Translator: Fate Translation Checker: Silavin “This beautiful and bountiful land was originally the homeland of the Ghost Axe Clan, but it has now become desolate. There are only barren mountains and wilderness everywhere. Nobody lives here anymore. In fact, it is impossible to find more than a handful of the Ghost Axe Clan Clan members in the vast Spirit Ruin True World nowadays. I will definitely make the Spirit Ruin Royal Family pay for this grudge with their lives.” In the midst of the towering mountains, Chu Lian walked at the front with the reins of a strong and healthy horse in his hand. He was dressed in fitting clothes suitable for movement. His Junior Sister, Ming Xiu, was seated upright on the horse. She was also staring at the barren mountains shrouded in clouds before them. The outlines of several palaces and pavilions could faintly be seen in the distance. As they got closer, they slowly discovered that those buildings were actually extremely dilapidated. Many areas had crumbled to ruins, so much so that it was impossible to tell when they had been destroyed. Vines drooped from the ceilings, and moss climbed the walls. Moreover, there was miasma everywhere. “The Ghost Axe Clan? Are you a member of the Ghost Axe Clan, Young Master Chu Lian? I heard that those of the Ghost Axe Clan always possess a terrifying talent for forging Artifacts. In fact, all existing Divine Artifacts and Dao Weapons were forged by the Ghost Axe Clan.” Behind Chu Lian and Ming Xiu, the Spirit Empress was also riding on a snow-white horse. Although there was a veil covering her face, she seemed rather surprised at this moment. There were many servants and guards accompanying her, and most of them possessed immense strength. Their presence made her seem like the Young Lady of an influential Family who had come out to train in the outside world. She had been aiming straight for Chu Lian with the goal of learning his secrets when she departed from the palace. However, she wanted to prevent him from suspecting her motives. That was why she decided to create the excuse of an unexpected encounter where they happened to meet along the way and ultimately travelled together because they were heading in the same direction. Needless to say, Chu Lian was unaware that his actions throughout the journey were being monitored under the Spirit Empress’s orders. Chu Lian did not pay much attention to the words of the Spirit Empress. In his opinion, her cultivation was only at the level of the Mortal Realm (Below the Immortal Realm). Her subordinates were not much stronger either. Now that he was almost at the threshold of the Immortal Realm, he was no longer worried that she might deceive him. Besides, he was in a good mood. He was delighted by the joy of a surprise encounter with a beautiful lady and the joy of improving his cultivation. The reason he came to the homeland of the Ghost Axe Clan was to condense and absorb the remaining Fortuity in the land with the Sphere of Ambition. Based on the functions of the Sphere of Ambition, this Supreme Treasure could capture the ethereal Fortuity that existed in the world and condense the best energy suitable for his cultivation. In that way, he would be able to achieve great success in a very short time. It was just that the process of absorbing the Fortuity was not very safe. He had to be constantly vigilant of his surroundings, without relaxing his guard. Some of the powerful Forces had specialised Artifacts to suppress or monitor Fortuity. If they discovered that their Fortuity had been stolen, they would surely be furious. Moreover, they would send people to investigate the situation and erase the culprit. Although his strength was improving rapidly, he was aware of his limits. He knew that he was no match for the more powerful Forces. If he were captured by them, then the secrets of the Sphere of Ambition would be revealed. As the final crystallisation of an extremely ancient and powerful Civilisation, the Sphere of Ambition was incredible and mysterious. However, the Supreme Treasure had no means to help him against the enemy. It could only be regarded as an auxiliary tool at most. Therefore, he had to be careful not to expose the existence of the Sphere of Ambition. After much consideration, he found a suitable location. That particular location was none other than the former homeland of the Ghost Axe Clan, the place where he lived when he was very young. The former homeland of the Ghost Axe Clan was once a prosperous Pure Holy Ground. Countless palaces and pavilions covered the land. In addition, there were towering mystic mountains and ancient peaks. Multiple Small Universes and dimensional spacetimes also existed above the land. Unfortunately, a large number of the Ghost Axe Clan members were forcibly taken away following the conscription of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family. The Ghost Axe Clan consequently lost the power to maintain the land. As the land gradually fell into a decline, they further suffered from the plunder of other Clans that eventually reduced them to ruins. Be that as it may, their homeland would still retain a degree of vitality and Fortuity as long as the members of the Ghost Axe Clan were not completely extinct from the world. Chu Lian came here because he wanted to use the remaining Fortuity of the Ghost Axe Clan to help improve his cultivation. Walking in front, he nodded his head upon hearing those words. “I will be honest with you, Lady Huang. I am indeed one of the members of the Ghost Axe Clan. My parents were recruited by the Spirit Ruin Royal Family and brought into the palace. It was said that they were needed to repair an ancient Array, but they eventually disappeared without a trace. I suspect that they were killed by the Spirit Ruin Royal