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The Palace Master of the Goddess Palace let out a light laugh and said, âI havenât even held you accountable for earlier matters. If you really think you can keep pushing your luck, go ahead and try.â
Xu Zimo slowly picked up Shadow Tyrant, looked at the Palace Master, and said, âI know your Mortal Dust Palace has existed in this world for a very long time. But in the lands of the Primordial Heartlands, there are few places I cannot wipe out.â
On Shadow Tyrant, blade intent slowly spread outward.
The surrounding space shattered like tofu, easily broken into countless fragments.
Just as the situation was about to erupt, a woman in a blue dress came rushing from afar.
âEveryone stop,â the woman descended gracefully from mid-air.
She said, âThe Ancestor is aware of your situation and has her own solution.â
âThe Ancestor would concern herself with this?â the Palace Master frowned.
Then glanced at Gu Yue and seemed to understand.
The Palace Master snorted and said, âSince thatâs the case, let the Ancestor handle it.â
After speaking, she left with a flick of her sleeve.
âCome with me,â the woman in blue didnât mind, glanced at Xu Zimo and the others, and spoke softly.
Xu Zimo frowned slightly and followed her deeper into the Goddess Palace.
âThis Goddess Palace sure is complicated,â Great Wisdom said.
âMy patience is running thin,â Xu Zimo said plainly.
He looked at Gu Yue and asked, âYou must know something. Otherwise, they wouldnât have tried to abduct you out of nowhere.â
âIâŚâ Gu Yue hesitated and finally said,
âIâve never been here before, but the Palace Master looked exactly like my mother.â
âExactly the same?â Xu Zimoâs frown deepened.
âBut she definitely wasnât my mother. My mother wouldnât be that cold,â Gu Yue quickly added.
âSeems like your identity has a story,â Xu Zimo said.
The three followed the woman in blue through a quiet, long corridor.
After passing through several secluded courtyards, they finally arrived at the back mountain of the Goddess Palace.
It looked like a desolate mountain range, completely out of place with the grandeur of the palace.
The ground was barren, a few withered trees stood scattered, their branches and leaves long dead.
The mountains were bleak, and a few crows with gloomy eyes watched the people coming and going.
âWhat is this place?â Gu Yue asked, a little frightened.
The woman in blue looked at her and smiled. âDonât be afraid. This is the back mountain. Soon youâll meet the Ancestor of our Mortal Dust Palace.â
She led them to the entrance of a cave.
The entrance was sealed by a stone door, with two white crow statues standing on either side.
White crows were indeed rare.
âAncestor, the visitors have arrived,â the woman in blue said respectfully to the cave, then stepped aside.
âLittle girl, come forward so I can take a look at you,â a raspy old womanâs voice came from inside.
Gu Yue looked at Xu Zimo, then nervously stepped forward.
âShe looks just like her, like a carbon copy from childhood,â the old woman sighed emotionally.
Then she composed herself and said flatly, âI already know why youâve come. Getting the Nirvana-Fire Pearl isnât impossible.â
âJust tell me the conditions,â Xu Zimo said directly.
âStraightforward. Help me kill someone,â the old woman said from the cave.
âWho?â Xu Zimo asked, frowning.
âThe leader of the Heavenly Bond Cult, Gongsun Hongtian.â
âWhatâs that?â Xu Zimo asked in confusion.
âLanâer will explain the details to you,â the old woman answered.
âYou just need to bring back Gongsun Hongtianâs head in exchange for the Nirvana-Fire Pearl.â
âLetâs go,â said Lanâer, the woman in blue, smiling.
âThe Ancestor doesnât like to be disturbed. Iâll answer any other questions.â
She turned and left the back mountain with the group. The crows shrieked sharply on either side, almost like they were sending them off.
âWhatâs the Heavenly Bond Cult?â Xu Zimo asked.
âIn recent tens of thousands of years, itâs a rising power within our Mortal Dust Palace. Founded by Gongsun Hongtian, and very powerful,â Lanâer explained.
âIsnât the Goddess Palace the ruler here? Why allow it?â Xu Zimo asked.
The world knew the Mortal Dust Palace was a sacred land created by the World-Weary Goddess, and the Goddess Palace represented her, supreme in status.
âBecause of the sealed nature of our Mortal Dust Palace, those who enter can never leave. Information gets blocked,â Lanâer said with a bitter smile.
âTo be precise, the Heavenly Bond Cult has grown too powerful to ignore, and too strong for us to deal with. Even the Ancestor has no way to stop them.â
âYour Ancestor sure gets the best of both worlds. What a clever plan,â Xu Zimo snorted.
âThe Nirvana-Fire Pearl is a supreme treasure, so the condition is fair,â Lanâer said with a smile.
âFine, I agree,â Xu Zimo nodded.
âWhere is the Heavenly Bond Cult?â
âTo the north of the Mortal Dust Palace. Theyâve taken over nearly one-third of the area,â Lanâer replied. âIf youâre going, I can use a teleportation formation to send you to the closest city.â
âThen letâs go. Staying here is boring anyway,â Xu Zimo waved his hand.
âYou may leave. But can this young lady stay behind?â Lanâer asked, looking at Gu Yue.
âWhy?â Gu Yue asked quickly.
âWeâre just worried you wonât return,â Lanâer explained.
âDo you want to stay?â Xu Zimo asked Gu Yue.
âNo, I want to stay with you,â Gu Yue answered quickly.
âThen sheâs not staying,â Xu Zimo looked at Lanâer and said.
âIf I donât return, then I donât return. My decisions will never be swayed by anyone.â
Lanâer hesitated but didnât push further. It was likely just a test.
From the teleportation formation of the Goddess Palace, one could reach any city within the Mortal Dust Palace.
However, ever since the Heavenly Bond Cult emerged, the north had been cut off from the palace.
The city they traveled to was called Martial Flame City, the closest one to the Heavenly Bond Cult.
Xu Zimo and the others didnât linger. Led by Lanâer, they entered the teleportation array.
Before leaving, Xu Zimo asked Lanâer what kind of place the Heavenly Bond Cult was.
But she didnât answer, it seemed they harbored deep resentment toward that place.
...
After Xu Zimo and his group departed from the teleportation array, Lanâer turned to leave.