Yun Jin looked obedient: "I will follow what the Fairy Sister says."
From the hazy silhouette before her, she could feel an overwhelming power that could destroy heaven and earth itself. There wasn't any real reason behind it, just pure instinct—only an idiot would try to offend a being on this level.
The fairy chuckled softly, her voice gentle. "I am the Immortal Emperor of the Immortal Realm, Zi Mo."
Yun Jin's heart trembled.
An Immortal Emperor?
There were still quite a few ancient records about the Immortal Realm.
In that world, those at the Immortal Emperor's level stood at the very peak.
But right now, the one standing before her was sealed within a statue, her life force faint and barely detectable. If the statue in Qingxiao's main city was of an Immortal Emperor-level being...
Then what about the other three statues?
Could they also be Immortal Emperors?
Four Immortal Emperors together descending upon a seemingly ordinary small world left Yun Jin momentarily horrified. She recalled the deal she had made with the Heavenly Dao. It had said that once she reached a certain realm, it would reveal to her the greatest secret of this world.
Could this so-called greatest secret be related to these four statues?
Zi Mo Xiāndì smiled and continued: "As you guessed, the remaining three statues also hold the power of Immortal Emperors. However, due to certain incidents, the four of us can only self-seal within the statues and cannot accomplish much at present."
Though Zi Mo Xiāndì spoke calmly, Yun Jin did not dare take her words at face value. Merely existing there, she could deter countless ferocious beasts from approaching. She could perceive the thoughts of mortals and mete out rewards or punishments at will. Even with some restrictions, the mere display of these abilities was terrifying.
"May I ask what orders Xiāndì has?" Yun Jin asked respectfully.
Zi Mo Xiāndì pondered for a moment, as if carefully choosing her words. After a while, she asked gently:
"You must have heard something about the origins of the Four Great Holy Lands?"
Yun Jin nodded. "Five thousand years ago, the corpse of an immortal fell from the heavens. Four cultivators found four immortal artifacts upon that corpse. Using those artifacts as their foundation, they established the Four Holy Lands that've lasted to this day."
Zi Mo Xiāndì nodded slightly. "That's right, they did obtain four immortal artifacts. But those artifacts are actually quite mediocre. Their power is limited and hardly worth mentioning."
Yun Jin raised an eyebrow.
The very artifacts that had established the Four Great Holy Lands' five-thousand-year glory were merely mediocre in the eyes of a Fairy Emperor.
So this was the perspective of an Immortal Emperor, huh?
"But these four divine artifacts are extremely important," Zi Mo Xiāndì said softly. "Their power is secondary. Most importantly, they serve as a kind of proof."
Proof?
Yun Jin frowned.
Zi Mo Xiāndì said casually, "was something I made back when my cultivation was still shallow. It was just a toy. When I sent it down to the lower realm, I only wanted to leave behind a backup plan. Unexpectedly, a thousand years ago, that plan actually became useful."
Zi Mo Xiāndì's gaze turned calm as she looked at Yun Jin. "Yun Jin, the next time Sky City opens, if you can obtain the true body of the Earth Ruler and fuse it with the spirit shard you now possess, then come to see me. I'll grant you a great opportunity."
The next time the Sky City opens.
Obtain the Ruler itself.
Yun Jin's expression shifted slightly.
The Ruler was the Qingxiao Pavilion's foundational divine artifact. To obtain it meant only one possibility:
Qingxiao Pavilion would fall, and Wushuang Sect would rise as the new Holy Land.
Naturally, she could then take the Ruler.
"I will do my best," Yun Jin said.
Zi Mo Xiāndì nodded: "You may go."
She waved lightly.
The next moment, Yun Jin returned to the ground. The spiritual essence of the Ruler was immediately collected.
Yun Jin looked up at the statue, a thoughtful glint in her eyes. Zi Mo Xiāndì's words were vague, clearly concealing much.
Yun Jin would not blindly trust someone just for appearances. Still, replacing Qingxiao Pavilion was one of her goals. For now, her plans aligned with the Fairy Emperor's instructions.
Then she would proceed accordingly. The next Sky City opening would be nearly ten years away. By then, her cultivation would have reached unknown heights. Whether she would see Zi Mo Xiāndì then was a matter for the future.
However, Yun Jin could not help but feel curious. With four Immortal Emperors stationed there, what secrets could the Sky City possibly hold? Curiosity aside, Yun Jin was not one to dwell on things. In an instant, she pushed the matter from her mind.
She turned around.
The crowd looked at her with complex expressions.
Yun Jin cleared her throat lightly: "A little, just a little. During the gathering, I had a sudden insight. No one expected that by casually practicing, I would make a small breakthrough.
I know everyone is looking forward to this gathering. Next time, I will continue hosting it and make sure everyone enjoys it fully." Her tone was apologetic.
The crowd was speechless.
Were they concerned about the gathering?
Did they not realize the magnitude of the commotion she had caused?
"Sect Master Yun," a cold voice sounded. Lin Xiao's gaze was like a venomous snake: "That technique just now, was it the Wan Dao Saint's Yin-Yang Codex? Sect Master Yun's strength is becoming unfathomable.
Though your spiritual realm is only Unity, few in the Mahayana stage could oppose you. When you reach Mahayana, will you not be invincible?" Lin Xiao seemed to try to instill fear of Yun Jin in the crowd.
Yun Jin raised an eyebrow but showed no sign of modesty. She smiled: "My cultivation has indeed progressed slightly. In the Mahayana stage, few are my match. Pavilion Master Lin, you are also a peerless expert. How about we spar? I want to test my current strength."
Not only did Yun Jin accept, she actively challenged Lin Xiao!
The crowd's eyes widened in shock.
This Yun Jin!
What audacity!
Their gazes shifted between Yun Jin and Lin Xiao. The arena fell into a tense silence.
"Pavilion Master Lin, just a friendly spar, you are not afraid, right?" Yun Jin asked with a light laugh.
Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing: "Sect Master Yun jokes. The Ranking Conclave is ongoing. I am busy with affairs and have no time for childish games. I hope Sect Master Yun continues to improve and reaches the Mahayana stage soon."
Lin Xiao refused the challenge. Yun Jin felt a small pang of disappointment; she had genuinely wanted to gauge his strength.
She smiled faintly. "Don't worry, Sect Master Lin. You won't have to wait too long."
Lin Xiao gave her one last cold look, then flicked his sleeve and left.
Yun Jin didn't bother chasing after him. She called Yue Zhao over, whispered a few instructions, then returned to the Wushuang Sect.
She'd finally grasped the entry-level stage of the Yin Yang Codex!
Next up...
Time to challenge the tower!
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仙帝 (Xiāndì) Literally translate as Immortal Emperor. It was cultivation stage, I'm not sure about their formal title as I translate this chapter. So I use their pinyin as the formal title for now.