"So it is..."

Ning Xunqiu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"The Mountain and River Seal is forged from the primal spirit of towering mountains, ancestral vein fortune of the Divine Land, and merit in governing seas. It was not born to prove the Dao of the Carefree Immortal. Duan Hong and the Profound Flood Dragon’s demise was actually a meticulous scheme by the Orthodox Sect against the Four Seas."

"Human Emperor Hong garnered great merit by managing the water disasters of the Four Seas, with great fortune blessing him, thus becoming the Lord of Mountains and Rivers. Coupled with the conflicts between the Nineteen Continents and the Four Seas Dragon Clan, the Orthodox Sect Qi cultivators merely watched as floods rampaged..."

Ning Xunqiu connects these clues one by one, the fog in his mind gradually dissipating.

"None of this is coincidental."

"When I rewrote my fate in Jin Country, becoming the Sovereign of All Under Heaven and sacrificing to heaven and earth, it led to Duan Hong’s complete downfall. From that moment, the Mountain and River Seal was no longer under the control of the Orthodox Sect. I am indeed the ultimate victor within the realm of the Mountain and River Seal."

"Thus, when I leave this realm of the Mountain and River Seal, I will be deduced by the Immortal Daoist. It seems that it’s due to my genuine move against the foundation of the Moral Immortal Sect."

Ning Xunqiu paused slightly, thoughts surged like a tide.

"How much ancestral vein fortune of the Divine Land truly resides within the Mountain and River Seal? If I step out of this realm as the Sovereign of All Under Heaven, could I become the Human Emperor?!" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

However, this thought is merely a fleeting fantasy.

When that life touched upon the karma with Duan Hong, the Celestial Derivation Volume required the use of ’ninety-six points of fortune’ to shield the celestial secret, but Ning Xunqiu’s current fortune limit is merely ’seventy-one points’.

Unless he doesn’t leave the realm of the Mountain and River Seal.

But if he doesn’t, relying on the spiritual Qi from the Profound Dragon Pearl in the incomplete world for breathing, he and his junior sister, Ah Qing, would grow old and die together.

This has never been a choice!

Ning Xunqiu continued his analysis.

"Human Emperor Hong failed to prove the Dao due to the flaw in the Mountain and River Seal... To force me to leave Jade Sky Immortal Island, he actually refined the Monkey into a Nine-Orifice Golden Pill?"

"Liuli Immortal Venerable had long insight into this scheme, and for my safety, strictly ordered me not to step out of Jade Sky Immortal Island for ten thousand years. The three immortals must endure tremendous pressure from the Divine Land Orthodox Sect..."

"This masterly kindness is indeed well acknowledged."

Ning Xunqiu lowered his head to look at the Celestial Derivation Volume.

Life continues.

"I once again decline Master’s goodwill, leaving Jade Sky Immortal Island alone, heading towards the Sea Race Great Demon’s site, thirty thousand miles north of Jade Sky Immortal Island, there is a Water Mansion inside which resides a Cyan Flood Dragon of considerable strength."

"Yet this Cyan Flood Dragon lacks magical treasure and Daoist Soldiers."

"I exhibited the Hundred Feet Battle Spirit True Body of the True Martial Lord, rushed into the Water Mansion, and captured it within three rounds, searched its entire body, but did not find the ’Nine-Orifice Golden Pill."

"Indeed formidable, worthy of the Jade Sky True Inheritance, yet to become immortal but can wield such divine techniques, easily capturing Dragon-Kind True Immortal."

At this moment, a gentle voice suddenly echoed in the ear.

Ning Xunqiu followed the sound.

Only to see a stern-faced young man draped in a Profound Bird Robe, who had been silently standing nearby without knowing when, a smile adorned his face as if he had waited for long.

"Duan Hong?" Ning Xunqiu was not surprised.

"That’s merely the past mist."

"Hong bears no grudges."

The young Human Emperor Hong sat calmly, a chair, a table, and two cups of fragrant tea appeared out of thin air in the Water Mansion. He gestured to them, "Please."

Ning Xunqiu’s gaze condensed slightly, it wasn’t due to magic or divine techniques, but purely the transformation of ’thought’, unique to the authority of the Lord of Mountains and Rivers, ’Words Become Law’, ’May Your Wishes Come True’.

Ning Xunqiu calmly sat down, not drinking tea, but tightly stared at Human Emperor Hong.

Hong chuckled and said to himself:

"Over thousands of years ago, Hong was reincarnated as the son of a military household of the Great Xia Divine Dynasty in Hongzhou, always troubled by Sea Demons at the great river before my family’s door, causing frequent floods. Father followed the General outside, managing water for years, yet passing by home nine times without entering."

