Chapter 678: The Source of Killing Intent

"Who does he think he is?!"

Shrouded in drifting gray mist, Wang Sheng hid in a narrow crack in the rocks. He kept trying to pull off the mask, yet no matter how much strength he used, it clung to his face as if it were part of his skin, refusing to budge.

It really won't come off. So Divine Guardian Wang had been watching me from inside the divine tree array all along? Did Emperor Qinghua notice? Perhaps he reached some sort of unspoken understanding with Divine Guardian Wang when he detected him.

The Heavenly Court's immortals truly knew how to play their games.

Qinghua at least sought vengeance for the fallen of the Heavenly Court by confronting its enemies head-on. He genuinely wanted to raise Mu Wanxuan into a true powerhouse.

On the other hand, Wang Shan, the fearsome Great Divine Guardian and leader of the Five Hundred Divine Guardians, had chosen to make things difficult for him—a nobody who only wished to contribute a small effort toward the revival of the Heavenly Court.

What is this supposed to mean?

At that moment, his impression of Qinghua improved quite a bit. Still, Ziwei remained the most towering figure in his heart. After all, that man had dared to shoulder everything alone.

Compared to that, Wang Shan seemed pitiful.

Do these Heavenly Court immortals think I'm simply meant to lay down my life for their restoration? Divine Guardian Wang casually declared that he would confine me here for ten years. It's as if he thinks his time is so precious that mine can just be squandered at will. What nonsense!

If a powerful enemy, or even one of the Heavenly Court's foes, recognized him as Ziwei's and Chun Yangzi's successor and struck him down in a single blow, he would not utter a word of plea. After all, he had accepted the Heavenly Court's Daoist heritage from the start. He knew the burden that came with it.

Instead of an enemy, though, one of their own had confronted him.

He didn't care about my opinion at all. The moment he arrived, he acted as if he stood above everyone, as if he could decide whether I lived or died. They are all remnants of the Heavenly Court, which has been defeated! What is he putting on airs for?!

Even great cultivators with divine abilities and the immortal deities of the Heavenly Court in their prime could not avoid bullying others using their power, after all.

Wang Sheng muttered several resentful curses under his breath.

Moments like this make the endless space feel far worse than the Hua Republic before the resurgence of primal qi. Back then, ordinary people lived in peace and worked toward simple happiness. They did not crave immortality or dream of omnipotence.

Does being stronger truly grant one the right to dictate everything?! If I am stronger than you, does that mean I can force my will upon you? If Divine Guardian Wang stood in my place, how would he feel?!

"Double standards! Absolute double standards!!"

Wang Sheng ground his teeth and silently swore an oath.

If I endure the coming ten years and one day reach the Grand Dao Golden Immortal Realm, then regardless of whether I can defeat that immortal, I will demand an explanation!

He breathed out deeply, quickly easing the agitation in his heart. Complaining to himself changed nothing. He had been forced into a ten-year-long wager, and the stake was his life.

Wang Sheng could faintly sense that Yaoyun was unharmed, only sealed away. Unfortunately, he couldn't locate his Dragon Sword, his immortal armor, and his six flying swords. His frustration deepened.

Divine Guardian Wang is probably already on his way to summon the celestial sects gathered on Qiling. How am I supposed to survive against so many Golden Immortals? If he truly wished to kill me, he could have just done it himself. Going through such trouble meant he probably wanted to test my foundation and potential. He could have just set this deadly situation because he feared backlash from heavenly fate, though.

Even after careful consideration, Wang Sheng still couldn't find even the tiniest good impression of Wang Shan. He could not entirely refute the guardian's reasoning, though.

How can I even claim that I can accomplish what Emperor Ziwei couldn't? If he and his army couldn't win, how could the few surviving members of the Heavenly Court hope to get a different result? From this perspective, Divine Guardian Wang can be somewhat seen as a representative of one of the former Heavenly Court members' behaviors now.

Emperor Qinghua belongs to the vengeance-and-restoration group, which is focused on retaliating against the powerful factions that had attacked the Heavenly Court. The great being behind the Fengli Sect seems to advocate for integration and restoration. They plan to build a new power and unite the old Heavenly Court forces, hoping to walk the path of Immortal Emperor Haotian's rise once more.

Emperor Ziwei had already failed, so there's nothing to add there. Meanwhile, Chun Yangzi doesn't seem particularly concerned with restoring the Heavenly Court.

Finally, there are the cautious and conservative members like Divine Guardian Wang. Not only does he see no hope in restoration, but he's even willing to obstruct it all for the sake of preserving the fragile peace that they now have.

"Forget it. There is no point arguing with myself over this."

Wang Sheng frowned in thought for a moment. He then took out a pile of rare materials from his Qiankun Ring. Before his powerful enemies arrived, he lowered his head and refined a flying sword.

Wang Shan had fortunately not sealed the small wooden sword within him, and his many sword intents remained intact. Still, he couldn't tell what awaited him next—be it a sky full of enemies or something else entirely.

I have to survive and grow stronger at all costs. That's the only way I can remain by my senior sister's side for the long years ahead, protect those I wish to protect, and one day vent this anger.

Wang Sheng rarely indulged in complaints. However, Wang Shan had infuriated him so much that the flying sword he forged now was even sharper than Flying Haze and the Flying Clouds.

***

Above a lake of lava on the desolate planet, a young monk sealed inside a circular array smiled faintly. "Divine Guardian Wang, you truly intended to kill him earlier, didn't you?"

Huai Jing, who had delicate features and clear eyes, gazed at the old man. A subtle smile always lingered at the corner of his lips, and his gaze always had a calm warmth to it.

