Within the bounds of the quiet room, barely a stretch across, there was nothing. Only a single azure lamp, flickering and dancing.

Beside this lamp, a middle-aged Daoist sat in silent meditation, steadfast as an ancient, unmoving tree.

It was unclear how long it had been since the room was swept; a full foot of dust lay upon the floor. Nor was there the slightest trace to suggest that decades, perhaps even centuries, had passed without any change here.

At this moment, however, the Daoist suddenly opened his eyes in surprise, letting out a soft, questioning "Yi," as he gazed into the distant void.

"It's Seimei? Such malice—"

His face instantly contorted, a flicker of rage crossing it. With a single shift, he was outside the chamber.

This place was ethereal, like something from a dream: spiraling spiritual clouds drifted everywhere, the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, punctuated by shimmering, seven-hued neon lights.

Several male and female cultivators stared in astonishment as the middle-aged Daoist materialized.

"It's Patriarch Kunming—"

"Why has he emerged from seclusion early?"

Kunming paid them no mind, proceeding directly to the rear of the immortal estate, beside a lotus pond of unimaginable clarity and purity.

In this entire garden of spiritual flowers and strange herbs, there was only one lotus here. Its pink petals were still tightly furled. Yet, at this moment, this unopened bloom eclipsed everything else in radiance.

Kunming stood guard, utterly meticulous and careful. A gentle force emanated from his palm, securely shielding the unblossomed lotus. Not far away, however, energies clashed, sending out bursts of explosive sound.

After a long pause, the noise gradually subsided. Yet, a look of anything but joy was etched on Kunming's face. He stared at the red lotus, where faint, almost invisible scratches marred its surface, his eyes shrouded in gloom.

"A formidable Zhu Jue Sword Intent, truly a ruthless individual!"

Almost as soon as his words fell, another figure materialized beside him. Dressed in green robes and hempen shoes, he was also about forty, with a face like polished jade, red lips, and white teeth.

"Perished along with them was Rong Bi! According to Cheng Xin, both died at the hands of Zong Shou—"

"Zong Shou?"

Kunming turned back, then bowed his head in a deep salute. "Kunming pays respects to Master!" He then looked perplexed. "This person is merely at the Immortal Realm. How could he be the adversary of both Rong Bi and Cheng Xin?"

"With the aid of Ao Yi and Ao Kun, and also the former Master of the Xiaoyao Xuan who vanished decades ago—for some reason, he now serves under Zong Shou. Moreover, Zong Shou possesses a Heavenly-Grade Dao Artifact Sword Formation capable of rivaling our Dao Gate's Grand Profound Nexus True Martial Formation."

The middle-aged Daoist waved his sleeve, signaling Kunming to dispense with the formalities, and then inquired,

"Did this recent upheaval interfere with your Tribulation Crossing this time?"

Kunming fell silent. After a moment, he finally spoke, "My heart is filled with unquenchable anger and mutual resentment. I must personally look after Qingming for a time. I will also need a month to steady my state of mind. However, the Tribulation Crossing itself is not compromised! If I cannot achieve the Saint Venerable realm, how can I possibly safeguard this child, Qingming?"

"That is precisely right!"

Hearing this, the middle-aged Daoist burst into hearty laughter. "We certainly cannot let that shameless brat's scheme succeed. Delaying by just one month should cause no harm! As long as you cross your tribulation sooner than Wei Xu—"

Kunming sensed a subtle undercurrent of worry in his Master, as if he were anxious about something.

"Master, has there been a change in the battle for the Cang Sheng Qiong Realm?"

"How could there be? I have waited for this battle for fully several millennia, just to see the destruction of the Cang Sheng Dao and the sealing of Xiu Guan. Without absolute certainty of success, I would rather postpone the wait than act rashly."

