Chapter 7: It's Just Your Bad Luck

"Master, what should we do now? Should we charge into the Heavenly Cang Domain?" The two World-level disciples accompanying him looked at the Silver-Robed Dao Lord.

The Silver-Robed Dao Lord sneered, "I have two methods. Let's see which one you'd choose. The first is to directly enter the Heavenly Cang Domain and wait at the spacetime teleportation array of the 'Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm'! No matter how Dong Mu or Bei Ming detour through other territories, they'll eventually have to return to the Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm."

The Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm was the territory of the Heavenly Cang Palace.

"If we wait at the spacetime teleportation array in the Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm, we're sure to block them," said the Silver-Robed Dao Lord. "The Heavenly Cang Palace is some distance from the teleportation array. If they discover us, we can still escape in time."

The two World-level disciples' faces changed color.

Enter the lair of the Heavenly Cang Palace?

Wasn't that suicide?

"Of course, the Heavenly Cang Palace's Yu Dou Dao Lord is skilled in deduction. If we wait in the Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm, once he discovers us, he'll scheme against us. His schemes are terrifying," said the Silver-Robed Dao Lord. "Even if we flee, we might still be caught."

"Right, right, right. Yu Dou Dao Lord's schemes—we probably can't escape."

"Master, going to the Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm is too risky." Both World-level disciples urged against it.

"The second method." The Silver-Robed Dao Lord waved his hand, and a star chart appeared before him, slowly unfurling. He looked at it. "No matter how they detour, they must return to the Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm. Though there are four routes back, there are two key nodes."

"One is here, the spatial storm we passed earlier."

"The other is here, the Vortex Passage."

"To return to the Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm, they must either cross the spatial storm or pass through the Vortex Passage," said the Silver-Robed Dao Lord.

The two World-level disciples nodded.

The routes in the vast territories were like this: one could take many detours, but some key locations were unavoidable. These key nodes could only be traversed by slow flight or spatial teleportation.

"There are two places, but we can't block both," the two disciples said, looking at their master.

"Choose one," said the Silver-Robed Dao Lord. "Then it's a matter of luck."

"If they're lucky and take the other node, there's nothing we can do. But if they happen to take the one we're guarding, we'll catch them red-handed." The Silver-Robed Dao Lord continued, "These two nodes are relatively far from the Heavenly Cang Palace, so we'll be much safer."

The Silver-Robed Dao Lord looked at the two disciples: "The Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm, or the star chart node?"

"The node."

"Let's choose the node."

Both World-level disciples quickly agreed.

Even a fool knew that waiting at the spacetime teleportation array in the Heavenly Cang Eternal Realm would guarantee an interception! When Ji Ning and the others emerged from the array, a Three-Step Dao Lord could capture them in a flash and then flee immediately. They knew this method had a high chance of success, but it was too dangerous—after all, it was the Heavenly Cang Palace's home turf.

"Then I'll choose..." The Silver-Robed Dao Lord lightly pointed at the unfolded star chart. "This one."

The two World-level disciples quickly looked at the star chart.

Their master's finger pointed exactly at the Vortex Passage.

...

Ji Ning and the others had taken a long detour, turning what was originally a half-year journey into nearly two years.

"Ahead is the Vortex Passage," said Dong Mu, standing on the flying boat and looking at the void outside, pointing at the huge black vortex in the distance. "After passing through the Vortex Passage, we'll reach the Heavenly Cang Palace in half a month."

"Almost there." Ji Ning smiled.

The Heavenly Cang Palace—he had waited too long for this.

On the flying boat, the couple Kan Que and his Dao companion kept a low profile. After all, on this boat, one was their master, one was their uncle, and the other two were Dao Lords.

"Disciple." Dong Mu looked at Kan Que and said, "In the Heavenly Cang Palace, there are no ranks; all are brothers. We are very cautious about accepting new brothers! As a formal member, one can only issue one invitation token in a lifetime. I gave mine to your senior brother long ago. When you two go to the Heavenly Cang Palace, you'll follow me for now. Consider it a training experience."

"Yes." Kan Que and his Dao companion quickly replied.

"Of course, you can also ask your Uncle Bei Ming," Dong Mu laughed. "Your Uncle Bei Ming will likely become a Dao Lord soon! Once he does, he'll be the fourth palace master of the Heavenly Cang Palace. The palace master has greater authority and can directly recommend cultivators to join."

