With the Qilin Pearl recovered, Lu Er’s cultivation had also made a breakthrough. This trip to the Cangyun Sword Sect had been quite fruitful.

Qin Zhou sat on the edge of the cliff at the summit of the Cangyun Sword Sect’s Seventh Peak, his charcoal pencil moving ceaselessly as he continued to sketch on the cardboard, gradually bringing the design of the ornament to life.

“Ever since those cultivators left the Cangyun Sword Sect that day, the cultivation world has been abuzz,” Wen Jue said, sitting beside him. “Everyone is now discussing the issue of the Cangyun Sword Sect’s future. The Cangyun Sword Sect is in complete chaos as well. After all, both of those demonic figures have ties to the Cangyun Sword Sect.”

“What about the Demon Sect?”

“It’s been disbanded, of course. However, it seems Lu Qi was taken away by Lu Er, so the task of disbanding the Demon Sect fell to Lu Xiao. Lu Xiao has already returned with Jiang Huan.”

“Will that cause trouble?”

Wen Jue shook his head. “Probably not. The Demon Sect was already divided into several factions internally. The fact that Lu Qi and Lu Xiao were able to keep them in check all this time was only through the coercion of their power and tactics. Now, if Lu Xiao proposes dissolving the Demon Sect, I doubt anyone will object. However, when one Demon Sect disappears, a new one is bound to emerge. If Lu Xiao doesn’t take the role of Sect Master, someone else will. It just depends on whether anyone is willing to be the first to step forward.”

But in Wen Jue’s estimation, once Lu Xiao and his partner let go, the Demon Sect would inevitably split internally. Whether a new Demon Sect would emerge or it would fragment into smaller sects remained to be seen.

“I suppose I’ve been too carefree. I haven’t given it much thought,” Qin Zhou said.

“Since we’re abandoning the Boundary City Secret Realm, there’s no real need for this Demon Sect to exist anymore. If it’s to be dissolved, so be it,” Wen Jue scoffed. “If we let Lu Qi continue as the Supreme Patriarch of this Demon Sect, I’m actually afraid he might one day truly fall into the path of evil.”

“As long as Lu Er is around, that shouldn’t happen.”

“Did this trip to the Cangyun Sword Sect meet your expectations?”

“It was quite fruitful.”

“I’m talking about myself,” Wen Jue asked.

Qin Zhou paused his writing, looked up, and asked, “What expectations?”

“The Lu Yi described in the Cangyun Sword Sect’s ancient texts—is that the image of me you had in mind?”

Qin Zhou: “I suppose so.”

“Then that’s a pity. There is no Lu Yi now—only Wen Jue.” Wen Jue gave a soft snort, leaning in to look at the painting in his hand.

That Wen Jue could speak so calmly meant he had already come to terms with it in his heart. Qin Zhou felt a sense of relief and said, “It’s not a pity.”

“I am a demon lord. Even if I’ve cleared my name, I’m still someone who kills without batting an eye and does as I please,” Wen Jue said.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“How can it not matter?” Wen Jue raised an eyebrow. He always wanted to confirm, time and again, that he was still number one in Qin Zhou’s heart. Even if he had become a demon, he still unhesitatingly wanted that top spot.

“Lu Er keeps an eye on Lu Qi, and I keep an eye on you. With someone watching over you, how much trouble could you possibly cause?”

Hearing this, a sweet warmth welled up in Wen Jue’s heart. “Lu Er can beat Lu Qi, but you can’t beat me.”

Qin Zhou replied without batting an eye, “Then I’ll develop a new potion that makes you obey only me. If I tell you to take off your clothes, you’ll take off your clothes.”

Wen Jue’s expression grew strange. “…You can be pretty scary sometimes.”

Qin Zhou smiled but said nothing.

Wen Jue sat down beside him. Below their feet lay a bottomless cliff, but with clouds and mist supporting them, it didn’t seem all that terrifying. Looking out into the distance, they saw distant mountains and the setting sun—a scene of such exquisite beauty it was hard to tear oneself away.

A breeze blew in, carrying a hint of warmth, lulling one into drowsiness.

Although things seemed peaceful now, both Wen Jue and Qin Zhou knew this was merely the calm before the storm; there were still many matters they needed to handle.

“Lu Wu’s letter arrived at the Cangyun Sword Sect yesterday. The Soul-Nourishing Pill has been refined. Do you want to go back and check on things?”

Qin Zhou shook his head. “As long as everything’s fine, that’s good enough.”

“Do you know why Shisi’s soul was damaged?” Wen Jue swung his legs back and forth.

