Chapter 136: The Arch-Prelate of the Black Heaven

The intelligence and data on the Black Sky Cult collected by the Zhennan Water Navy were quite comprehensive.

Baili Feihong spent a full hour digesting the information gathered by the Zhennan Water Navy.

Frowning slightly, he realized the Black Sky Cult was even more powerful than he had imagined.

Of course, Baili Feihong was not planning to fight the Black Sky Cult all by himself.

Back in the day, it took an alliance of various martial sects to finally eradicate the Black Sky Cult.

Now that it had risen from the ashes, the force making a comeback would be even more formidable.

The Black Sky Cult, which used to survive primarily in the Central Plains region, had now spread across the entire world.

"Arch-Prelate level... That being said, the leader of the Black Sky Cult must at least be a Martial Saint."

"The intelligence does not specify how many tiers exist above the Arch-Prelate level. Clearly, even the Zhennan Water Navy remains unaware. If one could uncover the internal organizational structure of the Black Sky Cult, its power could be studied through that framework."

An Arch-Prelate possessed the strength of the Martial Dao Dharma-Pratima realm.

It remained unclear how many steps existed between an Arch-Prelate and the Cult Master.

"I have been away from Dongbin City for half a year now. I wonder how things are over there?"

Would Yan Ruyu miss him?

Could Gongyang Yan still withstand the pressure brought by the prophecy? The pressure from her family? The pressure from the imperial court?

His senior brother Zhang Qianshan should be making the Four Seas Martial House flourish by now.

Looking back on the past, he suddenly realized that the only three people in Dongbin City worth missing were these.

As for everyone else, they were simply insignificant.

……

Feiyuan Academy.

Liu Yansheng concluded his lecture, politely declined further questions from his students, and returned to his private courtyard.

"Brother Liu is quite leisurely, spending every day accompanied by a bunch of vibrant students. No wonder your state of mind is so serene."

A student-looking youth appeared before Liu Yansheng.

"Nangong Zhen, I have already warned you not to use the Primordial Devil Heart Talisman indiscriminately on the students of Feiyuan Academy."

A hint of displeasure showed on Liu Yansheng's face.

"Rest assured, I am merely borrowing his body to move about. The Garrison Commander has returned to Feiyuan Island with vastly enhanced strength; we cannot afford to be careless. After all, the slightest slip could implicate you. Right now, I am conversing with you wearing a student's skin. Even if discovered, it would merely look like a student seeking academic guidance from a teacher."

Nangong Zhen smiled and said.

"With the Garrison Commander's return, given your current abilities, even Baili Feihong would find no way to track you down if you wished to hide."

Liu Yansheng led Nangong Zhen to a gazebo and motioned for him to sit.

Nangong Zhen glanced around the gazebo and revealed a faint smile.

The Primordial Demonic Sect possessed extensive experience in evading spiritual sense detection.

"Speak, what brings you here this time?"

"Aside from the Black Sky Stele, I can think of no other reason to seek you out." Nangong Zhen was very straightforward.

During the five months Baili Feihong was gone, he had scoured the entire Feiyuan Island, even probing the quasi-divine entities residing on it, yet he found no trace of the Black Sky Stele.

A trace of struggle flickered across Liu Yansheng's face, words resting on the tip of his tongue.

Nangong Zhen keenly perceived this, lowering his voice to ask: "Have you found any clues after reviewing the historical documents of Feiyuan Island? The Black Sky Stele is the token of the Black Sky Demonic God, and the primal seed leading to the ancient world. Such an item is difficult to conceal; unless it has been sealed, suppressing its power is impossible."

Nangong Zhen had already given up on further searches, knowing that to continue would be an exercise in futility.

The Black Sky Cult had already manifested in the world and had even executed a major event that shifted the global landscape.

According to Nangong Zhen's speculation, the Black Sky Cult would inevitably come to Feiyuan Island.

When they arrived on Feiyuan Island in search of the Black Sky Stele, he would have to face the Black Sky Cult directly.

Unless he had a major sect supporting him from behind, he would stand no chance of seizing food from the tiger's jaws.

