Chapter 161

…

Time passed.

Another five years went by.

“With the way of Taiji as its foundation, the way of Xuan Huang as its framework, and countless evolution paths as its flesh…”

“Taiji Primordial Spirit…emerge.”

Within the Niwan Palace at Lin Yuan’s glabella.

An endless ‘galaxy’ composed of Taiyin and Taiyang energies, the Primordial Spirit sat in the center, suddenly transforming into two distinct colors of Yin and Yang.

Immediately after.

The Primordial Spirit separated into two figures.

One figure was shrouded in the Yin Energy of Taiyin, its face indistinct.

The other figure was enveloped in the bright energy of Taiyang, its eyes radiant.

“This is the Primordial Spirit I desired.”

The two Primordial Spirits gazed at each other.

In fact, these two figures, rather than being called Primordial Spirits, would be more appropriate to term as Yin God and Yang Spirit.

To be precise, when divided, they are the Yin God and Yang Spirit; when combined, they are the Taiji Primordial Spirit.

“Yin God… Yang Spirit….”

In the outside world, Lin Yuan opened his eyes.

With a mere thought, the Yin God and Yang Spirit separated from the body.

They sat opposite Lin Yuan’s original form.

“Does this count as…Triumph Division of the One Qi?”

Lin Yuan’s consciousness split into three, looking at the three versions of himself, a strange expression on his face.

Since they all shared the same consciousness, Lin Yuan felt as though he’d opened three perspectives at this moment.

“No matter if it’s the Yin God or the Yang Spirit, since they are made from the power of the soul, and aren’t restricted by a physical body, they naturally can change their size at will…”

Lin Yuan thought to himself.

Lin Yuan speculated, with the current strength of his Yin God and Yang Spirit.

If he were to let go completely, they could probably reach a size of ten thousand zhang.

Yin God of ten thousand zhang.

Yang Spirit of ten thousand zhang.

…

At the Underground Palace Hall.

Nuan Shu sat at the position below the main seat, frowning in thought.

During Lin Yuan’s seclusion, the many affairs of the Demonic Tao were all decided by Nuan Shu.

None of the nine Demon Lords had any complaints, nor dared to have any.

“It’s almost ten years, why has there been no news from Situ the protector?”

Nuan Shu’s expression showed a trace of worry.

Situ the protector…like Nuan Shu in past years, was one of the thirty-six protectors under the Demon Lord.

He was also just as loyal to the Demon Lord as Nuan Shu.

After Xiahou Yuan was suppressed at the eighteenth layer of the Great Abyss Ground.

Nuan Shu convened the remaining Demon followers loyal to the Demon Lord, thinking of ways to rescue the Demon Lord.

Meanwhile, Situ the protector infiltrated the Tianjian Sect, providing support to Nuan Shu by passing on intelligence from outside.

In the era when the Demon Lord ruled over the demons of the Five Domains, Situ the protector was renowned for his ability to transform and conceal his chi.

With Situ’s methods, if he fully exerted himself to conceal and transform his chi, even a Ninth Realm powerhouse would not detect him.

Thanks to this skill, Situ the protector did well inside the Tianjian Sect and gained access to a lot of intelligence.

Before Xiahou Yuan emerged from the Great Abyss, Nuan Shu led the remaining Demon followers in avoiding the encirclement and assassination attempts by the righteous forces several times, largely due to the information passed on by Situ the protector.

It was because of Situ the protector’s support within the Tianjian Sect that Nuan Shu and the other demons survived through that most difficult time.

After Lin Yuan emerged from the Great Abyss and took over the Underground Palace, subduing the nine Demon Lords once again.

Nuan Shu then sent word to Situ the protector, telling him to return and that he no longer needed to hide in the Tianjian Sect, fraught with danger.

However, up to the present, Nuan Shu had not received any response from Situ the protector.

“Could he have been discovered by the Tianjian Sect?”

Nuan Shu speculated in her heart but then shook her head, dismissing the idea.

She held Situ the protector’s ‘Life Fire,’ which indicated his life and death.

Given Situ the protector’s loyalty to the Demon Lord, if discovered by the Tianjian Sect, he would definitely commit suicide without hesitation.

Even if he didn’t commit suicide, if captured alive by the Tianjian Sect, they wouldn’t leave him alive after a Soul Search.

Either outcome would certainly extinguish Situ the protector’s ‘Life Fire.’

Since the ‘Life Fire’ was still burning, it indicated that Situ the protector was safe for the time being, at least still alive.

“Hopefully nothing untoward happens.”

Nuan Shu sighed. Over the years, Situ the protector had risked his life hiding within the Tianjian Sect to rescue the Demon Lord.

Now that the Demon Lord had returned, if he could come back alive, his status would at least be no lower than hers.

