The traitor referred to by the leader of the Witch Deity Teaching was none other than Wu Shijiu of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty.
This apostate, the first to successfully defect from the Witch Deity Teaching in thousands of years, has had a relentless pursuit mounted against him, uninterrupted even when the most powerful entity of the Nine Realms of Spirit personally chased and knocked him into a spatial rift, knowing full well his chances of survival were slim.
Yet, until it was decisively confirmed that Wu Shijiu was indeed dead, not a single sign of their relentless tracking operations halted.
And as prophesied by the Leader of the Witch Deity Teaching, the traitor did not die after all, and by an uncanny coincidence had found his way into the Ancestral Land.
The young man in the sacrificial robe stood there respectfully without saying a word, awaiting the leader's orders.
The position of the Leader of the Witch Deity Teaching within its ranks could not be ignored. Unlike other top powers, the Leader himself was the most powerful entity of the Nine Realms of Spirit, possessing immense strength. Even the many revered elders would not easily contradict his decisions.
"Is there any news about this traitor? Is he alone or…?" The voice of the leader of the Witch Deity Teaching roused the young man in the sacrificial robe.
Respectfully, the young man answered, "According to the information sent back, the traitor seemed to emerge when the National Master of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty and the Canglang Palace took action. He appears to be well-acquainted with the National Master's disciple and their relationship appears to be close."
In the past, the young man in the sacrificial robe would refer to Pei Xuanjing by name, showing no particular reverence. However, now that Pei Xuanjing had demonstrated his strength, respect for him naturally followed. It was a dignity afforded to the powerful and could not be casually slighted.
The Leader of the Witch Deity Teaching naturally noticed the attitude in his subordinate's words and saw nothing wrong with it. That was to be expected.
It was still unknown whether they were friends or foes with Pei Xuanjing. Even so, ordinary cultivators should pay proper respect to a formidable entity that was teetering at the brink of surpassing them.
While other powers might consider their enemies unworthy of respect, the Witch Deity Teaching, a lineage handed down since the ancient times, subscribed to rules and etiquette very different from the many present-day seats of power. After all, in ancient times, although there might have been conflicts among different clans and tribes, powerful entities protected the human race and thus deserved respect. This rule persisted to the present day.
"It seems that the traitor has colluded with the Divine Dynasty and this Pei National Master," murmured the Leader of the Witch Deity Teaching to himself, a flash of ruthlessness appearing in his eyes. "Upon receiving all the information you could lay your hands on, did you plan to rely on the power of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty to resist the Witch Deity Teaching? You're too arrogant."
Even with the limited intelligence that Wu Shijiu surfaced alongside the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, he could almost guess Wu Shijiu's intentions.
However, the leader of the Witch Deity Teaching had no reservations. Wu Shijiu's defection from the Witch Deity Teaching was not as sensational as Wu Shijiu had imagined; the information and assets he stole might seem precious and important to him, but they meant little to the leader.
In the initial pursuit, compared to the intelligence and items in question, what mattered more was that Wu Shijiu had violated the rules of the Witch Deity Teaching and set a precedent. That was the real issue.
"You are too arrogant to understand the core secret of the Witch Deity Teaching without reaching the ninth realm of Spirit Realm," sneered the leader of the Witch Deity Teaching, mocking Wu Shijiu.
Although Wu Shijiu held a high rank within the teaching and was exposed to many secrets in consideration of his potential to break through to the Spirit Realm's ninth layer, he was never part of the core.
"Dispatch someone to go to the Great Ming Divine Dynasty to face this traitor and ask if he's aware of his crime. Then, pay a visit to the Pei National Master," the leader of the Witch Deity Teaching instructed the young man in the sacrificial robe.
He could not return to the Ancestral Land just yet and had to survey the situation first to gauge Pei National Master's reaction and attitude.
"Yes, Master," the young man in the sacrificial robe responded and left to carry out the orders.
After his subordinate left, the Witch Deity Teaching's Master turned and his gaze lingered over the sacrificial altar. His mind seemed to wander, as if he was reminiscing about something. In a voice just above a whisper, he began to murmur something in a label that wasn't used in the Sky Wasteland. Instead, it was an old and mysterious language used in witch rituals to communicate the special prayers recited to Heaven and Earth.
...
At the capital of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, in the Daming World, Wu Shijiu was discussing something with the Jiajing Emperor, oblivious to everything happening in the Sky Wasteland.
However, Wu Shijiu was well prepared for this. Regardless of the Witch Deity Teaching's reaction or next move, it would still be within his expectations.
"With the National Master here, the Great Ming Divine Dynasty should have no worries," Wu Shijiu told Zhu Houjiu.
After witnessing Pei Xuanjing's actions, especially the manifestation of the Heavenly Divine Position with a single command, which slew the incarnation of the Taixu Venerable, the extent of Pei Xuanjing's power was undeniable.
