I Am Your Natural Enemy

After the failed sneak attack, Ji Mingzi stood on the steps, and finally a trace of disappointment appeared in his eyes.

Very few people knew that he also cultivated the Flying Sword Path, because he had almost never used it in front of outsiders.

A strike meant to kill was easily blocked by Wen Yan, or so it appeared.

Even from a great distance, he could more or less see that it wasn’t Wen Yan himself who blocked the Flying Sword attack.

Rather, it was a fingernail on Wen Yan’s finger that automatically helped him block such an attack.

The fingernail of a Great Zombie, one that carried the intentions of its owner.

Ji Mingzi saw the Great Zombie revealing its true zombie form, blocking in front of Wen Yan, as well as the other two who now stood at Wen Yan’s sides.

He knew then that the last chance had failed as well.

But then he saw those Taiyi Observatory disciples running for their lives down the mountain—many of them now silently standing far away, and some were clearly planning to side with Wen Yan.

The roar of war choppers thundered across the sky, and helicopters sped toward them.

Soon after, a stream of light descended from the heavens—the Celestial Sword Master plummeting from above, suspending itself mid-air in a swirling aura. Gradually, an elder with white hair and beard, kindly brows and gentle eyes, stepped forth from the radiance.

The Old Celestial Master had used the Yin Spirit Possession Technique and arrived in person.

The Old Celestial Master walked forward, step by step, placing himself between Wen Yan and harm.

In that instant, Ji Mingzi understood: the entire world now stood opposed to him, all siding with Wen Yan.

At last, Ji Mingzi understood why he had failed.

It was because the current Scorching Sun was unlike any who had come before.

Even someone like Cai Heizi, when things began to get out of hand, would weigh his own life on the scales—and forcefully push the situation into change.

It looked as if they were being forced to make a move, but in truth, they were pushed into opposition with everyone else.

The present Scorching Sun was also different from the Thirteenth Ancestor of Fuyu—he did not take the path of challenging everyone door-to-door, defeating them all into submission.

Instead, he pulled the entire world into enmity with his enemies.

...

Beneath the glowing aura, the Old Celestial Master’s Yin Spirit left his body, arriving in person.

The Old Celestial Master paid no heed to others, but first sized up Wen Yan—saw the Black Fingernail on his left hand, saw the Calamity Protector Water Official Talisman on his right.

And the bracelet that had shrunk by a size...

He could sense just what kind of power, what intentions were carried in these objects.

Even though it was the first time he truly saw Wen Yan, and realized Wen Yan was actually a Souless Human,

The Old Celestial Master was not at all surprised.

He didn’t need to understand Wen Yan; he simply sensed the intentions of a Big Executor, sensed the final intent of the Calamity Protector Goddess, and felt what that bracelet represented.

He already knew what kind of person Wen Yan was.

He smiled gently, reached out, and patted Wen Yan on the shoulder.

”Such a good child, truly soft-hearted. There are some things that simply do not suit you.”

”I, this old fellow, have lived some decades more than you, and am just a little stronger.”

”Matters that require taking on some infamy are best left to me.”

”Respects to the Old Celestial Master.” Wen Yan saluted respectfully, though he didn’t fully understand, a touch of confusion remained in his eyes.

His Natural Enemy Profession, at the moment when the Old Celestial Master’s Yin Spirit appeared, felt as if it went totally invisible.

Things that had been apparent before all vanished at once.

When he looked toward Ji Mingzi, there were now no prompts at all.

He had just equipped a spirit-inviting ability—literally inviting a certain immortal spirit.

He’d meant to try what the second Temporary Ability could do, but hadn’t had the chance—all prompts vanished without a trace.

The last time he met the Mountain Lord, there’d at least been a prompt—if it appeared, the other party would sense it.

This time, even the prompts that had shown up before were simply hidden away.

Wen Yan was utterly flummoxed.

He instantly understood that, in this current version, the Old Celestial Master’s strength must have surpassed the rest by orders of magnitude, to have such an effect.

The Old Celestial Master glanced at the nearby Nether Path Soul Lamp, regarding it with keen interest for several moments.

Then he looked at the wound on the Eighth Uncle-Master Ancestor’s face.

”Fortunately, I wasn’t too late—the Scorching Sun Department’s aircraft are simply too slow.”

The Old Celestial Master turned his head, gazing toward Ji Mingzi at the top of the steps.

Ji Mingzi silently descended the stairs—no matter what he’d done, upon seeing the Old Celestial Master, he still had to observe the barest proprieties.

The Old Celestial Master stepped forward, looking at Ji Mingzi, with a hint of regret in his expression.

”In the first half of your master’s life, just like you, he was too stubborn—eventually, he made you even more so.”

”A pity, all you see is your master’s sixty years of exhaustion and hardship.”

”But you didn’t see your master’s final twenty years—he read widely, spent three years even just in the library.”

”You only remember the Taiyi Observatory’s ’seeing one’s heart and nature, upholding pure truth,’ but forget the essential precondition.”

”In today’s terms, it means one must read extensively, encounter many people and beliefs from other sects.”

”With dialectical thinking, take an objective view of change, continuously draw nourishment.”

”Let your sect keep pace with the changing times, with the rise and stir of new ideas.”

”Yet still preserve the most central heart of Taiyi Observatory.”

”That is to value life, to help others, to help oneself—clarity of heart and essence.”

Ji Mingzi faced the Old Celestial Master with respect, willing to bear the consequences, but still steadfast in his views.

”I merely follow my forebears’ will, dare not neglect it.”