"The Earth Vein No-Interval Realm?" Upon hearing the term, Old Liu couldn't help but clap his hands and jump up. "My foundational Dao cultivation began there. Though I don't know why all the cultivators of the Ancient Strange Dao originate from that place, I've been in the Mortal Realm since I can remember and have no idea how to get there."

"Yes, the first time I met this Daoist priest, he mentioned something about the Earth Vein No-Interval Realm," Ye Xiu also recalled a time when Old Liu was just a petty swindler pretending to be a half-immortal. "And what exactly is this Tian Gu Yi Shu you speak of?"

Maya tilted her head back, gazing at the bright, starry sky with a sigh. "The Tian Gu Yi Shu is a sacred tome recording the Bone Sect’s millennia of history and even its future development. Thousands of years ago, the Sect Master of the Bone Sect opened this book, and it prophesied that in this current age, our Bone Sect would suffer annihilation. For the safety of the sect, I entered the Yu Yu Feng Dao Alliance to seek the method for forging the Dao Profound Barrier. The rest, as you have seen, unfolded."

"A book that can foretell the future?" Old Liu, ever fond of taking advantage, brightened upon hearing this. "Then with this book, one could know their own future progression? And even discern everything happening in this world?"

"The Tian Gu Yi Shu is a sacred text; how could it possibly record personal gains and losses?" Maya stood with her hands behind her back, adopting the demeanor of a frail elder to preach. "The Tian Gu Yi Shu possesses abilities far beyond mere prophecy. Legend says it originated from the Fuxi Clan. Only when the clan declined did it fall into the hands of the Bone Pickers. The Blade of Unrelated Matters also claims this book hides Mahayana-level cultivation methods, and it contains the secrets to the Bone Pickers' incorruptible bones and unending life."

"That morally bankrupt fellow, Old Liu, only cares about the sacred book and doesn't even consider the safety of his own kin!" Mei Yi pouted, pulling Old Liu’s sleeve. "Didn't your Ancient Strange Dao originate from the Earth Vein No-Interval Realm? If the Bone Pickers’ homeland is facing disaster, your old home probably won't fare any better!"

"Right, Senior Maya, what exactly is this Earth Vein No-Interval Realm, and is it connected to the Mortal Realm?" Ye Xiu, having traversed many realms, naturally understood that passage between realms required the Celestial Enlightenment Passage provided by the Myriad Demon Saint Empress. "Does this place belong to the Mortal Realm? And what is the relationship between the Ancient Strange Dao and the Bone Pickers?"

Maya nodded and continued to explain: "The Earth Vein No-Interval Realm is situated at the central earth vein of the Mortal Realm, belonging to a branch of it. It is completely interconnected with the Mortal Realm. The entire No-Interval Realm is divided into four major factions: Desolate Bone City, Myriad Dao Mountain, Corpse Fiend Forest, and Sky Cloud Machine. Myriad Bone City is the city of the Bone Pickers, and Myriad Dao Mountain is naturally where the cultivators of the Ancient Strange Dao reside. Sky Cloud Machine is the settlement of the Sun-Blinding Tribe, the natural nemesis of the Bone Pickers. As for the Corpse Fiend Forest, it encompasses worlds outside the control of the other three powers; it is the largest and most mysterious faction."

"I've heard of that too, but I was too young back then, I can’t remember any of it," Old Liu stuck out his tongue. After all, the No-Interval Realm was the place that nurtured him, yet as soon as he arrived in the Mortal Realm, he forgot what he came there for. "In my opinion, the Mortal Realm is the best; with cultivation and skill, one can always find money."

"Still talking about money... I remember someone saying you two could dine out and then skip the bill!" Mei Yi suddenly silenced Old Liu with one remark. "Truly ungrateful, sigh."

Ye Xiu pursed his lips, looking troubled. "It seems the situation in the No-Interval Realm is quite chaotic, much messier than the Underworld. The Underworld only has the Asura Clan and the Death Gods, but this No-Interval Realm already has four factions—couldn't a war erupt at any moment?"

