112: Setting off fireworks

Just as he was preparing to go out for a stroll to contribute his part to the Sect, his heart suddenly stirred.

"Xu Zhenxiong, Qiao Lian, Wen Chici..."

He scratched his head and muttered to himself.

"Those fellows have been driven into a corner. Desperate people do desperate things; they might not hesitate to do something completely bottomless."

When Cultivators fight, Mortals should not be harmed—this was an unwritten rule.

But rules are meant to bind the weak.

When a power is pushed to the brink of survival, any rules or morality are nothing more than scrap paper.

"If... they can't find the Divine Mountain and turn around to target the Mortal relatives of my Disciples instead..."

Chu Xuanjin's gaze turned cold.

Although his original intention in taking Disciples was to exploit the System, after spending time together, these Disciples had long since become no different from family in his heart.

He could tolerate his Disciples getting injured or even falling during their trials; that was their own Dao.

But he would never allow anyone to use such underhanded methods to threaten his Disciples.

"System, issue a Sect Master's Decree to all legacy, core, and Inner Sect Disciples."

Chu Xuanjin thought silently.

"Immediately bring all your direct relatives still in the Mortal world to the Myriad Dao Divine Mountain."

【Ding! Sect Master's Decree has been issued!】

...Central Continent, Heavenly Treasure City.

Wang Duojin, who had just taken over the Xu Family's largest industry, "Heavenly Treasure Tower," was sitting with his legs crossed, happily calculating the profits.

Suddenly, the disciple token in his bosom vibrated slightly.

A golden decree that only he could see appeared before his eyes.

The playful look on Wang Duojin's face vanished instantly.

He stood up abruptly from his chair, the fat on his face trembling slightly with excitement.

Revered Master... He thought of his mother far away in Linjiang City of the Eastern Desolation, who was still in that small courtyard, praying for his safety every day.

A warm current welled up in his heart.

"Qian Duoduo! Ergou!" Wang Duojin shouted.

"Senior Brother Wang! What are your orders!"

"I'm leaving this place to you!" Wang Duojin's tone was more serious than ever before.

"Remember, if anyone dares to cause trouble, don't waste words with them. If they're beaten to death, I'll take the blame!"

"I'm going home to get my mother!"

After saying that, without the slightest hesitation, he directly activated a teleportation anchor, and his figure vanished from within the Heavenly Treasure Tower.

The same scene was playing out in every corner of the Myriad Dao Divine Sect.

Gongsun Yan, who was humming a little tune while organizing her spoils in the herb garden, received the decree. Without a word, she dropped the Immortal Plant in her hand and teleported toward her home.

Lin Yi, who was hunting down the remnants of the Hundred Flowers Palace, also stopped in his tracks. He handed the task over to his fellow Disciples and, with a complex expression, opened a teleportation portal to go home... At the foot of the Myriad Dao Divine Mountain.

With a casual wave of Chu Xuanjin's hand, an originally barren valley shook and trembled.

Pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing water rose from the ground under the great power of Immortal arts. In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, it had transformed into a quiet and elegant residential area, like a paradise away from the world.

"From now on, this place will be called the 'Family Compound'."

Chu Xuanjin nodded in satisfaction.

Soon, one spatial portal after another opened in the square in front of the residential area.

Wang Duojin supported his mother, who was looking completely dazed and thought she was dreaming, as they stepped out of the portal.

"Mother! Look! This is your son's Immortal Sect! You'll live here from now on and never have to suffer again!"

Gongsun Yan also brought her parents, happily introducing the surrounding fairyland to them.

More and more Disciples brought their families from the Mortal world to this absolutely safe pure land.

Seeing the heartfelt smiles on the faces of those Disciples as they reunited with their families.

Leaning against the doorframe of a small courtyard, Chu Xuanjin suddenly felt that being this Sect Master seemed quite nice.

Having settled the rear, his gaze turned once more toward the Central Continent.

The combined fleet formed by those three factions, like three massive dark clouds, had already converged and was aggressively pressing toward the Eastern Desolation.

"Fine, go ahead and search the Eastern Desolation all you want."

"I'm going to help you check if your anti-theft measures are up to par."

Chu Xuanjin's figure slowly faded on the spot and finally vanished... Tianyan Holy Land.

As the oldest and most mysterious Holy Land in the Central Continent, it was not situated among famous mountains and rivers but suspended above the astral winds of the Nine Heavens.

Floating islands paved with white jade were connected by brilliant star chains, surrounded by Immortal mist and natural Daoist charms.

This place was a site of pilgrimage in the hearts of countless Central Continent Cultivators.

At this moment, in the void outside the Holy Land, a figure appeared out of thin air.

It was Chu Xuanjin.

He was now at the True Immortal cultivation level; in the entire Azure Cloud Continent, including the so-called Immortal Realm fragments, he no longer had any rivals.

The protective Formation that the Tianyan Holy Land took pride in was, in his eyes, like a thin layer of window paper, riddled with loopholes.

He didn't even need to lift a finger; with just one step, his figure passed through the layers of Restrictions and silently entered the interior of the Holy Land.

Without alerting anyone.

He walked along the white jade corridors, looking at the arrogant Holy Land Disciples coming and going, feeling a sense of emotion.

What a fine place.

The Spiritual Qi was dense, and the Daoist charms were natural.

What a pity it raised a bunch of trash.

Following the guidance of the Heavenly Dao Dharma Eye, he walked straight toward the deepest part of the Holy Land, to the dungeon where the "Heavenly Dao fragments" were imprisoned.

The way was clear all the way.

Soon, a dungeon made entirely of black profound ice, emitting a bone-chilling cold, appeared before him.

At the dungeon entrance, two Elders at the Late Stage of Body Integration sat cross-legged like statues.

Chu Xuanjin just gave them a single look.

