"Being chosen is fate; this kind of fate is not good for Nuodai."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader said.

If Nuodai were to be chosen by a Tangkou like "Dun Jia, Heavenly Eye, Mr. Ye," where there are many disciples and plenty of people to teach Zhou Xuan skills,

Zhou Xuan would find it relatively easy to come out of such a Tangkou.

But the Cai Theater?

This Tangkou, who in the world knows it? Being chosen by this Tangkou, some people might spend their entire lives and still not be able to exhaust its incense offerings.

Yet Zhou Xuan, within a very short time, had elevated the incense offerings of the "Cai Theater" Tangkou significantly.

"Zhou Xuan set up a stage, leading all those lost disciples of the Tunnel Armor Sect to it."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader said: "This is already the seventh tier of Cai Theater’s technique—marking the ground as a stage."

"Already this high?"

Tiancan Monk asked.

"Well, that’s why Zhou Xuan is considered formidable."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader’s understanding of "Cai Theater" far exceeded that of Tiancan Monk.

Tiancan Monk pondered and said: "Cai Theater was once a hall pursued by the Heavenly Dome all over the place; now it has reemerged, and Zhou Xuan obviously intends to stage a grand performance. Should we report this to the Heavenly Dome?"

"No need."

"No need?" Tiancan Monk asked.

"We are humble individuals coming to the human world merely to select an unheard-of invincible Dan Officer and incidentally to ensure his safety so that the Heavenly Dome doesn’t lose a genius in Alchemy,

as for the rest, we can’t get involved."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader gazed at the night sky and added: "The Heavenly Fire Clan of the Heavenly Dome always looks down on us; since they do so, it’s reasonable that we, these two good-for-nothings, can’t see the significance of Cai Theater."

"But what if the Heavenly Dome finds us negligent and imposes penalties?"

"They won’t impose penalties," the Eternal Life Sect Leader said. "Today is a significant day; Mr. Yan is intensifying his patrol. If he can discover Cai Theater, let him report it,

if he fails to discover Cai Theater, the negligent one is him, not us... If the sky falls, the tallest person will hold it up; it will never be wrong."

Mr. Yan is the individual from the Heavenly Fire Clan responsible for guarding the Heaven and Earth passage.

If speaking of incense fire Tao, he certainly does not match the Eternal Life Sect Leader or Tiancan Monk, but as a native member of the Heavenly Fire Clan, his words carry more weight than the two Heavenly Dome God-level individuals.

"Agreed, agreed, we should just do our job and not bother with these messy affairs."

After contemplating a while, Tiancan Monk agreed with the Eternal Life Sect Leader’s choice.

Then, the two of them, as if in sync, began to talk about another person—someone not present in Mingjiang Prefecture tonight, but who is nevertheless an essential figure influencing tonight’s situation.

He is the Butcher.

"Leaders, Zhao Youting predicted that tonight the Butcher would sever Dun Jia Mountain’s gate; do you think this is likely?"

"Very likely."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader said: "That Butcher seems very close to Zhou Xuan; tonight, he’s surely aware of the dangers within Mingjiang Prefecture, yet he hasn’t come to assist Zhou Xuan. Perhaps he has something more important than helping Zhou Xuan,

What could be more important? On reflection, only severing Dun Jia Mountain’s gate fits the bill."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader paused and continued: "However, that Butcher, his judgment is truly accurate. He trusts that Zhou Xuan can handle those six Supreme elders, hence his solo venture to Capital Mansion."

Tiancan Monk asked: "Back during the Wuwen Mountain disaster, I was still in seclusion, interpreting the Snow Mountain Map. What happened between Dun Jia Sect and Wuwen Mountain is unclear to me."

"The grudge is quite significant."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader said: "The passage between the Heavenly Dome and the human realm has always been narrow, but some Heavenly Fire Clan members have always taken advantage of the passage to enter the mortal world,

Back then, Master Linming from the Heavenly Fire Clan descended into the human realm."

"Is he that little centipede?" Tiancan Monk asked.

"Yes, the youngest son of Bai Yujing Chongming Immortal—it’s that little centipede."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader said: "That little centipede was fond of women and infant brains. During the day, he would absorb the brain marrow of little children; at night, he indulged in music and festivities,

There was a Swordman named Tan Pei on Wuwen Mountain who loved to act righteously. He, with one sword, under the cover of night, beheaded Master Linming,

His actions were quite clever; he didn’t leave any trace. But—he was predicted by the Dun Jia Sect."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader crossed his arms and said: "The people from Dun Jia Sect informed the Earth Child, who then sent Mr. Ye and Dun Jia Sect to capture Tan Pei,

But the people from Wuwen Mountain, being spirited and unwilling to hand over, led to a fierce battle between the two sides."

"What was the consequence?"

"The consequence, naturally, was... Wuwen Mountain’s final eighteen Swordmen were obliterated."

The Eternal Life Sect Leader sighed and said: "I’ve admired few Tangkou in my life; Wuwen Mountain certainly counts as one."

"Do you harbor resentment towards the Heavenly Dome?" Tiancan Monk quietly asked.

"Are you truly satisfied with the Heavenly Dome’s conduct?" The Eternal Life Sect Leader countered.

Tiancan Monk shook his head, refraining from speaking further.

Meanwhile, the Eternal Life Sect Leader continued discussing the Butcher,

"The eighteen Swordmen and their families, comprising men and women, old and young... on that day, at Dun Jia Mountain, not a single survivor was left. If the Butcher acts today, it remains to be seen what kind of bloodbath will ensue."

...

"It’s over; those six Supreme ancestors managed to flee."

Yun Ziliang said regretfully.

Tonight, the Dun Jia Sect arrived with great pomp, immediately calling for attacks and killings, treating Zhou Xuan like a subordinate, shouting orders left and right.

Lao Yun felt that failing to kill at least one or two Dun Jia Supreme figures today and merely catching some small fry would ruin the fun.

"Flee; they won’t get away."

Zhou Xuan was quite confident in "marking the ground as a stage,"

Moreover, he saw the fierce beasts within the "Battlefield Stage" relentlessly roaring, searching for prey within their scopes.

And the eye above the stage—the eye constructed by Zhou Xuan using "Blood God’s will" as a blueprint—was also patrolling and searching for traces of the six Supremes.

...

In front of the Capital Mansion and Dun Jia Mountain’s gate, all was silent.

Tonight seemed ordinary for the disciples guarding the mountain, with cicadas chirping and the moon stars sparse,

The mountain breeze stirred the bamboo sea behind the mountain, creating tide-like sounds,

But this night was destined to be anything but peaceful,

A young man, dirty and greasy, strolled to the golden bell at the mountain gate, picked up a dry branch from the ground as a bell striker, and repeatedly struck the bell.

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

The dry branch produced a powerful force, causing the golden bell to roar and waking many slumbering Dun Jia disciples, including Zhao Zhibi, the mountain gate keeper.

Without the elders, Zhao Longhu, Zhao Luosheng in the mountain, Zhao Zhibi was the "acting Sect Leader" of Dun Jia Mountain.

"Who is randomly striking the bell at midnight?!"

Zhao Zhibi lit a candle, donned his clothes, and opened the door to see what’s happening...