"Heh, you don't need to worry about that. Although minor conflicts are constant, a large-scale war has never broken out in the No-Interval Realm," Maya smiled again. "The Bone Pickers and the Sun-Blinding Tribe, both descendants of Fuxi, share an intrinsic connection. Though slaughter is perpetual, the higher echelons know how to maintain control. The cultivators of the Ancient Strange Dao have always taken saving the common people as their duty, only hunting down demons that attempt to harm the Mortal Realm. The monsters in the Corpse Fiend Forest usually do not operate within the No-Interval Realm; they prefer to cause minor disturbances in the Mortal Realm, bringing quite a bit of trouble to the human world."

"That’s why I came to the Mortal Realm. Hunting demons for a living really does pay well," Old Liu chimed in cheerfully toward Mei Yi. "High housing prices, high consumption? I just need to catch a few demons to solve it, ha ha!"

"Did the Tian Gu Yi Shu say which force would bring disaster to the Bone Pickers?" Ye Xiu became quite invested and worried. "To my knowledge, the chaos in that realm could stem from three causes: one, the Death Gods of the Dark element lurking in the shadows; two, the upheaval of the Sea of Blood in the Underworld; and thirdly, the Lord of the Demon Realm, Sha Jun Tianxia!"

"No, that's why we need a comprehensive plan to deal with it." Maya brought out the Dao Profound Barrier, gazing at it. "The Dao Profound Barrier can only aid the defense of Desolate Bone City. If the catastrophe befalls the entire No-Interval Realm, it might harm the other three factions and ultimately bring disaster upon the Mortal Realm!"

"Does that mean our Ancient Strange Dao cultivators are also in trouble?" Old Liu’s tone shifted, showing concern for the world for the first time. "By the way, Senior Maya, how does one get to the Earth Vein No-Interval Realm? Now that you mention it, I'd really like to visit Myriad Dao Mountain."

"Heh, there is a place in the Mortal Realm called the Red Cliff Celestial Scripture. To randomly enter the various realms of the Mortal World, one must adhere to the rules of those realms. If you wish to return to the No-Interval Realm, you must start from this location." Saying this, Maya turned her hands into palm shapes and opened them, a burst of blue ghostly light spreading out. "There’s no time to waste; I must hurry back to Desolate Bone City to set up defenses. Furthermore, Yan Luo’s Yu Yu Feng Dao is waiting for me to find its flaws. If fate allows, we might meet again. Remember this one thing: this world is not as peaceful as it appears to you."

As soon as the words fell, Maya vanished into the ball of light. That blue light shot skyward and streaked across the deep, dark night sky, resembling a meteor, though none knew which direction it plummeted toward.

"This world truly is not as peaceful as I imagined. Not long ago, I was a Death God who spent his days contemplating how to reap ordinary people's lives," Ye Xiu felt a sense of realization upon hearing Maya's words. "I wonder why the Death Gods' reaping work is conducted in the Mortal Realm? And people from the Underworld, the Demon Realm, and even the Celestial Sea Realm—it seems everyone has their sights set on the Mortal Realm. Besides being a crucial transit hub connecting all realms, what other purpose does the Mortal Realm serve?"

"Red Cliff Celestial Scripture?" Old Liu rubbed his head, looking utterly bewildered. His history studies were poor, so he naturally didn't know what place that was. "Does that place have a connection to the No-Interval Realm? Do you guys know where it is?"

Mei Yi shook her head. She stood alone on the wilderness, and as the cold wind blew, her long, wavy hair billowed around her, beautiful yet gentle. "Who cares about all that? I just want to go back and take a good bath."

"The Red Cliff Celestial Scripture should be in Guizhou. I recall there are many mysterious stories associated with that Celestial Scripture," Ye Xiu clasped his hands behind his head, then shook them to summon Susu. "Let’s stop talking about this today. Let’s go back, take a good bath, and get some sleep. Staying in the Mortal Realm for too long, I’ve picked up the lazy habits of ordinary people."

Susu, hearing Ye Xiu's joking tone, fluttered out and enveloped the few of them in purple smoke. She could teleport freely within the Mortal Realm, but at the moment, she seemed a bit confused. "Master, where are we teleporting to?"

