What is an immortal?

Yuan Ming, hearing this, hastily bowed and replied, "Thanks to the senior's blessing, I have glimpsed the mysteries of the Five Elements Dao Fruit. However, to completely condense it, I fear it will still take some effort."

"Your talent is commendable, and you are diligent. Condensing the Five Elements Dao Fruit is not a difficult task for you. With perseverance, you will surely achieve it," Daoist Mu nodded and encouraged.

"Thank you, senior, for your kind words," Yuan Ming replied respectfully.

Daoist Mu nodded slightly, and suddenly changed the subject with a meaningful inquiry, "But, to breakthrough the Mahayana Realm, merely condensing the Five Elements Dao Fruit is insufficient. Do you have other plans or preparations?"

Yuan Ming was stirred within, about to answer when his expression changed suddenly, lifting his head toward the northwest direction.

In that direction, where the sky had been clear, it suddenly became multicolored, and the boundless Five-Colored Spirit Cloud obscured the horizon, as if a tremendous force was surging.

Daoist Mu also detected the anomaly, furrowing his brows. With a wave, he took Yuan Ming and his wooden man avatar to the sky.

Within the Spirit Cloud, countless Five-Colored Long Dragons appeared and disappeared, roiling and entangling, causing the entire cloud to churn as if boiling.

Above the Spirit Cloud, the Meteor Stream Fire and Mysterious Dark Ice reflected each other, and the Power of Dao collided in the void, erupting with bursts of startling phenomena.

This astounding sight also caught the attention of others in White Emperor City.

The crowd flew into the sky, following Yuan Ming and Daoist Mu, and gazed at the distant spectacle with faces full of uncertainty.

"Senior Mu, what is this phenomenon?" Yuan Ming turned to Daoist Mu and asked.

Daoist Mu gazed deeply at the horizon and replied calmly, "Someone is attempting to breakthrough the Mahayana Realm."

"Who? Could it be the Ten Thousand Demon Empress?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise.

"Who else could it be? It seems the Ten Thousand Demon Country's plans failed, putting considerable pressure on her, forcing her to take this gamble," Daoist Mu nodded and said.

"Aren't you planning to stop her, senior? Adding a Mahayana cultivator from the Demon Clan is not good for the Human Clan," Yuan Ming hastily asked.

Daoist Mu shook his head, speaking lightly, "She is still short of what it takes to breakthrough Mahayana Realm, and the Heavenly Crane Array is not completely destroyed. A hasty breakthrough will most likely fail. We need not interfere much, let things take their course."

Yuan Ming, hearing this, felt somewhat reassured.

At this moment, a floral fragrance suddenly wafted over, and Nangong Xian'er flew behind the two, bowing slightly, "Senior Mu, Fellow Daoist Yuan, you're both here as well."

Daoist Mu nodded and casually asked, "How goes the repair on the Pillar Hongjun?"

Nangong Xian'er replied respectfully, "Initial repairs have been completed, it'll take only another month to piece together most of the Pillar Hongjun. Afterward, it will take several decades to fully restore."

"Well done. Once the Stone Pillar Hongjun is pieced together, it will be able to communicate with the underground Spirit Vein and ensure the operation of the Heavenly Crane Array. Then, you can revert to human form and no longer need to suppress in the World Tree form," Daoist Mu nodded in satisfaction.

Yuan Ming felt a surge of happiness and promptly bowed in gratitude.

Even though transforming into a giant tree to suppress wasn't burdensome for him, returning to human form was naturally a preferable choice.

He wouldn't voice this thought but merely kept it to himself.

Seeing she had reported adequately, Nangong Xian'er didn't linger, citing the need to continue overseeing repairs, she took her leave.

After Nangong Xian'er departed gracefully, Daoist Mu suddenly asked, "What do you think of Nangong Xian'er?"

"Fellow Daoist Nangong is clever and insightful, handles affairs with grace, masters nuances perfectly, and her cultivation is outstanding, truly a remarkable talent. Compared to her, Sima Changqin pales considerably," Yuan Ming answered calmly.

Daoist Mu, hearing this, smiled subtly, then directly revealed his thoughts, "Do you have the intention of becoming Daoist companions with her, jointly cultivating the Dao?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming could only muster a bitter smile, repeatedly waving his hands, "Senior, please stop teasing me."

Daoist Mu shook his head seriously, "I'm not joking. Becoming Daoist companions with her is mutually beneficial. Her true form is an ancient miraculous flower, the Wangyou Flower, possessing extraordinary effects aiding in the Mahayana breakthrough. Now having cultivated into human form, she has mastered the Wangyou Immortal Sound. This divine skill can be used only once in a lifetime. If you dual cultivate with her, you can receive its divine blessing, enhancing your chances of reaching Mahayana. She too can leverage your Ten Thousand Wood Origin Power to breakthrough again; thus both of you can achieve the Mahayana Realm, wouldn't that be a splendid tale?"

Seeing the earnestness in his expression, Yuan Ming knew he couldn't avoid the matter any longer, sighed deeply, "Senior, you might not know, I already have a Daoist companion, so let's not discuss this further."

Daoist Mu, hearing this, briefly flashed a peculiar expression, glanced subtly at the Stealing Heaven Tripod imprint on his arm, and said no more.

