Deep within the Great Void.
Inside a desolate and silent floating land, within a hastily established cave dwelling, several layers of formation arrays were simply arranged. At the core of the cave was a jade pool, ten meters in diameter.
The pool was filled with a medicinal liquid exuding a faint fragrance. Yun Miaozhi, the former Palace Master of Calamity Fate Palace, lay at the bottom with his eyes tightly shut, his breath erratic and unstable.
Holy Maiden Mei Qingfeng and over ten core elders who had escaped were seated around the pool, silently waiting, their eyes filled with worry.
This sudden calamity was unprecedented in the thousand-million-year history of Calamity Fate Palace.
No one had expected that the Heavenly Human Clan, who had always seemed amicable after years of interaction, would suddenly descend with so many powerful beings and turn hostile without warning.
As a result, the millennia-old foundation of Calamity Fate Palace fell into the hands of the Heavenly Human Clan's higher-ups, and former Palace Master Yun Miaozhi and Holy Maiden Mei Qingfeng were now fugitives, labeled as traitors.
"Your Highness…"
Core Elder Yuan Xuan Kong spoke softly, "This won't do. If the Palace Master doesn't recover soon, our situation will become increasingly dire."
Mei Qingfeng was silent for a moment before sighing, "What can we do? The situation was urgent, and we brought out limited resources with no place to replenish them. For now… this is all we can manage."
It had been several days since they escaped from the Calamity Fate Palace Main Altar. Due to Yun Miaozhi's severe injuries, Mei Qingfeng and the elders had no choice but to rob a few passing merchant caravans from nearby star regions, managing to gather some useful resources.
But as for what to do next, including Mei Qingfeng, everyone was at a loss.
However, Mei Qingfeng had not completely lost hope. Her master was deeply cunning and had laid many hidden plans over the years. As long as he was around, Calamity Fate Palace might still overcome this crisis.
After an unknown amount of time, with a faint sigh, Yun Miaozhi slowly opened his eyes and looked at the surrounding elders.
"Is it just a few of you left? Truly…"
Yun Miaozhi smiled self-deprecatingly. In just a few days, he had fallen from the high and mighty Palace Master of Calamity Fate Palace, a prominent figure in the Great Void who could easily influence the fate of the star seas, to a fugitive.
The vicissitudes of life and the unpredictability of fate were evident.
"Master, what should we do now?"
Mei Qingfeng approached and asked. Faced with this nearly insoluble predicament, she found it difficult to cope, as it was beyond her current capabilities.
Yun Miaozhi collected his thoughts and calmly said, "Don't worry too much. This situation is indeed troublesome, but the profound foundation of Calamity Fate Palace is beyond the Heavenly Human Clan's imagination. This is not their home ground, so they won't know what will happen in the future. We can definitely give them a big surprise."
"?!"
Mei Qingfeng was both surprised and somewhat relieved. The previously worried elders also breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Among the past Sect Masters of Calamity Fate Palace, Yun Miaozhi was not the most renowned nor the most powerful, but no major power dared to underestimate him. This old fox had sat securely in the position of Sect Master for tens of thousands of years, who knew what kind of trump cards he had?
Yun Miaozhi pondered for a moment, then took a jade talisman from his neck and handed it to Mei Qingfeng, saying, "Inside is a secret star map. Follow it to reach a hidden blessed land, which I personally arranged years ago. It contains some resources that can temporarily help us settle down. Let's leave here first."
His injuries were indeed troublesome and could not be delayed any longer.
At this moment, Yun Miaozhi couldn't help but think of Qing Muling. If that young man were under his control, even the most severe injuries wouldn't be a problem.
Should he think of a way? Perhaps visit Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace secretly once more? As long as he could persuade Qing Muling to heal him, any condition could be negotiated…
"Understood, Master."
Mei Qingfeng agreed and took the jade talisman.
…
Calamity Fate Palace Main Altar.
In a bronze hall, a massive three-tiered altar made of unknown fierce beast bones had been set up. Several Great Golden Immortal-level experts of the Heavenly Human Clan carefully inspected it once more and, after confirming there were no issues, reported to the two Emperors.