If Pei Xuanjing were to personally take action and gain deeper endorsement from the Heavenly Divine Position, as long as he could obtain more divine endorsement and the Power of Faith, he would be able, in Wu Shijiu's opinion, to hold his ground against the most powerful entity in the Nine Realms of Spirit.
That was enough; as a new era dawned, when Pei Xuanjing possessed power that threatened them, these individuals, without sufficient incentives, would not oppose Pei Xuanjing to the death.
"So our adversary is this Taixu Sect?" Zhu Houjiu asked Wu Shijiu.
After listening to Wu Shijiu's analysis, he understood that as long as they could suppress the Taixu Sect or at least keep them in check, they would effectively deter every other party.
The Great Ming Divine Dynasty is currently perceived as being tied to Pei Xuanjing. Regardless of their actual views, in the eyes of outsiders, Pei Xuanjing is the National Master of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty and the primary force driving the Great Ming Empire's ascension to Divinity. They are then considered a union.
Thus, if Pei Xuanjing were to lose, it would imply that the Great Ming Divine Dynasty was also without a fallback. Hence, they must assist Pei Xuanjing this time, which in turn would be beneficial to the Great Ming Divine Dynasty.
"Indeed, as long as we can confront the Taixu Sect and not end up at a disadvantage, we need not fear anyone else," Wu Shijiu affirmed.
Neither man mentioned the Canglang Palace, not for forgetting, but because even as a master among top-tier powers, the Palace paled in contrast to the Taixu Sect.
Besides, Pei Xuanjing's recent actions were a clear display of his mighty strength, and their primary concern at the moment was not they, but the Canglang Palace.
That's right, just as Wu Shijiu and Zhu Houji had thought, the ones they need to worry about are not themselves, but the people from Canglang Palace.
"Worthless, all of you are worthless." The Palace Master of Canglang Palace sat in his high seat, looking down at the people below and barking angrily.
As a powerhouse in the Spirit Realm Eightfold, when he was angry, even the unintentional release of his aura was enough to terrify people. The cultivators from Canglang Palace standing below, were fearful and dared not utter a word.
The master of Canglang Palace sat grim-faced, looking at the frightened crowd below, and wondering where to vent his anger.
He never thought that his careful plot, including inviting the Third Supreme Elder back to the ancestral land to prepare for the upcoming Great World, was for securing a favorable position in advance, but now everything was ruined.
The cause of all this was because one disciple from his family, who was merely in the Spirit Realm five-fold, provoked a disciple of Pei Xuanjing. This sparked a series of conflicts that culminated in the Third Supreme Elder of Canglang Palace, himself an Eightfold Spirit Realm powerhouse, being slain and many cultivators self-destructing.
From the perspective of the Palace Master of Canglang, this was ridiculously absurd, but it was a fact and there was no remedy for it.
"Do you all not care about your connection to the ancestral land?" The Palace Master of Canglang Palace asked coldly, his eyes filled with dissatisfaction.
This time, not only was the base of Canglang Palace in the ancestral land destroyed and many cultivator powerhouses fell, but even the news was sent back by the Sky Mechanism Pavilion. It was a ridicule, a great lose of face for him and for the entire Canglang Palace.
"We've failed in our duties, please punish us, palace master!"
The people hurriedly apologized.
Looking at the people in front of him, and their appearances, made the Palace Master of Canglang Palace even angrier and more dissatisfied.
What he needed were people who could share his worries, not a bunch of trash that only knew how to apologize and admit their mistakes when problems arose.
Did it mean that all the people Canglang Palace had nurtured over the years were incompetent subordinates? Just a group of tools that could only take orders and apologize for their mistakes?
"All of you, leave." Suddenly feeling somewhat helpless, the Palace Master of the Canglang Palace waved his hand to dismiss the people.
He didn't want to get angry at these people anymore. He was so disappointed that he suddenly felt it was meaningless to be angry with them.
But these people didn't realize that they had lost the trust and expectations of the palace master in a short time. When they heard that the Palace Master of Canglang Palace had dismissed them, they breathed a sigh of relief as if granted a great pardon, and quickly left.
"Sigh!"
Within the spacious and grand hall, the Palace Master of Canglang Palace sat alone and sighed softly.
"How do you plan to deal with this matter!" A deep voice echoed in the hall.
"Master!" Hearing this voice, the Palace Master of Canglang Palace looked up. An middle-aged man had appeared in the hall at some point. The voice just now was his.
He was the Palace Master's master, and also the Grand Supreme Elder of Canglang Palace. The man who, according to legend, had never been defeated even when confronting those at the Nine Realms of Spirit. His existence was what made Canglang Palace emerge from many first-class powers and become a dominant force.