Time was running out for him.

Liu Yansheng remained silent for a long time.

Nangong Zhen sat quietly, observing his fellow sect member.

The Primordial Devil Palace and the Primordial Origin Palace held conflicting ideologies. Liu Yansheng had left the sect long ago, living under an alias on Feiyuan Island for many years.

Yet, he believed his judgment of character was sound; Liu Yansheng was a scholar in pursuit of the world's truth.

The Black Sky Stele held immense allure for him, and he would surely offer assistance.

Otherwise, Nangong Zhen would never have risked appearing before Liu Yansheng.

"There is one place you have not searched, but for you, searching that place is a dead end."

Liu Yansheng lowered his voice, speaking with extreme reluctance.

Hearing this, Nangong Zhen's expression turned solemn.

"Is there any basis for this?"

"The Zhennan Water Navy is ultimately a military force; they only know slaughter. Once they obtain the Black Sky Stele, they will inevitably be controlled by it and reduced to Black Sky cultists. However, there is one faction that will not, because their very duty is to deal with such forces."

Having said this, Liu Yansheng closed his eyes to rest his mind and spoke no further.

"You are right, I overlooked the Town-Demon Division. When the Zhennan Water Navy fought for Feiyuan Island back then, they once invited the Town-Demon Division to help deal with the totems of the indigenous tribes. If the Black Sky Stele truly exists on Feiyuan Island, it must have fallen into the hands of the Town-Demon Division."

However, the doubt on Nangong Zhen's face did not dissipate entirely.

"I have entered the Town-Demon Tower before, and back then it was merely an empty shell. If the Black Sky Stele were inside the Town-Demon Tower, I certainly would have discovered it."

Nangong Zhen had once served as an aide to the Prefect, holding immense authority and representing Prefect Chen externally.

The Zhennan Water Navy had seized the Town-Demon Tower, but it was not difficult for him to gain entry.

He merely needed to inform the generals of the Zhennan Water Navy, or even enter under the guise of a social visit.

"The Garrison Commander has returned. I hear that two golden figures have been erected at the entrance of the Town-Demon Tower. Judging by their imposing aura, they were forged using divine abilities and further reinforced with the Garrison Commander's vital essence. Even an average divine-ability master might not emerge victorious when encountering these golden figures."

Liu Yansheng spoke again, feeling he had already said enough.

What sort of object could compel the Garrison Commander to expend his own vital essence just to reinforce the defenses of the Town-Demon Tower?

Was it purely to protect the Town-Demon Tower?

The only person within the Feiyuan Island Town-Demon Division capable of threatening other factions was Baili Feihong.

As for the subordinate town-demon envoys, the external factions held no interest in them.

Targeting those envoys would inevitably draw Baili Feihong's ruthless retaliation.

Therefore, lacking the strength to contend with Baili Feihong, no one dared to touch the Town-Demon Tower, let alone harm its subordinate envoys.

Even when millions in gold bullion from the Feiyuan Chamber of Commerce sat in the treasury, Baili Feihong had never bothered to upgrade the Town-Demon Tower's defenses.

In fact, he almost wished someone would go and make trouble for the Town-Demon Division.

Yet now, having returned from secluded cultivation with strength far surpassing his past, he had conjured these divine golden figures through bean-soldier magic and the expenditure of vital essence to guard the Town-Demon Tower.

Liu Yansheng's immediate reaction was that this was a clumsy attempt to conceal something obvious.

Nangong Zhen was a monstrous veteran who had roamed the major sects for over two hundred years. Hearing Liu Yansheng's reminder, sudden enlightenment dawned on him.

He even saw further than Liu Yansheng.

"The Garrison Commander has found the Black Sky Stele, and the stele is hidden within the Town-Demon Division."

He was not investigating a crime and required no concrete evidence.

He only needed sufficient grounds for suspicion to form his own logical conclusion.

Nangong Zhen's expression grew dark and uncertain, for he was well aware of Baili Feihong's terrifying might.

