The revelation struck the group like a thunderclap. The nuo arts—the very path to immortality that countless cultivators pursued—had been a trap from the beginning, designed to turn practitioners into prey.
If anyone else had spoken such words, they might have dismissed it as madness. But these words came from a four-thousand-year-old nuo immortal. That lent them undeniable weight.
Bai Qiuzi, the dimpled woman who had hidden in her Inner Realm for millennia, paled. She turned to inspect her sanctuary with trembling hands. Her concealment had failed. The emergence of the Yunmeng Marsh must have damaged it during the dimensional collision.
"My master will sense this too," she whispered. "He could arrive at any moment."
She fixed the breach and urged everyone inside. Su Yan, Guo Xiaodie, Li Yingzhu, and Guo Yue followed her into the Inner Realm. What they found took their breath away—mountains of immortal jade, celestial rivers, three passes, and twelve towers stretching across a complete Xiyi Domain. Above it all, her Primordial Spirit waited upon the Spirit Bridge, poised for Ascension.
Most astonishing were the inverted cave heavens in the sky. Not just the nine Mud Pill caves, but nine Jade Pool caves and nine Crimson Palace caves as well. Bai Qiuzi had walked both paths—nuo and qi cultivator—simultaneously.
The ancient bell, hovering above Su Yan's head, hummed with confusion. "How does a cultivator from three thousand years ago know nuo arts?"
Su Yan shared the question. The fusion of nuo and qi cultivation had only become widespread recently, after Zhou Qiyun's tribulation.
Bai Qiuzi explained. "Nuo masters were originally cultivators. When theorthodox path of cultivation reached a dead end, some refused to change while others carved new paths within their bodies. The latter became known as nuo masters."
She recounted the ancient wars between purists and reformers. Then came the discovery of the trap hidden within nuo techniques. The First Emperor burned the false scriptures and executed those who spread them. But the damage was done. Many nuo immortals chose to hide in Inner Realms, only to be hunted and devoured one by one.
Bai Qiuzi had survived by concealing her realm upon a dragon-horse and riding it into the Yunmeng Marsh. Her so-called master—the one who had taught her nuo arts—had searched for her ever since but never found her.
Su Yan offered her three volumes of true methods for the Mud Pill, Crimson Palace, and Jade Pool secrets. She accepted them with tears in her eyes. In exchange, she promised to fetch the Bubbling Spring method from an old enemy.
"Wait for me at the mountain god temple on Mount Dongting," she said, mounting her dragon-horse. The beast galloped across the water and vanished into the darkness.
Li Yingzhu leaned against Su Yan, her voice dripping with playful malice. "Little Yan, those three methods—could you copy them for us?"
She whispered something in his ear that made his ears burn red. Guo Yue coughed loudly.
Su Yan steadied himself. "The Guo family has shown me nothing but kindness. Three methods are the least I can offer."
Li Yingzhu grinned, her sharp canine teeth flashing. "Tonight, I'll send Xiaodie to your bedchamber."
Su Yan's face turned crimson. He couldn't tell if she was joking or serious.
They waited through the night at the temple. At dawn, hoofbeats thundered outside. Bai Qiuzi stumbled in, covered in blood and wounds, and pressed a black scripture into Su Yan's hands.
"The Black Water Yellow Springs Scripture," she gasped. "Took more effort than I expected."
She waved farewell, mounted her steed, and rode into the fading darkness without another word.