Chapter 586

Chapter 586: Bewildering

"Had the divine punishment ended?"

Shen You and Shen Le trembled violently in their hearts.

This was utterly unimaginable.

The power of divine punishment had ceased abruptly before even reaching the mortal world, vanishing without a trace—this defied all logic and violated the rules of the heavenly path.

"Someone must be interfering behind the scenes!" Shen You’s expression darkened.

The erasure of divine punishment meant Haotian’s authority had been challenged.

When Heaven’s wrath descends, corpses pile up by the millions.

"Who possesses such terrifying power?" Shen Le murmured.

Swish!

Both their pupils abruptly contracted.

Master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion!

…

Meanwhile,

Mortals of the Yinghuo Immortal Domain were shouting as well, proclaiming the mercy and compassion of Heaven. They kowtowed wildly, some even smashing their heads until blood flowed.

Only the cultivators understood: divine punishment would never vanish without reason.

The cessation of divine punishment could only mean a formidable being had secretly thwarted it.

"Wow!"

Xixi’s eyes widened into perfect circles, her tiny mouth slightly agape as she marveled.

Dugu Ming was too stunned by Ye Xu’s act.

A mere flicker of a sleeve had transformed the sun and moon, renewing the heavens.

"You’re really too awesome!"

Dugu Ming expressed sincere admiration.

"A trivial effort."

Ye Xu clasped his hands behind his back, smiling faintly. "Dugu Ming, both you and Xixi here bear the source of disaster within you. Your fates are filled with misfortune, hardship, and obstacles."

Dugu Ming’s gaze dimmed.

"Dugu brother," Xixi suddenly spoke up, bright-eyed. "Since the senior is invincible, he could help us suppress the power of the disaster’s source—and seal it for good."

Ye Xu nodded slightly.

The little troublemaker had learned wisely from her time following him.

She had caught his intention.

As expected, Dugu Ming’s eyes instantly lit up.

"Senior, can you help me?"

Dugu Ming stated gravely, "I’m willing to pay any price, even if it means being deprived of my cultivation."

He longed to experience an ordinary life.

Having friends, even a lover.

"It’s not that serious," Ye Xu said with a smile.

"In the yang realm, you’re also alone. If willing, join Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. I’ll help seal the source of divine punishment within you."

"This junior agrees," Dugu Ming responded at once.

"We’ll discuss this back home."

Ye Xu’s consciousness enveloped the earth of the Nine Regions. Sensing Shen You and Shen Le, he curled his lips into a faint smile. He hadn’t the slightest interest in confronting them — not even worthy of his attention.

Too weak, utterly undeserving.

With a single thought, all three returned to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Mu Fanyin and Taotie had long since waited. Seeing Ye Xu, then Xixi and Dugu Ming, Mu Fanyin blinked, instantly grasping the situation.

"Master! What happened just now?"

"What a fright!" Taotie exclaimed, heart pounding.

"I let these two meet. To satisfy the audience’s curiosity," Ye Xu answered lightly.

"These two?"

Taotie stared at Dugu Ming and Xixi, finding nothing unusual.

"One carries the source of divine punishment, the other the source of disaster — notoriously known as celestial calamity stars," Mu Fanyin remarked cheerfully. "The earlier divine thunder was their doing."

"Hiss!"

Taotie recoiled in shock and horror.

Taotie’s reaction struck Dugu Ming as utterly predictable, unworthy of notice.

"Such exaggerated alarm," Ye Xu said lightly.

"Master, if there’s nothing else, this subordinate will take his leave," Taotie stammered, terror still lingering. Staying near two jinxes wasn’t his plan.

Having spoken, Taotie vanished as though fleeing a calamity.

"Come inside first," Ye Xu bid them. "I have something to tell you."

The four entered Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Xixi efficiently brewed tea and poured it for each.

"Swoosh!"

Ye Xu flicked his sleeve, and a surge of mana entered Dugu Ming’s brow. The Easy Dao evolved, transforming into a formation seal that trapped the source of divine punishment within Dugu Ming inside layers of folded space.

"You two must understand one thing."

Ye Xu solemnly said, "This power within you, though the source of misfortune, is also the asset that can grant you immortality and make you stronger."

"Without it, your cultivation won’t proceed as smoothly as before."

