A cultivator at the Myriad Transformations Realm could fly through the air, traversing dozens of miles in an instant.

Combined with Chen Yan's Xun Wind Step, his aerial speed could be greatly increased. However, traveling from the Qingque Kingdom in the northwestern region of the Chenping Continent to Wind Ravine Valley in the Northern Region would still require roughly a day.

Chen Yan had no choice but to go.

Kong Yang had not deceived him; he had indeed placed the Dao Basis of True Person Minghua, Xie Shouzhuo, within Shengyuan Mountain.

However, he also had not slain that Eighth Realm great demon that had once wreaked havoc across the land.

Kong Yang had sealed that Eighth Realm great demon together with True Person Minghua's Dao Basis.

Although Chen Yan did not know what considerations had led Kong Yang to make that decision back then.

The facts were clear: for Kong Yang, this Eighth Realm great demon had indeed served a purpose.

Kong Yang was hedging his bets on both sides.

He had informed Chen Yan that he had hidden True Person Minghua's Dao Basis in Shengyuan Mountain, but concealed the fact that he had also sealed away an Eighth Realm great demon.

If Chen Yan successfully retrieved Xie Shouzhuo's Dao Basis, Kong Yang would continue to act according to his agreement with Mr. You.

But if Chen Yan died under the savage claws of that Eighth Realm great demon, the karmic backlash accumulated over sixty thousand years would return to the heavens and earth. This would allow Kong Yang to extricate himself completely while simultaneously destroying the plans of the two Ascenders at Heavenly Summit Mountain.

However, placing a bet inherently meant gambling.

The karmic backlash from over sixty thousand long years was far too heavy, to the point that not even an Ascender could fathom the consequences it would bring.

The seven-colored flowing gold goddess statue that had appeared within the tens of thousands of *zhang*-long crack in the sky, upon appearing above the western borderlands of the Qingque Kingdom, was also essentially directly above the Kongshan Sect.

So, what would happen?

The answer was obvious.

Kong Yang had always been a radical and a man of action.

Just as he had tried nine thousand years ago, he attempted to interfere with the causality of nine thousand years in the future.

The result was failure, and he himself suffered severe karmic backlash.

Of course, he did not fail every single time.

For example, when he had taken the Mirage Palace's Abyssal Tower from the Fallen Sword Mountain Range.

No cultivator, not even an Ascension Realm great power, could resist the allure of an immortal artifact.

Yet, those who would act like Kong Yang were truly rare.

Today was the same.

Compared to Kong Yang, the other Ascension Realm cultivators currently on the Chenping Continent were generally more conservative.

At this very moment, Chen Yan was rushing towards Wind Ravine Valley.

His goal was simple.

For the Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Tempering Meridian Pill.

Back during the Floating Light Summit Dao Inquiry in the Northern Region, after Si Youyou had won, she had once requested a Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Tempering Meridian Pill from Wind Ravine Valley on his behalf.

In the end, Chen Yan had used that pill during the incident at the Fallen Sword Mountain Range, infusing it with Immortal Qi to manipulate those Dao Union Realm great powers from the Five Great Sects.

Now, if he wanted to obtain True Person Minghua's Dao Basis, Wind Ravine Valley's Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Tempering Meridian Pill could be said to be an essential item.

...

Wind Ravine Valley, Bai Shang Ravine.

Chen Yan landed before the mountain gate of Bai Shang Ravine. He quickly attracted the attention of two young disciples standing guard before the gate, both clad in Wind Ravine Valley, Bai Shang Ravine daoist robes. They were at the Qi Circulation Realm, not yet twenty years old.

A young cultivator wearing Kongyuan Mountain daoist robes appearing before their mountain gate obviously caught the attention of these two Bai Shang Ravine mountain-guarding disciples.

To be able to fly through the air, one needed at least Qi Sea Realm cultivation or higher.

These two young Bai Shang Ravine disciples were perceptive. They first exchanged a glance, then both bowed towards Chen Yan's direction and said:

"Greetings, Senior!"

Chen Yan took a few steps forward. Having been a disciple at Wind Ravine Valley for eight years, he was very familiar with this place.

"Might I ask what business brings you here, Senior?" one of the mountain-guarding disciples inquired.

"To find someone," Chen Yan stated plainly.

"Senior wishes to find..." the mountain-guarding disciple continued, pausing.

"Bai Shang Ravine's Sword Master Elder, Tong Zhang," Chen Yan continued.

Upon hearing this, both mountain-guarding disciples were stunned. These two Qi Circulation Realm disciples of Bai Shang Ravine usually interacted with figures no higher than Supervisors or administrators at most.

Let alone Bai Shang Ravine's Sword Master Elder Tong Zhang, they basically had no chance of meeting any random elder, or even a Protector.

For this senior from Kongshan Sect to ask to see the Bai Shang Sword Master right off the bat left these two mountain-guarding disciples at a loss.

They had never encountered such a situation.

After a silence lasting roughly two breaths, one of the mountain-guarding disciples spoke again:

"Dare I ask for your esteemed name, Senior?"

"Kongyuan Mountain, Chen Yan," Chen Yan replied directly and without hesitation.

He no longer concealed his true identity, and he was no longer appearing wearing a human skin mask.

Because ever since the two Ascenders at Heavenly Summit Mountain began their actions, continuing to play games of hide-and-seek was utterly meaningless.

Obtaining the Ascension Dao Basis as quickly as possible, then rushing to Fusheng City, that was what Chen Yan should be doing most.

"Chen Yan..."

The two young Bai Shang Ravine mountain-guarding disciples looked at each other, both showing expressions of bewilderment.

They had never heard this name.

This was normal. The time when Chen Yan had shone across the entire Chenping Continent was already over twenty years ago.

Back then, these two young Bai Shang Ravine disciples before him had not even been born.

The Chenping Continent was so vast and boundless, with geniuses emerging in endless succession.

Not only had Chen Yan's name been forgotten in the dust of time.

Even among those heaven-chosen talents who were still alive and extremely active twenty years ago, many had been forgotten by people, or had even faded into mediocrity.

"Do you know Hua Mingyang?" Seeing their reaction, Chen Yan said this.

Hua Mingyang, during the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry twenty years ago, had faced Qin Qingyu in the Daoyan Arena as a Dao Inquirer for Wind Ravine Valley.

Of course, he lost quite miserably.

But he was also fortunate; Hua Mingyang was one of the few from Wind Ravine Valley who returned alive to their sect.

"Senior, are you referring to Protector Hua from the Medicine Hut?"

The current Hua Mingyang's cultivation was at the late Qi Sea Realm, far slower in cultivation speed compared to his contemporaries like Chu Xiyao and Li Haowen.

This was understandable, as the current Hua Mingyang was balancing medical studies alongside his cultivation.

"Yes, have him come see me," Chen Yan stated plainly, and a flicker of innate true energy passed through his eyes.

The two Qi Circulation Realm disciples naturally felt the terrifying pressure emanating from directly in front of them, so they both bowed towards Chen Yan again and said:

"Understood, this junior will go contact Protector Hua immediately. Please wait a moment, Senior."

"No need."

A gentle and delicate female voice came from behind the two Qi Circulation Realm disciples.

Immediately after, a female cultivator with an alluring figure, enchanting eyes and brows, dressed in light blue daoist robes, stood there.

The corners of her lips were slightly upturned, but the smile did not reach her eyes. Instead, it carried a sense of aloofness that looked down upon all living beings. However, the moment her gaze locked onto Chen Yan, a flicker of curiosity passed through them.

"You shouldn't be here, yet you are."

Realman Shuangyu, Yin Xia, said slowly:

"So, why?"