Returning from the Immortal World

Be it in his previous and present life, Tang Xiu was quite adept at analyzing things. After returning and living on Earth, his EQ and the ways he responded to people’s intentions and conducts had improved greatly. Although he still couldn’t understand many things related to emotions, at least his mood wasn’t affected that much from them. In addition, there were also other reasons as to why he stayed on Jingmen Island, which was the issue about the two islands in the waters to the south.

One of the two islands was used to rear fierce beasts, and the other was for medicinal herbs plantation.

Each of these two issues was equally important. Those children he fostered would grow up in the future and would become more powerful as well. All of which would make the needed cultivation resources to grow into an astronomical number. He would undoubtedly be in a short supply of resources if he were to rely solely on the wild herbs grown on Earth.

Suddenly, his expression slightly shifted. He ceased his train of thought as his eyes shifted to the southern waters. He could sense a particular aura that was deliberately transmitted out from that direction. It was very brief, only for a few seconds, but he chose to fly to the south the moment after.

“Tang Xiu!”

Xue Yu, who also sensed that aura, caught up with him riding her immortal sword.

“Did you feel it too?” asked Tang Xiu. “Don’t you think that it’s a bit familiar?”

“No.” Xue Yu shook her head.

Tang Xiu could only sigh inwardly. Xue Yu hadn’t yet experienced the struggles in such a brutal place that was the Immortal World, after all. She lacked the experience of battling celestials, immortals, and demons, so her sensing ability to recognize others’ aura was very poor; whereas he already knew who was coming the moment he sensed that aura.

Turbulent waves rippled over the sea surface of the boundless ocean. However, a blob of raging flame was actually burning above the sea.

After flying high in the sky for some time, Tang Xiu and Xue Yu appeared tens of kilometers away above the deep ocean. There, they saw the Fire Qilin traversing on the sea surface and seemed to look at them.

“You came!”

The Fire Qilin didn’t look at Xue Yu and had its eyes fixated on Tang Xiu, using its divine sense to transmit its voice to him.

“I knew that you’d come for me sooner or later, Fire Qilin.” Tang Xiu smiled and said, “Well, I didn’t expect you to find me this fast, though. Anyways, there’s something I’ve been very curious about, though. What exactly is your origin? And why did you choose to be at the human side when we fought those demonic beasts?”

“I don’t think there’s a need for you to know my origin, though I’m sure you already have some guesses. Anyhow, I need to leave Earth and return to the Immortal World, which means I need that Spatial Teleportation Array. All the Demon Cores obtained by humans went to you and I didn’t get any piece of it.” The Fire Qilin’s body was covered by a high-temperature flame, so high that it increased the temperature of the surrounding sea in no time. Even the sea surface where the Fire Qilin was standing on was boiling and made a lot of fish and shrimps cooked and float to the surface.

“I already know you want to go back to the Immortal World, Fire Qilin,” replied Tang Xiu indifferently. “But as I told you, I have a way to bring you back there, but it’s not now. I told you before that I still have tons of things not done here, while my own power has yet to reach the point of breaking through into the Immortal Stage. That’s why I need you to be patient and wait for me. I’ll naturally inform you when I’m ascending to the Immortal World. But…”

“But what?” asked Fire Qilin.

“You should know clearly well that it’s very difficult to enter the Immortal World,” said Tang Xiu indifferently. “The energy needed is enormous, and the process is riddled with dangers, so if you don’t explain your situation in the Immortal World and why you came to Earth, it’s very difficult for me to trust you.”

The Fire Qilin fell into silence. It knew that Tang Xiu was right, yet it still felt very reluctant to tell outsiders of the things that had happened. However, for the sake of returning to the Immortal World, it decided to disclose some bits to this human. “I’m the Guardian Immortal Beast of a certain sect in the Immortal World. My status is equal to the other four Guardian Beasts: the Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise. The founder of this Immortal Sect was an Earthling, so he left behind some countermeasures back when he was about to ascend to the God’s Realm. He felt that his birthplace, Earth, was going to face an immense crisis, so I, Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise rushed here to protect this planet.”

Tang Xiu’s complexion changed and he spoke in a deep tone, “That’s ridiculous. The three big schools, which are the Azure Dragon Holy Sect, White Tiger Holy Sect, and Black Tortoise Holy Sect have disappeared in the Immortal World hundreds of thousands of years ago! Only the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect still remains. And yet, there’s no record about this matter in the Myriad Vault Pavilion whatsoever. There’s no such thing related to the Vermilion Bird Holy Sect as you just told me.”

The Fire Qilin’s aura suddenly rose. Its eyes were locked on Tang Xiu and it stopped conversing by transmitting its thought with divine sense, shouting, “Who exactly are you?! How do you know the matters in the Immortal World and those four big Holy Sects?”

Tang Xiu unleashed his own aura to resist the Fire Qilin’s pressure. He coldly hummed and said, “I know you’re very powerful, Fire Qilin. But don’t think I’m afraid of you. It’s very easy for me if I want to kill you. Take back your aura since I don’t want to cause other troubles.”

While speaking, he gently raised his left hand and forced the Star Devourer Insect out of his finger, letting it fly up and land on his shoulder.

The Fire Qilin hadn’t been aware of it at first. But when the Star Devourer Insect landed on Tang Xiu’s shoulder, it cried out, “DAMN, abominable Star Devourer Insect! How is this damn race not extinct yet?”

