Translator: Fate Translation Checker: Silavin Xiao Yang, who had delicate features, stood tall and straight as his whole body was shrouded in a faint green light. When he spoke, he had a small, wry smile on his face. He habitually touched his nose and seemed to turn a blind eye to the strange looks the Mountain Elders cast in his direction. “ Hmph , what a well-thought-out plan. You’re claiming it’s unfair and that Wudi has the upper hand. You want fairness? It’s easy. I won’t take advantage of you. Three days later, when you fight against Wudi, he will lower his cultivation to be at the same level as yours. If you can survive his three attacks, Wudi will admit defeat, and the Celestial Seal of the Nine Mountains shall go to you. What do you think?” The Third Mountain Elder and the others were all shrewd beings who had lived for countless years. With their intelligence, they couldn’t possibly not understand what Xiao Yang was implying at this moment. When the Third Mountain Elder waved his hand and snorted coldly while he made the request, the rest of the Mountain Elders all felt differently about his words. Xiao Yang was a disciple of the Nine Great Mountains who was highly regarded by the Second Mountain Elder. Even though he had only been a follower of the Nine Great Mountains for a little more than 20 years, his cultivation shouldn’t be underestimated. He had learnt all of the Second Mountain Elder’s skills. Not only that, Gu Wudi was recognized as the Chosen One by the Nine Great Mountains, and he was also the disciple the Third Mountain Elder was most proud of. Except for a few disciples who had been cultivating for the longest time, the rest were not his opponents at all. Now that Gu Wudi had already reached the Sacred Emperor Realm, and Xiao Yang’s only in the Sacred Realm, the difference between the two was the gap between heaven and earth. In fact, Gu Wudi could crush Xiao Yang to death with one finger if he wanted to. “A Three-Strike Pact?” Hearing this, the Second Mountain Elder relaxed his frown. He then gave it a thought before he nodded. Still, he asked Xiao Yang beside him, “What do you think of Third Mountain Elder’s request? Is it acceptable?” Xiao Yang smiled when he heard those words. “Since Third Mountain Elder has said so, how can I refuse? I may not be as talented as Senior Wudi, but I have confidence.” As he spoke, he raised his eyebrows, showing the vigour and confidence only a youth would have. He had a plan. Otherwise, it would be impossible to win against Gu Wudi. Seeing this, all the Mountain Lords quietly nodded. They thought that all Xiao Yang needed was more time, and what he would be able to achieve in the future would surely not be inferior to that of Gu Wudi. “Alright. In that case, see you at the square of the Second Mountain in three days,” Third Mountain Elder snorted coldly. Not wanting to stay, his figure then turned blurry as he disappeared from the hall. Seeing this, the rest of the Mountain Lords bid farewell to Second Mountain Elder as they intended to leave. The decision about the closure of the mountain hadn’t been made just yet. What was important now was the owner of the Celestial Seal of the Nine Mountains. Each of the Nine Great Mountains was separated by a distance of a million kilometres, and there were vast seas of stars between them. However, with their cultivation, they could return to and fro with little effort. Soon, the hall became quiet when only the Second Mountain Elder and Xiao Yang were left there. The Second Mountain Elder flashed a warm smile and spoke to Xiao Yang, who was beside him. “You didn’t need to say anything just now. As long as I keep asserting pressure, Third Mountain Elder can’t do anything to me. Now that the Celestial Seal of the Nine Mountains is in my hands, he is not my opponent.” “I didn’t want to make things hard for you, Master. Also, I have the confidence to win the Three-Strike Pact,” Xiao Yang smiled and replied, looking quite confident. “I’m glad to hear you say that.” The Second Mountain Elder let out a relieved smile. He suddenly sighed, “You’ve grown up in the blink of an eye. I still remember the first time I saw you. You were just a baby back then.” Xiao Yang grew curious when he heard this. “For you to mention this suddenly… Are you going to tell me about my identity, Master?” He knew the Second Mountain Elder was not someone who normally