The misty valley at the heart of the Datura Barrier was completely covered by its blood-red power.

When the gaunt old man and the middle-aged scholar arrived, they found three Immortal Kings waiting for them.

A young man with blood-red hair; a bald, blue-eyed man in black; and a pale, full-figured, mature beauty.

“Thanks for the hard work,” the gaunt old man said with a laugh.

The three Immortal Kings bowed in greeting, then gazed into the valley.

Bloody light ran rampant. The power of the formation was like a surging red tide, and it rumbled like thunder. Its aura was terrifying and imposing.

It was indistinct, but they could see a figure darting to and fro inside!

This was none other than Su Yi.

The formation erupted with enough power to destroy heaven and earth. Tidal waves swept forth from all sides.

Su Yi was like a skiff in turbulent waters, at risk of capsizing at a moment’s notice!

“The kid’s really quite something. If we were trapped in the Datura Barrier, I’m afraid we wouldn’t last long at all,” sighed the young man with blood-red hair.

The Datura Barrier was extraordinarily terrifying. It was one of the greatest killer weapons of the Church of the Exquisite Goddess. It was imbued with the power of their goddess, and it was entirely capable of suppressing and killing Immortal Kings.

Yet now, an Immortal Lord was stubbornly resisting the formation’s onslaught. Who wouldn’t have been stunned?

“He is, after all, the reincarnation of the Eternal Night Immortal Sovereign. How could he possibly be weak? Were he anyone else, there’d be no need for us to join forces like this,” said the bald, jade-eyed man in black robes.

“Libationer Han Yun, the sect master instructed him to capture him alive. Be careful not to crush him!” said the full-figured mature beauty with a charming smile.

The one she called “Libationer Han Yun” was the middle-aged scholar. He couldn’t help but smile. “Rest assured, I know when to stop.”

The scroll painting let him control the Datura Barrier’s power!

When he saw the thoroughly surrounded, imperiled Su Yi, the thin old man couldn’t help but sigh. “I won’t lie to you. Even now, I almost can’t believe this Shen Mu is really Tyrant Wang Ye’s reincarnation…”

The others were briefly dazed. They too felt strange.

Wang Ye!

A hegemon of the Dao of the Sword, the man whose name shook the Immortal Realm prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals! He’d once stood at the very pinnacle of the Immortal Dao, dominating all others of the same level until they could no longer lift their heads! He was an unparalleled legend!

His feats were too numerous to count, and even now, many millennia later, his accomplishments were spoken of throughout the Immortal Realm.

Those who admired him called him a “Sovereign among Sovereigns,” while those who hated him called him… the Tyrant!

The reason for this was simple. Over the years, Wang Ye slaughtered countless enemies, causing immeasurable bloodshed. He’d killed until the entire Immortal Realm trembled!

“But now, he’s no different from a lamb to the slaughter, don’t you think?” laughed the young man with blood-red hair.

His companions laughed along. It was true. Shen Mu was ultimately just Wang Ye’s reincarnation, not Wang Ye himself. His strength and cultivation base were far from comparable to the famed Tyrant.

Were that not the case, how could the Datura Barrier possibly have confined him?

Furthermore, the sight of him struggling like mad was pathetic, and quite entertaining.

“Be careful. I’m sure the boy has unknown cards up his sleeves, like… that Combat Soul Puppet!” warned the gaunt old man.

His companions were instantly solemn.

But it was then that——

Boom!

A massive impact shook heaven and earth. The world flashed before the Immortal Kings’ eyes, and their hearts instinctively tensed. All of them were on guard.

Within the valley, the blood-red power of the formation surged like the tides, but there was no sign of Shen Mu!

Is he dead already? The Immortal Kings furrowed their brow. All of them instinctively looked at Libationer Han Yun.

Han Yun took out that scroll painting, focused, and sensed it for a moment before saying, “He isn’t dead. Rather, he used a strange secret art to dodge the Datura Barrier’s destructive power. He’s hidden himself deep within the valley!”

Here, his expression filled with bewilderment. “It’s strange. Even using the Datura Barrier’s power, I cannot lock onto him. All I know is that he’s still trapped inside.”

The others couldn’t help but be surprised.

The gaunt old man said gravely, “I said it already. Shen Mu is the Tyrant’s reincarnation, and he has countless abilities at his disposal. We cannot underestimate him! It’s actually to be expected that he’d be capable of something like this.

“That said, he’s still trapped in the valley. That proves that his abilities still aren’t enough to escape this trap!”

The others nodded.

“Libationer Han Yun, can you increase the Datura Barrier’s power and crush him that way?” asked the young man with blood-colored hair.

Han Yun shook his head. “The Datura Barrier covers eight thousand miles, and it’s taken the form of thirty-six impenetrable barriers. The moment I focus the barrier’s power on the valley, the rest of its defenses will become paper thin. If our competitors seize the opportunity to slip in, it’ll lead to uncontrollable variables.”

The others couldn’t help but furrow their brows. There was no small number of factions out hunting Shen Mu!

And when they activated the Datura Barrier, they caused an enormous disturbance. Other factions were undoubtedly paying attention.