The middle-aged cultivator shook his head without hesitation, then realized his disciple must have discerned something. He immediately adopted a grave expression. "What I was contemplating concerned Cheng Xin's report. Before his death, Rong Bi used a secret art burning his lifespan to observe Zong Shou's destiny fortune. He seemed to have perceived something, but alas, his soul was already dissolving. He could only convey a few scant words to Cheng Xin through a method of mental resonance."

Kunming’s gaze also grew solemn. He knew that in the art of physiognomy, Rong Bi was in no way inferior to the current Grand Shang Imperial Preceptor, Chong Xuan. And if that observation came at the cost of his life, the information was profoundly significant.

"Only five words: 'Dao Gate's Great Calamity, Its—'"

"Its?"

Kunming raised an eyebrow, feeling a distinct lack of closure. Its person? Its affair? Or perhaps a spirit artifact, like a Qilin? He could not guess the remainder of the message.

"It's utterly baffling! It leaves one completely confused. However, the matter is simple enough. Since we know this Zong Shou might represent the Great Calamity for our Dao Gate, we only need to eliminate him early on—"

Even setting aside the enmity from Zong Shou slaying his junior martial nephew and nearly severing Qingming's lifeline, for the sake of the Dao Gate alone, he had to eliminate this man.

"Do you think I don't know that?"

The middle-aged Daoist seemed momentarily lost in thought. "This is precisely what troubles me. Cheng Xin also mentioned that at the same time, Tan Kongbian, the Hall Master of the Blazing Flame Hall from the Fen Kong Lu Family, also appeared. He verbally insulted the Lu Clan, and in the presence of Li Wuque, subjected the Nine Capitals Immortal Lord Liu Muchen to torture and execution. He also personally confirmed that Zong Shou has now mastered the Lu Family's pure-blooded Burning World Eye, making him the current foremost Crown Prince of the Fen Kong Lu Family, the next Fen Kong Emperor Lord."

"How can this be?"

Kunming frowned; this situation was truly troublesome. If they acted rashly to kill this person, they would inevitably be making an enemy of the entire Fen Kong Lu Family. Although the Dao Gate possessed three Supremacy Realm experts, and if Kunming successfully passed his tribulation, they would surpass the Lu Family by one in terms of Supremacy numbers. Including the Three Pure Venerable Deities, they would total seven Supremacy Realm beings. However, the Dao Gate had begun to fracture thousands of years ago. One of the Grand Purity Venerable Deities had been taken away by the Sword Sect. During this period of upheaval, engaging in a full-scale conflict with the Fen Kong Lu Family was unwise.

"In front of Li Wuque? The Lu Family is truly tyrannical!"

It was more than just tyranny; it carried a deep implication. It served as a warning to all realms: anyone who dared to harm Zong Shou's life, or utter any insult toward him, was declaring war on the entire Fen Kong Lu Family. They used Liu Muchen's death as a warning to scare the rest. Kunming did not know the situation then, but he guessed that the Nine Capitals Immortal Court was likely weaker, and although Li Wuque was a Supremacy expert, his foundation was unstable. Otherwise, the Dao Gate might have become the 'chicken' sacrificed by the Fen Kong Lu Family to make an example of.

"That's why I find it so difficult! The Burning World Eye—the Fen Kong Lu Family has pinned its hopes on it for thousands of years. No matter what, they will not allow Zong Shou to be destroyed prematurely. Had I known this earlier, I should have destroyed him years ago, regardless of the cost."

The middle-aged Daoist spoke with profound regret, then smiled and shook his head.

"There is no need to worry excessively. It will take considerable time for this child to fully mature. The Divine Emperor is on the verge of rising, ready to sweep across myriad worlds; even the Fen Kong Lu Family will have to bow then. Moreover, our thousands of years of preparations outside this domain mean we do not fear the Lu Clan making a move."

His voice paused, and a glint of resolution shone in the Daoist's eyes.

"The pressing matter remains the Cang Sheng Dao. This anomaly left behind by Xi Zi must be eliminated as soon as possible—"

Among the many formidable enemies of the Daoists, one must be removed first!