In the twenty years that Lu Yun had arrived in the great wilderness, Fuxi had only told him once that he’d be able to return to his time after a hundred years. As for how exactly… Lu Yun didn’t know much.

Thinking back to when he’d first encountered the blood demon in this world, it would’ve been child’s play for the blood demon to temporarily call upon his real strength and kill an insignificant human.

Though Lu Yun had later deceived the blood demon, the latter really hadn’t retaliated against the human for it. This seemed to be an oblique confirmation of his words.

“What about Tushan?” Lu Yun stared coolly at the blood demon in his hand. “Three? Tushan is a life form of this era.”

“No no no! She’s gone through the reincarnation cycle and has been reborn in the world of immortals. She no longer belongs to this time period!” the blood demon hastily explained.

Lu Yun frowned, then suppressed the blood demon with a casual hand flip. He couldn’t be bothered to further question whether those words were true or not, he could only wait to ask Fuxi or Ah Zhi.

As for the little fox… Lu Yun knew her all too well. She’d never tell him the truth.

“Kuafu!” He turned around and addressed the corpse standing in the air.

His body was a charred mess like it’d been through a big fire—it was dead, and Kuafu’s soul a yin soul. He wasn’t a zombie, but a ghost.

“I’ll take you to the netherdark. I think I’ll be able to resurrect you there!”

The Resurrection death art was useless on the demon god since he’d been dead for so long. But if he resided in the netherdark and waited for the construction of the reincarnation wheel, Kuafu would be able to return through the power of that system.

“There’s no need.” Kuafu shook his head, his voice raspy and dry. “The rule of the connate demon gods is about to end. I should follow heaven’s will and go to my death.”

He raised a cupped fist salute to Lu Yun and returned to his place in Yi’s tomb without further ado, leaving behind a youth standing silently in the air for a very long time.

Eventually heaving a sigh, Lu Yun traveled west in a streak of light. He didn't know that Asura had eaten Dijiang, but since he’d pulverized the demon god’s body and extinguished his soul, that meant Dijiang was as good as dead.

When he arrived at the Jin nation, it was shrouded by a thick sense of sorrow. He didn't see Bai Zhaoju—the future White Emperor had already entered Goldflare Mountain and wouldn't emerge before he reached the chaos realm.

Expression grave, Lu Yun brought out their late ruler’s body and placed it in front of the mountain. With the return of Rushou’s corpse, every Jin citizen broke out in heartfelt sobs.

“This seat has personally killed Dijiang and avenged your ruler,” Lu Yun intoned.

“Zhurong thanks the fellow daoist for avenging my master!” Zhurong and Gonggong walked up to Lu Yun, bowing courteously. Both of them were in human form in accordance with the creed of the human dao.

“Bai Zhaoju is my friend, so I naturally needed to do something on his behalf when his master was killed. But if there comes a day that sees Dijiang reborn into this world, then it will be up to Bai Zhaoju to personally resolve this karmic relationship.” Lu Yun nodded.

“Alright, as this matter is resolved, I shall take my leave.” Lu Yun raised cupped fists to Zhurong and Gonggong before vanishing from the Jin nation.

“To think that the great dao would become the dao of the human race in a few short days.” Gonggong heaved a great sigh as he looked to the east of the great wilderness, where Mount Buzhou stood.

“This doesn’t affect us much since we are divine spirits born of heaven and earth, living beings created by the father god. It matters not who rules the world,” Zhurong responded.

A sparkle flashed through Gonggong’s eyes. “It’s just, this is unfair… Why must we wait for the birth of the origin divine and the Exalted God before we can become our own race…”

“Father god arranged for all this, so he must have his own reasons for doing so.” Zhurong frowned gently.

“But the father god is dead…”

……

After departing from the Jin nation, Lu Yun instantly crossed the great wilderness and reached the East Sea, heading for Mu nation.

Compared to the Jin nation, things were relatively calm here. The Mu nation hadn’t been unduly disturbed by Rushou’s fall. Goumang was currently in the Builder Tree, overseeing Ling Weiyang’s cultivation.

With the changes in the heavenly dao and appearance of humanity’s cultivation method, Goumang acceded to the wishes of the human dao and became one of its connate demon gods. His cultivation level was greater than Ling Weiyang’s, and he possessed a more thorough understanding of cultivation. With his pointers, Ling Weiyang would progress at a tremendous pace.

However, a particular ruckus had seized the Mu nation as their national treasure had gone missing. Frenzied action swirled as far as the eye could see; everyone was in fine fettle as they chased after the thieves.

Their target? A snow white fox and a little girl that looked thirteen years old!

The little fox and Ah Bao?

Lu Yun was dazed by the turn of events.

The two were surrounded by experts of the Mu nation. Though Ah Bao was at the human king realm and the little fox at celestial human realm, they were facing hordes of Mu experts. If it wasn't for the fact that they were with Lie Shan, they probably would've been put to death a long time ago.

