Divine Emperor Demon Emperor

He Shang had completely transformed into a monster. A great Demon Fiend of the Eastern Domain, a young hero who had ascended the Green Hero Venerable List, had now become nothing more than a mindless killing machine.

Meanwhile, atop a mountain countless miles away, lay the headquarters of the Qing Zhu Association. This was the same place Chang Jing had teleported to using the Teleportation Sub-array Map, only to be killed by Song Tianyang.

At that moment, Qing Zhu stood on the edge of a mountain peak, gazing at the sea of clouds below. Dressed in a green robe, Qing Zhu against the magnificent backdrop was truly a pleasing sight.

Behind Qing Zhu, a voluptuous, beautiful woman was also watching the surging sea of clouds.

"Miss, He Shang has already ingested the Black Heaven Blood Pill. Should we still save him?" the beautiful woman asked Qing Zhu.

Hearing the woman’s words, Qing Zhu kept her eyes fixed on the sea of clouds and said faintly, "He still has his uses."

With that, a faint smile graced Qing Zhu’s lips. ’Lin Yun, you know about the Qing Zhu Association now. I wonder how you plan to oppose me in the future? I truly look forward to our next meeting.’

As Qing Zhu’s voice faded, the beautiful woman behind her suddenly erupted with a terrifying Saint-like aura—she was another Semi-Saint. Including the two at Celestial Eagle Valley, Qing Zhu now had three Semi-Saints in her service. And who could say for sure that these were all the Semi-Saints under her command? If Lin Yun knew this, he would likely have to completely re-evaluate Qing Zhu’s identity.

Unaware of these events, He Shang, now a complete monster, was just about to attack Lin Yun and the others. But suddenly, a rift tore open in the sky.

Just as it had been at the Saint’s Relics, when the rift appeared, Lin Yun and the others found their bodies frozen, completely unable to move.

A massive hand emerged from the rift and effortlessly snatched He Shang as he lunged toward them. Without a single word, the hand disappeared with He Shang in its grasp, and the rift in the sky sealed itself shut once more.

Only after the rift in the sky disappeared could Lin Yun and the others move again. Lin Yun stared at the spot where the rift had been, saying nothing, but his mind was racing. ’That must have been one of Qing Zhu’s people. To think she actually has a Saint by her side.’

Lin Yun’s guess was correct. However, if he were to find out that there was not just one, but multiple Saints by Qing Zhu’s side, one could only wonder how he would react.

Not long after the rift had vanished, the figure of an old man materialized out of thin air in the very same spot.

The old man wore coarse linen clothes. Lin Yun recognized him; it was the same elder he had met in the bamboo forest of Flawless Palace.

The old man was a world apart from his usual self. The aura of a Saint radiated from his body, compelling anyone who felt it to see him as the Dominator of this world.

’A Semi-Saint?’ the old man murmured to himself after sensing the lingering aura left behind by the recent visitor. The very moment he had sensed the aura, he had rushed over from Flawless Palace, but he was still a step too slow.

A Saint’s speed was astonishing. It would take Lin Yun at least half a day to travel from Flawless Palace to Wind City, whereas a Saint could make the journey in a mere ten breaths’ time.

Finding no useful clues, the old man finally turned his gaze to Lin Yun. Seeing Lin Yun and Wei Yunhang, he offered a faint smile and slowly descended to stand before them.

"Greetings, Celestial Bamboo Saint..." Upon seeing the old man, Wei Yunhang bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Celestial Bamboo Saint..." Lin Yun clasped his hands and bowed, just as Wei Yunhang had.

"Haha, that’s enough. No need for such formalities." With a hearty laugh, the Celestial Bamboo Saint waved his hand dismissively and smiled at Wei Yunhang. "How is that old fellow, the Celestial Light Saint, doing?"

"To answer the Celestial Bamboo Saint, Grandmaster is doing well. He often speaks of you," Wei Yunhang replied.

In the presence of a Saint, even a Demon Fiend like Wei Yunhang appeared somewhat nervous. Lin Yun, in contrast, was much more relaxed; a Saint was not enough to intimidate him.

After a few more casual questions, the Celestial Bamboo Saint inquired about the recent incident. In response, Lin Yun and Wei Yunhang recounted everything that had happened in detail.

’He Shang of the Death Row Shelter, the Qing Zhu Association, the Black Heaven Blood Pill...’ the Celestial Bamboo Saint murmured thoughtfully after hearing their story.

"Celestial Bamboo Saint..." Lin Yun started to say, but the Celestial Bamboo Saint cut him off.

"Don’t be so formal. You are a great Disciple of my Flawless Palace. From now on, call me Grandmaster," the Celestial Bamboo Saint said with a smile.

Lin Yun was stunned for a moment before correcting himself. "Grandmaster, the Qing Zhu Association’s Black Heaven Blood Pill cannot be underestimated. It’s far more terrifying than a normal one. Not only are the side effects stronger, but they also take hold much faster."

"Mm. According to your account, that boy triggered the side effects a mere quarter of an hour after ingesting the Black Heaven Blood Pill. It seems the Qing Zhu Association’s version is indeed different from the ordinary kind," the Celestial Bamboo Saint said.

Having arrived a step too late, the Celestial Bamboo Saint had no idea where the Semi-Saint who had just intervened had gone. With no other options, he finally looked at Lin Yun.

"Clean out the Qing Zhu Association in Wind City as quickly as possible. I will now grant you the authority to mobilize the Main Seat Elders of Flawless Palace. The twenty Main Seat Elders of the palace are at your disposal. You must eradicate the Qing Zhu Association in Wind City quickly and cleanly."

The Celestial Bamboo Saint directly granted Lin Yun the authority to command the Main Seat Elders. As a Saint of Flawless Palace, he naturally possessed such a right.

Hearing this, Lin Yun respectfully agreed.

With no better solution available, the Celestial Bamboo Saint departed. He took a single, simple step forward, and his entire body vanished into the void.

Upon reaching the Saint level, one could tear open the void and travel through it at a speed more than ten times that of a peak Spirit Realm expert.

With the Celestial Bamboo Saint gone, Lin Yun and Wei Yunhang returned to Wind City.

「Meanwhile,」 He Shang, who had been abducted, now stood on the same mountain peak as Qing Zhu. Gazing at the completely monstrous He Shang, Qing Zhu’s expression remained unchanged. She spoke faintly to the two people beside her, "Take him down and lock him in the beast cage."

"Yes." Hearing her command, two members of the Qing Zhu Association replied respectfully.

As He Shang was led away, Qing Zhu gazed at the horizon and chuckled softly. ’Lin Yun, we will be meeting very soon. You are the most unique man I have ever met. But whether or not you can move my heart will depend on your performance.’

He Shang was led by the two members to the beast cage. It was a castle-like structure forged from black iron, built on the mountain peak. Four members of the Qing Zhu Association stood guard outside the door; judging by their Cultivation, they were all at the Celestial Spirit Realm.

The heavy iron door creaked open, and the two led He Shang inside. The vast hall was filled with thousands of densely packed iron cages, and at this moment, half of them were already occupied.

They were all people whose minds had been devoured by the Black Heaven Blood Pill. After locking He Shang into an empty cage, the two Qing Zhu Association members turned and departed.