Xia Yushan sat in a lotus position inside the dedicated cultivation chamber of his abode. Aside from the prayer mat he sat on, the chamber was devoid of any furniture or decoration, exuding a cold and lifeless aura. He opened his eyes and looked at an empty wall in his chambers. More specifically, he looked in a certain direction outside his abode.
He placed his palm over his heart and felt it beat against his hand. "Be still, my heart."
However, the heart only pulsed even harder as if to go against Xia Yushan's words. Although his expression remained neutral, an invisible layer of frost covered his eyes.
Xia Yushan had made an abundant amount of progress thanks to the numerous life-and-death experiences he encountered during the war with the Anti-Heaven Alliance and Tripartite Alliance. Coupled with his increasing mastery of the Emotion Severence Scripture, he was well on his way to reaching the Seamless Immortal Realm within a hundred years.
But that wasn't enough for Xia Yushan.
'I can feel an inner devil forming. If I don't get rid of it soon, it'll become a hindrance sooner or later,' Xia Yushan thought as his gaze became piercing. He had a certain amount of confidence in eliminating the source of his growing inner devil, but his chances would only decrease with the passage of time.
The problem was that if he really went through with his plan, the whole Buzhou Immortal Sect would come down upon him. It was not that Xia Yushan had any lingering attachment to the Buzhou Immortal Sect, but that didn't mean he didn’t understand the benefits of staying. Not to mention the disadvantages of getting onto their blacklist.
It might be fine during war times, but once it was over, the Buzhou Immortal Sect would hunt him down with all their power. Like with all organizations, traitors had appeared in their history, but they never survived for long.
All forces hated traitors, but the Buzhou Immortal Sect had a special loathing for them. It would not be an understatement to say that the Buzhou Immortal Sect was willing to start wars to punish any traitors. History proved their determination. Hell, more than one first-rate force had been destroyed for harboring a traitor.
As a result, no force in the Huang Realm was willing to harbor a traitor of the Buzhou Immortal Sect. Xia Yushan contemplated fleeing to the lower realms, but he knew that it would only delay the inevitable.
Just as Xia Yushan was still thinking, something appeared above Jade Peak, a Dao Manifestation. From within, Xia Yushan detected the complete Law of Metal. His eyes glazed over as he engrossed himself in comprehending the Law of Metal and expelled all other inconsequential thoughts.
Half a year later, Xia Yushan regained the clarity in his eyes. After some investigation, he learned that Xi Tianyi had officially entered the Seamless Immortal Realm, becoming the second immortal monarch after Monarch Nine Heavens.
Xia Yushan no longer hesitated. He would no longer have a chance if he didn't take action now. And it just so happened that his target would be dispatched to the Earth Continent.
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Ba Shifang squirmed in his seat and looked everywhere but at Tianyi in the main seat.
"You know," Tianyi began. "Marriages and dao companion ceremonies are at an all-time high now."
Ba Shifang wished a hole would open beneath him and swallow him. It would be a less painful death, at the very least.
"That's not the worst part," Tianyi continued with an all too wide smile plastered upon his face. One that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Did you know that some people actually made a breakthrough thanks to their union? I even got many thanks and congratulations as a result."
Ba Shifang released a nervous chuckle. "It's probably the placebo effect?"
"Does it matter?" Tianyi asked. "Point is, I will forever be known as the man who became an immortal monarch thanks to sex. There's even an upsurge in disciples using dual cultivation methods."
"At least the sect is growing stronger?" Ba Shifang queried.
The smile disappeared from Tianyi's face as he leveled a lethal glare at Ba Shifang. "I can't even look at other people in the eyes anymore, thanks to you."
"I mean, you weren't going to look them in the eye anyways because you cooped yourself in Jade Peak?" Ba Shifang asked. Tianyi sent him a look. "Shutting up now."
"Honestly, I would love nothing more than to shut you inside my inner universe and beat the ever-living crap out of you," Tianyi said as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
"But you can't," Ba Shifang said. "You need me to act out the role of Monarch Nine Heavens. Or your true identity, but I doubt that since you're still in your honeymoon phase."
"You know, you seemed to have contracted a fatal dose of insert-mouth syndrome ever since you became an immortal monarch," Tianyi said as a terrifying aura emanated from him. "Did you think that you could free yourself from me just because our connection weakened after you entered the Seamless Immortal Realm or that your strength has grown?"
Tianyi sighed. "Forget it. Once the gig is up and the Buzhou Immortal Sect conquers the Huang Realm, I'll disconnect you as my clone."
Ba Shifang's head snapped up, disbelief in his eyes.
"However, you will still be my subordinate," Tianyi said. A devious smile appeared on his lips. "And don't think I'll forget your punishment for that wedding night escapade you foisted onto me."
"Mercy?"
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"Sorry, outta it," Tianyi said, his smile widening into a grin.
After their little talk, Tianyi and Ba Shifang walked out of the side hall of Jade Peak Palace. Tianyi wore his classic purple robes embroidered with golden dragons, while Ba Shifang donned his Monarch Nine Heavens' attire.
A few members of the servant-disciples and Xi Imperial Family that resided on Jade Peak watched as the two left. Tianyi stopped walking while Ba Shifang flew off into the distance, toward Nine Heavens Peak.
Tianyi waited until Ba Shifang's figure disappeared into the distance before returning to Jade Peak Palace. His feet naturally led him back to the gardens, where he saw Daoyi with another person.
"Daoyi, Xi Ri," Tianyi called out with a smile.
