Chapter 135: Giving a Gift

"So that is how it is?"

Shen Yu narrowed his eyes as he heard this. He had pondered much, certain that some unfathomable event had occurred three thousand years ago. Yet, what kind of power could cause the world’s peak cultivators to all vanish at once? Shen Yu slowly clenched his hands, his face turning pale. If this were true, what coincidence could explain his own death back then? A heavenly tribulation he should have easily overcome had been altered by three immortal artifacts of unknown origin. Who exactly was pulling the strings behind the scenes?

...

From within the black mist came a low, resentful growl. "There was surely a great catastrophe back then. I was forged by heaven and earth; I have been immortal since time immemorial. But when I felt that... that indescribable sensation back then, I understood that the mere thought of such a thing would cause me to vanish completely. If not for that, would I have willingly sunk into the Jade Pool? Would I not have broken the seal to devour you all long ago, instead of waiting for you to reshape the seal? Dammit!"

The black mist fell silent for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Wait, no. Who exactly are you? Your cultivation realm is not high, so why is your Dao intent so terrifying? This isn't right. Even if you were... why is Linghua treating you so... so... in that manner?"

Linghua took Shen Yu’s right hand and smiled. "It seems the Jade Pool’s seal has indeed been effective. Its temperament has become increasingly naive, growing curious about everything and insisting on getting to the bottom of it all."

Shen Yu ignored the remark and lifted his head slightly. After a long while, he sighed helplessly. The heavenly secrets were obscured in chaos; he could see nothing at all. Finally, Shen Yu uttered two words: "The Academy."

Understanding his nature, Linghua said softly, "You may go, but be careful. Everything is not as it used to be."

Shen Yu looked up at the austere walls and the boundless desert beyond, frowning as he asked, "Do you need my help?"

Fairy Linghua shook her head. "I am but a remnant soul buried here. Compared to what you did for me back then, this is truly trivial. If it weren't for that, how could you have..."

"Enough." Shen Yu interrupted her, shaking his head. "That matter is beyond reason. I have already forgotten it."

The ethereal Fairy Linghua fell silent, biting her lip gently, her eyes rimmed with red. Shen Yu’s expression remained indifferent.

Back in the Yang family mansion of Qianliu City, the fox spirit Zhao Ji, who had been posing as an old servant, had once challenged Shen Yu: if you were to stand against the entire world for the sake of a woman, what would you do? At the time, Shen Yu had not answered her directly.

Because it was unnecessary, and because he had already done exactly that.

Three thousand years ago, the Land of a Thousand Rivers was still known as the Nether Sect, and the sacred lands of the world had not yet attained their current prestige. Fairy Linghua, peerless in both cultivation and beauty across the Spirit Desolation Continent, had been ambushed by two great cultivators of the Immortal Realm from the Nether Sect while breaking through her realm. Severely wounded and facing a heavenly tribulation, she had survived by sheer luck, but her Dao foundation was utterly destroyed, leading to her inevitable fall.

When Shen Yu awoke from his seclusion, he went to the Nether Sect alone, sword in hand. Four peak Immortal Realm cultivators, a Sect Master who had surpassed the Immortal Realm, countless arrays and restrictions, and tens of thousands of disciples—all vanished in a single night. Countless sages of the three teachings, unable to bear the slaughter, came one after another to dissuade him, but their only answer was the edge of his blade.

Reason? The reason was all in the sword.

In the end, with corpses strewn across the land, Shen Yu suffered heavy damage to his own vitality, sowing the seeds for future disasters.

Shen Yu seemed to recall something and smiled. "The Nether Sect changed its name; it is now called Thousand Rivers. But do not be impatient. Once I step into the God-Roaming Realm, I will wipe them out. Rest assured, it will not be long."

"Thousand Rivers?" Linghua frowned slightly. "A young girl who tends to the seal within the Jade Pool was severely injured by people from the Thousand Rivers region a few days ago, which is why the formation is currently unstable."

Shen Yu said, "So this Peach Blossom Banquet is for the sake of this seal?"

"Correct."

Shen Yu raised an eyebrow, thinking of the person who had devoured the Nether Ghost in the Wuwang Sea. Everything revealed something suspicious. Suddenly, both looked into the distance.

The maiden-like Fairy Linghua frowned, and her aura shifted abruptly. Shen Yu frowned and said, "This is, after all, the sacred land of the Jade Pool. Why is there no defense at all?"

Linghua turned to look at him, a trace of resentment in her eyes. "I enjoy the quiet, so very few living beings ever set foot here—it is annoying to look at. Besides, my presence is enough."

Shen Yu blinked, looked up, and said, "Showing off!"

...

At the foot of the mountain outside the light gate, an exotic, slender man arrived. He surveyed the rows of "tombs" as if no one else were there, a faint smile on his lips. The guardian beast’s fur stood on end; it raised its bull-like head and let out a low growl.

The Nether Official of Thousand Rivers glanced at it and chuckled, "So it is the exotic beast Yaoyu. I can take it back to raise."

"Roar!"

With a roar that shook the heavens, the Yaoyu’s size increased dozens of times, almost reaching the height of the mountain. It slammed a hoof down with immense force, and the ground where the man stood shattered instantly.

The next moment, the Nether Official of Thousand Rivers appeared on the head of the Yaoyu and tapped his right foot down lightly. Despite the seemingly casual touch, the mountain-like beast was instantly forced to its knees, emitting a painful wail as if crushed by Mount Tai.

A brilliant light erupted. A woman in a white dress appeared in the sky, radiating a holy white glow.

The Nether Official of Thousand Rivers smiled slightly. "The peerless elegance of Fairy Linghua is truly as the world describes."

Linghua’s eyes were cold. She raised her right arm, and a massive surge of spiritual energy crashed toward him. The Nether Official of Thousand Rivers waved his hand, and a black mist drifted before him.

The white light and black mist collided, causing countless ripples of energy to scatter with a piercing roar.

"Your opponent is not me."

The exotic man retreated to the ground, pressed his ten fingers hard into the earth, and laughed aloud, "Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations!"

Complex array patterns emerged from beneath his feet and spread in all directions, forming a diagram resembling a Bagua. As the Yaoyu wailed, the scent of blood filled the world, and waves of thick, black energy surged from the ground. Then, the sounds of wild beasts roaring echoed through the air. Demonic energy swept forth, permeating the entire graveyard.

"You actually sent the Nether Ghosts here!" Linghua was furious.

"A grand gift for you all."

The Nether Official of Thousand Rivers stepped into the void and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Immediately after, a roar filled with rage shook the firmament.