Kan Que and his Dao companion immediately looked at Ji Ning.

Ji Ning just smiled.

Once he became one of the palace masters, he would have more power. But he wouldn't accept just anyone; every member had to be carefully vetted, or the Heavenly Cang Palace would become a mess.

"Uncle Bei Ming." Kan Que couldn't help speaking up.

"This disciple of mine is kind by nature..." Dong Mu started to say.

"I know his character." Ji Ning nodded. This Kan Que was indeed a man of deep emotion, willing to risk his life for his Dao companion. Ji Ning appreciated that. He nodded and said, "Leave Kan Que's entry into the Heavenly Cang Palace to me."

"Thank you, Uncle." Kan Que said excitedly.

As for Kan Que's Dao companion, Dong Mu didn't plead for her. Entering the Heavenly Cang Palace wasn't that easy.

Ji Ning was only willing to help because he saw Kan Que's character. As for Kan Que's Dao companion, Ji Ning didn't know her character yet, so he wouldn't casually promise anything.

"Boom~~~"

The flying boat roared into the Vortex Passage.

Inside the vortex, space twisted.

The flying boat sped forward. Ji Ning sighed inwardly. The Vortex Passage connecting the Three Realms and the Da Mo Domain had many spatial tears, making it very unstable. Even a World-level cultivator, if unlucky, could fall into a spatial tear and be teleported to some unknown place.

But this Vortex Passage was very stable! In the vast territories, some vortex passages were stable, others unstable. Cultivators only used the stable ones.

"The exit is ahead."

After flying through the Vortex Passage for over three days, Ji Ning stood at the edge of the flying boat and saw, in the distance, the chaotic stars in the void outside the exit.

Whoosh.

Just as the flying boat rushed out of the Vortex Passage, there was a hum. The boat seemed to hit some kind of barrier, and light flickered faintly.

"Not good." Ji Ning, who was piloting the boat, changed expression.

"Freeze!"

A grand voice instantly echoed through the void, and even space solidified completely.

In the distance, a silver shuttle flew out of the chaotic void. Ji Ning and the others could clearly see a man in silver robes inside the shuttle, his aura vast and mighty, staring coldly at them from afar.

"It's Hu Feng Dao Lord of the Pure Wind Hall," Dong Mu exclaimed in shock.

"Hu Feng Dao Lord?" Dan Bao and Su Youji both changed color slightly. On the journey, they had learned enough about the Pure Wind Hall to know that Hu Feng Dao Lord was a Three-Step Dao Lord of the Pure Wind Hall.

"At least it's not the Pure Wind Master," Ji Ning said calmly.

Only the 'Pure Wind Master' of the Pure Wind Hall posed a threat to him. In that case, he would have to use one of his precious Dao talismans to kill him.

But now, a Hu Feng Dao Lord—he didn't need to use a talisman.

"Bei Ming of the Heavenly Cang Palace? Dong Mu of the Heavenly Cang Palace?" On the distant shuttle, a silver-robed man stepped out and walked through the chaotic void, his aura vast. "Bei Ming of the Heavenly Cang Palace, you have two One-Step Dao Lords following you—impressive. But since you've made an enemy of the Pure Wind Hall, don't blame me. Let me ask one thing: are you really from the Heavenly Cang Palace?"

According to the Pure Wind Hall's intelligence, the Heavenly Cang Palace's formal members were few, and none were named Bei Ming.

After all, this Bei Ming had two One-Step Dao Lord followers and had captured five World-level cultivators with just his sword intent. Such strength was not that of an unknown. Logically, if he were a formal member of the Heavenly Cang Palace, the Pure Wind Hall would have known long ago.

"This is our first meeting, which counts as fate." Ji Ning, in white robes with a black divine sword on his back, stood at the bow of the flying boat. "I, Bei Ming, am indeed a member of the Heavenly Cang Palace. I believe that in the future, the Pure Wind Hall will remember my name."

"The future? You may not have a future." The Silver-Robed Dao Lord shook his head and sighed. "I randomly chose a place to wait, and who would have thought I'd catch a genius like you? Blame it on your bad luck."

"It's your bad luck." Ji Ning's voice was cold.

Whoosh.

Ji Ning's flying boat continued at high speed, charging straight at the Silver-Robed Dao Lord.

...