However, this Grand Supreme Elder had been in seclusion for a while now, exploring and searching for an opportunity to step into the Nine Realms of Spirit, so he didn't have time to manage these things.
Therefore, it was quite surprising for the Palace Master of Canglang Palace to see his master come out of seclusion.
"Master, were you not in closed-door cultivation? Did you make any gains when you came out this time?" As he spoke, there was a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"I've made some progress in this period of seclusion, but reaching the Nine Realms of Spirit is extremely difficult. It's not as simple as just making a breakthrough." The Grand Supreme Elder shook his head ruefully.
The Nine Realms of Spirit were a step heavenward. The reason it was called the utmost powerhouse was because it was the pinnacle of power in many people's eyes. They held invincible in the world. The only beings that could supposedly defeat them were the mythical Fairy Gods.
He had been wandering in the Spirit Realm Eightfold for thousands of years. Even though he had many times felt as if he had glimpsed the secrets of the next level, he never managed to take that step and was always stopped at the door.
This step was so difficult that it had blocked countless cultivators throughout history. Many geniuses and heroes were only able to turn back regretfully when faced with this insurmountable gap, eventually turning into dust.
Shaking his head, the Grand Supreme Elder cast away his loneliness and looked at the Palace Master, asking, "How do you plan to deal with the situation regarding the ancestral land?"
When he first came out of seclusion, he just wanted to relax his mind, adjust his condition, and continue to close himself off from the world to comprehend the way of heaven, looking for an opportunity to step into the Nine Realms of Spirit.
However, upon hearing the news just as he came out of his seclusion, he changed his plan and wanted to ask about it.
"Master, I believe that this incident was no accident. A common disciple would never have the audacity to provoke the other side. Someone must have been stirring up trouble. There must be a puppet master behind this affair." The Palace Master of Canglang Palace replied with a frown.
He had a clear understanding of the circumstances of this matter. According to his understanding and the news he received from the Sky Mechanism Pavilion, although there was no concrete evidence yet, he was certain that someone was stirring up troubles from behind the scenes.
Canglang Palace, as a dominant force, holds many benefits, naturally making it the targets of envy and clashes with other forces. They also had many enemies.
This time, his early preparations in the ancestral land put him ahead of his competitors. Therefore, there must have been some who were displeased and stirred up trouble, trying to drag them into the water.
"Let's not discuss this for now, and it's also meaningless to discuss it right now. We'll handle it later. The pressing matter now is how to deal with this incident, or more accurately, how to deal with Pei Xuanjing." The Grand Supreme Elder shook his head without delving into the matter, instead asking about his plans.
The people behind the scenes seemed to have done a crude job on this matter, deliberately leaving many traces behind. It was probably easy for people to notice that there was manipulation from behind the scenes. Perhaps the puppet master planned it this way and didn't intend to deliberately conceal anything, forcing Canglang Palace to take action.
But no matter what, the matter had now reached this point. They had already clashed with Pei Xuanjing and borne a deep grudge against him, paying a heavy price in the process. Thus, the other matters could be temporarily suppressed and the top priority now was to resolve the issue at hand.
The strength that Pei Xuanjing demonstrated currently shocked countless people. He could suppress the incarnation of the Taixu Venerable with just one of his incarnations. Such a feat was terrifying in the eyes of the Grand Supreme Elder. Even though he himself had an unbeaten record against the strongest of the Nine Realms of Spirit, he was not sure if he could achieve the same.
The strongest in the Nine Realms of Spirit is invincible among humans, only those who have truly engaged with him know how terrifying such a powerhouse is, so strong as to leave people breathless.
It is an honor, the Great Elder once fought against such a powerhouse, so he knows clearly how terrifying such a powerhouse is, and he deeply realizes how powerful Pei Xuanjing, who can achieve such a state, is.
Moreover, stepping back, such a battle achievement, even if he could achieve it, would have to be him going all out, completely revealing all his cards without reservation. Compared with Pei Xuanjing, who suppressed the Taixu Venerable's incarnation only by using his own, is simply incomparable.
At this moment, Pei Xuanjing is enigmatic in the eyes of all powerhouses. If someone's incarnation has such terrifying strength, how strong would the real body be, and is it really qualified to confront the strong ones in the Nine Realms of Spirit?
This has never happened before, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. It should be known that the strength of any incarnation divine ability, even the top one, has a huge gap compared to the real body. It can't compare with the strength of the real body, which means Pei Xuanjing's true body is even more terrifying.
Moreover, Pei Xuanjing has already broken the rules of the world that have been in place for thousands of years, stepping into the Spirit Realm Eightfold at less than a hundred years old, which can be said to be unprecedented.
Even if the strongest in Nine Realms of Spirit is invincible, no one dares to underestimate such a mysterious and terrifying figure.
For the Great Elder, he was full of trepidation towards the mysterious Pei Xuanjing. Judging from his current strength, he did not think he was really sure he could kill him.
