“Uncle Fu, let’s not play games. I know I can’t run now,” Cai Yue said calmly. “Tell me the truth, did you betray the Cai Clan?”
“What if I did? What if I didn’t?” Uncle Fu replied indifferently.
“I just want to know before I die, so I don’t die confused,” Cai Yue said.
“Yes, it was me. I leaked the news. I secretly teamed up with a few other clans to wipe out the Cai Clan. They only wanted to take over the Westgold Prefecture. We all got what we wanted,” Uncle Fu replied.
“But why? My father and my family treated you well, didn’t they?” Cai Yue asked, shocked. “You watched me grow up.”
“Instead of saying the Cai Clan treated me well, it’s more like I treated the Cai Clan well,” Uncle Fu said coldly. “I followed your father even before he became head of the family. I helped him run the household, supported him without complaint. But I’ve been stuck at the peak of the Paragon Meridian Realm for a long time. I’m not some genius. I couldn’t break through. My lifespan is almost up. I don’t want to die. When your father got the Breaking-Through Pill, he hid it instead of helping me use it to break through to the Imperial Meridian Realm and extend my life. So if anyone betrayed anyone, your Cai Clan betrayed me first.”
“I don’t know what my father was thinking. But people like you, deserve to die,” Cai Yue said flatly.
“Whether I deserve to die or not doesn’t matter. What’s certain is, you’ll die before me. Once I get the pill and reach the Imperial Meridian Realm, the whole world will be mine,” Uncle Fu said with a cruel smile.
“What about you guys?” Cai Yue turned to the other guards.
“Miss, we didn’t know anything,” the guards said nervously, shaking their heads.
“No need to be afraid,” Uncle Fu said. “After you die, they’ll be buried with you. At least you won’t be alone on the road.”
A powerful pressure surged from Uncle Fu, revealing his peak Paragon Meridian Realm strength. He formed claw-like hands, pale white energy gathering between his fingers, and lunged at Cai Yue.
Just then, a loud beastly roar came from nearby. The Darksky Tiger pounced, its massive body rushing in. Feeling the pressure from the tiger’s aura, Uncle Fu’s expression changed and he shouted, “Beast!”
He quickly dodged to the side.
Although Xu Zimo hadn’t officially trained the Darksky Tiger as a battle pet, it had grown under his care into an Imperial Meridian Realm beast. Its combat strength was formidable.
“You’re ruining everything,” Uncle Fu shouted at Xu Zimo, who was still in the carriage. “I didn’t want to kill you, but you’re asking for it.”
“Why all the noise? Can’t even nap in peace,” Xu Zimo said, pulling open the carriage curtain, annoyed.
Uncle Fu glared at him, then suddenly pulled out a jet-black pill.
“Mad Demon Pill,” Cai Yue exclaimed.
“You forced me to this,” Uncle Fu laughed madly and swallowed the pill.
His face twisted, his skin darkened, and his strength rapidly increased.
“He just used the Mad Demon Pill,” Cai Yue said anxiously. “It’ll push him temporarily into the Imperial Meridian Realm. He won’t feel pain and his power will skyrocket.”
“Imperial Meridian? Just an ant,” Xu Zimo replied casually.
The Darksky Tiger pounced again, turning into a blur of black light and opening its jaws wide. Uncle Fu roared and fought back, his body radiating dark energy.
At equal cultivation levels, humans are no match for beasts, unless they’re top-tier talents. However, the pill made Uncle Fu numb to pain, giving him an advantage.
The fight was intense, blow for blow. Uncle Fu began to worry, he was on a time limit. Once the pill wore off, he’d suffer a massive backlash and temporarily lose all cultivation.
With a cold expression, he suddenly switched targets and lunged toward Cai Yue.
Her face turned pale. Though she wanted to run, her legs felt rooted to the ground, heavy as lead.
Just as Uncle Fu’s claws were about to grab her neck, clang!
A curved blade blocked the strike.
“You again,” Uncle Fu roared at Xu Zimo. “I was so close!”
The Darksky Tiger leapt from behind, pinned him down with its claws, and bit down on his head.
…
The others turned away, unable to watch the bloody scene.
Cai Yue sighed. He had watched her grow up. He had once been like family.
“Here,” she said, handing a small black box to Xu Zimo. “I promised you the Breaking-Through Pill.”
“Keep it for yourself,” Xu Zimo said, shaking his head. He returned to the carriage. “Let’s keep moving. Call me when we reach the border of the Ninelands Region.”
The Darksky Tiger, satisfied after eating, followed behind the caravan. Xu Zimo didn’t put it away, it was fine to let it roam for now.
The rain, which had started in the early morning, finally began to clear. Raindrops clung to the plants, glistening on the leaves.
The caravan slowly moved forward. Crossing the Dragon Ridge Mountains would take a long time, so whenever they encountered beasts, the guards killed them for supplies.
Xu Zimo remained in the carriage, either asleep or, more accurately, cultivating.
The human body has over 360 acupuncture points, each capable of forming multiple Power Vortexes. According to the Heaven-Shattering God-Scripture, the human body has endless potential. In theory, it can generate infinite Power Vortexes.
With enough time, energy, and resources, strength has no limit. The weak can move mountains. The strong can split the heavens.
But forming vortexes becomes harder over time. Xu Zimo was focusing on sensing the power in every part of his body, every muscle, every nerve.
Understanding power takes time. You must reach a deep level of control. You should be able to spread power out like stars in the sky, or focus it into a single, devastating strike.
Only when you can sense and control all the power in your body naturally, can you say you’ve entered the path.
That was the beginning of the Heaven-Shattering God-Scripture. Not necessarily difficult, but incredibly time-consuming and precise.
And so, the carriage slowly traveled through the mountains.