Family.” “Many years have passed since then, but there has been no news from them. I no longer hold any hope for their survival at this point.” An expression of deep pain and hatred inevitably appeared on his face at the mention of his past. Although he was very young when the incident took place, his memories remained clear and vivid in his mind. He would never forget that day. Ming Xiu, who was sitting on the horse, had a similar gloomy look in her eye. She was clearly thinking of her parents too. Under the veil, the Spirit Empress was slightly frowning. Her expression seemed a little unnatural, but she recovered quickly. She naturally knew about these matters. Not only did she know about these matters, but she was also the one who gave the order. However, the decision for the Spirit Ruin Royal Family to recruit the members of the Ghost Axe Clan and the Celestial Crafts Clan to repair the ancient array had belonged to the Ancestors. It was not a matter in which she could make the decisions. She had felt sorry for those people and suggested that the Ancestors switch to a better method instead, but nobody had listened to her. They simply ordered her to do as she was told. Hence, she had no choice but to bear the blame and be cursed by the people. The Spirit Ruin Royal Family had been about to approach the location of the Nascent True World, which was previously known as the Mountains and Oceans True World. Therefore, they had to prepare the Descent Grand Array and activate the grand ritual in advance. The Ghost Axe Clan and the Celestial Crafts Clan, who were extremely talented in the art of Arrays and Artifacts, were the most suitable to build and maintain the Array. On the other hand, the activation of the grand ritual required the sacrifice of several billion lives. By using their Life Essence as a guide, they could relocate the Spirit Ruin True World’s coordinates to the current location. If news of the sacrifice was spread to the masses, the rule of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family would definitely be severely impacted. Needless to say, the Ancestors of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family would never allow those who built and maintained the Array to leave the place alive. It was to prevent the Ghost Axe Clan and the Celestial Crafts Clan from leaking any relevant information and causing unnecessary unrest and panic among the people. “Even now, the Spirit Ruin Royal Family is still recruiting members of the Ghost Axe Clan and the Celestial Crafts Clan to repair the ancient Array. Their actions are absolutely deplorable. It’s a pity that I am too weak. Otherwise, I would definitely lead the Clans to rebel and overthrow the Spirit Ruin Royal Family to restore peace to the world.” Leading the horse, Chu Lian walked at the front. His eyes gleamed brightly with determination when he spoke. Furthermore, his sonorous voice contained an unconcealable righteousness. If there were others nearby, they would surely show their appreciation for his speech. He gave off the impression of a confident and determined young man who would achieve great feats in the future. The Spirit Empress glanced at Chu Lian, wondering where he had the confidence to speak such words. It had to be said that the Spirit Ruin Royal Family’s heritage was unfathomable. Even as the Empress, she did not know how many Dao Realm Ancestors there were in the Spirit Ruin Royal Family or the extent that each Dao Realm Ancestor had reached in terms of strength. The Ghost Axe Clan and the Celestial Crafts Clan were once considered Major Clans in the Spirit Ruin True World. Their heritage was profound. Not to mention, they produced several Dao Realm existences in the past. It was just that things were different now compared to the past. Their Fortuity had weakened, and their true experts had withdrawn into hiding. Only a few insignificant members were left. How could they dare to disobey the orders of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family? Then again, Chu Lian was a Variable. The possibility certainly existed in him. It was a pity that an unbending tree was easily broken. With his current strength, he could easily cause trouble for the people around him if he carelessly spoke such words to others. After all, the Dao Realm experts had already reached a point in their cultivation where their perception was all-pervasive. It was possible for them to sense any abnormalities in advance and nip the disaster in the bud. The Spirit Empress might harbour some dissatisfaction and resentment towards the Ancestors of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family, but she was ultimately the Empress of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family. She would only consider the interests of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family in her decisions. Nevertheless, she greatly admired Chu Lian for his bravery. She even considered whether she should be generous and spare his life once she uncovered the secrets behind his variability. “What the Spirit Ruin Royal Family did was indeed intolerable. They have incurred the wrath of Heaven and the resentment of the people. It’s only a matter of time before they are punished for their misdeeds. There’s no need to worry too much, Young Master Chu Lian. There’s a possibility that your parents are simply trapped somewhere, and their lives are not in danger.” The Spirit Empress reassured in a voice that had become much gentler than before. During this period, the members of the Ghost Axe Clan and the Celestial Crafts Clan who were recruited by the Spirit Ruin Royal Family remained safe as long as they were obedient. They were actually being imprisoned at a certain place. After all, they were not only needed to maintain and repair the Array