Twenty-Six Titles

Lin Chong?

Hearing these two words, Bai Zongnan grew excited; this was the most popular figure in that book. Wang Lun, however, ignored the mention, continuing his meditation and healing, paying no heed to the conversation. Lin Chong’s reputation was indeed formidable; in the ancient martial world, he was hailed as a grandmaster, a renowned name. Yet now, Lin Chong had only thirty years of life left, his strength greatly diminished. Wang Lun was confident he could defeat Lin Chong, so why would he fear Lin Chong’s apprentice?

Li Zhong, seeing his plea had failed, shouted unwillingly, “Wang Lun, I advise you to reconsider. My death benefits you not at all. On the contrary, if you kill me, you’ll have to face pursuit from my senior and master. If you let me go, not only will you gain a tremendous fortune, but you’ll also preserve your life.”

“Oh? What fortune?” Wang Lun suddenly asked, pausing his meditation.

Li Zhong, believing Wang Lun had softened, hurried to explain, “The Scarlet Cloud Seal is the sect’s priceless treasure. As long as you hand it over, my senior and master will surely let you leave. Otherwise, you will die without doubt!”

“Your master wouldn’t send them to their deaths, would he?” Wang Lun asked indifferently.

He did not doubt the truth of these words. After all, the Scarlet Cloud Seal was too precious; Li Zhong would not sacrifice the sect for it.

“My master is the head of the sect, only he can make decisions,” Li Zhong gritted his teeth. “I can send a message for you; if you hand over the Scarlet Cloud Seal now, there’s still time.”

“Try it, then,” Wang Lun replied, not paying further heed, and continued practicing the Body Tempering Technique.

Li Zhong sank into despair. He thought Wang Lun would be wary, but the man cared nothing for consequences!

“Do you really intend to kill me?” Li Zhong trembled, clenching his fists.

Wang Lun still meditated, his tone calm, utterly fearless. “Don’t forget, I have your senior and master as leverage. Killing you is as easy as turning my hand.”

Li Zhong’s face darkened, breathing heavily, wishing he could leap up and kill Wang Lun on the spot. But he knew he lacked such courage, and besides, he had no opportunity; his nascent soul was sealed, and he couldn’t even struggle, let alone use mana.

“Fine! Fine! Fine!” Li Zhong glared at Wang Lun. “Today’s enmity, I’ll repay doubly another day!”

With that, Li Zhong’s eyelids grew heavy, and he fell into unconsciousness.

Wang Lun did not bother checking if Li Zhong was feigning death, for it was unlikely.

“You won’t die. I’ll lift the seal soon. I hope your words are true,” Wang Lun said, rising and dragging Li Zhong deeper into the cave, then began setting up restrictions.

He didn’t intend to simply abandon Li Zhong. Now, Li Zhong was like a piece of pork on the chopping block, to be cut as one pleased.

The cave entrance was guarded by restrictions, and the cave walls were lined with many stone chambers. At some doors hung a painting of a skull, at others, two skeletons dangled.

Wang Lun first found the skull painting. It was carved from white jade, lifelike. One jade skeleton held a golden mace, the other a black short spear—both weapons, looking quite intimidating.

“Who are the figures in this painting?”

Wang Lun approached for a closer look.

The painting was a magical treasure. The white jade skull painting was a defensive array, and the black short spear likewise; moreover, the spear was of fourth grade!

A fourth-grade artifact was extraordinarily valuable, a rarity among martial artists.

Wang Lun surmised the white jade skull painting and black spear were left behind by a foundation-stage powerhouse.

Nearby, he found a heap of clothing fragments.

“These belonged to Li Zhong. Could it be Li Zhong once entered here and obtained this treasure?”

Wang Lun suddenly understood.

This cave mansion must hold many valuables, all now possessed by Li Zhong. With such wealth, Li Zhong didn’t abandon it but hid it away, showing his ambition—hoping someday to rise.

“Hmph, whether you’re Lin Chong or anyone else, you must die!”

“Enough!” Now, let’s talk about our matters.

Bai Zongnan was somewhat irritated. After all, the task that should have belonged to him—eliminating Li Zhong—had been stolen by Wang Lun, and he wasn’t sure if that counted as completion.

