Volume One: The Cataclysm of the Lich—Chapter 115: The Emergence of the Heavenly Court, and the Fame of Buzhou

“Has no one told you that I am currently comprehending a great formation unique to our demon race? If I succeed, our strength will increase by leaps and bounds. By barging in so recklessly, if anything goes wrong, who will take responsibility?”

“We’re sorry, Your Majesty. It was our mistake. We’ll leave immediately and not disturb you any further.”

With that, the group departed in fear and trepidation.

Having witnessed this, Fuxi knew things could not be as simple as they appeared. Yet no matter how he divined, he could not uncover the slightest trace of any scheme. In the end, he could only attribute it to coincidence.

Meanwhile, at the foot of Mount Zhou, many of the Wu clan were celebrating joyously.

“Brother Houyi, it is truly the warriors of your tribe who are the fiercest. They’ve only just set out, and already they’ve wiped out a great many of the demon race.”

A burly, middle-aged man holding a wooden staff congratulated the tall and heroic young man beside him.

“Brother Kuafu, didn’t your tribe also capture quite a few demon tribes?”

These two were none other than the great shamans Houyi and Kuafu—Houyi from the Houtu tribe, and Kuafu from the Jumang tribe.

“Aye, but that’s only because those demon whelps are too weak. They’re nothing compared to us Wu. I truly don’t know what our ancestor shamans are thinking. If you ask me, we should just wipe them out entirely.”

Houyi spoke boisterously and with boundless ambition.

He then raised a cup fashioned from bamboo, and gave Kuafu a hearty clap on the shoulder.

“Still, it’s your tribe, Brother Kuafu, that’s the most ingenious—coming up with such delicacies made from spirit fruits. I must say, it tastes far better than eating the fruit raw, and the effects are greatly enhanced as well.”

As Houyi lifted his cup to the left, he spoke with heartfelt admiration.

After a few cups of this spirit brew, Houyi began to feel quite tipsy.

“Ah, Brother Houyi, you never learn. You can’t handle your drink, yet you insist on drinking so much!”

Kuafu looked at the now thoroughly drunk Houyi, shook his head, and chuckled softly.

“Come, someone help your chief back to his quarters.”

He directed a few of Houyi’s tribesmen, who had accompanied him, to assist.

Yet just as they were about to help Houyi up, the ground suddenly trembled violently.

Kuafu’s expression changed drastically; he jumped to his feet and spoke in a stern voice.

“What’s happening? What’s causing such commotion?”

He was not the only one confused—many others shared his bewilderment.

At that moment, the ancestor shamans, including Emperor Jiang, swiftly emerged from the Pangu Hall and flew straight to the Wu clan’s territory.

“What’s going on?” Emperor Jiang demanded, catching sight of Kuafu nearby.

“Kuafu, explain!”

“Ancestor Emperor Jiang, I truly do not know.”

Seeing Emperor Jiang’s anxious and severe expression, Kuafu was instantly alarmed.

Emperor Jiang, seeing this, asked no more. He suddenly turned his gaze to the summit of Mount Zhou.

At the same time, within the Azure Lotus Monastery, Qingkong opened his eyes the instant the great upheaval began.

“So it’s finally come! The Heavenly Court emerges—looks like the demon race is about to reach its zenith!”

He cast his gaze toward the summit of Mount Zhou and swiftly flew out of the monastery.

Elsewhere, in a southern valley of the wilderness, as the Heavenly Court emerged, Wuyun also turned his attention to Mount Zhou.

“The Heavenly Court is born. It seems I must return.”

He tore open the space before him and stepped through.

As Qingkong reached the summit of Mount Zhou, unsure what to do next, a voice called from behind.

“Seems I’m not too late.”

Hearing this, Qingkong turned around and met Wuyun’s gaze.

“Wuyun—no, why do you carry Wuyun’s aura? Who are you really, and what is your purpose here?”

At first sensing Wuyun’s presence, Qingkong was startled by his sudden appearance, but upon closer inspection, he realized something was off about his aura.

“Ah, how hurtful! To be greeted like this after so long!”

Suddenly, Qingkong noticed the sly grin on the man’s face and shivered.

“It really is you! How did you end up like this?”

“Ah, it’s a long story. But now isn’t the time for that. Let’s deal with the matter at hand, then we can catch up.”

Without waiting for Qingkong’s reply, Wuyun cut him off.

“It’s troublesome without my true body here, but fortunately, you’re the one who remained. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“Come!” Wuyun beckoned to Qingkong, who immediately dissolved into countless threads of silver Dao energy.

In the next moment, the silver Dao energy flew to Wuyun’s side and merged into his body.

“Excellent—this is enough to handle the trouble before us!”

Wuyun rolled his neck and laughed lightly.

By now, countless powerful beings were focusing their attention on this place.

On Mount Kunlun—

“Elder brother, what’s going on with the Celestial Pillar? Why have so many strange events been happening lately? That place is supposed to be the pillar of heaven—how can such things happen there?”

“Ah, this time, things are not so simple.”

What Taishang Laozi did not say was that he faintly sensed an incomparably important treasure for the entire wilderness was about to emerge atop Mount Zhou.

His premonition was correct, though he did not understand the true meaning behind the Heavenly Court.

Meanwhile, in the Supreme Purple Cloud Palace beyond the heavens—

“So, Heaven, this is your plan? What a pity… Well, there may yet be other opportunities. If only Qingxuan were here, but it seems he’s trapped in the chaos, and even Daoist Yangmei…”

Hongjun could only sigh at the ways of fate. He knew that if things were allowed to proceed unchecked, his original plan would be left with not a shred of hope.

Yet he could not interfere at this moment, or all his schemes would come to nothing.

Just as he suppressed these thoughts, a mighty aura surged from the summit of Mount Zhou, accompanied by a sonorous voice echoing in the hearts of countless beings.

At the very moment when the Heavenly Court fully emerged atop Mount Zhou, Wuyun had no time to mind the demon race, led by Dijun and others, who were eyeing the Heavenly Court greedily from beyond the mountain.

He spoke swiftly, and a massive phantom of the Primal Azure Lotus appeared behind him.

“I, the master of the Celestial Pillar Mount Zhou, sensing today the emergence of the Heavenly Court destined to rule the wilderness. The Heavenly Court shall possess thirty-six heavens, spanning the firmament and overlooking the vast land. Therefore, it must be severed from the Celestial Pillar, allowing the Heavenly Court to return to its rightful place.”

With that, Wuyun drew forth the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler and shouted, “Open!”

At once, countless Dao energies surged from his body, the power of space foremost among them.

With a sweep of the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler in his right hand, myriad Dao energies coalesced into a beam of light, cutting the connection between the summit of Mount Zhou and the Heavenly Court.

“From this day forth, Mount Zhou shall no longer be whole—it shall henceforth be called Buzhou!”

As his words fell, a golden light shone from his brow.

With his final proclamation, Mount Zhou ceased to exist in the wilderness, and only Buzhou remained.