The most ridiculous thing is that this formidable character's veil was lifted by them, and they, the Canglang Palace, took the initiative to provoke him.
They have to face such a terrifying enemy.
"I am prepared to go to the Taixu Sect in person to visit the Taixu Venerable," the Master of Canglang Palace revealed his thoughts.
As the ruler of a major power and the master of the Sky Wasteland, the Master of Canglang Palace is naturally not a man of no ability. After this incident, he naturally made a decision, knowing how many choices there are currently and which one is the most suitable.
The first, and worst way is to face such a powerhouse, at worst it would be to give up all face, temporarily bear the humiliation and reconcile with him.
But this is the way that the Master of Canglang Palace can't accept and can't do the most.
Canglang Palace has enemies, and their overbearing style has made a lot of enemies. Like Pei Xuanjing, he knows that if he gives in and admits defeat, countless people will seize the opportunity to divide and pressure him.
So, the same situation exists in Canglang Palace. If they back down, those enemies will inevitably seize this opportunity to pressure them.
And if they step back like this, it would be so unfair to the Third Supreme Elder and other cultivators, where would they put them?
Therefore, this choice is ruled out first.
The next choice is to go directly to Pei Xuanjing for revenge, doing everything in their power to strike, unite the many powerhouses of Canglang Palace to fight against him to the death.
This decision seems very resolute, but it is of no benefit to Canglang Palace, it's reckless. Let's not mention whether they can kill him together, even if they succeed in killing him, they will probably suffer a great loss. Once Canglang Palace weakens, they will inevitably be looted.
Therefore, the Master of Canglang Palace has only one choice: to unite with the Taixu Sect, to take revenge with the help of the Taixu Venerable's power.
This time, not only did they lose face and suffer loss, but so did the Taixu Venerable. And because he lost in the confrontation with his incarnation, this tarnished reputation is actually greater than theirs. Under such a contrast, it actually makes them feel not so ashamed.
After all, even the Taixu Venerable, the strongest in the Nine Realms of Spirit, fell in the ancestral land, it is not strange that they lost to Pei Xuanjing.
Originally, Canglang Palace had some relationship with the Taixu Venerable. Now with this common enemy, it can be considered as sharing the same hatred. Maybe this will make their relationship even better.
The Taixu Sect may be a top-ranked power, but after all, it has only one strongest in the Nine Realms of Spirit. If they can unite with Canglang Palace, it would be adding wings to a tiger, beneficial for both.
They can also use the power of the Taixu Sect to take revenge, and obtain more benefits in the next Great World.
As for whether they will be swallowed by the Taixu Sect in the future, this may be possible. But if their master can break through to the Nine Realms of Spirit and rise to the strongest, then naturally they don't need to worry about these things.
At this point, the Master of Canglang Palace is taking a gamble, but he has no other choice.
"If that's the case, you go and visit the Taixu Venerable in person!" The Great Elder nodded in satisfaction.
It seems that his disciple did not lose his sense because of anger. The current decision is the best choice. It's good for both sides.
Next, unexpectedly, all the forces were waiting for the response of Canglang Palace, but found that Canglang Palace was unusually calm, as if nothing had happened at all.
However, a few days later, when the Master of Canglang Palace quietly left Canglang Palace to go to the Taixu Sect, it was still noticed by some interested parties.
...
In the Taoist Academy, Pei Xuanjing sat on top of the mountain.
This is a cultivation place that Pei Xuanjing created in the Taoist Academy. It was arranged by modifying the formations he got from those in the Sky Wasteland, drawing in countless Heaven and Earth Essence Qi.
Since Pei Xuanjing killed those people at the Canglang Palace base, he handed over all the things to Qingyang Zi, and then shut himself in this place for cultivation all by himself.
For months, sunrise and sunset, clouds floating and fading, Pei Xuanjing never left here for half a step, even sitting here without ever getting up.
On the cloud platform where he sits, the endless Heaven and Earth Essence Qi converges around him, causing the concentration of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi within the entire Taoist Academy to increase several times, even more than a dozen times.
Pei Xuanjing's Taoist Foundation was also projected out, and the surrounding Heaven and Earth Essence Qi was invaded by the Shenxiao Origin Qi in his body. The six colors of cyan, red, yellow, white, black, and purple each occupied different Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, circulating around him.
These different colored Heaven and Earth essence Qi are constantly chasing and merging, splitting and dissipating, never stopping in their flow, containing infinite principles of Heaven and Earth, explaining Pei Xuanjing's understanding of cultivation. If anyone could carefully perceive it, it would be of great help to their cultivation.
In the center of this six-colored flow of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, above Pei Xuanjing's head, is the projection of his true Taoist Foundation, a mysterious portrait of the changing seasons, including the Five Directions.