Yellow Court Daoist

Taoshan.

Yu Zhenzi knelt before the South Heavenly Gate, his body trembling as he wept and pleaded, "Zhang Yang is too crafty, employing some unknown secret technique to seize all four Immortal Artifacts. I am incompetent and seek punishment from the Ancestor Master. However, Zhang Yang paid a heavy price to use that technique. Observing his condition, it seems he no longer has the strength to invoke it. I solemnly implore the Ancestor Master to bestow Immortal Artifacts once more. This time, I am determined to slay that madman. Should I fail, I am willing to offer my head to the Ancestor Master as an apology for my sins!"

...

Outside the South Heavenly Gate, a towering figure stood silently, blazing like the sun, his presence fierce and brilliant.

Yu Zhenzi lifted his head. His face was a blend of sincere fear and sworn determination.

The Immortal enveloped in Xuan Light outside pondered for a long while, seemingly hesitant.

Seeing this, Yu Zhenzi wailed, "Ancestor Master, we have invested heavily in the human realm for over Taoshan! We must not simply hand it over to others!"

These words ultimately swayed the Immortal ancestor master.

Yu Zhenzi was right. For over a hundred thousand years, Taoshan had invested hundreds of thousands of Immortal Crystals in the Little Shu Mountain Realm.

To give up now meant that Yu Zhenzi and the Taoshan cultivators, the True Immortals, would either have to flee from the Little Shu Mountain Realm or stubbornly resist and ultimately be slain by the all-powerful being within the realm.

Zhang Yang had taken four Immortal Artifacts.

For a short time, he wouldn't be able to erase the imprints within them.

The Immortal sensed that the artifacts were merely suppressed by a secret technique, and the man was attempting to remove the imprints.

Given time, he might indeed succeed.

By then, who in the Little Shu Mountain Realm could stand against Zhang Yang, already an invincible being, who would possess four Immortal Artifacts?

"We cannot give up."

"Lost Immortal Artifacts can be reforged."

"Even if True Immortals perish and suffer heavy casualties, as long as we hold the Little Shu Mountain Realm, in five hundred years, we can create one or even more True Immortals."

Having made up his mind, the Taoshan Immortal casually bestowed another Immortal Artifact along with ten top-level magical artifacts. He also granted hundreds of Spirit Pills and Immortal Elixirs to increase mana, strengthen the Primordial Spirit, and nourish the body.

The original fifty-two True Immortals had been dispersed to the Lower Realm in a short time, unable to form an effective battle force, to avoid any losses amidst the turbulent Taoshan.

They had thought that with the Immortal Artifacts in hand, the crisis could be quickly resolved, and it wouldn't be difficult to gather the fifty-two individuals again.

But now things had changed, clearly beyond expectation.

Searching for the fifty-two True Immortals one by one would be too time-consuming and uncertain.

Instead.

The Taoshan Immortal summoned fifty more True Immortals, passing through the Heavenly Gate straight to Taoshan. With the aid of those Spirit Pills and Immortal Elixirs, they rapidly improved, and in no more than three months, they would be able to form basic combat strength.

Outside of Taoshan.

After the third battle, the numbers of Loose Immortals and demons atop the Golden Peak Pavilion had also sharply declined to just about forty or fifty.

As long as Zhang Yang was slain.

None would pose a threat.

True Immortals, magical artifacts, Spirit Pills, Immortal Elixirs, and even Immortal Artifacts were all bestowed.

This time, Taoshan had nearly emptied half its treasury.

If they failed, the bitter consequences would be substantial.

But as long as an Immortal oversaw it, the foundation of Taoshan would not be shaken.

The Taoshan Immortal coldly declared, "Prepare quickly. In three months, I want to hear the news that Zhang Yang is dead and the situation is firmly under control!"

"Ancestor Master, rest assured, I will not fail you!"

Yu Zhenzi was overjoyed and immediately thumped his chest in promise.

Once the Taoshan Immortal left.

'Yu Zhenzi' withdrew the Heavenly Gate and ordered the 'proper placement' of all the True Immortals who had descended from the sky.

"Guanwen Sword."

Fiddling with the second Immortal Artifact bestowed by the Taoshan Immortal, 'Yu Zhenzi' showed a smile on his face.

Not long after.

Snow Ridge Master Kong Jue, North Sea Kongkong Ancestor, and Heavenly Mountain Jun Mowen arrived together, each displaying an Immortal Artifact in hand.

The four shared a tacit understanding, all burst into laughter.

With one hand holding an Immortal Artifact and the other flipping over to reveal another.

"Snow Ridge Great Sumeru Mountain: Demon Suppressing Golden Ring, Purple Gold Bowl."

This Great Sumeru Mountain, like the Upper Origin Palace of the Four Saints Immortal Realm, had migrated from the Black Star Realm, with its supreme treasures and Immortal Artifacts passed down in a line from Fengyue Star's Great Sumeru Mountain.

