Tianyi lowered his hand and the earthquake guing the entire Impermanence Realm subsided. The Bodhi Tree still attempted to burrow back into the earth, but Tianyi had shackled it in ce. No matter what it did, it could not break out of its spatiotemporal prison.


    He was at an impasse. If Tianyi really wanted to, he could just pull the Bodhi Tree out, but that would most definitely cause the Impermanence Realm to shatter. For other cultivators, the Karmic Sin of destroying an entire realm would result in their death, but Tianyi could not be tainted by Karmic Sin, no matter how many atrocities hemitted.


    In essence, he would receive no repercussions if he did destroy the Impermanence Realm during the process of obtaining the Bodhi Tree. However, Tianyi did not want to destroy an innocent realm and all the lives within it. His conscience wouldn’t allow it. Sure, he likely caused untold amounts of deaths by ident, but he didn’t want to consciously snuff out so many lives. Hypocritical as it might be.


    Tianyi didn’t n on consulting Grand Elder Xia or the other decision makers within the Immortal Court for help. In their eyes, they might see the destruction of a high rank realm as a cheap price to pay for the Bodhi Tree, especially if Tianyi was the one doing it, since he would receive no Karmic Sin.


    He flew toward the Bodhi Tree. When he was right next to it, he was practically a speck of dust. Yet, it was the Bodhi Tree that trembled in fear, like it was facing its natural predator.


    Tianyi enveloped the entire Bodhi Tree with his immortal sense. However, no matter how much time passed or how he attempted to invade it, his immortal sense could not prate the tree’s bark. He frowned. If he could refine the Bodhi Tree and be its master, it would naturally not resist.


    s, his attempt failed. Perhaps only a divinity could refine the Bodhi Tree.


    Tianyi held his chin between his thumb and forefinger. <em>‘Unless it already has a master?’</em>


    It wasn’t impossible, but Tianyi didn’t think it was likely. <em>‘Maybe I should just devour the entire Impermanence Realm into my inner universe and transform it into a?’</em>As soon as the idea appeared in his mind, Tianyi shot it down. He didn’t want to suffer more heavenly punishment. No, thank you.


    <em>‘Perhaps I can only grind it out and hope my immortal sense can whittle it down,’ </em>Tianyi thought. His immortal qi of primordial chaos exploded off of his body and enveloped the entire Bodhi Tree. Not just the part above the ground, but the roots below the surface. It turned the tree into a tree-shaped cosmos with countless shimmering stars.


    From that day onward, all life in the Impermanence Realm would see a new scenery. It didn’t matter if they were in the central region, the fringes of the continent, or the very edge of the Impermanence Realm, where the boundaries distorted, they would see a tree-shaped cosmos.


    It was jarring in the first few months, but people eventually grew used to it after a few years. Mount Underme also became history. The once heatednds cooled and became habitable. Even more miraculously, the spiritual qi of heaven and earth that disappeared flourished.


    This was a blessednd for warriors, but an even greater blessednd for the immortal families. The battles that had settled on the continent erupted once more. The three immortal families waged war against the other forces for ownership of the blessednd.


    People called thend under the cosmic tree the Cosmic Shade Blessed Lands.


    Tianyi paid zero attention to all themotion below. The dense spiritual qi was the aftereffect of his immortal qi shing against the Bodhi Tree. For denizens, it was a blessednd, but for Tianyi, it was nothing he couldn’t create with a wave of his hand.


    Emperor Hall didn’t fight for thend either. The Immortal Embassy had the function of storing and releasing spiritual qi inside its halls. Although it couldn’t replenish the spiritual qi in the Impermanence Realm, Tianyi could resupply it infinitely all by his lonesome.


    After eight years, Tianyi’s immortal qi finally prated the bark and entered the outeryers of the trunk. Once inside, he actually sensed another person’s willpower. <em>‘I didn’t expect that someone really refined it and became its master.’</em>


    Tianyi narrowed his eyes. He summoned Su Bojing.


    “Young Master,” Su Bojing said as he appeared next to Tianyi.


