On Firmament Star, Chu Kuangren kept a low profile about his return as only those close to him knew.
A few years later, an incredibly gigantic library was built inside the Firmament Star’s Capital City, with a collection of books from everywhere in the universe.
That was Chu Kuangren’s idea.
Knowledge was the most important resource for a civilization to grow, unlike the constant campaigns for conquest, and it was undoubtedly the most important requirement for a civilization’s development.
Conquest was only just a means of implementing it.
Following the great library’s construction, they began to collect every cultivation in possession of the major civilizations under the Firmament Empire’s rule.
As such, the Firmament Empire specially established the Heavenly Will Pavilion. Its purpose was to sort through all of the knowledge collected before storing them inside the library.
Apparently, the current Queen of the Empire held very high importance to the Heavenly Will Pavilion, having poured vast numbers of resources into it. She had even found some unknown cultivator from out of nowhere as the Master of the Pavilion.
That Pavilion Master was very mysterious, since not many people had seen him before.
However, his name was occasionally mentioned by others. It seemed to be… Master Chu.
Master Chu?
That sounded more like an honorific title. No one knew what that person’s true name was, but they all knew that Master Chu was no ordinary person.
Otherwise, he would not be given that position by the Queen herself.
At Heavenly Will Pavilion in Capital City, Chu Kuangren was categorizing some scriptures and books from other civilizations. During his free time, he would also note down his experience in books.
That was right. He was none other than the Master Chu mentioned earlier.
As for why he did not announce to his subjects his return, the main reason was that he did not want to cause too much commotion.
Besides, the Firmament Empire was developing well with or without him anyway, so he did not wish to meddle with the Empire’s advancement.
Perhaps it would not be long before he left again. If that was the case, what was the point of celebrating or announcing his presence?
Gu Linglong understood his thoughts, hence why she allowed him to proceed with that.
“Master Chu, these are from the Seven Wings Planet.”
An elderly man in gray robes walked to him and presented a Yin and Yang Ring.
Inside it was a huge number of cultivation books and scriptures.
Chu Kuangren mobilized his thoughts. After scanning through them with his Immortal Consciousness, every cultivation knowledge contained within those books was all revealed before him.
“The Seven Wings Planet, huh? I heard they have a secret technique for Immortal Crystals extraction. Why is it not here?” Chu Kuangren said calmly.
“Well… All major civilizations each have their own secrets they keep. Even if they have pledged their allegiance to the Empire, it’s understandable they are still unwilling to hand over some items.” The elderly man in grey robes commented with a frown.
“I see. Well, besides that secret technique for Immortal Crystal extraction, most of the cultivation knowledge here is those below an Immortal’s level. As for those related to Immortals, I can only see a handful of them. If I’m not mistaken, there should be Immortals living on the Seven Wings Planet, and not just a little. Am I right?” Chu Kuangren said with a smile.
“Well…”
That elderly man in gray robes was so flustered that he did not know how to answer that question.
Chu Kuangren also did not want to pin the blame on him and dismissed him.
He fiddled with the Yin and Yang Ring as his eyes lit up. ‘The Empire has been developing too fast. I bet the resources and wealth we’ve accumulated must be a threat in the eyes of the other civilizations. They might have pledged their allegiance on the surface, but secretly, there seem to be quite a few of them plotting something.
“Perhaps it’s time I make an example out of them,” Chu Kuangren murmured.
After a few days in the Heavenly Will Pavilion, Chu Kuangren went to the library. It had been his most frequented place in the Capital City.
Although most of the cultivation scriptures were of no use to him due to his cultivation level, there were times when some of them would inspire him.
Inside the library, Chu Kuangren randomly chose a place to sit. Then, he found some new cultivation books and began reading them.
It was one of the few days where he could enjoy his time in leisure.
At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared before him and sat down. It was a woman in white robes.
“Greetings, Master Chu.” The woman greeted Chu Kuangren with a bow.