“Arrest the two of them!” roared a livid man with a pair of pure-green eyes dressed in long, jade-green robes. “We’ll bring them back to the human race and demand an explanation!”

His name was Yu Hen—both Goumang’s disciple and the first prince of the nation. He was so incensed that he was about to spit fire from his eyes. There was only one national treasure, and it was the key to him breaking through to the chaos realm. But Lie Shan’s two companions had stolen it!

“What's going on here?!” Lu Yun descended from the skies and stood protectively in front of the little fox and Ah Bao.

“Lie Shan!” Yu Hen surged an angry step forward when he saw the youth, jade-green flames stirring to life on him. “How dare you ask what's going on?! You explain why these two have stolen the Mu national treasure!”

Of the two thieves, one was only human king realm and the other not much stronger at celestial human realm. Someone else had to be aiding them from the shadows, and Lie Shan was the most natural suspect.

The little fox squirmed into Lu Yun’s robes and flat out refused to show herself.

“What have you taken from them?” Lu Yun grabbed her by the ears and hauled her back out. Ah Bao’s nature was kind and simple, this must've been the fox's idea.

The little fox’s ears and tail stuck straight up, her four little legs paddling furiously in the air as she glared at Lu Yun.

“What Mu national treasure, that’s my treasure! I lent it to Goumang a long time ago and we agreed that he would return it to me when I came back. Here I am, but he pretends not to know me!” She broke free of Lu Yun’s hand and darted to Ah Bao’s shoulder.

“What a joke! When did our national treasure turn into one of your possessions?!” Yu Hen flew into a rage.

“Then you go ask the old fart if he borrowed this connate seal of yi wood from me, Tushan!” Likewise erupting in an outburst, the little fox took human form. A young girl whose beauty could captivate nations lightly held an emerald green seal in her hands. She glared coldly at Yu Hen and the Mu experts surrounding them.

Crackle!

Greenish-black electricity sizzled around the treasure as she spoke.

“As the saying goes, return borrowed things on time to be welcomed again next time!” fumed Troublemaker Tushan. “If you'd been upfront and told me that you needed to borrow it for a bit longer when I first arrived, that you needed to help your silly little son break through to the chaos realm, then I would’ve let you done so. I am no miser!

“But you pretended not to know me and even sealed away my treasure, claiming it for your own. So don't blame me for taking it back now!

“Also, you have a hundred million years of friendship with Rushou, Goumang! How would you not know what kind of person he is? If it wasn't for you keeping Bai Zhaoju here and refusing to let him see his master, Rushou probably would've sent him into Goldflare Mountain a long time ago to cultivate. He wouldn't have died in Dijiang’s hands!

“I wonder if the person who actually wants to refine Bai Zhaoju isn’t Rushou, but you! Are you helping Ling Weiyang in the Builder Tree right now, or are you refining his body of the great dao?!” Tushan’s crisp voice rang throughout Mu nation like a breeze brushing past wind chimes.

“You harlot, how dare you defame my royal father!” Yu Hen had been entranced by the girl’s beauty, but flushed beet-red with anger when he paid attention to her words.

Boom!

He exploded into action and punched out at Tushan with the momentum to destroy the land.

Lu Yun watched the development coldly and flicked the prince away before he reached the little fox.

“Lie Shan!” Yu Hen wiped off jade-green blood after he flew out five kilometers. “This is the Mu nation! Or do you want our nation to declare war on your human race?!”

“It’s not up to you whether war is declared or not.” Lu Yun looked back at Tushan. “Is what you say true?”

“Naturally,” Tushan huffed with dissatisfaction that he was questioning her.

“Take me to see Goumang,” Lu Yun demanded frostily.

“Lie Shan, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you've killed a few connate demon gods! You would do well to keep in mind that you’re not the master of this realm!” A cold light flashed through Yu Hen’s eyes.

All of the cultivators in the Mu nation had gathered, and there were even three chaos realm experts hidden in the surroundings. They released a frightening aura to pressure Lu Yun’s group.

“Keep yourself safe.” Lu Yun brought out the Bell of Chaos and handed it to Tushan.

The little fox blinked, she hadn't thought that Lu Yun would take it back from Dijiang. This meant… that Lu Yun had probably killed the demon god.

Greed flashed through Yu Hen’s eyes when he saw the bell, but was swiftly replaced by a wave of fear. Dijiang had been able to beat Rushou to death when he wielded the bell, but he in turn had died to Lie Shan. Then this meant that Goumang wasn’t a match for the human either!

The connate demon gods had kept a close eye on the battle in the cosmos, but cultivators such as them—yet to reach chaos realm—were unaware of the final outcome.

Though the three chaos realm demon gods knew, they hadn't had time yet to inform Yu Hen.

Lu Yun ignored the crowd around them and set off for the Builder Tree.