    “I need you to capture everyone who entered the Bodhi Tree eight years ago and bring them to me,” Tianyi said.


    “At once,” Su Bojing said as he left to carry out Tianyi’s orders. Of course, he wouldn’t do it all by himself. If he had to do that, what use was Emperor Hall?


    After Emperor Hall revealed their strength eight years ago, it became an untouchable force in the eyes of many. Those who knew about it and were not attached to any forces tried many methods to join. Unfortunately, few seed. No one external knew what criteria Emperor Hall used to judge potential candidates. Anyone who joined and entered the scripture repository would be shocked and horrified. Although it was only the most external and lowest techniques, it was enough topare to the techniques of top forces and maybe even surpass them.


    Naturally, once they received word of the mission to capture the people who entered the Bodhi Tree appeared, the new members frantically searched for them. Not because they were particrly loyal to Emperor Hall, but for the rewards.


    They could learn powerful techniques that they never dreamed of, or trade for an artifact. For the current Impermanence Realm, which lost the art of artifact forging, artifacts became a raremodity few forces had. It was not impossible for a warrior with an artifact to fight above their level.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition.


    While the war between the immortal families and the forces of the continent had not subsided, a new round of chaos erupted.


    Mo Ling frowned. Thanks to his experience in the Bodhi Tree, he quickly broke through from the Soul Nourishing Realm to the World Merging Realm in record time, bing a venerable. Still, this did not make him happy because trouble soon followed.


    Someone began targeting the people who entered the Bodhi Tree eight years ago out of the blue. It was onlyter that he learned through the Thunderp Academy that the people behind the disappearances were Emperor Hall.


    Killing intent surged through Mo Ling’s body when he learned of this news, but he quickly suppressed it. He had learned what happened to the forces that opposed Emperor Hall during his time inside the Bodhi Tree. Naturally, he wouldn’t oppose them until he had enough strength.


    He didn’t think it was impossible for him to surpass Emperor Hall. After all, he had massive gains inside the Bodhi Tree. The Bodhi Seed all the forces went crazy for was chump changepared to what he got. Yes, he refined the Bodhi Tree and became its master. Even those immortals would be envious if they were to learn of it, right?


    In fact, not just immortals, but even divinities would be envious.


    “What’s wrong?” Mo Ling erased his frown and looked toward the woman at the doorway.


    “It’s bad. The imperial protectors from Emperor Hall are outside. It’s only a matter of time before they discover this ce,” Chou Nu said.


    The frown that disappeared reappeared again. “They haven’t given up?”


    “No. They are also threatening Peacock Valley. If they really attack, Sister Xuan will show herself. Although Sister Xuan has be a peak grandmaster, she can’t stop them forever,” Chou Nu said. Her words did not fluctuate, but Mo Ling still heard a trace of worry within them.


    “Shameless bastards,” Mo Ling forced through gritted teeth.


    Unfortunately, Mo Ling could not find a method to deal with Emperor Hall. Even though he had be a venerable, he didn’t think he could pull off the feats aplished by that mysterious expert of Emperor Hall. Even if that expert didn’t take action, there were too many grandmasters and venerables within Emperor Hall.


    If someone said that Emperor Hall possessed half of the Impermanence Realm’s venerables, Mo Ling would believe it.


    Still, since he was already on their radar, it wouldn’t hurt to collect some interest first. He nced toward Chou Nu. “Do you know if the imperial protectors are grandmasters or venerables?”


    “They shouldn’t be venerables,” Chou Nu said. “ording to my knowledge, only grandmasters are called imperial protectors. Venerables are called earth or sky venerables. From rumors, it seems the power difference between sky venerables and earth venerables is a world apart.”


    “In that case.” A harsh light shed across Mo Ling’s eyes. “Prepare to run. I’ll deal with those imperial protectors. You flee first, and I’ll catch up.”


    Chou Nu frowned. “No. There’s too many. You can’t deal with them alone.”


    Mo Ling smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m far stronger than them.”


    He walked forward and pushed a lock of hair behind her ears. “You should also change your name back. It’s much more beautiful than your current name.”