He had once burned Zuo Fenghan's life force to multiply his power tenfold, solely to test Baili Feihong's strength.

Yet after Baili Feihong killed Xue Ming of the Flower-Cleft Sect, Nangong Zhen realized that his own caution had saved his life.

Who was Xue Ming, ranked sixth on the Hidden Dragon Roll?

He was a peerless prodigy who contended against the top divine-ability masters of the Primordial Demonic Sect.

His death at Baili Feihong's hands meant that Baili Feihong possessed the strength to slaughter divine-ability masters ranked in the top ten of the Hidden Dragon Roll.

Now that he had returned after half a year of closed-door cultivation, no one knew what terrifying realm his strength had reached.

Recalling Baili Feihong's cultivation journey, while half a year of seclusion was brief for others, for him it was a vast expanse of profound cultivation time.

"Abandon any thoughts of cooperating with Baili Feihong. This man has an aloof and proud disposition. Let alone seeking cooperation, the moment your whereabouts are exposed, he will go to any lengths to kill you."

Liu Yansheng looked coldly at Nangong Zhen.

If Nangong Zhen's identity were exposed, his own status as a disciple of the Primordial Demonic Sect would inevitably be brought to light.

The Town-Demon Six Paths Scripture was hailed as the preeminent martial arts classic.

Body Tempering, Prordial Embryo, Divine Ability, Dharma-Pratima, Dao-Integration, and Heaven-Opening—these were the six recognized realms of the present day.

Among the first five realms—Body Tempering, Prordial Embryo, Divine Ability, Dharma-Pratima, and Dao-Integration—this martial scripture possessed distinct advantages unmatched by other cultivation methods.

As for the Heaven-Opening realm, it belonged to the level of Human Immortals.

Human Immortals had vanished long ago, and no one had ever been rumored to reach that realm.

Given Nangong Zhen's abilities, facing Baili Feihong's Town-Demon Six Paths Scripture would mean certain death. Moreover, Baili Feihong could utilize soul-search techniques to probe Nangong Zhen's memories.

Liu Yansheng's existence would not be classified as classified information within Nangong Zhen's mind.

Once Baili Feihong killed Nangong Zhen, Liu Yansheng would have no choice but to abandon Feiyuan Academy and flee Feiyuan Island.

"This matter requires long-term deliberation and meticulous planning."

Nangong Zhen's expression was grim.

A countermeasure formed in his mind—a venomous plot, indeed.

That was to leak news of the Black Sky Stele, forcing the Black Sky Cult to deal with Baili Feihong while he lurked in the shadows to reap the benefits.

Yet he understood that treasures like the Black Sky Stele, once publicized, would inevitably arouse the covetous desires of powerful factions both within the Great Yuan and across neighboring nations.

The primal seed leading to the ancient world was the key to unlocking eternal life.

In an era where even Human Immortals had perished, the temptation of eternal life needed no elaboration.

"Pulling chestnuts from the fire; nine deaths and a lifetime of woe."

Liu Yansheng remarked coldly. With that, he dismissed Nangong Zhen.

The price for learning the truth of the world was heavy.

Liu Yansheng knew he had already passed the point of no return.

After deep contemplation, he penned a letter and dispatched it to a liaison post of the Primordial Origin Palace.

With the Primordial Origin Palace as his backing, he thoroughly disagreed with Nangong Zhen's reckless solo approach.

……

The message had been transmitted.

Nangong Zhen smiled faintly and returned home.

His true physical form had never been seen by anyone.

This was the good habit that had kept him alive until now.

A white pigeon flew into a rice shop in Yongsheng City.

Chen Tao, who was tending the shop, turned pale with shock.

He had concealed his identity thoroughly; even the Black Sky Cult was unaware of this particular safehouse.

Locking the doors of the rice shop, he retrieved the slip of paper tied to the carrier pigeon's leg.

He read it carefully.

His expression instantly turned excited.

The cult's holy relic, which they had searched for over many years, finally had a trace.

"The Town-Demon Division! The Black Sky Stele was taken by the Town-Demon Division. No wonder we turned Feiyuan Island upside down and found no trace of it."

