“The forbidden zone in the west?” Zhong Zi looked at the clan elder walking towards him, a hint of confusion in his voice. “You took the souls to the forbidden zone west of the Divine Realm?”
The clan elder stroked his beard and nodded, looking at Bai Ran beside him. “Originally, I had no such intention. It was this clever young lady who came up with it.”
After Bai Ran woke up, she immediately contacted the clan elder with a communication jade pendant: ‘Now that the Divine Realm’s forbidden zone is unguarded, it is the best time to attack…’
“Elder, what exactly is in that forbidden zone in the west?” Jing Feng asked curiously.
However, upon hearing this, the clan elder sighed, a look of reluctance on his face.
“Thousands upon thousands of imprisoned members of the Wu clan…”
Members of the Wu clan! Everyone was startled. Jiang Ye exclaimed in disbelief, “But wasn’t the Wu clan annihilated? Why would they be in the Divine Realm’s forbidden zone?”
The clan elder’s eyes darkened. He glanced at Mo Ze beside him. “Perhaps the God Emperor who governs the forbidden zone should explain this.”
Everyone looked at Mo Ze. Mo Ze turned his head away, seemingly with no intention of explaining.
Just then, Lin Ze spoke up. “When the Ghost clan annihilated the Wu clan, all the Wu clan members left in their clan were killed. However, those Wu clan members who remained within the Divine Realm managed to survive the ordeal.”
After the annihilation, the surviving Wu clan members dared not leave the Divine Realm. Therefore, Mo Chengze arranged for them to stay within the western forbidden zone.
The Divine Realm protected them, and in return, they used their clan’s unique sorcery to serve the Divine Realm.
Jing Feng turned his head to look at the battlefield. “Then these celestial soldiers!”
Lin Ze nodded slowly. “These celestial soldiers are refined using the Wu clan’s unique sorcery, a technique called Living Puppets.”
Wu sorcery – Living Puppets. The blood of the Wu clan members was integrated into the puppets, which were then crafted using the Wu clan’s unique sorcery.
The Living Puppets, when made into human form, were indistinguishable from humans in appearance and could even bleed when injured. Their only deficiency was the lack of their own consciousness; they were empty shells without souls.
“So the Palace Master of the Jade Pool Palace’s ability is perfect for controlling the Living Puppets!” Zhuque exclaimed, finally understanding the whole story.
Lin Ze nodded. “Precisely. The Living Puppets refined by the Wu clan are inanimate objects, while the Palace Master of the Jade Pool Palace is a master of mental energy.”
“That bizarre grey spiritual energy is the product of the Palace Master of the Jade Pool Palace’s mental energy combined with the spiritual energy of the Wu clan members.”
As long as the two were not stopped, the Divine Realm’s forces would be inexhaustible.
“Then why do they automatically replenish their spiritual energy and heal their wounds?” Jiang Ye asked, the question already forming a suspicion in his mind.
“Could it be… another trick by the Wu clan?”
Lin Ze chuckled. “Indeed. Living Puppets were originally a method of combat employed by the Wu clan.”
The spiritual energy within the Living Puppets was linked to the Wu clan members who created them. Once the spiritual energy within a Living Puppet was depleted, the Wu clan controlling them would consume many pills to restore their spiritual energy.
This was also why Fu Zhu and Miao Yuan were frequently summoned to refine pills.
“So powerful…” Zhuque mused, finding the Wu clan’s ability incredibly unfair.
No wonder the Divine Realm’s forces had always been inexhaustible for thousands of years. How could anyone possibly fight against them?
“But if they are so powerful, why were they annihilated by the Ghost clan?” Jiang Ye asked Lin Ze, his gaze filled with confusion.
Lin Ze smiled faintly and turned to Bai Ran. “Compared to the endlessly consuming Living Puppets, the Ghost clan’s undying and unkillable living dead were like a mere trifle. Furthermore, it takes time for the Wu clan to create Living Puppets, and in that time, the Ghost clan could have annihilated them dozens of times over.”
Mo Ze stared at Lin Ze, his dark eyes narrowing. “How do you know all this so clearly?”
Lin Ze’s emerald eyes reflected Mo Ze’s image, and his voice softened. “My ability is mind-reading.”
Therefore, he knew exactly what Mo Ze was thinking at that very moment…
Beneath his furrowed brows, Mo Ze lowered his gaze, his pupils trembling slightly, as if brimming with unshed tears and a hint of imperceptible sadness.
As dawn broke, golden light bathed the land. On the horizon, the four moons slowly disappeared, replaced by a warm sun.
The war that determined the fate of the entire Nine Heavens had finally come to an end—
…
Three days later—
“Young lady, are you ready?” the clan elder asked Bai Ran with a serious tone.
“Yes.” Bai Ran nodded slowly, a complex array of formations drawn beneath her feet.
“Your strength has now reached the ninth stage of the Golden Immortal realm. Without external impetus, you may remain stagnant forever.”
With the release of the fifth seal, Bai Ran’s strength had soared from the fifth stage of the Profound Immortal realm to the ninth stage of the Golden Immortal realm. However, no matter how hard she tried, her cultivation could not advance further after reaching the ninth stage of the Golden Immortal realm.
She learned from the clan elder that to advance from the Golden Immortal realm to the Immortal Lord realm, external forces were needed to push her into the trial of the three Heavenly Laws.
Only by passing the trial could she successfully ascend; otherwise, her strength would remain forever stagnant.
“Upon entering the Immortal Lord realm, young lady, you will be able to cultivate the Clone Soul Condensation technique, resurrect your mother, and also suppress Mo Chengze and find a way to rescue your father.”
The transition from the Golden Immortal realm to the Immortal Lord realm was a watershed, and some even referred to the Immortal Lord realm as the ‘Realm of Gods.’
Passing the trial would allow her to save her parents… Bai Ran clenched her fists, her eyes filled with determination.
A radiant light erupted from within the house, causing those outside to hold their breath.
“The young master is about to enter the trial!”
“Don’t shout! If you shout, I’ll get nervous too!”
Several heads peeked out, only to find no one inside the room except the clan elder.
Jiang Ye blinked a few times, a little confused. “Where is the young master?”
“Naturally, she has entered the trial,” the clan elder replied, his gaze sweeping over their worried faces.
“Why are you all here? Where is that boy?”
Jing Feng and the others knew the clan elder was referring to the Venerable Lord. “The Venerable Lord is personally attending to all the preparations for the wedding and is too busy to be here.”
“A wedding? They’re getting married?”
At that moment, an angry voice rang out. Everyone’s bodies stiffened. Even without looking back, they knew it was Bai Ran’s master, Xuan Qinghong…
His brows were tightly furrowed. Since moving to the Nine Heavens, he had become increasingly watchful of his precious disciple.
Jing Feng and the others shrunk their necks, answering cautiously. “Yes… yes…”
After the Divine Realm was conquered, the Venerable Lord immediately began making arrangements for the wedding.
“My dear girl’s master, the two children love each other. We, ah, should not interfere,” the clan elder said with a light chuckle, patting Xuan Qinghong on the shoulder.
“Alas—” Xuan Qinghong sighed, his face filled with melancholy. “While that may be true, when it truly comes to this, I do feel a bit reluctant…”
It felt like a melon he had painstakingly grown had been stolen by some unknown rascal.