Master of Strange Dao

Yu Ziqing walked through Almsgiving Town, hands in his pockets. The town, once lifeless, now seemed to brim with vitality. He smiled like an old predecessor, relieved.

Qi Refinement is humanity's earliest way to gain power. Now, it pervades all aspects, forming nearly the entire foundation of cultivators' power system.

Whether it's Qi Refinement, Alchemy, or the Six Arts of cultivators, all sorts of chaotic Secret Techniques rely on Qi Refinement.

If the Qi Refinement system collapses, the entire cultivator system will collapse.

Yu Ziqing doesn't refine Qi himself, but he absolutely does not hope for the Qi Refinement system to collapse.

Yet looking at the pedestrians, none were cultivators below the Fifth Tier of Qi Refinement, reminding Yu Ziqing of a saying.

Sickness comes like a mountain collapsing, but it departs like silk being drawn.

To fully recover, it probably requires some time.

Returning, Yu Ziqing looked at the empty backyard of the clubhouse and waved at the air.

"Go inform the other Hungry Ghosts in the Canyon, from now on, the Abyss Rift Valley allows no entry or exit.

Everyone, regardless of identity, must undergo verification through Almsgiving.

Especially for those attempting to forcefully leave without verification, regardless of who they are, summon others immediately, and kill them on the spot."

In the corner, the figure of the Gatekeeper Hungry Ghost slowly emerged, nodded in agreement, and then vanished.

There should be other locations of Abyssal rifts, but most have been sealed.

The largest Abyssal rift is the Abyss Rift Valley beside Almsgiving Town.

Though it appears most dangerous here, it is actually the easiest place for entry and exit, and the most likely place for the Heavenly Devil King to pass through.

Anyway, it's best not to let the Heavenly Devil King come into the present world.

...

In the Dali Ancestral Temple, the Crown Prince, clad in a crimson robe, knelt, offering incense to ancestors and Dali.

The largest tablet seemed engulfed in blazing clouds, flames flickering as if speaking.

The Dali Crown Prince listened quietly, just about to ask something when the burning flames gradually faded and vanished.

"What exactly happened? Why won't you let me ask? Can't I even mention who I encountered?"

Dali's current affairs are nearly all under the Crown Prince's control, Emperor Li has not abdicated, though he might as well have.

The Crown Prince wanted to know exactly what had happened in the Abyss Rift Valley.

Because at that moment, it seemed like it was no longer within the Dali territory as some force had forcibly created additional space there.

As the Crown Prince stood up to leave, a voice echoed in his mind.

"I will advise you again, do not pursue, do not involve yourself.

Otherwise, whatever happens is on you.

Even if you die, then you die."

The embodiment of Dali's fortune feared the young but highly capable Crown Prince might have intentions, its words were final.

And uttering such words means it will definitely follow through.

The Crown Prince was slightly startled, and immediately nodded.

"I understand."

Though she didn't understand why, she recognized the severity — unnecessary curiosity should be avoided.

Sometimes, bringing upon a great disaster can happen regardless of intentions.

Once the Crown Prince departed, Dali's fortune embodiment drifted within the ocean formed by the Dali Divine Dynasty's power, its head materializing, slowly shaking.

People now cannot fathom or imagine how terrifying the Emperor Gen, or Mountain Lord, was in his madness.

Someone once could suppress the Mountain Lord, calm him, making anything they said heard — now, no such giant remains.

As for the new Emperor Dui, evidently mastering the Dadui Dynasty Skill, concealed deeper than the Mountain Lord.

Such thick ominousness, yet still gaining fervent support from Dadui's fortune, is further terrifying.

It simply greeted, revealing its identity, the Dadui's fortune nearly warned it face-to-face: meddling means its painstakingly nurtured consciousness would be crushed.

Moreover, other hidden forces hadn't yet moved.

Dali's fortune incarnation had never encountered anything so absurd, not even Gen which Emperor bore, was as domineering.

Even when in its territory, threatening in close contact, the Mountain Lord didn't even react, as if it should be that way.

It understood, the fundamentally unbelievable Dadui, might be returning.

This generation's Emperor Dui provides Dadui with more confidence than the first generation.

So, without any intention to expose its identity, it should remain silent.

Anyway, the Emperor Dui, following his whims, had relatively good relations with Dali before, better to keep pretending death rather than emerging unwelcomed.

If not for Emperor Gen's return, appearing in Dali, it wouldn't have bothered greeting, unwilling to move.

The fiery cloud coalescing into a Fire Bird flipped over, dispersing its form.

Elsewhere, the Dali Crown Prince exited the Ancestral Temple, gazing toward Almsgiving Town.

Then, someone from the Shadow Department approached.

"Your Highness, we've just received news, mortals in some areas can now begin Qi Refinement, the Great Mistake seems to have dissipated."

"Starting from Almsgiving Town?"

"Yes." The spy was slightly startled, the Crown Prince knew faster than he.

"Any changes within Almsgiving Town?"

"Everything is as usual, the only change is that Qing Ziyu of Jinlan Mountain is in Almsgiving Town, and has ordered the sealing of the Abyss Rift Valley."

The Crown Prince slightly raised his eyelids, thoughts flickered.

"Issue orders, locate all Abyssal rifts within Dali territory, spare no expense in sealing them completely.