“You’re really a peculiar mortal.” The Nian Year Beast’s playful nature was roused. After all, they were inherently curious and energetic demon beasts; otherwise, they wouldn’t mingle with crowds of people every year just for fun.

With a roar, the Nian Year Beast pounced at Lu Yang. The latter swung his arm and struck back. Ever since he strengthened his physique, he found close-quarters combat quite interesting.

“You think I’m afraid of you?!”

Man and beast wrestled. The Nian Year Beast pinned Lu Yang down and snarled at him, spattering his face with spittle.

“Three Flavor True Fire! Ptui!”

Lu Yang had first learned the Three Flavor True Fire to unleash it from his mouth, catching enemies off guard. He never expected to use this method on a Nian Year Beast.

Singed by the fire, the Nian Year Beast’s mane shriveled and curled into tiny black specks. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Yang rolled over and pinned it down, gaining the upper hand.

Man and beast fought fiercely, with no telling who had the advantage. The layers of scheming and intrigue woven into the battle would have drawn applause from spectators.

Provided that they could see the Nian Year Beast.

“Second-in-Command, why did you suddenly start rolling around?” Yun Mengmeng asked in bemusement. I’ve heard that lucky yasui money is also called “suppressing evil” yasui money[1]. Could it be that the Second-in-Command didn’t receive enough lucky yasui money and has been possessed?

“I’m fighting a Nian Year Beast. You can’t see it.” Right after the words left Lu Yang’s mouth, he was pinned down again.

“You’re supposed to be a legendary Nian Year Beast! Can’t you use some other attack?” Lu Yang was furious. He felt like a caveman.

“I can lose face, but I mustn’t lose in spirit! You use a different move first, then I will!”

“Ptui!”

“Ptui!”

Neither wanted to admit they were losing ground in close combat, so they stubbornly refused to use any other methods. It was a pure contest of physical strength, power, and close-quarters skill.

Judging by Lu Yang’s behavior, Yun Mengmeng began to believe that he wasn’t just imagining things but really fighting an invisible enemy.

She tried to feel for the Nian Year Beast, but her hand passed right through.

What Yun Mengmeng didn’t know was that the Nian Year Beast had been cultivated using the Epoch Dao Fruit. It was inherently tied to time. Having completed its life jump, it had become a living entity of another layer.

“Second-in-Command, do you need my help?”

“No need. I refuse to believe I can’t beat it!” Veins bulged on Lu Yang’s forehead. He was determined to overpower the Nian Year Beast.

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy hopped around in the mental space, cheering Lu Yang on. After all, fighting Nian Year Beasts was also part of New Year’s tradition.

Just as Lu Yang and the Nian Year Beast were locked in a stalemate, a row of fiery clouds appeared on the horizon, speeding toward the Dao-Seeking Sect.

When the clouds drew near, Lu Yang saw clearly that they weren’t burning clouds, but a herd of Nian Year Beasts!

The leader was as large as a small mountain, radiating a terrifying, oppressive pressure. It was the chieftain of the Nian Year Beast Tribe.

When the Nian Year Beat Tribe Chieftain saw the young Nian Year Beast here, its expression changed drastically. “Nian Chuyi,[2] What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you that you mustn’t come to the Dao-Seeking Sect? This is forbidden territory for our tribe. There’s a terrifying devil overlord here!

“Be careful! The devil overlord may suddenly appear and capture you!”

Seeing the chieftain arrive with the tribe members, the young Nian Year Beast dared not continue playing with Lu Yang. It pushed him away and protested, “Chieftain, I’m not a child anymore. Don’t think I don't know that the ‘devil overlord’ is just a lie. I’ve been here for so long and haven’t seen any devil overlord!”

“Fool!” The Nian Year Beast Tribe Chieftain was curious. When I encountered that devil overlord back then, I’d barely escaped with my life. If you met her, would you still be bouncing around like this?

The chieftain descended, bit the young Nian Year Beast by the scruff of its neck, and tossed it onto its back.

For some reason, though the chieftain didn’t say it outright, Lu Yang instinctively felt that the “devil overlord” it spoke of was Yun Zhi.

