The grotto hall of the Yan family was empty except for the three high thrones made of frozen flames, which were occupied by the Yan Que Zi, Yan Li Yun and the projection of Yan Shen Jun.

They seemed to be discussing something, though their discussion seemed light, unlike what one may think after what happened a few hours earlier.

Suddenly, just below the elevated platform, a blinding light shone and from it, appeared Hou Shu.

Yan Que Zi and the others didn't seem to be surprised by Hou Shu's sudden arrival, as just as he appeared, Yan Shen Jun spoke up, "We were expecting fellow Daoist, especially after the abnormality Daoist Hou displayed back then," he then lowered his voice and said, "I assume that another major clue has been uncovered by fellow Daoist?"

"Yes, but I want to speak with Daoist Que Zi, privately." Hou Shu spoke coolly and frankly.

The instance he uttered those words, Yan Que Zi forcefully waved his palms against the air, making Yan Shen Jun and Yan Li Yun disappear from their seats.

"Wha— Just because he said so, Big Brother teleported us!?" Exclaimed Yan Li Yun, as he looked around, he noticed that they were teleported to one of the pavilions by the molten lava river's shore.

"Don't be so harsh on Big Brother, although he may keep a calm appearance on the surface, he is still a father, how can he not be worried? Every clue is hope for him, hope that little Hu Zi could be rescued." Yan Shen Jun's projection said in a somber tone as he noticed that it was getting dimmer.

"I... I know that... But this Hou Shu has been really daring," Yan Li Yun shook his head, "But I didn't expect Big Brother to have made such progress at the Soul Transformation stage, he can use spatial merge on others now."

"I knew that he could probably use spatial merge on one person if he gave it his all in the past, but to do that on the two of us... Is truly quite something." Replied Yan Shen Jun, awe and respect for Yan Que Zi evident in his voice.

And just as they were conversing, wondering what Hou Shu and Yan Que Zi were discussing, they were once again brought back to their frozen flame thrones in Yan Family Hall.

"I shall take my leave, Daoist Que Zi." Said Hou Shu.

"Is fellow Daoist sure about this..." Asked Yan Que Zi, uncertainty tainting his voice.

"I have given my word, I will either succeed or will die trying, Daoist Que Zi doesn't have to worry." Announcing this, Hou Shu left in great strides, each step increasing his speed.

When Hou Shu was gone from Yan Que Zi's divine sense, Yan Que Zi spoke up, "Stop all efforts to reach out to the New Leaves Sect for now."

To this Yan Shen Jun's projection, which also returned to its previous splendor, said, "Big Brother, what have you discussed with fellow Daoist Hou to order this..?"

Yan Que Zi didn't answer, instead, he hoarsely muttered, "Star Felling Twin Tasselled Swords... To think they still exist..."

Hearing this, Both Yan Shen Jun and Yan Li Yun's expressions changed.

*******

Above the Barren Plains, Hou Shu wavered and swayed like a broken kite adrift on gentle winds of the heavens, his Star Felling Twin Tasselled Swords leaving profound streaks of flames that seemed to distort the air around them. His speed even seemed to surpass that of Vajrayana.

And just like that, the grass covered plains surrounding Chijia Village came into view.

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As he approached, as if expecting him, the ordinary grassy plains of the Barren Plains underneath Hou Shu cracked and shattered, revealing huge ravines. From it, the wriggling ocean of gu insects emerged once again like viscous oil, threatening to submerge him.

A huge sword radiance made of blinding azure light spread from all around Hou Shu in the shape of waves made of countless arcs, burning all gu insects in its vicinity despite their resistance and distorting the gu insects nearby, freeing him easily.

After clearing his vicinity of any gu insects, Hou Shu looked at the swords he carried in his hands, a solemn expression on his face, "I had made an oath to Heaven and Earth for the future of the world that I won't use these swords ever again.”

But the solemn countenance soon went away as a gentle smile spread across his lips, “but for my disciple, what if the Heavens crumble, what if the Earth shatters?"

Having declared that, Hou Shu flicked his wrist, sending another slash of azure sword radiance, one that was like a heavenly pillar, towards what seemed to be the endless ocean of gu, parting it like the Red Sea.

"If you want to stop me, such measly efforts aren't enough!" Hou Shu continued to rain down slashes upon slashes on the ocean of gu as he advanced.

As if responding to his words, gaunt figures stuffed with internal gu insects emerged from the ocean and exhaled, exhaled until they all dried up and turned to dust and ash.

Their exhalation turned into a ferocious gust that carried their ashes and rose above the ocean of gu and spiraled around Hou Shu's slashes, matching their speed. They clamped down on them and themselves until it turned into a giant coffin made of wind and ashes.

The Swords in Hou Shu's hands glowed in an azure light until it turned into a blinding white. And with a slash this white radiance descended like the crescent moon on the coffin, sending cracks through the sky.

The coffin's cover dissipated into countless tendrils as it let the arc land into it and the tendrils weaved and sealed the coffin of ashes.

Without any warning another crescent moon landed on the coffin, dissipating many parts of it, not giving it any chance to open once more. This slash was too fast!

Abruptly, before the coffin could recover from the damage, another slash descended. But this time, the coffin didn't resist, instead it dissipated without any resistance.

Soon, the ocean of gu followed suit, submerging itself into the cracks it emerged from, turning the land before Hou Shu into a truly barren one.

Hou Shu didn't chase the ocean of gu, for he already knew the mastermind acknowledged that they couldn't beat him without revealing itself. The ocean of gu retreating was an invitation, an invitation for a battle, a battle to end it all.

Hou Shu accepted this invitation with resolution and pride, burning everything in his wake in dazzling azure flames until he reached the heartland of Chijia village.

The center of this accursed place was a manor burning in the grey spirit fire. It didn't burn anything while protecting anything it was on from the azure flames of Hou Shu, which suddenly opened an entrance as if gesturing him to come in.

At this sight, Hou Shu took a deep breath and clenched his swords tightly, stepping inside the manor.

The entrance didn't lead to the interior of the manor, but deep inside of a ravine stretching to the deepest abyss whose walls had protrusions in the shape of rocky ginseng roots.

Hou Shu rushed down with the highest speed he could muster, but despite that, he took more than an hour to reach the bottom of what seemed to be an endless abyss.

At the bottom, there was a crater which had a coffin at the center surrounded by a bagua formation with formation eyes occupied with burnt husks of cultivators at the soul transforma— no, they exude the aura of the Half-Immortal stage!

Yet, what made Hou Shu freeze wasn't this, he has seen countless such scenes, but because amidst the array eyes, there was his disciple, Bai Ling!

She was burning, but her resolute look was once more showing on her face, the face that is determined to live no matter the consequences...

But before Hou Shu could dive and rescue Bai Ling, a voice echoed from in front of the coffin, where a figure was sitting.

"I never thought you would discover what happened, Senior Hou... I am Da Tong's sworn brother, we found this Wooden Immortal Lord inheritance together way back, but I wanted this for myself, thus I schemed and manipulated Da Tong... But it seems his death was in vain."

The figure stood up and turned around, revealing Hong Di Immortal Town Lord!

"I am going to die anyway now... why doesn't Senior Hou listen to the story of my life?"

Yet, he was only met with a crescent moon of blinding azure light and flames, turning him into a scorched corpse.

"Shut up! I know who you are, Immortal Lord Tian Gui¹!"