"Hong walked out from a county town, studied and practiced calligraphy, traveled ten thousand miles, cultivated the Daoist Canon three thousand, and gained small prestige as a Celestial Pride within the governor. Soon, Ancestral Dragon initiated a great tribulation of heaven and earth, Hong led the army following the True Monarch to combat the Dragon Race."

"Defeat after defeat, fighting even after defeats."

"Hong remembered one day, the True Monarch fell in battle, the sea swept Hongzhou, turning the heavens and earth into an ocean, wails echoed everywhere. Hong wept at this scene, vows a grand vow to restore the mountains and rivers of the Human Race."

"Hong led a beaten army, suppressed the Aquatic Race everywhere, saved countless people, every place gained followers, experienced hardships, and apprenticed under the Tianhe True Master, gaining senior brothers and sisters to assist..."

"Ultimately by proving the Dao with the Mountain and River Seal, requesting assistance from the Moral Immortal Sect’s elders, suppressed three emperors and seven True Monarchs, Hong unified the Three Divine Dynasties, with the help of the Ancestral Master, turned the tide against the Ancestral Dragon, becoming the Divine Land Human Emperor."

...

Ning Xunqiu needed this information, patiently listening, suddenly finding ’Hong’s life’ quite familiar.

This is simply the Orthodox Sect protagonist script, arranged clearly.

Hong continued: "Upon proof of Dao, Hong awakened with innate wisdom, realizing that Tianhe True Master was Hong’s master... Hong’s duty was to manage water everywhere..."

"Alright."

Knowing it already, Ning Xunqiu interrupted ’Hong’s endless words, "I have just one question, where is my worthless seventh brother..."

Representing the fall in fortune, amidst the mystery, he already knew the seventh brother Monkey had fallen, however—the dead must appear as a corpse!

"Unbelievable, unbelievable, he, a stubborn stone, refined the Chaos Seven Orifices Chapter, an alien possessing a nine orifice primordial spirit in human form, aligned with the Great Dao."

"With three thousand years of Dao practice, complete in Five Elements and Yin and Yang, having survived the Three Calamities, unproved Dao, his flesh was refined to a ’Spirit Body’."

Hong extended a finger, conjuring a perfect Golden Pill, "This has become a Heaven and Earth Treasure."

Ning Xunqiu’s gaze grew dark.

"Why?" He spoke in a low voice, "Just because of me?"

"Not solely due to you. He carried the part of Mountain and River Fortune Hong lost through magical combat with the Profound Flood Dragon, Hong must reclaim all lost Mountain and River Fortune to prove the Dao of Indestructible Immortal Divine."

Hong gently played with the Nine-Orifice Golden Pill in his hand: "When capturing him, Hong indeed harbored a love for talent, but despite Hong’s suppression for thousands of years, his mouth was as stubborn as stone due to his practice of Immortal Martial Dao, refusing to coax you out of Jade Sky Immortal Island, Hong had no choice but to refine him into a Nine-Orifice Golden Pill."

"Consider it making full use of his potential."

"This Nine-Orifice Golden Pill is extraordinary, if any mortal could open their heart and consume this pill, the cultivation speed would greatly accelerate..."

"Duan Hong..." Ning Xunqiu interrupted him, "You are indeed the Lord of Mountains and Rivers!"

"Soon, no longer."

Hong’s smile gradually vanished, "This Mountain and River Seal lacks only your last piece."

"By then, Hong will ascend ’Mountain and River Heaven’, proving the Dao of Indestructible Immortal Divine, as the Tenth Day Hongyun Sky."

"Please, fellow Daoist, fulfill this."

Hong held the Profound Yellow Great Seal openly, as the Lord of Mountains and Rivers, no Great Divine Power User dared kill him, this wasn’t the territory of Jade Sky Immortal Island, he settled Ning Xunqiu, no one could stay!

"Mountain and River Seal... prove the Dao again... prove the Dao again..."

Ning Xunqiu’s gaze focused, carefully examining the Profound Yellow Great Seal.

On it, one face inscribed with sun, moon, and stars, another with mountains and plants, yet another with all living creatures, while the final face’s edge was incomplete, lacking a fragment, causing that face’s imagery to remain imperfect.

Ning Xunqiu remained silent for a long time.

"Duan Hong." He suddenly began.

"Hmm." Hong nodded slightly.

"I too bear no grudges."

Before the words fully settled, Ning Xunqiu moved abruptly, the Sword of Chaos conjured in his hand.

True Intent·Heaven-cutting Sword!

...