would say such words. The Second Mountain Elder nodded. “I should have sent you out to deal with the Upper Realm’s invasion. I didn’t because the outside world is unpredictable, and it’s difficult for you to do anything with your current cultivation level.” He had a complicated look in his eyes as he stared at Xiao Yang. “I understand that your decisions are for my own good,” Xiao Yang reassured him with a smile. Although he wanted to see the outside world, he could also understand his Master’s painstaking efforts. The Second Mountain Elder asked again, “Do you know the reason I say you would make a better owner for the Celestial Seal than Gu Wudi?” “Isn’t it because you favour me, Master?” Xiao Yang was a little surprised to see the Second Mountain Elder shaking his head slightly. He then thought for a while before he deduced solemnly, “Gu Wudi’s virtues are not beneficial for someone in power. He is too headstrong, and it will be difficult for him to move on from small matters and look at the bigger picture. The most important thing to consider is that the Nine Great Mountains might fall in danger if he is in charge of the Celestial Seal. What’s more, Third Mountain Elder is far too ambitious to keep the Nine Great Mountains hidden from the world. As his disciple, Gu Wudi will definitely obey the words of Third Mountain Elder.” Hearing that, the Second Mountain Elder nodded and praised, “Clever boy.” However, he quickly turned serious again. “After you take over the Celestial Seal of the Nine Mountains, I will seal off the mountain and send you out. You belong to the outside world…” “What?” The smile on Xiao Yang’s face froze in puzzlement. “Forgive me for not understanding this, but what do you mean, Master?” He didn’t understand what the Second Mountain Elder meant by sealing off the mountain and sending him off to the outside world. [Didn’t Master just say that the outside world is unpredictable?] At that instant, Xiao Yang was confused, and he couldn’t figure out what was happening. The Second Mountain Elder seemed to have long expected his reaction as he sighed, “Haven’t you always wanted to know your origin?” A radiant brilliance flashed in his hand before a simple jade pendant emerged. This jade pendant was only as long as the forefinger, and it was engraved with ancient and complicated patterns. It didn’t belong to this era. Xiao Yang’s name in an ancient language was engraved on the other side. “This is the jade pendant you had on. Your name is also on it. I have been keeping it for you,” the Second Mountain Elder explained while he handed the jade pendant to Xiao Yang. “Yes, Master.” Xiao Yang had a complicated expression on his face as he took the pendant. He knew about this as Chen Suyun had mentioned to him before about how this jade pendant might hold the secrets of his identity. However, he had never actually looked into it all these years. “The reason why your family left you outside of Nine Great Mountains was related to this jade pendant. I accepted you as my disciple because I owe the owner of this jade pendant a favour back then,” the Second Mountain Elder suddenly told Xiao Yang a shocking fact. “You have never told me, Master…” Xiao Yang smiled wryly and touched his nose. “Are you telling me this now because you want me to find my family?” He had never held a grudge about being abandoned by his family. When Chen Suyun saw him at the foot of the Nine Great Mountains’ waterfall, he was dying and covered in blood. It meant that the person who brought him all the way here also experienced great danger, and only abandoned Xiao Yang when they had no other choice. “You have the blood of the Protectors in your veins. When the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains encounters a catastrophe, the Protectors will reappear in the world. I don’t know what happened to your family, but you must know who you are and where you are from.” The Second Mountain Elder gradually looked more serious. “You will face all this sooner or later.” “The blood of the Protectors?” Xiao Yang’s heart thumped. He suddenly remembered the bizarre dreams he had had. In those dreams, it seemed that there was an ancient and Immortal Heroic Soul calling him to fight alongside him. It turned out that those weren’t dreams, they were an unfathomable inheritance that dwelled in his blood. He fell silent when the realisation hit him. The