Chapter 128: Tao Yaoyao, the Demon Catcher

Lian waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine. You focus on recovering. Unless it is an absolute last resort, I prefer to face things myself. You are my trump card, so just rest and regain your strength; there will be work for you later."

Lian’s reasoning was impeccable. Although she had been wandering through the three thousand worlds in search of her true self, everything seemed to follow a predetermined plan. Some things that "Jianjian" knew in advance, much like an omniscient being, had made her journey incredibly smooth, sparing her from any major accidents along the way.

However, Lian knew that what she had to face was far beyond mere schemes and talent competitions. She had to confront an ancient evil spirit, sealed for thousands of years within the Abyss of Resentful Souls deep in the Demon Realm. That creature belonged to no realm; it grew by feeding on the evil thoughts of all living things in the six realms, and every negative emotion served as its nourishment.

When she first realized the magnitude of her mission, Lian initially felt that fate was unfair. Yet, she soon understood: if Chonglian was willing to sacrifice her life to protect the six realms, why couldn't her reincarnation, Lian, do the same?

Not only could she do it, but she was also determined to find a way that served both ends. She did not wish to vanish into the heavens and earth, so she had to strengthen her wings and fight for a glimmer of hope for her own future.

Eight-Tail seemed to see the sparks of fire in Lian’s eyes. His Fox clan was noble, and that was a fact, so he was willing to lower his proud head, bowing respectfully to Lian. "Master."

Lian was delighted. To earn the respect of a Celestial Fox—her decision had indeed been correct.

"Rest well. I doubt you will encounter him again in this world. Jianjian, prepare to head to the next world. My heart ached yesterday; the lotus petals seem to be telling me that time is running out. We must move faster."

[Understood, Master!]

...

The forest where Eight-Tail resided was now unrecognizable. An hour after Lian’s departure, a man in green robes descended from the sky.

"A heavenly tribulation?"

Chongli had followed Lian’s aura and finally arrived, only to be a step too late. Looking at the surrounding traces, it was clear that his precious Lian had once again done something that defied the Heavenly Dao, actually triggering a heavenly tribulation. Geothermal activity was virtually impossible in a forest region, and combined with the lingering traces of a Soul-Returning Array, he sighed, "Lianbao, oh Lianbao, you really never let me worry less."

In the blink of an eye, he vanished from the spot. He had to pursue Lian’s trail and meet her in the next world.

...

The Nine Heavens.

"Divine Lord, the seal on the Underworld is complete. What about the Spirit Realm?"

Jiuyun shook his head. Once a Divine Lord as elegant as the breeze and the moon, he had been reduced to a disheveled, bearded man by the stress.

The Spirit Realm was determined not to participate in the war against the evil spirits, and Jiuyun understood why. The beings of the Spirit Realm were different from the other five realms; their minds were as innocent as newborns, devoid of any evil thoughts, and the Spirit Lord did not wish for his people to suffer.

"And those from the Thirty-Third Heaven?"

Better not to mention them—the mere thought made Jiuyun’s blood boil!

"Have you all become slack in your cultivation since ascending to High God? Do you think the ones in the Thirty-Third Heaven will handle everything? These past few days, the thing I hear most isn't wise counsel, but talk of those in the Thirty-Third Heaven! Can you people give me some peace of mind? Never mind that the Main God is in seclusion; no one knows the whereabouts of the Goddess, Lord Chongzi has been absent lately, and Lord Chongye is nowhere to be found! Can you all be reliable for once and rely on the Nine Heavens to unite with the Underworld?"

Ever since Jiuyun was nominated by Chonghua to the position of Divine Lord, he had grown accustomed to a life of ease and prosperity over the last millennium, developing a lazy nature. Recently, he had truly been forced into a corner. He had thought his long-held comfort had made him useless, but he never expected the other gods of the Divine Realm to be even less dependable! His heart felt as though it had shattered into two.

The Demon and Monster Realms were becoming increasingly restless, showing clear signs of an impending alliance.

"Fine, fine, disperse. All of you..."

Looking at this group of hopeless cases, Jiuyun simply waved his sleeves. Rather than relying on these blockheads, he might as well figure it out himself.

The gods in the grand hall scattered in a rush. Left in the empty hall, Jiuyun lamented the state of affairs. If Chonghua returned from seclusion to find the Nine Heavens in such a chaotic and indolent state, he dared not imagine the consequences.

A staff tapped against the floor with a dull thud.

"Star Lord Siming, have you discovered something from observing the celestial phenomena?"

Star Lord Siming, hunched over—and unfortunately, having been struck by lightning again the previous day, his beard and hair curled into a ball—replied, "Follow me."

Jiuyun narrowed his eyes and followed. For centuries, Siming had turned into an old man, been struck by lightning day and night, and become increasingly tight-lipped. Jiuyun should have found it strange long ago.

Star Lord Siming had once been a drinking companion of the Goddess Chonglian. The two drunkards would often sneak off to steal wine in the Nine Heavens. Chonghua would always appear, ethereal and graceful, carrying his sword Luoyuan to fetch them. Since Chonglian’s disappearance, Chonghua’s divine sword, Luoyuan, had rarely been seen.

Star Lord Siming walked with a steady gait, Jiuyun following in silence.

Passing through several divine palaces, a thought flashed through Jiuyun’s mind... could this be the Boundless Sea?

As expected, the place Siming brought him to was indeed the Boundless Sea. The winds were fierce, and the waters were filled with hidden, turbulent currents.

"Siming, why have you brought me here?"

Siming dropped his staff and took a deep breath. "Hah! I’ve been hiding the truth for centuries, and I want to be free for once! I’m sick of being struck by lightning every day! I might as well get it all over with at once!"

The moment Siming finished speaking, a great gale swept across the calm Boundless Sea, and the sky began to fill with thunderclouds.

"Siming! What are you doing!?" Jiuyun’s intuition told him that this would unravel all his doubts.

"You want to know where Chonglian went? You want to know where Chongye went? Then today, this Star Lord will tell you the truth!"

"BOOM!"

A bolt of lightning struck Siming’s head without warning. Siming opened his mouth, spitting out black smoke. "Three hundred years ago, the seal on the Abyss of Resentful Souls loosened. Chonglian received the mandate of heaven and went alone to seal the evil spirit. She thought it would last a thousand years by offering her true self, but who would have thought the seal would loosen after barely a century!"

"BOOM! BOOM!" The roar of the tribulation grew louder, as if in warning.

"Your warnings are useless! I’m going to say it today! She split off a wisp of her soul and ran to the Boundless Sea to wait for me, telling me everything! Then, to survive, she jumped down from here!" Siming pointed at the cloud sea of the Boundless Sea, his voice calm yet impassioned.

With every few words, lightning rained down. Blood spilled from the corners of Siming’s mouth, and he fell to one knee, yet he continued to spill the secrets.

"Where did the missing Chongye go? He simply received the mandate of heaven and became a part of the Heavenly Dao! Do you understand now?!"

With those words, Siming could no longer hold himself upright. Rolling his eyes, he pointed to the sky. "I’m telling you! I’ve said it today! If you have the ability, then strike me dead!"

The tribulation seemed truly enraged, sending down a bolt of lightning as thick as a water barrel, aimed straight at Siming.

"Damn it! You’re actually serious!?"

Just as the lightning was about to strike, and Jiuyun thought Siming was truly finished, an ice-blue sword blocked the path above Siming’s head, clashing head-on with the heavenly thunder!

"Luoyuan! Is that Chonghua!?"