“The Thousand Machinations Stone damaged his soul.”

“Yes. But aren’t you curious about what exactly he prophesied that left him on the brink of death?” Wen Jue tilted his head. Lu Wu had broken the Dao-Protecting Furnace, and Lu Er had shattered his Sword Heart—he had personally resolved every single one of those incidents.

Qin Zhou said nothing, merely pricking up his ears to listen.

“After the Battle of Tongtian, Shisi originally intended to calculate everyone’s future, doing his utmost to avert the deaths of the other Lu brothers. To this end, he went so far as to beg the Third Brother to fuse the Thousand Machinations Bell with the Thousand Machinations Stone, sacrificing his own soul to foresee the future.”

“But he never expected the results of the calculation to be beyond imagination.”

Wen Jue still remembered that moment when the Shisi spat out a mouthful of blood, his face pale as he clutched his sleeve and spoke of the future—

“All the Lu brothers will die in battle. The Zhutian Realm… has no future.”

The secrets of heaven must not be revealed.

Shisi had seen the future, yet he had recounted every detail to Wen Jue. This was the reason his soul had suffered such severe damage. Had he not possessed the Holy Body of Ten Thousand Spirits, he likely would have lost his life long ago.

“Countless portals will appear in the sky, and cultivators from various other worlds will arrive in Zhutian Realm to carry out brutal plundering.”

“Everyone will die, including me. And after we die, this place will become a wasteland, with all living creatures suffering.”

As for Wen Jue, he dared not disbelieve this future.

For they had already witnessed the portals. When the first portal appeared, over thirty members of the Lu family perished.

“No one knows when the next portal will appear. And we have no idea what kind of formidable powerhouses will emerge from it. I’ve been training hard, but it seems I’ve reached the limit of my cultivation during the Tribulation Stage,” Wen Jue said. “I often get the feeling that the Zhutian Realm has already broken down.”

They dared not cease their efforts for a single moment, yet they felt as though they were struggling desperately, only to sink deeper and deeper, until finally the water rose above their heads and they suffocated to death.

“Qin Zhou, is there still a way for us?”

“There is.”

Wen Jue looked at him.

“Let’s go to the Heaven-Piercing Battlefield.” Qin Zhou took his hand. “Let’s go there first.”

Spiritual energy could no longer regenerate, the Light of Merit could not manifest, the Heavenly Dao could only barely sustain this world’s vitality through cooperation with Lu Yi, outsiders invading Zhutian Realm through portals, and the prophecy of Shisi. One event after another led Qin Zhou to form a vague suspicion in his heart.

He had to go see for himself.

Wen Jue didn’t understand his intentions, but he agreed anyway.

The Tongtian Secret Realm opened when the small mountain village reached Level 4.

At that time, the Heavenly Dao even issued a realm-wide announcement.

The Tongtian Secret Realm was located where everyone in the upper realm could see it; the golden pillar of light had not disappeared since that day.

The entrance remained bustling for quite some time.

But as time went on, and since no one had ever managed to pass through this portal, the cultivators gradually lost interest. They stopped guarding the entrance to the Tongtian Secret Realm and instead began searching far and wide for clues that might lead them into the realm—the existence of the Lord of Zhutian Realm.

So when Qin Zhou and Wen Jue arrived at the portal, there was not a single soul in sight.

The portal to the Tongtian Secret Realm looked no different from any ordinary portal.

Wen Jue gazed at the entrance, a flicker of sorrow crossing his brow.

It was precisely because of this “no different” portal that over thirty of his fellow disciples had died.

Qin Zhou squeezed his hand. “This is the portal to the Tongtian Secret Realm.”

Not the ‘invasion’ portal used by those from other worlds.

Hearing Qin Zhou’s words, a soft look flashed across Wen Jue’s eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m not that fragile. But why did we come here?”

“To see if the world has truly fallen apart.”

Uncertain of the meaning behind Qin Zhou’s words, Wen Jue didn’t ask further. He simply said, “There’s a barrier on this teleportation portal; I’m afraid I can’t open it.”

His spiritual energy surged into it, but was quickly absorbed.

“This barrier seems to draw power from the laws of the universe. If we try to break it by brute force, we might damage the portal itself.”

“It’s fine.” He could open it.

Qin Zhou’s hand merely brushed against the portal.

Golden text popped up before him.

【Enter the Heaven-Piercing Arena? (Currently carrying 1 villager)】

【Yes】

Only he could see those golden characters.

But at that moment, Qin Zhou didn’t think twice; he simply chose to enter.