Second Mountain Elder looked at him and sighed again. “Over the years, I have taught you what a teacher should teach. You have Talent, and there is unparalleled power in your blood. It’s only, you can’t fully use it just yet. I believe that Xiao Yang, you will one day give rise to the glory of the Family of Protectors again. At that time, all of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains will know of you..” … While Xiao Yang was talking with the Second Mountain Elder, the Blue Cloud Flying Boat, which was like a mountain, was on the edge of the continent thousands of kilometres away drifting across the sky. The extremely tall and ancient vehicle was hidden in the vast clouds. Unless a cultivator came and saw it with their own eyes, they wouldn’t be able to discover its existence. At this moment, on the boat, Gu Wudi and the others were covered in blood. They were in a pathetic state where their hands and feet were chained, cultivation sealed and were thrown on the ground. Except for Gu Wudi, the rest looked horrified as their souls trembled, and their bodies seemed to be on the verge of collapsing apart. This feeling was even more terrifying than when they faced the Mountain Lord. Their legs couldn’t help but go weak, and they almost kneeled on the ground. The white-clad man in front of them looked like a Remnant Immortal. Although his face was serene, he looked like a supreme being sitting on top of the universe, overlooking the vicissitudes of the world. Even the void around him seemed to be collapsing. Divine light shone where Chaos Qi surged between every strand of his hair, and the sight of the universe’s destruction could be seen emerging from his eyes. This was a sign that this was someone whose cultivation was eerily unfathomable. He could shatter the universe with a flick of a finger and tear Heaven apart. Even someone as strong as Gu Wudi was defeated and brought here by the man in white. The Nine Great Mountains had existed for many years, but this was the first time they had encountered an invasion from a foreign enemy. This was something they couldn’t have imagined would happen before. It was so bone-chilling that everyone couldn’t help trembling and keeping their heads hung. “Who the hell are you!? What do you want by barging into our territory!?” Gu Wudi’s golden battle suit was broken, and he was seriously injured. He was almost killed by the man’s palm earlier. There was still blood on the corner of his mouth, but he forced himself to calm down and ask about Gu Changge’s identity. After all, this place was the territory of the Nine Great Mountains. As soon as there was a big commotion, or if several Mountain Lords noticed the disappearance of their aura, they would soon come to check up on the situation. In fact, that thought was what put Gu Wudi at ease. “It doesn’t matter who I am.” Gu Changge shook his head lightly with a calm expression on his face and hummed, “Answer my question like the good fellow you are if you don’t want to die.” “And what if I refuse?” Gu Wudi stared at him with cold eyes. He could tell that Gu Changge was not that old. [He is about the same age as Junior Brother Xiao Yang. But he almost killed me with just one palm!] In fact, the power this man in white displayed was terrifying to the point where it felt as though Gu Wudi was facing a Mountain Lord. Gu Changge’s expression still did not change much as he answered lightheartedly, “If you don’t do it, I will kill you and search your soul. After all, I will soon destroy the Nine Great Mountains.” He made his intention of exterminating the Nine Great Mountains sound like it was no different from him stepping on an ant to death. This made everyone shudder in fear. Gu Wudi’s face quickly fell when he heard that, and he clenched his teeth. He could feel Gu Changge’s contemptuous and nonchalant attitude. [He wouldn’t say this if he wasn’t sure he could do it, and he wouldn’t have barged into the Nine Great Mountains without considering the consequences.] Right then, the Sky Deer Goddess, who had been behind Gu Changge without saying a word, came over, and her eyes fell on a jade commandment token hanging on Gu Wudi’s waist. “That is the Chosen One’s Commandment Token… He should be the Successor of the Nine Great Mountains.” She recognized the token, which was the symbol of the Successor of the Nine Great Mountains. However, the