Lingxi stood nearby, frowning as she examined the sinister, black altar exuding a thick, malevolent aura. The complex, indistinguishable patterns on its surface seemed to flow with a tangible blood mist.
The treasury of Calamity Fate Palace was quite rich, with all sorts of rare materials and treasures. Thus, the two Heavenly Human Clan Emperors spared no expense in creating this summoning altar.
Although it was a Postnatal Spirit Treasure, its actual power was equivalent to an Innate Spirit Treasure. However, it was a one-time consumable, which was why it could be completed in just a few decades. This time frame was due to the accelerated time formation; in the outside world, it had only been a few days.
Theoretically, it could summon a specific target across different spatial dimensions, with ordinary spatial barriers unable to block its power.
Lingxi felt conflicted. If nothing went wrong, she would soon see him again. She wondered if he still remembered her after all this time.
However, according to the Heavenly Human Clan's tradition, someone like Qing Muling, a child of human fortune, would ultimately be used as a top-tier sacrifice, offered to the supreme Heavenly Human Clan Ancestor.
At this thought, Lingxi felt a twinge of regret. Perhaps she should never have informed the two Emperors about this matter, leading to the current dilemma.
"This altar's specifications are more than enough to deal with a junior who isn't even an Elemental Immortal."
Yuanxi Emperor looked over, his tone tinged with satisfaction. No matter how extraordinary Qing Muling was, his current cultivation was still low. Facing two Emperors personally, the outcome was inevitable.
"We can't be careless,"
Baiyuan Emperor said solemnly, "We only have this one chance, so we must succeed. If we fail… our Heavenly Human Clan will never have another chance to get him!"
If they failed, the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, once alerted, would take targeted measures, never giving the Heavenly Human Clan another opportunity.
Yuanxi Emperor nodded, "Of course. Let's act together then."
Baiyuan Emperor glanced at the silent Lingxi and said approvingly, "If this succeeds, you will have the greatest merit. The Heavenly Human Clan will remember your contribution. I will take you under my wing and personally guide you, ensuring a bright future for you."
"Thank you for your kindness, Emperor."
Lingxi quickly knelt and responded softly, her face slightly changing.
At this moment, in the Creation Heavenly Palace within the back mountain of Imperial Dao Peak, Qing Muling was cultivating with Mu Yinghua.
After Xinyu Emperor agreed to help protect Mu Yinghua during her Great Golden Immortal tribulation, she decided to spend more time cultivating with Qing Muling, enhancing her foundation to the utmost level and forging a flawless Dao base.
This way, not only could she achieve a perfect Great Golden Immortal Dao fruit, but it would also make it easier to reach the Quasi Holy Emperor Realm in the future.
"…I told you to focus on cultivation. Where are your hands going?"
For the umpteenth time, the stunningly beautiful woman with a jade-like complexion slapped away the mischievous hand on her voluptuous body. Her soft, slightly angry voice trembled with a hint of frustration, almost kicking the handsome youth in her arms off the bed.
"Understood, Master."
Qing Muling's ingratiating voice sounded. After spending so much time in close contact, just rubbing against each other was no longer enough to satisfy him. Wasn't it normal to lose control of his hands?
"Understood? You'll do it again, won't you?"
Mu Yinghua wasn't fooled. She knew her disciple's nature too well. She must have been out of her mind today for not putting shackles on him, allowing him to become increasingly bold.
"Alright, Master, I promise it won't happen again."
"Who would believe you!"
Mu Yinghua bit her lip, taking out a cold, fierce whip from her Space Bracelet and placing it beside her, the warning clear.
However, whether she could actually bring herself to use it on him was another matter.
At this moment, Qing Muling lay in Mu Yinghua's arms, her enchanting jade arms tightly holding his hands, preventing him from moving. This only fueled the fire in his heart even more.
Suddenly, Qing Muling's expression changed dramatically, and he struggled desperately.
"Again? Do you really want a whipping?"
Mu Yinghua scolded softly, holding him tightly to prevent him from acting out.
