Chapter Nineteen: Even Gods Must Bow and Hide Among Mortals

The multicolored tree demon seized the opportunity to ask, “I am born of the celestial tree’s seed. In the future, should I ascend to the immortal realm, how might I free myself from the mother tree’s control? Must I abandon this corporeal form? And how can I shed this arboreal shape to attain true immortality?”

“Before you reach the immortal realm, you need only cultivate the Ninefold Seclusion Technique, severing all ties between yourself and the outside world—this is the simplest way to break free. Yet, if you wish to transcend your tree form and become a true immortal, the matter grows more complex. In the immortal world, such a feat is exceedingly difficult; in the mortal or divine realms, it is much easier. The earth soul of the tree can be wrapped and then cast off like a cicada shedding its shell, thus becoming a soaring immortal. But, in doing so, your origin is severed; without extraordinary fortune and destiny, you will go no further than the rank of a soaring immortal!”

Wuyun spoke deliberately, each word measured, explaining with clarity. He even described the illusory array and the technique for dissolving dream spells, before concluding with a crucial point: “You must have rare water and the Elixir of Creation to master this divine art. Substitutes can only take you as far as the entry-level.”

The assembled powerhouses listened attentively as they flew onward, undiminished in speed, leaving the range of the ruined Tiger-Face Immortal’s array. Old Bear Three still held Wuyun tightly, unwilling to let go.

Meanwhile, Wuyun’s head and body swelled and shrank in turn as the Thousand-Handed Venom fought against Old Bear Three’s grip, trying to corrode the silken threads binding Wuyun’s form.

The Battle King was poised for action, while Liu Ruyan’s expression was dark and uncertain. Nearby, the Flood Dragon-Hawk shrank back, for though the Thousand-Handed Venom claimed there was an antidote, on the journey it had already released several weakening poisons.

Nantian and the multicolored tree demon exchanged glances. The Thousand-Handed Venom was a peak Divine Breaker, a master of poison, but in the void of space, it was no match for either of them. The real difficulty lay in Wuyun, who was as troublesome as a burning coal.

Just as the multicolored tree demon was about to act, extending thousands of tendrils, a sudden cough startled him so much his branches trembled and his leaves quivered.

At some point, a petite tiger-faced cat had perched atop one of his tendrils, idly batting at a colorful bubble with a single paw.

“You’re all fools—can’t you see he’s toying with you? He has allied with the Heavenly Way and his cultivation has soared. The more of you die, the stronger he becomes. I nearly fell for it myself!”

With a wave of its paw, the shrunken Tiger-Face Immortal unleashed the array that had previously escaped, which spread out to envelop them. As for Wuyun, there was not a trace of being poisoned; like a bird freed from its cage, he snapped Old Bear Three’s silken threads and flew off at leisure.

With their treasure-ship destroyed and no suitable vessel at hand, Old Bear Three was about to curse their ill fortune when his foot landed on something. The Flood Dragon-Hawk suddenly took flight, carrying all five of them, and vanished in Wuyun’s spell before their pursuers’ eyes.

A flicker of displeasure crossed the Tiger-Face Immortal’s features. With a sweep of his paw—so swift the movement was invisible—he and the Sword Mountain Sect’s prisoners reappeared atop a colorless bubble in his grasp.

Nantian, the multicolored tree demon, and the other powerhouses tried to flee, but with another wave of the Tiger-Face Immortal’s paw, another colorless bubble appeared, trapping everyone nearby within.

The Tiger-Face Immortal’s whiskers curled with satisfaction. He had now thoroughly grasped the secrets of Wuyun’s illusory array bubbles—and even surpassed him.

Yet as he looked toward Wuyun’s retreating figure, his eyes narrowed. Behind Wuyun, countless formations disrupting teleportation and spatial spells shimmered into existence.

“Damn it!” the Tiger-Face Immortal muttered with a soft mewl. He felt that even if he lost all his power in this world, it would still be worth it to capture Wuyun.

“All those answers just now were true!” he murmured as he watched Nantian and the others struggle in the illusory array. In a blur, he chased after them from a distant vantage.

Behind him, the great array advanced step by step, closely pursuing, blocking the power of the Heaven's Way of the Luoshui Realm, allowing no weakening to touch him.

Wuyun raced onward, casting spells as he fled. Having escaped, his body brimmed with the power of the Heavenly Way, which transformed within him into the cultivation of a peak True Soul master.

