Chang Liu Mountain, Jue Qing Hall.
Bai Zi Hua had been meditating for three days and three nights.
This was his habit—every so often, he would enter seclusion for quiet cultivation, to cleanse his mind and spirit. All Chang Liu disciples knew that when the High Immortal was in seclusion, even if the sky fell, they were not to disturb him.
But today, the sky hadn't fallen, yet his heart had.
Meditating until the deep night of the third day, Bai Zi Hua suddenly felt a violent tremor surge from the depths of his heart, like an invisible hand gripping his lifeline.
He abruptly opened his eyes.
The lamps in Jue Qing Hall burned brightly; nothing had changed. Yet his heartbeat was abnormally fast, and his breathing was erratic.
"What's going on?" Bai Zi Hua frowned, pressing a hand to his chest.
He was a High Immortal, his cultivation unfathomable, long having transcended the mortal realm's seven emotions and six desires. Such palpitations hadn't occurred in thousands of years.
But at this moment, his heart was pounding, beating fast and heavy, as if something was calling to him from afar.
Bai Zi Hua closed his eyes, his Divine Sense expanding outwards.
A thousand li, ten thousand li, a hundred thousand li—
His Divine Sense passed through Chang Liu Mountain, through the Human Realm, through the Immortal Realm, heading north, finally stopping at the border between the Demon and Monster Realms.
There, a faint, almost imperceptible aura was fluctuating.
Bai Zi Hua's pupils contracted sharply.
"Life and Death Tribulation."
He recognized that aura.
The Life and Death Tribulation was a trial set by the Heavenly Dao for every cultivator. Everyone had their own Life and Death Tribulation; encountering that person would either lead to transcending the tribulation and ascending, or eternal damnation.
Bai Zi Hua had long known of his Life and Death Tribulation's existence, but he had never sensed its specific location. The Heavenly Dao had hidden it well, like a buried mine, waiting for the unknown moment to detonate.
But now, he sensed it.
In the Demon Realm.
"How is this possible?" Bai Zi Hua stood up, walked to the window, and gazed north.
The Life and Death Tribulation was a rule of the Heavenly Dao, unrelated to immortals or demons. But since ancient times, Life and Death Tribulations mostly occurred within the Immortal Realm, rarely crossing realms. His Life and Death Tribulation being in the Demon Realm, what did this signify?
It signified that his Life and Death Tribulation was likely not an immortal, but a demon, or a monster.
Bai Zi Hua's brow furrowed even tighter.
He was a High Immortal of Chang Liu, the number one person in the Six Realms. If his Life and Death Tribulation was a demon or monster, then this tribulation might not just be a personal matter, but could also affect the balance between the Immortal Realm and the Demon and Monster Realms.
"I must investigate this," he turned and walked towards the doorway.
"Junior Brother, you cannot go."
Mo Yan stood at the doorway of Jue Qing Hall, having clearly received the news and rushed over overnight.
"Senior Brother, this is my personal matter," Bai Zi Hua's tone was calm.
"Personal matter?" Mo Yan strode into the hall, his face ashen, "The Life and Death Tribulation is not a personal matter! You are the Chang Liu Sect Leader; your Life and Death Tribulation concerns the safety of the entire Immortal Realm. If your Life and Death Tribulation turns out to be a demon or monster, and you go to the Demon Realm, what if something happens? What about Chang Liu? What about the Immortal Realm?"
Bai Zi Hua looked at him, saying nothing.
Mo Yan took a deep breath and softened his tone, "Junior Brother, I know you have confidence in your cultivation. But the Life and Death Tribulation cannot be resolved by cultivation alone. It is a trial of the Heavenly Dao; those who encounter their Life and Death Tribulation will almost certainly stumble. Listen to your Senior Brother's advice, do not go."
"Senior Brother," Bai Zi Hua finally spoke, his voice faint, "Precisely because it is the Life and Death Tribulation, I must go. One cannot evade it."
"You can make preparations in advance—"
"Prepare for what?" Bai Zi Hua interrupted him, "Without even knowing who the other party is, what preparations can be made?"
Mo Yan was choked by his words.
Bai Zi Hua walked past him, his steps not fast, but firm.
"Junior Brother!" Mo Yan called from behind, "Aren't you afraid it's a trap?"
