The commotion was immense, alarming many deities. Unlike their ignorant mortal counterparts, they understood the terrifying might of those formidable beings from that mysterious Eastern kingdom.
But hadn't those powerful figures already shed blood across the starry sky, their bones buried in the firmament, all fallen in battle?
Could it be that some had survived and were now returning?
Even the return of just one would be enough to disturb their peace and sleep. After all, from time immemorial, they had lived under the shadow of the Chinese gods.
They were filled with trepidation and unease, closely monitoring the unfolding events.
Kunlun Mountain, within its core.
The stunningly beautiful woman, who had once appeared at the Chun Tian Hua Hua Orphanage, sat cross-legged on a cold jade platform, her eyes closed, deep in meditation. Perhaps sensing something in the ethereal realm, her eyelashes fluttered, and she uttered two words: "Mo Mo!"
Beside her, Li Er was protecting her path, mobilizing the entire power of Kunlun Void to cleanse her marrow and temper her bones, forging an unparalleled foundation for her Dao.
With Ji Mo gone, this was the only precious treasure left. Li Er treated her as a cherished gem, meticulously cultivating her as his final disciple.
Li Er also sensed the energy fluctuations outside and heard the woman calling "Mo Mo," which stirred a pang of emotion in his heart.
"Has my Mo Bao returned?"
His eyes welled up with tears, and he reminisced about Ji Hanhan, but he knew that Ji Mo had been utterly annihilated, leaving not even a trace. How could he possibly still be alive?
Although he wished to investigate what was happening, he could not leave his post at this moment. The woman was at a critical juncture, and he dared not be careless or distracted.
Yin and Yang dual fish flowed, the five elements' spiritual energy surged, and the power of time and space emanated. Li Er channeled various energies of heaven and earth, pouring them ceaselessly into the woman's body, his satisfaction growing with each passing moment.
She was the most exceptional cultivation prodigy he had ever seen, destined to shoulder great responsibility.
Then, a wave of vexation washed over him. Should he inform the two youngsters of Ji Mo's death? The two children had been childhood sweethearts, growing up together playing in the mud. How heartbroken and despairing would they be if they learned their Mo Mo would never return?
"Alas, I'll keep it a secret for now."
Li Er sighed, composing himself, and focused all his attention on the woman. He was determined to cultivate her to her fullest potential. If darkness proved unstoppable and the epoch concluded, she would be the spark of human civilization's legacy.
...
A shadowy figure clad in night-vision attire effortlessly breached multiple security systems and infiltrated Ruan Xingqing's villa. This individual had been handsomely rewarded to kidnap Ruan Xingqing and Ruan Tian. The Ruan family owned vast mining operations, and in this era of spiritual energy resurgence, various minerals were accompanied by spirit stones, attracting the covetous eyes of numerous domestic and international capital firms. Consequently, driven by greed, someone could no longer restrain themselves and intended to target the Ruan family.
The shadowy figure was a cultivator. Upon entering the villa, he immediately spotted Ji Mo sitting on the railing of the third-floor balcony. With a sinister grin, he intended to approach and eliminate this bothersome presence first.
But the next moment.
He was so terrified that he froze on the spot. Ji Mo's entire body radiated brilliance, appearing sacred and inviolable. Thousands of stars blazed in the firmament above, showering infinite starlight upon Ji Mo. At this moment, Ji Mo seemed like the master of heaven and earth, a King of Gods too radiant to behold directly.
"This is not working... *cough*..." Ji Mo desperately absorbed the power of the starry sky but suddenly cried out in pain. The clarity in his eyes vanished, his vision darkened, and he fell directly from the railing.
Instantly, the myriad starlight dissipated, and everything returned to calm. The shadowy figure felt an immense relief, not daring to breathe, and fled as if his life depended on it. Gods, that young man was undoubtedly a deity. Since the Ruan family was protected by a god, no amount of money would persuade him to act against them.
"Strange, why was the divine spectacle so fleeting?" Many deities were perplexed, unable to comprehend what had happened. They felt a growing unease and began employing various means, dispatching numerous subordinates, followers, and agents to the East to ascertain the truth.
The next morning.
The tranquility of the villa was shattered by the voices of Ruan Tian and Qian Xianxian.
"Brother Ruan Tian, stop sleeping, there's big news."
"You little brat, I don't care about your news, what's it to me? Don't disturb me, I want to sleep."
"Unscrupulous old man peddles fake medicine, brainless fool loses a hundred million! Brother Ruan Tian, do you think this has anything to do with you?"
"What, what did you say?"
Ruan Tian, who had been groggily half-asleep, instantly lost all drowsiness. He casually threw on some clothes and stormed out, snatching the phone from Qian Xianxian's hand to check. Seeing the news headline, his heart sank considerably. Then, upon flipping to the suspect's photo, he nearly collapsed to the ground. There was no doubt; this was the very man from whom he had bought a so-called Nine-Turn Golden Elixir after three visits, spending a small fortune. He had even proudly boasted about it to many of his close friends. He never imagined that this damned old scoundrel was a fraud. The fool was me! Now, he had lost face in the most humiliating way possible. Ruan Tian beat his chest and stomped his feet, looking utterly dejected.
Qian Xianxian, confirming that the great fool was indeed Ruan Tian, laughed uncontrollably without a care in the world. Ruan Xingqing, awakened by the commotion, came out to inquire about what was happening. Upon understanding the situation, she didn't mock her foolish elder brother. Instead, her face turned pale with alarm, and she rushed towards Ji Mo's room.
"Oh no, that silly little brother of mine ate your fake medicine. What if something goes wrong?" Qian Xianxian immediately understood Ruan Xingqing's panic and rushed along with her.
Ruan Xingqing knocked on Ji Mo's door but received no response. She then kicked the door open and entered. Soon, she discovered Ji Mo, who had fallen to the ground below, and immediately went down to check on him. Ji Mo lay flat on the concrete floor, bloodstains clearly visible at the corner of his mouth. When she felt for his pulse, she couldn't detect any beat.
Ruan Xingqing panicked. Without a second thought, she puckered her lips and pressed them against Ji Mo's, beginning to administer artificial respiration. Qian Xianxian arrived a moment later and, witnessing this, exclaimed in surprise, "You're kissing already?"
"Hurry and save him, CPR! I'll breathe, you do chest compressions." Ruan Xingqing was on the verge of tears from anxiety and urged Qian Xianxian to help with the rescue. However, as she looked up, she saw Ji Mo blinking his eyes, looking utterly bewildered. He had already woken up.
"That's not right." Ruan Xingqing was astonished. She then leaned down, placing her ear close to Ji Mo's chest to listen carefully. Qian Xianxian quickly pulled her aside and earnestly advised, "Xingqing, you can't be so impatient. You've only just met him. Don't be too forward, or those scoundrels will think we girls are not reserved and won't cherish us."
Ruan Xingqing's expression was uneasy, and she didn't seem to take Qian Xianxian's words to heart. Instead, she whispered a few words into Qian Xianxian's ear.
"I don't believe it, how is that possible?" Qian Xianxian looked skeptical. She then walked up to Ji Mo, who had managed to sit up, and tiptoed, burying her little head into his embrace. Afterward, she too wore an expression of disbelief. Ruan Xingqing wasn't lying; Ji Hanhan truly had no heartbeat, was he dead?