But that wasn’t the main point. The key was that Wang Lun had the courage to kill a foundation-stage cultivator!

Such boldness, Bai Zongnan lacked.

Although Wang Lun had defeated Li Zhong, Bai Zongnan knew Wang Lun couldn’t kill Li Zhong—for Li Zhong’s strength surpassed his own!

“You’re quite arrogant.”

“But I’ll give you a chance to live.”

“I need a spirit stone. In exchange. If you can’t produce one, I’ll have to take your life and seize the spirit stones you carry.”

“I’ll give you ten breaths to decide.”

Bai Zongnan spoke icily, staring into Wang Lun’s eyes.

He thought Wang Lun would compromise. After all, survival was most important.

But Wang Lun’s gaze was resolute, with not a hint of hesitation.

“Ten! Nine! Eight…”

Bai Zongnan silently counted down, a smile playing on his lips.

When the ten seconds passed and Wang Lun remained silent, he immediately declared, “Alright, our negotiation has failed.”

“I simply don’t want to waste time,” Wang Lun rose slowly. “If you want spirit stones, you can have them. But what about what I want?”

Bai Zongnan frowned, then relaxed. It seemed Wang Lun wouldn’t bargain, so he would obediently hand over his things.

“I only carry three hundred spirit stones. The rest were given to my master; now they’re all in a storage ring,” Bai Zongnan said, taking off the ring from his neck and handing it to Wang Lun.

He didn’t think Wang Lun would dare search him on the spot.

Wang Lun took the storage ring.

Bai Zongnan let out a sigh of relief.

At last, he was temporarily safe.

“These spirit stones should be useful to you. Consider it my apology.”

---

He bowed his head in deference, signaling Wang Lun to inspect them.

After collecting the three hundred spirit stones and counting them, Wang Lun, satisfied, tossed the ring back.

“You may leave.”

He waved his hand, signaling Li Zhong to disappear quickly.

Li Zhong crawled up and slunk away in shame.

“Ah, Li Zhong, you have only yourself to blame for your greed.”

Wang Lun sighed softly and shook his head.

Had Li Zhong cooperated sooner, perhaps Wang Lun could have revived him, but Li Zhong would rather self-destruct than yield, so Wang Lun had to resort to violence.

Besides, Li Zhong was a foundation-stage cultivator, impossible to control easily.

Wang Lun shifted his attention, continuing his search for Scarlet Blood Spiritwood.

There were no Scarlet Blood Flowers here, but several fiery-red herbs radiated astonishing heat, clearly not ordinary.

Wang Lun picked one and swallowed it whole.

Within his dantian, true essence quickly grew abundant.

At that moment, he sensed imminent danger.

Whoosh!

A fierce gust struck.

“Someone is attacking me!”

Wang Lun immediately activated his Piercing Spirit Eyes, locking onto one side, and summoned his flying sword, which shot toward the threat.

Clang—a sound rang out.

A middle-aged man appeared beside him out of nowhere, brandishing a long halberd to block the sword.

The flying sword vibrated, as if at any moment it might break free from Wang Lun’s control and return to him.

Wang Lun was startled.

When had this stranger approached?

He hadn’t sensed it at all!

He was deep within the mountain, surrounded by closed spaces—this middle-aged man’s concealment skills were extraordinary!

“Hm?” The man’s expression showed shock, then delight.

He was certain his sneak attack had struck; the target was injured.

“Hahaha, heaven favors me!”

“Brat, you dared kill Li Zhong, now you must pay the price!”

The middle-aged man laughed wildly, long halberd thrusting at Wang Lun.

The halberd whipped up a mist of magma and water.

This mist was made of lava; touching it would burn the skin.

“Such powerful magic—at least the strength of the seventh or eighth layer of the Qi Refining stage!”

Wang Lun dared not be reckless and dodged swiftly.

“Careful, he’s a foundation-stage powerhouse!”

In his mind, Wang Lun heard Bai Zongnan’s spiritual sense.

In fact, all this was Bai Zongnan’s arrangement.

Three days before, when Bai Zongnan parted ways with Mu Sheng halfway up the mountain, they had planned everything—including the unyielding Wang Lun before them.

