110: Chapter 110 Clearing the World of Darkness

The three stood in the Void Realm outside the door, turning back to take one last look at the portal that was gradually disappearing.

Behind that door was the place where they had bitterly Cultivated for eight hundred thousand years, the place where they had walked from True Immortal to Immortal King, and the place where Willow Deity had protected them for eight hundred thousand years.

"We will return," Chu Tianjiao said softly. "Once we resolve the matters over there, we will come back."

Xiao Nannan nodded.

Willow Deity did not speak, simply watching quietly in the direction where the door had vanished.

A moment later, the three turned and sped off in the direction of the Shrouding the Heavens World.

The starry sky retreated rapidly beneath their feet.

Eight hundred thousand years.

For them, it was merely an instant of secluded Cultivation.

But for the Shrouding the Heavens World, eight hundred thousand years was enough for far too many things to happen.

Xiao Nannan held Chu Tianjiao's hand, feeling both expectant and anxious in her heart.

She looked forward to seeing her brother.

She was anxious about whether her brother was still there, whether he was still alive, and whether he was still waiting for her.

Chu Tianjiao sensed her emotions and gently squeezed her hand.

"Rest assured."

He said softly.

"That child, Xiao Shitou, will not die so easily."

Xiao Nannan nodded, not speaking.

The figures of the three disappeared into the depths of the starry sky.

Speeding towards that familiar world.

...

Shrouding the Heavens Universe.

One hundred years after Ji Xukong became Emperor.

In these hundred years, he had done many things. Patrolling the restricted areas, intimidating the Supreme, consolidating his imperial throne, and comprehending the Dao. The void mirror became increasingly attuned to him, and the human emperor banner remained suspended above his head, scattering golden rain of light.

But he knew that the banner did not belong to him.

It was only staying temporarily.

It had its own Master.

On this day, the human emperor banner suddenly trembled slightly.

Ji Xukong looked up and saw the golden banner slowly descend from the sky, hovering before him. On the face of the banner, the depiction of the opening of Chaos gently swirled, as if bidding him farewell.

"Are you leaving?"

Ji Xukong asked softly.

The human emperor banner gave a slight tremor, as if nodding.

Then it transformed into a streak of golden light, speeding off in the direction of the Undying Mountain.

Ji Xukong did not stop it. He stood up, followed the golden light, took a step, and arrived outside the Undying Mountain.

Then he saw a person.

It was a young man with a handsome face, sword-like eyebrows and star-bright eyes, his body surrounded by golden blood energy like a Dragon. He stood outside the Undying Mountain, one hand gently stroking the golden banner, a gentle smile on his face.

In that smile, there was nostalgia, emotion, and a hint of indescribable complexity.

Ji Xukong was stunned.

He had never seen this person before.

But when his gaze fell upon that person, the void mirror within his body suddenly trembled violently. On the mirror's surface, countless images emerged—those images were too fast and too blurry for him to see clearly.

But he could feel that the void mirror was excited.

It knew this person.

Ji Xukong took a deep breath, stepped forward, and bowed solemnly.

"Junior Ji Xukong pays respects to the Old Ancestor."

His voice was respectful and firm.

For a hundred years, he had scoured countless ancient books in the Ji Family and asked every living Old Ancestor. In those ancient books and from the mouths of those Old Ancestors, one name was always mentioned—

The Master of the Ji Family's founding ancestor.

That mysterious Immortal, who taught the founding ancestor the Cultivation Technique and bestowed upon him the precious mirror, allowed the Ji Family to go from an inconspicuous small Family to where it was today, step by step.

Before the founding ancestor passed away, he left a final testament: "This mirror is named void mirror, bestowed by my Master. If any descendant of the Ji Family can gain the recognition of this mirror in the future, it shall be a sign of our Ji Family's great prosperity."

And at this moment, the excitement of the void mirror confirmed one thing for him—

The person before him was the founding ancestor's Master.

The benefactor whom the Ji Family had remembered for generations.

Xiao Shitou turned around and looked at Ji Xukong.

His gaze lingered on Ji Xukong for a moment, and then a smile appeared on his face.

That smile was exactly the same as it had been back in Qingshi Town.

Warm, pure, and carrying a hint of honesty.

"The younger generation is formidable."

He spoke, his voice gentle.

"The younger generation is formidable."

He praised repeatedly, the gratification in his eyes almost overflowing.

"Proving the Dao in a thousand years, gaining the recognition of the void mirror, patrolling the restricted areas and intimidating the masses... You have done very well, much better than I did back then."

Ji Xukong quickly lowered his head.

"Old Ancestor is too kind with your praise. This Junior is merely..."

"There is no need for false modesty." Xiao Shitou waved his hand, interrupting him. "I have seen too many people and know who deserves praise and who does not. You deserve it."

Ji Xukong was silent for a moment, not saying anything further.

Xiao Shitou looked at him, the smile on his face gradually fading, replaced by a faint sigh.

"Do you know?" He spoke, his voice becoming somewhat soft. "Back then, Master cleared out all the Supreme in the restricted areas, not a single one left. When Senior Willow Deity acted and the Three Thousand Divine Kingdoms unfolded, those Supreme did not even have a chance to escape and were all suppressed and killed."

"At that time, I thought, this is great; without the Supreme, this world could finally be peaceful."

He paused, his gaze falling in the direction of the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning.

"Then Master took my younger sister into the Immortal Domain. I was Sealed in Immortal Source, and I slept for five hundred thousand years."

"When I woke up..."

He pointed towards the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning and the other restricted areas.

"They were full again."

Ji Xukong looked in the direction he pointed. Deep within the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning and the other restricted areas, thirty-seven pieces of Immortal Source stood quietly, and thirty-seven auras of the Supreme were faintly radiating.

He fell silent.

Xiao Shitou continued: "At first, I couldn't understand where these Supreme came from. Later, I sensed the Cultivation Technique they Cultivated..."

He looked at Ji Xukong.

"You should have guessed it too."

Ji Xukong nodded, his voice somewhat low.

"Hunyuan Heavenly Scripture."

"That's right," Xiao Shitou said softly. "Hunyuan Heavenly Scripture. The Cultivation Technique Master left behind."

He took a deep breath.

"When Master created this Cultivation Technique back then, the original intention was to give those with poor talent a way to survive. To let those deemed as having wasted bodies have a chance to embark on the path of Cultivation. To let those struggling at the bottom have a chance to change their fate."

"But what was the result?"

He pointed to the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning.

"The result is that those who Cultivated the Hunyuan Heavenly Scripture Proved the Dao and became Emperor, then feared death in their later years, cut themselves, and fled into the restricted areas. They became the new Supreme, the new scourge."

"I underestimated human nature."

His voice became somewhat hoarse.

"Underestimated the obsession of those who wanted immortality."

Ji Xukong listened, not speaking.

He had grown up listening to the ancestral teachings and knew the weight of the four words "Protecting the Common People." But listening to Xiao Shitou's words now, he truly understood how much helplessness and how many sighs lay behind those four words.

Xiao Shitou was silent for a moment, then looked up at Ji Xukong.

"As Master's Disciple, I have the responsibility to handle these matters for Master."

His gaze was calm, yet it carried an indescribable resolve.

"I will recover all the Hunyuan Heavenly Scripture."

"At the same time, I will also drag some Supreme along with me to clear away some obstacles for future generations."