Except on Fengyue Star, these two treasures were only Eighth Rank Magical Artifacts.

Acquired by Lu Qingfeng and given to Zhang Yang, they were destroyed in the Heavenly Tribulation of the Little Shu Mountain Realm.

The irony of fate.

One would have never thought that the old would be replaced by the new, and they would already be at the level of Immortal Artifacts.

In addition to these two Immortal Artifacts—

"Heavenly Mountain Jade Dragon Sect: Qiankun Sword, Guanlan Sword."

"Taoshan Taohua Sword Sect: Xuankong Seal, Guanwen Sword."

"North Sea Langhuan Heavenly Mansion: Ruyi Sword, Heavenly Mansion Divine Arrow."

There were another six Immortal Artifacts.

Although they were all of the First Rank, no one would ever complain about having too many Immortal Artifacts.

And moreover, fattening oneself on the enemy's expense was even more satisfying.

"Two Immortal Artifacts."

"A hundred True Immortals."

"And considering the True Immortals of the four sects within Little Shu Mountain Realm."

Lu Qingfeng calculated a bit.

In just a few months' time, he made each of the four sects lose over a hundred True Immortals and two Immortal Artifacts each.

The two batches of a combined four hundred or more True Immortals from the four sects who had entered the Little Shu Mountain Realm were long gone, like meat on a chopping board, ready to be sliced at will.

This move.

Even for the Taoshan Four Sects, each with Immortals at their helm, it would be a crippling blow.

"A multitude of mouths can melt metal."

"It's not that I fear the Immortals of the four sects will be vigilant."

"But the continuous loss of these True Immortals and Immortal Artifacts may have reached their limit."

'Yu Zhenzi' pondered for a moment and finally decided with a plan, "Let's scam them one more time!"

...

Seven days later.

In the wilds, on a desolate mountain.

Within a pitch-black cave.

"Ancestor Master!"

"Ancestor Master!"

'Jiao Yang', looking weary and in a sorry state, knelt down in front of the Heavenly Gate, crying out to the increasingly silent Immortal ancestor master outside the South Heavenly Gate, "The villain is cunning, sneaking into Taoshan. Yu Zhenzi, the Sect Leader, led the remaining fifty-six True Immortals in a desperate defense. Their fate is now unknown. Secretly handing over the Heavenly Gate to me, he managed to escape Taoshan early and has come especially to report to the Ancestor Master."

Outside the South Heavenly Gate.

The Immortals fell into silence.

Jiao Yang, with a face full of sorrow, said, "The human realm's foundation is utterly destroyed. Please, Ancestor Master, make an early decision!"

The Taoshan Immortal remained silent.

A decision?

What decision to make?

Not even Earth Immortals were allowed to step into the Little Shu Mountain Realm.

Dispatching True Immortals to descend at this moment was akin to clutching at straws. Moreover, even if those True Immortals matured one by one, how could they possibly be a match for Zhang Yang, who was already invincible and now wielded Immortal Artifacts?!

"The trend is irreversible!"

"The trend is irreversible!"

The Taoshan Immortal sighed inwardly.

The world was full of myriad changes, and even an Earth Immortal could not fully control everything. The Taoshan Four Sects originally had a promising situation within the Little Shu Mountain Realm. Who would have thought it could be overturned overnight?!

It was such a pity that he, the Taoshan Immortal, had poured tens of thousands of Immortal Crystals into it, as well as the loss of over two hundred True Immortal experts and two Immortal Artifacts that he had nurtured for years!

"Immortal Artifacts!"

"Immortal Artifacts!"

Even as an Immortal of Taoshan, at this moment, he could not help but feel a wrenching pain.

Just thinking about the two painstakingly nurtured Immortal Artifacts being lost, the Taoshan Immortal's heart convulsed.

Yet his face showed nothing.

To the True Immortal disciple Jiao Yang, who had just descended seven days prior, he said, "You keep hold of the Heavenly Gate, find a place to hide, and await future opportunities. There's no reason Taoshan cannot rise again."

The Taoshan Immortal saw the situation clearly.

With Zhang Yang present, the roots of Taoshan in the Lower Realm were unstable.

But after all, he was an Earth Immortal.

A being who had already attained longevity.

He had watched the ebb and flow of life, witnessing all of humanity's vicissitudes. His spiritual fortitude, tempered and refined, was incomparable to ordinary folk. His perspective was far-reaching, a hundred or even two hundred thousand years were but the blink of an eye to him.

And Zhang Yang?

Though his means were strong within the Little Shu Mountain Realm, he was merely a True Immortal. True Immortals had a lifespan of 129,600 years, but within the Little Shu Mountain Realm, because of the numerous tribulations, on average, it was difficult to even survive a few thousand years.

