There were some disciples who were brewing herbs to treat the mountain folk’s illnesses.

The scene was full of prosperity and integrity.

With the unfolding images of the Returning Ruins, Yun Ziliang soon saw himself in the mountains.

He didn’t know why, but he only felt that the version of himself in the images was hideous—arrogant, stern, disrespectful, and increasingly malicious.

And then he saw that "Yun Ziliang" starting to wantonly massacre the disciples.

Digging hearts, slitting open abdomens, beheading, pulverizing disciples alive with divine skills,

The more he watched, the more irate and enraged he became, until finally, a fire ignited in his heart.

This fire burned fiercely, exactly as Zhou Xuan described "as aggressive as fire." He relied on this fire to step into the "Returning Ruins."

"With my Big Dragon, sever that Yun Ziliang from three hundred years ago."

At that moment, Yun Ziliang was ready to face death and rebirth. He excited his Daoist robe, releasing the hidden great dragon to battle against the Yun Ziliang in the painting.

Three hundred years ago, he had been manipulated into committing atrocities.

Even though everything had become an illusion over three hundred years, no matter how illusory, he would not allow the events from three hundred years ago to replay.

Even if it required him to actively step into the Returning Ruins.

"Where there is scripture, there is fire; where there is no fire, there is no scripture. These words of Xuanzi are the most reasonable in Jing Country."

Yun Ziliang grew increasingly furious; during the great battle, he felt himself burning,

A gigantic fire dragon emerged from his abdominal cavity, striking with an irresistible Dragon Force toward the "Yun Ziliang" in the painting.

When the "Yun Ziliang" in the painting died, that fire dragon, within the Returning Ruins, ignited with raging flames.

The entire Returning Ruins was enveloped by the fire dragon, everywhere turned crimson red, flooded with Dragon Force.

At that moment, Yun Ziliang awoke as if from a dream. He suddenly opened his eyes and realized that he hadn’t moved at all; around him were those thoroughly decayed pollen.

In his palm, only a little flesh remained on the Dan Finger, the rest turned to bare bone.

The pollen and flesh had been resisting the influence of the Returning Ruins on Yun Ziliang.

If one had to say, the images earlier were all imagined by Yun Ziliang at the life and death moment, but—that fire dragon actually appeared in the Returning Ruins.

"There is the aura of the Ancestor Dragon."

Yun Ziliang, the old Dragon Seeking Heavenly Master, immediately sensed an incredibly dominant aroma from the fire dragon’s blaze.

He extended his hand, beckoning; the fire dragon soared into the sky, swirling sands and stones below, coiling before Yun Ziliang, then suddenly dived into his Daoist robe, becoming a crimson dragon cloud pattern.

The Dragon Seeking Sensing Sect, concealing dragons within oneself.

With a piercing dragon roar, Yun Ziliang felt the incense in the Secret Realm transform into a golden-red hue.

The incense was fulfilled, and upon it was engraved a line of gold-shining tiny characters—Hidden Dragon Mountain Dragon Seeking Grandmaster.

Such is the wondrous sight once incense refines to nine sticks; the name "incense master" would appear in the smoke.

Seeing the golden characters "Dragon Seeking Grandmaster," Yun Ziliang knew he had returned to the nine sticks of incense.

He was once again the invincible Yun Ziliang of the Taoists.

"I’m back."

"But I can’t leave."

The severed finger in Yun Ziliang’s palm had become bare bone, no longer able to resist the influence of the Returning Ruins.

And the Returning Ruins, like a powerful whirlpool, had already ensnared Yun Ziliang, pulling him into the ten-thousand-foot abyss. His hands couldn’t move, unable to perform "Bone Swallowing" or return to the Jingyi Shop.

"This is the will of heaven for me to die." Yun Ziliang closed his eyes in grief.

After all, opportunity had emerged, but returning to the human world was impossible.

"Emptily rising above with unparalleled talent, a lifetime of enduring ambitions unfulfilled." He couldn’t help reciting his once-favorite poem.

"You’re just like Old Bai Lu, being melodramatic, reciting poetry at the brink of life and death."

Zhou Xuan’s mocking voice came from the bare bone.

"Xuanzi? Where are you?"

"I’m in East Market Street, Old Yun, heavens may want you dead, but I, Zhou Xuan, insist on your survival."

"Danzi, perform the task."

After Zhou Xuan’s thunderous shout, the bare bone immediately split into two, transforming into two White Bone Anchor Hooks, latching onto Yun Ziliang’s scapula, then vehemently pulling upward.

The bare bone began contending with the Returning Ruins over Yun Ziliang.

But the force of the Returning Ruins was substantial, once the bare bone moved, it became a virtual shadow, winning the real through the illusory, with Yun Ziliang’s figure suddenly disappearing before the Returning Ruins completely engulfed him.

...

In the Jingyi Shop, Zhou Xuan had already summoned the stone temple, waiting inside with others.

At the moment Yun Ziliang appeared, the others cheered with jubilation.

Li Changxun laughed heartily, saying, "Congratulations to Grandmaster Yun for returning to the nine sticks of incense."

"Unmatched in the Taoists, Grandmaster Yun is back." Zhao Wuya also shouted excitedly.

But Danzi, with a head full of hot sweat, complained to Zhou Xuan, saying, "Mr., do you always have to play so dangerously? A little more, and Mr. Yun wouldn’t have returned."

Zhou Xuan pressed Danzi’s shoulder, saying, "Do you know what skills I practiced before cultivation?"

"What?" Danzi asked.

"Last-second ultimate kill." Zhou Xuan boasted arrogantly.

"..." Everyone.

Yun Ziliang returned, carrying a burning War Intent; he said to Zhou Xuan, "Xuanzi, now I want to fight to the death with that Heavenly God who slaughtered our Hidden Dragon Mountain."

"Three hundred years have passed, can’t you wait now? Old Yun, don’t rush, let me arrange the strategy."

Zhou Xuan pointed at the corpse of a maggot on the ground, saying, "The first step to capturing the Heavenly God starts with him."

"He’s already dead." Zhao Wuya reminded again.

"What did I say before? Sometimes, the dead are more useful than the living."

Zhou Xuan instructed Zhao Wuya, "Ya Zi, carry the maggot, Old Bai Lu, light the lantern, we three will take a trip to the East City Ancient Hall."

"What are we going there to do?" Alchemist Bai Lu reminded, "The Eternal Life Sect Leader and Tiancan Monk are still in the Ancient Hall; they’re all aligned with the Heavenly Dome."

"Precisely because they’re there, we must go." Zhou Xuan said.

"Bringing Mr. Yan’s corpse to the Ancient Hall, doesn’t that equate to confessing to the Heavenly Dome that we killed Mr. Yan?"

Zhao Wuya couldn’t quite understand Zhou Xuan’s strategy.

No matter what crimes Mr. Yan committed, he was after all a member of the Heavenly Fire Clan... who could bear the charge of killing a Heavenly Fire Clan member?