Xixi giggled and said, "Forefather, I’ll just stay here at Heaven’s Secret Pavilion and serve you."

"…"

Ye Xu was speechless.

Why were people nurtured in Heaven’s Secret Pavilion always such slackers?

Ye Xu’s words caused Dugu Ming to hesitate.

Should he be an ordinary man, or a top-tier celestial calamity star?

"Dugu Ming, you bear the source of disaster from the yin realm. You are the chosen one; you can’t be ordinary." Mu Fanyin looked deeply at Dugu Ming.

"Source of disaster from the yin realm?"

Dugu Ming was immensely shaken.

Clearly, even he had never heard of the so-called yin realm’s source.

"If I bear the yin realm’s source of disaster, does that mean Xixi carries the yang realm’s source of disaster?" Dugu Ming posed another question.

"You’ll have to ask the Master that."

Mu Fanyin smiled.

A flicker of something strange passed through Ye Xu’s eyes.

Mu Fanyin’s words explained just why Dugu Ming’s source of divine punishment was so powerful!

But was Xixi’s source of disaster truly the yang realm’s source?

Ye Xu couldn’t be sure.

"System, is the source of disaster within Xixi really the yang realm’s source?" Ye Xu thought inwardly.

[Fifty trillion Hongmeng points.]

"Seems a bit pricey."

Ye Xu mumbled.

"Not paying! Not paying!"

He was penniless himself; where would he get the spare cash?

Ye Xu coughed lightly and said, "Your strength is still too weak right now. It’s not suitable for you to know too much."

"Dugu Ming, take this time to properly experience the life of an ordinary man."

"Thank you, Master."

Dugu Ming kowtowed in gratitude.

"You may leave now."

Dugu Ming bowed and withdrew.

"Fanyin."

Ye Xu’s gaze fell on Mu Fanyin.

Mu Fanyin turned to look at him.

"Is there something you wish to instruct, Master?"

"There is one thing."

Ye Xu said with a smile, "In a few more days, Yi Tianxing’s Nine Cauldrons will be completed, and then it will be time to prepare for Tianxia’s national founding ceremony."

"You are familiar with the Hongmeng Dao Realm. The matter of the Invitations needs to be personally supervised by you."

Mu Fanyin said with a half-smile, "When did Master become so polite?"

"Is it possible that the last time when the Dao Clan accepted you gifts, Master discovered a business opportunity?"

"Cough…"

Ye Xu’s face flushed.

It was best to leave an unspoken understanding unsaid.

"With Tianxia’s founding, it should naturally display national majesty; how could it be measured by money?" Ye Xu declared righteously, "They must know the dignity of our Heaven’s Secret Pavilion!"

Mu Fanyin stared straight at him.

Ye Xu’s neck turned red.

"Go!"

"Yes."

Mu Fanyin made a bow and said with a smile, "Your subordinate will definitely handle this matter properly and not disappoint you, Master."

Whoosh!

After saying this, Mu Fanyin transformed into a stream of light and flew out of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

"Senior, can I ask you a question?" Xixi said eagerly.

"Ask."

"Can the source of disaster in me and Dugu Ming be stripped away?" Xixi asked curiously.

Stripped away?

Ye Xu was stunned.

It seemed reasonable.

Within the domain of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, he was invincible; stripping a source of disaster shouldn’t be hard.

"You must consider carefully; once you strip out the source of disaster, you become an ordinary cultivator, and you might not achieve much!" Ye Xu said earnestly.

Xixi hesitated.

She tugged at her clothes corner and asked, "Then can I catch up to Wudao elder brother?"

"…"

Ye Xu was astonished.

So this little girl in her heart still missed Ning Wudao dearly.

"On your own, it’s impossible!"

Ye Xu stated firmly.

Ning Wudao’s Dao heart was unyielding; since returning from the Penglai Immortal Domain, he had been secluded in the Time and Space domain, cultivating diligently, already attained the Three Yuan Proof, and soon could become a Sovereign of the World.

Xixi couldn’t compare to him.

"Then I’ll think about it."

Xixi felt somewhat disheartened.

Ye Xu nodded.

In his heart, he was still pondering a question.

Was Xixi’s source of disaster really the source of disaster from the yang realm?

If so, why did she appear in the Pangu universe?

All sorts of clues showed this matter was unusual.