On the skyship, Elder Mu nodded, glanced at the Yunluo Mountain Range below, hesitated for a moment, and then his aged voice spoke:
“Tracing the karma of an Emperor is as difficult as ascending to the heavens.”
He paused, then continued slowly, “However, if this woman named Ruoyu is merely the Emperor’s consort, it is within reach.”
Jiang Youlong and Hua Hongyi exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with joy.
The skyship then slowed down, coming to a complete halt in mid-air, and the figures of several people leapt down.
They flew into the heart of the Yunluo Mountain Range.
The Yunluo Mountains stretched endlessly, with winding peaks interwoven, featuring both low hills and soaring summits reaching the clouds.
This place was a paradise for demon beasts.
It was also a site for cultivation and exploration, where many sect disciples came to train.
Six thousand years ago, it was here that Lin Feng had encountered Yuan Ruoyu, sparking a series of events.
As Jiang Youlong and the others entered the Yunluo Mountain Range, a primitive and desolate aura enveloped them.
Ancient trees towered above, blocking out the sun.
In the distance, the roars of beasts echoed, shaking the very mountains.
“Two thousand years ago, I ventured here for a spirit herb. Thinking back now, time truly flies!”
Hua Hongyi’s eyes flickered with a hint of nostalgia.
Beside her, Zuo Qingtian laughed heartily and said with a hint of teasing: “It’s a pity you didn’t encounter an Emperor here; otherwise, you might have had quite an adventure.”
“Hehehe…”
Hua Hongyi’s melodious laughter sent ripples across her ample bosom. She licked her lips and said, “If I were to really meet an Emperor, I wouldn’t mind experiencing a bit of wildness under the open sky.”
Seeing this, Zuo Qingtian’s heart surged with an evil fire.
Jiang Youlong turned around and laughed, “Even if you did meet him, how would you know if that person would become an Emperor in the future?”
Hua Hongyi paused for a moment, “That’s true.”
The group moved through the mountains.
Their steps appeared slow, but with each step, they covered great distances.
Occasionally, they encountered low-tier beasts darting out from the forest, which they could easily dispatch with a flick of their hands.
Jiang Youlong and the others didn’t even spare them a glance. Such low-level beasts held no value for them.
About half an hour later, Jiang Youlong stopped in his tracks, pondering for a moment before speaking in a deep voice:
“If we go further, we’ll reach the inner perimeter of the Yunluo Mountain Range, where most of the beasts are third-tier or above!”
He continued: “According to the records in the diary, both the Immortal Emperor and Ruoyu had low cultivation levels back then, so they definitely wouldn’t have ventured too deep. I believe their activities mostly took place around the outskirts of the mountains.”
Beside him, Elder Mu, who hadn’t spoken since entering the mountain range, nodded. He said approvingly, “Indeed, let us begin tracing the karmic threads here.”
Elder Mu was shrouded in mysterious fluctuations, making it impossible to discern his appearance. His aged voice continued: “You will guard me here. Remember, during the deduction process, I cannot be disturbed in any way. Moreover, if the opponent’s cultivation is higher than mine, I can only deduce up to three times!”
“Whether we can find even a trace of a clue depends on fate.”
Jiang Youlong, Hua Hongyi, and Zuo Qingtian all turned serious, nodding solemnly.
They then spread out to guard different directions.
All three were at the initial stage of Void Refinement, and with their protective artifacts, they wouldn’t face much danger in this outer area.
Once everything was ready, Elder Mu began to circulate his energy and started the deduction.
“Lin Feng, Ruoyu!”
“About six thousand years ago, one was at the Qi Refinement stage, and the other at the Golden Core stage.”
This preliminary information, gleaned from the diary, served as the foundation for his karmic calculations.
Elder Mu’s aura surged, his robes fluttering as if caught in an unseen wind. His hair billowed, and a profound energy radiated from his body.
Boom!
A mysterious force enveloped him, casting a radiant glow. Moments later, his gaze narrowed, and he entered a surreal, otherworldly space.
Though still within the Yunluo Mountain Range, the scene before him began to shift subtly, dreamlike and illusory.
Strands of unusual light appeared before his eyes.
The lights were dazzling and intertwined, weaving a fantastical net.
Elder Mu squinted, appearing to be in a half-asleep state, as he reached out to pluck at the strands of light like playing a zither.
With each touch of the light, vivid images flashed through his mind.
A middle-aged man with a beard was setting up traps to hunt beasts.
A ragged boy was being chased, leaping off a cliff.
Cultivators were fighting against beasts, blood splattering in an intense battle.
In a secluded forest, a young couple of cultivators was passionately kissing.
Images kept flashing in Elder Mu’s mind.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t found what he was looking for, so he continued to reach out to other strands of light.
More and more images appeared.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, his face turned pale, and his breathing became somewhat labored.
These events, long buried in the sands of six millennia, taxed even his formidable cultivation. Maintaining the divination for too long threatened to deplete his energy entirely.
Just then!
Elder Mu’s expression shifted; the two strands of light before him were far more brilliant and solid than the others.
Moreover, they were entangled more deeply.
He reached out and gently touched one, and the scene before him changed, becoming blurry, illusory, and elusive.
One figure was entirely unpredictable and unforeseeable.
The other figure was shrouded in thick mist, appearing vague and indiscernible.
“Lin Feng, are you really confident?”
At that moment, a clear voice rang in Elder Mu’s ear.
The voice was crisp and pleasant, like pearls falling on a jade plate.
Elder Mu’s spirit jolted, and joy broke across his face as he laughed wildly: “Lin Feng!”
“Immortal Emperor, I found it! I finally found it.”
At the same time.
Almost the instant Elder Mu touched that strand of light, Yuan Ruoyu, sitting on the lotus platform in the Jade Pool Holy Land, suddenly opened her eyes.
“Who dares to scheme against me!”
As this reprimand fell, Elder Mu’s mind erupted like a thunderclap; both the images and the voice turned to ashes!
His consciousness felt like it was being dragged into an abyss by an immense force…
Elder Mu’s mind shook with terror!
He quickly severed his consciousness, breaking free from the strand of karmic thread, thus avoiding the risk of being lost in the river of time.
“Huff…”
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, a moment later, Elder Mu was once again filled with dread as a powerful sense of crisis surged within him!
A chill ran down his spine!
“Not good!”
“The opponent’s cultivation level is far higher than mine; they’ve traced the karmic thread back to me!”
In a panic, Elder Mu shouted to Jiang Youlong: “Quick! Protect me and keep me safe.”
Jiang Youlong’s expression grew heavy. He immediately took flight, summoning a large shield.
Buzz!
The shield erupted with brilliance, shimmering golden light as various inscriptions and manifestations of the Dao lit up within it.
A beam of light descended, enveloping Elder Mu in its protection.
Bang!
Boom—
In the next moment, an overwhelmingly powerful consciousness rushed from the horizon, crashing into Elder Mu.
“Ugh…”
The shield shattered, turning into countless flying fragments, and Elder Mu was sent flying, spitting blood…