How despicable! How dare you slander Big Senior Sister in front of me!

Big Senior Sister is such a good person. She taught me cultivation, and whenever I was in danger, she rushed over to help. How could such a person be a devil overlord?

“Hmm, you can see us?”

Only then did the Nian Year Beast Tribe Chieftain notice Lu Yang. It lowered itself to the ground, its giant brown pupils reflecting Lu Yang’s tiny figure.

“Interesting lad. Could you be one blessed by an immortal?” The chieftain was knowledgeable and knew there existed mortals who could perceive them. All these people are lucky souls favored by immortals.

“Is that our Master’s wooden token you’re wearing around your neck?” The Nian Year Beast Tribe Chieftain sensed a familiar power emanating from Lu Yang’s chest.

“Are you referring to this? Someone from the Five-Elements Sect gave it to me.” Lu Yang took the wooden token out. It was a piece of the Jianmu World Tree.

“Master’s immortal corpse...” The chieftain gazed at the wooden token, lost in melancholy.

It had learned from the previous chieftain where their master’s immortal corpse was buried.

“Wait a moment. Let me bring someone over.” Seeing that the Nian Year Beast Tribe Chieftain felt a connection to the wooden token without having met the Epoch Immortal, Lu Yang immediately dragged over a befuddled Li Haoran.

“Look at him. Do you feel anything familiar?”

The Nian Year Beast Tribe Chieftain furrowed its brows, baffled as to why Lu Yang had pulled this person over.

“What feeling could I have? This person can’t even see us.”

Lu Yang knitted his brows. The chieftain feels nothing at all toward Li Haoran?

“Ah ha, never mind. Since you can see us and have our master’s wooden token, it must be fate. It’s rare for any living being to detect our existence. Let us give you a ride!” The Nian Year Beast Tribe Chieftain decided not to dwell on the matters of the Epoch Immortal. Such brooding didn’t suit the Nian Beast Tribe’s optimistic nature.

As they were on a different layer of existence, they couldn’t communicate with other beings. Considering how rare it was to meet a fortunate soul like Lu Yang, they naturally had to treat him well.

“Umm...”

“Come, come. This is a fortuitous opportunity countless would envy.”

Before Lu Yang could say anything, the chieftain bit down on his collar. In the same manner it had tossed the young Nian Year Beast, it flung him onto its back. With that, it left behind a bewildered Li Haoran, who still had no idea why he had been brought here, and Yun Mengmeng, who watched helplessly as her Second-in-Command flew away.

The Nian Year Beast Tribe had rarely encountered a living being who could speak with them. They were all excited, crowding around and chattering animatedly. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

“Brother, which immortal did you meet?”

“Which part of you caught an immortal’s eye?”

“Did you see us last year?”

“How did you and Nian Chuyi start fighting? Who won?”

“Enough, enough! Shut up, all of you! I’m about to take off!” the chieftain shouted. Its form grew ethereal.

Lu Yang entered a mystical state. An endless torrent of water rushed toward him, forcing his eyes shut.

He struggled to open one eye and found himself within the river of time. Scenes of his past experiences appeared on either side like a slideshow: joining the Dao-Seeking Sect, slaying the tiger demon at the Foundation Establishment Stage, infiltrating the Everlasting Creed, resurrecting the Everlasting Immortal Fairy, founding the Heavenly Court...all the way to tonight’s New Year’s Eve.

Just as Lu Yang thought it was over, more images continued to appear on both sides.

The images were extremely blurry. Lu Yang could only make out one.

In that scene, the box world slowly unfolded, revealing an infinite expanse of resplendent stars.

Boom!

The Nian Year Beast Tribe Chieftain carried Lu Yang out of the river of time, and the images on both sides shattered.

1. Both yasui sound exactly the same, but the former refers to New Year’s money and literally translates to “suppressing age,” while the latter means “suppressing evil.” The main reason that yasui money was called “yasui” was due to this homonym. ☜

2. The “chuyi” here refers to the first day of the month. ☜