Chu Kuangren nodded gently. “Have a seat.”
The woman’s name was Ren Ying. She was one of the direct descendants of the Ren clan in the Empire. She would come to the library occasionally to study when she encountered some difficulties during her cultivation.
Chu Kuangren had seen her in distress and given her some advice quite a few times. After all, Ren Ying was considered one of the most remarkable sky-prides among the younger generation in the Empire.
Chu Kuangren glanced at the book Ren Ying was holding. It was a cultivation scripture called the ‘The Records of Kuang’.
‘Now, this book’s name looks familiar.’
Chu Kuangren soon remembered. That was a cultivation scripture that he had written two years ago, and it contained his experiences in cultivation.
“Master Chu, have you read the Records of Kuang before?”
Ren Ying noticed Chu Kuangren’s gaze and asked curiously.
“I think so.” Chu Kuangren smiled. “Feel free to ask me anything you don’t understand about this book. I’m quite familiar with it.”
“Alright. Many thanks, Master Chu.”
Ren Ying nodded and continued reading that book. Not long after, she lamented, “The person who wrote this book must be an amazing cultivator.”
“I suppose.” Chu Kuangren chuckled.
The two of them continued reading, occasionally chatting from time to time. However, Chu Kuangren soon noticed something was wrong.
There seemed to be someone spying on Ren Ying. It was a handsome young man whose cultivation level was not bad either as a Minor Daoist Celestial.
However, Chu Kuangren noticed something wrong with that man.
Firstly, although that man was hiding it well, there was a faint hint of killing intent whenever he looked toward Ren Ying.
Secondly, his Minor Daoist Celestial cultivation level was also a fake. His actual level was a peak Heavenly Daoist Celestial, close to becoming a Half-Immortal.
Not only did he conceal his killing intent but his cultivation level as well. Seeing that guy following Ren Ying all day long, Chu Kuangren was sure something was off with him.
“Does he mean to harm her?” Chu Kuangren thought to himself.
Ren Ying was a top-notch Immortal Progeny with a very high potential to become an Immortal. She had a very bright future ahead of her and would likely become one of the pillars of support for the Empire soon.
Besides, having interacted with her for a while, he found her to be quite a good person. He did not wish for anything bad to happen to her.
However, he did not act rashly.
“Master Chu, it’s time for me to leave.”
“Alright.”
Chu Kuangren nodded.
After Ren Ying left, that sneaky and suspicious young man also left.
The two of them left the library with the young man following her from a distance behind. After passing by a secluded place, the young man looked at Ren Ying, and a sudden cold killing intent immediately appeared in his eyes. He did not need to hide anymore.
Whoosh!
That young man dashed forth with a black dagger suddenly in his grasp, charging toward Ren Ying.
“I got her!”
A look of delight appeared on that young man’s face. Although Ren Ying was a Heavenly Daoist Celestial, she was still no match for a peak Heavenly Daoist Celestial like him. Besides, he was the one making a sneak attack on her.
He had a hundred percent confidence that he would succeed!
However, just when he was about to hit her, an inexplicable force quickly enveloped him.
“Huh? What’s going on?”
Ren Ying, who was walking back home, also felt something behind her. She turned around to look but saw nothing.
A hint of doubt appeared on her face. “Am I seeing things? Why does it feel like someone was going to kill me just now…”
Meanwhile, on the other hand, that young man could only see sudden darkness enveloping his gaze as Ren Ying’s figure had disappeared before him. Everywhere around him was now pitch-black. It was as if he had arrived in a realm of nothingness.
“What’s going on?!”
“D*mn it. What the hell is this?!”
The young man’s expression changed greatly. He channeled his full might in an attempt to break open the surrounding void, but his efforts were futile.
While he was panicking, a flash of white light suddenly appeared amidst the darkness. A young man gleaming with Immortal Sparks could be seen walking towards him slowly. In an instant, the surrounding area became as bright as day.