To put it plainly, Wuyun could maintain this peak state indefinitely, casting any spell available to a True Soul expert, or even Divine Breaker arts, though the latter required some interval between uses.

“Where are we going?” Liu Ruyan, worried about the Flood Dragon-Hawk’s injuries, ventured to ask. Wuyun’s hands never ceased weaving spells, disturbing the spatial currents around them.

In this moment, Wuyun’s displayed strength left Old Bear Three far behind. He glanced at Wuyun, yearning to return to the Sword Mountain Sect and seek refuge in the remnants of the Heavenly Thunder formation, but their course was set in the opposite direction.

“Wuyun, you—”

“Call me Senior Wuyun. When I was born, this space likely didn’t even exist!”

The Battle King’s words were cut off, leaving him a little embarrassed. After a cough or two, he said, “That’s quite the exaggeration—even if you were once a primordial flower living thousands of years, in your current state… Well, yes, Senior Wuyun. Senior!”

As their speed slackened, Wuyun’s displeasure was obvious. The Battle King offered a few flattering words, to which Wuyun replied solemnly, “I have no idea where we’re going!”

Even the airborne Flood Dragon-Hawk wobbled, its wings flapping erratically, clearly unsettled. Wuyun quickly conveyed a poison-avoidance technique, then wrapped the Thousand-Handed Venom’s toxins in its own inner core and expelled them with a single breath.

“Calm yourselves.”

Wuyun didn’t seem to be speaking to anyone in particular. Even the Flood Dragon-Hawk, which dared to challenge the Tiger-Face Immortal, trembled at his words.

A chill ran through Old Bear Three’s heart—the kind that only came before a heavenly tribulation. However, he had mastered the art of concealment, suppressing his cultivation so that the tribulation would not seek him out unprovoked.

The Battle King and Liu Ruyan, too, were filled with dread, for in the vastness of space, a heavenly tribulation was forming. Ignoring the vacuum, thunderclouds amassed, blocking Wuyun’s path.

“How can there be a heavenly tribulation for someone who’s just reached True Soul?” Old Bear Three exclaimed.

Wuyun replied modestly, “The Heavenly Way wants me to slay the Tiger-Face Immortal, who’s disrupted the rules of future fate.”

Even the Flood Dragon-Hawk inhaled a breath of vacuum, holding it for ages before it could dissipate.

No matter how the Heavenly Way hinted for Wuyun to act as its agent—even promising that if he turned and faced the Tiger-Face Immortal, he would immediately ascend to Divine Breaker—the answer never changed.

Once he reached Divine Breaker, the highest cultivation possible in this realm, even the Tiger-Face Immortal would struggle to subdue him. But Wuyun still refused, cursing the Heavenly Way for its cunning.

“That Tiger-Face Immortal still has a life-saving immortal treasure up his sleeve. You want me to sell myself, be caught by him, and taken away together?” Once Wuyun’s words ended, the Heavenly Way fell silent.

In the logic of the Heavenly Way, there was no right or wrong—only what could or could not be done. After Wuyun’s refusal, the tribulation clouds rolled on, thunder crashing, and the flow of the Heavenly Way’s energy began to dwindle.

With a cold snort, Wuyun’s cultivation instantly soared from peak True Soul to Divine Breaker, then he cut off the power of the Heavenly Way, declaring angrily, “A true cultivator’s path is to defy heaven. In this life, I must have my own temper! If I can’t use your power, then so be it!”

No sooner had he reached Divine Breaker than Wuyun turned against the Heavenly Way. The thunderclouds, which had been circling, began to dissipate as he concealed his presence, melting away into the void.

“What nonsense—always working, never getting fed! And now it wants to kill the donkey after the millstone has been turned!”

Wuyun had endured enough. Once he escaped the remnants of the Tiger-Face Immortal’s array, he was supposed to ascend to the peak of Divine Breaker. Unexpectedly, the Heavenly Way reneged, fearing it would raise a dragon to its own peril—only to end up with something even more fearsome!

Now, without the infusion of the Heavenly Way’s power, Wuyun’s cultivation returned to normal—less than even the likes of the Battle King or Liu Ruyan. Yet his words remained as bold as ever.

“We’ll head for the nearest teleportation array and recuperate. As for that old cat, I’ll lead him on a merry chase. I’ll make sure he understands: even a god must bow and hide like a shrimp when treading the mortal world!”

His words rang with bravado, though his manner of retreat was rather wretched.