He’d deliberately leaked Mu Sheng’s whereabouts to Wang Lun, letting Li Zhong stumble upon Wang Lun, then Mu Sheng would attack Wang Lun, while Bai Zongnan distracted Wang Lun and drew his attention. When Wang Lun was exhausted, Bai Zongnan would strike.

Wang Lun’s strength made Bai Zongnan wary, though he believed his own combat power could easily slay Wang Lun, he feared Wang Lun might escape.

After all, Wang Lun possessed two low-grade magical treasures, was an alchemist, and his ability to survive far surpassed the average foundation-stage cultivator.

But now Bai Zongnan was confident; he was a foundation-stage cultivator!

He had a superior spiritual artifact, while Wang Lun had none, only a low-grade flying sword—no match.

“Heh, let’s see how you escape this time!”

He sneered, pursuing Wang Lun relentlessly.

Wang Lun retreated swiftly.

He didn't want to kill the opponent, but this man was too cunning; his strength surpassed Wang Lun’s, and even with the Piercing Spirit Eyes he could only catch traces, never the exact location.

If his Piercing Spirit Eyes were fully mastered and could pierce through illusion and reality, they would help, but he was far from that level.

Still, he remained calm.

He kept retreating, searching for an opening.

The middle-aged man pressed ever closer, clearly enjoying the advantage and unwilling to let Wang Lun escape.

Finally, when Wang Lun backed up to the cave wall, he suddenly counterattacked.

“Hm?”

Bai Zongnan was startled.

Wang Lun actually wanted to fight head-on—did he really think Bai Zongnan was weak?

Wang Lun ignored him, flicking his fingers as a burst of flame soared into the air, forming a giant net, descending upon Bai Zongnan.

This was the Fire Wall Technique, a common fire spell.

Its advantage was clear: it could block an opponent’s attack route and trap them within the wall, burning them.

Yet Bai Zongnan was no ordinary man; he immediately cast another spell, conjuring an earthen wall before him.

His magic was earth-based, also quite defensive.

But the Fire Wall Technique was the most powerful of the five elements, and its area was considerable. Wang Lun flashed forward, arriving before Bai Zongnan and smashed his fist against the earthen wall—boom!

The wall collapsed instantly.

The fire wall remained but shrank to twenty meters, its power diminished. Bai Zongnan dodged the move, a look of surprise on his face.

Wang Lun was stunned; he hadn’t expected his sure-hit move to fail.

The opponent possessed not only a powerful defensive treasure but also a swift escape technique—such a person was rare among cultivators of the same level.

Especially since this man’s cultivation and power surpassed Wang Lun’s.

“Monk, I’ve lost. How about we call it off?” Wang Lun’s spirit was already defeated, and he spoke up.

Bai Zongnan’s goal was achieved.

In the Holy Domain of Kaiyang, in Long City’s command room, Li Sikui finally relaxed, thinking to herself, “My brother is indeed outstanding. The process was nerve-wracking, but the task in the Mythic World is completed—and so well!”

“We can initiate the return procedure now!” Li Sikui put away her smile, returning to her ‘ice queen’ demeanor, her red lips parted as she issued the command.

---

“Understood,” replied the commander.

On the command room screens, light flickered, and then a scene appeared—Wang Lun and Bai Zongnan’s battle. The two figures intertwined, fighting fiercely, their movements too fast for the naked eye to follow. Light flashed repeatedly, spells bursting forth, each accompanied by explosions.

The scene lasted for tens of seconds and finally ended.

“Return successful.”

Meanwhile, in the Mythic World, Bai Zongnan felt himself enveloped by a mysterious force, instantly withdrawn from the battle, his consciousness growing hazy.

“Lu Da, what’s wrong with you?”

“Brother, wake up… Wake… up…”

A series of soft, sweet voices wrapped around him like warm quilts. Bai Zongnan felt his consciousness slowly shifting, awakening, the battle scenes and memories gradually fading, becoming unreal.

Hm? Bai Zongnan woke up, opened his eyes, and found himself lying in bed.

The room held a large double bed, and beside it stood a lovely young woman—Li Sikui.

Seeing him awake, Li Sikui hurriedly asked, “Brother, are you alright? You suddenly fainted and frightened us!”

