Before the split, they were a family.

  After, well, no one was so sure.

  The loot wasn’t divided too fast, quite slow in fact. As everyone was drinking and bickering, the wine soon ran empty.

  Chen Ming hadn’t the time to drink, and since close to half of the loot got divided, he was ready to return to Yan Mountain.

  He wanted to see how was Li Suyi doing.

  Once Li Suyi’s demonic intent was dealt with, he would subdue the remaining demonic sect. With that done, his mission would, just like that, climb all the way to 90%.

  This was Chen Ming’s second B ranked mission, and he couldn’t afford to turn it in just for spiritual knowledge.

  Chen Ming glanced at the Autarchs and saw Dragon Sovereign lost in thought. Chen Ming could relate to him. He was all alone, fighting in this war as a means for survival and revenge.

  Chen Ming walked next to him, “What will you do now?”


  Dragon Ancestor was silent for a moment. He had an ineffable reverence towards Chen Ming. The reason was obviously his freakish speed in gaining strength. It was just too sudden! He walked along Dragon Ancestor, an immortal, and caught a few legends here and there. Chen Ming’s situation was strikingly similar to a legendary reincarnated immortal. But Dragon Sovereign wasn’t quick to voice it. Chen Ming might not believe it and might not admit it either. A reincarnated immortal never knew he was one and had no shred of doubt about not being one. He said, “I was wondering if Yan Mountain has a place for me.”


  Chen Ming scrutinized him, This fellow’s aura ain’t bad at all, that Dragon Ascending Aura in particular. Its effect revolves around gathering dragon power in certain locations after a time.

  Despite not knowing what this thing dragon power is, it should still have some use.

  Chen Ming clinked glassed with Dragon Sovereign, “Let’s go. From this moment forth, you are from Yan Mountain.”


  He took Dragon Sovereign to Yan Mountain, then went to Zhuo Qingyao, “Your power should be enough to pass the Heavenly Tribulation without a hitch. Worry not, when the time comes to pass it, you only need to listen to my voice.”


  Zhuo Qingyao nodded, “I shall comply, Master.”


  Chen Ming said, “How’s Suyi?”


  Zhuo Qingyao pointed at his courtyard, “Third junior brother is sleeping.”


  Chen Ming was baffled, Sleeping? This punk has the time to nap? Riddled with doubt, he began his trek towards him, while Zhuo Qingyao vanished from his side at some point, whistling about.

  He came upon Chen Lingyu watching over Li Suyi, “Still napping?”


  Chen Lingyu didn’t follow, “What napping? Head senior sister knocked him out cold. Third senior brother is like this ever since.”


  Chen Ming looked back, but Zhuo Qingyao seemed to have vanished into thin air……

  Chen Ming nodded, “You’ve watched over him all this time, and should go rest now that I’m here.”


  Chen Lingyu yawned, “Master, I’ll leave him in your care.”


  Chen Ming turned to Li Suyi on the bed, This kid ventured deep on the demonic path. I need to figure out a way to remove his demonic intent.

  Chen Ming roamed his eyes over his fate. The demonic sect was almost destroyed, and the Demon Subjugation Gathering should be over. What would it be now?

  ‘Fate: the times are blurring as the gears of fate begin to spin. You have become the first under heaven on this continent, but more disasters lay further in the Galaxy. As one in the possession of the King Slayer Aura lvl2, the growing ambition bolsters your power, the same for the master in the shadows. You shall die from the uncrowned one.’


  What the hell is the uncrowned one?

  Disasters in the distance? The master in the shadows?

  Something is off here!

  The immortal world seems different from what I’ve imagined.

  Whatever, what point worrying about it now since there’s no information on it.

  Chen Ming turned to Li Suyi, eyeing his index finger. He found it twitching, Un, good. He should be asking for water next.

  Chen Ming brought a cup, waiting for Li Suyi’s call.

  I wonder where did this come from? Why is it that when one wakes up, his index moves? Can’t it be his toe instead?

  Sure enough, Li Suyi called in a daze, “Water…… water……”


  Chen Ming brought the cup to his mouth. The embarrassing part was that Chen Ming wasn’t good at looking after another, going as far as dumping the water on Li Suyi’s head.

  Li Suyi opened his eyes. His first sight was of Chen Ming bringing the cup to pour water down his nose.

  “Master!”


  Li Suyi cried in fear, while Chen Ming stared, “You still know to call me Master?”


  Li Suyi didn’t dare to meet his eyes, “Master, I will leave Yan Mountain at once.”


  Chen Ming settled down Li Suyi from rushing out, “Where will you go?”


  “Disciple descended into the demonic sect, shunned by the righteous faction on the land under heaven.”


  Chen Ming asked, “It seems you are not to clear on what that implies. Let me ask you, what is the land under heaven?”


  “The living creatures under the heavens.”


  Chen Ming was irritated, “When did I teach such a disciple? He doesn’t even know the most fundamental rule of the Dark Forest.(1)”


  “Master, isn’t that the land under heaven?”


  Chen Ming chuckled, “Not now at least. As of now, the land under heaven is me! You can live if I allow it! If I say you turned over a new leaf, who is there to say otherwise?”


  Li Suyi asked in shock, “Master, you killed Wu Jiang?”


  Chen Ming nodded, “Three days ago.”


  “But I’ve become demonic, Master, devouring many people.”


  “They were all just demonic cultivators. The demonic sect was always about eating whenever one wanted, to cultivate through whatever means possible. But you’ve fallen deep in Taotie’s lure. You must severe the demon in your hear. ”


  “How can I vanquish it so easily?”


  “This is your life’s tribulation. If you can vanquish it, then it shows you are far stronger than a demon.”


  “Ding! You triggered a mission, Vanquishing Demons. Li Suyi has veered far off the righteous far, into the demonic way, wounding his heart. Please assist Li Suyi in severing his demonic intent. Reward: 300,000 merits.”


  This is gonna be troublesome. Vanquishing demons is a battle of will and one’s Dao Heart. How can I help him?

  I’ve got it! Aren’t monks experts in this? Ah, but I don’t have any Buddhist cultivation method to recite and overcome the demonic intent in his heart.

  But a sudden thought struck him. Just that this way was may be a bit harsh.

  (1)

  is a 2008 science fiction novel by the Chinese writer Liu Cixin. It is the sequel to the Hugo Award-winning novel The Three-Body Problem in the trilogy titled Remembrance of Earth’s Past, but Chinese readers generally refer to the series by the title of the first novel. The English version, translated by Joel Martinsen, was published in 2015. The rule he is referring to is ‘existing is the first requirement of a civilization’.