Successor of the Nine Great Mountains got caught by Gu Changge before he could even step out into the world. This made her look at him with a strange, and almost mocking and contemptuous gaze. “The Chosen One’s Commandment Token?” Gu Changge frowned slightly. He felt something different in the Nine Great Mountains earlier. It felt like a Fortuitous One. He thought that the Fortuitous One he met this time would be the Successor of the Nine Great Mountains, but now, it seemed that he had guessed wrongly. Although Gu Wudi in front of him had cultivated to a high level, his Fortuity was far from that of a Fortuitous One. He couldn’t even be called a Fortunatious Person. The most he could be regarded as was a promising prodigy. And judging from the decay of his Fortuity, he might even be an enemy of the Fortuitous One. Gu Wudi was staring intently at the Sky Deer Goddess. He seemed to be taking in her appearance before his face suddenly fell, and he exclaimed in shock, “S-Sky Deer Goddess?” He had seen Sky Deer Goddess’ true face because of Chen Suyun. The reason for that was that Chen Suyun, too, almost became the Sky Deer Goddess and had a Junior Sister who was as gifted as heaven. Hearing this, the rest also widened their eyes in astonishment as they looked at the beauty in white in front of them. Her peerless beauty was indeed hard to describe in words. Her skin shone almost dreamily without any blemishes. She was just like an untouchable fairy. When Gu Changge stood side by side with her, they looked like an extremely well-matched immortal couple. They didn’t doubt Gu Wudi’s words, but they didn’t expect to see the Sky Deer Goddess here. Not only that, she was close to the white-clad man. Sky Deer Goddess seemed surprised when she heard Gu Wudi call out her name, and she turned to take a closer look at him. “I’m surprised you recognise me. It seems that you should have seen my portrait. Who is Chen Suyun to you?” She smilingly asked, giving off a refreshing feeling like it was spring. However, the rest couldn’t help shuddering at the piercing chill when they heard Chen Suyun’s name. It was rumoured that Chen Suyun and the Sky Deer Goddess had a deep grudge against each other. When Chen Suyun left Sky Deer City and came to the Nine Great Mountains, she seemed to be carrying some secrets. For a moment, everyone thought that Sky Deer Goddess had lured Gu Changge to the Nine Great Mountains. Still, everyone was puzzled by the existence of the terrifying young man in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. “Chen Suyun and I don’t have any special relationship. She is but my Senior Sister,” Gu Wudi answered. At the same time, he guessed the Sky Deer Goddess’s purpose for coming here. [Could she be here to settle her grudge with Chen Suyun? But why did the man say that he is going to destroy the Nine Great Mountains?] “ Oh ? She is your Senior Sister? It seems that she has lived a good life these years. As her junior myself, I can finally rest assured.” The Sky Deer Goddess was still smiling. The holiness and demonic nature in her body coexisted. Her eyes then fell on Gu Changge’s face bewitchingly. “Young Master Gu, it seems like we have got ourselves a useful bargaining chip,” she informed. “A bargaining chip? I wonder how valuable this bargaining chip is.” Gu Changge shook his head and waved his hand. Jet-black divine light immediately filled the air, turning into brilliant Grand Runes which condensed into an ancient word that wrote ‘Slave’. Zoom! The very next moment, the word flew out and turned into a black light that fell directly into the middle of Gu Wudi’s eyebrows before it immediately disappeared. “What is this…” Gu Wudi couldn’t avoid it at all. Panic and anxiety began to grow on his face. It was hard for him to keep calm like before. Even if he didn’t know what technique Gu Changge used, he still felt the horrendous intention that one move held. And after this mysterious imprint sank into the middle of his eyebrows, he was overcome by a feeling that his life and death were beyond his control. It made him uneasy. It was as if he had become Gu Changge’s slave. “If you don’t want to die,” Gu Changge casually reminded, “don’t try to disobey my words.” He didn’t want to waste time on Gu Wudi. He could already tell that Gu Wudi was not someone who was not afraid of death. Therefore, it was easier to keep him obedient by