Inside the Stealing Heaven Tripod, Yuan Ming's main soul also stealthily glanced at the meditating Xi Ying.

Seeing she was still immersed in cultivation, without any response, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

...

Half a month later, Ten Thousand Demon Country.

The sky, where the intricate multicolored Spirit Cloud had been, suddenly churned violently, a heavy snort echoed from the clouds, shaking the entire world.

Subsequently, the Five-Colored Spirit Cloud unraveled like a torn tapestry, disintegrating into strands of spirit light, dissipating into the sky.

This phenomenon instantly alarmed everyone in Ten Thousand Demon Country.

Countless demons looked up at the sky, their eyes filled with wonder and disappointment.

They all knew this represented the failure of the Ten Thousand Demon Empress's breakthrough.

Deep within the Demon Emperor Hall, a group of Level 6 Demon Kings had already gathered.

They saw the celestial phenomena in the sky dissipate, and most of their expressions turned grim.

After all, if the Ten Thousand Demon Empress could successfully break through to the Mahayana realm, it would be an immensely inspiring event for the entire Ten Thousand Demon Country.

Among this group of disappointed Demon Kings, the Electric Roc King and the Flame Wolf King exchanged a furtive glance, a barely perceptible trace of joy flashed in their eyes.

They didn't seem surprised by the Empress's failure, instead, they seemed relieved.

At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared on the throne of the Demon Emperor Hall.

It was none other than Wu Yu, the Ten Thousand Demon Empress.

Her posture hadn't changed from before, but there was a trace of fatigue and disappointment in her eyes.

She glanced around at the Demon Kings and calmly said, "I need to retreat for some time to recuperate. Before I emerge, the Ten Thousand Demon Country will be in lockdown, and all matters will be jointly discussed by you, with final decisions made by the Great Sun Glaze Flame."

Having said this, she turned into a streak of light and disappeared from the great hall before the demons could react.

The Demon Kings were momentarily stunned, then began to discuss among themselves.

They speculated how injured the Empress was and whether she could truly recover.

After all, failing to break through to the Mahayana realm is a significant blow to any cultivator.

After returning to the inner hall, Wu Yu could no longer support herself. She staggered and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, staining her lapels crimson.

Her aura quickly diminished, turning her complexion a ghastly pale, as if she had lost all vitality.

Her demonic power also waned and plummeted, finally stopping at the mid-stage Level 6.

At this moment, she was no longer the Empress who commanded the Ten Thousand Demon Country, but a severely injured and frail devil cultivator.

Just then, the figure of the Great Sun Glaze Flame instantly appeared beside her, gently supporting her up.

There was intense concern and worry in her eyes, her voice trembling slightly: "Are you alright?"

Wu Yu gave a bitter smile, shaking her head, "At least I'm not dead."

The Great Sun Glaze Flame sighed deeply, "You shouldn't have taken the risk. How are your injuries? How long will it take to recover?"

"It's pointless to talk about this now. I failed in my breakthrough; chaos will likely soon ensue in the Ten Thousand Demon Country. I just made a strong appearance to buy you some time. You must use this time to gather support, at least to confine the chaos within a certain limit." Wu Yu shook her head and said.

The Great Sun Glaze Flame remained silent for a moment before nodding, "I'm aware, you don't need to worry about these things. Just focus on recuperating and rest well."

Wu Yu managed to muster a weak smile on her pale face and nodded.

With the Great Sun Glaze Flame's support, she slowly walked into the seclusion room and began cultivating quietly to heal.

…

Time passed swiftly, and it was soon time for farewells.

Nangong Xian'er and her group were about to embark on their journey home. With the final piece of the Pillar Hongjun perfectly in place, Yuan Ming finally regained his human form from the state of the World Tree.

At the ruins of White Emperor City, the once towering giant tree was gone, replaced by hills and fields of blooming flowers and spirit grass.

The flowers and grasses competed in splendor amidst the ruins, filling the desolate place with vibrant life.

Outside the ruins, Hua Xian and the others had packed up, ready to set out.

However, Nangong Xian'er seemed to be waiting for someone, her gaze tinged with anticipation.

On a distant mountain, Daoist Mu's clone stood quietly, hands behind his back, gazing thoughtfully at the ruins of White Emperor City.

Beside him, Yuan Ming stood by silently, not daring to be negligent.

Suddenly, Daoist Mu spoke, his voice low and firm, "I've already discussed with Bing Lan and the others. For the days to come, you will temporarily assume the position of White Emperor City Lord, overseeing the affairs of the Nineteen Cities in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range."

Yuan Ming was not surprised by these words and replied respectfully, "Yes, Senior."

Daoist Mu nodded slightly and continued, "The position of city lord of the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range carries a heavy responsibility. There aren't many requirements, but there is one iron rule you must strictly follow."

Yuan Ming cupped his hands and said, "Please enlighten me, Senior."

Daoist Mu, with a piercing gaze, said solemnly, "No matter what happens, you must always guard the Pillar Hongjun and not leave the confines of the city without authorization. This is your duty and your mission. If you wish to step down, you must ensure a smooth handover and leave only after the next city lord takes office."