"Fan Wencheng? As expected, calamities last a thousand years. In this chaotic world, not only is he still alive, he's even defected to the alien races, eating human flesh, drinking human blood. Just to survive, he's willing to go that far—he's clearly lost all sense of moral boundaries. A man without any limits, who abandons human decency… such a person surviving now is already a curse, but in the future, he'll be a far greater disaster."
Yi Tianxing watched as the Child Emperor left, his gaze falling on the intelligence report, and he silently contemplated.
This Fan Wencheng wasn't as easy to deal with as he appeared on the surface.
The alien races themselves weren't frightening—but Fan Wencheng was a human, and not just any human: he was a notorious traitor who had helped the Manchus overthrow the Ming and subjugate the Han. No one would believe a man like that lacked cunning.
Destruction is always easier than creation.With his intelligence, if he devised malicious schemes for the alien races, he would become a tremendous threat.
"Well, there's still about two months before Zhao Ji gives birth—that's enough time for a round trip. Tianxie, you'll stay and guard the palace. This time, I'll leave the palace and meet this Fan Wencheng myself, see what tricks he has up his sleeve."
Yi Tianxing spoke calmly.
"Don't worry. With me in the palace, no one will notice a thing."
Yi Tianxie emerged from beneath Yi Tianxing like a shadow becoming real, taking his seat in the Heart of the Emperor Palace.
"I'll go myself. The technique I've been developing is nearly complete—it's time to begin cultivation. Soon, I'll make rapid progress. When you return, you'll find my strength no less than yours."
He had finally finished developing a technique perfectly suited to his unique physique—the Evil Shadow Undying Body.
This cultivation method was created specifically based on his body constitution, matching it in every aspect.
Once perfected, his cultivation could truly begin in earnest, and his strength would soar. No longer would he need to rely on his true body's power.
Even Yi Tianxie himself was deeply excited about this cultivation method.Yi Tianxing, upon a brief review, also realized that it might rival the supreme technique Heavenly Emperor Dragon Scripture.
This was the fruit of Yi Tianxie's lifetime of accumulation, combining prior inheritances, recently acquired techniques, volumes from the Sutra Pavilion, and even the incomplete Demonic Shadow Codex seized from the Shadow Demon Clan. Despite being a remnant, it still held immeasurable value.Combined with the Ten Thousand Evils Heaven Demon Scripture, his method was now near completion.
This greatly accelerated his progress.
Yi Tianxie waved his hand at Yi Tianxing, and Yi Tianxing's entire body blended into the shadows, vanishing eerily without a sound—leaving the palace undetected. This ensured that no one would learn about his external incarnation.
Outside Xuanhuang City, beneath a large tree, Yi Tianxing's body naturally reemerged from the shadows.
"The Shadow Escape Technique is truly profound. It allows travel within the shadow plane while still observing the external world. For assassinations and surprise attacks, it's unparalleled."
Yi Tianxing nodded in approval.
Experiencing shadow escape firsthand felt bizarre.
After surveying the surroundings, he waved his hand, opening a spatial gate, and stepped through it, disappearing from outside Xuanhuang City.The action was swift and left almost no trace—few knew that the real Yi Tianxing had left the royal palace.
For emperors of ordinary kingdoms, the royal palace is a lifelong cage.But for him, it was never a prison.
If he wished to leave, no one could stop him.
"That Faceless Mask—I gave it to Nannan. Otherwise, I could have used it now for some incognito travel and firsthand observation of the people's lives. I wonder how Nannan is doing. I did grant her a Heavenly Princess position—I hope that helps her cultivation."
He hadn't forgotten Nannan. But he didn't proclaim the title publicly—he only inscribed her name on the Investiture of the Gods List and granted her the rank of Princess to avoid unwanted attention.Still, the heavenly title and fate bestowed were genuine and powerful—only Nannan herself could feel its effects.
Even without the Faceless Mask, he could easily hide his identity.As a body cultivator, his control over his flesh was masterful—he could easily manipulate his facial muscles to change appearance. While this wasn't a change of bone structure, a keen observer might still detect minor flaws.