using the Slave Mark to control his life and death. “Y-You actually planted a Slave Mark on me…” Gu Wudi turned pale with fright and disbelief. Nevertheless, he was in the Sacred Emperor Realm. With his cultivation, he could restore to his original state even if his body was split apart and buried in different parts of the world. The vitality of someone in the Sacred Emperor Realm was incomparably, indescribably terrifying. It was close to impossible to kill them with anything that was not a crushing force. Therefore, techniques like the Slave Mark do not usually work on those that reached the Sacred Emperor Realm, unless it was some kind of special Secret Techniques or ability. “It seems like you are not that stupid.” Gu Changge threw him a glance. A devastated look instantly appeared on Gu Wudi’s face when he heard Gu Changge’s reply. Gu Changge succeeding at planting a Slave Mark on him. It meant that Gu Changge was extremely powerful. Furthermore, he already had a rough idea of who Gu Changge was. [There shouldn’t be anyone from the younger generation in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains who is so terrifying. He must be from the Upper Realm. And the Sky Deer Goddess looks like she is extremely close to him. What exactly happened in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains?] He couldn’t bring himself to imagine the answer. He had had a brief thought of resisting when a destructive energy gushed into his Knowledge Sea, almost shattering his soul. This made Gu Wudi feel hopeless and powerless. He was a proud and arrogant man who was aiming to be a True Daoist one day. He wouldn’t want to risk his life because of something like this. Therefore, no matter how unwilling he was, he could only choose to submit at this moment and not show any resistance or disrespect. Noticing the change in Gu Wudi’s attitude, Gu Changge gave a small nod. “I like smart people because of how tactful they are. It seems that you are also a smart man.” Gu Wudi couldn’t help feeling weak and bitter. He was the Successor of the Nine Great Mountains who was already in the Sacred Emperor Realm. As long as he was out of the Nice Great Mountains, he was bound to be famous all over the world. Everyone would be respectful and in awe of him. Yet, he had already become someone’s slave, and his life and death was no longer within his control even before he left the Mountains. This left a bad taste in his mouth. He was so filled with hatred that he could go mad. As for the rest who were captured, Gu Changge also planted Slave Marks on them in case they went around to spread the news about this place and cause a commotion in the Nine Great Mountains. Gu Changge could tell from Gu Wudi’s cultivation that the Nine Great Mountains wasn’t one to be trifled with. There were at least eight True Daoists, not ruling out that some of them had been Cultivators for a longer time. Gu Changge didn’t care about them, but he had to keep his guard up against the other cards the Nine Great Mountains might use. Before anything else, he wanted to know the identity of the Fortuitous One of the Nine Great Mountains. “From now on, I will come here to accompany you while you visit your Senior Sister.” Afterwards, Gu Changge ordered everyone on the Blue Cloud Flying Boat to stay while he asked Gu Wudi and the others to take him and Sky Deer Goddess to the depths of the Nine Great Mountains. Ah Da, who was Gu Changge’s bodyguard, had now broken through to the Second-Order Quasi-Nirvana Realm, and he had been following Gu Changge closely. Naturally, Gu Changge’s words were intended for the Sky Deer Goddess. “Understood. You are here to visit my Eldest Senior Sister with me, Young Master Gu,” The Sky Deer Goddess repeated with a charming, bright smile that reached her eyes. She had an idea what Gu Changge was up to. Soon, Gu Wudi and his group led the way. With Golden Runes beneath their feet, they crossed great mountains and rivers and rushed to the real location of the Nine Great Mountains. Gu Changge noticed that there was a huge difference between Deep Cloud Graveyard and the outside world. There were many ancient beasts and birds here, but they were not vicious. Some were even somewhat docile. The Primeval Forest was densely covered, and the mountains were magnificent. During the journey to the location, many disciples from the Nine Great Mountains saw Gu