"What else? Find a place to eat heartily first! Then get a good night's sleep!" Old Liu jumped up, baring his teeth. "Ye Xiu, you got another divine weapon this time, congratulations! You have to treat us to a meal!"

"Eat! It's not like I must eat those things. I won't starve to death if I don't," the Death God didn't require sustenance, but having been in the Mortal Realm for too long, he had developed habits like eating and sleeping, which were wasteful uses of time. "Besides, wasn't your job already ruined by you, you scoundrel? Where's the money? Why don't you treat us!"

"I'll treat you! I ran out of the last hundred dollars and felt poor!" Old Liu stuck out his pocket with a stingy look. "Look, all four of my pockets weigh the same—I can only afford to treat you to the northwesterly wind."

"I’m not scared; I can just not eat!" Ye Xiu started acting shamelessly with a laugh. "Someone will starve to death, oh yeah!"

Mei Yi stood rooted, constantly fiddling with her hair. Seeing the stingy behavior of the two men, she stomped her foot and roared: "You have the nerve to talk about saving the world? Can you two live with any dignity in the Mortal Realm? Enough talk—come to my place. I’ll treat you to dinner."

"Wow, nice, nice! Mei Yi’s place must be wonderful, ha ha ha!" Old Liu fawned, almost pouncing toward Mei Yi.

Ye Xiu glanced at Mei Yi; this woman was actually quite cute.

Susu confirmed Mei Yi's address and enveloped the three of them in purple smoke. A moment later, the purple smoke vanished from a wilderness clearing on Mount Li. With everyone gone, regardless of whether any intact underground palaces remained beneath Mount Li, this chapter of the First Emperor’s story would become fodder for future generations to guess, ponder, and subsequently fabricate even more exciting episodes—this was the necessity of culture.

...

Gleaming brightly, a sophisticated metropolis, an enclave of ease beyond the hustle and bustle of traffic—a three-story villa, a luxurious landscape embracing nature. Under the night sky, the chirping of cicadas and orioles—this was Mei Yi’s home, an ambitious, grand yet fresh and unique dwelling.

Old Liu plopped down onto a thick, soft, expansive sofa. Above his head hung a chandelier inlaid with jewels. The light from the chandelier was dazzling, casting unconstrained beams of gold, red, and yellow. Golden chains hung down from beneath the chandelier, indicating extreme preciousness. "Damn, am I mistaken? Even a lamp is this elaborate, Mei Yi, you're a reporter? That rich!"

"I don't need to be rich; I just need to enjoy it," Mei Yi didn't care about these two bumpkins. She leaned on the gold-inlaid railing, preparing to enter the house to bathe. "You two had better clean yourselves up first. Throw away those ragged clothes; I’ll call the cleaning lady to buy you some new ones."

"Hey, do you think Mei Yi is being kept by some rich tycoon?" Old Liu leaned over to Ye Xiu's ear and chuckled slyly. "Don't be a fool and become a kept man, you know? You have that kind of aura."

Just then, a small knife descended from the sky, narrowly missing Old Liu’s life. It turned out Mei Yi was already on the third floor, roaring, "Do you believe me if I say my father left us a huge inheritance when he died? Be careful, or I'll toss you out."

Ye Xiu smiled watching the two bicker. Mei Yi’s father was indeed the CEO of some company, but sadly, he died too early due to his own circumstances. He turned around, surveying the huge house—pavilions and towers were all contained within one structure. It was magnificent and extremely luxurious, yet it possessed the fresh feeling that Mei Yi exuded, making one feel at home when inside. "Old Liu, whether you spent your life swindling or hunting demons, how many lifetimes would it take you to live in a house like this?"

"Don't mock me; you're not much better off. As a doctor, at best you could never afford a house like this," Old Liu said with a bitter laugh, having already found the bathroom. He stripped off his clothes, preparing to jump in. "Let’s shower first. Say, should we shower together?"

"Holy hell!" Hearing this, Ye Xiu felt an intense urge to unleash a ball of black flame on him.