Tang Xiu could tell that the Fire Qilin was afraid of the Star Devourer Insect. Then, he said apathetically, “Let’s spare ourselves from talking about anything related to the Star Devourer Insect, shall we? Just speak. What’s your origin?”

“Knowing too much will only make you die without a burial place.” The Fire Qilin shook its head and added, “I just want to return to the Immortal World. I have no malice toward you whatsoever. Don’t force me to answer anymore, for I’ll still tear you apart even though you’re being protected by this abominable Star Devourer Insect!”

Tang Xiu frowned. He could tell the Fire Qilin’s determination and felt somewhat helpless inside. Honestly speaking, this Fire Qilin had piqued his curiosity, and he wouldn’t be able to have a good sleep for several days if he couldn’t get what he wanted to know.

Suddenly, his expression shifted and he immediately made several gestures towards the Fire Qilin.

The Fire Qilin stared at Tang Xiu’s gestures with fixed eyes. Its aura intensified once again as it roared a few times. Then, it excitedly burst into laughter. “You’re a disciple of the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect?! That’s really unexpected! Hahaha… to think that I can meet a disciple of my sect. I, Ravenshell, a Fire Qilin, am so glad! This proves the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect hasn’t been destroyed!”

“Huh? What do you mean?” asked Tang Xiu in a deep voice.

The Fire Qilin retracted its aura and approached Tang Xiu much closer, saying, “The Sect of Five Beasts was the most powerful Immortal Sect in the Immortal World hundreds of thousands of years ago. It was founded by my Master. The Sect of Five Beasts was once a famous colossus that overawed the entire Immortal World, Demon Realm, Monster Realm, Spirit Realm, Underworld, and many others. My Master, Emperor Qing, was a Sovereign that was on the superior throne and overlooked myriad of races and all walks of life. Some even said that the Sovereign was not even inferior to some true Deities!”

“That’s nonsense!” Tang Xiu snapped. “The Emperor Qing is indeed the founder of my Vermillion Bird Holy Sect, but the sect’s name is not the Sect of Five Beasts like you told me!”

“Just let me finish my words, will you?! You’ll naturally know about the origin of the Vermillion Bird Sect.” Fire Qilin shook its head and continued, “The Sect of Five Beasts became the most powerful sect in the Immortal World after hundreds of thousands of years, feared by the rest of the sects in existence. But before Master ascended to the God’s Realm, he divided the Sect of Five Beasts into five independent sects, which were the Qilin Holy Sect, Azure Dragon Holy Sect, Vermillion Bird Holy Sect, White Tiger Holy Sect, and Black Tortoise Holy Sect.

“I was the Guardian Immortal Beast of Qilin Holy Sect, whereas Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise were separately acting as Guardian Beasts for each of their respective sects. And yet, extreme prosperity will eventually decline as the old Chinese adage said. After Master ascended, the five sects lost the most powerful Supreme as their patron, and eventually caused a lot of other forces to set their eyes onto us.

“An earthshaking battle then occurred in the Immortal World a few hundred thousand years ago. Various forces attacked the Sects of Five Beasts and the latter were eventually defeated, causing them to decline into ordinary immortal sects in the Immortal World. The late five great holy sects that were formed then gradually moved to some secluded and hidden places.

“If I remember correctly, Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise have all died, leaving only me and Vermillion Bird behind. But I took the descendants of Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermillion Bird as per the instructions Master commanded previously, that was to head to Earth and to protect his hometown.”

Tang Xiu stared at the Fire Qilin with a disbelieving look. Never once had he ever dreamed that the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect still had such a secret inside story. It never occurred to him that the Fire Qilin had been protecting Earth for hundreds of thousands of years.

“Then, where are the other Immortal Holy Sects now, Fire Qilin? Where they have gone, exactly? I’ve been in the Immortal World for ten millenniums. Yet, I’ve never heard of the Qilin Holy Sect, Azure Dragon Sect, White Tiger Holy Sect, and Black Tortoise Holy Sect at all,” asked Tang Xiu in a deep voice after taking a deep breath to weather his stirring emotions.

“I don’t know much about any later events, either.” Fire Qilin shook its head and said, “Ever since we arrived on Earth, we’ve been guarding this planet. We’ve been able to protect Earth even though it was nearly destroyed a couple of times. It was a pity that Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise who came along with me at that time were too young and much weaker. They eventually died after hundreds of thousands of years. I’m the only one who survives with a feeble existence to the present.”

Tang Xiu nodded without a word. Although he wasn’t clear about most of the story narrated by Fire Qilin, he was crystal clear of one issue: the first ancestor who founded the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect was called Emperor Qing.

“Then, please go back first, Fire Qilin! I remember what you told me, and I’ll naturally take you with me to the Vermillion Bird Holy Sect to determine your status after we’ve returned to the Immortal World. If your claim is true, then we are on the same side.” Tang Xiu said.

Fire Qilin gave it a thought for a moment. Then, it suddenly spoke, “I have a way to prove what I said, actually.”

“With what and how do you plan to verify it, exactly,” asked Tang Xiu with narrowed eyes.

The Fire Qilin raised its head and said aloud, “I know the name of the Guardian Immortal Beast of your Vermillion Bird Holy Sect. I think there should only be a handful of immortals in the Immortal World who know her name, right?”

Tang Xiu was shaken inwardly and replied in a deep voice, “I can vouch that those who know her name in the entire Immortal World is but a handful. And I’m one of them.”