Wudi and the others, and they greeted the group respectfully. They seemed wary of Gu Wudi. However, they were curious about Gu Changge and the Sky Deer Goddess, who were following behind. For countless years, no outsider had been to the Nine Great Mountains. Despite their curiosity, they all regarded the two as Gu Wudi’s guests, and they didn’t ask any questions. “Which mountain should we go to first, Young Master?” Gu Wudi suddenly asked in a respectful tone mid-journey. “Whichever mountain you are from,” Gu Changge replied casually and looked away after he took a careful look at this place. “Yes, Young Master.” Gu Wudi nodded, and the Golden Rune under his feet extended from the sky to a certain majestic Mystic Mountain in the depths. The surrounding sea of stars was a vast place where small stars gathered together. It was a magnificent, beautiful place that felt like the Celestial Realm. This was The Third Mountain. Divine rainbows shot over from the mountain peak when Gu Wudi appeared at the mountain. This group of people was made up of both aged males and females. Some of them looked at Gu Changge and the Sky Deer Goddess suspiciously. Even so, they spoke to Gu Wudi while ignoring them, “Greetings, Chosen One. Third Mountain Elder is looking for you.” “Alright. I shall bring my honoured guests along to meet Master.” Gu Wudi nodded and returned to looking regal. He looked like a god with golden light shining in his hair. Everyone was cautious towards him, and they were even more curious about the distinguished guests he was talking about. Still, none of them dared to ask more questions. “This way, please, Young Master.” Gu Wudi led the way to the main hall of the Third Mountain Elder. Gu Changge nodded slightly in response. He wasn’t worried that Gu Wudi would attempt anything. He also wanted to see for himself who the so-called Third Mountain Elder was, and what he was capable of. The clouds and mist on the top of The Third Mountain were vast, and there stood a magnificent and ancient palace. The Celestial Waterfall of Chaos flowed from among the peaks of the mountain. Not only that, Celestial Mist lingered where Celestial Light intertwined, and there were clouds of thousands of colours. This was a shocking scenery comparable to heaven on earth. The spiritual beasts here had some kind of Celestial Energy, and their energies were extraordinarily strong. They were completely different from the beasts outside. They weren’t afraid when they saw Gu Changge and the others coming. Instead, they let their colourful feathers shine brilliantly under the glow of the sunlight. [There must be some kind of secret treasure that maintains the environment here…] Gu Changge quickly concluded when he saw this scene. The Nine Great Mountains were somewhat extraordinary. Compared to his Inner World, the Nine Great Mountains had a sense of mystery and eternity. Soon, under Gu Wudi’s lead, Gu Changge and the others saw the so-called Third Mountain Elder in the hall. He was an energetic old man in a black robe with supreme energy lingering between his eyes. However, he was also looking at Gu Changge puzzledly before his gaze finally fell on the Sky Deer Goddess. “Wudi? These are…” “Master, they are the distinguished guests that I met outside the gate,” Gu Wudi replied respectfully, not daring to reveal what he had encountered before. “Are you the current Sky Deer Goddess?” Surprised, the Third Mountain Elder quickly asked. He recognised the Sky Deer Goddess. She smiled in return. “Hello, friend.” He then turned to Gu Changge. “And this is…” He couldn’t quite gauge Gu Changge’s cultivation. Gu Changge obviously wasn’t old, but for some reason, he gave off a dangerous feeling, even more so than the Sky Deer Goddess. However, before Gu Changge could answer, she quickly answered, “His name is Changge. He is my husband.” She then smilingly arched her dark eyebrows as she laced her arm around his. Standing here, she looked like a Divine Lotus with a holy aura, as though she was a young girl completely in love. “Husband?” The Third Mountain Elder’s eyebrows raised in surprise. [Since when did the Sky Deer Goddess get a husband?] Since ancient times, Sky Deer Goddess had always been a symbol of purity and cleanliness. No man had ever appeared by her side. “Yes!” As Sky Deer Goddess replied, her voice grew slightly grumpy. “But I am only my husband’s concubine.”