The Origin of the Ballad of Pastoral Clouds

"This...!"

"What terrifying power!"

"Is this the strength of the top-ranked expert from the last Heaven, Earth, and Man Rankings?"

"Is she really at the peak of the Great Emperor realm?"

The scene unfolding at the Sealing Immortal Platform left everyone present utterly stunned!

Their gazes toward Mu Yunyao were filled with awe and reverence!

One palm strike!

Just one palm strike!

The Sealing Immortal Holy Land, with over a thousand Great Emperor-level experts, was annihilated in an instant?

Not a single survivor—truly, not a single one remained. All were utterly obliterated!

Is this really the kind of power a peak Great Emperor can unleash?

Keep in mind, Long Wuqi himself was a peak Great Emperor, and the Sealing Immortal Holy Land had more than just him at that level.

Gulp!

The sound of nervous swallowing echoed around them, as tension, fear, and a mix of complex emotions surged in their hearts.

"Hehehe, you’ve arrived."

"My savior!"

Da Huang wagged his tail and scurried right to Mu Yunyao’s feet, his expression the very picture of fawning.

"You may leave now. I will handle the affairs of the Sealing Immortal Holy Land personally."

"Many thanks, Senior. We shall take our leave now."

"Senior, what about Chen Chang'an...?"

"I know. He’s waiting for me. I’ll go to him now."

"Understood."

Hearing Mu Yunyao’s words, the others didn’t linger. After all, this place had already become a battlefield of chaos.

Had it not been for Mu Yunyao’s sudden appearance, their lives might still be at the mercy of the Sealing Immortal Holy Land’s forces.

"Hehehe, let me lead the way."

"No need. I know where to go. You stay here."

Just as Mu Yunyao was about to leave, she suddenly turned back and looked at the fawning Da Huang, frowning as she said, "Do you even remember you’re a qilin?"

Huh?

What kind of question was that?

He was a noble qilin, a divine beast of exalted bloodline—how could he possibly forget?

"You’re becoming more and more like a dog."

Mu Yunyao’s parting words froze the sycophantic smile on Da Huang’s face.

"Me? A dog?"

"How am I a dog?"

"Do you think I want to be like this?"

"If you weren’t so terrifyingly strong, would I have to act like this?"

These words, of course, Da Huang didn’t dare say aloud. He could only scream them internally.

The moment Mu Yunyao appeared in the secret chamber, Feng Xiu’s expression shifted once more.

"So soon?"

Feng Xiu hadn’t expected Mu Yunyao to arrive this quickly. Even more shocking was how she had managed to enter Chen Chang'an’s Absolute Domain without resistance.

"Is this your domain?"

"It seems quite impressive," Mu Yunyao remarked, looking at Chen Chang'an.

"Master, do you have to be this ridiculously overpowered?"

"My Absolute Domain, and you just waltz in like it’s nothing?"

Chen Chang'an couldn’t help but feel exasperated. His master was far too enigmatic, with too many secrets hidden beneath the surface.

Whack!

Mu Yunyao smacked the back of Chen Chang'an’s head without hesitation, her tone stern. "Is that any way to speak to your master?"

"Besides, if we’re talking about being overpowered, who could possibly outdo you?"

"Did you know I’d come?"

"Master, do you really take me for a fool?"

"I figured it out a while ago."

Ever since Mu Yunyao had last sought him out, Chen Chang'an had realized her true intention—to use him as bait to lure Feng Xiu out so she could deal with him personally.

As for why Mu Yunyao hadn’t been more explicit, Chen Chang'an hadn’t asked.

"If I told you too much, Feng Xiu might have seen through you sooner."

"The more you knew, the more likely you’d slip up."

"I just didn’t expect you to comprehend Domain Power. Had I known, I would’ve explained everything from the start."

Though Chen Chang'an hadn’t questioned it, Mu Yunyao still offered an explanation. She didn’t want her disciple to misunderstand.

"So that’s how it is."

"Then, the things you didn’t tell me before—can you tell me now?"

"Feng Xiu mentioned a few things earlier, and I think... some of them were true," Chen Chang'an said with a faint smile.

"Fine."

"There are some things I can share with you now."

"Feng Xiu is not from the Tai Xuan Realm. Some of what he told you was true, some was false."

"His real goal was only one thing—to seize control of the Tai Xuan Realm. Nothing more."

Seize control of the Tai Xuan Realm?

Is that even something one can steal?

"Mu Yunyao, how... how do you know all this?"

"Could it be... you’re not from the Tai Xuan Realm either?"

"You bear the surname Mu... you’re a Mu!"

"So that’s it! That’s it!"

"Why didn’t I think of this before?"

"You’re actually from the Mu Family?"

"Impossible!"

"This can’t be!"

"The authority over the Tai Xuan Realm lies with the Zhou Family, and the Zhou Family is nothing more than a vassal under your Mu Family!"

"Why would you be here?"

Feng Xiu’s gaze was filled with shock and disbelief as he stared at Mu Yunyao. Chen Chang'an, too, was taken aback.

Judging by Mu Yunyao’s reaction, Feng Xiu’s words seemed to hold truth.

The Zhou Family? The Mu Family?

Were these powerful clans from the Ancient Immortal Domain?

"My reasons for being here are none of your concern."

"If you knew the Zhou Family was subordinate to my Mu Family, how dare you stir trouble in the Tai Xuan Realm under their control?"

"Does your Feng Family have no regard for my Mu Family?" Mu Yunyao’s voice was icy.

"N-no... I wouldn’t dare!"

Feng Xiu was now trembling before Mu Yunyao. He never imagined that the peerless genius of his era was also from the Ancient Immortal Domain—and from the mighty Mu Family, no less.

"You’ve done well to hide all this time, evading even my detection."

"But now, you’ve been completely exposed."

"You know what the consequences will be, don’t you?" Mu Yunyao said coldly.

"I understand."

"To die by the hands of the Mu Family... I have no complaints."

"Do it." Feng Xiu smiled bitterly.

Mu Yunyao gave him one last frosty glance before raising her hand and clenching her fist. Feng Xiu’s soul shattered instantly, dispersing into nothingness.

With Feng Xiu gone, Chen Chang'an withdrew his Absolute Domain.

"Master, now we really need to have a proper talk."

"What’s all this about the Zhou Family as overseers? The Mu Family? What’s really going on?"

"Just how many things have you been keeping from me?"

"I’m your own disciple—you can’t keep me in the dark forever, can you?" Chen Chang'an sighed.

"Ah."

"Things have progressed further than I anticipated."

"Since you want to know, I’ll tell you everything."

"Let’s start with my origins."

"I am not from the Tai Xuan Realm. I hail from the Ancient Immortal Domain, from one of its Nine Great Immortal Clans—the Mu Family."

"The Tai Xuan Realm is merely a minor world under the control of our vassal family, the Zhou Family."

"Our Mu Family oversees over a hundred such worlds."

"As for why I chose to come to this world under the Zhou Family’s jurisdiction... that’s a different matter." Mu Yunyao smiled faintly.

"That’s it?"

"What else do you want to know?"