Xu Mu’s expression was extremely grim. He had never expected to get involved in the struggle for the position of Patriarch of the Water Spirit Clan.
After all, it had nothing to do with him.
But now, everything had changed.
Xu Mu had threatened Shui Shu using another identity, and she had no idea that it was him.
Even so, the mere fact that he had appeared in the Royal City and might join Shui Yuanyao’s faction was enough for her to try to kill him without hesitation. That woman truly was vile and beyond redemption.
Then again, it made sense. The fact that she could use her own body to exchange for so many resources—while making sure no one else knew and continuing to be worshiped as a goddess—was proof enough of how calculating she was.
And judging from their conversation just now, could there really be immortals within the realm of eternal life?
“How interesting. Since that’s the case, I might as well play along.”
Xu Mu stepped out from the corner and returned to the main street.
He could see many people watching him from all around.
However, Xu Mu could not be bothered to pay them any attention. They probably would not dare to make a move in the Royal City.
After all, this was the territory of the Water Spirit Clan, a first-rate race.
Suddenly, a woman hurried over and blocked Xu Mu’s path.
It was none other than Shui Miaomiao, whom he had met yesterday.
“Mr. Xu Mu, I’ve finally found you.”
She smiled and brushed back the side of her princess-cut hair, revealing her adorable, pretty face. “My father heard that you were coming to help us and was overjoyed. He’s waiting for us at the ruins.”
Xu Mu looked at the blue-haired woman and nodded lightly.
If he had not learned about Shui Shu’s intentions, Xu Mu definitely would not have agreed.
Once he obtained the address and found Chen Xuan, they had planned to leave immediately.
What did the struggles between the clans of the Inner Realm have to do with him?
But things were different now. Since he wanted to deal with Shui Shu, he truly needed Shui Yuanyao’s assistance.
Even after reaching the late stage of the Transcendent Realm, he still could not defeat an eighth-rank expert like Shui Shu.
Not to mention an eighth-rank expert—even a seventh-rank expert was beyond his ability to handle.
The only way he could kill a seventh-rank expert was if that person fought him without regard for their own life and refused to flee.
That was what had happened on the previous battlefield of the gods. Those people had all wanted to kill Xu Mu as quickly as possible, so they had charged straight into the ninth-level formation he had established.
But reality usually did not work that way. Once seventh-rank experts realized that Xu Mu was extremely difficult to deal with, or believed that they could not kill him, they would choose to flee.
Seventh-rank experts could break through the restrictions of space. Not to mention Xu Mu’s current strength—even after he entered the World-Breaking Realm, he still would not be fast enough to catch them.
[Favorability +20]
“That’s wonderful! Let’s go right now!”
Shui Miaomiao smiled and led the way.
Everyone around them stared at Xu Mu. No one had expected him to be so familiar with the people of the Water Spirit Clan.
However, Xu Mu had already offended two of the Four Great Clans. The mere Water Spirit Clan was not qualified to protect him.
…
Under Shui Miaomiao’s guidance, Xu Mu arrived at a building atop a mountain.
The stones here emitted a faint blue glow, and there seemed to be traces of formations within them.
With Shui Miaomiao leading the way, Xu Mu entered the ruins without difficulty.
The entrance to the ruins was located on the mountaintop.
Xu Mu gazed into the distance and discovered that the ruins contained countless lakes of various sizes.
Many buildings had been constructed on small islands scattered across the lakes.
At the very depths of the ruins lay an ocean whose edges could not be seen.
However, Xu Mu understood how the ruins were constructed. To put it simply, a barrier had been erected over a certain region, like a lid covering it.
The Royal City here had not been built beside the sea, so the area deep within the ruins should not actually be an ocean.
Shui Miaomiao smiled as she led the way, explaining matters related to her clan along the way.
For example, the enormous lake at the deepest part of the ruins was a freshwater lake, not seawater. Its water could be drunk directly.
Under Shui Miaomiao’s guidance, Xu Mu passed through a transfer formation in the ruins and arrived safely at the reception hall in the central region.
The hall was located on an island surrounded by mirrorlike lake water.
At that moment, two people stood on the grass beside the lake.