With a thought, his facial muscles began to shift and ripple.In mere moments, his face had transformed—previously unremarkable, it now became utterly average and forgettable, the kind of face you'd instantly lose in a crowd.
Utterly ordinary.
His luxurious dragon-robe also changed into a plain black long robe.Walking among commoners, he now exuded no particular presence.He even suppressed his imperial aura, replacing it with a calm, natural demeanor.
His years of practicing Tai Chi had given him a serene air that instinctively put others at ease.
He walked calmly through the wilderness, heading into the distance…
Meanwhile...
At the border of the Great Yi Dynasty—
The Gold-Silver City was being pushed forward by the Mountain-Driving Whip, slowly crossing the eastern frontier past the last border city, Ironbone City.There was no pause, just a distant exchange between the two cities.
The citizens of both immortal cities could see each other from afar—two rivers of human beings—and both sides noticed the presence of the Vermilion Bird Legion marching beside the city.
The disciplined army maintained a steady pace, always trailing behind.
"Father, this is intelligence from the royal city."
Yang Yanping handed a report to Yang Ye.
Yang Ye studied it, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Something wrong with the intel, Father?" Yang Yanping asked.
"This was gathered from the surrounding wilderness. According to it, many nearby tribes are stirring. Looks like this expansion won't go smoothly. The alien races will definitely interfere and attempt to block our progress."
He handed the report to Wu Yong, his expression solemn.
"Indeed," Wu Yong agreed. "The alien tribes won't easily let us settle in their lands. The moment our immortal cities step beyond the borders of Great Yi, we become targets—spied on, resisted, perhaps attacked. They won't stand idly by while we root ourselves in the wilderness and suppress everything within a thousand miles."
"Open conflict is unlikely—based on our last war with the orc alliance, they know they can't match us head-on. The most probable strategy now is subterfuge—ambushes, traps, poison. In the wild, it's all too easy."
"I suggest full vigilance from now on. Be ready for anything. No one knows what kind of sinister tricks they'll play. If something unusual happens, report it immediately."
"Of course, there's no need to be overly anxious. We have Brother Jiang leading the way with the city. Many dangers can be crushed under the immortal city's advance. Ordinary traps are useless. But if we do encounter a problem, it'll likely be a serious one."
Wu Yong was determined to prove himself during this campaign.
In Great Yi, merit rises, incompetence falls. That was iron law.
In this early founding stage, talent was scarce—but later, competition would grow fierce. Those who couldn't prove their worth would naturally be eliminated.
Wu Yong was well aware that, in strategy, he couldn't match Jia Xu. But he had been studying at the Immortal Academy, strengthening his foundation.
A calm demeanor had taken root in him.
A good strategist must remain composed—unshaken even in the face of disaster.
RUMBLE!!
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble violently—not from Jiang Ni's use of earth magic, but from a true, seismic upheaval.
"What's going on? Scouts, investigate at once!"
Yang Yanping barked orders, and the scouts galloped off on their Scorpio Horses, fast and agile.
They quickly returned.
"Report! A massive rift has appeared ahead—wide and deep, stretching for dozens of meters. The path is completely cut off!"
"This is no coincidence," Wu Yong said grimly. "Why now, of all times? A crack like this suddenly appearing—it's a deliberate move, a clear warning."
This rift wasn't random—it was placed directly in their path, blocking the immortal city's advance.
It was bold interference—a challenge.
Wu Yong felt it like a silent provocation, an unspoken declaration of war.
Oddly, it filled him with a kind of thrill.
"Let's go. We'll ask Chief Jiang whether this crack will hinder the city's movement."
Yang Ye's face was somber. Just barely out of Great Yi's territory, and already met with resistance—a fire of rage kindled in his heart.
"It's just a crack," Jiang Ni scoffed. "Do they really think that can stop my immortal city?"
CRACK!
He lashed the ground again with the Mountain-Driving Whip.
The earth responded with powerful ripples—faster, denser, fiercer than any tide—surging toward the massive rift ahead.