but also to activate the grand ritual when the time came. The plan for the Spirit Ruin Royal Family to descend on the ‘Mountains and Oceans True World’ might have been terminated because of Gu Changge’s arrival, but the grand scheme to have the Spirit Ruin True World descend at another location had never once paused. When Chu Lian heard those words, he thought that the Spirit Empress was simply trying to comfort him. Thus, he shook his head and said, “There’s no need to comfort me, Lady Huang. I have already recognised the reality. My Master is an old friend of my parents, and he has already received the news of their deaths.” The Spirit Empress was astonished. Among the people whom she dispatched to gather information, none of them managed to discover the fact that Chu Lian had a Master. Therefore, she could not help becoming more cautious. It did not take long for them to cross the hill in the distance. Now that Chu Lian finally stood on the homeland of the Ghost Axe Clan once more, his emotions were complicated. He stood on top of the hill and stared at the dilapidated ruins in front of him with mixed feelings. The once prosperous scenery had long disappeared. All that remained were crumbling walls, climbing vines, and the burnt pillars of tumbledown temples. “Senior Brother, is this where you lived as a child?” Ming Xiu, who was sitting on the horse, couldn’t help asking as she studied the ruins curiously. She did not know why Chu Lian had decided to come here. Was it to pay a tribute to his past? The Spirit Empress was equally surprised. Even though she did not say anything, her gaze was fixed intently on Chu Lian’s back. It was as clear as day that she wanted to know what he was planning. Despite scheming against him, she was worried that attacking him might lead to a catastrophe in her destiny or an inexplicable backlash in her Fortuity. In any case, Chu Lian was not stupid. He would never reveal his true purpose. The Sphere of Ambition was his biggest secret weapon and the guarantee of his rise to power. How could he easily reveal the existence of his trump card to others, even if the other party was his Junior Sister? He had enjoyed several pleasant conversations with the Spirit Empress during their brief contact. In addition, he could not deny that it felt as though he had found a reliable confidant. Be that as it may, her background was unknown to him. He might have a good impression of her, but he did not completely trust her. How their relationship would progress in the future was still under his consideration at the moment. “Before I left my hometown, I accidentally lost an important object that my parents left for me in this land. So many years have passed, so I don’t know if the object is still here. Since I happened to pass through this place, I thought I would try and search the area to see if I can find the object. After all, it means a lot to me.” Chu Lian explained with a look of regret in his eyes. “I see. If that’s the case, why don’t I help you with your search? Senior Brother, can you tell me what it is?” Ming Xiu did not doubt Chu Lian’s words and immediately offered to help instead. Chu Lian shook his head in response. “There are too many poisonous insects and miasma. Junior Sister, it’s better if you stay here obediently. That will also save me some trouble.” When Ming Xiu heard about the miasma and poisonous insects, her complexion turned pale. It was obvious that she was scared. The Spirit Empress naturally did not believe Chu Lian’s words. However, she would be able to see through his purpose as long as she was in the vicinity. That was why she was in no hurry to expose him. Be that as it may, she graciously pretended to offer her help. “How about I send some of my men to help you in your search, Young Master Chu Lian? The scope of the land is quite large. With your strength alone, there’s no saying how long it would take for you to find the object.” Chu Lian dismissed her offer with a wave of his hand. “There’s no need to trouble you for such a trivial matter, Lady Huang. Only I can sense the existence of that object. Even if you sent your men to help me, their efforts would only be futile.” Fortuity was vague and insubstantial after all. Unless an individual specially cultivated a particular searching technique or possessed unparalleled strength in terms of cultivation, ordinary people were generally incapable of sensing the existence of Fortuity. The reason he could sense the existence of Fortuity was only thanks to the existence of the Sphere of Ambition. Hearing that, the Spirit Empress said nothing more. With a wave of her hand, she gestured for her servants and subordinates to withdraw. Chu Lian quickly turned into a stream of light and rushed to the ruins ahead on his own. Meanwhile, Ming Xiu and the others waited for him at the top of the mountain. The Spirit Empress returned to the horse carriage and closed her eyes to rest. At the same time, she perceived Chu Lian’s movements. To her surprise, her perception indicated that his aura seemed to vanish into thin air as soon as he disappeared from sight. It was as though he had completely evaporated from the spacetime. [It seems that he is undoubtedly in the possession of a Supreme Treasure that can conceal Heavenly Secrets, including the aura of his existence. Even I have trouble deducing his presence. It is indeed amazing…] A strange look appeared in her eyes. Just as she was wondering about how to ensure that her plans were foolproof, a message suddenly arrived from a distant land and entered her ears. [What… he has come out of seclusion. Moreover, he is coming to meet me in person…] Her originally calm expression suddenly changed drastically. She abruptly looked very uneasy and incredulous. In fact, she could hardly believe her ears.