A vortex suddenly appeared at the portal, sucking both Qin Zhou and Wen Jue right in.

【Detected that the World Tree has died; the Heaven-Piercing Arena matchmaking function cannot be activated at this time】

After a moment of dizziness, Qin Zhou received this notification.

Immediately afterward, Wen Jue tugged at his sleeve.

“Qin Zhou, what’s that…”

“The World Tree.” Looking in the direction of the voice, Qin Zhou recognized it immediately.

The massive World Tree that once towered over the Tongtian Secret Realm had withered away. There wasn’t a speck of green in sight; all that remained were decaying, withered branches and trunks.

Wen Jue had also visited the Tongtian Secret Realm many times; he could almost sketch the scene here from memory.

In its prime, the World Tree’s canopy had blocked out the sky, lush and vibrant, its spiritual energy nearly enveloping the entire space, giving one the sensation of being immersed in a sea of spiritual energy.

Back then, they were only a few hundred years old; it was the first time Qin Zhou had brought them to this Tongtian Secret Realm. It was also on that occasion that they achieved a decisive victory, and Qin Zhou obtained the Yinhe within this secret realm.

Qin Zhou never told them what it was.

Young and naive, Lu Yi didn’t ask either; he simply committed the image of that massive tree to memory.

Every time they entered the Tongtian Secret Realm afterward, they could see that tree. They came to regard it as a landmark of the realm.

The last time Wen Jue entered the Tongtian Secret Realm was shortly after Qin Zhou’s disappearance.

At that time, although the tree’s canopy had shrunk slightly, it wasn’t completely withered as it is now.

Qin Zhou’s mention of the “World Tree” caught Wen Jue off guard.

“Is this the reason for the scarcity of spiritual energy in the Zhutian Realm?” Wen Jue gazed at the withered tree, teetering on the brink of collapse. Its branches and trunk had not yet crumbled, but they were already rotten within. The only reason it still stood was that its once-vigorous roots remained deeply intertwined beneath the earth, preserving its last shred of dignity.

Was this tree the very embodiment of the Zhutian Realm?

“It must be.”

Wen Jue lowered his gaze.

So, all their efforts over the years had merely kept this tree from collapsing completely.

What Qin Zhou had brought him to see was the full picture of the world.

Qin Zhou’s expression was even more somber than Wen Jue’s.

The World Tree is the very source of the world. The situation was far more serious than he had imagined, and resolving it would be even more difficult.

“To refine the Reformation Pill, we also need the fruit of the World Tree.”

With the World Tree withering away, the Zhutian Realm could barely survive—let alone produce any World Fruit. Reviving the villagers seemed a distant prospect, and before that could happen, the spiritual energy of the Zhutian Realm would last at most another thousand years.

Things couldn’t possibly get any worse than they already were.

No sooner had Qin Zhou finished this thought than he noticed Wen Jue’s brows had furrowed into a small “eight” shape.

“It can’t get any worse than this. Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” he couldn’t help but say to comfort him.

Seeing him smile, Wen Jue felt a subtle sense of relief. “So, what can we do?”

“Ask the Dao?”

【Plant a New World Tree】

Wen Jue stopped smiling. “It’s a waste of time to even ask.” That didn’t sound like something an ordinary person could accomplish.

Qin Zhou, however, pondered seriously: “Planting a new one is indeed a solution.” Compared to trying to repair a World Tree that had already withered and died, Qin Zhou felt that starting over might be faster and more effective.

Wen Jue: “…Oh, let’s do that then.”

【?】

“How do we plant it?” Wen Jue asked Qin Zhou.

Qin Zhou: “The core of a World Fruit is the seed of the World Tree. We’ll have to find a World Fruit first.”

A World Fruit… It’s impossible to get one from this tree.

It’s withered this badly; we can’t expect it to bear fruit.

Wen Jue had a sudden thought: “Does this World Fruit have to come from this tree?”

“As for other worlds…” Qin Zhou and Wen Jue exchanged a glance.

The same answer formed in both their minds.

The Spirit Mountain Realm.

“Heavenly Dao, is there a World Tree in the Spirit Mountain Realm?” Wen Jue asked.

【Every world has its own World Tree】

【The conditions for obtaining a World Fruit are extremely stringent, but this is indeed the only way to save Zhutian Realm】

Restoring the villagers’ bodies requires the fruit of the World Tree, while reviving the Zhutian Realm requires cultivating a new World Tree.

Qin Zhou: “It seems we have no other choice.”

Wen Jue: “It appears so.”

But rather than waiting for it to collapse completely, they still hoped to face certain death in order to be reborn.