Xi Ri looked up from his discussion with Daoyi and replied, "Tianyi." His voice was aloof, but at least he wasn't ignoring Tianyi like before.
"How have you been?" Tianyi asked.
"I'm fine," Xi Ri said as he stood up. "I should be leaving now. So, I won't be bothering you two lovebirds."
"Hey, wait a sec," Tianyi never finished as Xi Ri had already walked away. He flopped onto a stone stool with a sigh. "I thought he was getting better. What'd he talk with you about?"
"Nothing much," Daoyi said. "He wanted to increase his knowledge on soul techniques so he could defend against them better or improve his willpower."
"That's good," Tianyi said. If Xi Ri's soul technique or willpower had been stronger, the inner devil would not have affected him so much. Still, Tianyi furrowed his brows, feeling like that wasn't Xi Ri's objective.
He turned Daoyi. "We're going to the Earth Continent soon. Are you ready?"
"Of course," Daoyi said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why wouldn’t I be ready for a sect-paid honeymoon vacation on the Earth Continent, whose beautiful lands are currently embroiled in war?"
"Okay, I was not expecting such an intense resentment," Tianyi said.
Daoyi snorted. "Aren't you? They're literally sending us to war for our honeymoon."
"I thought you didn't care about the honeymoon since it doesn't bring anything beneficial," Tianyi said.
"Tianyi, just because a honeymoon is a waste of time and money doesn't mean I wasn't looking forward to it," Daoyi said. "I'm still a girl, after all. There are some things I will not compromise on."
"Do you want to tour the lower realms after the war is over for our honeymoon?"
Daoyi smiled.
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In an unspecified location on the Earth Continent, over ten venerables surrounded a lone man in red. The red-robed man's features were only inferior to Ji Wutong of the Bright Ascension Sect.
"Stop, Devil Venerable Redflower!" The venerables from the Eight Pillar Sect yelled.
The devilishly handsome man smiled and, in a deep yet pleasant voice, said, "I wished you wouldn't push such a misleading title onto me. When did I ever practice devilish arts?"
The Eight Pillar Sect venerables said nothing as they unleashed their attacks. Fire, ice, lightning, and other attacks flew toward the man in red.
"Remember my name well, for it is I, Saint Redflower, who defeated you," Saint Redflower said. "Well, you probably won't remember since this will be the final name you learn."
The venerables' attacks all froze and swerved, knocking into each other. Fire melted ice; lightning struck a world merging venerable and much, much more.
"Impossible," a unity venerable gasped.
"Die!" One world merging venerable said as she powered through the spell redirected at her with a fist reared back.
The world merging venerable felt her body freeze in place. Then, she saw all the red threads around Saint Redflower, like a spiderweb. Saint Redflower glanced at her and twitched his finger.
"Taikun!" A unity venerable shouted as the world merged venerable's head separated from the rest of her body. Her head plummeted to the ground, but her body remained motionless in the air.
Saint Redflower flicked his finger, shooting the headless corpse toward three venerables. One moved to catch, while the other two fled as far as possible but not fast enough.
"Bloom," Saint Redflower said with an enraptured smile.
The headless corpse exploded into a beautiful blood-formed flower. The venerable who moved to catch the corpse shrieked in pain as his body started to melt. Not even his bones were spared. The two venerables met the same fate despite their quick response.
Saint Redflower turned toward the remaining venerables. "Now, it's your turn."
Sweat dripped down the foreheads of the Eight Pillar Sect's venerables. Their previous bravado had all but vanished as they stared down their foe with deadly tension. Saint Redflower did not give them respite, and in less than an hour, all the surrounding venerables had perished.
"Weaklings," Saint Redflower said as he collected his fallen foes' belongings before flying off into the distance.
Not long later, he arrived at the Anti-Earth Alliance's headquarters. The Extremity Night Sect had become the leader of the Anti-Earth Alliance due to them possessing the sole immortal emperor and through democratic votes of the other sects making up the alliance.
Saint Redflower's sect, the Myriad Sun Sect, was only a third-rate force. Still, due to his outstanding achievements and potential, Saint Redflower had become one of the most promising immortal seeds groomed by the Anti-Earth Alliance.
"Did you hear?"
Saint Redflower turned his head to see one of his allies, a member of the Skyvade Sect, a second-rate force. Despite being part of the Anti-Earth Alliances, a divide still existed between the numerous factions that made it up.
"Hear what?" Saint Redflower asked.
"I heard that the Eight Pillar Sect finally showed weakness and invited help from the Buzhou Immortal Sect. If I heard correctly, they're going to send two immortal monarchs over," he said.
Saint Redflower frowned. Although the Anti-Earth Alliance held the upper hand, they couldn't make up for the fact that they only had one immortal emperor, and the Eight Pillar Sect had two. They had the advantage in number, but if the Buzhou Immortal Sect dispatched immortal monarchs to help, their casualties would rise.
"Did you hear who they sent?" Saint Redflower asked.
"I think it's Monarch Nine Heavens and the Sword Sovereign's son," The Skyvader Sect member said. "Honestly, I still don't quite believe that he managed to become an immortal monarch in under two hundred years. I mean, he's younger than us, isn't he?"
Despite himself, Saint Redflower smiled. "Change of plans. I'm going to undergo my Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation."
"What, why?" The Skyvader Sect member asked. "I thought you said you weren't ready?"
"If I wanted to meet my sweetheart, I would have to be at least an immortal, don't I?" Saint Redflower asked as he disappeared to prepare for his upcoming heavenly tribulation.
The Skyvader Sect member just stood there in confusion, wondering what Saint Redflower meant by sweetheart.