Even if Zhang Yang was formidable and not afraid of the numerous tribulations,

When facing the Fourth Decline of Heavenly People, he would either die or become an Immortal. Regardless of whether he became an Immortal or died, there would no longer be such an invincible being in the Little Shu Mountain Realm.

It wasn't impossible for Taoshan to rise again.

That was the opportunity.

After all, within the Little Shu Mountain Realm, there were still many descending True Immortals hidden everywhere, like sparks that could start a blaze.

"This Zhang Yang, merely a mortal cultivator of the human realm, has such strength; it seems he must have reached the level of the 'Four Decline of Heavenly People,' fluctuating between weakness and the peak of his power," the Taoshan Immortal thought.

"It seems..."

"This land is truly mysterious and should not be given up lightly. If you cultivate diligently, it's not impossible for you to achieve the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit," the Taoshan Immortal told Jiao Yang.

Hearing this, Jiao Yang's expression instantly brightened, and he said excitedly, "Disciple will not let Ancestor Master's high expectations down!"

Afterwards.

Jiao Yang was given a few more reminders by the Taoshan Immortal and was urged to quickly close up the Heavenly Gate to avoid exposing his tracks.

Jiao Yang nodded in agreement.

Once the Heavenly Gate was closed up.

"So it turns out he assumes Zhang Yang has entered the level of 'Four Decline of Heavenly People.'"

"Then—"

"If we follow the plot and falsely claim Zhang Yang is undergoing a tribulation and his strength has drastically weakened, I wonder if another Immortal Artifact can be deceived away?"

With this in mind, Jiao Yang laid out his plan.

...

Three months later.

It was still a desolate mountain.

Jun Mo Wen of the Heavenly Mountain Jade Dragon Sect, the leader of the Seven Swords, along with six other descending True Immortals, knelt before the Heavenly Gate. Jun Mo Wen, with an impassioned voice, reported, "My respects to Ancestor Master. The demon Zhang Yang is currently in the state of 'Five Decays of Heavenly People.' Not long ago, while pursuing the North Sea Kongkong Ancestor from Langhuan Heavenly Mansion, a foul stench suddenly emitted from Zhang Yang's body. His expression drastically changed, and he turned and fled."

Body foulness.

That speaks of an extraordinary body that naturally exudes fragrance in all worlds. At the time when fortune expires and life comes to an end, a foul stench suddenly arises.

This is the fourth of the Five Decays of Heavenly People.

Outside the Heavenly Gate, upon hearing this, the Jade Dragon Immortal's voice was clear but hesitant, "Did he see it clearly?"

"The North Sea Kongkong Ancestor is certain: there is no mistake!" Jun Mo Wen replied.

The Jade Dragon Immortal didn't speak, as if contemplating.

Seeing this, Jun Mo Wen urged anxiously, "Opportunities are fleeting, please Ancestor Master make a decision early!"

"Please Ancestor Master make a decision early!" echoed the six descending True Immortals behind him.

However.

After pondering for a long while, the Jade Dragon Immortal ultimately shook his head, "Even if his strength has declined, what assurance is there to slay this adversary? Let it be! Let it be! Better to wait for his death and reincarnation, or ascension before making plans."

The Jade Dragon Immortal was at a loss for words.

He had lost both of his Immortal Artifacts in the Little Shu Mountain Realm. Even if there was a chance now, where were there any Immortal Artifacts to bestow?

Borrowing?

Not to mention whether it was possible to borrow, just borrowing and then losing it again would be a bigger problem.

It's better to be prudent.

As an Earth Immortal, he had plenty of time.

"Patiently wait," counseled the Jade Dragon Immortal. After a pause, he looked at Jun Mo Wen and asked in a low voice, "According to what you've observed, have there been any oddities among the other Three Sects in these days?"

"Oddities?"

Upon hearing this, Jun Mo Wen instantly understood the Jade Dragon Immortal's implication.

This was suspecting an insider among them.

After thinking for a moment, Jun Mo Wen shook his head, "The other three sects fought earnestly, nearly all of their True Immortals died in battle; there should be no issues."

Hearing this, the Jade Dragon Immortal didn't argue further, wishing not to bother with these distressing matters any longer, and disappeared from view.

Jun Mo Wen put away the Heavenly Gate and shook his head, "Once I leave the Little Shu Mountain Realm, it will be the death knell for the Earth Immortals of the Four Sects. There's no need to further sow discord, needlessly creating complications."

If his own strength had been limited, this ploy would have had great potential.

But with his current Dao ability and combat strength, there was no need for such superfluous actions. If it indeed caused the Four Sects to mistrust each other, it's unlikely they would fight to the death for the time being.

Instead, there was the worry that they might report this matter upwards, attracting unnecessary attention.

After all.

The Four Sects' plotting against each other was ultimately different in nature from the emergence of an invincible being from the mortal realm.