Su Yan's scalp prickled. Seventeen Nuo Immortals, hiding in their personal paradises, hoping to become earthly immortals. Not one survived.
Was the Nuo path even worth walking?
"I examined their bodies," Zhou Qiyun said, inspecting the husk of Chen Mianzhu. "Most were like this—empty skin. A few were more intact. Missing pieces. Those who cultivated the Mud Pill Secret had no brain. Those who cultivated the Crimson Palace had no heart. Some lost their feet, their heads."
Su Yan and Yuan Qi shuddered.
The killer was their own teacher—the one who'd passed down their techniques. But Zhou Qiyun's description made it sound worse. They were livestock. A picky gourmet chose the tastiest cuts.
"Some texts say ascension is like a cicada shedding its shell," Yuan Qi offered. "The body is just baggage. Maybe these husks mean they ascended?"
Zhou Qiyun raised an eyebrow. "You've read widely."
Yuan Qi puffed up. "The Niu family has an excellent library. I've read my share." His face fell. Now that library was underwater, three generations of scholarship lost.
"Or the 'winged ascension'—becoming butterflies," Zhou Qiyun continued. "I've studied these so-called ascended remains. They were eaten. Nothing more."
"What about tribulation-fire ascension? The body burns to ash, but the true soul ascends to the immortal realm."
Zhou Qiyun studied him. "You know of weapon-release ascension?"
Yuan Qi nodded. "Killed Nuo Immortals placed in coffins. When opened, no body—only clothes and nails. A trick to avoid shocking the world."
"What if it's all lies?" Zhou Qiyun asked. "What if they were simply eaten down to their clothes and nails?"
Yuan Qi's face darkened. "Books lie?"
"Depends who wrote them. If I wrote them, I'd expose the blood-soaked truth and spare future generations!"
He dropped the husk and strode out. "Their teachers are the real monsters! These old dogs don't pass down traditions—they harvest crops!" He laughed coldly. "They treat the world's heroes like leeks, cutting batch after batch. But I refuse to be their leek. I rebel!"
Outside the temple, a sea of people stretched to the horizon. Powerful auras rippled behind them, bright grotto-heavens twisting through chaotic seas, siphoning energy. Their radiance eclipsed the sun itself.
"The Zhou family has more experts than stars," Su Yan breathed.
Zhou Qiyun stood at the temple gate, voice rolling across the mountains. "Zhou disciples and students—hear me. Tear down every door, every roof, every coffin nail. Strip this Inner-Realm Subtle Transformation bare!"
The army scattered, dismantling everything. Even the White-Robed Nuo Immortal's Inner Realm was refined into strange vessels. The flesh on the five peaks was carved into chunks and cultivated. Fossilized gods were hoisted away.
They'd done this before. Many times.
"Senior Zhou," Su Yan asked. "In eighty-six years, did you find any survivors?"
Zhou Qiyun paused. "Seventeen dead. Some Inner Realms were empty—no corpse, no ash. I can't say if they escaped, but the odds are poor."
Su Yan understood. Those who entered Inner-Realm Subtle Transformation were near death anyway. Even if they saw the trap, they'd die soon after.
"I searched the five sacred peaks and three divine mountains," Zhou Qiyun said. "The dead Nuo Immortals weren't worthless. Some had sensed the flaw. They sought answers in older cultivation systems. I found yao techniques in their remains."
Yuan Qi held his tongue. No point revealing his theories about yao precursors to a human.
"Those yao techniques are actually ancient cultivator methods," Su Yan said. "Lost to time, adopted by yao. Their research helped you?"
"Their failures were instructive." Zhou Qiyun smiled. "You think I came to Yongzhou's New Territory to find you? To help me decipher ancient cultivator texts?"
Su Yan's eyes glinted. "Your trap is already solved. Otherwise you wouldn't have dared break through to the ninth layer a hundred and seventy years ago."
Zhou Qiyun laughed, full of conviction. "I came for three things. First, and smallest—I will kill the Mud Pill Palace patriarch and end this threat. He spared me once because I was guarding against another enemy. Next time, he dies."
"Second?"
"I will visit the underworld court and negotiate with the Underworld Emperor. No knives in my back while I fight."
Su Yan gaped. Was Zhou Qiyun already as strong as a sovereign?
"The third matter is the most important. The first two merely pave the way." Zhou Qiyun smiled. "After I kill the patriarch, I'll tell you. For now, stay with me and help decipher the Tuo Scripture."
"The what?"
"A celestial text from an ancient grotto-heaven at Mount Dujiao. The grotto's mistress was called Tuo, so we call it Tuo's Immortal Scripture. Many Zhou prodigies have worked on it. You have the talent. The Zhou family will reward you well."
Su Yan's eye twitched. "I killed Zhou Yang and Zhou Yihang. Your family might hold grudges."
"They won't dare go too far."
"You misunderstand." Su Yan's voice was calm. "I mean I'll fight back."
Zhou Qiyun laughed. "A man who slays gods fears nothing. Fight back all you like."
They emerged from the hidden realm into Shuikou Temple. Two figures waited inside—a handsome youth in white and pale blue, and an old servant in gray-green. Veyon and Elder Xiao.
They'd come to rescue Su Yan from Zhou Yupo but lost her trail. Then Zhou Qiyun tore open the temple's disguise, revealing the five peaks, and they'd rushed over.
Veyon's gaze settled on Zhou Qiyun, then Su Yan.
Su Yan strode forward, laughing. "Veyon! Long time no see!" He grasped Veyon's hand and squeezed, shooting him a silent warning. "Senior Zhou, this is my old friend from Lingling. Veyon, this is Senior Zhou—a pillar of the Zhou family."
He squeezed again, marveling at how soft Veyon's hand was. Smooth as silk. City boys had such fine skin.
Elder Xiao stared, barely controlling his fury.
"Veyon, if you're busy, don't let us keep you," Su Yan said.
Veyon withdrew his hand calmly. "Since you're occupied, I'll take my leave."
As they turned, Zhou Qiyun spoke. "Your family name is Yuan? Yuan Wuji of your clan wasn't bad. He lost to me by one move."
Veyon froze. Elder Xiao's face changed. Yuan Wuji was the Yuan patriarch—a living myth.
"This deciphering requires extraordinary talent," Zhou Qiyun commanded. "Your Yuan family breeds geniuses. You stay."
Elder Xiao started to protest, but Veyon stopped him. "How could I refuse?"
He stood beside Su Yan, silent and detached.
Yuan Qi nudged Su Yan. "Why do you keep sniffing your hand?"
Su Yan whispered, "Strange. After shaking Veyon's hand, my fingers smell like flowers. Here, smell."
Yuan Qi sniffed and wrinkled his nose. "City boys and their perfume."