One of them had a head of white hair. His face was covered in deep wrinkles, and his fingers were so withered that they resembled a skeleton’s.
He wore a loose blue robe, and his white hair was simply tied up with a golden hairpin.
As for the other man, he was none other than Shui Yuanyao, whom Xu Mu had met earlier.
“Hahaha! Xu Mu, you’re here.”
The moment Shui Yuanyao saw Xu Mu, he immediately laughed and went to greet him.
He had never dreamed that his youngest daughter would actually know Xu Mu.
He had not even invited Xu Mu himself. Instead, his daughter had brought him here.
“Greetings, Senior.”
Xu Mu cupped his hands slightly.
His eyes turned toward the old man beside Shui Yuanyao as he observed him with the Eye of God.
Name: Shui Zheng
Identity: Patriarch of the Water Spirit Clan
Favorability: 3
Destiny Level: 5 (Maximum Level: 10)
“Don’t be so formal. Let me introduce you. This is my father, as well as the Patriarch of the Water Spirit Clan, Shui Zheng.”
Shui Yuanyao smiled.
“Greetings, Senior.”
Xu Mu greeted him again.
“Hehe, no wonder you’ve been wanted by two of the great clans. At first, I wondered whether they had something wrong with their heads for placing a bounty on someone in the Transcendent Realm.”
Shui Zheng looked at Xu Mu with a smile. “I didn’t expect someone in the Transcendent Realm to be this powerful.”
“Sit. I told you I was going to treat you to some tea.”
Shui Yuanyao pointed to the stone table beside them. “The water of our Water Spirit Clan is exceptionally sweet.”
“Senior, I’m a straightforward person. Let’s get straight to the point. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare drink this tea.”
Xu Mu smiled as he spoke.
“Hahaha, good! That works in our favor as well.”
Shui Zheng sat down first on one of the stone stools. “According to our clan’s rules, once the Patriarch reaches a certain age, he must hand the position over to a younger member. I have reached that age.”
“I’ve heard about that.”
Xu Mu nodded.
“The First Elder of the Council of Elders is also a ninth-rank expert, just like me, but he has exceeded the age limit as well, so he cannot participate. At present, there are only two candidates: my son and the Second Elder, Shui Shu.”
Shui Zheng continued, “Although this appears to be a conflict between the Council of Elders and the direct bloodline, in reality, it is a struggle between purebloods and mixed-bloods.”
“Most of the people in the Council of Elders are mixed-bloods?”
Xu Mu asked curiously.
“That’s right. Our clan is mainly divided into three groups. The first is the purebloods, whose bloodline has been passed down from generation to generation. The second is the mixed-bloods, who are qualified to enter the Council of Elders. The third is the clan’s guests—people without Water Spirit Clan blood, but who can marry into the clan and give birth to mixed-blood children.”
Shui Zheng explained, “We never expected that Shui Shu’s talent would be so extraordinary. If she takes control of the position of Patriarch, the mixed-bloods will rule the Water Spirit Clan.”
“Wouldn’t that be a good thing for you?”
Xu Mu asked with a smile.
“Of course not. To the purebloods, the Water Spirit Clan is their only home, and they would dedicate everything to their own people. But the mixed-bloods are different.”
Shui Zheng shook his head slightly. “Once they gain control, the Water Spirit Clan will exist in name only.”
“Our ancestors introduced mixed-bloods in the first place to strengthen the clan. Who could have expected that our own home would eventually be taken from us?”
Shui Yuanyao sighed softly as well. “You may think we’re selfish, but we truly hope the Water Spirit Clan will prosper.”
Xu Mu nodded with a smile. “I already know about your three trials. If you want me to help you, what price are you willing to pay?”
“We…”
“Patriarch!”
Just then, a middle-aged man clad in blue armor appeared on the teleportation array.
“What is it?” Shui Zheng asked.
“The Ninth Princess of the Black Moon Clan requests an audience. She said it was a secret and wouldn’t let me announce it,” the middle-aged man said, keeping his head lowered.
Xu Mu frowned. Zilan Yin really was impossible to shake—why had she come again?
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
