The Midheaven Emperor-Lord gazed at the spot where the dark figure had vanished, silently furrowing his brows. Only after a long while did he break the silence.

“Erasing one’s presence—could that be the Karma Dao Fruit?”

As far as he knew, Great Yu’s Second Imperial Preceptor possessed a Karma Incipient Dao Fruit and could achieve something similar, where other half-immortals couldn’t trace his whereabouts.

If the dark figure wields the Karma Dao Fruit, everything that just transpired would make sense.

“Karma Dao Fruit? Indeed, that is possible.” The Fate Arbiter nodded. “Erasing karma allows one to enter and leave any place undetected.”

“What do you plan to do?” asked the Fate Arbiter. This matter reeked of peculiarity, but then again, it was rare to obtain a lead on the Epoch Dao Fruit. It would be hard to justify not giving it a try.

The Midheaven Emperor-Lord pondered quietly for a moment before making up his mind.

“I’ll give it a try.”

~~~

“Chuanwu, Qiaoqiao, are you adjusting to life here?”

After bringing Tang Chuanwu back to the Dao-Seeking Sect, Lu Yang had been either refining his body through roasting himself in flames, witnessing the rise and fall of the Great Dou Dynasty by getting involved in its shifting tides, or serving as Grand Tutor to improve the accuracy of the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s vocabulary. He couldn’t find time to visit the Tang siblings until now.

Lu Yang had arranged for the siblings to stay in an empty wooden cabin at the foot of a mountain. It had a beautiful environment with verdant scenery and clear waters.

Tang Chuanwu was in the middle of practicing his fists. Finally seeing Master Lu after a long time, he wiped his sweat with a towel, visibly in high spirits. “Master Lu, many thanks for bringing my little sister and me here. We’ve settled in well! The great masters here are all very kind. They often help us and have even given me pointers on my fist techniques.”

With how much Tang Chuanwu’s fist techniques had improved, he was deemed worthy to be called a martial arts grandmaster in the outside world.

I didn’t expect the great masters of the Dao-Seeking Sect to be so personable. They’re neither as inscrutable as the monks of Kaihuang Temple, speaking in riddles, nor as aloof and condescending as the cultivators I usually encounter.

In fact, any random great master from the Dao-Seeking Sect may very well be stronger than Master Duanchen.

And among them all, the strongest is undoubtedly Master Lu.

Tang Chuanwu had listened to the Dao-Seeking Sect’s great masters recount Lu Yang’s legendary exploits and was filled with admiration. For example, Lu Yang had already challenged beyond his level and defeated Divine Transfiguration cultivators at the Nascent Soul Stage. This was an unprecedented achievement that no prodigy of any generation had ever accomplished.

Another example would be how Master Lu made outstanding contributions to the sect, once serving as the acting sect leader for a day. After his term ended, he stood on the arena stage, taking on challenges from the other great masters one after another, yet he remained standing.

Moreover, Master Lu’s culinary skills were remarkable. When he had cooked for Qiu Jin’an, the Five-Elements Sect Leader, Qiu Jin’an had been so excited after tasting the food that he slapped the table, demanding to know how the dish was made...

High cultivation, great talent, superb cooking—the real Master Lu is even more outstanding than the character depicted in the stories.

“Master Lu is here?” Hearing the commotion outside, Tang Qiaoqiao ran out, brandishing a spatula.

Although no one had explicitly told her why they had come to the Dao-Seeking Sect, she had more or less pieced together what had happened based on her brother’s and Lu Yang’s words. She surmised that something had happened to her brother and that bringing him here was for his protection.

“Qiaoqiao, how are you finding life here?”

“Great!” Tang Qiaoqiao nodded vigorously. This place is a sanctuary that ordinary people can only dream of. I also have my brother here. What more could I want?

Besides, since arriving, Elder Brother has stopped being so paranoid.