"According to the letter, Baili Feihong has found the Black Sky Stele and deduced that it is suppressed beneath the Town-Demon Tower, likely sealed with Magic-Locking Divine Chains to prevent its detection."

Chen Tao paced back and forth in his room, pondering the authenticity of the matter.

The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that the writer of the letter spoke the truth.

Back then, the Zhennan Water Navy flattened Feiyuan Island, slaughtered the indigenous tribes, and exterminated their worship totems.

During that period, they encountered fierce resistance from the island's locals, and even demons emerged to massacre the soldiers of the Zhennan Water Navy before the imperial court dispatched the Town-Demon Division to subdue them.

The historical documents recorded this clearly.

If the Town-Demon Division had indeed discovered the Black Sky Stele, they would certainly have gone to great lengths to suppress it.

"With Wang Qin gone, my strength combined with Jia Renyi's is insufficient to investigate the truth of this matter."

"Both Jia Renyi and I are already exposed; showing our faces now means certain death."

"However, we can report this achievement and petition the cult to transfer us away."

Chen Tao was not surprised by Wang Qin's desertion.

Since Wang Qin could betray the Flower-Cleft Sect, she could naturally betray the Black Sky Cult.

Nevertheless, after consulting with Jia Renyi, Chen Tao reported that Wang Qin had been killed by the Garrison Commander.

Baili Feihong had killed so many people; it was hardly strange that Wang Qin had died at his hands.

Naturally, the Black Sky Cult would not bother to investigate further.

Besides, Wang Qin was not the only one who had died.

Thinking of this, he immediately used a covert channel to instruct Jia Renyi to rendezvous at their usual spot.

The person who sent this letter was likely observing him from the shadows.

Yet, to acquire the Black Sky Stele, taking a few risks was well worth it.

……

The Devil's Strait.

Dozens of nations were birthed along the narrow strait.

Some of these nations could not even compare to a small town of the Great Yuan Empire.

This, however, did not detract from the prosperity along both shores of the strait.

Yet this prosperity had now been reduced to ruins.

Black mist was spreading, devouring thousands of miles of coastline.

Within the black mist, countless vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts wailed.

The wails carried an aura of terror, making the Devil's Strait live up to its name.

Squads of tall, ferocious monsters resembling demons patrolled the coastline.

One hundred miles inland from the coast into the South Asian continent, a magnificent and ancient imperial palace was shrouded in black mist.

Countless phantoms swirled around the palace castle, guarding its safety.

A carrier pigeon, continuously refined through special powers, traversed the obstacles unhindered and descended into the palace.

Inside the palace.

Entrancing succubi were dancing gracefully, their movements fluid and brimming with infinite allure.

The high-ranking officials of the Black Sky Cult seated within the palace watched them, completely mesmerized.

Though well aware of the danger posed by succubi, as devout believers of the Black Sky Cult, these creatures were reduced to mere playthings for them.

The pigeon flew straight into the palace, unaffected by the Black Sky domain field inside, and fluttered its wings to land in the hand of an elderly man clad in gorgeous robes who sat upon the imperial throne.

He was the Black Sha Arch-Prelate of the Black Sky Cult.

The Black Sha Arch-Prelate extended his hand, and the white pigeon alighted softly upon his palm, standing quietly.

His pitch-black pupils flickered with peculiar runes, transmitting information directly into his mind.

The white pigeon looked utterly exhausted, yet held its head high, gazing expectantly at the Arch-Prelate as if demanding credit.

"The Black Sky Stele... we have finally tracked it down."

His deep voice echoed throughout the palace.

The members of the Black Sky Cult, who had been enjoying the succubus dance, instantly shifted their gazes toward the Arch-Prelate.

The Black Sha Arch-Prelate produced a black bean and fed it to the pigeon. "Go, reply to Chen Tao and the other one; prepare to welcome the descent of the holy army."

Lifting his gaze, he saw that those seated at the banquet tables were all saints and apostles.

"Resume the music."

There was no need to rush.