“Aren’t you cornering me by doing this?” Li Rou looked at Fang Ji with a dark expression.
Fang Ji chuckled. “Li Rou, you’re being too suspicious. Look, you can continue to think of ways to guarantee your safety if you don’t believe me. I’m sure you’ll come up with something. Why don’t we step into the Transportation Formation first?” He tried to put Li Rou at ease, afraid Li Rou would change her mind about leading them to the remnant of a Realm of Gods.
Li Rou scoffed. She did not move as she said, “Fang Ji, do you think I’m a fool? We’re not going anywhere until I come up with a way to completely secure my safety before leading you there…”
The expressions of Fang Ji, his son, and his disciples turned rather unsightly after listening to Li Rou’s words.
Fang Ji said frostily, “Li Rou, I’m warning you not to make a fuss. Otherwise, you’ll have to face the consequences. It’s not too late for us to bring you back to the Smudge Crow Sect. I’ll tell the Sect Leader you escaped and I brought my son and disciples to recapture you. At that time, not only would the Sect Leader not blame us, but he would even reward us for bringing you back…”
Li Rou said airily, “Fine, bring me back to the Smudge Crow Sect then…”
“You!” Fang Ji’s earlier words were naturally just to intimidate Li Rou. How could he really be willing to return to the Smudge Crow Sect now that he knew about the remnant of a Realm of Gods? He took a deep breath to suppress his anger before he asked, “What do you want to do then?”
Li Rou pretended to furrow her brows as though she was deep in thought and said, “Let me think about it…”
After a dozen breaths passed, Fang Ji grew impatient again. He said urgently, “Are you done? If you continue to waste time, we’ll need to leave the Scholar Woods City now and use another transportation site. Otherwise, the members of the Smudge Crow Sect might find us here!”
“I’m done,” Li Rou finally said.
Fang Ji was slightly startled. He did not expect Li Rou to cooperate so easily. “What did you come up with?”
Li Rou shook her head and said, “It’s unnecessary to talk about it…”
Fang Ji, Fang Chun, and Fang Ji’s three disciples were baffled by Li Rou’s words.
Swoosh!
At this moment, a streak of light suddenly swept toward Fang Ji and the others at the speed of light. They instinctively retreated in fear, they could sense a formidable energy from the streak of light. At this moment, none of them cared about Li Rou and seemed to have forgotten all about her.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
When the five men regained their senses, they discovered Li Rou was no longer alone. Three people had appeared next to her: a handsome green-clad man, a handsome purple-clad young man, and an old man dressed in a long red robe.
At this moment, the green-clad man was hugging Li Rou tightly.
“Rou’er… I finally found you…”
“Brother Feng.”
Li Rou hugged Duan Ru Feng tightly as though she would never let go for the rest of her life.
Meanwhile, the expressions of Fang Ji, Fang Chun, and Fang Ji’s disciples changed drastically when they looked at the purple-clad young man who was glaring at them. It was clear to them that the three newcomers were stronger than them.
“M-my lords… W-who are you?” Fang Ji asked with a pale face.
The cultivation world was where the strong were revered. Fang Ji naturally had to lower himself before such strong powerhouses.
Duan Ling Tian looked at Fang Ji meaningfully as the corners of lips lifted into a disdainful smile before he replied, “I’m Li Rou is my son…”
The five men’s expressions changed drastically as soon as they heard Duan Ling Tian’s words. The person before them who was at least a top Celestial Lord was Li Rou’s son? They found this difficult to accept. Li Rou was from the mundane realm; how could her son be so powerful?
Without any warning, vines suddenly shot out and restrained the five men before they could even react.
“No!”
“My lord, please spare us!”
Duan Ling Tian disregarded them.
The vines suddenly twined around the five men’s abdomens and held them in the air. At the same time, they could feel a pressure bearing down on them as time passed, slowly suffocating them.
“T-the law of space!”
The five men were shocked. They could not even move a finger after being restrained by Duan Ling Tian’s Celestial Origin Energy that had been boosted with the law of space.
“He’s no ordinary Celestial Lord!”
It did not cross Fang Ji’s mind at all that Duan Ling Tian was a Celestial Emperor. He only assumed Duan Ling Tian was a powerful Celestial Lord like the Sect Leader of the Smudge Crow Sect. He briefly considered requesting help from the sect but quickly dismissed the idea. After all, it was likely he would provoke the three men in front of him and would be killed before help even arrived.
Fang Ji pleaded, “M-my lord… Please have mercy! I was only following the orders of the Sect Leader of the Smudge Crow Sect. I have left the sect. Please look into this matter if you don’t believe me. Moreover, I intend to set your mother free…”
“Set my mother free?” Duan Ling Tian laughed. “Even if that’s really the case, wasn’t it so you could enter the remnant of a Realm of Gods?”
Fang Ji’s expression changed again. His heart sank; he did not expect Duan Ling Tian to be aware of this matter. Based on the unconcealed killing intent flashing in Duan Ling Tian’s eyes, he knew he was doomed. Even then, he could not help but ask, “My lord, is the remnant of the Realm of Gods real?”
“I’ll tell you about it slowly.”
With just a thought, sword rays appeared out of thin air and slashed at the five men. The sword rays drew blood, but the injuries were not fatal.
Duan Ling Tian did not intend to let these men die an easy death after hearing about their dirty deeds from Li Rou. Moreover, the people from the Elegant Sect had taken good care of his mother, how could he let their deaths go unavenged?
“My lord, please grant me a quick death!”
“My lord, I beg you!”
The five men could not endure the excruciating pain and pleaded one after another for a quick death. They were completely restrained by the law of space’s Restraining Profundity that they could not even mobilize their Celestial Origin Energies to commit suicide.
Finally, Duan Ling Tian said, “Be patient. Let me tell you about the remnant of a Realm of Gods…” He continued to say slowly as the five men cried out miserably in pain, “Remnants of Realms of Gods truly exist. However, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy there can’t do anything to improve one’s innate talent if once you become a celestial. It can only increase the cultivation speed of a celestial. As you’ve guessed, my mother has never been to a remnant of a Realm of God. Although I have been to one, I don’t remember where it’s located anymore. Even if I can bring you there, it’s pointless since the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy there had been exhausted…”
The five men regretted their actions upon hearing Duan Ling Tian’s words. Not only did they betray the Smudge Crow Sect for nothing, but they even had to pay with their lives. Alas, it was too late for regrets.
Duan Ling Tian had cast a Noise Cancelling Formation so the five men’s wretched cries would not disturb his parents’ reunion. After he was done with saying what he wanted to say, he decided to end their misery. However, just as he was about to make a move, a wave of energy swept toward him, stopping him from killing the five men.
“Young man, all lives are cherished by the heavens. You should show mercy…”
Soon enough, an old monk dressed in a kasaya descended from the sky. With every step he took, a vibrant lotus with rich energy would bloom under his feet. After he arrived in front of Duan Ling Tian, he raised his hand and released a wave of energy toward the five men who were on the brink of death.
Duan Ling Tian watched as the five men’s wounds began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eyes. Based on the powerful life force, he could tell the old man had comprehended the law of life, one of the Four Supreme Laws. Although this was not the first time he had encountered someone who comprehended the law of life, there was no doubt the old man was the strongest of them all.