“As long as you can get used to it.

“You have a Triple Spirit Root, which meets our sect’s admission requirements. If you pass the entrance trials, you can officially become a member.”

Although Tang Qiaoqiao was a clone crafted by the Skeleton Divine Creed’s Left Protector and would progress much faster in cultivation than ordinary cultivators, such a background was nothing special in the Dao-Seeking Sect. Any random person here would have a more outlandish origin. No one would care about her identity.

“As for you, Tang Chuanwu...”

Hearing Lu Yang mention him, Tang Chuanwu became downcast. After arriving at the Dao-Seeking Sect, he had tested for a spirit root. The result was that he had none; he could not cultivate.

Seeing Tang Chuanwu’s reaction, Lu Yang knew exactly what troubled him. He offered a smile. “Leave the matters of cultivation to me. I’ll find you some pills and spirit treasures. That will be enough to grow a spirit root.”

Cultivators had methods to implant spirit roots in mortals, but the cost was exorbitant, far beyond what low-level cultivators could afford.

“Really?” Tang Chuanwu jerked his head up, his eyes shining.

“Of course. When have I ever lied to you?

“But you’re not allowed to use your ability when you participate in the entrance trials,” Lu Yang warned. With time reversal, Tang Chuanwu could pass any test the sect devised. That would be cheating.

“I won’t!”

“Someone is approaching our sect, and they’re coming with hostile intentions,” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy suddenly warned, pointing upward to signal Lu Yang to look.

“Who?” Lu Yang was baffled. Who would be so tired of living as to cause a ruckus at the Dao-Seeking Sect? Even if they want to come, shouldn’t they at least choose a time when Big Senior Sister is away?

He looked up in the direction the Everlasting Immortal Fairy had indicated and saw a monarch-like figure bathed in golden light suddenly appear in the skies above the Dao-Seeking Sect, emanating boundless oppressive pressure. The entire sect seemed to be plunged into a terrifying quagmire.

“The Midheaven Emperor-Lord?!” Lu Yang recognized the figure. Although no paintings of the Midheaven Emperor-Lord had circulated among later generations, the Heaven Mandate Immortal had seen him, and Lu Yang learned of his appearance from the Heaven Mandate Immortal’s descriptions.

The Midheaven Emperor-Lord was truly worthy of his title as the founder of the Great Qian Dynasty. He bore an awe-inspiring demeanor, every gesture imbued with imperial might. Before such a presence, ordinary people could only tremble, unable to muster any thought of resistance. They could only prostrate themselves in worship. Lu Yang had felt a similar aura only from the Heaven Mandate Immortal.

“Why would the Midheaven Emperor-Lord come here for no reason? And so ostentatiously at that?”

The Midheaven Emperor-Lord held a gourd entwined with purple and gold. Removing the stopper, he aimed it at the Dao-Seeking Sect, beginning to chant.

“Tang—”

Right after he uttered the word “Tang,” a streak of white light flashed across the summit of Heaven’s Gate Peak, racing toward the heavens. Accompanied by tinkling sounds, it latched onto the Midheaven Emperor-Lord’s head in the blink of an eye and smashed him downward. The Midheaven Emperor-Lord didn’t even have the time to react.

Boom!

Then silence descended, as if nothing had happened.

Tang Qiaoqiao blinked, not understanding what had just occurred.

“Ah, the pot’s about to burn!”

She hurried back to the kitchen, spatula in hand.

~~~

Unknown place, the Great Qian Immortal Palace...

The Midheaven Emperor-Lord coughed softly twice. He opened his eyes and severed the connection with his clone.

The Fate Arbiter immediately asked, “How did it go?”

The Midheaven Emperor-Lord turned to look at the Fate Arbiter, his eyes as imposing as ever. This was the gaze of an individual long accustomed to being in a position of authority.

“I’ve tried. Couldn't win.

“Also, after some thought, I realized I was too hasty in seeking the Epoch Dao Fruit. There’s no need to be in such a hurry to search for it.”