…

Tianjian Sect.

Mists drifted aimlessly.

It was like an immortal realm.

A middle-aged man with an honest face walked along the mountain path, his gaze betraying a hint of anxiousness.

“Tianjian Zi has broken into the Tenth Realm, yet he deliberately seals off all information. Hiding within the gates of the mountain with other powerful figures from the Five Domains, he must be trying to lure the revered figure to come here on his own initiative…”

The man with the honest face thought to himself in silence.

He was none other than Situ, the protector, who had been hiding his true identity within the Tianjian Sect for decades, treading on thin ice until today.

Although he was but a disciple and had not taken part in Tianjian Zi’s secretive discussions with the powerful fighters of the Five Domains,

he had guessed quite a bit from all the abnormalities revealed by the Tianjian Sect over the years, and the terrifying aura that had pervaded a decade ago.

“No, this won’t do.”

“I must get out.”

“And tell the revered figure not to come to Tianjian Sect at all costs.”

Situ, the protector, steadied his spirit and began to ponder carefully.

Other than delivering the crucial information,

Situ was even more aware that his identity could not be concealed for much longer.

In recent years, Tianjian Zi’s dreadful sensory perception had enveloped the entire Tianjian Sect multiple times,

brushing past Situ on several occasions.

Situ had a feeling that if this happened a few more times, Tianjian Zi might very likely detect something unusual about him.

Situ’s skill at concealing his presence could fool someone of the Ninth Realm, but for someone like Tianjian Zi who was of the Tenth Realm…

If it weren’t for his good performance in recent years and Tianjian Zi not paying close attention to him, his identity would have likely been exposed several years earlier.

Situ did not fear death, but what he feared was that upon his death, the revered figure would fall into the schemes of Tianjian Sect.

“I’ll have to try that secret passage…”

Situ made up his mind.

Tianjian Zi, in hopes of a successful ambush, had the whole Tianjian Sect sealed off, forbidding anyone to enter or leave.

Situ, like any other disciple, was no exception.

It wasn’t simply the blocking of all exits,

but over the years, Situ had discovered a hidden path leading outside.

It was just uncertain whether it could escape Tianjian Zi’s perception.

However, Situ now had no choice.

He could only take the risk and try.

…

At the summit of Tianjian Peak.

Tianjian Zi and the other powerful beings all showed signs of impatience.

Ten years had passed.

A full decade they had been lying in wait here.

Yet Xiahou Yuan just wouldn’t take the bait and had not come to seek revenge.

If it weren’t for those present who had personally experienced the righteous-demonic battle three or four decades earlier, and knew how ‘Bai Qing’er’ had broken Xiahou Yuan’s spirit, a feud that could only end with the death of one side,

they would perhaps have suspected that Xiahou Yuan had already abandoned his vendetta.

“Sect Leader, what exactly is going on with Xiahou Yuan?” one of the Ninth Realm powerhouses asked in a low voice, having come to the Tianjian Sect and stayed for ten years, his own forces must have been affected.

“Yes, Sect Leader, is Xiahou Yuan coming or not?”

“If not, we’re leaving.”

The other powerhouses in the area spoke out one after another.

Although they hadn’t been treated badly at the Tianjian Sect, everyone had families and forces that needed managing and overseeing.

Being absent for a whole decade was unacceptable to anyone.

It was only because of Tianjian Zi’s high prestige as a once-in-tens-of-thousands-of-years Tenth Realm being that the others had not yet left.

“Everyone, please be patient.”

Tianjian Zi opened his eyes, his expression calm as he said, “The later he comes, the more it suggests that Xiahou Yuan has been seriously injured. If you cannot even wait for ten years, how can we talk about dealing with Xiahou Yuan?”

At this, Tianjian Zi paused for a moment, then continued, “However, I believe that Xiahou Yuan should be arriving soon.”

Tianjian Zi’s words, like a calming anchor, gave the others a great deal of confidence.

“Well then.”

“If the Sect Leader says so,”

“we will wait a few more years.”

“True, honestly, unless I see Xiahou Yuan’s corpse, I won’t dare leave.”

“Hahaha, well said.”

The expressions of the many powerhouses relaxed, and on second thought, staying within the Tianjian Sect was not too bad, especially since it supplied Heavenly Earth Vital Energy superior to that of their own forces.

Tianjian Zi glanced at the many powerhouses. He too was somewhat anxious, but letting go of this opportunity and allowing the powerhouses to leave would likely lead to the news of his breakthrough to the Tenth Realm being leaked.

Then how could Xiahou Yuan possibly dare to come?

Just as Tianjian Zi was about to speak again,

Suddenly.

Tianjian Zi’s brows furrowed.

He looked towards a certain area outside the mountain gate.