Chapter 14: I Offer You Two Paths

Ji Ning and the others exchanged glances, their hearts trembling.

Three Silkworm Emperor?

They had never heard of this Three Silkworm Emperor before, but even a fool could tell: first, he was an Emperor; second, he was the master of the black-robed Daoist before them; and third, he was the only one in the entire alternate universe who knew how to cultivate Thousand-Leaf Rainbow Flowers. Clearly, he was a formidable Eternal Emperor.

We five entered the Ancient Domain—how did we end up offending an Eternal Emperor?

Seeing their expressions shift dramatically, the black-robed Daoist smiled. "It seems you understand."

"Eternal Emperor or not, my master could kill one with ease," said Prince Qingheng coldly. "You'd best release us now. Otherwise, with my master's methods, tracking down the culprit might be troublesome, but not impossible! When that happens, not only you, but even the Three Silkworm Emperor behind you won't be able to withstand it!"

"No need to threaten me," the black-robed Daoist said with a smile. "You five are at the World level, yet monstrous enough to rival two-step Daoists. Even my master couldn't produce five such prodigies under him... Behind you likely stands one of the Sixteen Star Lords of the Destruction Divine Court. Am I right?"

Ji Ning and the others were taken aback.

They had a general understanding of the Destruction Divine Court.

The highest authority in the Destruction Divine Court was naturally the legendary Lord of the Destruction Divine Court—a great power who unified the entire alternate universe, with abilities that pierced the heavens and earth, omnipotent. Even the Great Dominator might not be his match.

Below him were the Sixteen Star Lords.

Below them were the Divine Generals.

For instance, the 'Nine Divine Stars' sect they had once encountered had only one member who held the rank of Divine General! Daoists on the verge of dao-heart integration generally weren't qualified; only some extremely heaven-defying Daoists and Eternal Emperors could be listed as Divine Generals!

"As I said before, my master fears offending them, but unfortunately, you've come to the Spirit Immortal Continent. No matter how powerful your backgrounds, it's useless now," the black-robed Daoist laughed. "To prevent your sects from tracking you, after you entered the cave, I sent my men to destroy the spacetime teleportation arrays between the mortal realm and the Spirit Immortal Continent."

"Ah." Ji Ning and the others were stunned.

"From now on, that mortal realm has nothing to do with me," the black-robed Daoist sighed. "For the sake of you five, I've abandoned an entire continent. After all, I don't want to be hunted by your sects in the future. Better to destroy all traces early."

The spacetime teleportation arrays in the mortal realm had been destroyed.

Thus, even if a great power went to the mortal realm, they couldn't find where the Spirit Immortal Continent was.

"Outside, only my master knows of the Spirit Immortal Continent," the black-robed Daoist sneered. "Even I am ordered to guard this place permanently, never to leave without my master's command. Moreover, the grand formation of the Spirit Immortal Continent was personally set by my master, completely cut off from the outside world. Even if you have avatars outside, you can't sense it."

"So no one knows you're here."

"No one can find you."

"As for resistance, hmph, the entire grand formation of the Spirit Immortal Continent was laid by my master, and I can fully activate its power. Even a Daoist on the verge of dao-heart integration is no match for me within the Spirit Immortal Continent." The black-robed Daoist's gaze swept over Ji Ning and the other four. "But I've decided to give you a way out."

"A way out?" Ji Ning and the other four stared at the black-robed Daoist. They had long guessed that all this talk had an ulterior motive. If he truly wanted to kill them, he would have done so directly. Why show them the Thousand-Leaf Rainbow Flower? Why use the name of the Three Silkworm Emperor to make them despair?

If they were truly some prodigies from the alternate universe who had heard of the Three Silkworm Emperor, they might indeed have despaired.

The Three Silkworm Emperor was a great demon with boundless sins. Using resentment to cultivate Thousand-Leaf Rainbow Flowers was his invention, showing how easily he controlled resentment and sin. He had offended many great powers but still lived, and though he was merely a Divine General of the Destruction Divine Court, his survival ability was formidable.

Moreover, the Three Silkworm Emperor excelled at torture.

Even Daoists would break under his torment, preferring suicide or submission.

All his disciples were skilled in torture.

