When Lu Yang rushed back to Heaven's Gate Peak, he saw Yun Zhi gripping the Midheaven Emperor-Lord by the neck, her fist meeting his face.

The Midheaven Emperor-Lord’s head lolled to the side and stopped moving.

“He's dead?!” Lu Yang was astonished. When the Midheaven Emperor-Lord appeared, it was like an emperor swallowing the world and sweeping across the eight directions. How did he die in the blink of an eye?

“Looks like it's just a clone,” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy remarked after taking a couple of glances.

“But it is still useful.” Yun Zhi formed hand seals, activating a spell.

A red line appeared on the Midheaven Emperor-Lord’s clone, stretching off into the distance.

“I’m going out.”

With that, Yun Zhi vanished, leaving only an afterimage behind.

“This is...”

“Lass Yun is working backward through karma, using this chance to deduce this person's location,” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy explained.

The main body had controlled the clone, and even though the main body had cut off the connection immediately, traces remained.

Two hours later, Yun Zhi flew back with three Midheaven Emperor-Lords in tow.

“Why so many?” Lu Yang thought, Why does this feel like wholesale?

Yun Zhi set down the Midheaven Emperor-Lords and shook her head regretfully. “He didn't control these clones with his main body. Instead, his main body controlled a clone, which in turn controlled another, and so on. Only the last clone came to our sect.

“I managed to track down three clones in succession, but the connections beyond were far too faint for me to deduce further.

“But that doesn't mean it was fruitless. I learned a few things from the soul searches on these four clones.”

“What did you learn?”

Yun Zhi recounted to Lu Yang and the Everlasting Immortal Fairy the matter of the dark figure breaking into the immortal palace and leaking information about Tang Chuanwu.

Lu Yang roughly pieced together the sequence of events.

“In other words, the Midheaven Emperor-Lord discerned that the dark figure wanted to use him to test the waters. Not daring to come personally, he sent clones instead.

“If they could capture Tang Chuanwu, it would prove the dark figure hadn't tricked him. Everything would be fine then.

“And if the clones fell into our hands, they would pass on that portion of their memories to us as a way to get back at the dark figure.

“This dark figure should be the mastermind behind the scenes.

“But the question is—how did the mastermind learn about Tang Chuanwu?”

Lu Yang furrowed his brows. I’d discovered Tang Chuanwu by chance. Could the mastermind have discovered him by chance as well?

“Did the mastermind already know of Tang Chuanwu’s existence, observing him from the shadows all this time to search for clues about the Epoch Dao Fruit’s user?

“Or did they just happen to discover him by coincidence?”

Yun Zhi voiced her conjecture after a moment of contemplation. “It may not entirely be a coincidence.

“Perhaps the battle between the Gray Immortal Fairy and Meng Junzi attracted the mastermind’s attention. The mastermind was in the Buddhist Kingdom for the time being and happened to notice something amiss in Kaihuang City.

“Don’t forget, Little Junior Brother. In the sixth loop, after you and Junior Brother Meng fought the two Heartless Creed elders, you made the vice creed leader step in.

“In the eighth loop, you and Junior Brother chose not to fight the Heartless Creed elders yourselves but asked Junior Brother Dai to battle them instead. That was the difference.

“Little Junior Brother, you are unaffected by the time loops because of Senior Immortal Fairy’s presence. But the mastermind may not know that.

“After that, the mastermind followed the trail of events in Kaihuang City and discovered Tang Chuanwu’s existence. But out of caution, they didn’t act. Instead, they passed this information to the Midheaven Emperor-Lord, wishing to use him as a test.”

Yun Zhi glanced at the four clones still lying on the ground and continued, “The Midheaven Emperor-Lord was cautious and merely tested the waters.”

As time passed, the four clones gradually dissipated, leaving nothing behind. There wasn’t anything that could be used for artifact refinement.

“Alternatively, he might have used the Karma Dao Fruit to ascertain matters about Tang Chuanwu. For instance, the more people who know Tang Chuanwu can reverse time, the stronger the karmic ties become, allowing the mastermind to leverage the Dao Fruit to sense him.

“Or perhaps the mastermind found the Left Historian Immortal and used his Insight Dao Fruit to locate Tang Chuanwu.”

With the fall of the Ember Legacy Dynasty, the Left Historian Immortal had also gone missing. The Insight Dao Fruit had little combat power, but it was very useful for finding people.

The three pondered for half a day but couldn’t determine exactly how the mastermind had found out about Tang Chuanwu.

“For now, don’t let Tang Chuanwu leave the sect.”

This incident implied that both the Great Qian Dynasty and the mastermind were now aware of Tang Chuanwu’s existence. His situation was even more dangerous than Li Haoran’s. If he left the Dao-Seeking Sect, he could be captured at any moment.

~~~

“Woo-hoo, it’s almost the New Year!”

Inside the mental space, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy dismantled the imperial palace and built a small wooden house. She pasted up couplets, wrote “福” characters on square papers for fortune, hung red lanterns, and dressed herself in bright red clothes. The lanterns and decorations created an atmosphere of festivity.

Cultivators had long lifespans. The convention was to celebrate only once every decade, and the Dao-Seeking Sect was no exception.

It wasn’t just Lu Yang’s mental space; the entire Dao-Seeking Sect was brimming with festive cheer. Red decorations could be seen everywhere. Senior disciples who had been out on missions had returned. During this month, they wouldn’t accept new missions. When they bumped into each other, they would cup their fists and wish each other a happy new year with smiles.

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy spread out a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the ground. Lying on her stomach, she kicked her little feet and licked the brush to moisten its tip. She then dipped it in ink and began writing couplets with a serious expression.

“Mission accomplished!”

By the time she finished the couplets, she had made a mess of herself. She was covered in ink spots, with several ink smudges she had accidentally left on her face.

Those who achieve great things do not sweat the small stuff. I am one who achieves great things. I naturally won’t bother about such trivial details.

She floated in the air, pasting up the couplets, while Lu Yang stood at the entrance watching.

“Xiao Yangzi, take a look. Are my couplets okay?”

Lu Yang looked up and carefully read the couplets.

Upper line: After this meal, there’ll be another

Lower line: After today passes, it’ll be tomorrow

Horizontal scroll: Yet another year

“Amazing! This couplet written by Your Exalted Majesty matches perfectly in sense and sound. It is of the highest quality, as if formed by nature itself. It could be passed down through the ages.

“As the saying goes, ‘to the people, food is Heaven.’ Food is of paramount importance to people. This first line’s focus on eating reflects Your Exalted Majesty’s belief in valuing the people over the ruler.

“As for the lower line, though it appears plain and ordinary, it actually encompasses the Dao of Time that the world has overlooked. By pointing it out, Your Exalted Majesty will surely broaden the wisdom of the masses!

“This horizontal scroll is a stroke of divine ingenuity, adding yet another layer of color to the couplet. It’s wonderful, truly ineffable.

“Since the founding of our Great Dou Dynasty over five years ago, never has there been an emperor with talent like Your Exalted Majesty’s.

“Your Exalted Majesty’s talent is immeasurable; you are a model for all scholars under heaven, eliciting reverence from all.”

“Hehe, it’s not that good.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy scratched her head sheepishly. I only wanted to ask Xiao Yangzi whether the couplets were pasted okay. But since Xiao Yangzi has already spoken his true feelings, I can’t exactly say that wasn’t what I meant.