“In your case, I’ll make an exception,” the old man San said. “I can tell you where one of the Ancient Gods’ secret arts is hidden.”
“Of the Nine Divine Secrets, one, the Path of Fire, lies in the North Sea.”
“The North Sea?” Xu Zimo was taken aback, then quickly realized something.
That was where the dragon maiden he sought resided.
“As for the others,” the old man waved his hand dismissively, “you’ll have to rely on your own luck. Now go. You’ve disturbed my rest long enough. The Unfinished Palace has been peaceful for so many years, I hope it stays that way forever.”
“I’ll owe you one,” Xu Zimo said as he turned to leave the hall.
The old man watched him go, then turned his eyes aside, murmuring softly, “Born of the same root...” and sighed.
Outside Unfinished Palace, the air trembled with immense pressure.
Three figures hovered above the heavens.
On the left stood Li Xiuran, the current master of Grandmist Mountain.
On the right was a young boy holding a sword, his expression solemn, a long braid hanging down his back.
Between them stood a youth radiating imperial might.
He looked no older than his mid-teens, yet his gaze carried an unnaturally mature calm.
The force of an emperor rolled through the sky, clouds gathering thickly above him. Winds howled and cyclones burst under his feet.
“Xu Zimo, come out and die!”
Li Xiuran roared with fury.
“If he won’t, why not storm the palace and seize him ourselves?” the young boy suggested.
“This is Unfinished Palace. We cannot,” Li Xiuran quickly cautioned.
“It’s just a ruined temple, what’s there to fear?” the boy asked, puzzled.
The youth in the middle, though young, spoke with a voice ancient and weary.
“Child, you’ve cultivated in seclusion with me since birth. You know little of the world outside,” he said calmly. “Unfinished Palace is the forbidden ground of North River City. No one enters, no one defiles it. Remember my words.”
“Yes, Master,” the boy nodded hurriedly. “But what if he hides inside forever? Won’t the vengeance for Uncle Mist Prime Emperor go unfulfilled?”
“Unfinished Palace will never let anyone linger within,” the youth said confidently. “Just wait.”
“How’s the situation?” Xu Zimo asked as he stepped out of the main hall and saw Xie Changliu still guarding the palace gates.
“There are three of them. They’ve been waiting for us up there the whole time,” Xie replied.
Xu Zimo glanced upward. The boy didn’t even register as a threat, he skipped straight past him.
“One each, what do you say?” Xu Zimo smiled.
Xie Changliu nodded silently.
The two rose into the sky, standing opposite the three intruders.
“You finally came out,” Li Xiuran sneered. “I thought you planned to hide like a coward forever.”
“Seems Grandmist Mountain is eager for its own funeral,” Xu Zimo replied evenly.
“You killed the Mist Prime Emperor,” said the young man between them, the Supreme Unity Paragon, his tone calm but carrying infinite authority. “If you surrender now and follow us back to Grandmist Mountain to accept judgment, I’ll grant you a whole corpse. Otherwise, today will be the day your emperor’s fate ends.”
“No point in wasting words,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.
His aura exploded outward, his imperial will surging like a tidal wave, colliding fiercely with that of his foes.
“Fight!” Xie Changliu shouted first, rushing straight at Li Xiuran. His sword intent tore through the sky, shattering the very air.
Explosions thundered through the heavens like a storm.
Below in North River City, countless onlookers scattered to avoid the shockwaves, whispering among themselves.
“Who’s that young man with Grandmist Mountain? Never seen him before.”
“Yeah, isn’t Xu Zimo the one who killed the Mist Prime Emperor? They still dare challenge him?”
Some, however, recognized the names and whispered with understanding.
“You don’t get it. The true ancestor of Grandmist Mountain, the senior brother of the Mist Prime Emperor himself, is the Supreme Unity Paragon.”
“They say the Mist Prime Emperor’s ascension to emperorhood owed much to Supreme Unity Paragon’s guidance. No doubt he’s here for revenge.”
“Believe me,” Supreme Unity Paragon said calmly, “your death will be ugly.”
The divine aura around him grew heavier, imperial energy swirling into a storm. His true fate manifested, a divine spirit’s phantom hovering behind him.
Xu Zimo didn’t recognize the deity, but its power was immense. A unique current of Supreme Unity energy flowed around it, its eyes glowing with divine light that seemed to pierce and erase all things.
“Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes,” Xu Zimo said, slowly drawing his blade Shadow Tyrant, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“What if you add me to the fight?” a thunderous voice suddenly boomed from the distance.
A massive black hand ripped open the heavens, tearing through the void as a spatial gate formed midair.
Out stepped an old man in a black robe, more beast than man.
His cloak looked like the pelt of some monstrous creature. His hands were clawed, his skin covered in coarse black fur, and his face resembled that of a bear, fierce, primal, wild.
He was like a humanoid beast.
His arrival sent the entire North River City into an uproar.
“That’s the Elder Fiend! Why is he here?”
“Could Grandmist Mountain have allied with Fiend Mountain? No wonder they’re so confident!”
“I heard Fiend Mountain was destroyed not long ago. Don’t tell me Xu Zimo was the one who did it?”
The crowd’s murmurs rose into a roar of speculation.
“I’ve been searching for you for a long time,” the Elder Fiend said darkly, glaring at Xu Zimo.
“You destroyed my mountain. You killed my disciple. You’ve got quite the nerve.”
“I’m too lazy to explain,” Xu Zimo said with a shrug. “Since you’re all here, let’s settle this once and for all.”
“Kill!” the Elder Fiend bellowed.
He thrust out his right hand, power surging as beastly roars filled the sky, pressing down upon Xu Zimo like a collapsing world.
Xu Zimo raised Shadow Tyrant, its edge flashing. Sparks flew as their powers collided, the shockwave scattering the clouds.
Both men staggered a step back. Xu Zimo’s body glowed faintly with the power of the War God.
“Supreme Unity Indestructible Palm!” shouted the Supreme Unity Paragon, seizing the moment to strike.
Behind him, his divine spirit bent low, crackling with thunder.
Lightning crackled as the palm strike condensed into a tornado of divine power. The energy of Supreme Unity gathered into an immense spectral hand descending from the heavens.
With a deafening boom, the air caved inward, leaving a massive five-fingered crater in the void.
Xu Zimo’s figure vanished.
“He’s behind you,” the Elder Fiend barked.
He flicked his clawed fingers, drawing in a torrent of spiritual energy that swallowed the air itself.
An explosion burst behind the Supreme Unity Paragon, throwing Xu Zimo’s figure out of the blast.
“Trap him first,” the Elder Fiend commanded.
The Supreme Unity Paragon nodded slightly. He waved his hand, and the divine spirit behind him mimicked the motion.
“Supreme Unity Dragon Sigil!”
The spirit transformed into a stream of radiant light, taking the form of a glowing rune, and shot toward Xu Zimo like lightning.