"Yes, a way out. As long as you are willing to swear a life-bound oath to submit to me forever, obey my commands, and become my slaves, I will spare you." The black-robed Daoist looked at them, his eyes brightening. These were all prodigies, ready to become Daoists at any moment, with limitless potential. Once they became Daoists, they would all surpass him, and they would be much faster at mining than the shield puppet he had before.

His master had strict orders.

But that was out of fear of leaks. As long as they swore a life-bound oath and became slaves, all would be secure. And with more miners, the excavation would be completed sooner, and he wouldn't have to guard this place forever.

"Become slaves?" Ji Ning and the other four's faces changed.

"Impossible," Feng Yi said angrily.

"Nothing is impossible," the black-robed Daoist laughed. "Before death, anything is possible."

"Change the terms," Feng Yi said in a low voice. "We would rather die than become slaves. We can help you with tasks and not leak information, but becoming slaves—absolutely not."

The black-robed Daoist's smile vanished, turning cold. "You have only one choice: become slaves and live, or take any other path and die."

"Let us think," Feng Yi gritted his teeth.

The black-robed Daoist stared coldly at them. "Hurry." At the same time, a ferocious giant serpent appeared in the void, coiled around him, its cold eyes fixed on them. Just its gaze made their hearts tremble, knowing that with one move, it could annihilate them.

"What do we do?" Feng Yi, Ji Ning, Prince Qingheng, Tianhuo Mangya, and Huo Jin exchanged glances.

"The formation's power is indeed strong. He's not lying. Within the Spirit Immortal Continent, even a Daoist on the verge of dao-heart integration might not be his match," Prince Qingheng transmitted. "What do we do? I have some life-saving measures, but they can barely handle a three-step Daoist, and might not even beat the shield puppet earlier, let alone this."

"Mm," Huo Jin's face was grim.

Tianhuo Mangya remained silent; he truly had no life-saving trump cards.

The black-robed Daoist sat leisurely beside the distant Thousand-Leaf Rainbow Flower, the giant black serpent coiled beside him. He said softly, "Tell me your choice: life... or death!"

"Life!" A voice suddenly rang out.

The black-robed Daoist grinned and looked over.

Ji Ning and the other three stared in shock.

It was Feng Yi Xinjun who had spoken.

Feng Yi Xinjun had crushed a strange jade talisman in his hand, and a mysterious, terrifying fluctuation descended.

"Whoosh——"

Formless, colorless, shapeless.

Ji Ning and the others couldn't sense it, only felt that some terrifying presence had suddenly descended. An invisible wave swept forward. The grinning black-robed Daoist's expression froze, his eyes filled with terror, his mouth opening as if to speak.

Then his life force completely faded.

Only a corpse sat there, devoid of any life. The terrifying serpent formed by the formation's power dissipated into nothingness.

"Dead?" Ji Ning and the other three were stunned, all looking at Feng Yi Xinjun.

"The life-saving talisman granted by my Heartforce Palace was used just like that," Feng Yi Xinjun sighed softly. "Such talismans can't be bought anywhere. The power of one talisman is roughly twenty to thirty percent of the Palace Lord's full strength. Killing a Daoist on the verge of dao-heart integration is effortless."

Ji Ning and the others were awestruck.

Heavens, comparable to twenty to thirty percent of the Heartforce Palace Lord's full strength? The Heartforce Palace had very few Daoists—just a handful—yet it was one of the most fearsome among the Twelve Palaces. That was because it was truly powerful; when the Heartforce Palace Lord acted, even Eternal Emperors would change color and retreat.

Twenty to thirty percent of his full strength was already a threat to Eternal Emperors, let alone killing Daoists.

"This talisman is too strong," Prince Qingheng said in awe.

"And you call yourself a prince," Huo Jin glanced at Tianhuo Mangya.

"This is just..." Tianhuo Mangya muttered.

"My Heartforce Palace is unlike yours; we are few in number and treat each other like family. On this adventure, of course we have life-saving measures," Feng Yi Xinjun laughed. "But such a powerful talisman, I only have two."

"You still have one more?" Ji Ning and the other three were envious. Fewer numbers had its perks; the Heartforce Palace was so small that they treated their own exceptionally well.

Prince Qingheng glanced at the black-robed Daoist, who still sat cross-legged but had no life left. His face was frozen in terror, mouth open. Death had come too suddenly, and he had died in shock.

...