yin Chen sighed deeply. "Sometimes I truly doubt if you are you. The Ye Wu Chen of the past was so spirited and arrogant, looking down on everything... Now, you have become like a decrepit old man, truly uninteresting."
Ye Wu Chen lowered his head and smiled, remaining silent.
This made Bai Yin Chen sigh even more. She had become a Golden Immortal cultivator in less than a thousand years through constant tempering and battle. The former Ye Wu Chen, as a Holy Son, was naturally one of her stepping stones.
At that time, Ye Wu Chen, an established Profound Immortal, held a noble status and possessed numerous trump cards. His actions were incredibly fierce, pushing her to the brink of death. If she hadn't achieved a breakthrough at the last moment, she might not have become the Yu Hu Tianzun of today.
The current Ye Wu Chen, also a Golden Immortal, had reached the pinnacle of the Heavenly Lan Karmic Scripture, yet he had become so timid.
Taking a deep breath, she spoke, "Today, I intend to take all the members of the Liberation Sect with me. Your Heavenly Lan Sacred Land... who agrees, and who opposes?"
Ye Wu Chen calmly replied, "This is the fate of the Liberation Sect. Fellow Daoist Bai, please proceed as you wish."
"You are wise!" Bai Yin Chen let out a light scoff. With a wave of her delicate hand, the mountain gate of the Liberation Sect, which had been echoing with exclamations of "Wow, amazing" after she shattered the Demon Abyss, instantly shrank countless times, transforming into a sesame-sized black dot that flew into her sleeve, leaving only barren land in its wake.
Immediately, Bai Yin Chen's gaze fell upon Ji Ana Demon Lord.
She smiled and said, "Ye Wu Chen, look at this 'He Ku' Demon Lord's fate. How should it be handled?"
Ji Ana Demon Lord had been known as He Ku in the Demon Realm due to the influence of a mysterious immortal couple. Bai Yin Chen, unaware of the details, thus referred to her as He Ku Demon Lord.
Ji Ana Demon Lord had no inclination to explain. Instead, Bai Yin Chen's words caused her heart to tighten.
If it were only Bai Yin Chen, she could still fight her by relying on the terrain of the Ninth Demon Abyss. However, if Ye Wu Chen intervened, she feared she would have to pay a considerable price.
Upon hearing Bai Yin Chen's words, Ye Wu Chen slowly lowered his eyelids, as if calculating something. Then, he opened his eyes and said, "Although I do not know the origin, He Ku Demon Lord has offended Fellow Daoist Bai, and it is fitting that she faces this tribulation."
Bai Yin Chen frowned, "You are not intervening?"
Ye Wu Chen replied, "The Heavenly Lan Sacred Land does not become entangled in karma!"
Bai Yin Chen said nothing further. Instead, ten thousand Daos roared within her, and in the next moment, streams of radiant light shot up into the sky, piercing the firmament and the barrier between the Immortal and Demon realms.
"Power of Time!" Ye Wu Chen lowered his eyelids, concealing the shock in his eyes.
On the other side, in the eighth layer of the Demon Abyss, He Ku Demon Lord let out a terrified shriek as she looked at the pillar of light descending from the sky like a celestial lightning strike.