They didn’t even need to think to know that other factions’ Immortal Kings were already on their way!

“We have to hurry and take Shen Mu down before the others get here!” the gaunt old man said gravely. “We cannot afford any delays. Xue He and Madam Pei Jing, enter the valley and force the boy out. So long as he reveals himself, I can use the Datura Barrier’s power to capture him!”

The young man with the blood-red hair, Xue He, and the mature beauty, Madam Pei Jing, exchanged glances, then nodded.

“Be careful. That kid has numerous tricks up his sleeves. Don’t clash with him head-on,” warned Han Yun.

“Got it!”

Both of them promptly got to work.

Kcch!

Crimson armor appeared around Xue He, and he took hold of a white bone spear.

Madam Pei Jing took out sixteen golden flying knives swathed in lightning. They darted through the air like a school of fish, revolving around her in a wondrous cycle.

The two of them instantly shot into the valley.

“We’d best be prepared. The moment something unexpected happens, we have to strike with everything we’ve got!” the gaunt old man said gravely.

“Got it!” Han Yun and the man in black nodded.

But before long, Han Yun’s expression shifted. “Shit! I don’t know what Shen Mu is doing, but he’s damaging the Datura Barrier!”

The scroll painting quivered in his hands, and he could no longer see anything happening inside the valley.

The other Immortal Kings’ hearts clenched. They would never have guessed that something so unexpected would happen so quickly.

“Hurry, tell Xue He and Pei Jing to come back!” The gaunt old man ordered without hesitation.

“It’s no good. The Datura Barrier’s power is under attack. No one knows what’s happening in the valley,” Han Yun said gravely. “But I trust that if Xue He and Madam Pei Jing sense danger, they’ll return immediately.”

The gaunt old man and the man in black nodded.

The Datura Barrier was under attack, but it didn’t break. All they had to do now was wait. They couldn’t afford to lose their cool!

……

Boom!

The blood-red barrier’s power roared and rampaged, blanketing the sky and obscuring the sun.

“Dammit! What’s going on?” Madam Pei Jing’s beautiful face was overcast, and she was completely on guard.

They’d only just entered the valley, but the Datura Barrier’s power was suddenly far more turbulent and explosive than before. It reached even her and Xue He, giving them little choice but to dodge.

When she next steadied herself on her feet, Madam Pei Jing discovered that the barrier’s power no longer targeted her, but that there was no longer any sign of Xue He!

What really made her heart sink was that the red power of the barrier severely impacted her divine sense. She felt as if she were shrouded in fog. Never mind finding her companion; she couldn’t even figure out which direction was which!

“Activate!” Madam Pei Jing took out an octagonal glazed palace lamp. Its golden light flashed, illuminating everything within a thousand feet.

She instantly felt much calmer.

This treasure was known as the Divine Glaze Hundred-Step Lamp. The moment anyone stepped within the illuminated area, she’d sense it immediately!

Lamp in hand, she continued into the valley covered by the Datura Barrier.

…

Meanwhile, in another section of the valley, Xue He’s expression was dark. He clenched his bone halberd, completely on guard.

He too sensed that this didn’t bode well. With something attacking the Datura Barrier, he knew better than to expect support from his allies outside the valley.

Should I find an exit and leave, or keep searching for Shen Mu? His expression was shifting and uncertain. He was a top expert among early-stage Miracle Realm, but how could he dare to underestimate this particular opponent?

But leaving now would seem far too cowardly.

Forget it. Better not to risk my life. I should leave to ensure my safety. Xue He took a deep breath and made up his mind.

His life was in danger. So what if this choice was a bit cowardly?

But the Datura Barrier covering the valley made him furrow his brow. Everywhere he looked, he saw waves of red. He couldn’t tell which direction was which.

It was as if the whole world had been overturned and thrown into disarray. It even affected his divine sense.

Xue He wasn’t the type to sit around and wait to die, so he picked a direction at random and retreated.

Along the way, he was thoroughly cautious, and he circulated his cultivation base to the limit. Imposing, icy radiance coursed over the surface of his bone halberd.

A figure silently appeared in the distant flood of blood-red power and charged explosively at Xue He.

He was tall and thin, and his robes were as white as snow.

This was none other than Su Yi!

Xue He’s pupils constricted. He’d long since readied himself for battle, so he swung his white bone halberd with all his might.

Boom!

Piercing, cold light shot forth like a bolt of cloth. White flames erupted, shaking heaven and earth. It was as if the river of heaven had burst through a dam, its waters wreaking havoc in the sky.

Xue He was confident that even Immortal Kings of the same level as him wouldn’t dare to meet this strike head-on. If they did, they’d be badly injured, and that was assuming they didn’t die outright!

But then, the clear hum of a sword resounded through the air.

The three-foot Sword of the Human Realm appeared in Su Yi’s grip.

Its blade was like the vast blue dome of heaven reflecting the world below!

Seth’s Thoughts

Xue He’s name literally translates to “Blood Crane.” It’s such an unusual name that I almost translated it like a title, but it’s used more like a name, so I left it. It was borderline, though!