The King of Black Fog

[What a pity!] Guanyin lamented deeply.

She could see what Li Changzhou saw, hear what Li Changzhou heard. To achieve a goal that almost doesn't exist in the world, she had almost merged with Li Changzhou.

Except in special moments, Guanyin would keep her distance, but she could feel everything Li Changzhou felt, including the impending breakthrough of his Divine Body.

"It just means the time isn't right yet." Li Changzhou's anger had dissipated, and he was completely unconcerned.

No need to say much; Guanyin could sense his full confidence in himself — if it can be done, why worry about failing?

Li Changzhou drove his war chariot across the sky, his voice carrying a hint of amusement:

"Qing Lan often tells me that one shouldn't impose the ideal of perfection onto reality, nor judge and deny reality by such standards, or life would be very painful."

[Your wife has a clear view of the world, she is a cultivation genius.]

"Yes, yes, she is my wife!" Li Changzhou replied nonsensically.

Guanyin: [...]

In modern terms, she never thought she'd experience a day when she'd eat dog food.

"Bodhisattva, do you know what Candle Yin's 'see as day, close as night' divine skill is?" Li Changzhou asked.

With the "Fragrant Leaf Crown," the upper scroll of "Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang," the full scroll of "Seventy-two Earthly Fiends," and a hundred gates of "Three Thousand Great Divine Abilities," he now has several skills that can change the heavens and earth. Although he's hardly cultivated them, he understands them to some extent, yet he doesn't recognize Candle Yin's techniques.

Guanyin pondered: [Rather than divine skills, it's more like instinct, similar to the laser eyes of your Divine Body.]

"Bodhisattva means that opening eyes makes it day because Candle Yin searches for a clearer view of the world, his eyes have a 'flashlight' function, and when opened, his 'gaze' illuminates everything he can see?"

"It's just my guess, the specifics need you to..."

Whoosh!

The wind gusted over the clouds, white clouds surged like ocean waves, and the Wind Bird burst forth from Li Changzhou's sleeve, flying towards the distance like a flowing cloud.

Li Changzhou pulled the reins, halting the Exotic Beast above the sea of clouds.

[Why stop? Hurry and chase!] Guanyin urged.

Li Changzhou glanced at the Candle Yin, towering like a heavenly pillar, but before he spoke, Guanyin already knew his thoughts.

[Is this the time for curiosity? Without 'No Taboos,' failure of the mission comes with punishment. Go quickly!]

Li Changzhou sighed heavily, like a child who had finally finished his homework, ready to watch TV, only to be told by elders to go to bed.

"Hyah!"

He pulled the reins, and the Exotic Beast charged toward the wind.

The dusk of 4 p.m. gradually turned into the deep blue of 6 p.m., soon transitioning into complete darkness.

During this time, as Candle Yin closed his eyes, it seemed as if the world had contracted under a strange illusion.

The galaxy in the sky spun like a sword, displaying its blade to the Wilderness; on the earth below, peculiar plants and Exotic Beasts emitted dots of light.

Creatures fearing Candle Yin's gaze emerged from their burrows, beginning their nighttime hunt.

A two-thousand-meter-tall tree bloomed, each flower serving as a lamp, with the sweetest and most nutritious honey as its oil, countless hunters lurking in the tree, hiding where the lamplight couldn't reach.

This was supposed to be a day of hunting, no different from when Candle Yin last closed his eyes.

But a black hand, silent and stealthy, reached out from the dense darkness, grasping the tree adorned with lamps.

The Exotic Beasts on the tree let out panicked, shrill screams.

The forest of lamp trees, like windows hearing gunshots and screams from the street, extinguished in response.

It's as if they pounced, quickly stamping out the campfire.

"Grandpa..."

"Quiet!"

Everyone held their breath, some gingerly pressing their noses and mouths, while others reached for the weapons at their waist.

The dying screams continued for most of the night, before the world returned to peace, one by one, the lamp trees lit up again, and the world was once more radiant.

In the distance, Jia lightly grasped her grandfather's arm, and Xiang patted her hand, stepping forward to reignite the campfire.

The firelight, repressed for a long period, rushed out impatiently, and everyone felt a wave of warmth, with relief at heart.

"Who?!" Xiang suddenly leapt up, pulling out the flaming branch from his waist.

Amid the clashing of metal, the others quickly raised their weapons.

In everyone's gaze, a figure slowly emerged from the darkness, the firelight cautiously probing before daring to settle upon them.

The Rangers, led by Xiang, gasped sharply.

Short in stature, a head, a nose, a mouth, two ears, two eyes, four limbs, walking upright!

Either a descendant of the Three Emperors or a lineage of the Five Emperors.

"Sirs, I mean no harm." The newcomer cupped his fists, "It's dangerous around here, and I'm all alone, hoping to borrow your fire."

"Master Xiang." Everyone looked towards Xiang.

Xiang's four eyes fixedly stared at Li Changzhou, as a Ranger who had wandered for most of his life, easily sensing the killing intent and bloodthirst on Li Changzhou, causing his body to grow cold.

No match!

"...Haha!" Xiang put away the burning branch, likewise cupping his fists, "Out here, we are all friends, don't mind our small fire and weak bodies, sir."

"Between friends, strength does not matter."

Everyone sat around the campfire.

Though just moments ago, they claimed to be friends, Li Changzhou was clearly isolated, with the Rangers led by Xiang clustering into a fan shape opposite him.

Li Changzhou roasted a piece of Exotic Beast meat with his Emerald Bee Sword over the fire, using the light to observe these people.

Various races, the shortest standing only three meters tall, the majority surpassing ten meters, with an average height of about thirty meters.