Not far from where Huai Jing was trapped, Yaoyun stood in a similar circular array. She glared fiercely at the tall, gaunt old man standing nearby with his hands clasped behind his back.

Huai Jing sighed softly. As though speaking to himself, he added, "Although you say you are stopping Fei Yu for the sake of the Heavenly Court's former members, you should know that he has never taken the initiative to contact any of its old generals or ever relied on their strength.

"Though your reasoning is quite convincing, there's actually an easy way to settle this matter. Fei Yu just has to swear that he will never force the faction's old members to return if they wish to remain in seclusion. Would that not resolve everything?"

Wang Shan just closed his eyes.

"Divine Guardian Wang, what exactly are you trying to do?" Yaoyun bit her lower lip lightly. Her eyes burned with anger. "How many experts have gathered on Qiling right now? Wang Sheng is only at the Heavenly Immortal Realm! If you truly want to kill him, then just kill him yourself and be done with it. Why put on this act?!"

"Your Highness, please forgive me." Keeping his eyes closed, Wang Shan forced a bitter smile. "I truly have no other choice. If not for you, I would have erased that child before Emperor Qinghua awakened."

"See?" Huai Jing raised his eyebrows. "As I've said, you harbor killing intent toward Fei Yu. Are you truly the great divine guardian that I once knew? The Wang Shan back then was nothing like this. You were not so hesitant, not so timid. You certainly were not this... hypocritical."

Wang Shan's brow furrowed. Though he looked as if he wanted to speak, he just stayed silent.

Seemingly coming to a realization, the fury in Yaoyun's eyes slowly disappeared. "My father deeply trusted you back then, did he not?"

"I have only managed to get this far thanks to His Immortal Majesty's grace."

"Then are you hostile toward Wang Sheng because you know of the connection between him and my father?"

Wang Shan opened his eyes and looked at Yaoyun. His gaze was sharp enough to pierce through the two restricting arrays. "You are aware of it as well, Your Highness?"

Yaoyun's lips curved into a faint sneer. "

Hah.

What? Do you intend to silence me now, too?"

Wang Shan lowered his head and bowed. "That's going too far, Your Highness. How could I harbor such treasonous thoughts? My loyalty to the Heavenly Court and to His Immortal Majesty has never wavered!"

Huai Jing blinked. He prided himself on knowing everything about the Buddhist sects, yet at that moment, he felt completely lost.

What in the world are they talking about? Wang Sheng is a native of Earth, a minor local cultivator. How could he possibly be related to the Immortal Emperor from hundreds of thousands of years ago? Judging from their tone, the connection even sounds hostile.

Wang Shan remarked, "I have a question, Your Highness. Where did you learn of this matter? You must understand, if others were to learn of it, His Immortal Majesty's prestige would be shaken, and the situation of the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods would become even more dire. At present, the only thing the Heavenly Court still possesses is the loyalty of people's hearts."

Yaoyun's eyes reddened slightly, yet her tone remained steady. "My father has already passed away! Do we have to cover up the mistakes my father made with the blood of innocent people even though he's already gone?"

Wang Shan frowned and rebuked, "Mind your words, Your Highness! His Immortal Majesty was the ruler of the Three Realms. He was the Immortal Emperor who opened the Three Realms and guided all living beings! You carry his bloodline! How could you stain his name after his passing?!"

"Did he claim the title of Immortal Emperor himself, or did you all heap it upon him?"

Yaoyun drew in a slow breath. The smile on her lips showed obvious mockery.

"Your Highness..."

Her tone grew hushed. "My father never called himself a hero. He once told me that no person is a saint. Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes, one mistake can only be hidden behind many more."

She fixed her gaze on Wang Shan.

"Can you answer the doubt in my heart? How did you learn of this matter in the first place? My father had no reason to tell you."

Wang Shan fell silent. Within the hollow cavern beneath the earth, the air turned completely still.

Huai Jing looked back and forth between the two. His mind worked quickly, yet he still could not make sense of their exchange. This was no longer a conversation that skipped topics. It felt as if they had leaped across entire solar systems.

"When His Immortal Majesty was comprehending the six stone tablets in seclusion, two Ancient-Era cultivators with great divine abilities secretly investigated this matter." Wang Shan closed his eyes. "Under His Immortal Majesty's orders, I led the Lightning Division to eliminate them. By chance, we captured a strand of remnant soul and learned the whole truth."

"Where is that remnant soul now?"

"It has long since disintegrated. If this secret were ever revealed, the very foundation of the Heavenly Court would be shaken. From that day forward, I kept silent and never spoke of it to anyone."

Yaoyun slowly nodded. "Then how did you discover the identity of my sword master?"

"When he resonated with the Dao of Pure Yang, he unintentionally revealed his origin. I happened to notice it."

"

Um... Amitabha,

" Huai Jing intoned. "What exactly is this about? Could someone at least give me a hint?"

Wang Shan immediately fell silent.

Yaoyun laughed bitterly. "You shouldn't involve yourself in this matter, Buddhist Master. Regardless of what happens, I am now his sword spirit. If he prospers, I prosper. If he falls, I fall. We live and die together. I will not survive alone. If he dies here because of you, Divine Guardian Wang, then I will follow him. Even if you seal me away, the moment I find the slightest chance, I will dissolve my own spirit."

"Why put yourself through such suffering, Your Highness?"

"Suffering?" Yaoyun raised her head slightly. Her smile had turned pure. There was no mockery in it, only quiet warmth. "I do not see it as suffering in the slightest."