Bai Zongnan sat up, looking around.

Aside from himself and Li Sikui, there was an old man present, dressed in gray robes and a bamboo hat, low-key yet dignified.

The old man nodded when Bai Zongnan awoke.

“You two, please step aside,” the old man said.

Li Sikui was reluctant, but knowing she couldn’t help, she nodded obediently and left the room.

Inside, only Bai Zongnan and the old man remained.

“Agent Bai Zongnan, congratulations. On your second descent into the Mythic World, you’ve completed the trial task.”

The old man smiled. “Here is your reward.”

He handed over a jade slip, inscribed with the words ‘Immortal Martial Apprentice.’

“‘Immortal Martial Apprentice’? What does that mean?” Bai Zongnan was puzzled.

He recognized the characters, but did not understand the term.

“Heh, this is a new technology invented by our cultivation civilization,” the old man explained. “It’s called ‘Immortal Martial.’ You may refer to it as Immortal Martial Apprentice.”

“Immortal Martial?” Bai Zongnan frowned, confused.

“It’s a game designed for Mythic World cultivators. It helps you quickly adapt to the Mythic World,” the old man continued. “Just follow the Immortal Martial Apprentice mode in the game. Of course, if you encounter danger, you may choose to withdraw.”

Then the old man handed him a jade token, instructing, “Take this. You can use it to leave once via a teleportation scroll.”

Bai Zongnan hesitated, accepting the token and crushing it.

Buzz—

Ripples spread, and he vanished from sight.

The next moment, he appeared in a desolate forest.

He looked up: the sky was pitch black, as if the whole world were painted with heavy ink.

“So, this is the Mythic World?”

Bai Zongnan observed his surroundings. The forest vegetation was sparse, the ground cracked and dry, seemingly barren, yet he smelled a faint scent of blood.

“This forest… Many must have died here…” Bai Zongnan was deeply shocked. This was truly an apocalyptic scene.

Suddenly, a vast spiritual pressure descended.

Fragments of information surfaced in his mind.

This was the Divine Demon Graveyard, the oldest and most mysterious place in the Mythic World. It was said a Demon Emperor fell and was buried here, so many formidable monsters slept within, their dormant pressure enough to terrify the living.

“Divine Demon Graveyard…” Bai Zongnan murmured.

At that moment, a strange yet familiar voice sounded in his ear: “We have waited for this day for so very long. Today, at last, hope has arrived!”

“Who?” Bai Zongnan was startled.

But just as quickly, the voice vanished.

“Strange…” Bai Zongnan frowned.

Then, a huge shadow loomed overhead.

He looked up and was dumbfounded.

A pitch-black skeleton stood above him, gazing down.

“Demon… Demon…”

His lips trembled, unable to speak for a long while.

Demon Emperor?!

No…

“I am the Demon Emperor,” the skeleton said coldly, its voice magnetic yet tinged with ancient sorrow.

Bai Zongnan’s heart pounded, his mind racing for an explanation.

First, what exactly was the Demon Emperor?

A demon? But why this form?

Demons were supposed to be hideous and fierce monsters; how could this be a handsome young man?

Moreover, a demon’s soul should be dark, evil, aggressive—yet this Demon Emperor seemed almost righteous.

What on earth was this being?

“My name is Bai Zongnan,” Bai Zongnan calmed himself, clasped his hands, and respectfully bowed to the Demon Emperor. “May I ask your esteemed name, senior? Bai Zongnan pays his respects.”

The Demon Emperor looked at him and replied in a deep voice, “Rakshasa.”

Bai Zongnan was taken aback. “You are… Lord Rakshasa Demon?”

Rakshasa Demon nodded.

“Rakshasa Demon?!”

Bai Zongnan exclaimed, “Rakshasa Demon is so handsome?”

He looked at Rakshasa Demon with admiration, though it lasted only a few seconds before he composed himself.

“Forgive me, senior, I was momentarily rude,” Bai Zongnan lowered his head, truly fearful.

Rakshasa Demon said, “No harm.”

Though demon races lived long lives, demon lords were not eternal. Their lifespans could not exceed ten thousand years, merely longer than ordinary beings.