"No, Master, someone is plotting against me!"
Qing Muling explained urgently. Inside his spatial realm, a delicate bone talisman was emitting a dazzling light, bursting with incredible power, almost breaking through space.
It was a gift from Lingxi, a Heavenly Human Clan girl, when he first entered the Misty Illusion Secret Realm. He hadn't had a chance to use it and had kept it with him ever since.
Unexpectedly, today, it had become a hidden danger.
"What's going on?"
Mu Yinghua immediately became alert. Qing Muling's safety was crucial to the sect's survival and could not be compromised.
Qing Muling broke free from her embrace, quickly forming hand seals. The mysterious and magnificent palace trembled slightly, and a flood of colorful starlight poured down. This rare Innate Spirit Treasure also had the supreme power to shield space and isolate inside from outside.
Even though Qing Muling's current cultivation was insufficient to fully unleash its power, it could still effectively interfere with the summoning force from an unknown source.
Moreover, Qing Muling's spatial realm was essentially an independent space-time world derived from the Harmony Creation Blue Lotus, naturally equipped with the ability to shield against external forces.
With the dual shielding effect, Qing Muling was not immediately captured by the power of the talisman.
Mu Yinghua quickly dressed and asked anxiously, "What should we do now? Should we call the Emperors for help?"
Qing Muling looked helpless, "I don't dare to lift the Creation Heavenly Palace's restriction array now; it might not suppress it. The other side… probably has an Emperor-level existence overseeing this."
He couldn't help but feel a wave of fear. If the talisman had been in his Space Bracelet, he would have already been captured by the opponent's methods. And once taken, there would be no hope of escape. Since they dared to set this trap, they wouldn't make any basic mistakes.
"What should we do?"
Mu Yinghua asked urgently. The opponent would undoubtedly use even more lethal methods if they couldn't achieve their goal. With Qing Muling's current cultivation, he likely couldn't withstand it.
"I don't know either."
Qing Muling frowned. He had never encountered such a situation and had no experience to draw from. Moreover, he didn't dare to take out the bone talisman now, as it would lose the shielding effect of his spatial realm, and even Mu Yinghua couldn't suppress it.
At the Calamity Fate Palace Main Altar, in the bronze hall.
The black altar was operating at full power, its terrifying pressure permeating the void. Blood-red flames, dozens of three meters high, leapt and danced, with twisted, hideous faces appearing intermittently in the flames. Faint, indistinct screams, chants, and curses echoed in the air.
In front of the altar, a vague figure gradually appeared. It was barely recognizable as a human youth. Lingxi, watching from a distance, easily identified him as the Qing Muling from her memories.
However, no matter how the two Emperors manipulated their hand seals and continuously urged the altar's power to capture the figure, it remained elusive, unable to be fully summoned from the distant space-time.
"…Still not working?"
Yuanxi Emperor said irritably, beads of sweat forming on his smooth forehead, indicating the immense consumption of this method.
Baiyuan Emperor said coldly, "This kid must have a top-tier Innate Spirit Treasure or be in a Dao Court arranged by a Quasi Holy Emperor, severely interfering with the altar's power."
It wasn't surprising. Given his importance, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace would spare no effort in protecting him. No matter which force targeted him, it wouldn't be easy.
"What now?"
Yuanxi Emperor asked in a low voice, his energy rapidly depleting. At most, he could hold on for another two hundred breaths.
Baiyuan Emperor pondered briefly and decisively said, "We must increase our magical power output immediately, sacrificing a Yuanhui of lifespan to capture him quickly!"
This was a critical moment. The Quasi Holy Emperors of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace had likely sensed something amiss. If they couldn't resolve this quickly, once the other side acted, they would undoubtedly lose.
A Yuanhui was 129,600 years, a significant cost. However, with the foundation of a Quasi Holy Emperor, it was bearable. Capturing Qing Muling would be a profitable trade.
"Alright, let's do it!"
Yuanxi Emperor spat out a mouthful of essence blood, his face instantly paling, his aura weakening significantly.