(ATTENDANCE)
....
"Senior!"
The emperor of Tianyun Kingdom transformed into a streak of light and rushed forward, his voice filled with gratitude. If not for Chu Xun, the entire Tianyun Kingdom would have been doomed.
What made him even more excited was the vague realization of Chu Xun's identity.
A Saint.
One of the Saints from the Six Holy Lands.
According to legend, even within the Six Holy Lands, Saints were exceedingly rare. They were like divine dragons, spoken of often, yet almost never seen. Most remained in long-term seclusion, unseen for decades or centuries.
He never imagined that Liu Jian could worship such an existence as his master.
"I'm not a Saint yet," Chu Xun said calmly, shaking his head as if he could see through the emperor's thoughts.
Though his combat power had already reached that level, his true realm was still just a step short.
"Such modesty…"
The emperor silently marveled. A sword thirty thousand feet long, who but a Saint could unleash such power? And only a Saint could do so with such terrifying ease.
His gaze drifted toward Liu Jian, filled with satisfaction.
As expected of Tianyun Kingdom's pride. Liu Jian had shown extraordinary talent since childhood. Only upon entering the Eastern Region could his true potential be fully awakened.
Under that gaze, Liu Jian felt nothing but shame.
The emperor, the people of the capital, even his former classmates, all of them believed he had risen high in the Eastern Region.
Only Liu Jian himself knew the truth.
If not for Elder Chu intervening at the critical moment, he would have already been crushed, his confidence shattered, reduced to mediocrity.
"Your Majesty Zhao," Liu Jian said quickly, "my master dislikes noisy occasions. You should return and rest first."
"Yes, yes, of course!"
Emperor Zhao smiled warmly and personally led them toward the palace.
Under normal circumstances, Chu Xun might have been curious about an ancient royal palace. But now that he had subdued the strange demonic cauldron, his interest lay elsewhere.
"Prepare a quiet wing room," Chu Xun said. "I will enter seclusion for a few days."
A trace of regret flashed through Emperor Zhao's eyes. The arrival of such a supreme figure was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even a few words of guidance could allow him to leap forward in cultivation.
But since the senior had no such intention, he dared not insist.
---
Not long after.
A luxurious wing room was prepared.
Incense burned.
The stove glowed.
The drifting fragrance calmed the spirit.
Buzz,
A small red cauldron appeared in Chu Xun's palm.
Outside the door, Emperor Zhao sighed inwardly at the missed opportunity. But when his gaze fell on Liu Jian, his eyes brightened again.
"Liu Jian," he said with a smile, "you seem far calmer than before."
He still remembered the dazzling, spirited Liu Jian of the imperial capital. Unfortunately, Liu Jian had stayed only three years before venturing out into the world, heading straight for the Eastern Region.
"With your talent and fortune," the emperor continued, "this journey must have been extraordinary. Why don't you tell me about it?"
Liu Jian raised his head stiffly, his expression frozen.
The memories of his repeated defeats upon entering the Eastern Region surfaced one after another.
His confidence cracked.
His worldview collapsed.
"Yes, yes!" the dean of Tianyun Academy added eagerly. "Liu Jian came from our academy. He should share his experiences with his juniors. I'm sure this journey was thrilling, full of opportunities that even impressed the geniuses of the Eastern Region!"
Liu Jian stood there.
Completely numb.
…
…
Inside the wing room.
The small red cauldron was utterly silent, pretending to be dead.
Boom!
Chu Xun showed no patience. He lightly tapped it with his palm.
The sound echoed like a massive bell ringing inside the cauldron.
If not for the hastily arranged formation in the room, the shockwave alone would have reduced the entire palace to ashes.
"Still not coming out?" Chu Xun frowned slightly.
He rubbed his palm and raised it again.
Before it could land,
The red cauldron shook violently and broke free.
Whoosh!
A faceless human visage emerged on the cauldron's surface. Roughly carved brows appeared, filled with fear, clearly terrified that another strike would shatter it completely.
"Who are you?" Chu Xun asked calmly.
The faceless figure steadied itself slightly and spoke in a bewitching voice:
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that I am your opportunity, your great opportunity. If you submit to me and acknowledge me as your master, I can grant you supreme fortune. Even helping you break through to the Saint Realm would be nothing."
Hiss,
Wisps of demonic energy seeped from the cauldron's mouth.
They were pure life essence, rich and real. Just inhaling a trace invigorated the body. Absorbing more would rapidly raise one's cultivation.
Seeing Chu Xun close his eyes as if savoring it, the faceless figure relaxed.
Encouraged, it continued seductively:
"My essence alone is not enough to push you into the Saint Realm. That's why I sacrificed the blood of Tianyun Kingdom. With such offerings, breaking through the Saint Realm is more than possible. The world is vast, where could you not go?"
Boom!
With a faint tremor, the life essence collapsed into nothingness.
The sudden change startled the cauldron. It transformed into a streak of light and tried to flee.
Bang!
The formation flared.
There was no escape.
Chu Xun's gaze turned icy.
This cauldron was extremely sinister. He had already seen it, three demon leaders slaughtered Tianyun Kingdom, offering the blood of countless people, all absorbed into this cauldron.
It devoured life essence, then fed it back to the demons, enslaving them in turn.
City after city was sacrificed.
The three demons likely believed they were its masters, never realizing they were nothing more than tools.
Pitiful.
Tragic.
"You…!"
Fear filled the faceless visage.
This was something it had never encountered.
From an ordinary mortal to successive masters, it had tempted them all with effortless power and rapid breakthroughs.
Three to five years of hard cultivation could be replaced with a few months of slaughter.
Who could resist such temptation?
Yet this man,
He was unmoved.
Worse still, the cauldron sensed killing intent.
Panic-stricken, it shouted:
"You can't kill me! I am the sacred object of the Green Bull Demon Lord!"
"Green Bull Demon Lord?"
A flicker of confusion passed through Chu Xun's eyes.
"My master is about to leave Yinxu!" the cauldron cried out. "If you harm me, he will never let you go! The Demon-Exterminating Sect once destroyed my master, but he did not die, he merely slept! He is awakening! The Eastern Region will fall into chaos! I advise you to surrender with me!"
Bang!
A light palm strike landed.
Cracks spread across the cauldron.
The Demon Cauldron went mad.
"You're insane!" the faceless visage roared. "When the Demon Lord returns, the Eastern Region will descend into chaos! What's wrong with submitting to my master?!"
Kacha!
Another palm strike.
One.
Two.
Three.
The cracks multiplied.
The Demon Cauldron fell into complete despair.