At the edge of the Azure Cloud region, bordering the Endless Forest, there was a tall mountain. Beneath it lay a city where cultivators resided. There was also a tall tower, and at its center, even in broad daylight, sat a giant gemstone. It was clearly a supreme-grade Spirit Weapon, something that experts would fight over, yet it was guarded by only a single Qi Refining cultivator.
Especially at the very top of this tower, reaching into the clouds, a formation was embedded within.
At this moment, Yu Xian, the former Pavilion Master of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, stood facing the wind. The kind-faced elder's white robes billowed, his pale hair whipped back by the strong wind. He appeared even older than before, yet his figure was incredibly imposing.
"Whoosh!"
In a flash, a figure appeared beside Yu Xian.
It was Li Yaowen!
But this time, she wasn't in her wheelchair. Instead, she stood, shoulder to shoulder with Yu Xian.
The two of them stood at the highest point in the Azure Cloud region, gazing at the scenery in the distance. There were lush green forests, stretching endlessly. No one knew what secrets were hidden within those forests.
And beyond the Endless Forest lay the entirety of Azure Cloud region.
Cities, one after another, represented the prosperity and glory of the Azure Cloud region.
But from this high vantage point, everything in the Azure Cloud region seemed so small and fragile, as if they could easily crush it all within their grasp.
They remained silent for a long time.
Li Wei, in front of the screen, was also speechless for a long while. He took a deep breath and quietly watched the beautiful scenery of the Azure Cloud region along with Li Yaowen and that fellow Yu Xian.
After an unknown amount of time, Yu Xian stretched out his hand, as if trying to grasp the wind of Azure Cloud region. His aged voice rang out, filled with pride.
"Across from Azure Cloud region lies the Endless Forest," he began, "where the Wu Clan resides. They are close to nature and practice unorthodox methods."
"One hundred and thirty thousand years ago, at the beginning of the dynasty's turmoil, the Wu Clan emerged with their demonic beasts, attempting to seize our pure land of Azure Cloud region Only the Azure Cloud Pavilion remained to protect everyone."
He then pointed to another location. "Lord of Dawn," he said, "look over there. That was once also territory of our dynasty, a city."
Li Yaowen looked over.
That place... was now covered in forests.
She couldn't help but wonder how prosperous that city must have been back then. It likely had various sects and clans, and perhaps... a family like the Li family.
Li Yaowen shook her head. "The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's compass," she asked, "did you tamper with it?"
Li Wei's fingers tapped on the desk in front of the screen.
Over the years, the Li family had always been planning and scheming. Back then, he and Li Yaowen hadn't thought so far ahead. They simply wanted the Li family's descendants to return home, to their ancestral land, to live a peaceful life, and for the Li family to become invincible in the Azure Cloud region.
All along, this was also Li Yaowen's plan. But gradually, they realized that there was a hand in the gloomy sky, suffocating the Li family.
And that person wasn't the entire Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, but one individual within it—Yu Xian!
This fellow had multiple identities. He had once released Li Tianming, even leading the Li family to believe that he was a reasonable and understanding man.
"Indeed."
Yu Xian gave a wry smile. "This was the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's method," he admitted. "They had me find Huang Xiujin, obtain your Li family's belongings, and use the Destiny Compass to track your whereabouts."
"This way, your Li family would have nowhere to hide."
"The ultimate goal was for the Li family, the Skyveil Sect, Black Tortoise Sect, and even the Jun Prince's Mansion to fight to the death with the nine major forces."
"This is what the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion desired, not what I wanted."
"But I never expected..."
"...that your Li family would be so well-prepared. The twenty-three remnant souls of the Azure Cloud Pavilion's ancestors, even I, who was once the Pavilion Master, didn't know about their existence. It seems my actions were unnecessary."
Li Yaowen furrowed her brow. "Thank you," she said.
In truth, she felt conflicted. All this time, the Li family had been searching for the forces secretly targeting them.
Now that she had finally found them, she discovered that Yu Xian was both targeting and helping the Li family. This contradiction made her unsure of how to proceed...
After all, she didn't want to kill someone who was already nearing the end of their life.
"Actually, in Azure Cloud region, there were originally only two chess players: the Jun Prince's Mansion and the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion."
"The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's goal is simple: they just want to destroy Azure Cloud region. Lord Feng Qingyang... he's a monster. To gain complete control of Azure Cloud region for the Jun Prince's Mansion, he would do anything."
Hearing this, both Li Yaowen and Li Wei nodded.
Through their investigations over the years, they had already discovered this.
The true answer lay with the Wu Clan in the Endless Forest.
Feng Qingyang was waiting for chaos to engulf the Azure Cloud region, waiting for the various factions to fight to the death!
This way, the Wu Clan would undoubtedly gather their experts and, taking advantage of the deaths of Azure Cloud region's cultivators, recreate the calamity of one hundred and thirty thousand years ago.
Those who survived would become the future rulers of the Azure Cloud region!
When Li Wei first heard this news, he couldn't believe it.
Later, he understood. Feng Qingyang was only a little over seven hundred years old. He could even potentially break through to the next stage after taking control of the Azure Cloud region.
"That day, when your Li family built the 'Tower' outside the Azure Cloud Pavilion," Yu Xian said, "I saw it."
Yu Xian smiled. "I saw that your Li family was different from the others," he continued. "You were like awakened lions. And I also saw..."
"...that I was going to die."
Yu Xian's expression grew somber.
"I knew that the Azure Cloud Pavilion could no longer command the entire Azure Cloud region like it did one hundred and thirty thousand years ago. They had become decadent, and so had the entire Azure Cloud region."
"Azure Cloud region needed a cleansing. Your Li family did well, forcing the people from the Azure Cloud Pavilion and the other sects to flee."
"I also knew that the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion and the Jun Prince's Mansion would never let go of such an opportunity."
Yu Xian sneered. "They want to be the chess players," he said, "they want to manipulate the people of Azure Cloud region like ants. Well, I, Yu Xian, will not let them have their way!"
"While your Li family was busy with the slaughter, they were quite pleased."
"But they didn't know that this was also our opportunity. 'Without breaking, there can be no building.' By eliminating those truly consumed by greed, Azure Cloud region can see a brighter future!"
"The siege outside the Skyveil Sect exposed the three greediest bastards!"
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