The bodies of the two Elders instantly froze, and their Divine Souls were pulled into eternal darkness by an invisible force.

They didn't even know what had happened before they were already dead.

He pushed open the heavy dungeon doors.

A scent mixed with blood, decay, and resentment wafted toward him.

Chu Xuanjin's brow furrowed.

Step by step, he walked down the spiraling stairs.

On both sides of the dungeon were rows of cells containing various strange creatures, and even some Disciples whom the Tianyan Holy Land had used for failed experiments.

Upon seeing Chu Xuanjin, they let out roars of madness or pleas for mercy.

Chu Xuanjin ignored them.

He reached the deepest part of the dungeon.

There was only one cell here.

Through the bars covered in Restrictions, he saw the little girl curled up in the corner.

Linglong.

She was like an abandoned kitten—frail, helpless, and her eyes were so hollow that not a trace of light could be seen.

The Innate Daoist charm within her body, which should have been dazzlingly bright, was now as dim as a candle in the wind. It was being continuously extracted by black chains and sent through an underground Formation to the core of the Holy Land, into that throbbing "abyssal seed."

Chu Xuanjin's gaze turned completely cold.

He reached out and gave a gentle wave.

The cell door and Restrictions, which were enough to trap an Immortal, melted away silently like snow meeting the sun.

He walked up to the little girl and crouched down.

"Don't be afraid. I'm taking you with me."

His voice was very light and soft.

The little girl's hollow eyes seemed to flicker.

She slowly raised her head, looking at this strange man who had suddenly appeared.

She didn't speak; her lips just moved slightly.

Chu Xuanjin understood her lip-reading.

She said, "Are you... here to kill me?"

Chu Xuanjin's heart felt as if it had been pricked by a needle.

What kind of despair must this child, who should have been the darling of heaven and earth and the Incarnation of the world, have experienced to ask such a thing?

"No."

Chu Xuanjin reached out, wanting to touch her cheek.

But his hand stopped an inch away from her.

Because he saw the little girl's body instinctively shrink back.

That was a fear etched into her very bones.

Chu Xuanjin withdrew his hand and sighed in his heart.

It seemed this child was wounded too deeply.

Physical wounds are easy to treat, but wounds of the heart are hard to heal.

"Forget it, let's leave this place first."

He prepared to shatter the chains directly and take her away.

But just then, he looked at this magnificent yet filthy Holy Land, then glanced at the trembling little girl in the corner.

A nameless fire suddenly flared up from the depths of his heart.

Just leave like this?

That's too easy on them!

"Damn it, if it weren't for this bullshit System task insisting that the Disciples do it, I'd slap this wretched place into the planet's core right now!"

Chu Xuanjin thought resentfully.

The moment this thought appeared.

He suddenly froze.

Wait... something... doesn't seem right?

Chu "Watson" Xuanjin discovered a blind spot.

He immediately began calling the System in his mind.

"Hey, System, come out and talk."

【...】

The System gave no reaction.

"Don't play dead; I know you're there," Chu Xuanjin said impatiently.

"Let me ask you, that main quest you issued, 【Annihilate Tianyan Holy Land】—how was its description written?"

【Ding! Retrieving quest information...】

A light screen that only Chu Xuanjin could see unfolded before his eyes.

【Quest Name: The Holy Land's "Guidance"!】

【Quest Description: Wen Chici, the Saint of the Tianyan Holy Land, publicly humiliated the Myriad Dao Divine Sect and viewed you all as pawns. If this can be endured, what can't?! A true powerhouse never accepts "guidance" from others; they only "guide" others! Let the entire Central Continent see who the real chess player is!】

【Quest Objective: Cultivate Sect Disciples and annihilate the Tianyan Holy Land!】

【Quest Reward: ??? (Mythic Grade)】

【Quest Failure Penalty: Host's cultivation level will drop to the Early Soul Transformation Stage.】

Looking at the quest panel, the corners of Chu Xuanjin's mouth slowly curved into a dangerous arc.

"See that?"

"The objective is to cultivate Disciples to annihilate the Tianyan Holy Land, but the Xu Family and Hundred Flowers Palace aren't included, right?"

"It also didn't say I can't take action. So, what if I just cause some destruction without annihilating it?"

【...】

The System fell silent.

On the light screen, the 【Ding!】 notification sound seemed stuck, flashing frantically, yet not a single word came out for a long time.

Chu Xuanjin was amused.

He had discovered a massive System loophole!

The System stipulated that the collective "Myriad Dao Divine Sect Disciples" must complete the quest.

All its previous guidance, including having the Disciples take the lead, was also to stimulate the Sect's cohesion and desire for revenge, making the "Myriad Dao Divine Sect" as an entity active.

But it had calculated everything except that Chu Xuanjin, the Sect Master, would be so bored that he'd personally come to raid their base.

This logic was completely sound!

【Ding! System logic calculating... Unknown paradox found... Attempting to repair... Repair failed...】

【Ding! Warning! Warning! Host's behavior detected; it may cause unpredictable chaos in the quest judgment mechanism!】

"Stop with the warnings," Chu Xuanjin interrupted.

"Just tell me, is it okay or not?"

【...】

The System fell into a long silence once again.

This time, it didn't even flash; it just floated there quietly.

It was as if it were giving silent consent.

Or as if it were in a state of helpless rage.

"Alright then."

Chu Xuanjin waited for a long while, and seeing no reaction, he took it as agreement.

He slowly stood up and stretched his wrists, his joints making a series of crisp popping sounds.

A terrifying Aura that made the entire Holy Land tremble slightly began to slowly awaken from within his body.

He looked down at the little girl still curled up in the corner.

His gaze softened instantly.

"Little one, close your eyes."

"I'm going to set off a grand display of fireworks for you."