    Without waiting for her to answer, Mo Ling left, leaving behind a conflicted Chou Nu. She held her hand to her chest as two desires warred against each other in her mind.


    Mo Ling walked out of the cave he was hiding in and flew into the air. He did not take any action to conceal himself. Naturally, one of the imperial protectors found him.


    “Hihihi, are you ready to give up and turn yourself in? I waste so much time searching for you. I’m going to make you suffer before capturing you!”


    “What an annoyingugh,” Mo Ling said. He didn’t know why, but all the imperial protectors he met had the same irritatingughter. Still, he wouldn’t spare any words for a soon-to-be-dead-man.


    The air behind Mo Ling exploded, causing a sonic boom, as he shot toward the imperial protector.


    “You—!”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The imperial protector never had a chance to finish his words as Mo Ling exploded his head with a punch. The blood, chunks of flesh, and bits of bones did not stain his body thanks to the wind coating him. After killing his first imperial protector, Mo Ling set his sight on the rest of the imperial protectors.


    “STOP!”


    Mo Ling just killed the eighth grandmaster, and he felt danger from above. He shot to the side and avoided a spearhead. When the figure slowed down, he saw a middle-aged man in armor. “Venerable? Are you an earth or sky venerable?”


    The Emperor Hall venerable snorted. “If I was a sky venerable, how could you have dodged my strike?”


    “Since that’s the case, die!” Mo Ling attacked the earth venerable with his fist. His movements were as esoteric as the wind, constantly appearing at improbable angles.


    The earth venerable frowned and found himself in trouble. “Are you really Mo Ling? Even if you are a venerable, you should only be an early venerable, right?”


    Mo Ling said nothing. Using the chance that the earth venerable was talking, he discovered a hole in thetter’s defense andnded a punch on his chest. Instead of flesh, Mo Ling felt his hand hitting something hard.


    With a catastrophic boom, the earth venerable crashed into the ground and split thends. Momentster, the earth venerable returned to the sky. Aside from some dust, he appeared unharmed. “Howe you are so powerful? If it weren’t for this armor artifact I exchanged, I would have been seriously injured.”


    Mo Ling frowned. He had heard about the power of artifacts, but this was the first time he experienced their usefulness firsthand. “Trouble.”


    The earth venerable charged at Mo Ling again. Despite being knocked back several times by Mo Ling, he always stood up back without any injury. Mo Ling attempted to flee, but the earth venerable was faster than him. <em>‘If I dy any longer, reinforcements might arrive. I have no choice but to use my new move.’</em>


    He held his palms in front of his chest, as if he was cradling a ball. A vortex of wind gathered between his palms, but unlike before, there were ghastly screams. It could be because of the high wind speeds, but it could also be because of specters.


    The earth venerable felt a chill crawl up his spine when he heard the noise, but he still charged toward Mo Ling. In his eyes, Mo Ling couldn’t hurt him with his armor artifact.


    “Since you’re seeking death, I’ll grant it to you!” Mo Ling shouted when he saw the earth venerable’s actions. He released the technique, which the earth venerable ignored.


    To the earth venerable’s horror, the wind sphere phased through his spear and armor, directly entering his body. Strangely, he did not feel his flesh rupture. Instead, he howled as his soul suffered unimaginable punishment. The punishment didn’tst long as his eyes dulled and plummeted to the ground, dead.


    Mo Lingnded next to him. “It was much easier to kill him than expected. Is it because warriors don’t strengthen their souls like the spiritual or martial path?”


    He shook his head. It didn’t matter. As the winner, he imed the armor artifact from the earth venerable. After destroying his body, he flew away. While he was fighting the earth venerable, the imperial protectors had already fled. Soon, news of his ascension to the venerable level should reach the ears of Emperor Hall.


    When Mo Ling arrived at the safe house he agreed to meet Chou Nu at, he discovered that she was not present. After a few days of waiting, he was sure something had happened. After contacting Thunderp Academy and Peacock Valley, he learned that Xuan Queling had been kidnapped by Emperor Hall!