Bai Zi Hua paused, his footsteps faltering slightly, and said without looking back, "Whether it's a trap or a tribulation, what is meant to come will come. Rather than waiting passively, it's better to go and see actively."
He walked out of Jue Qing Hall, mounted his sword, and his white figure disappeared into the night sky.
Mo Yan stood at the hall's entrance, watching the white light recede further and further, his expression growing increasingly grim.
"Someone," he said in a deep voice.
"Here."
"Go investigate if there have been any anomalies in the Demon Realm recently. Especially—has anyone of unknown identity appeared near Sha Qian Mo."
"Yes."
Mo Yan clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
He had a bad premonition.
That woman named Hua Qian Gu, from the moment she appeared in Ni Mantian's intelligence, everything had started to go wrong. The incident at Maoshan, Ni Mantian's theft of forbidden techniques, and Bai Zi Hua's sudden sensing of his Life and Death Tribulation—
It was too coincidental.
So coincidental it felt unnatural.
"Hua Qian Gu," Mo Yan murmured the name, his eyes cold, "Who exactly are you?"
Bai Zi Hua flew on his sword at extreme speed.
The night wind whistled past his ears, and the mountains and rivers below rushed backward. He rarely traveled like this—he was always composed, never hurried. But today, he was in a hurry.
That aura of the Life and Death Tribulation had been fluctuating since a moment ago, sometimes strong, sometimes weak, like a beating heart.
He wanted to know what it was.
Was it a person? An object? Or a force?
Bai Zi Hua closed his eyes, and a scene suddenly flashed through his mind—an empty room, a painting on a table depicting a figure standing on top of Chang Liu Mountain.
He didn't know where this image came from.
He had never been to the Demon Realm, never seen such a room, never seen such a painting.
Yet the scene was so clear, so clear that he could smell the lingering fragrance in the room—
A faint, indescribable, strange fragrance.
Bai Zi Hua opened his eyes, his brow slightly furrowed.
"The Demon Realm..." he murmured, "What exactly is hidden there?"
By dawn, he had reached the border of the Demon Realm.
Standing on a cliff, gazing at the dark red sky and black wasteland in the distance, Bai Zi Hua took a deep breath.
He could feel that the aura of the Life and Death Tribulation was somewhere in this wasteland.
Very close.
So close it felt within reach.
He took a step, preparing to set foot on the land of the Demon Realm.
Just then, a figure descended from the sky, blocking his path.
"Bai Zi Hua, what are you doing on my territory?"
Sha Qian Mo stood before him, white-clothed and white-haired, his purple eyes filled with vigilance and hostility.
Bai Zi Hua stopped, looking at him.
"Just passing by," he said.
"Passing by?" Sha Qian Mo let out a cold laugh, "A Chang Liu High Immortal passing by the Demon Realm? Who are you trying to fool?"
Bai Zi Hua did not reply. His gaze passed over Sha Qian Mo's shoulder, looking into the depths of the wasteland.
That aura was in that direction.
Very close.
But Sha Qian Mo stood in the way.
"Sha Qian Mo," Bai Zi Hua said, "Move aside."
"I won't," Sha Qian Mo crossed his arms, "The Demon Realm does not welcome you. If you take another step forward, I will consider it a declaration of war."
Bai Zi Hua looked at him, falling into silence for a few seconds.
Then, he turned around and departed on his sword.
Sha Qian Mo watched his retreating figure, his brow deeply furrowed.
"What did he come here for?" he muttered to himself, "Looking for something?"
He glanced back towards the depths of the wasteland—that was the direction of the Demon Emperor Palace.
Sha Qian Mo's brow furrowed even tighter.
No matter what Bai Zi Hua was looking for, he would not let him succeed.
Bai Zi Hua did not go far.
He stopped on a mountaintop at the border of the Demon Realm, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes.
The aura of the Life and Death Tribulation was still fluctuating, but it was weaker than before.
"Sha Qian Mo is protecting something," Bai Zi Hua murmured, "Or rather, protecting someone."
He opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the Demon Emperor Palace.
There lay the answer to his Life and Death Tribulation.
He would definitely return.
【 End of Chapter · Comment Section Discussion: Do you think Bai Zi Hua will find Hua Qian Gu?】
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